Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Shanghai's Xuhui district courts German investment in Frankfurt Xinhua) 10:22, April 09, 2025 FRANKFURT, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai's Xuhui District held an investment promotion conference in Frankfurt on Tuesday, aiming to deepen Sino-German cooperation and attract more German businesses. Themed "Collaborating for Shared Development, Co-creating the Future," the event gathered over 100 leaders from both Chinese and German governments and industries. Cao Liqiang, Secretary of the Xuhui District Committee, highlighted Xuhui as a hub of business, innovation, culture, and sports, offering world-class infrastructure and industrial ecosystems. "We invite global partners to join us in Xuhui to build the future together," he said. Cao also noted the district's long-standing ties with Germany, dating back 400 years to scientific collaboration between Ming Dynasty scholar Xu Guangqi, in memory of whom Xuhui District was named, and German missionary Johann Adam Schall von Bell. Today, Xuhui District is home to the German Consulate General in Shanghai and over 180 German companies -- including Adidas, Fresenius, BMW, Bosch, Wacker Chemie, and ZF. Adidas, whose Greater China headquarters is located there, has seen seven straight quarters of growth and plans to open two new premium stores in the district this year. Manuel Pauser, vice president of global government &community affairs of Adidas, praised Xuhui's blend of technology, fashion, and business-friendly policies. Xuhui hosts 3,400 foreign companies, including 170 regional headquarters and R&D centers, and is emerging as a national center for artificial intelligence. It is home to institutions like the Shanghai Innovation Institute of AI, the National AI Mega-Fund, and the Shanghai AI Laboratory. It also pioneered China's first and only large-scale AI model innovation community, "Model Space." Tian Xinying, Director of Xuhui's Investment Promotion Office, emphasized synergies between Xuhui's innovation-driven development and Germany's "Industry 4.0" strategy. Under the "One Enterprise, One Policy" initiative, Xuhui promises tailored support for international headquarters. "We welcome more German 'hidden champions' to Xuhui, where 'German precision' meets 'Chinese speed'," Tian said. Also unveiled at the event was Haizhi Online, a platform connecting Chinese firms with global customers. Duan Dantong, Head of Overseas Operations, said it supports the digital transformation of Chinese SMEs. Several MOUs were signed between Xuhui District and the International Hidden Champions Association, the German-Chinese Trade &Investment Promotion Association, Bank of Communications Frankfurt Branch, and the Frankfurt Chinese Enterprises Association at the conference. Xuhui District also launched its Overseas Investment Service Center (Frankfurt Branch) in partnership with Bank of China Frankfurt Branch. The event was hosted by Xuhui District and supported by China Economic Information Service (Shanghai), Bank of Communications Frankfurt, and Bank of China Frankfurt. Dignitaries present at the event include Chen Yan, director of economic and commercial counselor's office of the Chinese Consulate in Frankfurt, Michael Borchmann, former director-general for European Affairs in Hessen state, Hu Xiaoming, chief of Xinhua News Agency Berlin Bureau, Yang Min, CEO of BoCom Frankfurt Branch, and Chen Longjian, CEO of BOC Frankfurt Branch. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) U.S. defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin has shown interest in Moroccos investment opportunities offered in the defense industry which has attracted several companies including Indias Tata Advanced Systems, Turkish Baykar, Bluebird Company A senior Lockheed Martin delegation led by Brig. Gen. Joseph Rank (Ret.), CEO for Africa & Saudi Arabia, visited lately Rabat and Casablanca to advance partnership with Morocco and support local innovation and industry. In Casablanca, the American delegation visited key industrial companies including TDM Maroc, SABCA Maroc, Collins Aerospace RFM, and Exellia Maroc, which provide an important supply chain for investors. The delegation also held discussions with senior officials in Rabat, reaffirming Lockheed Martins commitment to supporting Moroccos defense priorities. Topics included exploring new opportunities for capability building, promoting workforce development, and further aligning with Moroccos goals for a more self-sustaining defense industry. The visit aligns with Lockheed Martins broader strategy to further integrate Moroccan suppliers into its global supply chain, increase local content in its platforms, and enhance local manufacturing capabilities. Our enduring relationship with Morocco reflects a shared commitment to innovation, security, and economic progress, Mr. Rank said. As we continue to deepen our collaboration, we aim to advance Moroccos defense capabilities, expand local expertise, and also contribute to long-term industrial and economic growth, added the top executive of the American defense Company. Lockheed Martins partnership with Morocco started in 1974 with the delivery of the first C-130H Hercules tactical airlifter to the Royal Moroccan Air Force. Today, the companys contributions include advanced defense platforms such as the F-16 Fighting Falcon, Sikorsky helicopters, radars, and integrated air and missile defense technologies. This growing partnership, supported by ongoing knowledge-sharing efforts, highlights Lockheed Martins commitment to advancing Moroccos defense industry. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Zip Code Last year, it was revealed that the 2022 Predator film "Prey" would be getting an unrelated sequel. Once again helmed by the same director, Dan Trachtenberg, "Predator: Badlands" is scheduled for a November 7th theatrical release, starring Elle Fanning.Another separate Predator film was also teased at the time.It has now been revealed to be an animated anthology film called "Predator: Killer of Killers". 20th Century shared the trailer today, as well as a release date of June 6 on Hulu and Disney+.The animated film (ALSO directed by Dan Trachtenberg) is an anthology story following three of the fiercest warriors in human history: a Viking raider guiding her young son on a quest for revenge, a ninja in feudal Japan who turns against his Samurai brother in a brutal battle for succession, and a WWII pilot who takes to the sky to investigate an otherworldly threat. All crossing paths with predator hunters.In semi-related news, the Alien tv series "Alien Earth" is set to premiere sometime this summer on FX/Hulu/Disney+ as well.The series is developed by Noah Hawley (Fargo, Legion) and is set on Earth, 2 years before the events of the original Alien film (not to be confused with the events of Prometheus and Covenant, which took place around 30 years before Alien...).Starring Sydney Chandler, Alex Lawther, Timothy Olyphant, Essie Davis, and David Rysdahl. China's retaliatory tariffs in response to US actions have intensified the economic standoff, causing significant disruption in global commodity markets. WTI and Brent crude oil prices have fallen to their lowest levels since 2021 due to fears of recession and oversupply amidst the ongoing trade war. The U.S. stock market bounced back on Tuesday, making the first sizable gains ever since U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a minimum 10% tariff on all imports from 90 countries, roiling financial markets across the globe. However, oil markets have struggled to advance after posting heavy losses to trade at multi-year lows on fears of a full-blown trade war. Brent crude for June delivery slipped 0.4% to trade at $63.94 per barrel at 11.45 am ET on Tuesday, a level they last touched in February 2021, while WTI crude for May delivery was flat on the day at $60.66 per barrel. However, the unraveling trade war between the United States and China is only getting started, with Trump threatening extra 50% tariffs on China unless it imposes retaliatory duties on U.S. exports. China was the hardest hit by the latest tariffs, with the Middle Kingdom now facing an effective tariff of 64.9%, including an additional 34% duty imposed by former President Trump on top of existing tariffs from previous administrations. Beijing announced a slew of countermeasures, including extra levies of 34% on all U.S. goods as well as export curbs on rare earth minerals. Under the new restrictions, Beijing requires exporters to apply for a license from the Ministry of Economy and also disclose the final use of materials like dysprosium, gadolinium, scandium, terbium, samarium, yttrium and lutetium. This was not the first time Beijing is leveraging its dominance in rare earths in a trade war with its biggest rival. Back in December, China banned exports of antimony, gallium and germanium to the U.S., minerals are used in specialty applications in chipmaking, defense and communications industries. In 2023, China banned the export of technology to extract and separate rare earths in a bid to protect its rare earths industries. Related: Cautious Calm in Canadas Oil Patch as Prices Slide REEs are used in a number of technologies including catalysts for automobiles and petroleum refining, magnets for wind turbines and defense technologies, and phosphors in lighting and computer and TV screens. Electric vehicles rely on rare earth elements, primarily neodymium, dysprosium, and terbium, in the permanent magnets of their electric motors to achieve high magnetic strength and maintain performance at elevated temperatures. Relying On China Unfortunately, the U.S. remains heavily reliant on Chinas rare earths, with the Middle Kingdom supplying nearly three quarters of its needs. China refines 89% of the world's neodymium and praseodymium, the key metals for EV magnets. To complicate matters, U.S. REE imports from other countries including Estonia (6%), Japan (3%) and France (3%) are themselves heavily dependent on chemical substances and mineral concentrates produced in China. This leaves the United States particularly vulnerable to trade wars with a major rival, something Beijing is not shy to leverage. Thankfully, the country is now closer to finding a solution to its REE conundrum. Researchers from The University of Texas at Austin have released estimates that U.S. coal ash contains 11 million tons of rare earth elements, nearly eight times the countrys known domestic reserves. Long considered an industrial waste, coal ash is the powdery byproduct left after burning coal for fuel. This is the first national assessment of coal ash as a resource. Unlike traditional mining, coal ash extraction comes with a key advantage since the burning process has already separated the minerals from their original ore, thus reducing the need for energy-intensive refining steps. Theres huge volumes of this stuff all over the country, said Davin Bagdonas, a research scientist at the University of Wyoming. And the upfront process of extracting the (mineral host) is already taken care of for us. However, its likely to take years, if not decades, before the U.S. can become an independent producer of rare earths and cut its reliance on China. The previous Congress introduced a bipartisan bill titled Reclaiming American Rare Earths (RARE) Act that offers a framework of tax incentives to encourage more investment into the U.S.-based REE mining and production. Currently, a site in Colorado is set to become the first non-China facility for refining rare earth ores while dozens of companies and startups from Alaska to Texas are advancing mining development. In the meantime, Washington can build new supply chains outside of China just like Japan did when it faced a similar fate more than a decade ago. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The tariff war is in full swing, but the analysis of their effect has focused on economies. While this makes sense, a look at some of the industries set to bear the brunt of the protectionist measures might be usefulbecause it might reveal a means of solving the trade deficit problem that has been irking President Trump enough to make him pick the trade equivalent of the nuclear option. The petrochemical industry has been the fastest-growing arm of the oil and gas industry for years. This is especially true of China, which has emerged as a leader in petrochemicals and where petrochemicals have driven as much as 90% of crude oil demand growth since 2021, according to the International Energy Agency. Howeverand this is the important partpetrochemicals are also important for the U.S. oil and gas industry; and the two have been enjoying an active trade relationship that is now in jeopardy because of the tariffs. Oil and gas, which often take the center of attention in the tariff discussion, are in fact a negligible portion of the total U.S.-Chinese energy trade. The bulk is petrochemical feedstocks. Back in February, Reuters reported that Chinas imports of ethane from the United States were set for a surge this year despite the trade war that was already heating up at the time. The report cited analyst forecasts putting the import figure at between 6.3 million and 8.2 million metric tons, or an increase of between 9% and 34%. These are already impressive figures, but here is an even more impressive one: Chinese companies account for close to 50% of U.S. ethane exports, according to the Energy Information Administration. That makes the country a key trade partner for the U.S. petrochemicals industry. Yet China also accounts for a solid portion of U.S. exports of liquefied petroleum gas, at 27%, according to data from Kpler, cited by Reuters Ron Bousso in a recent column detailing the petrochemical relationship between the United States and China. In fact, China has become such a big buyer of U.S. LPG, ethane, and other oil and gas products that it has turned into a significant driver of production growth. With the latest tariff exchange that saw the U.S. slap an extra 34% tariff on Chinese imports and Chinas retaliation with a levy of the same size, that blossoming trade flow of U.S. oil and gas products to China may shrink significantly. That may hasten the end of the tariffs. The reason, as pointed out by Reuters Bousso, is the fact that in that trade relationship, the United States is the more vulnerable party. China also imports petrochemical feedstocks from Middle Eastern oil states, African countries, and Australia. Replacing the U.S. as a supplier wont be completely headhache-free, but it can be done. For the U.S. producers, however, it would be impossible to find a replacement client of Chinas size because there arent any buyers of ethane and LNG of Chinas size out there. On the other hand, the tariffs could hasten the decline in petrochemicals that some analysts suggest is coming. One such suggestion came from ICIS last year and it focused on the possibility that the surge in Chinese petrochemicals demand was the result of its latest construction boom. Once that boom was over, the argument went, petrochemicals demand was going to follow. Another bearish report came more recently from Boston Consulting Group, which noted that petrochemicals growth was slowing. Also recently, Reuters released a report predicting capacity cuts in the petrochemicals industry as Trumps tariffs turn into the last drop for an industry that has been suffering weak margins and overcapacity for a while now. While petchem trade between the U.S. and China may be blossoming, the client industry of that trade is not exactly blossomingand tariffs may help hasten its restructuring and survival the way a bitter but life-saving medicine might. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Crude oil prices slumped to their lowest level since 2021 after the U.S. announced a fresh 50% tariff for Chinese imports following Beijings refusal to withdraw its retaliatory 34% tariffs announced in response to Washingtons imposition of a 34% tariff rate on top of already existing levies. At the time of writing, Brent crude was trading at $60.36 per barrel, with West Texas Intermediate at $57.04 per barrel, both down by close to 4% from Tuesdays close. Since the start of the year, the benchmarks have shed lover $10 per barrel and most analysts expect the rout to deepen as fears run high that tariffs would sap oil demand. Chinas aggressive retaliation diminishes the chances of a quick deal between the worlds two biggest economies, triggering mounting fears of economic recession across the globe, Rystad Energy Vice President for oil markets, Ye Lin, told Reuters. Chinas 50,000 bpd to 100,000 bpd of oil demand growth is at risk if the trade war continues for longer, however, a stronger stimulus to boost domestic consumption could mitigate the losses, the analyst added. The broader move lower weve seen in crude oil since 2 April suggests the market is pricing in bigger odds of a recession, ING analysts wrote in a note on Tuesday. The scale of the sell-off will worry OPEC+, which last week surprised the market with a larger-than-expected supply hike for May. If downward pressure continues, the OPEC+ move could be very short-lived. We could see OPEC+ pause or even reverse supply increases, they added. Higher risks of recession and a higher-than-expected OPEC+ production boost for May prompted Goldman Sachs to slash its oil price forecasts for 2026 days after it had already cut its price outlook in the wake of the U.S. tariffs announcement last week. Goldman Sachss analysts issued a new note dated April 6, in which they cut their 2026 oil price forecasts by $4 per barrelto $58 for Brent crude and to $55 for the U.S. benchmark, WTI. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Uzbekistan is considering a significant purchase of Chinese-made JF-17 fighter jets, potentially marking a major shift in the regions military procurement and reinforcing Chinas growing influence. Russias traditional dominance in the Central Asian arms market has decreased due to its military involvement in Ukraine, creating opportunities for other nations, including China, to increase sales. China is actively expanding its role as an arms supplier in Central Asia, providing drones and anti-aircraft systems to countries like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. China has succeeded in muscling aside Russia as Central Asias top trade partner. Now, Beijing appears intent on capturing a share of the regional arms market. Until very recently, China was a non-factor as an arms supplier to Central Asian states. For most of the post-Soviet era, Russia dominated the regional arms market, especially sales to Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. But Russias arms exports have plummeted since the Russian army became bogged down in Ukraine, opening up opportunities for other nations, including Turkey, Belarus, France, Spain and Italy, to boost sales. China is also entering the mix. In 2024, Beijing reportedly supplied drones to Kazakhstan and in February sold anti-aircraft systems to Uzbekistan. Now, reports are circulating that Tashkent is pondering a major purchase of Chinese-made fighter jets. A report published by defense-blog.com indicates the deal may involve JF-17s, which are jointly designed by China and Pakistan. Its designers tout JF-17s as an advanced, lightweight, all weather, day/night multi-role fighter aircraft [possessing] excellent air-to-air and air-to-surface combat capabilities. If the deal is completed, it would mark a sales coup for Beijing. Uzbek officials were reportedly considering purchasing French-made Rafale fighters before Chinese officials pressed their sales pitch. The JF-17s are reportedly less expensive to maintain than Rafale fighters and require less extensive pilot training. An announcement of a Chinese sale of fighters coming so soon after the Central Asia-European Union summit would help reinforce the notion that Central Asia has become Chinas economic backyard. From 2018-23, China sold arms to about 40 nations, mainly in Africa and across Asia, good for 5.8 percent of all global arms exports during that period. Only the United States, France and Russia had higher global market shares during that six-year span. By Eurasianet.org More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Shale boss Bryan Sheffield, the son of Pioneer Natural Resources founder Scott Sheffield, appears to have called on Americas shale drillers to cut drilling immediately, as Brent crude flirts with prices below $60 and WTI falls to $57/barrel. Sheffield, who controls Formentera Partners LP, told Bloomberg he is planning to delay drilling in some cases, shift focus to existing short-term drilling contracts, and return to expanding the companys uncompleted wells once the market stabilizes, given the chaos and oil price plunge caused in part by Trumps tariff warfare. Sheffield reportedly told Bloomberg that the situation right now is a blood bath. The industry needs to cut immediately and hunker down to let the tariff war play out, Sheffield was quoted as saying. Earlier this week, during a Permian basin golf tournament, American shale drillers let their frustrations with the Trump administration be known, according to a Bloomberg report. The industry is frustrated over its high level of support for the new administration, which has since caused a severe oil price plunge despite promises of a future where shale drillers could drill baby, drill. Shale drillers contributed significantly to Trumps election campaign and were responsible essentially for making America great again by catapulting the country to the status of top crude producer in the world. The betrayal is now being felt as prices continue to tank. On April 2, Trump announced a sweeping 10% tariff on all imports, effective April 5, with further tariffs targeting specific countries to take effect on April 9. This move reverberated across the global economy, leading to an unprecedented market reaction. In just two daysThursday and FridayU.S. stock markets suffered their largest losses ever, erasing a staggering $6.6 trillion in value before the weekend break. Bloomberg puts total global equity value losses at $10 trillion, equivalent to 10% of global GDP. For shale drillers, this translates into a dangerous loss of demand for crude oil that will not be able to support current drilling, let alone any expansion. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Saudi oil giant Aramco and Chinas top refiner, Sinopec, will expand a joint venture petrochemicals complex in Saudi Arabia under an agreement signed on Wednesday. Aramco and China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, as Sinopec is known, own the Yanbu Aramco Sinopec Refining Company (Yasref) on the west coast of Saudi Arabia, with Aramco holding 62.5% and Sinopec 37.5% in the venture. The companies signed on Wednesday a so-called Venture Framework Agreement (VFA), which will to pave the way for a major petrochemical expansion at Yasref, Aramco said in a statement. The expansion project will create additional value through a state-of-the-art petrochemical unit, a large-scale mixed feed steam cracker with a 1.8 million tons per year capacity, and a 1.5 million tons per year aromatics complex with associated downstream derivatives integrated into the existing Yasref complex. Both Aramco and Sinopec aim to diversify the use of crude oil into the production of petrochemicals, demand for which will continue to drive oil demand, while transportation fuel demand has started to level off in many major markets, including China. The planned Yasref expansion aligns with our downstream strategy to unlock the full potential of our resources, including converting up to four million barrels per day of crude oil into petrochemicals by 2030, said Mohammed Y. Al Qahtani, Aramco Downstream President. Yasref is just one of many refining and petrochemicals cooperation ventures between Saudi Aramco and Chinese energy firms. Over the past two years, Aramco, the worlds biggest crude oil exporter and largest oil company, has signed agreements with Chinas Rongsheng Petrochemical and Hengli Group to advance talks on cooperation in the refining and petrochemical sectors in China and Saudi Arabia. In recent years, the Saudi oil giant has been pursuing deals to expand its international downstream presence, especially in demand centers such as Asia. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Chevron will boost the so-called triple fracs fracturing three wells with one frac spread at one time to more than half of its wells in the Permian basin, a Chevron executive told Reuters, amid efforts to reduce the costs and times of fracking at the worlds top shale basin. Chevron plans to use triple-frac on between 50% and 60% of its wells in the Permian, up from 20% of wells triple-fracked last year, Jeff Newhook, a completions operations manager at the U.S. supermajor, told Reuters in an interview. The triple-frac reduces by 25% the time to bring wells to production. This leads to a 12% drop in Chevrons cost per fracked well in the Permian, Newhook said. Chevron started using the triple-frac in the Permian Basin for the first time a year ago. The U.S. supermajor continues to boost its oil and gas production from the basin, but it has cut capital expenditures. At the end of 2024, Chevron said it planned to spend between $4.5 billion and $5 billion on production in the Permian in 2025, lower than in 2024, as production growth is reduced in favor of free cash flow. While the Permian spending is lower, Chevron now looks to drill more wells at one go. According to the top U.S. fracking services provider, Halliburton, simultaneous fracking, or simul-frac operations, boost efficiencies as the number of days on location are significantly reduced. Chevron and the other U.S. oil producers need a new efficiency boost, a major one at that, if they dont want to begin slowing activity and production levels amid WTI Crude price crashing down to $55 per barrel as of Wednesday morning. That level is already about $10 a barrel below the average $65 per barrel price U.S. producers need to profitably drill a new well, as they indicated in the Dallas Fed Energy Survey for the first quarter. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Saudi Aramco, the Kingdoms giant national oil company, on Wednesday, announced the discovery of 14 new oil and natural gas that could add over 80 million cubic feet of gas per day and over 8,000 barrels of oil per day to Saudi Arabias fossil fuels expansion efforts, Arab News reports. The discoveries were made primarily in the Eastern Region and the vast Empty Quarter, with a mix of oil and gas reservoirs identified, and while moderate in volume compared to the Kingdoms vast reserves, analysts are heralding this as a signal that expansion is real and moving forward. The Saudis are also pursuing technological advancements to further enhance extraction. As of February 2025, Saudi Arabia's crude oil production stood at nearly 9 million barrels per day, reinforcing its dominant role in the global energy market. However, the current price environment could impede expansion and technological advancement. Back in November, Saudi Arabias 2025 fiscal breakeven price per barrel of oil was estimated at $90 by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). As of Wednesday, April 9, at 12:12 p.m. ET, Brent crude was trading at only $60.38, while the OPEC Basket price was $66.54. Saudi Arabia, the key OPEC+ producer, began easing output cuts on April 1, and plans to add 138,000 bpd to global oil supply this month. The Kingdom anticipates $342 billion in expenditures in its 2025 budget, while revenues are expected to come in lower, at $316 billion, indicating a $27-billion deficit, or around 2.3% of GDP. To make up for the shortfall, Riyadh plans to issue more debt this year. In the meantime, the Kingdom is also making a petrochemicals expansion push. On Wednesday, Aramco announced a new deal to expand its petrochemical complex on the west coast of the kingdom, signed with China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) and Yanbu Aramco Sinopec Refining Company (Yasref). The Yasref complex, in which Aramco holds a 62.5% stake and Sinopec owns 37.5%, will see the addition of a new petrochemical unit. This will include a large-scale mixed feed steam cracker with an annual capacity of 1.8 million tonnes, alongside a 1.5 million tonnes per year aromatics complex, Arab media reports. By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The Trump Administration has revoked licenses for supermajors Shell and BP and their partners to operate natural gas projects offshore Venezuela that plan to send gas to Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean islands Prime Minister Stuart Young has said. Since taking office in January, U.S. President Trump has started to tighten the screws on Venezuelan oil industry and exports, revoking Chevrons license and the licenses of the European firms to export crude from the South American country, which holds the worlds largest crude oil reserves. The U.S. Treasury has revoked a license for French oil firm Maurel & Prom to operate in Venezuela and is no longer allowing firms to receive oil from Venezuelan state oil firm PDVSA in lieu of payments. The U.S. Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued a wind-down license until May 27, 2025, authorizing M&P, Spains Repsol, and Italys Eni to undertake transactions necessary to conclude operations previously covered under the now-revoked license. Now the withdrawal of the licenses has hit BP and Shell for two gas fields in Venezuelan waters that the supermajors plan to develop with Trinidad and Tobago and its National Gas Company (NGC). The U.S. Treasury in early 2023 granted a license to Trinidad and Tobago, allowing the Caribbean nation to develop the Dragon gas field offshore Venezuela in partnership with Shell and do business related to the gas field with Venezuelas state oil firm PDVSA. The importance of energy security for Trinidad and Tobago was one of the reasons why the U.S. granted the initial licenseto boost the energy security in the Caribbean basin. But now the licenses for the Dragon field with Shells participation and the Cocuina-Manakin project involving Trinidad and Tobago and BP are revoked by the Trump Administration, making Trinidad and Tobago more vulnerable to a decline in its gas production. Prime Minister Young said Trinidad and Tobago would seek a meeting with representatives of the U.S. Administration to pitch the importance of the gas projects for Trinidad. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com President Donald Trump signed several executive orders on Tuesday that should incentivize the construction of new coal power plants in the latest stark departure from his predecessor. We're bringing back an industry that was abandoned, Trump said, as quoted by Reuters. We're going to put the miners back to work, the U.S. president added. Coal power plants have declined as share of U.S. generation capacity over the years, especially with the influx of cheap natural gas. Coal plants currently generate a fifth of U.S. electricity, which is down from as much as half back in 2000. However, demand over the last 20 or so years has been largely flat, which has facilitated the replacement of coal with gas and, to a lesser extent, wind and solar. This is now changing with the advent of artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence was listed as one big reason for the rise in electricity demand in the United States last yearand the consequent increase in electricity supply from gas and coal. The other big reason was population growth. The trend is set to continue, as Big Tech only becomes more ambitious with its AI plans. This means more generation capacity would be needed. Nuclear is one segment of the power generation industry that is set to benefit from the surge in demand, but coal is not being forgotten, either. It takes less time to build coal plants and with the existing scrubbing technology, particulate matter emissions are significantly lower than they used to be, strengthening the case for new coal. Globally, coal capacity and consumption is still growing. Last year, a total of 44.1 gigawatts of coal power capacity was commissioned, while 25.2 GW was retired, resulting in a net increase of 18.8 GW, according to data from the Global Energy Monitors Global Coal Plant Tracker. The capacity commissioned was almost 30 GW below the annual average for 2004 to 2024, which was 72 GW. While thats a sign of the continued slowdown in global coal construction, new coal capacity in China and India more than offset coal retirements in many developed nations. Now, the U.S. seems set to join China and India in coal growth. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Washington would take back the Panama Canal from Chinas influence during a visit to Panama, saying the Trump administration would not allow China to weaponize the passage. Together, we will take back the Panama Canal from China's influence, Hegseth said. China did not build this canal. China does not operate this canal and China will not weaponize this canal. Together with Panama in the lead, we will keep the canal secure and available for all nations, the defense secretary also said. Reuters said in a report on the news that the Panama Canal handles some 40% of U.S. container traffic, which is worth some $270 billion annually. After President Trump won the November elections, he threatened to take the Panama Canal back from Panama, saying the U.S. was being ripped off. Speaking at an event in December last year, Trump said, Has anyone ever heard of the Panama Canal? Because we're being ripped off at the Panama Canal like we're being ripped off everywhere else. The canal was built by the United States in the early 20th century. Panama granted the U.S. the right to build and operate the canal in exchange for annual payments. Ownership over the infrastructure was passed to the Panamanian government in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter. The deal granted control over the Panama canal to the local government under obligation of maintaining its neutrality. Two key ports at the Canal, however, are owned by a Hong Kong conglomerate with ties to Beijing. In March, media reported that BlackRock had led a consortium to buy the two ports from CK Hutchinsonthe Hong Kong ownerfor $19 billion. Chinese regulators, however, put the deal on hold. In the latest development in the saga, the Panamanian comptroller reported irregularities with the contract that CK Hutchinson has with the local authorities for the management of the ports. The irregularities were discovered during an audit ahead of the renewal of the companys license to operate the ports. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Venezuelas armed forces were placed on high alert over the weekend as Caracas accused foreign actors of plotting a false flag attack targeting ExxonMobils operations in the oil-rich Essequibo regionan area administered by Guyana but long claimed by Venezuela. The 160,000-square-kilometre maritime zone, home to some of Exxons largest offshore discoveries since 2015, has become the latest flashpoint in a decades-old territorial dispute. Venezuelas military command vowed to respond with "vigorous action" to any perceived threat, asserting its iron will to defend national sovereignty. Vice President Delcy Rodriguez alleged on Saturday that a false flag operation was being prepared to frame Venezuela for an unprovoked assault on Exxon's infrastructure. She also accused U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and Blackwater founder Erik Prince of involvement in the purported schemethough no evidence was provided to substantiate the claims. Tensions flared further after Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a March 27 visit to Georgetown, warned Venezuela that any aggression toward Guyana would carry consequences. His remarks followed Guyanas protest over the recent incursion of a Venezuelan naval vessel into its waters. At the heart of the standoff is the Essequibo region, a colonial-era territorial dispute that has gained renewed urgency since ExxonMobils discovery of massive oil reserves. Venezuela contends the 1966 Geneva Agreement allows for bilateral settlement of the boundary issue, while Guyana points to the 1899 arbitral ruling that established its borders. In 2023, Caracas held a referendum on annexing the area and formally passed legislation in 2024 to designate Essequibo as Venezuelas 24th state. With ExxonMobil pressing ahead in Guyanas offshore blocks and Venezuela escalating its rhetoric, the dispute now carries broader geopolitical implicationsraising alarms about energy security, regional stability, and foreign investor risk. More Top Reads From Oilprice.com LINCOLN Nebraskas Blue Dot will live on for now as the State Legislature rejected a bill Tuesday that would revert Nebraskas presidential election system to a winner-take-all model. Legislative Bill 3, from State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City, would reinstate winner-take-all as the system Nebraska uses to award all five of its electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the states popular vote. The bill fell two votes short on a filibuster-ending cloture motion, receiving a 31-18 vote when it needed 33 supporters. Lippincott said he was disappointed by the vote, though he was expecting the outcome. He said he expects the winner-take-all debate wont return to the Nebraska Legislature until 2026, at the earliest. Nebraska is currently one of two states that allocate some of their Electoral College votes by congressional district, which has meant three Democratic presidential candidates have won a single Nebraska Electoral College vote in the states 2nd District, known by some as the Blue Dot. Roughly a dozen Nebraskans wearing shirts bearing blue dots watched the LB 3 debate from the chamber balcony Tuesday, signaling their support for the current district model. Lippincott argued the district model was a miserable experiment that disproportionately favors the 2nd District over more rural areas of the state. He urged lawmakers to support LB 3 to bring Nebraska in line with 48 other states. We need to get on the same sheet of music, said Sen. Dan Lonowski of Hastings. LB 3 was panned at its public hearing earlier this year, garnering just nine testifiers in support, compared with over 60 in opposition. In addition, Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue noted that there were over 1,800 written comments submitted on the issue. Sanders, chair of the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, said the intense interest Nebraskans expressed on LB 3 pushed her to call for a vote to advance it out of committee. She said Nebraskans deserve to see where all lawmakers stand on the issue. Debate over winner-take-all grew in prominence late in the 2024 legislative session, after Gov. Jim Pillen released a statement supporting a previous Lippincott bill, past the point when it had a serious chance of passing. National and local Republicans pressured Pillen to call a special session on the issue, but he held off when it became apparent that Republicans didnt have enough support in the Legislature to pass it. Pillen ramped up the pressure days before the floor debate began in a Saturday press release calling for Republicans in the Legislature to advance LB 3. In it, Pillen described the district model as a failed experiment created by liberal partisan Democrats bent on exploiting Nebraskas urban-rural divide. Pillen specifically called out one of the known Republican holdouts on winner-take-all, Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston, in the press release. He urged Riepe to stand with his fellow Republicans and included images documenting previous votes Riepe took to restore winner-take-all in 2015 and 2016, as well as a pledge he signed in 2024 to support a winner-take-all bill in a special session. If youre a Republican and you dont believe in (winner-take-all), youre not a Republican, Pillen said during a World-Herald interview in December. Riepe confirmed that he was a no on LB 3 before the cloture vote. He said the Legislature should revisit winner-take-all in the next presidential election year, 2028. The district Riepe represents has an even mix of registered Republicans and Democrats, and he noted the area voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, giving him the sense that his constituents dont support a switch to a winner-take-all model. Riepe said the feedback hes received from Nebraskans on LB 3 has been overwhelmingly in opposition. Riepe also noted that Maines Legislature is also considering a trigger bill that would enact a winner-take-all model there if Nebraska passes LB 3, which he said adds the risk of Republicans losing another Electoral College vote there. Sen. Bob Andersen of Omaha argued the trigger bill was a reason to support LB 3, because it would make all 50 states elections systems uniform. Sen. Dave Wordekemper of Fremont was another Republican who spoke out against LB 3. Though he helped vote LB 3 out of committee, he said he did so to give all lawmakers a chance to vote on the bill. He said hes kept an open mind and tried to find a way to support winner-take-all, but he couldnt. Wordekemper estimated roughly 75% of his district which incorporates parts of the 1st and 2nd Districts supports the district model. He argued winner-take-all would relegate Nebraska to flyover country status and urged other Republicans to think of the long-term impacts of such a switch. He noted that as Nebraskas western population is shrinking, eastern Nebraskas is on the rise, which could lead the 1st District to flip in the future, and make the 3rd District a Red Dot. He said lawmakers should consider these shifting demographics, rather than ceding to pressure from Washington, D.C. Other opponents largely called out Republican lawmakers for trying to change the rules of Nebraskas presidential elections as a power grab, because they dont like that the district isnt a lock for Republican candidates. What were really saying is that winning is more important than people, said Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha. Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln called the district model a commonsense compromise between the Electoral College and the popular vote in deciding the next president. She argued that the push for winner-take-all reveals that Republicans dont believe their candidates can win in the 2nd District, and claimed it was an attempt to dilute the voices of Black and Hispanic voters, of which there are larger populations in the 2nd District. If you cant stand to hear what people have to say, maybe you dont belong in this business, said Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha. Another option to restore winner-take-all remains on the table in Legislative Resolution 24CA from Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams. The resolution would give voters the chance to approve a winner-take-all model on the 2026 ballot. While Wordekemper said he supported the resolution, Riepe has spoken against it. Dorn, who voted in support of LB 3, said he introduced LR 24CA to give lawmakers a second option to pass winner-take-all if Lippincotts bill didnt have enough support to pass. However, Speaker of the Legislature John Arch of La Vista said because the resolution wasnt designated a senators personal priority, he was doubtful there would be time to schedule it this session. By Representative Lucetta Elmer April 8, 2025 Representative Lucetta Elmer (R-McMinnville) applauded the unanimous House passage of House Bill 2019 which designates August 25 of each year as Oregon Adoption Day. This bipartisan legislation was also Chief Sponsored by Representative Rob Nosse (D-SE/NE Portland), Representative Virgle Osborne (R-Roseburg), and Representative Dwayne Yunker (R-Grants Pass) each who share their own personal adoption stories. Representative Elmer made the following remarks on the House floor: House Bill 2019 is more than a ceremonial bill. It is a moment of acknowledgment for the thousands of Oregonians children, birth parents, adoptive families, and support systems who walk through the transformative journey of adoption. And for me, this is personal. The day this bill recognizes is not just a date on a calendar. It is my day the day I was adopted. A day that forever changed my story, gave me a future, and placed me in the arms of a mother who chose me as her own. Adoption is an act of courage. It requires sacrifice, selflessness, and a whole lot of faithfrom all sides. It weaves together lives in ways that reflect the best of our humanity. And it is worthy of recognition. By passing this bill, we send a message to every adopted child in Oregon: You are seen. You are loved. You matter. We honor the birth parents who made the hardest of choices. We celebrate the adoptive families who open their hearts and homes. And we support a system that helps children find belonging and hope. Colleagues, this is not just a bi-partisan bill. Its a human bill. A hopeful bill. By Lars Larson NW and national radio host, The Northwest Nonsense Anybody who cares about public safety should notice a disturbing pattern. Federal law enforcement has lately been busting lots of dangerous, armed drug dealers. Local law enforcement, not so much. Its no mystery why. Voters in Oregon and the courts in Washington wiped out tough penalties for hard drugs. Then state lawmakers dithered about fixing it, even while the overdose death count skyrocketed. So, the Feds have been making the busts that local law enforcement wont, at least since Trump. Last weekend, federal agents busted an illegal drug sunday market selling everything from mushrooms to ketamine, LSD to cocaine. The property owner now faces drug and gun charges. Seattle saw five men busted on charges they trafficked drugs in homeless camps. If you wonder whats driving so much of the car thefts, property crime, neighborhood shootings and the murder rate in both states, the drug business should be your first suspect. Put together lax drug laws, thousands of homeless camps, defunded police, delinquent prosecutors and sanctuary status and you have the perfect stormand apparently so-called leaders here in the Northwest dont really care who gets wet. Thats the Rose City Rap. Join me at noon on KXL for 4 hours of Honestly provocative talk. Im Lars Larson By Taxpayers Association of Oregon OregonWatchdog.com At this point, bills that have had hearings are considered to be prospects for passage. Please note, that if the May economic forecast shows declining Oregon tax revenue, any tax may be pulled up out of obscurity and sped through the process. Here are the top 10 tax bills we have monitored. Property tax increase (SB 712) Kicker Theft #1 (Wildfire Work Study Group proposal) Tire Tax (HB 3362) 250% Marriage Fee Increase (SB 97-A) Vaping, Hookah, tobacco tax (Hb 2528) 8% alcohol tax (Hb 3197) Statewide property tax (HJR 6, HJR 8) Kicker theft #2, #3 (SB 573, SJR 15) Gas tax increase ($1.9 billion tax package announced) If you appreciate this alert then support our efforts: Contribute online at OregonWatchdog.com (learn about a Charitable Tax Deduction or Political Tax Credit options to promote liberty). NORMAL Giving back to her community is something Kiasha Henry said was instilled in her from a young age by those who came before her. In recognition of the ways in which she gives back, she was named one of Bloomington-Normal's ExtraOrdinary Women and honored Tuesday night at the Center for Health at Fort Jesse in Normal. "It was surreal," Henry told a Pantagraph reporter following the event. "I really didn't feel like I was doing anything extraordinary. I was just being me." Henry is the first quarter honoree for 2025 and a lifelong resident of Bloomington-Normal. She said at first, she was hesitant to accept her nomination, but after finding out who nominated her, she felt inspired. After losing her mother, grandmother and younger sister within a four-month span, Henry said her husband, Arthur Haynes, nominated her to be considered as an ExtraOrdinary Women honoree. "When I started writing it out, I thought 'Oh, I guess I have done a lot.' How I lost my family members and how I still managed to carry on, I could see how that could be extraordinary," Henry said. She and Haynes began their community work in 2015 after moving to a new home and finding their daughter was having a difficult time with making friends, she said. Taking inspiration from their roots, Henry and Haynes decided to host a block party, renting bouncy houses and supplying essentials for the kids in the neighborhood. "We wanted to help. We were like, 'Let's take it to the next level.' It all kind of fell into place. The need was there, and we met the need," Haynes told The Pantagraph. From this, Henry developed CHARM Inc., with the name also serving as an acronym for community, humanitarianism, assistance, revitalization and mentorship. Through the organization, neighbors, volunteers and community members were invited to support area children. As the block party grew, Henry said the organization was able to help more than 500 children receive school supplies. CHARM Inc. joined forces with other local organizations, such as the Bloomington Police Department, McLean County Moms Demand Action, Kiwanis Club of Bloomington, St. Mary's Catholic Church and Mid Central Community Action, among others. With support from the other community organizations, CHARM Inc. was able to expand into a resource fair, providing additional assistance for housing, helping to feed those in need, hosting Thanksgiving meals and providing life path counseling. One recent achievement Henry noted was the organization's ability to donate a new car to a single father in need, after a local car dealership agreed to support CHARM Inc. and supplied the vehicle. After 10 years, a larger organization offered to take over CHARM Inc., Henry said, allowing the initiative to continue to grow beyond what she could provide out of her home. The block party Henry and Haynes started is now known as the West Bloomington Neighborhood Block Party. "It was just (our daughter) trying to interact with other kids in her neighborhood," Henry said. The block party and all that it led to was not Henry's first experience giving back to her community, though. She credited Dorothy Deany, who was named the fifth ExtraOrdinary Woman in December 2022, with teaching her about outreach and community service. Deany was Henry's day care teacher from the time she was only about 6 weeks old, Henry said. The honoree said she first learned about outreach when Deany took her and the other children to volunteer at nursing homes. Deany was among those who attended the ExtraOrdinary Women Project ceremony Tuesday evening to support Henry. Henry was also accompanied by her husband and her mother-in-law, Helen Haynes, who both expressed gratitude for Henry's accomplishments. Henry spoke with ExtraOrdinary Women Project intern Randi Heth before Tuesday's ceremony. In Heth's story about the honoree, Henry gave acknowledgements to her aunt, Gloria Jean, who helped to develop the west side of Bloomington and inspired Henry to continue that legacy. Henry also spoke of her late uncle, Willie Brown, who was not only an executive at State Farm, but someone Henry said was widely recognized for giving back to his community. Among his achievements, Brown received the Roy Wilkins Award for Lifetime Achievement from the NAACP and the Community Icon Award from the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. "I just want to highlight how organizations like these are important to our community," Henry said of the ExtraOrdinary Women Project. "It's good to be noticed and recognized. Sometimes it's OK to take that compliment, that recognition. I've never I felt spoiled," she said with a laugh. "I think that's amazing. I'm already thinking I need to help this organization. I'm honored, it's been an amazing experience." Jenny Lederer, assistant professor and linguistics advisor in the Department of English Language and Literature at San Francisco State University: "Semantics is the study of meaning in context; it's the investigation of how words, phrases and sentences evoke concepts and ideas in our minds. As we learn language, we attach meanings to words by learning what objects and concepts each word refers to. "'It's just semantics' is a common retort people use when arguing their point. What they mean is that their argument or opinion is more valid than the other person's. It's a way to be dismissive of language itself as carrier for ideas. It implies that ideas and arguments can be separated from the words and phrases used to encode those ideas. The irony, of course, is that the words and phrases we use are the ideas. There is no way to communicate a complex argument or message without language. Language and thought are completely interconnected. In fact, words shape concepts and can lead to drastically different understandings of the same thing. For example, inheritance taxes can be called 'death taxes' or 'estate taxes.' These two political phrases frame the same tax law in drastically different ways. Semantics really matters." Advertisement Robert Henderson, Associate Professor of Linguistics at the University of Arizona: "Semantics is the study of meaning very broadly. We have semantics for human languages, but also for logics, or computer languages. In the case of human languages, to have a semantics for a language is to be able to assign a meaning to every word in that language, and then to compute the meanings of sentences based on the meanings of those words and how they are put together. "The phrase, 'that's just semantics,' is thus a little confusing. People seem to use it when they want to say that the disagreement they're currently having is due to word choice and not due to a substantive disagreement. But that is not semantics at all. That would be, like, lexicography. The reason this phrase has nothing to do with actual semantics is that if we were having an argument that boiled down to 'just semantics,' then we would be having an argument about what words mean. But that is not insubstantial at all! In fact, it is incredibly important for us to figure out what the various parties to an argument actually mean if we hope to resolve it. So, what is going on here? I think that it seems that in popular parlance, people use 'semantics' to mean something like 'nitpicky distinctions.' That is, in the popular use, when I dive into the semantics of what you're saying, I'm closely parsing every little thing. Thus, if we are having an argument and it's 'just semantics,' then what you're saying is that we're having an argument over fine, nitpicky details that don't matter. I don't like this use because I'm a semanticist, and that is not what I do at all. I do logic, actually. But, what can you do? People will speak the way people speak." Dylan Bumford, assistant professor in the Department of Linguistics at UCLA: "There are various technical notions that go by the name 'semantics.' Mostly, they are trying to characterize the ways that linguistic forms (like logical formulas, or computer programs or sentences in English) are, or ought to be, associated with the things they describe. In logic, this often takes the form of rules that match formulas with mathematical structures. In computer science, programs may be associated with procedures for transforming machine states. In philosophy and linguistics, you might find English expressions matched up with specific objects and scenes, or at least representations of these. Outside of these research fields, my sense is that people use the word 'semantics' to describe very fine distinctions between different categories, especially if those distinctions are so subtle as to be irrelevant. In this sense, 'semantics' would be something like the art of making annoyingly precise or pedantic linguistic choices. "I take it when most people describe an argument as a 'matter of semantics,' they mean that the two sides are effectively saying the same thing, or that the difference between them is negligible; the positions differ only in the words that are used (to some, this would make it a matter of syntax, not semantics; but of course, to others, that very difference might be a matter of semantics). Sometimes, though, discussions really are about the meanings of words. If two people agree on all the facts they know who did what to who, and what happened when, etc. but they still disagree on whether a certain sentence is true, they may be having a genuine debate about semantics, about what objects or situations should be associated with various expressions. For instance, if we disagree about whether Donald Trump withheld military aid in an effort to persuade the Ukrainian prime minister to launch an investigation into Trump's political opponents, we are having a substantive disagreement about what actually happened, about what the world is like. But if we agree that he did this, yet nevertheless disagree about whether such an action constituted a 'quid pro quo' or 'high crime,' we might instead be having a debate about semantics. As should be clear though, in this sense, semantic disputes can indeed be very big deals!" Shane Steinert-Threlkeld, assistant professor in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Washington: "Semantics is the scientific study of meaning as expressed in language. Usually, this means doing things like explaining formally under what conditions sentences in natural languages are true or false, or when one sentence implies or presupposes another. The methods can also be applied to formal languages like programming languages, where one would explain, for example, how a computer program will behave. "Indeed, a difference in a debate that came down to 'just semantics' would be a pretty big deal, since it means that we're using expressions in different ways. There seems to be a use of the phrase that means something more like 'this dispute is merely verbal: we actually agree, but we appear to disagree because we are using certain terms in slightly different ways.' I'm not sure that 'just semantics' is a particularly apt way of expressing that thought, but it's one that some people seem to use." Toshiyuki Ogihara, professor and graduate program coordinator in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Washington: "In most cases, when people say that it is just semantics, they mean that two expressions refer to the 'same situation' or 'same thing' but their connotations are different." 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: from Pexels Female Members of Parliament in New Zealand are being assaulted with weapons, threatened with rape and subjected to death threats in the course of their work, a study led by the University of Otago, WellingtonOtakou Whakaihu Waka, Poneke has found. Eleven MPs from different political parties who were serving in Parliament in 2023 talked to researchers from the University's Department of Psychological Medicine about their experiences of harassment, misogyny, racism and online trolling. All had experienced gender-based harassment, and several had received death threats. The research was led by psychiatry registrars Dr. Rhiannon Watson and Dr. Lucy Hammans, and is published in Kotuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online. It builds on a previous survey conducted by the University of both male and female parliamentarians published last year. Dr. Watson says threats of physical and sexual violence had become commonplace for female parliamentarians, with MPs reporting being threatened in person, over the phone, and online on social media and in emails. One MP described receiving "deeply, deeply vile stuff," including a threat to cut her throat. Another told researchers "[threats of] rape just get thrown about all the time." Two participants described being assaulted with weapons, while another reported having a fake gun (which she believed was real) aimed at her at close range. Dr. Hammans says misogyny was ubiquitous in the harassment of female MPs, which also targeted their staff, and their families, and was further complicated by racism for some. Levels of harassment rose when women attained more senior roles, and when they were in government rather than opposition roles. One MP commented, "There is no doubt in my mind that it is absolutely aimed at impeding us from doing our jobs and from being MPs ... it is absolutely aimed at driving us out." Many reported comments on their appearance, challenges to their competence because they were female, and being called "slut" and "bitch." One MP told researchers, " it's relentlessthere's not a break from it. There's not a single post that I've [posted] that doesn't have misogynistic comments or racist comments on it and then you add to that, death threats no one, no one prepares you for that." The senior author on the research paper, Professor Susanna Every-Palmer from the University's Department of Psychological Medicine, says the psychosocial impact of harassment on female parliamentarians is considerable, and at worst is associated with flashbacks and thoughts of suicide. MPs told researchers their concerns were not taken seriously by authorities even when they felt at risk of serious harm. One said, "I think some of us probably are in serious danger and the feeling we get is that we have to fight tooth and nail for any sort of protection." Several said that when they reported the abuse, they felt their concerns were minimized and that the response focused only on the risk of violence, rather than being sensitive to the wider emotional and psychological harms caused by the abuse. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. One parliamentarian reported her concerns to the parliamentary Security Group and was later informed they had concluded there was no threat to the MP. She told researchers: "I'm sobbing in a heap on my sofa and I'm unable to work. And [they are] telling me there's no harm the harm has happened." Female MPs noticed a dramatic reduction in the severity and volume of harassment when women in senior leadership roles were replaced by male colleagues, such as following the resignation of former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, highlighting the risk of harm to female representation in Parliament. One MP recalled, "The minute the Prime Minister stepped down, there was a whole lowering of the temperature, vitriol and nastiness." Among the long-serving MPs, two said the abuse had contributed to their decision to retire, while others thought they would have reconsidered taking up the role if they had known then what they knew now. Professor Every-Palmer says gender-based harassment is having a profound impact on female parliamentarians, challenging representation in politics and the fabric of democracy. She believes a multi-faceted response is needed, and that New Zealand should take on board recommendations from the Jo Cox Foundation in the U.K., set up after the British politician's murder in 2016. This would include establishing a central body to monitor and coordinate the response to abuse, as well as developing guidelines on abuse for police and parliamentarians. She says the New Zealand legislation on online violence, the Harmful Digital Communications Act, needs to be updated, as it specifies that individual comments must cause serious emotional distress and requires the police to demonstrate the abuser has the intent to cause harm. "This ignores the cumulative harm to women MPs from the large volume of abuse they are being subjected to." New legislation requiring social media providers to address and prevent online abuse, backed up by a robust enforcement regime, is also needed, she says. More information: Rhiannon Watson et al, Misogyny, racism, and threats to our families: a qualitative study of harassment of female politicians, Kotuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online (2025). DOI: 10.1080/1177083X.2025.2473949 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The traverse of Zhurong rover generated from visual localization. Credit: AIR A collaborative research team has improved visual localization and topographic mapping techniques that enable China's Zhurong rover to navigate and conduct scientific investigations on Mars. These techniques played a crucial role in the success of the Tianwen-1 mission, which is China's first independent interplanetary exploration effort. This study was published in the IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing. The researchers are affiliated with the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Beijing Aerospace Control Center. China's Tianwen-1 mission, launched in July 2020, aimed to map the Martian surface, analyze geological structures, and study the planet's climate and environment. A key component of this mission was the Zhurong rover, which landed in southern Utopia Planitia on May 22, 2021. The rover's ability to traverse the Martian terrain and conduct in-situ scientific investigations depended heavily on accurate localization and high-resolution topographic mapping. In this study, the researchers developed several innovations to enhance Zhurong's navigation system, including vignette correction and online camera mast calibration techniques, which improved the quality of images captured by the rover's Navigation and Terrain Cameras. These enhancements allowed for the creation of high-resolution 3D topographic maps with centimeter-level accuracy, which were critical for obstacle analysis and rover path planning. Furthermore, by integrating cross-site visual localization and digital orthophoto map matching, the researchers refined the rover's position to within an accuracy of 0.50% relative to the traverse length, significantly better than the 3.11% accuracy of the rover's onboard dead-reckoning system. The study indicated that the Zhurong rover traveled a total distance of 2,009 meters, which is 88 meters more than the 1,921 meters recorded by the onboard odometer. This discrepancy was caused by wheel slippage due to the downslope trend of the traverse, emphasizing the importance of accurate localization for understanding the rover's movement on Mars. Additionally, the high-resolution topographic maps facilitated a detailed analysis of geological features, such as Transverse Aeolian Ridges and impact craters, providing valuable insights into Mars' geological history and climatic evolution. More information: Wenhui Wan et al, Visual Localization and Topographic Mapping for Zhurong Rover in Tianwen-1 Mars Mission, IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing (2025). DOI: 10.1109/JSTARS.2025.3540377 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: Commander Jared Isaacman speaks at a news conference after arriving at the Kennedy Space Center for an upcoming private human spaceflight mission in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Aug. 19, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/John Raoux, File The nominee for NASA's top job, billionaire spacewalker Jared Isaacman, outlined his vision for space exploration on Wednesday that prioritizes sending astronauts to Mars without giving up on the moon. "It's imperative that we do both," Isaacman told senators. President Donald Trump nominated Isaacman to become NASA's 15th administrator late last year. If confirmed, the tech entrepreneur would become the youngest person to lead the space agency and among only a handful of administrators to have actually rocketed into orbit. The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee gathered in Washington for the nomination hearing. Besides Isaacman, nine other experienced space travelers were in the audience, including NASA's next moon crew and passengers who flew on private spaceflights with him. Isaacman assured the senators that he would not give up on the moon and wants the U.S. to beat China in landing astronauts there. "I didn't say we shouldn't go to the moon," he said. "What's taking so long to get back to the moon and why does it cost so much money? I absolutely want to see us return to the moon." Moon and Mars expeditions can be developed in parallel. "I don't think these are either-or," he added. NASA can afford both under current funding, he said, without elaborating. Isaacman, 42, has already flown in space twice, buying his own trips with SpaceX, and performed the world's first private spacewalk last September. An experienced jet pilot, he made his fortune with a payment processing company he started as a high school dropout in his parents' basement, now called Shift4. He acknowledged in his testimony that he is not "a typical nominee for this position." "I have been relatively apolitical; I am not a scientist and I never worked at NASA," he said. "I do not think these are weaknesses." The space agency and others were anxious to hear Isaacman's stand on the moon and Mars for human exploration, given his close association with SpaceX's Elon Musk. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, the committee's chairman, urged the need to "stay the course" with NASA's plans to return astronauts to the moon. "An extreme shift in priorities at this stage would almost certainly mean a red moon, ceding ground to China for generations to come," Cruz said. NASA has been pitching the moon as the next logical step for astronauts for years. The Artemis program aims to send a crew around the moon next year and land astronauts near the moon's south pole as early as 2027. Lunar bases are planned this time around, not just quick visits like the ones during NASA's Apollo missions in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Artemis has been slow going and expensive, especially for NASA's Space Launch System rocket. It's only blasted off once so farin 2022 without a crew. Musk favors Mars as a destination, as he ramps up more test flights out of Texas for Starship, the world's biggest and most powerful rocket. By making Starship reusable, he intends to dramatically lower costs of getting people and equipment to the red planet. NASA has chosen Starship for its first two astronaut landings on the moon under Artemis, named after Apollo's twin sister in Greek mythology. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. When asked if Musk has contacted him since his nomination about how to manage NASA, Isaacman replied, "not at all." Isaacman then was questioned how he would protect against undue influence from Musk, given SpaceX's billions of dollars' worth of contracts with NASA. "I absolutely want to be clear," Isaacman said. "My loyalty is to this nation, the space agency and their world-changing mission." Isaacman said he supports continuing the International Space Station through 2030, as currently planned by NASA. Musk suggested earlier this year that the space station should be dumped as soon as possible in order to focus on Mars. When pressed by senators again before the hearing ended, Isaacman said the space station should keep going until it's replaced by private outposts in orbit. 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Artist's illustration of Enceladus's plumes. Credit: NASA What kind of mission would be best suited to sample the plumes of Saturn's ocean world, Enceladus, to determine if this intriguing world has the ingredients to harbor life? This is what a recent study presented at the 56th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC 2025) hopes to address as a team of researchers investigated the pros and cons of an orbiter or flyby mission to sample Enceladus' plumes. This study has the potential to help scientists, engineers, and mission planners design and develop the most scientifically effective mission to Enceladus with the goal of determining its potential habitability. Here, Universe Today discusses this incredible research with Dr. Morgan Cable, who is a research scientist in the Laboratory Studies group at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, regarding the motivation behind the study, significant takeaways, how this proposed mission will compare to Cassini, next steps for developing such a mission, and what forms of life we might find on Enceladus. Therefore, what was the motivation behind the study? "Enceladus is unique in that material from its subsurface ocean can be accessed without the need to dig, drill or even land," Dr. Cable tells Universe Today. "This is not something you can do on other planetary bodies, and it's all thanks to the plume emanating from four giant fissures in the south pole. A spacecraft doing a flythrough of the plume, either from Saturn orbit or via Enceladus orbit, could collect both gas and ice grains and perform measurements to better constrain the habitability of the subsurface ocean and potentially search for evidence of life." For the study, the researchers discussed the motivation and variety of reasons why sampling Enceladus' plumes would produce the most valuable science for studying this ocean world. This included the benefits of a plume-focused mission as opposed to a lander or other type of scientific mission how data obtained by NASA's Cassini spacecraft contributed to recent discoveries regarding Enceladus. Finally, they discussed the benefits of a flyby versus Enceladus orbiter and the challenges of performing such a daring mission. The discussion was complemented by the researchers presenting models from previous studies that estimated the salt content of the grains that could potentially be sampled from Enceladus' plumes. While one study estimated collecting salt-rich grains, the other study estimated collecting grains with less salt. By combining the two studies, the researchers of this recent study concluded that 100 times more material will need to be collected than previously estimated to obtain sufficient data regarding the contents of Enceladus' subsurface ocean. Therefore, what are the most significant takeaways from this study? "Enceladus is the only confirmed body in the solar system where we have access to fresh material from a habitable subsurface ocean," Dr. Cable tells Universe Today. "We also at a point for the first time in human history where we have developed instruments that can fit on spacecraft and are sufficiently sensitive that, even if there is a single alien microbe entrained within an ice grain in the plume, we could detect it. "While we certainly started the journey to search for life elsewhere with the Viking missions to Mars, we now may be embarking on the golden era of the search for life in our own cosmic backyard." While Cassini was technically designated as an orbiter since it orbited Saturn several times while conducting countless flybys of its many moons, including 11 of Enceladus, it did not enter Enceladus' orbit to conduct an in-depth analysis of the ocean world and its surface. The only other missions that briefly explored Saturn and its moons were Pioneer 11 and Voyager 1 and 2, all of which conducted flybys of the Saturn system. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. As noted, this study builds off data collected by NASA's Cassini mission that conducted groundbreaking science for over 13 years (2004 to 2017) while orbiting Saturn and its many moons. During this time, Cassini discovered Enceladus' plumes and even flew through them several times, obtaining data regarding the chemical compositions and grain sizes. While these plume samples revealed the presence of organic materials, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water vapor, and volatile gases, Cassini's instruments were not equipped to conduct an in-depth analysis of ice grains. Therefore, how will this proposed orbiter/flyby mission compare to Cassini's results when it flew through Enceladus' plumes? "Cassini's instruments were state-of-the-art at the time that spacecraft was built and launched; those instruments were also not meant to search for biosignatures or complex organic chemistry," Dr. Cable tells Universe Today. "With modern instrumentation, we can better identify both small molecules and complex organics, even up to biomolecules such as lipids, polypeptides, DNA or RNA. This is because modern instruments have better mass range and resolution, as well as sensitivity (so even if the molecules are dilute, we can detect them) and the ability to more robustly handle interferents." NASA missions typically take several years to go from a concept to launch and often several more years before finally collecting valuable science. For example, while Cassini was launched in 1997, it was actually introduced in 1982 by a working group between the National Academy of Sciences and the European Science Foundation, hence why Cassini was a joint mission between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Italian Space Agency. The next several years consisted of further discussions and some political bumps as the U.S. Congress came close to canceling the project, but NASA persuaded them to stay the course. After launching in 1997, Cassini spent close to seven years traveling to Saturn before officially entering orbit in 2004, followed by spending until 2017 collecting groundbreaking science about Saturn and its many moons. Therefore, what are the next steps for developing this potential orbiter/flyby to sample Enceladus' plumes? Dr. Cable tells Universe Today, "The recent Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey recommended that Enceladus be included as a potential destination through the New Frontiers Program and also recommended that an Enceladus Orbilander follow Uranus Orbiter and Probe (UOP) as the next-priority flagship mission. So, I imagine one or more mission concept proposals may be submitted to the next New Frontiers call to explore Enceladus, and if selected, that would be very exciting. If not, there is significant community support for a flagship, but after UOP." Enceladus is one of the most intriguing and mysterious worlds in our solar system with its plumes of water ice being ejected from its subsurface ocean via cracks in its south pole. But it's this subsurface ocean that causes the greatest amount of intrigue, as Earth demonstrates liquid water is one of the key ingredients for life as we know it, providing millions of aquatic species of all shapes and sizes. An Earth analogy for what scientists could find on Enceladus are hydrothermal vents, which are found near regions of volcanic activity at the bottom of the ocean. These vents often consist of black smokers and white smokers, with each discharging their own respective set of minerals and ecosystems. Some examples of life found at hydrothermal vents include crabs, shrimp, tube worms, and mussels. Therefore, what forms of life do Dr. Cable think we could find in Enceladus? "Based on our understanding of the amount of energy available in the ocean, it's not likely that the density of life is very high," Dr. Cable tells Universe Today. "In Earth's oceans, where sunlight (our primary energy source) is abundant, we see cell densities on the order of 100,0001,000,000 cells per milliliter of ocean water, which can support organisms as large as fish, sharks and whales. In energy-limited environments, such as the ice-covered lakes of Antarctica (which don't have access to sunlight), we tend to see cell densities on the order of 1001,000 cells per milliliter." Dr. Cable continues, "And that I think is more likely at Enceladus, as sunlight won't be an option in the ocean underneath the ice shell; the primary energy source is likely to be hydrothermal energy at the seafloor. But that doesn't mean necessarily we'll only see microbes. On Earth, at hydrothermal vents at our seafloor, we see diverse communities that include shrimp, octopods and other multicellular organisms, so we can't rule that out. I think we'll be excited no matter what we find." Other ocean worlds of intrigue include Saturn's largest moon, Titan; Jupiter's moons, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto; Uranus' moons, Ariel, Umbriel, Oberon, and Titania; Neptune's moon, Triton; and even dwarf planets Pluto and Ceres. Europa is being visited by NASA's Europa Clipper to examine its subsurface ocean while NASA's Juno continues to study Europa and the other Galilean moons. For Titan, NASA is slated to launch its Dragonfly quadcopter in 2028 with an estimated arrival at Titan in 2034. For now, a future Enceladus mission continues to be on the drawing board with the Enceladus Orbilander being the most anticipated mission to explore Enceladus and its subsurface ocean while researchers continue to ponder whether life as we know it, or even as we don't know it, could exist within its watery depths. Dr. Cable tells Universe Today, "One of the most interesting parts of my research is the opportunity to work and interact with people from a multitude of different disciplines, ranging from chemistry and geophysics to marine biology and oceanography. So, I think it's important to realize that you can study something pretty far removed from astrophysics or astronomy and still potentially join a mission team to explore big questions about our universe." More information: The Enceladus Plume: A Unique Opportunity to Address Astrobiology Questions from Orbit or Flyby. www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2404.pdf 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: Representation of 16 systems with ELP (left) and 16 systems without ELP (right) in a semi-major axisplanetary mass diagram. Blue dots represent 'detectable' planets and yellow dots 'undetectable' planets. Credit: Astronomy & Astrophysics (2025). DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202452434 A team from the University of Bern and the National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) PlanetS has developed a machine-learning model that predicts potential planetary systems with Earth-like planets. The model could significantly accelerate and thus revolutionize the future search for habitable planets in the universe. The search for Earth-like exoplanetsplanets orbiting stars other than our sunis a central topic in today's planetary research, because extraterrestrial life is most likely to be found there. Researchers at the University of Bern have now developed an innovative machine learning model that identifies planetary systems that could potentially harbor Earth-like planets. The entire team behind the findings is, or was at the time of the study, affiliated with the University of Bern and a member of the NCCR PlanetS. The first author, Dr. Jeanne Davoult, who is now a postdoctoral researcher at DLR (Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt) in Berlin, studies exoplanet populations and developed the model as part of her doctoral thesis at the Space Research and Planetary Sciences Division (WP) of the Physics Institute of the University of Bern. Prof. Dr. Yann Alibert, co-director of the Center for Space and Habitability (CSH), and Romain Eltschinger, also a Ph.D. student at the CSH, made significant contributions to the study, which has just been published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. Training with data from the Bern Model A machine learning model is a statistical tool that is trained with data to recognize certain types of patterns and make predictions. Dr. Davoult explains, "Our model is based on an algorithm that I developed and that was trained to recognize and classify planetary systems that harbor Earth-like planets." The model builds on previous studies to infer a correlation between the presence or absence of an Earth-like planet and the properties of its system. The algorithm was trained and tested with data from the so-called Bern Model of Planet Formation and Evolution. "The Bern Model can be used to make statements about how planets were formed, how they have evolved, and which types of planets develop under certain conditions in a protoplanetary disk," explains co-author Dr. Alibert. Since 2003, the Bern Model has been continuously developed at the University of Bern. "The Bern Model is one of the only models worldwide that offers such a wealth of interrelated physical processes and enables a study like the current one to be carried out," Dr. Alibert continues. 99% accuracy of the new model The algorithm of the new machine learning model was trained and tested using data on synthetic planetary systems from the Bern Model. "The results are impressive: the algorithm achieves precision values of up to 0.99, which means that 99% of the systems identified by the machine learning model have at least one Earth-like planet," says Dr. Davoult. The model was then applied to actually observed planetary systems. "The model identified 44 systems that are highly likely to harbor undetected Earth-like planets. A further study confirmed the theoretical possibility for these systems to host an Earth-like planet," Dr. Davoult explains. More efficient search for habitable planets As part of his master's thesis, Eltschinger, the co-author of the study, contributed to the further development of the machine learning model, allowing it to be used in an even wider range of scenarios. He says, "These results are important for the scientific community, and particularly for future space missions such as PLATO or future mission concepts like LIFE, which will be dedicated to the discovery and characterization of small, cold planets." The use of this machine-learning model to search more specifically for Earth-like planets could minimize search times and maximize the number of discoveries. "This is a significant step in the search for planets with conditions favorable to life and, ultimately, in the search for life in the universe," concludes Dr. Alibert. More information: Jeanne Davoult et al, Earth-like planet predictor: A machine learning approach, Astronomy & Astrophysics (2025). DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202452434 Journal information: Astronomy & Astrophysics 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 As agricultural technology advances, small farmers in Indonesia are being left behindbut a new report reveals practical solutions to bridge the gap between farmers and tech innovators. Indonesia's 17.2 million small farmers help feed a population of 280 million, yet many still rely on traditional practices. Improving access to tech-enabled innovations could increase productivity and market access, boosting incomes and enhancing food security. Trisna Mulyati, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and lead author of the report, understands these challenges firsthand. Growing up in Aceh province in western Indonesia, she witnessed how small farmers lacked access to modern tools and innovations. "My uncle is a farmer and in more than 30 years little has changedif anything, things are worse. We need an approach where the farmer's point of view is better understood, where they have a greater voice, to combat 'farmer exit' and empower intergenerational farming. "There's enormous potential for technology-driven growth, but AgTech startups need to go beyond 'fly-in, fly-out' models. Farmers need long-term partnerships, not one-time interventions." Agricultural technology, or AgTech, refers to a wide range of tools and techniques that improve efficiency, productivity, and sustainability in farming practices. It includes precision agriculture, biotechnology, automation and data analytics, using tools like AI, sensors, drones and GPS to optimize crop growth and improve resource management. The report, "Transitioning future small farms in Indonesia: Ten best practices for agritech startups & wider ecosystems," was launched at the Australian Consulate General in Bali on 26 February. An online workshop is scheduled for 10 April to launch the Indonesian translation of the report. The report calls for stronger engagement between tech startups, NGOs, and policymakers to help farmers overcome adoption barriers. It outlines ten best practices to enable and shape Indonesia's rural startup ecosystem. The research is based on interviews with 131 stakeholders, including farmers, startups, and NGOs in Jakarta, West Java, Bali, and Aceh, who provided deeper insights into how local knowledge can shape more effective technological solutions. 10 key recommendations to drive change include: Arrange on-farm demonstrations Offer insights that take the farmer's point of view Collaborate to enable effective farm financing and advisory Create both in-person and online interactions Prioritize farmer return on investment (ROI) Aim for sustainable and seasonal growth Leverage blended capital Collaborate with NGOs to advocate for policy change Collaborate with hubs of farmers Be authentically sustainable Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. The research was supported by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) through the Australia-Indonesia Institute, Lestari, a sustainable innovation hub run by the Pijar Foundation and other Indonesian partners. Australia's Consul-General Jo Stevens, who attended the Bali launch, reinforced the report's significance. "This initiative highlights DFAT's commitment to fostering international collaboration. It's about ensuring a prosperous future for both Indonesia and Australia," she said. Building on this, UTS and Pijar Foundation have recently signed a memorandum of understanding to explore future research, education and engagement collaborations that advance their respective innovation ecosystems. Associate Professor Martin Bliemel, Director of Innovation at the UTS Transdisciplinary School, said the report serves as a guide-map, not just for Indonesia but for AgTech innovators and rural communities worldwide. "By moving away from one-size-fits-all startup models and embracing farmer-driven innovation, Indonesia has the chance to build a resilient agricultural sectorone that prioritizes sustainability, empowers small farmers, and secures food production for generations to come." More information: Martin Bliemel et al, Transitioning future small farms in Indonesia: 10 best practices for agritech startups & wider ecosystems, University of Technology Sydney (2025). DOI: 10.71741/4pyxmbnjaq.28447748 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A man downsizes his Dia de los Muertos altar to make room for Halloween. A woman decides not to teach her children Swahili so they can learn their father's language instead. Another skips summer gatherings on the reservation to spend time with her husband's family. These quiet compromises reflect the push and pull of love across culturesan increasingly visible but underexplored dynamic in modern romance, according to a recent University of Toronto Mississauga study examining what partners give up, adapt to or change to make these relationships work. Published in the Journal of Marriage and Family, the study focuses on what researchers call "cultural sacrifices": the negotiations, adjustments and trade-offs individuals make to navigate cultural differences in their intimate lives. "All relationships require some kind of sacrifice, yet couples from different cultural backgrounds often have to make some compromises related to their cultural identities and upbringings," says Hanieh Naeimi, a Ph.D. student who led this research in collaboration with Emily Impett, a professor in the U of T Mississauga department of psychology and director of the Relationships and Well-Being Laboratory. "We call these cultural sacrifices and we found nine distinct themes that they fall under, ranging from language, food and cultural practices to parenting, religion and gender roles." University of Toronto Mississauga psychology professor Emily Impett (left) and PhD student Hanieh Naeimi (right) co-authored a new study examining the cultural sacrifices partners make in intercultural relationships. Credit: Nick Iwanyshyn Naeimi and her team asked a sample of nearly 600 people in intercultural relationships from Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. to describe a sacrifice they had made regarding their cultural differences with their partners. The respondentsrecruited through online crowdsourcing platforms that connect researchers with participantswere mostly female, white, in their 30s and either married or in serious relationships. Their stories show how cultural sacrifices can lead to personal growth and stronger relationships, but also to challenges and a sense of lost identity, says Naeimi. "Several respondents talked about the difficulties of acting as a translator for their partner when their families visited, or feeling left out of conversations at family events. On the other side of the language theme, some people talked about being with someone who speaks another language as a great opportunity to learn." Respondents also said that trying new foods, cultural celebrations and religions could be rewarding, while navigating different gender role expectations or managing prejudice from a partner's family could be stressful. "They wrote about how hard it is to experience any kind of racism or discrimination from within your family," says Impett. The researchers say there is societal value in this new, more nuanced understanding of cultural sacrifices and their benefits and drawbacks in intercultural relationships. "Cultural sacrifices can lead to the blending of cultures within families, which can create positive change in society," says Naeimi. This knowledge also has practical applications at the individual level, she says. "If couples therapists are aware of the specific types of cultural sacrifices that people make, they can help partners navigate the relationship complexities, for example. But this research is also just about getting people in intercultural relationships to see that they're not alone in their experiences, and offering some validation." Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Over the last two decades, Impett has done extensive research on the sacrifices people make for their partners, and she jumped at the chance to investigate this topic in the context of intercultural relationships. "Diverse populations have been understudied in many areas of research, including this one," she says, adding that intercultural relationships have been marginalized and even criminalized throughout history. Looking ahead, Naeimi and Impett are interested in examining the factors that predict whether people experience cultural sacrifices as positive or negative. "We could consider the size of the sacrifices, for example, and whether the sacrifices are ongoing or just one-time," says Naeimi. Another potential next step, says Impett, is exploring what determines people's level of commitment to big cultural sacrifices. "Some of these sacrifices require sustained effort and dedication, and we'd like to better understand the motivations and context that influence whether people stick with them." More information: Hanieh Naeimi et al, Navigating cultural crossroads: A thematic analysis of individuals' sacrifices in intercultural romantic relationships, Journal of Marriage and Family (2025). DOI: 10.1111/jomf.13072 Journal information: Journal of Marriage and Family This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The Campeche Bank hamlet, Hypoplectrus espinosai. Credit: Isai Dominguez Guerrero, from Zootaxa (2025). DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5618.4.3 Scientists from the Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) in Bremen, together with colleagues from Central America, have described a new fish species in the Gulf of Mexico. Hypoplectrus espinosai belongs to the hamlet group and was discovered in the Alacranes Reef, a reef complex in the Campeche Bank in the southern Gulf of Mexico. The researchers from Germany, Mexico, and Panama were able to describe the new species using genetic data, geographical records, and photographs. Their study has now been published in the journal Zootaxa. Hamlets (Hypoplectrus) live in coral reefs in the Caribbean and the tropical northwestern Atlantic. They are predatory fish and feed on small fish and invertebrates. There are currently 18 recognized species, seven of which have been described in the last 14 years. Hamlets are essentially distinguished by their color patterns, which vary from species to species and are largely genetically determined. The fish can grow 10 to 15 centimeters in size. With an average size of 11 centimeters, the newly discovered species Hypoplectrus espinosai, commonly known as the "Campeche Bank Hamlet," is one of the small species. Its caudal peduncle, which connects the caudal fin to the body of the fish, is completely covered by a black saddle patch. This marking extends over the rear part of the body and sometimes also over the posterior part of the dorsal fin. How was the new species discovered? "My Mexican colleague Alfonso Aguilar-Perera from the Autonomous University of Yucatan contacted me some time ago because he had observed a peculiar fish while diving in the Alacranes Reef in the Campeche Bank," explains first author Oscar Puebla, marine biologist at ZMT and Professor of Fish Ecology and Evolution at the Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) at the University of Oldenburg. The color pattern of this "peculiar" fish resembled two well-known species of hamlets, the butter hamlet (Hypoplectrus unicolor), which is widespread in the Caribbean, and the Veracruz hamlet (Hypoplectrus castroaguirrei), which lives in the western Gulf of Mexico. Despite the similarity, the newly discovered fish showed clear differences in its markings to these two species. "This made us curious. We both thought it was a very interesting find, but we also knew that we needed genetic data and a broader geographical perspective to accurately identify this fish," continues Puebla. In order to collect data for the identification of the species, the two scientists brought some of their colleagues on board: Ichthyologists Omar Dominguez-Dominguez (University of Michoacana de San Nicolas de Hidalgo in Mexico) and Ross Robertson from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama as well as Martin Helmkampf, an expert in bioinformatics from ZMT. Professional underwater photographers Allison and Carlos Estape completed the team and contributed numerous images of hamlets in the Campeche Bank. In a joint effort, the researchers were able to compile a comprehensive dataset containing genetic data, geographical records, and photos. "For an ongoing project we had sequenced several hamlet genomesincluding those of the butter hamlet (Hypoplectrus unicolor) and the Veracruz hamlet (Hypoplectrus castroaguirrei)," explains co-author Martin Helmkampf, who analyzed the genomic data. "The genetic data showed that the fish observed by our colleague Alfonso Aguilar-Perera was indeed a new species." "We then described the fish on the basis of further specimens collected by colleagues Omar Dominguez Dominguez and Ross Roberston," adds Pubela. "The black saddle patch on the caudal peduncle of the new species distinguishes it from the butter hamlet, whose patch is less extensive and only covers part of the caudal peduncle. The new species also doesn't have the black eye mask that characterizes the Veracruz Hamlet." Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Why are new species of hamlets still discovered? "In the past, different hamlets were thought to be diverse color variants of one species, but today we know that they are individual species. The speciation process of hamlets is not yet complete, so this species offers an excellent opportunity to study the genetic drivers of rapid diversification," continues Puebla. "How many species there are in the world depends on how quickly new species emerge and how many go extinct. The example of the hamlet shows how a natural evolutionary process may counteract the loss of biodiversity." New species named after Mexican ichthyologist The researchers named the new species Hypoplectrus espinosai in honor of Hector Salvador Espinosa Perez (19542022), a dedicated Mexican ichthyologist. He founded the Mexican Ichthyological Society and was the curator of the Mexican National Fish Collection. The common name "Campeche Bank Hamlet" refers to the species' geographical distribution area, the Campeche Bank off the north coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in the southwest of the Gulf of Mexico. This species description highlights the Campeche Bank in particular and the Southwestern Gulf Mexico in general as an area of interest that harbors endemic reef fish and therefore requires special protection. More information: OSCAR PUEBLA et al, Hypoplectrus espinosai sp. nov. (Teleostei: Serranidae), a new hamlet on coral reefs in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, Zootaxa (2025). DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5618.4.3 Journal information: Zootaxa Provided by Leibniz-Zentrum fur Marine Tropenforschung (ZMT) 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: East Montpelier in July of 2024. Credit: Vermont Agency of Transportation As extreme weather and flooding events become more intense and frequent due to climate change, improving flood mitigation strategies has never been more critical. The livelihood of downstream communities relies heavily on effective flood resilience measures to reduce flood levels and decrease the power of flood waters. Floodplainslow-lying areas adjacent to rivers and streamscan play a crucial role in reducing flood impacts, helping to protect lives, agriculture, and infrastructure by influencing how water moves across the landscape. Acting as a natural buffer, floodplains temporarily store floodwater, reducing flood peaks and minimizing the erosional power, in a phenomenon called attenuation. However, new research by the University of Vermont (UVM) shows that not all floodplains function in the same way. The study reveals that varying topographic features affect a floodplain's ability to ease flood water's momentum and impact. Publishing their findings in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, the team introduces an innovative method to detect floodplains and classify them based on their ability to attenuate floods. "This approach enables the assessment of floodplains and their processes across broad scales to better account for their functions and potential to contribute to flood resilience," said Dr. Rebecca Diehl, the study's lead researcher. "Floodplains typically aren't included in large-scale water resource assessments, such as flood prediction models, yet, they can play a significant role in routing floods across the landscape and determining the impacts of floods." The study leverages widely available topographic datasets to identify features along the edge of the river channel that are hypothesized to slow floodwaters to a greater degree than the surrounding area. Floodplain settings were then grouped based on the presence, size, and shape of these features. When the research team evaluated the ability of each type of setting to store and slow floodwaters, they found distinct differences among them, demonstrating a clear relationship between flood routing and topography. This process was demonstrated in the Lake Champlain Basin in Vermont, spanning elevations from 1,339 m to 29 m, through the steep gradients of the Green and Taconic Mountains to the lowlands of the Champlain and Hudson Valleys. The study revealed six distinct floodplain types present in the region, each playing a unique role in attenuating flooding. The resulting concept, the Hydraulic Floodplain Classification, emphasizes the landscape's variable capacity to influence flood routing. While the initial study was conducted in the northeastern United States, the workflow and concepts proposed are transferable, allowing it to be applied to other regions and watersheds across the country, offering a versatile tool for water resource assessments and floodplain management applications. Vermont was hit hard by floods in July of 2024. Credit: Vermont Agency of Transportation Implications for watershed management and restoration By pinpointing floodplains that are most effective at slowing floodwaters, the study provides valuable insights for restoration and conservation projects. Understanding which attributes have the greatest potential for attenuation can help guide watershed management by prioritizing sites for floodplain reconnection, infrastructure removal, or riparian revegetation, and guiding restoration design. Notably, classification systems such as the one proposed by the researchers can be effective communication tools, enabling policymakers and planners to make data-driven decisions about restoration and land use. By easing identification of naturally attenuating features, the approach can support flood resilience plans that rely on natural landscapes. "By classifying rivers based on the presence of floodplains and their attenuation potential, we are building a broad-scale understanding of how the landscape can influence flood routing, and which parts may best contribute to flood resilience projects," says Diehl, a Research Associate Professor in the University of Vermont's Department of Geography and Geosciences. "Communities will be able to determine whether a focus on upstream watershed management to slow the flow will be an effective part of their flood resilience plan." Additionally, this work highlights the importance of preserving natural floodplains, particularly as climate change continues to increase the frequency and intensity of storms. Floodplains not only slow the force of water, but they also support the deposition and storage of sediment, nutrients, and pollutants, ultimately improving water quality. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Enhancing flood forecasting and community preparedness Proper representation of flood routing across the landscape is critical for accurate flood forecasting. Often, models developed to make predictions over large areas have limited information on the characteristics of rivers, floodplains, and the interaction of water with the landscape, resulting in errors in flood warnings, putting lives and property in danger. Understanding the unique hydraulic characteristics of floodplains is key to better managing flood risks and protecting communities. The Hydraulic Floodplain Classification provides a pathway towards improved representation of natural features and processes in large-scale models, improving streamflow predictions and flood inundation mapping. Such an outcome can enhance operational flood warnings, helping downstream communities better prepare for flood events. More information: Rebecca M. Diehl et al, Identifying Hydraulically Distinct Floodplain Types From High Resolution Topography With Implications for BroadScale Flood Routing, Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface (2025). DOI: 10.1029/2024JF007984 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 Gray whales are dying in large numbers, again. At least 70 whales have perished since the start of the year in the shallow, protected lagoons of Mexico's Baja California peninsula, where the animals have congregated for eons to calf, nurse and breed, said Steven Swartz, a marine scientist who has studied gray whales since 1977. And only five mother-calf pairs were identified in Laguna San Ignacio, where most of the wintering whales tend to congregate, Swartz said. That's the lowest number of mother-calf pairs ever observed in the lagoon, according to annual reports from Gray Whale Research in Mexico, an international team of researchersco-founded by Swartzthat has been observing gray whales in Laguna San Ignacio since the late 1970s. The whales are now headed north. In just the last two weeks, three gray whales have died in San Francisco Bay, one of which was described by veterinarians and pathologists at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito as skinny and malnourished. Evaluations on the two other deaths are still being conducted. Alisa Schulman-Janiger, who has led the Los Angeles chapter of the American Cetacean Society's gray whale census at Rancho Palos Verdes since 1979, said the number of whales she and her volunteers have observed migrating north this spring and swimming south this past winter is the lowest on record. "We didn't see a single southbound calf, which has never happened in 40 years," she said. Schulman-Janiger and other researchers aren't sure why the whales are dying, although she and others believe it could be from lack of food based on the depleted conditions in which some of the whales have been found. Eastern North Pacific gray whales cruise the Pacific coastline every year as they migrate 6,000 miles north from the Baja peninsula to their summer feeding grounds in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. There, the leviathans gorge themselves on small crustaceans and amphipods that live in the muddy sediment of the Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort seas, before they head back south to loll, cavort and mingle in balmy Mexican waters. The animals migrate through a gantlet of perils as they navigate some of the world's most heavily shipped regions, maneuver through discarded fishing lines and gear, dodge pods of killer whales waiting to tear apart defenseless calves, and swim through waters polluted with microplastics, toxic chemicals and poisonous algae. Most of the time, the bulk of them make the journey just fine. But in 2019, large numbers of the whales began to die. Starting that spring, biologists at the Laguna San Ignacio research station recorded roughly 80 dead whales in Mexican waters, and just 41 mother-calf pairs in the lagoon. They also noticedusing photographs and drone imagerythat roughly a quarter of the animals were "skinny." "You can see it in photographs," said Schulman-Janiger, who described skinny whales as looking like they had necks because a thick fat pad that typically covers the area behind the skull is gone. "And you can see their scapulae," she said, referring to the animals' shoulder blades. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. "You shouldn't see a whale's shoulder blades," she said. Then, as the hungry whales migrated north in 2019, large numbers began stranding on the beaches of California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska. By the end of that year, researchers had documented 216 dead whales on the beaches and near shore waters of the North American Pacific coastline. A federal investigation by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration into what is known as an unexplained mortality event was launched in 2019. The investigation allowed scientists across multiple disciplines and institutions to gather and share knowledge to determine the cause of the die-off. The cause of the deaths was never definitively established, and the investigation was closed in 2023 as the number of strandings fell into a range considered normal. Many researchers concluded a change in Arctic and sub-Arctic food availability (via massive changes in climate) was the driving factor. Their assessment was supported by the observations of malnutrition and skinniness in the whales and similar events and observations in other Arctic animals, including birds, seals, crabs and fish. They also noticed that many of the whales had started feeding in areassuch as San Francisco Bay and the Los Angeles and Long Beach harborswhere such behaviors had never before been seen. In the last two weeks, several gray whales have been observed in San Francisco Bay, including a near-record high of nine on a single day. Reports of feeding behaviors had also been made, including off the city of Pacifica. Asked whether the researchers at NOAA are noting these concerning observations and anticipating the possibility of another die-off, Michael Milstein, an agency spokesman, said the number of strandings along the Pacific coast is still lowjust seven in California and one in Washington. The annual average is about 35. He said it was too early in the whales' northward journey to know for sure. John Calambokidis, senior research biologist and co-founder of the Cascadia Research Collective, a marine mammal research center based in Olympia, Wash., agreed with Milstein: "We are just entering our main period of strandings (April to June), so a little early to draw any conclusions." And despite Schulman-Janiger's concerns, she too said it is earlyand that La Nina ocean conditions may be partly to blame for the low number of animals observed thus far. She said reports from Mexico indicate many gray whales migrated farther south than they typically do, and have been seen swimming around the Gulf of Californiaoff the coasts of Loreto, Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta. She said that it is good news if the low counts are due to the whales just being late. But worrisome if already food-stressed whales are having to tack on an additional 800 miles to their journey. "It's a very weird year for gray whales, and a concerning year given their body condition, the strandings and the very low calf estimates," she said. 2025 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: North Atlantic Books Assistant Professor of Latin American and Latino studies Carlos Martinez is a medical anthropologist, whose work often focuses on the health consequences of policing, incarceration, and deportation. His latest co-edited book, "All This Safety Is Killing Us: Health Justice Beyond Prisons, Police, and Borders," explores the public health impacts of punitive policies that disproportionately impact Black and brown people, trans and queer people, people with disabilities, people with mental health diagnoses, people with substance use disorders, and survivors of trauma and abuse. The book describes how the abolitionist health justice movement is working toward a new, more just vision of "safety" that protects, rather than harms, the health and well-being of our society's most vulnerable people. The UC Santa Cruz news team interviewed Martinez to discuss the underlying issues with our current punitive systems and how we could all benefit from change. To start with, could you give some examples of the types of health concerns that are most commonly associated with prisons? Several studies have indicated that incarceration devastates the physical and mental health of prisoners as well as their families. Compared to the general population, incarcerated people experience higher rates of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, asthma, arthritis, and cancer. As was made brutally evident during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, prisons are also breeding grounds for a wide range of infectious diseases due to their poor ventilation and overcrowding. Moreover, as Aminah Elster, a long-time advocate for women prisoners, and her colleagues describe in painstaking detail in one of the book's chapters, prisoners are routinely victimized by systemic acts of medical violence and neglect, reproducing the trauma and abuse that many of them already experienced prior to incarceration. And how do public health impacts extend beyond prison walls? We know that policing and deportation are disease-producing practices. Aside from the physical violence associated with policing, people who experience abuse on behalf of law enforcement exhibit higher levels of mental distress and biological markers of stress, such as shortened telomeres. Men who have been stopped by police more often in their lifetimes are three times more likely to exhibit symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Simply living in a neighborhood where invasive policing practices are more prevalent has been shown to make individuals more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes, and other health issues. Similarly, deportation and even the mere threat of deportation are associated with increased levels of mental distress, anxiety, and high blood pressure among undocumented individuals. Moreover, children with one or more deported parents experience a significant deterioration in their mental and physical health. What are health care providers doing to respond to these issues? Across the country, clinicians, public health advocates, and medical students have allied with grassroots organizations to halt the expansion of carceral institutions and call for alternative models of care and transformative justice. This book was inspired by these activities and emerged as a collaborative effort to document, expand upon, and propagate this growing area of research, practice, and activism to a broader public. Collectively, the contributors to this edited volume seek not only to document the harms to health produced by mass criminalization but to demonstrate that a different way forward is possible, and that those of us working within the public health, clinical, and mental health care fields have critical roles to play in that project. As this book discusses, clinicians are organizing inside emergency departments, intensive care units, community health centers, and other sites of care to limit and remove the presence and influence of policing and surveillance. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. What do you hope people will ultimately learn from reading this book? We're currently in a moment where the notion of "increasing safety" is being used to justify all kinds of atrocities. I hope this book makes clear that the carceral structures that have been ostensibly created to keep us safe come not only at a tremendous financial cost, but also at the cost of our nation's public health. Moreover, they are ineffective at their stated goal. People in the United States are less safe and have poorer health outcomes than people in similar nations. For example, the United States has the highest homicide rate compared to other wealthy industrialized nations, which experience a fraction of this country's violence. While the financial cost to support these bloated carceral systems has only grown, throughout the country, municipalities and states have seen their budgets for other critical social services, including education and public health, consistently cut in recent decades. The abolitionist health justice movement is working to reverse this trend. 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: Composed segmentation images from MTO displaying the detection of the different structures within the nuclear region of the dwarfs. Credit: Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08783-9 A new study reports the first direct observation of merging star clusters in the nuclear region of dwarf galaxies. This detection confirms the feasibility of this formation route for nuclei in dwarf galaxies, which has long been debated. The study was published in Nature, and led by Postdoctoral Researcher Melina Poulain from the University of Oulu, Finland. Dwarf galaxies are the most abundant type of galaxy that populate the universe. Composed of 100 times fewer stars than the Milky Way, or even less, they are the building blocks of more massive galaxies. Thus, understanding their formation is key to comprehending galaxy evolution. A notable fraction of dwarf galaxies host a compact star cluster at their centers, typically made of hundreds of thousands to hundreds of millions of stars. Known as nuclear star clusters, these are the densest type of stellar system in the universe. The formation of such extreme objects has been under debate for several decades. In dwarf galaxies, they are believed to form from the merger of smaller star clusters, called globular clusters, after they migrate to the galaxy center. However, no such merger of globular clusters has been directly observed to confirm the theory, until now. Witnessing rare features While studying observations of a large sample of nearly 80 dwarf galaxies from the Hubble Space Telescope, which was led by Prof. Francine Marleau at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, a group of ten researchers from the international MATLAS collaboration noticed a handful of galaxies with an unusual-looking nuclear star cluster. Some showed a couple of star clusters close together, while others had a feature similar to a faint stream of light attached to the nuclear star cluster. Main steps of the migration and merging of GCs in dwarf galaxies. Credit: Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08783-9 "We were surprised by the streams of light that were visible near the center of the galaxies, as nothing similar has been observed in the past," explains Poulain. A thorough analysis of the features has shown that they have similar properties to globular clusters already detected in dwarf galaxies. This suggests that the observations witness the growth of the nuclear star cluster by the dramatic cannibalization of globular clusters at the cores of those galaxies. Observations reproduced in simulations To confirm the origin of the faint streams of light, ultra-high resolution complementary simulations were implemented to model the merging process. This portion of the work, led by Dr. Rory Smith at the Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria in Santiago, Chile, set up various mergers between star clusters with differing masses, dynamics, and numbers of clusters involved. Results confirm that the observed light streams are created with two star clusters with significant mass differences merged. The larger the mass ratio, the longer the stream. The process typically lasts a short amount of time, less than 100 million years, and the features produced are visible for even less time, which explains the difficulty of catching such a phenomenon. More information: Melina Poulain, Evidence of star cluster migration and merger in dwarf galaxies, Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08783-9. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08783-9 Journal information: Nature This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Quality of ulrb clustering measured by the average Silhouette score as a function of number of samples, ASVs, and sequencing depth. Credit: Communications Biology (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-07912-4 Identifying rare microorganisms in microbiome data just got easier. A team of researchers from Portugal and Canada has developed a new tool that uses machine learning to automatically detect rare biosphere in ecological datasets. The aim is to quickly, autonomously and unsupervisedly identify rare microorganisms in microbiome datasets. This new tool, named ulrb, responds to a long-standing challenge in microbial ecology: distinguishing rare microorganisms from the most abundant in natural environments. The new methodology and the new ulrb software have now been published in the study "Definition of the microbial rare biosphere through unsupervised machine learning" in the journal Communications Biology. The paper is the result of an international collaboration between the Interdisciplinary Center for Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto, the Institute of Bioengineering and Biosciences (iBB) of the Instituto Superior Tecnico of the University of Lisbon and the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science of the University of Ottawa (EECS) and the Faculty of Computer Science of Dalhousie University, both in Canada. This is a product of the Ph.D. project of CIIMAR student Francisco Pascoal under the supervision of CIIMAR researcher Catarina Magalhaes and the co-supervision of researchers Rodrigo Costa (iBB) and Paula Branco (EECS). This new software will increase not only the accuracy of ecological analyses of different microbiomes and ecosystems, but also the depth at which these analyses are carried out, ultimately improving our understanding of microbial diversity and its role in ecosystem resilience. What is the rare biosphere? Microbial communities normally follow a pattern in which only a few species are highly abundant, while the vast majority of diversity is low in abundance and belongs to the so-called "rare biosphere." In fact, there are thousands of species of prokaryotic microorganisms that can inhabit 1 liter of seawater. However, only 2% to 5% of these species are abundant, while the rest are rare and very difficult to detect and identify due to methodological limitations. Although they are not very abundant, rare species contain the greatest genetic diversity on the planet. They are responsible for providing great resilience to an ecosystem. "If the most abundant species are threatened by climate change, other rare species can take over and ensure the functions of the microbiome, keeping the ecosystem stable," explains Pascoal. The rare biosphere therefore plays a very important role in ecosystem responses to major changes in the environment, such as the effects of climate change. Studying rare organisms allows us to understand the resilience of ecosystems to these changes and to study their reaction to environmental alterations. The innovation of ulrb By employing unsupervised machine learning techniques, ulrb allows researchers to quickly and reliably identify rare microorganisms in a community. A major advantage of this method is its adaptability to different methodological contexts, i.e., the algorithm "learns" the patterns present in the data itself, regardless of its origin. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. "The possibility of identifying rare microorganisms arose with the development of high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies, but even with this data it was never clear among peers how to identify rare microorganisms, as they were overshadowed by the abundant ones. Thus, many researchers limited themselves to establishing random levels of abundance, which was an insufficient approach since it was not supported by biological justification. "With this new method, we were able to use sequencing data to automatically distinguish which microorganisms are rare, based on the information provided in each sample," says Pascoal, first author of the study. To automate the process, an algorithm was created that groups together the microorganisms that are most similar to each other in terms of their abundance in a given sample. As it is based on the relative distance between them, it can be automated and applied to databases of any size, and produces a result with rigorous and uniform ecological and biological value. "Basically, the algorithm 'learns' what the abundance groups in a community are and matches them up with an abundance classification, which makes it possible to distinguish microorganisms that are rare from those that are abundant," says Pascoal. Possible applications The ulrb can be applied to data derived from common microbial ecology protocols, and could be useful for studying emerging diseases and biological invasions. Since this method can be applied to non-microbial data, it can also be useful for determining which species of animals and/or plants are at risk in certain contexts, which can be useful for environmental monitoring. If you are a researcher and want to apply this tool to your own data, ulrb is available as an open source R package on CRAN and GitHub. The team of researchers has also created a website with learning materials to encourage you to use the tool. More information: Francisco Pascoal et al, Definition of the microbial rare biosphere through unsupervised machine learning, Communications Biology (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-07912-4 Journal information: Communications Biology Provided by Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A new study reveals the modern arid desert between Africa and Saudi Arabia was once regularly lush and green with rivers and lakes over a period of 8 million years, allowing for the occupation and movements of both animals and hominins. The study "Recurrent humid phases in Arabia over the past 8 million years" has been published in Nature. The findings, led by an international team of researchers supported by the Saudi Heritage Commission, Ministry of Culture, shed new light on this hitherto unrecognized but important crossroad for biogeographic exchange between Africa and Eurasia. The Saharo-Arabian Desert is one of the largest biogeographic barriers on Earth, limiting the dispersal of early humans and animals between Africa and Eurasia. Recent research suggested the desert had been in place since at least 11 million years ago. But Professor Michael Petraglia, Director of Griffith University's Australian Research Center for Human Evolution and co-author on the new study, said fossil evidence from the Late Miocene (marked by an increase in global temperatures) and Pleistocene (which contained multiple ice ages) suggested the episodic presence within the Saharo-Arabian Desert interior of water-dependent animals. Animals such as crocodiles, equids, hippopotamids, proboscideans, were likely sustained by rivers and lakes that were largely absent from today's arid landscape. "These wetter conditions likely facilitated these mammalian dispersals between Africa and Eurasia, with Arabia acting as a key crossroads for continental-scale biogeographic exchanges," Professor Petraglia said. Dr. Monika Markowska of Northumbria University, UK, and Dr. Hubert Vonhof of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Germany, conducted new work on cave speleothems (mineral deposits such as stalactites and stalagmites) that led to the realization that there were numerous humid phases in Arabia during the last 8 million years. Dr. Markowska, who was lead author on the study, explained that little was known about Arabia's paleoclimate before this time, noting, "The findings highlighted that precipitation during humid intervals decreased and became more variable over time, as the monsoon's influence weakened, coinciding with enhanced Northern Hemisphere polar ice cover during the Pleistocene." Dr. Faisal al-Jibrin, lead Saudi archaeologist of the Heritage Commission, said, "Arabia has traditionally been overlooked in Africa-Eurasia dispersals, but studies like ours increasingly reveal its central place in mammalian and hominin migrations." More information: Monika Markowska, Recurrent humid phases in Arabia over the past 8 million years, Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08859-6. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08859-6 Journal information: Nature This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Atomic configurations and polarization textures in bent bilayer h-BN. Credit: NIMTE A research group from the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has proposed a new strategy to precisely manipulate interlayer stacking orders and related properties in two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals layered materials via mechanical bending, enabling efficient electric polarization switching. The study is published in Physical Review Letters. 2D van der Waals materials have gained attention in flexible electronics due to their ability to conform and mechanical flexibility. Composed of atomically thin layers, 2D materials possess a unique capacity for interlayer stacking. By modifying this stacking order, various phases can be achieved, which unlocks extraordinary electrical, optical, and magnetic properties. However, achieving precise control over stacking orders in 2D materials is challenging. To tackle this issue, the researchers proposed a novel mechanical bending method to dynamically control stacking orders and related optical, topological, electronic, and magnetic properties in 2D materials. In previous work, the team developed machine learning force field models for 2D materials such as h-BN and MoS 2 , using an artificial intelligence-assisted approach. In this study, the researchers carried out large-scale atomic simulations on bilayer materials like h-BN, MoS 2 , and non-ferroelectric bilayer graphene, based on their earlier force field models. They found that bending the materials creates irreversible kinks, a phenomenon arising from the interaction between interlayer stacking energy and bending energy. During the bending process, continuous interlayer sliding occurs due to the high in-plane rigidity of 2D materials. Through atomic relaxation, three optimized bilayer structures with distinct bending angles were developed, resulting in the formation of different types of domain walls. Importantly, the sliding induced by bending facilitates interlayer charge transfer, which can reverse the electric polarization of the materials. Since the stacking order plays a crucial role in modulating material properties, the mechanism of bending-induced interlayer sliding can be employed to explore "sliding flexo-responses" in van der Waals materials. This includes effects such as sliding flexomagnetic, sliding flexophotovoltaic, and sliding flexovalleytronic, thus opening new avenues for the design of next-generation flexible electronics. More information: Ri He et al, Switching Two-Dimensional Sliding Ferroelectrics by Mechanical Bending, Physical Review Letters (2025). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.076101 Journal information: Physical Review Letters This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: CC0 Public Domain Several states, including Georgia, offer state-funded pre-kindergarten programs to students regardless of their family's income. New research in Economic Inquiry investigates whether such programs offer long-lasting academic benefits to all students. Using enrollment lottery data from a large school district in metro Atlanta, investigators found that lottery-winning enrollees of school-based pre-kindergarten entered kindergarten more prepared in both math and reading than non-winning peers. Gains tended to fade by the end of kindergarten, however, and some negative achievement effects emerged by grade 4. Students receiving free-and-reduced-price meals at school seemed to benefit more than other students in grades 1, 2, and 4, suggesting greater benefits from attendance for disadvantaged students. No effects were found regarding discipline while enrollees had one fewer absence each grade after kindergarten. "Our research shows that Georgia's Pre-K program gives children a strong start, but the challenge is maintaining those early advantages," said corresponding author Ishtiaque Fazlul, Ph.D., of the University of Georgia. "This study reinforces the importance of Pre-K, especially for low-income families, while also showing that we need to think about how to better support students beyond Pre-K." More information: Assessing the Benefits of Education in Early Childhood: Evidence from a Pre-K Lottery in Georgia, Economic Inquiry (2025). DOI: 10.1111/ecin.13288 Provided by Wiley 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: Faces graphic. Credit: Nasreen Sheikh Prof. Andrew Thompson, a leading expert in global and imperial history in the Faculty of History at Oxford University, has presented a new Framework of Analysis for Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking at the United Nations in New York, alongside a major new report of the Global Commission for Modern Slavery: "No Country is Immune: working together to end modern slavery & human trafficking." Written for the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, the comprehensive Framework is designed to assist international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) in identifying potential victims of modern slavery and human trafficking, and to help them better understand the underlying cultural and societal norms that push people into situations in which they are exploited. In order to ensure that the Framework is widely adopted as a tool of analysis, policy and practice, Prof. Thompson and his team have provided guidance on how vulnerable individuals, communities and groups can be given safe, viable and legal alternatives to unsafe survival strategies that may lead them to being trafficked and exploited. Prof. Andrew Thompson, Professor of Global and Imperial History, Faculty of History, said, "This work was a collaboration between myself, my postdoctoral researcher, Dr. Cesare Vagge, my doctoral student, Marly Tiburcio-Carneiro, and the former CEO of the British Red Cross, Mike Adamson CBE. It is testimony to what can happen when a tightly knit team of people come together to produce something which none of them could have achieved on their own. It also speaks to the importance of historical knowledge and approaches from humanities disciplines to tackling some of the biggest challenges the world is wrestling with at a time of great geopolitical upheaval and technological change." Building on nearly a century of international agreements, such as Article 4 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the findings of this innovative Framework are rooted in rigorous historical and humanitarian research. Prof. Thompson and his team gathered data from the strategic plans of international non-governmental organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration, and conducted interviews with their leaders to assess anti-trafficking measures. The team also collaborated with 39 CSOs across 24 countries to gather actionable insights and recommendations and worked directly with survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking, and consulted global leaders and civil society organizations. Nasreen Sheikh, a survivor of modern slavery and a human rights activist, has welcomed the Framework: "As a survivor, I see this Framework as a roadmap for prevention, one that helps us intervene before exploitation begins. By prioritizing transparency, addressing root vulnerabilities, and valuing survivor insight, it sets a new standard for how we respond to modern slavery." An all-Oxford team, the Framework was developed in collaboration with Dr. Cesare Vagge, Postdoctoral Associate, and DPhil candidate Marly Tiburcio-Carneiro in the Faculty of History, and was made possible through strong support from both the Humanities Division and Nuffield College, reflecting Oxford's commitment to addressing global challenges through interdisciplinary research and practical solutions. Marly Tiburcio-Carneiro said, "In developing this Framework, we aimed to harness the extensive body of knowledge produced by International Organizations, NGOs, leading academic researchers, and experts working directly on these issues in local, national and regional contexts. Our goal was to synthesize and critically engage with this wealth of knowledge and experience to create a comprehensive, practical document that different stakeholders can actively use." Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Prof. Thompson and his team have also written one of the three main chapters for a report for the Global Commission on Modern Slavery. The chapter, "Civil Society and Crisis Contexts," highlights the critical importance of addressing human trafficking and modern slavery within global protection efforts. It explores how situations of armed conflict and other crisis contexts heighten people's vulnerability to these crimes and provides recommendations for re-engineering the international humanitarian system to better identify, prevent, and combat these crimes. These recommendations encompass civil society organizations, international NGOs, the UN system, and its member states, and were developed in close dialogue with each. The creation of a new prevention framework for addressing modern slavery and human trafficking is essential as part of strengthening the global response. By identifying systemic changes needed in how humanitarian organizations operate, the Framework aims to enhance their ability to prevent, detect, and respond to these crimes effectively. All recommendations are practical, so as to ensure these changes are actionable and impactful. Dr. Cesare Vagge, Postdoctoral Associate, Faculty of History said, "The Global Commission's Framework of Analysis distinguishes itself for the scope of its aims. In addition to acknowledging the importance of improving data collection and information management about victims in crisis contexts, it provides national, regional and international humanitarian actors with an analytical toolkit designed to strengthen their preventive action against modern slavery and human trafficking." Adama Dieng, former UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, said, "The Prevention Framework serves as a crucial tool in combating modern slavery and human trafficking, by raising awareness and fostering community engagement. We aspire for it to empower individuals to recognize and report these injustices, thereby creating a more vigilant society dedicated to eradicating these crimes. "The statement by 18th-century abolitionist and philanthropist William Wilberforce that "you may choose to look the other way, but you can never again say you didn't know' remains very true and relevant today in the face of modern slavery and human trafficking, nearly three centuries later." More information: No Country is Immune: working together to end modern slavery & human trafficking. www.modernslaverycommission.or _report_full_doc.pdf 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: Siddiqi et al. (Brain, 2025) People diagnosed with various mental health disorders can sometimes start engaging in intense political behavior, such as violent protests, civil disobedience and the aggressive expression of political views. So far, however, the link between political behavior and the brain has been rarely explored, as it was not viewed as central to the understanding of mental health disorders. Researchers at Harvard Medical School, Stanford University School of Medicine and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine recently carried out a study investigating the neural underpinnings of political behavior. Their findings, published in Brain, unveil the existence of a brain circuit that is associated with the intensity of people's political involvement, irrespective of their ideology or party affiliation. "This paper started out as a collaborative effort that focused on learning how to help people better come together and thrive, alongside Stephanie Balters at Stanford," Shan H. Siddiqi, first author of the paper, told Phys.org. "We have previously shown that when damaging a brain circuit causes a behavior, therapeutic stimulation to the same circuit may reduce the same behavior. Extending that principle, we went searching for circuits involved in behaviors that might bring people together or drive people apart." As part of their recent study, Siddiqi, Balters and their colleagues worked closely with Jordan Grafman at Northwestern University. Grafman, who had collected behavioral and neural data from individuals who sustained injuries to specific regions of the brain, suggested investigating people's political behavior. "As a neuropsychiatrist, I don't often ask patients about their political behavior, but it could be an important change that occurs in neuropsychiatric disorders," said Siddiqi. "If we can find a brain target that modulates political behavior, we can figure out how to help patients increase or decrease that behavior." Traditionally, when researchers find that damage to a specific brain region is consistently associated with a symptom, they would conclude that the two are casually connected. Yet when it comes to more complex behaviors, such as intense political involvement, associated patterns of brain damage are not immediately apparent. Credit: Siddiqi et al. (Brain, 2025) "For many years the field thus assumed that there was no strong relationship between lesion locations and political behavior," explained Siddiqi. "We used a newer technique called lesion network mapping, which relies on a large-scale wiring diagram of the human brain known as the human connectome. This allows us to link different brain lesions that might be in different parts of the brain, if they all hit a common brain circuit." Using these experimental methods, the researchers unveiled a reproducible brain circuit that contributes to political behavior. Rather than influencing people's political views (i.e., whether one is liberal or conservative), this circuit was found to moderate the intensity of political behavior. "Political ideology and party affiliation did not change with any identifiable pattern of brain damage," said Siddiqi. "However, regardless of your party affiliation, certain patterns of brain damage might make you more or less likely to express that pre-existing viewpoint. This suggests that your political preferences might be a behavior that you learn from your environment, while the intensity of political involvement might be encoded in specific brain circuits." Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. The recent work by Siddiqi and his colleagues could soon inspire new studies examining the brain circuit they uncovered and its involvement in political behavior. In the future, these efforts could shed new light on the neural underpinnings of aggressive and problematic political acts, potentially informing the development of targeted interventions addressing these behaviors. "We are now conducting a large-scale study using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a tool that can be used to activate or deactivate specific brain circuits," added Siddiqi. "Participants will receive targeted stimulation to different brain circuits to see what kinds of behavioral changes might occur. We are measuring conventional neuropsychiatric symptoms, but also behaviors like altruism, spirituality, political behavior, and other things that are not conventionally seen as 'symptoms.' "We hope to develop a comprehensive atlas of which brain circuits can be targeted to help patients with different kinds of behavioral concerns." More information: Shan H Siddiqi et al, Effects of focal brain damage on political behaviour across different political ideologies, Brain (2025). DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaf101. Journal information: Brain 2025 Science X Network Visitors to Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge will have a place to sit, relax and enjoy the view, thanks to a team of volunteers from Jackson Contractor Group. After wrapping construction on a renewed fish passageway project in December, the Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge has reconstructed a shaded sitting area along their walking trail. Construction was completed by volunteers from Jackson Contractor Group on Saturday, April 5. Theres a shade structure with some benches that people really love that we had to dismantle last summer, said Trout Unlimited Project Manager Christine Brissette. The structure was removed last summer by the Jackson Contractor Group, prior to construction beginning on the refuges culvert project, sponsored by Trout Unlimited and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The culvert renovation reestablished fish passage between the North Burnt Fork Creek and the Bitterroot River. Jackson Contractor volunteers were out at the site all day on April 5, according to Brissette. They were wonderful, Brissette said. Its a huge, huge effort. They came in and poured concrete earlier in the week last week for the footings, and they were there pretty much all day Saturday rebuilding They hadnt even left the parking lot and there were already visitors sitting on the shade structure. Jackson Contractor Group Senior Manager Steve Houston told the Ravalli Republic that volunteers from the group were all big supporters of Trout Unlimited. I help out Trout Unlimited on all of their volunteer construction projects around the valley and around Missoula, Houston said. Whenever they have a project that needs some special attention, where they dont have a donor or whatever, well work on fundraising here in the company and get materials donated and find volunteers to do it. A lot of people in Jackson are avid fishermen and we all love all the rivers around the valley and around Missoula. Were all big supporters of Trout Unlimited and their efforts to improve the river habitat. A small team of seven volunteers helped rebuild the structure on Saturday and, according to Houston, replaced rotten wood and helped re-stack the dismantled sections of structure with a forklift. He said that the group was there from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. We had seven guys out there, Houston said. We had spent the day before getting equipment ready, so we had a forklift dropped off and a tool trailer dropped off but eight o clock on Saturday morning everybody was there, and we divided and conquered. Houston said that the project "was great," noting the popularity of the structure and the importance of its preservation. We were cleaning up at four o clock on Saturday and I took a picture of the shelter because people were already using it, Houston said. It was great. It was a good turnout, a lot of people helping were more than happy to help salvage that structure that was really important to a lot of people. With the shaded shelter officially reinstalled, Brissette said that additional work at the refuge would involve replanting vegetation and laying new asphalt on the trail. We have a couple hundred plants left to get in the ground, Brissette said. Well be working on that in the next few weeks. Basically, the goal is to get them all in the ground before spring runoff and the Burnt Fork starts to flood. One of the initiatives of the restoration project was revegetating the surrounding sides of the waterway with native plants and trees, weeding out and replacing the large amounts of invasive canary reed grass. Brissette said that this effort, along with new asphalt, will be the final phase of the project and that all restoration would likely be wrapped up by early summer. The majority of what is out there right now is native trees and shrubs, Brissette said. Weve also seeded native grass seed throughout that area thats also just starting to pop up Our goal is to finish planting before high water in May, so really in the next month. And then the trail paving should happen before then as well, we expect that sometime in late April. Brissette explained that this didnt mark the end of work needed at the walking trail, explaining that the wildlife refuge still had future maintenance projects in mind. Were definitely planning to be doing a lot of maintenance in the next few years, Brissette said. We are going to be calling on volunteers to help with those efforts. The UK and much of the US are experiencing unusual heat. As are many other areas of the world. This puts stress on many things, including water supplies. As Nobel recipients and others have pointed out, this impacts food production. And The drop bear legend has been passed down through generations of Australians who have described it as a predatory marsupial related to the koala. This fictional species is said to climb high into trees before leaping down to attack its prey most often tourists and foreign army soldiers unfamiliar with the local wildlife. Advertisement Many believe this brilliantly mischievous myth originated in Sydney or South Wales, with early settlers playing pranks on new arrivals. Others credit the Australian Museum for keeping the joke alive with evidence such as fabricated "sightings" of drop bears with coarse orange fur and powerful forearms built for ambushing ground-dwelling animals. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that he may have revoked 300 or more visas for students, visitors, and others in the United States over Palestine solidarity activism. A number of these revocations have captured national attention, such as Tufts doctoral student Rumeysa Ozturk, whose terror as she was apprehended by undercover officers was captured on film, and Columbia doctoral student Ranjani Srinivasan, who escaped to Canada before being apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The secretarys targets extend beyond visa holders, as he purports to revoke the lawful status of lawful permanent residents as well, with two known so far: Columbia graduate Mahmoud Khalil and Columbia undergraduate Yunseo Chung. Hundreds of those affected by the secretarys visa revocations related to Palestine activism remain under the radar, though some are among the larger group of revocations with various justifications made public over the past week. The numbers may only increase if Rubio is to be taken at his word: We do it every day. Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas. President Donald Trump has similarly vowed that Khalils is the first arrest of many to come. Given the far-reaching authority claimed by the executive branch, its worth trying to understand the secretarys legal justification for revoking student visas and contextualizing the secretarys recent decisions in the landscape of immigration law, policy, and U.S. history. Our analysis of the historical record has yielded a shocking result: According to our review, the United States has only ever used the statute it is using to justify these revocations 15 previous times. That statute, which Rubio has been invoking as his authority for visa revocations, is 8 U.S.C. Section 1227(a)(4)(C)(i), known as the foreign policy deportability ground. This provision makes deportable any [noncitizen] whose presence or activities in the United States the Secretary of State has reasonable ground to believe would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States. It provides one of the most sweeping grants of discretionary executive power in the Immigration and Nationality Act. The only federal district court to have considered the constitutionality of this ground held that it violates due process because it is unconstitutionally vague and deprives noncitizens of a meaningful opportunity to be heard. That decision was authored by none other than Judge Maryanne Trump Barry, the presidents late sister. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The foreign policy deportability ground was introduced into immigration law in 1990. Prior to March 2025, the use of this provision to seek an individuals deportation was almost unprecedented in this provisions 35-year history. Based on publicly available data we analyzed from the Executive Office for Immigration Review and published Board of Immigration Appeals decisions, out of 11.7 million cases, the federal government invoked the foreign policy deportability ground as a removal charge in only 15 casesand only five of which involved detention throughout the proceeding. Only four individuals ever were ultimately ordered removed or deported after being charged with removability under this ground. That amounts to one person being ordered removed per decade under this provision. Whats more, nearly all of these cases arose in the distant past, shortly after the provision was enacted. Focusing on the past 25 years until early March 2025, the EOIR data reflects that the foreign policy deportability ground has been invoked only four times, and only twice has it been the only charge alleged throughout the proceeding. Neither of those two cases involved detention throughout the immigration proceedings. Advertisement When the government invoked the foreign policy deportability ground in Khalils case last monthtargeting a lawful permanent resident for speech protected by the First Amendmentthat action appears to be unprecedented in the history of this provision and in the history of the United States. At a minimum, the governments assertion of authority was extraordinaryindeed, vanishingly rare. Related From Slate Trump Administration Debuts Legal Blueprint for Disappearing Anyone It Wants Read More Who was targeted with the foreign policy deportability ground prior to March 2025? Publicly available data shows that these individuals hailed from around the world: Germany, Haiti, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Pakistan, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Thailand, and Yugoslavia. While information about most of these individuals is not publicly available, two publicly reported cases shed some light on how the government has invoked the foreign policy deportability ground in the past. Advertisement On Jan. 5, 1995, thenSecretary of State Warren Christopher invoked the foreign policy deportability ground against Mohammad Khalifah, a Saudi national, about 38 years old, who had entered the United States on a visitor visa the prior month. The State Department revoked his visa two weeks later and immigration authorities detained him, alleging that Khalifah had engaged in terrorist activity in Jordan. An indictment against him charged him with conspiracy to commit terrorist acts in Jordan, and he had been sentenced to death in absentia there. When Khalifah sought to be released on bond in a U.S. immigration court, the federal government presented correspondence from Christopher invoking the foreign policy deportability ground as well as evidence from high-ranking U.S. and Jordanian officials detailing his role in terrorist activities. Unsurprisingly, the immigration judge then denied Khalifahs bond request, a decision affirmed by the Board of Immigration Appeals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Christopher later invoked the foreign policy deportability ground on Oct. 2, 1995, against Mario Ruiz Massieu, a Mexican citizen and member of one of Mexicos most influential and politically active families. Ruiz Massieu had long served as a professor in Mexico, directed the National Autonomous University of Mexico, and authored books on education, history, law, and politics. He then joined the upper echelons of Mexicos federal government, eventually serving as deputy attorney general. During that time, his brotheran outspoken critic of the Mexican political system who had been secretary general of a major political partywas assassinated. Ruiz Massieu immediately commenced an investigation into his brothers death and faced retaliation as a result. Ruiz Massieu then resigned from the role of deputy attorney general, wrote a book accusing the governing party of blocking an investigation into the murder of his brother, and reportedly faced kidnapping and death threats as a result. When Mexican authorities interrogated him, he and his family fled to the United States with temporary visas on March 3, 1994. Advertisement Advertisement Two days later, a Mexican court charged Ruiz Massieu with intimidation, concealment, and obstruction of justice, and sought his extradition. Over the next year, the U.S. government brought four extradition proceedings against Ruiz Massieu on charges of obstruction of justice and embezzlement; each time the judge found insufficient evidence to support a finding of probable cause that he had committed the crimes. Christopher then effectively joined Mexicos extradition request by invoking the foreign policy deportability ground, a move Judge Trump Barry described as truly Kafkaesque. Ruiz Massieu sued the U.S. government in an effort to block his deportation and he won in federal district court. Judge Trump Barry ruled that foreign policy deportability ground was unconstitutionally vague in violation of due process. Judge Samuel Alito, writing for the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals, subsequently reversed that decision, holding that the district court lacked jurisdiction to hear Massieus claims, without reaching the constitutional questions. Advertisement Whats critical is this: As controversial as they may have been, Khalifah and Ruiz Massieus cases are a far cry from how the foreign policy deportability ground is being invoked today. Both cases involved individuals who had been charged with serious crimes abroad, not a student who engaged in peaceful protests. The federal governments invocation of the foreign policy ground may by no means be limited to noncitizens who engage in pro-Palestinian speech. The presence of Ukrainians who are critical of Russia, supporters of more security cooperation with Europe, and economists skeptical of tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China could all suddenly be considered adverse to U.S. foreign policy interests and subject to deportation based on the unilateral determination of Rubio. This list has no end, and no meaningful limiting principles. On campuses and in communities nationwide, students, scholars, researchers, and ordinary people are increasingly fearful of speaking freely. Even naturalized U.S. citizens and those with dual U.S. citizenship are concerned. The chilling effect of the recent arrests should worry us all, regardless of our views on the recent student protests. These arrests have the potential to reshape college campuses and American life for at least a generation, as activism is subdued in the wake of state-sanctioned disappearances and international students increasingly choose not to study in the United States. In the shadow of this chilling silence, our country loses out on the talents of highly skilled immigrants and our nation lurches closer to authoritarianism. https://sputnikglobe.com/20250408/judge-orders-white-house-to-restore-ap-access-over-the-use-of-gulf-of-mexico-1121842700.html Judge Orders White House to Restore AP Access Over the Use of 'Gulf of Mexico' Judge Orders White House to Restore AP Access Over the Use of 'Gulf of Mexico' Sputnik International A US district judge rules that AP should be allowed access to the Oval Office and Air Force One, a right that was taken away because of the agency's decision to refer to the Gulf of Mexico in its reporting. 2025-04-08T21:35+0000 2025-04-08T21:35+0000 2025-04-09T04:14+0000 americas white house us court us district court the associated press oval office press https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e9/01/14/1121475004_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_00203078acd1dbc679108a62f4d261f2.jpg The US court for the District of Columbia has ordered the White House to lift a ban on the Associated Press from attending events in the Oval Office and on Air Force One that was imposed on the agency over its editorial policies."Defendants shall immediately rescind the denial of the APs access to the Oval Office, Air Force One, and other limited spaces based on the APs viewpoint when such spaces are made open to other members of the White House press pool," a court document read on Tuesday.In February, the Associated Press sued White House officials over denial of access to events involving the US president. The agency was barred from the Oval Office and Air Force One after it refused to use the "Gulf of America" in its reports when covering the Gulf of Mexico. The AP argues the ban violated its First Amendment rights. https://sputnikglobe.com/20250121/trump-orders-to-rename-gulf-of-mexico-into-gulf-of-america-1121478176.html americas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International ap news, gulf of mexico, gulf of america, white house against press, access to the oval office, why ap cannot access oval office https://sputnikglobe.com/20250409/iranian-authorities-taking-necessary-protective-measures-in-response-to-harsh-us-rhetoric---kremlin-1121844472.html Iranian Authorities Taking Necessary Protective Measures in Response to Harsh US Rhetoric - Kremlin Iranian Authorities Taking Necessary Protective Measures in Response to Harsh US Rhetoric - Kremlin Sputnik International Moscow condemns the detention of an employee of the Russian Foreign Ministry in France, this is unacceptable and contrary to obligations under the Vienna Convention, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday. 2025-04-09T09:56+0000 2025-04-09T09:56+0000 2025-04-09T09:56+0000 world dmitry peskov russia france moscow russian foreign ministry kremlin https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/02/05/1092769850_0:96:3303:1954_1920x0_80_0_0_231a9fbbc96e6a2f710ce101c123926b.jpg "Of course, like everyone else, we hear quite harsh rhetoric... Naturally, the Iranian authorities are taking the necessary preventive protective measures," Peskov told reporters.Russia is concerned about the reports that Iranian troops are put on high alert, the spokesman added."All this leads to an increase in tension. And, of course, we believe that in these circumstances, the main thing is probably to focus on the news that suggests the possibility of contacts. Direct or indirect is not so important. But contacts and dialogue are always better than confrontational actions that only lead to an escalation of tension," Peskov said.Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a separate visit to Russia in addition to participating in the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, Dmitry Peskov said.Moscow condemns the detention of an employee of the Russian Foreign Ministry in France, this is unacceptable and contrary to obligations under the Vienna Convention, Dmitry Peskov said."This [the detention] is a completely unacceptable action. It contradicts all the obligations of the French Republic under the Vienna Convention. Representatives of our consular service in Paris were not allowed [to see her] for a long time," Peskov told reporters. The detention of the Russian diplomat further aggravates France's relations with Russia, the official said, adding that these relations have already been damaged by the French authorities.Earlier in the day, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the French border service detained a Russian Foreign Ministry employee, confiscating her computer and phone. The French ambassador to Moscow was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry. https://sputnikglobe.com/20250408/us-iran-to-hold-indirect-negotiations-in-oman--1121835633.html russia france moscow Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russian foreign ministry in france, vienna convention, kremlin spokesman dmitry peskov, moscow condemns Nebraskas distinct election system that has allowed Democratic presidential candidates to pick up a single electoral vote in the state three times survived its closest call in a decade Tuesday as a proposal seeking to eliminate the system fell victim to a filibuster. In a dramatic but expected vote Tuesday evening, two Republicans joined every progressive in Nebraskas formally nonpartisan Legislature to kill legislation backed by Republican Gov. Jim Pillen and President Donald Trump that sought to replace the states 34-year-old election system with the winner-take-all model used in 48 states. Under the quirky system, which is also used in Maine, two of Nebraskas five electoral votes are awarded to the presidential ticket that wins the most votes statewide while the other three go to the winner of each of the states three congressional districts. Republicans have sought for decades to eliminate the system, which has made a national battleground out of Nebraskas Omaha-centric 2nd Congressional District, dubbed the Blue Dot by Democrats, whose presidential candidates won the district in 2008, 2020 and 2024. A pressure campaign to make the switch ahead of last Novembers election, fueled by Trump and other national GOP figures, failed in September as it became clear that winner-take-all did not have the 33 votes it needed to overcome a filibuster in Nebraskas 49-member, single-house Legislature. Pillen made changing the states election system one of his top legislative priorities again this year after Republicans maintained their filibuster-proof majority in the Legislature in Novembers election, calling the switch a no-brainer. But the latest effort to replace the system went up in flames again Tuesday evening as Republican Sens. Merv Riepe of Ralston and Dave Wordekemper of Fremont refused to vote for a procedural motion to end the Democrat-led filibuster of the proposed law, effectively killing the bill. The motion to shut off debate, which needed 33 votes, failed on a 31-18 vote. I committed to keeping an open mind throughout this process, and I have generally searched for a way to support this measure, Wordekemper said Tuesday on the floor of the Legislature. After careful deliberation, I cannot. Both Wordekemper and Riepe along with numerous progressive lawmakers said the vast majority of constituents who had contacted their offices in the days and weeks leading up to Tuesdays vote had urged them to reject winner-take-all. Lawmakers reported fielding dozens, if not hundreds, of phone calls and emails from voters inside and outside of their districts. A few dozen Nebraskans sporting Blue Dot T-shirts sat in the balconies overlooking the legislative floor as debate began Tuesday afternoon while a handful of demonstrators gathered in the Rotunda, some holding signs urging lawmakers to oppose winner-take-all. The message from my constituents has been overwhelmingly clear: preserve our current system, Wordekemper said, adding that 75% of his district opposed the measure and calling Nebraskas distinct electoral system part of our identity. Tuesdays striking vote in which two conservatives rejected pressure from the Republican governor and helped halt a bill that would likely boost Republican presidential candidates for years, if not decades, to come marked a blow to Pillen and the bills sponsor, Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City, who had remained publicly hopeful even as he privately acknowledged to colleagues Monday he did not have enough votes to overcome a filibuster. Riepe had been a particularly vocal opponent of Pillen and Lippincotts effort to replace Nebraskas election system a reversal for the 82-year-old Republican who voted for the change amid his first stint in the Legislature in 2015 and 2016 and signed a pledge supporting the change ahead of last years election. His reversal made him a target for Pillen, who issued a statement Saturday calling on Republican lawmakers to vote to advance LB3 before singling out Riepe. In particular, I hope that veteran Senator Merv Riepe stands with his fellow Republicans on this critical issue, Pillen said, noting Riepe had supported the bill in the mid-2010s and pledged to last year. If he remains consistent with his past votes and his 2024 pledge, (winner-take-all) can finally be restored. Instead, Riepe, who will face voters in his swing district next year if he seeks reelection, bucked the governor and his party Tuesday evening, citing the wishes of his district and the economic boost Nebraskas current system brings to Omaha, which has become a national battleground under the system, hosting visits from both vice presidential candidates and other national campaign surrogates last fall. My constituents like the attention it brings to Omaha, Riepe said, adding that the split-vote system gives Nebraskas 2nd Congressional District a voice that isnt taken for granted. Those who live in safe states or safe districts may not understand what it means to be courted, he said. As the saying goes, you dont know what youve got until you lose it. A failed experiment Led by Lippincott, most Republicans voted to establish a winner-take-all system, repeatedly calling Nebraskas 34-year-old model a failed experiment that is out of touch with how the countrys founders meant for presidents to be elected when they established the electoral college. Republicans largely refuted the economic impact the current system has on Omaha or pointed to it as a reason to eliminate the system. Sen. Bob Andersen of Omaha called for lawmakers to stop the influx of out-of-state funds, which is one of the detrimental side effects of all this. Conservatives, too, largely downplayed the role the states politics Trump won Nebraska by 20 points in November, while a Democrat hasnt won an election statewide since 2006 played in their motivation. I actually think in the next few decades, we could see a complete flip to blue, Sen. Katheen Kauth of Omaha said. But I want to uphold the framework regardless of which side is dominant at the time. Attempt to strip power Democrats, though, lined up to oppose the bill, accusing Republicans of seeking the change to the states election rules because it is politically convenient. Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln called the proposed change a lazy, shortsighted attempt to strip power from Nebraska voters and hand it over to national political machines. Its not about fairness. Its not about consistency, she said. Its about silencing Nebraskans in the name of party loyalty. Omaha Sen. John Cavanaugh disputed the argument that Republican support for the bill is not about some divergence from history or experiment. Weve been doing it for 30 some years now, he said. It is no longer an experiment; it is how we do it. And it has been successful. In the end, enough Republicans agreed. The bills failure to overcome Tuesdays filibuster marked the latest setback in a series of conservative-led attempts seeking to eliminate Nebraskas presidential election system, which state lawmakers established in 1991. Lawmakers have tried to undo the system repeatedly in the decades since the Legislature established it, twice sending repeal bills to former Gov. Ben Nelsons desk in the 1990s, but the Democrat vetoed the legislation both times. Since then, similar legislation has reached the floor of the Legislature six times, but none of those proposals made it to the governors desk. The system survived a close call in 2016, when a proposal to return the state to a winner-take-all system fell one vote short of overcoming a filibuster. Pillen deeply disappointed After the efforts latest failure Tuesday, Pillen said in a statement he was deeply disappointed that a minority of the Legislature defeated the will of the majority of their colleagues and, more importantly, the majority of Nebraskans by filibustering winner-take-all. The governor pledged to work with his allies in the Legislature to replace the states election system before the 2028 election. In remarks to reporters following the vote, Lippincott, the bills sponsor, also said he was disappointed. But tomorrows a new day, he said. And we always are hopeful. We never give up. We always give it the old college try. He suggested lawmakers could instead look to rally around a resolution for a constitutional amendment from Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams (LR24CA) that would put the fate of Nebraskas presidential electoral system in the hands of voters, who could then amend the states constitution to enshrine the winner-take-all system in 2026. That proposal has the support of Wordekemper, one of two Republican holdouts, but not Riepe, the other. I still dont think we have the votes for that, Lippincott said, so thats a bit of an issue. All five of western Nebraskas state senators voted in favor of ending debate on LB 3, though only Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte outlined his position at length during the four-hour debate. Gering Sen. Brian Hardin did not speak. Adobe announced its largest font expansion in five years, adding more than 1,500 new fonts to Adobe Fontsincluding support for ten Indian languages: Bengali, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, Oriya and Urdu. This update brings greater accessibility and versatility to Indian creators, ensuring they have the right typefaces to design across multiple scripts with ease. These new fonts, along with the rest of the Adobe Fonts library, are included at no extra cost for all Creative Cloud subscribers. Top Breaking News Of The Day More fonts, more possibilities The latest update includes many of the most popular and widely used typefaces, expanding creative options across design disciplines. A few of the all-time favorites now available include: Helvetica The go-to font for branding and editorial design The go-to font for branding and editorial design Gotham A sleek, modern typeface used by designers worldwide A sleek, modern typeface used by designers worldwide Avenir A timeless sans-serif perfect for digital and print projects A timeless sans-serif perfect for digital and print projects Times New Roman A classic for reports, resumes, and editorial layouts A classic for reports, resumes, and editorial layouts Arial A universal favorite for presentations and business documents A universal favorite for presentations and business documents Proxima Nova One of your favorite sans-serifs, expanded into four more languages These fonts along with more than 30,000 others are already included in your Adobe Creative Cloud membership. Plus, weve expanded our global library with fonts that support Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Hindi, and more ensuring you have the right typefaces for every creative project. With seamless Creative Cloud integration, your favorite fonts are just a click away and ready to use in Adobe Express, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, and more, or explore the collection on Adobe Fonts. Stay on brand, every time We know how important brand consistency is. With this update, youll have access to fonts that keep your work looking polished and professional, no matter where you design. Here are a few of the advantages of this update: The go-to fonts for every use: Whether youre designing a logo, creating marketing materials, or preparing a business proposal, weve got you covered. Seamless creativity, anywhere you work: Your type stays consistent across every device and app. Whether youre designing in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, or Express on desktop, mobile, or web your fonts are always accessible, wherever inspiration strikes. Fewer frustrating missing fonts pop-ups: These updates reduce friction when sharing designs containing commonly used fonts How to find Adobe fonts These new fonts are available globally to all paid Creative Cloud subscribers and are ready to use instantly, with no extra downloads required. Simply open Adobe Fonts and start designing. With over 30,000 fonts, Adobe Fonts is a powerful and versatile font library for creators everywhere. Whether youre designing for print, digital, or across languages, youll always have the right type at your fingertips. Sheeltron Digital Systems Pvt Ltd. (Sheeltron Digital Systems or the Company), an IT solution provider, announced its collaboration with Seagate Technology (Seagate), a leading innovator of mass-capacity data storage, to deliver Seagates cutting-edge enterprise data storage solutions to India. With this agreement Sheeltron Digital Systems incorporates Seagates enterprise data storage solutions into its comprehensive suite of IT services and solutions, further enhancing its offerings to meet the growing storage demands of businesses in India. With over 45 years of innovation, Seagate is a global leader in mass-capacity data storage solutions. Its enterprise data storage systems portfolio is uniquely designed to address the storage challenges businesses face in managing, accessing, and protecting their data. This includes Seagates Exos CORVAULT, a self-healing, high-performance, efficient, and durable multi-petabyte capacity block storage system. Top Breaking News Of The Day Chandraprakash Parekh, Director of Sheeltron Digital Systems, said, We are delighted to collaborate with Seagate, a leader in mass-capacity data storage, to offer advanced, scalable and secure storage solutions to our diverse customer base, including SMEs, public companies and government agencies in India, addressing the evolving market demands. This collaboration is not only a significant milestone for Indias enterprise landscape but also a key step in our journey to becoming a comprehensive IT solutions provider in the enterprise storage sector. Sameer Bhatia, Director of Asia Pacific Consumer Business Group and Country Manager for India & SAARC at Seagate, said: We are excited to work with Sheeltron Digital System to bring Seagates enterprise data storage solutions to businesses across India. As India continues to embrace digital transformation and AI, Seagate is committed to delivering breakthrough technology that help businesses navigate the evolving data landscape. With Sheeltron Digital Systems local expertise and Seagates industry-leading solutions, we are confident that businesses in India will be well-positioned to navigate their evolving data challenges and achieve sustainable growth. Zebra Technologies reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing its channel partner network across India, with a strategic emphasis on expanding its influence in emerging business hubs. Recognizing these areas as pivotal for growth, Zebra aims to extend its reach and impact nationwide. At the India Partner Summit in Jaipur, Zebra unveiled strategic initiatives to fortify its presence and foster partner innovation. Key announcements included insights into product advancements and initiatives tailored to the Indian market. Industry experts and Zebras leadership team participated, underscoring the companys dedication to driving growth through collaboration and innovation. Indias vast potential drives Zebras expansion into emerging business hubs, said Subramaniam Thiruppathi, Director of Sales for India and Sub-Continent, Zebra Technologies. By empowering frontline workers with AI-driven solutions, we enhance capabilities, allowing partners to explore new sectors like government and healthcare alongside manufacturing, transport & logistics, and retail, allowing them to thrive in the evolving digital landscape. Top Breaking News Of The Day Zebras vision for India includes equipping frontline workers with advanced, AI-driven tools that are essential for success in todays competitive environment. This initiative supports partners in delivering solutions that meet the evolving demands of businesses in burgeoning markets through enhanced asset visibility. Additionally, Zebra integrates the concept of connected frontline workers into its strategy, ensuring individuals are equipped with the necessary technology to optimize performance. As Zebra expands its footprint across India, the company remains dedicated to fostering a collaborative ecosystem that enhances the capabilities of its partners. By leveraging its global expertise and intelligent automation, Zebra is committed to supporting its partners in achieving sustained growth and success. 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 News articles produced by artificial intelligence (AI) do not have the same creative flair as stories written by human journalists, according to research into the stylistic differences between the storytellers. Charles Darwin University (CDU) researchers sought to find the linguistic difference between journalist-written and AI-generated news articles. The paper "Distinguishing Human Journalists from Artificial Storytellers Through Stylistic Fingerprints" was published in Emerging Trends in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, a special issue of the journal Computers. Researchers fed 150 news articles on topics such as politics, sports, military affairs, and technology, into chatbot Gemini and prompted it to compose 150 articles aligned with the content of the human-written stories. The human-written stories were sourced from the New York Times, the Sydney Morning Herald, and the Australian. CDU Master of Information Technology graduate Van Hieu Tran, who is the lead investigator of this study, said while AI-generated content was becoming more sophisticated each day, there were still subtle stylistic differences. The researchers found human journalists have greater variety in sentence and paragraph length, while Gemini had a lack of variability in syntax. Human journalists also use more verbs, suggesting their writing style focuses more on explaining actions to engage readers. Gemini, in comparison, uses more nouns than verbs. "Our paper suggests that AI and human writers produce equally readable content," Tran said. "However, the paper also finds that human writers produce more diverse syntactic and paragraph structures in their journalistic pieces than AI did. AI produces 'more boring' content that lacks stylistic diversity and writers' unique flair." CDU Lecturer in Information Technology Dr. Yakub Sebastian stresses that this research is important because it suggests that human ingenuity and deep personality could still thrive, and potentially more appealing to human readers. "There is also a deeper question as to whether it matters whether we could distinguish AI versus human writers beyond the issue of attribution/originality especially if all facts in the news are equally accurate. "We think it matters because news often shapes opinions and narratives, not just delivering facts. AI biases, for instance, are certainly one thing that we need to be concerned about." Dr. Sebastian, who supervised the research and co-authored its publication, said this type of research was important given how quickly AI is evolving to resemble human copy, and said the knowledge gained from this paper could have practical applications. "AI models advance at a breakneck speed, and we see them increasingly capable of doing what humans can do," Dr. Sebastian said. "As such, we can expect that distinguishing between human-generated and AI-generated text will become increasingly difficult for human readers. This is already happening. Just recently, an Italian newspaper officially published the world's first AI-generated newspapers." "We can think of a Turnitin-equivalent Web browser plug-in that could flag with a certain probability that the news being displayed on the Web browser is AI-generated based on the machine learning model we developed in this paper." More information: Van Hieu Tran et al, Distinguishing Human Journalists from Artificial Storytellers Through Stylistic Fingerprints, Computers (2024). DOI: 10.3390/computers13120328 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The satellites will be positioned hundreds of miles above the Earth. The US retail giant Amazon is preparing to launch Wednesday its first full batch of Project Kuiper satellites, marking a crucial milestone in the battle with Elon Musk's Starlink to provide high-speed internet. The 27 satellites will be launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida at 7:00 pm (2300 GMT) aboard an Atlas V rocket operated by the United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Like Starlink, the service is designed to provide internet access to even the most remote and underserved areas around the world, including war zones or disaster-struck areas. The satellites will be positioned hundreds of miles above Earth, where they will form the foundations of Project Kuipera constellation that Amazon says will include more than 3,200 satellites. Amazon, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, has said the internet service will go live this year. The project's pricing has not yet been revealed, but Amazon has promised it will be in line with its existing reputation as a low-cost retailer. With this launch, Amazon is going into direct competition with SpaceX's Starlink and other satellite internet providers. The Musk-owned SpaceX launched the first batch of its more than 6,750 operational Starlink satellites in 2019 and is by far the sector's biggest player, boasting over five million customers worldwide. Starlink has provided internet access to several disaster and war zones, including Morocco after a devastating 2023 earthquake there, as well as on the frontlines in Ukraine in its war with Russia. High competition Unlike traditional internet services that rely on fewer satellites that are situated more than 35,000 kilometers (22,000 miles) from Earth, those offered by Musk and soon Bezos use a low earth orbit of between 550 and 1,300 kilometers (350-810 miles). This allows them to relay data more rapidly to Earth, enabling internet access in areas without landline connections by copper or fiber optic cable. "Cost, complexity, and geography can make it difficult to install traditional, ground-based fiber and wireless connectivity solutions in these areas," Amazon says. A lower orbit, however, means so-called LEO satellites are only reachable from a smaller area, meaning more are needed for full global coverage and launches are more regular. Still, it provides a large potential market for Amazonone in which it is hoping to become a key player by catching up with its main competitor. Amazon is planning to boost satellite launches in the coming months and years, with more than 80 flights ordered by firms including ULA, Bezos's space company Blue Origin and even Musk's SpaceX. These satellites will be gradually dispatched to the low earth orbit, which is increasingly populated by Starlink as well as other emerging actors including Europe's OneWeb and China's Guowang. Some have voiced fears the growing number of satellites could lead to congestion and possible collisions, as well as disturbances for astronomical observations. The role of private hands in space has also raised political questions, particularly given the role of Musk as a key advisor to US President Donald Trump. Musk has cast doubt on the future of Starlink in Ukraine, where it is essential for military operations in Kyiv's war with Russia that Trump wants to see ended. He said in March, however, that "no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals." 2025 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A Delta Airlines plane shown near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in August 2023. Delta Air Lines withdrew its full-year profit forecast Wednesday and shelved some planned capacity hikes, pointing to a weakening demand outlook amid recession worries and whipsawing trade wars. The company is among the first to report its quarterly results since President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" announcement of major tariffs on US trading partners that has roiled global markets. The big US carrier's first-quarter profits edged above those in the year-ago period, but executives said they were adjusting strategy to fly fewer planes due to a more meager consumer environment in light of shifting tariff dynamics. "With broad economic uncertainty around global trade, growth has largely stalled," said Delta Chief Executive Ed Bastian. "In this slower-growth environment, we are protecting margins and cash flow by focusing on what we can control." Bastian expressed confidence in Delta's ability to navigate a downturn during a conference call with analysts. The call also touched on travel trends with neighbors Mexico and China, and the impact of tariffs on its dealings with plane maker Airbus. Delta will shelve plans to increase travel capacity in the second half of 2025, which is now projected as flat compared with last year, Bastian said. Profits for the first quarter were $240 million, 18% above the year-ago level on a 2% rise in revenues to $14 billion. On Wednesday, the company projected second-quarter revenues of between negative 2% and positive 2%, while profits of between $1.70 and $2.30 per share. Delta isn't confirming 2025 projections due to the current uncertainty, saying it "will provide an update later in the year as visibility improves." Company officials said there has been "significant" deterioration in bookings from Canada to the United States while the performance from Mexico has been "mixed." There has not yet been a big pullback in travel to the United States from Europe or other international markets. But Delta garners only about 20% of its international travel revenues from outside the United States, limiting the impact of a pullback, company officials said. Delta executives said they were hopeful a trade agreement between the United States and Europe could remove the threat of tariffs on Airbus planes ordered by the airline. Airbus has "been a great partner," Bastian said. "But the one thing that you need to know we're very clear on is that we will not be paying tariffs on any aircraft deliveries we take," he said. "If you start to put a 20% incremental cost on top of an aircraft, it gets very difficult to make the math work," he said. While the United States has an overall trade deficit with Europe, Europe is by far a net importer in the aircraft and assorted goods category, Delta officials said. Shares of Delta jumped 18.6%, with markets rallying aggressively after Trump announced he would suspend new tariffs on countries besides China. 2025 AFP Feature: Italian students showcase passion for Chinese through cultural performances Xinhua) 10:23, April 09, 2025 ROME, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Phoenix-themed dances, recitations of ancient Chinese classics, and dubbing performances of the Chinese anime Ne Zha... On Tuesday, dozens of Italian students at a boarding school in Rome showcased their passion for the Chinese language and culture through a variety of performances. The event, titled "Celebrating the Spring," was hosted by the international high school Rome Convitto Nazionale Vittorio Emanuele II, which offers science-related courses in Chinese and a long-term study-in-China program. This annual gala provides a platform for students to demonstrate their progress in Chinese and express their unique talents. Rosso Sgroi, a fifth-year high school student, played the role of the Monkey King in a short play. His fluent Chinese and lively performance earned hearty laughter and applause from the audience. He shared that he is deeply fond of China's Wuxia culture, or martial hero fiction, and classical Chinese literature. "I have passed HSK 6 (the highest level of the standard Chinese proficiency exam) and applied to several universities in China," he told Xinhua. "I hope to major in aerospace there because China has made remarkable advancements in the aerospace industry in recent years. Studying this technology in China will be crucial for my future." Rome Convitto Nazionale Vittorio Emanuele II introduced its Chinese program in 2009. Since 2010, more than 1,500 students have visited China through summer camps. In 2014, the school established a long-term study program in China. Over the years, the school has cultivated many students who not only possess strong Chinese language skills but also exhibit remarkable cross-cultural communication abilities and a global perspective. Li Xiaoyong, Charge d'Affaires ad interim at the Chinese Embassy in Italy, said in his address that the spirit of the Italian explorer Marco Polo -- his courage to explore the world, his openness to embracing diverse cultures, and his warmth in forging friendships with strangers -- is needed today, more than ever. "The school's Chinese program has demonstrated a clear long-term vision since its inception, as we have witnessed Chinese becoming an increasingly significant language in today's world," said Federico Masini, president and director of the Confucius Institute at La Sapienza University in Rome, in his speech ahead of the gala. Along the high school corridor, a captivating array of Chinese-related paintings, calligraphy, posters, and photographs is displayed on the walls, most of which are student works. The school has a Chinese library that offers a collection of books and study materials for both teachers and students. Activities such as learning martial arts and the Chinese tea ceremony are popular among the students, fostering a rich Chinese cultural atmosphere among the young Italians. "Some may argue that globalization is no longer relevant today, but the continued interest of many young Italians in learning Chinese and studying in China is a strong testament to the ongoing influence of globalization," Masini told Xinhua in an interview. He expressed hope that more Italian and European students would visit and study in China, further enriching cultural exchanges and skill development between Chinese and European youth. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Gigaflowa new temporary memory storage method for virtual switcheshelps direct heavy traffic in cloud data centers caused by AI and machine learning workloads. Rather than storing data packets as they arrive, Gigaflow instead breaks up packets into shared rule segmentsprocessing steps multiple packets have in common. The system then identifies the order of rules, finds the most frequently used rules and makes those easy to reach. Credit: Shahbaz Laboratory A new way to temporarily store memory, Gigaflow, helps direct heavy traffic in cloud data centers caused by AI and machine learning workloads, according to a study led by University of Michigan researchers. The results were presented at the International Conference on Architectural Support for Programming Languages and Operating Systems in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Growing computational demands have led companies to rely upon offsite cloud computing rather than their own infrastructure, causing cloud data centers to scale up processing capacity with higher core densities and faster hardware technologies. "While workloads are changing, cloud computing also has more resources available to take on more clients at once on a single server. Our research focuses on managing the increased data traffic," said Muhammad Shahbaz, an assistant professor of computer science and engineering at U-M and corresponding author of the study. The native server-based architecture typically used for everyday tasks like web browsing, email or file sharing cannot work at this scale because it dedicates physical servers to specific tasks, leaving resources underused. Cloud environments instead leverage virtual machineshypervisors that deploy programs and applications, mimicking a physical computer. Several virtual machines can operate at once on a single server to maximize efficiency. Behind the scenes, software programs called virtual switches direct traffic, deciding which virtual machine a task will go to. Virtual switches could once run on a CPU with a link ratethe maximum speed data can be transmittedof 10 gigabits per second. With link rates now at 100 to 400 gigabits per second and 800 gigabits per second on the horizon, CPUs can no longer handle the traffic. To scale to this link rate, data centers are incorporating specialized hardware called SmartNICs (Network Interface Cards) that help accelerate network tasks. Importantly, SmartNICs are programmable, which allows adjustment to specific tasks or network needs. The Gigaflow software program aims to improve SmartNIC performance by improving cachinga computing process that stores copies of data in a temporary, easy-to-access location. Typically, virtual switches only cache new data packets, called flows, as they arrive. Known as temporal locality of traffic, this technique provides repeated access to the same data. However, large-scale workloads require more processing for cache generation, slowing down traffic. Gigaflow instead caches shared rule segmentsprocessing steps multiple flows have in commoninstead of processing full flows, which the authors call pipeline-aware locality. Essentially, the system identifies the order of rules in the pipeline, finds the most frequently used rules and makes those easy to reach. "We believe Gigaflow offers a fresh perspective on how we can rethink caching to capture novel localities, which previously wasn't possible due to the limitations of available hardware," said Annus Zulfiqar, a doctoral student of computer science and engineering at U-M and lead author of the study. The program significantly increases cache efficiency, delivering up to a 51% higher cache hit rate and up to 90% lower cache misses. Gigaflow also captures a 450 times larger rule space, meaning a larger set of rules for directing traffic, while using 18% fewer cache entries compared to existing solutions. "Lots of groups, both academic and industrial, had accelerated OpenFlow and Open vSwitch in hardware over the years, so I was impressed that Gigaflow got a 51% higher cache hit rate without using bigger caches. It's a result that I didn't expect going into the project," said Ben Pfaff, chief engineer and co-founder of Feldera Inc. and contributing author of the study. The huge jump in rule space was made possible by leveraging the pipeline-aware locality to divide the cache into smaller rule-processing steps, allowing combinations of the smaller steps in many different ways. "Most people take established systems concepts, such as caching, for granted and temporal or spatial localities as their only options. Being able to break these assumptions based on emerging trends in programmable architectures and work from a non-traditional and sometimes even contrarian vantage point opens up unique opportunities," said Shahbaz. Looking forward, the research team plans to explore new opportunities to capture non-traditional localities in key-value (KV) caching for LLMs as their inference is the dominant workload in data centers today. Purdue University, Feldera Inc., and Politecnico di Milano also contributed to this research. More information: Annus Zulfiqar et al, G igaflow : Pipeline-Aware Sub-Traversal Caching for Modern SmartNICs, Proceedings of the 30th ACM International Conference on Architectural Support for Programming Languages and Operating Systems, Volume 2 (2025). DOI: 10.1145/3676641.3716000 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The concept of the active exploration and reconstruction strategy. Credit: Nature Machine Intelligence (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s42256-025-01012-y Angiography is a widely used medical imaging technique that allows medical researchers and doctors to capture the vascular network (i.e., blood vessels) using contrast agents, substances that enhance the visibility of specific structures inside the body when exposed to X-rays or other imaging approaches. Conventional angiography techniques rely on contrast agents that are distributed through blood vessels, leveraging the natural flow of blood in the body. Despite their widespread use, these approaches have significant limitations. For instance, they struggle to visualize upstream regions (i.e., regions in blood vessels that are against the direction of the blood flow) or areas that are blocked by materials (e.g., blood clots). This inability to visualize some regions limits the use of angiography for diagnosing and planning the treatment of some vascular conditions, including narrowed vessels, blood clots and abnormal connections between vessels. Researchers at the Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society and the Chinese University of Hong Kong recently introduced a new method for exploring and reconstructing vascular networks utilizing swarms of magnetic microrobots. Their proposed approach, outlined in a paper published in Nature Machine Intelligence, enables the 3D imaging of vascular networks, including upstream regions and blocked areas. "Angiography is essential in interventional operations to image the vascular network. Passive contrast agents applied in angiography highly rely on the flow direction, making the imaging of upstream regions and embolic branches challenging," wrote Xingzhou Du, Yibin Wang and their colleagues in their paper. "Active imaging is demanded for the accurate localization of blockages and lesions in vascular networks. Here an active exploration and reconstruction strategy is proposed, enabling full imaging of three-dimensional (3D) vascular networks with flow and blockage." Active exploration inside high flow rates. Credit: Nature Machine Intelligence (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s42256-025-01012-y Compared to conventional techniques that rely on passive contrast agents (i.e., substances that passively move following the blood flow), the approach devised by the researchers relies on swarms of active agents. These active agents are essentially magnetic particles, which can be controlled using external magnetic fields, reaching areas that cannot be accessed by passive agents. "The strategy implements magnetic particle swarms as active agents, which can be guided on demand towards the desired directions," wrote the researchers. "An image processing unit is developed to capture the 3D position of the swarm inside the vessel. A simultaneous mapping and exploration sequence is proposed to realize the exploration, and the entire structure of the 3D vascular network is reconstructed after obtaining the position data." Du, Wang and their colleagues evaluated the potential of their new active imaging technique in a series of tests, which yielded promising results. Notably, their technique was found to produce detailed 3D reconstructions of vascular systems, even in the presence of blockages. "The proposed strategy is validated in vascular networks with different structures and conditions, and it enables the thorough exploration and reconstruction of regions that cannot be accessed by passive contrast agents," wrote the researchers. "This strategy is promising in locating stenoses, thrombi and fistulae in vascular systems." In the future, the new microrobot swarm-based imaging approach devised by this team of researchers could be tested in further experiments and eventually deployed in health care facilities. Ultimately, it could significantly advance the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of vascular conditions, helping doctors to rapidly locate blood clots and other vascular abnormalities, to then plan targeted interventions. More information: Xingzhou Du et al, Active exploration and reconstruction of vascular networks using microrobot swarms, Nature Machine Intelligence (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s42256-025-01012-y Journal information: Nature Machine Intelligence 2025 Science X Network This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Catherine Yu creates smart clothing by sewing conductive threads into the seams of a normal T-shirt in the Sci-Fi Lab. Credit: Louis DiPietro Researchers at Cornell have developed a new type of smart clothing that can track a person's posture and exercise routine but looks, wearsand washesjust like a regular shirt. The new technology, called SeamFit, uses flexible conductive threads sewn into the neck, arm and side seams of a standard short-sleeved T-shirt. The user does not need to manually log their workout, because an artificial intelligence pipeline detects movements, identifies the exercise and counts reps. Afterward, the user simply removes a circuit board at the back neckline, and tosses the sweaty shirt into the washing machine. The team envisions that SeamFit could be useful for athletes, fitness enthusiasts and patients engaged in physical therapy. Most existing body-tracking clothing is tight and restrictive or embedded with chunky sensors, according to Catherine Yu, a doctoral student in the field of information science and lead researcher on the project. "We were interested in how we can make clothing smart without making it bulky or unusable," Yu said, "and to push the practicality, so that people can treat it the way they would usually treat their clothing." Alternatively, athletes can choose fitness trackers, like smartwatches or rings, but these are extra devices that people may not want to wear while exercising, and can't track movement across the entire body. "Not everyone is willing to try out a new wearable form factor, but people will have clothes on," said co-author Cheng Zhang, assistant professor of information science in the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science. "We provide a very neat form factor that is always on you." Their study,"SeamFit: Towards Practical Smart Clothing for Automatic Exercise Logging," published in March in the Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies, and will be presented at the UbiComp/ISWC 2025 meeting in October in Espoo, Finland. Most mass-produced clothing has seams, which Yu realized could be exploited to make a comfortable, affordable piece of smart clothing. She constructed three SeamFit shirtsin small, medium and largeusing a home sewing machine to attach conductive threads on top of the seams. The three sizes allowed users to choose a looser or tighter fit, but did complicate the process of interpreting each user's movements. To test the shirts' performance, the team recruited 15 volunteers, who did a series of 14 exercisesincluding lunges, sit-ups and biceps curlswhile wearing SeamFit. Without any calibration or training for each user, SeamFit's model classified the exercises with 93.4% accuracy and successfully counted reps, with counts that, on average, were off by less than one. SeamFit works because when people exercise, the threads' capacitancetheir ability to store chargechanges as the threads move, deform and interact with the human body. The circuit board at the back neckline measures the capacitances and transmits them through a Bluetooth connection to a computer. A customized, lightweight signal-processing and machine-learning pipeline then deciphers the movements. After the workouts, Yu washed and dried the shirts at home. The project is a new iteration of SeamPose, a previous effort to track body postures using conductive threads in eight seams of a long-sleeve T-shirt. The team envisions that this type of unobtrusive smart clothing could be especially useful for athletes logging their exercise routines and for physical therapists monitoring the progress of patients at home. More broadly, this type of technology could assist with human-AI interaction, because by tracking human movements and activities, AI can better understand when to interact and when to waitsuch as when someone is eating or sleeping. Enabling AI to understand human activity is the main focus of Zhang's Smart Computer Interfaces for Future Interactions (SciFi) Lab, which develops new, AI-powered wearable sensing systems, to enable AI to comprehend human activities and intentions in everyday settings and provide support when needed. "While this paper demonstrated the approach for a simple garment, we believe it can easily be adapted to a wide range of garments and could take advantage of the complex seam patterns of advanced sportswear," said co-author Francois Guimbretiere, professor of information science in Cornell Bowers CIS and the multicollege Department of Design Tech. To create SeamFit, Yu set up a "little sewing factory" in the lab. However, she is currently exploring how the manufacturing process could be affordably scaled up, using industrial serger machineswhich sew and make seams using three or four threads simultaneouslyand more robust conductive threads. "By just replacing a single thread in this mass manufacturing process, all of the clothing could easily become smart and be able to have this motion tracking capability," Yu said. "I'm imagining one day, you open your closet and there's really no difference between smart and nonsmart clothing." More information: Tianhong Catherine Yu et al, SeamFit: Towards Practical Smart Clothing for Automatic Exercise Logging, Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies (2025). DOI: 10.1145/3712287 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: Kate Cavanagh at CSIROs Energy Centre in Newcastle, demonstrating the Electric Vehicle Emulator, which can simulate an EV, an EV charger, or monitor charging. Credit: CSIRO A joint project by Essential Energy and CSIRO has demonstrated vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology using commercially available technology. The project has highlighted the potential of V2G to transform energy management in Australian households. The research, conducted in a newly developed testing laboratory at Essential Energy's Port Macquarie headquarters, successfully demonstrated how electric vehicles (EVs) equipped with Australia's most common charging plug type can store and share energy from rooftop solar systems. Dr. Sam Behrens, project leader, says this development is a key transition step in supporting rooftop solar and grid stability in Australia. "This project marks an important milestone for Australia, successfully demonstrating a Combined Charging System (CCS2) bi-directional charger with a market-available V2G-capable vehicle," Sam said. "This is significant as it opens the way for wider adoption of commonly available CCS2-compatible V2G technology, enabling households and utilities to use EVs as flexible energy resources." A major step for energy innovation The study took place in late 2024 and early 2025 at Essential Energy's Innovation Hub in Port Macquarie. Using a simulated home environment, researchers were able to replicate real-world household energy use and grid connection, enabling them to assess how bi-directional EV charging could be used in practice to manage household energy demands and grid exports. There have been several demonstrations of V2G in Australia using the CHAdeMO charging plug, which is used by a handful of Japanese EV models such as the Nissan Leaf, but is becoming obsolete. However, until now, there has been no commercially available bi-directional charger for the CCS2 in Australia. "This successful demonstration of CCS2 bi-directional charging showcases the potential for a wide range of current and future EVs to become 'batteries on wheels' in people's homes. This can support higher penetration of both rooftop solar and other renewable energy sources into Australia's power grid," Sam said. Real-world insights into V2G potential The research delivered several important insights, highlighting the potential of V2G technology for Australian households and electricity networks. Integration of current V2G technology: two types of technology were tested. A Nissan Leaf EV paired with a CHAdeMO Wallbox Quasar bidirectional DC charger, and the AUSEV Ford F150 Lightning paired with an upgraded version of Sigenergy's CCS2 charger. Both were successfully integrated into the household simulator, enabling self-consumption and energy export to the electrical grid. Successful household energy simulation: the V2G laboratory accurately replicated 'real' household energy consumption and grid connection, allowing for testing under various scenarios, including seasonal variations. "Our collaboration with Essential Energy has demonstrated the feasibility of V2G technology and its potential to transform energy management in solar-equipped households," Sam said. "The laboratory facilities developed by Essential Energy and CSIRO during the pilot phase are already being used by industry to develop innovative products. This includes integrating EVs into household energy systems and helping electricity networks get ready for the next generation of energy technologies." Next steps for V2G in Australia Building on the success of this pilot project, CSIRO and Essential Energy are in discussions to extend their collaboration. The next phase will focus on expanding the laboratory's capabilities, further refining how bi-directional charging technology can be implemented and exploring real-world deployment scenarios. This will include better automation and more advanced communication standards and control technologies. This will enable testing of a wide range of future V2G system configurations currently under development. As EV adoption grows across Australia, V2G technology has the potential to provide flexible energy storage that supports a more renewable-powered energy system. With continued research and investment, using EVs as mobile energy storage could soon become a reality for many Australian households. "We have high hopes that V2G will deliver benefits not only to EV owners, but also to the wider community by adding much-needed energy storage to power system infrastructure," Sam said. "With their greater power and energy density as well as mobility, EVs could offer a level of flexibility and impact beyond anything previously seen in the energy sector in Australia," Sam 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. What began as mourning for the victims of avoidable tragedies is turning into a mass anti-corruption movement led by young people across the Balkans. Are they late? I look at my watch: five more minutes. And then I hear whistles, drums, and chants. The columns march toward me, on Gazela Bridge in Belgrade, which will be choked with demonstrators for the next seven hours. Protesting students turn out to be more punctual than expected. The young people in the front row are carrying red posters with roses. Each poster bears the name and age of the 16 people who died under the collapsed canopy of the Novi Sad train station last 1 November, and a rose in their memory. This tragedy fueled protests across the country, ongoing as I write. I also see a poster saying Hitler too stayed in power 13 years in a none-too-subtle allusion to the lengthy rule of President Aleksandar Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party. Students and other protesters accuse the government of massive corruption. And so they ask: why did a canopy at a newly renovated station fall? Who supervised the Chinese construction company and the Serbian subcontractors? Why were they in such a hurry to open it? Will the guilty be punished? The students move quickly. The first thing you notice is how well organized they are. No leaders, but perfect scheduling after months of practice. No one gives more than one interview. Today one young woman speaks, tomorrow another, then a boy; always someone different. In this way they distract the security services, authorities, and tabloid media, who try to harass them constantly. I ask for an interview. Please file a request, well let you know. Everything is discussed and voted on at their plenums. Once taken, decisions are followed to the letter. This horizontal and somewhat anarchistic movement runs away from politics as from fire. Student spokespersons do not answer any political questions, including the most general ones, such as Are you for the European Union? They distance themselves even from the intellectual movements that support them unreservedly. This way, they maintain their unity: among them there are urban liberals, leftists, greens, conservatives, and nationalists. One idea holds them together: we fight corruption. This follows a pattern. After covering Serbian student protests for days now, I can recognize it. 28 February 2023: Two trains collide head-on near the Tempe Valley in Greece. Fifty-seven passengers die on the spot, 81 are seriously injured. It turned out to be a human mistake. But the neglect of the Greek railways since the years of the economic crises also played a role. Demonstrations erupted. On the second anniversary hundreds of thousands, mostly young, protested in more than 260 places, calling for justice. 16 March 2025: A fire at a nightclub in Kocani, North Macedonia, kills 61 and injures almost 200 people. The interior minister admits that the nightclubs operating license was obtained through corruption and bribery. Massive rallies were held across the country to honor the deceased and demand justice. 31 March 2025: Twelve-year-old Siyana Popova dies on a road near Pleven, Bulgaria when a truck hits the car she is riding in with her grandparents. People living nearby complained many times to the authorities about the poor quality of the road. Yet no one took note. Protests demanding justice were held, albeit not on a Serbian, Greek, or North Macedonian scale. The pattern stands out clear as day. Young Balkan people are fed up with corruption. Triggered by tragic incidents, they hit the squares, calling for justice and accountability. They do not trust traditional parties, nor state institutions, nor even the usual place to complain, the European Union (Bulgaria and Greece are members, Serbia a candidate, North Macedonia in line for candidacy). Belgrade students do not sport EU flags, as Ukrainians did in 2014, or Bulgarians in 1997. Unlike in the 90s, when the West opposed Slobodan Milosevics regime, we are alone now, Biljana Stepanovic tells me. She is the editor-in-chief of Nova Ekonomija, a magazine that stands firmly with the protests. The West supports President Aleksandar Vucic either actively, or by keeping silent, she says. This is true. Vucic rides many horses at once. He flatters Donald Trump, hosts Xi Jinping, Emmanuel Macron, and Olaf Scholz, negotiates with the EU, praises Putin at the same time as Serbias military industry discreetly ships materials to Ukraine. The latter is especially important, since European leaders need allies against Russia. Protesters understand that there are bigger issues at stake, such as Ukraine, but still call this hypocrisy. Political expert Igor Bandovic points out that a week before the fall of the canopy, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Belgrade and gushed, Dear Aleksandar, I want to thank you and your team who have done such a great job on your excellent reform agenda. This did not contribute to the EUs prestige, Bandovic commented wryly. The protesters, even so, are not anti-EU. Despite Vucics constant warnings that a colored revolution is in the making, the rallies are not geopolitical. Nor are they about domestic politics. Serbian students try to avoid any association with the weak and divided opposition. The same, in various degrees, is true of North Macedonia, Greece, and Bulgaria. The opposition parties to the center-right governments in Athens and Skopje, and the multi-colored coalition in Bulgaria, are trying to saddle the protests. But the demonstrators want nothing to do with that. Is this wise? Balkan countries differ in the details but the corruption that flourishes here is everybodys fault, including those who are now in opposition. Admitting the party banners at the rallies could discourage the protest movements, which rage against the whole system, whatever that may mean. On the other hand, your greatest strength might also be your greatest weakness. You cannot change the system without political means. More and more public figures I meet in Belgrade are encouraging students at least to formulate political demands. Similar voices are heard in the neighboring countries. Sooner or later they have to make a choice. But the big news is in: corruption, not geopolitics, is the next great dividing line in the Balkans. Let us pray that this rage is here not to destroy but to heal. Boyko Vassilev is the moderator and producer of the weekly Panorama news talk show on Bulgarian National Television. You have reached a premium content area of Transitions. To read this entire article please login if you are already a Transitions subscriber. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for access to: Full access to the website, including premium articles videos, country reports and searchable archives (containing over 25,000 articles). Former prime minister Stuart Young is leading the legal team representing former Central Bank Governor Dr Alvin Hilaire in his wrongful dismissal battle against the State. On Wednesday, Hilaire told the Express that his attorneys issued a pre-action protocol letter to the Attorney General and the Cabinet Secretariat. When asked by the Express to provide a copy of the pre-action letter and the names of his attorneys, Hilaire responded yesterday, declining to share the letter but confirming that Young is leading his legal team. A PRIVATE contractor is dead after an accident in Tobago. Police have identified the victim as Darryl Figaro of Black Rock, Tobago. He died on Wednesday after falling from a ladder while working at a private villa. An autopsy of Figaros body yesterday at the Scarborough Mortuary determined injuries were consistent with a fall, and it ruled out foul play. The body was previously identified by the victims daughter. My wife and I are in our sunset years and have been trying to deal with the many issues of our health, so our doctors have been giving us prescriptions for medication which is needed to try to control our health issues. We would normally go to distributors of the various medications that are prescribed, and purchase two months supply at any one time. Alas, we no longer can do this because of the recent ruling by the respective Government agencies, and now have to purchase these medications from registered pharmacies. Six people have applied for the Pima County Board of Supervisors seat left vacant by the resignation of Adelita Grijalva. An online public forum with the six applicants will be hosted by the League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday. Go to http://tucne.ws/1s5e to watch. Grijalva, who was re-elected to her second term in November, resigned as supervisor after announcing last week that she will be running for the Tucson congressional held by her late father Raul Grijalva. He died March 13. Supervisors expect to name a replacement for Grijalva on April 15. The candidates for the county seat are: Lewis David Araiza , Sr., a former teacher and social worker. Most recently, he taught at Gallego Intermediate School from 2020-21 and then became a counselor at Los Ninos Elementary, according to his resume. Araizas teaching career began in the late 1970s when he taught English at Salpointe Catholic High School. , Sr., a former teacher and social worker. Most recently, he taught at Gallego Intermediate School from 2020-21 and then became a counselor at Los Ninos Elementary, according to his resume. Araizas teaching career began in the late 1970s when he taught English at Salpointe Catholic High School. Kimberly Baeza , a Pima County employee since September 2012. She began her county career in the public library system. In April 2013, she moved to the countys Wastewater Reclamation Department, starting as a lab technician before quickly moving to a lab chemist. She is now the permit and regulatory compliance officer within the department, a post shes held since July 2022. , a Pima County employee since September 2012. She began her county career in the public library system. In April 2013, she moved to the countys Wastewater Reclamation Department, starting as a lab technician before quickly moving to a lab chemist. She is now the permit and regulatory compliance officer within the department, a post shes held since July 2022. Andres Cano , currently the city of Tucsons director of federal and state relations. He leads the citys legislative and grants strategy and advocates for city policies to state and federal lawmakers. Cano previously served in the state House and at one point was minority leader. , currently the city of Tucsons director of federal and state relations. He leads the citys legislative and grants strategy and advocates for city policies to state and federal lawmakers. Cano previously served in the state House and at one point was minority leader. Richard Hernandez , a longtime retiree who says he is an education and community activist. In his letter of interest, Hernandes called himself a champion for students at (Pima Community College), Sunnyside schools, the City of South Tucson and LGBTQ+ communities. Hernandez said he would not seek election to the office. , a longtime retiree who says he is an education and community activist. In his letter of interest, Hernandes called himself a champion for students at (Pima Community College), Sunnyside schools, the City of South Tucson and LGBTQ+ communities. Hernandez said he would not seek election to the office. Karla Bernal Morales has been the vice president of the Arizona Technology Councils Southern Arizona regional office since March 2020. Before that, Morales worked in various capacities within the University of Arizona for nearly 2 1/2 years. Most recently, her resume says, Morales was director of multicultural advancement in the schools DEI and Title IX division. She also spent 13 years working for the Arizona Department of Economic Security. has been the vice president of the Arizona Technology Councils Southern Arizona regional office since March 2020. Before that, Morales worked in various capacities within the University of Arizona for nearly 2 1/2 years. Most recently, her resume says, Morales was director of multicultural advancement in the schools DEI and Title IX division. She also spent 13 years working for the Arizona Department of Economic Security. Cynthia Abril Sosa Ontiveros is a product marketing engineer for Texas Instruments, Inc., where shes worked for over a decade. Since 2019, Ontiveros has served as a campaign chair and committee member for United Way of Southern Arizona, according to her resume. Last year, she was recognized as Woman of the Year and a 40 under 40 recipient by the Tucson Hispanic Chamber, she said in her letter of interest. Each applicant was required to submit a letter of interest, a resume, a financial disclosure statement and a conflict-of-interest form. Its a city of Tucson dream that wont die. Somehow the city of Tucson must be able to get more money out of the wealthier Tucson Water customers in the unincorporated Catalina Foothills and Northwest Side. The city failed in a 2021 effort. That money grab was too flimsily based a Maricopa County Superior Court judge threw it out in 2023. But the dream goes on, and now Tucson officials think they may have the formula to get more out of those thick wallets. Their justification is new. The city hired outside experts and calculated a recommended return on equity for customers in incorporated cities versus those outside. Turns out those in the unincorporated area have a lower return than recommended. Its a complicated calculation, but the upshot is that, depending on Tucson Waters debt load, water bills would go up by an average of $5 to $7 per month for the one third of the utilitys customers who live in the unincorporated county. As the proposal stands, that increased revenue would go to reducing the bills slightly in incorporated cities like Tucson. Unsurprisingly, Pima County Board of Supervisors Chair Rex Scott, who represents a lot of those Tucson Water customers in the unincorporated county, opposes the citys latest move. It was the county who fought the city after the 2021 effort and mostly prevailed in the courts, with one major exception getting refunds for the customers. They began with an end in mind, Scott said of city officials. They wanted to do this and were upset that the court wouldnt allow them to do it the first time. When you begin with an end in mind, youre going to focus on the means that help you achieve that end, he said. Supporting Scotts premise In my reading, a March 28 email from assistant city attorney Chris Avery to City Council Member Kevin Dahl supports Scotts argument that the city was looking for a way to avoid another adverse court opinion. Following the ruling, we discussed it with the Mayor and Council in Executive Session, Avery wrote, in an email first reported Sunday by my colleague Tony Davis. Then, with my advice, Tucson Water staff proceeded to work on developing a new rate, based solely on cost-of-service principles, and hired four experts. Three recommended a method to develop the rate using state-of-the-art cost of service principles, namely, the cost of capital assets owned by City residents, and the one additional expert was hired to develop the return rate on the cost of capital, based on this recommendation. Im a city resident, but what I see in Averys email and other city memos is an effort to justify charging county residents more. They arrived at this. One peculiarity of the citys analysis is that they lump together all the Tucson Water customers in all the incorporated areas, including Tucson, South Tucson, Marana and Oro Valley. About 10% of the customers in incorporated areas actually live outside Tucson in these other jurisdictions, Tucson Water spokeswoman Natalie DeRoock said by email. So, it is possible that the Tucson Water customers in Marana, South Tucson and Oro Valley also have a lower return on equity, as with those in unincorporated Pima County. But their impact on the calculations may be offset by the 90 percent of customers in incorporated cities who live in Tucson. We dont know because they tried to isolate the cost of serving people in the unincorporated area only. They didnt produce a broader assessment of costs based on, say, distance from the city core or other measures. Incorporation or annexation This brings up another subtext to the whole proposal. It is, once again, an implicit argument for annexation or incorporation. In the 2021 effort, city officials made this idea an overt part of their argument in favor of charging more to customers in the unincorporated county. This time, it goes unsaid. But of course it stands to reason that if these customers in the unincorporated areas of the county were to incorporate their own cities, or be annexed into Tucson or another city, they would no longer be charged these higher rates. It is bad that there are around 380,000 residents of the Tucson metro area who live in unincorporated areas: They dont bring in as much state shared revenue as they would if in an incorporated jurisdiction. We miss out on millions a year in metro Tucson because those people dont live in towns or cities. By and large those people dont want to be annexed into the city of Tucson, especially now after their targeting by Tucson Water. The city should encourage them, though, to incorporate on their own. We all lose when they dont. No refunds issued Then theres the matter of their refunds. Tucson Water charged millions in additional dollars to customers in the unincorporated county during the years when the 2021 differential rate was in effect. When the judge threw out that rate increase, he didnt order that money repaid. Thats because the county, which was the plaintiff, didnt ask for it until late in the case. An appeals court upheld that decision, as did the state Supreme Court on April 1. It doesnt mean they arent owed the money back just that the county didnt correctly ask for it. Any effort to charge Tucson Water customers in the unincorporated county more should account for the fact that they are already holding millions of dollars charged to those people through an illegal rate increase. PHOENIX Border czar Tom Homan told Arizona lawmakers Tuesday that he and President Donald Trump are not at all sorry about working to round up and deport everyone who is here illegally, regardless of whether they are guilty of any other offense. I read every day about what a racist, hateful thing that is to say we have a mass deportation operation, Homan told a joint session of the Republican-controlled Legislature. But he said it follows four years of mass illegal immigration under the Biden administration. Theres hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens in this nation with criminal records that are walking the streets, he said. We need to find every single one of them and get them out of this country. He acknowledged that many of those who crossed the border made claims of asylum. And the law does allow that when individuals can show they face persecution from their own government because of race, religion, political affiliation or participation in a social group. Homan said they demanded their right to see a judge. They got their due process, he continued. But, guess what? Nine out of 10 will end up with an order of removal because nine out of 10 made a fraudulent asylum claim. They dont qualify. And that is why theres going to be mass deportation, he said. You cant demand due process and ignore the decision at the end of that due process, which is an order of removal, Homan told lawmakers. The law requires it. Thats exactly whats going to happen. But at the same time, he also defended the presidents use of the Alien Enemies Act to summarily deport alleged gang members without due process to a high-security prison in El Salvador. Homan derided efforts to have some of those individuals including one who even the administration acknowledged was improperly deported returned to the United States. I cannot believe any judge would order anybody (to) bring those two plane loads of terrorists back to this country, he said. Homans speech was given to a partly empty chamber. Some House and Senate Democrats did not show up. And the remaining Democrats who were on the floor when he started speaking got up, held up signs with the names of people they said have been targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and then walked out. That did not go unnoticed by Homan. For the people who just walked out of the room, did they stand up and raise hell about trafficking of children? he asked. He also cited the slaying last year of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student in Georgia, assaulted by a scumbag pleading every minute to survive. An undocumented migrant from Venezuela who had sought asylum was convicted. Tom Homan aint shutting up and Tom Homan aint going away, he told lawmakers. Homan said all illegal immigration problems are going to decline under the policies of the Trump administration. He said the policies of the Biden administration resulted in a situation where 90% of those who crossed the border illegally or overstayed their visas should not be here. But since Trump took office, Homan said, border crossings are down 94%. President Trump did in five weeks what Joe Biden didnt, wouldnt, didnt even attempt to do in four years, which proved he had the ability to do that all along, Homan said, referring to the former presidents claims that he needed new laws to sharply curtail immigration. And that 94%, he said, makes a difference. How many women aint being raped every day by the cartel? Homan said. How many children arent dying on the border every day? How many pounds of fentanyl is not getting into the country to kill Americans? Homan acknowledged that last year even before Trump took office he would prioritize deporting criminals and those who are a threat to national security. But Ive been clear from Day One: If you in the country illegally, youre not off the table, Homan told lawmakers. What that means, he said, is if ICE officers targeting criminals happen to come across someone whose only offense is being here illegally, theyre coming, too. Its not OK to be in this country illegally, Homan said. And people hate on me for that? he continued. If youre in the country illegally, you should be looking over your shoulder. Homan also took a slap at so-called sanctuary cities that have policies of not cooperating with federal immigration officials. He said the explanation is that local officials dont want to discourage members of the immigrant community from approaching police to report crimes. That is a bunch of garbage, Homan said. A victim and witness of crime dont want the bad guy out there, either. Homan also praised Arizona lawmakers for enacting measures designed to have local and state police assist in enforcing federal immigration law. Those include Senate Bill 1164, which not only authorizes cooperation but mandates that the state prison and local jails honor detainer requests from ICE, holding people who would otherwise be released until they can be picked up for deportation. That measure also requires the attorney general, on request from any legislator, to investigate any public entity suspected of adopting any ordinance or practice that restricts cooperation with federal immigration authorities. PHOENIX State lawmakers gave final approval Tuesday to two measures designed to promote public health but not before exempting themselves from one of them. Without dissent, the Republican-led Senate approved House Bill 2164 to eliminate certain artificial dyes and chemicals from what can be served and sold at public schools. That measure, already approved by the House, now goes to Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. But HB 2165, a proposal to keep people from using their food stamps to purchase sodas, drew unanimous derision from Senate Democrats particularly after their Republican counterparts refused to apply the same restrictions on the use of the taxpayer dollars they get in a daily allowance for their expenses while the Legislature is in session. Both votes were purposely scheduled by the Republican Senate majority to occur Tuesday to coincide with a visit to the Capitol by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Health and Human Services secretary, specifically to discuss the measures. Kennedy has promoted both ideas on the national level as part of his Make America Healthy Again agenda. On Tuesday, he said health problems have been caused by corporations that re-engineered foods to make them not just tastier but also to get people to consume more but without the nutrients. Kennedy said there were other changes, too. One of the ways your brain tells you youre full is it counts the number of times you chew, he said. So they began adding softeners to the food that trick your brain into never being able to tell your stomach that its full. Kennedy also blamed a variety of other health conditions on additives, ranging from diabetes to autism. But he would not take questions at his news conference on other controversies related to the actions of his agency nor on his own well-publicized statements on things ranging from a recommendation that cities take fluoride out of their water, to raising doubts about the safety of vaccines. As to the current outbreak of measles in Texas and New Mexico, the only thing Kennedy would say is that his agencys strategy to deal with those cases has been very successful. The number continues to grow by the day, he said. But the growth rate ... has diminished substantially. In limiting questions to only food issues, Kennedy avoided addressing criticism by Will Humble, executive director of the Arizona Public Health Association, who said many of his actions are unwise and harmful. Those include urging cities to remove fluoride in tap water. Some are destructive and possibly illegal, like his $240 million in budget cuts for Arizona public health, said Humble, who previously served as the state health director. Some are downright dangerous, like his opposition to vaccines and promotion of therapies that dont work. It also comes as state Attorney General Kris Mayes, along with her Democratic counterparts in other states, filed new lawsuits against Kennedy and his agency. One challenges $11.4 billion in cuts in public health grants including about $239 million for Arizona. The Trump administration countered that much of that dates back to the COVID pandemic and is a waste of tax dollars responding to a non-existent pandemic that Americans moved on from years ago. More recently, Mayes brought a new lawsuit after the Trump administration disrupted grant funding issued by the National Institutes of Health. On Tuesday, responding to Kennedys visit, Mayes said he and Trump are exceeding their authority. Were victims of an unconstitutional intrusion on the rights of states and the power of Congress by an out-of-control executive branch hellbent on destroying 250 years of precedent, Mayes said. The more immediate purpose of Kennedys visit, though, was to praise the two measures the Senate approved. But Democratic lawmakers took particular exception to SB 2165 to have the state determine what those who get benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program can purchase. At its core, this bill is paternalistic and judgmental, said Sen. Lauren Kuby, D-Tempe. This is food shaming. Sen. Analise Ortiz, a Phoenix Democrat, pointed out that the measure, as originally written by Republican Rep. Leo Biasiucci, also would have banned the use of food stamps for candies and sweets. That was dropped. I think its safe that we can assume that HB 2165 is just one step in that there will be future bills that will attack other types of foods that people consume, said Ortiz. And Sen. Theresa Hatathlie suggested there was a reason for singling out sodas and not going after other items that would remain legally eligible to purchase with food stamps. Consider, said the Tuba City Democrat, breakfast cereals. Whats affordable down that aisle are the sugary huge bags of cereal, Hatathlie said. Why are we not having that discussion about how capitalistic strategies prey upon working families and also families that receive these benefits? Asked about that issue at his press conference, Kennedy did not disagree about the negative health effects of some of those items. You have to start somewhere, he said. Believe me, I would like to stop the entire processed food program. But were not going to do that overnight. Anyway, he said that about 10% of food stamp purchases are for sugary drinks, calling any effort to eliminate them from whats allowable the quickest and most obvious thing to do. And then theres the name of the program, which includes the word nutrition, while sodas have none at all. If youre spending nutritional money that is paid for by the taxpayers to make our kids healthy, and youre buying something unhealthy with it, that needs to be corrected, Kennedy said. Hatathlie, in debating the bill at the Senate, said if the issue is the inherently unhealthy aspects of sodas and the use of public funds to purchase them, then the same rules should apply to the daily allowance that lawmakers get to cover their expenses. That proposal gained support from Sen. Priya Sundareshan, a Tucson Democrat. What we are talking about here is the inappropriateness or the appropriateness of providing taxpayer dollars towards the purchase of certain items, she said. She told colleagues that if they believe tax dollars shouldnt be spent on unhealthy items, they should be consistent. That comparison drew an objection from Sen. John Kavanagh. Andrea Eger Tulsa World Projects Reporter Follow Andrea Eger 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 Advocacy groups that helped establish and expand public school choice for parents over the past three decades say the authorization of a religious charter school in Oklahoma, if successful, would spark years of litigation across the nation and could spell the end of the only means of school choice altogether in some states. Much of the focus on the appeal of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School to the U.S. Supreme Court has been on how the case may test established legal doctrine on the separation of church and state in this country. But ahead of oral arguments April 30, more than 75 organizations within the charter school community, as well as former officials from across the country who helped develop the public charter school system as it currently exists, made moves this week to warn the Supreme Court justices that St. Isidores entire case is based on the false or mistaken belief that a charter school is anything other than a public school. Charter schools were enacted into law as, and remain, public schools. Since their creation in the early 1990s, charter schools have followed the same model. They are publicly funded open-enrollment schools that operate within a states system of public education, states the argument within the newly filed amicus brief of nine former elected and appointed state, local and federal officials from across the United States both Republicans and Democrats who played a key role in developing and expanding charter schools as they currently exist. Over 30 years ago, I authored into law, with a strong bipartisan coalition, the first charter school law in the country, allowing publicly-funded open-enrollment schools to operate within a states system of public education, former Minnesota state Sen. Ember Reichgott Junge said in the brief. Since then, the law has been enacted in 45 states (now 46 states), in each case reinforcing that charter schools were always public schools. Oklahoma Catholic leaders claim that charter schools are actually private schools and that denying them access to government funding to open one to provide greater access to Catholic school education across the state would violate their right to free exercise of religion. They secured state sanctioning for St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School in 2023, despite state statute here defining charter schools as public schools, as well as state statute and federal regulation specifically prohibiting them from affiliation with a nonpublic sectarian school or religious institution. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond sued, and the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled in June that a religious charter school is unconstitutional, halting St. Isidores planned August 2024 opening for its 200-plus applicants. Eighteen attorneys general also filed briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court to convey their concern about a ruling in favor of St. Isidores appeal potentially upending charter school laws in their states. The high courts decision is expected this summer. They are going to wreck it for everyone else The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools was among 76 organizations from within the charter school movement including charter school authorizers or sponsors, school leaders and parents that submitted briefs this week in favor of the Oklahoma Supreme Courts 2024 decision. In an interview with the Tulsa World, Starlee Coleman, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, said: The implications beyond the separation of church and state are not well-understood. This is a huge, huge issue. The new amicus brief from the leading national nonprofit organization on advancing the public charter school movement claims that if charter schools are not treated as public schools, the per-pupil funding for public schools that charter school founders and advocates fought for years to access could be lost, putting charter school operations and facilities in jeopardy. Further, the brief states that another ripple effect of charter schools being found to be private entities would likely call into question charter school teacher participation in many states retirement or health care programs for public school educators. The thing we just keep coming back to is what exactly are these people after? Because there is already a mechanism to fund private school programs with taxpayer money in Oklahoma and dozens of other states. What is this really about? Because it does not feel like an effort to expand school choice for students who do not have it, said Coleman. We dont have a value judgment on the value of private schooling or religious education or parochial schooling. For millions of people across the country, that is already an excellent choice. The only way the Supreme Court gets to a yes in this case is to say, Yes, charter schools are actually private schools. If we are private schools, then we cannot access per-pupil funding. Theyre not going to get what they say they want, which is money and they are going to wreck it for everyone else. The three-decade-old charter school movement was founded and driven by people seeking a different kind of public school but a public school, nonetheless, and recognition as such was hard-won in the early years, Coleman added. The people who start charter schools have chosen to start public schools. If they wanted to start a private school, they could have done that but they didnt, she said. They believe there is intrinsic value in having choice within the public school system, and the teachers who teach there and the parents who enroll their children there are actively choosing to be in that public school system. In some states, charter schools are the only means of school choice. In the blue states, the massive political backlash to publicly funded religious schools that we are worried about is if the choice becomes having religious charter schools or none then the result could be: We choose none. Religious education already among parents choices In a recently filed legal brief laying out the legal arguments of Oklahomas attorney general, St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Catholic Charter School and its supporters claim that it is a private entity were labeled an erroneous conceit on which the proposed school has staked its legal claim. Charter schools bear all the classic indicia of public schools, states Drummonds brief. Public charter schools are free, open to all, established and funded by the state, and can be closed by the state. Moreover, public charter schools are subject to state regulation and oversight concerning curriculum, testing and similar matters. It is thus no surprise that federal law and the laws of 46 states, including Oklahoma, define charter schools as public schools. Drummond stated that the exclusion of religious institutions from generally available benefits programs based solely on religion is odious to the Constitution and that while he condemns such discrimination, he also pointed out that Oklahomas other school choice options include tax credits and tuition assistance for religious private schools. Oklahoma readily agrees that there is no categorical bar against public monies reaching (and funding) private religious schools, including for devotional instruction and ministry, through such parental choice programs, states his brief. No one doubts that such an education can be profoundly valuable. But it is not one that states must provide in public schools. The National Association of Charter School Authorizers, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing and strengthening the practices by charter school sponsors to ensure high-quality charter schools, filed an amicus brief echoing the claim that all charter schools are public schools. But it also raised an additional point about that argument, based on the facts that 92% of authorizers or sponsors of charter schools are local or state school boards, school districts and state departments of education and the remaining ones are delegated their authority by the state, such as independent state boards and commissions, colleges and universities, and other entities deputized by the state for that purpose. These sponsors set academic and operational expectations from the outset, oversee charter school performance, and ensure compliance with applicable laws and policies in determining whether they should remain open or must close. If the court sides with the petitioners, the very nature of authorizing (charter schools) will require government-endorsed sponsors to evaluate and approve the religious teachings espoused by each charter school operator that elects to run a religious charter school, states that organizations new amicus brief. Authorizers are required to make judgments between high-quality and low-quality educational approaches. Approval of some religious charter school proposals but not others risks constant litigation and exposure to regular accusations of animosity to one particular religion or another. February video: AG Gentner Drummond explains how he wins the St. Isidore case before the Supreme Court Steve Metzer Tulsa World Capitol Bureau Staff Writer Follow Steve Metzer Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today OKLAHOMA CITY Oklahoma Forestry Services, an agency blistered by criticism aired by Gov. Kevin Stitt in the aftermath of last months historic wildfires, might have deployed only about half of its resources as dozens of wind-driven fires churned across the state, Stitt said. The governor released a new statement Monday afternoon after receiving pushback from lawmakers and fire officials about comments he had previously made suggesting that Oklahoma Forestry Services should be disbanded. In at least one media interview, he has since walked back that suggestion. Stitt asked longtime State Forester Mark Goeller to resign after more than 500 homes were destroyed and an estimated 192,000 acres were charred by 158 wildfires that raged in numerous counties March 14-16. Stitt himself lost property on a ranch he owns north of Luther. Four deaths have been attributed to the disaster. At least two other Forestry Services officials employment has also been terminated, Stitt told an Oklahoma City television station. Goeller has defended the agencys response to the fires, which broke out during a time of extremely dry conditions and were fanned by blast furnace winds. I have been falsely accused of not performing the duties necessary to protect life and property in a timely manner. The Agency to which I dedicated over 40 years of my life was said to have performed poorly, Goeller said in a social media post. He said Forestry Services personnel worked hard to prepare well in advance for a fire outbreak that was anticipated. The public was notified of the impending fire danger, firefighting resources were ordered and in place. Nothing was held back as the events of the 14th and following days unfolded, he said. Stitt was not convinced. While the governor described the states volunteer and paid firefighters as heroes, he insisted that they were let down by bureaucrats. Plain and simple. While they were out fighting fires and saving lives, the bureaucracy within the forestry divisions leadership withheld nearly 50% of resources from those facing the most dire fire situations, he said. The governor said his assessment of the response only grew worse in the days that followed, as he said Forestry Service officials did not fully cooperate with an investigation. He said leaders were unresponsive at times and provided inconsistent information. The Governors Office did not respond Tuesday to a series of questions posed by the Tulsa World. However, in an interview aired by News 9 in Oklahoma City, Stitt noted that only one Forestry Service employee was on the scene during a devastating fire in Mannford, while 47 were in southeastern Oklahoma, an area that wasnt seriously threatened. He said Forestry Services resources might also have been better deployed to make a difference in communities such as Guthrie and Stillwater, which also were hard-hit. Assets still might not have been deployed effectively in the days immediately following the worst of the fires, Stitt added. Humidity levels went back up and the winds died down, (but) at that point even, two days afterward, we didnt get all of our resources to put the fires out, he said. We were asking for Louisiana and Arkansas to come help, and we didnt even have all of our resources. Thats where I said this is unacceptable. He said he asked Agriculture Secretary Blayne Arthur and Public Safety Secretary Tricia Everest to investigate the wildfire response but that they met with resistance from forestry officials. We had to fire a couple more people at the top level of Forestry because it was insubordination to Blayne Arthur, he told News 9. Listen, were not going to get rid of Forestry. I love our Forestry. Those guys are doing what theyre told, (but) the bureaucracy at the top and their management let them down by not deploying them accurately. It isnt known if a report on the disaster investigation has been completed by Arthur and Everest. A spokesman for Arthur did not return a call Tuesday. Members of the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association Board of Directors, writing on behalf of about three dozen organizations, including the Tulsa Regional Chamber and the Oklahoma Cattlemens Association, sent a letter to Stitt outlining concerns about his comments to potentially defund Forestry Services. OFS has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with local firefighters during large-scale, complex wildfire incidents for decades, bringing with them specialized equipment, operational expertise, and a depth of experience that cannot be replicated at the local level, they said. The letter further defended the rapid deployment and coordination of state assets during the fire outbreak of March 14-16. Through joint training, deployment opportunities and technical support, OFS has helped firefighters across the state expand our readiness and improve our response posture in an increasingly volatile fire environment, the letter continues. While we understand the importance of fiscal efficiency, dismantling OFS would not reduce costs it would shift the burden to already-strained local departments and jeopardize coordinated wildfire management across the state. The American Farmers and Ranchers Cooperative in Oklahoma issued a separate statement in defense of Oklahoma Forestry Services. President Scott Blubaugh said it had not received any reports from local fire departments or heard any complaints about Forestry Services resources being withheld. The OFS not only plays a significant role in the states expansive timber industry, but it also trains, supplies and coordinates rural fire departments across the state, Blubaugh said. Any effort to diminish or disband (it) is a misguided, terrible idea. The Forestry Service plays a critical role in Oklahomas $6.9 billion timber industry, Blubaugh said. It works with stakeholders to conserve forests. It contributes to wildfire suppression and prevention, and during wildfire events its personnel help coordinate aerial and other support for local firefighters. Additionally, OFS crews can be dispatched statewide to act as a force multiplier by, among other things, using bulldozers to create firebreaks. More than 900 volunteer fire departments in Oklahoma serve communities with fewer than 10,000 people, the American Farmers and Ranchers Cooperative president said. At the Stillwater Fire Department, Public Information Officer Dustan Portman said Oklahoma Forestry Services has coordinated well with the department in the past and is considered essential in helping it stay prepared for wildfires. Portman said he could not speak to concerns raised by Stitt about how and where Forestry Services assets were deployed or even if a more strategic deployment might have made a difference. The main driving factors that day were the extreme conditions and the winds, he said. March video: Stitt tours wildfire damage in Mannford, Stillwater Eight teams have been selected to take part in the Kids IP Incubator Initiative, an Australian Childrens Television Foundation and Screen Australia program for childrens content makers to develop Australian IP for digital platforms. A mixture of experienced and emerging creatives have been selected for a three-month program which kicks off this week with an in-person workshop at the ACTF offices in Melbourne. Digital content strategist Nico Lockhart will lead the workshop, joined by investment managers from Screen Australia and development managers from the ACTF. ACTF CEO Jenny Buckland said: As the child audience fragments and more and more children gravitate towards digital platforms, we need to ensure that quality programming made specifically for them reaches them wherever they are. This unique initiative will allow new and experienced practitioners to learn, experiment and develop fresh and innovative content that is specifically created for the platforms they are accessing it on, and keeps up with the ever changing kids content landscape. Screen Australia Director of Narrative Content Louise Gough said: As the ecosystem for childrens content continues to shift globally, its essential that we provide our creators with the support and resources to innovate and take full advantage of new platforms and opportunities to reach Australian children. The Kids IP Incubator Project is a fantastic way to help both emerging and experienced creatives refine their skills and develop bold, original Australian stories for Australian children. Were excited to see the projects that will evolve from this initiative and look forward to their contribution to a vibrant and sustainable future for childrens content in Australia. Projects selected for the initiative are: Bookstore Duck: Angus Woodiwiss, Celine Goetz, Patrick Egerton and Sophie Knoblanche Moving Out The Mini Series: David Smith and Bill Northcott My Brother the Monkey King: Nicholas Lin and Aven Yap Pit-Pats: Darcy Prendergast and Josie Mackerras Proudfoot and Friends: Lucas Proudfoot, Ellenor Cox, John Armstrong, Mikalya Nicol, Georgie Bauman, Freddy Komp, Tim Shultz, Jenny Hanslow, Lauren Woods and Douglas Watkin The Void Diner: Monique Mulcahy, Millie Holten and Caitlyn Staples Weird Warden: Nicole Delprado and Grace Rein Woolings: Liam OLeary and Amanda Spagnolo Teams will receive a grant of up to $20,000 to develop their projects. At the end of the three months, they will formally pitch their projects to ACTF and Screen Australia for a second round of development funding. ABC will delve deep into the issues Australians care about most in the lead up to the federal election across a series of national You Say Forums, from 3pm AEST Wednesday 9 April on ABC News Channel and ABD Radio. The 55 minute special forums will break down the issues, questions and concerns submitted by Australians via the ABC Your Say project. The Your Say project gives all Australians an opportunity to have their voice heard in the national conversation. To date, the vision for Australias energy transition, power bills, housing stress and the future of the US alliance are of most concern. The first of three Your Say forums will be hosted by ABC Radio Melbournes Drive presenter Ali Moore. Your Say: Powering Australia will break down the major parties energy policies and present the facts from some of the countrys leading experts. The forum will be politician free and include questions and comments from Your Say submissions. Your Say forums include: Wednesday 16 April Your Say: Housing Australia, hosted by ABC Radio Brisbanes Drive presenter Ellen Fanning. Wednesday 30 April Your Say: Future Australia, hosted by ABC Radio Sydneys Mornings presenter Hamish Macdonald. HA NOI As the global trading environment becomes increasingly hostile, exemplified by recent tariff hikes by US President Donald Trump, investors find themselves at a critical period in 2025. The ongoing trade war, notably marked by the US imposing an astonishing 46 per cent tariff on numerous Vietnamese exports, has sent shockwaves through financial markets. The domestic market's benchmark VN-Index closed Tuesday at 1,132.79 points, down 77.88 points, with over 250 ticker symbols on the southern bourse hitting bottom prices. This development forces investors to look again at their portfolios and strategies as the landscape shifts beneath them. In this climate of uncertainty, the imperative for investors is to remain composed and strategically agile, rather than succumbing to panic-driven decisions. Analysts widely advocate that investors should redirect their focus towards robust companies with strong fundamentalscorporations that possess the capacity to withstand the economic storm brought forth by trade disputes. Analysts from Saigon - Hanoi Securities JSC (SHS) see a prevailing sense of caution within the market. The complexities of the global economic dynamics in 2025 highlight Viet Nam's emergence as a pivotal player in the restructuring of global supply chains. However, the increased trade surpluses simultaneously create pressure for necessary adjustments. Such complexities indicate that the challenges posed by tariffs are not only about policy discussions, but also serve as a critical test for the country's economic resilience and adaptability. SHS has pointed out the pressing uncertainty surrounding potential shifts in US trade policies under President Trumps administration, now termed 'Trump 2.0.' This spectre of instability weighs heavily on investor sentiment, casting a shadow over the economic outlook. According to the Director of the SHS Research Center, Nguyen Minh Hanh, the phrase 'Timing is Everything' succinctly encapsulates the essence of investment strategy for 2025. Long-term investors often place less emphasis on timing. However, amid the current market conditions, a more short-term, proactive approach is warranted to navigate the choppy waters ahead. As the VN-Index approaches potential turbulence, investors are strongly advised to steer clear of underperforming stocks. o Bao Ngoc, Vice General Director of Vietnam Construction Securities JSC, points out five promising sectors that are forecast to show robust profits in the first quarter of 2025. These sectors, including retail, technology and domestic banking, are viewed as safer havens for investors seeking to mitigate risk during these uncertain times. The high tariffs are likely to hit exporters hard in textiles, leather, wood, steel and electronics - vital components of Viet Nams economy. Analysts project that this development may compel Viet Nam to renegotiate trade balances and enhance bilateral negotiations with the US to alleviate the adverse economic impact of steep tariffs. Investors are advised to keep close attention on government actions and international market signals, positive developments in trade negotiations may provide a glimmer of hope. Any favourable shifts, or a compromise regarding tariffs, could inspire renewed confidence and encourage a market recovery. On the other hand, Viet Nam's substantial internal economic advantages, such as an expanding consumer base and favourable demographics, could act as buffers against external shocks, contributing to a more resilient economic environment. For those considering where to invest in these turbulent times, a focus on domestic consumer-oriented sectors may offer a winning strategy, according to the chief economist at SSI Research, Pham Luu Hung. Companies with significant revenues generated from local markets are positioned to weather the storm more effectively than those reliant on volatile international trade. Similarly, industries like retail and technology, which cater to the robust domestic demand, stand to benefit in the shifting landscape. Nearly 100 firms affected A recent report from Vietcombank Securities Company (VCBS) showed that the 46 per cent tariff could affect nearly 100 enterprises across 17 industries. In the construction materials sector, companies like Hoa Phat Holdings, Hoa Sen Group and Nam Kim Steel find themselves in a relatively stable position. With a low export ratio to the US, ranging from 2 per cent to 10 per cent, these companies face a neutral impact from the newly imposed tariffs. However, the steel products fall under a different category with a 25 per cent tariff with which they must contend. In contrast, Phu Tai, whose quartz stone products are primarily exported to the US and Europe, faces a more dire situation due to its significant exposure to the new tariff regime, corresponding to a potential negative hit to revenues. The textile sector presents an even more precarious scenario. Companies such as Thanh Cong Textile, TNG and May Song Hong are grappling with potentially severe financial implications. With May Song Hong relying on the US market for around 80 per cent of its revenues, the heightened tariff threatens to undermine competitive advantages compared to countries like India and Bangladesh, which face lower tariffs. The food sector showcases mixed impacts as well. Vinh Hoans primary product, catfish, has approximately 32 per cent of its exports directed at the US, leading to a critical competitive disadvantage resulting from the tariff. Conversely, firms such as Navico and IDI International Development & Investment Corporation, which have a smaller dependency on US exports, may experience more moderate effects. In the chemical industry, uc Giang reports minimal repercussions due to its product focus, while Cao su a Nang may suffer adverse outcomes as its revenue from tyre exports to the US makes up 28 per cent of its total income. Transportation companies like Gemadept and Vietnam Ocean Shipping JSC (VOSCO) are also set to feel the pain, facing indirect impacts owing to decreased trade activity between the US and its trading partners. Interestingly, the banking sector is witnessing a neutral impact, albeit banks with significant foreign direct investment (FDI) exposure might face indirect challenges. Meanwhile, companies in sectors such as oil and gas, retail, and real estate show a mixed outlook. For instance, businesses involved in retail like Mobile World Investment Corporation and FPT Digital Retail JSC may encounter indirect pressures due to fluctuations in import prices stemming from currency exchange variations caused by increasing tariff pressures. While sectors such as construction and technology report minimal disruptions from tariff impositions, the overall sentiment remains cautious, as apprehensions over broader trade relationships loom. BIZHUB/VNS Brazilian president says U.S. trade policy "won't work," accuses Trump of trying to dictate global rules Xinhua) 10:31, April 09, 2025 SAO PAULO, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Tuesday criticized the new tariff regime of the United States, saying Washington's attempt to reshape global trade under U.S. President Donald Trump "won't work" and violates the principles of multilateralism. Speaking at an event in Sao Paulo, Lula condemned what he called Washington's unilateral approach to international trade. "All of a sudden, one man thinks he can dictate the rules for everything that happens in the world," Lula said. "No one grabs hold of a fully loaded transatlantic ship and tries to steer it like this. It won't work." Lula added that Trump's decision to impose "reciprocal tariffs" on other countries and regions ignores the reality of a multipolar world. "There are nearly 200 countries," he said. "All of them want sovereignty and a harmonious process. Today, the most important thing is multilateralism." The Brazilian leader also recalled the free trade rhetoric of the 1980s, when then U.S. President Ronald Reagan and U.K. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher publicly opposed protectionism. Lula contrasted those earlier stances with what he viewed as the current protectionist turn of the United States. The United States has been Brazil's second-largest trading partner since 2009, behind China. In recent weeks, the Trump administration raised import tariffs on Brazilian goods, including a 10 percent tariff on a broad range of products, following earlier hikes on steel and aluminum. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) HCM CITY High export prices helped the pepper export value remain positive in the first quarter of 2025, despite a decrease in export volume. However, with the US announcing base and reciprocal tariffs on imported goods, exporters are concerned about facing significant losses in the coming time. According to preliminary statistics from the Viet Nam Pepper and Spice Association (VPSA), Viet Nam exported 20,244 tonnes of various types of pepper in March, earning US$141.6 million. The figures represented increases of 41.3 per cent in volume, and 45.6 per cent in value month-on-month, and a decrease of 21.2 per cent in volume and a rise of 27.9 per cent in value year-on-year. The average export price of black pepper in March was $6,790 a tonne, and that of white pepper was $8,802 per tonne, up $122 and $268 from the previous month, respectively. In the first quarter of this year, Viet Nam shipped a total of 47,660 tonnes of pepper abroad, pocketing $326.6 million, down 16.1 per cent in volume, but up 38.6 per cent in value compared to the same period last year. In the period, the average export price of black pepper was $6,711 a tonne, and white pepper $8,617 a tonne, up 94.9 per cent and 73.9 per cent year-on-year. The US remained the largest export market for Vietnamese pepper; however, the volume in Q1 decreased by 32.6 per cent year-on-year, reaching 10,278 tonnes. It was followed by India, with an export volume of 3,370 tonnes, a decrease of 11.2 per cent; Germany, 3,358 tonnes, down 9.3 per cent; and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), 2,757 tonnes, up 15.2 per cent. In the contrary, in the first three months, Viet Nam imported 9,686 tonnes of pepper, with a total import value of $55.7 million, up 21.3 per cent in volume and 88.8 per cent in value year-on-year. Brazil was the largest supplier of pepper to Vietnam, providing 4,363 tonnes, which is equivalent to the same period last year. It was followed by Indonesia with 3,707 tonnes, an increase of 385.2 per cent, and Cambodia 735 tonnes, a decrease of 64.7 per cent. Despite promising export growth, the announcement by US President Donald Trump to apply a 10 per cent base tariff on all imported goods and a 46 per cent reciprocal duty on goods imported from Viet Nam has raised concerns among pepper exporters as pepper is one of Viet Nam's key agricultural products with a strong market share in the US. Le Viet Anh, Chief of the Office of the VPSA, stated that Viet Nam is the largest supplier of pepper to the US, accounting for 77 per cent of the countrys total pepper imports. In 2024, pepper exports to the US reached 72,311 tonnes, marking a record increase of 33.2 per cent; and the export value reached $409 million, accounting for 31 per cent of the total pepper export value to all markets. According to Anh, the 10 per cent import tariff on all goods entering the US has caused significant concern among Vietnamese pepper exporters. In the first months of 2025, Vietnamese businesses signed many long-term contracts with US importers, some of which have delivery dates as far as August and September this year. These contracts, signed before Trumps announcement on April 2, did not include the 10 per cent duty. Therefore, the risk of losses from orders signed before April is considerable. Given the current situation, some businesses are considering renegotiations with US importers so that both parties share the burden of the 10 per cent tariff on all imported goods. As for the reciprocal duty on goods imported from Viet Nam into the US, the details remain unclear. The pepper industry is beginning to explore the specific tariff rates on Vietnamese pepper in order to devise further response strategies. Businesses are still hopeful that the negotiations between the two governments will yield a positive outcome, and that pepper will only be subject to the minimum 10 per cent import tariff without additional reciprocal duties. VNS HCM CITY The 2025 Vietnam Saigon Textile & Garment Industry Fabric & Garment Accessories Expo (SaigonTex - SaigonFabric 2025) opened on April 9 in HCM City, offering a vital platform for domestic and international producers to connect, explore business opportunities, and understand market demand. Spanning approximately 34,000 square meters, this years event features over 1,100 exhibitors, a 6 per cent increase compared to the 2024 event. Participants have come from 25 countries and territories, including Bangladesh, Belgium, Cambodia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, the UK, the US, and Viet Nam. All exhibitors are reputable suppliers in the global textile sector, said Cao Huu Hieu, general director of the Viet Nam National Textile and Garment Group (VINATEX). The expo showcases the full textile and garment supply chain from raw materials and machinery to finished products. One of the key highlights of the expo is the second Product Presentation Programme (PPP), which features eight themed showcases through static product displays, live technology demonstrations, and a dynamic fashion parade with professional dancers modeling outfits made from exhibitors' materials. In addition, a tailor-made business matching programme organised by the Vietnam Textile and Garment Association (VITAS) aims to foster connections between exhibitors and buyers. It also offers visitors the chance to interact with top global brands and discover the latest innovations in textile and garment manufacturing. At the opening ceremony, Tran Ngoc Liem, general director of the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry's (VCCI) HCM City branch, emphasised the industrys role in Viet Nams economy. The textile and garment sector is a leading industry in Viet Nam, significantly contributing to domestic and international trade, while attracting consistent foreign investment, he noted. Viet Nams textile and garment exports reached US$44 billion in 2024, marking an 11.26 percent increase from the previous year. The country also surpassed Bangladesh to become the worlds second-largest textile and garment exporter, after China. Despite these achievements, Liem acknowledged ongoing challenges, such as labour shortages, order instability, raw material sourcing aligned with FTA origin requirements, and emerging trade barriers in traditional markets. To overcome these difficulties, companies must strengthen supply chain connections, invest in technology and automation, and embrace green practices, from sourcing sustainable raw materials to using renewable energy, he said. He added that from now until 2030, the industry will gradually transition from rapid to sustainable development. From 2031 to 2035, it will pursue deeper integration into the global supply chain and a shift toward a circular economy, while completing the domestic value chain. Sharing this perspective, Hieu highlighted that green and digital transformations are becoming long-term global trends. Vietnamese enterprises must adapt by producing high value-added products, utilising modern technologies to minimise energy and resource consumption, investing in advanced equipment, and pursuing dual transformation strategies. The expo offers an excellent opportunity for companies to access cutting-edge technologies and promote trade between Vietnamese and international businesses, Hieu added. Co-organised by VCCI, VITAS, VINATEX, the HCM City Textile and Garment Embroidery Knitting Association, CP Exhibition Ltd (Hong Kong), and CP Vietnam Exhibition Organising Co., Ltd, the expo is being held at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre and will run until April 12. VNS HA NOI Viet Nams stock market suffered another sharp drop on Wednesday, as the VN-Index lost over 38 points to fall below the psychological 1,100-point mark. Although foreign investors showed early signs of bottom-fishing, market sentiment remains fragile due to sustained selling pressure and broader economic concerns. At the close of trading on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), the VN-Index fell by 38.49 points, or 3.4 per cent, to 1,094.3 points. Market breadth was overwhelmingly negative, with only 66 gainers compared to 272 losers. Liquidity improved notably, with trading value rising 28 per cent from the previous session to approximately VN32.4 trillion (US$1.25 billion). The VN30-Index, which tracks the 30 largest capitalised stocks, also declined sharply by 28.83 points, or 2.41 per cent, to 1,168.68 points. Among the VN30 basket, only seven stocks advanced while 23 declined. Large-cap blue chips continued to lead the downturn. Vietcombank (VCB) posted the steepest loss, plunging 5.91 per cent and erasing more than 6.2 points from the VN-Index. VietinBank (CTG) also had a poor performance, falling 6.11 per cent and dragging the index down by over 2.7 points. Some major stocks, however, helped cushion the decline. Vingroup Joint Stock Company (VIC) rose by 3.45 per cent, contributing over 1.8 points to the benchmark, while Vinhomes JSC (VHM) gained 3.19 per cent, adding nearly 1.6 points. According to analysts at Saigon Hanoi Securities (SHS): In the short term, the sudden imposition of widespread and elevated tariffs is viewed as a 'black swan' event for the financial markets, triggering some of the steepest single-session losses in history. The VN-Index has now dropped around 15 per cent from its recent peak of 1,340 points and is under pressure to retest the 1,0001,100-point range a level last seen at the end of 2022 and 2023. SHS noted that margin call-induced selling is increasingly widespread across multiple stock groups, many of which have declined 4060 per cent from their peaks. We expect the market to see a technical rebound between the 1,020 and 1,080-point levels, once forced selling subsides, particularly among export-related sectors. The total market capitalisation currently stands at approximately US$252 billion, and many stocks are trading at relatively attractive valuations compared to their fundamentals, SHS added. Investors are advised to maintain a balanced portfolio and prioritise risk management under the current conditions. We recommend selectively identifying long-term investment opportunities in fundamentally strong, leading companies within key growth sectors, SHS said. On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX), the HNX-Index also tumbled by 8.46 points, or 4.21 per cent, to close at 192.58 points. Trading value on the northern bourse exceeded VN1.9 trillion, with more than 143 million shares traded. Notably, foreign investors turned net buyers for the first time in several sessions, purchasing a net VN253 billion worth of shares on the HoSE and nearly VN70 billion on the HNX. VNS HCM CITY Trade associations and businesses in HCM City voiced concerns over the US new tariff at a meeting organised by the HCM City Department of Industry and Trade on April 8. They called on the Government to push for a delay of at least 30 days to give companies time to adapt. With the US announcing a 10 per cent basic import tax and reciprocal duties of up to 46 per cent on Vietnamese goods, numerous industries including wooden furniture, textiles and garments, footwear, electronics, and seafood face severe impacts. Nguyen Chanh Phuong, vice chairman of the Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of HCM City (HAWA), said last year wood and wood product exports had reached US$16.25 billion, with the US being the largest market, accounting for more than 55 per cent. The tariff hike has caused great concern within the industry, he said. In the first few days [after hearing the news], many businesses were deeply worried, fearing immediate order cancellations or export disruptions. However, as of this morning, exports are continuing as usual, and large firms have yet to suspend orders, and so a sense of calm is returning. Vietnamese businesses and their US partners are currently discussing whether to suspend orders and how best to respond to the new situation, he said. HAWA has called on the Government to swiftly negotiate with the US to seek mutually beneficial outcomes, minimise the tariff impacts and delay the tariff imposition by 4590 days to give companies time to adapt. It also seeks financial support for affected businesses, including preferential loans, income tax cuts and quick refund of VAT paid on affected orders. It has asked the Government to set up a centralised, official information channel and organise guidance sessions to help businesses navigate the new challenges, including legal and commercial advice for pending shipments. Over the longer term Phuong sought stronger Government support for trade promotion initiatives to help businesses explore new markets. He stressed the importance of strengthening the domestic market to reduce reliance on exports. He said the Government should offer special tax incentives for wooden products manufactured in Viet Nam using at least 50 per cent timber imported from the US and then re-exported to that market. He said this model could also apply to other industries. Nguyen Van Khanh, vice chairman of the HCM City Leather and Footwear Association, echoed the concerns, warning that a 46 per cent tariff would be unsustainable even if overseas partners agreed to share half the cost. He said some buyers have already suggested canceling orders set for delivery in May. Enterprises need time to prepare and resources to support their workers, he said, expressing the hope that government negotiations would help bring the tariffs down to more reasonable levels and delay imposition of the new tariffs by 3045 days to minimise the impact on shipments currently en route from Viet Nam to the US. The trade associations and businesses also proposed a range of additional solutions to help firms adjust to the new trade environment like encouraging technology transfer, supporting access to new markets, increasing public investment, and enhancing supporting industries and supply chains. City's government agencies emphasised that businesses should also take the initiative by exploring opportunities offered by Viet Nams various free trade agreements and expanding in the domestic market. Bui Ta Hoang Vu, director of the city Department of Industry and Trade, said all feedback and proposals from the meeting would be submitted to the Peoples Committee to shape effective support policies. His department would expand and diversify support programmes like investment stimulus packages and the bank-business linkage programme to help business groups and enterprises navigate and adapt to this new reality. VNS BINH DUONG The LEGO Group on Wednesday officially opened its factory at the Viet Nam Singapore Industrial Park III in the southern province of Binh Duong, marking the companys sixth factory globally. The US$1 billion, 44ha factory is the LEGO Groups most environmentally sustainable factory to date. Its construction began in November 2022. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh said: The Vietnamese Government is determined to develop the economy in parallel with protecting the environment and improving the quality of life of the people. We prioritise attracting high-quality, advanced technology, environmentally friendly projects, and LEGO is an ideal model for this development orientation. "Today's opening ceremony is the result of the cooperation between Viet Nam and Denmark, demonstrating the spirit of building the future together, Chinh said. He hoped that LEGO would continue to expand its green supply chain, apply cutting-edge technology, cooperate with Vietnamese partners to develop localised products, and implement social responsibility programmes such as environmental protection and education for disadvantaged children. With a mission of spreading creative inspiration and commitment to sustainable development, LEGO is a pioneering model for other industries in Viet Nam, spreading the spirit of innovation and social responsibility, he said. The Deputy PM called for continued efforts to make this project a great success, bringing practical and sustainable benefits to the two countries, the people and the society. Niels B. Christiansen, the LEGO Group Chief Executive Officer, said: Today marks an exciting milestone for us as we proudly open our sixth factory in the world. This state-of-the-art site reflects our commitment to sustainable growth and innovation, bringing more LEGO play experiences to children and our fans in the Asia-Pacific region through increased manufacturing capacity. The factory will run on 100 per cent renewable energy by early 2026. In addition to the factorys own 12,400 rooftop solar panels, the company announced a landmark agreement with the Viet Nam Singapore Industrial Park for an energy centre on adjacent land. The energy centre will house the first battery storage solution of its scale in Viet Nam and will be operational by the end of 2025. Remaining renewable energy needs will be met through power purchase agreements. The factory is also home to The LEGO Groups first LEED Platinum certified buildings. Both its administrative building and play pavilion - a play space for children - are certified LEED Platinum, while the moulding, packing and warehousing buildings are certified LEED Gold. LEGO Manufacturing Vietnam is also the first LEGO factory to exclusively produce paper-based pre-pack bags. Investing in the workforce The LEGO Group is committed to recruiting and building a high-skilled talent pool in the region. In 2024, the company launched an internal training programme that combines hands-on training at other LEGO factories with local on-the-job instruction. The training continues with on-site support from over 100 global trainers. LEGO Manufacturing Vietnam also serves as a flagship for the LEGO Groups Future Factory Workplace concept, creating an inspiring and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and proud. The concept includes green and healthy work environments, play spaces, local community engagement in factories, and facilities such as prayer and lactation rooms, wellbeing rooms, indoor and outdoor break rooms, and wheelchair accessibility. The LEGO Group has partnered with local government, community organisations, NGOs and charities to ensure children in Viet Nam benefit from greater learning through play opportunities. It will also open a regional distribution centre in ong Nai province as part of its strategy to increase flexibility and agility in its supply chain network, which will officially open later this year. The centre has started ramping up operations, with the first inbound and outbound shipments underway. It will be the companys second distribution centre in Asia and will be operated by Kuehne+Nagel. Today, the LEGO Group remains a family-owned company headquartered in Billund, Denmark. Its products are now sold in more than 120 countries worldwide. VNS HOI AN An investigation is underway following damage to an ancient stele an item within a shrine in the strictly- protected National Special Relic zone and the UNESCO-recognised world heritage site in Phan Chau Trinh street. Director of the citys Centre for Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation, Pham Phu Ngoc said the sandstone stele surface, covered with ancient scripts of Han-Nom (the Chinese version and ancient Vietnamese ideographic scripts), which dates back centuries, was damaged on March 31. The centre reported that local residents living nearby heard sounds of something being broken at around 1am the same day. Ngoc said the stele, which is set within a brick built alter, is a spiritual omen against disasters and floods, said to offer a peaceful life for local people, free from risks. A banyan tree is growing at the back of the stele, covering both it and the alter with its roots. The ancient scripts and signs, which were carved on the stele's surface, depict the religious belief of the civilians from past centuries, relating to the construction of Chua Cau, or the Japanese Covered Bridge, a symbol of the ancient Hoi An Town from the 17th century. The centre said the stele worships Bac e Tran Vu, a spiritual deity who could protect Hoi An and the Japanese Covered Bridge from being destroyed by natural disasters, earthquakes and the annual flooding. The special bridge, sandwiched between Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Tran Phu streets, a few hundred metres from the stele, depicts a sword on the back of a fictional monster that has its head in India with the body in Viet Nam and the tail in Japan. The monster was said to be able to create quakes and disasters, and the bridge was built in the hopes of a peaceful life for people in all three countries, according to archives from the Centre for Cultural Heritage Management. A survey from the centre reported that Hoi An ancient town has over 1,100 houses between 100 and 200 years old, of which 780 have been recognised as heritage relics. PARIS A cultural event showcasing the heritage of Viet Nam's northern region of Kinh Bac a land with long history and ancient culture in the country was held in Paris on April 7. Titled Vietnamese Cultural Night Essence of Kinh Bac Heritage, the programme was jointly organised by Bac Ninh province and the Vietnamese Cultural Centre in France. The event featured two cultural treasures, ong Ho folk paintings and quan ho (love duet) folk singing, offering French audiences and the Vietnamese community in France an opportunity to experience these traditional art forms. The initiative comes as Viet Nam is seeking UNESCO's recognition of ong Ho folk paintings as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, with a decision expected in December 2025. From the reception, guests were immersed in a traditional setting, welcomed by artisans and performers in Bac Ninh attire. The audience engaged in hands-on activities such as woodblock printing, calligraphy, and traditional toy-making under artisan guidance. A video presentation on ong Ho paintings was also featured, followed by live demonstrations. Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the Bac Ninh provincial People Committee Le Xuan Loi said the province has been preparing for the UNESCO's recognition since 2019, including the establishment of a conservation centre for the folk painting. The province aims to promote and safeguard this fading craft internationally. Viet Nam's Tourism Ambassador to France Anoa Suzzanne Dussol Perran expressed her strong support, calling ong Ho a deeply rooted cultural expression that deserves global attention. She welcomed the opportunity to help bring Vietnam's local products and culture to a broader audience. Vietnamese Ambassador to France inh Toan Thang emphasised the key role of culture in bridging nations and fostering mutual understanding. He noted that cultural exchanges help build trust and respect, laying a solid foundation for broader cooperation across various fields. Beyond the celebration, the event served as a platform for cultural diplomacy, aiming to strengthen ties and preserve national heritage. VNA/VNS HA NOI National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Mans official visits to Armenia and Uzbekistan from April 2-8 breathed a fresh air to the sound traditional friendship between Viet Nam and the two nations while opening up an era of more comprehensive and effective cooperation aligned with their development goals, according to NA General Secretary and Chairman of the NA Office Le Quang Tung. He told the press that Man's working trip was a remarkable success, with both nations extending warm welcome to the Vietnamese delegation. It featured an substantive agenda, including high-level talks, meetings with top leaders of both countries, and business forums. Spotlighting the outcomes of the visits, the NA General Secretary stated that they helped strengthen political trust and revitalised the ties between Viet Nam and the two Central Asian countries. Leaders of Armenia and Uzbekistan expressed admiration for Viet Nam's socio-economic achievements and its impressive journey towards national independence and development. They view Viet Nam as a primary partner in Southeast Asia and an exemplary model of international integration and hope for enhanced relations with the country. Leaders of Viet Nam and the two nations concurred to intensify exchanges at all levels through Party, State, Government, parliamentary, and people-to-people connections. The high-ranking leaders of Armenia and Uzbekistan expressed their interest in visiting Viet Nam soon and extended invitations to Party General Secretary To Lam and other key Vietnamese leaders to visit their countries in the coming time. During the visits, the Vietnamese NA decided to set up friendship parliamentary groups with Armenia and Uzbekistan and signed cooperation agreements with the parliaments of both nations, helping solidify the legal framework for advancing the relations across all channels and sectors. Besides, NA Chaiman Man and leaders of the two countries agreed on enhanced coordination and mutual support in international organisations and at regional and multilateral forums. Additionally, they were unanimous about measures to promote economic, trade, and investment cooperation, particularly by enhancing transport connectivity to facilitate trade. They laid stress on the significance of railway connections from Viet Nam to Central Asia, Kavkaz (the Caucasus), and through the East-West and North-South corridors. According to Tung, the leaders agreed to improve the legal framework to create favourable conditions for business and investment, especially in areas where both sides have strengths such as health care, textiles, energy and oil, agricultural processing, and aquaculture. They also affirmed that Viet Nam and the two countries boast huge potential for cooperation in education and training, science and technology, culture, sports, and tourism. Looking ahead, the official outlined three key approaches for Vietnamese agencies to effectively implement the visits' outcomes. First, competent sides should work closely to translate high-level agreements into concrete programmes and plans with feasible roadmaps that align with the capabilities and interests of all parties. Second, Vietnamese agencies must regularly exchange information and coordinate effectively, maintaining communications with their counterparts in both countries to review progress, address bottlenecks, and advance the implementation of agreements. Third, active participation from organisations, businesses, and citizens through specific cooperation projects is essential. Vietnamese friendship associations, business organisations, and individuals who have studied, lived, or conducted business in Armenia and Uzbekistan can help foster connections and expand areas of cooperation. Touching on the outcomes of the top legislators participation in the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-150), Tung said this marked Man's first international engagement in 2025, sending a clear message about Viet Nam's strong support for multilateralism in general as well as inter-parliamentary cooperation and the role of the IPU in particular. This message takes on even greater significance in the current international turbulence, including great power competition, conflicts, rising protectionism, declining political commitment, and reduced resources for multilateral goals, particularly for implementing the UNs Sustainable Development Goals and providing assistance to developing countries. Chairman Man delivered a significant speech at the plenary session, offering profound assessments of the current global situation along with specific proposals calling for parliamentary cooperation to address current challenges. IPU leaders and participating countries praised his message as aligned with the assembly's theme Parliamentary action for social development and justice. The message spotlighted the Party, State and National Assemblys socio-economic development efforts with a people-centred approach. On the sidelines of the event, he had bilateral meetings with the IPU President and Secretary-General as well as parliamentary leaders from various countries. Their discussions focused on measures to promote cooperation between Viet Nam and the IPU and its member parliaments and countries, and enhance the role of each parliament in expanding and deepening cooperation across all sectors. Tung said that Viet Nam will continue to refine its legal framework to support social development and equity policies, integrating IPU recommendations into its legislative, oversight, and national decision-making processes. Bilateral and multilateral parliamentary diplomacy will be paid due attention to promote cooperation between parliaments and within the inter-parliamentary frameworks for the common interests of nations and people worldwide. VNA/VNS HA NOI Viet Nam repatriated 39 of its nationals from Myanmar on Wednesday morning, following their detention for immigration violations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. These individuals are the first group of Vietnamese citizens to be brought back from Myawaddy, Myanmar, where more nationals are awaiting repatriation. The Ministry said it is working to bring home the remaining citizens as soon as possible. The Ministry urged Vietnamese nationals to remain cautious about overseas job offers promising 'easy work with high pay' that do not require qualifications or contracts, and which bypass official labour dispatch procedures. Individuals are advised to carefully verify job details, workplace locations, recruiters, insurance coverage, and benefits, and to consult with authorities before accepting overseas employment to avoid becoming undocumented workers. Vietnamese citizens or their relatives in Myanmar needing assistance can contact: The Vietnamese Embassy in Myanmar: +95 966088 8998 | Email: vnembmyr2012@gmail.com The Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand: +66 8989 666 53 | Email: vnemb.th@mofa.gov.vn The Citizen Protection Hotline of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Consular Department: +84 981 84 84 84 | Email: baohocongdan@gmail.com VNS HA NOI National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, his spouse Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga, and a high-ranking delegation from the Vietnamese parliament returned to Ha Noi on April 9 morning, successfully wrapping up their trip to Uzbekistan for the attendance at the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-150) and an official visit to the Central Asian country. The trip was made at the invitation of IPU President Tulia Ackson, IPU Secretary-General Martin Chungong, President of the Senate of Uzbekistan Tanzila Narbaeva. This marked Chairman Man's first international engagement in 2025 and his participation in the IPU-150 Assembly, sending a clear message about Viet Nams strong support for multilateralism in general as well as inter-parliamentary cooperation and the role of the IPU in particular. During the IPU-150 Assembly, the Vietnamese top legislator proposed several directions for parliaments to strengthen international cooperation, share experience, and support each other in developing policies to respond to current challenges in a timely and effective fashion. Emphasising that no country or society can develop sustainably without placing people at the centre of all policies, Man called on all parliamentarians and nations to take stronger action and work together to build a fair, prosperous, and sustainable world. On the sidelines of the event, he had bilateral meetings with the IPU President and Secretary-General as well as with parliamentary leaders from various countries. Their discussions focused on measures to promote cooperation between Viet Nam and the IPU as well as its member parliaments and countries, and enhance the role of each country's parliament in expanding and deepening cooperation across all sectors. During his official visit to Uzbekistan, Man met with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and held talks with President of the Senate of Uzbekistan Tanzila Narbaeva and Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis (Lower house) of Uzbekistan Nuriddin Ismoilov. In a friendly and open atmosphere, leaders from both countries exchanged their notes on bilateral cooperation and shared visions for the future relationship. They commended the positive developments in the bilateral relations and affirmed the significant contributions of both parliaments to the progress. Both sides agreed on the need to strengthen political dialogue at all levels, particularly high-level exchanges through Party, State, Government, and Parliamentary channels, while continuing close coordination and mutual support in multilateral forums. Recognising that economic and trade cooperation between Viet Nam and Uzbekistan boasts significant untapped potential, they were unanimous to enhance information exchange on policy and market information, create favourable conditions for businesses to engage in investment and trade promotion activities, while bolstering collaboration in the domains of energy and oil where both sides have potential and demand. In Tashkent, Man hosted a reception for Chairman of the Central Council of the Peoples Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (PDPU) Ulugbek Inoyatov and Chairman of the Committee on Interethnic Relations and Friendly Ties with Foreign Countries Sariev Kakhramon Ramatullaevich, and attended the Viet Nam Uzbekistan Business Forum. He also met with the staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia and Uzbekistan and the Vietnamese community in Uzbekistan, visited Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies, and met with teachers and students studying Vietnamese there. Mans working trip has helped enhance the position and image of the Vietnamese National Assembly at multilateral parliamentary forums while strengthening political trust and providing momentum for Viet Nam and Uzbekistan to tighten their bonds. VNS HA NOI Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted a red-carpet welcome ceremony in Ha Noi on Wednesday morning for his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez who is paying an official visit to Viet Nam from April 8 to 10. This marks the first visit by a Spanish Prime Minister to Viet Nam since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1977, and also the first official to Viet Nam visit by a high-ranking Spanish leader in 19 years, following that of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia in 2006. PM Chinh expressed his delight to meet his Spanish counterpart again after their meeting during the G20 Summit in Brazil in November 2024. Following the ceremony, the two PMs visited a photo exhibition spotlighting the Viet Nam-Spain relations as well as the land and people of the two countries, before starting their talks. During his stay, PM Sanchez is scheduled to meet with leaders of Viet Nam's Party, State, and National Assembly. He will also undertake other significant activities in Ha Noi and visit HCM City. Over the past 48 years, Viet Nam-Spain relations have continuously developed, with expanded cooperation in various fields, particularly since the two countries established a Strategic Partnership towards the Future in 2009. The relationship has been built on mutual trust and understanding, with frequent exchanges of delegations at various levels. Both countries actively collaborate and support each other in multilateral forums, especially within the United Nations and ASEAN-EU frameworks. The bilateral economic and trade relations have made significant progress. The two countries have effectively implemented the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) since August 2020. Spain ratified the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) in January 2022. Spain is Viet Nam's fifth-largest trading partner in the EU, while Viet Nam is Spains largest trade partner in ASEAN. In 2024, bilateral trade reached US$4.72 billion. As of January 2025, Spain had 97 projects in Viet Nam, amounting to $143.9 million in investment, making it the 46th-largest investor in Viet Nam. Meanwhile, Viet Nam has three investment projects in Spain, with a total value of $64.2 million. Viet Nam is also one of Spain's priority countries for development cooperation, with Spain commiting over $1 billion in official development assistance (ODA) and non-refundable aid through six cooperation programmes. In education and training, the two countries have focused on language training, supported by the Cervantes Institute and Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID). From 1998 to 2018, Spain awarded 285 scholarships to Vietnamese students. Cultural, sports, and tourism cooperation between the two nations has been fostered through agreements, cultural exchange events, art performances, film festivals, exhibitions, and tourism promotion in both countries. Viet Nam currently grants visa exemptions for Spanish citizens for stays of up to 45 days. In 2024, Viet Nam welcomed 91,400 Spanish tourists. The Vietnamese community in Spain is estimated at around 5,000 people, primarily small traders who have integrated well into Spanish society. Viet Nam and Spain are now sharing many common benefits with great opportunity to deepen their strategic partnership. Therefore, PM Sanchezs official visit is of great significance, demonstrating Spains commitment to strengthening cooperation with Viet Nam. This visit will help promote diplomatic, economic, and trade relations between the two countries and drive efforts to elevate the bilateral relationship to new heights, with tangible and effective outcomes. During the visit, both sides are expected to discuss measures to enhance political trust, strengthen the existing foundations of their relationship, and open up new opportunities for cooperation in potential areas, including politics and diplomacy, economy, trade, investment, science and technology, infrastructure, urban transport, sustainable development, and renewable energy. A number of important cooperation agreements are also expected to be signed during the visit. VNA/VNS HA NOI Viet Nam wants to deepen comprehensive cooperation with Spain, a key member and a gateway to the European Union (EU), Party General Secretary To Lam told visiting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at their meeting in Ha Noi on Wednesday. Highlighting the significance of the first-ever visit by a head of the Spanish government since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the Party chief believed that the visit will serve as a catalyst to elevate the bilateral Strategic Partnership to a new height, fostering prosperity and mutual benefits for both nations while contributing to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world. While sharing PM Sanchez's assessments of the world's current economic situation, he affirmed Viet Nams pursuit of a policy of self-reliance, overcoming challenges by diversifying markets with regions around the world, including the EU and Africa. It is also promoting the development and application of sci-tech, while increasing trade exchanges with partner countries and traditional friends, including Spain, Laam said. Spanish PM Sanchez, in response, highly valued Viet Nams role and position in the region and the world, as well as in Spains foreign policy, affirming that Spain is ready to serve as a bridge to further strengthen Viet Nam-EU relations and expects to upgrade the bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The PM highlighted the similarities and supplements between the Spanish and Vietnamese economies, pledging to urge EU nations to soon ratify the EU-Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). He also suggested Viet Nam send a delegation to Spain to learn its experience aimed at prompting the European Commission to soon remove its IUU yellow card warning against Vietnamese seafood. Both sides agreed to reinforce cooperation in the fields of national defence-security, agriculture, and education-training, while also exploring promising fields like innovation, artificial intelligence, semiconductor, and digital transformation. Lam stressed the importance of boosting cooperation in sci-tech and transport which are the strengths of Spain that meet Viet Nams needs. He also noted that cultural and tourism exchanges hold great potential, given the rising number of Spanish tourist arrivals to Viet Nam. PM Sanchez, representing a country with the worlds second-largest high-speed rail network, said Spanish firms are keen to join Viet Nams infrastructure and railway projects. The Party leader took this occasion to thank Spain for supporting the Vietnamese community and called for continued assistance for their integration and contributions to both nations. On the multilateral aspect, PM Sanchez praised Viet Nam's efforts for the settlement of global issues and welcomed Viet Nams hosting of the Partnership for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit in April, confirming that Spain would send representatives to the event. Both sides stressed that Viet Nam and Spain need to continue coordinating closely at multilateral forums and international organisations, promoting multilateralism and respect for international law to address regional and global challenges, especially amid rapid and complicated changes around the world, including the East Sea (internationally known as South China Sea) issue. VNS HA NOI Successfully accomplishing their mission, the search and rescue forces from the Ministry of National Defence and Ministry of Public Security arrived in Ha Noi on Tuesday evening, concluding their humanitarian operations in Myanmar, leaving lasting impressions on both the disaster-stricken communities and international partners they had worked with, earning them the honourable title of ambassadors of peace beneath the sacred red flag with the golden star. Over the course of 10 tireless days, the Vietnamese officers worked closely with international rescue forces, demonstrating deep solidarity and a profound sense of responsibility. Viet Nam was among the earliest countries to dispatch a rescue team to Myanmar after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake devastated this Southeast Asian country. The 106-member delegation included 80 officers and soldiers from the Ministry of National Defence and 26 from the Ministry of Public Security, equipped with medical supplies, specialised equipment, and US$300,000 in humanitarian aid. Upon arrival at Yangon Airport on March 30, the team travelled hundreds of kilometres to Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmars capital, and then onward to the hardest-hit areas. Amid the rubble, where aftershocks continued to shake already weakened structures, the Vietnamese officers and soldiers worked with urgency, fuelled by the spirit that every victim is as precious as our own kin, as expressed by Major General Pham Van Ty, Deputy Director of the Rescue Department under the General Staff of the Viet Nam Peoples Army, and head of the military rescue force. Despite intense heat exceeding 40C, decaying bodies, waterlogged terrain, language barriers, and spartan living conditions, the rescuers never faltered - driven by a singular mission - to save as many lives as possible. Colonel Pham Tan Phong, Deputy Director of the Viet Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, affirmed that the forces only goal was to help the people of Myanmar through this difficult time. Acknowledging the Vietnamese forces efforts, Major General Myat Thu, Director of the Fire Services Department under the Myanmar Ministry of Home Affairs, expressed his deep admiration, stating that the spirit of the Vietnamese rescue team was truly remarkable. Captain Yar Zar, also from the department, was moved by the Vietnamese soldiers meticulous efforts to search every crevice in the rubble in order to rescue victims regardless of their condition. Beyond bravery, the Vietnamese team was praised for their professionalism, technical skills, and ingenuity. Collaborating with the Vietnamese officers at Ottara Thiri Hospital in Nay Pyi Taw, Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed K. Al Mahri of the UAE Civil Defence Force commended the Vietnamese rescue team as highly skilled, dedicated, and professional. Captain Yar Zar also lauded the Vietnamese sappers for their resourcefulness in devising solutions without access to heavy machinery. Their creative techniques included using half-filled water bottles placed upside-down to detect tremors, and employing hydraulic cutters that could break through large concrete slabs with minimal vibration - helping to avoid secondary collapses. Thanks to their relentless efforts, the Vietnamese rescuers contributed to what many considered miraculous outcomes. At a gratitude ceremony on April 6 honouring international teams from Viet Nam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, Myanmars Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement announced that eight people had been rescued alive and the bodies of 172 victims had been recovered from affected areas including Nay Pyi Taw, Mandalay, and Sagaing. The Vietnamese teams recovered the largest number of victims. The Ministry of National Defence team retrieved 21 bodies, while the force of the Ministry of Public Security recovered seven and assisted in extracting another seven with international partners using sniffer dogs and advanced detection tools. Most notably, the Viet Nam Peoples Army achieved a remarkable feat by rescuing 26-year-old Htet Maung Maung, who had been trapped beneath debris for a full week in Nay Pyi Taw. Vietnamese sappers led the delicate extraction, clearing rubble under dangerous conditions to allow military medics access. Senior Lieutenant ao Van Long of the Engineer Brigade 229 personally dug through solid debris using only his hands and basic tools. The moment he grasped the warm hand of the trapped man provided not only comfort in a life-or-death situation, but also hope for all those still searching. Colonel ao Van Duy, Viet Nams Defence Attache in Myanmar, was present throughout the rescue process, offering constant reassurance to the victim to keep his spirit alive. Among all international teams, the Vietnamese delegation also led in humanitarian outreach. They distributed tens of tonnes of dried food, provided medical treatment for hundreds of local people, erected temporary shelters, disinfected 5,000 sq.m of affected residential areas, and implemented mosquito control measures. Additionally, five civil activities were carried out, offering financial support to the families of six deceased victims. Wherever the Vietnamese team went, they were greeted with gratitude and gestures of appreciation - cold drinks and heartfelt thanks that came straight from the people. Weve just endured a terrible earthquake, said Daw Maw Maw. But over the past few days, we have received heartfelt care and support from the Vietnamese rescue team, who brought us food and medicine. Colonel Nguyen Minh Khuong, deputy director of the Ministry of Public Securitys Police Department of Fire Fighting, Fire Prevention and Rescue and head of the ministrys rescue team, highlighted the close cooperation between Viet Nams teams and their counterparts from Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Myanmar. He said that local communities described the Vietnamese rescue team as a Buddhist army - an honourable title that reflects the compassion and humanity they brought. According to Major General Ty, the Vietnamese teams rescue and humanitarian operations not only deepened the friendship between Viet Nam and Myanmar during these trying times, but also embodied the Vietnamese tradition of mutual aid and the noble spirit of the Vietnamese soldiers The meaningful contributions of these ambassadors of peace not only reinforced solidarity with Myanmar but also reaffirmed Viet Nams role in international humanitarian operations, leaving a profound impression on friends around the world. VNS HCM CITY Tourism businesses in HCM City are seeing a surge in bookings for flights, accommodation and tours ahead of the upcoming April 30 five-day national holiday. The general director of Vietluxtour, Tran The Dung, reported a 50 per cent increase in advance tour bookings since early April, with many customers interested in cultural experiences. Popular offerings included the 'Saigon Special Forces Tour' and explorations from 'Old Saigon to Modern HCM City', he said. Many tourists planned their trips months in advance, prompting businesses to launch promotional campaigns for international guests, he said. He expected a 25-30 per cent rise in holiday revenue this year, driven by both domestic and international tourists celebrating the 50th anniversary of national liberation. The deputy general director of Vietravel, Phan Huynh Phuong Hoang, said the demand for anniversary-themed tours and city tours was high, including dinner cruises and walking tours. "Local staycation options are also gaining popularity." Vietravel would introduce a wide range of domestic and international tour packages with flexible itineraries and special promotions in April, May and June, she added. The general director of Viet Tourism Company, Tran Van Long, also expected a bustling holiday, with accommodation requests up over 30 per cent from last year. The company had organised special tours for the anniversary celebration, he added. Benthanh Tourist also expected welcoming 1,500 to 2,000 tourists, with daily walking tour participation expected to rise significantly. In addition, hotels are filling up quickly in the city, with Vien ong Hotel in District 1 fully booked and other central hotels reporting over 50 per cent occupancy. Tourists are encouraged to plan ahead and ensure a smooth experience by booking services at least a month in advance. They are also advised to be cautious of scams and to use reputable agencies for group travel. Vietnamese people are celebrating a five-day holiday from April 30 to May 4 to commemorate the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, marking the 50th anniversary of the event. HCM City a vibrant experience The deputy director of the HCM City Tourism Department, Le Truong Hien Hoa, said that the city was well-prepared for the expected influx. The city is targeting the surge in both domestic and international visitor arrivals, contributing to overall economic growth during the upcoming holiday, he said. It recently hosted the annual HCM Tourism Festival 2025, themed Sai Gon HCM City: A Vibrant Experience, showcasing what the city has to offer. This year's event brought together 32 businesses of travel, transportation and aviation nationwide. Visitors at the fair were offered an array of nearly 900 tourism products and services, with discounts reaching up to 45 per cent. However, tourism businesses have raised challenges facing the sector, calling for progress on administrative reforms such as visa exemptions and infrastructure improvements, as well as tax incentives in tourism promotion. In response, Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, director of the Department of Tourism, said the department was collaborating with relevant agencies to tackle these challenges. It was committed to engaging with businesses through regular meetings, conferences, and industry briefings. It would also work to improve service quality, expand tourism markets, as well as make efforts to position HCM City as an attractive destination in the region, she added. The citys tourism sector generated over VN56.6 trillion in revenue in the first quarter. The nation's largest city received 1.64 million international visitors and 8.57 million domestic travellers in the same period. VNS HA NOI The Ministry of Construction has recently announced a draft resolution on piloting a special mechanism for developing social housing, to speed up progress and complete the legal framework. This is an important and necessary policy in the context of many people struggling when the price of housing exceeds their financial capacity. The draft resolution, currently under consultation, is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly in the upcoming session. It contains some specific elements, including establishing a national social housing fund from the State Budget and other sources, exempting such housing from investment policy approval, allowing investors to enjoy a maximum profit of 13 per cent of the total construction investment cost and supporting land funds, site clearance and infrastructure development. Vice general director of BIC Viet Nam Company Le Quang Huy said that the mechanism was meaningful and would allow localities to appoint investors without bidding. This would help shorten approval process and give priority to businesses who have experience in the sector and the financial ability to rapidly increase supply of social houses, Huy told nguoiduatin.vn. The policy of supporting land fund and site clearance was expected to lift existing difficulties and shortcomings to accelerate projects. With nearly 17 years of experience in developing low-cost housing, I found that the draft resolution has many breakthroughs, helping remove hurdles, increase investment attraction and improve the States social housing policy, said Huy. However, Huy also pointed out some legal hurdles that could negatively affect the feasibility of the resolution, especially the regulation on allocated land fund limitation, without bidding. Allocating land fund just applied to projects already in the planning system would limit supply, while many localities had not proactively planned separate land funds for social housing, Huy said. This would make it difficult for businesses to propose locations that are suitable for the general planning, because they would have to go through additional procedures to the local housing development program, which takes a lot of time, he said. To overcome the shortcomings, he suggested that localities need to complete and publicise plans of social housing development so as to create conditions for businesses to invest in projects as well as more flexible mechanism in approving the projects initiated by the State that help increase supply of social homes. Many businesses expected that when the resolution takes effect the bigger cities, such as the capital Ha Noi and HCM City, social housing will reach the target of development assigned by the Prime Minister and contribute to fulfilling the project of one million social houses by 2030. Meanwhile, former director of the Central Institute for Economics Management (CIEM) Dr Vo Tri Thanh, said while the establishment of the national land fund could help millions of people own their own homes, in the context of continuously increasing real estate prices in big cities, it would still be difficult for low-income people to access commercial housing. "The fund is not only to assist people buy houses at reasonable prices but also contribute to regulate real estate market, curb speculation and promote sustainable economic development," Thanh said. The State should play a central role in establishing, managing and operating the fund, as well as mobilising all economic sectors to participate to optimise resources in the society, Thanh recommended. The fund would focus on providing affordable housing through purchasing or rental options, targeting groups such as industrial zone workers, freelance labourers, government officials, civil servants without stable housing and young low-income families. Additionally, the expert emphasised the importance of a strict approval and monitoring mechanism to ensure transparency, prevent losses and offer direct funding to those genuinely in need. Sharing this perspective, National Assembly Deputy Pham Van Hoa from ong Thap Province, said that establishing a special policy mechanism for social housing was crucial, given the financial struggles many people face due to high housing prices. He particularly praised two key mechanisms of the establishment of the land fund and the allocation of land to investors without requiring bidding. According to him, these measures would help reduce investment costs and encourage businesses to participate in the sector. However, he also stressed that policy implementation must be accompanied by strict oversight mechanisms to ensure transparency, fairness and efficiency. First and foremost, government agencies must play an active role in inspection and supervision, from planning and permitting to construction and housing handover. "National Assembly deputies and People's councils must act as independent oversight bodies to ensure that special policies are not exploited for personal gain," Hoa said. Additionally, a public monitoring and reporting system should be developed to track project progress and quality, allowing citizens to oversee and promptly report any violations. Strict penalties must be imposed on those who take advantage of preferential policies to inflate prices, conduct illegal transfers, or fail to meet deadlines and quality commitments. Furthermore, the oversight policy must ensure that low-income individuals with genuine housing needs benefit from the support policies, rather than being pushed out of the market due to speculation. A transparent approval process would be necessary to prevent profiteering. Effective supervision would not only ensure that policies stay on track but also build trust among businesses and citizens, fostering sustainable social housing development. "The successful implementation of these policies will not only help low-income individuals access housing but also create a transparent and sustainable investment environment for the real estate market," Hoa said. He also pointed out the need to clearly distinguish between commercial and social housing to avoid applying the same mechanisms, which could lead to negative consequences and undermine social security objectives. VNS HA NOI The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) has released a set of general principles guiding civil servants, public employees, and other workers on the use of large language models (AI chatbots) to support their work. These guidelines aim to provide clear, accessible instructions to help public sector personnel use AI tools effectively and safely. Agencies and organisations that wish to apply chatbot AI in their operations are encouraged to adopt and disseminate these guidelines in line with their own practical needs. The guidance ensures the safe application of AI while promoting meaningful benefits. According to MoST, when providing data or using AI chatbots, users must not upload any state-classified materials or sensitive information such as personal data, internal documents, or information that could affect national security or public order. The content supplied to AI chatbots must also not contravene Vietnamese historical, cultural, ethical, political, geographical or sovereignty principles, nor violate traditional customs and moral standards. Users must also avoid uploading copyright-infringing content or any material breaching intellectual property or other related rights. Furthermore, users are advised not to register chatbot accounts using their official work email or passwords associated with Government systems to ensure information security. AI chatbots should be used cautiously, responsibly, and efficiently. Results generated by chatbots must be carefully reviewed for accuracy and contextual relevance before being applied to official work. Decisions should not rely solely on AI outputs but be supported by the users own knowledge and experience. In addition to general usage principles, MoST also provides specific instructions for Government bodies and staff on adopting and managing these tools. Agencies are responsible for educating and guiding staff on using AI chatbots in a way that aligns with their responsibilities and the organisations nature. Special attention should be given to cybersecurity and data safety. The head of each agency is accountable for the chatbot use within their organisation. Access to chatbots should be controlled, with proper permissions aligned with the users role. When employees resign or transfer to another organisation, their AI chatbot accounts must be deactivated to ensure continued data security. Agencies are also encouraged to gradually build their own knowledge databases and develop sector-specific AI chatbots to assist in their internal operations. Supervisors must monitor chatbot use among staff to ensure compliance with security and operational guidelines. For individuals, it is critical to manage and safeguard personal information used across official platforms. Users must not share login details or connect internal systems to external AI tools without being authorised. When using AI chatbots on public internet access points, auto-password save features should be disabled. Personal data and sensitive information about oneself or others must never be uploaded to AI chatbots. The tools should never be used for unlawful purposes, cultural violations, hacking, deepfake creation, fraud or other malicious activities. At a recent meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung outlined key tasks for the ministry. These include building a national AI transformation programme that promotes AI application across all sectors and developing a shared national AI computing infrastructure. The programme will reflect the spirit of being 'comprehensive' and 'for all', aiming for every citizen and civil servant to have access to a personal AI assistant. The deadline for submitting this national AI programme to the Prime Minister is May 2025, with a target of rolling out virtual assistants for the public by November this year. Another major task for 2025 is to build shared AI computing infrastructure. This involves establishing multiple data centres equipped with GPU servers, enabling companies to train and develop their own AI applications. This move aligns with Viet Nams commitment to making AI a core technology and supporting domestic enterprises in developing practical AI solutions. At MoST itself, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung has called on agency leaders and staff to actively and regularly use virtual assistants in their daily work to boost productivity and efficiency. VNS HA NOI Businesses selected for the Forest Entrepreneur 2025 must meet two key criteria, a financially sustainable business model and a positive impact on the forest ecosystems, a senior researcher said on Tuesday at the programme's launch event. Truong Thi Nam Thang, Lead Researcher at the Research Institute for Innovation and Development (IID), emphasised that the Forest Ecopreneur is part of the SAFE Initiative, funded by the Korea Forest Services and implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) through the Bridge for Billions. IID is in charge of implementing the programme in Viet Nam. The initiative seeks to incubate and build the capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and impact-driven start-ups engaged in forest preservation and local livelihood improvement across Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia, and Bhutan. Thang said that each participating enterprise will be matched with a mentor for six months, supporting their early development. Additionally, they will go through a structured incubation process focused on refining their business models and expanding networks. "The training in 2025 will centre on four key methodologies: Entrepreneurship, Design Thinking, Lean Startup, and Blue Ocean Strategy," Thang said. She added that from 92 applicants for the 2025 programme, 25 businesses were selected following a rigorous evaluation process and matched with mentors. Notably, over 48 per cent of these enterprises are women-led, and women constitute half of their workforce. Alexis Corblin, UNEPs Regional Technical Advisor, highlighted the success of the 2024 programme, which saw over 80 businesses apply. After a competitive selection, 35 enterprises and 30 mentors participated, completing eight training modules, four expert workshops, three networking events and a field trip to Kon Tum, alongside various discussion sessions. Nguyen Thi Thanh Minh, CEO of The Vietnam Investor and a programme mentor, emphasised the autonomy granted to startups during the process. "I let my mentee from Lam ong study independently and step in only when guidance is needed," she said, adding that the most valuable benefit of the programme is access to networks and practical business knowledge. "Some participants didnt even know they were social impact businesses at first. Now, they recognise their role and take pride in what they do," she added. Among the selected businesses in 2025 is a cooperative specialising in Lai Chau ginseng farming. Pham Quang Tuyen, from the Cooperative for Conservation and Development of Lai Chau Mountain Ginseng Variety, said his cooperative has established organic ginseng-growing farms, with its products certified as provincial OCOP (One Commune One Product). He also shared that the cooperative lacked expertise in business strategy and market expansion, but the programme had bridged these gaps, ensuring stable income for local ginseng farmers. "This programme has filled the knowledge gap and connected us with like-minded forest conservation advocates," Tuyen said. Thang told Viet Nam News that about one-third of the 2024 participants reported growth in markets, products and operations. She noted that roughly one-third of the businesses are led by ethnic minorities or source materials from such communities, indirectly improving their livelihoods alongside direct enterprise support. Tuyen said the programme has helped his cooperative discover a 'formula' for balancing business with ecological sustainability. "Our products now carry more value. Consumers are willing to pay not just for the product itself but for the environmental benefits it represents," he added. VNS HA NOI The Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and its partners launched the official Just Energy Transition (JETP) website on Wednesday to upgrade Viet Nams progress on realising the JETP commitment. The website is an official channel to provide transparent, timely and comprehensive information about the JETP implementation process in Viet Nam. It has been jointly developed by the MoITs Department of Innovation, Green Transformation and Industrial Promotion the Department of Electricity, the International Partners Group (IPG) and the United Nations Development Programme. The portal provides an overview of JETP Viet Nam, including the objectives of JETP, the parties involved in JETP in the country, and the structure and tasks of the JETP Secretariat. It also updates proposed JETP projects in priority areas such as energy transition in transportation, innovation and development, and technology transfer. The portal serves as a bridge between the Secretariat, IPG, Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) - an independent initiative led by the private sector, and stakeholders, particularly those proposing and developing projects, to promote a just energy transition within the JETP framework in Viet Nam. It is expected to become a platform to strengthen understanding, connection and collaboration among stakeholdersfrom Government agencies and development partners to the private sector and the community. The portal will continue to be upgraded with new features to optimise the user experience and improve communication efficiency. In December 2022, in Brussels, Belgium, Viet Nam and the IPG (including EU, UK, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, Denmark and Norway) signed a political declaration establishing the JETP. JETP is a long-term and ambitious partnership to support Viet Nam in its low-carbon transition and climate resilience efforts, accelerating the fair and decarbonised transformation of the electricity system, while creating new economic opportunities to help Viet Nam move towards a net-zero emission future. VNS QUANG NINH Two hospitals in Quang Ninh Province have successfully carried out kidney transplants for two patients, using organs donated by a brain-dead donor, marking a major milestone for the provinces healthcare sector. The surgeries were completed overnight on Tuesday at Quang Ninh General Hospital and the Viet Nam-Sweden Hospital in Uong Bi City. The kidneys were donated by a patient who had been declared brain-dead at the Viet uc Friendship Hospital in Ha Noi. The organs were delivered through a coordinated effort to two recipients in Quang Ninh. Doctors from Quang Ninh joined the organ retrieval process in Ha Noi and safely transported the kidneys back, with support from leading experts at Viet uc Hospital. Both hospitals mobilised specialised teams and prepared thoroughly to ensure successful surgeries and post-operative care. After more than two hours of surgery, both transplants were completed successfully during the night. The patients are now in a stable condition, with early signs indicating the transplanted kidneys are functioning well. This medical achievement offers renewed hope for hundreds of patients with end-stage kidney disease. It also highlights the growing expertise of Quang Ninhs provincial hospitals in handling complex medical procedures such as organ transplants. The success highlights Quang Ninhs progress in advanced medical care, easing the burden on patients by reducing the need to travel and lowering treatment costs. Other organs from the same donor, including the heart and liver, were also transplanted. The province now aims to become a regional transplant hub through continued investment in equipment and specialised training. VNS HCM CITY Asia Life JSC is facing an VN224 million (US$8,600) fine for serious food safety violations concerning its Kera vegetable candy in a recent scandal that has caused public outcry. The company based in the Central Highlands province of ak Lak has failed to monitor storage conditions, did not fully implement the HACCP system, and sold products with excessive additives, according to the provincial Health Department. In connection with the scandal, police have arrested five people, including two popular Vietnamese key opinion leaders (KOLs), for allegedly misleading consumers by promoting the candy as a fibre-rich supplement. Social media influencers Pham Quang Linh (known as Quang Linh Vlogs) and Nguyen Thi Thai Hang (Hang Du Muc), both associated with Chi Em Rot (CER) Group, face charges of manufacturing and trading counterfeit food or additives and deceiving customers. Three others were arrested: the chairman and a director of Asia Life JSC and another board member of CER Group. In addition, a Vietnamese beauty queen has been banned from international travel and fined VN25 million for her involvement in promoting the product. Investigations have revealed that the candy contained only 0.51 grams of fibre per box, far below the advertised amount, and contained high sorbitol levels, which can cause digestive issues. After selling over 100,000 boxes, Asia Life JSC has pledged to refund customers. All influencers involved have acknowledged their misleading claims and have apologised to the public. The Ministry of Public Security has launched a broader investigation into the misleading claims and violations affecting consumer rights. The ministrys investigation agency concluded that the false advertising of Kera vegetable candy on social media has sparked outrage and had a serious impact on consumer rights. VNS HA NOI The Civil Aviation Authority of Viet Nam (CAAV) and the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) on Wednesday signed Appendix VI to their technical cooperation agreement, which outlines bilateral cooperation in strategic planning, monitoring systems, national aviation safety programmes, and technical training. The signing of the document was witnessed by French Ambassador to Viet Nam Olivier Brochet and Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Construction Le Anh Tuan. Under the strategic planning component, the French side will assist CAAV in developing a roadmap to manage the projected growth of Viet Nams aviation sector in the coming years. Regarding monitoring systems, the French side will support CAAV in enhancing its monitoring activities for airlines and maintenance organisations. The cooperation will also focus on building internal capacity by training Vietnamese aviation safety inspectors and helping CAAV with transition toward a risk-based monitoring model. In the area of national aviation safety, France will help Viet Nam establish an effective safety programme aimed at identifying and mitigating risks within the countrys air transport system. Additionally, France will provide technical training tailored to the projects needs, focusing on capacity building for flight safety inspectors within CAAVs flight standards division. The original technical cooperation agreement between CAAV and DGAC was signed on May 24, 2018, in Paris, France. Since 2019, the two agencies have signed five appendices and held annual steering committee meetings alternately in France and Viet Nam to define priority areas for cooperation. Under the signed appendices, DGAC has continuously supported CAAV in strengthening its aviation safety monitoring capability and enhancing its overall management of flight operations. VNS LONDON Around 100 authors last week protested outside the London headquarters of Meta, accusing the US tech giant of stealing content to train its Artificial Intelligence models. Writers chanted Meta, Meta, book thieves as they made their way to the Meta building, with some carrying placards reading Id write a sign but youd steal it and Get the Zuck off our books, in reference to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. A US court filing earlier this year alleged that Zuckerberg approved the company using the online library LibGen, which provides access to copyrighted works and contains more than 7.5 million books. The Atlantic magazine has published a searchable database of the titles contained in LibGen, allowing authors to find out if their works may have been used to train Metas AI models. A Meta spokesperson told the Guardian that we respect third-party intellectual property rights and believe our use of information to train AI models is consistent with existing law. But AJ West, author of The Spirit Engineer, said he felt abused and disgusted when he found his work on the database. To have my work that took years to write, and that I poured my heart and soul into, used to make tech billionaires even more money, without my permission, is so disgusting, he told AFP. Theyve taken my books and fed them into a machine that is specifically designed to ruin me, he added. West attempted to deliver a letter, signed by leading authors including Kate Mosse and Richard Osman, at the Meta front desk, but found the doors locked. Its very telling that a company that saw fit to steal billions of words is now afraid of 500 words on one sheet of paper. Its insult piled upon insult, he said. West called on the UK government to intervene, saying it was reprehensible that Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy had said nothing about the biggest attack on British copyright in history. Author and TV writer Gail Renard, 69, told AFP that if you stole a diamond ring thered be consequences and there has to be consequences. The creative industry is Britains second-biggest industry. We bring in 125 billion ($164 billion) a year. If you want to kill off the creative industries, kill off our copyright. Theres a lot of anger here, added the author. Artist and author Sophie Parkin, 63, said the situation was a life-changer for everybody, because whats the point of going on writing? They arent even creating anything, they are stealing our words and then making money out of it, added Parkin, who was wearing a sign on her sunhat reading AI pay authors. She also urged the government to take action, accusing Prime Minister Keir Starmer of toadying up to these billionaires. The protest was yet another instance of creators of copyrighted works focusing anger on companies building generative AI platforms that ingest huge amounts of words, images or sounds to build their predictive models. The leading AI companies have put forward claims that they are allowed to do so under US fair use provisions, but that argument is started to be tested in courts in America and elsewhere. THE JAKARTA POST/ANN Nguyen Van Thang, Minister of Finance Vietnam identifies an international financial centre (IFC) as a strategic spearhead, helping transform its growth model and improve the efficiency of resource use, thereby increasing international competitiveness and participating more deeply in the global financial system. Building an IFC is not just for Ho Chi Minh City or Danang. The entire political system must participate, implement synchronously, and innovate strongly. The country is currently drafting a resolution on IFCs with the aim of establishing an open, transparent legal framework with specific, superior incentive policies in line with international practices, and at the same time, preparing the fundamental conditions for their development. The major direction includes continuing to strongly open up the financial sector, creating the best conditions for international financial institutions to operate effectively, transparently, and fairly. The country must clearly implement the IFCs by 2035, encouraging the testing of advanced financial mechanisms and boosting investment in fintech, blockchain, AI applications, and green finance; all while strengthening connections with other IFCs to develop high-quality personnel, improve financial governance, and ensure financial market stability. The idea of an IFC is not new, but for Vietnam it is an unprecedented task. The country will learn from its ongoing experience, and by not being hasty or a perfectionist and missing the opportunity. Arnaud Ginolin, managing director and partner Boston Consulting Group Building an IFC is a long journey, but Vietnam has started the most important steps. For an IFC to play an important role in boosting Vietnams economic growth, in addition to domestic capital, foreign investment will supplement the necessary financial resources. To attract foreign funding, the IFC in Ho Chi Minh City cannot rely solely on the market to operate on its own but needs intervention and support from the government. It needs to invest in financial infrastructure and have a strong legal basis to monitor and operate. The establishment of clear and transparent regulations will create a stable legal environment, encouraging international investors and businesses to participate. For this to operate effectively, it is necessary to identify priority sectors such as fintech, trade finance, and green finance. It is also necessary to establish preferential policies and incentives to attract talent human and create a friendly business environment. I would also like to emphasise the tremendous need to transition to renewable energy. It also needs a combination of green finance, net-zero, and resilience. Vietnam has a unique competitive edge. I believe in Vietnams capacity to be an IFC with its population, talent, and willingness to develop supported by a strong and ambitious leadership and government. Dr. Kang Qu, managing director of Sustainability Strategy, Bank of China (Hong Kong) Green finance is critical. Because green and sustainable infrastructure is fairly new, everybody is at the same starting point right now, so the potential is huge. Vietnam must consider setting up an international green finance centre, as the country has great infrastructure and ambition. The legal framework is crucial, and Ho Chi Minh City should consider adopting an international model. For example, common law is widely used and understood by international investors and financial institutions. Aligning with such a system could add significant value to the citys proposed IFC. Meanwhile, it is vital to ensure the domestic financial market operates as normal, so this kind of risk management may be a good starting point regarding the next steps to consider. Nguyen Van Duoc, chairman, Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee An IFC is not only a place where large capital flows converge, but a strategic driving force to encourage innovation, develop high technology, improve governance capacity, and increase competitiveness. This is an opportunity to improve the efficiency of resource allocation, expand access to capital for businesses, develop infrastructure, and affirm Vietnams position in the global financial and trade network. The development of the IFC in Ho Chi Minh City will bring practical economic and social benefits and create a ripple effect in neighbouring cities and the Southeast Asian region. This will be the foundation for the city to improve its urban management capacity, develop sustainably, and expand comprehensive cooperation with global partners. However, there will be many difficulties in implementation, so we expect the participation of experts, scientists, international organisations, consulting organisations, financial institutions, and enterprises. They will not only contribute ideas to build the IFC but also create a sustainable, transparent, and creative future for Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City is committed to accompanying the central government, the business community, international financial organisations, domestic and foreign investors, and experts to create a comprehensive IFC a place where quality capital flows, creative knowledge flows, and international standards converge. Gold skyrockets on back of tariff barrage, Photo Le Toan Starting on April 5, a base tariff of 10 per cent will apply to all imports from trading partners of the United States. Beginning April 9, higher import tariffs will be imposed on more than 60 countries with large trade deficits with the US, including China at 34 per cent, Vietnam at 46 per cent, and Europe at 20 per cent. US President Donald Trumps aggressive tariff policy has raised concerns in the market, as fears grow that the worlds largest economy could fall into a period of stagflation. The announcement coincided with unsettling economic signals earlier this week, including weaker-than-expected US manufacturing activity and a lower-than-anticipated number of jobs created in late February. According to financial experts, concerns about economic stagnation have led global investors to sell off stocks and shift capital into safe assets such as gold, as they fear currency devaluation and financial instability. John Reade, market strategist for Asia and Europe at the World Gold Council, stated that the trade conflict is one of the factors driving up gold prices. The rise of gold above $3,000 per ounce further affirms golds role as a safe-haven asset. Gold prices have increased due to the trade war and global geopolitical instability. These factors are driving investors to view gold as an essential tool for portfolio diversification, he said. Whether gold can maintain these historically high levels is yet to be seen. However, what is certain is that golds role as a safe-haven asset has never been clearer. Naeem Aslam, chief investment officer at Zaye Capital Markets, shared that despite gold seeing a significant price increase since the beginning of the year, there is still room for growth. Smart investors understand one thing: much of the bad news has already been factored into the price, and the chances of a sharp decline are limited, especially when considering the parabolic fluctuations weve seen, Aslam said. However, traders should remember that the trade war is far from over, meaning there are still many uncertainties looming. This suggests that after a period of correction, gold prices could continue to rise. Domestically, on the morning of April 3 Vietnam time, SJC gold bars and gold rings saw a significant price increase, with companies like SJC, PNJ, and DOJI quoting gold prices around $4,000 per ounce for buying and $4,110 per ounce for selling, a rise of $40 per ounce from the previous day. Gold prices were also recorded at their highest levels in history, ranging from $3,985-4,100 per ounce. The prices soared internationally following President Trumps announcement of sweeping tariffs on imports from various countries. After a day of decline, gold prices suddenly surged to new heights. On the global market, gold also hit a new peak of $3,160 per ounce during the morning session of April 3. Gold prices reached their 19th all-time high in 2025, with seven of those peaks exceeding $3,000 per ounce. Prices increased by 18 per cent this year, after a 27 per cent rise in 2024. Economist Nguyen Tri Hieu stated that the global gold price exceeding $3,100 per ounce has led to a rise in domestic prices. Previously, the global gold market saw periods of rapid price hikes, such as in 2008-2009, where prices soared and then suddenly plummeted, Hieu said. Therefore, after reaching the current high, global gold prices could drop due to profit-taking sales. Gold prices are rising due to geopolitical impacts, instability in certain regions, and the risk of a global trade war. As for domestic gold prices, Hieu believed the main reason is the limited supply, as the State Bank of Vietnam has not been importing gold in recent years, and sales are limited. Two key factors the sharp rise in global gold prices fuelling the fear of missing out sentiment and the limited domestic supply have led to continuous increases in domestic gold prices. When the domestic gold supply is abundant, people can easily buy gold, which will help cool down the market, he suggested. Hieu also recommended that authorities urgently revise rules on the management of gold business activities to facilitate imports and increase supply. I advise that the gold market should not be a channel for speculation or short-term profit. Investors should avoid gold price speculation as they may face double risks when the market suddenly declines, he added. When gold prices surge, there is a risk of counterfeit gold, low-quality gold, and online gold trading on unregulated platforms. People need to be cautious and choose reputable gold shops licensed by authorities to avoid fraud. From a more cautious perspective, Dr. Nguyen Quoc Viet, a lecturer at the University of Economics under the Vietnam National University, said that the continuous record-breaking gold prices have been warned about since 2024, but have yet to be addressed. Beyond the impact of global gold prices, the challenges in business operations have led a small number of investors to turn to gold. This comes from a defensive mindset due to growing uncertainties, he said. In light of this, I suggest that local authorities ensure efficiency and implement solutions to mitigate risks, addressing individuals who may be exploiting the market. Patsy Lim, deputy general director of marketing and communications at SABECO This strategic relaunch marks a significant step in SABECOs journey to elevate its competitive edge with premium, differentiated offerings, further consolidating its leading position in Vietnams beer market. The new look of Bia Lac Viet follows its global recognition as the Worlds Best Light Lager 2024 at the World Beer Awards, a prestigious title that reaffirms the international calibre of Vietnamese brewing expertise. But beyond accolades, this relaunch reflects a deeper strategic vision: the continuous enhancement of SABECOs brand portfolio as a core engine of sustainable and profitable growth. As Vietnamese consumers increasingly seek products that blend local identity with international quality, SABECO is positioning itself to meet these evolving expectations through innovation rooted in tradition. The redesigned Bia Lac Viet packaging seamlessly blends cultural heritage with contemporary aesthetics. Iconic national symbols such as the red star, Lac bird, and Dong Son drum motifs are incorporated into the new design, while the modernised typography and premium visual cues signal progress, renewal, and world-class craftsmanship. According to the company, this design evolution is not just a marketing refresh, it is a tangible outcome of its strategic commitment to build a more innovative, resilient, and sustainable brand ecosystem. By continuously investing in the development and differentiation of its product lines, SABECO aims to not only stay ahead in a highly competitive market but also shape consumer tastes and reinforce brand loyalty. The launch of Bia Lac Viet refreshed packaging is a testament to SABECOs commitment to innovation and excellence, driven by the craftsmanship of our talented Vietnamese brewmasters., said Patsy Lim, deputy general director of marketing and communications at SABECO. With a sustainable approach, we are not only solidifying Bia Lac Viets position in Vietnam but also expanding our beer portfolios presence locally, reinforcing SABECOs and its brands reputation for world-class quality and long-term growth. This product innovation aligns with SABECOs three-pronged strategy focused on commercial excellence, supply chain efficiency, and ESG principles This product innovation aligns with SABECOs three-pronged strategy focused on commercial excellence, supply chain efficiency, and environmental, social, and governance principles. Together, these pillars support a sustainable business model that creates long-term value for consumers, partners, and stakeholders alike. As part of the Bia Lac Viet relaunch, SABECO is also ramping up distribution and strengthening partnerships with retailers across Vietnam to ensure greater accessibility and visibility of the refreshed product. These efforts are designed to deepen consumer engagement and create a stronger presence in key markets, particularly as competition intensifies both from local players and international brands. By leveraging its cultural legacy and brewing expertise, while committing to ongoing innovation in its product portfolio, SABECO is well-positioned to lead the next chapter of growth in Vietnams beverage industry. With Bia Lac Viet as a flagship example, the company is redefining what it means to be a modern, world-class beer brand with deep local roots. This fresh capital injection of VND2 trillion (about $77 million) into UOB Vietnam is currently under review by the State Bank of Vietnam. UOB has made three capital injections into its wholly owned subsidiary in Vietnam since 2021. The latest injection means UOB Vietnams charter capital has doubled from its 2021 levels, and it is now the second-largest foreign-owned bank in the country in terms of charter capital. Reaffirming its commitment to Vietnam, where UOB is the only Singapore bank with a subsidiary, UOB will also invest in the group's new Vietnamese headquarters in Ho Chi Minh City. This new building will support the banks growth and workforce expansion over the next five years. Strategically located in the city centre, the headquarters aligns with the banks vision and the governments goal of developing Ho Chi Minh City into an international financial hub. Designed with a future-oriented vision, the UOB Vietnam Plaza will embody prosperity and sustainability while providing a modern, professional, and efficient workspace. With the completion of its headquarters in Vietnam, UOB Group will have local offices across all five of its key ASEAN markets Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. Wee Ee Cheong, deputy chairman and CEO of UOB, said, "UOB has established the most extensive footprint in Southeast Asia, and we have been part of the ASEAN growth story. Vietnam is a key market in our ASEAN strategy, and we are dedicated to deepening our presence here for the long term. The upcoming UOB Plaza in Vietnam is more than just a building. It epitomises our long-term commitment to the country. Having our own headquarters in all five of our key ASEAN markets underscores our confidence in this region and the steadfast support for our customers and the communities." Driving competitiveness and growth With strong support from the group, UOB Vietnam is strengthening its competitiveness and accelerating growth in digital banking to better serve both individual and corporate customers. For the retail segment, the bank is making significant investments in digital technology and AI to develop a new digital banking platform, which is set to launch this year. This will enhance the banking experience and meet the growing demand for seamless digital financial transactions. The bank is also strengthening its wealth and investment offerings, providing customers with more tailored financial solutions to grow and manage their assets effectively. For corporate clients, UOB Vietnam is committed to supporting businesses across their supply chains, helping them seize new opportunities and advance their sustainability goals. Going forward, UOB Vietnam will continue to support foreign investment and local enterprises, facilitating growing trade and investment flows into Vietnam and contributing to the countrys economic growth ambitions. Over the past five years, UOBs Foreign Direct Investment Advisory unit, established in Vietnam in 2013, has supported more than 340 companies in expanding into the market. These companies have pledged investments of over S$8 billion ($6 billion) and are expected to create around 53,000 job opportunities in Vietnam. UOB has signed an MoU with the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre to entice high-quality overseas investment to Ho Chi Minh City and southern Vietnam, particularly in key high-tech sectors such as green growth, sustainable development, infrastructure, digital transformation, and healthcare. This partnership reinforces the banks commitment to supporting the city in attracting international investors and advancing its vision of becoming an international financial centre, in line with the government's direction. As Vietnam advances its efforts to achieve its net-zero commitment by 2050, UOB remains committed to supporting green projects and driving the transition of the domestic economy. UOB has financed 19 green projects across renewable energy, manufacturing, agriculture, and sustainable aquaculture, contributing to the banks broader efforts in helping businesses on their transition journey. As of December 2024, UOB Groups sustainable finance portfolio had grown by 43 per cent to S$58 billion ($43 billion), exceeding its original S$30 billion ($22.2 billion) target set for 2025. Supporting local communities In line with UOBs commitment to making a positive impact on the communities it serves and as part of its regional initiatives marking the banks 90th anniversary, UOB Vietnam will continue to implement Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives to address the needs of local communities. One initiative is a five-year partnership with Saigon Children's Charity (20232027) to equip computer rooms in five schools across the Mekong Delta, benefiting over 2,000 students by enhancing their digital learning and computer skills. Another initiative is partnering with a top non-governmental organisation in Vietnam to plant 10,000 trees in the Ca Mau mangrove forest over three years starting in 2025, contributing to climate action and environmental sustainability. UOB Vietnam also participates in group-wide initiatives designed to empower and inspire communities by equipping them with essential knowledge and skills to progress and build resilience. For the first time, the bank has entered into a partnership with a top education technology platform, EdTech, to provide 90,000 children from underprivileged families across 60 cities in Southeast Asia with a head start in school. Through this platform, children in Vietnam will gain easy access to quality educational resources in areas such as coding, computational thinking, and digital literacy over the next three years. In addition, UOB My Digital Space is a multi-year initiative aimed at bridging the digital divide for children from disadvantaged backgrounds across the region, connecting them to a world of digital learning opportunities. Since its launch, it has benefited around 38,000 students in the region. This year, about 20,000 children from disadvantaged backgrounds across Southeast Asia will receive digital learning tools and skills, further equipping them for the future. UOB Plaza: a forward-looking landmark of heritage, innovation, and sustainability Located along the Saigon River in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, UOB Plaza is set to become an urban landmark upon its expected completion in the next five years. Designed by Gensler a top global design and architecture firm and inspired by Asias earliest currency the shell its architecture symbolises prosperity, trade, and continuous growth. The towers sleek, dynamic form, reminiscent of a sailing vessel, reflects energy and movement, maximising its connection to the riverfront views. Meanwhile, its terracotta facade pays homage to Vietnamese craftsmanship, blending cultural heritage with contemporary design. More than just a corporate headquarters, UOB Plaza has been designed as a dynamic workplace that fosters interaction and connectivity through its public spaces. With a strong focus on wellbeing, the building integrates green spaces and natural lighting to create a comfortable, inspiring, and heathy working environment. At its core, UOB Plaza is a future-oriented corporate development that prioritises health, sustainability, and environmental responsibility. Built with eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient systems, it follows biophilic design principles to enhance employee wellbeing while minimising its carbon footprint. Aiming to achieve Green Mark and LEED certification, UOB Plaza reinforces UOBs strong commitment to sustainability and shaping a workplace where people and nature thrive together. UOB Vietnam and NAVICO expand green finance for Vietnams aquaculture sector United Overseas Bank (Vietnam) and Nam Viet Corporation signed a green trade finance agreement on April 4, reinforcing their commitment to advancing sustainable aquaculture in Vietnam. UOB forecasts Vietnam's economic growth to continue, boosted by trade and FDI Vietnam's economy is expected to maintain strong growth throughout 2024, supported by rising trade activity and increasing foreign direct investment, while favourable demographics and solid macroeconomic fundamentals underpin its long-term prospects in ASEAN, according to UOB. Vietnams economy is forecast to grow at 6.6 per cent and 6.5 per cent in 2025 and 2026, respectively, following a robust 7.1 per cent growth last year, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)s flagship annual economic publication released on April 9. "Strong trade, a recovery in export manufacturing, and robust foreign direct investment fuelled Vietnams economic growth in 2024," said ADB country director for Vietnam Shantanu Chakraborty. "However, recent US announcements on tariffs, along with other continued global uncertainties, could pose significant challenges to the countrys growth this year." The evolving global economic environment, significantly affected by geopolitical tensions and the recent tariff-related announcements by the US, is posing significant challenges for economies dependent on export-driven manufacturing. External uncertaintiessuch as tariff escalations, reciprocal measures, the prolonged war in Ukraine, and ongoing instability in the Middle Eastcould constrain near-to medium-term global economic growth. Moreover, a slowdown in the US and China, Vietnams major trading partners, could further affect economic prospects. "The government of Vietnam has initiated an ambitious plan to boost growth, which can help mitigate the significant external risks," said Chakraborty. "Higher and sustainable economic growth is possible if ongoing, extensive institutional reforms are implemented swiftly and efficiently. Such reforms would stimulate domestic demand, increase governance efficiency in the near term, and consequently encourage private sector development over the medium and long term." Enhancing Vietnam's participation in global supply chains is a critical policy challenge for the country's development. Strategies for Vietnam to mitigate the impact of US tariffs on key export sectors The implementation of 46 per cent reciprocal tax by the US on April 9 threatens to inflict severe damage on Vietnam's export-driven economy. Nguyen Chi Trung, CEO and managing partner of Grant Thornton Vietnam, shares his thoughts on the implications. CEO opinions on unexpected reciprocal US tariffs The introduction of a 46 per cent reciprocal tariff on Vietnam could soon increase operational costs for leading companies exporting to the US. Vietnams trade soared in Q1, but US tariff threat casts shadow. Chart Source: Ministry of Finance According to the Ministry of Finance, Vietnams trade volume in March alone hit $75.39 billion, up 18.2 per cent from February and 16.6 per cent from the same period last year. Q1 export turnover climbed 10.6 per cent to $102.84 billion, while imports rose by 17 per cent to $99.68 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $3.16 billion. Domestic enterprises recorded export revenue of $29.02 billion, up 15 per cent, accounting for 28.2 per cent of the total. Meanwhile, the foreign-invested sector, including crude oil, contributed $73.82 billion, up 9 per cent. During the first three months of the year, 18 export commodities surpassed the $1 billion mark, making up 84.5 per cent of total export value. Five of these items exceeded $5 billion, representing nearly 60 per cent of total exports. On the import side, the domestic sector brought in $36.78 billion, up 19.3 per cent, while foreign-invested enterprises imported $62.9 billion worth of goods, up 15.8 per cent. Notably, 17 import items exceeded $1 billion in value, comprising 77.2 per cent of total imports. While the performance exceeded expectations, outpacing the Ministry of Industry and Trade's Q1 growth scenario of 7.9 per cent, the outlook is clouded by the potential impact of US tariffs. Speaking at the governments March meeting and an online conference with local authorities, Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang confirmed the positive performance but also warned of escalating risks. If the 46 per cent tariff is widely applied, it would significantly affect exports to the US, with spillover effects on manufacturing, business confidence, foreign and private investment, consumption, and employment, he said. A preliminary survey by the Ministry of Finance identified five export groups likely to be most affected, including electronics and computers; textiles and garments; wood and wooden products; seafood; and machinery and equipment. These are all high-export-value sectors and major job creators. While short-term effects may be muted, thanks to businesses ramping up exports and stockpiling in previous months, longer-term consequences are expected to be more pronounced. To address the situation, the government is actively pursuing diplomatic and trade solutions. A recent phone call between Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam and US leadership has opened a "window of opportunity" for negotiations, according to the Ministry of Finance. However, coordinated and urgent actions across diplomacy, trade, and policymaking are needed. At the same time, Vietnam is preparing contingency measures to support businesses and workers should the US proceed with the tariff hike. The Ministry of Finance emphasised the importance of issuing timely policies to mitigate negative impacts on the economy, market sentiment, investors, and business liquidity. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the announcement ceremony of the FTA Index. Photo: congthuong.vn This initiative is expected to act as both a benchmark and a catalyst for improving the effectiveness of FTA enforcement nationwide. It aims to empower localities and businesses to better engage in global trade and integrate into regional and global value chains. Vietnam has signed and implemented 17 FTAs with over 60 partners across the globe, a critical enabler for the countrys sustained economic growth and global economic positioning. In his opening remarks, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien emphasised the urgent need for deeper integration amid shifting global dynamics. The world is changing rapidly. Strategic competition and trade conflicts among major economies are intensifying. Protectionism is expanding. For instance, the United States recently announced countervailing tariffs ranging from 10 to 49 per cent on imports from various countries, posing new challenges to the global trade order, he said. In this context, FTAs act as key highways connecting Vietnams economy with the world, offering significant advantages in boosting trade flows and market access. Minister Dien acknowledged that FTA implementation remains uneven across provinces, underlining the necessity of having a consistent, data-driven assessment tool. The FTA Index will provide transparent, objective, and comprehensive insights into how effectively each locality fulfils its FTA commitments. He added that the index would support the government and relevant ministries in developing more targeted and actionable policies, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of the business community and promoting sustainable trade development. The FTA Index also serves as a testament to Vietnams commitment to trade liberalisation, fair competition, and sustainable economic growth. A detailed presentation of the aggregated FTA Index scores for all 63 cities and provinces. Photo: FTA Index 2024 Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh praised the MoITs efforts, calling the FTA Index a pioneering effort in quantifying and evaluating FTA performance. He emphasised the index as a professional, data-driven tool that demonstrates Vietnams commitment to integration and its ability to create mutual benefits for both domestic and international partners. Vietnam is an export-driven economy, but we must pursue sustainable, high-standard integration, said the PM. There is no red carpet and roses on the path of global integration, only challenges that demand effort, discipline, and innovation. He concluded, With 17 FTAs covering over 60 economies worldwide, Vietnam has not only expanded its export markets but also triggered deep domestic reforms. The harder the challenge, the greater our determination must be to overcome it. On April 8, the SBV held a conference with representatives of banks, major financial institutions, and related departments and agencies. The conference marked the first step in a project to build a shared database for the banking industry. KPMG Vietnam is responsible for consulting and implementing the project. Speaking at the conference, Pham Thanh Ha, Deputy Governor of the SBV, said, The SBV is building a database for the banking industry towards digital transformation. The initiative aims to implement a resolution issued by the Politburo on December 22, 2024, on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation. Against the backdrop of strong digital transformation, data plays a strategic role in improving state management efficiency. For the banking industry, there is an urgent need for a shared database that is synchronised and connected with ministries, branches, and national databases. This will help improve the efficiency of forecasting, management, and data security at credit institutions. In addition to technical aspects, the project will create a legal framework for a coordination mechanism while increasing operational capability to ensure the safe and transparent management of the database. The World Bank will work closely with the SBV to ensure that the project meets the expected quality and aims. The bank noted that in the banking industry, the control stage comprises many different activities, from anti-money laundering to licensing and monetary policies. With a shared database, the regulatory body will no longer look at each individual activity but will be able to understand how all of these constituent aspects interact, enhancing prediction and management efficiency. Pham Do Nhat Vinh, head of financial services at KPMG Vietnam Pham Do Nhat Vinh, head of financial services at KPMG Vietnam, said, Alongside our in-depth research and understanding of central banks, KPMG has also researched the models of other central banks in the region. This, coupled with an execution team from diverse markets like the UK, Hong Kong, and India, will bring in-depth insights of big data structure to the project. KPMG also needs valuable and detailed input from banks and credit institutions in Vietnam on the need to use this database, the points that need to be changed, and the desired tools to have the closest perspective during the implementation of the project. KPMG leaders at the conference As a consulting unit, KPMG believes that this project will bring great benefits not only to the SBV but also to many related government agencies. VietBank signs MoU with KPMG VietBank signed a strategic partnership agreement with KPMG in Vietnam on February 25 to launch the 'Transformation and Project Management Office Support' initiative. Ministry of Finance and World Bank discuss new ODA-funded projects Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang met with Mariam Sherman, World Bank division director for Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in Hanoi on March 21 to discuss upcoming projects using official development assistance (ODA). Republican lawmakers have scrapped a controversial bill aimed at regulating who can build power lines in the state and replaced it with a retooled proposal that adds measures aimed at farmland preservation and promoting nuclear energy in an attempt to secure passage this year. But some opponents of the previous right of first refusal bill, which sought to block out-of-state companies from building long-distance power line projects in Wisconsin, say the new proposal is more of the same and would still give utility companies currently operating in the state a monopoly over an estimated $1.8 billion worth of transmission projects coming to the region. Lawmakers on Tuesday said the new draft bill, dubbed the Wisconsin Energy Reform Act, replaces the right of first refusal measure, which will not come before the Assembly for a vote. The new bill aims to create new bidding controls for interstate and intrastate transmission lines and increase the accountability of developers and owners of the massive projects, bill lead author Rep. Jerry OConnor, R-Fond du Lac, said in a statement. This is the most comprehensive energy reform package brought forward in Wisconsin in decades, OConnor said. By instituting actual competitive bidding standards, we are poised to be a national leader in utility transmission practices. The proposal would require competitive bidding for transmission construction contracts that exceed $1 million. It also maintains components that would give utilities that own transmission lines in the state the exclusive right to build any transmission project approved by the Midwest grid operator, known as MISO. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said he hopes to bring the measure to the Assembly floor later this month. Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, who backed the original right of first refusal measure, did not respond to a request for comment on the new proposal. Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, said the proposal contains several small energy related policy provisions, to hide the real meat of the proposal, the supposedly dead ROFR language. These small policy items provide limited benefit to the public, but inside the Capitol provide political cover for some legislators to flip their positions of fighting for their constituents and instead deliver for the powerful utility special interests, Nass said. Provisions included in the new bill would require the owners of large wind or solar projects, or battery storage centers, to purchase conservation easements if those projects are located on prime farmland land with a National Commodity Crop Productivity Index rating of 0.8 or more. Another component would require the use of light-mitigating technology on tall utility structures like wind turbines or transmission towers, which would only flash when an aircraft is detected nearby to reduce the impact on nearby residents. Rep. Travis Tranel, R-Cuba City, offered harsh criticism of the right of first refusal bill earlier this year, but said the new proposal strikes the right balance to protect prime farmland for generations of farmers to come, while still recognizing the need to protect private property owners and the reality that energy generation in Wisconsin will likely always include renewable sources. The new bill also seeks to incentivize the development of nuclear energy by Wisconsins utilities, something Rep. David Steffen, R-Howard, said has the potential to attract billions of dollars in investments to Wisconsin. By prioritizing low-carbon-emitting nuclear energy as a strategy in energy generation, we will help position Wisconsin to meet the increased electricity demands of today and lay the groundwork Wisconsin needs to be able to attract large electricity technology companies looking to locate their operations in Wisconsin, said Steffen, chair of the Assembly Committee on Energy and Utilities. But Todd Stuart, executive director of the Wisconsin Industrial Energy Group, a nonprofit that represents 25 of the states largest energy consumers, called the new utility bill a bait-and-switch, falsely marketed as a fresh start. Despite assurances to the public and legislators that ROFR was gone for good, this bill keeps it alive, preserving utility monopolies, stifling competition and driving up costs for Wisconsin ratepayers, Stuart said. Lawmakers and citizens alike have been misled into believing the fight over ROFR was settled, only to see it rebranded under a new name with the same consequences. Wonderfully rebranded Lawmakers have been trying for years to pass a right of first refusal law in Wisconsin similar to measures implemented in a handful of other states. The proposal recently scrapped by Republicans was the third consecutive attempt to pass such a law. ROFR is back from the dead, now wonderfully rebranded as the 2025 Wisconsin Energy Reform Act or WERA, Rep. Lindee Brill, R-Sheboygan Falls, said in a social media post. As in, WERAgainst the Constitution and the ratepayers. True conservatives say: WERA still not buying it. Whats more, the new proposal comes weeks after officials within President Donald Trumps Justice Department sent a letter to Iowa lawmakers expressing concern over plans to advance right of first refusal legislation in that state. By restricting the construction of new power grid infrastructure to incumbent electrical transmission owners, the bill can harm consumers by reducing or eliminating competition, Assistant U.S. Attorney General Abigail Slater wrote in the March 24 letter. The bill turns a preference for further investment in Iowa transmission infrastructure by electric transmission owners into a legal grant that shields incumbents from competition. Thousands of lobbying hours Like previous versions before it, the now-scrapped utility bill in Wisconsin received considerable pushback from groups such as Americans for Prosperity, Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin and AARP, who argue that ratepayers will pay more if companies no longer have to competitively bid such massive projects. Nearly 5,800 lobbying hours were dedicated to two right of first refusal bills before the Legislature last session, the most of any measure, according to data provided by the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. American Transmission Company, which is owned by a group of distribution utilities including Alliant and Madison Gas and Electric, owns most of Wisconsins transmission network. Xcel Energy and Dairyland Power Cooperative operate most of the transmission lines in the western part of the state. The federal government does not directly control the grid but sets ground rules for entities such as MISO, a nonprofit established in 2001 to operate electricity markets and oversee regional planning in 15 states and one Canadian province. Officials with ATC, Xcel and Dairyland said earlier this year passage of a right of first refusal bill would allow those companies to bypass the lengthy MISO vetting process and begin construction sooner, resulting in a lower cost because of the rising price of materials. Damning report unveils serious Betsi Cadwaladr patient failings This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Apr 9th, 2025 A damning report has found serious failings in a womans care by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and services it commissioned from English NHS Trusts, leading to lasting physical and psychological harm. The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales launched its investigation after a complaint from a woman, referred to as Ms A, concerning her treatment for complications related to inflammatory bowel disease. The Ombudsman examined how her care was handled between 2019 and 2022 by both the Health Board and Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Ms As concerns included her management and care following surgery for her inflammatory bowel disease in 2019, whether she was properly consented for surgery in March 2022, as well as postoperative care and treatment, and the handling of her complaint. Whilst the Ombudsmans role and remit covers Welsh NHS bodies, as the Health Board commissioned care from the English Trust, the investigation reviewed the care and treatment which Ms A received from the English Trust on behalf of the Health Board. The findings The Ombudsmans investigation found multiple failings across various aspects of Ms As treatment and care, including failings in colorectal care, and in relation to gynaecological referrals, investigations and treatment undertaken by another English Trust. This led to Ms A having persistent infection and ill health for nearly 3 years before she received surgical treatment in March 2022. The Ombudsman found that Ms A did not give informed consent for this surgery she only signed the consent form on the day of her surgery and there was no record of prior discussion with her of the possibility of her having a hysterectomy during the surgery. Although the Ombudsman cannot make definitive findings of a breach of human rights, this failure led to her highlighting that Ms As Article 8 rights (the right to respect for private and family life) were potentially engaged. Ms A described the experience as horrific, saying she felt like a shadow of her former self. She only discovered she had undergone a hysterectomy after waking from the operation and being told by a nurse. Im avoiding people; people ask me about my health and Ive lost my confidence, she said. I feel like a shadow of my former self. There was also criticism of the Health Boards handling of her complaint and its contract monitoring processes. While it held legal responsibility for the care arranged in England, its oversight focused on financial reporting rather than patient safety or service quality. As a result, serious shortcomings in Ms As care were missed, the Ombudsman concluded. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has faced continued scrutiny in recent years. In February 2023, the Welsh Government placed the Health Board under special measuresthe most serious form of interventionfollowing a review by Audit Wales which raised significant concerns about its performance, leadership, and organisational culture. The Ombudsmans recommendations The Ombudsman made the following recommendations, which the Health Board has accepted: apologise to Ms A and share the report with relevant Health Board members. request the English Trust to review Ms As case, remind clinicians of informed consent and their professional obligations, and share key learnings through a case study of this case. request the Trusts Surgeon to reflect on the case and discuss improvements to her clinical practice at her next revalidation. seek written assurances from the Trusts Chief Executive that clinical failings are being addressed and provide compliance evidence to the Ombudsman. Health Board to prioritise, complete and implement a Commissioning Assurance Framework which gives proper consideration to patient safety. Commenting on the report, Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, Michelle Morris, said: I am mindful of the profound injustice caused to Ms A as a result of the significant failings that have occurred in her case. I am extremely concerned about the process by which Ms A gave her consent for the surgery in March 2022. The relevant guidance makes it clear that consent is not simply a matter of completing and signing a form. Instead, consent is a process which should begin well in advance of the day of the surgery and any discussions should be clearly and separately recorded as part of the consenting process. This did not happen here. This sad case also highlighted the wholly inadequate contract monitoring arrangements in place at the Health Board. Public bodies must have robust governance arrangements and must ensure that patient safety and the monitoring of the quality of services is in place. The Health Boards failure to monitor patient safety and service quality led to it missing crucial opportunities to address poor performance. With more effective contract monitoring, many of these failings could have been prevented. Police take action at Wrexham primary school over inconsiderate parking This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Apr 9th, 2025 Officers from the Neighbourhood Policing Team have returned to a primary school in Wrexham, following a rise in complaints about unsafe and inconsiderate parking. It comes after concerns were raised by Wats Dyke School staff, parents, and local residents about issues at drop-off and pick-up times. As a result, there has been a visible police presence outside the school gates this week. Several drivers were spoken to and asked to move their vehicles to more suitable locations. Police say the action is part of an ongoing effort to ensure the safety of children during drop-off and pick-up times. A spokesperson for the Neighbourhood Policing Team said: Please remember, we are doing this to ensure the safety of the children who attend the school. We will continue to enforce this until people stop parking inappropriately. Lets all work together to keep our community safe. The Washoe County Sheriff's Office and Washoe County District Attorney have released an update on the ongoing investigation of Izabella Loving who died earlier this month. Sheriff Darin Balaam: On behalf of the Washoe County Sheriffs Office, I want to provide an update to our community regarding the ongoing investigation into the tragic death of Izabella Loving. Our detectives continue to work diligently and with unwavering commitment to uncover the full truth and secure justice for Izabella. We are collaborating closely with District Attorney Chris Hicks and his team to build a strong, evidence-based case for prosecution. This process involves a meticulous review of all available evidence, including forensic findings, witness statements, and the conclusions of the medical examiner. We recognize the profound impact this case has had on our community, and we want to assure the public that we are fully dedicated to achieving a just outcome. District Attorney Chris Hicks: Like so many in our community, we are devastated by the loss of Izabella Loving and remain fully committed to ensuring accountability for those responsible. Our most experienced prosecutors are working in close coordination with the Washoe County Sheriffs Office to support a comprehensive and thorough investigation. Once all evidence has been reviewed, we will carefully determine the appropriate charges in accordance with the law. We understand the communitys need for answers, and while certain details must remain confidential at this stage, we will continue to provide updates as legally permissible. UPDATE - APRIL 9: District Attorney Chris Hicks issued the following statement Wednesday regarding the ongoing investigation into the death of a child, with signs of physical abuse : "Like so many in our community, my office was heartbroken to hear of the death of Izabella Loving and the terrible injuries she suffered. A complete and thorough investigation is critical to pursuing justice for this victim and it is our highest priority. As such, my offices most experienced prosecutors are working closely with Sheriffs Office detectives as they complete their investigation. The District Attorneys Office will then methodically review the evidence and ensure all legally viable charges are pursued. We will keep the community updated to the extent we can, but are not able to specifically comment on Lovings case. Generally speaking, initial charges filed in a case can be amended or added at a later date. Prosecutors must meet high burdens of proof at every stage, particularly when filing charges. These additions or changes are often based on results from further investigation, advanced forensic testing or, in the case involving a death, a coroners report or expert reviews. ORIGINAL STORY - APRIL 4: The Washoe County Sheriff's Office says a man was arrested for child abuse after a child died on Thursday. On April 3rd at around 6:50 a.m., deputies say they responded to a home in Cold Springs following a report of an unresponsive child. Officials say when deputies and medical personnel arrived on scene, life-saving measures were unsuccessful, and the child was pronounced dead. Investigators say during the investigation, detectives discovered significant signs of physical abuse on the child. The child's father, Nicholas Loving, was arrested and booked into the Washoe County Detention Facility for alleged Child Abuse Resulting in Substantial Bodily Harm. Sheriff Darin Balaam said, This is an unimaginable and heartbreaking case of abuse that tragically ended in the loss of a child. Our hearts are heavy for the loss of such a young, innocent life. As we all mourn this tragedy, we will remain steadfast in our commitment to justice. We will ensure that the victim is not forgotten and that accountability is fully pursued. This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the WCSO Detective Division at (775) 328-3320 and reference case number #25-1634. Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo has introduced his second bill of the 2025 Nevada Legislative Session. This one is centered around public safety and is part of the Governor's Safe Streets and Neighborhoods Act. On Tuesday, the governor, joined by local law enforcement officials and state prosecutors, held a press conference at the Carson City Sheriff's Office. "This legislation was drafted to put teeth back in Nevada's penal code," Governor Lombardo said. "Hold criminals accountable, empower judges and prosecutors, and support victims of crime... As a law enforcement officer for 34 years and former sheriff, I've seen public safety legislation impact our communities and neighborhoods firsthand, both for the better and the worse." Local sheriffs from Carson City, Washoe, Douglas, Storey, and Churchill counties were all at the conference showing their support. "Not only does this bill protect those victims, but it also keeps our neighborhoods and our state safe," said Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam. The Washoe County District Attorney, Christopher Hicks, also broke down why he feels this bill is important for the efforts of fighting crime. "Our task was to identify common sense criminal justice reforms needed in Nevada that will protect victims of crime and improve the safety of our communities, he said. "That solution is SB457." Senate Bill 457 is an 84-page bill that is going after a lot of different crimes. The governor touched on a few that were some of his top priorities with the legislation. "By eliminating diversion programs for crimes of abuse and exploitation of children and elderly or vulnerable adults, ensuring justice for Nevada's most at-risk populations." The bill includes tougher penalties on crimes such as retail theft, repeat offenders, DUIs that end in death, and more. "The Safe Streets and Neighborhood Acts also crack down on fentanyl and drug trafficking," Lombardo said. "In alignment with my commitment to combat the opioid crisis. The bill introduces harsher sentences for fentanyl, including mandatory minimums and increased penalties for large quantities." In the 2023 session, Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford sponsored legislation on fentanyl trafficking that was passed. The Governor's bill has similar language to that bill in its first draft. Both bills were trying to get four to 14 grams of fentanyl to be enough to charge someone with a low-level trafficking charge. Current law has that threshold at 28 to 42 grams. Ford's bill moved that threshold up, but Lombardo is trying to implement the stricter guidelines again. 2 News Nevada asked the governor what he thinks will be different this go-round. "More data was needed to attempt to promote what I wanted to achieve in the last session," Lombardo said. "We have more data that addresses the particular issue with fentanyl. Hopefully, it'll be met with a positive result this time. Now I don't want to downgrade what occurred last session; we made some improvement in that space, but I think we just have to go a little bit further with the understanding of what the drug does to our communities." The American Civil Liberties Union here in Nevada does have some issues with this bill. "It's hard to say what I like with this bill because what the bill does is attempt to reverse criminal justice reforms that were put into place a few years ago," said Athar Haseebullah, Executive Director for the ACLUNV. "The reason these reforms were put into place was to stop the prison population from exploding." That concern with prison population increasing comes from last week's Interim Finance Committee meeting. The Nevada Department of Corrections revealed they are in about a $53 million shortfall in the budget. They also talked about how they're spending about $60 million on overtime, partially due to staffing shortages. Lombardo was asked about this at the press conference and says they are looking at ways to address it. "We are currently evaluating time served for nonviolent offenses," he said. "We'll make an adjustment for the budget numbers that go into the future, sentencing, and removal of incarcerated individuals in the environment." The Democratic Party does have the majority on both floors. Lombardo says he wants to work across the aisle and understands there will have to be some amendments and adjustments before it can pass. At a news conference Wednesday, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto emphasized the urgent need to enact her bipartisan Invest to Protect Act. Alongside her were local law enforcement officials and Representatives John Rutherford and Josh Gottheimer, who presented companion legislation in the House of Representatives. Pull Quote The bipartisan Invest to Protect Act will make critical investments in our departments and ensure that our police officers in smaller towns across New Jersey, and our nation, have the resources and training they need to keep themselves and communities safe, if you want to make something better, you dont get there by cutting or defunding. You need to make smart, targeted investments. You must invest, not defund. You can have both justice and public safety. You dont have to pick between one or the other. This bipartisan legislation will help ensure we have both and protect our communities and officers. - Congressman Gottheimer Most law enforcement organizations in the United States, including all of Nevada's rural sheriff's departments and key suburban departments like the Sparks Police Department, have fewer than 175 full-time sworn officers. These small agencies frequently have difficulty accessing vital resources in Nevada and throughout the country. Pull Quote Small police forces are often the most resource constrained agencies and suffer the most from a lack of operational equipment and services, as a former sheriff and career law enforcement officer, I am proud to join Congressman Gottheimer to reintroduce the Invest to Protect Act in the House to make trainings, retention tools, and mental health care resources more readily available for departments with fewer than 175 officers. Its important we streamline the grant process for smaller law enforcement agencies to provide them with the resources they need to protect our communities nationwide. - Congressman Rutherford A spokesperson on behalf of Cortez Masto says that the $250 million grant program would be established under the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program under Cortez Masto's bipartisan Invest to Protect Act to assist these small law enforcement agencies in making significant investments in their officers and communities. It is supported by the National Association of Police Organizations and the Fraternal Order of Police. As Congress drafts a new federal budget, AARP is urging federal lawmakers to safeguard funding for Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), two programs that are lifelines for millions of older Americans. AARP sent letters March 6 to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance and the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce outlining Medicaids critical role in providing essential health care and long-term care to older, low-income Americans. Members only As your committee considers funding and policy changes that could impact Medicaid, we urge you to keep in mind those who rely on Medicaid to stay in their own homes and communities as they age, get basic health care, or access nursing home care, wrote Bill Sweeney, AARP senior vice president for government affairs. That same day, we sent letters to the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry and the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture outlining SNAPs key role in helping feed roughly 10 million households with adults 50 and older. With rising food prices, rising food insecurity, and a growing aging population, it is more important than ever to connect eligible older adults to SNAP and other nutrition assistance, Sweeney wrote. Harmful changes to SNAP would make it harder for vulnerable older adults to access the nutrition they need. Join Our Fight for Affordable Health Care Sign up to become an AARP activist and help older Americans get the health and long-term care coverage they deserve. AARPs letters were sent to committees currently searching for spending cuts to help offset the cost of this years upcoming tax bill. The House passed a sweeping budget resolution Feb. 25 that instructs the Committee on Energy and Commerce, which oversees Medicaid, to cut $880 billion in spending between 2025 and 2034. While the resolution doesnt specify where cuts should be made, Medicaid is a likely target. Its one of the largest programs the committee oversees, providing coverage to more than 72 million Americans and costing the federal government roughly $600 billion per year. SNAP, the nations largest anti-hunger program, also appears at risk. The House budget resolution instructs the Committee of Agriculture, which oversees SNAP, to cut $230 billion in spending for the decade. According to government data, more than 40 million people receive SNAP benefits monthly, with federal SNAP spending totaling roughly $113 billion per year. The Senate is yet to bring the House-passed budget resolution to the floor for debate or approval, and lawmakers are currently focused on trying to pass a continuing resolution needed to avert a partial government shutdown. But both the House and Senate must agree on a common budget resolution if they are to pass the new tax and spending bill via the reconciliation process. Tiros Measured and Indicated Resource increased by 37% to 1.4 billion tonnes at 12% TiO2 and 4,000 ppm TREO Significant Upgrade in Measured and Indicated Resource - Tiros Toronto, April 9, 2025 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Resouro Strategic Metals Inc. ( ASX:RAU ) ( CVE:RSM ) ( 8TX:FRA ) ( RSGOF:OTCMKTS ) is pleased to announce an update to the Tiros Titanium and Rare Earth Elements Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") for the Central Project Block of the Company's Tiros Project in Brazil ("Tiros Project" or "Tiros" or "Project"). Highlights Measured and Indicated Resources increases by almost 37% to 1.4 billion tonnes: o Measured Resources 367 Mt at 12% TiO2 and 4,100 ppm TREO, o Indicated Resources 1,000 Mt at 12% TiO2 and 4,000 ppm TREO, o Total Resources 1,400 Mt1 at 12% TiO2 and 4,000 ppm TREO High-grade mineralisation within the MRE: o Measured Resources 30 Mt at 24% TiO2 and 9,300 ppm TREO, o Indicated Resources 74 Mt at 23% TiO2 and 8,900 ppm TREO, o Total Resources 104 Mt1 at 23% TiO2 and 9,100 ppm TREO The Measured and Indicated Resource contained metals content includes: a) 165 Mt of contained titanium dioxide (TiO2), b) 5.5 Mt of contained Total Rare Earths Oxide (TREO) at a Magnet Rare Earths Oxide ("MREO") ratio of 27% - Includes 1.5 million tonnes contained MREO Overview The Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) update is based on additional assays received from a 46 infill and resource expansion drill program conducted in 2024 (refer to ASX releases dated 6th February 2025 and 17th March 2025 - TSX-V 5th February 2025 and 16th March 2025). The revised MRE, tabled below, represents an increase of 37% of measured and indicated resources (from step-out drilling) and an improved detail of data (from infill drill holes). The MRE has an area of high-grade titanium and rare earths mineralisation and was modelled by applying a cut-off grade of 8,000 ppm TREO. The high-grade Measured and Indicated Resource has been increased by 37% in total for no change in titanium dioxide grade and similar grades for rare earths. The Central Block MRE represents just under 8% of Resouro's total tenement holding area in the Tiros region which spans four project areas called Tiros North, Tiros Central, and in the south, Sao Gotardo, and Campos Altos. The significance of the current MRE and the potential for further prospective resources across all tenements can be visualised in Figure 1 and Figure 2*. The Tiros project MRE is substantially larger and higher-grade when compared selectively to other rare earths projects with similar, characteristics or geographic location. This, combined with the potential for resource expansion from exploration, places Tiros as a globally significant resource of both titanium dioxide and rare earths. This MRE update marks a significant milestone for the Company, establishing it as home to one of the world's largest and most significant resources of both titanium dioxide and rare earths. It also highlights a very high-grade mineralisation zone, which will be the focus of the Company's initial scoping study and subsequent feasibility studies, along with the related economic assessments. Tiros represents one of the largest contained titanium resources when compared to resources by country and contains more than 50% of Brazil's total known titanium resources. Commenting on the increased Mineral Resource Estimate, Resouro's Executive Chairman, Chris Eager, said: "The Tiros project continues to deliver amazing results, in terms of large tonnage of high TiO2 and TREO grades within continuous near surface layer of friable material with constant grade and thickness. The next step is to work toward a Proved and Probable Minable Reserves from the 1.4 billion tonnes Measured and Indicated Resource. The flat lying layer of friable material at Tiros translates to ease of mine planning with no drilling or blasting and a low stripping ratio. This facilitates environmentally friendly cut and fill mining with continuous rehabilitation equating to low mining costs with consistent supply of tonnes and grade to a processing plant. Designing and optimising a plant for one consistent feed would assist in maintaining consistent recoveries and processing costs." Key Resource Parameters Atticus Geoscience ("Atticus") has modelled this MRE utilising the results of 152 drill holes across the Tiros central tenements (refer to Figures 4 and 5*) including 78 diamond drill holes, 29 air core holes, and 25 auger holes undertaken by Resouro (2023 to 2025) and one (1) diamond drill hole and 19 air core historical drill holes undertaken by previous tenement owners (Vicenza and Iluka, 2011 and 2016). A conservative assumption of 1,000 ppm TREO (refer to Figure 10*) cut-off was applied to the resource estimation which delivered an MRE (Measured and Indicated) of 1.4 billion tonnes @ 4,000 ppm TREO comprising an outstanding 1,100 ppm MREO (oxides of Pr, Nd, Tb, and Dy) and 12% TiO2. The MRE was limited by aerial topography covering 3,300 ha, which represents approximately 7% of the Resouro tenements that comprise the Project area. The MRE excludes neighbouring Resouro-owned tenements, which indicate further potential for expansion. *To view the Mineral Resource Estimate (Upgraded), please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/J909R8Q3 About Resouro Strategic Metals Inc. Resouro Strategic Metals Inc. (ASX:RAU) (CVE:RSM) (OTCMKTS:RSGOF) (FRA:8TX) is a Canadian-based mineral exploration and development company focused on the discovery and advancement of economic mineral projects in Brazil, including the rare earth elements and titanium Tiros Project and the Novo Mundo and Santa Angela gold projects. The Tiros Project, located in northern Minas Gerais, Brazil, is an exploration project focused on rare earth elements and titanium covering an area of approximately 450 km2. The Tiros Project comprises 17 exploration permits, and one exploration permit application held by the Company's Brazilian subsidiary; and 6 exploration permits and one exploration permit application that have been validly assigned to the Company's Brazilian subsidiary and are awaiting ANM approval. The Company holds, via its wholly owned Brazilian subsidiary, a 90% interest in the Tiros Project and the remaining 10% interest in the Tiros Project is held by RBM Consultoria Mineral Eireli (RBM), an unrelated third-party vendor. The Novo Mundo Project is located in the Alta Floresta Gold Province close to the northern border of the state of Mato Grosso, central Brazil. Within the licensed area is the small town of Novo Mundo, which is 30km west from the larger town of Guaranta do Norte. It comprises three exploration permits. The Company also has another interest in an exploration permit, being the Santa Angela Project, which is not considered material to the Company's operations. Interests in the Novo Mundo Project and Santa Angela Project are held via the Company's wholly owned subsidiary. Related Companies Sydney, April 9, 2025 AEST (ABN Newswire) - The Directors of Far East Gold ( ASX:FEG ) are pleased to announce the discovery of a new zone of quartz veins approximately 1.2km east of the Bermol prospect area at the Idenburg project, with surface grab samples returning assays of up to 53 g/t Au. These high-grade and bonanza gold assays - including 19.31 g/t Au, 16.75 g/t Au, 10.18 g/t Au, and 8.43 g/t Au - were collected from quartz veins at the North Bermol, Bermol, and Mafi prospect areas, confirming historical exploration results. At the newly discovered quartz zone, located east of Bermol, grab samples returned up to 8.43 g/t Au and 31.9 g/t Ag from a 5m wide vein mapped at surface. As recently announced, the Company will commence a 3,670m, 32-hole diamond drill programme targeting these key areas (refer to ASX announcement of March 26, 2025). The goal of the Company's Phase 1 drilling program is to build upon the maiden JORC inferred resource estimate of 540,000 ounces of gold at 4.1 g/t and 468,000 ounces of silver at an average grade of 3.6 g/t gold released by the Company in the ASX announcement of November 14, 2024. HIGHLIGHTS: - The new discovery of gold mineralisation within a new quartz zone about 1.2km east of Bermol confirms the resource potential at Idenburg and the need for sustained detailed mapping throughout the project area. Referred to as `East Bermol' the style of mineralisation is consistent with that reported from the Bermol and North Bermol prospect areas. Refer to Company ASX announcement of August 21, 2024. - Previous exploration focused on circa 30% of the total CoW area while most of the property remains vastly under-explored and holds potential for a significant expansion of the reported resources. Refer to Company ASX announcement of 14 November 2024. - Grab samples of quartz veins and boudinaged quartz lenses from the Bermol and North Bermol returned assays of; 19.31 g/t Au , 53 g/t Au, 16.75 g/t Au, 10.18 g/t Au and 8.43 g/t Au. - Sample assays from the Mafi prosect returned up to 6.45 g/t Au. Significant base metal (Cu, Pb, Zn) enrichment is also present with assays from grab samples from Mafi having up to 25.8% lead (Pb) and 13.8% zinc (Zn) and 0.6% copper (Cu). The samples also contain high concentrations of antimony (Sb) with individual assays up to 1.2%. - The results of the mapping programme further confirm the presence of high-grade Au mineralisation and the potential to expand the current defined resources in each of the prospect areas. Refer to Company ASX announcement of 14 November 2024. The planned holes will test defined zones along strike and to depth to expand the current areas of resource and complete several infill holes to upgrade the resources to indicated and measured. - CEO & Director Shane Menere has released a video discussing this announcement. Results of Detailed Mapping The Company commenced a program of detailed mapping prior to the planned drill program to better locate drill sites and explore outside of the known prospect areas to discover new zones of mineralisation to possibly test as part of the planned drilling. A review and assessment of historical exploration at Idenburg is discussed in the Independent Exploration Target Report for the Idenburg Property prepared by SMGC and released by the Company in ASX announcement of August 21, 2024. The Company will continue with the current detailed mapping and rock sampling to define extensions to known zones of gold mineralisation and make additional gold discoveries. Refer to Company ASX announcement of March 26, 2025 for a review of planned drilling and target selection at Idenburg. *To view tables and figures, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/U8467H42 About Far East Gold Ltd Far East Gold Ltd (ASX:FEG) is an Australian junior exploration company led by some of the biggest names in Australian mining. The company has secured the commercial rights for the acquisition, exploration and development of six advanced gold and copper projects in Indonesia and Australia, including one with a JORC estimate of 996,000 ounces of gold and 190 million pounds of copper. Related Companies Developed by The Pensions Regulator (TPR) and the Pension Scams Action Group (PSAG) it is among the latest tactics being deployed to protect savers from online harm. As part of this work to date, PSAG has reviewed 830 websites, taken down 29 high-risk sites and made 94 referrals to partner agencies. Paul Sweeney, PSAG Business Lead at TPR, said: The threat of pension scams is ever evolving. To stay one step ahead, we are using every tool at our disposal to beat the fraudsters. Scammers often exploit technology to deceive victims and steal their pensions. We are turning the tables on them by using technology to detect and prevent fraud by removing malicious websites. Alongside this, we and our PSAG partners are collaborating more closely than ever, enhancing the intelligence we hold and disrupting emerging threats from scammers. At a recent webinar, PSAG members joined industry experts and more than 550 participants from across the pensions industry to discuss how they can work together to strengthen defences. Chris Bell, Service Delivery Director at City of London Police (CoLP), spoke about a new reporting service replacing Action Fraud later this year. He said: We continue to make progress developing the new Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting and Analytics Service that will replace Action Fraud. This system will result in fundamental service improvements to how intelligence is gathered nationally from multiple sources and speed up the analysis of reports, and how quickly they are sent to police forces for investigation. James Bentley, Threat Leadership from the National Economic Crime Centre (NECC), added: This latest action from the Pension Scams Action Group shows how, by working together, we can stop hard-working pension savers from being scammed in the first place. Scammers, be warned. We will use every tool we can to track you down, disrupt your activity, and prosecute you. With TPR surveys showing only 11% of defined benefit (DB) and defined contribution (DC) schemes correctly said scams should be reported to Action Fraud, despite clear guidance, Mr Sweeney added: Ahead of the new reporting service launching later this year, it is essential trustees still report to Action Fraud so we can build our national intelligence picture. PSAG is a TPR-led multi-agency taskforce bringing together law enforcement, government and industry representatives to co-ordinate and target action to combat pension scams and fraud through education, prevention and enforcement. TPR has also embedded experts within critical agencies, CoLP and the NECC, to build a more comprehensive intelligence picture and ensure all scam-fighting organisations work in concert with national fraud strategies. A recording of the webinar is available to watch. DoubleVerify (DV), the leading software platform for digital media measurement and analytics, today issued a formal response to Adalytics' March 28, 2025 report and associated media coverage, correcting multiple inaccuracies and misrepresentations related to the detection and billing of General Invalid Traffic (GIVT). The report focuses on alleged discrepancies in GIVT detection and avoidance, and suggests advertisers were billed by ad tech vendors for ad impressions served to declared bots. Key Takeaways from DV's Response: The Reports Core Claims Regarding DV Are Inaccurate The report incorrectly suggests advertisers are billed for GIVT impressions and that pre-bid verification "doesn't work. In reality, GIVT is removed post-bid from billable countsper MRC and TAG standards and DV pre-bid solutions remove both GIVT and SIVT (true ad fraud) at scale. The report incorrectly suggests advertisers are billed for GIVT impressions and that pre-bid verification "doesn't work. In reality, GIVT is removed post-bid from billable countsper MRC and TAG standards and DV pre-bid solutions remove both GIVT and SIVT (true ad fraud) at scale. All 115 Examples ReviewedDV Detected All Eligible Impressions The DV Fraud Lab reviewed every impression cited and all eligible impressions were accurately identified and managed. The DV Fraud Lab reviewed every impression cited and all eligible impressions were accurately identified and managed. Methodology Relies Heavily on a Mischaracterized Bot Most of the reports examples involve URLScan, a non-declared, headless browser bot. Adalytics repeatedly misrepresents this as declared bot traffic, a mischaracterization according to URLScans own CEO. Additionally, URLScan is not on the IAB Spiders & Bots List. Most of the reports examples involve URLScan, a non-declared, headless browser bot. Adalytics repeatedly misrepresents this as declared bot traffic, a mischaracterization according to URLScans own CEO. Additionally, URLScan is not on the IAB Spiders & Bots List. Adalytics Conflates GIVT with SIVT To exaggerate GIVTs impact, Adalytics blurs GIVT with SIVT, two distinct categories of invalid traffic. This inflates perceived GIVT waste and misrepresents fraud detection effectiveness. GIVT and SIVT are standard, industry accepted definitions, as defined by the IAB, MRC, etc. To exaggerate GIVTs impact, Adalytics blurs GIVT with SIVT, two distinct categories of invalid traffic. This inflates perceived GIVT waste and misrepresents fraud detection effectiveness. GIVT and SIVT are standard, industry accepted definitions, as defined by the IAB, MRC, etc. Verification Works Even When Pre-Bid Isnt Active DV accurately filters impressions post-bid when pre-bid filtering is not enabled or supported. This enables advertisers to not be charged for invalid traffic. DV accurately filters impressions post-bid when pre-bid filtering is not enabled or supported. This enables advertisers to not be charged for invalid traffic. GIVT Detection by DV Is Accurate for Known Bots & Data Centers DVs recent testing confirmed 100% detection post-bid for all GIVT from Known Bots and Known Data Centers cited in the report. DVs recent testing confirmed 100% detection post-bid for all GIVT from Known Bots and Known Data Centers cited in the report. Not All Served Ads Are Billable Just because an ad appears doesnt mean the advertiser paid for it. DV only includes valid impressions in billable counts, per industry standardsmeaning invalid traffic is filtered appropriately, even if the ad renders. Just because an ad appears doesnt mean the advertiser paid for it. DV only includes valid impressions in billable counts, per industry standardsmeaning invalid traffic is filtered appropriately, even if the ad renders. DV Leads in Combating Real Ad Fraud (SIVT) DV has uncovered major fraud schemes, worked with federal agencies, and was instrumental in supporting the Department of Justice and FBI in the industrys only documented ad fraud conviction of Russian cybercriminal Aleksandr Zhukov. There is no public record of Adalytics having any comparable, action-oriented record of combating SIVT. DV has uncovered major fraud schemes, worked with federal agencies, and was instrumental in supporting the Department of Justice and FBI in the industrys only documented ad fraud conviction of Russian cybercriminal Aleksandr Zhukov. There is no public record of Adalytics having any comparable, action-oriented record of combating SIVT. The Mystery Bot Raises More Questions Adalytics wont name the third bot in its studymaking a true peer review impossible and further undermining the transparency of its findings. Adalytics wont name the third bot in its studymaking a true peer review impossible and further undermining the transparency of its findings. Pre-Bid Solutions That Deliver Real Value DVs pre-bid solution doesnt just filter IVT. Every day, we analyze billions of potential ad placements as part of a broader pre-bid protection framework that quietly delivers real, measurable value. DVs pre-bid technology also powers more than 2,000 data segments across, not just fraud and invalid traffic, but also viewability, brand safety and suitability, contextual, and other pre-bid campaign settings, giving advertisers superior coverage, proven protection, and powerful performance across all devices and formats. DVs priority is protecting its clients and the digital ad ecosystem through accurate detection, meaningful insights, and transparency. The Adalytics report mischaracterizes how invalid traffic is managed and how verification works. DV is setting the record straight. Google has reversed its policy prohibiting employees from discussing the landmark anti-trust case against the company, following a settlement with the Alphabet Workers Union overseen by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). This decision overturns previous directives from Google's top lawyer, Kent Walker, who had repeatedly instructed employees to remain silent about the legal proceedings. The settlement arose from an unfair labour practices complaint filed by the union regarding Walker's August 2025 memo, which reiterated the company's ban on internal and external discussions of the anti-trust trial's impact on employment conditions. Google's agreement states it will not enforce overly broad rules that restrict employees' rights to comment on such matters. This change marks a significant shift in Google's corporate culture of secrecy, which has been under scrutiny during the Justice Department's anti-trust case. It also undermines Google's strategy to maintain employee focus by minimizing distractions from the legal battle. The Justice Department is seeking a breakup of Google, including the divestment of Chrome, to restore competition in search. Employees have expressed concerns about the potential instability resulting from such measures. Google's previous attempts to control employee discussions were seen as an effort to avoid the pitfalls of Microsoft's antitrust trial, where damaging internal communications played a significant role. Despite this, Google has acknowledged providing numerous internal communications to the Justice Department. The NLRB's settlement compels Google to acknowledge and respect employees' rights to discuss their employment conditions, even in the context of ongoing legal proceedings. With a career spanning over 30 years across telecom, FMCG, real estate, pharma, media, and tech, Atul Raja is no stranger to the evolving landscape of marketing and branding. Having played a pivotal role in launching and scaling some of Indias most iconic brands like Airtel and Tata Indicom, Raja has now embarked on a new chapter as an International Marketing Consultant and Brand Strategist, helping businesses navigate complexity with transformative strategies that drive exponential growth and market leadership. In this exclusive interaction with Adgully, Atul Raja, International Marketing Consultant and Brand Strategist, shares insights from his cross-industry journey and discusses what excites him most about this entrepreneurial leap. What excites me the most about this new journey is the freedom to create impact across multiple brands and industries, he says. Having shaped large brands within corporations, I now have the opportunity to apply my expertise to businesses that need strategic direction and innovation. From sector-agnostic brand thinking and adaptive marketing models to his predictions on AI-driven personalization, omnichannel integration, and purpose-led storytelling, Raja offers a deep dive into the art and science of building meaningful brands in a fast-changing world. Youve had a dynamic career spanning 30 years across various industries. How have these cross-industry experiences shaped your approach to marketing and branding? Over the past three decades, I have navigated the dynamic landscapes of multiple industries, from telecom and FMCG to real estate, pharmaceuticals, media, and technology. I can now look over my shoulder and vouch that this cross-industrial exposure has not only deepened my marketing and branding expertise but has also equipped me with a holistic understanding of consumer behavior across different spectrums of the target audience since each industry has its own consumer psyche, decision-making process, and purchase drivers. While telecom taught me the power of data-driven customer segmentation and retention strategies, FMCG emphasized the importance of impulse-driven marketing and mass appeal. Real estate, on the other hand, reinforces the significance of high-involvement decision-making and emotional branding. Also, having worked with both legacy brands and emerging challengers, I have developed a nuanced perspective on brand positioning. For example, in telecom and FMCG, where brand recall and differentiation are crucial in saturated markets, my focus was on sharp, clutter-breaking communication. In contrast, my experience in real estate and B2B sectors required trust-building, reputation management, and content-driven thought leadership. These are crucial learnings on tailoring brand narratives for different market maturities. From launching iconic brands like Airtel and Tata Indicom to working in FMCG, automotive, and telecomhow do you adapt your strategies to different industries? Each industry operates within its own set of norms, but the most successful marketing strategies often come from cross-pollination of ideas. Therefore, strategizing for different sectors and product categories is all about adapting to varied consumer psychologies. While sectors like telecom and FMCG thrive on data analytics, others like real estate and pharma demand strong storytelling. So, there is a delicate balancing act betweeninsight-driven strategies and creatively engaging ones. Leveraging cross-industry best practices comes in handy with experience. In my case, I found it fascinating to integrate FMCG-style packaging innovations and brand storytelling into the real estate sector, making property marketing more consumer-centric. Similarly, the use of digital automation and performance marketing strategies from telecom and media has been instrumental in enhancing B2B lead generation and sales in technology-driven industries. With three decades of experience, what key learnings from your past roles are you applying to your new venture? Every industry operates differently, but the fundamental principles of brand building, consumer engagement, and strategic storytelling remain universal. My biggest learning has been the power of adaptability. I have been a great votary of marketing, being sector agnostic. Some key learnings that will drive my new venture include: A business-first philosophy ensuring that every marketing dollar is invested strategically, maximizing the ROI. Balancing brand storytelling with ROI-driven execution will be reinforced by clarity in positioning, differentiation, and consistency. Data-driven strategies driven by analysisof the market, target audience, and competitive landscape, leading to measurable results. Having understood first-hand the realities of budgetary constraints, I will work within the available budgets using cost-effective but powerful solutions to maximize impact and deliver a strong punch. As a columnist and thought leader, what key trends do you foresee shaping marketing and branding in the next five years? I foresee a few defining changes that will drive marketing in times to come: AI will redefine customer engagement through hyper-personalization. Brands that dont leverage AI for consumer insights and engagement will struggle to stay relevant. Content will become the cornerstone of branding, and storytelling will take center stage. Consumers are no longer buying products; they are buying into stories, values, and communities. Omnichannel Marketing will gain prominence. The lines between online and offline are blurring. Customers expect seamless experiences across digital platforms, social media, e-commerce, and brick-and-mortar stores. Integration across touchpoints will be crucial. Community-driven marketing will focus not just on selling products, but also on creating immersive digital experiences (Metaverse, VR/AR). Engagement beyond transactions will become a norm. Purpose and sustainability-driven branding will gain momentum. Consumers, especially Gen Z and Millennials, are demanding that brands stand for something beyond profit. Sustainability, inclusivity, and brand reputation will build stronger consumer loyalty. Given your expertise in branding and marketing, what key principles will define the branding strategy for your new venture? Firstly, my brand consultancy will not be just another marketing firmit will be a high-impact, strategy-first partner for businesses looking to scale. Therefore, strategic brand positioning will be a key focus area. Defining a clear, compelling, and differentiated value proposition will be the starting point for me to scale brands. Secondly, my endeavour will be to provide customized support to different clients and sectors, as these have nuanced differences in market dynamics, TG profiles, and competitive landscapes. This needs to be taken into account while planning market support and undertaking media planning. Thirdly, I will focus on an integrated marketing approach combining traditional and digital channels, allowing for omnichannel marketing campaigns that drive impact through a 360-degree perspective to influence brand perception and consumer engagement. Fourthly, my approach will prioritize performance-driven marketing and developing thought leadership by blending brand storytelling with data-backed performance marketing. How do you plan to leverage digital marketing and technology to enhance brand presence? In todays day and age, the digital strategy needs to be multi-faceted and deeply data-driven. My approach will be combo-driven: LinkedIn for thought leadership, and Insta for brand engagement SEO & content marketing to establish authority and drive organic traffic establish authority and drive organic traffic Performance Marketing to amplify reach and get quality leads amplify reach and get quality leads AI-powered consumer insights for driving strategy Social listening to refine strategies based on real-time data to Marketing Automation for implementing CRM and automating lead nurturing, email marketing, and client interactions Will your marketing approach be more consumer-focused or B2B-driven? This depends on the organization and the industry type. So, it will be both, depending on the profile. However, sharp positioning and brand differentiation strategies on one side and value creation for businesses on the other are applicable to both B2C and B2B. How do you see traditional marketing evolving in todays digital-first world, and how will your venture adapt? Traditional marketing is far from dead and is evolving to complement digital strategies rather than compete with them. Hence, my venture has positioned itself as a full-spectrum marketing partner by integrating traditional and digital strategies in a way that maximizes impact. The objective will be to continually look for opportunities to effect an omnichannel marketing approach blending brand storytelling, tactical performance marketing, and experiential engagement through data-leddecision-making, hybrid marketing models, and community/ TG engagement. In the ever-evolving landscape of digital advertising, staying ahead requires innovation, adaptability, and a data-driven approach. At the forefront of this transformation is Mobupps, a global mobile advertising platform that has been redefining performance-based marketing for over a decade. With six offices worldwide and partnerships with more than 120 leading advertisers and agencies, Mobupps combines cutting-edge technology with strategic insights to optimize user acquisition and media monetization. Heading this dynamic enterprise is Yaron Tomchin, CEO of Mobupps, an industry leader with a passion for leveraging technology to drive advertising excellence. Under his leadership, Mobupps has successfully transitioned from a publisher sales house to a technology-driven powerhouse. In this exclusive Adgully interview at the Adtech Event, Yaron Tomchin delves into Mobupps' evolution, the transformative role of AI in ad tech, cutting-edge data privacy strategies, and the key trends set to shape mobile advertising in 2025. Lets dive into the conversation. Mobupps has been a leader in mobile advertising for over 15 years. What do you see as the company's biggest achievement so far? Looking back over the past 16 years, our biggest achievement has been our ability to remain dynamic and adaptable. We have successfully undergone three major transformationsfrom a publisher sales house to a mobile agency, and now, over the last six years, to a technology-driven product company. This flexibility has enabled us to build a scalable and sustainable business by closely listening to market needs, client feedback, and partner expectations. How do Mobupps technologies MAFO, iRTB, and MobuppsX give advertisers an edge in user acquisition and monetization? Each of our technologies is designed to address specific challenges in ad tech: MAFO functions as a performance trading desk that simplifies user acquisition through automated optimization, diverse media channels, and performance-based pricing models. MobuppsX is our DSP (Demand-Side Platform) designed for programmatic media buying, offering unique supply sources and exclusive inventories to advertisers. I/RTB is a solution tailored for publishers, optimizing their monetization efforts. These technologies work in synergy through data sharing, supply path optimization, and automation, ultimately enhancing efficiency and results for advertisers and publishers alike. With the rise of AI in ad tech, how is Mobupps leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance campaign advertising and performance? We have recently begun integrating AI-driven solutions to improve our campaign efficiency. Our focus includes: Dynamic Budget Allocation Using predictive analytics to distribute campaign budgets in real-time based on performance insights. AI-Powered Traffic Analysis Implementing algorithms that scan traffic sources and publishers, generating real-time alerts for brand safety and fraud prevention. Dynamic Bidding Management Optimizing various bidding models (CPM, CPI, CPA) to maximize performance across different media channels. These AI innovations enhance automation, reduce operational complexity, and create more effective advertising solutions. Connected TV (CTV) is a growing ad channel. How does Mobupps' pay-for-performance CTV model help advertisers maximize their investment? CTV is a key growth area for us. Mobupps' pay-for-performance CTV model is designed to help advertisers maximize their investment by ensuring they only pay for concrete, measurable results rather than traditional impression-based pricing. This approach directly aligns ad spending with performance-driven outcomes, such as completed views, app installs, or conversions, making it a cost-effective solution for brands seeking tangible returns. We leverage AI-powered targeting and real-time optimization. Our advanced algorithms analyze user behavior, contextual signals, and audience insights to serve ads to the most relevant viewers. Additionally, our continuous performance monitoring allows for dynamic adjustments in ad placements and creatives, further optimizing campaign success. Transparency and data privacy are major concerns in digital advertising. How is Mobupps addressing these challenges while ensuring effective targeting? We prioritize compliance with global regulations such as GDPR in Europe and CCPA in the USA. Additionally, we enforce: HTXT Support Ensuring transparency for publishers and DSPs bidding on our inventory. Seller JSON & Supply Chain Transparency Providing a fully transparent supply path. Cohort-Based Targeting Moving towards privacy-focused targeting strategies similar to Googles Privacy Sandbox and Apples SKAdNetwork, where user groupsnot individual usersare targeted. These strategies ensure privacy compliance while maintaining effective ad targeting. What key mobile advertising trends excite you the most in 2025, and how is Mobupps preparing for them? AI-driven automation remains our primary focus for 2025. In addition: Emerging Ad Formats Growth in CTV and rewarded ad formats, which provide engaging user experiences. Market Expansion We aim to expand into Latin America, Korea, and Africa. First-Party Data Utilization Developing our own Data Management Platform (DMP) to enhance targeting efficiency as third-party data declines. These initiatives will help us stay ahead in the evolving ad tech landscape. Mobupps operates globally, leveraging local market insights. Can you share a success story where this approach significantly impacted a campaign? We have seen great success working with Chinese financial brands expanding overseas by: Localizing Creatives Adapting messaging and visual elements for the target market. Connecting with Local Publishers Ensuring access to relevant and high-quality inventory. Providing Market Insights Offering benchmarks and strategic recommendations to optimize campaign delivery. This approach has driven impressive ROAS and scale, highlighting the power of localized advertising strategies. Customization is key in digital advertising. How does Mobupps tailor ad strategies for different industries and business needs? Our customization approach focuses on three main aspects: Media Selection Choosing the most effective channels (OEM, CTV, programmatic banners, etc.) based on brand objectives. Pricing Model Optimization Tailoring cost structures (CPC, CPA, CPM) to maximize return on investment. Tracking & Measurement Implementing cross-platform tracking and relevant KPIs to align with campaign goals. These elements ensure that each campaign is optimized for its unique industry requirements. What are the biggest challenges advertisers face today, and how does Mobupps help them overcome these obstacles? The two primary challenges in the industry are: Rising Ad Costs We leverage AI-driven automation and optimization to enhance efficiency and reduce media buying expenses. Ad Fraud Risks We continuously monitor market trends and implement advanced fraud detection solutions to safeguard our clients investments. By staying proactive and innovative, we turn these challenges into opportunities for growth and improved campaign performance. Looking ahead, whats next for Mobupps? Are there any upcoming innovations or market expansions we should watch out for? Our primary focus is on enhancing AI capabilities to improve automation and efficiency. We are also expanding into new markets and developing our first-party data solutions to stay ahead of privacy regulations. We aim to continue driving innovation in performance-based advertising while ensuring transparency and effectiveness for our partners. Any final thoughts on the future of digital advertising? AI is both an opportunity and a challenge. The key to success lies in leveraging AI for automation, efficiency, and fraud prevention while ensuring compliance with privacy regulations. As the landscape evolves, adaptability and strategic foresight will be crucial for sustained success in digital advertising. If you had to sum up your vision for the future in one phrase, what would it be? "Every risk is an opportunityif you have the right approach." The ambitious plan for Skydance Media to acquire Paramount Global (PARA.O) in an $8 billion deal has hit a procedural detour. Terms of the merger agreement reveal an automatic 90-day extension will be triggered following the initial April 7th deadline. This development underscores the complexities inherent in large-scale media consolidations, particularly when navigating regulatory landscapes and addressing shareholder concerns. The proposed acquisition, orchestrated by Paramount's controlling shareholder Shari Redstone, envisioned a two-step process to integrate the storied Hollywood studio with David Ellison's burgeoning Skydance. However, the path to completion is proving intricate, hinging on the green light from the Federal Communications Commission. The built-in extension mechanism allowing for potentially two 90-day periods under specific conditions signals a recognition of the potential for delays in securing necessary approvals. Adding to the complexity is a legal challenge brewing in Delaware. A judge has indicated a willingness to examine a class-action lawsuit alleging that the Skydance deal undervalues the interests of public shareholders, potentially throwing a wrench in the works. This legal action stems from the Paramount board's earlier rejection of a $13.5 billion acquisition bid from Project Rise Partners. Pension funds representing New York City employees, holding Paramount stock, argue that the board's special committee did not adequately consider this higher offer. While the agreement with Skydance included a "go-shop" period to explore alternative bids, no superior offers materialized by the August 21st deadline. The activation of the automatic extension now suggests a period of continued negotiation and scrutiny as Skydance and Paramount navigate regulatory requirements and address the legal challenges. The extended timeline indicates that the final shape of the media landscape, and the future of these two companies, remains subject to ongoing developments. VML, a leading global brand creative and digital transformation company, today announced the promotion of Jeff Geheb to Chief Executive Officer of VML Enterprise Solutions. This rapidly expanding division, valued at $1.5 billion, integrates VML's technology transformation, commerce, customer experience (CX), and consulting capabilities, leveraging the power of WPP Open's AI-driven operating system. Geheb will continue to report to Jon Cook, Global CEO of VML. This strategic move highlights the significant growth and importance of VML's enterprise technology offerings, which have onboarded over 150 new clients and now contribute 40% to VML's global business since the company's launch. VML Enterprise Solutions boasts a team of over 10,000 experts across more than 40 global offices within the VML network, delivering impactful results for major clients such as Ford, The Coca-Cola Company, Google, IKEA, Sainsbury's, Sherwin-Williams, T-Mobile, and United Rentals. Jon Cook, Global CEO of VML, emphasized the unique position of the company, stating, "VML has always been a unicorn with our level of world-class brand creativity and enterprise-level technology all connected in one company. For more than 20 years, Jeff has been an architect and pioneer of that unique fusion in all he and his team have built in VML Enterprise Solutions. I couldnt be more excited for Jeffs next chapter as CEO of this critical element of VML." Jeff Geheb, the newly appointed CEO of VML Enterprise Solutions, shared his enthusiasm: "The fusion of top-brand creativity and cutting-edge technology has always been VML's greatest market differentiator. I love leading VML Enterprise Solutions because my teams and I around the world have the opportunity to connect commerce, consulting, customer experience, and digital transformation cohesively. We also get to do this alongside the best brand creative thinking in the world. It's a unique and relevant opportunity that we never take for granted." VML Enterprise Solutions has garnered significant industry recognition, including being named a Leader in The Forrester Wave: Commerce Services and a Strong Performer in Adobe Services and CX Strategy Consulting Services. VML was also recognized as a Visionary in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Digital Experiences Services, complementing its creative leadership as the #2 Most Awarded Network in the WARC Creative 100. In his new role, Geheb will oversee four globally integrated areas within Enterprise Solutions: After 16 Years, the Mask Falls: Tahawwur Rana's Extradition Marks a Major Breakthrough in 26/11 Mumbai Terror Case 2 After nearly sixteen years, the chilling conspiracy behind one of the most horrific terror attacks in modern historythe 26/11 Mumbai attacksis again in the spotlight, as a key accused, Tahawwur Rana, edges closer to being brought to justice in India. His story is one woven with deception, hidden motives, and a deep, disturbing connection to terror networks that shook the world on the evening of November 26, 2008. Once a doctor in the Pakistani Army, Tahawwur Hussain Rana later migrated to Canada and became a citizen. On the surface, he was a businessman, running an immigration consultancy named First World Immigration Services. But behind this benign facade lay a sinister purpose. His immigration agency, as investigations would reveal, was nothing more than a cover to facilitate and coordinate terror activitiesparticularly in India. Ranas story is deeply intertwined with that of his childhood friend, David Coleman Headley. The two first met as young boys at Cadet College Hasanabdal in Pakistans Attock district, where they forged a bond that would later evolve into a deadly alliance. Headley, a U.S. citizen of Pakistani origin, would go on to become the man who scouted Mumbais targets before the attacks, conducting detailed reconnaissance while posing as a business agent under the guise of Ranas immigration firm. In 2006, Rana helped Headley set up a Mumbai branch of his companythis became the operational ground zero for the recces of targets that would later be devastated in the coordinated attacks. Headley sent e-mails back to Rana during this time, seeking directions and sharing observations. Indian investigators, in their 2023 supplementary chargesheet, highlighted how Rana stayed at a five-star hotel in Mumbai from November 11 to November 21, 2008just days before the carnage unfolded. On November 26, ten Pakistani terrorists stormed key locations across Mumbai, launching a 60-hour siege that claimed 166 lives, including those of six Americans, and wounded hundreds more. In 2009, following mounting evidence, Rana was arrested in the United States. He was charged with providing material support to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and helping orchestrate the Mumbai attacks. A U.S. court found him guilty, and while Headley turned approver and offered detailed testimony, Rana maintained his innocence. Yet, the net around him continued to tighten. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in India, in collaboration with the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), continued to pursue his extradition. Over the years, justice began catching up with others involved in the conspiracy as well. Hafiz Saeed, the founder of LeT and Jamaat-ud-Dawa, and widely considered the mastermind behind the attacks, was sentenced in April 2022 by a Pakistani anti-terrorism court to 31 years in prison on various terror financing charges. He is currently incarcerated in Lahores Kot Lakhpat Jail. Sajid Mir, identified as the chief planner, was convicted in June 2022 and handed a 15-year prison term for terror financing in Pakistan. Operational commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, too, was sentenced in January 2021 to five years in prison for similar charges. Meanwhile, David Headley, who had struck a plea bargain with U.S. authorities, was sentenced in 2013 to 35 years in an American federal prison. Another major player, Abdul Rehman Makkibrother-in-law to Hafiz Saeed and a senior LeT figuredied of a heart attack in December 2024 while being treated in a Lahore hospital. Back in the U.S., the legal battle over Ranas extradition saw several twists. In early March 2025, Justice Elena Kagan of the U.S. Supreme Court denied his plea seeking a stay on the extradition. Though he filed another application before Chief Justice John Roberts, the process had already gained irreversible momentum. Earlier, in February 2025, former President Donald Trump announced that his administration had approved Ranas extradition to India, calling him one of the plotters and very evil people of the world, and adding that he will now face justice in India. With the surrender warrant confirmed, Indian authorities are preparing to bring Rana back. A team of RAW and NIA officials is en route to the U.S. to complete formalities and escort him home. Special high-security cells in Delhi and Mumbai have been readied, although the NIA will likely begin questioning him at its headquarters in the capital. He is expected to be lodged in Tihar Jail under strict security protocols. As this chapter nears a crucial turning point, the wheels of justice turn slowly but surely. Tahawwur Ranas impending extradition stands not only as a critical milestone in the long and painful pursuit of justice for the victims of 26/11 but also as a grim reminder of the global networks and cold calculations that fuel such attacks. For India, it is a moment charged with memory, grief, and long-awaited accountability. Chaos Over Waqf Act: J&K Assembly Adjourned Amid Sloganeering and Sit-In Protest 2 The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was adjourned for three hours on Wednesday following unrelenting chaos in the House over the Waqf Act, marking the third consecutive day of disruption. Lawmakers from both the ruling National Conference (NC) and Opposition BJP clashed over the Speakers repeated refusal to allow a discussion on the controversial Act. The disruption came on the final day of the Budget Session, which began on March 3. Speaker Abdul Rahim Lather once again disallowed the adjournment motion that had been originally moved by NC members and their alliance partners earlier this week. The motion sought immediate discussion on the administration and reforms under the Waqf Act a sensitive and politically charged issue in the region. As the House convened in the morning, NC legislators stormed the Well, demanding the matter be taken up. In a dramatic move, Opposition BJP MLAs, led by Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma, joined the protest, also entering the Well and raising slogans. The confrontation escalated into a sit-in protest, with legislators from both sides accusing each other of politicizing religious institutions for vote-bank politics. Amid the commotion, the Speaker adjourned the session till 1 PM, unable to maintain order. This marks the third straight day the Assembly has failed to function due to uproar over the Waqf issue a matter now threatening to dominate the regions political discourse beyond the walls of the legislature. Huntsville-area real estate agent Ronald "Ronnie" Dumas Jr. has been missing since Sunday, Dec. 15. via Facebook Two of the five people wanted in the suspected abduction of a Huntsville realtor have been arrested. Quintarius Shikelion White, 32, and Kierra Symone Clark, 27, both of Memphis, are both being held in the Shelby County, Tenn. jail, located in Memphis, without bond, according to online records. The two were booked into the jail on Tuesday after being arrested by the U.S. Marshals Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force and Memphis police. They were among five people wanted since February in connection with the disappearance of Ronald Leslie Dumas Jr., 37. White is wanted for first degree kidnapping, while Clark is wanted for conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Dumas was last seen on surveillance footage entering a liquor store with two women on Dec. 15. He left the store with them, appearing unharmed. Dumas car was found on Interstate 40 in Camden, Tenn., on Dec. 16. His phone was also tracked heading south from Memphis on Dec. 21. He was placed on the Alabama Law Enforcement Agencys Missing Persons List as a missing adult on Dec. 23. In February, Huntsville police said investigators had obtained critical new evidence indicating that [Dumas] was abducted. At that time, police issued five warrants in connection with the case, which included White and Clark. Others being sought are: Toure Laron McLaurin, 33, of Memphis, wanted for first degree kidnapping. Sabrina Rochelle Chambers, 27, of Huntsville, wanted for first degree kidnapping. Carissa Cash, 33, of Memphis, wanted for first degree receiving stolen property. Huntsville police are asking that anyone who recognizes or encounters these people to report their whereabouts immediately to local law enforcement. Anyone with information may contact Investigator Gregory Hayden at (256) 427-5485 or provide an anonymous tip by calling (256) 532-7463. An Alabama prison inmate accused of hiring someone to gun down his girlfriend in a Birmingham park posted these words to Facebook moments after deadly shooting: God forgive. Papa dont. Demarcus Chandler, 27, went on trial Tuesday for the murder of 24-year-old Raven Swain. He is charged with capital murder-for-hire in the deadly shooting of Swain, which happened July 28, 2020, in Underwood Park on Birminghams Southside. Jefferson County Circuit Judge Michael Streety is presiding over the trial. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Police contend Chandler, who has a lengthy criminal history and is locked up in state prison on parole violations from previous crimes, hired 28-year-old Solomon Minatee III for $8,000 to kill Swain. Chandler allegedly orchestrated the murder because he believed she had ripped him off while he was in prison. This defendant believes Raven had taken from him, Deputy District Isabella Colombo told the jury of eight women and six men during opening statements Tuesday. This is not something hes going to stand for. This defendant makes sure that shes going to pay. Chandler was also charged in 2024 with conspiracy to commit murder of an Alabama Department of Corrections lieutenant who, at the direction of Birmingham investigators in Swains murder, searched Chandlers cell and found a contraband cell phone authorities said was used to arrange the hit. His charge in that case has been forwarded to a grand jury for indictment consideration. Chandlers attorneys from the Jefferson County Public Defenders Office claim Swains family never liked her dating Chandler and quickly named him to police as the likely person who would want Swain dead with no proof of his involvement. They were unhappy Raven was still talking to Demarcus at the time of her death, said Chandlers attorney, Blair Shores. You will also hear that Raven was making some bad decisions. She was making some risky decisions. She was engaged in a drug deal. The shooting happened just after 7 p.m. that Tuesday night. Swain, who worked at UAB Hospital, was found unresponsive in her Hyundai Sonata, which had rolled into foliage after she was shot. She was slumped over in the drivers seat leaning toward the passengers seat. Her window was rolled down, and she had been shot under the left arm, with the bullets penetrating her heart and lung. Swain was pronounced dead on the scene. Colombo said Swain and Chandler began an unlikely friendship that developed into a very tumultuous, romantic one, after Swains high school boyfriend was killed. The relationship turned physical in 2019. Raven begins to alienate herself from her closest friends, her family begins to see Raven less and less and knows that shes not the same, Colombo said. Demarcus Chandler (Jefferson County Jail) Eventually, Chandler was sent to St. Clair County Correctional Facility, where their relationship continued over various electronic platforms. The prosecutor said Swain and Chandler had significant ups and downs. This defendant begins his plan to take care of Raven, but he knows he cant take care of it himself. So, he enlists help, she said, referring to Minatee. The two come up with a plan to get rid of her. On July 28, Colombo said, Chandler texted Swain, telling her he needed to get the dope and he ultimately directed her to meet someone at the park. At the same time, authorities said, Chandler was also texting Minatee, Im going to call you when she pulls up. Minatee, Colombo said, was dropped off at the park by a friend. Minatee was wearing a distinctive belt and a t-shirt that read, Get your smile on. Gunshots rang out and Swain was dead. Minatees final text to Chandler, Colombo said, was, We need the money. The work is done. The lead detective in the case testified in a preliminary hearing that Chandler told another person, She got what she deserved. Minutes after Swain was killed, Colombo told jurors, Chandler contacted Swains mother, brother, and her two best friends. To Swains mother, Lolita Braxton, Chandler said, Are you looking for Raven? When police arrived on the scene, they quickly developed Chandler as a suspect, knowing he had reached out via cell phone to Swains family and friends almost immediately after the shooting. A lieutenant at the St. Clair prison was asked to go to Chandlers cell and look for a phone. As he enters his cell, Colombo said, this defendant is putting a cell phone in a pipe in an attempt to conceal the contraband that he had, the cell phone he used to orchestrate Ravens murder. The lieutenant continued to work at the prison where Chandler was housed. In August 2024, the officer heard Chandler, and other inmates make remarks about him such as, Why do you keep the lights on at your home, and You got two pickups in your driveway. The lieutenant, also a dog breeder, received a phone call from a woman inquiring about buying a dog. Suspicious, the lieutenant told her if she wanted to buy it, they would need to meet at the Birmingham Police Department. He never heard another word from that female buyer, Colombo said. The lieutenant later heard inmates say, Why do you want to meet at the Birmingham Police Department about that dog? Chandler told the lieutenant, You better listen to them. On Aug. 20, 2024, the lieutenant arrived at his Birmingham-area home to find it and his vehicle damaged by gunfire. No one was injured. Again, Colombo said, a cell phone was recovered and the messages orchestrating the shooting of (the lieutenants) house between Chandler and Justin Hendrix. Hendrix is charged in that crime, as well as an unrelated capital murder that was livestreamed later that night. Solomon Minatee III (BPD) Chandlers attorney in his opening statements told jurors that his client is a scapegoat. You will hear that Solomon Minatee brought a gun to his meeting with Raven. You will hear that Solomon Minatee fired the gun at Raven. You will hear that Solomon killed Raven, Shores said. Before knowing the facts, Ravens family immediately assumes that Demarcus is responsible. They blamed Demarcus without knowing. Shores said theres no evidence Chandler hired Minatee to kill Swain. Theres no text message where he says kill Raven for money, he said. You wont hear any of that. Demarcus did not order anyone to kill Raven. People act tough on social media. People puff up on social media. People exaggerate on social media, Shores said. Acting tough on social media or acting tough on the phone while youre in prison does not make you a killer. Grace Bell Bridges, 69, was shot to death in Dothan in 2010. Police on April 9, 2025, announced an arrest in her murder. (Contributed) An Alabama man has been indicted in the previously unsolved shooting death of a 69-year-old woman during a robbery at a Dothan business. Dothan police on Wednesday announced the indictment and arrest of the 32-year-old man, who was 17 when investigators say he killed Grace Bell Bridges. Because of his age at the time of the murder, police are not releasing his name. Court records identify him as Shonqueze Tyrell Franklin. Franklin has a lengthy criminal record including convictions for robbery, theft and obstruction of justice. The deadly shooting happened March 17, 2010, at Dederts Furniture Store at 966 South Park Avenue. Initially, first responders were dispatched on a medical call but arrived to find the wife and mother of four had been shot one time. She was pronounced dead on the scene. Bridges worked at the family-owned business. The shooting happened between noon and 2:15 p.m. that afternoon. Though investigators quickly surmised she was killed during a robbery, the case went unsolved for more than 15 years despite promising leads. No murder case that is unsolved is ever closed, said Chief Will Benny. Cold cases are regularly reviewed as technology evolves and new investigators are assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division. Benny said investigators, armed with a fresh perspective, went over the evidence and reinterviewed witnesses as a part of the review for this case. After the review, investigators felt they had enough evidence to seek an indictment of the person they believed was responsible for the crime. In consultation with the Houston County District Attorneys Office and District Attorney Russ Goodman, investigators presented their evidence to a Houston County grand jury. That grand jury indicted Franklin Wednesday on a charge of murder. He is being held in the Houston County Jail. While the case had gone unsolved, investigators never gave up in trying to identify Grace Bridges killer and bring them to justice, Benny said. It is our hope that Grace Bridges family can finally feel some semblance of peace knowing her killer has been identified and charged even though we know nothing can bring Grace back. Our thoughts are with Grace Bridges family, the chief said, as they move to the next chapter in their search for justice for Graces death. Multiple University of Alabama at Birmingham programs were praised in a new U.S. News & World Report ranking released Tuesday, which highlighted the schools graduate nursing, medical and engineering programs. U.S. News Rankings of the Best Graduate School programs is designed for students looking to further their education beyond college. According to U.S. News, this years rankings emphasize the results that education can bring and a few new rankings were computed to help students make the best-informed decisions for their careers. UAB placed No. 11 in Best Nursing Graduate programs and tied No. 125 for Best Engineering Graduate programs. UABs Master of Science in Nursing program offers four pathways: Nurse Midwifery, Nurse Practitioner, Health Systems Leader and Accelerated Master of Science in Nursing. Its medical school was ranked as a Tier 2 for research and primary care, and was highly ranked for the number of its graduates who go on to practice in rural areas and amid health care shortages. The publication considers American medical schools on a four-tier system. Other Alabama schools with high marks include Auburn University, which tied No. 84 in Best Nursing programs; the University of Alabama, tied No. 97 for Best Engineering program; and the University of Alabama at Huntsville, tied No. 125 for Best Engineering program. Auburns business graduate program is ranked as No. 73 in the country. We are equipping future graduate students with the information and tools they need to make informed decisions in todays competitive academic landscape, said LaMont Jones, senior editor of education at U.S. News. Our comprehensive graduate school rankings provide students with essential data to make one of the most consequential decisions of their lives. U.S. News remains committed to delivering transparent and data-driven assessments that empower students to find their perfect academic match. As students research course offerings and weigh schools attributes, they can use the information provided by the U.S. News website to compare concrete factors, such as student-faculty ratio and job placement success. The rankings are just a tool to supplement not substitute for careful thought and individual inquiry. Breonna Atkins is a senior at Carver High School in Birmingham and a reporting intern at AL.com through the Birmingham Promise program. After months of deliberation, Alabama lawmakers plan to put $375 million toward high-needs schools in the state, part of a broader effort to overhaul school funding. The Renewing Alabamas Investment in Student Excellence (RAISE) Act, SB305, would begin to send extra funds to schools based on student needs. Currently, schools state funding is determined by headcount, with districts getting about $7,700 per student. Lawmakers plan to begin funding increases to districts with: Economically disadvantaged students: up to 20% in additional funding Students with disabilities: 25%, 50% or 150% in additional funding English learners: up to 15% in additional funding, plus up to 5% more in districts with high concentrations of EL students Gifted students: up to 5% in additional funding Charter school students: up to 10% in additional funding, depending on local tax revenue Lawmakers approved the legislation, along with another bill authorizing the transfer of funds from a reserve account, in a Senate committee April 9. If the bill becomes law, some schools could get more funding in the 2025-26 school year. Its a challenge, and the research shows that to educate children in those particular areas, it certainly costs more money, Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, the budget sponsor, told committee members Wednesday, noting that some groups may need up to $1,000 more per student to see notable growth. We want to help, but its going to be a journey. We cant flip a switch and do what we would like to do But if you dont start, you wont get there. The program came out of several discussions this year to revise the states decades-old Foundation Program, which is one of few models in the country that still assigns funds based solely on student headcount. Lawmakers considered plans for a totally new, student weighted model but ultimately opted for a hybrid formula, which would keep the states current process for funding teachers and classrooms intact while adding extra allocations for particular student groups. The RAISE Act would let legislators add other student groups to the formula or tweak funding weights in the future. If approved, an initial $100 million will go to the program this fiscal year, with increasing amounts in successive years. Lawmakers plan to prepay three years worth of funding, to a total of $375 million in current legislation. We dont want to pull the rug from beneath them, Orr said, urging caution against giving schools too much money too quickly. The bill requires school districts to submit plans showing how the funds would be used and to report on student outcomes. It also will create two state-level boards to monitor progress and enforce any corrective actions. The program is part of a broader $9.9 billion education budget package for fiscal year 2026. Lawmakers on Wednesday didnt make any changes to the overall amount of the Education Trust Fund, but shifted some funds between agencies and trusts to account for new programs. Lawmakers also plan to establish a $100 million grant program for career technical education through a different technology fund. Among the key changes in proposed education funding: $58 million to local schools to administer the RAISE Act $9.6 million for a new parental leave program $4.25 million more for public four-year colleges and universities $2.5 million for a new mental health telecounseling program $2.5 million more for the Department of Mental Healths Intellectually Disabled Program $2 million more for community colleges $1.7 million more for rural dentistry and health care training $1.7 million to fund ReEngage Alabama, a program for students going back to college $1 million more for the Department of Youth Services $700,000 more for a workers compensation fund $600,000 more for child care and after school programs through the Department of Human Resources $500,000 more for school safety mapping efforts $3.8 million less for AMSTI $8 million less for TEAMS It is possible that the new package will head to the Senate floor as soon as April 10, lawmakers said. Brittany Ohman, an advisor for the Hope Squad, talks with Cutter Wasylow and another student during a Hope Squad class at Rigby High School in Rigby, Idaho on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. John Roark Four years ago, a sixth grader in Rigby, Idaho, shot and injured two peers and a custodian at a middle school. The tragedy prompted school officials to reimagine what threat prevention looks like in the approximately 6,500-student district. Now, student-run Hope Squads in Rigby schools uplift peers with homemade cards and assemblies. Volunteer fathers patrol hallways as part of Dads on Duty. A team of district staff, counselors, social workers and probation officers gathers to discuss and support struggling students. Thanks to a new cell phone ban, students are off screens and talking to each other. The positive results of these combined efforts have been measurable. Weve helped change lives, said Brianna Vasquez, a senior at Rigby High and member of her schools Hope Squad. Ive had friends who have been pulled out of the hole of depression and suicidal thoughts because of (the Hope Squad). School shootings like Rigbys have driven Americas educators to try to prevent similar harm. Many districts in the U.S. have turned to technology especially digital surveillance as the antidote. Not everyone is sold on that approach, as there can be issues, including with privacy and security. Without broad agreement on which strategies do work best, some districts are trying a braided approach using a combination of technology, on-the-ground threat assessment teams, and other mental health supports. Read more from this series: School surveillance. If youre sitting in the shoes of a district leader, taking a multi-pronged approach is probably very sensible, says Jennifer DePaoli, a senior researcher at the Learning Policy Institute, who has studied school safety. Its all about culture In Rigby, educators lean toward human interaction. Artificial intelligence and digital surveillance systems are perhaps less likely to identify who is eating alone at lunch or withdrawing from friends. Its all about culture, said Chad Martin, the superintendent of Jefferson County School District in Rigby. It starts with that just having a friend, having a group of friends, having a connection somewhere. Rigby school leaders use technology to detect threats, including an app, STOPit, which allows students to anonymously report safety concerns, and surveillance software that monitors students keystrokes and looks out for troubling terms. Martin said those are helpful, but must be used in concert with human-led initiatives. The districts version of a threat assessment team, which meets monthly, has been one of the most impactful tools, Martin said. In those group conversations, school staff may realize that a student whos been missing class has a parent who was recently arrested, for example. Everybody has a little piece of information, Martin said. So the goal is to put those people in the same room and be able to paint a picture that can help us support kids. Although Idaho does not mandate the use of in-school threat assessment teams, 11 states in the U.S. do. In 2024, the National Center for Education Statistics reported that 71% of U.S. public schools have a threat assessment team in place. A leading model, used by thousands of school districts, is the Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines. These were developed by forensic clinical psychologist Dewey Cornell after he spent years studying homicides committed by children or teens, including school shootings. He says digital surveillance technology can offer school districts an illusion of safety and security. With CSTAG, school-based teams use a five-step process when threats emerge. The team includes a school administrator, a counselor or psychologist, a social worker, a staff member focused on special education, and a school resource officer. In serious situations, the group might suspend or move a student elsewhere while conducting mental health screenings, a law enforcement investigation, and development of a safety plan. Ultimately, that plan would be put into effect. If implemented correctly, Cornell says, this type of approach is less punitive and more rooted in intervention. Instead of relying only on technology, Cornell and his threat assessment guidelines recommend adding humans who can make decisions with schools as situations emerge. He points to a recent study in Florida, one of the states where threat assessment teams are mandatory. Threats investigated by those teams resulted in low rates of school removal and very low rates of law enforcement actions, according to the report authored by Cornell and fellow University of Virginia researchers. If youre a school counselor and you can work with a troubled kid and help get them on the right track, youre not just preventing a school shooting, but youre more likely to be preventing a shooting that would occur somewhere else and maybe years in the future, he says. Threat assessment teams whether using the CSTAG model or another form havent been immune from scrutiny. Complaints have emerged about them operating without student or parent knowledge, or without staff members to represent children with special needs. Criticism has also included concern about discrimination against Black and Hispanic students. DePaoli, from the Learning Policy Institute, says more research is needed to determine whether they successfully identify threats and provide students with appropriate support. She suspects it boils down to implementation. If you are being required to do these, you need to be doing them with so much training and so much support, she says. The intersection of tech and human connection The Jordan School District in Utah uses the CSTAG model. Travis Hamblin, director of student services, credits the human connection with strengthening the districts approach to handling threats and, as a result, boosting student safety and well-being. Earlier this school year, the district received an alert through Bark, a digital monitoring tool that scans students school-issued Google suite accounts. It flagged a middle schoolers account, which contained a hand drawn picture of a gun that had been uploaded. The notification mobilized the schools threat assessment team. By using the CSTAG decision-making process, the team determined the student did not intend any harm, Hamblin says. The school leaders didnt unnecessarily escalate the situation, he says. After their assessment, they chalked it up to middle school immaturity and asked the student to avoid such drawings in the future. When you say, Why did you do that? And they say, I dont know. Thats the truth, right? Thats the gospel truth, Hamblin says. He shares this example to illustrate how the district marries technology-related monitoring with human-led threat assessment. The district employs someone such as a former school administrator and counselor to field the Bark alerts and communicate with school staff. And administrators from every school in the district have undergone threat assessment training, along with select members of their staff. A digital tool for us is a tool. Its not the solution, Hamblin says. We believe that people are the solution. Efforts in Idaho In Rigby, one of those solution people is Ernie Chavez, whose height makes him stick out in a hallway streaming with middle schoolers. Hes part of Dads on Duty, a program that brings in parents to help monitor and interact with students during passing periods and lunch. Throughout the school, students reach out to Chavez for high-fives. On one February afternoon, he was greeted with applause and cheers. I dont know what that was about, he said with a smile. Similarly, the districts Hope Squads, in place since 2021, have become an active presence inside the school. The student-led coalitions aim to foster connection and reduce the risk of suicide. Thousands of schools across the United States and in Canada have implemented Hope Squads, but in Rigby, the mission of violence prevention has become personal. We refer students every year to counselors, and those students go from some of the worst moments in their life (to getting help), Vasquez said. We build the connection between adults and faculty to the student. Members of the Hope Squad notice peers who seem down or isolated and reach out with a greeting, or sometimes a handmade card. We just reach out and let them know that people in the community are there for them, just to show them that we care and theyre not alone, said Dallas Waldron, a Rigby High senior and Hope Squad member. The groups also plan assemblies and special events, including, for example, a week of activities themed around mental health awareness. Emilie Raymond, a sophomore at Rigby High, said the shooting made it clear that people need to feel included and they need to find that hope. Another change at Rigby schools is a cell phone ban that was put in place this school year. Before the ban, students were sitting in the corners, isolated, staring at a screen, said Ryan Erikson, Principal at Rigby Middle School. Now, theyre playing games, theyre goofing off theyre actually conversing. While Jefferson County School Districts approach to stemming violence is robust, its not perfect, Martin, the superintendent, said. Its still life. Thats just the reality of it, were still going to have things come up that we havent prepared for or werent on our radar. But we address them and just try to do whatever we can to support kids. This story was reported by Idaho Education News and The Christian Science Monitor. The Education Reporting Collaborative, a coalition of eight newsrooms, is investigating the unintended consequences of AI-powered surveillance at schools. Members of the Collaborative are AL.com, The Associated Press, The Christian Science Monitor, The Dallas Morning News, The Hechinger Report, Idaho Education News, The Post and Courier in South Carolina, and The Seattle Times. Alabama State Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest, reads the ingredients of a THC-infused beverage during a public hearing before the Alabama House Health Committee on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at the Statehouse in Montgomery, Ala. John Sharp A bill to regulate and tax gummies, drinks, and other products containing chemicals derived from hemp was approved Tuesday by the Health Committee in the Alabama House. It is one of several bills lawmakers have discussed this year about products containing THC and CBD from hemp, a form of the same plant as marijuana. THC is the ingredient in marijuana that makes people high. Variations of the chemical are sometimes called Delta 8, Delta 9, and Delta 10. The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest, said the consumables containing THC are dangerous intoxicants that are sometimes marketed for children and teens, even though it is illegal to sell them to people younger than 19. Speaking to the committee Tuesday, Whitt noted an AL.com story that the hemp-derived THC-infused seltzer brand Herbal Oasis is expanding sales into convenience stores, grocery stores, and other locations throughout Alabama and the Florida panhandle starting in late March. Whitt said that was an example of the growing availability of the products and that it reinforced the need to impose restrictions. For one thing, his bill would restrict sales to licensed stores that do not allow people younger than 21 to enter. I think we need to get this genie back in its bottle and get our guardrails up and get them in place ASAP, Whitt said. The Health Committee approved the bill on a voice vote with no opposition. The committees vote follows a public hearing that drew an overflow crowd last week. Advocates for the industry said they favor some regulations, including no sales to minors, but said Whitts bill went too far and would undermine an industry that provides products that are safer than alcohol to responsible adult users. Whitts bill would require the Alcoholic Beverage and Control Board to license and regulate the companies that make the products, as well as wholesalers and the retail stores that sell them. Sales would be limited to stores that prohibit entry to people younger than 21. Bart Fletcher, president of Petroleum and Convenience Marketers of Alabama, said it would be unfair to take the products out of convenience stores. Unfortunately, I think that convenience stores can become an easy target because, like any industry, there are some convenience stores out there that might make sales that we all wish didnt happen, Fletcher said. But its unfair, I think, to lump the entire industry into that classification and say were going to preclude the 95% of the responsible retailers out there from retailing these highly sought after products simply because of the 5%. Fletcher said his organization, which represents companies that own, operate or supply more than 4,000 stores in Alabama, support reasonable regulations, taxation, age restrictions, and fines for those who sell to minors. We want to play by the rules, Fletcher said. But once you set the rules, lets let all responsible retailers participate in the retail sale of the products. The bill would impose a 7% excise tax on the products. Manufacturers and wholesalers would pay annual license fees of $5,000, and retailers would pay a $1,000 annual fee. The bill would place a cap on THC content for edibles, beverages, and other consumable products. Packages would be child-resistant and could not be designed to appeal to minors. Labels would have to show all ingredients and the THC content, as well as carry warnings saying that the products are not safe for those younger than 21, pregnant, or breastfeeding and that they may impair the ability to drive or operate machinery. Manufacturers would have to submit samples of their products to certified labs and receive certificates of analysis. The bill would impose fines, license suspensions, and license revocations for retailers that sell to people under 21. Rep. Jeremy Gray, D-Opelika, suggested forming an economic impact study on regulations of the industry. Some advocates had said the same at last weeks public hearing, saying that lawmakers should not rush through legislation on a complex topic. Punishing adults who choose to use these products legally and responsibly should not be the answer, Carmelo Parasiliti II, CEO and founder of Green Acres Organic Pharms, told the committee at last weeks hearing. Others, however, said they would like to see the products banned. The approval by the Health Committee puts the bill in position for consideration by the full House. Whitt said he hopes that could happen this week. Sama Bajgani has come forward on social media to share her familys experience in the wake of her fiance being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement a few weeks ago. These past few days have been some of the hardest and most overwhelming Ive ever experienced, Bajgani wrote Monday in a post to Facebook. Ive spent countless hours on the phone with Alireza, trying to make sure he has everything he needs and that he feels heard and understood. These past few days have been some of the hardest and most overwhelming Ive ever experienced. Ive spent countless... Posted by Sama Ebrahimi Bajgani on Monday, April 7, 2025 Doroudi, a mechanical engineering doctoral student at the University of Alabama, was detained by ICE at 5 a.m. on March 25 in his home, as AL.com previously reported. After being detained, he was sent to Pickens County Jail before eventually being sent to a federal detention center in Jena, Louisiana. The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement alleging Doroudi was detained because he was a national security concern. But his attorney David Rozas said recently that the department has not provided any evidence to support this claim. There is also no evidence that Doroudi was a part of any pro-Palestinian protest movements on campus, as other international students have been targeted by the Trump administration for espousing views critical of Israel. Alireza isnt just an outstanding student but also an extraordinary individual, Bajgani wrote in a GoFundMe set up to help cover Doroudis legal expenses. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to each of you for your generous donations and unwavering support for this crucial cause. The page raised over $25,000 before Bajgani closed donations. In a March 30 update to donors, she said Doroudi had an F-1 visa unexpectedly revoked six months after he came to the United States. As soon as he got the revocation email, he inquired with the university officials, who assured him that his student status would remain valid, allowing him to continue his studies at the University of Alabama legally, Bajgani said. She previously described Doroudis arrest to AL.com as a traumatizing experience and said in her post this week that it has pushed us past our limits. She went on to thank those who have reached out for their support. Some incredibly kind people sent him [Doroudi] letters - and he received them, she wrote. He told me hes going to keep them close. I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart, on his behalf, for your support and kindness. These letters reminded us that were not alone - that were cared for and supported, she continued. Last week, more than 100 people protested Doroudis detainment outside of the Richard Shelby Federal Courthouse in Tuscaloosa with chants like, Say it once. Say it twice. Free Doroudi. No more ICE! AL.com reporter Williesha Morris contributed to this report. It all began with concerns over beavers. As the conversation progressed, concerns about flooded city streets shifted to worries about falling leaves and tree roots clogging the ditches. The solutions proposed by council members on Tuesday ranged from the simplejust unclog the ditchesto the much more costly idea of spending hundreds of millions of dollars to overhaul Mobiles drainage system. But as Mobile leaders gathered in one of the rainiest cities in the U.S., just two days after torrential downpours flooded parts of downtown and midtown, the focus of their discussion turned to how best to prepare for future storms of even greater intensity. Its a huge challenge, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson said. Focus on boring The storm on Sunday had dropped 8-9 inches of rain on the city, leaving the newly rehabilitated Broad Street submerged. Portions of historic Leinkauf neighborhood resembled a flowing river and reports of cars being stuck in the flood waters were common throughout the city. Councilman Ben Reynolds emphasized the need for prioritizing drainage issues, even if they are considered boring. He cited the extensive damage suffered by St. Petersburg, Fla., from Hurricane Helene and Milton last fall. According to media reports, the City of St. Petersburg incurred at least $247.3 million in costs associated with debris collection efforts. Reynolds, though, said the property damages within the city are significant and illustrate a worry for other coastal cities in an era of destructive storms. The problem is we need to go after large sums of money to address major infrastructure projects, Reynolds said, urging city officials to avoid chasing more exciting projects like the $300 million Mobile Civic Center development and focus on the more boring aspects of being a municipal leader that includes rebuilding drainage systems. What we saw (Sunday) should serve as a warning, he said. It was a rain event. It was a deluge. We have four to five a year, but it only takes one to wipe out a familys house. Just one. Beaver nuisance Mobile city leaders continue to wrestle with how best to treat nuisance beavers that create dams that can lead to street flooding. (AP Photo/Manuel Valdes) ORG XMIT: WAMV111 AP AP Councilman William Carroll urged city leaders to address nuisance beavers and the inundation of leaves into the citys drains which he believes adds to the problem of flooded streets. His concerns about the beavers, which can build dams that can lead to flooded roads, come about one month after the council approved a three-year $13,000 annual contract with Waylon Wildlife Services LLC to trap the animals. The company has 23 traps set up throughout Mobile. Alabama state law prevents the company from re-locating the beavers. The company, instead, reportedly kills the animals because of its inability to have beavers relocated. Animal rights groups have emerged in recent weeks to raise concerns over the treatment of beavers, and to urge the city to consider alternatives. The city is considering installing so-called beaver deceivers that could cost taxpayers anywhere from $45,000 to $70,000, and includes building a hidden extended culvert into a waterway meant to confuse the animals. The costs are aimed at keeping beavers from clogging up ditches in areas where Waylons Wildlife Service is monitoring. Unclogging drains Carroll also urged city officials to monitor the downtown areas drains to make sure they were not clogged with leaves and other debris. However, Stimpson said the problem with downtowns drainage system is far bigger than leaves. Stimpson pointed to a specific problem on Church Street, between Jackson and Joachim streets, where drains are completely clogged with tree roots. As we continue to plant trees on top of storm drains, what happens, is the roots are seeking water, Stimpson said. If there is a slight crack in the pipe, the root grows into it. He said the problem is citywide, and not just in the downtown area. The mayor said he is hoping to present the council soon with modifications to the citys tree ordinance that will prevent plantings near storm drains and inlets. If we dont change our practices, from a maintenance standpoint, I dont know if we can ever keep up with it, he said. Different approaches Councilman Joel Daves said he doesnt believe there is much the city can do to resolve some of the flooding without spending an exorbitant amount of money to do so. Im 100 percent behind doing what we can with modest expenses to address it but we will never, ever eliminate flooding in these flood prone areas when we have rains like we did Sunday night, Daves said. Reynolds said a modest approach to the problem isnt going to resolve it. Reynolds acknowledged the high cost of addressing drainage problems, citing a $20 million project in his district that alleviated flooding issues. The City of Mobile allocated $32 million for its Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for fiscal year 2025, which began last September. The program focuses on enhancing public infrastructure, including drainage. Its a matter of priorities and where we spend the money, he said, adding that he was concerned what Sundays storm represented. This wasnt even a hurricane, he said. We need to re-evaluate our priorities going forward and improve our infrastructure in the city. The grassroots effort to relocate the Hermit Hut in Fairhope is halfway to its goal. The Fairhope Single Tax Corporation, a non-profit entity that owns about 4,500 acres of land in and around the city, is pledging $184,500 or half of the $369,000 goal to get the concrete hut relocated. The pledge is contingent on the other half being raised through community fundraising. The project involves moving the domed, concrete hut from a commercial complex off U.S. 98 in Fairhope to the more tranquil setting at Flying Creek Nature Preserve, a 72-acre parcel of mostly forested property north of the city. The fundraising announcement came Wednesday from the Tolstoy Park Committee, named after the 2005 book, The Poet of Tolstoy Park, written by Fairhope resident Sonny Brewer. The book is based on the real-life story of Henry James Stuart, the man who built the hut by hand nearly a century ago. Brewer, co-chairman of the Tolstoy Park Committee, told AL.com he was elated and encouraged by the announcement, adding that he was more confident we will get Henrys round house back to the woods where he wants to be. Relocating Tolstoy Park to the Flying Creek Nature Preserve will not only save Henry Stuarts round house, but it will also keep alive his good story that has resonated with readers from all over the country for two decades, Brewer said in a statement. It will present educational and cultural opportunities and draw people outdoors to Fairhopes newest and beautiful nature park. Fairhope leaders have supported the move, contingent on raising the necessary funds. City leaders hope the hut can serve as a key attraction within the 104-acre nature preserve that is being developed into a nature and educational center. Richard Scott, co-chairman of the committee, said hes hopeful that local support can match the contribution to get the century-old architectural gem preserved for future generations. The hut was the creation of Stuart, whose story is highlighted in Brewers book and diary entries. In his late 60s, Stuart built the hurricane-resistant hut by hand in 1925 and 1926, shortly after relocating to Fairhope after leaving his home in Idaho. At the time of this move, Stuart had been diagnosed with tuberculosis and was encouraged to relocate to a warmer climate by his physician. He was given only one year to live. Stuart lived in the hut until 1944, leaving Fairhope at 88 to spend his final years in Oregon. Though dubbed a hermit, Stuart welcomed over 1,300 visitors to his unique home, including famed attorney Clarence Darrow, who visited six times. The hut and Stuarts property was named Tolstoy Park, after the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy whose philosophy of simplicity and harmony resonated with him. Brewer first discovered the house in 1982 and became immersed in Stuarts words while restoring the hut. He wrote much of his novel while living inside the structure. Since the novels release, the hut has become a popular roadside attraction, drawing thousands of visitors each year. In November last year, 160 people signed onto the visitors log. Brewer has been giving talks in hopes of encouraging fundraising to get the hut relocated. He said he has scheduled presentations for April 24 at the Fairhope Public Library, May 31 at the Fairhope Museum of History and June 22 at the Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship. Brewer said he recently met with 50 women who were visiting the city and were part of a book club and who wanted to visit Stuarts house. They were familiar with the hut and Brewers novel but unaware of efforts to relocate the structure. The opportunities are here and there to get the word out farther and wider to anyone everywhere, Brewer said. Were spreading the word and seeing what happens. Three Alabama lawmakers who sponsored a bill to require pornographic websites to use age verification received letters today containing pornographic images. Rep. Ben Robbins, R-Sylacauga, said the images came in a manila envelope found on their desks this morning. Robbins said Reps. Susan DuBose of Hoover and David Faulkner of Mountain Brook, who co-sponsored the bill last year, also received the envelopes. Robbins said the sender was apparently trying to show that such images can still be found on social media despite their bill, which passed and became law. Robbins said the senders attempt at harassment will not work. I am always going to do whats right to protect Alabamas children, Robbins said. Nothing can intimidate me or make me back down. I will continue to fight for our children. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is investigating the letters, which included a name and return address of a P.O. Box in Dothan. ALEA said in a press release that each letter included a number of pornographic images. Special agents with the State Bureau of Investigation responded to the Alabama State House about 9:14 a.m. Wednesday. They have identified a person of interest in the investigation. The bill, HB164, signed into law by Gov. Kay Ivey a year ago, says: Any commercial entity that knowingly and intentionally publishes or distributes sexual material harmful to minors through an adult website shall use a reasonable age-verification method to provide reasonable assurance that individuals under 18 years of age cannot access the material harmful to minors. In 2011, opponents of Alabama's anti-immigration law (HB 56) listened at an event in Birmingham. Tamika Moore This is an opinion column. Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. excerpt from Deuteronomy 4:6 Rep. Ernie Yarbrough touts that scripture on his website. In context, its not a decree of what is but what would be if the nation Israel, in this case observes Gods laws. This precedes the excerpt: Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, Surely .. see above. During the current legislative session, Yarbrough, R-Trinity, is pushing a bill that would allow state and local police to proffer partnerships with federal law enforcement officers who have more authority to arrest and detain people who may be undocumented immigrants (Put a pin in the latter). All under the guise of protecting you and me. The bill, Yarbrough told the House Judiciary Committee last week, simply allows that partnership to take place just to address safety in our communities. Surely, Yarbrough knows safetys got nothing to do with what he and other Alabama Republicans are trying to do that theres not a smidgen of correlation between undocumented immigrants and threats to public safety. The American Immigration Council writes: A robust body of research shows that welcoming immigrants into American communities not only does not increase crime but can actually strengthen public safety. In fact, immigrants including undocumented immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than the U.S.-born. Studying the percentage of immigrants in the U.S. between 1980 and 2022 (the most recent year available), it notes: While the immigrant population share grew from 6.2% to 13.9%, the crime rate fell from 5,900 crimes per 100,000 people to 2,335 crimes per 100,000 people. The violent crime rate fell by 34.5 percent; the property crime rate fell by 63.3 percent. The data the truth doesnt change with studies focused on the undocumented. According to the National Library of Medicine at the National Center for Biotechnology Information, undocumented immigration does not increase violence. Rather, the relationship between undocumented immigration and violent crime is generally negative. On Feb. 24, 2024, Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at the University of Georgia, was accosted while jogging near campus and tragically murdered by Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old undocumented Venezuelan citizen who entered the United States in 2022. Ibarra was convicted of a plethora of crimes, including felony murder. He is serving life in prison without the possibility of parole. Since the heinous crime was committed, Republicans have exploited it and Rileys memory to embolden Donald Trumps ungodly deportation edict. To justify yanking brown and foreign people from our streets, from their jobs, from their homes, from near their college campus, and soon, youll see from their secondary schools, detaining them and shipping them to another state or nation without a whiff of due process. With a blatant, arrogant and haughty disregard for that fundamental, once-sacred tenet of our democracy. You have the right to All under the guise of safety in our communities. Of protecting you and me. Its a lie. Surely Yarbrough knows. His bill would also allow local officers to inquire about a persons immigration status even if theyve not been charged with a crime, something they cannot currently do because all immigration enforcement lies with the folks at ICE. The federal agency now-weaponized as Trumps henchmen. Hoss Mack, executive director of the Alabama Sheriffs Association, seems almost giddy at the new flexibility: If you had a reasonable suspicion or probable cause that the person was illegal, then you can travel down the immigration issue without an adjacent criminal charge, he said last week. A reasonable suspicion. Think about that. Hey, you look undocumented Now think about it as if youre a brown person or foreign student in Alabama. Surely, Yarbrough knows of detener y revisar. Okay, maybe he hasnt. Translation: Stop and frisk. Most innocently, stop and frisk is a non-intrusive police tactic that allows an officer to pat down someone if they reasonably believe the person is armed. Yet the tactic was far from innocently deployed. In New York more than a decade ago, it was utilized to unreasonably target men of color. In 2010, it was reported that more than 80 percent of the citys 601,055 police stops involved mostly young Black and Latino men. The vast majority of those stopped were never charged with a crime. Under public pressure, stops tumbled precipitously (93 percent) between 2011 and 2014. Guess what? So did serious crimes, including murders and shootings. Surely, Yarbrough knows this. Surely, too, the 43-year-old Yarbrough is familiar with HB 56. He was 29 when the horrific anti-brown-immigrant legislation was signed into law in June of 2011. The law essentially gave police officers carte blanche to reasonably assess someones citizenship status if there was a reasonable suspicion they were undocumented. It also allowed for a whole lot of other unreasonable harassment of brown people, such as demanding that secondary public school officials determine the citizenship status of a student they are required to educate. The courts, thankfully, flushed the whole thing as not just lacking compassion and understanding, but also unconstitutional before it could go into effect. Yet its stench still lingers. Surely, Yarbroughs gotten a whiff. Surely, he smelled the reek of anti-brown immigrant bills wafting through the state capital since the start of this legislative session and tasted the stink of HB 56 resurrected under the guise of protecting you and me. Those new bills, opponents profess, conflict with scripture. Including the one Yarbrough touts the one declaring that many will hear about all these decrees and say If his bill and others in its stalking horse, unfounded vein are enacted and Trumps hellish deportation command continues, many will undoubtedly say: Surely this nation or this state are not great, nor are their people wise or understanding. Surely. Lets be better tomorrow than we are today. My column appears on AL.com, and digital editions of The Birmingham News, Huntsville Times, and Mobile Press-Register. Tell me what you think at rjohnson@al.com, and follow me at twitter.com/roysj, Instagram @roysj and BlueSky. Birmingham residents will soon be able to visit the zoos newest pride and joy -- Spruce, a mountain lion cub from California. Spruce was rescued in Portola Valley, San Mateo County in January along with his siblings, Fern and Thistle, according to a release from the Birmingham Zoo. The cubs have received care from Oakland Zoos Veterinary Hospital and animal care staff since then. While the location of Fern and Thistles new homes has yet to be determined, the decision to relocate Spruce to Birmingham was made last month based on the personalities of both Spruce and his companion, a female rescue cub named Juniper. He [Spruce] and Juniper have already had positive interactions under the guidance of Birmingham Zoo and Oakland Zoo animal care professionals, Chris Pfefferkorn, President and CEO of the Birmingham Zoo, said in the release. The cougar cubs, along with the two adult bobcats, live in a new facility designed to allow the cats to explore and exhibit natural behaviors. Oakland and Birmingham Zoo collaborated with FedEx to safely transport Spruce to Memphis, Tenn last week. FedEx donated the transportation costs for Spruce as part of the companys FedEx Cares Delivering for Good initiative, the release says. Over the past month, the animal care staff at Oakland Zoo have used positive reinforcement training with Spruce to help him become comfortable with the crate he would travel in. The keepers at Oakland Zoo reported to the Birmingham Zoo that he did an amazing job shifting into the crate for his early morning flight last Friday. From there, he traveled over three hours by car to his new home. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) believes the mother of Fern, Thistle, and Spruce was the same female lion hit by a car on Portola Valley Road about 0.3 miles from where the three cubs were found. While there were many witnesses of the mountain lion after it was hit, the carcass has since disappeared and is still being investigated, according to the release. We are excited that a wonderful home has been found for Spruce, Nik Dehejia, CEO of Oakland Zoo, said in the release. Though we are quick to respond when called into action, we hope measures will be implemented to prevent Oakland Zoo from needing to rescue these animals so often in the future. Coexistence is essential for the survival of this species, he continued. Spruce and Juniper will remain in their night house as they acclimate to their new surroundings, according to the release. Once they have settled, they will move into the full Birmingham Zoos Wojciechowski Cougar Crossing Habitat, which opened to the public on March 19th. Guests will learn about these amazing animals and their species, and we look forward to watching them thrive together at the Birmingham Zoo, Pfefferkorn said. The release added that Birmingham and Oakland Zoo will update their followers on social media when that occurs. For more information on Spruce and Juniper, visit the Birmingham Zoo website. The sanctioned homeless encampment on Derrick Street in Huntsville, where a fire broke out Sept. 17, 2024. The city is temporarily relocating residents while it conducts a cleanup and "reset" of the site. John R. Roby Members of Huntsvilles homeless population are expected to return to the camp on Derrick Street within the next few weeks. Thats when renovations will be complete, Community Development Director Scott Erwin told the Huntsville City Council last month. The camp has been shut down since it was damaged by a fire on Sept. 17. The residents were moved to an adjacent site about 50 yards north of the camp at Derrick Street and Hall Avenue across from Glenwood Cemetery following the fire. See story: Huntsville plans cleanup and reset at fire-damaged homeless camp - al.com See story: Fire destroys large homeless encampment in Huntsville: How can I help? - al.com The temporary camp occupants will be returned to the new camp or they may receive assistance to transition to an emergency shelter, Erwin said. Mayor Tommy Battle said Erwins department has done yeomans work trying to get the camp back into shape, making it a safe place and a sanitary place. The mayor said the camp has been the subject of misinformation following the fire. Erwin said crews have been clearing the site of all of the hazardous debris, trees, brush and other materials. He said the fire left the camp very unsafe and unsanitary. The renovated site now contains a new, hard surface pad that will soon be equipped with a metal privacy fence as well as entry ways for emergency vehicle access, Erwin said. It will have 84 identified spaces with each space to be provided with a tent and a designated area for their belongings. Erwin said the city conducted listening sessions with the unsheltered population where the top concerns were safety and security around the camp. The renovated Derrick Street camp will provide a safe and secure location for the unsheltered to reside while they move toward a more permanent housing solution, Erwin said. He said local organizations are providing resources to help the unsheltered find those solutions. Huntsville is believed to have about 540 unhoused people, based on an estimate in January 2024 from the North Alabama Coalition for the Homeless. That number includes people in shelters and those not living in shelters. First Stop, a non-profit working with the unsheltered, reported to AL.com as having seen 600 new clients from November to February, See story: Homeless crisis in Huntsville? Nonprofit sees 600 new clients in just 4 months - al.com A top Alabama congressman is predicting U.S. Space Command will announce its pending relocation to Huntsville this month. In an interview Tuesday with Auburn Universitys Cyber Focus podcast, Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said contractors are ready to turn dirt the day the announcement is made. I expect sometime during the month of April that Space Command will officially be assigned to build its headquarters in Huntsville, Rogers told Frank Cilluffo, director of the McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security. Here is full coverage of the Space Command move We do expect it to be announced right after the Air Force Secretary is named. President Donald Trump has nominated Troy Meink to be Air Force secretary. Meink, who served as director of the National Reconnaissance Office since 2020, had a confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee in late March. No date for a confirmation vote has been set. The U.S. Air Force named the arsenal the preferred location in 2021 for a permanent headquarters for the newly formed Space Command. Space Command will officially be assigned to build its headquarters in Huntsville. - @RepMikeRogersAL On our Cyber Focus podcast, @HASCRepublicans' Chairman Mike Rogers says the announcement moving U.S. Space Command back to Alabama is expected this month, with construction pic.twitter.com/BFCBvwOx6J McCrary Institute (@McCraryCyber) April 9, 2025 The command had been temporarily housed at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo. which is still its location after President Joe Bidens 2023 decision for it to remain there rather than move it to Alabama. Space Command is charged with defending space and delivering space capabilities to joint and combined U.S. and allied forces. Locating the command in Huntsville would bring at least 1,600 new jobs, AL.com has reported. Rogers said the presidents call for a Golden Dome missile defense system would likely leverage public and private industry in the Rocket City. Golden Dome refers to Trumps vision for beefing up space-based sensors and interceptors to counter and deter a variety of ballistic and hypersonic missile attacks. Numerous defense firms with operations in north Alabama stand to benefit from contracting around Golden Dome, AL.com has reported. Obviously, this would be exactly in the wheelhouse of Huntsville, Rogers said. They are the leader in missile defense, and they are growing in the space mission. Rogers also renewed his call for the U.S. to increase defense spending to the neighborhood of 5% of GDP. He described the current level around 2.9% -- as dangerously low. When you look historically, that 4-5% range is kind of the healthy area that you can count on your military to be ready to be successful and more importantly, to deter aggression, he said. President Trump announced Monday that the Pentagon budget for Fiscal Year 2026 would be in the vicinity of $1 trillion. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth later appeared to confirm that in a post on the social media site X, COMING SOON: the first TRILLION dollar @DeptofDefense budget. A $1 trillion Defense budget would represent about 3.3% of U.S. GDP, which was $29.7 trillion last year. The seven candidates running for mayor of Mobile have raised over $800,000 this year, four months before a single vote will be cast. Yet over 71% of those dollars have gone to just two of those in the running: Former District Judge Spiro Cheriogotis and Mobile County Commissioner Connie Hudson, according to an AL.com analysis of Fair Campaign Practices Act data from the Alabama Secretary of States office. Related: Out-of-state donations help Randall Woodfin to early campaign cash lead in Birmingham mayors race Municipal elections will be held Aug. 26 in most Alabama cities. Campaign finance data shows at least one candidate has raised or spent money in 42 cities. The race for Mobiles top office is Alabamas most competitive and expensive municipal election at least so far. Three-term Mayor Sandy Stimpson is not seeking re-election. Thanks to a change passed earlier this year, the next person to hold the office will take home a state-high salary of $195,000. [Cant see the table? Click here] Cheriogotis leads in funds raised between Jan. 1 and March 31, with $384,446.88. His campaign spent $14,751.32 in March and finished the month with $361,215.30 in the bank. His largest single contributor is the South Alabamians For Good Government PAC, which gave a total of $15,500 across three donations in March. Those are the PACs only recorded contributions this calendar year. Hudson has raised $198,730 this year. She spent $29,262.91 in March and had $329,641.24 on hand at the end of the month, according to the latest campaign filings. Her largest single contributor so far is Birmingham-based Alabama Development PAC, which has given $12,000 over two contributions since January. Alabama Development PAC has raised nearly $60,000 this year from eight individual and corporate contributors, and also financially supported Tuscaloosa City Council candidate Joe Eatmon, who won a runoff election this month. Yet individual contributors account for the bulk of both Cheriogotis and Hudsons totals: 60.1% for the former and 47.5% for the latter. Cheriogotis has raised 35% from groups and corporations and just under 5% from PACs. For Hudson, 27.6% of contributions have come from PACs and 24.6% from groups and corporations. The other candidates who have raised or spent funds are former Mobile Police Chief and Executive Director of Public Safety Lawrence Battiste, state Rep. Barbara Drummond, former Mobile City Councilman Jermaine Burrell and former Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine. Burrell is No. 3 on the fundraising list, with $96,431 in contributions plus a $25,000 loan to his campaign. He ended March with $111,256.60. Drummonds campaign had $84,170.79 on hand at the end of March; Prine had $32,283.88; Battiste reported $6,149.90; and Woodard, $130.94. After experiencing difficulty meeting payroll, the Southwest Alabama Medical Center in Thomasville closed its doors to patients in 2011. Rural hospitals face difficult financial future if changes aren't made to keep them financially solvent. Mike Kittrell, AL.com A bill providing financial support and a financial incentive structure for rural hospitals passed the House Tuesday on a 103-0 vote. Sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, the bill would create a rural healthcare tax credit to incentivize individual donors and businesses to support rural hospitals. This would be conducted through a fund called the Rural Hospital Investment Program, modeled after a similar program that has seen success in Georgia. Donors would receive a 100% income tax credit, which would be pulled from both the general budget and education fund. The legislation from Collins is an attempt to combat Alabamas rural healthcare crisis as over a dozen hospitals have closed throughout the state over the last decade. Collinss previously told AL.com that the closure of Thomasville Regional Medical Center last year motivated the legislation. Our education groups realized that if we dont keep healthcare in those rural areas, theyre going to have a harder time educating children, Collins said. I think our workforce areas know if we dont have healthcare available, theyre not going to be able to recruit industry in. I think that were getting a much better understanding of the need and Thomasville closing earlier this fall was what really created the push. Tax credits would be capped at $20 million for all donations through 2026, prior to raising the cap to $30 million after the end of the 2027 tax year. The bill would also establish a board within the Office of State Treasurer to help determine the eligibility of hospitals and oversee the program. Members would include staff from the Alabama Hospital Association, which helped shape the bill, modeling it after The Georgia Heart Hospital program. The legislation now moves to the Senate chamber. Savannah Tryens-Fernandes contributed to this report. President Donald Trump speaks at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) dinner at the National Building Museum in Washington, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Pool via AP) AP Foreign leaders are making a mad dash to negotiate with Donald Trump after he announced tariffs on several nations last week, the president claimed. Im telling you, these countries are calling us up, kissing my ass, Trump told the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner on Tuesday night. They are dying to make a deal. Please, please, Sir, make a deal. Ill do anything. Ill do anything, sir. The president then criticized GOP members who disagree with his stance on tariffs, claiming he is a master negotiator. Then Ill see some rebel Republican, some guy that wants to grandstand, say, I think that Congress should take over negotiations, Trump said. Let me tell you: You dont negotiate like I negotiate. Trump: Im telling you, these countries are calling us up, kissing my ass. They are dying to make a deal. Please, please, Sir, make a deal. Ill do anything. Ill do anything, sir. pic.twitter.com/gDCAXCKaPH Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) April 9, 2025 On Wednesday, Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he is sending a delegation to the United States for talks with the Trump administration over 29% tariffs on Pakistani imports. Other countries are stepping up their tariffs on American goods in response to Trumps policy, including China, which announced Wednesday it will raise its retaliatory tariff to 84%, up from 34%. The levy is set to go into effect Thursday. The Associated Press contributed reporting. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., listens as U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer as he testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) AP Whose throat do I get to choke if it turns out to be wrong, Sen. Thom Tillis asked Tuesday in a committee hearing about the Trump administrations new trade policy. Social media exploded. But when asked about the reaction, Tillis was quick to tell McClatchy that he wasnt threatening anyone. He was using what he described as a business term from the 1990s. And moments later, he would go to the Senate floor to set the record straight. This all began Tuesday morning, when Tillis, 64, a Republican from Huntersville, questioned U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer during a Senate Finance Committee hearing Tuesday morning, asking who was responsible for the new tariffs. He said his constituents were concerned about their pocketbooks, whether their 401(k)s would be affected and whether steel, aluminum or any other product manufactured in China would be exempt from the tariffs. Greer said no to the latter. He asked if things will stabilize for the American people by next February. Political pundits say that that concern could hurt Republican candidates, like Tillis, during the midterms in 2026. President Donald Trump announced a minimum 10% tariff against all U.S. trade partners last week, with rates for many countries much higher. The tariffs took effect April 2. And as China and Canada announced retaliatory tariffs, things escalated between Trump and China and Trump plans Wednesday to issue 104% tariffs on Chinas goods. Businesses say it will hurt their bottom line. But Trump says after two years, the United States should experience a manufacturing boom because of his plan. In the committee hearing, Tillis said in the 1990s, he was working in business management when the Enterprise Resource Planning system came out. To implement the system, many believed it should be done at once, which he described as an alla prima approach. In other words: lets do it all at once, change the plumbing out, lets get it all in, get it done, rip the Band-aid off. It proved to be hugely unsuccessful, Tillis said. He added that that transformed the business environment, causing a new, methodical approach. Tillis looked at Greer in the committee hearing and said: My first question to you is: in this scenario, the decision maker who decided the alla prima approach, who has obviously had to spend time anticipating what we saw in the markets and some of the pushback, Im assuming this all got gamed out because its a novel approach, it needed to be thought out. Whose throat do I get to choke if it turns out to be wrong? He would ask the latter question several times in the committee hearing, and the social media reaction zeroed in on those 14 words. What Tillis said about the reaction Even before the question to Greer left Tillis lips Tuesday morning, he characterized it as a business term. And later Tuesday, Tillis told McClatchy no one in business would consider what he said a threat. That would come from somebody whos never been in business, Tillis told McClatchy. Because in business, its a common concept: one throat to choke people responsible for execution. You put them on a pedestal and they do well; hold them accountable when they dont. But I could see how people whove never been in business would characterize it differently, he added. In the hearing, Tillis asked who was responsible for the new trade policy and if it fails, who would he need to hold responsible? Greer told Tillis he could always talk to him, and that hes at the tip of the spear, but Greer wouldnt answer whether he proposed the alla prima approach, and he pushed back, saying that there are exceptions to the tariffs. Thats when the pair got into the discussion on China. Tillis said he was trying to wrap his head around the alla prima approach, adding that hes OK with it if it had been thought through, and noted that the U.S. is now in a trade war with allies and developing countries. Im not condemning it, because Im not a trade expert, but I am at some point, and I understand that youre the trade rep so if you own this decision, Ill look at you to figure out if were going to be successful, and if you dont own the decision, Im just trying to figure out whose throat I get to choke, and who I put up on a platform for the novel approach if successful, if they are right. He added that he does not believe that blame would fall on Trump or Vice President JD Vance for the decision. Tariff bill Over the weekend, Tillis became one of the seven Republicans who signed onto a bill that would require new tariffs to come before Congress before being implemented. If it passes the Senate, it will likely never make it to the House floor, and Trump has promised to veto the bill. Tillis told McClatchy implementing trade policy of this magnitude has to be well thought out. We werent consulted on the front end, and Im OK with that, Tillis said. Its a presidential prerogative, but at the end of the day, they have to deliver and failure is not an option. Moments later Tillis would walk onto the Senate floor to make clear his comments in the committee hearing, blaming reporters for not understanding him. I asked (Greer) a lot of questions and then I saw the president getting lazy, Tillis said, before realizing what he said. Not the president, the press. The press getting lazy and not reporting what I said. Tillis asked for the record to be corrected on his verbal mistake, before continuing to correct the media. _____ 2025 McClatchy Washington Bureau. Visit mcclatchydc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. English News China's Zhongguancun Forum 2025: bridging innovation with industrial ecosystems Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 6 Avril 2025 The world can only unlock broader opportunities through openness and cooperation. As China accelerates its pursuit of greater technological self-reliance and strength, it remains committed to working alongside other nations to advance new quality productive forces, tackle global challenges, and promote mutually beneficial progress. By emphasizing openness and collaboration, China aims to ensure that the benefits of technological innovation reach all corners of the globe. By He Yin, People's Daily In a striking display of technological prowess, the 2025 Zhongguancun (ZGC) Forum Annual Conference recently concluded in Beijing with a range of innovations, offering a glimpse into a future where innovation is not just anticipated, but realized. The event, highlighted by an AI agent, an entirely seamless experience, and over 100 intelligent robotic "volunteers," became a vivid showcase of China's cutting-edge innovations, capturing the essence of "the future is now." The steadily growing technological sophistication of the conference reflects China's ongoing breakthroughs in scientific and technological innovation. Since its inception in 2007, the ZGC forum has grown into a pivotal platform for global technological exchanges and cooperation. This year's theme, "New Quality Productive Forces and Global Technology Cooperation," centered on discussions of emerging technologies such as AI large models, embodied intelligence, quantum technology, biomedicine, 6G, and brain-computer interfaces. Among the conference's key takeaways were the unveiling of China's National Innovation Index Report 2024 and its top 10 scientific advances of 2024. These reports not only affirmed the country's rapid technological evolution but also reinforced the forum's status as a key bellwether for frontier technologies and future industries - underscoring its crucial role in bridging innovation with industrial ecosystems. Technological innovation stands as a central pillar of developing new quality productive forces, spurring the growth of new industries, business models, and economic momentum. As this year's conference illustrated, China's ongoing innovation boom is cultivating a new wave of productive forces. Among the highlights were the introduction of 100 new technologies and products, 100 international tech trade innovation projects, the launch of a smart service platform for tech commercialization, and the signing of 11 major cooperation agreements. These developments reflect China's robust culture of innovation and its immense potential to drive the development of new quality productive forces. China has been rapidly advancing its innovation-driven development strategy, with technological progress now contributing over 60 percent to its economic growth. Over the past decade, the country has emerged as one of the world's fastest-growing innovative economies, becoming the first to secure 4 million valid invention patents. It also leads the world with 26 science and technology clusters in the top 100, holding the top global ranking for two consecutive years. Furthermore, China remains the world's largest patent filer, with international applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty growing 0.9 percent year on year. As foreign media have noted, a thriving ecosystem nurtures towering achievements, and China has long been nurturing such an environment. By linking technological breakthroughs with industrial application, China is driving new industrialization and sustaining the momentum of new quality productive forces, which in turn serves as a key engine for high-quality economic growth. Amid a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, China is exploring models of win-win cooperation that encourage global technology sharing and universally beneficial progress. Notable examples include the open-source approach taken by Chinese AI pioneer DeepSeek and the commitment by Chinese new energy vehicle giant BYD to make its core technologies available to the entire industry. Such cases reflect China's dedication to promoting both technological advancements and collaborative innovation on a global scale. Beyond its borders, China is building a network of international partnerships. The country is developing the China-Japan-ROK Innovation Cooperation Center, working with Laos to jointly establish the China-Laos Artificial Intelligence Innovation Cooperation Center, and has signed a cooperation agreement on spaceflight of a Pakistani astronaut on Chinese space station. These efforts underscore China's commitment to fostering shared technological progress that benefits the world at large. At the 2025 ZGC Forum Annual Conference, open-source projects like the "Chang'an Chain" blockchain platform and Li Auto's open-sourced Halo OS garnered global attention, reinforcing China's role in cultivating an open, innovative ecosystem. Daren Tang, director general of the World Intellectual Property Organization, expressed hope for closer and stronger collaboration with Zhongguancun, a major technology hub in China, emphasizing the need to inject continuous momentum into global development and prosperity. The world can only unlock broader opportunities through openness and cooperation. As China accelerates its pursuit of greater technological self-reliance and strength, it remains committed to working alongside other nations to advance new quality productive forces, tackle global challenges, and promote mutually beneficial progress. By emphasizing openness and collaboration, China aims to ensure that the benefits of technological innovation reach all corners of the globe. Dans la meme rubrique : < > Low-altitude economy lifts off as Chinese automakers enter the eVTOL era China expands efforts to boost global e-commerce cooperation Legacy of Tea-Horse Road lives on at China-Laos border Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena) The coming new trade paradigm, complete with sky-high tariffs on everything from soup to smartphones could intensify consumer use of two already existing methods of trade. The first is the counterfeit product market with consumer goods that look and feel exactly like your favorite brand name products, but are actually cheaper copies whose manufacturers have chosen to produce "knock-offs" in countries that don't respect international patents or are simply not interested in cracking down on such companies or their products. We've all seen the Rolex copies, the Gucci-like bags and even high tech products in big American cities and in the Far East, sold by street hawkers. Looking the other way can be very lucrative, especially if you're in the regulatory business and don't mind pocketing a few tax-free bribes. The second trading option the gray market -- is one that's been around for a long time but has not been as profitable until now when, because of the trade war, supplies will be scarce due to smaller production runs and the real worry of import duties eating into importers' sales. The gray market is usually comprised of retailers that sell name-brand products that have not been obtained through authorized distributors but purchased from non-authorized purveyors. An example might be well-known camera stores in New York City that specialize in selling photographic equipment that has been purchased outside of the normal distribution chain that usually starts with bypassing an importer and proceeds to bypassing a distributor. These items are often sold without product warranties, but are offered at significantly lower prices because they have eliminated at least one if not two links in the expensive distribution chain. "Pssst wanna buy an iPhone"? Since the application of President Trump's higher tariffs on China and China's reciprocal tariffs on U.S. products we might expect the gray market to grow, rapidly, as importers of products made in China like Apple's iPhones will be placing limits on their orders until they can predict what will happen with consumer demand. That begs the question: "Will American consumers care if Chinese-made U.S.-brand products will cost them 30-40% more"? We will soon know the answer to that question, perhaps within a month or so, but we will not know the long-term impact until much later and it might be too late. America and the rest of the world could slide into a recession as consumers choose to hang onto their money out of fear or real economic pressures on their personal economies. If that were to be the case, governments would lose valuable tax revenues, and worst of all, some companies would simply give up, fire massive numbers of workers and later declare bankruptcy. This would negatively affect the world's currencies, namely the U.S. dollar, first, perhaps followed by the euro or maybe the yen. This would be the result of an unholy confluence of economic factors precipitated by the decimation of share values (the world's companies would take a direct hit because of a lack of investor confidence). The cascade effect would hit mutual funds, pension funds and millions of Americans' 401(k)s that would be robbed of their value. Consumer prices would soon rise, even on those items that were not direct imports because of an increased demand for goods produced domestically from producers unable to keep up with demand. Producers would cite the disparity between supply and demand to justify their price rises. The impact on countries with small home markets and huge export dependencies would be even greater. Is a world economic crisis the only way to rebalance the scales? Finger-pointing will accompany emergency financial measures that each country or trading block will undertake to stem their bleed. The shake-out will determine which countries land on their feet and experience the least amount of pain. Assuming that countries like the United States which are self-sufficient in food and energy production will survive relatively intact, it could leave many others in a situation not unike the Europe of May 1945 when production facilities were destroyed, economies were under water and governments were unable to pay for all the rebuilding (and the imported goods) necessary to return them to profitability. That leaves an important question: "Would the United States step up to help Europe become a competitive power again"? Not necessarily. I think the U.S. would want certain concessions and demands of the E.U. that it not return to being a trading bloc but instead concentrate its efforts on strengthening its intra-cultural ties and building an effective pan-European military and that they would accept that the new world trading order be simplified by adopting bi-lateral trading agreements to replace trading blocs. The Europeans would definitely not be happy with this development as they have spent decades in closing their ranks when it comes to limiting the U.S.'s access to their markets. Ironically, it was they who used the tactic of putting Europe First, so it is rather disingenous of them to point fingers at Donald Trump for saying exactly the same thing about the U.S.! Establishment of the New Economic World Trading Council (NEWTC) If we are able to avoid taking steps to burn down our respective houses of trade in order to save our land (our markets), then there may be hope to finding some solutions that could transform chaos into order and create a truly level playing field for international trade. That could only happen if the players agreed that it was time to do something positive and permanent and then be willing to sit down to create a new system of non-discriminatory bi-lateral agreements. These agreements would protect the members against the creation of monopolies. They would also protect the growth of certain key industries from the attacks from larger countries outside the NEWTC from dumping their products. The new trading manifesto would bind the members to good faith bargaining in the case of disputes. This new council would not totally take the place of the World Trade Organization, but would limit its authority, especially when it comes to adjudicating disputes. The founding members of the NEWTC would include, the U.S.A., Canada and European nations (including those European countries that may not already be a part of the E.U.). Future members would be admitted on a case-to-case basis, but be required to adhere to the precepts of the new organization. One of those is to be open to negotiating bi-lateral agreements with NEWTC members and to promise not to engage in creating non-tariff barriers or boycotts as well as cooperate on the establishment of common standards for product safety, etc. Pointing fingers is not the way forward. There is no doubt that the world would point its fingers (probably its middle fingers) at America and especially Donald Trump as the ones that started the first World Trade War that effectively robbed nations of their wealth and then had the audacity to solve the problem that it, itself, created! U.S. authorities must accept those criticisms, but not let themselves be distracted from their goal of rebalancing the trading scales. We, who are the outside looking in, must do our best to convince those with their hands on the controls to realize that the continuance of a global trade war has dramatic negative consequences and that time is not on our side. With each passing day, the world's wealth is being steadily drained away. And for developing nations, the consequences are even worse. It is imperative that their development is also part of decision-makers' discussions. A new trading paradigm could solve many of the developed and developing world's most pressing problems, not the least of which is persistent poverty and the impact of the world's foot-dragging on protecting our physical environment to say nothing of the pressure that unfair trade has on those nations willing to solve problems by going to war. Stephen Helgesen is a retired career U.S. diplomat specializing in international trade who lived and worked in 30 countries for 25 years during the Reagan, G.H.W. Bush, Clinton, and G.W. Bush Administrations. He is the author of fourteen books, seven on American politics, and has written over 1,500 articles on politics, economics and social trends. He now lives in Denmark and is a frequent political commentator on Danish media. He can be reached at: stephenhelgesen@gmail.com. Image: Monica Showalter, by permission The European veil of leftist intellectual and moral superiority is starting to crumble. In recent weeks, weve seen Europe begin to take responsibility for its defense, the climate crazies seeing many of their goals collapsing under the weight of the twin realities of science and economics, and the rise of conservative politicians who are seeking an end to the immigration invasion. Zeitenwende in German means the end of an era or turning point in history. Europes possible return to sanity will be our story today. Europe is now fully awake to the fact that the U.S. is not their on-call military, and they are now genuinely worried, not just performatively so, about Russia. European nations know now that they are, for all intents and purposes, at war, primarily armed with a checkbook and too little actual military hardware. Thanks to decades of cradle-to-grave benefits, in addition to their reliance on the U.S. for their defense, Europe essentially has no functional militaries. As just one example of how this works, in 2014, when a hijacked aircraft was about to fly over Swiss territory, Switzerland was unable to police its own territory, relying instead on the French and Italians. In fact, when the French military called the Swiss to have them intercept the airliner, they got an answering service saying they were closed for the weekend and asking them to leave a message. That one anecdote explains so much more. Image created using AI. Another aberration: Germany, Denmark, and Sweden allow their soldiers to join labor unions! You cant make this up. Reality Bites. When it comes to funding their defense, EU countries have two fundamental problems: 1. They all have low birth rates within their established native populations. 2. Their ability to provide those cradle-to-the-grave benefits has meant that European nations do not have money for guns and butter. Today, Europe is a paper tiger unable to wage modern sustained warfare. European nations are trying to change, but it may be too little, too late. Germany has approved a 1 trillion spending package, marking its most ambitious defense initiative since World War II. EU-wide efforts include the ReArm Europe Plan, which aims to mobilize 800 billion for defense by 2030. This plan focuses on enhancing military readiness and supporting the European defense industry. NATO nations have increased their defense budgets, with 23 out of 32 members meeting the alliances 2% GDP spending guideline by the end of 2024. As another example of the European leftist mindset, one unanchored to reality, lets talk about the grand pronouncement from government-subsidized Airbus and the EU that, by 2050, new aircraft would be required to be zero emission. To those knowledgeable about airplanes and their development, this was always nonsense. Aviation Week published as much in its Viewpoint editorial. After Europe and the rest of the world have spent tens of billions of dollars/Euros on electric, hydrogen, and clean fuel initiatives such as SAF, the balloon is bursting with the realities of science and economics. Airbus is giving up on hydrogen, and several other electric/battery technology companies are declaring bankruptcy. The reality is that less than 2% of aviation fuels are SAF today, and the cost is as much as 4-10 times more than the jet-A fuel it replaces. Europe, being Europe, doesnt see a problem. Reduced to its essentials, the Europeans said, Well tax tickets to subsidize SAF. French authorities have admitted this will cause a massive drop in passenger traffic. Tres bon! Fewer passengers mean fewer flights and planes and further the green crazies who want to see an end to taking trips by plane anyway. Predictably, this nonsense is reaching its natural point of failure. The Emperor is now standing naked in front of all. Finally, although those in power are fighting viciously, the European people are moving from center-left to center-right, especially regarding immigration. The center-right victor in Germanys recent elections, Friedrich Merz, promised a radical crackdown on migration during his campaign, proposing that all illegal aliens be turned away at the border. Jens Spahn, a German parliament member, emphasized the need to secure Europes external borders and strengthen Frontexs mandate to ensure freedom within the Schengen area. Greece and Croatia have been accused of forcibly returning migrants, a practice known as pushbacks. The Poland-Belarus border reports highlight systemic pushbacks, with migrants being forcibly returned to Belarus under harsh conditions. This reflects Polands firm stance on controlling illegal crossings. Some European nations have introduced laws to expedite deportations and limit asylum applications, signaling a shift towards stricter immigration policies. One last thing. Trumps recent tariff moves have scared Europeans. With a trade imbalance of over $200 billion, Europe has little choice but to negotiate from a position of weakness. Europe is dependent on a lot of U.S. tech, banking, and military hardwareEuropes inability to rise to challenges further cements Americas advantage. Say what you will, but you can thank President Trump for getting Europe on the move! Author, Businessman, Thinker, and Strategist. Read more about Allan, his background, and his ideas to create a better tomorrow at www.1plus1equals2.com. I was raised to respect the Austrian School of economics. From the hardliners at the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) and Reason to the more moderate libertarians like Milton Friedman and President Reagan, the conservatives of my generation (Im 62) knew several things with absolute certainty: Taxation is Theft. The most important goal of our Founding Fathers was limiting the size and scope of government. The Invisible Hand of the Free Market delivers the best results for the consumer. At the same time, however, we recognized certain other fundamental truths of government: Government is instituted to protect society from external enemies and internal criminals. Government needs to build roads and bridges. Government needs to provide a framework of stable currency, the rule of law, corporate structure, intellectual property protection, and an investment system in which people can work, and earn, and accumulate wealth. How did we square these two sets of rules the opposition to government and a clear need for government? By understanding the importance of both, and balancing them, all with an eye to the cardinal rule of obeying the Constitution. Yes, we need police and courts and prisons; yes, we need an army and navy and air force. A nation as big as ours will need its government to do many expensive things, so we must always be on our guard to do these things as cost-effectively as possible. When the left has proposed other expensive things unconstitutional things one of our responses has rightly been, We cant afford to do the things we have to do; dont propose more costly unconstitutional things that we cant afford anyway. It still happens, of course; the Left is more adept at their goal of violating the law than the right is at obeying it. But at least we have always tried. We of the right always understood this need to find a middle ground between absolutely minimal government and a government that meets its legitimate needs, like B-52s, ICBMS, and modern containerports. Nowhere is there a better example than in the current debate referred to online as What Would Reagan Do? about tariffs and free trade. President Trump has proposed a high tariff barrier to force foreign governments to reduce the massive barriers both tariff and non-tariff that they have erected against American exports. And the natural response of good Reaganites and Friedmanites is to look back in our memories and recall how Ronaldus Magnus and the great professor from the Chicago School referred to trade and tariffs. Search engines produce plenty of quotes; YouTube finds us wonderful sound bites. Forty years ago, the conservative position was crystal clear: tariffs should be low, if we must have them at all, because high tariffs just serve to reduce options and raise prices for the consumer. Choices and cheapness were the goals of the hour. We should not be so quick to assume, however, that the proclamations of our youth still apply. The global economy has changed in several ways since then, ways that neither Reagan nor Friedman ever anticipated. At the time when Reagan and Friedman were rightly singing the praises of the free market, the United States had two general levels of tariffs in place: low duty rates for goods made in most-favored-nation (MFN) countries, and the high rates (ranging from 30 to 60 percent) that we assessed on Warsaw Pact members. We basically didnt trade with our main enemies the Soviet Union, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Cuba, North Korea, etc. We didnt export to them and we didnt import from them but if by some odd chance we unexpectedly imported something from a third country that had been made behind the Iron Curtain, we walloped it with huge tariffs (known as Column 2 duties) that were five to ten times the rates we assessed on the products of Canada, Western Europe and our other friends. These high tariffs are still in place, in fact they never went away but the list of countries they cover was greatly reduced. Since the Soviet Union broke up, the Column 2 tariffs only applied Cuba and North Korea for years, though Russia and Belarus were recently added back in, due to Russia's Ukraine invasion. Its been a while, and I must admit, I dont know for sure if the question was ever asked of them, but I dont recall either Reagan or Friedman ever calling for the elimination of the Column 2 tariffs. They both knew that the Soviet Union, with its continual efforts to spread communism around the globe, was our undeniable enemy. We traded with them as little as possible (we sold basic commodities like grain, more from a humanitarian effort than anything else), and we never even considered opening up broad trade or lowering our high tariffs on the Warsaw Pact countries until the Berlin Wall came down and the Soviet Politburo was tossed out on their ears. And thats not the only difference between then and now. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, Western Europe was still a continent of separate, sovereign nations. West Germany, Italy, France, the U.K., et al. were separate countries that set their tariffs independently of each other. Yes, they all joined the world in adopting the Harmonized Tariff System in the mid 1980s, but they were still relatively reasonable in terms of their import/export processes. Outside of products meriting serious safety concerns, like foods and beverages, most products could be imported freely, with a low duty payment upon importation and then unobstructed entry into their marketplace. Fortress Europe put an end to all that. From the 1990s onward, the EU dreamed of building a government that only an Orwellian bureaucrat could love, with non-tariff barriers-to-entry that were never dreamed of in the days when Free To Choose was dominating our television screens and our bestsellers lists. Today, an American seeking to sell most products into the European market must appoint an Authorized Representative in Europe, file for CE Mark approval of every model number, spend the money to redo his tooling to mold the EU codes and approval logos into his product, and comply with outrageous constraints on the materials he uses, both for product and packaging alike. Our Founding Fathers never dreamed that our trading partners would create such things as the CE Mark in Europe and the SASO program in the Middle East, or such regulatory beasts as RoHS, REACH, and PFAS. You simply cant call it a free market no matter where the tariffs are set when your products cant even enter an allys country without years of effort, hundreds of thousands of dollars in tooling changes, applications, and permit fees, and an army of regulatory consultants. And what of China, which over the past forty years has grown to be the worlds manufacturing behemoth? Do we have free trade with Mainland China? China has put whole American and European industries out of business through the use of dumping programs (government subsidies to enable companies to sell below cost until they wipe out their competition in the target country). China has used every financial tool -- currency manipulation, government partnerships, and subsidies -- to take much of the worlds manufacturing from both the Western world and the low-cost countries of the rest of the world. China requires that all foreign businesses operating in China are either literally or effectively joint ventures with the Chinese government and therefore the Chinese military. Everything that happens in China serves the politburo in Beijing, whether consciously or not. And intellectual property rights are a joke there, no matter what assurances a Western manufacturer proudly works into his purchasing contracts. And as if that werent enough, China has taken the place of the USSR in spreading its tentacles across the globe. Oh, they do it differently contracting as a service-provider to operate ports, mines, logistics centers, laboratories, workers apartment buildings, and more, rather than just sending in military advisors to foment revolution, as Stalin and Brezhnev did. But the end result is the same; China has footholds all over the world, often situated at or near key military locations. And even as China has taken over Hong Kong and threatened Taiwan -- even as it has claimed international waters as its own and engaged in saber-rattling with virtually all its neighbors across both land and sea the United States, Canada, Mexico and Europe all continue to do business in China, to buy from China, to sell to China, to entrust China with our very livelihood by inextricably linking our supply chains with Chinas manufacturing centers. Is this the situation that Reagan and Friedman foresaw when they cheered the value of free trade? Or is it infinitely more likely that these great champions of Western Civilization and limited government, these solid anti-communists, would stare in shock at our current codependent, abusive, practically suicidal relationships with China and Europe, and ask us in horror if weve gone stark raving out of our minds to put up with such a status quo. John F. Di Leo is a Chicagoland-based international transportation manager, trade compliance trainer, and speaker. Read his book on the surprisingly numerous varieties of vote fraud (The Tales of Little Pavel), his political satires on the Biden-Harris years (Evening Soup with Basement Joe, Volumes I, II, and III), and his most recent collection of public policy essays, Current Events and the Issues of Our Age, all available in eBook or paperback, only on Amazon. Image: Monica Showalter, by permission The vast majority of the current Congress are incumbents. Of the 100 senators in the 119th Congress, 14 are new to the Senate. Of those, seven had previously served in the House, making essentially 93 congressional incumbents and seven newbies. Of the 435 House seats, there are four vacancies and 356 incumbents. Of the 75 newly elected representatives, four had previously served in the House, and three were once staffers. More than 83% of congressional seats are filled essentially by people who have been there before. This is important to note because the 118th Congress was probably one of the least productive ever. I discussed its meager output here. By the end of the two-year session, of 16,565 pieces of proposed legislation, 274 became law. Thats a paltry 1.65%. Thirteen were vetoed; none of those were overridden. Vice President Harris broke seven ties in the Senate. Of the 274 laws, all but 21 were single-issue laws and most of those were quite short. The others were mostly funding bills. Nineteen bills dealt with the military or veterans; eight addressed tribal issues. Fifty-four were funding, reauthorizations, or extensions of funding. Ninety-two dealt with some other policy issues. Three were appointments. More than one-third were commemorative bills. They named various post offices and other federal buildings, issued medals and commemorative coins, and designated the bald eagle as Americas national bird. Image from Pixabay. Public domain. Of the 118ths output, 138 (50%) were signed in December 2024 and 29 (10%) in November. Granted, this was a divided Congress, with a largely absent Chief Executive and an administration that seemed unsure whether or not it had recovered from the COVID panic. Nevertheless, a pitiful amount was accomplished. The Speaker and the Leader need to make their folks understand that there will not be a repeat of this; no more ambling along, business as usual, taking their time to get things done. They must work at the speed of Trump. President Trump has until the mid-terms to accomplish the bulk of what he promised. Many in the majority are there because they drafted in behind him in his race to win office. That momentum cannot be lost in the marble halls of the Senate and the House. Tasks Ahead Finalizing the FY-2025 budget. Congress needs to let go of personal agenda items, petty grievances, back-room deals, and the members history of horse-trading. Give us a clean bill and time to read it and communicate with our representatives. Eliminate all the costs that have been identified for savings so far. Getting to work on the FY-2026 budget. Wouldnt it be wonderful if that was passed on time for a change? And it should reflect a significantly smaller government. How? Let go of massive control and regulation and devolve to the states what should be managed by the people through their local efforts and representatives. Understand that the federal government is neither Mommy nor Santa Clause. It cannot be all things to all people; it cant even be most things for most people. Government has a limited set of responsibilities, and it should stick to those. That should make preparing an even smaller FY-2027 budget a breeze. Approving another thousand or so Presidential appointments, though the number will be reduced as executive agencies and offices are eliminated or downsized. Turning President Trumps executive orders into law has already been promised. Not only all of POTUSs current E.O.s, but the entire body of them should be reviewed. Any still in effect should be reviewed for conversion into law, reversing them via legislation, or retaining them as executive orders. They should also be reviewed to see if legislative action prohibiting those orders in the future is needed. Reviewing recent laws. All legislation produced by the 117th and 118th congressional sessions during the Biden administration should be reviewed for either retention or abolition via legislative action. Reviewing the whole United States Code. The current body of law, the United States Code, should be systematically reviewed, just like the recent laws, retaining, updating, or culling them as necessary. As part of this, for example, now that USAID is to be no more, every mention of it in the USC needs to be amended, whether to close down programs assigned to USAID, or shift them elsewhere. This goes for every agency change/reduction, whether once mislabeled as independent, cabinet-level, or subordinate, including the ones already addressed, such as the Department of Education and FEMA. Review the Code of Federal Regulations badly needs review, an idea I introduced here. Determinations should be made whether to codify a regulation into law, eliminate it partially or entirely, or leave it as applicable to federal agency operations only. Again, if an agency is abolished or significantly changed, every regulation needs to be updated. Periodically, legislation is revised and reissued. Today, Congress should look at: The Motor Voter bill The Immigration and Nationality Act The Patriot Act The Farm Bill The National Defense Authorization Act Working with the President to abolish the federal income tax Removing every last smidgen of DEI from law and regulation Getting rid of every program that addresses climate change (green, carbon-free, sustainable) in any way We anticipate that D.O.G.E. is already at work sussing out duplications and overlapping responsibilities within and among agencies. This is a massive job. It will require several task forces of congressional staff, agency representatives, and White House advisors to get this work done. Congress needs to spend some money, hire more staff for the duration, and occupy some of the empty federal space around DC. Where to find such staff? Campaign staff from the presidential and congressional races would most likely jump at the chance to be involved in this historic endeavor. As federal staffing is reduced, some of those folks could be brought on temporarily as subject matter experts. Not all those being laid off are on the left. We the People like how President Trump invited us to participate with D.O.G.E. in addressing many of these issues. As congressional working groups are established, an e-suggestion box should be set up for each. Theres a lot to do and little time. If the 119th can get on the stick and start working at the speed of Trump, we will reward them generously with another term in office. Leaving things to the last minute, as the 118th did, will only get folks primaried. We dont want that. We want the 119th Congress to go down in history as the most thoughtful, productive congress ever. Lets Make Congress Great Again! Anony Mee is the nom de blog of a retired public servant who X-tweets at oh_yeahMee. It took the prospect of a second Trump presidency for Brussels to suddenly discover the virtues of free trade. Ursula von der Leyen now dangles a zero-for-zero tariff dealyears too late and painfully transparent. Yes, really. Perhaps, just perhaps, Europe should have made that offer a long time agobefore the first tariffs, before the steel and aluminum disputes, before their hypocritical WTO filings. Without question, before they spent years lecturing U.S. administrations on the supposed virtues of multilateral trade regimes they had rigged to their advantage. American taxpayers have subsidized European peace, prosperity, and strategic irrelevance for eight decades. From the beaches of Normandy to the barricades of Berlin, U.S. servicemembers gave their lives to offer Europe a second chance at civilization. They got it. And they used it to build social democracies on the back of American hard powerand, yes, American manufacturing decline. Whether through the Marshall Plan or NATOs Article 5, we supplied the troops, tanks, and treasury. In return, Europe slapped tariffs on American goods, sued U.S. tech companies, outsourced their energy policy to Moscow, and surrendered industrial policy to Brussels. This makes it all the more bitterly ironic that they now cry foulthat Trumps tariffs are no way to treat an ally. Where was zero-for-zero when Reagan rebuilt American strength after the stagflation years? How about at the end of the Cold War? Where was it when Bill Clinton pushed for Chinas entry into the WTO while Europe quietly pocketed the spoils? Where was it when Barack Obama let transatlantic relations drift, and the Europhile press anointed Angela Merkel as the leader of the free world? That didnt age well. It wasnt on offer because Europe never feared losing access to the American market. Until Trump. Von der Leyens preemptive surrender was no gesture of goodwill. Its a plea from a cornered technocrat who sees whats coming: a second Trump term, a U.S. trade policy guided by strategic self-interest, and a world where the old racket of Euro-guilt-for-gain is finally over. The European Union isnt negotiating from strength. Its bracing for another dose of realitythe same one Trump delivered in 2018 when he imposed tariffs on EU steel and aluminum, refused to be bullied in Davos, and told NATO members to pay their fair share or else. The media chorus, echoed by what passes for Democrat leadership these days, warned that Trumps tariffs would ignite trade wars and isolate America. But now Brussels is courting the supposed isolationist with an offer to zero out tariffs on industrial goods. The legacy press and the political classfrom Capitol Hill to Foggy Bottomwont say it out loud, but Trumps tariffs are workingnot by inflicting pain, but by exposing the lie that one-sided trade could last forever. Europe no longer gets to sell cars in Detroit while banning beef from Kansas. They dont get to bathe in American consumer demand while shielding Airbus and their state-backed industries behind walls of protection. This is what genuine negotiation looks like. Trumps America First was never just a political sloganit's the strategic linchpin uniting his approach to trade, defense, energy, and diplomacy. It sends a clear message to the world: if you want access to the largest consumer market on Earth, youd better stop treating American workers like afterthoughts and American industries like ATMsparticularly if your national security depends on American military power. Of course, the foreign policy establishment and the Eurocentric corporatists will wring their hands. They pine for the old orderwhere diplomats talk, Americans pay, and European bureaucrats preen. Theyll urge Trump to take the deal as proof that his confrontational style has run its course and must now yield to the polite rituals of normal diplomacy. He shouldnt fall for it. If Europe is serious about free trade, then a symmetrical zero-for-zero offer is a startbut it cant stop there. It must extend to agriculture, digital services, energy infrastructure, and regulatory compliance. And the last of these is the greatest of these. Why? Because the over-regulated quasi-state that is the European Union cloaks itself in high-minded process while issuing a thicket of overt and covert edicts designed to block market access for entire categories of American goods. And while theyre at it, they can start spending 2.5% of GDP on defensenot in 2035, but now. This isnt about punishing allies. Its about ending the decades-long arrangement in which America protects Europe, powers its recovery, and is left holding the bill. The EUs sudden overture is a vindication, not a concession. It proves that Trump was right to confront what past presidents were too timid to touch. And it reveals the quiet desperation behind Europes polished press releases. So, to our friends across the Atlantic, your offer is noted. But it comes at least forty years too lateand more than a few hundred billion American (not euro) dollars short. For decades, you enjoyed the protection, prosperity, and patience of the United States while lecturing us on diplomacy, economics, and moralityand disappearing into the shadows when the chips were down. Now you come bearing concessions only because you fear a president who demands something in return. That isnt partnership. Simply put, its not how friends treat their most vital ally. Charlton Allen is an attorney, former chief executive officer, and chief judicial officer of the North Carolina Industrial Commission. He is the founder of the Madison Center for Law & Liberty, Inc., editor of The American Salient, and the host of the Modern Federalist podcast. X: @CharltonAllenNC Image: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, unaltered. If you like American Thinkers content, please consider subscribing here for an ad-free experience and access to an exclusive, weekly newsletter offering insight from the editorial staff. What an ironic reality that bureaucrats are a substantial threat to the American people and the nations security whether theyre working in the bureaucracy or out of it. According to a new report from Newsmax yesterday, the U.S. intelligence community, specifically the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, is sounding the alarm and alerting the American public to a new scheme of the Chinesetheyre dangling fake jobs in front of newly-unemployed and disgruntled federal workers for access to sensitive information. Foreign intelligence entities, particularly those in China, are targeting current and former U.S. government (USG) employees for recruitment by posing as consulting firms, corporate headhunters, think tanks, and other entities on social and professional networking sites, the center said in a bulletin. An item at Reuters reported that Max Lesser, a senior analyst at a D.C. think tank, was involved in uncovering the ploy, which looked like this: Little information is publicly available on the four consultancies and recruitment companies allegedly involved in the network, which in some cases shared overlapping websites, were hosted on the same server, or had other digital links, according to Reuters reporting and Lessers research. The four companies websites are hosted at the same IP address alongside Smiao Intelligence, an internet services company whose website became unavailable during Reuters reporting. Reuters could not determine the nature of the relationship between Smiao Intelligence and the four companies. The news agencys attempts to track down the four companies and Smiao Intelligence ran into numerous dead-ends including unanswered phone calls, phone numbers that no longer work, fake addresses, addresses that lead to empty fields, unanswered emails and deleted job listings from LinkedIn. (Reuters could not determine if any former federal employees had been snagged by the Chinese yet, but if I had to guess based on what I know about bureaucrats, Id say it was highly likely.) Isnt that just greata bunch of angry, jilted Democrats with no loyalty to the American people and no sense of duty or honor are being targeted by hostile influences for the sensitive information they possess. Im not optimistic. Whats particularly offensive is that its not like the information would be extracted by any means of legitimate and understandable pressure, like the people were being tortured or their familys safety was put at riskinstead, its because these people cant, or dont want to, get real jobs in the private sector, where you actually have to produce something of value to earn a living. Creating a bureaucrat means creating a lifelong headache and significant liability for the American, taxpaying public. As if it werent clear enough that bureaucrats are just a disaster whichever way you look at itheres yet another reminder. Image: Public domain. Disney used to have a race problem. In Dumbo (1941), the murder of crows that sees Dumbo fly sings a song in black dialect about that miracle. In Song of the South (1946), although Uncle Remus is the wisest character in the film and the child lead has a black friend, the movie is derided as racist because the black plantation workers in the Reconstruction South are shown to be happy, speak in dialect, and are generally subservient. It's been eight decades since those films came out, but Disney still has a race problemonly this time, in the leftist world of two wrongs do make a right, the racism is overt anti-white racism. This is especially true when it comes to the Star Wars franchise. Disney has expended a lot of time and money expanding on the original movie with all sorts of television series that Ive avoided seeing. (My son sat me down to watch the first episode of The Acolyte with him, and I still havent recovered from the bad acting and the boredom.) Unlike the original film series, when Billy Dee Williams Lando Calrissian character was the only black face in the movies, there are lots of non-white actors getting prominent roles. For just a few examples, in The Acolyte, IMDB lists the following obviously non-white actors in the top cast: Lee Jung-jae, Amandla Stenberg, Manny Jacinto, Leah Brady, Jodie Turner-Smith, Lauren Brady, and Amy Tsang. In The Mandalorian, the following obviously non-white actors are in the top cast: Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito, Misty Rosas, Leilani Shiu, Lateef Crowder, Ariel Shiu, Taika Waititi, Omid Abtahi, and Temuera Morrison. In other words, the casts were not reunion week at the KKK convention, and the same holds true in all the other franchise offerings. However, according to the cast, racism was still an overriding problem, not directly from Disney itself, but from abusive fans and an insufficiently supportive studio system. In June 2022, Eric Deggans, who describes himself as a non-white Star Wars fan, wrote a piece for his employer, NPR, complaining about all the racism: The most surprising thing about the racism directed at Obi-Wan Kenobi star Moses Ingram is the fact that some people are still surprised by it. After all, other actors of color who have joined the Star Wars universe in recent years have complained about racist attacks from fans online, including John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran. So it wasn't exactly shocking to this non-white Star Wars fan when Ingram whose turn as villainous Inquisitor Reva Sevander lights up the series shared messages she received on social media from trolls using insults and the n-word to denigrate one of the most powerful Black women to join the franchise. Here's what is surprising to me: that the media companies behind the Star Wars juggernaut Lucasfilm and its owner, Disney haven't done more to proactively support non-white actors and push back against the racism they regularly face when taking prominent roles in the franchise. The only problem with this narrative is that theres contemporaneous evidence that the facts may not have aligned with the narrative: Since I have no interest in Star Wars and have no idea who any of these people are, I cannot explain the disconnect other than to suggest that its entirely possible that, in the vast world of the audience watching these Disney offerings, there are racists. Its also entirely possible that minority actors have been trained to have their antennae tuned in to racism, and, therefore, are hypersensitive to a handful of nerds being nasty. Be that as it may, these actors turned what should have been a profitable celebration of yet another hackneyed entry into a very tired galaxy thats not far enough away into something that was all about them. But it doesnt stop there. For self-referential actors, too much is never enough, so John Boyega, the British-born actor referenced in that NPR article, is back again for another bite at the I hate my white audience apple: Star Wars actor John Boyega attacks fans of the franchise as racist white elitists pic.twitter.com/s9zxszFwiR End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) April 1, 2025 The embittered Boyega, by the way, is worth about $8 million, which is a whole heck of a lot more than the fans hes attacking. In other words, typically for leftists, this is a guy whos punching down. In old Hollywood, stars did not insult their audience...ever. The audience was their ultimate paycheck, with the studio as a mere intermediary. Todays Disney actors, though, most of whom are no-talent hacks, believe that they are conferring a signal honor on the audience fortunate enough to watch them. Each is a diva, and if theyre in a racial or sexual minority, each is an angry diva. It's ironic, really, that Boyegas father is a Pentecostal minister and his mother is someone who works with the disabled. Youd think that, with those two as his parents, Boyega would have grown up with grace, love, and charity. Im certain that his parents did their best. Im equally certain that Boyegas signal lack of any of those virtues is attributable to growing up in leftist England and working in leftist Hollywood. Leftism has no room for moral virtue. The only cultic points it awards are to those who are angrier and more entitled than everyone else. But a lot of that is guesswork on my part. What isnt a guess is that anyone spending money on Disney at this point is lending credence to the old adage that a fool and his money are soon parted. Image: X screen grab. Sometimes leftists are too clever by half. They had to come up with a pithy little slogan for their latest protest show that was easy for them to remember but vague enough to encompass all their viewpoints at once without being too specific. Hence, they decided on Hands Off, a throwback to some very anti-anti-communist propaganda that fed into their victim mentality. The only problem is that their signage didnt reflect a coherent message, and interviews with participants showed that they didnt know why they were there. Even worse for them is the fact that we pro-freedom patriots have a much better case for demanding that they keep their hands off our freedoms. Leftists Hands Off slogan gave them double trouble in that it was so vague. This was reflected in the bizarre variety of signs, which were all over the ideological map. One particular viral moment was an interview with a man holding a sign accusing President Trump of being a fascist. Weve gone over the fact time after time that this collectivist ideology is economically defined as socialism with a capitalist veneer. The charge also doesnt make any sense, which accounts for the fact that they have to be vague about the details of their protest. They hurl the illogical F-bomb at President Trump and Elon Musk, but they cant offer depth to their argument because they have none. For starters, leftists never want to address the dire fiscal situation were in. They seem to live in a fantasy world where making the rich pay their fair share will somehow correct the problem. So, in response to their pithy little slogan, someone on X has written up an excellent response: We are currently at a critical juncture with a national debt of $36.5 trillion, increasing by $2 trillion each year. This is a critical issue, and most experts are warning us that we have relatively few years left to take decisive action before America faces a financial crisis that would have catastrophic consequences for this country and the world. Amid all your protests, the burning of Teslas, and your petulant vitriol, one crucial element is glaringly missing: any plan to cut government spending. Instead, your goal appears to be to spend even more. We finally have leaders who are willing to address a situation that the left wants to ignore, people who are courageously working to get us out of this dire situation. Authoritarian leftists had only a limited number of items to place on their Hands Off list, and curiously, most were items that werent threatened. But since they brought up the subject, those of us on the pro-freedom side can think of many liberties that have been threatened by the left. So, in response to their protest about nothing on Saturday, we have this: HANDS OFF - my tax dollars, which were not intended for your pet projects and the corrupt, virtue-signaling Socialists who spew the garbage you all take as gospel. Its not a slush fund and a money laundering operation through left-wing NGOs to make politicians rich. HANDS OFF - my child at school. Teach them the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic. They are not there to be indoctrinated into your Marxist ideologies. HANDS OFF - trying to force American women and girls to compete against biological men and then adding insult to injury, forcing them to change and shower in front of them. Stop forcing your fu@ked-up theories on the rest of us. HANDS OFF - all the property you destroy in the name of whatever cause youre supporting that given week. Other peoples vehicles are not yours to destroy. Neither are statues or all the other s#it you light on fire. HANDS OFF - our college campuses. Decent kids are there to learn. Free speech is protected. Violence, intimidation, and taking over buildings are not. By the way, if your cause is so just, take off the masks and show yourself. Cowards one and all. HANDS OFF - our president, who was duly elected to clean up the mess yall created. We sat by and watched as you supported a puppet who was practically dead. It damn near destroyed the nation. Financially, from a security standpoint, and morally. ... HANDS OFF - our Free Speech rights. For years, you have used the process of canceling people who simply wanted to express their ideas. In your world, you think free speech can only be allowed if it agrees with your screwed-up ideologies. HANDS OFF - the American family. You have done everything possible to destabilize the concept of families because you believe that our ultimate allegiance should be to the government. These principles are what the vast majority of Americans voted for. That is just a partial list: specific items on specific issues the left has been pushing on the pro-freedom right for years, as opposed to the vague laundry list of the left in what had to have been everything they could conjure up in supporting their slogan. It should be clear that we have the better case in wanting to remain free of their incessant control over our lives. But remember that these are the folks who claim to be liberal and progressive when they are neither, so the slogans that stem from this should carry about as much weight as their incessant lies. D Parker is an engineer, inventor, wordsmith, and student of history, former director of communications for a civil rights organization, and a long-time contributor to conservative websites. Find him on Substack. Image via Pxhere. In still yet another chapter of the truth is stranger and certainly more accurate than fiction department, brought to you by the stars of the Democrats (but of course!), consider the latest section of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Ocasio-Cortez was photographed in the first class section of a plane, flying to Las Vegas to join Sanders to speak about FIGHTING OLIGARCHY! last month. (Read about that episode here.) Well, a flight from New Yorks JFK airport to Las Vegas is long, plus there is a three-hour time difference between the East Coast and the West, which can be exhausting. Or something. Apparently, it was worth it, as the well rested Ocasio-Cortez rallied the crowd with her profound insights, as did her co-speaker. This country faces enormous crises, Sanders said to a crowd at Craig Ranch Regional Park in North Las Vegas. How we respond to these crises today will impact not only our lives, but the lives of our kids, future generations, and in terms of climate change, the very well being of the planet. Both encouraged the crowd not to feel overwhelmed by perpetual news cycles detailing the chaotic efforts of the Trump administration and Elon Musk to dismantle the federal government while sidestepping Congress and attempting to stiff-arm the courts. When the system is stacked against you, its hard to feel like anything you do matters, Ocasio-Cortez said. Its hard to feel like we matter in this democracy, and it is easier to give in to despair. ... Some in the crowd chanted for Ocasio-Cortez to primary Chuck when Schumer seeks re-election in 2028. A goal of the tour, which Sanders launched in the Midwest four weeks ago, is to galvanize the grassroots power of everyday people to defeat authoritarianism and root out the corruption in the White House, Ocasio-Cortez said. She emphasized the movements diversity and its inclusion. No matter how you identify or what you believe, especially out here if youre a trans kid or a family of a trans kid, an LGBTQ family, we cant throw you under the bus, Ocasio-Cortez said. In fact, we cant win without you. ... We are all here to say very loudly and clearly, no, we will not accept an oligarchic form of society where a handful of billionaires run the government, he said. No, we will not accept a society of massive economic inequalities where the very rich are becoming much richer, while working families across the country struggle to put food on the table. After such tiring work, Ocasio-Cortez jetted back to New York, also in first class, while Sanders recuperated in one of his many vacation homes not all in Vermont. Apparently, while America has been great for Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders, these two selfish representatives are opposed to President Donald J. Trump (R)s message to Make America Great Again!, because apparently they dont want their constituents to have what they have. Or something. Image: nrkbeta via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. I hear and read of the fears that President Trumps tariff impositions have caused in the investment markets and on Wall Street. I am heavily invested in corporate securities and have seen my retirement funds decline precipitously. But I am holding pat and buying bargains as I can manage. I believe that the market will come back in due time. Many have recently written on this site in support of Trumps gambit, and I agree with this high-risk effort to retool and reindustrialize America. In the short run, we will gain revenue (about $2 billion per day) to reduce our debt. China has used our money to grow rich and build its military over 40 years. Donald Trump is accomplishing two goals with his tariffs on China. The leadership in China has miscalculated by thinking that our dependency on the Chinese for products, critical minerals, and precursor elements needed for final assembly in our country would make us desperate for a quick solution. The COVID experience has taught smart people that a great nation cannot survive dependent upon potential enemies. Back in 2000, Al Gore gave a speech to agricultural MBA students advocating that one day, they would be employed to manage moving food from foreign countries to ours, since costs in America were too high to meet all our food needs. A country that cannot feed itself is likely to be a hostage during hard times. This is the risk of globalism as practiced on Wall Street and among the left politicians. China has control over factories in many Asian countries, most notably Vietnam. China needs to import much of its oil energy to power its factories. Therefore, it is no wonder that it sides with Iran and Russia in conflicts. The Chinese need Russian and Iranian oil exports, and they use the surplus finances gained in trade with the West and especially America ($300 billion per year) to buy this energy. When China retaliated, Trump increased tariffs to over 100%. This will have two effects not expressly mentioned: Over time, it will deprive China of liquid funds and reduce output from Chinese factories while gaining us revenue. It encourages our companies to move their factories out of China. If the tariffs remain on other countries dominated by China, this will choke them further. The brilliance of Trump is that this will also starve Russia (a large gas station) and Iran (another gas station and weapons supplier to Russia). The many different opinions given by Trump Cabinet members on tariffs only further causes chaos and panic among other countries and their leadership. Yes, it creates uncertainty on Wall Street and might threaten some companies. Trump must force these multi-nationals to retool idle factories in America. Trump has been successful in the past, but his plan takes time to work. Middle and Rust Belt Americans are willing to wait. Ross Perot warned that the sucking sound of jobs shifted to Mexico would destroy our country. Now Trump seeks to undo the globalists vision, which has hollowed out America. Godspeed. Image via Raw Pixel. This is Walter Yeo, an English sailor who was injured while manning the guns aboard the battleship HMS Warspite during the Battle of Jutland on May 31, 1916. Although the exact cause of his injuries is not documented, he was likely struck by flying shrapnel from an exploding shell and suffered burns from the accompanying hot gases. The blast left Yeo severely disfigured, with the loss of both his upper and lower eyelids. Yeo was first treated at Plymouth Hospital before being transferred to Queen Marys Hospital, where he came under the care of Harold Gillies. Thanks to Gillies pioneering work in reconstructive surgery, Yeo received a ground-breaking facial graft. A flap of skin was transplanted across his face and eyes, and after several months of recovery, he was declared fit for active service once again. Yeo was among thousands of soldiers who had their faces reconstructed during and following World War One. The Great War produced injuries in a scale and severity previously unseen, caused by weapons such as heavy artillery, machine guns, and poison gas. Facial wounds were especially common among soldiers in the trenches, who had to frequently peer over the parapet, exposing themselves to bullets and shrapnel. Hot, flying metal could rip through flesh with brutal force, leaving behind ragged wounds or even tearing away parts of the face entirely. Facial injuries were difficult to treat on the front lines. Surgeons would sometimes stitch together jagged wounds without accounting for the amount of tissue that had been lost. As the scars healed, the flesh tightened, pulling the face into a permanent, grotesque grimace. Jaw injuries often left men unable to eat or drink, while some had to be nursed sitting upright to prevent suffocation when lying down. Others were blinded or left with a gaping hole where their nose had once been. When these men returned home, they often faced stigma and isolation. Their disfigurements made it difficult to find employment, and many were relegated to working night shifts, away from public view. In some towns, they were made to sit on brightly painted blue benches in public spaces so that others knew not to look at them. Fortunately, help came in the form of Harold Gillies, a New Zealand-born surgeon who had witnessed the carnage first-hand during his service at the front. Determined to find better solutions, Gillies dedicated himself to developing innovative techniques for facial reconstruction. Upon returning to England, he established a dedicated ward for facial injuries at the Cambridge Military Hospital in Aldershot. Harold Gillies However, the ward quickly proved insufficient to meet the growing demand. In response, a new facility was established at Sidcup The Queens Hospital, which opened in June 1917 with over 1,000 beds. There, Gillies and his team developed many of the foundational techniques of modern reconstructive surgery. Gillies understood that healing a damaged face required more than simply covering woundsit meant restoring both structure and function. His approach involved first repositioning any healthy tissue back to where it belonged. Then, gaps left by injury could be filled with tissue transplanted from other parts of the body. While surgeons already had some experience with skin grafts, Gillies refined these methods significantly. Once the underlying bone structure had been repaired, the team could begin the meticulous process of rebuilding the soft tissues of the face. One of the most effective techniques developed by Gillies and his team involved the use of a pedicle grafta large flap of skin that was partially detached from a donor site near the wound. The flap remained connected to its original blood supply at one end while the free end was carefully positioned over the injured area. This continuous connection ensured that the graft remained nourished, significantly increasing the chances of successful integration with the damaged tissue. Walter Yeo was among the first patients to benefit from this innovative method. British and Indian wounded at Neuve Chapelle, on the way to the hospital base, 1915. Photo credit: National Army Museum Note: For photographs showing facial injuries and the aftermath of surgeries, please use this link to visit the Imperial War Museum website. Please be advised these images are gruesome and too graphic to be included in this article. Gillies continued to refine his techniques, often learning through trial and observation. A key breakthrough came during an operation on Willie Vicarage, a sailor who had suffered devastating burns in a fire during the Battle of Jutland. The injuries left his face fused into a tight, expressionless mask; he was unable to close his eyes or mouth. To reconstruct the lower part of Willies face, Gillies proposed raising a Masonic Collar Flap from the skin on his chest. During the procedure, he observed that the edges of the skin flapwhen stretchedtended to curl inward. To counter this, he stitched the edges together, forming a tube. This simple innovation dramatically improved the results: the tubular shape reduced the risk of infection and ensured a more reliable blood supply throughout the transfer. Once the tubed pedicle had become firmly established near the injury site, it could be safely severed from the donor location. The tube was then opened and spread across the damaged area, allowing surgeons to cover much larger wounds than had previously been possible. A wax teaching model showing Gillies surgical techniques. This model was prepared for the New Zealand Medical Corps facial and jaw injury unit, 1917. Photo credit: National Army Museum These advancements by Gillies and his team not only transformed the lives of thousands of disfigured soldiers, but also laid the groundwork for the entire field of modern plastic surgery. The techniques he developed would go on to influence generations of surgeons, extending far beyond the battlefield. In the years following the war, Gillies continued to push the boundaries of what reconstructive surgery could achieve. His expertise attracted patients from across the globe, and during the Second World War, he once again led efforts to treat injured servicemen. Yet perhaps one of the most remarkable chapters in his career came later, when he quietly broke new ground in the field of gender-affirming surgery. In 1946, Gillies performed one of the worlds first documented gender-affirming surgeries, helping Michael Dillonassigned female at birthtransition to male. A few years later, he also assisted in one of the earliest male-to-female procedures. At a time when such interventions were both socially taboo and medically uncharted, Gillies approached these cases with the same care, curiosity, and compassion that had defined his work with wounded soldiers. In doing so, he helped lay the medical and ethical foundations for gender-affirming care today. From the shattered faces of war-torn soldiers to the lives of transgender pioneers seeking to live authentically, Gillies' legacy is one of healing, innovation, and humanity. His work reminds us that medicine, at its best, is not only a sciencebut an art deeply rooted in empathy. References: # The Birth of Plastic Surgery, National Army Mueum # Meet Harold Gillies, the WWI surgeon who rebuilt the faces of injured soldiers, Ars Technica Summary: Apple seems to be fearing the tariffs imposed by Donald Trump, as the company flew thousands of iPhones into the U.S. just before the tariffs take place. This means that the company does not want to take the financial hit. Just a couple of months ago, we got the news that Tim Cook, Apples CEO, donated a million dollars to Donald Trumps inauguration fund. Its funny how our poor decisions can come back to bite us in the rear. When Trump returned to office, he started bringing forth tariffs left and right. These tariffs, which go into effect on Wednesday, April 9th, will drastically raise the price of foreign goods. iPhones are manufactured in China and India. Since they have to be imported, theyre affected by the tariffs as well. So, the higher the tariffs, the more it costs to bring them across the ocean. How much will it cost to import iPhones? Apple is looking down the barrel of a 104% tariff. This is pretty terrifying, and it means that Apple has a tough choice to make. Does it take the financial loss (which will tank its stocks and ruin its profit margin), or does it pass the taxes on consumers (which will cause fewer people to buy iPhones, thus affecting Apples stocks and profit margin)? Apple flew in a bunch of iPhones to beat the tariffs Tim Cook was hoping for an exemption from the tariffs, but it looks like thats not going to happen. Rather than that, Apple was presented with the decision to bring iPhone manufacturing over to U.S. soil. This is a process that could take years and cost a ton of money. Its not something that will happen overnight. Right now, Apple is making the best with what it has. The company shipped five planes full of iPhones over to the U.S. just in time to beat the tariffs. This way, it can postpone the price increase for as long as it can. We dont know how long this stash will last, as Apple stores were jam-packed with customers also trying to beat the tariff deadline. This is a band-aid solution at best, as the company is preparing for the iPhone 17 launch. When it announces that phone, its going to have to rip the band-aid off and tell us whether the prices skyrocketed or not. Summary: Luxshare currently manufactures iPhones and AirPods in China, currently. They are weighing whether they should move some of its manufacturing to the US, likely as a way to avoid President Trumps tariffs. The company is also weighing moving some production to India as well. Luxshare, a key Apple supplier that manufactures iPhones and AirPods in China, is considering moving some of its production to the United States, likely in response to President Trumps tariffs on Chinese goods. The company is also exploring potential manufacturing expansion in India, according to recent reports. Wang Laichun, the chairwoman of Luxshare, said in a private call with analysts, as seen by Reuters, that the tariffs would have little impact on profits and revenue. This is because Luxshare only exported a small amount of finished products to the US. However, the firm did need to consider more investment abroad and idling some investment plans in China. If there is a commercial guarantee and we are able to conduct a good evaluation, we do not rule out having some products being localized to meet the needs of the market. Reuters is also reporting that Wang did not mention Apple or any other customers of Luxshare on this call. Manufacturing is unlikely to move from Vietnam In recent years, many tech companies have begun moving their manufacturing to Vietnam, relying on China less. However, its unlikely that consumer electronics production would move away from Vietnam unless it faced tariffs greater than 10% on those products from other countries. Because its industrial infrastructure and talent pool were relatively mature. Its important to note that Vietnam is currently negotiating with the US over these tariffs. This could change, if the negotiating is successful. Wang also acknowledged concerns that customers would seek lower prices because of the tariffs, Customers have always collaborated with suppliers on how to enhance competitiveness. Seeking a lower price would mean the tariff on the product would be lower, resulting in the company charging less to consumers in the US and other countries. Summary: A report from the NCSC has revealed that there are dozens of legitimate-looking Android and iOS apps that are actually masquerading as spyware. Hackers typically use this spyware to spy on minority groups in China. In the past, Apple kicked up a fuss over allowing third-party app stores. The company, along with Google, has repeated the mantra that downloading from its official stores offers the safest way for users to install apps on their phones. However, over the years, those claims are starting to ring a bit hollow. Hiding in plain sight This is according to the UKs National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). The organization worked alongside agencies from Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, and the US, where it discovered apps secretly that ran spyware called BadBazaar and Moonshine. Both spyware families hid in plain sight, posing as dozens of legitimate Android apps. However, behind the scenes, it snooped through cameras, microphones, messages, photos, and location data. Security firms like Lookout, Trend Micro, and Volexity previously discovered and analyzed both BadBazaar and Moonshine malware families. Targeting minority groups and activists Its targets included Uyghurs, Tibetans, Taiwanese communities, and activists linked to causes China considers threats to its stability. According to the NCSC, The apps specifically target individuals internationally who are connected to topics that are considered by the Chinese state to pose a threat to its stability, with some designed to appeal directly to victims or imitate popular apps. For example, the report lists more than 100 malicious Android apps disguised as Muslim and Buddhist prayer tools. These apps disguised themselves as popular messaging apps like Signal and WhatsApp and Adobes PDF reader. An iOS app called TibetOne also made the list. It appeared on Apples App Store back in 2021. The NCSC adds, The individuals most at risk include anyone connected to: Taiwanese independence; Tibetan rights; Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities in or from Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region; democracy advocacy, including Hong Kong, and the Falun Gong spiritual movement. So far, Google and Apple have remained quiet and have not issued a statement in response to the NCSCs findings. This is a reminder that even when you download apps from official stores, its best to check to see who the developer is. Many apps pretend to be made by Google. But when you look closely, youll realize Google isnt the listed developer. Also, check the app reviews to see if there are any comments that warn you against downloading it. Summary: A recent survey by the Pew Research Center revealed that a large number of US adults view AI as a threat. 43% of those surveyed fear its potential harm, while 24% believe the tech will benefit them. The report also reveals that 17% remain optimistic about AIs impact on the US over the next 20 years. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been among the hot topics in the tech industry. Every now and then, we hear about companies making improvements to their AI products, making them even more useful. While companies tend to stress the benefits of AI, industry experts often see it as a threat to humanity. Now, a new survey report largely talks about the same, revealing that a large number of US adults also think of AI as a threat. A new survey report reveals that adults in the US view AI as a threat Last week, the Pew Research Center published the findings of a new survey called How the US Public and AI Experts View Artificial Intelligence. The findings published in the survey report are rather more negative than what you may have thought. According to the report, over 5,000 adults in the US took part in the survey last year, with an additional 1,000 AI experts joining in later in the year. As youd expect, those working on AI were more optimistic about the tech. On the other hand, the general public has fear and skepticism around AI in the US. Per the survey report, 43% of those surveyed think of AI as a threat, likely harming them. Only 24% of US adults believe that AI will benefit them, while the other 33% werent quite sure. When asked about AIs impact on the US over the next 20 years, 35% of responders said that the tech will have a negative impact. A small number of the population is still optimistic about AI However, 17% of the surveyed adults were optimistic about its impact. The rest of the responders believe that the impact of AI on the US would be a mixed bag of positive and negative. In short, the report indicates that adults in the US see AI as a threat rather than a useful technology. Speaking of impact, larger publishers are currently seeking help from the government to stop AI theft. They want to restrict companies from using their AI models on copyrighted data. Itll be interesting to see how the government responds to this appeal. Summary: Samsung is partnering with Google Cloud to bring Geminis generative AI capabilities to its home AI companion robot, Ballie. With Geminis power, it can do a bunch of daily tasks and provide you with general as well as health and wellness advice. Notably, the AI-powered home robot will launch this summer in the US and South Korea. Samsung and Google have worked together for nearly a decade now. Every now and then, we hear some news about both companies collaborating beyond Android. Today, Samsung announced a partnership with Google Cloud to bring Geminis generative AI capabilities to its cute little home robot, Ballie. Samsungs Ballie home robot will use Geminis power to do a bunch of tasks In a press release published today, Samsung notes that with the help of Gemini, the Ballie robot can chat naturally with you. Additionally, it will be able to handle daily tasks, like greeting visitors, adding lights, managing schedules, and much more. Ballie will use Geminis multimodal capabilities alongside Samsungs in-house language models to process and understand different types of output. It includes audio and voice, visual data from its camera, and sensor data from its surroundings. This will allow Ballie to adapt its behaviors and responses in real time. Its worth noting that the little rolling robot can help you with different things. For example, if you are unsure what to wear in the morning, you can seek advice from the Gemini-powered Samsung Ballie robot. You can ask, Hey Ballie, how do I look? and it will respond with styling suggestions. Well, its not the only thing that Ballie can help you with. The rolling robot is launching this summer Thanks to Geminis reasoning capabilities, the Samsung Ballie will also be able to help you with health and wellness. If youre feeling exhausted at any time of the day, you can tell Ballie about it. It will then use Google Search to provide recommendations on boosting energy. To catch you up, Samsung showcased its first AI assistant home robot, Ballie, early last year. The company recently gave a timeframe for its launch. The AI-powered rolling home robot will launch this summer in the US and South Korea. Given all the features and capabilities, we expect the price of the little robot will be on the higher side. Negative views of U.S., Trump rise among Brazilians, poll shows Xinhua) 10:34, April 09, 2025 RIO DE JANEIRO, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Brazilians' perception of the United States has deteriorated sharply, and nearly half of the population holds an unfavorable view of U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a new poll released Tuesday. The survey by Brazilian research firm Quaest found that 41 percent of Brazilians now have a negative image of the United States, a steep increase from 24 percent in March 2024, when Trump had not yet returned to the presidency. Favorable views of the United States dropped from 58 percent to 44 percent over the same period, creating a near even split in public opinion. The data marks a significant shift from previous years, when positive sentiment toward the United States consistently outweighed negative views. As for Trump, 43 percent of respondents said they view him negatively, while only 22 percent expressed a favorable opinion. Another 23 percent described their view as neutral, and 12 percent were undecided. The poll surveyed 2,004 Brazilians between March 27 and 31, just days before Trump announced a new round of import tariffs targeting nearly all countries and regions across the world, including Brazil. The United States had already imposed steep tariffs on Brazilian steel and aluminum exports, prompting backlash from officials in Brasilia. When asked how Brazil should respond to Trump's latest tariff announcement, 53 percent of respondents favored pursuing dialogue. In contrast, 33 percent supported retaliatory trade measures, while 14 percent were unsure or declined to answer. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Summary: It appears that TSMC could face a fine to the tune of 1 billion dollars. This may be a penalty the company has to pay for indirectly supplying Huawei with an AI chip that found its way into one of Huaweis chipsets. Uh-oh. TSMC could be facing a 1 billion dollar fine. A report from Reuters cites anonymous sources who claim that the US Department of Commerce could issue TSMC a whopping $1 billion fine for allegedly providing chips to a Chinese company that eventually ended up in Huaweis devices. TSMC indirectly supplied Huawei with chips You see, Huawei is currently on the US Entity List. What does this mean? This means that the company is barred from doing business with American companies. It also bans American companies from doing business with it. It goes even further. Even non-American companies cannot do business with Huawei as long as it uses technologies from the US. In this case, TSMC didnt actually make the chip for Huawei. It made a chip for a company called Sophgo. However, the AI chip later made its way into the Huawei Ascend 910B chipset. This is how TSMC found itself in a pickle. The US Department of Commerce has been investigating TSMC for a while now. Back in 2024, TSMC denied it did business with Huawei and issued a statement saying, If we have any reason to believe there are potential issues, we will take prompt action to ensure compliance, including conducting investigations and proactively communicating with relevant parties including customers and regulatory authorities as necessary. Huaweis semiconductor ambitions Before the US placed Huawei on the Entity List, the company was on track to potentially overthrow Apple and Samsung in the smartphone market but that move stopped its ambitions dead in their tracks. Also, following the ban, Huawei has been struggling to try and create chipsets that are on par with those made by companies like Qualcomm. However, in 2024, Huawei surprised everyone with a new phone with a 7nm chipset. Given the restrictions in place, Huawei and SMIC surprised many by managing to pull this off. In fact, SMIC is expected to produce its first 5nm chipset later this year, which could also find its way into a Huawei phone. Chinese companies have been trying to figure out a way around the ban and using alternate forms of technology. Some are also exploring developing their own EUV machines. This is key considering that the Dutch firm ASML isnt planning on supplying China with its machines. ASU has implemented a fraud prevention policy that includes a toll-free hotline at 866-294-9352 and the EthicsPoint website for employees to anonymously report actual or suspected acts of fraud against the university. This policy is in response to federal legislation (the Sarbanes-Oxley Act) and the Texas governors Executive Order RP-36. Individuals are encouraged to use the hotline to help detect and eliminate fraud. You also may contact the State Auditors Office or toll-free telephone hotline, 800-TX-AUDIT (892-8348). Fraud Resources Training The Office of Audit Services offers a class on increasing fraud awareness and prevention. This class is intended to teach employees about how they can assist the University in preventing fraud while performing their daily responsibilities. ASU Employees are highly encouraged to attend. For more information, visit the Audit Services Fraud Prevention web page. Angelo State University is firmly committed to privacy, in both the collection and use of individual information and monitoring of the use of university information resources. The following provides an overview our information gathering and dissemination practices for personal information as well as analysis of users use of university information systems. Angelo State University collects information from students, faculty, staff, and visitors through a variety of mechanisms (email, web forms, hard copy forms, and others) to fulfill requests for information, products, and services. ASU collects contact information (such as email addresses) and unique identifiers (such as Social Security numbers) for university business such as university registration and/or providing financial aid. The information you supply is maintained by the University only as long as required by law or for as long as needed for university business. You have the right to review and correct this information by contacting the appropriate office. ASU uses chat rooms, forums, message boards, and other areas available to its users. Please remember that any information that is disclosed in these areas becomes public information and you should exercise caution when deciding to disclose your personal information. You are entitled to request the information ASU collects about you and to request that information that is factually incorrect be corrected in accordance with State of Texas and US federal law. Under Sections 552.021 and 552.023 of the Texas Government Code, you are entitled to receive and review the information. Under Section 559.004 of the Texas Government Code, you are entitled to have ASU correct information about you that is held by us and that is incorrect by contacting the appropriate office. The information that ASU collects will be retained as required by Section 441.180 et seq. of the Texas Government Code System Usage Monitoring For site management functions, information is collected for analysis and statistical purposes. This information is not reported or used in any manner that would reveal personally identifiable information, and will not be released to any outside parties unless required by law. Angelo State University uses server logs and log analysis tools to create summary statistics about the use of the web site. The summary statistics are used for purposes such as assessing what information is of most interest to users, determining technical design specifications, and identifying system performance or problem areas. The following information is collected for this analysis: User/client hostname - The hostname or IP address of the user/system requesting access. - The hostname or IP address of the user/system requesting access. HTTP header, user-agent - The user-agent information includes the type of browser used, the browser version, and the operating system it is running on. - The user-agent information includes the type of browser used, the browser version, and the operating system it is running on. HTTP header, referrer - The referrer specifies the page from which the user/client accessed the current page. - The referrer specifies the page from which the user/client accessed the current page. System date - The date and time of the user/client request. - The date and time of the user/client request. Full request - The exact request the user/client made. - The exact request the user/client made. Status - The status code the server returned to the user/client. - The status code the server returned to the user/client. Content length - The content length, in bytes, of the document sent to the user/client. - The content length, in bytes, of the document sent to the user/client. Method - The request method used. - The request method used. Universal Resource Identifier (URI) - The location of a resource on the server. - The location of a resource on the server. Query string of the URI - Anything after the question mark in a URI. - Anything after the question mark in a URI. Protocol - The transport protocol and version used. The ASU web site contains links to other sites. Angelo State University is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of web sites managed by other organizations. Trisha Goddard pictured in 2019 at the Royal Festival Hall in London. (Getty Images) (Famous, Bang Media International) Talk show presenter Trisha Goddard has been living with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer since 2023. Currently back on our screens as a Celebrity Big Brother housemate Mickey Rourke, Chesney Hawkes, Angellica Bell and Sir Michael Fabricant also feature in this year's reality series the 67-year-old is making it her personal mission to beat down social barriers surrounding terminal illness, showing viewers that the certainty of death shouldn't scare people so much that they stop living. Goddard overcame an initial cancer diagnosis in 2008, but 15 years later its return was deemed incurable by doctors. What has she said about this devastating experience? The terminology is all wrong The TV presenter entered the Celebrity Big Brother house this week. (ITV) (ITV) Joining Davina McCall for the latest episode of her podcast Begin Again, Goddard suggested she's regularly left irritated by the specific language used around cancer and people's approach towards patients. "In this day and age, every one of us knows somebody who has had cancer. So if you haven't had cancer, it's very natural to approach someone with, in the back of your head, your experience of a loved one," she said. "However, when someone approaches you they have this vision of maybe, hell. And sadly often someone will greet you right off the bat who you have no rapport with, with these gruesome deaths, of agony and hell, and then pat your hand. I now know how to handle that, I say: 'And you're telling me this why?'" Read more: Goddard went on to describe 'terminal' as a clickbait-y term perpetuated by the tabloids. "Nobody medical calls it terminal. It's 'life-limiting.'" She also hates phrases like 'you'll win the battle', 'they won the battle' or 'they are losing the battle.' "It makes you feel weak. And that you didn't personally do something, or that you are responsible for the cancer." Importance of a fitness regime She and Lukasz Rozycki partnered up for Dancing on Ice 2020. (Mike Marsland/WireImage) (Mike Marsland via Getty Images) During the same podcast appearance, Goddard briefly waxed lyrical on the benefits of exercise. "Whatever you go through, the more physically fit you are, however you achieve that, the better the outcome, you know? That's not just me saying it. And if you can maintain that through your treatment, the better your results. That's in your blood. You see it," she told McCall. This echoes an interview she did with Breast Cancer Now around the time of her first cancer journey. "Thank God for running," noted Goddard, now a CNN correspondent. "I went running every day, even if I just staggered for an hour or so. First thing I did when I got out of bed was put my running gear on, so it wasn't a question of not feeling like it. Nine times out of 10 I did not feel like it, but I knew at 1720 minutes that I'd get that kick. "The only time I didn't run was after my second operation and I was going mad I was looking outside dreaming of running. Honestly, I could not have got through treatment without it." Seizing control Goddard at the National Television Awards in 2003. (Alamy) (ALLSTAR PICTURE LIBRARY, Allstar Picture Library Ltd) After the UK tabloids "traumatised" her family with threats to "out" her cancer in 2008, Goddard moved Stateside. "They were paying people within the hospital to get pictures of me. When I went to the supermarket. I had paparazzi hassling my housekeepers," she recalled on McCall's podcast. "My hospital room had to be moved so there wasn't a window that they could use long lenses with. My kids suddenly developed lots and lots of friends at school. It was a nightmare." So, when her second health crisis emerged, the TV star made sure to seize control and hide the diagnosis until she was ready to share it publicly. "My colleagues at CNN didn't know. They didn't know I was having chemo every bloody week. Literally one time I got off the table from radiation treatment, went straight to work," Goddard went on to reveal. "I didn't have a day off work, not a single day. And nobody knew for 19 months. When it came out people were shocked. I said at CNN: 'Im the same person I was for those 19 months and for four-and-a-half months, I was going through hell. I am the same person. You now know I have cancer. There is no reason why you wouldn't treat me in exactly the same way that you treated me for that 19 months and the 30-something years I've been in the media.'" Ongoing treatment through Celebrity Big Brother CBB's full line-up for this year. (ITV) (ITV) When the CBB contestant recently spoke to The Mirror, it was confirmed that she'd have her own bedroom in the house where she'll receive palliative care. "My oncologist is my biggest cheerleader and is working with the Big Brother team. I've got a special therapist who's happy to work with the medic on the show," she informed the publication. "My palliative care team and when I say that word everybody screams and runs away, but it's symptom treatment is working with the team here too. "Then when it comes to my treatment, I had one infusion on [Monday, 7 April], so I've got to jump on a plane and go straight back to have the next one as soon as the show is over." Goddard also shared: "Ive got a bag full of meds that I normally have which will be with me in the house. So my oncologist has planned my treatment around the production schedule." Celebrity Big Brothers airs on ITV1 and ITVX. Britains Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi - Florence Lo/Reuters No minister will use the phrase, but a new golden era in Britains relationship with China has quietly begun. Even as Chinese soldiers are being captured in Ukraine, proving once again how Beijing is aiding the aggressor in Europes biggest war for 80 years, the Government is moving steadily closer to China. The first golden era during David Camerons premiership rested on the idea that Britain should be more open to Chinese trade and investment than any other big Western economy. A Chinese state company was even allowed to buy a stake in British nuclear power stations. Just how much sense that made was shown by the decision of a later government to spend nearly 700 million buying China out again. Sir Keir Starmer is once again making Britain uniquely open to China while conveniently forgetting this cautionary tale. Today the UK is the only G7 country with no tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. America, under the Biden administration, levied 100 per cent tariffs. Canada did the same. The EU went for 38 per cent and Japan 10 per cent. Britain alone has stuck resolutely to zero. China has amassed by far the biggest EV manufacturing capacity in the world. Guess where those new vehicles will be heading and imagine the consequences for what remains of Britains domestic car industry. But what else can Sir Keir do if he remains committed to net zero? The rationale behind what we should now call Golden Era II is straightforward. Achieving net zero requires the decarbonisation of power generation and transport. And achieving this cannot happen without China. If we are going to eliminate the sale of new petrol vehicles by the target date of 2030 and hybrids by 2035 then Chinese EVs will have to flood our roads no matter what. If we are going to generate enough electricity from renewables and other clean sources to satisfy national demand by 2030, then we will have to get the solar panels and wind turbines from somewhere. China makes virtually all of the former and supplies most vital components of the latter. So net zero must inescapably require the UK to base our energy and transport systems and therefore our economy and society on Chinese-supplied cars, turbines and solar panels. No wonder that British ministers have processed one-by-one to Beijing: starting with David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary; followed by Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor; and then most significantly Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary. Do not underestimate the huge risks of golden era II. The easy argument is that harnessing the sun and the wind which even Vladimir Putin cannot switch off must be safer than an energy system requiring ceaseless imports of oil and gas. But all the new wind farms, solar panels and EVs will require a lot more than sun and wind. They will need maintenance, components and software updates from their Chinese manufacturers. At present, almost half of the UKs fossil fuel comes from the North Sea and most of the rest derives from allied countries, mainly Norway and the United States. To maintain and operate an energy system dominated by renewables must, by contrast, make Britain dependent on a single hostile state: China. I spent nearly eight years working in the Foreign Office and Downing Street. Will our officials subject net zero and renewable energy to critical scrutiny? Or will they just endorse the comforting and simplistic argument that a renewable energy system, even if Chinese-supplied, must entail less risk than importing hydrocarbons? One indicator is the fact that the Foreign and Home Secretaries have both endorsed Chinas plan to build in London the biggest embassy ever constructed in the history of diplomatic relations. This new citadel, spanning 5.5 acres beside the Tower of London, would be a fitting symbol of golden era II. Whoever serves as Chinas first ambassador in this new Forbidden City by the Thames will also represent the country supplying Britains energy and transport infrastructure. If so, golden era II risks becoming a golden opportunity for China to exert significant power over us. Hundreds of demonstrators, many disabled, have gathered to protest against the government's proposed cuts to the welfare spending bill (Getty) (SOPA Images via Getty Images) A number of disabled people's organisations working with the government have stopped meeting with ministers over plans to cut disability benefits. Charities like Inclusion London have told Yahoo News they are "considering" whether they will still speak to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to inform its upcoming policies on improving employment outcomes and the benefits system for disabled people. The charity told Yahoo News it is considering its position because the government "is not consulting on the most significant cuts" in its Get Britain Working green paper, accusing the DWP of leaving disabled voices "ignored and silenced". A member of a disabled consortium in the West Midlands that works with the government has already resigned over the government enacting the cuts, Yahoo News understands. The resignation letter, from a man who has worked for disabled organisations for 40 years, said that Starmer's government "has such little regard and respect for the rights and welfare of the disabled community of this country". Disablities minister Sir Stephen Timms has urged these groups to keep in conversation with the government, telling the BBC's Access All podcast that he "very much hopes" the organisations will continue talking to him. When asked about working with disability charities on Tuesday, Keir Starmer said he wants to continue to work with disabled people's organisations and "bring people together" to improve outcomes for disabled people. 'Our voices have been ignored and silenced' The government's proposals to cut disability benefits have sparked outrage among campaigners and charities, who warned that the "draconian" policies could push up to 340,000 people into poverty. The cuts, announced by Liz Kendall and Rachel Reeves last month such as limiting the number of people eligible for PIP and freezing and halving incapacity benefits for new claimants will not go to consultation and will be voted on in parliament. On Tuesday, however, the government launched the Get Britain Working consultation, asking for groups and individuals to express their views on some measures like scrapping work capability assessments for universal credit claimants, and enhancing the Access to Work programme, a grant system for disabled workers which is beset with delays. Inclusion London, which supports deaf and disabled people's organisations in London, said it does not think the government has done anywhere near enough. Svetlana Kotova, director of campaigns at the charity told Yahoo News: "Labour promised in their manifesto to put disabled peoples views and voices at the heart of their policy. But the green paper does the exact opposite. "The government is not consulting on the most significant cuts, that will push disabled people, including children, into poverty. Our voices have been ignored and silenced. We need to understand from the minister what their commitment really means in practice." For one organiser involved in several disability networks, resignation felt like the only option. In his resignation letter, shared with Yahoo News, he wrote that he is "extremely scared for the safety of disabled people under a Starmer-led government". He wrote: "I can no longer work with or be associated with a government who threat my brothers and sisters so appallingly. I have advised Conservative governments with more empathy than this government. "In all these years and facing down many governments of various political colours and politics, I have never known any government with such little regard and respect for the rights and welfare of the disabled community of this country." 'Have difficult conversations' However, some other groups have decided that even though they do not agree with the government's position, cutting off communication with the government is "not the best thing to do". Mark Baggley, from the Choices and Rights Disability Coalition, told Yahoo News: "While it may have been the best thing for one of our networks to step away, I do not think cutting off communication with the government is not the best thing to do. "Without having these difficult conversations, you're never going to get any change." Jon Sparkes OBE, chief executive of learning disability charity Mencap, echoed this view. He told Yahoo News: "To make change, we believe that dialogue with those who have the power to make decisions is crucial and especially important when the stakes are so high. "We will continue to engage with government to raise our concerns, and provide a platform for people with a learning disability to voice theirs directly." The government's disabilities minister Timms has said he "very much hopes" the organisations will continue talking to him. Sir Stephen Timms told the BBC he wants to keep on talking to disabled organisations (AP Photo) (Andre Penner, Associated Press) When asked about the stalemate on the BBC's disability and mental health podcast, Access All, on Monday, Timms said: "I very much hope that they will carry on talking to me because I need to know what they think about these proposals. "I want to make sure that the views and voices of disabled people are at the heart of what we do in this area, as well as elsewhere across the government." A DWP spokesperson said: We want to hear from a wide range of people during the consultation period and are committed to putting the views and voices of disabled people at the heart of everything we do. We have set out a sweeping package of reforms to health and disability benefits that genuinely support people back into work, while putting the welfare system on a more sustainable footing so that the safety net is always there to protect those who need it most. A former Russian government minister who was appointed as a governor in illegally annexed Crimea by Vladimir Putin has been found guilty of circumventing sanctions, in the first case of its kind. Dmitrii Ovsiannikov, the former governor of Sevastopol, was accused of deliberately avoiding sanctions by opening a Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) account and having tens of thousands of pounds transferred to it by his wife Ekaterina Ovsiannikova. He was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday of six out of seven counts of circumventing sanctions between February 2023 and January 2024. The jury failed to reach a verdict on the final charge. Ovsiannikovs brother Alexei Owsjanikow (Lucy North/PA) The 48-year-old, wearing a navy suit, did not visibly react as the verdicts were read out. His brother Alexei Owsjanikow, 47, was convicted of two counts circumventing sanctions by paying school fees of 41,027 for his siblings children. The case is the first prosecution in the UK regarding a breach of sanctions under the Russian Regulations 2019, according to the Crown Prosecution Service. Under the original asset freeze, Ovsiannikov who also served as the Russian Federations deputy minister for industry and trade before he was dismissed and expelled from the ruling United Russia party in 2020 was not even allowed to buy groceries. His wife was cleared of four counts of circumventing sanctions by assisting with payments totalling 76,000 to her husband in February 2023. His brother was cleared of a further three counts of breaching sanctions, namely by buying a Mercedes-Benz worth 54,500 and arranging car insurance for Ovsiannikov, and by making a Barclays bank account available to him. During the trial, it was largely accepted that the defendants engaged in the relevant activities but their lawyers denied this amounted to the charges. They claimed their clients either did not know Ovsiannikov was a designated person or were unaware he was barred from receiving the financial help. All three defendants, who had denied the charges, are Russian nationals and hold Russian passports, while Ovsiannikov and Owsjanikow also hold British passports by virtue of their Bradford-born father. Ovsiannikov was also convicted of possessing criminal property and using criminal property. The trial heard that in a high-profile political appointment, Mr Putin appointed Ovsiannikov as the governor of Sevastopol in Crimea on July 28 2016, two years after Russia illegally annexed the region from Ukraine. Prosecutor Paul Jarvis said it placed Ovsiannikov in charge of a strategically significant city so far as the Russian annexation of Crimea was concerned, meaning he was an important political figure within the Russian Federation. Ovsiannikov was elected as governor of Sevastopol in an election organised by Russia in September 2017. On November 21 2017, the EU made Ovsiannikov a designated person under its sanctions legislation, saying that his work had compromised or threatened the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. This restricted him from entering or accessing funds in member states. At the time, this meant he was also a designated person in the UK as the country was still in the EU. Ovsiannikov resigned as the governor of Sevastopol on July 11 2019 and returned to work as the Russian deputy minister for industry and trade. On August 4 2022, Ovsiannikov made an online application from Turkey for a UK passport, having travelled from Russia to Turkey three days earlier, the court heard. His wife was granted entry clearance for the UK on August 7 2022 on the basis she was the parent of a child studying there. Jurors were told she first entered the UK on August 13 2022 with her two youngest children. The Court of Justice of the European Union ordered that Ovsiannikovs designation should be annulled on October 26 2022, but that did not happen for some months. However, Ovsiannikov remained subject to sanctions in the UK by virtue of being a designated person under the Russia Regulations. On January 27 2023, Ovsiannikov was issued with a British passport and he arrived in the UK on February 1 2023 five days before his name was formally removed from the EU sanctions list. The trial heard that on February 7 2023, he had emailed the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office requesting the revocation of his designation under UK law. The prosecution said this was a significant moment as he would not have applied to cancel his UK designation unless he knew that he was designated under UK law. On February 24 2023, HBOS froze Ovsiannikovs account after they discovered that he was on the UK sanctions list. Mr Jarvis told jurors there was ample evidence to show Ovsiannikov was aware of his status as a designated person from the moment of his arrival in the UK in February 2023. In a statement after the verdicts, Julius Capon, unit head prosecutor of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: The sanctions regime was introduced against key individuals to encourage Russia to cease military action because it was hoped those with power will be hampered in their normal international business dealings. Dmitrii Ovsiannikov was a high-profile official who was appointed by President Vladimir Putin as the governor of Sevastopol after Crimea was illegally annexed by Russia. He knew he had been on the UK sanctions list since 2017 but chose to ignore this. Another member of his family sought deliberately to breach the sanctions to live their own lavish lifestyle and showed complete disregard for the law. We hope this sends a clear message that the CPS and NCA (National Crime Agency) investigators will work closely together to seek the convictions of sanction busters. The CPS will start criminal proceedings in order to get back illegally obtained cash and assets, they added. Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty said: Mr Ovsiannikov thought he could hide from our sanctions. Todays verdict proves otherwise. We are resolutely committed to increasing pressure on Putin, his cronies, and all those who aid his barbaric war in Ukraine. When this government came to office, we made clear we were committed to making sure sanctions were used most effectively and crucially, robustly enforced. We have been working tirelessly with colleagues across government to ensure our sanctions enforcement regime is both effective and efficient, and to give the right tools to our law enforcement agencies to be able to take robust action when necessary. Graeme Biggar, director general of the NCA, said: Dmitrii Ovsiannikov and his brother clearly knew that he was subject to these sanctions and deliberately took steps to circumvent the controls. These convictions demonstrate not only that designated individuals are on our radar, but so are those who enable breaches of the regulations. Todays verdict is testament to the hard work and determination of the NCAs Combatting Kleptocracy Cell, which has delivered more than 180 disruptions to remove or reduce a criminal threat posed by Putin-linked elites and their enablers since the invasion of Ukraine. Ovsiannikov and Owsjanikow will be sentenced at the same court at a later date. Imagine being a cat whos spent over 1,000 days in a shelter. For Sparkle, thats her reality. The cat has been looked over so many times in her long stint at Puppy Kitty NYCity in New York City, New York. The cat has been there since 2021, which means she is due for someone to spot her and bring her home. Sparkle has been at the shelter for 1,460 days 1,460 days! Thats over 4 years without a human to call her own. We can be the change for Sparkle. All it takes is one person to see Sparkles video and turn her world around. Sparkle first came to the shelter back in 2021 when the rescue was called to a hoarders home. The tortoiseshell cat needed someone to come and save her. The cat was living in a nightmare of filth and chaos where cats struggled to survive amid squalor no living being should endure. The rescue ended up taking her in safely but shes been waiting since her arrival 4 years ago. No one knows she exists. She is just another face in a sea of cats, they explained in the footage. Related: Mama Shelter Cat Teaches Her Babies to Escape Cage Like Tiny Little Houdinis People in the comments section wanted to see Sparkle leave the shelter and get her forever home today. Sparkle you are so beautiful! Hoping someone gives you a chance, wrote one person. Oh Sparkle, I pray you find a wonderful family soon, chimed in someone else. Awww. Torties are SO special. Lets get Sparkle seen and adopted, a third person wrote. She is a beauty! Lets get her seen and adopted, added one commenter. Adopting From Puppykitty NYCity We can all work together to get Sparkles adopted by sharing this video and spreading the news. There has to be one person out there who is ready to open their heart to a cat like Sparkle. If thats you, head to the Puppykitty NYCity website and fill out an application. Lets not let Sparkle spend one one more minute in the shelter. She deserves a loving home! Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. IDF troops carry out a military operation in Rafah as it seeks to expand the buffer zone The Israeli military is seizing the city of Rafah as part of a new offensive aimed at expanding the buffer zone along the Gaza border, it has been reported. If confirmed, it would mark the first time the IDF has taken a major city within its defensive perimeter, essentially creating an Israeli military enclave 3 miles (4.8km) deep into the Strip. The operation follows heavy aerial bombardments and repeated warnings to civilians to evacuate, although relatively few incidents of fighting on the ground. Israeli media has reported that defence officials were considering whether to fully demolish all buildings in the southern sector, where Rafah is located. They have done this in other parts of the buffer zone. A report by the UN Satellite Centre last April estimated that 90 per cent of the buildings within the fortified area had been destroyed or damaged. However, this would be the first time an entire Palestinian city would be effectively erased. The city of Rafah, which could become the first major city within the IDFs defensive perimeter to be taken - Mohammad Abu Samra/AP The Israeli government says its renewed Gaza operation is intended to place Hamas under maximum pressure in order to secure the release of the remaining hostages, 34 of whom are thought to be alive. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has previously warned that Israel would seize tracts of territory in Gaza if the terror group failed to release the captives. Meanwhile, Israel Katz, the defence minister, said on Wednesday the IDFs great achievements during the renewed fighting were bringing Hamas closer to another deal. However, groups supporting hostage families have expressed extreme distress at the resumption of hostilities. Rafah is located between the border with Egypt, which was previously controlled by Israel via a narrow strip of land called the Philadelphi Corridor, and a newly created east-west Morag Corridor, just south of the city of Khan Younis. Around 200,000 Palestinians lived there before the war. Incorporating the city and its surrounding neighbourhoods into a no-go buffer zone would essentially decrease the size of the Strip available to civilians by 20 per cent. It follows significant increases in the depth of the buffer zone around much of the enclave, from a distance of approximately 800 metres before Oct 7 2023 to 1 mile (1.5km). Israel says this is to protect its troops and Israeli civilians living nearby from a repeat attack. On Wednesday, Haaretz reported an anonymous defence official as saying it was yet to be decided whether the entire area would be fully cleared of all buildings. The IDF is reportedly taking a low-risk approach as it advances into neighbourhoods potentially controlled by Hamas, preferring to demolish buildings rather than send in troops and risk booby traps. Despite hundreds of air strikes, which Israel says has killed more than 40 Hamas officials and mid-level commanders, there have been only sparse reports of fighting on the ground. IDF strategists reportedly believe that Hamas still has 20,000 militants in the Strip about half the number before the war but most are choosing not to fight, potentially ahead of a large future battle. The IDF is reportedly taking a low-risk approach as it advances through neighbourhoods in Rafah - IDF The IDF has not said whether Rafah will be incorporated into a buffer zone or whether its buildings will be demolished. A spokesman said: As part of implementing the defence strategy and in accordance with the directives of the political echelon, the IDF is destroying terrorist infrastructure, strengthening defence components in communities, maintaining a broad military presence in the security zone adjacent to Israel, and working to remove threats in the area. These actions are essential in order to prevent Hamas and other terrorist organisations from operating in the area while ensuring the security of IDF forces and Israeli communities. The King and Queen have met a convalescing Pope Francis at the Vatican during a private meeting where they shared their best wishes for his recovery. Charles and Camilla spent part of Wednesday afternoon with the pontiff as he continues recuperating after receiving hospital treatment for double pneumonia. The visit was broken by local media after the couples convoy was spotted leaving the Vatican. Charles and Camilla, who are coming to the end of a four-day state visit to Italy, were due to hold a separate state visit to the Holy See, the government of the Roman Catholic Church in the Vatican, but it was cancelled before the trip began to allow the Pope to recover from his illness. The (then) Prince of Wales during a 2017 audience with Pope Francis (Tim Rooke/PA) A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla this afternoon had a private meeting with His Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican. Their Majesties were delighted The Pope was well enough to host them and to have had the opportunity to share their best wishes in person. Francis made his first public appearance since his illness on Sunday, when he appeared in St Peters Square in a wheelchair during a special Jubilee Mass for the sick following his discharge from hospital two weeks previously. He wore nasal tubes to receive supplemental oxygen, which the Vatican said at the time is being gradually reduced. The King and Queen arrive for the State Banquet at the Palazzo Quirinale in Rome (Aaron Chown/PA) It is understood the visit was confirmed on Wednesday morning and the pontiff had issued the invitation to Charles and Camilla for the private audience on the day the couple celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary. The meeting lasted 20 minutes and likely took place in Franciss private apartment and came after Charles reportedly said I pray for the Pope, during a reception on Tuesday for members of the British community at Villa Volkonsky, the residence of the Britains ambassador to Italy. Details of the discussion between the Pope and his guests have not been released but it is understood the Pope wished the King and Queen a happy wedding anniversary. Gifts were exchanged between the two parties who were joined by the King and Queens principal private secretary, Sir Clive Alderton and Camillas deputy private secretary Belinda Kim. Charles last met Francis in 2019 when he was the Prince of Wales and travelled to the Vatican to attend the canonisation of St John Henry Newman. A picture of the meeting is due to be released on Thursday morning before Charles and Camilla begin royal engagements on their final day of their four-day tour of Italy. It is understood discussions are continuing about rescheduling the Kings visit to the Holy See which was due to celebrate the Papal Jubilee, held every 25 years. The visit came after the King warned peace is never to be taken for granted during a historic address to Italys parliament. Charles also paid tribute to the close ties between the two nations and said Italy will always be in my heart with Camilla sitting a few metres away wearing her wedding dress decorated with added embroidery. The King and Queen will spend their 20th wedding anniversary evening as guests of honour at a state banquet in Rome. Charles and Camilla are expected to be joined by leading figures from Italian life at the black-tie dinner held during the couples four-day state visit to Italy. The head of state and his consort wed in a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall on April 9 2005 following a romance that began when they were in their early 20s. Charles and Camilla married in a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall (Reuters/PA) Charles first met fun, confident Camilla on Windsor Great Park polo field in 1970 when he had just left Cambridge University, a year before he joined the Royal Navy. No marriage proposal came despite the closeness between the pair and when the relationship cooled after Charles dedicated himself to his Navy career, Camilla wed cavalry officer Andrew Parker Bowles in 1973 and Charles later married Diana, Princess of Wales in 1981. After Charles and Camilla both divorced and Diana died in l997 Camillas eventual emergence as Charles long-term partner was part of a carefully planned PR campaign masterminded by the heir to the thrones spin doctor Mark Bolland. At their wedding reception, held the same day as the Grand National, Queen Elizabeth II said about their romance: They have overcome Bechers Brook and The Chair and all kinds of other terrible obstacles. They have come through and Im very proud and wish them well. My son is home and dry with the woman he loves. During the third day of their Italian state visit, Charles will become the first British monarch to address both houses of Italys parliament the chamber of deputies and the senate of the republic. Before delivering his speech to the politicians, the King will have an audience with Italys prime minister Giorgia Meloni, the countrys first female premier who took up office in October 2022 at the head of a coalition of right-wing populist parties. The European Union will put on hold for 90 days its first countermeasures against President Donald Trump's tariffs, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said. The bloc was due to launch counter-tariffs on US imports from next Tuesday in response to Trump's 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium. "We want to give negotiations a chance," von der Leyen said on X. "While finalising the adoption of the EU countermeasures that saw strong support from our Member States, we will put them on hold for 90 days." European shares surged on Thursday after Trump announced an immediate 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs for most trading partners, prompting a massive relief rally after days-long market rout. It came as Beijings 84% tax on imports of US goods came into effect - although Trump insisted a good deal will be struck between the superpowers. The move from China came hours after the US President raised its tariffs on imports from Beijing to 125%, while blinking in the face of markets turmoil and announcing a 90-day pause of more punitive levies against dozens of other nations. In a post on his platform Truth Social, Trump said the move to hike tariffs on China even higher had been prompted by the lack of respect that China has shown to the worlds markets. But Beijing accused Trump of bullying and may again respond in kind after slapping 84% tariffs on US imports on Wednesday to match Trumps earlier tariff salvo. It has repeatedly vowed to fight to the end in the exploding trade war between the worlds top two economies. We are not afraid of provocations. We dont back down, Chinas foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning posted on X on Thursday, sharing a video of a defiant speech by late Chinese leader Mao Zedong from 1953 during its war with the United States on the Korean peninsula. The Korean War ended in a stalemate later that year. Earlier, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that countries that did not retaliate against the initial tariffs would be rewarded in negotiations. A baseline 10% tariff remains in place on all countries, including the UK. Trumps sudden and unexpected rowing back of his tariffs programme sent beleaguered stock markets soaring. In London, the FTSE 100 jumped more than 6% on opening on Thursday, while Germanys Dax was up 8% and Frances CAC 40 6.3%. The rebound started in the US on Wednesday continuing in Asia on Thursday as the region, which faced some of Trumps biggest tariffs, breathed a collective sigh of relief. The Nikkei 225 in Japan was up 8.2% while South Koreas Kospi jumped 5.9%. But there were already signs the rally may be short-lived with US stock futures trading lower. Oil prices also fell, extending losses fuelled by fears that the trade tensions could push the global economy towards recession. On Wednesday night, Trump said he pulled back on many global tariffs because people were yippy and afraid because of the stock markets plummeting. The president said he had been monitoring the bond market and that people were getting a little queasy as bond prices had fallen and interest rates had increased in a vote of no confidence by investors in Trumps tariff plans. In London, Downing Street said that the UK will coolly and calmly continue its negotiations after Trump announced the 90-day pause for most nations. See also: How will the tariff war impact me? A No 10 spokeswoman said: A trade war is in nobodys interests. We dont want any tariffs at all, so for jobs and livelihoods across the UK, we will coolly and calmly continue to negotiate in Britains interests. It comes after China announced higher 84% tariffs on goods coming from the US on Wednesday as an all-out trade war between the superpowers exploded. The move from Beijing came in retaliation to Trumps punitive tariffs which were slapped on 60 countries that the US President claimed were the worst offenders on trade, which had come into force at 5am UK time. They included 104% duties on Chinese goods imported into the US, which were later hiked further to 125%. Trumps punishing tariffs have shaken a global trading order that has persisted for decades, raised fears of recession and sent stocks around the world reeling. But the US president claimed other countries were now queuing to seek to strike trade deals to avoid the tariffs and that they were kissing my ass. Kobbie Mainoo trained with his Manchester United team-mates ahead of the Europa League quarter-final at Lyon as the midfielder prepares to return from his two-month lay-off. The homegrown 19-year-old has been absent since picking up a muscular issue in training in the days after his most recent appearance against Leicester in the FA Cup on February 7. Mainoo trained with the group in the opening section of the session at Carrington on Wednesday, but it remains to be seen whether he is part of the squad that travels to France for the quarter-final first leg. Get the lowdown on who trained ahead of today's flight to Lyon #MUFC || #UEL Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 9, 2025 United defender Matthijs de Ligt was conspicuous by his absence from training having missed Sundays 0-0 derby draw at home to Manchester City. Toby Collyer also missed the session with a knock, joining Lisandro Martinez, Amad Diallo, Jonny Evans and Ayden Heaven on the sidelines. Luke Shaw again trained with the group having returned to the bench in the Manchester derby after four months out. Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton will go head-to-head on Channel Seven on Sunday in the fourth and final Australian election leaders debate at 8.00pm AEST. Photograph: AAP The race to the 2025 Australian federal election is in its final days, with one last televised debate between the two leaders of the major parties. Here is how you can watch the debate before Australians head to the polls on Saturday or sooner if they join the rush to vote early. Related: Leaders debate live updates: Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton meet in final election debate Leaders debate on 7NEWS - Sunday 27 April at 8pm AEST 7NEWS will host the final leaders debate on Sunday 27 April. The debate will kick off at 8pm and will broadcast on Sevens free-to-air channel as well as on catch-up service 7plus. Viewers can also stream it on 7NEWS.com.au. 7NEWSs political editor, Mark Riley, will moderate the debate, which will take place at Sevens studios in Sydney. What debates have happened so far? There have been three leaders debates in 2025s federal election season, hosted by Sky News, ABC and Nine respectively. The first leaders debate between Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton was held on 8 April, with a treasurers debate between Jim Chalmers and Angus Taylor and an energy debate between Chris Bowen and Ted OBrien that same week. Neither Albanese nor Dutton made a major misstep in the Sky News forum held in western Sydney, where Albanese was voted the winner from a poll of 100 undecided voters with 44 votes to Duttons 35 (21 were undecided). The second debate, on the ABC, was held on 16 April, with the opposition leader responding, when asked if climate change fallout was getting worse, that he would let scientists pass that judgment. Dutton later clarified that he believed in climate change. Albanese denied claims his government had modelled the impact of any change to negative gearing, before later clarifying that the modelling did exist and that it wasnt commissioned by his team. No winner was announced. The third debate was held by Channel 9 on 22 April, with the most animated jousting coming when both leaders were invited to rebuff the biggest lie their opponent had pushed during the campaign Dutton accusing Albanese of mounting a scare campaign over Medicare funding, while the prime minister accused him in return of desperation. The three Nine Entertainment journalists who questioned the leaders declared Dutton to have won by a nose (2-1). One of some 155 Chinese nationals that have been captured by Ukraine fighting for the Russians - AFP At least 155 Chinese nationals are fighting for Russia against Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed. On Wednesday night, the Ukrainian president said he had the names and passport details of the Chinese combatants and insisted Beijing was aware of their participation in the war. The Chinese issue is serious, he said, doubling down on the claim he made a day before that many more Chinese citizens were in the Russian ranks after Ukraine captured two on the frontline. Beijing had earlier rejected such claims, calling them absolutely groundless. It added that it was still verifying the reports of two of its nationals being captured in combat with Ukraine. The Chinese government has always asked its citizens to stay away from areas of armed conflict [and] avoid involvement in armed conflicts in any form, Lin Jian, a spokesman from the foreign ministry, said. The Chinese sides position on the issue of the Ukraine crisis is clear and unequivocal, and has won widespread approval from the international community, he added. One of the captured soldiers reportedly revealed he paid 300,000 roubles (roughly 2,700) to a middleman in China to join the Russian military in exchange for the promise of citizenship. Capture of Chinese soldiers show Putin will go to any length to prosecute this war, president Zelensky said - UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE/AFP Mr Zelensky said: Beijing knows about this. Russians distribute advertising videos about recruitment through Chinese social networks. This is the second mistake for Russia. The first was North Korea. They drag other countries into war. I believe that they are now dragging China into this war. The Ukrainian president added that Chinese nationals were serving within regular Russian units, and that he was ready to exchange the two Chinese POWs for captured Ukrainian soldiers. Mr Zelensky posted interviews with two alleged captured Chinese soldiers on X on Wednesday night. One described how he thought he would die after surrendering Russian forces allegedly dropped explosives with gas on him. On Wednesday, the Kremlin declined to comment on the capture of alleged Chinese nationals. I cannot comment on this information in any way, Dmitry Peskov, its spokesman said. Mr Zelensky claimed his forces had fought with six Chinese soldiers in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine and that there were many more in the Russian ranks. He posted a video of one of the alleged Chinese prisoners, who was wearing military fatigues, with his hands bound, and speaking several words in Mandarin. It is understood that British military officials are looking into the incident but do not believe it is a state-sponsored operation. The developments come as peace talks stall and reports that Russia has mounted a new spring offensive in Ukraines north-east and south-east, threatening key frontline cities. Russias involvement of China, along with other countries, whether directly or indirectly, in this war in Europe is a clear signal that Putin intends to do anything but end the war. He is looking for ways to continue fighting, said Mr Zelensky. However, Western intelligence sources said it was unlikely the soldiers were sent directly by Beijing. Russia routinely recruits foreign mercenaries into its armed forces through irregular means. North Korea is the only known example of a state deploying soldiers to fight in the three-year conflict, but the troops had so far not been allowed inside Ukrainian territory. China claims to take a neutral stance on the war but has grown its military ties with Russia since it broke out. Western officials have long accused China of sending weapon components and attack drones to Moscow, but it is not thought to have sent troops. The White House called the developments disturbing on Tuesday and said Beijing was a major enabler of Moscows war in Ukraine. China, currently locked in a trade war with America, issued a travel warning against the US on Wednesday amid a deterioration in China-US trade relations. It came as Mr Zelensky accused Russia of mounting a new multi-pronged offensive into Ukraines north-east regions of Sumy, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions. Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraines military chief, confirmed the offensive had already begun, saying in an interview with the Ukrainian publication LB: For several days, almost a week, we have been observing almost a doubling of the number of enemy attacks in all main directions [on the frontline]. A new Russian ground offensive would be further evidence that Moscow is looking to maximise pressure on Ukraine and strengthen the Kremlins position in a potential US-brokered ceasefire. Both sides have repeatedly accused one another of repeatedly breaching a US-proposed moratorium on attacks on energy targets after agreeing to halt such strikes last month. The fate of a partial ceasefire on the Black Sea is also uncertain after Kremlin negotiators imposed inflexible conditions, demanding sanctions be lifted on Russian agricultural and fertiliser products. Ukraine last month accepted a US proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting, but Russia has so far refused. Mr Zelensky, along with his European allies, has argued that Vladimir Putin is attempting to drag out ceasefire negotiations in order to buy time to improve Russias battlefield position. Despite the international efforts to secure a ceasefire, Russia has continued its relentless aerial bombardment of Ukraine. Overnight, at least 21 Ukrainians were wounded during large-scale Russian attacks across the country after Russia launched more than 55 drones. Liverpool have made progress on negotiations for a new contract with Mohamed Salah and are increasingly confident an agreement will be reached to extend his stay beyond this season. The Egypt internationals current deal expires in the summer and his future, and that of Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, has been a subject of debate for months. However, the PA news agency understands there is increasing optimism within the club that a solution will be found which keeps the 32-year-old at Anfield for the immediate future. Mohamed Salah appears to be edging closer to signing a new contract at Liverpool (Martin Rickett/PA) There are claims in Egypt that Salah has told the national team he wants to sit out their June camp in order to be properly rested to start a new season with Liverpool. Despite some public utterances about this potentially being his last year at Anfield, the forward, currently leading the race for the Premier League Golden Boot with 27 goals, has always made it clear his preferred option was to remain on Merseyside. On Sunday Van Dijk, another player who is keen to stay, admitted progress had been made in negotiations which had stalled over his new deal and it now appears likely the two senior players are set to extend their stays. Alexander-Arnolds position remains less certain with speculation continuing to grow about a move to Real Madrid. Duchess of Sussex does not anticipate tariffs affecting us directly The Duchess of Sussex has waded into the row over Donald Trumps tariffs. Meghan suggested consumers would still want to purchase items that can bring them joy amid the threat of a global recession. As stock markets around the world continued their sell-offs, the Duchess said on Wednesday the products she is selling domestically are protected because they are made in the US. They include $28 (21.60) wildflower honey with honeycomb and a $14 (10.97) jar of raspberry jam from her brand, As Ever. At the moment, all of our products are currently made in the US, so we dont anticipate tariffs affecting us directly, she told the business magazine Fortune. The Duchess added that she was very grateful her brand was created to be accessible and affordable, suggesting that people would still seek to buy from the company in a recession. Meghans wildflower honey and honeycomb sold out in less than an hour along with the rest of her nine-product range for As Ever - As Ever Meghan explained: As we look at the larger context of how this is going to affect the consumer day-to-day, Im very grateful that in part of the conception of this brand, I wanted to create products that look more prestige, but are more accessible and affordable. I think during any time of recession, people still want to find creature comforts, items that can bring them joy. She added that her nine-product range, which sold out in less than an hour after the collections launch last week, should still feel affordable to her customers. She said: Youll see the bulk of our SKUs [stock keeping units] are under $20. From our standpoint, certainly for me, even in the expansion of the brand, things should still feel accessible. The goods included decorative flower sprinkles for $15, shortbread and crepe mixes, both costing $14, and various herbal tea mixes for $12 each. A source told The Telegraph that the items, estimated to number in the tens of thousands, would be made available in small quantities and quickly marked as sold out to generate interest a common marketing ploy. The Duchesss first launch, in partnership with Netflix, is described as a glimpse into her approach to elevated, everyday living and is inspired by her long-lasting love of cooking, entertaining and hostessing with ease. A move for global expansion Meghan also revealed to Fortune how Netflix had developed the products with her. She said the process for the streaming giant to sign on as a key investor last year was really organic as she had been sending Bela Bajaria, the chief content officer, and Ted Sarandos, the co-chief executive, homemade jams as part of her holiday gift-giving for years. Meghan said Ms Bajaria told her that she needed to teach people how to do this, and from then on, was very excited about the possibility of a show. The Duchess added that because of how savvy my partners are, and certainly business-minded strategically, Ms Bajaria also suggested she talk to Netflixs consumer products division about a partnership. She described the subsequent partnership, made with Josh Simon, Netflixs vice-president of consumer products, as the right move for the global expansion we want. We are very, very much in harmony on how we see the growth of this, and the trajectory over the next five to seven years, the Duchess added. The product launch came on the heels of the release of her recent Netflix series With Love, Meghan, which was widely panned by critics. Variety, the Hollywood trade magazine, said the eight-part lifestyle series existed as a sort of celebration of all things Duchess of Sussex, adding that, as with her previous media offerings, no amount of praise seems enough. Elsewhere, Time magazine, which four years ago named the Sussexes among its 100 most influential people of 2021, suggested that the Duchess came across as bland. Following the release of the series, for which a second season is already confirmed, she is not thought to have been shown any negative reviews and is understood not to look them up herself. Speaking to Fortune about the recent launch of Confessions of a Female Founder, her new podcast, which debuted its first episode on Tuesday, Meghan said, women need to see that they can build. The Duchess of Sussex added: Women dont need to be afraid to talk about finance, and I think the more financial literacy we have, the stronger were going to be. Two helicopters collided in January 2023 on Australias Gold Coast, killing four and injuring 13 - Dave Hunt/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock A faulty radio antenna contributed to a mid-air helicopter crash in Australia, in which a British couple died. Diane and Ron Hughes, 57 and 65, from Neston in Cheshire were among four who died when two helicopters collided in January 2023, near Sea World on the Gold Coast. A report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has said the radio system in one of helicopters had defects that limited transmission range and was one of the safety issues that contributed to the incident. The crash occurred between one helicopter that was taking off and a second that was landing. The latter was able to safely touch down on the sandbank, with five passengers suffering only minor injuries. Diane and Ron Hughes died in the crash. Mrs Hughess children thanked the Australian air accident investigators for their thorough inquiry - Facebook But the first helicopter crashed, killing Mr and Mrs Hughes, and Vanessa Tadros, a 36-year-old Sydney resident. Ashley Jenkinson, the Birmingham-born 40-year-old Sea World Helicopters pilot, also died. The report, released on Wednesday, said: The pilot of the inbound helicopter had earlier sighted the departing helicopter on the park pad, but had assessed it as not being a threat, and expected to be alerted by a taxiing radio call if that condition changed, which would then be their cue to arrange separation. Angus Mitchell, chief commissioner of the ATSB, said the investigation had found faults in the radio antenna of the departing helicopter which likely prevented broadcast of the taxi call. He said: Without the taxiing call being received, the pilot of the inbound helicopter, who was likely focusing on their landing site, had no trigger to reassess the status of the departing helicopter as a collision risk. Footage shared on social media from one of the helicopters showed a tourist who survived the crash frantically warning the pilot of the landing helicopter. Video emerges from inside one of the helicopters involved in Monday's Gold Coast crash. https://t.co/S46R0VlZrp pic.twitter.com/xbYSyL1yiO Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) January 4, 2023 The report also found passengers seatbelts were incorrectly fitted due to their life jackets. While the ATSB was unable to determine to what extent the incorrectly fitted seatbelts contributed to the passengers injuries, we know that correctly fitted restraints improve survivability for passengers in the event of collisions, Mr Mitchell said. The report says operator Sea World Helicopters has taken a number of safety actions in response to the accident, but said there were four remaining safety issues, including a need to identify opportunities for further risk controls or their elimination. In a statement, Sea World Helicopters said it would respond within the allocated timeframe, adding it remained committed to consistently evolving our safety measures. Emergency workers at the scene of the crash - Dave Hunt/AAP via AP The statement read: Our company maintains robust safety systems, dedicated support staff and rigorous oversight protocols to uphold the highest standards of aviation safety. Lewis Ainsworth and Sian Long, Mrs Hughess children, said they were deeply saddened and heartbroken in a statement to the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC). The said: We are grateful for the thorough and professional work the ATSB has done in investigating this incident. They thanked the investigators for bringing some clarity and understanding to what happened that fateful day, but said Sea World Helicopters had reacted in a manner nothing short of disappointing. The way they have handled this tragedy reflects poorly on them and its hard to reconcile their actions with the profound impact this has had on so many lives, they said. Men want to be teachers, but just one in three male applicants makes it on to a training course. Photograph: Getty The strong male role models that the education secretary seeks to combat toxic behaviours in schools could be within reach (We need more male teachers so British boys have role models, says minister, 3 April). Older recruits, ie career changers, are an outlier when it comes to the low number of male teachers in classrooms across England. At Now Teach, a charity helping people retrain as teachers, 51% of our network is men, compared with 35% nationally. Over half our hires last September were men; nationally women made up 68% of new trainees. This gender imbalance is set to worsen just 30% of current new starters are men, while Now Teach is at 50%. We have seen this pattern for several years. At an average age of 47, these converts bring decades of professional and lived experience. Men want to be teachers, but just two in five male applicants makes it on to a training course compared with nearly two-thirds of female applicants. Now Teachs conversion rates are near parity. We believe that this shows the need for a dedicated support service to help men make a sustainable career change to the sector. We could hire nearly 1,000 male teachers by the end of this parliament if our state funding was restored. The Tory government cut our funding, but Labour has committed 450m to recruit 6,500 teachers. We back a recruitment campaign and stand ready to scale our efforts to close the classroom gender gap. Lucy Kellaway Co-founder, Now Teach Bridget Phillipson is right that its important for boys to see men teaching, guiding and leading in classrooms. But shes missed something crucial: childcare. Young children lack male role models. While just one in four teachers in schools are men, that number plummets in early years. We desperately need to see men supporting children during those crucial years from birth to five. Stereotypes and misconceptions about childcare careers have kept men largely absent from this sector. Any efforts to recruit more of them into education must therefore give equal focus to early years. Addressing this could unlock a previously untapped workforce and provide more positive role models for children at the most critical stage of their development. Brett Wigdortz Founder, Teach First; CEO, Tiney The renewed call for more male teachers is but another iteration of the inflamed debate about masculinity, misleadingly called a crisis. This is not a crisis in masculinity, but a chronic stasis the world is changing, but masculinity is not changing with it. Women have been entering areas of work traditionally reserved for men, while men remain resistant to the converse. This is not an expression of genetic proclivity, but of socially engendered roles and perhaps of the gender pay gap. We have a plethora of public male role models in most fields industry, the arts, sports. What we lack are alternative models in the private sphere of invisible (and generally unpaid) domestic work and caring, or in primary schools. Masculinity is still defined largely in terms of public profile, competitive success and social status. Significantly, these qualities confer power over others. Misogyny is not the hatred of all women, but the fear, expressed as hatred, of non-compliant women who threaten the status quo. We do not need to reaffirm masculinity, we need to redefine it, blurring the destructive boundaries between the masculine and feminine. Sarah Mulholland Goldsithney, Cornwall Do you have a photograph youd like to share with Guardian readers? If so, please click here to upload it. A selection will be published in our Readers best photographs galleries and in the print edition on Saturdays. North-east Atlantic mackerel caught by midwater trawlers has been moved from a 3 to a 4 on the Good Fish Guide ranking, meaning restaurants are recommended not to sell it. Photograph: RistoArnaudov/Getty Mackerel stocks are nearing a breaking point, experts have said as the fish is downgraded as a sustainable option. People should be eating herring instead, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) said, because mackerel continues to be overfished by countries including Norway and the UK. Every year the MCS releases the Good Fish Guide, which ranks choices based on how overfished they are. North-east Atlantic mackerel, for example, once plentiful and viewed as a more sustainable fish choice, has, over the last four years, been overfished by an average of 23%. Alice Moore, the manager of the Good Fish Guide at the MCS, said: Its deeply concerning to see a source of seafood that was once a sustainable choice in such decline. Mackerel is under immense pressure from fishing activities across multiple nations, and the stock will soon be no longer able to sustain itself. We are witnessing a steady decline in numbers, and they are nearing a breaking point. Immediate action must be taken by the UK government to work with other nations to align catch limits with scientific advice. Their guide uses a traffic-light system for consumers, and a 1 to 5 scale for businesses. The system colour-codes each rating depending on where and how a species is caught or farmed: green (ratings 1 or 2) for the best choice options; amber (ratings 3 or 4) for improvements needed; and red (rating 5) for fish to avoid. It is recommended that businesses, including restaurants and supermarkets, stock only seafood rated 1 to 3. Now, north-east Atlantic mackerel caught by midwater trawl nets has been moved from a 3 to a 4, meaning restaurants and businesses are recommended not to sell it. This method of catching fish is most commonly used by suppliers to supermarkets and restaurants. Mackerel caught in the north-east Atlantic by hook and line has moved from a 2 to a 3. Mackerel caught by Norway, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and the UK continues to be overfished. Total catch limits (TACs) set by all parties have consistently exceeded scientifically recommended levels by between 5% and 80% since 2009. Between 2020 and 2024, TACs were, on average, 39% higher than scientific advice. Herring from the North Sea and eastern Channel is a more sustainable alternative to mackerel, the charity said, as are sardines from Cornwall. Monkfish caught in the North Sea has been upgraded from amber to green, and blue marlin has moved off the red list. Which seafood to eat Mussels The MCS calls mussels farmed in the UK a seafood superhero because they are grown using methods that have a low impact on the marine environment and are harvested by hand. Ditch the big five The most popular seafood consumed in the UK are cod, haddock, salmon, tuna and prawns. Lesser-known species such as coley and hake typically come from more plentiful stocks, making them a sustainable option. Use a local fishmonger Rather than grabbing something off a supermarket shelf, the MCS recommends shoppers visit their local fishmonger for expert advice on fresh, locally caught and in-season fish and can recommend affordable, sustainable alternatives to popular options. Go for tinned MCS recommends sardines from Cornwall and anchovies from the Bay of Biscay. Buy whole fish Instead of pre-cut fillets, consider buying whole fish such as hake or lemon sole. Whole fish are often more affordable, and every part, including bones and skin, can be used to create homemade stocks. The charity recommends whole plaice or lemon sole from the North Sea. Mr George says the tattoo symbolises what a wonderful fictional character Paddington is - Mathilde Grandjean/PA Wire A Paddington Bear statue that was damaged by vandals has been fully repaired and returned to its home town. The sculpture in Newbury, Berkshire, was damaged when two Royal Air Force engineers broke it in half after a night out last month and made off with part of it. Daniel Heath and William Lawrence, both 22 and engineers at RAF Odiham in Hampshire, were sentenced for criminal damage at Reading magistrates court and ordered to pay 2,725 each towards the costs of repairing it. The rebuilt statue was unveiled in the town centre on Wednesday, with residents expressing their joy at the beloved character being brought back home. Anthony George says he was devastated when he learnt that the Paddington Bear statue was damaged - Mathilde Grandjean/PA Wire Among those at the unveiling ceremony was Anthony George, who said he was devastated when the statue was damaged and had decided to immortalise Paddington with a tattoo on his leg. The 64-year-old, from Hungerford in Berkshire, said he got the tattoo three weeks before the official return of the statue to Newbury. Im very proud of it, he said. I just want to symbolise what a wonderful fictional character Paddington is. I grew up with Paddington, so it means a lot. It clearly says on his name tag, Look after me, or words to that effect, and hopefully people will adhere to that be kind. Unfortunately, the other two who vandalised it werent very kind. The repaired Paddington Bear sculpture in Newbury with two border terriers - Andrew Matthew/PA Wire When I heard what happened, I was absolutely devastated. Such a shame, and everyone loves Paddington apart from Daniel and William. My dad was in the RAF, theyre in the RAF my dad would have been mortified. CCTV footage played to the court showed the men approaching the statue late at night before ripping it from its bench and walking away with it. The district judge Sam Goozee condemned Heath and Lawrences actions, calling them the antithesis of everything Paddington stands for. Credit: Thames Valley Police Inspector Alan Hawkett, of Thames Valley Police, said the success of the investigation into the vandalism had come from a real community effort. Marc Giles and Ty Cosway, from the Special Constabulary team, said they worked for 15 continuous hours to retrieve the broken half of the Paddington Bear statue. When we arrived on the scene, it was about three seconds before someone approached us and said, Oh, youre here for Paddington, Mr Giles said. We were shocked by it and it made us feel even more proud to have brought him back. The two Royal Air Force engineers broke the statue in half after a night out - Mike Dillion MP After the interview, a little boy came to hug the two constables and said: Thank you for bringing him home. Dominika Zydron, 39, who lives in Newbury, attended the unveiling ceremony with her two children, Joanna, nine, and Stasiu, four, and said: We came here especially to see him and welcome him home. We are very excited. We walk by this road every single day and say hello to Paddington, so when he was missing, it was very sad for us. Kerrie Newton, 49, also from Newbury, came to see the repaired statue with her daughter Evelyn, nine, and her son Henry, six. She said: Its great to have him home. He brought a lot of joy to Newbury when he was first here, and it really upset everybody in town that he was sadly taken from us. It means a lot that hes come back quickly its a little bit of happiness in this crazy world. Michael Bond, the author and creator of Paddington, was born in Newbury. The statue is one of 23 located across the UK and Ireland as part of the Paddington Visits trail. Farah Damji sent colleagues and institutions defamatory emails about Nigel Gould-Davies, the court was told - Francesco Guidicini A convicted stalker stole a legally privileged document from the home of a Russia expert and threatened to post it online, a court heard. Farah Damji, 58, is alleged to have unleashed a reprehensible campaign of harassment on Nigel Gould-Davies, Britains former ambassador to Belarus, after meeting him on the dating app Bumble. Damji sent colleagues and institutions defamatory emails about Mr Gould-Davies, jurors at Wood Green Crown Court were told. These included messages to Emily Thornberry, the Labour MP for Islington, staff members at Harvard University and The New York Times editorial staff. Christiaan Moll, for the prosecution, told the court: They started a relationship soon after meeting each other and ... saw each other regularly, usually several times a week. The Crowns case is that throughout their relationship, Nigel Gould-Davies knew the defendant as Noor Higham. He only found out her name was Farah Damji when he made enquiries after the relationship ended about the identity of a person who created a fake website in this name with the hosting platform GoDaddy. Mr Moll added: In 2023, this defendant set up The View cafe by convincing a wide range of suppliers to give her help and supplies for free as a community interest company, including the use of premises rent free. That organisation links the defendant to a number of false emails and social accounts, which we say are part of the evidence in this case. Tirade of abusive messages The court heart how Damji had allegedly begun a tirade of abuse against Mr Gould-Davies, contacting people at his workplace, making serious and defamatory allegations about him, as well as sending a series of highly abusive emails to him directly some expressing pleasure at the prospect that he would have a nervous breakdown. In addition to Noor Higham, Damji used other names, including Claire Simms and Holly Bright, to unsettle Mr Gould-Davies. The result was for Mr Gould-Davies very frightening and disorientating, especially when these emails made serious defamatory statements and baseless claims that he physically abused women. Damji allegedly sent emails to staff at Harvard University and editorial journalists at The New York Times accusing Mr Gould-Davies of domestic violence and gaslighting. All the emails sent by Holly Bright and Claire Simms were traced to an address associated with The View magazine, set up by Damji. She even created a spoof Twitter account in the name John Hanigan to mock Mr Gould-Davies, the prosecutor said. Damji allegedly stole privileged document Damji allegedly then stole a legally privileged document from Mr Gould-Daviess house. She left with the document and then sent him a photograph of it, threatening to put it on the internet, Mr Moll said. The pattern was the same as the messages from Noor Higham, Holly Bright, Claire Simms and John Hanigan they were harassing, abusive and deeply hurtful, followed by apologies, retractions and then further sudden attacks. Mr Gould-Davies eventually flew to Berlin to seek temporary refuge in early 2024, the court heard. But the emails continued. One read: I have people searching for you, we are everywhere, and Holly is in Berlin. The prosecutor added: Social media evidence suggests at the end of February 2024, Damji visited a town in southern Spain where Nigel Gould-Davies mother lives. Jurors were played doorbell camera footage showing a woman allegedly sent by Damji to the former diplomats home while he was in Berlin. There is evidence that the defendant committed credit card fraud against the defendant in mid-December 2023, when one of his credit cards and indeed his passport disappeared without explanation, forcing him to cancel plans to visit his mother in Spain and instead spend Christmas with Noor, said Mr Moll. Arrested at Heathrow Mr Gould-Daviess credit card bill showed unexplained transactions totalling 13,621, including several to a company called Flowers for Freedom. The Twitter and Etsy accounts for these companies have the defendants picture on them, the prosecutor said. Damji was eventually arrested on her way to Berlin at Heathrow airport and was interviewed several times by police on March 12 2024. Mr Moll told jurors: When you come to consider all the evidence in this case, we say there is an irresistible inference that Nigel Gould-Davies was the victim of a campaign of stalking orchestrated by this defendant Farah Damji, who as you will hear has previous convictions for stalking committed in similar circumstances. Damji, of Doughty Street, Clerkenwell, denies stalking involving serious alarm and distress, theft and two counts of fraud by false representation. The trial continues. Prof Freddie Hamdy has said four out of five patients with prostate cancer are unlikely to have benefited from knowing - Academy of Medical Sciences If you could choose to never know you had cancer, even if it meant a slightly raised risk of death decades down the line, would you do that? Many may choose to stay wilfully ignorant, especially if knowing would lead to invasive procedures that could cause more problems than they solve. This is the trouble with prostate cancer screening and is why, despite pressure from charities, the National Screening Committee (NSC) and scientists are reluctant to add it to the list of routine NHS checks. Put simply, it does little good and can cause significant harm. The current screening tool is the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, which is used in some European countries such as Lithuania. But a 15-year trial, led by the universities of Bristol, Oxford and Cambridge, estimated one in six cancers found by PSA screenings were over-diagnosed, leading to unnecessary treatment of tumours that would not have caused any harm in someones lifetime. For every 1,000 men screened, it is estimated that testing saves just one life. Its a very emotional thing, said Prof Freddie Hamdy of the University of Oxford, who has spent years researching the benefits of prostate cancer screening. You have celebrities who come up and the obvious example is Chris Hoy, who was diagnosed at the early age of 48 with a disease which is seemingly not curable and that triggers a lot of emotions like we must find all these cancers. What people dont realise is all the consequences of trying to find these few cancers on the larger population. Men aged 50 or over can request a screening test, but the impact can be profound. What is often mis-sold as a simple blood test can set them on a lifelong path of scans, surgery, side-effects and stress. Arguably, those who are found to have low or intermediate-risk prostate cancer would be better off not knowing. Research shows that they have around a 97 per cent chance of survival for 15 years whether they choose radiotherapy, surgery or simply monitoring the tumour. Many will be spooked into going ahead with procedures, even if there is little benefit. I saw in my clinic yesterday five new patients with prostate cancer, added Prof Hamdy. Four out of five are unlikely to have benefited from knowing theyve got cancer. Two chose to have radical treatments. It isnt just a blood test. You have essentially a man who is healthy, who has no symptoms, and have told him he has cancer. Essentially what weve done, irrespective of how serious the disease is, weve given that man a new passport, a new identity, which he is going to have to live for the rest of his life. And that is a huge responsibility. Those who opt for treatment face the prospect of being left incontinent and impotent. A study by the University of Bristol found that around half of men experienced urinary leakage and needed to wear pads after surgery to remove all or part of the prostate gland. Although it improved over time, one in five still experienced incontinence five years after the surgery. Likewise, research found that the number with impotency problems rose from around 33 per cent to 80 per cent following treatment. Jenny Donovan, a professor of social medicine at the University of Bristol, said: This really affected some men severely. Loss of sex life can be devastating. Will we cause more harm than good by screening? We think yes, if we repeat this cycle of over-detection and over-treatment. Its an intuitively nice idea. Were not in principle against it, its just more complicated than it seems. Even those who do not choose invasive procedures, face a lifetime of active monitoring and the constant fear that each new appointment could bring bad news. One man wrote in the study: When I first went for the active monitoring, I thought well this isnt going to be a problem, Ill be able to sail though this because I know the cancer is being contained and I know I am being monitored. But then it wasnt in reality as simple as that because I knew that I had cancer and it messes things up. You think you can handle it, but its always there niggling in your mind. If all the evidence suggests the benefits of screening does not outweigh the risks, why then do charities like Prostate Cancer UK advocate for a national screening programme? The answer probably lies in the figures. Prostate cancer deaths are the second-most common cause of cancer deaths in the UK, killing 12,000 people each year, making it a major public health problem. Something needs to be done, but screening could bring more challenges than it solves. When Kazakhstan introduced population screening for prostate cancer in 2013, it was forced to close the programme within five years because the health service could not cope the influx of low-risk prostate cancers, which did not need treatment. Richard Martin, a professor of clinical epidemiology at the University of Bristol said: What we dont want to do is compound that problem by adding harm and not reducing those 12,000 deaths a year. That would be a disaster. This week, Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, declared his support for a national prostate cancer screening programme, saying that he was particularly sympathetic to the idea. Currently, the NSC, which maintains a rolling review of the issue, is looking into whether certain at-risk groups could be targeted but is unlikely to recommend a national programme. Derek Rosario, an honorary professor at Sheffield Hallam University and clinical adviser to the NSC, said: The NSC is still considering evidence around perhaps identifying high-risk populations, but the real difficulty is reliably identifying high-risk populations for prostate cancer. Lethal prostate cancer is not quite as straightforward as it might seem. So there is no formal review of national screening going on, but the space is moving all the time. Fund research and well give you the evidence This week, the Institute of Cancer Research announced that it had developed a simple saliva test that can identify men most at risk of prostate cancer, which is more accurate than the PSA test. The test, which looks for genetic markers for prostate cancer in peoples DNA, is better at identifying aggressive tumours and gave fewer false positives. But scientists have urged caution, saying it was likely to still take a decade or more to prove that such a test would be beneficial for population screening. In response to Mr Streetings intervention, Prof Hamdy said: Fund research and well give you the evidence. There seems to be a lot more attention given to, lets find the cancers, and then well sort it afterwards. And what were saying is, before you put the needle in a mans prostate, just think. PM to unveil plan for putting thousands of bobbies back on the beat Shoplifting and antisocial behaviour have wreaked havoc on our neighbourhoods, the Prime Minister said as he sets out steps to crack down on street crime. Sir Keir Starmer is expected to unveil the plan on Thursday, amid fears there is a lack of visible police presence which is driving street crime and in turn more serious and violent offences. The Government has said its early focus as part of its neighbourhood policing guarantee will be on putting named local officers into each neighbourhood, with 13,000 more officers by 2029. The plan will also include guaranteed patrols during police forces busiest periods in town centres and hotspot areas, such as on Friday and Saturday nights. A dedicated antisocial behaviour lead in every force is expected to develop tailored action plans with residents and businesses. Sir Keir said: Everyone deserves to feel safe and secure on the streets they call home. It is just about the most basic right that anyone would expect. Yet for years, crimes such as shoplifting and antisocial behaviour have wreaked havoc on our neighbourhoods. Policing has become reactive, picking up the pieces after crimes have occurred. Britain deserves better. It should not matter where you live everyone deserves local, visible policing they can trust, and with our neighbourhood policing guarantee, we will end this postcode lottery, putting prevention back at the heart of policing and ensuring police are back on the streets. Thats why our plan for change is delivering security for working people in their communities with a return to neighbourhood policing, putting thousands of bobbies back on the beat and keeping people safe. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: The heartbeat of our great British policing tradition is seeing bobbies on the beat, but for too long, too many communities have been feeling abandoned as crime soared and neighbourhood police disappeared, even when local crimes like shop theft, street theft or blatant drug dealing rose sharply. She added: It should not matter where you live everyone deserves local, visible policing they can trust, and with our plan for change and neighbourhood policing guarantee we will tackle this postcode lottery and restore policing to our communities. Her shadow counterpart, Conservative MP Chris Philp, said Labour must get a grip to ensure police have the resources they need and linked potential cuts to police jobs to the rise in employer national insurance contributions. Thanks to Labours jobs tax, our police services face a 118 million shortfall, putting over 1,800 police jobs at risk, he said. Whats more, the Metropolitan Police are cutting 1,700 jobs and services, including moving officers out of schools, making our streets and schools less safe. The previous Conservative government delivered record police officers, but law and order is taking a back seat under Labour. They must urgently get a grip to ensure our police have the resources they need to cut crime and keep the British people safe. An inquest into the death of a police officer in 1977 is among cases to be effectively delayed for six months while police researchers are diverted to prepare for the Omagh Bombing Inquiry. A review hearing before an inquest into the death of Sergeant Joseph Campbell, who was shot dead outside Cushendall RUC station in February 1977, was told researchers will be diverted to the inquiry for around six months. Hearings in the Omagh inquiry resume in June. The development sparked frustration from coroner Patrick McGurgan and the family of Mr Campbell, including his widow Rosemary, who is 90. The hearing room at the Omagh Bombing Inquiry (Liam McBurney/PA) The review hearing was organised after correspondence from the Crown Solicitors Office on behalf of Chief Constable Jon Boutcher. Ian Skelt KC, counsel to the coroner, said it outlines that the PSNI position that no work can or will be done on cases other than the Omagh Bomb Inquiry regarding sensitive documentation for a period of at least six months. Peter Coll KC, appearing for the PSNI, said the scope of the Omagh inquiry is extensive and the force is a core participant and has for some time been working to address the requirements of the probe. Unfortunately that has resulted in the PSNI being placed in a position where they are required to make extremely difficult decisions about the allocation of available resources, and unfortunately there has been no option available to the Chief Constable that will not result in delay and adverse consequences in areas of legal work that the PSNI is otherwise involved in and that require consideration of sensitive material, he said. So the police have tried to identify an option that will minimise that delay and disruption, and unfortunately they had to come to the conclusion that if significant additional resources were not temporarily applied and redirected to the Omagh Bombing Inquiry, it could potentially be a number of years before the police would be able to provide the disclosure required to the inquiry in order to open the way for its next evidential hearings to take place. As a consequence the Chief Constable directed that as of March 10 of this year, all available researchers with the necessary skills and credentials to undertake sensitive research of the kind required to respond to the inquiry would be directed to that line of work. PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher (Liam McBurney/PA) That would be instructed for a period of up to approximately six months from March 10. During that time it will not be feasible for sensitive research to be conducted by the PSNI in respect of other litigation or inquest-type matters. He added that the PSNI says it is not funded to deal with the demand in relation to legacy-related work. Mr McGurgan said this will create a bottleneck of sensitive material for a number of cases. He asked if there is a plan for producing the sensitive material for this inquest after the six-month diversion, and queried why the inquiry is being prioritised over the inquest. I just cant say we will revisit this in six months and then lets see what is happening there needs to be something worked out, he added. Mr Coll said officials might have to address where things stand at that point in terms of other pressures and cases. This is not territory that, unfortunately, sir, that you and I and others are strangers to, he said, referring to the Legacy Act. Aidan McGowan, for the next of kin, said Mr Campbells family are anxious and distressed at time proceedings are taking, and described the latest development as unacceptable. He said Mrs Campbell and her daughter are watching proceedings remotely and have been to every hearing. In our submission it is not a fait accompli, it is a decision for you to make. It is your decision and we further submit that the approach that is being taken is not only generally unacceptable but unacceptable in the particular circumstances of this case in which Mrs Campbell is 90 years old, he said. She has attended every preliminary hearing in this case and she just wants a date for this inquest which was directed 10 years ago in September 2015. If the PSNI want extra time to go through their processes, they should make an application to you to that effect, and if that is done then it is open to you to require the attendance of a senior police officer officer to come and attend and give evidence. There are a range of options open to the PSNI as to how to approach that, but none of those options, in our respectful submission, involves the PSNI unilaterally deciding which cases it is going to work on and which cases it doesnt work on, and that is particularly the case in an inquest such as this where collusion is an issue in an inquest. Mr Campbells family believe elements of the security forces colluded with now deceased UVF killer Robin Jackson to shoot Mr Campbell, a 49-year-old father of eight. It has been alleged that Mr Campbell, a Catholic officer originally from the Republic of Ireland, was potentially targeted because he had uncovered a loyalist arms-smuggling operation. A second inquest into the shooting, which the family have long campaigned for, began hearing evidence in March at Belfast Coroners Court. It has since adjourned to allow further time for disclosure and security vetting of historical police and military files related to the killing. Lawyers for the PSNI and the next of kin are set to make submissions to the coroner on progressing the inquest. Another review hearing is set to take place on May 16. Gina Miller speaking outside the Royal Courts of Justice, 2019 - Leon Neal The last time I saw Gina Miller was outside the Supreme Court in 2019, after Baroness Hale, of spider-brooch fame, ruled Boris Johnsons prorogation of parliament to be unlawful. Surrounded by fellow Remainers, Miller, who had taken the case to the highest court in the land, emerged victorious to the cheers of EU-flag wavers. Today is not a win for any individual or court, she said, reading a prepared statement in her trademark Euro-blue blazer. Its a win for parliamentary sovereignty. It was an interesting hot take from the woman who spearheaded two legal attempts to reverse a once in a lifetime democratic vote to leave the EU in 2016, supported by 17.5 million people. It came after she had led the Peoples March for a(nother) Peoples Vote on the final Brexit deal, alongside Vince Cable, Caroline Lucas and Anna Soubry (remember them?). By her own admission, Miller was the poster girl for Remain a cause that she recently revealed may have been a contributing factor to her developing cancer. The 59-year-old said she was even abused while hooked up to a chemotherapy drip at a London hospital, when a fellow patient shouted: Youre that Brexit woman. I f---ing hate you. Yet it was a cross she was willing to bear. Even after Johnson claimed to have got Brexit done, Miller continued campaigning through her True and Fair party, standing as the candidate for Epsom and Ewell at the last general election. She was not elected, coming sixth out of the seven candidates and losing her deposit with a 1.5 per cent share of the vote. Now it appears that the British-Guiana-born lawyer turned campaigner has finally had enough of politics altogether, after it emerged that True and Fair was dissolved via voluntary strike-off last week. It means the party will not make an appearance at next months local elections. Could this finally signal the end of Project Fear? Lets jolly well hope so. The time has surely now come to celebrate the end of Euromania once and for all. I remember witnessing peak Remain in the back of a taxi with Labour MP Barry Gardiner as we returned from a Question Time appearance in Dewsbury in 2018. Gardiner, then shadow trade secretary, tried to argue that if Brexit went ahead there wouldnt be a sheep left in the fields of England. From memory, his argument centred on the idea that a free trade deal with America would wipe out our entire livestock. A most unlikely claim when it comes to sheep, as Wales alone harbours around 70 per cent more sheep than the entire United States. Such was the level of scaremongering during that fretful period that even this didnt seem especially bonkers alongside claims that leaving the bloc would spark a year-long recession (George Osborne), cause World War Three (David Cameron), result in Scotland winning a second independence referendum (Cameron again) and decimate Britains influence on the world stage (Emmanuel Macron). Far from being at the back of the queue, as Barack Obama once threatened, the Prime Minister is now in pole position for a US trade deal that even he and his fellow Eurolovers once claimed would result in Brits being force fed hormone-injected beef and chlorinated chicken. These were the very ideologues who once balked at the idea of turning the UK into Singapore on Thames now theyre hankering after its functioning low-tax state and seven per cent growth rate as Leavers suggested they should nearly a decade ago. Were in this mess precisely because we havent maximised our post-Brexit freedoms and instead stuck with the big state, high tax, virtue-signalling globalism that has turned Europe into such a basket case that it cannot even adequately defend Ukraine from a Russian invasion. The Remainers claimed Brexit would break Britain. But in reality its fallen foul of their own smug status quo-ism and the kind of anti-democratic lawfare waged by Miller and her Remainer ilk. A local passes by burned cars at the site of Russian drone strike in Dnipro, central Ukraine - Reuters Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of launching a fresh military offensive towards key frontline cities in north east and south east Ukraine. The president, citing Ukrainian intelligence, said Moscow was mounting a new multi-pronged push in the Sumy, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions. Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraines military chief, later confirmed that Mr Zelensky was absolutely right and that the offensive has effectively already begun. He said: For several days, almost a week, we have been observing almost a doubling of the number of enemy attacks in all main directions. A new offensive would be further evidence that Russia is looking to maximise pressure on Ukraine and strengthen the Kremlins position before a potential US-brokered ceasefire. Moscow is also close to pushing the last Ukrainian forces out of the Russian Kursk region, which they invaded last August and lies over the border from Sumy. Mr Zelensky said on Monday that Ukrainian forces were also present in the adjacent Russian region of Belgorod, the first time he publicly acknowledged that Kyivs troops had launched an incursion there last month. Mr Zelensky, along with his European allies, have repeatedly accused Vladimir Putin of dragging out the talks in order to buy time to improve their battlefield position. Last month, Ukraine accepted a US proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting, but Russia has so far refused. Both sides have accused one another of repeatedly breaching a truce of attacks on energy targets after agreeing to halt such strikes last month. On Wednesday, Russia claimed Kyivs forces had struck its energy infrastructure four times in the past day. The feasibility of a partial ceasefire on the Black Sea was also thrown into doubt after Kremlin negotiators imposed additional conditions, including the lifting of US sanctions on the Russian Agricultural Bank and other banks involved in food trade. Overnight, at least 21 Ukrainians were wounded during large-scale Russian attacks across the country, regional officials said as Moscow stepped up its aerial bombardment. The worst attack left 15 people wounded in the central Ukrainian industrial region of Dnipropetrovsk. 02:41 PM BST Thank you for following todays live coverage of the war in Ukraine. Well be back soon with more updates and analysis from the conflict. 02:33 PM BST Pictured: unsettling drone assault in Dnipro We reported earlier that at least 16 people were reportedly injured after Russia launched a drone attack against Ukraines south-east Dnipro region (see post at 11:36 am). Houses, high-rise buildings, and cars were all damaged in the Russian UAV attack using Shahed drones, said the regional governor Paul Anticoni, Chief Executive of World Jewish Relief, who is currently in Dnipro, was in the city during the attack. Sirens echoed throughout the night, forcing us in and out of shelters, he told The Telegraph, calling the attack an unsettling experience that powerfully illustrates the ongoing trauma faced by the residents here. A car ravaged by a Russian drone attack in Dnipro, south-east Ukraine - Anadolu 02:15 PM BST Ukraine blows up $100M Russian bomber plane The Ukrainian military successfully destroyed a Russian long-range bomber estimated to cost $100 million (78.1 million), its army chief has said. Oleksandr Syrsky, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said his forces struck Tu-22M3 strategic bomber just after the aircraft had landed. The Soviet-era bomber was a key component of Russias long-range air assault against Ukraine. Mr Syrsky did not specify which type of drone was used or where the strike took place. Footage of the bomber erupting in flames before hurtling to the ground was widely shared on Ukrainian and Russian social media. Russias Ministry of Defence had claimed the aircraft crashed due to a technical malfunction after completing its combat mission. A few days ago, our successful actions led to the destruction of a Tu-22M3 strategic bomber. It had just landed and our drone struck it. Estimated cost: around 100 million dollars@CinC_AFU Oleksandr Syrskyi. pic.twitter.com/9dvQDnEGlq Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) April 9, 2025 01:47 PM BST Pictured: aftermath of drone attack in Kharkiv We reported earlier that Russia launched overnight drone attack on three cities in eastern Ukraine late on Tuesday (see post at 9:19am) New images now reveal the destruction across Ukraines second-largest city. A damaged building is seen following a Russian Shahed-type kamikaze drone strikes in Kharkiv, Ukraine - Anadolu Broken glass shards are seen following a Russian Shahed-type kamikaze drone strikes in Kharkiv, Ukraine - Anadolu 01:24 PM BST What Telegraph readers are saying... 12:55 PM BST Nato throwing oil onto the fire, says Kremlin We reported earlier that Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed that Ukraine consistently continued to strike Russian energy infrastructure, despite a 30-day moratorium (see post at 9:57 am). Ms Zakharova has now also attacked Nato, claiming its members were expanding their defence spending in preparation for a possible war with Russia. The alliance still believes that our country is a long-term threat and will remain so even after the end of the Ukrainian conflict, she said. The North Atlantic Alliance is openly throwing oil onto the fire of the conflict. 12:26 PM BST China urges citizens to avoid war zones after Ukraine captures two nationals China has urged its citizens to avoid war zones after two nationals were captured during fighting in Ukraine. Beijings foreign ministry said it rejected groundless claims that more Chinese soldiers were fighting in Ukraine, adding that it was verifying reports of Chinese nationals being captured in combat. The Chinese government has always asked its citizens to stay away from areas of armed conflict (and) avoid involvement in armed conflicts in any form, said Lin Jian, Chinese foreign office spokesperson. He added: The Chinese sides position on the issue of the Ukraine crisis is clear and unequivocal, and has won widespread approval from the international community. It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed his forces had fought with and detained six Chinese soldiers in Donetsk and that there were many more in the Russian ranks. Mr Zelensky said the move was a clear signal that Putin intends to do anything but end the war, adding that he is looking for ways to continue fighting. Western intelligence sources said it was unlikely the soldiers were sent directly by China. Russia routinely recruits foreign nationals into its armed forces through irregular means. Ukrainian servicemen fire a multiple launch rocket system in Ukraines Zaporizhzhia region - AP 11:36 AM BST Pictured: aftermath of Russian drone attack in Dnipro We reported earlier that Russian forces staged huge drone attacks on three cities in eastern Ukraine late on Tuesday (see post at 9:19 am). The attack on Dnipro in southeastern Ukraine sparked a fire, damaged houses and cars and injured 15 people, Serhiy Lysak, governor of Dnipropetrovsk region, said on Telegram. Half of the injured were in hospital and one woman was in serious condition. Mr Lysak said the attack damaged four high-rise residential buildings and 15 private residences, in addition to an administrative building and infrastructure. Russian forces reportedly staged huge drone attacks on three cities in eastern Ukraine late on Tuesday - REUTERS 11:12 AM BST Kremlin accuses Ukraine of repeatedly attacking energy infrastructure in past 24 hours Russias defence ministry on Wednesday accused Ukraine of carrying out four attacks on its energy infrastructure facilities over the past day, in violation of a US-brokered moratorium on hitting energy infrastructure targets. Ukraine and Russia agreed to pause strikes on each others energy facilities last month, but both sides have repeatedly accused each other of breaking the moratorium. The reports of the strikes have not been independently verified. 10:46 AM BST Kremlin declines to comment on reports of Chinese nationals captured in Ukraine The Kremlin has declined to comment on Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskys claim that Kyivs forces had captured two Chinese men fighting for Russia in eastern Ukraine. I cannot comment on this information in any way, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday. It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed his forces had fought with and detained six Chinese soldiers in Donetsk and that there were many more in the Russian ranks. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov 10:29 AM BST Ukraine to hire consultants to advise on US minerals deal The Ukrainian government will hire consultants to advise on a draft minerals deal with the United States, a government document has revealed. The document, dated 8 April, showed that Ukraine has allocated $2.7 million (2.1 million) towards consulting services. US President Donald Trump has said a bilateral minerals deal will help broker a peace agreement by giving the United States a financial stake in Ukraines future, as well as allowing it to earn back billions of dollars in aid it has given to Ukraine. Kyiv is seeking the help of consultants and lawyers to protect the national interests of Ukraine and to formulate the position of Ukraine, by taking into account American and Ukrainian legislations, the government document said. Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Monday that Ukraine will send a team to Washington this week to advance negotiations on the draft strategic agreement. 10:13 AM BST Germany investigates suspected Russian cyber attack Germanys intelligence services are probing a suspected Russian cyber attack against a policy institute in Berlin. Suspected Russian hackers targeted the German Association for East European Studies, or DGO, a think tank which specialises in foreign policy. The cyber attack gained access to DGOs email traffic, German media reports, in a serious data breach. German intelligence officers suspect that the attack was carried out by a Russian hacker group known as Cozy Bear. Cozy Bear has previously been linked to a string of cyber attacks on EU and Nato governments, as well as the attempted theft of Covid vaccine data in 2020. 09:57 AM BST Russia claims Ukraine is violating deal preventing strikes on energy infrastructure Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed on Wednesday that Ukraine continues to consistently strike Russian energy infrastructure on a daily basis. Such attacks would be in violation of a US-brokered 30-day moratorium on strikes on energy infrastructure. Both Moscow and Kyiv have accused each other of breaking the US-brokered moratorium. The reports of the strikes have not been independently verified. 09:42 AM BST Two Chinese students detained for filming US military assets in South Korea Two Chinese students have been detained in South Korea for taking thousands of photos of US military assets, according to local reports. The Chinese nationals are under investigation for illegally filming US military assets near Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea and South Korean fighter aircraft near Suwon Air Base in March, said South Korean police. One student claimed his father is a public security officer in China. 09:32 AM BST Is Russia really using Chinese soldiers in its ranks? China claims to take a neutral stance on the war but has grown closer to Russia since it broke out. Western officials have long accused China of sending weapon components and attack drones to Moscow, but there is no evidence Beijing has directly sent troops. Last month, a separate video emerged on social media purporting to show Chinese mercenaries fighting for Russia in Ukraine. The soldiers have equipment and clothing consistent with what regular Russian troops have been seen wearing in recent months. Thousands of volunteers and mercenaries have been recruited by Russia to bolster its forces throughout the war. One of two Chinese soldiers who were reportedly captured by Ukrainian forces in the Donetsk region - AFP 09:19 AM BST At least 22 injured as Russian drones attack three Ukrainian cities Russian forces staged huge drone attacks on three cities in eastern Ukraine late on Tuesday, regional officials said. In the northeastern city of Kharkiv, hit by drone attacks nearly every evening over the past week, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said there had been more than 20 strikes. This is our enemys new tactic to frighten the civilians. This (the attacked objects) is civilian infrastructure of the city, these are production enterprises, these are Kharkivs businessmen. Of course, they are scared, Terekhov told journalists at one of the attacked sites. In the Donetsk region, the focal point of the 600-mile front line in the war, a residential area came under attack in the city of Kramatorsk and local officials said three people, including a child, were injured. The attack on Dnipro in southeastern Ukraine sparked a fire, damaged houses and cars and injured 15 people, Serhiy Lysak, governor of the region, said on Telegram. Credit: State Emergency Service of Ukraine 09:05 AM BST Watch: Chinas foreign office urges all nationals to stay out of armed conflict China has urged its citizens to avoid war zones after two nationals were captured during fighting in Ukraine. Beijings foreign ministry said it rejected groundless claims that more Chinese soldiers were fighting in Ukraine, adding that it was verifying reports of Chinese nationals being captured in combat. Let me stress that the Chinese government always asks Chinese nationals to stay away from areas of armed conflict (and) avoid involvement in armed conflicts in any form, said Lin Jian, Chinese foreign office spokesperson. Credit: Reuters 09:03 AM BST Hello and welcome to our live coverage Were bringing you the latest updates from the Ukraine war. Zeva is one sad girl. The dog is currently at the Monadnock Humane Society in Swanzey, New Hampshire and isnt doing well. Shes starting to shut down! The poor pup really hasnt acclimated to shelter life. Which is why its crucial that she finds someone to come and save her. The right person could save Zevas life. Zeva isnt just doing poorly in the shelters own words, shes one of the most shut down dogs at their facility. Shelter life can be hard for dogs. Even at the best facilities, its not an easy environment for them. This is certainly true for Zeva, who really hasnt been able to thrive. The Pit Bull Terrier looked positively listless in the video the shelter shared. She was laying on top of her kennel looking so, so sad. Related: Update on Tiny Shelter Dog Whose Legs Look Like 'Flippers' After Being Badly Broken Is So Heartwarming If that wasnt bad enough, Zeva arrived at the shelter after being rescued from a rough situation. Which we can only imagine made the whole experience even harder for the pup. Now the shelter is looking for a forever person for the dog who can help her rebuild trust and experience love once again. Will that person be you? Commenters were hoping that Zeva will find her forever family fast. Im crying, poor sweet baby. So beautiful, I really hope she finds the perfect family soon. She is so precious, one person wrote. I fostered a mama dog like this and shes the happiest, most boisterous dog with her forever family now. Zeva s perfect family is out there, another commenter offered. Poor sweet girl! She deserves a loving forever home yall! Lets help her, someone else chimed in. I pray she finds her loving forever home and gets to know what love is, wrote one person. Adopting From Monadnock Humane Society If Zevas story has touched your heart, you can head to the Monadnock Humane Societys website and give her a good home. This little sweetheart totally deserves it. She needs a loving human in her life. Just fill out an adoption application on the shelters website. Zeva needs a new home! Lets make sure she gets one. Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. A protester against the Rwanda deportation scheme in Croydon, south London, in April 2024. Labour scrapped the scheme after coming to power. Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPA Thousands of people left in limbo since plans to deport them to Rwanda were axed will now have their asylum claims processed in the UK, Labour has confirmed. More than 5,000 asylum seekers were on an initial list drawn up by the previous government to be sent to Rwanda under a deal between the two countries. One of the first acts of the Labour government was to scrap the Rwanda scheme, resulting in many of the 5,700 people the Kigali administration had agreed to accept having their claims processed in the UK asylum system. Some subsequently received decisions on their claims but it is estimated that thousands have remained in limbo. While being forcibly removed to Rwanda is no longer an option, they received letters saying that although their asylum claims would be admitted to the UK, if circumstances change or further information becomes available to us to suggest that inadmissibility action under these or other provisions is in fact appropriate we will notify you accordingly. Asylum seekers who received these letters were fearful that they could be removed to other countries, especially after rumours of government discussions about returns hubs in various countries including in the Balkans. Labours failure to publish a policy confirming that everyone previously earmarked for Rwanda would now have their claims processed in the UK led to a legal challenge from the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), which claimed that the uncertainty contained in the letters could worsen the trauma many asylum seekers had suffered in their home countries and on their journeys. It called on the government to publish a policy confirming that the claims of everyone previously on the Rwanda list would now be processed in the UK. A court hearing was due to take place on Wednesday morning but hours before this the Home Office published new guidance stating that the department has discontinued inadmissibility action and is committed to substantively considering the merits of the asylum claims. The group affected arrived in the UK between 1 January 2022 and 29 June 2023, many on small boats, and were issued with notices informing them that they may be removed to Rwanda. Taher Gulamhussein, a solicitor at JCWI , welcomed the guidance published by the government. He said: The prime minister said on his first day in office that the Conservative partys Rwanda plan was a gimmick and that it was dead and buried. He then promised those migrants that their claims for asylum would finally be processed in the UK. Shortly after that he went back on his word and told those people that he reserved the right to consider removing them to another third country after all. We challenged that practice. We are pleased that more than an estimated 2,000 of those migrants left in limbo and uncertainty can finally rest that their asylum claims will only be processed in the UK. A Home Office spokesperson said: The home secretary has been clear that the costly migration and economic development partnership with Rwanda wasted taxpayer money and should not continue. That is why we are bringing the partnership to an end and have redeployed resources to instead surge returns activity of those with no right to be here, with 24,000 returned since July. An advert for French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies has been banned in the UK for misleading consumers over the firms environmental impact. Campaign group Adfree cities complained that the paid-for X post in May focused on the firms renewable wind energy projects while failing to mention that its operations remained mostly based in fossil fuels. TotalEnergies said it could not include more information about its business practices within the ad due to the constraints of the medium, but its website made clear that it was involved in oil and gas. However the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that the advert, which focused on one of the TotalEnergies lower-carbon initiatives, framed it as reflective of its current business activity. The TotalEnergies Sustainability and Climate 2024 report stated that in 2023, 90% of its sales arose from petroleum and gas products, while it was responsible for 1.5% of global oil production and had allocated 68.3% of its capital expenditure towards fossil fuel energies and 31.7% to lower-carbon activities. The ASA said it was therefore likely to mislead as it had not included information about the proportion of TotalEnergies overall business model that comprised lower-carbon energy products. Alongside the ruling, the ASA did not uphold 76 complaints that an advert for Shell gave a misleading impression of its environmental impact, or one complaint that an ad for Barclays bank was misleading for omitting significant information about its contribution to carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions. In the case of Shell, a TV ad featured an engineer walking past electric vehicle charging points, an offshore gas rig and a family kitchen before superimposed text detailed the proportion of the energy giants investments in fossil fuels and lower carbon technologies. The ASA said the advert made it clear to consumers that the majority of Shells investments were in oil and gas and therefore did not give a misleading overall impression of its environmental impact. The rulings are part of the ASAs ongoing Climate Change and Environment project which aims to shine a greater regulatory spotlight on green claims used in advertising. However Adfree Cities, which made complaints against both ads, said the ASAs refusal to ban the Shell advert was endorsing greenwash. Veronica Wignall, co-director at Adfree Cities, said: Any advert that portrays Shell as prioritising the environment in any way is categorically misleading while the oil major continues to expand its fossil fuel operations, directly undermining a clean energy transition. With this ruling the ASA is essentially endorsing greenwash, marking a systemic and ongoing failure to protect consumers from fossil fuel misinformation. A spokesman for Shell said: We are pleased that following an investigation, the ASA has ruled that our advert complied with their code. Our campaign shows how Shell is powering progress in the UK, now and into the future and well continue to produce ads which are clear and compelling. Rachel Reeves speaks during the India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue at the London Stock Exchange Group - Justin Tallis/Getty The UK must improve trade with the EU in the wake of Donald Trumps trade war, the Chancellor has said. Rachel Reeves said the global turmoil triggered by US tariffs had helped create a greater imperative to improve our trading relationships with Europe. Sir Keir Starmer has also accepted that a trade deal he is pursuing with the US would not be enough to insulate Britain from the economic uncertainty. The Chancellors warm words come as UK and EU officials finalise the details of a reset in relations, to be unveiled at a summit on May 19. Sir Keir has insisted he does not have to choose between Brussels and Washington as Mr Trumps return to the White House disrupts global order. But the Prime Ministers position is being stress-tested in the market turmoil triggered by the US presidents liberation day tariffs and the escalating US trade war with China. Ms Reeves told The Financial Times that the UK-EU summit is a chance to refresh our relationship and make it easier for businesses to trade. I feel that, in the current environment, there is a greater willingness from countries around the world to look at both tariff and non-tariff barriers that are holding back trade, she said. Many of the developments, whether it is Russias invasion of Ukraine or the challenges in global trade at the moment, mean that theres an even greater imperative to improve our trading relationships with Europe. However, Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, claimed that any closer trade links with the EU that mean alignment on rules will damage us with America and the rest of the world. He told The Telegraph: The Chancellor is clueless. The Telegraph understands the shape of an agreement that would improve ties between Britain and the EU is now taking place following a period of intense negotiations. While defence and security will be at the heart of the summit, changes on the wider trading relationship are also expected. The UK is also set to align with EU rules and regulations on food safety and carbon tariffs to lower trade barriers. Discussions about the details of a slimmed-down youth free movement deal are ongoing. However, the reset is constrained by the Labour election manifesto, with ministers publicly sticking to the promise not to return Britain to the EU customs union or single market. Not a passing phase The Government is also pursuing a trade deal with the US that Downing Street hopes would see the 10 per cent tariff imposed on British imports removed. But in an interview with ITV, the Prime Minister stressed that the agreement alone would not protect the UK from the wider impact of Mr Trumps global tariffs. Asked to explain what he meant by the world entering a new economic era, Sir Keir said: What I mean by that is that the changes to tariffs and other measures that the president has taken, to my mind, are not a phase, a passing phase. Theyre here to stay, they usher in a new [era]. They may vary in their rates, and obviously we will try to mitigate the impact of that. Asked whether that meant the 10 per cent tariff applied by Mr Trump to the UK would be permanent, he said: Look, I dont know. We are negotiating and we hope to improve the situation. But what I mean by this is that simply thinking that any change in the rates or any deals is going to be enough, to my mind, is wrong. Because just as weve done with defence and security, where weve recognised its a changing world, weve got to step up and act differently. Fresh questions were raised on Wednesday about the Governments determination to stick to its fiscal rules as the cost of borrowing rose. The rules, adopted shortly after Labour took office last year, promise to reduce debt and ensure day-to-day spending was not funded by borrowing later this decade. Sir Keir said his fiscal rules were iron-clad and not going to change. Ms Reeves has been making similar public arguments, insisting the rules are non-negotiable. Decisions on taxation and spending are not due until the Budget this autumn, when the Office for Budget Responsibility, the official economic forecaster, judges whether the rules are being met. Neither Downing Street nor the Treasury has ruled out the possibility of new tax increases or spending cuts then, with insiders stressing it is far too early for any decisions to be taken. The Resolution Foundation has suggested how allocations of funding in the UK government's spending review could deliver an average 370 cash-equivalent gain per year to the country's poorest households. The think tank's research, published on Wednesday, noted that public services provide "in-kind" benefits worth an average of 13,000 per household. However, it pointed out that not all public services are used equally across all households. And while household disposable income is projected to fall from 2025-26, the Resolution Foundation said public service spending will rise by 18bn a year in 2028-29 in real terms. So the allocation of extra funding between departments at the government's June spending review will determine which families benefit, it said. Read more: Dire UK productivity falls far behind US The spending review is the process the government uses to set departmental budgets for future years. At the 2024 autumn budget, the government committed to setting its resource budget, which covers what it spends on its day-to-day running and administration costs, for three years. It also committed to setting capital budgets, which cover the funding for investment to improve the UKs infrastructure and public services, for five years, and to review these budgets every two years. In the autumn, the government committed to setting capital budgets, which cover the funding for investment to improve the UKs infrastructure and public services, for five years. (Ben Whitley - PA Images via Getty Images) The Resolution Foundation's report comes after chancellor Rachel Reeves announced further welfare cuts in her spring statement at the end of March, as the UK economy has seen slowing growth. This followed 40bn in tax rises announced in her autumn budget. How public services funding is weighted The Resolution Foundation's report analysed the 320m or two-thirds of day-to-day public spending that provides in-kind benefits to show how the spending review could prioritise the UK's poorer and middling families. The think tank said that day-to-day public service spending is already tilted towards lower-income families, with the poorest fifth of households receiving 15,900 of benefits in-kind, while 10,400 goes towards to the richest fifth. Its research found that specific services are more more weighted to the less well-off. According to the report, the poorest fifth of households receive around three times more in school funding (3,800 versus 1,200 for the richest fifth) and childcare (480 compared with 130), Read more: UK house prices fall by 1,575 in March as stamp duty holiday ends Transport spending is the key exception, the Resolution Foundation pointed out, where the richest fifth of households benefit from nearly three times as much in road and rail services than the poorest fifth 740 versus 270. But it added that buses are twice as likely to be used by the poorest fifth of households. In addition, the think tank's analysis of YouGov polling of more than 2,300 adults found that lower-income families which incomes less than 25,000 reported lower satisfaction with a range of public services than wealthier households, with incomes of 70,000 and above. Net satisfaction scores were lowest for councils, adult social care, justice and courts and GP services. Meanwhile, schools, early education and childcare, along with leisure, were the only public service areas to earn net positive scores. Where funding could be allocated The Resolution Foundation said that addressing these low levels of satisfaction across public services should, therefore, lie at the heart of its upcoming spending review and provided some suggestions as to how this could work. For example, the think tank said that a broad-based approach that sees day-to-day health spending increase by 2% per year, rather than its long-running average of 3.6% since 1949 would avoid the need for cuts to local government, justice and the police. That's based on the assumption that defence spending reaches 2.5% of the country's gross domestic product as planned by the government. The think tank added that a higher allocation of capital spending to health than in previous years might help make this, and improvements in NHS productivity, more feasible. The Resolution Foundation said that spending within departments could also be tilted more towards lower-income families. For instance, it said that extending free school meals to all families receiving universal credit a cost of 1.2bn to the education budget would lift another 100,000 children out of poverty. In addition, the think tank said that a rebalancing of support towards apprenticeships could help to tackle Britains problem of young people not in education, employment or training known as NEETs. Read more: How higher house prices are impacting young people's finances A spending review settlement that allocated funding this way would deliver an average cash-equivalent gain of 370 a year for the poorest households, versus a 150 boost for the wealthiest, the think tank said. Meanwhile, a "health-only" approach whereby NHS spending rises by 3.6% while unprotected departments face cuts of up to 1.1% a year would see all households receive similar cash-equivalent gains of around 260. Emily Fry, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: "Britains outlook for real disposable incomes is bleak, especially for poorer households after the benefit cuts announced at the spring statement. But the wider picture is more positive when the 18bn boost to public services is included, as this will provide vital in-kind benefits, particularly for poorer households. "Lower-income families make greater use of services like schools, childcare and adult social care, and have seen the quality of those services decline over time. "A focus on improving families experience of a range of downtrodden services in the spending review could help boost quality of life for lower income families in a challenging living standards environment." Read more: Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. A courthouse protest over the arrest and detention of Mahmoud Khalil, in New York City on 12 March 2025. Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images Anti-protest bills that seek to expand criminal punishments for constitutionally protected peaceful protests especially targeting those speaking out on the US-backed war in Gaza and the climate crisis have spiked since Trumps inauguration. Forty-one new anti-protest bills across 22 states have been introduced since the start of the year compared with a full-year total of 52 in 2024 and 26 in 2023, according to the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) tracker. This years tally includes 32 bills across 16 states since Trump returned to the White House, with five federal bills targeting college students, anti-war protesters and climate activists with harsh prison sentences and hefty fines a crackdown that experts warn threatens to erode first amendment rights to freedom of speech, assembly and petition. In one example, the Safe and Secure Transportation of American Energy act would create a new federal felony offense that could apply to protests that disrupt planned or operational gas pipelines which would be punishable by up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 for individuals or $500,000 for organizations. The language in the bill is vague, which could, critics warn, lead to a rally blocking a road used for moving equipment or a lawsuit challenging a pipelines permit being classified as disruptive and prosecuted. It is sponsored by seven Republicans including the senator Ted Cruz of Texas, the countrys largest oil and gas producing state, who chairs the committee considering whether the bill should progress. The pipeline bill closely resembles model critical infrastructure legislation crafted by the American Legislative Exchange Council (Alec), a rightwing fossil fuel-funded group that brings together corporations and lawmakers to create draft bills on environmental standards, reproductive rights and voting, among other issues. So far, Alec-inspired bills restricting protests against fossil fuel infrastructure have been enacted in 22 states. Related: Revealed: how the fossil fuel industry helps spread anti-protest laws across the US The new federal pipeline bill is extremely concerning because of the breadth of the language, and with Ted Cruz as a co-sponsor it could move forward, said Elly Page, senior legal adviser at ICNL. The anti-protest bills that have passed into laws since 2017 create a chilling effect and deter people from speaking out and are incredibly repressive. It is especially concerning that now, when we see other pillars of civil society under attack, lawmakers are also trying to further suppress dissent and foreclose what is a critical means of democratic participation. Repressive anti-protest laws have proliferated since the 2016 Indigenous-led anti-pipeline protests on the Standing Rock Indian territory in North Dakota, with 52 bills introduced in 2017, when ICNL created its tracker. Lawmakers across the US have repeatedly responded to new social movements with bills to crack down on protests. In 2021, 92 bills were introduced across 35 states in response to the social uprising triggered by the murder of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Legislative sessions are still going in most states and so far 2025 is on track to be the second-worst year, after 2021, for anti-protest initiatives. The current spike is a clear response to the protests on Palestine and campus protests in particular, according to Page. In March, three federal bills targeting university campus protests were announced including the Unmasking Hamas Act, which would make it a federal crime subject to 15 years in prison for wearing a mask or other disguise while protesting in an intimidating or oppressive way. The bill, which is almost identical to the Unmasking Antifa bill introduced in the wake of the 2020 racial justice protests, does not define oppressive or disguise. A separate bill would exclude student protesters from federal financial aid and loan forgiveness if they commit any crime at a campus protest, even a non-violent misdemeanor such as failing to disperse. In both cases, sponsors have made clear that the bill is a legislative response to pro-Palestinian protesters, many of whom wore masks to avoid retaliation and doxing. According to Jenna Leventoff, senior policy counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the slew of anti-protest laws threatens the core of US democracy. These state bills and Trumps crackdown on protected political speech are intended to scare people away from protesting or, worse, criminalize the exercise of constitutional rights, said Leventoff. In North Dakota, where the Standing Rock tribe organized against the Dakota Access pipeline, lawmakers have approved four anti-protest bills since 2017. The latest initiative seeks to create a new criminal offense punishable by up to 12 months in jail for anyone wearing a mask with intent to conceal the identity while congregating in a public place with any other individual wearing a mask, hood, or other device that covers, hides, or conceals any portion of the individuals face. The bill exempts public gatherings such as Halloween and a masquerade ball, but does exempt masks worn during protests to avoid doxing, or for health or religious reasons. Hannah Meyers, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a rightwing thinktank criticized for promoting skepticism about climate science, testified in favor of the masking ban, which has now passed the statehouse. Last year, Meyers co-drafted similar model legislation for Manhattan Institute, which has called on the federal government to crack down on protests by invoking statutes like Rico [racketeering], the anti mafia, anti organized crime statute, to look at the organizations that deploy civil terrorists for their own ends. According to Meyers, referring to masking bans as anti-protest was incorrect. Mask ban laws are aimed many explicitly at individuals masking to conceal their identity with the intent to commit crimes, menace others, or avoid arrest and prosecution. They are not related to retaliation and doxing, she said. Meanwhile, the Anti-Defamation League, a group criticized for conflating criticism of Israel and the defense of Palestinian rights with antisemitism, has lobbied in favor of a bill banning protest encampments on campuses in Arizona and for harsher sentencing for protesters wearing masks in Missouri. The large number and variation of anti-protest bills introduced in just three months in combination with the self-proclaimed law-and-order president administrations revoking of student visas and disappearing of student protesters indicates a movement towards fascism, said David Armiak, research director with the Center for Media and Democracy. An ADL spokesperson said: ADL objects to the wearing of full-face masks by those who seek to intimidate and harass others. We support anti-masking laws that create an additional penalty for already-prohibited behavior (engaging in targeting, threatening, vandalizing or violence). Such laws are not a mask ban and have no bearing on peaceful protest. The Trump administrations effort to cast pro-Palestinian protesters as terrorists and then use anti-terror and immigration laws to deport legal residents and quell campus demonstrations appears to be inspired by Project Esther, an anti-protest blueprint published shortly before last years election by the Heritage Foundation, the creators of Project 2025. Project Esther, which claims to be about rooting out antisemitism, promotes public firings of pro-Palestinian professors and using anti-racketeering laws to break up progressive anti-war groups. Critics say the plan promotes censorship and is a tool of Christian nationalism. The Trump regime claims to be cracking down on antisemitism on campus by kidnapping and deporting student activists, said Jay Saper, an organizer with Jewish Voice for Peace an anti-Zionist group that organizes anti-war and Palestinian liberation protests. Make no mistake, this is not about Jewish safety. This is about advancing an authoritarian agenda to clamp down on dissent. The latest attacks on protest also include expanding civil penalties, which can tie up activists in expensive litigation for years. Five states Alaska, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota and Ohio are considering bills that introduce new or harsher civil penalties for protesters. Free speech experts have warned that malicious civil litigation or so-called Slapps (strategic lawsuits against public participation) are being increasingly deployed by the fossil fuel industry, wealthy individuals and politicians to silence critics and suppress protest movements. Related: More than 1,000 Hands Off anti-Trump protests hit cities across the US Last month, a jury in rural Morton county in North Dakota ruled that the environmental group Greenpeace must pay $667m to the pipeline company Energy Transfer and is liable for defamation over the Standing Rock protests in a ruling widely condemned as chilling. In Minnesota, a new bill seeks to create civil and criminal liability for funders and supporters of protesters who peacefully demonstrate on pipeline or other utility property. In Ohio, legislators are considering whether participants of noisy or disruptive but non-violent protests as well as people and organizations who support them could face expensive lawsuits. Data from 2017 shows that the majority of bills fails or never make it out of committee and expire. And while most anti-protests bills enacted into law have been in Republican-run states, there are notable exceptions. The ACLU is urging the Democratic governor of New Jersey to veto a 2024 bill intended to improve community safety by cracking down on street brawls but which is overbroad, vague, and risks undermining fundamental freedoms protected under the first amendment, including the right to protest and assembly. On Monday in Washington DC, a non-violent climate protester was convicted on felony charges of conspiracy against the United States and property damage for putting washable finger paint on the protective case of the Little Dancer statue in the National Gallery. Timothy Martin, who faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count, will be sentenced in August. The Heritage Foundation and the American Legislative Exchange Council did not respond to a request for comment. A Paddington Bear statue which was destroyed by vandals has been fully repaired and returned to its home town. The sculpture in Newbury, Berkshire, was damaged last month when two Royal Air Force engineers broke it in half after a night out and made off with part of it. Daniel Heath and William Lawrence, both 22 and engineers at RAF Odiham in Hampshire, were sentenced for criminal damage at Reading Magistrates Court and ordered to pay 2,725 each towards the costs of repairing it. The rebuilt statue was unveiled in the town centre on Wednesday, with locals expressing their joy at the beloved character being brought back home. Among those at the unveiling ceremony was Anthony George, who said he was devastated when the statue was damaged and decided to immortalise Paddington with a tattoo on his leg. Anthony George has got the famous character tattooed on his leg (Mathilde Grandjean/PA) The 64-year-old, from Hungerford in Berkshire, said he got the tattoo three weeks before the official return of the statue to Newbury. Im very proud of it, he said. I just want to symbolise what a wonderful fictional character Paddington is. I grew up with Paddington, so it means a lot. It clearly says on his name tag Look after me, or words to that effect, and hopefully people will adhere to that: be kind. Unfortunately the other two that vandalised it werent very kind. Anthony George at the unveiling ceremony (Mathilde Grandjean/PA) He added: When I heard what happened, I was absolutely devastated. Such a shame and everyone loves Paddington apart from Daniel and William. My dad was in the RAF, theyre in the RAF my dad would have been mortified. CCTV footage played to the court showed the men approaching the statue late at night before ripping the bear off its bench and walking away with it. District judge Sam Goozee condemned Heath and Lawrences actions, calling them the antithesis of everything Paddington stands for. Chairman of West Berkshire Council Billy Drummond and Mayor of Newbury Andy Moore (Andrew Matthews/PA) Inspector Alan Hawkett, from Thames Valley Police, said the success of the investigation into the vandalism came from a real community effort. He said: It wouldnt have been possible without the help of the community: people posting on the Facebook pages, reporting what they had seen and what they heard, the town centre businesses checking their CCTV for us, the local taxi companies as well. It was a real community effort that brought about the return of Paddington. Marc Giles and Ty Cosway, from the Special Constabulary team, said they worked for 15 continuous hours to retrieve the broken half of the Paddington Bear statue. When we arrived on the scene, it was about three seconds before someone approached us and said Oh, youre here for Paddington, Mr Giles said. Mr Cosway added: Some kids were coming up to us while we were walking from business to business doing our CCTV inquiries, and you start to get a bit more of an idea of the impact. It might seem on the surface as a localised case of criminal damage, but the community impact was massive. Mr Giles said: We ourselves were shocked by it, and it made us feel even more proud to have brought him back. After the interview, a little boy came to hug the two constables and said: Thank you for bringing him home. Dominika Zydron, 39, who lives in Newbury, attended the unveiling ceremony with her two children Joanna, nine, and Stasiu, four. She said: We came here especially to see him and welcome him home. We are very excited. We walk by this road every single day and say hello to Paddington, so when he was missing it was very sad for us. A repaired and repainted statue of Paddington Bear is returned to its home (Andrew Matthews/PA) Kerrie Newton, 49, also from Newbury, came to see the repaired statue with her daughter Evelyn, nine, and her son Henry, six. She said: Its great to have him home. Hes brought a lot of joy to Newbury when he was first here and it really upset everybody in town that he was sadly taken from us. It means a lot that hes come back quickly. Its a little bit of happiness in this crazy world. Michael Bond, the author and creator of Paddington, was born in Newbury. The statue is one of 23 located across the UK and Ireland as part of the Paddington Visits Trail. Sixteen alleged teenaged gangsters in rival East Harlem crews were charged Tuesday with terrorizing their innocent neighbors in a months-long barrage of gun violence. Members of the LA World and Wuski gangs most of them under 18 were behind 21 separate shootings from March 2024 until this February, Manhattan prosecutors alleged in two sweeping indictments. The crews sent bullets whizzing down crowded sidewalks and into building playgrounds and lobbies accounting for a whopping half of the 23rd Precincts total 38 shootings between March 25 and Sept. 30, 2024, cops and prosecutors said. Alleged LA World Crip member Tasheem Brown arriving at court in Manhattan on April 8, 2025. William Farrington Andre Cumberbatch getting escorted into Family Court in Manhattan. William Farrington Alleged LA World gang members arriving in court to face charges. William Farrington For months, these gang members turned East Harlem into their personal battleground, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch told reporters. And now their cycle of violence and retaliation is over. Police seized 15 illegal semi-automatic guns including a pistol equipped with a green laser when they arrested eight of the alleged gangsters Tuesday morning, officials said. Four more alleged crew members were already in custody, and four remained at-large Tuesday afternoon. The brutal turf war erupted after Harry Mendoza, a 25-year-old member of LA World which is based out of the New York City Housing Authoritys Lehman and AK Houses was fatally shot, along with a 16-year-old girl, at Lexington Avenue and East 128th Street on March 24, 2024, authorities said. Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced the charges Tuesday afternoon. Brigitte Stelzer Authorities displayed the haul of semi-automatic weapons they recovered in Tuesdays arrests at a news conference. Brigitte Stelzer Hours later, alleged LA World crew member Xavier Roberts who is just 16 years old and charged with committing five shootings within a single week fired five times into the lobby of a building in the nearby Johnson Houses, where the Wuskis are based, piercing the front door window, prosecutors said. The violence escalated from there, often outside and in broad daylight, authorities said. Bullets flying everywhere: on crowded street corners, near innocent bystanders, at playgrounds, near children, through the windows of a NYCHA lobby, and a residential unit, and a bus stop, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said at a news conference. Photos of guns presented at the press conference announcing charges against the alleged gang members. Brigitte Stelzer Text messages from Xavier Roberts sent to other alleged LA World members. Brigitte Stelzer This brazen disregard for the lives of others created an atmosphere of terror for any other group going about their daily business. Bragg said it was particularly tragic that thirteen of the alleged gangsters were under 18 when the shootings unfolded but he called the charges a necessary step to achieve lasting public safety. Mayor Eric Adams, who attended the news conference, said he was taken aback that just a handful of teens were allegedly responsible for half of the neighborhoods gun violence. Just 16 people accused of 50 percent of an entire precincts shootings let that sink in, the mayor said, adding that We have to get the small number of people who repeatedly commit crimes off our streets. A photo of Andre Cumberbatch shooting a gun on June 13, 2024. Manhattan DA Prince Bouche, Aaden Williams and other alleged gang members. Manhattan DA Nine alleged LA World members and seven alleged Wuski members are hit with charges including second-degree conspiracy with the intent to commit Murder, attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon. The twelve alleged gangmembers in custody were expected to make their first appearances before a Manhattan judge late Tuesday. Their attorneys could not immediately be reached. Four teenagers were arrested Wednesday after a shooting in Virginia left three dead and three injured in what police said was an illegal gun sale or robbery gone wrong Tuesday evening. The men killed were 18-year-old Chase Feaster, 18-year-old Alonzo Goffney and a 20-year-old whose name wasn't released, according to the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office. Sheriff's deputies responded at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to the shooting in the area of Olde Greenwich Circle in Spotsylvania County, a Virginia community located about 65 miles south of Washington, D.C. Four teenagers were charged in the shooting with with malicious wounding and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony unlawful assembly, officials said Wednesday. The suspects are two 16-year-olds and a 17-year-old, and 18-year-old Jeremiah Upson. One of the 16-year-olds was being treated for a gunshot wound in the hospital, the sheriff's office said. It wasn't clear if the injured suspect was one of the three reported as injured. "Initial investigation reveals that this was an illegal gun sale/robbery," the sheriff's office said in a statement. There were initially no arrests, and nearby residents were advised to stay clear of the area while authorities investigated. Public schools in nearby Fredericksburg, Virginia, will operate on a two-hour delay Wednesday to support students affected by the shooting. "We are deeply saddened by the tragic events that occurred this evening in Spotsylvania," Fredericksburg City Public Schools said. "Our hearts go out to all who have been affected by this devastating loss." The community was also rattled earlier this week when a gun went off from within the backpack of a third grader in a classroom at Lee Hill Elementary School. The child didn't intentionally fire it but accidentally set it off when reaching into the backpack, the sheriff's office said. Nobody was injured. The third grader's parents were arrested for leaving the gun accessible and endangering children. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Virginia shooting leaves 3 dead and 3 injured: Authorities Four teenagers were charged on Wednesday in connection with a shooting in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, that killed three people and injured three more, authorities said Wednesday. The Spotsylvania Sheriffs Office said in a Wednesday Facebook statement that four people two 16-year-olds, one 17-year-old, and one 18-year-old were all charged with malicious wounding and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony unlawful assembly in connection with the Tuesday evening shooting. "Initial investigation reveals that this was an illegal gun sale/robbery," the sheriff's office said. Three of the suspects have been arrested and are being held with no bond, the sheriff's office said. One of the 16-year-old suspects is currently at a local hospital being treated for a gunshot wound. Two of the victims were identified as 18-year-old Chase Feaster and 18-year-old Alonzo Goffney. The third victim, a 20-year-old, was not identified by the sheriff's office on Wednesday pending confirmation with the Medical Examiner's Office. Authorities did not provide any information on the three people injured during the gunfire. Public schools in nearby Fredericksburg are scheduled to open two hours behind schedule Wednesday to allow for preparations that will enable staff to provide "care and support ... during this difficult time," the city school district said in a statement. Police investigate a shooting in the area of Old Greenwich Circle in Spotsylvania County, Va., on Tuesday. "This is about as bad as it can get with six people shot right now," Scott said. Harris said the violence was reported about 5:30 p.m. in the area of Old Greenwich Circle in Spotsylvania County, about 56 miles south of Washington. Scott said investigators at the scene, Virginia State Police, and nearby Fredericksburg police were trying to determine what happened. An 80-year-old California man is accused of allegedly shooting and killing another man in what police in Northern California called a "turkey hunting" incident. In a Facebook post Monday, the Sutter County Sheriffs Office said officers were called to the Fremont Wier Wildlife Area in Knights Landing, California on Sunday afternoon. The wildlife area is located around 20 miles northwest of Sacramento. Once police arrived, they found 65-year-old Shawn Parrish with a shot to the back of the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said that John Lee allegedly fired his shotgun into the brush without aiming, "hoping to shoot a turkey." But instead of a bird, Lee allegedly shot Parrish, who was also hunting turkeys at the time. Lee was taken into custody by the sheriffs office on charges of second-degree murder and negligent discharge of a firearm, police said. Records online show that Lee is being held on a bond of $1 million. Local news reports say that Lees arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday. Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 1 arrested after man shot, killed while hunting turkeys in California American Airlines is working to make international travel easier. A pilot program with U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Tuesday will allow some passengers connecting from international to domestic flights to skip collecting and re-checking their bags. The program, called International Remote Baggage Screening, will allow passengers arriving in the U.S. and connecting to domestic flights to proceed straight from passport control to the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint. The bags will still be screened to ensure everything that's packed meets existing regulations, but they will automatically be checked through to the next flight. The program is being trialed on flights leaving Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport in Australia and arriving at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). We are excited to collaborate with CBP on this innovative initiative, Vice President of Global Corporate Security at American Airlines Gary Tomasulo said in a statement. By leveraging advanced technology and working with Sydney Airport and our vendor partners BagCheck and Brock Solutions, we are enhancing safety and security while streamlining the CBP baggage inspection process to make global travel smoother and more convenient for our customers. In its press release, American Airlines did not mention plans for expanding the trial to other routes or airports at this stage. American Airlines also announced in February a trial program to make connecting easier for passengers transiting through London's Heathrow Airport. Previously, passengers would have to clear security again after arriving in London before connecting to another international flight. Still, under the One Stop Security pilot, American Airlines passengers from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport arriving at Heathrow terminal 3 or 5 will not need a secondary security screening before connecting to another flight. Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: American Airlines trials streamlined international bag process Shiloh Jolie is the third oldest child of movie stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. The ex-couple announced they were expecting their first baby together in 2006, with the pair welcoming their first biological daughter in May that year. SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox "Shis so full of light and love, shes just a little honey, and very, very funny," Angelina told MSN in an interview the year after her birth. "I think Im recognizing some of myself in that one shes going to be a little bit of trouble!" In addition to Shiloh, the exes share sons Maddox, Paxand Knox, as well as daughters Zahara and Vivienne. Angelina adopted Maddox from Cambodia in 2002 (he was born in 2001), Zahara from Ethiopia in 2005 and Pax from Vietnam in 2007 (he was born in 2003). Keep scrolling to see Shiloh Jolie through the years: Shiloh Jolie though the years February 2010 Photo by Dominique Charriau/WireImage Clad in an adorable beanie and matching jacket with Pitt, Shiloh and her dad hit the town to go shopping at Bonpoint in Paris in February 2010. March 2015 Photo by Frazer Harrison/KCA2015/Getty Images Shiloh accompanied her mom to the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in March 2015 along with sister Zahara, not pictured. That same year, the Girl, Interrupted star opened up about her hopes for her kids' future in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. "I want to make sure my kids are never worried about me," she told the publication at the time. "Even if Im going through something, I make sure they are very aware that Im totally fine. Ill stop and make a joke, I talk to them. I never, ever want them to have that secret worry and feel that they have to take care of me." September 2017 Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images Shiloh was all smiles while walking the red carpet at the premiere of First They Killed My Father, which Angelina directed, in September 2017. "We're really such a unit," the Mr. & Mrs. Smith actress told The New York Times of her children in 2017. "They're the best friends I've ever had. Nobody in my life has ever stood by me more." February 2018 Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images Shiloh showed off her short 'do while attending the 45th annual Annie Awards in Los Angeles with her mom in February 2018. October 2019 Photo by TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images Shiloh was one proud daughter during the European premiere of Disney's Maleficent: Mistress of Evil in Rome in 2019. In an essay titled "Why the World Needs More Wicked Women" that Angelina penned for Elle that same year, the actress reflected on the most important advice she's given her daughters. "I often tell my daughters that the most important thing they can do is to develop their minds," she wrote. "You can always put on a pretty dress, but it doesn't matter what you wear on the outside if your mind isn't strong. There is nothing more attractive you might even say enchanting than a woman with an independent will and her own opinions." October 2021 Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage The whole brood came out to support their mom at the U.K. red carpet premiere of The Eternals in London, England. March 2025 Photo by MEGA/GC Images Shiloh was spotted out and about in Studio City, dressed casually in a hoodie and baggy pants, in March 2025. Getty Ariana Grande is ready to switch things up after Wickedand apparently, she's up for pretty much anything when it comes to her hair. Earlier this month, Grande bid farewell to her Glindafied locks, ditching the honey blonde for a darker auburn shade, which she first debuted in her Brighter Days Ahead short film. Although Grande has done some minor color shifts over the past few years, including an Audrey Hepburn-inspired look, this marked her first major hair transformation in years. Well, roughly a week later, she's done it again. And this time, she's gone for something even boldera bright purple ombre. The new look is part of Grande's campaign for jewelry brand Swarovski. In the images from the campaign, Grande wears her blonde-purple ombre hair in an ultra slick high ponytail and poses decked out in Swarovski's '60s pop art-inspired colorful jewelry. Courtesy of Swarovski As the press release explains, "This campaign sees Ariana explore the symbiotic relationship between style and self-expression." The new look is inspired by Swarovski's "fantasy world of color and light, transforming in a metamorphosis that reflects creativity, savoir-faire, and joyful self-expression." Her purple hair transformation matches perfectly with the brand's new lilac pieces. "A shade symbolic of magic, mystery, and regality, each lilac stone is hand-set in gold-tone hardware and serves as a love letter to crystal in bold yet timeless Riviere silhouettes. Combined with Arianas pure star power, it forms a high fashion fantasy," reads the press release. Courtesy of Swarovski Im so excited that my creative journey continues with Swarovski, and I love the metamorphosis storyline of this new Spring-Summer 2025 campaign," Grande said in a statement. "Styled in a palette of vibrant colors and radiant crystal jewelry, this campaign felt truly uplifting and joyful. Courtesy of Swarovski As Grande told Vogue last year, she chose to dye her hair blonde for her Oscar-nominated role in Wicked even though she wore wigs in the film, in order to "find Glinda." Even though I was wearing wigs, I needed to be blonde, too, she said. With Wicked part two set to hit cinemas later this year, it's clear that Grande's time as Glinda is coming to an endand with it, it seems her blonde days may be numbered, too. Read the original article on InStyle Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe Whether its game day, an icy cold evening, or lunchtime on the slopes, chili is the dish I reach for when I want to be warmed from the inside out. And as much as I enjoy whipping chili up from scratch, it requires a fair amount of planning, prep, and time on the stove. So when Im craving this childhood favorite on a whim, I often turn to store-bought, canned options. However, because the canned soup aisle is so overwhelming, I usually just grab the same brand of store-bought chili time and time again. To expand my horizons, I asked a handful of food pros what their favorite canned chili is. Surprisingly, they all cited the same brand. The Food Professionals I Asked Natasha Fischer: Creator of the food blog Trader Joes List and operator of kitchenware line Pat Cooks Erin Clarke: Creator of the recipe blog Well Plated and best-selling author of Well Plated Cookbook and Well Plated Every Day Kat Marris: Private chef and recipe developer Patty Castillo: Content creator and founder of Trader Joes Aficionado Simply Recipes / Trader Joe's The Best Canned Chili, According to Food Pros When it came to the number one canned chili pick, these knowledgeable food pros all agreed that Trader Joes Organic Vegetarian Chili is the way to go. If you don't have time to slow simmer a pot of chili, Trader Joes Organic Vegetarian Chili is one of my favorites, explains Clarke. This store-bought option has everything you love and expect from a well-made chili. This chili is packed with hearty beans, a thick tomato base, and just the right amount of spice, says Fischer. Clarke agrees, adding, Its hearty and has a well-balanced spice blend that makes it satisfying even without meat. This vegetarian chili contains textured pea protein for a plant-based protein boost and satisfying eating experience. I love that the textured pea protein gives this chili a meaty texture and makes it more filling than most vegetarian chilis I've tried with its flavorful punch of chili powder and cumin, shares Marris. This pea-based protein makes the chili an ideal option for those who cant have soy products (common in many similar meatless chilis). And for the meat lovers out there, you could easily fortify this canned staple with some browned ground beef, pork, or turkey for a more substantial meal. How the Pros Serve Trader Joe's Vegetarian Chili Once this chili is heated to the perfect soul-warming temperature, each of these food pros enjoy it in differentand equally deliciousways. It's perfect just as it is, especially with a side of cornbread, shares Castillo. Marris likes to pour it over a baked potato for a filling dinner. I love using it as a topper for nachos, adds Fischer. Meanwhile, Clarke tops her TJs chili with plain Greek yogurt for extra protein. This chili would also be nothing short of exquisite atop a chili dog, nestled into a crusty bread bowl, stirred into a batch of mac and cheese, stuffed into empanadas, or used in a creative spin on shepherds pie. This impressive vegetarian chili is also incredibly accessible, costing only $2.49 per can and available at most Trader Joes locations nationwide. Read the original article on SIMPLYRECIPES Guler Erdogan/Facebook Guler Erdogan A beauty queen in Turkey has died after falling from a bridge at age 27, per local news reports. On Tuesday, April 1, Guler Erdogan a former Miss Europe Kosovo titleholder fell off an overpass onto a road in the Turkish city of Giresun after reaching a police checkpoint in her car following an evening out, per CNN Turk. Local outlets Hurriyet, CNN Turk and NTV claimed that Erdogan had been drunk at the time, stating that she'd allegedly abandoned her car before fleeing from police on foot. Guler Erdogan/Facebook Guler Erdogan Erdogan had been in the city with her family for the Ramadan holiday, CNN Turk noted, adding that authorities had been dispatched to the scene of the accident, but the model was sadly pronounced deceased. 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. Per Erdogan's Instagram profile which has 56,000 followers she was a model, athlete and loved to travel. Guler Erdogan/Facebook Guler Erdogan Following her death, all her posts were removed from the page and replaced with one message, which read, "Do not believe the baseless news and information that has been released regarding the death of our sister, friend, Guler Erdogan." "Our sister lost her life in a tragic accident. We were with her family at the time of the incident," the message, translated from the original Turkish, added. PEOPLE has contacted the Turkish National Police for further information on the incident and the Miss Europe pageant for a tribute but did not receive an immediate response from either. Read the original article on People A Chicago man was arrested last week and charged for a series of sex crimes that took place over the course of three years. Chakib Mansour Khodja, 36, was slapped with 16 felony counts and two misdemeanors for kidnapping, sexually assaulting or strangling five women between 2022 and 2025, the Chicago Police Department said in a statement on Monday. The victims ranged in age from 21 to 26 years old, and none had prior relationships with Khodja, according to police. Police said the incidents all took place on the North Side of Chicago. In May 2022, Khodja was waiting in the common area of his first known victims apartment complex, court documents shared by the Cook County States Attorneys Office show. When the victim entered her building, Khodja allegedly pulled a black drawstring bag over her head and began to strangle her before fleeing. Later that year, Khodja allegedly forced a woman to perform oral sex on him and penetrated her multiple times in the backseat of a sedan, according to the documents. And in two separate incidents this year, Khodja threatened two victims with a knife before and while he allegedly sexually assaulted them. Officials did not immediately return a request to provide Khodja's attorney's contact information. At a press conference with police on Monday, Cook County States Attorney Eileen ONeill Burke said his arrest marked a "good day for Chicago." Today, every single woman in the city, every single man who has a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister should all be breathing a sigh of relief, Burke said. "This man was a violent serial predator who literally went out hunting for his victims. Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said that detectives established the crime pattern through public and privately-own video and DNA evidence. DNA recovered from the black drawstring bag matched DNA recovered in multiple other sexual assault investigations and through a buccal swab of Khodja upon his arrest, according to the court documents. Khodja was arrested at OHare International Airport. "I want to acknowledge the strength and resilience of the survivors who were traumatized by these horrific crimes and actions of this individual," Snelling said. "These women survived something that was horrible and terrible, and its something that they will continue to live with throughout the rest of their days." Snelling also encouraged other victims or witnesses to step forward. "We can never assume that we have located every victim that this predator has targeted," he said. "We would like to know if there are more victims out there." Beijing is warning Chinese tourists to fully assess the risks before travelling to the US - E+ China has issued a travel warning for the United States amid a deterioration in China-US trade relations. The country is locked in a trade war with America after Donald Trump imposed 104 per cent tariffs as part of his liberation day levies, which came into force on Wednesday. Beijing retaliated with 84 per cent tariffs on US goods, which come into effect on Thursday. Chinese tourists were urged to assess the risks amid ongoing economic turmoil. Beijings culture and tourism ministry said: Due to the deterioration in China-US trade relations and the domestic security situation in the United States, [we] advise Chinese tourists to fully assess the risks before travelling to the US. A warning was also issued to Chinese students studying abroad, with the statement saying that the ministry of education reminds overseas students to assess the risks of studying in the US. President Donald Trump imposed 104 per cent tariffs on China as part of his liberation day levies - Nathan Howard/Reuters It added: Recently, Ohio passed a higher education Bill, which contains negative provisions related to China and imposes restrictions on educational exchanges and co-operation between Chinese and American universities. The ministry of education reminds overseas students to conduct safety risk assessments and enhance their awareness of prevention when choosing to study in relevant states in the US in the near future. Later on Wednesday, China also slapped trade restrictions on 18 US defence companies. The regulations are mainly targeted at firms that supply the Pentagon and federal government agencies, adding to the 60 or so American companies Beijing has already punished over Trumps tariffs on China. Beijing said six US companies were included over arms sales or military co-operation with Taiwan and would be banned from China-related import and export activities, as well as investing in the country. In recent years, the six companies [have] seriously jeopardised Chinas national sovereignty, security and development interests, the commerce ministry claimed. The economic sparring between the two countries has attract global criticism, with the head of a major British bank warning that no one wins in a trade war. The trade war between China and the US has escalated with Beijing imposing 84 per cent tariffs on US goods - Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg Bill Winters, Standard Chartereds chief executive, also warned Mr Trump that US consumers and businesses would bear the brunt of his tariffs. He said: I happened to be in Vietnam when the US announced its new tariff regime. Vietnam was allocated one of the highest tariff levels, but all of the markets in which we operate will be affected as or when these tariffs take effect including the US. No one wins in a trade war, so we remain hopeful that negotiations and some goodwill can help with the situation. 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. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton; Sen. John Cornyn. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons attempt to topple Republican Sen. John Cornyn in a Senate primary next year kicks off one of the most intense contests of the 2026 elections a GOP-versus-GOP battle between two men who have been sparring for years and vying for President Donald Trumps attention. Cornyn is a fixture of the Republican Party in Texas, serving in its highest offices for more than 30 years and becoming a key voice on Capitol Hill. Paxton, the third-term attorney general who survived a bipartisan impeachment last year in part thanks to support from Trump and conservative activist allies, believes theres an opening to cut the incumbent down from the right. Now, both sides are aligning themselves with Trump amid the possibility of an endorsement that could tip the primary. Whether one comes or not, one thing is clear. This is gonna be the nastiest race in the modern era of Texas politics, period, former Travis County GOP chairman Matt Mackowiak said. Paxton immediately attacked Cornyn for having turned his back on President Trump, pointing to comments Cornyn made in 2023 about Trumps indictment over his handling of classified documents, as well as the senators comments that he didnt think Trump could win the presidency after Trump was found liable for sexual abuse in a civil case that same year. Paxton has also targeted Cornyn over his votes on issues including guns and immigration to try to argue that he is more aligned with conservative values. While John was criticizing Trump and suggesting he shouldnt run, I was at Mar-a-Lago for Trumps presidential announcement speech, Paxton told The Mark Davis Show in Dallas. "If he had the record of [Texas GOP Sen.] Ted Cruz, would I be here? Absolutely not," Paxton continued. "This isnt about what hes saying and the love he suddenly has for President Trump and the love he has for all of our issues now. This isnt about that love. I dont believe that love, I believe in action." Cornyn, though, also made an appeal to Trumps interests, telling reporters at the Capitol on Wednesday that Paxtons Senate bid is a con mans vanity project. The biggest potential loser is President Trumps agenda, Cornyn said of the primary challenge. Mr. Paxton has a checkered background, he is a con man and a fraud, and I think the people of Texas know that, but this is what will be litigated during the course of this campaign. I am not going to turn over the Senate seat that was once held by Sam Houston to someone like him, he added, a reference to the 2023 impeachment trial of Paxton, after which he survived a conviction vote in the state Senate. Its unclear to me exactly what is motivating Mr. Paxton other than vanity and personal ambition, Cornyn continued. In the months before Paxton jumped in and in the hours since Cornyn has made clear hes hugging Trump as tight as he can. He posted on X a photo of him reading Trumps The Art of the Deal and called it recommended reading; he took to the Senate floor to defend Trump aide and billionaire Elon Musk (whose businesses have a significant footprint in Texas) after protests at Tesla dealerships; and he has been framing himself as one of Trumps top allies in the Senate. A long-simmering feud The roots of this clash between another establishment-insurgent pair of Republicans run deep, part of a decade-plus battle within the Texas GOP that has ousted legislative leaders, fueled Cruz's rise, fanned the flames of Paxtons impeachment, and led to proxy wars up and down the ballot. Paxton had been telegraphing a run against Cornyn from the right for more than a year. In early 2024, Paxton lambasted the senator as anti-Trump [and] anti-gun in a post on X, adding that Texans deserve another conservative Senator. Cornyn reposted the message and replied: Hard to run from prison, Ken, a reference to the investigations that led to the impeachment trial. (The Associated Press reported this month that the Justice Department decided last year not to prosecute Paxton over corruption allegations.) Brendan Steinhauser, a longtime GOP consultant who served as Cornyns campaign manager in the past but is unaffiliated in this race, told NBC News its no surprise to see Cornyn campaign with an eye on Trump. If youre Senator Cornyn, youre going to be campaigning on all the ways that you have supported and worked with the president, youre going to talk about all the policies where you align, youre going to talk about helping to get all of his judicial nominees through, he said. While a potential endorsement from Trump remains a major question, Cornyn does have support from Senate Republicans. Sen. Tim Scott, of South Carolina, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, has made his case for Cornyn to White House officials. Scott also told Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, who has also been weighing a Senate run, that the NRSC is behind Cornyn, according to a source familiar with the discussions. John Cornyn is a leader who delivers on President Trumps agenda and for the people of Texas in the U.S. Senate, Scott said in a statement to NBC News. Hes a proven fighter, man of faith and essential part of the Republican Senate Majority. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has also been publicly backing Cornyn and recently told CNN he was hopeful Trump would back Cornyn in the race. Asked Wednesday if he has personally asked Trump to endorse Cornyn, Thune told reporters at the Capitol: Well, were having conversations about all of the races on the map. When we have anything to report, well let you know. Senate Leadership Fund, the main GOP super PAC involved in Senate races, which is aligned with Republican leadership, indicated it is also in Cornyn's corner. "Leader John Thune, NRSC Chairman Tim Scott, and many of their colleagues have expressed great admiration and support for Senator John Cornyn and his years of service to the people of Texas," SLF Chairman Cory Gardner, a former senator from Colorado, said in a statement to NBC News. "The Senate Leadership Fund fully intends on seeing him reelected next November." Mackowiak, a longtime Texas political consultant, told NBC News that he sees Paxtons early announcement as an indication of two things: The attorney general sees an opening, but he knows he needs time to raise the money required to combat Cornyn and the power of incumbency. Paxtons never run a race this complicated, this expensive against someone as accomplished and serious as John Cornyn," he said. "John Cornyn has never been challenged by someone that has the statewide profile and grassroots enthusiasm Paxton has." But Mackowiak argued that while Paxton has sought to go on offense early, that dynamic may not stick, and that the events that led to Paxtons impeachment trial (which divided Republicans in the state) will likely be relitigated. He is going to be playing a lot more defense than he even understands. I think because he got through impeachment, these issues are behind him. Theyre not, he said. One potential wrinkle, particularly if Hunt or another Republican decides to jump in, is Texas runoff rules. If no candidate wins the majority of the vote in the primary, the top two move on to a one-on-one runoff election. Cornyn has never lost an election in Texas, and hes never been forced to a runoff by any of his opponents (who have largely challenged him from the right). But the prospect of a split field leading to a runoff is another complicating factor, with both Mackowiak and Steinhauser noting that runoff electorates typically favor the candidate with more grassroots conservative support. Senate map The Texas race could have broader implications for the fight for the Senate next year as Republicans look to defend their slim majority. Democrats need to net three seats to take control of the Senate, but they face an uphill battle with a short list of targets. Just one Republican Maines Susan Collins is running in a state that former Vice President Kamala Harris carried in November. Republicans, meanwhile, are looking to grow their majority by targeting Democratic-held seats in battleground states. But Cornyn said a competitive election in Texas could put a strain on Republicans nationally by diverting money away from other key battlegrounds. Were going to end up spending hundreds of millions of dollars, potentially, on this race in Texas, because we cant lose the seat in Texas, said Cornyn, a former NRSC chairman. And that is money that cant be used in places like Michigan, New Hampshire and Georgia in the midterm elections. Democrats have long coveted the idea of flipping Texas, with former Rep. Beto ORourke coming close to defeating Cruz in the blue wave year of 2018. But Trump expanded his margin last year in Texas compared to 2020, carrying Texas by 14 percentage points as Cruz defeated former Democratic Rep. Colin Allred by 9 points. Allred told The Dallas Morning News last month that he is seriously considering another run for Senate against Cornyn. Cruz, meanwhile, told reporters Wednesday that he is staying neutral in this years Senate primary, saying both Paxton and Cornyn are friends. I have worked closely with both of them. I respect them both, Cruz said. And I trust the voters of Texas to make that decision. A divisive GOP primary could play into Democrats hands especially if Paxton is the nominee. In the meantime, Democrats are watching the GOP primary process play out in Texas and other states. Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesperson Maeve Coyle noted that former New Hampshire GOP Gov. Chris Sununu announced Tuesday that he would not be running for that states open Senate seat. As Republicans face a nasty primary in Texas and an embarrassing recruitment failure in New Hampshire coupled with a building midterm backlash across the map driven by their threats to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and their push to spike costs for families Democrats will look for every opportunity to put them on defense, Coyle said. Gerhardt Konig and his wife Arielle Even by Hawaiian standards, the scenic trail at Oahus Nuuanu Pali Lookoutwhere more than 400 warriors were forced to jump to their deaths from the 1,200-ft. cliff during a battle in 1795is hauntingly beautiful. On March 24 the tranquility of the gurgling streams and bamboo forest was interrupted when a pair of hikers heard someone screaming, Help! Help me! Concerned that another hiker was about to fall off the side of the mountain, the duo told police they sprinted up the trail to the overlook to find a woman lying on her back with a man on top of her, violently bashing her in the head with a rock. He is trying to kill me, the woman shouted when she saw the hikers, who called 911. By the time officers from the Honolulu Police Department and paramedics arrived and rushed the bloodied young woman to Queens Medical Center, the man with the rock had fled into the forest. Before long, police were piecing together the disturbing details of what Hawaiian prosecutors now say unfolded after 46-year-old anesthesiologist Gerhardt Konig attempted to push [Arielle Konig, his 36-year-old wife] off a cliff when she refused to take a selfie with him at the edge of the towering overlook. Arielles refusal, according to police reports, sent the father of fourwho was arrested six hours later after a manhunt and is now being held without bailinto a murderous rage. Getty Nuuanu Pali Lookout Related: Doctor Accused of Trying to Push Wife Off Scenic Hawaii Cliff Charged with Attempted Murder, Bail Set at $5 Million Domestic abuse cannot be tolerated, Honolulu County prosecutor Steve Alm said in a March 28 statement after a grand jury indicted Gerhardt on charges of second-degree attempted murder. Gerhardt has pleaded not guilty. His arrest left those who know the doctor, described by one friend as a nice, normal, down-to-earth guy, in a state of confusion. It doesnt make any sense, says a physician who met Gerhardt when they attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. It makes me wonder if psychologically something was going onnone of this sounds like the person I knew. Honolulu Police Department Gerhardt Konig 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. By all accounts the couplewho have two young children, Olin, 4, and Viggo, 2, and were wed in 2018 after Gerhardts first marriage ended in divorcejumped at the opportunity to move to Maui for work in 2022. Gerhardt figured it would be a dream job, recalls Ben Brown, the couples former neighbor in Pittsburgh. They settled into a five-bedroom, $1.5 million home in a gated community in the foothills of the West Maui Mountains, minutes away from Gerhardts job at Maui Memorial Medical Center in Wailuku. Arielle worked at home, juggling her nuclear engineering job with caring for their kids. They were such a nice couple, recalls Maui neighbor Primo Layugan, who says the Konigs seemed to enjoy the quiet seclusion of the neighborhood. They were always smiling and happy. Every time we passed by their house they were playing with their kids. Facebook Gerhardt and Arielle Konig Gerhardt was known for hosting whiskey-tasting nights at the house, where he would serve varieties of bourbon and scotch to guests who paid a nominal fee. Arielle would serve a charcuterie plate, then go to her parents house down the street, says one attendee, adding: He seemed like a normal dude. Their marriage, however, was turned upside down last December when Gerhardt accused his wife of having an affair, according to a petition for a protective order that Arielle filed in family court days after the cliffside attack. This led to extreme jealousy on his part, she wrote, adding that in addition to sexually abusing and assaulting her, he began attempting to control and monitor all of my communications. The Konigs were seeing a couples counselor when they decided to take a 45-minute flight to Oahu on March 23 to celebrate Arielles 36th birthday, leaving their sons behind in Maui with family and a nanny. The next morning, at Gerhardts suggestion, they drove from their hotel in Waikiki to Oahus famous Nuuanu Pali Lookout. Related: 'He Is Trying to Kill Me,' Woman Screams as Husband Smashes Her Head with Rock On Hawaii Hiking Trail: Affidavit The hike, which follows a narrow ridge with perilous drop-offs on both sides, quickly made Arielle uneasy, she wrote in the court filing. Gerhardt proposed taking a selfie on the lip of the cliff, but when Arielle told him she was feeling dizzy and moved along the trail, she claims he grabbed her and pushed her back to the edge. Im so f---ing sick of you, her husband shouted as he tried to push her, Arielle claimed in court documents. Facebook Arielle Konig and her son Related: Wife of Hawaii Doctor Alleges He Had Been Sexually Abusing Her for Months Before Cliff Attack In self-protection, Arielle says, she threw herself on the ground while Gerhardt jumped on top of her, then grabbed a syringe containing an unknown substance and attempted to inject her with it. During the struggle she managed to grab the syringe from his hand and toss it out of reach, according to the court papers, but quickly realized he was clutching a vial of some sort of medicine in his other hand and reaching into his bag for what I believe was a second syringe." Gerhardt Konig in court Moments later Gerhardt allegedly grabbed a rock and began slamming it against her head and face, then sprinted up the trail when the two hikers came upon them and shouted that they were calling 911. During the manhunt that followed, Arielle says, Gerhardt, who was covered in blood, FaceTimed his 19-year-old son from his first marriage, Emile, and allegedly told him, I just tried to kill Ari, but she got away, and that he was contemplating jumping off of the cliff. In the days since the shocking attack, Ariellewho spent nearly a week in the hospital in serious but stable condition from the severe lacerations she received to her face and scalpis back at the couples home in Maui and being looked after by her family. Shes doing well, but her recovery is slow, says a friend. We all just hope she gets better and is able to move on. In the meantime those who know the couple are left grappling with the question of how this nightmare could have happened. Its really tragic, says Brown, the Konigs former Pittsburgh neighbor. So many lives have been changed for the worse. I feel so bad for her and the kids. I even feel bad for Gerhardt, because his life is pretty much over. If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Read the original article on People The Justice Department withdrew its case against a 24-year-old Virginia man it accused of being a top leader of the MS-13 gang just two weeks ago, according to court filings on Wednesday. Federal prosecutors said in court filings they moved to drop the single felony gun possession charge against Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos, who is a Salvadoran national. The filing had no explanation for the reversal, which was issued just after Josue Santos' high-profile arrest in Northern Virginia in late March. On Wednesday evening, Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that Villatoro Santos will now face removal from the country. Top Trump administration officials had accused Villatoro Santos of leading East Coast operations for MS-13, a transnational gang, and one of the gang's three top leaders in the U.S. Along with Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin held a press conference highlighting his arrest and indicated they'd seek to deport him. In a filing late Wednesday, Villatoro Santos lawyer, Muhammad Elsayed, requested that the court delay ordering a dismissal of the case for at least two weeks. Elsayed acknowledged the unusual nature of a defense lawyer opposing the dismissal of charges against his client. But these are unusual times, he said. If the judge dismissed the case, Elsayed argued, Villatoro Santos would immediately be transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody and subsequently be deported to El Salvador without due process. Once there, Villatoro Santos would likely be placed in one of the worst prisons in the world, Elsayed said, citing migrants sent to El Salvadors Terrorism Confinement Center, known as CECOT. Villatoro Santos would have no trial or due process after federal officials called him a top MS-13 leader, Elsayed said. The risk of this turning effectively into a life sentence without any due process is very real, Elsayed said. On March 27, Trump administration officials announced they led an early morning raid to arrest Villatoro Santos at his family's home. When agents searched his bedroom located inside the home's garage they said they found a 9mm handgun near the bed. Agents also allegedly found three additional firearms, ammunition and two suppressors. Agents also found indicia of MS-13 association in his garage bedroom, according to an affidavit. The dismissal now sits before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lindsey R. Vaala of the Eastern District of Virginia. If enacted, Villatoro Santos wouldn't be the only one accused of ties to MS-13 who's had charges dropped by the Justice Department. In March, federal prosecutors dropped terrorism charges against Cesar Humberto Lopez-Larios, who was accused of being a top MS-13 leader based on Long Island. He had been arrested last year, but U.S. officials deported him to El Salvador in March, according to court filings. CNN reported he was among hundreds of people sent to a notorious mega-prison. Investigators reportedly believed he had information showing corruption of Salvadoran officials with MS-13. (This story was updated with new information.) Contributing: Josh Meyer This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DOJ to drop case against Virginia man it called top MS-13 leader Dozens of hippopotamuses died as a result of anthrax poisoning at the oldest national park in Africa. A spokesperson confirmed with USA TODAY that at least 40 to 50 hippos were found deceased at Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Reuters first reported the news. Their bodies were captured in the Ishasha River and its banks, Reuters reported. Director Emmanuel De Merode told the outlet on Tuesday that it's unclear what caused the mass poisoning. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anthrax is a disease linked to bacteria, which could be found in soil and commonly impacts wildlife. "Livestock and wild animals can become infected when they breathe in, eat, or drink spores in contaminated soil, plants, or water," the agency noted. The spokesperson said that in addition to the hippos, other animals, like Buffalo, have also died in the biologically diverse park due to anthrax. "Unfortunately, this has happened before, and its to do with when the rains come at this time of year," the statement said. Photos shared by the park show the hippos lifeless in the water. Some readers may find the images below disturbing. Not just for thrills: The real-life magic Disney is working to save animals Significant decrease in the hippo population at the park According to the national park's website, the hippos' population has been massively declining due to poaching and habitat destruction. In the 1970s, there were nearly 30,000 of the animals in the park, but there has been a 95% decrease since then. Reuters reported that there are an estimated 1,200 that remain. A dead hippo lies in the water due to anthrax killing the animals in Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo, in this undated handout picture released April 8, 2025. A dead hippo lies in the water due to anthrax killing the animals in Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo, in this undated handout picture. De Merode said that crews are working to remove the animals from the water, but there has been some roadblocks. Per the park spokesperson, the number of deceased hippos and buffalo could increase in the coming days. "Teams continue on site trying to recover the carcasses of the animals - everyone working on the site has PPE equipment and everything is being done in line with protocols," the statement continued. "That includes working with the Ugandan Wildlife Authority and Congolese health authorities, including warning local residents of the risk." Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hippos found dead at Virunga National Park due to anthrax poisoning A South Carolina death row inmate whose attorneys say had a tortured past that included "thousands of hours" of solitary confinement is set to become the second man executed by firing squad in the U.S. this year. South Carolina is set to execute 42-year-old Mikal Mahdi on Friday for the 2004 killing of 56-year-old Capt. James Myers, an off-duty Orangeburg Public Safety officer and beloved father, was ambushed, shot nine times and set on fire at the same spot where he had married his wife. If Mahdi's execution moves forward, he will become the 12th inmate executed in the U.S. this year and the third in South Carolina. Mahdi's attorneys are arguing that he should be spared because he never got the mental health care he "desperately needed" as a child who repeatedly threatened suicide and endured "extraordinary abuse and trauma." During Mahdi's trial, prosecutor David Pascoe told jurors that Mahdi killed Myers partially because he knew he was a police officer. "His heart and mind are full of hate and malice," Pascoe said at the time, according to an archived story in The Times and Democrat. "Mikal Mahdi's actions over the last several years have made him the epitome of evil." As Mahdi's execution nears, USA TODAY is looking at who he is, what he did and more about the rare execution method. Mikal Mahdi is pictured at age 40 at the Broad River Correctional Institution in Columbia, South Carolina in 2023. 125% Capt. James Myers: Slain officer, new wife had big dreams on land where he was killed Why is Mikal Mahdi being executed? On July 14, 2004, Mahdi then just 21 years old began a crime spree that spanned four states and included two murders. Mahdi stole a neighbor's gun and station wagon in his home state of Virginia and headed to North Carolina, where he fatally shot gas station clerk Christopher Jason Boggs, who had asked him for identification when he tried to buy a beer, court records say. Mahdi then went to South Carolina, carjacked a man in downtown Columbia and drove 35 minutes away to a Calhoun County gas station, where he spent at least 45 minutes struggling to get gas with a rejected credit card. A store clerk called police, prompting Mahdi to flee and ditch the car. Shortly after, Mahdi arrived at the farm of Capt. James Myers. Mahdi broke into a shed, where he found guns and laid in wait for Myers, who had been at the beach that day celebrating the birthdays of his wife, sister and daughter, court records say. When Myers arrived at the shed, Mahdi attacked, shooting him nine times, pouring diesel fuel on his body and setting him on fire before stealing his police truck and multiple guns, court records say. Mahdi initially escaped to Florida but was spotted driving Myers' truck on July 21, 2004. Police arrested him after a short chase, and Mahdi later pleaded guilty to the murder. Myers' wife, Amy Tripp Myers, was the one who found his body. The site of the murder was also where the couple had gotten married, according to her tearful testimony during Mahdi's trial. "I found the love of my life, my soulmate, the partner that my life revolved around, lifeless, lying in a pool of blood and his body burned by someone who didn't even know him," she said through tears. "As I screamed those blood-curdling screams of pain and anguish, I instantly knew that the man with whom I had just spent the last six years of my life dreaming of a beautiful future was gone like a vapor. I died that night and haven't been the same person since." In a letter written by Mahdi and shared by his attorneys, the inmate wrote: "I'm guilty as hell ... What I've done is irredeemable." More about the firing squad method Five states South Carolina, Mississippi, Utah, Oklahoma and Idaho have legalized firing squads as an execution method, most recently Idaho in 2023. A new bill proposed in Florida could pave the way for firing squad executions in that state, as well. On March 7, South Carolina executed Brad Keith Sigmon by firing squad, the first execution in the U.S. using the method since 2010 and only the fourth since 1977. Among the witnesses to Sigmon's execution was his attorney, Gerald Bo King. "Brads death was horrifying and violent," King said in a statement at the time. "It is unfathomable that, in 2025, South Carolina would execute one of its citizens in this bloody spectacle." David Weiss, Mahdi's attorney, said his client chose the firing squad for Friday's execution because it was "the lesser of three evils," saying he risked being "burned and mutilated" in an electric chair or "suffering a lingering death" by lethal injection. South Carolina has defended the constitutionality of all its execution methods. The state's Attorney General's Office does not comment on pending litigation. South Carolina's firing squad chair is pictured behind its electric chair, which is covered, at the Broad River Correctional Institute in Columbia, South Carolina. Death Row inmates can choose among firing squad, electric chair and lethal injection for their executions. If they don't select one, the default is the electric chair. Who is Mikal Mahdi? As a child, Mahdi's attorneys say he suffered years of physical and emotional abuse and was suicidal by the age of 8. By 9, he was diagnosed with major depressive disorder, and when teachers tried to get him specialized help, his father pulled Mahdi out of the school system and "subjected him to several years of paranoid, survivalist 'home schooling,'" they wrote in court records. When he was 14, Mahdi first entered the juvenile justice system after being convicted of theft, and from then on, "spent most of the rest of his childhood in custody, often kept isolated and alone," they said. Mikal Mahdi is pictured at the age of 8 in Baltimore, Maryland in 1991. Between the ages of 14 and 17, he spent more than 75 days in solitary confinement, and spent about eight more months in solitary by the time he was 21, as well as being on suicide watch, his attorneys said. "Mikal desperately needed mental health care," his attorneys said in a news release. "Instead, he languished in juvenile prison, where he spent thousands of hours in solitary confinement. We now know that punitive isolation is deeply damaging to children." Mahdi's attorneys argued to the South Carolina Supreme Court that the judge who sentenced him to death knew almost nothing about Mahdi's troubled past, information that could have resulted in a lighter sentence. They have also criticized what they say was a weak defense at trial, arguing that Mahdi's attorneys at the time spent less than 30 minutes arguing against the death penalty. It "didnt even span the length of a 'Law & Order' episode and was just as superficial," they said. The South Carolina Supreme Court unanimously declined to spare Mahdi's life on Monday, allowing his execution to move forward. Mahdi's last hopes for a reprieve lie with the U.S. Supreme Court and Republican South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Firing squad execution: Who is South Carolina inmate Mikal Mahdi? By Emily Green, Cassandra Garrison, Stephen Eisenhammer MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexican officials are scrambling to come up with a plan to increase the amount of water the country sends to the United States because of growing concern that President Donald Trump could drag a dispute over an 81-year-old water treaty into trade negotiations, according to three sources familiar with the matter. Under a 1944 treaty that outlines water sharing between the two countries through a network of interconnected dams and reservoirs, Mexico must send 1.75 million acre-feet of water to the U.S. from the Rio Grande every five years. An acre-foot of water is enough to fill about half an Olympic swimming pool. The current five-year cycle is up in October, but Mexico has sent less than 30% of the required water, according to data from the International Boundary and Water Commission. Put another way, Mexico owes enough water to supply a mid-sized city for around 30 years. Mexico contends that a historic drought fueled by climate change makes it impossible to fulfill its water commitments, a scenario for which the treaty offers leniency, allowing the water debt to be rolled over to the next five year cycle. But that excuse has fallen on deaf ears among Texas Republicans who have publicly accused Mexico of being chronically delinquent in its water deliveries and flagrantly ignoring the treaty. With the U.S.-Mexico relations already frayed over security, migration and tariffs, the two countries could now be on a collision course over water too, adding to Mexico's woes as it struggles to navigate a minefield of issues with the Trump administration. Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum has said the country will continue negotiating with the U.S. in the coming weeks over tariffs imposed by Trump. "It has become very political," said one Mexican source who works on water issues and spoke on condition of anonymity, adding that there are growing concerns on the Mexican side that Trump could end the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade pact over the water debt and what the U.S. sees as non-compliance. A second Mexican source with knowledge of the dispute said Mexico hopes to reach an agreement with the U.S. in the "next few weeks" in order to avoid the issue spilling into ongoing trade negotiations. But, the source added, the expectations of the U.S. should be grounded in reality. We cannot deliver water that does not exist." The White House referred questions to the State Department. A State Department spokesman said the agency continues to urge the Mexican government at the highest levels to meet its 1944 treaty obligations and ensure predictable water deliveries." Mexico's presidency referred Reuters to previous comments by Sheinbaum who last week told reporters that Mexico had struggled with drought but was in discussions with the U.S. and "will comply with the treaty bit by bit." The disparate claims for water have dissolved into threats of lawsuits against Mexico's federal government, both from Texas and from northern Mexican states that closely guard their water supply. Eight sources familiar with the matter told Reuters Mexico was working to increase deliveries before the October deadline. That will likely involve enforcing a controversial amendment inserted into the treaty last year that empowers Mexican federal officials to take extra water from its states to comply with obligations, according to six of the sources. The federal government is specifically eyeing Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, Chihuahua and Tamaulipas all major grains and livestock producers - the six sources said. In recent weeks, at least one meeting has taken place between state governments and the federal water authority discussing how to increase Mexican deliveries to the United States. Mexico's concern that water could become part of trade negotiations, and details of the scramble to increase deliveries, have not been previously reported. Tension is building both with the U.S. and within Mexico. "For Chihuahua to deliver water right now is death," said Senator Mario Vazquez of Chihuahua, a member of the opposition PAN party and a vocal campaigner on water issues. The executive director of Chihuahua's water council, Mario Mata, said the state is considering legal action against the treaty amendment that gives the federal government greater authority to take water from the state, raising the prospect of standoffs. In 2020, Mexico's National Guard clashed with farmers at the Boquilla dam in Chihuahua over water deliveries to Texas, killing one protestor. TENSE HISTORY The fight over water access is the latest in a tense decades-long relationship that has at times exploded into protests and violence. The 81-year-old treaty never contemplated climate change or massive industrial and agricultural growth along the border fueled by free-trade between the two countries. "That is the disconnect... there is pressure to continue to abide by a treaty, but there's really no water to comply," said Vianey Rueda, a researcher at the University of Michigan specializing in the treaty. The treaty also requires that the U.S. deliver 1.5 million acre-feet of water annually to Mexico from the Colorado River, an obligation that the U.S. has largely fulfilled, although recent deliveries have been reduced due to severe drought, something the 1944 accord allows for. While Mexico sends far less water to the U.S., it has struggled to fulfill its end of the bargain due to a combination of factors including droughts, poor infrastructure and growing local demand. Politicians in the U.S. also maintain that Mexicos growing cattle and pecan industries along the border have used up precious water, and say that Mexico's failure to deliver its water quota devastates Texan farmers who need it for their crops. "They are decimating our farmers while they're building their agriculture industry and breaking the agreement under that 1944 water treaty. But no more, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told Fox News in March. Rollins didn't respond to a request for comment from Reuters. Mexican officials see ample signs that the U.S. could retaliate using tariffs and other measures if Mexico doesn't step up water deliveries. Trump has already shown a willingness to leverage trade threats to pressure Mexico to take actions on unrelated issues like fentanyl and immigration. "I believe with President Trump in office and the new administration, we are going to get the water. Mexico is going to comply. Ignoring the treaty will no longer be an option for Mexico," Texas Senator Ted Cruz said at a press conference last month. Tensions escalated on March 20, when the U.S. for the first time refused a request from Mexico for an emergency water delivery from the Colorado River to Tijuana, citing Mexico's shortfalls under the 1944 treaty. So far, one Mexican official said, Mexico has agreed to send 122,000 acre-feet of water to the U.S. and is working on an option to deliver another 81,000 acre-feet. But that additional water would still mean Mexico had sent less than 40% of the water it owes under the treaty. Even as it's unclear whether those efforts will placate the U.S., the plan to extract more water has set off a political firestorm within Mexico, where farmers and state-level politicians in the north are furious about the prospect of the federal government forcibly taking water from them. In those drought-stricken regions, agriculture sectors are already pressured for the scarce resource, said Raul Quiroga, Secretary of Hydraulic Resources for Social Development in Tamaulipas. In a meeting last month with federal government representatives, officials for all four impacted states protested the amendment to the treaty that allows for water under certain circumstances to be taken without their consent, Quiroga said. State officials in Nuevo Leon and Coahuila did not respond to requests for comment. Quiroga blamed Mexico's failure to deliver on the country's chronic mismanagement of water resources dating back to the 1990s. "When would Tamaulipas be willing [to give water]? Well, when we don't need it first," he said. (Reporting by Emily Green, Cassandra Garrison and Stephen Eisenhammer in Mexico City; additional reporting by Leah Douglas and Jarrett Renshaw in Washington; editing by Claudia Parsons) Five people were hospitalized after a small plane skidded off a runway into a body of water at the Southwest Oregon Regional Airport in North Bend on Monday. An airport spokesperson, Stephanie Kilmer, told the Eugene Register-Guard that a small private aircraft skidded off Runway 23 at 6:12 a.m. The plane, a 2019 Honda HA-240 that departed from Utah, ended up approximately five feet into Coos Bay. The aircraft was located about 100 feet off the east end of the runway and was secured by emergency response teams. "We had aircraft rescue and firefighters on scene. There was actually a witness that witnessed the plane going off the end of the runway, so a call was made to emergency responders," Kilmer told local news station KEZI. "This is where training and where our constant requirements, which afford us to have a mass casualty training, come into play. Everything worked smoothly like clockwork and those people were taken off the plane." News: Remains found in JetBlue landing gear after landing in Florida identified as 2 teenagers Crash under investigation According to the airport, the plane was removed from the water per approval from the National Transportation Safety Board. All four passengers and the pilot were rescued and taken to a hospital. They suffered from minor injuries but considered to be alert and in stable condition. As of early Tuesday morning, only one remains hospitalized and another was transported to a different facility. Commercial Air Traffic on the airport's main runway was shut down, however according to Southwest Oregon Regional Airport, "the quick authorization for its removal from the water assisted with reopening the airport's main runway to air traffic." "The aircraft is currently being stored near the incident site until the NTSB can conduct and complete its evaluation," the airport continued. The Federal Aviation Administration has also launched an investigation. The cause of the crash is unknown at this time. Contributing: Haleigh Kochanski, Eugene Register-Guard Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Plane crashes into water at Southwest Oregon Regional Airport; 5 hurt If Americans were clamoring for higher sneaker prices, lower quality, and fewer styles to choose from, then President Trumps tariffs would be just the ticket. Thats not what they want, of course. Voters gave Trump a second term in the White House last year in large part because they want lower prices, paychecks that stretch further, and more prosperity. Trump hasnt delivered that so far. The aggressive tariffs dominating his economic agenda are already raising prices, punishing stocks, and leading economists to forecast lower growth and rising unemployment. Trump says, no matter. His tariffs are necessary to bring manufacturing back to the United States and create more assembly line jobs. He describes a stock wipeout and possible recession as medicine that will eventually make the patient the US economy healthier. Yet there are many instances in which Trumps tariffs will raise prices while bringing virtually no jobs back to America, imposing a net loss on the US economy and American consumers. To understand why, start with the shoe rack in your closet and the sneaker collection that probably includes specialized shoes for various sports, trendy athleisure kicks, and maybe a few pairs of dress or designer sneakers that now qualify as business attire. Americans spend about $31 billion on Nike, Adidas, Converse, and many other sneaker brands each year, more than any other footwear category. Almost all sneakers in the US market come from Asia, with Vietnam the top source, followed by China, Indonesia, and Cambodia. Producers in those nations have built huge, sophisticated supply chains allowing them to minimize costs and maximize scale, which is why consumers throughout the world can get affordable products while the companies selling the shoes make decent profits. A customer looking at Nike shoes at a store in Hong Kong. Most of the world's sneakers are made in Vietnam, China, Indonesia and Cambodia, which are now subject to stiff Trump tariffs. (Photo by May James/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) (SOPA Images via Getty Images) After Trump announced his "Liberation Day" tariffs on April 2, Apollo Global Management (Yahoo Finance's parent company) estimated that imported sneakers would face a new consumption tax of at least 42%. That could change now that Trump has temporarily called off his reciprocal tariffs, which would apply to Vietnam, Indonesia, and Cambodia. At the same time, Trump has raised the tariff on Chinese imports to a whopping 145%, as his broad-based trade war increasingly becomes a showdown between China and the United States. Whatever the tariffs, the Asian cost advantage will still be so significant that moving production to somewhere else especially the United States would make little economic sense. There are only four countries in the world where you can produce sneakers at high volume, Craig Radcliffe, Apollos managing director in public policy, said during a recent conference call with clients. I dont know what a footwear company does. You really dont have any good options. Its not credible to think were going to bring that supply chain back to the United States. Maybe we just need to buy less of those things. Read more: What Trump's tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet Trump seems to want all manner of manufacturing to return to the United States, as if it is ideal to build everything we consume. It isnt. One way economists differentiate industries is by value added, or the enhancements that make something worth more than the raw materials that go into it. High-value-added industries include digital technology, business services, advanced manufacturing, green energy, autonomous vehicles, and other things requiring high levels of innovation and expertise. Those industries produce the strongest growth, the highest incomes for workers, and the biggest advantage against competing economies. Smart industrial policy would focus on cultivating high value-added industries. Trump isnt doing that. Sneakers and most clothing categories are low-value-added industries, which means theres less financial upside for businesses and workers in the actual manufacturing of the product. Low-value-added industries are a good fit for developing economies such as Vietnam, where there are millions of workers willing to toil for relatively low pay. But in advanced economies such as the United States, business investment perpetually migrates out of sunset industries with low returns into sunrise industries likely to be dominant in the future. Theres no compelling argument for Americans to move back down the value-added supply chain, said Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at consulting firm RSM. Even if a company wanted to take that sort of risk, where are they going to get employees? He pointed out that immigrants often man low-skill assembly lines, and Trump wants less immigration, not more. The unemployment rate, meanwhile, is a low 4.2%, suggesting there are few or no surplus American workers interested in low-paying jobs making sneakers. Actor Timothee Chalamet wears Convsere sneakers at the 2021 Met Gala in New York. Trump's tariffs will likely raise the price of such sneakers by 25% to 45%. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) (ANGELA WEISS via Getty Images) During his first term, Trump imposed limited tariffs on many goods from China, including sneakers and other types of shoes. A 2023 analysis of those tariffs by Trade Partnership Worldwide found that even with the China tariffs, which are still in place, the cost of producing in the United States would have been 3 to 4 times higher. So Americans paid the tariffs, and production stayed in China. The burden of the tariffs on footwear imported from China has fallen primarily on U.S. companies and American families in the form of higher costs and higher prices, the study found. U.S. manufacturers and their workers did not benefit from any significant (if even measurable) reshoring of footwear sourcing. Trumps 2025 tariffs are far beefier, as if he thinks production will return to the United States if the cost of foreign production simply goes high enough. In the sneaker business, that simply ignores economic reality. Shoemakers such as Adidas (ADS.DE) and Under Armour (UA) have experimented with innovation labs in the United States that could have become broader production centers, but it didnt pan out. From a production perspective, people are unwilling to do these kinds of jobs, said Matt Priest, CEO of the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America. Or we do it with robotics. The whole thing is ass-backwards. What will happen instead of an American sneaker renaissance is most sneaker production will stay in Asia, while tariffs raise costs for consumers and lower profits for producers. If the China tariffs remain far higher in China than in other Asian nations, production could shift out of China. But producers also know that Trump is mercurial and could change his mind at any time, so moving production could backfire. Before Trump paused his reciprocal tariffs, the new tax was 46% on imports from Vietnam, 32% on Indonesian goods and 49% on Cambodian goods. Imports from those three countries now face a new 10% tariff. Nobody knows what the final tariffs will be, which means businesses can only guess. Contrary to what Trump often says, American importers pay those customs duties to the US Treasury and usually try to pass on as much as they can to their own customers. A rule of thumb is that retail customers end up paying about half of any added tariffs through price increases, with the rest borne by producers along the supply chain. Workers make sneakers in a sportswear factory in Jinjiang in southeast China's Fujian province Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. (Feature China/Future Publishing via Getty Images) (Feature China via Getty Images) Drop Rick Newman a note, follow him on Bluesky, or sign up for his newsletter. Prices will go up for sure, said Priest. The biggest price shocks for consumers could come when the back-to-school shopping season begins over the summer and retailers have exhausted pre-tariff inventory. To cut costs, sneaker makers will probably move to cheaper components. Priest said retailers are already cutting orders in anticipation of falling demand, as shoppers face higher prices for thousands of items affected by Trumps tariffs. That could mean less selection and possibly shortages. Some importers, meanwhile, will face financial stress because they have to pay much higher customs duties to the US Treasury upfront but cant recoup those costs until they sell their wholesale products to the next purchaser, which might balk at the higher prices. Those firms American businesses may face cash-flow problems if they cant arrange bridge financing. And the few footwear makers that do produce in the United States, such as New Balance, now have to pay higher costs to produce domestically because of tariffs on assembly line equipment. When Trump imposed tariffs during his first term, there was an exemption process that allowed companies to plead with the government for tariff relief if the new taxes were too damaging to their business. The government approved about one-third of those requests. But Trump now seems determined to shut that relief valve. Weve been told there wont be any exclusion process for any product, Nate Herman, senior vice president for policy at the American Apparel and Footwear Association, told Yahoo Finance. These additional costs are going to be passed on. Before Trump paused the reciprocal tariffs, his group estimated price hikes for sneakers at the retail level would range from 25% to 45%, with little to no sneaker manufacturing moving back to the United States. What could stop Trumps war on imported sneakers and thousands of other products? Some business groups are bringing legal challenges, claiming that Trump lacks the authority to impose such sweeping tariffs. But that will come down to a Supreme Court generally favorable to Trumps autocratic governing style. Some congressional Republicans are grumbling, but theres essentially no chance of legislation that would remove Trumps tariff authority with enough votes to override a presidential veto. The fate of Trumps trade war may ultimately depend on how voters react. There is going to be pushback and its going to be significant, Herman said. I just dont think it will happen anytime soon. A lot of the damage will have to happen first. Sneakerheads, you're on notice. Rick Newman is a senior columnist for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Bluesky and X: @rickjnewman. Click here for political news related to business and money policies that will shape tomorrow's stock prices. Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., at a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday. WASHINGTON House Republican leaders canceled plans to vote on a revised budget blueprint Wednesday to begin work on President Donald Trump's sweeping legislative agenda as a key bloc of hard-line conservatives threatened to tank the measure. It's a major setback for Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who had projected confidence throughout the day and huddled with a group of holdouts who were pushing for steeper spending cuts for over an hour before the scrapped vote, and for Trump, who dialed up the pressure in recent days on House Republicans to fall in line. Johnson said he would try to bring the budget resolution, which the Senate adopted last week, to the floor in the narrowly divided House on Thursday, instead. "This has been a very constructive process," Johnson said. "Were working through we want all members to be not just comfortable with but, but happy about the final product." Follow live politics coverage here Johnson added that he kept Trump in the loop but that the president didn't call into his discussion with the holdouts Wednesday evening. I stepped out to a side room and told him exactly what was going on. Hes very supportive of us working together, Johnson said. Republicans hope to use their party-line bill to pass trillions of dollars in tax cuts and hundreds of billions of dollars in new spending on immigration enforcement and military expansion. They also want to lift the U.S. debt ceiling by as much as $5 trillion. The main source of division between House and Senate Republicans is spending cuts. The Senate measure requires a minimum of $4 billion in cuts, while a budget blueprint the House passed this year called for $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion in cuts. While Senate GOP leaders insist their blueprint is just a minimum and not a target, House conservatives distrust them and argue the plan would explode the national debt. The two chambers cant begin crafting the specifics of the legislation until they pass identical budget resolutions. There was a flurry of behind-the-scenes action before Wednesday's scheduled vote. Members of the far-right House Freedom Caucus huddled behind closed doors in a House office to discuss their strategy. Several Freedom Caucus leaders, including Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Scott Perry, R-Pa., then walked across the Capitol to the office of Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., where they sought commitments in writing on spending cuts. After the evening vote series began, Johnson was spotted in the House chamber trying to wrangle holdouts and steer them into his ceremonial office just off the floor. It took him many tries. The holdouts met with Johnson and his leadership team for more than an hour, but they failed to reach an agreement to move forward. Trump also got more involved this week, meeting with a group of holdouts at the White House on Tuesday and imploring Republicans to support the measure later in the evening at a fundraising dinner. He shared a similar message in a pair of posts on his Truth Social site Wednesday morning. Republicans, it is more important now, than ever, that we pass THE ONE, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL, Trump wrote. The USA will Soar like never before!!! Several times this year, Johnson and Trump had been able to sway GOP rebels at the last minute to pass critical legislation, including a bill to avert a government shutdown and the House's own budget resolution. But the new budget plan is proving to be a more difficult feat, with conservative hard-liners digging in on spending cuts. Harris, the chairman of the Freedom Caucus, said he hadnt spoken to Trump on Wednesday. "For me, this is just an issue between the House and the Senate," Harris said before the meeting with Thune. Republicans move to prevent votes on blocking Trump's tariffs Earlier Wednesday, the House voted 216-215 to tee up a final vote on the budget plan, with three Republicans joining all Democrats in opposition. But several GOP lawmakers who backed the procedural move said they would vote against blueprint on the floor. As part of that procedural "rule" vote, the House also barred a vote to terminate the emergency declaration that Trump used to impose aggressive tariffs on goods from around the world. The tariff agenda was in flux Wednesday as Trump announced a 90-day pause on countries that werent retaliating and escalated U.S. tariffs on China to 125%. Tucked inside the "rule" is language that would bar the House from voting through Sept. 30 on a joint resolution to revoke the declaration on April 2, which Trump labeled Liberation Day. Democrats are seeking to cobble together a majority of lawmakers to circumvent Republican leaders and force a vote on undoing the tariffs. It means any lawmaker who backed the rule to bring the budget resolution to a vote also voted, in effect, to protect Trumps tariff power until October. Rep. Greg Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced a resolution Tuesday to terminate the April 2 emergency. So far Meeks has 36 co-sponsors, all Democrats. But some Republicans, like Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, have expressed interest in giving authority over tariffs back to Congress. The two issues came to a head just before Congress seeks to break for a two-week recess, with Republican leaders eager not to send members home empty-handed on the budget. Johnson defended his attempt to block votes to undo Trump's tariffs, arguing he needs some time to accomplish his objectives on trade policy. Ive made it very clear. I think the president has executive authority. Its an appropriate level of authority to deal with the unfair trade practices. Thats part of the role of the president, is to negotiate with other countries, Johnson said Wednesday. I think that is an America First policy that will be effective, and so we have to give him the space to do it. Scottie Scheffler may be a killer on the course but the defending Masters champion promised to steer clear of all sharp objects at the annual Champions Dinner at Augusta on Tuesday night, lest he take out the competition. Tiger Woods was a notable absentee from the famous dinner for Green Jacket winners, as he continues his recovery from the Achilles tear that has plunged his career into doubt. But those who did attend including, controversially, 2009 winner Angel Cabrera, back at Augusta for the first time since being released from jail after serving time for assault, theft and illegal intimidation appeared to enjoy themselves. Scheffler, aiming for a third Masters win in four years this week, was the main attraction, and the New Jersey-born golfer showed he was a good sport, making fun of the freak kitchen accident he suffered while attempting to make homemade ravioli on Christmas Day. The hand injury caused Scheffler to miss three weeks of action after he was forced to undergo surgery. Scheffler, 28, served up the dish as part of a menu he personally curated. Cheapest dinner in a decade It has become Masters tradition for the previous years winner to select the food for the annual eve-of-tournament dinner for past champions. In a move that would have pleased anyone invested in the global stock market, Scheffler served up the cheapest Champions Dinner in a decade, at just $108 (84.60) per person. It featured cheeseburger sliders (served Scottie-style), firecracker shrimp, and Papa Scheffs meatball and ravioli bites. The latter was a humorous nod to his injury from Christmas Day when he cut himself with a wine glass while attempting to make homemade ravioli. Scheffler was asked in a press conference if there would be a make-your-own ravioli station for his dinner and gave a nice response. If I was trying to take out the competition, I would definitely do a demonstration, he said. Maybe theyll cut up my steak for me, I wont have to use a knife or anything like that. Well see. It is unclear whether Woods baulked at the cheapness of the meal a far cry from Hideki Matsuyamas Champions Dinner in 2022 which was an eye-watering $220 (172.36) per plate, or if the Americans Achilles was continuing to cause him problems. Either way, the five-time champion was a notable absentee from the traditional photo. It is the second time he has missed the event. The first was in 2021 when it was held two months after the serious car accident in which he could have lost his leg. Woods, 49, announced last month that he had surgery to repair an Achilles rupture after hurting himself practising at home. The rest of the Green Jackets presented the usual assortment of grey hair, bed hair, hat hair and no hair. What is notable is Phil Mickelson stood over Scheffler of whom he has previously said: Heres a hot take. Does Scottie win in 2025 before the Ryder Cup? I dont think so. Mickelson was also next to Fred Couples, who he labelled a low-class jerk in March. Cabrera, whose very presence at Augusta is hugely controversial, stood between Mike Weir and Matsuyama. According to Golfweek, Ben Crenshaw welcomed back Cabrera to the table in his speech, though the Argentine did not address the group himself, and also paid tribute to Bernhard Langer ahead of his last Masters. Tommy Aaron, the 1973 winner, described the dinner as quiet quieter than normal. Angel Cabrera practises at Augusta ahead of his highly controversial return - Shutterstock/CJ Gunther Fuzzy Zoeller, who won in 1979, was more concerned with the Texas-style chilli that was served. It was a five-alarm fire, Zoeller said. I had to call the fire department to blow it out. Scheffler, who tees off at 3:15pm UK time on Thursday alongside Justin Thomas and amateur Jose Luis Ballester, added in his press conference on Tuesday that his pollen allergies were a bigger threat to his chances this week than any sharp cutlery. Its raining pollen out here I get out of my car in the morning, my eyes start watering. Its a little bit worse than normal years. But I feel good, ready to roll. Sniffles arent going to stop me. Rory McIlroy turned to hypnosis to ease Masters burden Rory McIlroy has revealed that he underwent hypnosis in an effort to rid himself of the Augusta scar tissue that has plagued his mission to win a Green Jacket. The world No 2, who is attempting to becoming just the sixth male player to complete the career grand slam, is the second favourite with the bookmakers to prevail here at 89th Masters on Sunday, but considering his rich vein of form that has already brought him two PGA Tour titles this year, he would undoubtedly top the betting market but for his chequered history between the towering pines. As a 21-year-old, he shot a final-round 80 when going out with a four-stroke lead and his travails since have almost become one of the many Masters tradition. He has tried myriad methods to ease the burden on himself and has now explained the lengths to which he has gone, including a visit to renowned hypnotist Dr Richard Bandler before last years tournament. I have been put in hypnotic states, to see if it helps, McIlroy told The New York Times. When you come out of a hypnotic state, you definitely feel a sense of clarity and a sense of, why I was making such a big deal out of all of that. Its a type of mindfulness in some ways. All these things can help, some things help some people. The hypnosis thing, I felt really good after it but I dont think it really helped a ton. Cam Smith makes a fashion statement by donning a suit jacket for his practice round - Getty Images/Richard Heathcote McIlroys pursuit of a Green Jacket is one of the central themes of this week, although the main talking point on Wednesday morning as the golfers went out for their final practice rounds was the suit jacket Cam Smith was wearing. The former world No 1 was decked in a blue blazer that did not appear to hamper his swing, but whether the Australian is prepared to risk donning it in actual tournament play remains to be seen. 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. Rome is a popular tourist destination, but you don't have to fight through crowds your whole trip. marcobrivio.gallery/Shutterstock I've worked as a tour guide in Rome for 18 years, and I've seen plenty of tourists make mistakes. To avoid crowds, book your tours in advance and try to see popular spots on weekdays. Tweak your internet searches to find more hidden gems, and try to find recommendations from locals. Rome is wonderful but it's also a popular travel destination that welcomes millions of visitors each year. I've been guiding people around Rome since 2007, and part of my job has always entailed navigating visitors through and away from crowds, whether on a food tour or at museums. Here are my best travel tips for maximizing your time in Rome while avoiding crowds as much as possible. Skip the early morning tours and ticket slots. The early morning Colosseum tours are often packed. Vlas Telino studio/Shutterstock This may seem counterintuitive because most of us are taught "the early bird catches the worm" and believe that the earlier we go somewhere, the better our odds are of avoiding crowds. However, this is not the case in Rome. So many people think the same thing, and many tour companies go hard on advertising their morning tours. In my experience, food tours tend to be less popular between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. If you're planning to tour the Vatican Museums or Colosseum, consider a 2 p.m. tour or one closer to the evening. However, there's an exception to the rule: It's often best to visit Rome's gorgeous fountains and piazzas early in the morning. The Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and Piazza Navona are stunning and often virtually empty before 9 a.m. Don't assume "skip-the-line" means you'll entirely avoid crowds. There are ways to shorten the line at the Vatican, but there will still be a lot of people. ArDanMe/Shutterstock Many tour companies and ticket resellers advertise that you can "skip the line" when you buy a tour or pass through their website. For the most part, this means these companies can purchase time slots for entrances, which means you skip the main line. However, at places like The Colosseum and Vatican Museums, you still have to go through security and wait in a separate line with other people who purchased their tickets in advance. Please go easy on your guide if the line seems long. It could even be a good opportunity for them to share relevant information about the history of the place so you'll feel more oriented by the time you enter. Tweak your Google searches when looking for suggestions. Refine your search to look for keywords instead of broad travel tips. xamnesiacx84/Shutterstock In the first few years of being a guide, I saw many travelers booking a diverse swath of tours and visiting more under-the-radar spots. These days, I see many people only hitting the most popular attractions. I don't want to come across as a finger-wagging oldie shouting, "Back in my day, tourism was better!" but it has changed. In my opinion, the way many search engines have shifted their priorities, combined with the rise of paid travel influencers and travel reseller sites, has made it trickier for tourists to find underrated things to do and hidden gems in Rome. So, instead of searching for something simple or popular, like "things to do in Rome," where you may find mostly sponsored or mainstream guides, take time to hunt for recommendations from locals or smaller travel blogs. I've had luck by searching more specific queries, like "best places to eat in Rome from local" or "Best carbonara in Rome foodie guide." This way, you may avoid some crowds and find under-the-radar gems. Book your tours in advance. Don't expect to see everything you want without a little advanced planning. S.Borisov/Shutterstock Oftentimes, the more qualified, best guides are booked up weeks and months in advance. So, reserve your tours early. I suggest looking for smaller group tours to make the most of your time in busy spots and choosing local companies for the best experience. It's also a good idea to look into interest-specific tours led by experts, like historians, archeologists, or sommeliers. Personally, I take food tours in every city I visit. They orient me to the culture and flavors of the place, and food guides often have the best recommendations. In Rome, Casa Mia offers some incredible food and wine tours. The Sistine Chapel isn't the only place to admire Michelangelo's works. Michelangelo's famous work is on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. Gush Photography/Shutterstock Many tourists feel underwhelmed or disappointed by the popular experience of visiting the Vatican Museums to admire Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel. During high season, upward of 20,000 people can pour through the Sistine Chapel in a single day. Pushing through crowds of hot bodies while guards shout at you to move along and stop taking photos isn't very relaxing and you may have few options to actually admire the art. Fortunately, there are other ways you can appreciate the works of Michelangelo without the hoards of people crossing one more thing off their bucket list Two easy-to-find Michelangelo masterpieces are The Tomb of Pope Julius II at San Pietro in Vincoli and The Risen Christ at the Basilica of Saint Mary of Minerva. Visit the more popular spots during the week. Weekend days are usually busier for popular tourist spots. Jose Luis Vega/Shutterstock When possible, visit the Vatican Museums and Colosseum in the middle of the week. In my experience, Saturday and Monday are the busiest days at the Vatican Museums, which are typically closed on Sundays. Sunday tends to be the most crowded day at the Colosseum. If you're in Rome on a weekend, I suggest prioritizing visits to less popular museums and attractions. Fortunately, there are many other cultural sites in Rome that are worth your time. Don't rely on recommendations from influencers who don't even live here. The popular photo spots are usually more crowded than they seem on social media. Dennis MacDonald/Shutterstock I promise many travel influencers have been looking at the same few websites for the best spots in Rome for an Instagram photo or places to eat. Plus, most aren't privy to local gems and may be paid (or given free meals) in exchange for promoting certain places. They might not be sharing their actual favorite picks and, if they have a big following, their recommendations can get popular and difficult to get reservations to. Instead, follow and subscribe to locals for up-to-date information and more thorough suggestions. Some of my favorite resources include The New Roman Times by local Laura Itzkowitz and Understanding Rome by Rome guide Agnes Crawford. I also like the Romewise Instagram account, which is run by a woman who's lived here for decades. Read the original article on Business Insider The allegations surrounding Jean-Claude Van Damme are said to have occurred in 2015 - Emma McIntyre/2020 WireImage Jean-Claude Van Damme allegedly had sex with five women trafficked from Romania at a television series launch party in Cannes, according to legal documents obtained by The Telegraph. The Belgian martial artist and Hollywood actor is facing a potential criminal investigation from Romanian authorities after a complaint was filed to police on April 2. Excerpts of a deposition contained in the complaint claim the women were given to Van Damme, 64, at the event in south-east France in 2015. The trafficking of the girls is said to have been organised by Morel Bolea, a Romanian suspected sex trafficker and former head of a modelling agency. One woman who attended the event said in a written testimony: When we got there, we realised we werent participating in a film festival event, but rather at the launch of a TV series starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, which was held in a hotel event room. She said one of the events organisers took five of his girls from the Fashion TV team and sent them to Van Damme. It is not known if he knew the girls had been trafficked. His agent Patrick Goavec told USA Today: Mr Van Damme does not wish to comment on or fuel this rumour, which is as absurd as it is unfounded. Womens whereabouts unknown The criminal complaint was submitted to the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) in Bucharest, the same organisation prosecuting the misogynist and alleged rapist Andrew Tate. The current whereabouts of the women and their identities are not known. Adrian Cuculis, the lawyer who filed the complaint, represents a separate woman allegedly groomed and trafficked by Mr Bolea when she was 15 years old. Mr Cuculis told The Telegraph: They were basically offered to Van Damme this is the allegation that Jean-Claude Van Damme used the services of one or more exploited girls. He added: They were there for [sic] making sexual intercourse with this guy if Jean-Claude Van Damme hooked up with them in the club and they went and engaged in six-person intercourse, its perfectly fine. But if somebody comes to you keeping her hand in his hand and says OK off you go with him into the room this means something else. Its a deposition stating out very clearly what happened there, and who offered the girls and what are the terms of them, the conditions. Police investigation launched Mr Cuculis said police had already begun investigating Van-Damme as part of a wider inquiry into Mr Boleas trafficking network. He said: The [police] investigation has already been launched since Friday. I received a note from the prosecutors office saying that they merged this file into the file that was opened in Morel Boleas case and they are conducting an investigation regarding our accusations. A spokesman for DIICOT confirmed it had received the complaint on April 2 but made no further comment. The complaint alleges that Mr Van Damme made use of services of an exploited person, an offence stipulated and punishable under Art. 216 of the criminal code, in conjunction with Art. 182 letters a), b), c) of the criminal code. Mr Bolea was arrested in 2022 as the main suspect in a case surrounding the exploitation of minors, Romanian news media reported. He has not commented on the allegations. According to the Romanian prosecutors office, from 2000 to 2016, he involved girls, including minors, in sexual exploitation through psychological pressure through his organisation. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. WASHINGTON President Trumps nominee for a top Pentagon position, Elbridge Colby, was confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday in a bipartisan vote, despite concerns among some Republicans over his dovish views on Iran and lukewarm support for Ukraine. Colby, 45, was confirmed in a 54-45 vote to be Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, with three Democrats crossing the aisle in support and Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky the only member of his party to oppose. Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), along with Armed Services Committee ranking member Jack Reed (D-RI), backed Colby, who cleared the Armed Services panel in a closed-door vote last week. President Trumps defense pick, Elbridge Colby, was confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday as the Pentagons top policy leader, following concerns raised by Republicans over his dovish views on Iran. Michael Brochstein/ZUMA Press Wire / SplashNews.com A close friend of Vice President JD Vance, the new third-ranking Pentagon official will now be tasked with briefing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, implementing Trumps National Security Strategy and developing Defense Planning Guidance for military programs, budget requests and other policy matters. During Trumps first administration, Colby had been the architect of the 2018 National Defense Strategy, which played a role in shifting the US military focus toward China. Abandoning Ukraine and Europe and downplaying the Middle East to prioritize the Indo-Pacific is not a clever geopolitical chess move, McConnell said in a statement following the vote. Abandoning Ukraine and Europe and downplaying the Middle East to prioritize the Indo-Pacific is not a clever geopolitical chess move, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said in a statement following the vote. Getty Images It is geostrategic self-harm that emboldens our adversaries and drives wedges between America and our allies for them to exploit. Vance ripped the longest-serving Senate Republican leader in US history shortly after. Mitchs vote todaylike so much of the last few years of his careeris one of the great acts of political pettiness Ive ever seen, the vice president posted on X. In Colbys confirmation hearing last month, other Senate Republicans had questioned whether defense pick was downplaying the existential threat from Iran as a result of his primary focus on China. REUTERS During Colbys confirmation hearing last month, other Senate Republicans had questioned whether defense pick was downplaying the existential threat from Iran as a result of his primary focus on China. Lets talk about a nuclear Iran, said Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who leads the Senate Intelligence Committee and also sits on the Armed Services panel. I have some concerns about what youve said in the past. Colby responded that a nuclear-armed Iran posed an existential danger given Tehrans nearness to producing atomic weapons and affirmed that he would advise Hegseth and Trump to use credible and realistic military alternatives to stop the theocracy. A close friend of Vice President JD Vance, the no. 3 Pentagon nominee will now be briefing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Getty Images We know theyve worked on [Intercontinental Ballistic Missile]-range capabilities and other capabilities that would pose an existential danger to the United States, Colby answered Cotton during his hearing. Trump has announced a very big meeting to be held Saturday between US and Iran officials in hopes of avoiding what he called the obvious military alternative. Trump wants a new deal: End Irans regional influence, dismantle its nuclear program and halt its missile work. These are unacceptable to Tehran, one senior Iranian official fired back on Tuesday. Colby has also called in the past for lessening US military aid shipments to Ukraine to prioritize the growing threats from China. McConnell, who advanced Colby in a procedural vote before opposing him on final confirmation, accepted the Star of Ukraine award in late March from the US-Ukraine Foundation and criticized Trump in all but name for seeking an illusory peace with Russia in negotiations to wind down its war with Kyiv. When American officials court the favor of an adversary at the expense of allies when they mock our friends to impress an enemy they reveal their embarrassing naivete, the 83-year-old said at the time. A man wanted in the killing of a North Carolina teenager at a Waffle House has been extradited from Virginia to North Carolina after a four-month manhunt and was denied bond on Wednesday, officials have confirmed. Florwer Carlin Lizano Jr., 39, was extradited on Tuesday, the Laurinburg Police Department in North Carolina told USA TODAY. The extradition came after North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein issued a warrant to have Lizano brought back to the state. Lizano has been charged with first-degree murder in the Sept. 13 killing of 18-year-old Waffle House employee Burlie Dawson Locklear III in Scotland County, North Carolina, about 45 miles southwest of Fayetteville. Burlie Dawson Locklear III, who at 18 years old was fatally shot while working at Waffle House in North Carolina. Lizano's attorney, Chas Post III, told USA TODAY on Wednesday that his client "is cloaked in the presumption of innocence." He said that during Wednesday's court appearance, the district attorney argued that Lizano poses a flight risk. According to Post, his client only left North Carolina because he and his family were getting death threats. "He didn't even know he was charged with a crime until the threats came and until he was posted all over the local news," Post said. "Just because law enforcement said he did it, doesn't mean he did it." Burlie D. Locklear III, who was killed on Sept. 13, 2024 while working at Waffle House in North Carolina. Read more: Customer fatally shoots teenage Waffle House employee inside North Carolina store Police describe what happened to Burlie Dawson Locklear III Laurinburg police said that Lizano went into the Waffle House on Sept. 13, ordered food and got agitated soon after, becoming verbally abusive toward the employees." Both Burlie Dawson Locklear III, who went by Dawson, and his girlfriend were working that day, according to Dawson's aunt, Elizabeth Locklear. Lizano said something to Dawson's girlfriend, prompting Dawson to intervene and give Lizano his food so that Lizano could leave, Locklear said. Lizano started to leave, then turned around and shot Dawson, she said. He killed my kid over grits and eggs, his aunt said. How do you get so upset over grits and eggs to where you want to take somebody's life? Burlie D. Locklear III pictured as a child with his aunt, Elizabeth Locklear, who raised him as her son. Locklear was 18 years old when he was killed on Sept. 13, 2024 while working at Waffle House in Laurinburg, North Carolina. Lizano fled the scene and was on the run for four months, according to Laurinburg police and Virginia State Police. He was captured on Jan. 24 in Portsmouth, Virginia, nearly 300 miles away from where the killing occurred. His capture came after someone called in a tip to a nonprofit called Scotland Crimestoppers. Lizano was denied bond at a court hearing Wednesday. His next hearing is on April 23, District Attorney Jamie Adams told USA TODAY. Slain teen called his aunt Mama, she said Locklear said that she cared for Dawson most of his life and that the teen called her Mama. Dawson lived with his grandmother until he was about 13, then moved in with Locklear. He grew up alongside his cousin, as well as his grandmothers godson, and the trio were three peas in a pod," Locklear said. Dawson loved video games, hunting, and swimming in a local river, Locklear said. He liked the beach and was a great kid, she said. He got his heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) certificate in high school and often went to work with his grandfather, who owned an electrical company. Burlie D. Locklear III with his aunt, Elizabeth Locklear, who raised him as her son. He got a job at Waffle House after meeting his girlfriend, Jaylen, who also worked there. He was trying to save up his money so he could start school, Locklear said. Burlie D. Locklear III during a hunting trip. He was still a teenager Locklear said that the day Dawson was killed, he had been hanging out in the familys yard and took a nap because he knew he had to work the night shift at Waffle House. When Dawson and his girlfriend left for work, Locklear remembers being distracted by her dog, who was barking. I didn't even get to tell him 'Bye' or I love him like I normally do every day when he leaves, Locklear said. Later that night, his girlfriend called her in a panic and told her about the shooting. She and her family members rushed to the restaurant to find out what was happening, she recalled. First responders were at the scene trying to save him and eventually, they all went to the hospital. Burlie D. Locklear III with his girlfriend, Jaylen Madden. She beat the ambulance to the hospital and when it arrived, she could see first responders trying to save his life. I could see the EMS worker, she was on top of him, doing CPR, she said. I already knew right then that it was going to be bad. Their family has spent the past few years suffering one loss after the other, Locklear said. Her father died in 2021, her mother died in 2023, and now theyve lost Dawson, she said. He was still a teenager, Locklear said. He had just graduated high school. He hadn't even been working at Waffle House for two months. Burlie D. Locklear III with loved ones on graduation day. He's got to pay the price Before Lizanos hearing Wednesday afternoon, Locklear shared her thoughts on his capture. There's no more running," she said. "There's no more trying to fight to get out or not being able to come back to this county to get charged for what he has done. He's done the crime, now he's got to pay the price. She said Lizano shouldnt have had access to weapons due to his previous convictions. In 2017, he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in the District of South Carolina. Burlie D. Locklear III with his grandmother, Darlene Locklear. Post, Lizano's lawyer, said he agrees that someone who is convicted of a felony should not possess a firearm. That doesn't apply to his client, though, he said. "He did not have a firearm and he did not commit a crime," Post said. Dawson's family has started a GoFundMe to get the teenager a gravestone with a $10,000 goal. Locklear said things just arent the same without the teenager she loved and raised. He brought life to this house, she said. For him not to be here, its quiet. Its just so sad. Its devastating, what our family has had to endure. This story was updated to include video, a photo, and additional information. 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: Man wanted in Waffle House killing of teen returned to North Carolina Three pistols laying on table with bullets Bytmonas/ via Getty Images The United States has a long and storied history of trade with the international community. Following the Second World War, the reach and proliferation of American arms reached an all-time high. As one of the worlds leading providers of military tech and armaments, the United States is usually an amiable trade partner. As well see with todays piece, however, not everyone is on the good side of the USA. Today, were looking at notable weapons embargoes that are still in place between the United States and other nations. Iran iStock.com/Derek Brumby Once upon a time, Iran served as a bulwark of sorts in the Middle East. It kept American interests in check, thanks in part to the installation of the pro-West shah. From 1955 to 1971, the United States kept Iran on a fairly loose leash when it came to arms procurement. Weapons platforms like the F-14 Tomcat were a popular choice, and one that gave an edge compared to Irans Warsaw Pact armed neighbors. That drew to a close with the 1978 revolution. Since 1979, Iran has been on the receiving end of sanctions and embargoes alike from the United States. That hasnt stopped weapons from coming in, as the Iran-Contra Affair would prove in the 1980s. However, ever since, the United States has remained on icy terms with Iran. North Korea Katherine Welles/Shutterstock.com North Korea is never what you could call a trade partner with the United States. At the end of the Second World War, Japanese-occupied Korea was divided into two distinct landmasses. The more industrialized Northern half was allied with the Soviet Union, while the more agriculturally centered Southern half lined up with the United States and its allies. North Korea remains incredibly isolated from the international community with weapons embargoes and sanctions in place since the 1950s. This has taken a heavy toll on its industry, economy, and general standing in the region, as evidenced by a recent paper written by Yong Suk Lee. Syria iStock.com/Derek Brumby Syria has been the target of weapons embargoes and sanctions since 1979, thanks in part to its occupation of Lebanon and its continued support of Hezbollah. This has led to the embattled country receiving massive amounts of support from both the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation in its wake. Further sanctions have erupted since the start of the Syrian Civil War, with many in the international community applying large packages meant to freeze assets, ban travel, and so forth. Russia Mikbiz/Shutterstock.com The Soviet Union, and by extension the modern state of Russia, have been the target of weapons embargoes since the end of the Second World War from the United States. This is naturally caused by the ideological war waged during the Cold War, but despite it ending has continued into the modern era. Things took a heated turn with the Russo-Ukrainian Wars outbreak, with more strict economic sanctions being imposed on the country after the unlawful invasion of its neighbor. China iStock.com/Anchiy China has been the target of weapons embargoes since the tail end of the Chinese Civil War, so at least since 1949. Things did thaw for a time, especially after Nixons historic visit to the country in 1972. However, things took a turn for the worse following the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. Currently, the reasons for sanctioning are related to the sponsoring and support of American enemies like Iran. This has been taken a step further with recent injustices like the Uyghur ethnic cleansing, and continued concerns about Chinese intelligence apparatuses. Cuba Giongi63/Shutterstock.com Cuba has been under an active weapons embargo since 1958, in the wake of the Cuban Revolution. Since then, there hasnt been much done to thaw the frosty relations between both countries, with subsequent measures taken to restrict trade to the Carribbean nation. Currently, despite efforts to thaw relations between the countries during the Obama administration, sanctions and weapons embargoes have increased. As such, there is no telling when the nation of Cuba will end up back in the United States good graces. Venezuela iStock.com/Vector This is recent history, but still worth mentioning nonetheless. The Venezuelan Crisis got its start during the 2010s, and has since led to some historical weapons embargoes alongside other goods. The start of these sanctions came about in thanks due to American concerns with the trafficking and proliferation of Venezuelan narcotics. Myanmar Design_Bank/Shutterstock.com Myanmar, formerly Burma, has been on the receiving end of a weapons embargo since the 1980s. The United States enacted a 1988 arms embargo followed by freezing assets and travel restrictions shortly after. 2012 saw most of these restrictions lifted, but in the intervening 13 years, the arms restrictions have stayed in place. Sudan iStock.com/Nabil Kamara Sudan, the final country on our list, has also been the recipient of a weapons embargo since at least 1997 by the United States. This extends further into UN Sanctions that prohibit the sale of weapons by all member states, and EU sanctions implemented in 1994. Human Rights Concerns Many of the weapons embargoes featured today center around concerns around human rights and terrorism alike. Giving hostile regimes the means to wage war often results in unnecessary violence, as you might imagine. That said, there is a certain amount of nuance that goes into these proceedings. Treaties Another reason weapons embargoes are enacted comes down to treaties with other countries. The United Nations, European Union, and other larger bodies serve as a compass of sorts for the general standing of other countries in the international community at large. The image featured at the top of this post is Bytmonas/ via Getty Images. The post Historical US Weapons Embargoes That Are Still in Place Today appeared first on History-Computer. "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." The Scream franchise is iconic for so many reasons, and its recent installments reached a new generation thanks to Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barreras star power. The actors arent coming back for the next movie, and in her latest cover story for The Cut, Jenna revealed the real reason behind her departure from the film. ICYMI, she left after Melissa was cut from the project in November 2023. It had nothing to do with pay or scheduling. The Melissa stuff was happening, and it was all kind of falling apart, the Death of a Unicorn actor said, referring to her co-stars reported exit from the film. Per the BBC, the studio reportedly cut Melissa from the franchises upcoming movie after she shared social media posts supporting Palestine in the Israel-Gaza conflict. Jenna continued, If Scream VII wasnt going to be with that team of directors and those people I fell in love with, then it didnt seem like the right move for me in my career at the time. Philippe Bosse/Paramount Pictures/ Everett Once Melissa was removed from Scream VII, reports that Jenna had quit the film started surfacing. According to a November 2023 post from Deadline, it had nothing to do with Melissas firing, and sources said that Jenna left due to scheduling conflicts with Wednesday season 2, which was filmed in Romania. Producers chimed in shortly after, saying that Melissas actions crossed a line into hate speech against Israel. Spyglass stance is unequivocally clear: We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech, a Spyglass spokesperson told Variety at the time. Nearly a year after she was dropped from the movie, Melissa told The Independent that it was the darkest and hardest time for her. Nina Westervelt - Getty Images It was quiet for like 10 months, she said of her acting jobs. I was still getting offers for small things here and there Im not going to lie and say there was nothing but [the message] was, Oh, she probably doesnt have work, shell say yes to anything. She added, It was the darkest and hardest year of my life, and I had to reevaluate everything. There were times when I felt like my life was over. Hopefully, well get to see Melissa and Jenna reunite in another project down the line. You Might Also Like Tingey Injury Law Firm | Unsplash (The Center Square) Maine's Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, accusing it of "illegally" freezing federal funding for school lunches and disabled adults. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Maine, alleges that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's decision to freeze the funding was unlawful because the agency didn't get approval from Congress and violated its regulations requiring a hearing before funds could be terminated. The attorney general's office asks a judge to set a temporary restraining order while the legal challenge plays out. Attorney General Aaron Frey also claims in the 18-page complaint that the Trump administration "engaged in an unlawful campaign of coercion" by threatening to cancel Maines federal funding over Gov. Janet Mills' refusal to comply with President Donald Trump's executive order banning transgender athletes from girls and women's sports. "Under the banner of keeping children safe, the Trump administration is illegally withholding grant funds that go to keeping children fed," Frey, a Democrat, said in a statement. "This is just another example where no law or consequence appears to restrain the administration as it seeks capitulation to its lawlessness." Last week, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the agency is "freezing" Maine's federal funding for certain administrative and technological functions in K-12 public schools following a Title IX investigation of the Maine Department of Education. The 1972 civil rights law prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools that receive federal funding. "You cannot openly violate federal law against discrimination in education and expect federal funding to continue unabated," Rollins wrote to Mills in a scathing letter. "Your defiance of federal law has cost your state, which is bound by Title IX in educational programming." While Rollins said the freeze would not impact programs providing food to children, Frey said in the court filing that the Maine Department of Education has been unable to access several federal funding sources "necessary to feed children and vulnerable adults." "In short, Secretary Rollins blew up the bridge necessary to get funds from USDA to the schools and other entities that need the funds to feed children and vulnerable adults," Frey wrote. Maine has become the epicenter of a nationwide culture war fight over transgender rights after Trump confronted Mills last month about allowing trans athletes to play on teams that align with their gender identity. Mills, a Democrat, has refused to comply with Trump's executive order to keep biological males from competing in girls and womens sports. old man A man was arrested eight months ago on suspicion of encouraging or assisting the suicide of a British citizen, it has emerged. Dorset Police said it had executed a warrant at the address of a man in his 60s last July but the details have only just come to light. He was subsequently released on bail and has yet to be charged almost eight months later as inquiries continue in the complex case. A spokesman for the force said: At around 7.30am on July 15 2024, officers executed a warrant at an address in the Sandford area of Wareham under Section 8 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act. A man aged in his 60s was arrested on suspicion of intentionally doing an act capable of encouraging or assisting the suicide of another. He has been released on police bail as further inquiries are carried out. Our investigation is continuing and as is usual in a complex case, we have been liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service to ascertain if the threshold for prosecution is met. We will not be going into any further details at this time. The law in the UK prohibits people from assisting the suicide of others, though prosecutions are incredibly rare. Since 2009, there have been 187 cases referred to the CPS by police, but only four of those cases led to a conviction. MPs in England and Wales are currently considering a Bill that would legalise assisted dying for those with a terminal illness who have been told that they have less than six months left to live. However, last month Kim Leadbeater, the MP behind the Bill, proposed delaying the introduction of assisted dying in England and Wales for two years until 2029. The revised timeline raises the prospect that the Government could abandon plans to establish an assisted dying regime following warnings that the law would overburden the NHS and judiciary. Ms Leadbeater is thought to have climbed down after civil servants responsible for drafting amendments told her the Bill was unworkable. 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. Alexander Grey | Unsplash (The Center Square) The debate over whether children should undergo gender transition treatments has grown in fervor since Election Day, though a pending bill to ban the procedures in Pennsylvania has not. The Senate Majority Policy Committee, filled entirely with Republicans from the upper chamber, will center the issue at a hearing in Altoona next week. Parents, medical professionals, and detransitioned patients will share their perspectives on why the pending legislation, called the Do No Harm Act, should become law. The gender-related procedures at the center of this hearing are not health care and are not harmless, said bill sponsor Sen. Judy Ward, R-Hollidaysburg. This hearing will give us a much-needed look into the real, permanent, and long-term harm that so many children are suffering because of these procedures at the hands of those who are charged to care for them. The bill echoes the name of a medical advocacy group critical of the pediatric fields embrace of the interventions called Do No Harm. The organization says physicians are too quick to prescribe puberty blockers and perform gender dysphoria surgeries, causing irreversible damage to bone strength, fertility and brain maturity. Ward sponsored the legislation in December, though it has not yet been formally introduced. Do No Harm published a database in October that compiles claims from private and public insurers apart from Kaiser Permanente and the Department of Veterans Affairs that have been cross-referenced to ensure the procedures covered are for gender-affirming care specifically. After an October press conference in Harrisburg with state legislators, Serio told The Center Square that families that pay out of pocket arent captured in the data. This, combined with the groups methodology, means the total number of procedures is undercounted. Its a notable distinction given research from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health published in June that indicates 97% of breast reductions performed on minors in 2019 were for cisgender males. The term cisgender describes people who do not identify as the opposite sex. Researchers, who similarly scoured insurance claims, said the procedure was chosen for analysis because its one of the few covered surgeries for children and adults diagnosed with gender dysphoria. In a news release%20minors%20in%20the%20U.S.) describing the study, co-author Elizabeth Boskey, an instructor in Harvards Department of Social and Behavior Sciences, said the data illustrates the rarity of surgeries performed on transgender, or TGD, minors, backing up that U.S. surgeons are appropriately following international guidelines around assessment and care. Lead author Dannie Dai, a research data analyst in the Department of Health Policy and Management, said legislation in 25 states that bans gender-affirming care isnt about protecting children, but rather is rooted in bias and stigma against TGD identities and seeks to address a perceived problem that does not actually exist. Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, chairman of Do No Harm, begs to differ, saying the first-of-its-kind project paints a different picture. While this data represents the tip of the iceberg, this is the first step in holding the medical establishment accountable for participating in, and often times promoting, predatory and unscientific medical interventions for vulnerable children, he said. According to data provided by the group, between 2019 and 2023, insurance companies covered 558 claims for puberty blockers and 321 surgeries for more than 800 minors in Pennsylvania. Of the latter, managed Medicaid approved 125 of the procedures, while commercial companies handled the remaining 196. That translates to just under $5.9 million submitted hospital claims; $469,592 for puberty blockers, and for surgeries, $2.9 million from private insurers and $2.5 million from managed Medicaid. Nationally, the database claimed just under 14,000 minors received gender-affirming care, totaling more than $119 million. Lori Vallow Daybell at her sentencing hearing at the Fremont County Courthouse in St. Anthony, Idaho, in 2023. (Tony Blakeslee/AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Lori Vallow Daybell, the Idaho mom currently serving life sentences for murdering her two children, is back in court this week over the death of her estranged husband. Vallow Daybell, 51, has pleaded not guilty and chosen to represent herself in the six-week trial in Arizona. If convicted, she will face another life sentence in addition to the three she is currently serving: two for the murders of her children and one for conspiring to murder the wife of her fifth husband, Chad Daybell. During Mondays opening statements, the prosecution argued that Vallow Daybell worked with her brother Alex Cox to shoot her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, at his home in a suburb outside Phoenix in July 2019. Prosecutor Treena Kay argued the plan was that Vallow Daybell would cash in on Vallows life insurance policy and move forward with marrying Daybell, who was her boyfriend at the time. Chad Daybell during his murder trial at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, on May 30, 2024. (Kyle Green/AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Cox claimed the shooting was in self-defense and was not charged. He died of natural causes in December 2019. This is the so-called doomsday moms third trial after being accused in the deaths of her two children and her husbands estranged wife in late 2019. What to know about this trial In her opening statement, Vallow Daybell said there is no evidence she and her brother planned to kill Vallow in 2019. Instead, she argued that on July 11, 2019, Vallow had gotten into an argument with Vallow Daybells 16-year-old daughter, Tylee Ryan, and threatened her with a bat. According to a police report, Cox, fearing the argument would elevate into a physical altercation between Vallow and his estranged wife, said he intervened and shot Vallow. Self-defense is not a crime. Family tragedy is not a crime, its a tragedy, Vallow Daybell told the court. Prosecutor Kay argued that Vallow Daybell had conspired with her brother before July 11 and used religion to justify killing Vallow. Vallow Daybell and Daybell co-led a Mormon religious sect, with a focus on the end-times and an impending doomsday, and believed Vallow was possessed by an evil spirit. Kay also brought up that Vallow had filed for divorce seven months prior and had told police his wife had threatened to kill him. Vallow Daybells previous convictions After Vallow was shot, Vallow Daybell took her daughter, Tylee, who shed had with her third husband, and her 7-year-old adopted son, Joshua JJ, to Idaho to live with Daybell. It was when the kids were deemed missing that Vallow Daybell became a prominent figure in the mainstream media, dubbed the doomsday mom. A picture of Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow on a fence opposite the property where their bodies were found in 2020. (Natalie Behring/Getty Images) (Natalie Behring via Getty Images) By November 2019, family members said they hadnt heard from the children in two months, so they requested a welfare check. Idaho police searched for the children for weeks and eventually arrested Vallow Daybell in Hawaii in February 2020, accusing her of desertion. The widely publicized search for the kids concluded when police found their remains on Daybells property in June 2020. After the childrens remains were found, family members of Tammy Daybell, Daybells first wife, became suspicious about her October 2019 death which happened three weeks before Vallow Daybell and Daybell got married in Idaho. It was initially believed Tammy died from natural causes, but after the childrens remains were found, her body underwent an autopsy and her cause of death was amended to be homicide. In July 2023, Vallow Daybell was convicted of murdering her two children and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. She was also sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of conspiring to kill Tammy. The judge ordered Vallow Daybell to serve consecutive life sentences on the individual murder charges. Jesus Christ knows that no one was murdered in this case, Vallow Daybell told the court at the time. Accidental deaths happen, suicides happen, fatal side effects from medications happen. In September 2023, Vallow Daybell filed to appeal her convictions to the Idaho Supreme Court. Vallow Daybell is scheduled to go on trial again in Arizona in late May on a charge of conspiring to murder Brandon Boudreaux, her nieces estranged husband, to which she has also pleaded not guilty. President Donald Trump answers a reporters question in the Oval Office of the White House on Monday. - Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images President Donald Trump was speaking to reporters alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office on Monday when he made a surprise announcement: Direct nuclear talks are underway between the United States and Iran and a very big meeting will take place on Saturday. If true, these would be the first direct talks between the two nations since 2015, when they signed a landmark nuclear deal under the Obama administration, which Trump ditched three years later. Iran denies that negotiations are direct, insisting they will be mediated by the Gulf Arab nation of Oman, where Saturdays talks will take place. Direct or not, the talks represent a breakthrough between the Islamic Republic and a US administration led by a president whom American officials accuse Tehran of once plotting to assassinate. Trump has pledged to deliver a far stronger nuclear deal than Obamas. His administration has said it will push for the complete dismantling of Irans nuclear program, rather than merely restricting it to peaceful purposes. Israel backs this demand but Tehran has dismissed it outright as a non-starter. Heres what we know about the talks, why they may be happening now and whats at stake. What each side is saying Trump on Monday said a very big meeting would take place Saturday at the top level, adding that everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious, referring to potential military action against Iranian nuclear sites. US envoy Steve Witkoff will be leading the US delegation, according to the US State Department, and Araghchi will represent Iran in indirect talks moderated by Oman officials, according to Iranian officials. Steve Witkoff, special envoy to the Middle East, speaks to the press outside of the White House in Washington, DC on March 6. - Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi gives a press conference in Tehran on February 25. - Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images On Wednesday, Araghchi said in a Washington Post op-ed that his country is ready to strike a peaceful deal with the US through diplomacy, which could result in a trillion-dollar business opportunity, and avoid a costly US military involvement in the region. He wrote that the ball is in Americas court to achieve peace and normalize relations, which could include lucrative business opportunities, in an apparent attempt to speak to Trumps business background. Araghchi also made clear the talks would be indirect, writing that indirect negotiations is not a tactic or reflection of ideology but a strategic choice rooted in experience, especially when faced with a significant wall of mistrust. Hossein Mousavian, a former Iranian diplomat and ex-nuclear negotiator, said that Iran and the US are likely to initially start the negotiations indirectly, and after an hour or two, if the outcome is positive, Iranian and American representatives will begin direct talks. It seems that Washington and Tehran have adopted a wise approach, and there is a chance for an agreement, he wrote on X. How the two sides got here A nuclear deal was reached in 2015 between Iran and world powers, including the US. Under the deal, Iran had agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. That agreement was, however, abandoned by Trump in 2018 during his first presidential term. Iran retaliated by resuming its nuclear activities, and has so far advanced its program to alarming levels. Iran and six major world powers reached a nuclear deal in Austria, Vienna in July 2015. - Carlos Barria/Pool/AFP via Getty Images In December, Rafael Grossi, the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog, told Reuters that Iran was dramatically accelerating its enrichment of uranium to up to 60% purity, closer to the roughly 90% level that is weapons grade. In January, Grossi again warned that Iran was pressing the gas pedal on its uranium enrichment. Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful. Last month, Trump sent a letter to Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei proposing negotiations on a new nuclear deal, making it clear that Iran had a two-month deadline to reach an agreement, a source familiar with the letters contents told CNN. Days later, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the Islamic Republic rejected direct negotiations with the US. He said however that Irans response, delivered by Oman, left open the possibility of indirect talks with Washington. We dont avoid talks; its the breach of promises that has caused issues for us so far, Pezeshkian said in televised remarks. They must prove that they can build trust. Iran has in recent weeks been vocal with its concerns about striking a nuclear deal with Trump, who it says has a history of backtracking. Pezeshkian was elected last year on a reformist agenda that pledged to mend the countrys relationship with the world and ease sanctions that have crippled the economy. But he also faces a powerful hardline establishment, including Khamenei, that distrusts the US and is wary of engaging with it. The value of Irans currency, the rial, increased off the back of the news of talks after recording a record low just weeks ago. Whats on the agenda of talks? US officials have said that Trump is demanding that Iran dismantle its entire nuclear program, and not just accept restrictions on its ability to build a nuclear weapon, as it did in 2015. The 2015 deal allowed Iran to fully enjoy its right to nuclear energy for peaceful purposes under the relevant articles of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), according to the treaty. The NPT, to which Iran is signatory, is an international agreement aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. Experts have said that complete denuclearization would be a non-starter for Iran given that the nuclear program is its last remaining point of leverage against the West after its regional proxies have been weakened. Last week, National Security Adviser Michael Waltz told CBS Face the Nation that Trump will demand a full dismantlement of Irans uranium enrichment program. Iran has to give up its program in a way that the entire world can see, Waltz said, adding that Tehran must agree to walk away completely from its pursuit of nuclear weapons. Waltz added that this time, the deal wont be some kind of tit for tat that we had under the Obama administration, or Biden. Asked whether the deal would be similar to the 2015 agreement, Trump on Monday told reporters that itll be different, and maybe a lot stronger. If talks are not successful, he added, I think Irans going to be in great danger I actually think itll be a very bad day for Iran. How does Israel feel about it? The sudden revelation of the upcoming US-Iran talks at the press conference following Trump and Netanyahus meeting appeared to surprise the Israeli prime minister, the smile quickly vanishing from his face as he looked toward his team of advisers. News of the talks are certainly not to Israels liking, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN. Its unclear if Netanyahu was given advance notice of the US-Iran talks or if he was consulted ahead of time, the sources said. Sat beside Trump at the Oval Office, Netanyahu touted a Libya-style nuclear deal between the US and Iran, which in 2003 dismantled the North African nations nuclear program in the hopes of ushering in a new era of relations with the US after its two-decade oil embargo on Muammar Qaddafis regime. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) speaks alongside US President Donald Trump, with a model of Air Force One on the table, during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House, in Washington DC on Monday. - Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images If it can be done diplomatically, in a full way, the way it was done in Libya, I think that would be a good thing, Netanyahu said. Following denuclearization, Libya eventually descended into civil war after a 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed Qaddafi. Iranian officials have long warned that a similar deal would be intended to weaken Iran and eventually overthrow its regime. Asked about a Libya-style deal, Araghchi told Iranian media on Tuesday that Israels hopes for what Irans nuclear program should look like would be disregarded. When it comes to the Zionist regimes hopes of what a deal will look like and what they have suggested, thats their hopes and ultimately will not be factored in, he said. Netanyahu had vehemently opposed the 2015 nuclear deal, saying it did not prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon. Why now? Since the last US-Iran talks, Tehran has seen its ability to project power in the region significantly curtailed after Israel struck severe blows to its allied regional militias and launched direct attacks on Iranian soil. In Gaza, Israel continues to pound the enclave as it seeks to eradicate Hamas. In Syria, which Iran used as transit for weapons to proxies, Tehrans ally Bashar al-Assad has been deposed, and Israel continues to attack the country and take new territory. In Iraq, the US has retaliated against attacks by Iran-backed militants on its assets there. And in Lebanon, a series of Israeli attacks on the country have decapitated the militant group Hezbollah. In Yemen, where Irans last remaining ally, the Houthi rebel group, remains standing, the US is intensifying airstrikes. Last year, Iran and Israel exchanged two rounds of tit-for-tat attacks, the first time either side has directly attacked the other. Israel is said to have taken out Iranian defenses in one of those attacks. Remember, the Iranians air defenses have been eviscerated by that attack from Israel. Theyre open to attack today, Witkoff told journalist Tucker Carlson in an interview last month. CNNs Pauline Lockwood, Kevin Liptak, Jennifer Hansler, Alayna Treene, Alireza Hajihosseini, Leila Gharagozlou, Angus Watson, Eugenia Yosef and Michael Schwartz contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com By Jonathan Landay, Daphne Psaledakis and Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump's administration on Tuesday moved to reinstate at least six recently canceled U.S. foreign aid programs for emergency food assistance, six sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The quick reversal of decisions made just days ago underscored the rapid-fire nature of Trump's cuts to foreign aid. That has led to programs being cut, restored then cut again, disrupting international humanitarian operations. USAID Acting Deputy Administrator Jeremy Lewin, who has previously been identified as a member of billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, asked staff in an internal email to reverse the terminations. He asked to restore awards to the World Food Programme in Lebanon, Syria, Somalia, Jordan, Iraq and Ecuador, five sources familiar with the matter said. The administration has also resumed four awards to the International Organization for Migration in the Pacific region, two sources familiar with the matter said. "Sorry for all the back and forth on awards," Lewin said on Tuesday in the internal email seen by Reuters. "There are a lot of stakeholders and we need to do better about balancing these competing interests thats my fault and I take responsibility," he added. Reuters reported on Monday that the Trump administration had ended life-saving aid programs for more than a dozen countries including Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia and Syria, totaling over $1.3 billion. According to Stand Up For Aid, an advocacy group of current and former U.S. officials, WFP contracts canceled on Lewins orders last weekend for Lebanon, Syria, Somalia and Jordan totaled more than $463 million. Many of the terminated programs had been granted waivers by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio following an initial round of cuts to foreign aid programs. The State Department said those did not reflect a final decision. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment about restoring the awards. A 'DEATH SENTENCE' The decision to restore some aid followed pressure from inside the administration and from Congress, two sources said. The World Food Programme said on Monday that the U.S. notified the organization it was eliminating emergency food assistance funding in 14 countries, warning: "If implemented, this could amount to a death sentence for millions of people facing extreme hunger and starvation." The U.S. did not restore aid to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and to Yemen, most of which is controlled by Islamist militants of the Iran-backed Houthi movement. Washington has been the largest aid donor to both countries, which have suffered years of devastating war. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce on Tuesday told reporters that the United States had concerns that WFP funding for Yemen and Afghanistan was benefiting the Houthis and the Taliban. "There were a few programs that were cut in other countries that were not meant to be cut that have been rolled back and put into place," Bruce said, adding that the administration remains committed to foreign aid. Among the cuts over the weekend were $169.8 million for the WFP in Somalia, covering food assistance, nutrition for malnourished babies and children and humanitarian air support. In Syria, $111 million was cut from WFP food assistance. The cuts have been the latest piece of the Trump administration's drive to dismantle USAID, the main U.S. humanitarian aid agency. The administration has canceled billions of dollars in foreign aid since the Republican president began his second term on January 20 in an overhaul that officials described as marked by chaos and confusion. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democrats on Tuesday wrote a letter to Rubio regarding plans to restructure the State Department, including by folding in USAID, which they said was "unconstitutional, illegal, unjustified, damaging, and inefficient." (Reporting by Jonathan Landay, Daphne Psaledakis and Humeyra Pamuk; Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle and Michelle Nichols; Editing by Don Durfee and Cynthia Osterman) Markus Soeder, chairman of Bavarian's Christian Social Union party, Friedrich Merz, Christian Democratic Union party chairman and the Social Democratic Party co-leaders Lars Klingbeil and Saskia Esken, address the media after reaching an agreement between their parties on a coalition for a new German government at a news conference in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) BERLIN (AP) German election winner Friedrich Merz sealed a deal Wednesday to form a new government that aims to spur economic growth, ramp up defense spending, take a tougher approach to migration and catch up on long-neglected modernization. The agreement paves the way for new leadership in the 27-nation European Union's most populous member, which has Europe's biggest economy. It follows months of political drift and weeks of negotiations as the continent faces uncertainty over the Trump administration's sweeping tariffs and its commitment to European allies' defense. Merz is on track to become Germanys new leader in early May, replacing outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The 69-year-old's two-party Union bloc emerged as the strongest force from Germanys election on Feb. 23. Merz turned to the Social Democrats, Scholzs center-left party, to put together a coalition with a parliamentary majority. 'Germany is back on track' Before Merz can take the helm, the coalition deal needs approval in a ballot of the Social Democrats membership and by a convention on April 28 of Merzs Christian Democratic Union party. Once those hurdles are cleared, the lower house of parliament in which the allies have 328 of the 630 seats can elect him as chancellor. Merz said the deal is a very strong and clear signal to the people of our country, and also a clear signal to our partners in the European Union: Germany is getting a government that is capable of acting and will act strongly. Asked about his message to the U.S. president, Merz replied: The key message to Donald Trump is, Germany is back on track. Germany will fulfill the obligations in terms of defense and Germany is willing to strengthen their own competitiveness. He added, "We will bring the European Union forward. The prospective coalition embarked on one big project before even reaching a deal to govern together. Last month, it pushed plans through parliament to enable higher defense spending by loosening strict rules on incurring debt, and to set up a huge infrastructure fund thats aimed at boosting the stagnant economy. That was an about-turn for Merz, whose party had spoken out against running up new debt before the election without entirely closing the door to future changes to Germanys self-imposed debt brake. Economy and migration Other measures in the agreement are more in line with what he campaigned for. The coalition aims to boost companies' investment and then cut corporate tax, make working overtime more attractive and cut electricity tax. Merz, the opposition leader at the time, made reducing migration central to his election campaign. On Wednesday, he said the new government will suspend family reunions for many migrants, designate more safe countries of origin, launch a return offensive for rejected asylum-seekers and turn some people back at Germany's borders in consultation with neighbors. It will also tighten a law passed by the outgoing government that eased the rules for gaining citizenship, scrapping the possibility for well-integrated applicants to get a German passport after three rather than five years of residence. Throw out the fax machines The new government will include a digitization ministry to modernize a country that still has a reputation for tangled bureaucracy and old-fashioned paperwork. Not everything has to be regulated down to the smallest detail, said the Social Democrats' co-leader, Lars Klingbeil. The diggers must work and the fax machines in our country must be thrown away. Our economy must grow. Merz said the coalition plans to reduce the size of the federal administration by 8% over its four-year term. But, referring to the United States' Department of Government Efficiency, he said it doesn't plan to do so by firing workers. We're not hiring an Elon Musk here who will do it like they do in Washington, he said. We will do it ... sensibly, with a sense of proportion. Pressure from abroad and at home The election took place seven months earlier than planned after Scholzs unpopular coalition collapsed in November, three years into a term that was increasingly marred by infighting and widespread discontent. Germany, the 27-nation European Unions most populous member, has been in political limbo since then. The market turbulence caused by U.S. President Donald Trumps announcement of sweeping tariffs added to pressure for Merzs Union and the Social Democrats to bring their coalition talks to a conclusion. The tariffs threaten to add to the woes of an export-heavy economy that shrank for the past two years. Another factor in the haste to reach an agreement was a decline for the Union in the opinion polls, showing support slipping from its election showing, while the far-right Alternative for Germany, which finished a strong second in February, gained as the political vacuum persisted. The political center in our country is in a position to solve the problems we face, Merz said. Ministers will be named at a later date. By Aaron Ross NAIROBI (Reuters) -Eight people in South Sudan, including five children, died on a three-hour walk to seek medical treatment for cholera after U.S. aid cuts forced local health services to close, the UK-based charity Save the Children said on Wednesday. The deaths last month are among the first to be directly attributed to cuts imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump after entering office on January 20, which he said were to ensure grants were aligned with his "America First" agenda. "There should be global moral outrage that the decisions made by powerful people in other countries have led to child deaths in just a matter of weeks," said Christopher Nyamandi, Save the Children's country director in South Sudan. Experts have warned that the cuts - including the cancellation of more than 90% of USAID's contracts - could cost millions of lives in the coming years due to malnutrition, AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases. The U.S. State Department said it did not have information about the deaths reported by Save the Children. A spokesperson said many U.S government programmes providing lifesaving aid in South Sudan remained active but that support for medical services had also been used to enrich the country's leaders. "While emergency lifesaving programmes continue, we will not, in good conscience, ask the American taxpayer to provide assistance that effectively subsidises the irresponsible and corrupt behaviour of South Sudans political leaders," the spokesperson said. South Sudan's government has in the past acknowledged a significant amount of public corruption but denied specific accusations of graft, including against President Salva Kiir's family. Humanitarian aid to the country is often channelled through non-governmental organisations, largely because of corruption concerns. Save the Children supported 27 health facilities in eastern South Sudan's Jonglei State until earlier this year when the U.S. cuts forced seven to shut completely and 20 to close partially, the organisation said in a statement. U.S. funded transport services to take people to hospital in the main local town also stopped for lack of funds, which meant the eight cholera patients had to walk in nearly 40C (104F) heat to seek treatment at the nearest health facility, it said. Three of the children were under the age of 5, Nyamandi said. Besides the U.S. cuts, more gradual reductions by other donors have strained the humanitarian response in South Sudan. Save the Children expects to spend $30 million in the country in 2025, down from $50 million last year, Nyamandi said. Over a third of South Sudan's roughly 12 million people have been displaced by either conflict or natural disaster, and the United Nations says the country could be on the brink of a new civil war after fighting broke out in February in the northeast. A cholera outbreak was declared last October. More than 22,000 cases had been recorded as of last month, causing hundreds of deaths, the World Health Organization has said. (Reporting by Aaron Ross; Editing by Aidan Lewis and Kate Mayberry) Peter Reynolds and Barbie Reynolds (Supplied) The Taliban detained a British couple in Afghanistan over a small matter and the courts will rule on it based on Islamic law, a government spokesperson said Tuesday, adding: "God willing, their problem will soon be resolved." It's the first time in more than a month that Taliban authorities have publicly commented on the case of Peter and Barbie Reynolds, who were arrested in early February after being taken from their home in central Bamiyan province to the capital, Kabul. In a statement to The Associated Press, Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani said the matter was not that big but did not go into detail. The only thing I can say is that the matter was previously with the Interior Ministry and it has now been handed over to the courts, Mr Qani said. Their problem (crime) is not that big. God willing, their problem will soon be resolved and a shariah (Islamic law) decision will be made. It is a small matter and should not be a cause for concern. The couples son Jonathan said last week he has been interacting with the US government after a video plea to President Donald Trump for help to get his parents released. He told BBC News the UK Government has been very, very supportive of his family and he is now in contact with US government agencies. Mr Reynolds parents were detained alongside Faye Hall, an American friend who had rented a plane to travel with them, and a translator from the couples Rebuild training business. Their son, who is a dual British and American citizen, said Ms Hall was released late last month. I think, for me, after seeing Faye Hall get out, Im like, well, who did that?, Mr Reynolds told BBC News. As an American Im a British citizen and American Im like, hey, Im going to go to the American president, see if he can help. The Associated Press reports Ms Halls release was part of a deal which Qatari negotiators helped to broker. (Family handouts/ The Independent) Mr and Mrs Reynolds have run school training programmes for 18 years and remained in the country after the Taliban takeover in 2021. After taking power, the Taliban introduced a ban on women working and education for girls older than 12. Since his video appeal, Mr Reynolds said he has been interacting with the US government. I have been interacting with the state department and few other agencies since my video reach out this week which has been encouraging, he said. I mean, its a very, very tricky situation for any nation working with Afghanistan and the Taliban. Mr Reynolds sister Sarah Entwistle previously raised concerns over her fathers heart condition and his deteriorating health. Ms Entwistle and Mr Reynolds parents have been detained for more than two months, their son said. He said: One of the complicated parts is my parents have adamantly said they want to stay there, they want to be released from prison because theyve done nothing wrong, but they want to be released so they can carry on doing the work theyre doing. This just speaks to the character and the stamina and the vision and conviction that they have of why theyre there. The couple, who originally met at the University of Bath, married in Kabul in 1970. DENVER The Trump administration has revoked hundreds of international student visas across the country, setting off a desperate scramble for them to leave the United States within days. Universities have reported some students being forced to leave immediately, in many cases after discovering their visas were canceled in the federal Student Exchange and Visitor Information System or via an unexpected text or email. Multiple universities contacted by the USA TODAY Network regarding the visa cancellations declined to discuss specifics, citing student confidentiality. Immigration experts said they've never seen the federal government make such sweeping changes to the ordinarily low-profile process of hosting international students. The National Immigration Project is challenging the visa cancellations, which have affected students in California, Colorado, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, Massachusetts and Florida, among others. More: Trump targeted college students. Campuses went silent. The cancellations reflect a small percentage of the estimated 1.5 million international students studying in the United States, but have sent shockwaves through the collegiate community. Some of the cancellations appear to be connected to things as minor as roommate disputes or as off-campus traffic tickets, university officials said, while others appear to be connected to pro-Palestinian protest participation. "I've been doing this for 25 years and I've never seen 300 students lose their visas," said Len Saunders, a Washington state immigration attorney based near the Canadian border. "To hear that something like 300 visas were canceled out of the blue it's all political. To read that there's hundreds of people having their visas canceled, you know exactly what it is." President Donald Trump won back the White House after campaigning on tough new immigration controls, and some conservatives have accused other countries, particularly China, of sending students to study in the United States to steal intellectual property. International students are typically ineligible for financial aid and instead usually pay full tuition, subsidizing other students. According to the federal government, California is home to the largest number of international students, and the most popular majors among international students are computer science, language, and business administration and management. People from India and China represent the largest proportion of international students, accounting for about half of the overall enrollment, according to federal officials. There is no central accounting of how many students have had their visas revoked or where they came from. Many of the foreign students involved in campus protests were from the Middle East. Saunders said he's seen a handful of students annually lose their visas over things like a drunken-driving arrest, but in many cases, students were allowed to finish out their studies. This round of visa cancellations has prompted some students to leave immediately, including those who are close to graduating. At the University of Michigan, officials said they were trying to figure out how to help an international student finish his architectural master's degree work despite fleeing home. The visa cancellations appear to be different than the targeted detentions of Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil and Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk, largely because the students are not being detained but are instead being told to self-deport within seven days. The cancellations have sparked scattered protests, including at the University of Arizona. People rally in support of a Tufts University student in Somerville, Mass. near Boston on March 26, 2025. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained 30-year-old Turkish national Rumeysa Ozturk, who was in the country on a valid F-1 visa, near her home on Tuesday as she was on her way to meet friends to break her Ramadan fast, said her attorney, Mahsa Khanbabai. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last month that he's revoked at least 300 visas of students he described as "lunatics," citing pro-Palestinian support or activism, activities that are normally considered protected First Amendment rights. "It might be more than 300 at this point. We do it every day. Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas," Rubio said at a press conference. Colorado State University officials said six students there lost their visas, and university officials escorted some of them to the airport to fly home. It's unclear whether the students have the right to appeal their visa revocations. "To date, no specific justification for the visa revocations has been provided to the impacted individuals or CSU," Kathleen Fairfax, the university's vice provost for international affairs, said in a statement. "We are working proactively with the students to help them connect with appropriate legal resources and understand their options. CSU is providing this support based on students' personal decisions." At the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Chancellor Javier Reyes said five international students lost their visas and urged other students to check their own status. He said affected students are being offered financial assistance through the university's "Angel Fund," which was created during the first Trump presidency to help students affected by changes in immigration laws. Reyes, who first came to the United States from Mexico on a student visa himself, called the American higher education system "the envy of the world" and promised international students "unwavering support as we confront this new reality." New York University professor Robert Cohen, who studies protest movements, said targeting students because they attended rallies or wrote pro-Palestinan letters is a thinly veiled attempt by Trump to clamp down on dissent. "It speaks to the issue that Donald Trump and these right-wing people don't actually believe in free speech," Cohen said. The American Council on Education and 15 other higher ed groups have requested a briefing from federal officials. The groups noted that Trump has the responsibility and right to safeguard national security but asked for an explanation of the decision-making process. "Recent actions have contributed to uncertainty and impedes the ability of our institutions to best advise international students and scholars," the groups wrote in an April 4 letter to Rubio and other officials. "It is important institutions are in a position to reassure international students so they can continue to make exceptional contributions to their campuses, communities, and the nation." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump cancels hundreds of student visas By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed Ronald Johnson, a former ambassador to El Salvador, as ambassador to Mexico, amid ties strained by President Donald Trump's tariff policy and speculation of U.S. military strikes to fight drug cartels. The Senate voted 49 to 46 in favor of Johnson, who was an Army Green Beret and CIA officer before serving as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump's first term. Only a majority of those present was needed to confirm him for the high-profile diplomatic post. The vote was along party lines, with every yes coming from Trump's fellow Republicans and every Democrat and independent aligned with Democrats voting no. Concern has mounted in recent months among some Mexican officials that the Trump administration may be setting the stage to take unilateral military action inside Mexico, an idea Trump floated repeatedly during his presidential campaign. Trump also has made minimizing immigration into the U.S. from Mexico a feature of his political career, including disparaging Mexicans as criminals and blaming the country for U.S. drug imports. Most recently, he has sharply increased tariffs on Mexico goods imported into the United States, part of a massive tariff program that has shaken global financial markets. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has defended her country, including saying that Mexico would categorically reject any unilateral U.S. military action within its borders. She has proposed a constitutional reform aimed at adding protections to Mexico's national sovereignty. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, editing by Deepa Babington) Illinois state Rep. Dan Ugaste, R-Geneva, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, and state Rep. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria, discuss the Illinois Supreme Court's ruling against their challenge to Illinois' legislative maps. Greg Bishop | The Center Square (The Center Square) The Illinois Supreme Court did the dirty work for Democrats and are disenfranchising millions of voters, according to statehouse Republicans who challenged legislative maps. After the 2020 Census, new legislative maps were drawn by majority statehouse Democrats. Republicans opposed the maps, saying they were gerrymandered. Following guidance from the judiciary, Republicans waited two election cycles to bring a challenge to show what they argued were negative impacts. The Illinois Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled against their challenge. Plaintiffs could have brought this argument years ago. Their claim that waiting multiple election cycles is necessary to reveal the effects of redistricting is unpersuasive, the majority opinion said. Plaintiffs approach would also be prejudicial and create uncertainty for voters and officeholders alike, now and in the future, as to whether any redistricting plan in Illinois is ever final. The majority opinion further stated that the timing is closer to the next decennial census than that last. In the dissent, Justice David Overstreet said he would have allowed the case to proceed. To do so would uphold the courts duty to address these claims as an original proceeding and would allow for due process, culminating in an opinion that provides future guidance on the political fairness requirement that has been enunciated by the court in its prior precedent and states the courts position on the issue of political gerrymandering in Illinois, Overstreet said. House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, said the majority opinion is disappointing. The Illinois Supreme Court has done the dirty work for the Democrats and we are not obviously happy about it, McCombie said Wednesday at her office in the capitol. I think if anything, its just gonna be done for the Democrats to hold the majority, to cling to power, to continue to disenfranchise voters. State Rep. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria, said the outcome begs the question about conflicts of interest and the need to address that with legislation. Direct contributions of hundred of thousands of dollars from the [Speaker of the Illinois House], millions more from other parties and interests that are controlled and under examination and audit, so something needs to be changed here, Spain said alongside McCombie. Spain said to expect detailed legislation from Republicans to address conflicts of interest and recusal rules for the Illinois Supreme Court. Messages seeking statements from House Speaker Chris Welch and Gov. J.B. Pritzkers offices, both who gave political contributions to two Supreme Court candidates in the most recent election, were not returned. A spokesman for Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, said they will let the ruling speak for itself. The Princeton Gerrymandering Project, which assesses legislative maps around the country using several metrics, gave the current Illinois map a failing F grade. A North Carolina custody exchange turned deadly when the child's grandmother was allegedly hit and killed by his father. Bradford Brown, 35, was arrested on Friday in Wake County, North Carolina, on a charge of felony voluntary manslaughter, according to court documents. Appearing at the Wake County Justice Center on Monday, Brown told the court he was "sorry" for his actions, reported local news outlets CBS17 and WRAL. Wake County Assistant District Attorney Doug Faucette outlined an alleged series of events to Judge Mark Stevens Monday, saying Brown hit his 6-year-old son's maternal grandmother, 72-year-old Fukuyo Koketsu Bryant, with a car after an argument broke out during a custody exchange. What allegedly happened at Fukuyo Koketsu Bryant's home? Faucette alleged that the conflict began in the driveway of Bryant's Apex home around 10 p.m. on Friday after Brown came to pick his child up without a proper car seat, reported CBS17 and WRAL. Bryant allegedly tried reaching into the car after the child was placed inside without the seat, reported WRAL, and it was after that that Faucette said "(Brown) put his car in reverse, accelerating onto the victim. A search warrant reviewed by USA TODAY said the rear passenger door hit Bryant as Brown reversed into her, knocking her onto the ground, where she was then run over by the car's tires. He then allegedly brought the child into the home before escaping on foot, though he was arrested shortly after. Bryant died on the road where she was struck, WRAL reported. A North Carolina father was arrested on manslaughter charges after allegedly hitting his child's maternal grandmother with a car. Bradford Brown's child's mother's attorney says 'he was volatile in the past' Brown and the child's mother, Crystal Bryant, had been in an ongoing custody battle leading up to the incident, reported local outlets. In court, Bryant's existing custody lawyer, attorney C. Melody Davalos, said, "There have been numerous instances where he was volatile in the past." When asked about the child's condition, Davalos told the court, "Was he physically harmed? No. Scarred for his entire life? Yes. Judge Stevens set a bond of $500,000 and ordered that Brown have no contact with his child, Crystal Bryant, or Harold Bryant, the husband of the victim. Brown was issued a public defender and instructed to wear an ankle monitor for at-home arrest if he does meet bond. An additional man who was in the car with Brown was identified but is not a victim, officials told CBS17. USA TODAY reached out to Brown's attorney for comment but has not received a response. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NC dad accused of backing over child's grandmother with car, killing her CNN Men deported by the United States to El Salvadors notorious Cecot prison are living in the same conditions as convicted gangsters, prison director Belarmino Garcia said on Tuesday, during an exclusive tour for CNN, the first US news organization to visit the facility since the latest deportation flight. Garcia would not discuss any specifics around the deportees beyond confirming they are in his facility. But when pressed, he said there are no privileges. That would mean the deportees heads have been shaved and they are kept in communal cells holding up to 100 men each for 23 hours a day. Two sources told CNN the situation is less regimented for the deportees, but the facilities are the same. The cells have no privacy, and no furniture beyond rows of stacked metal bunks with no mattresses or pillows. Some 278 men have been deported by the Trump administration to El Salvador, accused of being members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang or Salvadorans who are said to be part of MS-13. But they also include Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a sheet metal worker and father-of-three from Maryland, who was mistakenly removed from the US through an administrative error. His case is now with the US Supreme Court, which extended the deadline of a lower court judge requiring the administration to get him back by midnight on Monday. CNN was not permitted inside Sector 8 of Cecot, officially known as the Terrorism Confinement Center, where the deportees are being held. Garcia said he was not familiar with the specifics of any individual deportee and could not comment further.` An officer cuffs an inmate's hands before he is ordered out of a communal cell. - Evelio Contreras/CNN But when CNN asked, he was happy to show how Salvadoran inmates were able to participate should they have their own court hearings. They are removed from their communal cell by armed personnel and taken to a room with video conference facilities. Monitors showed court proceedings in progress, apparently with lawyers and judges present. Cecot houses both convicted criminals and those still going through El Salvadors court system. With many constitutional rights suspended under El Salvadors years-long state of emergency, some people have been detained by mistake, President Nayib Bukele has admitted; several thousand of them have already been released. Where the lights are always on Each of the eight sectors is fully self-contained with these conference rooms as well as a medical clinic, with the intention that inmates never step outside their warehouse-like building. They are watched through the bars constantly and the lights are always on, Garcia said. There are even guards on catwalks above the cells. Looking down through the metal-grille ceiling into a cell, the deliberate harshness of the life for the Salvadoran inmates whether convicted or awaiting trial is clear. They are allowed no personal possessions; they must use an open toilet and theres a cement basin for washing and large jug for drinking water. Still, there are checks for contraband when the inmates are extricated from the cells. The men have their hands cuffed behind them and then run to sit in a designated spot, stretching their legs around those of the man in front in what becomes a human herringbone pattern. When Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem visited Cecot last month, she recorded a video message to say to undocumented immigrants in the US: This is one of the consequences you could face. First of all, do not come to our country illegally. You will be removed, and you will be prosecuted, she said. But know that this facility is one of the tools in our toolkit that we will use if you commit crimes against the American people. Armed guards watch the prisoners constantly, from inside and outside the cell blocks and even from above. - Evelio Contreras/CNN CNN visited Cecot late last year, the first major US news organization to be allowed inside the isolated facility that was built away from any town. It is busier inside now, with more men in each cell. Last year, Garcia would say only between 10,000 and 20,000 inmates were being held. Now he says its getting closer to its 40,000 maximum population, but once again declined to give a specific number, citing security precautions. The growth would include the deportees from the US, but be mostly Salvadorans rounded up under the emergency situation introduced by Bukele. A thousand or more armed guards rotate duties at the prison, built in just seven months and opened in January 2023. The prison is also ringed by multiple electric fences and 19 watchtowers. For critics, Cecot is a sign of how quickly rights can disappear. But for many in El Salvador it is proof of effective control and a return to security in what was once the murder capital of the world. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The 1989 National Jamboree of the Boy Scouts of America at Fort A.P. Hill, Va. One of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths top advisers has recommended that the Defense Department cut ties with Scouting America, known for decades as the Boy Scouts, saying it is too woke to support, according to multiple people familiar with the discussions. Tami Radabaugh, the deputy assistant to the secretary of defense for strategic engagement and a direct adviser to Hegseth, has been lobbying other senior officials to suspend the Pentagons decades-old relationship with the group, including arguing that when Hegseth was a host on Fox News, he decried Scouting America as an organization that had "lost what they stand for," the people familiar said. It is not clear where Hegseth and the people around him stand on the issue. Though the Pentagon has not yet decided whether to cut off that relationship and whether it would be a total severing of ties or something more limited, such as Hegseths not being involved, Radabaugh recommended that Hegseth not participate in a video for the group because of the concern, and he has not so far, according to the people familiar with the discussions. In a statement, Sean Parnell, the Pentagon's chief spokesman, said, "Secretary Hegseth and his Public Affairs team thoroughly review partnerships and engagements to ensure they align with the President's agenda and advance our mission." In May, when Boy Scouts of America announced it would officially change its name to Scouting America, Hegseth denounced the organization on Fox News, blaming the left for supposedly wanting to destroy it. This is an institution the left didnt control. They didnt want to improve it. They wanted to destroy it or dilute it into something that stood for nothing. So, five years ago, the Boy Scouts let in girls, which was basically the end of Boy Scouts, he said at the time. Hegseth said government gets more powerful when organizations and youth groups like the Boy Scouts lose what they stand for. This is a tragedy, he said. Young kids wont have the opportunity to learn these skills, but more importantly, the values. And they did it to themselves. The U.S. military has supported scouting for decades, according to Gordon Shattles, Scouting Americas national director for corporate communications. That includes allowing the organization to hold all of its National Jamborees at Fort A.P. Hill, now known as Fort Walker, from 1981 until 2010, after which the event was moved to Bechtel Reserve, a new facility owned by Scouting America. Shattles said the group has a long and celebrated history of collaboration with the United States military and added that the enduring relationship spans decades. Scouts attend U.S. military academies every year, including more than 3,516 Eagle Scouts who have enrolled at the U.S. Military Academy West Point since 2003, according to statistics provided by Scouting America. About 20% of this years graduating class at the U.S. Air Force Academy were in the Boy Scouts or the Girls Scouts, and about 10% of the cadets had earned the prestigious Eagle Scout Gold Award, for extraordinary contributions to their communities, according to Scouting America. Shattles said the military supports scouting every year by allowing its units to conduct meetings, campouts and other activities on bases, by having military color guards participate in scouting ceremonies and events, and by participating in or supporting national scouting events like the jamborees. He said many active-duty and retired military personnel serve as scout leaders and as merit badge counselors, particularly for badges related to outdoor skills, citizenship and emergency preparedness. Shattles also reinforced that Scouting America does not receive funding from the Defense Department or any other federal agency. The scouts have also helped with military recruiting, according to two defense officials. While U.S. Army Recruiting Command does not have an official affiliation with Scouting America, recruits who enlist with certain awards from scouting, like Eagle Scout Certificates or Girl Scout Gold Awards, can enter the Army with higher ranks upon enlistment, according to a spokesperson for the command. And U.S. Army Cadet Command conducts marketing and recruiting activities with Scouting America to educate Scouts and their parents on opportunities available in Army ROTC, the spokesperson said in an email. The West Virginia National Guard has supported the Jamboree in recent years and is expected to provide a military band and colors for the next gathering in 2026 at Bechtel Reserve, according to a defense official and Scouting America. Chartered by Congress, the organization was known as Boy Scouts of America for more than 100 years until February, the month of its 115th anniversary, when the name officially became Scouting America. The name change is part of a larger effort to make the organization more inclusive that also included permitting girls to join. The organization had filed for bankruptcy protection in 2020 after it faced lawsuits from tens of thousands of sexual abuse survivors, which led to a nearly $2.5 billion trust to compensate victims. President Donald Trump spoke at the Jamboree on July 25, 2017, saying, You are the young people of character, integrity who will serve as leaders of our communities and uphold the sacred values of our nation. The United States has no better citizens than its Boy Scouts, he told the crowd, adding, The scouts believe in putting America first. He also pointed out that 10 members of his Cabinet had been scouts. Radabaugh, who advises Hegseth on Defense Department engagement with outside groups, is a former producer at Fox News Channel and Fox Business Channel, according to her LinkedIn profile, including a stint at Fox & Friends, the morning show whose weekend edition Hegseth co-hosted before he became defense secretary. Mar 29, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Union midfielder Daniel Gazdag (10) celebrates after scoring a goal against Inter Miami CF in the second half at Chase Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images) The Columbus Crew are finalizing a deal to acquire midfielder Daniel Gazdag from the Philadelphia Union, multiple media outlets reported Wednesday. It is not immediately known what the Union will receive in return for Gazdag, who has two goals and two assists in six matches this season. Gazdag, 29, led the Union with 17 goals last season and has 59 to go along with 20 assists during his 125 career matches (115 starts) with Philadelphia since joining the club from Hungary's Honved. He made the MLS Best XI in 2022. Gazdag, who is one of three Designated Players on the Union roster, is playing on the last guaranteed year of his contract. Philadelphia holds a team option for 2026. --Field Level Media Law enforcement respond to a deadly shooting at a town house complex in Spotsylvania County, Va., on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (WJLA-TV via AP) Four people were charged Wednesday in connection with a shooting that killed three people and wounded three others in Virginia, authorities said. Three suspects have been arrested on charges of malicious wounding and felony firearm use. Jeremiah Upson, 18, and a 16-year-old and 17-year-old were arrested early Wednesday morning, the Spotsylvania Sheriffs Office said. Police said another 16-year-old, who was in the hospital with a gunshot wound, was charged and would be arrested upon his release. Authorities did not identify the three juvenile suspects. Police said the shooting stemmed from an illegal gun sale and robbery. Gunfire was reported Tuesday evening at a town house complex just outside Fredericksburg, about 65 miles (105 kilometers) southwest of Washington, said Maj. Elizabeth Scott, spokesperson for the sheriffs office. When officials arrived, they found all of the victims outside, Scott said. Police said three men were declared dead: Chase Feaster, 18; Alonzo Goffney, 18; and a 20-year-old man, whom police did not yet identify. The three injured were taken to hospitals with gunshot wounds, police said. Their conditions and other information about them were not immediately available. The shootings may have been committed by more than one person, Scott said. An attorney for Upson was not listed in court records, according to the Spotsylvania County Juvenile Domestic Relations Court. The Fredericksburg Public Defenders Office, which serves Spotsylvania County, did not respond to a request for comment on whether they were representing Upson. He was not listed in public records. Authorities also asked for any witnesses to send any video that could help the investigation. Officials urged people to avoid the scene while authorities investigated. Area schools delayed openings by two hours on Wednesday morning. In a statement on its website, Fredericksburg City Public Schools said the delay will allow us the necessary time to prepare our buildings and staff to welcome students with the care and support they may need during this difficult time. Spotsylvania County Public Schools also announced a two-hour delay Wednesday, saying it would allow staff to have support in place to help students and staff who may have been impacted. The support included additional deputies and presence from the sheriff's office at each of the high schools, the school system said on its website. ___ Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. By Jihoon Lee and Heekyong Yang SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea on Wednesday announced emergency support measures for its auto sector, seeking to reduce the blow of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on a sector that has seen years of sharply rising exports to the United States. The measures include financial support for the auto industry as well as tax cuts and subsidies to boost domestic demand, while the government also vowed efforts to negotiate with the U.S. and help expand markets. Trump has announced a 25% tariff on imported cars and light trucks starting on Thursday. Manufacturers are expected to bear some of the tariff costs in the first year, but will eventually alter production and possibly cease importing certain low-volume models into the U.S. market. "Given the (lower) proportion of South Korean automakers' local production in the United States, our industry is comparably at a disadvantage," the government said in a statement. The tariff was expected to cause "significant" damage to South Korean automakers and auto parts manufacturers, though it was difficult to come up with numerical estimates at the moment, the government said. To help prevent any liquidity issues, the government will raise policy financing support for the auto industry to 15 trillion won ($10.18 billion) in 2025 from the 13 trillion won previously planned, according to the statement. The government will lower taxes on automobile purchases to 3.5% from the current 5% until June 2025 and raise electric-vehicle subsidies to 30%-80% of price discounts from the current 20-40% with the period extended by six months to the end of this year. The government said it would also actively support automakers' efforts to expand export markets in the "Global South", which refers to less developed countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia, where demand is growing. Regarding U.S. tariffs, the government said: "We will do our best to ensure that the U.S. does not treat South Korea in a disadvantageous way compared with other allies, through negotiations and by strengthening bilateral cooperation," without details. The auto industry welcomed the support plan, but said further discussions were needed on more tax benefits to boost domestic demand. "There is a lot of concern in the auto industry about whether this alone will be enough," an industry official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to speak to the media. In 2024, South Korea's exports of automobiles to the United States stood at $34.7 billion, accounting for 49% of its total auto exports. Hyundai Motor said last week that it plans to keep sticker prices on its current model lineup steady for the next two months in an effort to ease customer concerns that the fallout from tariffs will impact dealer lots. The programme runs until June 2, and comes after the South Korean group's $21 billion investment in the U.S. announced last month. Hyundai Motor's co-CEO Jose Munoz said there were no plans to raise prices in the United States, Hyundai's biggest revenue-generating market. Analysts said that Trump may have a preference to propose aggressive tariffs in order to extract quick concessions in a negotiation, adding that auto tariffs will put upward pressure on input costs for vehicles in general. Relative to the combustion engine vehicle supply chain, the electric vehicle (EV) supply chain would likely suffer a bigger impact due to a dependence on China for EV parts. ($1 = 1,473.0700 won) (Reporting by Heekyong Yang and Jihoon LeeEditing by Ed Davies) By Ju-min Park SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea's trade and industry minister Ahn Duk-geun said on Wednesday that potential cooperation with Washington in the shipbuilding sector is a "very important card" in negotiating with the U.S. over its tariffs. U.S. President Donald Trump spoke to South Korean interim leader Han Duck-soo late on Tuesday to discuss shipbuilding and potential energy deals in what Trump labelled a "great call", a day before a 25% tariff on its Asian ally is due to kick in. "Since President Trump and the Trump administration are showing great interest in shipbuilding cooperation, we believe that the shipbuilding sector will be a very important negotiating card for us," Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy Ahn told parliament, citing Trump's call with Han. U.S.-ally South Korea is a major global player in the shipbuilding industry and Trump has previously cited concern over how his country has fallen behind in a sector that is also dominated by China. Ahn warned, however, that U.S. tariffs were expected to have a "very negative" impact on South Korean exports such as automobiles, reiterating that the government would focus on negotiating with Washington. The Yonhap News Agency cited a senior official at Acting President Han's office as saying the top priority in negotiating with the U.S. was to lower tariff rates. Trump said he talked to Han about South Korea's payment for "big time" U.S. military protection, signaling that defence cost could be part of a broader deal not only about tariffs and trade. Trump has pressured allies including South Korea to pay more for American troops stationed in the countries. The official from Han's office, however, said the issue of defence cost was not connected to the tariff negotiations, according to Yonhap. On Wednesday, the South Korean government announced emergency support measures for its auto sector, which include tax cuts and subsidies to boost domestic demand. With South Korea seeking to negotiate with the U.S. over tariffs, not retaliate, Seoul's top trade envoy Cheong In-kyo is currently in Washington to meet top U.S. officials including Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Cheong said that he would put on the table a potential energy deal in Alaska and cooperation in shipbuilding in negotiating with Washington officials. South Korea has shown interest in the Alaska LNG project, which is part of Trump's bid to boost U.S. gas exports, but any participation would hinge on discussions with Washington, Minister Ahn said, noting the project might struggle to achieve profitability. Grilled by opposition lawmakers over whether the government was giving too much away, Ahn promised to protect the national interests. "We might have lost a few battles, but did not lose in a war. We will not lose in this war too," he said. (Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Ed Davies) The Supreme Court building in 2024. WASHINGTON The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered that, for now, President Donald Trump is not required to reinstate two members of independent federal agencies he wants to fire. The provisional decision affects Gwynne Wilcox, a member of the National Labor Relations Board, and Cathy Harris, a member of the Merit Systems Protection Board. Chief Justice John Roberts issued an order that temporarily blocked lower court rulings that said the two officials should be reinstated. The court will decide what next steps to take in the case after hearing from lawyers for the two ousted officials. Follow live politics coverage here Although the Supreme Court previously upheld protections against members of independent agencies being removed without cause, the current conservative majority has reversed course in recent cases affecting other agencies. Wilcox was appointed to the body that adjudicates labor disputes by then-President Joe Biden in 2021. Her five-year term would have expired in 2026. Under federal law, the president can only fire members "for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office." Cathy Harris and Gwynne Wilcox. Biden appointed Harris in 2022 to a seven-year term that has similar protections against removal. The Merit Systems Protection Board handles disputes involving federal employees. Trump sought to fire both soon after taking office. Wilcox and Harris both sued and won at the district court level. An appeals court panel initially ruled for Trump but, in a later ruling in which the entire bench of judges participated, reversed course in a 7-4 vote, prompting the administration to go to the Supreme Court. In recent rulings, the Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, has ruled that provisions protecting single heads of independent agencies were unconstitutional. But a 1935 precedent that upheld the structure of multimember agencies remains on the books. Conservative lawyers who favor broad presidential power have long argued that independent agencies are not sufficiently accountable to the democratically elected president under the Constitution's separation of powers provision. The president should be able to fire agency heads at will, they argue. Solicitor General D. John Sauer said in court papers that, because of the lower court rulings, Wilcox and Harris are effectively "exercising the president's executive power over the president's express objection." Lurking in the background of any effort to overturn the 1935 ruling, Humphrey's Executor v. United States, is whether the president would have the power to fire members of the Federal Reserve, which traditionally operates independently of the White House. A transgender military pilot filed a defamation lawsuit Wednesday against a conservative influencer who falsely claimed on social media that she was flying the helicopter that collided with a commercial jet near Reagan National Airport in January, killing 67 people. I want to hold this person accountable for what they did to me, Jo Ellis, a pilot who has served more than 15 years in the Virginia Army National Guard, said in a statement to NBC News. Its become too common that people can say horrible things about someone, profit at their expense, and get away with it. Jo Ellis created a "proof of life" video after false claims on social media linked her to the plane crash near Reagan National Airport in January. On Jan. 30, less than 24 hours after the crash, conservative influencer Matt Wallace, who has 2.2 million followers on the social media platform X, shared a post from another account he operates stating that the helicopter pilot was transgender, according to the lawsuit. Wallace included a photo of Ellis, and the post went viral, the lawsuit states. Wallace deleted that original post, according to the lawsuit, and then shared two others linking Ellis to the crash. One referred to an interview that Ellis did with The Smerconish Podcast, in which she said President Donald Trumps executive order barring trans people from serving and enlisting in the military made her nervous. The second post included photos of Ellis and said she might have participated in another trans terror attack, according to the lawsuit. That post received 4.8 million views on X, the suit states. Wallace did not immediately return a request for comment regarding the allegations in the lawsuit. On Jan. 31, after Ellis learned about the rumors, she shared a proof of life video on Facebook. I understand some people have associated me with the crash in D.C., and that is false, Ellis said in the Facebook video. It is insulting to the families to try to tie this to some sort of political agenda. They dont deserve that. I dont deserve this. And I hope that you all know that I am alive and well, and this should be sufficient for you all to end all the rumors. Soon after Ellis statement on Facebook, Wallace shared another X users post with Ellis video, writing that it was an Important Update! and adding that Ellis was not piloting the helicopter and is still alive. Wallace also wrote in another X post that the original rumor that Ellis had been flying the helicopter involved in the crash came from another account with the handle @FakeGayPolitics, which is no longer active. Wallace said the rumor seemed credible because Ellis, whom Wallace misgendered in his posts, wrote an article calling out Trumps trans military ban only a few days ago. Ellis was not involved in the midair collision, the lawsuit states, did not write an article calling out Trumps trans military ban and did not engage in another trans terror attack. Equality Legal Action Fund, an LGBTQ legal organization representing Ellis, argues in the complaint that Wallace concocted a destructive and irresponsible defamation campaign against Ellis. The damage caused to Plaintiff by Defendant was instantaneous and immense, the lawsuit continues. Prior to Defendants campaign, Plaintiff was a private citizen who led a private life away from social media and the limelight. When Plaintiff awoke on January 31, 2025, she discovered she was the second most-trending topic in the United States on X with more than 90,000 posts mentioning her name or her likeness. Plaintiff was forced into the public sphere and can no longer remain a private citizen due to Defendants lies. Ellis said her life was turned upside down by Wallaces posts. I feared for the safety of my family and myself and had to arrange private armed security, she said in her statement to NBC News. Im now recognized in public and forever associated with that terrible tragedy over the Potomac. When I go out in public I have to look over my shoulder now. Ellis suit seeks damages for the injury to her reputation, though Ellis said she plans to donate any money that she wins from the suit to the families of the people who died in the crash. Trans people have increasingly been falsely blamed for tragedies and violence in recent years, particularly after mass shootings. Since 2022, false or unconfirmed claims have linked trans people to mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; Philadelphia; Madison, Wisconsin; and Des Moines, Iowa. In addition, since January, the Trump administration has enacted several policies targeting trans people, including the trans military ban, which states that being openly trans is not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member. Two judges have temporarily blocked that policy from taking effect. Elon Musk took another jab at President Donald Trumps senior trade adviser Peter Navarro Tuesday, calling him a moron on social media as the Tesla CEO further splits from the White Houses tariffs plan. Musks remarks were in response to a CNBC interview with Navarro on that aired Monday, during which the White House trade adviser discussed how Teslas position as a car assembler rather than a car manufacturer could be at odds with Trumps tariff policies. The comments come as Trump announced widespread tariffs on a swath of countries, causing market volatility and likely increasing the cost of cars by thousands of dollars. In many cases, if you go to his Texas plant, a good part of the engines that he gets, which in the EV case are the batteries, come from Japan and come from China. The electronics come from Taiwan, Navarro said. The difference is, in our thinking and Elons on this, is that we want the tires made in Akron, he continued. We want the transmissions made in Indianapolis. We want the engines made in Flint and Saginaw. And we want the cars manufactured here. Musk said Navarro is truly a moron in an X post replying to a video of the comments being shared on the social media platform. What he says here is demonstrably false, he wrote, before calling Navarro Peter Retarrdo in another derogatory comment. Musk claimed Tesla has the most American-made cars, in another series of X posts, adding that Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks. By any definition whatsoever, Tesla is the most vertically integrated auto manufacturer in America with the highest percentage of US content. Navarro should ask the fake expert he invented, Ron Vara, he added. Trade advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump Peter Navarro departs after U.S. President Donald Trump signs executive orders imposing tariffs on April 2, 2025. - Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Tesla has dominated Cars.coms American-Made Index since 2021, based on criteria including assembly location, where the parts are made, engine origin, transmission origin and US manufacturing workforce. Still, Tesla isnt immune to tariffs, a reality that Musk has acknowledged. The tariff impact on Tesla is still significant, he wrote on X last month. Musks Tuesday remarks come after he posted, and then deleted, a comment saying Navarros PhD from Harvard is a bad thing, and that he hasnt built sh*t. Navarro dismissed concerns over a clash with Musk on Monday, saying everything is good with Elon, no problem. when speaking to CNBC. Musk has also diverged with Trump on tariffs, posting videos about free trade and saying at an Italian event he believes there should be zero tariffs between the US and Europe. The Washington Post reported Monday that Musk also made a direct appeal to Trump. Its not the first time Musk has disagreed with Trump on a policy or personnel pick. But the split over tariffs is one of the more significant differences in perspective between the president and his biggest booster and top adviser. The White House for its part, is shrugging off Musks comments. These are obviously two individuals who have very different views on trade and on tariffs. Boys will be boys and we will let their public sparring continue, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a press briefing on Tuesday. I think it also speaks to the presidents willingness to hear from all sides that he has people at the highest levels of this government, in this White House, who have very diverse opinions on very diverse issues. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Displaced people fleeing from Boko Haram incursions into Niger attend a World Food Programme (WFP) and USAID food distribution at the Asanga refugee camp near Diffa on June 16, 2016. - ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP/Getty Images The US Agency for International Development (USAID) reversed course Tuesday and restored several of the World Food Programmes lifesaving humanitarian aid contracts after canceling them over the weekend, a source familiar told CNN. The reversal comes after the World Food Programme warned Monday that the cuts could amount to a death sentence for millions of people facing extreme hunger and starvation. The UN agency said it had received notice from the Trump administration indicating that funding for emergency food assistance in 14 countries has been terminated. According to the source familiar, USAID restored its funding for WFP programs in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Ecuador and Somalia. Jeremy Lewin, a top USAID official affiliated with the Department of Government Efficiency, requested in an email Tuesday that the terminations be rescinded. Sorry for all the back and forth on awards, he wrote in the email, which was seen by CNN. There are a lot of stakeholders and we need to do better about balancing these competing interests thats my fault and I take responsibility. A State Department spokesperson confirmed that the WFP programs had been restored, telling CNN that while they have been reinstated, the State Department and USAID intend to work with WFP to modify awards in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Ecuador, and Somalia to better align with Administration priorities. Four contracts supporting the work of the International Organization for Migration in the Pacific region were also restored, the source said. It is not the first time the agency hollowed out by DOGE has reversed course after terminating a contract for lifesaving aid. The latest reversal, first reported by Reuters, was alluded to by State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce at a State Department briefing. There were a few programs that were cut in other countries that were not meant to be cut, that have been rolled back and put into place, she said without providing details on the restored programs. The US has not backed away from our commitments to providing lifesaving food aid, she said Tuesday. CNN has reached out to the State Department for comment. Still, many of USAIDs humanitarian aid funding remains cut, including all of its remaining contracts for Afghanistan and Yemen aid. Bruce said Tuesday that 85% of previously existing USAID programs with the World Food Programme worldwide remain active and ongoing, but noted that a limited number were terminated. Those included programs in Afghanistan and Yemen, she confirmed, saying they were canceled through an executive order that was issued based on concern that the funding was benefiting terrorist groups, including the Houthis and the Taliban. A spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee told CNN that USAID canceled funding for their work in Afghanistan, which was a lifeline for the estimated 23 million people in humanitarian need. The spokesperson said their work addressed acute food insecurity and some of the severest forms of malnutrition as well as sanitation services and services for women and children. USAID also canceled contracts with WFP for food assistance and other services in Somalia, Niger, and Jordan, the official said. They were among scores of contracts for lifesaving work much of which had previously been cleared to continue that were terminated by USAID last weekend. Bruce said other awards were terminated because they provided cash-based assistance, which the administration is moving away from given concerns about misuse and lack of appropriate accountability for American taxpayers here at home. Humanitarian officials have decried the latest round of cuts and warned they could have life or death consequences. This sudden withdrawal of vital humanitarian support will have devastating consequences for millions of people, said Tom Hart, President and CEO of InterAction, an alliance of non-governmental organizations. We call on the administration to reverse these decisions and collaborate with implementing NGOs on a responsible approach to life-saving assistance, he said. We also urge Congress to assert its oversight authority to ensure Americas humanitarian commitments are fulfilled. This story and headline have been updated with additional developments. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Shortly after President Donald Trump on Wednesday suddenly backtracked on his destabilizing "reciprocal" tariffs, instituting a 90-day pause for most affected nations except China, reporters asked him what led him to the change in course. "I thought that people were jumping a little bit out of line. They were getting yippy. You know, they were getting a little bit yippy, a little bit afraid," Trump said during a photo op with racing champions outside the White House. It's unclear what exactly he was referring to, but he signaled he had been keeping an eye on the wildly volatile markets, including a sell-off in the bond market where he said "people were getting a little queasy." "Over the last few days it looked pretty glum," he said, before quickly turning to tout the stock uptick immediately after his announcement of the 90-day pause -- something he first communicated in a social media post that rocked the markets and the world. PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks during an event with the racing champions from NASCAR Cup Series, NTT IndyCar Series, and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, at the White House in Washington, April 9, 2025. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) "You have to be flexible," Trump explained, despite repeatedly insisting his tariffs were here to stay. "You have to be able to show a little flexibility. And I'm able to do that." Later, in the Oval Office, Trump said the pause was something he'd been thinking about over a period of time that "came together this morning." "And we decided to pull the trigger, and we did it today, and we're happy about it," Trump said. It was a marked shift from his bluster earlier in the week. Trump had told ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce on Monday he was "not looking" at a pause. On Tuesday night, hours before the elevated tariffs took effect, his defiant message for Republican lawmakers at a party dinner was: "I know what the hell I'm doing." White House officials spun Trump's abrupt reversal as courageous and even part of an overall grand negotiation strategy, even though the administration had been sending mixed messages on whether bargaining was even on the table. "It took great courage, great courage for him to stay the course until this moment and what we have ended up with here," said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. PHOTO: President Donald Trump prepares to sign an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House, April 9, 2025 in Washington. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) "President Trump created maximum negotiating leverage for himself, and the tariffs went into effect 15 hours ago, the ones that we have lowered ... were announced a week ago, and we've just been overwhelmed, overwhelmed by the response from mostly our allies, who want to come and negotiate in good faith," Bessent said. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told the media, "Clearly you missed the art of the deal" -- a clear reference to Trump's 1987 book. "We finally have a president here at the White House who is playing the long game, who is doing what is right for the American worker in our industries here at home," Leavitt contended. MORE: Trump changes tune as his billionaire supporters push back against tariffs While markets surged after Trump's pause announcement, uncertainty continues over what happens next. Bessent said Trump wants to be "personally involved" in the negotiations with other nations, and that "it is going to take some time." Trump said he wants to make "fair deals." PHOTO: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speak to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House, April 9, 2025, in Washington. (Nathan Howard/Reuters) Looming large is the China factor as the U.S. and Beijing -- the world's two largest economies -- escalate tariffs. As part of the pause, the White House said for countries that want to negotiate, the baseline tariff level for all trading partners will be lowered to 10%. For China, however, Tump's tariff is being increased to a whopping 125% after Beijing issued retaliatory taxes on U.S. goods. Trump said on Wednesday he was "honored" to have imposed the tariffs, arguing no other president would have done it. "Nothing's over yet, but we have a tremendous amount of spirit from other countries, including China," Trump said. "China wants to make a deal. They just don't know how quite to go about it." Trump's "Liberation Day" unveiling of high tariff rates for dozens of trade partners marked an achievement Trump's chased for decades. But in the days that followed, markets slumped and trillions of dollars were lost in retirement and college savings accounts. Republicans and business leaders started to openly express mounting anxiety over the president's sweeping approach, some of whom Trump said he'd watched on cable news shows. Senate and House Republicans expressed relief after hearing of Trump's change of heart. "A lot of smiles," said Sen. Mike Rounds. Trump explains dramatic reversal on tariffs: People getting 'a little bit afraid' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Two teenagers have been charged with murder in the death of a woman a mother of one of the teens who was vacationing in southern Utah last month. The two teenagers, ages 16 and 17, have been charged with the first-degree murder of 47-year-old Andreea Mottram on March 23, the Washington City Police Department shared on Friday, April 4. The teenagers are also facing charges of second-degree obstruction of justice and motor vehicle theft. They will be charged as adults. On the morning of March 23, police responded to a call from cleaners at a VRBO rental home in Washington City, Utah about the presence of a dead body. Washington City is about 124 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. Upon arriving to the home, police discovered Mottram's body, stabbed 14 times, according to court documents. She had been in the rental home for three days before she was killed. 'I did it': Texas teen charged with murder in track meet stabbing cites self-defense World news: Dozens of hippos found dead at national park in Africa due to anthrax poisoning Police believe the teens and Mottram were the sole occupants of the rental home, and during their search, police determined there were no signs of forced entry. In the rental home, police found two cell phones and a purse linked to the teens. They also found a knife in the sink that had been washed off. However, traces of blood were found on the knife, court documents state. A pair of balled up pants with blood stains were also found inside the home. After the killing, police said the teens stole a rented Hyundai Kona under Mottram's name and fled Washington City. USA TODAY is not naming the teenagers because they are minors. Information on their legal representation was not immediately available. The teens are believed to be romantic partners, as outlined by court documents. A man identified as "Frank" in court documents told police the 16-year-old had a history of violent behavior and self-harm. In November 2024 he had found a diary written by the teen that indicated "how much she hated her mother and wrote that she wanted to kill her," court documents state. The teens had both been in residential treatment facilities, which provide health care for individuals with substance abuse disorders, mental illness or other behavior problems, according to court documents. The 16-year-old had been in a facility for three years. The 17-year-old was in a facility for one year before recently being removed by parents, court documents said. It is unclear if the two teenagers were at the same residential treatment facility. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Teens arrested in killing of mom Andreea Mottram in Utah rental home Whenever my life feels like it's veering into disarray, my first step toward recovery is applying eye patches in the morning. Cool to the touch, the refreshing texture of an under-eye patch makes me feel like I'm making up for lost sleep. But here's the thing about eye patches: They often feel more performative than functional. That is, unless you're using them correctly. Ahead, we asked board-certified dermatologists Howard Sobel, MD, Asmi Berry, DO, and Nava Greenfield, MD, whether eye patches actually work, how to use them properly so you're not just getting a placebo effect, and how they compare to eye creams. Read on for more. Meet Our Expert Howard Sobel, MD, is a clinical attending dermatologic surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital and the founder of Sobel Skin Rx. Asmi Berry, DO, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist in Los Angeles. Nava Greenfield, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist of Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York City. What Are Under-Eye Patches? Under-eye patches are small, contoured patches typically made from a gel or hydrogel material infused with serum, Sobel says. "Their unique crescent shape allows them to sit comfortably under the eye to address the delicate skin around the area." They're designed to sit under the eyes and deliver targeted ingredients to treat under-eye skincare concerns: "Most people use them to hydrate the skin under the eye, improve fine lines, wrinkles, and crow's feet, and reduce dark circles and puffiness," says Sobel. While not all eye patches contain the same ingredients, they generally offer temporary benefits that help awaken the under-eye area and create a more refreshed appearance. Adds Berry: "They create an occlusive barrier, helping ingredients like caffeine, hyaluronic acid, and peptides absorb more effectively and faster into the delicate eye area." Do They Actually Work? "They can work well, but for short-term results," says Berry. Sobel agrees, noting that eye patches temporarily boost hydration and help reduce puffiness. Additionally, they can smooth crepey skin and lessen the appearance of dark circles. "They aren't a permanent solution for long-term under-eye concerns. That's something best addressed with in-office treatments by a board-certified dermatologist," he explains. "But they can offer a quick fix in the short term." Berry recommends looking for patches with clinically backed ingredients like caffeine to target puffiness, peptides for firming, and hyaluronic acid for hydration. "While they won't erase wrinkles permanently, they're great for an instantly refreshed look before an event," she says. "Look for hydrogel or bio-cellulose materials, which deliver ingredients more effectively than paper or cotton." How to Use Them Correctly Sobel recommends applying under-eye patches to a clean face and leaving them on for about 15 minutes. He adds that after you take them off, you can even massage any remaining serum into the skin. Storing them in the refrigerator can enhance their cooling and de-puffing effect on the under-eye area. Berry and Sobel say you can use eye patches a few times a week or even daily if your skin tolerates them, as they are generally safe for everyday use. However, Greenfield warns against placing them over active acne, open wounds, rashes, or infections. Eye Cream vs. Eye Patches Deciding between a daily eye cream and under-eye patches can be confusing. Sobel explains that eye patches are typically marketed for immediate results to wake up tired eyes, while eye creams should be part of your regular skincare routine for long-term benefits. "I recommend starting to use eye creams in your early twenties," he says. "I like eye creams formulated with retinol to increase collagen production [and] with niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to improve hydration. Eye creams are also great for reducing inflammation and brightening the skin." Greenfield adds that eye patches are generally only used on the lower eyelids, whereas eye cream can be applied to both the upper and lower lids. "The patches will have a deeper penetration and delivery of ingredients," she adds. "But cream can be used morning and night, so it really depends on what you are looking for." The Final Takeaway While eye creams are best for daily, long-term treatment and prevention, eye patches are a great quick fix, perfect for when you need an instant boost or are especially tired. Berry explains that eye creams are particularly effective for hydration, firming, and brightening over time and that eye patches work well before big events when you want to look more refreshed. For best results, she recommends using eye patches in the morning and eye cream both morning and night. You can also apply eye cream after removing the patches to help seal in the benefits. Read the original article on Byrdie America's "reciprocal tariffs" are a direct attack on the multilateral trading system 10:42, April 09, 2025 By Zhong Sheng ( People's Daily The United States' recent unveiling of a so-called "reciprocal tariff" plan - a sweeping proposal to impose tariffs on all its trading partners - has drawn widespread backlash from the international community. Critics contend that beneath the veneer of "reciprocity," the plan is little more than economic bullying - a stark retreat into power politics that seriously unravels the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core and places global economic stability in jeopardy. This policy is built on shaky grounds, relying on subjective judgments and unilateral assessments that severely infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of other nations. While American officials justify the move as a correction to so-called long-standing trade imbalances, this narrative of American "victimhood" rings hollow. It not only disregards the balanced outcomes achieved through multilateral trade negotiations but also ignores the fact that the U.S. has long benefited substantially from international trade. At its core, this tariff strategy is not about fairness - it is about force. It leverages the sheer size of the American economy to strong-arm weaker trading partners into compliance, sidelining the very principles of multilateralism. By targeting all trading partners without discrimination, the U.S. appears to be transforming "America first" into something even more insular: "America Only." As The Economist observed, the U.S. takes its trade policies back to the 19th century, ignoring the fact that globalization has brought unprecedented prosperity to itself. This blatant display of "might makes right" is a direct assault on the rules-based order that has underpinned global trade for decades. Chad Bown, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, noted that the U.S. push for "reciprocal tariffs" violates WTO rules by discriminating among trading partners and unilaterally hiking duties beyond agreed limits. The multilateral trading system, centered around the WTO, has played a crucial role in reducing trade frictions and fostering global economic stability and prosperity. The U.S. tariff plan does not just disrupt this system - it puts it at risk of collapse. Already, America's closest partners are pushing back. European Commission (EU) President Ursula von der Leyen warned that the EU is now preparing for further countermeasures to protect its interests and businesses if negotiations fail. Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter pointed out, "The country's long-term economic interests are paramount. Adherence to international law and free trade remains core values." The Brazilian government said it was evaluating all possible actions to ensure reciprocity in bilateral trade, including resorting to the WTO, in defense of legitimate national interests. China, for its part, remains committed to multilateralism. As the world's second-largest economy and a firm supporter of the multilateral trading system, China continues to advocate for resolving trade disputes through dialogue and consultation - not through unilateral threats or protectionist measures. China's position is grounded in the belief that the principles and rules of the WTO must be upheld, that trade and investment should flow more freely, and that shared prosperity can only come from open cooperation. China believes that multilateralism is the only choice for addressing global challenges, and economic globalization is an unstoppable trend of history. In response to America's "reciprocal tariffs," China will take firm and effective measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests. At the same time, China will continue to work with other countries to uphold true multilateralism, defend the multilateral trading system, promote universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, actively participate in global economic governance, and strive to build an open world economy. In today's era of economic globalization, retreating into beggar-thy-neighbor policies is not just short-sighted - it is self-defeating. Preserving the multilateral trading system is a prerequisite for safeguarding shared interests and securing lasting prosperity for all. The U.S. should abandon its zero-sum approach, immediately withdraw its unilateral tariff measures, return to the path of dialogue and cooperation, and work with its trading partners on equal footing to properly resolve differences and deliver tangible benefits to people around the world. Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People's Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs. (Web editor: Liang Jun, Zhong Wenxing) FILE - U.S. political science lecturer Paul Chambers,left, of Thailand's Naresuan University, stands outside the police station in Phitsanulok, Thailand, where he was arrested on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, on charges of insulting the monarchy. (AP Photo, file) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) BANGKOK (AP) A U.S scholar teaching in Thailand who was jailed on charges of insulting the countrys monarchy an offense punishable by up to 15 years in prison was released on bail on Wednesday, but also had his visa revoked, an indication he could be deported soon. An appeals court granted Paul Chambers release on bail after it was twice denied on Tuesday by a lower court, said the advocacy group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. No trial date has been set. However, since immigration police earlier on Wednesday revoked his visa, Chambers could be deported home to the United States at any time. He has the right to appeal the visa revocation within 48 hours, according to police Maj. Gen. Sarawut Khonyai. Chambers was first jailed on Tuesday pending trial following a complaint by the Thai army that he had insulted the nations monarchy, an offense also known as 112 after its article number in the criminal code. He has been working as a lecturer at Naresuan University in Thailands northern province of Phitsanulok, The U.S. State Department said in a statement Tuesday that it was alarmed by Chambers arrest and urged "Thai authorities to respect freedom of expression and to ensure that laws are not used to stifle permitted expression." A 58-year-old Oklahoma native with a doctorate in political science from Northern Illinois University, Chambers has studied the Thai military, which has staged 13 coups since Thailand became a constitutional monarchy in 1932, most recently 11 years ago. The charge against him was related to a webinar he took part in last October, organized by the ISEASYusof Ishak Institute, a think tank in Singapore. His defenders say he had nothing to do with what was quoted in the charge sheet. He was also charged with violating the Computer Crime Act, covering online activities. Akarachai Chaimaneekarakate of the Thai lawyers' group said Chambers visa was revoked on the basis of an immigration law barring entry to foreigners who are deemed likely to engage in activities contrary to public order or good morals, prostitution, people smuggling and drug trafficking. Thai law calls for 3-15 years imprisonment for anyone who defames, insults or threatens the king, the queen, the heir apparent or the regent. Critics say it is among the harshest such laws anywhere. The legislation has also been used to punish critics of the government and the military. Thai Lawyers for Human Rights has said that since early 2020, more than 270 people many of them student activists have been charged with violating the law. The three friends Amer, Abed and Ayub went out to the almond groves near their family homes in the West Bank town of Turmus Ayya on Sunday to enjoy the tart, green fruits that grow in springtime, their relatives said. What happened next has left families grieving and outraged from the hills of the West Bank to the New Jersey communities where two of the boys once lived, and where many of their relatives still reside. Shots rang out, 36 at first, fired by Israeli soldiers in the distance. After a brief lull, shooting resumed. The shots were closer in range. This time there were 10 shots. These scenes were captured by a video shared with the Bergen Record, part of the USA TODAY Network, by a New Jersey advocacy organization on Tuesday. The gunfire and the faint screams of children can be heard over the sound of the sunset call to prayer in audio from a neighbors surveillance camera. Amer's family, which provided the video, said it captures in sound what happened on April 6. Coupled with official reports and family interviews, it paints a bloody picture. Clifton, NJ -- April 8, 2025 -- Rania Mustafa, executive director of the Palestinian American Community Center, speaks during at a press conference at the center in response to the killing of 14-year-old Amer Rabee. He was reported shot by Israelis while visiting the West Bank. Amer Rabee, 14, who grew up in Saddle Brook, New Jersey, was shot 11 times and killed. Ayub Igbara, 14, also a New Jersey native from Little Ferry, was shot three times and critically injured. Abed Shehada, 15, is recovering from his wounds and is stable. Igbara is a U.S. citizen. Rabee was a U.S. citizen as well. The Israeli Defense Forces said its soldiers shot the boys, alleging that they were targeted because they had been throwing rocks and endangering civilians. Amers father, Mohammed, on Tuesday described the harrowing events of that day, as he desperately tried to find his son and get him help. He was home, resting, when neighbors alerted him. Someone called me and said they started shooting," Rabee said. The caller told him, "Two are injured and one is still there. I think he is your son. NJ Gov. Phil Murphy, Sens. Cory Booker and Andy Kim demand answers On Tuesday, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy issued a statement saying he was "asking for answers from the Israeli government" as to why Amer was killed. On Monday, U.S. Sens. Cory Booker and Andy Kim issued separate statements calling for inquiries into Amer's killing and for the Trump administration to reinstate sanctions on Israeli settlers who have attacked Palestinians. Rep. Nellie Pou, who represents Amer's former town, Saddle Brook, said she had reached out to the State Department for answers, adding that families were "in anguish." Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, a Democrat who represents New Jersey's 12th Congressional District, called the incident an atrocity in a statement on X. How can the Israeli military possibly justify shooting and killing an American teenager in cold blood? she said. The US must step in and stop this madness. Pleading for help Rabee spoke about the ordeal by video at a press conference Tuesday at the Palestinian American Community Center in Clifton, New Jersey, where his brother is a board member. Alongside community leaders, he called for an investigation and accountability for his son and his friends. When he got word that his son had been shot, Rabee called the U.S. Embassy, which helps American citizens abroad in emergency situations, according to its mission. The people on the line asked him many questions about his residency and his passport number, as he pleaded with them for help. Clifton, NJ -- April 8, 2025 -- Rami Jbara is the uncle of shooting victim Amer Rabee and listens to the victims father, Mohammed Rabee, on a Zoom call during a press conference at the Palestinian American Community Center in response to the killing of the 14-year-old. He was reported shot by Israelis while visiting the West Bank. I told them, 'Just do it fast,' he said. If he is injured, go fast and help him, to save his life." I heard from the Palestinian side, maybe after an hour and a half, 'Your son is already dead.' After the initial shooting, Ayub and Abed were able to run away, Rabee said. Israeli soldiers found Amer and kept him in their custody. Clifton, NJ -- April 8, 2025 -- Rami Jbara, the uncle of the shooting victim, speaks during a press conference at the Palestinian American Community Center in response to the killing of 14-year-old Amer Rabee. He was reported shot by Israelis while visiting the West Bank. Residents of the town told Rabee that Israeli forces had detained an ambulance for 30 minutes at a checkpoint before it reached the two injured boys. The ambulance workers then asked about the third injured teenager. Israeli officials told them there were only two and to leave, they said. Three or four hours later, Rabee got the call to come retrieve his sons body at an Israeli military base about a half-hour away. A doctor who examined the body found 11 gunshot wounds from two types of guns, Rabee said. Bonded in friendship The three boys were friends, bonded by their upbringing in the United States and their lives in Turmus Ayya. The affluent town is a popular destination for Palestinian Americans, many of whom spend summers there, retire there or live there part time. The Rabee family moved to the West Bank in 2013, to Turmus Ayya. Like some Palestinian families, they send children there for a few years at a young age to learn about family, culture and language before returning to the United States. They travel back and forth often, and Amers older siblings now live in the New Jersey towns of Wayne, Hackensack and Little Ferry. Amers friends also were born in the United States and spent their early years there. Ayub, 14, lived in Little Ferry for the first two years of his life before the family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, and later to the West Bank, said his uncle, Naji Igbara. Ayub Igbara, 14, a native of Little Ferry, NJ, was critically injured on April 6, 2025, after Israeli soldiers shot him and two friends in the West Bank town of Turmus Ayya in the West Bank. While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, Ayub lost a life-threatening 16 pints of blood, his family said. They worried he would bleed out and die. On Monday, Ayub underwent a six-hour surgery. He is expected to undergo surgery again on Wednesday. Igbara said his condition was critical. Abed, from Macon, Georgia, is recovering and doing well, he said. Family fires back at Israeli claims The Israeli Defense Forces said it shot the boys during operational activity of fighters from Unit 636 in the Turmus Ayya area. The fighters identified three terrorists who were throwing rocks toward a highway with civilian vehicles, the IDF said in a statement. The fighters fired at the terrorists who posed a danger to the civilians, eliminated one of them, and injured the two additional terrorists, it said. The IDF released a grainy, 10-second video showing three figures in a field. One appears to toss something at the end. Its not clear who is in the video, if Amer threw anything, or what was thrown. More: 'Tears in my eyes': Family remembers Palestinian American teen killed in the West Bank It could have been a rock to shake the green almond fruit off a tree, said Amers uncle, Rami Jbara of Wayne. He questioned why the IDF released only a 10 second clip, and nothing that shows what happened after that or who fired the close-range shots. Because we are Palestinian, we deserve to get shot in Israel? Jbara asked. He was here two months ago and celebrating a birth. His sister had a baby girl. He visited the family and just got back. He is still young, and I dont believe he deserved to get shot. This kid is unarmed. No weapons, no tanks, no guns, no nothing," Jbara added. "Hes just playing on top of a tree getting these almonds. They enjoy it. Smoke rises after the Israeli army blew up the house of a Palestinian militant who killed one IDF soldier and wounded six others at the HaParsa Junction on March 22, 2024, in Deir Ibzi town, near Ramallah, in the West Bank, April 9,2025. Even if Amer did throw rocks, asked his father, would it warrant a death sentence? They dont want to catch him, Rabee said. They want to kill him. He is 14 years old. If he did something wrong, there are many ways to fix that and not to kill him. Earlier: Fatally shot Palestinian American teen from NJ is laid to rest in the West Bank Amer Mohammed Saada Rabee, 14, a U.S. citizen who grew up in Saddle Brook, was killed Sunday, April 6, by Israeli troops in the West Bank. His shirt bears the image of his cousin, Omar Qattin, who was killed in June 2023 by an Israeli setter. His son, he said, was kind and intelligent, ranking first in his class. He enjoyed playing video games with friends. Hes got many friends here in Turmus Ayya, Rabee said. Everyone is crying here and feels bad for losing him. They called him a terrorist, Rabee said. They said, 'We shot three terrorists.' A plea for justice The shooting on Sunday was not the first time Rabee family members were attacked in their town. Israeli settlers tore through the town on June 21, 2023, firing guns and burning homes and cars, in what they described as revenge for a shooting by Palestinian gunmen days earlier, Rabee recalled Tuesday. Rabees home was set on fire, damaged and made unlivable, he said. More: Israeli settlers set sights on Trump support for full control of West Bank During the attack on their town, he and other residents pleaded for help from the U.S. Embassy. Its representatives did not stop the attacks. They met with residents a week later to collect information and video evidence. Rabee heard from the embassy the day after his son was killed, he said. He got another call on Tuesday. Clifton, NJ -- April 8, 2025 -- A poster displayed at a press conference at the Palestinian American Community Center in response to the killing of 14-year-old Amer Rabee. He was reported shot by Israelis while visiting the West Bank. Someone called me today from the U.S. Embassy [asking], 'Do you need any help?' he said. I said, 'Alhamdulillah ("praise be to God").' He died. I dont know what now, what you do.' He called for the United States to stop sending military aid to Israel. The Palestinian American Community Center and the Council on American-Islamic Relations of New Jersey demanded an investigation and called for accountability for the boys, and other Palestinian Americans who have been harmed. A Palestinian man walks in a damaged room, following an Israeli settlers' attack, near Duma in Nablus, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, March 14, 2025. Our children have targets on their backs because of who they are, because of the identity they were born in, said the centers executive director, Rania Mustafa. Regardless of where you stand or what your politics are, Mustafa said, it is our responsibility as the adults of the world to protect our children. We call on the USA to formally investigate this grave injustice. We call on our local and state officials to publicly condemn the unjust murder of an American child. Selaedin Maksut, head of CAIR-NJ, echoed those calls. "Amer's family deserves justice," he said. "Our elected officials must speak up and call for accountability." Correction: Abed Shehada, one of three boys shot on April 6, is not a U.S. citizen. Initial reports, provided by friends of the family, were incorrect. Hannan Adely is a reporter with the Bergen Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2 Palestinian shooting victims were Americans from NJ Camden County Prosecutor's Office of New Jersey Jaclyn Diiorio A 26-year-old woman from New Jersey has been arrested and charged after allegedly trying to hire a hitman to kill her ex-boyfriend, who is a police officer, and his teen daughter, according to police Jacylyn Diiori met the hitman on Tinder, police say Diiorio's charges include two counts of first-degree attempted murder A New Jersey woman has been charged after allegedly trying to hire a hitman to kill her ex-boyfriend and his daughter, police say. On Tuesday, April 8, the Camden County Prosecutor's Office of New Jersey shared in a Facebook post that 26-year-old Jaclyn Diiorio had been charged on April 4 in a murder-for-hire plot. Diiorio was charged with two counts of first-degree attempted murder, one count of first-degree conspiracy to commit murder, and one count of third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance. According to authorities, Diiorio offered around $12,000 to a hitman to kill her Philadelphia Police Department officer ex, 53, and his 19-year-old daughter. On April 3, 2025, the Camden County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit was informed of a murder-for-hire plot involving Diiorio, the release read. The defendant had communicated to a confidential informant that she wanted to have her ex-boyfriend a 53-year-old officer with the Philadelphia Police Department and his 19-year-old daughter killed. PEOPLE has contacted the Camden County Prosecutor's Office for further comment. Mateusz Slodkowski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Tinder logo According to NBC10 Philadelphia, a Camden County criminal complaint/affidavit said Diiorio met the informant on the Tinder dating app. They then met in person on March 31 at a Wawa in Runnemede, New Jersey. The pair went on to exchange text messages and phone calls from March 31 to April 3, with the defendant telling the informant that she wanted her ex dead. The county prosecutor's major crimes unit was made aware of the alleged murder-for-hire plot on April 3, before a Camden County detective informed Philadelphia police that the plot target was a police officer, per the outlet. On April 4, 2025, Diiorio met with the informant on the 1300 block of North Black Horse Pike in Gloucester Township and she provided the informant with $500 in cash, authorities stated, per the Camden County Prosecutor's Office of New Jersey. After the money was exchanged, Diiorio was taken into custody by the Gloucester Township Police Department Special Response Team. Diiorio was found to be in possession of a bottle of suspected alprazolam pills. George Sheldon/Alamy Stock Photo A Philadelphia Police Department car Diiorio was remanded to the Camden County Correctional Facility, pending a detention hearing on April 9, 2025, in Superior Court, the release added. The Camden County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit and Gloucester Township Police Department were also assisted in this investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force Camden Division. The Philadelphia Police Department told PEOPLE in a statement, "PPD was made aware of these serious allegations against our officer and their family member. From the outset, we provided investigatory assistance in this matter, just as we would for any member of our community. We commend and appreciate the diligence and hard work of the Camden County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit, the Gloucester Township Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service in bringing this individual to justice." According to NBC10 Philadelphia, the Philadelphia officer, who has not been named, told authorities that he met Diiorio when she was his hairdresser. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Although its unclear when the former couple began dating, the officer told detectives that he and Diiorio broke up on March 6, per the outlet. During the summer of 2024, Diiorio filed a temporary restraining order against the officer, but it was later dropped. According to the outlet, the affidavit of probable cause also says the officer told authorities that "his home was vandalized by a Molotov cocktail in September 2022. Read the original article on People By Lucy Craymer and Alasdair Pal WELLINGTON/SYDNEY (Reuters) -New Zealand and Australia said on Thursday they are each working with other nations on a possible joint response to shore up free trade against a barrage of U.S. tariffs. New Zealands Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said at a press conference he will be talking to other world leaders in series of calls on Thursday to make the case for free trade, but he did not say which leaders he intended to speak with. In a speech on Thursday he said one idea was for members of the European Union and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership to work together. International trade has been upended by U.S. President Donald Trump who announced sweeping tariffs last week on dozens of countries, which were met by retaliatory tariffs by many of them, triggering massive volatility in markets. In a stunning reversal, on Wednesday Trump said he would temporarily suspend the hefty tariffs he had imposed on most countries. Australia's foreign minister Penny Wong said government ministers had held discussions with Southeast Asian nations, Japan, Korea, India and the EU about a joint response to U.S. tariffs. "There is a group of countries who see the benefit of free and open and fair trade," she said in an interview with state broadcaster ABC. Luxon said in a speech his phone calls would be an opportunity to compare notes on global trade and discuss what countries can do together to buttress the rules-based trading system as a path to prosperity. "One possibility is that members of the CPTPP and the European Union work together to champion rules-based trade and make specific commitments on how that support plays out in practice," he said in a speech to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. The CPTPP countries include Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, Mexico, Singapore and the UK. Luxon added he was heading to the United Kingdom later in April to meet Prime Minister Keir Starmer, to talk trade, security, and the geopolitical. We cant make the case for New Zealand sitting at home, he said. We have to position ourselves as advocates both for our own economic interests and the institutions that underpin them. Trump has imposed a 10% tariff on Australia and New Zealand, the low end of his tariffs for all imports into the United States. Wellington and Canberra have both said they will not retaliate. About 12% of New Zealand's and 5% of Australia's exports went to the U.S. last year. (Reporting by Lucy Craymer in Wellington and Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Sonali Paul) The terminology was different then too. Technology partners were known as hardware dealers, builders and resellers that predominantly sold products and add-ons like peripherals and off-the-shelf software. What evolved as solutions were known as bundles and the more sophisticated bundles were known as value-add. The additions of services came later, she said. ARN has always been an innovator, taking the thrilling first steps to online in early 1997, way ahead of the market. With the dawning of digital publishing, arnnet.com.au was born well before the excitement of the dotcom boom and bust. Y2K brought FUD: fear, uncertainty and doubt, but that was an exciting time for editorial it always is! It was an essential time to be an online publisher with the need for immediacy of information, and as technology emerged from the IT department, into the broader organisation, and eventually becoming integral to daily life, commented Searle. ARN continued to faithfully chronical the Australian channel landscape in print as well as digital, but as the power of ARNs online presence outgrew magazine circulation, the signs were telling and like many in the industry, we made the strategic decision to pivot our business model. But we never deviated from our purpose of creating essential information for the IT channel and fostering the channel community. IT industry stalwart Philip Cronin said the inimitable Susan Searle created a community. ASI co-founder Maree Lowe said ARN has been a positive force in the industry, drawing attention to specific and relevant news, while representing the interests of all companies both local, regional and multinational. It forms a knowledge bridge between local and global information and is a shortcut to industry news both business and product in case you are just too busy, Lowe said. It reminds us all of the importance of partners. We all know Australians have the best technology in the best country. For Pip Marlow, Ken and Maree Lowe were her early career guardians, but she credited Searle as being a pivotal influencer. What was being written about, who was being hired she was across it all, Marlow said. In the early 2000s, a new era of connecting the ARN audience with marketers dawned. Enter the world of events which offered face-to-face contact and influence. ARN started with a series of editorially led roundtables with smaller carefully curated of partners and a vendor or distributor sponsor. But as the channel community grew and became a significant ecosystem, it was time for events to celebrate the companies in the industry and the individuals driving their success. In late 2006 ARN advertising manager, Jessica Ross, and I were at an IDG global event and started discussing doing awards as a way of celebrating the amazing work that companies and people were doing in the IT channel, Searle said. The ARN Industry Awards started in 2007 with a sustainability theme, held at Doltone House at Jones Bay Wharf. The awards maxed out the 460-seating capacity one month in advance of the awards evening on 26 September 2007. From here on in, we recognised the power of the channel community and that we were on to something very special. I can still remember the palpable excitement as we gathered in the beautiful room decorated with swirling lights and green ceiling decorations to the sound of the incredible taiko drums. The actual awards in that first year were bonsai trees. I wonder if anyones tree is still alive and thriving 18 years later? Searle said. The first awards program included the naming of the IT Industry Hall of Fame and inaugural inductees were Jon Shein, Peter Kazacos and David Henderson. This has expanded to include many more enterprising individuals including Phil Cameron, John Walters, John Grant, Ross Cochrane, Philip Cronin, Maree and Ken Lowe, Steve Nola, Laurie Sellers, David Dicker, Wendy OKeeffe, Moheb Moses, Craig Somerville, Pip Marlow, Nick Verykios, Andrew Thomas, Steve Murphy, Scott Frew, John Donovan, Kate Burleigh, David Gage, Allan King, Ian Poole, Dave Stevens, Craig Scroggie, Andrea Della Mattea, Susan Searle, Laurence Baynham, Dominic Whitehand, Angela Fox, Warren Nolan, Ronnie Altit, Ken Boal, Felix Wong, Alex Gambotto, Vlad Mitnovetski, Rhody Hill, Nathan Lowe, Fiona Brown, Bevan Slattery, Tara Ridley, Steve Martin, Leo Lynch and Norm Jefferies. As former founder of Kaz Group, Peter Kazacos emphasised ARN created a community for the industry to come together. Although we competed in many areas it was great to see that we could also work together as we have done in forums that ARN hosted, Kazacos said. I have also recommended new organisations in the reseller community to enter award recognition opportunities. The ARN awards were one of the best because it was a recognition by your peers in the industry and this could then be leveraged with customers. In 2012, Women in ICT Awards (WIICTA) was launched to promote and celebrate females in the tech industry. At that time IT was dominated by men, particularly at the leadership level. WIICTA provided a platform to the females in the industry and showed the importance of inclusiveness for organisational success and profitability. WIICTA has become a brand name which is synonymous with female significance, capability, and power and has been a catalyst for evolution in the tech landscape. In 2025, WIICTA will extend its commitment to DEI with the launch of WIICTA Plus, a program to develop early female talent in the tech industry and provide mentorship and leadership pathways. As events evolved, destination conferences became an opportunity to bring the Australian IT channel together and include the Reseller News audience cross the Tasman. Canalys was a global channel expo brand, but we found that the A/NZ audience wanted a conference with information and research targeted at the local markets, and that they wanted to network and collaborate with local contacts, said Searle. The first EDGE conference was held in 2015 in Port Douglas and started a decade long reputation as the must attend channel destination event. The thought leadership through global and local speakers, plus curated and organic networking, make EDGE popular with marketers and tech solutions partners. In 2025, EDGE content and format will be guided by an industry Brains Trust who specialise in knowing what partners need to transform and collaborate for today and the future against a background of growing customer demands with fast moving technologies and the cyber threat landscape. EDGE has evolved with the market to continue to be the channels one-stop A/NZ conference. Throughout all this history, change, evolution, and disruption, there has been one constant. Over 30 years ARN has reported on, chronicled, educated, provided a voice for the IT channel in Australia. It has helped shape a powerful ecosystem whilst being its advocate. To be continued. With just a few months to go before elections in November, a poll reveals that only 44 per cent of voters have already made up their minds, with the largest number in favour of the Popular Action Party (PAP). The vote will test the government of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, which is facing a political transition with many younger voters still undecided. The uncertain economic scenario risks slowing down economic growth in the city-state. Singapore (AsiaNews) Four out of ten voters would vote for the People's Action Party (PAP) if general elections were held tomorrow, this according to a recent YouGov survey; however, the poll also shows that most Singaporeans have not yet decided for whom to vote, a sign of growing uncertainty, which could be exacerbated by the global economic situation. The poll, conducted between 25 March and 1 April with a sample of 1,845 Singaporeans over the age of 21, shows that 44 per cent have already chosen whom to vote for. Another 19 per cent said they were still undecided, 13 per cent said they were leaning towards a particular party, but remain open to change, while 11 per cent will decide during the election campaign and 3 per cent on election day. A date for the election has not yet been set for the election, but it should take place by November. The survey shows that if the voting were held today, 40 per cent of voters would vote for the PAP in government since 1959 while 12 per cent would choose the Workers' Party (WP), the main opposition force. Among decided voters, 63 per cent support the PAP, while 15 per cent prefer the WP. The other parties, i.e. the Progress Singapore Party (PSP), the National Solidarity Party and the Singapore Democratic Party, each had the support of 2 per cent of decided voters. The data also show how age plays out in voting behaviour. Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) is the most uncertain, with only 30 per cent saying that they had already chosen a party. Conversely, more than 50 per cent of the so-called baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) said they already knew who to vote for. In terms of perception, half of respondents said they had a favourable opinion of the PAP, while 42 per cent looked favourably to the WP and 18 per cent on the PSP. As for the government's performance, 43 per cent believe that the PAP has done well and deserved to be reconfirmed in government, while 22 per cent believe that the party had held power for too long and the time for a change had come. The upcoming elections are of particular importance since they are the first for Singapores new Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong, who took over from Lee Hsien Loong last May. The global economic context has increased uncertainty. The recent introduction of a 10 per cent tariff by the US administration led by Donald Trump and the risk of a trade war could affect both the national economy and voters' choices in the months to come. In a recent address to parliament, Wong said that it doesn't look like the 10 per cent universal rate is open for negotiation since it is the minimum tariff imposed on all countries with which the United States trades, and yet could cause an upheaval in Singapore's economy. Wong pointed out that despite a free trade agreement between Singapore and the United States, the tariff was still imposed, potentially leading to a downward revision of GDP growth forecast, currently estimated at 1 to 3 per cent for 2025. Singapore's economy is based on trade. Despite initial benefits that could derive from a diversification of investments by the main economic powers, the city-state too would suffer a slowdown in its economy in the event of a worldwide recession. The government will do everything we can to steer Singapore through the choppy waters and ensure no one is left behind," the prime minister said. Champion local news. Join our community of readers who value daily beat reporting and in-depth stories alike. Your membership allows us to continue the legacy of local, independent journalism in the Roaring Fork Valley. With your support, we can remain a free and accessible source of news for everyone, always without paywalls or corporate influence. Together, we can ensure that vital local stories are told. 9 April 2025 09:11 (UTC+04:00) According to the release by the Ministry, Azerbaijan Army units took adequate retaliatory measures in the mentioned directions. On April 8, from 19:20 to 22:30, units of the Armenian armed forces, positioned near the Garaiman and Yukhari Shorja settlements in the Basarkechar district, intermittently fired small arms at the positions of the Azerbaijan Army, Azernews reports, citing the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 9 April 2025 20:13 (UTC+04:00) Elnur Enveroglu Read more In the wake of Armenias failed occupation policy, the nations leadership now seems caught in a perplexing political quagmire. While Armenian society struggles to make sense of its place in the post-conflict landscape, it appears that certain factions are unwilling to relinquish outdated territorial ambitions. These ambitions, fueled by a sense of loss and victimhood, threaten not only the stability of Armenia's internal politics but also the broader prospects for peace in the South Caucasus. Amid this turbulent backdrop, the demands of several revanchist groups for the return of ethnic Armenians to the disputed regions of Garabagh are ringing louder. These claims, which hinge on the fate of those who voluntarily relocated from Garabagh to Armenia, illustrate the broader dilemma that Armenia faces: the temptation to hold onto a narrative of territorial reclamation versus the reality of international and regional demands for peace. Although such desires are understandable from a nationalist perspective, they pose a significant risk to both national and regional stability. Territorial claims grounded in historical grievancesespecially after the devastating losses suffered in the recent warcould unravel Armenias fragile post-conflict peace. At the heart of this controversy lies a series of statistical discrepancies that continue to fuel uncertainty. Reports claiming that "150,000" ethnic Armenians are seeking to return to Garabagh have raised eyebrows, with many pointing out the inconsistency of these figures. Historical records, including data from Azerbaijans government, suggest that the number of Armenians actually leaving Garabagh was far lowerwell below 20,000. These discrepancies are further complicated by revelations that many of the fighters in the conflict were not ethnic Armenians from Garabagh or even Armenia but rather from Syrian and Lebanese Armenian diaspora communities, further complicating the narrative. Against this backdrop, the Armenian governments calls for the revival of the OSCE Minsk Group, a diplomatic framework meant to mediate the former Garabagh conflict, seem increasingly desperate. While this group once served as a platform for dialogue, its relevance has waned in recent years, especially after Armenias aggressive actions during the war. Azerbaijan, under President Ilham Aliyevs leadership, has been vocal about its opposition to the group, and for good reason: its ineffectiveness during the conflict leaves little room for confidence in its ability to broker a lasting peace. Yet, despite the shifting landscape, Armenias political leaders seem to be clinging to the remnants of a failed strategy, seeking to placate domestic demands by pushing forward an unrealistic narrative of ethnic return to Garabagh. This strategy not only risks alienating the very people it seeks to protect but could also deepen divisions within Armenian society, ultimately hindering the peace process. Now, any possible scenario can be considered hereespecially since as long as Armenia has not amended its constitutional preamble, as long as third-party military interventions continue, and as long as Armenia does not end the blockade of Nakhchivan, discussions about durable peace are premature. Actually, sustainable peace in the South Caucasus will require more than just political maneuvering. It will require a reimagining of Armenias relationship with its neighborsparticularly Azerbaijanand a recognition that territorial ambitions, long a source of conflict, are best left in the past. Until that moment arrives, however, the region will remain mired in uncertainty, with the specter of revanchism continuing to loom large. 9 April 2025 13:11 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more In a world where geopolitical tensions often escalate faster than they can be resolved, the quiet yet powerful role of diplomacy is more vital than ever. Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyevs recent remarks at the 7th International Policy Forum Facing the New World Order held at ADA University shed light on a highly significant achievement: Azerbaijans behind-the-scenes mediation in the reconciliation between Turkiye and Israel. This is not only a noteworthy diplomatic accomplishment, but it also demonstrates Azerbaijan's emerging influence in fostering peace and stability in a volatile region. One of the most compelling statements made by President Ilham Aliyev was: During the initial crisis, we played an active role in bringing the positions of the two countries closer together. This quote, simple yet powerful, encapsulates the essence of Azerbaijans contribution to regional diplomacy. While many larger nations focus on projecting hard power, Azerbaijan has opted for a strategic use of soft power, utilizing its trusted relationships with both Turkiye and Israel to encourage dialogue and understanding. The importance of this role cannot be overstated. Turkiye and Israel, both critical players in the Middle East, have experienced fluctuating relations over the years, marked by diplomatic breakdowns and public disputes. The fact that Azerbaijan was able to help mediate and bring them back to the table is a testament to its growing diplomatic credibility. The countrys unique positionmaintaining strong bilateral relations with both nationsgave it the trust and access needed to act as an intermediary. Not every country could have pulled that off. Another significant takeaway from President Aliyevs speech was his emphasis that both countries are close friends of Azerbaijan and added: We are allied with Turkiye. In 2021, we signed the Shusha Declaration, and we are officially allies. Highlighting that Israel is also a friendly country to Azerbaijan, the President noted that this mutual friendship has manifested itself over many years in various challenging situations: Azerbaijan is not merely watching the world changeit is actively shaping that change, especially in its immediate geopolitical neighborhood. He referred to Turkiye as a formal ally, citing the 2021 Shusha Declaration, and described Israel as a long-standing friend. These relationships are not just symbolic; they are practical, grounded in mutual interests, and now, evidently, in shared diplomatic values. Azerbaijans concern about any misunderstanding between Turkiye and Israel reflects a broader visionone that seeks regional harmony over rivalry. As he put it: Any misunderstanding between these two countries concerns us. This quote reinforces Azerbaijans central role in what could be a turning point in Middle Eastern diplomacy. In a time when conflicts dominate headlines and mistrust defines international relations, Azerbaijans diplomatic initiative should serve as a model. Its mediation efforts offer a blueprint for how small and mid-sized powers can play significant roles in global affairs, not through coercion or competition, but through conversation and cooperation. President Aliyevs remarks are not only a reflection of past success but a signal of intent for future engagements. Azerbaijans role in the reconciliation between Turkiye and Israel should not be underestimated. It is a sign of the countrys rising status on the international stage and its ability to act as a trusted mediator in complex geopolitical matters. With continued commitment to diplomacy, Azerbaijan could become a key player in fostering peace far beyond its borders. 9 April 2025 17:45 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more A new four-lane highway adjacent to the recently inaugurated bridge over the Astarachay on the Iran-Azerbaijan border is expected to be fully operational within the next two months, according to Iran's Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development Reza Akbari, Azernews reports. Akbari noted that part of the highway had already been opened last year, with some transit and truck movements already underway. The completed section of the highway will redirect a 1.4-kilometer passage route, significantly improving cross-border logistics. The development of the highway was highlighted during the recent Azerbaijan-Iran Joint Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation, underlining the importance of boosting regional connectivity. Akbari also announced plans for a new cargo terminal in Irans Astara region. The terminal, set to be built in stages on a 6-hectare plot of landalready purchasedaims to strengthen freight handling and trade capacity at the border. Iran is aiming to put the facility into operation within a year. The 16th session of the Iran-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Commission took place in Tehran on January 2122, where both sides signed a cooperation document to deepen economic ties. The new bridge over the Astarachay, inaugurated on December 30, 2023, is 97.5 meters long and 30.5 meters wide, featuring four vehicle lanes, two pedestrian walkways, and provisions for two backup lanes. Its construction cost totaled 5.8 million. The bridge was first launched on January 25, 2022, and has since become a critical node for regional transport infrastructure. 9 April 2025 19:00 (UTC+04:00) On April 9, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Co-Chairman of the State Commission on Economic, Trade and Humanitarian Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran Shahin Mustafayev, and Minister of Roads and Urban Development of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Co-Chairwoman of the Commission on the Iranian side, Farzana Sadiq, who was visiting our country, accompanied by delegations from both countries, jointly inspected the Baku International Sea Trade Port. Azernews reports via Azertag that the co-chairs were shown a presentation on the Baku Port and were informed about the history, infrastructure, and capabilities of the port, as well as the construction work carried out within the second phase to increase the annual cargo handling capacity from 15 million tons to 25 million tons. It was noted that the expansion of the Baku port after the completion of the second phase will further increase Azerbaijan's strategic importance as a transport and logistics hub connecting Europe and Asia. Then, the port's main cargo terminal, Ro-Ro and Ferry terminals, and sorting station were inspected. 9 April 2025 17:58 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more The 221st session of UNESCO's Executive Board has commenced in Paris, France, Azernews reports. The Board, which consists of 58 member countries, such as Italy, convenes biannually and serves as the primary policy-making body of the organization. Azerbaijan's declaration was made during the 221st session of the UNESCO Executive Board, which took place at the organization's headquarters in Paris. During the session's plenary discussions, Permanent Delegate of Azerbaijan to UNESCO Elman Abdullayev conveyed national statement of the country to the attendees. In this statement, Azerbaijan highlighted its commitment to UNESCO's global priorities concerning Africa and gender equality, as well as the effective execution of the organization's key programs. The statement reaffirmed Azerbaijan's readiness to collaborate with UNESCO and member states in an open, transparent, and inclusive manner to achieve these objectives. While discussing the support Azerbaijan provides to the global mission of UNESCO as a donor country, the Ambassador pointed out Azerbaijan's contributions to continental development, particularly in areas like the preservation of Africa's rich cultural and natural heritage and capacity development. Additionally, it was noted that Azerbaijan, known for its long-standing traditions of multiculturalism, diversity, and dialogue among cultures and religions, promotes a culture of peace globally through initiatives such as the Baku Process and Peace4Culture. The statement also addressed the efforts made at both the national and international levels in the education sector, which is a strategic priority for Azerbaijan. Topics of discussion included the country's involvement in various structures like STEAM, TVET, the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Program, and ASPnet. The significance of safeguarding cultural heritage was emphasized, with references made to the international conference titled "Preservation of Ancient Human Settlements: Threats and Contemporary Approaches, " held in Azerbaijan in March, with UNESCO's participation. Participants were informed about Azerbaijan's active role in combating climate change, with highlights on how the country successfully hosted and chaired COP29. Moreover, the meeting brought attention to the restoration of Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity and the new circumstances in the South Caucasus following the liberation of territories from 30 years of Armenian military occupation. It was noted that extensive destruction occurred during the occupation and around 750,000 Azerbaijani civilians were displaced from Garabagh and Eastern Zangazur, along with more than 300,000 from Western Zangazur, Yerevan, Goycha, Vedi, and other historical areas, who were forced to abandon their homes and became refugees and internally displaced persons. The statement included that the Azerbaijani government, numerous NGOs, and the community of Western Azerbaijan called on UNESCO to dispatch a fact-finding mission to evaluate the situation, expressing deep concern over the destruction of Azerbaijani cultural heritage in Armenia, which is a legitimate demand of the Azerbaijani people. Updates were provided regarding the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the liberated territories, as well as the ongoing efforts to facilitate the return of internally displaced persons. Attention was drawn to the substantial dangers and challenges posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance, with over 400 individuals, including civilians, having become victims of landmines since 2020. As a UNESCO member, Azerbaijan has been actively engaged in promoting cultural diversity and heritage preservation. The country has been constantly participating in UNESCO programs since 1992. Through its efforts, Azerbaijan plays a significant role in UNESCO's mission to build peace, foster sustainable development, and foster intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication, and information. In 2003, the parties signed a framework agreement on cooperation in the areas of culture, science, education, and communication, which allowed Azerbaijan to become one of the donors of UNESCO. 9 April 2025 18:46 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more CineMastercard has represented Azerbaijan in Las Vegas at the annual CinemaCon conference dedicated to the film industry, which is held for professionals in the field of film production, distribution and technology, Azernews reports citing the press service of CineMastercard. Since its inception in 2011, CinemaCon has grown and expanded significantly, becoming the largest and most significant event for the global film industry. This event has a truly international scale, attracting participants from more than 80 countries, which emphasizes its importance and significance. The event brought together the largest Hollywood studios, directors, actors, producers and representatives of other industries related to cinema. Film presentations, technology exhibitions, as well as meetings where future trends in the film industry were discussed took place. The conference was attended by the Director of the CineMastercard cinema chain (CinemaPlus LLC) Murat Jamji and the Chairman of the Supervisory Board Zaur Darabzade. They signed contracts with leading global film studios to screen films from the next new seasons. These companies included Universal Pictures, Sony Pictures, The Walt Disney Company, Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. In addition, the representatives got acquainted with the latest technologies designed for cinemas and held meetings with the heads of the companies. During the exhibition, M. Jamji and Z. Darabzade discussed cinema development strategies, new technological trends, innovative solutions and achievements. CineMastercard aims to provide its viewers with the opportunity to watch films in Azerbaijan on the day of their global release. The cinema plans to continue to innovate, striving to take a leading position in the global film industry and always offer its viewers the best. With an ever-evolving approach to technology and innovation, CineMastercard intends to strengthen its position as a leader in the Azerbaijani film industry. 9 April 2025 09:48 (UTC+04:00) Members of the Colombia-Azerbaijan Friendship Group in the House of Representatives of the Colombian Congress have addressed an open letter to Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Colombia, Mammad Talibov, in connection with the 33rd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide and the restoration of the right of Western Azerbaijanis to return to their homeland. The letter states that the genocide committed by the Armenian armed forces against peaceful civilians in the Azerbaijani city of Khojaly on February 26, 1992, is one of the bloodiest pages in the history of humanity. It emphasizes that on that night, 613 Azerbaijanis, including 106 women, 63 children, and 70 elderly people, were brutally murdered. The letter also highlights that Colombia has not remained indifferent to this bloody event, noting that in various documents adopted by the Colombian Congress, the massacre in Khojaly has been firmly condemned and recognized as an act of genocide. On the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of this horrific event, the memory of the Khojaly victims is respectfully commemorated, and sincere condolences are extended to the Government and the brotherly people of Azerbaijan. Additionally, Colombia commends Azerbaijan's efforts towards achieving sustainable peace with Armenia and normalizing relations. It expresses hope that displaced Azerbaijanis will soon and with dignity return to their homeland, including to their ancestral lands in Armenia, and that their right to return will be ensured. Finally, the letter notes that the Republic of Colombia stands in solidarity with the brotherly Azerbaijani people and will continue to strengthen bilateral relations by expanding friendship ties. 9 April 2025 09:59 (UTC+04:00) It is for the seventh time the big group of international experts from different countries visit Azerbaijan to address important issues of global agenda. At the same time, all these visits help to know Azerbaijan better, to feel the pulse of the country, Azernews reports that the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, said in his address at the international forum themed Facing the New World Order. And also after liberation of historical territories of Azerbaijan, the regular visits of international experts to the liberated territories gives more information about the history of our country, the history of the conflict and, of course, todays reality of Azerbaijan, the President added. 9 April 2025 10:40 (UTC+04:00) With many countries, Azerbaijan signed or adopted the declaration on strategic partnership. So, this already established platform allows us to play an important role of a geographical, political, economic and transportation bridge between region of Central Asia and Europe, according to Azernews, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said while addressing an international forum themed Facing the New World Order at the ADA University. The President of Azerbaijan noted, It's only enough to look at the map to understand that Azerbaijan cannot be avoided. Though, there are some in Europe who would prefer to separate Azerbaijan, not only from this process, but also to build the dividing lines in the Caucasus, particularly in the Southern Caucasus. These attempts will definitely not succeed. 9 April 2025 14:02 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more In accordance with the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev, the Great Return to the territories liberated from occupation continues. According to Azernews, the families moving to the newly rebuilt Sugovushan village in the Aghdara district were previously temporarily settled in various parts of the country, mainly in dormitories, sanatoriums, and administrative buildings. In this phase, 54 families a total of 179 people have been relocated to the village. The returning residents expressed their gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva for the comprehensive state support they have received. They also thanked the valiant Azerbaijani Army, as well as the heroic soldiers and officers who liberated the land, and prayed for mercy upon the martyrs who gave their lives in this cause. It should be noted that currently, nearly 40,000 people live in Garabagh and Eastern Zangazur, including former internally displaced persons who have been resettled, individuals working on reconstruction projects, employees of various government agencies operating locally, and those employed in newly reestablished healthcare, education, cultural, tourism, industrial, and energy institutions. 9 April 2025 14:45 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Vugar Suleymanov, the Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA), held a meeting with Fergus Auld, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland to Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing ANAMA. During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on the large-scale humanitarian demining operations being conducted in the liberated territories, the potential support of international organizations in Azerbaijans mine clearance efforts, and prospects for future cooperation. It should be noted that Azerbaijan is one of the countries most exposed to the danger of landmines in the world after the First and Second Garabagh wars. After the 2020 Second Garabagh War, Armenia mined the territories of Garabagh and Eastern Zangazur, which were liberated from occupation, and as a result, more than 380 people have been injured by landmine explosions, and many have lost their lives. After the war, Azerbaijan repeatedly appealed to Armenia for the handover of the minefield maps, but Yerevan has not fulfilled this obligation. The maps that were handed over do not match the current realities. In addition, the landmine issue seriously hinders the construction works in Garabakh and Eastern Zangazur, as well as our country's Great Return plan. Furthermore, as long as the landmine issue remains unresolved, the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement also remains under question. 9 April 2025 17:50 (UTC+04:00) Armenias leadership and society must accept the new reality to reach a peace deal with Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing Svante Cornell, Director of the Swedish Institute for Security and Development Policy, as he told to Trend, on the sidelines of the international forum Facing the New World Order at ADA University. The analyst expressed hope for a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but noted that it would require a shift in thinking within Armenias leadership and society. Im not sure that shift has fully happened yet, which is why I believe reaching a peace deal may still take time, Cornell explained. He added that such an agreement is essential not only for regional stability, but also for Armenias future as an independent state. If this region is to become stable, and if Armenia is to develop as a truly independent country, it has to go through a peace agreement - because without it, real independence for Armenia simply isnt possible, he said. Cornell also emphasized that President Aliyevs remarks carry real weight in international affairs. President Ilham Aliyev is always very open and straightforward, and I believe its important for global analysts and leaders to really listen to what hes saying - on a range of critical issues, including the peace agreement with Armenia, Iran, and Azerbaijans relations with the U.S. and Europe, he said. 9 April 2025 20:27 (UTC+04:00) Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs of the United Arab Emirates has sent a congratulatory letter to the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, on the occasion of the Eid al-Fitr - the Ramadan holiday. According to Azernews, the letter reads: His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Your Excellency, Mr. President. It is my pleasure to extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to you on the occasion of the blessed Eid al-Fitr. I pray Allah the Almighty to grant you good health and happiness, and to the Islamic Ummah prosperity. Respectfully, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs of the United Arab Emirates 9 April 2025 08:00 (UTC+04:00) Mari Petroleum Company Ltd has announced the discovery of new oil and gas reserves at the Spinkwam-1 well, located in the Lokhart Formation of the Waziristan Block in North Waziristan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Express News reported on Tuesday, Azernews reports, citing Tribune. According to initial test results, the well is producing 70.3 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) of gas and 310 barrels per day (BPD) of condensate at a wellhead flowing pressure of 3,264 psig through a 64/64" choke. Mari Petroleum holds a 55% working interest and operates the block, while Oil and Gas Development Company Ltd (OGDCL) and Orient Petroleum hold 35% and 10% stakes, respectively. Managing Director and CEO of Mari Petroleum, Fahim Haider, described the discovery as a promising development for Pakistans energy sector. The companys chairman expressed gratitude to the armed forces, federal and provincial governments, joint venture partners, the Directorate General of Petroleum Concessions (DGPC), and the Ministry of Petroleum for their support in facilitating the exploration effort. Last month, Pakistan made a significant breakthrough in its energy sector with the discovery of a second major oil and gas reserve in the Waziristan Block, according to an official statement. MPCL informed the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) in a letter that new hydrocarbon reserves have been found in the Spin Wam-1 well, located in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The letter stated that the well is producing light crude oil and natural gas with a flow pressure of 3,431 pounds per square inch (psi). 9 April 2025 21:15 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva Republican Senator Lindsey Graham Claims Iran Has Enough Enriched Uranium to Make Six Atomic Bombs, Azernews reports. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham recently stated in an interview with Fox News that Iran has enough enriched uranium to potentially produce six nuclear bombs. He further claimed that Tehran would first use nuclear weapons to attack Israel, and then the United States. However, Graham did not provide any evidence to support his assertions and did not disclose the source of this information. This statement comes despite earlier remarks from General Michael Kurilla, the head of U.S. Central Command, who noted that Iran has not made a decision to pursue nuclear weapons. Additionally, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told NBC News in mid-January that Tehran is not seeking to develop nuclear weapons, a statement that contradicts Graham's claims. Meanwhile, on March 7, former U.S. President Donald Trump offered to engage in talks with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei regarding the country's nuclear program. The two sides have agreed to hold the first round of discussions in Oman on April 12. Irans nuclear program remains a highly contentious issue in international politics. While some argue that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons under the guise of a peaceful nuclear energy program, others point to Irans cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as evidence of their commitment to non-proliferation. Despite ongoing tensions, the diplomatic talks scheduled for April 12 in Oman may provide a rare opportunity for dialogue. 9 April 2025 18:24 (UTC+04:00) The United States has reaffirmed its recognition of Moroccos sovereignty over Western Sahara, reiterating a position first declared by President Donald Trump in 2020 during a call with His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Azernews reports. This confirmation came during a high-level meeting in Washington between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita. Secretary Rubio stated unequivocally, The United States recognizes Moroccos sovereignty over Western Sahara. The recognition, formalized under Trumps presidency through a presidential decree, has remained legally and politically binding. According to US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, Rubio emphasized that Washington views Moroccos autonomy plan as the only basis for a just and lasting solution, describing it as serious, credible, and realistic. The United States supports genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the only possible solution, Rubio said, further urging all parties to begin negotiations without delay and based solely on the Moroccan initiative. This latest statement underscores Washingtons enduring support for Moroccos territorial integrity and comes at a time of deepening cooperation between Rabat and key international allies. The affirmation is also noteworthy for Azerbaijan, which views Morocco as a reliable partner sharing a principled stance on sovereignty and territorial integrityvalues that form the bedrock of solidarity between the two nations. 9 April 2025 22:50 (UTC+04:00) Almost 7.7 million people in South Sudan face crisis levels of hunger, the United Nations said Wednesday, many located in the countrys restive northeast rocked by recent clashes, Azernews reports, citing Arab News. The deeply impoverished nation has battled instability and insecurity since independence in 2011, with violence between forces allied to the president and his deputy further threatening to destabilize the country. The UNs World Food Programme (WFP) said in a statement Wednesday that 7.7 million people face the third-highest category of need defined as crisis, emergency, or catastrophic. This is close to record highs, the statement said. Around 63,000 people were defined as of the highest need and 2.53 million the category below, most located in the northeastern Upper Nile State region, a spokesperson said. That part of the country is enduring an uptick in violence as forces allied to President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar clash. Machar is currently under house arrest in capital Juba, leaving his party to appoint Stephen Par Kuol as interim leader. The WFP said the Upper Nile region was the most impacted by the escalation of conflict, with one million people facing high levels of hunger. There is no shelter at all and there is scarcity of food, Reath Yian Ulang, 32, said from Ulang county in Upper Nile State. We used to rely on food brought by traders from Ethiopia but because of the current crisis the traders have all fled back to Ethiopia in fear, the father-of-four said by phone. People now drink water from the swamps. The agency also said efforts to get life-saving assistance to those in the direst need was being hampered by the violence. Insecurity has forced WFP to pause distributions in six counties in the region for the safety of our staff, partners and the people we serve, it said. Additionally, more than 1.1 million people have fled to South Sudan since the start of the two-year civil war in Sudan most arriving in the Upper Nile region and almost half are facing catastrophic levels of hunger, WFP added in the statement. South Sudan is also grappling with a cholera outbreak, with UNICEF saying roughly 40,000 cases have been reported since September including almost 700 deaths with children disproportionately affected. The United States decision to slash international aid has also impacted the country, with humanitarian workers warning children were dying as a result of remote facilities being closed. 10 April 2025 00:32 (UTC+04:00) Argentine's chief prosecutor, Sebastian Basso, has formally requested a federal court to issue an arrest warrant for Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. Azernews reports, citing a post on social media, that the request has been made in connection with the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish center in Buenos Aires. According to the post, 85 people were murdered at the event that had been plotted 30 years ago. Basso asserts that Khamenei was involved in planning the attack and authorized its execution through a fatwa.. Plane Skids Off Runway on S. Oregon Coast, Into Coos Bay Waters Published 04/07/25 at 6:05 p.m. By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff (North Bend, Oregon) Five people were in the hospital for a time after a private jet skidded off a runway at the Southwest Oregon Regional Airport (SORA) in North Bend this morning. No fatalities are reported and some have already been released from the hospital. (All photos courtesy North Bend Fire Department) Rescue crews pulled the four passengers and one crewmember out quickly. According to North Bend Fire Department (NBFD), an automated iPhone alert indicated the crash happened at 6:06 a.m., and it was reported to 911 a few minutes later. The plane was a 2019 HondaJet HA-420, skidding off Runway 5/23 and straight into the waters of the south Oregon coast town about 100 feet offshore. The pilot and four passengers have been recovered from the water and are receiving treatment for minor to severe injuries at Bay Area Hospital, the NBFD said. There are unconfirmed reports the pilot had issues with the brakes of the aircraft. SORA said all were in good condition with two already discharged, although one patient had slightly more serious injuries and was transferred to another facility for care not offered in this area. Public safety crews from multiple agencies are currently working to secure the plane, contain any hazardous material leakage, and remove the aircraft from the water onto a barge via crane, said NBFD. A crane has already lifted the aircraft out of the water, and investigators are still on scene. SkyWest which operates the commercial flight for United Express says the flight from San Francisco that was scheduled to arrive at 1:15 pm today has been delayed until 2:14 pm, SORA said. But, commercial air service has resumed after a short closure following the incident. There is grainy night video of the incident from the airport web cam - see it here. Officials said you can see the aircraft moving on Runway 5/23 and then plummeting into Coos Bay. Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including emergency responders from the airport, local police, North Bend and Coos Bay Fire Departments, Coos Bay Hazardous Materials Response Team, US Coast Guard, and the Coos County Sheriff's Office. MORE PHOTOS BELOW Oregon Coast Hotels in this area - South Coast Hotels - Oregon Coast Vacation Rentals - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast. LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Sip and Stroll Yachats Returns, Filling Oregon Coast Town with Vino and Delights Published 04/07/25 at 6:46 a.m. By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff (Yachats, Oregon) Vino, some yummy cuisine, locally-crafted beers and perhaps a walk on the beach: this is what's in store as one Yachats tradition returns. A day of that and a spot of shopping hits the central Oregon coast town on Saturday, April 19, 2025, with the annual Sip & Stroll Yachats, going from 12 to 5 p.m. It takes place in various parts of Yachats. This sought-after experience will feature up to 18 Oregon wineries showcased at various businesses across the easily walkable village of the central coast burgh. Attendees can also dig into craft beer from Depoe Bay Brewery at the SeaNote Restaurant and Lounge, cider from Wildcraft Cider Company, and Stillwagon Distillerys rums at Coastal Balance Chiropractic and Massage. Its the perfect chance to sip, stroll, and uncover Yachats distinctive shops, galleries, restaurants, and more - all while discovering your next favorite drink. Participants start their journey at The Pavilion, 441 Highway 101, where theyll receive an event map highlighting all the wine stops, said Chamber Director Nichole Lippincott. A shuttle service will continuously operate, making stops at every participating business to ensure seamless travel." Lippincott said local businesses are quite pleased with the return of the popular Courier Service. Participants can purchase wine, tag it with their registration number, and let our couriers securely store it at The Pavilion until the event concludes, she said. Plus, those who visit all the wine stops and collect a stamp at each location can submit their completed map for a chance to win an exclusive Yachats weekend getaway. Commemorative tote bags will also be available for purchase. Tickets include entry to the event, five wine sample tickets, a keepsake wine glass, and an event map/booklet. Early Bird tickets are $25 and will be available from early March through April 5. General admission tickets, priced at $30, can be purchased after that. Additional sample tickets will be sold on-site throughout the day. Free parking is conveniently available at the Yachats Commons, 441 Highway 101. While children are welcome to join the stroll, all tastings and ticket purchases are reserved for guests aged 21 and over. See the website Lippincott said you should consider extending your stay in Yachats and help with the giant Oregon Beach Cleanup on Sunday, April 20. That goes from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays Sippers and Strollers are invited to join our community beach clean-up and help keep Yachats beaches pristine, she said. Clean-up participants will be provided collection bags, gloves, and snacks. While in Yachats: Walk the 804 Trail and get close to the manic wave action, a distinctive aspect of the Oregon coast town. See Hidden Access at N. Yachats - streets named after states - Oregon Coast Compendium of Fun: Yachats' Smelt Sands, 804 Trail, Spouting Horns - Second Summer at Neptune Beach - 7 Bizarre Basalts of Oregon's North Coast: Lava Frozen in Time Hotels in Yachats - Where to eat - Yachats Maps and Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast. LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Thom Tillis (RINO-NC) has again shown his true colors as an Undocumented Democrat by working to backstab President Trump in Trump's push for fair tariffs. Tillis is moving against Trump at a time that over 70 countries are beating down the doors to negotiate new, fair tariffs with the United States. Only, our arch geopolitical rival Red China is pushing back hard. Here we have Thom Tillis taking Red China's position against Trump. Tillis has signed on as a sponsor of a bill to take away much of the president's authority on tariffs and transfer it to Congress. Given the need for a supermajority to get cloture in the Senate, this would make an effort to change tariffs very difficult. That would suit Red China just fine while leaving America subject to an unfair tariff regime. https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5236142-congress-tariff-bill-trump/ North Carolina needs a real Republican as our US Senate nominee in 2026 and that clearly is NOT Thom Tillis. Texas' hard-charging solidly conservative state Attorney General Ken Paxton has formally announced his long expected primary challenge to RINO incumbent US Senator John Cornyn. Cornyn, a longtime close ally of Mitch McConnell has disappointed Texas Republicans on a variety of issues ranging from illegal immigration to gun rights to federal spending. Several years ago when Cornyn attended the state GOP convention shortly after one of his unpopular votes in the Senate, he was loudly booed by the delegates. Even before his formal announcement, polls were showing a wide lead for Paxton over Cornyn among Republican voters. There is some speculation that Cornyn may choose to avoid the humiliation of a likely defeat and just retire. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/congressional/3374582/ken-paxton-launches-campaign-senate-unseat-john-cornyn/ https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/04/texas-ag-ken-paxton-announces-senate-run-against/ https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/04/09/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton-to-primary-challenge-senator-john-cornyn/ Cornyn is the second major RINO incumbent in the US Senate to draw a top tier conservative primary challenger for 2026. Louisiana's uber-RINO incumbent US Senator Bill Cassidy is being challenged by Louisiana State Treasurer and former US Congressman John Fleming, one of the original founders of the House Freedom Caucus. A recent change in the Louisiana primary system heavily favors Fleming by eliminating the "jungle primary" and replacing it will normal party primaries. Hopefully, North Carolina will also join the ranks of these states with a top tier primary challenger to RINO incumbent Thom Tillis. Northern Irish cosmetics brand, BPerfect, is set to open up its first ever outlet store in Co Down. The new cosmetic shop is set to open its doors this week, April 10 at The Boulevard shopping outlet in Banbridge. The grand opening will be marked with a full weekend of beauty themed activities, including beauty demos, facials and the opportunity to shop for BPerfect products. The Boulevard shopping centre, Banbridge Watch: BPerfect open new store in Banbridge Makeup enthusiasts will also be treated to the travelling Skin Studio bus on the launch weekend. Founded in 2012 by Co Down man, Brendan McDowell, it initially started as an eyebrow stencil business. Now, BPerfect is best known for its make-up, tanning and skincare products. It also has a series of ambassadors made up of micro and macro influencers endorsing it, including Love Island star Ekin-Su, NI influencer Annalivia Hynds, as well as makeup artists Katie Daley and Louise McDonnell. Starting off as a series of pop-up shops across the country, BPerfect will join a roster of household names in the shopping outlet. These include Kate Spade New York, Molton Brown, GUESS, Adidas, Nike and the recently opened French Connection. Mr McDowell thanked loyal customers for the companys recent success. Thanks to our loyal customers we have been able to open multiple new stores across the UK and Ireland in the past year, a huge achievement for us, he said. When looking for a location for our first outlet store, The Boulevard was the perfect place that ticked all the boxes. It has a very loyal, engaged customer base coming from both northern and southern Ireland as it is located on the main A1 motorway connecting Belfast and Dublin. We are thrilled to sit alongside so many household names and join an excellent scheme during its most successful time. We look forward to welcoming many new and existing customers through our doors on opening day and over the next six weeks. Asset Manager at Lotus Property, which owns The Boulevard, Paul McCann labelled BPerfect as an excellent example of a local company excelling on the world stage. They have taken the beauty industry by storm, and we are so delighted theyve chosen The Boulevard as the location for their first ever outlet store, said the manager. The Boulevard is home to many brands firsts and that is a testament to our strong retail offering, dedicated customer base and supportive onsite and agency teams. We look forward to welcoming BPerfect into The Boulevard family and wish them success with their new store. When Lynsey Mallon became managing partner of leading law firm Arthur Cox Northern Ireland, she had a clear vision of how to further enhance the firms reputation for excellence. As one of the most respected lawyers in Northern Ireland, Lynseys authentic leadership style and collaborative approach have strengthened Arthur Coxs commitment to talent development and expert client service. On her first anniversary in the role, Lynsey reflects on a year of growth and looks ahead to continued success Comprehensive trainee and intern programmes, which continue to provide young lawyers with the experience and mentorship needed to excel, are important aspects of Lynsey Mallons leadership Trust, authenticity and collaboration have been major hallmarks of Lynsey Mallons first year as managing partner of leading law firm Arthur Cox Northern Ireland. Since taking up the role in April 2024, Lynsey has made a significant impact, consolidating her reputation as both a progressive and capable leader, and a strategic driver of the firms growth. Her leadership has not only ensured the firms continued success but has positioned it as a key trusted adviser for locally-based and international business leaders seeking legal guidance in an increasingly complex and dynamic market. In her inaugural year, Lynseys approach to strategic growth, client service delivery, and innovation has resonated deeply with business leaders and senior decision makers who understand the need for both legal expertise and forward-thinking advice in todays rapidly-evolving business environment. Being managing partner of Arthur Cox Northern Ireland is an incredible privilege, and a role I feel inspired to carry out every day, Lynsey says. The relationship between our clients and our people is at the heart of the firm. Arthur Coxs reputation is built on the implicit trust our clients place in us to offer pragmatic, accurate and commercially-minded advice. Authenticity fosters that culture of trust and collaboration, which ultimately leads to better outcomes. Those better outcomes for clients are reflected in Arthur Cox being at the centre of some of Northern Irelands most significant deals, with Experians latest M&A report highlighting the firms role in shaping the regions dealmaking environment. Arthur Cox advised in three of the highest-value transactions recorded in 2024, with a total deal value of 1.29bn. In light of the multifaceted challenges of todays global economy, business leaders and senior decision makers need more than just a trusted advisor they need a strategic partner who can provide practical solutions tailored to their business objectives that help them to manage risk, optimise opportunities, and remain compliant with the ever-changing regulatory framework, continued Lynsey. Ongoing shifts in global trade agreements, political relations, and international supply chains require businesses of all sizes to adapt quickly. At Arthur Cox, we adopt a multi-disciplinary approach across all of our practice areas to anticipate potential risks for our clients and to assist them in developing resilient strategies to protect their operations and minimise risk. With a proven pedigree for professional skills, a thorough understanding of client requirements and a practical approach, Arthur Cox provides a full-service offering to Northern Ireland-based businesses, multi-national corporates and investors, banks and financial institutions, as well as government and public bodies. Arthur Coxs Employment, Procurement and Construction groups provide integrated, strategic advice that helps clients navigate complex workforce challenges, regulatory requirements, and large-scale development projects with confidence. The firms Real Estate and Banking and Finance practices collaborate to advise on some of the regions most significant property transactions. Their combined knowledge ensures that clients whether developers, investors, or financial institutions can successfully fund, acquire, and deliver high-value developments that drive economic growth. Further high-profile examples of Arthur Cox being at the forefront of Northern Ireland business include its multi-disciplinary team advising Links Collection on its landmark Dunluce Lodge development in Portrush, and advising on the successful opening of The Ivy Collections first restaurant in Northern Ireland, located in Belfast city centre. We are seeing that sustainability remains a key priority for businesses across all sectors, driven by regulatory changes, investor expectations, and a genuine commitment to responsible growth. At Arthur Cox, we are advising clients on how to navigate evolving ESG (environmental, social, and governance) requirements, integrate sustainability into their business strategies, and ensure compliance with emerging legal frameworks. Whether it is supporting companies on sustainable finance, renewable energy projects, or corporate governance best practices, we are helping businesses not only meet their obligations but also seize the opportunities that come with embracing sustainability. Renowned for our responsiveness, pragmatism and strong commercial acumen, the pedigree of our team of partners and associates in Belfast is second to none. We have the scale and flexibility to handle deals of any size. With Arthur Cox offices in Dublin, London, New York and San Francisco, access to in-country legal expertise in those jurisdictions sets us apart in the Northern Ireland market. Many business transactions have cross-jurisdictional elements. We operate on a broader international stage, ensuring our clients benefit from that knowledge. We advise on the cultural subtilties of transactions as well at the legal technicalities, which are often crucial for good outcomes. Our ability to provide cross-jurisdictional legal advice is a significant strength. As Northern Ireland continues to evolve as a business hub, we are well positioned to support clients looking to establish a presence in the region. A crucial pillar of Lynseys strategy for the firm is a steadfast commitment to collaboration, in the belief that a strong internal culture is crucial to delivering excellent client service. This is bolstered by robust trainee and intern programmes, which continue to provide young lawyers with the experience and mentorship needed to excel. Indeed, September saw six new trainees start with Arthur Cox Northern Ireland, while the previous years cohort of graduate trainees took up permanent solicitor roles, along with three new junior solicitors joining the firm. Our success is built on the strength of our people and the way we work together, Lynsey said. Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do, from advising clients to mentoring the next generation of legal professionals. A hugely rewarding aspect of my role is seeing our people take ownership of tasks and drive innovation across the firm, and it is vital that they feel supported to do that. We are passionate about developing future legal talent. Our trainee programmes are designed to give young lawyers meaningful exposure to high-quality legal work, ensuring they are well-equipped for successful legal careers. Having benefited from positive mentorship myself, it is a privilege for me to be able to provide that same guidance. Encouraging and nurturing talent within the firm is a responsibility I embrace. It is fantastic for these young solicitors to look at our senior team and, not only learn from them, but see that there is a pathway at Arthur Cox to a successful and rewarding legal career. Arthur Cox has always been cognisant of the important role it can play in supporting the Northern Ireland economy and community, and that is a responsibility that Lynsey takes extremely seriously. Partnerships with business organisations such as the Belfast Chamber and Business in the Community, where Lynsey holds board positions, reflects the firms commitment to social value for the benefit or our local economy, environment and communities. Internationally, the Arthur Cox Zambia Project helps to raise standards of living in some of the most rural regions of Zambia. Since 2008, over 200 of the firms trainees have travelled to Zambia as volunteers and raised over 600,000 to fund community-led initiatives aimed at developing sustainable health, education, agricultural infrastructure and water security in the country. With a year of achievements and sustainable growth during her first year as managing partner, Lynsey is excited about the future success and evolution of Arthur Cox Northern Ireland. I am extremely proud of what we have achieved together as a firm. Looking ahead, we will continue to grow, innovate, and build on our successes to ensure we remain at the forefront of the legal profession in Northern Ireland. Members of the RNLI (North Coast) receive the 999 Hero award from Blue Lights stars Joanne Crawford and Desmond Eastwood, along with Colin Hughes from category sponsor Four Star Pizza, at last year's Spirit of Northern Ireland Awards. 999 HERO: Four Star Pizza CEO Colin Hughes is calling on the Northern Ireland public to nominate members of the emergency services that they feel have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their job. People across Northern Ireland are being urged to nominate those in the emergency services who they feel have gone above and beyond in their job as part of this years Spirit of Northern Ireland Awards. The annual awards celebrate and honour inspirational people from across Northern Ireland and this years ceremony will take place at the Culloden Estate and Spa in Cultra. Once again sponsoring the 999 Hero award, Four Star Pizza are asking the public to nominate an individual or group they feel has gone the extra mile. "While there can only be one winner of this very special award, we at Four Star Pizza see it as a salute to all those individuals and teams who, on a daily basis, selflessly serve our communities and show such bravery in the face of adversity to help save lives, said Four Star Pizzas CEO Colin Hughes, who hails from Lurgan in Co Armagh. We are very proud, once again, to sponsor this years 999 Hero award and would urge everyone in Northern Ireland to show their support for our amazing emergency services by nominating an individual or group that they feel has gone that extra mile in carrying out their already vital work." Last years award was won by the team at The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) North Coast. Members of the RNLI (North Coast) receive the 999 Hero award from Blue Lights stars Joanne Crawford and Desmond Eastwood, along with Colin Hughes from category sponsor Four Star Pizza, at last year's Spirit of Northern Ireland Awards. Mr Hughes added: As a company deeply rooted in local communities, with franchises in towns across Northern Ireland and the Republic, we offer our heartfelt gratitude, on behalf of all our customers and franchisees, for our emergency services extraordinary acts of courage and sacrifice, and we are honoured to help celebrate their resilience and unwavering dedication. They are the true embodiment of heroism and, as an honest company always striving to be better, their stories serve as beacons of hope and inspiration for us all. Last year, we were delighted to present this award to the team at The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) North Coast, who were very worthy winners, and we cant wait to crowning a new 999 Hero in 2025 so please, get those nominations rolling in. Other award categories at the Spirit of Northern Ireland Awards, in partnership with Ulster Bank, include Unsung Hero, Charity Champion, Caring Spirit, Community Hero, Environmental Hero, Young Carer, Overcoming Adversity, Spirit of Health, Spirit of Education, Spirit of Youth and Spirit of Sport. A star-studded line-up is expected to attend the ceremony which will be hosted by UTVs Sarah Clarke and Cool FMs Pete Snodden at the Culloden Estate and Spa in Cultra on Friday, June 20. Anyone wishing to nominate a member of the emergency services for the 999 Hero Award, sponsored by Four Star Pizza, should send an email to spiritofniawards@sundaylife.co.uk, providing some information on the person(s) or group they are nominating and why they deserve to win. The closing date for nominations is Sunday, May 4, 2025. Music and Gigs Review: This is the best Oasis have been since 96 some might say better... a rock reunion to end them all Emergency services at the scene of a collision on the Ballygomartin Road in west Belfast (Photo by Kevin Scott) Police are investigating a hit and run road traffic collision in west Belfast. Police, fire and the ambulance services attended the crash on the Ballygomartin Road at around 11pm on Tuesday night. Inspector Orman said: "A report was received at approximately 10.30pm on Tuesday, April 8 of a collision on the Ballygomartin Road. "It's understood a black Volkswagon Polo collided with a grey Peugeot 3008 that was stationary at traffic lights in the area. "Colleagues from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and Northern Ireland Ambulance Service attended the scene. "On the arrival of police, the driver of the Volkswagon Polo made off from officers on foot. "Damage was caused to both vehicles, and the driver and passenger of the Peugeot 3008 required hospital treatment for their injuries, not believed to be life-threatening at this time. "Efforts are currently ongoing to locate the outstanding driver at this time. Emergency services at the scene of a collision on the Ballygomartin Road in west Belfast (Photo by Kevin Scott) 100 Firefighters battle major gorse fire in Mourne mountains Firefighters used cutting equipment to remove doors from one of the vehicles before transferring two patients into the care of the ambulance service. A police helicopter, which was already in the Belfast area was deployed to assist in locating the male. David Harbinson, Area Commander at NI Fire and Rescue Service, at Bloody Bridge car park, Newcastle in Co Down. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire Ahead of what is expected to be the hottest day of the year so far, firefighters have urged those responsible for the gorse fires to think of the impact they are causing. It comes as one fire chief warned the potential for increasingly warmer and sunnier weather in the months ahead could see yet more scenes of devastation in the countryside. Temperatures in Northern Ireland are expected to reach 20C in parts of the country on Thursday and Friday, on the back of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service responding to dozens of gorse fires across the country recently. Operations have been scaled back after NIFRS confirmed on Wednesday evening an incident in the White Bridge area of Ballygawley is expected to end and there have been no other wildfires reported. However, the rise in temperatures both in the short term and as summer approaches has prompted those in NIFRS to sound a warning about the busy months ahead. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, NIFRS Area Commander David Harbinson said: It really does depend on what kind of summer we have here. If we do have a long, dry, warm summer, we would anticipate that we could be busy. Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the Black Mountain in Belfast on Tuesday. Photo: Kevin Scott It's too early to know that, because we don't know where the long-term forecast is going to be in relation to the weather. So as much as everybody's hoping for a lovely warm, dry summer I would like that as well we have to be mindful of the impact that that could have on the fire service if we do have people going around and deliberately setting fires in the countryside. The fire chief explained those responsible for starting fires need to be aware of the consequences gorse fires are having on the environment, fire service and local community. Think about the impact that it's having on the countryside itself, in relation to destroying the lands and the wildlife that's being affected, and then equally, think about the effect that it's having on the Fire Rescue Service, he said. On the impact for his crews on the ground, Mr Harbinson said the recent fires are stretching the NIFRSs resources. We are a community service, in that we're here to serve the community of Northern Ireland. David Harbinson, Area Commander at NI Fire and Rescue Service, at Bloody Bridge car park, Newcastle in Co Down. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire Watch: Firefighters tackle ongoing Co. Down wildfire When we're up tackling these wildfires, that takes our resources away from our towns and our cities, and therefore, then that can have an impact also. It's very trying work that's going on at the minute, and that's right across the board, from our front line fire crews to our officers on the ground, to our regional control centre that is doing the call handling, mobilizing our fire appliances, to our support staff who then support the front line operations of the firefighters. So it's very much a collective effort right across the board. We also get support from our partner agencies, and there's a number of them that are supporting us right across this busy period. And we're very thankful for the work that they do with us, and we really appreciate what they're doing, and in some cases, we couldn't do it without them. So it's very much been very much a collaborative effort, even though it's been, dominantly, a fire service response. We've all been working together. More than 70 firefighters tackled blazes across Northern Ireland on Tuesday, as the service received over 40 reports related to wildfires. On Tuesday night firefighters continued to tackle a wildfire on Bloody Bridge in the Mourne Mountains which began over the weekend. Meanwhile, eight appliances and 40 firefighters were deployed at the height of a wildfire in Ballygawley. The incident ended later into Wednesday evening. Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the Black Mountain in Belfast on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Scott It is believed young people may be responsible for starting many of the gorse fires. Mr Harbinson said: In relation to young people, we want them to go out and enjoy themselves, make the most of the good weather. But think about the dangers of lighting fires, not only for all the things that we've just discussed there, but equally, the dangers to themselves. We would encourage young people to go out, enjoy themselves, be responsible, and that would be the message that we would like to put across. Firefighters have been dealing with a number of wildfires in recent days. Pic: NIFRS/PA Following a blaze on Black Mountain in Belfast on Tuesday evening, local SDLP councillor Paul Doherty, seconded Mr Harbinsons message. The fact that young people are potentially responsible for these fires is concerning, I would encourage those young people and their parents to really consider the extent of the damage they are causing to these beautiful landscapes. "What they are doing is harming the nature and wildlife in the area while endangering others, he said. Mr Doherty also praised the NIFRS for their work tackling the fires. I want to commend the fire service for their work, the nature of the role means they put their lives in danger tackling blazes in very difficult circumstances and they continue to work hard to protect us and our landscapes. Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the Black Mountain in Belfast on April 8th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the Black Mountain in Belfast on April 8th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the Black Mountain in Belfast on April 8th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) As a yellow weather warning for wildfires continues to be in place for Northern Ireland, the fire service has again been dealing with two separate nature blazes on Wednesday night. In Co Tyrone, an initial call to Fintona was received by the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) at 4:50pm on Wednesday, with staff tackling a wildfire of approximately two acres. Five fire appliances and 38 firefighters were in attendance from Fintona, Dromore, Irvinestown and Omagh Fire Stations. Meanwhile, in Co Antrim, a call to Cargan was received at 5:23pm. Five fire appliances and 41 firefighters were in attendance from Ballymena, Cushendall and Ballymoney Fire Stations at the gorse fire. Operations at both incidents have now been scaled back. Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the Black Mountain in Belfast on April 8th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) News Catch Up - Wednesday 9 April Read more Northern Ireland weather: Heat continues to rise with Thursday to be hottest day yet More than 70 firefighters tackled blazes across Northern Ireland on Tuesday, as the service received over 40 reports related to wildfires yesterday. Firefighters last night continued to tackle a wildfire on Bloody Bridge in the Mourne Mountains which began over the weekend. Meanwhile, eight appliances and 40 firefighters were deployed at the height of a wildfire in Ballygawley. Four appliances remained at the scene this morning. In Belfast, 35 firefighters worked to extinguish a fire on Black Mountain on Tuesday night. They battled six-foot high trees alight with hoses that spanned over half a mile across the mountainous terrain. Yesterday evening (Tuesday 8 April), Firefighters were called to reports of gorse on fire on Black Mountain at 7.22pm. Five Fire Appliances and over 35 Firefighters battling a 120m fire front, added the NIFRS spokesperson. A yellow warning for wildfires remains in place. Please follow our fire safety advice and stay vigilant to the risk of fire in the countryside. if you see a fire, please call 999 immediately. Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the Black Mountain in Belfast on April 8th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the Black Mountain in Belfast on April 8th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the Black Mountain in Belfast on April 8th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the Black Mountain in Belfast on April 8th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the Black Mountain in Belfast on April 8th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Over 20 firefighters have managed to extinguish a fire on Black Mountain on Tuesday night the latest of multiple wildfires that have been spreading throughout Northern Ireland in recent days. Firefighters from Springfield, Whitla and Westland fire stations were in attendance after the service received over a hundred calls in relation to the blaze, including concerns from local MLAs. They battled six-foot high trees alight with hoses that spanned over half a mile across the mountainous terrain. One woman posted online that she could smell the smoke from the fire from as far as the Falls Road. Sinn Fein MLA Aisling Reilly expressed her shock. She said: Black Mountain is an environmental treasure, and its absolutely shocking to see a fire burning on it tonight. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content This threatens wildlife and natural habitat on the mountain, and the surrounding community. "I understand fire appliances are currently at the scene and I would encourage the community to allow them space while they deal with the fire. If the fire was started deliberately, those responsible must face the full force of the law, and I would encourage anyone with information to bring it forward. Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the Black Mountain in Belfast on April 8th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Firefighters continuing to tackle wildfires in the Mourne Mountains Read more People starting wildfires risk being charged with manslaughter Muir Meanwhile, police are deploying specialist units to survey the Mourne Mountains to help them locate potential suspects of arson. Firefighters in Northern Ireland received 240 calls on Monday with 27 of them involving wildfires, as they continue to battle a number of gorse fires. In a new update on Tuesday, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said over 75 firefighters had been involved in tackling a fire front of two miles in the Bloody Bridge area of the Mourne Mountains, which has now been dealt with. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but police are currently treating it as arson. Read more Watch: Newcastle locals and tourists react to continuing wildfires Over 16 firefighters are now additionally at the scene of another wildfire close to Bloody Bridge on the Slieve Bearnagh area. In the Western Area Command, firefighters were called to gorse on fire in the White Bridge area of Ballygawley, Co Tyrone today at 1.57pm. There are currently four fire appliances and over 20 firefighters battling a one-mile fire front. Read more Stormont votes to establish climate commissioner despite cost concern NIFRS said they also continue to respond to other emergencies in the community, including a house fire in Newry and a fire in a flat in Belfast. Firefighters were also called to a potential aircraft incident in Enniskillen earlier today, although no action was required on arrival. A yellow weather warning for wildfires remains in place. A Belfast hotel has settled a religious discrimination case brought by a man whose job offer was revoked days before his first shift for 10,000. Jonathan Kerr, a practising Judaeo-Christian, applied for a night porter role at the Hilton, trading as Pandox Belfast Limited. Due to his religion, Mr Kerr observes the Sabbath from sunset on Friday until sunset on Saturday and does not work for an hour before or after sundown. Mr Kerr said that, from the beginning of the recruitment process, he was open about his religious observance over the Sabbath and sought clarification from the hotel regarding shift patterns. He specified in writing that he could not work from 3pm on a Friday to 11pm on a Saturday. Mr Kerr was successful in his job interview and received an offer of employment. He signed a contract that included a letter from the hotels human resources department confirming he was unable to work from sunset on Friday to sunset on a Saturday. Just three days before he was due to start his first shift, however, Mr Kerrs job offer was revoked. He was told via email that it would be unfair to the rest of the team for one person to be off every Friday night. The hotel said it required someone who was completely flexible, especially on a zero-hour contract. Mr Kerr replied enquiring if, had he been in a position to work on Fridays, his offer of employment would have been retained. The hotel said this would be acceptable as they could ensure fairness across their workforce. Following this, Mr Kerr took a case against Pandox Belfast Limited. He was supported in taking the case by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland. The case was subsequently settled for 10,000. I was really upset and distressed to know that I had completed the recruitment exercise successfully, yet was denied the opportunity to work because of my adherence to my faith, Mr Kerr said. I made them aware of my religious observance obligations from the start of my application. I felt such a failure because I was unable to work and provide for myself. Mary Kitson is the senior legal officer at the Equality Commission. Employers must ensure that their policies, procedures and practices are lawful, she said. Where an employer operates a rule or policy that looks the same for everyone but in effect disadvantages people from a particular religious belief, they must show the reason for the rule or policy, what alternative arrangements they considered and why these could not be implemented. They must be able to demonstrate that their approach was appropriate and proportionate. Jonathan Kerr Firefighters continuing to tackle wildfires in the Mourne Mountains In settling the case, without admission of liability, Hilton Belfast affirmed its commitment to equality and opportunity. The hotel also agreed to liaise with the Equality Commission to review its equal opportunities policies, practices and procedures to ensure they conform with the requirements of the Fair Employment and Treatment (NI) Order of 1998. Hilton Belfast said it regrets any distress and injury to feelings suffered by Mr Kerr. PACEMAKER BELFAST 09/04/2025 Twin four year old sisters Caoimhe and Caitlin McErlean from Portglenone in Co Antrim enjoy the sunshine in the Peoples Park, Ballymena today. Photo Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press The heat is continuing to rise in NI this week, with the mercury expected to hit 20C in parts of Northern Ireland on Thursday. It should be another fine, dry and sunny day across all six counties, with some light westerly winds. A chilly start in the early morning will soon turn to what is for the time of year scorching heat, with Co Tyrone set to be the hottest region across the country. Cookstown, Strabane and their surrounding areas are also expected to hit a maximum of 20C at around 4pm, according to the Met Office. However, the national forecaster has also predicted a possible end to the clear skies at the weekend. Its thought that Friday will remain dry with high temperatures across Northern Ireland, which will also extend to most of Saturday with some sunshine remaining throughout the day. Then, it will become rather cloudy with some showers later on Saturday and into Sunday. A yellow warning for wildfires also remains in place in NI, as the fire service has been stretched dealing with multiple wildfire incidents over the past week. PACEMAKER BELFAST 09/04/2025 Twin four year old sisters Caoimhe and Caitlin McErlean from Portglenone in Co Antrim enjoy the sunshine in the Peoples Park, Ballymena today. Photo Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press News Catch Up - Wednesday 9 April Read more What to see and do in NI to make the most of the sunshine as forecasters say change is on way On Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the service stated: Firefighters continued to respond to wildfire incidents overnight and attended other emergency calls across Northern Ireland. Firefighters were also called to reports of gorse on fire on Black Mountain at 7.22pm on Tuesday. Thursday is also expected to be the hottest day of the year so far in other parts of the UK, with highs of 24C. The Met Office said temperatures would peak on Friday in London and south-east England, while temperatures could hit 23C on Thursday. The hottest day of the year so far was on April 4 with a high of 23.7C in Otterbourne, Hampshire. This year has seen at least 286 wildfires hit the UK so far, more than 100 above the number recorded in the same period in 2022, a year that saw record-breaking temperatures and unprecedented wildfire activity. In a long-range weather forecast for the country, the Met Office said its likely to be a much more changeable period through at least the early part of next week. There is a low risk of heavier, possibly thundery showers coming into the country from the south for a time early in the period, but confidence in this aspect of the forecast is low and these may well pass to the east. This heralds a wetter period through the middle of April with showers or longer spells of rain at times, which could be heavy and thundery in places. Strong winds could develop in some areas, particularly the south and west. Temperatures are likely to return closer to normal. A "professional burglar' has been handed a four year sentence over shed break-ins in Co Antrim. Former west Belfast man Stephen McIlwaine (51), whose address was given as c/o of Maghaberry Prison, had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary. Belfast Crown Court heard both burglaries were committed at night on July 8, 2023, in the Newtownabbey area. A shed was broken into in Ballyhenry Avenue but nothing was taken. A short time later, and just a few streets away, a further shed was targeted in Dorchester Avenue where power tools and an electric bike were stolen. During one of the break-ins, there was a confrontation with the owner and the defendant fled the scene. Two further counts of burgling sheds in the Newtownabbey area on the same night were left on the books in the usual terms. The court heard McIlwaine has 101 previous convictions, which included nine entries for burglary, causing death by dangerous driving, seven for handling stolen goods, four for theft, robbery and a number of assaults. Read more Trio jailed for appalling attack outside Belfast pub that left victim needing surgery In a pre-sentence report McIlwaine told a Probation Board officer: "I am 51 years of age. I am too old for prison. I want to help people to avoid making the same mistakes as me.'' The Probation Board assessed McIlwaine as highly likely to reoffend, but stopped short of stating he posed a danger to the public in the future. Defence counsel Richard McConkey KC submitted that McIlwaine had expressed his "genuine remorse and regret'' for his offending. Mr McConkey added: "At some point he is going to have to turn the tide on his offending given his attitude to the probation officer and his guilty pleas to these offences.'' In May last year, McIlwaine was handed a six year sentence for a "campaign of burglaries'' across Belfast and Newtownabbey areas. He pleaded guilty to a total of 10 night-time burglaries committed on dates between August 2021 and February 2022. He also received a six month consecutive prison sentence for breach of a suspended sentence. Saying McIlwaine would serve half of the six-and-a-half-year sentence in custody with the remainder on supervised licence, Judge Mark Reel told him at the time: "You are a professional burglar. "You committed an appalling campaign of burglary over a short period of time while in breach of a suspended sentence and within a few months of being released from custody. "The offending is so serious that neither a find nor a community based sentence is justified or appropriate.'' Passing the four year sentence today (Wednesday), Judge Reel said he had to take into account the "principle of totality''. "These offences are a year later than the original bill of indictment but having regard to the totality of the sentence I would have not imposed any longer of a sentence than I did in May 2024.'' Judge Reel said that as a result, McIlwaine will not serve any further time in custody for the two Newtownabbey shed burglaries. Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the Black Mountain in Belfast on April 8th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the Black Mountain in Belfast on April 8th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the Black Mountain in Belfast on April 8th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the Black Mountain in Belfast on April 8th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) More than 70 firefighters tackled blazes across Northern Ireland, as the service received over 40 reports related to wildfires yesterday. Firefighters last night continued to tackle a wildfire on Bloody Bridge in the Mourne Mountains which began over the weekend. Meanwhile, eight appliances and 40 firefighters were deployed at the height of a wildfire in Ballygawley. Four appliances remained at the scene this morning. NIFRS has asked the public to avoid the area while the operation is ongoing. A Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) spokesperson said: Firefighters continued to respond to wildfire incidents overnight and attended other emergency calls across Northern Ireland. "Our Regional Control Room received 330 calls yesterday, 41 of the 147 calls mobilised involved wildfires. At the height of the wildfire in the White Bridge area of Ballygawley, Co. Tyrone, 8 fire appliances with other 40 firefighters tackled the blaze. "There are currently 4 fire appliances at the scene. Please stay away from the area while firefighting operations are taking place and adhere to road closures. Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the Black Mountain in Belfast on April 8th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Firefighters continuing to tackle wildfires in the Mourne Mountains In Belfast, 35 firefighters worked to extinguish a fire on Black Mountain on Tuesday night. They battled six-foot high trees alight with hoses that spanned over half a mile across the mountainous terrain. Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the Black Mountain in Belfast on April 8th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Yesterday evening (Tuesday 8 April), Firefighters were called to reports of gorse on fire on Black Mountain at 7.22pm. Five Fire Appliances and over 35 Firefighters battling a 120m fire front, added the NIFRS spokesperson. A yellow warning for wildfires remains in place. Please follow our fire safety advice and stay vigilant to the risk of fire in the countryside. if you see a fire, please call 999 immediately. The traditional red telephone kiosk, next to a listed grocery store and post office in Lenaderg, was in poor condition prior to refurbishment. Credit: Google The refurbished post office is still missing new glazed panels, as well as the 'Tudor' crown motif over a glazed 'Telephone' panel. Credit: Simon Black Architecture The recently refurbished kiosk on Huntly Road, Lenaderg, is to be retained and as the retro phone box is set against a listed building, formerly a grocery store and post office there can be no better setting for the iconic street fixture. Armagh and Banbridge Council planning officers noted in their report: The telephone kiosk is located to the front of 190-192 Huntly Road, along the footpath. The kiosk has recently been refurbished, with proposed refurbishment works to include the fitting of single pane glazing. Each elevation displays the Tudor crown motif over a glazed telephone panel. Officers, in consultation with HED (Historic Environment Division), are of the opinion that the works already carried out and proposed are in keeping with the materials and techniques found on the original telephone kiosk. A report, submitted by Simon Black Architecture, Richhill, as part of the planning application, gives additional information on the history of the telephone kiosk: A K6 telephone kiosk designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, dating from sometime between 1935 and c. 1953. The kiosk is located in the small settlement of Lenaderg, next to 190-192 Huntly Road, a property that served as a post office from the late 19th century until 2000. The kiosk has the usual cast-iron body painted red, but with what appears to be largely replacement glazing. Each elevation displays the Tudor crown motif over a glazed Telephone panel. The planning application is proposed to retain the refurbished works recently completed to the British Telecoms K6 telephone kiosk, along with proposed refurbishment works which includes the fitting of single pane glazing. The telephone kiosk was recently sanded, primed and hand-painted with the following paint. Crown logo: hand-painted with Gold Crown external grade paint. Main structure: hand-painted with phone box currant red external grade paint. Kiosk base: hand-painted with phone box black external grade paint. Former Irish soldier Lisa Smith has a clear case to appeal against her conviction for being a member of the so-called Islamic State (IS) terror group, her lawyer has said. Smith, 43, from Dundalk in Co Louth, is to outline her case at the Court of Appeal on Thursday. The ex-Defence Forces member was found guilty of IS membership in 2023 but was cleared of financing terrorism after a nine-week trial at Dublins Special Criminal Court. Smith, a convert to Islam, went to Syria in 2015 after terrorist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi called on Muslims to travel to the country. She had pleaded not guilty to charges of membership of IS and providing funds to benefit the group. She was handed 15 months in prison and lost an appeal over the severity of the sentence. Her legal team is expected to argue at the Court of Appeal that Smith should not have been convicted of IS membership as she was travelling to Syria for religious reasons only. Peter Corrigan of Phoenix Law said: Lisa Smith quite rightly is appealing her conviction given the unique nature of her conviction. She has a clear case to appeal. She did not so much as hold a gun, nor fire a shot, nor did she commit any wrongdoings whilst there. We make clear that Lisa was a victim of domestic violence and suffered greatly whilst in Syria. She is a devoted mother to her daughter to whom she is deeply attached. The family of a cargo handler who fell to his death from an aircraft at Dublin Airport over six years ago have expressed outrage over the circumstances of his death, revealed at an inquest. It is essential that the Government pushes for stronger EU laws and more effective ways to combat child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online, according to a report. The first Online Safety Monitor calls on the Government to lead reform of EU laws against the production, hosting and access to CSAM, as well as ensuring that legislation properly addresses grooming as well as methods to avoid detection of the illegal material. It suggests the introduction of targeted initiatives to raise awareness of online harms to children, focusing on child sexual abuse, CSAM, grooming, and sexual exploitation. The monitor is to be launched at an online safety conference hosted by the Childrens Rights Alliance on Wednesday. The Childrens Rights Alliance online safety co-ordinator, Noeline Blackwell, said: The horrifying reality of an unregulated internet is children are left exposed online to the worst crimes and content you can imagine. Last year, it was estimated that over 300 million children globally were victims of online sexual exploitation. That is 10 cases every second. We have reached a grim milestone, and yet EU regulation to address this has stalled. Predators hide behind blind spots that current laws fail to acknowledge sufficiently, and online platforms ignore entirely, and all the while the industry profits rise. Reports of child sexual abuse material in Ireland have skyrocketed in recent years, with Hotline.ie receiving over 29,000 reports in 2023 the highest number in its history. What should be enjoyable activities, such as chatting with friends online or playing video games, can open the door to some of the worst offences. In addition, the monitor calls on Government to establish an effective and accessible public individual complaints mechanism where complaints made by children or involving a child are given priority. It also says that Government should strengthen oversight of platform compliance with the Digital Services Act to ensure accountability mechanisms are effective and child-centred, and include safety-by-design, transparency, privacy and algorithms. The monitor is designed to provide a baseline analysis of the protections in place and the areas where children in Ireland remain vulnerable online. Minister for Justice Jim OCallaghan will address the conference on Wednesday (Brian Lawless/PA) Ms Blackwell said: If laws and regulations fail to keep pace with the digital world, it is children and young people who pay the price. Failing to have adequate protections online creates space for predators to hide. We cannot trust platforms to decide and design their own safety rules for children. These platforms are inherently risky in their set-up, favouring profit over protection. While there have been significant strides in recent years to end this era of self-regulation, there are gaps that ultimately put children at risk. Ms Blackwell said children are still being subjected to unnecessary levels of online harm despite progress through the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act, the Online Safety Codes, and the Online Safety Commissioner. She said the Online Safety Codes offer too much scope to platforms to address their own safety standards. The recommender algorithms these companies designed that feed children harmful content are not included, she said. On top of that, children and young people are still waiting for an accessible individual complaints mechanism that they can turn to when they do experience harms online, leaving children and their families lost in a maze of complex and inconsistent reporting processes for every site they engage with. Wednesdays conference will feature addresses from Minister for Justice Jim OCallaghan and David DArcy, Digital Services Act officer for Ireland at the European Commission office in Dublin. Irelands deputy premier Simon Harris has travelled to Washington DC for a meeting with US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick, a key critic of the Irish Governments fiscal policies. Mr Harris flew to the US on Tuesday night for meetings with economic and business stakeholders. Over the course of Wednesday, he is due to hold several further meetings on Capitol Hill to discuss Irelands economic, trade and foreign policy priorities. US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick prepares for a television interview outside the White House in Washington (Mark Schiefelbein/AP) He will also meet with Mr Lutnick on trade and investment relations, mentioning the US-Irish economic relationship which sustains 400,000 jobs. The commerce secretary has been a key figure in US President Donald Trumps tariff plans. Mr Lutnick, who has described Ireland as his favourite tax scam, told a podcast last month: They have all of our (intellectual property) for all our great tech companies and great pharma companies. They all put it there because its low tax. They dont pay us, they pay them, so that is going to end. He has also said on social media that it is nonsense that Ireland of all places runs a trade surplus at our expense. Pharmaceuticals were exempt from the sweeping 20% tariffs imposed on EU exports to the US earlier this month, but could be subject to further measures taken by the Trump administration. Mr Harris held a late-night call with Mr Lutnick a number of weeks ago, which the Fine Gael leader described as a useful opportunity to exchange views. Speaking about his US visit, the Tanaiste said: We are here to keep the lines of communications open with US political and business leaders as well as share insights and engage. During the visit I will be emphasising our desire to find a negotiated solution between the EU and US on tariffs and that I am fully supportive of Commissioner Sefcovics work. I will make the point that the European Union is ready right now to negotiate. We have a team on standby to travel to DC to begin negotiations between the EU and the US to find a way forward. He added: In a complex and unpredictable global economic environment, direct bilateral engagement with the United States is one of my priorities. A particular focus of discussions will be the transatlantic economic and trade relationship between Ireland, the EU and the United States. I hope the trip will provide for an opportunity to gain further insight into the administrations thinking on their next steps. Mr Harris, who is also Irelands foreign affairs and trade minister, will also engage with US figures on Ukraine and the Middle East as well as discussions with the British government on legacy issues in Northern Ireland and on ending paramilitarism. He said: US support has been so significant over many decades in underpinning peace and reconciliation on this island, and remains essential. One of the new Air Corps C295 surveillance aircraft at Casement Aerodrome (Niall Carson/PA) One of the Defence Forces newest aircraft spent almost 40% of the last year undergoing maintenance in Spain. The Irish Air Corps received two Airbus C295 maritime surveillance aircraft in 2023 at a cost of 230 million euros, including funding for associated training. At the time, the now-outgoing Defence Forces Chief of Staff Sean Clancy said the aircraft provided a step-change in surveillance capabilities, with shallow-water mapping and enhanced data gathering through real-time imaging. He said the two aircraft were part of the response to growing and more advanced threats operating at sea. He said: Everything from cartels trying to find weak spots in terms of people, drugs and trafficking which are counter to our norms and values and threaten the sovereignty of our state and every other state on the western shoreline of Europe, which is where they are probing those soft spots. Less than two years later, one of the aircraft has spent 20 weeks in Seville, Spain, where Airbus has a base. Flight tracking websites say that the C295 had been in Seville from November 14 2024 until its return to Casement Aerodome, Baldonnel on April 3 last week. This 140-day spell accounts for roughly 38% of a year. Asked about the more than four-month period in Spain, the Defence Forces said the plane was undergoing scheduled maintenance. A spokesman said: Airbus C295 aircraft IRL284 was positioned at a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Seville to undergo scheduled maintenance in accordance with contractual arrangements with the manufacturer. Asked how often the C295 would be non-operational, the Defence Forces refused to comment on the specific maintenance schedule of the aircraft. Sources with relevant expertise said that the maintenance period was normal under routine inspections and airworthiness requirements due every couple of years. However, as it means the other C295 may be out of service for a similar length of time in the future, they said it shows the importance of adding redundancy into the Air Corps fleet. They argued that if one C295 had an unscheduled emergency problem while the other aircraft was in Spain for routine maintenance, it would leave the Air Corps without the ability to utilise the state-of-the-art surveillance and communication equipment on board. Ireland is expecting the delivery of another C295 in September. That aircraft will be under a transport specification, rather than being fitted out with maritime surveillance equipment. It will enable the Air Corps to provide a wide range of services including logistics support and transport of troops and equipment, medical evacuation and air ambulance, Special Operations Forces operations and a general utility role. Opposition TDs have pledged to replicate a robust challenge to moves by the Irish Government to scrap provisions of the triple lock for overseas troop deployments, citing heightened unity following the speaking rights row. Under the current system, Ireland cannot deploy any more than 12 Defence Forces peacekeepers overseas without a mission being approved by the UN Security Council or General Assembly, as well as approval by the Government and the Dail. Under draft legislation being advanced by the Government, it is proposed to remove the requirement of formal UN approval and replace it with a stipulation that the deployments are in accordance with the UN Charter. People Before Profit-Solidaritys Paul Murphy (Niall Carson/PA) The Government argues that this will prevent the five permanent members of the Security Council Russia, China, the UK, the US and France from exercising their veto against Irish peacekeeping missions. The Bill also includes draft proposals to amend provisions relating to the deployment of Defence Forces personnel in non-combatant evacuation operations. Critics see the moves as an effort to remove the core protections of the triple lock and erode Irish neutrality. On Wednesday, the Irish Neutrality League held a press conference in Dublin to voice objections to the proposals. It put forward a stance supported by opposition politicians from Sinn Fein, the Social Democrats and People Before Profit, as well as certain independents in the Dail and Seanad. Speaking at the event, opposition TD Paul Murphy said the cross-party convening under the Irish Neutrality League was a crucial initiative. Social Democrats Sinead Gibney (Brian Lawless/PA) He was critical of the Government not progressing the Occupied Territories Bill in this session while deciding to effectively fast track the deletion of the triple lock. Mr Murphy said the changes mentioning the UN Charter do not make any sense because the triple lock was designed to effectively enshrine the charter into Irish legislation. He added: We obviously will do everything that we can in the Dail, in the Seanad, in the committees to expose what is happening and to oppose this erosion of neutrality. Asked if this meant similar action to the disruption carried out during the recent speaking rights row, Mr Murphy said: We obviously havent discussed that sort of detail, yet were not at that point. He said that unity was about holding the Government to account and added: So certainly, I think that kind of coalition that you saw around the speaking time argument is being replicated here, it is going to be replicated in terms of a robust opposition to getting rid of neutrality. However, Mr Murphy said the Government had a majority and therefore the only thing that would save our neutrality at this stage is if ordinary people become involved. Sinn Feins defence spokesman Donnchadh O Laoghaire (Niall Carson/PA) Sinn Fein TD Donnchadh O Laoghaire said the Government proposal is putting the triple lock in the bin. He added: Actually, the biggest obstacle to Ireland taking part in peacekeeping missions has been the neglect of the Defence Forces. Social Democrats TD Sinead Gibney said the Government was carrying out an outright attack on neutrality. Ms Gibney said the Government relies on the threat of the Security Council veto without responding to queries on the provision that states the General Assembly could also approve a mission. She added: The proposal that they have in front of us right now is a mammoth step away from neutrality, to eradicate the triple lock means that we no longer have the multilateralism which satisfies our neutrality, and to increase the cap from 12 to 50 is a huge step, which really eradicates any oversight of the deployment of troops. Senator Alice-Mary Higgins said the public values neutrality, adding that it was absolutely key to the disproportionately large impact Ireland has had globally and at the UN. She said neutrality played a role in Irelands record of credibility in peacekeeping, disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation and bans on cluster munitions. The senator said it would be a great tragedy if the triple lock is removed and Ireland is exposed to pressure to participate in wars and actions that are not properly monitored. Ms Higgins also said there should be no short-circuiting of the parliamentary process by waiving pre-legislative scrutiny or guillotines on debate. Independent TD Catherine Connolly emphasised that the triple lock had been established during votes on the Nice Treaty and further followed by the Lisbon Treaty. Ms Connolly accused the Government of dishonesty and the twisting of language in the debate around the triple lock. Fianna Fails election manifesto included a proposal for sensible reform of the triple lock while Fine Gael said it would adopt a more assertive foreign, defence and security policy in a way that protects the policy of active military neutrality. Meanwhile, a 2023 report on a Government-established forum on international security policy found that the prevailing view of contributors was that the triple lock should be reconsidered as it is no longer fit for purpose. However, Mr Murphy said it was a joke to suggest the Government has a mandate to change the triple lock and described the consultative forum as being a hand-picked and stacked undemocratic process. They had previously said they were going to have a citizens assembly, which would have been a significant element of real consultation, would have been on some level a democratic forum. It would still need even if such a thing recommended the end of the triple lock would still say that needs to go to the people. But there really is no mandate here for what theyre doing and never mind the speed with which theyre doing it. Irish Neutrality League convenor Sara ORourke said the group would be organising a number of events, including a public rally in Dublin on May 10. Gardai have carried out searches and seized devices at a number of locations across Ireland (Niall Carson/PA) Gardai have carried out searches at a number of locations across Ireland and seized devices as part of an international operation targeting the sharing and distributing of child sexual abuse material The searches were co-ordinated by the Online Child Exploitation Unit within the Garda National Protective Services Bureau and conducted by gardai attached to Divisional Protective Services Units. Nine locations were searched and 18 devices have been seized as evidence. A spokesperson said investigations into these seizures are now underway and a number of arrests will be made in due course. A Garda spokesman said arrests will be made in due course (Brian Lawless/PA) Led by the Polish National Police in conjunction with Europols Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce (JCAT) and 11 member states, Operation FEVER has led to 166 arrests across Europe. Of these, 111 people have so far been arrested for sharing and distributing child sexual abuse material. Those arrested were identified to have produced paedophile films and images, run paedophile forums online, shared or possessed child sexual abuse material and in many cases were suspected of having physically abused children. Police officers attached to European police services with the support of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), National Crime Agency (NCA), the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) have conducted more than 770 searches in Europe. These searches have secured the seizure of more than 594,000 files with illegal content contained on more than 6,000 digital media platforms. Taoiseach Micheal Martin speaks to the media ahead of the Labour Employer Economic Forum at Government Buildings in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA) There are serious concerns about how new tariffs could affect Northern Ireland, Irish premier Micheal Martin has said. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald asked that the Irish Government work in lockstep with the Northern Ireland Executive on the response to a more hostile trading environment. The import taxes announced by Donald Trump last week, including a 10% charge on UK goods and a 20% mark on EU goods, including Ireland, took effect from midnight Washington time. Although a lower tariff of 10% applies to Northern Ireland, as part of post-Brexit trading arrangements, the region remains in the EU single market for goods. If the EU decides to impose retaliatory tariffs on goods imported from the US, they would apply in Northern Ireland. While speaking in the Dail chamber about the impact of US tariffs, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the agrisector on the island is particularly vulnerable. I know that there are also serious concerns, which I share, about how the US tariffs and EU countermeasures could impact Northern Ireland and the all-island economy, Mr Martin said. We are working through these issues and we will continue to be close contact with the Northern Ireland Executive. There may be specific issues for the agrifood sector not least due to the integrated supply chains North and South in this industry, and the customs rules of origin which define the origin of a product for tariff purposes. We learned a lot about this in the Brexit period so understand that supply chains on this island are deeply connected and that any change to current integrated arrangement would require huge investment. He said that Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon was looking at the potential impacts on the sector. The Windsor Framework does offer some protections, he said. Arrangements are in place that allow Northern Ireland traders to apply to the UK authorities to be reimbursed in respect of EU import duty paid or deferred on goods brought into Northern Ireland and that do not enter the single market. But the impact of the new tariffs is wider than any one sector and will potentially impact all goods being exported, North and South, in different ways. We are very aware of this and we will continue to highlight the particular situation of Northern Ireland and, more broadly, the all-island economy in all our discussions with interlocutors, including the US and the European Commission. Mary Lou McDonald said that protecting the all-island economy needed to be a high level priority for both administrations north and south of the border. She said that the Irish government should work hand in glove with the Northern Ireland Executive. Its a serious issue that we now have two different tariff rates on this small island of ours, and potentially two very different responses to those rates and the dynamic that is now unfolding around us. So we need to ensure across the island that businesses are supported, primarily with information initially, the Government Trade Forum could play a useful role in that. We also have InterTradeIreland, which operates between both administrations, north and south, to ensure that in the first instance, our business sectors which will be concerned about developments, have all the information necessary and then whatever other supports might be needed in the time ahead. Im asking those in government here to work hand in glove and in lockstep with their counterparts in the Executive. The first step in this regard would be to convene the North South Ministerial Council without delay, and Im asking that this be done. Sinn Fein finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty asked for the all-island economy to be prioritised and warned against EU countermeasures which he said risked following Trump down the road of economic self sabotage. Sinn Fein Mayo TD Rose Conway Walsh said if we governed our own affairs, we wouldnt be facing this discrepancy. We would be facing this hurdle in full strength of our national economy, and not with one hand tied behind our backs, she said. During the Brexit negotiations, we, with our allies in the EU and the US, ensured there was no hard border on the island of Ireland. The same diligence must be applied in this scenario in order to protect the prosperity of everyone on the island. Eoin Hayes (second right) was suspended from the Social Democrats parliamentary party (Cate McCurry/PA) The Social Democrats have used a seat won by a TD later suspended from the parliamentary party to get an Oireachtas committee chair role, which comes with a 10,000 euro per year bonus. Oireachtas committee chair positions are assigned using the dHondt method, which deals out the posts to Government and opposition parties in proportion to how many seats they won in the general election. The dHondt system also dictates the order in which the roles are assigned and influences regular positions on the committee. The Social Democrats won 11 seats in Novembers election, but Eoin Hayes was indefinitely suspended from the parliamentary party in December after making incorrect statements about his shares in a company linked to the Israeli military. By including his seat in the partys overall total for the dHondt distribution, the Social Democrats were able to hold on to two committee chair positions each with an annual allowance bonus of 10,888 euros. If he had been excluded, the party would have only had one committee chair position. The party argued on Wednesday that its internal disciplinary proceedings should not impact the allocation of committee positions, as the dHont system is based on election results. A party spokesman said the Dail Reform Committee ultimately agreed to count all 11 seats for the Social Democrats and the party will be allocated two chairperson roles. Mr Hayes had originally told the media and his party colleagues that he divested shares in his former employer, Palantir Technologies, which supplies technology to Israels military, before being elected to Dublin City Council in June. But he later revealed that he sold the shares in July after taking office for a pre-tax figure of 199,000 euros. The Social Democrats had been calling for economic sanctions against Israel months before Mr Hayes election to the council. He was elected as a TD in November. His suspension, which came before the current Dail had sat for the first time, was reviewed by the national executive and remains with the parliamentary party for any further consideration. Asked last month if Mr Hayes would be included in the partys calculus for Government formation, Social Democrat TD Jennifer Whitmore said: Eoin Hayes is currently not a member of the parliamentary party, hes been suspended. Her comment came weeks before moves on committee formation were advanced after a vote on the speaking rights row. Pressed for a yes or no answer at the time, Ms Whitmore added: The committees are not being set up, hes not a member of the parliamentary party at the moment. A party spokesman said on Wednesday: It has always been the case that committee positions are allocated proportionately based on the results from the general election. That position was maintained at the Dail reform committee this evening. This was important to reflect the mandate that the Social Democrats received at the election. The decision doesnt just have an impact on the number of chairperson positions it also impacts the choice of committees available to the party and the number of committee positions. The fact is that 11 Social Democrats TD were elected in November. Internal disciplinary measures have been taken against one of those TDs, Eoin Hayes. That should not, and did not, have an impact on the allocation of committee places. Tanaiste Simon Harris met with US commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick today in Washington DC (Brian Lawless/PA) Tanaiste Simon Harris said President Donald Trumps suspension of higher tariffs will come as a relief to many businesses in Ireland. Irelands deputy premier was speaking following a meeting with US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick in Washington DC. The US president announced on Wednesday he would be delaying tariffs on most nations for 90 days while raising his tax rate on Chinese imports to 125%. US President Donald Trump has announced a pause on higher tariffs for 90 days (Niall Carson/PA) He posted the announcement on his Truth Social platform, but the precise details were not immediately clear. Mr Harris said his meeting with Mr Lutnick, a key critic of the Irish governments fiscal policies, which occurred shortly after Mr Trumps announcement, was timely, valuable and substantive. He said We discussed that announcement and the likely next steps. I welcomed the fact that the President has announced the suspension of the higher tariffs announced on April 2 for a period of 90 days. This, I know, will come as a relief to many businesses in Ireland. The Tanaiste said further engagement and clarification is required on the details of the US announcement. He added: We also had an opportunity for a substantive engagement on pharma and I outlined the mutually beneficial role that the sector plays for Ireland and the United States. During the meeting, I also outlined the dynamic interconnected economic relationship between Ireland, Europe and the United States. I conveyed our commitment through the EU to comprehensive negotiations that would address a broad range of issues. Mr Harris said the meeting confirmed his view that there is an openness on the part of the US to engage in a process of negotiations. He added: I outlined my view that Ireland, as part of the EU, wants to play a constructive role and will continue to be a voice for calm and measured engagement in the time ahead. Mr Harris said he had updated EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic on his meeting with Howard Lutnick (Liam McBurney/PA) During an appearance on RTE, Mr Harris was asked if 90 days is enough for the EU to negotiate a deal with the US. He said: I spoke to (EU Trade Commissioner) Maros Sefcovic straight after the meeting to update him on the details from our discussion with Secretary Lutnick. I think 90 days is a significant period of time. Whether its enough remains to be seen, and it is important that theres still clarifications needed. It looks like, for example, the higher rate on cars and steel and aluminium is likely to remain. He added: 10% tariffs still arent good. Tariffs are bad, so we need to be cautious in relation to this. But crucially, what this has done is provide the space that the European Commission, European member states and Ireland has been calling for. Its been a big part of our diplomatic and political effort over the last while to try and create space for real and meaningful engagement. And I did also take the chance to talk to the secretary about the two-way relationship between Ireland and the United States. And I must say, he spoke favourably in relation to the Irish economic model and our economic success to date. Dogs sit next to a repaired and repainted statue of Paddington Bear in Newbury, Berkshire (Andrew Matthews/PA) A Paddington Bear statue which was destroyed by vandals has been fully repaired and returned to its home town. The sculpture in Newbury, Berkshire, was damaged last month when two Royal Air Force engineers broke it in half after a night out and made off with part of it. Daniel Heath and William Lawrence, both 22 and engineers at RAF Odiham in Hampshire, were sentenced for criminal damage at Reading Magistrates Court and ordered to pay 2,725 each towards the costs of repairing it. The rebuilt statue was unveiled in the town centre on Wednesday, with locals expressing their joy at the beloved character being brought back home. Among those at the unveiling ceremony was Anthony George, who said he was devastated when the statue was damaged and decided to immortalise Paddington with a tattoo on his leg. Anthony George has got the famous character tattooed on his leg (Mathilde Grandjean/PA) The 64-year-old, from Hungerford in Berkshire, said he got the tattoo three weeks before the official return of the statue to Newbury. Im very proud of it, he said. I just want to symbolise what a wonderful fictional character Paddington is. I grew up with Paddington, so it means a lot. It clearly says on his name tag Look after me, or words to that effect, and hopefully people will adhere to that: be kind. Unfortunately the other two that vandalised it werent very kind. Anthony George at the unveiling ceremony (Mathilde Grandjean/PA) He added: When I heard what happened, I was absolutely devastated. Such a shame and everyone loves Paddington apart from Daniel and William. My dad was in the RAF, theyre in the RAF my dad would have been mortified. CCTV footage played to the court showed the men approaching the statue late at night before ripping the bear off its bench and walking away with it. District judge Sam Goozee condemned Heath and Lawrences actions, calling them the antithesis of everything Paddington stands for. Chairman of West Berkshire Council Billy Drummond and Mayor of Newbury Andy Moore (Andrew Matthews/PA) Inspector Alan Hawkett, from Thames Valley Police, said the success of the investigation into the vandalism came from a real community effort. He said: It wouldnt have been possible without the help of the community: people posting on the Facebook pages, reporting what they had seen and what they heard, the town centre businesses checking their CCTV for us, the local taxi companies as well. It was a real community effort that brought about the return of Paddington. Marc Giles and Ty Cosway, from the Special Constabulary team, said they worked for 15 continuous hours to retrieve the broken half of the Paddington Bear statue. When we arrived on the scene, it was about three seconds before someone approached us and said Oh, youre here for Paddington, Mr Giles said. Mr Cosway added: Some kids were coming up to us while we were walking from business to business doing our CCTV inquiries, and you start to get a bit more of an idea of the impact. It might seem on the surface as a localised case of criminal damage, but the community impact was massive. Mr Giles said: We ourselves were shocked by it, and it made us feel even more proud to have brought him back. After the interview, a little boy came to hug the two constables and said: Thank you for bringing him home. Dominika Zydron, 39, who lives in Newbury, attended the unveiling ceremony with her two children Joanna, nine, and Stasiu, four. She said: We came here especially to see him and welcome him home. We are very excited. We walk by this road every single day and say hello to Paddington, so when he was missing it was very sad for us. A repaired and repainted statue of Paddington Bear is returned to its home (Andrew Matthews/PA) Kerrie Newton, 49, also from Newbury, came to see the repaired statue with her daughter Evelyn, nine, and her son Henry, six. She said: Its great to have him home. Hes brought a lot of joy to Newbury when he was first here and it really upset everybody in town that he was sadly taken from us. It means a lot that hes come back quickly. Its a little bit of happiness in this crazy world. Michael Bond, the author and creator of Paddington, was born in Newbury. The statue is one of 23 located across the UK and Ireland as part of the Paddington Visits Trail. A federal judge ordered the White House on Tuesday to restore The Associated Presss full access to cover presidential events, affirming on First Amendment grounds that the government cannot punish the news organisation for the content of its speech. US District Judge Trevor N McFadden, an appointee of President Donald Trump, ruled that the government cannot retaliate against the APs decision not to follow the presidents executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico. The decision handed the AP a major victory at a time the White House has been challenging the press on several levels. Under the First Amendment, if the Government opens its doors to some journalists be it to the Oval Office, the East Room, or elsewhere it cannot then shut those doors to other journalists because of their viewpoints, Judge McFadden wrote. The Constitution requires no less. It was unclear whether the White House would move immediately to put Judge McFaddens ruling into effect. The judge held off on implementing his order for a week, giving the government time to respond or appeal. The AP has been blocked since February 11 from being among the small group of journalists to cover Mr Trump in the Oval Office or aboard Air Force One, with sporadic ability to cover him at events in East Room. We are gratified by the courts decision, said AP spokeswoman Lauren Easton. Todays ruling affirms the fundamental right of the press and public to speak freely without government retaliation. This is a freedom guaranteed for all Americans in the US Constitution. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, named in the lawsuit, did not immediately return a message seeking comment. The news organisation had asked Judge McFadden to rule that Mr Trump had violated APs constitutional right to free speech by taking the action because he disagreed with the words that its journalists use. He had earlier declined APs request to reverse the changes through an injunction. Because of its wide reach, the AP has traditionally always been included in pools for coverage of presidential events in places such as the Oval Office or Air Force One. Judge McFadden cautioned that his ruling does not necessarily herald a return to those days. The court does not order the government to grant the AP permanent access to the Oval Office, the East Room or any other media event, he wrote. It does not bestow special treatment upon the AP. Indeed, the AP is not necessarily entitled to the first in line every time permanent press pool access it enjoyed under the (White House Correspondents Association). But it cannot be treated worse than its peer wire service either. Reporters ask questions in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House (Evan Vucci/AP) The judge said that his decision does not prohibit a government official from choosing which outlets to give interviews to, or choosing which journalists questions they choose to answer at a news conference. While there was little dispute in a March 27 court hearing about why Mr Trump struck back at the AP the president said as much the administration said it was up to its own discretion, and not White House correspondents or longstanding tradition, to determine who gets to question the president and when. Since the dispute with AP began, the White House has taken steps to control who gets to cover the president at smaller events and even where journalists sit during Ms Leavitts briefings, saying both need to better reflect changes in how people get information. In short, new media has benefited at APs expense under the new management, Judge McFadden wrote in his decision. Little else has changed. The APs decisions on what terminology to use are followed by journalists and other writers around the world through its influential stylebook. The outlet said it would continue to use Gulf of Mexico, as the body of water has been known for hundreds of years, while also noting Mr Trumps decision to rename it the Gulf of America. Different outlets have used different approaches, some skirting it by calling it the Gulf. For anyone who thinks The Associated Presss lawsuit against President Trumps White House is about the name of a body of water, think bigger, Julie Pace, the APs executive editor, wrote in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece. Its really about whether the government can control what you say. Mr Trump has dismissed the AP, which was established in 1846, as a group of radical left lunatics and said that were going to keep them out until such time as they agree its the Gulf of America. For a news organisation that relies on speed as a major selling point, the AP brought its chief White House correspondent and photographer to testify before Judge McFadden about how its absence from covering certain events has delayed its transmission of words and images. Its lawyer, Charles Tobin, said AP has already lost a 150,000-dollar (117,255) advertising contract from a client concerned about the ban. The governments lawyer, Brian Hudak, showed how AP has been able to use livestreams or photos from other agencies to get news out, and pointed out that AP regularly attends Ms Leavitts daily briefings. Judge McFadden said that the government has been brazen about why it has excluded the AP. The government offers no other plausible explanation for its treatment of the AP, he wrote. The Constitution forbids viewpoint discrimination, even in a non-public forum like the Oval Office. The AP has been part of small text and photo pools that have covered presidents of both parties for decades. The administration has sought to give more prominence to new and in many cases, Trump-friendly outlets. In its action filed on February 21, the AP sued Ms Leavitt, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich. Mr Trump has moved aggressively against the media on several fronts since taking office again. The Federal Communications Commission has open lawsuits against ABC, CBS and NBC News. The administration has sought to cut off funding for government-run news services such as Voice of America and is threatening public funding for public broadcasters PBS and NPR for allegedly being too liberal in news coverage. The case was Associated Press v Budowich, et al. China has issued a fiery response after US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said it poses an ongoing threat to the Panama Canal. Speaking at a ribbon cutting for a new US-financed dock at the Vasco Nunez de Balboa Naval Base after a meeting with Panama President Jose Raul Mulino, Mr Hegseth said the US will not allow China or any other country to threaten the canals operation. His remarks triggered the response from the Chinese government, which said: Who represents the real threat to the Canal? People will make their own judgement. Mr Hegseth said: The United States and Panama have done more in recent weeks to strengthen our defence and security cooperation than we have in decades. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content China-based companies continue to control critical infrastructure in the canal area. That gives China the potential to conduct surveillance activities across Panama. This makes Panama and the United States less secure, less prosperous and less sovereign. And as president Donald Trump has pointed out, that situation is not acceptable. Mr Hegseth met with Mr Mulino for two hours on Tuesday morning before heading to the naval base that previously had been the US Rodman Naval Station. On the way, he posted a photo on X of the two men laughing and said it was an honour speaking with Mr Mulino. You and your countrys hard work is making a difference. Increased security cooperation will make both our nations safer, stronger and more prosperous, he wrote. The visit comes amid tensions over Mr Trumps repeated assertions that the US is being overcharged to use the Panama Canal and that China has influence over its operations allegations Panama has denied. Shortly after the meeting, the Chinese Embassy in Panama posted a statement on X, saying the US has used blackmail to further its own interests and that who Panama carries out business with is a sovereign decision of Panama and something the US doesnt have the right to interfere in. The statement said: The US has carried out a sensationalistic campaign about the theoretical Chinese threat in an attempt to sabotage Chinese-Panamanian cooperation, which is all just rooted in the United States own geopolitical interests. Pete Hegseth tours the Port of Rodman (Matias Delacroix/AP) After Mr Hegseth and Mr Mulino spoke by phone in February, the US State Department said an agreement had been reached to not charge US warships to pass through the canal. Mr Mulino publicly denied there was any such deal. Mr Trump has gone so far as to suggest the US should not have turned the canal over to Panama and that maybe that it should take the canal back. The China concern was provoked by the Hong Kong consortium holding a 25-year lease on ports at either end of the canal. The Panamanian government announced that lease was being audited and late on Monday concluded that there were irregularities. The Hong Kong consortium has already announced that CK Hutchison would be selling its controlling stake in the ports to a consortium including BlackRock Inc, effectively putting the ports under American control once the sale is complete. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Mr Mulino during a visit in February that Mr Trump believes Chinas presence in the canal area may violate a treaty that led the US to turn the waterway over to Panama in 1999. That treaty calls for the permanent neutrality of the American-built canal. Mr Mulino has denied that China has any influence in the operations of the canal. The US built the canal in the early 1900s as it looked for ways to facilitate the transit of commercial and military vessels between its coasts. Washington relinquished control of the waterway to Panama on December 31 1999, under a treaty signed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter. I want to be very clear, China did not build this canal, Mr Hegseth said on Tuesday. China does not operate this canal and China will not weaponise this canal. Together with Panama in the lead, we will keep the canal secure and available for all nations through the deterrent power of the strongest, most effective and most lethal fighting force in the world. Ukrainian forces said two Chinese men had been fighting alongside Russian soldiers (Ukraines 65th Mechanised Brigade via AP) Ukraines claim that significant numbers of Chinese nationals are fighting alongside Russias invading army is totally unfounded, an official in Beijing said. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Tuesday that the Ukrainian military had captured two Chinese men fighting alongside the Russian army in the eastern Donetsk region, and had information that significantly more are serving alongside Russian forces. It is the first time that Ukraine has made such a claim about Chinese fighters on its soil during the three-year Russian invasion. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content China has provided strong diplomatic support for Russia since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It has also sold Russia machinery and microelectronics that it can use to make weapons, Western officials say, in addition to providing an economic lifeline through the trade in energy and consumer goods. China is not believed to have knowingly provided Russia with troops, weapons or military expertise. US officials have accused Iran of providing Russia with drones, while American and South Korean officials say North Korea has sent thousands of troops and ammunition to help Russia on the battlefield. With the US and Europe having provided substantial military support and diplomatic heft for Ukraine, the war has to some degree become a contest between power blocs. Russian attacks continue to hit areas such as Dnipro (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP) Tensions between the US and China have deepened in recent years. Disputes have centred on geopolitical influence, technology and trade and recently escalating import tariffs between the countries have shaken global financial markets. US President Donald Trump is trying to follow through on a campaign promise last year to swiftly end the war in Ukraine. US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said at a briefing in Washington on Tuesday that reports of Chinese citizens fighting on behalf of Russia were disturbing. China is a major enabler of Russia in the war in Ukraine, Ms Bruce said. China provides nearly 80% of the dual-use items Russia needs to sustain the war, she claimed. The European Unions foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, also called Beijing the key enabler of Russias war. Dual-use goods are entering Russia via China, she said in Brussels, adding: Its clear that if China would want to really stop the support then it would have an impact. China has increased sales to Russia of machine tools, microelectronics and other technology that Moscow in turn is using to produce missiles, tanks, aircraft and other weaponry for the war, according to a US assessment last year. The Kremlin has effectively rejected a US proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting in Ukraine. The Kyiv government has consented to it. Both sides are believed to be preparing spring-summer military campaigns. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said in Beijing that China has played a constructive role in politically resolving the Ukraine crisis. Mr Lin told a daily news briefing that the Chinese government always asks Chinese citizens to stay away from conflict zones, avoid getting involved in any form of armed conflict, and especially refrain from participating in any partys military operations. His comments appeared to indicate that the captured Chinese had joined Russias ranks on their own initiative. A view of the Islamic University in Gaza City, partially damaged by an Israeli bombardment and now serving as a shelter for displaced Palestinians (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) At least 23 people have been killed after an Israeli aircraft struck a residential block in war-ravaged northern Gaza on Wednesday, health officials said. The Al-Ahly hospital said those killed included eight women and eight children. The territorys Health Ministry confirmed the figures. The strike hit a four-storey building in the Shijaiyah neighbourhood of Gaza City, and rescue teams were searching for victims under the rubble, according to the Health Ministrys emergency service. The civil defence, a rescue group that operates under the Hamas-run government, said other neighbouring buildings were damaged in the strike. The Israeli military said it struck a senior Hamas militant who it said was behind attacks emanating from Shijaiyah, but it did not name him or provide further details. Israel blames the deaths of Palestinian civilians on the militant group, because it embeds itself in dense urban areas. As it ratchets up pressure on Hamas to agree to free hostages, Israel has issued sweeping evacuation orders for parts of Gaza, including Shijaiyah. It imposed a blockade on food, fuel and humanitarian aid that has left civilians facing acute shortages as supplies dwindle. It has pledged to seize large parts of the Palestinian territory and establish a new security corridor through it. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed (AP) The UN said the Israeli military has denied aid workers permission for more than two-thirds of 170 attempts to move humanitarian supplies within the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire ended. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said efforts to get dwindling aid supplies to Palestinians were severely strained. Earlier this week, Hamas fired its strongest volley of rockets since the ceasefire collapsed, launching 10 projectiles toward southern Israel. Israel resumed its war against Hamas in Gaza last month after an eight-week ceasefire collapsed. The ceasefire brought a much-needed reprieve from the fighting to war-weary Palestinians in Gaza and sent an infusion of humanitarian aid to the territory. It also led to the release of 25 living Israeli hostages held in Gaza and the return of the remains of eight others, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Mediators have since attempted to bring the sides to a bridging agreement that would again pause the war, free hostages and open the door for talks on the wars end, something Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he will not agree to until Hamas is defeated. Hamas wants the war to end before it frees the remaining 59 hostages it holds, 24 of whom are believed to be alive. The war, which was sparked by Hamass October 7, 2023, attacks on southern Israel, has seen the deadliest fighting between Israelis and Palestinians in their history. It has ignited a humanitarian crisis in already impoverished Gaza, and has sent shockwaves across the region and beyond. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Mr Netanyahu travelled to Washington this week to meet US President Donald Trump. In their public statements, they offered sympathy for the plight of the hostages but shed little light on any emerging deal to suspend the fighting. Mr Trump has said he wants the war to end. But his post-war vision for Gaza taking it over and relocating its population has stunned Middle East allies, who say any talk of transferring the Palestinian population, by force or voluntarily, is a non-starter. Israel has embraced the idea. Mr Netanyahu, meanwhile, is under pressure from his far-right political allies to continue the war until Hamas is crushed, an aim Israel has yet to achieve 18 months into the conflict. French President Emmanuel Macron said France should move towards recognising a Palestinian state in the coming months. The goal is to do that by June, when France and Saudi Arabia co-host an international conference about implementing a two-state solution, Mr Macron told broadcaster France-5 in an interview aired on Wednesday. The war has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the health ministry there, which does not differentiate between combatants and civilians in its count but says more than half of the dead are women and children. Hamas killed 1,200 people during its October 7 attack, mostly civilians, and took 250 people captive, many of whom have been freed in ceasefire deals. The US State Department said it had reversed an undisclosed number of sweeping funding cuts to UN World Food Programme emergency projects in 14 impoverished countries, saying it had terminated some of the contracts for life-saving aid by mistake. There were a few programmes that were cut in other countries that were not meant to be cut, that have been rolled back and put into place, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters. Ms Bruce said she had no immediate information on which countries had US funding for food aid restored after a days-long cut-off. She gave no explanation for how some contracts came to be cancelled in error. The World Food Programme did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (Nicolas Tucat/Pool via AP) The Associated Press reported on Monday that the Trump administration cut funding to WFP emergency programmes helping keep millions alive in Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and 11 other countries, many of them struggling with conflict, according to the agency and officials who spoke to the AP. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other administration officials had pledged to spare emergency food programmes and other life-and-death aid even as the Trump administration and Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) dismantled the US Agency for International Development. All but several hundred of USAids thousands of contracts for aid and development programmes abroad have been eliminated. The new cuts had hit some of the last remaining humanitarian programmes run by USAid. Notices sent over the last week had said US funding for WFP emergency programmes in 14 countries were among about 60 being cancelled in the Middle East, Africa, Central and South America and the Pacific Islands for the convenience of the US Government. Those latest terminations were at the direction of Jeremy Lewin, a top Doge lieutenant who was appointed to oversee the elimination of USAid programmes, according to termination notices sent to partners and viewed by the AP. The WFP, the worlds largest provider of food aid, had publicly appealed to the US on Monday to reconsider cuts worth hundreds of millions of dollars for food programmes. This could amount to a death sentence for millions of people facing extreme hunger and starvation, WFP posted on X. It seems that SDLP leader and Belfast South and Mid Down MP Claire Hanna has taken issue with some online comments by Alliances Sorcha Eastwood. Ms Eastwood posted on X that she was the only Northern Ireland MP who tried to amend the Governments much-criticised National Insurance Bill in December to exempt the health, charity and voluntary sectors from the legislation. She said I tried to do what I could, adding: Unfortunately with such a huge govt majority it easily fell. But I want people to know today as we hear the impact of the NI rises, that I tried. In response, Ms Hanna provided a link showing she, along with some other NI MPs, did vote against the bill at a later stage. I dont attend every single thing in Westminster, my real & political lives are in Belfast, but neither do I understand this only NI MP angle all the time, Ms Hanna said. This legislation was 19 March & I voted for exemptions for GPs & [voluntary] sector, with several NI MPs. Councils Buffalo bill no more than 3.4k Elsewhere, Belfast Lord Mayor Micky Murray has been invited to a fancy awards ceremony in Buffalo, New York. The Heroes of Irish America Awards recognises the unsung heroes of Irish America. A council briefing report reads: Costs associated with attendance at the event for the Lord Mayor and one officer will not exceed 3,400. These costs will be covered within the international relations budget for US-based activities. It comes after the Lord Mayor visited Nashville and New York earlier this year. Stolen bust replaced Meanwhile, a bust of Belfast abolitionist and philanthropist Mary Ann McCracken has been erected in the city, five months on since it was stolen in broad daylight. The sculpture, located at the corner of Stanhope Street and Clifton Street, was taken last November and has never been recovered. Thanks to a fundraising campaign by Carrick Hill Residents Association, a replacement has been created and put on the plinth where its predecessor sat. Bad girl OnlyFans model avoids prison again after ripping off bail ankle tag Newtownards mum back in the dock after convictions for drugs and assault last year Sian Maxwell John Toner Wed 9 Apr 2025 at 08:25 An OnlyFans model who twice avoided prison last year for violence and drugs offences has again been spared jail for damaging her ankle tag. South Belfast residents take direct action over tarmac fears on famous film street Campaigner Bronagh Hinds says she has been among a group taking direct action to stop workmen from smashing up paving stones and laying tarmac Bronagh Hinds and neighbour Patrick Speight (Photo by Peter Morrison) Amanda Ferguson Wed 9 Apr 2025 at 09:26 Peace process heroine and veteran feminist activist Bronagh Hinds is battling the Department for Infrastructure over pavements and roads outside her south Belfast home. I returned to Bangladesh on March 1, 2025, after a gap of almost 10 years. I decided to visit almost immediately after watching the historic events of July-August 2024 unfold. I was not sure what I would find when I landed, beyond the altered skyline with a new metro and the elevated toll roads I had heard so much about. After two weeks filled with a host of meetings, iftars, and media appearances and hours spent in Dhakas notorious traffic jams I now have a much more nuanced sense of the challenges facing the country and its interim leadership as they endeavor to build a new Bangladesh. As they say, seeing is believing. One student leader who participated in the July movement that overthrew Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said it was unfortunate that I had not come to Dhaka during the heady early days of the revolution. Now, more than seven months later, he and his comrades who were the vanguard of what many call the Monsoon Revolution are understandably adjusting to a new reality one in which change will be more incremental and emerge from a collaborative, often concessional and high stakes political process rather than street protests. Bangladeshi students join the inauguration event of a new political party named National Citizen Party Nahid Islam (center), convener of a new political party formed by Bangladeshi students, hails the student-led movement that ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, after his speech during the partys inauguration event in front of the National Parliament building in Dhaka, Feb. 28, 2025. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters) (Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS) Those who had the most expansive vision for Bangladesh 2.0 have more or less accepted that the reform process being led by the head of the interim government, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, will yield far more modest results. The students do not appear dispirited, though. They have begun to build a new political party, establish think-tanks, and develop linkages with other reform activists. Some in Bangladesh appear worried that the passion the students displayed in bringing down the Hasina regime may resurface and take a darker turn leading to intolerance and hindering a national reconciliation. Others argue that the worst that could happen would be for the next government to marginalize or oppose the students. But one thing is clear Bangladeshs Gen-Z is not going away and will continue to shape the countrys future. File picture of Khaleda Zia waving to activists as she arrives for a rally in Dhaka Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia waves to activists as she arrives for a rally in Dhaka, Jan. 20, 2014. (Andrew Biraj/Reuters) (Andrew Biraj/REUTERS) Whats also clear to many is that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which was in the opposition through Hasinas successive terms, will likely form the next government. However, Bangladeshis have concerns about whether the party can be trusted, because of its own record during its last term in office. Of course, the BNP publicly demonstrates its commitment to reform by participating in the Yunus-led Consensus Commission. There has also been much skepticism about Tarique Rahman, BNPs acting chairman. The son of the ailing BNP chief Khaleda Zia, Rahman is widely expected to be named PM if the party wins the election. While he has endorsed a reform agenda, he has been out of the country for 17 years, and many are not certain he will live up to his promises. It may be difficult for some in Bangladesh to trust someone they dont really know. Observers gather to see the ruins of No. 32 Dhanmondi Road, a former memorial museum in Dhaka to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, father of the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, after protesters demolished the building, Feb. 6, 2025. (Mehedi Rana/BenarNews) Meanwhile, even the most diehard supporters of the interim government acknowledge its weaknesses, in particular its inability to effectively reform the police and other institutions, which were heavily politicized under Hasina. This task was complicated by the flight or dismissal of so many in the senior ranks, coupled with the relative inexperience of most of Yunus Council of Advisers. In addressing the weakness of the police and similar institutions, the interim government has had to be careful not to be seen as unduly favoring supporters of any political parties that will contest elections. But if the price of addressing day-to-day concerns means forfeiting the chance of a free and fair election, then the legacy of this entire period will be tainted. The Hasina regimes downfall was, after all, partially a byproduct of her decision to hold three consecutive elections that were considered not free and not fair by neutral domestic and international observers. Muhammad Yunus (center), head of the interim government of Bangladesh, poses for a photograph with Jon Danilowicz (right), a former U.S. diplomat and executive director of an American organization Right to Freedom, and William B. Milam, a former U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh and president of Right to Freedom, during a meeting at Yunus office in Dhaka, March 6 2025. (Courtesy Jon Danilowicz) For his part, Yunus appears focused on achieving democratic reforms, holding exemplary elections, and increasing the odds that the next government will consolidate and build on these achievements. The toughest question facing the interim government is whether to allow Hasina and her key lieutenants to contest in the upcoming election. Leaders of Hasinas Awami League party have shown no regret for their actions and continue to undermine the interim government. The citizens biggest questions about the interim governments ability to hold free and fair elections relate to law and order and whether the stretched police and administration can deal with potential efforts to disrupt the polls. Most anticipate that the Army will have to play an active role in ensuring election security. I confess to having succumbed to a degree of irrational exuberance in the early days after Hasina fled Dhaka, believing that wholesale changes to Bangladeshs political economy would be possible under Yunus stewardship. I departed Bangladesh with the realization that what reforms emerge will be much more modest, but I retain a sense of optimism, and am sure the costly lessons learned during the Hasina years will not be forgotten. Jon Danilowicz is a retired U.S. Department of State senior Foreign Service officer with extensive experience in South Asia. During his diplomatic career he undertook three stints in Dhaka, including service as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. embassy. The views expressed here are his own and do not reflect the position of the U.S. Department of State or BenarNews. When Facebook was shut down by Papua New Guinea's government for a day, no one could point to a specific provision of the Counter-Terrorism Act 2024 (CTA) that enabled it, apart from loose references to the law. A few days later, the police commissioner referred to section 16 of the law but even this section does not provide for shutting down any form of media. This section gives the police commissioner and the police force 'access to information' to aid in the investigations. Authorities justified their actions under the CTA, but in doing so, they have exposed its fundamental flaws namely, its unconstitutional overreach, its threat to civil liberties, and its potential for abuse under the guise of national security. This draconian legislation, which had previously escaped widespread examination, is now facing rightful scrutiny and the shutdown has ignited debate over the unchecked powers granted under the CTA. Initially enacted in response to atrocities committed in the Highlands, the CTA was never anticipated to be used for policing online platforms a role already covered by the Cyber Crime Act. The first instance of the CTAs application occurred on Mar. 13 in Morobe Province, where two women were charged with inciting violence. This case was struck out by the magistrate, who observed that police officers elevated the offense to terrorism portions against two vulnerable women who did not pose a risk to society. It was 11 days later when Facebook and its Messenger app no longer functioned that the estimated 1.5 million users of a population of about 12 million and the public at large began to realize the extent of the laws overreach. Here are some examples. Section 11 of the CTA permits arrests and detention without a warrant based solely on suspicion of terrorism-related activities. This unchecked authority not only violates the right to personal liberty under Section 42 of the PNG Constitution but also sets a precedent for authoritarian governance, where rule of law is supplanted by discretionary power. Similarly, Section 12 expands warrantless search and seizure powers, directly undermining Section 44 of the Constitution, which protects individuals from arbitrary search and entry. Even more alarming is Section 13, which allows law enforcement to check vehicles, places, or premises without warrants - a low threshold for invading the privacy of Papua New Guineans. It is important to note that similar provisions for search and seizure exist under PNG laws, but there are safeguards built into the laws to prevent abuse. Beyond the direct infringement on personal freedoms, the Act institutionalizes state surveillance on an unprecedented scale in PNG. Section 14 grants the attorney-general the power to authorize the use of surveillance devices on the basis of reasonable suspicion a vague and highly subjective criterion. Section 15 extends this authority to the police commissioner, allowing surveillance to be carried out without the attorney-generals approval, if it is deemed impractical or imprudent to obtain it. Just let that sit there for a moment. Imprudent. These provisions not only violate the constitutional right to privacy under Section 49 but also lack any meaningful judicial oversight. It basically enables spying on citizens. Perhaps the most insidious feature of the CTA is its broad definition of terrorism. The definition encompasses acts intended to advance political, religious, or ideological causes. Section 28 allows the Head of State, upon recommendation from the prime minister and cabinet the National Executive Council to designate organizations as terrorist entities. This process could be weaponized against political opponents, activists and civil society groups. Similar laws elsewhere have given rise to authoritarian legalism, "where the state employs legal mechanisms to legitimize political repression under the pretense of security concerns". In PNG, where politics is dirty and corrupt, it's not too far-fetched to imagine this may be possible. Sections 8, 17, and 18 place the Counter-Terrorism Joint Security Task Force under the police commissioners command, giving him authority to issue directives without independent oversight. Section 9 shields the Task Force members from criminal and civil liability. Section 10 permits law enforcement officers to use reasonable and necessary force, a dangerously vague standard that may lead to human rights abuses under the pretense of counter-terrorism operations. The police have previously opened fire on university student protesters, even killing some, for demonstrating against unpopular governments. With the CTA in effect, protests could now be reclassified as terrorism, effectively criminalizing dissent while granting perpetrators the task force or police immunity from prosecution. The trajectory of nations that have embraced similar counter-terrorism measures is clear without correction, PNG risks further democratic decline and the entrenchment of an increasingly repressive state. As scrutiny intensifies, the CTA faces the real possibility of being challenged in court for possible constitutional violations. Michael Kabuni is a PhD student at the Australian National University and formerly a lecturer at the political science department at the University of Papua New Guinea. The views expressed here are his own and do not reflect the position of BenarNews. The United Nations food agency said it managed to avoid drastic food aid cuts to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh in the face of concerns that their monthly rations would be reduced by more than half. Earlier this month, the U.N.'s World Food Program (WFP) said it might be forced to reduce the monthly rations for the over 1 million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, from U.S. $12.50 per person to $6, beginning in April. Instead, the ration for Rohingya living in camps in and around Coxs Bazar is to be set at $12, while the ration for those living in Bhashan Char, an island in the Bay of Bengal, would be adjusted to $13, a WFP official told BenarNews on Thursday. The Bangladesh government has encouraged Rohingya to relocate to Bhashan Char, in a bid to alleviate overcrowded conditions at the 33 camps in the Cox' s Bazar region. Since 2021, about 35,000 refugees have relocated to the island, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. On Thursday, the United States announced it would give millions in fresh funding through the WFP. RELATED STORIES [ Deeper into hunger: UN to halve food aid for Rohingya in BangladeshOpens in new window ] [ UN chief Guterres breaks Ramadan fast with 100,000 Rohingya in BangladeshOpens in new window ] [ UN to cut food rations again for Rohingya refugees in BangladeshOpens in new window ] "The United States is providing $73 million in new assistance for Rohingya refugees," U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a post on X. "This food and nutrition support through @WFP will provide critically needed food and nutrition assistance for more than 1 million people. It is important that our international partners engage with sharing the burden with life-saving assistance such as this. Since 2017, Washington has been the biggest aid donor to the Rohingya refugees, contributing nearly $2.4 billion, according to the State Department. The administration of interim Bangladesh leader Muhammad Yunus thanked the U.S. government for the influx of funds. More is needed The latest plight of the Rohingya came to light two weeks ago when the head of the United Nations appealed to the international community for help after the WFP had announced the planned food rations cuts. "I can promise that we'll do everything to avoid it [a humanitarian crisis], and I will be talking to all the countries in the world that can support us in order to make sure that funds are made available," U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said during his first trip to the refugee camps in southeastern Bangladesh in nearly seven years. A WFP official welcomed the news on Friday while warning that more was needed. While April ration cuts are averted, given the immense needs, we still need continued funding support or we will soon run out of funds again, said Kun Li, WFPs head of communication and advocacy in Asia and the Pacific. Human rights advocates also expressed concerns about the ongoing plight of the Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority group, many of whom were forced from their homes in Myanmars Rakhine state following the August 2017 crackdown by government forces. A Rohingya leaves the United Nations World Food Program center in Teknaf, Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh, March 14, 2025. (Abdur Rahman/ BenarNews) Last-minute support from donors had prevented a worst-case scenario, said Daniel Sullivan, the director for Africa, Asia and the Middle East at Refugees International. Renewed donor funds, including $73 million for WFP announced by the United States, will maintain rations at near the same levels, he said in a statement. However, broader aid cuts are already negatively affecting refugees and we remain deeply concerned that failure to renew more than minimal aid will lead to increased hunger, disease and avoidable deaths. A human rights advocate who lived in a Rohingya camp for six years spoke out about the plight of the refugees. I appreciate and thank the United States for stepping in to respond to the food reduction crisis and request other donor countries to continue funding the much-needed lifesaving assistance programs in the camps, Refugees International Fellow Lucky Karim said in a statement. As past smaller cuts have shown, the drastic cut in rations would have accelerated malnutrition, disease, and negative coping mechanisms, including child marriage and human smuggling, she said. Back in Coxs Bazar, a Rohingya expressed relief. We were worried, but now relieved, Mohammad Nur, a leader of the Jadimura camp in the Teknaf sub-district, told BenarNews. How can a person live with only $6? Anwar Ibrahims government has done little to break a pattern of curbs to free speech since he took office as the Malaysian prime minister in 2022 on a pledge to restore democracy and repeal draconian provisions, critics say. His administration is among successive governments that have wielded sweeping laws during the past decade to silence journalists, activists and opposition voices who criticize the government despite constitutional protections for such freedom, according to human rights advocates. The playbook, as they described it, has remained the same across five administrations from 2015 on target journalists, human rights defenders, cartoonists and opposition figures while controlling public narratives. And while digital activism once offered a refuge, theres been a surge in cases in the years under Anwar where Malaysian authorities have expanded their reach into cyberspace. Theyve been clamping down on hate speech in this multi-ethnic and multi-religious country, where racial tensions bubble under the surface of politics. [I]t is clear that Malaysia has not excelled in upholding the right to freedom of expression, said Nalini Elumalai, senior Malaysia program officer at Article 19, a group advocating free- speech reforms. This has been true regardless of which government has been in power. The highly censorious environment makes it difficult for individuals to express their views without facing consequences especially when it comes to political speech or issues related to race, religion, royalty and corruption, she told BenarNews. RELATED STORIES [ Malaysia Renews Controversial Detention Clause for 5 YearsOpens in new window ] [ Malaysias parliament repeals controversial provision in security lawOpens in new window ] [ Revisions to Controversial Security Laws Pending, Malaysian Official SaysOpens in new window ] The crackdown on politics-related speech began in 2015, when a citizen-based grassroots movement organized massive street demonstrations in Kuala Lumpur to speak out against deep-seated corruption in government. Then-Prime Minister Najib Razak was mired in a financial scandal that ultimately brought him down. Anwar, a pro-democracy icon and opposition leader at the time, was in jail. He later joined forces with former PM Mahathir Mohamad to lead the opposition to an electoral victory that swept Najib and his United Malays Nationalist Organization (UMNO) party from power in 2018. Malaysia PM announces $250 million deal with Arm Holdings for chip design blueprints Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announces a deal with Arm Holdings to acquire the firms microchip design plans for local manufacturers, in Kuala Lumpur, March 5, 2025. (Hasnoor Hussain/Reuters) (Hasnoor Hussain/REUTERS) The crackdown on free speech has continued under Anwar since he took power in November 2022, critics said. They cited the prolonged use of the Sedition Act and the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) against dissent. Under his watch, there also has been a rise of cases under those laws that veer into hate speech tied to the so-called 3Rs race, religion and royalty. Late last year, the government began talking about a potential new law that would penalize people who stir up communal tensions. The 2022 election manifesto of Anwars Pakatan Harapan coalition had pledged to review and repeal provisions of acts that can be abused to restrict free speech. Anwar came to power through forging an alliance with former foe UMNO, a race-based party that represents the countrys Malay-Muslim majority. But about a year after taking office, he warned there would be some limits on speech. I do not agree that the Sedition Act should be used against those who criticise the prime minister and the government, but we will not tolerate anyone who tries to incite or slander to the point of touching on the 3R issues (rulers, race, religion) ... let the police take action, local media quoted Anwar as saying in a speech in September 2023. You can criticise anything and anyone... but if you use sentiments, incite the Malays to hate the Chinese, incite people to use religion to accuse others of infidelity ... I stress that I will not tolerate it, he said. Targeting grassroots protests The curbs on free speech first began when Najibs government cracked down on the Bersih 4 and Bersih 5 rallies in 2015 and 2016. Bersih had been founded in 2007 by civil society groups to demand transparency in the Malaysian electoral system. During the two rallies, protesters sought electoral reforms and government accountability amid the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) financial scandal under Najib, the now-jailed former prime minister. At that time, journalists investigating corruption at the highest levels also faced harassment, travel bans and legal action. The government suspended the country's leading financial daily newspaper along with news portal The Malaysian Insider because of reporting on the scandal. Protesters march at a Bersih rally in Kuala Lumpur calling for Prime Minister Najib Razak to resign, Aug. 29, 2015. (Olivia Harris/Reuters) Maria Chin Abdullah, who was then the chairwoman of Bersih, was arrested under the counterterrorism Security Offenses (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA) over allegations that she was a threat to national security. Chin was taken into custody on the eve of a protest in November 2016 that she and other activists were organizing in Kuala Lumpur to highlight Najibs involvement in the 1MDB scandal. He was convicted and sent to prison in 2022 on charges of massive corruption and abuse of power linked to a 1MDB subsidiary. Protest is our right. If its done peacefully, it should be allowed, she told BenarNews in a phone interview this week. Though free speech still exists, the government has overreacted. Their tendency is to haul people in for investigation. Two years after the protests, the reformist Pakatan Harapan coalition pulled off an election upset, which drove UMNO from power after 57 years of unbroken rule. Little changed under Mahathir Mohamad, whose Pakatan Harapan coalition led the country from May 2018 until February 2020. During his previous term as prime minister, from 1981 to 2003, human rights watchdogs complained about authoritarian rule. Pakatan's 2018 pledge to repeal repressive laws, including the Sedition Act, went unfulfilled, and by 2019, those same laws were being used against critics. Political instability in 2020 accelerated the crackdown, with the COVID-19 pandemic providing a pretext to target dissent under "fake news" provisions. Crackdown Anwar took over as PM in late 2022, following short prime ministerial stints by Muhyddin Yassin and Ismail Sabri Yaakob. Observers noted that Anwars administration remains firm on the need to maintain public order by cracking down on hate speech linked to any of the 3Rs. It has insisted that while free speech exists, some restrictions are necessary for public safety. In 2023, Kedah Chief Minister Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, from the opposition Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), was convicted of insulting the monarchy in a political speech. The conviction was dropped last month after the Attorney Generals Chambers withdrew the charges. Malaysian artist and activist Fahmi Reza poses in Kuala Lumpur while holding artwork bearing an image of former Prime Minister Najib Razak, July 29, 2020. (Lim Huey Teng/Reuters) Meanwhile in December 2024, activist Fahmi Reza was investigated under the Sedition Act and the communications law for satirical posts that criticized Sabah state's choice as governor of a politician accused of graft. On Feb. 20, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution told Parliament there was no arbitrary use of the Sedition Act, citing a consistent trend in investigation numbers. Authorities opened 94 cases under the law in 2024 compared to 109 in 2015, he said. Saifuddin and Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil did not respond to BenarNews text messages and phone calls requesting comment. Vilasini Vijandran, interim executive director of Amnesty International Malaysia, challenged Saifuddins claim. There is a failure to justify the governments continued retention of draconian laws that they themselves had previously pledged to repeal, she told BenarNews. Wathshlah Naidu, executive director of the Centre for Independent Journalism, warned that laws including the Sedition Act and CMA remained a convenient tool to silence those who challenge power. In Sabah, activist Mukmin Nantang, who was detained last year as a result of protest videos showing the destruction of sea gypsies' homes, expressed his frustration over such investigations. When I raised issues with facts on social media, I was investigated under the Sedition Act. This has badly affected my activism, he told BenarNews. He said the investigation was meant to tarnish his name and paint him as a troublemaker. Now, I have to constantly rethink will speaking up get me in trouble again? A landmark court conviction in Papua New Guinea related to the murder of a mother-of-five accused of sorcery is being hailed as a major victory in the fight to stop such attacks and murders. For the first time, a court has found a person guilty of accusing someone of sorcery under legislation, known as the Glasman Act, which was passed by the PNG Parliament in 2022. Belief in magic or the supernatural is used to explain misfortunes of various kinds in PNG, particularly death and sickness, with Sorcery Accusation Related Violence (SARV) unchecked throughout the country. While sorcery claims can be leveled at both men and women, most of the accused victims are females, who are often gang raped, beaten, tortured externally and internally with hot iron bars before being killed and butchered. Pope Francis during his visit to PNG last year alluded to the issue, calling for people "to drive out fear, superstition and magic from people's hearts, to put an end to destructive behaviors such as violence." On March 12, the National Court in Bulolo, Morobe Province, sentenced James Mon to five years imprisonment for accusing an innocent woman, 39-year-old Lorna Nico, of sorcery. Nico was chased by a group of local men who caught her, and beat her to death in front of her 8-year-old daughter in August 2023. Mon was not present when Nico was killed and hacked to pieces with machetes. Under the new Act, the accuser does not need to have participated in the physical harm of another, nor need to be present when the victim is tortured or killed. The conviction of Mon is significant because its seen as a major step in getting justice for victims of SARV by those working to stop the growing practice. An estimated 700 people are tortured or killed each year in the Pacific nation due to sorcery accusations, based on data compiled by the non-profit organization PNG Tribal Foundation. PNG Tribal Foundation president Gary Bustin speaks at the University of Technology in Lae, pictured Jul. 24, 2024. (PNG Tribal Foundation) These people called glasman and glasmeris come into a community and say, I've gotten special training and I can see who is a sorcerer in your community. So, if you pay me, I will identify them so that you can handle them, PNG Tribal Foundation founder and president Gary Bustin told BenarNews. Seven perpetrators have been convicted under the Glasman Act in the past two years, with sentences ranging from 5 to 25 years in prison, but Mon's conviction is the first for accusing someone of being a sorcerer, Bustin said. Since December alone, the foundation has recorded a further 87 people charged with offenses, six under the glassmen or glassmeri provisions and the rest for related offenses, and rescued 560 victims associated with these cases. Bustin said the breakdown of traditional cultural and societal structures in PNG had led to a vacuum, allowing the exploitation of sorcery beliefs. It may be revenge, it may be land, it may be jealousy, whatever the case, but it's become a coverall for whoever you want to harm, he said. PNG Detective Senior Constable Regina Patmo prosecuted the sorcery accusation court case. (PNG Tribal Foundation) He acknowledged the bravery of police woman, Detective Senior Constable Regina Patmo, for prosecuting the Mon case despite receiving threats. Patmo told BenarNews she hoped the case set an example for the whole country, especially for accusers. Sorcery Accusation Related Violence happens across the country and my hope is that because of this case judges will give stiff penalties, Patmo said. We need more awareness about this case so people will be educated on the penalty for accusing someone of sorcery. Last month Prime Minister James Marape condemned all forms of violence against women, including sorcery related killings, as an affront to traditional PNG culture. We must work to eliminate these harmful practices before they become em-bedded in future generations. This requires educating our young people, empowering our women, and ensuring that men take responsibility for their actions, Marape told an International Women's Day event on March 11. The PNG Tribunal Foundation worked with East Sepik Governor Allan Bird, who in 2022 sponsored the glasman private members bill. The new law criminalizes the act of accusing someone of sorcery, even if no physical harm occurs. The youngest person accused of sorcery, was raped and killed, was a five-year-old girl. It happened under our watch in our country, Bird told the PNG Parliament on March 18 after Mons conviction. Had we not passed the Bill, that man would have walked out free, currently before the courts there are 86 glasman. East Sepik Governor Allan Bird address parliament on the Glasman Act after the Mon conviction, pictured on Mar. 18, 2025. (EMTV) PNG law from 1971 until 2013 criminalized sorcery and making false allegations, but also accepted witchcraft as a legitimate defense in court if the victim was accused of using it. The Sorcery Act was repealed in 2013 after the murder of Kerpari Leniata in Mount Hagen, who was accused after the death of a young boy. Media reports and photos shared on social media showed the 20-year-old new mother being stripped, doused in gasoline and burned to death on a garbage pile on busy street corner. No-one was charged despite ample evidence showing the men who tortured, sexually assaulted, and immolated her in the presence of police officers. The incident caused outrage domestically and international condemnation. The glasman law now makes the use, attempted use or threats to use a glasman or glasmeri illegal, with up to 10 years in jail and fines of up to 10,000PGK (US$2646). Speaking in parliament, Bird said still more needed to be done to protect women and girls. There were 18,000 cases of violence against women and children, but only 200 were prosecuted annually, he said. One of the things that came through from all the consultations that we had with the public is that the main cause of perpetrators being encouraged to continue to perpetuate violence is because we are a violent, lawless nation. Tribal fighting, massacres and human rights abuses are commonplace in Papua New Guinea, with under resourced police unable to enforce the law in some parts of the country. Mons is one of the very few sorcery-related cases that have ever made it to court. Statistics on the actual number of cases are unreliable or non-existent, with no credible census conducted in two decades and the country's challenging geography often making investigation difficult. A 20-year study by researchers Anton Luyz and Miranda Forsyth in 2021 found 98% of cases, 1,440 of torture and 600 killings, were not prosecuted, and most of those that were involved a male victim and a charge of murder. The United Nations says an average of 388 cases of SARV are reported across four Highlands provinces every year. But it says fear of retaliation means the true number of victims is likely far higher. Researchers say it is a commonly held belief that events like death, sickness and misfortune are caused by people possessed by a spirit, which goes out to steal and eat people's hearts. The United States plans to deploy advanced military equipment to the Philippines to strengthen its deterrence against threats, officials from both countries said, as U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made his first official visit to Manila. Hegseth met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Friday, reiterating that Washington's defense commitment to its longtime ally in Southeast Asia would remain strong under the second Trump administration. Deterrence is necessary around the world, but specifically in this region, in your country, considering the threats from the communist Chinese, and that friends need to stand shoulder-to-shoulder to deter conflict, the U.S. defense chief told Marcos, according to a transcript. The Philippines is embroiled in tensions with China over contending territorial claims in the South China Sea. Standoffs have occurred lately in waters where Chinese coast guard ships often encroach into the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. "Your visit to the region, especially the fact that you have come to the Philippines as your first stop is a very strong indication (and) sends a very strong message of the commitment of both our countries to continue to work together to maintain the peace in the Indo-Pacific region within the South China Sea," Marcos told Hegseth during their meeting at the presidential Malacanang Palace. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visits Manila, Philippines Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. meets with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Malacanang Palace in Manila, March 28, 2025. (Basilio Sepe/Reuters) (Basilio Sepe/via REUTERS) The United States would implement some new initiatives including "deploying more advanced U.S. capabilities in the Philippines" among them, a mobile and land-based anti-ship missile launcher and unmanned surface vessels, according to a joint statement issued after Teodoro and Hegseth met. Hegseths visit to Manila was the first by a top official from the new Trump administration. RELATED STORIES [ Pentagon chief Hegseth heads to Philippines amid South China Sea tensionsOpens in new window ] [ Hegseth commits US to defense of Pacific territories against ChinaOpens in new window ] [ Trump administration: Manila still has Washingtons ironclad backing in South China SeaOpens in new window ] U.S. President Donald Trump was "very committed" to the " ironclad" defense alliance between Manila and Washington, Hegseth said. What were dealing with right now is many years of deferred maintenance, of weakness that we have to reestablish strength and deterrence in multiple places around the globe. But pertinently today, for this region, Hegseth said. "We don't seek intervention. President Trump has made it clear we don't seek war . We don't seek to use chess pieces and move them around the board. All we seek is peace. All we seek is freedom and cooperation, and mutual benefit," he added, according to a transcript from the Pentagon. Hegseth arrived in Manila on Thursday night under a shadow cast by fallout from revelations that he and other senior U.S. national security officials had discussed plans to attack Houthi rebels in Yemen on the messaging app Signal with a journalist present. Critics are calling it a flagrant violation of information security protocols and have called on Hegseth and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz to resign. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shakes hands with his Filipino counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro Jr., during a joint news conference in Manila, March 28, 2025. (Jason Gutierrez/BenarNews) After the American and Filipino defense chiefs met, China's foreign ministry warned that the Philippines should not start a conflict in the South China Sea with the support of the U.S. "Any cooperation between the United States and the Philippines should not be directed against a third party or harm the interests of a third party, and it should not exaggerate the so-called threats, provoke confrontation and aggravate tensions in the region," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a press briefing. The U.S. side should abandon its Cold War mentality, stop instigating ideological confrontation, stop provoking trouble in the South China Sea and sowing discord in the region, and refrain from being an instigator in the South China Sea, he said. New bilateral security initiatives Among the initiatives that Manila and Washington agreed to, the U.S. would deploy the land-based anti-ship missile launcher the so-called Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) as part of the joint large-scale Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises happening next month in the Philippines. American Special Operations Forces would also train together with Filipino marines in the Batanes chain, the Philippines northernmost islands that directly face Taiwan, the joint statement said. These efforts will accelerate the defense partnership and ensure that the alliance is postured to address the most consequential challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, Hegseth and Teodoro said. Analysts react Geopolitical analyst Don McLain Gill underscored the importance of Hegseths trip amid the heightened tensions between Manila and Beijing in the South China Sea. The visit is significant because, as we can see, the bilateral security relations between the U.S. and the Philippines continue to deepen and broaden, Gill, a lecturer at Manilas De La Salle University, told BenarNews. He said the trip reaffirms the overarching trajectory, the positive trajectory of the Philippine-U.S. security relations. The Philippines is one of the first countries the Pentagon chief is visiting, Gill said. So, it complements whatever is taking place on the ground, especially as Philippine and U.S. troops are gearing towards a more expanded defense activities. The trip is a significant illustration of that commitment, Gill said. People protest during U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's visit, near U.S. Embassy, in Manila Filipino activists burn a mock American flag during a protest in front of the United States Embassy in Manila, as U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the Philippine capital, March 28, 2025. (Noel Celis/Reuters) (Noel Celis/REUTERS) However, Hegseths visit signals a more robust U.S. military presence in the Philippines, which could invariably bring more instability to the Asia-Pacific, according to Liza Maza, a senatorial candidate and president of Makabayan, a nationalist party. While the Marcos regime hypes Hegseths visit this early in the Trump presidency as a supposed affirmation of solid U.S. commitment to defend the Philippines against China, the reality is that it merely fuels the heightening tension and instability in the region, Maza, a former Congresswoman, said. Marcos allows the U.S. to use the Philippines as a dispensable pawn in its increasingly dangerous geopolitical chess game with rival China, she said. The China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) reported it has discovered an oilfield in the South China Sea with proven reserves exceeding 100 million tons, Chinese state media said on Monday. The oilfield in the eastern South China Sea the Huizhou 19-6 oilfield was about 170 km (106 miles) from the city of Shenzhen in southern Chinas Guangdong Province, the state news agency Xinhua reported. Test drilling of the oilfield, which sits at an average water depth of 100 meters, has yielded a daily production of 413 barrels of crude oil and 68,000 cubic meters of natural gas, it said. Xinhua described it as Chinas first large-scale integrated clastic oilfield discovered in deep to ultra-deep layers. CNOOC told Xinhua that offshore oil and gas exploration in deep to ultra-deep layers faces challenges including high temperature, high pressure and complex conditions. Xinhua cited Peng Guangrong, a geologist at CNOOCs Shenzhen branch, as saying that 60% of the worlds newly discovered oil and gas reserves have come from deep layers. The South China Sea is mostly underexplored because of territorial disputes, but most discovered oil and gas reserves are in uncontested areas, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. China claims almost all of the South China Sea through which commerce valued at U.S. $3 trillion moves annually overlapping with sovereignty claims by the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and Brunei. Military patrol On Friday, the Chinese military said it conducted a patrol in the South China Sea, an exercise that came on the same day U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed Washingtons commitment to Manila. Separately, a spokesman for the Southern Theater Command of the Peoples Liberation Army said on Saturday that the Philippines frequently enlisted foreign countries to organize joint patrols and disseminated illegal claims in the region, destabilizing the area. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth met his Filipino counterpart Gilberto Teodoro and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Friday in Manila, as part of Hegseth's Asia tour that also included Guam and Japan. Hegseth reaffirmed Washingtons ironclad commitment to its defense treaty with the Philippines, vowing to deploy advanced military capabilities to bolster deterrence against threats, including Chinese aggression. Deterrence is necessary around the world, but specifically in this region, in your country, considering the threats from the communist Chinese, Hegseth said. RELATED STORIES [ US to send advanced military hardware to PhilippinesOpens in new window ] [ Pentagon chief Hegseth heads to Philippines amid South China Sea tensionsOpens in new window ] [ Philippine envoy: Manilas defense alliance with Washington remains intactOpens in new window ] The same day, the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines conducted joint naval training exercises near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea to enhance crisis preparedness when a Chinese military ship apparently monitored the exercises from a distance. At one point, a Chinese frigate attempted to approach the area where warships and aircraft from the three allied nations were carrying out maneuvers. However, a Philippine frigate issued a radio warning, prompting the Chinese ship to keep its distance. For the first time since these joint naval exercises began last year, known as the Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity, a select group of Manila-based media was granted access to observe the drills at sea. Radio Free Asia is a news service affiliated with BenarNews. Physician Pittaya Lhawong often travels far and wide from his hospital to make house calls and treat patients in remote corners of Mae Hong Son province. Hes among a younger generation of doctors who have taken up the mantle of keeping Thailands decades-old Rural Doctors Movement going. Their mission is to deliver medical care to places that are hard to reach and to bridge health-care disparities between urban communities and underserved populations across the countryside. We see senior doctors in the Rural Doctors Movement who have worked tirelessly for many years. They inspire us, Pittaya, the 40-year-old director of the Sop Moei Hospital in Mae Hong Son, told BenarNews. Thai physician Pittaya Lhawong visits a 103-year-old bedridden patient in Pu Ta village, Mae Hong Son province, Feb. 20, 2025. (Krueg Prachakul/BenarNews) He has 20 years left before retirement, but says he remains committed to working as a doctor in the countryside, where salaries for doctors arent as high as in the big cities. Hes dedicated himself to helping ensure that people in remote villages receive adequate health care. There is a huge gap in access to health care between urban and rural areas, and I want to be part of the effort to close it, Pittaya said. His dedication isnt unique. Many young doctors choose to serve in rural areas, following the footsteps of generations of rural health care providers who laid the groundwork for Thailands public health system. Sh ortages Still, Thailand has long struggled with a shortage of doctors in rural areas. Among the most problematic areas are Mae Hong Son and Tak provinces along the border with Myanmar, and Nong Khai and Bung Kan provinces along the border with Laos. Thailand has a total of 78,418 doctors with less than half 37,808 working outside of Bangkok. About 5,000 doctors work at 780 smaller district hospitals, according to the Medical Council of Thailand. As the numbers reflect, over the decades, many medical graduates preferred working in urban hospitals or moving abroad for better salaries. RELATED STORIES [ Thai hospital near Myanmar border treats dozens injured in Kayin fightingOpens in new window ] [ Thailand delivers first aid shipment to Myanmar via new humanitarian corridorOpens in new window ] [ Asia battles surge in dengue cases amid fears of record infections worldwideOpens in new window ] To address this, the Ministry of Public Health implemented a scholarship program requiring medical students to serve at least three years in rural hospitals after graduation. Despite increased numbers of medical graduates, rural hospitals still face staffing shortages. Today, more doctors are being trained than before, but fewer choose government service or rural assignments, Dr. Pittaya said. Many opt for private hospitals or cosmetic clinics in the city, which offer better salaries and work-life balance. Some doctors enjoy their rural assignments and stay, but others move on quickly. Thats their right, but it does make rural health care a persistent challenge. Doctors who work in the public sector across the nation are paid 40,000 baht to 60,000 baht (U.S. $1,200 to $1,800) per month, while specialists receive additional stipends. By comparison, doctors working at private hospitals can see starting salaries from 80,000 baht to 140,000 baht ($2,400 to 4,200). Pittaya Lhawong and his public health team travel by boat along the Salween River to reach a patients village in Sop Moei district, Mae Hong Son province, Feb. 20, 2025. (Krueg Prachakul/BenarNews) In April 1976, the Rural Doctors Movement was established as the Rural Doctor Society to address this issue. The goal of present-day members of the network is to ensure that even the most isolated communities have access to medical services, with senior doctors often serving as mentors to younger physicians and encouraging them to stay in rural areas. We are like watchdogs for the public health care system, ensuring that taxpayer money reaches the people who need it most, especially those in remote areas, said physician Wichai Chokwiwat, a former president of the movement. In recognition of its impact, the Rural Doctors Movement received the Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia's equivalent of the Nobel Prize, in 2024. Their work has yielded tangible, lasting results. They have shown that accessible, high-quality health care is fundamental to social justice, that democracy plays a key role in fostering systemic change, and that selfless service can lead to extraordinary outcomes, the award citation stated. For those involved in the movement, the recognition is a validation of their lifelong commitment to health care equity. Pittaya recalled one particular case that reinforced his dedication to the cause. We could deny treatment to undocumented migrants who cross the border, but we dont. A patients life is a life, he said. What if he is the sole provider for his family? If we refuse treatment and he becomes permanently disabled, his entire household suffers. We always prioritize care first and deal with paperwork later. Providing medical care in remote regions is a daunting task. Many communities lack basic infrastructure including electricity and the internet. In some cases, patients must travel hours to be treated, depending on road conditions. In Sop Moei, patients have to travel on dirt roads for four hours to reach the nearest subdistrict hospital. In the rainy season, it can take even longer. Thats why we bring medical care to them instead, Pittaya said. We make house calls to bed-bound patients, distribute medicine and ensure that people receive the health care they deserve. Despite the hardships, rural doctors say they feel fulfilled in their work. When you see the smiles of the people you help, you know youre making a difference, Pittaya said. At the end of the day, thats what keeps us going. UPDATED at 9:30 a.m. ET on 2025-04-01 Junta airstrikes continued to hamper rescue workers and aid agencies trying to help the survivors of last weeks massive Myanmar earthquake. Adding to the humanitarian crisis caused by a civil war, civilians displaced by Fridays magnitude 7.7 quake that killed over 2,700 people are being forced to shelter from bombs as well. From the date of the earthquake, March 28, to yesterday, weve found that the military has launched aerial attacks eight times. Even today in the Magway area, weve seen them bombing again, said Moe Htet Nay, an adviser at the Nyan Lin Thit Research Group, which monitors the conflict. Junta forces have bombed Shan states Nawnghkio township three times, Kachin states Bhamo township twice, Phyu township in Bago region, Pauk township in Magway region and Demoso township in Kayah state once each, he said Tuesday. Nine people were killed in the post-quake attacks, with seven injured nationwide, according to groups fighting the military government that seized power from elected civilians in a February 2021 coup. On Tuesday, Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing said the earthquake death toll has risen to 2,719 and is likely to exceed 3,000. About 4,521 people were injured and 441 missing, he said on television. Fridays earthquake was centered near Mandalay in the middle of the country and caused severe destruction in Sagaing, Magway, Bago, Naypyidaw, Shan state and eastern Taungoo. It also rocked Thailand and other parts of the region. The junta declared a state of emergency in all the affected regions. The opposition National Unity Government and Myanmar residents said the decree has hampered rescue efforts because of a 10 p.m. curfew in many areas where civilian teams are searching for survivors. RELATED STORIES [ Search for survivors continues 3 days after massive quake in Myanmar, ThailandOpens in new window ] [ China muzzles online debate on construction standards after Bangkok building collapseOpens in new window ] [ 1,600 killed in Myanmar quake, UN reports severe damage to critical infrastructureOpens in new window ] Human Rights Watch on Tuesday called on the junta to "allow immediate unfettered access to humanitarian aid for earthquake survivors." It said Myanmars military rulers should lift restrictions including curfews, registration of rescue workers and internet blackouts that are slowing the emergency response. Myanmars military junta still invokes fear, even in the wake of a horrific natural disaster that killed and injured thousands, said Bryony Lau, the groups deputy Asia director. The junta needs to break from its appalling past practice and ensure that humanitarian aid quickly reaches those whose lives are at risk in earthquake-affected areas, she said. Citing a rescue worker in the Sagaing region, Human Rights Watch said the number of bodies for volunteers to cremate is piling up. Even if they cremate a body every three minutes, they would have to work around the clock, the rescuer said, according to HRW. Myanmars junta cannot be trusted to respond to a disaster of this scale, said Lau. Concerned governments and international agencies need to press the junta to allow full and immediate access to survivors wherever they are. Rescue workers survey the site of an under-construction building collapse in Bangkok, March 29, 2025. (Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP) (LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP) Hopes fade in Bangkok At the site where a Bangkok office tower was toppled by the quake, hopes were fading for the dozens of construction workers many of them from Myanmar buried in the rubble of the government building. A scan of the site indicated more than 70 people still beneath the concrete and tangled steel wreckage of the state audit office near the famous Chatuchak market, Bangkok Deputy Gov. Tavida Kamolvej said Tuesday. The confirmed death toll from the office collapse is 13. An X-ray image shows bodies beneath the rubble of the collapsed government building in Bangkok. (Fire & Rescue Thailand Facebook) Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered an investigation into the building collapse, with some findings expected later this week. She also ordered eight government ministries to remedy their slow response to the quakes aftermath. Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittiput ordered inspections of all high-rise buildings in the capital to allay the concerns of greater Bangkoks 17 million residents. The governor on Monday rescinded the administrations designation of the city as a disaster zone, which had enhanced the powers of the emergency services. The impact on the public, the damage to basic infrastructure, transportation routes, and assistance in various sectors have been continuously addressed, he said in a statement. Additionally, the living conditions of most residents have returned to normal. Amid reports of mass cancellations of hotel bookings, Tourism Minister Sorawong Thienthong held an emergency meeting with industry representatives and the tourism council. He said no visitors had been harmed, hotels had passed safety inspections and tourist police were monitoring key sites. In China, the government has moved to silence concerns about its ability to police quality standards in overseas construction projects. The 32-story office tower in Bangkok was being constructed by the China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group, a subsidiary of a Chinese state-owned enterprise. News spread rapidly on Chinese social media, where users began questioning the structural integrity of Chinese-led projects abroad. But the discussion didnt last long. Posts were deleted, search results filtered and even official news reports quietly removed. One article titled Under-construction audit building collapses in quake, Thai contractor faces liquidity crisis, published by Chinese outlet Sina Finance, for instance, was removed from the platforms website. Chinese state-run outlets such as Peoples Daily and CCTV both published reports on the collapse on the same day, but the links are no longer accessible. The Chinese embassy in Thailand did not immediately respond to Radio Free Asias request for comments. Radio Free Asia is a news service affiliated with BenarNews. Alan Lu contributed to this report from Taipei, Taiwan. This story was updated to include information about the Chinese government efforts to silence reporting on the Bangkok building collapse. Genetic analysis of the dung of endangered Asian elephants has revealed a larger population in Cambodias northern plains than previously believed and insights into their range information that could help prevent extinction. The study by conservation group Fauna & Flora and researchers from Cambodia and Scotland estimated there are 51 Asian elephants in the adjacent wildlife sanctuaries of Prey Lang, Preah Roka and Chhaeb about one-tenth of the wild population in Cambodia. Anecdotal estimates before the study were 20 to 30 individuals. The population also is more genetically diverse than others in the Southeast Asian country crucial for long-term survival because of their descent from two ancient and geographically distinct lineages, according to the study published this month. Though outwardly positive news, the overall picture for an emblematic species that is central to Southeast Asian cultures is grim. The study said a population of over 1,000 animals may be necessary to prevent inbreeding and ensure survival beyond a century. The population estimates produced in this study show that the elephants in this landscape are in an extremely precarious situation, with numbers far lower than needed for continued population survival, the study said. A researcher takes a sample of Asian elephant dung for genetic analysis used to estimate the endangered pachyderm's population in the Prey Lang region of northern Cambodia. (Fauna & Flora) Cambodias Asian elephant population is estimated at 400 to 600 animals in the wild. Aside from habitat loss, they must also withstand stress from any global-warming induced changes to their environment. By sampling elephant dung and conducting genetic analysis, the researchers were also able to pinpoint the numbers of males and females and the animals ancestry. RELATED STORIES [ Elusive large-antlered muntjac likely breeding in Cambodian national parkOpens in new window ] [ Can 1 million saplings save Cambodias forests?Opens in new window ] [ British journalist says Cambodia blacklist wont deter environmental reportingOpens in new window ] The analysis showed that some of the animals moved between the Preah Roka and Chhaeb sanctuaries but not between those two areas and Prey Lang, underlining the dangerous fragmentation of the populations and the importance of expanding conservation areas. As wildlife across the globe is increasingly confined to shrinking and degraded habitats, the management of small, fragmented populations is becoming ever more critical, said Pablo Sinovas, Fauna & Floras Cambodia director. Despite its small size, this population retains high levels of genetic diversity, he said in a statement. Combined with the significant habitat we estimate remains available, this offers a rare and valuable opportunity for recovery. Alex Ball, a conservation manager at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, said the researchers hope to employ the methods used in the study across Cambodia and in other countries. They hope to build a clearer picture of Asian elephant numbers, which will inform how best we can work to help reverse the decline of these spectacular animals, he said. Myanmar has pardoned four Thai fishermen detained in the country since November 2024 after they allegedly ventured into its territorial waters, Thailand announced on Friday. One Thai fisherman drowned and two were injured when Myanmars navy chased a flotilla of Thai fishing boats in the Andaman Sea during the incident that resulted in the capture of the four Thais. About 27 Myanmar crew also were detained. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said the government was preparing for the four Thai nationals return soon. Neither government has said when they will leave Myanmar. The minister of foreign affairs has informed me that on March 27, the Myanmar government issued a pardon order for all four Thai fishermen, based on the good relations between Thailand and Myanmar, Paetongtarn said. I have instructed the minister of foreign affairs to expedite all related procedures to bring all four Thai fishermen back to their families as soon as possible. I would like to thank the Myanmar government for this decision, she said. Thailand and Myanmar have several disputed areas on their long land border and their maritime border off the southern tip of Myanmar and southwest Thailand, and disagreements occasionally flare up. The four fishermen were detained on Nov. 30, 2024. One fisherman drowned after he jumped off a Thai boat during gunfire from the Myanmar navy ship, while two others were injured. Thai navy officials cited their Myanmar counterparts as saying the Thai boats had intruded 5.7 miles (9 km) into Myanmars waters. RELATED STORIES: [ Myanmar court suspends jail sentences for Thai fishermenOpens in new window ] [ Myanmar to release four Thai fishermen detained after shooting, Thais sayOpens in new window ] [ Thailand summons Myanmar envoy, demands release of fishermenOpens in new window ] On Dec. 16, 2024, the Kawthaung Provincial Court in Myanmar sentenced the four crew members to prison terms ranging from four to six years and fined them for illegal entry and unauthorized fishing. Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa previously said the crew would not serve prison time and would be pardoned to return to Thailand on Jan. 4. Media reports said the pardons were issued by Myanmars State Administration Council, which also ordered the pardoning of three Filipinos detained in the Kawthaung prison in Myanmar. The decree was based on international relations and humanitarian principles and was signed by Council Secretary Aung Lin Dwe, reports said. Rescuers in Myanmar and Thailand continued their search for survivors Monday, saying signs of life were still being detected following the 7.7 magnitude quake that rocked both countries three days earlier. The Burmese cities of Mandalay and Naypyidaw as well as the Thai capital Bangkok were still feeling the aftershocks, although no additional damage was reported. In Myanmar at least 1,700 people were confirmed dead, the junta announced on Monday, with more than 300 missing. Around 3,400 people were also injured, according to junta spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun. Independent Myanmar media outlet Democratic Voice of Burma put the death toll at 2,928 as of Sunday night. Rescuers from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command walk to the site of a collapsed building in Bangkok, March 31, 2025. (Phetsiam Promngoy/RFA Lao) Close to the epicenter of the quake in Mandalay, Myanmars second largest city, three people, including a pregnant woman and a five-year old child were pulled from the rubble of the Sky Villa condominium in the early hours of Monday morning by a Chinese rescue team, the countrys embassy said on Facebook. Chinese and Russian rescuers also found a woman alive after 60 hours in the wreckage of the Great Wall Hotel. Signs of life after Bangkok building collapse In Bangkok, multinational rescuers, including form the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, used K-9 dogs and electronic sensors to detect signs of life in the rubble of a 30-story building. According to the rescue center at the site of the collapsed state audit office near Chatuchak Park, as of 8 a.m. on Monday, 76 people were still missing, 11 were confirmed dead with nine injured. A womans body was brought out of the rubble mid-afternoon, taking the death toll to 12. The search was continuing beyond the conventional 72-hour window for finding survivors, Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt said, adding that signs of life had been detected Monday morning. Thailands labor ministry said it would give 1.73 million baht (U.S. $51,000) to families for each of the construction workers many foreign nationals - who died in the collapse. A K-9 dog is given a break during the search and rescue operation at a collapsed government building in Bangkok, March 31, 2025. (Phetsiam Promngoy/RFA Lao) On Sunday, Akanat Promphan, Thailands industry minister, inspected the scene and collected samples of reinforced steel beams to check the quality of the girders that failed to support the building when the quake struck early Friday afternoon. Akanat said he would not jump to conclusions but was stunned by what he saw. I saw something wrong, Akanat told reporters. Only one building collapsed. I guess the public can tell the reason why. He added the majority of the steel was from a single manufacturer and samples had been sent to a laboratory at the Iron and Steel Institute of Thailand for testing. The cause of the building collapse could stem from flawed materials, poor design or bad construction, the minister said. The contractor was a Thai-Chinese joint venture between Bangkok-based Italian Thai Development PCL and China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Co., Ltd., according to a document seen by Radio Free Asia, a news service affiliated with BenarNews. Over the weekend the police arrested four Chinese staff members who were trying to remove documents from the office. Thailands disaster laws prohibit the removal of evidence and Bangkoks governor had declared a state of disaster on Friday. Thailands meteorological department said the country felt six aftershocks on Monday, ranging from 2.5 to 3.7 magnitude. The national government ordered some offices in Bangkok to evacuate, and staff were told to work from home. Aftershocks hit Myanmar as airstrikes continue Aftershocks continued to hit areas in Myanmar already rocked by last weeks quake, according to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management of the shadow National Unity Government, or NUG. It said a 5.1 magnitude shock was felt in Myanmars administrative capital of Naypyidaw at noon on Sunday, and one of 4.1 magnitude hit Shwebo township in Sagaing region earlier in the day. A general view of a building that collapsed, in the aftermath of a strong earthquake, in Mandalay, Myanmar, March 30, 2025. (Reuters) The junta, which overthrew Myanmars democratically elected government in February 2021 has declared a state of emergency in all affected areas of the country following the earthquake. But people living in affected areas posted on social media that junta troops delayed rescue operations, prohibiting residents and volunteers from searching for those trapped under rubble after 10 p.m. Low profile emergency relief and response are urgently needed for fear of volunteers being arrested by junta troops, the NUG said, adding that drinking water, food, shelter and skilled expertise in rescue operations and infrastructure were urgently needed. Airstrikes on the heavily-impacted Sagaing region and other parts of the country have also slowed rescue operations, according to opposition groups in impacted areas. The NUG estimated major damage to over 13,000 homes and 200 religious buildings, with over 1,550 injuries. Radio Free Asia is a news service affiliated with BenarNews. Updated March 29, 2025, 2:35 pm ET The death toll from Myanmars massive earthquake soared past 1,600 on Saturday, state media said, as rescuers pulled survivors from rubble and the United Nations warned of severe damage to critical infrastructure and thousands left sleeping in the streets. In the capital of neighboring Thailand, hundreds of kilometers away from the quake epicenter, national police said the toll from the collapse of a high rise under construction nudged upward, with 13 dead and 118 still missing. Video: Bangkok building collapses from earthquake in central Myanmar The 7.7 magnitude quake struck just after noon on Friday near Myanmar's second-largest city, Mandalay. By Saturday evening, state-run MRTV was reporting 1,644 deaths -- up more than 600 in the course of the day. And additional 3,408 were reported injured and 139 missing. The United Nations in Myanmar on Saturday reported widespread destruction of homes and severe damage to critical infrastructure, with flights cancelled until further notice at the international airport at Mandalay. It added that major bridges, roads, universities, hotels, historical and religious sites and public service buildings in urban and rural areas have been heavily damaged or destroyed. Thousands of people are spending the nights on the streets or open spaces due to the damage and destruction to home or fearing further quakes, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said. It said the United Nations and humanitarian partners were mobilizing an emergency response, and the U.N. has allocated an initial US$5 million for life-saving assistance in Myanmar. The United States and Russia also offered assistance, with Moscow sending 120 rescuers and doctors, according to the TASS news agency. Malaysia said it would send 50 people on Sunday to provide aid to the worst-hit areas. A Chinese rescue team arrived on Saturday, Xinhua news reported. A 50-strong Thai military team was set to go to Myanmar on Sunday, the Bangkok Post reported. India said it had dispatched its first tranche of 15 metric tons of relief aid in a military C-130 transport plane along with a search and rescue team, and was preparing to deploy a 118-member Indian Army Field Hospital in Mandalay. Another 40 tons of humanitarian aid was heading by ship to Yangon port, it said. Video: 'We're going to be helping' U.S. President Donald Trump on Myanmar earthquake On Friday, Myanmars ruling junta declared a state of emergency in Mandalay, Shan state, Sagaing, Bago, Magway and Naypyidaw. Disruptions in power, internet and mobile services complicated efforts in confirming the full measure of the disaster. The U.N. said communication towers were severely impacted, and electricity and water services were disrupted, including in the region of commercial center, Yangon. The expressway linking Yangon, the capital Naypyidaw and Mandalay has cracks and surface distortions, forcing highway buses to halt operations. Myanmar is one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia. Its ability to respond to the disaster is compounded by a four-year civil war that has engulfed many regions -- including parts of central Myanmar hit hard by the quake. The conflict was triggered by a 2021 military coup that toppled an elected civilian government, and it has driven more than 3 million people from their homes. Air strikes continue On Friday, the juntas chief spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun appealed for humanitarian aid, but there were reports Saturday that fighting was continuing. The BBC, citing a rebel Peoples Defense Force unit, said the Myanmar military has carried out air strikes in areas declared states of emergency, including in Chang-U township in Sagaing near the epicenter of the quake. It also quoted David Eubank from the humanitarian resistance group the Free Burma Rangers as saying that since the earthquake theres been three air strikes in southern Shan state and Karenni last night. So, they are not stopping. He was referencing two border regions of eastern Myanmar. But there was some uplifting news on Saturday, as rescuers searched for survivors. AFP footage showed a 30-year-old woman, Phyu Lay Khaing, being pulled from a collapsed apartment building by rescue workers in Mandalay, 30 hours after the quake struck. She was stretchered out, to rounds of applause from onlookers. She hugged her husband Ye Aung and was then whisked away in an ambulance. Video: Woman pulled from building collapsed by earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar See how many survivors we can find In Bangkok on Saturday, 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the quakes epicenter, soldiers and government disaster response workers continued to hunt for construction workers trapped when a 33-story government building collapsed. Backhoes picked at the giant mound of grey building debris next to the famous Chatuchak market as police shooed away reporters and bystanders from the entrance to the site. We Thais are working our hardest to try to rescue them. Today, we are waiting for good news, said Suchatvee Suwansawat, part of a team of engineers involved in the rescue operation. We will see how many survivors we can find, but it is very hard. This is something we have never faced before. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra ordered an investigation into the collapse, with the results due next week. Essential services as well as businesses and tourist providers are operating as normal, the government said Saturday as most rail lines in the capital reopened and airports across Thailand resumed regular operations after safety checks. Small tremors were still taking place Saturday according to Thailands meteorological department, which recorded 77 aftershocks as of 6 a.m., although no significant damage was reported. The earthquake was felt in Chinas Yunnan and Sichuan provinces and caused damage and injuries in the city of Ruili on the border with Myanmar, according to Chinese media reports. The shaking in Mangshi, a Chinese city about 100 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of Ruili, was so strong that people couldn't stand, one resident told The Paper, an online media outlet. Aftermath of a strong earthquake, in Bangkok Rescue personnel work at the site of a building that collapsed, following a strong earthquake, in Bangkok, Thailand, March 29, 2025. (Patipat Janthong/Reuters) (Chalinee Thirasupa/REUTERS) Updated with death toll rising in Myanmar and Thailand, UN providing details of the impact of the quake, India and Thailand sending relief. Apichart Sopapong, Phetsiam Promngoy and Pimuk Rakkanam contributed to this story. Edited by Taejun Kang, Stephen Wright and Mat Pennington. Opinion Here are some questions the candidates for the interim Deschutes County Sheriff should answer: Is there anything in If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. PITTSFIELD After three years of fundraising, community discussions, and a few design changes, Hancock Shaker Village is ready to "break ground" on a new Visitors Center and Center for Shaker Studies. The remodel and renovation will include a new lobby, permanent exhibition galleries, climate-controlled collection storage, a two-story open-storage display for premiere objects in the museums collection, a vault, library and multipurpose spaces. It also includes enhancements to the exterior courtyard with a goal of improving accessibility. "We're staying within the footprint of the existing building but it's a full renovation," said Carrie Holland, director and CEO of Hancock Shaker Village. "The second floor of the building is still raw. It was never finished. It will finally have its time." Opened in June 2000 as the Center for Shaker Studies at Hancock Shaker Village, the L-shaped building at the west end of the 750-acre historic village includes the Visitors Center and galleries, a restaurant, gift shop, a library and storage spaces. The building cost $2.5 million. The remodel involves the portion of the Visitors Center, that includes the ticket desk, gallery, conference room and public bathrooms. Plans for the center include a "complete overhaul" of the building, Holland said, including a refreshed exterior and the addition of windows that will take advantage of natural light and of the "breathtaking views." Exterior improvements will "smooth out and improve" the entrance, making it more accessible for wheelchairs and strollers. The improvements also will include landscaping that will allow visitors to take in the iconic view of the Round Stone Barn almost immediately. Although announced in September 2022 when architects TSKP X IDX were selected to work on a master plan and transform the center, Holland said the vision for the center has evolved over the last three years. "We haven't done a major capital project at the village in 25 years. We wanted to ensure it had the right strategic fit, including the right components," she said. "We have the right project for 2025." The "right project" is one that came from extensive community feedback sessions in which the Hancock Shaker Village team learned what it is doing right and about a "few missing pieces." "We learned that a lot of people still don't have a strong understanding of who the Shakers were; what made them stand apart in American history," Holland said. "We've really tried to center how this building will set up the visitor for a really great historic experience. We have an amazing collection of 22,000-plus objects. The renovation of this building provides us the opportunity to tell the story of the Shakers through all of those amazing objects while also giving us the opportunity to put our premiere objects out more frequently, on a rotating basis." The collection's objects include furniture, textiles, watercolors and ephemera. The renovation also will include outdoor space and indoor space for community engagement that will allow events to move inside during inclement weather. "Part of the magic is seeing the landscape of the village," Holland said. "We want to run our programming with access to the outdoors, even if it is taking place inside." The decision to move forward with the renovations follows the launch of the Shaker Legacy Campaign, a comprehensive fundraising effort that has secured $8 million of the $10 million campaign. Holland said the institution had reached a "comfortable level" with the fundraising efforts, but will need to continue to close the funding gap over the next year. Construction is slated to begin in June and will shift visitor check-in to the gift shop. Meanwhile, seasonal exhibits that would have been in the Visitor Center gallery, she said, will be held in unique spaces within the historic buildings. Check-in remains at the Visitor Center for Baby Animals, which opens on Saturday. "It will be for just one year," Holland said of the upcoming entrance shift. "From the visitor perspective, you'll just be entering and exit from the same place." Sino-ASEAN ties dynamic, fruitful 11:15, April 09, 2025 By Zhao Jia ( China Daily A Lane Xang electric multiple unit train of the China-Laos Railway in Vientiane on April 2. (Yang Yongquan/Xinhua) China has spoken highly of its relationship with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, describing it as one of the most dynamic and fruitful examples of cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large. Speaking on Tuesday at a regular news conference, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian reaffirmed China's commitment to the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, bringing greater benefits to people across Asia and injecting more stability and hope into the world by building an Asian community with a shared future. His remarks followed a recent article by the Valdai International Discussion Club, a Russian think tank, which noted that China and ASEAN are emerging as new centers of influence in East Asia and emphasized that their relationship carries profound significance not only for Asia, but also for the broader international community. Lin said that since the establishment of dialogue relations over 30 years ago, China and ASEAN have forged a cooperation path that is "firm, steady and vibrant". China and ASEAN have been each other's largest trading partner for five consecutive years. In 2024, bilateral trade reached 6.99 trillion yuan ($953 billion). The China-ASEAN Free Trade Area is the first free trade area negotiated and established by China and also the first one in ASEAN. In October last year, both sides agreed to accelerate work involving legal reviews and domestic procedures to promote the signing of the 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area upgrade protocol in 2025. "China-ASEAN relations vividly illustrate China's long-standing principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, and its commitment to fostering good-neighborliness and friendship," Lin said, adding that political mutual trust and the integration of interests between China and its neighbors have continued to deepen. According to Lin, China has reached consensus on building a community with a shared future with 17 neighboring countries and signed Belt and Road cooperation agreements with 25 neighboring countries. China is also the largest trading partner of 18 countries in its neighborhood. Lin cited flagship Belt and Road projects such as the China-Laos Railway and Vietnam's Hanoi Metro Line 2 as examples of initiatives delivering tangible benefits to local communities, saying that digital empowerment and green development have become emerging areas of collaboration. He added that regional cooperation mechanisms, including those for East Asia cooperation, Lancang-Mekong cooperation, China-Central Asia cooperation and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, have played a vital role in advancing regional economic integration. "In the big family of Asia, China will continue to be a good neighbor, act with sincerity, pursue mutual benefit, and uphold openness and inclusiveness," the ministry spokesman said, pledging that the nation will remain rooted in the region and continue to contribute to the region's development. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) 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. LENOX For the towns newly selected fire chief, firefighting runs in the family. Lenox Dale native Robert Casucci has accepted Town Manager Jay Greens offer to succeed Christopher OBrien, who's retiring on June 30 after 38 years as a third-generation Lenox firefighter. Casucci was among five Lenox Fire Department members who were interviewed by the towns fire selection committee before the group selected Casucci. During the upcoming orientation period, Casucci will work alongside OBrien to ensure department and leadership continuity, Green told The Eagle. They will help oversee completion of the new public safety complex at the corner of the Route 7/20 bypass and Housatonic Street, followed by the relocation from the central fire station next to Town Hall on Walker Street. The Select Board is set to ratify Casuccis selection as chief at its April 16 meeting. His starting salary is set at $98,616 and his employment contract will be negotiated following a successful six-month probationary term, Green said. Casucci, 48, one of the towns three deputy chiefs, joined the department as a volunteer in 1994, and has served as lieutenant and captain, following in the footsteps of his father, Elio, and brother Elio Jr., who also were Lenox firefighters. I was basically almost born in the Lenox Dale fire station, where my father served, he said as he started his 24-hour shift at 7 a.m. Tuesday. As a part-time cop, he was actually working Tanglewood traffic the night I was born, Casucci said. My mother called the fire station and told them to tell him to come to the hospital, so during the concert he went to the hospital and came back in time to help direct traffic after the concert. As a full-time staff firefighter since 2018, his work week begins with 24 hours on, followed by 24 off, then 24 on, and then five days off. That gives you a little down time to rest and recuperate, he said. Now, Ill be back to a regular work week; no more weekly vacations. Hes looking forward to the leadership role in a well-staffed department of 10 full-time firefighters, six part-time, and about 30 on-call volunteers, depending on availability. In the weeks ahead, Casucci anticipates working with OBrien to learn the ins and outs and the behind-the-scenes of his job, he said. There are always surprises around the corner, he acknowledged, but now that things are in motion, Im not anxious as I was at the beginning when you always have second thoughts and things. Im excited to get going. Were in good shape; were not going to have much change we operate well. He hopes to add some staff gradually, since the department had over 200 calls last year, mostly ambulance responses to accidents and medical calls, since the Lenox department serves as mutual aid for Stockbridge and Lee. On Thursday, theres an on-site meeting planned at the public safety work site as the project heads toward completion by the end of September, following by police and fire department move-over and a public ceremony expected in November. The Fire Chief Selection Committee included Green, the town manager; Human Resources Director Lyndsay Patenaude, Selectman Ed Lane, Pittsfield Fire Chief Thomas Sammons and Chris Marsden, local coordinator for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). Green said that he was impressed not only by Casuccis firefighting/EMT experience, but also by his earlier private sector experience working for Courtyard by Marriott in Lenox as chief engineer and plant operations director at Kindred Healthcare in Lee. Casucci, a 1994 graduate of Lenox Memorial Middle and High School, attended criminal justice courses at Berkshire Community College. He resides in Lenox with his wife, Colleen; daughter Emma, 20, a member of the Lenox Fire Department, and Andrew, 15, a freshman at Lenox Memorial Middle and High School and a junior department volunteer. Were keeping it in the family, Casucci said. PITTSFIELD Michael Gallagher just dug a well and is burying a water line at his Square Roots Farm in Lanesborough. The project will allow him to move his animals around the farm both for the benefit of the soil and the animals. It was made possible by the U.S. Department of Agricultures Natural Resources Conservation Service, whose staffers work out of field offices that provide funding, loans and technical assistance to farmers. Now, Berkshire farmers are watching warily as the Trump administration closes some of those offices across the country including one in Amherst. While the USDA's Pittsfield center has not been formally closed, Gallagher and other farmers told The Eagle that they are aware of significant layoffs there as the amid cuts to the USDA workforce. And those farmers worry the Pittsfield service center, housed in the Silvio O. Conte Federal Building, will be next on the chopping block. Complicating matters is that the building could still be sold by a government that says it is trying to eliminate redundancy and waste. The Eagle was unable to confirm layoffs or rumors that the Pittsfield service center was closing. An employee referred The Eagle to a local USDA spokesperson, who did not respond to requests for comment. A federal USDA spokesperson also did not respond to a request for information. U.S. Rep. Richard Neals office was not immediately able to provide information about whether the Conte building will be sold. And at Mayor Peter Marchettis office, spokeswoman Catherine Van Bramer said the office has not received any notification from the USDA agency or any other federal government agency regarding the current status of the office located at the Silvio O. Conte building. Berkshire farmers already are reeling from the announcement last month that a pandemic-era program that pays them to provide food to pantries will end in May. Next they learned that the Trump administrations Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) terminated the leases of 49 USDA service centers around the U.S. The Amherst office was the only lease to be terminated out of a total nine centers across Massachusetts. The government owns the Pittsfield building, so a lease termination was not on the table for that structure. The building also houses Social Security and Veterans Affairs offices. The lease terminations, which have achieved savings of just under $15 million, according to the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, have been criticized for their large impact on farms. Closing or consolidating these farm service centers is nothing new, according to Ag Daily, an industry news website that put the savings in lease costs at more than $19.3 million. Both the Bush and Obama administrations closed hundreds of USDA offices, as well as Farm Service Agency loan offices, it notes. And the Biden administrations Campaign to Cut Waste, included the closure of 259 USDA offices, facilities, and laboratories, both domestic and foreign, with an estimated annual savings of $140 million, Ag Daily reported. For farmers, however, these local field offices are a lifeline. The service centers also are home to the Farm Service Agency, which provides farm loans. The lender of last resort for agriculture, said Gallagher, who has borrowed from the FSA. If you are a farm and you need a loan, theyll lend you the money when the bank wont. Thats their job. Without the local USDA field office, Full Well Farm owners Meg Bantle and Laura Tupper-Palches might not even have their Adams farm. When we first got to the farm, there was no water access here, Bantle said. So we put in a four-season irrigation system and a well with NRCS funding, and that's still the only water access we have on the farm. Not only that, but NRCS engineers, at no cost to them, designed an irrigation system that would conserve as much water as possible, Bantle said. The farm has also received NRCS money to do work that includes planting trees and other shrubs to create wind breaks, putting in pollinator plants and building greenhouses. Bantle said the farm is already feeling the impact on staffing cuts at the local field office. She and Tupper-Palches, feeling how devastating this could be, went to Hadley several weeks ago to protest DOGE's lease termination in Amherst. We drove an hour on our day off, Bantle said, to protest these cuts. Access this story and all of our stories with 24/7 unlimited access. Brian T. Fitzpatrick lives in Becket. He is the Milton R. Underwood Chair in Free Enterprise at Vanderbilt Law School and has testified about nationwide injunctions before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary. 'Hands off everything.' Thousands attend Berkshire rallies rebuking President Donald Trump Organizers estimate over 1,000 people attended Pittsfield's "Hands Off!" rally on Saturday, the largest of a series of protests that mobilized hundreds across Berkshire County and the state. Over the weekend, hundreds of people across Berkshire County stood in solidarity with hundreds of thousands of their fellow Americans by participating in the nationwide Hands Off! protests. These rallies channeled the palpable anger and real concerns of countless citizens over the Trump administrations ongoing attempt to eviscerate foundational elements of our government and society. At the Berkshire rallies ranging from Williamstown to Great Barrington, handmade signs and passionate slogans highlighted the myriad overreaches of a president wielding the great power and responsibility of his office like a tyrant king: threatening cuts to key federal benefits supporting millions; the systematic dismantling of democracy and due process; reactionary fearmongering over immigrants and LGBTQ people; devastating economic downturn from an inane tariff policy; stripping funding from schools, health care programs, veterans organizations and other supports for the most vulnerable among us. While different people might have been driven to these protests by different issues, whats important is that they stood together peacefully but powerfully to raise a collective voice against a rogue president and his sycophants who seem determined to threaten these crucial national values and resources. Whats even more important, though, is whether this is a sizable but one-off event or a generator for momentum toward real democratic action and consistent public pressure. While President Donald Trump is unlikely to start heeding the genuine concerns of Americans hes sworn to serve but consistently betrayed, the loud and widespread expression of those concerns is heard loud and clear by his fellow Republicans in Congress who sit in vulnerable seats ahead of next years midterm elections. The president and the political party that now serves as his personality cult are hoping that the organic reaction of rage and horror at this administrations corruption and incompetence embodied by these Hands Off! protests will blow over. Therefore, the question for the folks who admirably braved the rain on Saturday to stand up and speak out for their values and their neighbors is: Will you let it blow over? Or are you prepared to keep the pressure up by getting out there again and again to raise your voice, advocate for the targeted and push back against this administrations most egregious overreaches? As members of the press, we love it when we see our neighbors use their First Amendment rights to speech and assembly in the exact way our nations founders intended: to petition our government and fight for the preservation of these cherished rights. What we saw from so many of our neighbors and our fellow Americans over the weekend is that they want change, accountability and protection of the things that actually make this country great things that President Trump, despite his trademark slogan, seems hellbent on undermining. If that is indeed what our neighbors want, then this past weekend must be just the beginning of bringing the necessary public pressure to bear on an administration that will not relent easily. Compelling some of our nations most powerful leaders to keep their destructive hands off our beneficial programs, vital resources and vulnerable neighbors will require a constant and principled approach. That means not just a moment but a movement and perhaps this past weekend was the start. Thompson Scholarship success The Thompson Working Families Scholarship program, launched in 2014 by alumni Robert 55, 06 (Hon.) and Ellen 54, 06 (Hon.) Thompson, is an innovative public-private partnership that helps students from working families overcome financial barriers to higher education. In May 2024, BGSU announced that the Thompsons, through their foundation, are expanding their contributions to the non-endowed scholarship program to total $121 million. Combined with the required dollar-for-dollar match from the University and other donor contributions, the philanthropic impact will amount to nearly $250 million, supporting more than 6,200 BGSU students through 2035. Their recent contribution is the largest in the Universitys history, the largest single gift designated to student scholarships in the state of Ohios history, and their contribution total has established one of the largest non-endowed scholarship programs of its kind in the nation. The BGSU connection Despite their geographic distance, the Seamans and Nowlins have remained close since graduating from BGSU more than four decades ago. As they embark on this new philanthropic effort together, the trio and their wives said they are eager to follow the journeys of the students they are supporting through what has been established as the Pathway to Excellence Scholarship. They plan to meet with the students during BGSU Homecoming to learn more about their stories and aspirations. Whats so inspiring is that these students have already bet on themselves, Spence Seaman said. They got through their first year at BGSU, and this scholarship can relieve some financial stress as they continue their education at BGSU. Create good with us In collaboration with the Thompson Foundation, BGSU has launched a significant fundraising initiative to secure $3.3 million in matching contributions annually through fall 2031, specifically for Thompson Achiever Scholars. This effort will ensure that each year, a new cohort of 200 Thompson Achiever Scholars will receive $5,500 for three years from private donations, matching the same amount from the Thompson contribution. Every gift will assist these high-achieving BGSU students overcome financial barriers and earn college degrees. To learn more about how to support the Thompson Working Families Scholarship program, visit BGSU.edu/thompson-family-scholars/impact.html BillOReilly.com is not available in this country. We apologize for any inconvenience. Manipal Hospitals partners with Google Cloud to advance AI-driven digital healthcare across India April 09, 2025 | Wednesday | News ePharmacy improves medication access and management with AI image credit- shutterstock Manipal Hospitals, one of Indias largest and most trusted healthcare providers, is joining forces with Google Cloud to usher in a new era of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered digital healthcare. The partnership will involve the hospital leveraging cutting-edge artificial intelligence, advanced data analytics, and secure cloud infrastructure from Google Cloud to drive operational efficiencies across the patient care value chain. With support from Deloitte, Manipal Hospitals is using Google Clouds state-of-the-art technology to power its ePharmacy platform and AI-driven nurse handoff solution. Manipal Hospitals results show that it has successfully reduced ePharmacy order processing time from 15 minutes to under 5 minutes and cut nurse handover durations from 90 minutes to just 20 minutes. This enabled the hospital chain to reduce nurse handoff time by a staggering 78%, unlocking millions of minutes of caregiver productivity every month. More than 100,000 patients today rely on the ePharmacy platform for both short- and long-term medication needs. With more than 60,000 data entries processed daily, doctors can gain valuable insights into patient trends, enabling better collaboration with pharmacists. The nurse handoff solution, powered by Google Clouds generative AI capabilities, is helping enhance communication, reduce errors, and ensure continuity of care. Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute. Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno. Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi. Help Our Community Please help local businesses by taking an online survey to help us navigate through these unprecedented times. None of the responses will be shared or used for any other purpose except to better serve our community. The survey is at: www.pulsepoll.com $1,000 is being awarded. Everyone completing the survey will be able to enter a contest to Win as our way of saying, "Thank You" for your time. Thank You! Take The Survey State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Postal Code Tanaiste Simon Harris said US president Donald Trumps suspension of higher tariffs will come as a relief to many businesses in Ireland. The Tanaiste was speaking following a meeting with US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick in Washington DC. Advertisement The US president announced on Wednesday he would be delaying tariffs on most nations for 90 days while raising his tax rate on Chinese imports to 125 per cent. US president Donald Trump has announced a pause on higher tariffs for 90 days (Niall Carson/PA) He posted the announcement on his Truth Social platform, but the precise details were not immediately clear. Mr Harris said his meeting with Mr Lutnick, a key critic of the Irish Governments fiscal policies, which occurred shortly after Mr Trumps announcement, was timely, valuable and substantive. He said We discussed that announcement and the likely next steps. Advertisement I welcomed the fact that the President has announced the suspension of the higher tariffs announced on April 2 for a period of 90 days. This, I know, will come as a relief to many businesses in Ireland. The Tanaiste said further engagement and clarification is required on the details of the US announcement. He added: We also had an opportunity for a substantive engagement on pharma and I outlined the mutually beneficial role that the sector plays for Ireland and the United States. Advertisement During the meeting, I also outlined the dynamic interconnected economic relationship between Ireland, Europe and the United States. I conveyed our commitment through the EU to comprehensive negotiations that would address a broad range of issues. Mr Harris said the meeting confirmed his view that there is an openness on the part of the US to engage in a process of negotiations. He added: I outlined my view that Ireland, as part of the EU, wants to play a constructive role and will continue to be a voice for calm and measured engagement in the time ahead. Advertisement Mr Harris said he had updated EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic on his meeting with Howard Lutnick (Liam McBurney/PA) During an appearance on RTE, Mr Harris was asked if 90 days is enough for the EU to negotiate a deal with the US. He said: I spoke to (EU Trade Commissioner) Maros Sefcovic straight after the meeting to update him on the details from our discussion with Secretary Lutnick. I think 90 days is a significant period of time. Whether its enough remains to be seen, and it is important that theres still clarifications needed. Advertisement It looks like, for example, the higher rate on cars and steel and aluminium is likely to remain. He added: 10 per cent tariffs still arent good. Tariffs are bad, so we need to be cautious in relation to this. But crucially, what this has done is provide the space that the European Commission, European member states and Ireland has been calling for. Its been a big part of our diplomatic and political effort over the last while to try and create space for real and meaningful engagement. And I did also take the chance to talk to the secretary about the two-way relationship between Ireland and the United States. And I must say, he spoke favourably in relation to the Irish economic model and our economic success to date. Tanaiste Simon Harris has travelled to Washington DC for a meeting with US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick, a key critic of the Irish Governments fiscal policies. Mr Harris flew to the US on Tuesday night for meetings with economic and business stakeholders. Advertisement Over the course of Wednesday, he is due to hold several further meetings on Capitol Hill to discuss Irelands economic, trade and foreign policy priorities. He will also meet with Mr Lutnick on trade and investment relations, mentioning the US-Irish economic relationship which sustains 400,000 jobs. The commerce secretary has been a key figure in US President Donald Trumps tariff plans. Mr Lutnick, who has described Ireland as his favourite tax scam, told a podcast last month: They have all of our (intellectual property) for all our great tech companies and great pharma companies. Advertisement They all put it there because its low tax. They dont pay us, they pay them, so that is going to end. He has also said on social media that it is nonsense that Ireland of all places runs a trade surplus at our expense. Pharmaceuticals were exempt from the sweeping 20% tariffs imposed on EU exports to the US earlier this month, but could be subject to further measures taken by the Trump administration. Mr Harris held a late-night call with Mr Lutnick a number of weeks ago, which the Fine Gael leader described as a useful opportunity to exchange views. Advertisement Speaking about his US visit, the Tanaiste said: We are here to keep the lines of communications open with US political and business leaders as well as share insights and engage. During the visit I will be emphasising our desire to find a negotiated solution between the EU and US on tariffs and that I am fully supportive of Commissioner Sefcovics work. I will make the point that the European Union is ready right now to negotiate. We have a team on standby to travel to DC to begin negotiations between the EU and the US to find a way forward. Advertisement He added: In a complex and unpredictable global economic environment, direct bilateral engagement with the United States is one of my priorities. A particular focus of discussions will be the transatlantic economic and trade relationship between Ireland, the EU and the United States. I hope the trip will provide for an opportunity to gain further insight into the administrations thinking on their next steps. Mr Harris, who is also Irelands foreign affairs and trade minister, will also engage with US figures on Ukraine and the Middle East as well as discussions with the British government on legacy issues in Northern Ireland and on ending paramilitarism. He said: US support has been so significant over many decades in underpinning peace and reconciliation on this island, and remains essential. A woman who was raped by three men she met in a nightclub has spoken of the intimidation she faced in court and how she feels that she has protected other women by giving evidence against the men. Earlier this year Anthony Hickey (39) from Ballyogan in Carrickmines, Fabio Vicente (42) from Enniskerry in Co Wicklow, and Matin Zolfaghari (34) from Marley Court in Rathfarnham, were convicted of raping the young woman in August 2019 and sentenced to terms of 15 and 13 years. Advertisement All three convicted men have lodged appeals against their convictions and against their sentences. In an interview with RTE the woman (named Kate to protect her anonymity) said that despite the intimidation she had faced in the courtroom and the men's lack of respect and remorse, she had used her voice to show them she would not accept what they had done. Kate outlined how she had been out socialising with a friend, dancing in a nightclub. Her friend decided to go home at 1am but Kate stayed on thinking that she could link up with other people they knew. After her friend left she remembered dancing, having a basic conversation with a group of males in the nightclub, her memory then became hazy and fragmented. Advertisement I remember dancing, staying on for a little while, and then it's more so the journey and the car, and... I remember being abused in the back of the car by one of the men. "I remember the car pulling over and at the time I thought it was a taxi driver and I remember him coming around to the back and opening the door and unzipping his trousers and I knew I was going to be assaulted again and I felt paralyzed, wasn't able to move. "The next memory I have is being in the house so I just remember. being upstairs and kicking someone off me, trying to kick and not being able to really lift my legs or arms. And then the next memory I have is I saw one of the men beside me and I didn't know where I was. I went into pure panic. I feel so lucky that I had a tiny bit of percentage left on my phone. So I tried to order a taxi and it took a while to get one confirmed and as soon as I did I just ran. Advertisement When she returned home she told her friend that she had been raped, but that she didnt want to deal with it. However, her friend called the Rape Crisis Centre. If she hadn't done that, I honestly, I don't know if I would be here, honestly, and then in February 2024, I got a call from the detective to say that three men had been charged, that was really overwhelming, it's just, I suppose, had been so long, and I felt a mix of emotions, I felt validated, That's it. I was angry, I was anxious about what was going on. Kate explained that when the case went to court she gave her evidence behind a screen because I wanted to protect my mental health. In her memories the men were faceless so she did not want to see their faces as she was afraid of what that might unlock. However, once the CCTV footage was shown, of which she had no forewarning, I had to watch hours of not just their faces and what they looked like, but their behaviour on loop. Advertisement It's really uncomfortable to watch yourself on screen, intoxicated and dancing and being silly. So it was uncomfortable for the first few minutes, and then I told myself I've nothing to feel uncomfortable for, I'm a woman in my late 20s, having a good time, doing absolutely nothing wrong, and everyone in that nightclub was doing the same thing. It was obvious from looking at the footage, she said, that the three of the men had been coordinating a plan. They kept a very close eye on me. One was always watching. One was in and out of the club, like they were organising, I don't know, a transport or something. And, yeah, I watched them, so to watch that and know how dark that night ended for me. That was really difficult. The whole atmosphere in there, like I felt the whole court system was quite tilted. There was three men on trial, which meant I was cross-examined by three barristers for three days, to be plunged back into the trauma of what happened and have 50 people in a courtroom judging every movement you make and every word you say. And I'm like, that's my life. and you're hoping to be believed because you know what happened was wrong. Advertisement So it's a really traumatic experience but I did find the strength. I got up there every day and I just imagined clinking on my armour. I had no detail or had no knowledge of the trial until we got there and until I gave my evidence I was advised to not look at social media or read any reports and we had gotten so far I didn't want to jeopardise anything. Following that a detective told her about the video clips that had been circulated about her assault by two of the men. It was probably the most upsetting part of the trial for me. One, to know that that happened without my consent, which is in itself a crime. "Two, to the communication between the two men and how they laughed about me saying no and then he (the detective) told me that I said no several times in the video. "To have said no several times, and for them to continue the assault and to laugh had been dehumanizing, it's humiliating. And I felt like I had no voice or that my voice didn't matter. So to me, these three men made a choice that night and that's why they're in prison. They left me with no choice and that is why I am where I am. On the day on which the judge gave his verdict there were 25 people in the courtroom for the defendants. It was like a circus. Kate said she felt very uncomfortable and wanted the DPP to bring up the matter with the judge. But they didn't even need to do that. He came out and took one look and said, everyone's entitled to have support within the room, but it's limited to two people. "I always had two people with me and I'm the victim. I'm one who they committed the crime against and yes, they felt like they could bring in 25 people to try and then intimidate me. But I was really appreciative of the judge clearing the room. Gender-based violence Kate added that there was no question that there was an epidemic of gender-based violence in this country. There should not have been any confusion, she had not consented. They knew that I had said no, over and over again and they just decided to ignore that for their own gratification and they forgot that there was a person and impact that would be attached to that because they didn't care. They've never cared, they've never shown me an ounce of respect. I think that what's important is to know that every woman has a voice. I had a voice that night, I was so intoxicated that I was unable to physically protect myself. But then going through the courts was me having a voice to say, I'm not going to accept that you think that you can do this to me or anyone else. Having my daughter has given me purpose. I look at her and I have to look into her eyes and tell her to be brave. And I couldn't have done that without knowing that I was brave and I did everything that I could. I think for years, women have been made feel like we're the problem. We have a responsibility to always watch our surroundings and always stay in a group setting and don't drink too much. Ireland Three men jailed for 'cruel and depraved' rape of... Read More "And while all of that is advice, that's not what the problem is. It takes away from the focus being the problem is the predators and it's the men out there that think that they can take advantage of vulnerable people and vulnerable women. "But men are part of this conversation. my husband, all the amazing men in my life. This has opened so many conversations for me. Kate concluded by saying that she hoped the world would be a better place for her daughter. That hope was the only thing that kept her going. I hope for true equality. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. The irony of his sister Carey Mulligans glamorous film career compared with his own army experience dodging bombs and bullets in war-torn countries isnt lost on Owain Mulligan, genial and witty sibling of the famous movie star. I remember on one of my tours I flew to Afghanistan on a trooping flight with 150 other soldiers, and all they give you is a bottle of water on board, but apart from that they sit you in your helmet and body armour for 10 hours. Advertisement So, I was on that flight at the exact same time that Carey was crossing the Atlantic on Leonardo DiCaprios private jet, which always struck me as a particularly galling juxtaposition. Owain and Carey Mulligan in Kurdistan on a visit with the charity War Child (Owain Mulligan/PA) The self-deprecating former Territorial Army soldier-turned-management consultant is for once taking the spotlight with his memoir The Accidental Soldier, a dark and very funny account of his seven-month tour of Iraq with, in his words, my very limited military skills. Mulligan, 42, who read history at Oxford, quit his job as a teacher, which he hated, in search of military adventure. For years he had played soldiers with the TA at weekends, and when he volunteered to go to Iraq he had a month of TA officer training at Sandhurst and further training in Germany before being deployed with his regiment. Advertisement He thought he would be given relatively minor duties, maybe some sort of liaison job, but ended up 3rd Troop leader of B Squadron, a fighting troop stationed in Basra in 2006. My learning curve was vertical, he says today, only half joking. Im constantly surprised that they let me go on operations as a troop leader with as little training and competence as I had at the time. The army was scraping the bottom of the barrel and I was almost certainly at the bottom of that barrel. (Owain Mulligan/PA) Yet hes never been what he calls a professional soldier, he clarifies. Advertisement Ive done three operational tours and been to Iraq and Afghanistan, but its never been my full-time job. So, I mean, its kind of like a hobby that just got wildly out of control and ended up getting me deployed all over the place. In the book, Mulligan describes his chaotic deployment, the challenges of being under-prepared, trying to deal with warring militias and keep areas secure, and the emotional toll of losing comrades. His recollections are aided by the diaries he kept in Iraq and the email correspondence while out there, while two paternity leaves after the birth of his children gave him time to write the book. The terrifying escapades included his troop having to reverse out of a minefield they had accidentally driven into, and of him desperately pulling on his body armour while in a camp under siege from mortars, which struck the corimec (shelter) next door. Advertisement (Owain Mulligan/PA) Getting very closely mortared in camp 50 or 60 mortar rounds landed in the space of eight to 10 minutes was the one where I thought, This could well be it. Youre lying on the floor of a kind of Portakabin with your head in your helmet and your body armour on, but if a mortar or rocket comes through that roof its game over for everyone in there. Yet this darkly comic memoir, which been endorsed by Richard Curtis and Richard E Grant, also charts much of the army banter and ribbing he received from other soldiers under his command. They need the wit of a first-rate stand-up comedian, because it is just relentless, he says. In terms of the darkness of the humour, a great deal of that is to do with, if you didnt laugh youd cry at some of the things that happen. Its a real coping mechanism. Advertisement I was like the weird, repressed, slightly posh uncle who no-one could work out, he continues. Theyll happily tell you that you are some sort of Downton Abbey chinless wonder. Did his troop look up to him, though? They did a very good job of tolerating me. Tolerating a 23-year-old with no real kind of military experience whatsoever having to make what could genuinely be life or death decisions on their behalf. (Marianne Waite/PA) Im not sure Id have the patience or willingness to put up with that. It was always a constant surprise to me that at no point did someone turn around and go, F*** off. Some also knew of his actress sister. Theyd say the most outrageous things like, Sir, how can you be out here living your life when your sister is just so much more successful? He joshes about sibling rivalry. Over the years theres been a lot of jealously and bitterness, but as I say to Carey, Im sorry, you just cant be a management consultant no matter how much you like it, its not doable for you. He recalls that when he attended Careys wedding to Mumford & Sons frontman Marcus Mumford in 2012, hed only met him about four times because hed been away with the army so much. I went to the wedding the day after I got back from Afghanistan, with a haircut that had been done by an Afghan barber in Camp Bastion, for which I will never forgive him. He rarely attends red carpet events with his sister, he says, although he almost appeared as an extra in her film Suffragette. But I ended up on the cutting room floor because they thought it was weird that some random policeman sitting in a cinema looked a bit too much like the lead actress. Joking aside, they are extremely close, he stresses, describing Carey as like one of my best friends and have together raised funds for War Child, which supports children in war-torn countries. Hes donating the royalties from the book to the charity. When Mulligan returned to the UK after Iraq he joined the Civil Service, but then rejoined the army in 2010, spent 18 months learning Afghan languages and completed two tours of Afghanistan as an interpreter and cultural adviser attached to UK Special Forces. Today, he lives in north London with his wife Marianne and two children, aged eight and two. He fell into management consultancy in the knowledge he needed to get a proper job. I was about 30, I thought, this is ridiculous. You need to stop letting this TA hobby get out of hand. His experience in Iraq didnt give him a newfound perspective, he reflects. I think a lot of people hope that, right? You stare some fairly difficult situations in the face. You learn what really matters and that youre not supposed to sweat the small stuff. Unfortunately, within about two weeks of getting home, I was getting very upset about the broadband not working or the fact that my cup of tea had too much milk in it. (Hodder & Stoughton/PA) What has changed is, its made me appreciate just how lucky I am to have been born in the UK into the kind of society we have. Id not seen suffering both to do with war and with basic life circumstances like that, until Id been to rural Iraq, where people, and particularly the children, just dont have anything. Life has changed immeasurably since dodging bombs and bullets, he agrees. Sometimes, though, the intensity on a Saturday morning when were trying to get everyone out of the house for rugby or other activities can be a little bit reminiscent of Basra, but theres much less chance of anyone actually getting hurt. The Accidental Soldier by Owain Mulligan is published by Hodder & Stoughton. Available April 10th China has issued a fiery response after US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said it poses an ongoing threat to the Panama Canal. Speaking at a ribbon cutting for a new US-financed dock at the Vasco Nunez de Balboa Naval Base after a meeting with Panama President Jose Raul Mulino, Mr Hegseth said the US will not allow China or any other country to threaten the canals operation. Advertisement His remarks triggered the response from the Chinese government, which said: Who represents the real threat to the Canal? People will make their own judgement. Mr Hegseth said: The United States and Panama have done more in recent weeks to strengthen our defence and security cooperation than we have in decades. China did not build this canal. China does not operate this canal. and China will not weaponize this canal. Together, we will take back the canal from Chinas influence. pic.twitter.com/CiFCOJJFw6 Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) April 8, 2025 China-based companies continue to control critical infrastructure in the canal area. That gives China the potential to conduct surveillance activities across Panama. This makes Panama and the United States less secure, less prosperous and less sovereign. And as president Donald Trump has pointed out, that situation is not acceptable. Mr Hegseth met with Mr Mulino for two hours on Tuesday morning before heading to the naval base that previously had been the US Rodman Naval Station. Advertisement On the way, he posted a photo on X of the two men laughing and said it was an honour speaking with Mr Mulino. You and your countrys hard work is making a difference. Increased security cooperation will make both our nations safer, stronger and more prosperous, he wrote. The visit comes amid tensions over Mr Trumps repeated assertions that the US is being overcharged to use the Panama Canal and that China has influence over its operations allegations Panama has denied. Shortly after the meeting, the Chinese Embassy in Panama posted a statement on X, saying the US has used blackmail to further its own interests and that who Panama carries out business with is a sovereign decision of Panama and something the US doesnt have the right to interfere in. Advertisement The statement said: The US has carried out a sensationalistic campaign about the theoretical Chinese threat in an attempt to sabotage Chinese-Panamanian cooperation, which is all just rooted in the United States own geopolitical interests. Pete Hegseth tours the Port of Rodman (Matias Delacroix/AP) After Mr Hegseth and Mr Mulino spoke by phone in February, the US State Department said an agreement had been reached to not charge US warships to pass through the canal. Mr Mulino publicly denied there was any such deal. Mr Trump has gone so far as to suggest the US should not have turned the canal over to Panama and that maybe that it should take the canal back. The China concern was provoked by the Hong Kong consortium holding a 25-year lease on ports at either end of the canal. Advertisement The Panamanian government announced that lease was being audited and late on Monday concluded that there were irregularities. The Hong Kong consortium has already announced that CK Hutchison would be selling its controlling stake in the ports to a consortium including BlackRock Inc, effectively putting the ports under American control once the sale is complete. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Mr Mulino during a visit in February that Mr Trump believes Chinas presence in the canal area may violate a treaty that led the US to turn the waterway over to Panama in 1999. That treaty calls for the permanent neutrality of the American-built canal. Mr Mulino has denied that China has any influence in the operations of the canal. Advertisement The US built the canal in the early 1900s as it looked for ways to facilitate the transit of commercial and military vessels between its coasts. Washington relinquished control of the waterway to Panama on December 31 1999, under a treaty signed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter. I want to be very clear, China did not build this canal, Mr Hegseth said on Tuesday. China does not operate this canal and China will not weaponise this canal. Together with Panama in the lead, we will keep the canal secure and available for all nations through the deterrent power of the strongest, most effective and most lethal fighting force in the world. Ukraines claim that significant numbers of Chinese nationals are fighting alongside Russias invading army is totally unfounded, an official in Beijing said. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Tuesday that the Ukrainian military had captured two Chinese men fighting alongside the Russian army in the eastern Donetsk region, and had information that significantly more are serving alongside Russian forces. Advertisement It is the first time that Ukraine has made such a claim about Chinese fighters on its soil during the three-year Russian invasion. Our military has captured two Chinese citizens who were fighting as part of the Russian army. This happened on Ukrainian territoryin the Donetsk region. Identification documents, bank cards, and personal data were found in their possession. We have information suggesting that pic.twitter.com/ekBr6hCkQL Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) April 8, 2025 China has provided strong diplomatic support for Russia since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It has also sold Russia machinery and microelectronics that it can use to make weapons, Western officials say, in addition to providing an economic lifeline through the trade in energy and consumer goods. China is not believed to have knowingly provided Russia with troops, weapons or military expertise. US officials have accused Iran of providing Russia with drones, while American and South Korean officials say North Korea has sent thousands of troops and ammunition to help Russia on the battlefield. Advertisement With the US and Europe having provided substantial military support and diplomatic heft for Ukraine, the war has to some degree become a contest between power blocs. Russian attacks continue to hit areas such as Dnipro (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP) Tensions between the US and China have deepened in recent years. Disputes have centred on geopolitical influence, technology and trade and recently escalating import tariffs between the countries have shaken global financial markets. US President Donald Trump is trying to follow through on a campaign promise last year to swiftly end the war in Ukraine. US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said at a briefing in Washington on Tuesday that reports of Chinese citizens fighting on behalf of Russia were disturbing. Advertisement China is a major enabler of Russia in the war in Ukraine, Ms Bruce said. China provides nearly 80% of the dual-use items Russia needs to sustain the war, she claimed. The European Unions foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, also called Beijing the key enabler of Russias war. Dual-use goods are entering Russia via China, she said in Brussels, adding: Its clear that if China would want to really stop the support then it would have an impact. China has increased sales to Russia of machine tools, microelectronics and other technology that Moscow in turn is using to produce missiles, tanks, aircraft and other weaponry for the war, according to a US assessment last year. Advertisement The Kremlin has effectively rejected a US proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting in Ukraine. The Kyiv government has consented to it. Both sides are believed to be preparing spring-summer military campaigns. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said in Beijing that China has played a constructive role in politically resolving the Ukraine crisis. Mr Lin told a daily news briefing that the Chinese government always asks Chinese citizens to stay away from conflict zones, avoid getting involved in any form of armed conflict, and especially refrain from participating in any partys military operations. His comments appeared to indicate that the captured Chinese had joined Russias ranks on their own initiative. Three Americans convicted on charges of participating in a botched coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo last year have been repatriated to the United States days after the country commuted their death sentences to life imprisonment, an official said. The three will serve their sentences in the US following the repatriation done in collaboration with the US embassy, Congolese presidential spokesperson Tina Salama said on X. Advertisement Among them is Marcel Malanga, 21, the son of opposition figure Christian Malanga, who led the foiled coup attempt that targeted the presidential palace in Kinshasa. Also repatriated are Tyler Thompson Jr, 21, a friend of the younger Malanga who flew to Africa from Utah for what his family believed was a free vacation, and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, 36, who is reported to have known Christian Malanga through a gold mining company. Tyler Thompson Jr addressing a court in Kinshasa with 52 other defendants in June 2024 (Samy Ntumba Shambuyi/AP) The news of their repatriation brought joy to their families. Thompsons stepmother, Miranda Thompson, told The Associated Press that they did not have all the details on the return but were so excited to have him on American soil again. When the US assumes custody of prisoners convicted abroad, it typically agrees to carry out the sentence of imprisonment designated by that country. Advertisement Lawyers for the repatriated Americans could try to get their sentences reduced by arguing they signed their consents to the prisoner transfer treaty under duress, said Jared Genser, a US-based international human rights lawyer. But it would be very hard to prevail in such a case as there would be enormous implications for other potential transfers in the future if the US failed to abide by such agreements, Mr Genser said. The repatriation came amid efforts by Congolese authorities to sign a minerals deal with the US in exchange for security support that will help Kinshasa fight rebels in the countrys conflict-hit east. US President Donald Trumps senior adviser for Africa last week confirmed the countries were in talks on the issue and said it could involve multibillion-dollar investments. The US has estimated the country has trillions of dollars in mineral wealth, much of it untapped. Advertisement This decision is part of a dynamic of strengthening judicial diplomacy and international co-operation in matters of justice and human rights between the two countries, the Democratic Republic of Congos presidency said Tuesday of the repatriation. Dozens of others were convicted after the coup attempt, a majority of them Congolese but also including a Briton, a Belgian and a Canadian. Charges included terrorism, murder, criminal association and illegal possession of weapons. The fate of the others was not immediately clear. Advertisement The Democratic Republic of Congo had reinstated the death penalty last year, lifting a more than two-decade-old moratorium, as authorities struggle to curb violence and militant attacks. Family members last year said the men slept on the floor at a high-security military prison in Kinshasa, struggling with health issues and having to pay for food and hygiene products. European Union member states have voted to approve retaliatory tariffs on 23 billion dollars (18 billion) in goods in response to US President Donald Trumps 25% tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. The tariffs will go into effect in stages, with some on April 15 and others on May 15 and December 1. The EU executive commission did not immediately provide a list of the goods on Wednesday. Advertisement Members of the 27-country bloc repeated their preference for a negotiated deal to settle trade issues. The commission said in a statement: The EU considers US tariffs unjustified and damaging, causing economic harm to both sides, as well as the global economy. The EU has stated its clear preference to find negotiated outcomes with the US, which would be balanced and mutually beneficial. Europe is ready to negotiate with the US. We have offered zero-for-zero tariffs for industrial goods. Because we're always ready for a good deal. But were also prepared to respond with countermeasures. And protect ourselves against indirect effects through trade diversion. pic.twitter.com/hpZ77TXH4B Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) April 7, 2025 The head of the EUs executive commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has offered a zero-for-zero tariffs deal on industrial goods including cars. But Mr Trump has said that is not enough to satisfy US concerns. The leader of Germanys Christian Democratic Union party Friedrich Merz has sealed a deal to form a new government with the countrys Social Democrats. The new governments priorities are to spur economic growth, ramp up defence spending, take a tougher approach to migration and catch up on long-neglected modernisation. Advertisement The agreement paves the way for new leadership in the European Unions most populous member, which has Europes biggest economy. It follows months of political drift and weeks of negotiations as the continent faces uncertainty over sweeping tariffs imposed by the United States and its commitment to European allies defence. From left, Markus Soeder, chairman of Bavarias Christian Social Union party, Friedrich Merz, Christian Democratic Union party chairman and the Social Democratic Party co-leaders Lars Klingbeil and Saskia Esken, after reaching an agreement between their parties on a coalition for a new German government (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) Mr Merz is on track to become Germanys new leader in early May, replacing outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The 69-year-olds two-party Union bloc emerged as the strongest force from Germanys election on February 23. Mr Merz turned to the Social Democrats, Mr Scholzs party, to put together a coalition with a parliamentary majority. Before Mr Merz can take the helm, the coalition deal needs approval in a ballot of the Social Democrats membership and by a convention on April 28 of Mr Merzs Christian Democratic Union party. Once those hurdles are cleared, the lower house of parliament in which the allies have 328 of the 630 seats can elect him as chancellor. Advertisement Mr Merz said the deal is a very strong and clear signal to the people of our country, and also a clear signal to our partners in the European Union: Germany is getting a government that is capable of acting and will act strongly. Asked about his message to the US president, Mr Merz replied: The key message to Donald Trump is, Germany is back on track. Germany will fulfil the obligations in terms of defence and Germany is willing to strengthen their own competitiveness. He added: We will bring the European Union forward. Friedrich Merz is set to become Germanys new chancellor in May (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) The prospective coalition embarked on one big project before even reaching a deal to govern together. Last month, it pushed plans through parliament to enable higher defence spending by loosening strict rules on incurring debt, and to set up a huge infrastructure fund that is aimed at boosting the stagnant economy. Advertisement That was a U-turn for Mr Merz, whose party had spoken out against running up new debt before the election without entirely closing the door to future changes to Germanys self-imposed debt brake. Other measures in the agreement are more in line with what he campaigned for. The coalition aims to boost companies investment and then cut corporate tax, make working overtime more attractive and cut electricity tax. Mr Merz, the opposition leader at the time, made reducing migration central to his election campaign. On Wednesday, he said the new government will suspend family reunions for many migrants, designate more safe countries of origin, launch a return offensive for rejected asylum seekers and turn some people back at Germanys borders in consultation with neighbours. It will also tighten a law passed by the outgoing government that eased the rules for gaining citizenship, scrapping the possibility for well-integrated applicants to get a German passport after three rather than five years of residence. Advertisement The new government will include a digitisation ministry to modernise a country that still has a reputation for tangled bureaucracy and old fashioned paperwork. The new government will aim to spur economic growth, ramp up defence spending and take a tougher approach to migration (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) Not everything has to be regulated down to the smallest detail, said the Social Democrats co-leader, Lars Klingbeil. The diggers must work and the fax machines in our country must be thrown away. Our economy must grow. Mr Merz said the coalition plans to reduce the size of the federal administration by 8% over its four-year term. But, referring to the United States Department of Government Efficiency, he said it does not plan to do so by firing workers. Were not hiring an Elon Musk here who will do it like they dare in Washington, he said. We will do it sensibly, with a sense of proportion. Advertisement The election took place seven months earlier than planned after Mr Scholzs unpopular coalition collapsed in November, three years into a term that was increasingly marred by infighting and widespread discontent. Germany has been in political limbo since then. The market turbulence caused by Mr Trumps announcement of sweeping tariffs added to pressure for Mr Merzs Union and the Social Democrats to bring their coalition talks to a conclusion. The tariffs threaten to add to the woes of an export-heavy economy that shrank for the past two years. Another factor in the haste to reach an agreement was a decline for the Union in the opinion polls, showing support slipping from its election showing, while Alternative for Germany, which finished a strong second in February, gained as the political vacuum persisted. The political centre in our country is in a position to solve the problems we face, Mr Merz said. Ministers will be named at a later date. Irans President has pledged that his nation is not after a nuclear bomb ahead of talks between Tehran and the US going as far as dangling the prospect of direct American investment in the Islamic Republic if the countries can reach a deal. The comments by reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian represent a departure from Irans stance after its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, in which Tehran sought to buy American aeroplanes but in effect barred US companies from coming into the country. Advertisement His excellency has no opposition to investment by American investors in Iran, Mr Pezeshkian said in a speech in Tehran, referring to Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. American investors: Come and invest. Such a business proposal could draw the interest of US President Donald Trump, who withdrew America from Irans nuclear deal with world powers in his first term and now seeks a new agreement with the country. Mr Pezeshkian, who campaigned on a platform of outreach to the West during his election last year, also added that Saturdays talks in Oman between Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff would be conducted indirectly. Advertisement Mr Trump has said the talks would be direct negotiations something Tehran has not ruled out after the first round of discussions. We are not after a nuclear bomb, Mr Pezeshkian added. You (in the West) have verified it 100 times. Do it 1,000 times again. The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has mocked Washington and its Asian allies for what she called their daydream of denuclearising the North. She insisted the country will never give up its nuclear weapons programme. Advertisement The statement by Kim Yo Jong, one of the countrys top foreign policy officials, was in response to a meeting last week between the top diplomats of the United States, South Korea and Japan where they reaffirmed their commitment to push for the Norths denuclearisation. Noting North Koreas goals for nuclear weapons expansion are enshrined in its constitution, she insisted any external discussions of denuclearisation constitute the most hostile act and amount to a denial of her countrys sovereignty. Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (AP) If the US and its vassal forces continue to insist on anachronistic denuclearization it will only give unlimited justness and justification to the advance of the DPRK (North Korea) aspiring after the building of the strongest nuclear force for self-defence, she said in comments released by state media. She said North Koreas nuclear weapons status can never be reversed by any physical strength or sly artifice. Advertisement Tensions in the regions have increased as Mr Kim continues to flaunt his military nuclear capabilities and align with Russia over president Vladimir Putins war on Ukraine. He is ignoring calls by Seoul and Washington to resume denuclearisation talks. US President Donald Trump has said he would reach out to Mr Kim again to revive diplomacy, but the North has not responded to that offer. The two men met three times during Mr Trumps first term, but their diplomacy quickly collapsed over disagreements about ending US-led sanctions in return for North Korea taking steps to wind down its nuclear and missile programmes. Mr Kims foreign policy priority is now Russia, which he has supplied with weapons and troops to help prolong its war-fighting in Ukraine. Seoul fears Mr Kim may receive economic assistance and advanced technology to develop his arsenal in exchange for its military supporting Russia. Advertisement Kim Yo Jongs statement came a day after South Korea fired warning shots to repel a group of North Korean soldiers who had crossed the border. South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said about 10 North Korean soldiers, some carrying weapons, violated the military demarcation line in the eastern section of the border. When South Korea issued warnings and fired warning shots, they did not return fire and returned to North Korea. It was not immediately clear whether acting president Han Duck-soo discussed the North Korean nuclear threat with Mr Trump during a telephone conversation on Tuesday. Mr Trump said in a social media post that the two leaders discussed tariffs, trade and Seouls payment for what he called the big time military protection the United States provides to South Korea. There are concerns in Seoul he might push South Korea to pay significantly more of the costs for the some 28,000 US troops stationed in the country. Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla have met a convalescing Pope Francis at the Vatican during a private meeting where they shared their best wishes for his recovery. Charles and Camilla spent part of Wednesday afternoon with the pontiff as he continues recuperating after receiving hospital treatment for double pneumonia. Advertisement The visit was broken by local media after the couples convoy was spotted leaving the Vatican. Charles and Camilla, who are coming to the end of a four-day state visit to Italy, were due to hold a separate state visit to the Holy See, the government of the Roman Catholic Church in the Vatican, but it was cancelled before the trip began to allow the Pope to recover from his illness. The (then) Prince of Wales during a 2017 audience with Pope Francis (Tim Rooke/PA) A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla this afternoon had a private meeting with His Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican. Their Majesties were delighted The Pope was well enough to host them and to have had the opportunity to share their best wishes in person. Advertisement Francis made his first public appearance since his illness on Sunday, when he appeared in St Peters Square in a wheelchair during a special Jubilee Mass for the sick following his discharge from hospital two weeks previously. He wore nasal tubes to receive supplemental oxygen, which the Vatican said at the time is being gradually reduced. Charles and Camilla arrive for the State Banquet at the Palazzo Quirinale in Rome (Aaron Chown/PA) It is understood the visit was confirmed on Wednesday morning and the pontiff had issued the invitation to Charles and Camilla for the private audience on the day the couple celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary. The meeting lasted 20 minutes and likely took place in Franciss private apartment and came after Charles reportedly said I pray for the Pope, during a reception on Tuesday for members of the British community at Villa Volkonsky, the residence of the Britains ambassador to Italy. Advertisement Details of the discussion between the Pope and his guests have not been released but it is understood the Pope wished Charles and Camilla a happy wedding anniversary. Gifts were exchanged between the two parties who were joined by Charles and Camilla's principal private secretary, Sir Clive Alderton and Camillas deputy private secretary Belinda Kim. Charles last met Francis in 2019 when he was the Prince of Wales and travelled to the Vatican to attend the canonisation of St John Henry Newman. A picture of the meeting is due to be released on Thursday morning before Charles and Camilla begin royal engagements on their final day of their four-day tour of Italy. Advertisement It is understood discussions are continuing about rescheduling Charles' visit to the Holy See which was due to celebrate the Papal Jubilee, held every 25 years. The visit came after Charles warned peace is never to be taken for granted during a historic address to Italys parliament. Charles also paid tribute to the close ties between the two nations and said Italy will always be in my heart with Camilla sitting a few metres away wearing her wedding dress decorated with added embroidery. US President Donald Trump has abruptly backed down on his tariffs on most nations for 90 days but raised his tax rate on Chinese imports to 125%. US treasury secretary Scott Bessent told reporters that Mr Trump was pausing his so-called reciprocal tariffs on most of the countrys biggest trading partners, but maintaining his 10% tariff on nearly all global imports. Advertisement Imports tariffs on goods from China, though, would surge to 125% effective immediately Mr Trump said on social media. Amid a global market meltdown, the move was seemingly an attempt to narrow what had been an unprecedented trade war between the US and most of the world to one between the US and China. Global markets surged following the development, but the precise details of Mr Trumps plans to ease tariffs on non-China trade partners are not immediately clear. Mr Bessent added that the markets didnt understand Mr Trumps tariff strategy. Advertisement The market didnt understand, those were maximum levels. The countries can think about those levels as they come to us to bring down their tariffs, their non-trade barriers, he told reporters at the White House. He said Mr Trump created maximum negotiating leverage for himself and the Chinese have shown themselves to the world as the bad actors. US President Donald Trump has said Israel would be the leader of a potential military strike against Iran if Tehran does not give up its nuclear weapons programme. Mr Trump made the comments before this weekends scheduled talks involving US and Iranian officials in the Middle East sultanate of Oman. Mr Trump earlier this week said the talks would be direct while Iran has described the engagement as indirect talks with the US. Advertisement If it requires military, were going to have military, Mr Trump said. Israel will obviously be very much involved in that. Theyll be the leader of that. But nobody leads us, but we do what we want to do. The United States is increasingly concerned as Tehran is closer than ever to a workable weapon. But Mr Trump said on Wednesday that he does not have a definitive timeline for the talks to come to a resolution. When you start talks, you know, if theyre going along well or not, Mr Trump said. And I would say the conclusion would be what I think theyre not going along well. So thats just a feeling. President Donald Trump, left, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Ben Curtis/AP and Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP) The US and other world powers in 2015 reached a long-term, comprehensive nuclear agreement that limited Tehrans enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. But Mr Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the nuclear agreement in 2018, calling it the worst deal ever. Advertisement Iran and the US, under former president Joe Biden, held indirect negotiations in Vienna in 2021 aimed at restoring the nuclear deal. But those talks, and others between Tehran and European nations, failed to reach any agreement. Meanwhile, the US Treasury Department earlier on Wednesday issued new sanctions targeting Irans nuclear programme. Five entities and one person based in Iran are cited in the new sanctions for their support of Irans nuclear programme. The designated groups include the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran and subordinates Iran Centrifuge Technology Company, Thorium Power Company, Pars Reactors Construction and Development Company and Azarab Industries Co. I want Iran to be great, Mr Trump said on Wednesday. The only thing that they cant have is a nuclear weapon. They understand that. Advertisement Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian again pledged on Wednesday that his nation is not after a nuclear bomb and even dangled the prospect of direct American investment in the Islamic Republic if the countries can reach a deal. The comments by the reformist leader represent a departure from Irans stance after its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, in which Tehran sought to buy American planes but in effect barred US companies from coming into the country. His excellency has no opposition to investment by American investors in Iran, Mr Pezeshkian said in a speech in Tehran, referring to Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. American investors: Come and invest. Ukraine has expanded on its claim that significant numbers of Chinese nationals are fighting for Russias invading army. It says it has gathered detailed intelligence on more than 150 mercenaries Moscow allegedly recruited through social media. Advertisement In China, officials have called the allegations totally unfounded. The Ukrainian accusation and Chinese denial come as the US strives to secure a ceasefire in the war which has lasted for more than three years. Russian attacks continue to hit areas such as Dnipro (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP) President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Tuesday that the Ukrainian military had captured two Chinese men fighting alongside the Russian army on Ukrainian soil. It was the first time Ukraine had made such a claim about Chinese fighters in the war. On Wednesday, Mr Zelensky said he was willing to exchange the two prisoners of war for Ukrainian soldiers held captive in Russia. Without providing evidence, Mr Zelensky said officials in Beijing were aware of Russias campaign to recruit Chinese mercenaries. He stopped short of saying the Chinese government authorised the mercenaries involvement in Ukraine. Advertisement Mr Zelensky said Ukraine has the last names and passport data for 155 Chinese citizens fighting for the Russian army and that we believe that there are many more of them. He shared with journalists unverified documents listing names, passport numbers and personal details of the alleged Chinese recruits, including when they arrived in Russia for military training and departed for service. Our military has captured two Chinese citizens who were fighting as part of the Russian army. This happened on Ukrainian territoryin the Donetsk region. Identification documents, bank cards, and personal data were found in their possession. We have information suggesting that pic.twitter.com/ekBr6hCkQL Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) April 8, 2025 China has provided strong diplomatic support for Russia since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It has also sold Russia machinery and microelectronics that it can use to make weapons, Western officials say, in addition to providing an economic lifeline through the trade in energy and consumer goods. China is not believed to have knowingly provided Russia with troops, weapons or military expertise. US officials have accused Iran of providing Russia with drones, while American and South Korean officials say North Korea has sent thousands of troops and ammunition to help Russia on the battlefield. Advertisement With the US and Europe having provided substantial military support and diplomatic heft for Ukraine, the war has to some degree become a contest between power blocs. Tensions between the US and China have deepened in recent years. Disputes have centred on geopolitical influence, technology and trade and recently escalating import tariffs between the countries have shaken global financial markets. Mr Zelensky said US officials expressed surprise when informed of the presence of Chinese mercenaries in Ukraine. US President Donald Trump is trying to follow through on a campaign promise last year to swiftly end the war in Ukraine. US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said at a briefing in Washington on Tuesday that reports of Chinese citizens fighting on behalf of Russia were disturbing. Advertisement China is a major enabler of Russia in the war in Ukraine, Ms Bruce said. China provides nearly 80% of the dual-use items Russia needs to sustain the war, she claimed. The European Unions foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, also called Beijing the key enabler of Russias war. Dual-use goods are entering Russia via China, she said in Brussels, adding: Its clear that if China would want to really stop the support then it would have an impact. China has increased sales to Russia of machine tools, microelectronics and other technology that Moscow in turn is using to produce missiles, tanks, aircraft and other weaponry for the war, according to a US assessment last year. Advertisement The Kremlin has effectively rejected a US proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting in Ukraine. The Kyiv government has consented to it. Both sides are believed to be preparing spring-summer military campaigns. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said in Beijing that China has played a constructive role in politically resolving the Ukraine crisis. Mr Lin told a daily news briefing on Wednesday that the Chinese government always asks Chinese citizens to stay away from conflict zones, avoid getting involved in any form of armed conflict, and especially refrain from participating in any partys military operations. Ukrainian soldiers fire a multiple launch rocket system in the Zaporizhzhia region (Andriy Andriyenko/Ukraines 65th Mechanised Brigade via AP) His comments appeared to indicate that the captured Chinese had joined Russias ranks on their own initiative. Both Russia and Ukraine allow foreign soldiers to enlist. China has previously put forward a vague peace plan that was swiftly dismissed by most observers. In the meantime, both countries have kept fighting a war of attrition along the front line and targeted each other with long-range strikes. The city of Kramatorsk in Ukraines eastern Donetsk endured a massive drone attack overnight, regional head Vadym Filashkin said, injuring an 11-year-old girl, her mother and her grandmother. Ukraines air force said Russia launched 55 Shahed and decoy drones at the country overnight. The Russian Defence Ministry said that air defences downed 158 Ukrainian drones over 11 Russian regions overnight but reported no casualties or damage. Several Russian regions temporarily suspended flights at their airports because of the attack, however, and some Ukrainian drones reached Russias Orenburg region in the southern Urals located nearly 745 miles east of the Ukrainian border, the Defence Ministry said. HBOs hit series The White Lotus could have picked any tropical backdrop for its third season. That it chose the island of Koh Samui, population of about 68,000, to show to 15 million average viewers this season, has Thailand bracing for a tourism boom. And few stand to benefit more than two local ultra-tycoons, who believe tourists will keep coming, and that theyll remember its lush jungles and stunning beaches rather than the dark plot of the season, which concluded on April 6. The White Lotus season 3 is filmed on the Thai island of Koh Samui. Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth, the chief executive officer of Bangkok Airways, and his familys wealth are closely intertwined with Samui, dating from the 1980s when his father bet on an airport to seize on the islands tourism potential. The clan has a fortune of about $US3.5 billion ($5.8 billion), according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. HBO selecting the local Four Seasons as its main set proved a boon to William Bill Heinecke, the American-born Thai businessman who founded Minor International, owner of the property. His personal fortune is estimated at $US1.2 billion, according to the index, which is valuing his net worth for the first time. Trumps tariffs could lead to the price of an iPhone rising by up to 43 per cent, according to analysts at Rosenblatt Securities. The most expensive iPhone 16 Pro Max would cost about $US2300 ($3854), up from $US1599 today, while the cheapest would cost $US1142, up from $US799. Alternatively, swallowing some of the price increases would lead to a huge hit to the companys famously healthy profit margins knocking tens of billions of dollars off its bottom line. Loading On Thursday, the first trading session after the tariffs announcement, Apples shares slumped 9.3 per cent, wiping $US311 billion off the companys market value the second-biggest one-day fall in a companys value in history (the drop was only eclipsed by Nvidias $US600 billion sell-off in January). Losses have continued to mount since then before a rebound overnight after Trump announced a pause on some of his tariffs. The tariff situation really complicates things for Apple. What is it going to do? Raise prices? That will hit demand. Absorb costs? That will hurt earnings and margins, said Anthony Saglimbene, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial Services. It is very difficult to assess prospects from here. Loading The risk became more acute with Trump announcing overnight tariffs would rise to an unprecedented 125 per cent for China after Beijing retaliated against previous tariffs with its own levies on US imports. The White House confirmed that unlike in 2018, there were no carve-outs for the products that Apple makes. The blow threatens to raise questions over Cooks years-long courting of Trump, as well as a generational shift away from China. While the strategy seemed prescient in a bilateral trade war, Trump has hit almost every country with import duties. Cook was the architect of Apples shift to China a quarter of a century ago, and then its gradual decoupling. Hired in 1998, shortly after Steve Jobs returned to save the company, he moved production from the US to set up a complex but devastatingly effective Chinese supply chain using contractors such as Foxconn. In recent years, he has sought to unwind this, jostling partners to set up factories in other Asian countries. Illustration: Michael Howard. Credit: Michael Howard Trumps new policies have thrown a wrench into Apples supply chain gears, essentially negating the tariff-hopping that Apple targeted through diversifying production geographies, says Mark Zetter, an electronics supply chain expert. Apple moved some production to countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and India when the world was less polarised. But these strategies no longer apply. Vietnam, where Apple makes AirPods, iPads and Apple Watches, was one of the worst hit by Trumps new tariffs, receiving a tariff rate of 46 per cent. While this is lower than the 54 per cent effective rate in China, it does not account for the heavy investments Apple and its manufacturing partners have made to move some production to the country. China may also have a stronger chance of tariff relief: Trump said on Thursday that Beijing could secure concessions if it approved the sale of TikToks US business. Apple has also faced a political backlash for decoupling from China, which accounts for about 15 per cent of Apples revenue. Authorities have reportedly prevented skilled employees from leaving the country, and the company has faced muted criticism in state media. This may also have had an impact on Apples own sales in China, which have fallen for two years in a row. This year, Apple is expected to make around 15 per cent of its iPhones in India, and ministers in the country have said the company plans for a quarter of production to be based there. That now remains an open question, with the country facing a 26 per cent US tariff as well. Apple has not been the only company to move production out of China in an attempt to avoid tariffs. Nike, on whose board Cook sits, sources about 50 per cent of its footwear from Vietnam, with the rest from China, Indonesia and Cambodia. Its clothes are made in the same countries. Shares in the sportswear brand were down as much as 12 per cent on Thursday as investors dumped the stock. The slide wiped more than $US10 billion off Nikes value in one day, seen by some as payback for the company, which has been reluctant to give in to Trumps anti-DEI push. Tariffs may be rescinded, and Cook will inevitably be seeking to use his relationship with Trump to push for leniency, whether through lower tariffs on some countries or through exemptions. He has already promised to invest $US500 billion in the US over the next four years. Loading Trumps answer may simply be demanding that Apple brings production home. At present, only a small number of high-end Mac computers are made in America. The president would see it as a vindication of his policies if the stamp on the back of the iPhone said: Designed by Apple in California, made in America. Zetter says there is no chance of that. There is no single location in the Americas that can amass a workforce of 800,000-plus like Foxconn can in China, he says. Apple currently has extremely limiting options beyond exemptions and negotiations. To date, Cook has deftly handled an unpredictable president. But this week may represent his biggest test yet. The 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 Read any strange books lately? Sometimes it seems that fiction is getting wackier and wackier. Bonkers books are not exactly new (Tristram Shandy? Naked Lunch? Finnegans Wake?), but publishers and booksellers are putting new labels on their titles to attract readers who just wont settle for the same old, same old. These titles range from high literature to pulp fiction, but they are all aiming to surprise, bamboozle, disturb and delight. Bizarro fiction Lots of books are a bit bizarre (think of anything by Gogol), but with bizarro books, the main appeal is their weirdness. The genre strives to be strange, fascinating, thought-provoking and fun. Independent publishing companies Eraserhead Press, Raw Dog Screaming Press and Afterbirth Books adopted the term in 2005: they promote an underground bizarroisation movement, award prizes in their Wonderland Book Award and host an annual BizarroCon (described as the writers retreat from hell). In Satan Burger, a cult 2001 novel by Carlton Mellick III, Satan opens a burger joint where people trade their souls for burgers. But as a reviewer notes, theres a lot more going on that he cant quite sum up. Mellick is a prolific author: hes also written The Haunted Vagina, The Cannibals of Candyland and Every Time We Meet at the Dairy Queen, Your Whole F---ing Face Explodes. Ergodic literature These are books where the reader has to make a nontrivial effort to traverse the text. Because why settle for an easy read when you can do it the hard way? Advertisement Surprisingly, perhaps, the genre includes some bestsellers. House of Leaves, a 2000 novel by Mark Z. Danielewski, is a story about a story about a story about a film about a house with a black hole in it. The New York Times called it a vast exploration and meditation on the paradoxical spaces that open out from or as our awareness his book is funny, moving, sexy, beautifully told. Loading Another ergodic novel is Hopscotch by Argentinian writer Julio Cortazar. This 1963 work is a stream of consciousness tale that can be read in two ways, according to two chapter sequences, leading to multiple endings. Cortazars fellow writer and friend Ariel Dorfman wrote in The New York Times in 2014 that it was a foundational text of a generation, an earthquake of language: We need, Cortazar said, to throw reality out the window and then throw out the window as well. A more recent novel, Susanna Clarks Piranesi, is actually quite a short and easy read on the surface. A mysterious young man finds himself eking out a primitive life in a vast labyrinthine ruin of great architectural halls and statues, washed out by huge oceanic tides. Its ergodic in the way it appeals to the intellect, the imagination and the emotions. Oulipo Most wacky genres come from the US, but oulipo is tres French. Short for ouvroir de literature potentielle (workshop of potential literature) it was born in 1960, when a bunch of French writers and mathematicians decided to see what would happen if they wrote with very difficult handicaps. Advertisement They all loved maths problems, puzzles, trickery, wordplay and conundrums, and wanted to use them to create new literature. One of the founders, Raymond Queneau, described Oulipians as rats who construct the labyrinth from which they plan to escape. Credit: Getty Images Perhaps the most famous oulipian tale is Georges Perecs A Void, a clever and entertaining postmodern detective novel which throughout its 300 pages never uses the letter e (and nor does the English translation). Not content with that, Perec (above) went on to write The Exeter Texts, a novel in which the only vowel used is the letter e. Solarpunk Youve heard of cyberpunk and steampunk, right? Solarpunk is another futuristic science fiction genre, but it avoids the gloomy dystopias of cyberpunk or the Victorian-era technology of steampunk to give us a sunny version of worlds to come. Hey, maybe we can reach a sustainable future with renewable energy from the sun, a re-wilded planet and happy post-capitalist communities devoted to preserving nature. We can dream It might have been Ursula le Guin who kicked off this genre with works such as Always Coming Home and The Dispossessed. More recently, there are anthologies like Hieroglyph: Stories and Visions for a Better Future and a couple of cosy feel-good novels from Becky Chambers (A Psalm for the Slipstream Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy), whose heroes include a non-binary tea-serving monk and a robot named Splendid Speckled Mosscap, searching for a way to help humans. Advertisement Slipstream A mish-mash of science fiction, fantasy and literary fiction that pushes the boundaries of these genres. Its described as the fiction of strangeness or writing that makes the familiar strange or the strange familiar. Less in-your-face than bizarro, more of a slow burn, it looks back to the stories of Kafka and Borges for inspiration. Well-known writers said to write slipstream include Haruki Murakami, Kelly Link and China Mieville. Credit: Getty Images Helen Oyeyemis 2021 novel Peaces is described as dazzling, disorienting and inscrutable. Two lovers travelling on a train with their pet mongoose discover its an upside-down sort of ride with a mystery at its heart. Its about who you are and how others see you. Weird romance One of the most wildly popular genres with young women readers is romantasy, a blend of romance and fantasy. But were already way beyond elves, vampires and werewolves as dream lovers thats so yesterday. Your irresistible and heroically endowed hero may be any kind of monster: a minotaur, a dinosaur or a kraken. He took me in his tentacles It gets weirder. One rising subgenre is sentient object romance. Think of stories like The Frog Prince or Beauty and the Beast, but where the enchanted hero has been turned into an everyday household item that is strangely alluring in Unhinged, by Vera Valentine, a woman is getting it on with her front door, which turns into a guy. Advertisement The queen of sentient object romance and purveyor of sentient smutty smut is Holly Wilde. Her titles include Laid by the Lint Trap Monster and Banging My Birthday Bear. For readers who prefer a more mature hero, theres a subgenre of erotic Santa Claus romances such as The Naughty List by Ellie Mae MacGregor, where Santa is a silver fox with big hands and thick thighs. Ho Ho Ho meets Oh Oh Oh. Wacky anthologies Callouts for submissions from literary journals and anthology editors are getting curiouser and curiouser. Those who specialise in fantasy and horror want to be surprised. French Press Publishing invited werewolf stories with one small caveat: Make em different. Hellbound Books anthology of Creature Features wanted scary stories without the usual ho-hum culprits spiders, rats or giant centipedes. Killer koalas, anyone? Perhaps the strangest callout, from Microcosm Publishing, was for speculative feminist fiction about disability and bicycles. Its for the anthology series Bikes in Space, a powerful tribute to feminist sci-fi about bicycles Heroines find meaning and freedom on two wheels in the confines of a gated space society and in the ravaged earth left behind. Racers compete in deep space and on otherworldly planets. The publishers claim their little volumes (12 so far) have launched a new genre. The disability volume comes out next year. Furry Sleuths Advertisement Lady Gaga has officially announced the Australian leg of The MAYHEM Ball tour, with three stadium shows planned for Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. They will be her first shows in Australia since 2014s ArtRave: The ARTPOP Ball. Lady Gaga performing at the Grammy Awards in February. Credit: AP Gaga will headline the opening weekend of Coachella this Friday, before beginning a leg of stadium shows in Mexico City and Singapore, and a landmark free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. Her latest album, Mayhem received widespread acclaim from critics and fans when it was released in March, and debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200. Many are calling the current market turmoil unprecedented, but a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a similar situation unfolded in which trade became a weapon of political manipulation. The opening crawl of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace reads: Turmoil has engulfed the Galactic Republic. The taxation of trade routes to outlying star systems is in dispute. Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine in Star Wars. In the film, the Galactic Republic, under Senator Palpatine, imposes tariffs on interplanetary trade routes, prompting the Trade Federation to retaliate with economic and military warfare including a full-blown blockade of a planet. Thankfully, were not at that point... yet. The Phantom Menace mirrors todays reality, where much like Palpatine Trump has turned trade into a weapon. But his so-called artful deal has spectacularly backfired in what is proving to be the worst presidential sequel for markets in history. Opposition finance spokeswoman Jane Hume has just committed a future Coalition government to remaining in the Paris climate change deal, contradicting the partys climate spokesman, Ted OBrien. Earlier on Thursday, during a debate with Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen, OBrien hedged his bets about Australia sticking with the emissions reduction deal if the opposition formed government. Asked if Australia would leave the Paris Agreement, as the United States has done under President Donald Trump, OBrien said: I can commit that we will always act in the national interest, and we will be up front with the Australian people. Opposition Finance spokeswoman Jane Hume. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer But in an interview on the ABCs Afternoon Briefing program, Hume had a very different message when asked about OBriens comments and whether a Coalition government would remain signed up to the Paris deal. Yes. There is no doubt about that, but on Labors current trajectory the idea of cutting 43 per cent is an absolute fantasy and I think thats exactly what it was Ted was alluding to, she said. Labors policies are not working. They promised $275 off your energy bills, they failed to deliver it and they have no solutions. Thats why the Coalition government has said we will inject more gas into the system in the short term and deliver in the longer term when those coal-fired power stations retire. Following the comment from Hume, OBriens spokesman contacted this masthead to clarify the Coalitions position. To be clear, we are committed to the Paris Agreement, including net zero by 2050, OBrien said. But under Labors trajectory, Australias chances of hitting the 43 per cent target by 2030 is pure fantasy. Unlike Labor, well be upfront with Australians about how we assess these factors and how they shape our targets. Its quite incredible when you realise there are no roads. The driver points the nose of the 4WD in a certain direction and off you go, rumbling over the vastness of the steppe, this never-ending grassy expanse barely marked by any building or tree, let alone bitumen. You just drive and drive in Mongolia. Everyone seems to know where theyre going too, despite the lack of roads. The drivers all know where the nomadic camp is that theyre looking for. They know where the lake is, where the forest is. They just point and go. Northern Mongolias Dark Blue Pearl Khuvsgul Lake. Credit: Getty Images There are a few proper roads in this awesome country. They take you around the heaving, honking capital, Ulaanbaatar. They take you a few hours away to places like Hustai National Park, all rolling plains and small hills, and Terelj, with its forests and stark rocky outcrops. Rough tracks will get you all the way to Khuvsgul, the freezing lake in Mongolias far north. There are few countries as beautiful as Mongolia, something you have the chance to appreciate from the back of those 4WDs. Few nations have the sense of wild adventure that Mongolia does. Almost none have culture so unadulterated and different to anything you know. London: Prince Harrys lawyer warned his life is at stake over changes to his security after stepping down from royal duties, as the prince returned to Londons Royal Courts of Justice for his appeal about adjustments to his protection in Britain. Harry, King Charles younger son, is trying to overturn a decision by the Home Office the ministry responsible for policing which decided in 2020 he would not automatically receive personal police security while in the country. Prince Harry outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Tuesday. Credit: Ben Whitley/PA via AP One must not forget the human dimension to this case: there is a person sitting behind me whose safety, whose security and whose life is at stake, his lawyer Shaheed Fatima, KC, told the court on Wednesday, UK time, as Harry watched on. She had said in court filings made public on Tuesday that al-Qaeda had recently called for Harry to be murdered and that he and his wife Meghan had been involved in a dangerous car pursuit with paparazzi in New York City in 2023. London: Prince Harry made a rare public appearance in Britain at Londons Royal Courts of Justice to fight the government over changes made to his security after he stepped down from royal duties, which his lawyer branded unjustified. Harry, King Charles youngest son, is trying to overturn a decision by the Home Office the ministry responsible for policing which decided in February 2020 he would not automatically receive personal police security while in Britain. Last year, the High Court in London ruled the decision was lawful, but the Court of Appeal agreed to hear the case following a direct application from Harrys lawyers. He arrived smiling and waving on Tuesday, local time, for the two-day hearing. Angus Moore, senior economist at REA Group, noted that the strong growth compared to last year partly reflects that Easter fell in March in 2024. While this is partly due to the timing of Easter in 2024, it continues Sydney and Melbournes run of above-average activity in 2025, he said. ASICs discussion paper on Australias evolving capital markets emphasizes that private markets have become a significant source of funding over the past decade and are expected to continue growing. These markets include investments in assets not traded publicly, such as private capital funds, non-bank financial lending, and direct investments in private companies, infrastructure and debt. "It's only really by checking your credit report on a regular basis that you can see things that have happened, if someone steals your identity," said Shapira, who is also the founder and managing director of Dosh, a digitally-encrypted platform that puts all of a borrowers' financial data on one platform, which can then be shared with their broker. "You might be applying for a loan, or car financing, or a credit card, for example, and then you find that there are loans against your name that you were unaware of. Oftentimes, you don't know about it until it's too late. Summary The Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force (TF) has detected an information operation targeting the 45th General Election by Chinese social media platform WeChats most popular news account Youli-Youmian (), an anonymous blog that does not disclose its provenance.1 Intelligence reporting links the Youli-Youmian account to the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) Chinese Communist Partys Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission (CPLAC). The SITE TF assesses that this information operation was intended to influence Canadian-Chinese communities in Canada ( i.e. speakers of a Chinese language, such as Mandarin, Cantonese, or Hakka) and looked to mould perceptions about the Prime Minister, Liberal Party of Canada (LPC) Leader and LPC candidate for Nepean, Mark Carney. The Youli-Youmian account was also responsible for targeting members of Parliament Michael Chong (in June 2023) and Chrystia Freeland (in January 2025). Content The information operation targeting Mr. Carney is deliberately amplifying narratives in a coordinated and inauthentic way on WeChat, to Chinese audiences, including communities living in Canada. The SITE TF observed large spikes of what is believed to be coordinated inauthentic behaviour on March 10 and 25, 2025. Specifically, various contrasting narratives were spread on WeChat about Mr. Carney first amplifying the candidate's stance with the United States2, then targeting his experience and credentials.3 Tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) In February 2023, the China Digital Times reported that social media posts from the Youli-Youmian account are frequently assigned to employees at Chinese state-owned enterprises to amplify to wider audiences as part of their work duties.4 The SITE TF assesses that similar coordinated inauthentic activity was likely at play in the targeting of Mr. Carney on March 10 and 25. The campaign received high levels of user engagement and views, with amplified articles about Mr. Carney receiving between 85,000 and 130,000 interactions, and an estimate of 1 to 3 million views. This level of engagement on WeChat is high when compared with popular state media outlets like the Peoples Daily that average only 30,000 interactions per post. The articles posted on the Youli-Youmian account on March 25 were amplified in a coordinated and inauthentic way by a group of 30 smaller WeChat accounts that boosted the discoverability of the posts. This amplification occurred over the course of four days, keeping narratives about Mr. Carney in algorithmic feeds, albeit at much lower engagement and views. Background WeChat developer Tencent reports that the platform has over 1.3 billion monthly active users but has not disclosed how many of those users live overseas.5 Marketing firms in Canada put the number of Canadian WeChat users at over 1 million.6 Despite this popularity, WeChat has remained not well understood by information integrity researchers. The PRC is likely aware of this oversight and may carry out these information operations on WeChat to avoid scrutiny. Malign behaviour from the Youli-Youmian account was first identified by Rapid Response Mechanism Canada (RRM Canada) at Global Affairs Canada during federal by-elections taking place in June 2023.7 During that period, analysts noted that the popular WeChat account had targeted Mr. Michael Chong, CPC MP for the Wellington-Halton Hills riding at the time, with false narratives. The Youli-Youmian entity was also responsible for targeting former LPC leadership candidate Chrystia Freeland in late January 2025.8 Implications The SITE TF assesses that the objective of the information operation is to influence Chinese communities in Canada in the context of the 45th General Election. The information being spread is inauthentic and coordinated, with the goal to manipulate. Endnotes Vivienne Clarke The interim chief executive of Enterprise Ireland, Kevin Sherry, is urging Irish companies that export to the US to contact the dedicated response team to avail of supports. Speaking on RTE radios Morning Ireland, Mr Sherry said that companies were looking for up-to-date information and wanted to know what specific actions they can take. They also wanted to understand the tariffs, how they were going to apply to them, and what supports are available. So for Enterprise Ireland, we've established a dedicated response team. We've been in contact with all of those companies, providing them with up-to-date information and advice, information on the supports that they can avail of, and the actions that very importantly that they take, so the things that are in their control that they can take to respond to the current situation," he said. If you're an engineering company and you're exporting into the US, from today your product will be subject to a 20 percent tariff. Actually, it's a little bit more complicated than that because, if you're that engineering company and you're also sourcing steel or aluminium from the US, the steel and aluminium that you're sourcing from the US will be subject to a tariff of 25 percent. "So it's really important for companies, one of the pieces of advice that we're giving them is that they really understand their own supply chain and map their supply chain and understand what implications this has for their products. At the moment one of the things we're saying to companies is they really need to engage and proactively engage and talk to their customers and distributors and that is a topic of conversation about pricing. Obviously its also very important for companies to look at and understand what the terms and conditions associated with their contracts are because sometimes the contracts can contain terms which will result in those tariffs being passed on, but that is a conversation by individual companies with their customers in the US. Mr Sherry explained that the support offered by Enterprise Ireland included information on tariffs and how they will be applied, understanding their supply chain along with assistance in retaining external expertise where necessary. Very importantly, these companies are not only exporting to the US, many companies are also exporting to many other countries. In fact, if you look at the total export of Enterprise Ireland clients, 17 percent of their exports go to the US, so it is a very important market, but 83 percent of exports go to other markets outside of the US and it's really important for those companies to continue to build and grow the markets, not just in the US but outside. "We can provide support to those companies through our team overseas, we have 190 people overseas who are working with those companies and supporting them in those markets. Mr Sherry added that there were grants available for external advice and there was also funding available for companies that want to assess and access new markets. I think one of the things at the moment that companies are looking at and we're encouraging them to look at is their whole area of competitiveness and their cost base and their support available for companies looking at that and maybe implementing digital processes. "And also, very importantly, an increased focus on research and development because most Irish companies are competing in winning business internationally based on having a competitive advantage by virtue of their technology. "And we need to really confirm that Irish companies are winning business against international competition every day of the week, so they shouldn't be concerned about facing international competition. It was too early to say what job losses there might be as a result of the US tariffs, he said. Our advice to companies and what companies are doing is focus on the things that they can control, focus on actions that they can take and Enterprise Ireland is there working with them to support them in taking those actions. Gordon Deegan Founder and MD of New York-based construction group Highline Group LLC, Mark Dobbin, is to invest 10 million in a redeveloped stud farm in Co Kildare. Mr Dobbin and his wife, Kerry native, Sonja Dobbin have recently lodged plans with Kildare Co Council through their Highline Stud Farm Ltd for the redevelopment of Friarstown Stables at Friarstown, Kildare. The redevelopment is to include two new equine barns that will provide for 24 stable units in each, staff accommodation and a farm managers house along with other elements. A business plan lodged with the application states that the owners have paid out 3.5 million for the 110 acre Friarstown Stables farm and intend to spend another 7.5 million to 8 million to develop the farm into a high class stud facility. The plan states: In summary, Mark Dobbin will have invested a total of up to 10 million in the stud farm, its development and related equine operations by the time the Stud is completed. The plan states that: Additional investment is likely to follow if the stud achieves its near term objectives. The business plan states that the Highline Group is headquartered in Manhattan, works in New Yorks luxury residential market and records average annual revenues of $100 million employing over 200 people. It states that native of Co Down, Mr Dobbin is a passionate racecourse owner and breeder and that Friarstown Stables is a natural fit for his future plans in Irish racing. The document states that the Dobbins currently have horses stabled in Malton (UK), Kentucky (USA), Kildare and Tipperary and their aim under this application is to consolidate their business in one operation at Friarstown Stables, Co Kildare. The business plan states that the primary source of income for the business will be through the breeding, raising and sale of high quality bloodstock on behalf of its clients. The document states that Mr Dobbin has enlisted Gaelic Bloodstock to assist in identifying and sourcing top quality fillies that will hopefully become elite broodmares in time. Gaelic Bloodstock has purchased mares for Mr Dobbin since 2010 including the Classic Irish Oaks third, Cairde Go Deo and Mr Dobbin has fillies with three of Irelands top trainers, Joseph OBrien, Johnny Murtagh and Ger Lyons and has ambitious plans to invest in and support Irish racing. The business plan states that since 2010 Mark Dobbin has been a successful racecourse owner and his recent years his string of horses in training has increased to 20. It states that the Dobbin green and white colours have been carried to success at racetracks in Ireland, France, the UK and the US. It states that while Mark has been focused on racing horses at the highest level, the plan for a sustainable breeding project has also been put in place in recent years. A decision is due on the planning application next month. Guardians of ancient trees bridge past and future 13:23, April 09, 2025 By Wu Yanbo ( China Daily Jin Hongjun explains tree protection under an ancient cypress at Zhongyue Temple in Dengfeng. (Wu Yanbo/China Daily) Tree healer Jin Hongjun, 55, vividly recalls the painstaking efforts to save China's beloved 4,500-year-old "General Cypress" two decades ago. Located in the Center of Heaven and Earth historical building complex in Dengfeng, Henan province, the country's oldest cypress tree had suffered from improper care and management over the years. Jin, from the Dengfeng cultural relics bureau, served as General Cypress' dedicated caretaker from 2004 to 2007, and talks about the ancient tree like an old friend. In 2004, under the guidance of Professor Cong Sheng, a renowned ancient tree conservation expert, Dengfeng authorities launched a comprehensive rescue mission for the ailing cypress. The project, costing hundreds of thousands of yuan, included removal of decaying parts of the tree, sterilization, structural reinforcement and soil rehabilitation. "The challenges were immense," Jin said. Centuries of construction debris and buried pedestals of tablets had choked the tree's roots. Workers relocated tons of stone pedestals, removed rubble, replaced soil with nutrient-rich substitutes, and installed drainage and aeration systems a labor-intensive process requiring meticulous attention. "Conservation isn't a one-time fix. Trees are living beings, they need sustained attention," Jin said. Impressed emperor The tree's historical significance dates back to 110 BC when Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (206 BC AD 220) visited Songshan Mountain on an imperial inspection tour. Impressed by its majestic stature, he bestowed upon the tree the title of "General Cypress". Centuries later, in 1750, Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) created his renowned ink painting Han Dynasty Cypress at Songyang, which fetched over 87 million yuan ($12 million) at an auction in 2010. Though local officials began protecting ancient trees as early as 1936 when the then-magistrate Mao Rucai numbered them and installed enamel plaques the 2004 campaign marked Dengfeng's first major investment in arboreal heritage. Bolstered by training from the professor, Jin expanded his arboreal conservation work. By 2008, he led the protection of 878 ancient trees at the Center of Heaven and Earth's eight historic building sites, in preparation for its UNESCO World Heritage application. The center was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2010. With tight deadlines and some trees in remote mountainous terrain, Jin and his team hauled equipment uphill, camped on-site, and endured nights in tents that had collapsed under heavy rain. At Songshan Mountain's Zhongyue Temple, where there are over 330 ancient cypresses, Jin faced labor shortages. Despite battling a fever, he recruited 50 laborers and personally trained them, climbing scaffolding repeatedly to demonstrate conservation techniques. He worked through the day, and was given IV drips at night. Wandering among the ancient cypresses, Jin's voice softened as he recalled the dry clay, which was "hard like stone". "We couldn't use machinery near the roots," he said, describing efforts to dig rejuvenation trenches by hand. "Two workers took a full day to carve out one meter." During one Spring Festival holiday, he saw three tourists preparing to burn incense next to an ancient cypress to pray for good luck. He changed their minds by telling them "the best worship for ancient trees is to pour a few buckets of water in the dry season". Jin said in such a harsh environment ancient cypresses grow extremely slowly. Due to previous methods of determining tree ages being less accurate than today, some trees thought to be about 1,000 years old may actually be over 3,000 or 4,000 years old, he said. "Ancient architecture valued the natural environment and feng shui, so temples were often built where there were ancient trees. Therefore, the ages of many ancient trees in Zhongyue Temple are likely to be seriously underestimated," he said. In 2024, Jin's 20-year dedication to conservation earned him a spot on the National Forestry and Grassland Administration's panel of experts. He has now "healed" more than 20,000 ancient trees in provinces across the country, from Shanxi's arid plains to Fujian's humid subtropics. His phone rings like an emergency hotline, and once his services are requested he rushes to help restore old trees. Jin believes tree preservation is a multidisciplinary science. Besides anti-erosion treatment and structural reinforcements for hollowed trunks, Jin emphasizes microhabitat management including breathable fences to prevent soil compaction, annual flowers to enrich biodiversity, and strict bans on invasive grasses that starve roots. "In the north, focus on hydration and aeration. In the south, drainage is key," he said. "But consistent care judicious watering and loosening soil is essential." Jin stresses public awareness about arboreal care to minimize human impact on the growth of ancient trees. "As long as people avoid harming trunks or roots, reverence for trees expressed through rituals or worship is a sacred tradition worthy of respect," he said. Old growth, new wealth The veteran arborist has acquired much of his knowledge about trees and their cultural significance from grassroots people. "By listening to villagers' stories, I learn to protect these giants in harmony with local ecosystems," he said. Several years ago, Jin visited Leijiagou village near the Shaolin Temple to undertake protection work on several ancient Quercus baronii (a type of oak) trees growing in the crevices of rocky slopes. A small stone temple from the Qing Dynasty's Qianlong period was beneath the trees. A shepherd aged over 80 told Jin he remembered the trees from when he was a child. The current poor state of the trees was likely due to years of soil erosion near the roots, the shepherd said. When a sheep approached one of the ancient trees, the herder quickly shooed it away, and said to Jin: "The old tree is sacred. I don't allow sheep near it, or to even graze on its fallen leaves." Leijiagou is at the foot of Songshan Mountain, considered sacred by many, and is home to more than 10 ancient trees, including Quercus baronii, sala trees and big leaf poplars. Since 2015, the village has pivoted from stone mining to ecological restoration and provided accommodations for visitors. It has constructed an ecological park for the Quercus baronii trees, expanded a small pond into Mirror Heart Lake, and upgraded old cave dwellings into boutique homestays. It is now a model picturesque village in Zhengzhou city and a national forest village. "These trees are both our historians and main attraction," said Liu Xiaohui, 33, a Leijiagou Village Committee member, and owner of Songshan Windmill Farm. The village's annual tourist numbers now exceed 100,000, drawn by the Shaolin Temple and nature's wonders. "The village history museum undergoing construction will highlight the trees' role in local historical heritage, and attract more visitors to explore the profound culture of Songshan Mountain," Liu said. In January, staff from the Henan Provincial Forestry Bureau visited Leijiagou and took 3D digital images of the old trees to establish a pilot ancient tree cloud museum. As a county-level city within Zhengzhou, Dengfeng has over 7,400 registered ancient trees. In 2021, the local forestry bureau organized teams to visit rural towns. The teams produced a mini documentary series the Sacred Charm of Ancient Trees that had 52 episodes. Authorities have also staged exhibitions and painting activities to raise awareness about protection of ancient trees. A real family tree Villages and temples also preserve Huai, or Chinese scholar trees, planted by Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) migrants from Hongtong county in Shanxi, said Zhao Xiaoli, director of the Dengfeng Greening Service Center. The scholar tree is highly regarded as a symbol of ancestral roots and a witness and marker of an area's history, Zhao said. One such tree stands in Yuanqiao village, 10 kilometers southwest of Dengfeng. The thriving tree, over 500 years, stands more than 14 meters high and spreads an 80-square-meter canopy of leaves. Historical records show Yuanqiao was founded during the reign of Emperor Hongwu (1368-1398) in the Ming Dynasty by migrant Yuan Kecheng, who had nine children and planted nine scholar trees to remind his descendants of their Shanxi roots. The sole surviving tree is near a small bridge, built by the Yuan family who Yuanqiao village derives its name from. Almost every family in the village has the surname Yuan. The tree's legacy also intertwines with philanthropy. Yuan Zhanguo, 73, chairman of Dengfeng's Dengcao Group and a native of the village, wrote in an article that he recalled childhood rituals honoring the tree as a "guardian deity". His childhood home in front of the tree now houses Henan's first village-level charity station, established in 2015 by Yuan Zhanguo and his two brothers. It provides seniors with monthly payments of 300 to 1,000 yuan and supports scholarships. "My parents refuse my money now, the station supports them," said 55-year-old village official Yuan Jinyi. Yuanqiao's heritage extends beyond the tree. A 6,000-year-old neolithic site, large-scale 300-year-old courtyard houses, and a 440-year-old fortified tower coexist with Red culture sites like the first Dengfeng Communist Party of China Congress venue. In 2017, the Yuan brothers founded the Yuanqiao Ancient Village Conservation Company. They have invested 300 million yuan to restore the old buildings, improve the ecological and living environment, build village history museums, tourism facilities, and unique rural guesthouses. Yuanqiao was recognized as a National 3A Scenic Area and traditional village in 2022, attracting 1 million annual visitors. "Protecting and inheriting Yuanqiao's historical culture is our biggest wish," Yuan Zhanguo's younger brother Yuan Zhanxin wrote in the 2023 book, The Story of Yuanqiao. "This isn't a quick-profit industrial project, but a legacy that will benefit generations a century from now," he wrote. Rural gems On Jan 25, the State Council, China's Cabinet, released the Regulations on Ancient and Notable Tree Protection, to take effect on March 15. The policy aims to safeguard these natural treasures, integrate their cultural value into festival culture and historic villages, and boost eco-tourism a vision already realized in Leijiagou and Yuanqiao villages. However, Dengfeng's rural gems hold untapped potential. Donghua Town was a trade hub during the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) and is nestled between the Funiu Mountains and the Yinghe River, the biggest branch of the Huaihe River. Today, the town is home to 84 ancient trees and a dozen heritage sites like the tomb of Xu You (a sage who lived over 4,000 years ago), the Cheng Kiln site (neolithic to Bronze Age relics), and the Zhouzhuang village's temple stone carvings. The latter features seven Ming-Qing stone tablets detailing the Buddhist-Taoist Zhuyuan Temple's expansions since the 16th century and its close ties to Shaolin Temple. A scholar tree more than 500 years old stands nearby. Zhouzhuang blends its ancient temple with bamboo groves, old watchtowers and reservoirs, railway tracks and pastoral landscapes. In spring, its rapeseed blooms and temple fairs draw crowds, while the restored temple and improved transportation and infrastructure reflect the grassroots efforts to improve the village's amenities. Village Party secretary Zhang Haoran, 27, is a former military member-turned rural revitalizer. His plans include upgrading waste management and transforming abandoned traditional dwellings near the ancient scholar tree into boutique homestays. "The tree witnessed my growth and the village's centuries of history. I passed by it daily as a child," Zhang said. "Several entrepreneurs have come to inspect the construction of waterslides and sightseeing trains. We welcome investors to develop eco-cultural tourism projects, our goal is to preserve heritage while ensuring investors are satisfied." (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) Advertisement Bangladesh experienced a 28.9 per cent YoY drop in cement export revenue, totalling US$10.31m in the 9MFY24-25 (July 2024-March 2025), down from US$14.5m during the same period the previous year, according to the Bangladesh Export Promotion Bureau (EPB). This figure includes minor amounts of salt, stone, and related products. The negative trend was also observed in March 2025, when Bangladeshs cement industry generated export revenue of US$1.43m, compared to US$2.04m in the same month last year. This resulted in a 29.9 per cent YoY decline. Bangladeshs cement export revenue reached US$18.42m in FY23-24, an increase from US$13.66m in FY22-23. Most of Bangladeshs cement exports go to India, particularly from the northeastern states. Other popular destinations include Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. In the 9MFY24-25 Bangladeshs total export revenue for all merchandise was US$37.19bn, reflecting a 10.6 per cent YoY increase. by Abdul Rab Siddiqi, Pakistan Advertisement Demand for cement declined by 6.6 per cent YoY to 589,600t in Senegal in February 2025 from 631,600t in February 2024, according to data published by Senegals Planning and Economic Policy Directorate. Domestic output fell by 13.5 per cent YoY to 721,600t when compared with a production level of 834,500t in the equivalent month of the previous year. Cement exports from Senegal saw a 42.7 per cent drop YoY to 124,400t in February 2025 from 217,000t. January-February 2025 In the first two months of 2025, Senegals cement market contracted by 5.2 per cent to 1.229Mt when compared with the 2M24, when consumption reached 1.297Mt. Production from the countrys cement plants decreased by 13.9 per cent YoY to 1.484Mt from 1.724Mt in the 2M24. Export sales shrank by 38.3 per cent YoY to 272,400t from 441,900t in the 2M24. April is Community College Month. Faculty and staff members at Cleveland State Community College who also attended Cleveland State as students recently gathered for a photograph. The primary goal of Community College Month is to improve awareness of the economic, academic and equity advantages of attending community college. Pictured front row left to right: Heather Brown, Emily Lovingood, Sindy Reynolds, Sandy Kirby, Sharroan Stewart, Sheila Smith. Second row left to right: Jana Pankey, Carolina Roman, Stacey Swafford, Ashley Raburn, Casi Hodges, Holly Appleton, Angela Cooper. Third row leftto right: Shelley Austin, Chelsea Falana, Amy Norwood, Amy McIlvain, Lisa Sullens, DonnaBrogdon, Jason Taylor. Back row left to right: Sandra Godsey, Eric Harris, Ryan Cavitt, JohnPowers, Brandi Granger, Erin Tickle. Two Georgia Northwestern Technical College students have qualified to compete in June in the Future Business Leaders of America Collegiate National Leadership Conference in Dallas, Tx.Four GNTC students competed in eight events at the Georgia Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Collegiate State Leadership Conference, where post-secondary students from across Georgia gathered for leadership development sessions, as well as performance-based and written competitions. GNTC students placed in four events during the conference, which was held March 28-30 in Atlanta.All four students competed strongly and represented GNTC very well, said Mark Upton, GNTCs Marketing Management program director and FBLA coordinator.Calhoun resident Josue Lopez, who is studying Construction Management at GNTCs Gordon County Campus in Calhoun, placed second in the Business Presentation and fifth in the Entrepreneurship Pitch competitions.Last year, Mr. Lopez placed third in the Business Presentation and the Entrepreneurship Pitch competitions at the Georgia FBLA conference and competed in the two categories at the FBLA national conference.Ashley Weaver, a resident of Chatsworth, finished third in the Retail Management and fourth in the Foundations of Accounting competitions. Ms. Weaver studies Accounting at GNTCs Whitfield Murray Campus in Dalton.Mr. Lopez and Ms. Weaver will represent GNTC at the FBLA Collegiate National Leadership Conference in Dallas from May 31 through June 2. All entries at the state competition who placed first, second or third qualify to compete at the National Leadership Conference.We are so excited that Josue and Ashley qualified for the National Competition, Trish Wiggins, director of Student Engagement at GNTC, said. I know they will represent GNTC well, and I look forward to seeing how they do in Dallas.Samuel Ort, a Technical Studies student from Rome, and Carmen Webb, a Health Care Management student from Rocky Face, both competed in the Job Interview and Public Speaking competitions. Mr. Ort attends classes at GNTCs Floyd County Campus in Rome, and Ms. Webb attends classes at the Whitfield Murray Campus.Competing in these kinds of events adds to students learning, networking, people skills and dealing with stress; prospective employers like to see well-rounded students who are prepared for the workforce while students find the competitions fun and exciting, Mr. Upton said. For the first time in school history, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has been ranked among the nations Top 10 large public universities in the Military Friendly Schools rankingsa designation that recognizes excellence in creating sustainable and meaningful educational paths for military-connected students.UTC earned Top 10 Gold Military Friendly School status for 2025-26, ranking No. 10 nationwide and first in the Southeast Region. The University was also designated as a Military Spouse Friendly School for its continued efforts in supporting military families.Approximately 1,500 veterans, military-affiliated students, spouses and dependents of veterans are enrolled at UTC.This is a major milestone for UTC and our entire military-connected community, said Sylvana Matthews, director of the UTC Office of Veteran and Military Affairs.While weve proudly held Gold status before, breaking into the Top 10 means were officially among the best of the best when it comes to supporting our veterans, active-duty service members and their families.More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2025-26 Military Friendly survey cycle, with 830 earning special awards for exceeding the standard. According to the organization, the designation recognizes schools that strive toward and succeed in the areas that matter most in helping veterans make the transition from the military to school and, ultimately, satisfying careers in the civilian world.Military Friendly ratings are determined by evaluating public data, survey responses and proprietary information collected annually. Institutions are assessed on student retention, graduation rates, job placement, loan repayment and degree persistence, with additional focus on the experiences of student veterans.Ms. Matthews credited the rise to Top 10 status to the collective commitment of UTCs student veterans, work-study students, staff and partners across campus and the community.Our ambassadors and staff go above and beyond every single day, she said, and the relationships weve built with community partners have created an environment where military-connected students feel welcomed, supported and empowered to succeed.UTC Veteran and Military Affairs provides a comprehensive suite of services for military-connected studentsincluding admissions assistance, GI Bill and financial aid guidance, veteran-specific scholarships, mental health resources and dedicated spaces like the Veteran and Military Affairs Lounge in Hooper Hall.The office also facilitates connections to campus events, community outreach programs and professional development opportunities that help prepare students for life after graduation.Our goal is to make sure every military-affiliated student feels like they belong here, Ms. Matthews said. Whether theyre coming straight from active duty, transitioning to civilian life or balancing the challenges of being a military spouse or dependent, we are here to support them every step of the way.The Military Friendly Schools list is published in G.I. Jobs magazine and highlights institutions nationwide that demonstrate excellence in serving military and veteran students.Military Friendly is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process, Military Friendly Vice President Kayla Lopez said in the organizations announcement. Our standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the Military Community. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages institutions to evolve and invest in their programs consistently. Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, exceeding the standard. The Childrens Nutrition Program of Haiti announces its annual Heart for Haiti Benefit, taking place at 6:30 p.m. this Thursday at The Signal in Chattanooga. This event, the organizations largest fundraiser of the year, comes at a time of unprecedented need for Haitian families facing extreme hardship, officials said.This years benefit will feature guest speaker Chad Bissonnette, president and co-founder of Roots of Development, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting local Haitian partners in efforts to improve the quality of life in their communities.Mr. Bissonnette will share insights on the current crisis in Haiti, lessons from his organizations work, and highlight opportunities of needed support in Haiti through resilience and long-term solutions.Officials said, "In recent months, Haiti has been facing severe challenges, making this benefit more critical than ever. Haitian families are struggling to access food, healthcare and basic necessities with one in five Haitian children remaining chronically malnourished."Our community has been at the forefront of providing lifesaving services to children and mothers in Haiti for more than 25 years. Chattanooga has a Heart for Haiti, and our mission needs your support this yearmore than ever, said Kathryn Bolles, CEO of the Childrens Nutrition Program. This benefit is not just about raising fundsits about standing in solidarity with the families and children in Haiti who are in dire need of life-saving support.Due to the generous support of our donors last year, CNP was able to provide over 100,000 units of treatment to malnourished children across southern Haiti, deliver health preventive care services to more than 30,000 infants and children and more than 20,000 women and mothers and fully rehabilitated 1,135 severely malnourished children who would have otherwise not survived.Proceeds from the Heart for Haiti Benefit will go directly toward CNPs nutrition, healthcare and community-driven programs in some of Haitis most vulnerable areas. Attendees will enjoy an inspiring evening with a silent auction, heartfelt stories of impact and an opportunity to be part of the solution for Haitis future.For more information about the event, sponsorship opportunities or to purchase tickets, visit CNP's Heart for Haiti Benefit page . To learn more about the Childrens Nutrition Program of Haiti, visit www.cnphaiti.org or call 423-206-4882 for additional information. Drivers traveling on I-24 in Grundy, Marion, and Coffee counties should know about upcoming roadway activities impacting traffic. Tennessee Department of Transportation maintenance crews will perform rolling roadblocks on I-24 East on Wednesday and Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time, for pavement repairs from mile marker 118 to mile marker 135. Work will include repairs to the bridge approach over the Elk River and the Exit 135 interstate ramps. Drivers are encouraged to use caution as they travel through this area and expect significant delays. This work is weather-dependent. If inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances cause delays, it will be rescheduled later. Uniformed police officers will be present to assist with traffic control and law enforcement. 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 Hunter Museum announces The Hunter Invitational V, an exhibition that showcases remarkable artists living and working in the region. The Hunter began the Invitational exhibition series in 2007 to recognize the vibrant art scene of the Southeast while also examining its connection to broader trends in the art world. Unlike large, juried shows, the Invitational offers a more focused exploration of a select group of artists. For this fifth installment, the Hunter has invited nine regional artists to create new works or further develop existing series. Whether emerging or established, each artist in the exhibition expands the boundaries of their chosen mediums through innovative techniques, approaches, techniques, and subject matter. The artists were chosen over the course of a year, as Hunter Museum Chief Curator Nandini Makrandi conducted numerous studio visits across eastern and middle Tennessee, North Georgia and northern Alabama. The exhibition will showcase new works and give visitors an opportunity to delight in the discovery of artists from their own communities. The Hunter Invitational V opens Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. Hunter Invitational V artists include: Chattanooga artist Anna Carll combines painting, collage and mixed media within a multi-disciplined art practice based on the concept of urban erosion. Her work explores the interconnected life cycles of cities and nature. Corrine Colarusso, a Boston native now living in Atlanta, specializes in vibrant botanical and landscape paintings inspired by the wetlands bordering Florida and Georgia. Anthony Craig Drennen is an Atlanta-based painter whose current project focuses on intuitive creations inspired by the characters in Shakespeares play Timon of Athens. Atlanta-based visual artist Amie Esslinger draws inspiration from unseen processes that have large-scale ramifications, using vibrant color palettes and found materials to interpret the hidden microscopic structure of the physical world. Jerushia Graham is a papermaker, printmaker, book artist and fiber artist based in Atlanta, GA, who uses stark lines and high contrast to create intimate, poetic observations about humanity. Collaborating artists Katie Hargrave (Chattanooga) and Meredith Laura Lynn (Tallahassee, Fl.) work in a variety of mediums including photography, paper, and video to create installations examining the complex narratives that unfold around so-called public land and the intersection of environmentalism and material culture. William Johnson is a photographer based in Chattanooga, who uses black and white photography to explore personal identity by depicting the mundane, everyday aspects of humanity that often go undocumented. Althea Murphy-Price is an artist and educator from Knoxville, who specializes in printmaking using synthetic hair and hair accessories to contemplate the power of hair as a signifier of cultural self-identity. House Majority Whip Johnny Garrett, R-Goodlettsville, has named State Rep. Michele Reneau, R-Signal Mountain, to fill one of six Deputy Whip positions within the Tennessee House Republican Caucus of the 114th Tennessee General Assembly. Im thankful for Rep. Reneaus willingness to serve our Caucus, and Im confident she will be instrumental in our work to preserve common sense, conservative values in the Volunteer State, Rep. Garrett said. As Deputy Whip, Rep. Reneau will assist in counting votes as well as communicating with members about the Republican supermajoritys position on issues or legislative initiatives of importance. She will support Garrett, who is the fourth-ranking officer of the House Republican Caucus. Im honored to be named Deputy Whip alongside my freshmen colleagues. My first session has been full of learning experiences, and I look forward to serving our Caucus in this role, Rep. Reneau said. Rep. Reneau joins newly named Deputy Whips Renea Jones, R-Unicoi; Aron Maberry, R-Clarksville; Lee Reeves, R-Franklin; Rick Scarbrough, R-Oak Ridge; and Tom Stinnett, R-Friendsville. The Covenant and Maryville softball teams met on Tuesday in a battle of Scots versus Scots. This go around it was the orange and maroon Scots who reigned victorious in both games of the doubleheader. Game 1 Final: Covenant 1, Maryville 9 Ashlyn Gaines drove in what would turn out to be Covenant's lone run in the first inning with an RBI-double to right-center field. Maryville went ahead 3-1 in the third inning as an RBI double to left-center field ended up becoming a three-run "Little-League" home run after a throwing error by Covenant. The visitors tacked on another run later in the frame with an RBI groundout. In the fourth inning, Maryville scored two more runs with a 2-RBI double to right-center field to put the score at 6-1. An RBI single in the fifth inning and a 2-RBI single in the seventh inning for Maryville put it ahead 9-1. Lauren Edgar (4.2 IP, 13 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 3 K) was Covenant's starting pitcher in the circle. Madison Bowden (2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 HBP) pitched in relief and did not allow any earned runs. Freshman Haley Russell (2-for-3) led the Covenant offense with two hits. Maryville outhit Covenant 15-5. Covenant committed two errors while Maryville had none. Game 2 Final: Covenant 2, Maryville 10 Maryville jumped ahead in the first inning with a pair of RBI doubles. Helena Nagy scored Gracie Lacle in the bottom of the frame with an RBI double to left-center field to make it 2-1. An outfield error extended the third inning for Maryville, allowing it to eventually score five unearned runs to go ahead 7-1. Covenant opened the third inning with consecutive singles, but a groundout followed by a double play ended the threat before Covenant could score. Three runs on three hits and one error put Maryville up 10-1 in the fifth inning. In the fifth inning, Russell tallied an RBI single to left-center field to score Covenant's second run. With a runner on second base and two outs, a flyout to center field put the eight-run mercy rule in effect. Covenant moves to 11-25 all-time against Maryville. Charley Clark (5 IP, 11 H, 10 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 3 K) pitched a complete game for Covenant. Gaines (2-for-3) and Nagy (2-for-3, 1 RBI) each had two hits for Covenant to lead the offense. Maryville outhit Covenant 11-8. Covenant committed two errors while Maryville had zero. Covenant hosts Wesleyan for a doubleheader on Saturday for Senior Day beginning at 1 p.m. Middle Valley Church of God, located at 1703 Thrasher Pike in Hixson, Tennessee, announces that Craig Paul will be preaching on Sunday, April 13, in the 10:30 a.m.service. His sermon title will be, I Did It My Way. The goal of this sermon series is to assure the listener that they have access to God through Jesus Christ in all situations of life along with His promises to help. All are welcome to participate. Each Sunday at 5:30 p.m. the church conducts a Prayer Meeting. The Prayer Meeting is open to all who wish to participate and is designed to encourage prayer. Information on various methods of prayer will be shared with participants. The goal of this prayer meeting is to encourage Believers to seek God through prayer. All are welcome to participate. Each Wednesday at 7 p.m., an Interactive, Interesting, and Informative Bible Study will be held in the church auditorium. Pastor Mitch McClure is currently leading this Bible study. The topic of the Bible study will be how worldview impacts our lives. All are welcome to participate. The goal of this Bible study is to encourage Believers to study the Bible and discuss with others, making the Scripture their guide. Middle Valley Church of God is a community focused church with various ministries in the Middle Valley area and in Cusuna, Honduras. The community is welcome to join in times of worship and community service. MVCOG has been ministering in the Middle Valley Community since 1948 from the same location. If you have questions, please contact the church office at 423.843.1539. All are welcome. Yom HaShoah, Remembrance Day for the Holocaust and Heroism, is an occasion to commemorate the lives and heroism of the six million Jewish people who died in the Holocaust between 1933 and 1945. Chattanoogas Yom HaShoah commemoration will occur on Wednesday, April 23 at 7 p.m. at the Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 North Terrace Road. The event is free and open to everyone in the community.The commemoration consists of candle lighting and prayers to honor those lost to violence, as well as survivors of the Holocaust and their family members.This year Alison Vick will speak on the use of AI technology in Holocaust History and a short movie musical Malka will premier. While at the Jewish Cultural Center the audience will be able to view the Stars of David Project and artifacts from the Gilbert Tabby Collection in the gallery.Ms. Vick will present Cracking the Code: The Use of AI Technology in Holocaust Education. "The proliferation of AI technology presents significant challenges to Holocaust history," officials said. "AI is used to deny, distort and trivialize the Holocaust across the internet and social media platforms, but can it also be used to foster deeper understanding of the Holocaust among students? This presentation investigates the challenges of AI technology, but also considers how educators can ethically and effectively employ AI in their classrooms."Ms. Vick is the historian and program coordinator for the Tennessee Holocaust Commission, and a history professor at Pellissippi State Community College. Currently, she is spearheading the Commissions interfaith clergy program which focuses on partnership and interreligious dialogue to counter contemporary antisemitism in communities across Tennessee. She serves as the Commissions oral historian, and is a consultant for a forthcoming exhibit at the East Tennessee Historical Society about local survivors and liberators. "She is deeply involved with educational and community programming, and Holocaust curriculum development," officials said.Malka, a 17 minute movie musical, will screen as part of the commemoration. The film is inspired by Seth Bisen-Hersh's grandmother's Holocaust experience, starring six-time Emmy/Tony nominee Tovah Feldshuh (currently costarring on Netflixs Nobody Wants This). Malka starts to see visions of her life at the camps during a present-day family Seder. As time progresses, Malka looks for the hope in the present that she embraced in the past in order to survive. Post-film discussion with Seth Bisen-Hersh, the films producer, composer/lyricist, and co-star will also take place. Watch trailer at https://vimeo.com/1051641899. The Tennessee Valley Authority has announced plans to replace the current aeration system at Cherokee Dam with new turbine technology by 2026. Officials say these upgrades, designed to improve water quality downstream, may have unintended consequences for aquatic wildlife in Cherokee Reservoir particularly striped bass. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is currently evaluating these potential impacts.Officials said, "The existing oxygenation lines in Cherokee Reservoir were originally installed to meet TVAs requirement for minimum dissolved oxygen levels in water discharged below the dam.However, an unexpected benefit of this system has been the creation of a cool, oxygen-rich refuge in the reservoir during summer months a critical survival zone for large striped bass. These fish rely on cooler, well-oxygenated water to make it through Tennessees hot summers, and Cherokee Reservoir provides limited natural options."The planned turbine upgrades will allow TVA to meet its downstream oxygenation goals without needing to operate the in-reservoir oxygen lines. As a result, this refuge area for striped bass will disappear, significantly reducing their chances of surviving the summer and reaching sizes over 25 inches. TWRA anticipates higher summer mortality among striped bass, similar to an incident last year when the oxygen lines were not yet active during a period of high heat."TWRA is proactively developing a response plan to address these expected changes. Initially, TWRA is seeking input from anglers through creel surveys being conducted on Cherokee Reservoir concerning this new development. Anglers and stakeholders are invited to share their feedback and questions by contacting TWRA_Fisheries@tn.gov.At this time, no changes have been made to the striped bass or hybrid striped bass stocking programs in Cherokee Reservoir."TWRA remains committed to open dialogue with stakeholders as it considers the long-term management of all fisheries in the reservoir," officials said. Senator Marsha Blackburn released the following statement after introducing theTVA Salary Transparency Act with Senator Bill Hagerty. The bill would ensure proper oversight of the Tennessee Valley Authority by requiring reporting of salary information of employees making more than $123,041 per year or the maximum basic pay rate of a General Schedule Grade 15 (GS-15) federal employee: The government and public utilities owned by the government work for the American people not the other way around, said Senator Blackburn. This legislation would provide critical transparency into the salaries of federal employees at the TVA by reinstating the requirement that TVA report this information to Congress. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Ryan Walters, Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction. | photo credit: Ryan Walters Facebook The Oklahoma State Department of Education has filed a complaint aimed at halting the efforts of an atheist legal organization, the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), which is seeking to force a public school district to end its voluntary prayer practice. The complaint was lodged against the Wisconsin-based organization on Monday in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The dispute centers around a cease-and-desist demand letter sent by FFRF to Achille Public Schools last December regarding a policy that allows students to say prayers during morning announcements. The department's legal filing states, The Plaintiffs will have an irreparable injury, should the Defendant be permitted to continue its threatening and harassing behavior. By contrast, the Defendant cannot show any harm whatsoever, should an injunction be granted. The filing further requests the court to issue an injunction preventing FFRF from undermining the constitutional and statutory authorities granted to the State Superintendent and the State Department of Education. Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters expressed his commitment to stand against what he described as bullying from radical, out-of-state atheists who use intimidation and harassment against kids. He stated, The Freedom From Religion Foundation has no stake in our schools, no authority over our communities, and absolutely no right to trample on the First Amendment. Their threats are nothing more than a desperate attempt to erase faith from public life, and we will fight them at every turn, according to KOCO News 5. In response to the state's complaint, FFRF Legal Director Patrick Elliott labeled it as frivolous, asserting that FFRF, as a defender of our Constitution, expects to continue our important work in Oklahoma regardless of frivolous lawsuits by Walters. FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor stated, We are proud of FFRF's record of support for true religious freedom and the rights of conscience of a captive audience of schoolchildren to be free from government-sponsored indoctrination in our public schools. Last year, FFRF's pressure led to the cessation of Christian prayers at a Christmas play held at a public elementary school in Depew, Oklahoma. Additionally, last month the Oklahoma Supreme Court temporarily blocked the state education department from purchasing 55,000 Bibles for public schools. Walters announced plans last year to emphasize biblical studies in the social studies curriculum of public schools. He stated, We're not going to allow left-wing extremists and the teachers union to keep the Bible from schools in its historical context. So, we're very proud to be the first state to put the Bible back into classrooms and make sure that our kids understand its impact in American history. Home News Calif. city can't ban church from 'professional district': court A judge has ruled that a city in California cannot stop a church from holding worship services at a property solely because it's located in a specific neighborhood. United States District Judge John W. Holcomb for the Central District of California issued a preliminary injunction on Monday on behalf of Anchor Stone Church in its lawsuit against the city of Santa Ana. At issue was a zoning ordinance that prohibited houses of worship from operating in a professional district without getting a specific conditional use permit, with local officials refusing to approve the permit when the church applied. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Holcomb granted the injunction because he believed that Anchor Stone was likely to succeed on its claims that the city had violated the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000, as well as the First Amendment. In short, it appears unlikely that the City will meet its burden to establish that the Zoning Ordinance treats religious assembly on equal terms with similarly situated nonreligious assembly uses, wrote Holcomb. The Court concludes that, based upon the totality of the circumstances, Anchor Stone has met its burden to show that the Citys denial of its CUP application substantially burdened Anchor Stones religious exercise. The First Liberty Institute, a law firm that, along with OMelveny & Myers, is helping to represent the church, released a statement on Tuesday celebrating the injunction. The judge made it clear that the city severely burdened Anchor Stones ability to engage in religious exercise, said FLI Senior Counsel Jeremy Dys, as quoted in the statement. We applaud todays ruling that requires the city to follow federal law and treat religious land uses the same as any other. A congregation primarily made up of people of Chinese and Taiwanese descent, Anchor Stone purchased its Santa Ana property in 2022 and, the following year, applied to renovate it to turn it into a worship space. However, city officials rejected the church's permit application, with the Planning Commission claiming that the church would adversely affect the general plan of the city or any specific plan applicable to the area of the proposed use. According to court documents, the commission claimed that Anchor Stones presence in that part of the city will generate noise, traffic and queuing, solid waste generation and circulation issues, as well as introduce assembly uses with youth services in close proximity to existing industrial uses in the area, which was considered contrary to their general plan. In February, the church sued Santa Ana over the rejection, with the U.S. Department of Justice filing a statement of interest last month in support of the congregation. Zoning practices that unfairly limit assemblies by faith-based groups violate federal law, said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally for the Central District of California in a statement issued in March. Municipalities cannot create zoning districts that treat houses of worship worse than comparable secular assemblies. The Justice Department will vigorously protect the right of religious institutions to receive equal treatment under the law. Home News Study finds 'medieval' levels of antisemitism in predominantly Catholic Ireland Antisemitism in predominantly Catholic Ireland has reached "medieval" levels, according to a study conducted in December 2024. Based on interviews with 1,014 Irish Christians, the study suggests that religious narratives play a significant role in fueling widespread anti-Israel and anti-Jewish sentiment. Notably, the report found that one-third of respondents believe Jews "still talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust." Nearly half (49%) of the Irish respondents said they believe Irish Jews are more loyal to Israel than this country. Approximately 36% agreed with the statement that Jews have too much power in the business world. In addition, 31% of the Irish respondents believe Jews dont care what happens to anyone but their own kind and claimed that hatred toward Jews stems from "the way they behave." Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe The study, conducted by Prof. Motti Inbari of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and Kirill Bumin of Boston University and Metropolitan College, revealed that anti-Jewish sentiments were more common among Catholics than Protestants in Ireland. Its disturbing to see a Western democracy so steeped in prejudice and bias, Inbari stated. Its like were living in medieval times. The poll results revealed that only 11.3% of Irish Christians support Israel in the Gaza War compared to 42.3% among Americans. In addition, 45.6% of those polled support Palestinians in Hamas-controlled Gaza compared to only 11.2% among Americans. "What struck me is that we have the same percentages of people in both countries who say that they are generally familiar with the conflict, getting the same information from the same media, yet their understanding is fundamentally different, Bumin said in an interview with The Times of Israel. Our study shows that much of this is due to differences in pre-existing theological beliefs, political and social attitudes, and levels of exposure to Jews that drastically vary between the U.S. and Ireland, he added. Last December, Israel closed its embassy in Ireland due to the countrys anti-Semitic actions, rhetoric. At the time, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced: "The actions and antisemitic rhetoric used by Ireland against Israel are rooted in the delegitimization and demonization of the Jewish state, along with double standards. Ireland has crossed every red line in its relations with Israel. Israel will invest its resources in advancing bilateral relations with countries worldwide according to priorities that also take into account the attitudes and actions of these states toward Israel. "The Israeli decision came after the Irish government announced its intention to broaden the definition of 'genocide' in the ongoing legal campaign against Israel at the International Court of Justice." While an estimated 5 to 6 million Jews live in the United States, only about 2,700 reside in Ireland. The contrasting survey results between the two countries suggest that the Irish population has significantly less direct familiarity with Jews. In November, a report from the education monitoring group IMPACT-se revealed that Irish school textbooks are filled with hostility and factual distortions about the Holocaust, Jewish history, Israel and Judaism. Even after we control for politics, for various religious beliefs, for demographic factors like race and income, we still find that Catholics in all countries are less supportive of Israel and are more likely to endorse antisemitic tropes than Protestants, Bumin assessed. The report suggests that Protestants and especially Evangelical Christians hold a more favorable view toward Israel than Catholics due to the religious importance that Protestant theology attributes to the Jewish state. The report also revealed that young people in Ireland tend to be more hostile towards Israel and Jews than those aged 65 or older. This article was originally published by All Israel News. Home News Netanyahu-Trump meeting disappoints with no change to tariffs, no new hostage deal Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed the meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday evening practically empty-handed. Expectations in Israel were high that Netanyahu would be able to secure either a reduction in the 17% tariffs announced by President Trump last week, or a strong stance against Iran for resisting U.S. efforts at negotiations over the countrys nuclear ambitions, or possibly even positive developments in the issue of the hostages, after Netanyahu met with Trump and his special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. However, to the disappointment of many in Israel, Netanyahu left with little good news for Israel. Instead of announcing fresh sanctions on Iran or a possible date for a cooperative strike on Irans nuclear facilities, the U.S. president announced direct negotiations while Netanyahu sat next to him. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe The apparent urgency of the U.S. request for Netanyahu to visit Washington appears to have been behind the Israeli expectations for significant news. Netanyahu announced the surprise visit to the U.S. as he was departing from a four-day visit to Hungary. Unlike his previous visit, when Trump stunned the world by declaring the U.S. intention to take control of the Gaza Strip, rebuild it and transform it into a Mediterranean Riviera, Netanyahu's reactions during this visit were notably more subdued. Even President Trump seemed to minimize the importance of the visit, which had appeared urgent at first. This is a quick stop in and out, Trump said of Netanyahus visit, but we appreciate your being here. Netanyahu again thanked Trump, calling him a remarkable friend to the State of Israel. Regarding the tariffs, which appear to be based on trade deficits, Netanyahu quickly attempted to appease Trump, announcing that Israel would eliminate the trade deficit. We will eliminate the trade deficit with the United States, Netanyahu insisted, vowing to remove all trade barriers. Israel can serve as a model for many countries that ought to do the same, Netanyahu said. Free trade has to be fair trade. However, the gesture did not appear to be sufficient for Trump, who mentioned the nearly $4 billion in aid Israel receives each year. The U.S. trade deficit with Israel stood at $7.4 billion in 2024, which represents an increase of 8.6% from the previous year. Netanyahu and Trump only briefly mentioned the hostages, with many of their remarks coming in response to questions from reporters. Netanyahu spoke of the hostages and the situation in Gaza in his comments before the question and answer period. We spoke about not only the hostages, but about Gaza, Netanyahu stated. The hostages obviously is a human story of just unbearable agony. Saying that he speaks with the hostage families, the prime minister said, The hostages are in agony, and we want to get them all out. Steve Witkoff, who is President Trump's very able representative, helped us get a deal that got 25 out. We're working now on another deal that we hope will succeed. It is not clear if Netanyahu was referring to Witkoffs proposal, which Hamas rejected, or to the latest Egyptian attempt to renew the negotiations. For his part, Trump praised Netanyahus work regarding the hostages, saying he is working very hard for their release. We are trying very hard to get the hostages out. We're looking at another ceasefire. We'll see what happens. But we want to get the hostages out. The Israeli people want the hostages out. More than anything, they want the hostages out. This man was working very hard with us to do that, Trump said of Netanyahu. Netanyahu also reiterated that Trumps Gaza proposal was still part of Israels plans. "We're committed to getting all the hostages out, but also eliminating the evil tyranny of Hamas in Gaza and enabling the people of Gaza to freely make a choice to go wherever they want, he stated. "They should have that choice. And the president put forward a vision, a bold vision, which we discussed as well, including the countries that might be amenable and are amenable to accepting Palestinians of their free choice if they choose to go there. Trump also seemed to reaffirm the United States' ongoing interest in assuming control of Gaza following the war. Having a peace force like the United States there, controlling and owning the Gaza Strip, would be a good thing, Trump said. In his comments, Trump also said he hopes to see the Gaza War end soon. I'd like to see the war stop, and I think the war will stop at some point, that won't be in the too-distant future. We also discussed the situation in Syria, Netanyahu stated. "We've had neighborly relations with Turkey that have deteriorated, and we don't want to see Syria being used by anyone, including Turkey, as a base for attack on Israel. Netanyahu also praised Trumps potential role in preventing a further deterioration in relations with Turkey. Turkey is a country that has a great relationship with the United States. The President has a relationship with the leader of Turkey, Netanyahu stated. We discussed how we can avoid this conflict in a variety of ways, and I think we can't have a better interlocutor than the President of the United States for this purpose. Any problem that you have with Turkey, I think I can solve We have to be reasonable, Trump told Netanyahu. This article was originally published by All Israel News. Home News National Park Service restores Underground Railroad webpage featuring Harriet Tubman The National Park Service has restored a webpage about the Underground Railroad that prominently featured Harriet Tubman following backlash over the website changes. NPS recently garnered criticism from media and a U.S. senator when reports surfaced alleging that it edited a webpage about the Underground Railroad to remove a photo of Tubman and a quote of hers, as well as water down the references to racial slavery. The Underground Railroad was a network of places and groups before the American Civil War that helped enslaved African Americans escape slavery, often by having them flee north to Canada. Tubman was a prominent participant. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe For example, while the original website introduced the Underground Railroad as "the resistance to enslavement through escape and flight," the edited version introduced it as "one of the most significant expressions of the American civil rights movement during its evolution over more than three centuries." However, NPS reversed most of the changes, as a visit to the webpage on Wednesday morning once again shows Tubman prominently featured and the original description of the Underground Railroad. NPS spokeswoman Rachel Pawlitz stated in an email late Monday that the changes were made without official approval, The Associated Press reported Tuesday. "Changes to the Underground Railroad page on the National Park Service's website were made without approval from NPS leadership nor Department leadership," said Pawlitz. "The webpage was immediately restored to its original content." The Washington Post published a review on Sunday of various NPS webpages that had been apparently edited since President Donald Trump took office in January, including the Underground Railroad page. The newspaper reports that dozens of NPS website pages had "softened descriptions of some of the most shameful moments of the nation's past," such as slavery and segregation. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., accused the Trump administration of trying to "rewrite the history of the Underground Railroad" and "diminishing its conductor," Tubman, a Maryland native. "The Underground Railroad is an important part of the American story," Van Hollen wrote in an X post reacting to the report. "We cannot let him whitewash it as part of his larger effort to erase our history." NPS initially defended the changes to the Underground Railroad page, saying in a statement to The Hill on Monday that Tubman was still well-represented on the website. "We have dozens of pages about Harriet Tubman celebrating and memorializing her impressive role in American history," an NPS spokesperson stated. "The idea that a couple web edits somehow invalidate the National Park Service's commitment to telling complex and challenging historical narratives is completely false and belies the extensive websites, social media posts, and programs we offer about Harriet Tubman specifically and Black History as a whole." Last month, NPS garnered criticism for removing the official biography of The Rev. Pauli Murray, a liberal activist who was the first black woman to be ordained in The Episcopal Church, and reportedly omitting references to her "transgender and queer identities" on some web pages. In response to the allegations of censorship, an NPS spokesperson told The Christian Post last month that they did so because they were implementing two orders on the issue of gender ideology. The first was Trump's "Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government" executive order, which officially declares that there are only two sexes. "Agencies shall remove all statements, policies, regulations, forms, communications, or other internal and external messages that promote or otherwise inculcate gender ideology, and shall cease issuing such statements, policies, regulations, forms, communications or other messages," noted one provision of the order. The other was an order from Acting Secretary of the Interior Walter Cruickshank titled "Ending DEI Programs and Gender Ideology Extremism," which was built off of the Trump executive order. Cruickshank ordered that all department offices "shall immediately cease any and all equity-related activities, under any name or characterization that they may appear." Home News Over 60 Christians killed by radicalized Fulani in Nigeria; 383 homes destroyed: report Fulani terrorists on April 2 and 3 killed more than 60 Christians in Plateau state, Nigeria, in what the governor called a genocide, sources said. The attacks were carried out against seven Christian communities in Bokkos County, including Hurti village, where more than 40 Christians were slain, said community leader Maren Aradong. More than 1,000 Christians were displaced [in Hurti] during the attacks, and 383 houses were destroyed by these bandits, Aradong told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. These attacks began on Wednesday, 2 April, at about 3 p.m., when these armed Muslim Fulani herdsmen invaded our communities in large numbers; they came on motorcycles and attacked us. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe The assailants destroyed food stores and looted other items, he added. Farmasum Fuddang, chairman of the Bokkos Community Development Council (BCDC), said initially 21 Christians were killed on April 2, but by the next day, 40 more Christians were slaughtered, bringing the death toll to more than 60 Christians killed during the two days of onslaught against our communities. These attacks were carried out by Fulani terrorists who targeted Christian communities of Ruwi, Mangor, Tamiso, Daffo, Manguna, Hurti, and Tadai, Fuddang said. An attack in Ruwi village on Wednesday resulted in the deaths of 11 Christians attending a wake for a deceased community member, he said, and by the following morning, 10 other Christians were killed in the village. Plateau Gov. Caleb Mutfwang told Arise News on Monday that the attacks in Bokkos constituted genocide. I would say it unapologetically, what happened in the last two weeks in Bokkos is genocide I say it unreservedly, Mutfwang said in a televised interview. No one has given me any reason to believe that what happened was politically motivated, and if there is any such suggestion, Ill be glad to receive the evidence of such, because these were unprovoked attacks on innocent people, vulnerable people. Over the years such attacks have come during the onset of the farming season, followed by a respite while Christian farmers cultivate what little remains, and then attacks resume at harvest time, he said. So, it suggests to us that this is a well-coordinated plan to keep the people in those areas in perpetual poverty, Mutfwang said. It is possible that there could have been tensions in the past between communities, but Ive challenged anyone to tell me who the feuding communities are. If we knew any community feuding with another community, well be able to step in and bring in a reconciliation process. But at the moment you are dealing with attackers that are faceless, and so you just leave it to the fact that this is ill-motivated and is aimed at driving the people out of their lands. Predominantly Christian farmers are driven from their lands for three to five years of occupation by predominantly Muslim Fulanis, suggesting the attacks are motivated by desire to seize lands, he said. Ive had people dispute that land-grabbing is the motive, but we are yet to find evidence to the contrary, Mutfwang said. These communities have lived in peace with other ethnic nationalities, with other people of religious persuasions. The interesting thing you will know on the Plateau is that many families are inter-religious, and so religion is not so much the issue. I think that here we are dealing with some powerful forces who mobilize these faceless people and come and unleash it on these natives. And at the end of the day, the natives are left defenseless because they never envisaged that this kind of attack will happen. He condemned the attacks as unprovoked. Maj. Samson Zakhom, military spokesman for soldiers drafted to Bokkos, confirmed in a statement that villages attacked included Tamiso, Daffo, Manguna, Tadai and Hurti. He added that soldiers repelled the assailants and that ongoing military operations aimed at tracking down the assailants. On April 3, further clearance operations were carried out at Hurti, where troops encountered and engaged militants hiding in the mountainous region, Zakhom said. The ensuing confrontation resulted in the recovery of a locally fabricated pistol, six rounds of 9 mm ammunition and four motorcycles. The troops are continuing efforts to neutralize the remaining militants still at large in the area. Amnesty International on Friday called on the Nigerian government to stem killings in Plateau state and demanded justice for victims, calling attacks a pattern of mass killings and government inaction in central Nigeria. The statement from Amnesty International noted that the villages of Ruwi, Mangor, Daffo, Manguna, Hurti and Tadai have been repeatedly attacked. Apart from killing people, the attackers are also razing entire villages, deliberately destroying homes and farms, Amnesty stated. Investigations carried out by us have showed that at least 1,336 people were killed between December 2023 and February 2024 across Plateau state, with Mangu, Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas being the worst affected. Residents continue to express deep frustration with the response of security forces, alleging that they are either absent during attacks or show up too late to prevent bloodshed, the group reported. Most villagers repeatedly told Amnesty International that the government left them at the mercy of their attackers, it stated. They complained of receiving little or no help from security officials during attacks, despite informing them prior or calling for help during the incidents. The fact that no perpetrators have been brought to justice leaves rural communities of Plateau state feeling completely helpless and at the mercy of ruthless gunmen. The Rev. Tongsmangs Dasbak, a Christian leader in Plateau state, said the attacks have deeply affected the areas. The ongoing security crisis in Plateau state, particularly in Mangu and Bokkos Local Government Areas, has reached alarming levels, Dasbak said in a statement to Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. The persistent attacks by marauding Fulani herdsmen have led to significant loss of lives, destruction of property, and displacement of communities. Despite the concerted efforts by the state government to restore peace, the situation remains dire, necessitating urgent federal intervention. Mangu and Bokkos counties have suffered high numbers of casualties, with hundreds of people losing their lives and many more sustaining life-threatening injuries, he said. The indiscriminate killings often target defenseless civilians, including women, children and the elderly, Dasbak said. Entire families have been wiped out in midnight raids, leaving behind a trail of sorrow and despair. This loss of human life is not just a statistic but a profound tragedy that has disrupted the social fabric of the region. Homes, schools, church buildings and markets have been razed to the ground as communities that took years to build have been reduced to ashes within hours, he said. Many survivors who managed to escape the violence now live in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, unable to return to their homes. The destruction of infrastructure further exacerbates the crisis, as essential services such as healthcare, education and transportation are severely disrupted, he said. Without proper security measures, these attacks continue to escalate, leaving behind a wasteland of desolation. Military intervention is required to dismantle the networks of the armed herdsmen and restore peace, he said, adding that intelligence-based operations, coupled with the deployment of well-equipped security personnel, can help neutralize the violence. Romans 13:4 states, For the one in authority is Gods servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are Gods servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer, Dasbak said. The federal government must exercise its authority to bring justice to the oppressed and end the reign of terror in Plateau state. Numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim Fulani comprise hundreds of clans of many different lineages who do not hold extremist views, but some Fulani do adhere to radical Islamist ideology, the United Kingdoms All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG) noted in a 2020 report. They adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity, the APPG report states. Christian leaders in Nigeria have said they believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Nigerias Middle Belt are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians lands and impose Islam, as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds. Nigeria remained among the most dangerous places on earth for Christians, according to Open Doors 2025 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian. Of the 4,476 Christians killed for their faith worldwide during the reporting period, 3,100 (69 percent) were in Nigeria, according to the WWL. The measure of anti-Christian violence in the country is already at the maximum possible under World Watch List methodology, the report stated. In the countrys North-Central zone, where Christians are more common than they are in the North-East and North-West, Islamic extremist Fulani militia attack farming communities, killing many hundreds, Christians above all, according to the report. Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and the splinter group Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), among others, are also active in the countrys northern states, where federal government control is scant and Christians and their communities continue to be the targets of raids, sexual violence, and roadblock killings, according to the report. Abductions for ransom have increased considerably in recent years. The violence has spread to southern states, and a new jihadist terror group, Lakurawa, has emerged in the northwest, armed with advanced weaponry and a radical Islamist agenda, the WWL noted. Lakurawa is affiliated with the expansionist Al-Qaeda insurgency Jamaa Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, or JNIM, originating in Mali. Nigeria ranked seventh on the 2025 WWL list of the 50 worst countries for Christians. This article was originally published by Christian Daily InternationalMorning Star News. Home News Texas House unanimously passes bill to ban NDAs in child sex abuse cases Following the lead of the Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence, the Texas House unanimously passed a bill on Tuesday to protect child sex abuse survivors from nondisclosure agreements if it is eventually signed into law. House Bill 748, also known as Treys Law and sponsored by Republican State Rep. Jeff Leach, was passed with a vote of 149-0, ABC News affiliate WFAA reported. "When it comes to sexual abuse and assault, you either stand with victims or you stand with their abusers. Period. There is no middle ground. Today, with a unanimous 1490 vote in support of Treys Law, the Texas House of Representatives made our position clear: We stand firmly with victims," Leach said. "I look forward to the Texas Senate taking up and passing this bill and the governor signing it and making Treys Law the law of our land very soon." Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe If signed into law, HB 748 would void and make unenforceable any NDA that prohibits a party from notifying authorities of an act or sexual abuse committed against a child; or prohibits a party from disclosing to any person doing an investigation of child sex abuse the identity of the offender. It would also take effect on Sept 1 and apply to any NDA entered into before, on or after the effective date. Last month, Cindy Clemishire, whose story of childhood sexual abuse led to the indictment of Gateway Church founder and former pastor Robert Morris by a multi-county grand jury in Oklahoma on March 12, testified before the committee in support of the bill. 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. 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, 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, also testified before the committee that the restrictive NDA signed to settle his case 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." The bill now needs approval by the Texas Senate and to be signed by Gov. Greg Abbott to become law. Home Opinion Luigi Mangiones defense fund: A symbol of societys distrust of wealth The Lefts embrace of an assassination in the name of equality shows how much contempt it has for success. The recent creation of a defense fund for Luigi Mangione, who is accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, shines light on an uncomfortable truth that much of American society has a violent disdain for businessmen, and many hold that anyone and anything tied to wealth or business success is an inherent evil. This hostility toward the rich, particularly in younger generations, is concerning. It causes people to jump to extremes, like celebrating an assassin just because his victim was a millionaire. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe As a member of Gen Z, I watched the Mangione contagion spread through my peers on the internet and at school. Shockingly, people posted anthem videos and praises for Mangione, the killer, characterizing him as a tragic hero standing up against wealth, inequality, and greed. This narrative is also seen in the letters sent by Mangiones defense fund supporters. One line reads, Class solidarity! This man has done something incredibly brave and extreme to help unite us against the ruling class. All Americans deserve healthcare free from profiteering. According to the letter, individual human greed isnt the main problem. Instead, the great enemy is a whole class of peoplethe wealthy elite. Regardless of whether Thompson engaged in corrupt dealings within his business, its worrying how quickly the young activists of my generation vilify the wealthy. Thompson himself doesnt even fit the caricature of old money, an entitled product of nepotism typically associated with CEOs. He was the son of a working-class family from the small farming community of Jewell, Iowa. The Lefts hatred isnt only reserved for the ultra-rich. Its also at the root of how people justified the property destruction seen in the George Floyd Minneapolis riots in 2020. Businesses, mostly owned by middle-class locals, were set on fire in acts of reckless protest. I remember speaking to a classmate who told me, Who cares about lighting buildings on fire? Its just property. They can buy new buildings. But these buildings represented years of hard work. They were peoples livelihoods and not something easily bought back. In fact, rebuilding these buildings will require the labor of many Americans to be wasted because of these arsonists. Their ideology has led them to steal from the workers they claim to represent. The frustrations my generation expresses are essentially that people who are wealthy dont deserve to be and that they dont contribute enough to society. Gen Z has been trained to think that people are defined by the numbers in their bank accounts and that the wealth of business owners is sitting uselessly in a bank somewhere. But these arguments fail to understand that wealth creation is not manifested solely in cold, hard cash. Wealth is made up of many different assets, including buildings, machinery, and intellectual property. Its about innovation, businesses, and jobsthings that help raise the standard of living for all of us. Its the convenience a mother has in doing her weekly grocery shopping and the care of a nail technician who gives someones grandma a pedicure. Wealth helps thousands of workers, families, and employers who benefit from products or services indirectly and directly. Many of my generation forget this. We take out large student loans and fight for more federal programs, all the while minimizing the fact that the government and all its programs exist at our expense. The irony here is the result of misunderstanding wealth. The government cant create wealth; it can only redistribute it. And wealthy people arent always the villains of the story. Rather than waiting for government programs to provide security, we should be encouraging entrepreneurial thinking and innovation. We can and should hold corrupt and unlawful businessmen accountable. But accusing innovative, industrious Americans of class oppression isnt what our country needs. Young people want to feel like their future is secure, that there will be a place for them when they graduate, and that they can achieve their dreams. Instead of vilifying wealth, we should be creating opportunities and encouraging people to generate wealth for their families and communities. I know that my peers and I would greatly benefit if we began to aspire to become people who can meaningfully contribute to society through building wealth. Originally published at The Daily Signal. Home News Court blocks NY from punishing Christian adoption agency for rejecting unmarried, gay couples A court in New York state has ruled that a Christian adoption agency cannot be shut down because it refused to place children with same-sex couples and unmarried cohabitating heterosexual couples. U.S. District Judge Mae D'Agostino issued a decision and order on Tuesday permanently stopping state officials from closing down New Hope Family Services, Inc. The New York Office of Children and Family Services was enjoined from forcing New Hope to process applications from, or place children for adoption with, same-sex couples or unmarried cohabitating couples, and insofar as it would prevent New Hope from referring such couples to other agencies. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe New Hope has demonstrated that it is entitled to a permanent injunction prohibiting the State of New York from requiring New Hope to provide adoption services to unmarried or same-sex couples, ruled D'Agostino. New Hope is being represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a law firm that has successfully argued First Amendment cases before the United States Supreme Court. ADF Senior Counsel Roger Brooks said in a statement released Wednesday that he considered the decision great news for children waiting to be adopted and for the parents partnering with New Hope Family Services to provide loving, stable homes. New Hopes faith-guided services dont coerce anyone and do nothing to interfere with other adoption providers who have different beliefs about family and the best interests of children, stated Brooks. The decision from the court simply allows New Hope to continue serving the community so that more kids find permanent homes, more adoptive parents welcome a new child, and more birth parents enjoy the exceptional support that New Hope has offered for decades. In 2018, OCFS claimed that New Hope violated a 2013 state law prohibiting discrimination against adoption applicants on the basis of sexual orientation and marital status. New Hope sued OCFS in response, accusing the government office of violating the First Amendment and 14th Amendment rights of the Christian charity. A three judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled in July 2020 to send the case back down to the district court, ruling in favor of the Christian charity. Circuit Judge Reena Raggi wrote the panel opinion, concluding that New Hope had a valid suspicion of religious animosity given how the law was being used against them. It is plainly a serious step to order an authorized adoption agency such as New Hope operating without complaint for 50 years, taking no government funding, successfully placing approximately 1,000 children, and with adoptions pending or being supervised to close all its adoption operations, Raggi said. All the more serious when, as just discussed, the agency has, for five years and without objection by OCFS, used recusal and referral to avoid rejecting applicants on the basis of its religious beliefs. In October 2020, D'Agostino issued a preliminary injunction on behalf of New Hope, concluding that the OCFS treatment of New Hope demonstrates some animosity towards particular religious beliefs. Home News Christian groups urge Russia to return nearly 20K abducted Ukrainian children A coalition of faith groups, including the Southern Baptist Conventions Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, has called for Russia to return nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children taken since it began its invasion of Ukraine. In a letter sent to President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week, the coalition addressed reports that Russian forces had taken almost 20,000 children from Ukraine since they invaded the Eastern European nation in 2022. These children, ranging in age from four months to 17 years old, have been subjected to political re-education, military training, and forced assimilation into Russian society, reads the letter. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Many have been placed in Russian families, illegally adopted, and had their birth certificates altered to erase their Ukrainian identities. The Russian government has denied Ukrainian children access to their families, subjected them to physical abuse, and failed to provide them with adequate food and care. The letter was spearheaded by Myal Greene, the president of the Evangelical humanitarian organization World Relief, an arm of the National Association of Evangelicals. Signatories have diverse theological and political persuasions, including Christian conservatives and progressives. Signatories include NAE President Walter Kim, Institute on Religion and Democracy President Mark Tooley, former Obama-era Ambassador Susan Jacobs, Sharon Willis of Our Daily Bread Ministries, Travis Weber of the Family Research Council, Daniel Darling of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and the Rev. Rona Tyndall of the United Church of Christ, among others. The groups implored the Trump administration to make the return of the children to Ukraine a key part of the ongoing peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. No peace deal should be finalized until Ukraines children are returned home, they continued. We urge you, as leaders of the free world, to ensure that Ukraines children are returned home without precondition in advance of peace talks. Ukraines children must not be used as bargaining chips in geopolitical negotiations. Their safety, dignity, and right to be reunited with their families must be non-negotiable. ERLC President Brent Leatherwood told Baptist Press on Tuesday that Christians are compelled to speak out on behalf of the vulnerable, here and abroad, and that includes calling out the grave injustice facing Ukraines children. The forced deportation and abuse of over 19,000 children is evil and a violation of their inherent dignity and rights, Leatherwood said. We must not allow these children to be used as pawns in geopolitical negotiations. It is our moral and legal responsibility to ensure their safe return to their families, without preconditions, before any peace agreement is made. I call upon President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to lead with courage and moral clarity to secure their freedom. On Feb. 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine under the pretext of supporting a pro-Russian independence movement in the eastern part of the country. Ukrainian forces put up stiffer-than-expected resistance, receiving considerable military support and financial aid from the United States and several European powers. Since taking office, Trump has promised to bring an end to the conflict. However, a tense in-person meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February at the White House made many question how successful Trump would be. Last month, Trump reported securing a 30-day ceasefire limited to not attacking energy infrastructure, with the U.S. president saying that he had a very good phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart. Home News 'Assassination Culture': Half of Left-leaning Americans say assassinating Trump, Musk is justified A new survey reveals that about half of Americans who lean Left politically believe murdering President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk is at least somewhat justified as concerns mount about assassination culture. The Network Contagion Research Institute and Rutgers Universitys Social Perception Lab released a report Monday titled Assassination Culture: How Burning Teslas and Killing Billionaires Became a Meme Aesthetic for Political Violence. The data included in the report is based on responses collected from 1,264 U.S. adults. The main takeaway from the report is that, A broader assassination culture appears to be emerging within segments of the U.S. public on the extreme left. The survey, which comes at a time when Trump and Musk are facing ire for their efforts to trim the size of the federal government, asked respondents whether they thought murdering the two men or destroying Tesla dealerships that sell products manufactured by a company owned by Musk was justified. Among the whole sample, 31.6% of respondents maintained that murdering Musk was at least somewhat justified. That number rose to nearly half (48.6%) among Americans who identify as Left of center. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe An even larger share of all respondents (38.5%) and Left-leaning respondents (55.2%) believed that murdering Trump was at least partially justified. When asked if they thought destroying Tesla dealerships was at least partially acceptable, 39.8% of all respondents and 57.6% of Left-leaning respondents answered in the affirmative. This report points to disturbingly high levels of support for political violence, particularly targeting President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Across survey responses, nearly one-third of respondents and a significantly higher share of left-leaning respondents expressed some degree of justification for acts of lethal violence, the report stated. The report also comes nearly a year after Trump was targeted in two assassination attempts and the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson by Luigi Mangione. It suggests that a culture has developed online that has had the effect of encouraging political violence online, which includes the perception of Mangione as a heroic figure. In addition to analyzing Americans views on harming Trump and Musk, the report attempted to examine the factors that made people more prone to support political violence. The survey revealed a positive correlation between the use of the progressive social media platform BlueSky and adherence to left-wing authoritarianism (0.24), the belief that it was acceptable to destroy Tesla dealerships (0.23), killing Musk is justified (0.22), support for Mangione (0.15) and the belief that killing Trump is justified (0.12). The report also discovered a positive correlation between support for Mangione and the belief that killing Musk is justified (0.36), support for left-wing authoritarianism (0.34), the belief that killing Trump is justified (0.31) and the view that destroying Tesla dealerships is acceptable (0.27). A strong correlation was also measured between Left-wing authoritarianism and the beliefs that destroying Tesla dealerships is acceptable (0.51), killing Trump is justified (0.49) and killing Musk is justified (0.47). Unsurprisingly, there was a noticeable correlation between the belief that killing Trump was justified and the view that destroying Tesla dealerships is acceptable (0.53) and killing Musk is justified (0.69). There was a 0.59 correlation between the idea that killing Musk is justified and the view that destroying Tesla dealerships is acceptable. Unless political and cultural leadership explicitly confronts and condemns this trend, [a] growing probability of real-world escalation exists, the report added. Given the current economic volatility and institutional distrust, the online normalization of political violence may increasingly translate into offline action. Taken together, the findings underscore the erosion of democratic norms and the growing acceptability of political violence in American discourse, particularly among ideologically extreme communities online, the report warned. Continued monitoring and broader measurement efforts are urgently needed. A follow-up to the original survey focusing on thoughts about assassinating Trump and Musk and destroying Tesla asked 1,233 respondents: How justified or not justified would someone be if they killed a powerful political leader? Twenty-nine percent of Republicans and 41% of Democrats suggested that murdering a powerful political figure was at least somewhat justified. Home News John Piper challenges Jordan Petersons viral claim on suffering Pastor John Piper is pushing back against a viral social media post by Jordan Peterson stating that life's purpose is meaning rather than happiness, insisting through his Christian Hedonist theology that believers glorify God by finding true joy in Him even amid suffering. In a Nov. 12, 2024, post on X that garnered 2.1 million views and 31,000 likes, Peterson, a Canadian psychologist, wrote, Life is suffering. The purpose of life is not to be happy, but to find something that sustains you in spite of suffering. In response to a reader who asked the pastor to share his thoughts on the topic, Piper, founder of Desiring God, acknowledged a core truth in Petersons message: chasing superficial, momentary pleasure is futile. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Peterson is right that for most people, happiness is experienced as fleeting, superficial, unpredictable, and impulsive when pursued as an end in itself, Piper said in a recent episode of his Ask Pastor John podcast. He also agreed that life should indeed be profoundly meaningful rather than spent in pursuit of empty pleasures. I want people to have lives that are profoundly meaningful. So, amen, yes, Piper noted. However, the Don't Waste Your Life author diverged from Peterson on the role of happiness in lifes purpose. Piper, who is known for teaching a philosophy of Christian Hedonism, stressed that the concept of happiness shouldnt be discarded, but redeemed. Listen to 'Ask Pastor John' and all of your favorite podcasts on Edifi In contrast to Petersons approach of abandoning happiness as a life goal, Piper contended that true, deep happiness rooted in God is not only legitimate but essential. The Minnesota-based pastor cautioned that even meaning can become an empty concept if divorced from God. Ive been pursuing a different strategy than Jordan Peterson in the hope of rescuing people from the pursuit of fleeting, unpredictable, impulsive, superficial and (I would add) God-dishonoring, Christ-diminishing, Bible-ignoring, damning happiness, he said. Drawing from biblical teaching, Piper laid out five key points to explain why joy in God stands at the heart of creation and the Christian life. First, Piper said God created the world to display His glory. Creation is the overflow of Gods exuberance in being God, he explained, meaning the universe exists to showcase Gods greatness, beauty and worth. You might say that creation is the overflow of Gods exuberance in being God, in being great and beautiful and valuable, supremely so so much so that He means to go public with His glory and communicate it, he said. Second, human beings are made in Gods image (Genesis 1:27) and designed to reflect that glory, Piper said, adding: Thats what images are for; they image forth what they are images of. Third, Piper addressed the reality of sin and suffering, emphasizing that no one lives out Gods purpose perfectly; in fact, humanity has turned away and become enemies of God. Fourth, Piper stressed that being supremely happy in God is crucial to honoring Him, a principle that lies at the heart of his Christian Hedonist perspective. The pastor defined the term in a 2015 piece as "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." Being supremely happy in God [] is essential to glorifying God and showing that Hes supremely valuable, he said, and this is true especially in our suffering. When believers continue to delight in God amid trials, it demonstrates that God is more precious than health, comfort or any earthly gain, he said. If we can maintain a deep and unshaken happiness in God through suffering, we make Him look as precious as He really is, Piper explained. Finally, Piper noted that if God is most glorified when His creation is satisfied in Him, then pursuing joy in God is not optional but commanded. Happiness, joy, pleasure theyre not optional for the Christian, he said, pointing to the Bibles many calls to rejoice. Scripture repeatedly instructs believers to Delight yourself in the Lord and Rejoice in the Lord always. As the psalmist says, In your presence [O God] there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11), he concluded. Enjoying Him is not a byproduct of something greater. It is the essence of human greatness. It is the essence of worship. Home News Kan. Gov. Laura Kelly vetoes bill to protect prospective foster families from religious discrimination The governor of Kansas has vetoed a bill that would ensure religious liberty for foster families and prospective foster families, as other states have prevented religious Americans from serving as foster parents due to their views on gender and sexuality. Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed House Bill 2311, a measure to prohibit requiring prospective foster families to adhere to LGBT ideology. In her veto message on Monday, Kelly said, The top priority of the Kansas Department of Children and Families should be adhering to the best interest of the child standard. Legislation like this detracts from this standard and stands in the way of best serving those in the child welfare system. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Children in need of care already face unique and complex challenges. I will not sign legislation that could further complicate their lives, she added. I also have concerns that this bill could expose the state to frivolous lawsuits and hinder the agency by taking time and resources away from critical services. House Bill 2311 would prohibit the state from requiring a person to affirm, accept or support any governmental policy regarding sexual orientation or gender identity that may conflict with the persons sincerely held moral or religious beliefs as a condition for serving as a foster parent in the state. The measure also bans the state from selection, appointment or licensure, if otherwise eligible, of a person because of such persons sincerely held religious or moral beliefs regarding sexual orientation or gender identity or intent to guide or instruct a child consistent with such beliefs. It includes a right of action for any prospective foster parent who feels they were denied the opportunity to serve as a foster parent in violation of the legislation. Greg Chafuen, senior counsel at the religiously liberty-focused law firm Alliance Defending Freedom, expressed disappointment about Kellys rejection of the legislation in a statement on Monday. Every child deserves a loving home that can provide them stability and opportunities to grow, wrote Chafuen. Chafuen added, Gov. Kellys disappointing veto of HB 2311 puts politics over people, excluding caring families and faith-based adoption and foster care organizations from helping children find loving homes just like weve seen in other states that dont have this protection. HB 2311 would help children benefit from as many adoption and foster care agencies as possible, both faith-based and non-faith-based. Overriding this veto would mean that more families can open their hearts and homes to children in need of a safe and loving environment thats keeping kids first, Chafuen insisted. We hope that the Kansas Legislature will prioritize the states children and promptly override this veto. As Chafuen alluded to in his comment about Kellys veto, foster families in other states have had adverse action taken against them by their respective states over their refusal to embrace aspects of LGBT ideology. Last year, two couples residing in Vermont sued the state after their licenses to serve as foster parents failed to be renewed due to their deeply held religious beliefs. Another Christian couple living in Vermont filed a separate lawsuit last year after they were informed by the states Department of Children and Families that because they will not foster a [transgender-identified] child and discuss they/them pronouns with [a] child, then [the department does not] know how [it] can move forward with fostering given the inability to predict any foster childs journey with their own identity. In 2023, a Massachusetts couple filed a lawsuit against the state after they were denied the ability to serve as foster parents because they would not be affirming to a child who identified as LGBTQIA. Kellys veto of the legislation follows its approval by an overwhelming majority of both chambers of the Republican-controlled legislature, far exceeding the two-thirds threshold needed to override a gubernatorial veto. The Republican-controlled Kansas House of Representatives approved the bill in an 86-37 vote, with all support for the measure coming from Republicans and most opposition coming from Democrats. One House Republican joined Democrats in voting against it. In the Republican-controlled Kansas Senate, the measure passed 31-9. All Republicans voted in favor of it, while all Democrats opposed it. Home News Supreme court weighs SC effort to defund Planned Parenthood: 5 reactions from both sides As the U.S. Supreme Court considers a case that could cut Planned Parenthood off from Medicaid funding in South Carolina, pro-life advocates are drawing attention to the corporations past controversies and abortion activism as reasons to exclude it from the program. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments last Wednesday in the case of Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic concerning whether Medicaid beneficiaries can sue to enforce Medicaids free-choice of provider provision to cover services at facilities that provide abortions. The court is expected to release its decision in June. In 2018, South Carolinas Republican Gov. Henry McMaster issued an executive order prohibiting any facility that performs abortions from participating in the states Medicaid program. Julie Edwards, a woman with Type 1 diabetes, sued the state, alleging a violation of the Medicare and Medicaid Act. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe While Planned Parenthood and its supporters have claimed that McMasters order prevents people enrolled in Medicaid from accessing affordable health care, pro-life groups argue that patients can receive health care services from non-abortion vendors. Here are five arguments about defunding Planned Parenthood from pro-life and pro-choice groups. Home News Trump admin. pulls funds from Maine for allowing male double murderer in women's prison A former female inmate forced to live with a man in prison commended the Trump administration this week for pulling funding from the Maine Department of Corrections for allowing a man convicted of killing his parents and the family dog to be housed in a women's facility. During a Fox & Friends interview this week, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the administration's decision to pull what she described as "non-essential" funding from Maine's Department of Corrections. While she didn't provide an exact amount, the outlet reported that it could be over $1.5 million. Bondi referred to Andrew Balcer, a man sentenced to 40 years in prison in December 2018 for the double murder of his parents, Alice and Antonio, on Oct. 31, 2016. He also stabbed the family dog to keep it from barking during the murder. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Balcer, who also goes by the alias Andrea, identifies as female and is currently housed at the Maine Correction Center's Women's Center, according to the Maine DOC online inmate database. "We will pull your funding, we will protect women in prison, we will protect women in sports, we will protect women throughout this country," Bondi said. Amie Ichikawa, a former Central California Women's Facility inmate, praised the U.S. attorney general in a Tuesday statement from the Independent Women's Forum. Ichikawa serves as an ambassador for the grassroots advocacy group, and the organization has highlighted multiple stories like hers through its docu-series, "Cruel & Unusual Punishment: The Male Takeover of Female Prisons." The IWF ambassador has repeatedly shared her story of how she was locked up with men after California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 132 in 2020, which permitted inmates who identify as the opposite sex to transfer to a prison aligned with their "gender identity." While Ichikawa applauded Bondi's "fiery statement" regarding the safety of incarcerated women, the advocate warned that the issue of men in women's prisons is "a nationwide female human rights crisis." "We can't stop at Maine. This is happening coast to coast. Anywhere a woman is in a cage, I can guarantee this is happening on both state and federal levels," Ichikawa stated. "This is a great start. Let's keep going. Incarcerated women cannot continue to be fodder in the gender war." The Maine Department of Corrections did not immediately respond to The Christian Post's request for comment. The Maine DOC said in a Tuesday statement that it is "evaluating the impacts to services from these funding terminations." "While the Department is aware of related public statements by the United States Attorney General, the notice is the only communication that has been received by the department," the Maine DOC said statement, according to NBC 10 Boston. Jan Collins, assistant director of Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition, disapproved of the Trump administration's decision. The MPAC is a statewide group that works to improve conditions in Maine's prison systems on behalf of inmates and their families. "If the federal government truly cares about women, all women, they would not withdraw funding for essential programs that lead to public safety in our communities," Collins said in a Tuesday statement, reports NBC 10. Beth Parlato, senior legal advisor at IWF, highlighted the safety concerns associated with allowing men like Balcer into women's prisons. The advocate credited the Trump administration with "protecting the vulnerable, upholding the rule of law, and ensuring our prisons serve justice, not ideology." "Housing a male murderer in a female prison is not just a failure of common sense, but a direct violation for the safety of women," Parlato said in a statement. "The Trump administration was right to pull non-essential funding, sending a clear message that we will not tolerate policies that put women at risk for the sake of politics." VMware Cloud Foundation on Google Cloud VMware Engine (GCVE) is now generally available, and there has never been a better time to move your VMware workloads to Google Cloud, so you can bring down your costs and benefit from a modern cloud experience. In partnership with Broadcom, were pleased to announce: Support for VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) is now available with ~20% lower commitment pricing (VCF) is now available with commitment pricing License portability entitlement support for VCF will allow you to preserve your VMware investments by flexibly porting your on-premises VCF licenses to GCVE. This will enable you to get a VE1 node that supports portability at up to a 35% lower price 1 on a three-year prepaid commitment, compared to previous pricing which included VMware licenses. entitlement support for VCF will allow you to preserve your VMware investments by flexibly porting your on-premises VCF licenses to GCVE. This will enable you to get a VE1 node that supports portability at price on a three-year prepaid commitment, compared to previous pricing which included VMware licenses. Multiple new GCVE node types to cost-effectively align with your workload requirements. to cost-effectively align with your workload requirements. Commercial incentives up to 40% of GCVE first-year spend as additional migration and consumption incentives, along with no-fee proof of concepts and trials of GCVE first-year spend as additional migration and consumption incentives, along with no-fee proof of concepts and trials Convertible commitments supporting movement mid-term between different GCVE node types and other compute platforms like Compute Engine and Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE). Customers are already benefiting from VCF licensing support in GCVE. Google has helped us navigate the VMware licensing changes every step of the way, said Everett Chesley, Director of IT Infrastructure at Granite Telecommunications. We are excited about the future with Google Cloud VMware Engine providing us a fast path to transform our VMware workloads in Google Cloud. Lets take a look at these announcements in greater depth. Support for VMware Cloud Foundation In partnership with Broadcom, GCVE now fully supports VMware Cloud Foundation. VCF is a comprehensive platform that integrates VMwares compute, storage, and network virtualization capabilities with its management and application infrastructure capabilities. In addition to the cloud infrastructure components such as vSphere, vSAN, NSX and HCX that already existed in GCVE VCF includes many new capabilities providing comprehensive monitoring, analytics, and insights to optimize application performance and resource utilization, resulting in improved application health, enhanced performance, and efficient capacity management. VMware Cloud Foundation license portability We often hear from customers looking to bring the value of their existing or future VMware Cloud Foundation license investments to Google Cloud. In collaboration with Broadcom, we are pleased to support VCF license portability entitlement in GCVE. Simply put, with GCVE commitment types that support portability, you only pay Google for the VMware Engine service and infrastructure and can apply previously purchased VCF licenses. By bringing your own VCF subscriptions to GCVE, you can avoid the cost of purchasing new licenses, resulting in potential savings. For example, compared to previous pricing that included VMware licenses, you will be able to get a VE1 node that supports portability at up to a 35% lower price on a three-year prepaid commitment. Google Cloud is the first cloud provider to offer a distinct VCF-integrated solution that supports VCF license portability. With Google Cloud, you can maximize the value of your VMware investments while benefiting from the scalability, security, and innovation of Googles infrastructure. Increased choice of node types Were excited to introduce our ve2-mega shape family which comes with 51.2 TB raw data storage (~2.7X compared to ve1) in addition to 3.2TB of cache capacity. We are now offering two new hyperconverged node types in the family: ve2-mega-96, with 96 hyperthreads ( ~1.3X compared to ve1-standard-72). compared to ve1-standard-72). ve2-mega-128, with 128 hyperthreads (~1.7X compared to ve1-standard-72). Were also now offering ve2-standard-96, with 48 cores/96 hyperthreaded cores. The ve2-standard shapes come with 25.6 TB raw data storage. For workloads with high storage needs, there are two new storage-only node types: ve2-standard-so with 25.6 TB raw data storage, and v22-mega-so with 51.2 TB raw data storage. GCVE storage-only node types come with the same NVMe storage offered in our hyperconverged node types but are offered at lower price points. New cost savings with commitments GCVE now offers enhanced discounting for its VE1 and VE2 license-included node platforms with new one- and three-year term commitments: VE1 nodes: 22% lower rates compared to previous pricing 2 VE2 nodes: 37% discount for one-year prepaid commitments (previously 30% for VE1) and 55% discount for three-year prepaid commitments (previously 50% for VE1) These changes result in substantial savings, For example, for ve1-standard-72, a three-year prepaid commitment in Iowa is priced at $3.60/hour compared to $5.17/hour for Azures AV36P three-year reserved instance in the Central US location (~30% savings).3 Significant incentives to reduce TCO Customers evaluating GCVE as a destination for their VMware workloads want a significant reduction in financial and technical friction. To that end, we offer: No-fee assessments and POCs for customers, delivered by our partners and funded by Google Cloud For new customers entering a Google Cloud Enterprise Agreement or Flex Agreement: Migration services incentives: up to 25% of incremental year-one net spend to support migration services. A number of partners are certified to deliver migration services. Incremental consumption incentives: up to 15% in additional credits for incremental net consumption of GCVE in year one, reducing TCO for customers as they migrate their VMware workloads. Convertible commitments As customers bring their workloads to GCVE, they often evolve their workload architectures to take advantage of various options available in Google Cloud. However, so far, they were unable to reuse their existing GCVE commitments for such use cases. To support this flexibility, we offer convertible three-year GCVE commitments that, for an additional cost, will allow you to convert part of your commitments to other services such as Compute Engine or GKE, or other options in GCVE. For example: You can extend VMware environments using dynamically scaling web-facing servers on Compute Engine or GKE. With the flexible VE2 node platform in GCVE, you can move between different GCVE node types, thus optimizing resource utilization by matching workloads to the most suitable infrastructure as your architecture evolves. Please stay tuned for more and be sure to bookmark the GCVE release notes for updates. You can also learn even more at our Google Cloud VMware Engine website, and if youre looking to explore what a migration might look like for you, sign up for our free discovery and assessment offer. 1Google Cloud Internal Data, May 2024 2IBID 3As of July 2024, based on list prices About the authors: Manoj Sharma is the Director, Product Management for Google Cloud, and Ash Ashutosh is the Global Director, Solution Sales for Google Cloud. Broadcom and Google Clouds continued commitment to solving our customers most pressing challenges stems from our joint goal to enable every organizations ability to digitally transform through data-powered innovation with the highly secure and cyber-resilient infrastructure, platform, industry solutions and expertise. With our longstanding technology and go-to-market partnership, we are yet again innovating to deliver value in the space of cyber and disaster recovery. Cyber resilience has become a top-of-mind priority for our customers, as the data shows that it presents a challenge most today are ill-equipped to address. For example, 59% of organizations were hit by ransomware in 2023 and 70% of them suffered data encryption.1 Enabling true cyber resilience requires a layered approach that spans across infrastructure hardening, strong distributed lateral security and confident cyber recoveryall of which are uniquely enabled by the VMware Cloud Foundation platform. An area where most organizations struggle today is their ability to restore operations after a cyber event. It presents unique challenges, including the need to select recovery point candidates, validate them in a secure environment before restore, set up this environment, and prevent reinfection. To achieve this, the vast majority of organizations report having to use up to five solutions across each of the following categories to enable cyber recovery: backup, cloud infrastructure, networking, disaster recovery as-a-service (DRaaS), and extended detection and response.2 The inevitable outcomes are that they are vulnerable to attacks due to a scattered approach to cyber resilience, and their confidence in recovery remains low even after theyve been hit and have implemented remediation measures. VMware Live Recovery was engineered to solve these challenges. It delivers cyber and disaster recovery for VMware Cloud Foundation infrastructure under a unified management experience. It enables confident, secure cyber recovery through a dedicated, step-by-step workflow that integrates guided restore point selection, safe validation of recovery points in an isolated recovery environment (IRE) with live behavioral analysis, network isolation to prevent reinfection, and recovery orchestration at enterprise scale. Broadcoms mission is to enable customers to recover from anything, anywhere, and we are delivering on this promise. At Explore Las Vegas last year, we announced that customers will be able to leverage an on-premises IRE for cyber recovery, which brings significant benefits to organizations that need to preserve data sovereignty or that have to abide by strict privacy and locality requirements. In addition, we have announced plans to enhance VMware Live Recovery support for Google Cloud VMware Engine (GCVE) as a cyber and disaster recovery (DR) site, for both on-premises and GCVE environments. This builds on VMware Live Recoverys existing protection of GCVE sites as a source and enables a consistent deployment topology for on-premises and cloud environments for their cyber resilience and DR needs. VMware Live Recovery support for Google Cloud empowers customers with more choices for their cyber and disaster recovery strategies, said Manoj Sharma, Director of Product Management, Google Cloud. This solution will enable just-in-time recovery by leveraging the elasticity of Google Cloud and delivers protection against increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. This is a testament to our deep engineering commitment to solving complex customer challenges and lays a foundation for more innovation to come. VMware Live Recovery on GCVE enables customers to benefit from a consistent VMware experience, with the elasticity and scalability of the cloud. GCVE supports the full VMware Cloud Foundation platform on enterprise-grade infrastructure, with unique capabilities such as: Four 9s of uptime service level agreement in a single zone Flexible node families with eight node shapes for better capacity shaping 100 Gbps of east-west networking Native virtual private cloud integration Combined with the power of VMware Cloud Foundation, the service enables customers to deploy flexible technology infrastructure that helps them innovate faster and work better together. These innovations offer important choices for customers to solve their modern cyber and disaster recovery needs in the face of an ever-changing threat landscape. Together, VMware/Broadcom and Google continue to design, develop, and deliver cutting-edge technology to solve our customers most pressing problems. 1Sophos State of Ransomware 2024 2Forrester Opportunity Snapshot: Organizations Are Missing Critical Ransomware Recovery Capabilities, July 2024 About the author: Belu de Arbelaiz is the Sr. Product Line Marketing Manager for VMwares Data Protection as a Service portfolio, in charge of VMware Cloud Disaster Recovery. Abonati-va sa primiti pe email saptamanal lista articolelor adaugate pe parcursul saptamanii. Adresele .ru nu sunt acceptate. Email NEWSLETTER Sign up for The Media Today, CJRs daily newsletter. If you were flipping through an American newspaper earlier this week, looking for news about the Hands Off! anti-Trump street protests that consumed much of the country over the weekend, you might have had a hard time finding it. Despite more than a thousand rallies at sites across all fifty statesincluding substantial turnout in Washington, New York, and Los Angelesa number of major newspapers deemed the actions not quite front-page news, as several keen-eyed observers have noted recently, burying it on page eleven (the Boston Globe) or eighteen (the New York Times) or in a second section entirely (the LA Times). But glance at some newspapers overseas, where stories about American politics often come with Trump-size levels of intrigue, and the impression is very different. Mas de mil 200 protestas en urbes de Estados Unidos (More Than 200,000 Protesters in US Cities), read the banner headline in Mexicos La Jornada on Sunday. Zehntausende protestieren gegen Trump (Tens of Thousands Protest Trump) was the top story on the front page of Mondays Die Welt, the major German daily. And at Italys widely read La Repubblica, a photo from the Boston rally was accompanied by the headline Trump, prime crepe (Trump, First Cracks). Gianni Riotta, a veteran journalist and columnist for La Repubblica, told CJR that the decision to highlight the protests was consistent with the papers center-left editorial identity: La Repubblica has always been a paper of alignment, a paper that takes a position. And so it sees in these American protests the brothers and sisters of its own Roman square. Just a few weeks earlier, La Repubblica had heavily featured a pro-Europe rally held in Rome, which was initiated by one of its own journalists, Michele Serra, whod written an editorial calling for the country to Stand for Europe, to counter what he described as an existential crisis for the continents democratic identity owing to the Trump administrations policies, particularly toward Ukraine. In this case, Riotta said, it fits with the traditional DNA of a liberal newspaper that has always been pro-European. At El Pais, Spains leading newspaper, the protests were seen not just as a component of American politics, but as something directly intertwined with the lives of the papers global readership. We approach the situation from a perspective that includes Spanish and European society, the entire Ibero-American sphere, and the more than sixty million people who make up the US Latino community, said Pepa Bueno, the papers editor in chief. El Pais, unlike several other Spanish papers, did not put the protests on the front page, but did feature them prominently inside the paper, where they were described as the first mass mobilization against the Republican administration and the owner of TeslaElon Musk. From a journalistic standpoint, the current situation represents a major challenge, Bueno said. The trade war has turned the world as we knew it upside down. Immigration policy has led to mass deportations and the expulsion of visa-holding residents. All of this unfolds at breakneck speed, and it is often difficult to distinguish between what is announced and what actually goes into effect. The protests also got some play from more conservative outlets, like Die Welt, which featured a large photo from the demonstrations above the fold. In Europe, everybody was kind of waiting for something to happen, said Jennifer Wilton, the papers editor in chief. It was a very common question: Why is nobody opposing what is threatening democracy? Wilton added: I would say the vast majority of the German press, and also broader media, are quite critical of Trump. Theres a strong conviction that this moment marks the end of the postWorld War II order. An American president who seems so unpredictableand is only predictable in the worst scenariosis a common concern across the press. Still, the coverage of the protests, while prominent, wasnt entirely effusive. In El Pais, the central article observed that, in contrast to the dramatic protest movements that surged in response to Trumps 2016 victory, this time the general trend has been one of lukewarm opposition. The European perspective on American affairs can sometimes have a distorting effect, noted Riotta, the Repubblica columnist. The Italian and European press always feels the need to exaggerate things, he said. So the US is no longer just a country with some questionable policies under Trumpno, according to them, theres already been a coup. And Wilton told CJR that Die Welts prominent coverage of the protests may have stemmed in part from the German publics misreading of the movements true scale. Probably we thought it was more than what it was, she said. People here believed that this was a broad opposition, but later we understood it was actually small groups, not a national movement. Sign up for CJRs daily email The Trump administrations move to gut the agency tasked with ensuring workplace safety is facing intensifying pushback, including from the nations largest auto union and a conservative lawmaker, in one of the more prominent public fights against some of the widespread cuts last week. On Tuesday, the United Auto Workers union said it adamantly opposes the cuts to almost 900 workers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which does research and makes recommendations to prevent work-related injuries and illnesses, including chemical hazards. Created in 1970, the agency had about 1,300 workers before the cuts began. This attack on NIOSH workers will have far-reaching negative consequences for workers in this country and beyond, and we demand they be reinstated, the UAW said in a statement. The job reductions at NIOSH were part of a broader wave of terminations across the Department of Health and Human Services ordered by its newly appointed secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The dismissals started last week are expected to affect 10,000 employees, dramatically reshaping the agency. Kennedy has said that 20% of the cuts last week may have been in error. HHS didnt respond to a request for comment. Cuts to NIOSH also included employees who work on the World Trade Center Health Program, which ensures that first responders and survivors of the Sept. 11 attacks are able to access medical care. HHS said last month that NIOSH will become part of a new entity called the Administration for a Healthy America. While other unions, like those representing miners, have criticized the NIOSH cuts, the UAW adds an especially powerful voice to the opposition. With about 400,000 active members, the union secured significant wage gains from the three largest US automakers in 2023 after a six-week work stoppage. In a letter to senators last week, a coalition calling itself the Friends of NIOSH also asked senators to reverse the cuts, saying the health and safety of the American workforce is a shared goal of all our organizations. We urge you to do everything possible to reverse this misguided move immediately so that NIOSHs vital mission continues, and its workforce can maintain efforts to keep Americans safe and well, said the group, which represents organizations dedicated to preventing occupational injuries. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican from West Virginia, said last week that she was extremely concerned about the cuts to NIOSH, which has had an office in Morgantown, West Virginia. Capito, who voted to confirm Kennedy as HHS Secretary, said she had told him dont cut into the bone here of HHS and would appeal to him to reverse the cuts to the workplace safety agency. In this case, I have strong disagreements with the administration, she said in an online video. Top photo: Workers on the Ford F-150 Lightning production line at the Ford Motor Co. Rouge Electric Vehicle Center (REVC) in Dearborn, Michigan, on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022. Photographer: Emily Elconin/Bloomberg. Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. In this article AMZN Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is on the launch pad carrying Amazon's Project Kuiper internet network satellites, which are expected to eventually rival Elon Musk's Starlink system, at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on April 9, 2025. Steve Nesius | Reuters In a social media post last month, Elon Musk had a message for Poland's foreign minister, who had suggested that his country would seek alternatives to SpaceX's Starlink if the satellite internet service "proves to be an unreliable provider." "Be quiet, small man," Musk wrote on March 9, in response to the comment from Radoslaw Sikorski, who began working for the Polish government in the 1990s. "You pay a tiny fraction of the cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink." Poland has been paying for Starlink in war-torn Ukraine, where the service has been a vital tool in the fight against Russia. But Sikorski suggested it could start "looking for other suppliers." That possibility may soon be a reality, as Starlink will have to contend with fresh competition from Amazon 's Project Kuiper, the e-commerce giant's $10 billion-plus venture that's six years in the making. Amazon on Wednesday is planning to send its first batch of satellites into space from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard a United Launch Alliance rocket. If all goes according to plan, the launch scheduled for between 7 p.m. ET and 9 p.m. ET and being livestreamed on ULA's website will bring Amazon one step closer to beginning commercial service for Kuiper, which aims to provide broadband internet connectivity from a constellation of more than 3,000 satellites. The company is going after many of the same customers as Starlink. They include corporations, consumers who lack adequate internet access, and governments around the world. In recent months, Amazon has signed deals in the U.K., Australia and Indonesia. Poland hasn't said specifically if it's in talks with Kuiper or other Starlink rivals to provide service to Ukraine after the dustup with Musk. As Kuiper heads to space, Starlink has a six-year head start. The SpaceX unit has built up a constellation of roughly 8,000 satellites and signed on more than 5 million customers around the world. watch now It also has a leader who now has a central role in the White House. After spending nearly $300 million to help Donald Trump win last year's presidential election, Musk is one of the president's top advisors, overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which is tasked with shrinking the federal government, including eliminating regulations. On paper, the cozy relationship hasn't exactly paid off. Tesla has lost almost half its market value since the inauguration, largely due to concerns surrounding Trump's expansive tariffs. Musk spent the early part of this week publicly lashing out at top trade advisor Peter Navarro, calling him "dumber than a sack of bricks," before later apologizing to bricks. But despite the market disruption, SpaceX, which is privately held, is a major government contractor, putting it in a potentially much more favorable position versus its competition when trying to sign deals. In February, the Federal Aviation Administration said it was testing Starlink technology in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and in Alaska. Other government agencies are exploring using Starlink at Musk's request, and the Commerce Department said last month that it would revamp a $42.5 billion Biden-era program to expand high-speed internet access to be "tech-neutral," a move viewed as a potential gift to Starlink. "Is SpaceX winning the business because Elon is first buddy or because it's the only solution?" said Chad Anderson, managing partner of space-focused venture capital firm Space Capital, in an interview. "When you have comparable competition and different solutions online, then you'll be able to tell if it's favoritism." In recent months, DOGE members, including some who work for Musk's companies, have visited NASA, the Department of Defense and the FAA, which have contracts with SpaceX and competitors like Amazon, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, ULA, Northrop Grumman and space startup Rocket Lab . Some SpaceX rivals are concerned that DOGE's work at federal agencies may give it access to databases that contain sensitive competitor information, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be named because the discussions are confidential. Scott Amey, general counsel for watchdog group Project on Government Oversight, said there's little transparency around what systems and information DOGE employees are able to access. DOGE is also carrying out widespread cuts at agencies tasked with regulating Musk's businesses, Amey said. "There's too many conflicts of interest to count," Amey said. A demonstrator holds a sign and a flag during a protest outside SpaceX and Starlink facilities in Redmond, Washington, U.S., February 26, 2025. David Ryder | Reuters However, Musk's tangled web of business and political interests could work in Kuiper's favor in a market thirsty for choice. Starlink currently dominates the low Earth orbit satellite internet market, controlling almost two-thirds of all active satellites. Low Earth orbit refers to the region of space that's within 1,200 miles above the planet's surface. Starlink's closest competitor is SoftBank-backed OneWeb, which had more than 650 satellites in orbit as of last October. "When you're the only game in town, it gives you a lot of power," Anderson said. "Amazon is one of the only ones that can do this and compete with them head on. With more options, power shifts to the buyers." Kuiper has received significant interest from governments and enterprises that are eager to work with another satellite internet operator that's "not so beholden to the whims of an executive," according to a separate person familiar with the matter. Taiwan's government ruled out Starlink due to Musk's business ties in China and is in talks with Kuiper about using its network, according to the Financial Times. Russian President Vladimir Putin also asked Musk not to activate Starlink in Taiwan, The Wall Street Journal reported, as a favor to Chinese President Xi Jinping. A potential Starlink deal with the Italian government has reportedly stalled due to Musk's ties to Trump and the president's fracturing alliance with Europe. And Canadian governments in Ottawa and Quebec have canceled Starlink contracts after Trump announced sweeping tariffs against the country. SpaceX didn't respond to a request for comment. Amazon is taking a different approach to entering new markets. In countries such as Papua New Guinea, Namibia, Cameroon and the tiny Polynesian island nation of Niue, SpaceX has sold Starlink services to the public before receiving the necessary licenses, angering regulatory officials. Consumers in some countries have been so desperate for internet access that they've reportedely operated Starlink terminals illegally, even at risk of facing fines or jail time. By contrast, Amazon has aimed to be a "sensible voice in the room" with regulators, a former Kuiper employee told CNBC. Another ex-employee recounted telling a regulator that Amazon would operate differently than Starlink, speaking with officials before standing up its service. The response was "a look of relief," the former employee said. Running with the pack While Amazon doesn't have a seat at the table in the Trump administration, Bezos, the company's founder and top shareholder, has tried to establish a friendly rapport with the president, as has Amazon, now led by CEO Andy Jassy. Last summer, Bezos commended Trump for "grace under literal fire" following the attempted assassination of Trump at a Pennsylvania rally. At The Washington Post, Bezos axed an editorial endorsement of Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, and later narrowed the topics covered by the newspaper's opinion pages to those supporting "personal liberties and free markets." He's dined with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, and stood alongside top tech executives at Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20. Amazon, for its part, donated to Trump's inaugural fund, and spent a reported $40 million to license a documentary about first lady Melania Trump. Last month, Amazon said it would begin streaming seasons of "The Apprentice," the reality TV show that helped propel Trump to fame. It's a stark reversal from Trump's first term in the White House, when the president repeatedly attacked Bezos and his companies and served up the nickname "Jeff Bozo." Bezos, who was CEO of Amazon until 2021, blamed Trump's "behind-the-scenes attacks" for the company's loss of a multibillion-dollar Department of Defense contract. Craig Berman, a longtime advisor to Bezos who spent more than a decade at Amazon as a top public relations executive, said that while the company's overtures to Trump could be viewed as "bending the knee," it's no different from attempts to lobby previous administrations. "Conceptually the outcome is no different than any other president at any other time," Berman said. "This just happened to be public, and maybe that's a good thing." For now, Amazon's Kuiper team is focused on the tall task of getting satellites into space. The company has to meet a Federal Communications Commission deadline to launch half of its total constellation, or 1,618 satellites, by July 2026. Amazon has booked more than 80 launches to deploy dozens of satellites at a time, including from SpaceX. Wednesday's mission is "the first step in that process," with service expected to come online later this year, the company said. "We've done extensive testing on the ground to prepare for this first mission, but there are some things you can only learn in flight," Rajeev Badyal, vice president of Kuiper and a former SpaceX executive, said in a statement. "This will be the first time we've flown our final satellite design and the first time we've deployed so many satellites at once." Trucks make their way to the Ambassador Bridge to cross into the United States at Detroit on April 1, 2025 in Windsor, Canada. Bill Pugliano | Getty Images DETROIT Canada's 25% auto tariffs took effect Wednesday on U.S.-produced vehicles and many parts in American cars and trucks, but the new levies differ in important ways from the U.S. tariffs implemented last week by President Donald Trump. Canadian officials purposely carved out individual auto parts from the tariffs and are taking into account the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, trade deal with the new levies. There's also a remissions process that could allow companies some relief from the duties, according to Canadian officials. "We are responding today with, and we responded throughout with, carefully calibrated and targeted counter tariffs," Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said during a Thursday news conference announcing the actions. Canada's response, which it reconfirmed Tuesday, includes 25% tariffs on vehicles from the U.S. that are not compliant with the USMCA or CUSMA, as Canada refers to it as well as non-Canadian and non-Mexican content of USMCA-compliant fully assembled vehicles imported into Canada from the U.S. The latter part means that even if a vehicle made by General Motors , Ford Motor or Chrysler parent Stellantis in the U.S. is compliant with the USMCA, the parts that aren't from Canada and Mexico could be taxed, pending a remission process. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Auto stocks Trump's 25% tariffs, meanwhile, are on any vehicle not assembled in the U.S., which S&P Global Mobility reports accounted for 46% of the roughly 16 million vehicles sold domestically last year. The White House has said it also plans to place tariffs on some auto parts such as engines and transmissions by May 3. Flavio Volpe, who leads the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association in Canada, said his organization believed it was crucial to have the individual automotive parts carved out because tariffs on those products could rapidly shut down the North American auto industry. "What we advised the prime minister was 'keep parts out of this for now,'" he told CNBC on Tuesday. "We also insisted that if you're going to do counter tariffs, make sure you're targeting American. Don't by accident or by omission hurt our Mexican sources, partners. Nobody wants to do this but Canada has to respond." Mexico content was exempted, unlike the U.S., because the country is honoring the USMCA North American trade deal, Carney said last week. GM, Ford and Stellantis each separately said their North American-produced vehicles are compliant with the USMCA, however the content of each varies greatly. The traditional "Detroit automakers," as well as Toyota Motor , are among the top-selling car companies in Canada. The country's overall market is far smaller than the U.S., at roughly 2 million light-duty vehicles compared with around 16 million in the U.S. Canada's trade balance in regard to light-duty passenger vehicles was $8.33 billion, with $43.82 billion exported against $35.49 billion imported, according to leading Canadian auto firm DesRosiers Automotive Consultants. Trade imbalances have been one of the driving forces for Trump's implementation of the tariffs. There could be some relief for automakers on the Canadian tariffs. Officials said "a remission framework for auto producers that incentivizes production and investment in Canada, and helps maintain Canadian jobs, will also be implemented." Canadian officials in a press release Tuesday said more details about the program will be "announced shortly." The Department of Finance Canada, which released the news, did not respond for a request for comment. "We are planning to ensure that the automakers do stay in Canada," Canadian Minister of Industry Anita Anand said Monday on CityNews in Canada. "We actually are talking about a framework that we'll put in place, we call that out remission framework, to ensure that Canadian production and investment is part of the long-term plan to maintain Canadian production." Trump has said that there would not be exemptions for the U.S. tariffs, despite automakers lobbying for carve-outs for vehicles and parts that are compliant with the USMCA, which Trump negotiated during his first term in the White House. Five automakers Ford, GM, Stellantis, Toyota and Honda Motor were estimated to produce 1.3 million light-duty vehicles last year in Canada, largely for U.S. consumers, according to Trillium Network for Advanced Manufacturing. The carmakers did not immediately respond regarding the Canadian remission process. Carney last week said Canada's new levies are expected to generate 8 billion Canadian dollars ($5.6 billion), which will be used to help workers and companies affected by Trump's tariffs. Vehicle imports from the U.S. totaled CA$35.6 billion in 2024, according to the Department of Finance Canada. 'Unjustified, unwarranted misguided' Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks to reporters as he arrives on Parliament Hill to attend a meeting of the cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations and national security in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, April 2, 2025. Patrick Doyle | Reuters Aerial view of containers for export sitting stacked at Qingdao Qianwan Container Terminal on April 5, 2025 in Qingdao, Shandong Province of China. The United Nations shipping agency is on the cusp of introducing binding regulations to phase out fossil fuel use in global shipping with the world's first-ever global emissions levy on the table. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) will this week hold talks at its London headquarters to hammer out measures to reduce the climate impact of international shipping, which accounts for around 3% of global carbon emissions. Some of the measures on the table include a global marine fuel standard and an economic element, such as a long-debated carbon levy or a carbon credit scheme. If implemented, a robust pricing mechanism in the shipping sector would likely be considered one of the climate deals of the decade. An ambitious carbon tax is far from a foregone conclusion, however, with observers citing concerns over sweeping U.S. tariffs, a brewing global trade war and reluctance from members firmly opposed to any kind of levy structure. Sara Edmonson, head of global advocacy at Australian mining giant Fortescue, described the talks as "absolutely historic," particularly given the potential for a landmark carbon levy. "I think it would be an absolute game-changer. No other industry on a global level has made a commitment of this size and I would argue most countries haven't made a commitment of this size," Edmondson told CNBC via telephone. She added, however, that "the jury is still very much out" when it comes to a global carbon price. Many companies had been steadily reducing their reliance on China as a manufacturing hub since President Donald Trump's first term, hoping to blunt the impact of punitive levies from the United States. Then his latest "reciprocal" tariffs came along. Trump's move to impose tariffs on goods on a broader swathe of countries is now putting those diversification plans in disarray and leaving companies scrambling to decide where and how their goods are produced. Steve Greenspon, CEO of Illinois-based houseware company Honey-Can-Do International, started moving more of his production from China to Vietnam during Trump's first presidential term. The company supplies household durables such as shelving units, coat hangers and laundry hampers to U.S. retail giants such as Walmart , Target and Amazon . The company relied on Chinese suppliers for as much as 70% of its products before Trump's first term. That share has since fallen to less than a third as Vietnam and Taiwan have become increasingly important as sourcing destinations. News of high tariffs on Taiwan and Vietnam stings, given the significant investments made, Greenspon said. "It's crushing to our company. It is disappointing. It is saddening. It's frustrating," Greenspon said. "As a U.S.-based company, this is incredibly hurtful that our own government is doing this to us," he said, noting that moving production back to the U.S. is not an option, given high labor costs and the absence of the requisite infrastructure. The tariffs will only force businesses to charge higher prices from consumers, eventually making these products' pricing less competitive, he said. Trump's trade war with China in his first term fueled the "China Plus One" strategy, which saw many manufacturers shift part of their production away from China to other Asian countries with lower labor costs and moderate tariff risks from the U.S. But after Trump's latest announcement of a much broader tariff regime including a minimum 10% baseline tariff on all countries and much higher tariff rates on certain Asian economies firms that adhered to "China Plus One" may be forced to reevaluate their options. "The 'China Plus One' strategy has been severely undercut by Trump's tariffs that have by now encompassed every U.S. trading partner," Eswar Prasad, professor of international trade and economics at Cornell University, told CNBC. The European Union is so far the only jurisdiction globally to drive forward comprehensive rules for artificial intelligence with its AI Act. The European Union on Wednesday presented a plan to boost its artificial intelligence industry and help it compete more aggressively with the U.S. and China, following criticisms from technology firms that its regulations are too cumbersome. In a press release, the European Commission, the executive body of the EU, outlined its so-called "AI Continent Action Plan," which aims to "transform Europe's strong traditional industries and its exceptional talent pool into powerful engines of AI innovation and acceleration." Among the ways Europe plans to bolster regional AI developments are a commitment to build a network of AI factories and "gigafactories" and create specialized labs designed to improve the access of startups to high-quality training data. The EU defines these "factories" as large facilities that house state-of-the-art chips needed to train and develop the most advanced AI models. The bloc will also create a new AI Act Service Desk to help regional firms comply with its landmark AI law. "The AI Act raises citizens' trust in technology and provides investors and entrepreneurs with the legal certainty they need to scale up and deploy AI throughout Europe," the Commission said, adding the AI Act Service Desk will "serve as the central point of contact and hub for information and guidance" on the rules. The plan bears similarities to the U.K.'s AI Action Plan announced earlier this year. Like the EU, Britain committed to expand domestic AI infrastructure to aid developers. Google's cloud unit said Wednesday that clients will be able to run its Gemini artificial intelligence models in their own data centers. Early access to Google Distributed Cloud will be available in the third quarter, Google said in a blog post. The service is targeted at clients that want to use Google's cloud technology while retaining control of their data. As part of the announcement, Google said Nvidia will bring Gemini models to the company's Blackwell graphics processing units, or GPUs. Companies can buy the chips through Google or other channels. OpenAI and Anthropic, two of Google's leading rivals in developing large language models, have shied away from providing access in physical data centers because it gives them less control over the quality and speed of the technology. Cohere has an option for customers to deploy models on their own infrastructure, but the AI startup says it's slower to set up than going through the company or using clouds. Google's gesture may be attractive to a new set of potential customers. Many companies, schools and governments still maintain their own data center hardware, although cloud services have become common in recent years. Even customers that adhere to the secret and top secret U.S. government classification levels will be able to use Gemini through an air-gapped version of Google Distributed Cloud that's disconnected from the internet. In 2023, cloud infrastructure spending totaled $140 billion, according to technology industry researcher Gartner. Google had 8% of the market in 2023, while Amazon controlled 39% and Microsoft held 23%, Gartner said. Last month, Google announced a $32 billion agreement to acquire cloud security startup Wiz. "Our commitment to multi-cloud, along with our investments in infrastructure and in AI, are some of the reasons we're seeing tremendous movement with customers," Google Cloud chief Thomas Kurian said on a conference call after the Wiz announcement. Google's Gemini models can process text, audio and video feeds, with support for more than 100 languages. A new housing development built along a canal near the Mokelumne River is viewed on May 22, 2023, near Stockton, California. Mortgage rates are rising sharply this week, as investors sell U.S. Treasury bonds at a swift pace. Mortgage rates follow loosely the yield on the 10-year Treasury. Some speculate foreign countries could be dumping U.S. Treasurys in retaliation against President Donald Trump's sweeping tariff plan. But there is another, even bigger, concern for both mortgage investors and for the all-important spring housing market. What if China, one of the largest holders of agency mortgage-backed securities, or MBS, decides to sell those holdings as well in response to the U.S. trade policies. And what if other countries follow? "If China wanted to hit us hard, they could unload Treasuries. Is that a threat? Sure it is," said Guy Cecala, executive chair of Inside Mortgage Finance. "They're going to look at pushing levers and trying to put pressure. ... Targeting housing and mortgage rates is a powerful driver of something like that." At the end of January, foreign countries owned $1.32 trillion worth of U.S. MBS, or 15% of the total outstanding, according to Ginnie Mae. The top owners: Japan, China, Taiwan and Canada. China had already begun selling off some U.S. MBS last year, with the country's holdings at the end of September down 8.7% year over year and down 20% by the start of December. Japan, which had shown gains in its MBS in September, showed a drop at the start of December. If China and Japan were to accelerate those sales further, and if other nations were to follow, mortgage rates would rise even more than they are now. "The concern, I think, is on folks' radar screens, and being raised as a potential source of friction," said Eric Hagen, mortgage and specialty finance analyst at BTIG. "Most investors are concerned that mortgage spreads would widen in response to either China, Japan or Canada coming in with a retaliatory objective." Widening spreads mean higher mortgage rates. The spring housing market is already floundering amid high home prices and weakening consumer confidence. Given the recent stock market rout, potential buyers are increasingly worried about their savings and their jobs. A recent survey from Redfin found that 1 in 5 potential buyers sell stock to finance their down payments. Hagen said selling of MBS by foreign entities could further spook the mortgage market. "The lack of visibility for how much they could sell and their appetite for selling, I think that that would scare investors," he said. To add to the pain, the U.S. Federal Reserve, which is a major owner of MBS, is currently letting the MBS roll off of its own portfolio, as part of an effort to shrink its balance sheet. In other times of financial crisis, like during the pandemic, the Fed was buying MBS to keep rates low. "That is a source of potential pressure on top of this whole conversation," Hagen added. watch now After President Donald Trump issued a 90-day pause on most of his "reciprocal" tariffs and stocks staged a historic rally, CNBC's Jim Cramer on Wednesday shared four lessons learned from the week of market turmoil. U.S. markets surged after Trump dropped his latest tariffs to a 10% rate on all countries except China. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 7.9%, the S&P 500 gained 9.5%, the Nasdaq soared 12.2% and the Russell 2000 bounced 8.7%. All of the indices are still down significantly from their highs this year, but they clawed back much of the losses suffered since Trump initially declared the tariffs last week. 1. Nobody ever made a dime panicking People who got out during the sell-off made a rash, emotional decision, Cramer said, and they lost out on Wednesday because of that. Stockholders' annual gains typically only come from seven days in a year, he added. Wednesday was one of those days, he said, and those who stayed the course won big. "Learn to take the pain," Cramer said. "Staying the course is how you make the biggest money." 2. Bulls make money, bears make money, pigs get slaughtered Cramer said the market action punished investors who've stayed negative, as well as short sellers and hedge funds that got greedy in the past few days. Conversely, it rewarded people who stuck with their investments even as volatility skyrocketed. Wednesday, he said, was "one of the greatest short squeezes in history." 3. The president likes drama you won't get certainty While investors can't expect stability with Trump in charge, Cramer said, they should assume that the president will eventually change course if his policies are destroying stocks. Trump is determined to change U.S. trade relations, Cramer said, but he's not trying to wreck the economy. The White House didn't immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment. 4. Don't bet against good companies Shares of mega-cap tech corporations like Apple and Nvidia were some of the biggest losers during the market's recent slide, due to their exposure to tariffs. But these companies have achieved great success for a reason, Cramer said, and investors who write them off at their lows do so at their own risk. Apple stock jumped over 15% on Wednesday, despite the company's vulnerability to China tariffs, and Nvidia shares skyrocketed nearly 19%. "If you do hate them, sell these stocks when they're up, not when they're down," Cramer said. watch now Jim Cramer's Guide to Investing Click here to download Jim Cramer's Guide to Investing at no cost to help you build long-term wealth and invest smarter. Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading: Apple Shares rebounded more than 5% on Wednesday after several days of selling pressure on the iPhone maker. Apple manufactures much of its products in China, which has been a key worry for investors in recent days in light of President Donald Trump's 104% tariff on Beijing that took effect on Wednesday. Walmart The retail stock gained 5% after Chief Financial Officer John Rainey said in an investor presentation that Walmart emerges with greater share when it leans into periods of economic uncertainty. The company scrapped its first-quarter operating guidance but left its full-year guidance unchanged. Capri Shares rallied more than 10.3% after The Wall Street Journal reported that a deal for Capri to sell Versace to Prada is at risk of collapsing. Delta Air Lines Shares popped more than 7% even after the company pulled its 2025 forecast and CEO Ed Bastian said tariffs are hurting bookings . Trump Media & Technology Group Shares of President Trump's social media company advanced 8%. Earlier on Wednesday, Trump said in a Truth Social post that "THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT." Citigroup , Wells Fargo , JPMorgan Chase Bank stocks broadly declined during another volatile day in financial markets as worries about a possible recession persisted. Shares of Citigroup and Wells Fargo fell more than 3% each. JPMorgan Chase dipped 0.6%. Tesla Elon Musk's electric vehicle company climbed more than 5%, recovering some of its recent steep losses. The stock is down more than 17% over the past week amid rising trade tensions with China and major U.S. trading partners. Eli Lilly, Pfizer , AbbVie Shares of key pharmaceutical giants tumbled after President Trump said Tuesday evening that the U.S. is going to announce " very shortly a major tariff on pharmaceuticals ." AbbVie and Eli Lilly shares both dropped more than 4%, while Pfizer fell 3%. CNBC's Jesse Pound, Michelle Fox, Yun Li and Sean Conlon contributed reporting. Get Your Ticket to Pro LIVE Join us at the New York Stock Exchange! Uncertain markets? Gain an edge with CNBC Pro LIVE , an exclusive, inaugural event at the historic New York Stock Exchange. In today's dynamic financial landscape, access to expert insights is paramount. As a CNBC Pro subscriber, we invite you to join us for our first exclusive, in-person CNBC Pro LIVE event at the iconic NYSE on Thursday, June 12. Join interactive Pro clinics led by our Pros Carter Worth, Dan Niles and Dan Ives, with a special edition of Pro Talks with Tom Lee. You'll also get the opportunity to network with CNBC experts, talent and other Pro subscribers during an exciting cocktail hour on the legendary trading floor. Tickets are limited! Global bond markets were gripped by volatility on Wednesday, as the rollout of U.S. President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs left investors scrambling to find safety in new areas including German debt. U.S. Treasurys sold off as a new wave of duties came into force and China and the European Union announced fresh retaliatory action, with the yield on the 10-year Treasury last seen trading 9 basis points higher at 4.352%. Loading chart... Bond yields and prices move in opposite directions, as investors demand a lower price on the bond and a higher return on their loan to lend to governments that they see as riskier holdings. Across the Atlantic, longer-dated European government borrowing costs also rose. By 3:55 p.m. in London, the Italian 10-year yield was up 2 basis points and the yield on British 10-year government bonds, known as gilts, was up 12 basis points. The 30-year gilt yield soared up to 30 basis points at one point, marking a fresh 27-year high, and was last up 25 basis points. Gilt yields are suffering spillover effects from the moves in Treasurys, but the gilt market is also generally sensitive relative to other high-grade bond markets to catalysts that trigger yield rises given stretched margin calls from hedge funds, Diana Iovanel, senior markets economist at Capital Economics, told CNBC. "It's not too surprising to see more volatility in gilts than in other [developed market] government bonds against the risk-negative and highly uncertain global backdrop. Beyond that, the U.K.'s stretched fiscal picture is arguably testing investors' tolerance already," she added. The steepening of the U.K. yield curve "highlights the twin challenges of heavy pressure on the U.K.'s fiscal framework, alongside likely negative economic fallout from tariffs," Alex Everett, senior investment manager at Aberdeen, told CNBC adding that the Bank of England may need to cut interest rates faster than previously expected as a result. Germany 'an alternative safe haven play' Germany bucked a wider trend as its 10-year bund , seen as a benchmark for the euro zone, traded 7 basis points lower. Shorter-dated bonds in Europe meanwhile rose in value. The yields on 2-year government bonds in France , Italy and Britain were 9, 6, and 4 basis points lower, respectively. The yield on Germany's 2-year bunds dropped 12 basis points. Loading chart... "One factor people are speculating about on Treasurys is around the ongoing theme of a move away from the U.S. dollar, of it becoming less trusted," Ken Egan, senior director for sovereigns at credit rating analysis agency KBRA, told CNBC in a call on Wednesday. "If you follow that through, one way that could manifest is structural holders of debt, reserve managers in China, could move away from Treasurys in response to policy moves from the U.S." Egan added that secondary investors also appeared to be taking a step back from U.S. Treasurys, typically seen as a traditional safe haven assets, given the volatile geopolitical climate. "Various forces are at odds, because you have inflationary concerns and a rapid repricing of Treasurys on those, but on the other side you have weak demand and growth, and more rate cuts being priced in," he told CNBC. German bonds were out of sync with the long-dated market on Wednesday because it is being seen as an alternative safe haven play, as investors still stunned by the scale of Trump's actions wait for more clarity, he said. Egan also noted that European bonds with shorter maturity terms were rising in value as they are more policy-sensitive and traders want to lock in returns now, as more global interest rate cuts are being priced in. "Traditionally you might have gone into the U.S. during a period of volatility, but this is a U.S. story. Germany is benefiting from a wider flight to quality. The country has already told the market what it's going to do, there's clarity about what its path will look like," Egan added, referencing Berlin's recent passing of a huge fiscal package across infrastructure, climate and defense. watch now In a note on Wednesday, Freya Beamish, chief economist at TS Lombard, likened the spike in U.S. government borrowing costs to the U.K.'s 2022 "mini budget" crisis, which rocked the country's pension funds and led to emergency market intervention by the Bank of England. "The really worrisome thing about negative supply shocks is that they push up inflation and destroy demand at the same time, destroying the hedging capacity of bonds for equities. They are capital destroyers," she said. "The issue here is not who is right or wrong about the long-term effects of tariffs. It is about investor perceptions over the probability of these types of shocks. And once this narrative starts to be priced in, the risk is of financial accelerators kicking in, as happened in the UK with the LDI crisis." Alex Brazier, global head of investment and portfolio solutions at BlackRock, told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" on Wednesday that recent months had been a reminder for investors that "we're in a new world." "This is not a situation where a classic broad stock index, broad bond index, set-and-forget portfolio is ideal," he said. "Looking at the fundamentals of the U.S. bond market here, we've got some technicals going on, we've got early signs of stress in the swap market, that bears closely watching." Meanwhile, Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown, told CNBC via email on Wednesday that some European government bond yields had moved upward despite rising expectations of interest rate cuts in the region. "This is likely to be because investors are selling out their positions in European bonds to buy U.S. Treasuries given that they are offering higher yields," she said. "However, U.S. Treasury yields are falling back again, and the situation remains very fluid." CNBC's Ganesh Rao contributed to this story. As tariffs are set to drive up prices for many goods, Walmart may be able to attract new customers and more frequent visits from shoppers, Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey said Wednesday. At an investor event in Dallas, he said the retail giant sees an opportunity to gain market share. "If you look back two years ago when we saw inflation, we invited a lot of new customers to Walmart with high prices," he said. "And what we saw over those two years is they stayed with us." Walmart executives made the comments before Trump said he would temporarily lower tariffs on dozens of trading partners to 10%, and raise duties on Chinese imports to 125%. Earlier in the day, the retail giant stuck by its full-year forecast yet it scrapped its first-quarter operating income guidance and did not provide an updated range for that metric. In a news release, the discounter said it wants to "maintain flexibility to invest in price as tariffs are implemented." CEO Doug McMillon said the discounter is committed to keeping prices low. "We like where our price gaps are. We want to keep them," he said. He added, "we're not going to let them narrow." Melissa Repko President Donald Trump speaks on the day he signs energy-related executive orders, at the White House in Washington, April 8, 2025. A new round of steep tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump took effect early Wednesday morning on products imported from scores of countries around the world. The round of so-called reciprocal tariffs exceeds a base rate of 10% that was imposed on many other countries over the weekend. In all, imports from 86 countries are now subject to higher tariffs, ranging from 11% to 84%. China will see net total tariffs of 104% on its exported goods to the United States. The massive new tariff rate reflects a previously imposed 20% duty, a 34% additional tariff and a last-minute 50% increase that Trump signed late Tuesday. After China, Lesotho is subject to the biggest single-nation tariff rate in the new round. That African nation's exports to the U.S. are subject to a 50% duty. Cambodia is close behind, with imports from that nation subject to tariffs of 49% starting Wednesday. Two of Cambodia's neighbors in southeast Asia, Laos and Vietnam, are subject to duties of 48% and 46%, respectively. Like what you see? You can subscribe here . This week, we look at how nascent hopes of a U.S.-China deal on trade are fading fast. We also have the latest on what China is signaling to businesses, a few tech developments and which macro data releases to watch for. This report is from the inaugural edition of CNBC's The China Connection newsletter, which brings you insights and analysis on what's driving the world's second-largest economy. China's foreign ministry press hall in Beijing fell silent for close to half a minute on Monday afternoon. I had just asked spokesperson Lin Jian whether Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump would speak soon for trade negotiations, or whether it had become more challenging. "We have stressed more than once that pressuring or threatening China is not a right way to engage with us," Lin finally said, as per the official English translation of his statement in Mandarin. "China will firmly safeguard its legitimate rights and interests." As for negotiations, he deflected the question to "competent authorities." He added Tuesday that the U.S. doesn't seem to be serious about having talks right now, given its actions. The past weekend saw a big shift in Beijing's stance as it chose to hit back on the U.S.' 34% tariff increase with reciprocal duties across the board, instead of levies targeting specific U.S. products. Analysts now talk not just of a war over trade, but one that could spread beyond technology to investment and geopolitics. "I was definitely surprised China went [with] the reciprocal tariffs right away," Liqian Ren, leader of quantitative investment at WisdomTree, told me on Tuesday. "Risk of [Beijing taking] Taiwan is going to increase." "The speed of U.S. policy is also much faster than people were expecting," she said. It's taken less than a week for tariffs on Chinese exports to the U.S. to soar above 100%. Stocks have plunged around the world over worries about the economic fallout, while China this week announced state support for its market. A quick catch-up Trump last Wednesday announced 34% tariffs on China, on top of the 20% in levies applied earlier this year. China responded Friday with 34% tariffs on U.S. goods. Trump on Monday threatened another 50% in tariffs on China if Beijing doesn't back down. So far, China's answer is a clear no. Trump claimed talks with Beijing about "requested meetings" will be "terminated." The White House confirmed to CNBC that 104% tariffs on China were set to be effective from Wednesday. "China realized it makes little sense to restrain itself if the U.S.' ultimate target is to restrain China," Jianwei Xu, senior economist for Greater China, at Natixis, said in a webinar Monday. "That is very, very alarming for the Chinese government." He only expects a deal if the two countries find their domestic bases are getting hurt and pointed out that China has been negotiating with the U.S. since 2018, much earlier than any other government now reeling from tariffs. Hardening on both sides Beyond some piecemeal limits on tariffs or Chinese exports, it's not clear what a U.S.-China deal would look like. During the Biden administration, China repeatedly asked the U.S. to remove its tech restrictions, only to be rebuffed. Trump has dangled ByteDance's divestiture of TikTok's U.S. operations as an option for lower tariffs the company said Saturday that "differences on key issues remain," while Trump yet again extended the deadline for a sale. "At this point there is really no point of President Xi and President Trump meeting, unless something is worked out in the background," Ren said. She is closely watching whether U.S. economic pressures force Trump to slow the process of decoupling from China. She said the policy coming out of the two countries reflects how decisions are being made at the very top and serves as a reminder to investors that U.S.-China competition is here to stay, even with other market narratives about DeepSeek AI or stimulus in China. Commentary published Monday on the front page of the state-run People's Daily newspaper underscored how China is focused on bolstering its own economy in the face of escalating trade tensions. China's policy has become more consistent and clearer around its aims, such as minimizing economic disruption, Yue Su, principal economist, China, at the Economist Intelligence Unit, said in an email Monday. As for the U.S., she expects Trump's team to increasingly lean toward more hardline positions. In her view, China's response on Friday was "clearly a calculated decision," not an impulsive one. Su said China's president has tended to rely on advisers for trade-related decisions, while Xi himself usually focuses more on broad agendas such as anti-corruption, green development and "common prosperity" an effort to crack down on surging income inequality. Centralized decision making allows both sides to raise or roll back tariffs quickly, she said. "That said, it introduces more short-term volatility in both the financial market and the real economy." For Chinese stocks, there's also questions about how Beijing will boost growth at home, and whether other companies will prove as innovative as DeepSeek. Domestic stimulus "could come any day now," Matt Wacher, chief investment officer, Asia-Pacific, at Morningstar Investment Management, said in an interview Monday. He is looking for opportunities to add to positions in China tech and consumer. "We also think both sides potentially will want to come to a deal if there's a deal available," he said. "But there seems to be a kind of a bit intransigence at the moment." An oil pumpjack is seen in a field on April 08, 2025 in Nolan, Texas. U.S. crude oil futures jumped more than 4% on Wednesday, booking its best day since October of 2024 after President Donald Trump announced a lower tariff rate for countries except China. The U.S. benchmark rose $2.77, or 4.65%, to close at $62.35 per barrel, while global benchmark Brent gained $2.66, or 4.23%, to settle at $65.48 per barrel. U.S. crude hit an intraday low of $55.12 earlier in the session after Beijing announced tariffs of 84% on U.S. goods in response to Trump's levies. China's tariffs take effect on April 10. But the oil market turned around, swinging more than 13% from its low after Trump dramatically reversed course on his trade war. The president said lower tariff rates of 10% would apply to countries for 90 days with exception of China. He increased rates on China to 125% effective immediately. Traders have been worried the world is descending into a full-blown trade war that will trigger a recession, hitting crude oil demand. OPEC+, meanwhile, has agreed to accelerate output in May, which will bring more oil to a market that was already facing a surplus. The collision of recession fears and growing oil supply is a "toxic cocktail," Helima Croft, global head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets, told CNBC on Tuesday. The U.S. and Iran are scheduled to hold talks in Oman on Saturday to discuss the Islamic Republic's nuclear program. Successful negotiations could result in more Iranian oil entering the global market. Every weekday the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer holds a "Morning Meeting" livestream at 10:20 a.m. ET. Here's a recap of Wednesday's key moments. 1. Markets are volatile on Wednesday after a nasty intraday reversal on Tuesday. Wall Street is focused on spiking 10-year Treasury yield rates, which at one point briefly topped 4.5% before retreating somewhat. However, Jim Cramer said investors should not lose sight of potentially encouraging signs in the market Wednesday, most notably that companies with major exposure to China such as Apple and Broadcom are "reacting positively." Those are stocks that "should be signaling we're in trouble," Jim said. Meanwhile, the S & P Oscillator is in historic deeply oversold territory at minus 10.62%, leading us to make small buys in Dover and Texas Roadhouse. The Oscillator, our trusted momentum indicator, has only hit minus 10 on 12 occasions in the past 17 years. 2. Retaliations for the U.S. latest tariff announcements are underway. China hit the U.S. with tariffs of 84% on imported goods, up from 34%, effective Thursday. This comes after the U.S. increased minimum tariffs on imports from China to 104%. The rapid escalation of events leaves little doubt that trade between the world's two largest economies is in a tricky spot. 3. The European Union also responded to U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum, approving their first set of retaliatory tariffs to begin on April 15. The countertariffs are expected to include goods such as soybeans, poultry and metals, among other things, CNBC reported. A silver lining, according to Jim, is that Europe could have instead targeted American tech giants, such as Alphabet-owned Google and Apple. "What we're being hurt by is our own tariffs," Jim said. Jeff Marks, director of portfolio analysis for the Club, said investors should keep their eyes peeled for any deals with other countries, which could improve optimism and sentiment in the markets. (Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust is long AVGO, COF, DOV . See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED. The International Solar Alliance (ISA) and India's state-run NTPC are slated to sign tripartite agreements with 7 African countries for large-scale solar energy projects. A 30 megawatt (MW) floating solar energy project is slated to come up in Mauritius, while solar projects of 800 MW capacity are planned in Guinea, 400 MW in Ethiopia, 100 MW each in Malawi and Zambia and 50 MW each in Mali and Niger. As project management consultant, NTPC will conduct a viability study for solar projects in Mauritius, Ethiopia, Guinea, Malawi, Niger, Mali and Zambia. While talks with Ethiopia and Guinea are at an advanced stage, business models may be customized to popularise the schemes and spread the reach of solar projects, on the request of countries like Zambia. NTPC's role is also likely to include design of the bid process for selection of a project developer. As per ISA, a large chunk of solar modules for projects in Africa are imported from India along with a large footprint of Indian power developers in implementation of renewable energy projects. Despite an increase in export of solar modules from India, China continues to remain the largest supplier of solar equipment across the world, for which ISA is trying to diversify sourcing to hedge risks amidst uncertainty in global supply chains. Stock Market Highlights: Indices end in the red but off lows, Nifty 50 holds 22,400; IT biggest laggards By CNBCTV18.COM Apr 9, 2025 3:53 PM IST (Updated) Stock Market Highlights: The Sensex slipped 380 points to close at 73,847, while the Nifty ended 137 points lower at 22,399. Weakness persisted across sectors, driven largely by global cues, tariff-related concerns, and selling in heavyweight IT stocks. Stock Market Highlights: Equity benchmarks closed in the red on Wednesday but managed to recoup some losses by the end of trade, with the Nifty holding above the 22,400 mark despite a volatile session. The market remained choppy through the day, tracking global newsflows around US tariff decisions and a cautious undertone ahead of key domestic cues. Information technology stocks led the decline, with TCS, Infosys, HDFC Bank, and SBI emerging as the top Nifty losers. The Nifty Bank index dropped 271 points to settle at 50,240, while the broader Nifty Midcap index fell 256 points to 49,582, reflecting wider pressure across the board. Selling intensified in gold financing companies ahead of the Reserve Bank of Indias regulatory disclosures, with Muthoot Finance tumbling 7%. President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Slovakia on Wednesday in the second leg of her two-nation State visit, becoming only the second Indian Head of State to visit the Slovak Republic.The president landed in Vienna after concluding her State visit to Portugal and took a road route to reach Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, in the middle of the night.During her two-day stay in Slovakia, President Murmu will hold delegation-level talks and meet with President Peter Pellegrini, Prime Minister Robert Fico and National Council Speaker Richard Rasi.The last time an Indian President visited Slovakia was 29 years ago. Murmu becomes only the second Indian President to visit the Central European Country."There are deep connections, especially with Sanskrit studies in Slovakia. Mahatma Gandhis works have been translated into Slovak, and Slovakia offered valuable support during the evacuation of Indian students from Ukraine in 2022, External Affairs Ministry Secretary (West) Tanmaya Lal told a media briefing on April 4.India-Slovakia relations are also important in the context of India-EU partnership, he said.In fact, Slovakia had joined the European Union at the time when India and EU had launched the strategic partnership, he had said.During President Murmus time in Slovakia, a key highlight will be her visit to the state-of-the-art Tata Motors Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) facility in Nitra, a testament to the strong industrial ties between the two nations.Inaugurated in 2018 with an investment of 1.4 billion Euros, the JLR plant has a capacity to produce 150,000 vehicles annually.The President arrived here after concluding her two-day State visit to Portugal during which she held discussions with the countrys top leadership and engaged with the Indian diaspora, "carrying forward the strong momentum of high level engagements between the two nations.Lal had said on April 4, "So with Slovakia also, there is a strong political momentum. At the same time, business engagement is going there is an exchange of business delegations. There is significant investment by Indian companies in Slovakia in a range of sectors from automobiles and engineering to IT. There are long-standing defense ties as well between the two countries. 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. Interview: U.S. tariffs to rattle global trade, backfire on U.S. -- Egyptian expert Xinhua) 13:25, April 09, 2025 CAIRO, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Sweeping U.S. tariffs could destabilize global trade and ultimately backfire on the United States itself, an Egyptian analyst told Xinhua in a recent interview. Mokhtar Ghobashy, secretary general of the Al-Farabi Center for Political Studies in Egypt, said that U.S. President Donald Trump "dropped an economic bomb on the global trade system," and that while the repercussions will be felt worldwide, the United States may be among the hardest hit. Trump's tariff package includes a 10 percent baseline tariff on goods from all countries and "reciprocal tariffs" targeting economies with allegedly "high trade barriers" to U.S. exports. Some Middle Eastern countries, including Syria, Iraq and Jordan, are facing levies as high as 41 percent, 39 percent and 20 percent, respectively. "In the Arab world, Iraq maintains an annual trade surplus of nearly 6 billion U.S. dollars with the United States, while Jordan recorded in 2024 a trade surplus of about 1 billion dollars with the country," he said, explaining why some of the regional countries were dealt with a heavier blow. Trump's thinking behind his tariff measures, he said, is clearly dominated by an "America First" mentality, promoting unilateralism and reshaping international power dynamics in favor of Washington. The United States is going through one of its most dangerous phases -- "imperial overstretch," meaning it has hit its peak and is now facing a decline. But still, Trump believes the tariffs could help preserve U.S. status as the world's sole superpower and prevent a rapid decline, he noted. "Many economists have criticized these U.S. actions, warning that they could lead to a major global recession," Ghobashy said. The ongoing tariff tensions could shift global trade dynamics in ways that would undermine U.S. interests, he warned. "In this context, it has been suggested that the EU and China might strengthen their trade relations," he said, adding that some nations may even begin to distance themselves from Washington and pursue new alliances and trade paths that exclude the United States. The United States has started a trade war "believing it will ultimately serve its interests," but will only find it straining trade relations with numerous countries, said Ghobashy. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) For web publishers, stopping AI bots from scraping their best content while consuming valuable bandwidth must feel somewhere between futile and nigh impossible. Its like throwing a cup of water at a forest fire. No matter what you try, the new generation of bots keeps advancing, insatiably consuming data to train AI models that are currently in the grip of competitive hyper-growth. But with traditional approaches for limiting bot behavior, such as a robots.txt file, looking increasingly long in the tooth, a solution of sorts might be on the horizon through work being carried out by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) AI Preferences Working Group (AIPREF). Once upon a time, we were ruled by kings. This was a bad system, so we rose up and declared that we refused to live that way. Except for those of us who act in movies, however, who agreed to submit to the whims of one dictatorial director. And sometimes, in these movies, things go wrong. This is when the director really gets to show who they are: by shrugging everything off and delivering a cutting one-liner. 6 Stanley Kubrick Despite Kubricks reputation, his entire career wasnt a series of anecdotes about him being sadist. Why, there are several crazy stories about him that have nothing to do with him being a sadist. This next one, though, really is kind of about him being a sadist. Don't Miss Its about A Clockwork Orange and that famous bit of therapy known as the Ludovico Technique. Alex, played by Malcom McDowell, is forced to watch disturbing footage while his body is primed to feel nausea, and to ensure he cant look away, his eyes are physically held open with tools called lid locks. Warner Bros. Its basically what you're experiencing looking at your screen right this second. Metal arms really did hold McDowells eyes open during this scene, and one of them scratched his cornea. The meant pain and cloudy vision, and when McDowell announced what had happened, that probably should have called for a break in filming, for the sake of medical attention. Lets go on with the scene, said Kubrick. Ill favor your other eye. 5 Alfred Hitchcock Actress Tallulah Bankhead was known as an exhibitionist. At parties, she would do cartwheels in a dress and no underwear. This penchant for showing off private parts extended to other peoples parts as well. At these same parties, she sometimes led guests to the room where her husband John Emery was avoiding everyone and just sleeping in bed. She'd tear off the sheets and point at his crotch. Did you ever see a prick as big as that before? shed ask. That marriage, surprisingly, didnt last long. Advertisement During one play she did in 1942, she refused to wear underwear, until her union commanded that she do so, following a series of complaints from audience members. Then came 1944, when she did Lifeboat, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. This movie takes place entirely in a lifeboat, featuring survivors of a merchant ship that sinks during World War II. 20th Century Pictures Today, such a movie would cost $180 million. Here, too, Bankhead neglected to wear underwear. Someone complained to Hitchcock exactly who complained is disputed. It might have been the crew, who knew they had to shoot around this choice of hers as she swung her legs out of the tank, and they found this inconvenient. Hitchcock said this issue wasnt his department. And which department was it then, asked the complainer. Hitchcock said he wasnt sure. He said it could be either the makeup or the hairdressing department. 4 John Boorman Deliverance is another movie chiefly about a boat ride, though it also features some assorted misadventures that happen around it. At one point, the guys go over a set of waterfalls that overturn their canoes, breaking one guys leg. That guy is played by Burt Reynolds, and the initial plan for the scene was to place a dummy of him in the boat and then film it falling over the falls. Reynolds took a look at this footage and insisted on doing the scene again, this time for real. It didnt go well for him. He cracked his tailbone and fell out of the boat, risking further injury at least as severe as his character was going to suffer. He let the waterfall take him down, having heard that the water would send him right back up to the surface, but the pressure was much higher than hed expected. Advertisement Along with keeping him under so long that the other guys feared he'd drowned, it ripped off his clothes. Still, it meant they had that shot of his body not a dummy going over the falls. Advertisement He now asked director John Boorman just how the shot looked. Said Boorman, It looked like a dummy going over the falls. Advertisement 3 Michael Bay Phone Booth, from 2002, takes place mostly in a phone booth, which is an object something like a lifeboat, but smaller. Even in 2002, the movie had to go to some way to explain why there was still a phone booth in operation in New York City and why its lead guy was using it when he had a phone of its own, but its all well worth it for the thriller that follows, and the movie made $100 million. 20th Century Pictures Today, such a movie would make $13 million. The reason the movie was set in a phone booth despite taking place in the 21st century was that it wasnt originally conceived in the 21st century at all. Writer Larry Cohen had thought it up decades earlier, when having lunch with Alfred Hitchcock, and he took his inspiration from Lifeboat. It took decades for anyone to buy the script, and for a while, Michael Bay was set to direct it. His first words about the project were, Okay, how do we get this thing out of the damn telephone booth? Advertisement Advertisement Ultimately, Bay was relieved of directorial duties, which instead went to Joel Schumacher. 2 Quentin Tarantino Inglorious Basterds doesnt spell the word bastard correctly, according to most dictionaries we own. At the Cannes film festival, someone directly asked Tarantino why it was spelled that way. I'm never going to explain the spelling, he answered. When you do an artistic flourish like that, to describe it, to explain it, to take the piss out of it would invalidate the whole stroke in the first place. Universal Pictures Take the piss? Does Tarantino not know what take the piss out of means? That makes sense with some mysteries the contents of the Pulp Fiction briefcase is the obvious example but here, trying to make this a mystery feels dickish because we do have a decent idea of the answer. A deleted scene in the script uses that spelling every time one character says that word, to highlight his Boston accent. This was never originally planned as a mystery for the ages. It was just a detail that never made it to the final cut. Advertisement Jennifer Coolidge hasnt seen this much hot, heavy and entirely juvenile on-screen action since she was Stiflers Mom. In case anyone couldnt hear the shrieks of children and man-children alike reverberating from the nearest movie theater, the latest highly anticipated, Jack Black-starred feature film adaptation of a popular video game opened last weekend. Following up Blacks massive commercial success and muted critical reaction to The Super Mario Bros. Movie back in 2023, A Minecraft Movie has already grossed $150 million while audiences struggle to maintain their composure when they hear the line, Chicken Jockey! Don't Miss Coolidge, one of the many celebrity guests in A Minecraft movie, also struggled to maintain her self-control when she had to shoot the scene where her character, Vice Principal Marlene, accidentally hits the CGI-generated Nitwit the Villager with her car, thus forming a romantic connection that Coolidge considers the most carnal of her career, as she explained to The Hook: In A Minecraft Movie, Coolidges character accidentally strikes Nitwit, a villager from the Overworld who is astoundingly voiced by British comedy great Matt Berry, with her car after Nitwit escapes into our dimension, leading to a brief, torrid and entirely insane romantic subplot between the two side characters while Jack Black and friends dealt with the more important world-saving plot line. You know, I didnt know what he was going to look like until I had a scene with him. And I have to say, I didnt really know that I would be that attracted to it, Coolidge said of her on-screen crush. I mean, I think of all the (romantic) scenes Ive had over the years with different people, different actors, all the sex scenes and stuff, and I have to say my scene with Nitwit I think its the most attracted Ive ever been to a character. While Coolidge has shared screens big and small with countless hunks throughout her celebrated career, not the least of which was the chiseled Italian hitman who courted her with nefarious intentions during Season Two of The White Lotus, Nitwit has no equal in Coolidge's eyes among other body parts. Certainly turned on, Coolidge said of her first impressions of her scene partner. Advertisement When her co-star Jason Momoa asked Coolidge how A Minecraft Movie director Jared Hess sold her on a romantic arc with a geometric CGI NPC, Coolidge admitted, He just sent me a naked photo of (Nitwit). Id love to see this photo, Momoa said, then asking about the kids' movie characters cock and balls, Is it blocky? Square? The recently-released teaser trailer for Akiva Schaffers reboot of The Naked Gun provoked a number of responses from fans online. Some thought it looked great. Others claimed it was disastrous. And a number of people were mostly fixated on the fact that a 72-year-old Liam Neeson is playing a character who is canonically 31. One person who seems to be a tad reticent about the new Naked Gun movie is Glenn Howerton and not just because hes soured on the idea of reboots altogether after not landing the lead role in the new American Psycho. Don't Miss Prior to the trailers release, the Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia star was a guest on The Movies That Made Me, a terrific podcast in which actors and filmmakers discuss the motion pictures that influenced their lives. Speaking with the podcasts hosts, screenwriter Josh Olson and legendary filmmaker Joe Dante, Howerton admitted that while his list didnt include the comedy classic Airplane!, it did find room for the much-maligned Airplane II: The Sequel. Play Thats because Howerton saw the movie when he was a young kid, before he was aware of the first Airplane! or any other spoof movie in the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker style. To me it was this absurdist masterpiece, Howerton explained. He also extolled the virtues of ZAZs Top Secret! because its just an excuse to string a bunch of jokes together, and Im fine with that. Advertisement According to Howerton, these movies showed me that giving a sort of a dramatic performance of absurd material is actually far funnier than giving an absurd performance of absurd material. For example, Leslie Nielsens famous Dont call me Shirley line was delivered with the same gravitas that he would give a great dramatic performance. Advertisement Which is a comedy lesson that Howerton clearly took to heart: Advertisement Advertisement Howerton also expressed his admiration for The Naked Gun and quizzed Dante about his time directing its TV antecedent Police Squad! Ill tell you what scares me guys, Howerton added. I love Liam Neeson, but apparently they have either remade or are remaking The Naked Gun with Liam Neeson playing Frank Drebin and I dont know if its going to work. Its a bad idea, Dante bluntly responded. Advertisement I kind of think so too, Howerton agreed, although he did concede that a comedy starring Neeson could be fun, if it wasnt connected to the Naked Gun franchise. If I heard that Liam Neeson was doing a riotous comedy that wasnt already made brilliantly done already by an iconic actor giving an iconic performance Id be maybe less concerned. Its a completely understandable reaction. But for all we know, 2025s The Naked Gun could reach some kid the same way Airplane II inspired Howerton, despite also being wildly unnecessary. During a visit to the recent Kyiv International Cyber Resilience Forum 2025 in Ukraine, I encountered a recurring theme across a plethora of speakers: always be flexible and keep your options open and active. The context for these discussions was drawn from both the kinetic and cyber wars being fought in Ukraine against the invading Russia. For example, one panel discussion highlighted that international cooperation is key to waging a cyber war, and expounded upon how Ukraine has been successful in repelling Russias cyberattacks due to the assistance and collaboration from private entities in the United States and Europe. And Id argue that this is a fundamental tenet of modern cyber warfare the threats are global, and it takes a coordinated international response to defend against them. We're an independent student-run newspaper, and need your support to maintain our coverage. Donate Six months ago the six-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy shocked us all by announcing he has terminal prostate cancer. His bravery and candour in talking so openly about the diagnosis nobody wants to hear are as inspiring as his achievements in the Velodrome. I am so grateful to the courage shown by Sir Chris and every man whos stepped up to speak out. Having been through kidney cancer myself, I know how difficult it can be to say those words out loud. I also want to thank the Mail for its important campaign to raise awareness about prostate cancer. The UK National Screening Committee is thoroughly examining all the evidence for prostate cancer screening programmes, including targeted approaches for those at higher risk. I hope they can recommend a way forward that allows the NHS to seek out prostate cancer more proactively for those most at risk, but any programme must be evidence led and clinically led. Regardless of the outcome of the review later this year, theres no doubt that the big change needed in the NHS is to move from a service that delivers late diagnosis, and therefore less effective and more expensive treatment, to one that diagnoses earlier and treats faster. Theres plenty we can be doing now to start turning the tide on prostate cancer. After the election, I said that the NHS is broken. Nowhere is that clearer than in cancer care, where delays are costing lives. My constituent and friend Nathaniel Dye waited more than 100 days to start treatment, during which time his cancer became incurable. I feel the weight on my shoulders every day to deliver for Nathaniel so that the NHS is there for patients like him much earlier in the future. Sir Chris Hoy, who has spoken with candour about his terminal prostate cancer diagnosis, with his wife Sarra Kemp Health Secretary Wes Streeting has backed the Mail's campaign for proactive prostate cancer screening Through a combination of investment and reform in the Governments Plan for Change, we will fix our health service and make it fit for the future. Weve hit the ground running, delivering an extra two million elective appointments seven months earlier than we promised in our manifesto and reducing waiting lists by more than 193,000. Behind these numbers are patients who were helping beat the odds with quick referrals, speedy diagnosis and rapid treatment. Some 80,000 suspected cancer patients have been diagnosed earlier this year compared to last. None of this would have been possible if we hadnt ended damaging strikes and put resident doctors back on the front line, rather than the picket line, allowing operations and consultations to continue. Were also working round the clock by opening community diagnostic centres and surgical hubs into the evenings and on weekends. Cancer doesnt clock off at 5pm on a Friday, so healthcare shouldnt either. Were also ensuring were making the most of the latest, cutting-edge technology, along with investing in trials, including 16million with Prostate Cancer UK to find a better way of catching the disease. In the long run, it is the radical reshaping and modernisation of the NHS that will deliver the goods. Through our Ten-Year Health Plan, well bring our NHS into the 21st century by harnessing the revolution in genomics and data. Healthcare will become more personal, more predictive and more preventative. It will allow us to judge patients risk of diseases like cancer and provide them with personal care accordingly, to catch cancer earlier and treat it faster. And it will save countless families the trauma of losing their sons, brothers, husbands and fathers to this cruel disease. It was a display of breathtaking hypocrisy. Xi Jinping faced leaders of 40 of the world's biggest businesses, arrayed in front of him in the Great Hall of the People like supplicants before the emperor. They were summoned last month to hear him describe China as a bastion of stability in global trade, a champion of globalisation in the face of the Trump wrecking-ball. It is a wonder any of them could keep a straight face. Since then, Xi has doubled down on that message, and China's attempt to present itself as responsible and grown up in the face of Trump's tantrums is one of the more surreal aspects of the intensifying trade war. Beijing has accused Donald Trump of 'naked extortion', 'coercion' and breaking international rules. 'Putting 'America First' over international rules is a typical act of unilateralism, protectionism and economic bullying,' said China's Foreign Affairs spokesman Lin Jian. Yet all of those accusations could also be levelled at China since it joined the World Trade Organisation in 2001 with empty promises of following the rules. It has unashamedly gamed the system, largely ignoring its obligations, bullying with abandon, using trade, investment and market access as tools for coercion. As Barack Obama noted in his memoir A Promised Land, China's rise has been facilitated by systematically 'evading, bending or breaking just about every agreed-about rule of international commerce'. Piracy and the cyber-theft of technology and other know-how continues on an industrial scale. Whatever your judgment on Trump's chaotic tariffs and the market fallout, the mood in Washington is rooted in deep-seated and genuine anger at China's behaviour. Beijing has accused Donald Trump of 'naked extortion', 'coercion' and breaking international rules The Chinese Communist Party has clearly been planning for a possible intensification of the trade war with the US for some time, but is unlikely to have anticipated tariffs on this scale This week, China said it would 'fight to the end' in response to Trump's latest threat to impose an additional 50 per cent tariff on Chinese imports, unless Beijing backs down on retaliatory tariffs of 34 per cent it imposed last week on American goods. Beijing also announced further restrictions on the export of rare earths, which are used in the manufacture of batteries and electrical vehicles, as well as having military applications. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has clearly been planning for a possible intensification of the trade war with the US for some time, but is unlikely to have anticipated tariffs on this scale. The party insists the economy is strong and resilient, and has been taking foreign journalists on tours of its high-tech industries, including the usually secretive Shanghai campus of Huawei, a technology champion. Yet there is a touch of the Potemkin village about this, since the reality is an economy in deep trouble. It is still suffering from a collapse in the property sector, which was responsible for a quarter of the economy, and soaring youth unemployment. Few companies are making money and Xi's efforts to export his way out of trouble, with heavily subsidised renewable energy tech leading the way, is especially vulnerable to tariffs. Trump also appears to have rumbled one of Xi's key strategies for side-stepping tariffs 'transhipping' Chinese goods via third countries. Chinese investment in Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia, for example, has soared, but much of this has taken the form of 'screw-driver plants' where Chinese components are merely bolted together. They too have now been hit with tariffs 46 per cent in the case of Vietnam, 36 per cent on Thai goods, 24 per cent on Malaysia. Any negotiations between these countries and Washington will almost certainly focus on cracking down on Chinese transhipments. China's efforts to direct cheap exports to other countries as America becomes increasingly difficult (possibly aided by a devalued Renminbi, China's currency) will also face pushback. Few countries including Britain will welcome a tidal wave of cheap Chinese imports redirected from America. Low prices to consumers will need to be balanced against the enormous damage to domestic industries unable to compete. The foreign executives summoned to meet Xi last month will know that China has never provided a level playing field. Indeed, Xi is now waging a war on foreign business. Spurious 'security' raids, arrests and forced handover of technology have become routine. Carrying burner phones and throwaway laptops has become essential for visiting executives, since no device is safe after exposure to ubiquitous Chinese surveillance. Now that Xi needs foreign business executives, they may feel they no longer need Xi. As hard as it can be to make sense of Trump's barrage of tariffs, it is difficult to conjure up too much sympathy for the Chinese Communist Party. It is in a predicament of its own making. China's 'super economy' propaganda, Xi's courting of foreign businesses smacks of desperation. Xi is unlikely to remove the 34 per cent retaliatory tariffs on US goods as demanded by Trump. To do so would be an enormous loss of face. Trump on current form will go ahead with his additional 50 per cent. Xi will then be under pressure to retaliate, perhaps hitting high-profile targets, such as Apple or Tesla, both heavily reliant on China as a market and production base. Both have been important partners for Beijing in modernising its technology supply chains and cheerleaders for engagement with China, but this may not count for much if hostilities escalate. Aides close to Trump have given mixed messages as to whether they are open to negotiating down the tariffs, but this is unlikely to include China. For all the bravado coming from Beijing, the Chinese economy is highly vulnerable and will come off worse if the tariff slugfest gathers further momentum. Ian Williams is author of Vampire State: The Rise and Fall of the Chinese Economy, published by Birlinn At the start of the year, Elon Musk launched a sudden and increasingly frenzied attack on the British Government over Muslim rape gangs. There had been a cover-up, he charged. Ministers including the Prime Minister were complicit. While people were being sent to jail for social-media posts, the victims of the gangs were being denied the justice they deserved through a proper national inquiry. At the time his comments were condemned across the political spectrum, including by Sir Keir Starmer. Those that are spreading lies and misinformation as far and as wide as possible, theyre not interested in victims, he told reporters. Theyre interested in themselves. Yesterday, though, we saw the ugly truth. For once, Elon Musk was right. There is a cover-up. Ministers are complicit. And, as a result, the victims of some of the worst abuses in British history are indeed being denied the justice they deserve. It was left to Jess Phillips whose prime responsibility is supposedly safeguarding and preventing violence against women and girls to announce the betrayal. Sir Keir Starmer condemned Elon Musk's comments about grooming gangs at the start of the year, with the Tesla tycoon accusing the Government of a cover-up Jess Phillips this week revealed five local inquiries into the issue would be watered down in favour of 'a flexible approach' Back in January, in an attempt to head off mounting public anger at a failure to get a grip of the scandal, the Government announced a series of five local inquiries. Yesterday Phillips revealed that those were now being watered down in favour of a flexible approach that would involve more bespoke work, including local victims panels. This new plan had been adopted following feedback from local authorities she said. Politics is a grubby business. But its hard to fully quantify the duplicity and cynicism attending this statement. The announcement was, in my view, deliberately timed for the last sitting before Easter Recess when Parliament takes a break. It was the day the Prime Minister was appearing before Parliaments Liaison Committee and amid the unfolding crisis of Trumps tariff war. The Official Opposition was given just 45 minutes notice. So, to use the parlance of Westminster, the Government decided Tuesday was a good day to bury bad news and the victims of the rape gangs. It wasnt just the timing that exposed ministers deceit. Yet again, they attempted to downplay and sanitise the nature of the abuse and, in particular, the overt racism that saw primarily Pakistani-heritage men deliberately targeting white victims. In a powerful intervention, shadow Home Office minister Katie Lam graphically revealed to the House how one of the perpetrators of the abuse had boasted, Were here to f**k all the white girls. Musk's claims regarding the scandal have been vindicated, according to Dan Hodges Jess Phillipss response? I think it is a shame that she referred to only one sort of child-abuse victim, when the statement is clearly about all child-abuse victims. There should be no hierarchy. But most staggering and shamelessly blatant was the Governments own rationale for shelving even those limited inquiries to which it was committed. Every investigation conducted into the abuse has found the local authorities in those areas where it was being perpetrated were guilty through sins either of commission or omission of failing to prevent it. And yet in Phillipss own words, the change of strategy is a direct result of lobbying from those same local authorities. Even before yesterdays announcement it was clear ministers claims to be seeking justice for the rape gangs victims were a hollow sham. Last week it emerged Tom Crowther, the independent barrister Yvette Cooper claimed to have appointed to establish the framework for the local inquiries, had been forced to telephone the Home Office and ask do you still want me?. In response he was told the framework was now being drafted by ministers and advisers. Its obvious why. No 10 has decided that it is simply too politically toxic to allow the full truth of Britains grooming scandal to see the light of day. They have calculated that it would primarily be Labour councils and councillors that would have to be held to account. That, if they were seen to be highlighting the fact the perpetrators were primarily Asian, they would offend their progressive middle-class supporters. And that by specifically exposing the role of Pakistani-heritage men, they would risk a further erosion of their electoral base within the Muslim community. There is, in reality, a hierarchy of priorities. A hierarchy in which, for reasons of political expediency, white girls and white women are placed at the bottom. Labour is not even pretending to mask its strategy any more. On Monday, more than 70 of its MPs dutifully lined up in Westminster Hall to stand in solidarity with two of their colleagues who had recently been barred entry into Israel. But the display had little to do with the principles of parliamentary accountability. Or the unfolding horrors of the Hamas/Israel conflict. Instead it was primarily another attempt to try to appease a Muslim constituency that itself believes it is falling victim to Starmerite betrayal. Which brings us to the other main problem with the U-turn on the rape-gang inquiries: the way in which its mendacity was exceeded only by its stupidity. Ministers generally thought they were being clever. They honestly believed they could sneak it out when Parliament and the Press were otherwise distracted, and smother any criticism they did receive beneath a blanket of self-serving indignation. But they cant. The country can see straight through Labours whitewash. This is the party that has called for wolf-whistling to be made a criminal offence. That has demanded stiff prison sentences for those who engage in discrimination on social media. That demanded a full public inquiry into the institutional racism underpinning the murder of Stephen Lawrence. And yet when confronted with the racism, torture, rape and gang-rape of predominantly white working-class girls and women in Northern cities by Pakistani-heritage men, Labours cries of righteous indignation have suddenly fallen silent. Their passionate demands for transparency and justice have been mysteriously muted, to be replaced by a half-hearted offer of a locally led audit. Yet there is no mystery. Keir Starmer knows the truth. Every member of his Cabinet knows the truth. So does every minister and every Labour MP. Children and women were abused on an industrial scale. The authorities councils, social services, the police at best turned a blind eye, and at worst bullied the victims into submissive silence. And they did so because those who were being raped were white, and their rapists were Asian. Remember the Prime Ministers response when confronted by Elon Musk and his supporters with the allegation he was guilty of covering up these atrocities? Theyre not interested in victims. Theyre interested in themselves. This morning, Sir Keir should reflect on those words. When Musk first made that charge it was nothing more than a wild conspiracy theory. But its not just a theory any more. A dating expert has revealed the 'secret weapon' that men can use to find a partner. Scott Galloway, who is a member of the advisory council for the American Institute for Boys and Men, took part in a 'masculinity debate' on The Diary of a CEO podcast alongside behavioural scientist Logan Ury and host Steven Bartlett. The experts debated if society is failing young boys, today's dating standards and how porn addiction affects men. During the conversation, Scott revealed women tend to look for emotionally intelligent and considerate men who still have 'masculine attributes'. He said: 'What women say they want is an emotionally in-touch man and what they want is a masculine man. 'They will articulate what they want in a man and includes being more emotionally available and then they want to have sex with a traditional masculine man.' Meanwhile Scott pointed out a 'secret weapon' that men should use more if they are hoping to impress a woman. He said: 'A secret weapon I think for men that they don't leverage is to demonstrate kindness, the little things, have good manners, follow up with people, be thoughtful. Scott Galloway, who is a member of the advisory council for the American Institute for Boys and Men, has revealed the 'secret weapon' that men can use to find a partner that they don't often leverage 'Women want to see that you are a good person you, you treat service staff well, you're good to your parents, you have manners, you treat people well, even with no reciprocal expectation. 'Because they know that a kind person, if and when she's vulnerable and needs help and maybe isn't bringing as much to the table for certain periods of time, that this is a kind man. 'Maybe you're smart, maybe you're not, there's not a lot you can do there but the secret weapon I think for men that they don't leverage... is to demonstrate kindness and we don't talk about that enough as men.' Elsewhere Scott claimed that his research has showed him that women also want a man who can 'signal resources'. He explained: 'It doesn't necessarily mean you have to have a Range Rover right now but you have a plan. 'You have your s*** together, you go home at midnight when everyone's partying because you have to be up for work, you work out which shows a level of discipline and that you can commit to something, you're in school, you've got a good job, this person is going to have resources. 'I don't think that's changed a whole lot, I think a man's ability to to signal future resources has gone down, but I'm not sure it's become any less of a criteria.' He revealed that women also look for 'intellect' when looking for a partner which he claimed is very 'instinctual'. Scott took part in a 'masculinity debate' on The Diary of a CEO podcast alongside behavioural scientist Logan Ury and host Steven Bartlett (pictured) Speaking about dating advice that he gives to men and woman, Scott revealed he asks men to look at themselves, while tells women to give men a second date 'If you make good decisions for the tribe your kids are more likely to survive, someone who's smart is more likely to take care of your offspring than someone who's stupid', he added. 'The fastest way to communicate intellect is humour... I've always thought if a guy can make a woman laugh she will date him.' Speaking about dating advice that he gives to men and woman, Scott revealed he asks men to look at themselves, while tells women to give men a second date. He said: 'The first thing I say to men is, "would you want to have sex with you? Are you in shape, what do you look like naked, do you have a plan?" 'You don't have to be rich now, but do you have a plan and have you found the means of being confident, can you demonstrate kindness and excellence. He added: 'The only advice I give women is the second coffee, maybe it wasn't great, I mean if you don't like the guy and you're just like turned off fine, but if it was just okay maybe give it a second date.' Meanwhile, Logan - who is director of relationship science at dating app Hinge - said we need a new definition for modern masculinity. She said: 'I don't think women are saying I want a feminine man, I think they want a modern masculine man and so that means somebody who is decisive and can provide but also somebody who's able to communicate with them emotionally.' Meanwhile Director of Relationship Science at Hinge Logan Ury said we need a new definition for modern masculinity Logan suggested that men's groups were they can open up about their difficulties among their own peers would be beneficial. She said: 'Men's groups are a way that men can lead each other, they can provide this tribe of peers. 'I want there to be tons of men's groups because I really feel like this isn't an issue that a therapist or a mom or I can really solve, I think men need to be solving this problem within themselves.' Scott claimed that men still don't want to open up about their feelings because they fear other men will see them as weak and women won't find that attractive. The public speaker added that men actually do better when they are in relationships because they are 'great guardrails'. He added: 'Without the prospect or the existence of a romantic relationship, men have worse outcomes than women who don't have relationships.' Logan said that women shouldn't have to do 'the emotional labour of raising men' but she also claimed that when people are in happy committed relationships they do learn from each other. Of the many thousands of testimonies I've been sent about sexual abuse in schools, one in particular remains stuck inside my head. It's from a teenager who shared with my charity, Everyone's Invited, how, when she was ten, a fellow pupil said he was going to pay another boy 20 to rape her. 'I didn't know what rape meant but I was frightened,' she wrote. 'I didn't tell anyone.' Someone else, however, did. A boy overheard this awful conversation, which got reported to the female headteacher. She responded by telling this confused little girl that these are the sort of things men say to women and, unfortunately, we have to accept that that's just the way it is. Like me, you're probably wondering what was going through this headteacher's mind when she said that. Was it her clumsy way of trying to prepare a young girl for her future life as a woman in a misogynistic world? Or was she simply shutting down a conversation she didn't know how to have or a situation she didn't know how to deal with? We'll never know. But what I am sure of is that this child's testimony perhaps less harrowing than others submitted via a submission form to Everyone's Invited, but still deeply disturbing encapsulates why the work we've been doing with secondary school children for the last three years now urgently needs aging down to primary school level. I set up the website Everyone's Invited in 2020 to record the experiences of teenagers at schools in the UK, eventually gathering more than 10,000 incidents of harassment and abuse that sparked a widespread scandal across both the private and state school sector. But waiting until children are 13 to teach them how to challenge misogyny is clearly too late. Soma Sara, who founded the website Everyone's Invited in 2020 to record the experiences of teenagers at schools in the UK, is now exposing a wave of misogyny in primary schools, with more than 1,000 accounts submitted to the site Girls aged four to 11 are being subjected to the worst of rape culture at primary school: sexist name-calling, harassment, molestation and even penetration (stock image) Recently we published the names of 1,664 UK primary schools whose former pupils have anonymously shared with us their experiences of sexual harassment and assault. We're talking here about little girls aged between just four and 11 being exposed to the worst of rape culture: sexist name-calling, harassment, molestation and even penetration. As well as this ten-year-old being told she would be raped, another told us she was only four when she was forcibly taken to a playground shed by a group of around 15 older boys and made to kiss one of them while the others blocked the door. Two years later one of these same boys grabbed her by the hair before slamming her against a metal fence. 'He told me I could only go back to playing if I kissed him,' she wrote. Other children told of being molested during lessons, of being slapped and choked in the playground, of being penetrated with sharp objects and of being called vile derogatory names. One six-year-old was asked to have a threesome with two classmates. The mother of a five-year-old told us how a boy took her daughter's glasses and said she couldn't have them back until she took her knickers down. She said that when she reported this to the school, the headteacher insisted this was normal childhood curiosity. But it surely wasn't. This was no case of 'I'll show you mine if you show me yours' - the boy was clearly coercing the girl into something she didn't want to do. Reading this avalanche of disturbing primary school testimonies has left me reeling. It's hard to shake off such devastating stories. I feel deeply saddened by them all. Soma began sharing on Instagram her own experiences of rape culture at school and university when she was 22 years old Not least because of the sheer scale at which this is happening. The list of schools, which covers the length and breadth of the country, equate to children at one in 12 UK primaries. Many will still be grappling with how to tie their own shoelaces, and yet are now also having to navigate the kind of misogynistic hatred that grown women find terrifying to comprehend. At that age, many girls don't have the language to even describe what's been done to them. And so they silently carry their experiences, mired in shame. Meanwhile the perpetrators are victims too little boys who've been indoctrinated by an explosion in online misogyny against women, which they're being exposed to at far younger ages than perhaps any of us previously let ourselves imagine. Something has to change. And for all the demands being placed on the Government to ban mobile phones for under-16s and limit the flow of pornography into our homes, this problem is so big we all need to become part of the solution. The most recent National Police Chief's Council report shows there has been a 400 per cent increase in child sexual abuse and exploitation from 2013-2024 and 52 per cent of alleged offenders in cases of sexual violence in primary schools are children themselves, compared to 33 per cent just a decade ago. Some children may learn this sort of abhorrent behaviour from the adults they share space with in real life - but increasingly they learn it from the online world where they're only ever a few misplaced clicks away from the sort of sexualised content that dehumanises us all. And that's where our collective attention now needs to be focused. Because that exposure to violent online pornography and the toxic alpha-influencers who speak about women in hateful ways, plays a huge part in how our girls are being treated by their peers. It also informs what our young boys grow up believing true masculinity to be. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how many parental filters you've put on your wifi, or how firm you stand on not giving your child their own phone until they're in their teens. If just one kid in a class of eight-year-olds has unfettered use of a smartphone (and there's always at least one), then every other child on their radar has access to whatever nastiness they seek or unwittingly find. That includes being exposed to the poison spouted by the incel community young men who consider themselves unable to attract women sexually, and typically hold views that are hostile towards women. This is no longer fringe, but mainstream thinking, teaching young boys that women must be dominated, tamed and oppressed; that being emotional or vulnerable is to show unacceptable weakness. Recently, all this has been addressed at teenage level in the powerful Netflix drama Adolescence. This chilling depiction of radicalisation has sparked a national conversation about the dangers of young boys becoming enthralled by these toxic influencers. The Prime Minister has even said the four-part series should be shown in schools. This is encouraging, but there's a danger that once we run out of plaudits for Adolescence, and a new show grabs our collective attention, the conversation will end there. We can't let that happen; we must keep talking about the issues it has raised in order to bring about meaningful change. I've already seen how that works with Everyone's Invited. Five years ago, I began sharing on Instagram my own experiences of rape culture at school and university when I was 22 years old. After receiving hundreds of responses, I founded the website for survivors to share stories about misogyny and sexual harassment in schools. It went viral, ultimately leading to an Ofsted review of safeguarding policies and experiences in schools. Everyone's Invited is now a charity, of which I am CEO and founder. Today, we send teams into secondary schools challenging everything from the casual sexist language being used by young boys, to the way things like groping, upskirting and misogynistic attitudes have become normalised elements of teenage life. We help children to critically evaluate the online world so that when not if they stumble upon its horrors, they don't immediately accept things like degrading, abusive porn as being normal. Until now, 13 seemed the right point at which to intervene. But over the last three years what started as a trickle of testimonies from primary schools has become a devastating outpouring. So we've begun exploring how we can empower primary school teachers in what is a new arena for them 80 per cent have admitted to us that they feel ill-equipped to address these difficult issues. Most say they're aware of pupils aged nine and younger already watching online pornography. And that they've witnessed misogynistic, violent, sexist language in the classroom and playground. Educating young children requires talking to them about far more than the importance of boys being respectful to girls. We must also warn both sexes of the dangerous content they will inevitably find online. There will, no doubt, be a pushback from older generations, who will find the idea of discussing porn, even in the most careful, age-appropriate way, with eight-year-olds repulsive. They'll see it as an affront to children's innocence. Sadly, childhood innocence no longer exists in the way older people remember it, because of what the internet exposes them to long before they even get to secondary school. Also, the buck doesn't stop with primary school teachers. Parents and grandparents have a huge role to play, beyond not being squeamish about the difficult conversations that must be had in school and at home. Many see young people turning away from drugs and alcohol and think that means they're living more wholesome lives. But what good is sobriety if exposure to violent pornography and women-hating influencers is poisoning their world in other, more pervasive ways? Children are being exposed to harmful content online from an early age due to the prevalence of smart phones (stock image) They want to believe that limiting children's access to online culture is the answer, but that is utterly unrealistic. We live in a digital age; our children increasingly socialise, learn and do their homework online. There isn't going to be a digital retreat. How can there be when our smartphones have become our third arms? Instead, adults need to venture deep into the online cultures that Generation Alpha that's anyone under 16 are being exposed to. That means downloading all the apps young children shouldn't have accounts with but do. So, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat you need to be literate in them all. You need also to look at YouTube, and anything else your child might conceivably be viewing, so you can try to understand their world. Because it's not just porn and misogyny that is tainting their childhoods. Our research found that 62 per cent of girls have experienced shame about their bodies by the age of six and 69 per cent of boys by the age of nine. Primary school age girls have beauty regimes and worry about not being pretty enough, thin enough or having too much body hair. Boys are suffering similarly as they obsess over their looks too. All roads lead back to online culture here too. But none of this is hopeless. When my story first blew up in the media, rape culture was a phrase always referred to with inverted commas. People didn't want to believe it was real, or that it led to violence against women and girls. Now, there's no questioning that rape culture exists. Young people have a name now for the toxicity that impacts them horribly. They're far better able to call it out. With prudent, age-appropriate intervention, we can empower our children with the same knowledge, which will help them counter the violence, hate and misogynistic porn that is blighting their lives too. But as the heartbreaking testimonies of all those primary school children has revealed, we must start it now and when they're much younger than any of us me included ever wanted to believe. * As told to Rachel Halliwell For more information visit everyonesinvited.uk There's no denying that denim skirts are having a big fashion moment. If you've been on the hunt for a stylish, affordable alternative to high-end brands, Kmart has just dropped yet another game-changer for denim-lovers everywhere. Their latest Denim A-Line Maxi Skirt ($30) is almost identical to the stunning $475 Viktoria & Woods 'Kingmaker' mid-rise denim skirt. That's over 90 per cent less, if you're doing the girl-math. When it comes similarities to the flattering A-line silhouette and soft, cream-coloured denim fabric, the resemblance is uncanny. Both skirts feature a clean, minimalist design that can easily be dressed up or down with large pockets adorned with light brown stitching. The cut flatters all body types, giving you a sleek, elongated silhouette that's perfect for both casual and dressed-up occasions. 'Is this a rigid denim or is there some stretch to the fabric?' asked one TikTok fan about the Kmart style. Kmart's 'perfect dupe' of this Viktoria & Woods mid-rise denim is 90 per cent cheaper. Both the Kmart and Viktoria & Woods versions come in an ecru shade a neutral tone that complements virtually every other colour in your wardrobe When it comes similarities to the flattering A-line silhouette and soft, cream-coloured denim fabric, the resemblance is uncanny To which the answer was 'stretch'. 'These are perfect. Kmart run for sure,' another commented. Both the Kmart and Viktoria & Woods versions come in an ecru shade a neutral tone that complements virtually every other colour in your wardrobe. This means you can easily mix and match with bold prints, pastels, or even other neutrals. It's a timeless piece that taps into the minimalist, 'quiet luxury' trend that's been dominating the fashion scene. Kmart very recently had shoppers obsessing over another denim garment a $45 Long Sleeve Belted Denim Midi Dress that looked nearly identical to Australian fashion label Aje's Colorado style. Fans labelled it to be a 'perfect dupe' of a sell-out $525 designer buy. Both collared denim midi dresses feature long blouson sleeves with cuffs, buttons, double belt loops, side pockets and stitching details. Fashion-forward shoppers are obsessing over a $45 item from Kmart (left) that fans claim to be the 'perfect dupe' of Aje's sell-out $525 dress (right) Aje is widely known for its high-quality materials, bold silhouettes, vibrant colors, and luxury pieces with unique prints. Aussie fashion blogger, known as Kmart Insider, shared her excitement over the affordable alternative to the high-end dress, which was so popular that it sold out everywhere. 'Been waiting Aje's for a midi version to land at Kmart and it's finally happening,' she said in an Instagram post. 'Can't get over the likeness and price of this Aje dupe.' David, my boyfriend, as I still like to describe him despite his being 77 and me 67, was lying in the recovery ward of the Royal Marsden Hospital when he proposed to me. It was only a couple of hours after his major surgery for liver cancer and he was, amazingly, sitting up in bed with a cup of tea, wired up to fentanyl, dripping pain-free elation. I was thrilled to see him in such good condition. Will you marry me?, he asked in a slightly slurred voice. It took me only a heartbeat to answer no. That morning we had travelled down in a lift to the operating area of the hospital and I had kissed him goodbye. I wasnt sure I was going to see him alive again. A nurse saw me looking tearful as I began my journey back upstairs and said cheerfully: Dont worry, hell be OK. What cancer does he have? When I answered liver, she didnt look so certain. Its now three years on from that sickbed proposal, and 20 years from the start of our romantic relationship, and hes still here and were still not married. We met in 1976 when Jane, my best friend then and still now, suggested I join her and a nice man she had met at a party. They were to meet outside Browns on South Molton Street which was having a sale. Browns was then the most fashionable boutique in London and, aged 19, she and I had just left school so that was not our usual stomping ground, but David was ten years older, so I assumed this was the kind of thing glamorous older men did. As it happens, David, who was then a researcher at Granada TV, was there waiting on the pavement but no Jane. He was skinny, good-looking, with thick, curly hair and a warm and friendly Puckish quality. David and Alexandra met in 1976 after being introduced through friends We were always pleased to see each other across the room at a party, and sometimes he would accompany me at events I went to as editor of Vogue I dont remember whether we went into the shop, especially because as I now know, David doesnt buy clothes from expensive boutiques, but we had a burger together across the road in The Widow Applebaums, then a well-known deli. Weve remained friends ever since through the birth of his two children with his long-term girlfriend, and through my 20s and 30s, my marriage and the birth of my son, Sam. We were together on group holidays with friends, including one with David and his children once he had separated from their mother, and Paul, then my future husband, and his children. On countless occasions David and I were the spare singles at a dinner table. We were always pleased to see each other across the room at a party, and sometimes he would accompany me at events I went to as editor of Vogue. He was an excellent plus one with his gregarious nature and curiosity about everyone and everything. When, in 2004, both his mother and my father died, we were confidantes in grief. A few months later, I rented a house for the August bank holiday to take my newly-widowed mother out of London. My son Sam was nine, and I invited a couple of close friends with their two children to join us. Since my mother is not exactly a down-on-the-knees-with-the-finger-paints type of grandmother, I wanted to include someone to amuse her when we were immersed in childcare. Enter David, whom I collected from the train station wearing a particularly unattractive beige mac. There was no thought of romance from me. Its true that over the years, many of our mutual friends had suggested we might get together and, now and again, I thought it would be the perfect answer if we could. But that was immediately followed by thinking we couldnt. The magic just wasnt there, and what a risk to a wonderful friendship if it all went wrong. It was in a lush Devon valley, he in his 50s, me in my 40s, that our romance began David, though I dont think he minds my saying had nurtured a tendresse for me for some time, although I might add that did not make me a member of a particularly small club. He was known for his astonishing number of short-term liaisons. But it was on that August bank holiday, nestled in a lush Devon valley, he in his 50s, me in my 40s, that our romance began. It took me completely by surprise. Jamelias Superstar was a hit at the time and I drove around the high-hedged narrow lanes singing you must be some kind of superstar to myself joyfully. I do remember thinking, as we lay together that weekend, that for some inexplicable reason I knew this relationship was going to work. Even though for months afterwards I kept holding my breath wondering if I was going to wake up and realise that it wasnt. That we werent ever going to be more than friends. We were fooling ourselves. Several people observed that I did pick them with reference to Davids track record and my previous tricky amours. But Jane, slightly concerned at first about his staying power, felt all would be well having observed him looking at me with cow-eyed devotion. David has never been married. It was one of the achievements he prided himself on, along with never going to Harrods. But I have to Paul, who was my boyfriend in a tempestuous on-off way for about four years. During one of our splits, Paul arrived at our flat and confronted me with a date booked a few days later at Chelsea Register office and a ring. I was 36 and realised we couldnt go on like this, breaking up and making up. If I said no that would be the final end. It was a now or never moment and I said yes. We married with only my sister and brother-in-law as witnesses. I bought a white dress from Ghost and as it happens coincidentally an embroidered white Dries van Noten shawl from Browns boutique and took the wedding day off from Vogue without telling anyone what was happening. It felt lovely marrying Paul. It was as if we had reached a peaceful conclusion. We were going to be happy with each other. Within weeks I was pregnant. Six years after divorcing my husband we became a couple I had never been particularly interested in being married, but having wed relatively late (most of my friends already had families), I had every intention of it lasting for life. Marriage brings with it a sense of stability and I was thrilled to be able to stop wondering whether I would ever marry, and to be in the next stage of a commitment to someone else. But it didnt work out that way, and the grim reality of living with someone as the marriage splinters and then cracks wide open is utterly miserable. Four years later, Paul moved out. I was in a hotel room in Berlin, staying there for a Vogue conference, when he told me on the phone that he wasnt able to be the person I was asking him to be and he was leaving the house we shared in Queens Park, west London. It was the spring of 1999. I looked out from my windows high above the desolate German city being rebuilt by hundreds of waving cranes and tried to pull myself together for the gathering of editors and publishers. I managed to get through the days, but, at night, I panicked about what my life would now become. And how my son would survive the split. When I got home it was Sams third birthday party, a pirate theme. Both Paul and I were there, trying to put on a united front to Sam and the other parents, but after tea, Paul left with all the other adults. I felt very alone I was in my 40s and embarking on a new life as a single mother with a very demanding job but I also felt relieved. Living with a husband in a precarious and combustible relationship proved to be way more stressful than being alone. I yanked down the voile curtains Id always hated in the bedroom, got all the windows cleaned and suddenly everything looked much brighter, both literally and metaphorically. It was six years after that painful separation before David and I became a couple. By then, I had become used to being single again, though I wasnt alone I had Sam. My constant companion. I had no desire to find a husband, but I did want to have someone else permanent in my life, albeit someone who could fit in with me and Sam. Fortunately, David immediately did, never trying to take on the role of father, but always being there for Sam, quietly watching from the sidelines. So why on earth did I say no when David so sweetly asked me from his sickbed to marry him? To some, my reaction might seem callous and unloving but I knew he was high on the painkillers, which struck me as an inopportune moment for a big declaration on which to base the rest of our lives. More importantly, the way we co-exist works and I am fearful of jinxing it. When I refused his proposal, David didnt seem remotely concerned. I asked him how he felt about it for this article and he said, no doubt partially joking, that he was probably relieved. But possibly the point for both of us is that he said it. We didnt need to go through with it. Even now, we occasionally banter about the idea of getting married but never with any real intent. We live together, but David keeps his own flat and I own my house. We have separate finances and dont even have a joint household budget. But in many ways our lives are similar to married couples. David makes the bed and the salad dressing; I do all the cooking and change the light bulbs. We do our own personal bureaucracy bills, insurance etc, but we jointly organise holidays and our social lives. It works pretty well most of the time, though not when one or other of us is driving, in which case, if we were married we would probably be divorced by now. If David wants to leave me, there is nothing to keep him here, and similarly if I want him to go, it would be relatively simple in logistical terms. Theres something very liberating about that. It means that the only reason we are together is because we want to be, not because there are any obligations to do so. Perhaps my previous experience of marriage also underpins my attitude. I had the certificate and the wedding ring and that counted for nothing in the end, so its hard to see what the point is now. Despite the number of divorces, marriage is a surprisingly enduring concept, and I have huge admiration for people who make it work. If you have children together, there is certainly something reassuring for them about the idea of that formal commitment. But we havent had any together and, although we are fond of each others children, we dont feel responsible for them. Last year, having had a health scare myself when I had a tumour removed from my colon, I did wonder whether it would be a sensible decision to marry. No husband could have been more supportive than David, who was loving, robust and practical throughout. A confrontation with mortality does make you wonder about putting your financial affairs in order, and marriage can mitigate inheritance tax, which is why many long-term unmarried couples do eventually make their vows. Whenever I see my financial adviser he has a go at suggesting we should tie the knot for the sake of Sam, who would end up better off if I die. David could inherit my estate tax-free and immediately pass it over to my son without incurring tax. But only if David lived for a further seven years, which with our ten-year age difference is not a given. Marrying for that reason strikes me not only as unromantic and not remotely in the spirit of how we love each other, but also tempting fate. Since that proposal three years ago, from time to time I have thought how lovely it would be to have a wedding party with all our friends and family there wishing us well. Note that I say party rather than simply wedding. It would be the fun of the occasion that would be the driver. (Im not marrying in secret again.) But immediately that fantasy is followed by imagining the horror of organising it. We find planning anything together immensely difficult, so the idea that we could peacefully manage a big do is almost impossible. No, its better to stay blissfully single, together in all but married name. A male nurse who killed his mother, father and brother and staged it to look like a murder-suicide in order to steal their money and fund his addiction to a Bulgarian cam girl has said he chose compassion by shooting his family to death. Grant Amato, 35, from Chuluota, Florida, shot dead his parents Chad and Margaret, and brother Cody on January 25 2019, after his father and brother revealed to a webcam girl he was obsessed with that he wasn't as financially successful as he had claimed to be. The nurse had blown $200,000 on the Bulgarian beauty, after stealing $150,000 from his father and even taking out a loan on his parents' house. Grant believed he was 'in love' with Silviya after she helped him break out of his state of depression after losing his job for giving a patient too high an epidural dosage. Speaking in a new BBC Three series, The Man Who Murdered His Family, Grant has confessed to the murders for the first time. The documentary is based on four years of phone conversations between TV director Colin Archdeacon and Grant while he was in prison before and after his trial. Things started to spiral out of control for Grant when he lost his job and with a criminal charge for stealing medicines, he was unable to find other employment which caused him to turn to the online world to escape. Speaking in the documentary, Grant said: 'That was the first time I ever went to a site like that and I kind of fell in love with the first girl I met. 'Her screen name is AdySweet but through getting to know her I found out that her name is actually Silviya.' Grant stole $150,000 from his father, including a loan taken out on his parents' house, sending Bulgarian cam girl Silviya Ventsislavova (pictured) over $200,000 in a three-month period Grant Amato, 35, from Chuluota, Florida, who slaughtered his mother, father and brother after blowing $200k on a webcam model says he had 'compassion' while shooting them to death Silviya became a compulsion and obsession for Grant but he had to pay and bid against other men online for her attention. 'We would be on the phone for four hours and she would rationalise that by saying "well we don't get to see each other physically, like be right next to each other and this is the only outlet that we have, digital pretty much."' For Grant to gain access to a more intimate online relationship with Silviya he had to pay more. Grant said: 'It's like a hierarchy. She did a kind of medieval ranking system where the highest "tippers" rank are called Lords. 'It became like a competition with other guys to tip the most. 'When you reached the top of the table a bell would jingle and everybody would see your name. 'That's why I was tipping the way that I did, for the attention and the glory of it. 'I ended up sending between $12,000 to $15,000 a day, it gets out of hand, it gets crazy.' 'She had the proverbial power of a Cleopatra. 'She could get any man she wanted but when you actually interact with her, she isn't like that. Chad managed to find Silviya's email address and he wrote to tell her who his son really was which forced Grant to come clean Silviya said: 'This thing has caused me extreme stress. Literally almost ruined my whole life. I have barely managed to somehow feel normal again and survive this stress' 'We were acting like a couple of high schoolers who had fallen in love. 'She would teach me Bulgarian. We became so close.' Grant presented himself online as a witty, charismatic successful anaesthetist, who lived by himself, when in reality he had lost his job and was living with his parents. He added: 'The way I acted in that chatroom was comedic, sarcastic, playful. 'But whenever I came back, and interacted with the physical world, I was distant. 'I was closed off.' Angela Jones, PhD, author of Camming, explained the relationship between Grant and Silviya in the documentary. She said: 'A lot of these men are not just looking to log in for immediate sexual gratification. They want the girlfriend experience. 'They want to spend time with the girl, have conversations. They are looking for emotional support. Silviya was just doing her job.' After noticing the mental decline of his brother, Cody took Grant on a trip to Japan so they could relax and unwind from the stresses of everyday life. As the end of the trip came closer Grant started falling back into a depression and on the way home he confessed to Cody about Silviya. After noticing the mental decline of his brother, Cody paid for him and Grant to have a trip to Japan so the could relax and unwind from the stresses of everyday life As the end of the trip came closer Grant started falling back into a depression and on the way home he confessed to Cody about Silviya Cody had sympathy and even financed more money for him to spend on Silviya but back home, he told their parents. Back in Florida, Grant asked Cody for $50,000 so he could fly to Bulgaria to meet Silviya in person, however this is when the family decided to step in and they told Grant that they were taking him to rehab. The family found out that Grant had spent $200,000 by fraudulently opening up separate credit cards in the names of his family without their knowledge, which led to Chad having to remortgage their home. Chad also managed to find Silviya's email address and he wrote to tell her who his son really was which forced Grant to come clean. 'Silviya gave me one chance to come clean with her and I decided just to tell her everything. 'Afterwards, she said that the room was closed to me.' Grant said it felt like a break up. His parents booked him into 60-day stay in rehab, but he left after a couple of weeks. He then returned home, but his parents put strict restrictions on him. 'It was three individuals who had no family ties whatsoever, my dad was very dark and disturbed, my mom was a ghost and I was addict. Chad Amato's lunchbox lies in blood in the family's kitchen, feet away from where his body was discovered He was charged with murder, which he denied and continued to deny, even after he was given a life sentence in August, 2019 'All the electronics were monitored, all the door locks were changed, I wasn't going to have access to my car, there were no weapons in the house anymore because everyone was scared of me.' Chad gave his son an ultimatum, if he speaks to Silviya again then he will kick him out of the house. When Cody failed to arrive at work, on January 25 2019, a work colleague contacted police, who drove to the house. Police found Cody, Chad and Margaret dead in the home, they had all been shot in the back of the head. Grant went on the run for two days but was later tracked down and arrested at a hotel in Orange County, Florida, after his car was recognised outside. It was claimed Grant used his dead father's fingerprint to access a USAA banking app on his killed brother's phone and add his own PNC bank account. While Grant's lawyer, Jeff Dowdy, argued there wasn't any blood on Grant when he was found, despite the scene being a bloody mess, prosecutors said Grant's medical job at AdventHealth Orlando helped him cover up and stage a murder-suicide. Grant guilty of three counts of first-degree murder for shooting his parents and brother to death Grant was arrested on murder charges in connection with the deaths of three family members in Chuluota He was found by authorities with his passport in possession and prosecutors believe he wanted the webcam woman to invite him to Bulgaria. He was charged with murder, which he denied and continued to deny, even after he was given a life sentence in August, 2019. However after his appeal was rejected 18 months later, he eventually confessed to BBC filmmaker Colin Archdeacon. He explained: 'I don't want to keep wearing masks or keep up anything false. 'That's the realisation I've come to. Basically, this whole time I've been protecting my innocence for the sake of my future with the appeals process, but the truth is I did commit those murders. 'I was very resistant to therapy and I felt so betrayed when my family said I was going into rehab. I was told that I could not have my cell phone or any electronic device for 60 days. 'Being detached from the online world was all the more traumatic. My one outlet that had brought me joy, this alternate lifestyle that I had developed, was gone. 'So now, this life that I was left with was pointless. That was when I thought about killing my family. I am remorseful. I wish I could go back in time and have my family back.' Grant revealed he had shot his mother in the back of the head as she sat at her computer playing Candy Crush, then waited for his father to arrive home, shooting him once and when he tried to crawl away he shot him again. He then used his father's phone to message Cody and summon him to the house - before shooting him in the kitchen. Grand claimed that he regrets killing his family, saying his brother was 'the love of my life', while his mother was 'completely selfless'. Grant said: 'Cody was the love of my life. We were so compatible. He's that person that I could always turn to in both happiness and sadness and I knew that he was always going to be there for me, his little brother. 'He was kind of my angel on this Earth. We didn't mind staying at the house that we always lived at as we got older because my dad really wanted to stay close to us. He was afraid of letting us go.' Grant's mother new he was in deep trouble but she supported him regardless. He said: 'My mother was completely selfless, she sacrificed a lot of her life for other people, she was laid back funny, the quintessential coolest mom. 'When I was in rehab my mom was the one who always let me maintain my connection to Silviya, my mom being my mom she smuggled her Iphone into Cornerstone recovery for me.' Grant claimed that his father said the marriage between himself and his mother was over and they were staying together for financial reasons. He added: 'I was constantly being reinforced that there was no hope in this situation and look at all the damage that I had done.' Grant broke down in court when he was shown a picture of his murdered mother, claiming he thought it was 'distasteful' for the prosecution to show the images. Speaking about the murders of his family, Grant said: 'I didn't happen like it does in video games or the movies, it was all very tactful, it didn't end up the way that I thought that it would. 'It wasn't as immediate as I imagined it to be, after each one you are kinda faced with the fact that well you can't run away from them now. 'I believe that people perceive me to be monstrous and it's so polar opposite to who I am. I can't think of a better way to commit those crimes because no one saw me, nobody knew what was about to happen 'I did that on purpose because I don't want that final thought to be ''wow I can't believe you are about to this to me.'' 'The fact that I have that compassion that's the way that I am, even in the process of doing something terrible I still had that compassion.' Surviving half brother Jason Amato, who didn't live with the family, took to the stand in his brothers court case and he said he still 'loves' Grant. Investigative journalist Sofia in Bulgaria was hired in the hope of getting Silviya's side of the story. Silviya told her on the phone: 'This thing has caused me extreme stress. Literally almost ruined my whole life. 'I have barely managed to somehow feel normal again and survive this stress.' It's become the ultimate signal of wellness, often spotted in the hands of fit women picking up a treat after pilates; or in the course of an influencer's 'day in the life' TikTok video as an essential start to their morning. Matcha is certainly the ingredient of the hour, with coffee chains around the world offering versions of the caffeine drink for their customers and adding twists. With its vibrant green hue and the promise of releasing caffeine over a longer period of time as opposed to the sudden hit of coffee, the drink, made from powdered green tea, is something everyone wants to try. However as influencers and customers around the world race to get their hands on matcha drinks, reports have emerged that the global demand may have led to a shortage of the plant from which matcha is made. The powder derives from the Camellia sinensis plant, which is grown in Uji, near the Japanese city of Kyoto, the supply of which declined last autumn, according to the Guardian. While in Japan (where the drink has been consumed for centuries) the demand for matcha has declined, the rest of the world has woken up to the ingredient. Global sales of matcha are expected to nearly double from 2.2bn in 2023 to 3.9bn by 2028. The publication reports that Japan produced more than 4,000 tonnes of matcha in 2023; which was three times the amount it had produced in 2010. After reports of a shortage emerged towards the end of last year, Kyoto introduced purchase limits on the powder. Matcha fans may be missing their favourite drink in the near future after the city of Uji, near Kyoto, where the plant is produced, reported a shortage last autumn. Matcha has recently become a popular product among influencers (pictured) Two of Japan's biggest tea companies, Ippodo and Marukyu Koyamaen, announced unprecedented purchase limits on matcha products. It's reported that this year's tea harvest, which begins this month, will top up the supply of matcha around the world, but with demand continuing to soar around the world, it's likely that shortages will continue long-term. Matcha, which was originally introduced in Japan by Chinese monks as early as the 12th century, is made by using a tea whisk to mix the powder into hot water. Proponents say the tea can boost the brain's health, due to its high concentration of polyphenols, chlorophyll, caffeine and L-theanine. However, as the drink has become popularised in the West, drinkers and coffee shops have put their own spins on the tea, offering versions mixed into lattes, iced varieties and with added syrups and flavourings. In the past year alone, sales of matcha products in the UK have doubled. Matcha, which is produced by grinding up green tea into a powder, has been the ingredient on everyone's lips in recent years TikTok content creators including Lauren Herbert (pictured) have raved about their favourite matcha drinks online Sage-green coffee chain Blank Street caused a storm with its blueberry matcha drink, which can be served both iced and hot, which sent fans wild when it was first introduced to the menu. Similarly, Starbucks offers matcha lattes and iced matcha lattes; including a new lavender flavour which has been introduced for the spring menu. A TikTok content creator from the north of England, Lauren Hebert, recently revealed her love of the iced strawberry matcha drink from Starbucks in a clip. Speaking in her car while carrying her trendy vibrant green drink, she declared herself 'officially a strawberry iced matcha girlie' and said she 'craves' the 'delicious' drink all the time. Influencers galore show off their tips and trips for making the best matcha at home in glossy TikTok videos, including one content creator based in London who calls herself the 'caffienated cat mum' who shares her recommendations for the best matcha powders available. Similarly, Piera Cafolla, a chef on TikTok, recently revealed her recipe for a protein strawberry matcha iced milkshake - claiming she could save her viewers a 'fortune' if they copied her recipe. However, despite the drink enjoying a sharp increase in popularity, mounting evidence suggests too much can trigger iron deficiency. Left untreated, this can raise the risk of severe infections as well as life-threatening heart failure. Iron, found in red meat and a variety of vegetables, is crucial for the production of red blood cells, which transport oxygen to the organs. It is also vital for a healthy immune system. Experts now say that drinking just one matcha tea a day could cause problems. Research suggests teenage girls, pregnant and post-menopausal women are at the highest risk of a matcha-related iron deficiency. 'People need to be aware of the potential risks of this drink,' says Dr Jeannine Baumgartner, an expert in nutrition and researcher at King's College London, who has studied matcha. 'There is a real danger of a deficiency, particularly for younger women who have higher iron needs. It has long been known that green tea can, in some cases, trigger an iron deficiency. This is because it contains high levels of tannins a compound which gives tea its bitter flavour. Research shows that tannins attach to iron molecules in the digestive system and prevent them from being absorbed. A major review of over 150 studies in 2010 published by the Journal of Chinese Medicine found that consumption of more than three cups of regular green tea a day reduced iron absorption. However, it is believed that matcha has an even greater effect, as one cup has nearly seven times as many tannins as a similarly sized green tea. As well as the tannins, caffeine has also been shown to reduce iron absorption and, per gram, matcha can contain up to four times as much caffeine as coffee. Experts say this means that even one matcha a day could have health impacts. 'Matcha is much more problematic than green tea, as it is more concentrated so affects iron absorption even more,' says Prof Baumgartner. 'Even one cup, if it is poorly timed, either during or up to two hours after a meal, will affect your iron levels.' Morrisons has left chocolate lovers delighted with its new indulgent dessert offering inspired by the viral Dubai pistachio chocolate bar. The supermarket is selling a pistachio cheesecake with a kunafa base, topped with pistachio-flavoured soft cream cheese and a chocolate layer on top. Shoppers have been clearing the shelves of the newest food craze - a chocolate block filled with pistachio cream and kataifi pastry, crispy shredded phyllo dough - inspired by a Middle Eastern dessert called knafeh. The sweet treat has become one of the fastest-selling confectionary products ever at Selfridges and Waitrose even banned customers from buying more than two of Lindt's 10 Dubai Style Chocolate. Kunafa is a traditional Middle Eastern dessert made from thin shredded pastry dough soaked in a sweet syrup and it has become a viral sensation. It's inspired by a Middle Eastern dessert called knafeh, was first created by Dubai-based Sarah Hamouda. Hamouda created the bar during her pregnancy as a tribute to one of her favourite childhood deserts. The chocolate treat has gone so viral on social media UK supermarkets are now selling their own versions. Fans have now taken to social media to express their excitement, sharing that they might 'pop in at the weekend' to try the dessert - but some slammed the 5 price. Chocolate-lovers are going wild for a brand new indulgent dessert offering in Morrisons inspired by the viral-Dubai pistachio chocolate bar One food reviewer who goes by the name John and has more than 25,000 followers on his Instagram @john_snackreviews slammed the dessert as daylight robbery. In a recent post, the reviewer complimented the nutty taste of the biscuit base but declared that the pistachio-flavoured cream cheese didn't work. But John's main gripe was the packaging and the price. The influencer said he felt embarrassed by the pink box which he thought should be green and thought 5 for each mini cheesecake was too expensive and gave it a 7.5/10 rating. Alongside several pictures of the dessert, he wrote: 'What is that nonsense packaging? 'I walked through the aisles like I was dead chuffed with a tub of women's hand cream. The packaging needs to be green. 'Soft chocolate cheesecake top, pistachio flavoured soft cheese and a pure kunafa base. 'Pistachio flavoured soft cheese for me doesn't work. There is a nice nutty flavour but then the soft cheese pushes through. The cheesecake can be found in Morrisons's bakery section and has a pure pistachio kunafa base, topped with pistachio-flavoured soft cream cheese and a chocolate layer on top And while some pudding lovers flocked to the comments to express their excitement, sharing that they might 'pop in at the weekend', not everyone was impressed with the price One food reviewer complained 5 for the mini cheesecakes was too expensive nd he would only buy one again if it were half the price 'The base is perfect with its cheesecake crumble base effect, but the thickness of the kunafa makes this better than any Dubai chocolate you'll have due to its epic crunch as well as breaking apart so well. 'The chocolate comes through alright too. What would I have done? Pistachio cream/thick paste, purely to avoid the soft cheese taste. '5 for a 144g cheesecake from Morrison's Bakery section. My Morrison's didn't have it out on display and it had to be asked for behind the bakery counter. This is to prevent predicted high levels of theft. 'Poor packaging and daylight robbery of 5. Two for 5 and I'm fine with that.... but this is a supermarket so it shouldn't be this expensive. 'Would I buy again? Yes but only if it was 2.50 - 3.' Morrison's cheesecake dessert comes after shops and supermarkets across the UK launched their own Dubai-inspired chocolate bars with many of them selling out in minutes. Nestle, Lidl and Lindt having rushed to made their own versions and Selfridges found their shelves cleared after fans flocked to the department store in a desperate bid to score the crunchy treat, where prices range from 5 to 27. But Dubai chocolate doesn't come cheap, with even affordable options such as those available from Lidl, selling for an eye-watering 3.44 for just 122g of product. But that hasn't dampened its popularity with a number of sellers had their entire stock sold almost instantly, with a Lindt version having cleared within just 72 minutes on TikTok shop. Dozens of TikTokers shared clips queuing up outside supermarkets in the early hours of the morning in the hopes of getting their hands on the retailer's spin on the viral chocolate when it was released last week. There is no doubt that Lucy Connolly did a very stupid, very offensive thing in the heat of her upset after Axel Rudakubana attacked girls at a dance class in Southport last July. Heres what the Northampton childminder and wife of a Tory councillor tweeted: Mass deportation now; set fire to all the f***ing hotels full of the bastards for all I care, while youre at it take the treacherous government and politicians with them. I feel physically sick knowing what these families will have to endure. If that makes me racist, so be it. It astonishes me that, after all this time and our current awareness of the risks posed by social media, an educated professional woman of 41 could have felt it was safe to publish such a violent, hateful tweet. The crime in Southport had given rise to rioting and, indeed, a hotel housing migrants in Tamworth would be set on fire a few days later. It was widely and wrongly assumed that the Southport attacker, 18-year-old Rudakubana was a recent migrant. He was not. His Rwandan parents had settled in Britain in 2002 and he was born in Cardiff. Lucy Connolly was handed a 31-month prison sentence for her tweet following the Southport stabbings last July Its clear that Connolly soon regretted what she had posted. After she pinged off the tweet she took her family dog out for a walk, calmed down, thought better of what shed written in the heat of the moment, went home and took the tweet down. She was too late. It had only been up for four hours, but it had been read 310,000 times. Someone had seen it, been rightly offended by it and took a screenshot. Lucy was arrested and charged under Section 19 of the Public Order Act 1986. Her crime was the publication of material intending to stir up racial hatred, which carries a maximum seven-year sentence. Its impossible to feel any sympathy for her approval of setting fire to migrant hotels or for not caring about being seen as racist, but her intense sympathy for the families of those poor little girls is understandable when we learn that she and her husband lost their first born, Harry, at the age of 19 months as a result of a failure in NHS care. She knows what its like to grieve for a child. But no such sympathy came her way when her case came to court, despite extensive support from those who knew her. Parents of all races praised the care she had given to their children. Their views appeared to have no influence on Judge Melbourne Inman KC who heard her case at Birmingham Crown Court. Rioting took place across the country in the wake of the Southport attack, with hotels in Tamworth and Rotherham set alight Axel Rudakubana was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 52 years It may seem surprising that Connolly pleaded guilty, but she had learned from other prisoners on remand that waiting for a court date could take a very long time if you were pleading not guilty and she was desperate to get home to her husband Ray and their 12-year-old daughter Holly. If a guilty plea would hurry things along she said she didnt give a damn about having a criminal record. But a 31-month prison sentence must have come as a terrible shock. The judge made a direct link between Lucys short-lived tweet to serious disorder in a number of areas in the country where mindless violence was used to cause injury and damage to wholly innocent members of the public and their properties. He described her culpability as clearly a category A case as both prosecution and your counsel agree because you intended to incite serious violence. But for a woman who clearly regretted her hot headedness, removed the tweet within hours of posting it and apologised that seems ridiculous. Lucy did not participate in any of the violence she appeared to support, but some of the men who were physically involved in the riots were given two- or three-year sentences. How can being found guilty of violent disorder be the same as posting a furious, thoughtless tweet, then quickly thinking better of it? Lucy was given a harsher punishment than many men guilty of domestic violence against women. According to the charity Refuge, if convicted, perpetrators usually dangerous repeat offenders who pose a very real threat if they arent behind bars often receive 12 months or less. Meanwhile, rapists are rarely caught, rarely charged and rarely found guilty of a crime which merits a good long prison sentence. As for vile tweets, at times I am still seized with fear if I recall horrific messages I received on social media when I dared to write that I didnt believe trans women could call themselves real women. They cannot change their sex, only their gender. I suffered months of online threats. A few were determined to rape me, several thought murder was the only way to silence this gobby Terf. I didnt report any of them to the police. I didnt believe anything would be done if I did. Thanks to Adolescence, we all know about Incels (Involuntary celibates) online and Andrew Tate encouraging young men to treat women badly... where are the people ready to jump on those violently misogynistic tweets and report them to the police as someone was prepared to do with Lucy? I wonder if including her anger at government and politicians weighed against her. Was she too open about a view, shared Im sure by many, that not enough was being done to sort out immigration and ease the pressure on public services and taxpayers money? Was Lucy used as a warning to others, suggesting we all keep our mouths shut? That is not what the justice system is about. Lucy now faces more upset as shes been refused ROTL Release on Temporary Licence. Its a policy which allows prisoners to leave for short periods, prior to release, to maintain family ties. Lucy is desperate to be at home with her daughter, who is said to have been having problems at school. Lucys probation officer could see no reason for her not being allowed out, but was allegedly told by a prison official there was no way Lucy could be let out on a tag because of Press and public perception. I warrant a majority of the public would think this mother should be home with her daughter. She presents no risk of violence to the community. She deserved to be punished for a hateful, cruel, racist tweet. Her apology should have been accepted. She should have been given a substantial fine and left to live with the terrible shame Im sure she still feels. Prison, in this case, was entirely inappropriate. While most Brits probably think they know the UK snack scene like the back of their hand - many have been shocked to discover they have been mispronouncing one popular treat. The staple at every children's party, Chupa Chups are famed across Britain for their vibrant, colourful packaging and bountiful fruity flavours. But despite being one of the most popular sweets on the market, it turns out most people aren't correctly pronouncing them. According to the online Spanish class provider Preply, though most British people instinctively say 'Chuh-pa-Chups' - this is wrong. The correct pronunciation is 'Choo-pa Choops', the linguistics app revealed. Although popular in the UK, Chupa Chups lollipops are actually made by a Spanish brand of the same name. Because of their Spanish origins, the pronunciation of the sweets follow their phonetics rather than those instinctively used by Brits. The name of the sweets is derived from the method by which they are consumed, with 'chupar' coming from the Spanish word to suck. While most Brits probably think they know the UK snack scene like the back of their hand - many have been shocked to discover they have been mispronouncing one iconic treat In Spanish, 'chupar' is pronounced 'choo-par', with the lollipop's name having been abbreviated from this. Meanwhile, the second part of the name - Chups - isn't specifically derived from any particular word, but follows the same Spanish phonetic pattern as the first word, meaning it is similarly pronounced 'choo'. Overall then, the sugary treats are pronounced 'Choo-pa Choops'. According to Preply, the reason most Brits butcher the pronunciation is down to the typical way the English say the letter 'u' - since this makes a 'yew' sound. For example, in English this 'yew' sound is used in words like 'Tuesday' and 'cube', whereas in Spanish, the same letter is typically used for 'oo' words and is pronounced as it is in the words 'balloon' or 'food'. In the UK, Chupa Chups come in a variety of delicious flavours including strawberry, cola, watermelon, orange, apple and sour. Four of the brands most well-known flavours are strawberry, strawberry & cream, apple and cola It's not the only Spanish word that most Britons are getting wrong. Many of us are making a completely muddle of the word 'paella', which should really be pronounced 'Pae-ay-ah', with the 'll' sounding like a soft 'y' rather than an English 'l.' Similarly, the delectable fried treats, Churros, should be pronounced with a rolling 'r' rather than the flat English version. According to Preply, the reason most Brits butcher the pronunciation is down to the typical way the English say the letter 'u' - since this makes a 'yew' sound According to the online Spanish class provider Preply, though most British people instinctively say 'Chuh-pa-Chups' - this is wrong And Spain's famous cured ham, jamon, should be said as 'ha-mon' with a soft h rather than hard British J. It comes after foodies discovered a little-know trick to easily unravelling Chupa Chups lollipops. The confectionery brand is somewhat infamous for difficult packaging that wraps around delicious sweets. The most effective method for opening the sweet is to hold the lollipop's head in place with one hand and to use two fingers to pinch the bottom of the wrapper and twist in opposite directions around the candy. The wrapper will loosen immediately and you will be able to easily pull the packaging off. A woman officially revealed a fool-proof method to open Chupa Chups lollipops in seconds. Sydney Purl, from the UK, demonstrated the simple trick in a video. 'There's a new way to open Chupa Chups!' Sydney said. 'You no longer have to wrestle the wrapper off.' She simply placed her grip on the bottom of the wrapper and the lollipop's head and then twisted in opposite directions to unravel the packaging. 'Now you know how to open your Chupa,' she captioned the clip. Her post amazed thousands of people, with many previously unaware of how to properly open the sweet treat. 'You mean after all these years, there's a way to open them without a struggle? And nobody told me?' a man asked. 'OMG why didn't I know this?' another commented. 'My kids will be so thrilled to see this!' But not everyone was impressed, and a few even claimed to already know the hack. 'I thought everyone knew how to open them,' a woman said. 'This has been how you open them since they were made.' 'It's common sense.' A mother who dubbed herself the 'Madame of YouTube' can be seen forcibly kissing a 17-year-old transgender boy in unseen footage revealed in a new Netlix series, The Dark Side Of Kidfluencing. Released today, it tells the story of Piper Rockelle's tween 'Squad' of content creators who later accused her mother Tiffany Smith, now 44, of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. The three-part series includes an interview with Raegan Beast (real name Raegan Fingles), who was 17 when Tiffany kissed him during a livestream. The Maryland native, now 25, said he was first introduced to her and Piper by his manager Matt Dugan, who suggested they make content together. 'There was multiple things dealing with my transition that [Tiffany] was very curious of,' Raegan said. 'Just multiple questions about my transitioning and my body that were very hinted at being sexual, a little inappropriate.' In 2017, Raegan was at Tiffany's house in Los Angeles' Hollywood Boulevard to 'do content together' and she allegedly gave him alcohol from 'her cabinet' while he and Piper started livestreaming on the app YouNow. 'We were on my livestream, just sipping, reading comments, having a good time,' Raegan recalled. 'I definitely get drunk, Tiffany's drunk.' At one point, Tiffany joined the livestream and began 'touching' Raegan and 'pulling on my shirt, pulling on my collar, and saying that I was sexy, saying that I was hot', he revealed. Shocking footage that shows disgraced 'momager' Tiffany Smith forcibly kissing a 17-year-old trans infuencer under the influence of alcohol has been unearthed by Netflix after it was 'wiped' from the internet In the clip, obtained by Netflix Tiffany can be seen pulling Raegan Fingles' face towards her and then aggressively kissing him on the mouth - before Piper, then nine, yanked her back 'Then the kiss happened.' His interview then cuts to footage from the livestream that showed Tiffany pulling Raegan's face towards her and then aggressively kissing him on the mouth - before Piper, then nine, yanked her back. Tiffany, who has been accused of mailing her daughter Piper's 'soiled underwear' to an unidentified older man, then grabbed Raegan and kissed him again. Raegan said he ended the livestream 'very quickly after the second kiss' but the video had already made its way to other social media platforms like Instagram. He said his followers were outraged by the kiss who said Tiffany 'was going to jail' for her actions. That night, Raegan said, he went to bed 'anxious' over fears that he had 'ruined my career' - only to discover the video had been wiped from the internet the next morning. 'You couldn't find any clips of us kissing, you couldn't fine any recordings of the stream.' Raegan, who was underage when Tiffany kissed him against his will, never reported the incident to the police over fears it may have ended his - or Piper's - career. The clip is part of a new Netflix docuseries that examines the disturbing stories of alleged exploitation, cult-like manipulation, and abuse at the hands of disgraced momager Tiffany Smith (pictured) However, Raegan couldn't help but wonder: 'If someone could erase this from the internet, then what else could they get away with?' In 2020, Raegan submitted a signed affidavit that was filed in the Los Angeles Country Superior Court about the incident at Tiffany's house, according to a report by the Los Angeles Times. 'Tiffany grabbed my face and started to French-kiss me. Piper grabbed her by the head and pulled her back to remove her. She proceeded to kiss me again,' he wrote. Raegan added that Tiffany 'didn't stop coming onto me' despite Piper's repeated objections and 'tried to pull my underwear'. 'She dragged me into her bedroom.' At the time, Tiffany told the outlet that the kiss was her attempt at performing a 'dare' during the livestream, adding it 'has been greatly blown out of proportion'. The three-part investigative series, which was released earlier today, uncovers the 'disturbing stories of alleged exploitation, cult-like manipulation, and abuse' perpetrated against tween content creators by Tiffany - all of which she has publicly denied. Piper, originally from Georgia, shot to fame in 2017 when she began posting sketches, skits, and vlogs featuring her friends - collectively known as The Squad - who were handpicked by Smith, now 44. Tiffany is the mother of YouTuber and influencer Piper Rockeller (pictured) Several Squad members would later accuse Tiffany, who famously described herself as 'The Madame of YouTube', of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse in a bombshell lawsuit that she settled for $1.85 million last October. She has vehemently denied all the allegations in the complaint that was filed in January 2022. These included encouraging an 11-year-old girl to 'try oral sex' on Smith's then-boyfriend Hunter Hill, who also starred in Piper's staged videos as her older brother. Corinne Joy, who left the Squad in 2019, told The Los Angeles Times that Tiffany once asked her if she'd ever given a blowjob. 'She was like, "Ill show you, just try one on Hunter,"' Corinne recalled. 'She said she was gonna pull his pants down. I was turning away and Piper was, like, "Mom, stop!"' Smith said Corrine's accusation was 'absolutely false' in a statement to the paper. In the 150-page lawsuit, Tiffany also was accused of rubbing one of the girls' exposed thighs and 'moving her hand toward her vagina, constantly spanking her buttocks and sticking her finger/poking her anus over clothing.' That same alleged victim, identified as Claire Rocksmith, claimed that Tiffany would comment on how 'big' her breasts looked and attempt to squeeze them, and that on one occasion she tried to spit in the girl's mouth. Eleven teens from the 'Piper Squad' sued Tiffany in January 2022 The complainants described the disgraced stage mom as a 'mean-spirited control freak' who would ofren make uncomfortable and unwarranted comments about their bodies. Hayden Haas, who was part of the group that sued Smith, claimed she asked him whether 'his balls have dropped yet' and 'how long is it [referring to his penis]?' Smith also allegedly told another member of Piper's 'Squad' Sophie Fergi that she 'had no boobs' and 'was so flat'. Smith reportedly instructed Sophie's mother Heather Nicholls, who styled the children, to make their clothes 's***tier' and instructed the young boys to take their shirts off and said 'sex sells'. One of the lawsuit's most disturbing claims involved the allegation that Smith would make vulgar and crude remarks in the voice of the family's dead cat Lenny, including saying things like 'I'm going to f*** you up the ass' to the minors. Piper began making YouTube videos that featured an ever-changing cast of young supporting actors known as 'The Squad' in 2017. She was nine at the time. The most popular videos were all of a romantic nature; subscribers 'shipped' different members of the Squad together as they acted out different scenarios scripted to create on-screen drama. The mother of Sawyer Sharbino, Angela Sharbino said Tiffany - who allegedly bragged about creating 'kiddy porn - would leave Piper and her 'crush' alone in a room together for 30 minutes to 'create chemistry'. Corinne Joy Areeco, who left the Squad in 2019, told The Los Angeles Times that Tiffany once asked her if she'd ever given a blowjob. She is one of Piper's former 'Squad' members and appears in the new Netflix series Netflix viewers were left horrified after Corrine, now 17, revealed how she witnessed Tiffany mail out Piper's soiled underwear in a teaser for Bad Influence. Corinne's mom Steevy Areeco (pictured) also recounted the chilling situation in the documentary She also taught squad members to 'make sexy kissing faces', 'push their butts out', and 'suck their stomachs in' for the thumbnail photographs used to promote Piper's YouTube videos. Netflix viewers were left horrified after Corrine, now 17, revealed how she witnessed Tiffany mail out Piper's soiled underwear in a teaser for Bad Influence. Recalling the incident, Corinne said: 'Piper had an acting lesson, or voice lesson, and after we dropped Piper off, Tiffany was like "I have to go to the post office and drop off some things." 'She had a bag, and she pulled out what looked like Piper's underwear, and I asked her, "Why are you shipping those out?" 'And she told me that old men like to sniff them. I was confused. I was like, what is she talking about?' Corinne's mom Steevy Areeco also recounted the chilling situation. She recalled: 'Corinne came home and asked me why old men liked to smell underwear.' Steevy went on to claim that she confronted Tiffany, but she was immediately shut down and told 'stop being so dramatic.' The clip is part of the streamer's new docuseries that explores the 'dark side of kidfluencing' through the lens of Piper Rockelle's tween 'Squad' of content creators that later accused Smith, now 44, of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse Beyond the emotional and physical harm alleged by the children involved in Piper Squad, they also allege they were financially taken advantage of. They claimed they were never compensated for their work despite working long hours without bathroom and food breaks in the Los Angeles mansion where Smith and Hunter produced all the content. Meanwhile, Piper's monthly earnings were as high as $625,000 at the height of her YouTube channel's popularity. 'I would go to bed like two to three hours, get up at seven-ish and do school, close my table and then I would have to get ready to film,' Sophie told The Sun. Tiffany would also allegedly post links to the plaintiffs YouTube accounts on porn sites, which would prompt viewers from the adult-only sites to click in and watch. This would then get flagged to YouTube causing its algorithm to believe the content of the teen's videos were 'sexual or inappropriate' thus restricting their viewing. YouTube demonetised Piper's channel indefinitely after the abuse allegations against Tiffay came to light in 2022, when the lawsuit was filed. Tiffany denied all the allegations and settled the lawsuit in October 2024 after agreeing to pay the plaintiffs $1.85 million. Movie buffs have been left baffled by the announcement of the upcoming biopic on Hershey's chocolate and its founder Milton Hershey. Reports emerged on Tuesday that the new film, known currently as Hershey, will star Finn Wittrock and Alexandra Daddario and will be led by Mean Girls and Freaky Friday director Mark Waters. While the project does not currently have a distributor, production will begin next month and is slated for a 2026 release. Hershey will tell the tale of how Milton Hershey's chocolate creation came to be and will also shine a light on Milton's beloved wife of 17 years, Catherine, and her influence. 'Against all odds, Milton achieved great success, but unlike a lot of other wealthy men of his time, he shared his success with the working people and community around him,' director Waters said. 'The core of Hershey, the movie, will be the special love story between Milton and Catherine Hershey, who inspired his greatest legacy the creation of Milton Hershey School. 'I'm excited to have Finn Wittrock and Alexandra Daddario to portray these two visionaries, who believed in leaving the world a better place than they found it the kind of wonderful, true story that audiences are hungry for right now.' Following the film's announcement, many cinephiles have asked why the movie is needed, and have criticized Hollywood for 'making films about anything.' Hershey's is getting its very own biopic - and it's currently being slated for a 2026 release The movie will star Finn Wittrock as businessman and chocolatier Milton Hershey 'They be making movies about anything nowadays' Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one fumed: 'Hollywood is just doing anything.' Agreeing, another posted: 'Seems like nothing is off-limits for a movie plot now.' 'What does this even mean?' asked a third. A fourth bemoaned: 'What the hell is happening in cinema world?' 'They're just making films about anything these days literally who wants this?' added another. Chocolatier and businessman Milton, also known as The Chocolate King, produced the first Hershey bar in 1900. Nowadays, The Hershey Company produces 373 million Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bars on average annually. White Lotus actress Alexandra Daddario will portray Milton's beloved wife Catherine Milton, also known as The Chocolate King, produced the first Hershey bar in 1900 The Hershey Company produces 373 million Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bars on average yearly 'Milton Hershey's story exemplifies the American Dream,' Michele Buck, president and CEO of The Hershey Company, said. 'This movie will reveal how Milton and Kitty built something far greater than a chocolate company. 'Their legacy extends beyond sweet treats to education, community and opportunity for thousands. 'We're proud to support a film that shares the full Hershey story one of resilience, vision and impact that continues to inspire today.' A doctor who graduated from Harvard University has gone viral after revealing how dangerous wearing shoes indoors can be. Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist, regularly shares his experience and knowledge with his 499,600 followers on TikTok. He recently issued a shocking warning for those who consume less than one teaspoon of salt per day noting that it's 'extremely harmful.' Now, the 42-year-old is urging people not to wear shoes indoors especially in their own home as it can be potentially 'life-threatening.' In the clip, which has racked up 538,300 views and almost 8,500 likes, he explains that as a doctor, he follows a strict 'no outdoor shoes inside home' policy. 'This is because shoes can carry various toxins,' Dr. Sethi, from California, said. 'Including pesticides, chemicals, viruses and bacteria, [as well as] heavy metals like lead.' The doctor referred back to research that shows 96 percent of shoe soles carry fecal bacteria, including E. coli. Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist from California, has gone viral after revealing how dangerous wearing shoes indoors can be He said shoes can carry toxins such as pesticides, chemicals, viruses and bacteria, and heavy metals like lead, that you are tracking into your home He continued: 'This can lead to severe gut infections and UTIs. 'This is especially concerning in homes with crawling children, who have a habit of putting everything in their mouths.' To minimize the risks, he strongly urged people to remove their shoes before entering any home. Users have flocked to the comments to share their reactions. 'That's a number one rule in my home,' someone said. Another user added: 'None of my family wear outdoor shoes inside. We have our shoes near the front door.' 'My culture [doesn't] allow shoes in my house,' a person commented. Someone else said: 'I've been wearing shoes inside all my life [and] never had a gut infection or UTI.' Dr. Sethi is a Harvard grad who shares his experience and knowledge on TikTok 'So my mom was right?' a user wrote added. In another video, Dr. Sethi explains that those who don't brush their teeth are putting themselves at a higher risk of cardiovascular issues. 'Research studies suggest that poor oral hygiene is linked to a higher risk of heart disease,' the doctor said. He then lists three things to remember. 'Bacteria from the mouth can enter the bloodstream, triggering inflammation that could affect the heart over time,' Dr. Sethi said. 'Gum disease, which he says is a direct result of poor oral hygiene, has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular problems.' As a final point, he added: 'Studies show that people who brush their teeth regularly, along with getting dental cleanings, tend to have healthier hearts and a lower risk of health disease.' Dr. Sethi urged people to keep up with their oral hygiene especially before bed as it's one of the most important ways to keep the heart healthy. When DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that Christina Haack had been devouring her new lover on a steamy vacation in Mexico, it posed the question: Has the reality star finally found the man of her dreams? Christina, 41, has had a strenuous road to finding love, enduring three very public and messy divorces and multiple court battles with her exes since she entered the public eye. But this week, an off-duty Christina took the concept of a public display of affection to a new level this week as she got handsy with her new boyfriend, CEO of telecoms company Network Connex, Christopher Larocca, 52, at a hotel bar in Cabo. Raunchy photos obtained exclusively by the Daily Mail, showed Christina draping herself over her lover as he perched on a barstool behind her, without a care in the world or, it seems, any regard for the other guests trying to order a drink nearby. In one particularly bold snap, the star's lover squeezes her chest over her tiny blue Louis Vuitton bikini. Real estate mogul Christina was first skyrocketed into the spotlight back in 2013, when she launched her own series with her then-husband Tarek El Moussa, entitled Flip or Flop. Christina Haack has been shamelessly packing on the PDA with her new lover Christopher Larocca As Christina's latest romance heats up, take a look back at her relationship history. She's seen with ex Ant Anstead in 2019 The show documented the couple buying fixer upper houses, revamping them, and selling them for a hefty price. Immediately, the world became enthralled with the pair's cute dynamic, and the series was a massive success, transforming them both into stars practically overnight. But their picture perfect love story came to a screeching halt in 2016 when it was reported that police had been called to their home over an altercation involving guns and a possible suicide attempt, and they ultimately split months later. The dramatic incident was the first of many to plague Christina's love life. She moved on with Ant Anstead soon after she and Tarek divorced, but that too ended in an explosive divorce that saw the pair battle it out in court over the custody of their son. She then started dating real estate agent Josh Hall, and it seemed like Christina had finally found her soulmate. The two certainly enjoyed flaunting their love on social media, and Christina fiercely defended the romance against fans who slammed her for moving on so quickly from Ant. But the two shocked the world when they announced that they were splitting in June 2024. Christina has since spoken negatively about her ex on numerous occasions, and she even accused him of taking $35,000 from her account without her permission in a lengthy court showdown. Now, however, DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that she has a new man in her life: a business mogul who sources say she's been quietly dating for months. As her latest romance is revealed, take a look back at Christina's murky relationship history. Tarek El Moussa Christina and Tarek El Moussa started dating in the early 2000s and tied the knot in 2009. They went on to launch their show Flip or Flop in 2013. They're seen together in 2016 The couple welcomed two children together - a daughter named Taylor in 2011 and a son named Brayden in 2015. Tarek is seen with their kids in 2019 Christina and Tarek started dating while they were both working as real estate agents at the firm Prudential in the early 2000s. In 2008, they left the company to launch their own real estate agency together, called Tarek and Christina: The El Moussa Group. They tied the knot in 2009, and one year later, they began flipping houses together. The couple went on to welcome their first child, a daughter named Taylor Reese, in 2011. It was around that time that they came up with the idea for Flip or Flop, and Tarek recorded an audition tape and sent it in to HGTV. They were signed by the network in 2012, and they launched their show Flip or Flop one year later. The couple began trying for a second child afterwards, but they struggled to get pregnant. They went through two failed rounds of IVF and suffered from a devastating miscarriage before they welcomed their second child, a son named Brayden James, in 2015. In May 2016, TMZ reported that cops had been called to the couple's home after an altercation involving guns and a possible suicide attempt. A helicopter and nearly a dozen deputies responded as witnesses told the site they saw Tarek run out the back door of his home with a gun and tried to escape down a hiking trail. Sources added that they saw Christina run out of the house sobbing and trembling shortly after. In October 2016, the couple announced that they were splitting after seven years of marriage. They're seen in Flip or Flop The pair continued to star in Flip or Flop together until it came to an end in 2022. They're seen in 2017 The site reported that Tarek was eventually spotted by officers and ordered to drop his weapon. The father-of-two allegedly told police he had no intention of injuring himself and simply wanted to 'blow off some steam.' Five guns were seized from the home, including an AR-15. Tarek later wrote of the incident in his 2024 book, and he said that after getting in an argument with Christina, he 'went out to their backyard and hopped over the fence.' While his then-wife feared for his life, he insisted that he only fled to get some exercise and check out the trails by their property after recently purchasing some new mountain bikes. Since the trail is also a home to dangerous wildlife, the TV personality explained that he armed himself with a .38-caliber pistol as an 'insurance policy.' Tarek, who had obtained his California concealed-carry license just a few weeks prior, said he was shocked to see a 'police officer leaning out of the helicopter' pointing a 'rifle' at him. 'For the next several hours, I sat on a cooler on my driveway, handcuffed,' he wrote. 'That was the very last time we were together as a family: with Christina walking down the driveway, crying, and me sitting there in handcuffs, asking myself, What in the world is going on?' Six months after the incident, the couple announced that they were splitting after seven years of marriage. 'Like many couples, we have had challenges in our marriage. We had an unfortunate misunderstanding about six months ago and the police were called to our house in an abundance of caution. There was no violence and no charges were filed,' the pair said in a statement. They told People that they attended marriage counseling but decided to separate while assessing 'the future of their marriage.' They added, 'During the process, we are committed to our kids and being the best parents we can be.' 'We will continue to work through this process civilly and cooperatively, and plan to continue our professional life together.' The pair continued to star in Flip or Flop together until it came to an end in 2022. Seven years after their divorce, Tarek said he holds 'nothing against Christina' in an interview with People. 'I understand why she did what she did. We had a lot of hard years through my sicknesses and my mental health struggles from the testosterone,' he said. He added that they had an amicable co-parenting relationship and that they 'all communicate well.' 'We really focus on the kids,' he dished. Ant Anstead Christina started dating Ant Anstead in October 2017, but kept their romance out of the public eye at first. They're seen in 2018 While going through her divorce from Tarek, Christina was introduced to TV presenter Ant through a mutual friend. Ant had just gotten out of a divorce himself from his wife of 12 years, Louise, with whom he had welcomed two kids. They started dating in October 2017, but kept their romance out of the public eye at first. They went public in January 2018, when Christina shared a sultry photo of her and Ant to Instagram. They tied the knot that December during a low-key ceremony at their home in Newport Beach, California. By March 2019, Christina and Ant were expecting their first child together, and their son, Hudson London, was born in September. But one year later, they shocked the world when they announced that they were splitting. 'Ant and I have made the difficult decision to separate,' Christina wrote on Instagram at the time. They tied the knot in December 2018 and their son, Hudson London, was born in September 2019 But one year later, they shocked the world when they announced that they were splitting. They're seen in 2019 'We are grateful for each other and as always, our children will remain our priority.' She added in another post a few days later, 'I never thought I would have one divorce let alone two. 'I never thought I would have two baby daddies but sometimes life throws us curve balls. 'Instead of getting stuck in these "setbacks" I choose to look at these challenges as opportunities to grow. 'So while some may judge me and throw around rumors about me, most of you support me. 'And that says a lot about this world and where we are headed. Im messy, Im real and Im working on healing We are all a work in progress.' Ant broke his silence on the breakup soon after, stating on social media, 'Anyone who really knows me knows that I dont like to share private matters publicly. 'I have remained silent while holding on to hope. I never gave up on us. I pray Christinas decision brings her happiness.' In April 2022, Ant requested full custody of their son Hudson, claiming that Christina had put the youngster in a 'dangerous' situation. They're seen when Hudson was born The custody battle was settled in November 2022, and the former couple agreed to 'continue to have joint legal and joint physical custody' of Hudson, who is seen here in 2020 Their divorce was finalized in June 2021; in April 2022, Ant requested full custody of their son Hudson, claiming that Christina had put the youngster in a 'dangerous' situation. He also alleged that she only saw their son 'nine full days each month' and that he was the 'primary parent.' 'What Ant is doing deeply saddens me,' Christina responded in a statement to Business Insider. 'If this was really about Hudson, as he says, this should have been handled privately with a private judge or mediation, as myself and my attorney have suggested. 'I have had my share of ups and downs, but I am a good mom and I love my children with all my heart and I will always protect them.' In her own filing, Christina alleged that Ant 'attempted to mislead the court' and said his claims that he was 'the defacto primary parent' were 'not accurate.' The custody battle was settled in November 2022, and the former couple agreed to 'continue to have joint legal and joint physical custody' of Hudson. Josh Hall Just two weeks after her divorce was finalized, Christina sparked dating rumors with real estate agent Josh Hall when they were spotted holding hands. They're seen in 2021 The couple announced their engagement in September 2021, and married privately one month later. They're seen in 2021 Just two weeks after her divorce was finalized, Christina sparked dating rumors with real estate agent Josh when they were spotted holding hands at the airport. Immediately, Christina faced backlash online for moving on so quickly. But she was quick to defend her new romance on Instagram. 'I met Josh when I wasnt in a state of fear or fight-or-flight I may be a bit crazy and I'm definitely not perfect but I will never live my life based on other peoples judgments or opinions,' she wrote. 'We pride ourselves on never judging others and always wanting others to be happy and we wish others would have the same respect. 'Josh doesnt have social media, but I want to thank him for whisking me away on a romantic tropical vacation he planned entirely on his own.' She added in a second post alongside a selfie with Josh, 'Some people are lucky enough to get forever the first time but no one should be shamed for things not working out and no one knows what goes on behind closed doors. 'Remember that before making judgements and assumptions and this woman/mama is still lucky enough to have this man choose me.' The couple announced their engagement in September 2021, and married privately one month later. They went on to throw a lavish wedding in Hawaii in September 2022. In 2022, the couple also co-launched a production company, called Unbroken Productions, which was behind her shows Christina on the Coast and Christina in the Country. In May 2024, it was revealed that Christina and Josh would be starring in a new competition series with her ex Tarek and his new wife, Heather Rae El Moussa, entitled The Flip Off, which is set to premiere later this month on January 23. In May 2024, it was revealed that Christina and Josh would be starring in a new competition series with her ex Tarek and his new wife, Heather Rae El Moussa, entitled The Flip Off However, one month after the show announcement took place, Josh filed for divorce from Christina. They're seen together in July 2023 However, one month after the show announcement took place, Josh filed for divorce from Christina. Afterwards, Christina alleged in court filings that Josh took $35,000 from her without permission. In his own court documents, he claimed that he used the money to pay 'expenses' related to their joint Franklin, Tennessee, home. 'I made this request because I needed access to the rental income so I could continue to pay ongoing expenses and responsibilities related to the properties, which I directly handle,' he said. Christina addressed the controversy on Instagram at the time, writing, 'I have worked my a** off to build this life for myself and my children and anyone who would try and take what they do not deserve/what they did NOT work for should be ashamed.' 'An insecure man with a large ego can sure try and derail you - but "still, I rise,'" she added, referring to a quote by Maya Angelou. 'For those that aren't aware divorces do not happen overnight... and there is always a breaking point. This one is personal.' Josh seemed to respond in a post of his own, stating, 'I prefer privacy, especially during something as life-changing as a divorce I did not ask for. 'I will not publicly badmouth anyone, as people have families, friends, and others who respect and love them. Unfortunately, the internet is forever. 'We are real humans, this is our life and I am not here to entertain people I don't know with my private matters. In December, HGTV revealed that Christina competed against Tarek and Heather in The Flip Off solo. She and Josh are seen before their split Earlier this month, Christina took to her Instagram Story to share a disturbing image of herself sobbing in her car as she slammed her ex 'Those details will be handled fairly behind closed doors with our respective counsels in due time. Those who know each of us, know who we are.' In October, the court ruled that Josh would return 'the remaining funds in his possession' from the $35,000, while Christina was ordered to pay him $100,000. The money could be used 'for any purpose, including his interim financial needs as well as attorney's fees, costs and forensic accounting fees.' Following their split, many wondered what would happen with The Flip Off. In December, HGTV revealed that Christina competed against Tarek and Heather solo; while there were briefly rumors that she had teamed up with her ex Ant on the series, the network confirmed that he only appeared briefly as a judge. Earlier this month, Christina took to her Instagram Story to share an image of herself sobbing in her car as she slammed her ex. 'This was taken June 21, 2024. After one of my shoots with Josh. This is "real" and a reminder to myself that I deserve better,' she wrote alongside the soul-baring selfie. Christopher Larocca DailyMail.com exclusively revealed earlier this week that Christina has been secretly dating a man named Christopher Larocca for quite some time DailyMail.com exclusively revealed in January that Christina has been secretly dating a man named Christopher Larocca for quite some time. 'Christina has been dating Chris Larocca for a few months now. They're always together and out and about around Newport,' a source spilled. Chris and Christina were pictured holding hands in October in Italy as they attended a special dinner hosted by Ferrari of Newport Beach that a source claimed he invited her to 'They even have traveled abroad and visited other countries together.' The insider went on to say that they are 'surprised' that news hasn't come out about their relationship since 'they certainly don't hide that they're together.' While the timeline of when they actually started dating or details of how they met are unclear, Christina and Chris, a 52-year-old CEO from Newport Coast, California, have attended multiple events together the past three months. In October, the HGTV star jetted off on a luxurious Italian vacation hosted by Ferrari, and in photos posted by Ferrari of Newport Beach via Instagram, Christina was allegedly seen holding hands with her new beau after a dinner. Although the photo is of the back of the couple, sources claimed it's them in the photo, and suggested that he was the one who invited her as a guest on the extravagant trip. Following this, Christina and Chris attended a Christmas party together on December 14 in Laguna Beach, hosted by fashion and lifestyle influencer Amy Sexton Following this, Christina - who follows her new boyfriend on Instagram - and Chris attended a Christmas party together on December 14 in Laguna Beach, hosted by fashion and lifestyle influencer Amy Sexton. The festive celebration was also attended by Real Housewives of Orange County alum Kelly Dodd and podcaster Heather McDonald. In a series of photos posted by Amy, Christina and Chris can be seen separately in group photos. Chris, who is president and CEO of Network Connex, a telecommunications service provider, has a 17-year-old daughter from his previous marriage. He got divorced in January 2015 from his ex-wife, whom he'd been married to for eight years before they separated. They continue to share joint custody of their child, as detailed in divorce documents obtained by DailyMail.com. When asked if she planned to remarry anytime soon by Us Weekly last week, Christina said, 'I'll always love love. I probably will [get married again] eventually. But, not anytime soon.' She added that she would need to 'be engaged for a minimum of, like, five years,' before walking down the aisle again. Earlier this week, Christina and Chris were seen struggling to keep their hands off each other as they holidayed together in Cabo. They may, according to the Queen, be like 'ships that pass in the night' due to their heavy workload sometimes. But there was no doubting the sweetly romantic gesture that Camilla, 77, made yesterday to mark her and the King's 20th wedding anniversary. Arriving at the Italian Parliament in Rome, where her husband was due to make an historic speech, she sported the same elegant ivory Anna Valentine silk coat and dress that she wore for their civil wedding ceremony at Windsor's Guildhall on April 9 2005. It had been repurposed with additional embroidery by Beth Somerville, an alumni of Charles' charitable King's Foundation to highlight the importance of sustainability - a key theme of their four-day state visit to Italy - but was otherwise just as it was on the day. And the King, 76, looked proud as punch to have his wife on his arm. In an interview with the British Press accompanying the couple, Camilla looked happy and relaxed as she chatted amiably about her wedding anniversary on a school visit to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the British Council and efforts to encourage young people to read and write imaginatively. 'Twenty years, who could believe it was 20 years?' she said. Asked the secret of their longevity she mused: 'What is the secret? I don't knowwell I suppose it's just sort of friendship, really. Laughing at the same things, getting on with life. I suppose doing this [gestures to the engagement] takes up most of the time The King and Queen, who are celebrating twenty years of marriage today, released a series of portraits for the occasion earlier this week Arriving at the Italian Parliament in Rome, where her husband was due to make an historic speech, she sported the same elegant ivory Anna Valentine silk coat and dress that she wore for their civil wedding ceremony at Windsor's Guildhall on April 9 2005 It had been repurposed with additional embroidery by Beth Somerville, an alumni of Charles' charitable King's Foundation to highlight the importance of sustainability - a key theme of their four-day state visit to Italy - but was otherwise just as it was on the day (pictured) Charles and Camilla pictured walking from St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on the day of their wedding, in 2009 'We are always going in different directions, like ships that pass in the night really. We whizz past each other. [But] In fact we have got a bit of a catch-up this afternoon.' In fact, the Queen revealed she was planning a rather romantic gesture for her husband when they eventually returned to Villa Wolonsky, the home of the British ambassador where they are staying. Asked whether they had time to exchange cards or gifts, she said: 'No we are going to do that when we get back. We are going to save that. Otherwise you can't really you have to rush it. You don't have time to say anything. No, I think we might dig into our pockets and pull something out at the end of the day. 'Ah, yes, well I have got something. It's china [the traditional gift for a 20th anniversary]. ' Asked whether a return gift might be for her husband, who is still undergoing weekly cancer treatment, to take a little time off, she roared: 'Dream on!' 'It would be very nice if we got a day off and went somewhere but that was not going to happen! The couple had spent their evening at a glitzy state banquet, held at the Palazzo Quirinale in Rome The Queen revealed she was planning a rather romantic gesture for her husband when they eventually returned to Villa Wolonsky, the home of the British ambassador where they are staying Charles and Camilla pictured leaving the Italian Lower House, where the royal addressed a joint session of the Parliament There was no doubting the sweetly romantic gesture that Camilla, 77, made yesterday to mark her and the King's 20th wedding anniversary Earlier the King, who looked in equally good form, charmed Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni when they met for the first time at the stunning Villa Doria Pamphili, used to greet foreign dignitaries Earlier this afternoon, Camilla, pictured, visited pupils in a chic black and white polka dot ensemble Speaking of her love of Italy, Camilla said her family used to own a home in the county, explaining: Yes, in Florence. We used to come here as children. We used to go to Ischia, one of the lovely little islands off Naples, so Ive always loved it here. You come to Italy and you feel better. They are so friendly. Everybody is so lovely. Youve got the food, the weather, theres something in the air. Everything tastes better here. Why is it tomatoes, why is it pasta tastes better? You take it back to England it doesnt taste the same. They are a very relaxed [people] and happy. She added that she knew a few words in Italian: I know buongiorno, arrivederci. Asked if she ever had time to talk about their days with her husband she said: Well, yes, we do. We have time over dinner to do a bit of catching up. Earlier the King, who looked in equally good form, charmed Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni when they met for the first time at the stunning Villa Doria Pamphili, used to greet foreign dignitaries. The pair laughed throughout their time in the 17th century countryside palace with incredibly views over Rome and the Vatican City. He went on to give an historic speech to the Italian Parliament - and warned that peace was 'never to be taken for granted'. Referring to the UK and Italy's joint support for Ukraine, he highlighted the bravery of civilian Italian resistance fighters in the Second World War, saying: 'Today, sadly, the echoes of those times which we fervently hoped had been consigned to history reverberate across our continent. Our younger generations can now see in the news every day on their smartphones and tablets that peace is never to be taken for granted. Britain and Italy stand today united in defence of the democratic values we share. 'Our countries have both stood by Ukraine in her hour of need and welcomed many thousands of Ukrainians requiring shelter. Our Armed Forces stand side by side in N.A.T.O. We are grateful beyond measure for the role Italy plays in hosting key N.A.T.O. bases and taking a leading role in so many overseas operations.' He added: 'We will remember the terrible price of war and of the precious gift of peace.' The King was the first British monarch to be invited to give a speech to the joint session of the Italian parliament with representatives from both the Upper and Lower House. Charles and Camilla have been enjoying a four-day trip to Italy - which they kicked off on Monday He switched easily between English and Italian, earning him warm applause from his audience, with his wife watching from the 'Benches of Nine, as he described himself as an 'old friend'. 'Italy is, as I hope you know a country very dear to my heart and that of The Queen as it is to so many of our countrymen and women,' he said. 'It has been one of the pleasures of my life to come to know this irresistible country.I have learned a little more about this nation and have come to admire it even more. 'So I am here today with one purpose: to reaffirm the deep friendship between the United Kingdom and Italy, and to pledge to do all in my power to strengthen that friendship even further in the time that is granted to me as King.' Emphasising the close links between the two countries, he raised a laugh saying: 'Our ties go back over two millennia to those ancient Roman visitors who arrived on our windswept shores. It was the Romans who gave Britons the idea of putting a King's head on coins so I am especially grateful to them... 'And we have benefitted hugely from your influence over what we wear, what we drink and what we eat. I can only hope you will forgive us for occasionally corrupting your wonderful cuisine! We do so with the greatest possible affection...' Notably, given how clear the government has been that the State Visit is, in part, about 're-setting' Britain's relationships with its European neighbours following the Brexit vote, the King added: 'So we are two peoples, and two nations, whose stories are deeply intertwined including, of course, with that of our European continent. We are both, after all, European countries.' There were guffaws of laughter when the President of the Chamber of Deputies, President Lorenzo Fontana, accidentally interrupted the King's speech thinking he had concluded. Charles - known as Carlo by Italians - got the giggles and promised he would be finishing soon, adding: 'Italy will always be in my heart.' Queen Camilla surprised royal fans today as she chose to rewear her wedding outfit to celebrate her 20th anniversary with King Charles. Her Majesty appeared in the Anna Valentine design, which has been repurposed two decades later by the same designer, for the third-day of the couple's State Visit to Italy. The outfit now features additional embroidery details by the King's Foundation artisan Beth Somerville. The Queen chose to wear the frock to attend the Italian Parliament with her husband Charles this afternoon. She paired the white gown with a pearl necklace, gold bracelets, her engagement ring and a cream handbag. Camilla originally donned the stunning outfit for her Guildhall civil ceremony, before changing into a dazzling blue ensemble for the reception. The Queen's decision to recycle her wedding attire today did not mark the first time she has done so. In 2007 - a mere two years after her wedding - she broke with tradition by wearing the dress for the opening of the National Assembly for Wales. Queen Camilla rewears her wedding outfit to celebrate her 20th anniversary with King Charles King Charles and Queen Camilla during their visit to the Senate of the Republic in Italy today Her Majesty wears the Anna Valentine design, which has been repurposed two decades later by the same designer The outfit now features additional embroidery details by the King's Foundation artisan Beth Somerville Camilla later changes into a stunning blue dress after rewearing her wedding outfit Meanwhile, the King made the Italian Parliament roar with laughter this afternoon after his speech was accidentally cut off early. As he and Camilla enjoyed the third-day of their four-day visit to the European nation - including a meeting with the country's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni - the monarch also delivered a message of unity to political representatives. However, the moving address featured a moment of levity as attendees stood up and clapped while President of the Chamber of Deputies, President Lorenzo Fontana, accidentally thought it had concluded - but a baffled Charles, 76, was not done. 'I'm nearly finished,' the royal quipped, after getting the giggles, as he wrapped up the delivery, earning chuckles from those in the audience. The monarch's speech warned that peace was 'never to be taken for granted'. Referring to the United Kingdom and Italy's joint support for Ukraine, as well as the bravery of civilian Italian resistance fighters in the Second World War, he said: 'Today, sadly, the echoes of those times which we fervently hoped had been consigned to history reverberate across our continent. 'Our younger generations can now see in the news every day on their smartphones and tablets that peace is never to be taken for granted. Britain and Italy stand today united in defence of the democratic values we share. 'Our countries have both stood by Ukraine in her hour of need and welcomed many thousands of Ukrainians requiring shelter. Our Armed Forces stand side by side in NATO. We are grateful beyond measure for the role Italy plays in hosting key NATO bases and taking a leading role in so many overseas operations.' She pairs the white gown with a three-row pearl necklace, gold bracelets and her engagement ring She matches the long blue gown with a lighter blue necklace and silver bag Camilla during day three of the royal couple's State visit to The Republic of Italy Charles and Camilla smile in their stunning attire during their visit to Italy Camilla pairs her recycled wedding outfit with a pair of white heels and stunning jewellery Charles and Camilla attend the state banquet at the Quirinale Palace in Rome, Italy, today Camilla also pears her beautiful white outfit with a matching cream handbag The King makes the Italian Parliament roar with laughter this afternoon - after his speech was accidentally cut off early He and Queen Camilla enjoy the third-day of their four-day visit to the European nation The moving address features a moment of levity as attendees stand up and clap 'I'm nearly finished,' the royal quips, after getting the giggles as he wraps up the delivery, earning chuckles from those in the audience He highlighted imminent plans by the Royal Navy to undertake a major exercise in the Mediterranean with Italian forces as 'a powerful symbol of our cooperation'. And he praised a joined British, Italian and Japanese air combat programme to build 'our next generation fighter aircraft'. He added: 'We will remember the terrible price of war and of the precious gift of peace.' The King was the first British monarch to be invited to give a speech to the joint session of the Italian parliament with representatives from both the Upper and Lower House and only the fourth non-Italian to have addressed the chamber from the President's Podium. He switched easily between English and Italian, earning him warm applause from his audience, with his wife watching from the 'Benches of Nine'. Describing himself as 'enormously touched' to have been asked he said the gesture was all the more special on their 20th wedding anniversary. 'Italy is, as I hope you know a country very dear to my heart and that of The Queen as it is to so many of our countrymen and women,' he added. 'I have made eighteen official visits over the past forty years to the Belpaese. It has been one of the pleasures of my life to come to know this irresistible country, and from Turin to Palermo, Verona to Naples, Florence to Trieste, I have learned a little more about this nation and have come to admire it even more. 'Like any old friend, I have been with you at happier moments and sadder moments in your national life. For instance, I will never forget my visit to Venice with The Queen in 2009, where we saw the magnificently restored La Fenice Opera House or to Amatrice in 2017, in the aftermath of that tragic earthquake. 'So I am here today with one purpose: to reaffirm the deep friendship between the United Kingdom and Italy, and to pledge to do all in my power to strengthen that friendship even further in the time that is granted to me as King.' Emphasising the close links between the two countries, he raised a laugh saying: 'Our ties go back over two millennia to those ancient Roman visitors who arrived on our windswept shores. It was the Romans who gave Britons the idea of putting a King's head on coins so I am especially grateful to them... 'And we have benefitted hugely from your influence over what we wear, what we drink and what we eat. I can only hope you will forgive us for occasionally corrupting your wonderful cuisine! We do so with the greatest possible affection...' Traveling opens the mind and soul - as well as unlocking some interesting truths about home. Americans have recently been sharing their biggest cultural shocks after visiting new countries and making friends with different backgrounds. 'Americans, what's something you didn't realize was weird until you talked to non-Americans?' one user asked in a post to Reddit to spark the discussion. In response, dozens of users shared what they had learned from experiencing different cultures and seeing how people live, noting what in particular stood out to them. 'Requiring cashiers to stand up,' one user responded. 'It seemed normal when I lived in the US, but now that I'm in Spain and see cashiers sitting down I wonder why they can't in the US.' 'The way we arrange our dates. Month, day, year. Most of the rest of the world arranges it day, month, year,' someone else chimed in. 'The amount of sugar that's in our food,' wrote another. 'Like ALL of our food has it in some capacity. I worked with foreign students every summer in [high school] and they always wondered why our food was so sweet. I didn't realize it until I traveled and ate at non-Americanized places.' 'We wash and subsequently have to refrigerate our eggs,' shared someone else. 'Not having a electric kettle for making hot water. We like the inefficient stovetop method.' Americans have recently been sharing their biggest cultural shocks after visiting new countries and making friends with different backgrounds (stock image) 'Pharma ads on TV,' chimed in someone else. Another Reddit user wrote that they thought 'saying the Pledge Of Allegiance every morning at school as a child was totally normal' until moving overseas. 'Then I got outside the US and realized that forcing children into a daily routine where they mindlessly recite commitment to the concept of their country is cult s**t wrapped in thin patriotic paper,' they added. Last year, CNN and BBC reporter Kim Davis revealed that as an American she has made several unamusing mistakes since moving to London, and that US natives are often referred to as 'stupid Americans.' In a CNN piece posted in July 2024, Davis revealed she believes the reputation surrounding certain travelers from America is completely understandable. Some American travelers abroad tend to be disrespectful or embarrassing, with some of their actions leading to injury, arrest, or the victim of a crime. Davis shared some tips can help a U.S. tourist go from being a problematic 'stupid American' to an inoffensive 'smart American.' She listed paying attention to social cues, speaking at a lower volume, and being curious as positive qualities in being a tourist overseas. 'Americans, what's something you didn't realize was weird until you talked to non-Americans?' one user asked in a post to Reddit to spark the discussion In response, dozens of users shared what they had learned from experiencing different cultures and seeing how people live, noting what in particular stood out to them (stock image) She also encouraged people to research scams or other kinds of petty crimes in the country they're visiting. Davis noted that there are 'various issues to watch out for in Europe like fake police, counterfeit tourist attraction tickets and taxi scams.' The writer also encouraged people not to be too proud - admitting she often heard the term 'stupid American.' Davis called her secret weapon to avoid being called a 'stupid American' was beating European locals to the punch. She would call herself a 'stupid American' first in asking a question that might sound like a typical tourist query. Joking about this can put on a good first impression in front of a local, who help them to navigate the area. According to Davis, doing this reverse psychology method will help with the possibility of a local saying they are 'not stupid' and that they are 'happy to help.' If your brain insists on replaying every awkward moment you've ever lived through the moment your head hits the pillow - you're not alone. And now, an emergency room doctor is offering a surprisingly simple technique that could help calm those spiralling late-night thoughts. Dr Joe Whittington, an emergency medicine physician from the US, explained a method known as the 'Infinity Tracing Technique'. It's a tool commonly used in therapy and neuroscience to settle overactive minds, and according to Dr Whittington, it works a little like 'distracting a toddler with a shiny object - except the toddler is your brain.' 'Brain won't shut up at night? Do you ever lay in bed at night overthinking all of the embarrassing things you've done since childhood? Same,' he said. 'I'm going to teach you a technique that might help you calm your overactive brain... Try this weird but effective trick to calm racing thoughts and actually fall asleep.' Here's how it works: raise your finger in the air, and slowly trace the shape of an infinity symbol. 'What you do is you take your finger, put it in the air and you trace the infinity symbol slowly and methodically,' Dr Whittington explained. Dr Joe Whittington is an emergency medicine physician from the US However, he pointed out you should not move your finger around quickly 'like you're casting spells. As you're tracing the infinity symbol with your finger, he said the key is to move slowly and use only your eyes to follow the shape. According to Dr Whittington, this movement activates the brain's vestibular system - the part responsible for balance and eye motion. Engaging that system can help interrupt racing thoughts and regulate the nervous system, easing you into a calmer headspace. The neurological trick won't erase the memories of that time you replied 'you too' when the waiter told you to enjoy your meal - but it can help you stop spiralling about it in the middle of the night. While the method isn't a replacement for professional support, many praised Dr Whittington's advice as a helpful, accessible tool to ease the nightly onslaught of overthinking. 'I need this all day every day. Thanks Doc,' one said. 'I'm an obsessive overthinker, where it makes me sick to my stomach. Cross fingers this works,' another added. The neurological trick won't erase the memories of that time you replied 'you too' when the waiter told you to enjoy your meal - but it can help you stop spiralling about it in the middle of the night (file image) 'Wow I needed this,' one shared. Those who tried the technique confirmed they were able to fall asleep, with one saying: 'It worked for me.' Elsewhere in the comments, people across all ages shared their own struggles with nighttime anxiety - and a few of their own coping techniques. 'Yes, this happens to me every night and I'm 52. That's a lot of years to think about everything,' one woman wrote. 'I count backwards by threes. Keeps the brain busy. Works every time,' another added. One person said they'd unknowingly been using a similar trick for years. 'Didn't realise why I did this... but makes sense. I always draw a shape like a five-petal flower, all in one line, sort of like a spirograph, and it calms me down.' Drinking eight glasses of wine or pints of beer a week or more can dramatically increase your chances of developing memory-robbing dementia, a new study has suggested. Brazilian researchers discovered that this amount of booze doubles the risk of a type of brain damage that is often a precursor to the disease. Even if dementia doesn't develop, the damage alone can cause problems with memory and thinking in older age. The study, of 1781 people, found those who drank more than eight alcoholic beverages a week also died an average of 13 years earlier than those who never drank. Recent polls suggest that the average Briton drinks roughly 18 units of alcohol a week, equivalent to around six pints of 5.2 per cent beer every week, or six large glasses of wine. Other Government research suggests around one in five people in the UK drink alcohol on at least five days out of the week, on average. 'Our research shows that heavy alcohol consumption is damaging to the brain, which can lead to memory and thinking problems,' the researchers, from the University of Sao Paulo Medical School, said. The study involved brain autopsies of 1,781 people who had an average age of 75 when they died. Researchers found that, after accounting for other factors linked to brain health, drinking eight pints at week doubled dementia risk The research team examined brain tissue to look for signs of brain injury, including tangles of a protein called tau and thickening of arteries in the brain, called hyaline arteriolosclerosis. Both are associated with increased dementia risk; tau tangles disrupt the connection between brain cells, while hyaline arteriolosclerosis makes it harder for blood to travel to areas of the brain, leading to vascular dementia. They also measured brain weight and the height of each participant, while family members answered questions about the participants alcohol consumption. The research team then divided the participants into four groups: 965 people who never drank, 319 'moderate drinkers' who had seven or fewer drinks per week; 129 'heavy drinker' who had eight or more drinks per week; and 368 former heavy drinkers. One drink was defined as containing roughly two units of alcohol such as a glass of wine or pint of beer. Results showed that between 45 and 50 per cent of those who were moderate, heavy or former heavy drinkers had signs of hyaline arteriolosclerosis in their brain. In comparison, 40 per cent of the never-drinkers showed signs of the damage. However, after adjusting for factors that could affect brain health such as smoking status, level of physical activity and age of death, heavy drinkers had 133 per cent higher odds of the arteriolosclerosis, compared to those who never drank. Official data has shown the UK actually ranks middle of the pack for alcohol consumption, behind France and Germany Former heavy drinkers were 89 per cent more likely to show signs of the blood vessel damage, and moderate drinkers, 60 per cent. The research team also found heavy and former heavy drinkers were between 30 and 40 per cent more likely to develop tau tangles, compared to teetotal participants. Former heavy drinking was also associated with a lower brain mass ratio, a smaller proportion of brain mass compared to body mass, and worse cognitive abilities. Writing in the journal Neurology, the research team say their findings don't prove that heavy drinking causes brain injury, but they do show an association. Dr Justo added: 'Heavy alcohol consumption is a major global health concern linked to increased health problems and death. Understanding these effects is crucial for public health awareness and continuing to implement preventive measures to reduce heavy drinking.' Sydney Stoner, 31, had spent months quietly suffering from severe abdominal pain, along with frequent bouts of diarrhea and constipation. But in 2019, she was forced to seek medical attention after collapsing in pain at work, barely able to move. Despite being in constant discomfort, Stoner recalls being dismissed by doctors, who told her she was 'too young for it to be anything serious.' She was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) a common digestive condition that causes abdominal pain and changes in bowel habits. But she knew in her gut it was something far more sinister. As her symptoms worsened and the pain began to feel like her 'insides were being twisted,' the newlywed resorted to a desperate measure she lied to doctors about seeing blood in her stool, just to be taken seriously. That was when she was finally referred for tests and, sadly, diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer at the age of 27. Stoner, who works at a cafe in Arkansas, said: 'For years, I was having really bad abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation. Sydney says that she feels frustrated that medics did not take her symptoms seriously earlier and says they believe she would have died before the regular screening age of 45 'People would say it was just that time of the month or that it was 'female stuff,' but I thought, no it can't be this painful. 'When I finally spoke to a doctor, he told me I was too young for it to be anything serious. 'At that point, I wasn't really given any other explanation, but I do remember one doctor saying it was probably IBS.' After lying about her stool, Stoner was finally referred for a colonoscopy in September 2020. But doctors struggled to complete the procedure a tumor roughly five millimeters in size was blocking access to her colon. 'I had to lie to get my colonoscopy,' she said. 'I told them there was blood in my stool because they kept saying I needed a referral first.' What came next turned her life upside down. 'When the doctors told me it was cancer, my whole world stopped spinning,' she recalled. 'We [my partner and I] were newlyweds excited for this new chapter and it all just came to a halt. I was terrified, but I was also really frustrated.' The tumor that originated in her bowel had already spread to her liver and lungs. Stoner was diagnosed with Stage 4 bowel cancer that had spread to her colon, liver and lungs Since then, she has braved through 24 rounds of chemotherapy and her cancer is now 'stable' Once doctors discovered the extent of her situation, they surgically removed the cancerous tumors from her colon in September 2020 and liver in 2023 while she underwent chemotherapy to kill the cancer in her lungs. Since then, Stoner has braved through 24 rounds of chemotherapy and her cancer is now 'stable' - meaning that the tumors in her body are not shrinking or growing and no new tumors are developing. Since her shocking diagnosis, she has begun asking people to not ignore their symptoms and take action. Stoner also says that she feels frustrated that medics did not take her symptoms seriously earlier and says they believe she would have died before the regular colon cancer screening age of 45. 'I was also really mad at myself because I'd ignored my symptoms for so long, or just acted like it would fix itself. Sydney Stoner, 31, Arkansas cafe worker claims that she 'nearly died' after her bowel cancer symptoms were repeatedly dismissed by doctors and diagnosed as IBS 'Doctors said I was too young but I probably would have died before I made it to the screening age of 45. It was very frustrating. 'I know it's difficult but keep advocating for yourself because no one else is going to get that done for you. 'Find a new doctor, or whatever that may be. 'Find someone to listen to you because I know people that were diagnosed at 18 years old. 'The screening age needs to be lower or there shouldn't be one at all.' Colon cancer is on the rise among young Americans. Diagnoses are expected to nearly double between 2010 and 2030. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 154,000 Americans are projected to be diagnosed with colon cancer this year, with just under 53,000 deaths expected. The group estimates that of the projected numbers, about 10 percent of cases will be diagnosed in people under 50. In 2023, 19,550 people under the age of 50 reported having colon cancer out of which 3,750 died. A pediatrician who is accused in a civil lawsuit of sexually abusing more than 100 children has been ordered to pay nearly $2billion to his victims. The alleged victims say in their lawsuits Dr Stuart Copperman sexually abused them during physical exams at appointments, which took place in his medical office in the basement of his house in Merrick, New York, a town on Long Island about 35 miles east of Manhattan. However, Copperman, who is accused of abuse dating back to the 1960s, was never charged with any crime and only lost his medical license because of the allegations when he was 65 years old in 2000. The abuse, the alleged victims claim in the suits, included Copperman, now 89 and living in Florida, rubbing their genital area, including their vagina and clitoris. The former doctor has repeatedly denied the allegations and said he was just being 'thorough' during his examinations, though the board reviewing his medical license said 'rubbing female genitalia during a physical examination is always inappropriate.' In the civil action, the judge ruled for the women because Copperman failed to respond to the lawsuit. One of the victims who spoke publicly of her alleged abuse was Rev. Debbi Rhodes, who accused Copperman of sexually abusing her beginning in 1968 when she was seven years old. Rhodes, 63, received $25million in the lawsuit against the former doctor. Two other women identified only as Jane Doe in litigation were both awarded $27million. The former patients are just some of 104 women who were awarded money, with amounts ranging from $500,000 to $32million. Dr Stuart Copperman (pictured here) has been accused of sexually abusing his young female patients Your browser does not support iframes. Rhodes told the Associated Press: 'Im not sure if hes facing justice. He kind of got away with it for all these years. But to have a court say, definitively, "I believe you" - to hear that - thats heavy medicine right there.' One Jane Doe told AP: 'It feels good to know that someone heard us. People now understand the magnitude of what he did.' In legal documents regarding the matter of Copperman's medical license from 2000, it is stated that around 1982, a woman identified as 'Patient A' was 14 years old and Copperman told her he needed to clean her genital area. He took her into a private room alone where he 'spread Patient A's knees apart and using his bare fingers touched and rubbed her genital area for a few minutes.' Similar events occurred 'on one or more occasions' until 1986 when the patient was 17. In 1989, the former doctor allegedly did the same to a Patient B when she was 20 years old. A woman identified as Patient C accused Copperman of similar acts. She said in 1980, when she was 16 years old, the former doctor told her he needed to clean her genital area. Copperman then allegedly 'rubbed and touched Patient C's vaginal area and clitoris with ungloved hands.' The document details similar instances among additional women identified as Patients E through G, taking place from 1978 to 1989. The women ranged in ages from 10 to 20 years old at the time of the alleged misconduct. The medical board reviewing the case of Copperman's license wrote: 'Respondent is found to have engaged in professional misconduct by reason of willfully harassing, abusing or intimidating a patient either physically verbally. 'The hearing committee found patients A, B, C, E, F and G to be credible witnesses. Their delay in coming forth to report the pertinent facts is understandable.' The committee concluded: 'The Hearing Committee determines and orders that Respondent's [Copperman's] license to practice medicine be revoked.' An attorney who has represented Copperman over the years did not respond to messages seeking comment from the AP. Victims say Dr Stuart Copperman sexually abused them during physical exams (stock photo) Copperman never faced criminal charges or disciplinary action, though lawsuits from Rhodes and other victims claim some of the women filed complaints with local police and medical boards. It wasn't until the medical board heard from the patients identified as Patient A through G that action was taken. Despite the board's findings, Copperman's alleged victims weren't able to sue him because of the statute of limitations. However, in 2019, New York's Child Victims Act was passed and temporarily allowed people to file suit over sexual abuse they suffered as children. The Long Island court hearing the case ruled in favor of the women because the former doctor never responded to the lawsuits. Judgments were made in several separate instances over the course of the last year. In April 2024, Jane Doe T.A. was awarded $27million. Rhodes' win came in December 2024 and the rest of the 104 rulings were decided March 28. Kristen Gibbons Feden, a lawyer representing the group of women, said: 'For decades, these women were silenced and dismissed. Now, they cannot be ignored.' The women also sued local hospitals and healthcare systems but those claims were dismissed. Lawyers for the women told AP they had retained a collections specialist to begin pursuing compensation from Copperman. Rhodes and other plaintiffs also told the AP they've accepted the possibility they may never see much, if any, of the money they are owed given how large a sum it is. When a person loses a lawsuit but cannot pay the money ordered, debt collectors may go after any wages the defendant makes, as well as other financial sources, such as bank accounts and properties. Health officials are warning that a drug far more deadly than fentanyl is beginning its tear across the US. The Douglas County Sheriffs Office in Omaha, Nebraska, in coordination has seized more than 30 pounds of carfentanil, or about 150,000 pills, since November and the drug is appearing in supplies across the country. Carfentil is a synthetic fentanyl made in a lab and typically used as an elephant and large cattle tranquilizer because it is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than its cousin fentanyl. Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson said: The most insidious thing about fentanyl and carfentanil is that the cartels press it into facsimile pills to make it look like prescription medication. Cartels in Mexico, who typically source chemicals from abroad, typically China, and press them into pills that masquerade as pure benzodiazepines or add them in powder form to heroin and cocaine. Often, drug users dont know theyre taking the drug until they begin to overdose. The pills seized that would have appeared on the streets had been pressed into fake oxycodone tablets. Officers also found powdered carfentanil, which could be used as an adulterant to cocaine or as an ingredient to press the pills. Sheriff Hanson said: Even if 1 percent of those 150,000 pills prove to be fatal, that couldve meant 1,500 people in Douglas County and in this surrounding area dying of a fentanyl overdose. Since November, Nebraskas Douglas County Sheriffs Office and USPS investigators have seized over 30 pounds of carfentanilroughly 150,000 pills The presence of carfentanil in the illicit drug market began to tick up in 2016. But because its difficult to tell which fentanyl overdoses were linked to carfentanil specifically, the true toll is hard to determine. There were 513 overdoses from carfentanil between January 2021 and June 2024, hitting states like Florida and West Virginia the hardest, according to a CDC report published today. While the overall numbers are low, CDC officials are concerned because the total increase from the summer of 2023 to the summer of 2024 rose more than 720 percent. Jared Dingwell, supervisor of the halfway house called Mens Three-Quarter House in Nebraska, said this is not a recent threat to the city: I have multiple residents that are experienced with it. Its been around for a while. Its not new. From July 2023 to June 2024, nearly 87 percent of carfentanil-related deaths also involved IMF (a dangerous mix of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids like carfentanyl and another analog, acetylfentanyl). Over that period, carfentanil was found in overdose deaths in 37 states, with eight statesall east of the Mississippi Riverseeing at least 20 deaths each. One of the seizures in Douglas County contained 24 pounds of carfentanil pills, making this one of the largest carfentanil busts in US history. Seizures of carfentanil and fentanyl, more broadly, are ticking up. Customs and Border Protection reported 22,000 seizures in 2024. There were about 27,000 in 2023 and 14,700 in 2022. The 2024 seizures were equivalent to more than 377 million lethal doses of fentanyl. Three months ago, Department of Homeland Security officials intercepted a package at Los Angeles International Airport containing roughly 20 grams of carfentanil (10,000 times the lethal dose) to be delivered to a man in Provo, Utah. A few grains of salt-worth of carfentanil is deadly, though some reports say a dose of 0.5 mg can prove fatal. Seizures of carfentanil and fentanyl, more broadly, are ticking up. Customs and Border Protection reported 22,000 seizures in 2024. There were about 27,000 in 2023 and 14,700 in 2022 Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson [Pictured] said: The most insidious thing about fentanyl and carfentanil is that the cartels press it into facsimile pills to make it look like prescription medication' The pills are often disguised as prescription opioids. In the most recent bust in Douglas County, Nebraska, officials collected blue pills stamped with M-30, meant to look like legitimate oxycodone. The issue of fentanyl trafficking has been at the core of nearly every Trump administration trade and border policy. The President has attributed his move to place tariffs on Canada and Mexico to the national emergency that fentanyl and the cartels have imposed on the US. The White House announced the tariffs in February: The government of Mexico has afforded safe havens for the cartels to engage in the manufacturing and transportation of dangerous narcotics, which collectively have led to the overdose deaths of hundreds of thousands of American victims. Mexico's SEMAR ( Secretaria de Marina) antidrug force is seen dismantling a synthetic drug laboratory in Culiacan, Sinaloa with 50 tons of processed drug in crystal and liquid in 2018 This alliance endangers the national security of the United States, and we must eradicate the influence of these dangerous cartels. White House officials added: There is also a growing presence of Mexican cartels operating fentanyl and nitazene synthesis labs in Canada. A recent study recognized Canadas heightened domestic production of fentanyl, and its growing footprint within international narcotics distribution. President Trump has also floated the idea of targeting Mexicos leading drug cartel based in Sinaloa and behind a massive share of the pills that cross the border with drone strikes. Your browser does not support iframes. Officials from the White House, Pentagon, and intelligence agencies are reportedly considering targeted drone strikes against Mexican drug cartel leaders and operationsbut only with Mexicos approval, according to sources familiar with the discussions who spoke to NBC News. Talks are still in the early stages, and no final decisions have been made. While a diplomatic approach to Mexico and the drug crisis is the preferred approach, the US has not ruled out acting alone as a last resort. Its unclear whether American officials have formally proposed drone strikes to the Mexican government. Having a father with Alzheimer's may put you at greater risk of developing the disease, research today suggested. It has long been believed that women are more likely to develop the memory-robbing condition. This was thought to be because they live longer and age is the biggest risk factor for the disease. But now, Canadian scientists say children who have Dad's with Alzheimer's are more prone to one toxic protein, tau, spreading in the brain. Significant clumps of this protein, as well as another amyloid can form plaques and tangles and this is thought to be behind the symptoms of Alzheimer's, the leading cause of dementia. The team, from McGill University in Montreal, said the findings suggested these children were at higher risk of the condition because of this 'spread of tau'. But they cautioned the findings do not prove that having a father with Alzheimer's results in these brain changes merely it shows an association. Dr Sylvia Villeneuve, an associate professor in psychiatry at McGill University and study author, said: 'We were surprised to see that people with a father with Alzheimer's were more vulnerable to the spread of tau in the brain. Significant clumps of both proteins can form plaques and tangle and this is thought to be behind Alzheimer's symptoms. Pictured, an Alzheimer's affected brain, with abnormal levels of amyloid protein clumping together to form plaques Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. The disease can cause anxiety, confusion and short-term memory loss 'We had hypothesized that we would see more brain changes in people with affected mothers. 'Better understanding these vulnerabilities could help us design personalized interventions to help protect against Alzheimer's disease.' In the study, researchers tracked 243 people with an average age of 68, who had a family history of Alzheimer's disease but had no thinking or memory problems themselves. They defined family history as one or both parents with the disease or at least two siblings with the disease. All participants underwent brain scans and thinking and memory tests. Over a follow-up of seven years, the scientists found 71 people developed mild cognitive impairment a precursor to Alzheimer's disease. Writing in the journal Neurology, they said that people who had a father with Alzheimer's 'had a greater spread of tau protein in the brain'. But they also found separately that female participants had a heavier buildup of tau protein in the brain. Around 900,000 Brits are currently thought to have the memory-robbing disorder. But University College London scientists estimate this will rise to 1.7million within two decades as people live longer. It marks a 40 per cent uptick on the previous forecast in 2017 While separate research has indicated this is the case, the scientists, however, warned that further studies were needed. Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia in the UK. Recent analysis by the Alzheimer's Society estimates the overall annual cost of the dementia to the UK is 42billion a year, with families bearing the brunt. An ageing population means these costs which include lost earnings of unpaid carers are set to soar to 90billion in the next 15 years. Around 944,000 in the UK are thought to be living with dementia, while the figure is thought to be around 7million in the US. Memory problems, thinking and reasoning difficulties and language problems are common early symptoms of the condition, which then worsen over time. Alzheimer's Research UK analysis found 74,261 people died from dementia in 2022 compared with 69,178 a year earlier, making it the country's biggest killer. If you thought your weight was all down to whether or not you were able to resist the 3pm call of the KitKat, then think again because scientists have discovered another influential factor. A new study has found that in fact, the weather at your time of conception could also have an impact on your weight, with people conceived during the colder winter months are more likely to stay slim in adulthood. Well give you a second to count back nine months from your birthday and work out if that was you. Scientists have identified a link between conception date and future weight So why does conception date impact weight? Well, researchers suggest its do to with the way bodies burn fat. The study looked at more than 350 Japanese men, and found that individuals conceived between mid-October and mid-April tended to have more active brown adipose tissue. Active brown fat burns calories to generate heat, which also helps to regulate blood sugar. Participants conceived in those months tended to have lower BMIs and slimmer waists. On average, their BMI scores were about 22, compared with 23 for those conceived in warmer months. It doesnt sound like much, but according to Dr Takeshi Yoneshiro of Tohoku University who led the study, such a difference is meaningful at population scale. His team suggest that environmental conditions at the time of an eggs fertilisation can shape a persons metabolism in lasting ways. Cold weather at the time of an eggs fertilisation can shape a persons metabolism in lasting ways Yoneshiro told The Daily Telegraph that the findings suggested that humans possess the capacity for short-term, environmentally responsive programming that can be transmitted across generations possibly through epigenetic mechanisms [genes dialling up or down depending on environment]. His findings, published in Nature Metabolism, echo earlier work in mice, which had similar findings about how cold weather exposure could trigger changes in how fat is burnt by the body. It's been a long and winding road, but Ann Coulter appears to be back on the Trump train. That's the word from a Tuesday tweet from the far-right conservative, weeks after she expressed unease over the Trump administration's plans to deport green card holders over pro-Palestine protests. The 63-year-old publicly pondered at the time whether such moves were unconstitutional, after sparring with Trump on-and-off for the past several years. However, when it came to deporting violent American offenders to El Salvador, Coulter sang a different tune, declaring 'Trump 2 is AWESOME!' on X over a headline detailing how Trump said he would be happy to deport such citizens 'if it's legal'. She also talked up Trump's recent tariffs, after the two split ranks during Trump's first term following some early support from Coulter. In fact, the author was one of Trump's first followers. She was the first mainstream pundit to predict Trump would in 2016 her 2015 book Adios, America was credited with heavily influencing his policymaking on immigration. But their relationship soured after Coulter accused the president of filching on promises surrounding the southern border. At the time - in December 2018 - the Senate easily passed a temporary spending measure that diverted no funds for Trump's touted border wall, following word from the White House that Trump wouldn't press the issue. However, outcry fueled by conservatives like Coulter - and late talk show host Rush Limbaugh - saw the White House do an embarrassing about-face. It resulted in that year's government shutdown - the longest in US history. Ann Coulter appears to be back on the Trump train, according to a recent tweet from the longtime commentator. The two split ranks during Trump's first term over debate surrounding the border The tweet was issued along with a headline detailing how Donald Trump recently said he would be happy to deport such citizens 'if it's legal'. She also talked up Trump's recent tariffs In the years since, the two have relentlessly traded barbs, starting when Trump dismissed Coulter's role in decision-making that spurred the shutdown in the first place. During a press conference the month he reversed course, Trump announced he would declare a national emergency at the border. In doing so, he told White House reporters he 'hardly [knew]' his onetime fan. 'I hardly know [Coulter]. I haven't spoken to her in way over a year,' he said, adding that the conservative author who once often appeared on cable news was 'off the reservation.' The Republican - who famously values loyalty - appeared to ignite a Cold War-esque war of words in the process, with Coulter afterwards panning Trump's plan to squeeze senators as no more than a big show. 'Forget the fact that he's digging his own grave,' Coulter said at the time, before taking it a step further. 'The only national emergency is that our president is an idiot,' she said, setting the tone of the subsequent conflict. The following month, Coulter slammed Trump the 'biggest wimp' in presidential history, after he eventually bowed on the border funding standoff by re-opening the government. The pundit who penned a book praising Trump's 2016 campaign continued to criticize Trump for the next several months for not following through on his campaign promise of building a border wall. 'Trump 2 is AWESOME!' Coulter wrote on X, in response to an AL.com report detailing how Trump on Sunday said he would be happy to deport violent American offenders to El Salvador after its president said he would accept them Hitting him with insults such as 'disloyal retard' and 'blithering idiot,' the author of the 2016 book said in May 2020 when asked about her about-face: 'I will never apologize for supporting the issues that candidate Trump advocated. 'I am deeply sorry for thinking that this shallow and broken man would show even some remote fealty to the promises that got him elected.' Trump, meanwhile, called Coulter a 'washed up' pundit he 'didn't want around' in September 2023, before running for president again without her support while promising to address the situation at the border. Upon being sworn-in, he attempted to do so, by commencing a wide-ranging immigration crackdown that is still happening today. Before that, Coulter criticized Trump's nomination of 'sleazy' Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whom she branded a 'serial adulterer'. Then, days before ICE announced it arrested 32,809 people as part of Trump's crackdown, Coulter questioned whether the government was violating the First Amendment by arresting Mahmoud Khalil, a student who led pro-Palestine protests. 'There's almost no one I don't want to deport, but, unless they've committed a crime, isn't this a violation of the first amendment?' Coulter said in another post on X, on March 10. Three days later, ICE unveiled the startling statistics surrounding arrests made by the agency during Trump's first 50 days in office, declaring 75 percent of those arrests were of accused or convicted criminals. Coulter's comment come weeks after she expressed unease over the Trump administration's plans to deport green card holders over pro-Palestine protests Pictured, Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student who played a prominent role in pro-Palestinian protests at the university, being detained by U.S. federal immigration agents in March. Coulter question whether the arrest was unconstitutional Days later, ICE announced it had arrested 14,111 convicted criminals, including Humberto Romero Avila, a 45-year-old Paisas gang member and foreign fugitive who has illegally entered the U.S. 10 times and is wanted for homicide in Mexico in February According to the agency, 14,111- nearly half - were convicted criminals. A further 9,980 - about a third - have pending criminal charges. Several are suspected terrorists. Then, within weeks, Trump suggested he may take his aggressive approach to regulating immigration even further - doing so while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday. 'Well, I love that,' Trump said, after being asked if he would be willing to send violent American citizens to El Salvador - and the country's progressive, money-making prison system - after President Nayib Bukele said he would gladly accept them. 'If we could take some of our 20-time wise guys that push people into subways and that hit people over the back of the head and that purposely run people over in cars if he would take them, I would be honored to give them.' The remarks were first reported by The Hill, and were later addressed by not only Coulter but White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt earlier this week. 'The president has said, "if it's legal," right?' Leavitt said during her daily briefing Tuesday. If there is a legal pathway to do that, he's not sure. We are not sure if there is,' she added. 'It's an idea that he has simply floated and has discussed very publicly in the effort of transparency.' At another point, she disclaimed: 'These would be heinous, violent criminals who have broken our nations laws repeatedly, and these are violent repeat offenders in American streets.' In this photo provided by El Salvador's presidential press office, a prison guard transfers deportees from the U.S., alleged to be Venezuelan gang members Coulter supported the idea, as well as Trump's recent, widely criticized, widespread tariffs Coulter, seen here on New York's Fox 5 with Rosanna Scotto, was one of Trump's first followers. She was the first mainstream pundit to predict Trump would in 2016 her 2015 book Adios, America was credited with heavily influencing his policymaking on immigration Coulter, known for her speeches on topics such as modern conservatism and gay marriage on the college speaking circuit, aired her tweet touting Trump a few hours later, while praising his recent tariffs in another. As most criticized the conservative for what they framed as a self-induced economic scare, Coulter said: 'Some might argue that Trump shouldnt waver on tariffs until the number of hedge fund managers who have hurled themselves out of windows is mid-triple figures. 'Naturally I would never suggest such a thing.' 'Welcome back,' one X user wrote in reply, as both posts racked up thousands of views. The White House on Wednesday mocked MSNBC's Chris Matthews after the former 'Hardball' host ranted against President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canada. 'What are we going to do? Have more lumber made in the United States now?!' Matthews raged on-air. 'What is our plan now? Oh we're not going to import wood so we're going to make more wood?' 'Are we going to make more wood in this country because of our trade deal?! I don't think so!' 'Yes,' replied White House Principal Deputy Communications Director Alex Pfeiffer shortly on social media. 'That's the idea,' replied Trump's rapid response account, sharing a screenshot of the president's plan to expand American timber production. On March 1, the president signed an executive order directing the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to expand timber production on federal lands. President Trump's action drew immediate support from the American Forest Resource Council. U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he attends the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) dinner Chris Matthews rants about Trump's tariffs on Canada 'These are common sense directives Americans support and want from their Federal government, which owns about 30 percent of our nation's forests,' AFRC President Travis Joseph said, praising Trump's decision. The White House's mockery of Matthews sparked several people on social media to comment about the loss of lumber mills and loggers from South Carolina and North Carolina who were going out of business, and the abundance of trees available for lumber production in the United States. 'I dont think this fella understands how we "make wood,"' author Chris Bradley wrote on X. 'This dude has never driven up California and Oregon to check out lumber farms,' wrote Todd Salemi on X. 'Does he think we dont have trees in The US or does he not know where lumber comes from? My bet is both from the dumb remarks he has made in the past,' wrote Karen A on X. About 30 percent of softwood lumber is imported into the United States, but President Trump is exploring raising tariffs on softwood lumber coming from Canada from 14.4 percent to 34.45 percent, according to reports. China has hit back at Donald Trump by raisings tariffs on US goods to 84% as the global trade war escalated further today. Beijing said it will increase its import tax by 50% from tomorrow in a retaliatory move after the US placed a 104% tariff on Chinese goods entering the US. UK markets opened lower this morning as Trump's 'explosive' tariffs sees stocks tumble across the world. The FTSE opened 2.5% down as markets plunged again as Trump's tariffs took effect on around 60 countries deemed to be the 'worst offenders'. Countries have been braced for potential economic damage from the import taxes on goods entering the US from midnight Washington time - just after 5am in the UK. Our live updates have now ended Advertisement A unique Rolls-Royce steeped in historical significance is set to go under the hammer at a UK auction next month. The 1936 Phantom III limousine was used extensively during the Second World War to transport Field Marshal Montgomery, the commanding officer of the British Eighth Army, in the crucial months leading up to the D-Day invasion of Europe - with the car part of the tight security and secrecy surrounding those meetings. Over this period, Montgomerys Roller carried some of the most iconic high-ranking military figures during the war. General and 34th President of the United States Dwight D. Eisenhower was a passenger in the rare British luxury motor, as was HM King George VI and Prime Minister Winston Churchill. And the car, which is set to be offered to the highest bidder on May 3, still boasts a very unique feature that was custom installed for Churchill at the time - an electric cigar lighter in the rear compartment for the PM to light up. Historics Auctioneers says the Rolls-Royce has a 'unique connection to the military and political leadership of World War II' and has issued a guide price of between 115,000 and 130,000 ahead of its sale. 'An extraordinary piece of history, with direct connections to some of the most iconic figures of the Second World War': This 1936 Rolls-Royce Phantom III - which is due to be sold at auction next month - has an incredible back story... The Phantom III was originally delivered new to Frederick Wilcock, the CEO of the Talbot Motor Company, in 1936. However, at the outbreak of World War II, it was requisitioned by the Ministry of Wars Transport Section for use by Montgomery. The commanding officer, famously known as 'Monty', had the Roller for his personal staff car during the war. It was his mode of transport between his homes in Virginia Water, Surrey, and London and was deployed during his time at Southwick House near Portsmouth during D-Day planning sessions. Always chauffeur driven, the vehicle went on to be called the Green Car, due to its unique British Racing Green and black livery - a notable change from Montgomery's usual black Rolls-Royces. After the Allied victory in Europe, the Phantom IIIs service continued. The 1936 Phantom III limousine was used during the Second World War to transport Field Marshal Montgomery, the commanding officer of the British Eighth Army, and Prime Minister Winston Churchill (both pictured with Lieutenant General Sir Miles Dempsey and G.G. Simonds). It was utilised extensively during D-Day planning sessions The Rolls-Royce was used to transport Montgomery to Southwick House near Portsmouth in the crucial months leading up to the D-Day invasion of Europe - with the car was part of the tight security and secrecy surrounding those meetings with Churchill Montgomerys Roller carried some of the most iconic high-ranking military figures during the war. General and 34th President of the United States Dwight D. Eisenhower (pictured right with Churchill and Montgomery) was a passenger in the rare British luxury motor, as was HM King George VI The Phantom III was originally delivered new to Frederick Wilcock, the CEO of the Talbot Motor Company, in 1936. However, at the outbreak of World War II, it was requisitioned by the Ministry of Wars Transport Section for use by Montgomery. The sale includes the original wartime requisition letter Historics Auctioneers says the Rolls-Royce has a 'unique connection to the military and political leadership of World War II' and has issued a guide price of between 115,000 and 130,000 ahead of its sale next month Montgomery's car still features the custom electric cigar lighter that was installed in the rear compartment for Churchill's personal use The commanding officer, famously known as 'Monty', had the Roller for his personal staff car during the war A plaque fixed to an interior panel also confirms the car's use by Field Marshal The Right Honourable The Viscount Montgomery It was reassigned to the Chief of Staff of the United States Army Air Force, General Carl Spaatz. Unfortunately, while in American hands, a US Army fuel tanker backed into it - though the damage was subsequently repaired. After its military deployment ended in the 1950s, the car was purchased by a rubber-planter in Malaya and shipped to Penang during the Suez Crisis. Given the closure of the waterway, the car had to be driven across Europe to Italy, then transported to Africa before being shipped from Cape Town to its new home. Always chauffeur driven, the vehicle went on to be called the Green Car, due to its unique British Racing Green and black livery - a notable change from Montgomery's usual black Rolls-Royces After the Allied victory in Europe, the Phantom IIIs service continued. It was reassigned to the Chief of Staff of the United States Army Air Force, General Carl Spaatz The 1936 Rolls-Royce is one of only 710 examples of the Series III Phantom produced before manufacturing was cut short due to the Second World War - and fewer than 300 examples survive worldwide today The Rolls-Royce Phantom III is widely recognised as setting the benchmark for luxury motoring in its generation The car is one of only 710 examples of the Series III Phantoms made before production was cut short due to the Second World War - and fewer than 300 examples survive worldwide today. It is historically significant to Rolls-Royce too, as the Series III is the British brand's first ever V12 motor car. It is famed for its smooth-running 7.3-litre 12-cylinder engine and unparalleled comfort that is testament to the marques engineering prowess. As such, the Phantom III is widely recognised as the benchmark for luxury motoring in its day. 'It is an extraordinary piece of history, with direct connections to some of the most iconic figures of the Second World War, including Field Marshal Montgomery and Winston Churchill,' Historics Auctioneers said. The auction house says the car has faced 'mechanical challenges' during the time spent in more remote regions after its retirement from military duties. Its engine was rebuilt 'several years ago' but is said to remain in superb condition today. 'It now benefits from the fitment of overdrive, enhancing its refinement for modern road use,' the lot description says. In 2014, registration 'DGY 1' was driven back to Southwick House for a commemorative event marking the 70th anniversary of D-Day. Its participation in the event 'solidified its status as an important historical artifact', says Historic Auctioneers The auction house says the car has faced 'mechanical challenges' during the time spent in more remote regions after its retirement from military duties. Its engine was rebuilt 'several years ago' but is said to remain in superb condition today Historics says: 'It is a true collectors piece, preserved in remarkable, possibly original, condition and benefitting from a well-documented provenance' The availability of the vehicle is described as a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' and a 'must-see for any serious collector of automotive or wartime history' The car will be supplied to auction with V5C registration document, a highly detailed history folder and this fitted toolkit in the boot Plenty of funds have been dedicated to the maintenance of the car in recent years, too. It was serviced at Cheshire Classic Cars in 2017 at a cost of around 11,000 plus VAT. A restoration effort consisted of a comprehensive engine service, a new exhaust system, and an alloy carburettor to replace the fragile Mazak original. 'In more recent years, the car has seen very little use, so some recommissioning would be recommended but the engine ran very smoothly during our photography, with some coughs from the exhaust, possibly due to either old fuel or an exhaust leak,' the auctioneer says. In 2014, registration 'DGY 1' was driven back to Southwick House for a commemorative event marking the 70th anniversary of D-Day. Present at the event were prominent figures such as Patrick Churchill, Winston Churchills grandson, and Lady Arabella Stuart-Smith, Montgomerys granddaughter. 'The cars participation in this event, along with its mention in various media outlets, solidified its status as an important historical artifact,' the auction experts said. After its military service ended in the 1950s, the car was purchased by a rubber-planter in Malaya and shipped to Penang during the Suez Crisis. Given the closure of the waterway, the car had to be driven across Europe to Italy, then transported to Africa before being shipped from Cape Town to its new home Its extensive history file includes images of the car when it was delivered new to Frederick Wilcock in 1936 Not only does this car boast a strong connection to royal and military history, the Phantom III is particularity iconic for Rolls-Royce as it was the British marque's first V12-engined car It is famed for its smooth-running 7.3-litre V12 engine and unparalleled comfort that is testament to the marques engineering prowess While the odometer reads the 10,119 miles, Historics Auctioneers says it can't confirm the exact mileage of the significant motor car The car is sold with an extensive history file, including its original wartime requisition letter. 'This 1936 Rolls-Royce Phantom III (DGY 1) is a rare and historically significant motorcar, offering a unique connection to the military and political leadership of World War II,' Historics Auctioneers said. 'It is a true collectors piece, preserved in remarkable, possibly original, condition and benefitting from a well-documented provenance. 'A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, this Phantom III is a must-see for any serious collector of automotive or wartime history. 'Supplied to auction with V5C registration document, highly detailed history folder and fitted toolkit in the boot, this Phantom III would be welcome at many top-level events and deserves to be shown around the world.' The guide price of 115,000 to 130,000 is some way short of the price paid when this motor vehicle last changed hands in December 2017. Sold by Bonhams, it went for 143,750, suggesting Historics Auctioneers' estimate might be a little conservative. I have recently obtained power of attorney for my elderly parents. They don't have much, but they do own their small two-bedroom maisonette in London. The property is leasehold and I have now discovered that they only have 41 years left on the lease. My dad was aware of this when he bought it 20 years ago, so this is not a reflection on solicitors or estate agents. However, it is a worry for me as the eventual executor. As I see it, my options are to try and extend the lease, or to sell it for much less than market value to a cash buyer. Due to the short lease, nobody will get a mortgage on it. I have spoken to the freeholder and they said it would cost in the region of 75,000 to extend the lease. This is money none of the family are able to raise. Renting it out is an option, but I have two siblings so it would be much easier to just sell it and split the money. Other maisonettes on the street have sold for 300,000. I am a little stuck on what is best to do here. Can you help? D.R, via email SCROLL DOWN TO ASK YOUR FINANCIAL PLANNING QUESTION Ticking clock: This reader is concerned that their parents' leasehold only has 41 years left Harvey Dorset, of This is Money, replies: This is a tricky situation, and you are right to have concerns. As the leasehold of a property begins to run down, the value of the property will to decrease, and it can make it harder to sell in the future. It is more expensive to extend a lease that has less than 80 years left due to something called 'marriage value'. When a property's lease is extended, this will usually increase its market value. Under 'marriage value,' the leaseholder must share that increase in potential future profit with the freeholder if the lease was less than 80 years long before the extension. In other words, there will be a charge to pay to the freeholder which could be thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands depending on the property's new value. In your case, it means owing 75,000. This is set to be reformed under The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill, but no changes have yet to come into effect. Just a month ago, the Government announced that the sale of new leasehold flats in England and Wales will be banned under a reform to home ownership rules. This will push the UK towards a commonhold system, where homeowners have greater control over the buildings they live in. However, the Government has yet to set out any plans for the conversion of current leasehold properties into commonhold arrangements. This is Money spoke to two financial advisers to find out what options are available to you in order to deal with your parents' property. Aaron Banasik says a property transferred without a Section 42 notice will typically face a two year wait to extend the lease Aaron Banasik, independent financial adviser at Ascot Lloyd, replies: With leaseholds in the news at present it's understandable that you're worried. Managing property for elderly parents is complex, particularly with lease terms. However, there are options to explore. Lease extension via a Section 42 Notice One option is serving a Section 42 notice, a formal request to the freeholder for a lease extension. Under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, this grants a 90-year extension and reduces ground rent to zero, provided conditions are met. Since you hold power of attorney for your parents, you may be able to give this notice on their behalf. However, this depends on whether the POA document grants you authority over property matters. As part of the notice, you would propose the premium you would be willing to pay for the lease extension. The freeholder does not have to agree to the proposal, but they do have to respond within two months. Considerations regarding probate If the property transfers to you and your siblings without a Section 42 notice, you'd typically face a two-year wait before extending the lease. Leaseholders can only make such a notice if they have held the least for at least two years, though this could change under the Government proposals. However, personal representatives can serve a Section 42 notice within two years of obtaining a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration, provided the deceased leaseholder had the right to extend. Property valuation and financial considerations In any scenario, it is important to obtain an accurate valuation of the property in different scenarios: 1. As it stands, with only 41 years remaining on the lease 2. With an extended lease (to understand the potential uplift in value). Given that other maisonettes in your street have recently sold for 300,000, extending the lease could substantially increase the property's value. Seeking specialist legal advice Given the complexities of leasehold law, consulting a solicitor is crucial. They can assess your eligibility under the latest leasehold acts, review your POA to confirm whether you can act on your parents' behalf for the lease extension, and advise on the best course of action, whether that's extending, selling, or renting. By taking these steps and seeking professional guidance, you can make a well-informed decision that safeguards your parents' interests and ensures the best possible outcome for your family. Karen Noye says equity release could be an option to pay for the lease extension Karen Noye, financial planning consultant and mortgage expert at Quilter, replies: As a starting point, it would be a good idea to get in touch with the Leasehold Advisory Service. In addition to being able to offer Government-funded independent advice, they have a lease extension calculator which can help you estimate the costs of extending the lease. This would enable you to check whether the quote you have received is accurate. As you already know, selling with the current lease will limit potential buyers and that would be reflected in the price. To help you determine whether paying for the lease to be extended would be worthwhile, you should look to get a valuation of the potential sale price with the current lease, compared with the price you may be able to achieve if the lease was extended. In addition, speaking to a professional mortgage adviser would be wise. Taking equity release out of the property in order to pay for the extended lease may be an option, so it could be worth exploring what is on offer from specialist lenders with the support of an adviser. This can be quite a complex decision-making process, however, so seeking advice to help ensure you are making the best possible decision will be key. Renting the property out in the meantime could be a way to generate some income. Then, once the property is left to you as your parents' children, you could consider paying for the lease extension. It may be possible to remortgage on to a buy-to-let mortgage, carrying out the lease extension simultaneously to meet the mortgage lender's criteria. Letting out a property comes with added costs and considerations, but this could give you more time to weigh up your options and might mean you are able to avoid selling under the value you would get if the lease was extended. While many investors were in meltdown after global markets tumbled on Friday, one Bestinvest customer had just one thing on their mind: their renewed Isa allowance. As the clocks struck midnight on 5 April, marking the start of the new 2025-26 tax year, this client funded their stocks and shares Isa account. They finished investing their full 20,000 annual Isa allowance by 12:11am on 6 April. The 20,000 allowance is shared among cash Isas and stocks and shares Isas, as well as lifetime Isas which can use up to 4,000 of the allowance per year. With personal tax allowances frozen until 2028, Isas have seen a surge in usage as the millions being dragged into higher tax bands look to shelter their savings from the taxman. Other savers took a different approach, leaving their Isa allowances unused right up to the wire. The investment provider saw its last Isa to be maxed out in the last financial year at 10:13pm on Saturday Just 27 minutes before the first client filled their Isa, Bestinvest saw its final investment made at 11.44pm. Minutes before this, at 11:25pm, Bestinvest saw its last new Isa account of the 2024/2025 tax year opened. The last Isa to be maxed out in the 2024-25 financial year was at 10:13pm on Saturday Separate research has shown using the Isa allowance early, rather than leaving it to the last moment, can boost returns by up to 32,000 over a decade. Alice Haine, personal finance analyst at Bestinvest by Evelyn Partners, said: 'Making use of Isas to shelter savings and investment from taxation is vital now that the UK tax burden is estimated to be at the highest level since the Second World War. 'The thresholds for paying the basic, higher and additional rates of tax remain frozen until at least 2028, dragging millions more taxpayers into higher rates of taxation as their income increases.' Haine added: 'While many may feel a sense of relief now that tax year end is over, saving into an Isa does not need to be left until the last minute. 'With the annual dividend allowance standing at just 500, the capital gains tax exemption remaining at 3,000 and savings rates still on the higher side, taking advantage of the tax efficiency that comes with saving into an Isa remains important.' The last weeks of the tax year, plagued not only by market turmoil in its last few days as a result of Donald Trump's trade tariffs, also saw speculation that the Government would make changes to cash Isa allowances. The Spring Statement confirmed that the Chancellor will consider making reforms to the allowances to strike a balance 'between cash and equities'. For now, however, Isa allowances remain unchanged. Haine added: 'Those who want to get ahead this tax year can open or top up their Isas now. Not only does investing earlier in the tax year remove some of the pressure to make a hasty decision; it also ensures your hard-earned cash gets put to work for longer.' Recent data from St James's Place reveals that the annual Isa allowance of 20,000, invested in global equities at the beginning of each tax year, would have amassed 338,333 from a 200,000 investment over the past ten years, compared to just 306,476 if invested at the end of each tax year. Bestinvest said its own figures indicate the same. Haine added: 'That could have been the motivating factor for the Bestinvest client who opened a new Isa with us at 08.03am on Sunday morning. 'Drip feeding your money into an Isa regularly, such as monthly, removes the emotion from investing: it is all too easy to have your investment decisions clouded by current market turmoil - events that will merely be blip for those investing for the long-term.' Saga is on course for weaker profits this year after the over 50s travel and insurance group flagged a 'material increase in financing costs'. Citing weaker cash flow and near-term restructuring costs, Saga said it expects underlying pre-tax profits to be short of the 47.8million achieved in the 12 months to 31 January. Saga's earnings soared 25 per cent last year thanks to strong growth in its travel arm, where the group has been refocusing its efforts. 'Progress was driven by the strength of our Travel businesses, with especially high levels of customer demand for our differentiated ocean and river cruise offers', Mike Hazell, the group's chief executive, said. The firm's two-ship ocean cruise arm saw underlying pre-tax profits increase by 38 per cent to around 49million, while revenue jumped 10 per cent to 236.7million. Sagas river cruise arm reported a 33 per cent rise in underlying pre-tax profits to 4million as revenue grew 13 per cent to 49.4million. Looking ahead: Saga expects its underlying annual profit for the year to come in lower than the previous year Overall, the group's total revenue for the year came in at 588.3million, up four per cent year-on-year, while the group's net debt fell seven per cent to 590.5million. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation jumped 18 per cent to 137.1million. The company unveiled a loss before tax for the year of 141.1million, including a 138.3million impairment to insurance broking goodwill and other exceptional items, including 32.2million of restructuring costs. Saga sold its insurance underwriting business to Belgian firm Ageas in October after facing challenges with its performance, and expects the deal to be completed in the second quarter. Hazell said: 'I'm very pleased with the progress Saga has made over the past 12 months. 'From a trading perspective, we delivered a strong performance, with total underlying profit before tax up 25 per cent and ahead of previous guidance. 'This was driven by the strength of our Travel businesses, with especially high levels of customer demand for our differentiated ocean and river cruise offers.' He added: 'In addition, we took the significant strategic action necessary to reposition the Group for future growth. 'We completed our strategic review, successfully signed a new 20-year Insurance Broking partnership with wholly owned UK subsidiaries of Ageas SA/NV and agreed the sale of our Insurance Underwriting business.' Saga shares slipped 0.26 per cent or 0.32p to 125.08p on Wednesday. UK employers scaled back hiring to the lowest level since the pandemic at the start of this year as Rachel Reevess 25billion National Insurance raid took its toll. Just 20 per cent of firms increased their workforce in the first quarter, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) found, the lowest level since the first three months of 2021. Business leaders have said the rise in employer taxes could lead to job losses, lower wages and price rises this year. The BCCs survey of more than 5,000 businesses also revealed 17pc shrank their teams in the quarter. Major firms to have axed jobs in the wake of last years Budget include Sainsburys, Tesco, BT and Santander. And there are fears that more could follow after the rise in employer National Insurance contributions came into force on Sunday. The hike increases the employers rate from 13.8 per cent to 15 per cent. Tax raid: Business leaders fear Chancellor Rachel Reevess 25bn National Insurance hike could lead to tens of thousands of job losses this year But the Chancellor also cut the threshold at which they start paying it from earnings of 9,100 to just 5,000. She has since been warned that the jobs tax poses a threat to part-time workers, who are now more expensive to employ. Bosses are also concerned that the Governments proposed Employment Rights Bill will make it harder to recruit and retain staff. Consumers could feel the pinch too, as 73 per cent of firms told the BCC that higher costs created pressure to raise prices. Jane Gratton, the BCC deputy director of public policy, said: Firms are struggling under the weight of skills shortages, recruitment difficulties and spiralling employment costs. There are signs of businesses pausing recruitment plans, scaling back training investment and, in some cases, reducing the size of the workforce. The likely impact on job opportunities and business growth is worrying. Firms are facing higher bills from the rise in both employer National Insurance contributions and the minimum wage. The full impact wont be seen until later this year. Tory business spokesman Andrew Griffith said: As if more proof was needed, this shows the Government once again that their jobs tax and upcoming additional red tape on employers is chilling the jobs market faster than a nitrogen ice bath. Starmer needs to get serious about growth, starting with shelving Labours disastrous Employment Rights Bill. UK employers scaled back hiring to the lowest level since the pandemic at the start of this year as Rachel Reevess 25billion National Insurance raid took its toll. Just 20 per cent of firms increased their workforce in the first quarter, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) found, the lowest level since the first three months of 2021. Business leaders have said the rise in employer taxes could lead to job losses, lower wages and price rises this year. The BCCs survey of more than 5,000 businesses also revealed 17 per cent shrank their teams in the quarter. Major firms to have axed jobs in the wake of last years Budget include Sainsburys, Tesco, BT and Santander. And there are fears that more could follow after the rise in employer National Insurance contributions came into force on Sunday. Delayed IPOs: London listings in the first quarter raised just 74.7m, a 74% plunge compared to the 288.8m in the first quarter of 2024 The hike increases the employers rate from 13.8 per cent to 15 per cent. But the Chancellor also cut the threshold at which they start paying it from earnings of 9,100 to just 5,000. She has since been warned that the jobs tax poses a threat to part-time workers, who are now more expensive to employ. Bosses are also concerned that the Governments proposed Employment Rights Bill will make it harder to recruit and retain staff. Consumers could feel the pinch too, as 73 per cent of firms told the BCC that higher costs created pressure to raise prices. Jane Gratton, the BCC deputy director of public policy, said: Firms are struggling under the weight of skills shortages, recruitment difficulties and spiralling employment costs. There are signs of businesses pausing recruitment plans, scaling back training investment and, in some cases, reducing the size of the workforce. The likely impact on job opportunities and business growth is worrying. Firms are facing higher bills from the rise in both employer National Insurance contributions and the minimum wage. The full impact wont be seen until later this year. Tory business spokesman Andrew Griffith said: As if more proof was needed, this shows the Government once again that their jobs tax and upcoming additional red tape on employers is chilling the jobs market faster than a nitrogen ice bath. Starmer needs to get serious about growth, starting with shelving Labours disastrous Employment Rights Bill. Shares in Britains two biggest drugs firms saw more than 14billion wiped off their value after Donald Trump threatened to slap tariffs on pharmaceuticals imports to the US. AstraZeneca, one of the largest companies in Britain, was the biggest loser in the FTSE 100 yesterday, slumping 6.8pc, or 707p, to 9667p. It was followed by rival GSK, which tumbled 5.7 per cent, or 76.5p, to 1264p. The slump in drugmakers stocks came after the US president said overnight that the US would soon introduce a major tariff on pharmaceuticals to force firms to relocate medicine production to America. Were going to do something that we have to do. Were going to put tariff on our pharmaceuticals and once we do that, theyre going to come rushing back into our country because were the big market, Trump said at a National Republican Congressional Committee dinner. While Trump did not provide any additional details on potential levies on pharma imports, the fear of tariffs on drugs, which are currently exempt, sparked a swift sell-off. Threat: US president Donald Trump (pictured) said overnight that the US would soon introduce a major tariff on pharmaceuticals to force firms to relocate medicine production to America Both AstraZeneca and GSK rely on the US for a large portion of sales, and while both have factories in the country, new tariffs could spark a rush to move more production to avoid being penalised. European drugmakers also took a knock following Trumps comments. Danish firm Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic, dropped 6.9 per cent, while Swiss firm Roche fell 5.8 per cent, and Frances Sanofi slipped 6.9 per cent. The rout also caught the US pharma sector, with Pfizer down 2.6 per cent and Eli Lilly falling 4.2 per cent. Tariffs threaten to decimate the vast web of interconnected supply chains that link the US, UK and European pharma sectors together. Bernstein analyst Courtney Breen predicted that if the tariffs were steep, the cost of US pharma imports could rise by as much as 42billion, denting the sales potential of medicines in the country. Others predicted that such a move would do little to boost drug manufacturing in the US due to the complexity of the existing supply network. There are also concerns that tariffs on the sector could add to growing difficulties in getting new medicines licensed in America, after it was announced that US health agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, would sack 10,000 workers as part of a cost-cutting drive. The move sparked warnings from analysts that the medicines watchdog could be coming apart at the seams and pose a risk to public health. For some, Dubai may seem a golden paradise full of plush beaches, Gucci-filled malls and Lamborghini-racing elites. Recent years have seen an exodus of Britons swapping their native land for life overseas in the affluent United Arab Emirates' most populous city. Olympic silver medal-winning boxer Amir Khan recently revealed he was heading to Dubai after a terrifying gunpoint robbery left him feeling too scared to stay in the UK. Aside from feeling safer, Britons have also said they are being lured by the warm climate, tax-free income and high-end restaurants, property and shops. But for many, enticed abroad by dreams of grandeur, they soon found that the famed skyline was not the utopia they had once thought it to be. Dragged home by fears of job insecurity, exhausted by the work-life balance and bored by the soulless cities, one even moved to Luton as opposed to staying in the desert-encircled district. More than 240,000 UK expats are estimated to be living in Dubai, with many attracted to the city by the 5,000 British companies operating in the UAE. There has been a 420 per cent rise in the five years to 2024 in enquiries from UK nationals wanting to relocate to the country, according to John Mason International Movers with a 45 per cent surge in the 12 months to last March alone. And there are increasing journeys in the opposite direction, with expats in Dubai revealing online their reasons for heading back to Britain. Have YOU decided to quit Dubai? Email aidan.radnedge.mol@mailonline.co.uk Sinead Clifford shared on TikTok a video about departing the UAE city Luton-based YouTuber Sarika Dubey opted for the UK in contrast to her Dubai-based sister Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and offers a tax-free lifestyle YouTube influencer and relocation advisor Sarika Dubey told MailOnline how friends had been tempted from the UK to Dubai - while her sister made the choice to move there from India. Yet Mrs Dubey opted instead to settle in Britain, now living in Luton where she works in IT for a travel firm while sharing on the side online videos talking to people about their migration moves. She highlighted feelings people have about lacking job security in Dubai, with 'permanent settlement' permission to remain long-term in the region being difficult to achieve for those arriving from elsewhere. And there are also concerns that, despite the attractions of going untaxed, the 'work-life' balance can leave people actually feeling worse off overall. People who had headed out to Dubai for a new life have also been sharing their experiences on TikTok, with many videos about then leaving the UAE prompting thousands of views and comments. British influencer Izabelle Reid opened up on how she had been based in Dubai while working for the airline Emirates - only to decide on a move back to the UK after 16 months. She told her 31,600 followers how the financial benefits had initially seemed a spur, adding: 'I just viewed Emirates as an ability to save and travel with it being tax-free of course - that's an amazing perk. 'I had the best time, I visited places I never thought I'd get to see. I also made friends for life there. All in all I had a great experience but I never wanted to do it long term. 'I always wanted to travel and this great opportunity came about - anyone getting out of you home town and you get that opportunity, then grab it. 'The reasons I left? Personally, Dubai for me is not my favourite place in the world and I'm not really in a rush to go back. 'I was travelling to all these amazing places such as Brazil, I think there's such a big expressive culture and I feed off that energy and I feel excited - so when I was going back to Dubai, I felt there was an energy missing. 'I felt a bit soulless. I was experiencing really high highs and, coming back from the whirlwind of it all, and feeling tired and homesick. 'I miss my family. My sister got married in September. Everything fell into place at the right time.' Izabelle, who told of taking up a new marketing role with a fashion firm, added: 'I'm very excited for this new chapter.' Another TikToker departing from the region has been Sinead Clifford, originally from Ireland, who told her 131,000 followers: 'I'm leaving Dubai after two and a half years. 'It's my decision to go but it's still obviously going to be bittersweet because I've built a life here. 'When I came to Dubai I said I always going to be here but like anyone who moves to Dubai knows it's very hard to leave after a year. 'But I'm ready for something new and a new chapter. 'It's always been my dream to live in different cities across the world. I haven't been home since last July so I'm definitely feeling like I need a trip home I can't wait to see family. I'm really emotional. 'I'm really excited. I am trying to pack up my life at the moment, and sell stuff. I'm really excited for a new chapter.' Disadvantages of life in Dubai compared to the UK have been outlined in a social media video by former Londoner and finance worker Lamide Elizabeth. She told her 32,000 followers on TikTok: 'It's been seven months since I moved to Dubai from London and while there are loads of pros of living here, here are some reasons you might not like living in Dubai. 'Firstly, if you are a nature lover, if you love long walks in the park or just long walks in general, you like greenery, you like getting your 10,000 steps a day, you might actually hate living in Dubai. 'The roads are definitely not built for walking. When I first came I tried to walk to places that were quite nearby and oftentimes the pavement would just stop and you'll just basically be on the dual carriageways. Your browser does not support iframes. 'In some months it's just way too hot to walk outside for more than a couple of minutes. 'I also miss that fresh air feeling that you get when you open the doors or open the windows, because here when you step outside it literally just feels like you're stepping into a sauna. 'In general, if desert conditions don't suit you, then Dubai might not be the place for you.' She also criticised public transport there, saying: 'As a Londoner who is used to pretty good public transport systems, and who took public transport quite frequently, Dubai public transportation is not as well developed, it doesn't go into all the areas. 'And oftentimes it's quite packed as well so a lot of people actually rely on taxis to get to most places or they're opting for a car. 'I don't like driving and I can admit I take taxis practically every day and that can be quite pricey.' Living costs in Dubai have risen 124 per cent since 2020, according to estate agents Knight Frank. Some British expats are said to have been priced out as property is bought up by wealthy Russians after Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. MailOnline analysed the cost-of-living across factors such as eating out, transport and clothing to compare London against the UAE city - which is seven hours by plane with prices from 284 for one-way flights and 361 for a round trip. Data from the crowdsourced database Numbeo suggests a three-course meal for two people at a mid-range restaurant is 80 in London compared to 57 in Dubai. But an imported 330ml beer is half the price in London, at an average of 5.25 compared to 10.93 in Dubai; while a cappuccino is 3.74 in London against 4.67 in Dubai. A McDonalds meal is roughly the same, at 8 in London compared to 7.65 in Dubai. An average basic utility bill for electricity, heating, cooling, water and garbage for an 85 sq metre apartment in London is 236.75 or 183.23 in Dubai. However, internet access is significantly more in the UAE, with a minimum 60 mbps connection with unlimited data costing 80.97 in Dubai or 31.53 in London. And while moving from Britain to Dubai has been a growing trend, it has also been claimed in recent months that UK expats are being priced out by Russians. Since 2022, Russian nationals have bought up 4.8billion-worth of properties in Dubai that are either existing or being developed, according to economists with the EU Tax Observatory and Norway's Centre for Tax Research. Dubai is seen as attractive thanks to factors such as tax-free income and high-end restaurants Sarika Dubey revealed why she wanted to live in the UK rather than the UAE Dark side of Dubai: All the strict rules tourists must follow - or risk jail By Esther Marshall Dubai is renowned for its glitz and glamour, but holidaymakers must also be aware of it's ultra-strict laws. Here are rules Britons must follow there: Photography The UK Government explains on its UAE travel advice page that it's illegal to take photos of some government buildings and military installations as well as to photograph people without their permission in the UAE. Simon Hood, executive director at shipping company John Mason International , tells MailOnline: 'Over there, snapping a quick photo of someone without their permission, is a serious no-go and can land you in trouble even if it's just in the background. It's not just about courtesy - it's the law.' Virtual private networks (VPNs) Mr Hood explains: 'There's a big issue with VPNs. In the UK, plenty of people use them to access restricted sites or simply for security, but in Dubai, using a VPN to bypass blocks is illegal. 'Many travellers forget they've got these running on their devices and inadvertently find themselves breaking the law.' Social media The UK Government explains: 'It is illegal to post material, including videos and photographs, online that is critical of the government, companies or individuals, or which relates to incidents in the UAE.' Think you could get away with it? Think again. An Irish man, for example, is facing 'several years' in a Dubai jail for sending a ninja emoji to an acquaintance who is alleged to have stolen his belongings. Mr Hood adds: 'Sharing anything that could be seen as defamatory, offensive, or invasive - like posting photos of strangers or sharing videos of an accident - is not only frowned upon but can also lead to hefty fines or worse.' Poppy seeds Poppy seeds, even in bakery products, are on the UAE's list of 'controlled substances', warns the US Government . That's because they can be contaminated with opiates. Some medication - including codeine 'Medication can be tricky,' explains Mr Hood, adding: 'Common UK medications, like codeine, are controlled substances. If you're carrying them without a prescription or proper documentation, you could find yourself in hot water.' Sexual relationships While a consensual relationship outside marriage, including extra-marital relationships, between a man and woman over the age of 18 is generally legal in Dubai, the UK Government warns that there are exceptions. In an extra-marital relationship, if the other person's spouse or parent files a complaint, both people involved in the relationship can get a prison sentence of six months or more. If a person aged 18 has a relationship with someone 17 or under, they will be prosecuted for a sexual relationship with a minor. If both people are under 18, they will be prosecuted but punishment is unlikely to involve a prison sentence. Same-sex sexual activity is illegal in the UAE and same-sex marriages are not recognised. Showing affection in public Showing affection in public, such as kissing, is frowned upon. Tourists could be arrested for doing so, warns the UK Government. Banned items Mr Hood explains: 'Items like drones, e-cigarettes, or hoverboards often need special permits. And some things you wouldn't think twice about at home - like books with themes of magic or witchcraft (Harry Potter comes to mind) - can attract extra scrutiny at customs. 'I remember one case where a client insisted on packing their own shipment and used UK red-top newspapers to wrap everything. Customs flagged the shipment because of the provocative images and headlines on the paper, which delayed everything by weeks and led to extra costs.' Swearing The UK Government explains: 'It is illegal to swear and make rude gestures, including online, as they are considered obscene acts. You could be jailed or deported.' Alcohol It is illegal to drink or be under the influence of alcohol in a public place in the UAE, warns the UK Government. Tourists can buy and drink alcohol at licensed hotels, restaurants and bars but a licence is required to consume alcohol in a private residence. Illegal drugs The UK Government warns that there is 'zero tolerance' for drug-related offences in the UAE. Possession of a small amount of illegal drugs can lead to a three-month prison sentence, while a drug trafficking offence could lead to the death penalty. CBD products 'Herbal highs' and products containing cannabidiol (CBD) are illegal in the UAE. Even skincare products or e-cigarettes containing CBD oil could land someone with criminal charges, explains the UK Government. Driving etiquette 'Offensive gestures and bad language directed at other drivers can lead to fines, a jail sentence and possibly deportation,' warns the UK Government. Cross-dressing The UK Government explains that cross-dressing is illegal in the UAE. It adds that 'women should cover shoulders and knees, and underwear should not be visible' - and swimwear should only be worn on beaches or at swimming pools. Ramadan rules World Nomads Insurance explains: 'During the holy month of Ramadan, eating, drinking and smoking is forbidden between sunrise and sunset, and non-Muslims are expected to follow this principle in public as well.' Mr Hood adds: 'Even away from this this time of year, it is illegal to eat and drink on public transport.' Advertisement The UAE is also known for its ultra-strict laws, with an 18-year-old British man recently sentenced to one year in a Dubai jail for having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl. Marcus Fakana, of Tottenham, north London, was with his parents in the UAE from the end of August when a 'holiday romance blossomed' with another Londoner, who has since turned 18, the campaign group Detained in Dubai previously said. After returning to the UK and seeing pictures and chats, the girl's mother reported the relationship to Dubai police, who then arrested Mr Fakana at his hotel, it is alleged. UK consular officials are said to be in regular contact with Mr Fakana, his family and his legal team, but the Government is not able to interfere in the judicial system. Luton-based Sarika Dubey's video interviews have included a recent chat with Osama Siddiqui about his decision to leave Dubai, having moved there for his native Pakistan, for the UK instead - setting up a new home in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. He told her in the interview shared on YouTube by her 331,000-follower 'Your Knowledge Buddy' account, how he lived in Dubai for six years but felt 'something was missing'. The video clip is titled, 'The Dark Side of Dubai Nobody Talks About: Why people are leaving Dubai (UAE)'. He said: 'When I saw the market crashing, people losing their jobs who had been working there for a long time - that was something that triggered something in me, 'What is next?' 'I had already changed job twice in six years, which is not a very good sign. One was because of Covid, the second was because the company was downsizing. 'I wanted to move here that was when I decided. Job security was the highest priority. 'The feeling in Dubai was, this is not something permanent for us we can't really live there for a very long time, there'll be the future when we'll have to move somewhere else. That was very important for me.' Mrs Dubey has now said to MailOnline: 'The United Arab Emirates doesn't provide a permanent settlement, however many years you've been in residence. 'As long as you've got a job you can continue working there, but you can't settle. 'And the work-life balance is not great compared to the UK - you're expected to work well beyond the 9-5 but with the same salary, no compensation.' Oppressive summer conditions has also been cited as a turn-off, with Mrs Dubey saying: ' Many people enjoy the weather but there are months when they can barely survive in the heat. 'It can be as high as 50 to 60 degrees. Even carrying your lunch from home to work, it's likely to spoil.' Her own sister has lived in Dubai for the past 10 years, extolling its benefits especially the tax-free lifestyle - but Mrs Dubey has been in Britain for the past decade instead. She said: 'My sister started her own company, she's been running her own business but keeps needing to renew her visa to stay over there. 'My uncle's been there for more than 50 years but still has no permanent settlement - he's in his seventies and he's still doing a contractual job. 'People are making huge savings because they're not having to pay tax, let alone 40 per cent over here - you can afford a driver, you can afford someone coming to clean your house daily. 'It depends what your end goals are. My sister had the opportunity to come to the UK but she chose Dubai - she's making money and saving. She doesn't mind about slogging more. 'I've chosen differently. I want my mental health. I like my nine-to-five job.' MailOnline told last month how, in contrast to those coming back to Britain from the UAE, doctors are spearheading an exodus from the NHS in the UK to Dubai, to enjoy tax-free bumper pay packets - while showing off their new lives on TikTok. Medics are being encouraged to join the throng taking up newly booming health roles in the United Arab Emirates, where recruits can pocket up to almost 300,000 a year. Specialist firms are touting for business as interest surges, offering advice on all the practicalities involved in making the lucrative move - which can involve starting salaries of 54,000, almost double UK equivalents between 26,000 and 30,000. The UAE now has more than 40 public hospitals, compared to just seven back in 1970, prompting an enhanced recruitment drive for new GPs above all. Online guides suggest health service employees can typically earn a starting wage of 4,400 per month, or 52,800 a year - with average earnings put at 9,000 monthly, 108,000 annually. And consultancy roles can attract pay of 23,000 each month, tallying up to as much as 276,000 per year. This amounts to even more than some advisors urging people to consider a move to the UAE who say salaries tend to be at least 20 per cent higher than equivalent offers in Britain, even before taking into account the tax-free circumstances. The NHS pay scale for consultants, for 2024-2025, ranges from a basic salary of 105,504 when starting out to 139,882 for those with at least 14 years' experience - so the top rate in Dubai can be nearly double. Meanwhile, the average pay for employees across the health service here was 39,898 last November, according to the latest official figures - down by 0.8 per cent, or 328, compared to 12 months earlier. The NHS workforce reached 1,368,655 that month, a three per cent increase - that is, 40,053 extra people - when contrasted with November 2023. The British Medical Association's jobs website currently advertises positions in Dubai for consultant cardiologists and consultant paediatricians. The recruitment firm sharing the ads describes the UAE as a 'dynamic and modern country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula which offers a safe and family-friendly expatriate lifestyle'. It also hailed the nation's 'world-class shopping, dining, museums, cultural events, and a vibrant social and sporting scene'. Medical accountants Nichols & Co said: 'The primary draw for many doctors moving to Dubai is the chance to earn a tax-free income. 'In the UK, medical professionals often find that a significant portion of their salary goes toward income tax, national insurance contributions, and other deductions. 'Dubai's zero-income tax policy allows doctors to retain more of their earnings, creating opportunities for greater savings and investments.' Yet a counterpoint has also been posted on TikTok by British-based Dr Abdul, whose account has the name @lifeofaGP - as he explained why he would not want to join those moving to the Middle East. He was responding to a commenter who said: 'Why don't you go abroad? All my GP friends are making silly in Saudi.' Amir Khan and his wife Faryal Makhdoom at Atlantis The Royal in Dubai in 2023 Sarika Dubey is pictured with her husband Dr Abdul told his 23,000 TikTok followers: 'It's not the money - it's the fact it's such an unequal society. 'Yes, in the UK there's a lot of poverty but people are still relatively equal and treat each other with respect, but in those countries that doesn't happen. 'You can chase money wherever you want but ultimately money's destined for you - if you're going to get good money, you're going to get good money. 'But it's the happiness and what you agree with that matters the most and I don't want to live somewhere like that. 'Unless they change their ways, then really to be honest the Middle East doesn't attract me.' MailOnline has contacted the TikTokers featured above for further comment. The biggest British parliamentary debate competition in the world run by the Oxford Union pressures hundreds of children to declare their gender pronouns every year. Competitors at Oxfords Schools', aged 14-18, are instructed by organisers to specify whether they are 'he/she/they etc' at the start of each round. Anyone who fails to comply with the equity policy may be disqualified from the contest 'with immediate effect'. Oxford Schools' - whose 2025 competition is currently ongoing - is the largest British Parliamentary school-level debate competition in the world, and the largest debating contest in the UK. It states thousands of students are invited to participate every year and that last year, over 350 schools competed. A statement unearthed by MailOnline reads: 'We operate a gender pronoun policy at Oxford Schools. At the start of each debate, the judge will ask each speaker to introduce themselves with their name and their gender pronoun (such as he/she/they etc), or they may declare no preference. 'This is intended to stop people being misgendered, and prepares students for other competitions and university debating, where such policy is standard. 'Just as people like to be called by their correct name, so they should be called by the pronoun they feel most comfortable with.' Thousands of students are invited to participate for Oxford Schools' every year with its Finals Day held in the historic Oxford Union (pictured/file image) Competitors at Oxfords Schools', aged 14-18, are instructed by organisers to specify whether they are 'he/she/they etc' at the start of each round (file image) A statement unearthed by MailOnline reads: 'We operate a gender pronoun policy at Oxford Schools' Student testimonies suggest that in practice, participants are not given the option to declare 'no preference' when they are each asked in turn to stand up and make their pronoun declaration. The policy, which has been in force over the last seven years, has been branded 'unacceptable' by free speech advocates and 'indoctrination pure and simple' by gender critical activists. Lord Young, the General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, told MailOnline: 'This is unacceptable. 'What if the schoolchildren are debating whether sex is an immutable biological characteristic or a social construct thats merely "assigned at birth"? 'By forcing the participants to declare their pronouns, which is a tacit acknowledgement that someone can become a member of the opposite sex, the organisers of the competition are siding with those who believe that sex is a social construct. 'This is particularly egregious given that the organiser of this debating contest is the Oxford Union, which is supposed to be a bastion of free speech. 'The conflict between sex-based womens rights and trans rights is the subject of an ongoing public debate and not an issue on which the Oxford Union should take a side. 'The Free Speech Union will be writing to the Oxford Union, which is a registered charity, asking them to intervene and instruct the organisers of this competition to uphold the Unions storied tradition of upholding free speech.' Gender critical activists have also weighed in with their thoughts on the debate. Lord Young, the General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, said the policy was 'unacceptable' Kellie-Jay Keen, otherwise known as Posie Parker, said she thought the policy had stemmed out of 'incompetence' The debating society is run by University of Oxford students and was founded by them in the 19th century Kellie-Jay Keen, otherwise known as Posie Parker, said she thought the policy had stemmed out of 'incompetence', branding it 'authoritarian'. The women's rights campaigner has been seen sporting t-shirts with slogans like "Woman: adult human female". She was doused in soup for the second time in September last year while leading a Let Women Speak rally in Sheffield. The activist said: 'I don't think anyone should have the power to tell someone they have to refer to another person in that way and it is certainly not for a debating society to dictate how people speak. 'It's just nonsensical and a peculiar extension of some sort of adolescence - going along with someone's fantasy. 'This is enforcement of something I would say is authoritarian. 'A debating society is supposed to be the pinnacle of free speech and so the irony is not lost on me. 'If a child is not resilient enough to be called a boy or girl when they feel like they might be something else, we're really failing the next generation.' Helen Joyce said: 'Its outrageous that schoolchildren are being made to pay lip service to gender identity beliefs in order to participate in a debate' Helen Joyce, the director of advocacy for human rights charity Sex Matters, which campaigns for 'clarity about biological sex in law and life', told MailOnline the policy was 'outrageous' and akin to 'indoctrination'. She said: 'Its outrageous that schoolchildren are being made to pay lip service to gender identity beliefs in order to participate in a debate. 'Its very concerning that such a requirement is being used to teach children the fringe idea that everybody has a gender identity before those youngsters have learned to think critically. This is indoctrination, pure and simple.' The Oxford Union has declined to comment. The debating society is run by University of Oxford students and was founded by them in the 19th century. It is independent of the University, though membership is drawn primarily from its ranks. Notable individuals previously hosted by the Union include Albert Einstein, Elton John, Sir Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth II. The best performing teams in the Oxford Schools' competition compete in Finals Day, held at the historic venue. Organisers state: 'The Union is one of the most prestigious debating societies in the world, with an unparalleled reputation for hosting renowned speakers from around the globe. 'Established over 195 years, the society has a long tradition of challenging thought and aiming to promote debate and discussion not just in Oxford University, but around the world.' A century ago, Britain ruled the waves. After World War II, America's colossal aircraft carriers projected its military supremacy across the globe. But the next sea change has taken the Pentagon by surprise. An alarming new report from a Washington-based think tank shows just how badly the US Navy is falling behind its competitor, China, with big implications for maritime security. Researchers at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) describe an 'extraordinary' increase in commercial vessels sailing out of China's shipyards each year. Beijing, now at the epicenter of US President Donald Trump's trade war, has a 'chokehold' on the global commercial shipbuilding market, with a 50 percent share far outstripping America's 0.1 percent, says the report. A single state-run Chinese shipbuilder last year produced some 250 ships more tonnage than the entire US ship industry has achieved since the end of World War II. A 'murky dual-use ecosystem' means China's civilian yards can pivot to making warships, which could prove decisive in any future conflict with the US, it warns. All the while, Beijing is engineering warships of comparable power to America's. China's navy now outnumbers America's by 400 combat ships to 295, and the gap is widening Beijing controls half of global shipbuilding capacity, compared to America's 0.1 percent These include its stealthy Type 055 Renhai-class destroyers, which bristle with 'vertical launch' weapons, and the Fujian aircraft carrier, which launches fighter jets with electromagnetic catapults. Last month, China spooked Australia by sending a flotilla of three vessels on a surprise circuit of the island nation, toting nearly as much firepower as the entire Australian navy combined. Beijing has in recent weeks tested out new kit special barges that link up to form a long bridge capable of deploying tanks and troops onto the beaches of Taiwan in a future invasion. This comes amid deepening trade tensions between the US and China, which has vowed to fight Trump's tariffs 'to the end' and slammed his deputy, JD Vance, for calling Chinese people 'peasants.' A tit-for-tat escalation has seen the tariffs on Chinese goods entering the US jump to 104 percent, and those going the other way to 84 percent. Still, doubts linger over whether China's military is anything more than a 'paper tiger.' Beijing can churn out vessels but lacks the combat experience for complicated sea campaigns against a battle-hardened America, critics say. Jacob Shapiro, a geopolitical analyst at Cognitive Investments, says China's mass production lines give it an edge over the US Navy's costly top-end hardware. 'Who cares if we have the best 250 ships in the world's most modern, equipped navy? China can produce them by the thousand,' Shapiro told DailyMail.com. 'If we get into a shooting conflict in the South China Sea, and they just roll out thousands of ships and kamikaze it out, and we're spending billions on every single perfect one, it's not gonna work.' Two decades ago, the US Navy had 282 combat ships against the Chinese navy's 220, but by the mid-2010s, this lead had evaporated. China's navy now outnumbers America's by 400 to 295, and the gap is widening. Its vessels are newer, too 70 percent of them were launched after 2010, compared to a quarter of the US Navy. US President Donald Trump has vowed to revive America's shipbuilding prowess as his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping weights whether to invade Taiwan The Fujian aircraft carrier sends fighter jets into the air using electromagnetic catapults The Fujian aircraft carrier was launched in 2022 and deployed in sea trials from last year The Chinese army takes part in a live practice drill in Zhangzho province The US is hamstrung by slow production lines 11 years to build an aircraft carrier, and nine years for nuclear attack submarines and destroyers. US shipyards struggle to recruit and retain skilled workers. Shelby Oakley, a government contracting chief, last month told a Senate committee that Navy shipbuilding was in a 'perpetual state of triage,' thanks to unrealistic expectations of costs and production timings. The CSIS report says America's depleted shipyards are an 'urgent threat to military readiness,' buoying China, the second-largest global economy, and its ambition to reshape the world order. Still, the US Navy remains ahead in terms of firepower and bulk. US ships are typically larger than China's and have better sensors, electronics, and weapons, and it fields more effective nuclear submarines against China's mostly diesel-powered undersea force. Likewise, the US has more of the big hardware aircraft carriers, cruisers, and destroyers. Its crews are better trained and officers have more combat experience than their Chinese counterparts, who haven't been properly tested at sea since the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War. But China's industrial shipbuilding capacity gives it an edge against America in any lengthy war, in which replacing sunken vessels would be key, says Columbia University professor Stephen Biddle. Biddle likens it to the naval battles between the US and Japan in World War II, but in reverse. Back then, America was able to overcome some massive early losses against a technically superior foe and grind out a victory at sea thanks in part to its superior industrial capacity, says Biddle. China's president Xi Jinping reportedly says he wants to be in a position to invade Taiwan by 2027 Pictures shared on Chinese social media appear to show a barge with a long connecting bridge Your browser does not support iframes. The barges could enable China to deploy large numbers of tanks and troops onto Taiwan's beaches Against this worrying backdrop, Trump last month vowed to 'resurrect' the depleted US shipbuilding industry, for commercial and military vessels, and even open a shipbuilding office in the White House as part of the MAGA agenda. 'We used to make so many ships,' said Trump. 'We don't make them anymore very much, but we're going to make them very fast, very soon. It will have a huge impact.' The Republican has since slapped massive tariffs on imports from China and other economies in a bid to on-shore production at shipyards and elsewhere, rattling businessmen and sending global stock markets into free-fall. But it's not clear that the US can ramp up civilian and military shipbuilding in time for a military face off with Beijing. The most likely flashpoint is the South China Sea, where Beijing has threatened to retake the self-ruling island of Taiwan, which it sees as a renegade province, by force. Some US experts say China's President Xi Jinping has told his military chiefs to ready for a Taiwan invasion by 2027, but there is debate about Beijing's intentions, urgency, and capabilities. The CSIS report urges Washington to prepare for this and 'disrupt China's murky dual-use ecosystem' of military and civilian ship production. That would involve cutting financial and business ties with Chinese state shipbuilders and hitting Chinese-made vessels with docking fees. Over the long term, however, the US needs to invest massively in rebuilding its decaying shipyards and work with allies to expand shipbuilding capacities outside China, says the report. Shapiro doubts that China's gunning for a naval battle off its coastline, but he urges the Trump administration to maintain a decisive military edge by reviving one of its past policy successes. 'If the US is going to retain its naval supremacy, it would need an Operation Warp Speed for US shipbuilding and for anything else that qualifies as strategic,' says the podcast host. Sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre stayed away from a Western Australian court on Wednesday morning when a domestic violence charge against her was mentioned by her lawyer. Giuffre was listed to appear before a magistrate less than 48 hours after she was released from hospital following a now infamous social media post in which she claimed to have four days to live. The 41-year-old, who was trafficked by the late American paedophile Jeffrey Epstein as a teenager, has not been seen in public since being involved in what police called a minor bus crash. American-born Giuffre was sneaked out the back door of Perth's Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital on Monday afternoon to avoid a large media pack at the front of the facility. On Wednesday, about a dozen reporters waited for her scheduled appearance at Joondalup Magistrates Court but she did not appear in person. Instead, lawyer Karrie Louden sought an adjournment and said she was in negotiations with police. Giuffre was charged with breaching a family violence restraining order just days before the bus crash which she initially said was going to kill her. She was first listed to face the same court, about 30km north of Perth's central business district, on March 14. Giuffre, 41, posted on Instagram about the crash on March 24, which occurred ten days after she was listed at the court near her $2m former family home Virgina Giuffre is estranged from husband of 22 years Robert (above the couple in 2019) and in March she was charged with alleged breaching a family violence restraining order Outside court on Wednesday, Mr Louden said she was not in a position to comment on the charge while the proceedings were before court. She said Giuffre was not required to appear on Wednesday. Daily Mail Australia understands police advised her not to attend. Ms Louden said she expected Giuffre would provide an update on her health soon and referred further inquiries to her US-based representative. The matter was adjourned until June 11 when Giuffre will be required to enter a plea. Giuffre has claimed she was sexually abused by Prince Andrew at the behest of Epstein's associate, jailed British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, when she was just 17. The Duke of York has denied the allegation, as has Maxwell - who is a convicted sex offender - while Epstein died in a New York prison in 2019. Giuffre, nee Roberts, posted a photograph on Instagram from her hospital bed on March 30, stating doctors had told her she had just four days left to live. She said her car had been hit by a school bus travelling at 110km/h and the accident had left her with kidney failure. Giuffre did not appear in person at Joondalup Magistrates Court on Wednesday but was represented by her lawyer Karrie Louden (pictured with waiting media at the court) The famous photograph of the-then Virginia Roberts and Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell that led to the royal's downfall and the reported $20million payout The photograph showed discolouration to Giuffre's face and chest which has been described as severe bruising. Three days after the picture emerged, a spokesman for Giuffre said she had 'made a mistake' and had not intended to share the post publicly. Daily Mail Australia subsequently revealed Giuffre had been listed to face court ten days before the crash over the alleged breach of the family violence restraining order. Her estranged husband Robert Giuffre was also listed at the same court the previous month for allegedly 'providing inadequate storage facility for firearms'. The couple recently separated after 22 years of marriage and no longer live together at their lavish $1.9million mansion in a Perth beachside suburb. They bought the six-bedroom home five years ago, putting down a deposit on the property six months before Giuffree launched her lawsuit against Prince Andrew for allegedly sexually abusing her when she was a teenager. The purchase was finalised before the matter was settled out of court with a reported $20million payout from the Duke of York. The Giuffres now appear to be locked in a messy tug of love over their two sons and one daughter. She has been staying on a 16-hectare farm, bought for $1.3million and located less than an hour's drive north from the family's beachfront mansion, where her husband is still living. Two days before the car crash, on March 22, Giuffre posted a sun-dappled picture of her children on a beach, accompanied by an apparent desperate plea to see them. 'My beautiful babies have no clue how much I love them and theyre being poisoned with lies,' she posted. 'I miss them so very much. I have been through hell and back in my 41 years but this is incredibly hurting me worse than anything else. 'Hurt me, abuse me but dont take my babies. My heart is shattered and every day that passes my sadness only deepens.' In the post from her hospital bed a week later, Giuffre said: 'Ive gone into kidney renal failure, they've given me four days to live, transferring me to a specialist hospital in urology.' 'I'm ready to go, just not until I see my babies one last time. My heart is shattered and every day that passes my sadness only deepens.' Two days after that post, Western Australia Police revealed Giuffre was a passenger in a car involved in a 'minor collision' with a bus in Neergabby, 80km north of Perth, on March 24 and no-one had been injured. Giuffre's 71-year-old caretaker Cheryl had been behind the wheel of the small white car that was hit. Cheryl, who helps look after Giuffre's livestock, including horses and chickens, appeared physically unscathed when she spoke to Daily Mail Australia last week. She denied she had been part of a 'cover-up' and believed Giuffre would provide further details about the bus accident to clear up any confusion. 'I'm sure Virginia will release a statement soon to clear it all up,' she said. Police said the collision was reported by the bus driver the following day and the car sustained damage totalling approximately $2,000. 'We have no report of any serious injuries,' Acting Western Australian Police Commissioner Kylie Whiteley said. Bus driver Ross Munns and multiple passengers have come forward to describe the backroad bingle as nothing more than a 'minor bump'. Giuffre is understood to have initially been treated at Joondalup Hospital for a pre-existing condition and released. Virginia Giuffre with a photo of her younger self (left) and the late Jeffrey Epstein with Ghislaine Maxwell, decades before they would each be jailed in the US on sex trafficking charges She checked into Perth's Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital about 3am on April 1, two days after the disturbing Instagram post went public. Giuffre rescinded the 'deathbed' farewell claims via a spokesperson last Wednesday and said she mistakenly posted them to her public Instagram page. 'Today she remains in a serious condition while receiving medical care,' her agent said. 'On March 24, in rural Western Australia, a school bus hit the car in which she was riding. The police were called but said that there was no-one available to come to the scene. 'They asked if anyone was injured and suggested that if they were, they should make their way to the hospital. 'The school bus driver had a bus full of distraught children and left the scene to get them back, saying he would file a police report, which he did later. 'Virginia was banged up and bruised and returned home. Virginia's condition worsened and she was admitted to hospital.' Giuffre had another attempt at clarifying what caused her injuries, telling People magazine she was involved in an incident which occurred in January. The Giuffres no longer live together at their lavish $1.9million mansion in a Perth's beachside suburb (pictured) Giuffre has been living on a 16-hectare farm, bought for $1.3million and located less than an hour's drive north from the family's former beachfront mansion. The front gate is pictured Her brother Sky Roberts explained his sister's 'four days to live' claim, by saying she was told by doctors she would have died in that timeframe without medical treatment. Mr Roberts said his sibling's injuries were likely not caused solely by the bush collision. 'Let's be clear, she never stated in the bus accident the cause of all the other injuries,' he said. Mr Roberts admitted he did not know the specifics of 'what happened internally' to Giuffre but said her injuries were 'consistent' with a car crash. 'Nobody ever said her liver issues and kidney failure were ever from that,' he said. 'We still don't know if it is. I'm not a medical professional. That's up to her doctor to determine.' Giuffre met her future husband when she was 19 while training as a masseuse in Thailand. The massage course had been paid for by Jeffrey Epstein. Tucked away alongside a railway siding in a sleepy English hamlet, this unassuming car wash appears about as far as it's possible to get from the vicious world of global organised crime. A glance around the rest of well-to-do Spellbrook of Hertfordshire - with its quaint C of E primary school and thatched local pub - does nothing to dispel the sense of tranquil seclusion. But to the horror of residents who praised its 'friendly' staff and 'excellent' service, Spellbrook Hand Car Wash was actually a front for a major drug smuggling ring - with police smashing through its doors to find part of a 4.2million cocaine haul. The business, which is now under new management, was owned by a relative of Arjan Lisaj, a 33-year-old Albanian. To locals it appeared entirely legitimate, with online reviews lauding workers for going above and beyond to please customers - including, in one case, handing out free ice lollies to kids. The bargain prices were another obvious attraction, starting at just 7 to wash the outside of a car. Yet despite its family friendly appearance, the reality was rather less squeaky clean - with the site serving as a hub of a smuggling operation that imported packages of cocaine in small planes flying over from northern France. These aircraft would take off from the coastal town of Cherbourg before flying 70 miles over the Channel to Dorset - avoiding radar by flying low and switching off their transponders - before jettisoning the packages over the countryside. Spellbrook Hand Car Wash was previously a front for a major drug smuggling ring. It is now under new management The car wash is located in well-to-do Spellbrook of Hertfordshire, which has a quaint C of E primary school and thatched local pub (pictured) A cyclist passes by the local pub, which is called the Three Horseshoes. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the drugs case The coordinates of the drop-off locations were agreed in advance, and gang leader Martynas Piecia, 37, or his associate, 47-year-old Lithuanian Rolandas Bauza, would be waiting in a car to pick the packages up. Rolandas's brother Tomas Bauza, 44, made up the fourth member of the conspiracy, which organised at least three flights in total. The four men have now been jailed for a total of more than 47 years following an investigation by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU), which operates across seven police force areas in the east of England. Detectives noted the 'great lengths' the group went to in order to disguise their criminal activities, and locals were entirely unaware that their friendly local car wash was actually a front for organised crime. Penny Walmsley, the owner of a dog grooming parlour next door to the site, told MailOnline yesterday that the staff working there had always been 'really lovely'. 'I'm on my own here and I've had a couple of people who've made me feel uncomfortable and they've always helped me,' she said. 'I knew that the guys I speak to had nothing to do with it because they were all back working here the next day. 'On the day of the raid, my boyfriend turned up at one point but couldn't get down the road and the police were even asking him questions about whether he knew anything about what had gone on. 'I was like: ''What on earth has just happened?' You don't get any drama around here!' Arjan Lisaj, 33, (left) with Martynas Pieca, 37, (right), who is a qualified pilot. This photo was found on Pieca's phone during the investigation, although none of the offences the gang were charged with relate to flying the planes that were used to drop off drugs Tomas Bauza, 44, (left) and his 47-year-old brother Ronaldas (right) were also involved in the drug importation operation The overall haul of cocaine seized by police had an estimated street value of 4.2million An aerial view of the car wash that was previously used by the gang as a front The car wash's friendly, can-do reputation appears to have spread throughout the local area, with one woman telling MailOnline that she 'only knew about Spellbrook' because it was located there. 'My husband and I use it a lot and it was really good,' she added. If accounts filed on Companies House are to be believed, the site's success led to healthy profits, with Spellbrook Car Wash Ltd recording a 40,000 dividend in 2022. Yesterday, a man who said he had taken over the management of the business on behalf of a friend in Albania claimed he had worked there since 2017 for three different owners but had not known anything about drug dealing. 'I was very upset when they put this story on the news because it's nothing to do with us,' he said. 'We didn't know about the cocaine but when they read it in the paper some of the customers think it's something to with us.' The man, who asked not to be named, insisted the drugs had been discovered in an office that he did not have access to. 'The police found two kilos of cocaine in an office but we didn't know it was there,' he said. 'We didn't know anything about what was going on until the police showed up - we were as surprised as anyone! 'We've never had anything like this happen here and we're much quieter today because of it. It's a lovely day, perfect to wash cars, but there's hardly anyone here. 'People around here have money, they are posh people, and they don't want to be associated with that sort of thing.' Locals praised the car wash for its 'friendly', 'professional' service in a string of glowing reviews Photos previously shared on the car wash's Facebook page revealed a series of supercars being washed in its yard. There is no suggestion they are linked to criminality A supercar in front of a board giving the cost of the site's services, starting at 7 to clean the outside of a car Your browser does not support iframes. Describing the car wash workers who had been jailed for drug dealing, he said: 'They were very quiet. They kept themselves to themselves. 'One had a German electric car and the other an old Passat. They were being clever. They never spoke to the other staff much but were polite. They didn't show their wealth.' Officers arrested Lisaj, Martynas Piecia and Rolandas Bauza in September 2024 a short distance away from the car wash. Lisaj is known to have worked there but it is unclear if any of the rest of the gang ever did. Rolandas, who is listed on Companies House as the former director of a screeding business, was found to be in possession of 31,700 in cash and a phone that he threw into a stream when the officers arrived. Two 1kg blocks of cocaine were then discovered in an office at the car wash. Rolandas's brother Tomas was arrested on the same day at the home the siblings shared in Loughton, Essex. Two holdalls containing 54kg of cocaine were then found in the loft - bizarrely branded with Audi and Under Armour logos - alongside evidence of cannabis production. All four men were jailed at St Albans Crown Court on Friday - with Piecia, Rolandas Bauza and Lisaj previously pleading guilty to importing drugs into the UK back in February. Yesterday, a man who said he had taken over the management of the site on behalf of a friend in Albania claimed he had worked there since 2017 for three different owners but had not known anything about drug dealing The quiet roads surrounding well-to-do Spellbrook, which due to its size is categorised as a hamlet Horses graze in the fields near the hamlet, which is near a railway line Pieca was jailed for 15 years and seven months. Ronaldas Bauza received 14 years and seven months and Lisaj seven years. Meanwhile, Tomas Bauza was found guilty of supplying controlled drugs following a trial and locked up for 10 years. Judge HHJ Mann described the operation as a 'highly sophisticated criminal enterprise' and identified Piecia as the ringleader. The court heard footage found on his phone showed him opening a package of cocaine that matched those found at the car wash. Meanwhile, searches of vehicles associated with the gang members identified an aviation radio and papers with sets of drop-off coordinates. Sander Simoni and his wife Landa own another business near to Spellbrook Hand Car Wash called IMO Car Wash. The companies are not connected. Speaking yesterday, Mrs Simoni said they were very anti drugs because their 25-year-old son had been left needing 'round-the-clock care' after having his drink spiked. 'It's good these people got long sentences but they should have been even longer - I don't think they should ever get out of prison,' she told MailOnline. Penny Walmsley, the owner of a dog grooming parlour next door to the car wash, said the staff working there had always been 'really lovely' to her Sander Simoni, who runs a second - entirely unrelated - car wash in the village, said he was pleased the gang had been jailed Locals in Spellbrook (pictured) described their shock at such a serious crime being associated with their quiet village Detective Inspector Daniel Barker, from ERSOU, said the gang had been motivated entirely by greed. 'They went to great lengths to hide their illicit activities, and today's result follows a huge amount of police work to capture evidence during our investigation,' he said. 'ERSOU teams work closely with local police forces and partners both in the UK and abroad to protect our communities from a wide range of criminality, and we will continue to pursue and apprehend those intent on acting illegally in eastern England.' Police regularly warn of the risk of cash intensive businesses like hand car washes being exploited by drug gangs to launder money or profit from slave labour. Last year, police busted an Eastern European crime syndicate who smuggled 12 migrants into the UK with the promise of a better life before stealing wages they earned at car washes and other 'grey economy' businesses. One migrant was forced to live in an unheated garage without a roof before being put to work cleaning vehicles for no money, with his captors - who included 47-year-old Czech man Zdenek Drevenak - exploiting his 'desperation' not to be deported. Another case saw a couple force more than 40 Slovakian 'slaves' to carry out nearly 1million worth of work for free at their car wash in Southmead, Bristol. Researchers at Nottingham Trent University estimate there are now about 5,500 hand car washes in the UK, accounting for nearly 70 per cent of car washes overall. The Birmingham bin strike has divided the city in two - with mountains of rubbish piling up in poorer neighbourhoods, while exclusive roads just metres away remain spotless. Residents in Balsall Heath have claimed Asian areas are being disproportionately affected by fly-tipping and rats, but the bin strike is barely noticeable in the leafy streets of Moseley and Edgbaston nearby. The scourge of bin bags being dumped in towering piles has been particularly severe in places such as Balsall Heath and Sparkbrook, which have high proportions of Asian residents, particularly of Pakistani heritage. They are also some of the poorest wards in the entire country. Yet just yards away sit some of the city's most expensive streets, where houses can sell for upwards of 1.5 million - and there is scarcely a bin bag in sight. The stark contrast between the two worlds has not gone unnoticed by those at the epicentre of Birmingham's escalating rubbish crisis. Hussian, a 76-year-old who lives on Ernest Road in Balsall Heath, told MailOnline: 'It's only the Asian areas. If you go to a white area, it's fine. If you go to Hall Green, Solihull, Oakley, it's fine - everything nice, no rubbish or anything. 'It stacks here but they never take it. People add to it. Then the rats too. Help us to remove it.' Your browser does not support iframes. Not a bin bag in sight: Chantry Road in Moseley, where houses sold for an average of 900,000 last year, is free from the grim fly-tipping associated with the bin strike But just round the corner from Chantry Road, enormous piles of discarded rubbish lined the streets of Balsall Heath - including on Beaconsfield Road Opposite the rubbish-strewn streets of Balsall Heath is Amesbury Road, Moseley, where houses sell for up to 1.5 million - and there was no sign of discarded waste His views were echoed by local Muslim influencer Asrar Rashid, who said in a recent viral TikTok video: 'Birmingham as a whole, we Muslims are responsible to keep the city clean - unfortunately, we are one of the main reasons this city has become unclean.' He added: 'Every Pakistani household has three cars nowadays for some reasongo to Tyseley tip, book your slot, take the rubbish and make the effort of taking the rubbish yourselves.' On Chantry Road in Moseley, where houses have sold for up to 1.3 million in recent years, there was not a single bin bag visible when MailOnline visited on Tuesday morning. It was an altogether different story just around the corner, however, as the road borders some of the worst affected parts of Balsall Heath, where terraced houses sell for an average of around 150,000. Putrid piles of bin bags blocked pavements on Hallam Street, Beaconsfield Road and Edgbaston Road - a walk of just a few minutes from the grand houses nearby. Across the other side of the street is Amesbury Road, Moseley, where houses have sold for as much as 1.5 million. It too appeared spotless. A similar pattern was unfolding on the other side of Moseley, where St Agnes Road - one of Birmingham's most expensive streets, lined by 1.4 million houses - showed little sign of being affected by the bin strike. But turning the corner onto Yardley Wood Road - where the majority of properties sold last year were flats worth an average of 114,000 - several huge piles of bin bags were immediately visible, dumped unceremoniously on two patches of grass, nowhere near any bins. Balsall Heath is one of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the country Mountains of rubbish was dumped on Hallam Street, Balsall Heath, despite the area being infested with rats St Agnes Road in Moseley is one of the most expensive streets in the city There was no sign of any abandoned rubbish outside the grand properties of St Agnes Road But just round the corner, on Yardley Wood Road, huge piles of bin bags had been dumped Over in Edgbaston, there were no bin bags visible anywhere on Wellington Road, where houses sold for an average of 2 million last year. The same could not be said round the corner on Spring Road, where an enormous bin bag mountain has formed at the entrance of a social housing complex. The situation was even more dire on Sherlock Street in Highgate, which is a two-minute drive from Wellington Road. There, houses sell for a much more modest average of 154,000 and fly-tipping had reached such extremes that discarded furniture and shopping trolleys lay alongside the bin bags. For residents in the worst-affected areas, the endless fly-tipping is starting to take its toll, particularly when compared to the situation on more affluent roads nearby. Mohammed Islam, 45, owns a house which borders a vast pile of rubbish in Balsall Heath. He said: 'We've been neglected here. This area has been neglected by the council. It's probably to do with affluent areas. All you can say is that this area is deprived by the council.' As well as the council, he laid the blame at the door of residents from other parts of the city dumping their rubbish outside his home. Houses on Wellington Road, Edgbaston, cost an average of 2 million - and there was no sign of any rubbish being dumped on the street Yet round the corner, on the less affluent Spring Road, a huge rubbish pile has formed The situation is even more dire in nearby Highgate, where fly-tipping is clearly evident on Sherlock Street Some fly-tippers had even filled an abandoned shopping trolley with their waste 'People come from random places, blocking it up, it's awful,' he said. 'It's overflowing. Outsiders come here and chuck in it, they think it's a dumping ground. They come with their cars and just dump it here. They don't want to (take it to the tip), they're lazy. 'I haven't opened my window for four weeks.' Insurance worker Tariq, 50, has been left frustrated by the contrast between his own area and the relative cleanliness in nearby neighbourhoods. 'It just seems to be when someone makes a pile, everybody just piles on like a magnet,' he said. 'I visit Moseley and there's not piles of it there. It could be due to the residents. I think we have more properties and more numbers in the area. We have a lot more bags and nappies. 'In other areas, they would be quicker to respond to something like that.' Hamdi, 48, said rats had bitten through the wires in his car, after an explosion in the rodent population due to the amount of discarded rubbish. Residents of Balsall Heath have been left despairing at the state of their neighbourhood since the city's bin workers went on strike Health Secretary Wes Streeting expressed concern about the public health implications of the bin strike 'It's very, very bad. Rats and mice. They come here in the night to dump it. Rats have bitten through wires in my car.' Mother-of-two Sham lives near the mess and said she too cannot even open her windows due to the stench. 'People see this is a garbage spot and throw all their garbage there,' she said. The intensifying crisis has forced ministers to take a more active role since Birmingham City Council declared a major incident last week. The council is continuing to negotiate with members of the Unite union, whose members launched an all-out strike last month over pay and jobs, but a breakthrough does not appear close. Health secretary Wes Streeting has now warned about the public health situation in Birmingham where the strike has left bin bags 'piling up' and rats 'crawling around'. 'I certainly am concerned about the public health situation and the poor conditions we're seeing for people in Birmingham,' the Health Secretary told Times Radio. 'As the bin bags are piling up, we see rats and other vermin crawling around. 'That's not good for public health. I think this dispute has escalated way out of hand.' As anyone who has had the misfortune of dealing with civil service bureaucracy will know, it can be a complicated endeavour. There is the jargon, the minutes that bleed into hours spent on hold on the phone and, of course, the endless form-filling. But mastering this red tape - particularly in relation to Britain's bloated benefits system - can apparently also present extraordinarily lucrative business opportunities. Just ask Charlie Anderson, a YouTube blogger who says her chronic arthritis and fatigue has rendered her unable to work. Thanks to her lengthy experience with the welfare system, she is extremely proficient at filling out forms used to claim the Personal Independence Payment [PIP] allowance disability benefit. So adept has she become in applying for this taxpayer-funded help that she has taken to explaining the 'tricks of the trade' to any prospective benefits claimant - for a hefty fee, of course. Single mothers have been warned about using dating apps as new research shows that paedophiles are using the platforms to gain access to their children. Men who sexually abuse children are almost four times more likely to use dating apps than non-offenders, the research by the Childlight Global Child Safety Institute found. Some 66 per cent of men who abuse children use the online platforms and 22 per cent use them daily, researchers from the University of Edinburgh and University of New South Wales discovered. The findings - based on a survey of 5,000 men in the UK, the US and Australia - reveal that single mothers [are] at particular risk of being targeted on dating apps. In light of the findings researchers are calling for stronger regulation of matchmaking apps - such as Tinder, Bumble and Hinge - which are used by almost 400 million people. Men who sexually abuse children are almost four times more likely to use dating apps than non-offenders, the research by the Childlight Global Child Safety Institute found (stock image) Debi Fry (above), Professor of International Child Protection Research at the University of Edinburgh, has described child sexual exploitation and abuse as a 'global public health emergency' Professor Michael Salter, from the University of New South Wales, said: Our findings provide clear evidence that dating apps lack adequate child protection measures, and loopholes are exploited by abusers to target single parents and their children. Most dating apps do not require users to provide evidence of their identity and Professor Salter said they should be made to introduce mandatory ID checks and tools to detect predatory or suspicious behaviours. Theres no reason why the robust user identification methods we have in other industries, such as banking and gambling, should not also have to be adopted by dating app platforms, he said. Similarly, there are a range of AI tools and systems that can flag problematic words and conversations that can and should be used. It comes after Scottish lorry driver Paul Stewart, who manipulated single mothers via dating apps so he could abuse their children, was jailed for three and a half years last December. A court in heard how Stewart formed relationships with women he met online so he could abuse and photograph their children and share the images with a network of paedophiles on the dark web. Researchers have uncovered what they described as telltale clues of predatory behaviour, including that men who abuse children are more likely to be involved in online gaming, to own and use cryptocurrency, and to buy sexual content online (stock image) Childlight has previously warned that sexual exploitation and abuse of children has become a pandemic and is now affecting more than 300 million children around the world every year. Researchers have also uncovered what they described as telltale clues of predatory behaviour, including that men who abuse children are more likely to be involved in online gaming, to own and use digital money known as cryptocurrency, and to buy sexual content online. Debi Fry, Professor of International Child Protection Research at the University of Edinburgh, said: Child sexual exploitation and abuse is a global public health emergency that requires emergency measures, but its preventable. We must mobilise globally, focusing not just on reactive law enforcement but on prevention strategies tackling underlying determinants of abuse - including financial and technological ecosystems sustaining it. A military parade marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day has been refused by a council for being 'too elite', in a move that has triggered outrage. Hertfordshire's Dacorum Borough Council has come under fire for failing to put on a march to commemorate the end of the Second World War in Europe on May 8. Flabbergasted councillors blasted the Liberal Democrat-run authority after it urged locals to instead stage their own street parties to mark the 'special anniversary'. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy today slammed the decision by Dacorum, telling LBC's Nick Ferrari: 'It's ridiculous to say that VE Day is elitist. 'VE Day is a commemoration and honouring of the sacrifice that ordinary men and women from working class backgrounds across the whole country made in order to secure our freedom. 'This will be the last VE Day, potentially, where people have the opportunity to hear from surviving veterans and honour the sacrifice that they made. The idea that it's elitist is absolutely ridiculous.' It comes as a host of events are being planned across the UK, including a flypast over London, and a thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey attended by members of the Royal family and veterans. Speaking of Dacorum's lacklustre showing, infuriated Tory councillor Graeme Elliot told a meeting on April 2: 'I'm very dismayed about the lack of celebrations. My father fought in that war. I had an uncle who died in the Battle of France. Hertfordshire's Dacorum Borough Council has come under fire for failing to put on a march to commemorate the end of the Second World War in Europe on May 8. Pictured is a Remembrance parade through Hemel Hempstead, which is in the borough Liberal Democrat Councillor Caroline Smith-Wright has sought to defend the decision not to stage a VE Day parade in the Dacorum borough Prime Minister Winston Churchill pictured joining the Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on VE Day, 1945 'That was the golden generation. So you think 50 years of a council is far more important than the men and women who gave their lives?' MailOnline understands the decision not to stage a VE Day parade was made by 'council officers' on the grounds of cost. Dacorum's Lib Dem leader Cllr Sally Symington insists she is now trying to ensure a parade does go ahead - although no decision has yet been made. 'I and my cabinet have asked council officers to look again at their decision and do whatever it takes to put on a parade, as well as the street parties I hope lots of neighbourhoods take part in,' she told MailOnline today. Last year, the council staged a parade marching through Hemel Hempstead to celebrate '50 Fest' - to commemorate the council's own 50th anniversary. The authority also hosted its annual Remembrance Parade in the town on November 10, 2024. Speaking about the VE Day plans during a meeting last week, Cllr Caroline Smith-Wright said: 'We have decided at this point to enable communities to come together and have street parties and I think that is for the community, that is for everyone, that encompasses everybody it doesn't just leave the elite and people to just, kind of, parade. 'This is about normal people celebrating in their communities, bringing people together, sharing food, sitting at a table, celebrating and I think that's a fine way to celebrate VE Day.' A council has come under fire for not hosting a VE Day march in Hemel Hempstead (pictured) Victory in Europe Day, which remembers the end of World War II in Europe on May 8, 1945. Pictured is a VE Day march in 2015 through London Echoing the fury by Cllr Elliot, independent Jan Maddern said council chiefs should 'do better' and questioned why the authority had not provided decorations for locals seeking to stage street parties. Sharing her 'dismay', Cllr Maddern said: 'We missed in effect the 75th anniversary of VE Day because we were in Covid. I can remember having street parties where we all sat on our drives in my cul-de-sac, safe distancing from everyone else. 'This would have been such a fantastic opportunity to pick that up and it's not just about the people that were actually fighting in the war, it's about people like me and my family. 'I grew up in the Royal Air Force, I went to 12 schools and by the time I was 16, I had lived in 16 houses because my dad was serving this country. I think we should do better but it's too late now.' Meanwhile, Labour's Pete Hannell demanded council bosses rethink the lack of a parade to properly mark 'sacrifices' by military heroes who gave their lives during the Second World War. 'My children and grandchildren are facing a war in Europe now where the aggressor is being appeased in the way that Chamberlain was arguably appeasing Hitler in 1938,' he added. Up to four days of events are set to be hosted across the nation to commemorate the upcoming Victory in Europe Day, running from May 5 until May 8. Pictured: Red Arrows soar over London during a VE Day commemoration event in 2015 A VE Day commemoration is being jointly staged by the Royal British Legion and the council at the Hertford War Memorial in Parliament Square on May 8, which will see a 'short act' of remembrance from 11am. While Cllr Smith-Wright said she can 'appreciate and understand' the 'strong feelings' among the community, she also cited costs as an additional factor in the contentious choice. She added: 'I do appreciate and understand everyone's strong feelings. As far as street parties go, we invite residents to sign up to have their road closed that's an immense expense. It costs thousands to shut a road for a street party, it's free currently.' Those wishing to host VE Day street parties must first obtain permission from Hertfordshire County Council to close the road, with requests typically free unless it is not on a residential street or it is likely to affect a bus route, according to Dacorum Borough Council's website. Today, the new Lib Dem leader of the authority has insisted she still wants a parade to go ahead and has written to council admin chiefs. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has described the 80th anniversaries of VE Day and VJ Day as 'important opportunities for communities to come together to pay tribute to all those who served in the Second World War' (pictured: VE Day celebrations on May 8, 1945) In a statement to MailOnline, Cllr Symington said: 'I am deeply proud of our community's role in the Allied victory in Europe eighty years ago, and in our armed forces heritage. 'That's why I and my cabinet have asked council officers to look again at their decision and do whatever it takes to put on a parade, as well as the street parties I hope lots of neighbourhoods take part in. 'VE Day is a time to bring Hertfordshire and the country together, especially in this era of uncertainty and division. That's why I have taken action in this case.' Elsewhere across the UK, up to four days of events are set to be hosted to commemorate the upcoming Victory in Europe Day, running from May 5 until May 8. Co-ordinated by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the commemorations will feature a military procession to Buckingham Palace and a flypast of historic and current warplanes and the Red Arrows. This will then be followed by a national 'street party' on the Royal Navy warship HMS Belfast on the Thames. Now a floating museum, the Belfast was key in helping to achieve victory in Europe by firing some of the first shots of the D-Day invasion of France on June 6, 1944. On Tuesday, May 6, up to 30,000 ceramic poppies are set to return to the inside of the Tower of London, while a Victory in Europe Day Anniversary Concert will be held in Westminster Hall on May 7. Finally, on the anniversary of VE Day itself, a service will be held at Westminster Abbey, followed by a concert at Horse Guards Parade in London, in a bid to recreate the euphoric scenes witnessed on the historic day. A Texas mother-of-three is facing thousands of dollars in medical bills after squatters smashed her teeth with a refrigerator. Noel Patrick was in the process of moving out of her home on Bomar Avenue in Fort Worth on Sunday when she went in to 'grab one more thing' only to find two people already inside. That's when she said the situation 'quickly turned violent.' 'When I came in, everything went upside down,' Patrick told NBC5. Stepping into the kitchen, Patrick said she came face-to-face with a man and a woman who appeared to be stealing the refrigerator. 'I looked at her and said, "Ma'am, you've got to go," she recalled. 'And out of nowhere, the fridge comes down on me.' Patrick said the apparent squatters shoved the fridge into her, sending it smashing into her teeth before running out the door. 'I'm about $6,000, $7,000 in debt from this one situation,' she told the outlet, adding that the altercation broke three of her teeth and left her mouth and face bloodied. On Monday, Patrick had one of her teeth fixed but would still need to replace two others, leaving her with thousands of dollars in medical debt. Noel Patrick was in the process of moving out of her home on Bomar Avenue in Fort Worth on Sunday when she went in to 'grab one more thing' only to find two people already inside Patrick said the apparent squatters shoved the fridge into her, sending it smashing into her teeth before running out the door Patrick said her housing troubles started as soon as she moved into the Bomar Avenue home, over a year ago, when the landlord told her that he had spent the last two years in a battling to remove squatters living inside. 'When we moved in, the house was completely destroyed,' Patrick said, adding that the previous 'tenants' ruined the flooring and put gaping holes in the walls. She said her case showed that squatting was a problem that needed to be addressed. 'We need more rights for us and less rights for them,' the worry-riddled mother said. Patrick's housing woes are just one example of the potential danger of squatting, which some state leaders are saying 'is on the rise' in Texas. 'They can break into your house and live over there for a long time,' Rep. Angie Chen Button told NBC5. Button filed House Bill 32 in February, which would allow landlords to obtain evictions without a hearing in some cases. 'Right now, Texas property owners face a very, very long and expensive eviction process when they try to regain possession of their own rental properties from people who are not entitled to be there,' the state official said. The proposed legislation could speed up the eviction process for landlords, meaning they could get someone off their property faster. Under the new legislation, which is still awaiting approval, landlords would be able to file a motion claiming there are 'no genuinely disputed facts' in a case and receive an eviction order all while bypassing a hearing. Patrick said her housing troubles started as soon as she moved into the Bomar Avenue home, over a year ago, when the landlord told her that he had spent the last two years in a battling to remove squatters living inside However, opponents of HB32 previously told NBC5 that they were concerned the law would remove tenants' rights to plead their case in court and could damage communities of color and low-income renters. 'People should pay the rent, and if they don't, then eviction is a legitimate remedy. The problem is that they want to do it without a trial or hearing at all. 'That's the due process deprivation. People are entitled to notice at a hearing under our constitution, and this bill strips them of that constitution right,' Mark Melton, an attorney in Dallas and founder of Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center, explained. The bill goes on to state that tenants must respond in three days to a sworn affidavit. If there's no response, a landlord could win by default. Landlords can also file cases outside their precinct in neighboring courts, if the bill passes. Locals are furious after thousands of pounds were spent on a Hollywood-style sign in a Leicestershire town, with residents calling it an 'absolute waste of money'. The sign was erected in Wigston and bears the town's name but its inhabitants believe the new installation is a misuse of public funds. A Freedom of Information request revealed the sign cost more than 10,500. Oadby and Wigston Borough Council, however, have defended the move, arguing it has created a sense of 'local pride and identity'. Angry residents have taken to social media to express their displeasure. One wrote: 'Who decided what to spend the money on? 'I don't recall any time the local residents were asked for their thoughts.' While there have been concerns about the allocation of the funds, the biggest issue appears to be the vast sum spent on the sign. One local said: 'Absolute waste of our money.' Locals are furious at a Hollywood-style sign in Wigston, with residents calling it an 'absolute waste of money' Local MP Neil O'Brien has said residents deserve better than the wasteful purchase by the council Another echoed this sentiment, saying: 'Complete waste of money. Why is there even a grant for this rubbish? It shows the council is completely out of touch.' Disgruntled community members believe that free parking, funding of the high street and upgrading local green spaces are among the myriad of issues that more urgently require investment. One scathing reviewer referred to the sign as a 'Temu Hollywood-style sign', in reference to the heavily discounted online marketplace Temu, which mass produces its merchandise. Local MP Neil O'Brien claimed that 'residents deserve better' than the 'wasteful' new installation, particularly in light of the council's plan to remove bins from across the district. The Tory MP said the sign revealed the council's 'weird priorities' and inappropriate spending. And one resident said: 'What does this do to enhance the area? Yet another waste of taxpayers' money.' The council shared a video of the sign to its Facebook page, writing: 'Along with other recent works in our town centres, including our murals, this sign was funded by the UK Government through a pot for town centre improvement works.' But a slew of negative comments were written under the post, and the council even went as far as to respond to a comment which read: 'Another waste of taxpayer money.' The community feels that Wigston (pictured) has other issues that more urgently require funding The council shared a video of the sign under construction, which provoked an angry response from locals in the comments The council replied: 'That's a sad outlook. It's important to keep updating and improving public areas and town centres. 'This and other recent improvements in Wigston come from funding the council applied for on behalf of the borough. 'If we hadn't applied, it would simply have gone elsewhere.' This did little to quell locals, who fear the sign will be vandalised or destroyed within a short while of being installed. While some have praised the work done by local metal company One Fabrication, the workmanship alone has not swayed the public. One person said: 'The local park has lost a bench, the skate park needs repair and four rubbish bins have rotted away not to be replaced. 'This looks great but the location - next to the free car park that is now pay and display - is going to rub salt in the wound.' Adrian Thorpe, Head of the Built Environment at Oadby and Wigston Borough Council told MailOnline: 'These works have been funded by UK Government, and this funding was identified specifically to be used on town centre improvements. 'It is essential that we continue to invest in our town centres. The Wigston lettering forms part of a package of improvements which also included new seating, planting and murals. 'We have had overwhelmingly positive feedback from local residents about the murals in Wigston and South Wigston, which as well as making the towns look more attractive have created a sense of local pride and identity the intention is that the sign will do the same.' A former Fox News star whom Donald Trump appointed to serve as the second in command at the Federal Bureau of Investigation has astonished officials by requesting as many as 20 agents to serve as his security detail. Dan Bongino, 50, the former host of The Dan Bongino Show on Rumble and Unfiltered with Dan Bongino on Fox News, was sworn in as the deputy director of the FBI last month - becoming the first in American history who was not a career agent. It appears he is now breaking with tradition once again, by asking for a full-time security detail to accompany him wherever he goes - something that is typically only reserved for the FBI director himself, NBC News reports. The podcaster's unusual request came last week, when the bureau sent out an internal call for agents to temporarily abandon their posts and serve on Bongino's protective security instead, two former and current officials told the outlet. The internal message - known as a canvass - had sought any agents willing to relocate for one month of temporary duty to protect Bongino 24/7, they said - noting that such full-time protection could require as many as 20 agents. That would put a strain on the law enforcement agency, with one former official saying that the details for the FBI director and Attorney General 'were always struggling to bring in personnel to meet their manning needs' and would routinely bring in agents to serve on the detail temporarily. Often, those agents were members of SWAT teams or came from the elite Hostage Rescue Team - which is dispatched to the FBI's most dangerous and highest-priority operations. Bongino's request also seems to fly in the face of Director Kash Patel's desire to transfer FBI agents from headquarters in Washington DC to the field, where he believes they could better fight crime. Dan Bongino, 50, the former host of The Dan Bongino Show on Rumble and Unfiltered with Dan Bongino on Fox News, has left officials astonished by requesting as many as 20 agents to serve as his security detail Trump appointed him to serve as the deputy director of the FBI in February The bureau sent out an internal call for agents to temporarily abandon their posts to serve on his security detail last week, according to NBC News Making matters worse, those who spoke to NBC News said Bongino could have just gone through the process to be qualified by the FBI to carry a handgun - but he opted instead to poach agents for a full-time detail. 'Of course he could carry - this is ridiculous,' former FBI official Frank Figliuzzi told the outlet. 'The question is: What is the actual risk and threat here, or does he just want a detail?' 'This is taxpayer money we're talking about,' he added. In fact, only one single agent was assigned part-time to accompany the previous deputy director, Paul Abatte, to certain events. But Abbate also carried his own service weapon and only used a full security detail when he traveled overseas. Bongino, on the other hand, has already been using his bodyguards inside secure FBI facilities - including the headquarters, where officials say directors typically walk around without any security. He has already been using his bodyguards inside secure FBI facilities - including the headquarters, where officials say directors typically walk around without any security Bongino, a former Secret Service agent and New York cop, is now in charge of supervising top officials who lead three regional divisions - unlike previous deputy FBI directors who would oversee all of the bureau's operations. He has not yet addressed the controversy over his security detail, but wrote on X over the weekend that there are some questions about his work that he cannot answer publicly. 'Your comments and criticisms are not only welcome, but they're helpful,' he wrote on Sunday, noting he and Patel 'work for you, the American people. 'When you see something happen, and the entire story isnt public, and the underlying facts arent all public, it may appear counterintuitive to our reform agenda,' Bongino continued. 'I promise you, it's not an accident. 'I realized when I signed up that Id never be able to fully explain some decisions we make due to legal and ethical constraints. But thats a pill I agreed to swallow when I swore in. 'In conclusion, I realize asking you to trust me is a waste of time. Watch what happens, continue to demand results, be cautious of narrative traps, let time put the puzzle pieces together, and what were doing will make sense,' he vowed. The FBI declined to comment to DailyMail.com and NBC News. An unlicensed driver who killed a 21-year-old motorcyclist when he made a U-turn to go to the toilet has been jailed. Garry Arnold, 58, had been behind the wheel of his van when he made a right turn onto gravel on Ranmore Common Road in Dorking, Surrey. The driver, who decided he needed to go toilet, crashed into motorcyclist Ben on that tragic day in November 2022. The 58-year-old did not have enough time to complete the manoeuvre, failed to finish the turn and to take the speed of the motorbike into account, a police investigation found. Following the crash, when Arnold spoke to police, he gave officers the wrong name and date of birth. It was later found this was because he held a revoked license. Twenty-one-year-old Ben had recently finished his building surveying degree at Kingston University and had his visa and flights booked to go to Australia to work for a year. He was due to leave in late December before the tragic event. His parents, Stephen and Eleanor Holmes, paid tribute to their son as a 'a warm and loving young man'. Garry Arnold, 58, pictured, was driving a van when he decided to pull over as he needed the toilet and made a right turn onto a gravel area on November 4, 2022 He then crashed into Ben Holmes, pictured, who was riding a motorbike on Ranmore Common Road in Dorking, Surrey They said in a statement: 'Ben's sudden death has left our family devastated and heartbroken. 'Ben made us proud every single day. He was truly an amazing person, full of life and a warm and loving young man.' They added: 'His death hit our family so hard and beyond all comprehension. 'It's indescribable. We never thought we would lose our son so young, leaving behind his brother. 'After learning of Ben's tragic death, his friends and work colleagues shared touching tributes to their much-loved and deeply missed friend.' His parents added: 'We would like to thank the determined approach that Surrey Police has taken in pursuing justice for Ben in what has been a complex investigation over the past two years.' Ben was out on his motorbike just after 4pm on Friday, November 4, 2022 when the collision occurred on Ranmore Common Road in Dorking. Arnold, of Banstead, was jailed for two years and four months after pleading guilty to causing death by careless driving, causing death by driving a vehicle whilst unlicensed and perverting the course of justice at an earlier hearing. The crash happened as Ben was riding a motorbike on Ranmore Common Road in Dorking Investigating Officer Amilia Bishop, from Surrey Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: 'Our thoughts remain with Ben Holmes' family and friends at this very difficult time no family should ever have to endure the loss they have suffered. 'Arnold not only performed a manoeuvre which he simply did not have the time to do, he then deliberately misled officers to cover up the fact that his driving licence had been revoked. 'I would like to thank the members of the public who stopped at the scene to call emergency services and provide first aid. Officers and paramedics who attended tried desperately to save Ben's life that day by performing CPR on Ben at the scene but sadly, their efforts were unsuccessful. 'Arnold's actions that day have robbed a family of their son which they will have to live with for the rest of their lives. 'I hope that the sentence imposed on him today demonstrates that we will pursue drivers who break the law and that this can have fatal consequences.' Jetstar has been forced to deny it has a gender bias after a female doctor shared her horrific experience with staff before she attempted to board a flight. Dr Amanda McConnell was flying from Cairns to Brisbane last month when Jetstar staff stopped her at the baggage check-in desk. 'It was taking ages, and the flight attendant said, "I'm really sorry, I have to cancel your online check-in and manually check you in because when you choose the doctor title, it automatically defaults to you being a male",' she told Yahoo. Dr McConnell then had to wait for more than five minutes while a Jetstar worker manually input her details while other passengers waited behind her. 'I was shocked that in 2025 they've still got software that defaults doctors to being male. It's ridiculous,' she said. Dr McConnell even started a petition at change.org slamming the airline. 'In today's society, where gender inclusivity is paramount, and technology has advanced significantly, it is essential for organisations especially those as prominent as Jetstar to ensure their systems reflect modern values,' she wrote. 'This small but impactful change would make the travel experience smoother for all customers, especially those who are professionals and hold titles that may be misinterpreted by outdated systems,' she said. Dr Amanda McConnell is angry that she was assumed to be male by Jetstar based on the fact she was a doctor Jetstar said the title of Dr defaults to the highest weight category for plane weight calculations when customers check in for their flight As of Wednesday morning the petition had 777 signatures with Dr McConnell claiming others had shared similar experiences. 'Quite a few of my female doctor colleagues said, "Yes, that has also happened to us. That's why we don't travel with Doctor as our title",' Dr McConnell said. A Jestar spokesman told Daily Mail Australia the airline 'does not assign a gender to the title of doctor on our customer-facing channels'. The title defaults to the 'highest weight category' possible for aircraft weight calculation purposes. 'To calculate the weight and balance of flights, non-gender specific prefixes such as Doctor are assigned the highest weight category, which the backend of our legacy IT system defines as "adult male" in line with CASA guidelines,' the spokesman said. Jetstar denied it was perpetuating gender bias and was open to changing the current setup. 'We understand the importance of this issue to our customers and are looking for ways to provide more gender-inclusive options in the booking flow,' the spokesman said. Weight on a plane is a significant safety issue. More weight requires more thrust from an aircraft's engines, more speed to get off the ground and more fuel, and the consequences of underestimating a plane's weight are potentially serious. Calculating the weight on a plane is a significant safety issue on takeoff In 2020, European holiday airline Tui underestimated the takeoff weight of an aircraft by almost 1,200kg. It was due to an IT glitch when 38 adult passengers, departing Birmingham for Majorca, identified themselves as 'Miss' rather than 'Ms'. It caused the airline's software to classify them as children instead of adults, and to assign each a child's weight rather than an adult's which was a difference of more than 30kg for each passenger. As a result, the figures on the load sheet, which the pilot uses to determine the thrust and speed required for takeoff, were out by more than a tonne and Tui was forced to change its software. In March 2009, an Emirates flight took off from Melbourne bound for Dubai, but as it approached the end of its takeoff roll and pitched upward for takeoff, the tail hit the ground and gouged through its aluminium skin until it ran out of runway. Aware of the danger, the captain applied maximum thrust and, after ploughing a channel across 148m of Melbourne Airport turf, the aircraft took off. In calculating the right takeoff speed, instead of inputting the aircraft's actual weight of 362.9 tonnes, the first officer hit the adjacent key and entered 262.9 tonnes. That mistake meant the plane took off at 75km/h less than required to get it off the ground. A federal judge ordered Donald Trump's White House on Tuesday to restore The Associated Press' full access to cover presidential events after they were banned for refusing to say 'Gulf of America.' In February, the Trump administration indefinitely banned the Associated Press from the Oval Office and Air Force One over the wire service's refusal to change AP style from the Gulf of Mexico. US District Judge Trevor N. McFadden, a Trump appointee, ruled that the government can't retaliate against the APs decision not to follow the presidents executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico. 'Under the First Amendment, if the Government opens its doors to some journalists-be it to the Oval Office, the East Room, or elsewhere-it cannot then shut those doors to other journalists because of their viewpoints,' McFadden wrote. 'The Constitution requires no less.' It was unclear whether the White House would move immediately to put McFaddens ruling into effect. McFadden held off on implementing his order for a week, giving the government time to respond or appeal. The AP has been blocked since Feb. 11 from being among the small group of journalists to cover Trump in the Oval Office or aboard Air Force One, with sporadic ability to cover him at events in East Room. Deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich posted to X at the time, claiming the AP's decision to continue to use 'Gulf of Mexico is 'not just divisive, but it also exposes the Associated Press' commitment to misinformation.' A federal judge ordered Donald Trump's (pictured right) White House on Tuesday to restore The Associated Press' full access to cover presidential events after they were banned for refusing to say 'Gulf of America' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt warned reporters that if they 'lie' about President Donald Trump's administration they will face the consequences 'We are gratified by the court's decision,' said AP spokeswoman Lauren Easton. 'Today's ruling affirms the fundamental right of the press and public to speak freely without government retaliation. This is a freedom guaranteed for all Americans in the U.S. Constitution.' DailyMail.com has reached out to the White House for comment. The news organization had asked McFadden to rule that Trump had violated APs constitutional right to free speech by taking the action because he disagreed with the words that its journalists use. He had earlier declined APs request to reverse the changes through an injunction. Because of its wide reach, the AP has traditionally always been included in 'pools' for coverage of presidential events in places like the Oval Office or Air Force One. McFadden cautioned that his ruling does not necessarily herald a return to those days. 'The Court does not order the government to grant the AP permanent access to the Oval Office, the East Room or any other media event,' he wrote. U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden, a Trump appointee, ruled that the government can't retaliate against the APs decision not to follow the presidents executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico AP White House reporter Darlene Superville is told by a Trump staff person that she is not allowed to board Air Force One 'It does not bestow special treatment upon the AP. Indeed, the AP is not necessarily entitled to the `first in line every time permanent press pool access it enjoyed under the (White House Correspondents Association). But it cannot be treated worse than its peer wire service either.' The judge said that his decision does not prohibit a government official from choosing which outlets to give interviews to, or choosing which journalists questions they choose to answer at a news conference. Trump briefly spoke about the ban shortly after, saying that the wire service was treating him poorly. 'They're doing us no favors and I guess I'm not doing them any favors - that's the way life works,' he quipped on Tuesday. During an executive order signing event at Mar-a-Lago, Trump was asked what it would take for him to reconsider the controversial ban. Trump complained to reporters that the AP 'refuses to go with what the law is and what is taking place.' 'It's called the Gulf of America now. It's not called the Gulf of Mexico any longer,' Trump said. 'I have the right to do it.' The president mentioned his effort to again name the Alaska peak Mount McKinley after it was changed to Denali - the name used by native Alaskans - during the Obama years. AP photographer Ben Curtis (center) stands on the tarmac after being told by a Trump staff person that he is not allowed to board Air Force One The AP has been blocked since Feb. 11 from being among the small group of journalists to cover Trump in the Oval Office or aboard Air Force One , with sporadic ability to cover him at events in East Room Trump pointed out that nobody was 'challenging' that name change. 'I just say that we're going to keep them out until such time that they agree that it's the Gulf of America,' he said of the AP ban. 'We're very proud of this country, we want it to be the Gulf of America,' the president added. While there was little dispute in a March 27 court hearing about why Trump struck back at the AP - the president said as much - the administration said it was up to its own discretion, and not White House correspondents or longstanding tradition, to determine who gets to question the president and when. Since the dispute with AP began, the White House has taken steps to control who gets to cover the president at smaller events and even where journalists sit during Leavitts briefings, saying both need to better reflect changes in how people get information. 'In short, new media has benefited at APs expense under the new management,' McFadden wrote in his decision. 'Little else has changed.' The APs decisions on what terminology to use are followed by journalists and other writers around the world through its influential stylebook. The outlet said it would continue to use Gulf of Mexico, as the body of water has been known for hundreds of years, while also noting Trumps decision to rename it the Gulf of America. Different outlets have used different approaches, some skirting it by calling it the 'Gulf.' As a service whose product is delivered to thousands of newspapers, websites and broadcasters across the nation and world, the AP has been part of small text and photo "pools" that have covered presidents of both parties for decades. The administration has sought to give more prominence to new - and in many cases, Trump-friendly - outlets. In its action filed on Feb. 21, the AP sued Leavitt, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich. Trump has moved aggressively against the media on several fronts since taking office again. The Federal Communications Commission has open lawsuits against ABC, CBS and NBC News. The administration has sought to cut off funding for government-run news services like Voice of America and is threatening public funding for public broadcasters PBS and NPR for allegedly being too liberal in news coverage. This is the shocking moment a defenceless woman carrying her shopping was targeted by a brazen phone thief in broad daylight. In a clip caught on CCTV the woman can be seen making her way home in Newham, London, with a man following close behind her. The thug, sporting a Nike backpack, black clothes and hat, then grabs the woman's phone and yanks it out of her hands as she tries to hold on. The woman falls to the floor as he pulls away violently, spilling her shopping on the pavement. Wasting no time, the yob runs away with the device in hand before the victim decides to try run after him. A man on a bicycle and a moped see the attack and zoom to the pavement but are not seen to offer assistance. The Metropolitan Police has been contacted for comment on the footage, said to have been recorded in February. The theft comes weeks after it was revealed more than 70,000 phones were snatched in the streets of London alone in 2024, out of an estimated 100,000 thefts across the UK. A Newham local was walking home when a man hounds her down on the residential road The thug then corners the woman carrying shopping against the wall and grabs her phone She tries to hold on but he yanks it out of her hands in a violent struggle Wasting no time, the yob runs away with the device as the woman lies crumpled on the floor among her shopping Some 70,137 devices were stolen amid a scourge of criminal gangs using e-bikes and scooters to tot up high numbers of phones to sell abroad for parts. Since October 2020, instances of the crime in the capital have been steadily increasing. Between October 2023 and September 2024, a shocking 66,528 phones were stolen in London, according to statistics produced by the Met Police. It is thought phone snatching could cost consumers up to 70million each year. The data, from an FOI request to the Met Police, is thought to be a significant underestimate of the true scale of the problem, as it only includes thefts reported to the force. Shockingly, some 40 percent of all London phone snatches take place in Westminster and the West End. Your browser does not support iframes. More than 70,000 phones were snatched in the streets of London alone in 2024, out of an estimated 100,000 thefts across the UK Thieves have been tracked racing across the capital, although 40 percent of thefts take place in just one borough Some 70,137 devices were stolen in London last year amid a scourge of criminal gangs using e-bikes and scooters to tot up high numbers of phones to sell abroad for parts E-bikes and mopeds are often snapped mounting the pavement before riders snatch phones out of pedestrians' hands And in February, more than 1,000 stolen phones were seized and 230 people arrested in a week-long blitz, with Scotland Yard using plain-clothed officers and phone-tracking data to gather intelligence and hunt down the smartphone snatchers plaguing the capital's streets. But in recent months, 'various operations' deployed by the police force involving monitoring CCTV footage, increasing officers' awareness and 'employing' traffic units and surge teams have brought about a decrease in phone theft. A 27 per cent drop was recorded in November 2024 while a 43 per cent decrease was achieved the following month. The force has been using plain-clothed officers and phone-tracking data to gather intelligence and hunt down the smartphone snatchers. The Met says previously said anyone who has lost or had a phone stolen should use the national mobile phone register so recovered handsets can be restored, via the Police National Mobile Property Register. A Texas mother accused of driving while drunk told the police that she was on the way to pick up her five-month-old baby, before they discovered the infant was already in her backseat. Ivana Dolores Salazar, 27, was arrested on Sunday at 1:28am after allegedly getting behind the wheel of her car while drunk with her infant in the backseat. Salazar was charged with driving while intoxicated with a passenger under 15 and one count of endangering a child, authorities said. After failing to indicate while changing lanes, Salazar was pulled over and claimed she was on the way from work to pick up her infant baby. Police conducting the traffic stop noticed a glass container of 'unknown red liquid' in her car and formed 'reasonable suspicion' that she was under the influence. Salazar told the cops that no one else was in the vehicle, but after she was placed in handcuffs, they discovered a five-month-old child in the backseat. According to the release, the infant was also improperly secured into a car seat. 'Salazar repeated that she had just left work was en route to pick up her baby,' El Paso County Sheriff Oscar Ugarte wrote. Ivana Dolores Salazar, 27, was arrested on Sunday at 1.28am after allegedly getting behind the wheel of her car while drunk with her infant in the backseat. Salazar claimed she had left work and was on the way to pick up her baby Police conducting the traffic stop noticed a glass container of 'unknown red liquid' in her car and formed 'reasonable suspicion' that she was under the influence 'Deputies escorted her back to the vehicle and showed her the child in the back seat. 'At that point, Salazar become uncooperative and claimed she did not know the baby was in the car.' The baby was taken to hospital for an assessment and its condition remains unclear. Child Protective Services were also notified, and the infant was released 'to a responsible party,' according to authorities. Salazar was booked into El Paso County Jail with a bond of $23,000. El Paso Times reported that she was then released on the same day on personal recognizance according to jail records. A mother paralysed by motor neurone disease has recorded a voice bank in anticipation of potentially losing the ability to speak. Among the sentences and phrases logged by Anna Barrow are copious swear words so she can continue to shout at her husband. The 40-year-old started making voice recordings some months after being diagnosed with MND in May, 2023. The married mother-of-three had to record herself saying 50 random sentences into a microphone connected to her computer running a voice synthesizing software. Mrs Barrow, of Greater Manchester, also recorded up to 300 personal phrases including her daughters' names and - 'most importantly' - swear words. She said she still does not know if she will fully lose her voice but knowing she can talk is 'comforting' to her. 'I can still talk to my family and friends, have an opinion, pretty much do all the things I used to do with my voice,' she said. 'I can also still shout and swear at my husband Martyn which is a bonus.' Knowing she will eventually lose the physically ability to speak, Anna Barrow has recorded herself saying a wide range of words and phrases Mrs Barrow pictured with her husband Martyn Barrow while on holiday abroad If Mrs Barrow loses her voice completely, she will be able to speak through the software using an eye-tracking system on her iPad which is connected to her wheelchair. 'I like to talk a lot. My voice is my last bit of independence, so it was really hard preparing in case I lose it,' she said. 'I can no longer use my legs or my arms so speaking is extremely important to me.' Mrs Barrow first noticed symptoms of MND in March, 2021, but doctors told her it could be nerve damage as a result of having received her Covid jab too high up her arm. A social worker at the time, Mrs Barrow was told to expect improvement over the following 18 months but her symptoms progressively worsened and the loss of sensation spread through her body. She was then urgently referred to a neurology department where she was added to the end of a 71-week waiting list. Still awaiting an appointment, Mrs Barrow was in a work meeting when she realised she was struggling to breathe and swallow, which prompted her to go to A&E. After a two-week hospital stay and numerous tests, she was diagnosed with MND. Mr and Mrs Barrow share three daughters. Pictured here (L to R) is Martyn, Tilly, Fallon, Anna and Eve The mother (pictured in her home in Greater Manchester) recorded herself saying 50 random sentences which were fed into a special voice synthesizing software 'It was really difficult. They had kept me in hospital and were doing loads of tests so we knew it was potentially not going to be good news,' Mrs Barrow said. 'During my job I had worked with a few people with MND. But if they're younger, they've all been male, and then there's been a few older people with it. 'I knew it was a possibility but with my age and being female, I just didn't think it would be that.' Mrs Barrow was given the option to start voice banking as soon as she was diagnosed but originally put it off after feeling 'overwhelmed' by the news. Two months later, she started the process of recording her voice with the help of Martyn Barrow, 41, her husband and full-time carer. 'Anna felt ready at the time but we didn't realise how emotionally difficult the process would be. On the tin it seems easy,' Mr Barrow said. 'Anna had to record herself saying random sentences through a system called Acapela. 'But the more she spoke, sometimes she got fatigued and started slurring her words or didn't sound right so we would have to stop. The process never got easier'. An eye-tracking system on Mrs Barrow's iPad is connected to her wheelchair, enabling her to speak without using her voice Pictured are Mr ands Mrs Barrow with their three daughters Fallon, Eve and Tilly Barrow Mrs Barrow was working with a speech therapist, but her voice began to change. Even before starting recording she would get 'upset'. Mr Barrow said: 'When this happened we would put it away for a couple of days and come back to it but that prolonged the process.' Mrs Barrow finished recording the voice bank, which included 100 of her own personal phrases, one year later in August, 2024. It was uploaded to her iPad the next day for her to use which Mr Barrow said was 'fantastic'. The personal words included nicknames and premade sentences like 'can I have a coffee' or 'can I go to the bathroom'. Mr Barrow said: 'All Anna has to do is just hover over the word she wants to say for 1.5 seconds and it replays. 'Anna much prefers to speak. She mainly uses the system if she is having a bad day or if she is tired.' It cost 250 for an annual subscription to the service but this was covered by the NHS Salford Care Organisation MND Association - the UK's largest charity for individuals living with MND. In 2024, they provided 84,000 in funding for individuals to bank their voices. Seven 30-year-old palm trees have been poisoned in the dead of night at a $25million oceanfront mansion in an elite Sydney suburb. Investigations are continuing to discover the culprit, and it is suspected the palms were poisoned to create an unimpeded view over Tamarama beach in the city's east. The vandal trespassed onto the grounds of the multi-million dollar home and drilled holes into the tree trunks into which a poisonous chemical was poured. NSW Police and lawyers for Waverley Council are gathering evidence to track down those responsible. Hours of CCTV footage is being analysed and local residents have been questioned by authorities. A large, council-approved banner has been hung on the poisoned palms that reads: 'Tree poisoning, no tree should have to die for a view'. The owner of the property, which is being redeveloped, suspects the criminal illegally gained access to their home around New Year's Eve. 'We're upset that someone trespassed onto our property and drilled holes into the trees and killed them,' they told the Daily Telegraph. A large banner condemning the poisoning has been erected outside the property (pictured) The trees were poisoned on the grounds of the $25million home in Tamarama (pictured) The owner claims vandals accessed their property on New Year's Eve and poisoned the trees 'Sydney is all about the view. Who has the right to destroy trees for an uninterrupted view? A view is more beautiful with trees in it. They bring birds. They break up the vista a bit.' The owner said it was their builders who first reported the tree poisoning to police. Vandals can be slapped with a $3,000 fine per poisoned tree, and the fine could skyrocket to $110,000 if they are taken to court. The Tamarama tree tampering comes after Lane Cove Council, on Sydney's lower north shore, erected a view-blocking sign after up to 290 native trees were illegally chopped own in Longueville last September. Waverley Mayor Cr Will Nemesh has condemned the poisoning and called on the state government to increase the penalties for the crime. 'Tree vandalism is inexcusable,' he told Daily Mail Australia in a statement. 'It is a serious criminal act, and it undermines our community's shared commitment to increasing tree canopy and protecting valuable green spaces - priorities that are vital to our environment and wellbeing. 'Current state government penalties do not go far enough to deter this kind of destructive behaviour. 'That's why Waverley Council will consider a motion at its next meeting to formally call on the state government to increase fines for illegal tree vandalism.' Disheartening footage has laid bare the reality of trying to rent in Australia, showing a huge queue of prospective tenants at an apartment inspection. The crowd was spotted gathering at the Qube unit block in Broadbeach, on the Gold Coast, on Tuesday. 'You're trying to get a place at the Gold Coast,' the caption read. Tongue-in-cheek audio was attached to the clip and poked fun at the dire state of the rental market. 'Keep putting in that work, keep putting in that work. You know why? You're almost there,' a man said. Social media users were dismayed at how difficult it had become to find a place to live in Australia due to soaring demand from immigration-fueled population growth and resultant high prices. 'And people are trying to say there isn't a rental crisis,' one person wrote. 'Went to one rental recently and there was at least 200 people there,' another said. A third added: 'Meanwhile it's a 2 bed 1 bath going for $850 a week and the second bedroom is a small study.' 'God, it feels good to be a landlord,' another wrote. Leading property market analyst Propertyology predicted in its 2025 outlook that prices would rise between 10 and 13 per cent on the Gold Coast, while the vacancy rate would be at a measly 1.1 per cent. The weekly rent on the Gold Coast increased by about $363 from June 2020 to June 2024, and Broadbeach has a tight two per cent rental vacancy rate. Maiy Azize represents Everybody's Home which is an advocacy group pushing for more social housing and support for renters. She told Daily Mail Australia that she was not surprised by the video. 'One of the things that we've found in the last couple of years is that the Gold Coast is the most expensive part of the country to rent,' Ms Azize said. 'Rents are very, very high and they also go up very quickly. Dozens line up to inspect a rental in the highly competitive Gold Coast market 'Whenever we do one of our year-to-year analysis, the Gold Coast always comes out of top for fastest increases. 'There's really steep competition and I'd imagine it's even steeper when it's an apartment or a house that's vaguely affordable because there's so little of that on offer.' Ms Azize said there were many factors that have led to the rental crisis on the Gold Coast in particular, including the money to be made from short-term leasing via AirBnB rather than long-term rentals. 'There are a lot of people with holiday homes who rent them out short term rather than long term and that's having an impact,' she said. 'The government also spends a lot of money lining the pockets of investors to go out there and compete with first home buyers and push up the cost of housing. 'That's particularly a big issue on the Gold Coast because it is such an attractive place to invest. 'There are so many people who have second homes on the Gold Coast.' Everybody's Home has repeatedly called for the provision of more social housing. 'The government has really stepped back from providing affordable housing,' Ms Azize said. 'When you look around the world at countries that have turned their housing crisis around, or have avoided it altogether, they are countries where the government isn't just leaving it to the private sector.' Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched a Senate campaign Tuesday night against fellow Republican Sen. John Cornyn. Paxton appeared on Fox News' The Ingraham Angle and said he would jump in the race. The Texas attorney general has been indicted several times, survived impeachment and was busted for carrying on an affair despite his wife being a fellow Republican politician. Still he pushed that he needed a promotion. 'I'm announcing that I'm running for U.S. Senate against John Cornyn who apparently is running again for his fifth term, which would put him there three decades,' he told host Laura Ingraham. 'It's definitely time for a change in Texas.' Paxton applauded the work in the Senate done by the other Texas Republican, Sen. Ted Cruz. 'We have another great U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, and it's time we have another great senator that will actually stand up and fight for Republican values, fight for the values of the people of Texas, and also support Trump - Donald Trump in the areas that he's focused on in - in a very significant way, and that's what I plan on doing,' Paxton continued. Paxton noted how Cornyn has 'had 24 years of this.' Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (right) announced that he would run for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn on Laura Ingraham's (left) Fox News show The Ingraham Angle Sen. John Cornyn has served in the U.S. Senate since 2002 and plans to run for reelection. His campaign sent out a statement calling Paxton a 'fraud' who uses 'fake Uber accounts to meet his girlfriend and deceive his family' Cornyn has been serving in the Senate since 2002. 'Which I think is plenty given his lack of production,' he continued. 'It's hard to think of the things that he's done good for Texas or for the country.' 'I can certainly point to many things like his gun restrictions, his lack of wanting to fund a border wall and disagreeing with President Trump on that, and even opposing President Trump's election in 2016 and the most recent election,' Paxton said. Cornyn was a lead Senate negotiator on the 2022 bipartisan gun bill, which was inspired after an elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. During the 2016 Republican primary, Cornyn stayed neutral in the presidential race even when it dwindled to just Trump, Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich. In 2024, Cornyn endorsed Trump after he beat former U.N. Amb. Nikki Haley in the New Hampshire primary. A campaign spokesperson for Cornyn blasted Paxton in a statement Tuesday night. The spokesperson pointed out that Cornyn voted with President Donald Trump more than 95 percent of the time during Trump's first term in office. 'Ken Paxton is a fraud,' the statement also said. 'Ken claims to be a man of faith but uses fake Uber accounts to meet his girlfriend and deceive his family,' it read. The Cornyn campaign pledged a 'spirited campaign' and that Texans would have a 'real choice when this race is over.' 'Our campaign only responds to serious candidates who aren't 25 points down in the polls,' Paxton's campaign responded. Because Texas is such a deep red state, the Republican who wins the primary ends up winning the Senate seat. The closest race in recent years came in 2018, when former Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke came within three points of taking out Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. This November, however, Cruz beat Democratic challenger Rep. Colin Allred by nearly nine points. Donald Trump teased even more tariffs just hours before his 'Liberation Day' agenda is set to go into effect roiling global markets. Trump headlined the National Republican Congressional Committee's President's Dinner at the National Building Museum in Washington. After reiterating that he would be putting a 104 percent retaliatory tariff on China at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Trump said his administration would soon be tariffing pharmaceuticals too. 'We're going to tariff our pharmaceuticals and once we do that they're going to come rushing back into our country because we're the big market,' Trump said. 'So we're going to be announcing very shortly a major tariff on pharmaceuticals and when they hear that, they will leave China, they will leave other places because they have to - most of their product is sold here and they're going to be opening up their plants all over our country,' he added. Trump's reaffirmed commitment to tariffs comes after the Dow ended more than 300 points down. The president admitted Tuesday that the stock market dropping is not ideal but sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something,' CNBC reported. Overall the tariff-related market drop amounted to more than 4,500 points. President Donald Trump teased even more tariffs just hours before his 'Liberation Day' tariffs were set to go into effect roiling global markets The pharma tariff threat comes just hours before all of President Donald Trump's 'Liberation Day' reciprocal tariffs will go into effect The stock market briefly rallied Tuesday when it appeared Trump could put a pause on his tariffs going into effect. The White House has since indicated that's not going to happen. Ahead of the midnight deadline, American stock futures and Asian equity both dropped, according to the Wall Street Journal. Japan's Nikkei Stock Average dropped over three percent, while contracts connected to the S&P500 and Dow dropped between 1.3 and two percent. Trump vowed to bring pharmaceutical production back to the United States. Many generic drugs sold in the U.S. are made in China - and also India, which will be hit with a 26 percent reciprocal tariff starting Wednesday. A lot of brand-name drug manufacturing is done in Europe. Pharmaceuticals were one of the carve-outs excluded from the 'Liberation Day' tariffs, as well as rare earth minerals, gold and semiconductors. Tariffs on Chinese pharmaceuticals were to remain at 20 percent. Trump (pictured right) headlined the National Republican Congressional Committee's President's Dinner at the National Building Museum in Washington Trump's reaffirmed commitment to tariffs comes after the Dow ended more than 300 points down Last Wednesday Trump announced that every country - even uninhabited islands - would be hit with a 10 percent tariff on imports, with 'reciprocal' tariffs doled out to countries the White House considered to be the worst offenders. Since then markets have cratered. On Tuesday, after a brief rally attributed to a tariff pause possibly being on the table, the Dow ended more than 300 points down. Overall the tariff-related market drop amounted to more than 4,500 points. And the president escalated his trade war with China - with a 104 percent tariff going into effect on Beijing at 12:01 a.m., after China refused to lift its retaliatory tariffs by Trump's deadine of noon on Tuesday. Trump had initially pitched a 34 percent increase on China when he announced the new tariffs during last Wednesday's Rose Garden 'Liberation Day' event, on top of the 20 percent tariffs on China he had rolled out earlier this year. He then stuck Beijing with another 50 percent increase. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that 'it was a mistake for China to retaliate.' 'The president, when America is punched, he punches back harder,' she said, but added that 'if China reaches out to make a deal, he'll be incredibly gracious, but he's going to do what's best for the American people.' She answered that it would be 'imprudent' of her to share what conditions it would take for Trump to lower the 104 percent tariff. The president admitted Tuesday that the stock market dropping is not ideal but sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something' The full extent of the tariffs that will be levied at nations across the globe starting at midnight Leavitt confirmed, however, that the president was open to making deals after the tariffs go into effect. 'Moving forward the president will talk to any country that picks up the phone to call and I can tell you the phones have been ringing off the hook wanting to talk to this administration, this president and his trade team to try and strike a deal,' Leavitt said. 'And it's because the world knows that they need the United States of America, they need our markets, they need our consumer, the president has a lot of leverage on his side because he has the best economy and the best country in the world that he leads,' she continued. 'And he knows that.' 'And it's about dang time we have a president who uses that economic leverage to benefit American workers and that is what the president is trying to do,' the press secretary added. Trump delivered his remarks Tuesday to the group that assists Republicans in winning seats in the House of Representatives. He want the GOP-controlled Congress to pass a bill that includes major tax cuts - as Trump's 2017 tax cuts are expiring. 'We are one big, beautiful bill signing away from the greatest economy in the history of the world,' Trump said. 'If we don't do it it's going to be a disaster.' 'And you just better hope that people believe that it was the Democrats' fault, because you know, they're very good at saying it was our fault,' he continued. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that President Donald Trump was ready to make deals - but they would come after the worldwife tariffs go into effect 'It'll be the biggest tax increase in history,' Trump said. He also spent portions of the speech beating up on Democrats - including former President Joe Biden, again mocking him for falling asleep on the beach. Trump mocked, at length, the neck-size of Democratic California Sen. Adam Schiff. 'He's got the smallest neck I've ever seen,' Trump remarked, asking how it holds up Schiff's head. 'It's a mystery.' The president also marveled at Democrats using Rep. Jasmine Crockett as a potent surrogate. 'Crockett's gonna bring them back?' Trump mused. 'They are in serious trouble.' A goat has been snapped hilariously defying gravity to get a snack - while balancing on top of powerlines. The animal was spotted by a passerby who couldn't believe their eyes when they saw it reaching for shrubbery while feet in the air. The video was filmed by an onlooker in Ceara, Brazil, on Sunday after they noticed the goat had climbed a nearby tower to get to the electric wires where a bunch of greens had got caught. In the clip the animal looks up every few seconds to check out his surroundings before digging back into his meal. This is not the first time a goat has ended up in a surprising place. Emergency services were rushed to save a brown goat roughly 50ft above the ground in a street named Calle Potes, just seven miles south from the centre of Madrid. Soon after arriving, the fire brigade became the centre of Spanish media attention, with many wondering how they would attempt to save the goat, who had perched itself in the most awkward of places. In the clip, firefighters can be seen carefully clearing a path on the balcony across from where the animal had gotten itself comfy and lay down on the ledge. Hilarious footage shows a goat balancing on power cables in Brazil to get a snack The animal showed off its balancing skills on April 6 Ceara locals watched on in amazement as the animal snacked on some shrubbery Outstretched over the adjoining vent and approaching the goat with a tub of water, the animal seemed initially confused by the workers' attempts to bring it to safety. But after the ingenious idea of using carrots as bait, the goat suddenly became interested and the firefighter holding the camera can be heard saying 'we got her' as the goat began to walk towards them. However, the initial cheers from the crowd below soon stopped and the goat instead had them holding their breath once more, after it decided to take the risky route of walking over the balcony's ledge. Scared to startle it, the firefighters are heard urging each other not to make any sudden movements. 'Leave her, leave her!,' one can be heard saying. 'She'll come on her own.' Authorities remain unsure how it got there in the first place, with particular confusion being raised due to the flat where the goat had gotten itself stuck being uninhabited. The animal, which has since been identified as a 'male dwarf goat' remains in supervision at the protection centre of Madrid Salud and is said to be in 'good health' according to Municipal sources. Shocked locals noticed the animal standing on the ledge of the fifth-floor flat in the south of Madrid In the incredible footage, firefighters can be seen making multiple attempts to lure the goat to safety before it finally came back The animal was roughly 50ft above the ground in a street named Calle Potes, seven miles from the centre of the Spanish capital The 'dwarf goats', also known as pygmy goats, are said to be good pets known for their playful nature. They are also said to be friendly with children, with their small stature allowing for them to be petted and handled. It is unclear whether the goat has an owner. Relief is eventually struck when the goat is seen entering the living room of the flat, with the animal finally safe following the stressful ordeal. Once its safety was secured, the animal was passed to the city's emergency vetinary service, Sevemur, who take care of sick and injured animals found in Madrid. In a conversation with Telemadrid, one local Calle Potes resident said the animal 'must have come down from the sky'. The acting boss of the Internal Revenue Service is expected to resign after the Trump administration ordered the department hand over the tax data of undocumented migrants. Department of Homeland Security officials requested the tax agency hand over the names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of up to seven million people it claims are in the US illegally, so it can find and deport them. The IRS has for decades assured undocumented migrants, who contribute tens of billions of dollars in tax revenue every year, that they are safe to file their tax returns without fear of being deported. But now acting IRS commissioner, Melanie Krause, has indicated she will participate in the Trump administration's deferred resignation program in order to step down from her post, The Washington Post reports. She is the third leader of the agency since Trump's inauguration, and will reportedly leave her role on April 28, the Wall Street Journal reported. Two sources told the publication that Krause was furious about being bypassed over the agreement, and simultaneously disagrees with the direction the administration is trying to steer the agency in. 'She no longer feels like she's in a position where she can impact the decision-making that's happening,' the source said. 'And [she believes] that some of the decisions that are being made now are things the IRS can never recover from.' Acting IRS commissioner, Melanie Krause, has indicated she will participate in the Trump administration's deferred resignation program in order to step down from her post She is the third leader of the agency since Trump's inauguration, and will reportedly leave her role on April 28 Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem allegedly went over the top of Krause to sign a deal which would allow immigration authorities the access they sought. Krause was reportedly not involved in any such discussions, and learned of the deal through the press. Internal IRS lawyers allegedly warned that the deal would likely breach privacy laws. Handing over such data would be a dramatic escalation in Trump's attempts to use the IRS to aid in deporting millions of migrants he maintains are in the country illegally. DHS originally asked for the personal details of 700,000 people in February, but was shot down by acting commissioner Doug O'Donnell, who insisted it would be illegal to grant the request. However, O'Donnell retired the next day and his acting replacement Krause appeared more amenable to working with DHS. O'Donnell's departure came just a month after Danny Werfel, who had led the department after being nominated and confirmed by then-President Joe Biden. He quit on Inauguration Day. Chief Financial Officer Teresa Hunter, Chief Privacy Officer Kathleen Walters and Chief Risk Officer Mike Wetklow are also all reportedly intending to leave the government. Handing over such data would be a dramatic escalation in Trump's attempts to use the IRS to aid in deporting millions of migrants he claims are in the country illegally The administration claims there are 11 million illegal immigrants in the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detain a man after conducting a raid at the Cedar Run apartment complex in Denver Personal tax information, even names and addresses, is closely guarded by the IRS and only disclosed in very strict circumstances. Handing it over for the purpose of facilitating immigration enforcement would be a major departure from established IRS procedure. Undocumented immigrants are 'subject to US taxes in spite of their illegal status' the IRS website read. The insider said that losing three agency leaders in just three months is 'unprecedented', noting: 'I don't think we've seen anything like this at IRS.' The administration claims there are 11 million illegal immigrants in the US. A young mother says she has trouble leaving her children in the care of other people after claiming a daycare worker took her daughter home without permission. Chels detailed how the worker at a childcare centre in southeast Queensland five years ago slowly worked to build a 'special' relationship with her and her six-month-old daughter. 'I literally turned up to the daycare and my child was not there. They had let a worker take my child home,' she recalled in a series of videos, shared earlier this year. Although the situation unfolded several years ago, Chels claimed she still suffers anxiety from the incident and subsequent police investigation. Chels has two children - a baby girl and older daughter, who was 18-months-old at the time. 'I enrolled them in a centre just around the corner from where I was working and I was working like 40 to 45 minutes from home,' she said. 'I worked in the gym at this point. I would drop my kids off at about 6.30am and then pick them up at like 5.30pm. It was a big day, but I was working 9 to 5. 'They had a nice like indoor area, outdoor area, the staff seem fine.' However, things started to take a weird turn when one worker would start texting Chels. 'I get a text from the educator, I think she was asking me about a gym membership,' Chels said. 'It was fine but at the same time I was like, "How does she have my number?" 'But I was younger and I didn't really know like what was normal and not normal at a childcare center.' The mother doubted her instincts due to the worker's seemingly kind nature and impressive background. 'She would just sporadically message me random stuff. Nothing worthwhile to note, but the frequency got more and more intense as time went on, and I would see her at daycare every day,' Chels said. 'She was probably in her late 30s. No kids - that I knew of, lived alone, maybe with her brother, and I knew she had been a nanny in London and then come back.' Things continued to escalate with the worker. She'd ask to join Chels on walks, offer to babysit her daughters and discuss being 'asexual'. Young Queensland mum Chels (pictured) recalled how she and her daughter were manipulated by a childcare worker While Chels was growing increasingly uncomfortable with the situation, she didn't want to confront the worker directly so lodged reports about her concerns with the childcare centre. 'Things just got out of hand because she really liked my baby, loved my baby, and didn't like my older daughter,' Chels said. 'It was really obvious and clear, and she was doing things like bathing my baby at daycare, even though I would bath her, she would like go out of her way to buy her things, almost like grooming. 'But it was played off in a way where it was not weird, like she was just being nice, but then totally neglected my toddler.' The situation took a darker turn when Chels fell pregnant with her third child and the worker became upset. 'I had said to the people at the daycare I had fallen pregnant and she sent me a string of messages like, "I'm really angry, like I really want a baby, I hope something bad happens to it",' Chels said. 'She was saying all this stuff and saying she was really jealous, it was really weird. 'You can think these things, and I know people do think things like this - especially if they're really longing for a baby, but to actually say it to someone is not a good way to control the way that you're feeling. Chels claimed the worker would give her baby daughter 'special' attention at daycare (stock image) 'That freaked me out a lot and so I just stopped responding to her and made sure that the directors knew at the center.' Tragically, Chels suffered a late miscarriage and lost her third child. 'I was obviously devastated. She was overwhelmed, like overly happy about it. She was actually really happy,' she said. 'I didn't look at it for what it was back then, I was just caught up in a bubble.' As part of her recovery, Chels had to undergo a dilation and curettage surgery to remove leftover tissue from her uterus. Shockingly, the childcare worker followed her to her consultation appointment. 'I said to her, and I'm not very direct, "I do not want you to come",' Chels said. 'It's too much, it's weird. We're not like that good of friends or anything like that, I do not want you to come. @ckatexxxx The follow up you were asking for, and yes she was ok - we also had her checked at a hospital her plans if I didnt show up are unknown to me #part3 original sound - CHELS 'She literally followed me in her car. Then I'm sitting there, she's sitting next to me and we're not talking.' The very next day when Chels went to pick up her children, her six-month-old daughter and the worker were missing from the daycare. She immediately began questioning the remaining staff as to where her child was. 'I was like, "Where the hell is my baby?" and they're like, "Oh we just let old love take her home",' Chels said. 'I don't know where she lives, I don't know what environment she's going to, I don't know nothing and they were just like, "We thought you'd be okay with it because sometimes you've gone for a walk together". 'I don't know her and it's important to note as well, she had said to me she had been in a low mental place to the point where work forced into doing psychology. 'Also, she said there was a point in London when she was nanny where she just wished the kids had been run over.' Chels quickly phoned police and staff at the daycare centre shared the worker's address, which they had on file. The worker was reported to police after taking Chels' baby to her home, without the mother's permission (stock image) It took roughly half and hour for the mother to get there but she was relieved to find her baby safe and well. After chewing out the worker, Chels left her with police and took her daughters home. In later videos, she explained the daycare has since shutdown and the worker was banned from working with children. While the situation was resolved, Chels still struggles to leave her children in other people's care. 'I've got my son in daycare now and anytime I get a text message from someone at the center, I feel really not okay,' she said. 'I feel a lot of guilt around all of that as well but (my daughter's) been happy and healthy at the since then.' Queenslanders concerned about their child's daycare centre can contact the Queensland Early Childhood Education and Care, or call 13 QGOV (13 7468) for information on early childhood care. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Chels for further comment. A prominent pro-Palestinian campaigner and Sydney academic has defended his actions after he was filmed telling a Jewish student that he 'should feel uncomfortable' during a pro-Palestine rally at a Sydney university. Dozens of protesters attended the rally at the University of Technology (UTS) campus in Ultimo on March 26 where UNSW honorary associate professor Peter Slezak told the crowd that 'we have a duty to make Jews uncomfortable'. 'And that includes that fellow over there,' Dr Slezak said, pointing to a Jewish student who had wrapped himself in an Israeli flag for the demonstration. The clip quickly went viral on social media, prompting UTS vice chancellor Andrew Parfitt to announce an investigation into the 'divisive rhetoric' on university grounds. In an interview with Daily Mail Australia, Dr Slezak attempted to clarify his comments. 'What I mean is that Jews are... placed in an invidious position: Israel is claiming to speak on behalf of all Jews,' he explained. He said it was 'appropriate' for Jewish people to feel uncomfortable given 'claims are being made on their behalf, and we're talking now about a genocide'. 'And you know the slogans that we all use? There's two slogans. We say: "Not in our name" and we say: "silence is complicity",' he said. UNSW associate professor Peter Slezak presented to a pro-Palestinian rally at the University of Technology Sydney on Wednesday, March 26 where he said: 'Jews should feel uncomfortable' Jewish student Daniel Melamet stood at the far end of the lawn holding an Israeli flag during the rally whom Dr Slezak referred to as 'that fellow over there' Dr Slezak, who himself is Jewish, began his speech at the rally by stating his mother and grandmother survived the Nazi extermination camp Auschwitz. 'I grew up hearing their stories. So, I think I know antisemitism when I see it,' he said. He quoted anti-Israeli Macquarie University academic Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah who, in an interview with Mondoweiss last year said: 'I believe in fact that it is my duty to make them [Zionists] uncomfortable.' She continued: 'I am quite happy for them to feel, you know, that they are not in a space where they can safely articulate that they believe that my people should be under a genocide.' Dr Slezak said he had 'misquoted' Dr Abdel-Fattah in applying her quote to all Jewish people, as opposed to Zionists - people who support an independent Jewish state. 'I really was speaking on my behalf... I slipped by attributing to her.' 'I should have been more careful,' he said. UTS president of the Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) Moshe Kadoury told Daily Mail Australia Mr Slezak's comments had been 'distressing'. Dr Slezak misquoted Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah who, in an interview last year, said: 'I believe in fact that it is my duty to make them [Zionists] uncomfortable' 'Saying its your "duty to make Jews uncomfortable" isnt activism - its racism. 'There is no justification for targeting people based on their race or religion. Were students, not political targets. 'We just want to feel safe walking to class like everyone else. Targeting Jewish students doesnt create dialogue - it creates fear and that has no place on any campus.' Mr Kadoury said the student union will 'continue to advocate for Jewish students and remind them that they are welcome on campus and should never be made to feel uncomfortable.' Dr Slezak said he had not been contacted by the university in relation to the investigation. A UTS spokesperson said: 'We are unable to comment about the specifics of the investigation into concerns raised regarding the protest on campus on 26 March 2025 while the review is underway.' After viewing receiving footage of Dr Slezak's presentation, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry's head of legal Simone Abel submitted a letter of complaint to UTS. The letter, seen by Daily Mail Australia, described Dr Slezak's conduct as 'vilifying'. Dr Slezak (pictured), who is himself the son of a Holocaust survivor, clarified he meant Jewish people should feel 'uncomfortable' about the position Israel had put them in Ms Abel identified the student holding the Israeli flag as Jewish student Daniel Melamet. '[Melamet] had the traumatic experience of being jeered at last year at the rally at UNSW, where the crowd shouted go back to Europe, only to have recently transferred his studies to UTS, where he has again been singled out in public this way,' wrote Ms Abel. Dr Slezak confirmed he was not aware of who Mr Melamet was when he pointed him out during his presentation. He told the assembled protestors at UTS that focusing on antisemitism amidst the ongoing Gaza conflict was 'obscene'. 'We are distracted from the horror by panic about an alleged explosion of antisemitism and concerns about Jewish safety even though its been exposed as mostly bulls***.' He added: 'There has never been any antisemitism at our rallies, at universities or anywhere in Australia in my lifetime.' In February, the Associated Press reported there had been a dozen arrests for 'vandalizing or setting homes, schools, and synagogues on fire since October'. Asked what he made of the reports, Dr Slezak said it was his understanding the Australian Federal Police (AFP) had since determined the incidents had not been motivated 'against Jews for being Jews'. UTS vice chancellor Andrew Parfitt said the university had initiated an investigation into 'divisive rhetoric' relating to the 'conflict in Gaza' 'I should have said that there's negligible or hardly any, or little known cases, certainty the recent outburst of fake cases is not a basis for Jews to feel unsafe'. Dr Slezak said: 'Given my background, I care about antisemitism. It's not like I'm trying to dismiss real cases. I'm trying to put it into context, into balance, where it's used as a weapon to silence criticism of Israel. 'I'm not interested in denying whatever the facts are. If there's some cases of antisemitism, as I said in my speech, I'll be the first on on the front lines combating it. A spokesperson from the AFP rejected the claim it had categorised recent antisemitic incidents as fake. 'Special Operation Avalite, which was established to investigate threats, violence and hatred towards the Australian Jewish community and parliamentarians, has seen numerous charges laid in relation to alleged incidents motivated by antisemitism,' they said. Chief executive of the Australian Jewish Association Robert Gregory told Daily Mail Australia: 'There has been a surge of antisemitism across Australia since the October 7 attacks'. 'Universities have been among the worst places for antisemitism. Many Jewish students have been targeted and feel isolated. 'To see an academic join in making Jewish students uncomfortable is appalling'. Pictured is a pro-Palestine student protest at the University of Melbourne in May 2024 Mr Gregory, who is a high-profile voice on Jewish affairs, said the Australian Jewish community 'overwhelmingly finds the words of Dr Slezak repugnant'. Asked to clarify his position, Dr Slezak acknowledged he 'ought to have been a bit more careful'. 'I accept that I should have been, again, more nuanced. I should have said there's negligible or hardly any or little known cases, certainly the recent outburst of fake cases is not a basis for Jews to feel unsafe.' Mr Gregory said a number of alleged incidents of antisemitism across Australia remain before the courts. 'There have been numerous individuals arrested for vandalising or setting homes, schools and synagogues on fire. 'While some of the perpetrators appear to have had motivations other than antisemitism, the alleged mastermind has a long history of extreme antisemitism. 'Since the October 7 attacks, there have also been arrests where the motivation was clearly antisemitism motivated by anti-Israel extremism. 'In addition, many antisemitic attacks, including the firebombing of the Addas Israel Synagogue remain unsolved. 'Other antisemitic incidents such as at Bankstown Hospital are before the courts. He added that one defendant remains before the courts charged with making antisemitic threats against his own Australian Jewish Association. Migrants who were temporarily allowed to live in the United States by using a Biden-era online appointment app have been told to leave the country 'immediately.' More than 900,000 people were allowed in the country using the CBP One app since January 2023. They were generally allowed to remain in the United States for two years with authorization to work under a presidential authority called parole. Kristi Noem's Department of Homeland Security said: 'Canceling these paroles is a promise kept to the American people to secure our borders and protect national security.' Authorities confirmed termination notices were sent to CBP One beneficiaries but did not say how many. They were urged to voluntary self-deport using the same app they entered on, which has been renamed CBP Home. It came down with an announcement that those who are in the U.S. illegally and refuse to leave will be charged $998 per day until they go, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced. 'If they don't [leave], they will face the consequences,' a DHS spokesperson said. Migrants who were temporarily allowed to live in the United States by using a Biden-era online appointment app have been told to leave the country 'immediately,' Kristi Noem's (pictured center) Department of Homeland Security said Monday More than 900,000 people were allowed in the country using the CBP One app since January 2023 'This includes a fine of $998 per day for every day that the illegal alien overstayed their final deportation order.' Officials are planning to roll out the fines under a rarely used 1996 law that allows fines to be imposed on those avoiding removal orders. The law was first enforced in 2018 under the Republican's first term. However, Joe Biden's administration suspended the rule in 2021, saying the penalties were 'ineffective and unnecessary punitive measures.' One senior Trump administration official said the fines will be retroactive up to five years, dating back to 2019, which could result in penalties totaling over $1 million in some circumstances. It was unclear how many beneficiaries would be affected. 'It's time for you to abandon the United States,' the Department of Homeland Security wrote to a Honduran family that entered the U.S. at the end of last year. Others shared the same email on social media platforms. Authorities confirmed termination notices were sent to CBP One beneficiaries but did not say how many They were urged to voluntary self-deport using the same app they entered on, which has been renamed CBP Home Al Otro Lado, a nonprofit organization that provides legal aid to migrants, said some who received the revocation letters are from Honduras, El Salvador and Mexico. CBP One was a cornerstone of the Biden administration's strategy to create and expand legal pathways to enter the United States in an attempt to discourage illegal border crossings. By the end of December, 936,500 people had been allowed to enter with CBP One appointments at border crossings with Mexico. President Donald Trump ended CBP One for new entrants on his first day in office, stranding thousands in Mexico who had appointments into early February. Trump has ended and revoked temporary status for many who benefited under Biden's policies. Homeland Security said Monday that Biden's use of parole authority more than any president since it was created in 1952 'further fueled the worst border crisis in U.S. history.' The fines reportedly would only apply to the 1.6 million migrants in the U.S. facing deportation orders. The administration also has plans to seize the property of those who refuse to cough up the cash for the fines, according to White House emails reviewed by Reuters. U.S. officials on those emails discussed how the Department of Justices civil asset forfeiture division could be used to help with seizing the migrant's assets. DHS previously warned in a social media post on March 31 that fines were being considered for migrants found not in compliance with their deportation orders. During Trump's first administration Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued fines ranging from $300,000 to $500,000 to migrants who refused to depart the U.S. by taking refuge in churches. In 2019, Edith Espinal Moreno, a migrant from Mexico, was ordered to pay $497,000 for 'failing to depart the U.S. as previously agreed.' Moreno had overstayed her deportation order by two years and took refuge at an Ohio church during that time. Eventually, ICE dismissed the fine. Buyer's remorse at Sky Apparently the powers that be at Sky News weren't exactly thrilled with the 'stacked' audience of supposedly independent swinging voters at its first leaders debate. Question after question sounded like what you might expect to hear asked at an ABC dinner party rather than on Sky News after dark. Here at Inside Mail we thought we'd cracked the case when we were told that 'Q&A' selected the audience members ...after all, the ABC's Q&A program on Monday nights is well-known for its biased audience and questions. But it turns out the Q&A that selected Skys debate audience isnt the ABC TV show, rather it's a market research company the broadcaster tasked with the job. Three years is a long time between drinks, but were confidently predicting Sky will go elsewhere next time it hosts a leaders debate on the campaign trail. The powers-that-be at Sky News weren't exactly thrilled with the left-leaning audience at the leaders debate. One woman (left) asked Peter Dutton (right) and Anthony Albanese a pointed question about the Israel-Gaza war Liberals' lesson in stupidity Victoria likes to think of itself as the education state - that's literally the line used on its number plates. Which is why it was so odd that the Coalition decided to pick a fight with the state's universities by coming up with a new higher education policy that takes an axe to international student numbers. Higher education is Australia's second largest export industry after mining, and Victoria leads the way. Who came up with this vote-losing policy? Presumably the shadow education minister Sarah Henderson, who is meant to be a Victorian. It's the equivalent of a WA Liberal suggesting a mining tax. Shadow education minister Sarah Henderson (pictured), who is meant to be a Victorian, presumably signed off on the Coalition's new higher education policy that takes an axe to international student numbers. Good luck winning those marginal seats in Melbourne Peter Dutton had been tracking rather well in Melbourne marginal seats, capitalising on the unpopularity of the long-in-the-tooth state Labor government. Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory is a certainly skill - it's just not one that's especially becoming in a shadow minister. Independents... united? If being an independent MP is your thing, surely paying for a joint billboard with another 'independent' isn't playing into that narrative? Yet that is exactly what teal 'independents' Sophie Scamps and Zali Steggall have done, as you can see. The teals froth at the mouth at the suggestion they are a de facto political party, yet all evidence points in exactly that direction. Even if they have found a way around having to identity as a political party, as these billboards clearly demonstrate, they certainly aren't the 'independents' they sanctimoniously claim to be. The teals lose their minds when you dare to suggest they are a political party. But how do these two 'independent' candidates explain this billboard? Remember me? No? The better Albo does on the campaign trail the more his Treasurer Jim Chalmers appears to be struggling with relevance deprivation syndrome. So much so that he recently called a media conference just to tell the RBA that Trump's tariffs mean it should cut rates next month. The better Albo does on the campaign trail the more his Treasurer Jim Chalmers appears to be struggling with relevance deprivation syndrome Channeling former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate John McCain, Jim then suspended his campaign to meet with bank CEOs for a chinwag about the economic turmoil ahead. McCain had, of course, famously suspended his 2008 presidential campaign briefly to attend to the Wall Street meltdown. No one within the Labor Party had the heart to tell our Treasurer that suspending his campaign went largely unnoticed, other than the strategically leaked news item that appeared on, you guessed it, the ABC. He's been as much of a non-entity in this election campaign as the shadow treasurer Angus Taylor, and that's saying something! Jim had hoped that he'd get all the credit for an election win coming off the back of his Budget, but it seems more likely that voters casting their ballots for Labor might struggle to even name who the Treasurer is. Team Albo is laughing its way to victory already assuming the PM doesn't find a way to derail between now and May 3. Enemies become friends on the campaign trail There is no denying that Anthony Albanese had a much better first week in this year's election campaign than he did back in 2022. On that occasion, day one was dominated by him not knowing the cash rate. The question was asked by Stela Todorovic, then a journo, now a press secretary for none other than Mr Albanese. Stela Todorovic, the journo who stumped Albo on the cash rate during the 2022 campaign trail, is now his press secretary as he sets his sights on a second term. Smart move It was clever thinking by the PM once in office to hire the same reporter who made his life difficult on the last campaign so she couldn't do it again. That doesn't explain him also appointing former Guardian political editor Katherine Murphy to his comms unit, of course, but we assume he knew the left-wing news site wouldn't exactly lurch to the right without her. This is a teaser for tomorrow's edition of Inside Mail, the weekly media and politics column exclusively for Mail+ subscribers A 380lb killer has been executed after his lawyers claimed he was too overweight for lethal injection. Michael Tanzi, branded a 'fledgling serial killer,' was put to death just after 6pm on Tuesday evening at Florida State Prison in Raiford after his lawyers tried to stave off his morbid end. Tanzi, who brutally kidnapped and murdered Janet Acosta, a Miami Herald employee, 24 years ago, indulged in his final meal request of pork chops, bacon, ice cream and a candy bar. In his final statement, Tanzi said, 'I want to apologize to the family,' before reciting a Bible verse. The lethal injection was administered to Tanzi, before he heaved for three minutes and then stopped. He was pronounced dead at 6.12pm. The victim's sister, Julie Andrew, said upon witnessing Tanzi's execution: 'It's done. Basically, justice for Janet happened. My heart felt lighter, and I can breathe again.' Only last week did Tanzi's lawyers ask the US Supreme Court to spare him from lethal injection and argued that the method would be incredibly painful for him due to his weight. They filed a brief on March 24 stating that he was 'morbidly obese' and suffers from a nerve condition called sciatica. Michael Tanzi, branded a 'fledgling serial killer,' was executed just after 6pm on Tuesday evening at Florida State Prison in Raiford. He was pronounced dead at 6.12pm Tanzi's lawyers argued that due to his obesity, the state's three-drug lethal injection could potentially cause the inmate 'serious illness and needless suffering.' The request was denied hours before his execution Tanzi, who brutally kidnapped and murdered Janet Acosta a Miami Herald employee 24 years ago, indulged in his final meal request of pork chops, bacon, ice cream and a candy bar His lawyers argued that due to his obesity, the state's three-drug lethal injection could potentially cause Tanzi 'serious illness and needless suffering'. The brief detailed that the drugs may not be able to fully sedate Tanzi and he would be left 'paralyzed but aware' with a 'sensation of being burned from the inside'. However, the request was denied just hours before his execution. Acosta, 49, was on her lunch break in her car on April 25, 2000, when Tanzi approached her and asked for a cigarette before punching her repeatedly until he was able to take control of the car. Tanzi threatened her with a razorblade, saying he would 'cut her from ear to ear' if she made any noise, and drove her car for around am hour from Miami to Homestead. He sexually assaulted her, stole her money and credit cards, and then drove to an isolated area to kill her. 'He also knew he would get caught quickly if he released her alive,' court records said. The Miami Herald reported that Tanzi claimed he 'didn't want to get caught' because he 'was having too much fun'. Janet Acosta (pictured)'s sister, Julie Andrew, said upon witnessing Tanzi's execution: 'It's done. Basically, justice for Janet happened. My heart felt lighter, and I can breathe again' At the time of Tanzi's sentencing, Acosta's sister told the Herald that her family weren't 'here for revenge' but 'wanted to see justice done for my sister. And we wanted to make sure no one else had to go through what we went through' Tanzi put duct tape on her mouth, strangled her, and left her body in a wooded area. He then drove to Key West and Acosta's friends eventually reported her missing. Police located him when they discovered he was driving Acosta's car. When they approached him as he returned to the car, he said that he 'knew what this was about' and wanted to talk about 'some bad thing he had done', The Independent reported. He was indicted for first-degree murder and charged with carjacking with a weapon, kidnapping to facilitate a felony with a weapon, armed robbery with a deadly weapon and two counts of sexual battery with a deadly weapon. Miami police detective Frank Casanovas told the Herald in 2003: 'What we have here is a fledgling serial killer.' Tanzi was sentenced to death three years later. He filed an appeal in 2005, but his death sentence was affirmed in 2007. He still filed a motion for a rehearing which was denied. Despite multiple motions since, his death sentence has remained. Tanzi also admitted to the killing of another woman, Caroline Holder, in Brockton, Massachusetts, a few months before he killed Acosta. At the time of Tanzi's sentencing, Acosta's sister told the Herald that her family weren't 'here for revenge' but 'wanted to see justice done for my sister. And we wanted to make sure no one else had to go through what we went through.' A Colorado jury on Tuesday watched as Daniel Krug rolled his eyes, threw his head back and stared at the ceiling as detectives told him for the first time that he was his wife's killer, not the 'ex-boyfriend stalker' who had been accused of the crime. Krug is seen sighing and saying dejectedly 'it has to be the husband' in video of his police interview on December 14, 2023, the day his wife Kristil's body was found in the garage of their suburban Denver home. The footage, where he learns for the first time he is a suspect in her gruesome slaying, was shown to his murder trial at the Broomfield County courtroom on Tuesday. The 44-year-old is facing first-degree murder charges for allegedly posing as his wife Kristil's ex-boyfriend, stalking her for months and then bludgeoning her to death. He has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors say Krug sent Kristil threatening messages and emails and even placed an advertisement for her on a hook-up website before murdering her as they were on the brink of divorce. The defense argues that police conducted a shoddy investigation, pointing out that Krug's clothes had no traces of DNA or other physical evidence after the murder. Defense attorney Joe Morales told the court during opening arguments that the couple's daughter confirmed he'd been wearing the same clothes before and after Kristil's death. The jury was shown video evidence on Tuesday of Krug speaking to detectives at the Broomfield Police Department on the day his wife was found killed. He initially seemed emotional, sobbing that he needed to see his children and repeatedly asking both where they were and where his wife's body was. The children, Broomfield Sgt Andrew Martinez testified on Tuesday, were 'obviously very traumatized. Kristil Krug, 43, was found fatally bludgeoned and stabbed in the garage of her family home in Broomfield, Colorado on December 14, 2023 'They were screaming and crying,' he said. 'It was very difficult to watch.' Krug told them 'that there was some action at the house and that she was hurt and not going to be ok,' Martinez said. The father told his family that 'Kickman' was responsible a nickname they'd given to Kristil's ex from 20 years beforehand who they believed had been stalking her since October. That man, Jack Anthony Holland, was located by police at his home in Utah in the hours after the murder. He was quickly ruled out, given that he was nearly an eight-hour drive away and had solid alibis for both the time of the killing and times that vulgar, threatening messages had been sent to Kristil. She'd been receiving concerning texts and emails for two months, including a picture of her husband at his workplace and references to her newly expired vehicle tags and a dental appointment she'd attended all indicating the family was being watched. Krug told detectives in the hours after Kristil's murder that he'd left for work later than usual that morning because his stomach had been upset. He last saw his wife in the kitchen before leaving the house, he said in the video interview shown to jurors. The mother-of-three's husband, Daniel Krug, is on trial for first-degree murder, stalking and criminal impersonation in the killing of his wife. Prosecutors allege he pretended to be an ex-boyfriend stalking her for months before her murder A seemingly distraught Krug continued to blame Holland while speaking to detectives and professed to be too upset to remember details such as what he made for dinner the night before. 'I just want to be in a safe place with my children,' he said falteringly, also choking out that the children 'should've had their mom for decades.' But Sgt Martinez testified on Tuesday: 'I did not see any actual tears.' Krug was told that security cameras had been turned off at the home but denied doing it. He reiterated that he thought 'Kickman' aka 'Anthony' was responsible. Krug seemed to lean over and cry into his hands as he sat on the department's blue couch when police insisted Holland couldn't have killed Kristil. 'I think, if not him, I have no other suggestion,' he said. Krug offered an alternative theory of what happened, suggesting that maybe Kristil had thought she was opening the front door either to someone she knew or to receive a package; Christmas was just two weeks away. He said he felt 'terrified to bring my children home if it wasn't' Holland. When also confronted with the fact that email addresses believed to be from Krug had actually originated at his workplace including the address used to set up a fake ad from Kristil on a sexual hookup site he insisted that passwords were often posted publicly. Krug complained that the detectives' interest in him 'would suggest that I would put my children through this. 'We were drilling the kids' about how to handle the 'stalker' situation, he said. 'I'm looking into counselling for the kids,' he said. 'I understand the narrative you're putting together, but I just would not do this to my children.' The detectives pointed out the 'stalking' could to have brought him closer to his wife after the couple's marriage had been on the rocks for some time. They also raised the point that Kristil being dead meant Krug could perhaps get closer to his children than ever before. The couple's marriage was crumbling and Kristil told relatives she was hoping to soon divorce her husband and considering full custody; she'd moved out of the marital bedroom about a year before her death, with the couple essentially co-parenting and living together He disagreed. And if Holland hadn't killed Kristil, Krug also repeatedly suggested, maybe she had been having an affair. He noted on video that she'd 'disappear' without full explanation for hours as recently as that week. Krug appeared resigned and annoyed as detectives told him his car had been impounded, then instructed him to undress on camera and hand over his clothes. Jurors also saw Martinez' body camera footage showing Krug continue to deny involvement in his wife's death during conversations with the detective near department elevators after the initial taped interview. 'He took my children's mother before Christmas,' Krug said of the unnamed killer, also appealing to Martinez as a father. 'I don't care if you capture him. I don't care if you kill him. Find him,' Krug said. Martinez testified that he drove Krug back to his children and extended family, then placed him under surveillance until his December 16 arrest in a supermarket parking lot. Upon cross examination, the defense pointed out multiple issues with the investigation. Martinez filed for a search warrant with the purported Holland email address misspelled. He was unaware that the sex ad listed Kristil's incorrect birthday inviting men to contact her for her 40th, when she was turning 43. Krug's attorney also pointed out his client was allowed to leave the police department with pepper spray and a baton weapon he kept on him a decision the defense characterized as 'a big screw-up' on the part of Martinez. Martinez also admitted under cross examination that, despite having Holland's correct address and phone number since the beginning of the investigation, he never attempted to reach the Utah resident. Jurors also heard on Tuesday from several other Broomfield officers and the dispatcher who took Krug's call on the morning of her murder. After allegedly last seeing Kristil in the kitchen, Krug says she sent him a message asking him to pick up their daughter from school. He responded and sent her several unanswered messages but, after three hours with no answer, called police for a wellness check. He also called his mother-in-law, who arrived as first responders were attempting CPR on her daughter in the garage. Detectives asked Krug in the hours after the murder why he'd been so concerned about Kristil after not hearing from her for just three hours, jurors saw on video on Tuesday. He said she would always quickly answer any question about the kids and her failure to do so was enough to raise alarm bells. In his initial call with the dispatcher, Krug said it 'feels weird' that Kristil didn't answer a phrase he repeated later in the day in conversations with detectives. The trial continues on Wednesday. Five young boys have lost their father after what started as a routine motorbike ride turned deadly. Peter Prince, 41, had gone for a morning ride with a friend on Sunday and told his partner over the phone he would be home by midday. But Mr Prince, who lived in Toukley on the NSW Central Coast, was involved in a multi-vehicle crash and never made it back to his partner and five young sons. Emergency services were called to Great North Road in Wollombi at about 10:40am where officers discovered three motorbikes had collided. NSW Police said a man, who has since been identified as Mr Prince, was treated by paramedics but died at the scene. 'Peter was out having a cruise on a motorbike, something that he loved to do, when tragedy struck and he was taken from his family in a cruel accident,' his brother, John, wrote on a GoFundMe page. He said Peter was a 'very loyal' person who 'just liked to play with cars and his motorbikes' and that it helped knowing he died doing something he loved. 'I just want to help the younger ones with school if they need it or his older ones with a car or stuff like that,' John told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday. Peter Prince and his five sons (pictured) all shared a 'remarkable resemblance' Mr Prince, 41, (right) was out on a routine motorcycle ride when he was caught in a fatal crash Mr Prince's five sons, aged between eight and 14-years-old, have a 'remarkable resemblance to their Dad' according to their uncle. He said they 'share many of his endearing traits - they are all beautiful lovable larrikins'. The devastated family are currently planning the funeral, and are hoping to raise $5,500 to cover the costs. Any leftover money left over will go towards supporting Mr Prince's five sons. Loved ones have shared tributes to the father-of-five online. His father-in-law remembered Mr Prince as a 'wild man full of life and love for his family' in a post to social media. 'I considered you my wild Son in Law and always had a great story to tell every time I saw you. You will be deeply missed mate,' he said. A friend wrote in a touching tribute: 'Peter, you were always there if I needed you, as I was for you. And I thank you for that. I'll do what ever I can for your boys.' Mr Prince (pictured) was described by his brother John as a 'very loyal' person who 'just liked to play with cars and his motorbikes' The two other riders involved in the crash men aged 39 and 36 were treated for leg and chest injuries and were taken to hospital in stable conditions. NSW Police said an investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing. You can donate to the GoFundMe here. Donald Trump has escalated his attacks on America's elite colleges amid ongoing investigations into allegations of antisemitism after anti-Israel protests spread across the country's campuses. The administration announced on Tuesday that it had frozen over $1 billion in funding from Cornell University and $790 million from Northwestern University amid 'several ongoing credible and concerning Title IV investigations,' the New York Post reports. Title IV of the Civil Rights Act prohibits institutions of higher education from receiving any federal funding if they participate in or enable discrimination based on race, national origin, religion or other characteristics. By invoking the act, the Trump administration is pausing grants and contracts with the federal departments of health, education, agriculture and defense, a Trump official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The two schools are now the latest to be targeted by the administration, after it pulled $400 million in federal funding from Columbia University over its handling of the protests last year. Both Cornell and Northwestern were included in a list of 60 universities that the Trump administration warned last month could face enforcement actions if a review determined the schools had failed to quell the antisemitism on its campuses. But a spokesperson for Northwestern said on Tuesday they had not received any official notification from the federal government about the funding freeze - and only found out about it from members of the media. 'Federal funds that Northwestern receives drive innovative and life-saving research, like the recent development by Northwestern researchers of the world's smallest pacemaker, and research fueling the fight against Alzheimer's disease,' the spokesperson said. 'This type of research is now in jeopardy.' President Donald Trump's administration has escalated his attacks on America's elite colleges amid ongoing investigations into allegations of antisemitism The administration announced on Tuesday that it had frozen over $1 billion in funding from Cornell University It also froze $790 million of grants and contracts to Northwestern University in Illinois Officials at Cornell have not yet publicly commented on the funding freeze, but in an opinion piece for the New York Times last week, President Michael Kotlikoff said his university was not afraid to let people argue, including over issues like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 'A messy event that turns into viral videos causes understandable concern to trustees and alumni, and adds more fuel to already burning fires,' he wrote. 'But if we are to preserve our value and our meaning, we cannot let our caution overtake our purpose. Our colleges and universities are cradles of democracy and bulwarks against autocracy.' The upstate New York school had faced criticism after history professor Russell Rickford said he was left 'exhilarated' and 'energized' by Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel. He took a leave of absence in the aftermath, but was later allowed to once again teach black history. Northwestern University in Illinois was also the site of massive anti-Israel protests following the siege, with some Jewish students claiming that they were being harassed by the activists. Cornell University faced criticism after history professor Russell Rickford said he was left 'exhilarated' and 'energized' by Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel Jewish students at the school had claimed they faced antisemitism amid the protests President Donald Trump had vowed to go after the protesters on the campaign trail, saying they were 'antisemitic' and showed sympathy to Hamas militants. Shortly after he took office in January, Trump signed an executive order instructing the Education Department and other federal agencies to crack down on the demonstrations. 'Since October 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation, and anti-Semitic harassment on their campuses only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them,' Education Secretary Linda McMahon said 'Universities must comply with all federal anti-discrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding.' In addition to Cornell, Northwestern and Columbia, Trump has also reportedly halted $210 million in grants and contracts to Princeton and $510 million to Brown in response to antisemitism allegations. Federal agents have detained some foreign student protestors - starting with Mahmoud Khalil at Columbia University Pro-Palestine demonstrators hold a rally and march to the national ICE headquarters to protest the arrest of Palestinian activists in Washington, DC on Saturday The administration is further probing allegations at Harvard University, and sent the Ivy League a list of demands it must fulfill in order to avoid losing $9 billion in federal grants and contracts. That list included demands that the school ban face masks, enforce disciplinary policies, eliminate DEI practices, 'reject race and gender-based preferences in hiring and review' and review any programs 'accused of fueling antisemitism,' according to The College Fix. Meanwhile, federal agents have also detained some foreign student protestors, revoking their visas and are now working to deport them. They started by arresting Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil who was prominent at the controversial protests last year. He is now being held in a detention center in Louisiana. Ever since, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said more than 300 student visas have been revoked, citing links to protests and 'potential criminal activity' as justifications. In just the past two weeks, visa revocations have also hit students at Stanford, UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, UC Davis and at other universities across the nation including Texas A&M, Cornell, the University of Oregon, the University of Colorado and Arizona State. Over the weekend, three Harvard students and two recent graduates also had their student visas revoked, as did five international students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Four University of Michigan students also had their visas revoked by the Department of Homeland Security, and at least one has already left the country at the recommendation of school officials. Ten Colorado university students or recent graduates, half of them Middle Eastern, also had visas revoked. Five students and one former student were at Colorado State University while four international students from the University of Colorado's Boulder and Colorado Springs campuses have also been de-registered as students. Two brothers have recalled how a dream scuba diving trip quickly turned into a life-threatening ordeal after they were left at sea just minutes into the dive. Ian Kensington and Ryan Chaudhry claim they were abandoned off the coast of Perth when their chartered boat returned to shore while they were still underwater. The siblings were diving in a group with 13 other people as part of a paid trip with Perth Diving Academy Hillarys. The brothers suspected there was a problem when they heard their boat's engine start while they were underwater just 35 minutes into the dive. After surfacing, they were horrified to see the boat heading back to shore, seemingly unaware they'd been left behind. 'I said, "I think these f**kers are leaving us in the water" and I just saw the absolute panic on my brother's face,' Mr Chaudhry told ABC Radio Perth. The brothers said they tried to get the boat's attention by screaming to no avail and considered swimming to shore before realising they were too far out. They decided to get rid of all non-essential equipment and inflated their life jackets. Ian Kensington and Ryan Chaudhry were stranded off the coast of Perth (pictured) A Perth Diving Academy Hillarys boat (pictured) returned to shore without the brothers 'I thought we were going to die. I thought we were completely stuffed,' Mr Chaudhry said. Mr Kensington said they tried not to look down after spotting several sharks beneath them which they guessed could've been up to three-metres long. 'I was like, we're dead we've been left for dead,' he said, adding they turned on their shark shields, which go around the ankle and are aimed at repelling sharks. 'I was really angry.' The brothers claim they were in the water for almost an hour when they finally spotted a Rottnest Fast Ferries vessel approach. They tried to get the ferry's attention before swimming closer to the vessel, however the size of the boat made it difficult to climb onboard safely. Mr Kensington claimed he injured his head while climbing the ladder while Mr Chaudhry struggled to avoid the wash of the boat pulling him under the vessel. The Perth Diving Academy Hillarys boat returned to rescue the brothers and it's alleged one staff member was heard taking responsibility for the incident, urging the pair 'don't sue us'. Ryan (pictured) feared he and his brother would die A radio call from the diving academy also heard one staffer suggesting the pair be dropped back into the water so they could collect them. Mr Chaudhry was returned to shore after being picked up by the diving academy while his brother was taken back on the ferry. The brothers praised the ferry crew who helped them but have been left concerned by the diving company despite receiving an apology. Mr Chaudhry and Mr Kensington have met with a lawyer to discuss the incident and have alleged there was no duty of care during or after the dive. Mr Kensington said he has suffered medical complications ever since being stranded at sea, including 'delayed concussion' and 'cardiac issues'. Perth Diving Academy Hillarys has been contacted for comment while Rottnest Fast Ferries refused to comment. Perth Diving Academy Hillarys director Troy Lane told the ABC: 'The relevant authorities have been notified of the incident and an investigation is ongoing. 'The safety of our customers is paramount to our business. We will be reviewing our procedures and will implement any preventative measures if needed.' The inquest into the Westfield Bondi Junction massacre has revealed the critical issues it will focus on as it investigates the circumstances surrounding a deranged killer's fatal stabbing spree at the shopping centre. Joel Cauchi killed six people and injured 10 others after going on a bloody rampage through the Sydney centre with a US military knife at around 3.30pm on April 13 last year. The knifeman's reign of terror lasted just five and a half minutes before he was shot dead by hero police officer, Inspector Amy Scott. By then, Cauchi had already claimed the lives of five shoppers, Dawn Singleton, 25, Jade Young, 47, Yixuan Cheng, 27, Ashlee Good, 38, Pakria Darchia, 55, and 30-year-old security guard, Faraz Tahir. Directions hearings have already mapped out the events leading up to the fatal attack. At the time, Cauchi, who was from Toowoomba in south-east Queensland, was living rough under the Maroubra Beach Pavilion and had not taken his psychotropic medicine for his schizophrenia condition for more than four years. On the day of the stabbing, he left the eastern suburbs beach at 6.26am and made his way to a Kennards storage unit at the inner-city Sydney suburb of Waterloo, about 6km away, where he rented a locker. After changing clothes and charging his phone, CCTV footage captured him taking a large hunting knife out of a sheath and moving it between bags. Joel Cauchi attacked 16 people in a matter of minutes, killing six, before being shot dead by a police officer at Westfield Bondi Junction last April Cauchi's victims Yixuan Cheng, Ashlee Good, Pikria Darchia, Jade Young, Dawn Singleton and Faraz Tahir (pictured) The weapon was a Ka-Bar US Marine Corps utility fixed blade knife, a style of knife that Cauchi was known to collect. At 11.10am, he left the storage facility with the Ka-Bar knife hidden in a backpack and spent the next four hours moving between the city, Bondi Beach and Bondi Junction on public transport. He first set foot inside the Westfield Bondi Junction via its Bronte Road entrance at 3.12pm and walked in and out and around the the shopping centre before going on his murderous spree. The inquest has revealed it will now focus on the events leading up to and following the attack, and drill down on five key questions at the heart of the tragedy when it runs for five weeks from April 28 until May 30. What drove Joel Cauchi to kill? Joel Cauchi (pictured) grew up in Toowoomba in south-east Queensland but was sleeping rough under Maroubra Beach Pavilion in the lead up to his fatal stabbing spree in Sydney's east The inquest will do a deep dive into the 40-year-old and the collapse of his mental state in the lead up to the crazed stabbing spree. It will explore the reasons he moved from his home state of Queensland to NSW in December 2023 and his life in Sydney until April 13 last year. The probe will look to establish what mental health conditions he was suffering from through this time frame, whether he was receiving adequate treatment and, in particular, what prompted him to stop taking his psychotropic medication. The inquest will also examine Cauchi's state of mind ahead of the shopping centre rampage, to what extent he had planned the attack and whether he had decided to target any specific individuals or groups. Were security prepared to react? Cauchi used a Ka-Bar US Marine Corps knife (above, stock picture) which he 'collected'. The inquest will examine if there should be restrictions on weapons including the Ka-Bar knife The inquest will investigate how the security firm overseeing Westfield Bondi Junction's security - Scentre Group and its subcontractors GLAD Group and Falkon Security - handled the knife assault. In particular, it will focus on when staff in the centre's CCTV control room first became aware there was an 'active armed offender' in the complex and action they took to address Cauchi's presence. It will review the communications between security staff relating to Cauchi as well as their interactions with emergency responders and their evacuation of the centre. The inquest will also examine the security policies and procedures in place at Westfield Bondi Junction, whether staff received adequate training to deal with armed attacks, and if there is adequate monitoring of the centre's CCTV vision. Was fatal police force justified? Around five and a half minutes after his attacks began, Cauchi was shot dead by police officer Inspector Amy Scott (pictured above with Cauchi) The inquest will dedicate substantial time to considering Inspector Scott's decision to discharge her firearm and shoot dead Cauchi inside the shopping centre - and whether 'such use of force was justified, reasonable and appropriate'. In particular, it will drill down on how and when NSW Police became aware of Cauchi's stabbing spree, their response to emergency calls, interactions with security staff and whether there were any 'impediments' to the police response. The probe will also examine whether officers were 'suitably equipped to attend to injured victims' and the 'appropriateness and efficacy of any first-aid rendered by police. On top of this, it will also look at the adequacy and timing of police communications with the 'families of the deceased in the aftermath' of the massacre. Did ambo's 'hot zone' call work? Emergency services could be seen wheeling the bodies of the victims and their killer out of the shopping centre in the aftermath of the deadly assault The inquest has revealed it wants to look at 'the nature and timing' of the NSW Ambulance response to Cauchi's killer assault on Westfield Bondi Junction. As part of that, it will look at when and how the ambulance service became aware of the attack, its decision to declare the shopping centre as a 'hot zone' - typically an area within which there is an immediate and direct danger - for paramedics. It will also examine the first aid provided by paramedics in the hot zone and their decision to adopt 'mass casualty procedures' while treating the wounded. The probe will also explore whether paramedics are generally equipped with the right equipment to handle mass casualty incidents. How can we stop another stabbing spree? Flowers are left at the memorial in the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre during a day of reflection on April 18 last year The biggest question the inquest will address is whether it is possible to make any recommendations that would provide a similar fatal shopping centre from happening. The inquest has indicated some of the key areas it will explore while weighing up whether it should make any 'necessary or desirable' recommendations include whether 'there should or could be restrictions imposed on the sale of weapons' such as the Ka-Bar military knife or any 'equivalents'. It will also examine alternative treatments available to 'persons suffering from chronic schizophrenia' and the training and equipment provided to security staff to content with 'mass casualty events'. In addition, it will look at the communication protocols for police dealing with victims' families, 'including the possibility of a central hotline', and the way media report on such incidents. 5th batch of emergency humanitarian aid supplies by Chinese gov't arrives in Myanmar Xinhua) 14:16, April 09, 2025 YANGON, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The fifth batch of emergency humanitarian aid supplies dispatched by the Chinese government arrived at Yangon International Airport in Myanmar on Wednesday. The aid supplies include 266 tents, 20,000 mosquito nets, 9,000 tarpaulins, and 2,000 boxes of instant noodles, with a total weight of over 91 tons. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) A young lawyer has been fired after his boss discovered photos of him at a footy game when he claimed to have been struck down with a mystery illness. Melbourne man Mitchell Fuller filed a wrongful dismissal claim with the Fair Work Commission after his role as a practising solicitor at Madison Branson Lawyers was terminated last August. On Monday, the commission's Deputy President Andrew Bell dismissed Mr Fuller's application, ruling there was 'no evidence' of his illness beyond his word. 'Fuller's conduct and attitude was utterly incompatible with his ongoing employment as a solicitor at the firm, where integrity and honesty are paramount,' Mr Bell said. In his damning ruling, Mr Bell said that Mr Fuller had not only lied to his employer but had also given false evidence to the commission. Mr Fuller emailed his superiors on April 5, 2024 claiming he had a 'tough time sleeping last night' and was 'not feeling up to coming into the office'. Months later, his employers found photos of him at the AFL Gather Round in Adelaide from the weekend he claimed to be sick. Mr Fuller told the commission he had considered taking annual leave to 'de-stress' in March and had initially declined his friends' invitation to fly interstate. Melbourne man Mitchell Fuller (pictured) was fired from his role as a practising solicitor after his employers discovered he faked being sick to attend a weekend away in Adelaide But when Mr Fuller changed his mind, he did not apply for leave as he feared the time off would not be approved. Mr Fuller flew to Adelaide on the Thursday night and emailed his employers the following morning at 8.17am that he was sick and unable to attend work. Mr Bell said the solicitor knew his email was 'misleading'. 'A general part of Fuller's case is that he was unwell and entitled to take sick leave. I am not satisfied he was sick or unfit to work,' he said. 'Fuller led no evidence of illness beyond his own word.' Mr Fuller told the commission the 'original plan' was to travel back to Melbourne on the Sunday night, allowing him to return to work on Monday. However, Mr Fuller stayed in Adelaide on Sunday and went to another AFL game before heading to the pub with friends. Mr Fuller told his superiors he was unable to attend work on Monday because he was 'still in a bit of discomfort' and could not 'hack taking public transport'. Mr Fuller had paid for a ticket to watch he AFL Round 4 match between the Port Adelaide Power and the Essendon Bombers prior to telling his employers he was sick and unable to work Evidence presented to the Fair Work Commission also revealed Mr Fuller had visited the pub during his weekend in Adelaide (stock image). It's not suggested he was drinking Instead, Mr Fuller spent the Monday driving from Adelaide to Melbourne. Mr Bell said the solicitor's claims were 'simply not credible in the face of the planning involved for the weekend, the weekend itself' and 'the evasive language used to explain his absence'. Before the firm became aware of his weekend away, a principal lawyer discovered Mr Fuller had been working on a locked file despite being told not to do so, the commission heard. It was around this time, in late June 2024, that the firm contacted HR Adviser Australia to assist with the review and termination process of Mr Fuller. HR Adviser Australia conducted the review, which included an assessment of Mr Fuller's social media accounts. As a result, the solicitor received an email from his employers outlining the reasons for his termination along with five images from his social media account of his weekend away in Adelaide. 'We have become aware of information that is inconsistent with your assertion that you were unable to work due to "illness",' the email read. 'Contrary to your claims in your statutory declaration, medical certificate and emails on 5 and 8 April 2024, you travelled to Adelaide to attend, amongst other things, the AFL Gather Round, Adelaide Oval, Elder Park, Glenelg beach and various licensed hospitality venues. 'Additionally, we note that you had purchased tickets for an event in South Australia with SANF (attached) which tickets were purchased before 5 April 2024, but related to an event during the period of leave claimed by you. 'Accordingly it is unreasonable to conclude that you were unfit to work during this period.' In addition to Mr Fuller's claim being thrown out by the commission, Mr Bell also ruled not to award him any compensation on account of his misconduct. Authorities in Virginia are on the hunt for multiple suspects who are believed to have opened fire on a townhouse - killing three people, and wounding three others. The Spotsylvania Sheriff's office announced Tuesday night that it had received a call at around 5:30pm about a shooting at a complex outside of Fredericksburg. When deputies then arrived on the scene, they found three people dead from gunshot wounds outside and three others who were rushed to a local hospital for their injuries. Their conditions remained unclear early Wednesday morning, as did a motive for the shooting. But Maj. Elizabeth Scott, spokesperson for the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office, said at a news conference that deputies are looking into the possibility that the shooting was committed by more than one person. Photos obtained by Fox 5 also showed two people holding what appeared to be long-guns walking down the street in the moments before the shooting. 'There's dozens upon dozens of officers out actively looking for suspects and preserving the crime scene,' Scott said. 'We will be here all night until we find the suspects,' she said during an evening news conference. Authorities in Virginia are searching for multiple suspects (pictured) who are believed to have opened fire on a townhouse complex outside of Fredericksburg Maj. Elizabeth Scott, spokesperson for the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office, said Tuesday night that 'dozens upon dozens of officers out actively looking for suspects' (pictured) Scott asked residents to avoid the area and those near the scene to stay indoors while authorities continue to investigate Scott also asked residents to avoid the area and those near the scene to stay indoors while authorities continue to investigate. At the same time, authorities asked for any witnesses to send videos that could help with the investigation. One such witness told Fox 5 that she was coming home from work when she heard gunshots. 'I was coming down the hill. I was looking forward and I saw about three or four individuals and I heard it and I saw bullets going everywhere, they were kind of going at each other,' Rosy P. recounted. 'Then I saw some[one] run off down the road, and after a little bit, they started walking up the hill, then they cut off behind the townhouses - and that's when the first officer arrived on scene.' The Spotsylvania Sheriff's office said it received calls about a shooting at around 5.30pm Fredericksburg City Public Schools will now start two hours late on Wednesday 'in light of the profound impact this incident has had on members of our school community,' the district announced on its website. 'This delay will allow us the necessary time to prepare our buildings and staff to welcome students with the care and support they may need during this difficult time.' The district did not provide any further details. A prospective buyer is being given the opportunity to transform a once-thriving luxury island resort which has been left untouched for a decade. Wealthy travellers and celebrities once flocked to Double Island, off the coast of Palm Cove on the Great Barrier Reef, but the paradise is now a shell of what it once was. Hong Kong-based billionaire Benny Wu had bought the island in 2012 for $5million on a tourism lease, but it was reclaimed by the Queensland government last year when Mr Wu breached conditions. He had been required to operate the island as a resort but it was instead neglected and left abandoned. Mr Wu was given three years to get the island back to its former glory but when he failed to do so the state government seized control in June, 2024. The island, which once welcomed the likes of A-listers Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt and Keanu Reeves stretches just over 16 hectares but was left with abandoned boats and pathways overgrown with weeds. The island then became a state-owned freehold land to allow the government to negotiate commercial leases. Safety fencing and security cameras were installed to keep out vandals. Double Island, on the Great Barrier Reef, is being put back on the market (the island is pictured) The abandoned buildings of the former resort will need to be removed and replaced (pictured) Double Island is just off the coast of Palm Cove in north Queensland, 30 minutes from Cairns CBRE has since been appointed as the marketing agent to find a new operator and its national director Wayne Bunz said the new occupant would be chosen based on their vision for the island. It's hoped the sale would lead to the creation of hundreds of jobs and boost the Sunshine State's tourism sector. 'The tenant will be required to remediate the island, remove the old infrastructure that's there and preserve the natural attributes of the island, along with potential capex to invest in new infrastructure and a new tourism offering,' Mr Bunz told Real Commercial. 'There's really nothing that will be salvageable from the existing facilities that were unfortunately left to ruin by the previous stakeholder. 'Any contribution to Indigenous culture, potential day trips and sightseeing activities, luxury boutique accommodation, ecotourism or even glamping will all be considered on the merit of the successful tenderer.' The island, 30 minutes from Cairns, was developed by a group of families in the 1980s and later sold to billionaires Janet and Robert Holmes a Court before Mr Wu acquired the lease. Anyone interested in snapping up the island needs to apply no later than May 9. Sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre is making a slow recovery from injuries she claimed were sustained in a bus crash and had left her with just four days to live. Her US agent gave Daily Mail Australia a health update on Wednesday after a domestic violence charge Giuffre is facing was mentioned in a Western Australian court. 'Virginia is slowly improving,' said New York-based Dini von Mueffling, who also represented Monica Lewinsky after her affair with President Bill Clinton. Giuffre was listed to appear before a magistrate less than 48 hours after being released from hospital following a now infamous social media post in which she said she would be dead in four days. The 41-year-old, who was trafficked by the late American paedophile Jeffrey Epstein as a teenager, has not been seen in public since being involved in what police called a minor bus crash. The American-born mother-of-three was sneaked out the back door of Perth's Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital on Monday afternoon to avoid a large media pack at the front of the facility. On Wednesday, about a dozen reporters waited for her scheduled appearance at Joondalup Magistrates Court but she did not appear in person. Instead, lawyer Karrie Louden sought an adjournment and said she was in negotiations with police. Sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre (pictured) is making a slow recovery from injuries she claimed were sustained in a bus crash and had left her with just four days to live Giuffre, 41, posted on Instagram about the crash on March 24, which occurred ten days after she was listed at the court near her $2m former family home Giuffre was charged with breaching a family violence restraining order just days before the bus crash she initially said was going to kill her. She was first listed to face the same court, about 30km north of Perth's central business district, on March 14. Outside court on Wednesday, Mr Louden said she was not in a position to comment on the charge while the proceedings were before court. She said Giuffre was not required to appear on Wednesday. Daily Mail Australia understands police advised her not to attend. The matter was adjourned until June 11 when Giuffre will be required to enter a plea. Giuffre has claimed she was sexually abused by Prince Andrew at the behest of Epstein's associate, jailed British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, when she was just 17. The Duke of York has denied the allegation, as has Maxwell - who is a convicted sex offender - while Epstein died in a New York prison in 2019. Giuffre, nee Roberts, posted a photograph on Instagram from her hospital bed on March 30, stating doctors had told her she had just four days left to live. Giuffre is estranged from husband of 22 years Robert (above the couple in 2019) and in March she was charged with alleged breaching a family violence restraining order The famous photograph of the-then Virginia Roberts and Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell that led to the royal's downfall and the reported $20million payout She said her car had been hit by a school bus travelling at 110km/h and the accident had left her with kidney failure. The photograph showed discolouration to Giuffre's face and chest which has been described as severe bruising. Three days after the picture emerged, a spokesman for Giuffre said she had 'made a mistake' and had not intended to share the post publicly. Daily Mail Australia subsequently revealed Giuffre had been listed to face court ten days before the crash over the alleged breach of the family violence restraining order. Her estranged husband Robert Giuffre was also listed at the same court the previous month for allegedly 'providing inadequate storage facility for firearms'. The couple recently separated after 22 years of marriage and no longer live together at their lavish $1.9million mansion in a Perth beachside suburb. They bought the six-bedroom home five years ago, putting down a deposit on the property six months before Giuffre launched her lawsuit against Prince Andrew for allegedly sexually abusing her when she was a teenager. The purchase was finalised before the matter was settled out of court with a reported $20million payout from the Duke of York. Giuffre is understood to have initially been treated at Joondalup Hospital (pictured) for a pre-existing condition and released The Giuffres now appear to be locked in a messy tug of love over their two sons and one daughter. She has been staying on a 16-hectare farm, bought for $1.3million and located less than an hour's drive north from the family's beachfront mansion, where her husband is still living. Two days before the car crash, on March 22, Giuffre posted a sun-dappled picture of her children on a beach, accompanied by an apparent desperate plea to see them. 'My beautiful babies have no clue how much I love them and theyre being poisoned with lies,' she posted. 'I miss them so very much. I have been through hell and back in my 41 years but this is incredibly hurting me worse than anything else. 'Hurt me, abuse me but dont take my babies. My heart is shattered and every day that passes my sadness only deepens.' In the post from her hospital bed a week later, Giuffre said: 'Ive gone into kidney renal failure, they've given me four days to live, transferring me to a specialist hospital in urology.' 'I'm ready to go, just not until I see my babies one last time. My heart is shattered and every day that passes my sadness only deepens.' Two days after that post, Western Australia Police revealed Giuffre was a passenger in a car involved in a 'minor collision' with a bus in Neergabby, 80km north of Perth, on March 24 and no-one had been injured. Giuffre's 71-year-old caretaker Cherylhad been behind the wheel of the small white car that was hit. Cheryl, who helps look after Giuffre's livestock, including horses and chickens, appeared physically unscathed when she spoke to Daily Mail Australia last week. She denied she had been part of a 'cover-up' and believed Giuffre would provide further details about the bus accident to clear up any confusion. 'I'm sure Virginia will release a statement soon to clear it all up,' she said. Police said the collision was reported by the bus driver the following day and the car sustained damage totalling approximately $2,000. 'We have no report of any serious injuries,' Acting Western Australian Police Commissioner Kylie Whiteley said. Bus driver Ross Munns and multiple passengers have come forward to describe the backroad bingle as nothing more than a 'minor bump'. Virginia Giuffre with a photo of her younger self (left) and the late Jeffrey Epstein with Ghislaine Maxwell, decades before they would each be jailed in the US on sex trafficking charges Giuffre has been living on a 16-hectare farm, bought for $1.3million and located less than an hour's drive north from the family's former beachfront mansion. The front gate is pictured Giuffre is understood to have initially been treated at Joondalup Hospital for a pre-existing condition and released. She checked into Perth's Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital about 3am on April 1, two days after the disturbing Instagram post went public. Giuffre rescinded the 'deathbed' farewell claims via a spokesperson last Wednesday and said she mistakenly posted them to her public Instagram page. 'Today she remains in a serious condition while receiving medical care,' her agent said. 'On March 24, in rural Western Australia, a school bus hit the car in which she was riding. The police were called but said that there was no-one available to come to the scene. 'They asked if anyone was injured and suggested that if they were, they should make their way to the hospital. 'The school bus driver had a bus full of distraught children and left the scene to get them back, saying he would file a police report, which he did later. 'Virginia was banged up and bruised and returned home. Virginia's condition worsened and she was admitted to hospital.' The Giuffres no longer live together at their lavish $1.9million mansion in a Perth's beachside suburb (pictured) Giuffre had another attempt at clarifying what caused her injuries, telling People magazine she was involved in an incident which occurred in January. Her brother Sky Roberts explained his sister's 'four days to live' claim, by saying she was told by doctors she would have died in that timeframe without medical treatment. Mr Roberts said his sibling's injuries were likely not caused solely by the bush collision. 'Let's be clear, she never stated in the bus accident the cause of all the other injuries,' he said. Mr Roberts admitted he did not know the specifics of 'what happened internally' to Giuffre but said her injuries were 'consistent' with a car crash. 'Nobody ever said her liver issues and kidney failure were ever from that,' he said. 'We still don't know if it is. I'm not a medical professional. That's up to her doctor to determine.' Giuffre met her future husband when she was 19 while training as a masseuse in Thailand. The massage course had been paid for by Jeffrey Epstein. An Australian comedian has revealed his shock when $40,000 was wiped from his superannuation fund following US President Donald Trump's controversial tariff announcement. Matt Hey, 29, shared a video on his TikTok account on Monday with his head in his hands as he warned fellow Aussies not to check their superannuation accounts. He decided to check his super balance after President Trump's new tariffs impacted the Australian share market and caused stocks to crash. He was horrified to discover how much of his super had vanished overnight. 'If you're an Australian don't look at you superannuation today, or anytime soon,' Hey began. 'I just thought I'd check for fun after hearing the news and $40,000 gone in 10 minutes.' 'It'll come back eventually right?' Mr Hey's warning prompted many viewers to check whether their own super had been impacted. Aussie comedian Matt Hey (pictured) said his superannuation plummeted by $40,000 in just 10 minutes in the wake of Trump's sweeping tariffs Donald Trump last week slapped sweeping tariffs on goods being exported to the US as part of his 'Liberation Day' address, sending financial markets across the globe into meltdown '10 grand gone from my Rest Super,' one commented. Another added: 'I lost like 5 grand??? How is this allowed?' Another claimed 20 per cent of their superannuation disappeared overnight. Some added the influx of Aussies frantically trying to check their super had resulted in their fund's website to crash and experience technical difficulties. Others said the tariffs had no effect on their super. 'I'm with Rest and mine hasn't changed at all I mean there's not much in there but at least it's still there?,' one viewer commented. Another quipped: 'They left mine alone, probably knew I'd need my $4200 for retirement and felt sorry for me.' A third wrote: 'Do not scare me like that. Mine is still there'. Matt Hey warned fellow Aussies to not check their superannuation accounts There were several reasons why Aussies saw varying losses in their super. 'People that have not seen a downturn might have a more conservative risk portfolio. So the automatically selected investment options might not have been right for them,' financial expert Alex Jamieson told news.com.au. He urged young Aussies who have seen their super funds plummet to not to panic. 'They certainly can ride it out because they have a long time to recover, and as super contributions are going in, they'll be picking up additional units at a much lower price point, which is fairly attractive,' Mr Jamieson said. 'For young investors, you wouldn't want to see them panic and move back to cash, because then you're buying high and selling low.' It comes after President Trump last week slapped a 10 per cent tariff on Australian goods being exported to the US as part of his 'Liberation Day' trade policy to apply reciprocal tariffs on nations that put up barriers to US products. The tariffs battered international financial markets and impacted Australia's share market hard. Key banking, tech and mining stocks suffered the biggest falls - with BHP and the Commonwealth Bank both plunging. The Australian dollar on Wednesday plummeted to 59 US cents for the first time since March 2020 during the start of Covid. Pictured are Sydneysiders walking past the ASX Exchange Centre Aussies who have high-growth super portfolios were hit particularly hard, while those who have a more conservative risk portfolio might not have seen any downturn. The impact on global financial markets stirred up fears of a global recession, which hammered the Australian dollar. On Wednesday, the Australian dollar plummeted to 59 US cents for the first time since March 2020 during the start of Covid. The Australian share market was 1.9 per cent weaker in early trade, with the benchmark S&P/ASX200 losing another $53billion just half an hour after the market opened. The market fell 1.8 per cent by the close of trade. On Monday, the Australian share market plunged by 6.4 per cent during the first 10 minutes amounting to $178billion - the worst start to the sessions since Covid-19. Trump offered a brutal nine word bit of advice as his broad-based tariffs sent financial markets across the globe into meltdown. 'Sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something,' he told reporters aboard Air Force One. A Chinese restaurant in Madrid has been shut down after it was caught serving roasted street pigeons as duck. The Jin Gu restaurant, in the Usera district of the Spanish capital, was raided on March 25 by police, who made sickening discoveries. Horrific footage taken inside the restaurant by officers showed gnarled strips of meat hanging from clothes horses. Another clip showed a bag full of dirtied meat, and bowls of plucked and cooked street pigeons. Local media also reported that the restaurant had eight faulty, rusted freezers filled with bags of unlabelled and undated meat and fish, cockroaches in the kitchen, as well as a litany of rat traps across the floor. There were also no thermometers to measure the temperature of storage areas and the cookware was rusted and unsanitary. The restaurant additionally held several prohibited and illegal items, including sea cucumbers - which are protected by strict marine laws. The Jin Gu restaurant, in the Usera district of the Spanish capital, was raided on March 25 The restaurant was ordered to close and its owner is now being investigation for alleged public health crimes Horrific footage taken inside the restaurant showed gnarled strips of meat hanging from clothes horses Cops also found a secret storage room hidden behind a shelf in the restaurant's disabled toilet. This room was not listed on the business' licence. In the wake of the raid, the restaurant was ordered to close and its owner is now being investigation for alleged public health crimes. It comes after it was revealed that a restaurant frequented by Royals, Rita Ora and Selena Gomez has been shut down after a disgusting discovery in the food. Posh restaurant Beach Blanket Babylon in Notting Hill, west London was infested with mice and rats. The food was even contaminated with mouse droppings, poor cleaning, inadequate pest control procedures and a failure to comply with a Hygiene Improvement Notice under the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013. Following this failure, Kensington and Chelsea Council officers decided to take legal action against business operators Robert Kenneth Newmark and Conor George Thomson-Moore. The duo admitted serious food offences, with the offences related to poor food hygiene practices. Mr Thomson-Moore pleaded guilty to four charges at City of London Magistrates' Court last week and is due to be sentenced later this year. The filthiness of the kitchen was laid bare by the footage The restaurant held many illegal items including sea cucumber Police said the restaurant had used street pigeons in place of roasted duck The charges against Mr Newmark were dropped. Kensington and Chelsea Council officers inspected the restaurant in September 2022 and found a serious mice infestation, cockroaches and rats. Excrement was also found around the premises, as well as food contaminated with mice faeces and packets of till white seeds, cocoa powder and flaked almonds gnawed by mice. Holidaymakers in Europe could face the worst flight disruption since 2001 due to issues around staffing and capacity. European air traffic control bosses have warned that delays could be even worse than last year, when one in three flights arrived more than 15 minutes behind schedule. Disruption in 2024 was already the worst on record for almost 25 years - costing the industry 2.8 billion, equivalent to 2.4billion - with delays 47 per cent worse than 2023. This could spell misery for the estimated 90 million passengers who are expected to fly to or from UK airports between June and September this year. Eurocontrol, which manages European airspace, is expecting to handle five per cent more flights than last summer. Steven Moore, head of air traffic management operations, said the continent was at particular risk because it is a 'highly saturated network where any issue becomes a network problem'. He told The Times: 'It's plain we won't have a summer without delays.' Adverse weather was the cause of many delays in 2024, according to the Eurocontrol Performance Review Report for last year. Up to 30million passengers could face delays flying to or from UK airports this summer Disruption in 2024 was already the worst on record for almost 25 years - costing the industry 2.8 billion However, the report suggests that many cases involving staff shortage may be wrongly attributed to weather to avoid financial penalties. Among the worst offenders for delays are Karlsruhe in Germany, Budapest in Hungary, Zagreb in Croatia, and Merseille and Reims in France. Many airlines are already experiencing the start of a cycle of disruption as Europe approaches the summer months. EasyJet said that it experienced a 41 per cent increase in delays in January in February. Chief Operating Officer David Morgan said the results were a 'worrying sign we're moving in the wrong direction', adding: 'I can hardly remember a year when we've not had [air traffic control] staffing issues. 'The cost of delays is eye-watering it's costing hundreds of millions to airlines. 'Everyone likes to talk about realistic schedules but it's not always easy. Airlines must adhere to a schedule or risk losing [landing] slots. 'Delays are getting worse. They are part and parcel of summer, but staffing delays should be exceptional. 'Every year in peak summer we're struggling with staffing.' EasyJet said that it has already experienced a 41 per cent increase in delays in January in February Many airlines are already experiencing the start of a cycle of disruption as Europe approaches the summer months Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has also raised the issue of a lack of air traffic controllers working in critical locations across Europe. This was down to a large number of the specialist staff opting for early retrement at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when flights were severely restricted worldwide. This was compounded with airline traffic bouncing back faster than originally predicted after lockdown restrictions were eased. O'Leary warned: 'It will be worse than last summer, particularly at weekends. 'Europe needs to fix what is a broken air traffic control system, which we pay ridiculously expensive fees for.' Jesus Garcia, the air navigation systems co-ordinator at Enaire, the Spanish air traffic management body, added: 'We need more air traffic controllers. 'The problem with the availability of air traffic controllers is complex; training takes two to three years and recruitment is based on long-term planning not short-term demand.' He said that last year's recruitment drive was based on airline traffic figures from 2021, which were much lower than pre-pandemic. The worst countries for air traffic control delays are France, Germany and Hungary. Ben Smith, chief executive of Air France-KLM, said: 'The shortage of air traffic controllers [in France] is 20-25 per cent, which means many of our flights are going to be delayed, and we already know this.' Airline traffic has bounced back faster than originally predicted after lockdown restrictions were eased Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has raised the issue of a lack of air traffic controllers working in critical locations across Europe This includes flights that are flying over these zones, and not just ones that originate within them. 'We're suffering a perfect storm with unpredictable and volatile traffic flow,' Garcia added. 'Growth after Covid has not been uniform. 'In addition, we're suffering geopolitical conflict with increased military action and flight restrictions and increasing extreme weather phenomena. 'Together, it places a strain on capacity.' Last week the European Commission said: 'Insufficient airspace capacity, as seen in recent years, leads to long delays and difficulties for passengers. These delays affect the efficiency of the entire air transport system. 'Delays are the cause of additional costs for airlines, and they increase the sectors carbon footprint, with additional emissions from aircraft flying more fuel-inefficient routes.' The European Commission said: 'Insufficient airspace capacity, as seen in recent years, leads to long delays and difficulties for passengers' Strikes are also likely to worsen delays. Today, air traffic controllers in Greece have downed tools for 24 hours as they demand higher pay. Athens International Airport has confirmed that no commercial flights will operate during the strike. Approximately 70-80 direct flights from the UK to Greece will be directly impacted, affecting 11,200-12,800 Britons. Flight attendants in Italy will also walk out for four hours, between 10.30am and 2.30pm local time today. Meghan Markle has said she wants her As Ever products to bring 'joy' during a 'time of recession' - and does not expect Donald Trump's tariffs to impact the range. The first items from the Duchess of Sussex's lifestyle brand sold out within an hour of going on sale last Wednesday - the same day the President announced his levies. But she has insisted her As Ever brand, a joint venture with Netflix, is well positioned for uncertain economic times, because the products are all made in America. Meghan also referred to a 'time of recession' amid fears of an economic downturn as countries brace for potential damage from import taxes on goods entering the US. But Meghan is wrong to state the US is in a recession. A recession is defined as two consecutive three-month periods of economic contraction. The US economy grew by 2.8 percent last year and ended the last quarter of 2024 up by 2.3 percent. The Duchess told business publication Fortune: 'At the moment, all of our products are currently made in the US, so we don't anticipate tariffs affecting us directly. 'But as we look at the larger context of how this is going to affect the consumer day to day, I'm very grateful that in part of the conception of this brand, I wanted to create products that look more prestige, but are more accessible and affordable. 'I think during any time of recession, people still want to find creature comforts, items that can bring them joy.' She pointed out that the 'bulk of our SKUs' - a reference to 'stock keeping units' or products - for As Ever cost under $20 (16), adding: 'From our standpoint, certainly for me, even in the expansion of the brand, things should still feel accessible.' The Duchess of Sussex's new show 'With Love, Meghan' came out on Netflix on March 4 President Donald Trump speaks at the National Building Museum in Washington DC yesterday Meghan's new range of As Ever products launched last Wednesday and rapidly sold out Meghan's $14 (11) jam and a collection of herbal teas, flower sprinkles and luxury honey were all snapped up by shoppers soon after As Ever began taking orders. While the exact number of products it sold has not been confirmed, the company said it was 'tens of thousands'. What Donald Trump has said about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle September 2020 : 'I'm not a fan of hers and I would say this, and she probably has heard that. But I wish a lot of luck to Harry, cause he's going to need it.' : 'I'm not a fan of hers and I would say this, and she probably has heard that. But I wish a lot of luck to Harry, cause he's going to need it.' February 2024 : 'I wouldn't protect him. He betrayed the Queen. That's unforgivable. He would be on his own if it was down to me.' : 'I wouldn't protect him. He betrayed the Queen. That's unforgivable. He would be on his own if it was down to me.' March 2024 : 'We'll have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied they'll have to take appropriate action.' : 'We'll have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied they'll have to take appropriate action.' February 2025 : 'I'll leave him alone. He's got enough problems with his wife. She's terrible.' Advertisement Some of the goods feature in her cooking and lifestyle Netflix series With Love, Meghan, which is seen as a make-or-break moment for the Sussexes who signed a $100million (78million) deal with the streaming platform in 2020. The show received a string of critical reviews when it was released on March 4 but became the tenth most-watched programme on the streaming platform and will return for a second series. The Duchess also released the first episode of her new podcast Confessions of a Female Founder on the Lemonada Media network yesterday. This came out on the same day Meghan's husband Prince Harry appeared at the High Court in London for the latest stage in his legal challenge over the level of security he is given when he is in the UK. Speaking about how the As Ever tie-up with Netflix came about, Meghan told Fortune that she had been sending Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria and Netflix co-chief executive Ted Sarandos homemade jams for years. She said Ms Bajaria told her: 'You need to teach people how to do this', with Meghan adding that 'from that moment she was very excited about the possibility of a show'. Ms Bajaria was said to have encouraged her to talk to the Netflix consumer products team about a partnership, which saw her connect with Josh Simon, Netflix's vice president of consumer products. Meghan added: 'I can't speak to the specifics of the terms of the deal. We are very, very much in harmony on how we see the growth of this, and the trajectory over the next five to seven years.' Meghan's limited-edition As Ever wildflower honey with honeycomb cost $28 (22) The $15 (12) flower sprinkles which Meghan uses frequently and refers to in her Netflix series As Ever has generated headlines around the world and Meghan and actress Gwyneth Paltrow posted a social media video of themselves together to counter reports of a feud centred around the Duchess's brand and Paltrow's wellness company Goop. Fans of Meghan bought her raspberry spread in keepsake packaging for $14 (11), and for those who missed out it will be available later without the circular box for $9 (7). As Ever was originally called American Riviera Orchard but the name was switched just weeks before the launch after the Duchess faced trademarking setbacks. Its herbal teas lemon ginger, peppermint and hibiscus sold for $12 (9) each, while the limited-edition wildflower honey with honeycomb cost $28 (22) and flower sprinkles $15 (12) which Meghan uses frequently and refers to in her Netflix series. The last items to sell out were the crepe mix and shortbread cookie mix both priced at $14 (11). Meghan's comment on tariffs is the latest development in tense relations between the President and the Sussexes, who live in Montecito, California. Mr Trump has lambasted Harry since he left Britain in 2020, criticising him for the 'unforgiveable betrayal' of his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II. He also suggested in March last year that Harry could be deported from the US if his drug use was not declared on his visa application. Donald Trump and Queen Elizabeth II at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in June 2019 Donald Trump, Queen Elizabeth II, Melania Trump, Charles and Camilla at the banquet in 2019 Then this February, the President ruled out deporting Harry, telling the New York Post: 'I'll leave him alone. He's got enough problems with his wife. She's terrible.' It comes as an American think-tank has been trying to reopen its case to get Harry's secret visa application made public after he admitted taking drugs in his memoir. The Heritage Foundation alleged the duke may have concealed past illegal drug use that should have disqualified him from obtaining a US visa. They previously argued answers on Harry's prior drug use in his visa application should have been disclosed as they could raise questions over the US government's integrity. A judge in Washington DC ruled in September last year that Harry's US visa application should remain private. In documents relating to the case that were made public last month, a chief freedom of information officer within the US Department for Homeland Security (DHS) could be seen to argue that releasing the material 'would potentially expose the individual to harm from members of the public'. Meghan has previously been a vocal critic of Mr Trump and called him 'divisive' and a 'misogynist'. The Duchess of Sussex has launched a new podcast called 'Confessions Of A Female Founder' The Duchess had said she was backing his rival Hillary Clinton in the 2016 US presidential election and suggested she would leave the US if he won. Then in September 2020, soon after Harry and Meghan had moved to the US, the couple urged American voters to 'reject hate speech, misinformation and online negativity' in that year's election which was eventually won by Joe Biden. While the Sussexes did not endorse a candidate, the wording of their video message prompted accusations that they were referring to Mr Trump and had therefore breached UK protocol keeping members of the Royal Family political neutrality. Mr Trump was then asked during a White House briefing for his reaction to their comments, and said: 'I'm not a fan of hers (Meghan) and I would say this, and she probably has heard that. But I wish a lot of luck to Harry, cause he's going to need it.' Mr Trump also said in February last year that Harry would be 'on his own' if he won the November election and claimed the Duke had 'betrayed the Queen'. Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference, he also said the Biden administration had been 'too gracious' to Harry since he moved to the US. Mr Trump told the Daily Express: 'I wouldn't protect him. He betrayed the Queen. That's unforgivable. He would be on his own if it was down to me.' Meghan's husband Prince Harry at the Royal Courts of Justice in London yesterday for the latest stage in his legal challenge over the level of security he is given when he is in the UK Then in March 2024, Nigel Farage asked Mr Trump on GB News whether Harry should receive any 'special privileges' if authorities determined that he lied on his visa application. Mr Trump responded: 'No. We'll have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied they'll have to take appropriate action.' Asked whether 'appropriate action' meant the Duke 'not staying in America,' Mr Trump said: 'Oh I don't know. You'll have to tell me. You just have to tell me. You would have thought they would have known this a long time ago.' And Mr Trump's son Eric Trump suggested in an interview with MailOnline last October that Harry's US visa is safe because 'no one cares' about the Duke or his 'unpopular' wife Meghan. Eric told MailOnline that Mr Trump 'loved the Queen' and lamented how Harry had done a 'huge detriment' to the royal family after leaving the UK. But he added: 'I don't give a damn if he did drugs. It means nothing. I can tell you that our father and our entire family has tremendous respect for the monarchy.' In February last year, Harry raised the prospect of US citizenship when speaking with ABC's Good Morning America saying he had considered the idea but it was 'not a high priority. The royal said he was 'loving' his new life in America so much he may take the citizenship test - even though doing so would force him to relinquish his royal titles. The horrific dismembering of a UK scientist follows 13 similar 'vigilante killings' in the same Colombian region, experts have revealed. Alessandro Coatti, 42, was killed and dismembered, with his head, hands and feet found in a black suitcase, investigators in Santa Marta, a port city on Colombia's Caribbean coast, said. His torso and other body parts have since been discovered wrapped in a bin bag floating in a local river. Local human rights activist Norma Vera Salazar said there have been 13 similar murders in the region in the last year. This is the first time the victim is a foreign tourist. 'There is a clear pattern to these crimes that have been reported in Magdalena and parts of La Guajira: bodies tortured, dismembered, stuffed in garbage bags or coffee sacks, and abandoned on rural roads,' she told the El Tiempo newspaper. 'These types of homicides are used by vigilante groups to send warning messages, instill fear, and mark their territory.' 'Usually this is a way to send a message,' Victor Polo, a journalist for Santa Marta's Caracol Radio, echoed. Police are trying to piece together Coatti's movements after he was last seen in Santa Marta on April 4 before being found dead two days later and are looking into the possibility that Coatti was lured into a honey trap. 'The challenge is to reconstruct his route and discover if he was a victim of a trap or if he unknowingly became involved in a risky situation and if there was a woman involved,' one investigator told El Tiempo. Alessandro Coatti (pictured), 42, was dismembered after he was killed, with his head and arms found in a black suitcase, investigators in Santa Marta, a port city on Colombia's Caribbean coast, said Your browser does not support iframes. Police at the scene of where Coatti's body was found Coatti, who worked for the Royal Society of Biology, left London at the end of 2024 to volunteer in Ecuador and travel in South America Lerber Dimas, an expert on territorial conflicts, said a paramilitary group known as the Gulf and the Sierra Conquistadores Self-Defence Forces, which is involved in drug trafficking and extortion, is active in the area. 'The question is: Why did they murder a scientist in such a brutal way? What message did they want to send? To whom?,' he asked. Coatti's university friend Professor Tommaso Pizzorusso told Italian outlet Corriere: '[Alessandro] was friendly, optimistic, generous: I wouldn't want this openness towards others to have been fatal to him ' There is no evidence linking Coatti, who is Italian and worked for the Royal Society of Biology in London, to drug trafficking or organised crime activities, a source close to the investigation told El Tiempo. The source said: 'His professional profile doesn't fit. We're talking about an academic, a scientist who advised the UK Parliament and worked for animal welfare and ethical science. He's an atypical case.' Police have reportedly focused their investigation on tracking down information on why Coatti came to Santa Marta, who he met with and what his travel plans in the city looked like as they are combing through his camera roll, call logs and bank payments. A hotel worker told the newspaper that Coatti had inquired about visiting the village of Minca - which has reportedly been inaccessible due to the presence of paramiliary groups - before his disappearance and was conducting research on local animal species. Coatti, who worked for the Royal Society of Biology, left London at the end of 2024 to volunteer in Ecuador and travel in South America. 'Alessandro wanted to go and live in South America, so he went for a trip to see; he was supposed to be back next week,' his uncle Giovanni Coatti told Italian daily Il Messaggero. The mayor of Santa Marta (pictured), Carlos Pinedo Cuello, said authorities had offered a reward of nearly 9,000 for information that leads to the capture of those responsible Coatti's retired parents Gabriele and Sandra Coatti had been awaiting his return at their home in the northeast Italian town of Longastrino. Giovanni Cotti said he was at work when his brother Gabriele called and told him that Alessandro had died. He said he already had a feeling that something was wrong. 'I understood that something had happened, the blood told me.' 'My wife told Alessandro not to go to Colombia, but he decided to leave. Now we'll have to tell grandma, we don't know if she'll be able to handle news like this.' The mayor of Santa Marta, Carlos Pinedo Cuello, said authorities had offered a reward of nearly 9,000 for information that leads to the capture of those responsible. In a statement posted on X, Mr Pinedo Cuello said: 'This crime will not go unpunished. The criminals must know that crime has no place in Santa Marta. 'We will pursue them until they are brought to justice.' Mr Coatti, who studied a master's course at UCL, worked for the Royal Society of Biology (RSB) for eight years as science policy officer before being promoted to senior science policy officer. In a statement issued Tuesday the RSB said it was 'devastated' by news of Coatti's killing. 'He was a passionate and dedicated scientist, leading RSB animal science work, writing numerous submissions, organising events and giving evidence in the House of Commons,' the RSB said. Coatti (left) was among Royal Society of Biology representatives who appeared before Parliament in June 2022 'Ale was funny, warm, intelligent, loved by everyone he worked with and will be deeply missed by all who knew and worked with him. 'Our thoughts and best wishes go out to his friends and family at this truly awful time.' Professor Pizzorusso, who is still based in Pisa after studying there alongside Coatti, told Corriere: 'I'm in shock, Alessandro was an idealist, a dreamer, I just can't explain this horror. 'In Pisa, he graduated with a thesis on the plasticity of the nervous system, the brain's ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions. But above all he wanted to understand how the discoveries could be concretely useful to people.' Santa Marta is a gateway to some of Colombia's most popular tourist destinations including Tayrona National Park, Minca, and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains. The city of half a million people has struggled to contain crime, however, and police registered 194 murders in 2024. They were the heroes of the Titanic disaster, the men who sacrificed themselves to save hundreds of lives. It had long been believed that the engineering crew on board the doomed vessel continued working right up until its final moments. But now, new analysis of a full-sized digital scan of the Titanic's wreck in the Atlantic proves the heroics of the men led by chief engineer Joseph Bell. Images show how a valve on the deck of the stern is an open position, meaning steam was still flowing into the ship's electricity generating system. It shows that Bell and his men - all of whom died in the disaster - stayed behind to keep the lights on as the ship sank. Their actions saved many lives by ensuring there was light available as the crew launched lifeboats. Master mariner Captain Chris Hearne, who was involved in the new research, told the Telegraph: 'They provided the life to ship, the lighting, the heating, and running the pumps. 'You could see this steam valve is clearly open... This action saved hundreds of lives.' New analysis of a full-sized digital scan of the Titanic's wreck in the Atlantic proves the heroics of the men led by chief engineer Joseph Bell. Images show how a valve on the deck of the stern is an open position Joseph Bell, the Titanic's chief engineer, was portrayed by British actor Terry Forrestal in James Cameron's 1998 film His view was echoed by Titanic expert Parks Stephenson, who told the BBC: 'They held the chaos at bay as long as possible, and all of that was kind of symbolised by this open steam valve just sitting there on the stern.' The valve visible in the images was part of a line taking steam from the boiler room to the emergency dynamos. The Titanic was on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York when it hit an iceberg at just before midnight on April 14, 1912. The ship sank within three hours with the loss of more than 1,500 passengers and crew. The 3D reconstruction of the ship was made by deep-sea mapping company Magellan Ltd. They released initial images two years ago after sending submersibles to survey all parts of the wreck. The scan has been studied for a new documentary made by National Geographic called Titanic: The Digital Resurrection. The new evidence pointing to the heroics of the engineers tallies with contemporary reports at the time. The Daily Mail reported on April 30, 1912: 'Oiler A. Whyte states that shortly after the accident the emergency dynamos were started to run the electric light in case the engine-room should be flooded.' Experts at deep-sea mapping company Magellan Ltd snapped the wrecked luxury liner from new angles about 12,500 feet below ocean surface. Pictured, the bow (front of the ship) The Titanic hit an iceberg in the Atlantic ocean on April 14, 1912 The report in the Daily Mail on April 30, 1912, telling how the engineers and stokers kept working Witnesses told how Bell refused space on a raft over fears it might capsize. He was reported to have said: 'I'll be all right and find something else. Good-bye, men, God bless you.' Bell was portrayed in James Cameron's 1998 epic film by British actor and stuntman Terry Forrestal, who died in a BASE jumping accident in the year 2000. A memorial dedicated to the engineers was put up in Southampton's East Park in 1914. The bronze and granite structure features a statue of the Greek goddess Nike and a tribute that begins with a much-quoted verse from the Bible's Gospel of John. It reads: 'Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.' The tribute then continues: 'To the memory of the engineer officers of the R.M.S. "Titanic" who showed their high conception of duty and their heroism by remaining at their posts 15 April 1912. 'Erected by their fellow engineers and friends throughout the world.' Bell headed up a team of 25 engineers, six electrical engineers, two boiler makers, a plumber and a clerk. All were killed in the disaster. Titanic: The Digital Resurrection airs on airs National Geographic on Tuesday, April 15. A heartbroken mum will get a tattoo of her beloved little boy's final words to her before he lost his brave battle with incurable brain cancer. Sammy Scully, 9, died at his Adelaide home on Tuesday morning surrounded by his family after a two year fight with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). Nicknamed Sergeant Sammy due to his dreams of becoming a cop, his death sparked an outpouring of tributes led by South Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens, Premier Peter Malinauskas and pop star Guy Sebastian. Alison Harrison had a ritual with her son where when she said 'I love you' he would reply: 'I love you too mummy'. Their bond was so strong that Sammy told his mum he would marry her if he could because he loved her so much. He passed away peacefully in the place he felt the safest and loved most - her bed. 'We would grab each other's little pinky fingers and say, together: 'together, forever, always',' Ms Harrison told The Advertiser. Those three words were the last Sammy said to his mum. Alison Harrison (left) will get a tattoo of her son Sammy's final words to her Sammy Scully, 9, died at his Adelaide home on Tuesday after a brave fight with brain cancer Sammy (pictured) was called Sergeant Sammy Scully because he wanted to be a police officer '(They) will be my next tattoo. We have a bond that can never be broken,' Ms Harrison said. She described her son as a ray of light who was also cheeky, funny and resilient. 'No matter who he was talking to, it could be the King of England or the Premier or the homeless person he did not change who he was, she said. 'He had a way of touching people and reaching them, where they would open up to him and speak to him like a little man, a human, not just a little boy.' Doctors warned that Sammy had just 12 months to live when he was diagnosed with DIPG in January 2023. He had an inoperable brain tumour the size of a peach which later spread to his spine. Sammy's dream of joining the police force resulted in him being appointed an honourable sergeant last before Commissioner Grant Stevens promoted him to senior officer in January. Officers took Sammy on joyrides in the police helicopter and boat. He also met the police horses and dogs. The bond between Sammy and his mother was so strong, he told his mum he would marry her if he could because he loved her so much. Sammy and Alison are pictured Sammy's dream of becoming a police officer led to him being made an honourable Sergeant of the South Australia Police in May 2024 'We also knew he wanted to 'blow s*** up' so we made that happen with our bomb response section,' Commissioner Stevens recalled in a heartwarming video tribute on Wednesday. 'It is with great sadness that I on behalf of all South Australia Police extend our condolences to his mum Alison, sisters Erin and Abigail and dad Sean as well as all his friends at Angle Vale Primary School.' Premier Malinauskas said Sammy had touched people's hearts. 'We saw an outpouring of generosity to Sam and his family through the work of a lot of people,' he said. 'Sammy demonstrated the power of hope and he will be remembered for it.' Pop star Guy Sebastian added: 'I was personally arrested by Sergeant Sammy he was very forceful but it was such a joyful day.' Sammy got to lock up some high profile 'criminals', including AFL and cricket stars The family have vowed that Sammy's death won't be in vain and have donated his brain to medical research. Family friends have reopened the GoFundMe to help with funeral arrangements, and ongoing living expenses to help support for the family as they begin to navigate life without Sammy. 'Sammy brought light to everyone who knew him, and his courage throughout everything has been nothing short of extraordinary. He was such a special little boy,' the latest update states. 'Please continue to hold his loved ones in your thoughts during this incredibly difficult time.' A major bargain retailer has introduced a change to its supermarket checkouts in a crackdown on shoplifters. UK-wide Home Bargains has revealed it introduced new anti-theft software - with AI, or artificial intelligence, factored into the company's CCTV coverage of stores. The new technology will record whether an item leaving self-checkouts has been scanned or not as a customer goes by. The discount store chain, founded in Liverpool in 1976, has teamed up with tech companies SAI, Storewide Active Intelligence and Everseen. For now, the move is being trialled in two of its shops - with aims to foil so-called 'swipers', shoppers who steal groceries by not scanning them at supermarket self-service checkouts. Recent studies have suggested 33 per cent of customers regularly steal through the do-it-yourself checkout area, with fruit and vegetables and breads highest on the list. Paul Rowland, Home Bargains operations director, told how they hoped the new move would prove more effective than deploying security guards - and he said they wanted to protect employees from crime by preventing offences before they happen. The new AI initiative follows a previous Home Bargains offer in 2023 of 500 bonuses for customers raising the alert about shoplifters. New technology is being introduced at self checkouts to combat shoplifting (stock image) The new AI initiative follows a previous Home Bargains offer in 2023 of 500 bonuses for customers raising the alert about shoplifters Your browser does not support iframes. Home Bargains set up a confidential hotline for people to report information about shoplifting and crime at their outlets - and also displayed posters touting rewards of up 500 for tip-offs leading to prosecution. Now the company is ramping up the CCTV tech covering check-out machines, with pilots launched at two venues in Liverpool. Tech firm SAI told how the previous security cameras were now being replaced by 'specialised and capable in-store AI assistants'. Posters displayed in the shops tell consumers: 'Even if not caught at the time, we use this CCTV evidence to pursue shoplifters after they have left the store. 'As well as police prosecutions, we also carry out civil prosecutions against shoplifters.' Home Bargains' latest initiative comes as supermarket giant Asda launched a massive trial of live facial recognition technology in its stores to combat soaring shoplifting and assaults on staff. In a move branded 'disproportionate' and 'chilling' by anti-surveillance groups, the retailer is introducing the scheme in five shops across the Manchester area. The technology has been integrated into Asda's existing CCTV network and works by scanning images and comparing the results to a known list of individuals who have previously committed criminal activity in one of its stores. The potential of surveillance technology is of particular interest to retail bosses battling a massive increase in shoplifting If a match is found by the automated system, in a matter of seconds head office security will conduct a check and report it to the store in question immediately. The trial is just one of a battery of measures being taken by major stores to combat an 'epidemic' of retail crime - just as plummeting conviction rates have led to accusations that shoplifters are able to 'act with impunity'. They include Co-op, which has installed 'fortified' kiosks featuring toughened screen and keycode-controlled entry in hundreds of stores. It is also trialling AI that uses CCTV to track suspicious behaviour. Meanwhile Tesco controversially introduced weighing scales at its Gateshead to check whether customers using 'Scan as you shop' aren't taking home extra goods. According to trade body the British Retail Consortium, there are more than 2,000 incidents of violence and abuse against shopworkers every day a threefold increase since 2020. Yet in the year to December, 245,500 shoplifting offence cases were closed without a suspect being identified - averaging 672 a day. Unsolved offences have jumped 38 per cent in five years. Freedom of information requests earlier this year found that the Cleveland Police area had the highest crime rates per 1,000 people, across England and Wales Asda alone recorded around 1,400 assaults on employees last year, an average of four per day. It says introducing live facial recognition implemented from the start of the month in its Ashton, Chadderton, Eastlands, Harpurhey and Trafford Park stores will make customers and staff safer. After two months the results will be assessed before Asda decides whether to role it out across other branches. Already live facial recognition technology has been used by at least six police forces, while convenience chain Southern Co-op deploys it in some of its branches. But campaign group Big Brother Watch has urged Asda to abandon the trial and demanded proper checks on the roll-out of such 'invasive technology'. Its senior advocacy officer Madeleine Stone said: 'Asda is adding customers to secret watchlists with no due process, meaning people could be blacklisted despite being innocent. 'Facial recognition is dangerously out of control in the UK.' In a statement, Asda insisted the trial 'fully complies with all data protection regulations', with only 'mathematical data' of offenders being retained. Home Bargains has introduced new technology to crack down on suspected shoplifters July was the most common month for shoplifting offences, research has found Additionally it said all stores would continue to alert the authorities when they believe an offence has been committed. The British Retail Consortium has said shoplifting is 'out of control' after its annual crime survey found incidents of customer theft reported by retailers in the UK rose by 3.7 million to 20.4million, and cost retailers 2billion. Separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics revealed shoplifting offences reported by police in England and Wales rose by 23 per cent to more than 492,000 over the same period. That marked the highest figure since current recording practices began in 2003. Confronting body cam footage has emerged of the shocking moment a man hurled a scooter at police and assaulted two officers during his dramatic arrest. Andrew Kevin Gollan, 24, was being pursued by police in relation to an earlier assault when the drama unfolded in front of horrified beachgoers at Adelaide's Christies Beach on January 23 2024. The confronting footage released by the court on Wednesday showed a male officer being dragged into the ocean during the altercation with Gollan. Screams were heard as another officer ran into the water while Gollan wrestled with one of their colleagues. 'I didn't do nothing,' Gollan was heard yelling. He then punched a female officer in the face with his fist before running back to the shore. Police officer Kyle Hurcombe was then struck hit in the face after firing a Taser at Gollan, which missed. Gollan then hurled a scooter at him, which bounced off the sand. Police bodycam showing the moment a female officer was punched in the face (pictured) has been released by a South Australian court Andrew Kevin Gollan, 24, was being pursued by police in relation to an earlier assault when the drama unfolded in front of horrified beachgoers Gollan swung a scooter at police officer Kyle Hurcombe (pictured), which bounced off the sand Officers were eventually able to restrain Gollan after police back-up arrived. 'Put your hands behind your back now,' Officer Hurcombe ordered. Gollan was heard screaming: 'Let me go, let me go please. I've got PTSD, please.' The dramatic scenes unfolded after Gollan earlier smashed a car window with his scooter outside a nearby hotel. The court heard Gollan then hit the male 63-year-old driver in the head with the scooter as he got out of the vehicle. The man suffering a fractured skull, ligament damage to his knees, lacerations and bruising. Gollan appeared in the District Court last week, after previously pleading guilty to two counts of assaulting a worker and one count each of resisting police officer and in doing so cause harm, aggravated causing harm with intent and damaging a building or motor vehicle, the Advertiser reported. Gollan (pictured right) had earlier hit a 63-year-old man in the head with a scooter Officer Hurcombe had a scooter thrown at him after he fired a Taser at Gollan but missed Officer Hurcombe revealed in his victim impact statement that he needed several surgeries to treat his broken nose and the damage was so extensive that his own children thought he looked 'scary'. He will likely to need further surgery, the court heard. The female officer who was punched in the face wasn't injured. The recent court hearing was abruptly cut short after Gollan unleashed a foul-mouth tirade from the dock. 'I can't listen to this s*** start the s***, start the s*** then act scared at the end, them f***ing dogs man,' Gollan. 'Start the conflict and then when they get f***ed up they start to b***h.' Gollan remains behind bars and will be sentenced next month. Prince Harrys taxpayer-funded security was cut after his highly unusual decision to quit royal duties and spend most of the time abroad, the High Court has heard. The Duke of Sussex has flown 5,000 miles from California to attend a two-day hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London to win automatic state security for him and his family. He has claimed he was singled out for inferior treatment when the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) stripped him of his top-level security in February 2020, following Megxit. But Sir James Eadie KC, representing the Home Office, has said it had discretion to strip his guaranteed full time police security without consulting the Risk Management Board (RMB) quango. RMB risk analysis is the usual approach in usual cases, he told the High Court today. But there is nothing about the appellants [Prince Harrys] announcement in January 2020 that he was to step back from his role in the Royal family, and spend most of the time abroad, that was usual. Prince Harrys taxpayer-funded security was cut after his highly unusual decision to quit royal duties and spend most of the time abroad, the High Court has heard The Duke of Sussex has flown 5,000 miles to be at the Royal Courts of Justice in London for the hearing and waved to fans gathered near the entrance today The royal, flanked by security guards, claimed he was singled out for inferior treatment after Mexit Prince Harry arrived at the High Court shortly after 10am and waved to fans gathered near the entrance. He then made his way to his seat in the courtroom and sat behind his barristers with a notepad, pen and bottle of water in front of him. The California-based royal is challenging the dismissal of his High Court legal action against the Home Office. It stems from the decision by Ravec that he should receive a different degree of protection when in the country of his birth because he stepped down as a full-time royal. The case has cost the British taxpayer 500,000 so far. Prince Harry's lawyer Shaheed Fatima KC insisted that Ravec failed to follow its own guidelines and should have commissioned an assessment of the Duke's security needs from the Risk Management Board (RMB). Ms Fatima said: 'The appellant [the Duke of Sussex] does not accept that bespoke means better in fact, in his position, it means he has been singled out for different, inferior treatment.' She added that the judge who previously ruled Ravec had acted correctly was mistaken. But barrister Sir James, speaking for the Home Secretary, told the High Court that his extremely unusual withdrawal from Royal duties changed everything. He said it was hard to imagine someone more experienced and better placed than the chair of Ravec to make a bespoke decision about how the Dukes security arrangements should change to accommodate the unique and unusual circumstances of the appellant [Prince Harry]. And Sir James denied the Duke was treated unfairly and said: He was not being singled out - on the contrary, the process being adopted had positive advantages for him. While the court was hearing the Home Secretarys argument against his appeal, Prince Harry wrote detailed observations densely packed on to a blue post-it note. His solicitor then passed it forward through his team of four barristers until it reached his lead KC Ms Fatima. Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle 'felt forced to step back' from frontline royal duties in 2020 'as they considered they were not being protected by the institution', Ms Fatima KC said yesterday. But hitting back the Home Office's barrister said the Duke of Sussex's appeal 'involves a continued failure to see the wood for the trees'. Opening Prince Harry's appeal yesterday morning, Ms Fatima said he had been 'singled out' for 'inferior treatment' when he was stripped of the high level of protection he was previously given by the Metropolitan Police. 'When Ravec made its February 2020 decision about the appellant's protective security, it did not apply its own terms of reference to that decision-making process', she said, adding that Ravec came up with a 'different and so-called 'bespoke process'. 'The appellant [Prince Harry] does not accept that "bespoke" means "better". In fact, in his submission, it means that he has been singled out for different, unjustified and inferior treatment'. Prince Harry made his way to his seat in the appeal hearing and sat behind his barristers with a notepad, pen and bottle of water in front of him, shortly before it began at 10.30am The California-based royal is challenging the dismissal of his High Court legal action against the Home Office It stems from the decision that he should receive a different degree of protection when in the country of his birth because he stepped down as a full-time royal In written submissions submitted to the Court of Appeal yesterday, Harry's KC, viewed as a legal trailblazer because in 2016 she became Britain's first hijab-wearing barrister, said: 'This appeal concerns the most fundamental right: to safety and security of person'. She continued: 'On January 8 2020, (the Duke of Sussex) and his wife felt forced to step back from the role of full-time official working members of the royal family as they considered they were not being protected by the institution, but they wished to continue their duties in support of the late Queen as privately funded members of the royal family'. Ms Fatima later said that Harry was 'not in a position to make any informed representations to Ravec'. She added: '(His) security does not appear to have been discussed at any formal Ravec meeting and there are no official notes or detailed minutes recording the approach to be taken to (his) security and the rationale for it.' According to Ms Fatima KC, when Ravec stripped the prince of his top-level security in February 2020, shortly after he and wife Meghan had announced they were stepping back from royal duties and relocating to North America, it did not follow his own rules. Ms Fatima said according to its own guidelines, Ravec should have commissioned an assessment of Prince Harry's particular security needs from another specialist body, the Risk Management Board. It has failed to do so, instead reaching its decision by 'bespoke' means. Ms Fatima said: 'The appellant [the Duke of Sussex] does not accept that bespoke means better in fact, in his position, it means he has been singled out for different, inferior treatment.' The hearing before Sir Geoffrey Vos, Lord Justice Bean, and Lord Justice Edis is due to conclude today with a decision expected in writing at a later date. It came as MailOnline reveal that the King is not thought to have met with his youngest son when he flew into London from California at the weekend ahead of his High Court showdown. Shaheed Fatima KC, watched by her client the Duke of Sussex, during the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice over his security The Duke of Sussex's appeal against the dismissal of his legal challenge over the level of protection he and his family (pictured together at Christmas) is given while visiting the UK has begun at the Court of Appeal It is believed he did not see his father, pictured yesterday in Rome with Queen Camilla, when they were briefly in the US at the same time on Sunday and Monday The Duke of Sussex landed from Los Angeles on Sunday but his father spent the weekend at Highgrove, his private Gloucestershire home, resting ahead of this week's busy State Visit to Italy. His Majesty then flew directly to Rome from RAF Brize Norton with Queen Camilla on Monday afternoon. Harry believes he is entitled to armed bodyguards, paid for by the British taxpayer, and is fighting a 2020 decision to reduce the level of security after he and Meghan Markle stepped back from life as working royals and emigrated to the United States. He has expressed safety concerns about returning to the UK with his wife and children. The King and his son are believed to have differing views over Harry's decision to pursue his legal fight with the Home Office, which has cost the British taxpayer 500,000 so far. Harry has been taking legal action in the UK over a decision made by Ravec in February 2020 over the level of protection he should receive when in the country. The High Court previously heard that his 'status' had changed as a result of no longer being a 'full-time working member of the Royal Family'. But Harry has argued his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet cannot 'feel at home' or 'safe' in the UK unless his police protection is fully restored. A former RAF pilot left permanently disabled after a freak accident during training ruptured his spine has said Labour's welfare cuts will ruin his life. Ian Hewitt was just two months into his air force training when he suffered the horror injury, which ended his military career. He was medically discharged in 2003 about four years after the incident and has been forced to live with 'paralysis, seizures and chronic pain' ever since. The married father-of-four is one of 800,000 Britons who could soon have their benefits slashed as part of welfare reforms proposed by Sir Keir Starmer's party. The changes to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) sparked panic nationwide and could see people losing out on an average of 4,500 a year. Speaking on Good Morning Britain today, Mr Hewitt - who relies on crutches to walk - feared the benefit cuts would leave disabled veterans like him in a perilous position. Warning wounded military heroes faced 'falling through the cracks', he said: 'I'm struggling and in constant pain, relying on morphine every day just to exist. 'PIP is my independence and ability to use a taxi to get to my hospital appointments. Former RAF pilot Ian Hewitt was left permanently disabled after a freak accident during training ruptured his spine. He appeared on GMB speaking out about planned welfare cuts Ian was just two months into his air force training when he suffered the horror injury, which ended his military career. He is pictured as a trainee pilot in 1999 'People don't realise being disabled is hugely expensive. That money might only be 20 or whatever but to us that's a massive amount.' Mr Hewitt added his family faced the potential of a devastating double blow, which could also see his wife losing her carer's allowance to support him. 'The impact would be enormous. It's a huge detrimental effect on our lives. She won't be able to care for me and would have to go out and work,' Ian added, as he urged the Prime Minister to reverse the spending cut plan. The RAF veteran appeared on GMB alongside Coronation Street star and armed forces champion, Antony Cotton. The actor, who is an ambassador for military charity the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA), and a patron of Help For Heroes, feared veterans could be hardest hit by the welfare reforms. 'We should treat these people better,' he said. 'We're living in a world where it's never been more uncertain... and our armed forces community are the backbone of our society, and we should be treating them better. 'It's this constant battle when you're home from war. For me it's about treating people with dignity and respect. 'You don't get vast money by taking it from the most vulnerable people in society.' Ian was supported by Coronation Street star and armed forces champion, Antony Cotton (right) The actor, who is is an ambassador for military charity the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA), and a patron of Help For Heroes, feared veterans could be hardest hit by the welfare reforms Last month Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall laid out moves to save 5billion amid fears spiralling costs are 'unsustainable'. Eligibility is being tightened for the main Personal Independence Payment (PIP) disability benefit, with handouts stopping unless people are unable to cope with basic daily tasks such as going to the toilet unaided. The Resolution Foundation said between 800,000 and 1.2million people will lose up to 6,300 per year by 2029-30 as a result. Reassessments are also being ramped up, while benefits specifically for being unable to work will be done away with altogether - something that the IFS said might affect 600,000 current claimants. Those with mental health complaints could face more pressure to seek jobs, while the disabled will be incentivised to try work with guarantees they will not lose out if it proves impossible. The government wants to bar young adults from getting the health-related element of Universal Credit, worth up to 419 a month, until they are aged 22. That potentially covers 66,000 people and might raise up to 330million. However, the idea of freezing PIP in cash terms has been ditched in the face of a mutiny on the Left. Pictured are GMB presenters Ed Balls - a former Labour MP - and Ranvir Singh Some 800,000 could be impacted by the benefit reforms. Pictured are Mr Hewitt and Antony Cotton talking on GMB on Wednesday morning And the initiative is only set to slow the alarming increase in overall health and disability benefits spending forecast for the coming years. Ms Kendall said the measures in the Green Paper were slated to save 5billion by 2029/2030, after 1billion is reinvested in support for work. But she batted away calls to publish the full impact assessment before the Spring Statement. That would still leave health and disability spending 15billion higher than this year, based on OBR forecasts from last Autumn. The problem was underlined today as figures showed numbers receiving PIP have risen 71 per cent over the past five years. The Tories warned the proposals were 'too little too late' with the benefits bill running out of control. Ms Kendall faced anger from left-wing Labour MPs in the Commons, with a slew of backbenchers challenging the Cabinet minister over her package of measures. John McDonnell, Labour's ex-shadow chancellor who had the party whip suspended last year for rebelling over benefits, warned the reforms would cause 'immense suffering'. An unauthorised British-run care home in Spain's Costa Blanca has been exposed after an elderly UK woman was found 'on the verge of a coma' and surrounded by animal excrement. The disturbing case in the village of La Manchica in the region of Murcia has uncovered the existence of an unlicensed care home which has allegedly been operating under the guise of a rural guest house, according to an investigation by Spanish news outlet El Diario. On March 16, an unnamed 84-year-old British woman was reportedly rushed to hospital after she was found in a bedroom in Pension Hakuna Matata-Rural Guest House suffering from kidney failure and extreme dehydration. Emergency services had found her in a filthy room in the remote farmhouse, which was alleged to be surrounded by animal excrement, urine and rubbish, while medical staff described her as being 'on the verge of a coma'. The Briton was also emaciated and had multiple infected wounds. The farmhouse is owned by a British couple who purchased the property along with a bar in 2018. But according to local residents and social media records, the farmhouse has operated as an unauthorised care home under the name 'Casa Care'. The care home, which has always lacked the required regional authorisation, according to information provided by the Department of Social Policy of the Region of Murcia, advertises itself as a 'senior citizen residence and assisted living' that offers a 'care service for you and your loved ones'. An unauthorised British-run care home in Spain 's Costa Blanca has been exposed after an elderly UK woman was found 'on the verge of a coma' One member of staff at the Fuente Alamo Emergency Room described the property as a very 'strange place' that lacks proper sanitation Despite the owner's claims to Spanish media that the residence 'closed more than 10 years ago', Casa Care's Facebook profile - which has since been deleted - featured images posted throughout 2023 and 2024 of dozens of elderly people living at the farmhouse. Meanwhile, the phone number listed under Casa Care's contact information was the same number available for booking a reservation at the Hakuna Matata bar. Emergency workers are familiar with the farmhouse, having been called to the property many times over the years to treat elderly Brits. One member of staff at the Fuente Alamo Emergency Room described the property as a very 'strange place' that lacks proper sanitation. Other staff members claim to have seen animals inside the home. One nurse, who chose not to be named, told El Diario: 'Every time we go and enter the house, the conditions are disgusting. Everything is filthy. 'They even have goats inside, dozens of cats and dogs'. Emergency workers are familiar with the farmhouse, having been called to the property many times over the years to treat elderly Brits Your browser does not support iframes. 'We've been there many times in recent years to care for elderly foreigners. Every time they call us from there, we think: how tiresome, let's see what we'll find today. 'The elderly people who need our care are very neglected, but the owners tell us it's a rural inn. They tell us they're their guests'. But suspicions were raised further after paramedics, who responded to calls of the ill elderly woman last month, asked the owners of the guesthouse if they knew anything about the patient's medical history. They were surprised to see the owner take out a folder with all of the patient's personal information. 'What kind of hotel or bar has all that documentation? Her medical history, her prescriptions, her health documents?', an emergency worker told El Diario. 'That wasn't a rural house or a hostel or anything. It was a disgusting room, and inside we saw an elderly woman who was already missing a kidney, completely neglected, unable to even get an IV because of her dehydration. She was on the verge of a coma', the staff member added. Neighbours in La Manchica have also long been suspicious of the way the farmhouse operates, describing it as a 'pretty strange place'. The recent hospitalisation of one of its residents has highlighted the lack of action by authorities. One nurse reportedly contacted the Guardia Civil following the incident last month, but police told her they could not act without a formal complaint. Cartagena City Council's Social Services and local police carried out an inspection of the farmhouse in 2020, but El Diario reported that there is no record of how the procedure ended, as no further municipal intervention was requested. MailOnline has reached out to the owners for comment. Sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre has broken cover for the first time since she was released from hospital after claiming she had just four days to live. Giuffre pulled into a feed store near her rural retreat at Neergabby north of Perth in a blue Chevrolet Silverado being driven by a bearded man about 4.30pm Wednesday local time. It's the first time the 41-year-old, who was trafficked by the late American paedophile Jeffrey Epstein as a teenager, has been spotted in public since being involved in what police called a minor bus crash. Giuffre was wearing $600 Tiffany cat eye sunglasses but the facial injuries she claimed to have suffered in a recent bus crash were not obvious. When Giuffre spotted Daily Mail Australia she wound down her window, raised her right middle finger and said: Get the f*** out of here. Daily Mail Australia had been leaving the feed store carpark after making inquiries about Giuffres whereabouts when she arrived. Giuffre had not been seen in public since posting a now infamous hospital bed photograph following the bus crash. Sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre gave a one finger salute after being spotted by Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday She was spotted in public for the first time two days after she was discharged from a Perth hospital Giuffre, 41, posted on Instagram about the crash on March 24, which occurred ten days after she was listed at the court near her $2m former family home Giuffre was sitting in the front passenger seat of a blue Chevrolet Silverado being driven by a bearded man She was listed to face Joondalup Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning on a domestic violence charge but was not required to appear in person and stayed away. Earlier today, her US agent gave Daily Mail Australia a health update after Giuffre's charge was mentioned in court. 'Virginia is slowly improving,' said New York-based Dini von Mueffling, who also represented Monica Lewinsky after her affair with President Bill Clinton. Giuffre was listed to appear before a magistrate less than 48 hours after being released from hospital following a now infamous social media post in which she said she would be dead in four days. The American-born mother-of-three was sneaked out the back door of Perth's Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital on Monday afternoon to avoid a large media pack at the front of the facility. On Wednesday, about a dozen reporters waited for her scheduled appearance at Joondalup Magistrates Court but she did not appear in person. Instead, lawyer Karrie Louden sought an adjournment and said she was in negotiations with police. Virginia Giuffre pulled into a feed store near her rural retreat at Neergabby north of Perth Virginia Giuffre wound down her window, raised her right middle finger and said: Get the f*** out of here' Sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre (pictured) is making a slow recovery from injuries she claimed were sustained in a bus crash and had left her with just four days to live Giuffre was charged with breaching a family violence restraining order just days before the bus crash she initially said was going to kill her. She was first listed to face the same court, about 30km north of Perth's central business district, on March 14. Outside court on Wednesday, Mr Louden said she was not in a position to comment on the charge while the proceedings were before court. She said Giuffre was not required to appear on Wednesday. Daily Mail Australia understands police advised her not to attend. The matter was adjourned until June 11 when Giuffre will be required to enter a plea. Giuffre has claimed she was sexually abused by Prince Andrew at the behest of Epstein's associate, jailed British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, when she was just 17. The Duke of York has denied the allegation, as has Maxwell - who is a convicted sex offender - while Epstein died in a New York prison in 2019. Giuffre, nee Roberts, posted a photograph on Instagram from her hospital bed on March 30, stating doctors had told her she had just four days left to live. Daily Mail Australia had been leaving the feed store carpark after making inquiries about Virginia Giuffres whereabouts when she arrived in a blue Chevrolet Silverado Virginia Giuffre was wearing sunglasses but the facial injuries she claimed to have suffered in a recent bus crash were not obvious. Giuffre is estranged from husband of 22 years Robert (above the couple in 2019) and in March she was charged with alleged breaching a family violence restraining order The famous photograph of the-then Virginia Roberts and Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell that led to the royal's downfall and the reported $20million payout She said her car had been hit by a school bus travelling at 110km/h and the accident had left her with kidney failure. The photograph showed discolouration to Giuffre's face and chest which has been described as severe bruising. Three days after the picture emerged, a spokesman for Giuffre said she had 'made a mistake' and had not intended to share the post publicly. Daily Mail Australia subsequently revealed Giuffre had been listed to face court ten days before the crash over the alleged breach of the family violence restraining order. Her estranged husband Robert Giuffre was also listed at the same court the previous month for allegedly 'providing inadequate storage facility for firearms'. The couple recently separated after 22 years of marriage and no longer live together at their lavish $1.9million mansion in a Perth beachside suburb. They bought the six-bedroom home five years ago, putting down a deposit on the property six months before Giuffree launched her lawsuit against Prince Andrew for allegedly sexually abusing her when she was a teenager. The purchase was finalised before the matter was settled out of court with a reported $20million payout from the Duke of York. Giuffre is understood to have initially been treated at Joondalup Hospital (pictured) for a pre-existing condition and released The Giuffres now appear to be locked in a messy tug of love over their two sons and one daughter. She has been staying on a 16-hectare farm, bought for $1.3million and located less than an hour's drive north from the family's beachfront mansion, where her husband is still living. Two days before the car crash, on March 22, Giuffre posted a sun-dappled picture of her children on a beach, accompanied by an apparent desperate plea to see them. 'My beautiful babies have no clue how much I love them and theyre being poisoned with lies,' she posted. 'I miss them so very much. I have been through hell and back in my 41 years but this is incredibly hurting me worse than anything else. 'Hurt me, abuse me but dont take my babies. My heart is shattered and every day that passes my sadness only deepens.' In the post from her hospital bed a week later, Giuffre said: 'Ive gone into kidney renal failure, they've given me four days to live, transferring me to a specialist hospital in urology.' 'I'm ready to go, just not until I see my babies one last time. My heart is shattered and every day that passes my sadness only deepens.' Two days after that post, Western Australia Police revealed Giuffre was a passenger in a car involved in a 'minor collision' with a bus in Neergabby, 80km north of Perth, on March 24 and no-one had been injured. Giuffre's 71-year-old caretaker Cheryl had been behind the wheel of the small white car that was hit. Cheryl, who helps look after Giuffre's livestock, including horses and chickens, appeared physically unscathed when she spoke to Daily Mail Australia last week. She denied she had been part of a 'cover-up' and believed Giuffre would provide further details about the bus accident to clear up any confusion. 'I'm sure Virginia will release a statement soon to clear it all up,' she said. Police said the collision was reported by the bus driver the following day and the car sustained damage totalling approximately $2,000. 'We have no report of any serious injuries,' Acting Western Australian Police Commissioner Kylie Whiteley said. Bus driver Ross Munns and multiple passengers have come forward to describe the backroad bingle as nothing more than a 'minor bump'. Virginia Giuffre with a photo of her younger self (left) and the late Jeffrey Epstein with Ghislaine Maxwell, decades before they would each be jailed in the US on sex trafficking charges Giuffre has been living on a 16-hectare farm, bought for $1.3million and located less than an hour's drive north from the family's former beachfront mansion. The front gate is pictured Giuffre is understood to have initially been treated at Joondalup Hospital for a pre-existing condition and released. She checked into Perth's Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital about 3am on April 1, two days after the disturbing Instagram post went public. Giuffre rescinded the 'deathbed' farewell claims via a spokesperson last Wednesday and said she mistakenly posted them to her public Instagram page. 'Today she remains in a serious condition while receiving medical care,' her agent said. 'On March 24, in rural Western Australia, a school bus hit the car in which she was riding. The police were called but said that there was no-one available to come to the scene. 'They asked if anyone was injured and suggested that if they were, they should make their way to the hospital. 'The school bus driver had a bus full of distraught children and left the scene to get them back, saying he would file a police report, which he did later. 'Virginia was banged up and bruised and returned home. Virginia's condition worsened and she was admitted to hospital.' The Giuffres no longer live together at their lavish $1.9million mansion in a Perth's beachside suburb (pictured) Giuffre had another attempt at clarifying what caused her injuries, telling People magazine she was involved in an incident which occurred in January. Her brother Sky Roberts explained his sister's 'four days to live' claim, by saying she was told by doctors she would have died in that timeframe without medical treatment. Mr Roberts said his sibling's injuries were likely not caused solely by the bush collision. 'Let's be clear, she never stated in the bus accident the cause of all the other injuries,' he said. Mr Roberts admitted he did not know the specifics of 'what happened internally' to Giuffre but said her injuries were 'consistent' with a car crash. 'Nobody ever said her liver issues and kidney failure were ever from that,' he said. 'We still don't know if it is. I'm not a medical professional. That's up to her doctor to determine.' Giuffre met her future husband when she was 19 while training as a masseuse in Thailand. The massage course had been paid for by Jeffrey Epstein. An independent candidate has released her own rap video in a bid to appeal to young voters leading up to the May 3 election. Candidate for Monash Deb Leonard sparked a divided reaction when she shared the video to TikTok on Wednesday. 'Try to connect with younger voters they said', Ms Leonard captioned the post. The 56 second video started with the politician introducing herself as she walked into her office. 'Hey it's ya girl Deb Leonard,' she rapped before running through the towns represented in the electorate based in Victoria's Gippsland region. Donning jeans, T-shirt, white sneakers, a cap worn backwards and headphones, she danced and rapped through her election promises. Ms Leonard described herself as a mum and fighter who understood the struggle of everyday Australians. 'The housing crisis hits hard but you know I've got the will,' she rapped. Independent candidate for Monash Deb Leonard shared a rap video to TikTok on Wednesday in a bid to appeal to young Australian voters The independent candidate rapped the suburbs in her electorate before taking a swipe at the current government, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton The rap continues with Ms Leonard taking a swipe at the Albanese government and Peter Dutton's Coalition as young children dance in the background. 'Yeah, I know it's kinda mid to hear this white woman rap, but you know what's even worse putting up with Canberra's crap,' Ms Leonard rapped. '2025 we've got a chance to make it right, stand up in Fish Creek and Toora let's fight. 'From Kilcunda to Inverloch, I'm showing up, we're blowing up, while Albo sits in silence and Dutton doesn't give a ...' The clip sparked a divided reaction among Aussies. 'This might just make me vote,' one viewer commented. Another wrote: 'Too Cool! Bring the vibes to Canberra!' A third added: 'love it. Hope you go viral'. The mother-of-two, who lives in the electorate with her husband and their children, decided to run as a politician after feeling the two party system was 'broken'. But others slammed the clip as 'cringe' and branded Ms Leonard as the 'Raygun' of politics. 'God help us!' one viewer wrote. 'Another added: 'Bit of Raygun cringe vibes.' Ms Leonard later asked viewers if she should shared the longer version of the clip. Established in 2019, the seat of Monash is held by independent Russell Broadbent, who is one of the longest-serving current members of federal parliament. The veteran MP quit the Liberals and moved to the crossbench after losing preselection for his seat in 2023. He hopes to retain his seat at the May 3 election. A mother-of-two, Ms Leonard decided to run as a candidate after feeling the two party system was 'broken'. 'Major parties are not representing normal people like us, and our regional/rural electorate is vastly ignored by the parties when it comes to federal funding,' Ms Leonard's website reads. Deb Leonard sparked a divided reaction from Aussies with her rap video 'The opportunity came up to run as an independent and to represent the community. 'Deb decided that rather than keep yelling at the politicians on TV, she should put her hand up to offer voters a better choice.' With less than four weeks to go before Aussies head to the polls on May 3, Labor has taken the lead on a two-party basis in the latest Newspoll for The Australian, despite its primary vote staying static at 33 per cent. While the Coalition remains ahead with 36 per cent of the primary vote despite a one point drop to its lowest level since June 2024, the preference flow to Labor from the Greens and other minor parties has made the government more likely to retain power in its own right. Iran has again pledged that it is 'not after a nuclear bomb' ahead of talks with the US and has even dangled the prospect of direct American investment in the Islamic Republic if the countries can reach a deal. 'We are not after a nuclear bomb,' President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a speech in Tehran today. 'You (in the West) have verified it 100 times. Do it 1,000 times again.' He also revealed that 'his excellency' Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 'has no opposition to investment by American investors in Iran', saying today: 'American investors: Come and invest.' Such a business proposal could draw the interest of US President Donald Trump, who withdrew America from Iran's nuclear deal with world powers in his first term and now seeks a new agreement with the country. Pezeshkian's comments represent a departure from Iran's stance after its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, in which Tehran sought to buy American airplanes but in effect barred US companies from coming into the country. The Iranian president, who campaigned on a platform of outreach to the West during his election last year, added that Saturday's talks in Oman between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff would be conducted 'indirectly'. Trump has said the talks would be direct negotiations - something Tehran hasn't ruled out after the first round of discussions. It comes after Iran said yesterday that a new nuclear deal could be agreed with the US provided Tehran's longtime adversary shows sufficient goodwill in upcoming talks. President Masoud Pezeshkian (pictured during a rally in February) pledged today that Iran is 'not after a nuclear bomb' and even dangled the prospect of direct American investment in the Islamic Republic if the countries can reach a deal US President Donald Trump said that his administration would open talks with Iran during a White House meeting on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, (pictured together on Monday) whose country is an arch foe of Tehran Araghchi said Iran's principal aim remained the lifting of sweeping US sanctions. Their reimposition by Trump in 2018 has dealt a heavy blow to the Iranian economy. Trump made the surprise announcement that his administration would open talks with Iran during a White House meeting on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose country is an arch foe of Tehran. Trump said the talks would be 'direct' but Araghchi insisted his negotiations with Witkoff on Saturday would be 'indirect'. 'We will not accept any other form of negotiation,' Araghchi told official media. 'The format of the negotiations... is not the most important thing in my view. What really counts is the effectiveness or otherwise of the talks. 'If the other side shows enough of the necessary willingness, a deal can be found,' he said. 'The ball is in America's court.' In tough messaging ahead of the meeting, US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce insisted that Witkoff would deliver a message against Iran's nuclear program and not look for a back and forth. 'On Saturday, there's a meeting. There's no negotiations,' she said. Trump said Monday that Iran would be in 'great danger' if the talks fail. Iranians burn an American flag during a gathering in support of Gaza, in Tehran, Iran today Men walk past a mural depicting the Statue of Liberty with the torch-bearing arm broken, painted on the outer walls of the former US embassy in Tehran on April 8, 2025 Following his meeting with Trump, Netanyahu said in a video statement on Tuesday that 'we agree that Iran will not have nuclear weapons'. 'This can be done in an agreement, but only if... they go in, blow up (Iran's) facilities, dismantle all the equipment, under American supervision', he said, adding that if talks drag on, 'then the military option becomes inevitable'. Trump threatened military action against Tehran during an interview with NBC late last month, saying: 'If they don't make a deal, there will be bombing.' China and Russia held consultations with Iran in Moscow yesterday, after which the Kremlin welcomed the planned talks. Key Iranian ally Russia welcomed the prospect of negotiations for a new nuclear accord, which would replace the deal with major powers that was unilaterally abandoned by Trump in 2018. 'Of course, this can only be welcomed because it can lead to de-escalation of tensions around Iran,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that Moscow 'absolutely' supported the initiative. China called on the US to 'stop its wrong practice of using force to exert extreme pressure' after Trump threatened Iran with bombing if it fails to agree a deal. As the country that withdrew from the nuclear deal, 'the United States should demonstrate political sincerity (and)... mutual respect,' its foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said. Pezeshkian also revealed today that 'his excellency' Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (pictured in March) 'has no opposition to investment by American investors in Iran' That deal saw Iran receive relief from international sanctions in return for restrictions on its nuclear activities overseen by the UN watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. Trump's withdrawal from the deal was followed by an Iranian decision one year later to stop complying with its own obligations under the deal. The result has been that Iran has built up large stocks of highly enriched uranium that leave it a short step from weapons grade. A town's mayor was convicted of stalking yesterday after penning unwanted love letters to a barmaid he'd become infatuated with - but accidentally sending them to the wrong woman. Police were left in no doubt who they were from as Graham Roberts, 72, included his business card, confirming him as first citizen of Whitehaven, Cumbria. The woman who received the letters took them to the police and Roberts - who describes himself as a lifelong Conservative - was arrested at his home in the town. He attended Workington magistrates court in a black pin-stripe suit and white fedora yesterday to admit stalking without causing fear and will be sentenced next month Pamela Fee, prosecuting, said a woman attended Whitehaven Police Station with letters she had been receiving to her home address but didn't know who they were from. The woman then went back to police on September 12 last year with further letters which were unopened. When officers opened the letters they read one which stated that he loved her, that she was his 'soulmate' and there was 40 in cash inside, along with a business card with the name Graham Roberts. Following a police investigation, Roberts was interviewed and accepted that he had been sending letters to a younger woman who he believed worked at a pub in Whitehaven. Mayor of Whitehaven Graham Roberts, 72, posted a series of love letters after becoming infatuated with a local barmaid saying he loved her and that she was his 'soulmate' - only to send them to the wrong woman, leaving her fearful that someone was watching her Graham Roberts, 72, mayor of the Cumbrian port of Whitehaven (pictured), sent letters to a local barmaid saying he wanted to be with her to 'love and protect' her - but posted them to the wrong woman But the woman who was sent the letters had never worked at the pub, Ms Fee said. She added that Roberts got the information for the 'intended target' from the electoral roll, using his position as mayor, but got the wrong address. Roberts' letter said he loved the pub worker adding he wanted to be with her to 'love and protect' her. The court heard he also made comments about things she had worn. The woman who was the intended recipient of the letters told police that Roberts is a regular in the pub and described him as 'part of the furniture' who would follow her around and try to engage her in conversation. She said she would speak back in a friendly way but his behaviour 'seemed strange' and was 'very different' when she was alone compared to when she was with her boyfriend or male friends. Ms Fee said Roberts accepted he had sent the letters and obtained the information about where he believed she was living. He claimed he was in love with her and made full admissions to his behaviour. Graham Roberts, 72, said he would be 'stepping back for a short' from his role as mayor of the Cumbrian maritime port of Whitehaven 'due to health problems' after first being accused of stalking a local woman The woman mistakenly sent letters by Graham Roberts, 72, mayor of the Cumbrian port of Whitehaven (pictured), saying she was his 'soulmate', stopped going out running at night because she was scared someone was watching or following her, a court heard The prosecution said there was cause for concern for both the woman who received the letters and the intended victim. The woman who received the letters had stopped running at night because she was scared someone was watching her or following her and didn't know where the letters were coming from. Ms Fee said there was 'some sophistication' in finding out the address, adding Roberts 'used his position' to get the information from the electoral roll. Mike Woolaghan, defending, said mitigation would be given in full when Roberts is sentenced. He said while there had been some planning, it was 'not especially sophisticated' but there had been some distress caused to a couple of people. The case was adjourned to allow Roberts to be assessed for a mental health treatment requirement. Roberts, of Whitehaven, will be sentenced on May 6. He was granted bail, with conditions not to contact the two named females, not to go to an address in Whitehaven and not to go to a named pub in Whitehaven. The barmaid who was the intended recipient of letters from Graham Roberts, 72, told police he was is a regular in the pub where she worked that his behaviour 'seemed strange' and was 'very different' when she was alone compared to when she was with her boyfriend or male friends, Workington Magistrates Court (pictured) heard After the offences came to light, Roberts announced he would be 'stepping back' from his mayoral role. In October last year he said: 'I will be stepping back for a short while from my role as chairman and mayor of the council due to health problems.' Roberts is still listed as Mayor on the town council website for the Cumbrian maritime port, which is renowned for its Georgian architecture. Today town clerk Marlene Jewell told Mail Online that Whitehaven Town Council was not making any statement 'at this time' in response to his conviction. A British adventurer who claimed to be the first woman to solo traverse Canada's largest island has been slammed by an Inuit for her 'privilege and ignorance'. Camilla Hempleman-Adams, daughter of legendary explorer Sir David Hempleman-Adams, completed the 150-mile journey across Baffin Island, Nunavut, on March 27. Hempleman-Adams' journey saw her battle temperatures as low as -40C and wind speeds of up to 46mph. While she initially planned to complete the journey in 14 days, she finished a day early. Ahead of her journey, the 32-year-old wrote: 'Parks Canada has confirmed that there are no historical records of a female solo attempt from Qikiqtarjuaq to Pangnirtung.' But Gayle Uyagaqi Kabloona, an Inuit woman based in Ottawa, said Hempleman-Adams' claim was incorrect as her ancestors had travelled the same route for generation, and came from a 'dangerous colonial attitude.' She said in an Instagram post: 'There is no way in hell a British colonizer is coming to Inuit Nunaat in 2025 and claiming any firsts... Every inch of this continent has indigenous history and stories like this.' Kabloona told the BBC: 'The article hit people really hard in a very sensitive spot, because of our history and the difficulties we face every day in combatting Western colonialism. 'This woman is coming here from such a place of privilege and ignorance that it seems dangerous. Camilla Hempleman-Adams (pictured) completed the 150-mile journey across Baffin Island, Nunavut, on March 27 Hempleman-Adams' journey saw her battle temperatures as low as -40C and wind speeds of up to 46mph 'It was almost like she was bringing back news of a new continent to Europe and saying "There's nobody here!". We were and still are. 'It's such a clear example of how colonialism benefits from dispossessing indigenous people of their land and writing us out of history.' Kabloona said that while she was happy for visitors to enjoy the harsh region, she cautioned people who wanted to claim glories that they did not deserve. 'If you want to come and enjoy the outdoors, please do so,' she said. 'The danger is going back with this colonial attitude and disseminating information like the Inuit don't have history there. 'Saying you're the "first person" to do anything in an indigenous country is insulting. 'Show respect to the land and the people who have kept it pristine for your adventures.' She added that such trips were 'part of their normal life'. Following the outcry, Hempleman-Adams apologised for the offence caused by her expedition claim. 'I have deep respect for the land, its people, and their history,' she said in a statement. Her father, Sir David Hempleman-Adams (pictured, right) said of his daughter's expedition: 'What she's achieved is quite extraordinary Kabloona said that while she was happy for visitors to enjoy the harsh region, she cautioned people who wanted to claim glories that they did not deserve (File image of the terrain on Baffin Island) She completed the journey a day earlier than she had planned 'I have travelled in this region multiple times and hold immense admiration for its nature, culture and traditions. 'I am truly saddened that the coverage of my journey may have caused concern or upset, and I remain committed to learning from this experience and engaging with the community with the utmost respect.' She has since taken down her Instagram page. Hempleman-Adams said following her journey: 'It's been a really tough two weeks, but an incredible two weeks. 'I'm feeling pretty exhausted, I have very sore feet, but it's nice to be back in civilisation.' Her father, who flew out to Canada to meet her at the finish line, said: 'What she's achieved is quite extraordinary. 'Being solo, you've got to be really on top of your game the whole time. If you just lose concentration for five minutes, it's a real problem. 'I'm immensely proud of her.' A cafe owner in Dulwich is struggling to keep her business afloat after a series of break-ins, including one bizarre incident where thieves made off with 100 Magnum ice creams. Stephanie Morgan, who opened Stephanies SE21 in 2021, fears she may have to close her doors after her cafe was ransacked five times in just two months, resulting in thousands of pounds in losses. The thieves have not only stolen furniture, food, and drinks, but have also left her freezer ransacked, leaving items unusable. Despite installing new security systems to protect her business, Morgan is concerned for her cafes future and the impact the repeated burglaries could have on the local community. Ms Morgan, 44, said: 'We had a lot of burglaries when we first opened but then it quietened down. A cafe owner fears she may have to close down after being ransacked five times in two months - with thieves even making off with 100 Magnum ice creams Stephanie Morgan, who has run Stephanie's SE21 in Dulwich, south London since July 2021, estimates she has lost thousands of pounds thanks to the 'constant' burglaries 'But recently, we've been targeted once on January 24, three times in February, and then again on March 31. It's been constant. It's so disheartening. 'They come in and trash things. They take the drinks from the fridges - then smash up the storage areas. 'They'll steal tools from the shed and take items out of the freezer only to throw them on the floor. In one of the thefts, we had 100 Magnums stolen. What is the point in that? 'They don't have any value. You can't sell them on. You can't eat them all. It's just stupid. And it's wasteful.' Ms Morgan has invested in a new security system which has CCTV and alerts police whenever there is a sign of a break-in - but the price tag has been hefty. This comes as she is forking out money for repairs and replacements - and paying her staff for the extra hours spent clearing out fridges and 'chaining furniture to the fences' to prevent more thefts. She has also lost revenue after she reluctantly stopped serving alcohol (except for at private events) - as this stock was a particular target. Ms Morgan built the cafe back in April 2021 - transforming an abandoned car park by Belair Park into a beloved community spot The thefts have also hit Ms Morgan particularly hard as she initially built the cafe for her dad - who sadly passed away from cancer in 2023 Ms Morgan said: 'I've worked out that I'm paying an extra 18,000 a year in wages alone because of the extra security tasks I've had to ask my staff to do. 'And it's not like it's a particularly profitable business in the first place. If it wasn't such a hub of the community - I wouldn't bother anymore.' Ms Morgan built the cafe back in April 2021 - transforming an abandoned car park by Belair Park into a beloved community spot. She said: 'The space before was just an old dumping ground at the edge of Belair Park. 'There were lots of people in the area all the time as they were walking their dogs - but no one really chatted besides a quick 'hello' as they passed. But now, it's a beautiful community space. 'Dog walkers meet here even in the dead of winter. We have 'Bump and Baby Group' on Mondays, and Crochet Club on Wednesdays. On Fridays in the summer we host karaoke nights - and people have birthday parties here. 'Plus, later this month, on April 30, we're starting a scheme where we're welcoming local autistic students to help out at the cafe. So it really is a project of love.' The thefts have also hit Ms Morgan particularly hard as she initially built the cafe for her dad - who sadly passed away from cancer in 2023. She has also lost revenue after she reluctantly stopped serving alcohol (except for at private events) - as this stock was a particular target She said: 'I built the cafe for my dad as I needed a distraction when I wasn't able to see him for a year during the pandemic. 'He was given the all-clear when we opened the cafe on July 4, 2021, but sadly passed away two years later. 'So I'm finding it really sad that there are people destroying it. I am worried about keeping the business going now. There's all the financial loss - and also the stress. 'And it's disheartening to keep bringing things in that are going to be destroyed. Hopefully the new security will help.' Ms Morgan also runs a juice business called Raw and Juicy. You can find out more about her cafe, Stephanie's SE21, on Instagram. The remains of four victims of a Nazi concentration camp for children that was dubbed 'Little Auschwitz' have been uncovered in Poland. The chilling discovery was made in the city of Lodz by researchers from the country's Institute of National Remembrance which is tasked with investigating WWII crimes. According to investigators, one of the victims is 12-year-old Teresa Jakubowska, who was beaten to death during a roll call by Sydonia Bayer, the head of the girls' section of the camp. Nicknamed 'Frau Doktor' because of her role as a medical supervisor, Bayer became infamous for her sadistic torture of children. According to one survivor: 'She delighted in dragging sick children out into the snow and pouring cold water on them. 'She ordered them to be whipped, beaten, kicked, and deprived of meals.' Bayer also organised a special penal block for children who wet their beds. There she would beat them with a stick to see if they were healthy. The camp, Kinder-KZ Litzmannstadt (Children's Concentration Camp Litzmannstadt), closed in 1945 when the guards fled to escape the advancing Red Army. The remains of four victims of a Nazi concentration camp for children that was dubbed 'Little Auschwitz' have been uncovered in Poland . The chilling discovery was made in the city of Lodz by researchers from the country's Institute of National Remembrance Established by the Nazis in occupied Lodz on December 11, 1942, on the orders of SS chief Heinrich Himmler, Kinder-KZ Litzmannstadt was the only one in Europe specifically for children Bayer was arrested and sentenced to death by a Polish court for the murder of Jakubowska and another girl, Urszula Kaczmarek. During the trial of former camp supervisor Eugenia Pohl in the 1970s, witnesses described Teresa as 'very thin' and 'spindly,' dressed in worn-out clothes and often in trouble for stealing other prisoners' bread. Former fellow prisoner Zofia Szope said: 'We were standing in a row and we had to watch. 'She was beaten on a stool and when she fainted, water was poured over her. 'One [girl] had to hold her arms, another her legs. We were standing in a row and we had to watch.' Taken to the camp's infirmary, Bayer threw Jakubowska naked into the snow and began beating her. Survivor Emila Mocek recalled during the trial: 'She was lying down and they beat her with a whip until she fainted. 'Then they ordered two jugs of water to be brought and poured them over Teresa. They left her in the freezing cold. Sydonia Bayer, the head of the girls' section of the camp, became infamous for her sadistic torture of children Sydonia Bayer (third from left) inspects new arrivals with SS officers. One survivor recalled that she enjoyed pouring could water over sick children Established by the Nazis in occupied Lodz on December 11, 1942, on the orders of SS chief Heinrich Himmler, Kinder-KZ Litzmannstadt was the only one in Europe specifically for children The discovered bodies are examined by experts Posting on social media, the IPN said: 'The aim [of the search] was to find the remains of children victims of the German camp at Przemysowa Street in odz' Another witness, Jan Woszczyk, said she was 'covered in ice crystals' with blood 'running from her mouth, nose and ears'. 'Her face was frozen in a grimace of pain,' he added. The other victims uncovered by investigators have been identified as Stanisaw Kurek, Janos Duka and Leon Marczawa, all aged between 14 and 15. They all died of disease and exhaustion in the boys' section of the camp. Established by the Nazis in occupied Lodz on December 11, 1942, on the orders of SS chief Heinrich Himmler, Kinder-KZ Litzmannstadt was the only one in Europe specifically for children. It soon became known as 'Little Aushwitz' because of its high death rate and the violence meted out by SS thugs in charge. The children were isolated from the main ghetto which housed adults by a high wooden fence constructed by Jewish prisoners. Through analysis of camp records and burial records, the IPN has so far discovered the remains of the children at a Catholic cemetery in the city. Posting on social media, the IPN said: 'The aim [of the search] was to find the remains of children victims of the German camp at Przemysowa Street in odz. 'The work was carried out between March 31 and April 2, 2025. The remains of the minors were found in four locations. 'The remains will now be examined for anthropological and genetic identification.' A 22-year-old Utah woman who survived a shot to the head as a child is entering hospice care after the wounds inflicted during her ordeal left her terminally-ill. Deserae Turner was 14 when she was shot in the head and left to die in a canal bed in Smithfield in 2017 after being lured and attacked by two of her classmates, Colter Peterson and Jayzon Decker. She survived and was able to graduate high school and get married, but the attack left her with lifelong disabilities and daily pain and challenges. Deserae told ABC4.com that she is preparing for the end by surrounding herself with comfort and her loved ones and is ready to say goodbye. 'I have been in so much agony, so much pain, for eight years it is time for me to take the steps to be in less agony and less pain,' Deserae said. 'Everybody is scared of death and, yes, I guess I am scared a little bit , but I also just want it to come quick... Im not scared of whats gonna happen next I truly believe I know where Im going, and Im ready to get there.' Her family said on Tuesday that after nearly 50 surgeries, which included 16 brain surgeries, Deserae has decided to enter hospice after learning that she is dealing with a deadly infection. Deserae Turner, 22, has entered hospice following an eight-year battle after she was shot in the head by two teenagers when she was 14 Deserae, seen with her father in 2019, managed to graduate high school after she was shot The 2017 shooting in Utah left her with lifelong disabilities and difficulties walking 'Des has fought a good fight for more than 8 years now; she is tired. She doesn't have it in her to fight another life or death battle,' Daserae's family wrote on a GoFundMe they created for her funeral costs and end-of-life care. Her family added: 'There are things worse than death. Quality of life is more important than quantity. Des made the very brave decision not to treat and to go on hospice. She has a firm belief there is life after death and we will be together again.' The GoFundMe for Daserae has raised $29,000 of its $40,000 goal as of Wednesday morning EST. Peterson and Decker, Daserae's attackers, were 17 at the time of the crime. They were each sentenced to at least 15 years in prison in 2018. During their sentencing, Deserae told the court how the bullet, still lodged in her brain, left her struggling to walk, dress herself and function through debilitating headaches. 'You are evil. I wish this had never happened,' she told Decker, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. 'Good luck having a life in prison and remember that, because of you, my life is a prison too.' Decker, left, nd Peterson, Daserae's attackers, were 17 at the time of the crime. They were each sentenced to at least 15 years in prison in 2018. Deserae has lived a full life since the attack and married her husband Mason in 2024 During her attackers' sentencing, Deserae told the court how the bullet, still lodged in her brain, left her struggling to walk, dress herself and function through debilitating headaches Prosecutors said the pair concocted the plan in February 2017 while playing video games and discussing their desire to 'get rid' of Dasarae, who was messaging Peterson on social media. They lured her to an isolated dry canal bed behind a high school in Smithfield, about 90 miles north of Salt Lake City, then shot her and left her for dead in a ditch, prosecutors said. Decker kept the spent shell casing 'as a memento,' charges said. Officers later found it displayed on his bedroom windowsill. Decker, who was tried as an adult, pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated murder and felony obstruction of justice. Peterson, who was also tried as an adult, previously pleaded guilty to aggravated attempted murder and robbery. Longtime Washington DC news broadcaster Leon Harris has announced he is stepping away four months after he suffered an apparent medical emergency live on air. Harris, 63, said leaving NBC4 was a 'difficult decision' that he made because he wanted to focus on his 'health and family.' He referenced an incident over Thanksgiving where he slurred his words and struggled to reach the end of his sentences, which led Harris to take time off from the network. Harris never returned, and four months later, he said in his statement: 'Many of you have kindly asked about me over the past few months. 'As you know, I took time off to focus on my health and family. After 40+ years of nonstop work and the dramatic changes in the news and television industry, Ive made the difficult decision to step away from my role at NBC4.' Harris didn't make any further disclosures regarding his health, or if the incident that unfolded on-screen was linked to his departure. Harris was at the local Washington DC station for eight years, and previously worked for CNN for 21 years and WJLA for 14 years. He said he felt that leaving now was the 'right time' for him, and thanked his 'amazing colleagues, friends, and especially to our viewers who welcomed me into their homes.' 'It's been an honor, thank you.' Longtime Washington DC news broadcaster Leon Harris has announced he is stepping away four months after he suffered an apparent medical emergency live on the air (pictured) Harris was a longtime news reporter in Washington DC who previously worked for CNN Harris had been open about past health issues and struggles with alcohol, including two past arrests for DUI. He went viral at Thanksgiving for his sputtering performance live on the air, which left viewers concerned for his health as he slurred his words and appeared confused. In the opening segment, he struggled to say several street names and began chuckling to himself after multiple slip-ups. The newsreader's condition appeared to deteriorate throughout the two-minute piece, stumbling over words as he continued to grapple with the teleprompter. He was taken off the air soon after, as the network turned to a weatherman to step in. Weatherman Ryan Miller acknowledged during his time on air that the station had received 'a lot' of messages from viewers concerned about Harris' condition. Miller said Harris was 'fine', however neither the anchor nor the station ever commented on what exactly caused the on-air issues. Harris had been open about his past struggles with addition, and was arrested for DUIs in 2013 and 2022 The award-winning broadcaster worked at CNN for 21 years before moving to DC in 2003 Some viewers feared the episode was related to Harris' public battles with addiction, as he has spoken candidly about his past issues with alcohol. Harris, a former anchor for CNN, made headlines 10 years ago when he was arrested for a DUI in Montgomery County, Maryland, and was handed a six-month suspended jail sentence. In January 2022, Harris was arrested and charged again for a DUI in Montgomery County following a crash with another vehicle. The longtime Washington DC broadcaster was driving outside of the nation's capital when he rear-ended a car, sending it into another vehicle, the Montgomery County police report said at the time. No one was seriously injured, however when officers arrived at the scene, they found the anchor attempting to flee, police reported. When stopped by police, Harris failed a field sobriety test and recorded a .08% BAC- twice the legal limit- during a breathalyzer test, police said. He spent 10 days in jail and was taken off the air by NBC4 for a month while being investigated, and after receiving a one-year suspended jail sentence, he spoke candidly with viewers upon his return. 'Many of you know that I made a terrible mistake one night in January,' he said to open the broadcast. 'After drinking, I decided to get into my car and drive. This is the worst decision I could possibly have made.' Speaking with the network soon after, he admitted: 'I thought after having about four glasses of wine I was good.. I wasnt, nobody is going to be good after that.' He said he was seeking daily therapy and 'embracing sobriety', and was seeing some 'very tough professionals to get control of this disease called alcoholism.' Harris (right) married his college sweetheart Dawn Lomax (second from left) with whom he shares two children, Darren (left) and Lauren (second from right) In a career spanning 40 years, Harris was twice awarded the National Cable Ace Award for Best Anchor and won a dozen Local Emmys for his reporting and anchoring throughout the years. In 2013, Harris shared that he experienced a life-threatening health crisis which put him in intensive care unit for two weeks and has left him with half a pancreas. At 52 years old, he was airlifted from his home to a hospital in Baltimore, where he was diagnosed him with acute necrotizing pancreatitis. His condition was life-threatening as his pancreas was inflamed and starting to die, which in turn had caused his kidneys to start to fail and his lungs were filling with fluid. The head of trauma at the Baltimore hospital described Harris' CT scan as looking if a bomb had gone off where the pancreas resides. While on a ventilator, his heart stopped on two different days and he was technically dead. But then the pancreatitis subsided just as quickly as it came on and after five weeks, Harris was back on the air. Xi Jinping's China will impose a massive 84% tariff on American goods from Thursday, 50% higher than previously announced, in a massive escalation of a global trade war. Financial markets across the world have crumbled since US president Donald Trump announced a massive raft of reciprocal tariffs on 'Liberation Day', in response to what the Republican leader said was exploitation of the US by other nations. Imports to the US from almost all nations on Earth were hit with a baseline 10% levy, with Trump's administration increasing the percentage based on trade deficits. But China was hit particularly hard, with Trump slapping imports from Xi Jinping's nation with an effective 104% levy. Trump's tariffs have caused global markets to drastically crash. So far today, the FTSE 100, an index fund detailing the value of Britain's 100 largest firms, dropped 3.6% at time of publication. Germany's DAX was down 4%, while the French CAC 40 was down 4%. US index funds are also expected to fall when they open at 2.30pm UK time. But Trump last night appeared unrepentant for the economic damage his decisions have caused, bragging to the National Republican Congressional Committee Dinner in Washington: 'I am telling you, these countries are calling us up, kissing my ass. 'They are dying to make a deal. "Please, please sir, make a deal. I'll do anything sir."' China said its revenge tariffs would take effect from around noon local time (5am UK time) April 10, giving global supply chains less than a day to reorient themselves and piling more pressure on the world's economy. It added that it was putting export controls on 12 more American companies, and had added six more US firms to its list of 'unreliable entities' that are largely banned from doing business in China or with Chinese companies. Xi Jinping's (pictured) China will impose 84% tariffs on U.S. goods from Thursday, up from the 34% previously announced Donald Trump slapped imports into the US from other nations with a wide array of tariffs American index funds have fallen drastically These companies have not yet been announced. China today told the World Trade Organisation that the US' decision to impose these mass tariffs threatens to further destabilise global trade. 'The situation has dangerously escalated. ...As one of the affected members, China expresses grave concern and firm opposition to this reckless move,' China said in a statement to the WTO on Wednesday that was sent to Reuters by the Chinese mission to the WTO. The financial world has been rattled by Trump's tariffs, and have begun to seriously question his decisions. Dario Perkins, an economist at macroeconomic forecasting consultancy firm TS Lombard, told Bloomberg earlier this week: 'For the first time in my career, Im hearing widespread skepticism about the competency of US policymakers. 'This isnt about politics... And it isnt about policy mistakes... It is about recklessness. 'That is why many global investors are also making the comparison with the UKs "Liz Truss moment".' Earlier today, the Bank of England said Trump's tariffs have 'contributed to a material increase in the risk to global growth' and financial stability. The full extent of the tariffs that will be levied at nations across the globe starting at midnight, though Trump announced the ones on China were increased Tuesday Your browser does not support iframes. In the central bank's Financial Stability Report, published hours before China announced the retaliatory tariff measures, it said that the economic hostility between the US and other nations has increased 'uncertainty... for inflation globally.' But it stressed that 'UK household and corporate borrowers have remained resilient', adding that it 'maintained its judgement' that British banks would still be able to support households and businesses even if the economy turned 'substantially worse than expected.' The disruption from Trump's tariffs made it 'imperative' for the UK to deepen its links with the EU, UK chancellor Rachel Reeves today said. Despite the flood of anxiety from the financial world, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he believed America's tariffs would lead to nations signing deals favourable to the US. He said, citing ongoing trade discussions with Japan, Vietnam, South Korea, India and Britain: 'I think we are going to see a rapid succession of these deals that will give CEOs greater certainty.' Bessent also warned China not to 'devalue their way out' of the trade war, and urged its leaders to come to the table for a formal discussion. A postman who was sacked for punching a customer in the face after a row about him leaving a note rather than delivering a parcel has won almost 5,000 in compensation. Andrew Drysdale got into a fight with the householder after he was accused of not trying to make the delivery and then left the package with a neighbour, an employment tribunal was told. The 60-year-old grandfather claimed he felt 'threatened' by the customer, who was 20 years his junior, and had acted in 'self-defence' after the row in which he was told he should 'do his job properly'. However, he was fired without notice after the customer claimed that as well as striking him in the face, the postman had threatened him by saying he knew where he lived and would have his 'pals' come to his home. Mr Drysdale has now successfully sued Royal Mail for wrongful dismissal and won 4,734.36 in damages after an employment judge found accounts of the incident appeared to be 'embellished'. The tribunal, held in Glasgow, heard that Mr Drysdale worked as a postman in Scotland from 2008. In February 2024, an unnamed customer complained that a delivery hadn't been attempted when he was at home, and he saw the driver sitting in a van. Mr Drysdale said that this customer was lying and that he had attempted to deliver the parcel as well as posting a card when there was no response. Andrew Drysdale was fired without notice after the customer claimed that as well as striking him in the face, an employment tribunal was told (file image) Mr Drysdale has now successfully sued Royal Mail for wrongful dismissal and won 4,734.36 in damages after an employment judge found accounts of the incident appeared to be 'embellished' (file image) He said he spoke to a neighbour and left the parcel with him when there was no answer on the third attempt to deliver it. Later that month, the postman and the customer got into the altercation, the hearing was told. 'While going about his duties and on his way out of the building, [Mr Drysdale] encountered the customer coming up the stairs with his dog that was not on a lead,' the hearing was told. '[Mr Drysdale] asked the customer why he had complained. 'He said the customer should tell the truth. The customer was annoyed and replied that [Mr Drysdale] should do his job properly. 'The customer took out his mobile phone and told [Mr Drysdale] to wait until it was sorted. '[Mr Drysdale] left the building and delivered mail at the next building. 'As [Mr Drysdale] was leaving that building, the customer, whose dog was now on a lead and tied to a fence, approached [him] aggressively. 'The customer was around 20 years younger than [Mr Drysdale] who felt threatened. 'The customer punched [Mr Drysdale]. [Mr Drysdale] threw his hand up in defence making contact with the customer. '[Mr Drysdale] slipped. 'He suffering [sic] blows to the upper right arm, left upper thigh and hand.' The postman spoke to bosses and told them he had been assaulted and although he was 'shaken', carried on with work. Mr Drysdale said he didn't want to call the police as 'the situation had calmed down' and he 'wanted to put the incident behind him'. The customer told the Royal Mail: 'When [Mr Drysdale] came out of the next close he threw down his bag and shouted, 'fucking square go then' and punched the customer in the face. '[He] punched back in self-defence then his brother stepped in to separate the fight.' The Royal Mail contacted a neighbour who had called the police about the incident who said he saw Mr Drysdale punch the customer 'twice on the head'(file image) The customer said that the postman 'threatened him saying that he knew where the customer stayed and his pals would be at the door'. He added that 'he already suffered with mental health and anxiety and he goes out less in case [Mr Drysdale] came to his door'. The Royal Mail contacted a neighbour who had called the police about the incident who said he saw Mr Drysdale punch the customer 'twice on the head'. At a formal meeting about his conduct, Mr Drysdale said he 'only punched back because he was being punched and had to protect himself', and he denied threatening the customer. Mr Drysdale was found to be the 'instigator' of the incident and was sacked for gross misconduct. Employment Judge Shona MacLean, however, was 'unconvinced about the reliability' of the statements made by the customer and the neighbour. 'The neighbour's version appeared embellished,' the judge added. Judge MacLean believed the incident 'was more likely than not to have happened in the way [Mr Drysdale] described'. Mr Drysdale was entitled to 12 weeks' notice of termination, but he was summarily dismissed and had no notice or payment in place of the 12 weeks. The judge found he had acted in self defence. 'It was regrettable that [Mr Drysdale] punched the customer in self-defence. 'While I appreciated that delivery workers are the face of [Royal Mail's] business, acting in self-defence when attacked did not amount to repudiatory breach of contract. 'I therefore concluded that [Mr Drysdale]'s conduct was so not serious as entitling the respondent to summarily dismiss him. 'The wrongful dismissal claim was upheld.' Mr Drysdale's claim for unfair dismissal was dismissed. An autistic teenager with cerebral palsy, armed with a knife, has been left in critical condition after being shot nine times by Idaho police officers, prompting public outrage. Victor Perez, a 17-year-old boy described by his family as nonverbal, autistic and intellectually disabled, was gunned down by police from behind a chain-link fence just seconds after officers exited their vehicles on Saturday. Doctors removed nine bullets from Perez's body and amputated his left leg. He now remains on a ventilator in 'critical condition' after being revived twice, Idaho News 6 reported. 'The police barely spoke to anyone,' Ana Vazquez, the boy's aunt, told The Associated Press. 'They just said get back and they just... they shot to kill.' At around 5:20pm on Saturday afternoon, Brad Andres, a resident who owns a nearby autobody shop, stepped outside to take a call when he and his 19-year-old son, Bridger, noticed a disturbance at the Perez residence. Andres didn't think too much of the scene at first, initially believing it was family members 'play knife fighting' in a neighbor's backyard. 'Nobody was really scared of the guy with the knife,' Andres told East Idaho News. Victor Perez (pictured), a 17-year-old autistic and non-verbal boy with cerebral palsy, armed with a knife, was left in critical condition after being shot nine times by Idaho police officers just seconds after they exited their vehicles In the disturbing video footage, Perez was seen lying on the ground, barely moving, as four officers rushed towards the chain-link fence surrounding the home - three pulling out handguns and another pointing what appeared to be a shotgun However, Andres realized something was wrong when he saw Perez 'swing' the knife at a man and woman, who appeared to be trying to disarm the teenager. Believing it may be a domestic dispute, he and his son called 911. In the call, they said that what they believed to be an intoxicated man - the teen - was wielding a kitchen knife and periodically chasing a man and woman in the yard. 'He seems pretty drunk,' the caller told the dispatcher, adding that the people in the yard were not speaking English. 'He's just running at them with a knife and then falling over. I think he just stabbed himself actually. He looks like he fell on the ground and kind of passed out.' Perez was still on the ground when Pocatello Police Department patrol cars pulled up to the home at around 5:25 pm. Andres decided to record the incident - and the video has since sparked massive infuriation online and in the local community. 'We don't know how to handle this. We've never seen a video that is so extreme,' Andres told East Idaho News. 'It's the most graphic video I've ever seen of police abuse ever,' he added. 'I mean, there's no excuse for it.' In the footage, Perez was seen lying on the ground, barely moving, as four officers rushed toward the chain-link fence surrounding the home - three pulling out handguns and another pointing what appeared to be a shotgun. Doctors removed nine bullets from Perez's body and amputated his left leg. He now remains in a coma on a ventilator in 'critical condition' after dying twice and being revived (pictured: Perez) Brad Andres, a neighbor who took the video, said that Perez never lunged with the knife at anyone in his yard - just more so swung the weapon around as a way to keep others away, describing that 'nobody was in immediate danger' The man in the yard made a hand motion to officers, one described by Andres as trying to convey the general message: 'We're over here, don't panic, this isn't a big deal'. The woman began yelling 'No! No!' with her hands up, he explained, but the cops ignored her pleas. When officers demanded Perez drop the weapon, the teen instead stood up and began stepping toward them with the knife still in his grasp. 'He saw everybody pointing guns at him, so he stood up and pointed the knife towards the officers,' Andres told East Idaho News. 'After the officers saw this, they all unloaded.' From there, all hell broke loose. Officers began repeatedly firing at Perez, with audio from the disturbing footage capturing nine continuous gunshots. 'They never once asked, "What is the situation, how can we help?"' Andres said. 'They ran up with their guns drawn, they triggered a mentally disabled person to react and when he reacted... they shot him.' Andres explained that the police 'appeared to be like a death squad or firing squad,' rather than officers trying to de-escalate a situation. 'You can see that the kid, after he was shot, wounded and down on the ground in pain, suffering from the shots, they continued to shoot at him,' Andres told East Idaho News. 'It looked sketchy. There's a knife, there's things in danger, so my son made the correct call to call 911 with the goal of helping his neighbor with this situation.' When officers demanded Perez drop the weapon, the teen instead stood up and began stepping towards them with the knife still in his grasp, prompting officers to repeatedly fire at the teen Dozens of protestors gathered outside the Pocatello Police Department Sunday afternoon carrying signs that read: 'Bloody Hands, Dirty Cowards', 'Do Better PPD', 'Hold PPD accountable' and 'What are Tasers for?' (pictured: Perez) 'Dispatch may have exaggerated something, because this wasn't a knife fight. Nobody would have been stabbed. Nobody was in immediate danger,' he added, noting how Perez never lunged at anyone, but more so swung the knife around as a way to keep others away. After life-saving measures were taken at the scene, Perez was taken to Portneuf Medical Center where he has since undergone three surgeries, one being the amputation of his leg, according to Idaho News 6. The 17-year-old boy is currently in a coma and hooked up to a ventilator. Doctors worked to test his brain function, but he already had to be revived twice while in their care. 'We don't know if he's going to wake up,' Vazquez said. Videos of Saturday's shooting have since circulated around social media, enraging the boy's family, neighbors and the internet as to why officers opened fire within about 12 seconds of exiting their cars - all while making no apparent effort to de-escalate the situation or use less lethal weapons. 'He had the brain of a little kid about five years old,' Vazquez told 7 News, noting how despite his difficulties, her nephew can still be calmed down. 'I know the position of the police, but only one can at least stop him,' she added. 'You have to shoot? Nine bullets they took nine bullets out of that kid.' Seth Stoughton, a former police officer who teaches at the University of South Carolina Law School, also had questions about the video, as he wondered why officers failed to use the basic tactic of backing up to create space between them and Perez. Videos of Saturday's shooting have since circulated around social media, enraging hundreds of people, including Ana Vazquez, the boy's aunt (pictured), who described that the police just 'shot to kill' Hundreds are left wondering why officers opened fire within about 12 seconds of exiting their cars - all while making no apparent effort to de-escalate the situation 'It does not appear to me that any officer is in immediate danger at the point where they begin shooting,' Stoughton said. 'If he had made it over the fence and officers backed up and he continued to approach... then that could change.' Thousands of furious users have since flooded social media, expressing their disgust and labeling the shooting as nothing short of murder. One comment read: 'There is a fence between him and the police. Why would they think their lives were in danger when they could have used a taser? That is murder.' 'Just horrifying,' said another. 'Calling the police on an autistic child experiencing a mental health crisis is too often a death sentence.' 'There is a physical barrier between the suspect and the officers and not one of them thought maybe a taser would be worth a try before just opening fire? Disgusting, I hope they all face heavy disciplinary action,' a third added. Dozens of protestors gathered outside the Pocatello Police Department Sunday afternoon carrying signs that read: 'Bloody Hands, Dirty Cowards', 'Do Better PPD', 'Hold PPD accountable' and 'What are Tasers for?', according to East Idaho News. Chief Roger Schei released a statement to the police department's Facebook page on Monday, stating that he wanted to 'provide clarity, share the information we can at this stage and address some misconceptions that have emerged.' Eastern Idaho Critical Incident Task Force is now conducting an investigation, along with the Bannock County Sheriff's Office and the Idaho State Police Chief Roger Schei (pictured) released a statement to the police department's Facebook page on Monday, defending the actions of his officers as 'the risk was immediate and the situation was rapidly evolving' 'We understand the concern and emotion surrounding the officer-involved shooting that occurred,' he said in the statement. 'We are also aware of the video circulating online, which shows only one angle. The full picture requires careful review of all facts and evidence.' Schei said he would not answer any questions surrounding the shooting because the Eastern Idaho Critical Incident Task Force is conducting an investigation, along with the Bannock County Sheriff's Office and the Idaho State Police, 6 News reported. In the statement, however, the chief doubled down and defended his officers actions. 'In situations like this, officers must make decisions in seconds,' he said. 'They assess threats not just to themselves but to those nearby.' 'In this case, two individuals were within a few feet of an armed, noncompliant individual. The risk was immediate and the situation was rapidly evolving.' Several members of the Pocatello community have expressed their distrust, with many calling for an independent investigation to 'ensure all evidence is reviewed,' according to Idaho News 6. According to the departments policy manual, all uniformed officers who have been trained to use Tasers must carry them, as well as either a baton or pepper spray. Vazquez has reiterated that Perez walked with a staggering gait because of his disabilities - he was not intoxicated. The boys 16-year-old sister also yelled to the police not to shoot and that he was 'special,' Vazquez said. However, it was unclear if the police heard any such comments, which were not apparent on the circulating video. Vazquez said that this was Perez's first interaction with law enforcement, as the family had never called police for help with the boy in the past. Across the country, police departments are increasing training for officers on best ways to identify and interact with people who may have developmental or intellectual disabilities, including many trainings centering on autism. The trainings often focus in on ways people on the autism spectrum react to outside stimulus like noise or touching, that can be seen as resisting commands or resisting arrest to someone not on the spectrum. Some groups have started providing stickers or marked license plates for people with autistic family members as a signal for police. New York City plans to reduce the prevalence of the deeply-despised hunter green scaffolding sheds crowding and darkening the streets, Mayor Eric Adams declared. On March 26, City Council passed legislation that not only gives the eyesores a much-needed makeover, but shortens the time periods they can stay propped up. The mayor approved the law, which will affect the more than 8,500 scaffolding structures across the city, on Tuesday. 'New York City is the most beautiful city in the world except when sidewalk sheds ruin the view,' Adams wrote on X. 'We will remove these unnecessary black eyes - or hunter green eyes - from our sidewalks, repair facades faster, and let the sun shine again on our city.' This new legislation aims to make the temporary sheds blend into the city more seamlessly. Council Member Keith Powers said on March 26: 'For too long, our city has been covered in over 400 miles of ugly, dingy scaffolding that impacts the experience of everyday New Yorkers, small business owners, and people coming to visit our city.' As the Department of Buildings (DOB) explained, scaffolding will be colored to match buildings. New York City plans to reduce the prevalence of the deeply-despised hunter green scaffolding sheds crowding and darkening the streets In 1979 incident, 17-year-old New Yorker Grace Gold was killed by a loose piece of masonry from a building's facade The dreaded shade of green will still be allowed, but will likely be less prominent among all the other hues. 'So a red building could have a red shed, and so on,' a DOB spokesperson told the New York Post. Of the 8,531 scaffolding tents, 327 of them have been up for more than five years, according to the DOB. The average age of these structures is 511 days, but the NY Post reported there is at least one building that has had scaffolding up for more than a decade. 'Ask any New Yorker and theyll tell you: sidewalk sheds are the permanent guest that never leaves,' Council Member Erik Bottcher said on March 26. 'What was meant to be a temporary safety measure has become a symbol of dysfunction on our streets.' These reforms would slash the maximum allotted time period for sidewalk permits from one year to just three months, unless a scaffolding shed is needed for renovations or the construction of a new building. The building inspection cycle will also be extended from five years to nine years, depending on the age of a property, the NY Post reported. The dreaded shade of green scaffolding will still be allowed, but will likely be less prominent among all the other hues Another aspect of this legislation is a bill that doubles the number of lights underneath sheds to make them brighter and safer, especially at night. 'Those sheds have been up for quite some time,' Adams said on Tuesday, the NY Post reported. 'They were created to protect New Yorkers from unsafe buildings and construction sites but we have allowed too many to languish for years or even decades crowding our sidewalks and darkening our streets.' New Yorkers, as well as tourists, have become accustomed to seeing scaffolding more often than not. The 'blights,' as Council Speaker Adrienne Adams described them, are so prominent because of the Facade Inspections & Safety Program (FISP). This program requires owners of buildings taller than six stories to have the exterior walls and accessories inspected every five years. The FISP has aimed to protect people from being injured - or worse - from debris falling off of buildings. Formerly known as Local Law 11, the FISP was born out of a tragic 1979 incident, when 17-year-old New Yorker Grace Gold was killed by a loose piece of masonry from a building's facade, according to Rand Engineering & Architecture. The Barnard student's death sparked the 1980 Local Law 10, which required buildings facing the street that were over six stories to be inspected every five years. The mayor approved the law, which will affect the more than 8,500 scaffolding structures across the city, on Tuesday Local Law 11 - now the FISP - replaced Local Law 10 in 1998. Instead of just street-facing buildings, the newer law applies to all city buildings. Mayor Adams has been fighting for scaffolding reforms since July 2023 with his 'Get Sheds Down' initiative, mainly citing safety concerns and how expensive they are to maintain. NYC Buildings Commissioner James Oddo said last year, according to ABC 7: 'When you are in a cramped, dark, not-very-well lit no light reaching the store, an attraction for nefarious activity, bars all around, that's a vibe that this mayor does not want. 'That feeling you and others get when a shed has come down, and an area that was dank is now resplendent in light. The word of the day. Shed-enfreude.' By August 2024, the city removed at least 259 long-standing structures, including the oldest at the time, a 21-year-old shed in Harlem, according to a statement from the mayor's office. A rescue mission is underway in the North Sea after an explosion triggered a blaze on board a 500ft container ship, Dutch media reports. The Dutch coastguard was alerted around 1pm local time to reports of a blast on board the Victoria L as it sailed near Hoek van Holland, according to Westlanders. It was not immediately clear what had caused the initial explosion. But crew were said to be again struggling to battle the blaze this afternoon as it flared up a second time. The Liberian-flagged container ship was en route from Hamburg to the port of Rotterdam with a crew of 19 when the incident occurred. None are believed to have been injured in the blast or resulting fire. Two helicopters and multiple vessels in the area were reportedly heading to the scene this afternoon. Online tracking data showed the Victoria L was expected to reach Rotterdam by 2pm local time (1pm GMT) this afternoon. The Victoria L (pictured, undated) was sailing to Rotterdam when an explosion occurred. It was previously known as the O. M. Bonitatis Your browser does not support iframes. Crew efforts to put out the fire were in vain, as by 1:30pm it 'threatened to flare up again'. Vessels including the Jeanine Parqui rescue boat rallied to help the trapped crew. Helicopters, including one with firefighters, were also deployed to the ship. The Victoria L, built in 2009, was previously named O. M. Bonitatis. The reports come after a Portuguese-registered container ship collided with a US tanker in the North Sea, off the coast of East Yorkshire, leaving one man missing. The Solong hit the American Stena Immaculate on March 10, off the coast of Humber Estuary. The crash caused large fires on both vessels and sparked environmental concerns. Horrifying footage showed huge plumes of black smoke rising from the scene. The two ships were still ablaze 12 hours after the collision, British coast guards said. They said they had ended the search for the missing crew member. They confirmed 36 others had been brought ashore, one of whom was hospitalised. The man feared dead was named as Filipino national Mark Pernia. File photo shows a different container vessel in the Port of Rotterdam on April 3, 2025 The collision triggered a major rescue operation by lifeboats, coast guard aircraft and commercial vessels in the foggy North Sea. A preliminary report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said Solong 'altered course' at about 1.30am to a heading of 150 degrees, which is a south-east direction. It maintained this course until the crash except for a 'slight deviation' at 3.45am. Solong was travelling at a speed of about 16 knots when it hit Stena Immaculate, the MAIB said. Seven police officers have been rushed to hospital after a catastrophic chase ended in disaster, leaving five police vehicles wrecked and a major dual carriageway shut for hours. A man and a woman in their 20s have been arrested after officers were hospitalised following a high-speed pile-up on the busy A1, near Denton, Newcastle, in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The dual carriageway has been forced shut for several hours between Junction 73 (Swalwell) and Junction 75 (Denton) after a horror smash involving a BMW sports car and multiple police vehicles just before 2.30am. Stunned locals living near where the crash took place described it as 'absolute carnage' this morning as they were woken up to police helicopters circling above a scene of devastation. Residents said they have not seen a major incident in the area since the notorious Raoul Moat manhunt in 2010. The scene of the crash is a stone's throw from where PC David Rathband was shot by Moat on the roundabout next to the A69. Glass and debris remains strewn across the road this afternoon, while police sniffer dogs were seen scouring the wreckage. Investigators have spent the day probing the incident, with officers seen searching a handbag and other belongings from inside the car involved in the chase. A man in his 20s has subsequently been arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and a woman, also aged in her 20s, has been arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting dangerous driving. Both remain in police custody. The shocking scenes unfolded after police officers attempted to stop a car in the Whickham area of Gateshead at around 2am amid concerns over how the vehicle was being driven. Seven police officers have been taken to hospital after a horror crash involving at least five police vehicles The multi-vehicle crash happened on the northbound carriageway of the A1 motorway near Denton, Newcastle shortly before 2.30am on Wednesday Four marked cars were damaged, with one having its roof and doors ripped off, while a fifth unmarked cruiser completely turned on its side A BMW M Sport was also involved in the crash and had been surrounded by battered police vehicles in the middle of the highway Shocking pictures of the aftermath show four damaged marked police cars and one unmarked police vehicle (right) completely turned on its side Crash investigators at the scene of the crash which closed the A1 in both directions Your browser does not support iframes. A dark grey BMW M Sport then raced off and a police pursuit was authorised when it was sighted at around 2.25am. Just two minutes later the car and five police vehicles were involved in the horror smash, and a section of A1 remained closed in both directions more than 12 hours later. The BMW was also involved in the crash and had been surrounded by battered police vehicles in the middle of the highway. Four marked police cars were severely damaged, with one having its roof and doors ripped off, while a fifth unmarked cruiser was left completely turned on its side. Four of the officers have since been discharged, while two remain for observation and one is receiving treatment to a leg injury. The two occupants of the BMW were uninjured. Superintendent Michelle Caisley, from Northumbria Police, said said: 'Firstly, we want to wish all the officers who have been involved in the collision a full recovery. 'We would also thank all those who attended the scene, including our colleagues from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service and the North East Ambulance Service. 'An investigation is under way to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident and ask anyone with information that may assist us to come forward. 'We would also ask people to avoid speculation both online and in the community which could impact the investigation. 'We recognise this incident has caused significant delays and thank motorists for their patience. 'The road closure has been necessary in order for our collision investigation team to conduct their enquiries.' Avril Smith has lived next to the highway for 27 years and was left horrified at the pile-up. 'It was absolute carnage,' she told MailOnline. 'It was the sound of the police helicopter which woke me up at 2.45am. 'I got up and went to the other bedroom and when I opened the blinds there was police and ambulances everywhere. 'I knew then something serious had happened. I've never seen anything this bad before, living here.' Another resident said: 'It was just shock when I saw what happened. To see see the amount of carnage was mad. 'I've been here 20 years and the only major thing we know to have happened here was when Raoul Moat shot the police officer. 'It's such a busy stretch of road that is going to cause chaos.' One of the police vehicles is lifted from the scene of the high-speed crash Specialist police sniffer dogs have also been spotted at the crash site this afternoon One police car has been left without a roof and three of its doors While others have smashed windows and parts scattered across all three lanes The road between junction 73 and 75 is expected to remain shut beyond rush hour and into the afternoon while police investigations are carried out Long after the crash, blue lights continued to flash on an unmarked police car which was crushed against the central reservation barrier. A police detection dog was sent in to a black BMW which was wedged between the marked police cars. The process of removing the damaged vehicles and lifting them on to low loaders was under way by lunchtime. The road between junction 73 and 75 is expected to remain shut into the afternoon while police investigations are carried out. Meanwhile, Newcastle Airport has warned anyone travelling to the airport this morning to allow 'additional time' following the collision. The A-road is a key route to the airport which is expected to be busy due to the Easter holidays. There are major delays on the surrounding roads, with heavy congestion on the nearby Scotswood Road and other areas of the A1. The road is closed between Swalwell, in Gateshead, and Denton, Newcastle At least four police vehicles were involved in the crash on the major road Smashed glass and debris remains scattered across the road following the crash Crash investigators have been sent to the scene of the pile-up The scene on the A1, which has been shut in both directions on Tyneside Two black cars were also involved in the crash with one of the mangled motors turned completely on its side Traffic is also particularly bad coming in and out of Newcastle city centre, due to the proximity of the collision. There are delays of 45 minutes, said National Highways, with currently four miles of congestion northbound and one mile of congestion southbound. As there is no official diversion route for the section of the A1, nearby roads are being heavily affected, particularly the A19 to the east of Newcastle, added the highways agency. It is not yet known when the road will reopen, with officers from the Forensic Collision Investigation Unit currently on the scene. A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: 'We received a call at 2.29am on Wednesday 9 April to reports of a road traffic collision on the A1 northbound near Denton, Newcastle. 'We dispatched five ambulance crews, a specialist paramedic, a duty officer, two crews from our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) and requested support from our colleagues at the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) who attended by road. 'Five patients were transported to hospital for further treatment.' When approached the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) said that the incident has not been refereed to the watchdog. Emergency services rushed to the crash that happened at around 2.30am on Wedesday The scene on the A1, which has been shut in both directions on Tyneside Crash investigators start their probe into the collision that ended in seven officers people in hospital The road between junction 73 and 75 is expected to remain shut beyond rush hour and into the afternoon National Highways said the A1 will be closed between Swalwell in Gateshead and Denton in both directions In a statement published on Wednesday morning, a Northumbria Police spokesperson said: 'Shortly before 2:30am today (Wednesday) we received a report of a multi-vehicle collision on the A1 northbound near the Derwent Haugh Road junction, Gateshead. 'Emergency services are currently in attendance. 'A section of the road is closed in both directions there are diversions in place from the Derwent Haugh Road junction northbound, and the A69 roundabout southbound. 'Motorists should use alternative routes where possible.' A Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: 'We can confirm that in the early hours of Wednesday morning (April 9) five fire appliances and two officers attended a road traffic collision in Newcastle. 'Our control room team received an emergency call from Northumbria Police for assistance at 2.29am, and crews from Gosforth, Newcastle Central, Swalwell and West Denton Community Fire Stations were dispatched to a location on the A1 northbound near to Denton Burn. 'Our firefighters assisted blue light colleagues from Northumbia Police and North East Ambulance Service during the multiple-vehicle incident. 'Crews left the scene at 3.51am.' An unmarked police vehicle was left on its side following the crash Emergency services personnel help with the crash investigation at the scene on the A1 National Highways said the A1 will be closed between Swalwell in Gateshead and Denton in both directions into Wednesday afternoon. In a statement on its website, National Highways said: 'A multi-vehicle collision resulting in serious injuries occurred at approximately 2.30am this morning (Wednesday, April 9). 'Due to the severity of the collision a full Northumbria Police investigation is under way and they advise that it will be protracted. 'The road is expected to remain closed in both directions into the afternoon of Wednesday, April 9.' Four eerie UFOs have been caught on a US naval camera emerging from the ocean and taking off in a 'synchronized' flight off the coast of southern California. The objects were recorded by stunned sailors who said they spotted the group of UFOs during the incident aboard the USS Jackson. The newly obtained footage shows the moment two of the UFOs emerged from the ocean during the incident on February 15, 2023. Their shape appeared strikingly similar to a 2004 sighting of a 'tic tac shaped' UFO in the same waters, which was previously investigated by a top secret government program. The never-before-seen video was obtained by journalist George Knapp and Jeremy Corbell, co-hosts of the Weaponized Podcast, who revealed it to the public on Tuesday. Knapp and co-host Jeremy Corbell spoke to Navy personnel who said they watched as four Tic Tac-shaped UFOs that emerged from the ocean in a military-controlled area known as Warning Area 291. Corbell noted that this is the same area of the Pacific where other Navy sailors have reported seeing strange, unidentified craft over the years - including the now-infamous 2004 Tic Tac sighting by the USS Nimitz. A combat information center (CIC) operator on board the Jackson who witnessed the incident spoke with the podcast, saying that seeing a UFO over the Pacific isn't really shocking for Navy personnel, but seeing a whole formation take off out of the water was jarring. US Navy sailors revealed another 'Tic Tac' UFO sighting in the Pacific, just like the one that occurred nearly 20 years earlier in 2004 'All in synchronous, jetting into the abyss. All four, all timed together and all left. And we were like holy s**t," the anonymous CIC operator told the Weaponized podcast. 'The second they left, maybe three, four seconds pass, I run to my station and I look at my radar, they're all off radar. That's it, they all zoomed off," the sailor continued. 'But it's clear that they're in communication with one another and synchronized like three, two, one countdown. Let's all go. I think unless there's some level of like one entity controlling all four and then they all leave at the same time.' After seeing the craft come out of the ocean, the crew of the Jackson captured the Tic Tacs on a specialized heat sensor called Safire that could track their movements at night. Shockingly, none of the craft seen in the Safire images was producing any kind of heat trail as they were moving through the air - meaning they were using a totally unknown form of propulsion. Corbell added that even if the UFOs were just hovering over the Pacific, the Safire camera should have been able to see some kind of heat from an engine - but there was nothing. Former defense department analyst Marik Von Rennenkampff analyzed flight data from the time and location of the sighting and concluded there were no US aircraft in the area. 'I don't think it's ours. I suspect there are better places for us to showcase that kind of equipment to unwitting sailors. That just doesn't make sense,' Von Rennenkampff said. Two eerie UFOs have been caught on a US naval camera emerging from the ocean and taking off in a 'synchronized' flight off the coast of southern California The objects were recorded by stunned sailors who said they spotted four UFOs in total The incident echoes the infamous, 'Nimitz incident' two decades prior, when Navy pilots saw two UFOs flying at incredible speeds in the same area. At least six pilots encountered the mysterious object as it flew at speed over the Pacific near Mexico on November 14, 2004. Top Gun fighter pilot David Fravor was flying a training exercise off the coast of San Diego when he was re-routed to investigate a strange object spotted on radar by warships protecting his aircraft carrier, the Nimitz. He found was a roughly 40ft white object with no windows or wings, shaped like a Tic-Tac, flitting about above the sea that was roiling below it, disturbed by something large submerged beneath the surface. Commander Fravor told Congress in 2023 that as he circled the object, it turned to mirror his movements, then shot off past him at thousands of miles per hour, somehow stopping a second later at a secret pre-designated rendezvous point 60 miles away, that only he and a handful of Navy staff on his ship were given ahead of their training exercise. Fellow F-18 pilot Lieutenant Chad Underwood then flew out and caught the object on video footage that was published by the New York Times in 2017, igniting a firestorm of intrigue about the government's knowledge of UFOs. The latest sighting (pictured) comes two decades after the 2004 'Nimitz incident' where tic tac shaped UFOs were spotted by Navy pilots The objects were captured on thermal cameras aboard the USS Jackson in February 2023 The 2004 'Tic-Tac' UFOs disappeared from sight about 60 miles north of Guadalupe Island off the coast of Mexico, according to witnesses who spoke with DailyMail.com The way it moved has led to speculation that it was a UFO and it has become a key piece of evidence for those who believe in extraterrestrials. A source who investigated the incident for the Department of Defense previously told DailyMail.com that they were briefed about sonar data from a nearby submarine that tracked the UFOs moving at more than 460 mph underwater during the shocking encounter. At the time, the sighting went largely uninterrogated, until the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) learned about it in 2008. Fravor and Underwood both said they were shocked by the similarities between the Nimitz incident and this latest sighting raising questions over whether the UFOs returned or never left. Elon Musk has launched an astonishing new salvo in his explosive war of words with President Donald Trump's tariff chief Peter Navarro. The Tesla and SpaceX billionaire hasn't been shy about sharing his opposition to the president's sweeping international tariffs, which went into effect overnight. They have been spearheaded by Navarro, Trump's senior adviser for trade and manufacturing. Over the last few days, Musk and Navarro have shared some choice words with each other over their starkly different views on how to handle global trade. In the latest outburst Musk boosted comments from a conservative CNN pundit who is on his side of the fight, and suggested his business savvy should be taken more seriously than Navarro's. Scott Jennings, once an adviser to President George W. Bush and Sen. Mitch McConnell, had only glowing things to say about Musk and claimed Navarro was asking for his wrath after he attacked the Tesla car brand. 'I just think the relentless attacks on him both from inside the people who support the president and outside have frankly been unfair,' Jennings said during a segment on CNN. 'I think he's a patriotic American, I think he's given up his time and his treasure and his trouble to elect someone and try to make him successful,' he added. Elon Musk isn't backing off his rhetoric against President Donald Trump's tariff architect and economic advisor Peter Navarro Musk continued his public spat on Wednesday by highlighting CNN pundit Scott Jennings's comments defending his Tesla electric vehicle company as the 'most American made' car Your browser does not support iframes. Along with posting the clip to X, Jennings added the caption: '[Elon Musk] is a patriotic American who happens to make THE most American car - Tesla. Attacks on Tesla were wrong and Elon's presence in the campaign and Trump WH have been unquestionably a net positive.' Musk replied to the post with three American Flag emojis. The extraordinary row between the two top MAGA advisers began when Navarro described Musk as a 'car assembler,' and claimed his Tesla electric vehicles required parts manufactured in foreign countries including China, Japan, and Taiwan all recipients of Trump's latest tariffs. 'When it comes to tariffs and trade, we all understand in the White House - and the American people understand - that Elon is a car manufacturer, but he's not a car manufacturer. He's a car assembler,' Navarro said. The X owner responded angrily on his social media platform on Tuesday, claiming: 'Navarro is dumber than a sack of bricks.' 'Navarro is truly a moron,' he continued. 'What he says here is demonstrably false.' He dubbed the trade adviser 'Peter Retarrdo.' The White House has dismissed the public feud as just more transparency from the Trump administration and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt brushed it off with: 'Boys will be boys.' Musk is the world's richest man, and he personally lost billions in the market's reaction to the tariffs last week and this week, which saw the U.S. stock market experience its worst trading week in five years. Billionaire chief executive of Tesla Elon Musk savaged President Donald Trump's trade advisor Peter Navarro after he criticized the DOGE advisor's car company. Pictured (left): Peter Navarro, Stephen Miller and Elon Musk speaking inside the Oval Office of the White House in March. Pictured (right): Trump and Musk in the Oval Office on March 14 When Navarro insisted the tariffs would eventually pay off, Musk took to his X platform to mock the economic advisor. The Tesla boss responded to a post noting Navarro's education credentials, to which he said: ' A PhD in Econ from Harvard is a bad thing, not a good thing. Results in the ego/brains>>1 problem.' A user responded to say that Navarro was 'correct', but Musk remarked: 'He ain't built s***.' Navarro has dismissed Musk's concerns about Trump's widespread and sweeping tariffs, noting it was understandable as coming from a 'car person'. 'He's a car person. That's what he does, and he wants the cheap foreign parts,' he said. Musk replied to that with: 'By any definition whatsoever, Tesla is the most vertically integrated auto manufacturer in America with the highest percentage of US content.' Jennings, during a roundtable on CNN's The Arena with Kasie Hunt, lauded how Teslas are 'the most American made car.' 'It's one of the great American automotive manufacturing success stories,' Jennings noted. Elon Musk and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles walk to Air Force One. A source told DailyMail.com that Musk has rubbed Wiles the wrong way and treated her like a 'secretary' Musk's war with Navarro isn't the first time he's rubbed Trump's top aides the wrong way. One source told DailyMail.com that Musk treated Chief of Staff Susie Wiles like a 'secretary.' Nicknamed the 'Ice Maiden' for her cool, unflustered demeanor, Wiles earned accolades for bringing order to the Trump chaos during the 2024 presidential campaign. Her attempts to do the same in D.C., however, are reportedly undercut by Musk, who is liberal with use of his massive platform on X to make announcements and throw firebombs that might not line up with White House strategy. President Trump has made it clear to Musk, according to several reports, that he is a member of the staff under the charge of Wiles. But Musk definitely isn't used to not being the boss. And it emerged last week that Musk is halfway out the door and preparing to leave his role within the administration. The White House has denied these reports. A young mother shared an excited video of herself preparing to get plastic surgery just hours before she died while recovering. Ahmonique Miller, 28, and her sister Kiera Barnes, 19, traveled to Miami to from Las Vegas to get a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) and liposuction at Avana Plastic Surgery, she said on Instagram. Miller, who had a one-year-old daughter, documented the journey from Nevada to Florida, where they checked into a post-surgery recovery house named Keylas Recovery House. 'Come to Pre Op with me,' she said on one of the videos she posted before surgery. 'I'm super excited... The office staff is super nice, they made me feel super comfortable.. and I know this is gonna be the best. I can't wait to see my results,' Miller added. But tragedy was to follow, with Miller's social media falling completely quiet after the procedure, which sees fat injected into the buttocks and is notoriously dangerous. Her mother Wakeelah told NBC 6 the sisters each paid $1,500 for a six-night stay at the recovery house. The surgery on March 6 reportedly went well, and they were discharged to a recovery home to be monitored for complications. But the next day, authorities responded to the home and found Miller dead, showing signs of rigor mortis - an indication she had been dead for hours. Officials said her body was heavily bandaged and face down on a bed. Ahmonique Miller, 28, and her sister Kiera Barnes, 19, traveled to Miami to get plastic surgery together, but Miller never returned home to Las Vegas Miller, who died while recovering from the procedure, is pictured with her one-year-old daughter The sisters each paid $1,500 for a six-night stay at the recovery house, which police now say was 'operating as an illegal post-plastic surgery recovery home' Police now say the house was 'operating as an illegal post-plastic surgery recovery home.' 'My daughter is supposed to be here with her daughter,' Wakeelah said. 'And unfortunately, she is not.' The grieving mother said her surviving daughter claimed Miller had been given 'a muscle relaxer was given and possibly multiple Percocets.' Miller's sister Kiera also told police that Miller was given medication before she went to sleep and never woke up. Kiera said online that both sisters were initially scheduled to be operated on by the same surgeon. But beforehand, Miller reportedly switched to a different surgeon. Tthe Miami-Dade Medical Examiner is reportedly still working to determine Miller's cause and manner of death and no specifics on what happened to her have been shared. A lawyer for the owner of the recovery house, Keyla Oliver, declined to comment when reached by NBC 6. Miami police said Miller's death is under investigation. 'I'm super excited... The office staff is super nice, they made me feel super comfortable.. and I know this is gonna be the best. I can't wait to see my results,' Miller said before surgery Miller shared images on Instagram of the recovery home, named Keylas Recovery House Miller received a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) and liposuction in Miami. She is seen with her baby Miller received a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL), a procedure that involves transferring fat from the abdomen, thighs and hips to the buttocks to increase its size. The procedure is notorious dangerous of the risk of a fat embolism, where fat cells pass into the bloodstream and travel to the lungs, heart or other organs causing a serious clot and death. 'Ahmonique is not the first,' Miller's mother Wakeelah said. 'And I hope that she is the last that this happens to.' She added: 'It is a big deal... a little girl is now without her mother today.' Miller operated two small businesses in Las Vegas with multiple employees and was an aspiring musician. Prince Harry was escorted from a High Court hearing about his security arrangements today shielded by his burly bodyguards after an agitated supporter disrupted proceedings. The bespectacled supporter a diminutive, shaven-headed black woman who looked in her 50s had attracted attention after arriving late to the public gallery, and repeatedly shifting in her seat and fiddling and fidgeting with two phones and a notebook. The Dukes long-term head security man David Langdown, 57, and another burly aide appeared to focus on the woman, anxious if a threat to his safety was present. When the hearing broke so the public and press could leave, before a secret session involving security details could begin, Langdown and the other bodyguard ensured that as the Duke was led out of the room at the Royal Courts of Justice, they were between him and the woman. As he passed her, within touching distance, the woman suddenly shouted out, indistinctly, what appeared to be I support you Prince Harry. As the Duke was hurried out, the woman turned to the press gallery and said: If youre members of the press, youre the reason hes not in England. She was then kept to one side by a member of court security, before being led out of the building, away from members of the public. As she was led out, the Daily Mail approached to ask what she was talking about. She refused to say. Prince Harrys taxpayer-funded security was cut after his highly unusual decision to quit royal duties and spend most of the time abroad, the High Court has heard The Duke of Sussex has flown 5,000 miles to be at the Royal Courts of Justice in London for the hearing and waved to fans gathered near the entrance today The royal, flanked by security guards, claimed he was singled out for inferior treatment after Mexit Only after she had been taken away did the Duke return, accompanied by his watchful security, for the secret session. Earlier, as the Home Secretarys case was made, Prince Harry at one stage appeared to throw his pen down in exasperation and pull a face expressing disbelief. The High Court heard earlier today that the Princes taxpayer-funded security was cut after his highly unusual decision to quit royal duties and spend most of the time abroad. The Duke of Sussex has flown 5,000 miles from California to attend a two-day hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London to win automatic state security for him and his family. He has claimed he was singled out for inferior treatment when the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) stripped him of his top-level security in February 2020, following Megxit. But Sir James Eadie KC, representing the Home Office, has said it had discretion to strip his guaranteed full time police security without consulting the Risk Management Board (RMB) quango. RMB risk analysis is the usual approach in usual cases, he told the High Court today. But there is nothing about the appellants [Prince Harrys] announcement in January 2020 that he was to step back from his role in the Royal family, and spend most of the time abroad, that was usual. Prince Harry arrived at the High Court shortly after 10am and waved to fans gathered near the entrance. He then made his way to his seat in the courtroom and sat behind his barristers with a notepad, pen and bottle of water in front of him. The California-based royal is challenging the dismissal of his High Court legal action against the Home Office. It stems from the decision by Ravec that he should receive a different degree of protection when in the country of his birth because he stepped down as a full-time royal. The case has cost the British taxpayer 500,000 so far. Prince Harry's lawyer Shaheed Fatima KC insisted that Ravec failed to follow its own guidelines and should have commissioned an assessment of the Duke's security needs from the Risk Management Board (RMB). Ms Fatima said: 'The appellant [the Duke of Sussex] does not accept that bespoke means better in fact, in his position, it means he has been singled out for different, inferior treatment.' Prince Harry made his way to his seat in the appeal hearing and sat behind his barristers with a notepad, pen and bottle of water in front of him, shortly before it began at 10.30am The California-based royal is challenging the dismissal of his High Court legal action against the Home Office It stems from the decision that he should receive a different degree of protection when in the country of his birth because he stepped down as a full-time royal She added that the judge who previously ruled Ravec had acted correctly was mistaken. But barrister Sir James, speaking for the Home Secretary, told the High Court that his extremely unusual withdrawal from Royal duties changed everything. He said it was hard to imagine someone more experienced and better placed than the chair of Ravec to make a bespoke decision about how the Dukes security arrangements should change to accommodate the unique and unusual circumstances of the appellant [Prince Harry]. And Sir James denied the Duke was treated unfairly and said: He was not being singled out - on the contrary, the process being adopted had positive advantages for him. While the court was hearing the Home Secretarys argument against his appeal, Prince Harry wrote detailed observations densely packed on to a blue post-it note. His solicitor then passed it forward through his team of four barristers until it reached his lead KC Ms Fatima. Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle 'felt forced to step back' from frontline royal duties in 2020 'as they considered they were not being protected by the institution', Ms Fatima KC said yesterday. But hitting back the Home Office's barrister said the Duke of Sussex's appeal 'involves a continued failure to see the wood for the trees'. Opening Prince Harry's appeal yesterday morning, Ms Fatima said he had been 'singled out' for 'inferior treatment' when he was stripped of the high level of protection he was previously given by the Metropolitan Police. 'When Ravec made its February 2020 decision about the appellant's protective security, it did not apply its own terms of reference to that decision-making process', she said, adding that Ravec came up with a 'different and so-called 'bespoke process'. 'The appellant [Prince Harry] does not accept that "bespoke" means "better". In fact, in his submission, it means that he has been singled out for different, unjustified and inferior treatment'. In written submissions submitted to the Court of Appeal yesterday, Harry's KC, viewed as a legal trailblazer because in 2016 she became Britain's first hijab-wearing barrister, said: 'This appeal concerns the most fundamental right: to safety and security of person'. She continued: 'On January 8 2020, (the Duke of Sussex) and his wife felt forced to step back from the role of full-time official working members of the royal family as they considered they were not being protected by the institution, but they wished to continue their duties in support of the late Queen as privately funded members of the royal family'. Ms Fatima later said that Harry was 'not in a position to make any informed representations to Ravec'. She added: '(His) security does not appear to have been discussed at any formal Ravec meeting and there are no official notes or detailed minutes recording the approach to be taken to (his) security and the rationale for it.' Shaheed Fatima KC, watched by her client the Duke of Sussex, during the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice over his security The Duke of Sussex's appeal against the dismissal of his legal challenge over the level of protection he and his family (pictured together at Christmas) is given while visiting the UK has begun at the Court of Appeal It is believed he did not see his father, pictured yesterday in Rome with Queen Camilla, when they were briefly in the US at the same time on Sunday and Monday The Duke of Sussex landed from Los Angeles on Sunday but his father spent the weekend at Highgrove, his private Gloucestershire home, resting ahead of this week's busy State Visit to Italy. His Majesty then flew directly to Rome from RAF Brize Norton with Queen Camilla on Monday afternoon. It came after the Mail's Richard Eden revealed Harry's skipped the wedding of one of his so-called 'band of brothers' - despite being invited and in the UK. Harry believes he is entitled to armed bodyguards, paid for by the British taxpayer, and is fighting a 2020 decision to reduce the level of security after he and Meghan Markle stepped back from life as working royals and emigrated to the United States. He has expressed safety concerns about returning to the UK with his wife and children. The King and his son are believed to have differing views over Harry's decision to pursue his legal fight with the Home Office, which has cost the British taxpayer 500,000 so far. Harry has been taking legal action in the UK over a decision made by Ravec in February 2020 over the level of protection he should receive when in the country. The High Court previously heard that his 'status' had changed as a result of no longer being a 'full-time working member of the Royal Family'. But Harry has argued his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet cannot 'feel at home' or 'safe' in the UK unless his police protection is fully restored. According to Ms Fatima KC, when Ravec stripped the prince of his top-level security in February 2020, shortly after he and wife Meghan had announced they were stepping back from royal duties and relocating to North America, it did not follow his own rules. Ms Fatima said according to its own guidelines, Ravec should have commissioned an assessment of Prince Harry's particular security needs from another specialist body, the Risk Management Board. It has failed to do so, instead reaching its decision by 'bespoke' means. Ms Fatima said: 'The appellant [the Duke of Sussex] does not accept that bespoke means better in fact, in his position, it means he has been singled out for different, inferior treatment.' The hearing before Sir Geoffrey Vos, Lord Justice Bean, and Lord Justice Edis is due to conclude today with a decision expected in writing at a later date. It came as MailOnline reveal that the King is not thought to have met with his youngest son when he flew into London from California at the weekend ahead of his High Court showdown. A proposal to deport 'dangerous' foreigners who refuse to leave France to wind-swept French islands off of Canada has sparked nationwide outrage. Laurent Wauquiez, the parliamentary leader for France's right-wing Republicans (LR) party, has suggested that illegal migrants be sent to Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the north Atlantic. Saint Pierre and Miquelon, an archipelago of eight islands located just off the Canadian island of Newfoundland, has a population of less than 6,000 people. 'I suggest dangerous foreigners under order to leave French territory be locked up in a detention centre in Saint Pierre and Miquelon,' Wauquiez said yesterday. 'They would have a choice: either go to Saint Pierre and Miquelon or return home.' Wauquiez, who is vying for the presidency of the LR party against popular Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, said he hoped the island's cold and wet climate would have a 'deterrent effect'. The plane has been met with criticism from across the political spectrum. Overseas Minister Manuel Valls, a centrist, rejected the idea, claiming 'forced exile is the method of a settler, not an elected lawmaker'. Boris Vallaud, leader of the Socialists in parliament, said what he called Wauquiez's 'Guantanamo-on-Sea' proposal was as 'shameful' as it was 'stupid'. Even far-right parliamentary leader Marine Le Pen said she was against the idea. But Wauquiez doubled down on his plan on today, tweeting: 'All the dangerous OQTFs to Saint Pierre and Miquelon. I stick to my guns.' It comes as French politics have shifted to the right in recent months, with the government increasingly picking up far-right talking points such as security and immigration. Laurent Wauquiez, (pictured last month) the parliamentary leader for France's right-wing Republicans (LR) party, has suggested that illegal migrants be sent to Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the north Atlantic Saint Pierre and Miquelon, an archipelago of eight islands located just off the Canadian island of Newfoundland, has a population of less than 6,000 people (file photo) The proposal from Wauquiez, the head of the Republicans party in the lower house, made in a front-page interview with JDNews magazine, has caused consternation in France, including from the government his party supports and from within his camp. Le Pen, the three-time presidential candidate who was sentenced over embezzlement and banned from running in the 2027 election last week, rejected the idea. 'The place of people under obligation to leave French territory is in their country, certainly not in a French territory,' she said of the proposal. 'No French territory deserves to be treated like a relegation zone,' said Valls, a former prime minister now in charge of overseas territories in Francois Bayrou's government. He added: 'The Cayenne jail is long gone and so it should.' France used to ship prisoners off to the penal colony of Cayenne, or 'Devil's Island', in the overseas territory of French Guiana, but that ended in 1953. Saint Pierre and Miquelon is a sparsely inhabited French-ruled archipelago located off the coast of northern Canada. The islands, which remain outside the Schengen free-travel area, are just one of several French overseas territories that span the globe. The average yearly temperature is around 5C (41F), according to Wauquiez. He told CNews television broadcaster: 'There are 146 days of rain and snow. I think that quite rapidly, it will make everyone think.' A group of people thought to be migrants, including small children, are pictured leaving the beach in Gravelines, France, following an unsuccessful attempt to board a small boat and cross the English Channel last year Overseas Minister Manuel Valls (pictured last month) rejected Wauquiez's idea, claiming 'forced exile is the method of a settler, not an elected lawmaker' Boris Vallaud, (pictured Sunday) leader of the Socialists in parliament, said what he called Wauquiez's 'Guantanamo-on-Sea' proposal was as 'shameful' as it was 'stupid' The issue of illegal migrants whose deportation has been ordered but still remain in France has become a red-hot debate in France. The far right has seized on the issue of authorities failing to implement many of the so-called OQTF deportation orders - as a sign of weakness from the French state. Under French law, a prefect - a local representative of the state - can order a foreigner who does not have a residency permit or has newly arrived and is deemed a danger to public order to leave the country. At the moment, they have 30 days to leave on their own, or they are detained for a maximum of 60 days and the French administration organises their deportation. Wauquiez said the detention period should be extended. Algeria has refused to take back nationals France has ordered to leave, including a 37-year-old man who went on a stabbing rampage in the French city of Mulhouse in February, killing one person. Some in Wauquiez's party said his proposal disqualified him as a potential presidential candidate. A primary is scheduled for May 17, with a possible second round on May 25. 'Many of us thought it was fake news,' a conservative lawmaker told Reuters on condition of anonymity. 'It shows he won't stop at anything, even the most extreme proposals.' Even far-right parliamentary leader Marine Le Pen (pictured on Sunday) said she was against the idea. She said: 'The place of people under obligation to leave French territory is in their country, certainly not in a French territory' Other European nations have explored schemes to transport migrants overseas. Italy's government drew up plans to send illegal migrants to camps in Albania, evoking comparisons with Britain's aborted scheme to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. The new US administration has sent undocumented migrants to the US military prison of Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. But Wauquiez said his idea had not been inspired by US President Donald Trump, but by Australia sending undocumented migrants to the tiny Pacific nation of Nauru. Under a hardline policy introduced in 2012, Australia sent thousands of migrants attempting to reach the country by boat to 'offshore processing' centres, including a detention centre on in Nauru. The scheme was gradually scaled back following 14 detainee deaths, multiple suicide attempts, and at least six referrals to the International Criminal Court. A 51-year-old Tennessee school board member got into a jaw-dropping Facebook catfight with a 19-year-old who criticized her work. Towanna Murphy, the District 7 school board member for Memphis Shelby County Schools, shared screenshots of the shocking conversation, where she threatened to deport Andrea Avalos - a Hispanic teen - over her comments. Their dramatic conversation began when Avalos, who also made the messages public, reached out on Monday calling her 'an embarrassment to Memphis'. 'Please resign from your job you stupid b****,' Avalos continued before sending a second message saying: 'Also please stop using those filters love. They don't make you any pretty.' The following morning, Murphy told Avalos: 'Baby be quiet before I have you deported.' The school board member sent an image of the teen to Avalos and fired back at her physical appearance. 'Really??? Really??? Stop talking you built like a light bulb,' Murphy sent, along with a slew of laughing emojis. The shocking messages didn't stop there, as Murphy went on an all out rant against Avalos and her family, insisting she has 'not disrespected' her. Towanna Murphy, the District 7 school board member Memphis Shelby County Schools, got into a shocking catfight with a 19-year-old on Facebook on Monday Their dramatic conversation began when Andrea Avalos, who also made the messages public on her profile, reached out to Murphy, calling her 'an embarrassment to Memphis and to our students' 'You mama a B****, I will give you that same energy. I have not disrespected you, it's ok if you have an opinion but calling me out my name I WILL NOT ACCEPT IM WITH THE SH**. IM FROM SOUTH MEMPHIS ....,' she told Avalos. A little while later Avalos responded to Murphy, telling her: 'b**** I can't get deported hoe and guess what. I still look good asffff,' she wrote in the message, obtained by WREG. Avalos then responded directly to Murphy's opinion of her looking 'like a light bulb.' 'Might be shaped like one but still look wayyy better than you love,' the teen added. In response to the message about the school board member being 'from south Memphis,' Avalos told Murphy: 'Woowww so scaryyy you're from south Memphis b**** gtfo.' About an hour later, Murphy replied: 'I block dusty b****'s like you,' with several laughing emojis. 'I'm scared. That's really scary, especially with everything that's going on, especially since I have a little nephew who attends Memphis Shelby County Schools,' she said. Their interaction appeared to end after that, but the entire ordeal left Avalos 'scared,' she told the outlet. In her messages to Murphy (pictured), Avalos attacked her professionally and also attacked her physical appearance Murphy then 'clapped back' and threatened to deport Avalos, a Hispanic teenager 'I'm scared. That's really scary, especially with everything that's going on, especially since I have a little nephew who attends Memphis Shelby County Schools,' she said. Their correspondence also sparked a larger conversation throughout the community as many were left appalled by Murphy's response to a teenage girl. Jose Salazar, a community organizer and immigrant, weighed in about it on Facebook, stating that Murphy needs to take accountability for her actions, apologize and step down from her school board role. 'She's a public figure, and I think she needs to be careful about how she represents herself. She does represent a large community of immigrant kids. So, I mean, you know it's kind of sad that she even expresses herself like that,' Salazar wrote. Another person reminded Murphy that she's a 'public figure,' but maybe this isn't the right job for her anymore. 'You're a public figure and you'll always have this coming your way. This isn't the first time you've responded in an unprofessional manner,' the user wrote. 'You don't seem to learn from your previous mistakes. Just maybe this job isn't cut out for you.' Shortly after the messages went public, Murphy posted a video to her Facebook page, revealing that she's been receiving 'a lot of threats' online for the past three months. Avalos said their entire conversation left her 'scared,' especially because she has a nephew who goes to school in the district 'Most of the time I just block it and keep going, but recently, I've clapped back at a few people,' she explained. 'When you come in my inbox, my personal inbox, calling me by my name, threatening my family - that's unacceptable. 'It's OK to have a disagreement. If you disagree with me, fine, just tell me what you disagree with me about.' Murphy also shared her frustration about Avalos sharing the messages with a local news outlet. 'That's not even newsworthy that I clapped back at you,' she continued. Murphy told WREG she had every right to defend herself even though Avalos did not threaten her. Shortly after the messages went public, Murphy (pictured) posted a video to her Facebook page, revealing that she's been receiving 'a lot of threats' online for the past three months 'Don't think you can just come into our inbox and disrespect us. That young lady doesn't know nothing about me,' she stated. 'I don't know nothing about her. What was her reason for doing that? She has no idea how I've been doing things. I've been fighting for black and brown kids all my life.' In another post, Murphy took some accountability for her actions, stating: 'Although I regret my response, I spoke in the heat of the moment. So my question is why did she take this action? I should have been the bigger person, but I am human, we all are.' Avalos told DailyMail.com she plans on filing a report against Murphy to the school district and local police. 'I want to formally ask Towanna Murphy to step down and resign,' she said. 'She has disrespected my community and she needs to be held accountable for her racist words.' DailyMail.com contacted Murphy for comment but did not immediately hear back. Texas Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett is in hot water for explaining to a crowd at a historically black church over the weekend that immigration is important because 'we done picking cotton.' Speaking at a church in Waterbury, Connecticut's Grace Baptist Church to celebrate its 125th anniversary, Crockett made several shocking statements. A viral clip of her address to the congregation begins with the Democrat explaining how she has had to travel around the nation educating people about the importance of immigration. 'So I had to go around the country and educate people about what immigrants do for this country, or the fact that we are a country of immigrants,' Crockett, 44, tells the crowd in the video. 'The fact is, ain't none of y'all trying to go and farm right now,' she said. The audience began to murmur. 'Okay, so I'm lying?' the lawmaker said while flashing a face at the audience. 'Raise your hands.' She got a few laughs before pressing on: 'We done pick and cotton. We are.' Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, told a congregation at a Connecticut church over the weekend that immigration is important because 'ain't none of y'all trying to go and farm right now' An H-2A visa immigrant farm laborer employed by Fresh Harvest on April 28, 2020 in Salinas, California Migrants form a caravan in Tapachula, Chiapas state, headed for the US border on January 20, 2025.Migrants form a caravan in Tapachula, Chiapas state, Mexico, march while heading to the US border on January 20, 2025 'You can't pay us enough to find a plantation,' the Democrat continued. A male in the crowd spoke up: 'I know that's right.' Crockett later told the crowd at the church that black culture has not been welcoming to people who are LGBT. 'When we talk about black culture, I'm gonna be real with you and tell you that black culture has never really been one that has embraced the LGBTQIA community,' she The Democrat's remarks are the latest in a string of questionable outburst. Crockett in March told a a group of protestors on the 'Tesla Takedown' videoconference that for her birthday she would like them to 'take down' Elon Musk. 'All I want to see happen on my birthday is for Elon to be taken down,' she stated. Republicans later slammed Crockett, saying she was guilty of inciting 'terrorism.' Venezuelan migrants arriving from Mexico deplane at the Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela, Thursday, March 20, 2025, after abandoning hopes of reaching the U.S. due to President Trump's crackdown on migration Jasmine Crockett called Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who is paralyzed and uses a wheelchair, 'Hot Wheels,' at the Human Rights Campaign's 2025 Los Angeles Dinner Her request comes as the American EV producer has had its vehicles, dealerships, chargers and other infrastructure vandalized amid Musk's role with the Trump administration at DOGE. Another nasty headline involving Crockett came just days later when, during a speech, she openly mocked a paralyzed man at a Human Rights Campaign event. 'Ya'll know we got Governor Hot Wheels down there, c'mon now, and the only thing hot about him is that he's a hot ass mess, honey,' she said referencing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who was paralyzed in 1984 and uses a wheelchair. Her remarks were so poorly received that Republicans introduced a resolution to censure the Democrat - a rare move only taken to publicly shame a lawmaker for bad behavior. The resolution, introduced on March 26, has yet to be voted on. North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis is extremely skeptical of President Trump's sweeping tariffs on countries around the globe and wanted to know who to 'choke' if the administration's approach fails. The Republican senator grilled U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer about who came up with the plan to impose widespread tariffs all at once during a hearing on Capitol Hill. He was one of several Republican senators who voiced concerns over how the administration was handling tariffs and the escalating trade war. 'I'm assume this all got gamed out because it's a novel approach, it needed to be thought out. Whose throat do I get to choke if this proves to be wrong?' Tillis asked. 'Well senator, you can certainly always talk to me,' Greer responded, acknowledging he was at the 'tip of the spear' when it comes to tariffs. 'Did you propose the alla prima approach?' Tillis followed up, digging in on how all the tariffs are being slapped on nearly all countries at once. But Greer tried to sidestep the question noting that the plan excluded some specific imports like semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) watching U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer testify about Trump's tariffs on Capitol Hill on April 8 Tillis moved on but he later observed that it appeared the U.S. had decided to begin a trade war 'on all fronts.' He argued that it might be ok if whoever thought out the plan had answers on why the U.S. went after close U.S. partners and didn't give developing countries a break so they don't look instead to Chinese investors. Tillis claimed he was still getting his head around the all at once approach with the U.S. imposing tariffs across the board. 'If you own this decision then I'll look to you to figure out if we're going to be successful,' Tillis said. 'If you don't on the decision, I'm just trying to figure out whose throat I get to choke if it's wrong and who I put up on a platform and thank them for the novel approach that was successful if they're right,' he added. The North Carolina lawmaker is up for reelection next year. He raised concerns about how people are going to feel about the tariffs down the road and noted that 401k retirement funds are taking a hit. Tillis speaking with Greer ahead of the hearing where he pressed him on who he gets to 'choke' if President Trump's tariff plan fails. The senator has expressed skepticism with how the administration is handling the escalating trade war and levying duties Your browser does not support iframes. One week ago, Trump announced that every country - even uninhabited islands - would be hit with a 10 percent tariff on imports, with higher 'reciprocal' tariffs on countries the White House deemed the worst offenders. The White House indicated that some 70 countries had reached out to try to make deals but the tariffs still went into effect on Wednesday as negotiations continued. But multiple Republican senators raised concerns to Greer over the escalating trade war with China, but the U.S. trade representative indicated it did not appear the U.S. would reach a deal with China in the near term. Trump had initially pitched a 34 percent increase on China which had already been slapped with tariffs. When China refused to back down on its retaliation, the president increased tariffs on the major trade partner to 104 percent. On Wednesday, China announced it would impose 84 percent tariffs on the U.S. in return. At the same hearing on Tuesday, GOP Senator Ron Johnson said he is disappointed to hear exclusions were being ruled out as lawmakers pressed for exemptions for some produces to help businesses sounding the alarms in their states. Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said he was 'disappointed' there were not be exemptions to the president's tariffs The Wisconsin senator and Trump ally said there are very specifics situations where exclusions should be considered. I hope that you and the president are very sensitive about companies potentially going bankrupt by these actions, Johnson warned. The MAGA Republican said he doesnt usually agree with Democrats but noted they are aligned when they bring up concerns about small businesses in their states. He said they want fair trade but warned tariffs are a double edged sword and a somewhat blunt instrument. Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) also raised questions about the timeline of negotiations to reach trade deals. We dont have any particular timeline set on that, Greer told him but insisted they are moving 'as quickly as possible.' Birmingham could face a 19th Century-style public health emergency unless ministers come down hard on the unions to end the weeks-long bin strike, a senior Tory warns today. Kevin Hollinrake warned that the Unite-led dispute could drag England's second city back to the Victorian era, as rats feast on tons and tons of uncollected household waste. Writing for MailOnline today, the shadow local government secretary said the result of Labour's failure to intervene decisively was 'rubbish-strewn streets, overflowing bins and rats the size of cats roaming freely'. Conservatives in Birmingham are demanding that the city council declare a public health emergency, amid fears that rising spring temperatures could lead to an outbreak of diseases. Union launched an all-out strike last month over pay and jobs which has seen lorries blockaded inside their depot. It has led to grim scenes of waste piling up on streets and demands for soldiers to be brought in to clear the backlog. Mr Hollinrake accused the government of wanting to 'appease the unions', saying: 'We've long known the dangers rats pose from the tales of the Pied Piper to modern-day science. 'Diseases like Weil's, Hantavirus, and rat-bite fever are not fiction they are real threats, and they thrive in filth. 'Labour isn't just dragging Birmingham back to the 1970s they're taking it all the way back to the Victorian era.' Kevin Hollinrake warned that the Unite-led dispute could drag England's second city back to the Victorian era, as rats feast on tons and tons of uncollected household waste. Conservatives in Birmingham are demanding that the city council declare a public health emergency, amid fears that rising spring temperatures could lead to an outbreak of diseases. There is thought to be as much as 21,000 tonnes of uncollected household rubbish festering on the streets of Birmingham since bin workers began an all-out strike last month. It has led to an explosion in the rodent population. Councillors grappling with the Birmingham bin strike found themselves facing questions from their worst nemesis as they met to discuss the crisis today - a giant rat. A man in full rodent costume describing himself as the 'Selly Oak rat' appeared at a full meeting of Birmingham City Council and managed to put a question to the council directly. His intervention came as security experts warned the city's residents could be at increased risk fraud, as 'bin raiders' rummage through discarded rubbish looking for confidential documents. The city council declared a major incident on Monday March 31 because of the impact and talks between local government and Unite are continuing in an effort to break the deadlock. There are also fears that the strike action could spread to other cities. Unite's Clare Keogh this week said anger at council cuts was growing nationwide among refuse workers and there was 'massive potential this will escalate'. Local Government Secretary Angela Rayner met council leader John Cotton at the weekend. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has offered its support to the strikers and said its members will not step in to help clear rubbish. Your browser does not support iframes. There is thought to be as much as 21,000 tonnes of uncollected household rubbish festering on the streets of Birmingham since bin workers began an all-out strike last month. It has led to an explosion in the rodent population. The giant rat who addressed the council had earlier told a local reporter that the amount of rubbish on the streets of Birmingham had been great for him and his family An MP asked Ms Rayner on Monday whether the Army could help local charities and organisations in their efforts to clear up waste left in the streets during the ongoing dispute. Health Secretary Wes Streeting yesterday warned about the public health situation. 'As the bin bags are piling up, we see rats and other vermin crawling around,' he told Times Radio. 'That's not good for public health. I think this dispute has escalated way out of hand.' He said it is 'totally unacceptable' that the dispute has seen bin lorries blocked from leaving the depot. He said: 'I understand industrial disputes happen. I understand people have the right to withdraw their labour. That's part and parcel of industrial relations in our country. 'But what is not acceptable is allowing these sorts of unsanitary conditions to occur on people's streets. 'I'm urging Unite to do the right thing, stop blocking the bin lorries, and allow people to get out there and clean the streets for the people of Birmingham who suffered for far too long.' Birmingham cannot be Labour's blueprint for Britain, writes Kevin Hollinrake It's official Labour is now a public health risk. In Birmingham, they've caved to union demands and allowed bully-boy tactics to run riot. The result? Rubbish-strewn streets, overflowing bins, and rats the size of cats roaming freely. This is not just a local issue it's a grim warning of what Keir Starmer has in store for the rest of Britain. More than 21,000 tonnes of waste is now festering across Birmingham, and residents are at serious risk. Yet still, Labour refuses to act. Instead of standing up for public health, Labour is too busy appeasing their union paymasters. It's clear where their priorities lie: picketers before people. We've long known the dangers rats pose from the tales of the Pied Piper to modern-day science. Diseases like Weil's, Hantavirus, and rat-bite fever are not fiction they are real threats, and they thrive in filth. Labour isn't just dragging Birmingham back to the 1970s they're taking it all the way back to the Victorian era. Labour's go-to trick is to shift the blame, but Daily Mail readers are no fools. This crisis is Labour's doing plain and simple. Labour isn't just dragging Birmingham back to the 1970s they're taking it all the way back to the Victorian era. First, Labour bankrupted Birmingham Council. Then, they stood by while local services collapsed. And now, even with a Labour government in power, they refuse to intervene. If Labour really cared about the national interest, they'd stop the excuses and start cleaning up the mess they've made. The situation is now so dire that neighbouring Conservative councils like Lichfield are stepping in to do what Birmingham's Labour-run council cannot or will not do: clear the streets and protect residents. Once again, where Labour fails, Conservatives are left to clean up. We've offered practical solutions including bringing in private contractors to break the strike, restore basic services, and protect public health. But Labour won't listen. Why? Because they're too scared to take on the unions. Since Starmer became leader, unions have poured over 30 million into Labour's coffers. Unite the union behind the strike even handed Angela Rayner 10,000 personally. Is it any surprise she's done nothing? She should return the money immediately. This is the clearest sign yet that Labour is in the unions' pocket. And it's ordinary people paying the price for this dangerous collusion. Let's be clear: Birmingham cannot be the blueprint for Britain. If Keir Starmer meant a word of his promise to put country before party, now's the time to prove it. This is a health emergency. Labour must put the people first not the unions and finally show they're fit to govern. But based on everything we've seen, I won't be holding my breath. The Government has developed a murder prediction programme using personal data to identify offenders most likely to become killers. The secretive project, run by the Ministry of Justice, uses algorithms to analyse thousands of criminals in the UK to determine which pose the greatest risk of committing serious violence offences. Department heads hope it will boost public safety, but civil liberty campaigners warned it was chilling and dystopian, with echoes of sci-fi thriller Minority Report, in which police predicted crimes and arrested suspects before they were committed. The existence of the programme, which was initially named the Homicide Prediction Project but renamed Sharing Data to Improve Risk Assessment, was discovered by pressure group Statewatch via a series of Freedom of Information requests. The MoJ has insisted that the programme exclusively uses data from offenders with at least one conviction and is for research purposes only, with no immediate impact on operational decisions. The project was commissioned by the prime ministers office during Rishi Sunaks tenure and analyses data from before 2015 using official sources including the Probation Service, Scotland Yard and Greater Manchester Police. The MoJ said the scheme will review offender characteristics that increase the risk of committing homicide and explore alternative and innovative data science techniques to risk assessment of homicide. It pointed out that police forces and the Probation Service already used similar risk assessment tools, and the purpose of the project was to see whether combining data sources would improve accuracy. Minority Report (2002) stars Tom Cruise as a 'Pre-crime' police chief who arrests suspects based on the visions of three clairvoyants The plot hinges on an elaborate plan to trick the pre-crime system in order for a killer to get away with murder Campaigners warned that systems for predicting crime were inherently flawed, as illustrated by the 2002 Stephen Spielberg blockbuster Minority Report, in which a system that predicts murders before they happen is manipulated to protect a killer. Statewatch researcher Sofia Lyall said: The Ministry of Justices attempt to build this murder prediction system is the latest chilling and dystopian example of the governments intent to develop so-called crime "prediction" systems. Time and again, research shows that algorithmic systems for predicting crime are inherently flawed. Yet the government is pushing ahead with AI systems that will profile people as criminals before theyve done anything. Ms Lyall warned that the system would code in institutional bias towards racial minority and lower-income communities, and called for the government to halt the project and invest in supporting welfare services. The personal data used includes names, dates of birth, ethnicity, gender and police national computer identification numbers, Statewatch reported. Interim director of civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, Rebecca Vincent, also called for the dangerous programmed to be scrapped immediately. We know that algorithms can get it wrong, that AI can get it wrong, and that police themselves can get it wrong, even when crimes have already taken place they must not be allowed to use pervasive technology to target innocent people who have not committed any crime, she said. The privacy implications are enormous, representing a human rights nightmare reminiscent of science fiction that has no place in the real world, and certainly not in a democracy. This dangerous programme should be immediately scrapped and should never see the light of day. A spokesman from the MoJ said: This project is being conducted for research purposes only. It has been designed using existing data held by HM Prison and Probation Service and police forces on convicted offenders to help us better understand the risk of people on probation going on to commit serious violence. A report will be published in due course. The death of their newborn baby left them desperate for answers. And now Sarah Brown, the wife of former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, has said their greatest loss inspired them to act. The couples first child, daughter Jennifer, was born seven weeks premature and died in January 2002 at just 10 days old. At the time, Mr Brown was the Chancellor in Tony Blairs government and the news sparked an outpouring of sympathy with thousands of letters of condolences. Mrs Brown said doctors were unable to tell them why Jennifer lost her life sparking an interest in the causes and consequences of premature birth. She told BBC Scotland: For Gordon and I, losing Jennifer was the greatest loss and its one that stays with us. That doesnt change. Following the tragedy, the couple who went on to have two sons set up the Jennifer Brown Research Laboratory in 2004. Sarah Brown with husband Gordon at Downing Street in 2010 Gordon and Sarah Brown near their home on the Fife coast The facility at the University of Edinburgh, is working to improve understanding of what causes early labour and how to develop treatments to prevent it. Mrs Brown added: What I realised was that there was more we needed to understand, that I didnt have answers for what had happened and so many other families didnt either. The laboratory has been drawing on data from the Edinburgh Birth Cohort research programme which was launched at the facility in 2015. The study is tracking the development of 400 people as they grow into adulthood and aims to provide insights into the long-term effects of early labour on the developing brain. Of the group, 300 are preterm babies born before 37 weeks while the remaining 100 are full-term births. One of the main results researchers have come up so far is the stark reality of the impact of poverty on brain development. Prof James Boardman, from the University of Edinburgh, the cohorts chief investigator, said: It would be fair to say that a baby born at full term to a more deprived couple has a similar sort of risk of developing some developmental difficulties as a baby born at 25 weeks into a well-to-do family. Mrs Brown, chairwoman of the Theirworld childrens charity which she founded in 2002, hopes the work they are carrying out will help other families in the future. She said the study is learning more about how the body reacts, how nutrition and sleep can help, and the impact of maternal care. Mrs Brown told the broadcaster: I would go back to the beginning and have it all change and not end the way it did for me, but I know that what its done has opened up other horizons. I would love to think that other families can avoid that loss, or if they have a baby thats born prematurely and more vulnerable, or coming out of circumstances that are much more precarious, that therell be a better way to track that future and to open it up and to be able to be much more predictive about what we can do. Some new mothers dread returning to work after maternity leave while others cant wait. And Scots actress Karen Gillan appears to be taking it in her stride, even if she has forgotten what she is doing. In December the 37-year-old welcomed baby Clementine with husband Nick Kocher, and since then had been enjoying motherhood. But, posting pictures of her sat in a make-up chair at her first job since having her daughter, she said: First day back at work post baby. How do you do photoshoots again? Karen Gillan posted this Instagram image of her first day back at work after becoming a mother Ms Gillan and husband Nick Kocher welcomed baby Clementine to the world in December The Inverness-born star quickly posted another snap of her making a face, and joked: Its just doing faces like this right? In January the actress posted a slew of photos showing off her outfit as she prepared for - in her own words - 'Mama's first night out'. Ms Gillan relocated to California in 2013 but has said she still considers Inverness to be home and hopes to return one day. Last year, she took to social media to document her pregnancy cravings. Taking to TikTok, the Guardians of the Galaxy actress revealed that she 'couldn't get enough' of eating raw vegetables. A critical ruling has been made in the case against University of Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger - with the judge blocking the state from using his autism diagnosis to send him to the firing squad. Kohberger returned to a courtroom in Ada County, Idaho, Wednesday for a showdown between his defense and the prosecution over critical evidence in the high-profile murder case. The 30-year-old criminology PhD student is facing the death penalty for the murders of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves in Moscow, Idaho, back on November 13, 2022. The four University of Idaho students were brutally stabbed to death in the early hours of the morning in the off-campus home the three young women shared with two other roommates. The horror murders - the first homicide in seven years for the small, tight-knit college town - plunged the community into fear and sent shockwaves across the country. Around six weeks later, on December 30, 2022, police swooped on Kohberger at his parents' home in the Poconos region of Pennsylvania and charged him with the murders. A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf at his arraignment. Now staring down the prospect of the firing squad, the two sides are sparring over what evidence jurors should be allowed to see at trial this summer. The evidence at issue includes DNA found on a knife sheath at the scene and under the fingernails of one of the victims, the relevance of Kohberger's autism, the testimony of one of the surviving roommates, the panicked 911 call, and the use of terms including 'bushy eyebrows,' 'murderer,' 'sociopath' and 'psychopath.' Dressed in a pale shirt, the suspected mass killer sat silently at the defense table next to his legal team including lead attorney Anne Taylor and new addition, DNA expert Bicka Barlow, in the first day of a two-day hearing. Bryan Kohberger returned to a courtroom in Ada County, Idaho, Wednesday morning for a showdown between his defense and the prosecution over critical evidence Best friends Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen (left) were found dead in the same bed in Mogen's room on the third floor. Young couple Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle (right) were found dead in her room on the second floor Key ruling around Bryan Kohberger's autism diagnosis During the hearing, Kohberger's defense brought up his autism diagnosis - something that the team has argued as a reason for the death penalty being struck from the case. Kohberger's defense told the judge that - if convicted and facing capital punishment - the team will seek to use his diagnosis as a mitigating factor that means he should not be sentenced to death. His attorney Anne Taylor argued that some of Kohbergers behaviors such as the way he sits and how he talks for a long time - and that these autism-related characteristics should not be used by prosecutors as reasons he should get the death penalty. According to Taylor, the state has hundreds of hours of interviews with people Kohberger knew at Washington State University and that many of them are saying 'unkind things' about him. Prosecutors told the judge they didnt plan to do so, saying the state has a lot better evidence to argue that aggravating factors amount to capital punishment. However, the prosecution argued that they should be able to respond if the defense tries to pin Kohbergers actions and behaviors on his diagnosis. The judge went on to issue a ruling around Kohbergers autism, ordering that the state cannot use his diagnosis as an aggravating factor if he is convicted and the trial enters the death penalty phase. Due to changes to Idaho's death penalty procedures, the 30-year-old could face the firing squad as a method of execution - a prospect that has been welcomed by some of the victims families. Later in the hearing, the defense and prosecution sparred over Kohberger's team's argument that they should be able to cite his autism as an explanation for his demeanor in court. The state also hit out at the defense's claims in a recent filing that he has a physical condition that would have made it impossible for him to kill four in the roughly 13-minute timeframe. The defense meanwhile argued that jurors should hear about his autism because they also offer an explanation for some of his behaviors both in and out of the courtroom. For example, Kohberger's tendency to wear gloves and disposing of shower curtains are habits due to his OCD and autism, the defense said. Arguments were also heard over whether his autism diagnosis means the death penalty should be taken off the table. The defense claimed his demeanor would place him at a greater risk of being sentenced to death - arguing that every move Kohberger makes is scrutinized and claiming he has been presented in the media as 'evil' and 'soulless.' The state pushed back, arguing that the precedents previously set are for intellectual disabilities - which autism is not. The judge plans to rule on both of these matters at a later date. In Wednesday's hearing, the judge heard arguments on a string of other motions, after the two sides have submitted a flurry of court documents and requests with the trial date looming. Bryan Kohberger (pictured during his extradition in January 2023) is facing the firing squad if convicted Banned words from Idaho murders trial The hearing got under way with the judge agreeing that the terms 'psychopath' and 'sociopath' should be blocked from the trial, providing a minor win for the suspect. Kohberger's defense began by arguing that the terms 'murderer', 'psychopath' and 'sociopath' and so-called 'inflammatory evidence' be struck from the trial. Taylor told the judge that the defense wants to prevent 'excessive use of emotional phrasing' where it 'puts Mr Kohberger in a position where the jury is already inflamed.' Judge Steven Hippler quickly made clear that he did not see the purpose of the defense motions - because they simply point to standard courtroom conduct that he expects both sides to follow. 'I don't think I need an order as the rule applies that they are rules which means they will be followed,' he said. Taylor argued that it was 'preventative' - something that the prosecution argued isn't necessary. When it comes to 'inflammatory evidence' such as crime scene photos, Judge Hippler pointed out that the 'crime scene photos are particularly graphic.' 'But make no mistake that these murders - whoever committed them - were brutal and were horrific and so I suspect that the evidence reflects that.' While the judge did agree that the words 'psychopath' and 'sociopath' could not be used at trial, he said this is because Kohberger has not been given a diagnosis as such - so it wouldn't be relevant to the case. He told both sides he simply expects them to follow courtroom standards. The off-campus home where the four University of Idaho students were murdered on November 13, 2022 Bryan Kohberger's defense asks judge to show 'humanity' for his family Kohbergers lawyer urged the judge to find some 'humanity' for the accused killer's family - after the state revealed in a court document that they might call his father, mother or two sisters as witnesses at trial. Attorney Elisa Massoth told the judge that his family has no interest in helping the prosecution in its case against the 30-year-old, as the defense argued they should be allowed to be present for the duration of the trial - even if being called as a state witness. Bryans family has no desire to be used as witnesses against him, Massoth said. 'His family loves him and supports him... he is absolutely dependent on them having been in isolation for almost two and a half years since his arrest, she said. She said that, if it wasnt for financial reasons due to the need to travel from Pennsylvania, they would be in attendance for every court hearing. Massoth also argued that, due to his autism, Kohberger needs his family here to support him. Prosecutors said they planned to call some of the suspects family members - but not all. It is not clear which family members or for what reason. But the defense told the court that all of his immediate family members were interviewed at the time of his arrest - and, 'at best', they believe the state would only call one of them as a prosecution witness. The judge seemed to be swayed by the defenses plea for him to find a level of humanity for Kohbergers family - but said he would rule at a later date. 'I can only imagine that the family of Mr Kohberger is devastated by these things. Its nothing that they did, and their ability to be here to see the trial is important,' he said. 'Shotgun' approach to alternative suspects The two sides also sparred over the defenses plan to present alternative perpetrators to jurors at trial. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson told the judge that the defense plans to throw out a shotgun variety of persons names. He argued that there must be a threshold for pointing the finger at other potential suspects and that the information be shared with the state so they can prepare for it at trial. Kohbergers attorney Massoth insisted the defense will not take a shotgun approach or throw spaghetti at the wall and see what falls. Judge Hippler said he would set a date for a hearing to go into this matter more. Prosecutors say DNA under victim's nails is NOT Bryan Kohberger's Prosecutors told the judge they do not believe the DNA found under the fingernails of 21-year-old Mogen belongs to the man on trial for her murder. Prosecutor Jeff Nye revealed that the states belief is actually that there would not be DNA from the suspect on the victim. 'The theory here is that we would not expect the perpetrator's DNA to be under her fingernails' due to what the surviving witness saw a masked intruder inside the home wearing moments after the murders. DNA evidence was found under the fingernails of murder victim Madison Mogen (pictured) The lack of defensive wounds and the toxicology results of the victim also supported this, he said. We will actually be arguing you would not expect the perpetrators DNA to be under the fingernails, he added. The prosecutor made the comments after Kohbergers defense lawyer asked the judge to block the use of the term inconclusive about the DNA - saying it suggests that it could be Kohbergers DNA. While it might be technically true [that Kohberger cannot be excluded], it's not an accurate statement, Barlow said. A court filing recently revealed that DNA evidence from three unknown individuals was found under Mogens left fingernails. A DNA expert previously told DailyMail.com it is quite common for people to have a mixture of DNA under their nails, especially from people they live with or are close to. Forensic DNA expert and John Jay College of Criminal Justice Professor Dr Mechthild Prinz explained that people pick up unexplained DNA under their nails by simply touching items. Kaylee Goncalves family arrive for a court hearing in 2023. The family said they were heading to Boise for the hearings Separately, the judge struck down a defense motion seeking to ban the use of the term 'touch DNA' - a term that one of the defense's own expert witnesses has used. Kohberger was allegedly tied to the murders through DNA on a brown leather Ka-Bar knife sheath found next to Mogen's lifeless body in her bedroom on the third floor of the home. Touch DNA on the sheath was traced back to Kohberger using Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG), according to prosecutors. Surviving roommate's reliability, texts and 911 call Other evidence in dispute in the hearing included the panicked texts and calls made by surviving roommates Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke after Mortensen came face-to-face with an intruder inside their home around the time of the murders. The two sides also battled over the gut-wrenching 911 call made by the surviving roommates and friends after Kernodle's body was discovered just before midday that fateful day - as well as the reliability of Mortensen's crucial testimony. The defense wants to block the term 'bushy eyebrows' from the trial - the term used by Mortensen to describe the masked intruder she saw in the house. Kohbergers defense reeled off a list of factors that they argued shows Mortensen is not reliable as a witness - including that she admitted she was drunk at the time, told police she was in a dream-like state, had drawings of people with prominent eyebrows on her walls, and that she was not separated from other witnesses following the discovery of the murders. They also argued that Mortensen did not mention eyebrows at all during the first three police interviews - only mentioning them when asked by officers. The lynchpin, the reliability is not there, the defense said. Left to right: Dylan Mortensen, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen (on Kaylee's shoulders) Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Bethany Funke 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 Prosecutors however argued that her account and description of the intruder had been consistent in every interview - the man was white, a few inches taller than her, dressed in all black, wearing a mask, was skinny and had a voice she did not recognize. The state also argued that the focus on eyes and eyebrows was natural, given that was the only facial feature she could see beneath the mask. Dylan Mortensen is the only living individual who saw the person who's responsible for these homicides, the prosecutor said, adding that makes her relevant to identify the killer. A chilling selfie captured by Kohberger around six hours after the murders has been presented by prosecutors as evidence of the suspect's 'bushy eyebrows' at the time of the murders. The defense is also looking to ban the 911 call from the trial, claiming it is hearsay and pointing to the eight-hour gap between Mortensens encounter with the intruder and the call. Taylor argued that a whole lot more went on between those two moments, arguing that Mortensen was editing photos on her phone, using Snapchat, and calling family members. She pointed to the cellphone records of the two survivors - something that the defense wants to include at trial. This is not someone who was asleep and woke up startled, Taylor said. The judge agreed that some of the 911 call could be hearsay and that not all of it would be allowed to be presented at trial. Bryan Kohberger snapped this creepy selfie six hours after the brutal Moscow murders 'Moon and stars' alibi and cellphone data Prosecutors meanwhile want to ban Kohberger's team from presenting his vague alibi for the night of the murders - claiming he was driving round alone looking at the moon and stars - unless the accused killer takes the stand to testify to it himself. In the hearing, Thompson said that the only person who can testify to an alibi if there is an alibi is the defendant himself. He argued that a cellphone expert put forward by the defense, Sy Ray, cannot show Kohbergers whereabouts at the time of the murders because his cellphone was turned off. The judge ruled that Ray could offer a partial corroboration by presenting evidence of where the cellphone was before and after it was turned off. In a testy moment, Judge Hippler scolded the defense for suggesting that the prosecution had not handed over cellphone evidence - AT&T timing advance records - from November 2022. Kohberger was not a suspect at that point and so the state claims it does not have such evidence as that data is only available for seven days after the fact. You've made some serious allegations against the state about hiding evidence, yet you've provided no evidence, zero, the judge warned Taylor, adding that such allegations get people disbarred. The defense also argued that bodycam footage from a traffic stop carried out by police on Kohberger in the months prior to the murders should be struck from the trial, claiming the state is trying to use it to show a pattern of bad acts before the murders. The prosecution countered that the bodycam is evidence to show Kohbergers ties to the white Hyundai Elantra which matches the vehicle seen speeding away from the crime scene after the murders. The judge said he would watch the footage but likely would want to redact some of the footage - but not exclude it. The defense also argued against the use of surveillance footage which captured a white Hyundai Elantra driving round the crime scene at the time of the murders. Amazon purchase of Ka-Bar knife and sheath The defense also wants to block Kohberger's Amazon records as evidence, which allegedly show he bought a knife matching the murder weapon months before the slayings. The records show Kohberger bought a Ka-Bar knife, sheath and sharpener from the site back in March 2022 - eight months before the murders, according to court documents. Kohberger's Amazon history also reveals that he searched for a replacement knife or sheath in the days after the murders, according to prosecutors. His defense is arguing that the account was used by multiple people - including his family members - and that AI prompts people to purchase certain items. The judge cast doubts on this argument - and revealed that the account had tracked the shipping of the item after the purchase. Bryan Kohberger is escorted into court for a hearing in Latah County District Court, Sept. 13, 2023, in Moscow, Idaho Footage captured a white Hyundai Elantra around the victims' home at the time of the murders Two days - Wednesday and Thursday - have been set aside by the judge to hear arguments. The judge's rulings on the matters will play a huge role in the evidence presented by both sides at trial, when it gets under way in August. It is unclear when Judge Hippler will hand down the remainder of the rulings. Family members of 21-year-old Goncalves had traveled to Boise for the hearing, facing their daughter's suspected killer in the courtroom. 'Part of getting justice for you includes being part of the court hearings. We are heading down to Boise (in the morning) for the next couple of days. Please pray for us,' the family wrote on their Facebook page. Kohberger's trial is expected to last around three months. An 'unruly' Air India passenger is being investigated by police after allegedly urinating on a fellow traveller during a flight to Bangkok. The business class passenger allegedly relieved himself on his co-traveller just before flight AI 2336 was due to land in the Thai capital on Wednesday. The lavatories on the more than four hour flight from New Delhi were 'functional' at the time of the incident, an airline spokesperson told The Times of India. The victim, who is understood to be a managing director of a company, was 'aggrieved' by the disgusting incident. Crew reportedly offered to help the traveller file a complaint with police in Bangkok, but the assistance was 'declined at the time'. The matter has been reported to the authorities. An internal committee will investigate the incident and determine what action - if any - will be taken against the man. The unruly passenger had consumed alcohol during the flight, like several other travellers on the long-haul flight, but 'was not sloshed', sources told the newspaper. Multiple incidents of passengers urinating on other travellers after drinking alcohol have been reported in recent years. An 'unruly' Air India passenger who had consumed alcohol during a flight is being investigated after he allegedly urinated on a fellow traveller (stock image) The business class passenger allegedly relieved himself on his co-traveller just before flight AI 2336 from New Delhi was due to land in the Thai capital on Wednesday The passenger was seated in the business cabin, which offers two by two seating, when he allegedly urinated on another traveller during Wednesday's flight. The victim was also a business class passenger, but it is unclear where the pair were seated in relation to each other during the flight. The incident was reported to cabin crew who 'followed all laid down procedures', according to the airline. The authorities were also notified. 'In addition to warning the unruly passenger, our crew offered to assist an aggrieved passenger to take up a grievance with authorities in Bangkok, which was declined at the time,' the statement continued. 'The standing independent committee will be convened to assess the incident and determine the action, if any, to be taken against the unruly passenger.' Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said the ministry will be looking into the incident. 'Whenever these kinds of incidents happen, the ministry takes note of them. They will speak to the airline, and if there is any wrongdoing, then we will take necessary action,' Kinjarapu told NDTV. The passenger was seated in the business cabin, (file photo) which offers two by two seating, when he allegedly urinated on another traveller during Wednesday's flight. The victim was also a business class passenger, but it is unclear where the pair were seated in relation to each other during the flight Wednesday's flight is not the first time that an Air India passenger has urinated on a fellow traveller. The airline made headlines in November 2022 when a business class passenger urinated on an elderly woman during a flight from New York to New Delhi. Shankar Mishra, a vice president at banking giant Wells Fargo, was fired after being accused of urinating on the 72-year-old. Mishra, a resident of Mumbai, was allegedly drunk at the time of the incident. In her complaint, the alleged victim accused the banking exec of stumbling from a few seats back towards, unzipping his pants and urinating on her. He only stopped when the passenger sitting beside her told him to, she alleged. Through his lawyers, Mishra claimed that the woman 'condoned' the action and that he has compensated her as well as paid for her clothes and bags to be cleaned. Mishra was arrested, charged sexual harassment and public misconduct, and sent him to judicial custody for 14 days, BBC reported. Air India removed a pilot and four members of the cabin crew in wake of the incident. The airline's CEO Campbell Wilson also expressed 'regret' and 'pain' over the embarrassing scandal. He also promised to launch a 'robust reporting system for unruly behaviour on Air India' flights. Shankar Mishra (pictured) was charged sexual harassment and public misconduct in November 2022 after he urinated a 72-year-old woman during an Air India flight from New York to New Delhi An US university student was banned from ever flying American Airlines again after he was allegedly caught urinating on a fellow passenger while 'heavily intoxicated' on board a flight from New York to New Delhi (file photo) A few months later, in March 2023, an US university student was arrested in India after he allegedly urinated on another passenger during an American Airlines flight from New York to New Delhi. Aryan Vohra, 21, was allegedly caught urinating on a fellow passenger while 'heavily intoxicated' on board the flight. The Indian national, who was travelling to India for his sister's wedding, was 'heavily intoxicated' and ignored instructions from the crew. He also 'misbehaved' as he was being escorted from the plane by security personnel. Vohra was arrested by police officers when the plane touched down in New Delhi and banned from ever flying with American Airlines again. The family of a glamorous Houston socialite are pleading for answers after she died suddenly following a 'routine' cosmetic procedure in Mexico, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal. Jessica Rossman, a retired attorney and former United Airlines executive, visited a dermatology clinic last week specializing in Botox, fillers and 'anti-aging' microneedling treatments, according to loved ones. The 56-year-old was reported missing by her longtime partner when she didn't return to her vacation home in the Pacific coast resort of Puerto Vallarta. Days later, her brother Lucho Rossman received the devastating news that 'beautiful, vivacious' Jessica had eventually been located - in the city's morgue. He has spent the past week struggling to piece together his sister's final moments from snippets of information from tight-lipped Mexican officials. 'Our heads are spinning and we are suspicious, very suspicious, about a lot of things,' Lucho, 55, told DailyMail.com. 'Jessica walked into a dermatology clinic and ended up in a morgue. We need to know what happened.' Lucho, a doctor and diagnostic radiology specialist, is convinced that his sibling's April 1 death was caused by some sort of catastrophic health episode. Jessica Rossman, a retired attorney and former United Airlines executive from Texas, died last week after undergoing a procedure at an aesthetic medical clinic in Puerto Vallarta, DailyMail.com has learned Rossman, 56, who was dating former Continental, now United, Airlines CEO Gordon Bethune, 83, made regular trips to the popular vacation destination in Mexico But exactly what happened to her remains shrouded in mystery. Jessica was vacationing in Puerto Vallarta - one of her regular haunts - with longtime partner Gordon Bethune, the former CEO of Continental Airlines and an occasional CNBC contributor. Friends say she scheduled an appointment at the Dr. Carlos Diaz Health & Beauty clinic, which offers an assortment of age-defying treatments to 'smooth wrinkles, revitalize your skin, or sculpt your figure'. She didn't return home afterwards, prompting Bethune - who is 83 and battling Parkinson's disease - to contact the US consulate for assistance. A day later he rang Lucho at his home in Long Island, New York to report that Jessica was dead and her body was in a morgue at the city's Forensic Science Institute. Shell-shocked Lucho called the clinic in search of answers and says he got confirmation from a receptionist that his sister had gone in for an unspecified procedure. He asked whether Jessica had been given fentanyl, midazolam, or any other form of anesthetic but says the staffer wouldn't discuss it. 'She has had outpatient-type skin procedures, I think, frequently. And this was just another one of those. Something routine, something simple,' said Lucho, a married father-of-three. Speaking to DailyMail.com in the wake of her death, her brother Lucho Rossman, pictured right with Jessica and their parents Charles and Marcella, said the family is 'very suspicious' about the events leading up to her passing and he is convinced it was caused by some sort of catastrophic health episode Jessica, pictured with a friend in Puerto Vallarta during a 2023 trip, is understood to have selected a 'simple' outpatient-type skin procedures that she has had before Jessica was a senior attorney and marketing director for more than two decades at Continental which became United Airlines in 2010, and was fortunate enough to take an early retirement 'My impression is that it wasn't the sort of thing that would be done with a so-called general anesthetic but I don't know.' When DailyMail.com reached out to Dr. Diaz's clinic this week our calls and WhatsApp messages were ignored. The facility touts its particular expertise with the Morpheus8 machine, which uses tiny needles and radio frequencies to target wrinkles and sagging skin. Its Instagram page also promotes special offers on Botox and non-surgical penis enlargements discounted for Pride month. 'At Dr. Carlos Diaz Health & Beauty, we don't just offer aesthetic treatments; we provide transformative experiences,' the clinic's website states. 'We take pride in creating a welcoming and professional environment where each visit is an opportunity to rejuvenate, revitalize, and enhance your natural beauty.' An official from the Forensic Science Institute told DailyMail.com that Jessica's body was collected on April 1 from a clinic rather than a hospital. He declined to give the name or location of the clinic. The 'aesthetic and regenerative medicine' clinic, run by Dr. Carlos Diaz, touts its particular expertise with the Morpheus8 machine, which uses tiny needles and radio frequencies to target wrinkles and sagging skin Its Instagram page also promotes special offers on Botox and non-surgical penis enlargement; pictured is Dr. Diaz performing an unspecified procedure on a patient The official said tests were underway to determine the cause of Jessica's death but he referred all other inquiries to the Fiscalia del Estado, the state attorney general's office, and the US Consulate, neither of which responded to our inquiries. 'If there is a potential danger that problem needs to be addressed openly so people can be careful,' urged Lucho. 'It's not just personal, it's also to prevent this kind of thing from happening again.' Bethune is believed to have returned to the US in the wake of Jessica's death but has not commented publicly. He held leadership posts at Boeing, Branif, and Piedmont Airlines before taking the helm at Continental from 1994 to 2004, spearheading a dramatic turnaround in its fortunes. Jessica was a senior attorney and marketing director for more than two decades at Continental which later became United Airlines after the carriers merged in 2010. The UC Berkeley alum took early retirement but continued to volunteer for non-profits including Kids Meals and the AIDS Foundation Houston. Lucho said plans for Jessica's funeral are 'in limbo' because the body has not been released for repatriation. The early retiree was vacationing with Bethune at the time, but failed to return to their vacation home after the procedure, prompting her partner, who is 83 and battling Parkinson's disease - to contact the US consulate for assistance Bethune, who retired in 2004, is believed to have returned to the US in the wake of Jessica's death Their mom Marcella, 88 - who lives with Lucho, his wife Jessica Sheets, 54, who is also a doctor, and their kids Reagan, 11, and eight-year-old twins Rhett and Rocio - is doing as 'well as can be expected' as they wait for answers. 'Jessica's personality was exceptional, maybe even over the top, you could say. She loved to have fun. She was well educated, accomplished and smart as a whip,' Lucho said of his sister. 'She had taken a very active, outgoing, early retirement because she was lucky enough to be in a position to do that. 'She is or was - my only sibling, it's incredibly sad. This has been a huge shock for everyone.' Lucho's sentiments were echoed by stunned pals and former colleagues who flooded Jessica's Facebook page with effusive tributes. 'Jessica was beautifully complexbrilliant, sarcastic, compassionate, effortlessly funny, and fiercely loyal,' wrote Kristi Hoss Schiller. 'She made you feel like the most fascinating person in the room right before outwitting you with a sideways grin and a perfectly timed zinger.' Robert Falcon posted: 'I'm at a total loss for words. One of my oldest childhood friends, classmates and neighbor. 'You were a champion for those friends we lost too soon to AIDS/ HIV and brought light to every room you walked into.' Romy Lauren, another heartbroken friend, added: 'Your unexpected departure has left a deep, permanent and very painful impression on my heart that is slowly but surely filling up with the most joyful and precious memories. 'I love you always and forever Jess.' A Long Island man says his family was torn apart after discovering that he had been switched at birth at a New York City hospital. Kevin McMahon, 64, never looked like his three siblings, who often joked about him being 'the mailman's kid.' 'It was not done maliciously... it was just an observation - "he doesn't look anything like us,"' McMahon recalled. But it was not until his niece took an over-the-counter DNA test that he learned that he was not related to them at all, according to a lawsuit. McMahon's sister Carol Vignola then started researching his case after learning of the DNA results. She found that another baby boy with the same last name was born, within hours, on the same day as McMahon at the same hospital - New York's Jamaica Hospital. The other man's name was Ross, and Vignola's DNA results said he was her direct relative, according to McMahon's lawyer. 'Two Caucasian mothers with the same last name, both giving birth to baby boys on the same day. They were switched before the birth certificates were even signed,' the family's lawyer Jeremy Schiowitz told NBC. Kevin McMahon, center, was the third of four siblings. He says he learned as an adult that he was switched at birth at a New York City hospital 64 years ago McMahon, 64, has filed a lawsuit against New York's Jamaica Hospital over the alleged switch-up. His real parents passed away before he learned his true parentage Ross McMahon is pictured. He is the man that was allegedly raised by Kevin McMahon's blood relatives The lawyer added: 'Theres no mystery as to what happened ... Jamaica Hospital switched the babies. The DNA proves it. The mystery is, how did they let this happen?' McMahon has filed a lawsuit against the hospital, which has declined to comment on the claims. He said he faced several difficulties as a child due to the hospital's alleged switch-up, including being treated differently by his paternal grandmother. McMahon's siblings were reportedly sent to live with their grandmother because their mother was an alcoholic and struggled to care for them. However, McMahon said he was instead sent to to live with a family friend. 'I was treated differently by my grandmother,' McMahon told NBC. 'She didnt like me, and in time, I took that to mean I wasnt likable.' McMahon's real parents passed away long before he discovered the alleged switch-up. McMahan, seen as a boy, shared that his siblings often joked that he was 'the mailman's son' because he did not look like the rest of the family The two families involved have met and are working together to build their relationships 'I feel I could have shared so much with my birth parents, and I didnt get to do that,' he said. 'It certainly would have changed the whole course of my life.' However, McMahon did reconnect with his blood relatives, including his younger brother Keith. He also met Ross, the man he was switched with at birth and both families are now working to connect and overcome the loss of what could have been. Los Angeles's embattled Mayor Karen Bass could breeze to re-election despite facing fury over her handling of devastating wildfires that ravaged the Pacific Palisades neighborhoods and plunged the city into financial crisis. The first-term Democratic mayor, found her her political future under intense scrutiny following the wildfires, leaving some in the city questioning her leadership. Bass sparked fury by traveling to Ghana on a diplomatic trip despite warnings of severe winds before the January 7 inferno exploded. The fire destroyed luxury homes and forced evacuations across the wealthy enclave. A UC Berkeley poll showed less than one in five residents rated her response as 'good or excellent.' She also faced a recall attempt. She was called out for floundering when questioned about her absence, faced public criticism from her own fire chief, whom she later ousted, and appeared disconnected from her recovery czar. But despite the political fury and a recall attempt that's gaining steam, experts told the LA Times that Bass enjoys one crucial advantage. No serious challenger has attempted to face her and capitalize on her vulnerability. 'You're only actually vulnerable if a viable candidate runs against you,' Sara Sadhwani, assistant professor of politics at Pomona College told the LA Times. 'Right now, we don't see who that viable candidate would be.' Los Angeles's embattled Mayor Karen Bass could breeze to re-election despite facing fury over her handling of devastating wildfires that ravaged the Pacific Palisades neighborhoods and plunged the city into financial crisis The first-term Democratic mayor, who just months ago seemed destined for an easy victory, now finds her political future under intense scrutiny following a series of missteps that left her city questioning her leadership One possible candidate is billionaire mall mogul Rick Caruso, who spent a staggering $108 million of his personal fortune in his failed 2022 bid against Bass. The developer has remained more active in fire recovery efforts than the mayor herself. Caruso, who lost by nearly 10 points last time, has teased potential runs for either mayor or governor but remains noncommittal. His spokesman insisted he is 'wholly focused' on rebuilding work through his nonprofit Steadfast LA, despite recently hiring veteran Democratic consultant Eric Koch - a hint that he may be running. Bass has attempted to paint Caruso as a Republican in their previous matchup. Several other names circulating in political circles include Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, and Traci Park - who has become a 'folk hero' in her district - as well as leftist City Controller Kenneth Mejia. LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath has also emerged as a potential candidate after publicly clashing with Bass over homeless funding. Horvath, who currently lives in neighboring West Hollywood, is reportedly open to relocating to LA proper, though she claims she's 'not actively pursuing' a mayoral run. But Bass retains major advantages, having already raised nearly $1.4 million for her re-election bid. The Los Angeles Police Protective League - which spent more than $3 million attacking her in 2022 - now 'enthusiastically endorses' her re-election and credited the mayor with driving down crime across the city. 'The Los Angeles Police Protective League enthusiastically endorses Mayor Karen Bass for re-election, and we look forward to ensuring the residents of our city know that this mayor has an unwavering commitment to keep Angelenos and police officers safe,' they said in a statement. The mayor's political consultant, Doug Herman, insists Bass remains 'laser-focused on delivering results for the city.' 'Mayor Bass is continuing to lead with drops in crime, the first decrease in homelessness in years and is currently turning Los Angeles around from the devastating wildfires with one of the fastest recovery and rebuilding efforts in modern California history,' he said. The June 2026 primary is still 14 months away. In February, Bass once again found herself at the center of controversy as she desperately tried to explain her absence during the wildfires that ravaged her city. 'You do gain time coming back, but I will tell you that it's not like there are hourly flights from Accra, Ghana, to the United States,' Bass said. Despite her remarks, the mayor received harsh backlash when she was pictured at a cocktail party at the US Embassy while wildfires began to destroy the Pacific Palisades. Bass, who fired Chief Kristin Crowley over her response to the wildfires, previously said that no one informed her of the fire risks and has stood firm that if she had known, she wouldn't have gone on the trip. 'We need to look at everything about the preparation and all of that for the fires... I think when we evaluate that, we will find that although there were warnings - that I frankly wasn't aware of.' 'I think our preparation wasn't what it typically is... That level of preparation really didn't happen. If it had, I wouldn't even have gone to San Diego, let alone leave the country,' she said in an interview at the time. Texas Senator Ted Cruz has made it not secret he's not a fan of tariffs, and he had a dire message for President Donald Trump as the trade war escalates. The Republican lawmaker said the president has the opportunity for the 'most extraordinary economic win' for the U.S., but he also had a warning. 'There are voices in the administration that rather than take a deal, are saying "we want to have tariffs as a long term permanent feature of the economy,"' he said. 'I think that'd be a mistake,' Cruz added. He warned if a year from now, U.S. trading partners have 'jacked up' prices on American products while the U.S. has tariffs, he believes it will hurt the country. Cruz urged Trump to take deals and lower tariffs 'all around' as he claimed the president proposed during his first term. The Texas firebrand and Trump ally made his comments during a group interview with fellow Republican senators on Fox News' Hannity Tuesday night. 'If the path forward is continued high tariffs from America and continued or even higher tariffs from our trading partners into perpetuity, that's a terrible outcome,' he repeated to a group of reporters Wednesday on Capitol Hill. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) warned there are people in the Trump administration who want to keep tariffs in place longterm. He called that idea a 'mistake' Cruz's assessment comes as a nasty fight has been brewing between officials in the Trump administration over tariffs which has spilled out into the public. At the same time, as Trump's tariffs have gone into effect, China, the European Union and other countries have announced a series of retaliatory tariffs while some 70 countries have also reached out to make deals. The Texas senator said if Trump's tariffs lead to deals in the next few months that lower trade barriers, improve market access and reduce tariffs, it's a great outcome. Cruz is one of multiple Republican senators who have expressed concerns over Trump's tariff plan. His remarks were similar to a warning he made on his Verdict podcast earlier this week where he said there are voices in the administration that want the tariffs to still be in place for years to come. Cruz argued that they 'want tariffs to be the main source of economic revenue for the federal government.' The senator questioned how much of the tariffs are being used as leverage to get deals with other countries and how much of it is about raising revenues for the government. Your browser does not support iframes. Cruz noted claims that the tariffs could get rid of the income tax, but he pointed out that there are currently tariffs on top of the income tax. 'That's just a ton more taxes,' he argued, noting that he does not actually see anyone proposing getting rid of the income tax. 'If the outcome from these tariffs is really high tariffs from every country on earth against American goods and really high tariffs from America against goods from every other country on earth, that is going to be really bad for Texas and really bad for America,' he warned. A new at-home spit test for prostate cancer is more accurate than current screening methods, a breakthrough study suggests. Researchers say the test is so effective it could 'turn the tide' on the disease and help identify at-risk men without the need for a GP appointment. They estimate it could find 12,350 tumours at an earlier stage, when the disease is easier to treat, saving the NHS 500million a year. The development is a major boost to the Mail's campaign for a national prostate cancer screening programme, aimed at preventing needless deaths. Prostate cancer is the most diagnosed form of cancer in England, with around 55,000 cases and 10,200 deaths each year. The test involves extracting DNA from a saliva sample and looking for variations that are known to increase a man's risk of prostate cancer. The type and number of variations allows scientists to calculate each individual's risk, known as a polygenic risk score (PGS). Those with a high PGS can then be offered an MRI scan and biopsy to establish if they actually have a tumour. Brothers Joel Turnbull and Dheeresh Turnbull both found out they had prostate cancer after they took part in a trial assessing the spit test for prostate cancer A new at-home spit test for prostate cancer is more accurate than current screening methods, a breakthrough study suggests New trial results show the spit test outperformed the blood test currently used on the NHS to look for elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). For the men with the highest genetic risk, the spit test picked up a higher proportion of aggressive cancers, returned fewer false positives, and picked up people with cancer who would have been missed by the PSA test. Researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust found the test also identified men with prostate cancer that was missed by an MRI scan. Professor Ros Eeles, from the ICR, said: 'With this test, it could be possible to turn the tide on prostate cancer. 'We have shown that a relatively simple, inexpensive spit test to identify men of European heritage at higher risk due to their genetic makeup is an effective tool to catch prostate cancer early. 'Building on decades of research into the genetic markers of prostate cancer, our study shows that the theory does work in practice we can identify men at risk of aggressive cancers who need further tests and spare the men who are at lower risk from unnecessary treatments.' The Barcode 1 study, published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, calculated the PRS of 6,142 European men aged 55 to 69. The score is based on 130 genetic variations in the DNA code that are linked to prostate cancer, developed by studying the DNA of hundreds of thousands of men. New trial results show the spit test outperformed the blood test currently used on the NHS to look for elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) The development is a major boost to the Mail's campaign for a national prostate cancer screening programme, aimed at preventing needless deaths Those with the highest 10 per cent of risk scores were invited to further screening. Typically, only 25 per cent of men with a high PSA level will actually have prostate cancer. But following an MRI and prostate biopsy, 187 (40 per cent) of the 468 men with a high PRS were diagnosed with the disease. Of these 187 men, 118 (63.1 per cent) had a PSA level below 3.0ug/L, which is considered 'normal' and would usually indicate that no further screening is required. Previous studies have shown that the PSA blood test picks up many people who have cancers that are not of concern and would not require treatment. The PRS saliva test identified a higher proportion of aggressive cancers which are fast growing and likely to spread than the PSA test. Of the 187 cancers detected, 55.1 per cent were aggressive cancers compared with 35.5 per cent identified by a PSA test in a recent study. The PRS test is also more accurate than an MRI scan for these men with high genetic risk, as 125 men (66.8 per cent) had prostate cancer confirmed by a biopsy that was not detected by the MRI. A 42million trial launched by the charity Prostate Cancer UK will directly compare the saliva test to the PSA blood test and MRI scan, to assess whether those with a low genetic risk may also benefit from an alternative screening tool. Professor Kristian Helin, chief executive of ICR, said: 'Early detection of cancers significantly increases the chance of a cure. 'With prostate cancer cases expected to double by 2040, it's crucial to establish a robust way of picking up clinically significant cases of prostate cancer at an earlier stage. 'The current PSA test often leads to unnecessary treatments and, more concerningly, fails to detect some cancers. 'There is an urgent need for a better screening test. 'This research represents a promising advancement towards that goal and underscores the life-saving potential of genetic testing.' A 15-year-old Missouri high schooler accused of murdering a local chef suffered a traumatic childhood that included being diagnosed with cancer aged four and getting hooked on opioids as a result, his family says. The teen, who has not been named publicly, allegedly shot and killed prominent Kansas City chef Shaun Brady outside his restaurant last summer. According to prosecutors, the teen was with a group of friends driving in a stolen car near Brady's restaurant, Brady and Fox, when the group decided to break into Brady's car. Brady, a father of two, was unloading boxes into his restaurant at the time, and he reportedly chased them off 'kicking and swinging' at their stolen car. Prosecutors said a video shown behind closed doors in court this week then showed the 15-year-old get out of the car and shoot Brady in the chest several times. In court, authorities are arguing whether the teenager should be tried as an adult, with his family and attorney claiming he endured a tough childhood that should be taken into consideration. 'Development goes a long way in life, and he hasnt gotten that far,' his father told Fox4KC. 'He hasnt developed enough to understand a mistakeand mistakes will be made throughout his life.' Prominent Kansas City chef Shaun Brady (pictured) was shot dead outside his restaurant in Kansas City last year, with it revealed in court that his alleged killer, 15, suffered a childhood of abuse and health issues The teen allegedly tried to steal Brady's car outside his restaurant Brady and Fox (seen after the shooting), and shot the restauranteur when he tried to step in According to documents shown in court this week, the suspect's childhood was filled with issues beginning with a shock cancer diagnosis aged just four. The disease returned at least three times before he was seven, and he was prescribed opioids from a young age to help handle the pain. This caused him to develop an addiction that subsequently led him to fail middle school, the court records said. His mother testified in the hearing that he overdosed twice. The teen's rough childhood went further than his health issues, however, as he also endured years of abuse including regular beatings. This allegedly saw him being beaten with a metal bat, and in court it was alleged that he witnessed his dad beat his mom so much she went blind in one eye. A lack of food in his childhood home forced the teen to sell drugs from age 10 to feed himself and his siblings, and he was in and out of trouble with the law ever since. The suspect's father (pictured) argued that his son should not be tried as an adult because of his rough childhood, saying he 'hasnt developed enough to understand a mistake' Brady was a father of two, and his stricken family were reportedly in attendance at his alleged killer's hearing this week where it was debated whether he will stand trial as an adult Prosecutors said a video shown behind closed doors in court this week showed the 15-year-old get out of the car and shoot Brady in the chest several times outside his restaurant The suspect's father said his son was arrested twice before, for burglary in 2021 and trespassing in 2024, neither of which resulted in any charges. But he said he regretted the fact that the justice system didn't step in, telling Fox4 that he partly blamed the justice system. In court, the teen's attorney described his child hood as 'full of trauma', and argued for the suspect not to be tried as an adult. The state is seeking to try him on murder charges as an adult, and Brady's family was reportedly inside the courtroom as officials decide his alleged killer's fate. A peaceful day on the soft sands of a Florida beach quickly turned into a nightmare for a man enjoying the sun when a careless driver ran him over while he was tanning. Coleson Janey, 33, of Ocala, was sunbathing on the sands of Ormond Beach on Saturday morning when he was jolted awake by the excruciating pain of a Jeep Wrangler's tire running over his head. The terrifying ordeal sparked chaos on the beach as witnesses quickly dialed 911, with Janey subsequently being rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. 'I was just screaming,' Janey, who miraculously survived the ordeal, told AZ Family. 'Screaming my head off, screaming bloody murder, of course, because I was just in so much pain.' The 33-year-old beachgoer was soaking up the sun face-down on his towel near the Cardinal Drive beach ramp just after 10:30am on Saturday when his seemingly relaxing morning took a turn for the worst, according to the Volusia Sheriff's Office. A 61-year-old woman driving a Jeep Wrangler was attempting to back into a parking spot when she veered off the travel lanes and onto the sand, running over Janey's head and body with the 4,100-pound vehicle, according to authorities. 'I guess I had maybe fallen asleep for a little bit and then I woke up to a tire coming over my head,' Janey told The New York Post from his hospital bed on Monday. Coleson Janey, 33, of Ocala, Florida, was sunbathing on the sands of Ormond Beach when he was jolted awake by the excruciating pain of a Jeep Wrangler's tire running over his head and body, landing him in the hospital with several injuries A 61-year-old woman driving a Jeep Wrangler was attempting to back into a parking spot when she veered off the travel lanes and onto the sand, running over Janey's head and body with the 4,100-pound vehicle Janey suffered multiple non-life-threatening injuries from the incident, including a scratch on his eye, a bruised face and more severe damage to the rest of his body Witnesses immediately called 911 as Janey screamed in agony, recalling later that it felt as though he had 'two brains' kick-in - one side panicking, the other calculating the extent of the damage to his body after being steamrolled by the car. However, reality struck when he looked down at his own body, recalling seeing his forearm 'flattened' and his leg 'mangled'. 'The guy's alive,' a 911 caller told the dispatcher, describing the severity of the horrific situation, WESH 2 News reported. 'He's moaning very badly.' Janey suffered multiple non-life-threatening injuries from the incident, including a scratch on his eye, a bruised face and more severe damage to the rest of his body. EMTs arrived at the scene where they reset his leg before loading him into an ambulance, yet the ride to the hospital was anything but gracious. 'That EMS vehicle was stuck multiple times in the sand getting to my nephew,' Ronda Storms, Janey's aunt, told WESH News. 'Moreover, once they got him in that EMS vehicle, the splint stabilizing unit was broken.' Janey eventually arrived at the hospital in reportedly stable condition, where doctors performed emergency surgery on his leg. Reality struck for Janey when he looked down at his own body, recalling seeing his forearm 'flattened' and his leg 'mangled' Witnesses immediately called 911 as Janey screamed in agony, recalling later that it felt as though he had 'two brains' kick-in - one side panicking, the other calculating the extent of the damage to his body after being steamrolled by the car EMTs arrived at the scene where they reset his leg before loading him into an ambulance, yet the ride to the hospital was anything but gracious 'So now, I have a forearm that's broken in two places - both bones in the forearm, clean break,' he told AZ Family. 'And then, my femur, which was broken, that they just had to put a titanium rod in.' The driver of the Jeep remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators, according to deputies, and was cited for careless driving, as officials reported no signs of impairment at the time of the incident - just a clear lack of spatial awareness. Labeling the incident as 'careless' has left Janey's family stunned, as the near-catastrophic event has left their loved one in a hospital bed with several broken bones and bruises. 'The second thing that was shocking to me is that she was only charged with careless driving and not reckless driving,' Storms told WESH. The charges may change however, as the investigation into the terrifying mishap remains ongoing. Janey is now facing a long and painful recovery, with doctors estimating a recovery time of around three to four months. 'I'm just thankful to be alive,' he said. 'And able to walk again at some point.' Saturday's horrifying incident comes just two months after a truck ran over an elderly woman's head while she was sunbathing on Daytona Beach in Florida. Janey had to undergo emergency leg surgery and is suffering from a clean break of two bones in his forearm as well as a broken femur, which required the insertion of a titanium rod The driver of the Jeep remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators, according to deputies, and was cited for careless driving, as officials reported no signs of impairment at the time of the incident On February 5, a 71-year-old woman was hit near the Silver Beach Avenue Beach ramp as she sat in a beach chair behind a vehicle, according to the Volusia sheriff's office. An 84-year-old woman from DeLeon Springs was behind the wheel of the Chevrolet Colorado parked next to the vehicle, police said. 'The driver made an immediate right turn toward the beach exit, did not see the woman in her chair, and struck her with the truck's right rear tire, which then ran over her head,' police explained in a statement. Since police said there were 'no signs of impairment,' the driver has not been charged or cited. 'I never seen her sitting there. I was all the way over there when they stopped me,' the woman said on the body cam footage while talking to police and pointing toward where she'd driven to after the accident. The sheriff's office said the victim was taken to Halifax Health Medical Center with non-life-threatening head injuries and was reportedly in stable condition following the incident. The San Diego Zoo has welcomed a new addition to its wildlife, and although this gorgeous cat may look like a cheetah or a leopard, they have a surprising secret that distinguishes them from other felines. Cats are typically known to hate water, but Miso-Chi, a fishing cat at the zoo, has been splashing around ever since he arrived in San Diego. The zoo announced his arrival on social media, writing, 'Say hello to Miso-Chi, an 8-year-old fishing cat who recently moved to the San Diego Zoo. 'This clever and confident kitty has been splashing around his new habitat while scoping out the coziest spots to hide.' Fishing cats differ from other felines because they love the water and are native to wetlands. The species hails from the marshes and swamps of Southeast Asia, and their population is dwindling due to shrinking wetlands. Miso-Chi was placed at the San Diego Zoo as part of the Species Survival Program, which places animals in danger of extinction with accredited zoos and aquariums to manage their population. The zoo has already received a flurry of comments on social media from fisher cat fans eager to see Miso-Chi. Miso-Chi, an eight-year-old fishing cat is the newest resident of the San Diego Zoo in California Fishing cats love the water and are native to Southeast Asian wetlands. Unlike other cats, they have webbed feet and are great swimmers Miso-Chi has been splashing around in the water since arriving at the zoo and is finding the 'coziest' places to hide 'What a beautiful creature,' one comment read. 'For years I have rarely seen any activity in this enclosure and last weekend we got to see it wander around and catch a fish! Loved seeing him active and exploring,' another added. 'Yay!!! So excited to have another Fishing Cat at the zoo, I love them!' a third added. 'So elusive this kitty! Ive only seen him/her out a handful of times and have been to the zoo dozens of times! So darling,' a fourth added. Fishing cats have yellowish-gray coats with black spots and stripes. Their tail is fairly short in comparison to other felines and they're short and stocky. The cats also have webbing between their toes to help them swim and muddle through their native wetlands without slipping. They have two fur layers to keep their skin warm during the cooler months. The cats also have 32 muscles in their ear so it's impossible to sneak up on them. Miso-Chi was placed in San Diego as a part of the Species Survival Program, which places endangered species in accredited zoos Fishing cats are becoming an increasingly vulnerable species as their homeland of Southeast Asia is losing its wetlands to urban development They have been known to catch fish, mammals, and birds. Fishing cats have been observed scooping fish from shallow water. Fishing cats are becoming a vulnerable breed as about 50 percent of Southeast Asia wetlands have disappeared due to urban development. Miso-Chi is now joining the over 12,000 rare animals at the 100-acre wildlife park. He was placed in the zoo's Tiger Trail exhibit, where zoogoers can experience a simulation of a tropical Asian rainforest. Prince Harrys barrister today ended his appeal for the return of full taxpayer-funded security protection with a claim that its removal has left the royal's life 'at stake'. The Duke of Sussex has flown 5,000 miles from California to attend a two-day hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London to win automatic state security for him and his family. He has claimed he was singled out for inferior treatment when the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) stripped him of his top-level security in February 2020, following Megxit. In a stirring speech with the Duke of Sussex sat 15 feet behind her, the princes barrister Shaheed Fatima KC told the Appeal Court: One must not forget the human dimension to this case. 'There is a person sitting behind me whose safety, whose security, and whose life is at stake.' In her closing submissions, Ms Fatima said the Duke's presence during the hearing shows how much the appeal means to him and his family. 'There is a person sitting behind me who is being told he is getting a special bespoke process when he knows and has experienced a process that is manifestly inferior in every respect,' she told the High Court. 'His presence here and throughout this appeal is a potent illustration, were one needed, of how much this appeal means to him and his family.' The California-based royal, who has now left the court, is challenging the dismissal of his High Court legal action against the Home Office. Prince Harrys taxpayer-funded security was cut after his highly unusual decision to quit royal duties and spend most of the time abroad, the High Court has heard The Duke of Sussex has flown 5,000 miles to be at the Royal Courts of Justice in London for the hearing and waved to fans gathered near the entrance today The royal, flanked by security guards, claimed he was singled out for inferior treatment after Mexit At the end of the hearing, judge Sir Geoffrey Vos said the Court of Appeal's decision would be given in writing at a later date, which was 'most unlikely' to be before Easter. Sir Geoffrey, sitting with Lord Justice Bean and Lord Justice Edis, said: 'Plainly we will take our time to consider our judgments.' The case stems from the decision by Ravec that he should receive a different degree of protection when in the country of his birth because he stepped down as a full-time royal. The case has cost the British taxpayer 500,000 so far. Earlier, as the Home Secretarys case was made, Prince Harry at one stage appeared to throw his pen down in exasperation and pull a face expressing disbelief. Sir James Eadie KC, representing the Home Office, has said it had discretion to strip his guaranteed full time police security without consulting the Risk Management Board (RMB) quango. RMB risk analysis is the usual approach in usual cases, he told the High Court today. But there is nothing about the appellants [Prince Harrys] announcement in January 2020 that he was to step back from his role in the Royal family, and spend most of the time abroad, that was usual. Prince Harry was dramatically escorted from the High Court hearing earlier today after an agitated supporter disrupted proceedings. The bespectacled supporter a diminutive, shaven-headed black woman who looked in her 50s had attracted attention after arriving late to the public gallery, and repeatedly shifting in her seat and fiddling and fidgeting with two phones and a notebook. The Dukes long-term head security man David Langdown, 57, and another burly aide appeared to focus on the woman, anxious if a threat to his safety was present. When the hearing broke so the public and press could leave, before a secret session involving security details could begin, Langdown and the other bodyguard ensured that as the Duke was led out of the room at the Royal Courts of Justice, they were between him and the woman. As he passed her, within touching distance, the woman suddenly shouted out, indistinctly, what appeared to be I support you Prince Harry. As the Duke was hurried out, the woman turned to the press gallery and said: If youre members of the press, youre the reason hes not in England. She was then kept to one side by a member of court security, before being led out of the building, away from members of the public. As she was led out, the Daily Mail approached to ask what she was talking about. She refused to say. Only after she had been taken away did the Duke return, accompanied by his watchful security, for the secret session. Prince Harry made his way to his seat in the appeal hearing and sat behind his barristers with a notepad, pen and bottle of water in front of him, shortly before it began at 10.30am The California-based royal is challenging the dismissal of his High Court legal action against the Home Office It stems from the decision that he should receive a different degree of protection when in the country of his birth because he stepped down as a full-time royal Prince Harry arrived at the High Court shortly after 10am and waved to fans gathered near the entrance. He then made his way to his seat in the courtroom and sat behind his barristers with a notepad, pen and bottle of water in front of him. Prince Harry's lawyer Ms Fatima insisted that Ravec failed to follow its own guidelines and should have commissioned an assessment of the Duke's security needs from the Risk Management Board (RMB). Ms Fatima said: 'The appellant [the Duke of Sussex] does not accept that bespoke means better in fact, in his position, it means he has been singled out for different, inferior treatment.' She added that the judge who previously ruled Ravec had acted correctly was mistaken. But barrister Sir James, speaking for the Home Secretary, told the High Court that his extremely unusual withdrawal from Royal duties changed everything. He said it was hard to imagine someone more experienced and better placed than the chair of Ravec to make a bespoke decision about how the Dukes security arrangements should change to accommodate the unique and unusual circumstances of the appellant [Prince Harry]. And Sir James denied the Duke was treated unfairly and said: He was not being singled out - on the contrary, the process being adopted had positive advantages for him. At one point while the court was hearing the Home Secretarys argument against his appeal, Prince Harry wrote detailed observations densely packed on to a blue post-it note. His solicitor then passed it forward through his team of four barristers until it reached his lead KC Ms Fatima. Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle 'felt forced to step back' from frontline royal duties in 2020 'as they considered they were not being protected by the institution', Ms Fatima KC said yesterday. But hitting back the Home Office's barrister said the Duke of Sussex's appeal 'involves a continued failure to see the wood for the trees'. Opening Prince Harry's appeal yesterday morning, Ms Fatima said he had been 'singled out' for 'inferior treatment' when he was stripped of the high level of protection he was previously given by the Metropolitan Police. 'When Ravec made its February 2020 decision about the appellant's protective security, it did not apply its own terms of reference to that decision-making process', she said, adding that Ravec came up with a 'different and so-called 'bespoke process'. 'The appellant [Prince Harry] does not accept that "bespoke" means "better". In fact, in his submission, it means that he has been singled out for different, unjustified and inferior treatment'. In written submissions submitted to the Court of Appeal yesterday, Harry's KC, viewed as a legal trailblazer because in 2016 she became Britain's first hijab-wearing barrister, said: 'This appeal concerns the most fundamental right: to safety and security of person'. She continued: 'On January 8 2020, (the Duke of Sussex) and his wife felt forced to step back from the role of full-time official working members of the royal family as they considered they were not being protected by the institution, but they wished to continue their duties in support of the late Queen as privately funded members of the royal family'. Ms Fatima later said that Harry was 'not in a position to make any informed representations to Ravec'. She added: '(His) security does not appear to have been discussed at any formal Ravec meeting and there are no official notes or detailed minutes recording the approach to be taken to (his) security and the rationale for it.' Shaheed Fatima KC, watched by her client the Duke of Sussex, during the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice over his security The Duke of Sussex's appeal against the dismissal of his legal challenge over the level of protection he and his family (pictured together at Christmas) is given while visiting the UK has begun at the Court of Appeal It is believed he did not see his father, pictured yesterday in Rome with Queen Camilla, when they were briefly in the US at the same time on Sunday and Monday The Duke of Sussex landed from Los Angeles on Sunday but his father spent the weekend at Highgrove, his private Gloucestershire home, resting ahead of this week's busy State Visit to Italy. His Majesty then flew directly to Rome from RAF Brize Norton with Queen Camilla on Monday afternoon. It came after the Mail's Richard Eden revealed Harry's skipped the wedding of one of his so-called 'band of brothers' - despite being invited and in the UK. Harry believes he is entitled to armed bodyguards, paid for by the British taxpayer, and is fighting a 2020 decision to reduce the level of security after he and Meghan Markle stepped back from life as working royals and emigrated to the United States. He has expressed safety concerns about returning to the UK with his wife and children. The King and his son are believed to have differing views over Harry's decision to pursue his legal fight with the Home Office, which has cost the British taxpayer 500,000 so far. Harry has been taking legal action in the UK over a decision made by Ravec in February 2020 over the level of protection he should receive when in the country. The High Court previously heard that his 'status' had changed as a result of no longer being a 'full-time working member of the Royal Family'. But Harry has argued his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet cannot 'feel at home' or 'safe' in the UK unless his police protection is fully restored. According to Ms Fatima KC, when Ravec stripped the prince of his top-level security in February 2020, shortly after he and wife Meghan had announced they were stepping back from royal duties and relocating to North America, it did not follow his own rules. Ms Fatima said according to its own guidelines, Ravec should have commissioned an assessment of Prince Harry's particular security needs from another specialist body, the Risk Management Board. It has failed to do so, instead reaching its decision by 'bespoke' means. Ms Fatima said: 'The appellant [the Duke of Sussex] does not accept that bespoke means better in fact, in his position, it means he has been singled out for different, inferior treatment.' The hearing before Sir Geoffrey Vos, Lord Justice Bean, and Lord Justice Edis is due to conclude today with a decision expected in writing at a later date. It came as MailOnline reveal that the King is not thought to have met with his youngest son when he flew into London from California at the weekend ahead of his High Court showdown. A mentally ill, homeless California man has won a $2.4million wrongful termination pay out from his former employer after he was fired while on medical leave. But tragically Daniel Ridge may never see the cash, as he is currently missing and estranged from his family, including his ten-year-old son. Ridge first filed a complaint against Alameda Health System after they fired him from his role at the morgue in Highland Hospital eight years ago. In the time since, the same mental health struggles which required him to take medical leave have all but consumed him. 'He's gone. I couldn't even find him,' his attorney Lawrance Bohm told Mercury News. 'My client doesn't even know and will probably never appreciate what we did for him, but his family will never forget it.' Ridge's mental health was so poor that a psychiatric evaluation found he was incompetent to testify on his own behalf. He was initially hired as a part time morgue worker at the Oakland hospital in 2006. However in 2014 he began taking on full time hours after his colleague took medical leave. Homeless California man Daniel Ridge was awarded a $2.4 million wrongful termination pay out from his former employers after he was fired while on medical leave In 2015 the colleague retired and as the pressures of the job increased, Ridge began struggling to cope. In February of that year the hospital altered its use of formaldehyde in the morgue which Ridge said led to him feeling 'dizzy' and suffering 'macabre' thoughts. He filed a workers' compensation claim but his mental health got worse and he was increasingly plagued by 'intrusive thoughts of death and dying,' according to a case summary. Ridge suffered from PTSD as a result of losing friends to gang violence which compounded his condition, Bohm argued. He was officially diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, major depression and PTSD and began calling out of work in September 2015, including on one occasion to attend a three week inpatient clinic. Internal emails revealed that his superiors began grumbling about understaffing and branded Ridge, 'unreliable'. Despite returning to work, his bosses were skeptical about his abilities and suggested he be deployed elsewhere. Ridge first filed a complaint against Alameda Health System after they fired him from his role at the morgue in Highland Hospital eight years ago The same week, Ridge suffered a panic attack which landed him in the ER and was granted a medical note for leave until the end of October. But when he returned to work at the start of November, he found his office had been cleaned out and he was escorted off the premises. The experience exacerbated his mental health and Ridge then became, 'Unhoused, unemployed, isolated and angry,' Bohm said. His withdrawal meant his family had to pursue his legal case for him through a court-appointed representative. His team had to rely on dispositions after Ridge was deemed unfit to testify , something Bohm described as 'unprecedented' in his 24 year career. Ridge's family plan to set up a trust to ensure that the money can go to his son. Bohm hopes his client might one day be found. 'He's caught in a whirlpool, and he's not coming out,' he said. 'The best we can do is help him to be comfortable and to help provide some of his basic needs.' Alameda Health Systems plans to appeal the ruling. His attorney Lawrance Bohm said his client was deemed unfit to testify at his own hearing, something he described as 'unprecedented' 'We are pleased that the jury found AHS did not discriminate against the plaintiff, nor did it fail to accommodate him,' the group said in a statement. 'However, AHS otherwise disagrees with the jury's verdict and believes that, when reviewed by the Court of Appeal, the portions of the jury's verdict favoring the plaintiff are not supported by the evidence.' The heartbroken family of a woman brutally stabbed to death in front of her young daughter has revealed the little girl's 'painful' last memory of her mother. Innocent bystander Cher Maximen, 32, was stabbed to death with a zombie knife when caught up in gang violence during the Notting Hill Carnival in west London last year. Killer Shakeil Thibou, 20, had attempted to target a man called Adjei Isaac when the nightmare unfolded on August 25, 2024. He was today found guilty of Ms Maximen's murder. The mother's cousin Lawrence Hoo has revealed the idea of her three-year-old daughter witnessing her on the ground fills the family with grief and anger. 'She saw her mother drop to the floor, and then she saw her mother bleed. That's the daughter's last living memory of her mother,' he told Sky News. 'And to live with that, knowing that that's happened, that somebody did that. That's why it's so hard and that's where the rage comes from.' During the chaotic scenes, model Ms Maximen was knocked to the floor. As she struggled to her feet, Thibou raised his knife and deliberately stabbed her in the groin. Ms Maximen, who also worked as a clothing designer, died six days later from her injuries on August 31. Cher Maximen, 32, was stabbed to death with a zombie knife after becoming caught up in gang violence near the Trellick Tower on Golborne Road Ms Maximen's grandmother, Vyleen Maximen (centre), is joined by relatives Laurence Hoo (left) and TJ Jacobs (right), as she speaks outside the Old Bailey, London, after Shakeil Thibou was found guilty of murder today Shakeil Thibou (pictured) was today found guilty of Ms Maximen's murder Thibou claimed he was trying to defend himself from Mr Isaac and said he stabbed Ms Maximen by mistake but the jury convicted him of murder, attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to Mr Isaac and having an offensive weapon, namely a knife. As the guilty verdict was announced, members of Ms Maximen's family broke down in tears, with one relative shouting 'yes' in relief - and her family later told Sky News: 'The feeling of loss is overwhelming, but so is the feeling of rage.' They continued: 'She [Ms Maximen's daughter] is aware that on that day, something happened to her mother. 'She saw her mother drop to the floor, and then she saw her mother bleed. That's the daughter's last living memory of her mother. 'And to live with that, knowing that that's happened, that somebody did that. That's why it's so hard and that's where the rage comes from.' Vyleen Maximen, the mother's grandmother, said: 'Cher, my first born grandchild, my friend. I held you in my arms when you were born. 32 years of loving, of laughing, playing, crying and holidaying with you. I will no longer have that pleasure ever again. Not seeing you get married or have more children. 'Life will never be the same. Ever. We just have to live life, the best that we can and I will raise your daughter Cher, until my last breath. I will never hear your key opening my front door and shouting 'Hello Nanny'.' TJ Jacobs, relative of Cher and Godmother to Cher's daughter, said: 'We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the jury for helping ensure justice is served for our beloved Cher Maximen affectionately known to us as Princess Cher, Ri Ri, Churbs, Churburt, Cher Bear and Bear. 'What happened to us has completely turned our lives upside down. Losing Cher has filled our hearts with immeasurable sadness. 'Cher was pure magic radiant, loving, passionate, and kind. She brought creativity, style and flawless flair to everything she did. She was a dedicated mother, a devoted granddaughter, niece, sister, and friend. Shakeil Thibou, 20, attempted to stab Adjei Isaac, now 20, before knifing Ms Maximen (above) moments later after she was knocked off her feet on 25 August Police footage showed the arrest of Cher Maximen's murderer Shakeil Thibou Thibou's brother Sheldon Thibou, 25, (pictured) was also found guilty of violent disorder and assaulting Pc Oliver Mort, who tried to intervene A third brother, 22-year-old Shaeim Thibou (pictured), was cleared of violent disorder but convicted of assaulting Pc Mort after the jury deliberated for 50 hours and 33 minutes 'This senseless act of violence has cut short a life that had so much more to offer the world and was only just beginning to blossom. Like many young adults, life hadn't always been easy for Cher, but she was just discovering who she was and who she could become. 'Even when life felt unfair, Cher remained kind, caring, and a fierce protector of those she loved qualities that were evident even in her final moments. Her smile lit up every corner of every room, and her laugh echoed through hallways. 'Her journey was an example of resilience against the odds, showing that no matter the challenges, young people can emerge with strength, determination, and the will to strive for better. 'Our family is devastated, but we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the emergency responders, medical professionals, and law enforcement officers involved in this case.' Thibou's brother Sheldon Thibou, 25, was also found guilty of violent disorder and assaulting Pc Oliver Mort, who tried to intervene. A third brother, 22-year-old Shaeim Thibou, was cleared of violent disorder but convicted of assaulting Pc Mort after the jury deliberated for 50 hours and 33 minutes. The Old Bailey heard that a disturbance broke out at about 5.48pm between the defendants and at least two other males close to where Ms Maximen was standing with her group. The crowd parted as Sheldon Thibou got into a physical confrontation with the males, prompting Pc Mort to step in to break it up, jurors had heard. Sheldon Thibou was holding a stun gun as he and Shaeim hit out at the officer, the court heard. Violence broke out at around 5.48pm between the defendants and at least two other males close to where Ms Maximen was standing with her group (File image) During the chaotic scenes, model Ms Maximen was knocked to the floor Meanwhile, Shakeil Thibou thrust a 'huge' knife repeatedly towards Mr Isaac's stomach - only missing him because the intended victim drew back. Ms Maximen was knocked to the ground after Mr Isaac came into contact with her and then managed to partially get to her feet, Mr Brown said. She appeared to lift her right leg at Shakeil Thibou who raised the knife directly towards her and deliberately stabbed her in her groin, jurors heard. Mr Brown said: 'The injuries inflicted on Ms Maximen were fatal - the defendant had killed her. It was a truly shocking attack, and regarded as such by those around it.' Judge Philip Katz, KC, excused the jurors from any further jury service for the rest of their lives, saying they had been compelled to watch 'very difficult' footage. Speaking after the verdict was delivered, Ms Maximen's cousin Lawrence Hoo told Sky News: 'I've lost my parents. I've lost my brother. Nothing has felt like this ever. It is the cruellest thing, it truly is.' Prosecutor Edward Brown earlier told the court: 'Cher Maximen was killed and the knife, the weapon used to kill her, was wielded by the first defendant, Shakeil Thibou. 'Cher Maximen was visiting the carnival too. She has a daughter aged three and her daughter was very close by when her mother, Cher, was attacked and killed. 'Cher Maximen suffered a terrible injury from which she died. The knife wielded by the defendant you will see - not physically here in court as the defendant got rid of it soon after- you will see camera footage of the fatal attack itself. 'It is a shocking weapon to have, let alone to use, but use it the defendant did and with devastating consequences. He killed Cher Maximen with it. 'Moments, and I mean moments, before he stabbed Cher Maximen, the first defendant carried out an equally horrifying attack, on a man who was already retreating from him and from his knife. He was lucky. His name is Adjei Isaac. 'In fact, he in those moments he may not have realised, or does not now realise, the real danger he faced. 'He was able to retreat and just draw his body back away from the knife as the defendant Shakeil Thibou thrust it towards his stomach and abdomen - more than once. A court heard how the mother was stabbed with a 'Rambo-style knife' and suffered a cardiac arrest, after losing 20 units of blood and one of her lungs collapsed 'There were hundreds of people in the area - the carnival was in full swing and the location was just off the actual carnival route. 'Around 5.48pm, a disturbance broke out close to, but not initially directly involving, Cher Maximen and her group but it did involve each of the three defendants and, it would appear, at least two other males. 'The crowd around the defendants parted, evidently as a reaction to their violence. 'Sheldon and Shaeim Thibou engaged in a physical confrontation with two other males. A police officer, PC Mort, intervened using his baton in an attempt to break it up. 'Sheldon, and then Shaeim, hit out at the police officer. Sheldon Thibou was holding a stun gun in his right hand at the time. He also had another, possibly sharp or pointed, object in his left hand. 'It was contemporaneous to those events that Shakeil Thibou was engaged directly with another man - Adjei Isaac. 'Shakeil had that huge knife with him, described by one witness as a 'zombie' knife. 'He lunged with the knife directly at Adjei Isaac's torso, and repeatedly. 'Isaac tried to grab hold of Shakeil's arms and in those moments recoiled away from the knife. 'The knife, with no thanks to the first defendant, just missed him, and only by a very closest of margins. 'What would have happened had he not instinctively recoiled, pulling his stomach away from the knife, does not need any imagination. Shakiel Thibou, 20, appeared at the Old Bailey (pictured) alongside his brothers Sheldon, 25, and Shaeim, 22 'You will see that Cher Maximen had been knocked to the ground in the immediate events as Adjei Isaac recoiled from Shakeil Thibou's knife. 'In his efforts to save himself from the knife attack, he had come into contact with Cher. It is clear that she had simply got caught up in the events. 'Shakeil stumbled over the ladies who were sitting down, including Cher but steadied himself on the hoarding. 'Cher Maximen in those moments grabbed hold of Shakeil Thibou's coat, pulled it, managing to get partially to her feet. 'She appeared to attempt to strike out with her hand at Shakeil who was of course still holding that knife in his hand. 'Cher took a step towards him and at the same time attempted to raise her right leg towards him. 'It was at this moment that Shakeil Thibou raised the knife directly towards Cher Maximen and deliberately thrust it towards her, stabbing her in the groin. 'The injuries inflicted on Ms Maximen were fatal- the defendant had killed her. It was a truly shocking attack - and indeed regarded as such by those around it. 'Ms Maximen fell backwards to the ground. Shakeil Thibou ran away - with his brothers.' Shakeil's face showed 'pure anger' when he stabbed Ms Maximen, Mr Brown said. Police had reported that the crowds on the festival's 'family day' were becoming 'semi-hostile' in the late afternoon. When Sheldon was arrested on August 27, a stun gun was found along with machete knives. Shakeil was arrested in a hostel where large knives were found. He has no previous convictions but one caution for a drug offence. Sheldon two convictions for possession of cannabis in 2020 and dangerous driving in July 2024. Shakeil, from Hammersmith in west London, denied but was convicted of murder and having an offensive weapon. He was cleared of attempted murder in relation to Mr Isaac but convicted of attempting to cause GBH with intent. Sheldon, from Fulham in south-west London, was convicted of violent disorder and assault on an emergency worker. Shaeim, from West Kensington in west London, denied and was cleared of violent disorder but was convicted of assault on an emergency worker. Shakeil will be sentenced on May 16 while his brothers will be dealt with on a date to be fixed. Ms Maximen's tragic death was one of two murders surrounding last year's Notting Hill Carnival. A self-proclaimed 'monster' was found guilty in February of beating a top chef near the carnival and leaving him dying in the street to go clubbing. Omar Wilson, 32, repeatedly punched and kicked Mussie Imnetu during a row outside Dr Power restaurant in Queensway, west London, on the evening of last August 26. Mr Imnetu, 41, who had worked under chefs Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing, was said to have been 'heavily intoxicated' at the time of the incident and died later in hospital. A jury was shown graphic CCTV footage in which Wilson was seen approaching Mr Imnetu and headbutting him. About a minute later, Wilson punched Mr Imnetu five times in the head, causing him to fall to the ground. Wilson continued to punch Mr Imnetu repeatedly while he was on his hands and knees, then kicked him in the head. Mr Imnetu, who worked at The Arts Club, a private member's establishment, was taken to hospital and died four days later without regaining consciousness, jurors heard. In the aftermath of the attack, Wilson told an associate he had 'crossed the line'. In a message, he admitted: 'There's a monster in me, man, and it's just like sometimes it comes out. 'And I think I've messed up now, I've messed up, everything's finished.' Asked how the carnival was going, he replied: 'Can't lie. I did the hands ting (sic) and I think it's a manslaughter,' jurors heard. During his Old Bailey trial, Wilson claimed he acted in self-defence, telling jurors: 'I just regret that somebody's life was taken while I was trying to defend mine.' The jury deliberated for a total of 22 hours and 34 minutes before finding him guilty of the chef's murder by a majority of 10 to two. Peter Hitchens questioned whether the public would notice if all police officers in the UK were 'abducted by aliens' on the latest episode of the 'Alas Vine & Hitchens' podcast. In conversation with co-host and Mail columnist Sarah Vine, the broadcaster and best-selling author criticised the lack of police presence on Britain's streets, with criminals seemingly able to get away with all manner of petty crime, such as speeding or theft. The ONS released figures last year that suggested crime in the UK had leaped by 10% between 2023 and 2024. Hitchens added that the lack of proper policing has wider societal implications, the most problematic being the encouraging of more serious criminality. 'The police have to be one of the most useless organisations on the face of the planet', Hitchens declared. 'If the whole police forces of England, Wales, and Scotland were abducted by aliens tonight, how long would it take us to notice? 'Council tax bills are going up: you can see how much money you're giving to these invisible people. Where are they? Alas Vine & Hitchens: What's the big idea? Get the Mail's new politics podcast, hosted by columnists Sarah Vine and Peter Hitchens - wherever you listen to podcasts now. Peter Hitchens: 'If the whole police forces of England, Wales, and Scotland were abducted by aliens tonight, how long would it take us to notice?' Listen here Peter Hitchens: 'I am old enough to remember when the police used to be an effective force.' Listen here 'If you enforce the small rules, then the big rules are respected. The moment people see the small rules being neglected, they start ignoring bigger and bigger rules, until serious crime and disorder become evident.' Hitchens proposed that a laxer approach to neighbourhood policing began in his youth, with the merging of smaller forces leaving the wider institution more bureaucratic and impotent. He argued: 'I am old enough to remember when the police used to be an effective force, preventively patrolling the streets on foot. 'There were stations in every area, police houses in every village: it was a presence which seriously deterred disorder on a large scale. 'This ceased to be the case sometime around 1965 and 1985, in my view. In the sixties, Roy Jenkins, then Home Secretary, became beguiled by some innovative police chiefs. 'They were having recruitment problems so Jenkins decided to take police off the beat and put them in cars, making them react to crime instead of preventing it. He was completely wrong.' Columnist Sarah Vine said that while she understood her co-host's frustrations, it's too simplistic to blame rising crime on just the police, with an over-stretched judiciary and Crown Prosecution Service also at fault. Peter Hitchens: 'The police have to be one of the most useless organisations on the face of the planet.' Listen here 'My son was mugged at knifepoint outside my house in West London last year', Vine revealed. 'The police came, and they were very good. What was interesting to me though was that with his stolen phone, the thieves had started messaging some of his friends on Snapchat. 'They were able to trace the phone to someone who had already stolen a car and he'd begun sending some of my son's money to his personal bank account. They knew who he was. 'He was probably called in by the police, but I think the CPS decided that it wasn't worth prosecuting so it's also the judiciary at fault here.' Hitchens concurred, arguing that people repeatedly evading prison sentences has inversely caused more strain on the system. 'Prison is much harder to get into that university these days', Hitchens said. 'What matters is not how many people you send to prison, but when you send them to prison. 'What we do now is wait until someone has committed 40 or 50 offenses before they come anywhere near close to imprisonment. 'That means that by the time people get to prison they're already confirmed recidivists, and it won't do the slightest bit of good for them.' Listen to Alas Vine & Hitchens, with Sarah Vine and Peter Hitchens wherever you get your podcasts now. New episodes are released every Wednesday. President Donald Trump is using legal settlements leveraged by his executive orders to assemble a stable of top litigators to pursue his aims and is now broadening their mandate to include tense trade talks and deregulating coal. Trump laid the groundwork for the move by targeting a series of individual law firms through executive orders, such as one 'Addressing Risks from Perkins Coie LLP.' Some are fighting. Others elected to settle, offering to provide millions in free legal services for favored Trump causes to dispense with new limitations firms say could crush their business. The White House has announced three separate $100 million settlements with firms, along with a $40 million settlement with Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, which agreed to provide 'pro bono' legal services a haul that Trump made sure to brag about this week. The early indications were that Trump would use the firms as part of his crusade to take on 'woke' universities, and fight anti-semitism on campus, even as some free speech advocates argue the move is sweeping up protected speech that is merely anti-Israel. On Tuesday, Trump revealed new ends for for legal conglomeration, while crowing about the settlements. 'Have you noticed that lots of law firms have been signing up with Trump? $100 million, another $100 million,' Trump said at an event where he signed orders to boost coal production. President Donald Trump crowed about legal settlements and has floated new ways to deploy attorneys whose firms have pledged to back shared causes Trump said the settlements were 'for damages that theyve done. But they give you $100 million and then they announce but we have done nothing wrong. And I agree theyve done nothing wrong,' Trump said facetiously. 'But what the hell they give me a lot of money considering theyve done nothing wrong.' Despite his rage at the firms like Paul, Weiss for harboring nemesis former Special Counsel Robert Mueller, Trump evinced respect for their legal chops. 'And well use some of those people. Some of those great firms they are great firms too. They just had a bad moment. But were going to use some of those firms to work with you on your leasing and your other things,' Trump said at the coal event. 'And theyll do a great job. I think they're going to do a fantastic job.' He made the comment after calling for litigation against states or entities that try to crack down on coal-fired plants, which the Biden administration tried to restrict amid concerns about climate change. Trump's staff secretary, Will Scharf, told Trump that 'radical leftist states' were enacting an 'agenda that discriminates against coal, against secure sources of energy' in a way that was unconstitutional. Then Trump dropped another issue the legal eagles could work on. 'Youve been hearing about tariffs,' Trump said, noting that Japan and South Korea and other nations were seeking to open negotiations. 'My only problem is Im not sure well have enough -- were going to have to use those great law firms, I think, to help us with that. Were going to probably do that, actually. Were going to use them.' 'Were getting them for the right price. Because we have to, we need a lot of talent, we have a lot of countries coming in that want to make deals,' he said. Trump made his comments while new groups of attorneys filed amicus briefs allying themselves with Perkins, Coie, which is fighting the executive order targeting it. Among them were a series of bar associations who pointed out the settlements. 'These measures move to co-opt law firms to become instruments of the executive branch, working on behalf of the Presidents interests and policies, rather than as officers of the courts. That purpose is evident from his rescission of a similar executive order targeting Paul Weiss in exchange for its agreement to, among other things, provide $40 million in pro bono services to support the Administrations initiatives,' according to the brief. It quoted Trump's Truth Social post on Paul, Weiss agreeing to the settlement. It said Perkins Coie could probably follow suit to get out of its current position. 'But that would mean acquiescing to the Presidents demands at the expense of the firms right to represent the clients it chooses and fiercely advocate for the clients interests. 'The threats impose a vicious cycle of coercion on firms. Those who agree to certain terms to lift an executive order remain captive to the threat of a follow-on order if the President decides the firm stepped out of line,' according to the brief. The brief also quotes former Trump chief White House strategist Steve Bannon saying they were trying to put top firms 'out of business and bankrupt' them. The settlement that ended the order against Paul, Weiss committed the firm to backing 'the Presidents Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, and other mutually agreed projects.' Trump said the law firms would work to lift coal industry restrictions Paul, Weiss elected to settle, prompting blowback from within the legal community Trump for the first time said firms who settled would help hammer out trade deals. Japan has assembled a negotiating team including minister of economic revitalisation Ryosei Akazawa Also filing a new brief was a group of former national security, intelligence, and foreign policy lawyers and former officials. 'The Constitution did not make the President a king empowered to punish subjects arbitrarily based on animus or whim. Even setting aside the many constitutional rights violated by his order, the President possesses no general national security power that empowers him to sanction U.S. citizens simply because they disagree with him,' they wrote. 'Nor does any Supreme Court decision or historical practice authorize the President to unilaterally issue punitive bills of attainder targeting American citizens against whom he holds discriminatory animus. If national security considerations can justify this order, then national security could be invoked to justify any arbitrary executive act,' they wrote. Filing the brief was lawyer Justin Nelson, who represented Dominion Voting Systems in its $787 million settlement with Fox News and Harold Hongju Ko of Yale University Law School. Another friend of the court brief, from the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, wrote that Trump's executive orders 'pose a grave threat to our system of constitutional governance and to the Rule of Law itself.' 'The ability of lawyers to zealously represent controversial clients without fear of government reprisal is essential for our individual liberty, central to an effective judicial branch, and wholly consistent with American history, values, and our constitutional democracy.' They brought up countries including Columbia, the Philippines, and China that 'prosecuted and jailed lawyers who dared to represent opposition figures or challenge government actions, with predictable results for the Rule of Law and the integrity of the legal profession in those countries.' They also invoked Sergei Magnitsky, the Russian lawyer who died in state custody. 'It is no exaggeration to say that we have entered a dangerous era in which any lawyer who dares to challenge the actions of the current administration, or even represent causes it disfavors, risks punitive and professionally retaliation,' they added. The settlement with Milbank, which Trump posted about April 2, said the firm will perform at least $100m in pro bono legal services during the Trump administration 'such as' assisting veterans and public servants, 'ensuring fairness in our judicial system,' and combatting antisemitism. Trump's first order targeted the Covington & Burling firm Feb. 25. The settlements came after Trump issued orders to yank security clearances and bar attorneys from government buildings. It targeted 'all members, partners, and employees of Covington & Burling LLP who assisted former Special Counsel Jack Smith during his time as Special Counsel.' Smith oversaw Trump's prosecution in the January 6 and classified documents cases. A young artist whose body was discovered on a Tube track had taken a cocktail of drugs and alcohol before she stepped into the tunnel in the early hours of the morning. Sarah Cunningham, 31, was hit by a northbound Northern line train at Chalk Farm station at around 3.30am in Camden on Saturday November 2. An inquest heard Ms Cunningham had walked south about 75m into the tunnel for 18 minutes as she had become 'so terribly, terribly intoxicated'. Holding back tears, Coroner Mary Hassell concluded the artist 'suddenly jumped down on to the track, but she didn't do so intending her death', The Standard reports. Ms Hassell added: 'Really, by that point she didn't know what she was doing - she didn't know where she was going.' The family barrister of Ms Cunningham, Clodagh Bradley KC, challenged a transport for London manager at the hearing today at Poplar Coroner's Court about the failure to spot that Ms Cunningham had entered the tunnel and to halt the next train. Addressing Northern line boss Dale Smith, she said: 'There was a window of opportunity of some 18 minutes. That is plenty of time to switch off the power and stop the train, isn't it?' Mr Smith replied: 'Yes.' British artist Sarah Cunningham (pictured) went missing in Camden over a weekend in November The last photo Ms Cunningham shared on social media shows her in Seoul, South Korea She was hit by a northbound Northern line train at Chalk Farm station at around 3.30am in Camden on Saturday November 2 Keith Morton, for TfL, stated however that there was an opportunity of 'less than 20 seconds' for station staff to have spotted Ms Cunningham step down from the platform and enter the tunnel - had they been watching the correct CCTV images at the time, or immediately afterwards. It comes as the 'fantastically talented' woman had been waiting alone at the station for a train to arrive - but when one did come at around 3.30am, the doors closed just before she could board. The Metropolitan Police had said the last sighting of the 5ft 3in artist was at around 3am in Jamestown Road, Camden. Ms Cunningham's boyfriend Jack Brown said she was spotted leaving an apartment building there at around 2.30am - with friends raising the alarm after they were concerned at the way she left an Air BnB flat they had hired in Camden. The force confirmed Ms Cunningham's body had been found at nearby Chalk Farm Underground Station just after 1am that morning - nearly 48 hours after she vanished. Her family were informed and tributes flooded in from the artist's friends and colleagues, describing Ms Cunningham as a 'beautiful soul' and 'such a loving person'. CCTV footage of Ms Cunningham entering the tracks was played during the inquest. Written evidence from her friends and Mr Brown read in court said they believed Ms Cunningham had taken magic mushrooms, cocaine and ketamine. Her boyfriend, Jack Brown, had issued a desperate appeal on social media to find her The 31-year-old is seen in Seoul just over a week before she went missing in Camden She was also said to have been drinking alcohol and was jet-lagged, having not slept much after returning the previous morning from Korea. Ms Cunningham had returned to the Air BnB with a friend after she was denied re-entry to the Jazz Cafe by security staff becuase she was intoxicated. The inquest was told Ms Cunningham did have a history of taking recreational drugs on nights out, though her friends said she was 'not drug-dependent'. It was heard Ms Cunningham had taken a 'hallucinogenic, a tranquilliser and a party drug' that, combined with the jet lag and alcohol, left her 'absolutely disorientated'. Her flatmate Kalasia Senicio said in written evidence: 'I know the circumstances now and I really do not believe that Sarah intended to take her own life.' Friends described Ms Cunningham as 'full of fierce love', 'warm and compassionate' and 'living and breathing her dream'. One said: 'She was like seeing the sunshine on a crisp winter morning in London.' Ms Cunningham's parents - Eddie and Sue - and her brother Anthony were not in court but her father tuned into the proceedings remotely. Ms Cunningham, 31, (pictured, left) was last seen on Jamestown Road In written evidence, Mr Cunningham said his daughter had twice attempted suicide in her teens - but insisted she was not suicidal at the time of her death. He said he had spoken to her on November 1, saying 'she told me she had only slept for two hours'. Mr Cunningham added his daughter had been awake from 3am and was 'extremely jet-lagged'. He said she 'didn't want to go out' but had promised her boyfriend she would, the inquest heard. The father also said that in his view, his daughter had not committed suicided and she was 'not low, depressed or unhappy'. Mr Brown said in his statement his girlfriend became 'drunk' before and during being in the Jazz Cafe, with door stuff refusing to let her back in as she went outside for some air. Her friend Rachael Bullivant returned with her to a nearby Air BnB at around 2am, saying Ms Cunningham had got 'quite upset and frustrated'. She added the artist's mood had changed and she was 'angry' her boyfriend had 'abandoned her' in a vulnerable state, the court heard. Ms Bullivant said some of the things she was saying were 'just not rational' and she had pleaded with her friend for her not to go. CCTV footage at the Tube station showed Ms Cunningham 'scrabbling around' on the floor searching through a bag in vain, apparently to find a ticket to get through the barrier. No station staff member was on the 'gate-line', though this was not in breach of TfL rules. Mr Cunningham said his daughter had said she would 'never do that', having lost other friends to suicide A man exiting the station used his pass to open the ticket barrier for Ms Cunningham. Ms Cunningham was spotted on CCTV acting in an 'upset' manner on the platform and a TfL customer services supervisor on duty at the time, Mehmet Boztepe, went to investigate. He said by the time he arrived two to three minutes later she was nowhere to be seen as he 'checked everywhere' but couldn't locate her and presumed Ms Cunningham was on the northbound train, the inquest heard. Mr Boztepe came under question about whether he should have intervened sooner and checked the CCTV footage after being unable to find her. It would have taken around five minutes or more to log into the CCTV system and review the images. Mr Boztepe was one of two staff on duty at Chalk Farm station at the time, with his colleague on a break. Mr Smith, TfL's head of customer operations for the Northern Line said Mr Boztepe had acted appropriately, adding the situation of walking into the tunnel was a 'highly unusual circumstance'. Though, Mr Smith said, 'in hindsight, he may have come back and played that [CCTV footage] back.' Two voicenotes sent by Ms Cunningham to a friend before her last night out showed no indication of 'suicidal intent', the inquest heard. Mr Cunningham added his daughter had said she would 'never do that', having lost other friends to suicide. A series of recommendations have been published by TfL since Ms Cunningham's death, including prioritising the 'safeguarding risk' on the Night Tube, given the risks of passenger intoxication. Though, Mr Smith stated that for this particular incident, the opportunity to prevent had been 'very small'. A pathologist gave Ms Cunningham's cause of death as multiple injuries. A toxicology report detected traces of cocaine and ketamine. Claire Mann, TfLs chief operating officer said outside the court TfL's thoughts 'remain with the family and friends of Sarah Cunningham'. She added the organisation recognises 'the important role our staff play in protecting customers from harm' and action is 'always' taken to 'learn from incidents and improve operational safety'. The transport boss said she planned to issue a prevention of future deaths notice to TfL to ensure the greater protection of intoxicated passengers. For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit https://www.thecalmzone.net/get-support Michelle Obama has finally pushed back on rumors that she and former President Barack Obama are headed for a divorce. The former first lady sat down with actress Sophia Bush for an episode of her podcast Work in Progress. She said her decision to skip President Jimmy Carter's funeral, and President Donald Trump's inauguration, were simply decisions she made for herself. Her absence at both high-profile political events stoked divorce rumors, as did President Obama's admission last week that he was in a 'deep deficit' with his wife. 'That's the thing that we as women, I think we struggle with disappointing people. I mean, so much so that this year people were, you know, they couldn't even fathom that I was making a choice for myself that they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing,' Obama said in the podcast episode, released Tuesday. 'That this couldn't be a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself, right?' she continued. Obama added: 'That's what society does to us.' 'We start actually, finally going, "What am I doing? Who am I doing this for?" And if it doesn't fit into the sort of stereotype of what people think we should do, then it gets labeled as something negative and horrible.' The former first lady turned 61 on January 17 and spoke candidly to Bush about questions she's asking about how she wants to spend the twilight of her life. Michelle Obama finally pushed back on the rumors that she and former President Barack Obama were headed for a divorce. President Barack Obama appeared at Hamilton College last week in upstate New York and admitted that he was in a 'deep deficit' with his wife 'So you know, now is the time for me to start asking myself these hard questions of who do I truly want to be every day,' Obama said. She said that looks 'like whatever I want it to look like.' 'And I still find time to you know, give speeches, to be out there in the world, to work on projects. I still care about girls' education,' Obama said. 'We you know, the library is opening in a year from now.' The former first lady acknowledged that there are 'certain things I am and am not doing' with President Obama's presidential library, which is being constructed on Chicago's South Side. 'But the interesting thing is that when I say no, for the most part, people are like, I get it, and I'm OK, right?' she continued. Michelle Obama had appeared at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August alongside her husband to stump for nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris. During her speech, she admitted that she struggled with coming to the DNC, as she had been mourning her mother Marian Robinson's death, which occurred in May. The former first lady made a handful of appearances on the campaign trail for Harris as well. Former President Barack Obama (left) and first lady Michelle Obama (right) appeared at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August to support Vice President Kamala Harris. Michelle admitted she was still mourning her mother Marian Robinson, who died in May Former President Barack Obama (left) tried to silence divorce gossip by posting this photo for former first lady Michelle Obama's (right) birthday on January 17th, though the unflattering snap had people asking more questions about the state of the Obamas' marriage The Obamas put out a public display of affection on X to mark the former first lady's 61st birthday in January amid speculation they could be headed to divorce, due to her skipping two high-profile political events in Washington that the ex-president attended InTouch magazine had splashed the affair rumor about former President Barack Obama and Jennifer Aniston on its cover last year, with Jimmy Kimmel asking Aniston about it on his late night show in October But she declined to fly to Washington for Carter's funeral on January 9th, which was followed by Trump's January 20th swearing-in. Her advisers told CNN she missed Carter's gathering at the National Cathedral due to 'scheduling conflicts.' 'She's actually still in Hawaii for an extended holiday vacation,' the source said. Her 61st birthday was three days before the inauguration. The former president posted a picture of them together to mark Michelle's special day. However the unflattering picture prompted more questions about the state of the Obamas' marriage. The former first couple also had to contend with baseless gossip that Barack was engaging in an affair with actress Jennifer Aniston. InTouch magazine had splashed the affair rumor on its cover in August, with Jimmy Kimmel asking Aniston about it on his late night show in October. The A-list actress said the affair rumor was 'absolutely untrue' though laughingly said she 'was not mad at it.' 'I've met him once. I know Michelle more than him,' Aniston said. With that admission, Kimmel followed up with: 'Is there a truth about you and Michelle that we should know?' 'That is not true,' Aniston replied. A mother and her teenage daughter killed themselves in a joint suicide pact after their son and brother took his own life just months before, an inquest heard today. Suzan Mahmoud, 42, and Davina Allen, 17, had even bought plots of land where they hoped to be buried, before both taking a cocktail of drugs at the same time just before Christmas in December 2022. They left behind letters detailing their 'deep distress' at losing their brother and son, Harvey Allen, in August of the same year. An inquest heard Mr Allen, who was autistic and suffered with mental health issues, had taken his life on his sister's birthday. Laura Allen, Ms Mahmoud's eldest daughter - who found their bodies - said her family were deeply impacted by the loss and her mother would often cry and say she 'could not live without him'. The mother and daughter used the internet to research methods of suicide. Their bodies were found surrounded by 'smouldered' barbecues and handwritten notes which contained instructions on the order in which to take the drugs they consumed. Today, Sarah Whitby, Assistant Coroner for Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton, concluded that the mother and daughter died by suicide. Suzan Mahmoud, 42, and Davina Allen, 17, had even bought plots of land where they hoped to be buried, before both taking a cocktail of drugs at the same time just before Christmas in December 2022. Pictured: Winchester Coroner's Court The bodies of Mrs Mahmoud and her teenage daughter were found inside their 620,000 countryside bungalow in Hampshire's New Forest National Park on December 29, 2022. Statements written by her eldest daughter Laura Allen, 22, were read out to the inquest at Winchester Coroner's Court, Hants. Ms Allen said the family moved to the New Forest from Maidenhead, Berks, in February of that year because Ms Mahmoud 'wanted to live in a quiet area'. The video content editor - who was excused from giving live evidence at the inquest for mental health reasons - said her brother had committed suicide on August 31, 2022. 'This had a big impact on my mother and my sister,' she said. '[My mother] had said a lot that she could not live without him after he died.' She said her mother would often 'cry' and 'scream'. Ms Allen said her sister Davina was also impacted by the loss of her brother, as the pair were 'only a year apart and did everything together'. Ms Allen said that last time she saw her mum and sister was on December 24. 'I saw my mum and my sister on the Saturday and we had an argument,' she continued. 'The argument was about life and my life choices. 'She was very upset about everything that had happened with my brother. 'She said I should leave so I went away for a couple of days with my boyfriend.' The inquest heard Mr Allen, believed to be a teenager when he died, took his life on Davina's 17th birthday. Ms Allen returned to the detached five-bed bungalow on December 29, 2022, after a family friend, Hasti Hawis, raised concerns. The inquest heard the front door was locked but Mr Hawis was able to climb through a window and let Ms Allen in. She said: 'The door to the bedroom was closed so I opened it and that was when I saw my mum and sister on the bed.' Ms Allen said she 'screamed' and ran out of the house. DS Simon Yearsley, who also gave evidence at the inquest, described the house as a 'building site'. He said: 'There was no sort of obvious signs of plumbing or heating. 'It just looked like a house under renovation with two rooms being lived in.' DS Yearsley who said the pair were surrounded by barbecues - continued: 'I didn't find any letters per se but I did find handwritten notes with timings on them.' He said he was aware of suicide notes which had also been found the next day by Ms Mahmoud's eldest daughter. He told the inquest that these confirmed that the pair wanted to be buried. 'I was aware that they had pre-booked plots to be buried at,' DS Yearsley added. The inquest heard the notes left by the pair showed their 'significant sadness' and 'significant anger' at losing Mr Allen. The teenager's note stated at the beginning: 'I Davina Allen have made the decision to kill myself.' The inquest heard the pair had purchased a drug online and a pathologist said the pair were surrounded by 'disposable barbecues some of which were smouldered'. Despite this, he recorded their death as being caused by 'substantial intoxication' from drugs including painkillers. The inquest heard Ms Mahmoud was originally from Kurdistan and moved to the UK some 25 years ago. It was heard she had experienced mental health issues in the early 2000s due to fears she would be deported. Her friend, Mr Howis, said the mother was 'clearly upset on a daily basis' and was often crying as a result of the loss of Mr Allen. He said that Davina was also struggling, as it became clear that she was 'not eating properly'. The coroner delivered near identical conclusions for the mother and daughter. Mrs Whitby said: 'I cannot see that this was anything but intentional. 'All I can do is rely on the notes they left, and the preparation they made.' The coroner referred to the fact that they had various medications to hand, and that there was evidence that they were 'investigating how to commit suicide'. Returning a conclusion of suicide for Ms Mahmoud, she said: 'A note left with her body indicated that she had taken her own life through ingesting substances as a result of her deep unhappiness following the death of her son that previous August.' For Davina, the coroner returned the same conclusion but said that she was also had a 'deep unhappiness generally'. A Texas man had a full-blown meltdown on camera after being accused of artificially inseminating French Bulldogs. Corey Jones, the owner of Texas Canine Boarding & Pet Services in San Antonio, was seen shouting at a local news station after being asked about his alleged involvement in the disgusting and illegal act. He told KSAT you don't have to be a veterinarian to perform artificial insemination on dogs, and that 'Everybody in the world does that, leave me alone!' 'I've not once said I'm a vet,' Jones said outside his business, insisting that practically anyone can do that to an animal, not just a licensed professional. Despite his claim, a spokesperson with the Texas Veterinary Medical Association told the outlet that artificial insemination procedures have to be practiced by veterinary medicine professionals, according to state law. The law only allows artificial insemination of livestock, but that exception does not apply to dogs, they added. Jones - who was recently arrested for two unrelated felony assault incidents in the span of seven months - has faced growing scrutiny from the community after it was revealed that the City of Windcrest continued to pay him more than $195,000 to care for the city's stray dogs and cats despite him being charged for the crimes, the outlet reported. In the midst of the personal investigation into Jones, Rainbeau Presti, a resident of Windcrest, decided to file an open records request with San Antonio Animal Care Services (ACS) to obtain a copy of the business's permits and previous inspections. Corey Jones, the owner of Texas Canine Boarding & Pet Services in San Antonio, lashed out at a local news outlet after he was asked about his alleged involvement in artificially inseminating French Bulldogs Despite claiming that anyone could perform the procedure on the dogs, the Texas Veterinary Medical Association said that artificial inseminations have to be practiced under veterinary medicine professionals, according to state law Despite thinking that the request wouldn't turn up much, Presti was stunned to find out that Jones' business was in the middle of an ongoing animal cruelty investigation, she told the outlet. Presti received a letter from a San Antonio assistant city attorney a month after submitting the request asking the Texas General to allow ACS to withhold those records, but a Texas Penal Code on the letter pertained to a law that covers bestiality - a sexual relationship between a human and an animal. Further investigation revealed that the business is being looked at for a unique type of animal cruelty case, as investigators are specifically looking into whether artificial insemination was performed on French Bulldogs at the business, according to ACS Director Jonathan Gary. Gary, who was hired by the city when the investigation was first opened, said the original case into the alleged cruel act was closed but later reopened after new information from a recent inspection came to light. The status of the case and specific details remain unclear, as Gary declined to comment further. DailyMail.com contacted Gary, Jones and the City of Windcrest for comment. Breeding French Bulldogs is not easy to do, as the breed is known for its many health challenges, including bone malformations in their neck and back, NPR reported. Their short bodies and wide chest make the birthing process difficult, and often sees female French Bulldogs delivering by Cesarean section. In the midst of the personal investigation into Jones, a local resident decided to file an open records request with San Antonio Animal Care Services (ACS) to obtain a copy of the business's permits and previous inspections. (Pictured: Texas Canine Boarding & Pet Services) Jones has a littered criminal history. The Windcrest Police Department were called to a Windcrest home in November 2023 over reports of a 14-year-old boy being assaulted by his mother's boyfriend, Jones, records obtained by KSAT, detailed. At the time, the teen told police he heard his mother arguing with Jones and he was attacked by him after he stepped in to see why his mom was upset, a report said. According to the teen, that's when Jones 'became aggressive, grabbing his shoulders and pushing him to the floor before getting on top of him where he then struck his left jaw with a closed fist and choked him,' the arrest warrant stated. The boy was treated at the scene for his injuries, which included bruises and scratches on his chest, redness on his jaw, and back pain. He was then taken to the hospital. Meanwhile, Jones was taken into custody and booked into the Comal County Jail on felony injury to child charges. 'Thats accused, thats not true,' he told the outlet when asked about the incident. Jones was arrested in November 2023 over assault charges to a 14-year-old. He was then arrested again in June 2024 for an assault on his wife and charged for both crimes When asked about the charges, Jones again lashed out at the outlet, saying: 'What does that have to do with Windcrest? Thats a personal thing thats taken care of on my own, that has nothing to do with you' In a separate incident in June 2024, authorities were called to Jones' home for a violent disturbance call. When officers arrived, they found his wife on the front porch because she did not want to cause a scene in front of children, the incident report said. She said Jones, who was intoxicated at the time, accused her of talking to another man online and proceeded to attack her, according to the report. He allegedly grabbed her by her hair and neck before slamming her onto the ground. He is also accused of biting his wife before she grabbed a bathroom cleaner and sprayed him to get him off of her, per the report. For this alleged incident, he was arrested on a felony charge of family assault-impeding breath. When asked about the charges, Jones again lashed out at the outlet, saying: 'What does that have to do with Windcrest? Thats a personal thing thats taken care of on my own, that has nothing to do with you.' He has not been charged in connection to the animal cruelty probe, but he was charged for both assault cases. Jones is now awaiting indictment for the felony assault cases and is currently free on bond, court records show. This is the horrific home of a dog walker who kept 11 pets in 'deplorable' conditions with faeces crushed into the carpets - in a building so squalid that it left an RSPCA inspector 'retching'. Dog walker Hannah Critchlow kept the animals in a house described as being one of the worst ever seen by the hardened officers - where the foul dirt was so thick it had to be pushed aside to make a walkway through the rooms. Pictures show the floors inside the property, on Bourne Street, Peterlee, County Durham, completely covered in excrement and rubbish. The officer of eight years described having to hold her breath as she held the photos, because she could not stand staying in the 'thick smell' in the rooms. Two of the dogs were staying there while their owners were on holiday while others were being fostered by her on behalf of an animal charity. Some were left so ill after staying with her that they required treatment from a vet. Critchlow, 30, who a ran a business called UpDog Walking, Training & Behaviour, has now been banned from keeping animals for 12 months. Dog walker Hannah Critchlow kept the animals in a house described as being one of the worst ever seen by the hardened officers The officer of eight years described having to hold her breath as she held the photos, because she could not stand staying in the 'thick smell' in the rooms Pictures show the floors inside the property, on Bourne Street, Peterlee, County Durham, completely covered in excrement and rubbish She had previously agreed to give the RSPCA access to see the dogs on August 18 last year but she had failed to show up twice for scheduled appointments on the day. Further visits were made until her van was spotted outside the property in September. She then allowed RSPCA Inspector Rowena Proctor and the police inside and the dogs were seized on animal welfare grounds. Critchlow was later prosecuted and she appeared at Peterlee Magistrates Court having plead guilty to one Animal Welfare Act offence. In her written statement to the court Inspector Proctor said: 'Hannah gave me permission to go into the property. 'I wore boot covers for entering. The conditions inside were deplorable and some of the worst I have ever seen in eight years with the RSPCA. 'The living room was almost beyond description with floorboards not attached and sitting on top of several feet of dirt, faeces and mess, which all looked like it had been pushed to one side to create a walkway of some sort. 'The stairs were littered in faeces which had been crushed into the carpets, presumably by the dogs and Hannah walking on it. Some of the dogs were left so ill after staying with her that they required treatment from a vet Dogs who had been staying at the property required treatment for sores and contaminated wounds Critchlow, 30, who a ran a business called UpDog Walking, Training & Behaviour, has now been banned from keeping animals for 12 months The foul dirt was so thick it had to be pushed aside to make a walkway through the rooms Critchlow was prosecuted and she appeared at Peterlee Magistrates Court having plead guilty to one Animal Welfare Act offence 'The upstairs landing area had almost no visible floor as again, it was littered in faeces and this spread into the spare room. 'Hannah's bedroom was unpleasant and extremely unclean but it appeared to be more urine than faeces. 'A fan was turned on in the room and the windows were shut. The ammonia in the air made me retch multiple times so I held my breath to quickly take the photos before getting back downstairs as quickly as I could, concerned that I was about to vomit from the thick smell in the air.' Further RSPCA officers arrived to help transport the dogs to a local veterinary practice. Seven of them were given a body condition score of two out of nine, on a scale where one is emaciated and nine is classed as obese. A male collie called Swift had multiple sores on his body and the pads of his feet and needed veterinary intervention. Another dog, a male lurcher called Jasper, also required treatment for multiple, contaminated wounds. Seven of the dogs, a spaniel crossbreed, shih tzu, collie, lurcher, whippet, and two malinois - belonged to Critchlow. Seven of the dogs were given a body condition score of two out of nine, on a scale where one is emaciated and nine is classed as obese The court heard she had poor mental health at the time and had ten years' experience of looking after dogs Two others, both Romanian crossbreeds, were being home boarded by her while their owners were away. She was also fostering two dogs, a malinois and a collie, on behalf of an animal charity. As well as the ban, Critchlow, now of Birkett Terrace in Trimdon, was also fined 200. The court heard she had poor mental health at the time and had ten years' experience of looking after dogs. Speaking after the case Inspector Proctor said: 'These dogs, some of whom had been placed in Critchlow's care, were living in the most appalling conditions that were wholly unsuitable for humans and animals. 'The house was unsafe and unhygienic because of the huge amount of faeces and rubbish that had piled up, in some places several feet deep. 'On top of this, the dogs were in poor health, with two in particular requiring urgent veterinary treatment. 'I'd especially like to thank the police officers who assisted us with this case and were equally appalled by the conditions they saw inside.' Critchlow signed over all the dogs she owned, except one, during the investigation Three year old malinois Moose, who is the only dog still waiting to be adopted after being rescued from Critchlow's property Critchlow signed over all the dogs she owned, except one, during the investigation. She agreed to return Casper, a spaniel crossbreed, to a charity she had rehomed him from. The Romanian crossbreeds were returned to their owners and a different charity took back the two dogs that Critchlow was fostering for them. Three year old malinois Moose is the only dog still waiting to be adopted at the RSPCA's Felledge Animal Centre near Chester-le-Street. A married Catholic school teacher has made the outrageous claim that her husband's 'neglect' prompted her to have sex with a 17-year-old pupil. Emily Nutley, 43, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual battery over a physical relationship with a student at the Ohio school in November and December 2023. The mother-of-three and former teacher at St Xavier High School in Cincinnati was indicted in October after the victim came forward about the abuse. Nutley admitted to the crime in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court on Monday in a plea bargain that had four other sexual battery counts dismissed. She will be sentenced by Judge Jennifer Branch on June 10, and faces up to 10 years in prison and having to register as a sex offender for life. A few weeks after the indictment, Nutley's husband Jonathan Nutley filed for divorce, prompting his wife to accuse him of 'gross neglect of duty and extreme cruelty' in her legal response, TMZ reported. Hamilton County Prosecutor Melissa Powers told the court last year that Nutley met the victim when he was sent to a program she ran for academically struggling pupils. They began texting after school hours last autumn, and she sent him nude selfies and 'sexually explicit messages'. Married Catholic school teacher Emily Nutley, 43, has made the outrageous claim that her husband's 'neglect' prompted her to have sex with a 17-year-old boy Mother-of-three Nutley has pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual battery over a physical relationship with a student at the Ohio school in the winter of 2023, according to Daily News Nutley (left) has pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual battery against the 17-year-old Powers explained their relationship escalated to them having sex several times in mid-November, at least once in her office at the all-boys school after hours. Nutley kept texting the student after he tried to break off the illicit affair. St Xavier charges $18,130 a year in tuition, plus $300 in administrative fees, though financial aid is available. The school discovered the relationship and conducted an internal investigation, then notified Springfield Township police. Nutley was fired as soon as the criminal investigation began, which led to her being indicted by a Hamilton County grand jury and arrested on October 28. She joined the Jesuit school ahead of the 2021-22 year and was listed as the 'multi-tiered systems support coordinator' in the student handbook. The disgraced educator has two daughters and a son, the eldest of whom is a junior at a different high school and only slightly younger than the victim. She previously taught at Madeira Elementary School, also in Cincinnati, and posted photos of her work and students there on social media. Disgraced teacher Emily Nutley, 43 Nutley has two daughters and a son, the eldest of whom is a junior at a different high school and only slightly younger than the victim Nutley joined the Jesuit school ahead of the 2021-22 year and was listed as the 'multi-tiered systems support coordinator' '"The kids that need the most love will ask for it in the most unloving ways". Be THAT person for THAT student,' one post read. Another post read: 'HELLO! 3rd graders! See someone alone, reach out and help, say hello.' Nutley's mother Cheryl Rose praised her daughter in a birthday post just a few months before the relationship with the student began. 'Emily, my sweet lovely fun loving girl. I love you so much honey. So proud of all the things you are,' she began. 'A good daughter, a great wife and loving mother and a wonderful advocate to all of your students.' Nutley previously taught at Madeira Elementary School, also in Cincinnati, and posted photos of her work and students there on social media Nutley worked with young children at her previous school, but switched to teens at St Xavier Powers previously condemned Nutley's behavior as 'absolutely unacceptable and reprehensible conduct from an adult towards a minor child'. 'This child was in need of help and guidance but instead found an adult looking to act out her perverted sexual desires,' the prosecutor continued. 'This child was the victim of an adult predator who should never again have a role that puts her in contact with children. 'She used this child for her own sexual gratification while taking advantage of the position she held.' St Xavier said it 'believed this case to be an isolated incident' but urged any other students to contact police or Principal Dan Lynch if they were victims of a crime. Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem announced the re-establishment of a government office focused on helping families devastated by crimes carried out by illegal aliens. The Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) office was officially re-established during an event Wednesday afternoon at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters. VOICE began under Trump's first administration in 2017 to fulfill a promise to aid those directly impacted by migrant crime. But Joe Biden axed the office in 2021 and opened a more 'inclusive victim support system' that, in addition to serving Americans, helped investigate alleged abuses at migrant centers. Speaking alongside victims, known as 'angel families,' Noem shared that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE are now working again to support them. Alexis Nungaray, the mother of late Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old girl that was sexually assaulted and murdered by illegal aliens last year, attended the VOICE event along with around a dozen victims or victim's relatives. 'President Trump is righting the ship, and he's reopening this office, and he's going to prioritize not only these families, but all the families that will be impacted by illegal immigration and the tragedy of losing someone,' Noem said at the event. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announces the re-establishment of the Victims of Immigrant Crime Engagement (VOICE) office at ICE Headquarters Victims held portraits of their loved ones as Noem spoke Maureen Maloney speaks about the death of her son Matthew during a news conference to announce the re-launch of the VOICE office, Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement, at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement headquarters on Wednesday 'ICE's VOICE office will speak for these that we have lost,' she noted. The three objectives of VOICE are to provide support for victims, advocate for greater awareness and develop partnerships to help the families. The office, which acts as liaisons to help the families, can provide victims with updates on offender's legal cases, immigrations status changes and more. The secretary shared that the VOICE office will also help victims play a role in policy by advising leaders on how to 'protect our communities.' Maureen Maloney, a mother whose son was lost after an illegal alien ran him over while drunk driving, shared how the ICE office helped her during Trump's first term. 'VOICE is an organization that is staffed by specially trained liaisons who provide victims and their families information pertinent to the illegal offenders' immigration status and custody status,' Maloney said. 'VOICE can also address their concerns and questions regarding immigration enforcement and providing local contact for resources and referrals.' Sabine Durden-Coulter, another angel mother, shared how her son was also killed in an auto collision by an illegal alien. Sabine Durden-Coulter speaks about the death of her son, with an urn of his remains on the podium during a news conference to announce the re-launch of the VOICE office Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, embraces Sabine Durden-Coulter, after the mother recounted the loss of her son who was killed after an illegal immigrant hit him with their car. The migrant later served a month-long sentence before being deported Noem also went after the Biden administration during her remarks 'That's all I have of my son,' she said, placing a small container of what appeared to be his ashes on the podium. With VOICE, she said, 'I don't feel alone.' Her son, Dominic Durden, a sheriff dispatcher, was driving his motorcycle when an unlawful migrant hit him. VOICE will help with any sort of migrant related crime, ICE acting director Todd Lyons affirmed. 'Whether an alien commits fraud, sexual abuse, murder, drunk driving, crimes, battery or other criminal senses, we can help,' Lyons shared. Noem also shared during the event that over 800 Tren de Aragua (TDA) gang members have been deported from the U.S. since Trump took office. 'We have enemies living among us because of what the Biden administration has done by opening our borders,' the secretary told the crowd. 'Biden prioritized and protected foreign criminals and undermined our national sovereignty and violated our laws.' Noem continued: 'Law and order are back, and we are going to continue letting cops do their job, enforce our laws and bring consequences to those who break our laws.' An American Airlines flight was forced to U-turn four hours into its journey after an entitled father caused a scene over where he was sitting and what he was fed. The incident unfolded Monday on a flight from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York to Milan, Italy, as passengers said the man sparked a commotion as the jet was over the Atlantic Ocean. The man, who has not been named, reportedly threw himself at an air hostess and attempted to force his way into the cockpit. Krystie Tomlinson, a passenger on the flight, told CBS News: 'The whole thing started because of a meal choice they didnt get.' She said it appeared the passenger had asked for a specific meal 'ahead of time', and also wanted to sit in the exit row because he had a baby with him. When his demands were rejected, the witness said 'those two things are what pushed the person over the edge.' Another passenger, Michael Scigliano, said the chaos on board was made worse by the fact there was no air marshal on board. He said after the pilot announced he was turning the plane around, passengers were left with 'this crazy man' in the plane 'unprotected and unrestrained'. An American Airlines flight was forced to U-turn four hours into its journey from JFK in New York to Milan after an unruly passenger caused a scene over a wrong meal on Monday The man (pictured), who has not been named, reportedly flung himself at an air hostess and tried to enter the cockpit during the chaotic scenes Scigliano added that passengers on board the jet were also confused because the pilot only said the plane was reversing due to a technical issue. 'Which is even scarier,' he said. Tomlinson said when the passenger was losing his temper, others on board 'were asking around if there were any police officers or Army members, or somebody who could help because there were no air marshals on'. The flight left around 7pm, and after the unruly passenger forced the U-turn, those on board found themselves back at JFK Airport at 3am. Despite the vacation-ruining incident, Scigliano said American Airlines 'offered us nothing' once passengers returned to the airport. 'I asked to use the American Airlines lounge to breastfeed and change - they said you can go in if you pay $79,' he added. American Airlines rescheduled the full flight for Tuesday morning, 16 hours after their original departure time, according to the Daily Beast. The flight left around 7pm on Monday to Milan, and after the unruly passenger forced the U-turn, those on board found themselves back at JFK Airport at 3am Krystie Tomlinson, a passenger on the flight, said the 'whole thing started because of a meal choice they didnt get' before it escalated Aviation trial attorney Robert Clifford told the outlet that the pilot's decision to turn the plane around could have been out of his hands, and would have done what he thought was 'best.' 'We don't know all the things that the pilot knows,' he said. According to a police source who spoke to CBS News, the unnamed passenger who caused the scene was released without facing any charges. American Airlines said in a statement: 'American Airlines flight 198 with service from New York (JFK) to Milan (MXP) returned to JFK due to a disruptive passenger. 'The safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority and we thank our customers for their understanding.' Beijing is allowing Putin to recruit Chinese soldiers to fight against Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed. The Ukranian President says that 155 have already signed to to battle in Moscow's forces, after revealing that his country's forces have captured two Chinese men fighting for the invading power. He told reporters in Kyiv that Russia was recruiting Chinese citizens via social media and that the country's officials were aware of that. The war leader added that Ukraine was trying to assess whether the recruits were receiving instructions from Beijing. 'The 'Chinese' issue is serious. There are 155 people with names and passport details who are fighting against Ukrainians on the territory of Ukraine,' Zelensky told journalists during a briefing in Kyiv. 'Beijing is aware of this.' Yesterday, Zelensky said Ukraine had information that there were 'significantly more Chinese citizens' still among the Russian ranks, adding: 'We are currently clarifying all the facts.' Zelensky instructed his foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, to contact Beijing 'and find out how China is going to react to this'. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses a press conference in Kyiv, April 4, 2025 Video purported to show Chinese citizens detained after fighting for Russia Zelensky said they had reason to believe there were 'significantly more' in the Russian ranks Sybiha said that Ukraine had summoned China's charge d'affaires after Kyiv to the Foreign Ministry to demand an explanation. In a damning admission, he added that the presence of Chinese nationals fighting for Russia 'puts into question China's declared stance for peace'. Beijing has hit back at the declaration, calling the claims 'totally unfounded' amid fears the row could upend already fragile peace talks. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a press conference it was 'absolutely groundless' to suggest many Chinese citizens were fighting in Ukraine. 'The Chinese government has always asked its citizens to stay away from areas of armed conflict (and) avoid involvement in armed conflicts in any form,' he said. He added that Beijing was verifying relevant information with Kyiv. The Kremlin declined to comment on the matter. The use of Chinese soldiers to bolster Russia's war effort could threaten to upend the delicate status quo. Beijing proclaims to be neutral, but maintains close economic and political ties with Moscow. File photo, 2024. Beijing has hit back at the declaration, calling the claims 'totally unfounded' amid fears the row could upend already fragile peace talks A Ukrainian howitzer fires towards Russian troops on the Donetsk frontline, on April 6, 2025 Your browser does not support iframes. NATO members have branded Beijing a 'decisive enabler' of Moscow's invasion, which it has never condemned. After Chinese nationals were captured yesterday, Philip Ingram MBE, retired British Army colonel and military intelligence specialist, told MailOnline: 'I am not surprised Chinese nationals have been captured. 'Whilst China won't be formally providing troops to Russia they won't discourage individuals wanting to join. 'They will probably be sending liaison staff and special forces to gain combat experience but in as deniable a way as possible.' In recent weeks, unconfirmed reports have claimed Chinese nationals have been fighting for Russia in Ukraine. Radio Free Europe quoted one Chinese national in February, who 'confirmed to us that he had been fighting in Russia but had already returned home', correspondent Mark Krutov said. While foreign volunteers have participated on both sides of the conflict, Russia has been accused of leveraging its relationships to field massive foreign contingents. Russia was last year accused of drawing in some 12,000 North Korean troops after Ukraine launched a stunning counteroffensive into Kursk and Belgorod. Vladimir Putin meets with the Governor of the Moscow Region in Moscow on April 8 The ruined town of Maryinka, in Donetsk, Russian-controlled Ukraine, on April 1, 2025 Hundreds of Yemeni mercenaries were then claimed to have been press-ganged into fighting for Russia in Ukraine, having been lured in with the promise of well-paid work and Russian citizenship. Some said they were tricked into joining after signing enlistment contracts they could not read, and were told they would be working in lucrative fields like engineering. When they arrived in Russia, a recruit said a man fired a pistol above their heads and ordered them to sign a contract before they were taken to Ukraine on buses. Nepal and Sri Lanka also had to warn their people not to be lured in by false promises as it emerged hundreds of their citizens had joined the Russian invasion as mercenaries. The use of a 'significant' Chinese force in Ukraine could set back ongoing peace talks mediated by the United States to bring a lasting resolution to the conflict. Donald Trump has been pushing for a speedy end to the more than three-year war since taking office but his administration has failed to reach a breakthrough despite rounds of negotiations. Kyiv has repeatedly urged Beijing to pressure Moscow to end its invasion that has cost tens of thousands of lives and yet still so far failed to see the Kremlin achieve its core objectives. France could scrap its own version of ULEZ after lawmakers decreed the scheme is 'economic suicide' and punishes poorer motorists. A group of MPs from the National Rally and the Right have gathered together - along with a few independents and MPs from Emmanuel Macron's Renaissance group - to table the plan which is set to be voted on in the French Parliament. Currently, local authorities whose urban areas exceed regulatory air quality thresholds are required to set up low-emission zones (ZFE), under French laws passed in 2019 and 2021. The stated aim is to cut emissions of fine particles, which authorities say are responsible for 48,000 deaths a year in France, by excluding certain old or polluting vehicles. Some 24 towns and cities - notably Paris and Lyon, as well as Grenoble and Montpellier - have had to introduce the laws to varying degrees, and all French cities with over 150,000 residents are supposed to implement the ZFE this year. Since January 1, no private diesel cars before 2006 have been allowed to enter the cities. Those that do enter, must carry 'Crit'air' stickers that prove their low-pollution levels. Anyone who fails to comply risks being issued a fine of up to 135. The proposal - due to be voted on in the National Assembly as part of a wider law on 'simplifying economic life' - would allow almost three million currently banned vehicles to enter the roads in big cities again, Le Monde reports. Defenders of the existing system point to studies showing the low emission zones significantly reduce air pollution and respiratory disease. Paris on the Peripherique ring road shows a digital display indicating that vehicles bearing Crit'air stickers of rank 3, 4, 5 and unclassified vehicles are not allowed to circulate (July 31, 2020) Crit'Air stickers issued by the French ministry for ecology, sustainable development and energy to rank vehicles according to their emission of air pollutants as part of the ministry's Air Quality Action Plan Opponents, however, warn about the impact on poorer motorists and drivers no longer being able to use their longstanding vehicle of choice. Half of motorists coming into ZFEs live outside the towns, meaning they are unable to qualify for certain aid or dispensations, The Telegraph reports. An angry demonstration took place in Paris on Sunday calling for the abolition of ZFEs, amid other planned protests. Recently, Jordan Bardella, the National Rally leader, said: 'Accepting ZFE means accepting punitive and anti-social environmental measures.' Laurent Wauquiez, head of the conservative Republicans Party in parliament, added they 'lead to social anger, territorial division and economic suicide'. It came after prime minister Francois Bayrou said in February 'it is the poorest, those who cannot afford it, who live far away, who are the victims'. There is a slim chance the ZFE could be scrapped, though it is more likely it will be watered down - with the result of any vote depending largely on turnout in France's fractured parliament. The government hopes it will persuade MPs to retain the legislation - through drafting an amendment that would only oblige Paris and Lyon to implement the zones as their pollution levels are twice above WHO recommendations. Jordan Bardella (pictured), the National Rally leader, said: 'Accepting ZFE means accepting punitive and anti-social environmental measures' In other cases, town halls would decide whether to proceed. Scrapping the entire scheme would mean the government risks having to reimburse the European Union part of the 3.3billion in funds earmarked for it this year alone. France is due to receive 40.3billion to support its implementation. Agnes Pannier-Runacher, the ecological transition minister, told Le Figaro newspaper: 'Pollution is a major public-health issue. It is the most vulnerable who are impacted, those who live close to roads, especially those living in social housing. 'ZFEs are one of the tools for reducing air pollution, particularly in large conurbations. 'Everyone has the right to move around, but also to breathe. There is a dual objective: the health of the French people and social justice. That is what is at stake in this amendment.' A separate initiative has seen some 35 MPs from the Right, the centrist MoDem and the independent Liot group, table another bill to be examined in parliament in the coming weeks, calling for a five-year moratorium on the scheme. In London, figures show drivers were handed more than 322million in fines for non-payment of the ULEZ since the sceme expanded in August 2023, up to the end of June last year. In total, nearly 1.8million penalty charge notices were issued. Critics say high streets in outer London boroughs have also been impacted by the scheme, with spending having fallen by 3.4 per cent in the year after ULEZ expanded, compared with a 2.8 per cent fall across inner London. A mother and her three young children have been found dead in their home under mysterious circumstances. Bodies of the 37-year-old woman and kids aged 2, 5 and 7, were discovered about 3pm on Tuesday at 328 North 15th Street in Cornelius, Oregon. Police have not released the names of the deceased, any indication of how they died, or their relationship to the person who found them and called 911. The children's father was known to neighbors but was not harmed, and it was not clear if he was at the home when his family was killed. Washington County Sheriff's Deputy David Huey said investigators do not believe there is a danger to the public, and no arrests were made. 'This is a pretty tragic event. This is a small community between Cornelius and North Plains, and it's going to hit them hard,' he said. 'The indications we have so far is this was an isolated incident.' Bodies of the 37-year-old woman and kids aged 2, 5, and 7, were discovered about 3pm on Tuesday at 328 North 15th Street in Cornelius, Oregon Washington County Sheriff's Office said investigators do not believe there is a danger to the public, and no arrests were made The bodies were in a building attached to the house, not the main house itself. Huey said the bodies were in a building attached to the house, not the main house itself. Neighbors said the mother took two of the children to Cornelius Elementary School every day like clockwork and the father was also seen coming and going. The family did not speak much English, which limited their communication with neighbors, but they always smiled and waved and the kids played outside. The home caught fire about three months ago, forcing the family to temporarily move out, but they returned after the damage was repaired. The small weatherboard house sits on a tiny block of a dead-end street under a canopy of trees, with just three other similar homes on it. Police asked anyone with information to contact them. Seven people were arrested inside a luxurious mansion that appeared straight from The Sopranos after cops allegedly tied them to the Italian Mafia. The arrests were made in an early morning raid on a sprawling property in the LaSalle neighborhood of Montreal, Canada, aimed at rooting out organized crime. It bears an uncanny resemblance to the residence of Tony Soprano, the fictional New Jersey mob boss played by James Gandolfini in the acclaimed HBO show. Francis Renaud, the head of Montreal polices organized crime unit, said this week that the sting operation came at the conclusion of an 'extensive criminal investigation' in Montreal. The arrested group included six men aged between 34 and 59 and a 44-year-old woman, reports CTV News. Renaud hailed the operation as a major step forward in the city's efforts to bring down crime, and said LaSalle is known for its ties to organized criminal organizations. 'Its pretty special because the [Italian] organized crime in LaSalle, in general, are not afraid to mix with other organized crime that we know, the bikers, the Irish, to make their business go on and theyre getting along,' he said. 'Thats the special effect of LaSalle.' Five of the arrested group are set to face charges including gangsterism, drug trafficking and drug possession, officials said. Seven people were arrested inside a luxurious mansion in LaSalle, Montreal as part of a wide-ranging organized crime operation The home in Montreal that was allegedly tied to the Italian Mafia bears a striking resemblance to the property used in The Sopranos (pictured) Renaud said the charges of gangsterism, also known as committing offenses to benefit a criminal organization, come after cops seized a cache of drugs and guns from the group. He said in total, Montreal authorities had confiscated 32kg of cocaine, 4kg of meth, and 12 guns. At least $2.2 million in cash was also seized from the group, Renaud said. Those totals also included gains from previous raids in January and May 2024 that led cops to find more cash, drugs and guns linked to the group. Cops reportedly descended on the LaSalle property this week in the early hours of the morning, and over 40 police officers were involved in the raid. In the raid in May, Montreal police said four people, three men and a woman aged 32 to 58, were arrested as 5kg of cocaine and a cache of guns were found in another home in LaSalle. The Sopranos-style home was found in LaSalle, which has a recent history of being tied to organized crime. Pictured is Sopranos star James Gandolfini as character Tony Soprano Canadian authorities have conducted several raids in LaSalle since last year that have netted a total of 32kg of cocaine, 4kg meth, 12 guns and $2.2 million in cash Officials said the wide-ranging organized crime operation was launched in August 2023 and named Americano. Following the raid in May, officials said Americano would continue in several phases. 'The first phase consists of disrupting criminal activities by conducting searches,' officials said in a statement. 'Arrests are expected, as well as indictments within the dismantled network, based in particular on evidence gathered during the investigation initiated in August 2023. The Antigang unit intends to submit a complete investigation file to the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions.' A dead body stuffed inside a Florida hotel room closet wasn't discovered by the cleaning staff or authorities until after other unsuspecting guests had finished their stay in the same room. Nadyne Marie Tillman, 43, was reported missing by her family on Monday and was soon found dead inside 33-year-old Dylan Lamb's room at the Amoray Dive Resort in Key Largo, her injuries consistent with a brutal beating, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. She was tragically found wedged into a crawl space within the room's air-conditioning closet - a room recently occupied by two new guests who remained unaware of the discarded body during their stay, the Miami Herald reported. 'They stayed the night and checked out Monday, none the wiser about the body,' a law enforcement source familiar with the case told the outlet. Lamb, a local kayak tour guide, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with Tillman's murder. The sickening discovery came after concerned family members reported Tillman missing on Monday, noting they hadn't heard from her since Saturday morning - a behavior they described to authorities as 'unusual', Newsweek reported. Authorities responded to the resort, where they found the body of the 43-year-old mother hidden inside the room Lamb had stayed in, specifically stuffed and concealed in the air conditioning closet. After investigating the scene, police believe Tillman was beaten to death based on the nature of her injuries. Nadyne Marie Tillman, 43, was reported missing by her family on Monday and was soon found dead inside a room at the Amoray Dive Resort in Key Largo, Florida - specifically, stuffed inside a crawl space within the room's air conditioning closet Before authorities made the grim discovery, two new guests stayed in the same room, completely unaware of the dead body behind the closet's closed doors Dylan Lamb, 33, of Florida, was arrested on Tuesday and booked on charges relating to Tillman's murder, including homicide, kidnapping-false imprisonment, evidence destroying and procure for prostitute The sickening discovery came after concerned family members reported Tillman missing on Monday, noting they hadn't heard from her since Saturday morning - a behavior they described to authorities as 'unusual' Authorities learned that Lamb, who was staying at the resort by himself, had met Tillman there sometime over the weekend, the Herald reported. Lamb, who checked in on Friday, initially refused to leave his hotel room when staff had requested he move to another, as they wanted to make room for newer guests. When Lamb checked out on Sunday, cleaning staff found bloodied and soiled sheets along with towels placed into yard waste bags, according to the Herald, citing the law enforcement source. The body, however, went undiscovered by the cleaning staff. Hotel staff never notified police about the suspicious items found in Lamb's room and instead threw the bags in the trash, all before proceeding to check new guests into the room. Ka Thigpen, who was getting married on Friday in town, said that her mother was staying in the hotel room right next to Lamb's, NBC Miami reported. She and her mother physically saw Lamb during their weekend stay. Tragically, they also saw Tillman's daughter looking for her mother, as she tracked her phone to the location of Lamb's room. 'Her poor daughter came around looking and knocking on everyone's door and from my understanding, tracked her mom to this location and found her car, and had been missing for a couple days and no contact with her,' Thigpen told the outlet. 'They only took a step in and then left and then they came back with the crime scene unit,' she added, noting how she and her mother were present when Tillman's body was discovered. When Lamb checked out on Sunday, cleaning staff found bloodied and soiled sheets along with towels placed into yard waste bags, but the items were never reported to police and were instead thrown out. The body, however, went undiscovered After investigating the scene, authorities believe Tillman was beaten to death based on the nature of her injuries according to the sheriff's office Authorities learned that Lamb, who was staying at the resort by himself, had met Tillman there sometime over the weekend 'He was in and out and you never know just by looking at someone. You never know who you're meeting up with and that's the really scary part.' Lamb was ultimately found on Tuesday, where he works at a local outdoor outfitters and kayak shop, and taken into custody, according to the Herald. He was booked on charges of homicide, kidnapping-false imprisonment, evidence destroying and procure for prostitute, Fox News reported. He remained behind bars in MCSO's Key West jail facility as of Wednesday. Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay released a statement, which said: 'I want to thank the men and women of the Sheriff's Office for working around the clock to make an arrest in this case.' 'While the investigation remains ongoing, there does not appear to be any other individuals involved in this incident.' Lamb is being held without bond and is scheduled to be arraigned on May 13. It remains unclear the motive behind the brutal murder. 'It's just scary, it's too close to home,' Thigpen told NBC. 'It's just really scary because you never know who you're going to meet up with and that's what everyone should maybe learn from this situation.' An American family has been rocked by tragedy after their 23-year-old son was found dead after going missing on their Bahamas vacation. The body of Maryland native Dinari McAlmont was found on Paradise Island in Nassau on April 6, just 12 hours after he landed there with his parents. His distraught mother, Michelle McAlmont, recalled the horrific moment she had to identify her son's remains. She said he appeared to have been beaten up. 'My son was beaten, he was traumatized, his face is damaged... his hair that he normally takes so much pride in... full of sand,' she told Eyewitness News. 'That tells me they beat my son down, I need justice for my baby, I need justice,' she added, while breaking down in tears. A postmortem examination is underway to determine the tourist's cause of death. On Friday, the McAlmont family left their home in Bowie, a city located around 20 miles northeast of Washington DC, for what was supposed to be a relaxing vacation. They were staying at Atlantis resort on Paradise Island, and grabbed dinner together on the first night. The body of Maryland native Dinari McAlmont was found on Paradise Island in Nassau on April 6, just 12 hours after he landed there with his parents Paradise Island is located just offshore from the island of New Providence in the Bahamas. Pictured: Atlantis Resort During dinner, Dinari left his family to explore the resort, and his parents said hotel employees came to their room enquiring about his whereabouts a few hours later. They checked their phone location-sharing services but found his inactive, so began searching the resort. The Dinaris were unable to find their son, so they created a missing person's flier in the hopes someone had seen him. But their worst fears were realized when a hotel employee delivered the devastating news that Dinari had been found dead. It's unclear whether his death is being treated as suspicious, as police investigate. Atlantis resort expressed condolences for the Dinari family, and said they could not comment while the police investigation was ongoing. 'We are deeply saddened by the passing of one of our guests,' the resort told DailyMail.com in a statement. 'Our condolences are with the guest's family and loved ones during this difficult time. The Dinaris were unable to find their son, so they created a missing person's flier in the hopes someone had seen him The man's mother Michelle Mcalmont said she is left with nothing but the loss of her child It's unclear whether his death is being treated as suspicious 'The police authorities are carrying out an investigation of this tragic incident. We await the polices findings and will not comment on speculation.' Paradise Island is located just offshore from the island of New Providence in the Bahamas. It's connected to Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, by two bridges over Nassau Harbor. Tourists flock to its white sand beaches including Cabbage Beach and Paradise Beach which overlook the Atlantic Ocean. Atlantis resort is the largest and most popular hotel on the island, with a casino and waterpark. A pair of glamorous medical students have come under attack after mocking a patient before she tragically died following multiple organ transplants. Students Gabrielli de Souza and Thais Foffano were doing an internship at the USP School of Medicine's Heart Institute, where 26-year-old Vitoria da Silva was hospitalized. The pair seemingly found it amusing that da Silva had undergone three heart transplants and a kidney transplant, and posted about it in a TikTok which was uploaded on the social media platform on February 17, nine days before da Silva died. 'We are in shock, we still can't believe it. It's seven in the morning. A patient who has had a heart transplant three times,' Foffano said. 'A heart transplant is already bureaucratic, it's rare, there's a waiting list, compatibility, a thousand issues involved. 'Now, for a person to undergo a transplant three times, that's real and it happened here at Incor.' De Souza subsequently jumped in and without any proof said that da Silva was at fault for receiving a second heart. 'The second time she had the transplant she didn't take the medication she was supposed to take,' de Souza claimed. 'Her body rejected it and she had to have another transplant, due to her mistake. 'Now she had another transplant and accepted it, but her kidney didn't handle the medication well.' Med school students Gabrielli de Souza (left) and Thais Foffano (right) posted a TikTok video in February to make fun of Vitoria da Silva, who had three heart transplants since the age of 5 Vitoria da Silva, who died February 26, was mocked by medical school students doing an internship at USP School of Medicine's Heart Institute after they learned that she had undergone three heart transplants and one kidney transplant 'This girl has nine lives,' Foffano joked. 'I don't know. It's already so rare, difficult compatibility, donation, factors that I don't know specifically why we haven't done heart surgery yet. 'I'm in shock. Simply a person who has undergone three heart transplants. She received three different hearts.' Da Silva died from septic shock and chronic kidney failure on February 26. Her family was made aware of the tasteless TikTok video on April 3 after a friend who lives in the Netherlands spotted the clip. The video, which has 212,000 views, was removed from the platform Tuesday. 'We were shocked when we found out,' da Silva's sister, Givana Chaves, told Brazilian news outlet G1. 'They never even got to meet my sister. They never went to see her. Because of this misinformation, people started to criticize my sister.' Da Silva was born with a rare heart defect called Ebstein's Anomaly, which affects the heart's valve and was only given 15 days to live. Vitoria da Silva died from septic shock and chronic kidney failure on February 28 Da Silva, who was once featured in a news story by Brazilian outlet G1, had dreams of becoming a doctor She underwent multiple surgeries and had her first heart transplant at the age of 5. Further complications called for a second heart transplant at the age of 15 after tests showed that her heart had a functionality of just three percent. Da Silva, who once told G1 in an interview that she had dreams of becoming a doctor, had a kidney transplant in 2023 and a third heart transplant last year. Her family has filed a police report and reached out to the Sao Paulo's prosecutor's office as well. Chaves called on Foffano and de Souza to retract their comments. 'It touched a very open wound, and we want them to make a retraction on video so that they can deny it and spread this misinformation because everyone is criticizing my sister,' she said. The USP School of Medicine released a statement condemning the students' behavior. 'As soon as the fact became known, the students' universities of origin were notified so that they could take the appropriate measures,' the school. 'FMUSP vehemently repudiates any form of disrespect towards patients and reaffirms its non-negotiable commitment to ethics, human dignity and the values that guide good medical practice.' Elon Musk took a victory lap Wednesday after President Donald Trump put a 90-day pause on his sweeping reciprocal tariffs. The richest man in the world whose top businesses rely on international trade and cooperation was not shy about his opposition to Trump's tariff proposal. He even got into a public days-long spat with the tariff plan architect and top White House economic advisor Peter Navarro over their opposing views on imposing massive tariffs on nearly every country. Trump announced last week during his 'Liberation Day' event his plans to impose upwards of 100 percent tariffs on foreign nations with China topping the list at 104 percent economic sanctions. But over the weekend, Musk fought to dissuade the president from going forward with it. And on Wednesday afternoon, Trump stunned when he posted to Truth Social his pause on implementation of the tariffs, claiming 75 countries had contacted the White House to reach a mutually beneficial deal. Musk was smug, posting a version of Pepe the Frog in response to the latest news. Elon Musk posted an American Flag themed Pepe the Frog meme on Wednesday in a smug response to critics after President Donald Trump imposed a 90-day pause on tariffs The popular internet meme frog character was wearing an American Flag themed superhero costume and holding a video game controller. The X boss posted a winking face emoji as the caption of the meme image. Pepe the Frog became a popular meme among the alt-right and internet trolls. In the 2016 presidential election, the meme was connected to Trump's campaign. Just a month before the election that year, Trump retweeted a Pepe representation of himself. Also after the tariff pause on Wednesday, Musk reposted a Fox Business interview with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent who was explaining why this was a win for the Trump administration. 'President Trump recognizes that economic security is national security,' he said. Musk put two American Flag emojis alongside Bessent's interview. Bessent also joined White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to speak with press gathered outside the Oval Office on Wednesday right after Trump posted about the pause on Truth Social. Global markets immediately eased as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed 75 countries reached out to make a deal on tariffs Trump announced on Truth Social on Wednesday his pause of tariffs and his alternate 10% flat sanction The duo said that dozens of countries want to make a deal and that it was always the intention to reverse the tariffs if world leaders were willing to reconsider their tariffs of U.S. goods. Earlier on Wednesday morning, Musk escalated his war of words with Navarro. Over the last few days, Musk and Navarro have shared some choice words with each other over their starkly different views on how to handle global trade and tariffs. In the latest outburst Musk boosted comments from a conservative CNN pundit who is on his side of the fight, and suggested his business savvy should be taken more seriously than Navarro's. Five Venezuelan men are suing the Trump Administration over using the Alien Enemies Act to deport migrants accused of being terrorists without their day in court. In a class action lawsuit, one filed in Texas and the second in New York, the American Civil Liberties Union or ACLU sued the Trump Administration. 'We filed an emergency lawsuit against the Trump administration to stop removals under the Alien Enemies Act a 1798 wartime act the administration is trying to use to bypass immigration law,' the ALCU of Texas tweeted. 'Cruelty to migrants is not a policy solution.' Back in March, the Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act, a war-time law that allows the president to suspend due process to deport enemies of the US. Trump used the law to fly Venezuelan men accused of being members of the criminal organization Tren de Aragua and deliver them to an El Salvador supermax prison. Three of the men behind the ACLU legal filings are in immigration detention in the Lone Star State, while two others are in New York. They deny being affiliated with TdA, as law enforcement refers to the Venezuelan prison gang turned international mob. Salvadoran police officers escort alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua recently deported by the U.S. government to be imprisoned in the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) prison, as part of an agreement with the Salvadoran government, at the El Salvador International Airport in San Luis Talpa, El Salvador, in this handout image obtained March 16 Despite the lawsuit only being a few hours old, judges in Texas and New York have already temporarily paused the deportations of Venezuelans in those two states while the case is heard. The ACLU is asking the courts to determine if Trump has any legal authority to invoke the Aliens Enemy Act and use it against Venezuelans. The liberal organization took Trump to court just days after the Supreme Court of the United States handed Trump a partial victory on the Aliens Enemy Act. SCOTUS ruled on Monday the US could continue the deportation under certain conditions. The country's highest court, in an unsigned 5 - 4 ruling, ruled that the Trump administration can use the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members. It said that detainees 'must receive notice after the date of this order that they are subject to removal under the Act. 'The notice must be afforded within a reasonable time and in such a manner as will allow them to actually seek habeas relief in the proper venue before such removal occurs.' King Charles and his wife Queen Camilla visited Pope Francis privately on their 20th wedding anniversary yesterday. The meeting took place at the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta, where the Pope has been recovering for more than two weeks since being released from Gemelli Hospital. The special event happened on day three of Charles and Camilla's four-day State Visit to Italy. Charles and the Pope are understood to have wished each other well following their personal health battles in recent months. Buckingham Palace issued a photograph of the meeting on social media, with a post saying: 'Che occasione speciale! 'A special moment for Their Majesties as they privately met His Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican yesterday. 'The King and Queen were deeply touched by The Popes kind remarks about their 20th wedding anniversary and honoured to be able to share their best wishes to him in person.' Ths followed a statement released yesterday evening, in which the Holy See Press Office stated: 'Pope Francis met privately with Their Majesties, King Charles and Queen Camilla, this afternoon. 'In the course of the meeting, the Pope expressed his best wishes to Their Majesties on the occasion of their wedding anniversary and reciprocated His Majesty's wishes for a speedy recovery of his health.' The Pope's well wishes were a reference to the King's condition following his hospitalisation last month due to the side effects of cancer treatment. King Charles and Queen Camilla meet Pope Francis at the Vatican yesterday King Charles III and Queen Camilla visit the Italian Parliament in Rome yesterday Charles and Camilla previously spoke with the Pope in April 2017 (pictured) King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive for the State Banquet at the Palazzo Quirinale in Rome today Buckingham Palace confirmed: 'Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla this afternoon had a private meeting with His Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican. 'Their Majesties were delighted The Pope was well enough to host them - and to have had the opportunity to share their best wishes in person.' The visit was subject to the Pope's health and only confirmed this morning, it is understood. The Holy Father issued an invitation to Their Majesties for a private audience, given the official State Visit was postponed because of his ill-health. A private exchange of gifts took place during the audience, which happened mid-afternoon, after Their Majesties returned from Parliament. They retired briefly at the Villa Wolkonsky to change outfits and drove to the Vatican, with the meeting lasting around 20 minutes. In attendance were Their Majesties' Principal Private Secretary, Sir Clive Alderton, and Her Majesty's Deputy Private Secretary, Mrs Belinda Kim. Sources said discussion about a future official State Visit to the Holy See State Visit continue. Queen Camilla rewears her wedding outfit to celebrate her 20th anniversary with King Charles King Charles and Queen Camilla during their visit to the Senate of the Republic in Italy today Camilla surprised royal fans today as she chose to rewear her wedding outfit to celebrate her anniversary with Charles. Her Majesty appeared in the Anna Valentine design, which has been repurposed two decades later by the same designer, for the third-day of the couple's State Visit. The outfit now features additional embroidery details by the King's Foundation artisan Beth Somerville. She paired the white gown with a pearl necklace, gold bracelets, her engagement ring and a cream handbag. Camilla originally donned the stunning outfit for her Guildhall civil ceremony, before changing into a dazzling blue ensemble for the reception. The Queen's decision to recycle her wedding attire today did not mark the first time she has done so. In 2007 - a mere two years after her wedding - she broke with tradition by wearing the dress for the opening of the National Assembly for Wales. A Kentucky restaurant owner has shared his shocking trick to keeping dirty flood waters from rushing inside his riverfront property. Captain's Quarters Riverside Grille in Prospect, about 16 miles from Louisville, sits on the Ohio River, which has risen to historic levels due to heavy rain and dangerous storms. Co-owner Andrew Masterson revealed he purposely floods the wood and glass lodge in order to keep the contamination water from seeping in. In a Facebook video with more than 665,000 views, Masterson stood several-feet deep in water inside of Captain's Quarters. 'You can see the water is crystal clear, we used fresh water. It keeps the muddy water out,' he explained in the Sunday post. 'It makes the clean up much, much easier. It doesn't always work...it just keeps it calm and what little dirty water does get in here just kind of settles to the ground,' he later elaborated. He live streamed as he trekked through the spacious property, casually discussing his protective process - one he has executed many times before during previous floods. Masterson detailed how all of the electrical panels had to be removed and the rooms were cleared out as much as they could be. Co-owner Andrew Masterson revealed he purposely floods his wood and glass lodge in order to keep the contamination water from seeping in Masterson went over his shocking flood-response process to keep several feet of dirty water from keeping inside the restaurant Inside of Captain's Quarters, several feet of water filled the spacious property as Masterson calmly trekked around 'Except you can kinda see I forgot the plants at the front door,' he lightheartedly added, showing several faux-plants floating on top of the water. Moving over to a glass door, the restaurateur pointed out the stark contrast between the muggy outside water and the clean water inside. He said there were generators running at the time, but he planned on shutting them off because the area was expecting at least five more feet of water. Masterson continued on his tour and was greeted by a room full of beach balls, inflatable pool animals and employees splashing around - essentially turning the intentional-flooding into a pool party. 'All kidding aside, we took lots of precautions,' he said as he re-focused his attention to the floods. 'We have been doing this for a long time.' Captain's Quarters had a similar weather-related shutdown in February as heavy storms ripped through America's southern states. During those natural disasters, 24 people died in Kentucky. DailyMail.com has reached out to Captain's Quarters for comment. During a live stream, several employees were hanging out in a water-filled room as if they were having a pool party Moving over to a glass door, the restaurateur pointed out the stark contrast between the muggy outside water and the clean water inside The extreme floods Masterson chronicled on Sunday come as hundreds of Kentucky residents have been forced to evacuate their homes since storms have ravaged Midwestern and Southern states since last Wednesday. According to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warning from Wednesday morning, Louisville has been subjected to 'life-threatening and record flooding spanning the course of several days.' The floods have left five Kentucky residents dead, WKRN reported. Nine-year-old Gabriel Andrews was among those who died. He was waiting at a bus stop before being swept away by forceful flood waters. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said during a Tuesday press conference: 'Four days of severe storms have brought devastation to communities across the commonwealth. 'I want to thank all of our first responders and volunteers, both locally and from out of state, who have dedicated time to help our people. 'While the threat of severe storms has ended, several rivers and creeks remain at or above flood stage, and roadways remain underwater in several areas. So we need folks to remain cautious.' Beshear said 142 rescues and 272 evacuations have been executed throughout the state. A pair of angry parents have called in lawyers after their daughter lost a regional spelling bee over a technicality they believed had already been addressed. The outraged parents are demanding justice after their 12-year-old daughter, Amara Chepuri, lost the Tampa Bay regional spelling bee because she misspelled a word that they say was not on a predetermined list. Now, the Chepuris are seeking legal advice, claiming that Amara was unfairly disqualified and should still be eligible for the national contest. 'She could have won,' her father, Ananth Chepuri, told the Tampa Bay Times. 'She's one of the best spellers in Florida.' Ahead of the prestigious spell-off, Amara asked her teacher, Billie Jo Williams, for clarification on the rules and the list of words spellers received to study. 'If by chance the list gets exhausted, will we have a tiebreaker?' Amara wrote. 'Also, if we do have a tiebreaker what words could be given?' The teacher explained in an email obtained by the Tampa Bay Times that the school would not be implementing a tiebreaker. However, he mentioned that the school had an additional 150 words, which the competitors had not yet studied, available 'if we exhaust the list.' Ananth Chepuri is demanding justice after his daughter, Amara Chepuri, 12, lost a regional spelling bee due to a misspelled word after the set list of words was 'exhausted' prematurely. Pictured: Amara Chepuri reacts after correctly spelling the last word during the Tampa Bay regional Scripps Spelling Bee qualifier on February 8 The Chepuris have instructed lawyers, claiming that Amara was unfairly disqualified and should still be eligible for the national contest. Pictured: Amara Chepuri (third from right) after winning the Rays & Rowdies Foundation Regional Spelling Bee on February 13, 2024 Amara and her family understood Williams' message to mean that the school would use the entire published list before referring to the extra set, according to the Times. But during the competition, the judges appeared to have skipped some words after it became clear that the two final spellers had memorized the list - which according to Corrie Loeffler, executive director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, 'is common practice for a spelling bee.' When judges began reading from the additional list, Amara misspelled the word pallbearer, while the other remaining student spelled equality correct to win. The Chepuris contended that the school had disregarded its assurance to Amara that the primary list would be fully used and challenged the result of the competition. But to them, challenging the outcome meant that the bee's final result remained in uncertain. So, as they waited for the school's response to their rebuttal, the Chepuris sought out other ways to ensure their daughter's spot in the upcoming national competition. Before each contest, participating spellers receive a copy of the rules, which include a section on eligibility. The eligibility rules state that once a speller has been 'disqualified at any level' of the regional bee program, they 'may not seek advancement... through another regional partner and/or enrollment in another school,' the Tampa Bay Times reported. The Chepuris contended that the school had disregarded its assurance to Amara that the primary list would be fully used and challenged the result of the competition. Pictured: Amara Chepuri after winning the Rays & Rowdies Foundation Regional Spelling Bee on February 13, 2024 But, because the Chepuris argue that Amara was never officially disqualified from her school spelling bee - claiming Amara appealed the decision and did not receive a response before the registration deadline - they entered her in another qualifying event. However, a spokesperson from Amara's school, the State College of Florida Collegiate, said they did in fact respond to the Chepuris' appeal in writing on January 29 - nearly two weeks before the February 8 regional. And the answer was clear. 'My hope is that you are aware and understand that all decisions were made as a team, were based on the rulebook and the conversations with Scripps before and following the school Bee, and all under a simple premise of providing a fair environment and equal opportunity for participation for all students,' Kelly Monod, associate vice president of collegiate schools, wrote. Jamie Smith, another State College spokesperson, said: 'Amara was not the winner and would not represent the school.' 'The student didn't spell the word correctly,' Smith said, adding: 'That was the end of the process.' Amara went on to win the second of her qualifying attempts at making the national bee, however, a Scripps representative arrived at the event shortly after her victory to inform her - and her parents - of her disqualification. Following the ruling, the Chepuris requested an in-person meeting with school officials to discuss the initial bee, hoping Amara might be recognized as a co-champion. Corrie Loeffler, executive director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee However, they left the meeting without any changes. Chepuri argued that the teacher had not presented all the relevant facts regarding the exhaustion of the word list. Had the full information been shared, he contended, school leaders would have made a different decision, and Scripps would not have endorsed the school's actions. Loeffler has since called Amara's situation 'heartbreaking,' noting that the student clearly worked hard, and her parents 'understandably' want to advocate for their child. But, the bee chief executive added that the spelling bee is about more than just spelling. 'It's also about sportsmanship, resiliency and the knowledge that preparation and luck play equal roles in the competition as in life,' she said. 'You might face a word you didn't know, and it doesn't end up your day. If we were just looking for the best speller in America, we would just give one spelling test,' Loeffler concluded. An Illinois woman was left in shock after she made a haunting discovery underneath a hotel bathroom sink. Jacoreya Henderson, who goes by Coyaa on TikTok, shared a shocking video on March 30, telling her 12,000 followers she discovered cryptic sketches under a sink while cleaning. The mother was staying at the Woodspring Suites in Elgin - about an hour outside of Chicago - with her three-year-old daughter when she stumbled across the drawings that appeared to depict abuse between a father and child. Some of the stick figures were labeled 'Dad',' while another appeared to show a young child. A separate written message read 'Help' while another said 'Butt' along the wood. 'We need to figure out who was in here with their dad,' Henderson, 22, said in the video with more than 4.3 million views. 'I called the police. Theyre on their way out here,' she continued. Henderson told DailyMail.com she rushed down to the front desk at the hotel's front desk that night, but they didn't appear to be all that worried about her discovery. Jacoreya Henderson, who goes by Coyaa on TikTok , shared a shocking video on March 30, telling her 12,000 followers she discovered cryptic sketches under a sink while cleaning The mother was staying at the Woodspring Suites in Elgin - about an hour outside of Chicago - when she stumbled across the drawings that appeared to depict abuse between a father and child around 11pm Some of the stick figures were labeled 'Dad',' while another appeared to show a young child. A separate written message read 'Help' while another said 'Butt' along the wood After not hearing a word from police for a couple days, two officers with the Elgin Police Department showed up to her hotel room and started to investigate. The officers told the young mom they saw her video, but when they finally took a look at the drawings, they told her it looked like 'graffiti' to them. They were seen in one of her videos inspecting the sink area, along with a hotel employee. During her interaction with authorities, which she described as a 'good cop, bad cop situation,' Henderson told DailyMail.com she felt like they were under the impression that she had something to do with the eerie sketches. She said they even questioned if her toddler daughter, who can 'barely draw a circle,' might have done it. Henderson said she felt that one officer questioned her more about her personal life and situation because of her past with domestic violence. Before the officers left, they gave Henderson their contact information and told her they would reach out to her, but they never did. She then went back to them to see if she could obtain their body cam footage when they entered her hotel room, but she is still waiting to receive it. A police officer was seen in one of her videos inspecting the sink area, along with a hotel employee In the meantime, she's decided to take matters into her own hands and call the FBI about what she found. She spoke to someone with the agency, but again, has yet to hear back. Henderson also emphasized in her video that there was a surveillance camera right outside. When asked if police or hotel staff reviewed the footage, Henderson said she asked the front desk to but she has no idea if they ever did. Soon after she posted the video, she was informed by hotel staff that she had to vacate her room because they believe she violated their policies by sharing information about the hotel and also recording a staffer there. Henderson said she has since moved into a new hotel nearby that is much more expensive than the last. Rooms at the Woodspring Suites average between $68 to $75 a night, according to its website. Henderson told DailyMail.com she also rushed down to the front desk at the hotel's front desk that night, but they didn't appear to be too worried about her discovery Although Henderson is really concerned about the drawings, she said she is more focused on finding a stable place for her and her daughter to live right now. She started a GoFundMe page to help raise funds for them to one day move out of the hotel and get an apartment. 'Hey Im Coya, Recently my TikTok page has been going viral since I decided to share some disturbing images I found under my sink while cleaning,' she wrote. 'Since finding them Ive spoken to the front desk, local police, and even the FBI, to voice my concern for the wellbeing of this child.' Henderson added: 'Ive been on my own since I had my first kid at 16 living couch 2 couch ,or in some kinda shelters. 'My goals are just to be a regular person who goes to work and takes their kids to school and has a home to come to at the end of the day thank you.' DailyMail.com contacted Woodspring Suites and the Elgin Police Department for comment. A state of emergency has been declared in New Mexico's largest city, as the governor calls in the National Guard to help combat out of control crime. Action by the Democratic governor clears the way for dozens of guard members to help the Albuquerque Police Department starting next month. About 60 to 70 soldiers will be stationed in largest city, home to over a quarter of the state, for six months to a year, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham told reporters Tuesday. Grisham pulled the trigger after the chief of police asked for assistance at the end of March, as the city of dealing with a fentanyl crisis, violent crime and growing homelessness problem. Some of the troops will be assigned to Central Avenue, part of the historic Route 66. The area is known as 'The War Zone' by locals, and is the site of homeless encampments and open-air drug use. YouTuber Nick Johnson, who has over 1.1 million followers, visited Albuquerque earlier this year, calling it the 'most frightful neighborhood in America.' National guard members will also free up local cops who normally provide security at the courthouse and airport so they can respond to crime. YouTuber Nick Johnson, who has built a following of over 1.1 million visited Albuquerque earlier this year, calling it the 'most frightful neighborhood in America.' He had been urged to do so by his followers, and said soon after arriving that he couldn't believe the state of the area as it was filled with homeless people and drug taking After filming the area's squalid conditions, Johnson bluntly said: 'You cant save any of the people I witnessed on the streets of Albuquerque that day' However, they will not be armed or in uniform, reported the Albuquerque Journal. Instead, the troops will be in polo shirts. The city is hoping to increase its police force to 1,000 officer compared to its current size of 850. Local officials tried to reassure residents that the guard members will not be acting as cops, but instead, freeing up officers. 'What we want to do is double down on whats workingand whats working is technology and civiliansfreeing up officers to fight crime and keep those statistics going in this powerfully good direction,' Mayor Tim Keller said. Democratic New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham speaks at a news conference Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Santa Fe, N.M. ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - JUNE 03: People walk along the street on June 03, 2019 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. New Mexico is one of the poorest states in the United States, with a sluggish economy, a growing homeless problem and a surge in drug use Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina speaks at a press conference addressing the National Guard being deployed to help the Albuquerque police in Albuquerque, N.M., Tuesday, April 8 'A short-term way to help with that is by the National Guardsmen helping out.' However, New Mexico Republicans slammed the mayor for allowing crime to get to this point. The citys 'crime crisis and lawlessness is a testament to the absolute failure of Mayor Tim Keller and his progressive policies,' Sen. Nicole Tobiassen, R-Albuquerque told the paper. A homeless man charged with stabbing a costume designer in the neck with a broken bottle as part of an attack on two women shouted that he wanted to 'kill a b***h', police said. Muslim Brunson, 46, has been ordered by a judge to undergo a psychiatric evaluation following an assault on Megan Berg, 25, on Monday. Brunson allegedly threw a bottle at an unidentified woman, before using the smashed pieces to slash Berg in the neck as she walked down a street in New York's ritzy Soho neighborhood. The Arizona native was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in a critical condition and had to undergo emergency neck surgery with at least 40 stitches. She remains on a respirator as of Wednesday, the New York Post reports. Brunson has a history of mental health issues and a lengthy rap sheet including convictions for violent crimes. He had only been back in New York 60 days before carrying out the sick attack, prosecutors said. The assault unfolded in broad daylight at around 3pm prosecutors said. Megan Berg (pictured), 25, was strolling through the affluent Lower Manhattan neighborhood of SoHo at around 3pm on Monday when she was attacked The unidentified woman told police she felt something strike her and turned the suspect, 'holding a large, green glass bottle in his hand,' according to a criminal complaint. She says she then heard him shout, 'I'm going to kill a b***h,' and decided to run before she heard 'screaming and the sound of breaking class', the filings state. Berg told the cops she was walking down the street when she saw the suspect 'holding a bottle up at her and throw said bottle at her neck'. Her father George Berg said she had been pursuing her dream career as a Broadway costume designer in the city. 'It's just crazy. She's still hanging on,' he told the New York Post. Brunson was picked up by police officers shortly after the attack took place. Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Beverly Tatham ordered he be held in custody pending his psychiatric evaluation. 'In broad daylight, the defendant attacked two complete strangers within minutes in front of numerous witnesses,' Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Mary Simeone said. Berg was rushed to Bellevue Hospital for emergency surgery on her neck which required 40 stitches Her father she had been 'living her dream' in the Big Apple pursuing a costume design career prior to the attack 'Upon his arrest, the defendant screamed threats at an eyewitness who assisted the police in his apprehension.' She added that Brunson has a history of mental problems. Sources told the New York Post that these included hearing voices telling him to hurt people, per incident reports. His rap sheet includes an alleged attack on July 4, 2022, that left a 53-year-old woman with serious injuries to her face. The NYPD told DailyMail.com that Brunson attacked the woman at Fulton Street in the city's ritzy Financial District by pushing her from behind, causing her to strike a subway pole. 'The victim sustained bruising and swelling to the face,' a spokesperson said, adding that she was taken to the hospital for treatment. Brunson also allegedly robbed and assaulted a 13-year-old boy in Brooklyn in 2019. He has been to state prison at least once before and previously was ordered to take part in a mental health program. 'What is clear from Mr. Brunson's record is that he is struggling with a mental health crisis,' defense attorney Mildred Morillo said. Brunson's alleged rampage unfolded in the area of Broome and Wooster Streets in SoHo 'And while none of us would blame someone with a stomach virus for vomiting, it does not make sense to then say that he has a demonstrated contempt for law enforcement.' Berg worked on musicals since 2017 and was most recently an assistant costume designer on off-Broadway productions of Fallen Angels, The Irrepressible Magic of the Tropics and Music City: A New Musical. Jade McLeon, a theater performer and former colleague, told The Post that Berg was 'a sweet girl'. 'She's really friendly, lovely. We talked about theater. She's passionate about theater.' Donald Trump has announced a 90-day pause to his controversial tariff hikes on most countries, raising hopes the Australian stock market could bounce back. Trump mad the shock delay in his trade strategy overnight following days of tense negotiations with global powers after the tariffs came into effect on the weekend. The president said all countries which had not retaliated against the US with their own tariff increases would see their tariffs reduced to the minimum 10 per cent until July. Australia was not affected by the latest announcement as it was already at the 10 per cent level. When asked why he ordered the pause, Trump told reporters: 'People were jumping a little bit out of line. They were getting yippy.' The announcement saw US stock markets quickly rally following several days of turmoil, which had fuelled fears of a recession. Australian stockbrokers are holding their breath for the market to open at 10am in the hopes of seeing a similar turnaround on the ASX. The Australian stock market suffered a sharp decline since Trump announced the new tariffs in his Liberation Day address last Thursday, with the ASX200 starting this week at its lowest level since late 2023. US President Donald Trump (pictured) has announced a 90-day pause to his controversial tariffs hikes The Australian share market on Monday lost $119billion in the worst session since the onset of Covid in March 2020. The share market plummeted 14.17 per cent since peaking on February 14. Superannuation and other investment accounts weighted toward shares took a battering, sparking fears of a global recession. The overnight announcement was a relief for investors, but there is still lingering uncertainty over the effect of the trade war between the US and China. While other countries saw tariffs moderated, Trump promised to raise US tariffs on Chinese exports to 125 per cent, effective immediately, after the Asian giant had vowed to raise tariffs on US goods to 84 per cent. 'At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable,' Trump wrote online. In response, Chinese leaders overnight called for Australia to 'join hands' with China to defend global trade. It was the first time Chinese officials reached out to Australia since the beginning of Trump's tariff terror. The US stock market is recovering from days of turmoil following Trump's announcements with AUstralian stockbrokers hoping for a similar result However, Australian officials may not be inclined to lend China a 'hand' after it imposed an 80 per cent tariff on Australian barley and a 212 per cent tariff on wine in recent years. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday laughed off claims from Trump that world leaders were sucking up to him in order not to be hit by huge tariffs on their exports. The US President boasted that prime ministers and presidents have been grovelling to him, pleading to make a deal, ever since he slapped sweeping tariffs on 90 nations, including Australia. 'These countries are calling me up, kissing my ass they are dying to make a deal,' President Trump told a group of Republican donors at a dinner on Tuesday night. 'They are, they are dying to make a deal. 'Please, please, sir, make a deal. I'll do anything',' he said as his audience laughed. Mr Albanese, speaking from Cairns as he campaigned for the upcoming election, insisted he's not one of them. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured) earlier laughed off claims from Trump that world leaders were sucking up to him 'That's not the way I deal with leaders,' Mr Albanese said. 'I deal as an equal with countries that I engage with ... the two conversations that I've had with President Trump are ones in which I stand up for Australia's national interest.' The US stock market suffered sharp losses in the wake of the tariff announcement, with the S&P500 retreating to its lowest level since April last year, but had risen sharply in recent days to be approaching its pre-tariff level. Trump also boasted that he had the 'most successful 100 days in the history of this country' as he pressured many foreign governments into vowing to reduce their barriers to US exports. Police have launched a manhunt after a woman was reportedly sexually assaulted at a Wales beach. The horrific attack is said happened in Criccieth in Gwynedd, Wales, on Saturday at around 7.30pm near to the coastal path. North Wales Detective Sergeant Mark Dickson had to reassure locals that there had been an increased police presence since the incident, and said incidents like this are 'rare'. Officers are now looking for the man and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward. The horrific attack happened in Criccieth in Gwynedd, Wales, on Saturday at around 7.30pm near to the coastal path at the beach He said: 'I am appealing to anyone who was walking in the area of Graig Ddu beach and the coastal path between 5.30pm and 8.30pm to contact us. 'Incidents of this kind are rare, and I would reassure the community that there is an increased police presence in the area for reassurance. 'Investigations into this incident are ongoing, and I would urge anyone with information that could assist detectives in their enquiries to contact us via our website or by calling 101, quoting reference 25000279939.' A Frontier Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing after horrified passengers heard a beeping noise coming from the cargo area. Flight 4708 was traveling from Washington D.C. to Atlanta, Georgia around 2.30pm Wednesday, when the odd noise was heard during the flight. The aircraft landed at Dulles International Airport in Virginia and parked away from the main terminal to 'undergo a precautionary security search,' the airline told 7News. Passengers deplaned the aircraft and will be allowed to retrieve their bags once the search is over, the airline said. Police dogs were seen searching the cargo area on the tarmac while several emergency vehicles stood by. The search was done 'out of an abundance of caution,' the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) said. All other flights are operating normally, they added. A spokesperson with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told DailyMail.com the agency is investigating the matter. A Frontier Airlines flight traveling from Atlanta, Georgia to Washington D.C., had to make an emergency landing after passengers heard a beeping noise coming from the cargo area Police dogs were seen searching the cargo area on the tarmac while several emergency vehicles stood by DailyMail.com contacted Frontier Airlines for more information. News of this emergency landing comes just a week after an Alaska Airline flight bound for Las Vegas, Nevada from Portland, Oregon, had to stop to return to Portland International Airport after passengers and crew reported smelling 'fumes in the cockpit and cabin' shortly after takeoff. Passengers reported seeing flight attendants moving rapidly through the cabin and hearing the pilot announce a 'concerning smell' on April 3. Flight 757, a 14-year-old Boeing 737-800, landed safely at approximately 9:50am. Upon landing, fire and rescue personnel evaluated the aircraft and provided medical assistance to nine individuals. No serious injuries were reported. Videos captured by passenger Angela DeHaven and posted on TikTok showed emergency crews on the tarmac and inside the aircraft. While initial reports indicated a potential evacuation, passengers ultimately disembarked normally. Alaska Airlines stated that the aircraft was taken out of service for inspection and that passengers were rebooked on a replacement aircraft. DeHaven described the scene to local ABC affiliate KATU: 'You could see the flight attendants kind of hurriedly go to the back of the plane and then very hurriedly come back up to the front.' An Alaska Airline flight bound for Las Vegas, Nevada from Portland, Oregon, had to stop to return to Portland International Airport after passengers and crew reported smelling 'fumes in the cockpit and cabin' shortly after takeoff on April 3 Alaska Airlines stated that the aircraft was taken out of service for inspection and that passengers were rebooked on a replacement aircraft. (Pictured: Stock image) 'I had a heightened anxiety level as we were heading back down because between them diverting and landing, you don't know what's wrong. It was definitely an eye opening moment.' In the comment section of her TikTok, DeHaven said the airlines told her the cause of the fumes was a result of 'the chemical they spray on the jet engines prior to takeout [sic], which failed to burn off properly, so some was vented into the aft cabin area.' Allison Ferre with the Port of Portland, the port district responsible for overseeing Portland International Airport, said 'PDX Airport Fire & Rescue responded to (an) aircraft landing that had reported fumes in the cockpit/cabin at takeoff and returned to PDX. 'The aircraft landed safely and there was no fire or ongoing safety threat, but the PDX fire crew made medical evaluation services available to crew and passengers.' Alaska Airlines issued a statement: 'Crew members detected a strong odor on board Flight 757 from Portland (PDX) to Las Vegas (LAS) shortly after takeoff. 'As a precaution, the pilots returned to PDX where medical professionals met the aircraft at the gate and evaluated crew members. 'The aircraft was removed from service for inspection, and we are re-accommodating our guests on a new aircraft. 'We apologize to our guests for any inconvenience this may have caused.' President Donald Trump openly discussed military action against Iran just days before talks are set to begin on its nuclear program. He upped his threats a day after he used colorful language to warn against 'nuclear heat' while saying Iran must relinquish nuclear ambitions. A reporter asked Trump to specify his comment Tuesday that it would be 'very dangerous' for Iran if nuclear talks are unsuccessful. 'Well they can't have a nuclear weapon,' Trump said. Pressed on if he meant military action, Trump responded: 'Oh if necessary? Absolutely, yeah.' Asked if he had a deadline with Iran, Trump responded, 'Yeah, I do,' but declined to say what it was. But he said this weekend with talks set to commence in Oman Saturday was not the deadline. 'We have a little time, but we don't have much time,' the president said. 'Because we're not going to let them have a nuclear weapon, can't let them have a nuclear - and we're gonna let them thrive. I want them to thrive. I want Iran to be great. The only thing they can't have as a nuclear weapon. 'I'm not asking for much. I just ... they can't have a nuclear weapon,' Trump said. President Trump was asked if he meant military action when he warned that Iran must agree to a nuclear deal. 'Oh if necessary? Absolutely, yeah,' he said 'But with Iran, yeah, if we, if it requires military, we're gonna have military. Israel will obviously be very much involved in that. He'll be the leader of that. But nobody leads us. We do what we want to do. In his final cryptic comment, he added: 'When you start talks, you know they're going along well or not. And I would say the conclusion would be when I think they're not going along well. So that's just a feeling.' Trump has pledged it is 'not after a nuclear bomb' and even expressed interest to direct U.S. investment. Trump's comments came on a day he did a sudden U-turn and imposed a 90-day pause on his 'reciprocal' tariffs, while maintaining a 10 percent across the board tariff and hiking the tariff on China to 125 percent. President Trump revealed that the U.S. would hold direct talks with Iran on Saturday President Trump signed orders to boost coal production then spoke of the 'nuclear heat' in advance of talks with Iran Satellite images from Planet Labs PBC show six B-2 stealth bombers. The U.S. continues to pound Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The unconcealed presence of the powerful aircraft also send a message to Tehran, experts say The episode revealed both Trump's willingness to throw the global system into turmoil to achieve his goals, and his willingness to backtrack amid fears of a recession and trillions worth of market losses. He also signed orders directing the Justice Department to investigate Miles Taylor, who wrote a critical book under the pen name 'Anonymous' during his first term, and former cyber security official Chris Krebs, who vouched for the security of the 2020 elections during the COVID pandemic. Satellite images have revealed the deployment of six nuclear-capable B-2 bombers on Diego Garcia, a British-owned naval base that has been critical during U.S. military campaigns. Trump on Monday said the U.S. would hold top level direct talks with Iran while brandishing new threats and repeating demands that Iran could not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. Were having direct talks with Iran. And theyve started, Trump told reporters while seated in the Oval Office next to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, himself a top Iran hawk. The talks are set to take place in Oman, but Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, said the talks would be 'indirect,' amid longstanding tensions between the two nations. The U.S. has avoided such direct talks for years. The Iran nuclear deal, which Trump scuttled after it was put in place under Barack Obama, was negotiated through multi-party talks. 'I think everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious. And the obvious is not something that I want to be involved with, or frankly, that Israel wants to be involved with, if they can avoid it,' he added. 'So we are going to see if we can avoid it, but it's getting to be very dangerous territory, and hopefully those talks will be successful.' 'And I think it would be in Iran's best interests if they are successful.' On Tuesday Trump ridiculed fears of climate change, then pivoted to the Iran threat, which he called much more grave. 'We were going to be gone, we're all going to be gone the environment. No, what they have to worry about is the nuclear nuclear heat. They don't have to worry about environmental heat. They have to worry about nuclear heat,' Trump said on an event where he called for deregulating the coal industry. 'And if we're smart, we're working on that right now with others, having to do with Iran and some other countries,' Trump said. 'But that's the that's the heat you're gonna have to worry about. You don't have to worry about the air is getting warmer. The ocean will rise ... within the next 500 to 600 years, giving you a little bit more waterfront property. They say this is going to these guys can handle that. The nuclear we have a bigger problem with, right?' Trump said. Iran claims its nuclear program is peaceful, but U.S. intelligence has long warned it was close to being capable of producing nuclear weapons. King Charles III is arguably the best prepared Monarch in the world, serving an apprenticeship of over seventy years before he obtained the only job he ever applied for and for which he was the only applicant. But his workload before and since has been stupendous. He never stops. Nobody could ever accuse him of being lazy. As a single Prince of Wales, Charles was regarded as the most eligible and famous bachelor in the world and when he married Lady Diana Spencer in July 1981, making her the Princess of Wales, she became the most famous woman on the planet. But, as we now know, it wasnt to last. Charles never stopped talking or thinking about Camilla Parker Bowles and his friendship with her, even when at last he married Diana. She accepted this, knowing that to object would place her at odds with the royal household, as well as against the most powerful family in the world. On the day the couple married they became the most photographed couple ever. However, there were problems almost from the beginning. And, contrary to the general belief, it wasnt all Charles fault... There was trouble on both sides. Five years after they married, Diana resumed a relationship with a former boyfriend, James Hewitt, in 1986. If there has ever been a year that Charles would describe as the worst in his life, it could well be 1992. His birthday that year was not a time for celebration. This was when he and Diana finally separated. Perhaps relief was all he felt now that at last it was all over. He said at the time that his relationship with Mrs Parker Bowles was non-negotiable. She had been in the public eye for many years, but usually as a private individual. The married couple leave St George's Chapel in Windsor after the church blessing in 2005 Prince Charles and a very happy Duchess of Cornwall descend the steps of the chapel Prince Charles talking to Camilla Parker Bowles at a polo match in 1975 Lady Diana Spencer was accompanied by Camilla Parker Bowles in 1980. Charles proposed to Lady Sarah's younger sister in February the following year Now it was to become royal responsibility. As with all people in the line of succession to the throne, as lineal descendants of George II, before he could propose to Camilla Charles had to obtain the formal permission of the Queen, a requirement under the Royal Marriages Act of 1772 which states that those in that category must obtain the permission of the Sovereign in order to marry in Charles case even if the Sovereign happened to be his mother. Much later, Charles admitted that the love of his life had always been Camilla. It would never end. It never will. To many people throughout the world, it remains one of the greatest love stories ever. The spring wedding went ahead as planned even though the day had to be postponed in order that Charles could attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II in Rome. An indication to Camilla of what lay in for her as royal duties take the place of everything else. On the day of the wedding Camilla became Her Royal Highness and Duchess of Cornwall, and in Scotland she used the title of Duchess of Rothsay. Now, of course, since Charles became Monarch, she is Her Majesty The Queen. Charles and Camilla were married in a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall, not attended by the Queen who considered it to be inappropriate as she was Head of the Church of England and they were both divorced. Camilla had become divorced from her first husband, Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles, who she married in 1973 in a Roman Catholic church. They had two children, Tom and Laura. Andrew has remained friends with Camilla and Charles and is often included in invitations to receptions and dinner parties. He is also a close friend of Princess Anne. The ceremony was followed by a service of prayer and thanksgiving, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, at St Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle. Charles and Camilla exchanged wedding rings made from Welsh gold, a tradition established by the Queen Mother in 1923. Prince Charles and his longtime sweetheart Camilla Parker Bowles married at Guildhall in Windsor after two months of muddled preparations and a lifetime of waiting Charles and Camilla exchanged wedding rings made from Welsh gold The Queen and Prince Philip didn't attend the civil wedding but seen here arriving at St George's Chapel for the blessing Camilla's ex-husband Andrew and their son Tom Parker Bowles seemed in great spirits for the couple This was followed by a reception for the happy couple in the State Apartments. After the ceremonies, the first messages of goodwill came from William and Harry. Its difficult to imagine that this was all 20 years ago this is what is called the China Anniversary. From the moment they were married the eyes of the world have been focused on them. Camilla accepts this as inevitably part of the job but really she is a woman who shuns publicity and is known to value her privacy. She has behaved impeccably since joining the Royal Family and her earlier reputation as the cause of Charles first marriage breakup, although unjustified in most peoples opinion, has now been forgotten completely. She is strong, confident, outgoing, with a warm personality and she sees her main role in life as supporting Charles. Together they are a formidable couple. Meanwhile, he has become the King we wanted and expected, a Monarch who has emerged as one of the leading statesmen on the planet, a credit to the memory of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Happy (China) Anniversary to them both. Twenty years on from Charles and Queen Camilla's wedding, a former royal butler has reflected on the disappointment he felt when he was not invited to their big day - as well as the heartwarming way the future monarch made it up to him. Charles and Camilla, who had both been married previously, opted for a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall followed by a religious blessing at St George's Chapel on April 9, 2005. All members of staff who had served the royal couple for over a year were invited to the ceremony. However, Grant Harrold, now 46, had only worked within their household for eight months at the time and did not receive a coveted invitation. 'I was with Charles, doing his morning service on the morning of the announcement, but he didn't mention anything,' Grant said. 'Then I went back into the staff room, and there it was on the news: "Prince of Wales to marry Miss Parker-Bowles." 'I was so confused because, obviously, he hadn't said anything. I later found out that I wasn't getting invited to the wedding because you had to have completed at least a year's service, and I had only been there eight months. 'All of my colleagues got their official wedding invitations coming in, but I didn't get one. 'Of course, I was gutted - I'd have loved to have gone - but that was obviously not going to happen.' But it turns out Charles, then Prince of Wales, had not forgotten about his trusty butler and two weeks before the big day, Grant received an unexpected phone call. Former royal butler Grant Harrold revealed the disappointment he felt at not being invited to Charles and Camilla's wedding Grant, now 46, was not invited as he had only worked for the royal couple for eight months Recalling the conversation to Prime Casino, Grant said: 'It was from this chap who was the finance controller for the household, and he said, "I've been asked to call you on behalf of the Prince of Wales and Miss Parker-Bowles."' In an incredible act of kindness, the Prince of Wales had put Grant's name under his 'friends and family quota', meaning the butler could attend the wedding after all. 'I honestly didn't think I was going to get to go, so I was very emotional,' Grant said. 'I certainly was on the verge of tears. I was so excited to get invited to a royal wedding - I couldn't believe it. 'It's extraordinary to suddenly get invited to something like that. 'You pinch yourself, thinking: "I can't believe - I can't believe this."' Lo and behold, Grant was in attendance when Charles and Camilla tied the knot at St George's Chapel. Although it was televised, Grant described the ceremony as 'similar' to any other wedding. Queen Camilla pictured waving to crowds on her wedding day on April 9, 2005 King Charles and Queen Camilla smile for the crowds moments after they were legally married at the Windsor Guildhall in 2005 Charles and Camilla, who had both been married previously, opted for a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall followed by a religious blessing at St George's Chapel Charles and Camilla pictured with their children from their first marriages on their wedding day in April 2005 The royal butler turned etiquette expert and broadcaster said: 'The actual wedding in the church, the blessing, again, that could be similar to most normal weddings. 'I think the only thing that makes it different is that it was at Windsor Castle and it was the future King and Queen getting married. 'Other than that it would have followed a very similar pattern to most weddings.' Grant has a unique insight into the royal couple's relationship, having worked within their household for seven years between 2004 and 2011. 'We see more of the real Charles thanks to Camilla - she's changed him for the better,' he said. 'She's helped him become more comfortable and more himself - I think we see more of the real him thanks to her.' The Palace insider revealed that Camilla makes Charles 'laugh a lot' and that he is noticeably happier than he was in his first marriage to Princess Diana. 'I'm not saying he didn't laugh before or that he didn't have fun,' Grant said. 'But there was a point where he did become quite serious - probably when he was unhappy in his previous marriage. Grant has a unique insight into the royal couple's relationship, having worked within their household for seven years between 2004 and 2011. The ceremony was notably less lavish than King Charles's wedding to Princess Diana in July 1981 Charles and Camilla celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary today with a State Visit to Italy 'Then suddenly, you see him laughing and joking and being more like himself again, comfortable with her. It is amazing, and she's been an amazing support to him. 'Not only a support, she's also very good at keeping him focused. She has a great sense of humour, and she does encourage him to be more relaxed and, I suppose, not take life so seriously to an extent. 'Equally, she supports him amazingly as a Queen Consort - she's very good at stepping in to help when needed.' King Charles and Queen Camilla celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary today with a State Visit to Italy. There's nothing more frustrating than being caught in the rain without an umbrella after the weather forecast predicted clear skies. But now, the days of unexpected showers could be coming to an end as Britain becomes home to the future of weather forecasting. In a UK-first trial, Vodafone will use its network of mobile phone masts as an early warning system for extreme weather. By measuring slight disturbances in the connection between towers, this system can measure the rain more accurately than radar or weather stations. That information will be used to spot early signs of flooding along the Severn River, one of the UK's most flood-prone regions. Each year 230 million is spent in this area to mitigate flood damage, with a further 16 million allocated by the government last week. This network could give residents a more accurate early warning, helping authorities save money and protecting the homes of the 600,000 people at risk of flooding. If this trial is successful, Vodafone says its entire network could be converted into a weather monitoring system spanning the UK and Europe. The UK will soon become home to the future of weather prediction as a UK-first trial aims to use mobile towers (pictured) as an early warning system for extreme weather Rainfall creates slight changes in the quality of signal between mobile towers. Vodafone plans to use this to measure rain around the flood-prone Severn River Vodafone's 'Network as a Sensor' technology works by carefully monitoring the interference caused by falling rain. When you make a call or send a message from your mobile, the signal travels from your device to a nearby mobile mast. That message is then passed from mast to mast along the network to the device of the person you are trying to contact in the form of an electromagnetic wave. However, when raindrops fall through the air between two towers, they create small disturbances that affect the quality of the connection. During storms or especially heavy rainfall, these disturbances can be strong enough to disrupt network connections. But this feature of our communications network also has a surprising benefit. Certain frequencies of electromagnetic signal, such as microwaves, are so sensitive to water that they can be used to measure rainfall. Vodafone already monitors microwave connections between towers every 15 minutes to help the network compensate for any signal disruption caused by rain. As the microwave connection becomes weaker, this means more rain is falling between the towers. By monitoring these changes, a microwave signal can become a 'virtual rain gauge' Looking at the connections between all the towers in the area creates a rain monitoring system which Vodafone claims is more accurate than radar or weather stations How do mobile towers measure the rain? Mobile towers send signals to each other using electromagnetic radiation. This is a type of energy that includes light, radio waves, and microwaves. At microwave frequencies, the signal is very sensitive to water in the air. So, as raindrops fall between the towers they create slight disturbances in the connection. By looking at how the connection changes, engineers can work out how much rain is falling between the towers. Extending this to all the towers in the network creates a huge virtual rain gauge. Advertisement Using the same approach, the entire network can be converted into a huge rain gauge, more accurate than ground-based weather stations or satellite measurements. Last year, parts of the River Severn were battered by flooding after Storm Darragh brought heavy rain to many parts of the country. Vodafone has joined with the River Severn Partnership to provide weather 'nowcasting' as part of a flood early warning system. Unlike forecasting, nowcasting predicts the weather within the coming minutes and hours to a high degree of accuracy. Combined with ground observations, this should allow the River Severn Partnership to spot the signs of a flood before it is too late. Nick Gliddon, Director of Vodafone Business UK, says: 'Storms and extreme weather are becoming increasingly more frequent and destructive. 'Working with River Severn Partnership, we can use our cutting-edge technology to provide greater insight on weather forecasting and help mitigate the impact of extreme events.' This comes after the Met Office was slammed for its 'confusing' and delayed flood warnings ahead of Storm Bert. In its UK-first trial, Vodafone will use the mobile network around the Severn River to give an early warning of impending flooding. This region is especially prone to floods and 230 million is spent to mitigate flood damage each year. Pictured: Bewdley, Worcestershire flooded by the River Severn after Storm Darragh Vodafone calls this 'nowcasting'. Unlike forecasting, nowcasting provides extremely accurate predictions for the next few minutes or hours (file photo) Welsh politicians strongly criticised the Met Office for not issuing a red warning in areas where up to 300 properties were flooded. Councillor Andrew Morgan, leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf county borough council, said he was 'amazed' that only a yellow weather warning had been issued. Mr Morgan also says that residents were not given a flood warning as early as they could have been. He claims that the environment body Natural Resources Wales (NRW) had data on high river levels for more than an hour before residents were alerted. More accurate insights into precipitation could help environmental agencies avoid these kinds of mistakes in the future. Matt Smith, programme manager for the River Severn Partnership Advanced Wireless Innovation Region (RSPAWIR), says: 'By improving weather forecasting, we can better mitigate against flooding, improve resilience, and protect the health and livelihoods of the communities and businesses in our region.' If the trial is a success, Vodafone says it could use its entire UK network as an early warning system for extreme weather. In the future the company hopes to eventually use their entire European network as a giant weather gauge. By combining nowcasting with ground-based measurements, the 600,000 people at risk of flooding around the River Severn could be given more time to prepare themselves for a flood. Pictured: Houses flooded by the River Severn in Ironbridge after Storm Henk In Spain, the company is already trialling how to detect dryness of the air in order to predict wildfires. By combining rain data with information like wind speed, Vodafone says this system will be able to 'detect' wildfires before they get out of control. Marika Auramo, CEO of Vodafone Business, says: 'We are turning data collected on the performance of a connection into a giant weather gauge across our pan-European network. 'This data can be used by local authorities, governments and industry bodies to alert communities of flooding, wildfires, as well as man-made disasters.' An AI video based on a famous religious artifact has revealed what Christ may have looked like. The Shroud of Turin is an ancient cloth which many Christians believe was used to wrap Jesus' mutilated body after he died on the cross. Photos of the cloth were fed into Midjourney, an AI image generator, which then produced a lifelike image and video of Christ blinking, smiling and praying as he may have once did before the crucifixion around 33AD. The clip was posted on X, where users have called being touted as 'the true face of Jesus.' However, others have pointed out that the technology made Jesus appear white when he would have been Middle Eastern with a darker complexion. 'Impossible, because he looks like me and I'm Norwegian,' an X user commented on the post. Dr Meredith Warren, senior lecturer on Biblical and religious studies at Sheffield University, previously told DailyMail.com that while Jesus is widely portrayed as Caucasian, he 'would have had brown skin, brown eyes, like the local population.' Dr Warren thinks the best representations of how Jesus might have looked come from the Egyptian mummy portraits. An AI video based on a famous religious artifact has revealed what Christ may have looked like. The Shroud of Turin is an ancient cloth which many Christians believe was used to wrap Jesus' mutilated body after he died on the cross Photos of the cloth were fed into Midjourney, an AI image generator, which then produced a lifelike image and video of Christ blinking, smiling and praying as he may have once did before the crucifixion around 33AD These paintings were made of men who died between 80 and 120 AD in a similar part of the world to Jesus. They show men with dark eyes, brown skin, short curly hair, beards and facial features which would have been distinctive of people living in what is now Egypt, Palestine, and Israel. Likewise, in 2015, medical artist Richard Neave used forensic techniques to reconstruct the face of a Judean man by studying Semite skulls. The portrait revealed a wide face, dark eyes, a bushy beard and short curly hair, as well as a tanned complexion which might have been typical of Jews in the Galilee area. While this is just a portrait of an adult man living at the same time as Jesus, this reconstruction gives us a better idea of what kind of features he may have had. The original AI image was created by the Daily Express using Midjourney, a generative AI that allows users to create realistic images from text prompts, to recreate the face of Jesus from the Shroud's markings. In reality, experts say that Jesus would have looked more like the men shown in the Egyptian mummy paintings from the first century AD (pictured). These show dark-skinned men with brown eyes and curly hair In 2015, medical artist Richard Neave used forensic techniques to reconstruct the face of a Judean man by studying Semite skulls. The portrait revealed a wide face, dark eyes, a bushy beard and short curly hair AI has recreated the face of Jesus based on markings left on the Turin Shroud, an ancient cloth that some Christians believe the messiah was buried in The linen shows an emaciated man with long, dark hair, a beard, and cuts and grazes on his face and body. Interestingly, this AI-generated version of Christ resembles many depictions of him from classical art. Much like the image, the Shroud has been a lightning rod for controversy, with some disputing the claim that this cloth was actually used as Jesus' burial shroud. It has been preserved since 1578 in the royal chapel of the cathedral of San Giovanni Battista in Turin, Italy. Markings on the body also correspond with crucifixion wounds of Jesus mentioned in the Bible, including thorn marks on the head, lacerations on the back and bruises on the shoulders. The cloth appears to show faint, brownish stains on the front and back, depicting a gaunt man with sunken eyes who stood about six feet tall. The Bible states that after Jesus was crucified, Joseph of Arimathea wrapped his body in a length of linen and placed it inside the tomb. The clip was posted on X, where users have called being touted as 'the true face of Jesus' Matthew 27:59-60 reads: 'Then Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a new linen cloth. He put Jesus body in a new tomb that he had dug in a wall of rock. Then he closed the tomb by rolling a very large stone to cover the entrance. After he did this, he went away.' Christians believe those wounds were miraculously imprinted on the burial shroud after Jesus was resurrected three days later, scorched into the fibers by a burst of energy when he came back to life. The Turin Shroud has captivated the imagination of historians, church chiefs, skeptics and Catholics since it was first presented to the public in the 14th century. In 1988, a team of international researchers analyzed a small piece of the shroud using carbon dating and determined it was manufactured sometime between 1260 and 1390 AD, suggesting it couldn't have been used to wrap the body of Christ. But in 2022, a study published by the journal Heritage found the shroud to be roughly 2,000 years old. Italian researchers used a new technique involving x-rays to date the fabric, concluding that it was actually manufactured during Jesus' time. They said the fact the timelines add up lends credence to the idea that the faint, bloodstained pattern of a man with his arms folded over his body were left behind by Jesus. Others have pointed out that the technology made Jesus appear white when he would have been Middle Eastern with a darker complexion Much like the AI image, the Turin Shroud has been a lightning rod for controversy, with some disputing the claim that this cloth was actually used as Jesus' burial shroud 'The data profiles were fully compatible with analogous measurements obtained on a linen sample whose dating, according to historical records, is 55-74 AD, found at Masada, Israel [Herod's famous fortress built on a limestone bedrock overlooking the Dead Sea],' the study states. The team also compared the shroud with samples from linens manufactured between 1260 and 1390 AD, finding none were a match. 'To make the present result compatible with that of the 1988 radiocarbon test, the Shroud of Turin should have been conserved during its hypothetical seven centuries of life at a secular room temperature very close to the maximum values registered on the earth,' the study reads. Lead author Dr Liberato De Caro said in a statement that the 1988 test should be deemed as incorrect because 'Fabric samples are usually subject to all kinds of contamination, which cannot be completely removed from the dated specimen.' 'If the cleaning procedure of the sample is not thoroughly performed, carbon-14 dating is not reliable,' he added. More than 170 peer-reviewed academic papers have been published about the mysterious linen since the 1980s. Some have concluded that it was Jesus' burial shroud while others refute this claim. Thus, the debate about this artifact's authenticity is still ongoing, and will likely continue for years to come. An ancient civilization on Mars was wiped out by a nuclear attack from another alien race. It might sound like the plot of a science fiction novel, but Harvard scientist Dr John Brandenburg believes this catastrophic event really happened. According to his bizarre theory, Dr Brandenburg says ancient Martians known as Cydonians and Utopians were massacred in the attack - and evidence of the genocide can still be seen today. Back in 2011 the scientist first postulated that the red color on Mars could have been due to a naturally occurring thermonuclear explosion, claiming chemical elements in the Red Planet's surface matched those around nuclear test sites on Earth. Mainstream scientists have argued there is no credible physical evidence, such as a crater or fallout signatures, which points to an artificial or sudden nuclear explosion, and have highlighted that the paper was published in a relatively low level scientific journal. But now, the theory is gaining fresh attention. On the Danny Jones Podcast, which has over one million subscribers, guest Jason Reza Jorjani, a philosophy PhD and science fiction writer, re-shared Dr Brandenburg's study, calling it 'alarming evidence' that life once existed on Mars. 'Every planet has a certain amount of isotopes of different materials on it, and apparently the isotopic ratio of Xenon 129 is consistent across the entire solar system, except for on Mars,' he said. Dr John Brandenburg published a study in 2014 that found chemical elements in the Red Planet's atmosphere matched those around nuclear test sites on Earth A scientist published a study in 2014, claiming that Mars was the target of a nuclear war and postulated that the red color could have been due to a naturally occurring thermonuclear explosion Dr Brandenburg's research centers around the 'high concentration' of Xenon-129 in the Martian atmosphere, and uranium and thorium on the surface. Xenon 129 is a stable, non-radioactive gas that is one of the natural forms of the element xenon, a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas found in trace amounts in the Earth's atmosphere. While found naturally, Xenon 129 is also released during nuclear fusion. NASA has detected higher-than-expected levels of the isotopes Xenon-126 on Mars' Cydonia region. The region in the planet's northern hemisphere is famous for 'apparent manmade megalithic structures,' according to Jorjani, which conspiracy theorists believe includes one that looks like a face and others as giant pyramids. NASA scientists have stated it's an optical illusion caused by shadows and surface morphology. And the space agency said the chemical elements 'could have been released into the atmosphere by impacts on the surface and by gas escaping from the rocky material, which is the soil and broken rocks of the surface.' Jason Reza Jorjani, a philosophy PhD, shared the bombshell claim on the Danny Jones Podcast this week, saying the scientist concluded that the isotopic signature was equivalent to ' Empire State building's worth of our thermonuclear warheads' The scientist said the explosion happened at Cydonia that is famous for 'apparent manmade megalithic structures,' according to Reza Jorjani, which includes one that looks like a face (pictured) and others appearing as giant pyramids But Dr Brandenburg believes they are the remnants of nuclear explosions on the surface. 'When a thermonuclear bomb is detonated, it leaves a trace of Xenon 129 in that area, which is not the normal,' Jorjani told Jones, adding Dr Brandenburg's findings were 'alarming evidence' of life on Mars. 'And according to Dr Brandenburg, it's a very distinct signature. It's unmistakable, and it's specifically associated with thermonuclear weapons detonation.' The 'not the normal' means higher-than-expected levels were found. Dr Brandenburg also argued that Mars once had an Earth-like climate home to animal and plant life, and any intelligent life would have been about as advanced as the ancient Egyptians on Earth. Dr Brandenburg's findings aligned with a CIA report that detailed how an ancient civilization once lived on Mars, but were dying because the planet had been corrupted. Joe McMoneagle, the CIAs Remote Viewer No. 1, claimed to have seen the dying civilization McMoneagle said he saw giant pyramids on Mars during the experiment and found images of the same structures on the Martian planet The philosopher added that Dr Brandenburg's findings aligned with a CIA report that detailed how an ancient civilization once lived on Mars, but were dying because the planet had been corrupted. But the government agency has never confirmed there was a civilization on Mars. 'When you put the [CIA's] data next to Brandenburg's thesis, this nuclear event took place maybe a hundred million years ago,' Reza Jorjani said. 'Joe McMonagle was tasked with remote viewing Mars in 1984. And this was a CIA operation run at the Monroe Institute. So he was working on contract for the CIA and this was done at the, at the Monroe Institute.' The classified project was conducted at Fort Meade in Maryland, recruiting men and women who claimed to have extrasensory perception (ESP) to help uncover military and domestic intelligence secrets. Leading up to its closure was 'Mars Exploration May 22, 1984,' a document declassified in 2017 that has recently resurfaced online. McMonagle was only given the coordinates as the target and used his mind to see what was there. NASA has images of the place McMonagle, showing what the remote viewer said was a bone in one of the shots 'When McMonagle was doing this remote viewing session, he described being in the midst of the ruins of a megalithic city with gigantic pyramids,' said Reza Jorjani,. 'He said they, "they seemed like they were maybe three times the size of the Great Pyramid in Giza".' McMonagle recently shared the experience last month on the American Alchemy podcast, saying: 'I started getting an image of human beings that were trapped in a place where the atmosphere was turning bad. 'It [was] obvious these people were dying for some reason, but they were humans. They were just twice our size.' McMoneagle obtained negatives of the Martian landscape, showing a pyramid-shaped structure on the edge of a giant impact crater where he had seen it in the CIA experiment. He also found images of what he claimed was a human bone lying on the Martian landscape. The sinking of history's most tragic ship - the Titanic - could have been caused by just a six second collision and gashes the size of an A4 sheet of paper, shocking new research has revealed. It has been more than a century since the 'unsinkable' ocean liner plunged to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, leaving more than 1,500 dead. And now stunning images have revealed for the first time its demise in groundbreaking detail. Experts at deep-sea mapping company Magellan Ltd have snapped the wrecked luxury liner from new angles about 12,500 feet below the ocean's surface. According to research leader Jeom-Kee Paik at University College London, they show the Titanic only made a glancing blow against the iceberg. But it was left with devastating punctures the size of A4 pieces of paper spread across six compartments along a narrow section of the hull. 'Those small holes are across a long length of the ship,' Simon Benson, naval architect at the University of Newcastle, told the BBC. Experts at deep-sea mapping company Magellan Ltd have snapped the wrecked luxury liner from new angles about 12,500 feet below ocean surface. Pictured, the bow (front of the ship) The images, published by the BBC, reveal a new view of the boiler room near where the liner split in two. Some of the boilers (pictured) are concave (they curve inwards), which suggests they were still operating as they were plunged into the icy water The grandest ship: RMS Titanic departing on its maiden voyage from Southampton on April 10, 1912. The remains now lie on the seafloor about 350 nautical miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada Your browser does not support iframes. 'So the flood water comes in slowly but surely into all of those holes, and then eventually the compartments are flooded over the top and the Titanic sinks.' The digital scans reveal a new view of the boiler room near where the liner split in two. Some of the boilers are concave, which suggests they were still operating as they were plunged into the icy water. Meanwhile, punctures in the hull 'the size of A4 pieces of paper' caused the ship's speedy demise just two hours and 40 minutes after it hit the iceberg. 'Titanic is the last surviving eyewitness to the disaster, and she still has stories to tell,' Titanic analyst Parks Stephenson told the BBC. 'Having a comprehensive view of the entirety of the wreck site is key to understanding what happened here.' Also revealed by the scans is a valve in an open position, indicating that steam was still flowing into Titanic's electricity generating system. This backs up eyewitness reports from the fateful night that a team of brave engineers worked right to the end to keep the ship's lights on. Pictured, the heavily-damaged stern of the ship (the rear or aft-most part of the vessel) which slammed into the sea bed so hard it distorted its shape Also revealed by the scans is a valve in an open position, indicating that steam was still flowing into Titanic's electricity generating system Hero: A team led by Cumbria-born engineer Joseph Bell (pictured) worked to shovel coal into the furnaces to keep Titanic's lights on as it sank The team, led by Cumbria-born engineer Joseph Bell, worked to shovel coal into the furnaces to keep the lights on. All died in the disaster, but their heroic actions saved many lives by giving crew time to launch the lifeboats safely, Mr Stephenson told the BBC. 'They held the chaos at bay as long as possible, and all of that was kind of symbolised by this open steam valve just sitting there on the stern,' he said. The scans have been studied for a new documentary by National Geographic and Atlantic Productions called 'Titanic: The Digital Resurrection'. It follows the first batch of digital scans images from Magellan Ltd released two years ago that revealed the 3D reconstruction of the wreck. Magellan Ltd sent submersibles to survey all parts of the wreck, which lies around 13,000 feet under the water's surface. As well as the imagery, a new simulation reconstructs RMS Titanic and the damage caused that tragic night nearly 113 years ago exactly. RMS Titanic owned and operated by British company White Star Line tragically sank in the early hours of April 15, 1912 after a collision with an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean, killing an estimated 1,517 of the 2,224 people on board. The remains now lie on the seafloor about 350 nautical miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. However, the delicate wreck is deteriorating so rapidly underwater that it could disappear completely within the next 40 years. This image released in 2023 shows stalactites of rust on the ship's bow, the serial number on a propeller, and a hole over where the grand staircase once stood This 2023 image shows the stern (the back of the ship) as a twisted mess of metal, after it hit the ocean floor still rotating in a counter-clockwise direction Titanic broke in half just before it made its final plunge in the early hours of April 15, 1912, and now two parts of the ship the bow and the stern lie 2,600 feet apart. Titanic's stern (the back of the ship) is a twisted mess of metal after it hit the ocean floor still rotating in a counter-clockwise direction. The V-shaped bow is more recognisable, complete with railings, although much of it is buried under mud due to the force of impact. Both halves are surrounded by a field of debris consisting of bits of metal, pieces of furniture, unopened champagne bottles and even passengers' shoes. The wreck wasn't located until September 1, 1985 a discovery that made global headlines. It has been 113 years since the Titanic sank beneath the waves, claiming the lives of more than 1,500 passengers and crew. But new evidence has finally cleared the tragedy's Scottish scapegoat: First Officer William Murdoch. For years, Officer Murdoch has been accused of taking bribes, abandoning his post, and was even depicted shooting a passenger in the James Cameron movie. Now, more than a century later, 3D scans show that Officer Murdoch did not flee his position, but died while helping passengers escape until the very end. Deep sea scanning company Magellan has snapped 715,000 photos of the Titanic wreck 12,500 feet beneath the Atlantic. In a new National Geographic documentary, Titanic analyst Parks Stephenson reveals how this enormous digital model supports Officer Murdoch's innocence. Scans show that the davit - a type of crane used on ships - at Officer Murdoch's station was getting ready to launch another lifeboat when the Titanic went under. This supports testimony from surviving crew members that Murdoch, age 39 at the time of his death, was swept away by a wave as he launched one more group of passengers to safety. 113 years after the Titanic sank beneath the waves, 3D scans have finally cleared the name of the tragedy's Scottish scapegoat First Officer William Murdoch (pictured) Deep sea scanning company Magellan has snapped 715,000 photos of the Titanic wreck 12,500 feet beneath the Atlantic, creating a precise model of the ship which reveals new clues about the crews' final moments William McMaster Murdoch was born on 28 February 1873 in the town of Dalbeattie, Scotland, and served on a number of vessels before eventually being promoted to the position of First Office aboard the Titanic. In September 1907 he married a school teacher from New Zealand named Ada Florence Banks - but the last time he would see his wife was on 10 April 1912, before the Titanic departed from Southampton. When the Titanic struck the iceberg at 11.40pm on the evening of April 14, 1912, Officer Murdoch was placed in charge of evacuations on the starboard side of the ship. However, what transpired during the hours that followed has been a matter of controversy. Several surviving eyewitnesses reported seeing an officer shoot one or two men who were rushing for a lifeboat and then shoot himself. For years, this unnamed officer was believed to have been Officer Murdoch - an idea repeated in the James Cameron film adaptation. However, other critical pieces of witness testimony disagreed with this negative interpretation. In particular, Second Officer Charles Lightoller claimed he saw Officer Murdoch from the top of the deckhouse as he was swept away by the sea. In the James Cameron film adaption, Officer Murdoch is played by Ewan Stewart and is shown shooting a passenger and then himself during a chaotic rush for the lifeboats RMS Titanic owned and operated by British company White Star Line tragically sank in the early hours of April 15, 1912, after a collision with an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean, killing an estimated 1,517 of the 2,224 people on board Your browser does not support iframes. According to Lightoller's account, Officer Murdoch had been preparing one final lifeboat when the ship pitched suddenly, sending a wave washing over the deck. Who was William Murdoch? William McMaster Murdoch was born on 28 February 1873 in the town of Dalbeattie, Scotland. In 1900, he was employed by White Star Line and served on a number of vessels, including the Oceanic and the Olympic. Eventually, Murdoch was promoted to the position of First Office aboard the Titanic. In September 1907 he married a school teacher from New Zealand named Ada Florence Banks. The pair were together for only a few years and had no children before Officer Murdoch's death. The last time Ada would see her husband was on 10 April 1912, before the Titanic departed from Southampton. Advertisement While some passengers were able to scramble into the lifeboat, Officer Murdoch was washed away, and his body was never recovered. Finally, the most precise 3D scan of the Titanic ever produced has revealed evidence that supports Lightoller's testimony. Mr Stephenson says: 'This davit is in the up position, meaning its crew is basically trying to get a lifeboat ready to be launched.' He adds: 'This coincides with Second Officer Lightoller's description.' This suggests that Officer Murdoch never abandoned his position and kept attempting to launch lifeboats until the very end. 'This davit right here stands in mute testimony that supports Lightoller's version of events because being in the up position is exactly what Lightoller described.' Despite his bad reputation and accusations of improper conduct, Officer Murdoch is now generally regarded as having acted to save the lives of hundreds. Unlike some of the other officers aboard, Officer Murdoch ignored the order to send women and children first and allowed men to board the boats as well. After the release of the Titanic movie, Murdoch's surviving relatives and residents of his native Dalbeattie, Scotland complained that the film had damaged his heroic reputation. According to the account of Second Officer Charles Lightoller (back row, second from left), Officer Murdoch (front row, far right) was killed while loading a final lifeboat after a sudden wave swept him away. This picture shows Captain Edward Smith (front row, second from right) and the other officers of the Titanic Eventually, Fox Vice-President Scott Neeson went to Dalbeattie to personally deliver an apology to the Murdoch family and donated 5,000 to Dalbeattie High School to fund the William Murdoch Memorial Prize. RMS Titanic owned and operated by British company White Star Line tragically sank in the early hours of April 15, 1912, after a collision with an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean, killing an estimated 1,517 of the 2,224 people on board. Its remains now lie on the seafloor about 350 nautical miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. The delicate wreck is deteriorating so rapidly underwater that it could disappear within the next 40 years but is now preserved exactly as it was in 2022 by the digital scan. The scans have been studied for a new documentary by National Geographic and Atlantic Productions called 'Titanic: The Digital Resurrection'. It follows the first batch of digital scan images from Magellan Ltd released two years ago that revealed the 3D reconstruction of the wreck. As well as the imagery, a new simulation reconstructs the RMS Titanic, and the damage caused on that tragic night nearly 113 years ago exactly. Titanic broke in half just before it made its final plunge in the early hours of April 15, 1912, and now two parts of the ship the bow and the stern lie 2,600 feet apart. These scans show that the Titanic did not cleanly break apart but was 'violently torn' into two pieces, scattering debris over the seabed The incredible detail of the scan shows that windows 30ft above the waterline were broken, supporting witnesses' accounts that ice burst into peoples' cabins The scans also revealed an open valve (pictured) which would allow steam to flow into the ship's generator. This backs up eyewitness reports from the fateful night that a team of brave engineers worked right to the end to keep the ship's lights on Analysis of fragments lying on the ocean floor shows that the ship didn't break apart cleanly but was 'violently torn apart'. Also revealed by the scans is a valve in an open position, indicating that steam was still flowing into the Titanic's electricity generating system. This backs up eyewitness reports from the fateful night that a team of brave engineers worked right to the end to keep the ship's lights on. The team, led by Cumbria-born engineer Joseph Bell, worked to shovel coal into the furnaces to keep the lights on. All died in the disaster, but their heroic actions saved many lives by giving crew time to launch the lifeboats safely. The full footage can be seen in Titanic: The Digital Resurrection on Tuesday 15th April at 8 pm on the National Geographic Channel. It is the reference point for all the world's navigation systems and one of the most famous locations on Earth. But scientists say that the geographical North Pole is on the move and could shift nearly 90 feet (27 metres) by 2100. As the polar ice sheets melt faster in the warming climate, Earth's mass is redistributed, slightly shifting our planet's axis of rotation. Although these changes might be small on the planetary scale, scientists warn they could cause havoc for satellite navigation. As the Earth turns on its axis, changes in the oceans, atmosphere, and deep within the molten mantle cause the planet to wobble like a spinning top. While most of the planet's wobbles are regular and predictable, scientists from ETH Zurich have found that human-caused changes will soon outweigh the natural shifts. Since satellites and deep space telescopes work out their position by referring to the Earth's axis of rotation, any change in the North Pole could cause serious issues. Lead author Dr Mostafa Kiani Shahvandi, now at the University of Vienna, told MailOnline this could cause inaccuracies 'from a few metres to hundreds of metres'. Earth's North Pole is on the move and could shift by as much as 90 feet (27 metres) by 2100, according to scientists Like anything spinning on its axis, big changes in the Earth's distribution of mass cause it to shift on its axis. Most of the time this is a normal and predictable process caused by factors such as regular cycles of ocean currents. However, as the planet's ice sheets and glaciers melt, this is causing a more rapid redistribution of weight than scientists have observed in the past, which is causing the pole to shift. Dr Shahvandi and his co-author measured the movement of the poles between 1908 and 2000 and compared this with projections of ice melt to see how far they might move in the future. In the worst-case scenario, in which greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced, the dramatic melting of the ice sheets will have moved the poles 89 feet between 1900 and 2100. In a more optimistic scenario in which greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, the North Pole will still move as much as 39 feet (12 metres). For now, human-caused effects aren't moving the poles as much as natural causes. The biggest source of polar shift currently comes from the Earth rebounding from the last ice age. As the ice caps melt in the warming climate, Earth's weight is redistributed around the planet. Like a spinning top, this shift alters the axis about which the Earth spins and moves the geographical North Pole In the worst-case scenario (red) climate change could trigger the pole to move 89 feet between 1900 and 2100. In a more optimistic scenario (green) in which greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, the North Pole will still move as much as 39 feet (12 metres) During the ice age, the Earth's crust sunk down under the weight of glaciers and has risen up since they melted, redistributing the planets weight. Even though the last ice age ended over 10,000 years ago, the rebound effects can still be seen in the natural shift of the North Pole. However, in the near future the scientists say that human-caused climate change will overtake the ice age rebound as the biggest contributor. Dr Shahvandi says: 'Currently, the natural processes dominate polar motion, but if climate change continues and ice sheets melt more and more, then in the last decades of the 21st century the human-induced climate change will certainly dominate.' Recently, scientists have warned that the world's sea ice the frozen ocean water at the North and South Poles has plunged to a record low. Last month, Arctic sea ice reached its lowest monthly extent for March in the 47-year satellite record. Arctic sea ice covered an area six per cent smaller than average, marking the fourth month in a row when sea ice extents have seen record-breaking lows. Likewise, Antarctic sea ice hit its fourth lowest monthly extent for March, standing 24 per cent lower than average. The biggest contributors to the shift were the Antarctic ice sheet and the Greenland Ice Sheet (pictured) which is melting at an accelerating rate This graph shows how much the melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet could shift the pole on the X (top) and Y (bottom) axes by 2100. The red line shows the worst-case scenario in which emissions do not reduce and the blue line shows the more optimistic scenario This could cause serious problems for satellite navigation and for space-based telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope (pictured) which use the Earth's axis as a reference point for navigation. This could cause errors on the scale of kilometres The researchers discovered that the biggest sources of polar shift are the melting of the Greenland Ice sheet and the Antarctic Ice sheet. If this change continues, it is likely to cause issues for the sensitive navigation systems of satellites and space telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope. In their paper, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, the researchers write: 'Since prediction of polar motion is crucial for applications such as spacecraft navigation and orientation of deep-space telescopes, the reduced predictability of polar motion under climate change might impact the operational accuracy of such applications.' That would be bad for navigation systems here on Earth but even more perilous for spacecraft since it will become harder to work out their exact location. Dr Shahvandi says this could create errors of 'kilometres' for spacecraft probing distant planets. They're often marketed as a more environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional plastic bags. But a new study might make you rethink reaching for those biodegradable bags. Experts from Southeast University in China have warned that these 'eco-friendly' options could be toxic. In their study, the team looked at the impact consuming biodegradable plastics had on mice. Worryingly, they found that mice who consumed particles developed health problems - including liver and ovary damage. 'Biodegradable starch-based plastics may not be as safe and health-promoting as originally assumed,' said Professor Yongfeng Deng, one of the study's authors. It is already known that microplastics the nearly invisible plastic particles that are released through wear and tear on plastic products can enter human bodies through food, drink and even being inhaled. But the findings raise fresh concerns about the safety of particles from biodegradable, starch-based plastics. Compostable bags tend to be advertised as 'eco-friendly' with slogans like 'save the planet' - but they could still come with health risks, a study suggests Bags made from petroleum-based plastics degrade so slowly that they stay in the environment, landfills, beaches and oceans for up to hundreds of years. Starch-based plastics have been hailed as a safer, more sustainable alternative as they are highly degradable. To test the potential effects of starch-based plastics, the researchers compared three groups of five mice. The first consumed normal food and the other two groups consumed food infused with starch-based microplastics. The doses low and high were calculated and scaled from what an average human is expected to consume daily. They fed the mice for three months and then assessed their organ tissues, metabolic functions and their gut bacteria. Analysis revealed that compared to those who ate normal food, the mice exposed to the starch-based plastic particles had multiple damaged organs including the liver and ovaries. They also found these mice had disruption in their molecular biomarkers linked to sugar and fat metabolism. Biodegradable bags are usually used to collect food for compost. But they have been linked to liver and ovary damage, the scientists warned WHAT ARE MICROPLASTICS? Microplastics are plastic pieces that measure less than five millimetres across. They form when larger plastic items - such as plastic bags or tyres - break down. In animals, ingestion can cause physical harm, such as digestive blockages and malnutrition, and in severe cases, it can lead to death. In laboratory tests, microplastics have also been shown to cause damage to human cells, including both allergic reactions and cell death. Advertisement There was also more imbalances in their gut bacteria, which the researchers suggest could alter the body clock. 'Prolonged low-dose exposure to starch-based microplastics can lead to a broad spectrum of health impacts, particularly perturbing circadian rhythms and disrupting glucose and lipid metabolism,' Professor Deng said. The team said their findings, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, said further research is needed to understand how these biodegradable particles break down in the body. They said their results suggest 'that the safety of bioplastics requires further evaluation before their large-scale application in food packages'. As part of a previous study researchers analysed three types of bags a compostable bag made of vegetable starch, a recycled plastic bag and a conventional plastic bag. They exposed them to sunlight to make them break down, and then exposed them to fish cells. They also then composted them and tested the resulting compost for toxicity. A 'high level of toxicity' was produced by the biodegradable bags, harming the fish cells, according to the authors from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). Cinta Porte, lead author of the study, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, said: 'We were surprised that cells exposed to conventional plastic bags showed no trace of toxicity. 'However, we did detect it in biodegradable ones, which decreased cell viability. 'Our hypothesis is that manufacturers add chemical additives to make biodegradable bags that could be particularly toxic.' A 5p charge was first introduced in supermarkets in the UK in 2015. Since then usage at the main retailers Asda, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, The Co-operative Group, Tesco and Waitrose has dropped by more than 98 per cent. The average person in England now buys just two single-use carrier bags a year from these businesses, compared with around 140 in 2014 before the charge was introduced, figures show. In 2021 the charge was increased to 10p and extended to all businesses. Multiple small earthquakes have been detected beneath a massive volcano in Alaska this week, as experts warn it may be 'moving closer to an eruption.' Scientists have been keeping a close eye on Mount Spurr, a 11,000-foot-tall volcano that sits just 81 miles from the state's largest city, over the past few months. The volcano has been experiencing increased seismic activity, ground-surface displacement and gas emissions, all of which are signs of an impending eruption. Seismic activity near Mount Spurr kicked off in April 2024, and in October, the rate of quakes increased from an average of 30 per week to 125 per week. In a Tuesday update, experts at the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) wrote: 'Unrest continues at Mount Spurr volcano. Seismicity remains elevated with occasional small, shallow volcanic earthquakes detected beneath the volcano over the past day.' 'AVO continues monitoring activity at Mount Spurr for signals indicating that the volcano is moving closer to an eruption.' Since the beginning of the month, the US Geological Survey (USGS) has detected hundreds of small tremors within a 30-mile radius of the volcano. On April 2, a larger magnitude 3.7 quake struck near Petersville at 11:44am, about 30 miles north-west of Mount Spurr. This quake hit 65 miles below the surface - an earthquake depth that would typically be associated with tectonic plate movement. The last time Mount Spurr erupted was in 1992 (pictured), which scientists said would likely mirror what is expected to occur in the near future But since Mount Spurr is showing other signs of unrest, it's possible that this quake was linked to magma rising from deeper in the Earth's mantle. Scientists estimate an eruption could happen in the next few weeks or months. In addition to continuous seismic activity, Mount Spurr began releasing elevated levels of gas from its summit crater and a side vent on March 7. The emissions combined with the earthquakes and ground deformation has put scientists on alert. The volcano's summit crater hasn't erupted for 5,000 years, experts estimate. But its side vent, called Crater Peak, last erupted just 30 years ago. If Mount Spurr blows again, the eruption will most likely be from this side vent Matt Haney, scientist-in-charge at the AVO previously told DailyMail.com. The event 'would be explosive,' Haney said, explaining that it would spew multiple plumes of ash rising as high as 50,000 feet into the air that may blanked the city of Anchorage in a layer of dust. Each ash-producing explosive episode would last three to four hours, and the resulting cloud could blanket the city of Anchorage and other nearby communities in a thick layer of dust. The eruption would also produce destructive mudslides and avalanches of volcanic debris that race down the volcano's sides at over 200 miles per hour, 'but fortunately, there are not any communities in that radius that would be affected,' Haney said. On March 20, Anchorage officials raised the emergency planning level to Level 2, which means that they will ramp up communication with the public about the threat and public safety agencies will prepare to launch into eruption response protocols. Your browser does not support iframes. The last time Mount Spurr erupted was in 1992, and scientists said the imminent explosion would probably be similar to that event. The volcano covered the entire city of Anchorage in an eighth of an inch of ash during this eruption. The skies darkened in the middle of the day due to the enormous cloud of dust and gas blotting out the sun, and the city's airport was forced to shut down for 20 hours. Crater Peak then erupted two more times, once in August and again in September. The Municipality of Anchorage reported nearly $2million in damages, office closures and cleanup costs from the August eruption, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. No one was killed by these events directly. But two heart attacks, one fatal, from shoveling ashfall were reported in Anchorage. Breathing in ash also poses a health hazards. The tiny particles can work their way deep into the lungs, worsening symptoms for people with respiratory conditions such as asthma or bronchitis. If Mount Spurr's activity continues to ramp up, the next sign of an eruption will be a volcanic tremor, Haney warned. Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more Some girls grow up looking for the perfect relationship, but others (like me) spend their days searching for the one in their closets. As a fashion and beauty writer living in New York City, one of the world's biggest fashion capitals, I have spent years searching for the perfect pair of denim. After testing numerous brands, it seemed every pair was too rigid, too stretchy, too long, too short! I began to seriously feel like I was living my 'Goldilocks' moment. Looking high and low, I came up short (no pun intended) every time. Now, I know I am not alone in my grievances as women everywhere struggle with the dreaded denim debacle on the daily and yet I couldn't help but feel utterly hopeless. But just as I was ready to give up and resort to a life of sweatpants, a miracle happened. I found the one. Silver Jeans Co. 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I rarely find a pair of jeans that fits all around, either due to length, waist gap, or sometimes even thigh constriction. But my Silver Jeans have fit every single time no matter the style. I dont know about you, but ever since I was a kid one of my biggest woes with denim was their lack of movement. As someone who is constantly on the go, having pants that flow with me is key. These jeans hug every curve effortlessly extenuating all my legs best features while remaining comfy. What I loved about my Silver Jeans was that from the very first try, I knew they would move with me wherever I went. Frolicking in Central Park? No problem! Riding a bike in Brooklyn? Sure thing! They make me feel so lightweight, as if they are second skin. I adored my first pair of Silver Jeans so much I could not help but buy another (and another, and another!). What makes the brand so unique is its quality and consistency. They offer so many different styles from boyfriend to bootcut, but no matter which one you pick, they somehow always hit the mark. There has not been a single pair of denim from them that I have not thoroughly fallen in love with. Silver Jeans Co. Women's Boyfriend Mid Rise Slim Leg Jeans As a self-proclaimed fashion guru it is important to me that I have a wide variety of jean styles in my closet. This relaxed boyfriend cut pair made me weary at first but after wearing them to work I realized just how incredible they are! The loose leg but fitted waist make them so comfy and the cuffed ankle if perfect for changing up the length. I love that Silver offers their best-selling styles in multiple washes as well meaning I can pick and choose what looks best on me. Shop Silver Jeans is even a family affair! After seeing me rocking my new denim, my mom, sister, and even best friend ordered their own pairs. The brand's inclusive curve-friendly sizing makes it really easy to feel confident in the same pair of jeans no matter your body type. The Boyfriend Mid Rise Slim Leg Jeans are the perfect loose fitting vibe and the dark wash is so cute! If you still haven't found the one, take my advice try Silver Jeans. The luxurious denim is well worth the price and I promise you are not going to regret saying I do to these jeans ever. Groundbreaking images have given new insight into the demise of the Titanic over a century ago. The luxury liner sank in the early hours of April 15, 1912 after striking an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean. Now experts at deep-sea mapping company Magellan have snapped the wreck from new angles about 12,500 feet below the ocean's surface, revealing what caused the vessel to go down so quickly. Incredible: 3D images of Titanic by deep-sea mapping company Magellan have revealed new information about the liner's tragic sinking in April 1912 The digital scans reveal a new view of the boiler room near where the liner split in two. Some of the boilers are concave, which suggests they were still operating as they were plunged into the icy water. Meanwhile, punctures in the hull 'the size of A4 pieces of paper' caused the ship's speedy demise - just two hours and 40 minutes after it hit the iceberg. 'Titanic is the last surviving eyewitness to the disaster, and she still has stories to tell,' Titanic analyst Parks Stephenson told the BBC. 'Having a comprehensive view of the entirety of the wreck site is key to understanding what happened here.' New insight: The images show the boiler room near where the liner split in two. Some of the boilers (pictured) curve inwards suggesting they were running as the liner sank Luxury liner: RMS Titanic departing on its maiden voyage from Southampton on April 10, 1912 Also revealed by the scans is a valve in an open position, indicating that steam was still flowing into Titanic's electricity generating system. This backs up eyewitness reports from the fateful night that a team of brave engineers worked right to the end to keep the ship's lights on. The team led by Cumbria-born engineer Joseph Bell worked to shovel coal into the furnaces to keep the lights on. They all died in the disaster but their heroic actions saved many lives by giving crew time to launch the lifeboats safely, Stephenson told the BBC. 'They held the chaos at bay as long as possible, and all of that was kind of symbolized by this open steam valve just sitting there on the stern,' he said. The scans have been studied for a new documentary by National Geographic and Atlantic Productions called Titanic: The Digital Resurrection. It follows the first batch of digital scans images from Magellan released two years ago that revealed the 3D reconstruction of the wreck. Magellan sent submersibles to survey all parts of the wreck, which lies around 13,000 feet under the water's surface. Damage: The stern of the ship slammed into the seabed so hard it distorted its shape Detail: Also revealed by the scans is a valve in an open position, indicating steam was still flowing into Titanic's electricity generating system As well as the imagery, a new simulation reconstructs RMS Titanic and the damage caused that tragic night. According to research leader Jeom-Kee Paik at University College London, Titanic only made a glancing blow against the iceberg. But it was left with punctures the size of A4 pieces of paper spread across six compartments along a narrow section of the hull. 'Those small holes are across a long length of the ship,' Simon Benson, naval architect at the University of Newcastle, told the BBC. 'So the flood water comes in slowly but surely into all of those holes, and then eventually the compartments are flooded over the top and the Titanic sinks.' Hero: A team led by engineer Joseph Bell shoveled coal into the furnaces to keep Titanic's lights on as it sank RMS Titanic - owned and operated by British company White Star Line - tragically killed an estimated 1,517 of the 2,224 people on board when it sank after striking the iceberg. The remains now lie on the seafloor about 350 nautical miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. However, the delicate wreck is deteriorating so rapidly underwater that it could disappear completely within the next 40 years. Candid shots: This image released in 2023 shows stalactites of rust on the ship's bow, the serial number on a propeller, and a hole over where the grand staircase once stood Destruction: The stern is a twisted mess of metal after it hit the ocean floor still rotating Titanic broke in half just before it made its final plunge and the two parts of the ship -the bow and the stern - lie 2,600 feet apart. The stern is a twisted mess of metal after it hit the ocean floor still rotating in a counter-clockwise direction. The V-shaped bow is more recognizable, complete with railings, although much of it is buried under mud due to the force of impact. Both halves are surrounded by a field of debris consisting of bits of metal, pieces of furniture, unopened champagne bottles and even passengers' shoes. The wreck wasn't located until September 1, 1985 - a discovery that made global headlines. The full footage can be seen in Titanic: The Digital Resurrection on Tuesday 15th April at 8pm on the National Geographic Channel. Lori Vallow Daybell broke courtroom protocol by bringing a witness who had not been subpoenaed to the first day of her second murder trial as she represented herself. The 'Doomsday cult mom,' 51, is serving multiple life sentences with no chance of parole for the murder of her two of her children, Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow, and for conspiring to kill her husband Chad Daybell's former wife, Tammy Daybell. After her conviction for the 2019 crimes, she was extradited to Maricopa County, Arizona, in November 2023 on two indictments. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO No respect for the rules: Lori Vallow Daybell broke courtroom protocol by bringing a witness who had not been subpoenaed on the first day of her second murder trial in Arizona Vallow Daybell's second trial, which started on Monday, is focused on the 2019 death of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, who was fatally shot by her brother Alex Cox in Chandler, Arizona. She has pleaded not guilty and has made the decision to represent herself in court after invoking her right to a speedy trial. KUTV reported that Monday's trial was immediately delayed when prosecutors noticed a man in the courtroom who they knew Vallow Daybell wanted to call as a witness, but who had not been subpoenaed to appear. The victim: Vallow Daybell's second trial focuses on the 2019 death of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow who was fatally shot by her brother Alex Cox in Chandler, Arizona The man was identified as Brandon Boudreaux, Vallow Daybell's niece's ex-husband who she was accused of conspiring to murder and will go on trial for in May. The judge asked Vallow Daybell if she intended to call on Boudreaux, and when she said yes, the judge asked why his testimony was relevant. Vallow Daybell reportedly answered saying she did not want to 'give away my defense' by revealing information about Boudreaux's testimony. Devastating deaths: Vallow Daybell is currently serving multiple life sentences with no chance of parole for murdering two of her children, Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow The prosecution said they had not interviewed Boudreaux and wanted to know what information he allegedly had on the case. The judge informed Vallow Daybell, who is not a lawyer but chose to represent herself, that witnesses can not be called without giving the other party adequate notice and information about their relevancy, then called a sidebar that lasted nearly 45 minutes. When the parties returned, the judge ruled that Boudreaux's testimony was not relevant and struck him from the witness list. At a hearing last week, Vallow Daybell lost a bid to strike three people from the prosecution's witness list, including the grandmother of her adopted son. A witness said Vallow Daybell had spoken about Vallow being 'possessed' in the months before his death. When the judge asked her to argue her point, Vallow Daybell lowered her head, sighed and paused before saying: 'Their information is not firsthand. These witnesses are all coming together. 'They are watching everything that goes on on TV regarding this.' Taking control: Vallow Daybell has pleaded not guilty and has chosen to represent herself If convicted in Arizona of conspiring to kill Vallow, Vallow Daybell will be facing a life sentence. Vallow Daybell will wear civilian clothing during her trial and will not be handcuffed or shackled when jurors are in the courtroom but she is expected to be wearing a belt-like device under her clothes which can deliver an electric shock via a remote. She previously told True Crime Arizona that she decided to represent herself because, 'I'm fighting for my life here.' Explaining the decision she added: 'I'm not an attorney. I don't have training to be an attorney. There's something that I figured out when I got to this jail, you know. This experience has been five years running, OK. 'I went through a whole trial, you know, before in my other state. And then, I was brought here to Arizona to face some more serious charges.' Vallow Daybell's husband, Chad Daybell, was sentenced to death in June of the previous year after being convicted of murdering Tammy, JJ and Tylee in cult-like killings. The two children went missing in 2019, and their bodies were discovered a year later, buried in Chad Daybell's backyard in eastern Idaho. Advertisement Surf's up! Graphic designer and author Carolina Amell is diving into the world of inspirational female surfers with an incredible new photo book, Every Body Surf. This new collection of stunning photographs celebrates 'self-love, sisterhood and body positivity' as well as the 'beauty and power of the ocean'. Carolina's book profiles 27 women across five continents who are 'connected by their love of surfing' and the 'sense of empowerment they draw from a supportive community where bodies of all types are celebrated'. Scroll down to take a first look inside the book with MailOnline Travel's selection of breathtaking images... Every Body Surf: A Tribute to Self-Love and Sisterhood is published by Prestel and available at WHSmith, Amazon and other major retailers. This image was taken by photographer Amber Jenks and captures Ming Hui Brown, the current International Women's Longboard Champion, free surfing. The stunning photo was taken in La Union, a coastal province, in the Philippines Taken by Jorge Moya, this photo shows Chelsea Ross, the founder of Surf Goddess Retreats. Chelsea describes the Bali-based retreat as a 'space where women can connect with themselves, their bodies and each other' Jessa Williams, pictured third from left, created Intrsxtn Surf as a safe space for Black Women and women of colour to 'explore the outdoors through surfing'. She's pictured here with other women in the group in this photo taken by Nicole Alvarenga Chelsea Ross, right, is photographed with fellow surfer Anais Pierquet in this fun image taken by Jorge Moya in Indonesia In this image, taken by Asia Bryne, surfer Bri Atisanoe (in the yellow bikini) 'celebrates a party wave' with her friends in Hawaii Taken by Emy Dossett, Risa Mara Machuca tackles the waves in Mexico in this incredible image. The surfer says 'the best way to start the day is at sea' Marina Emerald, a surfer from Spain who now lives in Australia, is an underwater maternity photographer. She captured this image of a pregnant surfer at Noosa Heads on Australia's Sunshine Coast Taken by Christian Raskal, this amazing photograph of surfer Anais Pierquet longboarding was snapped in Indonesia Captured by Clementine Bourke, this photo shows Australian surfer Kirra Calleja, centre, with friends LEFT: Taken at Playa La Saladita in Mexico, this photo shows surfer Patricia Valdovinos Ornelas carrying her board at the beach. It was snapped by Heiko Bothe. RIGHT: Water photographer Asia Brynne snapped this photo of surfer Elizabeth Sneed on her board in Waikiki, Hawaii Photographer Marina Emerald, who took this photo, says women should 'be out there doing what we love without caring about how we look. We are out there to have fun, relax, enjoy the ocean, hang out with friends or simply be alone' Fresh, clean air, picturesque views and improved mental well-being - it's no surprise why so many Brits are turning to the tranquil allure of the UK's coastal towns. But which seaside town is considered the very best for the ultimate stress-free existence? Experts at My Baggage conducted a study examining house prices, salaries, climate conditions, connectivity and amenities to determine which UK coastal towns offer the best relocation prospects. The top 10 features diverse locations across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - with one southeast coastal town emerging as the clear frontrunner. Margate secured the top spot as the UK's most desirable seaside town, with an impressive relocation score of 98.83. The holiday hotspot, located in Kent, outperformed Yorkshire's Whitby, which followed in second place with a score of 97.60. In fact, Kent dominated with two of its coastal towns in the top three, including Whitstable. Margate came in top thanks to its exceptional balance of 1,846 annual sunlight hours, moderate rainfall (612.64mm), and superior broadband speeds (210.1 Mbps). Margate secured the top spot as the UK's most desirable seaside town, with an impressive relocation score of 98.83 and the average price of a house is just over 333,000 Whitby, ranked second most desirable, boasts a staggering average annual salary of 77,628, compared with its medium house price of over 306,000 Your browser does not support iframes. The average annual salary in the seaside town is 32,415, while the average price of a house is just over 333,000. Whitby, meanwhile, boasts a staggering average annual salary of 77,628, compared with its medium house price of over 306,000. Residents of the Yorkshire-based town also enjoy around 1492.78 hours of sunlight per year, as well as approximately 793.1mm of rainfall. Coming in third is Whitstable in Kent, with a relocation score of 90.53, followed by Llandudno, Conwy, which boasts the highest median annual salary (85,050) amongst the top coastal towns, securing its place in the top four with a score of 88.1. Scoring 84.53 in fifth place is Portpatrick in Dumfries and Galloway, which offers the most affordable housing, with average prices at just 142,305. Pembrokeshire's town of Fishguard - which scored 83.33 - has been crowned sixth most desirable, with 1663.62 hours of sunlight per year and an average salary of 57,542, while the average house price is just over 293,254. Scoring 83.3 in seventh place is Brighton, East Sussex, which enjoys 1670.78 hours of sunlight per year, though the average cost of a home is steep, at 474,403. At number eight, with a score of 82.13, is Aldeburgh, Suffolk, perhaps one of the most costly locations of the bunch with an average annual salary of just 25,371 and the medium price of a house worth a staggering 737,916. Margate's top ranking is thanks to its exceptional balance of 1,846 annual sunlight hours, moderate rainfall (612.64mm), and superior broadband speeds (210.1 Mbps) Scoring 83.3 in seventh place is Brighton, East Sussex, which enjoys 1670.78 hours of sunlight per year, though the average cost of a home is steep, at 474,403 In ninth place is Penzance, Cornwall, with a score of 82.13, along with the average home totalling 313,911 and 1075.84mm of annual rainfall In tenth place is Portrush, Co Antrim, with a score of 79.78 and the average home costing 245, 531 In ninth place is Penzance, Cornwall, with a score of 82.13 and the average home costing 313,911, followed by Portrush, Co Antrim in tenth place with a score of 79.78 and the average home costing 245, 531. Paul Stewart, CEO of My Baggage, commented: 'Margate leads convincingly as the UK's premier coastal relocation destination for 2025. 'Its first-place ranking in our Coastal Relocation Index demonstrates the perfect balance of affordability, quality of life and seaside charm. 'With impressive annual sunlight hours, moderate rainfall, excellent broadband connectivity and reasonable property prices, Margate represents the ideal coastal lifestyle without the premium costs associated with other seaside locations. 'The study highlights the diverse appeal of the UK's coastline, with top destinations spanning from Kent to Yorkshire, Wales to Northern Ireland. 'Particularly noteworthy is the strong showing from Kent, with two towns in the top three, suggesting the county's growing reputation as the UK's premier coastal living destination.' Xi calls for building community with shared future with neighboring countries Xinhua) 14:18, April 09, 2025 Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at a central conference on work related to neighboring countries in Beijing, capital of China. The conference was held from Tuesday to Wednesday. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for building a community with a shared future with neighboring countries and striving to open new ground for China's neighborhood work. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a central conference on work related to neighboring countries, which was held in Beijing from Tuesday to Wednesday. Members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi, and Vice President Han Zheng also attended the conference. In his speech, Xi systematically summarized the achievements and experience of China's neighborhood work in the new era, scientifically analyzed the current situation, and outlined the goals, tasks, ideas and measures for the next phase of neighborhood work. While presiding over the meeting, Premier Li Qiang stressed the need to thoroughly implement the spirit of Xi's important speech and to earnestly carry out the various tasks in work related to neighboring countries. The conference highlighted that China's vast territory and long borders make its neighborhood a vital foundation for national development and prosperity, a key front for safeguarding national security, a priority area in the country's overall diplomacy, and a crucial link in building a community with a shared future for humanity. The conference called for viewing neighboring regions through a global perspective and strengthening the sense of responsibility and mission in advancing China's neighborhood work. It was noted at the conference that after the 18th CPC National Congress, China put forward the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness in its neighborhood diplomacy, advocating for the building of a community with a shared future with neighboring countries. Guided by head-of-state diplomacy, China has worked with neighboring countries to deepen all-around cooperation, strengthen exchanges in various fields, and maintain peace and stability, thereby securing historic achievements and transformation in neighborhood work, according to the meeting. China's relations with its neighboring countries are currently at their best in modern times, and are also entering a critical phase where regional dynamics and global transformations are deeply intertwined, the conference noted, calling for taking into account both the domestic and international situations and coordinating the two major priorities of development and security. To build a better future with its neighbors, China will remain committed to fostering an amicable, secure and prosperous neighborhood. It will uphold the Asian values of peace, cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, use high-quality Belt and Road cooperation as the main platform, and pursue the Asian security model that features sharing weal and woe, seeking common ground while shelving differences, and prioritizing dialogue and consultation, according to the conference. It was emphasized at the meeting that to build a community with a shared future with neighboring countries, China will work with its neighbors to consolidate strategic mutual trust, support regional countries in pursuing development paths suited to their respective conditions, and properly manage differences. China will also deepen development integration with its neighbors, build a high-level connectivity network, strengthen cooperation in industrial and supply chains, advance security and law enforcement cooperation, and expand people-to-people exchanges, according to the conference. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at a central conference on work related to neighboring countries in Beijing, capital of China. The conference was held from Tuesday to Wednesday. Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, and Han Zheng also attended the conference. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Dreaming of working abroad? A new study has revealed the world's safest cities for female digital nomads. The research, from holiday company Holidu, looks at several important factors including how safe women feel walking alone, how friendly local residents are, whether the city has legislation to stop sexual harassment in the workplace and the ratio of female to male digital nomads. The team looked at 200 cities that all offer digital nomad visas for six months or more to create the ranking. So, where is the safest city in the world to work abroad as a a woman? Taipei, Taiwan Taiwan's friendly capital tops the list, winning the title 'by a landslide' according to Holidu. Taipei's public transport is 'reliable and convenient', says Holidu, with 90 per cent of women saying they feel comfortable walking alone. A new study has revealed the world's safest cities for female digital nomads. Taiwan's friendly capital (pictured above) tops the list, winning the title 'by a landslide' according to Holidu Holidu adds: 'Those looking to work remotely from Taipei can enjoy Taiwan's new digital nomad visa for stays of up to six months, which the country launched at the beginning of 2025 to attract digital professionals and boost tourism.' According to the research, one in five digital nomads living in Taipei are women. Chiang Rai, Thailand A city in northern Thailand, Chiang Rai places second on the list with 93 per cent of women saying they feel safe walking alone there. Just over one in five (22 per cent) of digital nomads living in Chiang Rai are women according to Holidu. And while Chiang Rai doesn't attract as many tourists as Bangkok and Phuket, Holidu says it picks up higher scores for safety. Holidu says: 'Nestled in the hills, Chiang Rai is one of the country's lesser-visited, but equally as charming, cities.' A city in northern Thailand, Chiang Rai places second on the list with 93 per cent of women saying they feel safe walking alone there Montevideo, Uruguay Rounding off the top three is the capital of Uruguay, Montevideo. Just under nine in 10 (87 per cent) of women say they feel safe walking alone there. The city also received high marks for friendliness towards foreigners while 17 per cent of digital nomads living there are female. Holidu says: 'Uruguay's capital, Montevideo, scored joint first in all factors relating to women's rights, as well as perceived friendliness to both females and foreigners.' Rounding off the top three is the capital of Uruguay, Montevideo. Just under nine in 10 (87 per cent) of women say they feel safe walking alone there Venice, Italy The safest destination in Europe for female digital nomads is Venice, which lands just outside the global top three in fourth. According to Holidu's research, one in five digital nomads living in Venice is female. Venice scored slightly lower than the top three when it came to how safe women felt walking alone with 78 per cent of those surveyed saying they were comfortable doing so. The safest destination in Europe for female digital nomads is Venice, which lands just outside the global top three in fourth Penang, Malaysia Penang in northwest Malaysia completes the top five safest destinations for female digital nomads. It scored highly when it came to friendliness towards foreigners and 80 per cent of women say they feel safe walking alone there. Just under one in five (19 per cent) digital nomads living in Penang are women, according to Holidu's research. Penang in northwest Malaysia completes the top five safest destinations for female digital nomads Valencia, Spain The second-highest scoring destination in Europe is Valencia. Over one in five (22 per cent) of digital nomads living in the Spanish coastal city are female. The majority of women feel comfortable walking alone there (81 per cent) and the city is reportedly friendly towards women. However, it fell down the rankings slightly when it came to friendliness towards foreign residents. The second-highest scoring destination in Europe is Valencia. Over one in five (22 per cent) of digital nomads living in the Spanish coastal city are female Kaohsiung, Taiwan Taiwan is the only country to have two destinations make the top 10 with Kaohsiung in the south of the island coming in seventh place. The city scored highly when it came to friendliness towards foreigners and 82 per cent of women say they feel safe walking alone there. Just under one in five (17 per cent) of digital nomads living in Kaohsiung are women, according to Holidu's research. Taiwan is the only country to have two destinations make the top 10 with Kaohsiung in the south of the island coming in seventh place Porto, Portugal Portugal's second-biggest city and a fast-growing tourist destination, Porto ranks as the eighth safest city for female digital nomads. Just under nine in 10 (87 per cent) of women say they feel safe walking alone there while one in five (20 per cent) digital nomads there are women. However, the city falls slightly down the ranking when it comes to friendliness towards foreigners with a lower score in that category than the top-ranking cities. Portugal's second-biggest city and a fast-growing tourist destination, Porto ranks as the eighth safest city for female digital nomads Saskatoon, Canada Saskatoon is the only North American destination to make the top 10 and scores highly on friendliness. The city doesn't rank as highly when it comes to walking alone, with just 69 per cent of women saying they feel safe doing so there. A quarter of digital nomads working in Saskatoon are women, according to Holidu's research. Saskatoon is the only North American destination to make the top 10 and scores highly on friendliness SAFEST CITIES IN THE WORLD FOR FEMALE DIGITAL NOMADS 1. Taipei, Taiwan 2. Chiang Rai, Thailand 3. Montevideo, Uruguay 4. Venice, Italy 5. Penang, Malaysia 6. Valencia, Spain 7. Kaohsiung, Taiwan 8. Porto, Portugal 9. Saskatoon, Canada 10. Ubud, Indonesia 11. Coimbra, Portugal 12. Aveiro, Portugal 13. Cuenca, Ecuador 14. Queretaro, Mexico 15. The Hague, Netherlands 16. Rijeka, Croatia 17. Nanjing, China 18. Portimao, Portugal 19. Lisbon, Portugal 20. Curitiba, Brazil Source: Holidu Advertisement More than one in five (23 per cent) digital nomads in Ubud are female while 81 per cent of women say they feel safe walking alone Ubud, Indonesia A long-time popular destination for digital nomads on the island of Bali, Ubud is also one of the safest spots for female workers. More than one in five (23 per cent) digital nomads are women while 81 per cent of women say they feel safe walking alone. However, digital nomads will need to be aware of Bali's rules before moving there, as the island has started cracking down on bad behaviour. While Ubud doesn't score quite as highly on friendliness as some of the other destinations on the list, it's still considered a welcoming destination for women. Thanks to its black-sand beaches, volcanic landscapes and subtropical climate, Madeira is often dubbed the Hawaii of Europe. Now its going to be even easier for holidaymakers to see the stunning Portugal archipelago for themselves, as more flights from the UK are going to be added for the summer and it only takes around four hours to get there. The newly released flight schedule shows that weekly flights for the summer period have had a 12 per cent increase from 349 in 2024 to 390 in 2025. Starting from May, Jet2 will be flying to Maderia from Bournemouth every Thursday. Ryanair will also start operating flights from Edinburgh every Wednesday and Sunday. Londoners can already fly from Luton to Madeira with easyJet and Jet2, but the two airlines are going to increase their services between the two airports. When Michael Portillo visited Portugal for his Channel 5 series recently, he told MailOnline Travel that tourists will be wowed by Madeiras natural beauty. He said: Its a volcanic island, so although its very small, in a few moments, you rise from sea level to land which is higher than anywhere in the United Kingdom, and you're up there in rainforest, mist and fog, and youve got exotic plants and flowers. Thanks to its black sand beaches and subtropical climate, Madeira is often dubbed the Hawaii of Europe and now it's going to be even easier to get to for Brits with new summer flights The newly released flight schedule shows that weekly flights for the summer period have had a 12 per cent increase from 349 in 2024 to 390 in 2025 When Michael Portillo visited Portugal for his Channel 5 series recently, he told MailOnline Travel that tourists will be wowed by Madeiras natural beauty And, because its an island, its constantly changing. One moment it's kissed by sun, the next moment its shrouded in mist, the next moment there's torrential rain. Its just superb. Travel expert, Will Sarson at Riviera Travel, also recently named Madeira as one of the best destinations for female solo travellers. He explained the island offers a 'variety of activities' ranging from 'hiking' to unwinding by the ocean, and added: 'Funchal, the capital city, is a must-visit. Its restaurants offer a huge variety of cuisine.' Imagine packing your bags, turning up to the airport and boarding a plane to a completely random destination. It may sound like a nightmare to many, but for some, it's a dream adventure that has now become reality. Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) delighted jetsetters with its second 'Destination Unknown' flight earlier this month. Tickets for the flight, which departed from Copenhagen Airport in Denmark, sold out in just four minutes in February, with an official travel date set for between April 4 and April 7. Passengers found themselves in Seville, Spain this week, and immersed themselves in a series of curated activities that showcased the best of the Andalusian capital, including historical tours. flamenco-inspired events and local culinary delights. To maintain suspense, SAS keeps the destination secret from passengers and even cabin crew right up until the plane lands - only the pilots aware of the final stop. Passengers travelling through the airport should expect to stumble across unusual flight information boards that display 'Mystery flight,' or 'Unknown Schengen,' along with its departure time. It comes after a successful inaugural trip to Athens, Greece, in 2024, which saw 6,000 Scandinavian Airlines EuroBonus members registering for the one-of-a-kind opportunity and tickets snapped up in seconds. Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) delighted jetsetters with its second 'Destination Unknown' flight, which landed in Seville, Spain, earlier this month (stock image) Passengers travelling through the airport should expect to stumble across unusual flight information boards that display 'Mystery flight,' or 'Unknown Schengen,' along with its departure and arrival tim This year's 'Destination Unknown' flight is the second time it has been offered exclusively to SAS EuroBonus frequent flyer members, and can only be booked using loyalty points. Mystery flights have been rising in popularity in recent years and the concept has been welcomed by globetrotters craving an element of surprise as well as a relaxed approach to their next trip. By removing the stress of spending hours researching destinations, booking flights and accommodations and creating itineraries, travellers can focus entirely on being present while being kept on their toes until they arrive at a secret destination. Passengers on 'Destination Unknown' flights needn't worry about visa complications either, as the scheme operates entirely within the Schengen Zone, a free travel area in Europe that spans 29 countries, as reported by the Economic Times. Last year, SAS members used 30,000 points to fly to Greece, and this approach is said to add an air of exclusivity to the trip, making it feel more like a tailored experience rather than an ordinary commercial flight. The airline explained: 'As last time, tickets were made available exclusively for members, solely for points, and sold out in only 4 minutes.' And although SAS operated just two mystery flights since last year, interest has grown exponentially on social media, with hundreds expressing their desire to be whisked off to a random destination. One passenger at Copenhagen Airport recently shared a photo of the 'Unknown Schengen' information board on X, adding: 'Scandinavian Airlines are running "unknown" destination flights. 'You buy a ticket an board the plane. Then you find out where you are going. Would you do it?' To maintain suspense, SAS keeps the destination secret from passengers and even cabin crew right up until the plane lands - only the pilots aware of the final stop Passengers on 'Destination Unknown' flights needn't worry about visa complications either, as the scheme operates entirely within the Schengen Zone, a free travel area in Europe This year's 'Destination Unknown' SAS flight is the second time it has been offered exclusively to EuroBonus frequent flyer members, and can only be booked using loyalty points The post quickly gained traction, as one person responded, 'Great concept,' while another said, '100% yes,' and a third added, 'Sounds pretty interesting!' Currently, Scandinavian Airlines has not announced any future 'Destination Unknown' trips, though EuroBonus have been advised to keep an eye on its website for updates. Meanwhile, one horrified passenger was treated to a mystery flight she didn't sign up for after she boarded the wrong plane and woke up in Alicante instead of Paris. Jem Maybank, 30, arrived at Leeds Bradford Airport on Saturday to begin her short city break in France. The property worker, from West Yorkshire, went through what she believed was the correct gate for Paris Beauvais Airport where staff scanned and read her boarding pass. Flight passengers are not guaranteed a seat even when they book one - and can be legally 'bumped' onto another service, a travel expert confirmed today. Airlines will sometimes book more people onto a flight than there are seats on a plane because travellers do not always turn up even if they have booked a flight. Carriers are also sometimes unable to board all passengers if they switch to a smaller aircraft for operational reasons, meaning too many people will try to board. Some passengers are therefore asked to give up their place on the flight - known as being 'bumped' - although airlines can also do so without your permission. There was after one such case last month involving a Ryanair passenger who did not pay to reserve himself a seat before a flight from Birmingham to Mallorca. Wheel of Fortune host Ryan Seacrest showed - quite literally - how he would 'dive' into a new bit for the show. Last week's theme of the long-running game show was Festivals and Celebrations, and at the end of one episode, the 50-year-old host showcased his new favorite. 'Well, I found my new favorite festival. It's called Gloucester Cheese Rolling Festival in the UK,' Seacrest began, which came after a crude joke divided fans. He added, 'participants race down a hill chasing after a wheel of cheese, but in the end, you get the cheese. So, what could be better?' His co-host Vanna White was standing by with a Wheel of Fortune-branded wheel as they showed footage of the bizarre festival behind them. Vanna asked, 'Are you ready to try it?' Seacrest insisted, 'I was born for this,' as Vanna rolled the wheel across the stage and Seacrest ran and dived for it on the studio floor, which seemingly stunned Vanna and the audience. Wheel of Fortune host Ryan Seacrest showed - quite literally - how he would 'dive' into a new bit for the show. Vanna asked, ' Are you ready to try it?' Seacrest insisted, 'I was born for this,' as Vanna rolled the wheel across the stage and Seacrest ran and dived for it on the studio floor, which seemingly stunned Vanna and the audience. While you couldn't see Seacrest's mighty dive on the telecast, the Wheel of Fortune Instagram posted a new video showcasing his sprint for the fake cheese. He returned triumphantly to Vanna with the wheel as the episode came to an end, as fans couldn't help but chime in with dozens of comments. RobCorley95 stated, 'Who in the wheel world knew that Ryan could run that fast for cheese?' while rachael.88 said, 'That was awesome!!' Another user dubbed raleighpdx said, 'Love this so much!' while darrelpullie joked, 'Tis but a scratch! Hell live!' Margarita Coego simply added 'Ryan Seacrest is great! and Eugene Byon joked, 'Vanna had better be ready to step in for Ryan in case he injures himself!' Kim Klein said, 'Ryan did not disappoint, while Brian Johnston said simply, 'Awesome.' When Seacrest took over from longtime host Pat Sajak, many were skeptical, though many like Karin Nilsson have been won over. 'Ryan is wonderful. Wheel is where Ive really learned and appreciated how awesome he is. Great choice!' Nilsson said of the host in the comments. While you couldn't see Seacrest's mighty dive on the telecast, the Wheel of Fortune Instagram posted a new video showcasing his sprint for the fake cheese He returned triumphantly to Vanna with the wheel as the episode came to an end, as fans couldn't help but chime in with dozens of comments. RobCorley95 stated, 'Who in the wheel world knew that Ryan could run that fast for cheese?' while rachael.88 said, 'That was awesome!!' Another user dubbed raleighpdx said, 'Love this so much!' while darrelpullie joked, 'Tis but a scratch! Hell live!' 'Ryan is wonderful. Wheel is where Ive really learned and appreciated how awesome he is. Great choice!' Nilsson said of the host in the comments. The festival is officially called Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake, which dates all the way back to 1826. Participants do in fact run down the 200-yard Cooper Hill, chasing after a wheel of Double Gloucester Cheese, though they don't actually catch it. The cheese is given quite a bit of a head start, and it can roll at speeds upwards of 80 miles per hour, according to So Glos, with the winner being the first to reach the bottom of the hill. The event happens every May during a spring bank holiday, with this year's event taking place on Monday, May 26. An ITV legend launched a surprise new career after he quit This Morning and left his colleagues in tears. Martin Frizell stepped down as editor of the daytime programme back in February to take care of his wife Fiona Phillips, who has Alzheimer's. Now, he has announced his next career move and revealed on Instagram that he would be working on a new weekly podcast, This Much Is True Crime. The new venture is set to launch soon, but an exact date is yet to be confirmed. He wrote: 'Takes a prolific serial killer to knock Adolescence off the No1 Netflix spot. Gone Girls profiles Americas modern day Jack the Ripper and his body count may not be over yet! 'Coming soon is This Much is True Crime, a new weekly podcast with Britain's leading criminologist (and serial killer expert) Prof David Wilson and me (Fred West and many other crime reports). Producer Martin Frizell (right) stepped down as editor of the daytime programme back in February to take care of his wife Fiona Phillips (left), who has Alzheimer's Now, he has announced his next career move and revealed on Instagram that he would be working on a new weekly podcast, This Much Is True Crime It comes after Martin appeared on This Morning in February on his very last day on set. Pictured sharing an emotional farewell with Alison Hammond 'If its in the headlines or the ratings, were talking about it. We start with Gone Girls. Not just a whodunnit, but a whydunnit?' It comes after Martin appeared on This Morning in February on his very last day on set. Martin had overseen the show's production for the last decade and at the end of his final episode, he sat on the sofa with Josie Gibson and Alison Hammond. In a moving segment, the co-presenters told Frizzell how much he meant to them and how much they valued his impact on their careers. An emotional Hammond said: 'He's the one that took a chance on us, transforming mine and Josie's careers. 'It's an incredible opportunity and we just want to say thank you very much. We love you'. The This Morning presenter continued: 'On behalf of the team on This Morning we think you are incredible and we are so sad to see you go'. Josie Gibson (left) and Alison Hammond (centre) invited This Morning boss Martin Frizzell (right) onto the show's famous sofa on what was his last day Gibson echoed Hammond's words, adding that Frizell believed in her when she didn't even believe in herself. 'I just want to say, thank you so much because you believed in me when I didn't even believe in myself and you grew me as a presenter and I just can't thank you enough'. Reacting to the pair's kind words, Frizell replied: 'If you were rubbish, you wouldn't be on telly. You're very good. It has been a great ride and a fantastic time'. His departure from the show's production team had been announced earlier on during the broadcast by Gibson and came off the back of his own announcement last November that he would soon be stepping down for personal reasons. Frizell's wife Fiona Phillips had received a heartbreaking Alzheimer's diagnosis back in 2022, with the This Morning boss taking the decision to quit the show in order to spend more time with her. 'Next year I'm expecting my family priorities to change, so I need to free up time for them', the 66-year-old said back in November. 'I love my team at This Morning and will miss them and the thrill of live telly, but it's an always on, 24 hours a day, seven days a week commitment, and I won't be able to do both. Alison Hammond (left) being embraced by show boss Martin Frizzell (right) after breaking down in tears over his departure from This Morning 'It's been a privilege to lead truly great presenters and producers, between us we've turned out more than six thousand hours of live topical telly, that's around 20,000 items. 'Whilst the gongs are always nice, I'm most proud of the change we made to so many lives, even saving a fair few with our campaigns on anti-suicide, menopause, testicular cancer and 'how-to' items. 'This juggernaut is the toughest test for any broadcast journalist'. This Morning airs weekdays on ITV1 from 10am and is available to stream on ITVX. A beloved BBC daytime show has been pulled off air next week in a huge schedule shake-up and will be disappearing from screens for weeks. Morning Live is regularly hosted by Michelle Ackerley and Gethin Jones, among others, and airs Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 10.45am on BBC One. However, the show is not showing on TV schedules from Monday, April 14. Instead, Rip Off Britain and Dr Xand's Con Or Cure appear to have taken the programme's slot. Morning Live will return to television on May 5 after a break from screens. The show usually has scheduled breaks in the year. However, this isn't the first time the BBC show has seen a shake-up. Morning Live is regularly hosted by Michelle Ackerley (right) and Gethin Jones (centre), amongst others, and airs Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 10.45am on BBC One However, the show is reportedly not showing on TV schedules from Monday, April 14 (pictured: Kym Marsh, Sam Quek, Gethin Jones, Kimberley Walsh, Sara Cox and Rav Wilding) Back in July it was taken off air for an entire month on another 'break'. A social media post read: 'Here's this week's Strictly Fitness summer themed workout with Mr Neil Jones. 'Morning Live is on a break now. Join us on Monday 26th August from 9:30am for more Strictly Fitness. The post concluded by reminding fans that they can still catch up on all the morning workouts with the Strictly Come Dancing professional by heading to their catchup service. It added: 'You can do all of the routines from this week in full & see how to do them sat down, on BBC iPlayer.' The BBC magazine show started in 2020 and with the likes of former Coronation Street star Kym Marsh, Michelle Ackerley, Gethin Jones and Strictly's Helen Skelton presenting on a rotational basis. It comes after another show, BBC Breakfast was cut short last month as part of a major scheduling shake-up. The programme, which typically runs until 10am, wrapped at 9:30am, triggering knock-on effects for the weekend TV staple Saturday Kitchen. It comes after another show, BBC Breakfast was cut short last month as part of a major scheduling shake-up Viewers tuned in to the daily show at the usual 6am time slot to see Charlie Stayt, 62, hosting alongside Sarah Campbell, 50. However, after a packed show, BBC Breakfast wrapped up half an hour early. As the clock struck 9:30am, Sarah told viewers: 'That's all from Breakfast for today. As we have just said, we will be back for all the news from tomorrow at 6am.' Charlie added: 'Enjoy whatever you're doing for the weekend. Goodbye now.' Morning Live presenter Gethin Jones suffered from a 'really horrible and serious' fall live on television after 'seizing up' during his skate-a-thon as part of a Comic Relief challenge. The 47-year-old and Helen Skelton, 41, decided to skate for 24 hours on the BBC channel to raise money for the very important cause. But unfortunately, with just minutes to go, former Blue Peter star Gethin took an almighty tumble while on the skating rink. Right at the start of the instalment of Morning Live, hosts Sara Cox and Kimberly Walsh wanted to update fans on their 'Wheely Big Challenge', before they joined them in the studio. The shocking moment Gethin Jones suffers 'really horrible and serious' fall live on BBC and 'seizes up' as medics forced to intervene during botched Comic Relief challenge Sara said: 'Now, this is really horrible... Gethin has just had - this is really serious - a massive fall. Have a look at this.' After playing the clip, Kimberly said: 'And his back! He's got such a bad back.' Sara continued: 'He's so stiff anyway and just seized up. 'Genuinely it was make-or-break whether he could finish the challenge but he's determined the get to that finish line.' Later on during his appearance on Morning Live, Gethin explained: 'I think I caught my foot just on the side of the wall. 'The pain was horrible. Typically fell in the one place it hurts the most. 'Like I say, it was hard to get up, it took a while to get up.' He added: 'I'll be fine in a couple of days, we will be fine. It's a privilege to do it.' Helen explained: 'He could only go one way around!' Helen and the crew rushed to Gethin when he fell over on the skating rink Helen (pictured) and Gethin (right) appeared on Morning Live to chat about their tough experience Gethin recalled: 'I was really dizzy, for the last hour and 20, I could only go one way... 'Which is why I had to crab over here.' Sara was keen to know what the most surreal part of the experience. 'We were gig around in a circle for 24 hours in a windowless room... Quite delirious at times. People would pop up, Ranj appeared twice and I was like. 'I'm sure I've seen you.' It was quite confusing at times. You're just grateful for people giving up their time.' Doctor Whos return has been branded unoriginal and uninspired by critics as they blasted the BBC for failing to stick the landing ahead of the premiere this weekend. The much-loved science fiction show will return for its fifteenth series on Saturday night. And while fans of the iconic series are desperate for the weekend to arrive to watch it, TV critics have been able to watch it ahead of the official release. The first episode, named The Robot Revolution, is directed by Peter Hoar and written by Russell T Davies. Actor Ncuti Gatwa, 32, returns as the Doctor, with Varada Sethu as Belinda Chandra, and Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday. Unfortunately critics have been quite harsh with their verdicts. Doctor Whos return has been branded unoriginal and uninspired as critics blasted the BBC for failing to stick the landing ahead of the premiere this weekend The much-loved science fiction show will return for its fifteenth series on Saturday night - and while fans of the iconic series are desperate for the weekend to arrive to watch it, TV critics have been able to watch it ahead of the official release Radio Times' Louise Griffin said of the episode: 'The episode is dragged down in various ways, most of which we can't talk about just yet. 'Suffice to say that the episode's climax, involving a rather ludicrous reveal, fails to stick the landing. 'There's also some very on-the-nose writing, characters stating the obvious rather than allowing the episode's themes to speak for themselves' Meanwhile Tom Power at Tech Radar said: 'The Doctor and Bel's robotic foes are largely unoriginal. 'In fact, I'd say, unique design notwithstanding, they're an uninspired amalgam of two of the most notorious enemies in Doctor Who's rogue gallery those being, the Daleks and Cybermen. 'The Robot Revolution also moves at a break-neck pace. Episodes of Doctor Who are renowned for being breezy, but it feels like this one is particularly guilty of barrelling through its story without stopping to take a breath. 'That doesn't allow its most pertinent story beats to have the emotional impact they require.' Luckily there have also been more positive things said about it as well. The first episode of the fifteenth series, named The Robot Revolution, is directed by Peter Hoar and written by Russell T Davies. Variety's Scott Bryan said: 'The last few seconds of the first episode are particularly spine-tingling.' While The Times' Ben Dowell wrote: 'It is a fun, fast-paced hour of TV.' The new series is good news after in February it was revealed that the show was reportedly facing the axe. And star Ncuti was thought to be on the verge of quitting. A source told The Sun: 'Ncuti doesnt 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 dont want the perception of him still being The Doctor to get in the way of any future work. 'The show has been poorly managed in recent years and theres a lot of people whove 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 contacted representatives of BBC and Ncuti for comment at the time. According to the publication, Ncuti's first series attracted between '2.25million and 3.18million viewers', much less than previous series'. However, a Doctor Who spokesperson added to The Sun: 'This story is incorrect. Doctor Who has not been shelved. 'As we have previously stated, the decision on season 3 will be made after season 2 airs. 'The deal with Disney+ was for 26 episodes and exactly half of those still have to transmit.' Doctor Who hit our screens in 1963. There were 26 seasons between 1963 and 1989, and we are awaiting our fifteenth, which started in 2005. The show was created by Sydney Newman, C.E Webber and Donald Wilson. Addison Rae was spotted enjoying the idyllic weather this week in Los Angeles. The 24-year-old dancer-turned-pop star who regularly tantalizes fans with her flexibility enjoyed a picnic with friends at a park in the city's Silver Lake neighborhood. For the occasion, the TikTok sensation donned a denim mini skirt and cropped white shirt with bow and lace accents. Before sitting down on a blanket, Rae removed her bottoms, revealing a cheeky pair of ruffled bloomers with a floral pattern. She topped the look with a black cowboy hat, amid ongoing claims from fans that she's copying Britney Spears' early 2000s style. Addison Rae was spotted enjoying the idyllic weather this week in Los Angeles The 24-year-old dancer-turned-pop star enjoyed a picnic with friends at a park in the city's Silver Lake neighborhood. Before sitting down on a blanket, Rae removed her denim mini skirt, revealing a cheeky pair of ruffled bloomers with a floral pattern Addison's long blonde locks flowed out from underneath her hat, and she appeared to wear little-to-no makeup. She was compared to Spears, 43, earlier this year when she took to Instagram to share behind-the-scenes images from her High Fashion music video. The influencer appeared to channel the Princess of Pop in the Mitch Ryan-directed visual, which was released on February 13. So far, the video has racked up 3.6 million views on YouTube and amassed over 6,000 comments. The clip features a sultry scene in which Addison is clad in a white bustier with a stone covered add-on. She bares her toned midriff in the look, which is teamed with jeans and a beaded, decorative belt. Social media users were quick to point out that Rae's look was similar to styles the Baby One More Time songstress has worn in the past. 'Britney coded we love to see it,' one fan commented, while another added, 'Dream Within a Dream Britney reincarnated,' in reference to Britney's 2001-2002 tour. Another Instagram user wrote, 'Starring in the Britney biopic when?' and someone else agreed, 'Britney Spears vibes.' Addison topped her look with a black cowboy hat, amid ongoing claims from fans that she's copying Britney Spears' early 2000s style; Spears pictured in 2004 Addison was compared to Britney earlier this year after she took to Instagram to share behind-the-scenes images from her High Fashion music video Addison appeared to reference Spears, who wore a similar look while performing under simulated rain in 2001, in her music video 'It's giving Britney and I am here for it,' one added, while a different follower commented, 'the future princess of pop.' Eventually in the music video, the burgeoning pop star is dowsed in water, her hair dripping wet as she dances provocatively. The moment was previously compared to when Spears performed on stage under simulated rainfall back in 2001. Inside the pages of her Vogue France cover story in March, Addison opened up about feeling famous before she became a recognizable media entity. 'In my life, I've always felt like a celebrity, long before I was famous,' she admitted. 'I've always loved the idea of being on stage, performing, and I grew up dancing.' 'It made sense to turn to music and acting, because it's an integral part of being a dancer,' the He's All That actress shared. Recalling her earliest dance memory, she said: 'One day, my mother and I walked past a dance studio with a sign that said: Sign up! I begged her, she signed me up, and from the first minute I knew I loved it.' Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker have at least one of child who wants to following in their famous footsteps, but one of them is dead set against acting. Broderick, 63, who also shares twins Tabitha and Marion, 13, with Parker, said one of the girls is 'repelled' by the idea of performing. 'If you say, "What about you?" She says "Nope, no absolutely not,"' the doting dad explained. Regarding his son James Wilkie, 22, who co-starred with his dad in a recent episode of Elsbeth, the proud dad, 'I think he is gonna try, yeah. He's very smart.' While discussing the topic of his kids getting into the family business at the 2025 SeriousFun Childrens Network Gala on Monday, the Ferris Bueller's Day Off star told People his son has a lot of options. 'He has a really good education too, so he has a lot of different things he can do, but I think right now he likes acting.' Sarah Jessica Parker, 60, and Matthew Broderick, 63, are parents to three kids. One of them is following in their parents famous footsteps, but another one doesn't want anything to do with acting; Pictured in New York City in February Broderick said he and Parker offer assistance, if requested, and the And Just Like That star helps their son with his auditions. 'Well, I'll give advice if I'm asked, [but] my wife is with him when he does auditions,' he said, adding, that, 'It's self-tape nowadays and she'll read with him and tell him, "Its not good,"' he laughed. 'And you know I will too. We definitely [support him] but only if he wants to.' In addition to Elsbeth, James Wilkie had a small part in an episode of Lady in the Lake, and will appear in the upcoming Days Ending in Y, with fellow nepo baby Sam Nivola, who is the son of British actors Alessandro Nivola and Emily Mortimer. Parker, 60, who has been open about growing up poor as one of eight kids, has said in the past, she wants her children to make their own way. The fashionista, who began working at a young age, is frugal and has admitted to dressing her kids in hand-me-downs. She told iHeartRadio's Table for Two with Bruce Bozzi in 2023, 'You want your children to understand what it means to earn money, what it takes to earn money, the value of it.' Parker who has said her family often went without during her childhood advised, 'I think it's a great way of living for children, that their needs are met to be fed, safe and loved.' The Hocus Pocus star said she has taught her children to value 'the important things in life: books and food and interesting experiences, and they're warm in the winter and cool in summer,' Parker and Broderick are parents to Marion, 13, James Wilkie, 22 and Tabitha, 13. Broderick said one of the twins is 'repelled' at the idea of performing; Pictured in New York City in March 2022 James Wilkie recently co-starred with his dad in an episode of Elsbeth. ''He has a really good education too, so he has a lot of different things he can do, but I think right now he likes acting,' Broderick told People Broderick revealed Parker helps their son with his taped auditions. 'It's self-tape nowadays and she'll read with him and tell him, "Its not good"' According to IMDB, James Wilkie recently completed work on the film Days Ending in Y; Pictured in New York City in June 2023 As for getting anything they want, the loving mom said that wasn't the case with her family. 'They should pine for things, they should want things.' On Monday, Parker celebrated her hubby's Tony winning run in a Neil Simon classic from 22 years ago. Sharing a photos of a current-day Broderick in a sweater vest and corduroy pants with a throwback black and white photo from 1983, the Divorce actress gushed, 'My freaking brilliant husband. A legend.' 'Tony winning performance as Eugene Morris Jerome. A legendary performance. Neil Simons Brighton Beach Memoirs. Damn proud. X, SJ' When Walton Goggins arrived in Thailand to shoot season three of The White Lotus, the 53-year-old actor experienced more than a bit of Deja vu, after escaping to the tropical paradise some two decades ago following a dark tragedy. 'I had someone in my life that committed suicide,' Goggins told GQ for its February 4th issue. 'She was my wife.' The Critics Choice Award winner was married to Leanne Knight from 2001 until her death in 2004. Knight had gone missing and when her body was found, 'ultimately it was revealed the decision that shed made,' the Justified actor explained. 'I thought it was really unrecoverable for me. Life on the other side of that,' he said. 'I spent the next three years looking for an excusenot to end it, but certainly putting myself in situations that were questionable, not with drugs or anything like that, just life experiences and traveling. And I really went all over the world.' When Walton Goggins arrived in Thailand to shoot season three of The White Lotus , the 53-year-old actor experienced more than a bit of Deja vu, after escaping to the tropical paradise some two decades ago following a dark tragedy; Pictured in Los Angeles in February Those travels included India, Vietnam and Cambodia, but the adventure began in Thailand. 'The first island we were staying on, I realized, Ive been on this road before,' he said of returning to the surroundings that were more familiar than he had anticipated during production. 'And then the next island we went to, I realized, "I've definitely been on this beach before. I know this boardwalk." And all of the things kept coming back.' The eerie experiences continued with each set up and came to a head on his last night of shooting along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. 'We pulled up to this dock, and I was like, "I know this dock."' The Emmy nominee found another old familiar site not far off. 'Oh my God. Thats the room I stayed in 20 years ago. Thats my balcony. Thats where I was the very first day I came here, 20 years ago, and in so much f-ing pain, man.' 'We got out of the boat, and thats where we were filming, manall of the equipment was literally right in front of the hotel that Id picked 20 years ago on the internet, on this little bitty road in this little bitty neighborhood.' Considering the unusual coincidences, the Righteous Gemstones star said, 'I think I havent had the time to fully unpack the symmetry between those two people showing up at the same place, separated by 20 years.' Goggins revealed in an interview with GQ that he had fled to Thailand after the death of his first wife, Leanne Knight, who died by suicide in 2004 The actor said many of the locations in season three were places he had visited during his trip some 20 years ago. 'I realized, I've definitely been on this beach before. I know this boardwalk. And all of the things kept coming back' Looking back at the sad time, Goggins said, 'I wish I could hug that guy. I wish I could whisper in his ear, "Youre going to be okay' Goggins married writer and director Nadia Conners in 2011 and together they share son Augustus, 14; Pictured in New York city in June 2024 Looking back at that day, Goggins said while recalling those memories 'I thought, God, I wish I could hug that guy.' 'I wish I could whisper in his ear, "Youre going to be okay. Life continues, and it continues for everybody if you can just hold on and lean into it and keep walking the walk that youre walking, and keep looking for the answers."' Goggins married writer and director Nadia Conners in 2011 and together they share son Augustus, 14. Today the actor focuses on living a life filled with gratitude. 'I dont take it for granted, man. If my life ends tomorrow, dont weep for me, man, because God, whoever she is, has always been looking out for me. And protecting me.' US: If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org. UK: For help and support, call the Samaritans for free from a UK phone, completely anonymously, on 116 123 or go to samaritans.org. John Stamos is trying to clear up his controversial appearance an event at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate over the weekend after stirring up online backlash. The 61-year-old Full House star was lambasted on social media by numerous accounts after photos of him appearing on stage and posing with other attendees began appearing online. Stamos took to his Instagram Stories on Monday to explain that he visited the club to serve as emcee for the Palm Beach Ray of Hope Gala. He defended the charity event while also reiterating his liberal bona fides in a text post. 'I accepted the invitation to emcee the Palm Beach Ray of Hope Gala an evening dedicated to honoring and uplifting our frontline heroes,' he wrote. 'This nonpartisan event supports The Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations, a 501(c) (3) organization that trains 350400 nurses every year, directly addressing the critical shortage of healthcare professionals in Palm Beach County.' Stamos emphasized that his participation wasn't at all 'political.' John Stamos, 61, is trying to clear up his controversial appearance an event at President Donald Trump 's Mar-a-Lago estate over the weekend after stirring up online backlash He defended the charity event while also reiterating his liberal bona fides in a text post shared to his Instagram Stories on Monday 'Supporting nurses isnt political its essential,' he declared. 'These are the people who care for us and our families when we need it most, and I believe we should show up for them with the same unwavering dedication they show up with every single day. 'I stand by the importance of healthcare, of service, and of investing in those who care for our communities,' he continued. 'My values and political views remain unchanged,' he concluded, adding, 'if you dont donate to Palm Beach Ray of Hope, then please consider donating to Democracy Forward,' a left-leaning nonprofit group that often sues the Trump administration over alleged corruption. The California-born General Hospital star's statement came after social media users slammed him online and vowed to unfollow his social media accounts. 'John Stamos just ruined his brand forever,' one person wrote on X. 'You can't visit Mar-a-Lago and then expect the stink to ever leave you.' 'John Stamos at Mar-a-Lago? Disappointing. Uncle Jesse would never,' another user quipped. 'Time to cancel Full House reruns, cant watch without thinking of this betrayal. Whats next, DJ Tanner at a MAGA rally? Gross.' 'Everyone unfollowed John Stamos immediately,' one person observed. Stamos claimed the event wasn't partisan and stressed the importance of helping out with the fundraiser for nurses; pictured with Melissa Butterworth, one of the dance competition judges The actor was blasted by liberal fans on social media though some also defended him However, others defended Stamos, pointing out that Mar-a-Lago has rentable venues while separating politics from supporting the nonprofit. 'Stamos can speak wherever he wants. Everyone has different views but no need to attack someone for their views. If John wants to speak somewhere he can and Im not gonna hate or dislike him for it,' one fan wrote on X. 'Can we blame whoever booked the fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago for supporting Trump instead of John Stamos for supporting frontline workers?' another wrote. 'The guy made the choice not to politicize supporting a charity and ended up getting torn down in the process'. The Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations charity website said it paired 'prominent local community figures with professional dancers' at the gala to raise money for the organization. Dancing with the Stars alums Artem Chigvinstev and Karina Smirnoff also attended the event as judges for the dance contest. Stamos is frequently spotted at charity fundraising events including a December 2022 event supporting the LA County Sheriff's Department's Academy Class 464 that he emceed and his wife Caitlin McHugh Stamos co-founded the Civic Soul nonprofit, which aims to united people through 'acts of service, compassion and shared humanity.' The Palm Beach Ray of Hope Gala which described itself as 'nonpartisan' included a dance competition in which 'prominent local community figures' were paired with professional dancers. 'I stand by the importance of healthcare, of service, and of investing in those who care for our communities,' Stamos wrote, adding, 'My values and political views remain unchanged' Stamos is frequently spotted at charity fundraising events, including a December 2022 event supporting the LA County Sheriff's Department's Academy Class 464 that he emceed Liberals and ethics watchdogs have accused conservatives groups since the first Trump administration of holding events at the President's properties in order to curry favor with him and help line his pockets; Mar-a-Lago is pictured on February 18 The event got an extra dose of star power, as former Dancing With The Stars pros Artem Chigvintsev and Karina Smirnoff attended. Although the event claimed to be nonpartisan, it was notably co-chaired by Linda Adelson and Janet Levy, both of whom are supporters of President Donald Trump. Levy is one of the co-founders of The Trumpettes, a women's organization supporting Trump's efforts to reshape the country, and Adelson is a member of the group. Liberals and ethics watchdogs have accused conservatives groups since the first Trump administration of holding events at the President's properties in order to curry favor with him and help line his pockets. Ally Lewber spoke out about her ex boyfriend James Kennedy's arrest for the first time, revealing it was a 'wake-up call.' Kennedy, 33, was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence in December 2024, after an argument with Lewber, and in a new interview with People, Lewber, 29, shared how she is moving forward from the situation. According to Lewber, while they never became physical, they had been arguing that evening about Kennedy's alcohol consumption, which had been an ongoing issue in their relationship. 'I don't know who called the cops, but the cops showed up. They assessed the situation, and I was not hurt physically. Emotionally, yes. But yeah, that's kind of how that night played out, unfortunately,' she said. According to the arrest log documenting the incident, an officer reported a statement from a woman inside the residence alleging that 'her boyfriend lifted her up and threw her to the ground.' The report did not explicitly identify this woman as Lewber. Ultimately, prosecutors declined to press charges against Kennedy, and Lewber maintains that the altercation was only verbal. Ally Lewber, 29, spoke out about her ex boyfriend James Kennedy's, 33, arrest for the first time, revealing it was a 'wake-up call'; she is pictured December 2024 Kennedy was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence in December 2024, after an argument with Lewber; they are pictured November 2024 'It was such a high and a low week,' she said, adding, 'We had just recorded my first episode of [new podcast] StarStruck. James was going to be my first guest. Great energy, we had so much fun. And then the next night was the Kathy Hilton night.' Earlier that evening, just hours before Kennedy's arrest, he and Lewber had been at Hiltons annual Christmas party, where Lewber, who is an astrologer, was giving a birth chart reading to Hilton. Ally said Kennedy 'was drinking behind my back while I was working.' She said after she finished work and met him, James' 'whole demeanor changed.' 'And I could kind of tell, like, 'Have you been drinking?"' she added. Though she was 'suspicious' Lewber says that she did not believe Kennedy had broken his sobriety, since he has been in recovery from alcohol addiction for a year at the time. 'I truly was like, "Well he's sober, so maybe he, I don't know, did he drink coffee?"' she questioned. 'I was like, "Why is he so electric right now?"' She said once they got in the car, things 'kind of spiraled.' 'I was like, "You're obviously drunk." Because he has a sip and it's pretty easy to spot. His whole demeanor changes.' Lewber says that while the incident never became physical, they had been arguing about Kennedy's alcohol consumption, which had been an ongoing issue in their relationship, in an interview with People 'I don't know who called the cops, but the cops showed up. They assessed the situation, and I was not hurt physically. Emotionally, yes,' she shared; seen in 2024 According to the arrest log documenting the incident, an officer reported a statement from a woman inside the residence alleging that 'her boyfriend lifted her up and threw her to the ground.' The report did not explicitly identify this woman as Lewber She explained that 'drinking was a non-negotiable' for her in the relationship, and that 'the tension was high' between them. The pair were joined by Ally's friend Jack in the car, with Ally stating they were all 'fighting' and that Kennedy was 'gaslighting' her. 'He's like, "I'm not drunk, you're drunk." And I'm like, "No." We were just fighting, and then when we got out of the Uber, the fighting just continued. I was like, "I don't want to be here." We were just fighting outside.' Tensions escalated to the point that police were called. Ally says she requested that the police 'breathalyze' James. 'Because at this point, he's still telling me, "I'm not drunk." So when they actually showed up, I was like, "Oh, perfect, will you please breathalyze him?" So that was my first thought, and they were like, "Well, we can't do that. We're not allowed to do that." But then they were like, "He's drunk." And I was like, "Okay, thanks."' Ally says initially she wanted to just 'take space' as she was 'heartbroken and sad.' Despite feeling like she had previously been living a 'fairy tale' with James, Ally's therapist told her that 'it wasn't, because he was lying to you. So it wasn't real."' Subsequently, Lewber discovered that Kennedy had been 'drinking again behind my back,' and through therapy she came to the realization that it was necessary to end the relationship. Subsequently, Lewber discovered that Kennedy had been 'drinking again behind my back,' and through therapy she came to the realization that it was necessary to end the relationship In January, Lewber confirmed her split from Kennedy, just hours after it was revealed he would not face charges following his domestic violence arrest 'I never was physically hurt and I never felt unsafe,' she explained about their relationship dynamics. 'I think it was more just walking on eggshells and feeling anxious about, when is his next blow-up going to be? And I didn't even realize this really until I was out of the house for a while, but just how my nervous system just feels normal again. It was always kind of anxious of making sure that he doesn't get upset. Monitoring someone's behavior is not healthy.' She said breaking up was not easy: 'It was just a lot of wake-up calls that needed to happen, but it wasn't easy in the moment.' Ally said that after the incident she 'immediately just felt bad' for James. 'I know that he wishes he didn't do that. I know that he wishes that he was more powerful than the drink. So it just makes me feel sad, because it is too bad. It's sad for everyone involved. But I'm proud of him now, and I believe he's still going to AA and working the program, and so I'm excited for him to just heal for himself.' She added that '90% of the time' James is 'awesome' but 'it's those 10% wounds that aren't fun that come out.' Ally also stated that she is no longer in contact with Kennedy. As for future partners, Ally said she is looking for someone she doesn't 'have to fix, someone who already is whole and complete.' In January, Lewber confirmed her split from Kennedy, just hours after it was revealed he would not face charges following his domestic violence arrest. She shared an emotional message on her Instagram Stories, announcing the couple had parted ways after two years of dating. The arrest occurred after Kennedy and Ally attended Kathy Hilton's Christmas bash together; (pictured at Hilton's bash) 'Thank you for all your support and kindness,' Lewber wrote. 'I am happy that prosecutors decided not to file against James as I never desired criminal charges. We had an argument outside of his home related to him drinking again; however, I was not physically hurt.' The astrologer admitted she was 'disheartened by how the event was portrayed.' 'We are no longer together, but I'll always support James and wish him the best with his sobriety and healing. Thank you for your understanding,' she concluded. Allys confirmation followed weeks of speculation about their relationship after Kennedy's December 11 arrest, which occurred when Burbank police responded to a call about a man and woman arguing at his residence around 11:30 p.m. A witness claimed to have seen Kennedy and the woman arguing, and the reality star is said to have at one point grabbed the female, TMZ previously reported. Officers said they did not see any visible injuries on the woman. Lewber is now focusing on her new podcast, StarStruck with Ally Lewber, where she provides personalized astrology readings to her celebrity guests. Joshua Jackson has revealed the touching gift he gave his daughter Juno Rose, four, after they lost their $2 million house to the LA fires in January. The 46-year-old's childhood home in Topanga Canyon, which he bought back after becoming a star, was consumed by the Palisades Fire. He and Juno, whom he shares with his ex-wife Jodie-Turner Smith, subsequently moved into a rental property where they still live. Now, he has divulged that he heartwarmingly presented his daughter with a new rainbow playroom that she once requested from him. In a touching new Instagram album, he shared a few photos showing his fans the process of having the room painted to his daughter's specifications. Given their home is a rental, Joshua also offered a 'huge thanks to my landlords for not batting an eye' at his request to make such a drastic change to their decor. Joshua Jackson has revealed the touching gift he gave his daughter Juno Rose, four, after they lost their $2 million house to the LA fires in January; pictured in September 2024 He began by recounting a conversation with his daughter, who asked: 'Daddy when we build the new house we should have a rainbow room.' 'I got you kiddo,' said Joshua, to which Juno added that she wanted 'a blue sky roof' as well as 'pink. There needs to be pink.' Joshua wrote to his fans: 'Last month I posted a story about our house burning down. First I want to say thank you to everyone who reached out and kept reaching out, it means so much during these times.' He then offered them an 'update' that was 'a little more positive,' I also wanted to put an update here, something a little more positive. Joshua recalled: 'For months before the fire JR was on me to paint a rainbow room. I was working and I couldnt quite figure out where to do it and yadda yadda I didnt do it. Which I now really regret.' He shared: 'So what you are seeing here is the newly unveiled rainbow room( huge thanks to my landlords for not batting an eye when I asked them if I could paint their walls "rainbow"). Because while I cant give her a new house(yet) we can certainly have some rainbows along the way. Were doing alright to be continued'. The $2 million property that Joshua lost to the Los Angeles fires was actually the home where he spent much of his early childhood. He was born in Vancouver but grew up in the Topanga Canyon home until he was eight, when his father left the family and he moved back to Canada with his mother. Now, he has divulged that he heartwarmingly presented his daughter with a new rainbow playroom that she once requested from him The 46-year-old's childhood home in Topanga Canyon, which he bought back after becoming a star, was consumed by the Palisades Fire The $2 million property that Joshua lost to the Los Angeles fires was actually the home where he spent much of his early childhood In a touching new Instagram album, he shared a few photos showing his fans the process of having the room painted to his daughter's specifications Given their home is a rental, Joshua also offered a 'huge thanks to my landlords for not batting an eye' at his request to make such a drastic change to their decor He and Juno, whom he shares with his ex-wife Jodie-Turner Smith, subsequently moved into a rental property where they still live; Joshua and Jodie are pictured at the 2022 Met Gala After rising to fame in the 1990s via the Mighty Ducks film franchise, he purchased the California house back in 2002 for $865,000. 'My father unfortunately was not a good father or a husband and exited the scene, but that house in Topanga was where everything felt simple, so it was a very healing thing for me to do,' he told MR PORTER in 2021. 'There was a mural of a dragon on the wall in that room that I couldnt believe was still there, years later. The owner[who sold him the house] said: "I knew it meant a lot to somebody and that they were going to come back for it some day."' This January, the estate became one of the more than 10,000 structures to be destroyed by the wildfires that devastated massive swaths of Los Angeles County. After his home burned, Joshua broke his silence with a statement in which he expressed his gratitude that his loved ones managed to escape the flames. 'First and most importantly, all the people closest to me affected by the fire are ok. My daughter, my family, my neighbors all made it out safely,' he began, via Deadline. 'Sadly my beautiful home did not survive the fires. But today, I feel incredibly lucky to be surrounded by the people I love,' he continued. Advertisement Kyle Sandilands has rubbished claims that he is gearing up to leave his Australian Idol hosting gig. Woman's Day reported that speculation was 'rife' that Sandilands, 53, would not be returning for the 2026 season of the Channel Seven reality series. The publication claimed that his three-year contact with idol had now ended and that 'producers are concerned that [his] priorities had shifted'. The publication also claimed that Sandilands was stepping down from his Idol role due to his recent brain aneurysm diagnosis. It was all news to the shock jock however, who told Daily Mail Australia that there was no truth to the rumour. Sandilands said that the only correct course of action is for the publication to pay reparations to readers. Kyle Sandilands has rubbished claims that he is gearing up to leave his Australian Idol hosting gig 'I'm calling on the editor of Woman's Day to do the right thing and refund the $5.99 to every single reader who bought this week's edition of the magazine,' Sandilands said. He added that he would happily accept an apology from the publication. 'I'll graciously accept Woman's Day's apology for the false report. I'll also promise not to sue them, this time,' Sandilands joked. A spokesperson for Sandilands, further rubbished the claim adding: 'Kyle's not on a three-year deal, nor has his contract expired'. The rumour of Sandilands' departure appears greatly exaggerated, especially given that he confirmed to Daily Mail Australia this week that he is locked in for another season. 'They've already booked in the dates, I think, for next year,' he said. 'So Marcia [Hines] says to me on the desk, last Monday night, she goes, "Did they tell you about the new dates?" And I went, "Of course! They f**king told me about the new dates a month ago".' Sandilands, who first joined Australian Idol in the early 2000s, claims this new era of the show is only thriving because he had a say in who came back and who didn't. Woman's Day reported that speculation was 'rife' that Sandilands would not be returning for the 2026 season of the Channel Seven reality series. Sandilands is pictured with Marcia Hines and Amy Shark 'Where's Harry Connick, Jr? Not here. Amy [Shark]'s here now. Marcia's here now,' he said. 'When we put this together, Channel Seven CEO Jeff Howard came and met me. We had lunch and I knew that he was like romancing me to come back to TV, but I was done with TV. 'Then he said, ''I want you to come back to TV.'' And I said, ''I'm not really interested.'' And he said, ''what if we bring back Idol?'' And I said ''oh, very interested only in Idol''.' Kyle also said the original judging panel nearly looked very different. He revealed the 2023 Australian Idol panel was set to feature an international star-studded affair until plans fell through. Harry Connick Jr. was brought in to fill the spot, but Kyle said he always felt the show needed to be homegrown. 'It was gonna be me, Amy Shark, Meghan Trainor and Snoop Dogg,' he said. 'But Snoop was having some visa issues, then we nearly got 50 Cent, but he's got film companies and stuff now so we couldn't marry up the time.' 'I'm calling on the editor of Woman's Day to do the right thing and refund the $5.99 to every single reader who bought this week's edition of the magazine,' Sandilands said The controversial host also addressed Australian Idol's ratings battle with Channel Nine's Married At First Sight and why he's not been talking about the dating show on The Kyle & Jackie O Show. 'We talked about MAFS probably five years ago. I'm just not as into it. I know it's still quite popular. Still though it [always] wins the night,' he admitted. 'I even brought it up with Channel Seven. I was like, ''why would you put it up against Channel Nine's biggest show?'' 'They said, "We're not gonna just surrender and put episodes of Gilligan's Island on we still need to have a sexy current cool product for their advertisers".' 'A lot of people don't want to advertise in MAFS because of the style of content of show.' Pierce Brosnan's wife Keely Shaye Smith swathed her slimmed-down figure in a stylish ensemble when the couple were spotted this week. Keely, 61, and her movie star husband, 71, stepped out Tuesday for a lunch date at Nobu Malibu, a fashionable sushi restaurant beloved by celebrities. The outing came days after Keely showcased her sensational weight loss, which observers have estimated at 100lbs, at the premiere of Pierce's new show MobLand. After setting the internet ablaze with her reduced frame, Keely proudly surfaced this week in a sleek outfit that elegantly accentuated her figure. She opted for a flowing, summery white blouse over a fitted pair of black trousers that played up her shapely legs as she strolled beside Pierce. Meanwhile the James Bond icon opted for a head-to-toe black ensemble, clashing against his distinguished coiff of snowy white hair. Pierce Brosnan's wife Keely Shaye Smith swathed her slimmed-down figure in a stylish ensemble when the couple were spotted this week Keely garnered headlines last week after displaying her incredible weight loss at the MobLand premiere in New York City. The American journalist, who married Pierce in 2001, displayed her new figure in a black, lace mini dress with three-quarter sleeves. However despite her changing appearance, Pierce has always supported his wife after he defended her back in 2022. After the couple celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary back in the August of that year, a cruel post about Keely's weight went viral on Facebook. In the post, which has since been deleted trolls compared how her body had changed since first meeting Pierce in 1994. Yet the star made sure to defend his wife as he replied: 'Friends offered her surgery to reduce her weight. But I strongly love every curve of her body. 'She is the most beautiful woman in my eyes. And also because she had our five children.' He continued: 'In the past, I truly loved her for her person, not only for her beauty, and now I'm loving her even more that she is my children's mother. Keely, 61, and her movie star husband, 71, stepped out Tuesday for a lunch date at Nobu Malibu, a fashionable sushi restaurant beloved by celebrities Pierce's incredible response has been revealed after friends made jibe at his wife Keely's weight back in 2022 (pictured at the MobLand premiere last Sunday) Pierce has always supported his wife after he defended her after friends made a cruel jibe at her weight as he said: 'I strongly love every curve of her body' (pictured in 1996) 'And I am very proud of her, and I always seek to be worthy of her love.' Last year, Keely told Vogue: 'I never shy away from my curves. I never hide in baggy clothing.' Pierce then added: 'I love my wife's curves.' Pierce was previously married to Cassandra Harris and adopted her daughter Charlotte and son Christopher when their dad passed away in 1986. And together, they welcomed son Sean in 1983. Charlotte died from ovarian cancer in 2013 at age 41. Just over three years on after Charlotte's tragic passing, Pierce met American journalist Keely while in Mexico. Upon meeting Pierce in Mexico in 1994, Keely told People that she immediately found the Bond actor 'captivating' and that he had a 'mischievous sparkle in his eyes'. Keely displayed her three-digit weight loss in a black, lace mini dress with three-quarter sleeves. She is seen right in 2018 He responded to the now deleted post saying: 'She is the most beautiful woman in my eyes. And also because she had our five children' In the same interview, the actor said of his wife: 'I found a great woman in Keely Shaye. Not if I searched a million times over would I find one as good.' Gushing over how Keely has supported him in his grief for his first wife, he told the Irish Times in 2013: 'Keely has always been kind and compassionate and encouraged me to mourn Cassie. I suppose Keely is my North Star, always looking out for me.' He often shares his love for and devotion to Keely on Instagram where the couple celebrate milestones including anniversaries and birthdays. Celebrating Keely's 60th birthday in September 2023, Pierce penned in his birthday post: 'Sixty roses for my brown eyed girl on her 60th birthday.' Referring to their first meeting he added: 'Forever happy and blessed was I to be sitting there when you walked around the corner early one morning in Cabo San Lucas.' Keely also supported her husband through more immeasurable grief, when his eldest daughter Charlotte died in 2013 from ovarian cancer, the same disease which claimed her mother's life 21 years earlier. She was just 42 years old. He often shares his love for and devotion to Keely on Instagram where the couple celebrate milestones including anniversaries and birthdays Later that year, he told the Irish Mirror how his wife continued to help him through his grief as he said: 'Love is just the most beautiful, joyous feeling. It can come from many places. 'Hopefully the one who is beside you, the one who is there on the pillow beside you in the morning my wife.' He added: 'We seem to do well at being together and being in love and, more importantly, liking each other. The like factor is a great thing. Love cannot burn constantly. 'It's very hard for it to be so intense. But it's wonderful. I tell her I love her everyday. It's important to say that.' Fans of The White Lotus are buzzing over Sunday's season finale. And in the wake of the heart-wrenching final episode, viewers think they've uncovered a secret 'feud' between two of the main characters. Aimee Lou Wood, 31, and Walton Goggins, 53, who played the couple Chelsea and Rick in season three of the Mike Whitecreated drama, are rumored to be on bad terms off-camera. One reason for the alleged feud is that the stars do not appear to follow each other on Instagram. Now, Reddit, TikTok, and X are full of threads dedicated to theories about why the pair may have had a behind-the-scenes falling-out. Notably, even though Aimee doesn't appear to follow Walton's personal account, she still follows his eyeglass page, Goggle Glasses. Fans of The White Lotus are buzzing over Sunday's season finale. And in the wake of the heart-wrenching final episode, viewers think they've uncovered a secret 'feud' between two of the main characters; Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood seen in a still from The White Lotus Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood and Goggins are rumored to be on bad terms off-camera; Goggins pictured on April 7 in NYC Fans have pointed out that the stars don't appear to follow each other on Instagram as evidence for the alleged feud; Wood is pictured March 25 in London One X user jokingly revealed the development by posting a gif of seasons one and two star Jennifer Coolidge looking confused. Another user shared on Reddit, 'I feel like no one is talking about the falling out of them? 'They unfollowed each other on insta a couple weeks ago, walton posts white lotus stuff and tags everyone in the photos except aimee lou wood, posts a whole tribute to white lotus and still doesnt tag her, posts tons of pictures of her on his story in a commemorative tribute to the show. what happened?' The person added, 'They used to idolize each other and talk about each other in such positive light in interviews and such, its so weird that all of a sudden theres this switch up?' Another X user wrote in amazement: 'aimee lou wood follows 5,160 people on instagram and none of them are walton goggins' On X, one viewer weighed in on an album of behind-the-scenes photos Walton had posted to Instagram. 'Walton Goggins not tagging Aimee but tagging everyone else WHAT HAPPENED,' they wrote. Particularly perplexing to some fans was how Walton had apparently posted a sweet and extensive set of photos of himself and Aimee to his Instagram Stories. One X user jokingly revealed the development by posting a gif of seasons one and two star Jennifer Coolidge looking confused The actors played the couple Chelsea and Rick in season three of the Mike White drama Particularly perplexing to some fans was how Walton had apparently posted a sweet and extensive set of photos of himself and Aimee to his Instagram Stories Another person was amazed that 'aimee lou wood follows 5,160 people on instagram and none of them are walton goggins' But music critic Carl Wilson offered a more measured take, suggesting that the apparently unfollowing was just an example of how tempestuous actors can be To mark the tragic final episode of season three, Walton shared a lengthy, thoughtful caption on Instagram along with stills of the couple. And Aimee also shared her two cents about the characters' 'love story' via Instagram 'Obsessed with walton goggins posting an 18 slide instagram story of photos of him and aimee lou wood set to silver springs by fleetwood mac.' one X user wrote in astonishment. Several others were surprised by the same set of posts and just how long the display of photos of the two actors went on. But music critic Carl Wilson offered a more measured take. 'Everyone on here reading tea leaves on Walton Goggins & Aimee Lou Wood clearly has never met actors, who are constantly emotionally over the top with each other, until they move on to their next job and don't even keep in touch,' he wrote. Walton has been married to director Nadia Conners since 2011. His previous wife, Leanne Goggins, died by suicide in 2004. To mark the tragic final episode of season three, Walton shared a lengthy, thoughtful caption on Instagram along with stills of the couple. 'With the heaviest of hearts To me, ours was a love story. It was only ever a love story, hindered by unresolved, childhood trauma. We all have them but can we move past them. In the depths of our despair there is always beauty around us. If we can sit with our pain, just sit with it not react not be defined by itIts there the love the world is constantly giving in any given moment is there. Always waiting for us to see it Trust me I know,' he wrote. Elsewhere in the message, he spoke to Wood directly, writing, 'Thank you Aimee Lou for being my partner a journey I will never forget.' Aimee also shared her two cents about the characters' on Instagram. She wrote that she considered season three to be a portrait of two characters who were 'nuts,' while still being a sweet 'love story.' 'Both can be true. It's all of it,' she continued, while clarifying that it was Rick and Chelsea's 'self-destructiveness' that led to their deaths. Simon Baker has gotten candid about his strange appearance in a beloved 2000s film and why it's deterred him from ever watching the flick. The Aussie star, 55, told Esquire Australia on Wednesday that his very blonde eyebrows in The Devil Wears Prada have put him off of watching the movie at all. The actor, who landed the career-changing role in 2006, went on to reveal that his friend's wife had pointed out his bizarre look in the popular film. 'What the f*** is going on with your eyebrows in that movie?' she asked him. When he probed her for more details about his appearance in the movie, she told him: They just had like their own f***ing thing going on. When asking another friend about his eyebrows in the flick, they told him they were just 'surfy', sun-bleached and needed a bit of a 'trim'. Simon Baker has gotten candid about his strange appearance in a beloved 2000s film and why its deterred him from ever watching the flick The Aussie star, 55, told Esquire Australia on Wednesday that his very blonde eyebrows in The Devil Wears Prada have put him off of watching the movie at all The comments have left a lasting impression on The Mentalist star, who decided to never watch the film as a result. 'Its gotten to the point now where The Devil Wears Prada is such a beloved movie that its literally like baiting the hook and throwing it overboard and getting a bite straight away, whenever I say that Ive never seen it,' he said. It comes after Simon was spotted in Sydney on Monday for the premiere of Amazon Prime miniseries The Narrow Road to the Deep North. He opted for a timeless monochromatic look in a tailored black blazer and matching pants. The Boy Swallows Universe star paired it with a crisp white shirt and brown dress shoes, radiating charm as he posed for photos. He appeared on the red carpet along with Hollywood heavyweight Jacob Elordi, who made headlines after he praised Married At First Sight bride Carina Mirabile's fashion sense. Despite being the guest of honour for the event celebrating his new series, the 27-year-old Euphoria star was captivated by Carina's stunning red gown. 'Great dress,' Jacob told the reality star as he walked up the cinema stairs, while Carina sat in her seat and smiled. Simon was spotted in Sydney on Monday for the premiere of Amazon Prime miniseries The Narrow Road to the Deep North Jacob decided to switch up his signature look at the event, by debuting a moustache Jacob decided to switch up his signature look at the event, by debuting a moustache. The actor showed off the neat facial hair at the glitzy event as he wore a navy collared jacket with a matching pair of high-waisted trousers. He added a white vest and completed the outfit with matching loafers. The Kissing Booth star accessorised with a thick gold chain necklace and small gold hooped earrings on each ear, showing off his voluminous brown locks for the shoot. During an evening celebrating the latest and greatest in fashion, Julia Fox, Lisa Rinna and Fergie led the A-list stars committing red carpet style faux pas. The trio attended the 2025 Fashion Trust U.S Awards on Tuesday night, which were held at The Lot at Formosa in Los Angeles. Fox, 35, took inspiration from a creepy marionette clown as she posed for photographers wearing wacky face paint and a gaudy high-neck floral frock. Her face was painted bright white with dramatic arched black eyebrows, rosy pink cheeks and vibrant red lips. Fox's once silver-toned pixie cut was dyed neon yellow for the invite-only occasion and styled in pin curls. Sitting atop the model's head was a dramatic wide-brimmed hat that matched her sky-high Mary Jane heels. During an evening celebrating the latest and greatest in fashion, Julia Fox, Lisa Rinna and Fergie led the A-list stars committing red carpet style faux pas. The trio attended the 2025 Fashion Trust U.S Awards on Tuesday night, which were held at The Lot at Formosa in Los Angeles Rinna, 61, turned heads for all the wrong reasons as she arrived in a bright blue floral accordion gown. The frightening frock had futuristic, angular shoulders and bell-sleeves that flowed past the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum's hands. She rocked a brunette faux hawk hairdo and fierce blue eyeshadow that nearly rivaled her dramatic nude-toned pout. Fergie, 50, hit the red carpet in a bizarre all-black outfit featuring an oversized ruffled shall. The hitmaker's look also consisted of a black satin corset top and high-waisted trousers, both of which failed to flatter he incredibly fit figure. She shielded her eyes with rhinestone-adorned sunglasses and accessorized with shiny gold jewelry, including claw-like rings. During the photo op, Fergie posed up with Swedish fashion designer Bea Akerlund, who stunned onlookers by wearing an Hermes shopping bag as a crown, and Bea's filmmaker spouse Jonas Akerlund. Famed fashion photographer David LaChapelle brought along a scantily-clad Guetcha Tondreau as his date to the A-list function in Los Angeles. Tondreau, a Boston-raised supermodel, flashed her chiseled physique in a barely-there American Flag bikini and matching heels. Julia Fox, 35, took inspiration from a creepy marionette clown She posed for photographers wearing wacky face paint and a gaudy high-neck floral frock Her face was painted white with dramatic arched black eyebrows, rosy pink cheeks and vibrant red lips Sitting atop the model's head was a dramatic wide-brimmed hat that matched her sky-high Mary Jane heels Fox's once silver-toned pixie cut was dyed neon yellow for the invite-only occasion and styled in pin curls Lisa Rinna, 61, turned heads for all the wrong reasons as she arrived in a bright blue floral accordion gown She rocked a brunette faux hawk hairdo She had on fierce blue eyeshadow that nearly rivaled her dramatic nude-toned pout Fergie, 50, hit the red carpet in a bizarre all-black outfit featuring an oversized ruffled shall The hitmaker's look also consisted of a black satin corset top and high-waisted trousers, both of which failed to flatter he incredibly fit figure She shielded her eyes with rhinestone-adorned sunglasses and accessorized with shiny gold jewelry, including claw-like rings During the photo op, Fergie posed up with Swedish fashion designer Bea Akerlund and Bea's filmmaker spouse Jonas Akerlund Bea stunned onlookers by wearing an Hermes shopping bag as a crown Famed fashion photographer David LaChapelle brought along a scantily-clad Guetcha Tondreau as his date to the A-list function in Los Angeles Tondreau, a Boston-raised supermodel, flashed her chiseled physique in a barely-there American Flag bikini and matching heels Lori Harvey, 28, raised eyebrows as she strayed from her typical style taste on Tuesday night Instead of her go-to bodycon gown or sleek blazer dress, the model posed up in a mismatched frock with a skintight leopard-print bodice and a crinkled satin lavender-toned skirt She continued to miss the mark by styling her dress with translucent heels Zooey Deschanel rocked a ruffled, multi-tiered maroon gown that swallowed up her petite 5foot5inch frame The New Girl star, 45, paired her dress with a gold hardshell purse and chunky gold bangle bracelets Laverne Cox had a rare style miss as she walked the red carpet in a bizarre flapper-inspired look The actress, 52, twirled around in a silver and black geometric dress worn with a black coat that she let rest in the crook of her arms She wore a glitzy netted cap over her silver, pin curled hair and opted for bold black lipstick Laverne cozied up to Moschino creative director Jeremy Scott, who waltzed around the venue sans pants Instead, the designer, 49, layered an oversized blazer and unbuttoned white dress shirt over a pair of barely visible shorts Lori Harvey raised eyebrows as she strayed from her typical style taste on Tuesday night. Instead of her go-to bodycon gown or sleek blazer dress, she posed in a mismatched frock with a skintight leopard-print bodice and a crinkled satin lavender-toned skirt. Zooey Deschanel rocked a ruffled, multi-tiered maroon gown that swallowed up her petite 5foot5inch frame. The New Girl star, 45, paired her dress with a gold hardshell purse and chunky gold bangle bracelets. Laverne Cox had a rare style miss as she walked the red carpet in a bizarre flapper-inspired look. The actress, 52, twirled around in a silver and black geometric dress worn with a black coat that she let rest in the crook of her arms. She wore a glitzy netted cap over her silver, pin curled hair and opted for bold black lipstick. Laverne cozied up to Moschino creative director Jeremy Scott, who waltzed around the venue sans pants. Natasha Bedingfield flashes the flesh in a tiny black bandeau top styled with a shrunken black leather jacket Soo Joo Park strutted her stuff in a skintight white bandage frock with a streamer-like skirt and styled with pointy flip-flop sandals Oscar-nominee Colman Domingo is known for taking fashion risks And the 55-year-old actor had all eyes on him as he arrived in a mint-toned, 3D floral suit that looked several sizes too big Anne Crawford emerged in a terrifying black frock The dress' dramatic ruffled collar nearly hid her face from the cameras Kathy Hilton strolled up to the event in a shimmery pink frock worthy of a princess-themed birthday party Kathy was joined by her daughter Nicky and designer pal Rebecca Vallance Nick Hilton raised eyebrows as she layered what would've been a sexy plunging gown over a demure high-necked minidress Dance Moms alum Maddie Ziegler flashed her abs in a cringe-worthy bleached denim coord It consisted of a tight zip-up denim jacket and a low-rise skirt with a daring slit up one side and a raw hem Instead, the fashion designer, 49, layered an oversized blazer and unbuttoned white dress shirt over a pair of barely visible shorts. Natasha Bedingfield flashes the flesh in a tiny black bandeau top styled with a shrunken black leather jacket. Soo Joo Park strutted her stuff in a skintight white bandage frock with a streamer-like skirt, which was styled with white pointy flip-flop sandals. Oscar-nominee Colman Domingo is known for taking fashion risks. And the 55-year-old actor had all eyes on him as he arrived in a mint-toned, 3D floral suit that looked several sizes too big. He styled his eye-catching suit with a chunky silver chainlink necklace and clown-like patent leather shoes. Anne Crawford emerged in a terrifying black frock with a dramatic ruffled collar that nearly hid her face from the cameras. Kathy Hilton strolled up to the event in a shimmery puffy pink dress worthy of a princess-themed birthday party. Jaime King who recently lost custody of her two children raised eyebrows in a Big Bird-inspired yellow ruffled minidress and strappy purple heels Wrong Turn star Emmanuelle Chriqui let her enviable abs do the heavy lifting as her blue faux leather coord proved to be a fashion fail The socialite-turned-reality TV star, 66, carried a glittery silver handbag with a large 3D floral decal on the front of it. Kathy's eldest daughter Nick Hilton, 41, raised eyebrows as she layered what would've been a sexy plunging gown over a demure high-necked minidress. Rachel Zoe left little to the imagination in an extremely low-cut dress made of a thick, stiff looking white fabric. Dance Moms alum Maddie Ziegler flashed her abs in a cringe-worthy bleached denim coord. It consisted of a tight zip-up denim jacket and a low-rise skirt with a daring slit up one side and a raw hem. Celeb-loved photographer Petra Collins tried to bring back the bubble skirt as she modeled a bizarre skirt and top combo Bryan Barrientos achieved maximum comfort by wrapping himself in a bedroom comforter-inspired jacket for the A-list function Rachel Zoe left little to the imagination in an extremely low-cut dress made of a thick, stiff looking white fabric Jaime King who recently lost custody of her two children raised eyebrows in a Big Bird-inspired yellow ruffled minidress and strappy purple heels. Wrong Turn star Emmanuelle Chriqui let her enviable abs do the heavy lifting as her blue faux leather coord proved to be a fashion fail. Celeb-loved photographer Petra Collins tried to bring back the bubble skirt as she modeled a bizarre skirt and top combo for the cameras. Bryan Barrientos achieved maximum comfort by wrapping himself in a bedroom comforter-inspired coat for the A-list function. Advertisement Notorious underworld figure Tony Mokbel has snubbed a 'fan' just days after he was released from prison. Mokbel was bailed on Friday after spending 18 years in custody for running a major drug operation. The convicted criminal was reporting to police, as part of his bail conditions, at Heidelberg station on Monday. One eager fan of Mokbel's decided to lay in wait for the notorious figure, hoping for him to autograph his copy of the Fat Tony and Co DVD. Fat Tony and Co was a 2014 series in the Underbelly franchise that starred Robert Mammone as Tony Mokbel. 7News was on the scene capturing Mokbel's police visit, and the footage showed him brushing past the crestfallen fan as he made his way into the police station. Notorious underworld figure Tony Mokbel has snubbed a 'fan' just days after he was released from prison. Seven spoke to the man after his near brush with infamy, and he remained philosophical about the snub. 'I brought the Fat Tony and Co DVD - just thought I might be able to get a signature from him but he wasnt interested,' the unnamed man admitted. 'But thats alright, thats all good. Had a go, thats the main thing.' Tony Mokbel was released on Friday after the Court of Appeal agreed he had been set up by disgraced former lawyer and police informer Nicola Gobbo. Mokbel previously said the first two things he will do upon his release will be seeing his children and visiting his mother's grave, the Herald Sun reported. The decision to release Mokbel stirred audible gasps from his supporters, who crammed into the courthouse alongside a full-blown media circus. Mokbel had been treated like a celebrity from within the prison dock, shaking hands and chatting with his supporters - two of which left court in an orange Lamborghini on Tuesday. He had arrived in court on Friday once again in an armoured vehicle and escorted inside by Security and Emergency Services Group guards. The convicted criminal was reporting to police, as part of his bail conditions, at Heidelberg station on Monday One eager fan of Mokbel's decided to lay in wait for the notorious figure, hoping for him to autograph his copy of the Fat Tony and Co DVD While free on bail, Mokbel will be forced to wear a GPS ankle bracelet that will monitor his every movement. He will need to report to the local police station every day and adhere to a strict curfew between 11pm and 6am. The court heard Mokbel had 'strong family support' and a mystery long-term de facto partner. In setting Mokbel free on bail, Justices Karin Emerton, Robert Osborn and Jane Dixon agreed he stood a solid chance of winning his appeal against three convictions for drug trafficking, which is expected to be heard later this year. If he wins, it will likely result in his complete release. His current sentence expires in 2037, but he is eligible for parole in June 2031. Prosecutors had argued Mokbel could not be trusted to comply with his bail conditions given his infamous escape to Greece just before Christmas 2006. 'I brought the Fat Tony and Co DVD - just thought I might be able to get a signature from him but he wasnt interested,' the unnamed man admitted to 7News. 'But thats alright, thats all good. Had a go, thats the main thing.' Mokbel's barrister Julie Condon, KC, told the court her client had 'exceptional circumstances' for being released on bail, describing his case as 'very rare'. His bail had hinged on nine factors, including his poor health, the strength of his appeal case and his circumstances in custody. Mokbel had been languishing in jail since 2007 when he was caught in Greece after going on the run from Melbourne while on bail. Known more widely as 'Lawyer X', Nicola Gobbo had been Mokbel's lawyer while informing against him in the early 2000s when he was a kingpin of Melbourne's deadly Underbelly War. It was a 12-year war that began in January 1998 and ended in August 2010 with 36 underworld figures dead. Jaden Smith showcased his usual quirky sense of style on Tuesday as he stepped out in a giant fluffy black hat for a dinner at Loulou restaurant in Paris. The rapper, 26, was joined by a group including a mystery woman he was seated next to, and luxury fashion designer Christian Louboutin. Jaden commanded attention in the dramatic oversized headpiece, which towered up into the shape of what looks like two ears. He teamed the statement accessory with baggy studded cargo trousers from his own brand MSFTSrep. The son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith then added a white shirt and black tie, before throwing on a black leather bomber jacket to complete his look. Jaden seemed to be in high spirits as he chatted away to the group during the evening at their outdoor table. Jaden Smith showcased his usual quirky sense of style on Tuesday as he stepped out in a giant fluffy black hat for a dinner at Loulou restaurant in Paris The rapper, 26, was joined by a group including a mystery woman he was seated next to, and luxury fashion designer Christian Louboutin He was all smiles and pulled a series of animated facial expressions as he enjoyed his evening out in the French capital. It comes just after Jaden, who is no stranger to bizarre fashion choices, delivered yet another head-turning look as he attended a Louis Vuitton show and afterparty last month in a puff-sleeved tweed top with cinched waist. The top closely resembled a $7,900 coat from Louis Vuitton's 2025 spring womenswear line, which is available in a black and lime green hue. Jaden's outfit also consisted of baggy jeans, black boots with a heel, layered necklaces, and a $22,500 trunk inspired bag from Louis Vuitton. Weeks before, he looked effortlessly stylish as he stepped out in a custom two-piece suit for a Paris Fashion Week event. Jaden exuded confidence as he showed off his tailored suit and oversized sunglasses as he attended Louis Vuitton's LVMH Prize event at Avenue Montaigne. The Karate Kid actor, who is an ambassador for the brand, paired his dark grey blazer with a pair of elegant sunglasses to top off the look. His blazer drew in all the attention, with a sophisticated pleated finish and silver buttons. He wore baggy, pleated trousers for an extra touch, and rounded the outfit off with chunky black boots. Jaden commanded attention in the dramatic oversized headpiece, which towered up into the shape of what looks like two ears He teamed the statement accessory with baggy studded cargo trousers from his own brand MSFTSrep He threw on a black leather bomber jacket to complete his look Jaden seemed to be in high spirits as he chatted away to the group during the evening at their outdoor table He was all smiles and pulled a series of animated facial expressions as he enjoyed his evening out in the French capital Jaden is so stranger to unusual fashion choices and isn't afraid to push boundaries The group dined at an outdoor table as the luxury restaurant which is popular with A-Listers The rapper opted to keep his hat on throughout the dinner, turning heads Jaden kept his look clean, with a simple necklace to add finishing touches, and his hair in an up-do. And his appearance at fashion week came not long after he raised eyebrows for his head-turning outfit at the Grammys in February. The actor wore a 'castle' on his head for the biggest night in showbiz, and he definitely made people stare. He wore an all-black suit, with a simple white shirt and tie, but the main event was a black headpiece shaped like a castle. Jaden dated influencer Sab Zada, 25, for four years and in July last year, Sab shared a birthday tribute calling Jaden a 'rainbow in human form'. But the pink-haired beauty was left shocked after seeing pictures of her long-term beau locking lips with thong-clad influencer Khleopatre in August. And although the couple didn't confirm they had split, Jaden was also spotted with another mystery woman in West Hollywood that same month. It comes just after Jaden, who is no stranger to bizarre fashion choices, delivered yet another head-turning look as he attended a Louis Vuitton show last month Weeks before, he looked effortlessly stylish as he stepped out in a custom two-piece suit for a Paris Fashion Week event And his appearance at fashion week came not long after he raised eyebrows for his head-turning outfit at the Grammys in February But the pair could now be back on track as Sab joined her former flame in the French capital for fashion week in October. In October, Will Smith revealed that he's grown closer to his three kids, Jaden, Willow, 23, and Trey III, 31, by being more transparent and not pretending to have all the answers or be 'Superman.' 'My children are moving closer to me,' he told People. 'I feel like I'm becoming a valuable elder.' He added: ''I'm finding such a different relationship just in being able to say, 'Hey, I don't know, guys. I'm a partner with you in this situation, and I'm not going to pretend I'm Superman. I love you, son, but I don't know.' ''And you know what I'm discovering? That, as a parent, because I'm continuing to push, because I'm continuing to work on myself and I'm continuing to try to get my head around this grand mystery... Because I'm continuing to work, my children are gravitating toward me more.' Michael Fabricant wasted no time in opening up about his varied love life as he discussed his polyamorous lifestyle during Tuesday's episode of Celebrity Big Brother. The former MP identifies as bisexual and has a colourful romantic life to say the least, including a partner of 35 years, several 'deep friendships' and even an appearance on the celebrity edition of First Dates. The politician, 74, has never married, but has had a long relationship with former Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street, having previously described him as his 'life partner'. Michael met Andy, who was the chief executive of John Lewis until 2016, at an Oxford University reunion when Street heckled him. Despite being 13 years his junior, the pair have been together for 35 years now and in 2014 it was revealed they shared a 300,000 Snowdonia holiday home together. Speaking to The Mail On Sunday at the time, Michael confirmed the couple didn't live together full time as joked: 'Frankly, if we lived together we would murder each other!' A look into Michael Fabricant's VERY varied love life after he revealed he is in a polyamorous set-up with THREE people during Tuesday's episode of Big Brother The former MP identifies as bisexual and has a colourful love life to say the least, which even includes an appearance on the celebrity edition of First Dates (pictured in 2017) He also insisted the pair, at the time, didn't have an intimate relationship as he teased: 'We can be friends without having him do things to my ****** or me to his, for God's sake!' 'I give Andy a hug occasionally and he stands there rigid with embarrassment.' In an interview with GB News in 2021, he told Gloria De Piero: 'Theres something special, but Im not quite sure what it is. One of those indefinable little things.' Asked how Andy would respond to the same question he teased: 'He would cringe with embarrassment. He would take the microphone off and storm off the set.' He also made sure to emphasise his active sex life as he candidly revealed: 'I get it in one form or another quite regularly, I can tell you. 'All my bits and pieces work They haven't fallen off through lack of use.' Discussing his sexuality he explained his beliefs that most people aren't exclusively gay or straight but are 'on a form of the [bisexual] spectrum, though whether they do anything about it is another matter'. He confirmed at the time that he had only had full sexual intercourse with women. The politician, 74, has never married, but has had a long relationship with former Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street (R), having previously described him as his 'life partner' He has made sure to emphasise his active sex life as he previously candidly revealed: 'I get it in one form or another quite regularly, I can tell you' (pictured in 2016) Despite being 13 years his junior, the pair have been together for 35 years now and in 2014 it was revealed they shared a 300,000 Snowdonia holiday home together He also admitted he had 'gone past the stage of wanting girlfriends and all the rest of it,' as he described Andy as 'someone I can rely on in life and he can rely on me'. Prior to meeting Andy, Michael had relationships with women, including an American girl who came back to the UK with him after he met her studying in California. But he has never regretted not marrying. He explained: 'I have always run away from responsibilities like babies and things. It's rather selfish actually. 'In my 30s I was abroad a lot and I enjoy the company of blokes. I'm not exclusively gay [though] I have certainly done things with a bloke.' Speaking about his dalliances with women he confessed: 'All the women I was with, they wanted to get married. They wanted babies. They wanted mortgages. They wanted commitment. 'I didnt want commitment. And then I met an American guy, and then subsequently I met Andy and we both lead, as I said just now, busy lives. 'Were there for each other. But it does mean I can get on with being, nowadays, an MP, and he can get on with being West Midlands mayor and were not constantly worrying about each other and all the rest of it.' Back in 2017 Michael tipped his toe into the world of reality TV dating when he appeared on the celebrity version of First Dates in aid of Stand Up To Cancer. The flamboyant politician revealed he was looking for a woman for companionship, or 'a bit of sex maybe'. Speaking about his dalliances with women he confessed: 'All the women I was with, they wanted to get married. They wanted babies. They wanted mortgages. They wanted commitment' Back in 2017 Michael appeared on the celebrity version of First Dates in aid of Stand Up To Cancer and revealed he was looking for a woman for companionship, or 'a bit of sex maybe' During their dinner, Jan - who did not initially recognise him - commented on Fabricant's sexuality and said that 'the wig is a bit of a giveaway', before she told him to 'get rid of it' Speaking ahead of his date with Jan, a fantasy novelist, Michael told cameras: 'I think most people think I'm gay. 'But when you're a Member of Parliament, if I came out and said what I am - which is probably bisexual - people would say "he's greedy, he can't make up his mind!"' However things took an awkward turn when she made a joke about his blonde hair, with Michael hitting back at her jibes that he was wearing a wig. During their dinner, Jan - who did not initially recognise him - commented on Fabricant's sexuality and said that 'the wig is a bit of a giveaway', before she told him to 'get rid of it'. Michael who has previously described himself as 'not exclusively gay', appeared taken aback with her remark, and said: 'I'm not going to make personal comments about you. I think that's a rather rude thing to do in a dinner.' Apologising, Jan said: 'I did not mean to be rude.' Michael said: 'It's me. My hair is me, if you like it - great. If you don't - hard luck. I think making a personal remark seems rather aggressive and unpleasant, actually.' Later during their date, Jan apologised to Mr Fabricant again, to which he replied: 'Can we not discuss hair? 'I won't discuss your breasts if you promise not to discuss my hair.' Michael opened up about his polyamorous set up on Tuesday's episode of Celebrity Big Brother as he told Drag Race UK winner Danny Bear that he has a partner of 35 years as well as several 'deep friendships'. While he didn't name Andy he hinted at their relationship as well as several 'deep friendships' with people he goes on solo holidays with. Michael opened up about his polyamorous set up on Tuesday's as he told Drag Race UK winner Danny Bear that he has a partner of 35 years as well as several 'deep friendships' Danny asked: 'Would you call that an open relationship? Because I actually think a lot of gay people like that and a lot of straight people don't understand it' 'I've never been in the closet,' Michael said, before JoJo Siwa asked if he was in a relationship and he replied: 'It's complicated. I have someone who I have known for 35 years who's 13 years younger than me. 'But I also have, and this is even more complicated, two friends and we all go on holiday separately with me or not.' Danny asked: 'Would you call that an open relationship? Because I actually think a lot of gay people like that and a lot of straight people don't understand it.' Michael appeared to agree with Danny as he nodded his head, before later adding: I would maybe say I've got very deep friendships. That would maybe be more tactful.' Advertisement Filming on Channel Nine's The Block has been well underway in regional Victoria since last month. And new aerial photos have revealed that the 2025 season will feature some massive homes. The sprawling construction site located in the tiny rural getaway of Daylesford, 112km from Melbourne, features five blocks. All of the two-storey dwellings are built as a 'H' design layout with courtyard spaces in front and back of the home. A photo from the site shows that one team of Blockheads are well ahead of their rivals. The contestants appear to have already completed most of the roofing which features several skylights. The new season of The Block is well and truly underway in regional Victoria. Pictured: Scott Cam All of the two-storey dwellings are built in a 'H' design layout The sprawling construction site is located in Daylesford, 112 km from Melbourne Scaffolding has also been applied to the exterior. Two other homes appear to be advanced in their construction, with the remaining two sites yet to begin work on their roofing. Another photo shows that The Block site is situated on a tree-lined main road with only a handful of homes nearby. It comes after production of the Nine hit allegedly hit a serious snag. An industry insider exclusively told Daily Mail Australia that cameras were set to roll in Daylesford in January. It is understood that filming began last month. The reason for the hold up? Our source revealed that producers are less-than-enamoured with the crop of contestants who applied for the show's 21st season. They claimed casting producers have been in crisis meetings with Nine executives because they are so far unhappy with the presented line-up for 2025. A photo from the site shows that one team of Blockheads are well ahead of their rivals The contestants appear to have already completed most of the roofing which features several skylights. (Pictured) Two other homes appear to be advanced in their construction. 'There are desperate measures being made to get the show right for the next series,' the source said. 'There has been a noticeable absence of what Channel Nine were interested in showcasing later this year.' The source said Nine was interested in attracting 'older and wiser' contestants for 2025, in a bid to move away from on screen drama that has become a fixture on the show in recent seasons. Much of the 2024 season was dominated by the controversial 'flirtgate scandal' involving married couple Brad and Kylie Baker, and their co-star Mimi Belperio. Daly Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine for comment. This season contestants will have to build their luxury homes completely from scratch in a new plotline that is sure to inject even more tension into the already time-pressured and stressful builds. According to Realestate.com.au, planning documents submitted to Hepburn Shire Council include five new plots that will provide a starting-off point for contestants. Previously, Blockheads have been tasked with renovating an existing property or, in the case of the 2022 season, renovating homes that were shipped into the Gisborne site. In a huge challenge, the 2025 contestants will be required to complete the shell of a five-bedroom floor plan, including a study, living area and a garage. The properties will also include other lavish amenities including a covered outdoor area and a heated swimming pool. The documents, which were submitted by Group Architects, also suggest that the five homes will be near-identical two-storey eco friendly developments. Hailey Bieber skipped the star-studded 2025 Fashion Trust U.S. Awards in Los Angeles on Tuesday night despite her VIP invite. The model, 28, was notably missing as A-listers including Kate Hudson, Cara Delevingne and Mandy Moore descended on the red carpet before the annual ceremony. Concerns for her marriage with Justin heightened when the model failed to turn up for photos before the ceremony amid their rumoured strife. Hailey was given the prime job of handing out the gong for the Honorary Award, which went to Anthony Vaccarello, creative director of Saint Laurent - the brand Hailey is an ambassador for. After skipping the red carpet, which she never fails to miss, Hailey posed for photos later in the evening inside the venue. The mother-of-one, who shares son Jack Blues, eight months, with the hitmaker, oozed elegance in a cut-out burgundy gown. Hailey Bieber, 28, skipped the star-studded 2025 Fashion Trust U.S. Awards on Tuesday night despite her VIP invite Concerns for her marriage with Justin heightened when the model failed to turn up for photos before the ceremony amid their rumoured strife (pictured together in February) Amid rumors surrounding Justin's well-being and 'troubled' marriage to Hailey, Justin was seen cracking a rare smile while out in Palm Springs this week. The two-time Grammy winner, 31, was spotted grabbing a to-go drink with his entourage at The Vintage Coffee House in the celeb-loved desert city on Monday. The display was a stark contrast to Justin's hollow-eyed appearance and bizarre antics over the last few months, which included a stirring Instagram livestream that many fans took as a 'cry for help.' But Justin appears to have gotten his spark back as a source exclusively told DailyMail.com on Tuesday that he and his 'ride or die' Hailey are actively working to save their marriage. The insider also dished that Hailey is 'up for the challenge' and ready to provide the 'consistency' that Justin so desperately needs right now. 'The best case scenario for them is to be together. Justin needs consistency, Justin needs his ride or die and Hailey is always up for the challenge,' they explained. 'She loves Justin with such fever that sometimes it looks like he is taking her for granted, but this recent united front is not just to slow down the rumors, they are actively working on their relationship and being happy, especially with each other is the best medicine.' DailyMail.com's exclusive source continued: 'They're parents now and sometimes couples don't focus on being a couple again, that is what they are doing now as they want to make their relationship work. The model was notably missing as A-listers including Kate Hudson (L), Cara Delevingne (C) and Mandy Moore (R) descended onto the red carpet before the annual ceremony Hailey was given the prime job of handing out the gong for the Honorary Award, which went to Anthony Vaccarello Hailey presented an award too Anthony (pictured) - creative director of Saint Laurent - the brand Hailey is an ambassador for After skipping the red carpet, which she never fails to miss, Hailey posed for photos later in the evening inside the venue The mother-of-one, who shares son Jack Blues, eight months, with the hitmaker, oozed elegance in a cut-out burgundy gown Pritika Swarup, Lori Harvey (L-R) bought Hailey to laughter as they caught up for a photo Justin has become increasingly unrecognizable, fueling growing concerns with videos of himself smoking weed and acting erratically on impromptu live streams 'Justin and Hailey are very much aware that if they were to split it would likely lead to a complete tailspin for Justin that he could struggle to recover from,' the source said. 'Hailey is his rock'; the couple pictured in April 2022 'They want to be happy. They aren't going to let a good go easy.' The couple's recent united front, which has come in the form of frequent outings around Los Angeles, is said to be proof of their commitment to one another. 'These recent outings have been a blessing in disguise, and they look forward to continuing it together for the foreseeable future. They are putting in the work.' Several of Justin's musical collaborators and pals including Post Malone and Zedd are set to perform this weekend, giving him ample opportunity for a cameo. Their love-up LA outings came shortly after it emerged that close friends and loved ones have gone so far as to suggest marriage counseling for the couple. Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, an insider revealed that the Rhode Beauty founder 'craves the Justin she fell in love with.' 'The way their relationship is now, they both know it could be better. It is not as bad as some are saying but it is strained,' they said. 'Friends have suggested counseling.' The Baby musician has also been papped in public wearing bizarre outfits, and posted a cryptic meme following his ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez's engagement to music producer Benny Blanco. Coronation Street star Jack P Shepherd had viewers baffled when he made a hand signal towards the camera as he entered the Celebrity Big Brother house on Monday. But now the meaning behind the gesture has been revealed, and it's not what you think. The actor, 37, sported a black short-sleeve shirt with white and pink flowers, teaming it with black trousers, as he took to the stage for the launch show in front of a raucous studio audience. Asked by hosts Will Best and AJ Odudu about appearing on Celebrity Big Brother, he said: 'I'm fine, I think it'll be fun. I'm sure everybody is really nice and we all got along. [Corrie co-star Colson Smith] has given me loads of advice and loads of tips.' He then presented a gesture to the camera which involved a raised pinky finger, index finger, and an extended thumb. Jack's last action before entering the CBB house left fans rather confused but now MailOnline can explain the true meaning behind the symbol. Coronation Street star Jack P Shepherd had viewers baffled when he made a hand signal towards the camera as he entered the Celebrity Big Brother house on Monday The actor, 37, sported a black short-sleeve shirt with white and pink flowers, teaming it with black trousers, as he took to the stage with AJ Odudu and Will Best for the launch show At first glance, you'd be forgiven for mistaking this for the Sign of the Horns emoji, which features a hand with the pinky and index fingers extended, and signals 'rock on'. However, the addition of the thumb actually completely changes the meaning. Instead, this popular emoji really means 'I love you'. The news has come as a shock to many emoji users, including one who was left red-faced by her misinterpretation of the sign. 'So I sent one of my male friends this emoji today thinking it meant something cool forgetting it actually means I love you...well that was an embarrassing conversation,' she tweeted. The 'I love you' emoji is based on American Sign Language. The pinky finger extended represents the letter 'I', while the thumb and index finger extended together represent the letter 'L'. Meanwhile, the pinky and thumb extended together represent the letter 'Y'. The emoji in question features a hand with a raised pinky finger, index finger, and an extended thumb This similar Sign of the Horns hand sign is often associated with heavy metal culture, and has roots in Italian traditions as a ward against the 'evil eye' So, when these letters are combined, they represent 'ILY' - or 'I love you'. The similar Sign of the Horns hand sign is often associated with heavy metal culture, and has roots in Italian traditions as a ward against the 'evil eye'. Now, it is commonly used to signify 'rock on' or 'good times' - and importantly, it keeps the thumb clasped against the two middle fingers, rather than extended. 'I've always meant rock on or let's rock something like that lol,' one user tweeted about the 'I love you' emoji. Another said: 'I thought it meant rock on.' And one joked: 'I love you! I didn't know that's the meaning. I just saw it on a woman's shirt and I had to know what it means.' The 'I love you' emoji isn't the only one you've probably been using wrong. While you might assume that a heart emoji just means love, in emoji slang each different colour actually has its own hidden meaning. The news has come as a shock to many emoji users, including one who was left red-faced by her misinterpretation of the sign In the most common view, a red heart represents classic love or romantic feelings. An orange heart is used for warmth, enthusiasm, or love between friends and family. Meanwhile, a blue heart is used less for romance, and more frequently to express friendship or to say that something is cute. Likewise, a black heart doesn't necessarily have any associations with death or dark emotions and is more often used as an alternative to the red heart for aesthetic reasons. Mickey Rourke entered the Celebrity Big Brother house with a bang on Monday night after he caused peak controversy by eyeing up host AJ Odudu at the show's launch. The Hollywood star confessed he has a 'short fuse' and doesn't take orders very well as he warned the fellow celebrities to be respectful in his introductory video. And Mickey already has a few enemies outside the house, one of them most notably being President Donald Trump. His disagreement with the now President began back in the 1990s when he trashed a hotel room with rapper Tupac and ended up being sued by the businessman. The actor and the rapper were staying at The Plaza hotel in New York, which Trump owned from 1988 until 1995. Speaking on the Real Quick with Mike Swick podcast Mickey explained: 'Tupac and I were staying in the Plaza Hotel when we were shooting Bullet together. I caused maybe $6,000-$7,000 worth of damage.' Celebrity Big Brother star Mickey Rourke made an enemy of Donald Trump after wild night with Tupac back in the 1990s (pictured in 1994) His disagreement with the now President began back in the 1990s when he trashed a hotel room with Tupac and was sued by the businessman, who owned the hotel at the time 'This scumbag Trump sued me for $27,000, plus he put about six paragraphs of the worst, negative, demeaning disrespectful s**t you could write about people. So, it's personal for me.' Referring back to the incident in 2019 he exclaimed: 'That piece of s**t that's sitting in the White House, that p***y, that lying c**ksucker. That no-good f***ing two-faced f***ing piece of s**t.' Speaking to TooFab he added: 'He said some really nasty things about the two of us [him and Tupac]. And you know what? It's personal. There's gonna be a day where he ain't president, and we're gonna bump into each other. And you're gonna feel me.' It seems Mickey has never let the bad blood go between the pair after he told TMZ in 2015: 'Tell Donald Trump to go f*** himself - he's nothing but a big mouth b**** bully!' The Wrestler actor added, 'And I'd love to have 30 seconds in the room with the little b****, all right?' He also made it clear he would not be voting for him in the 2016 presidential election as he said: 'Id rather stick a .38 up my a** and pull the trigger than vote for Donald Trump.' Launching into a huge tirade he used homophobic slurs and body-shaming remarks. Mickey said: 'This scumbag Trump sued me for $27,000, plus he put about six paragraphs of the worst, negative, demeaning disrespectful s**t you could write about people. So, it's personal for me' (pictured with the rapper in 1994) The star, who is currently on CBB, previously said of the President in 2015: 'Tell Donald Trump to go f*** himself - he's nothing but a big mouth b**** bully!' The star also made his opinions known after he wore a hoodie which read: 'Screw you Donald Trump. Money doesn't buy hearts nor testicles,' in Spanish He began: The biggest scumbag on the planet is that maggot with an F in the front of it, Donald Trump. 'F*** him. F*** the horse he rode in on.' He continued: 'Donald Trump can go f*** himself. Hes not a tough guy. Hes a bully and hes a b***h, and he can suck my f****** d***. 'Ill meet him in the hotel room any motherf****** day of the week and give him a Louisville Slugger. Kiss my motherf****** a** , you b**h, punk, c********r.' Later that year the star also made his opinions known by means of a political statement written on his hoodie. Seen leaving an Italian restaurant in Beverly Hills, it read: 'Screw you Donald Trump. Money doesn't buy hearts nor testicles,' in Spanish along with the image of a man wearing a sombrero. Then in 2018 Mickey branded Trump a 'garbage can' president as he told TMZ: 'Everything he says is bullshit, so you cant trust nothing, you know what Im saying?' Then in 2018 Mickey branded Trump a 'garbage can' president as he told TMZ : 'Everything he says is bullshit, so you cant trust nothing, you know what Im saying?' In a resurfaced clip from Mickey's interview on Talk TV in 2022, the star admitted he has received visits from the Secret Service following on from his comments about Trump 'Was it something you said about President Trump?' Piers asked as Mickey replied: 'Just the truth' Comparing Trump to the nations 18th president he added: 'I mean, Ulysses S. Grant was a shitty president. So every once in awhile you get a garbage can. We got a garbage can for a president.' When asked whether he'd hit Trump with a left hook, Mickey responded: 'What do you think? A left hook from hell.' More recently, in a resurfaced clip from Mickey's interview on Talk TV in 2022, the star admitted he has received visits from the Secret Service following on from his comments about Trump. As host Piers Morgan attempted to pry over his thoughts on Trump, Mickey remained tight-lipped as he replied: 'They call it the United States of America, but it's now the Divided States of America, and there's one big reason for that, but I'm not going to go into it because I don't need another visit from the Secret Service.' 'Was it something you said about President Trump?' Piers asked as Mickey replied: 'Just the truth'. When pressed further by Piers, Mickey added: 'Read my mind.' Advertisement Former AFWL star Moana Hope has questioned her sexuality after viewing Robert Irwin's sexy photo shoot for Bonds underwear. The high-profile zookeeper, 21, sent fans into a frenzy last week when the pictures hit the internet, many of them featuring a half-naked Robert in provocative poses. Taking to her to social media on Wednesday, the 37-year-old who has identified as a lesbian her whole life, gushed over Robert's photos. Im going to be really honest I think I might be bisexual,' Moana said in the light-hearted Instagram video. She continued: Let me explain... I'm so gay, I've been a lesbian since ever and have never kissed a man or been close to a man... I just don't find men sexually attractive.' The businesswoman went on to say she did appreciate a 'beautiful man'. Former AFWL star Moana Hope has questioned her sexuality after viewing Robert Irwin's sexy photo shoot for Bonds underwear. (Pictured) Robert Irwin, 21, sent fans into a frenzy last week when the pictures hit the internet (Pictured) After describing herself as 'so gay' she admitted that after seeing Robert in his undies she thought, 'Am I though?' He is a good looking man,' Moana gushed. She ended her rave with a risque joke about Robert's bulging jocks. When the camera was up close I thought, "What a gorgeous man,"' she said with a smirk. And when it zoomed out and anacondas look like they were present I remembered exactly why Im gay. But I can appreciate a beautiful man.' Moana recently made headlines after news broke that she had split from her partner Maria Thatitil. After months of rumours, the former Miss Universe Australia, 32, had 'quietly called time' on her 18-moth relationship with her AFLW star partner. Taking to her to social media on Wednesday, the 37-year-old who has identified as a lesbian her whole life, gushed over Robert's photos After months of rumours, former Miss Universe Australia, Maria thattil has 'quietly called time' on her 18-moth relationship with Moana. (Both pictured) Maria confirmed that the reports were true in February. Continuing, Maria said that the breakup, while difficult, was amicable. The ex-Miss Universe Australia started dating Moana late last year and the couple even teased an engagement. It comes after fans of the Irwin family were left swooning after Robert debuted a new photo spread on last week. Robert, the son of the late icon Steve Irwin, posed in a series of smoking pictures for People Magazine as he modelled Bonds to help bring the Aussie brand to the US. In a gimmick that referenced his career as a conservationist, Robert posed with live animals in some of the photosand according to the magazine, most of them were venomous. In one picture, Robert left little to the imagination as he wore a pair of white underwear, giving a smoldering look to the camera as a large snake was wrapped around his neck. He also draped the snake around himself as he sat down in a chair in a pair of black Bonds underwear, showing off his washboard abs. In another snap, he cuddled with a large lizard, but this time, Robert was more covered up in a casual white tank top and dark teal undies. The photos have since gone viral, with fans from all around the world swooning at the all grown-up Robert. Morgan Freeman has revealed the real reason why he always wears his signature gold earrings, and it is a darker explanation than you would expect. The Hollywood actor, 87, is often seen wearing his trademark gold hoops, with the jewellery a part of his get-up since he burst onto the scene aged 49 with his big break Street Smart. Since finding fame the star has never swapped out his classic gold hoops, yet rather than wearing them for a fashion statement the accessory is actually an insurance in case of the star's untimely death. Explaining the reasoning to fans in an Instagram post he penned: 'These earrings. I get asked all the time about them. 'The truth is, these are worth just enough for someone to buy me a coffin if I die in a strange place. That's why sailors used to wear them and that's why I do.' During an interview with Fox News in 2016 Morgan also explained that he drew inspiration from Burt Lancaster after watching him in The Crimson Pirate, which tells the story of a fictional sailor in the Caribbean. Morgan Freeman has revealed the real reason why he always wears his signature gold earrings, and it is a darker explanation than you would expect (pictured in 2019) Since finding fame the star, 87, has never swapped out his classic gold hoops, yet the accessory is actually an insurance in case of the star's untimely death (pictured in 1998) He said: 'When I was a kid, I saw a pirate movie with Burt Lancaster, who wore an earring. I thought that was sexy. 'Then I learned that sailors wore gold earrings to pay for funerals if they died in foreign lands. I'm a sailor, so that nailed it.' Morgan confessed he feels an 'attachment to the sea'. Speaking to The Guardian he explained: 'I always wanted an earring. It has to do with my attachment to the sea. 'When I was around 35, I was separated from my wife, and she said, "I'm going to pierce your ear." I'm an avid sailor, a dyed-in-the-wool blue-water man. 'When I was 30 years old, a man gave me a boat. It was in a reservoir in Vermont, and I learned to sail it. Then, I was hooked on sailing. That was in 1967, and Ive been doing it ever since.' It comes after Morgan caught the attention of fans after they noticed him wearing a singular black glove on his left hand at the 2025 Oscars. The actor, who led an emotional tribute to his 'dear friend' and co-star Gene Hackman, kept his hands clasped behind his back for much of his TV appearance. Taking to Twitter, fans speculated: 'Morgan Freeman wears a glove on his left hand!!! What??? When were you going to tell me this!!'; He said: 'When I was a kid, I saw a pirate movie with Burt Lancaster, who wore an earring. I thought that was sexy. Then I learned that sailors wore gold earrings to pay for funerals if they died in foreign lands. I'm a sailor, so that nailed it' (pictured 2024) It comes after Morgan caught the attention of fans after they noticed him wearing a singular black glove on his left hand at the 2025 Oscars 'Why was Morgan Freeman wearing a black glove? #Oscars2025.' However the star has been spotted with the glove for several years to help alleviate an agonising health issue. The Se7en star previously revealed he suffers from fibromyalgia a condition for which there is no cure following nerve damage after a serious car crash. In 2008, the vehicle he was driving flipped multiple times near his home in Charleston, Mississippi, with the actor having to be cut free by emergency workers before being airlifted to a hospital. Morgan, who was 71 at the time of the accident, was reportedly 'hospitalised for four days after the collision and his injuries included a broken arm and elbow'. He told Esquire magazine in 2012 that it had also left his hand paralysed, with the condition causing pain 'up and down the arm'. 'That's where it gets so bad. Excruciating.' Fibromyalgia is thought to affect between 1.8million and 2.9million people in the UK and roughly 4 million adults in the US. What causes the condition is unknown. But it is believed to be related to misfiring brain signals changing the way the nerves carry pain messages around the body. It causes a range of symptoms including increased pain sensitivity, muscle stiffness, fatigue and problems concentrating, as well as low mood, according to the NHS. There are limited treatments for fibromyalgia and campaigners have long been fighting for further research into the condition. Pedro Pascal has been praised by fans for his 50th birthday outfit after fans spotted a heartwarming detail on his T-shirt. The Last Of Us star, 50, celebrated the milestone earlier this month with a big party in London, which was headlined by DJ Honey Dijon, with a slew of other guests in attendance including Russell Tovey and his sister Lux. But fans were more interested in what the actor was wearing - a white T-shirt with the slogan 'Protect the dolls,' which refers to transgender women. Pedro posed for a snap with DJ Dijon at the bash showing off his T-shirt, as well as a black cap which reads 'House of Dijon'. The T-shirt is by American fashion designer Conner Ives, who said when it was released that all proceeds generated from the sale of it would go directly to the charity Trans Lifeline. Fans rushed to X to shower Pedro in praise for supporting the community, writing: 'He's the best, he gets it.' Pedro Pascal has been praised by fans for his 50th birthday outfit after fans spotted a heartwarming detail on his T-shirt The Last Of Us star, 50, celebrated the milestone earlier this month with a big party in London, which was headlined by DJ Honey Dijon (pictured together) 'Protect the Dolls that's right king! Support our sisters!' 'The protect the dolls shirt is incredible I love him.' 'Oh I need a Protect the Dolls tee!' 'I love this man.' 'He might be in the top 5 coolest men ever.' 'OBSESSED W THIS????' It's not the first time Pedro has shown his support for the transgender community after earlier this year he posted the quote: 'a world without trans people has never existed and never will' on Instagram. He added in his caption: 'I can't think of anything more vile and small and pathetic than terrorizing the smallest, most vulnerable community of people who want nothing from you, except the right to exist.' Pedro's sister Lux is also transgender, 32, after coming out and transitioning back in 2021. Fans rushed to X to shower Pedro in praise for supporting the community, writing: 'He's the best, he gets it' It's not the first time Pedro has shown his support for the transgender community The actor has previously admitted he's fierecely protective of his sister, and he's won praise from fans for his LGBTQ advocacy. However, he admits that Lux is a 'powerful' personality and doesn't need to rely on him for supporting, saying: 'I need her more than she needs me.' He told Esquire: 'I wouldn't want to speak on her behalf but she is and has always been one of the most powerful people and personalities I've ever known. My protective side is lethal, but I need her more than she needs me.' It comes just after Pedro finally addressed his 'insane' coffee order - after it was revealed that he drinks six shots of espresso over ice. Speaking on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show this week, the Last Of Us star recalled the interaction with a fan while walking in New York City in 2023. The delighted fan had shared footage of their interaction to her TikTok account, and attentive viewers were quick to notice that Pedro's Starbucks coffee cup revealed his coffee order on the cup's sticker. It turns out, he got an iced quad - which is four shots of espresso - however, it appears that he had two extra shots put into the already-strong drink. 'Quad expresso. In a Venti cup. Extra ice. Six shots,' the order on his receipt read, as Pedro was pictured holding the impressive drink. Pedro's sister Lux is also transgender, 32, after coming out and transitioning back in 2021 The revelation caused meltdown on the internet, as people branded his choice 'violent' and 'chaotic', while others joked they would have to try it for themselves. Two years on and he's addressed the viral moment for the first time, even saying he felt 'violated' when it was leaked. Bringing up picture evidence of the controversial coffee order, Kimmel said: 'This was a viral thing! We've got your coffee order and then zeroed in on your order. We've got six, is that six extra shots or six total shots?' To audience laughter, Pedro joked: 'I cannot begin to tell you how violating this was. There is so much context to why it has become six shots of espresso. 'It was always a quad but then I feel like the cups got bigger. And, I don't know, the shots got less strong and at some point it became six. 'And it was an incredibly private morning ritual that I never wanted anyone to know about. I don't have more coffee for the rest of the day, I swear!' 'You had it all in one big gulp,' Kimmel replied, going on to brand Pedro's coffee a 'methaccino'. But Pedro refused to back down and justified having so much caffeine at once, explaining: 'It's on ice, you sip it! You sip it, and then you get really high. And you answer emails and stuff.' Robert Irwin's Bonds underwear photo shoot certainly attracted its fair share of raunchy reactions from fans online. Now a Sydney radio host has come out slamming many of the racy comments, calling them out as an example of 'double standards'. 2GB presenter Lucy Zelic said that if a middle-aged man made similar comments about a young woman they would be 'crucified'. Zelic read out a series of provocative posts reacting to the 21-year-old's photo shoot which had the zookeeper posing with reptiles and a spider in tight fitting undies which left little to the imagination. Many of the comments she shared with listeners on Wednesday during 2GB's Sydney Now show made playful fun of Robert's 'bulge' below the waist with one user joking that his 'python [was] quite long'. Zelic quoted another Robert fan who said, 'I think I would let you put a spider on me.' Robert Irwin's Bonds underwear photo shoot certainly attracted its fair share of raunchy reactions from fans online. Now a Sydney radio host has come out slamming many of the racy comments, calling them out as an example of 'double standards' 2GB presenter Lucy Zelic (pictured) said that if a middle-aged man made similar comments about a young woman they would be 'crucified'. And another from a woman who said, 'Boy, not now i'm ovulating.' 'The reason why I have an issue with these comments is that this pursuit of gender equality and how appalling it is for men to objectify women ... why is it OK by todays standards to objectify men?' an angry Zelic told listeners. 'Why does the way we comment about women get criticised but the way that we comment about men gets celebrated and accepted? Would we accept these comments coming from middle-aged men directed at a 21-year-old woman?' she continued. Zelic said that any man commenting in a similar way about a woman would result in him being 'crucified'. 'Youd be cancelled, called toxic. This is misogyny, youre disgraceful, youre embarrassing.' It comes after fans of the Irwin family were left swooning after Robert debuted a new photo spread last week. Robert, the son of the late icon Steve Irwin, posed in a series of pictures for People Magazine as he modelled Bonds to help bring the Aussie brand to the US. In a gimmick that referenced his career as a conservationist, Robert posed with live animals in some of the photosand according to the magazine, most of them were venomous. 'The reason why I have an issue with these comments is that this pursuit of gender equality and how appalling it is for men to objectify women ... why is it OK by todays standards to objectify men?' an angry Zelic told listeners In one picture, Robert left little to the imagination as he wore a pair of white underwear, giving a smoldering look to the camera as a large snake was wrapped around his neck. He also draped the snake around himself as he sat down in a chair in a pair of black Bonds underwear, showing off his washboard abs. In another snap, he cuddled with a large lizard, but this time, Robert was more covered up in a casual white tank top and dark teal undies. The photos have since gone viral, with fans from all around the world swooning at the all grown-up Robert. Denise Richards' daughter Sami Sheen revealed why her car has been repossessed twice despite 'making $3M' on OnlyFans. The media personality, 21 - who recently claimed her father Charlie Sheen is 'missing out' on her new wild life - opened up about the situation on Tuesday's finale episode of Denise Richards And Her Wild Things. Richards was preparing for a photo shoot with Sami as well as her other daughters Lola, 19, and Eloise, 13, for Runway TV. However, the OnlyFans star showed up to the set over an hour late and admitted that her pink Ford Bronco had been repossessed. 'It got repossessed because I forgot to put the - no, I forgot to put the payments on my new card,' Sami explained. 'Last time this happened - this has happened twice - it took me two weeks to get it back,' she further added. Denise Richards' daughter Sami Sheen, 21, revealed why her car has been repossessed twice despite 'making $3M' on OnlyFans Denise then questioned during a confessional, 'How do you not know you didn't prepay it? That's part of being an adult. It sucks sometimes.' In response, the 21-year-old expresses, 'Yeah, mom, I'm not ready to be an adult. It's clear. I forget things all the time. Of course I forgot to pay off my freaking car.' Shortly before the photo shoot took place, the Starship Troopers actress shared that she had 'anxiety' due to her daughters Sami and Lola feuding. She then received a text from her eldest child and expressed, 'Oh my God. Sami's car just got f***ing stolen.' 'I think my car got stolen. It's gone,' the message from Sami had read. 'My car is f***ing gone, I don't even know what to do.' Richards recommended that her daughter notify the police before Sami began to back out of the photo shoot. However, the mother-of-three expressed the importance of her being there. 'Sami, we can send you a car to come here, it is what it is.' Denise further told Sami that ditching the photo shoot would not 'bring your car back' and added, 'You just need to call the police.' However, the OnlyFans star showed up to the set over an hour late and admitted that her pink Ford Bronco had been repossessed 'It got repossessed because I forgot to put the - no, I forgot to put the payments on my new card,' Sami explained. 'Last time this happened - this has happened twice - it took me two weeks to get it back'; Sami (left) seen with Denise and Lola in March She then received a text from her eldest child and expressed, 'Oh my God. Sami's car just got f***ing stolen' The ex-wife of Charlie Sheen then said during another confessional, 'When you have to do something, you have to show up. 'I think that this [photoshoot] is such a great opportunity, especially because Sami wants to model and she is just starting out.' Richards - who began modeling when she was a teenager - continued, 'It's a small town and you don't want word to get around that you're being difficult or you're not going to show up the day of. That's not cool.' It comes not long after it was revealed that Sami has made over $3 million after joining OnlyFans when she was age 18. A source told DailyMail.com in February, 'Sami has been killing it, her images are super popular and she is already a multi-millionaire. She is on her way to making a fortune from her modeling, and she is just getting started.' The insider added that the media personality has also gotten her own place and is 'rolling in the dough.' Sami recently discussed why she initially joined OnlyFans as a teenager and explained to People, 'I really wanted to get an apartment, and I knew that working at the candy shop I was working at wasn't going to cut it. 'So I went to the next best thing and made an OnlyFans. It opened so many doors for me.' It comes not long after it was revealed that Sami has made over $3 million after joining OnlyFans when she was age 18 She continued, 'I've met really cool people doing it, and it's been really rewarding being my own boss and making my own hours and being able to do the things I've always wanted to do.' When Sami made the choice to join OnlyFans, her father Charlie at first did not 'condone' her decision. In a statement to E! News, the Two And A Half Men star had expressed, 'I do not condone this, but since I'm unable to prevent it, I urged her to keep it classy, creative and not sacrifice her integrity.' He then added, 'She is 18-years-old now and living with her mother. This did not occur under my roof.' Denise later responded to her ex-husband's statement and also informed the outlet, 'Sami is 18, and this decision wasn't based on whose house she lives in. 'All I can do as a parent is guide her and trust her judgement, but she makes her own choice.' However, shortly after, Charlie's view on the situation altered and he told the publication that Richards, 'has illuminated a variety of salient points, that in my haste, I overlooked and dismissed. 'Now more than ever, it's essential that Sami have a united parental front to rely upon, as she embarks on this new adventure. From this moment forward, she'll have it abundantly.' Sami recently discussed why she initially joined OnlyFans as a teenager and explained to People, 'I really wanted to get an apartment, and I knew that working at the candy shop I was working at wasn't going to cut it' During an episode of Denise's Bravo series, Sami expressed that Charlie is 'missing out' on being a part of her life Richards also took the step to start an OnlyFans account of her own to further show her support for Sami. During an episode of Denise's Bravo series, Sami expressed that Charlie is 'missing out' on being a part of her life. At the time, Richards was getting ready to meet her ex for lunch along with her Lola. However, Sami made the choice to not join them. During a confessional, the model said, 'I would rather do literally anything else than go to lunch with my father.' She further opened up about their rocky relationship and explained, 'It goes in very big chunks with him. I think for the first 13 years of my life it was pretty bad, and then we were okay for a couple years, and now it's just like, okay.' The Two And A Half Men actor has notably battled addiction in the past and Denise said her eldest children 'have been through a lot with their dad. I understand why Sami feels the way she does.' Earlier this month, Sami jumped to her TikTok page to share a list of every cosmetic procedure that she has done But Lola stated that she was 'close' to her father and labeled their own relationship as 'so good.' The teen added, 'My relationship with my dad has definitely improved. We started getting pedicures together, like, every two or three weeks, and that's, like, our favorite thing to do together.' Earlier this month, Sami jumped to her TikTok page to share a list of every cosmetic procedure that she has done. The surgeries included breast augmentation, Botox, lip filler, nose filler, rhinoplasty and also veneers. Christina Haack said she is ready for one more 'adventure' with new boyfriend Christopher Larocca - after pictures of the new couple's raunchy make out session at Cabo San Lucas went viral. Just a day after Daily Mail shared exclusive photos of the lovebirds getting frisky at a hotel bar in Mexico, the HGTV star, 41, posted some swoon-worthy snaps with her man, 52, from their luxurious getaway. In one image, the mother-of-three planted a sweet kiss on Larocca's cheek as they enjoyed a scenic boat ride together. 'Final day adventure,' she captioned the picture, which showed her rocking a black crop top and sunglasses and him in a white t-shirt and Yankees cap. Another showed them smiling as they sat on a swing together while she posed with her legs on his lap and one hand gently pressed against his chest. Earlier in the day, the lovers shared breakfast on their private, sun-drenched patio that provided them a serene space to enjoy the ocean views and each other's company. Christina Haack shared a glimpse of her romantic escape to Cabo San Lucas with her boyfriend, Christopher Larocca, after recently sending the internet into a frenzy Her post comes just 24 hours after they took the concept of a public display of affection to a new level on their latest sighting. In the raunchy photos, which can be seen in full here, Haack could be seen draped over her new lover as he perched on a barstool behind her and fondled her breasts. As they got flirty, the Flip or Flop alum could be seen embracing him and placing her hands on his belly and in his lap while sporting a tiny blue Louis Vuitton bikini. Haack and Larocca have been dating for several months since her split from her third husband, Josh Hall, last summer. On Tuesday evening, Haack sang Larocca's praises in a vulnerable post, in which she revealed that she has an anxious-attachment style. Those that suffer from anxious attachment tend to have a fear of abandonment and rejection by their partner and require constant reassurance and validation. While reflecting on her history of co-dependency issues, the TV personality explained 'things can be challenging' in her dating life and by 'things' she meant herself. 'Meeting an unexpected good man who has his own amazing career, life & hobbies (who also happens to have zero jealousy) can at times feel strange for someone who has had the opposite,' she said, referring to Larocca. Her post comes one day after DailyMail.com shared exclusive photos of the lovebirds getting frisky at a hotel bar in Mexico, taken on Tuesday (seen above) In the raunchy photos, obtained by DailyMail.com, Haack could be seen draped over her new lover and embracing him She continued: 'At 41 Im finally learning about safe communication, independence during commitment and a relationship that is NOT 0-100.' 'I am for sure guilty of putting pressure on others. Facing my own insecurities has forced me into doing the shadow work Ive been avoiding.. its time to break the cycle,' she declared. Haack rose to fame in the 2010s when she starred in her first TV program, Flip or Flop, opposite her first husband Tarek El Moussa. That show ran for ten series, and Haack and El Moussa had two children together, Taylor Reese, 12, and Brayden James, nine. In May 2016, however, the married couple got into an explosive fight, and police were even called to their home in response to a 'possibly suicidal male with a gun', according to Us Weekly reports. In one image, uploaded to her Instagram Story, the pair can be smiling on a swing together as she posed with her legs on his lap and one hand gently pressed against his chest Another showed them enjoying a scenic boat ride together The couple addressed the fight at the time, dismissing it as an 'unfortunate misunderstanding' and added 'the police were called to our house in an abundance of caution. There was no violence and no charges were filed.' They divorced in 2018, but managed to keep working together on their show. (El Moussa is now married to Selling Sunset star Heather Rae Young.) Just before Haack and El Moussa's divorce was finalized in 2018, Haack started dating another real estate reality TV star, Ant Anstead. They met through a mutual friend and got married less than a year later, in December 2018. On Tuesday evening, Haack sang Larocca's praises in a vulnerable post, in which she revealed that she has an anxious-attachment style While reflecting on her history of co-dependency issues, the TV personality explained 'things can be challenging' in her dating life and by 'things' she meant herself They welcomed a son, Hudson London, in 2019, but then split a year later. On Instagram, Anstead claimed the split wasn't his decision, writing: 'I have remained silent while holding on to hope. I never gave up on us. I pray Christina's decision brings her happiness.' Anstead has since moved on with Bridget Jones star, Renee Zellweger. In somewhat of a familiar pattern, just before Haack's divorce from Anstead was finalized, Haack started dating a new man, another real estate agent, Josh Hall. Haack then married Hall in April 2022 and shared photos of the wedding to her social media accounts, writing: 'Everything in life has led me to where I am right now, which is exactly where I want to be.' But sadly their wedded bliss didn't last long and, just over two years later, in July 2024, Hall filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences. Since beginning her romance with Larocca, the CEO of telecoms company Network Connex, the pair have made memories across the globe together Since beginning her romance with Larocca, the CEO of telecoms company Network Connex, the pair have made memories across the globe together. This includes drinking champagne on a private jet and sharing a kiss in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Despite initially expressing hesitancy over the idea of ever walking down the aisle again, she confessed she has already thought about tying the knot with Larocca. While appearing on SiriusXM's Radio Andy, Haack joked she liked how often she has changed her last name given her three marriages. 'I kind of like it I'm going to change it again,' she said. Amy Locane opened up about life after prison in a rare interview this week. Nearly four months after her release, the Melrose Place star, 53, spoke up about how her second stint in prison changed her life and what she is doing now. She discussed her past, present and what she hopes for next in the future including a possible return to acting in an Us Weekly interview published on Wednesday. The actress who is known for starring opposite Johnny Depp in the 1990 musical comedy Cry-Baby also shared the first thing she did after her mom picked her up from the prison in December 2024, just a few days before Christmas. She had served a combined six-and-a-half years behind bars for a DWI car crash in 2020 that took a 60-year-old woman's life and severely injured her husband. Convicted of second degree vehicular homicide and assault by automobile, Locane was first incarcerated from 2013 to 2015 before she was locked up again from 2020 to 2024 after her first sentence was deemed too lenient. Amy Locane opened up about life after prison in a rare interview this week Nearly four months after her release, the Melrose Place star, 53, spoke up about how her second stint in prison changed her life and what she is doing now; pictured from left to right: Courtney Thorne-Smith, Doug Savant, Vanessa Williams, Grant Show, Amy Locane, Thomas Calabro and Josie Bissett in 1993 Melrose Place portrait She revealed the day she was released, her mother immediately took her to get food. 'My mom picked me up, and we went to Dunkin' Donuts,' she recalled. 'When you're inside [prison], you are so deprived. To have coffee with a real creamer is a huge treat.' They also went grocery shopping shortly after her release, and Locane expressed shock by how much had changed during the time she was behind bars. 'I was like, "How do I do this self-scanning stuff?"' About her life now after prison, she admitted: 'It feels very raw to be back in society. I'm looking at the word with fresh eyes.' She served her time behind bars at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women located in Union Township, New Jersey. During her time there, she said she worked what is 'considered a high-paying job' and made five dollars a day. She detailed her day-to-day life for the past few years. 'This bright, fluorescent light gets you up at 6 or 7 a.m. So I'd get up at 5 a.m. to have my alone time.' She discussed her past, present and what she hopes for next in the future including a possible return to acting in an interview published on Wednesday. She has been sober since 2010 and lives a low-key life with her family in New Jersey, but she said she hopes to act again one day The actress also shared the first thing she did after her mom picked her up from the prison in December 2024, just a few days before Christmas; pictured March 2005 Then, she recalled working in the kitchen each day of the week from noon to 6 p.m. cooking and cleaning for $5 a day. 'It was intense manual labor, [but] I liked having some outlet, some form of exercise,' she said. She has been sober since 2010 and lives a low-key life with her family in New Jersey, but she said she hopes to act again one day. She reflected on how leaving Hollywood behind in 2006 affected her life. 'There was a void in my life because I had [acted] for so long,' she said. About a possible return to acting, she said: 'I would do it in a heartbeat.' She also mentioned the upcoming Melrose Place reboot starring Heather Locklear, Laura Leighton and Daphne Zuniga. 'It would be very exciting to bring it back.' Nowadays, she said she is trying to mend her relationship with her daughters, Paige 18, and Avery, 16, after being physically separated for so long. She shares the two teenagers with liquor store owner Mark Bovenizer whom she was married to from 2008 to 2015. Locane who is known for starring opposite Johnny Depp in the 1990 musical comedy Cry-Baby said she now lives outside of Princeton, New Jersey now and spends her time working front desk at a doctor's office and attending church; pictured in 1990 still She also mentioned the upcoming Melrose Place reboot starring Heather Locklear, Laura Leighton and Daphne Zuniga. 'It would be very exciting to bring it back'; pictured in the bottom right of June 1995 cast portrait She had served about six and a half years behind bars for a DWI car crash in 2020 that took a 60-year-old woman's life and severely injured her husband; pictured June 1994 Convicted of second degree vehicular homicide and assault by automobile, Locane was first incarcerated from 2013 to 2015 before she was locked up again from 2020 to 2024 after her first sentence was deemed too lenient; pictured February 2013 She said she lives outside of Princeton, New Jersey now and spends her time working front desk at a doctor's office and attending a local Presbyterian church. She also said she is working on getting her associate degree, which she began pursuing during her second sentence. 'When I went away, I was getting good feedback from my professors. I learned I'm smart.' 'I see me and my family growing old together,' she said about her future. 'I want to be married again. If I do meet a guy now, I don't have to worry about [telling them], "Oh, by the way, I might have to go away for a little bit," so that'll be exciting.' In addition to re-entering society, she said she continues to face the pain she caused her loved ones and the family of the woman who died. 'To this day, I have a lot of remorse. It's a very, very, very heavy reality to live with,' she said. 'Every day when I'm praying, doing daily devotionals, I try to keep her in mind.' She later added: 'I don't think something that shaped you and your world so much could be something that you don't think about. They were hard lessons, but they say [lessons] have to be hard in order for you to grow. I can't let this define me.' Betty White was a fan of a boozy and unusual breakfast before her death at the ripe age of 99 in 2021. The Hollywood icon, who previously credited hot dogs for her longevity, loved drinking vodka on the rocks and eating chocolate cake for breakfast, her former co-star Meghann Fahy revealed. White Lotus star Fahy, 35, starred with White in 2011 Hallmark movie The Lost Valentines, and on Tuesday's Jimmy Kimmel Live! said: 'We crossed paths a bit, and she loved drinking vodka on ice and eating chocolate cake for breakfast, like a real, true legend.' Kimmel responded: 'Thats crazy. She lived a very long time. Was she drinking the vodka with the cake?' Fahy added: 'I think she just sort of moved through life in this amazing way. It was so cool for me to meet her that early on in my career, and learn that you can be as incredible as that, and still be so human and not fussy. 'Accentuate the positive, not the negative. It sounds so trite, but a lot of people will pick out something to complain about, rather than say, Hey, that was great! Its not hard to find great stuff if you look. Betty White was a fan of a boozy and unusual breakfast before her death at the ripe age of 99 in 2021 - pictured with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb in 2013 The icon of American television passed away in her home at the age of 99 in December 2021. She was just three weeks away from her milestone centennial birthday. A comic till the end, White credited 'vodka and hot dogs' for her longevity and added that trips up and down the stairs of her two-story house kept her in shape. Most importantly, she said: 'It's your outlook on life that counts. If you take yourself lightly and don't take yourself too seriously, pretty soon you can find the humor in our everyday lives.' The Golden Girls icon's tipple of choice in the 2020 lockdown was revealed to be a 'vodka martini' with 'hot dogs and french fries,' a pal of hers told Closer Weekly. This friend shared: 'Betty loves to joke that vodka keeps her young. She loves the image of her sitting at home in a rocking chair, drinking a martini and watching game shows, but she's not really a big drinker. That's not her. She'll only take a few sips of a cocktail if the occasion calls for it.' Betty herself recently told the magazine: 'I'm blessed with incredibly good health. That's something you appreciate a lot.' The TV legend has been 'doing very well' while self-isolating at home in California, her representative emailed Today. She 'Has helpers who are great' with her and 'wild animals visiting' her backyard, said the rep, dishing: 'The virus is afraid of Betty!' The Hollywood icon previously credited hot dogs for her longevity - pictured 2010 The star 'loved drinking vodka on ice and eating chocolate cake for breakfast, like a real, true legend' 'No one permitted in except those who must,' but she still has multiple phone calls with her publicist within a week during which 'we always have laughs.' Betty has spent eight decades working in television and has racked up the longest career in the history of the medium. Although she has been on a slew of hit programs including The Mary Tyler Moore Show she is most beloved for The Golden Girls. Betty starred on the show from 1985 to 1992 as Rose Nylund, a kindhearted bottle blonde ditz from St. Olaf, Minnesota. She was part of the main cast with Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, all three of whom were younger than she but have predeceased her. The Golden Girls ended because Bea Arthur did not want to do it anymore, so Betty joined Rue and Estelle in a follow-up sequel series. Entitled The Golden Palace, the spin-off show lasted only one season in 1993 and saw the three remaining leads start a hotel together. Chloe Khan turned heads as she stepped out with her dog for a stylish catch-up with friend Ezra James at the upscale Sachi restaurant in Belgravia on Wednesday. The former X Factor star, 34, stunned in a navy blue mini dress which highlighted her toned legs as she strutted her way out of the swanky eatery. Chloe elevated the chic look with white slingback heels and accessorised with a sleek black mini Chanel bag. She added a touch of elegance with delicate jewelry and wore her glossy raven locks loose and effortlessly flowing. Ezra looked equally sharp, opting for an all-black ensemble featuring a long-sleeve top and trousers. The duo appeared in great spirits as they were seen leaving the luxurious lunch spot walking arm in arm. Chloe Khan turned heads as she stepped out with her dog for a stylish catch-up with friend Ezra James at the upscale Sachi restaurant in Belgravia on Wednesday The former X Factor star, 34, stunned in a navy blue mini dress which highlighted her toned legs as she strutted her way out of the swanky eatery The duo appeared in great spirits as they were seen leaving the luxurious lunch spot walking arm in arm Chloe has come a long way from the Wakefield council estate she grew up on with her mother. The beauty is now worth an estimated 12million thanks to a successful OnlyFans career and turning to AI to rake in even more cash, recently claiming to have made a staggering 200,000 in just 24 hours thanks to her AI clone. She first hit the spotlight on the ITV singing show X Factor in 2010, where she made it to bootcamp but missed out on the live shows. Fast forward to today, and Chloe has swapped her modest start for a life of luxury - revealing last week that she splashed out 8,000 on a door at her sprawling Harrogate mansion which she has been transforming into her dream home since 2021. Chloe recently revealed how much she is really earning thanks to AI, claiming to have made 200,000 in just 24 hours thanks to her AI clone. She created a virtual 'twin' of herself so she could be 'everywhere at once' and reach fans all around the world. She shared a snap on Instagram of herself alongside her almost identical AI counterpart, both wearing the same lingerie. Chloe penned: 'When I ask her questions it's so freaky how she answers them to the exact word that I would say in real life. Former X Factor star Chloe has come a long way from the Wakefield council estate she grew up on with her mother (seen left in 2010 and right last month) The beauty is now worth an estimated 12million thanks to a successful OnlyFans career and turning to AI to rake in even more cash She recently claimed to have made a staggering 200,000 in just 24 hours thanks to her AI clone 'My mum was so freaked out by the answers, she said it's like a stalker, or as if my AI is inside my brain. 'When I see the AI images I have to ask myself if I was actually there for the photo shoot, or is it AI they are just so life-like! She is me and I am her! 'I honestly didn't know what to expect on the launch day, or if people would even understand what an AI companion/friend was! 'However, every time I checked the site, the money was flying up at a rapid speed. After posting it once on my Instagram story, 18 hours later, I had hit 200,000 in sales.' The beauty's AI twin was created by Foxy AI and Chloe hopes it will help her make her next million. She said: 'It was incredible. I'm actually not that surprised though because my AI so fun, and it's highly addictive once you start chatting to her. 'She can send texts, voice messages and naked pictures, and you can phone her up and speak to her. It's just wild and so life-like. I predict, and hope, that she will hit a million pounds very soon!' TOWIE star Yazmin Oukhellou has revealed she was rushed to hospital in a medical emergency. The reality star, 30, took to Instagram on Wednesday to share that she had been taken ill. Yazmin shared a snap of herself in a hospital bed, with a cannula in her arm after she was hooked up to a drip. She revealed that she became unwell after eating a bad oyster as she issued a stark warning to fans. 'Don't eat oysters [sick emoji] [crying face],' she captioned the snap on her Instagram Story. The reveal came just hours after Yazmin shared glamorous snaps from a night out in Dubai as she sported a cream knitted mini-dress with gold buttons. TOWIE star Yazmin Oukhellou revealed on Instagram on Wednesday that she was rushed to hospital in a medical emergency (Seen in September) Yazmin shared a snap of herself in a hospital bed, with a cannula in her arm after she was hooked up to a drip Back in December, Yasmin showed off the results of her 5,900 nose and chin surgery as she posed for a series of mirror selfies. She kept her followers up-to-date after jetting to Istanbul, Turkey, for a 4,150 rhinoplasty and a 1,750 chin liposuction procedure. Posing in a busty gold one piece, that featured keyhole cut-outs across her chest and waist, she gave a glimpse at her new look. Yazmin opted for a full face of glamorous makeup to enhance her most recent surgeries and pulled her hair back into a high ponytail. The TV personality, who first underwent a rhinoplasty in 2017, also showed off her incredible figure in her fitted ensemble. After touching down in Florida, she tagged her location as Miami Beach and captioned: '1 of 1.' Yazmin documented her 'sore' and 'swollen' face on TikTok as she recovered. She admitted day three post surgery 'was the worst day so far' as she uploaded a clip wearing a number of bandages on her face, following the liposuction, which removes pockets of fat in the chin. The reveal came just hours after Yazmin shared glamorous snaps from a night out in Dubai Yazmin sported a cream knitted mini-dress with gold buttons in the snap, as well as gold platform heels The former TOWIE star said: 'Today is worst day so far. Have a lot of swelling and so much pressure in my head. 'Eyelids bruised and swollen. Apparently day three and four are worst for swelling then should subside.' In another video, Yazmin explained how she hasn't changed her nose too much as she 'liked the old shape'. She said: 'I'm so pleased with the results, on the right side where I couldn't breath there was like a massive ball of scar tissue. I haven't had to much changed cause I liked the shape of my old nose. 'It takes one year to see the final nose result and it'll change all the time but I haven't had the tip changed so it shouldn't be to different.' Ahead of the procedure, Yazmin admitted she was 's***ing' herself and had 'anxiety' but she soon shared an update from her hospital bed. She said: 'Keeping you updated has stopped me from feeling lonely, I felt really down before. Overthinking is such a bad thing. I cannot give one fault about this place, one lady held my hand until I was out. 'I'll probably regret posting this stuff I'm so delirious with all the medicines but I think it's nice for you all to see the real Yaz.' Back in December, Yasmin showed off the results of her 5,900 nose and chin surgery as she posed for a series of mirror selfies As she posed for a mirror selfie before bed, Yazmin was seen wearing a nose bandage as well as a bandage wrapped around her face. Before departing her home, the TV personality admitted she was 'worried' about people judging her for the cosmetic surgery but revealed she wanted to be 'honest and transparent' about the journey. Speaking in a video, Yazmin said: 'It's something I've wanted to do for ages and I keep putting it off because I'm worried about people judging me but I'm now doing it because it'll make me happy, it's my face and body. 'I like to be transparent and honest with my followers and I'm going to document the whole experience. 'I know I'll get some hate for it but I can also help others getting it done or it might put some off from having it done. Life is to short, why am I worrying what people think and I've decided I'm going to live for me. I'll keep you posted on the journey'. Fans can't believe who the director of the new horror movie Drop is related to. He is the offspring of one of the major stars of the long-running frontier saga Little House On The Prairie from the 1970s. Turns out Christopher Landon is the son of Michael Landon and Lynn Noe. Michael played Charles Ingalls on the series from 1974 until 1983. After that Michael starred on another hit series, Highway To Heaven, from 1984 until 1989. And early in his career he was on the TV series Bonanza. Michael died in 1991 at the age of 54. Christopher, 50, has worked as a screenwriter on the thriller Disturbia and most of the films in the Paranormal Activity found-footage horror series. Fans can't believe who the director of Drop is related to. He is the son of one of the major stars of the long-running frontier saga Little House On The Prairie from the 1970s. Turns out Christopher Landon is the son of Michael Landon and Lynn Noe. Seen on Tuesday Michael played Charles Ingalls on the series from 1974 until 1983. Seen with (l-r) Melissa Gilbert as Laura Ingalls Wilder, Karen Grassle as Caroline Quiner Holbrook Ingalls, Melissa Sue Anderson as Mary Ingalls Kendall (front) Lindsay or Sydney Greenbush as Carrie Ingalls He wrote and directed Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones as well as the horror comedy films Happy Death Day, Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, Happy Death Day 2U, Freaky, and We Have a Ghost. He wrote and made his directorial debut on the satirical thriller film Burning Palms (2010). Fans have taken to Christopher's Instagram to say, 'I can't believe you're Michael's son, wow,' and, 'You don't look like him except for that smile, which is cool.' Christopher's sister is Jennifer Landon is also in show business. She plays foul-mouthed, pink-haired Teeter on the smash hit series Yellowstone. Her west Texas accent is so thick she is comically difficult to comprehend at times, much to the amusement of Cole Hauser's strongman Rip Wheeler. But in real life, Jennifer is far from a west Texas wildcat. The 41-year-old actress is actually from Malibu, is from a Hollywood family and grew up around TV sets, even acting as a child on a popular show. Here Christopher is seen with his partner Cody Morris and their children His sister Jennifer Landon plays foul-mouthed, pink-haired Teeter on the smash hit series Yellowstone; she is actually from Malibu Her west Texas accent is so thick she is comically difficult to comprehend at times, much to the amusement of Cole Hauser's strongman Rip Wheeler. But in real life, Jennifer is far from a west Texas wildcat Jennifer's mother, Cindy Landon, also worked on Little House On The Prairie: she was a makeup artist on set. Michael and Cindy were wed from 1983 until 1991. Michael divorced his second wife, Lynn Noe, and married Cindy in in Malibu in February 1983. Cindy was pregnant with Jennifer at the time. They welcomed a son, Sean, in 1986. Before Michael met Cindy, he was married twice. His first marriage was to Dodie Levy-Fraser, and he adopted her son, then they had a son of their own. His second wife was Lynn with whom he had five kids. He fathered five children with his second wife, Lynn. Landon attends the Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 premiere at Museum of Modern Art on November 7 in New York City The 41-year-old actress is actually from Malibu, is from a Hollywood family and grew up around TV sets, even acting as a child on a popular show 'It is devastating beyond comprehension to lose a parent, especially at an early age,' she told the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. 'When dad was fighting the disease, Sean was too young to understand. I understood more; I knew if he was doing well or not well on any given day.' She added, 'When he passed away, I suddenly saw things differently and questioned everything. 'Even today I question rules and structure. I can't say how much his death has affected me, but I know it's a significant part of the fabric of who I am.' Jennifer has acted for many years. She is also known for her role as Gwen Norbeck Munson in the CBS soap opera As the World Turns. Landon played dual roles on As the World Turns; her regular character Gwen Norbeck Munson, and a lookalike named Cleo Babbitt. Landon left the show in 2008. Jennifer won three Daytime Emmys for her work. She has also appeared on House in 2011, Chicago Med in 2017, The Resident in 2018 and The Orville in 2019. Landon played Sarah Allen from 2021 to 2022 on FBI: Most Wanted. Scream 7 director Christopher Landon revealed he had to exit the film after the sacking of Melissa Barrera sparked death threats against him. Barrera was axed from the Scream franchise for remarks she made about the conflict between Israel and Palestine that some deemed antisemitic - with Scream 7 originally set to star her and Jenna Ortega, who also left the project. Landon announced his departure from the Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson franchise in December 2023 - and opened up about the abuse he had faced over the film in a candid chat with Vanity Fair. He said: 'It was a very dark and tumultuous experience. I was gobsmacked and in shock for a while, but Im at a place now where I can talk about it cause I was able to use that unpleasant experience and turn it into something positive. ; 'People were threatening to kill me and my family, to the point where the FBI was getting involved. I got messages saying, "Im going to find your kids, and Im going to kill them because you support child murder."' 'The head of security at various studios and the FBI had to examine the threats. It was highly aggressive and really scary.' Scream 7 director Christopher Landon revealed he had to exit the film after the sacking of Melissa Barrera sparked death threats against him - pictured Ghostface in Scream 2022 Landon announced his departure from the Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson franchise in December 2023 - and opened up about the abuse he had faced over the film; he is pictured in 2023 Landon said the film 'all came tumbling down in an instant' without Barrera and Ortega and clarified that he did not fire Barrera in response to viral claims it was 'his doing.' Landon said he was encouraged to remain as director after the exits and 'restart' the film, but ultimately decided to 'put my efforts into something else where I could feel appreciated and respected.' Williamson is now directing Scream 7 - which will be helmed by film veterans Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox alongside returning stars Matthew Lillard, Scott Foley and David Arquette. Barrera's career downfall was sparked when she posted statements on Instagram Stories in November 2023 calling the war 'genocide and ethnic cleansing,' saying that 'Gaza is currently being treated like a concentration camp.' Spyglass Media Group, the production company behind the upcoming Scream VII, acknowledged Barrera's exit from the horror franchise in a statement one year ago. Spyglass said its position 'is unequivocally clear: We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech.' Barrera on November 23, 2023 posted a statement on Instagram Stories about her firing. 'First and foremost I condemn antisemitism and Islamophobia. I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people,' she wrote. Barrera (top right) was axed from the Scream franchise for remarks she made about the conflict between Israel and Palestine that some deemed antisemitic - with Scream 7 originally set to star her and Jenna Ortega (top left), who also left the project Landon said the film 'all came tumbling down in an instant' without Barrera and Ortega and clarified that he did not fire Barrera in response to viral claims it was 'his doing'; seen in 2022 Matthew Lillard will make a shock return for Scream 7 as supervillain Stu Macher - who seemingly died in 1996's Scream 'I believe a group of people are NOT their leadership, and that no governing body should be above criticism,' she added. 'I pray day and night for no more deaths, for no more violence, and for peaceful co-existence. 'I will continue to speak out for those that need it most and continue to advocate for peace and safety, for human rights and freedom.' Announcing his exit in December 2023, Landon said: 'I guess now is as good a time as any to announce I formally exited Scream 7 weeks ago, This will disappoint some and delight others. It was a dream job that turned into a nightmare. And my heart did break for everyone involved. Everyone. But its time to move on.' He added: 'I have nothing more to add to the conversation other than I hope Wes legacy thrives and lifts above the din of a divided world. What he and Kevin created is something amazing and I was honored to have even the briefest moment basking in their glow.' Landon, at the time, distanced himself from the firing of Barrera, saying in a since-deleted tweet: Everything sucks. Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make. Ortega's departure, a decision made by her and her representation team, occurred prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike this summer but was only disclosed last month. She reportedly had conflicts due to her Wednesday Season 2 shooting schedule. The wife of a 90s rock star was shot and injured by Los Angeles police and arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after pointing a gun at officers from her front yard, authorities said. Weezer bassist Scott Shriner's wife Jillian Lauren, 51, had injuries that were not life-threatening after the shooting in the northeast Los Angeles neighborhood of Eagle Rock, the LAPD said. It came as a male suspect entered her neighbour's property after he was involved in a three-car crash on the 134 Freeway around 3pm but fled the scene alongside two other male suspects. While hiding from officers who set up a perimeter in the area, the man stripped down to his boxer shorts before jumping in a resident's swimming pool and watering some plants in a bizarre attempt to blend into the neighborhood. Novelist Lauren then exited her home with a gun, though it is unclear whether she actually fired the weapon. Police ordered her several times to drop the gun, but she refused, and pointed it at them, police allege. She was hit in the shoulder by police gunfire. Lauren ran back inside her house before re-emerging a short time later with her babysitter by her side. They were both seen with their hands raised, as officers ordered them down the driveway, where they were arrested without incident. At that point, Lauren allegedly told officers she was simply trying to defend her home from the suspect running through the neighborhood, according to CBS News. The man was also taken into custody. Weezer bassist Scott Shriner's wife Jillian Lauren was shot by police officers in Los Angeles Tuesday after authorities say she pointed a gun at them, and refused to obey orders to drop it from officers on the scene A suspect was seen being taken into custody Wednesday evening Lauren (pictured with husband Scott in 2018) was subsequently booked in connection with attempted murder She was absentee booked on suspicion of attempted murder while being taken to a nearby medical facility by paramedics with the Los Angeles Fire Department, the Los Angeles Times reports. Medical professionals examined her for what was described as 'a non-life-threatening gunshot wound' following the violent series of events. It is unclear whether Shriner was involved in the shocking incident ahead of his appearance at Coachella. Meanwhile, the driver of the car that crashed in the hit-and-run was detained by California Highway Patrol officers, cited and released. Police said that they took a 9-millimeter handgun from Lauren's home upon examining the abode in the wake of the saga that played out in Southern California. A woman involved in the three-vehicle crash the man and two other male suspects fled from also suffered moderate injuries and was taken to the hospital, police said. Officers added that Lauren had nothing to do with the initial hit-and-run. Lauren was later booked and released after posting $1 million bond, LA County jail records showed. Lauren has not made a court appearance, and it was not immediately clear whether she has hired a lawyer. Meanwhile, the remaining two suspects who fled the multi-car crash remain at large. Dailymail.com has reached out to the LAPD for additional comment. Lauren exited her house with her arms raised as she surrendered to authorities She was arrested alongside her babysitter, but the two have since been released The entire saga began with a multi-vehicle crash on the freeway Tuesday afternoon Two witnesses explained to KTLA that they saw the man who invaded Lauren's neighborhood fleeing the scene. Brother and sister Alana Altmeyer and Guy Binn said the man was walking on the shoulder away from the three-way crash. When they then gave chase, the man tried to run to the opposite side of the freeway and fell, according to Altmeyer. 'He was bleeding from his head, his mouth and his knees,' she said. Still, the suspect was somehow able to jump over the side of the freeway and ran down an embankment as Binn said he tried to keep up. 'I chased him down the side of the freeway, over a couple of fences,' he said. 'He had a bag and a sweater. I got his bag. I got his sweater, and me being so old, I couldn't keep up with the guy. I chased him to the park, and I lost him.' LA police officers tracked the man down to the intersection of Waldo Place and Eagle Vista in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, after which he started his bizarre blending-in manoeuvre that caused Lauren to point her gun at him when he came onto her property. Lauren and 90s rock star Scott married in 2005 and they have two adopted children together. Beyond her marriage to Scott, Lauren has found fame on her own after penning a series of memoirs and true crime books. In 2010, she published a memoir 'Some Girls: My Life in a Harem' detailing the 18 months she was part of the harem of Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei alongside 24 other women in the 1990s. She said she was showered with jewelry, designer clothes and bags stuffed with cash. At the time, her memoir sparked huge media attention for its unfiltered glimpse at Brunei's vast wealth and exploitation. In her second book, 'Everything You Ever Wanted' published in 2015, Lauren detailed her experience adopting a child from Ethiopia, and struggling with motherhood and trauma. US band Weezer with guitarist Brian Bell, frontman Rivers Cuomo, and bassist Scott Shriner performs on stage during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio near Palm Spring, California, USA, 20 April 2019 The wife of the Buddy Holly musician was seen on the shooting range in a social media pic Police said that they took a 9-millimeter handgun from her home upon examining the abode Lauren and 90s rock star Scott married in 2005 and they have two adopted children together Lauren and Shriner are pictured above with their two sons in a picture Lauren shared on her Instagram account Lauren has also previously worked as a crime reporter, and was involved in investigating the serial killer Samuel Little, one of the most prolific murderers in US history. In 'Behold the Monster', investigative journalist Lauren writes of Little's confessions to her, including the chilling admission that 'it felt like being in love' after being asked why he had murdered 93 women. After getting away with murder for far too long, Little had at last been convicted and given four life sentences without possibility of parole, later raised to six. From her first visit in 2018, Lauren would visit him every weekend. Over two years, as she gently flattered him, plied him with sweets and fizzy drinks and put him at his ease, he would describe 86 of the murders he had committed, often doing drawings of the women he had killed. He started by giving her a vivid description of his first strangling of a woman in Miami in 1969. She wrote: 'He imagined himself as some kind of angel of mercy, divinely commissioned to euthanise.' His trademark, across many US states, had been breaking the necks of his victims (mainly prostitutes) during the sexual intercourse which they had voluntarily embarked on in his car. 'They died in sexual pleasure, not hate, you understand,' he explained to Lauren. 'I'm not like these, what do you call it? Homicidal sexual maniacs.' 'If there was one thing he had mastered,' Lauren writes, 'it was becoming the black man no one saw, finding the black woman no one would miss.' Lauren has also previously worked as a crime reporter, and was involved in investigating the serial killer Samuel Little, one of the most prolific murderers in US history. In 'Behold the Monster', investigative journalist Lauren writes of Little's confessions to her (Lauren is pictured above with Little) The bond of friendship Little felt he'd built up with Lauren was so strong, he named her his next of kin. He died in 2020 and she keeps his ashes in her garage Lauren is pictured above with several copies of her book about Little titled 'Behold the Monster' Lauren often shares loved-up snaps with Shriner on her Instagram account Lauren appeared at numerous spoken word and storytelling events across the US as well as at a TEDx Talk about adoption and identity at Chapman University in 2014. Lauren is pictured above speaking with the South Carolina Police Accreditation Coalition about a crime case In her second book, 'Everything You Ever Wanted' published in 2015, Lauren detailed her experience adopting a child from Ethiopia, and struggling with motherhood and trauma The America of the 1970s, 80s and 90s was one where (as Leila Mae McClain, one of the few women who managed to escape from his murderous clutches, said years later in court): 'They don't care nothing about a black prostitute in Pascagoula, Mississippi. No, Ma'am.' When Leila, half-naked, bruised and utterly distraught, arrived at the nearest hospital hardly able to speak after the near-strangulation, no one asked her how it had happened and she didn't think it worth telling them. 'And how did it feel to kill women?' Lauren asked Little. 'Oooeee, it felt like Heaven,' he replied. 'It felt like being in bed with Marilyn Monroe. It felt like being in love.' The bond of friendship Little felt he'd built up with Lauren was so strong, he named her his next of kin. He died in 2020 and she keeps his ashes in her garage. Her book about Little was also turned into a true crime documentary series for Starz called Confronting a Serial Killer. Lauren appeared at numerous spoken word and storytelling events across the US as well as at a TEDx Talk about adoption and identity at Chapman University in 2014. The 51-year-old shared a few weeks ago that she has cancer and was undergoing treatment. 'Yes, I have a little bit of the C word y'all. I know a lot of us do,' she said in a post on Instagram, sharing a photo of herself smiling and giving a thumbs up while lying in a bed at Glendale Adventist Hospital. The 51-year-old shared a few weeks ago that she has cancer and was undergoing treatment Scott Shriner and Jillian Lauren attend the 2015 Moth Ball at Capitale on May 12, 2015 in New York City Weezer - formed in 1992 - features singer-guitarist Rivers Cuomo, drummer Patrick Wilson, rhythm guitarist Brian Bell, and bass/keyboard player Scott Shriner Weezer - formed in 1992 - features singer-guitarist Rivers Cuomo, drummer Patrick Wilson, rhythm guitarist Brian Bell, and bass/keyboard player Scott (pictured in 2019) 'I'm here to thank the incredible oncology team here, who pulled me through a complicated operation without a hitch. I am always so grateful for every second of the compassionate, and excellent medical care I receive in my life,' she added. Meanwhile, her husband's band Weezer are currently scheduled to perform at Coachella on Saturday, joining Yo Gabba Gabba! and Ed Sheeran on the first weekend of the desert festival. Weezer - formed in 1992 - features singer-guitarist Rivers Cuomo, drummer Patrick Wilson, rhythm guitarist Brian Bell, and bass/keyboard player Shriner. Their 2017 album Pacific Daydream scored a nomination for Best Rock Album at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, which air February 10 on CBS. Weezer's last new album came in 2022, when they released a series of four records in line with each season. Americans will be hit by significant price shocks on a huge array of everyday items under sweeping tariffs imposed by President Trump. Clothes, shoes, electronics and cars will be impacted, alongside food, alcohol, and many other essentials. Trump has launched tariff wars with nearly all of America's trading partners. A number of new taxes on goods from other countries are already here - and more took effect on Wednesday. Existing levies include a 10 percent universal tariff, specific additional tariffs for 60 countries, and earlier levies imposed on China, Mexico, Canada. At midnight on Wednesday, the President also added a huge 104 percent tariff on China. The country quickly retaliated by proposing an 84 percent tariff on American goods from Thursday, in a massive escalation of a global trade war. And it is consumers that will be hit hard. According to the Yale Budget Lab, the average American household will pay $3,800 more a year as a result of the levies. The volatility and scope of these tariffs mean that it is too soon to know exactly what the price increases for some items will be. But experts forecast that some items will increase by hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars. But experts warn Americans not to panic, but instead to plan for the coming months. The price of Clothes, shoes, electronics and cars will increase, alongside food, alcohol, and many other essentials 'For those who are already planning to make a big purchase, like a car or an electronics item, it makes sense to bring it forward if they can afford to do so,' Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, told DailyMail.com. 'The potential price hikes may be quite steep here so the savings by buying early are attractive.' For everyday products, consumers should shop around more perhaps looking to channels that are more immune to tariffs such as secondhand or off-price, he added. However, ultimately there will be no avoiding tariffs if they remain at current rates, Saunders said, so Americans may have to accept that they will need to pay more for some items. Here are the key areas to watch out for: Clothes and shoes About 97 percent of the clothes and shoes purchased in the US are imported. These items also mainly come from Asia, which has taken a big hit under Trump's plans. For all Chinese goods, he has currently imposed massive tariffs of 104 percent. He set the import tax rates for Vietnam and neighboring Cambodia at 46 percent and 49 percent, AP News reported. 'If these tariffs are allowed to persist, ultimately it's going to make its way to the consumer,' said Steve Lamar, president and CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear Association. Shoes, in particular, could be in store for significant price rises - including sneakers. Work boots made in China that now retail for $77 would go up to at least $115, while customers would pay $220 for running shoes made in Vietnam currently priced at $155, according to Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America. Nike, for example, makes half of its footwear in Vietnam, according to the Financial Times. Adidas, meanwhile, gets 39 percent of its shoes from the south-east Asian country. FDRA President Matt Priest predicted lower-income families and the places they shop would feel the impact most. He said a pair of Chinese-made children's shoes that cost $26 today will likely carry a price tag of at least $41 by the back-to-school shopping season, according to his group's calculations. Americans may also have to pay more for a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses beloved by former President Joe Biden. Most Ray-Bans are produced in the mountainous Dolomites region of Italy, and is overseen by parent company EssilorLuxottica SA. Trump hit the European Union with a 20 percent reciprocal tariff on April 9. That means, for example, that a pair of $150 sunglasses which arrives in the US with a value of $70, would cost $14 extra. Americans looking to step up their eyewear as we head into summer may have to pay more for a pair of the brand beloved by former President Joe Biden iPhones The cost of an iPhone could soar above $2,000 under the sweeping tariffs, experts are warning. The cheapest iPhone 16 model was launched in the US with a sticker price of $799. However it could cost as much as $1,142, according to calculations based on projections from analysts at Rosenblatt Securities who say the cost could rise by 43 percent if Apple is able to pass that on to consumers. A more expensive iPhone 16 Pro Max, which currently retails at $1,599, could cost nearly $2,300 if a 43 percent increase were to pass to consumers, Reuters reported. Other tech, including the popular health tracking Oura Ring, for example, is also likely to get more expensive thanks to Trump's tariffs on Europe, Bloomberg reported. The brand is owned by Finnish tech firm Oura Health Oy, with Trump's 20 percent levies on the EU set to hit the Scandinavian country. Cars Cars will also become more expensive, as tariffs disrupt a quarter of a trillion dollars in trade. Cars are already unaffordable for many Americans. The average price of a new car hit $49,500 in the first quarter of this year, according to CarGurus. And this could increase by over $3,300 to approximately $52,800, according to the analysis reported by Fortune. For more expensive models, prices could rise by as much as $13,000. Plus, experts are warning Americans will not only feel sticker shock when they are buying a car, but also at the repair shop. Since mechanics need the same auto parts as manufacturers, the tariffs will make common breakdowns - such as bumper replacements, oil changes and engine repairs - more expensive. Homes Builders estimate the average home could cost $9,200 more under universal tariffs, according to the March 2025 National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Housing Market Index. That is because many of the supplies used to build homes are imported from other countries, Fortune reported, including softwood lumber from Canada. Many other components of homes, such as appliances including dishwashers and washing machines, will also likely increase in price. Builders estimate the average home could cost $9,200 more under universal tariffs Nestle's popular Nespresso coffee capsules are another product likely to be hit hard by the tariffs as they are exported from Switzerland Food and drink Nestle's popular Nespresso coffee capsules are another product likely to be hit hard by the tariffs. Over 14 billion of the pods are sold worldwide every year, and they are manufactured solely inside Switzerland before they are shipped globally. Swiss imports to the US are set to be hit with a 31 percent tariff, with the nation slapped with one of the highest levies in Europe. For example, a 'coffee discovery pack' from the company, which contains 60 pods, costs $81.50 on its website. If its value on arrival in the US is around $40.75, and it is hit by a 31 percent tariff, that would add just over $12 to its price. Scores of other everyday grocery items, including fruit and vegetables, meat, potatoes and grains, will also likely increase in price. About two thirds of US vegetable imports and half of its fruit and nut imports come from Mexico, according to the USDA. That includes nearly 90 percent of its avocados, as much as 35 percent of its orange juice and 20 percent of its strawberries. Alcohol, including Mexican beer and tequila, and Canadian whisky, will also surge in price. A major grocery chain is set to shut its oldest store leaving local customers 'devastated' by the loss. Alaska-based Carrs-Safeway will shut its store and pharmacy on Gambell Street in Anchorage on May 10, after nearly 70 years. The store, managed by Carrs-Safeway, a subsidiary of Albertsons, has been a downtown staple since 1957. Community advocates warn the closure will hit the Fairview neighborhood hard, as many residents lack cars and can't travel farther to buy essentials. 'It's devastating,' president of the Fairview Community Council James Thornton told Anchorage Daily News. 'The neighborhood needs this primary source of food, especially those that don't have vehicles. 'It's their only way to get food and medicine in a lot of cases.' Longtime employee Richard Watt Jr. recalled starting at the store in 1964 as a box boy and later becoming its manager. Carrs-Safeway is based in Anchorage, Alaska and is a subsidiary of Albertsons 'It's a very sad day, the Carrs-Safeway on Gambell is the heartbeat of Fairview, so it's almost like cutting the heart out of the community,' he said of the closure. 'I just hope another store opens there after it closes.' Watt's said he was hired by the store as its first black employee in Anchorage after picketing Carrs with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for not hiring people of color. 'I just heard and it's like, "What? Oh no!"' Christina Anowlic, who has been shopping at the Gambell location since the 1980s told the Anchorage Daily News. 'It's kind of sad,' she added. The 35 employees of the Gambell store will be given the option to transfer to other Carrs stores in the city, a spokesperson for Carrs-Safeway confirmed. The pharmacists and prescriptions will be transferred to the Carrs pharmacy in the Midtown Mall on Seward Highway. 'Carrs-Safeway has been proudly serving Anchorage for decades, and the decision to close this store isn't one we made lightly,' the chain said in a statement. Carrs will shut its store and pharmacy on Gambell Street in Anchorage on May 10 'With our focus on growth, we continuously evaluate the performance of our stores, and occasionally it's necessary to close locations that are not growing and are perpetually unable to meet financial expectations.' Carrs-Safeway will continue to operate its remaining seven stores in Anchorage. 'We're going to do everything we can to fight this, because I don't know how Fairview continues on without our Carrs store,' Thornton said. 'It's the original Carrs store in Anchorage and a lot of people love it. And the people that run it have done a great job supporting the community over the years.' Last fall Nebraska lost a 100-year-old local grocery store when its proprietors decided to retire. The Omaha store had been a family-run venture since 1918 and continued to thrive despite the proliferation of grocery giants such as Walmart. Christmas decoration suppliers should have received their first orders for trees and ornaments by now. But they haven't. Chinese producers of plastic Christmas trees and other festive decorations say orders from US clients, which are crucial for their business, have stopped amid a tariff tit-for-tat tariff announcements. President Donald Trump has raised tariffs on Chinese imports by 104 percent so far this year in an escalating trade war that threatens great pain for the world's largest exporter of manufactured goods. China responded with an 84 percent tariff on US goods, too. US retailers are almost completely reliant on China for Christmas decorations, where they source 87 percent of the holiday's goods worth roughly $4 billion. Chinese factories are also heavily dependent on the US market, where they sell half of what they make. If Americans want new Christmas decorations this year, they will have to pay a lot more for them - if they can find them on the shelves at all. 'So far this year, none of my American customers have placed any orders,' said Qun Ying, who runs an artificial Christmas tree factory in the eastern city of Jinhua. Christmas decoration manufacturers are worrying tariffs might thwart their business models 'Of course it's about the tariffs. By mid-April all the orders are normally finalized, but right now ... it's hard to know if any orders are coming. Maybe American customers won't buy anything this year.' In Shaoxing, some 160 kilometers (100 miles) away from Jinhua, factory owner Liu Song was confident his business can cope by trying to sell more to Russia, Europe and Southeast Asia, which together take 75 percent of his products already. 'We are worried that US orders will come down,' he said, while adding: 'We will definitely win this trade war.' Jessica Guo, who also manages a Christmas tree factory in Jinhua, said she was just notified by an important US customer that it is pausing a $408,191 order for which she had already spent $54,000 on materials. She expects that order will soon be canceled and worries about her business. 'My peers and I rely on US orders to survive,' Guo said. 'This will inevitably affect a lot of people. No one can escape.' Economists say the trade war will shave 1 to 2 percentage points off Chinese economic growth this year, exacerbate industrial overcapacity issues, threaten jobs, and further fuel deflationary forces. But the war could hit American consumers even harder: more than 16 percent of American products are shipped from China. Experts have said that the price of goods, including Chinese-made toys, will skyrocket Grocery prices will likely be among the first consumer items to see price hikes Christmas decoration manufacturers said they should have already received their first orders for the 2025 holiday season As Chinese exporters sell less to the US, which last year bought goods worth more than $400 billion, they will have to compete ever more intensely on prices in other markets. This will hit their already-thin profit margins and force them to cut costs at home, economists say. Guo's 10,800-square meter (116,250-square foot) factory employs 140 people regularly, but that number can hit 200 in peak production season over the summer. This year she does not expect to need extra workers. 'Losing the U.S. market will definitely impact many peoples jobs,' said Guo. Domestic demand for Christmas decorations in China is insignificant, she added. Silent Nights Sourcing from countries other than China will be difficult. The second-biggest exporter of Christmas decorations to the US is Cambodia, which makes 5.5 percent of the goods, and last week Trump imposed a 49 percent tariff on Cambodian imports. Shifting production to the U.S., one of Trump's goals in imposing tariffs on China and almost every other country in the world, is not feasible, says Jami Warner, executive director of the American Christmas Tree Association. 'They certainly can't be made in the United States. There's no manufacturing, the technology isn't here, the labor market isn't here,' said Warner. Warner, who expects significant, but hard to estimate, price increases, says 80 percent of all Christmas trees displayed in the US are artificial. The pre-lit trees, which is most of them, are only made in China. She decries her industry becoming collateral damage in a geopolitical fight. 'What our members make and sell are not strategic products,' said Warner. 'We're not threatening. We're a happy, joyful business. We'd like to stay in that joyful business.' A dad has used a pipe wrench to pull out his "big" molar due to not being able to get a dentist appointment on the NHS. Kaspars Grenenbergs used a pipe wrench to pull out one of his molars Kaspars Grenenbergs could not get an appointment from all four of his nearest practices due to them being fully booked up after telling them he had slight pain with one of his molars. However, as the pain intensified over a few days, he had no choice but to use 100g of whisky as a disinfectant and swallow painkillers to numb the pain before grabbing the tool to twist the large, flat tooth out from the back of his mouth. The 44-year-old cable company worker from Downham Market, Norfolk, told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "It's hard to explain how painful it was. "It took a lot of twisting to get it out. "It was one of the big molars at the back. "I couldn't wait, no one was getting back to me." Riders from the Causeway Coast and Glens Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) are set to saddle up in style thanks to a funding boost from Eakin Healthcares Working Together, Improving Lives community fund. Eakin Healthcare launched the fund late last year to support local community groups nominated by employees, helping to make a tangible difference in the areas where the company operates. As a family-owned business, Eakin Healthcare designs, manufactures, and supplies medical devices for ostomy, respiratory, and surgical needs. With products and services available in over 60 countries, Eakin Healthcare operates from sites and subsidiaries across the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Japan, and the Benelux region. All manufacturing takes place in the UK, with core facilities located in Cardiff, Comber, and Coleraine. RDA Causeway Coast and Glens is one of 16 community groups selected to receive support in the first wave of funding, which will see clubs benefit across Ireland (north and south), Scotland, England, and Wales. As the group prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year, the funding will help them continue their vital work, providing hundreds of recreational and therapeutic riding opportunities annually for individuals with disabilities (physical & psychological) and those facing challenges and/or disadvantage, in Coleraine and the surrounding areas. The funding has allowed the Charity to purchase a specially designed sheepskin padded saddle which enhances the rider experience through greater feel of the horse movement and rhythm, and so maximising the therapeutic and physical benefits. Riding helps strengthen muscles, improve coordination, balance and posture, and the rhythmic motion of the horse can help riders with conditions like cerebal palsy and spina bifida to improve motor skills and joint mobility. It also has significant cognitive and psychological benefits, boosting confidence, reducing stress and helping with emotional regulation. The new saddle will contribute directly to improving quality of life for many local disabled riders. Barbara Robertson, Director of Operations, RDA Causeway Coast and Glens, expressed her gratitude at the donation: We are incredibly grateful for this funding which has enabled us to buy this fantastic saddle a piece of equine equipment we have much longed for - it will have a significant impact on the physical & emotional health and wellbeing of our riders. Thank you! The club was nominated for funding by Eakin Healthcares Warehouse Supervisor, Philip Clyde, who explains why its a cause close to his heart: "My daughter and I have been volunteering at RDA Causeway Coast & Glens for years, and the work they do is truly incredible. The joy and laughter they bring to so many children is heartwarming. Watching the kids experience the simple yet profound happiness of touching and riding the horses is amazing. Its not just the children who benefit - seeing the smiles on their faces brings so much joy to their parents, too. The fun and connection these animals create is something truly special. "Im delighted that Eakin Healthcare has been able to provide the financial support to allow them to purchase the new saddle, which will make a difference to the lives of so many children." Through initiatives like Working Together, Improving Lives, Eakin Healthcare continues to invest in the wellbeing of communities, ensuring that organisations like RDA Causeway Coast and Glens can keep providing crucial support where its needed most. A County Derry man who spat inside a police cell van after being arrested for being disorderly on St Patricks day has been fined. John Cartin, of Sperrin View in Magherafelt, was charged with criminal damage and disorderly behaviour when his case came before the towns magistrates court today (Wednesday). The court was told the charges relate to an incident in Magherafelt on March 17. Police observed Cartin standing in the car park at Rainey Street and when they approached him he walked away. The court heard that the 35 year-old was holding a dog in his arms however he set it down and approached police in an aggressive manner with his chest puffed out and fists clenched. Cartin began to shout and swear at officers and made multiple threats before he was arrested for disorderly behaviour. Police placed the defendant in a cell van where he began to spit. Cartins solicitor Stephen Atherton told the court that his client has never been involved in this type of behaviour before. Mr Atherton said Cartin claims that he had been out drinking on the day in question and believes that his drink had been spiked as he didnt feel well. District Judge Oonagh Mullan fined Cartin 250 and ordered him to pay an additional 100 in compensation for the criminal damage. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Two archival projects related to the Northern Ireland Troubles have been announced. Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn set out the details during a visit to The National Archives at Kew. The first is a project to digitise and publish open UK government records relating to the Troubles in collaboration with The National Archives. The Government said this will broaden access by publishing digital copies of paper records that have previously only been available by visiting Kew, making them free to view online. The second is an archival research project which will see official historians appointed, following an independent recruitment process, to research government policy towards Northern Ireland during the Troubles. The Government said they will be given full access to UK state archives. Mr Benn said: I have seen today examples of the records digitisation process and look forward to the first records in this project being published in the autumn. I am also grateful to members of the academic advisory panel for lending their expertise to the important archival research project, and I have every confidence that they will ensure it is conducted to the highest academic standards. Their first task will be to identify highly qualified and independently minded historians via open competition, and I would encourage anyone interested in this project to find out more on their website. Taken together, these projects will provide an invaluable resource for the public, journalists, educational institutions, researchers, and academics, making information about this period in Northern Irelands history more accessible, and so making government decision-making more transparent. Saul Nasse, chief executive of The National Archives, said: The National Archives documents provide a valuable perspective on the Troubles. This project will mean the widest possible audience will be able to view the records online to grow their understanding of this significant period in modern history. Co-chairs of the independent advisory panel, Professor Caoimhe Nic Dhaibheid and Lord Bew, said: We welcome the Governments strong commitment to increasing access to state archives, which has been an important part of dealing with the past in many other countries. The Government has rightly recognised the need for work of this nature to be conducted transparently and independently, and as co-chairs of the expert advisory panel we look forward to engaging with colleagues across the academic community as we collectively seek to further understanding of this important period in our history. The first tranche of records are expected to be available on The National Archives website by autumn 2025. Samsung Chair seeks strategic alliances during Japan visit Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, currently visiting Japan, is expected to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to discuss potential cooperation in reviving Japan's electronics and semiconductor industries. Lee, who has been emphasizing the spirit of surviving through adversity, recently visited China, where he met with President Xi Jinping and other top officials. He continues to actively demonstrate his intention to expand international collaborations. This raises questions about potential adjustments to Samsung's strategy in Japan moving forward. According to reports from South Korea's JoongAng and Maeil Business Newspaper, Lee departed for Japan on April 2, 2025, and is set to hold discussions with Prime Minister Ishiba. At the end of 2023, Samsung decided to invest approximately US$240 million in Yokohama, Japan, to establish a research and development center for semiconductor packaging materials, components, and equipment. The Japanese government is providing nearly half of the investment as subsidies. This is likely to be a key topic during Lee's upcoming talks with Prime Minister Ishiba. Additionally, Lee is expected to visit electronics-related companies in Tokyo and Osaka, as well as meet with senior figures from Japan's business community who were close to Samsung's late Chairman Lee Kun-hee. These figures are influential in industries such as semiconductors, mobile phones, televisions, and home appliances. Earlier, from March 22-28, 2025, Lee visited China, where he met with top CEOs, President Xi Jinping, and other local officials. Speculation suggests Samsung intends to expand cooperation with Chinese companies in areas like automotive memory, display panels, and electric vehicle batteries. In Japan, Lee's agenda not only includes his meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister but also focuses on expanding Samsung's electric vehicle business. Notably, there's growing speculation on whether Lee will meet with Akio Toyoda, Chairman of Toyota, during his visit. In October 2024, Lee had a meeting with Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Eui-sun and Toyota's Akio Toyoda in South Korea. Moreover, reports suggest that Samsung is planning to establish a new office space in Tokyo to facilitate business communication and collaboration with local Japanese enterprises. Article edited by Jerry Chen Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Taiwan's Minister of Economic Affairs dismisses merger rumors between GlobalFoundries and UMC Since taking office, President Donald Trump has wielded tariffs as a tool to disrupt global trade. On April 9, Taiwan's Minister of Economic Affairs, J.W. Kuo, addressed these major shifts in international trade during a legislative session in Taiwan's Economic Committee. However, lawmakers focused on rumors of a potential merger between GlobalFoundries and United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC), prompting Kuo to clarify that while he would not comment on market rumors, he firmly believes such a merger is not feasible. The semiconductor industry, recognized as a strategic sector, has been under significant pressure, particularly as the US has aggressively pushed for Taiwan's TSMC to establish advanced manufacturing facilities on American soil. Meanwhile, rumors about the possible merger of GlobalFoundries and UMC have been circulating, with speculations suggesting that both companies might join forces to create a larger entity through investment in the US. Reports have speculated that one of the goals of this potential merger could be to ensure a stable supply chain of mature-process chips to the US and to mitigate competition from Chinese manufacturers in this sector. GlobalFoundries COO Tim Breen has reportedly expressed openness to various transactions, including a merger with UMC. However, neither company has officially confirmed these rumors, and additional reports also mention a preliminary agreement between TSMC and Intel to create a joint venture for a US-based wafer fabrication plant, though these reports remain unverified. President Trump had previously threatened to impose tariffs of up to 100% on semiconductors exported from foreign countries to the US. Some sources even suggested that if TSMC fails to fulfill its investment commitments in the US, it could face the full 100% tariff on its chips. Minister Kuo, however, stated that he would not respond to market rumors, but emphasized that since TSMC had committed, the company would fulfill it. As for the GlobalFoundries-UMC merger speculation, he was unequivocal in his response, stating there is no possibility. Article edited by Jack Wu Subscriber content preview Image by The Miller Hull Partnership [enlarge] The new Redmond Library opened Jan. 27. The city of Redmond, Oregon, has a new community library with a host of modern amenities including a makerspace with laser cutters and 3D printers and several common rooms for hosting community events. . . . China's icebreaker Xuelong returns to Shanghai after fruitful Antarctic survey Xinhua) 08:14, April 09, 2025 China's research icebreaker Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, berths at a base dock in Shanghai, east China, April 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong) SHANGHAI, April 8 (Xinhua) -- China's research icebreaker Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday, marking the completion of key missions in the country's 41st Antarctic expedition, according to a press conference held on Tuesday. The expedition involves 516 members from 118 domestic and international institutions and is being carried out by three vessels. The cargo ship Yong Sheng returned to China in January, while the research icebreaker Xuelong 2 remains on mission in the Ross Sea and is expected to return to Shanghai in June, according to Long Wei, an official with the State Oceanic Administration. Xuelong completed a 159-day journey covering over 27,000 nautical miles, from its departure from Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, on Nov. 1, 2024, to its arrival on Tuesday. The polar expedition achieved breakthroughs in areas such as technological and methodological innovation, large-scale application of domestically developed equipment, and international collaboration. It is expected to bolster research on rapid changes in Antarctica and contribute to effective responses to global climate change. Wang Jinhui, leader of the expedition team, said that the mission primarily focused on establishing a clean energy system, incorporating wind, solar and hydrogen power as well as energy storage facilities at China's Qinling research station in Antarctica. He added that the team also achieved significant outcomes, including the collection of data on ice sheets and penguin habitats, through investigation, monitoring, and scientific research. China has involved multiple countries in its ongoing oceanic survey in the Ross Sea and continues to engage in various international research and collaboration projects, according to Wang. Members of China's 41st Antarctic expedition team disembark from the country's research icebreaker Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, at a base dock in Shanghai, east China, April 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong) China's research icebreaker Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, berths at a base dock in Shanghai, east China, April 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong) People greet China's research icebreaker Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, at a base dock in Shanghai, east China, April 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Over 9,000 children to benefit from Red Cross heart screening program in Xinjiang Xinhua) 15:47, April 09, 2025 BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Red Cross Foundation (CRCF) is set to complete its 2025 "Angels Tour," a large-scale congenital heart disease screening campaign in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest China, by May, with more than 9,000 children expected to be examined, the organization said Wednesday. Scheduled from March through May, the initiative has seen several volunteer medical teams tour various parts of Xinjiang, conducting free screenings for children with suspected congenital heart conditions. In the latest leg of the project, the foundation is working in regions including Altay and Tacheng, in collaboration with a volunteer medical team from a hospital in Shandong Province, east China. The team will carry out screenings at eight locations and conduct follow-up checkups for children who received surgery in previous years. This round of screening is expected to continue through mid-April. According to Yang Zhuozi, director of the CRCF's medical assistance department, the Angels Tour has occurred annually in Xinjiang since 2017, with support from the central authority's special lottery public welfare fund and charitable donations from the public. To date, the program has screened more than 21,000 children across the region and provided free corrective surgeries for over 2,300 children diagnosed with operable heart defects. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Hailee Steinfeld explored her own family history in preparation for 'Sinners'. Hailee Steinfeld stars in the new horror movie The 28-year-old actress stars alongside Michael B. Jordan in the new horror movie, which is set in the 30s in Southern United States, and Hailee has admitted to making discoveries about her own family while preparing to play a multi-racial character in the film. She told People: "It had such an impact on me personally. Therefore, I feel like the least it can do is make an impact on those that watch it. "I think it affected all of us so personally and so deeply, and I do believe that you feel that and you see that when you watch this movie." 'Sinners' also stars the likes of Jack OConnell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, and Omar Miller. And Hailee has revealed that the cast members developed a "personal connection" to the story. The Hollywood star said: "I'm so grateful for the deeply personal connection that each of us have [to the material], mine being with my family history, with my grandfather, who I wish was still here to answer all the questions that I have that this movie raised for me and making this movie raised." Meanwhile, Michael B Jordan recently hailed Hailee's performance in 'Sinners', suggesting that it could become a landmark in her career. The 38-year-old actor told WhoWhatWear: "Hailee's performance in 'Sinners' is very, very versatile and honestly fun. "I think it's gonna make people lean in and get a chance to see her in a way they haven't had an opportunity to see her in before. "As you know, it's tough to grow up in this industry where people get a chance to see you every step of the way, and they kinda have an idea of who you are and what you can do. I think this is one of those roles that's gonna show Hailee in a new light." Michael relished the experience of working with Hailee, admitting that they developed a family-like bond during the shoot. He said: "She's extremely talented, an extremely hard worker, and a great scene partner. "When you're on a project like this, in the midst of hard scenes to navigate, [and] balancing the emotional aspects and long days, you really get a chance to become a family. I'm extremely proud of her, and I can't wait for the world to see her performance, and I truly can't wait to see what she does next." Irish holiday-goers are being warned of potential delays that could impact their summer holidays due to a shortage of air traffic controllers in parts of Europe. Speaking earlier this week, Kenny Jacobs, CEO of the Dublin Airport Authority said he expects some passengers travelling to and from Ireland will experience delays over the coming months due to reduced capacity because of the shortage of controllers. He told reporters any delays, when they happen, are likely to last several hours rather than days. Travel expert Eoghan Corry says a big increase in air traffic on certain routes has put additional pressure on the system - particularly in France and Spain. "Ireland is back to pre-pandemic levels in terms of traffic, Germany is returning - it's just over 90%, France is going to be at 95% so that increase this year is putting an already-strained air traffic control system under pressure," he said. READ ALSO: PICTURES: Inside the upside down house crowned RTEs Home of The Year 2025 "The bottom line is there aren't enough of them (air traffic controllers) - the worst hit area is going to be around Marseille and it's going to be the route that Irish holiday-makers use to go down to those Italian hotspots, to those Greek hotspots that we love to go to and to Turkey and the Spanish route could be affected as well," he told Newstalk Breakfast. Mr Corry, who is editor of travelextra.ie, added that some airlines, such as Ryanair, are already being impacted by the shortage of air traffic controllers with around 10% of flights experiencing some delays every day. There are serious concerns about how new tariffs could affect Northern Ireland, Irish premier Micheal Martin has said. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald asked that the Irish Government work in lockstep with the Northern Ireland Executive on the response to a more hostile trading environment. The import taxes announced by Donald Trump last week, including a 10% charge on UK goods and a 20% mark on EU goods, including Ireland, took effect from midnight Washington time. Although a lower tariff of 10% applies to Northern Ireland, as part of post-Brexit trading arrangements, the region remains in the EU single market for goods. If the EU decides to impose retaliatory tariffs on goods imported from the US, they would apply in Northern Ireland. While speaking in the Dail chamber about the impact of US tariffs, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the agrisector on the island is particularly vulnerable. I know that there are also serious concerns, which I share, about how the US tariffs and EU countermeasures could impact Northern Ireland and the all-island economy, Mr Martin said. We are working through these issues and we will continue to be close contact with the Northern Ireland Executive. There may be specific issues for the agrifood sector not least due to the integrated supply chains North and South in this industry, and the customs rules of origin which define the origin of a product for tariff purposes. We learned a lot about this in the Brexit period so understand that supply chains on this island are deeply connected and that any change to current integrated arrangement would require huge investment. He said that Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon was looking at the potential impacts on the sector. The Windsor Framework does offer some protections, he said. Arrangements are in place that allow Northern Ireland traders to apply to the UK authorities to be reimbursed in respect of EU import duty paid or deferred on goods brought into Northern Ireland and that do not enter the single market. But the impact of the new tariffs is wider than any one sector and will potentially impact all goods being exported, North and South, in different ways. We are very aware of this and we will continue to highlight the particular situation of Northern Ireland and, more broadly, the all-island economy in all our discussions with interlocutors, including the US and the European Commission. Mary Lou McDonald said that protecting the all-island economy needed to be a high level priority for both administrations north and south of the border. She said that the Irish government should work hand in glove with the Northern Ireland Executive. Its a serious issue that we now have two different tariff rates on this small island of ours, and potentially two very different responses to those rates and the dynamic that is now unfolding around us. So we need to ensure across the island that businesses are supported, primarily with information initially, the Government Trade Forum could play a useful role in that. We also have InterTradeIreland, which operates between both administrations, north and south, to ensure that in the first instance, our business sectors which will be concerned about developments, have all the information necessary and then whatever other supports might be needed in the time ahead. Im asking those in government here to work hand in glove and in lockstep with their counterparts in the Executive. The first step in this regard would be to convene the North South Ministerial Council without delay, and Im asking that this be done. Sinn Fein finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty asked for the all-island economy to be prioritised and warned against EU countermeasures which he said risked following Trump down the road of economic self sabotage. Sinn Fein Mayo TD Rose Conway Walsh said if we governed our own affairs, we wouldnt be facing this discrepancy. We would be facing this hurdle in full strength of our national economy, and not with one hand tied behind our backs, she said. During the Brexit negotiations, we, with our allies in the EU and the US, ensured there was no hard border on the island of Ireland. The same diligence must be applied in this scenario in order to protect the prosperity of everyone on the island. Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) has today publicly declared its support for and adoption of ALTITUDE the National Charter for Universal Design (UD) in Tertiary Education and the Louth institute has joined todays national call to action for institutions and agencies to work towards a more universally designed tertiary education system. The ALTITUDE Project is an initiative in Irish third-level education aimed at making learning more inclusive for all students. The project focuses on implementing Universal Design (UD), an approach that ensures education is accessible to everyone. The ALTITUDE Charter, launched in 2024, provides a roadmap for higher education institutions (HEIs) and further education and training boards (ETBs) to adopt a UD approach in their teaching, support services, physical spaces, and digital environments. The goal is to create a culture where everyone shares responsibility for inclusion, making education more equitable and helping all students succeed. The project also provides tools and strategies to help institutions comply with national policies and improve their programmes and services over time. DkIT says it strongly believes that inclusion is everyones business, and that all staff play a role in creating an environment in which the huge diversity of learners in the community can thrive. Universal Design is central, it adds, to its efforts to make that statement a reality, and by adopting the ALTITUDE Charter, it says it has committed to work collaboratively across the institution to embed a UD approach more firmly in its practices and processes in the years ahead, building on the good work already achieved in this area. Read next: Louth doctor a victim of phishing scam Commenting on the Institutes adoption of ALTITUDE, DkIT President, Dr Diarmuid OCallaghan, welcomed this landmark development: At DkIT, we embrace equality, diversity and inclusion as a core value. We are committed to ensuring that we create a vibrant campus community that is connected, safe, inclusive and caring, enriched by our diversity. "In doing so, we seek to enable our students and staff to achieve their full potential through the provision of a supportive, inclusive and respectful environment that meets their needs. Embedding a Universal Design approach is a key element of our commitment to creating this inclusive experience and culture. "We are delighted to fully support this important cross-sectoral effort and will continue working to make progress on the actions and goals outlined in the ALTITUDE Charter in the years ahead. Following the institute's adoption of the ALTITUDE Charter and its public support for the national call to action today, DkIT will now consider ways to bring this charter to life. It says it looks forward to building on its achievements to date and collaborating across its community to enhance the experiences of all its staff and students. The fabulous duo of virtuoso fiddle player Fergal Scahill & TG4 Composer of the Year Ryan Molloy, are to make a return to the Oriel Centre at Dundalk Gaol, this Sunday 13 April for an Easter concert featuring tracks from their newest CD release The Gannets Dive. There is no better way to get in the mood for the Easter break, than an evening with this massively talented pair, whose musical brilliance and soulful playing has astounded audiences worldwide. The two renowned musicians are in town working with the highly acclaimed Nos Nua Folk Orchestra, who have featured on numerous TV productions in recent years, including Creedons Atlas Of Ireland, and released their own debut album Causeway in 2024. Multi-instrumentalist Fergal Scahill is best known as the fiddle player in award winning band, We Banjo 3, recipients of the RTE Folk Awards Album of the Year 2018, Irish Times Album of the Year in 2012 and two No 1 albums on the Billboard Bluegrass Charts in the USA. Fergal has performed in over 30 countries and recorded on over 40 albums with musicians from all over the world, including three solo albums, six albums with his band We Banjo 3, two albums with his band Freewheel and two successful charity albums for Pieta House & The Hope foundation collaborating with some of the greats of Irish music. Ryan Molloys compositional and performance work sits at the boundary of contemporary classical music and traditional Irish music and is internationally recognised for its cross-genre innovation, musicality, and deep-rooted exploration of place and time. Ryan has written over 50 works and his music has been performed to audiences on four continents. He has been commissioned by both RTE and the BBC, as well as a range of renowned performers such as Darragh Morgan, Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble & the Irish Chamber Orchestra. Ryan has recorded on over twenty albums as a pianist, composer and arranger. He was honoured with the TG4 Graham Cheoil for Composer of the Year in 2024, and is an Associate Professor of Composition at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. An uplifting night of amazing music, fun and laughter is guaranteed at the Oriel Centre next Sunday evening with Ryan and Fergal. For all connoisseurs of Traditional Irish Music, this is a performance certainly not to be missed! Tickets available at www.orielcentre.ie Jon Hamm told Olivia Munn to "bite" him "really hard" during a raunchy sex scene in 'Your Friends and Neighbors'. Olivia Munn stars in Apple TV+ drama Your Friends and Neighbors The 54-year-old actor's character, former hedge fund manager Andrew 'Coop' Cooper, and the 44-year-old actress's alter ego, Samantha 'Sam' Levitt, have a secret fling in the Apple TV+ series with Andrew navigating a divorce. Olivia was so nervous about pushing her teeth into on the Hollywood legend's skin, but she quickly felt at ease because of how "tough" Jon is. She told PEOPLE: "My character had to bite him, and I was nervous, but he just kept saying, 'It's okay. You can bite really hard.' "And then I did. And he's a pretty tough guy. He's a very tough guy." The 'X-Men: Apocalypse' star said the pair had to learn "a lot of choreography" and had to have many conversations - including with showrunner Jonathan Tropper and "an intimacy co-ordinator" - to make their characters' sizzling romp look "believable". She said: "There's a lot of sex scenes in this, and there's a lot of dialogue about it with myself and Jon and Jonathan Tropper, and an intimacy co-ordinator because it has to be really believable. "My character is wanting something more from Jon's character. The only thing she's getting from him at this point is this sexual relationship, and that's so much a part of what is between them. "And so it's really important that we really feel how much she's leaning on this and trying to really connect with him through these moments, and those are the biggest connecting points." She compared intimacy coordinators to stunt coordinators, particularly with helping everyone get scenes to a certain point, She said: ""It's not real-life, clearly, and there's a lot of choreography that goes on behind [the scenes]. "And intimacy coordinators are like stunt coordinators, and they're there to help make the scene look as believable and realistic, and help everybody achieve what we want to achieve. "And so, there's a lot of discussion." 'Your Friends and Neighbors' premieres on April 11 on Apple TV+. Justice minister Jim OCallaghan has said he believes the former Cork Prison should be used for prisoner accommodation. Mr OCallaghan was speaking to reporters after a visit to Cork Prison on Friday. He said that he was not going to make an immediate decision on the site, but that he favoured utilising the former prison site, which has lain idle for nine years, to help address overcrowding. As of yesterday, there were 349 people in Cork Prison, which has 296 beds, meaning it was operating at 118% capacity, with 53 prisoners sleeping on mattresses. On February 4, Cork Prison had a record 372 people in custody, with 76 people without proper beds. According to figures released to Fianna Fail TD for Cork North-Central, Padraig OSullivan, the average daily number in custody in Cork Prison increased from 271 in 2023 to 335 in 2024. The former Cork Prison ceased to operate as a prison in February 2016 following the opening of the new facility on the same road. Built in the 1800s, the old prison had no in-cell sanitation and had issues relating to the size of cells and the condition of facilities. Following the transfer of operations to the new prison, the former facility was closed and decommissioned and has remained unused ever since. A feasibility study on the possibility of using the former prison for prisoner accommodation was completed last October, while Mr OCallaghans predecessor in justice, Fine Gaels Helen McEntee, was in office. The Fianna Fail justice minister said on Friday that he had been impressed with his visit to the modern Rathmore Rd facility, which he described as a commendable prison, despite its overcrowding. We have an overcrowding crisis in the prisons, we need more prison spaces, Mr OCallaghan said. I think the old Cork Prison site, its land that we own, and I would like to see it used for an extension of Cork Prison in the future. Mr OSullivan said he appreciated Mr OCallaghans intention to address the capacity issues at Cork Prison and was hopeful of a positive announcement for the prison, as extra capacity was urgently required. Safety of staff working in these facilities is paramount, and it is clearly demonstrated that being over capacity increases the risk of prisoner-on-prisoner and prisoner-on-staff incidents, he said. welve schools in Cork recently launched an initiative in Ballyphehane to instill a love of books and reading skills in the community. The One Book One Community initiative brings students, families, and the community together in a celebration of brilliant books and the power of reading. Tim and Sarah ONeill, from Glasheen GNS, read The Last Bear together the selected book for One Book One Community initiative 2025. Local schools, including Glasheen Boys ND and Glasheen Girls NS, were among the 12 that launched the initiative this year at an event in Presentation Secondary School Ballyphehane on Thursday, March 27. initiative has been organised by the Home School Community Liaison Scheme (HSCL) teachers in the local area. This year, the initiative will see one class group from each of the schools read the same book at the same time. Glasheen Boys NS pupils Rory and Finn with parents Kathriona Devereux, who is an Echo columnist, and Deborah Hickey with (rear middle) Tara Leen, Home School Community Liason teacher, and Tim ONeill, principal at the launch. Children, parents, and teachers from the 12 schools were present at the launch on March 27. The book that has been chosen for the children to read this year is The Last Bear by Hannah Gold. This book highlights the topic of global warming but also draws a picture of the wonderful connection that can develop between children and animals. Charlie, Jackson, and Ava with, front, Kincso and Moira from Greenmount NS at the launch. The children were introduced to the book by guest speaker, Kathriona Devereux, an award winning broadcaster, science communicator and columnist. Pupils Holly and Tyler with (rear) Casey and Christian from Presentation Secondary School at the launch of the Home School Community Initiative at Presentation Secondary School, Ballyphehane. The 12 schools involved in the initiative are Bishopstown Community School, Glasheen Boys NS, Glasheen Girls NS, Colaiste Eamann Ris, Gaelscoil an Teaglaigh Naofa, Greenmount NS, Morning Star NS, Presentation Secondary School Ballyphehane, Scoil Maria Assumpta, St Marys of the Isle PS, Togher Boys School, and Togher Girls School. Corks Mainport Shipping has welcomed a new offshore support ship, valued at 25m, to Cork. The ship, called Mainport Edge, will be used for seabed surveying as part of the international offshore energy sector. The investment into the ship, the lender for which was was AIB, comes against a backdrop of strong demand for seabed survey vessels in the European wind energy market. Speaking on the ships arrival at the Mainport Shipping headquarters in Cork, Dave Ronayne, chief executive, said the occasion represented a manifestation of the companys ambition in the offshore wind market to support geo-data specialists in international offshore energy. The complexity of surveying the seabed in deep waters requires specialist vessels and support such as the Mainport Edge, he added. Our market is fragmented with many shipping companies, each with a limited number of ships. There is no dominant player. Through our long-standing experience of providing specialist vessels, combined with the investment in our initial modern survey support ships, we are, with the support of MML, on a definitive growth path in this market. The new ship was constructed by Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding in China and is 59.6m in length. After purchase in China, Mainport sailed the ship to Turkey where extensive modifications were carried out to cater for the offshore wind market, bringing it to the current market value of 25m. The ship has already worked in the Mediterranean for six months following modifications, and will now commence a new charter in the Malin Sea area to the west of Scotland. It will conduct a geophysical survey, comprising of a range of acoustic and sonar sensors, to investigate the seafloor and subsurface. Mainport will use the Port of Cork to replenish the vessel and conduct all their maintenance requirements prior to going on charter with Sulmara in Larne in Antrim. The acquisition of MV Mainport Edge follows a multi-million euro equity investment into Mainport Shipping by MML Growth Capital Partners Ireland 15 months ago for expansion of its business. A traffic live stream at the Dunkettle interchange have been disabled pending a review, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) have said. Live traffic video streams at Dunkettle were previously available on a dedicated traffic website and app in order to inform motorists of traffic conditions during the construction of the Dunkettle interchange. Cork City Council initially installed the traffic monitoring cameras, but they are now overseen by TII. Michael Kennedy, head of regulatory and administration at TII, explained that the live video streams were disabled as part of an ongoing review of their use 12 months after the completion of the Dunkettle interchange upgrade. A decision as to whether to recommence the live feed will be made as part of the overall considerations as to how best to inform motorists of traffic conditions during the upcoming M28 scheme construction works, he said. Images from the Dunkettle interchange cameras, along with the remainder of the cameras on the N40 and for other locations across the national road network can still be viewed at the TII Traffic website. Sinn Fein TD for Cork North Central Thomas Gould, to whom the information on the cameras was provided via parliamentary question, said that he has been contacted by people who used the camera system at the Dunkettle ahead of their morning commute. These cameras were shut off out of the blue and people were left in the dark. We have no problem with a review being undertaken but it is unclear why the cameras could not remain operational pending the review, he told The Echo. This will force commuters to leave for work earlier and cause more traffic chaos. It will also encourage people to bypass the Dunkettle completely, which flies in the face of the road upgrades. A new EnergyCloud pilot project in Cork city has been launched by Jerry Buttimer, minister of state for charities, gaeltacht and the islands, and rural transport. A collaboration between not-for-profit EnergyCloud Ireland, Cork City Council and the Cork Age Friendly City programme, the project will enable older people in Cork to receive free tanks of hot water via the EnergyCloud Ireland smart device. The device, which is installed on the immersion tank and powered through Wi-Fi or a sim card, uses surplus renewable energy to power the immersion heater. Mr Buttimer said that over 40 devices have been installed for older people across the city already, saying: I support this initiative fully. I think its an excellent example of what can happen when public bodies, the private sector, and community organisations all pull in the same direction. Valerie OSullivan, the councils chief executive, said that they are working across directorates on this project, which connects new technologies with the aims of the Climate Action Plan. Lord Mayor councillor Dan Boyle welcomed the pilot, saying: This innovative project matches local, national and global goals. By using surplus renewable energy and smart technology to help older people across the city who may be at risk of energy poverty, this pilot will reduce their energy costs and carbon footprint. The project was also welcomed by Age Friendly ambassador for Cork city, John Mullins, who said: This collaboration between Cork City Council and EnergyCloud Ireland highlights Cork city Age Friendly programmes continued commitment to making Cork a great place to grow old. The programme marks EneryClouds first project in Cork city, their first project aimed solely at over 65s and will also see them deliver their first installations in privately owned homes. At the launch event, Mr Buttimer was joined by representatives from Cork City Council across the community, climate action and housing teams, representatives of Age Friendly Ireland, HSE and Age Friendly recipients of the first 20 EnergyCloud smart devices in Cork. Gardai are appealing for witnesses following an incident of criminal damage by fire that occurred in West Cork yesterday. The incident occurred in the Bantry area, along the road from Castledonovan to Bantry, at around 2pm. Two excavators were extensively damaged by fire, gardai said. Gardai are appealing for anybody who may have information about the incident to come forward, in particular any road users that were travelling on the Castledonovan to Bantry road between 1pm and 2:30pm yesterday. Anyone who may have camera footage, including dash-cam, is also asked to make that footage available to gardai. Gardai can be contacted at Bantry Garda Station on 027 20860, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or at any garda station. Hilary Swank doesn't "have time" for dishonest people. Hilary Swank doesn't indulge dishonest people The 50-year-old actress admits that she no longer has the energy to sustain half-hearted connections. The Hollywood star told Women's Health magazine: "I just dont have time for falsehood in any way. And a lot of people dont like to be completely honest with people because theyre afraid of either hurting someones feelings or theyre afraid of confrontation. The relationships that are important to me are the ones that are willing to be honest and real." Hilary turns 51 in July, and the actress is happy with where she's currently at in her life and her career. The 'Million Dollar Baby' star said: "Energy is flowing when youre happy to be where you want to be, when youre happy with where you are, because you made a choice to be there." Hilary has found a peace of mind by surrounding herself with nature. The actress shared: "I have five dogs. I have two horses. Nature is such a fundamental part of who I am. "Thankfully, I grew up in nature. For me, its in my DNA, its in my marrow, and I would not be the same person without it. And so I have to be in nature every day in some facet or another. And where I live is so perfect for that. I have a lake right in front of me and a forest in my backyard. Thats my recharge." By contrast, Hilary admitted to suffering lots of "sleepless nights" after welcoming twins in 2023. The movie star - who has two-year-old twins Aya and Ohm with her husband Philip Schneider - told People: "I think that being a mother of twins, I never have had a singleton, so I don't know what that's like. "But I know that the sleepless nights are hard and when you have one that might sleep through the night, the other one's not, so it's kind of this trade-off every night." Despite this, Hilary has tried to embrace the challenges of parenthood. She said: "I know this is also a season, and it too will pass, and I try and remind myself that there's going to be a day when I'm like, Oh, I'd love to wake up right now and just hold you. So just trying and hold on to that." US President Donald Trump has abruptly backed down on his tariffs on most nations for 90 days but raised his tax rate on Chinese imports to 125%. US treasury secretary Scott Bessent told reporters that Mr Trump was pausing his so-called reciprocal tariffs on most of the countrys biggest trading partners, but maintaining his 10% tariff on nearly all global imports. Imports tariffs on goods from China, though, would surge to 125% effective immediately Mr Trump said on social media. Amid a global market meltdown, the move was seemingly an attempt to narrow what had been an unprecedented trade war between the US and most of the world to one between the US and China. Global markets surged following the development, but the precise details of Mr Trumps plans to ease tariffs on non-China trade partners are not immediately clear. Mr Bessent added that the markets didnt understand Mr Trumps tariff strategy. The market didnt understand, those were maximum levels. The countries can think about those levels as they come to us to bring down their tariffs, their non-trade barriers, he told reporters at the White House. He said Mr Trump created maximum negotiating leverage for himself and the Chinese have shown themselves to the world as the bad actors. It comes as some businesses have already seen orders from the US slowing or drying up entirely, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said. He was speaking during a dedicated time in the Dail to hear statements on US tariffs, during which TDs said it would be ordinary people that would pay the price for new tariffs. We are already hearing from some who are seeing orders from the United States slowing or even drying up entirely, putting valuable and skilled jobs at risk, and there may be more to come," he said. Mr Martin said the EU response to the tariffs to date was the correct one, and he was satisfied that the concerns of Ireland had been taken fully into account. Speaking to The Echo following Trump's latest announcement Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins said "it is an opportunity for dialogue now with the American administration". "We will see what the next couple of weeks entails. I welcome the pause, but it will certainly take a hell of a lot of negotiations to bring this to some kind of successful solution." Fianna Fail TD Padraig O'Sullivan said the news is "a welcome reprieve at the moment, given the anxiety that is there at the moment in particular in our pharma and bio tech industry here in Cork". "I think it is also a sign that the EU as a block has demonstrated, that collectively and with cool heads, in any future negotiations common sense will prevail," he added. Fine Gael TD Colm Burke said: I was on the joint committee of the European Parliament and US congress back in 2009. It was amazing the cooperation that was there between the US and Brussels at the time. The big problem that we have now is the uncertainty that is in the markets. Anything could happen now because it is changing from day to day. Liam Quaide, Social Democrats TD, added: "The pause on European tariffs is welcome but is a further reflection of the chaos that Trump is unleashing on the world economy. It's clear he is operating off gut instinct ... as opposed to some kind of economic masterplan. The result is huge uncertainty in the markets. "It's crucial we maintain our stance of calm, collected unity with our European partners. The Social Democrats welcome a cross-party approach to this crisis, and will work constructively with government and other parties in opposition." A 36-year-old woman who was caught shoplifting 172 times has been jailed for nine months for yet another crime spree in Cork city. Judge Mary Dorgan imposed that sentence on Margaret Deasy, of Cork Simon Community, at Cork District Court. After hearing an outline of the various offences committed by Deasy, Judge Dorgan said: I am looking at a crime spree within a short number of days it is not good. In one of the thefts, the accused was involved in an assault on a member of staff at Tesco. Judge Dorgan asked if the accused had anything to say now. She is sorry and she wishes to apologise. She does recognise the trauma she inflicted on the girl working in Tesco, defence solicitor Joseph Cuddigan said. He added that the accused was very badly beaten by another resident of Cork Simon wielding a vodka bottle. Mr Cuddigan complained about the large number of people presently incarcerated at Limerick Prison where Margaret Deasy is at the moment. She is not well served by overcrowding in Limerick Prison, he said. If she was out, she could avail of support services. Judge Dorgan said that, in light of previous convictions and the crime spree in the present cases, the appropriate sentence was one of nine months consisting of various consecutive sentences. Deasy stole three handbags worth a total of 4,250 from Brown Thomas in Cork, along with 1,683 worth of cosmetics from Boots pharmacy, Douglas Court Shopping Centre. At Tesco, Paul St, she stole two bottles of alcohol valued 67. When confronted by a member of staff, one bottle was recovered. She committed a similar crime there involving 48 worth of alcohol on another occasion. When attempting to retrieve the second bottle of alcohol, the accused grabbed the manager on the left wrist causing a slight bruise, Sergeant Gearoid Davis said. The same defendant smashed three windows in a separate incident elsewhere, causing 500 damage. She also stole groceries valued 136 at Supervalu, Togher Rd, Cork, and 120 worth of items from Spar, Douglas St. Most of the new offences before the court were committed within a few days of each other in February. By Cillian Sherlock, PA Social Democrats are seeking to include a TD suspended from the parliamentary party in the calculus of its numbers for forming Oireachtas committees. The roles of chair of Oireachtas committees are assigned using the dHondt method, which distributes the posts to the Government and opposition parties in a matter proportional to how many seats they won in the general election. The Social Democrats won 11 seats in Novembers general election, but Eoin Hayes was indefinitely suspended from the parliamentary party in December after making incorrect statements about his shares in a company linked to the Israeli military. TD for Dublin Bay South Eoin Hayes (second right) with Social Democrat TD Jennifer Whitmore, Social Democrats deputy leader Cian OCallaghan and Dublin Central TD Gary Gannon at Leinster House, Dublin, in December. Photo: Cate McCurry/PA. Mr Hayes had originally told the media and his party colleagues that he divested shares in his former employer, Palantir Technologies, prior to being elected to Dublin City Council in June. But he later revealed that he sold the shares in July, after taking office, for a pre-tax figure of 199,000. The company supplies technology to Israels military. The Social Democrats had been calling for economic sanctions against Israel months before Mr Hayes election to the council. He became a TD in November. His suspension, which came before the current Dail had sat for the first time, was reviewed by the national executive and remains with the parliamentary party for any further consideration. Committee formation is now being progressed and the inclusion or exclusion of Mr Hayes seat in the Social Democrats total would mean the difference between the party holding one or two chair positions. The dHondt system also dictates the order in which chair positions are assigned. Asked last month if Mr Hayes would be included in the partys calculus for Government formation, Social Democrat TD Jennifer Whitmore said: Eoin Hayes is currently not a member of the parliamentary party, hes been suspended. Her comment came weeks before moves on committee formation were advanced after a vote on the speaking rights row. Pressed for a yes or no answer at the time, Ms Whitmore added: The committees are not being set up, hes not a member of the parliamentary party at the moment. The party said its internal disciplinary proceedings should not impact the allocation of committee positions. A party spokesman said on Wednesday: We will be contesting the notion that committee positions would not be allocated proportionately based on the results from the general election. The fact is that 11 Social Democrats TD were elected in November. Internal disciplinary measures, taken against one of those TDs, should not impact the allocation of committee positions. By Jonathan McCambridge and Cillian Sherlock, PA Tanaiste Simon Harris said US president Donald Trumps suspension of higher tariffs will come as a relief to many businesses in Ireland. The Tanaiste was speaking following a meeting with US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick in Washington DC. The US president announced on Wednesday he would be delaying tariffs on most nations for 90 days while raising his tax rate on Chinese imports to 125 per cent. US president Donald Trump has announced a pause on higher tariffs for 90 days (Niall Carson/PA) He posted the announcement on his Truth Social platform, but the precise details were not immediately clear. Mr Harris said his meeting with Mr Lutnick, a key critic of the Irish Governments fiscal policies, which occurred shortly after Mr Trumps announcement, was timely, valuable and substantive. He said We discussed that announcement and the likely next steps. I welcomed the fact that the President has announced the suspension of the higher tariffs announced on April 2 for a period of 90 days. This, I know, will come as a relief to many businesses in Ireland. The Tanaiste said further engagement and clarification is required on the details of the US announcement. He added: We also had an opportunity for a substantive engagement on pharma and I outlined the mutually beneficial role that the sector plays for Ireland and the United States. During the meeting, I also outlined the dynamic interconnected economic relationship between Ireland, Europe and the United States. I conveyed our commitment through the EU to comprehensive negotiations that would address a broad range of issues. Mr Harris said the meeting confirmed his view that there is an openness on the part of the US to engage in a process of negotiations. He added: I outlined my view that Ireland, as part of the EU, wants to play a constructive role and will continue to be a voice for calm and measured engagement in the time ahead. Mr Harris said he had updated EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic on his meeting with Howard Lutnick (Liam McBurney/PA) During an appearance on RTE, Mr Harris was asked if 90 days is enough for the EU to negotiate a deal with the US. He said: I spoke to (EU Trade Commissioner) Maros Sefcovic straight after the meeting to update him on the details from our discussion with Secretary Lutnick. I think 90 days is a significant period of time. Whether its enough remains to be seen, and it is important that theres still clarifications needed. It looks like, for example, the higher rate on cars and steel and aluminium is likely to remain. He added: 10 per cent tariffs still arent good. Tariffs are bad, so we need to be cautious in relation to this. But crucially, what this has done is provide the space that the European Commission, European member states and Ireland has been calling for. Its been a big part of our diplomatic and political effort over the last while to try and create space for real and meaningful engagement. And I did also take the chance to talk to the secretary about the two-way relationship between Ireland and the United States. And I must say, he spoke favourably in relation to the Irish economic model and our economic success to date. 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. Indonesia is planning to clear a forested area roughly the size of Belgium in order to make way for the production of sugarcane-derived bioethanol and food crops such as rice. The move threatens to displace Indigenous groups who are reliant on the land for survival. Instead of clearing forests, the government should focus on optimising existing agricultural land, respecting indigenous rights, and implementing genuine agrarian reform, said the Clean Coalition of environmental NGOs in a statement, as AFP reported. Activists are concerned that the proposal will lead to more forests being cleared to make way for oil palm plantations. Palm oil is the countrys top export commodity and a key driver of deforestation in the archipelago. The plan to open 20 million hectares of land significantly increases the risk of palm oil expansion, said Achmad Surambo, executive director of Sawit Watch, as reported by AFP. Local communities have said they are already being harmed by the plan, which environmental watchdog groups say is the largest planned deforestation project in the world, The Associated Press reported. Indonesia is home to many endangered and unique wildlife and plant species like orangutans, elephants, the Sumatran tiger, Sunda clouded leopards, sun bears, the Javan rhinoceros and giant forest flowers. For decades, the country has been constructing massive food estates meant to bolster food security, with varying success. Former President Joko Widodo revived the concept during his decade-long administration, which ended last year. Prabowo Subianto, the current president, has expanded the projects to include bioethanol crops such as corn and sugarcane, as part of Indonesias plan to develop more renewable energy sources and improve the countrys energy mix. I am confident that within four to five years at the latest, we will achieve food self-sufficiency, Prabowo said in a speech last October. We must be self-sufficient in energy and we have the capacity to achieve this. Although the International Energy Agency has said that biofuels like bioethanol have an important role in the decarbonization of transportation, the agency also warned that biofuel expansion should be developed sustainability so that it has a minimal impact on environmental factors such as land use and food production. Imagine every piece of vegetation in that area being completely cleared having all the trees and the wildlife erased from the landscape and replaced with a monoculture, said CEO of Mighty Earth Glenn Horowitz, as reported by The Associated Press. Its creating a zone of death in one of the most vibrant spots on Earth. Subiantos brother Hashim Djojohadikusumo, the countrys energy and environment envoy, said 16 million acres of deforested and degraded land will be reforested by the government. However, experts caution that the ecological benefits of reforestation, while important, cannot compare with those of old-growth forest ecosystems, which support biodiversity, regulate water cycles and store enormous amounts of carbon in biomass and soils. A large oil palm plantation in Kalimantan, Indonesia. Farhan Kudo San / iStock / Getty Images Plus The so-called food and energy sovereignty President Prabowo Subianto envisions will remain empty rhetoric if it relies on massive deforestation. This plan would worsen the climate crisis, triggering cascading impacts across sectors. Converting 20 million hectares of forest for industrial use will increase carbon emissions, fuel fires, and produce hazardous haze, especially if carried out in peat landscapes. Ultimately, this will derail the governments climate commitments and efforts to safeguard biodiversity, said Iqbal Damanik, Greenpeace Indonesia forest campaigner, in a press release from Greenpeace. Vincen Kwipalo, a 63-year-old villager in Papua, said the area where he and others in the community once hunted has been converted into sugarcane nurseries that are watched over by guards, preventing them from their normal subsistence activities. We know the forests of Papua are one of the biggest lungs of the world, yet we are destroying it, Kwipalo said, as The Associated Press reported. Indonesia should be proud to protect Papua not destroy it. Environmental watchdogs say the development will impact Indigenous groups for generations. Where are they going to hunt, fish and live? Horowitz said. For an Indigenous community thats relied on the rainforest to provide for centuries, are they supposed to live in a sugar plantation? 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. A map showing an estimated loss of New York dwelling units by 2040, based on climate change and sea level rise projections by the New York Panel on Climate Change. Regional Plan Association By the year 2040, New York City and Long Island could lose over 80,000 homes to flooding, according to Averting Crisis, a new report released on Monday by the nonprofit Regional Plan Association (RPA). The report said that in every NYC borough, it was likely that tracts of land would become impossible to develop, contributing to the areas housing shortage, which could reach 1.2 million homes. Communities nationwide are facing a severe housing crisis marked by soaring costs, limited housing options, and stagnant construction. This crisis is largely driven by restrictive zoning regulations that impose onerous procedural requirements, ban multi-family housing, and create numerous technical hurdles, the report said. Unfortunately, climate hazards, especially flooding, will continue to exacerbate the housing shortage. The growing risk of climate-driven flooding jeopardizes both existing and future housing developed in flood zones. The New York City area has seen a shortage of homes over the last few decades, which has contributed to higher rents and home prices, reported The New York Times. Meanwhile, the city has been finding it hard to adapt to the increase in flooding and extreme weather due to global heating. The sooner we decide as a city to invest in resilience measures to help neighborhoods adapt whether its to fortify or to move the faster we avert leaving an even bigger crisis for the next generation, said Amy Chester, managing director of nonprofit Rebuild by Design, as The New York Times reported. In the New York, Connecticut and New Jersey tri-state area, almost one million multifamily buildings and houses have a high risk of flooding, according to the report. By 2050, the number of at-risk affordable housing units in coastal areas is projected to triple. As greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, extreme weather events made worse by sea-level rise will continue to become more frequent, severe and damaging. Over time, zoning has been implemented to favor sprawl while limiting compact development. As a result, our current zoning exacerbates both our housing and climate crises. The same zoning regulations that constrain compact housing development are subjecting residents to increasing and more severe climate hazards, the report said. In the report, RPA offered insights into zoning reform and necessary policies to address the twin climate adaptation and housing needs of the study area, which included New York City and the suburban areas of Suffolk, Nassau and Westchester Counties. Of the 82,000 residences that could be destroyed by 2040, more than half were predicted to be on Long Island. Flooding in Freeport, New York in Long Islands Nassau County on Jan. 13, 2024. J. Conrad Williams Jr. / Newsday RM via Getty Images Of the many climate hazards threatening the study area, flood risks may have the most impact, as approximately 77,300 acres of residential-zoned land (10.5%) could face future flooding, and by the year 2040, up to 82,000 housing units could be lost due to permanent, chronic, and coastal flooding, the report said. In many municipalities in Westchester and especially Long Island, locally controlled zoning often restricts residential development in locations with good transportation access, job opportunities, and limited flood exposure. Despite being close to New York City, suburbs on Long Island and in Westchester County ban multifamily development on over 95% of their residential land. In the city, waterfront neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens, such as Canarsie and the Rockaways, would experience the most flooding losses. Some new developments in Queens Rockaway Peninsula home to approximately 125,000 residents have been trying to safeguard people against flooding while providing dense, affordable housing. A system of engineered berms in the Rockaways with steel and stone walls at their centers will help protect the peninsulas ocean-facing side. There hasnt been much progress on the bay side, however, which floods on a regular basis. Other mitigation measures in New York City that are in various stages of completion include floodgates and walls on Manhattans Lower East Side, as well as bluebelts connecting storm sewers to ponds and lakes. The report said the area already needs 362,000 more homes to relieve overcrowding, provide housing for those in shelters and address low vacancy rates. An additional 895,000 units could be needed by 2040 to address flooding losses, household formation changes and dilapidation. Towns and cities should cluster their growth in regional areas with a relatively lower flood risk that are close to commercial hubs and public transportation, according to the report. Max Besbris, a University of Wisconsin-Madison sociology professor, said the threat of global heating means local officials need to rethink what a conventional home looks like. That means denser housing, more energy-efficient housing, and that probably means giving up on that suburban ideal of a stand-alone home with a white picket fence, Besbris said, as reported by The New York Times. (Photo: REUTERS/Beawiharta)Women members of the hardline Islamic group, the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), shout slogans as they reject Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok as their governor in Jakarta, December 1, 2014. Ahok, Jakarta's first Christian governor in nearly 50 years was sworn in two weeks ago, despite protests from religious hardliners opposing a non-Muslim taking over one of Indonesia's most powerful political jobs. Local officials in Indonesia's East Borneo Province have refused to approve the construction of a church building even though the congregation met all requirements for the required permit to operate and tried for 10 years. In Samarinda, the capital of East Borneo Province, the Samarinda Ministry of Religious Affairs Office refused to issue a letter of recommendation for the Toraja Christian Church in Sungai Keledang, Samarinda Seberang Sub-District, Morning Star News reported on March 31. That is despite the church completing all administrative requirements for a license permit, according to the Indonesian Movement for All (Pergerakan Indonesia untuk Semua, PIS). According to the report, the church has sought the permit for 10 years, in Indonesia which often touts itself as a beacon of religious tolerance. "Oh my God...How can people worship when we make it difficult?" PIS stated on its website. "What other reason does the Ministry of Religious Affairs office have for refusing to provide a letter of recommendation? Sounds cowardly, doesn't it? This injustice should not be tolerated." The Christian congregation worked on the application for 10 years, getting the names and ID cards of 90 people approved by local officials. They obtained the approval of 60 local people and village heads and won recommendations of the local Interfaith Forum in September 2024, according to PIS. Hendra Kusuma, chairman of the East Kalimantan Alliance for Advocacy for Freedom of Religion and Belief, says the government fears Muslim groups that are religiously intolerant rather than enforcing rules, PIS stated. "They are more afraid of a handful of people who reject the church's existence, even though the state guarantees freedom of religion and worship," Hendra told kaltimtoday.com. Hendra said officials were shifting responsibility, as happens in many areas in Indonesia. "We have visited all related parties, even the Ministry of Religious Affairs, but they still let the sub-district head decide," Hendra said. "Not a single party is brave and firm enough to resolve the problem." The church also has received a letter of recommendation for building from the Samarinda Branch of the Interfaith Forum (Forum Kerja Sama Umat Beragama, or FKUB). Its approval is mandatary, to issue a recommendation for the construction, Hendra said. A congregation member going by the name of Elizabeth was quoted saying she regretted that the church's rights had been violated. "We just want to build a church for worship," Elizabeth told viva.co.id. "We all have the right to embrace our respective religions and worship in our respective places of worship. Our rights should still be given according to the law." An official of the Samarinda Ministry of Religious Affairs office who goes by the single name of Rahmi said that a handful of people are blocking the construction of the church building, especially as officials wish to avoid conflict during Ramadan, according to Kaltimviva.co.id "We don't want there to be any problems," Rahami reportedly said. "Especially in the month of Ramadan, it is feared that it can trigger unwanted things, but it doesn't mean we don't want to issue it." While visiting the Samarinda Ministry of Religion Office on March 5, Hendra told radar.samarinda.com that his group was disappointed and that after the issuing of the FKUB recommendation letter, the Ministry of Religion must issue a recommendation letter within 30 days. The East Kalimantan Alliance for Advocacy for Freedom of Religion and Belief then appealed to the Samarinda municipal government with the deputy of the Samarinda mayor, according to Kaltimtoday.com. Besides promising to approach relevant officials at all levels, including those blocking construction, the idea of relocating the worship building to another location arose which the Christians rejected. "There was a discourse to relocate the church we reject the discourse even if it happens," Hendra said. "The [current] lot for the would-be church has a certificate of ownership of the Toraja Church." Peter Selestinus, a Jakarta-based attorney, said the state and/or Samarinda officials are not providing equal guarantees to all religious communities in the case cited. "It is against Article 29 of the 1945 Constitution that says the state guarantees the freedom of each resident to embrace their respective religions and to worship according to their religion and beliefs," Selestinus told Morning Star News in a text. A legal team for one of Indonesia's biggest parties, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan, or PDI-P), Selestinus said freedom to embrace religion and worship must be upheld. "However, it is unfortunate that our country still adopts a discriminatory attitude in making real the provisions of our Constitution that guarantees each resident the right to embrace a religion," Selestinus said. "People need a place to hold worship, but it is made difficult. Here the state, the Samarinda City Government in particular, is not honest with its residents, and this is unjustified because it violates the constitution and human rights." Indonesian society has adopted a more conservative Islamic character, and churches involved in evangelistic outreach are at risk of being targeted by Islamic extremist groups, according to the Christian advocacy group Open Doors. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim nation, with the CIA Factbook saying that of its more than 281 million people, 87.4 percent are followers of Islam, nearly 11 percent are Christians, and 1.7 percent are Hindus. Zendaya and Tom Holland's wedding is still "far away". Zendaya and Tom Holland aren't rushing their wedding plans The Hollywood couple - who confirmed their engagement earlier this year - are set to tie the knot, but the 'Euphoria' star's stylist Law Roach has claimed the nuptials won't be happening in the immediate future. Speaking at the Fashion Trust Awards on Tuesday (08.04.25), he told E! News: "Its far away. Theyre both doing a bunch of movies this year and theres a lot of premieres next year so youll see a lot of red carpets. "I'm resting up for 2026 - but the wedding, [there's some time]." Tom's dad, Dominic Holland, previously revealed how his son approached the proposal. The 57-year-old author wrote on Patreon in January: "He had purchased a ring. He had spoken with her father and gained permission to propose to his daughter." Dominic admitted his son planned out the proposal in meticulous detail before he popped the question to Zendaya, 28. He shared: "Tom had everything planned out When, where, how, what to say, what to wear (sic)" The 'Spider-Man' co-stars have remained tight-lipped about their engagement. But in November, Zendaya admitted that she feels "extra safe" whenever she works with Tom. The actress told Vanity Fair's 2025 Hollywood Issue: "Its actually strangely comfortable. Its like second nature, if anything. You feel extra safe with the person youre acting beside. I love working with him. "Hes so talented, and so passionate about what he does. He always gives things 1,000 percent, even if hes absolutely worn down. I really appreciate that about him. It feels pretty normal. Thats how we met. Literally, at a chemistry read." The loved-up pair went public with their romance back in 2021, and Tom has admitted he sometimes searches Zendaya's name to "check" that she's okay. Appearing on Samah Dada's 'On The Menu' podcast, Tom shared: "The last thing I Googled was actually Zendaya. "Im not on [social media], and I delete it when Im not using it. So, sometimes, like, its more of a bit of an anxiety thing, but Ill check to see if everythings good and to make sure were all cool. "So I just give her a little Google and look [through] the news, and Im like, Shes good.'" Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products . Samsung's Ballie will go on sale in the US and South Korea this summer, the company announced today. What's more, through a partnership with Google Cloud, the diminutive robot will ship with a Gemini AI model. Samsung didn't state the specific system that powers Ballie, but in combination with the company's own proprietary language models, it says the robot has multimodal capabilities, meaning Ballie can process voice, audio and visual data from its sensors. According to Samsung, Ballie can also manage your smart home devices and even offer health and styling recommendations, if you're inclined to seek that type of advice from a robot. Samsung has yet to announce pricing for Ballie, though with the uncertainty around the Trump administration's recently announced tariffs, you can't blame Samsung, can you? The company first demoed Ballie in 2020. The robot has gone through a few iterations since the then, with the version you see above first demoed at CES 2024. Samsung said then Ballie would arrive sometime in 2024, but last year came and went without the robot hitting store shelves. Prince Harry has spoken out against what he believes is unfair treatment after being stripped of his government-funded security in the UK. During a rare court appearance on Tuesday, his lawyer argued that Harry was not treated equally and that officials failed to follow their own safety review process. In 2020, Harry lost his British police protection after stepping down from his royal duties and moving to the United States with his wife, Meghan Markle. Now living in California, Harry says he and his family still face serious threats when visiting the UK. Shaheed Fatima, Harry's attorney, told the Court of Appeal that the decision to offer "bespoke" security protection only when needed was not only unfair but also unsafe, AP News said. "The appellant does not accept that bespoke means better," Fatima said. "It means he has been singled out for different, unjustified, and inferior treatment." A government lawyer disagreed, saying Harry's claims were based on a misunderstanding of how the security process works. James Eadie, the government's lawyer, said Harry's arguments ignored the full picture. "It involves a continued failure to see the wood for the trees," he said. Prince Harry returns to court to challenge the decision that stripped him of UK police protection. Despite real threats and royal status, RAVEC cut his security before he left duties. Harrys appeal is about safety, equality, and ending double standards in royal protection. pic.twitter.com/WP4rZqD012 Feminegra (@feminegra) April 8, 2025 Prince Harry Fights for Security in UK Court Three appeal judges are holding the hearing. A written decision will be made later, but some of the hearings were held in private due to sensitive security issues. Harry arrived in court with a small security team and waved to cameras before entering through a private door. Harry, 40, is the younger son of King Charles III. According to CBS News, he has been outspoken in legal battles against both the UK government and British tabloids. Though he rarely appears in court, he made headlines last year when he testified in a phone hacking case, becoming the first senior royal to do so in over 130 years. Harry says he still faces danger when returning to Britain. His legal team revealed that he has been the target of at least two serious threats since losing police protection. One included an online call by Al-Qaeda for his assassination. Another involved a high-speed chase by paparazzi in New York. He had also tried to pay for UK police protection himself, but the court rejected that offer. A judge ruled that public officers should not be used as "private bodyguards for the wealthy." Although Harry dropped a recent libel case, he won a major lawsuit in 2023 over phone hacking. He also secured an apology and payout from Rupert Murdoch's UK tabloids earlier this year over privacy violations. The legal drama between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has taken another turn after "It Ends With Us" co-star Adam Mondschein publicly disputed the actress's claims over a controversial birthing scene. In her lawsuit, Lively alleges that the set was "chaotic, crowded, and utterly lacking in standard industry protections for filming nude scenes." She claims she was pressured into partial nudity during the birthing scene after Baldoni insisted that "women give birth naked." Lively described feeling humiliated when she learned that Mondschein, who played the doctor in the scene, was Baldoni's close friend. Her legal team argued that this casting decision was invasive and inappropriate for such an intimate role. Mondschein, however, has refuted these allegations. In a statement, the actor said he was surprised about Lively's recollection and accused her of mischaracterizing the scene. "I'm not going to speculate as to Ms. Lively's motivations for mentioning me in the complaint. Needless to say, my experience working with her is very different than the one she described in her lawsuit. Indeed, I was surprised to read her description of the scene," he said. He also disputed Lively's claim of being given only a "small piece of fabric" to cover her genitalia during the scene, noting that the actress wore a full hospital gown, black shorts, and a prosthetic belly during filming. Furthermore, Mondschein said Lively never expressed discomfort or raised concerns about the scene while on set. Lively and Baldoni's legal battle stems from allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation during the production of It Ends With Us. On Dec. 20, 2024, Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, accusing Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath of creating a hostile work environment. Her claims include inappropriate sexual comments, boundary violations, and alleged retaliation after she raised concerns. The feud escalated when Lively filed a federal lawsuit on Dec. 31, 2024, reiterating her harassment claims and accusing Baldoni of launching a coordinated effort to discredit her. Baldoni countersued in January 2025, filing a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist Leslie Sloan. He accused them of civil extortion and attempting to hijack control of the film through threats and demands. Russell Brand will appear in public for the first time since he was accused of sexual offences, including rape. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the event following the announcement of the charges against him for rape, indecent assault, oral rape, and two additional counts of sexual assault, he will take part in a discussion on "Free Speech, Censorship, and Cultural Power" this Saturday at New College of Florida in Sarasota. "In a time when public pressure often seeks to silence rather than engage, New College of Florida is reaffirming its role in creating space for open inquirynot eliminating it," said Alexandra Nicole Islas, Director of Public Policy Events at New College of Florida. "After thoughtful consideration, we have decided to move forward with Russell Brand's scheduled appearance as part of a broader conversation on society, culture, and free speech. This is a reflection of our commitment to civil discourse and the belief that even challenging conversations deserve room in the public square," Islas further said. "While the justice system independently addresses other matters, our responsibility is to ensure a space where ideasespecially those that invite dialogue such as the topic of cancel culture and free speech, can be explored with respect, critical thought, and intellectual integrity," he further added. . It will be aired live and then uploaded to the YouTube, X, and Rumble accounts of New College of Florida. It is advertised as "New College of Florida Socratic Stage Presents: Thinking Without Permission - A Conversation with Russell Brand on Free Speech, Censorship, and Cultural Power." Brand, a father of three, is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court next month. It has been alleged that he has been residing with his family in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, since departing the UK last October. Allegations against him go back 26 years. The British Crown Prosecution Service is currently investigating Katy Perry's ex on Friday for alleged assaults on four women that took place between 1999 and 2005. In a social media video, Brand admitted to being a "drug addict, a sex addict, and an imbecile" before he came to know Christianity. Nonetheless, the New York Times reported that he expressed gratitude for the chance to defend himself in court, denied ever having committed rape or sexual assault, and that he had "never engaged in nonconsensual conduct." Rosie O'Donnell has made the drastic decision to exclude her estranged daughter, Chelsea O'Donnell, from her $80 million fortune following years of public strife. The former talk show presenter seemingly had no qualms about making this decision just days before starting a new chapter in her life by relocating to Ireland. Chelsea O'Donnell has responded by petitioning the court to revert to her birth mother Deanna Micoley's maiden name, Neuens, as her last name. A source familiar with what has happened revealed to Daily Mail UK that "Chelsea really didn't care that Rosie wrote her out." The source added, "I mean who wouldn't want to have access to millions? But for Chelsea it is not about the money, it's about feeling wanted and loved." "And that's something she feels she has never really had from Rosie," the source added. "Money is what allowed for Rosie to send her away to six or seven boarding schools during her lifetime. Rich people can pay someone else to raise their kids. Middle- or lower-class parents actually have to be parents, they can't ship their kids off at the first sign of trouble," the source further added. Chelsea, the second of Rosie O'Donnell's five adopted children, is currently in a sober living facility in Marinette, Wisconsin, and could not be reached for comment. She has recently been sentenced to six years of probation after facing three consecutive drug-related arrests. The 27-year-old appeared in court in Wisconsin with her attorney, Brad Hansen, on Monday, where she pleaded guilty to three felony charges: resisting or obstructing an officer, felony bail jumping, and possession of methamphetamine. As reported by People, she received a two-year probation term for each charge. As part of her probation conditions, Chelsea must maintain complete sobriety, cannot possess alcohol or drugs without a valid prescription, must avoid contact with drug users or dealers, and is prohibited from owning firearms. Chelsea must also complete a comprehensive mental health assessment and earn a high school diploma or GED. If these conditions are not met, jail time may be imposed. Her misdemeanor charges of possessing narcotic substances and drug paraphernalia have been dropped in the interim. Justin Combs, Sean "Diddy" Combs' son, and actor Cuba Gooding Jr. are named in the feds for intentionally evading service. In February 2024, music producer Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones Jr. filed a case that contains disturbing charges of sex trafficking, drug distribution, and other misconduct. According to the suit, in January 2023, Jones claimed that Gooding Jr. had groped him on a yacht Diddy had rented. The lawsuit alleges that Diddy walked away, leaving Jones with the actor, who is now accused of attacking Jones without his consent, and Diddy did nothing to intervene. In March 2024, Jones changed his suit to add Gooding Jr. and Justin as defendants, alleging both men were part of the abuse and the subsequent cover-up. The complaint noted that Diddy's oldest son jumped in to assist those with whom he was participating in the activities. Jones's legal team has attempted to serve Justin and Gooding Jr. so many times that Jones is now requesting an alternative method of notification, according to AllHipHop. The process servers for Jones have hit a number of roadblocks attempting to serve both men at addresses they are known to frequent in both California and Florida. Jones' attorneys said they were denied access to three different California addresses for Gooding Jr. All three reported outofdate or incorrect details. One of these locations had no record of the actor's representation, while others were reported as outdated or inaccurate. Justin has also been elusive. The servers were stopped at a security gate at a private Los Angeles apartment complex and found themselves at a dead-end at another Beverly Hills location where they were tipped off that Justin had moved. Gates and security cut off attempts to serve him at a few of his Miami Beach properties. The process server could not locate Justin after serving his brother, Christian Combs. Producer Rodney Jones lawyer has been trying to serve Cuba Gooding Jr. and Diddys son Justin Dior Combs as defendants in a federal lawsuit filed against Diddy. He hasnt been able to, so hes asking a judge to allow him to serve them in the LA Times and New York Times. pic.twitter.com/fkqLN9oorU Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) April 8, 2025 Seeking Approval for Alternative Service Having run out of ways to serve the defendants with the traditional means, Jones' lawyers filed a motion asking the court to permit Jones to serve the defendants with ads in newspapers. In a motion they submitted Monday to the court, they claim the approach publishing notices in The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times would be a proper means to provide notice to both Justin and Gooding Jr. of the action. Jones' lawyers argue that the two men's public profiles and ties to New York and California suggest the notices are likely to reach them. Without the court's approval, Jones argues, he will be unfairly hindered from proceeding with his claims of sexual assault and trafficking. Cuba Gooding Jr, Yung Miami, Justin Combs & Stevie J are part of the Diddy list pic.twitter.com/8kxB6P8ZaE Views from Kukuterian (@Pm_kukuterian2) February 27, 2024 Originally published on Music Times President Donald Trump has warned that the U.S. will impose a new 50% tariff on Chinese imports if Beijing does not cancel its planned 34% tax on American goods. The warning came in a Truth Social post on Monday, just a day before the April 9 deadline he set for China to act. "If China does not withdraw its 34% increase above their already long-term trading abuses by tomorrow, April 8th, the United States will impose ADDITIONAL Tariffs on China of 50%, effective April 9th," Trump wrote. This latest threat is part of a larger trade policy push that Trump has dubbed "Liberation Day," which began on April 2. That day, he announced a 10% tariff on nearly all imports from about 90 countries, including China and many members of the European Union. His goal, he said, is to correct trade imbalances that hurt American workers and businesses. China's 34% tariff, which is set to start on April 10, was announced after Trump first placed a similar tax on Chinese goods. According to the BBC, if Trump follows through with the additional 50%, total US tariffs on Chinese imports would climb to a staggering 104%. That figure includes other tariffs he put in place earlier this year20% to stop fentanyl-related imports and another 34% announced last week. BREAKING Donald J Trump shocks the world by saying he will add an additional 50% Tariff to China if they dont take back their additional Tariff This is what a True Leader looks like HOLD THE LINE pic.twitter.com/lE703yhlVu MAGA Voice (@MAGAVoice) April 7, 2025 US Families Could Pay $3,789 More Under Tariffs The trade fight is causing worries around the world. Economists warn that higher tariffs usually lead to price hikes for everyday products. The Yale Budget Lab says the current tariffs could already cost US families an extra $3,789 per year. If new tariffs are added, that number could rise even more, CBS News said. "Tariffs end up hitting American consumers the hardest," said one trade expert. Stores that import goodslike Walmartpay these tariffs first and often pass the extra cost on to shoppers. China's response has been sharp. The Chinese embassy in the US called the new tariffs "economic bullying," and said China would protect its rights. "Pressuring or threatening China is not a right way to engage," a spokesperson said. Despite the rising tension, Trump said talks with other countries will continue. He also confirmed that negotiations with Japan and Israel are underway, but warned that no talks will be held with China unless it drops the 34% tax. "We're not looking at a pause," Trump added. "It's now America first." Originally published on vcpost.com For Tony Healy, an Irish whiskey producer in Dundalk, near the UK border with Northern Ireland, US tariffs of 20 percent on EU alcoholic drinks were a huge and unexpected "curve ball". "But it's here now, so we have to deal with it," the 62-year-old told AFP on the factory floor where his "Healy's" family-name whiskey brand is made. Aiming to tap into the large Irish-American diaspora, Healy's Dundalk Bay Brewing Company began exporting to the United States five years ago and was "just breaking in". Now they are faced with working out how to shave the 20 percent tariff from the bottom line. "It will make already tight margins even tighter," he said. And with the firm's New York distributor putting things on hold "for a month or two to see what comes now", the picture looks even more uncertain. "We don't know what's going to happen next but if there's panic, there's going to be chaos," he warned. According to the Irish Whiskey Association (IWA), a trade body, the US market represents 40 percent of total exports. - Bourbon - The worst case scenario for Ireland's whiskey producers remains Trump's threatened 200-percent tariffs on wine, champagne and other alcoholic products from France and other European Union countries. Trump threatened to impose the huge tariffs in retaliation against the bloc's planned levies on US-produced whiskey. But according to a document seen by AFP on Tuesday the EU will spare bourbon to shield European wine and spirits from reprisals. "If 200 percent is applied, we're no longer in business in the US, new markets will have to be found. Asia may be the next place for us," Healy told AFP. "We also have other customers in different parts of Europe. We'll explore as much as possible there, It's all about adapting," he said. Producers in the Republic of Ireland are looking enviously at distilleries across the border in the UK region of Northern Ireland where the tariff rate is just 10 percent. "Where there's a border, there can be trade that's not terribly legal, jumping products from one side to the other to suit needs," said Healy. "So there's a possibility you wind up in this smuggling type of environment which none of us want, that's unhealthy for business," he said. A short distance away in Northern Ireland at the Killowen Distillery, owner Brendan Carty acknowledges the tariff differential between the two parts of the island of Ireland could provide a "slight competitive edge". "Just across the border they have been hit twice as badly as we have," Carty told AFP at the tiny facility in the picturesque Mourne mountains not far from the Irish Sea. - Biggest market - Since 2018 the 38-year-old has been making award-winning single malt whiskies and planned to ramp up sales in the United States this year. "That hasn't gone to plan," he said, with a wry smile. Although the US market has been a main growth target, Carty said "with this new Trump economics" the tariffs were not a surprise. "To act like we're shocked would be untrue, to be honest the 10 percent is nowhere near as bad as we feared," he said. "Although we love working with our US partners there we also have great markets in the rest of the world, diversity is key," he said. IWA head Eoin O Cathain told AFP that the Irish whiskey market was worth about 420 million euros ($464 million) in 2024. "It is by far and away our biggest market, where we make our most sales," said O Cathain. "This tariff imposition -- the effects of which will be immediate -- will seriously undermine exports to the key market," he said. "Where you have tariffs, tit for tat, going over and across the Atlantic, this is a situation that we ultimately want to avoid," he said. "Time is of the essence to find a resolution," he added. pmu/har/jkb/phz The mother of an Israeli soldier held hostage in Gaza longs for her son's return, fearing that Israel's renewed bombardment of the territory puts his life at even greater risk. "Our children are in danger," Herut Nimrodi told AFP in an interview. Her son, Tamir, was just 18 when he was taken to Gaza on October 7, 2023. "We don't know much, but one thing that is certain is that military pressure on Gaza endangers the hostages," she said. Of the 251 hostages seized during Hamas's unprecedented attack on Israel, 58 are still held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. A truce that lasted from January 19 to March 17 led to the return of 33 Israeli hostages - eight of them in coffins - in exchange for the release of around 1,800 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. But on March 18, after weeks of disagreement with Hamas over next steps in the ceasefire, Israel resumed large-scale military operations in the Gaza Strip, beginning with heavy bombardments. - 'Negotiations and pressure' - Nimrodi described her son, a soldier with COGAT, the Israeli military body that oversees civil affairs in the Palestinian territories, as "happy, curious, altruistic and creative". On October 7, Tamir managed to send her a message about the thousands of rockets that Hamas began launching at dawn that day. He was taken hostage 20 minutes later, along with two other soldiers killed two months later inside Gaza, under unknown circumstances. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government insist that increased military pressure is the only way to force Hamas to hand over the hostages, dead or alive. "For a year and a half, that hasn't worked. What's worked is negotiations and pressure (from US President Donald Trump)," said Nimrodi, accusing Israel of not prioritising the return of the hostages. Tamir, who turned 20 in captivity, is one of 24 hostages believed to be alive, though no proof of life has been sent since his abduction. His mother regularly joins other hostage families at rallies in Tel Aviv, though they don't all agree on the best strategy to secure their return. Some, like Tzvika Mor, whose son Eitan was abducted at the Nova music festival, believe that strength rather than negotiation is the way to proceed. "Hamas will never free the hostages out of the goodness of their heart and without military pressure," he said. A founder of the Tikva Forum -- which means "hope" in Hebrew -- Mor said: "Every time Hamas says 'time out', the government negotiates instead of increasing pressure to free all hostages at once." - 'Constant fear' - Others like Dani Miran, whose 48-year-old son Omri was kidnapped from his home at Kibbutz Nahal Oz, disagree. "The fear that our hostages will be hurt by Israeli strikes is constant," said Miran, a regular at the hostage rallies. The father, soon to turn 80, said the "hostages that got out said that when the Israeli army attacks Gaza, hostages suffer the consequences". He said support from his community has given him the ability to stay strong for his son, who has two daughters. "We just celebrated the second birthday of Alma, his youngest. Her second birthday without her father - it's so hard," he said. "I want to hold Omri in my arms and tell him how the whole country is fighting for all the hostages to come home together," he told the crowd during the weekly rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening. Both Omri and Eitan are believed to be alive. A few days before Passover -- a Jewish holiday celebrating the biblical liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt -- Herut Nimrodi, whose name means "freedom", said she is still waiting for her son. "He loves this holiday so much," she said. mib/lba/ysm/jd/kir A US federal judge ordered the White House on Tuesday to restore the Associated Press's access to President Donald Trump's official events, saying it had no right to bar media for their "viewpoints." AP journalists and photographers have been barred from the Oval Office and from traveling on Air Force One since mid-February because of the news agency's decision to continue referring to the "Gulf of Mexico" -- and not the "Gulf of America" as decreed by Trump. District Judge Trevor McFadden said the "viewpoint-based denial of the AP's access" was a violation of the First Amendment to the US Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and of the press. "If the Government opens its doors to some journalists -- be it to the Oval Office, the East Room, or elsewhere -- it cannot then shut those doors to other journalists because of their viewpoints," McFadden said. "The Government has singled out the AP because of its refusal to update the Gulf's name in its Stylebook," the judge said. "The Government offers no reason besides the Gulf issue for the exclusion." He ordered the White House to "immediately rescind the denial of the AP's access to the Oval Office, Air Force One, and other limited spaces... when such spaces are made open to other members of the White House press pool." The judge put off implementation of his order for five days to give the White House time to reply or to file an appeal with a higher court. AP spokeswoman Lauren Easton welcomed the court's decision. "Today's ruling affirms the fundamental right of the press and public to speak freely without government retaliation," Easton said in a statement. "This is a freedom guaranteed for all Americans in the US Constitution." The AP filed suit against the White House after it began denying access to some of Trump's official events to the wire service's reporters and photographers. At a hearing last month before McFadden, a Trump appointee, AP lawyer Charles Tobin said the news agency was the victim of "abject retaliation" by the White House. - 'Economically hemorrhaging' - Since Trump returned to the presidency, his administration has sought to radically restructure the way the White House is covered, notably by favoring conservative podcasters and influencers. Two weeks after barring the AP, the White House stripped journalists of the nearly century-old power to decide which of the profession's own number will be members of a pool of reporters and photographers covering presidential events. "The White House changed its policy to a rotation system that happens to exclude the AP," Tobin said. In his ruling, McFadden said "access restrictions must be reasonable and not viewpoint based." "So while the AP does not have a constitutional right to enter the Oval Office, it does have a right to not be excluded because of its viewpoint," he said. McFadden also noted that the restrictions have "cut deeply into the AP's business, both financially and in terms of lost opportunities." "The AP has been economically hemorrhaging for the last two months, and its condition will only worsen as its customers flee to other news services absent injunctive relief," he said. In its style guide, the AP notes that the Gulf of Mexico has "carried that name for more than 400 years" and the agency "will refer to it by its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen." "As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognizable to all audiences," the AP said. The 180-year-old organization has long been a pillar of US journalism and provides news to print, TV and radio outlets across the United States and around the world. In a statement, the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) applauded the judge's decision. "We are thrilled Associated Press reporters, photographers and video journalists are to be allowed back into presidential events from which they had been banned by the administration just for using words the White House did not like," said a statement from the WHCA board. cl/bjt/aha/jgc (The Center Square) President Donald Trump signed four executive orders Tuesday promoting the deregulation and expansion of the beautiful, clean coal industry in the U.S. The first order White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf said might be one of the most significant executive orders the president has issued so far. This directs all departments and agencies of the federal government to end all discriminatory policies against the coal industry. This ends the leasing moratorium that prevents new coal projects on federal land, and its going to accelerate all permitting and funding for new coal projects, Scharf said. The other executive orders attempt to prevent some Biden-era policies from going into effect that would have caused the shuttering of dozens of American coal plants; support policies promoting the continued incorporation of coal and fossil-fuel forms of energy into the grid; and direct the Department of Justice to investigate state policies that may illegally or unconstitutionally [discriminate] against coal and secure sources of energy. The White House hosted a large group of coal miners, members of Congress, administration officials and others Tuesday afternoon to commemorate the Unleashing American Energy signing event. This is a very important day to me because were bringing back an industry that was abandoned despite the fact that it was just about the best certainly the best in terms of power, real power, Trump said. Trump said he was honored to be signing the orders in defense of the coal industry and that the administration was ending Joe Bidens war on beautiful, clean coal once and for all. Trump also said his administration was working on something unique that would guarantee the coal industry would not be upended by changes in administrations, based on an idea he had about 15 minutes before the event. Were going to give a guarantee that if somebody comes in, they cant change it at a whim. Theyre gonna have to go through hell to close you up, he said to the coal miners. Under the new administration, the department of the interior has approved the expansion of the Spring Creek Mine in Montana, and Trump promised there would be more coal ventures in Alabama, North Dakota, Utah, Wyoming and other states. I think were gonna look back with great pride at what weve done today not just in putting people to work but at really reawakening our country, Trump said. The hearing wasnt halfway through when the chairman walked away. Inside the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing room earlier this month, the head of the subcommittee on the Constitution, Sen. Eric Schmitt, stepped out as testimony on the censorship industrial complex was ongoing. He had an excuse: The Senate was voting on the nomination of Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, author of the anti-lockdown Great Barrington Declaration and later a plaintiff alleging government censorship in the lawsuit Missouri v. Biden, to lead the National Institutes of Health. Quipped the chairman, now back behind the dais, Who was the attorney general leading that? Answering his own question about the lawsuit, he added, Oh yeah, his name was Eric Schmitt. My glory days I suppose. Schmitt had just voted to confirm his old client. It was the irony of all ironies, and it was more evidence that the censors are on the run, Schmitt tells RealClearPolitics. His lawsuit, the one that temporarily blocked the Biden administration from communicating with social media companies, was playing defense. Those once censored are now ascendent, Republicans are now the party of free speech, and now we are playing offense. At least, according to Schmitt. Another moment of ironic levity from the hearing: Mr. Chairman, just for the record when I was here alone, I was getting drunk with power, joked Sen. Cory Booker, the Democrat who presided over the committee in Schmitts absence. Thank you for showing restraint, the Missouri Republican replied. The unspoken, and perhaps unrealized, subtext of the moment: The right is still furious that the left didnt show any such restraint when the world went mad, allowing and facilitating what Schmitt describes as the darkness that enveloped a core tenet of our American experiment. Yes, the pandemic is over, but there wont be any amnesty for infringing on free speech. This instinct that is on the left hasnt gone away, Schmitt says of the temptation to curb free speech. The difference, as he sees it, is that his opponents just have fewer levers of power to do it. Fast forward four years, he predicts, and another Democrat will try to do it again. His goal, then, is to shatter the aforementioned censorship industrial complex and scatter it to the winds. But first Republicans must define it. Democrats insist it does not exist. The term was coined by author Michael Shellenberger to describe a shadowy network of ideologically aligned academics, Big Tech companies, NGOs, and government agencies, each with the stated goal of defending the democratic process but with the effect of undermining it. Their byword is misinformation. The commonality? Taxpayer funding. An example: The National Science Foundation awarded no less than 64 grants worth $31.8 million to countering misinformation and disinformation. Schmitt likens it to nothing less than a second state, an apparatus that is faceless but motivated by collective purpose, a system with dispersed power but collective purpose operating beyond the limits and liberties of our Constitution. Stories of abuse come to hand easily for Republicans. Chafing under the yoke of alleged censorship has become intertwined with the core of their party identity. When the New York Post broke the Hunter Biden laptop story in 2020, detailing the overseas business dealings of the Biden family, they were not heralded as the New York Times had been in 1971 when that paper put the Pentagon Papers on the front page. Instead, they were censored. The Stanford Internet Observatory, a now-defunct academic outfit funded by taxpayer dollars for the study of abuse in current information technologies, cautioned that the basis of the story might be part of a hack-and-leak operation. The Aspen Institute, which received taxpayer dollars, had held a tabletop exercise ahead of the election that year, attended by Facebook and Twitter executives, to prepare for the possibility of foreign interference. NewsGuard, a company that purports to evaluate the credibility of news outlets and previously received taxpayer dollars, dismissed the laptop story as a hoax perpetrated by the Russians. Twitter listened. Under pressure from the FBI and Biden administration, the social media giant locked the account of the New York Post. Journalists who simply shared the story, like Jake Sherman, then of Politico, were suspended from the website until they deleted their tweets. Even Kayleigh McEnany, spokesman for the president, was similarly muzzled during an election year no less. But what was dismissed as a hoax was verified by the federal government. Years later, that is. Mum during the censorship of the New York Post, the Department of Justice prosecutors introduced the laptop as evidence in their case against Hunter Biden. The FBI had the laptop in their possession for more than a year. They knew it was real, and they were working with these companies so that when this came out, it would be dismissed, Schmitt complains. It was not just one story. Opposition to medical face coverings, or support for the Wuhan lab leak theory, or objection to the vaccine mandate and any number of lingering COVID controversies all trigger an avalanche of raw anecdotes of censorship by social media at the behest of a shadowy network in the ether funded by a bubbling glut of money built on what George Washington University Law professor Jonathan Turley calls a a cottage industry of disinformation experts. Free speech was commoditized, censorship was monetized, and partisan advantage was taken often in the name of public health. Suddenly, the market was awash with money for those who could offer systems or staff to combat viewpoints deemed misleading or false, Turley testified. Organizations such as NewsGuard and a British-based NGO called the Global Disinformation Index thrived. Both received federal funding, both leaned on Big Tech to deplatform alternate voices, and both launched pressure campaigns to push advertisers away from publications that even gave voice to dissent on anything from the election to the pandemic. It was, conservatives allege, government censorship with extra steps. Other times, there was a direct line. Biden spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters as much. She admitted the administration was actively flagging what they saw as problematic posts for Facebook to remove. It is life and death, Psaki told RCP in July of 2021. It is a public health issue in the country. Schmitt came to a different conclusion: It just didnt feel like America. As Missouri AG, he filed suit in May of 2022, alleging that the Biden administration was colluding with Big Tech companies to censor and suppress free speech, related not just to public health information but also to the previous election. I was just honestly shocked, he recalls, that it could take hold in America like it has over the last five years. It was never supposed to be this way, he says as he talks fondly about a time when liberals used to believe in free speech. There was the political correctness in the 1990s when Schmitt was a law student, and while that was an attempt to narrow the bandwidth of what was acceptable, he never believed that the American mind had closed. Then came the Great Awokening. And then came COVID. It just blew the lid off, Schmitt says. The guise of policing misinformation during a national health crisis, he says, just gave them an excuse. Republicans have gotten pretty good at telling this kind of dystopian story. The examples are well worn, but memories of the abuses are still fresh. For Democrats, well, they have heard it all before. An unseen but also all-powerful Orwellian octopus working in concert with a Democratic Machine to police wrong-think? Massachusetts Sen. Peter Welch almost finds the idea amusing. Im part of the Democratic Party, Welch protested in committee. You give us way too much credit for being that organized to be able to put this whole massive enterprise together. Because you can rely on the censorship industrial complex to do the work for you, shot back Mollie Hemingway, editor-in-chief of the Federalist, who testified in committee that the conservative website had been the target of censorship. Asked about that exchange, an affable Schmitt gives his Democratic colleague an out. Do I think he was the one connecting all the dots? he asks of Welch. No, but the point is that theres a whole network that is very well funded where that is their purpose. He alleges also that the censorship apparatus marches in lockstep with Democrats and shares a goal of absolute power and control with no room for dissent. Salvation in this telling came not in court, but from Donald Trump. A loyal surrogate who helped Trump with debate prep, Schmitt was standing next to then-Sen. J.D. Vance in Butler, Pennsylvania, when an energetic Elon Musk barreled onstage. The election was a referendum on democracy itself, the worlds richest man told the crowd as Trump stood by beaming. The other side wants to take away your freedom of speech, said the owner of X, the social media website formerly known as Twitter. A Trump loss, Musk warned, would end the First Amendment and end democracy altogether. Schmitt agrees. Earlier that summer, he had lost at the Supreme Court. More specifically, his successor, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, lost; Schmitt had been elected to the Senate the year prior. But notably, they did not lose on the merits. The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the states suing Biden did not have standing. All the same, writing in his dissent, Justice Samuel Alito complained that the court had just allowed the successful campaign of coercion in this case to stand as an attractive model for future officials who want to control what the people say, hear, and think. Yet Schmitt still counts the case as a victory. Because before the Twitter Files, before the admissions from the Biden White House, before any congressional testimony, he won the right of pre-trial discovery, which allowed him and his legal team access to the censors internal communications. This, in turn, gave Americans their first look behind the curtain to see exactly how the government leaned on Big Tech. Youve got to remember, at that time, nobody had done it, he recalls. It was called a conspiracy theory. Once granted discovery, Schmitt was able to peer into the communications between the Biden administration and Big Tech, revealing what he calls the worst instincts of folks who should have never had that much power and laying bare what they were willing to do with it. In March 2021, Rob Flaherty, White House director of digital strategy, wrote an unnamed Facebook official to accuse that company of hiding the ball. He complained that they werent doing enough to police social media posts that ran counter to the administrations public narrative. The White House, he wrote ominously, had become gravely concerned that [Facebook] is one of the top drivers of vaccine hesitancy. He wasnt alone. On the same email chain, Andy Slavitt, a senior Biden administration COVID advisor, then fumed that White House officials did not sense [urgency] from you at all, adding that 100% of the questions I asked have never been answered and weeks have gone by. He then dangled what some read as a threat: Internally we have been considering our options on what to do about it. Facebook listened and promptly got in line. Internal emails from the company, Alito wrote in his dissent, paint a clear picture of subservience as the Big Tech giant worked to stay in the governments good graces. To Republicans these emails showed prima facie evidence, they argued, that Biden was willfully violating the First Amendment. The government really was coercing these companies to do their bidding, Schmitt explains. We all know the government cant censor speech, but they also cant outsource that to private companies, which is what they were doing. For Schmitt, the peek behind the curtain revealed an elite defined by their loathing of regular people to make decisions. A far cry from live-and-let-live liberalism, the political correctness of his youth had blossomed into a censorship regime governed by an expert class whom he says want their beliefs to be shoved down the throats of everyone, telling anyone of a dissenting opinion to shut the hell up. But Schmitt isnt the quiet type. Hence the hearing where two radically different visions emerged, and where what has solidified into consensus among conservatives and libertarians is dismissed as overblown hype by many of those on the left. The emails brought forward by his lawsuit didnt reflect poorly on anyone in government or tech, insisted Mary Anne Franks. A constitutional law professor at George Washington Law School and Turley colleague she testified in committee that the censorship industrial complex was a myth used by conservatives to harass academics and nonprofits working to put up safeguards against foreign and domestic misinformation and media manipulation. She read the same emails that Schmitt obtained in discovery. Her conclusion: Theres no evidence to support collusion between the Biden administration and Big Tech. Thats news to Mark Zuckerberg. The Meta founder told Joe Rogan earlier this year that people in the Biden administration would scream at them and curse his team in an ultimately successful attempt to pressure Facebook to censor posts the White House considered COVID misinformation. The social media giant has since loosened its speech standards. Jack Dorsey would be similarly surprised. The former Twitter CEO has expressed regret with how his company censored the New York Post, writing after his exit from the company that Twitter failed to withstand corporate and government control. Schmitt sees a window as a result, one that would never have opened if Kamala Harris had won in November. With Trump in office and Musk at the helm of DOGE, the Republican administration has instead started a long march through bureaucracy. It started on Inauguration Day when the new president signed an executive order condemning his predecessor for trampling free speech rights and ordering his administration to immediately identify and take appropriate action to correct past misconduct. Hours earlier, the same Silicon Valley CEOs whom conservatives consider little more than co-conspirators in the censorship racket gladhanded at the inauguration. While members of Congress watched remotely in another room, inside the Capitol Rotunda Big Tech had the best seats. Musk attended, too, though he had already been canonized after turning Twitter into a safe space for conservatives. Then there was Zuckerberg, who after his very sudden, very public mortification on Rogan, had donated $1 million to the Trump inaugural committee. Google CEO Sundar Pichai also enjoyed a first-class seat despite long-standing conservative skepticism of his digital behemoth. President Biden complained, incongruously, that his biggest regret was failing to do more to police misinformation, and in his final address, he warned the nation of a rising oligarchy driven by a tech-industrial complex. For his part, Trump welcomed his billionaires. They were all with him, every one of them, he told reporters of his new supporters, and now they are all with me. Should Republicans trust those elites too? Schmitt struggles to make sense of the dizzying realignment. I dont know. Thats the answer, he replies while holding out hope that the conversion, and the condemnation of censorship, is legitimate. Maybe theyve been red-pilled, he speculates. He isnt naive, though. It could very well be that its just because President Trumps in power now, the senator says. Theres no way of knowing that. Time will tell. In the meantime, the new administration advertises the fight for free speech as a battle for Western civilization. A less-than-diplomatic Vice President Vance brought that blunt message with him to the Munich Security Conference during his first diplomatic mission. Existential threats abound on that continent, but what Vance told the assembled leaders he worries the most about is the threat from within, specifically the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values. He castigated the United Kingdom for charging an anti-abortion protestor with demonstrating silently outside a clinic. He attempted to shame the government of Scotland for encouraging citizens to report on neighbors guilty of prayer in private homes located in so-called safe access zones. He said that across Europe free speech is in retreat. And while Vance claimed the previous U.S. president was sympathetic to such capitulation, he warned Europe that they would not find a partner in Trump: There is a new sheriff in town. The assembled elite were aghast. Schmitt beamed. Watching from the audience in Bavaria that day, the Missouri Republican thought each word his former Senate colleague delivered was pitch-perfect. You cant say to the American people, to the American taxpayer, that their generosity should be unlimited in defense of these Western values and of these borders that are nowhere near ours when, at the same time, Europe is rejecting core values like free speech, Schmitt says of the hypocrisy Vance was confronting. While allies back stateside were thrilled, critics at home complained that the new administration shouldnt have gone abroad lecturing allies. The real threat to free speech, they say, is at home. Here Democrats cite their own, more recent examples. The Trump administration threw the Associated Press out of the White House press pool for refusing to call the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. The president swore to defend and uphold the Constitution one moment but complained the next, during a speech at the Department of Justice, that news organizations who criticize him are scum and their actions illegal. Foreign college students who protest American foreign policy are being rounded up off the street and targeted for deportation. These attacks on free speech and association have a chilling effect, said Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, warning that the actions signal to others that if they don't fall in line with the Trump administrations preferred views, they could be next. Schmitt has ready rebuttals for those critiques: The Associated Press doesnt have a First Amendment right to be included in the press pool, the rotating group of reporters who travel with the president daily, he notes. As things stand, he says, the AP can write all the stories they want informed or ill-informed. The president, meanwhile, is still allowed to speak his mind. Press criticism is a far cry from press censorship, the senator replies when pressed on Trumps DOJ speech, insisting that the fact that President Trump has an opinion about them is not a threat to democracy. Deportations of foreigners over their speech is a thornier issue. Schmitt is not familiar with the case of Rumeysa Ozturk, the Tufts University doctoral student from Turkey arrested by DHS last month for allegedly engaging in activities in support of Hamas. The administration hasnt yet provided detailed evidence, but Ozturk did write an op-ed in the school newspaper condemning Israel for the Palestinian genocide. I dont know the specifics, but I think writ large, if somebodys here on a student visa, that is a privilege, he says. If youre not a citizen, youre guests in this country. And unruly guests, like the ones who shut down campus buildings and intimidate others with political violence, he adds, should not be tolerated. I dont think this gets to a place where somebody who has dissenting views is being deported, he qualified. Thats not happening. Thats not the case. These views are foundational to Schmitt and his current political project. They cannot be quickly abandoned. Defending free speech wasnt just his springboard to the Senate, it remains his work there. Im about as free speech absolutist as youre going to find, he says. Im not threatened in any way shape or form by somebody having a different point of view. The problem, and the reason for his ongoing work, he insists, is that I just dont think you find sadly all that many people on the political left who believe that anymore. Missoula Community Medical Center recently marked a significant milestone by completing its 5,000th robotic-assisted surgery. This achievement is expected to pave the way for advancements in surgical procedures for current and future patients. RUSHVILLE, Ohio When Gina Orr and her family joined Ohios Community + Agriculture + Nutrition (CAN) program in 2023, it felt like a natural fit. The family-run operation, FreshOrr Family Farms, has long been passionate about sustainable farming. Through CAN, they found an avenue to use that passion to support neighbors in need, providing hundreds of pasture-raised chickens for local food banks. The program allows producers like the Orrs to sell food at fair market prices to the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, which distributes it across the states 88 counties through Feeding America food banks and 3,600 partner charities. To be able to supply a premium product to people who cant afford it really felt good, Orr said in an interview. But with the federal program set to expire this summer and no new funding on the horizon, Orr is grappling with what the future may hold, for her farm and her community. In 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture launched the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, aimed at strengthening food systems and connecting regional farmers to underserved communities. States used the funds to launch local initiatives, like Ohios CAN program, which was backed by $26.5 million in funding over three years. Last October, the USDA announced a $1.7 billion investment in LFPA to further bolster regional food systems and address ongoing food insecurity, particularly in areas still reeling from natural disasters like Hurricane Helene for what a press release at the time said had exacerbated pre-existing needs. But now, only a few months into the second Trump administration, the USDA is reversing its course. Earlier this year, the department confirmed it would not extend the LFPA program for another year. Orr said that decision could have deep ripple effects beyond farms like hers, which supplied around 500 pasture-raised chickens to the Logan Food Bank last year. Raising the animals humanely on pasture costs more than conventional operations, Orr said, but the CAN program covered much of the difference, fronting approximately 50% to help with costs like feed and equipment upgrades. It definitely aligned with our values, she said. We were able to purposely grow this (and provide) these chickens that were specifically for the food bank, for our community. Still, she said, they always knew the support might be temporary. We never looked at it as our income, she said. It was always kind of a bonus check, that it could go away anytime. And now, it has. FreshOrrs contract in the CAN program runs through June. While Orr said theyd heard last fall there would be additional funding, they were also warned to manage their expectations of how much support there would be, as discussions were taking place about how the funds would be allocated depending on where needs were unmet in the previous year. Once things eventually fell through, the farm was able to scale back accordingly without taking much of a hit. But Orr says shes concerned for the families who may lose access to nutrient-dense food if the program doesnt return. It was so nice being able to support our community like that, she said, adding that if they had adequate support from lawmakers and funders, they could do more. Help us help each other, she said. Were here to help. Ohio The LFPA program supported more than 100 farmers and growers across Ohio, creating a vital market for locally grown food. But with the programs sudden and imminent end, food banks across the state are scrambling to fill the gap while also contending with additional setbacks such as cuts to Commodity Credit Corporation funding, which supports the purchase of food for distribution through The Emergency Food Assistance Program, or TEFAP. In the past, CCC dollars have helped cover expenses that food banks incur such as storing and distributing food. A USDA spokesperson attributed the decision to sunset LFPA to shifting priorities and the winding down of emergency pandemic-era spending. The Biden administration inflated statutory programs with Commodity Credit Corporation dollars without any plans for long-term solutions, and even in 2024, used the pandemic as a reason to make funding announcements, they said in a statement, adding that TEFAP has still provided $166 million in recent months to connect families with food. As the CAN program and others fade, the landscape of food assistance in Ohio is starting to appear increasingly precarious. Joree Novotny from the Ohio Association of Food Banks noted the heightened demand for food assistance and the ongoing pressure on food banks as funding sources dwindle. Since February 2023, when SNAP emergency allotments ended, we saw an immediate increase in need for help because it reduced purchasing power for low-income families immediately at the grocery store, she said. The increase in demand has collided with the sudden expiration of federal assistance programs, forcing food banks to adapt amidst dwindling resources. We are purchasing more privately purchased food to keep our shelves full than we ever have, Novotny said, warning that efforts to run leaner could lead to lower-quality, less nutritious food for those who depend on food assistance. She is also concerned by the proposed Ohio House budget, which would see $24.5 million annually for Ohios statewide hunger relief network, or $7.5 million less than the current budget, which expires on June 30. The Houses budget is expected to pass to the Senate on April 9. Novotny said that for some legislators, it can be difficult to reconcile the increasing need for food assistance with indicators of economic strength. Its confusing, I think, to some lawmakers Were talking about increased need, and theyre seeing strong employment and workforce challenges and theyre wondering, Well, can we solve this by getting more people connected to work? In response, Novotny emphasized the role food banks play in helping workers stay afloat in the midst of difficult circumstances, such as having to choose between fixing a car needed for work or putting food on the table. She also pointed out that food banks are serving large numbers of children, seniors and Ohioans with disabilities, groups that remain vulnerable when household budgets are stretched. As discussions continue over the future of federal support, Novotny expressed concern about the uncertainty of funding and the importance of maximizing available resources. I do think that theres a lot of concern about whats going on at the federal level, what funding will be available over the next couple of years, (and) how to manage resources as available, she said. Pennsylvania In neighboring Pennsylvania, where the abrupt cancellation of the LFPA program means the loss of $13 million over the next three years for that states 14 regional food banks to buy food from Pennsylvania farms, officials are trying to do just that. Lisa Scales, president and CEO of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, noted that her organization stands to lose $1.6 million annually, or 11% of its food-purchasing budget. At an April 2 press conference at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank headquarters in Duquesne, Pennsylvania, Scales, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and other officials gathered to discuss the challenges that would be exacerbated by federal funding cuts. We absolutely need the federal government for partnership, Davis said. There is no world where the state government can just absorb the cuts that the federal government is talking about. And I think we all just need to be very real and clear about that. Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding further emphasized the programs importance, stating that the LFPA had operated successfully in the state, connecting 189 farms to food banks and benefiting thousands of people. It was canceled without notice, saying its no longer part of our mission. Well, how much more fundamental is the mission of the USDA than to feed people? Redding questioned. The urgency of the situation prompted Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro to appeal the USDAs decision to cancel the LFPA funding, with hopes of reinstating the program to address the growing needs of food-insecure individuals. Redding said the appeal is pending. West Virginia As food banks brace for potential cuts while striving to provide nutritious food options, advocates like Novotny stress the dire need for additional funding to support the robust network of food assistance, as well as leaning on any relationships that can make a difference. I just continue to talk about how far we can stretch this public-private partnership to help people from experiencing hunger, as well as to support our farmers, she said. The implications of these federal and state funding decisions remain profound and underscore the necessity for partnerships in the complex work of feeding the hungry a mission that Redding describes as the most noble work that we can do in agriculture, and one that Cynthia Kirkhart, executive director of the Facing Hunger Food Bank in West Virginia, describes as central to her work. Through the LFPA program, the West Virginia Department of Agriculture allocated funds to the Facing Hunger Food Bank. But now, those dollars are gone. In an interview, Kirkhart underscored the deep connection between funding, local agriculture and community well-being. The LFPA grant was invaluable to us, she said, reflecting on how the program enabled the food bank to purchase more than a million pounds of locally grown produce, meats, dairy and fruit. It was an incredible resource for us, for local fresh food, and for the farmers that partner with us. Without that support, the food bank will face major challenges. Its very difficult to access the same locally grown and fresh product, she said. So that means Im having to look outside of the state to try and purchase those same things, often at a higher cost due to transportation. Facing Hunger serves 17 counties across West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio, reaching up to 170,000 people during peak demand. It also operates targeted programs, including weekly food packs for 4,000 children and medically tailored meals for people managing chronic illnesses. Sourcing food for those it serves from out of state not only increases expenses, Kirkhart said, but also leads to more food waste, as fresh items can spoil during long transit times. LFPA funding enabled the food bank to buy roughly $1.5 million in local food annually. I will have to find other funding to continue to purchase at that level, and thats quite a hit to have an additional million five ($1.5 million) in my budget from operating funds to buy that food, she said. Kirkhart credited former Gov. Jim Justice with taking steps to fight hunger, including providing $500,000 annually for each of the states two main food banks and the creation of the $10 million Posey Perry Emergency Food Fund in 2023. But the proposed state budget includes no new funding for those programs only permission to carry over leftover funds for limited uses in 2026, such as food assistance through the Posey Perry fund, which would need a new appropriation to continue at last years level. She spoke to Farm and Dairy in between meetings at the West Virginia State Capitol Complex where shes been advocating for the restoration of more funding. Despite the hurdles ahead, Kirkhart said she is resolute, and she wants those who depend on the food bank to feel the same. I would tell them to not give up, she said. We are fighting every day, just like we always do, to ensure that they have the food resources and nutrition they need. And we will continue that fight every day until we achieve our goal. Editor Rachel Wagoner contributed to this story. The United States will raise its tariff rate on Chinese imports to 104% at 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday, a White House official confirmed to CNBC. The move comes after President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum on Monday, warning that existing tariffs on Chinese goods would surge by 50% unless Beijing removed its retaliatory duties on American exports by Tuesday. Trump later clarified that China had until "12 o'clock" to comply with the demand. Beijing, however, refused to back down, maintaining its 34% retaliatory tariffs. In response, Trump vowed that the United States would move ahead with the increased duties. "It was a mistake for China to retaliate," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday. "When America is punched, [the president] punches back harder. That's why there will be 104% tariffs going into effect on China tonight at midnight." The tariff hike coincides with China's defiant stance to "fight to the end" amid the renewed trade war. Trump had initially announced the additional 50% levy following Beijing's retaliation to previous U.S. tariffs. In a social media post on Tuesday, Trump suggested China was still seeking a resolution. "China also wants to make a deal, badly, but they don't know how to get it started," he wrote. "We are waiting for their call." Meanwhile, the administration is engaged in broader trade negotiations. Talks are reportedly underway with countries such as Japan and South Korea. "We're going to get fair deals and good deals with every country, and if we don't, then we're going to have nothing to do with them," Trump said at the White House on Monday. The U.S. will also implement a sweeping 10% tariff on all imported goods starting April 9, targeting 185 countries Trump labeled as the "worst offenders" in global trade. The policy includes new tariffs on nations across multiple regions, prompting varied responses. Canada has imposed duties on specific U.S.-made vehicles, while the European Union is preparing its own set of countermeasures. The EU will face a 20% tariff under the new policy, impacting roughly 70% of its exports to the U.S. As the measures take effect, businesses are already adjusting by increasing prices in anticipation of higher import costs, signaling a broader economic impact in the weeks ahead. MPs participating in an NFU-led scheme have visited a commercial farm that exemplifies efficiency and advances in sustainable beef production. Fourteen MPs from all parties toured ABP UKs 380-acre farm, located on the Shropshire/Staffordshire border, as part of the NFU Food and Farming Fellowship scheme. Launched last year, the scheme offers politicians the chance to experience how British-produced food moves from field to fork. ABP UK hosted the visit on 4 April to their demonstration farm, a mixed livestock, grassland, and arable business managed by farmer Andrew Macleod. MPs engaged in discussions about the future of sustainable beef and lamb production and explored efforts to drive environmental benefits at both business and industry levels. The importance of healthy soil, grassland value, and environmental initiatives in improving beef production were key topics. MPs also gained insight into the actions being taken to reduce environmental footprints while enhancing production. NFU Livestock Board Chair, David Barton emphasised the importance of ongoing engagement with politicians to ensure they understand the role of food security in national security. The MPs will speak up in their constituencies but also in Westminster on some of the big issues impacting our industry," he said. Farmers need that commitment and support from Westminster so they can continue producing safe, sustainable and affordable food alongside caring for the environment and ultimately remaining viable for generations to come. Bob Carnell, of ABP UK, expressed pride in collaborating with the NFU to highlight the significant contributions of farmers to the food supply, environment, and economy. He added: Our 6,000 UK colleagues turn the very best of British farming into the very best British beef and lamb, enjoyed by millions of consumers every week." The scheme launched in partnership with sponsoring organisations ABP UK, Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC), Arla Foods, Barfoots, the British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) and Fareshare. A striking new French film exploring themes of family, farming and resilience is resonating deeply with British farmers for its raw, authentic portrayal of rural life. Holy Cow, the debut feature by director Louise Courvoisier, tells the story of 18-year-old Totone, a carefree teen living in Frances eastern Jura region. His world is thrown into turmoil when a family tragedy leaves him caring for his younger sister and the familys struggling dairy farm. With everything on the line, Totone enters a prestigious cheese-making competition, hoping to win a 30,000 prize that could secure their future. Drawing on Courvoisiers own rural upbringing, the film features local non-professional actors and delivers a heartfelt, honest snapshot of the emotional and financial trials facing modern farming families. Ahead of its UK release this week, Holy Cow has struck a particular chord with Bryce Cunningham, owner of Mossgiel Organic Farm, in Ayrshire. After stepping up to run his familys dairy farm following the deaths of his father and grandfather, Bryce said the film reflects the reality of countless UK farming families. It really highlights the relentless pressure from banks, the crushing debt, and the emotional toll on families," he said. "Its a crucial narrative for anyone involved in modern farming. Losing a parent is hard enough. Losing your home and livelihood at the same time, its devastating." The Scottish dairy producer also hopes the film will help shine a light on the hidden mental health crisis facing British farmers. "This is our reality - suicide rates in our industry are alarmingly high. Mental health is suffering," he said. "In the UK alone, 400 farms closed last year. Thats 400 families. Thats not just a statistic, its a crisis." Recent data highlights the growing urgency around mental health in farming. In 2023, the Office for National Statistics recorded 62 suicides among farmers in England and Wales. The RABIs 2021 Big Farming Survey further revealed that 36% of farmers showed signs of probable or possible depression, with nearly half reporting persistent anxiety. The charity found that 12% of male farmers and 8% of female farmers said they experienced good mental well-being. Bryce added: I really hope people come and see this film, especially those whove never stepped foot on a farm. This is where the milk in your local coffee shop flat white comes from. By buying local, supporting family farms over big dairy, youre helping to change that reality. Youre keeping communities alive, and getting better food in the process, just like Totones Comte. Distributed by Glasgow-based distributor Conic, Holy Cow opens in cinemas across the UK and Ireland on 11 April. British farming personalities Rebecca Wilson and Kaleb Cooper have been named among the UKs most inspirational people under 30. Rebecca and Kaleb, a fifth-generation Yorkshire farmer and Oxfordshire farming contractor respectively, have earned spots on The Times Young Power List 2025, which recognises talent and determination. Kaleb gained fame through his role on Amazon's Clarksons Farm, the popular farming series set to return with a new season next month. In addition to managing Diddly Squat Farm, he has authored four books. His latest, Kalebs Farmyard Tales: Escaping Animals and Runaway Tractorsaimed at young, aspiring farmersis due for release later this year. Kaleb, 26, told The Times: Within two months of my mum buying me three hens, I was selling eggs all around Chipping Norton. People say, Oh, you speak to Jeremy like hes an idiot. Well, he is, he added. "On the farming side of things at least. Hes really good at being a journalist. Rebecca Wilson, 29, is a fifth-generation farmer, although her parents were initially hesitant for her to pursue the same path. She told the paper They saw an industry that was struggling financially and wanted me to do something different." Despite her parents' reservations, Rebecca couldn't shake her passion for farming. She later earned a masters degree in rural land management from the Royal Agricultural University. She is also a vocal critic of the government's proposed inheritance tax changes for farmers. A fair tax should be levied on people who have the ability to pay," she said. The impact on British food production would be massive. A lot of consumers want food thats high welfare, traceable and sustainable. "We cant guarantee that from food produced abroad. The 104 per cent tariff increase on Chinese goods represents a significant blow to China's textile industry. This steep tariff hike, implemented by the US, will make Chinese-made products substantially more expensive, eroding their USP of cost-competitiveness in global markets. As a result, US businesses and consumers will likely turn to alternative suppliers from countries with lower tariff rates, such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, India, and Pakistan. The tariff increase compounds existing challenges in China, including rising production costs, labour shortages, and a slowdown in export growth. For China, this punitive tariff will not only hinder its ability to export to one of its largest markets but will also accelerate the decline of its market share in global apparel trade, further damaging the sector. US' 104 per cent tariff on Chinese apparel threatens China's global competitiveness by drastically increasing product costs. Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, and India stand to gain by offering cheaper alternatives. While Vietnam and Bangladesh are expected to gain most substantially, India and Pakistan must address infrastructure and efficiency challenges to fully capitalise on this shift. Figure 1: Top 15 highest imported Chinese products into the US in CY 2024, their initial and new tariffs and their % change Source: TexPro The above table reveals that certain products, especially those with already high initial tariff rates, will experience a significant price increase in the US market due to the new tariff hikes. Products such as Kashmir cashmere jerseys, pullovers, and cardigans (HS code 611012), which had an initial tariff rate of 10 per cent, will see a dramatic rise to 114 per cent, marking an increase of 1,140 per cent. Similarly, special garments for professional or sporting purposes made from man-made fibres (HS code 611430), which already had a relatively high tariff rate of 25.03 per cent, will see an even steeper increase to 129.03 per centan increase of 516 per cent. These products, which are typically higher-end or niche items, will now become significantly more expensive for US consumers, likely reducing their market competitiveness compared to lower-cost alternatives from countries like Vietnam or Bangladesh. In contrast, products with lower initial tariff rates, such as full-length or knee-length stockings, socks, and hosiery (HS code 611596), which had an initial tariff of 16.7 per cent, will now see a massive jump to 120.7 per cent, marking a 723 per cent increase. This will make these items significantly more expensive and potentially less attractive in the US market, especially as suppliers from countries with lower tariff increases, such as Vietnam or El Salvador, become more competitive. Similarly, jerseys, pullovers, cardigans, and waistcoats made from cotton (HS code 611020), with an initial tariff of 10.75 per cent, will rise to 114.75 per cent, reflecting a 1,067 per cent increase in tariffs. These hikes will affect price-sensitive segments of the market, increasing costs for US consumers and potentially prompting them to seek alternatives from lower-cost countries. Products like brassieres (HS code 621210) and womens cotton trousers (HS code 620462), which had tariff rates of 10.32 per cent and 8.3 per cent, respectively, will also see steep increases, rising by 1,108 per cent and 1,353 per cent, respectively. These product categories, which are typically in high demand, will now become significantly more expensive, potentially causing shifts in purchasing patterns toward competitors in other countries such as Vietnam or Bangladesh, where tariff increases are also substantial but relatively more manageable. Countries set to benefit Vietnam: The biggest beneficiary Tariff Increase: 46 per cent 46 per cent Key Products: Jerseys, pullovers, and cardigans (both cotton and man-made fibres) Womens or girls cotton trousers and hosiery Impact: Vietnam, with the highest tariff increase at 46 per cent, is positioned to gain the most from the changes. The country already leads in several high-value textile categories, making it well-positioned to capitalise on the higher tariffs imposed on Chinese goods. As the cost of Chinese products rises, Vietnamese products will become substantially more attractive to international buyers, enhancing the countrys competitiveness in markets that were previously dominated by China. Products such as jerseys, pullovers, and hosiery are key categories where Vietnam may see significant growth. Bangladesh: Gaining market share Tariff Increase: 37 per cent 37 per cent Key Products: Womens cotton trousers Mens and womens outerwear Brassieres Impact: Bangladesh follows closely with a 37 per cent tariff increase, positioning itself well to capture market share, particularly in high-demand categories. The womens cotton trousers sector is especially impacted, with tariff increases on Chinese products reaching as high as 1,353 per cent. This gives Bangladesh a significant competitive advantage, making its apparel offerings more appealing globally. With a focus on outerwear and brassieres, Bangladesh is likely to experience a substantial increase in market share as buyers seek more cost-effective alternatives to Chinese goods. Indonesia: Benefitting from niche categories Tariff Increase: 32 per cent 32 per cent Key Products: Brassieres Synthetic fibre dresses Impact: Indonesia, with a 32 per cent tariff increase, will see moderate yet significant benefits in specific product categories such as brassieres and synthetic fibre dresses. In these segments, tariff rates jump from 10.32 per cent to 114.32 per cent, making Indonesian products more competitively priced compared to Chinese alternatives. While Indonesia's overall tariff increase is not as high as that of Vietnam or Bangladesh, its strong presence in these niche markets is likely to enable it to capture a larger share of the global textile and apparel market. Pakistan: Moderate gains Tariff Increase: 29 per cent 29 per cent Key Products: Hosiery Synthetic fibre dresses Impact: Pakistan will experience moderate benefits from the tariff hikes, with a 29 per cent increase. Although Pakistan holds a strong position in certain high-value categories such as hosiery and synthetic fibre dresses, the overall market impact is not as dramatic as it is for countries like Vietnam or Bangladesh. However, the hosiery sector, in particular, may see a rise in competitiveness due to the higher tariffs on Chinese goods, allowing Pakistan to gain market shareespecially in markets where quality hosiery is in demand. India: Least impacted and positioned for gains Tariff Increase: 26 per cent 26 per cent Key Products: Jerseys and pullovers (man-made fibres) Synthetic fibre dresses Impact: India benefits from the smallest tariff increase among these countries at 26 per cent, meaning it will experience less of a competitive shift compared to them. Indias key product categoriesman-made fibre jerseys and synthetic fibre dresseswill still see a market boost due to the rise in the cost of Chinese products. However, the tariff increase is not as significant as that faced by Vietnam or Bangladesh, so the price advantage may be smaller. To fully capitalise on the opportunity, India will need to continue leveraging its competitive strengths and production capabilities. In conclusion, Chinas textile industry is already grappling with significant challenges, including rising production costs, labour shortages, and declining export growth. The US tariff hikes of up to 104 per cent on Chinese goods will further exacerbate these issues, making Chinese products more expensive and less competitive in global markets. Chinas textile exports already saw a 7.6 per cent year-on-year decrease in 2023, and as global buyers turn to alternative suppliers, Chinas dominance in the textile market is likely to continue shrinking. Meanwhile, India and Pakistandespite benefitting from relatively lower tariff increasesface their own challenges. Both countries will only fully benefit from the tariff hikes if they can efficiently scale up production. India continues to struggle with infrastructure limitations and supply chain inefficiencies, while Pakistan contends with political instability and a lack of modernisation in its manufacturing processes. Without addressing these hurdles, both India and Pakistan risk missing the opportunity to capture a significant share of the market currently held by China. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NS) Delay in export payments: Due to the imposition of high tariffs, there might be delays in receiving payments for goods already exported to the US. This, in turn, may create a cash crunch at the suppliers end. Trump's tariffs that go into effect from April 9 may delay export payments, strain supplier-retailer dynamics, and push industries to seek government support. Banks may limit loans, while cancelled US orders flood emerging markets. Near-shoring could rise, consumer confidence may dip, and sustainability may gain traction. Luxury would remain subdued, while US manufacturing faces major hurdles. Discounts demanded from suppliers: In order to avoid passing the entire higher tariff on to consumers, US retailers may ask their apparel suppliers to bear a share of the increased tariffs in the form of discounts. This could be particularly visible in Asian countries on which higher tariffs are imposed. Seeking policy support: To offset delays in payments by US importers, and to shield them to an extent from the high reciprocal tariffs, most industries, including textile and apparel, are likely to seek increased policy support from their respective governments. Difficulty in obtaining loans: Aware that reimbursement would not be easy, banks may become reluctant to extend additional loans to apparel manufacturers who have already availed themselves of substantial amounts of credit. This could be especially true in countries like Sri Lanka, where garment exports are a major source of foreign income. Increased competition in emerging markets: To avoid paying the higher tariff, US buyers may cancel apparel orders that are already produced but missed the April 9 shipping deadline. Exporters may try to offload this apparel in emerging markets like India, as well as developing countries such as Algeria, increasing competition in their respective domestic markets. Currency devaluation: Some countries, particularly smaller ones, may consider devaluing their currencies to offset the impact of the increased tariffs in the US market. This would allow governments to ensure that their exporters do not incur substantial losses in local currency terms. Negotiating with the US: Several countries may reduce their duties on US goods in the hope of negotiating better terms for their own exports with the US administration. The US President has already stated that around 50 countries have shown willingness to negotiate tariff terms. Acceleration in FTA talks: Countries with mutual trading interests are likely to accelerate negotiations for free trade agreements to maintain economic momentum. For example, the UK and South Korea are expected to fast-track their trade deal negotiations, as are the EU and India. Boost to near-shoring: Compared to Asian garment-exporting countries, the new tariffs announced by President Trump are lower for countries like Mexico, Honduras, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, which are geographically closer to the US. This may lead to greater investment in these countries and a rise in near-shoring. Cost-cutting by US retailers: Since there is limited scope for cost-cutting by suppliers without compromising on quality, US retailers may be forced to reduce marketing and advertising expenses. They may also need to find ways to lower markdowns (losses from off-price sales) and returns (goods returned by consumers). Decrease in US consumer confidence: With prices of various items increasing, US consumers may feel the pinch and reduce their clothing purchases compared to earlier levels. Sustainability push: As US consumers buy less, they may look for clothing that lasts longer and offers comfort, indirectly giving a significant push to sustainability. Subdued luxury industry: Owing to lower consumer confidence and other factors, wealthy Americans may be reluctant to invest heavily in luxury clothing, causing the industry to remain subdued for at least a few months. US manufacturing a distant dream: Domestic manufacturing in the US cannot become a reality unless the import prices of raw materials are significantly reduced, as the country lacks many of the raw materials required for production. Moreover, high labour costs in the US would continue to act as a deterrent. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RKS) President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs on dozens of countries took effect today at 12:01 am EST (04:01 GMT), further intensifying the global trade war he initiated. Trump has termed the tariffs permanent, saying his administration is putting pressure on other world leaders to seek negotiations. President Donald Trump's 'reciprocal' tariffs on dozens of nations took effect today at 04:01 GMT, further intensifying the global trade war he initiated. Trump has termed the tariffs 'permanent'. His administration is putting pressure on other world leaders for talks and many countries have reached out to the US for early talks. Trump assured his party followers that he knows what he is doing. The administration has said many countries have reached out to them for early negotiations. "We have a lot of countries coming in that want to make deals," he said at a White House event. He also expects China to pursue an agreement. His administration has scheduled talks with South Korea and Japan, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is expected to visit the United States next week. Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister will meet US treasury secretary Scott Bessent today. Germany could face another recession due to rising trade tensions caused by Trumps new tariffs, the countrys Finance Minister Joerg Kukies told a radio interview. Meanwhile, the European Union has told the United States it is ready to talk about buying more natural gas. Declining to comment on the impact of the new US tariffs, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said New Delhi is trying to negotiate a bilateral agreement with Washington this year. Assuring his party followers that he knows what he is doing, Trump yesterday said that he will soon announce massive tariffs on pharmaceuticals, and the move will put pressure on pharma companies to leave China and build their plants in the United States instead. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) The White House has announced that Washington will impose an additional 50 per cent tariffs on imports from China, taking the new US tariff on the Asian giant to an unprecedented 104 per cent. The new tariff structure, effective from April 9, 2025, 12:01 AM ET (0401 GMT), followed President Donald Trump's recent ultimatum to Beijing to roll back its retaliatory 34-per cent duties on American goods. Beijing dared Washington to do so earlier yesterday, and Trump approved it within hours. The White House has announced that the US will impose an 'additional 50 per cent tariffs' on imports from China, taking the new US tariff on the nation to 104 per cent. The new structure, effective from today, followed President Donald Trump's recent ultimatum to Beijing to roll back its retaliatory 34-per cent duties on US goods. Beijing dared Washington to do so, and Trump approved within hours. The US used to impose a 10-per cent tariff on Chinese goods till last month, which President Trump said, robbed and ripped off the US economy of billions and billions of dollars as tariff abuser Beijing levied a far higher tariff on US goods. The extraordinary hikecomprising a 20-per cent tariff levied in March, followed by another 34-per cent last week and an additional 50 per cent confirmed yesterdayis among the most aggressive US trade actions in recent memory. "China also wants to make a deal, badly, but they don't know how to get it started. We are waiting for their call," Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. "The US threat to escalate tariffs against China is a mistake on top of a mistake, which once again exposes the US' blackmailing nature," China's commerce ministry said in a statement, adding that "If the US insists on having its way, China will fight to the end." Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) A Hong Kong actor, 74, confirmed he is engaged to his 37-year-old girlfriend who is behind bars for forgery. Lee Lung Kei, a veteran actor known for his work in television dramas including Sinister Beings and its 2024 sequel, Sinister Beings 2, confirmed that he and his longtime partner, Chris Wong, plan to marry following her release from prison in July. Wong, who identifies herself as Wang Qingxia, pleaded guilty in 2024 to five charges of forgery in addition to three charges of making false statements to gain an entry permit and for overstaying in Hong Kong. She was given a 25 month prison sentence. Despite her incarceration, Lee said their relationship has only grown stronger. He reportedly keeps a suitcase containing more than 410 handwritten letters from Wong, who began writing to him regularly during her time behind bars. During a recent prison visit, Wong agreed to take their relationship to the next step. "I am not hesitating anymore. I will marry you," Wong said, according to Lee. The couple went public with their relationship in 2020, sparking conversations due to their 37-year age difference. Lee has remained vocal in his support of Wong and is looking forward to their future together. "I promised her that as soon as she gets out, I will take care of the marriage registration right away," he said. Lee plans to present Wong with an engagement ring after her scheduled release on July 7. Originally published on Kdrama Stars Dhanush and Kriti Sanon are gearing up to release Tere Ishk Mein, Aanand L Rai's romantic drama film. It is scheduled to hit the theatres on November 28, 2025 . The cast and crew recently wrapped up their shooting schedule in Delhi. Now, they are gearing up to begin shooting in Benaras. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Colour Yellow Productions (@cypplofficial) They are seemingly in Varanasi to shoot an important sequence of the movie. Interestingly, this is the same place where Dhanush filmed his 2013 movie Raanjhanaa. Aanand L Rai shared snippets from the filming, noting that the cast and crew are currently in Varanasi. "Lights. Camera. Banaras. Duniya wahi, kahaani nayi @aanandlrai ke andaaz mein. From the #WorldOfRaanjhanaa #TereIshkMeinnow filming!" he added. The director, the cast and the crew are seen roaming around Benaras. He also shared glimpses of some behind-the-scenes moments from the movie. This movie will mark the director's third collaboration with Dhanush. Aanand had previously noted that Tere Ishk Mein has thematic similarities with Raanjhanaa. It comes from the world of Raanjhanaa, although It is an expansion rather than an extension. It adds emotional depth with a new story," he added. Kriti Sanon's first look from the movie was released some time back. She will play the intense Mukti in the raw romantic drama. The 1-minute video introduced her character. Kriti seemed to be in an enigmatic avatar. Speaking about the music, Aanand L Rai noted, "Whenever Ive got a heavyweight story, I want to go to a bigger actor, and Dhanush is the one I rely on, another great pillar for me is (AR) Rahman sir. Thats the way I see my films. I never say I can make it alone. I want these people to help me. Then theres a bond and comfort." Saif Ali Khan was brutally attacked on January 16 at his Bandra home. The actor suffered major injuries as a 2.5-inch knife was recovered from his spine. While the case on the attack was on, recent updates notify that the chargesheet for the same has exceeded 1000-pages. It also contains statements from over 70 eyewitnesses including Kareena Kapoor Khan. See Also: Photos : Saif, Kareena, Soha And More Come Together For A Joyous Eid Celebration The chargesheet also states that the accused tried to pass through the main gate but couldn't get through. He climbed up the duct area and tried to get into the first floor from the back of Kareena and Saif's building. As per a report from Mid-Day, the police were quoted saying, "Shariful climbed up to the 8th floor using the staircase and entered Saif Ali Khans flat. He was carrying a knife, a hacksaw blade, and a hammer in his bag. He attacked the caretaker, Eliyama Philip, with the knife and demanded Rs. 1 crore. The chargesheet also states that the accused attacked the caretaker first. However, Saif intervened and caught him from behind. Shariful, the accused, then attacked Saif without realizing who he is. While he wanted to rob the place, once he realized the gravity of the situation, he panicked and fled. Apart from the statements from the eyewitnesses, the chargesheet also contains how the accused fled the crime scene. He seemingly went to Dadar from Bandra. He then went to Worli.The chargesheet also states that the accused tried to pass through the main gate but couldn't get through. He climbed up the duct area and tried to get into the first floor from the back of Kareena and Saif's building. As per a report from Mid-Day, the police were quoted saying, "Shariful climbed up to the 8th floor using the staircase and entered Saif Ali Khans flat. He was carrying a knife, a hacksaw blade, and a hammer in his bag. He attacked the caretaker, Eliyama Philip, with the knife and demanded Rs. 1 crore.The chargesheet also states that the accused attacked the caretaker first. However, Saif intervened and caught him from behind. Shariful, the accused, then attacked Saif without realizing who he is. While he wanted to rob the place, once he realized the gravity of the situation, he panicked and fled. He fled to the National College bus stop, changed clothes and spent the night there. At 7 am , he walked to Bandra Talao area. He threw the knife and clothes there. He roamed in and around Bandra railway station for 20 minutes. He went to Dadar and fed himself. Then he went to his residence in Worli. Keep watching this space for all the updates on the case. What is the Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act? Recent updates about Kim Soo Hyun The Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act was launched on March 31, 2025. The National Assembly Electronic Petition System launchedd the same due to the ongoing controversy involving Kim Soo Hyun and late actor Kim Sae Ron. Soo Hyun has been accused of dating Sae Ron when she was a minor.The actor and his agency have repeatedly denied the claims, but a recent petition has gained momentum in South Korea, which, if approved, could sentence Soo Hyun to five years of prison.The Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act appeals South Korean lawmakers to increase the consent age from 16 to 19 years old. The petition calls for stricter legislation to prevent statutory rape. It has been signed by more than 50,000 people so far. It calls for punishments to be applied to the violators.For those unaware, In South Korea, individuals are considered adults at the age of 19, but the legal age of consent is 16. Under the Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act, engaging in sexual activity with a minor between the ages of 13 and 16, or performing intimate acts with someone under the age of 13, is classified as rape.The petitioners have also strictly noted that anyone found guilty under the act would be sentenced to a minimum two-year jail sentence for molestation and a minimum five-year jail sentence for rape.The actor had previously held a press conference where he denied claims of dating Kim Sae Ron. He noted, "I'll address the biggest concernI did not date the deceased when she was a minor. We dated five years ago for about a year, long before Queen of Tears aired." About not accepting his relationship publicly, he added, "As the lead actor of Queen of Tears, I couldn't confirm the relationship publicly because of its potential impact on the cast and crew." After completing his tour on Tuesday evening, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan departed for Hyderabad and then flew to Singapore to meet his son Mark Shankar. His eight-year-old son was injured in a fire accident that occurred at his school in Singapore. Meanwhile, as soon as they heard about the incident, Pawan Kalyans elder brother and Megastar Chiranjeevi, and wife, Surekha, immediately left for Singapore to visit Mark Shankar. They flew to Singapore in the late hours Tuesday night. They will be reviewing Mark's health condition and will be there as emotional support to Pawan during this difficult period. The reports stated that an update about Mark Shankars health will be released soon. For now, the family is focused on his recovery and well-being.The fire accident has sent fans, supporters and well-wishers of the Mega family into tizzy. They have been constantly praying for Marks speedy recovery and his well-being. Social media platforms have been flooded with messages wishing Mark a speedy recovery. More updates about Mark Shankar's current health condition are expected to be out very soon.According to sources, the fire broke out in Marks classroom, leading to injuries to his hands and legs. The kid also suffered from smoke inhalation and was immediately admitted to a local hospital. Mark is currently undergoing medical treatment. His health condition is being closely monitored by the doctors. Best efforts are being made to ensure he gets the best possible treatment.When Pawan received this news about the fire accident, he was on a tour of tribal villages in the Alluri Sitarama Raju district of Andhra Pradesh. Officials and Jana Sena Party leaders advised the actor-politician to depart for Singapore immediately, putting off the tour. However, Pawan clarified that he would continue the tour to tribal villages as he had promised the villagers that he would visit them and listen to their problems. Medford, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - April 8, 2025) - GreenLight Metals Inc. ("GreenLight" or the "Company") (formerly "Green Light Metals Inc.") is pleased to announce that it has changed its name to "GreenLight Metals Inc." and has completed the previously announced amalgamation with 1504139 B.C. Ltd. ("Finco") and 1328592 B.C. Ltd. ("Subco"), both wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Company (the "Amalgamation"). In connection with the Amalgamation, GreenLight also expects the common shares of GreenLight (each, a "Share") to commence trading on the TSX Venture Exchange on or about April 14, 2025 under the symbol "GRL", subject to final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Additionally, GreenLight wishes to announce a non-brokered private placement offering of units of GreenLight (the "Unit Offering"). The Shares will be immediately halted after commencement of trading on or about April 14, 2025 pending completion of the Unit Offering. On listing, there will be 64,108,682 Shares issued and outstanding. The Amalgamation Pursuant to the amalgamation agreement dated January 30, 2025 between GreenLight, Subco and Finco, Subco and Finco amalgamated with Finco surviving as a wholly owned subsidiary of GreenLight, pursuant to which all the issued and outstanding shares and warrants of Finco were exchanged for Shares and Warrants (as defined below) of GreenLight. Finco and GreenLight then completed a second-stage amalgamation and amalgamated under the name "GreenLight Metals Inc.". Unit Offering Pursuant to the Unit Offering, GreenLight will offer up to 3,333,334 units (the "Units") of GreenLight at a price of $0.30 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $1,000,000. Each Unit will consist of one Share, and one-half of one share purchase warrant in the capital of GreenLight (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). The Warrants are governed by the terms of a warrant indenture dated January 30, 2025 between GreenLight and TSX Trust Company, among others. Each Warrant is exercisable by the holder thereof into one Share at a price of $0.45 for a period of three years from closing of the Unit Offering. The net proceeds from the Unit Offering will be used for the exploration of the Company's mineral projects, and for working capital and general corporate purposes. The Units will be subject to a statutory hold period pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. Strategic Milestone: TSX Venture Exchange Listing "We are excited to reach this milestone as GreenLight makes its public market debut on the TSX Venture Exchange" said Matt Filgate, President and CEO of GreenLight. "This listing will provide us with the platform to accelerate our exploration efforts across our highly prospective portfolio in the Penokean Volcanic Belt. With several high-priority targets already identified and drilling programs being planned, we look forward to delivering value for our stakeholders as we work to establish Wisconsin as a premier mining district for critical minerals. Our focus remains on increasing domestic mineral production, reducing reliance on foreign supply, and bolstering crucial supply chains." Leadership Team with Strong Wisconsin Connections GreenLight's leadership team brings together significant experience in mineral exploration, project development, permitting, and capital markets, with strong representation from Wisconsin: Matt Filgate, President & CEO: Over 15 years of experience in mineral exploration, mine development, and corporate development David Carew, CFO: More than 15 years of experience in corporate development, investor relations, mineral project evaluation, and capital raising Steve Donohue, Director: 35 years of experience focused on natural resource project permitting and community engagement across Wisconsin and the Midwest The Company's board includes several members with direct connections to Wisconsin, including Ryan Bennett, Gordon Reid, Angela Pakes, and Bill Johnson, ensuring the Company maintains strong local representation as it advances its Wisconsin portfolio. The Company's board also includes Barry Hildred and Jason Kosec. High-Quality Portfolio of Exploration Properties GreenLight holds a strategic portfolio of properties along the highly prospective Penokean Volcanic Belt (PVB), which is comparable to prolific mining districts like the Abitibi and Flin Flon belts: Bend Copper-Gold Project: VMS deposit with copper, gold, and tellurium, located approximately 35 miles southeast of the past producing Flambeau mine. The Bend copper-gold deposit was first discovered in 1986 and last drilled in 2012 with historic intercepts that include hole B90-6: 67.69 meters of 1.01% copper and 0.99 g/t gold (from 233.32 m to 301.04 m). Reef Gold Project: Shear-hosted gold system, last drilled in 2012 with intercepts including hole R12-38: 65.2m of 2.80 g/t gold and 0.17% copper (from 80.5 m to 145.73 m). Swede: Top priority exploration anomaly located in the southern greenstone belt, previously identified as a high-priority target by Rio Tinto. Magnetic and gravity surveys have identified potential massive sulphides. Lobo/Lobo East: Massive sulphide discovery adjacent to the significant Crandon VMS deposit, with historical drill intercepts at Lobo including hole LB-3: 9.4m of 22.89% zinc, 1.41% copper, 1.84% lead, 94 g/t silver, and 1.14 g/t gold (from 246 m to 255 m). Beyond Wisconsin, GreenLight also holds two non-core strategic properties: Kalium Canyon Gold Property (Nevada): A promising gold property within Nevada's prolific Walker Lane Trend, featuring low-sulphidation epithermal gold targets. Cerro Colorado (Arizona): A prospective copper-molybdenum porphyry property near established copper mines, displaying geochemical anomalies indicative of mineralization potential. Strategic Plans and Catalysts Following its TSX Venture Exchange listing, GreenLight intends to execute on several near-term value-creating initiatives: Airborne geophysical surveys in Wisconsin to identify additional drill targets within existing projects Strategic asset acquisitions within the Penokean VMS belt Resource discovery and expansion drilling at the Bend Project Engagement with local communities and regulators Technical data compilation and target generation across the portfolio Pursue project level or corporate transactions that are value accretive to GreenLight's stakeholders Market Making Services Agreement The Company is also pleased to announce it has retained DS Market Solutions Inc. ("DSMS") to provide market-making services. DSMS will provide market-making services to the Company to enhance market depth and increase liquidity for the Company's securities. Under the terms of the agreement, which has an effective date of April 14, 2025, the engagement is on a month-to-month basis, and DSMS will receive a monthly cash fee of $5,000 CAD from the Company's available cash. The agreement may be terminated by either party with 30 days' written notice. The Company and DSMS are arm's length, unrelated and unaffiliated entities and DSMS has no interest, directly or indirectly in the Company or its securities. The agreement is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. DSMS uses its own funds in providing the services and, other than securities used for liquidity purposes, it has no interest, directly or indirectly, in the securities of the Company, nor has it any right to acquire same. DSMS is an equity trading advisor to issuers looking to enhance liquidity in their public traded securities. DSMS was incorporated in Mississauga, Ontario in April 2024 and the offices of DS Market are located in Mississauga, Ontario. Mr. David Sears is the sole owner of DSMS and will be providing the services on behalf of DSMS. DSMS's contact is davidsears@dsmarketsolutions.com. Qualified Person Statement 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, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. About GreenLight Metals Inc. The principal business of GreenLight is the exploration and development of mineral properties in Wisconsin, Nevada, and Arizona. The material properties of GreenLight are the Bend Property, the Reef Property and the Kalium Canyon Property. In addition, the Company controls two additional prospective properties in Wisconsin - Lobo and Lobo East. GreenLight has also secured rights to the Swede anomaly located on the Southern Greenstone Belt. Outside of Wisconsin, the Company controls rights to the Kalium Canyon property, located in the Walker Lane district of Nevada. The Company also holds an option on the Cerro Colorado property located 70 kilometers southwest of Tucson, Arizona, along the Laramide porphyry copper belt. Further Information The Exchange has not in any way passed upon the merits of the proposed Amalgamation or the Unit Offering and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. For further information, please contact: GREENLIGHT METALS INC. 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 news release. Forward Looking Information Certain statements and information herein, including all statements that are not historical facts, contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements or information include but are not limited to statements or information with respect to: the anticipated trading of the Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange and timing thereof, the successful closing of the Unit Offering and the use of proceeds in respect of the Unit Offering and the successful completion and implementation, as applicable, of the Company's strategic plans including airborne geophysical surveys in Wisconsin, strategic asset acquisitions within the Penokean VMS belt, resource discovery and expansion drilling at the Bend Project, engagement with local communities and regulators, technical data compilation and target generation across the portfolio and opportunities to monetize non-core assets, Kalium Canyon and Cerro Colorado. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements or information can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "plan", "predict", "project", "should" or "will" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. With respect to forward-looking statements and information contained herein, GreenLight has made numerous assumptions including among other things, assumptions about the general business and economic conditions of GreenLight and the market in which it operates. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive. Although management of GreenLight believe that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements or information herein will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause 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 statements or information. These factors include, but are not limited to: risks relating to the changes in interest and currency exchange rates; risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of technology or processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations, cost escalation, unavailability of materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals, industrial disturbances or other job action, and unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters); changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets; changes in laws; and other assumptions, risks, and uncertainties discussed in documents available under GreenLight's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. GreenLight does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/247868 SOURCE: Green Light Metals Inc. New collaboration enables convenient and secure remittances to Weixin Pay users in China SINGAPORE, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting today, Weixin Pay users can now receive cross-border transfers from Xoom, a PayPal service and a pioneer in digital remittances. This new partnership between Tenpay Global, Tencent's cross-border payment platform, and Xoom allows Weixin Pay users to receive money directly into their Weixin Pay Wallet Balance or bank accounts linked to Weixin Pay through Xoom or PayPal's mobile app and website. Xoom and PayPal users in United States, Canada and Europe can now access reliable and affordable cross-border money transfers to their own or family members' Weixin Pay accounts, with additional countries to come in the future. Weixin Pay users can receive the funds frictionlessly, typically in as fast as a few minutes, for flexible use within the Weixin app for transfers, top-ups and shopping. "Xoom has long been known as a fast, easy, inexpensive way to send money to friends and family across borders - and now, being able to send funds to Weixin Pay users from the US, Canada and Europe, we're continuing to connect users wherever they might be and for what they might need funds for," said Paul Bances, Vice President of Market Development for Xoom. "This partnership reaffirms Tenpay Global's commitment to not only bridging the Weixin ecosystem with the global markets but also enhancing user value through streamlined and secure cross-border remittances. By addressing everyday needs-from family support to daily expenses-we aim to create meaningful value in our users' lives beyond mere transactions," said Wenhui Yang, CEO of Tenpay Global (Singapore). The service is now live and available through the Xoom and PayPal mobile app. Users may also visit Xoom.com or PayPal.com to start the remittance experience. About Xoom A pioneer in digital remittances, Xoom is a fast and easy way to send money, pay bills and reload phones for friends and family in approximately 160 countries globally. With Xoom, customers can access a fast and reliable way to send money, by simply downloading the Xoom or PayPal mobile app, or visiting Xoom.com or PayPal.com. About Tenpay Global Tenpay Global, the cross-border payment platform of Tencent, is the gateway to seamless cross-border payment solutions for businesses and individuals. Tenpay Global offers scenario-based services for different customer groups, including cross-border consumption, cross-border remittances, and cross-border commerce scenarios. Together with global partners, Tenpay Global is committed to bridging the world's payment networks with Weixin's ecosystem in China. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2660090/image.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2660091/Xoom_PayPal_users_United_States_Canada_Europe_easily_send_remittances.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/paypals-xoom-partners-with-tenpay-global-to-offer-cross-border-remittances-to-weixin-302424122.html SumiSaujana Group Berhad ("SumiSaujana" or the "Company") and its subsidiary ("Group"), an established manufacturer of oil and gas ("O&G") specialty chemicals, successfully made its debut on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad ("Bursa Securities") today. The Company's shares opened at RM0.18 per share. From L-R: (SumiSaujana Group Berhad) Pn. Norhafiza Binti Mohd, Independent Non-Executive Director; Pn. Lily Rozita Binti Mohamad Khairi, Independent Non-Executive Director; Mr. Liang Kok Siang, Independent Non-Executive Chairman; Mr. Toh Chee Seng, Executive Deputy Chairman; En. Norazlam Bin Norbi, Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer; En. Ramli Bin Mohamad, Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer; Dato' Chan Choy Lin (Carol), Independent Non-Executive Director and (RHB Investment Bank Berhad) Mr. Kevin Davies, Chief Executive Officer/ Managing Director. SumiSaujana is listed under the stock name "SUMI" and stock code "0349". Founded in 2010, SumiSaujana has established itself as a trusted provider of high-performance specialty chemicals, serving upstream, midstream, and downstream segments of the O&G industry. The Group's portfolio includes drilling fluid chemicals, production chemicals, and refinery additives, all of which play a critical role in enhancing operational efficiency, equipment protection, and refining processes. Through years of expertise and technical advancement, SumiSaujana has built a reputation for quality, reliability, and innovation in O&G specialty chemicals manufacturing. Over 70% of SumiSaujana's revenue comes from international markets, including the Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the Americas region. Through its IPO, SumiSaujana successfully raised RM74.40 million, with proceeds allocated towards: RM40.20 million for the acquisition of the New Puncak Alam Warehouse and Corporate Office, consolidating the Group's operational and warehousing facilities. RM18.90 million for the acquisition of its existing Puncak Alam Factory, ensuring long-term operational stability. RM2.08 million for capital expenditure, including purchase and installation of information technology infrastructure, and installation of solar photovoltaic system. RM7.62 million for establishment of a new research and development laboratory. RM5.60 million to be utilised for listing expenses. Mr. Toh Chee Seng, Executive Deputy Chairman of SumiSaujana Group Berhad stated, "Today marks a historic and momentous occasion for SumiSaujana Group Berhad, as we celebrate our official listing on the ACE Market of Bursa Securities. This milestone is not just a reflection of our achievements but a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and long-term value creation. It signifies the beginning of an exciting new chapter; one that will propel SumiSaujana towards even greater opportunities as a publicly listed company." He also added, "Becoming a listed company provides us with a solid foundation to scale new heights in the oil and gas specialty chemicals industry. This IPO allows us to strengthen our infrastructure, deepen customer relationships, and pursue strategic expansion in key international markets. We are committed to delivering long-term value to our stakeholders by continuously enhancing our capabilities and sustaining our competitive edge in the industry." RHB Investment Bank Berhad is the Principal Adviser, Sponsor, Sole Underwriter and Sole Placement Agent for SumiSaujana Group Berhad's IPO. About SumiSaujana Group Berhad SumiSaujana Group Berhad and its subsidiary ("SumiSaujana Group") is an established manufacturer of oil and gas ("O&G") specialty chemicals with over a decade of experience, specialising in the formulation, manufacturing, and supply of drilling fluid chemicals, and production, and refinery chemicals for the upstream, midstream, and downstream segments in the O&G industry. With a strong presence in Malaysia and exports to the Asia Pacific, Middle East and North America regions, SumiSaujana Group serves top-tier global O&G service providers, production and refinery companies and chemical manufacturers. As a Petronas-licensed manufacturer, SumiSaujana Group is committed to innovation, quality, and sustainability, continuously enhancing its product offerings to meet the evolving needs of the global O&G industry. For more information, visit https://www.sumisaujanagroup.com and https://sstcm.com/ Issued By: Swan Consultancy Sdn. Bhd. on behalf of SumiSaujana Group Berhad For more information, please contact: Jazzmin Wan Email: j.wan@swanconsultancy.biz William Yeo Email: w.yeo@swanconsultancy.biz SOURCE: SumiSaujana Group Berhad Paris, France and Cambridge, Massachusetts--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2025) - Biophytis SA (FP: ALBPS), ("Biophytis" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company specializing in the development of treatments for age-related diseases, confirms the launch of the Phase 2 OBA clinical study in obesity, expected to begin as early as possible in 2025. Following the recent 2.6 million capital increase announced on March 26, 2025, and promising preclinical results presented at the 15th International Conference on Frailty and Sarcopenia in Toulouse, Biophytis will continue the clinical development of BIO101 in obesity. The goal is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of BIO101 in reducing muscle strength loss caused by GLP-1 agonists in patients with obesity. As a reminder, Biophytis received Investigational New Drug (IND) clearance from the FDA in July 2024, marking a major milestone for the OBA program, which benefits from the expertise of Professor Marc-Andre Cornier, a world-renowned expert in the field of obesity. Stanislas Veillet, CEO of Biophytis, stated: "The company's priority is now to find a pharmaceutical partner to co-develop BIO101 in obesity. This partner will support us in the clinical and regulatory development of our drug candidate through to marketing authorization and will lead the product launch in North America." About BIOPHYTIS Biophytis SA is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing drug candidates for age- related diseases. BIO101 (20-hydroxyecdysone), our lead drug candidate, is a small molecule in development for muscular diseases (sarcopenia, Phase 3 ready to start, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Phase 1-2 to be started), respiratory diseases (COVID-19, Phase 2-3 completed), and metabolic disorders (obesity, Phase 2 to be started). The company is headquartered in Paris, France, with subsidiaries in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, and Brazil. The Company's ordinary shares are listed on Euronext Growth Paris (ALBPS - FR001400OLP5) and its ADS (American Depositary Shares) are listed on the OTC market (BPTSY - US 09076G401). For more information, visit www.biophytis.com. Disclaimer This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "outlook," "believes," "expects," "potential," "continues," "may," "will," "should," "could," "seeks," "predicts," "intends," "trends," "plans," "estimates," "anticipates" or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that Biophytis considers to be reasonable. However, there can be no assurance that the statements contained in such forward-looking statements will be verified, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The forward- looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks not yet known to Biophytis or not currently considered material by Biophytis. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. Please also refer to the "Risk and uncertainties the Company is to face" section from the Company's 2023 Financial Report available on BIOPHYTIS website (www.biophytis.com) and as exposed in the "Risk Factors" section of form 20-F as well as other forms filed with the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission, USA). We undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law. Contact Biophytis: Business Development and Partnerships Edouard.bieth@biophytis.com Investor Relations Investors@biophytis.com US Investors Pascal Nigen - Alpha Bronze pnigen@alphabronzellc.com Media Contacts Antoine Denry: antoine.denry@taddeo.fr -- +33 6 18 07 83 27 Ines de Mandiargues: ines.demandiargues@taddeo.fr --+33 6 16 16 51 78 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/247801 SOURCE: Biophytis Nortal, the strategic innovation and technology company renowned for its transformation of the Estonian government ('e-Estonia'), has announced the appointment of former Royal Navy Rear Admiral Nick Washer as the CEO for Nortal UK and Global Head of Defence. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250408105455/en/ Nick Washer, Nortal UK CEO and Global Head of Defence During his 34-year career in the Royal Navy as a warfare officer, Washer held a variety of sea and staff appointments, commanded at multiple levels, and specialised in communications and electronic warfare. Combining operational and technical expertise, he has built a reputation as an experienced leader in digital and cyber operations. Most recently, as Director of Operations in Defence Digital at the UK Ministry of Defence, Washer was responsible for IT live services across defence, customer engagement, operational planning, operational service management, defensive cyber operations, management of the Defence electromagnetic spectrum, and high-grade messaging services. Priit Alamae, Founder and CEO of Nortal said: "We are thrilled to welcome Nick Washer to lead our global defence business and the UK operations. With his extensive background in the Royal Navy and proven expertise in digital and cyber operations, he is an ideal fit. Nick's remarkable track record in defence sector is invaluable as we continue to grow our business and enhance the services we provide." Nick Washer, Nortal UK CEO and Global Head of Defence said: "I am proud to assume responsibility for Nortal's growing business in the UK. The company has a unique track record in building the digital infrastructure for some of the world's most advanced governments and organisations. My focus will be combining the best of Nortal with the expertise and experience of our growing government, defence, and cyber teams in the UK to empower the UK government and defence organisations to transform their operations, services, and digital infrastructure." The appointment comes as Nortal continues to expand its defence and cyber capabilities globally while strengthening its presence in the UK. Most recently the company announced that it has been selected as an approved supplier for NATO under the Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) framework, as well as the re-branding of 3DOT Solutions Limited, a well-known UK cybersecurity consultancy and a certified supplier to the UK Armed Forces and Intelligence Services, which the company acquired at the end of 2024. About Nortal Nortal is a strategic innovation and technology company with an unparalleled track-record of delivering successful transformation projects for over 25 years. Having offices in Europe, the Middle East, and in North America, we are close to our customers while backed by a vast global talent pool of more than 2000 people. www.nortal.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250408105455/en/ Contacts: For more information contact: press@nortal.com Karim Moussalem, CIO Equities at Selwood Asset Management, has written to investors about the substantial discount to fair value in the share prices of Canal+ SA (CAN) and Louis Hachette Group SA (ALHG) versus peers in the European listed media/communications sector. Selwood, which has an interest of over 0.5% in each company, has issued the following statement from Mr. Moussalem today: "In a nutshell, the purpose of splitting Vivendi SA (VIV) into separate companies was to create substantial shareholder value. Yet, so far, the common thing missing from both Louis Hachette Group SA (ALHG) and Canal+ SA (CAN) is the boards' issuance of transparent communication to the market on clear targets and KPIs. This is why we believe that the valuation discount has only widened and that the sell-off in Canal+ and Hachette shares leaves 100% upside in the stock price of each company on a medium-term basis." "In addition to the massive discount to fair value, there is also the catalyst for investors to buy the shares before, Bollore Group, the largest shareholder, does. Being a French listed business in the UK, Bollore doesn't need to disclose any share purchases in Canal+ until it gets to a 50% holding." In 2024 results reported on March 17 Bollore Group confirmed that it had a 30.4% shareholding in each of the former Vivendi companies. Mr. Moussalem added: "Selwood has an ongoing dialogue with Canal+ and Hachette. In our view, the only thing missing, with both stocks, is better communication around the current market opportunity and their strategic positioning to benefit from this. We believe this would be advanced by the disclosure of clear performance targets. Not doing so, contravenes the promises by Bollore Group to address the share-of-the-parts discount at the Vivendi level which led to the break-up." About Selwood Selwood Asset Management LLP is an alternative investments manager based in London and Paris. It was founded in 2015 to manage liquid credit strategies in Europe and North America. Since 2021 it has run an active equity strategy. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250408153661/en/ Contacts: Media contact London Bill McIntosh Peregrine Communications Group T: +44 (0)79 7070 8715 bill.mcintosh@peregrinecommunications.com New York Darius Athill Peregrine Communications T: 1 917 970 8834 darius.athill@peregrinecommunications.com A 15-year-old boy from New York has been charged with murder and attempted murder after allegedly fatally stabbing his grandmother and attacking his mother, who survived by pretending to be dead, according to police. The tragedy unfolded on Monday night in Suffolk County, New York, when tensions inside the household escalated, ABC 7 New York reported. Vanessa Chendemi, 36, had been increasingly worried about her son's recent behavior, including skipping school and isolating himself with his computer. That night, she confronted him and threatened to take the computer away, prompting her mother, 56-year-old Concetta Chendemi, to back her up, as reported by CBS New York. The argument reportedly triggered a violent outburst. The teenidentified in court as Indigo Anguloallegedly grabbed kitchen knives and attacked both women. Vanessa was stabbed multiple times in the face and neck, but managed to survive by playing dead. After the teen left the room, she fled the house and flagged down a passing car for help. Around 9:45 p.m., Suffolk County police officers arrived to find Concetta dead after sustaining stab wounds to her chest, stomach and leg. Meanwhile, Vanessa was rushed to the hospital and is expected to recover. The teenager fled the scene but was captured by police roughly 90 minutes later, a few blocks away. He appeared in court the next day. Angulo now faces charges of second-degree murder and attempted murder and is expected to be tried as an adult. Originally published on Lawyer Herald 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! Positive result despite less favorable market conditions Celebration of one hundredth anniversary and Royal designation Good revenues with projects in the energy market ZWIJNDRECHT, Netherlands, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Van Leeuwen achieved a positive result in 2024 despite less favorable market conditions. The one hundredth anniversary was celebrated with pride and the highlight of the year was being granted the Royal designation. Market volumes in 2024 were at a lower level compared to the previous year while prices continued to decrease throughout the year. However, revenues in the energy segment were at a good level due to several large projects in Europe and Asia. In 2024, the total revenue of Royal Van Leeuwen amounted to 1,335 million (2023: 1,621 million). The operating result amounted to 22 million (2023: 60 million) and the net result was 14 million (2023: 43 million). Solvency improved to 49.8% (2023: 46.8%). In the European Industry market, demand declined throughout the year, resulting in decreasing prices and margins. The total volume sold decreased, particularly tonnage sold from stock in Europe. Project activity in the worldwide Energy market was at a good level. Van Leeuwen booked various large projects worldwide, including the supply of materials for the construction of Europe's most sustainable ethane cracker in the port of Antwerp. Van Leeuwen is active worldwide from locations in Europe, North America, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. In 2024, several significant investments aimed at improving storage capacity and productivity were completed. In Zwijndrecht, the Netherlands, the Monorail system, at 315 meters in length being the largest pipe sorting center in the world, was commissioned. Also in Zwijndrecht, The World Tube Center (WTC) was opened, an interactive exhibition center where the world of Van Leeuwen is displayed to customers and other relations. In 2024, Van Leeuwen continued investing in various 'green' initiatives, such as solar panels on its roofs, more inventory of pipe material with a reduced carbon footprint, as well the introduction of its own 'green' brand Van Leeuwen Impact. On April 9, 2025, Peter Rietberg steps down as chairman of the Management Board. He will remain associated with the company as shareholder. Joop Sassen, who has been with the company since 1992 and has been a member of the Management Board and CEO since 2007, has been appointed chairman of the Management Board as of April 9, 2025. Hans Weerstra and Vincent Geerts have been appointed members of the Management Board. Peter Rietberg: "Van Leeuwen is an exceptional company with an international network, an extensive portfolio of products and services, for a wide variety of markets and customers. It is a strong, Royal company with a great future that I pass on to the new Management Board with confidence. A family business to be proud of, that has always been supported and will continue to be supported by a worldwide team of experienced and committed people." The Annual Book 2024 of Van Leeuwen is available via this link. Photos are available via this link. Royal Van Leeuwen is an international distribution company specializing in steel pipes, and pipe and tube applications. The family-owned company, with its head office in Zwijndrecht, the Netherlands, was founded in 1924 and is active in virtually all industrial sectors. The company has 70 branches spread across 32 countries throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and North America. Van Leeuwen's 2,250 employees have specialist knowledge of sourcing, processing, project management, logistics and stock planning and work closely together with customers in its markets. The combination of global logistics and knowledge of products and customer applications makes Van Leeuwen a leading company in its markets. www.vanleeuwen.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2659252/Royal_Van_Leeuwen.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2659251/Royal_Van_Leeuwen_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/royal-van-leeuwen-achieves-positive-result-in-2024-302422326.html New AI Agents, Agent Builder and community tools will help accelerate academic workflows while keeping humans in control. LONDON, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Clarivate, a leading global provider of transformative intelligence, today announced the expansion of its Academic AI Platform, helping institutions harness agentic AI to accelerate productivity, save time for researchers, students and staff, and engage users in the digital environments they already use. Beginning in April 2025, Clarivate will introduce AI Agents to support key academic workflows. As part of this expansion, we are initiating the development of an Agent Builder and community-driven AI tools, supported by a Development Partner Program set to launch in 2025. As the Academic AI Platform evolves, it continues to focus on academic needs and be guided by the Clarivate AI principles, keeping integrity and human oversight at the center of decision-making. AI Agents: Going beyond generative AI AI Agents, powering the next wave of AI innovation, are advanced software programs capable of reasoning, planning, and taking actions to achieve specific goals. They integrate contextual understanding, decision-making, and iterative learning, enabling to accomplish complex multi-step tasks across multiple data sources through a single point of interaction. While generative AI excels at producing text and answering queries in a transactional manner, AI Agents go further by proactively guiding workflows, facilitating nuanced conversations, and executing actions. Clarivate brings AI Agents into academia through the Academic AI Platform, building upon its suite of AI-powered research, analytics and metadata assistants introduced in 2024 and already adopted by over 3,000 institutions. Purpose-built AI Agents leverage curated data and workflow tools from Clarivate, enabling librarians, administrators, academics, and students to achieve more with greater efficiency and precision while ensuring academic values remain central. Clarivate is working toward developing a portfolio of pre-built AI agents. The first series of AI Agents will include: Literature review: Guiding researchers through the literature review process by optimizing queries, retrieving and analyzing data from data sources, and summarizing key insights. The agent will simplify what is often a labor-intensive and time-consuming process of synthesizing literature to help researchers identify themes, gaps and hot topics. It will launch on April 10, 2025 through the Web of Science Research Assistant. Guiding researchers through the literature review process by optimizing queries, retrieving and analyzing data from data sources, and summarizing key insights. The agent will simplify what is often a labor-intensive and time-consuming process of synthesizing literature to help researchers identify themes, gaps and hot topics. It will launch on April 10, 2025 through the Web of Science Research Assistant. Research Intelligence: Web of Science Research Intelligence will provide powerful analytics for university leaders and research managers to support data-driven decision-making. AI agents will address core priorities such as connecting researchers with potential collaborators, providing comparative insights into research performance, and matching researchers with relevant funding opportunities. These AI agents will be available to Web of Science Research Intelligence development partners and early adopters by August 2025. Agent Builder: A flexible development environment requiring little to no coding expertise In addition to the pre-built AI agents, Clarivate is initiating the development of an Agent Builder-a flexible environment that enables institutions to create, customize and deploy their own AI-powered tools. The new Agent Builder will democratize the creation of AI agents and will help institutions reach users where they are, such as by integrating AI into institutional and library portals, learning and discovery services, and other environments. To simplify the development process, the Agent Builder will include capabilities such as a prompt builder, workflow orchestration, and system connectors, making it easier for institutions to implement AI solutions without extensive technical expertise. Institutions will be able to integrate Clarivate curated content sources and software solutions into their AI agents as well as their local data sources and applications through an intuitive low-code/no-code conversational interface. These same tools will power the development of Clarivate pre-built AI Agents, ensuring a seamless and scalable approach across the platform. Community-built AI tools Libraries have long thrived on collaboration-and AI should be no different. The Clarivate Academic AI Platform will offer new opportunities to support that tradition, enabling institutions to contribute, share and build on each other's AI solutions. With community-built templates, workflows, and tools libraries can accelerate development together and ensure that AI solutions evolve in ways that reflect their academic priorities. Oren Beit-Arie, senior vice president of Strategy & Innovation at Clarivate, said: "With the expansion of the Clarivate Academic AI Platform, we're introducing AI Agents and the Agent Builder to foster a collaborative ecosystem where institutions can develop, refine, and share AI-powered solutions built on curated content. This approach builds on past community-led innovation-such as Cloud Apps and the Developer Network-ensuring that AI supports institutional priorities. By working together, we can shape AI in ways that are transparent, responsible, and deeply aligned with academic values." To accelerate innovation and adoption of the Academic AI Platform, Clarivate is introducing a Development Partner Program, inviting academic libraries to co-create and refine AI-driven solutions. To learn more or explore partnership opportunities, contact the Clarivate Academic AI group. About Clarivate Clarivate is a leading global provider of transformative intelligence. We offer enriched data, insights & analytics, workflow solutions and expert services in the areas of Academia & Government, Intellectual Property and Life Sciences & Healthcare. For more information, please visit www.clarivate.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1159266/Clarivate_Logo_v1.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/clarivate-expands-its-academic-ai-platform-introducing-agentic-ai-for-research-and-learning-302423669.html The investment company Nera Digital Holding ("Nera Digital"), which specializes in investments in the B2B software, IT services and tech-enabled business services sector, acquires a minority stake in Wiesbaden-based comforte AG ("comforte") and carries out a capital increase. Options for the acquisition of a majority stake in comforte have already been agreed between Nera Digital and the existing shareholders of comforte and can be exercised in 2026. comforte AG, with subsidiaries on four continents, is a leading global provider of data-centric cybersecurity solutions. The unique proprietary data security platform SecurDPS ensures the highest level of security for sensitive data through tokenization and format-preserving encryption, whether during transfer, processing, storage or analysis. Over 500 customers rely on comforte's software solutions. "Cyberattacks on companies and institutions have increased enormously in recent years and caused billions in damage. The regulatory requirements for protecting highly sensitive data are constantly increasing, especially for financial and payment service providers. SecurDPS is an enterprise software that can secure the entire data infrastructure of its customers in real time with minimal implementation effort, without affecting the performance of the systems. This is why global market leaders such as Visa and Mastercard, as well as numerous major banks and retailers, rely on comforte's security solutions," says Peter Schaberger, founding partner of Nera Digital. Dominik Lanz, founding partner of Nera Digital, highlights comforte's pioneering technology: "comforte is one of the innovation drivers in the cybersecurity sector and is the global market leader for stateless tokenization data security technology. SecurDPS combines integrated AI-based solutions within the data security platform and quantum-resistant algorithms for maximum resilience against potential cyberattacks." Michael Deissner, CEO of comforte, is confident: "With its network and proven expertise in the development of IT companies, the Nera Digital team will further accelerate comforte's pace of growth". Dr. Konrad Bosl and Konstantin Dudeck from Munich-based corporate finance specialists Blattchen & Partner advised the management board and existing shareholders of comforte AG. Johann von Keussler and Dr. Martin Bouchon from the law firm v. Keussler Rechtsanwalte, Darmstadt, oversaw providing legal advice to the company and the existing shareholders. On the buyer side, the transaction was advised by AC Christes (Financial & Tax Due Diligence), valantic (Commercial & Technical Due Diligence), MARTIUS Rechtsanwalte, Munich (Legal & Structuring). About comforte AG ( www.comforte.com ) Comforte AG is a leading provider of data-centric security solutions that empower enterprises to protect sensitive information throughout its lifecycle while maintaining its usability for business operations. Headquartered in Wiesbaden, Germany, comforte is a trusted partner for global enterprises across various industries. The comforte Data Security Platform (DSP) automates the discovery, classification and protection of data within complex IT environments. With over 25 years of expertise, comforte safeguards data for over 300 global customers, including industry leaders like Visa and Mastercard, enabling them to drive digital transformation, optimize operations, and achieve sustainable growth with confidence. For more information, visit comforte.com and follow comforte AG on LinkedIn and Twitter . About Nera Digital Holding Nera Digital Holding is an investment company founded in 2022 that primarily invests in German-speaking SMEs. Nera Digital pursues a long-term investment approach and represents a group of selected investors and entrepreneurs. The Nera Digital team has many years of experience in the investment business, corporate digitization and operational support for companies during the growth phase. For investments, Nera Digital focuses on partnerships with the founders/management teams of profitable growth companies in the following sectors: Software & Technology, IT Services & Tech-enabled Business Services and Digital Consumer. The aim is to equip the portfolio companies with the necessary scalability for the next stage of growth by professionalizing their structures and processes to continue the growth course they have embarked on together independently and, above all, sustainably. Nera Digital focuses on direct investments and transformation situations in small to medium-sized companies that benefit from Nera Digital's strong operational expertise, digital competence and comprehensive network of experts. Media Contact comforte AG Thomas Stoesser, Executive Vice President, Marketing email: t.stoesser@comforte.com Phone: + 49 611 93199 00 Nera Digital Management GmbH email: info@nera-digital.com SOURCE: comforte AG Ende Mai leitete US-Prasident Donald Trump mit der Unterzeichnung mehrerer Dekrete eine weitreichende Wende in der amerikanischen Energiepolitik ein. Im Fokus: der beschleunigte Ausbau der Kernenergie. Mit einem umfassenden Manahmenpaket sollen Genehmigungsprozesse reformiert, kleinere Reaktoren gefordert und der Anteil von Atomstrom in den USA massiv gesteigert werden. Ausloser ist der explodierende Energiebedarf durch KI-Rechenzentren, der eine stabile, CO-arme Grundlastversorgung zwingend notwendig macht. In unserem kostenlosen Spezialreport erfahren Sie, welche 3 Unternehmen jetzt im Zentrum dieser energiepolitischen Neuausrichtung stehen, und wer vom kommenden Boom der Nuklearindustrie besonders profitieren konnte. Holen Sie sich den neuesten Report! Verpassen Sie nicht, welche Aktien besonders von der Energiewende in den USA profitieren durften, und laden Sie sich das Gratis-PDF jetzt kostenlos herunter. Dieses exklusive Angebot gilt aber nur fur kurze Zeit! Daher jetzt downloaden! Industry-leading asset servicer to further streamline financial reporting and improve operational efficiency for the benefit of its Private Capital clients across multiple jurisdictions Confluence, a global technology solutions provider for regulatory, analytics, and investor communications solutions for the investment management industry, today announced that BNP Paribas' Securities Services business, a leading asset servicer, has selected Confluence Unity Financial Reporting to support its Private Capital client segment. Securities Services at BNP Paribas will use Confluence's solution to enhance the operational efficiency of its Private Capital services and automate financial reporting processes. With Unity Financial Reporting, BNP Paribas' Securities Services business will reduce manual workarounds, streamline reporting workflows, and provide a single-user experience for its teams worldwide. This aligns with the bank's strategy to modernize financial reporting, ensuring a consistent and automated framework for its fast-growing private capital business. "As a leading asset servicing partner, we are committed to using technology to enhance our reporting processes and deliver greater efficiency for our clients," said Laurent Durdilly, Global Head of Private Capital Securities Services, BNP Paribas. "Confluence's Unity Financial Reporting is a best-of-breed solution that will enable us to further automate workflows, reduce complexity, and scale our reporting capabilities globally." Unity Financial Reporting is a scalable and adaptable global platform that caters to all fund segments, from the traditional Investment Company Act of 1940 and UCITS to alternatives. It reduces reliance on spreadsheets and manual workarounds, helping firms streamline compliance with evolving regulatory demands. "As the demand for automation in financial reporting grows, we are excited to support BNP Paribas' Securities Services business in optimizing operations," said Todd Moyer, President and Chief Operating Officer at Confluence. "Unity Financial Reporting enables firms to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve the end-client experience across multiple markets." For more information about Unity Financial Reporting and Confluence's suite of Compliance, Regulatory, and Reporting solutions, visit www.confluence.com. About Confluence Confluence is a global leader in enterprise data and software solutions for regulatory, analytics, and investor communications. Our best-of-breed solutions make it easy and fast to create, share, and operationalize mission-critical reporting and actionable insights essential to the investment management industry. Trusted for over 30 years by the largest asset service providers, asset managers, asset owners, and investment consultants worldwide, our global team of regulatory and analytics experts delivers forward-looking innovations and market-leading solutions, adding efficiency, speed, and accuracy to everything we do. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, with ~700+ employees across North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, South Africa, Asia, and Australia, Confluence services over 1,000 clients in more than 40 countries. For more information, visit confluence.com. About Securities Services at BNP Paribas (securities.cib.bnpparibas BNP Paribas' Securities Services business is a leading global custodian providing multi-asset post-trade and asset servicing solutions to buy-side and sell-side market participants, corporates and issuers. With a global reach covering 90+ markets, its custody network is one of the most extensive in the industry, enabling clients to maximise their investment opportunities worldwide. As a pillar of BNP Paribas' diversified banking model, Securities Services provides asset servicing solutions that are closely integrated with the first-class services of the Group's other business lines, in particular those of Global Banking and Global Markets. As of 31 December 2024, Securities Services had USD 13.7 trillion in assets under custody and USD 2.8 trillion in assets under administration. Our Private Capital ServicesPrivate Capital Securities Services The Private Capital team at BNP Paribas' Securities Services business provides a fully integrated suite of services for private capital managers, combining comprehensive fund services, depositary, financing, and hedging through a seamless, interconnected offering. With a global operating framework supported by local expertise in Europe, APAC, and the US, the team helps private capital managers scale, with a focus on innovative technology including cutting-edge digital solutions (including the bank's CapLink Private client platform) for end-to-end fund management. Its proven track record with leading industry players underscores its commitment to delivering comprehensive and innovative solutions with a client-centric approach. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250409833656/en/ Contacts: Media Contacts: Confluence Katie Moxom Cognito confluence@cognitomedia.com +44 (0) 7875752788 Securities Services at BNP Paribas Vivian Lai, Global Media Relations and External Communications Manager vivian.lai@uk.bnpparibas.com +44 (0) 7350 433 306 Go Reply, the Reply Group company specialising in the implementation of cloud platform architectures and the creation of cloud-based solutions using Google Cloud, has been recognised for a second year by Google Cloud as the Google 2025 Partner of the Year in the category Country UK/IE This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250409890714/en/ This award highlights Go Reply's expertise in the Google Cloud ecosystem and its ability to help customers integrate cloud-native solutions that drive scalability, efficiency and intelligence. This award highlights Go Reply's expertise in the Google Cloud ecosystem and its ability to help customers integrate cloud-native solutions that drive scalability, efficiency and intelligence. With extensive experience in complex migration, modernisation, security, AI analytics and next-generation application projects, Go Reply enables businesses across all industries to leverage advanced Google Cloud technologies, unlocking new value and maximising the potential of cloud innovation. "Google Cloud's Partner Awards recognize partners who have created outsized value for customers through the delivery of innovative solutions and a high level of expertise," Kevin Ichhpurani, President, Global Partner Ecosystem, Google Cloud. "We're proud to announce Go Reply as a 2025 Google Cloud Partner Award winner and celebrate their impact enabling customer success over the past year." Filippo Rizzante, CTO at Reply, stated, "We are proud to have once again received recognition from Google Cloud, demonstrating the growing capability and evolution of Go Reply and its teams. Go Reply continues to deliver exceptional services to users via our partnership with Google Cloud, enabling our clients to accelerate their digital transformation, driving innovation and actively contributing to the broader Google Cloud ecosystem." Go Reply continues to advance its generative AI solutions on Google Cloud, enabling businesses across industries to address diverse operational and strategic needs. This expertise is reflected in applications such as a conversational interface for luxury brand technical data, a Vertex AI-powered legal document search engine, and a centralised AI platform for the insurance sector, demonstrating the company's ability to drive innovation, efficiency, and intelligent automation. Reply Reply [EXM, STAR: REY, ISIN: IT0005282865] specialises in the design and implementation of solutions based on new communication channels and digital media. As a network of highly specialised companies, Reply supports major European industrial groups in the telecom and media; industry and services; banking and insurance and public sectors in defining and developing business models enabled by the new paradigms of AI, cloud computing, digital media and the internet of things. Reply's services include: consulting, system integration and digital services. www.reply.com Go Reply Go Reply is a leading Google Cloud specialist, enabling businesses to innovate through AI, Generative AI, Data Analytics, Security, Data Platforms, and Infrastructure App Modernisation. A Google Cloud partner within the global Reply network, Go Reply delivers cloud-native solutions that enhance scalability, efficiency, and intelligence. With expertise in cloud migration, modernisation, AI-driven analytics, secure data platforms, and next-generation applications, the company helps enterprises across industries harness Google Cloud's advanced technologies to unlock new value, strengthen security, and accelerate digital transformation. www.go-reply.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250409890714/en/ Contacts: Press contact: Reply Fabio Zappelli f.zappelli@reply.com Tel. +390117711594 Irene Caia i.caia@reply.com Tel. +39 02 535761 LONDON, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's largest asset holders, institutional investors and real estate pioneers gathered at a series of roundtable discussions to address the industry's biggest challenges and opportunities around ESG, decarbonization, and financial risk. The exclusive events were organized by BuildingMinds, the AI-powered real estate data platform which is transforming asset valuation and assessment. The first discussion, ESG Innovation for Logistics Owners & Occupiers, was moderated by Emily Jones, Vice President at NW1 Partners, and welcomed a host of the logistics industry's most senior names: Logan Smith, Senior Managing Director -Logistics at Hines Europe; Oliver Winchcombe, Head of Portfolio Management and ESG at Panattoni UK; Melissa Mikulic, Real Estate ESG Manager at Zurich Insurance; Harvey James, Country Lead, UK & Ireland at BuildingMinds. Participants discussed how grid modernization, automation, and new infrastructure, such as solar-powered warehouses, are shaping the industry. The logistics sector is one of the biggest contributors to global emissions but is also undergoing rapid transformation. Sustainable supply chains are no longer optional-they are a business must-have-and over half of logistics operators are already transitioning to electric fleets. With the fast-moving change in logistics ESG is now a key factor in investment decisions, as asset owners and occupiers race to meet regulatory and investor demands. The second panel discussion, headed A Sustainable Future for Commercial Asset Owners, welcomed notable industry thought leaders from the sector: Marjolijn Versteegden-Bakker, Global Solutions Director for Smart Buildings, Arcadis; Ludger Wibbeke, Managing Director at HANSAINVEST Hanseatische Investment; and Ana Luisa Cabrita, Head of Sustainability & ESG at Cushman & Wakefield. They discussed how climate risk assessments and decarbonization strategies are now core factors in asset valuations, and how ESG compliance is driving investment decisions-not just risk mitigation. This led to discussions on how real-time carbon performance and biodiversity impact metrics can be used to shape asset financing. As commercial real estate shifts from reactive compliance to proactive ESG-driven asset management, demand is increasing for data transparency that delivers clear and measurable ESG impact. Moving on from the commercial real estate sector, the discussions turned to hospitality and specifics around crafting sustainable real estate assets in this vibrant sector. Discussions were moderated by Julia Skeete, Senior Associate Principal, SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill), who was joined by a number of leading industry players: Nicolas Ledoux, Global Director Urbanism, Arcadis; Jean-Francois Ott, Chairman, Courbet Heritage; Richard Piovano, Vice President, Global Accounts Americas, Schindler; Jerzy Wojcik, CEO and Founder, JWA; Jose Pereira, Director Europe South, BuildingMinds. The panellists discussed how sustainability is no longer a cost, but a value driver for guest experience and brand reputation. That means the sector must embrace sustainability to stay competitive and that, in turn, means green building certifications and energy-efficient designs are redefining hotels. There's no question the future of hospitality lies in balancing environmental responsibility with luxury and guest comfort. The final discussion in the series centred on ESG in Property Valuation & Risk Reduction. This session took place in partnership with RICS - The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and featured Jean-Philippe Carmarans, a Member of RICS European Leaders Forum, and also Chair of EMEA Valuation & Advisory at Cushman & Wakefield, as well as Jens Hirsch, co-founder of CRREM and Chief Scientific Officer at BuildingMinds. Talking points centred on how to embed ESG considerations in property valuations to reduce risk and enhance asset performance. It's an increasingly important aspect of the business, as regulators are incorporating ESG metrics into valuation frameworks. Owners are also seeing that sustainable assets command premium pricing and greater investor demand. This growing trend is one of the reasons behind BuildingMinds extraordinary success in recent years, as its AI-powered data solutions streamline ESG reporting. The industry must act now There was universal agreement following the discussions that sustainability is not just about compliance-it is a pathway to long-term asset resilience, investment growth, and market leadership. This means that AI-powered ESG solutions are no longer optional, but essential for real estate investors looking to stay ahead. And those who fail to act risk falling behind in a world that becomes increasingly data-driven and sustainability-focused. Those leading the ESG transition now will dominate the real estate market of tomorrow. For more information about BuildingMinds, visit www.buildingminds.com . About BuildingMinds? BuildingMinds is a real estate software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider that offers a comprehensive, AI-powered data-driven platform for optimizing building performance and sustainability. Through the integration of innovative technology and analytics, BuildingMinds enables real estate owners and managers to monitor, analyze, and optimize their assets, promoting the shift towards a more sustainable and data-driven real estate industry. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2659232/BuildingMinds.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2639176/5255248/BuildingMinds_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/real-estate-investors-and-innovators-gather-to-drive-actionable-esg-and-decarbonization-strategies-302423676.html DUBAI, UAE, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As the global energy transition accelerates, the Middle East Energy (MEE) 2025 exhibition officially opened on April 7 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. As the region's largest and most influential energy industry event, MEE brings together leading enterprises across the power, renewable energy, energy storage, and smart grid sectors. The exhibition serves as a key platform for showcasing cutting-edge technologies, exploring market opportunities, and fostering international cooperation. At this global gathering, Sichuan Aviation Electrical Micro Energy Co., Ltd. (AEMEnergy) unveiled its latest innovations under the theme of "Scenario-Driven Technology," presenting pioneering solutions such as the Zero-Carbon City Solution and the Green Airport Solution. These offerings highlight China's growing contribution to the global smart energy transition. Addressing the tension between rapid airport expansion and carbon reduction targets in the Middle East, AEMEnergy debuted the world's first Green Airport Solution. Integrating solar PV, battery storage, bridge-mounted static ground power units (SGPUs), remote stands, and eVTOL charging, the solution combines core technologies such as inverters, DC microgrids, distributed energy storage, and medium-frequency power supplies. It effectively solves the challenges of limited power capacity, high expansion costs, and long construction cycles at remote airport stands-providing a high-efficiency, low-carbon pathway for sustainable airport development. Another major highlight was AEMEnergy's comprehensive Zero-Carbon City Solution, designed to optimize energy use across residential, commercial & industrial (C&I), grid-scale storage, and street-level applications. By integrating technologies such as virtual power plants (VPP), flexible AC/DC distribution networks, and low-carbon energy management systems, the solution enables real-time, millisecond-level energy response and cross-regional optimization. It enhances grid flexibility, reliability, and renewable energy absorption, helping cities meet their carbon reduction and energy transition goals. AEMEnergy's presence at MEE 2025 reflects its deepening strategic expansion in global markets. By delivering innovative, scenario-based energy solutions, the company is contributing to sustainable infrastructure development and zero-carbon transformation across the Middle East and beyond. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2660852/Weixin_Image_20250408165633.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/empowering-the-middle-east-energy-transition-aemenergy-showcases-zero-carbon-solutions-at-mee-2025-302424352.html Las Vegas, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2025) - At ISC West 2025, North America's premier security industry trade show, EIOTCLUB captivated attendees with the debut of its flagship industrial-grade eSIM solutions. The company's next-generation connectivity products drew widespread acclaim from security professionals, system integrators, and tech enthusiasts alike, who praised their performance, reliability, and versatility. Designed to power applications in surveillance, smart vehicles, and industrial IoT, EIOTCLUB's innovative offerings quickly became one of the most talked-about highlights of the event. EIOTCLUB Expands Global IoT Connectivity with Innovations Unveiled at ISC West 2025 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10589/247620_4f8b697ad40ec998_001full.jpg EIOTCLUB's advanced eSIM technology features configurable profiles and remote provisioning, allowing devices to seamlessly switch between networks based on deployment requirements. With Triple-play network capability, the eSIM automatically connects to leading Tier-1 carriers-AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon-ensuring stable, high-performance connectivity even in areas with fluctuating signal strength. This level of reliability is essential for mission-critical applications such as remote monitoring systems with 4G surveillance cameras, industrial drones, autonomous robots, remote fleet management with 4G dashcams, and industrial connectivity using 4G/5G routers. At ISC West 2025, security professionals, system integrators, and enterprise users experienced firsthand how these solutions enhance real-time data transmission in complex environments. At ISC West 2025, one standout innovation was EITOCLUB's Industrial-grade Removable eSlM, engineered for mission-critical applications in extreme conditions ranging from -40C to 105C. EIOTCLUB Expands Global IoT Connectivity with Innovations Unveiled at ISC West 2025 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10589/247620_4f8b697ad40ec998_002full.jpg Uninterrupted Global Coverage - With multi-carrier support across AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, the eSIM ensures seamless connectivity even in remote or high-risk environments. No More Removable SIM Swaps - Unlike traditional SIM cards, EIOTCLUB's remote provisioning technology allows users to securely update esim profiles for free, reducing maintenance time and operational disruptions. Future-Proof IoT Deployments - The eSIM's configurable architecture adapts to evolving IoT needs, making it ideal for security surveillance, industrial monitoring, and smart vehicle applications. By eliminating network limitations and Removable SIM constraints, EIOTCLUB's industrial eSIM sets a new standard for resilient, scalable IoT connectivity. By engaging deeply in product debugging with over 100 leading IoT hardware manufacturers, EIOTCLUB provides customers with turnkey plug-and-play solutions. This approach streamlines deployment, eliminates compatibility issues, and accelerates time-to-market for businesses adopting connected security solutions. Since its founding in 2019, EIOTCLUB has connected over 2.58 million devices globally-an impressive milestone achieved in just five years. With current growth exceeding 100,000 new device connections per month, the company is rapidly scaling across industries and geographies. This momentum reinforces EIOTCLUB's status as a rising force in IoT connectivity, combining robust technology with strategic industry collaboration. EIOTCLUB Expands Global IoT Connectivity with Innovations Unveiled at ISC West 2025 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10589/247620_4f8b697ad40ec998_003full.jpg "ISC West 2025 was a pivotal moment for EIOTCLUB, allowing us to showcase how our next-generation connectivity solutions empower businesses with seamless, reliable, and scalable IoT integration," Said Newton Qi, the Chief Executive Officer of EIOTCLUB. "As demand for real-time security solutions grows, EIOTCLUB remains committed to driving innovation and ensuring that enterprises stay connected, no matter the environment, while also enhancing access convenience to both cellular and satellite communication networks for IoT industry players." Beyond the security sector, EIOTCLUB actively expands its presence in emerging markets such as the low-altitude economy (drones) and robotics. These industries require real-time data transmission, high-speed connectivity, and precision navigation, making EIOTCLUB's solutions an ideal fit for drone surveillance, autonomous robotics, and industrial automation. Demonstrating this commitment in practice, EIOTCLUB showcased its innovative solutions at the event, presenting real-world applications of its connectivity on the DJI Mini 4 Pro drone equipped with a 4G module and the Unitree Go2 Pro quadruped robot dog powered by the Triple-play Pro SIM Card. EIOTCLUB Expands Global IoT Connectivity with Innovations Unveiled at ISC West 2025 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10589/247620_4f8b697ad40ec998_004full.jpg The company's technology ensures that drones, automated security systems, and AI-driven monitoring devices remain connected without interruptions, even in areas with limited terrestrial coverage. EIOTCLUB is also a leading force in the application of satellite IoT communications, providing seamless global connectivity beyond traditional networks. At this Event, EIOTCLUB is highlighting its latest innovation-the StarCell eSIM Card, a solution that supports both cellular networks and the Skylo NTN satellite network. By integrating satellite and cellular IoT capabilities, EIOTCLUB is eliminating connectivity barriers for businesses operating in remote locations, disaster recovery scenarios, and critical infrastructure projects. This innovation is particularly valuable for enterprises that require continuous, mission-critical data transmission, such as emergency communications, offshore facilities, and environmental monitoring stations. As part of its long-term strategy, EIOTCLUB is expanding its portfolio of IoT solutions and strengthening global partnerships to meet the growing demand for secure, high-performance connectivity. The company continues to invest in cutting-edge technology, ensuring its IoT solutions remain scalable, cost-effective, and future-ready for industries requiring uninterrupted communication and real-time data access. For businesses and individuals looking to enhance their IoT connectivity solutions or explore strategic partnerships, EIOTCLUB provides a range of scalable, high-performance solutions tailored to industry needs. To learn more about EIOTCLUB's latest advancements, product offerings, or partnership opportunities, visit www.eiotclub.com. About EIOTCLUB EIOTCLUB offers scalable SIM card solutions, flexible mobile data plans, and seamless global network access. The company partners with top IoT hardware manufacturers to deliver high-performance connectivity solutions for security, telematics, industrial automation, and smart devices. With advanced Triple-play network and satellite network integration, EIOTCLUB is redefining the future of uninterrupted IoT connectivity. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/247620 SOURCE: 41Caijing Duane Boise CEO of MMJ International Holdings stated, "When private citizens or companies fall short of compliance, the DEA acts swiftly and decisively. The question is, why is there no comparable urgency when the failure comes from within the DEA's own ranks? The agency's silence on this matter is not just a public relations problem-it's a breach of public trust." The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the federal agency tasked with enforcing the nation's controlled substances laws, now finds itself in the center of a growing controversy that threatens its credibility. The issue isn't just about the bureaucratic delays that have stalled vital medical marijuana research, it's about the integrity of the individuals charged with upholding the law. Aarathi Haig, the DEA attorney representing the agency in a high-profile lawsuit filed by MMJ BioPharma Cultivation, is currently listed as ineligible to practice law in New Jersey. Her lapsed status, with continuing legal education (CLE), IOLTA, and mandatory fee obligations, flies in the face of both state and federal ethics requirements. This isn't a clerical error, it's a serious breach of professional conduct that calls into question the agency's oversight and ethical standards. According to 28 U.S.C. 530B, federal attorneys are required to abide by the ethical rules of the states in which they are licensed. Haig's inability to maintain good standing with the New Jersey Bar is a direct violation of this statute. The Department of Justice's own Ethics Handbook outlines fundamental principles which are honesty, integrity and adherence to the law which are undermined when an attorney fails to meet even the most basic professional obligations. This is Not a Minor Technicality MMJ BioPharma Cultivation, a company seeking to develop cannabis-based pharmaceuticals for Huntington's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis, has waited 7 years for DEA approval to conduct its research. The agency's delays have prompted a federal lawsuit, and now we learn that its legal representative may not even be ethically authorized to appear in court? This development not only bolsters MMJ's case, but paints a troubling picture of selective enforcement and double standards. Duane Boise CEO of MMJ International Holdings stated, "When private citizens or companies fall short of compliance, the DEA acts swiftly and decisively. The question is why is there no comparable urgency when the failure comes from within the DEA's own ranks? The agency's silence on this matter is not just a public relations problem, it's a breach of public trust". The Public Deserves Answers Has the DEA taken disciplinary action? Has Haig been removed from the case? What mechanisms exist within the DEA to ensure their attorneys meet the same standards the agency enforces on others? Congress must act. Oversight hearings should be convened, and the DEA should be held accountable not only for its handling of MMJ's application, but for its internal ethical failures. The revelations about Haig, offer a rare glimpse into an agency in need of reform that ensures fairness, transparency and accountability at all levels. At a time when the nation is reconsidering its policy approach to cannabis, we must also reconsider who is enforcing the law, and whether they are living up to the standards they demand of others. When the enforcers themselves become the violators, the law loses its moral authority. IT'S TIME TO MAKE AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY GREAT AGAIN!! MMJ is represented by attorney Megan Sheehan. CONTACT: Madison Hisey mhisey@mmjih.com 203-231-8583 SOURCE: MMJ International Holdings BRNO, Czech Republic, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new chapter in Europe's semiconductor independence has begun in Brno with the launch of the Czech Semiconductor Centre (CSC). The centre, located in one of Europe's strongest regions for chip design, will focus on supporting innovation, prototyping, and the growth of European fabless companies. As the Czech national competence centre under the European Chips Act, CSC aims to strengthen Europe's semiconductor independence. The CSC is led by Brno University of Technology, in collaboration with Czech Technical University in Prague, onsemi, Codasip, the Czech National Semiconductor Cluster, and innovation agency JIC. Together, they aim to build a European hub of excellence in chip design, education, talent development, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) support. The centre will support European fabless companies with mentoring, financial guidance, access to advanced design tools, prototyping platforms, and small-scale chip production - all critical for the growth of European SMEs in semiconductor design and instrumentation, and for reducing reliance on overseas supply chains. To achieve this, the CSC will leverage the Brno region's deep expertise in IP design, Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tool development, and extensive materials research and characterization. Besides chip design, what makes the Brno region's role in the semiconductor landscape particularly unique is its dominance in electron microscopy - technology crucial for semiconductor development, manufacturing, and quality control throughout the entire chip lifecycle. "One in every three electron microscopes used globally comes from Brno. This concentration of electron microscopy expertise strengthens a strategic advantage for Europe's semiconductor ambitions in terms of a resilient supply chain," says Petr Strelec, director of the Brno site of Thermo Fisher Scientific. Brno is home to global leaders in electron microscopy-Thermo Fisher Scientific, Tescan, and Delong Instruments. In 2023, they exported 93% of production and invested heavily in R&D, reinforcing the region's deep tech credentials. In 2023, South Moravia became the first Czech member of the European Semiconductor Regions Alliance. "The Czech semiconductor ecosystem, with Brno at its centre, represents a vital piece of Europe's strategy to reduce reliance on non-European chip production," explains Karel Masarik, director of CSC and founder of RISC-V company Codasip. "With Brno's unique combination of chip design expertise and complementary technologies like electron microscopy, we are contributing critical capabilities to Europe's semiconductor value chain." View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/czech-semiconductor-centre-launches-in-brno-strengthening-europes-chip-autonomy-302423221.html SHENZHEN, China, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 2, 2025, the 30th Fashion Source Shenzhen and AW25 Shenzhen Original Design Fashion Week concluded successfully at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center. Spanning 40,000 square meters and bringing together over 800 exhibitors across eight themed sections, the event attracted nearly 40,000 industry professionals over three days. By fostering deep integration between the innovation and industry chains, it spotlighted the transformation of China's fashion sector from scale-driven growth to value-driven innovation. With a strong focus on full supply chain synergy, the exhibition facilitated efficient collaboration between global brands and local manufacturers, empowering original design and propelling Chinese fashion from market followers to trendsetters. Through business matchmaking, technical collaboration, and trend-driven showcases, the exhibition provided a dynamic platform for cross-sector cooperation and commercial breakthroughs. The event also emphasized sustainability and future-oriented innovation. From the forward-looking 26SS Fashion Source Knitting Trends and the interactive Urlib Selected Zone, to the "Fashion For Future" Sustainable Fashion Exploration Area, it offered a holistic vision of how materials, craftsmanship, and technology converge to shape the fashion industry of tomorrow. AW25 Shenzhen Original Design Fashion Week, themed "Shape the New Origin," featured over 80 emerging designers and brands in an inspiring blend of runway shows and showrooms. Initiatives like the "Stellar Starter" program highlighted the growing integration of academic, industrial, and global resources to accelerate original design from concept to market. The Fashion Source China Clothing Supply Chain Summit, themed "Zero-Based Mindset," introduced a dual-track platform featuring a main summit and the innovative sub-venue, MoFun Fabrics. The event brought together over 60 global pioneers to explore eight key dimensions: emerging brands, knitting innovation, cutting-edge technology, material revolution, sportswear trends, sustainable fashion, original design, and intangible cultural heritage craftsmanship. These forward-looking dialogues examined how technology, culture, and commerce converge to shape a resilient, future-ready fashion industry model. Though the curtain has fallen, the journey continues. From June 25 to 27, Fashion Source Innovation Shanghai will debut at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center, leveraging the strength of East China to connect global resources. From November 19 to 21, the 31st Fashion Source Shenzhen and SS26 Shenzhen Original Design Fashion Week will return to Shenzhen, joining global peers to explore the future of the fashion industry. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/a-new-chapter-for-chinas-fashion-industry-the-30th-fashion-source-shenzhen--aw25-shenzhen-original-design-fashion-week-successfully-concluded-302424375.html CAMBRIDGE, England, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 44% of Businesses in East Anglia have low confidence in Parliament's ability to understand and deliver on their needs Business Leaders in the East of England have some of the UK's lowest levels of confidence in Parliament, according to new survey data obtained by Price Bailey, a Top 40 accountancy firm. A study, conducted by Price Bailey through research providers YouGov and Censuswide, surveyed over 700 UK Business owners and C-level executives in businesses with a turnover of between 10m and 100m and more than 100 Members of Parliament, to understand the level of alignment between the two groups. The findings reveal on average, 44% of businesses in East Anglia expressed low confidence in Parliament. 48% of businesses in East Anglia, expressed low confidence in Parliament's ability to understand the needs of their businesses, while 39% expressed low confidence on Parliament's ability to deliver on the needs of their businesses. These findings represent some of the lowest confidence levels in the country. Commenting on the report, Gary Frear, Partner and Agricultural expert at Price Bailey, said: "The East Anglian economy is heavily reliant on agriculture, with many family-owned farms and agri-businesses in operation across the region. Recent changes to Inheritance Tax reliefs, particularly reductions in Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR), have created challenges for family-run farm businesses. Many now face substantial tax liabilities." He adds: "Further announcements around the decision to close funding schemes such as The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), which pays farmers to manage their land through more environmentally friendly methods, and progressive reductions to delinked payments, could further ostracise groups of Business Leaders in rural and agricultural communities, contributing to the reduced confidence in Parliament across the region." The report goes on to investigate the business and tax reform priorities for British businesses. The findings reveal that in the East of England, investment incentives are a top business priority, with 41% of Business Leaders citing it compared with 30% of MPs. When looking at tax reform, 61% of Business Leaders in the region cited taxes on business sale as a top priority, while just 32% of MPs said the same. Chand Chudasama, Partner at Price Bailey, also comments: "Changes announced in last Autumn's Budget have affected Business Leaders across the UK. Reductions in Business Property Relief (BPR) and Agricultural Property Relief (APR) alongside increases in Capital Gains Tax, National Insurance Contribution and the Minimum Wage have created pressure. Now as energy prices continue to rise, operational costs for businesses across the country are increasing with some struggling to stay afloat. "Our new report reveals the consequences of this; Confidence in Parliament's ability to both understand or deliver on the needs of businesses, is dwindling. "There is also a gap in alignment around some of the business and tax reform priorities between the two groups. To successfully achieve growth and encourage innovation and development, this needs addressing." Find more information on our regional findings, here. To view the full report, click here. About Price Bailey Price Bailey is a Top 40 accountancy practice specialising in providing accountancy, tax and business advice to enable the growth of regional, national and international businesses. In addition to traditional accounting services, the firm has a range of specialists in many areas which combine to provide a complete, integrated business offering. These include tax consultancy, corporate finance, strategic planning, insolvency & recovery, and employment law. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2600260/5141466/Price_Bailey_Logo.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/east-anglian-businesses-lack-confidence-in-parliament-according-to-new-research-by-price-bailey-302424377.html Acting today for a sustainable tomorrow BRUSSELS and PRAGUE, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- For the fourth consecutive year, Zentiva is publishing its Sustainability Report, highlighting the key achievements delivered in 2024. Ines Windisch, Head of Communications, Corporate Affairs & Sustainability, said: "The achievements were only possible thanks to the engagement of our workforce and our partners. Understanding the impact we have as individuals, as a team, and as a company helps us to take the right actions, focusing on caring for people, partners, and our planet." The company reports a reduction of more than 20% in GHG emissions in Scope 1 over the last three years. All European manufacturing sites are powered by 100% renewable electricity. Together with its partners, Zentiva drives the decarbonization of Scope 3 emissions forward to achieve its climate target, which is in line with Europe's ambition to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. Steffen Saltofte, CEO of Zentiva, said: "Zentiva is proof that the growth of a company can go hand in hand with investment in a sustainable future. We reach over 100 million people with our high-quality, affordable products. We recognize our impact on society and the environment and work hard to operate responsibly, minimizing our environmental impact while offering a great place to work and helping others around us. We are aware of the impact we have and will ensure that both targets are met: providing access to affordable healthcare and supporting European climate targets." Zentiva has operations in more than 30 countries and is recognized as a Top Employer in its main locations and certified as a Great Place to Work in several others. With a healthy gender balance of 53:47 in favor of women, a workforce consisting of more than 50 nationalities and 4 generations, Zentiva is an attractive employer. Zentiva's 2024 Sustainability Report discloses non-financial topics referencing GRI standards, showing the company's full commitment to further progress in all areas of ESG. The full report is accessible via www.zentiva.com. About Zentiva Zentiva provides health and wellbeing for all generations. We are a European company developing, producing, and delivering high-quality, affordable medicines to more than 100 million people in over 30 countries across Europe and beyond. Zentiva has four wholly owned manufacturing sites and a broad network of external manufacturing partners to ensure supply security. The company is private equity-owned, delivering sustainable growth, with an ambitious plan for the years to come. We are a team of more than 5,000 unique talents bonded together by our commitment to ensuring the supply of high-quality, affordable medicines to people who depend on them every day. We want Zentiva to be a great place to work, where everyone feels welcomed and appreciated, and can be their true selves, contributing to the best of their ability. Our roots reach back more than 500 years to a small pharmacy in Prague that still exists today. We act today for a sustainable tomorrow, so that Zentiva will continue to provide health and wellbeing for all generations for at least another 500 years. Infographic: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2660890/Zentiva_Report_QR_Infographic.jpg Logo : https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2660891/Zentiva_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/zentiva-presents-its-sustainability-report-2024-302424390.html Availability of preparatory documents Regulatory News: The shareholders of Tikehau Capital (Paris:TKO) are invited to take part in the Combined General Meeting of the Shareholders which will be held on Wednesday 30 April 2025 at 3:00 p.m. at Hotel du Collectionneur, 51-57 rue de Courcelles, 75008 Paris The meeting notice (avis de reunion), which includes the agenda and the draft resolutions, was published in the "Bulletin des Annonces Legales et Obligatoires" (BALO) on 14 March 2025 (Bulletin n32 Notice n2500668 journal-officiel.gouv.fr/pages/balo The convening notice (avis de convocation) will be published in the "Bulletin des Annonces Legales et Obligatoires" (BALO) and in the journal of legal notices Actu-Juridique.fr on 11 April 2025. It will be addressed to the shareholders whose shares are held in registered form and made available to institutions holding securities accounts for the shareholders holding shares in bearer form. The documents referred to under article R.22-10-23 of the French Commercial Code can be accessed on Tikehau Capital's website at: www.tikehaucapital.com (section: Shareholders General meetings Annual Shareholders Meeting 30 April 2025). The documents and information mentioned under the second paragraph of article R.225-89 of the French Commercial Code can be accessed on Tikehau Capital's website at: www.tikehaucapital.com (section: Shareholders General meetings Annual Shareholders Meeting 30 April 2025) and are made available to the shareholders in accordance with applicable regulations: All registered shareholders may, until the fifth day (included) before the General Meeting, request from Tikehau Capital or Societe Generale Securities Services* that these documents and information be sent to them using the request form attached to the convening notice. For holders of bearer shares, exercising this right is contingent upon the provision of a registration certificate in the accounts of bearer shares held by the authorised custodian. These documents are made available to all shareholders at the registered office of Tikehau Capital for a period of 15 days prior to the date of the General Meeting. __________________________ Societe Generale Securities Services, Assemblees Generales, 32 rue du Champ de Tir, CS 30812, 44312 Nantes Cedex 03. ABOUT TIKEHAU CAPITAL Tikehau Capital is a global alternative asset management Group with 49.6 billion of assets under management (at 31 December 2024). Tikehau Capital has developed a wide range of expertise across four asset classes (credit, real assets, private equity and capital markets strategies) as well as multi-asset and special opportunities strategies. Tikehau Capital is a founder-led team with a differentiated business model, a strong balance sheet, proprietary global deal flow and a track record of backing high quality companies and executives. Deeply rooted in the real economy, Tikehau Capital provides bespoke and innovative alternative financing solutions to companies it invests in and seeks to create long-term value for its investors, while generating positive impacts on society. Leveraging its strong equity base (3.2 billion of shareholders' equity at 31 December 2024), the Group invests its own capital alongside its investor-clients within each of its strategies. Controlled by its managers alongside leading institutional partners, Tikehau Capital is guided by a strong entrepreneurial spirit and DNA, shared by its 747 employees (at 31 December 2024) across its 17 offices in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America. Tikehau Capital is listed in compartment A of the regulated Euronext Paris market (ISIN code: FR0013230612; Ticker: TKO.FP). For more information, please visit: www.tikehaucapital.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250409729824/en/ Contacts: PRESS CONTACTS: Tikehau Capital: Valerie Sueur +33 1 53 59 03 64 UK Prosek Partners: Philip Walters +44 (0) 7773 331 589 USA Prosek Partners: Trevor Gibbons +1 646 818 9238 press@tikehaucapital.com SHAREHOLDER AND INVESTOR CONTACTS: Louis Igonet +33 1 40 06 11 11 Theodora Xu +33 1 40 06 18 56 Julie Tomasi +33 1 40 06 58 44 shareholders@tikehaucapital.com Under EQT's ownership, Karo has transformed from a Nordic specialty pharma business into a pan-European consumer healthcare platform, driven by strong organic growth, eight strategic acquisitions, and investment in digitalisation and in-house commercial capabilities KKR will support Karo's continued growth by leveraging its deep sector expertise, global network, and a long-term investment approach to drive innovation, internationalization, and further brand growth and acquisitions Karo now operates a diversified portfolio of trusted consumer health brands with leadership positions in European markets and a scalable, digitally enabled platform STOCKHOLM, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- EQT and KKR today announced that EQT VIII fund ("EQT") has agreed to sell Karo Healthcare ("Karo" or the "Company") to KKR. The acquisition marks the next chapter for Karo, as it continues to accelerate its growth strategy under KKR's ownership, building on its transformation into one of Europe's leading consumer health platforms since EQT's initial investment. Karo is a leading pan-European consumer healthcare company headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. The Company operates an attractive product portfolio spanning core categories such as Skin Health, Foot Health, and Intimate Health, as well as Digestive Health and Vitamins, Minerals & Supplements. During the past five years, Karo has scaled substantially, quadrupling in sales, building leading digital capabilities and establishing market presence to reach consumers in more than 90 countries with top brand positions across European markets. Under EQT's ownership since 2019, Karo has undergone a significant strategic repositioning, shifting from a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the Nordics into becoming a pan-European pure-play consumer healthcare platform. During this time, with M&A having been a cornerstone of Karo's growth strategy, Karo completed eight acquisitions from industry players which have enriched Karo's portfolio, strengthened its presence in key markets, and accelerated its entry into new geographies. Commenting on the transaction, Christoffer Lorenzen, CEO of Karo Healthcare, said: "We're incredibly proud of what we've achieved in recent years and grateful to EQT for their partnership, which has been instrumental in helping us grow and evolve into the business we are today. With KKR as our new owner, we are entering an exciting next phase in our journey. Their global reach, deep sector understanding, and long-term approach make them the ideal strategic partner as we continue to invest in our brands, expand into new markets and meet the evolving health needs of consumers." "Karo is a textbook example of EQT's approach - scaling a local company into a fast-growing sector champion with international reach," said Erika Henriksson, Partner in the EQT Private Equity advisory team. "Thanks to its consumer centricity, strong M&A track record, and proven brand growth playbooks, Karo is now primed to further expand on its leadership position. We're proud of what Christoffer and the team have achieved and excited to hand over to a new owner for the next phase." Inaki Cobo, Partner at KKR, said: "Karo is a unique platform with high-quality brands, strong digital and commercial capabilities, and a proven strong leadership team. We are thrilled to invest in this European champion's next phase of growth, drawing on our deep experience in the consumer health space to support continued expansion, innovation, and organic and inorganic growth." Hans Arstad, Managing Director at KKR, added: "Karo operates in a resilient, growing sector supported by long-term demographic trends and increasing consumer focus on wellness and self-care. We engaged the full capabilities of our firm to deliver this transaction during a period of market disruption and we look forward to supporting Karo's growth as a value-enhancing strategic partner." The transaction is subject to customary regulatory conditions and approvals and is expected to close in the coming months. EQT was advised by Morgan Stanley, Jeffries, White & Case and PwC. Citigroup acted as financial advisor to KKR. Media Contacts EQT Press Office, press@eqtpartners.com KKR, Alastair Elwen, alastair.elwen@fgsglobal.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/eqt/r/eqt-to-sell-karo-healthcare--a-leading-pan-european-consumer-health-platform--to-kkr,c4133227 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/87/4133227/3378305.pdf PR_EQT to sell Karo to KKR_09.04.25 https://news.cision.com/eqt/i/karo-healthcare,c3397143 Karo Healthcare View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/eqt-to-sell-karo-healthcare-a-leading-pan-european-consumer-health-platform-to-kkr-302424403.html CDC reports antimicrobial resistance is an urgent global public health threat and, in the U.S., more than 2.8 million antimicrobial resistant infections occur each year 1 . Antibiotic resistance infections cause at least 1.27 million deaths annually worldwide1. Oakville, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2025) - FendX Technologies Inc. (CSE: FNDX) (OTCQB: FDXTF) (FSE: E8D) (the "Company" or "FendX") a nanotechnology company developing surface protection products to reduce the spread of pathogens, highlights recent reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ("CDC") on the facts and stats of antibiotic resistance ("AR") and their continued concern about the emergence and spread of new forms of resistance and rising resistant infections in the community and healthcare. The CDC report1, published February 4, 2025, summarizes their facts and stats including national death and infection estimates for several antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and fungi and cites estimated national costs to treat infections caused by six AR germs frequently found in healthcare at more than US$4.6 billion annually. The report also highlights a nearly 5-fold increase in cases of a drug-resistant yeast, Candida auris ("C. auris"), which can cause severe illness, between from 2019 to 2022. Recent news articles report a surge of C. auris infections in New York, Georgia and Florida and reference the CDC declaring this strain of C. auris an "urgent threat"3,4,5. This is just one example of recent emerging forms of antimicrobial resistance and underscores the growing challenge of AR. The CDC's Antibiotic Resistance Threats Report2, published on February 4, 2025, emphasized the need for prevention-focused public health actions, including infection control, accurate laboratory detection, rapid response, appropriate antibiotics and antifungal use, and innovative prevention strategies. Dr. Carolyn Myers, CEO and President of FendX, states, "These reports of the rise of C. auris underscore the importance of controlling its spread, particularly with the recent rise of infections at various hospitals in the U.S. At FendX, we are dedicated to developing surface protection products, including REPELWRAP film, which is currently being tested in real-world studies to confirm it maintains its repelling properties, as well as our other products, including a spray and catheter coating, are in early-stage development." Dr. Myers continues, "We are also focused on business development initiatives to expand our surface protection portfolio. Recently, we signed a letter of intent with US BioSolutions and Scott Smith, to acquire certain intellectual property and to enter into a supply agreement for an eco-friendly sponge designed to attract and trap microbes when combined with a cleaning agent." About FendX Technologies Inc. FendX is a Canada-based nanotechnology company focused on developing products to make people's lives safer by reducing the spread of pathogens. The Company is developing both film and spray products to protect surfaces from contamination. The lead product under development, REPELWRAP film, is a protective surface coating film that, due to its repelling properties, prevents the adhesion of pathogens and reduces their transmission on surfaces prone to contamination. The spray nanotechnology is a bifunctional spray coating being developed to reduce contamination on surfaces by repelling and killing pathogens. The Company is conducting research and development activities using its nanotechnology in collaboration with industry-leading partners, including McMaster University. The Company has exclusive worldwide licenses to its technology and IP portfolio from McMaster, which encompass both film and spray coating nanotechnology formulations. Antimicrobial Resistance Facts and Stats | Antimicrobial Resistance | CDC Antimicrobial Resistance Threats in the United States, 2021-2022 | Antimicrobial Resistance | CDC Deadly Superbug Spreading Fast In New York-Experts Are Alarmed https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2025-03-27/deadly-drug-resistant-fungus-cdc-calls-urgent-threat-is-spreading-in-hospitals https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5207878-fungus-labeled-urgent-threat-by-cdc-is-spreading-rapidly-hospital-study-finds/ ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY "Carolyn Myers" Carolyn Myers Chief Executive Officer and Director For more information, please visit https://fendxtech.com/ and the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including with respect to: the plans of the Company; the Company's goal of developing surface protection products, including REPELWRAP film, which is currently being tested in real-world studies to confirm it maintains its repelling properties, as well as our other products, including a spray and catheter coating, are in early-stage development; the Company's focus on business development initiatives to expand its surface protection portfolio; the Company's intention to enter into a supply agreement for an eco-friendly sponge and intention to acquire intellectual property; statements regarding the benefits of the eco-friendly sponge; and products under development and any pathogen reduction benefits related thereto. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks which may cause actual results and the Company's plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements, including: risks that the Company may not complete successful development or commercialization of its film, spray or catheter coating products, including successful completion of real-world testing; risks that the Company may not enter into the supply agreement for the eco-friendly sponge; risks the acquisition of intellectual property may not be completed or receive regulatory approval, if required; adverse market conditions; risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's ability to raise additional capital to complete all of its planned activities; risks related to research and development activities; risks that the Company may not be able to secure any formal manufacturing, distribution or sales agreements related to any of its products; risks that the Company's products, including the eco-friendly sponge, may not be accepted and adopted by the public; the risk that the Company will not obtain necessary approvals and/or clearances for any products as anticipated or at all; the effects of government regulation on the Company's business; risks associated with the Company's ability to obtain and protect rights to its intellectual property; product candidates only being in formulation/reformulation stages; limited operating history; research and development activities; dependence on collaborative partners, licensors and others; effect of general economic and political conditions; and other factors beyond the Company's control. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity or performance. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made and, except as required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all of such factors and to assess in advance the impact of such factors on the Company's business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Readers should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factor disclosure outlined in the Company's filings with the British Columbia Securities Commission on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/247851 SOURCE: FendX Technologies Inc. Electronic Music Star Cites 80 Million Streams, Including 4 Million From Swift's Station, in Urgent Plea to Pop Icon NEW YORK, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Billboard-charting artist Marc Mysterio today issued a public call to Taylor Swift, urging the global superstar to withdraw her entire music catalog from Amazon Music until the platform addresses what he alleges is a deliberate campaign of unpaid royalties and digital suppression. Mysterio, currently suing Amazon Music and DistroKid in federal court (Case No. 1:25-cv-01705), claims he's owed millions for over 80 million streams-nearly 4 million of which came from Swift's own Amazon Music artist station-while facing an ongoing shadow-ban that has severed his 1.25 million fans from his work. Mysterio's appeal hinges on a personal connection: their mutual friend, WWE Hall of Fame wrestler Jeff Jarrett. Swift, who babysat for Jarrett's family during her early Nashville days, once shared a close-knit community with Mysterio, whose music rang out millions of times on her station. Now, he's asking her to leverage her pro-artist legacy-highlighted by her funding of Kesha's legal battle against Sony Music and Dr. Luke-to stand with him against Amazon's alleged exploitation. "Taylor Swift has always fought for artists to get what's theirs-she helped Kesha take on Sony, and she's threatened to yank her catalog from streamers over unfair pay," Mysterio said in a statement. "Now, her name, image, and likeness are being used on Amazon Music's Taylor Swift Station to unjustly enrich a company that's stiffed me on 80 million streams, including 3.7 million from her own fans. She'd be distraught to know this, and I'm asking her to pull her music until Amazon pays me, lifts this shadow-ban, and lets justice play out." Mysterio's demands are threefold: Full payment for all streaming activity tied to his ASIN "B0041A1P4U," including the nearly 4 million streams from Swift's station, which plummeted to zero alongside his own station's 225,463 plays after an alleged "IF/THEN" filter hit on September 10, 2024. Immediate removal of the shadow-ban, which he claims Amazon partially acknowledged by restoring his "Related Artists" section in March 2025-after his lawsuit-but left in place elsewhere, costing him chart positions and fan access. A direct line of communication, asking Swift to obtain his personal email from Jarrett to arrange a phone call or meeting to discuss the crisis and rally support. The artist, known for collaborations with Flo Rida, Samantha Fox, and Crash Test Dummies, points to Swift's history of pulling her music from Spotify in 2014 over royalty disputes as precedent. "Taylor's a titan because she stands up," he said. "Amazon's using her station to profit while I'm ghosted-80 million streams, millions in losses, and they won't even fix it. She can get Jeff Jarrett to give her my email. Let's talk, Taylor-this is our fight." Mysterio's legal team, led by Michael H. Joseph, served Amazon with a 17-category preservation letter on April 8, 2025, demanding metadata, snapshots, and logs tied to his ASIN. He alleges Amazon's refusal to pay and partial fix-restoring only "Related Artists" after his February 27 filing-prove intent to suppress, whereas Amazon could have simultaneously removed the shadow-ban, but did not. "They've got the data to pay me and lift the ban," he added. "If Taylor pulls out, they'll feel the heat," Mysterio concludes. Swift, whose catalog drives billions of streams, has not yet responded. Jarrett could not be reached for comment. Contact: Michael H. Joseph, Esq. Law Office of Michael H. Joseph, PLLC mj@newyorktriallawyers.com (212) 858-0503 About Marc Mysterio: Marc Mysterio is an Irish-Canadian artist, Billboard-charting producer, and boxer with over a decade of hits and a potential IBA Super Cruiserweight Intercontinental title fight against Jake Paul. His lawsuit against Amazon Music and DistroKid seeks millions in damages for unpaid royalties and shadow-ban losses. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/18c6a56a-fe32-4ec8-8188-e9c47a51f0b4 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c9b55e3b-1091-4c7f-b5bd-e06c6c9c8998 A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e4b08c33-3ced-4e2a-8e3e-7844760ef164 To deliver application development, testing, and support services BENGALURU, India and DUBLIN, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Infosys (NSE: INFY) (BSE: INFY) (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, today announced it is extending its strategic collaboration with AIB, a financial services group operating predominantly in the Republic of Ireland and the UK. Building further on its 10-year relationship, Infosys will take on a renewed and expanded role to support AIB as it further accelerates its transformation initiatives and delivers support and value to its customers and stakeholders. Infosys will help further develop AIB's application landscape and deliver application development and maintenance services, underpinned by deep human expertise, agile practices and AI powered tooling. Through these efforts, AIB will benefit from increased operational efficiency, and continue to enhance and mature agile processes that expedite innovation. Graham Fagan, Group Chief Technology Officer, AIB, said, "This extended collaboration with Infosys aligns strongly with our vision to progressively modernise our technology and data capabilities to deliver the best outcomes for our customers and further accelerate our transformation. By combining our collective expertise and experience, we will deliver on our customer-first commitment and enhance operational efficiency and resilience. Infosys has been a trusted innovation partner, and we are excited about this next chapter in our collaboration as we work together to ensure AIB remains at the forefront of digital transformation in the Irish banking industry." Dennis Gada, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking & Financial Services, Infosys, said, "Our expanded collaboration with AIB marks a significant milestone in Infosys' journey in Ireland. By leveraging our global digital engineering teams and proven track record in delivery and innovation, we will enable AIB to continue to accelerate their business and technology transformation, strongly positioning them for success in a rapidly evolving banking environment. We are committed to fostering a strong relationship, nurturing talent, and contributing to Ireland's thriving tech ecosystem, while delivering impactful outcomes for AIB." About AIB Group AIB is a financial services group serving 3.35 million customers predominantly in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Our main business activities are retail, business and corporate banking, as well as mobile payments and card acquiring. Whether it's adapting to a greener way of living, planning for the future, growing a business or simply navigating day-to-day life, AIB's purpose is empowering people to build a sustainable future. AIB's core segments are: Retail Banking, Capital Markets, Climate Capital and AIB UK. About Infosys Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. Over 300,000 of our people work to amplify human potential and create the next opportunity for people, businesses and communities. We enable clients in more than 56 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer clients, as they navigate their digital transformation powered by cloud and AI. We enable them with an AI-first core, empower the business with agile digital at scale and drive continuous improvement with always-on learning through the transfer of digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. We are deeply committed to being a well-governed, environmentally sustainable organization where diverse talent thrives in an inclusive workplace. Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next. Safe Harbor Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, or our future financial or operating performance, are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding the execution of our business strategy, increased competition for talent, our ability to attract and retain personnel, increase in wages, investments to reskill our employees, our ability to effectively implement a hybrid work model, economic uncertainties and geo-political situations, technological disruptions and innovations such as Generative AI, the complex and evolving regulatory landscape including immigration regulation changes, our ESG vision, our capital allocation policy and expectations concerning our market position, future operations, margins, profitability, liquidity, capital resources, our corporate actions including acquisitions, and cybersecurity matters. Important factors that may cause actual results or outcomes to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements are discussed in more detail in our US Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/633365/4364085/Infosys_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/infosys-and-aib-extend-strategic-collaboration-for-digital-transformation-302424415.html COPENHAGEN, Denmark, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Algonomy, a pioneer in AI-driven personalization and customer engagement solutions, is thrilled to announce its expanded partnership with Matas, Denmark's leading beauty and wellness retailer. Matas has signed its Swedish brand, Kicks, to leverage Algonomy's Recommend solution, building on a successful seven-year collaboration. Matas has been using Recommend to deliver personalized product recommendations across its digital platforms, driving higher engagement and conversion rates. With the addition of Kicks, a prominent beauty and wellness retailer in Sweden, Recommend will help Kicks deliver tailored product suggestions to its customers, enhancing their shopping experience. Recommend is an AI-powered platform that leverages machine-learning models to make contextually relevant product recommendations across all touchpoints in the customer journey, including web, app, email, social, SMS, and even in-store. Businesses can apply pre-built algorithms, configure custom models, and fine-tune recommendations through merchandising rules, personalization, and continuous optimization. Peter Hestbk, SVP of Digital Sales & Marketing at Matas, shared, "Algonomy's Recommend solution has been instrumental in helping us deliver personalized experiences to our customers. The platform's ability to analyze customer behavior and deliver relevant recommendations has significantly boosted our engagement and sales. We are excited to extend this partnership to Kicks and provide the same level of personalized service to our Swedish customers." Manoj Agarwal, Chief Operating Officer at Algonomy, commented, "Our partnership with Matas has been a testament to the power of personalization in driving customer engagement and loyalty. We are thrilled to extend this collaboration to Kicks, a brand that shares Matas' dedication to delivering exceptional customer experiences. With Algonomy's Recommend solution, Kicks will be able to offer its customers highly relevant and personalized recommendations, further solidifying its position as a leader in the Swedish beauty and wellness market." About Algonomy Algonomy helps consumer businesses maximize customer value by automating decisioning across their retail business lifecycle, with AI-enabled solutions for eCommerce, Marketing, Merchandising, and Supply Chain. Algonomy is a trusted partner to more than 400 leading brands, with a global presence spanning over 20 countries. Our innovations have garnered recognition from top industry analysts such as Gartner and Forrester. More at www.algonomy.com. About Matas Matas is Denmark's leading beauty and wellness retailer, offering a wide range of products in beauty, health, and personal care. With a commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction, Matas continues to set the standard for retail excellence in the region. About Kicks Kicks is a leading beauty and wellness retailer in Sweden, offering a curated selection of beauty, health, and personal care products. With a focus on customer experience, Kicks is dedicated to helping customers look and feel their best. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2660904/Matas_Algonomy.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2660903/Algonomy_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/matas-extends-partnership-with-algonomy-to-power-personalized-recommendations-for-kicks-302424418.html Wallbox (NYSE: WBX), a leading provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging and energy management solutions worldwide, today announced that it will release its financial results for the first quarter of 2025 before market opens on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. The company will host a webcast at 8:00 AM ET (2:00 PM CET), to discuss the results and provide a business update. The prepared remarks by Enric Asuncion, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, and Luis Boada, Chief Financial Officer, will be followed by a question and answer session. Please visit this link, which is also accessible on the 'Events Presentations' section of the company's investor relations website, investors.wallbox.com, to register for and join the webcast. A replay of the webcast following the event and the accompanying presentation materials will be accessible through the same link and available for future download. About Wallbox Wallbox is a global technology company, dedicated to changing the way the world uses energy. Wallbox creates advanced electric vehicle charging and energy management systems that redefine the relationship between users and the network. Wallbox goes beyond charging electric vehicles to give users the power to control their consumption, save money and live more sustainably. Wallbox offers a complete portfolio of charging and energy management solutions for residential, semi-public, and public use in more than 100 countries around the world. Founded in 2015 in Barcelona, where the company's headquarters are located, Wallbox currently has offices across Europe, Asia, and America. For more information, visit www.wallbox.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250409749666/en/ Contacts: Wallbox Investor Contact: Michael Wilhelm Corporate Development IR Investors@wallbox.com +34 607 653 910 Wallbox Public Relations Contact: Albert Cabanes Public Relations Press@wallbox.com +34 637 582 716 INFUSE empowers clients to achieve demand excellence through a first-in-market unlimited, all-in-one demand activation solution. INFUSE, the global leader in B2B demand performance, announced the launch of INFUSE ONE, its premier demand generation program. Developed to align with evolving B2B buyer behavior, INFUSE ONE enables omnichannel demand strategies that deliver unmatched performance through unlimited engagement. INFUSE ONE combines proven strategies with elements that have never been offered in the Demand Generation industry to create a single, ONE solution that is aligned with today's market realities. INFUSE ONE Crafted to evolve in step with client needs, INFUSE ONE spans all areas of demand, ensuring unlimited, scalable solutions rolled out over the course of ONE year, allowing go-to-market (GTM) teams to drive buyer engagement throughout the entire buying cycle. Powered by proprietary intelligence, INFUSE ONE executes strategic optimizations that drive business goals, secure competitive positioning, and futureproof performance. "We're deeply committed to investing in innovative new solutions and technologies that empower clients to not only meet new buyer and market realities, but also exceed their goals to thrive and propel their growth," said Alexander Kesler, Founder and CEO of INFUSE. "Marketers need a new playbook-a solution that is tailored to their unique needs and challenges, while closely aligning with the evolving buyers' needs. INFUSE ONE was developed with this vision in mind and represents a momentous step forward." INFUSE ONE is the embodiment of INFUSE's demand expertise and market leadership, and is built on five pillars of demand success: Demand Identity & Resolution Demand Partnerships & Integrations Demand Engagement & Activation Demand Intelligence & Optimization Demand Sales Enablement The program's all-in-one, full-funnel capabilities equip GTM teams with the dynamic tools and resources to identify, engage, and nurture the right buying groups at the right accounts. Demand strategies are continuously activated and optimized to deliver on performance goals and align with the changing buyer behavior. "B2B buyers are constantly evolving how they make purchase decisions, and as such, we must prioritize buyer enablement. Marketers need to meet their buying groups where they are to deliver compelling, omnichannel experiences that facilitate the buying process and empower buyers to advocate for their solutions. INFUSE ONE allows revenue teams to do just that by orchestrating journeys that drive brand-to-demand performance, ultimately delivering on outcomes." - Alexander Kesler, Founder and CEO of INFUSE Unlock Unlimited Growth with INFUSE ONE To learn more about how INFUSE ONE equips revenue teams with the blueprint for demand success, visit INFUSE.ONE or contact us at info@infuse.com. About INFUSE Demand Excellence Delivered We are INFUSE, a global B2B demand and revenue marketing performance company. At the heart of INFUSE is a demand engine powered by data: first-party buying groups, deep intent signals, and exclusive competitor and market intelligence insights. This AI-driven demand engine ensures precision targeting across in-market buyer and account profiles to drive qualified interest. Omnichannel outreach and INFUSE-exclusive marketing programs identify and engage prospective buying groups throughout their journey. To optimize your investment and deliver on your lead-to-revenue performance goals, INFUSE demand generation tools and professionals are available in over 60 countries across all time zones. We proudly work with industry-leading brands such as VMware, ServiceNow, Google, AWS, Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks, and many others. Press Victoria Albert VP Marketing, INFUSE albert@infuse.com SOURCE: INFUSE Offtake and funding deal to advance development and exploration activities Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. (TSXV:BAY)(OTCQB:ATBHF) ("Aston Bay" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its Storm Copper Project ("Storm" or the "Project") joint venture partners American West Metals Ltd ("American West") has entered into a strategic partnership and funding agreement with Ocean Partners Holdings Ltd ("Ocean Partners" or "OP") for the development of Storm including financing of up to 80% of the initial capital for development of the Project. In addition, Taurus Mining Royalty has agreed to advance the second tranche of the Royalty payment (see June 24, 2024, Aston Bay news release). The Storm Copper Project is a 20/80 unincorporated joint venture between Aston Bay and American West, the Project operator. Aston Bay maintains a free carried interest until a decision to mine is made upon completion of a bankable feasibility study. Highlights: Strategic Partnership with Ocean Partners . Aston Bay's joint venture partner, American West Metals, has entered into a partnership and funding agreement with Ocean Partners Holdings Ltd - a global metal trading, technical advisory, and financing company - for the development of the Storm Copper Project. Terms of the binding heads of agreement include: Project Financing - OP will provide up to 80% of initial capital for the development of the Project via a senior secured loan facility, subject to a bankable feasibility study and formal documentation Offtake - OP will enter into a binding offtake agreement ("Offtake Agreement") which secures OP 100% of the offtake of copper and silver products from the Project for the near-surface copper mineralization at Storm; subject to this agreement, OP will subscribe to a US$2m financing in American West Technical and copper market advisory. The American West/OP strategic alliance will work together to optimise and advance the development activities to define the best outcomes for the Project US$3.5m Royalty funding brought forward. Taurus Mining Royalty has agreed to advance the US$3.5m second tranche of the Royalty payment, with payments to be made this month. Aston Bay will be allocated 20% of the funding from the royalty payment (C$0.996 million) with no restriction on the use of proceeds. The remainder of the royalty payment is allocated to American West to advance the Storm Project. New funds to be used to advance the Storm Copper Project, including: An expansion of exploration activities, including drilling at near-mine and regional exploration targets Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") and permitting activities to advance the development of the Storm Project Securing of key, long-lead processing and mining equipment Thomas Ullrich, Chief Executive Officer of Aston Bay, commented: "We are thrilled to announce this strategic partnership and funding package for the Storm Copper Project. Ocean Partners is an experienced global leader in ore-sorting and direct shipping ore ("DSO") copper project development; they bring both funding and the technical know-how to advance the project. The partnership speaks to the quality of the project and the American West/Aston Bay joint venture team, validation of the Project, and highlights a low-risk pathway to potential development. "Taurus' release of the second tranche of the royalty payment also speaks to their strong belief in the development and growth potential at Storm. The funding from both Ocean Partners and Taurus will be used by American West in a dual strategy of aggressive exploration coupled with project development during 2025. This is a significant milestone for the Project and Aston Bay." About Ocean Partners Ocean Partners offers a complete range of trading services for miners, smelters, refiners, and metal consumers around the world. Working closely with global partners, Ocean Partners offer customized risk management solutions while linking clients to unique market opportunities. Ocean Partners operates worldwide via strategic offices, agencies, and partnerships. The Ocean Partners team has extensive backgrounds in mining, geology, metallurgy, and finance which includes significant experience within the DSO markets. Strategic Partnership Key Terms The American West/Ocean Partners strategic partnership represents a significant step in securing the future of Storm and highlights the Project's position as an emerging potential producer of high-quality copper and silver raw materials. The long-term agreement with OP follows an extensive due diligence process and further highlights Storm as a viable, low-risk, highly ESG-credentialed copper-silver growth story. OP has a successful track record of funding base metals projects utilizing ore-sorting to produce a commercial DSO product, which will be valuable to enhancing the technical aspects of the development work at Storm. The key terms of the Ocean Partners binding Heads of Agreement are set out below: US$2 million Private Placement in American West Funds will be advanced to American West for the issue of ordinary shares subject to certain terms and conditions. Project Debt Financing Ocean Partners will work together with American West to arrange funding for the development of the Storm Project. OP will provide up to 80% of the initial development capital for the Storm Copper Project subject to, amongst other things, the delivery of a bankable feasibility study and American West making a final investment decision in respect of the Project. . Offtake Agreement Ocean Partners are granted exclusive right to 100% of copper and silver products from the near-surface copper mineralization at Storm as currently outlined by American West. American West and Ocean Partners will work together to optimise the economics and product specifications for the Project. Pricing for the offtake will be based on market terms usual for transactions of this type. The offtake agreement recognizes the high quality of the proposed Storm copper-silver products and OP's belief in the development potential of the Project. Royalty Payment Tranche Brought Forward Taurus has agreed to advance the second tranche of the US$12.5 million royalty package entered into in 2024. No further conditions are required to be met for the second tranche to be paid. The amount of US$3.5m will now be advanced by Taurus this month, with American West to receive US$2.8m and Aston Bay Holdings US$0.7m with no use of proceeds restriction for Aston Bay. For further details of the royalty package, see see June 24, 2024, Aston Bay news release. Use of Funds The funds from the Royalty and Private Placement will be used explicitly for exploration and development activities at the Storm Copper Project, including: Exploration along the 110km copper belt, including the drilling of regional targets such as the Blizzard and Tornado Prospects. Expansion of the known resources. Resource definition at the Cirrus Deeps, Cyclone Deeps, The Gap, Hailstorm, Squall, and other high-grade copper Prospects. PFS activities, including further metallurgical testing and process optimization, geotechnical drilling, project engineering, and costing studies. Qualified Person Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geol., P.Geo., is a Qualified Person as defined by the NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release. About Aston Bay Holdings Aston Bay is a publicly traded mineral exploration company exploring for high-grade critical and precious metal deposits in North America. The Company is currently exploring the Storm Copper Property and Cu-Ag-Zn-Co Epworth Property in Nunavut. The Company is also in advanced stages of negotiation on other lands with high-grade precious and critical metals potential in North America The Company and its joint venture partners, American West Metals Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Tornado Metals Ltd. (collectively, "American West"), have formed a 20/80 unincorporated joint venture in respect of the Storm Project property, which hosts the Storm Copper Project and the Seal Zinc Deposit. Under the unincorporated joint venture, Aston Bay shall have a free carried interest until American West has made a decision to mine upon completion of a bankable feasibility study, meaning American West will be solely responsible for funding the joint venture until such decision is made. After such decision is made, Aston Bay will be diluted in the event it does not elect to contribute its proportionate share and its interest in the Storm Project property will be converted into a 2% net smelter returns royalty if its interest is diluted to below 10%. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Statements made in this news release, including those regarding entering into the joint venture and each party's interest in the Project pursuant to the agreement in respect of the joint venture, management objectives, forecasts, estimates, expectations, or predictions of the future may constitute "forward-looking statement", which can be identified by the use of conditional or future tenses or by the use of such verbs as "believe", "expect", "may", "will", "should", "estimate", "anticipate", "project", "plan", and words of similar import, including variations thereof and negative forms. This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect, as of the date of this press release, Aston Bay's expectations, estimates and projections about its operations, the mining industry and the economic environment in which it operates. Statements in this press release that are not supported by historical fact are forward-looking statements, meaning they involve risk, uncertainty and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Aston Bay believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which apply only at the time of writing of this press release. Aston Bay disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by securities legislation. 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 news release. For more information contact: Thomas Ullrich, Chief Executive Officer thomas.ullrich@astonbayholdings.com (416) 456-3516 Sofia Harquail, IR and Corporate Development sofia.harquail@astonbayholdings.com (647) 821-1337 SOURCE: Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2025) - Prospector Metals Corp. (TSXV: PPP) (OTCQB: PMCOF) (FSE: 1ET) ("Prospector" or the "Company") is pleased to report it has received approval from the Yukon Government of their Class 1 Notification for the 2025 ML Project work plan. The ML Project is located approximately 80 km from Dawson City, Yukon Territory. New interpretations of the controls on mineralization have been developed based on the 2024 field campaign including field mapping and prospecting, LiDAR, and World View - 3 satellite imagery. Key Point Summary: Prospector received confirmation of their Class 1 notification from the Yukon Government which includes the approval of up to 5,000 meters of diamond drilling. The work program is expected to commence in June 2025 and will focus on 5 target areas: Bueno, Skarn Ridge, Rubble-Cirque, North Vein, and Java. The program will include maiden drill testing on the Bueno, Rubble-Cirque, and Java targets and follow-up drilling on targets with significant historical drill intercepts including 89.3m of 1.38 g/t Au & 0.61% Cu (SK07-01) and 75.9m of 2.86 g/t Au & 0.69% Cu (SK08-019) on the Skarn Ridge target and 18.43m of 7.67 g/t Au (NV05-02) on the North Vein target.(1) Other work during the 2025 program will include additional prospecting, geologic mapping, and relogging historic drill core. Figure 1. Target areas for 2025 drill campaign. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1564/247863_839b645f947cbb03_002full.jpg 2025 ML Field Program The 2025 field program on the ML project will include up to 5,000m of diamond drilling focused on 5 target areas (Bueno, Skarn Ridge, Rubble-Cirque, North Vein, and Java) and is anticipated to commence in June 2025. Additional work will include prospecting, geologic mapping, and relogging historic drill core located on the property. Bueno and Skarn Ridge The Skarn Ridge target is in the central portion of the ML property and was the focus historical drill efforts in 2007 and 2008 that returned significant results including: - SK07-01: 89.3m of 1.38 g/t Au & 0.61% Cu - SK08-019:75.9m of 2.86 g/t Au & 0.69% Cu The historical drilling targeted what was interpreted as strata bound 'skarn' mineralization hosted within a shallowly south dipping horizon of strongly calc-silicate altered limestone and associated with a series of intrusive dikes/sills. However, work by Prospector in 2024 indicates the gold (+/- copper) mineralization is related to NNE trending, steeply dipping, structural zones that cut the earlier calc-silicate alteration, indicating that most of the historic drilling in the area was subparallel to potentially mineralized structures and have not been adequately drill tested. The Bueno target is approximately 750m south and on strike of interpreted structures associated with mineralization on Skarn Ridge. The target has not previously been drill tested despite historical trench results including 6m of 14.51 g/t Au (Trench 1) and rock grab samples up to 391 g/t Au.(1) Evaluation of the target by the Company in 2024 confirmed the mineralization on the target is associated steeply dipping NNE trending structures and associated feldspar porphyry dikes and included results up to 34.64 g/t Au.(2) Initial drill testing on the targets in 2025 will focus on cutting interpreted mineralized structural zones on both the Skarn Ridge and Bueno targets. Figure 2. Cross-section of Skarn Ridge and Bueno drill areas. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1564/247863_839b645f947cbb03_003full.jpg Rubble - Cirque Area The Rubble - Cirque trend is located approximately 1.2km NNE of Skarn Ridge and consists of E-W and NNE trending zones of sheeted quartz-tourmaline-sulfide veins and fractures hosted within megacrystic quartz monzonite, feldspar porphyry, and adjacent calc-silicate altered/hornfelsed sediments over a 2km trend. The target has not been previously drilled and initial drilling in 2025 will focus on western part of the trend targeting interpreted E-W and NNE structural intersections with rock sample results up to 32.91 g/t Au & 2.99% Cu.(1) Figure 3. Conceptual drill holes for the Rubble area, within the Rubble-Cirque corridor. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1564/247863_839b645f947cbb03_004full.jpg North Vein The North Vein is located approximately 2.4km NE of Skarn Ridge and was the focus of historical drilling in 2005 & 2006. Twenty-three drill holes tested the target and was focused on evaluating a E-W trending, north dipping, zone of replacement-skarn style mineralization within a strongly calc-silicate altered quartz grit-conglomerate unit. Highlights from the historic drilling include: - NV05-02: 18.43m of 7.67 g/t Au - NV05-12: 12.42m of 7.58 g/t Au The drilling was successful at defining the replacement horizon over 600m strike length, however, the most significant mineralization was confined to the eastern portion of the trend. Re-evaluation of the zone by Prospector in 2024 indicates the high-grade mineralization may be associated with a NE trending structure(s) that cut the calc-silicate altered unit and shows potential for expansion of the previously identified mineralization along strike of the structures(s) to the NE-SW and down-plunge on the calc-silicate altered sediments. Drilling in 2025 is designed to cut both the interpreted structures and calc-silicate units to evaluate the potential to expand mineralization on the target. Figure 4. Conceptual planned drill holes in black and historic drilling in grey at the North Vein target area. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1564/247863_839b645f947cbb03_005full.jpg Java Java is located approximately 4.9km NE of Skarn Ridge and consists of multiple horizons of calc-silicate altered interbedded coarse sandstone and quartz pebble conglomerate. Mineralization is characterized by disseminated to massive arsenopyrite and lesser chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite associated with late silicification and open space quartz+/-tourmaline veins and fractures and NNE - EW trending porphyritic dikes. The mineralization is focused along an up to 50m wide, E-W trending, steeply south dipping structural corridor traced for over 150m along strike and has never previously been drilled. Initial drilling in 2025 will evaluate the down dip potential of the mineralized zone. Figure 5. Conceptual planned drill hole at Java. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1564/247863_839b645f947cbb03_006full.jpg ML Project Overview Historical exploration of the ML Project has outlined numerous areas of interest that are loosely defined by a combination of geographic location, host lithology, mineralization type, geochemical signature and/or geophysical response (Figure 1), including intrusion hosted gold (+copper) style, replacement-skarn style, and high-grade vein targets. In addition, there are multiple relatively unexplored mineral occurrences, many of which are high grade gold targets. A total of 117 diamond drill holes have been drilled property wide, testing six property targets. From 2005 to 2008, Dynamite Resources drilled 114 of these holes, with 23 holes at the North Vein Zone (a gold enriched skarn-replacement target) and 71 holes at Skarn Ridge (a gold - copper skarn-replacement target). The Property hosts numerous other targets of interest which have a variety of intriguing characteristics, such as high-grade rock-soil samples, highly anomalous trench samples, unique geophysical signatures, and large areas of alteration. Additionally, there remain large parts of the property that have received little or no exploration and evaluation. Several of the lesser-known mineralized areas are very attractive targets as they have undergone only cursory assessment by previous operators. The property has an impressive technical data base which includes property wide airborne geophysics, satellite imagery, extensive soil and rock sampling, prospecting, selective ground geophysics, and diamond drilling (+16,700m over 117 holes). Most of this exploration took place from 2004 to 2008, a period when most drilling was focussed on two specific skarn/replacement type targets: Skarn Ridge (71 drillholes) and North Vein (23 drillholes). (1)NI 43-101 Technical Report on the ML Property, Yukon, Canada by Jodie Gibson, P.Geo. and Jean Paulter, P.Geo. dated Feb. 2, 2024. Filed by Prospector Metals Corp. Available on SEDAR+. (2)Prospector Metals Corp. News Release dated Aug. 15, 2024. Available on SEDAR+. Qualified Person The technical content disclosed in this press release was reviewed and approved by Jodie Gibson, P.Geo. VP Exploration of Prospector, and a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument NI 43-101 ("NI 43-101"). About Prospector Metals Corp. Prospector Metals Corp. is a proud member of the Discovery Group. The Company is focused on district scale, early-stage exploration of gold and base metal prospects. Creating shareholder value through new discoveries, the Company identifies underexplored or overlooked mineral districts displaying important structural and mineralogical occurrences similar to more established mining operations. The majority of acquisition activity occurs in Yukon and Ontario, Canada - Tier-1 mining jurisdictions with an abundance of overlooked geological regions possessing high mineral potential. Prospector establishes and maintains relationships with local and Indigenous rightsholders and seeks to develop partnerships and agreements that are mutually beneficial to all stakeholders. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Prospector Metals Corp. Dr. Rob Carpenter, Ph.D., P.Geo. President & CEO Prospector Metals Corp. is a proud member of Discovery Group. For more information please visit: discoverygroup.ca. Forward-Looking Statement Cautions: This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the Company's plans with respect to the Company's projects and the timing related thereto, the merits of the Company's projects, the Company's objectives, plans and strategies, and other project opportunities. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective,", "strategy", "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, 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. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include the risk of accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, or the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other agency or governmental clearances necessary to carry out the Company's exploration plans and risks of political uncertainties and regulatory or legal changes in the jurisdictions where the Company carries on its business that might interfere with the Company's business and prospects. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR+) at www.sedarplus.ca for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects. 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/247863 SOURCE: Prospector Metals Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2025) - Goldshore Resources Inc. (TSXV: GSHR) (OTCQB: GSHRF) (FSE: 8X00) ("Goldshore" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce a 5,000-meter expansion of its winter diamond drilling program at its 100% owned Moss Gold Project ("Moss" or the "Project") located in Ontario, Canada. Due to the successful results and cost-effective execution of the ongoing drilling program, which is nearing completion well under budget, Goldshore is adding an additional 5,000 meters of drilling bringing the total winter diamond drilling program to 20,000 meters. The additional meters will be focused on the following: Expanding the resource at the southwest portion of the deposit by drilling underneath the current conceptual open pit, following up on drill hole MMD-24-139 which intersected 20.55m of 2.58 g/t Au from 458.15m, including 14.7m of 3.52 g/t Au, and Closing the gap between the Southwest and Moss Main pits (Figure 1). The Company believes this program has the potential to add significantly to the current Mineral Resource Estimate with a minimal amount of additional drilling and positively impact the economic performance of the project. Michael Henrichsen, CEO of Goldshore commented, "We're very pleased to expand our existing program, fueled in part by efficiencies from our ongoing work, as this will allow us to focus on drilling in the Southwest deposit with the objective to deepen the Southwest open-pit resource to the same depths of the Main-QES pit." Figure 1: Illustrates the focus of expanding the resource beneath the Southwest pit to the equivalent depth of the Main-QES pit. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8051/247874_41864315741f88fc_002full.jpg 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. 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). 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; the enhancement of the Moss Gold Project; statements regarding the Company's future drill plans, including the expected benefits and results thereof; that the Superion target has the potential to significantly add to the current mineral resource estimate within the top 200 meters from surface with continued drilling and to reduce the overall strip ratio of the deposit; the potential for resource growth at Moss and the fact 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; 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/247874 SOURCE: Goldshore Resources Inc. Both entities aim to improve the employability of students through the use of cloud-based technology solutions Wolters Kluwer Tax Accounting Espana, a leading company in the development of software solutions, information and services for professional firms and companies, has signed a collaboration agreement with the City of Malaga to promote technological training of students as a key to improve their professional skills and employability. Thanks to this agreement, 17 vocational training centers in the city both public, private and subsidized will incorporate the company's solutions into their administration and finance programs, enabling students to develop skills in the use of technological tools in the areas of taxation, accounting, labor and invoicing. "As a global provider of technology tools tailored to business needs, we want to make a difference in the communities in which we operate. Training teachers in the knowledge of Wolters Kluwer's solutions so that they can improve their students' professional skills and thus help them in their incorporation into the working world is one more way for us to contribute to economic and business development," said Tomas Font, VP General Manager of Wolters Kluwer Tax Accounting Europe Region South. Maria Paz Flores, Councilor Delegate for Education and Employment Promotion of the City of Malaga, said: "From the City of Malaga we remain committed to technological training as a fundamental pillar for the employability of our young people. This agreement with Wolters Kluwer allows Vocational Training students to acquire key digital skills in an increasingly technology-oriented environment, thus improving their job opportunities and their adaptation to the needs of the market." The agreement, which has the collaboration of Wolters Kluwer Premium Partner a3Satel, incorporates the use of a3innuva, Wolters Kluwer's online suite that integrates solutions such as a3innuva Accounting, a3innuva Payroll and a3innuva ERP. In a scenario like the current one, training students in the cloud environment is key to their employability, as the digital transformation of companies increasingly requires professionals with skills in cloud-based solutions. This agreement joins those recently signed by Wolters Kluwer Tax Accounting Spain with the Ministries of Education of Madrid, the Balearic Islands, Castilla-La Mancha and La Rioja, in line with the company's commitment to public-private collaboration and its interest in providing technological tools to educational centers for the training of future professionals. About Wolters Kluwer Wolters Kluwer (WKL) is a global leader in information solutions, software and services for healthcare, tax and accounting, finance, risk and compliance, legal and regulatory, and CP ESG professionals. We help our clients make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services. Wolters Kluwer reported annual revenues of EUR 5.9 billion in 2024. The group serves customers in more than 180 countries, maintains operations in more than 40 countries and employs approximately 21,600 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn in the Netherlands. Wolters Kluwer's shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX, Euro Stoxx 50 and Euronext 100 indexes. Wolters Kluwer has a sponsored American Depositary Receipt (ADR) Level 1 program. For more information, you can visit a3wolterskluwer.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250408454573/en/ Contacts: Shannon Wherry Associate Director, External Communications Wolters Kluwer Tax Accounting Office: +1 972-209-2767 shannon.wherry@wolterskluwer.com Marilo Romero Communications Manager Wolters Kluwer Tax Accounting Europe South Region 608 85 18 42 maria.dolores.romero@wolterskluwer.com Marking Salma Hayek Pinault's first aesthetics collaboration, the new Ultherapy PRIME campaign aims to set a new standard for the future of beauty and self-care, celebrating the transformative power of personalized, non-invasive skin lifting and tightening. Merz Aesthetics, the world's largest dedicated medical aesthetics business, is proud to announce world-renowned actress, director and producer, Salma Hayek Pinault, as the first-ever global brand ambassador for Ultherapy PRIME. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250409655489/en/ Redefining the future in medical aesthetics, Ultherapy PRIME is an advanced micro-focused ultrasound platform for personalized, non-invasive skin lifting and tightening.1,2 It is intended to lift and sculpt the skin of the upper face, lower face, neck and decollete.1 It takes just one session, has no downtime, and delivers results that can last up to a year or more.1-3 With her unwavering commitment to authenticity, Salma Hayek Pinault trusts Ultherapy PRIME for a personalized, natural-looking lift, with results that can last up to a year or more .1-3 This collaboration reflects a shared belief in empowering individuals to look and feel their best to fuel confidence worldwide. Salma Hayek Pinault is a highly acclaimed, Academy Award-nominated actress and Emmy-winning director, also celebrated for her work as a producer. She passionately advocates for causes that align with her core values and beliefs and has long supported several leading nonprofit organizations. As a strong advocate for authentic self-expression and looking great at any age, she encourages others to embrace treatments that enhance their natural features. "Self-care is essential. Years on screen have taught me to embrace my journey and seek treatments that enhance my natural beauty," said Salma Hayek Pinault. "Ultherapy PRIME boosts my production of collagen and elastin exactly where I need it*, giving me a long-lasting**, natural-looking lift. It's noninvasive, takes only one session, and has zero downtime. It is the future of beauty, and that's why I can't stop talking about it."1-3,6 The Ultherapy PRIME platform is the evolution of Ultherapy which has been recognized as the Gold Standard in non-invasive skin lifting and tightening.2 Built on Ultherapy's legacy of proven, natural-looking results, Ultherapy PRIMEredefines the future of nonsurgical skin lifting and tightening by uniquely combining an advanced micro-focused ultrasound platform with vivid real-time imaging.1 These advancements promote a safer and more effective, personalized lift that can last up to a year or more, paired with younger-looking skin.1-5 Since its September 2024 launch, Ultherapy PRIME has already been cleared in over 80% of our targeted markets, with more approvals expected in 2025.*** "We are proud and excited about the recent launch of Ultherapy PRIME, our next-generation platform for non-invasive skin lifting and tightening and a testament to our unwavering commitment to delivering meaningful innovations to our customers," said Bob Rhatigan, CEO of Merz Aesthetics. "As we continue to expand the global footprint of this launch, we are thrilled to collaborate with Salma Hayek Pinault as the first-ever global brand ambassador for Ultherapy PRIME. At Merz Aesthetics we empower individuals to embrace their unique beauty with confidence, and our collaboration with Salma Hayek Pinault compellingly embodies this purpose." To learn more and find a provider near you, visit Ultherapy.com. Follow @Ultherapy on Instagram for the latest news from Ultherapy PRIME and Hayek Pinault. About Merz Aesthetics Merz Aesthetics is a medical aesthetics business with a long history of empowering health care professionals, patients, and employees to live every day with confidence. We aim to help people around the world look, feel and live like the best versions of themselves however they define it. Clinically proven, its product portfolio includes injectables and devices designed to meet each patient's needs Being family owned for more than 115 years, Merz Aesthetics is known for building unique connections with customers who feel like family. Merz Aesthetics' global headquarters is in Raleigh, N.C., USA, with a commercial presence in 90 countries worldwide. It is also a part of Merz Group, which was founded in 1908 and is based in Frankfurt, Germany. Learn more at merzaesthetics.com. About Ultherapy The noninvasive Ultherapy procedure is intended for dermatological sculpting and lifting of the dermis on the upper face, lower face, neck and decollete. The most common side effects reported in clinical trials were redness, swelling, pain and transient nerve effects. Reported adverse events from post-marketing surveillance are available in the Instructions for Use (IFU). Please see the IFU for product information. * The exact skin depth targeting occurs due to real-time visualization lasts up to a year or more ***Ultherapy PRIME is currently unavailable in China, India, Azerbaijan, Russia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon References: Ulthera Instructions for Use. Fabi SG, Joseph J, Sevi J, Green JB, Peterson JD. Optimizing patient outcomes by customizing treatment with microfocused ultrasound with visualization: gold standard consensus guidelines from an expert panel. J Drugs Dermatol. 2019;18(5):426-432. Werschler WP, Werschler PS. Longterm efficacy of micro-focused ultrasound with visualization for lifting and tightening lax facial and neck skin using a customized vectoring treatment method. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2016;9(2):27-33. Pavicic T, Ballard JR, Bykovskaya T, et al. Microfocused ultrasound with visualization: consensus on safety and review of energy-based devices. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2022;21(2):636-647. Goldie K, Kerscher M, Fabi SG, Hirano C, Landau M, Lim TS, Woolery-Lloyd H, Mariwalla K, Park JY, Yutskovskaya Y. Skin Quality A Holistic 360 View: Consensus Results. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2021 Jun 14;14:643-654. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S309374. PMID: 34163203; PMCID: PMC8214518. Marquardt K, Hartmann C, Wegener F, Park JY, Halbert D, Hsu S, Hengl T. Microfocused Ultrasound With Visualization Induces Remodeling of Collagen and Elastin Within the Skin. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2025 Jan;24(1):e16638 2025 Ulthera, Inc. All Rights Reserved. MERZ AESTHETICS is a trademark and/or registered trademark of Merz Pharma GmbH Co. KGaA in the U.S. and/or certain other countries. ULTHERA, ULTHERAPY, and ULTHERAPY PRIME are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Ulthera, Inc. in the U.S. and/or certain other countries. Various features of the ULTHERASystem are covered by U.S. patents identified at https://merzaesthetics.com/patents/. Other U.S. and international patents to which Ulthera, Inc. has rights are issued, published, or pending. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250409655489/en/ Contacts: Media Contact Merz Aesthetics Global Corporate Communications 6501 Six Forks Road, Raleigh NC 27615 919-302-3296 media@merz.com Award recognizes partner that leveraged Google Cloud solutions that made a significant industry impact in business applications (manufacturing) TROY, Mich., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Altair , a global leader in computational intelligence, announced that it has received the 2025 Google Cloud Business Applications Partner of the Year Award for Manufacturing. Altair is being recognized for leveraging Google Cloud solutions to create comprehensive, compelling technology that made a significant impact in the manufacturing industry. Altair won thanks to its geometric deep learning -based Altair PhysicsAI solution, available in the Altair HyperWorks design and simulation platform. Powered by Google Cloud infrastructure, PhysicsAI transforms the design and simulation process by delivering design insights up to 1,000x faster than traditional solver-based simulations. By combining the power of geometric deep learning with Google Cloud's scalability and performance, PhysicsAI is paving the way for faster, more sustainable design and engineering. "We are honored to win a Google Cloud Partner of the Year Award for a second straight year. This recognition demonstrates how our best-in-class technology helps manufacturers reshape their workflows," said Sam Mahalingam, chief technology officer, Altair. "More broadly, this award underscores how Altair's unique approach to simulation, data, and AI solutions is transforming industries and providing tangible, impactful business results around the globe." "Google Cloud's Partner Awards recognize partners who have created outsized value for customers through the delivery of innovative solutions and a high level of expertise," said Kevin Ichhpurani, president, Global Partner Ecosystem, Google Cloud. "We're proud to announce Altair as a 2025 Google Cloud Partner Award winner and celebrate their impact enabling customer success over the past year." Available through Altair One on Google Cloud Marketplace , PhysicsAI enables faster iterations, smarter decision-making, and more innovative products. PhysicsAI makes data and simulation more accessible to non-data scientists, further expanding its potential and empowering teams with advanced, easy-to-use, simulation capabilities. To learn more about the award, visit https://cloud.google.com/awards/partners . To learn more about Altair, visit https://altair.com/ . About Altair Altair is a global leader in computational intelligence that provides software and cloud solutions in simulation, high-performance computing (HPC), data analytics, and AI. Altair is part of Siemens Digital Industries Software. To learn more, please visit www.altair.com or sw.siemens.com. Media contacts Altair Corporate Bridget Hagan +1.216.769.2658 corp-newsroom@altair.com Altair Europe/The Middle East/Africa Altair Asia-Pacific Louise Wilce Man Wang +44 (0)7392 437 635 86-21-5016635"825 emea-newsroom@altair.com apac-newsroom@altair.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2659102/Altair_GCP_Partner_of_the_Year_2025_Manufacturing.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1421069/5254982/Altair_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/altair-wins-2025-google-cloud-business-applications-partner-of-the-year-award-for-manufacturing-302422180.html China-US agricultural cooperation benefits consumers, farmers 16:02, April 09, 2025 By Zhong Sheng ( People's Daily In the vast farmlands of Iowa, United States, farmer Grant Kimberley cultivates thousands of acres of soybeans. Following autumn harvests, the soybeans undergo cleaning, sorting, and packaging before being transported to Mississippi River ports for international shipping.. After traversing the Pacific Ocean for several weeks, these cargo vessels reach Chinese ports. The soybeans are then delivered to processing plants, where they are refined into soybean oil and soybean meal. The soybean oil enters China's retail and food service sectors, becoming essential cooking oil for millions of households nationwide. Meanwhile, the soybean meal serves as high-quality feed for China's livestock and poultry industries. This transcontinental journey of Iowa soybeans exemplifies the dynamic agricultural cooperation between China and the United States. Agricultural collaboration has consistently remained one of the earliest-established, most substantive, and strategically significant areas in bilateral relations since diplomatic normalization. As the world's largest agricultural importer, China naturally complements the United States' position as the top global agricultural exporter. This symbiotic relationship creates mutually beneficial outcomes, establishing both nations as inherently complementary partners in agricultural trade and development. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), American agricultural exports to China totaled $24.5 billion, with China purchasing $12.8 billion worth of soybeansover half of the total. These imports not only fulfill critical demands in China's domestic market but also stimulate growth across U.S. agricultural supply chains, elevating farm incomes and generating measurable mutual benefits. Sino-U.S. agricultural collaboration has enriched consumer choices in both nations while bolstering rural livelihoods. In 2023, the average U.S. farmer exported approximately $9,000 in agricultural goods to China. A significant milestone occurred in January 2023, when the two nations reinstated their bilateral agricultural cooperation framework, paving the way for joint advancements in climate-resilient farming practices and sustainable food production. This partnership continues to diversify in scope and ambition. As China transitions from a major agricultural producer to a global agricultural powerhouse, its modernization driveengaging nearly 500 million farmersis amplifying demand for premium agricultural products. This evolution promises expanded opportunities for Sino-U.S. agricultural trade within open, rules-based markets. Deepening agricultural ties between China and the U.S. extend far beyond bilateral gains, serving as a cornerstone for global food security and agricultural innovation. The inherent complementarity between the world's largest agricultural importer and exporter fosters a stable, mutually reinforcing relationship that benefits producers, consumers, and global supply chains alike. The two nations have collaborated extensively in agricultural technology and sustainable development, spanning innovations such as precision agriculture, biotechnology,water-efficient irrigation systems, and smart farming practices. These joint efforts have injected substantial momentum into global agricultural modernization, driving the transformation of food production systems worldwide and bolstering initiatives to combat hunger and poverty.. In recent years, however, China-U.S. agricultural cooperation has encountered mounting challenges. The U.S. government's tariff imposition of tariffs has cast uncertainty over bilateral agricultural trade. As the Washington Post recently highlighted, Washington's protectionist trade policies have once again positioned American farmers at the epicenter of global trade tensions. Analyses by U.S. media estimate that tariff measures enacted between 2018 and 2019 resulted in nearly $26 billion in lost agricultural exports, with American farmers' incomes in 2019 plummeting by approximately 8% compared to 2017 levels. The USDA's 2025 Agricultural Outlook projects that U.S. agricultural exports to China at $22 billion for 2025. Jim Sutter, CEO of the US Soybean Export Council, underscored that farmers bear the brunt of trade war repercussionsa sentiment echoing across American agricultural communities. Trade wars produce no victors. Unilateralism and protectionism not only contravene market principles but also erode the bedrock of China-U.S agricultural cooperation. Agriculture, as a cornerstone of societal well-being, must remain insulated from politicization or unwarranted securitization. China remains committed to openness and inclusiveness, steadfastly advancing high-level opening up. It is imperative for the United States collaborate with China in resolving differences through constructive dialogue, fostering a stable environment for agricultural cooperation, and safeguarding the shared interests of farmers and consumers in both nations. By aligning efforts, the two countries can spearhead sustainable agricultural development on a global scale. (Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People's Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.) (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) BARCELONA, Spain, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Oxolife, the female fertility biotech focused on increasing live birth rates by enhancing embryo implantation in women undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) fertility treatment, today announces that Agnes Arbat, its Chief Executive Officer, has been awarded the prestigious EU Women Innovators Prize at the European Innovation Council (EIC) Summit on the 3rd of April 2025 in Brussels, Belgium. The EU Women Innovators Prize is open to women founders and co-founders from across the EU and countries associated to Horizon Europe, who have founded a successful company and brought innovation to the market. As part of the prize, Agnes has been awarded 100,000. Agnes Arbat, Chief Executive Officer, Oxolife, said: "I am deeply honoured to receive this award among such an inspiring group of women innovators who are pushing boundaries and making a real impact. At Oxolife we are advancing our lead candidate to improve fertility, an area that is very close to my heart, so this recognition is especially rewarding. I am incredibly grateful to my dedicated team at Oxolife, as well as our advisors, investors, and supporters. This achievement is a testament to the strength and commitment of our entire biotech family." Sara Secall, General Partner, Inveready "This is a well-deserved recognition for Agnes and the entire team at Oxolife. Women's health remains a significantly underserved area in medicine, and it's vital that we continue advancing solutions in this space. Agnes' dedication to developing better fertility treatments is making a real difference, and this award is a testament to her vision, leadership, and unwavering commitment to improving care for women." With over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Agnes has been responsible for the clinical development and management of Oxolife since its founding in 2013. Previously, she led the Women's Health and Cardiovascular medical team at Bayer and worked in Medical Affairs in Women's Health at Organon. Agnes has played a key role in over 20 clinical studies in women's health and has contributed to the launch of more than 10 new products or indications, including Xarelto, Nexplanon, and Ventavis. Agnes holds a medical degree from the Autonomous University of Barcelona with a specialty in Clinical Pharmacology and completed a General Management Programme at IESE Business School. She is a guest professor & mentor for the Master's in Pharmaceutical Industry and Biotechnology at UPF and UIC. Oxolife's lead candidate, OXO-001, is a first-in-class non-hormonal drug that acts directly on the endometrium to enhance and improve the embryo implantation process, a breakthrough innovation in reproductive medicine. A single-to-take oral tablet, OXO-001 has demonstrated its effectiveness in increasing embryo implantation, pregnancy, and live birth rates among infertile women who are undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). OXO-001 has successfully completed Phase 2 studies for its initial indication in embryo implantation and is ready to enter Phase 2 trials for a second indication, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), where it has shown promise in restoring ovulation and improving fertility. About Oxolife Oxolife is a specialist biotech focused on female fertility. Its lead compound is an easy to administer, non-hormonal, oral tablet that addresses two indications; its lead programme is embryo implantation, a major factor in improving pregnancy success rates; a secondary indication is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ("PCOS"), where it recovers ovulation and fertility. Its lead indication in embryo implantation has completed phase 2 studies, while its PCOS indication is on track for Phase 2 trials. With the global infertility market growing at 4.5% a year, due to later pregnancies, obesity, smoking and alcohol, 76m women a year are affected, with an expected market value of $45.4bn in 2029. Oxolife is currently fundraising to accelerate the progress of OXO-001, its lead programme, through the clinic and is also exploring potential partnerships to bring the benefits of OXO-001 to patients as rapidly as possible, to address the growing global decline in fertility rates worldwide. https://oxolife.com/ About the European Prize for Women Innovators Since 2023, the European Prize for Women Innovators has been managed by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) and the European Institute for Innovation & Technology (EIT). The prize acknowledges the invaluable role of women in driving transformative change and fostering innovation-driven growth in the European Union. Over the years, more than 30 women innovators and entrepreneurs have been recognised, with over 100 shortlisted for the final, serving as role models, breaking barriers and reshaping the narrative on women's leadership. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/oxolifes-ceo-agnes-arbat-receives-prestigious-eu-women-innovators-prize-302424462.html UK/EMEA leadership and new London office, combined with expanded Solutions and Services to support regulated financial institutions in the UK and EMEA, underpinning the organisation's global expansion LONDON, April 09, 2025news, COMPLY, the premier regulatory compliance software and solutions provider for global financial services firms, today announced it has expanded its investments in the UK and EMEA markets, advancing its OneCOMPLY vision to enable comprehensive regulatory compliance on a local and global scale. These investments reflect the growing demand the company is seeing globally for its solutions and underscore COMPLY's commitment to delivering technology and service offerings that support compliance teams in fostering a culture of compliance within their firms. Key to this strategic advancement is the appointment of industry veteran Jacqueline Morcombe, who joined the organisation in late 2024 as the Senior Vice President for EMEA. Jacqueline leads the expanding UK and EMEA sales and account management teams out of COMPLY's new office at 70 Gracechurch Street, in the heart of the City of London. In celebration of its expansion, COMPLY will be hosting its inaugural COMPLY X Connect: Londonevent on 4 June at The Lanesborough. This event will bring together COMPLY clients and compliance professionals for an exclusive networking event. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear directly from COMPLY leadership on the key investments the organisation continues to make to support global compliance teams. "I am thrilled to lead the COMPLY team in the UK and EMEA at such a pivotal juncture," said Morcombe. "In my few short months here, I have witnessed the incredible talent, expertise, and client focus of the COMPLY team. As we continue to grow and expand our solutions and capabilities to more broadly support our clients and the market, I know this momentum will only continue to grow and evolve." The UK and EMEA markets continue to face mounting pressure as regulators introduce new requirements and new means of analysing how effective compliance programmes are at meeting rules, regulations, and scrutiny, as demonstrated by the fines brought by the FCA in 2024, which amounted to 176,045,385total with highest fine reaching up to 30,000,000. Increasingly, the market has had to navigate the impact of technological advancements, specifically as regulators deploy new methods to review and assess compliance initiatives. As a result of this development, firms are looking to strategically incorporate technology, like AI, which optimises processes, enhances employee experiences, and drives a more structured and comprehensive culture of compliance. "COMPLY's mission has remained consistent - to empower compliance professionals everywhere with the technology and consulting expertise they need to manage local and global compliance programmes," said Michael Stanton, CEO of COMPLY. "We are seeing significant demand in the UK and EMEA for compliance solutions that address the specific and often complex regulatory requirements financial services firms face. As we continue to invest in expanding our global capabilities, regulated financial institutions are increasingly embracing our solutions to meet both regional and firm-specific compliance mandates. These investments extend beyond software. At COMPLY, we are committed to partnering with firms large and small to deliver configurable, scalable technology solutions as well as expert, hands-on guidance to support our clients in building compliance programmes that address their challenges today and well into the future." While COMPLY's industry-leading solutionsand services have long supported firms in their work to manage and mitigate risks and meet regulatory requirements associated with Code of Ethics, conflicts of interest, employee trades, and more, the organisation's recent investments and innovations provide compliance teams with a 360-degree view of compliance and risk, enabling a more comprehensive, scalable approach to compliance programme management. To better support UK and EMEA-based firms, COMPLY has already expanded its global offerings to encompass: The FCA-specific Compliance Calendar, which is populated with tasks and best practices to enable comprehensive compliance management with FCA policies throughout the year Comprehensive SMCR management (https://www.comply.com/resource/comply-expands-uk-risk-management-capabilities-for-fca-regulated-firms-with-latest-senior-managers-and-certification-regime-smcr-and-risk-assessment-releases/) which enables firms to more effectively meet FCA requirements with tools and capabilities, including a Responsibilities Map, Person Directory, and Senior Management Functions documentation The UK Risk Assessment (https://www.comply.com/resource/comply-expands-uk-risk-management-capabilities-for-fca-regulated-firms-with-latest-senior-managers-and-certification-regime-smcr-and-risk-assessment-releases/) module to assess risk and scope necessary changes COMPLY's 2025 advancements include broad-scale investment in technology infrastructure, as well as key innovations across the platform as highlighted by: The Real-Time Employee Risk Dashboard which will allow CCOs to instantly access comprehensive data on individual employees, including trade violations, certifications, conflicts of interest, and tagging for various risk indicators across departments COMPLY's AI-Powered Intelligence which will revolutionise compliance with AI-driven automation, offering seamless data integration, real-time insights, and predictive analytics to proactively address compliance gaps and support employees In addition to its technology solutions, COMPLY provides FCA, SEC, and other regulatory Compliance Consulting services to support ongoing and scalable growth for multi-national firms. Service expansion, led by COMPLY's new Chief Regulatory Services Officer, Jamila Mayfield, as well as COMPLY's UK Director, Compliance Advisory, Jessica Freckleton, support the organisation's approach to global compliance enablement, providing key resources for firms contending with shifting market dynamics and global regulatory pressures. Services include: Compliance Health Checks Compliance Monitoring Programme development and implementation Annual compliance training for all staff Mock Exams, audit services, and compliance programme reviews Regulatory filings Customised consulting services and support COMPLY continues to expand its products and capabilities to support global firms with the leading compliance technology, services, and education. About COMPLY COMPLYempowers financial services firms to build strong, proactive compliance cultures that go beyond regulatory checklists - helping them reduce fines, protect their reputations, retain top talent, and drive business growth. As the leading provider of regulatory compliance technology and consulting expertise, COMPLY supports 5,600+ clients, including investment banks, private equity firms, hedge funds, broker-dealers, and RIAs. By delivering a 360-degree view of compliance across both firm and employee obligations and expert consulting - all from one partner - COMPLY empowers Chief Compliance Officers (CCOs) and their teams with the tools and insights they need to manage risk holistically. With cutting-edge technology, expert advisory services, and a future-ready compliance platform, COMPLY enables firms to navigate complex regulations with confidence while maintaining long-term resilience, operational excellence, and sustainable growth. Learn more at www.comply.com. Contact: Brianna Fredriksen +1 302-593-5404 bfredriksen@comply.com VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / Silver X Mining Corp. (TSXV:AGX)(OTCQB:AGXPF)(F:AGX) ("Silver X" or the "Company"), a rapidly growing Peruvian silver producer-developer, is pleased to announce that it has filed an independent technical report (the "Report") prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). This report substantiates the significant increase in the mineral resource estimate for the Nueva Recuperada Project located in Huancavelica, Peru announced on February 26, 2025. The Report, with an effective date of October 1, 2024, reflects notable increases in both measured and indicated resources, as well as substantial growth in inferred resources, particularly at the Plata Mining Unit (PMU). Key Highlights from the NI 43-101 Technical Report: Overall Mineral Resource Growth: Measured and Indicated (M+I) resources increased by 18% in ore tonnage, from 3.61 million tonnes (MT) to 4.26 MT, and a 70% growth in silver (Ag) contained within these categories, from 8.22 million ounces (Moz) Ag to 14.00 Moz Ag. Inferred resources grew by +45% in tonnage, from 11.89 MT to 17.18 MT, with more than a 50% increase in contained silver, from 58.30 Moz Ag to 88.00 Moz Ag. Plata Mining Unit Update (PMU): Indicated resources increased to 0.95 MT at 6.11 oz/ton Ag, with 5.81 Moz of contained silver. Inferred resources at the Plata Mining Unit grew to 5.39 MT at 4.82 oz/ton Ag, with 26.00 Moz of contained silver. This represents a significant increase in both grade and tonnage for the Plata Mining Unit, demonstrating the importance of PMU within the overall resource base of Nueva Recuperada. Zinc and Lead Resource Growth: Zinc (Zn) contained in M+I resources increased by +100%, from 45.9 kT to 94.7 kT. Lead (Pb) in M+I resources grew by 25%, from 64.3 kT to 80.1 kT, reinforcing the multi-metal potential of the Nueva Recuperada Project. "The updated resource estimate for Nueva Recuperada confirms the strategic significance of the Plata Mining Unit within what is rapidly becoming one of the most relevant silver districts in South America," said Jose M. Garcia, CEO of Silver X. "With a meaningful increase in high-grade resources and only a fraction of the district explored, the Plata Mining Unit is emerging as a foundational asset for Silver X. PMU together with our Tangana Mining Unit underscore the long-term potential of our District. The recent acquisition of Minera Kolpa by Endeavor Silver is a clear demonstration of the untapped potential in the region and the terrific investment opportunity Silver X represents. As we continue to fast-track development and scale up production, we remain focused on unlocking long-term value and establishing ourselves as a leading silver producer in South America." The full technical report, titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report Resource Assessment for the Plata Mining Unit, Nueva Recuperada Property, Peru", prepared by A. David Heyl, B.Sc., C.P.G., can be accessed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and on Silver X's website (www.silverxmining.com). Qualified Person Mr. A. David Heyl, B.Sc., C.P.G., who is a qualified person under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release for Silver X. With over 35 years of field and upper management experience, Mr. Heyl has a solid geological background in generating and conducting exploration and mining programs for gold, rare earth metals, and base metals, resulting in several discoveries. Mr. Heyl has 20 years of experience in Peru. He worked for Barrick Gold, was the exploration manager for Southern Peru Copper, and spent over twelve years working in and supervising underground and open pit mining operations in the Americas. Mr. Heyl is an independent consultant for Silver X. About Silver X Silver X is a rapidly growing silver producer-developer. The Company owns the 20,472-hectare Nueva Recuperada Silver Project in Central Peru and produces silver, gold, lead and zinc from its Tangana Mining Unit. Silver X is building a premier silver company aiming to deliver outstanding value to all stakeholders, consolidating and developing undervalued assets, adding resources, and increasing production while aspiring to sustain the communities that support us and stewarding the environment. Current production, paired with immediate development and brownfield expansion opportunities, present investors with the opportunity to invest in the early stages of a silver producer with strong growth prospects. For more information visit our website at www.silverxmining.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Jose M. Garcia CEO and Director For further information, please contact: Susan Xu Investor Relations ir@silverxmining.com +1 778 323 0959 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 Inferred Mineral Resources The increase in Inferred Mineral Resources is based on current geological data and interpretations. While additional exploration may lead to the reclassification of these resources to a higher confidence category, such an outcome is not guaranteed. Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation ("forward-looking information"). Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain acts, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". All information contained in this press release, other than statements of current and historical fact, is forward looking information. Forward- looking information contained in this press release may include, without limitation, expectations regarding the expected use of proceeds from the Offering, other sources of funds, exploration plans, results of operations, expected performance at the Project, the Company's belief that the Tangana system will provide considerable resource expansion potential, that the Company will be able to mine the Tangana Mining Unit in an economic manner, and the expected financial performance of the Company. The following are some of the assumptions upon which forward-looking information is based: that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner; demand for, and stable or improving price for the commodities we produce; receipt of regulatory and governmental approvals, permits and renewals in a timely manner; that the Company will not experience any material accident, labour dispute or failure of plant or equipment or other material disruption in the Company's operations at the Project and Nueva Recuperada Plant; the availability of financing for operations and development; the Company's ability to procure equipment and operating supplies in sufficient quantities and on a timely basis; that the estimates of the resources at the Project and the geological, operational and price assumptions on which these and the Company's operations are based are within reasonable bounds of accuracy (including with respect to size, grade and recovery); the Company's ability to attract and retain skilled personnel and directors; and the ability of management to execute strategic goals. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company, as the case may be, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to those risks described in the Company's annual and interim MD&As and in its public documents filed on www.sedarplus.ca from time to time. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. SOURCE: Silver X Mining Corp. Quartz Mountain Resources Ltd. (TSXV:QZM)(OTC PINK:QZMRF) ("Quartz" or the "Company") is pleased to announce diamond drilling has commenced at the Prodigy gold and silver discovery located on its Maestro Property in central British Columbia. The Property is located 45 kilometers ("km") south of Smithers with year-round road access and nearby infrastructure including rail, hydroelectricity, and natural gas. Earlier results announced in 2024, from Quartz's initial two drill holes at Prodigy, included 102 meters grading 2.22 g/t gold ("Au") with 104 g/t silver ("Ag") and 36 meters of 5.73 g/t Au with 87 g/t Ag. Drilling results from Maestro announced in 2024 succeeded in discovering a significant new and highly mineralized system at Prodigy. The initial focus of the current drill program is to follow up the discovery with additional delineation drilling aimed at expanding the known extent of the newly discovered mineralized system. The current phase of drilling commenced with one core rig and, subject to results, is expected to continue in multiple sequential phases of drilling during 2025. Assay results from the current phase of the program will be announced as soon as they are received and compiled. "Quartz was built with a clear mission: to discover and transact high-value gold-silver-copper projects that are coveted by major operators," said Chairman Bob Dickinson. "With the recent closing of our $4.2 million private placement we now are fully funded and progressing forward on delineation drilling of the Prodigy discovery on our Maestro Project. Earlier results announced in 2024, from our initial two drill holes at Prodigy, surpassed our expectations. Those results included 102 meters grading 2.22 g/t Au with 104 g/t Ag and 36 meters of 5.73 g/t Au with 87 g/t Ag. Early observations suggest there are multiple overlapping gold, silver, molybdenum ("Mo") and copper ("Cu") mineralizing events that resulted in multiple deposit targets across the Maestro Property. Experienced management, strong funding support, surging metals prices, combined with our reduced risk discoveries that are ready for drill delineation, support Quartz's objective to achieve its goal." concluded Dickinson. The Maestro Property completely covers the large Lone Pine molybdenum deposit and Quartz's targeted, and potentially related, large scale epithermal precious metals systems like Prodigy that occur up to several kilometers outboard of Lone Pine. Quartz's initial two Prodigy scout discovery holes (PR-23-01 and PR-23-02) announced in April 2024 combined with results from ten historical core holes drilled in the period 2007-2011 by a past operator (see Figure 1, Prodigy Drill Hole Plan Map) intersected a high-grade Au-Ag lode and also high grade Ag-Au veins, with both styles of mineralization hosted within an extensive epithermal Ag-Au system (see Table 1 and Table 2). The lode and veins along with the more bulk-style disseminated precious metals that have been intersected by the holes are all hosted within a large and earlier deposited Mo-Cu porphyry system. Together, these results represent the discovery of a substantial new Au-Ag system at Maestro with drill intersections indicating high potential for both bulk tonnage and high-grade mineralization, potentially related to the Lone Pine Mo-Cu porphyry deposit located on the Property approximately 1 km south of the Prodigy discovery. Figure 1. Drill Plan Map of Quartz and Historical Holes at Prodigy Discovery. TABLE 1 Quartz Discovery Drill Hole Results at Prodigy Drill Hole Incl. From (m) To Int. 1,2 AgEQ 3(a) AuEQ 3(b) Ag Au (g/t) Cu (%) Mo (%) (m) (m) (g/t) (g/t) (g/t) PR-23-02 81 186 105 24 0.29 9 0.06 0.06 0.015 228 282 54 64 0.86 16 0.59 0.04 0.016 324 675 351 103 1.33 36 0.78 0.05 0.029 incl. 423 639 216 153 1.97 57 1.17 0.07 0.033 and 537 639 102 270 3.49 104 2.22 0.09 0.029 incl. 537 549 12 752 8.01 586 1.23 0.61 0.06 incl. 603 639 36 471 6.69 87 5.73 0.05 0.013 PR-23-01 45 393 348 32 0.38 13 0.13 0.04 0.015 incl. 63 96 33 63 0.75 32 0.28 0.05 0.018 incl. 156 252 96 43 0.52 19 0.22 0.07 0.008 incl. 276 306 30 45 0.51 26 0.09 0.07 0.018 Table 1. Prodigy drill hole assay results from drill holes PR-23-02 and PR-23-01. See Figure 1 for reference plan. TABLE 2 Historical Prodigy Drill Hole Results Drill Hole Incl. From (m) To Int 1, 2 (m) AgEQ 3(a) AuEQ 3(b) Ag (g/t) Au (g/t) Cu Mo (m) (g/t) (g/t) (%) (%) BD-11-69 35.0 54.2 19.2 101 1.11 72 0.25 0.08 0.012 incl. 49.3 51.0 1.7 876 9.24 711 1.35 0.73 0.003 134.1 205.2 71.1 239 2.54 185 0.35 0.22 0.025 incl. 136.1 185.3 49.2 330 3.49 264 0.48 0.3 0.011 and 142.5 148.8 6.3 1752 18.18 1484 1.94 1.34 0.011 incl. 180.0 183.3 3.3 1082 11.09 921 0.6 1.17 0.007 BDQ-08-02 197.0 403.0 206.0 72 0.79 46 0.1 0.07 0.035 incl. 197.0 213.0 16.0 668 7.04 551 1.09 0.37 0.023 and 203.0 209.0 6.0 1616 16.98 1350 2.62 0.86 0.018 BDQ-08-03 9.0 352.7 343.7 38 0.46 13 0.13 0.06 0.03 incl. 9.0 167.0 158.0 49 0.56 25 0.11 0.08 0.022 incl. 67.0 167.0 100.0 60 0.68 35 0.16 0.07 0.021 and 67.0 117.0 50.0 82 0.93 50 0.22 0.1 0.019 and 79.0 101.0 22.0 142 1.57 95 0.34 0.19 0.016 BDQ-08-04 293.0 551.3 258.3 56 0.73 13 0.43 0.04 0.026 incl. 373.0 497.0 124.0 79 1.05 19 0.64 0.05 0.038 and 373.0 463.0 90.0 89 1.18 23 0.71 0.06 0.037 Table 2. Historical drill hole assay results at Prodigy drilled by a previous operator between 2007 and 2011. See Figure 1 for reference plan. The Maestro Project is one of two key projects being developed by Quartz in British Columbia. The Maestro drill program follows initial scout drilling at the Company's Jake Project which succeeded in making a new porphyry copper-gold discovery and acquisition of an entire new B.C. porphyry copper-gold district surrounding the Jake Property (see Quartz news release dated January 14, 2025). Footnotes to Tables 1 and 2. Reported widths of mineralization are drill hole intervals or core lengths recovered. Insufficient data exists to permit the calculation of true width of the reported mineralized intervals. All assay intervals represent length-weighted averages. Some figures may not sum exactly due to rounding. Metal equivalent calculations use prices of: Cu US$4.00/lb., Au US$1800/oz., Ag US$22/oz. and Mo US$15/lb and conceptual recoveries of: Cu 82%, Au 80%, Ag 80%, and Mo 82%. There has been no metallurgical testing on Prodigy mineralization. The equivalencies for each metal are calculated as follows: a) Silver equivalent (AgEQ g/t) = Ag g/t + (Au g/t * (Au recovery /100) * (Au $ per oz./ Ag $ per oz.)) + (Cu % * (Cu recovery /100) * (Cu $ per lb. * 22.0462) / (Ag $ per oz. / 31.10348)) + (Mo % * (Mo recovery /100) * (Mo $ per lb. * 22.0462) / (Ag $ per oz. / 31.10348)) b) Gold equivalent (AuEQ g/t) = Au g/t + (Ag g/t * (Ag recovery / 100) * (Ag $ per oz./ Au $ per oz.) + (Cu % * (Cu recovery / 100) * (Cu $ per lb. * 22.0462 /Au $ per oz. / 31.10348)) + (Mo % * (Mo recovery / 100) * (Mo $ per lb. * 22.0462 /Au $ per oz. / 31.10348)) About Quartz Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, Quartz Mountain Resources (TSXV:QZM)(OTC PINK:QZMRF) is a well- funded public company whose successful mine-finding management team is focused on discovering and transacting important-scale gold, silver and copper projects in British Columbia. The Company owns 100% of the Maestro high grade gold-silver project and 100% of the Jake porphyry copper-gold-silver project. Both projects are permitted by the British Columbia government for drilling activities with access to infrastructure and high potential for the development of substantial resources for significant future transactions. Quartz is associated with Hunter Dickinson Inc. (HDI), a company with over 35 years of successfully discovering, developing and transacting mineral projects in Canada and internationally. Former HDI projects in British Columbia included Mount Milligan, Kemess South and Gibraltar -- all of which are porphyry-coppergold deposits with current-producing or former-producing mines. Recently, Amarc Resources, an HDI associate, with funding from Freeport, announced the exciting discovery of the exceptionally high grade, AuRORA gold-copper-porphyry deposit also in British Columbia. Other well-known projects with HDI involvement include Sisson and Prosperity in Canada, Pebble and Florence in the United States, and Xietongmen in China. Quartz is committed to the advancement of important-scale, critical and essential mining assets while following responsible mineral development principles, including a mandate to employ best-practice approaches in the engagement and involvement of local communities and meeting rigorous environmental standards. About Maestro The Maestro Project, located in central British Columbia, lies adjacent to Highway 16, 15 km north of Houston and 45 km south of Smithers, providing year-round road access to the project and nearby infrastructure including, rail, hydroelectricity, and natural gas. Covering 2,309 hectares, it has a rich exploration history dating back to 1914, primarily focusing on the Lone Pine Mo-Cu porphyry deposit and not the precious metals potential of the surrounding area (see Quartz news release March 19th, 2024, and NI 43-101 Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment, P&E Mining Consultants Inc., January 21st, 2011). Since acquiring the property, Quartz has conducted comprehensive geochemical and geophysical surveys, including soil/silt sampling, induced polarization geophysics, airborne magnetic surveys, hyperspectral studies, detailed relogging of historical drill core and assaying for gold only, 976 pulp samples derived from historical assaying of numerous core holes located across the Maestro Property. Quartz'sfirst ever drill test, on its Maestro Property, a maiden two-hole drill program at the Prodigy Zone, discovered exciting high-grade Au-Ag lodes and Ag-Au veins which are both hosted within an extensive epithermal Au-Ag system. The Au lodes and Ag veins along with the more disseminated precious metals intersected by the drill holes are all hosted within a large and earlier deposited, Mo-Cu porphyry system. Quartz's second core hole, PR-23-02 intersected 102 m grading 2.22 g/t Au and 104 g/t Ag, including 12 m grading 1.23 g/t Au and 586 g/t Ag and also 36 m of 5.73 g/t Au and 87 g/t Ag. These results indicate high potential for both bulk tonnage and underground high-grade gold and silver mineralization. Delineation type drilling of the new Prodigy discovery at Maestro, has commenced. It is expected that drilling at Prodigy will be consistently advanced in multiple stages during 2025. Mineralization remains open in multiple directions and at depth, promising significant further potential. About Jake Mineralization at Jake is situated within a prominent rusty coloured gossan measuring 3.5 km long by 1.5 km wide. The combination of extensive historical and recent exploration work has outlined a very expansive altered area at Jake hosting epithermal and porphyry-style sulphide disseminations and veinlets containing Cu-Au-Ag-Zn-Mo and Re. A series of modern surface exploration programs were first completed by Quartz to build on very compelling historical data on the Property developed by legendary porphyry copper explorers, including Kennco, Canadian Superior, Cities Service, Placer Development and Teck Corp. Taken together this comprehensive technical database defined a significant-scale porphyry copper-gold deposit target which Quartz tested with 3,418 meters of drilling in seven 7 holes during 2024. This maiden drill program successfully discovered a new porphyry copper-gold-silver system, wide open to expansion. Upon discovery, Quartz acquired a 100% interest in mineral tenures over an entire new BC porphyry copper-gold district surrounding the Jake Property. The next milestone towards a transaction will be delineation drilling of the new Jake discovery, currently being planned to commence after delineation drilling at Maestro. Qualified Person Farshad Shirmohammad, M.Sc., P.Geo., a "Qualified Person" within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Minerals Projects, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. On behalf of the Board of Directors Robert Dickinson Chairman For further information, please contact: Bob Dickinson Email: robertdickinson@hdimining.com Ph: +1 604-684-6365 or: Roger Blair Email: rblair@acuityadvisorycorp.com Ph: +1 604-351-0025 or Jeff Wilson Email: jwilson@acuityadvisorycorp.com Ph: +1 604-837-5440 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 Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information. This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking-statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking-statements. 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 developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Assumptions used by the Company to develop forward-looking statements include the following: the Company's projects will obtain all required environmental and other permits, and all land use and other licenses, studies and exploration of the Company's projects will continue to be positive, and no geological or technical problems will occur. Though the Company believes the expectations expressed in its forward-looking-statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are subject to future events and third party discretion such as regulatory personnel. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include variations in market prices, continuity of mineralization and exploration success, and potential environmental issues or liabilities associated with exploration, development and mining activities, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and tenure and delays due to third party opposition, changes in and the effect of government policies regarding mining and natural resource exploration and exploitation, and exploration and development of properties located within Aboriginal groups asserted territories that may affect or be perceived to affect asserted aboriginal rights and title, and which may cause permitting delays or opposition by Aboriginal groups, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company, and the risks and uncertainties connected with its business, investors should review the Company's home jurisdiction filings as www.sedarplus.ca and its 20F filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. SOURCE: Quartz Mountain Resources Ltd. LONDON, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bromcom Computers Plc, a leading provider of AI-powered management information systems (MIS) and finance systems for schools, local authorities, and multi-academy trusts (MATs), is delighted to announce the launch of its groundbreaking Centre of Excellence (CoE) programme. Scomis, a trusted education technology provider with over four decades of experience, has been appointed as the UK's very first Bromcom Centre of Excellence. This new initiative represents a step-change in the way MIS support is delivered; bringing together Bromcom's cutting-edge MIS platform with Scomis' trusted and sector-recognised expertise. "This Centre of Excellence isn't just about software support - it's about a synergy between two great organisations working together for the benefit of schools," said Paul Lightowlers, Joint Head of Scomis. Schools and trusts in the South West and beyond will now benefit from: Trusted support - Access to dedicated teams who understand priorities and contexts. - Access to dedicated teams who understand priorities and contexts. Expert, proactive service - Certified Bromcom advisors, fast response times, and hands-on support. - Certified Bromcom advisors, fast response times, and hands-on support. Tailored consultancy - Guidance aligned with school improvement plans, including data optimisation and change management. - Guidance aligned with school improvement plans, including data optimisation and change management. Joined-up partnership - A direct relationship between Scomis, future Centres of Excellence, and Bromcom to ensure rapid escalation and alignment on roadmap development. "We're thrilled to partner with Scomis, who share our vision for excellence in school MIS support," said Mandie Kirk, Programme Lead at Bromcom. "Their deep roots in the education sector, combined with our innovative technology, ensure schools get the very best service." Ali Guryel, Managing Director of Bromcom, added: "The Centre of Excellence programme is all about raising the bar for what schools can expect from their MIS partner. With Scomis on board as our first CoE, we're building a new standard of support - smarter, faster, and more in tune with the real-world challenges schools face." Join the launch event Bromcom will be hosting a launch webinar on Friday 25th April at 11am, offering an inside look at the Centre of Excellence programme and a chance to hear directly from the Bromcom and Scomis teams. [Registration link] About Bromcom Bromcom's MIS, Finance, and Vision products serve over 5,000 schools and two million users across the UK and Europe. We offer all-in-one MIS that brings together all the capabilities schools, trusts, and local authorities need in a single system, eliminating the need for additional third-party apps and helping our customers streamline their processes, among other benefits. About Scomis Scomis is an award-winning education technology partner, delivering MIS support, technical services, cloud solutions, and consultancy to schools, MATs, and local authorities across the UK. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2660926/Bromcom_Centre_of_Excellence_logo.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/bromcom-unveils-scomis-as-first-centre-of-excellence-to-transform-school-mis-support-302424479.html Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2025) - NINE MILE METALS LTD. (CSE: NINE) (OTC Pink: VMSXF) (FSE: KQ9) (the "Company" or "Nine Mile") announces completion of the second tranche of a private placement (the "Offering") announced on January 21, 2025. The Company issued 6,309,699 units (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.021 per Unit, for proceeds of $132.503. The Company fully closes the original Offering of $157,500 and the debt conversion in the first tranche previously announced February 4th, 2025 for total combined Unit issuance value of $388,653. The Company is pleased to close this funding in full, during these challenging markets and uncertain times. We continue forward with our preparation of our 2025 season and look forward to sharing more news shortly. Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant (each whole common share purchase warrant, a "Warrant"), with each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one common share at a price of $0.05 for a period of 60 months. All Current Directors of the Company participated in the 2nd Tranche of the offering and purchased 1,217,857 Units for ($25,575). The Company has relied on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") contained in sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 in respect of such insider participation. The proceeds raised through the private placements will be used for general and administrative obligations. All securities issued in the Private Placement are subject to a four month and one day hold period, there were no commissions paid. The issuance of Common Shares will not result in a new insider or control person. The Common Shares, and any Common Shares to be issued on exercise of the Warrants, are subject to a hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws expiring four months and one day from the date of issuance of the Units. About Nine Mile Metals Ltd.: Nine Mile Metals Ltd. is a Canadian public mineral exploration company focused on Critical Minerals Exploration (CME) VMS (Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag and Au) exploration in the world-famous Bathurst Mining Camp, New Brunswick, Canada. The Company's primary business objective is to explore its four VMS Projects: Nine Mile Brook VMS; California Lake VMS; Canoe Landing Lake (East-West) VMS and the Wedge VMS Projects. The Company is focused on Critical Minerals Exploration (CME), positioning for the boom in EV and green technologies requiring Copper, Silver, Lead and Zinc with a hedge with Gold. The disclosure of technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements as set out in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and reviewed and approved by Gary Lohman, B.Sc., P. Geo., VP Exploration and Director who acts as the Company's Qualified Person and is not independent of the Company. Forward-Looking Information: This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business of Nine Mile. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the management of Nine Mile. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "will," "may," "would," "expect," "intend," "plan," "seek, "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "could" and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Although Nine Mile believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because Nine Mile can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of the contents of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/247859 SOURCE: Nine Mile Metals Ltd. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2025) - ESGold Corp. (CSE: ESAU) (OTCQB: ESAUF) (FSE: Z7D) ("ESGold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has engaged IBN (InvestorBrandNetwork), a multifaceted financial media and communications organization, to support the Company's investor awareness strategy by leveraging IBN's extensive syndication network, which includes over 5,000 media outlets, newsletters, social channels, and wire services, to reach a broader U.S. investor base. With construction underway at its fully permitted Montauban Gold-Silver Project and production anticipated in Q3 2025, ESGold is focused on expanding its market visibility and ensuring its story reaches a wide network of institutional and retail investors. IBN brings over 19 years of experience serving more than 500 public and private clients, delivering dynamic communications solutions through its extensive suite of financial brands and syndication partners. ESGold will work closely with IBN to distribute news and corporate updates across more than 5,000 media outlets, wire services, and social media channels, including the InvestorWire network and IBN's 70+ investor-facing brands. "We are pleased to partner with IBN at a pivotal moment in our corporate development," said Brad Kitchen, President of ESGold. "With a strong foundation in place, key milestones approaching, and market interest increasing, we believe this partnership will help ESGold connect with a broader US investor base and raise awareness of the exciting opportunity we represent in the gold and silver sector." About ESGold Corp. ESGold Corp. (CSE: ESAU) (OTCQB: ESAUF) (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 kilometers west of Quebec City, serves as a model for responsible mining practices, combining near-term production with district-scale discovery potential. For more information, please contact ESGold Corp. at +1-888-370-1059 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. Forward-Looking Statements: This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements are based on assumptions and expectations that involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially. Forward-Looking information includes statements regarding the expected use of proceeds, the development and construction timelines of the Montauban Project, future production, and anticipated project milestones. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking information contained in this release is qualified by these cautionary statements. 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/247889 SOURCE: ESGold Corp. Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics, a One Health company developing treatments and diagnostic tools for global public health and zoonosis concerns, will present new data from universal influenza pipeline candidates during two poster sessions at the Congress of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) 2025. Longhorn will also be available at booth C108 in Hall B to discuss its differentiated approach to the world's most critical infectious diseases in humans and animals. ESCMID 2025 is taking place in Vienna, Austria from April 11-15, 2025. Poster Presentation Details Longhorn will present data about the broad strain coverage that LHNVD-110, the company's single peptide universal influenza vaccine candidate, provides in pigs. Pigs can be vectors for viral reassortment with human diseases and do so without showing symptoms. Poster Title: An unconjugated composite peptide vaccine comprising epitopes from SARS-CoV-2 RNA polymerase and influenza hemagglutinin, neuraminidase, and matrix generates broadly reactive and durable antibodies to coronavirus and influenza virus Presenter: Nimisha Rikhi, Research Scientist at Longhorn Vaccines Diagnostics Session type: Poster Session Session title: 01c. Influenza and respiratory viruses (incl diagnostics epidemiology, antiviral drugs, vaccines, treatment susceptibility/resistance) Session date: April 12, 2025 Session time and location: 12:00-13:30 in Poster Area Hall D Additionally, Longhorn will demonstrate that LHNVD-202, the company's dual peptide universal influenza and SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate, provides durable strain coverage for these respiratory infections of widespread, global concern. Poster Title: An unconjugated single composite peptide vaccine targeting highly conserved influenza epitopes induced broadly reactive and durable antibodies to multiple influenza viruses in pigs Presenter: Kellie Kroscher, Research Scientist at Longhorn Vaccines Diagnostics Session type: Poster Session Session title: 11. Public health vaccines Session date: April 13, 2025 Session time and location: 12:00-13:30 in Poster Area in Hall D For more information about Longhorn Vaccines Diagnostics visit www.LHNVD.com. About Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics is a closely held One Health company based in Maryland that is developing broad coverage vaccines and diagnostic tools for worldwide public health concerns such as anti-microbial resistance, sepsis and to prevent future pandemics. Since its inception in 2006, Longhorn has focused on developing broad coverage vaccines and diagnostic tools that can impact a pandemic on a global scale and at all socio-economic levels. Since pandemics flow between humans and animals, Longhorn products play a significant role to surveil, diagnose, prevent and treat the next infectious disease. Longhorn's core product, PrimeStore Molecular Transport Medium (MTM), is a patented, FDA cleared, state-of-the-art ambient temperature molecular diagnostic collection and transport device that can help governments, global health organizations, and drug manufacturers improve the diagnosis and treatment of highly infectious diseases such as Influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB). Unlike standard devices for collecting and transporting virus samples, PrimeStore MTM is the first molecular transport device that can safely deactivate pathogens and stabilize RNA and DNA, allowing enhanced point of care and ambient temperature transport for laboratory based molecular testing and characterization. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250409981446/en/ Contacts: Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics Jeffrey Fischer Email: jeff@lhnvd.com Media Alexis Feinberg ICR Healthcare Email: alexis.feinberg@icrhealthcare.com Bausch Health, Canada Inc., part of Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE:BHC)(TSX:BHC) today announced that it has signed a letter of intent with the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) for Canadian public drug plan coverage for PrCABTREOTM (clindamycin phosphate, adapalene and benzoyl peroxide) gel 1.2% w/w, 0.15% w/w and 3.1% w/w, a new triple-combination topical prescription treatment for acne vulgaris in patients 12 years of age and older.1 The letter of intent means Bausch Health, Canada Inc. can now proceed to finalizing individual listing agreements for CABTREO to be covered by each of Canada's government drug plans, including those of all provinces and territories and the federal government (including plans for veterans and Indigenous peoples). The letter of intent spells out the agreed terms of those listing agreements, given the participation of all Canadian public drug plans in the pCPA process. CABTREO is the first and only triple-combination topical treatment for acne approved by Health Canada with three mechanisms of action - an antibiotic, a retinoid and an antibacterial agent - to provide a safe and effective treatment.1 "We are very pleased to have reached agreement with the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance on the terms that will lead to the availability of CABTREO to Canadians through the public drug plans," said Amy Cairns, General Manager, Bausch Health, Canada Inc. "We look forward to quickly finalizing individual listing agreements with the public drug plans." "It is very encouraging that a new treatment option for Canadians with acne will soon be available through their public drug plan," said Kathy Giangaspero, Executive Director of the Acne and Rosacea Society of Canada. "Acne can have a lifelong impact on a person's mental and physical well-being, therefore access to care is key to improved health outcomes." CABTREO, a prescription product, is a topical gel that is administered once daily to affected areas of the skin. Its active ingredients are the antibiotic clindamycin phosphate, the topical retinoid adapalene and the oxidizing agent benzoyl peroxide with a broad-spectrum bactericidal activity.1 About Acne Vulgaris Acne vulgaris ("vulgaris" means "common") is the most common skin problem seen by doctors in Canada. It occurs when the pores of the skin become plugged with oil and skin cells, often causing whiteheads, blackheads, pimples or cysts to appear on the face, forehead, chest, upper back and shoulders. Acne affects about 5.6 million Canadians, or nearly 20 per cent of the population, including about 90 per cent of adolescents. About 25 per cent of teens will still have acne at age 25. Acne causes emotional distress and can cause permanent scarring.2 It can also cause skin pigmentation changes.3 CABTREO Clinical Data and Safety Information CABTREO was studied in two phase 3 multicentre, randomized, placebo controlled clinical trials in 363 patients with facial acne vulgaris. Both studies met all co-primary efficacy endpoints, including absolute change from baseline in inflammatory lesion count, absolute change from baseline in non-inflammatory lesion count, and percentage of patients achieving pre-defined treatment success. Combined efficacy results for both trials for CABTREO achieved approximately 50% treatment success and a greater than 70% reduction in both inflammatory and noninflammatory lesions at Week 12.1 The most frequent adverse reactions that may occur with CABTREO are mild to moderate application site reactions, such as skin irritation characterized by scaling, dryness, erythema, and burning/stinging. CABTREO should not be used by those who are hypersensitive to any of the ingredients in it (clindamycin phosphate, adapalene, benzoyl peroxide or to any ingredient in the formulation), patients with a history of regional enteritis (Crohn's disease), ulcerative colitis or antibiotic-associated colitis or by pregnant women and women planning a pregnancy. CABTREO may bleach hair and coloured fabric so caution should be used when applying it near the hairline.1 Health Canada has not authorized CABTREO for pediatric use under the age of 12 years. CABTREO is for topical use only and is not for oral, ophthalmic or intravaginal use.1 About Dermatology at Bausch Health, Canada Inc. Bausch Health, Canada Inc. has one of the largest prescription dermatology businesses in Canada dedicated to helping patients in the treatment of a range of therapeutic areas, including psoriasis, actinic keratosis, acne, atopic dermatitis and other dermatoses. The Bausch Health, Canada Inc. dermatology portfolio includes several leading acne, psoriasis, anti-fungal and corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses products. CABTREO is the fourth new dermatology treatment from Bausch Health, Canada Inc. approved by Health Canada and made available to Canadians over the past four years, adding to the company's leading portfolio in this important treatment area. The other approvals were for ARAZLOTM (tazarotene) lotion, 0.045% w/w, for the topical treatment of acne vulgaris in patients 10 years of age and older; BRYHALI (halobetasol propionate lotion 0.01% w/w), for corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses and the topical treatment of plaque psoriasis; and DUOBRII (0.01% w/w halobetasol propionate and 0.045% w/w tazarotene) to treat adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.4 All four treatments - CABTREO, ARAZLO, BRYHALI and DUOBRII - are manufactured at Bausch Health's Laval, Quebec, facility for Canada and the United States. About Bausch Health Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE: BHC)(TSX: BHC) is a global, diversified pharmaceutical company enriching lives through our relentless drive to deliver better health outcomes. We develop, manufacture and market a range of products primarily in gastroenterology, hepatology, neurology, dermatology, dentistry, aesthetics, international pharmaceuticals and eye health, through our controlling interest in Bausch + Lomb Corporation. Our ambition is to be a globally integrated healthcare company, trusted and valued by patients, HCPs, employees and investors. For more information, visit www.bauschhealth.com and connect with us on LinkedIn. The Bausch Health Canadian prescription treatment portfolio is focused on dermatology, gastrointestinal and cardio-metabolic conditions. Bausch Health also has two manufacturing facilities for prescription pharmaceuticals in Canada: in Laval, Quebec, and Steinbach, Manitoba. More information can be found on the Company's website at www.bauschhealth.ca. Forward-looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may generally be identified by the use of the words "will," "anticipates," "hopes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "should," "could," "would," "may," "believes," "subject to" and variations or similar expressions. These statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance, are based upon the current expectations and beliefs of management and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Actual results are subject to other risks and uncertainties that relate more broadly to Bausch Health's overall business, including those more fully described in Bausch Health's most recent annual and quarterly reports and detailed from time to time in Bausch Health's other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Canadian Securities Administrators, which factors are incorporated herein by reference. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events, information or circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect actual outcomes, unless required by law. REFERENCES 1 Bausch Health, Canada Inc., CABTREO Product Monograph, https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00076715.PDF. 2 Canadian Dermatology Association, Acne, Quick Facts, https://dermatology.ca/public-patients/skin/acne/#:~:text=Acne%20affects%205.6%20million%20Canadians,adults%20ages%2020%20to%2040, accessed Aug. 20, 2024. 3 "What to Know about Hyperpigmentation Acne." Medical News Today, Jessica Caporuscio, April 28, 2021, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/hyperpigmentation-acne, accessed Aug. 20, 2024. 4 Bausch Health, Canada Inc., Canadian Product List, https://bauschhealth.ca/products/canadian-product-list/. ### Investor Contact: Garen Sarafian ir@bauschhealth.com 877-281-6642 (toll-free) Media Contact: Katie Savastano corporate.communications@bauschhealth.com +1 (908) 569-3692 SOURCE: Bausch Health Companies Inc. RESTON, Va., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Leidos (NYSE:LDOS), a leading information technology partner for governments worldwide, and Moveworks , the leading agentic artificial intelligence (AI) assistant for enterprises, are collaborating to increase the efficiency of government workers in the U.S., U.K., and Australia. Agentic AI helps people do their work better and faster as a digital personal assistant that knows how to make decisions and automate daily work processes. As commercial organizations are embracing it, the Leidos-Moveworks partnership will allow government agencies to adopt the technology with assured security and compliance. "For decades, Leidos has been at the forefront of helping government agencies achieve their mission objectives with speed and precision," said Steve Hull, president of digital modernization at Leidos. "Our expertise in AI and cybersecurity provides a solid foundation for introducing this transformative technology to the government sector. We're excited to bring these capabilities to government agencies where rapid, intelligent solutions will bring great benefits." Government employees using agentic AI for administrative tasks such as managing computers and mobile phones, navigating databases and drafting emails will have more time to focus on their agencies' core missions. "Collaborating with Leidos allows us to elevate the standard of government employee support," said Bhavin Shah, CEO and co-founder of Moveworks. "Our focus is on developing AI solutions that enhance the efficiency and quality of operations within government agencies." Leidos helped Moveworks achieve U.S. government security certification ready status to work with federal agencies. That ensures Moveworks is equipped to support government agencies with secure and compliant AI solutions. Learn more about the Leidos and Moveworks partnership . Learn more about Moveworks' Government solutions . About Leidos Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 48,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.leidos.com . About Moveworks Moveworks is the leading agentic AI assistant, helping businesses transform with a single place that empowers the entire workforce. Moveworks enables organizations to boost productivity by streamlining how employees across the company find answers and automate tasks. Currently 350+ large enterprises and over 5 million+ employees rely on Moveworks - including 10% of the Fortune 500. Customers include Hearst, Instacart, Palo Alto Networks, Siemens, Toyota, and Unilever. Moveworks surpassed $100M ARR in September of 2024 and has raised $315 million in funding at a $2.1 billion valuation from investors such as Alkeon, Bain, Iconiq, Kleiner Perkins, Lightspeed, Sapphire, and Tiger Global. The company is based in Mountain View, CA and has offices in Austin, Bangalore, New York, San Francisco, and Toronto. For more information, follow Moveworks on LinkedIn or visit Moveworks.com . Certain statements in this announcement constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These statements are based on management's current beliefs and expectations and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These statements are not guarantees of future results or occurrences. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the "Risk Factors" set forth in Leidos' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Leidos does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of circumstances or events that arise after the date the forward-looking statements were made. Media Contact: Victor Melara Press Secretary & Senior Media Relations Manager 703.431.4612 victor.a.melara@leidos.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/4662/LEIDOS_new_LOGO.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/leidos-and-moveworks-bring-agentic-ai-capabilities-to-government-agencies-302423922.html EQS Post-admission Duties announcement: Haier Smart Home Co.,Ltd. / Third country release according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act] Haier Smart Home Co.,Ltd.: Announcement on the Progress of A-Share Repurchases and the Receipt of Facility Commitment Letter 09.04.2025 / 14:20 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Post-admission Duties announcement according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 WpHG transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Announcement on the Progress of A-Share Repurchases and the Receipt of Facility Commitment Letter Qingdao / Shanghai / Frankfurt / Hongkong, 9 April 2025 - Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. (the "Company" or "Haier Smart Home", D-share 690D.DE, A-share 600690.SH, H-share 06690.HK) today published an announcement in accordance with applicable trading rules of the Shanghai Stock Exchange and applicable PRC laws in relation to the Progress of A-Share Repurchases and the Receipt of Facility Commitment Letter. The full announcement is available at: https://smart-home.haier.com/en/dggg/P020250409693924347835.pdf?appdesc=Announcement%20on%20the%20Progress%20of%20A-Share%20Repurchases%20and%20the%20Receipt%20of%20Facility%20Commitment%20Letter IR Contact: Haier Smart Home Hong Kong T: +852 2169 0000 Email: ir@haier.hk Press Contact: CROSS ALLIANCE communication GmbH Sara Pinto pi@crossalliance.de T: +49 89 1250903 35 About Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd.: Haier is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household appliances with a focus on smart home solutions and customized production. Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. develops, produces and distributes a wide range of household appliances. These include refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, air conditioners, water heaters, kitchen appliances as well as small household appliances and an extensive range of intelligent household appliances. The Company distributes its products through leading household brands such as Haier, Casarte, Leader, Candy, GE Appliances, AQUA and Fisher & Paykel. Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. has launched Smart Home Experiential Cloud in the Chinese market, which connects homes, users, enterprises and ecosystem partners, and facilitates the integration of Haier's online, offline and micro-store businesses and supports user interaction to further optimize the user experience. 09.04.2025 CET/CEST The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.eqs-news.com NOTICE HEREBY IS GIVEN that the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the "Annual Meeting") of ADTRAN Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") will be held on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at 10:30 a.m., Central Time, via live webcast. You can participate in the meeting by visiting https://adtran.hvanmeldung.online and entering the shareholder number and password included on your proxy card. If you hold your shares through an intermediary, such as a bank or broker, and do not have a shareholder number and password, please contact the bank or broker or our ADEUS hotline (see below) to request a proxy card. Please log in to the website by 10:15 a.m., Central Time, on the day of the meeting. There is no physical location for the Annual Meeting. 1. A proposal to elect seven directors to serve until the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders; 2. An advisory proposal with respect to the compensation of the Company's named executive officers ("NEOs"), as described in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, executive compensation tables and accompanying narrative in the Proxy Statement; and 3. A proposal to ratify the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025. Stockholders will also consider and act upon such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournments thereof. The Board of Directors is not aware of any other business to be presented for a vote of the stockholders at the Annual Meeting. See page 90 of the Proxy Statement for additional details. The Board of Directors recommends that you vote FOR each of the seven director nominees; FOR the approval on an advisory basis of the compensation of the Company's NEOs; and FOR the ratification of the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025. The Annual Meeting may be adjourned from time to time without notice other than announcement at the meeting or at adjournments thereof, and any business for which notice is hereby given may be transacted at any such adjournment. Information relating to the above matters is set forth in the Proxy Statement. Stockholders of record at the close of business on March 17, 2025, are entitled to receive notice of and to vote during the Annual Meeting and any adjournments thereof. Whether or not you plan to participate in the Annual Meeting, we urge you to review these materials carefully, which are available at https://materials.proxyvote.com/00486H. We also encourage you to vote by one of the following means: By Internet: Go to the website https://adtran.hvanmeldung.online and follow the instructions. You will need the shareholder number and password included on your proxy card to vote by Internet. Contact your bank or broker or our ADEUS hotline (see below) to request a proxy card. By Mail: You may request a hard copy of the proxy materials, including a proxy card, by following the instructions on your Notice.Contact your bank or broker or our ADEUS hotline (see below) to request a proxy card. If you request and receive a proxy card, please mark your selections on the proxy card, date and sign your name exactly as it appears on the proxy card and mail the proxy card to ADEUS Aktienregister-Service-GmbH, Hauptversammlung, Postfach 57 03 64, 22772 Hamburg, Germany. Mailed proxy cards must be received no later than May 13, 2025 in order to be counted for the Annual Meeting unless you are voting shares of common stock held in our 401(k) plan, in which case the deadline is May 12, 2025. Contact our ADEUS hotline by telephone or email at +49 (0) 89 - 2019 0365 or hauptversammlung-service@adeus.de for questions regarding voting and using the online service. You can submit questions in advance of the Annual Meeting by visiting https://adtran.hvanmeldung.online, entering your shareholder number and password, and using the "Questions for Management" feature. You can submit questions during the Annual Meeting by following the instructions on the meeting website. Management will answer pertinent questions in the "Investor Resources" section of our website at https://investors.adtran.com. The questions and answers will be available as soon as practicable after the Annual Meeting and will remain available for thirty (30) days after posting. Huntsville, Alabama, United States of America, March 31, 2025 By order of the Board of Directors, Dana C. Crim Senior Vice President, Administration and Corporate Secretary Insightful's employee monitoring software and time tracking software were recognized across seven global markets by G2 Insightful , a leading workforce analytics software, has received 36 top badges in the latest rankings from the prominent software review platform, G2. These awards underline Insightful's leadership across various global markets in employee monitoring software and time tracking software. Key Details: Insightful awarded 36 top badges across employee monitoring, time tracking, and time and attendance verticals. The awards include recognition in seven geographical regions, highlighting Insightful's global reach. G2's reports are based on authentic reviews captured from users of software products. Powering Thousands of Workplaces The latest awards from G2 underscore Insightful's place as a market leader in employee tracking software . Used by more than 5,000 organizations and 200,000 users, Insightful garnered recognition from G2 by enabling its clients to achieve productivity improvements of up to 95% and improve efficiency by as much as 70%. Insightful received accolades in multiple categories for its award-winning computer monitoring software , including Grid Leader, Momentum Leader, and High Performer across diverse geographic regions and company sizes. The recognition from G2 emphasizes Insightful's position as a user-centric work tracking software designed for optimal ease of use, quick setup, and comprehensive functionality. Global Recognition Notably, Insightful received top honors in the employee monitoring, time tracking, and time and attendance categories across seven regions, reinforcing its rapidly growing market presence globally. Insightful was designated as a leader in Latin America, EMEA, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Asia, in both Time Tracking and Time & Attendance categories. This global recognition stems from organizations using Insightful's remote work systems to manage staff around the world. A Product Users Love Insightful's CEO and Founder, Ivan Petrovic, said, "These badges reinforce our commitment to building intuitive, powerful workforce analytics solutions. User reviews form the backbone of these rankings, and we're proud to consistently meet and exceed user expectations." "These awards reflect our dedication to not only simplifying workforce analytics but also to providing deep, actionable insights that significantly enhance productivity and operational efficiency." About Insightful Insightful (ex Workpuls) workforce analytics and remote work software drives business growth by improving productivity, efficiency and workflows. Trusted by 5,100 brands and used by more than 210,000 people. Contact Information: Seb Kipman Email: media@insightful.io For further details visit: www.insightful.io . SOURCE: Insightful Three founding partners have decades of experience guiding companies through the full investor engagement lifecycle West Park Advisory LLC (WPA), a specialty capital markets firm built on the premise that "Wall Street is a Credibility Economy," is launching with a team of seasoned capital markets professionals. The firm is built to enable companies at all stages to better achieve their business and market potential by addressing the key questions investors need answered to underwrite a company's growth potential. Founded by three principals with over 25 years of average experience, the firm offers tailored services to clients navigating ongoing investor engagement as well as critical financial milestones such as IPOs, capital raises, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, activism and investment thesis development. "We founded WPA with a focus to help companies articulate their full value to Wall Street. We clarify complex technology and business strategies, to ultimately strengthen relationships with both existing and new investors," said Liz Lemon, Principal. "Keith, Tim and I have collaborated for decades as former bankers, investors and corporate finance professionals and are committed to driving our client's success in the capital markets." "Wall Street is undergoing a profound transformation, accelerated by the rapid adoption of AI. By understanding the investor mindset and the ways these changes influence volatility and valuation, we serve as an important trusted capital markets partner, helping guide our clients through this evolving landscape," said Keith Ferguson, Principal. "Our team has worked with a diverse range of companies, from established Fortune 100 giants to private, fast-growing startups at the beginning of their journey. We are fluent in the language of Wall Street, bringing deep technical expertise in valuation, capital structure, and financial analysis to help companies achieve their strategic goals," added Tim Daubenspeck, Principal. With a presence in both New York and Palo Alto, West Park Advisory is uniquely positioned to support companies navigating the complexities of today's dynamic market environment. Our Principals Liz Lemon has over 25 years of experience as a senior executive in corporate communications and capital markets banking. As a Managing Director at Allen & Company, she was a leader on numerous large scale IPOs and capital raises, catering to companies from early-stage startups to multibillion-dollar public entities. Prior to Allen & Company, Liz was the internal lead for the IPOs of both Arista Networks and Pure Storage, led R&D communications in the Office of the CTO at VMware, and was the Director of Investor Relations at Cisco Systems. Keith Ferguson is a Wall Street veteran with nearly 30 years of experience as an institutional investor across multiple industries. Most recently, he served as a Founding Partner at TimesSquare Capital Management, a fundamental research-driven investment firm focused on small- and mid-sized growth companies. Previously, Keith held key roles as a Director at Alkeon Capital Management, a technology-focused hedge fund, and as a Vice President at Loomis, Sayles, a prominent institutional investment firm. Tim Daubenspeck has over 25 years of Wall Street experience. He spent the last five years as a Senior Managing Director at Teneo, and a Partner and Head of Brunswick's US Strategic Investor Relations practice. During his 20 year investing career, Tim was a portfolio manager and senior equity analyst at ClearBridge Investments. As Chairman of the ClearBridge Proxy Committee, with over $140 billion in voting power, he negotiated extensively with CEOs and board members to ensure company actions aligned with shareholder interests. Prior to ClearBridge, Tim was a senior sell-side analyst covering technology for Pacific Crest Securities and SG Cowen Securities. For more information about West Park Advisory and its services, please visit www.westparkadvisory.com or contact us at info@westparkadvisory.com. Contact Information Tim Daubenspeck info@westparkadvisory.com SOURCE: West Park Advisory LLC The Cree Trappers Association ("CTA"), the Cree Hunters Economic Security Board ("CHESB"), and 16 mining and exploration companies (the "Companies") are pleased to announce that they have approved the 2025 funding to continue the reconstruction of the cabins burnt by the wildfires in 2023 in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay territory of Quebec, Canada. On October 31, 2024, the CHESB and the Companies had announced their voluntary financial contribution totalling $750,000 for the Reconstruction Initiative Forest Fires Fund 2023 ("RIFFF"). In 2024, the CTA launched a cabin replacement program in collaboration with the Niskamoon Corporation, the Cree Nation Government and the Eenou-Eeyou Community Foundation to construct replacement cabins for Cree hunters and trappers who occupy Cree land. A total of 50 cabins were rebuilt. Funding provided by the CHESB ($ 400,000) and the Companies ($ 200,000) will be used to continue the cabin rebuild process in 2025. Additional funding will be provided in 2026. Allan House, Chief Financial Officer at the CTA says: "We sincerely appreciate the outpouring of support from different companies with our cabin rebuild project. Our people will continue to occupy our lands by providing them warm new cabins, and we have the desire to help those in need, and rebuilding has been our priority, Thank you." Serge Lariviere, Director General of the CHESB says: "The mission of our organization is to support Cree hunters who choose harvesting activities as a way of life. But in order to do so, Cree hunters need a comfortable place to stay, a base camp that is located within the territory. Reconstructing burnt cabins is the first step in helping hunters return rapidly to their traditional activities on the land! This is why our Board was quick to offer financial support for this important initiative!" Normand Champigny, Chief Executive Officer of Quebec Precious Metals Corporation and who leads this initiative for the Companies says: "On behalf of the contributing companies, we are delighted to see this initial funding being deployed to assist with the cabins rebuild. We are committed to provide funding in 2026 and seek additional funding from other companies including services suppliers to the exploration and mining industry that operate in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay territory." About the CTA The CTA's mandate and responsibility consist in protecting and promoting the interests and values of Eeyou/Eenou trappers, traditional pursuits, and governance of hunting territories in Eeyou Istchee. This mandate extends to the management of territory and wildlife resources and of environmental matters. The main goal of the CTA is to foster, promote, protect and assist in preserving the way of life, values, activities and traditions of the Eeyou/Eenou trappers of Quebec and to safeguard the traditional system of Eeyou/Eenou traplines. About the CHESB The CHESB is a bipartisan organization composed of six members, three of whom are appointed by the government of Quebec and three by the Cree Nation Government. The CHESB's mission is to administer the Economic Security Program for Cree Hunters, which was established in 1975 following the signing of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement. The program is intended for Crees residing in Quebec who practice wildlife harvesting activities as a way of life. About the RIFFF The RIFFF is a partnership between the CHESB, the Companies and the Eeyou Istchee James Bay communities. The RIFFF will allow, starting in 2025, the reconstruction of burnt cabins and complement the work underway by the CTA on the most impacted traplines. According to the information collected by CNG Forestry, 11% of the land and nearly 60% of the traplines were affected by the 2023 forest fires. The Companies are: Austroid Corporation Bonterra Resources Inc. Champion Electric Metals Inc. Critical Elements Lithium Corporation Cygnus Metals Ltd. Dhilmar Eleonore Fury Gold Mines Limited Gold Fields Limited Harfang Exploration Inc. Midland Exploration Inc. Patriot Battery Metals Power Metallic Mines Inc. Quebec Precious Metals Corporation Rio Tinto Exploration Canada Sirios Resources Inc. Troilus Gold Corporation For more information please contact: Allan A. House, Chief Financial Officer/Interim Chief Executive Officer allanhouse@ctaoffice.ca Cree Trappers Association 819-743-9451 Serge Lariviere, Director General, Cree Hunters Economic Security Board Serge.Lariviere@chasseurcri.ca 418-643-7300 Normand Champigny, Chief Executive Officer, Quebec Precious Metals Corporation nchampigny@qpmcorp.ca 514-979-4746 SOURCE: Critical Elements Lithium Corp. Chesapeake Financial Shares, Inc., holding company of Chesapeake Bank and Chesapeake Wealth Management, held their 124th Anniversary Annual Shareholders Meeting on Friday, April 4, at Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury in Irvington, Virginia. The company reported earnings for 2024 at a 12.9% increase over 2023 earnings. Along with the numbers, Jeffrey M. Szyperski, Chairman, President & CEO, presented banking industry trends and insights. "We like to share with our shareholders what is happening in the industry so they have a good perspective on our performance and path going forward," commented Szyperski. "A lot is happening in banking including merger and acquisition activity, new technology, and changing consumer behavior. It's important for our shareholders to know how we are approaching these trends and how we are preparing ourselves for the future." Szyperski also spoke about how much Chesapeake gives to its local communities in both monetary contributions and employee volunteerism. Additionally, he outlined Chesapeake's strategy and the importance of staying relevant in order to thrive for the next 125 years. As part of the strategy to enhance long-term shareholder value, Szyperski discussed the company incurring an $8 million loss in the first quarter expressly done to reposition $75 million of investments into significantly higher yields. "This decision was made as a proactive move on our part to enhance long-term shareholder value," said Szyperski. "The company will remain profitable for 2025 as well as well capitalized." To learn more visit Chesapeake's website at chesapeakefinancialshares.com. The meeting concluded with a festive 125th Anniversary reception for shareholders and company employees in attendance. For more information about Chesapeake Financial Shares stock (CPKF), or to receive daily e-mail alerts of our stock price, see www.chesapeakefinancialshares.com. The company is followed by Zacks Investment Research, and a copy of their report can also be found on this site or at www.zacks.com. Chesapeake Financial Shares is an over-the-counter, publicly traded stock. Follow Chesapeake Bank on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Contact: Jeffrey M. Szyperski jszyperski@ches.bank 804-435-1181; 1-800-434-1181 SOURCE: Chesapeake Financial Shares Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2025) - AISIX Solutions Inc., (TSXV: AISX) (OTCQB: AISXF) (FSE: QT7) ("AISIX" or "the Company"), a frontrunner in climate risk assessment and modeling, today announced that it has been selected by MNP to support wildfire risk modeling services to MNP clients, contributing to the firm's broader climate risk and adaptation advisory offerings, commencing March 27, 2025. MNP is one of Canada's largest professional services firms, with 152 offices across the country. The firm serves thousands of clients in sectors including agriculture, energy, real estate, financial services, and government. Under this arrangement, AISIX will support wildfire risk analysis needs for MNP clients by assisting with assessments using its Wildfire 3.0 dataset. Assessments offer insights into wildfire probability, fire intensity, and historical fire activity, incorporating both past conditions and future climate change scenarios. MNP has published an article titled "How can wildfire risk modelling help protect your business?", outlining the critical role of wildfire risk analysis in organizational planning and how these services are essential to business resilience and continuity planning. "This collaboration enables us to assist our clients with wildfire risk intelligence that supports asset-level exposure analysis and scenario-based planning," said Edward Olson, Partner at MNP. "As climate-related risks become more material, organizations require data to inform reporting, risk management, and resilience strategies." AISIX's Wildfire 3.0 dataset includes more than 30 million simulated fire events across Canada. The modeling framework incorporates topography, vegetation, historical ignition data, and weather conditions, and is built on the Cell2Fire2 fire growth engine. Outputs are available for multiple climate scenarios, including SSP1 and SSP5 projections for the 2040-2060 period. "We're pleased to provide wildfire risk services in support of MNP's climate risk engagements," said Mihalis Belantis, Chief Executive Officer of AISIX Solutions. "This supports our broader focus on delivering data to decision-makers responsible for climate risk and resilience." For more information about AISIX Solutions Inc. and its climate risk solutions, please visit www.aisix.ca or follow the Company on X (formerly Twitter) at @AISIXSolutions or on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/aisixsolutionsinc/. About AISIX Solutions Inc. AISIX Solutions Inc., is a leading global climate risk and data-analytics solutions provider trusted by organizations seeking a more predictive future. Leveraging the advancements of artificial intelligence, data analytics, and risk assessment, AISIX Solutions Inc. is on a mission to provide auditable, explainable, and defensible assessments to help businesses and communities protect their property, assets, and infrastructure from climate-related risks. By empowering organizations with climate insights, AISIX Solutions Inc. aims to foster resilience and sustainability in the face of climate change. About MNP National in scope and local in focus, MNP is one of Canada's leading professional services firms - proudly serving individuals, businesses, and organizations since 1958. Through the development of strong relationships, we provide client-focused accounting, consulting, tax, and digital services. Our clients benefit from personalized strategies with a local perspective to fuel success wherever business takes them. MNP's Climate Risk and Adaptation practice advises organizations on how to assess and respond to the physical risks associated with climate change. For more information, visit www.mnp.ca. Forward-Looking Statements Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, the "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, and is subject to numerous risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, many of which are beyond the Company's control. This forward-looking information includes, among other things, information with respect to the Company's beliefs, plans, expectations, anticipations, estimates and intentions. The words "may", "could", "should", "would", "suspect", "outlook", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "plan", "target" and similar words and expressions are used to identify forward-looking information, including the Company's expected product offerings, the functionalities of the AI Climate Risk Consumer Interface and the Company's expected growth opportunities. The forward-looking information in this news release describes the Company's expectations as of the date of this news release. The results or events anticipated or predicted in such forward-looking information may differ materially from actual results or events. Material factors which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, among others, the Company's ability to engage and retain qualified key personnel, employees and affiliates, the Company's ability to obtain capital and credit on reasonable terms, the Company's ability to compete and the Company's ability protect its intellectual property rights. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed a certain progression, which may not be realized. It has also been assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release represent the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, are 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. Media Contact media@aisix.ca Investor Relations investors@aisix.ca 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/247901 SOURCE: Aisix Solutions Inc. Proposal outlines vision for evolving the quality measurement ecosystem to support patient-centered, cost-effective, integrated care The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) today released recommendations for the Trump Administration and the 119th Congress to build a more transparent, integrated and interoperable health care system. The National Committee for Quality Assurance: Recommendations for the Trump Administration outlines a vision for evolving the current U.S. quality measurement ecosystem to support patient-driven, cost-effective, integrated care and highlights three key themes: alleviate chronic disease burden; create a digital health infrastructure to support health care innovation; and address the behavioral health crisis. "For 35 years, NCQA has worked to improve health care quality through measurement, transparency, and accountability," said NCQA President Margaret E. O'Kane. "We believe that advancements in quality measurement, care integration and interoperability are needed to create a more efficient and accountable health care system and urge the new administration to prioritize innovative care and payment models that align incentives with improved patient outcomes." Optimize Value-Based Care & Alternative Payment Models to Alleviate Chronic Disease The U.S. health care system is fragmented and difficult to navigate, making decision-making both time-consuming and expensive. This issue is pronounced for the 133 million Americans living with chronic disease. While digital health technologies have the potential to improve communication, coordination, and care management, without appropriate integration and standardization, care may become even more fragmented. To address these issues, NCQA recommends that the administration expands the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) commitment to ensure that all Medicare beneficiaries are in value-based arrangements by 2030. Additionally, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation's (CMMI) new leadership create models that prioritize integration through technology and dynamic care plans, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) should introduce Medicare Advantage Star Ratings metrics that promotes standardized data exchange, and HHS should prioritize more effective use of patient-generated data, including person-reported outcomes measures. Create a Lasting Digital Health Infrastructure to Support Health Care Innovation While the availability of electronic health data has grown, the use and exchange of such data to foster health care innovation is impeded by misaligned policy incentives and payment programs. Stronger support from the administration, through government payment programs, can drive industry implementation, accelerate data exchange and stimulate innovation. To address these issues, NCQA recommends that HHS expedites adoption of a digital quality measures (dQM) reporting architecture, develops a comprehensive health care data quality framework that supports a digital health data exchange ecosystem, and accelerates alignment with the CMS Universal Foundation across HHS quality reporting and value-based payment programs. Address the Behavioral Health Crisis More than 20% of American adults live with mental illness, and recent estimates place the resulting economic strain at over $280 billion. To address this crisis, we must strengthen efforts by increasing funding for fundamental quality improvement, establish national standards, and advance technology. To address these issues, NCQA recommends that the administration work with Congress to incentivize behavioral health provider adoption of certified EHRs, expand access to medication for opioid use disorder as first-line, evidence-based treatment, and support states in evaluating prevention, treatment and recovery efforts through development, collection and reporting of opioid use disorder quality measures. Additionally, NCQA recommends that the administration instructs HHS to fund creation of a quality measures framework for substance use disorder care, require independent accreditation for SAMHSA's Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers certification, and urges the administration to collaborate with Congress to finalize policies that ensure telehealth and virtual care become permanent fixtures of American health care. "The U.S. health care system faces numerous challenges including high costs, access to care, and varying degrees of quality of care," said NCQA Vice President Federal Affairs Eric Musser. "By leveraging NCQA's expertise, evidence-based practices, and resources, the new administration could make significant strides in addressing the systemic issues within the U.S. healthcare system, ultimately leading to a more efficient use of resources, and better health outcomes for all Americans. We look forward to working with the new administration to realize our common goals." NCQA is eager to collaborate with the Trump administration as it drives innovation and works to create a more cohesive, less fragmented experience for all stakeholders across the American health care ecosystem. Read NCQA's complete recommendation to the Trump administration: https://www.ncqa.org/trump-recommendations. About NCQA NCQA is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA Accredits and Certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also Recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA's Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQA's website (ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers, employers and others make informed health care choices. NCQA can also be found at X @ncqa and on LinkedIn. # # # SOURCE: NCQA The leading national nonprofit devoted to computer access partners with AT&T and Chicanos Por La Causa Parenting Arizona to connect families in six Arizona communities with 120 computers, giving them access to educational and employment resources. Digitunity, a national nonprofit with a mission to make computer ownership possible for everyone, announced today that it has begun distributing 120 laptop computers to families across six rural Arizona communities, in partnership with AT&T and Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC) Parenting Arizona. This effort is part of Digitunity's AT&T Rural project , designed to increase access to digital services by providing free and low-cost computers to rural families who lacked such devices. It demonstrates Digitunity's commitment to addressing the digital divide through partnering with trusted community-based organizations to deliver solutions and shape systems to eliminate barriers to computer ownership and empower people with digital opportunity. In this initiative, the Digitunity AT&T Rural project has partnered with the CPLC Parenting Arizona initiative to provide computers to families with children from prenatal to 5 years old. The new computers will enable the young families to participate in virtual visits with Parent Educators, access online healthcare resources, and engage with educational activities essential to their children's early development. "As more services like appointment scheduling and applications shift online, computers become a critical bridge for families to access these resources," said Jennifer Goodall, program director at CPLC Parenting Arizona. "Some families may need more guidance in using technology, while others simply need the tools to help themselves." By bringing digital tools into homes, Digitunity and its partners are addressing an urgent need in Arizona. More than 340,000 households - about 12% of the state - do not own a large-screen computing device. And nearly one-quarter of the state's residents said a lack of access to computers or other digital devices prevented them from using the internet, according to Arizona's Digital Equity Plan. "Families in the rural parts of Arizona have two different obstacles: a gap in resources and a method to access the resources available," said Renato Ramos, associate director at CPLC Parenting Arizona. "Every family has strengths that our teams focus on to help families navigate whatever situation they may be facing. Having a computer to find a job, update information for their kids' school, or anything else they can work through themselves, helps to build upon these strengths and that feeling of pride in themselves." The initiative is already underway, with CPLC Parenting Arizona staff beginning laptop distribution in late March 2025 via its established Home Visitation program. The project will deliver 75 laptops to La Paz-Mohave, 23 to Sierra Vista, 10 to Flagstaff, six to Globe, and six to Hopi. Through the home visits, CPLC staff will help families build valuable digital skills and connect to essential support services for parents and children. For families in CPLC's Home Visitation program, the laptops will allow them to conduct virtual visits with Parent Educators, participate in monthly group connections on topics like dental health and child nutrition, and access developmental activities for children up to age 5. This evidence-based program helps children develop a strong foundation for kindergarten. For families in CPLC's Family Support Coordination program, the laptops represent pathways to self-sufficiency. Parents can now more easily apply for employment, complete online GED courses, conduct virtual check-ins with coordinators, and research and access essential services like WIC, SNAP, and housing assistance. Through collaborations like this project, Digitunity continues to advance its mission of eliminating barriers to digital opportunity. By equipping people with computers and devices they lack, Digitunity, AT&T, and CPLC Parenting Arizona empower families with the means to succeed in the modern digital economy. For more information about Digitunity's programs and initiatives, visit www.digitunity.org. About Digitunity Digitunity is a national nonprofit organization with a mission to make owning a computer possible for everyone. For over 40 years, Digitunity has been engaged in the work of shaping and strengthening systems to address the computer needs of those impacted by the digital divide. Through generating and placing donated computers with organizations serving people in need, supporting a national practitioner network, and providing strategic advisory support to states and cities, Digitunity works to create sustainable solutions that make computer ownership possible for all. Contact Information Maria Penaloza maria.penaloza@newswire.com SOURCE: Digitunity Baker Tilly: Client background Marion Body Works is an independent, family owned and operated manufacturer of cost competitive, specialized equipment located in Marion, Wisconsin. Marion Body Works manufacturers rescue and fire apparatus, commercial van bodies, truck cabs, military platforms and custom engineered vehicles. The business challenge Marion Body Works critical business information was fragmented around the company, stored on separate computers using inconsistent software and file types, making it time intensive to compile comprehensive reports. If one data point changed while the report was being compiled, the whole process had to restart. The process cost too much time in labor and external contractors, which resulted in reports that were often riddled with errors. They were also spending a significant amount of time and money pulling together data from different departments to measure monthly progress towards their annual goals. Strategy and solution Baker Tilly designed an ideal data warehouse modeled around the client's business processes, regardless of what software those processes ran on. The new system focused on streamlining the financial information, including sales, costs and transactions, which would provide useful information for other departments. We then identified what financial data would be required for monthly report automation and several metrics from the monthly report that could easily be checked to ensure there was no loss of information during the extract, transform and load (ETL) process from the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to the initial automated report. Baker Tilly implemented solutions to: Extract data that was already electronically recorded in software or applications within the company Reverse-engineer excel formulas and calculations to be more efficient and calculate on-demand Recreate or extract any manually entered information needed for the new, real-time executive report The new system allowed managers to compile automated, accurate reports from multiple data sources daily, saving staff time and additional work. The executive team had access to updated reports to view progress toward its financial goals daily, without tying up extra manpower. For the monthly reports, once the numbers from the executive report were confirmed with past Marion reports, Baker Tilly made those data points available in a self-service business intelligence (BI) tool which enabled the IT staff at Marion to drive sets of data into their Business Management Platform. These departments were also able to drill down in the data to see the underlying drivers, empowering them to improve the metrics tracked by the Executive team. Contact a Baker Tilly specialist to learn more. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Baker Tilly on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Baker Tilly Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/baker-tilly Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Baker Tilly Powency Product Line Ramping Up as New Technology Scales for Production ITEN, a leading innovator and industrial player in the development and production of Surface-Mount Device (SMD) Solid-State Batteries (SBBs) for electronic markets, today unveiled a major advancement in energy storage. ITEN's latest SSB achieves an unprecedented 200C discharge rate (200 times the battery's capacity per hour) -100 times higher than conventional Li-ion batteries-setting a new benchmark for miniaturized energy storage. This technology is now being manufactured at scale to build the Powency product family, with the company's high-volume production capabilities ready to meet growing demand for IoT and other connected devices across various industries. "Our breakthrough solid-state battery technology, driven by ITEN's advanced expertise in nanomaterials, is redefining energy management in electronic devices," said Vincent Cobee, CEO of ITEN. "With industry-leading power density and full manufacturing readiness, we are solving some of the IoT sector's most pressing challenges. Our technology is also driving innovation in wearables, healthcare devices, and more, setting a new standard for power efficiency and reliability." With over 100 customers across various industries already sampling ITEN batteries and designing connected devices with ITEN's technology, the Powency products are now qualified for full-scale production in the second half of 2025. ITEN's Dardilly pilot line has the capacity to produce more than 30 million batteries per year, with ongoing plans to launch a high-capacity manufacturing facility by 2028 to meet increasing market demand. Leveraging Nanomaterials for High-Performance Solutions This technological advancement is based on ITEN's unique expertise in nanomaterials to engineer full-ceramic electrodes featuring a patented mesoporous structure that significantly enhances their specific surface area. This scalable technology delivers an unmatched combination of power density, recharge speed, safety and reliability. ITEN is currently transforming energy solutions for industries by providing very small, efficient, and long-lasting power sources. This innovation enables new possibilities for a wide range of end markets, reducing dependence on traditional energy storage technologies and offering more sustainable and reliable alternatives. Unmatched Performance for High-Power IoT Applications and Beyond ITEN's Powency product family of solid-state batteries is designed for high power density, ideal for delivering rapid energy bursts in wireless sensor applications. The 200C discharge rate is demonstrated by the Powency 150 microampere-hours (Ah) model with an 18 mm footprint, translating into peak current capabilities of 30 milliamps (mA) for 50-millisecond pulse lengths. All Powency batteries will leverage this high-power density attribute to provide the electronics market with area-optimized batteries delivering bursts of current capable of supporting cellular Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) communications. Conventional Li-ion batteries typically support discharge rates of 2C to 5C, limiting their ability to handle high-power applications. ITEN's proprietary solid-state battery technology overcomes this constraint, making it an ideal energy buffer when paired with energy harvesters. With their unique power density attribute, these batteries enable instant power delivery, making them particularly suitable for asset tracking, smart homes and buildings, smart agriculture, metering, remote controls, and wireless sensors. This innovation also enables hybrid architectures where primary batteries are paired with a Powency device to improve the cost, lifespan, and sustainability of IoT and other connected devices. Beyond IoT, ITEN is also developing the next generation of SMD solid-state batteries for wearables, consumer and healthcare applications, designed to offer high capacity and energy density for demanding use cases. Thanks to its solid-state technology, ITEN's Powency batteries retain at least 50% of their capacity at -20C, whereas conventional Li-ion batteries typically lose 80-90% of their capacity. Additionally, the Powency batteries boast a longer cycle life, enduring up to 250 cycles at 100% depth of discharge at 70C, and recharge quickly reaching 80% capacity typically in 6 minutes. ITEN's full control over the manufacturing process allows the company to create customized battery designs tailored to specific applications. Enhanced Safety Higher Sustainability ITEN's solid-state battery technology provides enhanced intrinsic safety, eliminating risks of fire, thermal runaway, or ignition. In addition to superior performance, ITEN's SSBs offer a more sustainable alternative to traditional coin-cell batteries. Their long-lasting, rechargeable design helps reduce battery waste, while the ITEN production process excludes the use of cobalt and heavy solvents. ITEN's batteries are free of hazardous materials and comply with RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) and REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals), two key European Union environmental regulations focused on chemical safety and environmental protection. The environmentally responsible manufacturing process also operates at low temperatures, minimizing its ecological footprint. About ITEN: ITEN is a global leader in solid-state batteries, pioneering high-power, miniaturized energy storage solutions. With over 200 patents and deep expertise in solid-state technology, ITEN is one of the very few companies worldwide with full industrial production capabilities. The company serves industries requiring compact, high-performance energy storage, including IoT, smart sensors, and wearables. Based in Dardilly, France, ITEN is a two-time winner of the Global Innovation Competition and a French Tech 120 laureate, as well as a recipient of the CES 2024 Best of Innovation Award. By the end of 2022, ITEN had secured 80 million in funding. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250409903719/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Camille Dufour International PR Consulting camille.prconsulting@gmail.com Mobile: +33 (0) 6 79 49 51 43 Bulk Sample Program to Deliver Pre-feasibility Data and Derisk Mine Development Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2025) - Galleon Gold Corp. (TSXV: GGO) (FSE: 3H90) (the "Company" or "Galleon Gold") is pleased to announce a major advancement in the development of its 100%-owned West Cache Project in Timmins, Ontario ("West Cache" or the "Project"). The Company has received formal approval from Ontario's Ministry of Energy and Mines to proceed with an advanced exploration bulk sample program at the Project. The approval of the closure plan ("Closure Plan") is a key step in unlocking the full potential of this promising gold asset. David Russell, President and CEO of Galleon Gold commented, "We are very pleased to have reached this important milestone for the West Cache Project. This approval is a testament to the tremendous effort from our team and the experts at the Ministry of Energy and Mines. We are grateful for the continued support of our local Indigenous communities, the town of Timmins and the Ontario government. With this approval in hand, we are now poised to advance surface work and begin pre-development activities. We look forward to providing updates accordingly." Closure Plan Approval - Key Step for West Cache On April 9, 2025, the Company received confirmation that Ontario's Ministry of Energy and Mines has accepted and filed the Closure Plan for the West Cache Project. This approval allows the Company to initiate an advanced exploration program that includes the extraction of an 86,500-tonne bulk sample. The bulk sample is expected to grade 8.13 g/t gold and to contain an estimated 22,600 ounces of gold (before recoveries). The data obtained from this underground exploration, including drilling, mining methods, and mill processing, will be integral for pre-feasibility studies and will play a key role in derisking the Project's progression toward future mine development. The Closure Plan is a comprehensive document covering project construction, mining plans, baseline characterization studies, rehabilitation and reclamation plans, and site monitoring programs to be implemented throughout advanced exploration activities and after closure. Looking Ahead With the bulk sample approval, Galleon Gold is now positioned to begin site preparation, surface work and pre-development activities at the Project. The Company will be providing updates as work progresses throughout the bulk sample program. Technical Content and Qualified Person The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by West Cache Gold Project Manager Leah Page, P. Geo. (GNS #217) a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About Galleon Gold Galleon Gold is an advanced exploration and development company focused on the West Cache Gold Project in Timmins, Ontario. The West Cache Gold Project is located 7 km northeast of Pan American Silver's Timmins West Mine and 14 km southwest of Newmont's Hollinger Mine. The Company's Closure Plan for an 86,500-tonne underground bulk sample has been accepted and initial work at the Project site will commence accordingly. For further information: Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain "forward looking statements", as defined under applicable Canadian securities laws, that reflect the current views and/or expectations of Galleon Gold with respect to its long-term strategy, proposed work, plans, bulk sample program and other reports including the PEA for its projects. Forward-looking statements are based on the then-current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about the business and the markets in which Galleon Gold operates. Some of the statements contained herein may be forward-looking statements which involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization and resources, exploration results, expectations, plans, and objectives of Galleon Gold are forward-looking statements that involve various risks. The following are important factors that could cause Galleon Gold's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements: changes in the world-wide price of mineral commodities, general market conditions and uncertainty of access to additional capital, risks inherent in mineral exploration, delays in the receipt of government approvals, risks associated with development, construction, mining operations and third party contractor activities, risks related to unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events may differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Galleon Gold undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/247909 SOURCE: Galleon Gold Corp. DUBAI, UAE, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bybit , the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, will be actively supporting the SuiHub-AUS program in launching the Blockathon 2025: AI for Decentralized Autonomy - a nationwide hackathon designed to empower students to lead the next wave of AI and blockchain innovation through Agent2Agent technologies. Additional ecosystem partners include Ghaf Capital. Applications are now open to all full-time university students across the UAE, offering a unique opportunity to explore how AI-powered Agent2Agent transactions can enable seamless, autonomous interactions within decentralized systems and real-world environments. The initiative features two expert-led workshops, technical mentoring, and culminates in a live pitch competition at Basecamp Dubai. Participants will gain hands-on experience in blockchain development, go-to-market strategies, and direct access to industry leaders and tools shaping the future of Web3. Teams will compete to build creative, original solutions. All registered participants will attend a series of workshops, with top shortlisted teams advancing to deliver final pitches at Sui Basecamp. Hackathon Schedule: April 11, 2025 : Workshop 1 - Introduction to the Move Language : Workshop 1 - April 16, 2025 : Workshop 2 - Go-to-Market Strategy : Workshop 2 - April 17, 2025 : Hackathon Kick-off : Hackathon Kick-off May 2, 2025: Final Demo Day (10:00 AM - 1:00 PM) Participants will benefit from: Internship opportunities at Bybit, SuiHub, and Ghaf Capital Mentorship and technical support Access to SuiHub blockchain tools and developer infrastructure Exposure to VC and startup ecosystems in the UAE "Bybit is proud to stand at the intersection of education, innovation, and real-world application," said Michelle D, UAE Country Manager at Bybit. "We believe Blockathon 2025 is a powerful platform to empower young minds and accelerate the adoption of AI and blockchain across the UAE." "The 2025 Blockathon marks a pivotal step in preparing the next generation for the era of decentralized autonomy. In collaboration with SuiHub, and with Bybit and Ghaf Labs as ecosystem partners, AUS is proud to create a launchpad where students gain hands-on experience in AI and blockchain innovation that truly matters," commented Dr. Imran Zualkernan, Professor and Head of Computer Science and Engineering at the AUS. Bybit / TheCryptoArk About Bybit Bybit is the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 60 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com . For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com For updates, please follow: Bybit's Communities and Social Media Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube About SuiHub SuiHub is a premier blockchain innovation hub specializing in ecosystem development and offering both acceleration and youth programs. Powered by the SUI Network, SuiHub offers cutting-edge resources and expertise to enable startups and enterprises to harness the full potential of blockchain technology. With a global footprint and a deep commitment to fostering innovation, SuiHub bridges the gap between visionary ideas and real-world impact. About AUS American University of Sharjah was founded in 1997 by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Sharjah. Sheikh Sultan articulated his vision of a distinctive institution against the backdrop of Islamic history and in the context of the aspirations and needs of contemporary society in the UAE and the Gulf region. Firmly grounded in principles of meritocracy and with a strong reputation for academic excellence, AUS has come to represent the very best in teaching and research, accredited internationally and recognized by employers the world over for creating graduates equipped with the knowledge, skills and drive to lead in the 21st century. AUS values learners not driven only by academic success, but by those that embrace our dynamic campus life and embody our ideals of openness, tolerance and respect. This combination of academic excellence and community spirit ensures AUS is filled with world-class faculty and students, poised to become the innovators, thinkers, contributors and leaders of tomorrow. For more information, please visit the website . For media inquiries, please contact mediaoffice@aus.edu Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2661053/Bybit_supports_2025_SuiHub_AUS_Blockathon_UAE_Students.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2267288/Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/bybit-supports-the-2025-suihub-aus-blockathon-for-uae-students-302424673.html Regulatory News: Clariane (CLARI.PA ISIN: FR0010386334) informs its shareholders that a Combined General Meeting (the "General Meeting") of the Company will take place on Wednesday 14 May 2025 at 2 p.m. in the meeting room Apostrophe, located at 83 avenue Marceau, 75016 Paris. The prior notice of the General Meeting containing the agenda, the draft resolutions presented by the Board of Directors and the description of the participation and voting arrangements for the General Meeting, was published in the Bulletin des Annonces Legales Obligatoires no. 43 of 9 April 2025. The information regarding the General Meeting mentioned in Article R. 22-10-23 of the French Commercial Code can be found on the Company's website at the following address: www.clariane.com, in the "Investors" section, under "Shareholders", "General Meetings" and then "2025 The documents and the information mentioned in Articles R. 225-81 and R. 225-83 of the French Commercial Code can be sent to the shareholders upon request to Uptevia, Service Assemblees Generales Centralisees 90-110 Esplanade du General de Gaulle 92931 Paris La Defense Cedex, France (centralising institution appointed by Clariane). Shareholders will also be able to consult the documents at the Company's registered office located at 21-25, rue Balzac, 75008 Paris, France during the 15 days preceding the holding of the General Meeting. Next events: 24 April 2025 First quarter 2025 revenue 14 May 2025 Annual General Meeting About Clariane Clariane is the leading European community for care in times of vulnerability. It has operations in six countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. Relying on their diverse expertise, each year the Group's 60,000 professionals provide services to almost 900,000 patients and residents in three main areas of activity: long-term care nursing homes (Korian, Seniors Residencias, etc.), specialist healthcare facilities and services (Inicea, Ita, Grupo 5, Lebenswert, etc.), and alternative living solutions (Petits-fils, Ages&Vie etc.). In June 2023, Clariane became a purpose-driven company and added a new corporate purpose, common to all its activities, to its articles of association: "To take care of each person's humanity in times of vulnerability". Clariane has been listed on Euronext Paris, Section B since November 2006. The Group joined the SBF 120 index and the CAC SBT 1.5 index on 23 September 2024. Euronext ticker: CLARI.PA ISIN: FR0010386334 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250409627180/en/ Contacts: Investor contacts Stephane Bisseuil Head of Investor Relations +33 (0) 6 58 60 68 69 stephane.bisseuil@clariane.com Benoit Lesieur Deputy head of Investor Relations ESG Benoit.lesieur@clariane.com Press contacts Julie Mary Press Officer 06 59 72 50 69 julie.mary@clariane.com Florian Bachelet Press Officer 06 79 86 78 23 florian.bachelet@clariane.com Regulatory News: The Board of Directors of Remy Cointreau (Paris:RCO), chaired by Marie-Amelie de Leusse, announces that it has duly noted the resignation of Eric Vallat from his position as Chief Executive Officer, effective this summer. After more than five years at the helm of the Group's Executive Management, Eric Vallat has decided to dedicate himself to a new professional project. A selection process is already underway to appoint, as soon as possible, the person who will succeed him and continue, with a fresh perspective, the Group's value-driven strategy, while building on the solid foundations established over the years. Marie-Amelie de Leusse, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors, will oversee the transition period, ensuring the continuity of the Group's operations and the proper implementation of the strategic direction. Marie-Amelie de Leusse, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors, said: "On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to Eric for his commitment, leadership, and strategic vision. Over the past five years, marked by Covid, a period of exceptional growth, and more recently a volatile economic and geopolitical environment, Eric has successfully maintained the course of a long-term value-driven strategy. Under his leadership, the Group implemented a portfolio strategy that enabled us to gain market share for our liqueurs spirits division, develop an efficient and effective digital plan, and strengthen the transition to sustainable development. We wish him every success in his future endeavors." Eric Vallat said: "It is with immense gratitude and deep emotion that I reflect on my journey at Remy Cointreau. I will be leaving the Group with the sense of having strengthened its foundations, and I am convinced that my future successor will be able to rely on strong brands to prepare for the recovery and give new momentum to our value strategy. My commitment will remain total until my official departure date to ensure a successful transition. I would like to warmly thank all the employees with whom I had the pleasure of working over the past five exciting years, the Board of Directors to whom I owe much, and the Executive Committee who supported me throughout my tenure." In accordance with applicable regulations and the recommendations of the AFEP-MEDEF Corporate Governance Code, the terms and conditions of CEO's departure compensation will be submitted to shareholders at the next general meeting. About Remy Cointreau All around the world, there are clients seeking exceptional experiences; clients for whom a wide range of terroirs means a variety of flavors. Their exacting standards are proportional to our expertise the finely-honed skills that we pass down from generation to generation. The time these clients devote to drinking our products is a tribute to all those who have worked to develop them. It is for these men and women that Remy Cointreau, a family-owned French Group, protects its terroirs, cultivates exceptional multi-centenary spirits and undertakes to preserve their eternal modernity. The Group's portfolio includes 14 singular brands, such as the Remy Martin and LOUIS XIII cognacs, and Cointreau liqueur. Remy Cointreau has a single ambition: becoming the world leader in exceptional spirits. To this end, it relies on the commitment and creativity of its 1,943 employees and on its distribution subsidiaries established in the Group's strategic markets. Remy Cointreau is listed on Euronext Paris. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250409855840/en/ Contacts: Investor relations: Celia d'Everlange investor-relations@remy-cointreau.com Media relations: Melissa Levine press@remy-cointreau.com EQS-News: TRATON SE / Schlagwort(e): Sonstiges Erweiterung des TRATON-Vorstands 26.11.2024 / 14:00 CET/CEST Fur den Inhalt der Mitteilung ist der Emittent / Herausgeber verantwortlich. IR-Mitteilung Erweiterung des TRATON-Vorstands Niklas Klingenberg wird neues Vorstandsmitglied von TRATON Starkere Umsetzung der Unternehmensstrategie TRATON Way Forward Fokus auf Etablierung des TRATON Modular Systems Munchen, 26. November 2024 - Durch die Erweiterung des Vorstands mit Fokus auf Forschung & Entwicklung (F&E) ist TRATON ein weiterer wichtiger Schritt bei der Umsetzung der Strategie TRATON Way Forward gelungen. Der Aufsichtsrat des Unternehmens hat beschlossen, Niklas Klingenberg, Head of TRATON GROUP R&D, mit Wirkung zum 1. Januar 2025 in den Vorstand zu berufen. In seiner Funktion spielt Niklas Klingenberg eine Schlusselrolle beim Aufbau einer gruppenweiten F&E-Organisation, die alle Marken der TRATON GROUP durch die Entwicklung des TRATON Modular Systems unterstutzt. Seit dem 1. November 2023 fungiert Klingenberg als Head of Group R&D, zusatzlich zu seinen bisherigen Aufgaben als Chief Technology Officer (CTO) sowie Head of R&D von Scania. Vor einigen Monaten ubergab er seine Position bei Scania an Sara Forsberg, um sich bei TRATON ganz auf den wichtigen Ubergang zu einer gruppenweiten F&E-Organisation konzentrieren zu konnen. Die Berufung Klingenbergs zum Vorstand der TRATON SE verdeutlicht das strategische Engagement des Aufsichtsrats, eine starke globale Gruppe aufzubauen, die in der Lage ist, einen beispiellosen Kundenwert in einem sich schnell verandernden Logistik-Okosystem zu liefern. Als Folge der Elektrifizierung, Automatisierung und Digitalisierung verwandelt sich die globale Transportbranche sowohl grundlegend als auch rasant: Das TRATON Modular System ist hier die Losung, und die Starkung des TRATON-Vorstands die logische Konsequenz. "Ich freue mich sehr, dass Niklas Klingenberg integraler Bestandteil des TRATON-Fuhrungsteams wird. Seine Ernennung zum Vorstand sendet ein wichtiges Signal innerhalb und auerhalb der Gruppe, als Zeichen unseres Engagements fur die Transformation des Transports", sagte Christian Levin, CEO der TRATON GROUP. "Dank seiner breiten technischen Expertise, seines hervorragenden Verstandnisses fur kooperative Fuhrung und seiner interkulturellen Erfahrung wird Niklas Klingenberg unsere Arbeit bereichern." Kontakt Ursula Querette Head of Investor Relations T +49 152 02152400 ursula.querette@traton.com Thomas Paschen Investor Relations T +49 170 9073494 thomas.paschen@traton.com TRATON SE Hanauer Strae 26 / 80992 Munchen / Deutschland www.traton.com Die TRATON SE als konzernleitende Holding der TRATON GROUP gehort mit ihren Marken Scania, MAN, International und Volkswagen Truck & Bus zu den weltweit fuhrenden Nutzfahrzeugherstellern. Das Produktportfolio der Gruppe umfasst Lkw, Busse und leichte Nutzfahrzeuge. "Transforming Transportation Together. For a sustainable world.": Mit dieser Absicht unterstreicht das Unternehmen den Anspruch, das Nutzfahrzeuggeschaft und das wirtschaftliche Wachstum der Gruppe nachhaltig zu pragen. 26.11.2024 CET/CEST Veroffentlichung einer Corporate News/Finanznachricht, ubermittelt durch EQS News - ein Service der EQS Group AG. Fur den Inhalt der Mitteilung ist der Emittent / Herausgeber verantwortlich. Die EQS Distributionsservices umfassen gesetzliche Meldepflichten, Corporate News/Finanznachrichten und Pressemitteilungen. Medienarchiv unter https://eqs-news.com BH Macro Limited - Transaction in Own Shares PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, April 09 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 09 April 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: 09 April 2025 Number of ordinary shares purchased: 148,042 Lowest price per share (pence) 394.00 Highest price per share (pence) 396.00 Trading venue London Aggregate volume per date per trading venue: 148,042 Weighted average price per day per trading venue (pence): 395.6383 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 336,149,294 Sterling Shares 39,591,417 Sterling Shares 27,132,086 Dollar Shares Nil Dollar Shares From 09 April 2025, the total number of voting rights in the Company (rounded up to the whole number) is 515,112,276 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 Saildrone Denmark will facilitate European operations and support US-allied nations at a critical time for regional maritime security. Saildrone, the global leader in maritime autonomy, today announced it is establishing a European subsidiary in Denmark, to address the urgent need for maritime domain awareness in European waters. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250409831747/en/ The 10-meter (33-foot) Voyager is one of three unmanned platforms designed, manufactured, and operated by Saildrone. Each of the three USV models has been developed to balance mission payload flexibility and endurance. The Voyager is specifically designed to meet maritime defense and security challenges ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance), law enforcement, drug interdiction, border and harbor security, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Announced at the Maritime Industry Symposium at the Danish Embassy in Washington, DC, Saildrone Denmark will be a European entity, based in Copenhagen, Denmark. This strategic expansion reflects Saildrone's commitment to supporting European allies in enhancing maritime situational awareness through advanced autonomous technologies. "Given the recent sabotage of critical undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, the need for permanent maritime domain awareness has never been greater," said Richard Jenkins, Saildrone founder and CEO. "I am delighted to announce the establishment of Saildrone Denmark to facilitate our European operations and support allied nations, at this critical time for regional maritime security." With increasing geopolitical tensions and rising activity in the Baltic Sea, the need for persistent maritime intelligence is paramount. Saildrone unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) offer unmatched endurance and resilience, capable of operating autonomously for extended durations in the world's harshest maritime environments. Equipped with a suite of advanced sensors, these systems deliver real-time ISR above and below the surface-enabling the detection of anomalous behavior, monitoring of vessel traffic, and the protection of national interests in strategically sensitive waters. In addition to surface surveillance, Saildrone vehicles will conduct detailed ocean floor mapping, delivering a critical advantage in monitoring and securing subsea infrastructure such as pipelines, communication cables, and offshore energy platforms. Pairing high-resolution seafloor imagery with proprietary machine learning algorithms enables early detection of potential threats or anomalies, enhancing Europe's ability to safeguard its undersea assets against both conventional and hybrid threats. Denmark is uniquely situated in the center of the European maritime environment, with coastlines on both the Baltic and North Seas. Saildrone Denmark will be the hub for all European operations, employing local staff to provide support, training, and mission planning capabilities to regional customers and partners. About Saildrone Saildrone is a maritime defense and oceanographic survey company creating a paradigm shift in how navies, law enforcement, civil government, and commercial organizations obtain the real-time, accurate data required to monitor and protect our oceans. Saildrone's fleet of uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) carries purpose-built payloads supporting border protection, critical infrastructure security, hydrographic survey, offshore energy, and metocean monitoring. Powered by renewable wind and solar energy, Saildrone USVs provide long-duration operations measured in months, not days. Proprietary software applications and machine learning technology transform collected data into actionable insights and intelligence. Saildrone has sailed more than 1,600,000 nautical miles from the High North to the Southern Ocean and spent over 46,000 days at sea in the harshest ocean conditions on the planet. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250409831747/en/ Contacts: Jenn Virskus Director Marketing, Saildrone Office: (510) 956-8361 jenn.virskus@saildrone.com Kia Design returns to Milan Design Week for third consecutive year, providing a platform for artistic expression and cultural exchange Works by artists Philippe Parreno and A.A. Murakami curated to reflect the brand's 'Opposites United' design philosophy ' Marquee', 'The Cave', 'Beyond the Horizon' and 'The Eclipse' deliver a sensory journey echoing the evolution of Kia's design philosophy Exhibition runs from April 7-13 at Museo della Permanente in Milan, Italy MILAN, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Kia Design has introduced the theme of its Milan Design Week 2025 exhibition, Opposites United: Eclipse of Perceptions, in collaboration with internationally acclaimed artists Philippe Parreno and A.A. Murakami (Azusa Murakami and Alexander Groves). This year's exhibition continues Kia's commitment to cultural exchange and creative exploration. Focusing on the brand's evolving transformation - rooted in its core cultural values and creative identity - the event sparks conversations that challenge and inspire both Kia Design and the global creative community. By bringing together visionary artists such as Philippe Parreno and A.A. Murakami, alongside Kia Design and other prominent members of the global creative community, the exhibition aims to offer an interactive experience where visitors can engage with the ideas, philosophies, and expressions that shape contemporary creativity. Since its first participation in Milan Design Week in 2023, Kia Design has sought to support art and culture by providing a platform for artists to express their interpretations of the brand's design philosophy, 'Opposites United'. Participating artists collaborate on experimental approaches, expressing the 'Opposites United' theme through their works or performances, creating resonant experiences for visiting audiences. The Eclipse A central stage for performances and talk sessions, 'The Eclipse' features tiered seating reminiscent of the Colosseum, with content projected onto a layered system of shades. In this space, the audience is encouraged to become active participants, immersed in the content and interpreting it subjectively, rather than simply remaining as observers. Eclipses have held significant scientific, religious, and cultural meanings throughout human history. These celestial events have inspired us to dream, look beyond our own existence, predict the future and advance our technologies. Opposites United: Eclipse of Perceptions uses the space to embody the story of Kia Design, and its ambition to evolve relentlessly, through dramatic staging and spatial transformations. The audience serves as witnesses to a rare and exceptional moment, joining as active participants at each instance of delight and contemplation. Philippe Parreno One of the most internationally influential French artists of the last 25 years, Philippe Parreno works across a diverse range of media, including film, music, sculpture, drawing, and performance. Adopting languages and codes from a variety of media, Parreno's work questions the boundary between reality and fiction, exploring the space where the real and imagined intersect. Parreno encourages audiences to reconsider how they engage with the real and the imagined, prompting a deeper reflection on the nature of experience itself. Marquee Located at the exhibition's entrance, Parreno's Marquee exemplifies the cultural vanguard by revitalizing the historical marquee concept in the context of contemporary art. By blurring the lines between architecture, design, and performance, the work transcends its origins as a cinema frontage, with the text-free work instead focusing on light and form. Ephemeral light, spatial interaction, and performative illumination shape a dynamic experience, elevating the marquee from a mere object to a reflection on the evolving interplay of past and present. A.A.Murakami Established in 2020 by Azusa Murakami and Alexander Groves, A.A. Murakami creates immersive installations that blend science and art. The ongoing Ephemeral Tech series combines innovative technology with ethereal materials and states of matter to create sensory experiences and unnatural phenomena. A.A. Murakami's work has been featured at the Venice Art and Architecture Biennales and is part of permanent collections at MoMA in New York, the Pompidou Centre in Paris, Vitra Design Museum in Germany, and M+ in Hong Kong. Murakami and Groves' experimental design practice, Studio Swine, has also received awards at major global festivals, including Cannes. The Cave A.A. Murakami's The Cave fuses primal and technological elements to highlight humanity's enduring creative impulse. A large-scale automaton with robotic limbs, representing cutting-edge technology, interacts with ancient instruments crafted from replicas of ancient animal bones. The juxtaposition represents relentless exploration, with the limbs emerging from a pool of water before activating bellows to blow air through the instruments, creating an ethereal soundscape that fills the space. The immersive red light and still water environment push sensory boundaries, reflecting the work's concept as a meditation on life's defiance of entropy and sparking intellectual curiosity. The installation poses profound questions about the endurance of human creativity and meaning in the face of existential uncertainty. Through its ephemeral performance, The Cave underscores A.A. Murakami's pursuit of capturing a unique moment - not by replicating the past or present, but by relentlessly combining and reimagining elements to forge a new path. Beyond The Horizon Beyond the Horizon is the second work by A.A. Murakami featured within Opposites United: Eclipse of Perceptions. The display showcases giant, amorphous bubbles emerging from hanging automata and transforming into clouds. Pushing the boundaries of traditional sculpture and installation, the work explores ephemeral, performative, and interactive dimensions. The use of mechanical devices to create organic, ever-changing forms reflects a willingness to experiment with unconventional materials and technologies, a hallmark of creative risk-taking. The unpredictable nature of the bubbles - sometimes random, sometimes synchronized - introduces an element of chance, embracing the inherent risk in working with dynamic, uncontrolled systems. The immersive environment, with its elevated walkway, hazy atmosphere, and floor covered with a thin layer of water to make it reflective, further amplifies the viewer's experience, creating a sense of wonder and encouraging interaction with the artwork's unpredictability. Opposites United: Eclipse of Perceptions runs from April 7-13 at Museo della Permanente in Milan, Italy. Kia Corporation - about us Kia (www.kia.com) is a global mobility brand that is creating innovative, pioneering, and leading sustainable mobility solutions for consumers, communities, and societies around the world. As a Sustainable Mobility Solutions Provider, Kia is spearheading the popularization of electrified and battery-electric vehicles and developing a growing range of mobility services, encouraging people around the world to explore the best ways of getting around. Kia has been providing mobility solutions since 1944. With 52,000 employees worldwide, a presence in about 200 markets, and manufacturing facilities in six countries, the company today sells around three million vehicles a year. The company's brand slogan - 'Movement that inspires' - reflects Kia's commitment to inspiring consumers through its products, technologies, and services. For more information, visit the Kia Global Media Center at www.kianewscenter.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2661114/Kia_Design_Cave.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2661115/Kia_Design_Marquee.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2316606/5259812/KIA_LOGO.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/kia-design-presents-opposites-united-eclipse-of-perceptions-at-milan-design-week-2025-302424778.html USA News Group News Commentary Issued on behalf of Lake Victoria Gold Ltd. VANCOUVER, BC, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- USA News Group News Commentary - As tariff talks continue from the White House, gold prices rebounded back above $3,010 , signalling that markets still favor gold as the safe bet for any stagflation or recession. Major banks continue to lean bullish in where gold prices are headed, including HSBC, Bank of America, Standard Chartered, and Citigroup. The recent gold rally has attracted investors back to mining stocks , with gold mining ETFs signaling healthy inflow. Among the miners making moves, recent developments have come from Lake Victoria Gold (TSXV: LVG) (OTCQB: LVGLF), New Gold Inc. (NYSE-American: NGD) (TSX: NGD), Thor Explorations Ltd. (TSXV: THX) (OTCPK: THXPF), WESTGOLD RESOURCES LIMITED (TSX: WGX) (OTCPK: WGXRF), and Dakota Gold Corp. (NYSE-American: DC) The article continued: Analysts are beginning to raise their fair value estimates on mining stocks, as tailwinds support higher gold prices to come. According to VanEck, gold miners substantially outperformed in March , as surging prices sparked M&A activity and drove the largest monthly inflows in over a year. Lake Victoria Gold Ltd. Provides Update on Tembo Project Following Mining License Conversion Lake Victoria Gold (TSXV: LVG) (OTCQB: LVGLF), an emerging East African gold developer, today announced an update on the Company's Tembo Project, located in the Lake Victoria Goldfield of northern Tanzania, following the successful conversion of its Prospecting License into four Mining Licenses (MLs). The milestone marks a significant advancement in LVG's strategy to unlock the potential of Tembo, which has already benefited from over US$28 million in exploration expenditures, including 50,000 meters of diamond and RC drilling. The conversion from a Prospecting License to four Mining Licenses grants LVG the legal right to develop and produce from the Tembo Project. Key provisions include that each Mining License (ML) is valid for 10 years, with the option of a further 10-year renewal. "The approval of our Mining Licenses is a pivotal step forward for the Tembo Project," said Marc Cernovitch, President & CEO of Lake Victoria Gold. "We have always believed in the district-scale potential of this asset. With tenure now secured for the next 10 years, we can focus on evaluating the most efficient development options to unlock maximum shareholder value. This is a transformational moment for the Company and its stakeholders." Armed with data obtained from the already mentioned +$28 million already invested into exploration at this site in Tanzania, Lake Victoria Gold (LVG) has zeroed in on three high-priority targets showing impressive gold grades and real growth potential. At Ngula 1, drilling has revealed a 250-meter-wide zone made up of multiple gold-bearing structures that run at least 600 meters in length, and remain open for expansion both deeper and farther out. Some of the more exciting drill results here include hits like 3.13 grams per tonne (g/t) of gold over nearly 26 meters, and an especially rich interval of 22.18 g/t over 15 meters. These numbers point to both strong grade and size-two ingredients that matter when assessing the economic potential of a gold deposit. The Nyakagwe Village target is just as exciting. Here, multiple mineralized structures have produced gold grades as high as 78.1 g/t over one meter and 27.88 g/t over nearly four meters. These are high-grade zones that could feed either near-term mining efforts or future development plans. At Nyakagwe East, drilling has uncovered a 300-meter-wide zone with strong quartz veining and visible sulphide mineralization. Results include intercepts like 19.1 g/t over three meters and 10.25 g/t over 3.5 meters-once again reinforcing the project's high-grade profile. With Mining Licenses now secured, LVG is evaluating multiple options for how to move Tembo forward. First, there's real near-term production potential. Some of the shallow, high-grade areas could potentially be mined using open pits once a little more drilling is done, while nearby third-party facilities may allow the company to start producing gold without having to build its own plant right away. Longer term, LVG may still consider building a dedicated processing facility if production volumes justify it. On the exploration side, there's still plenty of runway for growth. A new drill program is being designed to follow up on historical high-grade hits and convert them into formal resource estimates. A recent study also identified 38 new exploration targets on the property-suggesting that the current high-grade zones might just be the beginning. More fieldwork is underway to test these areas for additional gold discoveries. Finally, LVG is keeping the door open for potential partnerships or strategic deals. The Tembo Project sits right next to Barrick's massive Bulyanhulu Mine, and the two companies already have a relationship. Back in 2021, LVG sold six non-core licenses to Barrick for $6 million in cash and up to $45 million more in potential contingent payments, which is essentially a bonus if Barrick finds gold on the ground it bought. That deal gave LVG funding to focus on Tembo, while still allowing it to benefit from discoveries made next door. Looking ahead, LVG now has fresh 10-year Mining Licenses at two promising assets. "We believe Tembo represents a rare opportunity to define a new gold camp in one of Tanzania's most historically productive districts," said Simon Benstead, Executive Chairman of Lake Victoria Gold. "With multiple exploration and development levers available to us, and a supportive regulatory environment, we're committed to responsibly unlocking the full value of this high-potential asset." CONTINUED Read this and more news for Lake Victoria Gold at: https://usanewsgroup.com/2025/04/02/with-funding-commitments-in-place-a-gold-mine-is-being-built-and-this-stock-is-still-under-0-20/ In other industry developments and happenings in the market include: New Gold Inc. (NYSE-American: NGD) (TSX: NGD) has agreed to acquire the remaining 19.9% free cash flow interest in its New Afton copper-gold mine from the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan for $300 million. The deal will be funded through a mix of available cash, a credit facility, and a gold prepayment arrangement that covers about 8% of New Gold's expected gold production over the next year. "This is an excellent transaction allowing New Gold to fully consolidate the free cash flow exposure to one of Canada's highest quality gold/copper assets, which we already own and operate," said New Gold president and CEO Patrick Godin. "This transaction allows us to grow in an exceptional location with no diligence or integration risk, and with no equity dilution to our shareholders." This move gives New Gold full 100% free cash flow exposure to New Afton, one of Canada's top-tier gold-copper assets. Godin also highlighted that with the ramp up of the C-Zone, New Afton is on the verge of exceptional production growth and cost improvement, which should lead to increased free cash flow generation. Thor Explorations Ltd. (TSXV: THX) (OTCPK: THXPF) recently reported strong full-year 2024 results , highlighted by 85,057 ounces of gold poured at its Segilola Gold Mine in Nigeria and the announcement of its maiden dividend. The company also advanced exploration across Nigeria, Senegal, and Cote d'Ivoire, with positive drill results at the Douta project and the discovery of a promising new zone at Baraka 3. "In 2025, the Group's strategy will be focussed on increasing shareholder value by extending the Segilola mine life and advancing the Douta Project in Senegal," said Segun Lawson, President and CEO of Thor Explorations. "At the same time, we are encouraged by the early exploration results on our newly assembled portfolio in Cote d'Ivoire. We look forward to advancing these projects through 2025." In Cote d'Ivoire, Thor expanded its presence with new acquisitions and began early-stage exploration on several permits. Looking ahead to 2025, Thor has guided for gold production between 85,000-95,000 ounces and plans to spend up to $17.5 million on exploration across West Africa. Backed by strong cash flow and a debt-free balance sheet, Thor is now positioned to self-fund its growth while returning capital to shareholders. WESTGOLD RESOURCES LIMITED (TSX: WGX) (OTCPK: WGXRF) has activated its ore purchase agreement with New Murchison Gold for the Crown Prince gold deposit in Western Australia. Under the deal, Westgold will acquire between 30,000 and 50,000 tonnes of ore per month from the deposit, located just 33km from its Bluebird processing facility in Meekatharra. Ore shipments must meet a minimum gold grade of 1.5 g/t and will be transported by road for processing as part of Westgold's Murchison operations. This agreement strengthens Westgold's regional ore supply as it continues to evaluate long-term growth options across its Western Australia asset base. Dakota Gold Corp. (NYSE-American: DC) has closed a $35 million financing , bringing its total cash position to over $47 million and fully funding the company through the completion of a Feasibility Study for its Richmond Hill Oxide Heap Leach Gold Project. Richmond Hill is one of the largest undeveloped gold resources in the U.S. being advanced by a junior, with the next key milestone being the release of an Initial Assessment with Cash Flow (IACF) in mid-2025. Drilling is set to resume in April, as the company progresses toward potential production by 2029 in a favorable U.S. permitting environment. Article Source: https://usanewsgroup.com/2025/04/02/with-funding-commitments-in-place-a-gold-mine-is-being-built-and-this-stock-is-still-under-0-20/ CONTACT: USA NEWS GROUP info@usanewsgroup.com (604) 265-2873 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this publication should be considered as personalized financial advice. We are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular financial situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision. This is a paid advertisement and is neither an offer nor recommendation to buy or sell any security. We hold no investment licenses and are thus neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. The content in this report or email is not provided to any individual with a view toward their individual circumstances. USA News Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Market IQ Media Group, Inc. ("MIQ"). This article is being distributed for Baystreet.ca media corp, who has been paid a fee for an advertising contract with the company (333,333 unrestricted shares received via DRS from the company direct) MIQ has not been paid a fee for Lake Victoria Gold Ltd. advertising or digital media, but the owner/operators of MIQ also own Baystreet.ca Media Corp. There may also be 3rd parties who may have shares of Lake Victoria Gold Ltd., and may liquidate their shares which could have a negative effect on the price of the stock. This compensation constitutes a conflict of interest as to our ability to remain objective in our communication regarding the profiled company. Because of this conflict, individuals are strongly encouraged to not use this publication as the basis for any investment decision. The owner/operator of MIQ own shares of Lake Victoria Gold Ltd. reserve the right to buy and sell, and will buy and sell shares of Lake Victoria Gold Ltd. at any time without any further notice commencing immediately and ongoing. We also expect further compensation as an ongoing digital media effort to increase visibility for the company, no further notice will be given, but let this disclaimer serve as notice that all material, including this article, which is disseminated by MIQ has been approved by Lake Victoria Gold Ltd.; this is a paid advertisement, we currently own shares of Lake Victoria Gold Ltd. and will buy and sell shares of the company in the open market, or through private placements, and/or other investment vehicles. While all information is believed to be reliable, it is not guaranteed by us to be accurate. Individuals should assume that all information contained in our newsletter is not trustworthy unless verified by their own independent research. Also, because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected, there will likely be differences between the any predictions and actual results. Always consult a licensed investment professional before making any investment decision. Be extremely careful, investing in securities carries a high degree of risk; you may likely lose some or all of the investment. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2603685/5259989/USA_News_Group_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/gold-miners-gain-momentum-as-prices-surge-back-past-3-010--302424797.html Las Vegas Sands At the end of 2024, Sands completed four years of partnership with 100 Black Men Las Vegas, a nonprofit organization that aims to improve the quality of life and enhance the educational opportunities for Black youth and their families in Southern Nevada. Programs span mentoring, educational support, health and wellness, economic empowerment and leadership development. Sands has supported 100 Black Men Las Vegas with annual contributions that underwrite mentorship and other youth programs through the Sands Cares community engagement program. "With Sands continued support over these past few years, we've been able to pursue even bigger goals in 2024 and reach more youth and families in our community," Gentry Richardson, president and chief executive officer of 100 Black Men Las Vegas, said. "Through all of our initiatives, we are working toward a better future for our community members by surrounding them with resources and skillsets that prepare them for successful, self-sufficient futures." One of the programs Sands funds is a free monthly Virtual Youth Cooking Class, which 100 Black Men Las Vegas launched in 2020 as a way to support families during the pandemic. A highlight in the 2024 cooking series was the November session led by award-winning chef, author and motivational speaker Jeff Henderson, founder of the Chef Jeff Project, which empowers future leaders through the spirit of hospitality. The Chef Jeff Project provides mentorship, culinary and leadership training, and networking for career opportunities. Held on Nov. 19, Chef Jeff's cooking class focused on how to prepare traditional Thanksgiving dishes including fried chicken, mashed potatoes and English peas. More than 80 youth and family members joined the class, which was the highest number of participants since its launch. Through Sands Cares' underwriting, 100 Black Men Las Vegas can provide the classes as well as cooking ingredients to enrollees free of charge. "Sands understands our vision, which is to serve the whole person," Richardson said. "The virtual cooking series is an important part of that approach because we provide clients with nutritious food, teach youth how to cook healthy meals and facilitate families spending time together. We've been able to expand this program to more enrollees thanks to the Sands Cares support." Sands also supports the organization's food distribution services, including its annual Thanksgiving event. On Wednesday, November 27, 100 Black Men Las Vegas served 3,000 free Thanksgiving dinners, including 1,000 meals that were delivered to people's homes. Meal recipients included seniors, veterans and families in need. 100 Black Men Las Vegas also places a high priority on education. One of its goals for 2024 was to increase its annual scholarship pool from $50,000 to $75,000, which was made possible by the continued support from Sands Cares. Some of the funds were distributed during the 100 Black Men Las Vegas 25th anniversary gala in June, when the organization awarded five $5,000 scholarships to local students attending Nevada colleges and trade schools. Finally, Sands Cares funding has always supported Crossroads, the organization's flagship youth mentoring program, which teaches more than 30 emotional and social skills to middle school and high students in weekly in-person and virtual sessions. In addition to Crossroads, 100 Black Men Las Vegas continues mentorship outreach after students graduate from high school through the Collegiate 100 Program, which helps college students at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas cultivate leadership skills, engage in community service and make a positive impact on campus. The program is paired with scholarships to further equip young adults to be successful in college. Sands' partnership with 100 Black Men Las Vegas aligns with the company's priorities on community partner advancement, education and assistance to aid underrepresented groups in overcoming barriers. To learn more about Sands Cares and the company's focus on helping build a diverse and skilled workforce of the future, read Sands' latest ESG Report: https://www.sands.com/resources/reports/ View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Las Vegas Sands on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Las Vegas Sands Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/las-vegas-sands Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Las Vegas Sands CHICAGO, April 09, 2025 ("Cosmos Health" or the "Company'), a diversified, vertically integrated global healthcare group engaged in innovative R&D, owner of proprietary pharmaceutical and nutraceutical brands, manufacturer and distributor of healthcare products, and operator of a telehealth platform, announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Cana Laboratories("Pharmex") for the annual production of 300,000 bottles of the antiseptic drug AMBITASOL 1L, totaling 1,500,000 units over the duration of the agreement. Pharmex, established in 1981, is a privately held specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the commercialization and marketing of medicinal products, antiseptics, dermocosmetics, and medical devices in targeted therapeutic areas such as dermatology, ophthalmology, and pediatrics. Cosmos Health completed its acquisition of Cana in July 2023 and has since invested in upgrading Cana's Athens facility, which is licensed under European Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and certified by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), laying the foundation for future growth. As a result, Cana is now ramping up revenue generation from manufacturing its own products as well as those of third parties. Cana's facilities can accommodate a wide range of pharmaceuticals, including tablets, capsules, syrups, nasal sprays, creams, gels, antiseptics, and biocides. In line with this strategy, the Company has entered into the aforementioned contract manufacturing agreement with Pharmex to support its growth aspirations. Greg Siokas, CEO of Cosmos Health, stated: "We are pleased to continue scaling our high-margin contract manufacturing business at Cana through our collaboration with Pharmex. We look forward to securing additional agreements that will further expand our client base, strengthen cash flows, and drive sustained profitability." About Cosmos Health Inc. Cosmos Health Inc., www.skypremiumlife.com , www.cana.gr , www.zipdoctor.co , www.cloudscreen.gr , as well as LinkedIn and X . Forward-Looking Statements With the exception of the historical information contained in this news release, the matters described herein, may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements preceded by, followed by, or that otherwise, include the words "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "projects," "estimates," "plans" and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as "will," "should," "would," "may" and "could", are generally forward-looking in nature and not historical facts, although not all forward-looking statements include the foregoing. These statements, involve unknown risks and uncertainties that may individually or materially impact the matters discussed, herein for a variety of reasons that are outside the control of the Company, including, but not limited to, the Company's ability to raise sufficient financing to implement its business plan, the impact of the war in Ukraine, on the Company's business, operations and the economy in general, and the Company's ability to successfully develop and commercialize its proprietary products and technologies. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as actual results could differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements contained herein. Readers are urged to read the risk factors set forth in the Company's filings with the SEC, which are available at the SEC's website). 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. Investor Relations Contact: BDG Communications cosm@bdgcommunications.com +44 207 0971 653 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2025) - Advanced Call Center Technologies (ACT), a leading employee-owned provider of business outsourcing and customer care solutions, has been recognized with four prestigious Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, underscoring the company's commitment to innovation, customer experience, and operational excellence. ACT has been honored with the following awards: Gold Stevie Award : Contact Center or Customer Service Outsourcing Provider of the Year : Contact Center or Customer Service Outsourcing Provider of the Year Silver Stevie Award : Best Use of Omnichannel in Customer Service - Financial Services Industries : Best Use of Omnichannel in Customer Service - Financial Services Industries Bronze Stevie Awards : Best Use of Omnichannel in Customer Service - Telecommunications Industries Achievement in the Use of Data & Analytics in Sales : "These awards are a testament to the dedication of our team and our relentless pursuit of excellence in delivering Total Experience solutions," said Hunter Croft, President and CEO of ACT. "With our unique business model as a 100% employee-owned company, recognition like this is deeply meaningful to our team as it is the direct result of their commitment to delivering outstanding performance for our partners. We are incredibly proud of our long track record of consistent, organic growth and longstanding partner relationships, and we are truly grateful to be recognized among industry leaders for delivering superior customer experiences powered by cutting-edge technology and a human-first approach." The judges praised ACT's approach, stating: "The focus on Total Experience (TX) and organic growth sets ACT apart from competitors, who often rely on acquisitions." Another judge commended the company's model, calling it "a masterpiece, blending AI with human touch for unparalleled service." ACT's Chief Operating Officer, Susan Parker, added, "Our team's ability to drive meaningful customer interactions while leveraging data and technology has been instrumental in our success. These accolades validate our efforts as we continue to deliver outstanding performance in customer experience across all touchpoints of the customer journey." The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service are the world's top honors for customer service, contact center, business development and sales professionals. The Stevie Awards organizes nine of the world's leading business awards programs, also including the prestigious American Business Awards and International Business Awards. Winners will be celebrated during a gala event attended by more than 400 professionals from around the world at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City on April 10. More than 2,100 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry, in 45 nations and territories, were considered in this year's competition. Winners were determined by the average scores of 176 professionals worldwide on seven specialized judging committees. Entries were considered in more than 90 categories for customer service and contact center achievements, including Contact Center of the Year, Award for Innovation in Customer Service, and Customer Service Department of the Year; more than 60 categories for sales and business development achievements. For more information about ACT and its award-winning services, visit ACTToday.com. About ACT: ACT is a U.S.-based business process outsourcing provider and global leader in customer care. Our approach is founded on a winning formula - that the best solutions integrate Employee Experience (EX) + Customer Experience (CX) + User Experience (UX) + Digital Experience (DX) + Multi-experience (MX) for an outstanding Total Experience (TX) overall. As a 100% employee-owned company, we have placed Employee Experience at the center of our business strategy because we know that engaged employees ensure the best customer outcomes. As shareholders in the business, our Employee Owners have a personal interest in delivering value to our clients, and their motivations are uniquely aligned to our clients' success. We have more than 27 years' experience helping our partners drive growth and brand loyalty by providing amazing experiences across every touchpoint and channel of the customer journey. We serve many of the world's top companies spanning a wide range of verticals, including numerous Fortune 50 clients. We offer a broad range of leading-edge technologies and custom solutions tailored to your business needs to make every unique customer connection count. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/247937 SOURCE: Advanced Call Center Technologies, LLC Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2025) - Angel Wing Metals Inc. (TSXV: AWM) ("Angel Wing Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to report assay results from the initial, 13-hole (1,400 metre) diamond drill program at the district scale La Reyna Gold Project in Nayarit, Mexico. This drill program tested five widely spaced prospects: El Polo, Dolorosa North, Dolorosa South, Celeste and Zorillo. These targets represent a selection of the many prospects identified on the project to date. The objective of this first drill program was to confirm continuity at depth of the extensive mineralization and alteration observed at surface across the project. All 13 drillholes returned anomalous intersections greater than 0.1 grams per tonne Au (g/T Au). Eight of the 13 holes returned intersections greater than 1 g/T, see Table 1. For a plan view of the drill hole locations see Figure 1. For drill collar locations see Table 2. Highlights include: El Polo: 2.07 g/T Au and 38.6 g/T Ag over 7.1 m (hole LR-25-005) 1.01 g/T Au over 6.8 m from 72.80 m to 78.8 m including 2.09 g/T Au and 234 g/T Ag over 1.40 m. (hole LR-25-013) Dolorosa South: 1.52 g/T Au and 12.4 g/T Ag over 7.75 m from 3.00 m down hole, including 2.10 g/T Au and 11.8 g/T Ag over 3.85 m (hole LR-25-001) 3.84 g/T Au and 13.8 g/T Ag over 2.10 m from 21.60 down hole (hole LR-25-011) 3.59 g/T Au and 9.9 g/T Ag over 2.30 m from 12.40 down hole (hole LR-25-012) Marc Prefontaine, President and CEO states, "We are very pleased that such an early-stage drill program successfully intersected mineralization in 8 of the 13 drill holes completed to date, with all drill holes intersecting anomalous mineralization. This maiden drill program marks the first time this extensively altered area has been drill tested. Drilling has succeeded in its initial objective, confirming the depth continuity of the extensive alteration and mineralization observed over the different targets exposed at surface, confirming our belief that precious metal systems underlies the project land holdings. Only 10- 15% of the total project area has been sampled to date. As we remain focused on ensuring the progress we are making on the ground continues, we will use the results of this maiden program to plan for follow-up work on the property." Table 1: Assay Intercepts - Grade Weighted To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11595/247950_angeltbl1.jpg Figure 1: Drill Hole Location Map To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11595/247950_b262657964808875_003full.jpg DISCUSSION OF RESULTS: El Polo Three holes were drilled on the El Polo prospect, all successfully intersected a targeted hydrothermal breccia and flow banded rhyolite at depth. LR-25-005 intersected 2.07 g/T Au and 38.6 g/T Ag over 7.10 m, including 3.75 g/T Au and 69.8 g/T Ag over 3.35 m. LR25-006 intersected the target downdip in heavily faulted ground returning 4.65 m 0.99 g/T Au and 12.2 g/T Ag over 4.65 m, which includes 3.39 g/T Au and 19.1 g/T Ag over 1.05 m. LR-25-013 stepped out 30 m to the north and intersected breccia grading 1.01 g/T Au and 60.1 g/T Ag over 6.80 m. This intersection includes 2.09 g/T Au, 234.0 g/T Ag and 0.5% Zn over 1.40 m. Gold mineralization is hosted primarily by a distinctive hydrothermal breccia and exhibits a strong correlation with tungsten. The target horizon is flanked by an extensive base metal anomaly (Zn>Pb) over 80 m in width. Values of Zn up to 0.6% occur in close proximity to the Au-W bearing hydrothermal breccias. See figure 2 cross section of results. More drilling is warranted to delineate the extents of the intersected mineralization. Figure 2: El Polo Assay Section (Note LR-13 is 30 m to the north of holes 5 & 6). Looking east. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11595/247950_b262657964808875_004full.jpg Dolorosa South Drilling at Dolorosa South also tested a series of historical trenches and pits dug into limited exposures of altered hydrothermal and fault breccia with quartz veining, in an area with scarce outcrop exposure. Four short holes tested this target from several orientations LR-25-001 intersected quartz vein breccia near surface for 7.75 m of 1.52 g/T Au and 12.4 g/T Ag, including 2.10 g/T Au and 11.8 g/T Ag over 3.85 m (See Table 1 and Figure 3 cross section). Hole LR-25-011 intersected 3.84g/T Au and 13.8 g/T Ag over 2.10 m in quartz vein breccia, while hole LR-25-012 intersected 3.59 g/T Au and 9.9 g/T Ag over 2.30 m. Drillhole LR-25-002 drilled the footwall in crystal tuff with 5 narrow intersections with anomalous gold less than 0.2 g/T Au. The grade thickness intersected in this area warrants follow up geophysics and drilling. Figure 3: Dolorosa South Assay Section (looking east) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11595/247950_b262657964808875_005full.jpg Dolorosa North Drilling at Dolorosa North target tested a series of historical trenches and pits exposing altered hydrothermal and fault breccia with quartz veining, in an area with little outcrop. Two drill holes tested this target. LR-25-003 intersected a 4.4 m fault structure returning 0.1 g/T Au, 12 g/T Ag and 0.41% Cu, including 0.23 g/T Au, 37.9 g/T Ag and 2.8% Cu over 0.3 m. LR-25-004 is currently interpreted to have drilled the footwall to the target, intersecting anomalous gold and silver mineralization with a best assay of 0.35 g/T Au and 2.0 g/T Ag over 2.6 m. More drilling is needed to determine target geometry and thickness and test continuity with the Dolorosa South prospect. (Table 1). Celeste The Celeste Ridge exposes widespread silicification, brecciation, and stockwork quartz veining over a strike length of one kilometer. Two holes were completed with the objective of testing beneath the silificied cap; both holes intersected on the order of 50 m of siliceous, felsic volcanic rock with abundant pyrite. Locally hydrothermal breccias occur within the pyritic envelop with abundant quartz. Zorillo Two short holes (50 m each) were completed at Zorillo to better test broken and faulted quartz veins exposed in trenches. Holes LR-25-009 & 10 intersected intensely faulted vein material with only LR-25-009 intersected 0.81 g/T Au and 11.8 g/T Ag over 0.65 m. Table 2: Drill Hole Coordinates To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11595/247950_angeltbl2.jpg QA/QC HQ sized drill core samples were sawed in half and the half core samples were shipped to ALS Limited in Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico and in North Vancouver, Canada for sample preparation and for analysis at the ALS laboratory in North Vancouver and rock samples were shipped to SGS Lab in Durango, Mexico for sample preparation and analysis. The ALS Zacatecas, North Vancouver facilities and SGS lab are ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 certified. Gold and Silver were analyzed using a four-acid digestion with an ICP finish and gold was assayed by 30-gram fire assay with atomic absorption ("AA") spectroscopy finish. Over limit analyses for silver, lead and zinc were re-assayed using an ore-grade four-acid digestion with AA finish. Control samples comprising certified reference samples, duplicates and blank samples were systematically inserted into the sample stream and analyzed as part of the Company's quality assurance / quality control protocol. QUALIFIED PERSON Marc Prefontaine, M.Sc. P.Geo., President and CEO, is a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content in this news release. ABOUT ANGEL WING METALS Angel Wing Metals (TSXV: AWM) is focused on the exploration and development of its portfolio of precious metals properties in Mexico and Canada . The Company's flagship La Reyna Project covers 106.89 km2 in the southern extension of the prolific Sierra Madre Occidental gold-silver belt in the state of Nayarit, Mexico. Angel Wing Metals is committed to sustainable and responsible exploration and business activities in line with industry best practices, supportive of all stakeholders, including the local communities in which the Company operates. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.angelwingmetals.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. Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains "forward-looking information" 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", "budgets", "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. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information regarding: exploration and future discoveries. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. This forward-looking information reflects Angel Wing Metals' current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Angel Wing Metals and on assumptions Angel Wing Metals believes are reasonable. 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 Angel Wing Metals 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: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; general capital market conditions and market prices for securities; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; the actual results of future operations; competition; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, affecting Angel Wing Metals; the timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; and lack of qualified, skilled labor or loss of key individuals. A description of additional assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of additional risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in Angel Wing Metals' disclosure documents on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca. Although Angel Wing Metals 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. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions, or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of Angel Wing Metals as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. However, Angel Wing Metals expressly 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 expressly required by applicable securities law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/247950 SOURCE: Angel Wing Metals Inc. EQS-News: Zimbabwe Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion / Key word(s): Miscellaneous Zimbabwe Government Delivers on Commitment: Compensation of Former Farm Owners under the Global Compensation Deed Commences 09.04.2025 / 20:20 CET/CEST The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. In line with the GCD agreement, the FFOs receive 1 per cent of their claim in cash, with the balance being paid through US$ denominated Treasury bonds with a 2 per cent coupon and maturities of 2 to 10 years HARARE, Zimbabwe, April 9, 2025/ -- Government of Zimbabwe has started fulfilling its commitment to compensate Former Farm Owners (FFOs) claims under the Global Compensation Deed (GCD) signed in 2020. To date, 740 farms have been approved for compensation by the Land Compensation Committee. In this regard, Government disbursed US$3.1 million for the first batch of 378 processed farms. This amount is 1 per cent of the total compensation claim value of US$311 million. Last week, the Government also issued Treasury bonds related to the first batch of farmers to their custodian bank. In line with the GCD agreement, the FFOs receive 1 per cent of their claim in cash, with the balance being paid through US$ denominated Treasury bonds with a 2 per cent coupon and maturities of 2 to 10 years. These bonds have the following features: liquid asset status, prescribed asset status, tax exemption, tradable and transferable. Government allocated US$10 million in the 2025 National Budget for the compensation of FFOs under the GCD. Compensation payments are being made to interested individual farmers. Giving an update on the progress, the Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion, Honourable Professor Mthuli Ncube, reaffirmed the Government's commitment to continue implementing reforms that are key to clearing the country's arrears and resolving the debt burden. "The payments will continue. We are very serious about this. By settling our arrears, we can tap into the long-term capital, which is essential for infrastructure development and other significant investments. This is not just crucial for the Zimbabwean Government; it also impacts our private sector, which faces restrictions from creditors due to these arrears. Lifting these caps will facilitate access to foreign capital, making it easier to obtain financing to support our industries and create meaningful jobs for our citizens," he said. Commenting on the FFOs compensation, Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Mr Willard L. Manungo, who is also the Co-Chair of the Sector Working Group (SWG) on Land Tenure Reforms, Compensation of FFOs, and the Resolution of Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreements (BIPPAs), stated, "This is yet another demonstration of the Government's commitment to the country's reform agenda. These positive developments present Zimbabwe with a strong opportunity to successfully negotiate its arrears clearance and outstanding debt obligations. It is also a boost towards the country's re-engagement efforts with the international community." The compensation of FFOs marks another significant milestone in the country's Arrears Clearance and Debt Resolution Process. In February 2025, the Government concluded the disbursement of the initial US$20 million towards compensation of BIPPA-protected investors whose farms were affected by the 2000 Land Reform programme. Both historic milestones are crucial steps as Zimbabwe seeks to clear its arrears, restore debt sustainability, and unlock new concessional external financing in order to achieve its development goals. The Chairperson of the Compensation Steering Committee and past president of the Commercial Farmers Union, Mr. Andrew. J. Pascoe, confirmed receipt of payments, describing the development as "another momentous event". "Monday 24 March 2025 saw the first US Dollar Cash payments due under this plan being paid to the signed up Former Farm Owners," he said. Mr Pascoe added; "On 29 July 2020, at State House when I signed the GCD on behalf of FFOs, I highlighted the enormity of the achievement that it was. After almost 20 years, we, as Zimbabweans had been able to put aside our differences and, in an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust, negotiated an agreement that laid the foundation for the payment of compensation for improvements on farms which had been acquired by the Government of Zimbabwe under the Fast Track Land Reform Programme." "I would like, as a representative of these farmers, to sincerely thank His Excellency, President Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa and his Government for standing by the commitment made by His Excellency in 2018 to pay compensation for acquired farms in line with the Constitution of Zimbabwe.For this, we are extremely grateful, and we are confident that the ongoing upholding of the commitments that have been made will attract and strengthen the local, regional and international goodwill that will be vital for the success of the current Structured Dialogue Platform (SDP) on Arrears Clearance and Debt Resolution Process." The compensation of FFOs under the GCD falls under the SWG on Land Tenure Reforms, Compensation of FFOs, and the Resolution of BIPPAs, which is one of the three strategic reform pillars underpinning the Arrears Clearance and Debt Resolution Process. This strategic pillar is co-chaired by the Office of the President and Cabinet, Switzerland and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The other two pillars are Economic Growth and Stability Reforms, and Governance Reforms. UNDP Resident Representative to Zimbabwe, Dr. Ayodele Odusola said, "UNDP welcomes the progress being made under the BIPPA settlements, the Land Tenure Reforms, the Compensation frameworks, and the initial disbursements under the Global Compensation Deed. These steps are vital for restoring trust, advancing reconciliation, and rebuilding Zimbabwe's agricultural sector. We remain committed to supporting a transparent, inclusive, and sustainable process that contributes to economic recovery and re-engagement." Ambassador of Switzerland to Zimbabwe, H.E. Stephane Rey stated; "These initial payments are a step in the right direction and hopefully more farmers will come forward to seek compensation based on this development. It is also our hope that the GCD be implemented fully." Compensation of FFOs under the GCD is provided for by Section 295 (3) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, which states that compensation is "only for improvements that were made on the land when it was acquired." Despite resource challenges, the Government continues to make significant strides and remains committed to advancing its economic development agenda. The Government further calls for support from Development Partners to underpin Zimbabwe's efforts towards Arrears Clearance and Debt Resolution. The Government of Zimbabwe established in December 2022, a Structured Dialogue Platform with all its creditors and development partners, to institutionalise engagement on economic and governance reforms to underpin the Arrears Clearance and Debt Resolution Process. This is critical for the country to achieve its economic development aspirations, under Zimbabwe's National Development Strategy 1 (2021-2025), and also the transition towards the implementation of the National Development Strategy 2 (2026-2030). Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Zimbabwe's Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion. Download Image (1): https://apo-opa.co/4iXaNax (Zimbabwe President H.E Emmerson D Mnangagwa flanked by Zims Finance Minister Hon.Mthuli Ncube Afdb President Dr. A.A. Adesina Ambassador Nuno) Download Image (2): https://apo-opa.co/43N6Kc7 (Zimbabwes Finance Minister Hon. Prof Mthuli Ncube) Download Image (3): https://apo-opa.co/44mvw31 (President of Zimbabwe. H.E Emmerson D. Mnangagwa) Additional Link (1): https://apo-opa.co/42jtBtu Additional Link (2): https://apo-opa.co/43NiFH4 Download Audio: https://apo-opa.co/3EgXlPI Download Presentation: https://apo-opa.co/4jlUnJb Download Video: https://apo-opa.co/4jntSCr Contacts: X: @Zimtreasury Facebook: Zim Treasury Phone: +263 242 794572-9 Whatsapp: +263 719 567 091/719 567113 Website: www.zimtreasury.co.zw 09.04.2025 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.eqs-news.com University Bancorp, Inc. ("UNIB") announced today that it has acquired 6,200 common shares ("Common Shares") of Currency Exchange International, Corp. ("CXI") through the facilities of the Toronto Stock Exchange at an average price of C$20.05 per Common Share, for a total purchase price of C$124,310. This acquisition represents an increase in UNIB's holdings of approximately 0.10% and, as a result, UNIB, together with persons who may be considered to be joint actors, has ownership of, or exercises control or direction over, a total of 633,510 Common Shares, representing approximately 10.00% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares. Immediately prior to the acquisition of the Common Shares described above, UNIB, together with persons who may be considered to be joint actors, had ownership of, or exercised control or direction over, a total of 627,310 Common Shares, representing approximately 9.90% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares. Early Warning Disclosure This news release is being issued pursuant to National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues. An early warning report with additional information in respect of the foregoing matters will be filed and made available under CXI's profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca). CXI's head office is 6649 Westwood Boulevard, Suite 250, Orlando, Florida, 32821, United States of America. UNIB holds its CXI shares for investment purposes. UNIB will continue to review the performance and prospects for this investment and investment alternatives. As part of the ongoing review of its investment in CXI, UNIB may continue to explore from time to time a variety of alternatives it deems appropriate, in each case to the extent permitted under applicable law, including (i) increasing or decreasing its position in CXI through, among other things, the acquisition or disposition of securities of CXI through the open market or in privately negotiated transactions or otherwise, (ii) entering into transactions that increase or hedge its economic exposure to such securities without affecting its beneficial ownership of such securities and/or (iii) continuing to hold its current position. UNIB may also explore from time to time other alternatives with respect to its investment in CXI, in each case to the extent permitted under applicable law, including, but not limited to, developing plans or intentions or taking actions itself or with joint actors which relate to or would result in one or more of the transactions or matters referred to in paragraphs (a) through (k) of Item 5 of UNIB's early warning report that will be filed on SEDAR+. UNIB may also engage with management and/or the board of CXI from time to time concerning the foregoing and its business, management, operations, capitalization, financial condition, governance, strategy and future plans. Although the foregoing reflects activities presently contemplated by UNIB with respect to its investment in CXI, the foregoing is subject to a number of factors, including but not limited to, the price of CXI's securities, CXI's business and financial condition and prospects, conditions in the securities markets and general economic and industry conditions, the availability of funds, the evaluation of other investment opportunities available to UNIB, and is subject to change at any time, and there can be no assurance that UNIB will take any of the actions referred to above. For further information, including a copy of the corresponding report filed with Canadian securities regulators, please visit www.sedarplus.ca or contact Stephen Lange Ranzini, President & CEO of UNIB at 734-741-5858, Ext. 9226. UNIB's address is 2015 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48104, United States of America. About UNIB Ann Arbor-based UNIB is a Federal Reserve regulated financial holding company that owns: 100% of University Bank, a bank based in Ann Arbor, Michigan; 100% of Crescent Assurance, PCC, a captive insurance company licensed in Washington DC; and 100% of Hyrex Servicing, a master mortgage servicing firm, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. University Bank together with its Michigan-based subsidiaries, holds and manages a total of over $36 billion in financial assets for over 183,000 customers, and our 528 employees make us the 5th largest bank based in Michigan. University Bank is an FDIC-insured, locally owned and managed community bank, and meets the financial needs of its community through its creative and innovative services. Founded in 1890, University Bank is the 15th oldest bank headquartered in Michigan. We are proud to have been selected as the "Community Bankers of the Year" by American Banker magazine and as the recipient of the American Bankers Association's Community Bank Award. University Bank is a Member FDIC. The members of University Bank's corporate family, ranked by their size of revenues are: UIF, a faith-based banking firm based in Southfield, MI; University Lending Group, a retail residential mortgage originator based in Clinton Township, MI; Midwest Loan Services, a residential mortgage subservicer based in Houghton, MI; Community Banking, based in Ann Arbor, MI, which provides traditional community banking services in the Ann Arbor area; Ann Arbor Insurance Centre, an independent insurance agency based in Ann Arbor. Reverse Mortgage Lending, a reverse residential mortgage lender based in Southfield, MI; and Mortgage Warehouse Lending, a mortgage warehouse lender based in Southfield, MI. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning UNIB's intentions with respect to its investment in CXI. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, market, general economic, competitive, governmental and technological conditions and the dynamic nature of the industry in which CXI operates. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update any information or forward-looking statement. Contact: Stephen Lange Ranzini, President and CEO, University Bancorp, Inc. Phone: 734-741-5858, Ext. 9226 Email: ranzini@university-bank.com ### SOURCE: University Bancorp, Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2025) - Reem Capital Corp. (TSXV: REEM.P) (the "Corporation" or "Reem"), a "capital pool company" (CPC) pursuant to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"), announces an update to the annual general and special meeting of shareholders of the Corporation (the "Meeting") which will now be held on May 9, 2025. MEETING UPDATE The Corporation had previously announced the date of the Meeting to be April 15, 2025; however, this has been revised to May 9, 2025 in connection with an amended management information circular and an amended form of proxy ("Amended Meeting Materials") to be prepared, filed and sent in due course to the shareholders of Reem as of the record date of March 11, 2025. The Amended Meeting Materials will include updates to the management and board of the Corporation, as set forth below, and includes a correction to the proposed auditor of the Resulting Issuer (as defined in Reem's previous press release dated April 2, 2025) to Kesselman & Kesselman, a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited. MANAGEMENT UPDATES The Corporation announces the resignation of Arthur Kwan as Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Corporation. Mr. Arthur is pleased to have been part of the Corporation's progress to-date and looks forward to spending time on his other ventures. The board of the Corporation sincerely thanks Mr. Kwan for his contribution to the Corporation. Jonathan Held, who is Chief Financial Officer and a director of the Corporation, has also been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation as of today's date. EARLY WARNING REPORT Pursuant to his resignation, Mr. Kwan entered into share purchase agreements with Jonathan Held, Ronnie Jaegermann, Jonathan Holmes and Michael Saliken (together, the "Acquirors") to purchase all of the common shares of the Corporation ("Common Shares") held by Mr. Kwan (the "Share Purchases") for $0.025 per Common Share or $25,000 in the aggregate. Effective April 9, 2025 and in accordance with the Share Purchases: Mr. Held purchased 250,000 Common Shares from Mr. Kwan. Mr. Held now holds 1,250,000 Common Shares or approximately 15.8% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares (up from 12.7%). Mr. Jaegermann purchased 250,000 Common Shares from Mr. Kwan. Mr. Jaegermann now holds 1,150,000 Common Shares or approximately 14.6% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares (up from 11.4%). Mr. Holmes purchased 250,000 Common Shares from Mr. Kwan. Mr. Holmes now holds 1,050,000 Common Shares or approximately 13.3% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares (up from 10.1%). Mr. Saliken purchased 250,000 Common Shares from Mr. Kwan. Mr. Saliken now holds 750,000 Common Shares or approximately 9.4% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares (up from 6.3%). The Acquirors' acquisition was made for investment purposes. The Acquirors may, from time to time and at any time, acquire additional shares, warrants, and/or other equity, debt or other securities or instruments of the Corporation in the open market or otherwise, and may dispose of any or all of securities of the Corporation in the open market or otherwise at any time and from time to time, and to engage in similar transactions with respect to the securities of the Corporation, the whole depending on market conditions, the business and prospects of the Corporation and other relevant factors. Prior to the Share Purchases, Mr. Kwan held approximately 12.7% of the Common Shares therefore triggering the requirement to file an early warning report and this news release pursuant to National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues. All Common Shares acquired pursuant to the Share Purchases continue to be subject to the Form 2F - CPC Escrow Agreement entered into between the Corporation, Endeavor Trust Corporation and the founding securityholders of the Corporation dated November 15, 2021, as required by and in accordance with the policies of the Exchange. For additional information regarding the Share Purchases, see copies of the applicable early warning reports that will be filed on the Corporation's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca or can be obtained by contacting the Jonathan Held at the email or phone number provided below. ABOUT REEM Reem was incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) and is a Capital Pool Company governed by the policies of the Exchange. Reem's principal business is the identification and evaluation of assets or businesses with a view to completing a Qualifying Transaction. Investors are cautioned that trading in the securities of a Capital Pool Company should be considered highly speculative. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. 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 news release. Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the polices of the Exchange) has in any way passed upon the merits of the Proposed Transaction and associated transactions and neither of the foregoing entities has in any way approved or disapproved of the contents of this press release. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" ("forward-looking information") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "will", "continue", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "projected" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information. More particularly and without limitation, this press release contains forward-looking statements concerning the Meeting of the Corporation, including the Meeting Date and the anticipated Amended Meeting Materials, applicable early warning reports, CPC escrow requirements, and future acquisitions or dispositions of the Acquirors. In disclosing the forward-looking information contained in this press release, Reem has made certain assumptions, including that: the Meeting will occur as anticipated, all applicable regulatory approvals for the Share Transfers have been obtained and the early warning reports will be filed in accordance with applicable law. Although Reem believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations of any forward-looking information will prove to be correct. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, Reem disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking information or otherwise. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/247929 SOURCE: Reem Capital Corp. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2025) - Northwest Healthcare Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (TSX: NWH.UN) (the "REIT" or "Northwest"), will release its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025, on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, after the markets close. A conference call to discuss these results will be held on, May 15, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. ET. The dial-in numbers for the conference call are as follows: U.S./Canada (toll free): 1-833-752-3625 International: 1-647-846-8435 Link to audio webcast: https://www.gowebcasting.com/13996 A replay will be available until May 22, 2025, by accessing: U.S./Canada (toll free): 1-855-669-9658 International: 1-412-317-0088 Replay Access Code: 7425512 About Northwest Northwest provides investors with access to a portfolio of high-quality international healthcare real estate infrastructure comprised as at March 10, 2025, of interests in a diversified portfolio of 171 income-producing properties and 15.8 million square feet of gross leasable area located throughout major markets in North America, Brazil, Europe, and Australasia. The REIT's portfolio of medical outpatient buildings, clinics, and hospitals is characterized by long-term indexed leases and stable occupancies. Northwest leverages its global workforce in eight countries to serve as a long-term real estate partner to leading healthcare operators. For additional information please visit: www.nwhreit.com. Contacts: To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/247948 SOURCE: Northwest Healthcare Properties REIT Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2025) - Skye Collyer, Director, ETF Distribution Western Canada, BMO Global Asset Management and Hamish Lillico, Director, ETF Distribution British Columbia, BMO Global Asset Management, joined Tim Babcock, President, TSX Venture Exchange, TMX Group, to close the market to celebrate the launch of the new BMO SPDR Consumer Discretionary Select Sector Index ETF (TSX: ZXLY) (TSX: ZXLY.F). Cannot view this video? Visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O1q006Cl9k The BMO SPDR Consumer Discretionary Select Sector Index ETF seeks to replicate, to the extent possible before fees and expenses, the performance of an index that provides exposure to equity securities of large-capitalization issuers in the U.S. discretionary sector. Generally, the ETF will invest substantially all of its assets, directly or indirectly, in the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund. The ETF may invest substantially all of its assets, directly or indirectly, in the constituent securities of the Index, in substantially the same proportions as they are represented in the Index. BMO ETFs are designed to stay ahead of market trends and provide compelling solutions to help advisors and investors. This includes a comprehensive suite of ETFs developed in Canada for Canadians, such as cost-effective core equity ETFs following market leading indexes, and a broad range of fixed income ETFs; solution-based ETFs responding to client demand, as well as combining active and passive investing with the ETF series of active mutual funds. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/247987 SOURCE: Toronto Stock Exchange Travelers benefit by carrying Amazon items for international shoppers. Book a flight through Hurrier and get an instant flight discount or Add an existing flight and get paid directly to your bank account. Hurrier, today announced that all travelers across the world can instantly travel for less, by accepting to carry Amazon items, for International Shoppers that quickly need them at better shipping rates. Travelers can earn money or flight discounts by purchasing items requested by shoppers (via an issued virtual card) and delivering them during their trips. Accept Item to carry and Get Flight Discount or Paid Virtual card is issued to Traveler with Amazon Credit to buy item. The Hurrier App allows a traveler to book their discounted flight, directly from the app. The traveler can search for their desired flight and share their trip link either privately or publicly. The recipient can use that trip link to post their Amazon item link directly to the traveler. Travelers can accept item requests (under the duty-free allowance) and receive their courier benefit as a discount applied at the time of flight payment. Alternatively, if travelers already have a flight booked they can add that flight to the Hurrier app, share trip links with friends and family, and receive their courier benefit via payout to their local bank account. Hurrier pays out to bank accounts anywhere in the world, within three (3) business days of item delivery. International Shoppers can now spend more effectively on Amazon, by reducing their shipping costs and putting their money where it matters most; towards the items they desire. In most instances, Shoppers seeking electronics, automotive parts, clothing and household items, will save upwards of 40% on shipping and get their items in a timely manner. With over Ten Million international passengers daily, Shoppers now have access to a large pool of motivated travelers looking to offer enriching deliveries via the Hurrier app. "Our main traveler corridors today are USA and Canada to Jamaica, Colombia and other parts of Latin America. With diverse traveler demographics ranging from business travelers to tourists to persons visiting friends and relatives," said Joel Freckleton, Co-founder, Hurrier. "Travelers get subsidized or even free trips and may utilize their newfound earnings to book better seats, Airbnb's, Ubers or support the local economies." The Hurrier app also allows travelers to add their loyalty point credentials to continue earning whenever they book within the app. This is applicable for airlines such as American Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, TUI Airways, United Airlines, Air Canada, Avianca, Copa Airlines and numerous others. About Hurrier Hurrier is the global peer-to-peer shopping and travel platform, that offers a friendly marketplace to shop for international purchases around the globe. As one of the fastest growing shipping platforms in the world, Hurrier serves travel corridors across USA, Canada, UK, Germany and Europe, Jamaica and the Caribbean as well as Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Latin America. The company's unique item to trip matching technology includes integrations with New Distribution Capability (NDC) APIs and Passenger Name Record (PNR) verification enablers, that will help issue in the new frontier of Airline retailing. For more information, visit https://www.hurrier.com/ Contact Information Jada Hall Marketing Manager jada@hurrier.com SOURCE: Hurrier Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2025) - IAMGOLD Corporation (NYSE: IAG) (TSX: IMG) ("IAMGOLD" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it plans to release its first quarter 2025 operating and financial results after market hours on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Senior management will host a conference call to discuss the operating performance and financial results on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Time). Listeners may access the conference call via webcast from the events section of the Company's website at www.iamgold.com (webcast link below), or through the following options: Pre-register via: Chorus Call IAMGOLD Q1 2025 Registration (recommended) - Upon registering, you will receive a calendar booking by email with dial-in details and unique PIN. This process will bypass the operator and avoid the queue. Toll free (North America): 1 (833) 752-3518 International: 1 (647) 846-8209 Webcast: https://event.choruscall.com/mediaframe/webcast.html?webcastid=PJqxT8En An online archive of the webcast will be available by accessing the Company's website at www.iamgold.com. A telephone replay will be available for one month following the call by dialing toll free 1 (855) 669-9658 within North America or 1 (412) 317-0088 from international locations and entering the passcode: 8547526. About IAMGOLD IAMGOLD is an intermediate gold producer and developer based in Canada with operating mines in North America and West Africa, including Cote Gold (Canada), Westwood (Canada) and Essakane (Burkina Faso). On March 31, 2024, the Company commenced production at Cote Gold, in partnership with Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd., a mine that has the potential to be among the largest gold mines in Canada. In addition, the Company has an established portfolio of early stage and advanced exploration projects within high potential mining districts. IAMGOLD employs approximately 3,700 people and is committed to maintaining its culture of accountable mining through high standards of Environmental, Social and Governance practices, including its commitment to strive for the goal of Zero Harm. IAMGOLD is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: IAG) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: IMG). To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/247914 SOURCE: IAMGOLD Corporation Cranbrook, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2025) - DLP Resources Inc. (TSXV: DLP) (OTCQB: DLPRF) ("DLP" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has retained German Mining Networks GmbH ("GMN") to provide investor relations services for the Company. The investor relations agreement (the "Agreement") was entered into on April 7, 2025 and has a term of three (3) months, which renews automatically subject to termination by either of the parties (the "Term"). Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, DLP has agreed to pay GMN a cash fee of $6,800 per month for the duration of the Term which will be paid out of the Company's working capital. The services to be provided by GMN under the Agreement include shareholder and investor scheduling and communication services and assisting with roadshows. GMN will provide the Company with the opportunity to broaden its national and international reach and raise capital by way of introductions to investors in Europe. GMN's principal place of business and contact information is as follows: Postfach: 10 01 26 98561 Schmalkalden, Germany Email: krahp@german-mining.com Peter Krah, Managing Partner of GMN, will be responsible for the provision of the services noted above. GMN is an arm's length party to the Company and has no interest, directly or indirectly, in the issuer or its securities, or any right or present intent to acquire such an interest. The Agreement remains subject to the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange. About DLP Resources Inc. DLP Resources Inc. is a mineral exploration company operating in Southeastern British Columbia and Peru, exploring for Base Metals and Cobalt. DLP is listed on the TSX-V, trading symbol DLP and on the OTCQB, trading symbol DLPRF. Please refer to our web site www.dlpresourcesinc.com for additional information. For further information please contact: 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/247992 SOURCE: DLP Resources Inc. Announcement Highlights Northland closes its second battery storage financing, reflecting the Company's growing expertise in battery storage technology. The project is located in Cypress County, Alberta and is preparing to begin construction. Jurassic BESS will be Alberta's largest battery energy storage system once completed. TORONTO, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northland Power Inc. ("Northland" or the "Company") (TSX: NPI) today announced that the Jurassic Battery Energy Storage System project ("Jurassic BESS" or the "project") in southern Alberta has achieved financial close, securing all necessary financing as it prepares to begin construction. Jurassic BESS is an 80 MW, 2-hour (160 MWh) battery storage system that is part of Northland's growth pipeline in Alberta. The project recently signed construction contracts and will benefit from a 15-year fixed price contract for capacity. The project is expected to reach commercial operation in late 2026. "Building on the success of our Oneida Battery Storage Project, which is nearing operations, today's announcement represents another great milestone for Northland Power. We are delivering needed battery storage as one of the ways we provide energy solutions in Canada and around the world," said Christine Healy, President and Chief Executive Officer. "This BESS project will enhance the stability and reliability of Alberta's energy grid, expand our footprint in Canada, and diversify our asset base. It highlights the growth potential of our multi-technology approach." The project cost is approximately $120 million. Construction costs will be funded by non-recourse project-level financing, existing cash and available liquidity. Once fully operational, Jurassic BESS is expected to contribute approximately $15 million of annual Adjusted EBITDA. ABOUT NORTHLAND POWER Northland Power is a Canadian-based global power producer dedicated to accelerating the global energy transition. Founded in 1987, with almost four decades of experience, Northland has a long history of developing, owning and operating a diversified mix of energy infrastructure assets including offshore and onshore wind, solar, battery energy storage, and natural gas. Northland also supplies energy through a regulated utility. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with global offices in seven countries, Northland owns or has an economic interest in 3.2 GW of gross operating generating capacity, 2.4 GW under construction and a significant inventory of early to mid-stage development opportunities encompassing approximately 10 GW of potential capacity. Publicly traded since 1997, Northland's Common Shares, Series 1 and Series 2 Preferred Shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols NPI, NPI.PR.A and NPI.PR.B, respectively. NON-IFRS FINANCIAL MEASURES This press release includes references to the Company's adjusted earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization ("Adjusted EBITDA"), Adjusted Free Cash Flow, Free Cash Flow and applicable payout ratios and per share amounts, which are measures not prescribed by International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"), and therefore do not have any standardized meaning under IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Non-IFRS financial measures are presented at Northland's share of underlying operations. These measures should not be considered alternatives to net income (loss), cash flow from operating activities or other measures of financial performance calculated in accordance with IFRS. Rather, these measures are provided to complement IFRS measures in the analysis of Northland's results of operations from management's perspective. Management believes that Northland's non-IFRS financial measures and applicable payout ratio and per share amounts are widely accepted and understood financial indicators used by investors and securities analysts to assess the performance of a company, including its ability to generate cash through operations. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains statements that constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements") that are provided for the purpose of presenting information about management's current expectations and plans. Readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. Northland's actual results could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements may or may not transpire or occur. Forward-looking statements include statements that are not historical facts and are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or include words such as "expects," "anticipates," "plans," "predicts," "believes," "estimates," "intends," "targets," "projects," "forecasts" or negative versions thereof and other similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as "may," "will," "should," "would" and "could". These statements may include, without limitation, statements regarding future Adjusted EBITDA, the timing of commencement of construction activities and attainment of commercial operations at the Jurassic BESS project, the expected generating capacity of the project, forecasts as to overall project costs, investments or financings and the timing thereof, future funding requirements, and the future operations of the project, all of which may differ from the expectations stated herein. These statements are based upon certain material factors or assumptions that were applied in developing the forward-looking statements, including the design specifications of development projects, the provisions of contracts to which Northland or a subsidiary is a party, management's current plans and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, the ability to obtain necessary approvals, as well as other factors, estimates and assumptions that are believed to be appropriate in the circumstances. Although these forward-looking statements are based upon management's current reasonable expectations and assumptions, they are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties. Some of the factors that could cause results or events to differ from current expectations are described in the "Risks Factors" section of Northland's Management's Discussion and Analysis and Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2024, which can be found at www.sedarplus.ca (https://www.sedarplus.ca/) under Northland's profile and on Northland's website at northlandpower.com. Northland has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to materially differ from current expectations; however, there may be other factors that cause actual results to differ materially from such expectations. Northland's actual results could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, and Northland cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are, unless otherwise indicated, stated as of the date hereof and are based on assumptions that were considered reasonable as of the date hereof. Other than as specifically required by law, Northland undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after such date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, or otherwise. For further information, please contact: Dario Neimarlija, Vice President, FP&A and Investor Relations 647-288-1019 investorrelations@northlandpower.com (mailto:investorrelations@northlandpower.com) Victor Gravili, Head of Global Brand & Integrated Communications 647-288-1105 communications@northlandpower.com (mailto:communications@northlandpower.com) MidOcean Energy to Fund 30.0% of Project Costs and be Entitled to 30.0% of LNG Production Energy Transfer LP (NYSE: ET) and MidOcean Energy ("MidOcean") today announced that Energy Transfer's subsidiary, Energy Transfer LNG Export, LLC, has entered into a Heads of Agreement (HOA) related to its Lake Charles LNG project with MidOcean, a liquified natural gas (LNG) company formed and managed by EIG Global Energy Partners ("EIG"), a leading institutional investor in the global energy and infrastructure sectors. The HOA provides a non-binding framework of the major terms for the joint development of the Lake Charles LNG project. Pursuant to the HOA, MidOcean would commit to fund 30% of the construction costs and be entitled to receive 30% of the LNG production (approximately 5.0 million tonnes per annum). The HOA also provides that MidOcean Energy will have the option to arrange for gas supply for its share of LNG production and that MidOcean will commit to long-term gas transportation on Energy Transfer pipelines. The obligations of Energy Transfer LNG and MidOcean Energy under the HOA will be subject to both parties' determination to take a positive final investment decision (FID) as well as the satisfaction of other conditions precedent. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250409435078/en/ "We are pleased to have MidOcean partner with us on our Lake Charles LNG project and we believe its participation will provide a significant catalyst towards reaching positive FID," said Tom Mason, President of Energy Transfer LNG. "MidOcean's management team brings a wealth of LNG experience to the project. In addition, Energy Transfer and EIG already have an established relationship that will only be strengthened through this transaction." De la Rey Venter, CEO of MidOcean, said: "This agreement has the potential to transform MidOcean's portfolio, providing a material volume of advantaged Atlantic Basin supply. This complements our current assets, which are all located in the Asia-Pacific Basin. Geographical diversity is a key enabler for value delivery from an LNG portfolio. MidOcean considers Lake Charles LNG to be one of the most advantaged US LNG projects under development. We look forward to a deep and fruitful multi-decade partnership with Energy Transfer." If Energy Transfer LNG reaches a positive FID, the LNG export facility would be constructed on the existing brownfield regasification facility site and would capitalize on four existing LNG storage tanks, two deep water berths and other LNG infrastructure. Lake Charles LNG would also benefit from its direct connection to Energy Transfer's existing Trunkline pipeline system that in turn provides connections to multiple intrastate and interstate pipelines. These pipelines allow access to multiple natural gas producing basins, including the Haynesville, the Permian and the Marcellus Shale. Energy Transfer is one of the largest and most diversified midstream energy companies in North America, with a strategic footprint in all of the major U.S. production basins. Forward Looking Statements This news release may include certain statements concerning expectations for the future that are forward-looking statements as defined by federal law. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond management's control, including (i) Energy Transfer's ultimate financial investment decision with respect to the Lake Charles LNG facility, (ii) whether Lake Charles LNG Export Company, LLC will receive certain regulatory approvals, (iii) Lake Charles LNG's ability to secure long-term contractual arrangements for the remaining volume of offtake of LNG which in turn will be dependent upon supply and demand factors affecting the price of LNG in foreign markets, and (iv) the financial viability of the LNG export project, which is dependent upon a number of other factors. An extensive list of additional factors that can affect the LNG export project and Energy Transfer's future results are discussed in the Energy Transfer's Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Partnership undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect new information or events. About Energy Transfer Energy Transfer LP (NYSE: ET) owns and operates one of the largest and most diversified portfolios of energy assets in the United States, with more than 130,000 miles of pipeline and associated energy infrastructure. Energy Transfer's strategic network spans 44 states with assets in all of the major U.S. production basins. Energy Transfer is a publicly traded limited partnership with core operations that include complementary natural gas midstream, intrastate and interstate transportation and storage assets; crude oil, natural gas liquids ("NGL") and refined product transportation and terminalling assets; and NGL fractionation. Energy Transfer also owns Lake Charles LNG Company, as well as the general partner interests, the incentive distribution rights and approximately 21% of the outstanding common units of Sunoco LP (NYSE: SUN), and the general partner interests and approximately 39% of the outstanding common units of USA Compression Partners, LP (NYSE: USAC). For more information, visit the Energy Transfer LP website at www.energytransfer.com. About MidOcean Energy MidOcean Energy, an LNG company formed and managed by EIG, seeks to build a diversified, resilient, cost- and carbon-competitive global LNG portfolio. It reflects EIG's belief in LNG as a critical element of a lower carbon, competitive and more secure global energy system. MidOcean Energy is headed by De la Rey Venter, a 27-year industry veteran who has held a variety of senior executive roles, including Global Head of LNG for Shell Plc. MidOcean benefits from strategic partnerships with Aramco and Mitsubishi Corporation, among other blue-chip investors. About EIG EIG is a leading institutional investor in the global energy and infrastructure sectors with $23.4 billion assets under management as of December 31, 2024. EIG specializes in private investments in energy and energy-related infrastructure on a global basis. During its 42-year history, EIG has committed over $49.8 billion to the energy sector through 416 projects or companies in 44 countries on six continents. EIG's clients include many of the leading pension plans, insurance companies, endowments, foundations and sovereign wealth funds in the U.S., Asia and Europe. EIG is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with offices in Houston, London, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong and Seoul. For additional information, please visit MidOcean Energy's website at www.midoceanenergy.com or EIG's website at www.eigpartners.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250409435078/en/ Contacts: Energy Transfer Contact Information Media Relations Vicki Granado or Jeff Tieszen 214-840-5820 media@energytransfer.com Investor Relations Bill Baerg, Brent Ratliff or Lyndsay Hannah 214-981-0795 EIG/MidOcean Contact Information FGS Global Kelly Kimberly Brandon Messina +1 212-687-8080 EIG@fgsglobal.com Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2025) - PesoRama Inc. (TSXV: PESO) ("PesoRama" or the "Company"), a Canadian company operating dollar stores in Mexico under the JOi Dollar Plus brand, is pleased to announce the upcoming opening of three new stores, further strengthening its presence in Mexico City's key urban areas. The strategic placement of these new JOi Dollar Plus locations aims to attract high foot traffic and serve communities with diverse purchasing needs. With these additions, PesoRama continues to demonstrate its commitment to offering quality products at affordable prices, while enhancing the shopping experience for customers across the city. "The openings of our 26th, 27th, and 28th JOi Dollar Plus Stores in Mexico City mark another exciting milestone in our expansion," said Rahim Bhaloo, Founder, CEO & Chairman of PesoRama. "These new locations increase accessibility for Mexican consumers and strengthen our presence in high-density areas where we see significant potential for continued growth and success." To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5801/248003_4efd7e96049b2889_002full.jpg Store #26 - City Shops del Valle Store #26 is a 406 square meter location inside the "City Shops del Valle" mall in the Del Valle neighbourhood. Known for its established commercial activity and higher-income residents, this area offers a strong customer base seeking convenient access to everyday essentials. Store #26 is scheduled to open later this month. Store #27 - Martin Carrera Store #27 spans 481 square meters on the main floor of the Patio Martin Carrera mall in the 15 de Agosto neighbourhood. Its proximity to a CETRAM (modal transfer centre), where commuters switch between rail and bus system is expected to generate consistent foot traffic. Store #27 is scheduled to open in May 2025. Store #28 - Metro Agricola Oriental Store #28 is a standalone, 513 square meter location in the Agricola Oriental neighborhood, close to one of the area's busiest subway stations. Placing the store here aims to ensure convenient access for residents and commuters. The location will also be part of the new Hospital de la Luz complex, recognized for its community support programs. Store #28 is scheduled to open in June 2025. About PesoRama Inc. PesoRama, operating under the JOi Dollar Plus brand, is a Mexican value dollar store retailer. PesoRama launched operations in 2019 in Mexico City and the surrounding areas targeting high density, high traffic locations. PesoRama's 25 stores offer consistent merchandise offerings which include items in the following categories: household goods, pet supplies, seasonal products, party supplies, health and beauty, snack food items, confectionery and more. For more information visit: http://pesorama.ca. Cautionary Note This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including, among other things, statements regarding the Company's planned expansion, new store openings and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate. While the Company believes that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements, including due to changes in consumer behaviour, general economic factors, the ability of the Company to execute its strategies, the availability of capital and the risk factors which are discussed in greater detail in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's prospectus dated January 31, 2022 and filed under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release. PesoRama undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third-parties in respect of PesoRama, its securities, or its financial or operating results (as applicable). 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/248003 SOURCE: PesoRama Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2025) - GoldQuest Mining Corp. (TSXV: GQC) ("GoldQuest" or the "Company") is deeply saddened by the tragedy that occurred on Monday night at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo. Unfortunately, the tragedy affected our GoldQuest family. It brings us great sadness to announce that the brother and sister-in-law of our CEO, Luis Santana, were in attendance that night, and both lost their lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with Luis and his family as they navigate this difficult time. We extend our heartfelt condolences to ALL the families and friends of the victims, and our thoughts are with the people of the Dominican Republic during this difficult time. We also wish a speedy recovery to all those who were injured. GoldQuest has operated in the Dominican Republic for over 20 years and has carried out exploration and development in many provinces, with our head office in Santo Domingo. We recognize that our Dominican colleagues are devastated by the news of the tragedy, and the Board offers full support to our Dominican team. About GoldQuest GoldQuest is a Canadian based mineral exploration and development company with projects in the Dominican Republic. GoldQuest is traded on the TSX-V under the symbol GQC and in Frankfurt/Berlin with symbol M1W. The Company is well funded to carry out the exploration programs reported in this release and to advance the development of its Romero gold/copper discovery, also located in the Tireo Formation of the Dominican Republic. Additional information can be viewed at the Company's website www.goldquestcorp.com. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of GoldQuest Mining Corp., "Bill Fisher" Chairman of the Board 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. Forward-looking statements: Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking information that involves known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the past drill programs, the results of such drill programs and the interpretation of the results of the drill programs, further drilling, the timing of drilling and assay results, mineral resources at Romero and Romero South, the merits of the Company's mineral properties, future drill programs and studies, the Company's plans and exploration programs for its mineral properties, including the timing of such plans and programs, the Company's belief that Dominican Republic authorities will support the development of the Romero gold-copper project, and the allocation of funds for the BFS and the 2025 Program. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "potential", "likelihood", "appears", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "at least", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "should", "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 the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, risks related to uncertainties inherent in drill results and the estimation of mineral resources; commodity prices; changes in general economic conditions; market sentiment; currency exchange rates; the Company's ability to continue as a going concern; the Company's ability to raise funds through equity financings; risks inherent in mineral exploration; risks related to operations in foreign countries; future prices of metals; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals; government regulation of mining operations; environmental risks; title disputes or claims; limitations on insurance coverage and the timing and possible outcome of litigation. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could affect the Company and may 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, do not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All statements are made as of the date of this news release and the Company is under no obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that the Company believes to be reasonable, including expectations regarding mineral exploration and development costs; expected trends in mineral prices and currency exchange rates; the accuracy of the Company's current mineral resource estimates; that the Company's activities will be in accordance with the Company's public statements and stated goals; that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties; that all required approvals will be obtained and that there will be no significant disruptions affecting the Company or its properties. For further information, please contact: To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/248007 SOURCE: GoldQuest Mining Corp. While earlier, the couples family friend and lawyer Lalit Bindal said that duo had filed for divorce but are now back together, Sunita has finally reacted to the ongoing scenario. read more Govinda and Sunita Ahujas divorce rumours have been making rounds on social media for quite some time now. While earlier, the couples family friend and lawyer Lalit Bindal said that duo had filed for divorce but are now back together, Sunita has finally reacted to the ongoing scenario. Positive hai ya negative hai. Positive hai mujhe pata hai. Mai sochti hu kuttey hai log bhaukenge (Whether its positive or negative I know its positive. I think people are like dogs they will bark), said Sunita, addressing the criticism while talking to ABP. Advertisement Jab tak aap mere ya Govinda ke muh se kuch na sun lo toh aap yeh mat socho kya hai kya nahi hai (Until you hear it from my mouth or Govindas, dont believe anything), she added. We also travelled to Nepal during the New Year and performed puja together at Pashupati Nath Mandir. Everything is fine between them now. Such things keep happening between couples, but they are going strong and will always be together," Lalit had told India Today in February. Like when she said mujhe Govinda jaisa pati nahi chaiye (I dont want Govinda as my husband in next birth), she did add that she wanted a son like him. Or when she said that he was with his own valentine, she meant he was working. It is unfortunate that people are only talking negatively about them when the couple is together, and I can assure that they will always be. No divorce is going to happen," he added. Advertisement Earlier, Sunita revealed that she and Govinda are living separately, which left fans shocked and disappointed. We have two houses, we have a bungalow opposite our apartment. I have my temple and my kids in the flat. We live in the flat whereas he gets late after his meetings. He loves talking so hell gather 10 people and sit chatting with them. Whereas me, my son and my daughter live together, but we hardly talk because I feel if you end up wasting your energy by talking too much," said Sunita while talking to Pinkvilla Hindi Rush. The Jaat actor said, Maybe it did not go viral on social media. What would I even say? I am not a politician, I am a simple artiste. Whatever I could say, I said. read more Randeep Hooda was a special guest at News18s Rising Bharat Summit in Delhi today, April 9, where he opened up about his silence on the clashes in Manipur despite being married to a Manipuri woman. The Jaat actor said, Maybe it did not go viral on social media. What would I even say? I am not a politician, I am a simple artiste. Whatever I could say, I said. Me and wife secretly used to provide oxygen masks, etc, there during Covid. What else can we even do? Kaam kisi aur ka hain unhe karna chahiye. Advertisement The actor added, Even now the situation is bad there. There used to be a shortage of supply chain there so people would struggle for basic things like oil, water, etc. But then things got better and development took place. People were happy and just then, this conflict happened. Sarkar hi kuch kar sakti hain. Randeep Hooda has finally returned to horseback riding after more than two years of recovery. The actor suffered a severe knee injury while working on his maiden directorial project, Swatantrya Veer Savarkar. The injury, which occurred when the film was initially shelved due to financial constraints, left him with multiple ligament tears in his knee, requiring extensive rehabilitation. Randeep, who underwent a drastic physical transformation for Veer Savarkar, had lost excessive weight for the role, which led to a dangerous fall while on horseback. The impact was severehe passed out and broke all the ligaments in his knee. Despite these setbacks, the determined actor refused to give up on the film. He went on to complete Veer Savarkar using his own money, filming intense sequences with knee braces on, and even running in certain scenesfurther aggravating his injury. Cinema is beyond any boundaries and cinema is indeed about culture. It plays a very important role in bringing different cultures together. Metropolis Association Proudly Announces the First Edition of South Screens Film Festival. read more South Screens Film Festival is not a festival of competition, but of exchange. A gathering where films move freely between places and identities, where cinema creates moments of discovery and discussions. This first edition is an organic extension to existing programs such as Ecrans du reel (Real Screens - dedicated to documentaries) and upcoming ones spread throughout the year, reflecting the same interest in social causes that matter to us. Metropolis Association announces the launch of South Screens (Ecrans du Sud), a new film festival where cinema transcends borders, where voices travel across continents, where the unseen finds its place on our screens, celebrating countries whose films are rarely presented on our screens. Advertisement A still from Greenline film Under the theme of Shift, this first edition reflects our need for new perspectives. Facing dark times, drastic political changes, extreme violence, impunity, injustice, we hope to search for answers, outside familiar pathways. The program runs for ten days and includes over twenty films from four continents and thirty-five countries. The program features ten Arab films, five African films, four Asian films and three films from Latin America. About the Program The festival presents highly awaited films, most of which have won awards at international festivals or premiered in prestigious festivals, for the Lebanese audience. This reflects the organizers belief in the importance of presenting artistic and beautiful films to the public. The opening film from Brazil: Im Still Here directed by Walter Salles, the winner of the Oscar for Best International Film. It is set in Brazil in 1971, where the country was suffering under a strict military dictatorship. Eunice Paiva, a mother of five, finds herself forced to reconstruct her life after her family is subjected to an arbitrary and violent government action. The film is based on the autobiography of Marcelo Rubens Paiva, recounting the true story that contributed to reshaping an important part of Brazils hidden history. The closing film will feature stories of the Palestinian diaspora, directed by Mahdi Fleifel and titled To a Land Unknown which acts as a follow-up to his acclaimed documentary A World Not Ours. In To a Land Unknown, Fleifel addresses the story of two young men, Shatila (Mahmoud Bakri) and Rida (Aram Sabah), who escape from the Ain al-Hilweh camp (Lebanon) to Athens, where they save money to pay for fake passports to leave Athens. When Rida loses the funds, they worked hard to obtain due to his drug addiction, Shatila devises an extreme plan that involves pretending to be smugglers and taking hostages in an attempt to extricate himself and his friend from their desperate environment before its too late. Advertisement To a Land Unknown makes its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in the category of Directors Fortnight. Other films from the Arab world that have received acclaim at international festivals include Norah by Tawfiq Al-Zaeedi, marking the first Saudi film in the history of Saudi Arabia to participate in the Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard category, and receiving the jurys special mention after its participation in the official competition of the Red Sea International Film Festival. From Jordan, Inshallah a Boy by director Amjad Al-Rasheed took Jordanian cinema to Cannes for the first time at the Critics Week, and the film has traveled to numerous festivals, winning multiple awards. A still from Inshallah a Boy From Morocco, the documentary The Mother of all Lies by Asmae El Moudir participated in Cannes in the Un Certain Regard category and was nominated for an Oscar. Tunisia, shining this year with distinctive works, presents the film Red Path by Lotfi Achour. The film comes to Beirut after its world premiere at the Locarno Festival and winning the Golden Yusr Award at the Red Sea Festival, along with other successes at various festivals. Advertisement Goodbye Julia by director Mohammed Kordofani brought Sudan, a country with very limited cinematic production, to Cannes in the Un Certain Regard category. The Burdened directed by Omar Jamal from Yemen, another country with limited production, has received multiple awards and international acclaim. The Village Next to Paradise by Mo Harawe from Somalia has also won numerous awards at several festivals in the USA, Germany, and Austria. From Egypt, the country of the seventh art in the Arab world, the film Perfumed with Mint by Muhammed Hamdy stands out as an exquisite artistic film. Lebanese films have their place for screening in their city Beirut, where four Lebanese directors, Wissam Charaf, Lucien Bourjeili, Bane Fakih and Areej Mahmoud join forces to direct four short films within one feature film titled Disorder produced by Bechara Mouzannar and executive-produced by Khaled Mouzanar and Nadine Labaki. Rendez-vous Avec Pol Pot film The festival runs in April, and April 13th marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Lebanese Civil War. Therefore, on April 11th, the festival will present the film Green Line directed by French filmmaker Sylvie Ballyot, who co-wrote the screenplay with Fida Bizri. The film uses miniature models of buildings in Beirut and miniature figurines to reconstruct the troubled childhood of Fida during the Lebanese Civil War. With the help of these models, Fida confronts former militia men she saw during her childhood in the 1980s in West Beirut: militia men who claimed to protect her but were actually terrifying her. Advertisement Films from Across the Globe The Seed of the Sacred Fig, directed by Mohammad Rasoulof from Iran, won the Jury Prize at Cannes 2024 along with numerous other awards. Simas Song, directed by Roya Sadat from Afghanistan, portrays the reality of women and revolution in Afghanistan before extremism took its hold; a beautiful film that presents an atypical image of what the media often depicts about countries like Afghanistan. Mami Wata, directed by CJ Fiery Obasi, is a Nigerian film that won the Special Jury Award at Sundance. Meeting with Pol Pot, directed by Rithy Panh, had its world premiere at Cannes in the Cannes Premiere category. The esteemed Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul presents his film Memoria, which won the Jury Prize at Cannes. All We Imagine As Light, by Indian director Payal Kapadia, winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes. A love story from Senegal, Banel et Adama, directed by Ramata-Toulaye Sy, participated in the official competition at Cannes and London Film Festivals, winning Best Director at the International Film Festival in Marrakech. Advertisement La Cocina, directed by Alonso Ruizpalacios from Mexico, premiered in the Official Competition at the Berlin Film Festival and won numerous awards in Deauville - France, and Stockholm -Sweden. Classic Films A Flood in the Baath Country from Syria, directed by the late Omar Amiralay, screens in Beirut after decades. La Noire De by Senegalese director Ousmane Sembene, a well-known writer and screenwriter, who was also famous for his political activism and military service during World War II, will also be screened in its restored version. The Beirut-Locarno Industry Academy In parallel with the South Screens Festival, the sixth edition of the Beirut-Locarno Industry Academy, as the industry part of the festival which specializes in training young distributors, will be held this year with 17 participants from Lebanon and the Arab world, alongside experts in the fields of distribution and production. The event will take place from April 10 to 12, 2025 in Beirut. Video of the plane, dubbed the J-36 by experts and analysts, has gone viral on Chinese social media. The J-36, a three-engine, tailless flying wing aircraft, is thought to be Chinas attempt at a sixth-generation fighter plane. It had its first test flight in December. But what does the new video reveal? read more The J-36 is thought to be Chinas attempt at a sixth-generation fighter plane. Image courtesy: X New images of Chinas stealth fighter have caused a stir around the world. Video of the plane, dubbed the J-36 by experts and analysts, went viral on Chinese social media on Monday. It is thought to be Chinas attempt at a sixth-generation fighter plane. It is a three-engine, tailless flying wing aircraft. It had its first test flight in December. But what do the new images of the J-36 reveal? Lets take a closer look: What do we know? As per The Aviationist, the video shows the J-36 flying over a Chinese urban highway. The jet is making its last approach for landing at the Chengdu Airframe Plant near the city center in Sichuan province. Advertisement The footage was filmed from inside a car. As per Yahoo.com, it shows the jet getting ready to touch down on a runway. The J-36s heavy-duty landing gear, which has twin wheels on each unit, is deployed. Its large twin split ruddervons which are working as stabilising airbrakes are also visible. The cockpit seems to be streamlined with the top mould line of the forward fuselage. This visual, taken with the J-36s wide nose, suggests that the pilot and co-pilot are sitting side by side with the single pilots helmet or ejection seat headrest being visible. It also seems to go against what many predicted would be a two-seat configuration. It is also possible that the cockpit will hold a single pilot. The J-36s the dorsal engine air intake with its seeming diverterless supersonic inlet (DSI) design, a prominent hump and forward-raked upper area are also visible. The exhausts for its three engines were also captured. Military aviation expert David Cenciotti, a former Italian Air Force officer, wrote, The trijet engine arrangement, with two engine intakes under the wings and a dorsally-mounted intake behind the cockpit, is a departure from conventional twin-engine setups seen in many contemporary fighters. This configuration may offer advantages in terms of thrust and redundancy. Advertisement The jet also seems equipped with some splinter-type camouflage scheme, with lighter-looking panels around the dorsal intake and aft. China-US battle over sixth-gen fighters China and the US are currently in a battle over sixth-generation jet fighters. Each of them is vying to be the first to field a sixth-generation craft. Trump has announced that the US has tasked Boeing with making its sixth-generation fighter jet which he has dubbed the F-47. They will have unprecedented power, Trump said. Americas enemies will never see [them] coming. Trump, incidentally, is the 47th President of the United States. This graphical rendering provided by the US Air Force shows the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform, the F-47. AP But he insists thats a coincidence. The generals picked a title, and its a beautiful number, Trump was quoted as saying in the Oval Office. Nothing in the world comes even close to it. Trump has called it the most lethal aircraft ever built. He has claimed a test version of the plane had been flying in secret for years. Theres never been anything even close to it, from speed to manoeuverability, to what it can have, to payload, Trump said. Advertisement Our allies are calling constantly, Trump added. The plane is officially called the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD). Americas F-35 and F-22 fighters both fifth-generation planes are currently considered top of the foodchain. The F-35 is widely recognised as the king of the skies. Each plane costs between $80 million and $115 million. The lifetime service cost of a single F-35 can exceed $1 trillion. They are both manufactured by Lockheed Martin. As per CNN, China is also working on a fighter jet dubbed the J-XX or the J-50. The Peoples Liberation Army has not acknowledged the existence of either fighter. From a development point of view, China appears to be determined to make explorations on next-generation aviation equipment, Wang Yanan, chief editor of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, was quoted as saying by Global Times. With inputs from agencies After years of deadlock and growing distrust, the United States and Iran are preparing to hold indirect talks in Oman on Saturday. There has been no dialogue between the two nations since 2018, when US President Donald Trump pulled out of the landmark nuclear deal during his first term read more After years of deadlock and growing distrust, the United States and Iran are once again preparing to talk but theyre not exactly on the same page. On Saturday, both sides are expected to engage in discussions in the Sultanate of Oman, in a fresh attempt to revive stalled talks over Irans rapidly progressing nuclear programme. But even before the meeting begins, theres already disagreement on how the talks will actually happen. US President Donald Trump has insisted the negotiations will be direct. On the other hand, Irans foreign minister has made it clear that the talks will remain indirect and go through a mediator. Advertisement It may seem like a minor detail, but it highlights the underlying tension. Indirect talks havent gone anywhere since 2018 the year Trump pulled the US out of the landmark nuclear deal with world powers during his first term. Since then, Trump has reinstated tough sanctions on Iran as part of his maximum pressure campaign. Hes also floated the idea of military action once again even as he expressed hope that a new deal could be worked out. As part of that push, he wrote a letter to Irans 85-year-old Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei, however, hasnt softened his stance. In response to the renewed threats, he warned that Iran would retaliate against any attack with one of its own. Heres a closer look at the letter, Irans nuclear ambitions, and the long-running tensions that have shaped US-Iran relations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Why did Trump write the letter? Trump sent the letter to Ayatollah Khamenei on March 5, and confirmed it the very next day in a television interview. 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, he said. Advertisement Since returning to the White House, Trump has been ramping up pressure on Tehran, tightening sanctions while hinting that a US or Israeli military strike on Irans nuclear sites remains on the table. This isnt the first time Trump has reached out. A letter he sent during his first term was met with a sharp response from Khamenei. Still, Trumps letter-writing approach has worked before, at least in opening doors. His earlier correspondence with North Koreas Kim Jong Un led to historic face-to-face meetings. Though those summits didnt lead to any agreement on curbing Pyongyangs nuclear weapons or its long-range missile programme. How has Iran reacted? Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian rejected direct negotiations with the United States over Tehrans nuclear programme. We dont av[oid talks; its the breach of promises that has caused issues for us so far, Pezeshkian said in televised remarks during a Cabinet meeting. They must prove that they can build trust. Khamenei seemingly reacted to comments by Trump renewing his threat of military action. They threaten to commit acts of mischief, but we are not entirely certain that such actions will take place, the supreme leader said. We do not consider it highly likely that trouble will come from the outside. However, if it does, they will undoubtedly face a strong retaliatory strike. Advertisement Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. AFP Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei went further. An open threat of bombing by a Head of State against Iran is a shocking affront to the very essence of International Peace and Security, he wrote on the social platform X. Violence breeds violence, peace begets peace. The US can choose the course; and concede to CONSEQUENCES. Adding to the rising tensions, Irans state-run newspaper, the Tehran Times, reportedwithout naming sourcesthat the country has positioned missiles capable of striking US-linked targets. This comes as the US has stationed stealth B-2 bombers in Diego Garcia, within striking distance of Iran and Yemen, where American forces have intensified bombing operations against Houthi rebels since March 15. Why is Irans nuclear program a concern for the West? Iran has long maintained that its nuclear programme is purely for peaceful purposes. Yet, in recent years, the rhetoric from its officials has become increasingly pointed, with some openly hinting at the possibility of pursuing nuclear weapons. Tehran is now enriching uranium to 60 per cent purityjust shy of weapons-grade levelsmaking it the only country without an active nuclear weapons programme to reach such a threshold. Under the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran was only allowed to enrich uranium up to 3.67 per cent and keep a stockpile capped at 300 kilograms (661 pounds). However, the latest report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) revealed that Irans stockpile has now ballooned to 8,294.4 kilograms (18,286 pounds), with a portion of it enriched to 60 per cent. Advertisement Iran has long maintained that its nuclear programme is purely for peaceful purposes. Yet, in recent years, the rhetoric from its officials has become increasingly pointed, with some openly hinting at the possibility of pursuing nuclear weapons. Representational image/Reuters US intelligence agencies believe that Iran hasnt yet launched a formal weapons programme, but they note that the country has undertaken activities that better position it to produce a nuclear device, if it chooses to do so. Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Irans supreme leader, said in a televised interview that while Iran has the technical ability to build nuclear arms, it has no plans to do so and remains cooperative with IAEA inspections. However, he said if the US or Israel were to attack Iran over the issue, the country would have no choice but to move toward nuclear weapon development. If you make a mistake regarding Irans nuclear issue, you will force Iran to take that path, because it must defend itself, Larijani said. Why are relations so bad between Iran and the US? Decades ago, Iran was one of Americas closest allies in West Asia. Under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Tehran not only bought advanced US military equipment but also allowed CIA technicians to operate secret listening posts to monitor the Soviet Union. The CIA had fomented a 1953 coup that cemented the shahs rule. But everything changed in 1979. In January of that year, the shahgravely ill with cancerfled the country amid a wave of massive protests. Soon after, the Islamic Revolution took hold, led by Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who established the theocratic regime that still rules Iran today. Advertisement Later that same year, Iranian university students stormed the US Embassy in Tehran, demanding the shahs extradition. The incident triggered the infamous 444-day hostage crisis and led to a complete breakdown in diplomatic ties between the two nations. During the bloody Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, the United States backed Saddam Husseins Iraq. The period also saw the Tanker War, where the US launched a major one-day naval assault that severely damaged Irans fleet. Tensions escalated further when an American warship shot down an Iranian commercial airliner. Since then, relations between Washington and Tehran have swung between enmity and grudging diplomacy. Ties reached their most promising point in 2015, when Iran struck a nuclear deal with world powers. But in 2018, Donald Trump withdrew the US from the agreement, reigniting long-standing animosities that continue to this day. With input from AP Peter Navarro, who is the White Houses senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, has frequently quoted someone named Ron Vara in his books and op-eds. Vara even published a pro-tariff memo during Donald Trumps first term in 2016, claiming he could ride the tariffs to victory against China. But Ron Vara is a fictional character and just an anagram of Navarro read more Senior trade advisor Peter Navarro stands next to US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. It is believed that Navarro has been the chief architect of Trump's tariff plan. File image/Reuters Ride the tariffs to victory From US to Europe and Asia, stock markets across the world have witnessed a meltdown over the past week. The US and China, the worlds two-largest economies, seem headed straight for a trade war. But is this all the result of a fake expert? Lets take a closer look: According to US journalist Rachel Maddow, Peter Navarro, who is the White Houses senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, tariffs, frequently quotes someone named Ron Vara in his books and op-eds. Advertisement The problem is that there is no Ron Vara. In fact, the name itself is just an anagram of Navarro. Maddow claimed Trump came up with the tariff idea after a fake memo from a fake person with a fake email address. But who is Navarro, you may ask? Navarro is a noted deficit and China hawk. He came into Trumps orbit in 2016 after Jared Kushner stumbled onto his 2011 book Death by China. As per The New York Times, he is known as Rasputin-like China hawk who keeps bringing up anti-China ideas to Trump. Maddow said that Navarro used Ron Vara to back up his theories in many of his books which was confirmed by the New York Times. As per Snopes, Navarro has quoted Ron Vara in half a dozen books going back as far as 2001. He usually does so as an epigraph before a chapter." Only the Chinese can turn a leather sofa into an acid bath, a baby crib into a lethal weapon, and a cellphone battery into heart-piercing shrapnel, Vara was quoted as saying in one of Navarros books, as per NPR. Advertisement Maddow said Navarro even published a pro- tariff memo under the pseudonym which The New York Times also confirmed. At one point, Ron Vara wrote in the memo that Trump could, quote, Ride the tariffs to victory, Maddow said. The issue is that Ron Vara isnt real. The economics professor that Peter Navarro has long invoked to justify his obsession with tariffs, is a made-up person. He is a fictional person. Peter Navarro invented Ron Vara as his expert source, so he could quote this expert source over and over and over again in his crackpot books, Maddow said. Who is Ron Vara? Ron Vara is an anagram of Navarromy name anagrams to Macho Waddler, but I dont see myself trying to talk you into doing what Macho Waddler wants, right? Maddow concluded. As per Hindustan Times, Navarro has previously admitted using Ron Vara to parrot his theories. Its just a fun device, Navarro stated. Greg Autry, co-author of Navarros book Death By China, has also admitted that Navarro created the fictional character. Advertisement Its refreshing that somebody finally figured out an inside joke that has been hiding in plain sight for years, Navarro wrote in an email, as per NPR. Interestingly, Navarros boss is also famous for inventing a fake person. Trump during the 1980s created the persona of John Barron who he claimed was a spokesperson. Barron would often reach out to the media with stories that flattered Trump particularly about his finances and his love life. Widespread anti-Israel protests broke out across Bangladesh, condemning the Jewish nations military strikes on Gaza and calling for the boycott of products linked to the country. As the protests turned violent, angry mobs vandalised outlets of international brands such as Bata, KFC, and Pizza Hut businesses they mistakenly believe have associations with Israel read more As anti-Israel demonstrations spread across multiple cities in Bangladesh, a wave of anger quickly turned towards global brands, with protesters targeting outlets they believe are tied to Israel. Image courtesy: X Massive protests broke out across Bangladesh, including the capital city of Dhaka, as demonstrators took to the streets to denounce Israels military campaign in Gaza and demand a boycott of products linked to the country. What began as a show of solidarity quickly escalated, with protesters zeroing in on international brands such as Bata, KFC, and Pizza Hut businesses they believe have associations with Israel. According to the Dhaka Tribune, the demonstrations turned violent in several areas. Crowds vandalised stores and disrupted daily life, as tensions flared and anger boiled over into property damage. Advertisement Heres a closer look at how the situation unfolded. Global outlets come under fire in Bangladesh As anti-Israel demonstrations spread across multiple cities in Bangladesh, a wave of anger quickly turned towards global franchises, with protesters targeting outlets they believe are tied to Israel. In Bogra city, hundreds of students and locals marched to the bustling Satmatha intersection, holding placards and chanting slogans condemning the genocide in Gaza. Many called for a nationwide boycott of Israeli products, accusing international brands of complicity in the violence. The rally took a violent turn when the crowd attacked a Bata showroom. Protesters hurled bricks at the building, shattering its glass walls. Quick action by employees, who locked the doors from inside, prevented further destruction and potential harm to those inside. Although protestors threw bricks and broke the glass, no major untoward incident occurred, said Officer-in-Charge (OC) SM Moinuddin of Bogra Sadar police station. In the eastern city of Sylhet, tensions escalated as demonstrators stormed into a KFC outlet in the Mirboxtula area. Bottles of soft drinks, believed to be linked to Israeli companies, were smashed on the premises, reported Bangla Tribune. The restaurant was shut down as police moved in to take control of the situation. Advertisement Islamist mobs in #Bangladesh went on a rampage today looting and destroying KFC, Bata, Dominos, and Pizza Hut outlets. Why? To protest against Israels retaliation in Palestine. Why these brands? They believe these are owned by Jews. Bangladeshi franchise owners bore the loss. pic.twitter.com/omlp8HiqW3 Abhijit Majumder (@abhijitmajumder) April 7, 2025 Speakers at the protest rally demanded swift action from both the Bangladesh government and the United Nations. They urged for a boycott of Israeli goods and condemned what they called the brutal killings of innocent children, women, and civilians in Gaza. Several voices from the protest appealed to the global community to stand for humanity. Advertisement Meanwhile, in Chittagong, violence erupted near the GEC intersection in the afternoon. Protesters vandalised KFC and Pizza Hut outlets in the area, throwing bricks, stones, and even shoes. Both storefronts suffered significant damage, with their glass facades completely shattered. SHOCKING NEWS Bangladeshi radicals attack Pizza Hut, KFC, Bata stores. They said these are Israel-linked businesses. Mob is holding nationwide anti-Israel protests in Bangladesh. They even looted Pizzas & shoes. Foreign investors must think twice before investing in pic.twitter.com/fHCXe9TeZx Times Algebra (@TimesAlgebraIND) April 8, 2025 Two units of the Chittagong Metropolitan Police were deployed to the scene to bring the situation under control. We are investigating the incident. The situation is now calm, and the crowd dispersed by evening, Mohammad Solaiman, police incharge of Panchlaish in Bangladesh, told Dhaka Tribune. Advertisement Similar scenes played out in Coxs Bazar, where demonstrators gathered in Kalatali and hurled stones at the signboards of KFC and Pizza Hut. There was no vandalism inside the restaurants, only stone-throwing at the logos, Officer-in-Charge Elias Khan of Coxs Bazar police told BBC Bangla. However, eyewitnesses claimed that the unrest led to damage at several nearby establishments during the chaos. Bata responds In the wake of widespread vandalism targeting its outlets in Bangladesh, Bata has officially responded, condemning the attacks and clarifying its position amid the ongoing protests. In a statement issued to the media, the company addressed the misinformation fueling the unrest. We are aware of inaccurate claims suggesting that Bata is an Israeli-owned company or has political affiliations in the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. Bata further clarified, Bata globally is a privately held, family-owned company founded in the Czech Republic, with no political ties to the conflict. It is deeply regrettable that some of our retail locations in Bangladesh have recently been subjected to vandalism, apparently triggered by these false narratives, the company said, as quoted by Dhaka Tribune. Protests fuel political tensions The recent wave of unrest during pro-Gaza protests has not only shaken streets across Bangladesh but also reignited sharp political tensions at the top. While the interim government, led by Chief Advisor and Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, strongly condemned the unrest, the ousted Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League lashed out at the developments, calling them a dangerous warning sign of rising extremism in the country. Advertisement The Alarming Rise of Extremism in Bangladesh: A Call to the International Community --- This is more than a political crisisits a national emergency. Bangladesh risks becoming the next Afghanistan if the international community remains silent. We must demand accountability. pic.twitter.com/iLoJrVf5Z1 Bangladesh Awami League (@albd1971) April 7, 2025 This is more than a political crisis its a national emergency. Bangladesh risks becoming the next Afghanistan if the international community remains silent, the Awami League said in a statement issued after the protests turned violent. The party held the Yunus-led administration responsible for the breakdown in law and order, demanding urgent steps to restore stability. Advertisement Democracy must be revived. Dr Yunus must step down to make way for free and fair elections. To the global community: act now. Engage. Raise your voices. The cost of inaction will be devastating not just for Bangladesh, but for regional and global stability, the statement added. Yunus, who had earlier expressed solidarity with Palestine, issued a fresh statement on Tuesday condemning the violence and promising swift action against those involved. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh. Reuters Bangladesh police have swiftly moved to take action over the violent and unlawful events that unfolded during the Pro-Gaza protests in several cities on Monday. These attacks and acts of vandalism are an affront to public safety and the rule of law, Yunus said. He added that law enforcement agencies had already made progress. As of now, at least 49 individuals have been arrested in connection with these incidents. The police have acted swiftly, and two cases have been formally filed. Further investigations are underway, and additional cases are in the process of being filed against those responsible for these reprehensible acts, he noted. Yunus confirmed that authorities were reviewing video footage from the protests to identify more perpetrators. Raids were conducted on Monday night in a bid to locate and apprehend those responsible for the attacks. With input from agencies The UK government is working on a murder prediction tool to flag individuals most likely to commit the crime in future. The system will evaluate data held by police and probation services to identify those at risk of carrying out serious violent offences, including murder. Officials said the project is still in the early stages and relies solely on records of individuals with at least one prior criminal conviction read more Authorities said that the work is still at an early stage. Pixabay/Representational Image The UK government is developing a murder prediction tool to identify individuals most likely to commit the crime in the future. The countrys Ministry of Justice is partnering with academic researchers on a pilot programme to create this predictive system. ALSO READ | No city for superrich: Why millionaires are fleeing London Authorities said that the work is still at an early stage and draws only from the records of those who already have at least one criminal conviction. Advertisement In this report, we explore what is currently known about the initiative and how it might assist in identifying people who could go on to carry out serious violent crimes. What is the UKs murder prediction tool? This is a system that aims to predict who may go on to commit serious violent offences, including murder, by examining information held by police and probation services. According to The Guardian, researchers are said to be using algorithms to examine the records of thousands of individuals, including crime victims, to pinpoint those most likely to carry out such offences. The scheme was first named the homicide prediction project, but has since been renamed to sharing data to improve risk assessment, the report said. This is a system that aims to predict who may go on to commit serious violent offences. Pixabay/Representational Image The Ministry of Justice believes the project could support efforts to improve public safety. But campaigners have warned it might result in people being profiled based on sensitive personal details, including mental health issues, self-harm and domestic abuse history. The MoJ said that the project would review offender characteristics that increase the risk of committing homicide and explore alternative and innovative data science techniques to risk assessment of homicide, according to The Telegraph UK. A spokesperson added that the work would provide evidence towards improving risk assessment of serious crime, and ultimately contribute to protecting the public via better analysis. Advertisement The project was authorised by the prime ministers office during Rishi Sunaks tenure. It draws on official crime records, including data from the Probation Service and Greater Manchester Police before 2015. ALSO READ | Squeaky Blinders: How rats bigger than cats are running riot in UKs Birmingham Why are some people concerned about the tool? The project came to light through Statewatch, which uncovered details using Freedom of Information requests. Statewatch has raised concerns that the system will involve personal data from individuals who have never been convicted of a crime. This includes sensitive details such as incidents of self-harm and experiences related to domestic abuse. However, officials have firmly denied this, stating that the project only uses information from individuals with at least one conviction. The data reportedly being analysed includes basic identifiers like name, date of birth, gender, and ethnicity, along with a unique police national computer number. According to The Guardian, Statewatchs concerns are drawn from a section of the data-sharing agreement between the Ministry of Justice and Greater Manchester Police. It shows the police may share a range of data with the government not just about convictions, but also about peoples first interactions with police, including as victims of domestic violence. Advertisement The Ministry of Justice believes the project could support efforts to improve public safety. Pixabay/Representational Image Sofia Lyall, a researcher at Statewatch, defined the project as the latest chilling and dystopian example of the governments intent to develop so-called crime prediction systems. She told the UK daily, Time and again, research shows that algorithmic systems for predicting crime are inherently flawed. This latest model, which uses data from our institutionally racist police and Home Office, will reinforce and magnify the structural discrimination underpinning the criminal legal system. Like other systems of its kind, it will code in bias towards racialised and low-income communities. Building an automated tool to profile people as violent criminals is deeply wrong, and using such sensitive data on mental health, addiction and disability is highly intrusive and alarming. The Ministry of Justice denied using data from victims or individuals without convictions. It said in a statement, This project is being conducted for research purposes only. It has been designed using existing data held by HM Prison and Probation Service and police forces on convicted offenders to help us better understand the risk of people on probation going on to commit serious violence. A report will be published in due course. Advertisement Officials state that the prison and probation service already carry out risk assessments, and this research will test whether bringing in new sources of data, including information from the police and custody records, makes the process more accurate. Its a tough time for Indian students in the US. Amid fear of being deported for minor offences, now, theres another concern. The US introduced a bill to end the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, which allows them to stay in the country after their studies. If passed, many Indians would have to leave the country immediately, unless they can transition to an H-1B visa read more Students walk past Wilson Library on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, US. President Donald Trump may be considering ending the OPT programme, which could cause a lot of trouble for Indian students in the country. Representational image/Pixabay In Trumps presidency, the American Dream, it seems, is becoming more difficult to attain for people from across the globe, namely Indians. The US is proposing a new bill, which looks at eliminating an important work programme that allows foreign students to stay in the US and pursue their dreams. If this bill goes through, it will affect students from across the globe, but particularly hit India, as over three lakh desis have availed of this scheme to live and work in the US. Advertisement Whats this bill? What programme is it going to affect? How will Indians be impacted? We get you these answers and more. US bill to curb OPT programme On March 25, Representative Paul Gosar from Arizona introduced the Fairness for High-Skilled Americans Act, which looks to eliminate the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, which currently allows international students, particularly those in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (Stem) fields, to work in the United States for up to three years after graduation. The bill reflects the Buy American, Hire American agenda championed by US President Trump during his first term. The bill argues that employers have been favouring foreign graduates over locals as the OPT programme structure saves costs for them. It is estimated that US employers save about eight per cent for OPT hires as they are not required to pay Federal Insurance Contributions Act or medicare taxes under the scheme. As per the bill tabled, a non-US national would be allowed to participate in the programme for four months with no extensions available. It also bars certain individuals from participating in the programme, specifically an individual with a degree or working in a sensitive field, or who is employed by or otherwise affiliated with an entity owned or controlled by the Communist Party of China. The US has introduced the Fairness for High-Skilled Americans Act, which looks to eliminate the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme. Representational image/Reuters Significance of the OPT programme But what exactly is OPT and why is it important to foreign students? Optional Practical Training (OPT) allows international graduates to gain valuable hands-on experience and begin contributing their education and training to the US immediately. As Jim Hicks, division chief for external operations with the Student and Exchange Visitor Programme that collects information on international students in the US, told US News, OPT is an opportunity to apply knowledge gained from a programme of study in a practical environment. Currently, there are two types of OPT for students on an F-1 visa: pre-completion and post-completion. Pre-completion OPT allows international students to hold a job during their studies, permitting them to work part-time while classes are in session and full-time during breaks. However, experts say post-completion OPT, which allows students to work part-time or full-time after graduation, is the much more popular option. Advertisement OPT allows for students in any field to live in the US for up to 12 months, while those with a Stem degree can get an additional two-year Stem extension, for a total of 36 months of work authorisation and training. If the US passes the new bill scrapping OPT, it would affect many international students, as this programme allows them to stay in the country for up to three years after graduation. Representational image/ANI Over the years, OPT has gained popularity among international students. In 2007, OPT saw 24,838 participants while Stem OPT saw just two students. However, in 2023, this number rose to 1,60,627 and 62,036 respectively. Stating the importance of OPT, FWD.us, a bipartisan political organisation, wrote in one report, OPT is an important but imperfect bridge, allowing graduates an opportunity to develop their skills and build relationships with potential employers while determining their future immigration options. Impact on Indian students If the US does pass the bill that is looking to scrap OPT, it will have an adverse effect on Indian students. But why? According to the Open Doors 2024 report, there were over 3,31,000 Indian students in the US during the 2023-2024 academic year, with nearly 97,556 participating in OPT a 41 per cent increase from the previous year. As expert Poorvi Chothani of LawQuest told Logical Indian if the bill passes, Indian students may be forced to leave the US abruptly without transitioning to another work visa, impacting their ability to repay student loans. Advertisement Theres also a concern that it will lead to a scramble for H-1B-eligible jobs, though success is far from guaranteed. As experts noted the development has panicked existing F-1 and M-1 student visa holders who are frantically applying for jobs that can transition them to an H-1B work visa, primarily sponsored by large US and Indian technology companies. In fact, Indian students are already fearing the worst with Adarsh Khandelwal, cofounder, Collegify, a study abroad platform, telling the Economic Times that they are now clouded in doubt. A tough time for Indian students in US The introduction of the bill seeking to cancel OPT comes against a backdrop of intensifying anti-immigrant measures, including mass deportations and tightened visa scrutiny. Indian students are already under severe scrutiny with minor offences also leading to their deportation. A report in the Times of India said that dozens of Indian students in the US received emails from their designated school officials (DSOs) in the past few days, informing them that their F-1 student visas were no longer valid and that they had to leave the country immediately. It was later found that many of them were being forced to leave over misdemeanour crimes or traffic infractions. In fact, Chand Paravathneni, an immigration lawyer from Texas, said, Revoking SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) for offences like drinking and driving, shifting lanes or over-speeding is extremely rare. Advertisement With inputs from agencies This government-to-government deal will contain 22 single-seater and four twin-seater planes, as well as a full package of fleet maintenance, logistical support, personnel training, and indigenous manufacturing components as offsets read more This month, the Ministry of Defence is expected to complete a significant agreement for Rs 63,000 crore to purchase 26 Rafale M fighter planes for the Indian Navy. The Rafale M is the naval version of the French Rafale. According to sources, the agreement is nearing completion, and in the upcoming weeks, the Prime Ministers Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) is anticipated to approve it. This government-to-government deal will contain 22 single-seater and four twin-seater planes, as well as a full package of fleet maintenance, logistical support, personnel training, and indigenous manufacturing components as offsets. The agreement also involves training for Navy troops. Advertisement Deliveries of Rafale M planes are planned to begin about four years after the contract is finalised. The Indian Navy is expected to receive the first batch by the end of 2029, with the full order due to be finished by 2031. These modern fighter fighters will fly from Indias aircraft carriers, the INS Vikramaditya and the indigenous INS Vikrant, replacing the outdated MiG-29K fleet. The Rafale M is especially built for carrier-based operations, with stronger landing gear, arrester hooks, and a strengthened frame to carry out Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) operations, which are used to launch and recover aircraft from ships. Speaking at the Rising Bharat Summit 2025, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said unprecedented progress has happened in Indias discussions with the US discussions amid global economic uncertainty, with aspirations to conclude trade deals this year read more India has engaged in more trade discussions with the United States in the past six weeks than it has with Europe over the last two years, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar revealed at the News18s Rising Bharat Summit 2025. Speaking at the high-profile event, Jaishankar provided a candid assessment of Indias ongoing trade negotiations, emphasising the remarkable momentum in discussions with the United States following Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Washington DC in February. Advertisement When I look back at the last period since the PMs visit, weve actually had multiple rounds, Jaishankar said. I think weve had more discussion with Americans in the last six weeks than what we have had with Europeans in the last two years, he said. Jaishankars comments come at a critical juncture, as the 26 per cent reciprocal tariffs imposed by President Donald Trumps administration came into effect barely half an hour before the external affairs minister spoke. This follows the baseline 10 per cent tariffs for all countries that were implemented on April 5. Despite these challenges, Jaishankar expressed optimism about Indias trade strategy, noting that the government decided to engage with the Trump administration early on trade issues. We are very open and constructive with them as they were with us, he said, adding that negotiations are underway to reach a bilateral trade agreement by fall this year. Whats Indias global trade strategy Jaishankar outlined Indias broader trade ambitions, identifying key regions with natural growth potential. Where are the natural growth potentials? Its in the Gulf, Europe, Latin America, US, he explained. Its been our endeavour; we are pressing the Europeans for engagement. We see an opportunity in the current situation with the US. The minister acknowledged that while Europe had previously shown serious interest in a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India, progress had typically been slow. Typically they have taken a much longer period between interacting with each other, he said. However, he also pointed to a shift in attitude. Europe today realises the importance of deeper ties with India and the relevance of the FTA for that purpose. There is a very sort of serious message coming out of Europe that we want to move forward on this, he said. Advertisement Indias trade negotiations with the US gained significant momentum after Prime Minister Modi met President Trump in Washington DC in mid-February. Since then, both sides have engaged in intensive discussions aimed at concluding a bilateral trade agreement. How tariffs have influenced strategic response When asked about the potential impact of the US tariffs, Jaishankar was measured in his response. I dont think its possible to speak about the impact, as we dont know, he said. He emphasised that Indias strategy remains clear and goal-oriented, explaining that the current situation has created circumstances for pursuing objectives that India has long sought. Jaishankar referred to previous negotiations that could not fructify, suggesting that the current economic climate might provide fresh impetus for successful trade talks. This perspective aligns with comments made by Union Minister Hardeep Puri, who speaking at the same event on Tuesday, expressed confidence that India would emerge victorious in the ongoing tariff situation. Puri cited Indias resilience and ability to adapt to challenging circumstances for his confidence in India emerging as winners in the trade war. Advertisement Bharat Rising: How to manage it Jaishankar placed these trade negotiations within the broader context of Indias global emergence. This is Bharat Rising [referring to the mega event], how do you manage the process of rise in an extremely turbulent situation, he reflected, citing challenges including the Ukraine conflict, West Asia tensions, and political changes in neighbouring countries, particularly Bangladesh. The external affairs minister reinforced Indias strategic approach in dealing with fast-changing global trade dynamics when India has to maintain its focus on economic growth and secure favourable trade agreements in a world shaken by Trump tariffs. India and the US are in the middle of negotiations and have agreed on the importance of the early conclusion of the Bilateral Trade Agreement, following Jaishankars recent conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. As India pushes for bilateral trade deals with the US and Europe, Jaishankars remarks suggest a pragmatic approach by the Narendra Modi government to international relations, looking for opportunities amid global economic uncertainty. Advertisement A petition calling for revisions to South Korea's statutory rape laws, dubbed the "Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act," has reached over 50,000 signatures and will now be reviewed by the National Assembly. The petition, which was posted to the National Assembly's official electronic petition site on March 31, had collected 51,083 signatures as of 5 p.m. on April 7. Under current rules, a petition must receive at least 50,000 signatures within 30 days to be forwarded to a relevant legislative committee for review. The petition proposes raising the protected age range under the country's statutory rape laws from the current 1315 years old to 1318 years old, effectively making anyone under the age of 19 legally protected from sexual acts with adults. It also calls for harsher penalties: a minimum of two years' imprisonment for molestation and a minimum of five years for rape. "Recently, the grooming sex crime committed by Hallyu star Kim Soo Hyun against child actress Kim Sae Ronwho was a minor at the timehas come to light, enraging the public," the petitioner wrote. "Unfortunately, statutory rape laws currently only protect children aged 13 to under 16, which means Kim Soo Hyun cannot be legally punished." The petitioner criticized the legal gap, adding, "South Korean law clearly defines minors as those under 18, yet the statutory rape law only protects those aged 13 to under 16, allowing pedophiles to escape legal consequences." The proposal has been referred to the appropriate National Assembly committee, which must determine within 90 days whether to advance the bill to a full session for debate. Kim Soo Hyun, who is under public scrutiny, has denied any wrongdoing. At a press conference held March 31 at the Stanford Hotel in Sangam-dong, Seoul, he stated, "I did not have a relationship with the deceased while she was a minor." The case has sparked widespread public discussion, especially following reports that Kim Sae Ron, a former child actress, was allegedly in a romantic relationship with Kim while underage. The families of the two parties have issued conflicting statements about the nature and timeline of the relationship. Rana is likely to spend the initial few weeks in the custody of the National Investigation Agency read more On Wednesday, 26/11 mastermind Tahawwur Rana is expected to arrive in India, prompting two prisonsone in Delhi and another in Mumbaito make specific arrangements in secret, in accordance with directives from the US judiciary regarding extradited individuals. Rana is likely to spend the initial few weeks in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA). National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs are overseeing the entire operation. Advertisement Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian and active member of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), had facilitated fellow jihadi David Coleman Headleyalso known as Dawood Gilanito travel to India using a Pakistani-American passport. The purpose was to identify potential targets for the Mumbai terror attacks being plotted by LeT in coordination with Pakistans intelligence agency, the ISI. Expressing pride in the carnage of 26 November 2008, Rana reportedly stated that the jihadis responsible deserved Pakistans highest posthumous military honours. To date, the only LeT terrorist convicted for the attacks is Ajmal Kasab, who was captured alive during the 26/11 siege. In February, US President Donald Trump announced that Rana was going back to India to face justice and confirmed his extradition. The extradition follows persistent efforts by the Modi government since 2019. In December of that year, India submitted a diplomatic request to the United States seeking Ranas extradition. On 10 June 2020, India filed a case requesting his temporary detention to facilitate the process. Documents submitted in US courts by both nations state that Rana and David Headley were key figures in planning the Mumbai attacks and had close ties to ISI officer Major Iqbal, who was reportedly the mastermind behind the operation. Investigators claim that Rana personally travelled to Mumbai from Dubai ahead of the attacks to ensure that all arrangements were in place. According to a police report, He had checked into the Renaissance Hotel in Powai during his visit to India between 11 and 21 November 2008. The attacks occurred five days after his departure. Advertisement A US Department of Justice document states that Rana and Headley were arrested by the FBI in 2009 while plotting an attack on a Danish newspaper and providing material support to Lashkar between 2005 and 2009. In court testimony, Headley revealed that in early summer 2006, he and two Lashkar operatives discussed establishing an immigration office in Mumbai as a cover for surveillance activities. After travelling to Chicago, Headley informed Ranawhom he had known since their school days in Pakistanthat he had been sent to India to scout targets. Evidence shows that Rana posed as Headley in an email to the Danish newspaper, and by late summer 2009, both had agreed that funds sent to Rana could be used to support Headleys activities in Denmark. Rana, who owned First World Immigration Services in Chicago and other locations, authorised Headley to open a branch office in Mumbai as a front for the attacks. Using a five-year visa that Rana helped him obtain, Headley made five trips to India between 2007 and 2008 to conduct reconnaissance for the operation. Advertisement A US Justice Department report noted, Rana directed an individual associated with First World to prepare documents supporting Headleys cover story, and advised Headley on how to obtain a visa for travel to India. Furthermore, email exchanges between Headley and Rana discussing Major Iqbal were discovered by Mumbai Police. EMIs for current clients will drop as a result of this move, and prospective borrowers will soon find personal, vehicle, and house loans more reasonable read more A man speaks on his phone as he walks past the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) logo inside its headquarters in Mumbai. File image/Reuters On Wednesday, Governor Sanjay Malhotra of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had unanimously agreed to lower the policy rate by 25 basis points (bps), from 6.25 percent to 6 percent. For those who pay Equated Monthly Installments (EMIs), this is good news. EMIs for current clients will drop as a result of this move, and prospective borrowers will soon find personal, vehicle, and house loans more reasonable. Advertisement As the economy slowed earlier in February, the Reserve Bank of Indias six-member monetary policy committee (MPC) declared its first rate drop since May 2020. French Industry Minister Marc Ferracci on Wednesday warned that Italian PM Melonis upcoming visit to meet US President Trump could jeopardise European unity in opposing American tariffs, according to a report read more French Industry Minister Marc Ferracci on Wednesday warned that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Melonis upcoming visit to meet US President Donald Trump could jeopardise European unity in opposing American tariffs. We need to be united because Europe is strong if its united, Politico quoted Ferracci as saying to broadcaster FranceInfo. If we start having bilateral talks, of course itll break this momentum (on European unity), Ferracci added. Right-wing leader Meloni aims to be a bridge between Europe and the Trump administration, meeting the US president at the White House on April 17. Advertisement However, Ferracci warned that this visit could play into Trumps strategy, which seeks to weaken a unified European response to his significant tariffs 20% on EU goods that threaten to escalate into a trade war. The European Commission is considering imposing up to 25% tariffs on a wide range of US exports. According to Politico, in a separate interview, Europe Minister Benjamin Haddad emphasised that Europes strength lies in its unity in addressing Melonis visit. If you go to the United States scattered and divided, do you think youre stronger than if you go all 27, with 450 million people? the French minister asked. Well see what (Meloni) has to say, Haddad added about the Italian leaders trip. There can be discussions However, its in our collective interest to have a united and firm response rather than divisions. Haddad also called on the Commission to activate the blocs trade bazooka the Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI) which would allow the EU to target US service sectors, including technology and banking. These tools were developed for this type of situation, he was quoted as saying. Lets put them on the table Well see what the Commissions proposals are, Haddad added. Meloni will meet Trump in Washington on April 17 to discuss the tariffs that he has slapped on European Union imports, her office said on Tuesday. Advertisement The 27-nation bloc faces 25% import tariffs on steel and aluminium and cars, and broader tariffs of 20% starting Wednesday for almost all other goods under Trumps policy to hit countries he says impose high barriers to US imports. A nationalist with deep admiration for Trump, Meloni is battling to reconcile the growing gulf between her ideological instincts, which lie with Washington, and Italys strategic ties to the European Union, according to Reuters, citing analysts. She is under pressure also to defend Italys export-driven industry, which last year ran a 40-billion-euro ($43.75-billion)trade surplus with the United States - the third-largest in the European Union after Germany and Ireland. Italys exports to the US are worth 10% of total exports. With inputs from agencies China on Wednesday said that its ready to work with India to maintain peace and stability along the border areas read more China on Wednesday said that its ready to work with India to maintain peace and stability along the border areas. According to Xinhua News Agency, Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defence, made these remarks at a press conference in response to a media query regarding the future of military relations between the two countries. Highlighting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and India, Zhang said the two countries, as ancient civilizations and significant developing countries, are both at a vital stage of modernisation and are important members of the Global South. Advertisement Being partners of mutual success serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and the two peoples, Xinhua quoted Zhang as saying. He said the Chinese military is prepared to collaborate with India to implement the key agreements made by the two countries. The spokesperson emphasised the importance of enhancing communication and strategic mutual trust, maintaining peace and stability in the border areas, fostering a strong military-to-military relationship, and ensuring regional and global peace. Relations between India and China significantly strained after the deadly clashes in Galwan Valley in June 2020. The two countries have since completed the disengagement process, finalising an agreement for the withdrawal of troops from Depsang and Demchok, the last two remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh. Two days after the pact was finalised, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held discussions in Kazan on October 23, during which they agreed to revive various dialogue mechanisms. India has emphasised that its relationship with China cannot return to normal until peace is established in the border areas. With inputs from agencies China is trying to tariff-proof its economy by boosting consumption and investing in key industries, but analysts say it remains critically vulnerable to the economic storm triggered by Donald Trumps 104 percent levies on its goods read more A man walks into a merchandise store displaying Chinese and United States' national flags, in Beijing. The effects of a possible US-China trade war will be felt across the world. AP China on Wednesday called for equal dialogue with the US over Trumps tariff measures, a Beijing white paper shared by state news agency Xinhua said. China and the United States can resolve differences in economic and trade areas through equal-footed dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation, the white paper said. ChinaWashingtons top economic rival but also a major trading partnerwill be hardest hit. Since Trump returned to the White House, tariffs have been imposed on its products. After Beijing refused to withdraw its reciprocal tariffs, Trump announced a whopping 104 per cent levy on the country on Wednesday midnight. Advertisement Calling trade relations between China and the US a win-win situation, the white paper, titled Chinas Position on Some Issues Concerning China-US Economic and Trade Relations, said Beijing does not intentionally seek a trade surplus, and the trade imbalance in goods between China and the United States is both a natural outcome of structural challenges within the US economy and a result of the differing comparative advantages and global division of labor between the two nations. China is trying to tariff-proof its economy by boosting consumption and investing in key industries, but analysts say it remains critically vulnerable to the economic storm triggered by Donald Trumps 104 percent levies on its goods. Beijing has vowed to fight to the end against Trumps aggressive trade policy, with number two leader Li Qiang saying authorities were fully confident in the resilience of the Chinese economy. Earlier, China also sought closer trade ties with India to mitigate the effects of US levies. Chinese Embassy spokesperson Yu Jing said, China-India economic and trade relationship is based on complimentarity and mutual benefit. Facing the U.S. abuse of tariffs, which deprives countries, especially Global South countries, of their right to development, the two largest developing countries should stand together to overcome the difficulties. With inputs from agencies The US presidents tariffs and position on Ukraine pushed the incoming chancellor to swiftly establish a stable government capable of responding effectively. read more Markus Soeder, chairman of Bavarian's Christian Social Union party and Friedrich Merz, Christian Democratic Union party chairman, shake hands after reaching an agreement between their parties on a coalition for a new German government at a news conference in Berlin, Germany, on Wednesday. AP Germanys next leader, the conservative Friedrich Merz, and the leaders of Germanys center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) swiftly finalised a coalition agreement on Wednesday. According to a Politico report, this deal emerges amid mounting pressure on German politicians to quickly establish a new government capable of addressing the significant challenges posed by US President Donald Trumps trade war and the threats from Russian President Vladimir Putin. We have a strong plan before us with which we can move our country forward again together, Politico quoted Merz as saying in Berlin on Wednesday. Advertisement Above all, it is a very strong and clear signal to the citizens of our country, and also to our partners in the European Union. Germany is getting a government that is capable and strong, he added. The agreement, reached just 45 days after Merzs conservatives won a snap election, is notable for its speed by German standards, as coalition negotiations often extend for months. This deal paves the way for Merz, leader of the center-right Christian Democratic Union, to be sworn in as Germanys next chancellor, likely in early May. After the deal was sealed, Merz vowed to move the country forward again by boosting the economy and defence. Asked at a press conference if he had a message for Trump, Merz said in English that the country would meet its defence obligations and rebuild its economic competitiveness. Germany is back on track, AFP quoted Merz. The coalition deal arrives amid significant uncertainty for Germany and Europe, following Trumps 20% tariffs on the EU, which could severely impact Germanys export-driven economy. Simultaneously, Merz has pledged to bolster the military in light of Putins threats and the diminishing transatlantic alliance crucial for Germanys defence. These economic and security challenges heightened pressure on Merz and the SPD to quickly establish a stable government. Germany has been operating under a fragile minority government led by outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose three-party coalition fell apart in November over spending disputes. Advertisement Following the February election victory of his CDU/CSU alliance, Merz quickly struck a deal to forge a new government with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) of the now caretaker Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The coalition agreement is a signal of a new beginning for our country, said Merz, whose party won the elections with 28.5 percent of the vote. Europe can rely on Germany In their 144-page coalition contract, the two big centrist parties pledged to significantly boost defence spending amid growing concerns about US commitment to European security under Trump. The parties also said Germany would continue to support Ukraine as the United States looks to encourage a deal to end the war started by Russias invasion over three years ago. We will provide comprehensive support to Ukraine so that it can effectively defend itself against the Russian aggressor and assert itself in negotiations, the agreement said. Presenting the deal, Merz pledged that Germany would reform and invest to keep Germany stable, make it safer and make it economically stronger again, adding that Europe can rely on Germany. He also pledged that his government would largely end irregular migration and promised a repatriation offensive after an election campaign marked by a bitter debate on migration and a surge in support for the far-right AfD. Power vacuum The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) came second in Februarys election with a record 20 percent of the vote. Support for the party has since continued to rise, with one survey by the Ipsos polling firm released Wednesday rating it as Germanys most popular party on 25 percent ahead of the CDU/CSU on 24 percent. Advertisement Renate Koecher, head of the Allensbach Institute, said the rise of the AfD had been fuelled by Germanys political paralysis at a time of acute global and domestic crises. Problems are growing but at the same time we have no government capable of acting, Koecher told the Rheinische Post newspaper. The economy is facing increasing difficulties and decisions are being made in the US that Europe, with Germany in a leading role, should be able to respond to quickly, she said. And in this situation, we have a power vacuum. This fuels the unease among the population. Germany held general elections on February 23 after the collapse of Scholzs three-way coalition on November 6, the day Trump was re-elected to the White House. With inputs from agencies At News18s flagship Rising Bharat Summit, being held from April 8 through April 9, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasised how Pakistan is being consumed by a terrorism industry which they created read more External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar raised concerns about the crisis of Baloch civilians in Pakistan and reiterated how Islamabad is being consumed by a terrorism industry which they created. The remarks from the Indian foreign minister came on day 2 of News18s flagship Rising Bharat Summit, being held from April 8 through April 9. When asked about the rise of terrorism in the country, Jaishankar was initially hesitant to respond to the matter due to finger pointing but added that even the people of Pakistan have also raised concerns about the growing terrorism in the country. He also shared his take on the downfall of Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation). Advertisement The external affairs minister also mentioned that India welcomes the decision of the American legal process in regard to the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, the main accused of the 26/11 terror attack that rocked Mumbai in 2008. If you start a terrorism industry, you will be consumed by it While commenting on the rise of terrorism in Pakistan, Jaishankar emphasised that one doesnt have to pinpoint anything, since everything is visible. Even they say it, Jaishankar says in regard to the matter. I mean, its not like Im making an accusation and everybody in Pakistan is saying, no, no, no, this is completely untrue. You have people in Pakistan who openly declare that they are doing terrorist activities in India. So this is not an argument, he said. I mean, this is not a hypothesis. This is something they proudly claim. So I think, you know, weve always maintained, not just us, I mean, all sensible people have maintained that if you start a terrorism industry, you will be presumed by it. That is exactly what we see today in Pakistan, he said. Advertisement When asked about the turbulent situation in Balochistan, Jaishankar described the ongoing tensions as disturbing. He said, I mean, there is clearly a very disturbed situation there. People are suffering there. And if I say something, therell be a finger-pointing. Regarding the future of the Saarc, in which both Pakistan and India are part, the external affairs minister shared an interesting anecdote. Well, let me pose that question to you. I mean, would you be okay if we were nice to each other in the morning and I came and attacked your house at night? I mean, would you live with me, he asked, leaving it open for the audience to figure out where India stands. Addressing the Senate Finance Committee, US President Donald Trumps Trade Representative Jameson Greer argued that the large US trade deficit and the decline of manufacturing were not mere coincidences but rather the outcome of non-reciprocal tariffs, trading barriers and other economic policies pursued by our foreign trading partners read more Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures during a joint press conference with US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, DC, US, February 13, 2025. File Image/Reuters An official from the Trump administration has said that India is planning to lower tariffs following the presidents sweeping orders to impose new trade measures worldwide, forcing the global stock market to crumble. Addressing the Senate Finance Committee, US President Donald Trumps Trade Representative Jameson Greer said, Our average tariff on agricultural goods is 5%, but Indias average tariff is 39%. You understand the trend here. He added that India is among the several countries which has expressed willingness to lower levies as part of Trumps push for reciprocity in trade. Advertisement Nearly 50 countries have approached me personally to discuss the Presidents new policy and explore how to achieve reciprocity. And theyve spoken with many members of the administration. Several of these, such as Argentina, Vietnam, India and Israel, have suggested that they will reduce their tariffs and non tariff barriers in line with the Presidents policy, he said. Greer argued that the large US trade deficit and the decline of manufacturing were not mere coincidences but rather the outcome of non-reciprocal tariffs, trading barriers and other economic policies pursued by our foreign trading partners. He characterised these actions as a national security emergency that had significantly damaged the American working class. How has India reacted to Trump tariffs? Trumps reciprocal tariffs of 26 per cent came into effect on Wednesday as Asian stock markets remain in a volatile condition. As he announced the sweeping levies last week, Trump said, India very, very tough. The Prime Minister just left and is a great friend of mine, but you are not treating us right. They charge us 52 per cent and we charge them almost nothing. Advertisement Indias Ministry of Commerce and Industry had been evaluating different scenarios to address the potential consequences. Reports indicate that the ministry engaged in discussions with domestic industries and examined tariff discrepancies and non-tariff barriers impacting Indian exports to the US. A report by Reuters suggests that New Delhi is ready to offer tariff cuts on over 50 per cent of American goods worth $23 billion. Prabowo said he has instructed his foreign minister to quickly discuss with the Palestinian side and other parties about how to evacuate impacted Palestinians to Indonesia, a Muslim-majority country read more Indonesia is ready to temporarily shelter Palestinians hit by the war in Gaza, President Prabowo Subianto said on Wednesday, estimating there could be 1,000 in the first wave, as he started a trip to the Middle East and Turkey. Prabowo said he has instructed his foreign minister to quickly discuss with the Palestinian side and other parties about how to evacuate impacted Palestinians to Indonesia, a Muslim-majority country. We are ready to evacuate the wounded, the traumatized, the orphans, Prabowo said, adding the victims would be in Indonesia temporarily until they have fully recovered from their injuries and the situation in Gaza was safe for their return. Advertisement Jakarta has been advocating for a two-state solution and has sent humanitarian aid. Israels war in Gaza was triggered in October 2023, when Hamas fighters killed 1,200 people in southern Israel, and took some 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, more than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels military campaign, Palestinian authorities have said. Indonesia wants to increase its role in seeking a resolution to the conflict, Prabowo said, adding this plan is not easy. Indonesias commitment in supporting the safety of Palestinians and their independence has pushed our government to act more actively, Prabowo said, as he was about to embark on an overseas trip which includes Turkey, Egypt and Qatar. Prabowos comment comes two months after Indonesias foreign ministry said it strongly rejects any attempt to forcibly displace Palestinians as U.S. President Donald Trump suggested permanently moving Palestinians out of Gaza. Indonesia was willing to send peacekeeping troops to Gaza if needed, Prabowo said last year before he officially assumed the presidency. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her team are set to suggest removing tariffs on trade between the EU and the US read more This handout picture released by the Palazzo Chigi press office on January 5, 2025 shows Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (2ndR) and US President-elect Donald Trump (2ndL) posing with Senator Marco Rubio (R) and US incoming national security advisor Mike Waltz (L) at Trump's Mar-A-Lago Club on January 4, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida. Image- AFP Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will fly out to the US directly to negotiate a cutback in tariffs with US President Donald Trump, a move that has been coordinated with the European Union. Meloni, who will travel to the US as early as next week, is expected to hold meetings with Potus to seek concessions on Trump tariffs, a report by Bloomberg cited people as saying. Following the imposition of sweeping 10 percent tariffs that have rocked the global economy since coming into force over the weekend, rates on imports to the United States from exporters like the European Union or Japan rose further at 12.01 am (0401 GMT) Wednesday. Advertisement What are Melonis plans in US? Several sources told the news outlet that Meloni and her team are set to suggest removing tariffs on trade between the EU and the US. The Italian government, however, declined to provide any comments. European Commission Chief Ursula Von der Leyen is aware of the Italian prime ministers US visit plans and has been in touch with her to discuss how to handle the crisis, an official has said. Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance is also likely to visit Rome during Easter. Meeting consecutively with Trump and Vance would be a diplomatic achievement for Meloni, who is walking a delicate line aligning ideologically with MAGA while Italy faces substantial vulnerability to tariffs. However, it also poses the risk of her returning without any tangible results. How has Italy reacted to tariffs? Ten per cent of Italys exports go to the US, with some of its key industries like pharmaceuticals, automakers, and the food and wine heavily impacted by Trumps tariffs. Italian officials, including Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, have indicated that Italy is willing to delay the implementation of the blocs countermeasures if it aids in the negotiations. Although Meloni has called Trumps sweeping tariff measures wrong, the prime minister is of the view that alarmist rhetoric should be avoided and that negotiations with the US are the way forward. At News18s flagship Rising Bharat Summit, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar gave his take on the India-Bangladesh ties and emphasised that no other country in the world wishes well for Bangladesh more than India read more Indias External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday expressed concerns over recent turn of events in Bangladesh and the support that the ruling dispensation is apparently giving to radical elements in the country while emphasising that New Delhi wishes well for its neighbour. Speaking on the day-2 of News18s flagship Rising Bharat Summit 2025 in New Delhis Bharat Mandapam, he said the decades-old ties between India and Bangladesh are people-driven. Jaishankar said, No other country wishes well for Bangladesh more than India. Advertisement His remarks came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Bangladeshs Chief Adviser to the interim government Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the 6th edition of the Bimstec Summit in Thailand. Back then, PM Modi emphasised in his talks with Yunus on strengthening bilateral ties and expressed concerns over reports of attacks on religious minorities in Bangladesh. On Wednesday, while commenting on the meeting, Jaishankar said, I think the main messages from our side, which came out at the meeting, one, that our relationship with Bangladesh, for historical reasons, is very unique. Its very fundamentally a people-to-people connection, much more so perhaps than any other relationship that I can think of. And thats what we need to recognise. Secondly, we have concerns about the rhetoric which is coming out of people in Bangladesh. We have concerns about the radicalising tendencies we see. We have concerns about the attacks on minorities. And I think we were very open about sharing those concerns, he said. Jaishankar emphasised that India is concerned about the situation in Bangladesh. As a country, no country wishes Bangladesh well more than us [India]. Thats in our DNA. And as a well-wisher, as a friend, I think we hope that they go the right way and do the right thing, he averred. Advertisement The foreign minister emphasised that he hopes Bangladesh holds elections soon. As a country which has a democratic tradition, democracies require elections. Thats how mandates are given and mandates are renewed. So we hope that they go down that path, Jaishankar said. What happened at the meeting with Yunus and Modi While holding talks in the Thai capital Bangkok, PM Modi shared four big messages to Yunus. This was the first time the two leaders came face to face after the ousting of deposed PM Sheikh Hasina in August last year following a violent protests. According to Bangladeshi media, the meeting was requested by Dhaka in a bid to overcome tensions in bilateral relations after New Delhi expressed concerns over violence against minorities under Yunuss watch. The meeting also came close on the heels of Yunuss visit to China, where he stirred a controversy by describing Indias Northeast as landlocked and positioning Bangladesh as the guardian of ocean access for the region. The remarks drew condemnation from the region. During the meeting, PM Modi shared 4 big messages They were: Inflammatory rhetoric should be avoided. Concerns over the safety of minorities. India supports democratic and progressive Bangladesh. Constructive discussions I reiterated Indias support for peace, stability, inclusivity and democracy in Bangladesh. Discussed measures to prevent illegal border crossings and expressed our serious concern for the safety and well-being of Hindus and other minorities, the prime minister wrote in a statement after the meeting. At the News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025 in New Delhi, former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly offered a rare glimpse into daily life aboard the International Space Station. From makeshift showers and microgravity challenges to 13-hour workdays and sleeping without gravity, Kelly detailed the highs and hardships of living in space for months at a time read more Former NASA astronaut and retired US Navy Captain Scott Kelly (left) speaks to Firstpost Managing Editor Palki Sharma at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit held on April 8-9, 2025, at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Firstpost At the News18 Rising Bharat Summit held on April 9, 2025, at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, former NASA astronaut and retired US Navy Captain Scott Kelly shared an in-depth perspective on life aboard the International Space Station (ISS). With a distinguished career that includes commanding the ISS on Expeditions 26, 44, 45, and 46, and accumulating over 520 days in space, Kelly provided a detailed account of the daily routines and challenges faced by astronauts. Advertisement WATCH: Astronaut Kelly takes you through a typical day in Space Kelly began by outlining a typical day on the ISS, noting that operations are conducted on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Well, a typical day, we operate on the space station on Greenwich Mean Time. So you generally wake up, you know, six in the morning, Greenwich time, you might do some quick science experiments that involve taking like medical samples of yourself that you have to do when you wake up. You know, quickly do your morning activities like making believe youre taking a shower by, you know, moving the dirt around on your body with a washcloth, having a quick breakfast. Watch: #RisingBharatSummit2025 LIVE: In conversation with Firstpost's Managing Editor @Palkisu, Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly), Former NASA Astronaut & Retd. US Navy Captain talks about the future of space technology. https://t.co/sH0yz3YBT7 Firstpost (@firstpost) April 9, 2025 He elaborated on the work schedule, highlighting the blend of scientific research and maintenance tasks: And then the next 12 hours is a combination of doing science experiments, doing general maintenance, kind of like things you would do in your home just to keep it operating, and then fixing the hardware that may break thats unexpected. You do a lot of exercise and then at the end of the day, probably around dinner time, maybe seven oclock in the evening, you woke up at six. So 13 hours later, you have a conference with the ground to talk about the plan the next day, eat dinner, and then maybe have a couple hours of your own time in the evening. Advertisement Highlighting the structured nature of life on the ISS, Kelly added: And then repeat that the next day. Occasionally, its interrupted by things like doing a spacewalk or robotics activities. But generally speaking, most days, its a combination of doing science and, you know, just fixing stuff or maintaining stuff on the space station. Addressing the work-life balance, Kelly mentioned the crews schedule: We get like one day off, generally a week if things are going normally. So its mostly about six days of work a week with a Sunday off. You generally exercise either six or seven days a week. He also shared his personal approach to exercise: Some people exercise every single day. I had to always take a day off. It was more like mental health day for me where I had to just relax and try to do nothing if I could get away with it. Challenges of microgravity Discussing the effects of microgravity, Kelly provided insights into the complexities it introduces: Well, I think a lot of people think that the microgravity would be the most awesome thing ever. Whether its, you know, being able to go from here to the other side of the room very quickly with little effort. Yeah, thats fun. He continued, explaining the practical difficulties: But it makes most things that you do so much more difficult when you cant put anything down. You always have to either stick it in your pocket, tape it to the wall, Velcro it somewhere. There are two things that are easier. Everything else is harder. And that is moving stuff that is heavy because it no longer has weight, still has mass. You have to be conscious of things that have a lot of mass when youre moving it around. And then just putting your body in different positions to do your work. Thats very easy to do that. Everything else is harder, including sleeping. Advertisement On the topic of rest, Kelly reflected on the adaptations required for sleeping in a weightless environment: I think, you know, we evolved sleeping in gravity. And for me, there are certain aspects of sleeping in space that are more comfortable, and certain aspects that are less comfortable. And overall, I just always prefer to sleep in a nice bed with a pillow. Russia has formally invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow on May 9, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II. The visit is currently under discussion read more Russia has formally extended an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend its Victory Day Parade on May 9 in Moscow, marking 80 years since the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. The invitation was confirmed by Russias Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko. This comes against the backdrop of speculation that PM Modi may skip the event. Quoting Rudenko, Russian news agency Tass said, Its being worked out, it should be this year. He has an invitation. Advertisement This means PM Modis visit is currently under discussion between the two countries, with Moscow being hopeful that the Indian prime minister will attend the high-profile event. The annual Victory Day Parade, held in Moscows Red Square, is a key event showcasing Russias military and historical legacy. Sources within Indias military circles suggest that PM Modis visit is highly probable, though official confirmation from New Delhi is still pending. In addition to PM Modi, Russia has extended invitations to leaders from several other friendly nations to participate in the commemorative parade. This years event marks the anniversary of Germanys surrender on 9 May 1945, following a Soviet-led offensive that began in January of that year. The potential participation of an Indian Armed Forces ceremonial unit is also being discussed. If confirmed, the contingent would arrive in Russia a month prior to the event for rehearsals. This would represent a notable gesture of military cooperation between India and Russia. PM Modi last visited Russia in July 2024, his first trip to the country in nearly five years, during which he held extensive discussions with President Vladimir Putin and extended an invitation for Putin to visit India. Putin accepted the invitation, although the dates for his visit have not yet been disclosed. Advertisement The invitation to PM Modi reflects the strong relationship between India and Russia. The two countries recently signed a Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement to enhance collaboration in joint military exercises, disaster relief operations, and other defence-related activities. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has emphasised Russias willingness to host foreign dignitaries who recognise the significance of Victory Day. Modis anticipated attendance highlights Indias continued relationship with Russia amid ongoing global tensions. Despite Western pressure, India has maintained a neutral stance and expanded economic cooperation with Moscow. Bilateral trade between the two countries exceeded $65 billion during the 2023-24 financial year, with plans to increase this figure to $100 billion by 2030. Modi and Putin have met frequently in recent years, discussing cooperation across defence, energy, politics, and cultural exchanges. Modi visited Russia twice last year for bilateral talks and the Brics summit in Kazan. The leaders are also preparing for another summit later this year in India. Advertisement South Korea will hold a presidential election on June 3, after former president Yoon Suk Yeols impeachment stemming from a December martial law declaration was upheld on April 4 read more Lee Jae-myung, leader of South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party, arrives at a court in Seoul, South Korea. File image/ Reuters South Koreas main opposition party head Lee Jae-myung said on Wednesday he was stepping down as party leader, amid expectations that the current populist front-runner for the presidency in opinion polls would soon declare his run. South Koreas labour minister, Kim Moon-soon, who has been among a handful of ruling People Power Party members who indicated intentions to run, also declared his candidacy. South Korea will hold a presidential election on June 3, after former president Yoon Suk Yeols impeachment stemming from a December martial law declaration was upheld on April 4. Advertisement I will be now starting new work, Lee, the Democratic Party leader, told a party leadership meeting carried live on his YouTube channel. He did not elaborate and did not confirm he would be standing for the presidency. Lee, 61, lost by the slimmest margin in the countrys history when he ran against Yoon in the 2022 presidential election. Last year, he led his liberals to a landslide victory in a parliamentary election. Unlike the Democratic Party, the ruling People Power Party has a wide open field of potential candidates including the labour minister and also the mayor of Seoul. Kim, a firebrand conservative who has supported Yoon and called for his reinstatement, currently leads the field among conservative candidates, although he trails Lee in opinion polls under a two-way scenario. He said he would focus on strengthening the security alliance with the United States but also seek a path for the country to potentially pursue nuclear armament by securing the right to reprocess nuclear fuel, which is considered a step toward building atomic weapons. In response to North Koreas nuclear threat, I will become a global leader in protecting freedom and human rights by securing nuclear fuel processing capabilities and developing nuclear-powered submarines, he said. Advertisement An advisory issued late on Tuesday warned of the growing threat posed by malicious surveillance software deployed by a Chengdu-based contractor reported to have ties to Chinas Ministry of Public Security. The advisory was signed by cybersecurity agencies in Britain, the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Germany read more A man holds a laptop computer as cyber code is projected on him in this illustration picture taken on May 13, 2017. File image/ Reuters Western intelligence agencies warned on Tuesday of an increasing threat from Beijings security services to use malicious mobile phone applications to surveil Taiwanese independence activists, Tibetan rights advocates and others opposed by the Chinese government. An advisory issued late on Tuesday warned of the growing threat posed by malicious surveillance software deployed by a Chengdu-based contractor reported to have ties to Chinas Ministry of Public Security. The advisory was signed by cybersecurity agencies in Britain, the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Germany. Advertisement Those most at risk include people connected to Taiwanese independence, Tibetan rights, Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, democracy advocates (including in Hong Kong) and the Falun Gong spiritual movement, according to Britains National Cyber Security Centre in the advisory. The warning comes amid increasing tensions surrounding Taiwan, including April 1 Chinese military drills around the island and a March 28 visit to the Philippines by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in which he reaffirmed Washingtons commitment to deterring Chinese aggression in the region. The Chengdu-based contractor, Sichuan Dianke Network Security Technology Co., Ltd., was linked to the deployment of a pair of distinct malware packages. They were tracked as BADBAZAAR and MOONSHINE and used to ferret sensitive information from mobile devices while also giving operators remote access to devices cameras, microphones and location data, the advisory said. The warning is for non-governmental organizations, journalists, businesses and other individuals who advocate for or represent the groups, the NCSC said in the advisory. The indiscriminate way this spyware is spread online also means there is a risk that infections could spread beyond intended victims," it said. Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, told Reuters that China firmly opposes the smear attacks against China without any factual basis, and that the tracing of cyberattacks is complex. We hope that relevant parties will adopt a professional and responsible attitude when characterizing cyber incidents, basing their conclusions on sufficient evidence rather than unfounded speculation and accusations. Advertisement The warnings build on previous cybersecurity industry reporting that detailed malware and infrastructure have been used by the contractor going back several years. The advisory cited a January 29 report published by Intelligence Online, a news organization focused on international intelligence operations, linking the malware to the contractor. The report said the contractor has provided services to Chinas Ministry of Public Security. The FBI, NSA and intelligence agencies in Australia, Canada, Germany and New Zealand participated in the advisories, according to the NCSC. The FBI declined to comment and the NSA did not respond to requests for comment. China on Wednesday raised tariffs to 84 per cent on American goods in response to US President Donald Trumps 104 per cent levies on Chinese exports read more Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump are digging in their heels on trade. File image/AP China on Wednesday raised tariffs to 84 per cent on American goods in response to US President Donald Trumps 104 per cent levies on Chinese exports. ChinaWashingtons top economic rival but also a major trading partnerwill be hardest hit. Since Trump returned to the White House, tariffs have been imposed on its products. After Beijing refused to withdraw its reciprocal tariffs, Trump announced a whopping 104 per cent levy on the country on Wednesday midnight. Advertisement Earlier today, China called for equal dialogue with the US over Trumps tariff measures, a Beijing white paper shared by state news agency Xinhua said. Beijing has time and again warned the Trump administration against raising reciprocal tariffs on its exports, while the US has been cautioning China to withdraw its levies on America. Last week, China said it would levy 34 per cent tariffs on all US goods. China had called its trade surplus with the United States an inevitability and warned it had the determination and means to continue the fight if Trump kept hitting Chinese goods. Chinas currency has faced heavy downward pressure, with the offshore yuan at record lows due to the tariffs, but sources told Reuters the central bank has asked major state-owned banks to reduce US dollar purchases and will not allow sharp yuan declines. So what? Soon after China raised their tariffs on US exports, US Treasury Secretary Bessent said, They can raise their tariffs, but so what? He added that removing Chinese stocks from US exchanges is not off the table. Grave concern On Wednesday, China told the World Trade Organisation that Trumps tariffs can destabilise global trade. The situation has dangerously escalated. As one of the affected members, China expresses grave concern and firm opposition to this reckless move, China said in a statement to the WTO that was sent to Reuters by the Chinese mission to the WTO. While China opposes trade wars, it will firmly defend its legitimate interests, it said in a statement to WTO members during a meeting on trade in goods. China reaches out to India Hours after US President Donald Trump imposed a whopping 104 per cent tariffs on China, Beijing sought to collaborate with India to mitigate the effects of US levies that have disrupted global markets. Chinese Embassy spokesperson Yu Jing said, China-India economic and trade relationship is based on complimentarity and mutual benefit. Facing the U.S. abuse of tariffs, which deprives countries, especially Global South countries, of their right to development, the two largest developing countries should stand together to overcome the difficulties. Advertisement I dont remember any cases where we have been able to take them captive. We have taken some who were already wounded, but I think they died from their wounds, said Maj. Oleh Shyriaiev who battled North Koreans in Russias Kursk region read more This undated photo shows Capt. Oleh Shyriaiev, the commander of the Ukraines 225th Separate Assault Regiment, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at an undisclosed location. Image Courtesy: 225th Separate Assault Regiment Press Office Maj. Oleh Shyriaiev, commander of Ukraines 225th Separate Assault Regiment, has recounted his first encounter with North Korean troops at the contact line near Kruglenkoe, a village close to the Ukrainian border in Kursk. The region has emerged as a significant battleground in the ongoing conflict, underscoring both Ukraines resolve and the harsh realities of war. Since Ukraine launched a counteroffensive in August, both sides have claimed significant losses, with North Korean forces deployed to assist Russian troops in their efforts against Kyivs advancing military. Advertisement They tried to do an assault with a company group, ABC News quoted Shyriaiev as saying over a video call from his units operations room close to the front. We were prepared. We withdrew a bit and we created a minefield, he recalled. And after the North Koreans hit those mines, my guys just finished them off with guns, he added. In the following months, Pyongyangs troops emerged as the elite assault force in Russias campaign to dislodge Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk, according to Shyriaiev. These fighters were dedicated to a mission far from home, facing brutal battlefield conditions. According to ABC News, for nearly eight months, the Kremlin prioritised removing Ukrainian forces from Kursk, but Russian troops encountered significant challenges, suffering heavy losses with minimal gains. To bolster their efforts, Russia sought assistance from North Korea, added the report. They do not surrender, ABC News quoted Shyriaiev as saying of Pyongyangs troops. I dont remember any cases where we have been able to take them captive. We have taken some who were already wounded, but I think they died from their wounds, he added. Advertisement Now, with Ukraine holding onto a sliver of land in Kursk and peace efforts grinding along, Shyriaiev echoed Kyivs assertion that the operation was a success, though it ended in Ukrainian retreat. They have lost a lot of personnel, both recoverable and irrecoverable losses, he said of Russian and North Korean forces. They have lost a lot of equipment, a lot of their infrastructure has been damaged, which means that they would need to rebuild it. This also comes at a cost. And this also weakens Russia, he added. Moscows success in driving Ukrainian forces from nearly all of Kursk signaled its resolve. During a March visit to the front, President Vladimir Putin said, Your task is to completely destroy the enemy, emphasising the need to restore the previous border status. North Koreas involvement came at a critical time, with President Donald Trump soon to take office, promising a swift end to the conflict. Trump had hinted that a peace deal might require Ukrainian concessions, framing Kyiv as a barrier to resolution. He claimed that thousands of Ukrainian troops were completely surrounded in Kursk, a characterisation Ukrainian leaders dismissed as false. Advertisement Maj. Shyriaiev crossed into Russia during a surprise offensive in August 2024. He later reflected on the operation, saying, I am proud that we were the first to actually bring the fight to Russian soil, as his regiment captured nearly 500 square miles of territory. North Korean troops, approximately 10,000 strong, were deployed to assist Russia, marking a significant escalation in the conflict. Initially, these soldiers engaged in poorly supported assaults, suffering heavy casualties due to their limited training. As one of the first Ukrainian units to push into Kursk, the 225th was also among the first to come up against North Korean soldiers. The experience gave Shyriaiev and his troops a rare level of insight into Pyongyangs forces, he said. Initially, North Korean soldiers were thrown into so-called meat assaults, Shyriaiev said, a term Ukrainian troops use to describe the poorly-supported and costly infantry wave attacks employed by Russian commanders throughout the war. The North Koreans were guided only by limited training inside Russia and their nations experience of World War II- and Korean War-era combat. This experience didnt include the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, it didnt include any kinds of modern tactics, he said. Advertisement That lack of experience was reflected in heavy casualties, though exact estimates vary. British intelligence assessed that by March roughly 5,000 of the 11,000 North Korean troops deployed to fight Ukraine had been killed or wounded, with a third likely killed. Zelenskyy and Kyrylo Budanov the head of Ukraines military intelligence both said in February that North Korean troops had suffered about 4,000 casualties. South Koreas National Intelligence Service said in March that North Korean forces had suffered around 5,000 casualties, according to the Yonhap news agency, South Koreas state media. As the conflict progressed, Shyriaiev noted that North Korean forces adapted their tactics, conducting operations in smaller groups to reduce losses. He described them as well-prepared fighters, saying, They are good marksmen They do not leave their wounded behind. Despite the eventual Russian success in Kursk, Shyriaiev emphasised the need for Ukrainian forces to adapt, saying, It is perfectly possible to fight them if you are prepared. Advertisement Reflecting on the war, Shyriaiev expressed no pity for the North Koreans. I do not feel pity towards anyone who is waging war against my country, ABC News quoted him as saying. You need to create obstacles for them. You need to create a minefield, and our guys need to be confident enough to go in and finish them after they have stepped on mines or have been hit by any type of artillery rounds which are supplied to us by our American partners, he added. South Korean intelligence indicated last year that families of North Korean troops sent to Russia had been isolated. A former North Korean soldier told ABC News he believes that few of Pyongyangs forces had been captured while fighting against Ukraine because they are told their families will be executed if they are caught alive. If the soldiers are captured and tell information to the enemy, their families will be punished, go to a political prison camp, or worse, they will be executed in front of the people, said defector Pak Yusung. Advertisement Maj. Oleh Shyriaiev dismissed claims that North Korean soldiers were misled. I do not feel pity towards anyone who is waging war against my country, he said. North Koreans are enemies for me and they are the enemies of my country. He added, Its impossible that they just dont know where they ended up. I do not respect this adversary. This is not some kind of a tournament or ceremonial fight between knights. This is a war, a painful burden for our land, for our families. Maj. Oleh Shyriaiev believes the war will continue despite US-led peace efforts. All of us are, of course, yearning for peace, ABC News quoted him as saying. But when people begin to talk about loss of territories, this is a very painful, very sensitive issue, he added. He advised Ukrainians to view a ceasefire as a chance to prepare for the continuation of a fight, emphasising the need to remain vigilant. We know that Russia is a country that never, never keeps its promises. Moscow has framed its invasion as a pre-emptive measure against perceived threats. Putin described the special military operation as necessary for defence. While Trumps administration urges Ukraine to cede land, Shyriaiev insists that the existential threat from Russia necessitates reclaiming all territory within Ukraines 1991 borders, including Crimea and Donbas. We need to never forget this experience, he said. We need to know that at any moment, Russia can attack again. And we need to be prepared. With inputs from agencies The bloc is planning to impose tariffs on agricultural and industrial commodities like soybeans, meat, tobacco, iron, steel and aluminum. This is the sector that the US relies on the most when it comes to transatlantic exports read more Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump announced his "Liberation Day" tariff plan for countries across the world. Reuters As the world grapples with Trump tariffs, the European Union has found a creative way to counter US levies: To hit America where it hurts the most. The Commission is likely to slap up to 25 per cent tariffs on US exports worth 22.1 billion, according to a report by Politico. Following the imposition of sweeping 10 percent tariffs that have rocked the global economy since coming into force over the weekend, rates on imports to the United States from exporters like the European Union or Japan rose further at 12.01 am (0401 GMT) Wednesday. Advertisement Whats on EUs tariff list? A document reviewed by Politico reveals that the bloc is planning to impose tariffs on agricultural and industrial commodities like soybeans, meat, tobacco, iron, steel and aluminum. This is the sector that the US relies on the most when it comes to transatlantic exports. The US ranks as the second-largest producer and exporter of soybeans globally, and the EUs tariffs would target an industry already struggling due to Chinas retaliatory actions, increasing competition worldwide, and declining prices. Additionally, a significant 82.5 per cent of American soybean exports to the EU are sourced from Louisiana, the home state of House Speaker Mike Johnson. EUs tariff list will also impact the export of beef from Kansas and Nebraska, poultry from Louisiana, car parts from Michigan, cigarettes from Florida, and wood products from North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. Other items include ice cream from Arizona, handkerchiefs from South Carolina, electric blankets from Alabama, ties and bow ties from Florida and washing machines from Wisconsin. Although the Commission ultimately removed whiskey from the final draft following effective lobbying by France, Italy, and Ireland, it still included other more targeted items aimed at inflicting the most harm on exporters in Republican states. When will the tariffs go into effect? The bloc is set to vote on the new duties on Wednesday, with no major opposition from any member, following which tariffs on goods like cranberries or orange juice will be imposed effective from April 15. Starting May 16, a 25 percent tariff will be applied to a second round of imports, including steel, meat, white chocolate, and polyethylene. Additionally, a 25 percent duty on almonds and soybeans will be implemented on December 1. Counting existing levies imposed in February and March, that would take the cumulative tariff increase for Chinese goods during Trumps second presidency to 104 per cent read more Hours after US President Donald Trump imposed a whopping 104 per cent tariffs on China, Beijing sought to collaborate with India to mitigate the effects of US levies that have disrupted global markets. ChinaWashingtons top economic rival but also a major trading partnerwill be hardest hit. Since Trump returned to the White House, tariffs have been imposed on its products. Chinese Embassy spokesperson Yu Jing said, China-India economic and trade relationship is based on complimentarity and mutual benefit. Facing the U.S. abuse of tariffs, which deprives countries, especially Global South countries, of their right to development, the two largest developing countries should stand together to overcome the difficulties. Advertisement She added, Trade and tariff wars have no winners. All countries should uphold the principles of extensive consultation, practice true multilateralism, jointly oppose all forms of unilateralism and protectionism." China's economy is underpinned by a system that ensures steady growth, and produces positive spillovers. Chinese manufacturing is built on a complete and continually upgrading industrial system, sustained investment in R&D, and a strong focus on innovation. China is a firm pic.twitter.com/w3QuSCingL Yu Jing (@ChinaSpox_India) April 8, 2025 Tariffs on China Despite Beijings warning that Trumps tariffs will be met with a strong response, Potus forged ahead with tariffs of over 100 percent against Chinese goods. The US president believes his policy will revive Americas lost manufacturing base by forcing companies to relocate to the United States. Trump had originally set a 34 percent additional tariff on Chinese goods, but raised the levies after Beijing refused to withdraw its retaliatory measures. Counting existing levies imposed in February and March, that would take the cumulative tariff increase for Chinese goods during Trumps second presidency to 104 percent. Advertisement Trump insisted the ball was in Chinas court, saying Beijing wants to make a deal, badly, but they dont know how to get it started. India-China trade As the trade war escalated, both China and India sought to mitigate its adverse effects. China made concessions by easing restrictions on certain Indian exports, such as non-Basmati rice and anti-cancer drugs, and agreed to share flood-season river flow data. These measures were part of Chinas broader strategy to avoid opening multiple fronts amid its trade conflict with the US. Furthermore, Chinese tech companies like Haier, Lenovo and Hisense are considering the possibility of exporting goods to the US via the Indian markets and factories to avoid being subject to higher tariffs and enjoy New Delhis relatively lower levies. With inputs from agencies President Donald Trumps administration on Tuesday moved to reinstate at least six recently canceled US foreign aid programmes for emergency food assistance, according to a report, citing six sources familiar with the matter read more A recently fired US Agency for International Development (USAID) staff member reacts while leaving work, during a sendoff by former USAID staffers and supporters outside USAID offices in Washington, DC, US, on February 21, 2025. Reuters File President Donald Trumps administration on Tuesday moved to reinstate at least six recently canceled US foreign aid programme for emergency food assistance, six sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The quick reversal of decisions made just days ago underscored the rapid-fire nature of Trumps cuts to foreign aid. That has led to programs being cut, restored then cut again, disrupting international humanitarian operations. USAID Acting Deputy Administrator Jeremy Lewin, who has previously been identified as a member of billionaire Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency, asked staff in an internal email to reverse the terminations. Advertisement He asked to restore awards to the World Food Programme in Lebanon, Syria, Somalia, Jordan, Iraq and Ecuador, five sources familiar with the matter said. The administration has also resumed four awards to the International Organization for Migration in the Pacific region, two sources familiar with the matter said. Sorry for all the back and forth on awards, Lewin said on Tuesday in the internal email seen by Reuters. There are a lot of stakeholders and we need to do better about balancing these competing interests thats my fault and I take responsibility, he added. Reuters reported on Monday that the Trump administration had ended life-saving aid programs for more than a dozen countries including Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia and Syria, totaling over $1.3 billion. According to Stand Up For Aid, an advocacy group of current and former U.S. officials, WFP contracts canceled on Lewins orders last weekend for Lebanon, Syria, Somalia and Jordan totaled more than $463 million. Many of the terminated programs had been granted waivers by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio following an initial round of cuts to foreign aid programs. The State Department said those did not reflect a final decision. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment about restoring the awards. Advertisement A death sentence The decision to restore some aid followed pressure from inside the administration and from Congress, two sources said. The World Food Programme said on Monday that the US notified the organisation it was eliminating emergency food assistance funding in 14 countries, warning: If implemented, this could amount to a death sentence for millions of people facing extreme hunger and starvation. The U.S. did not restore aid to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and to Yemen, most of which is controlled by Islamist militants of the Iran-backed Houthi movement. Washington has been the largest aid donor to both countries, which have suffered years of devastating war. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce on Tuesday told reporters that the United States had concerns that WFP funding for Yemen and Afghanistan was benefiting the Houthis and the Taliban. There were a few programs that were cut in other countries that were not meant to be cut that have been rolled back and put into place, Bruce said, adding that the administration remains committed to foreign aid. Among the cuts over the weekend were $169.8 million for the WFP in Somalia, covering food assistance, nutrition for malnourished babies and children and humanitarian air support. In Syria, $111 million was cut from WFP food assistance. Advertisement The cuts have been the latest piece of the Trump administrations drive to dismantle USAID, the main U.S. humanitarian aid agency. The administration has canceled billions of dollars in foreign aid since the Republican president began his second term on January 20 in an overhaul that officials described as marked by chaos and confusion. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democrats on Tuesday wrote a letter to Rubio regarding plans to restructure the State Department, including by folding in USAID, which they said was unconstitutional, illegal, unjustified, damaging, and inefficient. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libya and Chad have discussed issues of common interest, in particular cooperation in the field of air transport and the activation of direct flights between the two countries Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the Worlds Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125 percent, effective immediately, Trump wrote on Truth Social read more This combination of pictures created on Wednesday shows Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on February 6, 2025 and US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC on April 8, 2025. AFP President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a 90-day pause on new tariffs for most countries amid ongoing trade tensions even as he revealed an increase in tariffs on China to 125% effective immediately, ratcheting up his tit-for-tat with Beijing. Taking to Truth Social, Trump wrote, Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the Worlds Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%, effective immediately. At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable. Advertisement He said that more than 75 countries had asked for negotiations over the tariffs. Conversely, and based on the fact that more than 75 Countries have called Representatives of the United States, including the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, and the USTR, to negotiate a solution to the subjects being discussed relative to Trade, Trade Barriers, Tariffs, Currency Manipulation, and Non Monetary Tariffs, and that these Countries have not, at my strong suggestion, retaliated in any way, shape, or form against the United States, I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately, he added. Meanwhile, Wall Street stocks rocketed higher shortly after Trump announced his latest pivot on his Truth Social platform. The S&P 500 surged 6.0 percent higher to 5,281.44, snapping a brutal run of losses since Trumps Liberation Day tariff announcement a week ago. Trumps move came after he had hours earlier ramped up the duties on Chinese goods to a giant 104 percent. China then retaliated by rising tariffs on US imports to 84 percent. Beijing has consistently opposed tariff rises and said Wednesday it would take firm and forceful steps to protect its interests. Chinas finance ministry said in a statement that additional tariff rates on imports originating in the United States would rise from 34 percent to 84 percent, effective from 12:01 pm on Thursday. The tariff escalation against China by the United States simply piles mistakes on top of mistakes (and) severely infringes on Chinas legitimate rights and interests, the ministry said. Advertisement Washingtons moves severely damage the multilateral rules-based trade system, it added. The European Union had earlier launched its own counterattack, announcing measures targeting some US products from Tuesday in retaliation for American duties on global steel and aluminum exports. The 27-nation bloc, which Trump has accused of being created to screw the United States, will hit more than 20 billion euros worth of US products, including soybeans, motorcycles and beauty products. But the EU notably did not retaliate against the 20 percent US tariffs that came into effect a minute after midnight on Wednesday. With inputs from agencies US President Donald Trumps tariffs are not an indicator of his love for a country, but are part of a reorientation of the United States in the changing post-Cold War world order, said international affairs scholar Max Abrahms in a conversation with Firstposts Palki Sharma read more US President Donald Trump delivers remarks on tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington. Reuters Even as US President Donald Trump is punishing some of the closest US allies and partners with high tariffs, international affairs scholar Max Abrahms believes that it should not be seen as an indicator of his love or hatred for a country. In a conversation with Firstposts Managing Editor Palki Sharma, Abrahms said that even as Trump has imposed some of the highest tariffs on India, the country has paramount importance in his geopolitical calculations. Advertisement There is no issue of greater geopolitical concern to the Trump administration than the rise and potential threat of China. To that end, relations with India are seen as of paramount importance. We also see that more specifically in the Quad relationship. Tariff rates are clearly not correlated with Washington DCs love for the countries, said Abrahms, an Associate Professor of Political Science at Northeastern University, Boston. In line with his approach to international relations so far in the second term, Trump has spared traditional US adversary Russia in his second term and has imposed some of the highest tariffs on allies and partners. He has imposed India and South Korea with 26 per cent tariffs, Japan with 24 per cent tariffs, the European Union (EU) with 20 per cent tariffs, and Israel with 17 per cent tariffs. ALSO READ: Worse than anticipated: Will Trumps Liberation Day turn into USs recession day? Abrahms highlighted the case of Israel and Turkey. He said that even though Turkey has had a questionable role in the Middle East, where it has battered traditional US allies, the Kurds, in Syria and supported Islamists under the banner of Ahmed al-Sharaa, the nation has still been hit with 10 per cent tariffs. On the other hands, he said that Israel, the closest US partner in the region, has been hit with 17 per cent tariffs. US is very hot on India Despite high tariffs imposed on India, Abrahms said that the United States is very hot on India. In addition to the importance of India in the competition with China, Abrahms said that the India-US relationship is also rooted in principles. The United States is very hot on India. It is very close with India because of shared principles of democracy and also increasingly because of Indias power the economic power and its demographic power. From the US strategic perspective, India is now seen as critical in terms of its power for containing China, said Abrahms. Advertisement Whats the endgame with Trumps tariffs? On the question of the possible endgame with tariffs, Abrahms said that it is part of Trumps reorientation of the United States in the changing world. While the United States competed with the Soviet Union in the bipolar world of Cold War, the unipolar world in the post-Cold War era was marked by US primacy, but Trump is now reevaluating that as that primacy is now being questioned, suggested Abrahms. Increasingly, there is a sense that this unipolar world is ending and the United States needs to assume a different position in the world as it can no longer reasonably afford to have trade imbalances. So, a part of the reason for tariffs is to with deficits, but a part also has to do with the United States envisioning its role on the world stage differently, said Abrahms. However, there is also a very strong domestic element to it as Trumps Make America Great Again (Maga) movement is not onboard with globalisation and prefers tariffs, according to Abrahms. Hezbollah has put the onus on the Lebanese state to get Israel to withdraw and stop its attacks read more (File} Hezbollah flags flutter as protesters, mainly Houthi supporters, rally to show support to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon's Hezbollah, in Sanaa, Yemen, on September 27, 2024. Reuters Beirut: As calls for Lebanons Hezbollah to disarm gain momentum, a senior Hezbollah official told Reuters the group is ready to hold talks with the Lebanese president about its weapons if Israel withdraws from south Lebanon and stops its strikes. The prospect of talks aimed at securing Hezbollahs disarmament - unimaginable when it was at the zenith of its power just two years ago - underlines dramatic shifts in the Middle East power balance since Israel pummelled the Iran-backed group in a devastating conflict triggered by the Gaza war. Advertisement U.S.-backed President Joseph Aoun, who vowed when he took office in January to establish a state monopoly on the control of arms, intends to open talks with Hezbollah over its arsenal soon, three Lebanese political sources said. Hezbollah emerged severely weakened from the 2024 conflict with Israel when its top leaders and thousands of its fighters were killed and much of its rocket arsenal destroyed. The blow was compounded when its ally Bashar al-Assad was toppled from power in Syria, cutting its supply lines from Iran. The senior Hezbollah official said the group was ready to discuss its arms in the context of a national defence strategy but this hinged on Israel pulling out its troops from five hilltops in south Lebanon. Hezbollah is ready to discuss the matter of its arms if Israel withdraws from the five points, and halts its aggression against Lebanese, the senior official told Reuters. Hezbollahs position on potential discussions about its arms has not been previously reported. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity due to political sensitivities. Hezbollahs media office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The presidency declined to comment. Israel, which sent ground troops into south Lebanon during the war, has largely withdrawn but decided in February not to leave the five hilltop positions. It said it intended eventually to hand them over to Lebanese troops once it was sure the security situation allowed. Advertisement Renewed focus on Hezbollahs arms Despite a ceasefire since November, Israeli airstrikes have kept pressure on the group while Washington has demanded Hezbollah disarm and is preparing for nuclear talks with Hezbollahs Iranian backers. Hezbollah has been the most powerful of the paramilitary groups Iran has backed across the region. Reuters reported on Monday that several Iranian-backed militia groups in Iraq are prepared to disarm for the first time to avert the threat of an escalating conflict with the Trump administration in the US. Hezbollah has long rejected calls from its critics in Lebanon to disarm, describing its weapons as vital to defending the country from Israel. Deep differences over its arsenal spilled into a short civil war in 2008. The groups critics say the group has unilaterally dragged Lebanon into conflicts and the presence of its large arsenal outside of government control has undermined the state. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Israel requires the Lebanese army to dismantle all unauthorised military facilities and confiscate all arms, starting in areas south of the Litani River, which flows into the Mediterranean some 20 km (12 miles) north of the Israeli border. Advertisement Two sources familiar with Hezbollahs thinking said it is weighing handing to the army its most potent weapons north of the Litani, including drones and anti-tank missiles. Call for a disarmament timetable Aoun has said Hezbollahs weaponry must be addressed through dialogue because any attempts to disarm the group by force would prompt conflict, the sources said. Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, the head of Lebanons Maronite church, said last week it was time for all weapons to be in state hands but this would need time and diplomacy because Lebanon cannot bear a new war. Communication channels with relevant stakeholders are being opened to begin studying the transfer of weapons to state control, after the army and security services had extended state authority across Lebanon, a Lebanese official said, saying this was a move to implement Aouns policy. The issue was also being discussed with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, an important Hezbollah ally, who plays a key role in narrowing differences, she said. Advertisement US envoy Morgan Ortagus, who visited Beirut at the weekend, repeated Washingtons position that Hezbollah and other armed groups should be disarmed as soon as possible and the Lebanese army was expected to do the job. Its clear that Hezbollah has to be disarmed and its clear that Israel is not going to accept terrorists shooting at them, into their country, and thats a position we understand, Ortagus said in an April 6 interview with Lebanons LBCI television. Several Lebanese government ministers want a disarmament timetable, said Kamal Shehadi, a minister affiliated with the anti-Hezbollah Lebanese Forces party. Shehadi told Reuters disarmament should take no more than six months, citing post-civil war militia disarmament as a precedent. A timetable which presumably would impose deadlines on the process is, he said, the only way to protect our fellow citizens from the recurring attacks that are costing lives, costing the economy and causing destruction. Advertisement He said he and other ministers hoped the full cabinet would endorse the idea and task the minister of defense with preparing the timetable. Were going to keep asking for it, he said. The most recent conflict began when Hezbollah opened fire in support of Hamas at the start of the Gaza war in October 2023. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem in a March 29 speech said his group no longer has an armed presence south of the Litani, and had stuck to the ceasefire deal while Israel breached it every day. Israel has accused Hezbollah of maintaining military infrastructure in the south. Hezbollah has put the onus on the Lebanese state to get Israel to withdraw and stop its attacks. Qassem said there was still time for diplomatic solutions. But he warned that the resistance is present and ready and indicated it could resort to other options if Israel doesnt adhere to the deal. Advertisement China has refuted US President Trumps claim that it wants to strike a deal badly with the US following the punitive tariffs announced last week. It termed such tactic as bullying behaviour read more China has rejected claims by US President Donald Trump that China is desperate to strike a trade deal amidst escalating tensions over tariffs. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, during a press conference on Wednesday, criticised the United States for its aggressive tariff policies, describing them as bullying behaviour and vowed that China would not capitulate under pressure. Lins remarks come in response to Trumps assertion that China wants to make a deal, badly, following the imposition of steep tariffs on Chinese imports. The US recently raised tariffs to 34% on a range of Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to announce reciprocal measures, including identical tariffs on US imports and additional non-tariff restrictions such as export controls and trade suspensions. Chinas countermeasures are set to take effect on 10 April 2025, with exemptions granted for goods shipped before the deadline. Advertisement Where China stands on tariff war Lin Jian emphasised that China would never accept unilateral pressure or coercive tactics from the US. If the US side truly wants to resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation, it should show an attitude of equality, respect, and mutual benefit, Lin said. He warned that if Washington DC continues to disregard the interests of both nations and insists on pursuing a tariff war, Chinas response will be resolute and enduring. China has also filed complaints with the World Trade Organization (WTO), accusing the US of violating international trade rules. Beijing views these tariffs as unjustified and detrimental to global economic stability. In addition to retaliatory tariffs, China has placed several US entities on its unreliable entity list, restricting their ability to engage in trade with China. Trumps tariff blitzkrieg The trade war reignited under Trumps administration with sweeping tariff hikes targeting Chinese imports. The former president justified these measures by accusing China of failing to curb the production of precursor chemicals for fentanyla claim Beijing has strongly refuted. Trumps strategy appears aimed at exerting maximum economic pressure on China while bolstering domestic industries. However, experts argue that such actions risk destabilising bilateral relations and undermining global trade systems. Advertisement How China has responded to Trump tariffs China has demonstrated its preparedness for prolonged trade tensions by implementing a suite of retaliatory measures. Beyond tariffs, Beijing has tightened export controls on critical raw materials and targeted high-tech industries where the US is heavily reliant on Chinese supplies. Economists suggest these steps are calculated responses designed to protect Chinas strategic interests while sending a clear message that it will not yield under external pressure. Lin Jian reiterated that dialogue remains the preferred path for resolving disputes but stressed that negotiations must be grounded in mutual respect. He urged the US to abandon its confrontational approach and work towards sustainable cooperation. Bullying behaviour will lead nowhere, Lin said. As trade tensions escalate further, the global economic implications remain uncertain. Both the US and China face mounting pressure from domestic stakeholders and international partners to find common ground. Whether dialogue can lead to a trade deal to end confrontation remains an open question amid the ongoing geopolitical tariff standoff. Advertisement In a circular issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), the transhipment facility, which was opened in 2020 to facilitate the export of cargo from Bangladesh to third countries via the Indian Land Customs Stations en route to Indian ports and airports, was terminated read more Days after Bangladeshs Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus said that Indias Northeast was landlocked and pushed for Chinese autonomy over the region, New Delhi on Wednesday suspended the transhipment facility for the countrys export cargo. Yunus sparked a row after he called the Northeastern region landlocked and drew criticism for calling on China to expand its control over Indian regions during his state visit to the country. He later met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit, where the two discussed regional stability and minority issues. Advertisement Seven states of India, eastern part of India, called seven sisters they are landlocked country, landlocked region of India. They have no way to reach out to the ocean, he said. Yunus further said, We are the only guardian of the ocean for all this region. So this opens up a huge possibility. So this could be an extension of the Chinese economy. Build things, produce things, market things, bring things to China, bring it out to the whole rest of the world. How will closing the transhipment facility affect Dhaka? In a circular issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), the transhipment facility, which was opened in 2020 to facilitate the export of cargo from Bangladesh to third countries via the Indian Land Customs Stations en route to Indian ports and airports, was terminated with immediate effect. The move could disrupt Bangladeshs trade with Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar. Furthermore, landlocked countries like Nepal and Bhutan are likely to raise concerns over the closure of the facility as it may affect their trade with Bangladesh. Ajay Srivastava, former trade officer and Head of GTRI, highlighted that India has consistently backed Bangladeshs interests by offering preferential, zero-tariff access to Bangladeshi goodsexcluding alcohol and cigarettesinto its large market for the past 20 years. However, Bangladeshs plans to establish a strategic base near the Chickens Neck area with Chinas assistance may have prompted this action. Bangladesh has invited Chinese investment to revitalise the airbase at Lalmonirhat, near Indias Siliguri Corridor, Srivastava said. Advertisement Dixon Technologies has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a new manufacturing facility in Oragadam, near Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The company plans to invest Rs. 1000 crore in the project. According to the MoU, Dixon Technologies will set up the facility at the Indospace Industrial Park in Oragadam, situated approximately 45 km south of Chennai. The plant will specialize in the production of laptops and all-in-one personal computers, and also offer electronic manufacturing services to other companies. The proposed facility where HP laptops will be manufactured first, said Industries Minister T R B Rajaa, which is a part of the announcement last year, and is projected to generate over 5,000 employment opportunities. The MoU signing ceremony took place at the Secretariat, where top officials from Dixon Technologies, led by Executive Chairman Sunil Vachani and Vice President Prithvi Vachani, exchanged documents with Darez Ahamed, MD and CEO of Tamil Nadus nodal investment promotion agency Guidance. The exchange occurred in the presence of Chief Minister M K Stalin and Industries Minister T R B Rajaa, among other dignitaries. In the release, the government said: Dixon Technologies, established in 1993, manufactures products for the consumer electronics, lighting, and mobile phone markets. The company provides contract manufacturing services to brands like Samsung, Xiaomi, Motorola, Boat, Panasonic, TCL Technologies, and OnePlus. Tamil Nadu is recognized as the second-largest economy in India and a leading state in manufacturing and exports. The states 2024-25 economic survey highlights the governments effective efforts in attracting investments and creating numerous job opportunities, especially for women. Kampala, Uganda (PANA) - Some 41,000 refugees have crossed from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) into Uganda since January, many of them having witnessed killings, sexual violence and other traumatic experience during their flight, said the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) on Tuesday Merchants in China leverage AI for international marketing People's Daily Online) 13:53, April 09, 2025 A businesswoman communicates with a foreign merchant with the help of an artificial intelligence (AI) tool of Chinagoods AI smart service platform in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province, in October 2024. (Photo courtesy of the media convergence center of Yiwu city) "One, two, three, four, five," a woman who owns a sock shop in Yiwu, an international hub for small commodity production and trade in east China's Zhejiang Province, repeated the numbers to her phone camera in early 2025. With the help of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, videos in which she appeared to introduce products to potential customers fluently in dozens of languages were instantly generated for her. This has become routine for tens of thousands of foreign trade merchants in Yiwu and other regions in China. With AI assistance, the entire foreign trade processfrom production and design to display and transactionhas been optimized, and cross-border e-commerce has continued to break through limitations of time, space, and operating costs. "I was among the first to benefit from AI," said Sun Lijuan, head of Yiwu Hongsheng Toys Co. Ltd. in the Yiwu International Trade Market, the world's largest wholesale market of small commodities. "In October 2023, I was introduced to AI and digital human technologies as a beta tester," she recalled. At that time, the market's operator Zhejiang China Commodities City Group Co., Ltd. released China's first large language model for the commercial trade sector, with its Chinagoods AI Smart Service Platform being upgraded. A merchant takes notes during a training session on artificial intelligence in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province, March 7, 2025. (Photo courtesy of the media convergence center of Yiwu city) To test the functionality, staff members of the operator contacted her to film a product introduction video in Chinese, which was then quickly converted into English, Arabic, Spanish, and Russian versions using AI technology. "When I saw the videos, I was stunned by synchronized lip movements that matched my voice. The effect was incredibly realistic," she said. After publishing these videos on social media platforms, they generated strong responses. Some videos garnered over 1 million views, and many customers commented asking how Sun's Arabic was so fluent. "Many users from Israel, Pakistan, Mexico, Nigeria, and other countries reached out requesting product lists. After using AI-generated videos, my store's sales increased by 10-20 percent," she said. Today, beyond creating multilingual videos with digital humans, Sun also uses AI tools to accelerate product design and development processes. "Previously, we would spend one to two months producing samples, and then soliciting customer feedback, or relying on international exhibitions," Sun said. "Now with AI, we can generate corresponding design elements that provide us with considerable inspiration. We can directly create images for customers to review and only proceed with production after confirming the style. This significantly shortens development time while reducing costs," she added. Sun is just one example of the many foreign trade merchants in Yiwu benefiting from AI. According to statistics from the Yiwu International Trade Market, nearly 30,000 merchants now regularly use various AI tools launched on Chinagoods. As of the end of February this year, over 200,000 users had used related AI products on the platform. Merchants attend a training session on artificial intelligence in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province, March 7, 2025. (Photo courtesy of the media convergence center of Yiwu city) In addition, more than 100,000 companies worldwide now use Alibaba.com's AI tools for foreign trade. Data shows that products optimized with AI have seen a 52 percent increase in conversion rates, while customer response rates have improved by 36 percent with AI assistance. Zhang Kuo, president of Alibaba.com, believes that as AI business assistants continue to self-learn and evolve, their capabilities are rapidly improving, providing opportunities for many small and medium-sized enterprises to engage in foreign trade operations. To ensure that AI tools become effective assistants in the cross-border e-commerce sector, Yiwu has focused on training talents in AI application according to merchants' actual needs. On March 11, Yiwu announced the launch of a training plan that coordinates efforts among the government, enterprises, and colleges to comprehensively cultivate talents in AI application in the e-commerce sector. The plan aims to provide free training to over 300,000 participants within two years, covering AI practical skills in product selection, customer service, design, and more. Merchants like Sun have directly benefited from this plan. She had brought her team to participate in training sessions organized by Zhejiang China Commodities City Group Co., Ltd. for four consecutive evenings. "All of our AI tools are available free of charge to merchants operating in the Yiwu International Trade Market," said Lou Qinfeng, technical director of Yiwu China Commodities City Big Data Co., Ltd. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) New York, US (PANA) - The UN Secretary-General on Tuesday warned that when it comes to trade wars, nobody wins and everybody tends to lose 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 ... US President Donald Trump signed an executive order ordering the Justice Department to investigate two former members of his previous administration Sat Saturday 95 /64 More sun than clouds. Highs in the mid 90s and lows in the mid 60s. The Mesa County Justice Center, shown here in a 2019 file photo, will soon be getting an annex that will create additional needed space at the center. The Mesa County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a nearly $2.7 million contract with an architecture firm for the design of its proposed Justice Center Annex project. Montana Enrollment Currently At 65.2 Percent Of Expected Agricultural producers who have not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2025 crop year have until Tuesday, April 15, 2025, to revise elections and sign contracts. Both safety net programs,... The market report for the Glasgow Stockyards on April 3, show 296 cattle sold. Cows and bulls sold higher on a lite test. Utility and commercial cows brought in $130 to $165; canner and cutter cows $95 to $130; and young feeding/turnout cows $180 to... The Children's Museum of Northeast Montana held a 20th anniversary reception on March 21 at the Elks Lodge to not only celebrate the museum's years of enrichment and play for northeastern Montana but to also reflect how much has changed for the museu... Editors Note: This story was originally published in the March 18, 2025, issue of the Daily Montanan; dailymontanan.com/. An attorney who is fighting for a Glasgow couples access to information surrounding their child being removed from a home in 2... The Valley County Community Pool Campaign Committee is proud to announce that the new community pool will be named Parke Place Pool. This naming comes following a generous donation of over $500,000 from The Jim Parke Foundation, which secured naming... When new legislators first arrive in Helena, were given a choice of two committee paths: policy or money. And when you choose money, it becomes your path for life. The bulk of our work in House Appropriations has been to build a fiscally responsible... Pevkur at defence ministers' meeting in Poland: the EU has created opportunities, now we must implement them Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Defence 7. April 2025 - 13:25 European Union defence ministers met today in Warsaw to discuss expanding military support to Ukraine, security guarantees, and options for increasing EU defence spending in light of the recently published EU Defence White Paper. "The best way to ensure that Ukraine achieves a just and lasting peace is to provide swift and increased military aid now, enabling them to enter negotiations from the strongest possible position. We support the High Representative's initiative to supply Ukraine with ammunitionthis now requires urgent decisions and implementation," said Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur, who took part in the meeting. The EU Defence White Paper clearly and unequivocally states that Russia is a threat to European security and that Europe must strengthen its defence readiness. "The European Commission says that defence readiness must grow over the next five years, but that doesn't mean we have five years to wait. We must act immediatelyfunds need to reach defence and industry now. It is crucial to invest in air defence, long-range capabilities, ammunition, and drones. These are also the capabilities most needed by NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe for the implementation of NATO's defence plans," explained Minister Pevkur. "It is also welcome from Estonia's perspective that the White Paper highlights the importance of protecting the EU's external border. Both border defence and the development of defence industrial production capacity enhance European defence capability and should be eligible priorities for EU support measures." The European Commission's ReArm initiative, which can bring an additional 800 billion to defence, is divided into two parts: 650 billion allows Member States to borrow for defence spending without being constrained by budget deficit rules, and 150 billion will be borrowed directly by the EU through the new SAFE mechanism. This mechanism could offer Member States more favourable loan conditions and encourage the procurement of European-made products. "It is important that the SAFE loan mechanism remains flexible and open to like-minded partners and NATO allies. We must not impose borrowing restrictions on ourselves that could hinder the rapid enhancement of defence capability and interoperability with allies who contribute to European security," said Minister Pevkur. On the sidelines of the defence ministers' meeting, Minister Pevkur also met with Italian Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto to discuss bilateral defence cooperation. Ahead of the defence ministers' meeting, a high-level conference was held in Warsaw on 2 April to present the details of the White Paper and to discuss the development and financing of defence capabilities in the European Union. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address OIC Condemns the Israeli Occupation's Targeting of Journalists' Tent in Gaza Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) 07-04-2025 The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) strongly condemned the bombing of a journalists' tent in Khan Yunis, located in the southern Gaza Strip, by Israeli occupation forces. This attack resulted in the death of a journalist and injuries to several other media professionals. The OIC stated that this incident represents a blatant violation of freedom of the press and media. It reflects the ongoing policies of the Israeli occupation aimed at suppressing the truth, silencing voices, concealing its crimes, and preventing information from reaching the international community. The OIC holds the Israeli occupation authorities fully responsible for the deaths of over 210 journalists and media professionals since the start of the genocidal campaign waged by the Israeli occupation against the Gaza Strip. The organization reiterated its call for the International Criminal Court to continue investigating all crimes committed by Israel, the occupying power, against civilians, including media professionals and journalists who face deliberate killings, arbitrary arrests, and physical assaults related to their work. Additionally, the OIC urged relevant international institutions, particularly UNESCO, to take all necessary measures to ensure the prosecution of those responsible for these crimes and to provide adequate protection for press freedom and the safety of journalists operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territory in accordance with international humanitarian law and relevant international agreements. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US, Ghana host African Land Forces Summit in Accra By Samuel Appah April 8, 2025 ACCRA, Ghana -- U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) held the opening ceremony for the African Land Forces Summit 2025 in Accra, Ghana. Sponsored by the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, ALFS 2025 runs April 7-10, 2025 and brings together land force chiefs from nearly 40 African nations, as well as representatives from other partner countries, academic institutions and government agencies for open dialogue on shared security challenges. This year's theme is "Optimizing Land Forces for the Emerging Security Environment." "For over 15 years, the African Land Forces Summit has been vital for collaboration and dialogue among African military leaders and international partners and allies," said Maj. Gen. Andrew M. Gainey, commanding general of SETAF-AF. Underscoring the importance of joint training efforts and strategic partnerships, Maj. Gen. Gainey emphasized the value of working closely with African defense forces. "Working with African militaries, we develop premier multinational and multidomain training opportunities that help us all optimize our land forces," said Gainey. Throughout the week, land forces commanders from across Africa will engage in discussions guided by subject matter experts. "This year's African Land Forces Summit promises to be productive and impactful. The collaboration between the Ghana Army and the United States Army is a welcome development in the context of international defence collaboration," said Ghana's Minister of Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah. He emphasized the significance of the meeting in strengthening collective defense strategies and fostering regional stability. "The assembly in Accra of army chiefs, mainly from across the African continent to deliberate on matters of defence and security is very important to this volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world," said Boamah. ALFS brings together leaders from Africa, Europe and North America to exchange ideas and develop solutions to some of Africa's most pressing transnational issues. ALFS 2025 intends to build upon previous summits by fostering communication, cooperation and planning among partner nations. "Our agenda for the next few days is ambitious," said Ambassador Virginia Palmer, the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Ghana. "We are here to optimize our land forces' capability, to foster interoperability, and to build the crisis response capacities needed to support security and stability." In addition to plenary sessions and small-group discussions, summit attendees will experience Ghanaian culture and view a military demonstration by the Ghana Armed Forces. About SETAF-AF As the U.S. Army's operational headquarters in Africa, SETAF-AF builds readiness and operational capability with partners and allies, fosters regional security and stability, and strengthens the U.S. Army's ability to respond to crises and contingencies in support of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, as well as U.S. Africa Command. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address USCENTCOM Commander Meets Senior Leaders from Six Countries During Middle East Visit U.S. Central Command Press Release | April 8, 2025 USCENTCOM April 8, 2025 Release Number 20250408-01 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TAMPA, Fla. -- Commander, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla conducted a series of high-level engagements with several leaders and servicemembers in Israel, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Yemen during a five-day trip through the Middle East, April 1-5. From April 1-2, Gen. Kurilla traveled to Israel and met with the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, other key IDF staff, and leaders from multiple Israeli National Security Organizations. Gen. Kurilla, Lt. Gen. Zamir, and the other leaders discussed a range of strategic security issues across the region. Gen. Kurilla also discussed continued efforts to deepen the military partnership between the United States and Israel and increase interoperability between our forces. Gen. Kurilla reiterated the ironclad military-to-military relationship between the U.S. and Israel. From April 2-3, Gen. Kurilla visited Jordan and met with Maj. Gen. Yousef Al-H'naity, Chairman of the Jordan Joint Chiefs of Staff and Royal Jordanian Air Force Commander, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Hiyassat. Gen. Kurilla, Maj. Gen. H'naity, and the other leaders discussed the evolving security situation in the region, deepening the bilateral defense relationship between the U.S. and Jordan, and further expanding the military-to-military relationship with the JAF, which continues to serve as a steadfast and reliable strategic partner for peace and stability in the region. On April 3, Gen. Kurilla visited leaders in Qatar and UAE. While in Qatar, Gen. Kurilla met with the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Lt. Gen. Jassim Al Mannai, and discussed regional security issues and continued opportunities to increase interoperability. Gen. Kurilla and Lt. Gen. Al Mannai reiterated their commitment to enhancing military-to-military partnership between the U.S.-Qatar. Qatar has been a capable and willing partner in the region for more than five decades. While in the UAE, Gen. Kurilla met with Emirati National Security Advisor Sheik Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Gen. Kurilla and Sheik Al Nahyan discussed current security challenges in the region and agreed to continue deepening the U.S. security partnership and cooperation and with UAE, which is recognized as one of only two Major Defense Partners of the United States. From April 3-5, Gen. Kurilla visited Saudi Arabia and met with our Saudi and Yemeni partners, including Gen. Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwayli, Chief of General Staff of the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces, and his key staff. Gen. Kurilla, Gen. Al-Ruwayli, and the other leaders discussed shared security concerns, the importance of joint readiness and interoperability, and their mutual commitment to addressing regional threats. Gen. Kurilla also met with Lt. Gen. Sagheer Hamoud Ahmed Aziz, the Chief of Staff of the Yemeni Armed Forces, who traveled from Yemen for the meeting. Gen. Kurilla and Lt. Gen. Aziz discussed ongoing efforts against the Iran-backed Houthis, including the current operation designed to restore freedom of navigation. At every stop, Gen. Kurilla met with and thanked U.S. military commanders and servicemembers for their continued dedication, professionalism, and competence in combatting threats and advancing regional security and stability. "These engagements with our partners and servicemembers are invaluable. They further enhance the trusted relationships we've built with our partners in the region over decades. Working with our partners moves us further toward enhancing deterrence through building interoperable capabilities throughout the region," said Gen. Kurilla. -30- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Czech service members in Lithuania: CBRN defence in exercise Iron Fortress Ministry of Defence & Armed Forces of the Czech Republic 8.4.2025 Author: by CAPT Jitka Ticha Czech service members of the Multifunctional Chemical Defence Company performed sampling, identification, decontamination, and other tasks during the Iron Fortress exercise held in the Gaiziunai training area, Lithuania, from March 18-28. It was the first of a range of exercises attended by the CBRN defence specialists of the Czech Armed Forces' 5th Task Force MNBG Lithuania. The Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defence specialists homebased in Liberec handled the protection against CBRN weapons: "Our mission was to ensure complex protection against WMD and effectively respond to potential chemical, biological, or radiological threats. Training in such challenging conditions gave us the opportunity to prove our skills and readiness in real environment where every moment is critical. The cooperation with other NATO nations was key to the successful fulfilment of our tasks." Apart from the Czech personnel, the exercise trained the German, Dutch, Norwegian, Belgian, Luxemburgish, and Croatian forces, which comprise the Multinational Battlegroup Lithuania. The exercise objective was to prepare the personnel for the Iron Wolf combat readiness evaluation that focuses on the strengthening of the defence capability and interoperability among NATO forces. "The 2025 Iron Fortress exercise showed the criticality of readiness, reliability, and resolve of all the contributing nations. The cooperation of different NATO nations' armed forces is key to the success of modern military defence which requires both high standards of technical and tactical skills as well as mutual trust and coordination," underscored CAPT M. M., commander of the Czech Multifunctional Chemical Defence Company in Lithuania. Beside the regular exercises, the service members continuously participate in securing the area, with their presence strengthening NATO's defence posture. "It was not just an exercise but a fundamental part of international military cooperation which reinforces the security and stability of the region. The armed forces cooperation and training in real conditions are necessary to ensure effective defence against complex threats. Exercises such as the Iron Fortress show the power of teamwork and readiness of all the participating nations facing the challenges of modern military conflicts together," concluded the commander of the 5th Task Force, MAJ David Izing. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 8, 2025 Release Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg Issues Memo on Workforce Acceleration & Recapitalization Initiative Organizational Review Attributable to Eric Pahon, Spokesman for the Deputy Secretary of Defense: Deputy Secretary Steve Feinberg's directive launches one of the most ambitious efforts in decades to modernize how the Department is organized and operates. This is about more than efficiency it's about designing a workforce and structure that move at the speed of today's challenges. We're taking a clear-eyed look across the Department to ensure every role, every office, and every layer of management is aligned to what the mission demands right now: speed, precision, and operational impact. By streamlining structures and focusing roles where they have the greatest impact, we are empowering our civilian professionals to contribute even more directly to the Department's core mission. The result will be a more agile, responsive, and mission-focused Department one that delivers for the warfighter and supports our national security priorities with greater clarity and speed. As the Secretary of Defense has said, credible deterrence starts with credible structures. This effort is how we get there. You can read the Deputy Secretary's memo here. https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4149615/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 8, 2025 Transcript Remarks by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the Pier Dedication at Vasco Nunez de Balboa Naval Base SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH: Well, thank you very much, Minister Abrego, for being here today and for a very warm welcome. Admiral Halsey, Commander of SOUTHCOM, thank you for your great work, your partnership, phenomenal job you and all the troops down here and throughout the hemisphere. And father, thank you for the blessing of this pier. What a reminder that Almighty God is truly the commander of all affairs, including today and all the important work we're undertaking. It is great to be here at Vasco Nunez de Balboa Naval Base. Our shared roots here run deep. Once known as Rodman Naval Station, this place has long played a vital role in protecting the canal. The security of the Panama Canal remains a key national interest of both the United States and Panama. In 1914, after the first ship sailed through the canal, the US Secretary of War wrote, the dream of the centuries has become a reality. This dream, once realized, drove prosperity in our hemisphere. And to preserve this dream for centuries to come, we must never lose sight of the canal's security. And today, the Panama Canal faces ongoing threats. The United States of America will not allow Communist China or any other country to threaten the canal's operation or integrity. To this end, the United States and Panama have done more in recent weeks to strengthen our defense and security cooperation than we have in decades. That includes our meeting today and announcements to come. As we speak, US based military units are involved in joint exercises, planning and other forms of cooperation with our Panamanian partners on both the Atlantic and Pacific sides of the canal. And together, we will take bold first steps to revive our defense and security ties between our countries. Right now, a US Coast Guard cutter will transit the canal coming up this week to conduct counter-narcotic operations in the Eastern Pacific. US Coast Guard Cutter Kimball is moored in Panama City to conduct a subject matter expert exchange with personnel from the National Aeronaval Service of Panama, or SENAN. The USS Chosin, where I'll be tomorrow, is a guided missile cruiser, is also docked in Panama City for a port visit as part of CENTSEC 25, the ongoing conference. And USS Normandy, another guided missile cruiser, is patrolling off Panama's Caribbean coast. While there they are training an embarked team of officers and NCOs from SENAN, Panamanians, again our partners. Several aircraft from the US Marine Corps and Navy are visiting Panama to enhance our air and maritime security cooperation. We have stood up the Joint Security Cooperation Group Panama here in Panama City to coordinate US military activities with our Panamanian partners. We will also continue to deepen cooperation in the long run. This includes increased training exercises and information sharing between US and Panama security forces. And in 2026, Panama will host the multilateral Panamax exercise. This training will focus on ensuring the free flow of commerce through the Panama Canal. And finally, this pier, Pier 3, tangibly represents America and Panama's shared commitment to the canal's security. Thanks to over $5 million in support from the US Army Corps of Engineers, we have refurbished this pier behind us. These needed infrastructure improvements revitalize this historic facility and strengthen maritime security both in the canal and into the Pacific Ocean. Our relationship with Panama, especially our security relationship, will continue to grow in the months and years ahead. Our relationship is growing in part to meet Communist China's rising challenge. China-based companies continue to control critical infrastructure in the canal area, that gives China the potential to conduct surveillance activities across Panama. This makes Panama and the United States less secure, less prosperous and less sovereign. And as President Donald Trump has pointed out, that situation is not acceptable. We are grateful to President Mulino, Minister Abrego and your teams, along with the Panama Canal Authority, for responding to these threats. And safeguarding the canal. President Mulino's decision to withdraw from the Belt and Road Initiative reflects his government's clear understanding of China and the threat it poses. I want to be very clear China did not build this canal; China does not operate this canal; and China will not weaponize this canal. Together with Panama in the lead, we will keep the canal secure and available for all nations through the deterrent power of the strongest, most effective and most lethal fighting force in the world. We will do this in partnership with Panama. Together we will take back the Panama Canal from China's influence, and we will do this along with other capable like-minded allies and partners. This is what Peace through Strength looks like. You see, the first time a sitting American president set foot outside of the United States, the first time, was to see the construction of the Panama Canal. President Teddy Roosevelt spent three days here in November of 1906. He was here both to inspect the project and to emphasize how important it was to our security and our prosperity. After his visit, Roosevelt described the canal as one of the great and giant feats of the ages. Nearly 120 years later, this canal remains a wonder of the world. And like President Roosevelt, President Trump today recognizes the canal's rightful place as the center of our shared hemisphere. It connects two continents and two oceans, transporting over $250 billion in goods per year and 40 percent of US shipping. 70 percent of the ships that pass through this canal are going to or from US ports. It saves nearly 8,000 miles for shipping traveling between our coasts. Almost 100 US military vessels each year transit the canal. This miraculous canal shows what our two nations can achieve together. We worked together to build this canal. Workers from both our countries gave their lives during its construction. We are proud of our shared history and excited for our shared future. Returning Pier 3 to service today shows how we will continue to work together to secure and preserve that legacy. God bless. Thank you very much. https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/4149582/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 8, 2025 Release Joint Statement Between President Mulino, Panama Canal Authority Administrator, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Following April 8th, 2025 Bilateral Meeting President Jose Raul Mulino and Panama Canal Authority Administrator Ricaurte Vazquez welcomed U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to Panama on April 8, 2025. During this visit, the leaders reaffirmed the historic security relationship between the Republic of Panama and the United States of America. They agreed our two nations must stand shoulder-to-shoulder in their mutual commitment to address shared security challenges. The leaders recognized the robust foundation and legacy of bilateral security cooperation, including over $230 million in U.S. Department of Defense and Department of State security assistance to Panama in the past five years. Secretary Hegseth strongly welcomed President Mulino's commitment to make Panama the first country in our hemisphere to exit the Belt and Road Initiative, and to reduce China's problematic presence in other areas. Secretary Hegseth also congratulated President Mulino for Panama's efforts to reduce illegal immigration and for closing the border in the Darien. Mindful of these bilateral obligations, President Mulino, Administrator Vazquez and Secretary Hegseth committed their joint resolve to strengthen bilateral Canal security cooperation. In coordination with the Panama Canal Authority and in recognition of the constitutional framework of the Panamanian state, the statutory relationship with the Panama Canal Authority, and the obligations of the Treaty, the expedited transit of warships and auxiliary vessels of the Republic of Panama and the United States is guaranteed. Additionally, in recognition of the Treaty obligation regarding the payment of tolls and other charges under the Neutrality framework, the Republic of Panama and the United States of America will work, as established, on a mechanism to compensate for the payment of tolls and charges, in accordance with the legal and constitutional frameworks of both countries: First and Free. Collaborating to enhance and strengthen Panama's security capabilities, including through a Memorandum of Understanding that will enable increased bilateral activities between the U.S. military and Panamanian security forces and will support mission needs at joint-use locations; Reinvigorating the High-Level Security Dialogue toward achieving a robust agenda of bilateral planning and preparedness that prioritizes Canal security and defense, to include discussion of issues related to commercial shipping; Signing of a Joint Statement of Understanding between Minister Abrego and Admiral Holsey for enhanced security cooperation through professional education and capacity-building between Panamanian security forces and the U.S. military; Reconcentrating bilateral training and exercises in Panama, including through commitments to resume regular joint jungle operations training and to reestablish the 2026 PANAMAX exercise for Canal defense in Panama; Leveraging Department of Defense expertise and resources to advise the Government of Panama to strengthen its strategic, cyber security, and maritime security planning; Advancing arrangements between the United States and the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) toward the continued safe, secure, and neutral operation of the Panama Canal, including through the recent signing of a Cyber Cooperation Arrangement between U.S. Southern Command and the ACP to identify areas for enhanced bilateral cyber cooperation; and through a recent U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Memorandum of Understanding with the ACP that will continue to provide its expertise and technical support to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Canal. https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4149739/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 8, 2025 By Matthew Olay, DOD News Senior Enlisted Leaders Say Lethality Tied to Service Members' Quality of Life The Defense Department's ability to be a lethal fighting force can be linked to the quality of life for America's warfighters and their families. Such was the theme embraced by the top enlisted leaders of DOD's six branches of service during a House Appropriations Committee hearing today in Washington on quality of life in the military. The hearing which covered a myriad of topics such as pay and compensation, single and accompanied housing, child care, sexual assault prevention and others provided the senior enlisted leaders with an opportunity to update the committee on the successes and ongoing challenges their respective services face in an ever-challenging fiscal environment. "I want to start off with the fact that I'm proud of everything that our soldiers have accomplished ... We're focused on lethality, and we will be ready when the nation calls," Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael R. Weimer told the committee during prepared remarks. Weimer added that staying focused is paramount to the Army's success, and maintaining such focus requires continual improvement to the quality of life of its soldiers and their family members. "[However], continuous resolutions and flat budgets do not support stability or predictability that our soldiers and families deserve," he added. Unlike a full budget, Congress' passing of continuing resolutions, like the one under which DOD currently operates, can prevent the services from implementing planned future expenditures. Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy James Honea shared a similar sentiment to Weimer's during his opening remarks. Noting that budget constraints have hindered consistent support for Navy personnel since 2013, Honea said a stable defense budget that invests in sailors, their families and a culture of continued service is necessary. "I urge Congress to continue investing in our Navy to strengthen our lethality ... and to take care of our warfighters," Honea told the committee. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. David A. Flosi also said he believes lethality and quality of life are linked. "While there's always work to be done on this important subject, make no mistake, your Air Force is the most lethal and ready flying force in the world," Flosi said. "Thanks to each of you for your commitment to the quality of life for our service members," he continued. "We need our airmen laser-focused on lethality and readiness, and your support allows us to execute our important mission." Lethality is one of five key focus points Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listed in his Jan. 25, 2025, message to the force, along with meritocracy, accountability, readiness and standards. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 8, 2025 By David Vergun, DOD News DOD Leaders Highlight Need for Increased NATO Defense Spending To ensure an effective alliance, NATO needs to generate and field forces necessary to provide credible deterrence, increase military spending and take the lead in supporting Ukraine's defense requirements, said Katherine Thompson, performing the duties of assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, who testified today at a House Armed Services Committee posture hearing in Washington. "Allies are taking steps to that effect. Last month, for instance, the United Kingdom hosted the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. The U.K. and France have also committed to lead additional efforts to ensure a lasting peace in Ukraine," she said. NATO played a central role in America's strategy throughout the Cold War, but they forgot how important it was to invest in their defense when it ended. Instead, Thompson said, they grew accustomed to the peace that defined Europe and divested their militaries. Some NATO nations, like Poland and many of the Baltic nations, already spend more on defense than the United States as a percentage of gross domestic product, and they are on track to reach 5% GDP. On the other hand, Western and Central Europe are home to several of the world's largest and wealthiest economies. These allies are more than capable of raising powerful militaries, she said. "Tragically, however, they have chosen not to do so. Instead, for decades, they have shown themselves content to freeride, not just at the expense of American taxpayers, but at the expense of their fellow allies' security," Thompson said. Over the last four years, the international threat environment has grown far more dangerous. This is why Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reoriented the Defense Department's focus squarely on warfighting and lethality and has called for a "factory reset" of the NATO alliance, she said. Army Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli, commander of U.S. European Command and supreme allied commander Europe, said Russia's war in Ukraine has revealed it to be a chronic threat, and in the coming years, that threat will continue to grow. He said Russia has shown it is willing to use military force to achieve geopolitical goals, and it is actively waging a campaign of destabilization across Europe and beyond. NATO deterrence has held. War has not spilled into NATO territory thanks to support from a broad international coalition. Military support for Ukraine from the U.S., allies and partners has enabled them to mount a courageous defense, Cavoli said. "Now NATO has taken up this task," he added. The threat of war also led NATO to embark on a historic campaign to fundamentally overhaul and modernize its military capabilities. "After years of underinvestment too many years our allies are finally optimizing the alliance for high-end warfighting, and within NATO, we now have the plans, the forces, the command and control, and we have the focus to meet that mission. And there's still much to do, but our allies are investing in defense at a rate we haven't seen since the Cold War, a 40% increase overall since February of 2022," Cavoli said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Bosnia and Herzegovina: remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas following the meeting the Members of the Presidency European External Action Service (EEAS) 08.04.2025 Sarajevo, 08/04/2025 EEAS Press Team Check against delivery! Thank you and good evening, everybody, dear members of the Presidency. It is a pleasure to be here in Bosnia and Herzegovina, although I would [have] liked to be [here] under different circumstances. We just had a very frank and open exchange - as you can see from this interventions as well - about the current situation. I just want to emphasise few points. I can assure you that [the] EU is committed to Bosnia and Herzegovina's EU path as well as the security and stability of the region. The Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the cornerstone of peace here and it must be respected. Any actions undermining the territorial integrity, sovereignty and constitutional order or state institutions are dangerous and unacceptable. In particular, recent legislation and initiatives in the Republika Srpska entity undermined the work of this country's institution and the delivery of public services. They also threaten fundamental freedoms of all citizens. We welcome the public officials, judges and police officers [who] have resisted political pressure to withdraw from the state level institutions. At the end of the day, the ordinary people are the ones who suffer when the work of law enforcement and judicial institutions is attacked. So, let me underline here that the European Union is committed to your country's safety, stability and prosperity. Earlier today, I visited [the] European Union troops. Operation EUFOR Althea is a clear demonstration that the EU stands ready to ensure peace and stability. Our readiness to support you is why we swiftly increased the number of troops here last month in response to the political crisis. The safe and secure environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina must not be jeopardised. In my discussions here today, I have stressed also that the political leaders must work to bridge the division, not to deepen them. You bear the responsibility for finding a solution out of the current crisis. Political instability also prevents progress on your path to joining the European Union, and this is where your citizens really want to be. With few certain achievable steps that we also pointed out today, the country will be able to formally open accession negotiations soon. There are no shortcuts to European Union membership but the door to Bosnia and Herzegovina is open. There is no way to become a Member of European Union without the full respect for the rule of law and without functioning institutions that represent the country as a whole. EU membership and the reform process bring countless benefits and opportunities for the citizens. Moreover, the faster Bosnia and Herzegovina adopts the necessary reforms, the sooner international intervention can also be phased out. Finally, I want to stress that Bosnia and Herzegovina can count on the EU strong support. The doors to the European Union are wide open, but you need to take the right steps to get over the threshold. Your sovereignty and territorial integrity are fundamental to the region's security and stability. Thank you again for this open and frank exchange. Thank you for having me here today. Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-270620 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Albania: remarks by High Representative/vice-President Kaja Kallas at the joint press conference with Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama European External Action Service (EEAS) 08.04.2025 Tirana, 08/04/2025 EEAS Press Team Check against delivery! Thank you, dear Edi. It is a real pleasure to see you again and also to be in Albania. Albania is a strong partner of the European Union. You are a NATO ally, and like you said, you were fully aligned with the EU's common defence and foreign security policy. Your decision to fully implement EU sanctions against Russia alongside your political, military and humanitarian support to Ukraine demonstrates your commitment to our shared values and I understand that politically, it is always hard to do. You are also promoting the cooperation within the Western Balkans, including supporting local authorities to ensure safe and secure environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The EU is fully committed to Albania and your cooperation benefits both of us. We also, as European Union, remain Albania strongest trading partner and we are committed to strengthening our relations even further. One of my first formal engagements in this job was signing the new security and defence partnership with Albania or actually witnessing the signing, like we were witnessing it today together with you. And later today we are also launching the first ever EU-Albania strategic security and defence dialogue. This marks an important step deepening our cooperation also in the affairs of security. Looking ahead, we aim to expand our collaboration into new areas including fighting hybrid threats, including the cyber security counter terrorism, also crisis management. The EU has already provided over 30 million in funding through the European Peace Facility to enhance readiness of Albanian Armed forces. Additionally, we have proposed a joint defence requirement of EU candidate countries, which is under discussion among Member States right now and which could also benefit Albania, if Albania chooses to be part of it. But of course, our cooperation goes beyond security. Albania has [an] ambitious agenda to close EU negotiations in the next two years. What I want to say is that there are no shortcuts on the path of accession and it is vital to sustain the high pace of reforms. I also understand that the reforms are always quite difficult, so you have our full support when it comes to opening new clusters and meeting the benchmarks, especially the rule of law. Albania's future is in the European Union, and I am also pleased to witness the signing of 90 million agreement with European Investment Bank to reconstruct the railway between Port of Durres and Rrogozhine as part of corridor aid project. This project will create new jobs, enhance trade and also improve activity, bringing Albania closer to its neighbours, but also closer to the European Union. It will also serve as a critical route for the member States and NATO for the military mobility in the Southeast Europe. This extremely important in the current security environment. Finally, we also discussed the regional developments, and I really value your advice and comments on the situation in the Western Balkans. I think what is important when it comes to Kosovo and Serbia, there can be no progress without full normalisation of the relationship between those two. Of course, I am also going to Bosnia and Herzegovina later this day, to meet with them to try to calm down the situation. So, once again I am very grateful to be here and [I am] definitely looking forward coming back for the European political community meeting. Thank you again. Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-270583 Q&A Q. Is 2030 a potential year for Albania to become Member of the European Union, and this process of integration is conditioned by certain reforms, such as the one against corruption of high officials? 2030, is it a realistic target? It is if we all make the steps on the way that we need to do. Albania with the reforms, but not only the reforms to be adopted, but also the reforms to be implemented and there the rule of law is extremely important. It is one of the foundations of European Union and the functioning of European Union, but it is also the foundation for prosperity of the country because if investors trust your legal system, then they also trust to invest in the economy. So, it is also for the benefit of Albania. It is realistic if we all do our homework. Thank you. Q. Albania's EU integration is the main message because it is also close to the 11th of May elections. So, there is a deadline or a position of Prime Minister Rama in charge of the SP majority who said that it is only the SP majority that can take Albania to the EU in 2030 and any political rotation or change can actually impede us but does any political change actually affect this influence 2030? Coming from a country that has done the EU accession path, it is clear, that it needs the broad political support of all the political parties because it also requires some very difficult reforms to be done and that needs, broad support. What I understand from here as well, that there is broad support off the people [for] the EU accession path, that the EU is the way, [that] the European Union is something that Albanian people will want to join. So, clearly the difficult reforms need the support of everybody because [in] the end it is not only the reform, but also the implementation of the reform that requires broad support of the political parties. Q. The European Union has been a supporter of the reform and justice, as well as all the progress and the fight against corruption and the consolidation of the rule of law. How effective do you think it has been up to now and what is your assessment of what has been achieved so far with high officials being brought to justice? The EU reforms have several stages. When it comes to a rule of law or fighting corruption, then first it is to really adopt the reforms. Then the second phase is to implement the reforms and of course then it is also judiciary not only to start the process is but also reach real verdicts. I think this is also important for the public to see that everybody is taking the fight against corruption seriously because it is one of the fundamentals of the rule of law that the taxpayer's money goes for the taxpayer's money is supposed to go. Thank you. Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-270584 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Germany Federal Foreign Office 08.04.2025 - Press release Prior to her trip to Cairo for the Ministerial Meeting of the member states of the Khartoum Process, Minister of State Katja Keul issued the following statement today (8 April 2025): European and African ministers are meeting in Egypt to discuss migration on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Khartoum Process. Both sides are committed to combating irregular migration and people smuggling while strengthening safe and regular migration along migration routes. With the Skilled Immigration Act and digitalisation of visa applications, Germany has laid important groundwork for the promotion of legal pathways for migration. In view of the current humanitarian refugee crisis in the neighbouring Sudan, which is the largest of its kind in the world, it is important that we pool international efforts at the conference on the Sudan to be held in London in a few days. This will also be a focus of my talks. Respect for human rights, compliance with international refugee law, including the Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) continue to be vital for us. We welcome the fact that the impact of climate change on displacement and forced migration is also addressed in the final document of the Ministerial Meeting. Special thanks go to the host country Egypt, which is a key partner of the EU in migration policy and has itself taken in a very large number of refugees, thus assuming a great deal of responsibility. Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation,Shri Amit Shah chairs a high-level security review meeting in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in Srinagar today India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Home Affairs Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Government of India is committed to establishing lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir and completely eradicating terrorism Union Home Minister lauds the efforts of security agencies for significant reduction in terror-related incidents, infiltration and recruitment of youth into terrorist organisations Due to sustained and coordinated efforts of the Modi Government, the entire terror eco-system nurtured by elements against our country in Jammu and Kashmir has been crippled Home Minister directed all security agencies to continue efforts with a coordinated approach to eliminate terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir Implementation of Area Domination Plan and Zero Terror Plan must be ensured in mission mode All agencies should continue to work in a coordinated manner so that the gains made after the abrogation of Article 370 in the Union Territory can be sustained Posted On: 08 APR 2025 7:43PM by PIB Delhi Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah chaired a high-level security review meeting in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in Srinagar today. The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Manoj Sinha, Union Home Secretary, Director (IB), Chief of Army Staff, GOC-in-C (Northern Command), Chief Secretary &DGP of Jammu and Kashmir, heads of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and other senior officials attended the meeting. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Government of India is committed to establishing lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir and completely eradicating terrorism. During the meeting, Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah lauded the efforts of security agencies for significant reduction in terror-related incidents, infiltration and recruitment of youth in terrorist organisations. He reiterated the zero tolerance policy against terrorism under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Shri Shah said that Due to sustained and coordinated efforts of the Modi Government, the entire terror eco-system nurtured by elements inimical to our country in Jammu and Kashmir has been crippled. Shri Amit Shah directed all security agencies to continue efforts with a coordinated approach to eliminate terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. He also directed that the implementation of Area Domination Plan and Zero Terror Plan must be ensured in mission mode. Home Minister said that all agencies should continue to work in a coordinated manner so that the gains made after the abrogation of Article 370 in the Union Territory can be sustained and the goal of 'terror free J&K' can be achieved at the earliest. Home Minister said that the Modi Government is providing all resources necessary to achieve this goal. Union Home Minister also reviewed the preparedness of Shri Amarnathji Yatra which is scheduled from 3rd July to 9th August this year and directed concerned agencies to take all necessary action for conducting holy yatra peacefully. ***** RK / VV / RR / PS (Release ID: 2120184) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Intensified Israeli bombing is 'brutal revenge against innocent civilians,' says Hamas IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Apr 8, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- The Islamic Resistance Movement has called on all nations to shoulder their responsibility to put an immediate stop to the ongoing Israeli crimes in Gaza. "What is happening in Gaza is not just military pressure, but rather brutal revenge against innocent civilians," Hamas said in a statement released on Tuesday. The statement comes as Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, claim that their killing of innocent women and children in the Gaza Strip is "military pressure" to secure the release of Israeli prisoners. Describing the "policy of revenge against children, women, and the elderly" as a "recipe for inevitable failure," Hamas said that "military escalation will not bring back the prisoners alive; rather, it threatens their lives and kills them, and their return is only possible through negotiation." The Palestinian resistance group stressed that increasing the pace of aggression will not break the will of the Palestinian people and will rather make them more determined to confront the aggression. 9341**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Palestinians endure bloodshed and destruction as Israel continues bombarding besieged Gaza IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Apr 8, 2025 The Israel regime has intensified its attacks on the Gaza Strip, with warplanes pounding the besieged Palestinian territory, causing more deaths and destruction. Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, a London-based news outlet, on Tuesday reported the killing of dozens of civilians, including children, women, and refugees, in new Israeli strikes on Gaza. It said that round-the-clock attacks amid severe siege and the prevention of the entry of food and medical aid since early March have made the situation of catastrophic. Palestinian sources also reported the deadly airstrikes on the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Yunis, as well as on the areas in northern and central Gaza. Ahmed Mansour, a father and journalist for Palestine Today, succumbed to injuries caused by an Israeli bombing of a tent sheltering journalists near Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, sources said. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, 57 people were killed and 137 injured since Sunday, pushing the overall death to nearly 50, 800 since Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza back in October 2023. As Gazans endure bloodshed, U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have once again talked about the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, a plan that has been condemned globally. Meanwhile, the United Nations announced that the new round of Israeli aggression against Gaza has displaced approximately 400,000 Palestinians. Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the U.N. chief, warned about the dire situation of women and children, saying that Israel did not take the necessary measures to protect civilians. He referred to the killing of more than 1,000 children in the first week since the collapse of the ceasefire and the closure of 25 bakeries due to a lack of flour, as well as the collapse of the health system. "Senior officials have called on world leaders to take urgent action to save Palestinians," he cited warnings from the heads of several U.N. agencies that over two million Gazans are at risk of starvation amid the renewed Israeli bombing. 4399**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lithuania considers increasing military contingent in the NATO Kosovo Force Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence 2025-04-08 International cooperation Lithuania plans increasing the number of military personnel contributed to the NATO Kosovo Force from 5 to 60. The proposal was presented to the Seimas by the Ministry of National Defence today responding to the request of the Federal Ministry of Defence for further strengthening of cooperation with our strategic partner. If approved by the Seimas, the amendment to the resolution would endorse deployment of a platoon-seized Lithuanian Armed Forces unit to the German Company in KFOR. The first platoon would be dispatched this year. The units would rotate on a six-month basis. The total strength of the multinational NATO operation in Kosovo is currently approx. 4700. Germany augmented its military contribution to KFOR in 2024 significantly. Lithuania currently has one representative poste to the NATO operational headquarters in the capital of Kosovo, Pristina. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Lithuanian Armed Forces to obtain two new attack craft Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence 2025-04-08 Acquisitions and infrastructure development | Development and Strengthening of the Armed Forces The Defence Materiel Agency under the Lithuanian MoD signed a procurement contract cooperatively with the Ministry of Defence of Latvia worth of EUR 22 million (on the Lithuanian side). The two countries' militaries are about to be strengthened with multi-purpose attack craft manufactured by the Finnish company Marine Alutech Oy Ab. This is the next step following the technical arrangement signed by Lithuania, Latvia and Finland in 2024 and marks a new stage of multi-purpose attack speed craft research and progress project and phase of development aimed at strengthening national defence. Lithuania gets two advanced multi-role jet attack craft equipped with SPIKE NLOS missile launchers and remote heavy machine-gun systems on the basis of the contract. "The new multi-purpose attack craft will strengthen our navy and ensure a faster response to security challenges in our regional waters. Aside from that, this contract is an excellent example of small countries building a stronger and more effective defence through cooperation thus contributing to stability and security in the entire Baltic region," said Minister of National Defence Dovile Sakaliene. The craft will help to prevent threats from the Gulf of Finland to the Curonian Lagoon. The unique constriction and propulsion of the craft makes them suitable for particularly shallow waters and thus to respond to threats on land and in maritime environment with exceptional speed. The purchased craft will be assigned with the Lithuanian navy while the contract also advances local industry through support to cooperation scope in both Lithuania and Latvia, and secures chains of supply for the long-term as well. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Flagship Partnership event underway in Qatar NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) Apr 8 2025 MONS, Belgium -- Over 300 military representatives from 57 nations are in Doha, Qatar for the flagship partnership event, the NATO Military Strategic Partnership Conference 2025, underway until Apr. 10, 2025. With 67 countries regularly training, consulting, or operating together and NATO frameworks covering around one-quarter of the world's population, the conference is a crucial platform to align efforts, address emerging challenges and chart the way forward to reinforce these essential partnerships. In his opening remarks, Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), General Markus Laubenthal outlined that national security does not just start and end at national borders and focused on the importance of deepening partnerships near and far. Discussing a broad range of initiatives, from the forthcoming opening of the NATO Liaison Office in Amman, Jordan and the broadened mission set of NATO Mission Iraq, he reinforced NATO's focus on fostering greater stability and security in the Southern Neighbourhood. Deputy Chief of Staff, Partnerships Directorate, Rear Admiral Gunnstein Bruasdal reiterated that in today's dynamic and complex security landscape, partnerships have never been more critical. "The challenges we face - ranging from conventional threats to hybrid warfare, cyber-attacks, and global instability - demand that we stand together, leveraging our collective strengths and expertise," Bruasdal said. Adding, "The Military Strategic Partnerships Conference serves as a vital platform to exchange ideas and strengthen the bonds that form the foundation of our Alliance." Representing the Chief of Staff of Qatar Armed Forces, the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff Major General (Pilot) Ghanim Al Shawani, spoke of the value of the strategic nature of Qatar's partnership with NATO and its enduring aims to work collectively to ensure global and regional peace and security, affirming: "Together we can flourish and challenge the difficulties that we face today in our world, taking into account that all threats and crisis are universal." During the four days of the conference, attendees will participate in discussion panels and gain deeper insights into how NATO's three core tasks enhance and promote common (or shared) interests of international security, global peace, and cooperation: understanding the civil environment; involvement in NATO exercises, operations and missions; and collaboration on the scientific and technological challenges - such as cyber defence, counter-terrorism and maritime security - that face the world. Story by SHAPE Public Affairs Office NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In a Week: Israel Targeted Medical Personnel, Journalists, a School, and a Soup Kitchen in Gaza-----The Occupation Forces Raided the West Bank 184 Times, Assaulted Children and Mosques, and Continued settlement Construction Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) 08-04-2025 The Israeli occupation forces bombed a medical clinic, a school for displaced people, journalists, ambulances, civil defense vehicles, and soup kitchens in the Gaza Strip in just a few days. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation's Media Observatory on Israeli Crimes against Palestinians documented, between April 1 and 7, 2025, the commission of 2,725 Israeli crimes, the most prominent of which was the murdering of 31 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in the bombing of the "Dar Al-Arqam" school for displaced people in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood, which also witnessed the destruction of a water desalination plant. Two journalists were murdered, and others were wounded in an attack on a tent designated for media near Nasser Medical Complex, which included targeting a soup kitchen for food distribution in Khan Younis. This came as a video of a paramedic was emerged, revealing the truth about the field execution carried out by the Israeli occupation forces murdering 14 individuals, including a UN employee, as part of a series of Israeli crimes against the UN. The Israeli occupation forces also bombed, within the past seven days, a clinic affiliated with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), murdering 55 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers set fire to a plot of land belonging to the agency in Al-Quds. The UNRWA considered the incident as part of an ongoing Israeli incitement against it. These attacks coincided with the catastrophic humanitarian crisis facing Gaza's residents. The World Food Programme announced the closure of its 25 bakeries due to fuel and flour shortages, as Israel's closure of the crossings to humanitarian aid entered its fourth week. Over the past week, Israeli preparations have begun to encircle the city of Rafah, where the Israeli forces blow up homes and expanded the buffer zone between Rafah and Khan Yunis. Similar Israeli actions have also taken place in the northern Gaza Strip, amidst intensive Israeli plans to displace its residents. Meanwhile, the occupation government announced control over the Morag corridor as part of a broader plan to displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and reoccupy parts of it. The OIC Observatory recorded the murdering of 400 Palestinians by Israel in the first week of April 2025, and the wounding of 1,112 others, in addition to documenting the murdering of 51,705 Palestinians by the occupation from October 7, 2023, to April 7, 2025, in addition to the wounding of 122,175 during the same period. The Israeli occupation committed other crimes in the West Bank, as it raided its cities and villages 184 times in the period from April 1-7, 2025, during which 179 Palestinians were arrested, and more than 8 homes were demolished in Al-Quds, Bethlehem, Hebron and Tubas, in addition to the demolition of many barns in Tubas and Al-Quds, two stables for raising horses, and the sweeping of streets with a length of 800 meters, and caused destruction to the water and sewage networks in the Iktaba suburb in Tulkarm, and another street in the village of Umm Safa in Ramallah. The Israeli occupation continued its abuse of children in the West Bank, with two children murdered in Ramallah and Jenin, three others injured in Al-Quds and Jenin, and nine arrested in various cities across the West Bank. The Israeli occupation forces also targeted mosques over the past week, as extremists continued to storm the Al-Aqsa Mosque wearing T-shirts bearing images of the alleged "Temple." Extremist minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also stormed the mosque's courtyards under the protection of Israeli police and toured its grounds. In the Old City of Hebron, occupation forces also removed the handles on the doors of Joseph's Tomb and the gate of the call to prayer room in the Ibrahimi Mosque, replacing them with iron locks. The keys to these doors are held by the Palestinian Islamic Waqf. The occupation forces also halted the construction of a mosque minaret and confiscated construction tools in the village of Al-Hijra in Hebron. 10 settlement activities took place in one week, including a decision to confiscate 57.79 dunums of land in the town of Al-Khader and the village of Artas in Bethlehem, and the town of Beit Ummar in Hebron, with the aim of creating a buffer zone around the settlement of "Efrat" south of Bethlehem. The occupation forces also bulldozed agricultural land threatened with confiscation for the "French Hill" settlement. Settlers also established a new settlement outpost near the Bedouin community of Hathrura, where they installed mobile homes under the protection of the occupation forces. They also began preparing the infrastructure for the outpost in the Khan al-Ahmar area east of Al-Quds. Settlers also stormed the Daak area of the Kobar town and set up several tents there. They bulldozed and plowed various areas of land near the Bani Na'im town, in the Halan area of Hebron, in Sinjil town of Ramallah, and in Qusra town. Both the occupation army and settlers paved settlement roads in the town of Al-Khader in Bethlehem and the town of Adh Dhahiriya in Hebron. There were 39 settler attacks on Palestinian towns and villages over the past week, ranging from cutting down olive trees in the town of Beita and the village of Qira, stealing 5 horses in the town of Aqraba in Nablus and Salfit, cutting off electricity to an area near the town of Yatta, and grazing of sheep on the lands of Palestinian farmers in Al-Malihat in Jericho and Masafer Yatta in Hebron more than once, as well as, burning two houses, two livestock pens, and 5 vehicles in the village of Duma in Nablus. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address OSCE Chairperson-in-Office's Special Representative for the South Caucasus concludes official visit to Georgia OSCE | Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe 8 April 2025 The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus, Ambassador Christoph Spati, concluded his visit to Georgia from 31 March to 7 April 2025. In addition to co-facilitating the 124th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) in Ergneti, he met with local and international partners, and participated in field visits. Throughout his visit, Ambassador Spati emphasized the OSCE's ongoing efforts to address the conflict in Georgia, in particular through his role in the Geneva International Discussions, co-chaired with the European Union and the United Nations. The domestic situation in Georgia featured throughout meetings Ambassador Spati held as a representative of the Finnish OSCE Chairpersonship. He noted the crucial role women and civil society play towards peace and stability. In addition to the IPRM meeting, the Special Representative participated in a technical meeting on water irrigation on 31 March and inspected the water infrastructure along the administrative boundary line (ABL), an initiative supported by the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM). He also visited the Odzisi crossing point, OSCE-supported water and humanitarian projects in the area, met with conflict-affected people in Shida Kartli and exchanged views with local authorities and civil society. In Tbilisi, Ambassador Spati met with State Minister Tea Akhvlediani, as well as officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Ministry for Reconciliation and Civic Equality. Their discussions focused on the current situation on the ground and the persisting consequences of the 2008 armed conflict. The Special Representative highlighted the importance of an inclusive approach to conflict resolution and confidence-building, underlining the need for an environment that enables the unreplaceable contribution by civil society actors in efforts towards peace and dialogue. The Special Representative met representatives of the diplomatic community, international organisations, and civil society representatives. He also met with officials dealing with missing persons, national minority integration, and exchanged with minority representatives in the Kakheti region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Navy official says PH beefing up maritime domain awareness Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno April 8, 2025, 8:15 pm CAMP MATEO CAPINPIN, Tanay -- A ranking Philippine Navy (PN) official on Tuesday said the country's maritime domain awareness (MDA) capability must be developed further before it can conduct comprehensive archipelagic defense operations. In an interview at the 2nd Infantry Division headquarters at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, PN spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said MDA is a priority of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). He said air, land, sea, and space-based platforms for MDA purposes are being looked into and acquired by the AFP. Trinidad said the MDA will provide the AFP with critical information on who is intruding or entering the Philippines' vast maritime territories. "Before we go there, we need to know what's there. Before we conduct comprehensive archipelagic defense operations, we need to know what's out there," he said. A total of 15,606 maritime vessels, both foreign and domestic, have been monitored in the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in March, Trinidad said. Of these, 12,683 were foreign ships. Meanwhile, around 40 People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels were spotted in the WPS this March. The number is broken down into eight PLAN vessels and 14 CCG ships in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal); six CCG vessels in Ayungin Shoal; and seven PLAN and five CCG ships in Sabina Shoal. "We could not, we do not, speculate on the number of PLAN ships in our EEZ. Suffice it to say that we have been conducting our patrols on sea and on air to show that we are not deterred by their presence within our EEZ," Trinidad noted. On April 1 and 2, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) monitored research vessels within the country's archipelagic waters. The ships were trailed and challenged by the PCG, with the PN, unified commands and AFP headquarters monitoring the developments. "We (are) prepared to respond to provide support if needed," Trinidad said. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PAF to strengthen safety protocols to prevent another crash - spox Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno April 8, 2025, 6:40 pm Updated on April 8, 2025, 10:31 pm CAMP MATEO CAPINPIN, Tanay -- The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is committed to further strengthening its safety protocols and fostering excellence in every mission through a more robust organizational safety culture, its spokesperson said Tuesday. Speaking at a press briefing at the 2nd Infantry Division's headquarters in Camp Mateo Capinpin in Sampaloc, Tanay, Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said a "confluence of factors" led to the fatal crash of one of the PAF's FA-50PH fighter jets in Mount Kalatungan, Bukidnon on March 4, which killed two military pilots. "The thorough investigation points to a confluence of factors, including the inherent risk of night flying over mountainous terrain combined with the complexity of multi-aircraft combat operations," she said. Castillo noted that to prevent another mishap, they would take steps to boost safety within the PAF, "prioritizing the well-being of our personnel and the preservation of our equipment in all future operations." She also dismissed the possibility that the accident was caused by technical or mechanical problems in the aircraft. "Based on the data that was extracted and assessed, there was no technical or mechanical problem that caused the mishap. As I've mentioned, the confluence of factors are attributable to the inherent risks of environmental factors, such as night flying, flying over mountainous terrain. At the same time, there are the operational risks, the complexity of operating with multiple aircraft in a combat situation. These are the factors that interplay causing the mishap," Castillo said. The grounding of all the 11 remaining FA-50PH fighter jets on March 5 was lifted on March 25, Castillo said, and this ensures the PAF's readiness to respond to challenges against national defense and security. "Currently our FA-50s are participating in Cope Thunder (Philippines) exercise and will also see action in future multilateral exercises, such as 'Balikatan'," she added. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Australia donates P34-M worth of drones, training to PCG Philippine News Agency By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz April 8, 2025, 6:36 pm MANILA -- The Australian government donated PHP34 million worth of drones and operator training to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to boost strategic maritime domain awareness capabilities and assist in other operations. In a handover ceremony in Mariveles, Bataan Tuesday, 20 aerial drones were turned over by Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu to PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan. "This support further boosts our ability to pursue more precisely, appropriately and sustainably our complex rights and obligations from being both a maritime and archipelagic country. This also greatly assists the PCG to further advance its fundamental role as a responsible protector of rules to help keep the peace and prosperity for our own people and all law-abiding users of our seas to enjoy," Gavan said in a news release. In addition, drone specialists from Australia's Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water's Office of the Chief Remote Pilot will provide four days of training for 30 members of the PCG Aviation Command Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Squadron The donation was given as part of Australia's civil maritime cooperation, which includes vessel remediation, postgraduate scholarships, operational training, marine protection and annual Law of the Sea courses. Yu said the gift is a tangible example of increased maritime cooperation with the Philippines through the provision of support for PCG's modernization. "Australia is proud of our long-standing cooperation with the PCG, and our efforts to provide practical support for their crucial work," she said. "This is another example of how we are putting our Philippines-Australia Strategic Partnership into action." Last year, Yu announced that Australia would double its civil maritime cooperation with the Philippines to PHP649 million from 2025 to 2029. The Philippines and Australia have also signed a memorandum of understanding on enhanced maritime cooperation that aims to enhance closer collaboration in promoting a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region and respect for international law. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Teodoro says newest ship to boost PH Navy's defense posture Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno April 8, 2025, 5:33 pm MANILA -- Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. led the arrival ceremony for the future BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-06), a newly-acquired guided missile corvette, at Naval Operating Base Subic, Zambales Tuesday. In a statement, Teodoro said the arrival of the Philippine Navy's (PN) newest ship is a critical step toward developing a self-reliant and credible defense posture. In line with this, he outlined four key areas of focus for the DND and the Armed Forces of the Philippines: developing core capabilities and strategic basing; identifying continuous sources of revenue for sustainment; training and education; and integrating domain awareness and multi-threat response systems. "This includes, not only investing in capabilities, but once again, training capable and competent people in the appropriate technical skills," Teodoro said. The BRP Miguel Malvar left the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea on March 27 and arrived at the Naval Operating Base Subic on April 4. "Miguel Malvar is here today not only to serve as a deterrent and protector of our waters but also as an important component in joint and combined operations as we work alongside allies and uphold the norms of international law," Teodoro said. Before being commissioned in PN service, the guided missile corvette must pass a series of technical acceptance tests and trials, which will be conducted by the DND. Aside from this, he acknowledged the Philippines' enduring partnership with South Korea and cited their continued support in providing capabilities and investments that promote sustainability, resilience, and job creation. "We thank our reliable partners, the people and the government of the Republic of Korea... not only in providing capabilities but in building sustainability, redundancy, and resilience through actual capital investments," Teodoro said. "One of the hallmarks of an investment horizon for this country is the blue economy. How can you develop a blue economy if you do not have a strong Navy? You need a strong Navy as an anchor, as a backbone, as a spine of the blue economy. So, this is our offering to those that went before us, to the heroes who went before us, who we will honor tomorrow (April 9, Araw ng Kagitingan)." He also reminded the public of the Filipino spirit that refuses to quit despite the odds. "Don't quit, whatever the odds. Filipinos must be proud - we will make our nation proud," he added. The future BRP Miguel Malvar is equipped with a variety of weapons and sensors that can be used against anti-surface, anti-submarine, and anti-air warfare. The DND and HD HHI signed the PHP28 billion contract for two guided-missile corvettes on Dec. 28, 2021. BRP Miguel Malvar's sister ship, the prospective BRP Diego Silang (FFG-07), was launched on March 28 and is expected to be delivered to the Philippines by June or July. Corvettes, which usually weigh 1,000 to 2,500 gross tons, are the smallest naval surface ships capable of dealing with submarines and other maritime threats. They are followed in size and weaponry by frigates and destroyers. The two ships will serve as backstops for the guided missile frigates BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) and BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151). (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PBBM concerned over CCG's dangerous maneuvers in Panatag Shoal Philippine News Agency By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos April 8, 2025, 12:50 pm MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has raised concern over the China Coast Guard's (CCG) dangerous maneuvers in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, Malacanang said on Tuesday. "Of course, concerned po ang ating Pangulo sa mga nangyayari (Of course, our President is concerned about what is happening)," Presidential Communications Office and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro told Palace reporters, in the wake of Beijing's latest aggressive actions in Panatag Shoal. Castro said Manila would continue to be "professional" and would let the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) address the issue. "Mini-maintain pa rin po natin 'yung (We still maintain the) level of professionalism na may kasama pong (that comes with a) fearless spirit of patriotism," she said. The PCG on Sunday challenged a CCG vessel that was detected within 83 to 85 nautical miles off Palauig, Zambales, well within the country's 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone. CCG 3302 started shadowing the PCG's 44-meter patrol vessel BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409) some 176 km. west northwest of Capones Island, Zambales, according to The Philippine Daily Inquirer's report. The PCG vessel was heading to the southwest part of Panatag, also called Bajo de Masinloc, when the incident happened. The Chinese vessel carried out "reckless and dangerous maneuvers" at a distance of 16 meters dead ahead to the port side of the BRP Cabra, as if it were to ram it, "displaying a blatant disregard for safety," PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela told the Inquirer. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Netanyahu's 'revenge' policy against children of Gaza doomed to failure: Hamas Iran Press TV Tuesday, 08 April 2025 5:14 PM Hamas says the Israeli military's intensified atrocities in Gaza are part of Benjamin Netanyahu's policy of "revenge" against the innocent people of the besieged Palestinian territory. The Palestinian resistance group said in a statement on Tuesday that this "policy of revenge against children, women, and the elderly is not a plan to achieve a supposed victory, but rather a recipe for inevitable failure." According to Gaza's civil defense agency, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 19 civilians, including several children, across the Palestinian territory on Tuesday. Hamas once again urged the international community to do its part to rein in the regime. It also warned Tel Aviv that military escalation would not return the Israeli captives alive. "It threatens their lives and kills them. Their return is only possible through negotiation." Israel has killed over 1,390 Palestinians since it resumed the campaign of genocide in Gaza on March 18, unilaterally ending a two-month ceasefire that had brought relative calm to the territory and facilitated the release of the Israeli captives. The fatalities have brought the death toll since October 2023 to 50,752, according to the Gaza health ministry. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gaza 'incredible piece of important real estate,' Trump tells Netanyahu Iran Press TV Tuesday, 08 April 2025 3:59 PM In an Oval Office meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, President Donald Trump again floated the controversial idea of taking over the Gaza Strip, calling the Palestinian territory "an incredible piece of important real estate." Trump, a former real estate magnate, told Netanyahu that Gaza is "an incredible piece of important real estate and I think it's something that we would be involved in." The president also said he would deploy US military forces in the coastal Palestinian territory, saying that "having a peace force like the United States there controlling and owning the Gaza Strip would be a good thing." Trump once again suggested the idea that the Israeli regime expels the Palestinians from their homeland. "If you take the people, the Palestinians, and move them around to different countries and you have plenty of countries that will do that you really have a freedom zone." Netanyahu, who is in Washington for the second time since Trump took office in January, denied that Israel is the one keeping Palestinians "locked in" the besieged territory. "What the president talked about is, first of all, to give people a choice. Gazans were closed in... What is wrong with giving people a choice?" "It's going to take years to rebuild Gaza, and in the meantime, people can have an option." The last time Trump met with the head of the Israeli regime in Washington, he sparked outrage across the world by saying that Washington would take over control of the Gaza Strip possibly with the help of American troops to create a "Riviera of the Middle East." He had also suggested that the displaced Palestinians could be resettled elsewhere. Trump's remarks immediately sparked global condemnation in February, with European allies, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt rejecting the displacement of Palestinians and reiterating their calls for a two-state solution. Ninety percent of Gaza's current population of 2.1 million people has been displaced by Israel's brutal campaign of genocide and ethnic cleansing since October 2023. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Stab in the back': Hamas slams PA crackdown on pro-Gaza rallies in West Bank Iran Press TV Tuesday, 08 April 2025 10:24 AM Hamas has censured the Palestinian Authority (PA) for suppressing the occupied West Bank demonstrations in support of an end to Israel's genocidal war on the Gaza Strip. In a statement released on Tuesday, the resistance group said the Palestinian Authority, which governs the occupied West Bank, is "directly and clearly seeking to thwart any popular movement in support of Gaza." The statement came a day after Palestinians across the West Bank shut down businesses in a general strike and rallied in solidarity with their fellow countrymen amid the brutal Israeli onslaught on Gaza. Monday's demonstrations did not just face Israeli repression as the PA launched a clampdown on participants and arrested several of them. Hamas said the PA's actions serve Israel's interests and are a "stab in the back" of Palestinians. Shops, schools and most public administrative offices were closed across the West Bank during the strike, which was called by a coalition of Palestinian factions to protest the Israeli "genocide and the ongoing massacre of our people." Imad Salman, owner of a souvenir shop in al-Quds' Old City, said the closure is for "our family in Gaza, our children in Gaza." "This strike is in solidarity with Gaza and what is happening there," said another Palestinian named Ahmed. "This war must stop, the killing and destruction must stop, and only peace should prevail -- peace, and nothing but peace." Similar pro-Palestine protests took place in Tunisia, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon on Monday. Israel launched its genocide in Gaza on October 7, 2023, but it failed to achieve its declared objectives despite killing 50,752 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring more than 115,475 others. The usurping entity accepted longstanding negotiation terms by Hamas under a Gaza ceasefire, which began on January 19. On March 18, however, Israel unilaterally broke the truce and resumed its relentless bombing of Gaza. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel mounts deadly attacks on Gaza in defiance of calls to resume truce Iran Press TV Tuesday, 08 April 2025 8:24 AM Israel has escalated its deadly attacks on the Gaza Strip in defiance of calls for the resumption of a ceasefire aimed at ending the regime's genocide against Palestinians in the besieged territory. Gaza's civil defense agency said on Tuesday that at least 19 civilians, including several children, were killed in Israeli strikes overnight across the Palestinian territory. Civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal said, "Five children and four adults were killed in a strike that hit a home in the central city of Deir el-Balah, while two separate pre-dawn attacks on Gaza City and Beit Lahia in the north left a total of 10 people dead." Dozens more were also killed in Monday's airstrikes by the occupation's military across the Gaza Strip. One of the aerial assaults targeted a tent camp used by journalists within the courtyard of the Nasser hospital in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis. The attack burned to death Palestine Today TV reporter Hilmi al-Faqawi along with another man named Yousef al-Khazindar. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned Faqawi's martyrdom as an act of "extrajudicial killing," saying it came in line with Israel's growing crimes against journalists and attempts to prevent the media from covering events on the ground. Israel committed its new crimes despite calls by six UN agencies for the immediate resumption of the Gaza ceasefire amid a deepening humanitarian crisis there. In a joint statement, they warned that for more than a month, no commercial or humanitarian supplies have entered the blockaded territory, where over 2.1 million Palestinians "are trapped, bombed and starved again." Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, but it failed to achieve its declared objectives despite killing 50,752 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring more than 115,475 others. The usurping entity accepted longstanding negotiation terms by the Hamas resistance group under the Gaza ceasefire, which began on January 19. On March 18, however, Israel unilaterally broke the truce and resumed its relentless bombing of Gaza. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address American warplanes strike Yemen around 30 times in less than a day in fresh aggression Iran Press TV Tuesday, 08 April 2025 7:34 AM The United States has launched nearly 30 airstrikes across several provinces throughout Yemen in less than a day, intensifying its aggression against the nation in, what experts have termed as, a self-defeating push to stop Sana'a's pro-Palestinian operations. According to Yemeni sources, American warplanes carried out 11 airstrikes on Sana'a province on Tuesday, specifically targeting the Bani Hushaysh and Sanhan districts. The bombing campaign extended further east, with 13 strikes reported in Ma'rib province, including Majzar and Jawba districts. In addition, four airstrikes were launched against Kamaran Island off the coast of al-Hudaydah province in western Yemen. The strikes mark one of the heaviest bombardments carried out in a day by American forces in recent weeks. The US claims its attacks are aimed at degrading the military capabilities of Yemen's Armed Forces, particularly the missile and drone units. The forces have been, since October 2023, when the Israeli regime began a war of genocide against the Gaza Strip, staging numerous operations against Israeli and Israeli-linked targets as a means of forcing Tel Aviv into stopping the warfare and ending a simultaneous siege it has slammed on the Palestinian territory. According to Yemeni outlets, however, the American assaults have been hitting purely civilian targets, claiming the lives of dozens of non-combatants, since last month, when Washington reinvigorated its aerial aggression against the already impoverished Arab Peninsula nation. Despite the intensified US campaign, which has been accompanied by British and Israeli attacks against Yemen, the Yemeni servicemen have repeatedly asserted that their operations were a legitimate response to Tel Aviv's genocide and would continue until the regime halted its aggression and siege against the coastal sliver. Brigadier General Yahya Saree, spokesman for the forces, has, meanwhile, warned that the attacks would not go unanswered. American naval assets have already come under intense Yemeni reprisal both in response to Washington's military adventurism and its complicity in the Israeli genocide. Despite its vast firepower, the Pentagon has failed to prevent Yemeni missile and drone operations. On Sunday, CNN described the American campaign of aggression as an astronomically-expensive push that had fallen far short of deterring Yemen, which had even threatened to extend the scope of its retaliatory strikes. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel continues assault on West Bank's Jenin as destruction campaign rages on Iran Press TV Tuesday, 08 April 2025 6:09 AM The Israeli military presses ahead with its attacks on the West Bank city of Jenin and its refugee camp, as it continues to bulldoze and burn Palestinian homes and turn other civilian structures into military barracks. Over the past 77 days, Israeli forces have continued their aggression on Jenin and its refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, intensifying their presence with home demolitions, detentions, and the conversion of civilian buildings into military outposts, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA said on Monday. According to the report, Israeli forces detained a nursing student in front of the Jenin Governmental Hospital, along with a young man and his mother near the camp earlier in the day, as access to areas surrounding the camp, particularly al-Zahraa neighborhood and Jenin Hospital, adjacent to Jenin camp, has been restricted, with a number of Palestinians detained for attempting to enter. In response to the escalations and in solidarity with Palestinians in the war-torn Gaza Strip, Jenin witnessed a widespread strike, which shut down schools, businesses, and institutions, it added. This is while the Tel Aviv regime kept boosting its presence in Jenin with continuous reinforcements arriving, including armored vehicles and bulldozers, the report further said. It added that infantry units were also deployed to various strategic areas, as significant changes are being made to the camp's infrastructure, such as road widening and landmark alterations. Furthermore, the Israeli military has also been conducting live-fire military drills near the Jalameh checkpoint, adjacent to the uninhabited sections of the refugee camp, further deepening the disruption of daily life and causing irreversible damage to the physical and social fabric of the community, Wafa also stressed. The humanitarian crisis is exacerbating, with approximately 21,000 people forcibly displaced from Jenin camp. Many of these Palestinians have lost homes, jobs, and sources of income, and are unable to return to their homes. Some 600 homes have been completely razed, and around 3,000 more are uninhabitable, the report added, warning that poverty is rising sharply in the region as displaced residents face unemployment and economic instability. The death toll in Jenin has reached 36 amid ongoing daily raids and detentions across surrounding villages and towns, while hundreds more have been detained since the military offensive began in January. The situation is not much different in other camps. Many homes were demolished to open up and widen roads to allow easier access for Israeli military vehicles. The Israeli military in recent months has desperately struggled to maintain control over the camps, which it described as "strategically vital" areas for resistance activity. The UN has warned that the forced displacement of Palestinian communities in the northern part of the West Bank is escalating at an alarming pace. Since October 2023, some 940 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 7,000 injured in attacks by Israeli forces and settlers, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address New mega-dam takes shape on the Mekong River in Laos Rare footage shows massive construction near the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Luang Prabang. By Stephen Wright and Ginny Stein for RFA 2025.04.08 -- The headlong rush to dam the Mekong River in Southeast Asia has been highlighted by rare footage from a major dam under construction near the historic Lao city of Luang Prabang. The three-billion-dollar dam is one of seven new mainstream dams on this stretch of the Lower Mekong that Lao plans to build. But those three are a fraction of the 200 dams, that are already built, under construction or planned for the lower Mekong and its tributaries, mainly in Laos and Cambodia, according to the Stimson Center's Mekong project. The 1,460 megawatt Luang Prabang hydro dam is the third in Laos to block the main artery of the lower Mekong. It is expected to be operating by 2027.The Pak Beng dam being built upstream, could be operating by 2029. The Xayaburi dam south of Luang Prabang was completed in 2019 and the Don Sahong dam, upstream from the Laos-Cambodian border, a year later. A video shot by a worker at the Luang Prabang dam about 25 kilometers (15 miles) north of the ancient city, which was provided to Radio Free Asia, shows that construction is proceeding rapidly. Experts have repeatedly warned that Mekong dams will destroy the freshwater fisheries that are a crucial source of calories for the region's people. Built by a consortium of Thai and other companies, the Luang Prabang dam is part of Laos's growing role as a regional electricity exporter. The government has pursued that strategy even as it fails to ensure a reliable electricity supply for its own citizens. Over a couple of decades, the cost of all the dams built or planned in Laos is about US$40 billion and largely financed by foreign banks, according to researcher Pon Souvannaseng. "Regional banks were able to continuously pump money into project after project after project because they didn't adhere to international environmental standards," she said last month. The dam construction is also hurting the tourism industry in Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage site. In a country ruled by a one-party communist state that does not tolerate dissent, a river guide spoke to RFA on condition we hide his identity. "Foreigners come here. They want to go on a boat trip, they want to see nature, they want to see trees, they want to see birds, they want to see cows, they want to see buffaloes along the riverbank, just like before. Now, with the Luang Prabang dam, the banks are collapsing. "The partial blockage of the river as the dam is built makes it difficult for tourist boats to operate. Locals say the number of tourists visiting local attractions on the river has plummeted recently. Changes in the river flow have also caused river bank erosion. 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 April not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU Ramps Up Military Aid For Moldova By Rikard Jozwiak April 08, 2025 On April 9, European Union ambassadors will green-light the bloc's biggest-ever lethal military aid package to Moldova, worth 20 million euros. The move is significant as the country is constitutionally neutral and the EU has previously only provided aid that was considered "nonlethal" such as military vehicles, air surveillance, and equipment boosting cybersecurity. This changed last year, however, when Brussels provided 9 million euros for air-defense systems' short-range interceptors. Now, the EU is more than doubling that in a reflection of what EU diplomats told me was the vulnerable situation Moldova is under with an increasingly belligerent and active Russia putting pressure on countries wanting to move closer to the West. According to the proposal, seen by RFE/RL, the money will cover "eight short-range air-defense systems consisting of approximately eight launchers and approximately 24 missiles." The document notes that the implementation of this will be carried out by the Estonian Center for Defense Investments, which supplied Chisinau with equipment last year as well. The proposal notes that "the proposed assistance measure will improve the performance and operational effectiveness of the Moldovan Armed Forces by replacing outdated Soviet-era equipment and/or establishing new capabilities." Will Moldova Join The EU? Moldova ambitiously aims to join the EU this decade, and accession talks are formally set to start in the coming months. The paper notes that the measures are also aimed at bringing Chisinau closer into the fold, adding that the actions are undertaken "with a view to strengthening the Republic of Moldova's capacities to participate in [EU] military common security and defense policy missions and operations, accelerating compliance with Union standards and interoperability." The approval of these measures comes only a week after the same EU ambassadors gave a thumbs up to another package of financial assistance meant to supplement this one. The other package, worth 40 million euros, is what the bloc calls nonlethal military aid. Of that sum, half will pay for an estimated 33 high-mobility tactical vehicles to replace old Soviet-type armored vehicles. The other 20 million euros is for what is called a short-range air-defense tactical integration system, essentially allowing the launchers and missiles provided in the "lethal" package to function smoothly. The 60 million euros combined is the largest yearly amount heading to the small Eastern European republic since Brussels started this type of support in 2021. The total figure since then will now reach 197 million euros, all coming under the European Peace Facility (EPF), an off-EU budget facility that has also allowed the EU as an entity to provide billions of euros in lethal assistance to Ukraine since the Russian full-scale invasion of the country over three years ago. Is The US Distancing Itself From Moldova? Another interesting aspect of the proposal is that there is a hint that the United States, under the new Trump administration, might step away from playing an active role in Moldova's defense sector. The paper notes, "In the past, the United States have been a major contributor in the defense sphere in Moldova, both regarding training and equipment support. Decisions by the new US administration on support to be provided in the future are pending." It does add, however, that "according to preliminary feedback by the Moldovan Ministry of Defense, the potential downsizing of US training support would not affect equipment provided under [EPF] assistance measures." What's interesting is that approval of the Moldova EPF was plain-sailing, with discussion among EU working groups on the issue proceeding without major hiccups. This is in sharp contrast to the EPF requests for Ukraine that Hungary has blocked for nearly two years, as well as a recent new proposal for Armenia with which Budapest also took issue. Hungary delayed the first-ever EPF funding for Yerevan, worth 11 million euros, for several months last year before approving it and is now repeating the stalling tactic. The new package, seen by RFE/RL, contains 20 million euros earmarked primarily for medical equipment for the Armenian armed forces. Like last year, EU diplomats are telling me Budapest is holding off approval by arguing that Azerbaijan, which enjoys close relations with the Fidesz-led Hungarian government, should be offered something similar. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/moldova-eu-europe- military-aid-ukraine/33377207.html Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU Members To Slap Tariffs On US Tobacco, Electronics, And Toys -- But Not Bourbon By Ray Furlong and Riin Aljas April 08, 2025 European Union leaders will consider imposing 25 percent tariffs on a range of US imports, including steel, clothes, and food, but not bourbon or other alcoholic drinks, following US President Trump's decision to impose tariffs on imports from the EU. When leaders gather in Brussels on April 9, they'll vote on a tariffs package outlined in a document, seen by RFE/RL, which proposes staggered rounds of tariffs. This will give time for negotiations to take place. EU officials have stated that their preferred option is a trade deal with Washington that removes trade barriers, rather than adding to them. The EU proposals include four stages of tariffs. The first stage, kicking in on April 15, includes a 25 percent surcharge on vegetables, cereals, tobacco, some vehicles, and electronics. There could also be a 10 percent rate on toys and games. The next stage is set for May 16. It includes tariffs on more kinds of vehicles, iron and steel used in construction, live animals and meat, non-alcoholic drinks and works of art. Finally, there's provision for tariffs on nuts and soybeans from December. "The measures concern imports of products originating in the United States on which the Union is not substantially dependent for its supply," the document states. It says this should "avoid as much as possible a negative impact on the various actors on the Union market, including consumers." The plans avoid some contentious issues. EU leaders have voiced differing views in recent days about whether, for example, to exclude bourbon and wine. France and Italy, keen to avoid US countermeasures on their wine exports, appear to have won this battle. Trump had threatened a 200 percent tariff on EU alcoholic drinks if bourbon had been hit. Also excluded from Brussels' plans are items the EU relies on, such as aircraft and parts, semiconductors, and fuel. A decision not to put tariffs on pharmaceuticals matches the US approach. However, Trump has said separate tariffs will be imposed on the sector. Washington has imposed a series of tariffs on imports from the EU. First, a 25 percent tariff on steel, aluminum, and cars was announced. From April 9 there will also be 20 percent tariffs on almost everything else. The EU document states that the US tariffs "are capable of having a considerable negative economic impact on the Union industries concerned." With reporting by Rikard Jozwiak Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-tariffs-us- tobacco-electronics-toys-bourbon-trump/33377462.html Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Rubio's Meeting with Moroccan Foreign Minister Bourita US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson April 8, 2025 The following is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. The Secretary and Foreign Minister affirmed the strong U.S.-Morocco partnership in advancing peace and security, under President Trump's and King Mohamed VI's leadership. They discussed cooperation to advance shared priorities in the region, including by building on the Abraham Accords, and to expand commercial cooperation to benefit both Americans and Moroccans. The Secretary reiterated President Trump's clear position that Hamas must release all hostages immediately, and he commended Morocco's leadership in contributing to a better tomorrow for Israelis, Palestinians, and all the region's people. The Secretary reiterated that the United States recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara and supports Morocco's serious, credible, and realistic Autonomy Proposal as the only basis for a just and lasting solution to the dispute. The United States continues to believe that genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty is the only feasible solution. The Secretary reaffirmed President Trump's urging for the parties to engage in discussions without delay, using Morocco's Autonomy Proposal as the only framework, to negotiate a mutually acceptable solution. The Secretary noted that the United States would facilitate progress toward this aim. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Deputy Secretary Landau's Meeting with Peruvian Foreign Minister Schialer US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson April 8, 2025 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: Yesterday, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau met with Peruvian Foreign Minister Elmer Schialer to discuss ongoing efforts to build upon the nearly 200 years of diplomatic relations between our nations. The Deputy expressed appreciation for Peru's accelerated efforts to stop illegal immigration and the two discussed ways to strengthen our investment and commercial ties. They also discussed ways to address regional challenges including combatting transnational criminal organizations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Deputy Secretary Landau's Call with Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Chua US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson April 8, 2025 The following is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce: Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau spoke today with Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Albert Chua. The two reaffirmed the strength of the U.S.-Singapore strategic partnership and our shared commitment to a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. They addressed peace and stability in the South China Sea and cooperation on counterproliferation, energy, and critical and emerging technology. The officials expressed shared commitment to economic growth in both countries and how to strengthen bilateral security ties for the benefit of Americans, Singaporeans, and all others across the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address "We do our utmost to clear the path to peace in Gaza" Presidency Of The Republic Of Turkey 08.04.2025 Addressing a meeting with AK Party's provincial heads, President Erdogan said: "We are doing our utmost to immediately stop the massacres in Gaza, reinstate ceasefire, and clear the path to peace." President and Justice and Development (AK) Party Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered a speech during a meeting with the party's provincial heads in Ankara. Noting that Gazans spent yet another Eid under bombs because of Israel's renewed attacks, President Erdogan said: "Innocent children, women and civilians were atrociously massacred before the eyes of the whole world. We witnessed the kind of blatant crimes against humanity such as shooting at ambulances carrying injured people and murdering healthcare workers. In the face of this scene, we took steps by mobilizing all our resources and by exploring all avenues for all the innocents, particularly those in Gaza. We specifically brought up the inhumane situation in Gaza during the telephone conversations that we held with foreign leaders to exchange Eid al-Fitr greetings. During the fourth edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum scheduled for the weekend, we will discuss the genocide in Gaza with the heads of state and government, focusing on potential steps to stop the oppression." Underscoring that Turkiye will never turn its back on its brothers and sisters in Gaza amid Israel's infringement upon the dignity of humanity, President Erdogan stated: "No one can hinder us from standing up for the truth and the oppressed. Just as we stood strong, without getting arrogant, in the face of the global Zionist lobby's oppressions thus far, we will never bow down or yield to oppressors, either, and will always cry out the truth." President Erdogan added: "As Turkiye, we neither violate anyone's rights, nor allow anyone to violate our rights. Just like the innocents in Gaza, we will always stand with our Syrian brothers and sisters whenever they need us. We will determinedly fulfil our responsibilities to ensure that our neighbor Syria achieves stability." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The UK is committed to supporting Kosovo's Euro-Atlantic aspirations and helping to build an inclusive and multi-ethnic democracy: UK statement at the UN Security Council Statement by Fergus Eckersley, UK Minister Counsellor, at the UN Security Council meeting on Kosovo 8 April 2025 Location: United Nations, New York Delivered on: 8 April 2025 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered) The UK is a longstanding friend of Kosovo. We remain committed to supporting Kosovo's Euro-Atlantic aspirations and its development of an inclusive and multi-ethnic democracy. During his visit to Kosovo last week, the UK's Foreign Secretary reaffirmed our commitment to that goal. We welcome Kosovo's recent elections. These were assessed by international observers as peaceful and competitive. The UK looks forward to working closely with whoever forms the next government. As a strong supporter of Kosovo's statehood, we welcome Kenya's recent recognition of Kosovo, adding to the many countries recognising Kosovo across the globe. We encourage those who have yet to recognise Kosovo's independence to do so. Mr President, while the Secretary General's report rightly points out the pressure felt by many Kosovo-Serbs, we also welcome actions that have been taken to improve community relations, such as Kosovo's successful efforts to recruit police officers from non-majority communities. We regret however that no judges or prosecutors have, to our knowledge, asked to be considered for reintegration into the Kosovo institutions. We look forward to active participation of Kosovo-Serbs in peaceful municipal elections during the next reporting period. More broadly, Mr President, we encourage Serbia and Kosovo to engage constructively with the EU's Special Representative, Peter Sorensen, to reach a comprehensive and legally binding normalisation agreement through full implementation by both sides of the Brussels and Ohrid Agreements. We strongly encourage Serbia to bring to justice without further delay those responsible for the 2023 attacks on KFOR troops and in Banjska, and to fulfill its pledge to co-operate in investigation of the attack on the Iber-Lepenc Canal. I would like to end by expressing the UK's gratitude to the Special Representative and all Mission staff who have contributed to UNMIK's work. However, with conditions on the ground now unrecognisable from 1999, we believe it is time for the Council to review UNMIK's role and responsibilities to ensure it can continue to effectively support security, stability and human rights in Kosovo, in a way that reflects the world of 2026. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The UK remains a steadfast supporter of UN peacekeeping as a vital tool in global peace and security: UK statement at the UN Security Council Statement by Fergus Eckersley, UK Minister Counsellor, at the UN Security Council meeting on UN peacekeeping operations 8 April 2025 Location: United Nations, New York Delivered on: 7 April 2025 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered) The UK remains a steadfast supporter of UN peacekeeping and of the unique contribution it makes to international peace and security. Mr President, implementing and monitoring ceasefires has been a key function of UN peacekeeping from its very beginning and UN peacekeeping operations continue to effectively support ceasefire agreements around the world. The UN will not always be the right body for this, but in many cases it is, with a unique status and legitimacy for monitoring ceasefires effectively. This has historically been an important part of UN mandates across the world, for example in Cyprus or the Golan Heights. We must consider each mandate on a case-by-case basis. Today, we would like in particular to address the situations in Lebanon and the DRC given the briefings we've had. In Lebanon, the UK has welcomed the US' announcement of talks to resolve key issues between Lebanon and Israel. This is a big step forward. We urge all parties to use the talks as a pathway towards securing lasting peace and security for the citizens of Israel and Lebanon, rather than returning to conflict. UNIFIL is playing a key role in deescalating tension and monitoring the cessation of hostilities across the Blue Line. The UK welcomes UNIFIL's role in supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces deployment to southern Lebanon, consistent with the November ceasefire agreement and with resolution 1701. We welcome UNIFIL's adaptation plan and urge it to be ambitious in implementing it. The UK encourages consideration by this Council on conditions under which MONUSCO should be tasked to monitor a ceasefire. The UK encourages an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to dialogue via the EAC-SADC process, in line with resolution 2773. Once agreed, we believe that MONUSCO would be well-placed to provide ceasefire monitoring as part of its mandate. However, this also requires restoration of MONUSCO's freedom of movement. The UK condemns continued restrictions on MONUSCO which have constrained the mission's ability to deliver key tasks mandated by this Council, including on the protection of civilians and the facilitation of aid. Mr President, let me finish with two more general comments. First, the safety and security of peacekeepers is essential to the successful monitoring of any ceasefire agreement. The UK strongly condemns all attacks on UN peacekeepers, who must never be targeted. Second, enhanced technology such as early warning systems and improved surveillance can help mitigate threats, including those arising from misinformation and disinformation, while allowing peacekeepers to carry out their mandates safely. And technology must be harnessed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of ceasefire monitoring capabilities. So as we look ahead to the Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin next month, and building on the Pact of the Future, the UK reaffirms our commitment to strengthening peacekeeping operations, so that they remain capable of addressing the challenges they face in a changing world. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNHCR: Rapid influx of Congolese refugees strains Uganda's threadbare resources UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR Representative in Uganda, Matthew Crentsil - to whom quoted text may be attributed - at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. 8 April 2025 GENEVA -- Uganda, Africa's largest refugee host, is witnessing a sharp increase in the number of Congolese refugees crossing its western border due to increased insecurity in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Amid ongoing funding cuts, this significant surge in refugee arrivals risks overwhelming the country's capacity as it also responds to the needs of over 70,000 Sudanese refugees who have arrived fleeing the two-year-long war in Sudan. Since January, over 41,000 Congolese have sought safety in Uganda, bringing the total number of Congolese in Uganda to nearly 600,000, out of the 1.8 million refugees currently hosted in the country. In the past two weeks, an average of 600 people have been crossing into Uganda daily. Children are particularly affected, many arriving in a weakened state amid a high prevalence of malaria and malnutrition. Since January, up to nine children under five years reportedly died from malnutrition-related anaemia in Nyakabande and Matanda transit centres in the southwest, where new arrivals are being received. New arrivals, mostly women and children, are entering Uganda through three main points: Bunagana in Kisoro district; Butogota in Kanungu; and Sebagoro in Kikuube. Arriving by foot or local transport, many are coming from the Rutshuru, Masisi and Goma areas in the DRC, having witnessed killings, sexual violence and other traumatic experiences during their flight. In Kikuube, nearly 4,000 refugees have crossed Lake Albert to reach Uganda in precarious conditions after travelling for hours in overcrowded boats in challenging weather conditions. There are also increasing reports of men traveling separately from their families to avoid being forcibly recruited by armed groups. Transit and reception centres at the border are overflowing. Nyakabande, which has been hosting over 7,000 refugees, is now at six times its initial capacity. With the start of the rainy season, all available spaces, including kitchens and registration areas, are being used to accommodate refugees. While the authorities, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and partners are working to strengthen support to the newly arrived refugees, gaps in registration capacity and a lack of buses to support relocation efforts are also contributing to the congestion. Critical shortages of water, latrines and bathing facilities, particularly at the Matanda and Nyakabande transit centres, are putting people at dire risk of deadly diseases. In Matanda, 150 latrines are needed to reach the minimum standard of 1 latrine per 20 people. Health services are also under increasing strain, struggling to cover the growing needs of many arriving in poor health. Across the country, vital services for refugees have had to be deprioritized, including the closure of some health facilities and the reduction of some 250 health workers. All early childhood caregivers - a total of 332 - have been discontinued, along with reductions in teachers and school assistants. Shelter construction for people with specific needs has been halted, and a 30 per cent fuel cut for partner fleets is affecting logistics and service delivery. Uganda's Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), with support from UNHCR and partners, is registering new arrivals at border entry points, screening for health conditions including malnutrition, and providing medicine to prevent cholera. At the transit centres, people are given a space to sleep, hot meals and safe drinking water as well as relief items like blankets, sleeping mats, jerrycans and soap. Vulnerable individuals are identified for specialized support, including reunifying separated families. Relocations are ongoing, with approximately 3,000 people transferred every week from Nyakabande and Matanda to existing refugee settlements. But the funding crunch is significantly impacting the response. UNHCR is scaling back on some standard protection activities, such as legal aid for refugees and safe spaces for children to gather and play, to prioritize the most critical needs. Border monitoring, registration of new arrivals, managing transit and reception centers, providing menstrual hygiene kits to women and girls as well as specific support to children and survivors of gender-based violence will remain a focus. Urgent funding is critical to maintain and expand these services. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address World News in Brief: Nobody wins trade wars Guterres warns, WFP alert over US funding cuts, 'modern slavery' must be eradicated says Yang 8 April 2025 - The UN Secretary-General on Tuesday warned that when it comes to trade wars, "nobody wins" and "everybody tends to lose." Antonio Guterres was responding to a journalist at the stakeout in UN Headquarters in New York, who asked him for reaction to the recent decision by United States President Donald Trump to impose a minimum ten per cent tariff on nearly every country in the world. Tariffs are a tax on imports coming into a country which are usually charged to the exporting nation as a percentage of value. Concern for vulnerable developing economies "Trade wars are extremely negative," the UN chief said, adding that he was "particularly worried" at the impact rising tariffs could have on vulnerable developing countries, warning that it could be "devastating". "I sincerely hope that we will have no recession, because a recession will have dramatic consequences, especially for the poorest people in the world," the UN chief added. US funding cuts spell 'death sentence' for millions, food agency warns The World Food Programme (WFP) has voiced deep concern over news that the United States has ended funding for life-saving emergency food assistance in 14 countries. "If implemented, this could amount to a death sentence for millions of people facing extreme hunger and starvation," the UN agency said in a post on the social media platform X on Monday. WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain warned in a separate post that continued cuts to its programmes "will deepen hunger, fuel instability, and make the world far less safe." She urged world leaders "to weigh the consequences," noting that "with conflicts and extreme hunger surging, pulling support doesn't just cost lives - it undermines global stability." WFP are in contact with Washington to seek clarification and to urge continued support for the programmes. Refugees at risk Among the millions who will be affected are refugees living in Uganda, who total some 1.8 million. On average, between 10,000 to 12,000 refugees have entered the country every month since 2022, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. This is putting a strain on resources amid ongoing funding cuts that have forced the agency to prioritize areas such as healthcare and screening at reception centres. "The budget that has been set aside to spend for the entire year is being used up now because of the influx," Matthew Crentsil, UNHCR Representative in Uganda, told journalists in Geneva on Tuesday. "I don't want to even mention the shortage that WFP is experiencing in providing food," he said, speaking from the capital, Kampala. "There is no assurance of funding for WFP to provide food for refugees in Uganda beyond June of this year, so this is all exacerbating the already precarious situation that we have here in Uganda." 'Urgent need to eradicate modern slavery and human trafficking': Assembly President An estimated 50 million people currently live in modern slavery, while a third of human trafficking victims are now children, said President of the UN General Assembly Philemon Yang on Tuesday. Welcoming the publication of the latest Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking report, Mr. Yang urged Member States to "strengthen measures that combat modern slavery and trafficking in persons." "Modern slavery and human trafficking are violations of fundamental human rights," Mr. Yang said, adding that the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights was clear in prohibiting slavery and the slave trade in all their forms." Plan of action In order to put an end to these violations he said it was important to tackle the root causes the make people vulnerable to being trafficked or enslaved in the first place. The implementation of a UN Global Plan of Action, adopted by the General Assembly in 2010 to complement the UN Trafficking Protocol, is set to be reviewed by Member States later this year. New goals to combat trafficking in persons will be set during the review. Mr. Yang encouraged Member States to enact "policies that are trauma-informed and survivor centred," and added that such policies should "promote inclusive growth and provide [survivors with] equal access to healthcare, education, skills training and job." There is an urgent need to eradicate modern slavery and human trafficking, he warned. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNRWA Commissioner-General: Israeli officials from the Jerusalem Municipality, accompanied by Israeli Security Forces, forcibly entered six UNRWA schools in East Jerusalem UNRWA 8 Apr 2025 From Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA Commissioner-General as posted on his official X account (previously known as Twitter) They gave closure orders for the schools effective in 30 days. UNRWA schools in occupied East Jerusalem are installations providing education to Palestine Refugee children. Some 800 boys and girls are directly impacted by these closure orders and are likely to miss finishing their school year. UNRWA schools are protected by the privileges and immunities of the United Nations. Today's unauthorised entries and issuance of closure orders are a violation of these protections and represent a revocation of Israel's obligations under international law. These illegal closure orders come in the wake of Israeli Knesset legislation seeking to curtail UNRWA operations. UNRWA is committed to stay and deliver education and other basic services to Palestine Refugees in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in accordance with the General Assembly resolution mandated to the Agency. Background Information: UNRWA is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. The United Nations General Assembly established UNRWA in 1949 with a mandate to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestine refugees in the Agency's area of operations pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. UNRWA operates in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, The Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Tens of thousands of Palestine refugees who lost their homes and livelihoods due to the 1948 conflict continue to be displaced and in need of support, nearly 75 years on. UNRWA helps Palestine Refugees achieve their full potential in human development through quality services it provides in education, health care, relief and social services, protection, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance, and emergency assistance. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US, Australian Naval Leaders Ride Submarine, Strengthening Bilateral Ties US Navy 08 April 2025 From Courtesy Story JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (Apr. 3, 2025) -- Director of the U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program Adm. Bill Houston, who completed his Submarine Command Course training on Collins-class submarine HMAS Rankin in 2007, and Chief of the Royal Australian Navy Vice Adm. Mark Hammond, a 2003 graduate of the U.S. Navy Submarine Command Course, embarked USS Montana (SSN 794) for a combined operational familiarization opportunity at sea, April 3, 2025. The underway on a Virginia-class fast attack submarine reinforced the strong bilateral ties between the two navies and underscored their commitment to maintain warfighting readiness and lethality to uphold security, freedom and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. "We have a clear mission: achieve peace through strength," said Houston. "We are a maritime nation, and our nuclear-powered submarines provide an asymmetric advantage that is defending American and allied interests 24/7 - anywhere, anytime." During their visit, Houston and Hammond interacted with the crew, observed operations and toured the submarine's propulsion plant. Houston emphasized the significance of the partnership. "The United States and Australia share a deep and enduring commitment to freedom and security," said Houston. "Our navies continue to train together, exercise together, and deploy together, ensuring that we are always ready to defend our shared interests and strengthen peace, stability and deterrence across the Indo-Pacific region." Hammond highlighted the importance of the partnership. "The Royal Australian Navy has operated alongside the U.S. Navy for more than 100 years, upholding international rules, norms and standards to ensure all nation states have fair and open access to the sea." He continued, "Enhancing our operational interchangeability at sea through exchange programs and capability partnerships greatly enhances our collective security and our ability to support a stable, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific." Houston and Hammond were joined on the underway by Greg Wilcock, Australian Consul-General Honolulu and Capt. Aaron Peterson, commodore, Submarine Squadron 1. Training the Next Generation of Submariners Last month, USS Minnesota (SSN 783) conducted at-sea operations as part of an iteration of the Submarine Command Course out of HMAS Stirling, in Western Australia, allowing naval officers to prepare to take command of a submarine with their Australian counterparts, gaining valuable experience in submarine operations to include weapons handling, at sea tactics, and technology. "America must be able to project power if we're going to defend our interests and our allies," said Houston. "As one of our nation's most formidable weapons, America's nuclear-Navy does just that - sail the world's oceans to defend our interests abroad." In August 2024, USS Hawaii (SSN 776) participated in a Submarine Tendered Maintenance Period at HMAS Stirling along with USS Emory S. Land (AS 39), demonstrating the U.S. Navy's ability to sustain operational submarines overseas together with its allies. "This partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom is a generational undertaking that will continue to shape the security landscape for decades to come," said Houston. "We are sharing expertise and laying the groundwork for a future where our navies seamlessly operate the apex predators of the sea, together." Under the Australia, United Kingdom, United States (AUKUS) Pillar I effort that supports Australia's acquisition of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarines, the U.S. Navy is training Australian submariners to operate fast-attack submarines and civilians from ASC Pty. Ltd. (formerly the Australia Submarine Corporation) to maintain them. There are currently eight Royal Australian Navy officers and 14 enlisted submariners serving on U.S. Virginia-class submarines, with dozens more undergoing training in the naval nuclear power pipeline and at the U.S. Navy's Basic Enlisted Submarine School. "Australia's submariners are some of the most capable and talented in the world," said Hammond. "They are expert stewards of diesel-electric powered submarines. The exceptionally rigorous training our submariners are receiving at the U.S. Navy's Submarine School supercharges their skills and edges us even closer to operating our own nuclear-powered submarines from the early 2030s. Furthermore, the opportunity for our sailors and officers to gain hands-on experience working in U.S. Navy Nuclear submarines and learn from the extensive experience of their crews is invaluable to the achievement of our shared security objectives, and we are grateful to our U.S. partners for sharing their wisdom and experience operating these platforms." More than 150 Australian civilians are under instruction at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility to gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to maintain SSNs. Last month, four Australian civilian maintenance technicians graduated from the U.S. Navy's Radiological Controls Technician Qualifying School (RCTQS), demonstrating significant progress in developing Australia's nuclear expertise and stewardship. Sharing Success and a Common History Both the U.S. and Australia share a strategic interest in maintaining stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region. Submarine cooperation is a key component of this shared strategic vision, and the combined submarine capabilities of the U.S. and Australia contribute to a powerful deterrent force. Since WWII, the U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Navy have a shared experience operating in the vast Pacific against a common adversary, fostering a sense of camaraderie. Regular joint exercises and training opportunities have been a feature of the relationship for decades, including the participation by the Royal Australian Navy in the U.S. Navy's Submarine Command Course since 1999, and the joint development of the MK 48 torpedo and AN/BYG-1 Submarine Combat System. The advent of the AUKUS Pillar I Nuclear Submarine cooperation program is a significant evolution of the long-standing relationship between Australia and the United States. For over 75 years, the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program has maintained an outstanding record of more than 177 million miles safely steamed on nuclear power. The Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program currently operates 99 reactors and has accumulated over 7,600 reactor-years of operations. Because of the program's demonstrated safety record, U.S. nuclear-powered warships are welcomed in more than 150 ports of call in over 50 foreign countries and dependencies. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Indonesia says U.S. tariff policy causes global uncertainty People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 08:41, April 09, 2025 JAKARTA, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto said on Tuesday that the recent "reciprocal tariff" policy introduced by the United States has raised international concerns about the global economic landscape. Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy, has been hit with a 32 percent reciprocal tariff. "We are currently witnessing how an economic superpower is shaking the world by imposing high tariffs on many countries, a move that has triggered global uncertainty. Many countries are in a state of anxiety," the president said during an economic discussion attended by cabinet members and business leaders. However, Prabowo noted that his administration would remain calm in responding to U.S. policy shifts, reaffirming Indonesia's commitment to economic self-reliance. He highlighted that the country's founding fathers had envisioned a strong and independent national economy. Prabowo also highlighted Indonesia's large domestic market as a key strength, expressing confidence that it would help the country withstand geopolitical pressures. Indonesia, along with other Southeast Asian nations, has developed a coordinated regional response to the new U.S. policy shift. Additionally, the country is pursuing diplomatic channels, including negotiations with the U.S. administration, to address the situation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Military Parades The Washington City Paper reported on 6 April 2025, that President Trump had resurrected his plan for a military parade in Washington D.C. Slated for June 14, it would coincide with the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary, and conveniently also, with Trump's 79th birthday. Initial reports claimed the parade would stretch almost four miles and run from the Pentagon to the White House, although local officials in Virginia or Washington DC had only just been made aware of the plans, with the scope of the parade or any other firm details still unclear. The US Defense Department said 16 August 2018 it would postpone the large military parade in Washington that was planned for Veterans Day in November. Defense Department spokesman Rob Manning announced that the military and the White House agreed to explore opportunities next year. But he did not mention the reason for the postponement. Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to plan a military parade after attending France's Bastille Day parade the previous year as a guest of President Emmanuel Macron. The last large-scale military parade in Washington took place in 1991 to commemorate the end of the Gulf War. US media reported that the parade would cost 92 million dollars, more than 3 times preliminary estimates. Some critics have said it is a waste of taxpayers' money and reminiscent of a dictatorship. Large military parades in the United States are generally rare. Sometimes the main thing is not the action itself, but the demonstration of the possibility to fulfill it. A variety of strategy for eliminating the danger is its prevention. Thus, parades and exercises are used to demonstrate potential forces and equipment to a potential enemy. Military parades in the Greco-Roman world evolved in part from religious processions. In spite of the lack of comparative studies of military parades, it is clear that each military parade is contextualized in particular historical circumstances and that it further represents specific political ideologies and particular power relations. A fascist rally in Rome or Nuremberg, the British queen's jubilee celebration in 2002, a small-town American Fourth of July celebration all owe their basic form to the official festivals of the French Revolution. A central part of the official French Revolutionary festivals, whatever their political flavor, was the military parade, accompanied by marching music. The idea of military marches as an entertaining spectacle goes back to well before the revolution. Military parades of grandeur are not common in the US, even as small military units often march in Fourth of July celebrations in towns and cities across the country or at the quadrennial presidential inaugural parades in Washington, such as 2017 when Trump became the 45th U.S. president. Overt displays of military weaponry are seldom seen in the U.S., unlike the Soviet Union's decades-old Red Square celebrations or those in Pyongyang staged in recent years by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. But U.S. President George H.W. Bush had military hardware in a 1991 parade celebrating victory in the Persian Gulf War and Presidents Harry S. Truman and John F. Kennedy displayed military might at their inaugural parades in 1949 and 1961, respectively, at the height of the Cold War. Donald Trump wanted a military parade in Washington to top the one he watched last Bastille Day in France, ordering Pentagon leaders to make plans for a show of military might in the American capital. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Wednesday that military officials were putting together some options for a parade and would present them to Trump for a decision. "We're all aware of the president's affection and respect for the military," Mattis told reporters at the White House 08 February 2018. Possible dates include three existing U.S. national holidays Memorial Day on May 28 that traditionally honors U.S. war dead, Independence Day on July 4 when there already is a mammoth fireworks show on the National Mall in Washington, and Veterans Day on November 11, which in 2018 coincided with the 100th anniversary of the victorious end of teh Great War. U.S. Budget Director Mick Mulvaney estimated President Donald Trump's proposed military parade would cost taxpayers as much as $30 million. "I've seen various different cost estimates of between $10 and $30 million depending on the size of the parade," he told the House Budget Committee. The Washington Post said that Trump ordered planning for the parade at a January 18 meeting with the Pentagon's top officials, including Mattis and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Joseph Dunford. The newspaper quoted one military official as saying, "The marching orders were: 'I want a parade like the one in France.' This is being worked at the highest levels of the military." Donald Trump said he asked the Pentagon to stage a military parade in the nations capital on Veterans Day. Trump was interviewed live via telephone by Jeanine Pirro, host of Justice with Judge Jeanine on Fox News, 24 February 2018. They discussed the recent mass school shooting in Parkland, Florida, as well as other issues, including a proposed military parade. He told Pirro that the parade would be held probably Veterans Day, which is celebrated Nov. 11, but I like July 4th. He said it would be up and down Pennsylvania Avenue, the street in Washington that runs from the White House to the U.S. Capitol. Well see if we can do it at a reasonable cost, Trump said. If we cant, we dont do it. He said the parade would include a lot of flyovers of Air Force planes. The military reportedly favored the November date to divorce the aura of the parade and its symbolism of U.S. military strength as much as possible from the contentious U.S. political scene, since the parade would then fall days after congressional elections, set for Nov. 6. The inspiration to hold a military parade began after Trump watched Bastille Day events in Paris last July 14, when he and first lady Melania Trump were the guests of French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte. The Pentagon said in March 2018 it was planning a military parade requested by U.S. President Donald Trump later this year, but said the celebrations will not include tanks because they could damage Washingtons roads. A Pentagon memo said the parade will end with a heavy air component, meaning many airplanes flying overhead. Include wheeled vehicles only, no tanks consideration must be given to minimize damage to local infrastructure, the memo said. The guidance said the parade should focus on the contributions of U.S. military veterans throughout history, starting from the American Revolutionary War, and should include veterans wearing period uniforms. It said the airplanes used at the end of the parade should also include older aircraft, as available. There was bipartisan opposition to the proposal in Congress, much of it from lawmakers who say a parade would be perceived around the world as dictatorial. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said he would agree to a parade that honors members of the armed forces, but that a "Soviet-style" parade featuring large military weapons would be a sign of "weakness." Senator John Kennedy, also a Republican [unrelated to the other John Kennedy], told reporters, "I think confidence is silent and insecurity is loud." Kennedy added: "America is the most powerful country in all of human history; you don't need to show it off." The plans would be executed by the US Northern Command, the unit is responsible for all the US Troops stationed in North America. The parade will include the Old Guard Fife and Drum, which normally dons period uniforms for events such as this. The Fourth of July festivities commemorate America's declaration of independence from Britain in 1776. Donald Trump played host 04 July 2019 in Washington for what he called "The Show of a Lifetime" to celebrate U.S. Independence Day. Trump was the first president in nearly seven decades to address a crowd on Independence Day at the National Mall, the large open park that spans from the iconic Lincoln Memorial monument to the US Capitol. President Harry Truman, in 1951, was the last president to hold such an event. He spoke before a large gathering to mark the 175th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The White House handed out tickets for seats to Trump's speech only to Republicans loyal to the president. Protesters included military veterans who say they resent someone who never served in the military exploiting their service for his own satisfaction. Trump has long expressed deep interest in staging a military parade in Washington, DC, but the idea had been widely criticized and estimated to be very costly. While US presidents have traditionally just watched Americans celebrate independence in their own way, Trump himself directly took charge of this celebration. He made a long speech at the Lincoln Memorial highlighting 243 years of American history, despite steamy weather and the threat of storms, and introduced military jet flyovers, patriotic band music and a display of tanks. Two M1A2 Abrams tanks, as well as two M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, were spotted being transported to the Mall on Heavy Equipment Transporter flatbed trucks. Lawrence Tribe, a Harvard University professor, compared the two tanks on the Mall to the Chinese Communist Partys crackdown on pro-democracy protesters at Tiananmen Square in Beijing in 1989. The resemblance to days before Tiananmen Square is chilling, he wrote. Comedian Bill Maher called the tanks part of a Dictator Checklist. But there are armored vehicles every year in Washington, during the U.S. Armys annual Association of the U.S. Army conference and its Army Ten Miler expo. The National Park Service would not be providing estimates of the size of the crowd. Trump has to colonize everything, said Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a history professor at New York University who specializes in authoritarian leaders. Any holiday, any civic ritual, becomes a Trump ritual. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 08 April 2025 - Day 1140 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 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 Ukrainian defenders continue to decisively thwart the Russian enemy's attempts to advance deep into Ukrainian territory, giving him an effective fire effect and exhaustion across the frontline. Since the beginning of this day, there have been 135 combat clashes. Russian zagarbniki inflicted one rocket and 69 aviation strikes, using three rockets and 98 cab. In addition, the Russians engaged 733 kamikaze drones and carried out almost 3,800 shelling at the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements. In the Kharkiv direction throughout the day, Ukrainian troops repelled three Russian attacks in the areas of vovchansk. One battle is still going on. In the Kupiansky direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled five assaults in the areas of Stepova Novoselivka and Zagrizovy. In the Lyman direction during the day Russian zagarbniki 17 times attacked the positions of Ukrainians near Grekivka, Katerynivka and Kolodiaziv. Five clashes are ongoing so far. Two Russian assault actions in the direction of Grigorivka kicked off Ukrainian defenders in the Siversky direction. Five combat clashes near Vasyukivka, Chasovoy Yar and Kurdyumivka have been recorded in the Kramatorsky direction, two of which are ongoing so far. In the Toretsky direction Russians 17 times attacked the positions of Defense Forces. The main efforts of the attack were concentrated near Ozaryanivka, Toretsk and Leonidivka. Two clashes are currently underway. Since the beginning of this day in the Pokrovsky direction, Russian Zagarnitsky units 51 times tried to break through Ukrainian defense near the settlements Kalinove, Elizabethtivka, Lisivka, Shevchenko, Zvirove, Udaachne, Uspenivka, Novooleksandrivka, Kotlyarivka, Bogdanivka and Andriyivka. Seven brawlings are ongoing so far. Under the airstrikes of the Russian enemy were the populated points of Romanivka, Pokrovsk, Udacne, Green Corner and Bagatyr. Today in this direction Ukrainian warriors zneskodili 236 invaders, 122 of them - irrevocable. Also destroyed one BTR, four cars, two motorcycles, three satellite terminals, anti-tank missile complex, four BPLA antennas, three BPLA control points; one artillery system and two Russian vehicles were damaged. In the novopavlivs komu direction, Russian forces attacked ten times near konstantinopol, Rozlivu, dniproenergii and burlatsky. Nine attacks have already been knocked off, one confrontation is ongoing. In addition, Russian forces launched aviation strikes on the settlements of Star and Tolstoy. In the direction of Gulyaipil, the Russian opponent carried out three attacks in the direction of Free Field and near Burlatsky. In the orihivs komu direction, Ukrainian defenders fought off three Russian assaults in the area of stepovogo and lobkovogo. In the operational area in Kurshchin, units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine repelled 24 attacks of Russian invaders within a day, five more fights are ongoing. In addition, Russian forces launched 27 air strikes using 37 guided bombs and carried out 214 artillery shells to positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements, including four from reactive arson systems. In other directions, the situation has not changed significantly. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that iIn Belgorod direction, the Sever Group of Forces engaged formations of a mechanised brigade, an assault regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and two territorial defence brigades close to Krasnopolye, Prokhody, Turya, and Miropolskoye (Sumy region). The AFU losses amounted to more than 110 troops, two motor vehicles, and two field artillery guns. Two field ammunition depots were eliminated. The Zapad Group of Forces' units took more advantageous positions. Russian units damaged materiel and manpower of two mechanised brigades of the AFU, and a territorial defence brigade close to Redkodub, Drobyshevo, Novoye, and Kirovsk in the Donetsk People's Republic. The AFU lost up to 220 troops, a U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier, two motor vehicles, and six artillery guns. One ammunition depot was destroyed. The Yug Group of Forces' units improved the tactical situation. Russian troops engaged formations of a heavy mechanised brigade, two mechanised brigades, an assault brigade of the AFU near Novodmitrovka, Konstantinovka, Kleban-Byk, and Novoolenovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy lost up to 270 troops, two U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, 17 motor vehicles, and two field artillery guns. The Tsentr Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions. Russian units hit manpower and materiel of two mechanised brigades, an infantry brigade, an air assault brigade of the AFU, a marine brigade, and a territorial defence brigade near Bogdanovka, Dmitrov, Yelizavetovka, Kotlino, Novosergeyevka, Kotlyarovka, and Zverevo (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 410 troops, three U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, and three armoured fighting vehicles including two American MaxxPro armoured vehicles. Seven motor vehicles and eight field artillery guns have been neutralised. Units of the Vostok Group of Forces continued advancing into the depth of enemy defence. Russian forces hit manpower and materiel of two mechanised brigades, an airmobile brigade, and a territorial defence brigade near Chervonaya Zirka, Komar, Volnoye Pole, and Burlatskoye (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU lost up to 165 troops, three motor vehicles, three artillery guns, and an electronic warfare station. The Dnepr Group of Forces engaged formations of a mechanised brigade, a coastal defence brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and a territorial defence brigade near Pavlovka, Novodanilovka (Zaporozhye region), and Sadovoye (Kherson region). Up to 90 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, nine motor vehicles, three electronic warfare stations, and an ammunition depot have been neutralised. Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack UAVs, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged the depots for missile and artillery weapons, the workshop for manufacturing unmanned aerial vehicles as well as clusters of AFU manpower and hardware, and foreign mercenaries in 149 areas. Russian air defence systems have shot down three JDAM guided bombs, seven U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, and 102 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. In total, since the beginning of the special military operation the AFU lost 660 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 50,279 unmanned aerial vehicles, 601 anti-aircraft missile systems, 22,721 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,534 MLRS combat vehicles, 23,353 field artillery guns and mortars, 33,790 units of support military vehicles. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation also reported that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the operation to neutralise AFU formations on the territory of Kursk region. The Sever Group of Forces liberated Guyevo of Kursk region during the offensive. Russian units engaged formations of a mechanised brigade, a tank brigade, three air assault brigades, and a territorial defence brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Gornal and Oleshnya. Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, and Artillery strikes engaged AFU manpower and hardware close to Aleksandriya, Belovody, Varachino, Vladimirovka, Vodolagi, Zhuravka, Loknya, Miropolye, Sadki, Yunakovka, and Yablonovka in Sumy region. In the past 24 hours, the AFU lost over 290 troops, a tank, three armoured personnel carriers, four armoured fighting vehicles, seven motor vehicles, two mortars, and four UAV command posts. Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk direction, the AFU losses amounted to more than 72,760 troops, 405 tanks, 331 infantry fighting vehicles, 300 armoured personnel carriers, 2,260 armoured fighting vehicles, 2,644 motor vehicles, 595 artillery guns, 53 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, 123 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address GOAT hunts down hostile submarines By Lieutenant Marcus Middleton 8 April 2025 Some of Navy's most lethal assets have joined ASWEX, the largest Australian task group exercise in more than a decade, off the West Australian coast. Four of Navy's most advanced multi-mission MH-60R helicopters are supporting six warships, and RAAF and RNZAF Poseidon P-8 aircraft, to hunt Australian submarines hidden beneath the waves of the eastern Indian Ocean in Navy's top annual task group exercise. One of the six warships joining the exercise straight from a three-month regional presence deployment is HMAS Hobart, a guided missile destroyer, with its helicopter, call sign 'The GOAT'. Lieutenant Jaryd Wetzel, one of the pilots of 'The GOAT', said the objective of ASWEX was to develop skills involving sub-surface targets to improve the capability to fight in the underwater domain. "It is one of the most challenging domains of warfare, hunting a submarine," Lieutenant Wetzel said. "To track a submarine involves a collective team effort on board the aircraft and in the ship. We all have a role to play in achieving success." That team effort includes more than 200 sailors in Hobart, who are at their tactical peak, having already spent three months at sea sharpening their combat skills, including participating in naval gunfire serials in conjunction with ASWEX flight operations. One of those sailors, Able Seaman Sophie Brown, is an aircraft technician responsible for ensuring 'The GOAT' is ready to respond as required to missions by fixing and preparing the weapons systems, enhancing the ship's lethality. "ASWEX provides the opportunity to put our training into action by making sure the systems are operating at peak efficiency," Able Seaman Brown said. "It really showcases the high level that our flight is operating at - both in performance and altitude." Hobart is operating as part of a designated Australian Maritime Task Group, commanded by Captain Darin MacDonald, who is responsible for all assets and more than 1300 sailors operating in the exercise. "For this exercise, the ADF has aggregated some of the most advanced tactical assets in Australia's arsenal, all tasked with developing unit and task-group level warfighting skills," Captain MacDonald said. "The task group is focused on integrating our latest technologies, and refining our tactical proficiency to maintain a fighting advantage at sea. "This exercise ensures that we remain a highly trained force, operating as one fleet. Focused, lethal and ready." While the assets are impressive, Captain MacDonald stresses the key to achieving mission success doesn't rely on military hardware alone. "The key to ASWEX is our most important resource, our hard-working and dedicated officers and sailors who exemplify dedication to duty and professional service," Captain MacDonald said. "Their commitment, excellence and duty, and that of their loved ones who support them, are vital in protecting Australia and its interests." Australia's economy is heavily dependent on the unobstructed movement of maritime trade and uninterrupted operation of its commercial ports. Undersea warfare readiness exercises, such as ASWEX, are critical for protecting Australia's harbours, ports and shipping lanes to maintain vital supply lines all Australians rely on for their daily lives. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Read-out of the phone call between President von der Leyen and Chinese Premier Li Qiang European Commission Read-out Apr 8, 2025 Brussels President von der Leyen held today a phone call with Premier Li Qiang to discuss the state of EU-China relations, as 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties. The two leaders held a constructive discussion during which they took stock of bilateral and global issues. The President underscored the vital importance of stability and predictability for the global economy. In response to the widespread disruption caused by the US tariffs, President von der Leyen stressed the responsibility of Europe and China, as two of world's largest markets, to support a strong reformed trading system, free, fair and founded on a level playing field. The President called for a negotiated resolution to the current situation, emphasising the need to avoid further escalation. President von der Leyen emphasised China's critical role in addressing possible trade diversion caused by tariffs, especially in sectors already affected by global overcapacity.The leaders discussed setting up a mechanism for tracking possible trade diversion and ensuring any developments are duly addressed. She also recalled the urgency for structural solutions to rebalance the bilateral trade relationship and ensure better access for European businesses, products and services to the Chinese market. The conversation also covered EU-China cooperation on the international climate agenda and the clean industrial transition. Finally, President von der Leyen reaffirmed the EU's steadfast support for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, emphasising that any conditions for peace must be determined by Ukraine. She invited China to intensify its efforts to contribute meaningfully to the peace process. Looking ahead, President von der Leyen noted that the upcoming EU-China Summit in July would be a fitting opportunity to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Designer unveils China's innovative anti-drone barrage weapon system Global Times By Liu Xuanzun and Liang Rui Published: Apr 08, 2025 07:31 PM China has unveiled a type of innovative barrage weapon system, the first of its kind in the world, with its chief designer introducing in a recent magazine interview that the weapon can effectively counter drone swarms. The air defense system, named the anti-drone swarm and anti-missile barrage weapon system in full, is unveiled in the April edition of the Modern Weaponry magazine. Yu Bin, the chief designer of the system, said in an interview with the magazine that the "barrage" the weapon shoots is a wall of projectiles that can cover incoming positions of all targets, achieving effective interception with the concept of "plane to point." Conventional air defense guns use the concept of "point to point" interception, but when multiple air defense guns fire together, they can raise fire density and probability of interception, Yu said, noting that his new system is developed with a similar concept. The Modern Weaponry magazine showed a prototype of the barrage weapon. It features 16 tightly designed gun barrels and unique munitions. Yu said that this close-in air defense barrage system is a world's first, aimed to deal with aerial threats such as drone swarms. It is characterized by its fast reload speed, high fire density, controllable barrage size, outstanding destructive power and capability to accompany troops in maneuvers. Currently available air defense weapons have shortcomings in countering drone swarms, as they lack sufficient capability to deal with saturation attacks and suffer from low cost-efficiency. However, the new equipment does not have these shortcomings, Yu said. The barrage weapon system has conducted multiple demonstrations against drone swarms, and the results showed that it can shoot down all small-sized drones with a single barrage, Yu said. In addition to drone swarms, the barrage weapon can also intercept high speed air-launched munitions such as missiles. It can also counter rockets, mortar shells and howitzer shells, according to Yu. While the primary targets of the barrage weapon are incoming aerial targets such as drone swarms, fixed wing aircraft, helicopters and cruise missiles, among others, it is also possible to attack ground or water surface targets when necessary, he said. The chief designer added that the system is also modularized, making it possible to be installed on trucks, tracked or wheeled armored vehicles, as well as warships. Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday that he sees good prospects in the new weapon given its high cost-efficiency and good effectiveness against drone swarms and missiles The barrage weapon system is not only appealing to domestic users, but it can also be put on the international market, as the battlefields face the increasing threats posed by drones, Fu said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese Defense Minister meets Chief of Air Staff of Pakistan Air Force in Beijing Global Times By Global Times Published: Apr 08, 2025 08:05 PM Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun met on Tuesday in Beijing with the visiting Chief of Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force, Zaheer Ahmad Babar. Dong emphasized that China and Pakistan are "all-weather" strategic cooperative partners, with their unbreakable friendship having been strengthened by the shifting tides of international dynamics. In recent years, the two militaries have achieved significant progress in areas such as strategic communication, joint exercises and training, and personnel exchanges, he said. Dong also highlighted the growing significance of the "Shaheen (Eagle)" series of joint training exercises. China is committed to working with Pakistan, guided by the strategic direction of both nations' leaders, to further strengthen military communication and coordination, deepen practical cooperation across various fields, and jointly uphold regional and global peace and stability, Dong said. Zaheer Ahmad Babar said that the Pakistan-China relationship is the cornerstone of Pakistan's foreign policy, and Pakistan highly values the traditional friendship between the two countries. As the international situation and geopolitical landscape undergo profound changes, the Pakistan Air Force is willing to further strengthen communication, exchanges, and institutional cooperation with the Chinese side, maintain a high level of joint exercises and training, and make positive contributions to jointly responding to the evolving security challenges, he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US media worried about F-47 fighter's future amid China's export control on rare earth elements Global Times By Liu Xuanzun and Liang Rui Published: Apr 08, 2025 04:36 PM US media on Monday voiced concerns about the future of the US' sixth-generation fighter jet F-47, after China on Friday announced to implement export controls on certain medium and heavy rare earth-related items, including resources critical for avionics which could deal blow to the F-47 project. China's export controls on rare earth-related items could hit hard on US defense industry, countering the US' so-called "reciprocal tariffs," a Chinese expert said on Tuesday, noting that the US' military industrial capabilities will very likely be affected. Export restrictions China has imposed on its rare earth element exports to the US include resources critical for avionics which could deal blow to American plans for the F-47, US media outlet the Newsweek reported on Monday. In accordance with the country's Export Control Law and other relevant laws and regulations, China's Ministry of Commerce, together with the General Administration of Customs, published an announcement on Friday regarding the implementation of export control measures on seven categories of medium and heavy rare earth-related items, including samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium, and yttrium. These measures are effective from the date of the announcement. As Newsweek reported, China's export control comes only two weeks after the US government announced that Boeing had secured the contract to develop the F-47 which is designed to succeed the F-22 Raptor and form the backbone of the US Air Force's next-generation fleet. But stealth aircraft like the F-47 depend on rare earth elements such as neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium for high-performance magnets, actuators, and radar systems, Newsweek quoted the consultancy SFA Oxford as saying. From stealth coatings and radar systems to high-thrust engines and advanced avionics, sixth-generation platforms rely on a secure and resilient supply of rare earth elements and strategic metals SFA Oxford noted. Yttrium is one item on the latest export control list of rare earth-related items. Yttrium is essential for high-temperature jet engine coatings, high-frequency radar systems and precision lasers, the publication Cleantechnica.com reported. It also allows thermal barrier coatings on turbine blades to stop aircraft engines from melting mid-flight, according to Newsweek. Critically, around five percent of US use of rare earths goes on defense applications, according to the Congressional Research Service, Newsweek reported. Bloomberg said on Friday that the controls are expected to have broad impacts on US companies because the elements are used in optical lasers, radar devices, high-powered magnets for wind turbines, jet engine coatings, communications, and other advanced technologies. Two industry sources told Reuters that Chinese export restrictions on some rare earths are a concern for some US aerospace manufacturers because they are sole-sourced from China for use in avionics. China has a near lock on the rare-earths industry as the world's dominant miner, refiner and producer of rare earth magnets, which are critical for a range of military and civilian technologies, including electric vehicles, according to The Wall Street Journal on Saturday. China's export control measures on rare earth-related items strike directly at a core spot of the US, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday. Medium and heavy rare earths are extensively used in many military fields such as missiles, radar, and permanent magnets. They are also more expensive and harder to mine, Song said. China's export control measures on the certain rare earth-related items, effective immediately on Friday, aim to better safeguard national security and interests and fulfill non-proliferation and other international obligations, a commerce ministry spokesperson said, Xinhua News Agency reported on Friday. These materials have both military and civil uses, imposing export controls on them is a common international practice, the spokesperson said, adding that the move reflects China's consistent stance in firmly maintaining world peace and regional stability as a responsible major country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese Premier holds phone call with EU chief, calls for safeguarding free, open trade, investment Global Times By Global Times Published: Apr 08, 2025 09:26 PM Chinese Premier Li Qiang held a phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday, CCTV News reported. Li said that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the China-EU diplomatic ties. President Xi Jinping had a phone call with President of the European Council Antonio Costa at the beginning of the year, which set the tone and pointed out the direction for deepening China-EU relations. China is willing to enhance political mutual trust with the EU, expand practical cooperation, and resolve mutual concerns through dialogue and consultations, thereby driving China-EU relations forward, according to CCTV News. China and the EU should strengthen communication and coordination, expand mutual openness, and safeguard a free and open trade and investment environment, injecting more stability and certainty into both sides and the global economy, Li told von der Leyen, per CCTV. Li pointed out that the US recently imposed tariffs on all its trading partners, including China and the EU, under various pretexts. This is a typical act of unilateralism, protectionism, and economic bullying. China's firm countermeasures are not only aimed at safeguarding its own sovereignty, security, and development interests, but also at upholding international trade rules and fairness and justice in the global arena. Humanity shares the same global villageno country can thrive in isolation. Protectionism leads nowhere; openness and cooperation are the right path forward, Li said, Xinhua reported. The Chinese premier said that this year, China's macroeconomic policies have fully taken into account various uncertainties, and the country has ample policy tools in reserve. China is fully capable of offsetting external negative impacts and is confident in sustaining sound and steady economic growth. China will continue to firmly expand its openness and strengthen cooperation with countries around the world, including the EU, to share development opportunities, Li said, according to Xinhua. In the CCTV News report, von der Leyen emphasized that it is crucial for EU-China relations to maintain continuity and stability. The US tariff hikes have severely impacted international trade. Both the EU and China are committed to safeguarding the multilateral trading system, which aligns with the common interests of both sides and the world, the European Commission leader noted. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian's Regular Press Conference on April 8, 2025 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China Updated: April 08, 2025 19:40 At the invitation of Premier of the State Council Li Qiang, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will visit China from April 10 to 11. CRI: On your announcement about Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez's upcoming visit to China, could you share the arrangements for this visit? We noted that this will be Prime Minister Sanchez's second visit to China in less than a year. How do you comment on the highly frequent high-level interactions between China and Spain? Lin Jian: This visit marks Prime Minister Sanchez's third trip to China within three years. During the visit, President Xi Jinping will meet with him, and Premier Li Qiang will hold talks with him. Spain is an important cooperative partner for China within the EU. The two sides have always adhered to the principles of mutual respect, mutual trust, and mutual benefit. Our bilateral relations are at the forefront of China's ties with European countries. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the China-Spain comprehensive strategic partnership. China hopes to take this visit as an opportunity to deepen strategic mutual trust between the two sides, expand open cooperation, jointly address global challenges, and achieve new progress for the China-Spain comprehensive strategic partnership from a new starting point. Anadolu Agency: U.S. President Donald Trump threatens China with additional 50 percent tariffs unless China cancels its retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. until April 8. What is China's comment? Lin Jian: America's abuse of tariffs severely infringes on the legitimate rights and interests of other countries, violates the WTO rules, undermines the rules-based multilateral trading system, and impact the stability of the global economic order. It's a typical move of unilateralism, protectionism and economic bullying, which is widely opposed by the international community. China deplores and rejects it. Let me stress once again that trade and tariff wars have no winners, and protectionism leads nowhere. We Chinese are not troublemakers, but we will not flinch when trouble comes our way. Intimidation, threat and blackmail are not the right way to engage with China. China will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard its legitimate and lawful rights and interests. If the U.S. decides not to care about the interests of the U.S. itself, China and the rest of the world, and is determined to fight a tariff and trade war, China's response will continue to the end. China News Service: Recently, a think tank article stated that China in northeast Asia and ASEAN in southeast Asia are emerging centers of growing influence in East Asia. ASEAN-China relations are predicated on mutual and complementary needs, as exemplified by their vigorous and steadily growing trade relationship. These relations are sustained by common values, principles and aspirations. ASEAN-China relations are of vital importance not only for Asia but also the international community. Observers note that China-ASEAN cooperation is an exemplary model for China's relations with neighboring countries. How do you view China's cooperation with ASEAN and interactions with its neighboring countries? Lin Jian: Over the 30-plus years since establishing dialogue relations, China and ASEAN have enjoyed steadfast, steady and robust cooperation, setting a model with the most dynamic and fruitful cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and the world. For five consecutive years, China and ASEAN have been each other's largest trading partners. In 2024, bilateral trade reached RMB 6.99 trillion, and the upgraded protocol for the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area Agreement 3.0 is expected to be signed within the year. Landmark projects such as the China-Laos Railway and Hanoi Metro Line 2 in Viet Nam have delivered tangible benefits to local communities. Digital empowerment and green development have become emerging areas where China supports ASEAN countries' economic transition. The China-ASEAN relations are a vivid illustration of China's commitment to the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness in neighborhood diplomacy and a good-neighborly and friendly policy. The political mutual trust and convergence of interest between China and its neighbors have continued to deepen. China has reached common understandings with 17 neighboring countries on the building of a community with a shared future, signed an agreement on the Belt and Road cooperation with 25 neighboring countries and become the top trade partner of 18 countries in its neighborhood. Solid progress has been made in advancing major landmark projects of high-quality BRI cooperation. Small and smart livelihood projects have been delivered tangibly for more people in China's neighboring countries. Regional cooperation mechanisms including East Asian cooperation, the Lancang-Mekong cooperation, the China-Central Asia cooperation and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization have vigorously boosted the process of regional economic integration. We believe that harmony is key to a prosperous family in all endeavors. As a member of the Asian family, China will continue to treat its neighbors with friendliness and sincerity and jointly pursue reciprocity, mutual benefit, openness and inclusiveness, be rooted in and contribute to its neighborhood, ensure that more Asian people will benefit from the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness and inject more stability into and bring more hopes for the world with an Asian community with a shared future. AFP: I wanted to return to the threats by President Trump that he might impose a further 50 percent tariff against Chinese imports. China already said in response that it would resolutely take countermeasures to safeguard Chinese rights and interests. Can the Foreign Ministry give any specific details about what those kinds of measures might look like in practice? Lin Jian: We will not let anyone take away the Chinese people's legitimate right to development. We will not tolerate any attempt to harm China's sovereignty, security and development interests. We will continue to take resolute and strong measures to safeguard our legitimate rights and interests. Bloomberg: This afternoon we saw several influential Chinese bloggers post an identical set of measures that authorities are mulling to hit back at the latest tariff threats from Trump. These include levies on U.S. farm goods and a ban on Hollywood movies. There were four other items listed. Are these actual responses the government is considering? Is this a coordinated attempt to inform the public about China's response? Lin Jian: As you may know, we don't comment on what's been said on the Internet. I just made clear China's position. We will continue to take resolute measures to safeguard our legitimate and lawful rights and interests. AFP: The U.S. and Iran have announced talks over the nature of Iran's nuclear program. I'm wondering if the Chinese side has any response to that development? Lin Jian: We noted relevant reports. China all along believes that the only right choice for settling the issue is through political and diplomatic means. Against the current backdrop, it's all the more important for parties to the Iranian nuclear issue to work in the same direction, strengthen dialogue and engagement, and avoid any escalation. As the country which unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and caused the current situation, the U.S. needs to show political sincerity, act in the spirit of mutual respect, engage in dialogue and consultation, and stop the threat of force and maximum pressure. China will continue to maintain communication with relevant parties, actively promote talks for peace, and help relevant parties reach as early as possible a diplomatic settlement to the Iranian nuclear issue that accommodates all parties' legitimate concerns so as to uphold the international non-proliferation regime and keep the Middle East peaceful and stable. NBC: With all of the threats and counter threats and measures being taken between the U.S. and China on tariffs, can you confirm are there any talks or negotiations happening at any level between the United States and China over trade? Lin Jian: Judging from its actions, the U.S. doesn't seem to be serious about having talks right now. If the U.S. truly wants to talk, it should let people see that they're ready to treat others with equality, respect and mutual benefit. If the U.S. decides not to care about the interests of the U.S. itself, China and the rest of the world, and is determined to fight a tariff and trade war, China's response will continue to the end. Beijing Daily: It's reported that Mauricio Claver-Carone, U.S. State Department's Special Envoy for Latin America, said in a recent interview that China has used its currency swap with Argentina to extort the country, and the U.S. wants Argentina to end it. He said the U.S. wants to be sure that Argentina's potential agreements with the IMF do not end up prolonging that credit line or swap that they have with China or strengthen China's position with that credit line. What's China's comment? Lin Jian: China has all along conducted practical cooperation with Argentina in various fields on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. For a long time, Argentina's currency swap with China has played an important role in stabilizing its economy and finance, which is welcomed and well received in Argentina. China's bilateral cooperation with relevant countries never targets any third party, nor should it be interfered by any third party. Fair-minded people are able to tell who is extorting and coercing others and making trouble. We call on the U.S. to get its perspective right and make more tangible contributions to the development of Latin American and Caribbean countries, rather than make an effort to drive a wedge. TASS: The spokesperson of the Iranian Foreign Ministry said that from April 7 to 8, China, Russia and Iran will have trilateral consultations on the Iranian nuclear issue in Moscow. What's the Foreign Ministry's comment? Lin Jian: Let me reiterate that China firmly believes that the only right choice for settling the issue is through political and diplomatic means. We support Russia in hosting this trilateral expert-level consultation, which will further promote the political and diplomatic settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue. China will continue to have communication and coordination with relevant parties, and facilitate the settlement to the Iranian nuclear issue that accommodates all parties' legitimate concerns so as to uphold the international non-proliferation regime and keep the Middle East peaceful and stable. Shenzhen TV: Speaking in an interview on Trump administration's trade policy on China, Vice President JD Vance said the U.S. borrows money from Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants manufacture. What's China's comment? Lin Jian: China has made its position perfectly clear on its trade relations with the U.S. To hear words that lack knowledge and respect like those uttered by this Vice President is both surprising and kind of lamentable. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump threatens additional 50% tariffs on China as trade war escalates Iran Press TV Tuesday, 08 April 2025 11:23 AM US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose an additional 50% tariff on imports from China unless Beijing rescinds its retaliatory tariffs on Washington, amid a flaring trade war between the two countries. In a statement on Truth Social on Monday morning, Trump said China enacted the retaliatory tariffs despite his warning that any country that retaliates against the US by issuing additional tariffs would be "immediately met with new and substantially higher Tariffs, over and above those initially set." Last Wednesday, the US president announced his trade war with tariffs on its trading partners and various countries around the world. As part of that move, the White House said it would levy a 34% tariff on Chinese imports and, in response, Beijing announced a 34% tariff on US imports. "If China does not withdraw its 34% increase above their already long term trading abuses by tomorrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will impose ADDITIONAL Tariffs on China of 50%, effective April 9th," Trump wrote on Truth Social, his own social media platform. "Additionally, all talks with China concerning their requested meetings with us will be terminated!" he added. "Negotiations with other countries, which have also requested meetings, will begin taking place immediately." China's embassy in the US underlined on Monday that Beijing would not cave to pressure or threats over the additional 50% tariffs. "We have stressed more than once that pressuring or threatening China is not a right way to engage with us. China will firmly safeguard its legitimate rights and interests," Liu Pengyu, an embassy spokesman, told AFP. ABC News cited a senior White House official as saying that the increased tariffs on China would be on top of the 34% reciprocal tariff Trump announced last week and the 20% already in place. China recently said the Trump tariffs harmed the stability of global production and supply chain and seriously impacted the world's economic recovery. In the meantime, Wall Street's main indexes posted their biggest single-day losses in years on Thursday. JP Morgan also has raised the probability of a global recession by the end of the year from a previous estimate of 40 percent up to 60 percent. Market experts believe that the ongoing "tit for tat" trade war will increase investors' fear, dealing a blow to global trade. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China vows to fight back as many scramble to strike tariff deals with Trump Trump to impose an additional 50% tariff on Chinese imports if Beijing doesn't drop its retaliatory tariffs on the US. By Taejun Kang for RFA 2025.04.08 TAIPEI, Taiwan -- China said it "resolutely opposes" President Donald Trump's imminent threat of escalating tariffs even as many other Asian nations scrambled to strike deals with the U.S. following its blanket imposition of punishing new imposts on trade. Trump said Monday he would impose an extra 50% tariff on Chinese goods if Beijing doesn't drop the retaliatory 34% tariff it placed on U.S. products last week. The White House doubled down on the threat Tuesday, declaring that the higher tariff would take effect at midnight. China and the U.S. are waging a tit-for-tat trade battle, which threatens to stunt the global economy, after Trump announced new tariffs on most countries last week, including a 34% tariff on Chinese goods. That was on top of an earlier 20% tariff on China in response to fentanyl trafficking. "The US threat to escalate tariffs against China is a mistake on top of a mistake, which once again exposes the US's blackmailing nature," China's Commerce Ministry said in a statement. "China will never accept this. If the US insists on going its own way, China will fight it to the end," the ministry said. "If the US escalates its tariff measures, China will resolutely take countermeasures to safeguard its own rights and interests." In Washington, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told a press briefing on Tuesday that "it was a mistake for Chia to retaliate," but added that Trump was ready to make a deal with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. "The president, when America is punched, he (Trump) punches back harder. That's why there will be 104% tariffs going into effect on China tonight at midnight, but the president believes that Xi and China want to make a deal," Leavitt said, referring to an April 9 deadline for the tariffs to be imposed. "They just don't know how to get that started." "If China reaches out to make a deal, he will be incredibly gracious," Leavitt said. Trump upended the global trade status quo last week, imposing a universal 10% tariff on all imports, effective April 5, and additional tariffs on dozens of countries deemed to have unfair trade practices, effective April 9. In this announcement, Trump singled out China as one of the "nations that treat us badly." America's trade deficit - the amount that imports exceed exports - with China was US$295.4 billion last year, the largest of any country. Trump's tariffs sent shockwaves through world stock markets. Japan's Nikkei 225 plunged nearly 8% on Monday, triggering a temporary trading halt, before rebounding 5.5% later in the day. The S&P 500 index is down nearly 10% over five days. Analysts warned that export-driven Asian economies are likely to be among the hardest hit by the U.S. tariff hikes. With the April 9 deadline approaching, some countries are urgently seeking trade agreements with the Trump administration in an effort to minimize the damage to their economies. Japan 'getting priority' Japan is sending a team to Washington to negotiate on trade, according to Trump, who said that he spoke on Monday with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Separately, Shigeru said he told Trump to rethink tariffs. Trump has put Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in charge of trade negotiations with Japan, Bessent said on social media. Bessent, in a Fox News interview, said that he had not yet seen any proposals from Tokyo, but that he expected to have successful negotiations to reduce Japan's non-tariff trade barriers. Japan is among 50 to 70 countries that have approached the Trump administration so far about negotiations, Bessent said. "Japan is a very important military ally. They're a very important economic ally, and the U.S. has a lot of history with them," he said. "So I would expect that Japan is going to get priority just because they came forward very quickly." In South Korea, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok and other policymakers reviewed their strategy ahead of the trade minister's visit to the U.S. this week, according to the finance ministry. During the visit from Tuesday to Wednesday, Cheong In-kyo, the South's minister for trade, plans to meet with Greer and make a request to lower the 25% rate, the trade ministry said. Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te has said that Taiwan has no plans to retaliate with tariffs of its own against the U.S. Taiwanese companies' investment commitments to the U.S. would not change as long as they are in line with the democratic island's national interests, Lai has said. In Hong Kong, whose special trading privileges were removed by a Trump executive order in 2020, Financial Secretary Paul Chan said the city won't impose countermeasures on the U.S., public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong reported. "Hong Kong should remain free and open," he said. Vietnamese appeal Meanwhile, Vietnam's offer to lower its trade barriers to delay the implementation of U.S. tariffs has been rejected by a White House adviser. Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son met with the U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, Marc Knapper, on Sunday and reiterated his country's willingness to lower the import tariff rate on U.S. products to zero in hope of postponing the onset of the new tariffs. "Vietnam is ready to negotiate to bring the import tariff rate to 0% for US goods, increase procurement of US products that are strong and in demand by Vietnam, and at the same time create more favorable conditions for US enterprises to do business and invest in Vietnam," said Son, cited by the government's official information channel. However, U.S. senior trade counselor Peter Navarro rejected this possibility later that day. "This is not a negotiation, this is a national emergency based on a trade deficit that's gotten out of control because of cheating," Navarro told Fox News. Even if both sides lowered tariffs to zero, the U.S. would still have a U$120 billion annual trade deficit with Vietnam, he said. Vietnam consistently rebrands Chinese exports as its own products before shipping these to the U.S., Navarro said. It also utilizes export subsidies, currency manipulation and "fake standards" which prevent U.S. manufacturers from making headway in Asian markets, he said. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet wrote a letter dated Friday seeking negotiations and for the U.S. to delay the 49% tariff to be imposed from April 9. Hun Manet said that Cambodia would immediately reduce its top 35% tariff on American goods to 5% percent in 19 product categories, including American whiskey and beef. In Thailand, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced on Sunday that Thailand will enter into talks with the U.S. following the imposition of tariffs on Thai goods. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira will travel to the U.S. for discussions with officials. "Thailand has been a long-term, reliable economic partner and ally of the U.S., not merely an exporter," Shinawatra said in a statement. Sitthiphan Thanakiatpinyo, president of The Swine Raisers Association of Thailand, said Thai pork producers would not be able to compete if there were increased imports of U.S. pork. The association, he told reporters, "strongly disagrees with the proposed imports of U.S. pork, which will destroy the Thai industry who can't compete and would be compelled to give up their livelihoods." He said it would make more sense to reduce barriers to the import of animal feeds such maize, wheat and soy bean, which are relatively scarce in Thailand. Leveraging regional platforms Nguyen Khac Giang, a visiting fellow at the Singapore-based ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, said that smaller Southeast Asian economies - such as Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos - are not negotiating from a position of strength. "Their best options lie in coordinated regional responses - leveraging ASEAN platforms or aligning more closely with third-party markets," he said, referring to the diplomatic grouping of Southeast Asian nations. U.S. pressure may accelerate intra-Asian economic integration, Giang said, as vulnerable states seek shelter in regional trade or deepen ties with China. "The U.S. risks pushing Southeast Asia further into the orbit of alternative trade and political partners," he said. Signs of this shift are already emerging. Philippine's Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque told reporters on Monday that the Philippines was "definitely" open to the idea of slashing levies on imported goods from the U.S, but also said the country would work with Southeast Asian nations in tackling the tariff challenge. "We all work together as ASEAN," she said. Edited by Stephen Wright. Pimuk Rakkanam contributed to this report. Updated with White House saying 104% tariffs on China will take effect at midnight. 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 April not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese Embassy in Panama hits back US defense chief's remarks over Panama Canal Global Times By Global Times Published: Apr 09, 2025 09:10 AM The Chinese Embassy in Panama made a solemn statement on Wednesday in response to the latest remarks made by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the Panama Canal, urging the US to seriously reflect on its history of bullying and exploitation toward Latin America and the Caribbean, including Panama, and to stop distorting and smearing China. China has never participated in the management or operation of the Panama Canal, nor has it ever interfered in canal-related affairs, said the statement. China has always respected Panama's sovereignty over the canal and acknowledges that the canal is a permanently neutral international waterway. This position is clearly stated in official documents exchanged during the mutual visits of the two countries' heads of state, the embassy said. During a visit to the Central American nation, Hegseth said on Tuesday that "the US will take back the Panama Canal from Chinese influence," Reuters reported. Hegseth, following talks with Panama's government, vowed to deepen security cooperation with Panama's forces and said China would not be allowed to "weaponize" the canal by using Chinese firms' commercial relationships for espionage, according to Reuters. While the US repeatedly accuses China of interfering with the canal, history tells a different story: The only time the canal was ever interrupted was due to a US invasion, the Chinese Embassy said. It is clear who is truly upholding the canal's neutrality and prosperity, and who has been clamoring to "take back" the canal - justice lies in the hearts of the people, the embassy noted. In November 2017, China and Panama signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Belt and Road cooperation. Thanks to this agreement, the two countries have enjoyed stronger policy support, increased investment, and broader public support, accelerating cooperation in trade and investment, infrastructure, finance and development aid. These efforts have yielded tangible benefits for Panama and its people, the embassy said. The US has ignored facts and hyped up the so-called China threat, attempting to undermine China-Panama cooperation purely for its own geopolitical purposes - an act that fully exposes its hegemonic mindset. The world can clearly see who is engaging in coercion and exploitation, according to the embassy. The embassy pointed out that the US-Panama relations should not be exclusive. Panama's decision to develop relations with China is a sovereign choice, and one that reflects the will of the Panamanian people. The US has no right to interfere, it said. "We urge the US to seriously reflect on its history of bullying and exploitation toward Latin America and the Caribbean, including Panama, and to stop distorting and smearing China. Instead of spreading falsehoods and sowing discord, it would be better for the US to focus on how to truly contribute to the well-being of the region," the embassy said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address First Quarterly Economic Plan Fulfilled in DPRK Korean Central News Agency of DPRK Pyongyang, April 8 (KCNA) -- The all-people advancing spirit for greeting the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea as the one of victors and glory is mounting in the DPRK with passing days. The workers of the Sangwon Cement Complex recorded the highest monthly production results in January after the start of its operation for the new year. They registered high production results in February, too, and carried out the first quarterly plan ahead of schedule. Amid the campaign for increased production and economy across the country, the first quarterly plan was carried out in metallurgical, chemical, electric power, coal mining, machine-building industry, railway transport and other major sectors and units of the national economy and the overall industrial output has grown considerably as compared with the same period of last year. Workers in the key industrial sector are taking the lead in the overall national economy while remarkably increasing production. The steadfast faith and iron will of officials and workers in the metallurgical industry were displayed at iron production bases and leading iron ore production bases full of the spirit of innovation. The spirit of increased production was also displayed in the chemical industry, one of the two pillars of the self-supporting economy. The electric power industry launched a drive to increase the production of electricity, the main power of the self-supporting economy. As a result, tens of millions of more kWh of electricity were produced in January alone across the country and the highest monthly production results were recorded in the past several decades. More than 400 reserve cutting faces have been secured this year throughout the Ministry of Coal Industry through the high-speed tunneling campaign in the coalfields across the country, thus providing a guarantee for increased production. With a sense of responsibility for leading and hauling the overall economic sector, the officials and workers in the machine-building industry have increased production with high enthusiasm every day. Officials and workers in the mining industry made strenuous efforts, true to the call of the Party to wage a dynamic drive for increased production and economy. Officials and workers in the field of railway transport carried out their first quarterly freight transport plan and are striving to transport more freights in the same spirit. Amid the mounting spirit of fresh innovation, bold creation and steady advance in the forestry sector, the first quarterly plan throughout the Ministry of Forestry was carried out ahead of schedule and more than 90 percent of the annual timber production in mountain was carried out. A movement for creating new standards and new records was launched in the building-materials industry to usher in a great heyday of construction. The construction sector is seething with the spirit of making new miracles and creating new legendary tales. The 124th regiments of the Korean People's Army are making uninterrupted innovations and successive leap forward in the construction projects for the new year after the grand inauguration ceremonies of regional-industry factories in 20 cities and counties. The construction of 10 000 flats at the third stage in the Hwasong area and a marine park for the people, the Kalma coastal tourist area, a world-famous tourist scenic spot in Myongsasimni of the east coastal area, is nearing completion. The project for building 10 000 flats at the fourth stage in the Hwasong area, the construction of a 450-hectare greenhouse farm and vegetable science research centre and the rural housing construction are progressing apace. News about innovations is being successively heard in socialist farm fields thanks to the devoted efforts of the agricultural officials and workers to attain the goal of grain production without fail this year. In the first ten days of the new year, millions of tons of self-sufficing manure was transported to farm fields and more than 20 000km-long waterways were repaired and cleaned throughout the country up to mid-March. And preparations were made for the full supply of irrigation water. The workers in the field of light industry carried out their first quarterly national economic plan. The first quarterly seafood production plan was fulfilled across the country. All the officials, Party members and other working people are putting spurs on the campaign for successive offensive towards the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, further ensuring the upturn of the national development through a brisk drive for miraculously increased production to implement the decisions of the Eleventh Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the WPK, in the spirit of having carried out the first quarterly national economic plan. -0- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japan to extend trade sanctions against North Korea for 2 years The county cited the North's nuclear weapons development programs and issue of abductees as reasons for extension. By Taejun Kang for RFA 2025.04.08 TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Japan said it will extend its ban on trade with North Korea for two more years as part of sanctions over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program and the unresolved abductions of Japanese nationals. Under the current sanctions, Japan bans port entry by North Korea-registered vessels and ships that have made port in the country, as well as trade. The sanctions were due to expire on Sunday. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, cited Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and missile development programs and the unresolved issue of its decades-old abduction of Japanese nationals as reasons for the extension. "We've decided the extension after comprehensively examining these situations and the need to secure the implementation of U.N. Security Council sanctions resolutions," he said. The historical abductions remain a significant obstacle to normal diplomatic relations between North Korea and Japan. Tokyo says it has confirmed the abduction of 17 Japanese citizens by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s, to work as language teachers for North Korean spies. It says 12 are still in the North. Pyongyang contends that of the 12, eight have died and four never entered North Korea. It insists there is no issue to be resolved. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to prioritize the return of all Japanese nationals abducted by the North. "The abduction issue, which is time-bound as the abductees and their families are aging, is a humanitarian issue, a violation of national sovereignty, and the most important task of the regime," Ishiba told parliament in October shortly after he was elected as the country's leader. In recent months, North Korea has intensified its military activities, including multiple missile launches and advancements in its nuclear development program. On March 10, Pyongyang fired several ballistic missiles into the Yellow Sea in response to military exercises between the U.S., South Korea and Japan. Apart from that, the North announced the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine equipped with missile capabilities, a development that observers believe could significantly enhance its strategic deterrent capability. Separately, Tokyo police referred two Japanese men to prosecutors Monday for allegedly providing their identification data to assist an individual believed to be a North Korean IT worker in fraudulently obtaining freelance work online. Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department believes that the IT worker was involved in North Korea's efforts to obtain foreign currency. The two men in their 30s were charged with providing scans of their driver's licenses and bank account details in 2020 so that the IT worker could register on the freelance work site and accept work assignments in their names, according to the police. Remuneration for tasks undertaken by the IT worker posing as the two Japanese men was paid into the two men's bank accounts, but was later transferred abroad at the instruction of the worker. The two men reportedly received about 10% of the revenue. The IT worker communicated with the two Japanese men through social media, while data from the job-matching service's website suggests access from North Korea, police said. A U.N. Security Council panel of experts, which monitors sanctions against North Korea, has reported that IT workers in the country obfuscate their identities to accept online work and earn income to funnel into the development of nuclear and ballistic missiles. In March last year, Japan's National Police Agency warned businesses and organizations that North Korean IT workers may be impersonating Japanese citizens to earn income through online work. Edited by Stephen Wright. Copyright 1998-2016, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content April not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Transcript of Special briefing by MEA on President's State Visit to Portugal (April 08, 2025) India - Ministry of External Affairs April 08, 2025 Shri Rajesh Parihar, Director (XPD): Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to this special briefing about the ongoing state visit of Honorable Rashtrapati ji to Portugal. And for this briefing, I have with me on dais, Shri Tanmaya Lal, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, Shri Puneet Kundal, Ambassador of India to Portugal, Shri Piyush Srivastava, Additional Secretary (Europe West), and Shri Ajay Singh, Press Secretary to the President of India. Now I request Secretary (West) to brief the media on the visit. Sir. Shri Tanmaya Lal, Secretary West: Thank you. Namaskar. Honorable Rashtrapati ji is completing a historic visit to Portugal. The visit is taking place in the year when we marked the 50 years of the re-establishment of our diplomatic relations. This is also the first state visit from India to Portugal after a gap of 27 years. So it's a very, very important and historic visit. Rashtrapati ji is visiting Portugal at the invitation of President of Portugal, His Excellency Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. I'm reminded that President de Sousa had visited India in 2020. The State Visit of Rashtrapati ji began with a ceremonial welcome, where she inspected the Guard of Honor and received the ceremonial gun salute, which was accorded to her. The ceremony was hosted in the city square, Praca do Imperio. After that, President of India, visited the Jeronimos Monastery and paid tribute to the national poet of Portugal, Luis Vaz de Camoes. The discussions at the Belem Palace between the two Presidents commenced with a tete-a-tete, which was followed by delegation-level talks. The two leaders also jointly released postage stamps, which commemorate the 50 years of diplomatic relations. And at the end, the two leaders also made Press Statements. Later in the evening, the President of Portugal hosted a State Banquet for our President, which took place in Ajuda Palace. One of the special moments at the State Banquet was a music recital by Portuguese artist, Rao Kyao, who also plays the flute, and he also played the 'Vaishnav Jan To' at the State Banquet. Rashtrapati ji also met the Prime Minister of Portugal, His Excellency Luis Montenegro. Prime Minister Montenegro and Prime Minister Modi had met last year in Brazil on the sidelines of the G20. The meeting between the President Murmu and Prime Minister Montenegro took place at the Palace Sao Bento. After that meeting ... earlier today, the President also visited the Assembly of Portugal, which is the Parliament, where she held discussions with the Speaker of the Parliament, His Excellency Jose Pedro Aguiar-Branco. The leaders had a tete-a-tete, which was also followed by a delegation-level broader discussions. And the President also provided a tour of the Assembly Hall. Yesterday, the Mayor of Lisbon City, His Excellency Carlos Moedas, he hosted a special event at the City Council, where the Mayor presented the Key of Lisbon to our President. Among those present were City Councilors, and also some members of the Indian community. The President, in her Address, had thanked the Mayor, but also said that she is happy to become Lisboeta, which means resident of Lisbon. Earlier today, President visited the Champalimaud Foundation, which is a cancer care and research and neuroscience research facility. It's a prestigious facility and where there are also Indian researchers working there. She had a tour of the facilities. The President planted a tree in the premises of the Champalimaud Foundation. She planted a camellia tree. Later, she had an interaction with the Indian researchers who are working there. And the President of Portugal also joined our President for this visit. One of the interesting features is that the building of the Champalimaud Foundation was designed by Indian architect Charles Correa. After the visit to the Champalimaud Foundation, both the Presidents traveled to the place where there are statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi ji. Both Presidents paid floral tributes at the venue. This was followed by a visit to Radhakrishna Temple, where again President de Sousa joined our President during that visit. Both Presidents offered prayers in the temple, where they also met members of the Indian community. Shortly afterwards now, the President will meet and address members of the Indian community before the state visit comes to an end. This state visit has been very important as it carries forward the very strong momentum of high-level engagement between India and Portugal. As I mentioned, it's a landmark year, 50 years of our diplomatic relations. President of Portugal accompanied or had several interactions with our President, different engagements, and also accompanied her to various important events. If I can just recollect, not only the ceremonial aspects of the welcome, the tete-a-tete, the delegation-level talks, the joint release of the stamps, and the Press Statement, he hosted the State Banquet and also accompanied our President to the Champalimaud Foundation, the event at the Gandhi statue and the temple. Both the Presidents also interacted with almost 60 Indian researchers at the Champalimaud Foundation, where our President took questions from some of the researchers, and later the President of Portugal also addressed the gathering. This number of engagements where both Presidents were together shows the high importance attached by both countries and the leadership to this partnership. Our President also met the Prime Minister, Speaker, and Mayor, and there were several occasions where she could meet members from the Indian community, as I described, including, for example, the special event at the City Council, the Champalimaud Foundation, the visit to the Temple, also the State Banquet had many guests from the Indian community. And just shortly after this press briefing, President will also be meeting and addressing members of the Indian community. The visit has reinforced our strong partnership, which is based on historical ties, cultural affinities, and the diaspora linkages. And today the partnership is also strongly growing in several areas, including trade, investment, technology, and talent mobility. Some of the areas, for instance, of our cooperation include renewable energy, digital technology, education, research, and healthcare. The India-Portugal partnership also contributes very strongly to the India-EU strategic partnership, and also India's engagement with the Portuguese-speaking, the Lusophone group of countries, where now India is an associate member of the CPLP, which is the grouping of the Portuguese-speaking countries. There is also strong ongoing cooperation between India and Portugal in various multilateral fora, especially the United Nations. During the visit, the Portuguese leadership reiterated their support for the permanent membership of India at the UN Security Council, and the President expressed our deep appreciation and thanked the Portuguese leadership for this reiteration. In her remarks, President thanked not only the President, but the other leadership of Portugal and the people of Portugal for this friendship. She engaged the members of the Indian diaspora, and the visit has helped in further strengthening the strong historical ties between India and Portugal, which also contribute to the India-EU partnership and our collaboration at the multilateral level. Thank you. Shri Rajesh Parihar, Director (XPD): Thank you, sir, for your remarks. The floor is now open for questions, and before you ask questions, I would request if you can introduce yourself with your name and your organization's name. Jayanti, DD News: Good afternoon, Sir. This is Jayanthi from DD News. I have two questions. First is, what are the major outcomes from this state visit? And the second is, how do you assess the success of this visit in light of the larger India-EU relationship? Abhishek Sonkar, PTI: Sir, I'm Abhishek from PTI. What more activities can we see in this year of 50 years of the establishment of relations between two countries? Shri Tanmaya Lal, Secretary West: Okay. I'll first take the question on the India-EU relationship. The India-Portugal ties, and our close collaboration have really contributed to India's engagement with the European Union. And this is not new. It is very longstanding. In fact, going back to the year 2000, Portugal, during their presidency of the European Union, hosted the first ever India-EU summit. Later, in 2021, again, during the Portuguese presidency, Portugal hosted the first ever summit of the India and EU leaders, which is a unique format. So, all the leaders of all EU member countries and our prime minister were together at this summit. So, in terms of contributing to the strong strategic partnership between India and EU, Portugal has been a very good partner. The relationship, of course, is also very useful because India and EU are currently negotiating an FTA agreement. And we also have a Trade and Technology Council at a ministerial level. So, our strategic partnership has really grown and expanded over the last few years. And the India-Portugal close ties contribute very strongly to this partnership. You would also be aware that the former Prime Minister of Portugal, His Excellency Antonio Costa, he is now the President of the European Council. When he was the Prime Minister, he had visited India in 2017 and 2019. And as you may be aware, His Excellency Costa is of Indian origin. So, there are multiple threads of our partnership between India and Portugal. And this really contributes to the strong India-EU strategic partnership. Among the outcomes of the visit, as I mentioned, it has been a historic visit, coming as it does during the 50 years of our diplomatic relations, as we celebrate that. But not only that, it really goes on to describe to you the various elements of the visit, not only in terms of the formal discussion aspects, but visit to the research foundation, visit interactions with the Indian community, many other substantive engagements at different levels. So, it has really helped to further build upon our existing strong historical, cultural, and diaspora ties, and stressing on our modern partnership in various fields of trade, investment, technology, talent, mobility, and in a number of areas, ranging from renewable energy, green hydrogen, to some of the other areas like education, health care. In terms of activities, I think both sides are already ... they have hosted and are planning to host a series of events in India and Portugal in many spheres. Many of these events reflect our strong, long-standing cultural and historical ties. The joint release of the stamp, for instance, shows our friendship and ties. In fact, the stamps reflect ... the stamps released both by the Indian side and the Portuguese side depict traditional dresses worn by the people of both countries, reflecting the cultural similarities. There are many events planned in terms of art, cinema, music, craft, cuisine ... many of these areas where we ... films. I think our Ambassador has already hosted some events in this regard. Maybe I'll invite him to mention some of the other events that we are planning to host here. And we are focusing on how we can take the ties further at the level of the youth, the innovation, digital technologies, and so on. So maybe you would like to add some of the events in this. Shri Puneet Roy Kundal, Ambassador of India to Portugal: So, thank you very much. The decision to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations was reiterated by both the Prime Minister in their meetings on the margins of the G20 in Brazil last year. Subsequently there has been activities conducted both by the Portuguese embassy in Delhi and by us here. I can share with you that we started our activities with a film festival in the month of January, which was inaugurated by the Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel himself. We are also organizing dance events, especially Indian cultural ... Indian traditional dances. We are also doing Music Events. We plan to host film events all over Portugal, including in the islands of Madeira and perhaps Azores. One of the things that we did was that the book of Fernando Pessoa, called Mensagem, was translated into Hindi. And on the 21st of March, which is the International Writers' Day, we invited the author from India to come and release the book here. It was done at the Camoes Institute in cooperation with the Government of Portugal. That book has really created a lot of interest, and the book was mentioned yesterday by the Honorable President of Portugal in his speech last evening as well. Fernando Pessoa, and the book is called Mensagem, which means Sandesh in Hindi, message. So, that book has really ... it's really caught everybody's fancy because even the President mentioned it in his speech last evening at the State Banquet. Like I said, we also want to do India Days across several cities. End of this month, we'll be hosting an event at the Coimbra University, which will involve a talk on India, Indian dances, cuisine, and a film show. So, we are reaching out not only to cities and municipalities, but also to Universities. And the icing on the cake perhaps for the 50 years as the visit by the Rashtrapati ji herself which really helps us to nail the celebrations ... and to celebrate the celebration this year in a befitting manner. Thank you. Shri Rajesh Parihar, Director (XPD): As I see no more questions, Sir, with your permission, I would like to conclude this special media briefing. Thank you, sir. Thank you, everyone. And the briefing is over. Lisbon April 08, 2025 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Defence Secretary highlights role of integrated financial advisors in driving transparency; Lauds Defence Accounts Department's tech-driven reforms India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Defence Posted On: 08 APR 2025 8:25PM by PIB Delhi Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh lauded the role of Integrated Financial Advisors (IFA) as crucial enablers of transparency, accountability and responsiveness in defence financial system, while addressing a two day Integrated Financial Advisors Conference 2025, organised by Defence Accounts Department (DAD), Ministry of Defence (MoD), from April 03-04, 2025, in Hampi, Karnataka. He highlighted Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh's directive for DAD to become a Centre of Excellence in Defence Finance & Economics, calling for research-based policy inputs, cost-benefit analysis in procurement, and AI-driven financial analytics. The Defence Secretary emphasized strengthening outcome-oriented mechanisms, promoting emerging technologies, and foster collaboration across the departments to enhance operational efficiency. He noted that DAD achieved 100% capital budget utilization in 2024-25, which was a first in the last five years. He also highlighted the importance of Project SAMPURNA (System Automation for Procurement, Payment and Uniform Raksha Accounting), which integrates AI, Machine Learning, and Data Science into financial management ushering in a new era of automation and efficiency. The conference featured six focused business sessions under which the role of financial advisors was highlighted to enhance capital acquisition outcomes, multifaceted challenges confronting the recently implemented IFA system in Military Engineer Services and the prospective pathways for their resolution, complexities associated with the Army Commander Special Financial Powers & merits and potential challenges of outsourcing in the defence sector. Shri S.G. Dastidar, Financial Advisor (Defence Services), in his inaugural address highlighted the expansion of the IFA system amid growing defence capabilities and greater delegation of financial powers to Service Headquarters and lower levels. Emphasizing Aatmanirbharta, he called for standardized procedures, better data systems, and stronger coordination between IFAs and CDAs to enhance financial efficiency. Dr. Mayank Sharma, CGDA, talked about the changing role of financial advisors and highlighted Project SAMPURNA. Senior officials from the MoD and DAD, along with Principal Integrated Financial Advisors and Integrated Financial Advisors from across the country, participated in the conference. ******* VK/SR/SS (Release ID: 2120203) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh holds meeting with Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Deputy PM & Defence Minister Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in New Delhi India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Defence Eager to work closely in areas such as defence cooperation, co-production & co-development projects, innovation & technology: Shri Rajnath Singh Posted On: 08 APR 2025 5:24PM by PIB Delhi Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh held a meeting with the Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Defence of UAE Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at South Block, New Delhi on April 08, 2025. The two leaders expressed happiness on the current defence cooperation through institutional mechanisms, military exercises, exchange of training programmes etc. Both the Ministers acknowledged that defence cooperation needs to be scaled up to match the progress made in other areas such as trade and business, in line with the vision and determination of the two leaders - Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and President of UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. They identified training exchanges as one of the key areas of defence cooperation which would enable understanding of each other's defence ecosystems and accelerate strengthening of bilateral defence ties. The two leaders expressed satisfaction on the active Coast Guard-to-Coast Guard cooperation and committed to further deepen it by formalising the same through an MoU. They were convinced that close collaboration between the defence industries should be an integral part of the bilateral cooperation. They emphasised on increasing defence industry collaboration and discussed opportunities for enhancing partnership in defence manufacturing. Both the Ministers acknowledged active participation from the two sides in each other's exhibitions & defence expos, and welcomed India-UAE Defence Partnership Forum which has the potential to result in strategic Joint Ventures and co-production projects benefiting both countries. They also agreed to focus on complementarities for the two countries in the Make-in-India and Make-in-Emirates initiatives. Through a post on X after the meeting, Raksha Mantri stated that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the UAE is of immense priority for India. "In the coming years, we are eager to work closely in areas such as defence cooperation, co-production and co-development projects, innovation and technology. Both India and the UAE are committed to work towards peace and prosperity in the region," he added. The Defence Cooperation MoU with the UAE was signed in 2003, and an MoU on Defence Industry Cooperation was signed in 2017. India and the UAE have strong bonds of friendship based on centuries-old cultural and economic ties. ***** VK/Savvy (Release ID: 2120093) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Germany Federal Foreign Office 07.04.2025 - Press release A Federal Foreign Office Spokesperson issued the following statement on 7 April 2025 on the extension of the mandate of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the human rights situation in Iran by the UN Human Rights Council: The UN Human Rights Council has shown once again that the international community is not losing sight of serious human rights violations in Iran. A large majority of the member states extended the mandate of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission, which was established two and a half years ago, reaffirming that the work of the evidence and documentation mechanism will continue. The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission found that the Iranian regime is responsible for serious human rights violations, including crimes against humanity. Numerous witnesses were heard, documents evaluated and evidence capable of withstanding judicial scrutiny compiled to this end. Germany worked closely with the mission on this. The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission's latest report confirms that arbitrary arrests, torture and sexual violence against dissidents continue to be routine occurrences in Iran. The death penalty is imposed arbitrarily and is also used as a means of political repression. The number of executions is higher than ever. Women and children, as well as ethnic and religious minorities and other marginalised groups, are subject to systematic discrimination. It was precisely for this reason that the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission recommended a follow-up mechanism to address the structural and systematic commission of human rights violations across the board. This mechanism was supported by a majority of the member states, including Germany. After all, it is clear that, two and a half years after the violent death of Jina Mahsa Amini and the subsequent Women, Life, Freedom movement in Iran, we still cannot accept the precarious human rights situation in the country. Trump Warns Iran Of 'Great Danger' If Weekend Nuclear Talks Fail By RFE/RL April 07, 2025 US President Donald Trump said the United States will hold high-level "direct" talks with Iran at a "very big meeting" this week while warning Tehran it would be in "great danger" if the talks on its nuclear program don't succeed. Iran's foreign minister confirmed that a meeting was set to take place on April 12, but the talks would be "indirect." "Iran and the United States will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect high-level talks," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X on April 7 shortly after Trump commented on the talks. "It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America's court." Iran has insisted on indirect negotiations, saying it would not hold direct talks as long as Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign on Tehran is in effect. Araghchi later told Iran's semiofficial Tasnim news agency that US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff would be at the talks, but the two would speak only through a mediator. Trump told reporters at the White House that talks were taking place "on a very high level, almost the highest level," and emphasized that no intermediaries were involved. He did not say who would represent the United States. Witkoff has not commented publicly on whether he would attend the talks. "We have a very big meeting, and we'll see what can happen. I think everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable," Trump said in an impromptu press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "If talks with Iran aren't successful, I think Iran will be in great danger," Trump said, insisting that the Islamic republic must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. Netanyahu briefly weighed in, expressing support for a Libya-style deal with Iran --a reference to a 2003 agreement in which the African nation agreed to dismantle its weapons of mass destruction programs. Iran maintains its nuclear program is for civilian purposes and has previously rejected the possibility of a Libya-style agreement. Trump earlier this month called for "direct talks" with Tehran, saying they were "faster" and offered a better understanding than using intermediaries. Trump suggested then that a new agreement with Iran could be "different and maybe a lot stronger" than the 2015 nuclear deal. He had previously sent a letter to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calling for negotiations and warning of military action if diplomacy failed. Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian on April 5 said that Tehran was willing to engage in dialogue on an "equal footing." The following day Araghchi said in a statement that Tehran was prepared to hold indirect talks. After abrogating the nuclear deal in 2018 during his first term as president, Trump reimposed sanctions on Iran that had been lifted under the agreement. Iran retaliated by accelerating its nuclear program and is currently enriching uranium at 60 percent purity, which is described as near weapons-grade. The 2015 deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has a snapback mechanism that allows for the return of UN sanctions on Iran. But once the deal expires in October, world powers lose the ability to trigger the mechanism. Trump has threatened to bomb Iran if there is no agreement on Tehran's nuclear program. Iran has warned that it will deliver a "strong" response to any aggression and has suggested that it will develop a bomb if attacked. Washington has been sending mixed messages about whether it wants to restrict Iran's uranium enrichment or fully dismantle Tehran's nuclear program. Iran has not commented on Trump's assertion that direct talks have already started. Nour News, a website affiliated with Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Iran's supreme leader, described Trump's remarks as "a calculated effort to shape public opinion" aimed at portraying Washington as the party taking diplomatic initiative and Tehran as the side opposed to dialogue. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-iran-direct-talks-nuclear- deal-trump/33376422.html Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China supports Russia in hosting trilateral consultations on Iranian nuclear issue: FM spokesperson Global Times By Global Times Published: Apr 08, 2025 03:01 PM In response to a media inquiry regarding the Iranian Foreign Ministry announcement that from April 7 to 8, China, Russia and Iran will have trilateral consultations on the Iranian nuclear issue in Moscow, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday, "Let me reiterate that China firmly believes that the only right choice for settling the issue is through political and diplomatic means." We support Russia in hosting this trilateral expert-level consultation, which will further promote the political and diplomatic settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue, Lin told the regular press conference on Tuesday. According to update by Russia's TASS gency on Tuesday night, the three countries are currently engaged in consultations in Moscow to consider possible scenarios following the expiration of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which formally governs Iran's nuclear program, as well as UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which approved the plan. "Various options and scenarios are being considered regarding what will occur after the current Security Council resolution expires on October 18 of this year," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has told the media. According to TASS, he added that the sides will be closely watching what "will happen to the nuclear deal next in the face of the US' current attempts at forceful resolution of the issue." China will continue to have communication and coordination with relevant parties, and facilitate the settlement to the Iranian nuclear issue that accommodates all parties' legitimate concerns so as to uphold the international non-proliferation regime and keep the Middle East peaceful and stable, said the spokesperson. In response to an earlier question at the press conference on Tuesday regarding reports that the US and Iran have announced talks over the nature of Iran's nuclear program, Lin said that China noted relevant reports. "China all along believes that the only right choice for settling the issue is through political and diplomatic means." Against the current backdrop, it's all the more important for parties to the Iranian nuclear issue to work in the same direction, strengthen dialogue and engagement, and avoid any escalation, Lin commented. In 2015, Iran, along with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the US, signed the JCPOA, which aimed to resolve a crisis that began in 2002 due to Western accusations of Tehran developing nuclear weapons. However, in 2018, US President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal from the JCPOA and reinstated all US sanctions against Iran. As the country which unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA and caused the current situation, the US needs to show political sincerity, act in the spirit of mutual respect, engage in dialogue and consultation, and stop the threat of force and maximum pressure, Lin noted. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The ball is in America's court: Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Apr 8, 2025 Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi says that the upcoming indirect talks with the United States in Oman are as much an opportunity as they are a test, stressing Iran's seriousness in the negotiations. "Regarding Monday's comments by President Donald Trump, Iran is ready to engage in earnest and with a view to seal a deal. We will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect negotiations," the top Iranian diplomat Abbas Araghchi said in a contribution to the Washington Post on Tuesday. He further described the indirect negotiations as much an opportunity as it is a test. The full text of article by Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is as follows: The Ball Is In America's Court By Seyed Abbas Araqchi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran In recent weeks, a series of messages and letters have been exchanged between Iran and the United States. Contrary to some interpretations, these communications at least on our side have been neither symbolic nor ceremonial. We view them as representing a genuine attempt to clarify positions and open a window toward diplomacy. Regarding Monday's comments by President Donald Trump, Iran is ready to engage in earnest and with a view to seal a deal. We will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect negotiations. It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The model of engagement we propose is not novel. The United States itself is intermediating indirect talks between Russia and Ukraine a much more intense and complex conflict entailing strategic, territorial, military, security and economic aspects. I personally also have the experience of leading indirect talks with the United States. Mediated by the European Union back in 2021, that process though more convoluted and demanding than direct engagement proved both possible and productive. Though we did not cross the finish line then, it was mainly because of a lack of real determination by the Biden administration. Pursuing indirect negotiations is not a tactic or reflection of ideology but a strategic choice rooted in experience. We face a significant wall of mistrust and harbor serious doubts about the sincerity of intentions, made worse by U.S. insistence on resuming the "maximum pressure" policy prior to any diplomatic interaction. To move forward today, we first need to agree that there can be no "military option," let alone a "military solution." President Trump clearly recognizes this reality in urging a ceasefire as the first course of action to end the Ukraine conflict. Spending taxpayer dollars on escalating the U.S. military presence in our region, potentially endangering American soldiers far away from home, is not conducive to a diplomatic outcome. The proud Iranian nation, whose strength my government relies on for real deterrence, will never accept coercion and imposition. We cannot imagine President Trump wanting to become another U.S. president mired in a catastrophic war in the Middle East a conflict that would quickly extend across the region and cost exponentially more than the trillions of taxpayer dollars that his predecessors burned in Afghanistan and Iraq. Looking ahead, two additional facts deserve emphasis. First, President Trump might not like the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (the nuclear deal signed in 2015), but it contains one vital commitment: that "Iran reaffirms that under no circumstances will Iran ever seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons." Ten years after the JCPOA was concluded and nearly seven years after the United States unilaterally walked away from it there is no evidence that Iran has violated this commitment. This has been reaffirmed by U.S. intelligence assessments time and again. Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, recently acknowledged that "Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader [Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program he suspended in 2003." We have objections to many aspects of U.S. global policy, and particularly to the West's policies in our region, including its double standards on proliferation. By the same token, there may exist possible concerns about our nuclear program. We proved our readiness to address those concerns when we agreed to the 2015 deal enabled by mutual respect and equal footing. But even as we remain committed to the JCPOA, our experience of the unwillingness or inability of the United States and the E.U. to fulfill their commitments under the nuclear deal has persuaded many in Iran to insist on guarantees for mutual fulfillment of commitments. Second, there is a serious misconception that needs to be cleared up. Many in Washington portray Iran as a closed country from an economic point of view. The truth is that we are open to welcoming businesses from around the world. It is the U.S. administrations and congressional impediments, not Iran, that have kept American enterprises away from the trillion-dollar opportunity that access to our economy represents. Indeed, when the United States agreed to license the sale of passenger aircraft as a part of the JCPOA, Iran immediately negotiated a contract with Boeing to buy 80 planes. To say that the scope for trade and investment in Iran is unparalleled is an understatement. Our proposal for indirect negotiations remains on the table. We believe that if there is true will, there is always a way forward. As recent history has shown, diplomatic engagement worked in the past and can still work. We are willing to clarify our peaceful intent and take the necessary measures to allay any possible concern. For its part, the United States can show that it is serious about diplomacy by showing that it will stick to any deal it makes. If we are shown respect, we will reciprocate it. Military buildups send the exact opposite signal. Mark my words: Iran prefers diplomacy, but it knows how to defend itself. We have never yielded to threats in the past, and we will neither do so now nor in the future. We seek peace, but will never accept submission. The ball is now in America's court. If it seeks a genuine diplomatic resolution, we have already shown the way. If, instead, it seeks to impose its will through pressure, it must know this: The Iranian people respond decisively to the language of force and threat in a unified way. There is a chance for the United States to finally have a president of peace. Whether or not to seize that opportunity is a choice. 2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Exclusive | The E.U. welcomes upcoming Iran-U.S. talks to be mediated by Oman IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Apr 8, 2025 London, IRNA -- A spokesperson for the European Union has welcomed the upcoming indirect talks between Iran and the United States, emphasizing that diplomacy remains the only sustainable solution to Iran's nuclear issue. "We take note of the announced talks between the U.S. and Iran. Any development increasing the chances of a diplomatic outcome goes into the right direction, and we would welcome it," the spokesperson told IRNA's correspondent in London on condition of anonymity. "We reiterate our commitment to a diplomatic solution which is the only sustainable way to address Iran's nuclear program, as stressed by the High Representative at the United Nations Security Council recently," the official added. The spokesperson also stressed the need for "a multilateral approach" and confirmed that the E.U. maintains "direct channels of communication with Iran." Iranian and American officials are expected to hold their first round of indirect talks in Oman on Saturday. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who will lead the Iranian delegation, said on Tuesday that a deal could be within reach if the U.S. comes to the table with a genuine will to negotiate an agreement. President Donald Trump, who withdrew the U.S. from a previous deal with Iran during his first term, has said he prefers direct talks with Iran and has threatened to bomb the country if no deal is reached. Tehran has ruled out direct negotiations under pressure and threats. 2050**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia's State Duma ratifies 20-year partnership treaty with Iran IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Apr 8, 2025 Moscow, IRNA -- Russia's State Duma, the lower house of parliament, has ratified a long-term strategic cooperation agreement with Iran. The 20-year comprehensive strategic pact, approved in a vote on Tuesday, now awaits endorsement by the Federation Council, which is scheduled to review it on April 16. The agreement was signed in mid-January during President Masoud Pezeshkian's visit to Moscow, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin at the time called it a "breakthrough document," while the Iranian president said it would "open a new chapter in relations between Iran and Russia in all fields." Serving as a framework for expanding bilateral cooperation, the pact covers a wide range of areas, including defense, energy, finance, transportation, industry, agriculture, tourism, culture, science, and technology. The agreement will take effect once it has been ratified by the parliaments of both Iran and Russia. 9341**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A deal can be reached if the U.S. shows goodwill in Oman talks, Araqchi says IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Apr 8, 2025 Algiers, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has announced that high-level discussions between Iran and the United States will be held indirectly on Saturday in Oman, saying that a deal is possible if the other party shows goodwill. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday in Algiers, where he met with Algerian officials, Araqchi confirmed the planned discussions in Oman, reiterating that Iran insists on an indirect format. "The structure of negotiationswhether direct or indirectis not the key issue," he said. "What matters is their effectiveness, the seriousness of the parties involved, and their commitment to reaching an agreement." "Direct negotiations under U.S. pressure amount to dictation, which we reject. Indirect dialogue ensures a genuine and productive exchange," the foreign minister said. He noted that such mediated discussions are common in international relations, especially between countries with historical tensions. Oman is mediating the talks, a role Iran trusts due to the country's past diplomatic efforts, Araqchi said, expressing hope that the U.S. would demonstrate a sincere willingness to find a diplomatic resolution. The top diplomat dismissed Israeli officials' talk of a "Libya model of negotiations" as unrealistic. He said that Iran's nuclear program is peaceful and lawful, as affirmed by U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231. "If there are doubts, Iran is open to clarification, but we will not accept restrictions on our national objectives," he said. Araqchi reiterated that lifting U.S. sanctions on Iran is key to building trust. "The ball is in America's court," he said. "If the other party comes to Oman with genuine determination, we will certainly reach a deal." He also said, "Iran does not accept any preconditions." Araqchi said that Steve Witkoff, U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, will represent the U.S., while he will lead Iran's delegation in the discussions. 3266**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.N. welcomes possibility of indirect talks between Iran and U.S. IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Apr 8, 2025 New York, IRNA -- The spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, has welcomed indirect talks between Iran and the United States which will be held in Oman on Saturday. Speaking in his daily press briefing on Monday, Dujarric expressed concerned over growing tensions in the Persian Gulf and between the U.S. and Iran. He welcomed the possibility of indirect talks between Iran and the U.S. through third party and said, "We hope that that opportunity, using another country as an intermediary, would be used as a way to lower tensions." Earlier on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi wrote on his official X account, "Iran and the United States will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect high-level talks." "It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America's court," he added. On March 7, Trump announced that he had sent a letter to Iran calling for nuclear negotiations. Tehran responded to the letter later that month, saying it rejects direct talks with Washington over its contradictory and hostile approach but remains open to indirect negotiations. Meanwhile, Iran, Russia, and China are also holding consultations on the nuclear issue in the Russian capital. "Today and tomorrow, we have [a] tripartite meeting in Moscow, where China, Russia, and Iran will discuss various aspects related to the nuclear issue, the Iran deal, and Resolution 2231," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said at a press conference on Monday. 9376**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran, U.S. set to meet in Oman for indirect talks on Saturday: Araqchi IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Apr 8, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi says top Iranian and American officials will hold indirect negotiations in Oman on Saturday. "Iran and the United States will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect high-level talks," Araqchi said via X early on Tuesday. "It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America's court," he added. It came after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that the two sides were poised to begin direct talks on Tehran's nuclear program. "We're having direct talks with Iran, and they've started. It'll go on Saturday. We have a very big meeting, and we'll see what can happen," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, during a meeting with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He also threatened once again that if the talks were unsuccessful, "Iran is going to be in great danger." On March 7, Trump announced that he had sent a letter to Iran calling for nuclear negotiations. Tehran responded to the letter later that month, saying it rejects direct talks with Washington over its contradictory and hostile approach but remains open to indirect negotiations. Meanwhile, Iran, Russia, and China are also holding consultations on the nuclear issue in the Russian capital. "Today and tomorrow, we have [a] tripartite meeting in Moscow, where China, Russia, and Iran will discuss various aspects related to the nuclear issue, the Iran deal, and Resolution 2231," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said at a press conference on Monday. 4354**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Americans know extent of Iran's defensive power; Iran doesn't trust US, but will test it: FM Iran Press TV Tuesday, 08 April 2025 9:51 PM Iran's foreign minister says the US is well aware of the formidable nature of the Islamic Republic's defensive capabilities, while underlining the country's sufficient preparedness to defend itself, and noting that the Islamic Republic does not trust Washington, but will nonetheless test it in upcoming indirect negotiations. "At the very least, the Americans know well how far the Islamic Republic of Iran's defensive power can extend," Abbas Araghchi said during a meeting with Algerian elites and media executives in the African country's capital Algiers on Tuesday. The top diplomat made it clear that Iran's commitment to peace should not be mistaken for weakness, asserting, "The Islamic Republic of Iran does not seek war, but if necessary, it knows well how to defend itself." He separately underscored, "We doubt the intentions of the US and are not certain they possess the will for a fair and serious negotiation, but we will test them." The latter comments concerned the prospect of indirect negotiations that are set to begin between Araghchi and the United States regional envoy Steve Witkoff in the Omani capital Muscat on Saturday with Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi as mediator. "If their demand is for Iran not to pursue nuclear weapons, that demand can be examined," Araghchi said. "But if they have other objectives in mind, they may not achieve them," he added. In the same context, the official dismissed the West's claims -- as spearheaded by Washington -- that the Islamic Republic was pursuing nuclear weapons. "The claim that Iran seeks nuclear weapons is a baseless accusation," he said. "We are confident in the peaceful nature of our nuclear program and are prepared to address any concern or worry through diplomacy." 'No talks under pressure' The foreign minister reiterated his and other Iranian officials' earlier remarks that direct negotiations with the United States were off the table as long as Washington retained its hostile posture. "Negotiations must take place from a position of equality, fairness, and dignity, not under 'maximum pressure' and military threats," he said. "As long as 'maximum pressure' and threats continue, fair conditions for negotiation do not exist, and we will not engage in direct talks," Araghchi stated, referring to the US's way of sustaining and even ramping up its already illegal and unilateral sanctions against the Islamic Republic, while repeatedly threatening Tehran with military aggression. 'Door to diplomacy open' Nonetheless, Iran has left the door open for diplomacy, Araghchi noted. "The path of diplomacy is not closed, and we have announced that we are open to indirect negotiations with the US," he said. Warning about Israel's regional escalation plans Elsewhere in his remarks, the official warned that the Israeli regime was actively attempting to ignite broader regional conflict, pointing to Tel Aviv's expansionist regional aggression, namely its war of genocide on the Gaza Strip as well as its escalated deadly aggression towards the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, and Syria. "In recent months, we have had wide-ranging consultations and talks with regional countries," he said. "I believe there is a proper understanding among them of the need to stand up to Israel's warmongering, and I hope this continues." The top diplomat pointed to his earlier meeting with his Algerian counterpart and the country's president, during which he had highlighted strong bilateral ties and common regional concerns, especially regarding the crisis across the Palestinian territories. The foreign minister condemned the Israeli regime's October 2023-present genocide in Gaza and intensified deadly aggression across the West Bank, warning of a broader plan to erase the Palestinian identity altogether. "The Zionist regime seeks to expel people from both Gaza and the West Bank, eliminate Palestinian identity, and fully occupy Palestinian lands," he warned. 'Resistance the only effective counterforce; cannot be destroyed at all' Araghchi, however, stressed that despite recent losses among regional civilians and resistance leaders at the hands of the regime, the concept of resistance against Israeli occupation and aggression remained a vital, indestructible force throughout the region. "There is no doubt that resistance has taken hits in recent months and that its commanders have been martyred, but this does not mean the loss of the existence or concept of resistance," he said. "Resistance is a cause, a school of thought, and a sacred goal. These things cannot be destroyed by bombs and killings, and essentially cannot be destroyed at all." Citing the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah's past resilience, including in the face of the regime's assassination of Sayyed Abbas al-Mousawi, one of the group's former leaders, he argued that the resistance had always returned stronger after hardship. The remarks suggested that neither Hezbollah nor any other regional resistance movement would grow weak as a result of Israeli atrocities such as Tel Aviv's assassination of Hezbollah's former secretary-general Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. On resistance's independence In contrast to Western narratives, Araghchi emphasized, resistance movements in Lebanon, Palestine, and Yemen were independent actors, not "Iranian proxies." "What unites various resistance groups is a shared cause and goal, nothing else," he said. "The West tries to portray these resistance groups as Iran's proxies, which is a mistake." In the meantime, he reiterated Iran's position that it supported any movement, whether Sunni or Shia, which was committed to justice and liberation, regardless of political alignment with Tehran. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address IAEA can resolve remaining issues through independent approach, Iran says Iran Press TV Tuesday, 08 April 2025 6:53 PM Iran's Permanent Representative to the United Nations says the Islamic Republic and the UN nuclear agency can resolve their remaining differences over Tehran's nuclear program if the IAEA adopts "an independent, technical, and impartial approach." "Iran and the Agency have been cooperating for a long time, which enables them to resolve their few remaining differences," Ambassador Amir Saeed Iravani said while addressing the UN Disarmament Commission on Tuesday. Iravani, however, stated that this is "provided that external political pressures on the Agency cease and the IAEA adopts an independent, technical, impartial, and professional approach." He was referring to a dispute triggered by the Agency's claims of "uranium traces" found at "undeclared nuclear sites" in Iran, allegations Tehran firmly rejects. In May 2023, the IAEA announced it had closed the file on one of these alleged "undeclared" sites after progress was made in cooperation with Tehran. Iran has consistently stated it is prepared to continue its collaboration with the Agency to resolve any remaining issues. Iravani underscored Iran's unwavering commitment to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and its constructive cooperation with the IAEA, noting that 22% of all IAEA inspections globally have taken place in Iranan unprecedented level of transparency. "I would like to underscore that Iran remains committed to the NPT and works constructively with the IAEA to ensure transparency and compliance with safeguards agreements." "To that end, Iran has allowed extensive IAEA inspections, amounting to 22% of all IAEA inspections. This level of inspection has never been carried out in any country before in history." The ambassador also strongly condemned Israel's undeclared nuclear arsenal, calling it the only WMD holder in West Asia. Backed by the United States, Israel continues to block regional disarmament efforts, including Iran's longstanding proposal for a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region. "With six decades of deception and a clandestine WMD arsenal, the Israeli regime, the sole possessor in the Middle East, enjoys the backing of the United States and has consistently opposed all initiatives, including Iran's proposal since 1974, to establish a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East," Iravani stated He urged the international community to pressure Israel to join the NPT as a non-nuclear-weapon state and place all of its nuclear facilities under IAEA oversight. "To demonstrate a genuine commitment to the total elimination of nuclear weapons, the international community must address this glaring exception and compel Israelan outlaw regime that has openly threatened others with nuclear annihilation while falsely accusing them of proliferationto renounce its nuclear arsenal, join the NPT, and place all its nuclear facilities and activities under comprehensive IAEA safeguards." Elsewhere in his remarks, Iravani warned of rising threats to global peace and security due to escalating geopolitical tensions, increased militarism, and the continued existence and modernization of over 12,000 nuclear weapons, particularly by nuclear-armed states failing to meet their disarmament obligations under the NPT. He criticized the United States and NATO for their nuclear double standardsadvocating non-proliferation while actively modernizing and deploying nuclear weapons, including hosting U.S. warheads in Europe. He specifically condemned the recent U.S. ICBM test, calling it a clear violation of disarmament norms. In conclusion, Iravani warned against the monopolization and militarization of emerging technologies, calling for their peaceful use through legally binding international agreements. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Military buildup goes against US offer of diplomacy to reach a deal: Araghchi Iran Press TV Tuesday, 08 April 2025 6:38 PM Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the US military buildup in the region contradicts Washington's call for diplomacy to reach a deal with Tehran. In an op-ed contributed to The Washington Post on Tuesday, the minister reiterated Iran's seriousness in indirect negotiations with the United States over its peaceful nuclear program. The US has beefed up its military presence in West Asia by sending additional squadrons of fighter jets, stealth bombers, an aircraft carrier, and large quantities of weaponry in recent weeks. "Our proposal for indirect negotiations remains on the table. We believe that if there is true will, there is always a way forward. As recent history has shown, diplomatic engagement worked in the past and can still work," Araghchi stated. "We are willing to clarify our peaceful intent and take the necessary measures to allay any possible concern." "For its part, the United States can show that it is serious about diplomacy by showing that it will stick to any deal it makes. If we are shown respect, we will reciprocate it." "Military buildups send the exact opposite signal," Araghchi said, warning, "Spending taxpayer dollars on escalating the US military presence in the region, potentially endangering American soldiers far away from home, is not conducive to a diplomatic outcome." "Iran prefers diplomacy, but it knows how to defend itself. We have never yielded to threats in the past, and we will neither do so now nor in the future. We seek peace, but will never accept submission." "The ball is now in America's court." If the US seeks "a genuine diplomatic resolution," Araghchi said, Iran has already shown the way. "If, instead, it seeks to impose its will through pressure, it must know this: The Iranian people respond decisively to the language of force and threat in a unified way." Araghchi said indirect talks served as an opportunity so much as a test, arguing that "negotiations is not a tactic or reflection of ideology but a strategic choice rooted in experience." The top Iranian diplomat said the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), contains one vital commitment that "Iran reaffirms that under no circumstances will Iran ever seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons." "Ten years after the JCPOA was concluded and nearly seven years after the United States unilaterally walked away from it there is no evidence that Iran has violated this commitment," he said. On April 6, Trump once again threatened Iran with bombing and secondary tariffs if Tehran did not come to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program. Iran has reiterated its readiness to take part in indirect negotiations with the United States over its peaceful nuclear program, warning that US threats are "complicating" the current situation. On April 7, Trump made a surprise announcement, stating that his administration would begin talks with Iran. Araghchi later confirmed that Iran and the US would hold indirect talks in Oman on April 12. US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will attend the talks on Washington's behalf, while Araghchi himself will represent Iran. The negotiations are aimed at replacing the 2015 nuclear accord, which Trump unilaterally abandoned in 2018. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran to spend $800 mln on buying 15 new oil drilling rigs: NIDC Iran Press TV Tuesday, 08 April 2025 5:25 PM Iran plans to purchase 15 new oil drilling rigs in the calendar year that ends in March 2026 with an investment of $800 million. The CEO of the National Iranian Drilling Company (NIDC) said on Tuesday that the firm plans to spend another $200-300 million on purchasing cement and nitrogen pumps to expand its drilling operations. Mehran Mokvandi said that the NIDC plans to drill 130-150 new oil wells in Iran in the current calendar year. Mokvandi said that the company, which is a subsidiary of the state oil company NIOC, has an extensive renovation program to replace its aging equipment and machinery with more powerful drilling installations. The remarks come as Iran presses ahead with plans to increase its oil production and exports despite US sanctions that have restricted the supply of foreign investment and technology to the country's massive energy sector. Experts say US sanctions, which were first imposed in 2018 and were later expanded to target almost all aspects of the Iranian oil industry, have failed to affect the country's supply of oil to the international markets. They say Iran's current oil exports of nearly 2 million barrels per day (bpd), versus a pre-sanction figure of more than 2.5 million bpd, is a clear testament to the country's success in using domestic resources for developing its oilfields. In a major development in early March, the NIOC awarded some $17 billion worth of contracts to domestic companies for a major pressure-boosting project in South Pars, the world's largest gas field that straddles the maritime border between Iran and Qatar in the Persian Gulf. The company said at the time that its domestic partners will install some 42 giant rigs weighing some 420,000 metric tons in South Pars as part of the contracts awarded for the pressure-boosting project in the field. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Deal within reach if US shows genuine will in Oman talks: Araghchi Iran Press TV Tuesday, 08 April 2025 3:06 PM Iran's foreign minister has voiced optimism ahead of the upcoming round of indirect talks with the United States, saying a deal can be reached if Washington demonstrates genuine will. Abbas Araghchi, speaking in Algeria on Tuesday, said Iran's primary goal in the negotiations is to secure the rights of its people and achieve the lifting of sanctions and that the ball is now in America's court to prove it seeks a deal. "If the other side is genuinely willing, this goal is attainable, regardless of whether the talks are direct or indirect," he said. The minister said Iran favors indirect negotiations and has no plan to engage in direct talks. Araghchi said that Iran rejects any negotiations conducted under pressure or threats. "Such negotiations amount to dictation, and we do not believe in that approach. Indirect negotiations can help ensure a real and meaningful dialogue, and that's the path we will pursue." Araghchi said indirect talks have occurred many times in the history of international relations. "There are countries that, due to historical or other reasons, refuse to engage in direct talks. The current negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, for instance, are taking place indirectly through the US, since neither side is willing to meet face-to-face." Regarding the agenda of the talks, Araghchi dismissed Israeli speculation that the process would mirror US-Libya negotiations from the early 2000s, which led to the dismantling of Libya's nuclear facilities. "People may speculate or express their wishes, but what the Zionist regime has suggesteda 'Libya model' of negotiationsis merely a fantasy that will never be realized," he said. The minister reiterated that Iran's nuclear program is entirely peaceful and legitimate and that the country is ready to take confidence-building steps to demonstrate the sincerity of its position. "If there are any questions or ambiguities, we are ready to clarify. We are confident in the peaceful nature of our program, and we have no problem taking further steps to build trustso long as they don't impose restrictions or undermine Iran's national goals." "In return for confidence-building, it is only natural that the unjust sanctions imposed based on false accusations must be lifted." US President Donald Trump made a surprise announcement during a White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on April 7, stating that his administration would initiate talks with Iran. Araghchi later confirmed that Iran and the US will hold indirect talks in Oman on April 12. US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will attend the talks on Washington's behalf, while Araghchi himself will represent Iran. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia's State Duma approves 20-year strategic partnership treaty with Iran Iran Press TV Tuesday, 08 April 2025 2:42 PM Russia's lower house of parliament has ratified a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty with Iran, marking a significant step in the expansion of political, military, and economic relations between Moscow and Tehran. Lawmakers in the State Duma approved the 20-year treaty on Tuesday. President Vladimir Putin of Russia and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed the agreement in Moscow in January. Putin submitted it to the State Duma in March. When the treaty was signed in January, the Russian leader said it was a "breakthrough document," and the Iranian president said it would "open a new chapter in relations between Iran and Russia in all fields." It provides the legal framework for the long-term development of cooperation in areas ranging from defense, energy, finances, and transportation to industries, agriculture, culture, science, and technology. Based on the treaty, Russia and Iran are committed to helping each other counter common "security threats" and exchange intelligence in that direction. The agreement also stipulates that if either side is subjected to aggression, the other will not provide "assistance to the aggressor." Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said in an address to the State Duma, "The signing of the treaty does not mean the establishment of a military alliance with Iran or mutual military assistance." The Russia-Iran treaty promotes investment in oil and gas development, joint long-term projects in peaceful nuclear energy, and the creation of a payment system independent of third countries, which uses national currencies. State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin said earlier that the treaty would strengthen relations in terms of both bilateral cooperation and coordination on international issues. He said the agreement underscores the expansion of inter-parliamentary relations, including within international parliamentary organizations and through the commission on cooperation between the State Duma and the Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran and Russia, as two close and strategic allies, have over the past years deepened relations in various fields, despite heavy Western sanctions. Tuesday's vote comes amid rising regional tensions over US President Donald Trump's threats of war against Iran if Tehran does not make a deal over its nuclear program with Washington. The Kremlin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, has said Moscow is in continuous consultations with Tehran and is ready to take necessary steps to resolve tensions between the US and Iran through "political and diplomatic avenues." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Netanyahu 'obviously shocked, embarrassed' on live TV after Trump announces Iran talks: Reports Iran Press TV Tuesday, 08 April 2025 10:59 AM Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was reportedly "caught off guard" and visibly stunned during a joint press conference with US President, after Donald Trump revealed that talks between Washington and Tehran were set to begin this week. Trump made the unexpected announcement during the televised meeting in Washington on Monday. "It'll go on Saturday," the US president said of the planned talks. "We have a very big meeting and we'll see what can happen. I think everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious and the obvious is not something that I want to be involved with," he said of the prospect of launching military aggression against the Islamic Republic. Trump even went as far as claiming that the Israeli regime would not seek to be involved in such a scenario either "if they can avoid it." "Hopefully those talks will be successful," Trump concluded. 'Shock written all over their faces' According to the Israel Hayom newspaper, the statement visibly unsettled the Israeli delegation, who were unaware of such upcoming negotiations. A senior political source told the daily that while Israeli officials were now trying to downplay the moment by insisting they had anticipated such a move, in reality, "Israel had no prior knowledge of an agreement between Trump and the Iranians to launch talks." An Israeli official present at the scene said, "The shock was written all over their faces." Netanyahu reportedly responded to the announcement by demanding the complete dismantling, not merely freezing, of Iran's nuclear energy infrastructure -- which vetted international nuclear experts have found no sign of diversion towards military purposes. In the meantime, another source confirmed that Netanyahu had been told, during the meeting, that the Israeli regime would be involved in shaping the content of the negotiations, calling this "a very positive aspect" contrary to the surprise. The announcement of indirect US-Iran talks came amid reports that the Sultanate of Oman had resumed its role as an intermediary between Tehran and Washington. Meanwhile, reports said Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US regional envoy Steve Witkoff would hold indirect discussions in the Omani capital Muscat on Saturday. Tehran has consistently emphasized that any talks had to be grounded in mutual respect and complete lifting of Washington's illegal and unilateral sanctions, particularly those imposed under Trump's so-called "maximum pressure" campaign. Trump's sudden announcement, meanwhile, overshadowed what was initially billed as a Netanyahu's trip to discuss various issues, including trade and tariff affairs. Israeli media later acknowledged that the true purpose of Netanyahu's hastily arranged visit was for the White House to brief the Israeli prime minister in person about the upcoming US-Iran talks. 'Returned humiliated, empty-handed' Yedioth Ahronoth, another Israeli paper, said Netanyahu had arrived in Washington expecting progress on a 17-percent-tariff Trump had imposed on Israeli goods. Instead, the Israeli official "received a harsh and even somewhat humiliating" response and left without any tangible achievements. It wrote, "The prime minister did not get the gift he was hoping for a declaration from Trump that he would reduce or cancel the 17% tariff on Israeli imports." Trump instead praised Netanyahu for lowering tariffs on American goods and urged other parties to follow suit, promising only to "keep talking" on the matter. On issues concerning the Gaza Strip, where the regime has been waging a genocidal war since October 2023 and also where scores of Israeli captives are being held, Trump made no major policy announcements either. The Israeli paper noted that Trump gave only vague comments about the captives and said little beyond expressing hope that the war in Gaza "would end soon." While apparently facing Netanyahu with several such surprises, though, Trump used the meeting to highlight Washington's military aid to Israel, stating, "The US gives Israel $4 billion a year" -- one billion in addition to the annual American aid. The American president also said his controversial plan, announced earlier this year, to make the US "own" Gaza was "back on the table," and noted that Netanyahu had "convinced him" some countries, reportedly approached by the Israeli spy agency Mossad, were open to receiving displaced Gazans. 'Most failed meeting ever' The Israeli Walla website described the event as "possibly the most failed meeting ever" between a US president and an Israeli prime minister. "Netanyahu found himself in the Oval Office in a situation he hadn't anticipated. Trump threw complex political, security, and economic issues at him, and he failed to respond to any of them effectively," the outlet said. The Maariv daily also described the trip as ending with an "embarrassing event" that raised more questions than it answered. It reported that Netanyahu, rather than steering the agenda, ended up being a "mere prop" in, what it called, Trump's stage-managed return to foreign policy relevance. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran's Araghchi, Trump's envoy Witkoff to hold 'indirect' talks in Oman on Saturday: Report Iran Press TV Tuesday, 08 April 2025 6:19 AM Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and the United States regional envoy Steve Witkoff are reportedly to hold "indirect talks" in the Omani capital Muscat on Saturday. The Islamic Republic of Iran News Network carried the report on Tuesday, saying the two were to partake in the talks that are to be mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi. The report on the mediated talks comes amid Iran's repeated assertion that dialogue with the US would yield no positive outcome while Washington retains its "maximum-pressure" policy towards the Islamic Republic, and continues to act in bad faith concerning Tehran. On Sunday, President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated Iran's stance of roundly rejecting talks with the US "at any cost." Dialogue with the United States while Washington sustained its coercive attitude towards Iran would amount to submission rather than diplomacy, the president noted. The chief executive also reiterated that the Islamic Republic would never compromise its national interests or principled positions, referring to the country's opposition to aggression of any type by any party. Also on Sunday, Araghchi similarly stated unequivocally that direct talks with the United States were "meaningless" as long as Washington refused to abandon its hostile stance. Iranian officials have, meanwhile, emphasized that the country had no illusions about the current US approach, and had so far seen no signs of genuine political will from the American side to correct its course. They cite the US policy of ramping up its illegal and unilateral economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic after leaving the historic 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and others in 2018. The authorities have also pointed to American officials' recurrent threats of deploying military force against Iran. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PM Netanyahu's Remarks at the Start of his Meeting with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House Israel - Prime Minister's Office Events and Speeches The 37th Government 08.04.2025 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Remarks at the Start of his Meeting with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,: "Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Donald. I want to first thank you for inviting me again to the White House. You've been a remarkable friend of the State of Israel. You stand by us, you're standing with us, you're a great, great champion of our alliance and you actually do things that you say you do. And I think people respect that enormously. I certainly do and the people of Israel do and I think the Jewish people do as well. We just saw your representative at the Department of Justice fighting antisemitism, standing up for Israel in international forums. I just want you to know from the heart that it's deeply appreciated. As you said, we had the opportunity to talk today about many subjects. First, if I can mention tariffs. It's the subject of some interest today. I can tell you that I said to the President a very simple thing, 'We will eliminate the trade deficit with the United States.' We intend to do it very quickly. We think it's the right thing to do. We're going to also eliminate trade barriers, a variety of trade barriers that have been put up unnecessarily. I think Israel can serve as a model for many countries who ought to do the same. I recognize the position of the United States, it says, you know, we're allowing other countries to put tariffs on us but we don't put tariffs on them. And, you know, I'm a free trade champion but free trade has to be fair trade. And I think that's basically the position that you have put forward, Mr. President. We are going to eliminate the tariffs and rapidly. I had the opportunity to speak to Secretary Lutnick yesterday. We talked about how we could affect this quickly and I hope to bring a solution very quickly. We're not talking about intentions, we're not talking about, you know, just words. We're talking about results. And those results are going to come fast. We spoke about Gaza. The hostages is obviously a human story of just unbearable agony. I speak to the families. I spoke to them yesterday. I spoke to another one when I was in Hungary before I came here. I speak to them every day and they're in agony. The hostages are in agony and we want to get them out. Steve Witkoff, who is President Trump's very able representative, helped us get a deal that got 25 out. We're working now on another deal that we hope will succeed. We're committed to getting all the hostages out but also eliminating the evil tyranny of Hamas in Gaza and enabling the people of Gaza to freely make a choice to go wherever they want. I mean they should have that choice. And the President put forward a vision, a bold vision, which we discussed as well, including the countries that might be amenable and are amenable to accepting Palestinians...have their free choice if they choose to go there. That's the second thing that we discussed but the hostages came right on top. We also discussed the situation in Syria. We have...we've had neighborly relations with Turkey that have deteriorated and we don't want to see Syria being used by anyone, including Turkey, as a base for attack against Israel. Turkey is a country that has a great relationship with the United States. The President has a relationship with the leader of Turkey. We discussed how we can avoid this conflict in a variety of ways and I think we can't have a better interlocutor than the President of the United States for this purpose. Of course, we also discussed Iran. Look, we're both united in the goal that Iran does not ever get nuclear weapons. If it can be done diplomatically in a full way the way that it was done in Libya I think that would be a good thing. But whatever happens, we have to make sure that Iran does not have nuclear weapons." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PM Netanyahu's Remarks before Returning to Israel Israel - Prime Minister's Office Media Statements The 37th Government 08.04.2025 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today: "I have just finished my second visit to the US in two months, a very warm visit with my friend President Donald Trump. You could be impressed from the great closeness and friendship between us, which was expressed in the issues we discussed. First of all - Iran. We agree that Iran will not have nuclear weapons. This can be done by agreement, but only if this agreement is Libyan style: They go in, blow up the installations, dismantle all of the equipment, under American supervision and carried out by America - this would be good. The second possibility, that will not be, is that they drag out the talks and then there is the military option. Everyone understands this. We spoke about this at length. The second issue that we discussed was Gaza. We are determined to eliminate Hamas and, at the same time, we are determined to return all of our hostages. The President looked at me and told the journalists who were present: 'This man is working constantly to free the hostages.' I hope that this shatters the lie that is being circulated to the effect that I am not working for them, that I don't care. I do care, and I am doing it and we will be successful. We also discussed President Trump's vision, because we are currently in contact with countries that are talking about the possibility of taking in many Gazans. This is important because in the end, this is what needs to happen. The third issue - Turkey. Turkey wants to establish military bases in Syria, and this endangers Israel. We oppose this and are working against it. I told President Trump, who is my friend, and also a friend of Erdogan: 'If we are in need of your help, we will discuss it with you.' The fourth and last issue -- the tariffs. President Trump has asked countries to reduce their trade deficits with the US to zero. I told him: 'This is not so difficult for us. We will do it.' This is the little that we can do for the US and its President, who does so much for us. This was a very good visit, a very warm visit. There were additional things that you will hear about later." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump, Netanyahu discuss Gaza hostages, tariffs at White House People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 08:35, April 08, 2025 WASHINGTON, April 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met at the White House on Monday, focusing on the Gaza hostage crisis and U.S. tariffs on Israeli goods. In a brief Oval Office session open to reporters, Trump called the release of hostages held in Gaza a "top priority." He expressed optimism about ongoing negotiations but provided no specific details. "We're making progress," Trump said. "I believe we'll see all the hostages home soon." Netanyahu agreed, emphasizing Israel's commitment to securing the hostages' freedom. They also addressed the shaky ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. While they announced no new agreements, both stressed the importance of reducing violence in the region. Trump defended his recent 17 percent tariff on imports from Israel, part of his broader trade policy affecting many economies. Netanyahu reportedly sought relief from these tariffs, highlighting Israel's efforts to strengthen trade ties with the United States. In 2024, the total goods trade between the two countries was an estimated at 37.0 billion U.S. dollars, with U.S. exports to Israel at 14.8 billion dollars and imports from Israel at 22.2 billion dollars, resulting in a 7.4 billion dollars U.S. trade deficit. Netanyahu's visit to the White House was arranged in a phone call last Thursday between the two leaders when Netanyahu raised the tariff issue, according to Israeli officials. The White House had initially planned a joint press conference but canceled it without explanation. Instead, reporters asked questions during their brief access to the Oval Office meeting. Trump did not discuss any long-term plans for Gaza's redevelopment during this meeting. His administration has previously proposed controversial ideas for the region, which have faced criticism from various groups. The meeting highlighted the complex relationship between the United States and Israel, balancing security concerns with economic interests. Both leaders pledged to continue working closely on these issues. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japan's annual foreign policy report stresses importance of US ties, eyes 'mutually beneficial relation' with China Global Times By Shen Sheng and Fan Anqi Published: Apr 08, 2025 11:24 PM Japan on Tuesday released its annual government foreign policy report, which stressed the importance of Tokyo deepening ties with Washington while also reiterating its policy of promoting a "mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests" with China. A Chinese expert said the report indicates that Japan still appears to prioritize maintaining its alliance with the US and has not altered the dual nature of its China policy one that seems to advocate engagement, cooperation, and dialogue, while simultaneously maintaining a stance of competition, containment, and even confrontation. The annual government foreign policy report emphasized the importance of Tokyo's push to build a strong rapport and further deepen ties with US President Donald Trump's administration - a view that comes as Japan grapples with how to respond to his decision to slap the US ally with onerous tariffs, the Japan Times reported. The 2025 Diplomatic Bluebook, presented by Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya at a Cabinet meeting the same day, said that Tokyo will communicate closely with Washington over various issues facing the international community and work to make solid contributions, said the report. Regarding China, the report reiterated the government's policy of promoting a "mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests" with the world's No.2 economy, a phrase revived in 2024's report after a four-year absence. The biggest change in the 2025 Diplomatic Bluebook stems from the series of new challenges posed to Japan by the current US administration's foreign policy, particularly in terms of how to maintain the stability of the US-Japan alliance, Xiang Haoyu, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Tuesday. "Fundamentally, Japan still prioritizes its relationship with the US and has not altered the dual nature of its China policy - maintaining engagement, cooperation, and dialogue on one hand, while also pursuing competition, containment, and even confrontation on the other," he said. He further noted that compared with the past, Japan's current approach to China appears more pragmatic and flexible. However, these adjustments, Xiang stressed, are seems to be tactical and expedient rather than a long-term strategic shift. Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, visiting Japan for the first time since becoming head of the Belgium-based military alliance in October, was set to hold talks with Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani later Tuesday and with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday, the Associate Press reported. China's expansion of its armed forces has been "staggering," Rutte claimed on this visit, which was aimed at "projecting" the alliance's power in the Asia-Pacific region, said the AFP. Rutte's so-called aim of "projecting" the alliance's power in the Asia-Pacific region has laid bare NATO's intention to interfere in the region's security and stability, Lu Chao, an expert at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times. He further noted that NATO seems reluctant to see closer ties between China and Japan. The US wants NATO members to be more involved in the Indo-Pacific region, Rutte claimed. He welcomed US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's recent trip to Japan to ensure Washington's commitment to strengthen its alliance with Japan and presence in the region. The Japan Times also reported that Rutte is scheduled to hold talks with Defense Minister Gen Nakatani later Tuesday. Ahead of the meeting, the defense chief referred to Rutte's visit as "very meaningful for furthering security and defense cooperation." 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. If Japan chooses to emphasize "continuing to promote practical cooperation" with NATO in the Asia-Pacific region at this time, this would have a detrimental impact on regional security, Lu said. Since Japan states it is promoting a "mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests" with China, it should face up to history and work with China toward the same goals, he added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Insurgent groups seize two major towns in Myanmar's northwest: sources More than 10,000 residents fled across the border into India to escape the fighting, a source said. By RFA Burmese 2025.04.08 -- A rebel army and allied forces near Myanmar's northwestern border with India have seized towns that were previously under the junta control, sources told Radio Free Asia. The Chin Brotherhood captured Chin state's second largest town of Falam, located near the border of Mizoram state in India, according to residents. The rebel group, which is comprised of six allied Chin insurgent armies, began attacks on Falam on Nov. 5, 2024 and seized the junta's remaining Battalion 268 on Monday. "We're continuing clearance operations now," said an official from the Chin Brotherhood, declining to be named for fear of reprisals. "Tomorrow and the following day, we'll release details." More than 10,000 residents fled into India to avoid the clash, he added. Separately, Indaw People's Defense Force also seized control over the town of Indaw in northern Sagaing region, capturing prisoners of war during the battle, said a junta soldier, who declined to be identified for security reasons. "The battle for the town has been ongoing since Aug. 16, they captured it today on April 7," he said. "There were casualties on both sides and about 40 of our soldiers were taken prisoner." The group also seized heavy weapons, a cannon and ammunition, he added. Indaw is located on the Mandalay-Myitkyina highway and is an entry point into Kachin state, making it strategically important, locals said. Insurgent armies are present in six of nine townships in Chin state, including Paletwa, Matupi, Mindat, Kanpetlet and Tonzang. The junta has not commented. Calls to the junta spokesperson Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun and Chin state's spokesperson Aung Cho went unanswered. According to data published by Myanmar Peace Monitor, a website that documents peace and conflict situations in Myanmar, insurgent groups have captured 95 towns nationwide. On March 28, 2025, a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar, causing widespread devastation. As of Monday, the death toll has risen to 3,600, with over 5,000 injured and 160 still missing. Amid rescue efforts, the junta announced a 20-day ceasefire on Wednesday, which was preceded by ceasefire offers from a major rebel group, the Arakan Army, and the exiled civilian National Unity Government, comprised of members of the democratic government ousted in a 2021 coup. But the junta's airstrikes and military checkpoints have hampered rescue efforts, residents told RFA. The junta's top military official said on Monday that international aid groups who want to provide assistance to earthquake-hit areas of Myanmar must gain prior approval from junta authorities. Translated by Kiana Duncan. Edited by Taejun Kang. Copyright 1998-2025, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content April not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Colonel General Aleksandr Fomin, Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, meets with Commander of the Bangladesh Army General Waker-Uz-Zaman 07.04.2025 (19:30) On 7 April 2025, Colonel General Aleksandr Fomin, Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, held a working meeting in Moscow with Commander of the Bangladesh Army General Waker-Uz-Zaman as part of his working visit to the Russian Federation. During the talks, the sides discussed the prospects for bilateral cooperation in the military sphere, as well as expressed mutual intention to further strengthen the established friendly relations between the armies and peoples of Russia and Bangladesh. The meeting was held in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting with Moscow Region Governor Andrei Vorobyov Vladimir Putin held a working meeting with Moscow Region Governor Andrei Vorobyov. The Governor briefed the President on the region's socioeconomic development. April 8, 2025 13:50 The Kremlin, Moscow Before proceeding to the topic of the economy, Andrei Vorobyov reported on the support for participants in the special military operation and their families. The Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation operates productively in the region. In addition, each municipality has divisions dedicated to helping combatants' families. The Foundation has helped 18,000 people, both SMO participants and their families, in resolving their issues. The Time of Heroes federal programme is being implemented and a similar regional project is about to be launched. Rehabilitation centres are operating as are volunteer movement centres that have opened in each town. Work is in progress to provide various kinds of assistance to Belgorod and Kursk. The Governor also reported on the implementation of priority projects in healthcare, specifically the Roshal Children's Centre, which is now operating at full capacity. In 2025, it is performing about 60 surgeries per day, with 115,000 children receiving medical assistance before the end of the year. Additionally, 20,000-25,000 individuals can undergo hospitalisation to receive high-tech assistance, among other services. A large regional hospital with the capacity to treat up to 1,200 patients is being built in Balashikha. It is set to be commissioned in December 2027. The construction of a major hospital will commence in Mytishchi later this year. The Governor also focused on road construction, specifically mentioning crossover roads, multi-level junctions, and a concession scheme for building the South Lytkarino highway. He noted that transport was crucial for the development of the five industrial parks currently under construction. The Governor emphasised plans for upgrading the heat and power supply systems, as well as developing gas infrastructure. A power supply programme has been drafted for the next four years jointly with the Rosseti power grid company, the Energy Ministry, and the Mayor of Moscow. The Governor stressed that the region needs a large electricity supply system. Andrei Vorobyov also reported that approximately 25 schools will be built in 2025 to accommodate the annual influx of 25,000 new students. A major school renovation programme is being implemented. The Governor pointed to the need to increase the number of teachers, particularly in subjects such as maths, Russian, physics, chemistry, and biology. A regionally subsidised social mortgage scheme is available to teachers. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sci-tech conference is held under leadership of Defence Minister Andrei Belousov 08.04.2025 (17:00) The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation saw a sci-tech conference on the exploitation and development of unmanned ground vehicles (UGV), taking into account the experience of the special military operation. Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov chaired the conference. 'In the long run, the role of UGVs will only increase. In the coming years, it will be possible to speak about consolidation of all unmanned systems in all dimensions, operating according to a single plan,' said the Russian Defence Minister. Andrey Belousov noted that several UGVs were supplied to the Russian Armed Forces by enterprises and volunteer organisations last year. 'This year, we're plaining to deliver much more system,' announced the Minister. In addition, he said that today each Groups of Forces has established its own production of UGVs. 'Today, the exhibition had the samples of those robots that are produced in the troops. I'd like to stress, that the systems produced in the troops have the best performances. After the conference, the Minister of Defence has ordered the responsible officials and relevant organisations to work out an order to address shortcomings of the drones basing on the requests from the troops. Moreover, It is necessary to put in place the feedback channel between the troops and the enterprises, integrate unified and standardised components when manufacturing robots, and set the modular principle of robots' production, and design based on the mission. 'We need to analyse constantly the combat employment of the UGVs. It is necessary to form a certain mechanism to improve specifications of the systems, and outline the tactics for combat employment of the UGVs in cooperation with other unmanned systems. The sci-tech conference of the Russian Defence Ministry was attended by representatives of the military department, federal bodies of the executive power, research and scientific organisations of the Russian Defence Ministry and industry enterprises. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Confirms Meeting With Russia On Restoring Embassy Operations By RFE/RL's Russian Service April 09, 2025 Russia and the United States are to resume talks on April 10 in Istanbul on the normalization of their respective diplomatic missions. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters on April 8 that delegations from Moscow and Washington will hold the second round of consultations focused on embassy operations. Bruce said there would be no political or security issues discussed and stressed that the war in Ukraine would "absolutely not" be on the agenda. "These talks are solely focused on our embassy operations, not on normalizing a bilateral relationship overall, which can only happen, as we've noted, once there's peace between Russia and Ukraine," she said. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova previously reported that the Russian delegation would be headed by Russian Ambassador to the United States Aleksandr Darchiyev, and the American delegation would be headed by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Sonata Coulter. The last time Washington and Moscow met in Istanbul was on February 27. Both sides described the first round of talks, which was held behind closed doors, as useful. The American side said afterward that the meeting had defined steps to normalize the functioning of the diplomatic missions of the two countries. The Russian side said it had proposed the restoration of direct flights between the countries. Years of tense relations led to restrictions on diplomatic work in the respective capitals. Many diplomats have been sent home by each side since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. US President Donald Trump has pushed for improved relations since returning to the White House in January. Russia last week sent envoy Kirill Dmitriev to Washington at the invitation of Trump envoy Steve Witkoff. Dmitriev said after the talks that he saw a "positive dynamic" in relations between Moscow and Washington, but differences remain, and several more meetings are needed to resolve them. He also said work was under way on restoring direct flights between Russia and the United States. With reporting by AFP and dpa Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-diplomacy- talks-istanbul-embassy-darchiyev/33377660.html Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Majority of espionage cases involve active, ex-military personnel: NSB ROC Central News Agency 04/08/2025 03:49 PM Taipei, April 8 (CNA) Prosecutors have indicted 159 people suspected of spying for China since 2020, 60 percent of whom are active-duty or retired military personnel, a recent report by the National Security Bureau (NSB) found. The NSB on Tuesday delivered a report on the country's intelligence work and the NSB's operations to the legislature ahead of a scheduled debriefing by NSB Director-General Tsai Ming-yen () at a legislative hearing on Wednesday. According to the report, tactics employed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to get Taiwanese military personnel to conduct espionage include recruiting retired personnel and using them to approach active members, recruiting through the internet, enticing them with payments, and targeting indebted service members. The CCP has been working in collaboration with criminal gangs, shell companies, moneylenders, temples, and civic groups to approach entry-level military personnel with money problems, which shows that it does not only target ranking officers, the report says. Of the 95 active-duty and retired military personnel indicted, 46 were commissioned officers, 27 were noncommissioned officers, and 22 were soldiers, which shows that the CCP has infiltrated all levels of Taiwan's military, according to the report. The NSB said in the report that it would work more closely with other national security apparatuses in researching Chinese infiltration tactics and safeguarding against potential national security risks. It will strengthen the collaboration between investigators, prosecutors, intelligence workers, and military intelligence officers to facilitate investigations into cases related to national security, the NSB added. Also on Tuesday, Defense Minister Wellington Koo () said that one of the measures to improve intelligence security in the military is to step up personnel background checks before individuals are granted access to classified intelligence, regardless of their rank. "Spies for the CCP are indeed everywhere, and they will exhaust all options to get intelligence," Koo told reporters before going into a legislative meeting. Stressing that the armed forces routinely educate service members about countering espionage, Koo noted that 87 percent of espionage cases involving military personnel were reported by active-duty service members. (By Chen Chun-hua, Wu Su-wei and Sean Lin) Enditem/ASG NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan ROC Ministry of National Defense 2025/04/08 PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan 1.Date: 6 a.m. Apr. 7 (Mon.) to 6 a.m. Apr. 8 (Tue.) (UTC+8) 2.PLA activities: 16 sorties of PLA aircraft, 5 PLAN ships, and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 15 out of 16 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern, and eastern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities. 1140408_PLA activities 1140408_PLA air activities in the vicinity of Taiwan NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Norway to provide NOK 5 billion for artillery ammunition for Ukraine Government of Norway Press release | Date: 07/04/2025 Norway will provide NOK 4 billion in funding in 2025 to a Czech-led initiative to supply Ukraine with artillery ammunition. Norway will also provide NOK 1 billion to the European Peace Facility (EPF). 'Ukraine needs a steady supply of artillery shells in order to maintain its fight for freedom against the Russian invading forces. It is important for Norway to contribute to efforts to replenish Ukraine's ammunition stocks,' said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre. 'Ukraine has made it clear to us that there is an urgent need for this type of support, and European countries are working together to meet this need,' said Mr Stre. Support to Ukraine is one of the topics that will be discussed at the meeting between Prime Minister Stre and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels today. The new allocation is Norway's contribution to the ongoing collective financing initiative led by EU High Representative/Vice President Kaja Kallas. NOK 4 billion of the allocation will go to the Czech-led large calibre ammunition initiative, to which Norway also contributed funding in 2024. The funding from Norway will help to increase the volume, and enhance the predictability, of artillery ammunition supplies in 2025. NOK 1 billion for EU efforts to supply artillery ammunition to Ukraine 'We are now strengthening our cooperation with the EU to provide Ukraine with, among other things, more artillery ammunition. Europe must assume greater responsibility for supporting Ukraine in its fight for freedom,' said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre. Norway will provide NOK 1 billion in funding to the European Peace Facility (EPF). Under the EPF, the EU provides military support to Ukraine with a focus on artillery ammunition, air defence and procurements from the Ukrainian defence industry. The funding from Norway will be used for artillery ammunition. 'Norway and the EU have established close, effective cooperation on military assistance to Ukraine. Both our contribution to the European Peace Facility and the joint support for the Czech-led ammunition initiative clearly demonstrate that Europe continues to stand together with Ukraine,' said Mr Stre. The new allocation from Norway is part of the recently announced increase of NOK 50 billion in Norwegian support to Ukraine for 2025. This increase in support is in line with the agreement reached between all the political parties in the Storting and the Norwegian Government in March this year. The expanded funding framework is expected to be formally approved in connection with the Storting's deliberations on the proposition to increase military support to Ukraine in 2025 (Prop. 107 S (2024-2025)). Norway has previously provided funding for the purchase of artillery ammunition for Ukraine and procurements from Norwegian industry, in cooperation with other Nordic countries. Norway has also previously donated artillery shells from the stocks of the Norwegian Armed Forces and has shared Norwegian defence technology with Ukraine to facilitate licensed production of this type of ammunition in Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Estonias Defence Minister in Ukraine: Our Defence Industry Has Much to Gain from Cooperation with Ukraine Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Defence 8. April 2025 - 13:14 Minister of Defence of Estonia, Hanno Pevkur was on a two-day visit to Ukraine to discuss opportunities for developing defence cooperation and Estonia's military aid to Ukraine. The Minister was accompanied on the visit to Kyiv by representatives of more than 30 Estonian defence industry companies. "Estonia's defence industry is certainly strong in all matters related to Unmanned Aerial Systems and technology, including reconnaissance, but our entrepreneurs should not hesitate to look beyond that and seek opportunities in the production of heavier weaponry and ammunition. We undoubtedly have much to learn from the Ukrainians," said Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur, adding that closer ties between the defence industries of the two countries strengthen the security of both. During the visit, a defence industry forum was held where Estonian companies had the opportunity to establish contacts with representatives of nearly 90 Ukrainian defence industry companies and to familiarize themselves with each other's products. "We see that to be successful in Ukraine today, you need to be present here on the ground or have close connections here. Otherwise, you won't bring real battlefield experience back home. Ukraine's experience is what lays the foundation for the rapid development of our own defence industry," Pevkur added. In March, Ukraine presented Estonia with a selection of military aid, which the Estonian government is now procuring from Estonian companies for a total of 100 million. The selection includes Unmanned Aerial and Ground Vehicles, watercraft, medical equipment and supplies offered by Estonian defence firms. Estonia will continue to support Ukraine with at least 0.25% of its GDP annually and is increasing that amount by another quarter this year. The majority of Estonia's military aid is invested in a measure that enables Estonian companies to contribute to Ukraine's victory. In addition, Estonia provides direct material military aid to Ukraine, supports the training of Ukrainian troops, and leads, together with Luxembourg, the IT coalition for aiding Ukraine. During the visit, the Minister of Defence also met with Ukraine's Minister of Defence Rustem Umerov, Minister of Strategic Industries Herman Smetanin, Head of the Defence Intelligence Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, and other key officials to discuss recent developments in Ukraine and the evolving security situation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese Nationals Fighting For Russia Captured In Ukraine, Zelenskyy Claims By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service April 08, 2025 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed Ukrainian armed forces captured two Chinese nationals who were fighting as part of the Russian Army in Ukraine's Donetsk region and called on Kyiv's allies to react to the situation and demand an explanation from Beijing. In a message posted on his Telegram channel on April 8, Zelenskyy alleged the two Chinese citizens were captured during a battle that involved several other Chinese soldiers, all of whom were fighting as part of the Russian army in Donetsk. Since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Beijing has become a close ally. But it has positioned itself as neutral in the conflict -- Beijing has shopped its own peace plans to end the conflict -- and is not publicly known to have directly aided the Kremlin in its war. In an exclusive report in February, RFE/RL identified through a leaked Russian Defense Ministry database the name of a Chinese national who said he fought for Russia, though he declined to give further details. "We have the documents of these prisoners, bank cards, and personal data," Zelenskyy said on Telegram that included images of one of the alleged captured Chinese soldiers. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has yet to comment publicly on the claim by Zelenskyy, who did not give details or say who was commanding the soldiers. US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said the report that Chinese soldiers had been captured in Ukraine was "disturbing." "China is a major enabler of Russia in the war in Ukraine. China provides nearly 80 percent of the dual use items Russia needs to sustain the war," she said. Zelenskyy said preliminary intelligence suggests more Chinese nationals are present within Russian military units operating in Ukraine and that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and relevant military units are "actively working" to confirm the extent of Chinese involvement in the war. The captured Chinese citizens are currently in the custody of the SBU, and investigative and operational procedures are under way. "Russia's involvement of China, along with other countries, whether directly or indirectly, in this war in Europe is a clear signal that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin intends to do anything but end the war," Zelenskyy wrote. Zelenskyy Confirms Troops In Russia's Belgorod The claim came just hours after Zelenskyy acknowledged publicly for the first time that Ukrainian troops are holding positions inside Russia's Belgorod region as Ukraine continued to mark the deaths of several children killed in a Russian air attack last week. Funeral services were held in the Ukrainian city of Kryviy Rih on April 8 for a 3-year-old boy named Timofiy and a 7-year-old girl named Arina, two of the 20 victims -- nine of whom were children -- in the attack. The ages of the dead ranged from 3 to 79. Mourners filed up church stairs and past portraits of the two children as bells rang out across Zelenskyy's hometown after what Mayor Oleksandr Vilkul called the deadliest strike so far on the city in the course of Russia's three-year war on Ukraine. Zelenskyy has called for international pressure and stronger measures to discourage Moscow from continuing such attacks. Ukrainian officials said the missile used cluster munition to maximize casualties to people on the ground, in "a reckless disregard for civilian life," according to UN human rights chief Volker Turk. In a nightly address, Zelenskyy also noted a report from Oleksandr Syrskiy, Ukraine's top commander, "on the front line, our presence in the Kursk region and our presence in the Belgorod region." "We continue active operations in the enemy's border areas and this is absolutely justified. The war must return to where it came from.... Our main objective remains the same: to protect our land and our communities in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions from Russian occupiers," he added. Zelenskyy, who previously had not publicly commented on such operations inside Russia, lauded Ukraine's 225th Assault Regiment for its performance in the region. Russian military bloggers had reported battles in Belgorod region between Russian and Ukrainian troops. Moscow claimed after the Kryviy Rih attack that "no strikes are carried out on social facilities and social infrastructure," reiterating its long-stated response to allegations from Ukrainian officials that the attack constituted a war crime. Eyewitness accounts, official statements, public records, and other open-source materials reviewed by Systema, RFE/RL's Russian-language investigative unit, however, show that the restaurant the Russian military says it targeted because it was hosting a meeting of military units and foreign advisers was actually the site of a beauty industry forum and a birthday party. Russia has denied firing on civilian infrastructure despite daily documented attacks in cities all over Ukraine. The attacks have escalated in scope since the White House began pressuring Russia to agree to a cease-fire with Ukraine in March. Ukraine agreed to accept a US proposal for an initial 30-day cease-fire, following talks in Saudi Arabia, while Russia has said it is still studying the proposal. Moscow and Washington have also announced a deal to limit military activity in the Black Sea region. However, Ukrainian and Russian forces have continued to fire drones and missiles at one another, almost nightly. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-zelenskyy-russia-belgorod- kryviy-rih/33377214.html Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by Russian Defence Ministry 08.04.2025 (13:20) In violation of the Russian-American agreements to cease strikes at energy facilities for 30 days from 18 March 2025, the Kiev regime continues its daily unilateral attacks against the Russian energy infrastructure. In the past 24 hours, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have attacked Russian power facilities twice. Kursk region: On 7 April, at 09:47, a Ukrainian attack UAV damaged overhead cables and the 'Kurskaya AES - Metalurgicheskaya' 750kV high-voltage line (Rosseti branch - the Chernozemnoye enterprise of main electric networks) was powered off. Zaporozhye region: On 7 April, at 09:30, a Ukrainian UAV attacked the 'Novogoryevka' 35kV substation (Tavriya-Enegro state unitary enterprise). As a result of the attack, a radiator of the transformer was damaged. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Kremlin's actions reflect no desire for peace that I can detect: UK statement at the UN Security Council Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine. 8 April 2025 Location: United Nations, New York Delivered on: 8 April 2025 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered) As we've heard on Friday, Russia's ballistic missile attack on Kryvyi Rih struck a residential area in the city, resulting in the deaths of 20 people, including nine children, the youngest of whom was just three years old. At least 70 people were injured. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights described this as the deadliest single strike harming children since the start of the full-scale invasion. As High Commissioner Turk said, this attack was an unimaginable horror, nine children killed, most while playing in a park, as a military weapon exploded into shrapnel above them. We also saw Russia's attacks this weekend on Kharkiv and Kyiv, resulting in at least 5 more civilian deaths and many more injured. So we find ourselves here once again to condemn yet more Russian attacks that have killed and injured many Ukrainian civilians in violation of the UN Charter and in violation of Russia's responsibilities as a permanent member of the UN Security Council. President Putin continues to stall the ceasefire proposal, dragging his feet and insisting on maximalist conditions. While intensifying drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities. Which have now resulted in the deaths of nine more innocent children. The Kremlin's actions reflect no desire for peace that I can detect. They are the actions of a government that remains hell-bent on destroying Ukraine; a government that disdains mediation efforts, and holds cheap the lives of civilians. Under US leadership, a ceasefire proposal is on the table. The ball has been in Russia's court for weeks now. It's time for the Kremlin to stop stalling. It's time they show that they are committed to peace as they claim to be. Because President Zelenskyy has made Ukraine's will clear. He wants to see the war end and has agreed to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire, subject to Russia's agreement. It is time for the killing to stop. It is time for the Kremlin to end its aggression against Ukraine and to uphold its obligations under the UN Charter. It is time for President Putin to agree to a full and immediate ceasefire, as a vital step towards negotiations to end the war for good. So our message to the Kremlin is that we will not be deterred by your reckless and barbaric actions. The UK will continue to stand resolutely by Ukraine to secure a just and lasting peace, in line with the principles of the UN Charter. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia is killing civilians in Ukraine while claiming it wants peace: UK statement to the OSCE Ambassador Holland condemns Russia's 4th April attack on Kryvyi Rih in Ukraine, which killed 20 civilians, including 9 children. If Russia wanted peace it would end these barbaric attacks and commit to an immediate ceasefire. 8 April 2025 Location: Vienna Delivered on: 8 April 2025 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered) Thank you, Mister Chair. We find ourselves here once again to condemn yet another Russian attack that has killed and injured multiple Ukrainian civilians. As we have heard from the Ukrainian Ambassador, Friday's missile attack on Kryvyi Rih resulted in the deaths of 20 people, including nine children; a further 70 people were injured. The youngest victim was just three years old. Our thoughts and sympathies are with the families and loved ones of those affected. The Kremlin claims that it is serious about peace. It has been given an opportunity to demonstrate this by signing up to a ceasefire on equal terms. Not only has it dithered and delayed over President Trump's proposal, its continued barbaric attacks on Ukraine run entirely counter to President Putin's stated desire for peace. Hitting residential areas with missiles is not a sign of wanting peace. Killing children is not a sign of wanting peace. And increasing the number of aerial attacks on Ukrainian civilians, including cities far away from the front line, is not a sign of wanting peace. Friday's attack was a dark chapter in this already senseless war. But it was not an isolated one. It sits alongside the missile strike on the Okhmatdyt children's hospital, the mass civilian casualties caused by the destruction of the supermarket in Kostiantynivka, the massacre in Bucha and many others. Every civilian death in this war is a tragedy. We call on Russia to end these barbaric attacks and commit to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, as Ukraine has done. The United Kingdom, alongside our partners and allies, will continue to provide Ukraine with the military support it needs to defend its citizens. And we stand ready to apply further pressure on Russia using all of the tools at our disposal to hinder its ability to wage this war of aggression. Thank you, Mister Chair. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukrainian Defenders Captured Two Chinese Citizens in the Donetsk Region - The President President of Ukraine 8 April 2025 - 15:30 During a battle in the Donetsk region, Ukrainian defenders captured two Chinese servicemembers who were fighting as part of the Russian army. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced this during a meeting with media representatives. "We captured Chinese servicemembers on Ukrainian territory. Ukrainians engaged in combat with six Chinese servicemembers in the Donetsk region - in Tarasivka and Bilohorivka. Two were taken prisoner. Accordingly, their identification documents, passports, and even their credit cards were found in their possession. These are Chinese citizens," the Head of State said. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that he had instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Defense to contact China for clarification. "This is yet another country providing military support to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Another after Iran and after North Korean troops. But there is a difference: North Koreans fought against us in the Kursk direction, while the Chinese are fighting on Ukrainian territory. I think this is an important issue that we need to discuss with our partners," the President emphasized. The captured Chinese citizens are now in the custody of the Security Service of Ukraine. Relevant investigative and operational actions are ongoing. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Belgium to Provide 1 Billion Defense Package to Ukraine: Volodymyr Zelenskyy Meets with Bart De Wever in Kyiv President of Ukraine 8 April 2025 - 16:47 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, who made Ukraine the destination of his first visit since taking office. The President expressed gratitude to Belgium for its consistent support of Ukraine since the first days of Russia's full-scale invasion. "This includes defense, political, and humanitarian support, in particular support for Ukrainians in Belgium. But most importantly, at the heart of our partnership is a shared sense of justice. Belgium stands with us in believing in the righteousness of our defense and the injustice of Russian aggression," the President said. Volodymyr Zelenskyy extended special thanks to Belgium and Prime Minister De Wever personally for a new 1 billion defense aid package. According to Bart De Wever, Belgium will provide the same amount in military support to Ukraine each year. Accompanying the Prime Minister were representatives from ten Belgian defense companies. One of the key topics of the meeting was joint arms production and investment in Ukraine's defense industry. "We need to help Ukraine build greater self-defense capabilities and also prepare Europe for potential future aggression from Russia. It's essential that we work together so that the private sector sees attractive opportunities to invest and help expand our collective defense manufacturing capabilities," the Prime Minister of Belgium said. The Ukrainian President also highlighted Belgium's role in strengthening Ukraine's air force, adding that work is ongoing to secure the delivery of F-16 fighter jets. He also emphasized Ukraine's appreciation for Belgium's support of its EU membership bid. "The EU with Ukraine will definitely have greater potential. And the same goes for NATO. The Alliance is definitely more powerful with Ukraine in it. I am confident this understanding will eventually be shared by the entire Alliance. But we are already working on security guarantees for Ukraine, and, in particular, Belgium is among the countries committed to participating in the coalition of those willing and capable of guaranteeing security," Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized. The two leaders also discussed the issue of maintaining sanctions against Russia. "It's crucial for us that all sanctions - including those related to the shadow fleet, energy, and frozen assets - remain in place, so that Russia is not absolved of anything. We share the same understanding: these funds must not go back to Russia," the Head of State emphasized. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Bart De Wever Meet with Representatives of Ukrainian and Belgian Defense Industries President of Ukraine 8 April 2025 - 20:48 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of Belgium Bart De Wever held a meeting with representatives of Ukrainian and Belgian defense companies, and also viewed Ukrainian-made defense equipment, in particular reconnaissance and strike UAVs, ground-based robotic systems, and naval drones. Minister for Strategic Industries Herman Smetanin, Presidential Advisor on Strategic Issues Oleksandr Kamyshin, and Deputy Minister for Strategic Industries Anna Gvozdiar provided information on the characteristics and potential applications of these systems. The leaders also met with representatives of ten leading Belgian defense companies. Discussions focused on the development of Ukraine's defense industry, opportunities for joint production, and the localization of manufacturing in Ukraine. "We are very proud that our industry has contributed so significantly to the defense of Ukraine, to the protection of our civilians, and of course, to supporting our army. All these 'birds' are very important to us - and very dangerous for the Russians. I believe that new projects between us - between our industries, our private sectors, and our governments - are extremely important for Ukraine's survival and for increasing our shared production. And of course, they are very important for the future, for the future security of all of Europe," President Zelenskyy said. Bart De Wever noted that Europe must rearm, yet there are currently challenges in scaling up production capacity. "It would be strange that Ukraine, where a lot of capacities are needed, would not play a crucial factor also in producing and rearming Europe. So it's a very logical cooperation. It is a bilaterally beneficial cooperation. It's something we need to get done," the Prime Minister of Belgium emphasized. In the presence of Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Bart De Wever, a Memorandum and a Letter of Intent were signed regarding cooperation between Belgian and Ukrainian defense companies. The documents envisage the expansion of joint production and the technical maintenance of air defense systems. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Andriy Yermak Holds Call with UK Prime Minister's National Security Adviser President of Ukraine 8 April 2025 - 22:17 Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak held a phone conversation with National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Jonathan Powell. The primary focus of the conversation was the security situation and joint efforts with partners aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace for Ukraine. In particular, both sides highlighted the importance of last week's visit to Ukraine by the Chiefs of Defense of France and the United Kingdom. Andriy Yermak and Jonathan Powell also discussed the implementation of the agreements reached between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Additionally, the parties discussed the need to step up efforts on the humanitarian track with the involvement of international mediators. This includes securing the release of all military and civilian prisoners, as well as the return of Ukrainian children illegally deported and displaced by Russia. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Belgium to Facilitate the Return of Ukrainian Children Deported and Forcibly Displaced by Russia President of Ukraine 8 April 2025 - 22:27 A meeting was held at the Child Rights Protection Center in Kyiv between representatives of Ukraine involved in the return of Ukrainian children deported and forcibly displaced by Russia and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever. Representing Ukraine were: Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights; Dariia Zarivna, Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President and COO of Bring Kids Back UA; and Daria Herasymchuk, Advisor - Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights and Child Rehabilitation. "Belgium's presence in the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children is a powerful gesture of solidarity. And today, we are counting on Belgium's practical support in implementing real projects, particularly in the reintegration of returned children," said Dariia Zarivna. She reminded attendees that President Zelenskyy's Bring Kids Back UA initiative is aimed at the return of all Ukrainian children who were illegally deported or forcibly displaced, and at establishing a new global agenda for the protection of children in armed conflicts. The meeting included discussion of potential Belgian support for several initiatives: the creation of a Child and Family Support Center that would serve as a temporary reception point for children returning to Ukraine and provide emergency services; the "Return the Family" program focused on reuniting children with their families or placing them with Ukrainian foster families; and the modernization of a rehabilitation center in the Chernivtsi region for children with disabilities and ensuring their physical and psychosocial recovery. Dmytro Lubinets stressed the need to consolidate efforts to create various mechanisms to pressure the Russian Federation to return Ukrainian children, systematically monitor the situation with children's rights in the temporarily occupied territories and actively use diplomacy to return deported children and release civilian hostages. Daria Herasymchuk emphasized the importance of the UN Security Council's Children and Armed Conflict mechanism, which documents grave violations of children's rights in war zones. "Russia has already appeared twice on the 'list of shame' for its crimes. This year, it must be listed for a third time - after which, within this mechanism, the UN Security Council is to begin applying special sanctions against the Russian Federation," she stressed. The Prime Minister of Belgium spoke with children who had been successfully returned to Ukraine. They shared their personal stories of what they endured and their dreams of living in a free Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine crisis: 'Even wars have rules,' UN relief chief tells Security Council 8 April 2025 - Nearly 13 million people in Ukraine urgently need humanitarian aid as displacement, psychological trauma and the destruction of essential services continues to take a devastating toll, the UN relief chief warned on Tuesday. Briefing the Security Council, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher called on the international community to step up support and do more to protect civilians under fire. In recent weeks, continued Russian strikes on cities have seen civilian casualties rise - including children - and damaged critical infrastructure including healthcare facilities, apartments, schools and playgrounds. Mr. Fletcher noted the strike on Friday in the densely populated city of Kryvyi Rih in the Dnipro region, in which at least nine children were killed, according to Ukrainian authorities. "This brutal pattern of civilian death and destruction in populated areas must stop," he said. He said parties to the conflict must protect civilians and civilian infrastructure as required under international humanitarian law. "Indiscriminate attacks on them are strictly prohibited: there must be limits to how war is waged." Displacement and desperation The war continues to drive mass displacement, with nearly 3.7 million Ukrainians uprooted from their homes inside the country, and a further seven million now living as refugees. Civilian casualties and infrastructure damage has also been reported in the Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk regions of Russia. In addition, humanitarians are unable to reach an estimated 1.5 million civilians in Russian-occupied areas of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia. "International humanitarian law demands that the parties facilitate the rapid, unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need, wherever they are," Mr. Fletcher emphasised. The impact on women has been particularly severe. Critical aid programmes at risk There has been a staggering 36 per cent increase in gender-based violence, alongside rising maternal health risks. Alarmingly, nearly half of all births in Ukraine since 2022 have been pre-term, a sign of the immense stress and hardship endured by expecting mothers. Despite the soaring needs, the $2.6 billion UN-led humanitarian response plan in Ukraine has received only about 17 per cent of funds needed. Mr. Fletcher warned that without additional financial support, critical aid programmes will be scaled back, leaving millions without food, healthcare or shelter. In response to funding shortfalls, humanitarians are prioritising four key areas: supporting frontline communities, emergency response, facilitating evacuations, and assisting the displaced. Mr. Fletcher stressed the need for increased financial support to ensure humanitarian operations can continue reaching those most in need. "If you cannot stop the attacks on civilians - in Ukraine and elsewhere - at least give us the security we need and resources to save as many survivors as we can," he urged. Ukraine 'undermining' US-Russia dialogue: Nebenzia Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said that Ukrainian media continue to portray his country as deliberately attempting to undermine peace efforts. "It is clear that in these attempts, the goal is to undermine American-Russian dialogue and torpedo the potential agreements that the Kyiv regime will have to accept," he said, adding that statements from Ukraine are "far removed from reality". He stated that Russia is ready for serious and practical dialogue, but "we will not allow anyone to deceive us". "We will not allow anyone to use this negotiating process in the interest of strengthening the regime's military potential," Ambassador Nebenzia said. US committed to just and lasting peace: Shea Speaking for the United States, Acting Representative Dorothy Shea, said that her country is committed to achieving a just and lasting peace. She noted that in bilateral engagements with both Russia and Ukraine, the US has proposed a comprehensive ceasefire. "To achieve the goal of peace, both Ukraine and Russia must fully implement the ceasefire commitments they have already made in Riyadh," she added, noting that these initial steps, if fully implemented, will protect lives and improve livelihoods. Even more importantly, she said, they could offer a basis for expanding a comprehensive ceasefire and negotiation towards a final, durable peace. "We call on Russia and Ukraine to fulfill their commitments. The world is watching. We call on both sides to exercise restraint and demonstrate their commitment to peace is real." Russia must be held accountable: Ukraine Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, Deputy Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN, said that Russia must be held accountable for its invasive actions in her country. "To end this war, it is necessary to put pressure on them - real pressure - without wasting time on empty talk," she said. "A resolute international response to Russian atrocities is crucial. Such terror must never become the norm," she added. Ms. Hayovyshyn further stated that Russia must respond to the US proposal for an immediate, interim 30-day full ceasefire - which her country has accepted - and end its war of aggression against Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In 'Era of Savage Cuts', UN Aid Chief Urges Security Council to Provide Security, Resources for Saving as Many Survivors Possible from Russian Air Strikes in Ukraine Meetings Coverage Security Council 9893rd Meeting (AM) SC/16040 8 April 2025 Strike in Dnipro Region Last Friday Marks Deadliest Attack Involving Children Russian Federation airstrikes in Ukraine continue to kill and maim civilians including children at a playground last week the United Nations top humanitarian official told the Security Council today. In what he called an "era of savage cuts", he also appealed to Council members to provide at least the security and resources needed to save as many survivors of this war as possible. "A massive strike in the densely populated city of Kryvyi Rih in the Dnipro region last Friday resulted in multiple civilian casualties," said Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator addressing the 15-member Council. According to local authorities, 18 civilians were killed including nine children and 75 others injured when a children's playground and nearby residential area were struck. The Office for the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) in Ukraine, which verified many of the casualties, confirmed it was the single deadliest attack involving children since the start of the war in February 2022. Fighting has also continued unabated in the frontline regions of Kherson, Kharkiv, Donetsk and in the border areas of Sumy, where more than 90 civilian casualties were recorded last week alone. From 24 February 2022 to 31 March 2025, OHCHR has verified at least 12,910 civilian deaths, including 682 children, and nearly 30,700 injuries across Ukraine, he said. Meanwhile, 3.7 million people remain internally displaced, with new waves of displacement in the country's north-east, and nearly 7 million Ukrainian refugees recorded worldwide. The UN remains unable to access an estimated 1.5 million civilians in Russian-occupied areas of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia. Underscoring the plight of women in this war, he said that since February 2022, pre-term births have accounted for nearly half of all deliveries, putting both mothers and newborns at high risk. Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has surged by 36 per cent, with displaced and refugee women suffering the most severe mental health challenges and facing critical gaps in protection and care, he warned. Despite Scale of Crisis, $2.6 Billion Ukraine Humanitarian Response Plan for 2025 Only 17 Per Cent Funded Despite the scale of this crisis, only 17 per cent of the $2.6 billion required for the 2025 Ukraine Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan has been secured. As a result, the UN is prioritizing limited resources for frontline support, emergency response, evacuations, and aid for the displaced but more funding is urgently needed. "We welcome the announcement of a ceasefire focused on energy infrastructure, as well as negotiations to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea," Fletcher said. But as talks continue, so do the bombardments. Indiscriminate attacks are strictly prohibited under international law, he recalled. "Even wars have rules," he also stressed, urging the Council to ensure that "this era of increasingly belligerent, transactional, self-defeating, nationalism is not also remembered as one of callous impunity and brutal indifference, in which the rights of civilians are discarded again and again with a shrug". Russian Federation's Representative: Strike on Kryvyi Rih was Precision Missile strike on Military Meeting of Unit Commanders and Western Instructors In the ensuing discussion, the Russian Federation's delegate said the strike on Kryvyi Rih was a precision missile strike on a military meeting of unit commanders and Western instructors. The strike succeeded in damaging the command of the Ukrainian forces, he said, adding that a gathering of service members and Western officers is a legitimate target for his country's army. The fact that a military meeting was happening in a civilian area shows that the Ukrainian army is using civilians as human shields, he said, adding that Ukrainian eyewitnesses have confirmed that a cluster munition was not used. Dismissing the efforts of the "Ukrainian propaganda machine" regarding this and other strikes, he said video clips by ordinary citizens refute their claims. Civilians must stay far away from gatherings of military officers, he said, adding that Ukrainians are not being told the truth Kyiv is milking the tragedy that it is responsible for. Nor will the Ukrainians be told of the continuous shelling of Russian border towns, he said. The goal of Ukraine and Western countries is to undermine the Russian Federation-United States dialogue, he said, adding: "What you are doing is far too obvious." The ceasefire cannot be misused so "Ukraine can lick its wounds and resume its war", he said, adding that it is essential to do away with the root causes. No one will be allowed to use the negotiation process to strengthen Ukraine's military the demilitarization of that country is essential, he stressed. The United States representative said that in its bilateral engagements between both Russian Federation and Ukraine, the United States had tabled a proposal in March. While Ukraine was ready to accept, she recalled, Russian Federation representatives insisted on a more limited agreement which would cover only strikes on energy infrastructure and the elimination of the use of force in the Black Sea. She called on both the Russian Federation and Ukraine to exercise restraint and demonstrate their commitment to peace. The Russian Federation must bear in mind that strikes like the one on Kryvyi Rih and executions of prisoners of war have the potential to damage peace efforts. "We will ultimately judge President Putin's commitment to peace by Russia's actions," she stated. Ukraine's Representative: Russian President Vladimir Putin Does Not Want to End War "We can see that Putin does not want to end the war; he is looking for ways to preserve the option of reigniting it in any moment with even greater force," Ukraine's delegate said. Moscow has "not moved one inch away from its genocidal and maximalist war aims". On the other hand, Ukraine has taken concrete steps towards peace, while the Russian Federation "continues to drag its feet and commit atrocities". "Every missile, every strike killing people every day proves that Russia only wants war," she went on to say. Moscow has not only failed to cease its attacks on Ukrainian civilians, but it has also significantly escalated the scale of its assaults. On 4 April, a missile landed near a playground, tearing through homes, schools and restaurants, killing 20 people, including nine children. She rejected Moscow's falsehoods about alleged military targets in the area. "All witnesses and footages from cameras inside and outside the local restaurant debunk Russian representatives' lies and disinformation," she said. It confirms that there was no military presence in the restaurant or in the surrounding area at the time of the strike. Staying silent about the fact that the Russian Federation is killing children with ballistic missiles is wrong and dangerous. "It only emboldens the scum in Moscow to continue the war and keep ignoring diplomacy," she said. Several European Speakers Criticize Russian Federation Several speakers from Europe strongly criticized the Russian Federation, with Denmark's delegate stating that Moscow's deliberate delays and new preconditions raised for even a partial ceasefire seem particularly cynical given reports that the missile that struck Kryvyi Rih was fired from the Black Sea. "Russia has said it only attacks military targets", but the missile strike on Kryvyi Rih on 4 April hit residential buildings and a playground. "We heard claims that a high precision strike has been launched to target a military group that was meeting at a restaurant at the time trying to justify it as a military target," Slovenia's delegate said. But these claims have been disproved. "Russia is not negotiating in good faith; it's procrastinating, and its goal continues to be the capitulation of Ukraine," echoed France's delegate, Council President for April. But France and other Europeans "are not sitting on our hands" and continue to work to secure a just and lasting peace. "It is time for the Kremlin to end its aggression against Ukraine and to uphold its obligations under the UN Charter and it is time for President Putin to agree to a full and immediate ceasefire," added the United Kingdom's representative. The representative of the European Union, speaking in its capacity as observer, stressed that "there can be no negotiations on Ukraine without Ukraine, and no negotiations that affect European security without Europe". He reaffirmed the bloc's unwavering support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. There is no doubt "who truly seeks peace and who instead is determined to prolong a ruthless war of territorial conquest", Czechia's delegate added. "Moscow is trying to falsely present itself as a victim" and expecting the world to provide security assurances, "preferably at the expense of legitimate security interests of its neighbours", Poland's representative also stated. Focus on Plight of Children Estonia's delegate, speaking also for Latvia and Lithuania, said that Moscow has killed over 600 Ukrainian children since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, while the real numbers might be higher. That country deserves to be listed in the annexes of the annual Children and Armed Conflicts report for carrying out grave violations against children in Ukraine. Other Council members, including the delegates of Pakistan, Guyana and Panama, echoed concerns for children living under conflict in Ukraine, with the latter underscoring that "children must never be targets in a war". Global Impact of War in Ukraine: Food Insecurity, Energy Crises Some speakers shared ways the war in Ukraine was affecting them with Algeria's delegate stating that the food insecurity and energy crises resulting from this conflict also hits the civilian population in other regions around the world. Greece's delegate pointed out that freedom of navigation in the Black Sea will be a crucial contribution to global food security and supply chains. The representative of the Republic of Korea expressed concern that the military cooperation between the Russian Federation and Democratic People's Republic of Korea "is intensifying rather than waning", as exemplified by last month's high-level reaffirmation in Pyongyang to implement their Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Momentum for Peace Talks Other Council members, including the delegate from China, said that although the situation on the battlefield remains complicated, the momentum for peace talks has emerged. "The window of peace is opening," he stated, adding that talks must address the root causes of the crisis. The Ukraine conflict is complex and restoring peace will require persistent efforts. "The path forward requires sustained commitment to diplomatic solutions and unwavering adherence to intentional humanitarian law," echoed Somalia's delegate. His counterpart from Sierra Leone urged negotiators and intermediators to approach ceasefire discussions objectively, mindful of the contextual underpinnings of this conflict. "We call on all parties to negotiate in good faith in the US-led talks, taking into consideration the legitimate concerns involving both parties," she said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address New York City, April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a rapidly expanding skincare market flooded with questionable solutions and ineffective topical remedies, one product is consistently standing out for its efficacy, safety, and customer satisfaction. DermaClear Serum, a dermatologist-recommended formula, has emerged as the best skin tag remover of 2025, offering consumers a natural, painless, and fast-acting option for removing skin tags from the comfort of home. 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These ingredients work synergistically to eliminate skin tags painlessly and efficiently. Fast Results: Most users report visible results within 7 to 14 days. The serum begins drying out the skin tag upon the first few applications, leading to a noticeable reduction in size and color. Safe for All Skin Types: Whether your skin is dry, oily, or sensitive, DermaClear is dermatologist-tested and proven to be safe for use on all skin types. At-Home Convenience: There is no need for costly dermatologist visits or painful surgical removals. DermaClear is the best over-the-counter skin tag remover available for those seeking privacy and comfort. No Scarring or Side Effects: Unlike cryotherapy or cauterization, DermaClear promotes healing without damaging the surrounding skin, ensuring a scar-free finish. Derma Clear - Best Skin Tag Remover [Product Snapshot] Product Type : Skin health topical solution : Skin health topical solution Form : Liquid drops : Liquid drops Main Ingredients : Sanguinaria Canadensis (Bloodroot), Zincum Muriaticum (Zinc Chloride) : Sanguinaria Canadensis (Bloodroot), Zincum Muriaticum (Zinc Chloride) Bottle Size : 30 mL : 30 mL How to Use : Follow the directions on the product label for proper application : Follow the directions on the product label for proper application Manufacturing Standards: Made in the USA in FDA-registered and GMP-certified facilities Key Benefits: Natural formula Removes skin tags, moles, and blemishes Safe for all skin types Fast-acting, with visible results often reported within 8 hours No pain, no surgery, non-invasive Customer Feedback: Mostly positive Reported Side Effects: None reported Price: As low as $39.99 per bottle Bonuses: No bonus gifts included Refund Policy: 60-day money-back guarantee Availability: Only available through the official website Official Website: Click here to order What is Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover? Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover is a breakthrough product designed to facilitate the painless removal of skin tags, moles, and other blemishes. Crafted from all-natural ingredients, this serum works by stimulating the body's immune response, promoting the elimination of unwanted skin growths. The formulation is designed for easy application, allowing users to target specific areas without the need for invasive treatments or surgeries. In just a few drops, Derma Clear penetrates the skin, triggering a natural healing process that results in the gradual fading and removal of blemishes. Many users report visible results within hours, making it one of the fastest-acting skin care solutions available. The product is suitable for individuals of all skin types, ensuring that everyone can benefit from its soothing and effective formula. With its combination of natural ingredients and rapid results, Derma Clear has gained popularity among those seeking a reliable solution to skin imperfections. Who Specifically is Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover For? Adults With Unwanted Skin Tags, Moles, or Blemishes If you're dealing with visible skin imperfections like skin tags, small moles, or dark spots, Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover is made for you. It offers a gentle yet effective way to address these concerns without lasers, freezing, or surgery. Those Looking for a Natural Skin Tag Solution Many individuals prefer to avoid harsh chemicals or invasive procedures. Derma Clear uses plant-based ingredients like Sanguinaria Canadensis and Zincum Muriaticum, making it a great choice for those who want a natural, non-prescription alternative. Busy People Who Want Fast Results at Home This topical solution is ideal for anyone with a tight schedule who wants visible results without multiple trips to the dermatologist. Its easy to apply, fast-acting, and designed for use in the comfort of your own home. Seniors Managing Age-Related Skin Changes As we age, skin tags and moles tend to appear more frequently. Derma Clear is a safe option for older adults looking to maintain smooth, healthy skin and reduce the appearance of age-related growths. Men and Women Seeking an Affordable Skin Tag Remover Cosmetic procedures can be expensive. Derma Clear offers a cost-effective option that doesnt sacrifice quality, safety, or effectiveness. Anyone Who Wants Clearer Skin Without Harsh Treatments If youre sensitive to synthetic ingredients or want to avoid scars and irritation, this formula supports clear, healthy skin without the need for harsh peels or acids. Overall, Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover is an inclusive product that accommodates a diverse group of users, making it a go-to solution for anyone seeking effective, natural skin care. Does Derma Clear Work? Yes, Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover does work effectively for many users. The product's formulation is designed to penetrate the skin and stimulate the body's immune response, targeting unwanted moles and skin tags. Users have reported seeing results within hours of application, with many experiencing significant improvements in the appearance of their skin within just a few days. The active ingredients, Sanguinaria Canadensis and Zincum Muriaticum, play a crucial role in this process. Sanguinaria Canadensis promotes a rush of white blood cells to the area of the blemish, facilitating its removal. Meanwhile, Zincum Muriaticum creates a protective scab over the treated area, allowing the healing process to begin. This dual action not only aids in removing skin tags and moles but also supports overall skin health. Customer testimonials further support the effectiveness of Derma Clear, as many users share their success stories of blemish-free skin after using the product. However, results may vary based on individual skin types and the severity of blemishes, but the overwhelming majority of users find Derma Clear to be a reliable solution. What Customers Are Saying Thousands of verified buyers have shared positive reviews for DermaClear, citing its effectiveness, gentle nature, and visible results. Keywords like "DermaClear reviews," "DermaClear before and after," and "Is DermaClear legit" continue to trend as consumers share their satisfaction with the serums consistent performance. I tried everything from freezing kits to apple cider vinegar, but nothing worked until I found DermaClear. It removed skin tags on my neck within 10 days and didnt leave a mark! Verified Amazon Buyer Smooth, clear skin starts with Derma Clearorder online today. Feature DermaClear Serum Freezing Kits Surgical Removal Home Remedies Pain-Free Application Yes No No Varies Safe for Face & Neck Yes Sometimes Yes Not Recommended Over-the-Counter Availability Yes Yes No (Requires Doctor) Yes Natural Ingredients Yes No No Yes Scar-Free Finish Yes No No Rarely What are the Ingredients in Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover? Sanguinaria Canadensis (Bloodroot): Traditional Plant with Aggressive Dermal Activity Botanical Origins and Historical Use Sanguinaria Canadensis is a flowering plant native to eastern North America. Historically used by Native Americans and early herbalists, it was often incorporated into poultices and salves for its escharotic propertiesmeaning it can induce tissue death and slough off growths like warts or skin tags. The U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) documents historical usage of Sanguinaria, noting its widespread use in early American folk medicine for treating benign skin irregularities and even tumors. Bioactive Compounds and Mechanism of Action Bloodroot contains a variety of alkaloids, most notably sanguinarine, which exhibits cytotoxic, antimicrobial, and escharotic activities. According to MDedge Dermatology, sanguinarine is believed to penetrate epithelial tissue and disrupt cellular membranes, ultimately inducing apoptosis (programmed cell death) in targeted abnormal skin cells. However, this process must be carefully moderated. A 2015 Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology case study noted that uncontrolled application of Bloodroot (as in unregulated black salve formulas) can result in collateral tissue damage, underscoring the need for precision formulations like Derma Clear, which aim to contain and direct its potency. Key Benefits for Skin Health Targeted Necrosis of Skin Tags & Moles : The primary advantage lies in its ability to dissolve skin anomalies without surgery. : The primary advantage lies in its ability to dissolve skin anomalies without surgery. Antibacterial and Antiseptic Properties : Sanguinarine may inhibit bacterial colonization on the skins surface, reducing the risk of infection. : Sanguinarine may inhibit bacterial colonization on the skins surface, reducing the risk of infection. Natural Escharotic Agent: Its ability to create a controlled scab allows natural healing mechanisms to replace damaged skin. Zincum Muriaticum: Homeopathic Mineral with Deep Cleansing Potential What Is Zincum Muriaticum? Zincum Muriaticum, or Zinc Chloride, is a mineral salt traditionally used in homeopathic remedies for skin eruptions, itching, and inflammation. While it lacks robust clinical validation in PubMed-indexed studies for treating skin tags specifically, anecdotal reports and alternative health sources like the Skincell Pro Review highlight its inclusion in formulations for its disinfectant and binding effects. Mechanism of Action in Skin Treatments Zincum Muriaticum is believed to offer keratolytic properties, helping to break down keratin (the protein in skin) and remove dead tissue. Furthermore, it has astringent qualities, meaning it can tighten skin, shrink pores, and reduce localized inflammation. Key Benefits for Skin Health Purification of Skin Surface : Acts as a mild antiseptic and detoxifier. : Acts as a mild antiseptic and detoxifier. Astringent Effects : Promotes skin tightening and reduces recurrence of skin tags. : Promotes skin tightening and reduces recurrence of skin tags. Wound Recovery Support: Zinc ions play a role in collagen synthesis and cellular repair, aiding post-removal skin healing. Synergistic Interaction: Why Sanguinaria and Zincum Work Better Together Though no peer-reviewed studies as of 2025 conclusively prove the synergy of Sanguinaria and Zincum Muriaticum in skin tag or mole removal, the homeopathic and dermatological logic behind their combined usage is noteworthy. 1. Dual Action Target and Repair Sanguinaria initiates the breakdown of unwanted skin growths, while Zincum Muriaticum supports the detoxification of affected areas and reinforces the skins natural healing barrier. 2. Reduced Risk of Secondary Infection The antimicrobial aspects of both ingredients create an unfavorable environment for microbial growth, supporting clean healing. 3. Minimized Scarring Controlled escharotic action (via Bloodroot) combined with regenerative support (from Zincum) may lower the likelihood of scar formation or skin hyperpigmentation compared to mechanical or surgical removal methods. Say goodbye to molesDerma Clear works painlessly at home. Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover Benefits All-Natural Formula One of the standout benefits of Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover is its all-natural formulation. In an age where consumers are increasingly conscious of the ingredients in their skin care products, Derma Clear offers peace of mind. The absence of harsh chemicals and synthetic additives makes it a safe choice for individuals who prioritize natural health solutions. The combination of Sanguinaria Canadensis and Zincum Muriaticum reflects a commitment to using nature's best resources for skin care. This approach not only reduces the risk of adverse reactions but also aligns with the growing trend towards holistic wellness. Removes Skin Tags Safely & Painlessly Derma Clear excels in providing a safe and painless method for removing skin tags and moles. Unlike surgical procedures that can involve pain, downtime, and potential complications, this serum allows users to achieve results from the comfort of their own homes. The application process is straightforward, and many users report minimal discomfort, if any. By offering a non-invasive solution, Derma Clear empowers individuals to take control of their skin health without the fear associated with surgical removal. Works on All Skin Types Another significant advantage of Derma Clear is its versatility. The serum is formulated to be effective on all skin types, making it accessible to a wide range of users. Whether you have sensitive, oily, or dry skin, Derma Clear can provide a solution without worrying about adverse effects. This inclusivity is essential for a product aimed at addressing common skin concerns, ensuring that everyone can benefit from its use. Fast Acting Results From 8 Hours One of the most appealing features of Derma Clear is its rapid action. Users can expect to see results within as little as eight hours after application. This quick turnaround time sets Derma Clear apart from other products on the market, which can often take weeks or even months to show results. The fast-acting nature of the serum makes it a convenient choice for those eager to regain their clear skin swiftly. Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover: Pros and Cons Pros All-Natural Ingredients: Derma Clear is made from safe, natural components that minimize the risk of side effects. Derma Clear is made from safe, natural components that minimize the risk of side effects. Easy to Use: The application process is straightforward, allowing users to treat their skin at home effortlessly. The application process is straightforward, allowing users to treat their skin at home effortlessly. Fast Results: Many users report improvements within hours, making it a quick solution for skin blemishes. Many users report improvements within hours, making it a quick solution for skin blemishes. Suitable for All Skin Types: The formulation is designed to work effectively on various skin types without causing irritation. The formulation is designed to work effectively on various skin types without causing irritation. Cost-Effective: Compared to surgical options, Derma Clear offers an affordable way to remove skin tags and moles. Cons Individual Results May Vary: While many users experience success, some may not see the same results due to varying skin types and conditions. While many users experience success, some may not see the same results due to varying skin types and conditions. Requires Consistent Application: For best results, users must follow the recommended application guidelines diligently. For best results, users must follow the recommended application guidelines diligently. Availability: Derma Clear is only sold through the official website, which may limit accessibility for some users. Everything Customers Should Know Before They Buy DermaClear Serum - A Transparent Look at Pricing Options for the Best Skin Tag Remover DermaClear Serum has quickly become one of the best skin tag removers on the market thanks to its fast results, natural formulation, and suitability for sensitive areas. Those looking to buy DermaClear Serum can choose from several pricing options designed to suit different needs and budgets: 6-Bottle Bundle: $239.99 (equivalent to $39.99 per bottle) best overall value $239.99 (equivalent to $39.99 per bottle) best overall value 4-Bottle Package: $189.99 (or $47.49 per bottle) popular among repeat customers $189.99 (or $47.49 per bottle) popular among repeat customers 2-Bottle Starter Pack: $129.99 (just $64.99 per bottle) ideal for first-time users Restore clear skinshop Derma Clear now with a 60-day guarantee. Each package includes free shipping, and payment is processed in full at checkout. DermaClear reviews consistently praise the product for its ease of use and compatibility with all skin types. Monthly Refill Program: Convenient Delivery of the Fastest Skin Tag Remover For those seeking continuous support in managing unwanted skin tags, DermaClear offers a monthly delivery program. Once the initial order is placed, the subscription begins and continues every 30 days. This convenient service ensures that customers never run out of their favorite product, providing a sense of security and peace of mind. Customers receive the same quantity of product selected when making their first purchase. Recurring prices by bundle include: 2 Bottles: $129.99/month $129.99/month 4 Bottles: $189.99/month $189.99/month 6 Bottles: $239.99/month This program is ideal for individuals looking for long-term results from a product considered by many to be the fastest skin tag remover available today. Customers can cancel their subscriptions at any time by contacting support. Shipping Expectations for DermaClear Skin Tag Remover DermaClear Serum is known for its performance and quick and reliable shipping. Orders are typically processed within 24 hours, and packages arrive in 5 to 7 business days. All purchases include free shipping and tracking. While DermaClear makes every effort to ensure prompt delivery, some factorssuch as weather or carrier delaysmay affect shipping timelines. Customer Support and Contact Information Whether customers need assistance with a new order, help managing a subscription, or details about a return, DermaClear's dedicated support team is available. Support hours run from Monday through Saturday, 9 AM to 9 PM EST, and representatives can be reached toll-free at 1-855-603-6436. Searches such as "Is DermaClear legit?" and "Where to buy DermaClear skin tag remover" continue to trend, reinforcing the brand's growing presence and reputation. Optional Add-On: DermaClear Anti-Wrinkle Serum During checkout, customers may be offered the opportunity to include DermaClear Anti-Wrinkle, a complementary skincare product designed to support overall skin health. Price: $59.99 (includes free shipping) (includes free shipping) One-time 30-day supply 100% satisfaction guarantee Ships with the initial order The anti-wrinkle serum is available as a one-time purchase and can be canceled before fulfillment by contacting customer support. Returns and Refund Policy for DermaClear Serum Simple Return Process Backed by a 100% Guarantee DermaClear is committed to your satisfaction. Customers can request a refund up to 60 days from the original purchase date. To qualify, they must return the productused or unusedand contact the customer service team by phone to begin the process. This straightforward process is designed to ensure that every customer is happy with their purchase. Returns are subject to the following: Processing Fee: $9.95 per order if the payment has already been completed $9.95 per order if the payment has already been completed Restocking Fee: $8.95 per unopened item returned in good condition This refund structure allows the company to maintain free shipping and keep overall product costs affordable for customers. Product Suitability and Medical Considerations DermaClear prioritizes your safety and well-being. Individuals who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or managing medical conditions should consult a healthcare provider before using DermaClear Serum. The product is designed for adult use only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any medical condition. For these reasons, refunds are not available after a completed purchase. This information is provided to ensure that every customer can use our product with confidence and peace of mind. Why DermaClear Serum Continues to Lead the Market DermaClear Serum has consistently led the market due to its ease of use, fast action, and visible results. It's a top-rated skin tag removal product because it's safe for the face and neck, non-invasive, and backed by a satisfaction guarantee. Thousands of satisfied customers have experienced the benefits of our natural formulation, which works without harsh chemicals or painful procedures. Customers searching for a natural skin tag remover that works without harsh chemicals or painful procedures are encouraged to explore the latest bundles and limited-time offers directly through the official website. Restore clear skinshop Derma Clear now with a 60-day guarantee. Each bottle of Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover contains 30 mL of product, designed for topical use. Many users report seeing visible changes within just a few days of consistent application. Customer Support Contact Information For questions related to product use, order tracking, billing, or returns, reach out to the Derma Clear customer care team: Company: Derma Clear Email:Care@DermaClearStore.comPhone (Toll-Free): 1-855-603-6436 Customer Service Hours: Monday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM EST More Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover Actual User Reviews and Testimonials Many users have taken to social media and product review platforms to share their experiences with Derma Clear. For example, Liza from New York expressed, "I was skeptical at first, but after a few days of using Derma Clear, I noticed my mole was fading. It's incredible how well it worked!" Similarly, Annabelle from Virginia shared, "I've tried countless creams, but nothing worked like Derma Clear. My skin has never looked better!" These testimonials showcase the effectiveness of Derma Clear and the satisfaction of those who have used it. Are There Side Effects to Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover? Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover is formulated with all-natural ingredients, which significantly reduces the likelihood of side effects. Most users report minimal discomfort during application, with some experiencing slight irritation due to the natural irritant properties of Zincum Muriaticum. However, this is typically mild and temporary. It's essential for users to conduct a patch test before full application to ensure their skin reacts positively to the serum. If any adverse reactions occur, such as severe redness, swelling, or itching, users should discontinue use immediately and consult a healthcare professional. Overall, the safety and efficacy of Derma Clear make it a popular choice among those seeking a reliable solution for skin blemishes. Who Makes Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover? Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover is manufactured by a reputable company committed to quality and consumer safety. The product is developed in an FDA-approved facility, ensuring that it meets stringent manufacturing standards. The brand emphasizes transparency and integrity, sourcing high-quality natural ingredients for their formulation. By prioritizing quality and customer satisfaction, the makers of Derma Clear have built a loyal following among users seeking effective skin care solutions. The company is dedicated to continuous improvement and innovation, ensuring that their products remain at the forefront of the natural skincare industry. Does Derma Clear Really Work? Yes, Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover has proven to be effective for many users. The combination of its powerful natural ingredients works synergistically to promote the removal of skin tags and moles without invasive procedures. Testimonials from satisfied customers indicate that the product delivers visible results swiftly, often within hours of application. The scientific principles behind its formulation also support its efficacy. By stimulating the immune response and promoting the natural healing process, Derma Clear provides a safe yet effective solution for those looking to address skin imperfections. While individual results may vary, the overwhelming positive feedback from users reinforces the product's credibility and effectiveness. Is Derma Clear a Scam? No, Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover is not a scam. It is a legitimate product backed by real customer testimonials and satisfaction guarantees. Users have reported positive results after using the serum, which reinforces its credibility in the skincare market. The company behind Derma Clear operates transparently, providing customers with detailed information about the product's formulation and its benefits. Moreover, the availability of a money-back guarantee demonstrates the company's confidence in the product's effectiveness. Consumers can purchase Derma Clear with peace of mind, knowing that they are investing in a reliable and safe solution for their skin care needs. Is Derma Clear FDA Approved? While Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover is manufactured in an FDA-approved facility, it is important to note that the product itself is not FDA approved. The FDA does not evaluate cosmetic products in the same way it evaluates pharmaceuticals. However, the adherence to good manufacturing practices in an FDA-approved facility ensures that the product is made with care and quality standards. This commitment to safety and quality provides consumers with confidence in the product they are using. Always consult with a healthcare professional if you have concerns about the suitability of any product for your specific skin type or condition. Where to Buy Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover? Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover is exclusively available for purchase through the official website. This ensures that customers receive the genuine product and can take advantage of special offers and discounts. By purchasing directly from the website, consumers can be confident in the product's quality and efficacy. The user-friendly online ordering process makes it easy for individuals to acquire their supply of Derma Clear and start their journey towards clear skin. Is Derma Clear Really on Amazon, eBay, and Walmart? Derma Clear on Amazon.com Derma Clear is not available on Amazon or through any Amazon partners. This decision ensures that the product is correctly handled and stored before reaching consumers. To guarantee the integrity and safety of Derma Clear, the only authorized source is the official website. Derma Clear on eBay.com Derma Clear is also not sold on eBay or any affiliated eBay stores. By avoiding third-party platforms, the brand maintains complete control over product quality, preventing the risk of contaminated or tampered goods. Always purchase Derma Clear directly from the official website for safety and assurance. Derma Clear on Walmart.com You will not find Derma Clear on Walmarts shelves or website. While Walmart may offer various natural products, Derma Clear requires specific handling to preserve its effectiveness. To ensure the best product quality, it is only available through the official website. Conclusion In conclusion, Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover represents a significant advancement in the realm of skin care solutions. With its all-natural formulation, fast-acting results, and ease of use, it has quickly gained a reputation as a go-to product for individuals seeking to eliminate skin tags, moles, and other blemishes. The products active ingredients work synergistically to stimulate the bodys healing processes, providing an effective alternative to invasive surgical procedures. The numerous positive testimonials and the commitment to quality and safety further reinforce the credibility of Derma Clear. Consumers can confidently invest in this product, knowing that it offers a practical, painless, and affordable solution to their skin concerns. Whether you are dealing with stubborn skin tags or simply want to enhance your skins appearance, Derma Clear is an ideal choice. Take control of your skin today and embrace the confidence that comes with clear, blemish-free skin. Derma Clear FAQs What is Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover? Derma Clear is a natural serum designed to remove skin tags and moles comfortably and effectively at home. How does Derma Clear work? The serum penetrates the skin, stimulating the immune response to promote the removal of blemishes. Is Derma Clear safe for all skin types? Yes, Derma Clear is formulated to be safe and effective for all skin types. How long does it take to see results? Many users report visible results within 8 hours of application. Can I use Derma Clear on sensitive skin? Yes, the all-natural formulation is gentle enough for sensitive skin. However, it is recommended to perform a patch test first. What ingredients are in Derma Clear? The key ingredients include Sanguinaria Canadensis and Zincum Muriaticum. How do I apply Derma Clear? Apply a few drops directly to the blemish and follow the instructions provided on the packaging. Is there a money-back guarantee? Yes, Derma Clear offers a satisfaction guarantee for customers. Are there any side effects? Most users experience minimal to no side effects, but some may have temporary irritation due to the natural irritants in the formulation. Where can I buy Derma Clear? Derma Clear is available exclusively on its official website. Get fast, non-invasive results with Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover. Contact: Derma Clear Skin Tag Remover Phone: TOLL FREE 1-855-603-6436 Email: Care@DermaClearStore.com Legal Disclaimer The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a licensed healthcare provider or a qualified medical professional before starting any skin treatment or product, especially if you have a pre-existing skin condition, are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking any medication. Individual results may vary. The effectiveness of DermaClear Serum is based on user experiences and the manufacturers description. There is no guarantee that every user will experience the same level of effectiveness. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Statements made about DermaClear Serum have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Use of this product is at your own risk. Neither the publisher, the authors, nor any distributors of this content shall be held liable for any adverse reactions, injuries, or damages resulting from the use or misuse of the product described herein. Affiliate Disclosure This publication may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help support our ability to produce high-quality, informative content. We only recommend products and brands we believe in. However, it is your responsibility as a consumer to conduct your own research before making any purchase. Our editorial team is not compensated for positive reviews, and all opinions expressed are our own. By engaging with this content or clicking any outbound links, you acknowledge and accept the terms of this affiliate relationship. SYDNEY, Australia, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Since its origins in New York in 2002, renowned global fashion brand rag & bone is proud to announce the launch of its Australian owned eCommerce platform: rag-bone.com.au with Signal Brands Australia. This marks a significant milestone for the brand, expanding its digital presence to meet the growing international demand for the American contemporary brand in Australia. Ever since the launch of its first Flagship store in Australia, in the luxury precinct of Sydney, Double Bay in December 2024; there has been a growing demand and interest for rag & bones high-quality craftsmanship and care-free New York aesthetic. The collection ranges from its signature denim and tailored outerwear to contemporary accessories and footwear. We are continually expanding rag & bones presence in Australia and am thrilled to include the roll-out of rag & bone eCommerce channel to the Australian market which gives us an opportunity to connect with our fans in a more meaningful way, delivering a personalised seamless end-to-end shopping experience. Paul Smith, Managing Director Signal Brands Australia The new online store, like its brick-and-mortar store will offer the full range of rag & bones effortlessly cool designs to the Australian savvy online shoppers. This highlights rag & bones commitment to providing an enhanced personalised shopping experience, easy navigation, secure payment options, improved delivery with the opening of a new local warehouse in Australia and a tailored selection of styles suited to local trends. For more information, visit www.rag-bone.com.au or follow rag & bone on social @ragandbone. Media contact: ragandbone@glowbored.com, +61 2 9059 2502, +61 7 3556 7756. Files Voluntary Chapter 11 Petitions to Facilitate Sale Process Sofidel America Corp. will Serve as "Stalking Horse Bidder" in Court-Supervised Sale Process Royal Paper Receives Commitment for New Financing to Support Business Operations PHOENIX, April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Royal Paper, LLC. ("Royal" or the Company"), a leading provider of high-quality paper products, announced today that the Company has entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement ("APA") with Sofidel America Corp. ("Sofidel"), pursuant to which Sofidel will acquire substantially all of the Company's assets. To facilitate the transaction, Royal has filed for voluntary protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. This action is expected to provide for a quick and orderly sale of the Company's assets under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code, with Sofidel serving as the "stalking horse bidder" in a court-supervised auction and sale process. The agreement with Sofidel remains subject to Court approval and other customary conditions, including the receipt of any required regulatory approvals. The Sofidel APA is subject to higher and otherwise better offers received in the court-supervised process. Royal intends to move through this process while operating in the ordinary course providing the high-quality products that its customers and partners rely on. In connection with the proposed sale transaction, Royal has received a commitment for debtor-in-possession ("DIP") financing from its existing secured lenders to support the business through the sale process. The Company intends to pay vendors, suppliers, and other trade creditors in full under normal terms for goods and services provided during the bankruptcy case. "Our team has been working diligently to strengthen our financial foundation in the face of difficult macroeconomic circumstances and other challenges facing Royal, said Steve Schoembs, Chief Executive of Royal. "Entering into an agreement with Sofidel provides stability for our business, its customers, and our employees, while we continue to run our sale process. I want to thank our incredibly talented employees for their continued focus and hard work, and our customers, partners, and suppliers for their support." Additional information on the Company's Chapter 11 case can be found at https://dm.epiq11.com/RoyalPaper or call our dedicated number at (888) 874-8095 (for toll-free U.S. and Canada calls) or +1 (503) 897-9037 (for tolled international calls). Royal is advised in this matter by Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP as legal counsel, Novo Advisors as financial advisor, and Livingstone Partners as investment banker. About Royal Paper Founded in 1992 in Phoenix, AZ, Royal is a manufacturer and national supplier of high-quality paper products. The Company began as a family-owned business that operated a single converting line, supplying napkins and bath tissues to local retailers in Phoenix, Arizona. Since 1992, the Company has continuously evolved its production capacity to produce additional products in a broad range of configurations to a growing customer base. Today, the Company provides a full range of paper productspaper towels, bath tissues, facial tissues and napkinsacross the value spectrum (from premium to value products), with manufacturing across the United States tailored to meet the specifications and standards of their customers. DUBAI, UAE, April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Last week, ForexVIM was officially showcased, drawing interest with its AI-driven approach to pattern recognition in the gold market. Gold trading thrives on understanding patterns and seizing the right moment. ForexVIM enters this arena as an AI-powered tool crafted to spot those patterns, helping traders make sharper, more timely decisions with confidence. The Power of Pattern Recognition in Trading Candlestick charts have long been a go-to for understanding market sentiment, but identifying and interpreting them manually can be time-consuming and prone to oversight. ForexVIM steps in with automated pattern recognition, scanning vast amounts of market data to highlight trade signals that might otherwise be missed. Its a way to reduce guesswork and sharpen timing. How ForexVIM Enhances Gold Trading Built specifically for the gold market (XAU/USD), ForexVIM processes historical and real-time data to detect meaningful trends and emerging setups. Its goal is to help traders align entries and exits with the flow of the market, offering structure in an asset known for volatility. Key Features of ForexVIM Market Trend Scanning: ForexVIM uses price action and built-in indicators to stay on top of market shifts and trend formations. ForexVIM uses price action and built-in indicators to stay on top of market shifts and trend formations. Candlestick Pattern Recognition : It identifies formations like Doji patterns, which often signal potential reversals, offering traders extra context to time decisions more effectively. : It identifies formations like Doji patterns, which often signal potential reversals, offering traders extra context to time decisions more effectively. Integrated Risk Tools: Every trade includes pre-set Stop Loss and Take Profit levels. The system also incorporates a light martingale approach to manage losing positions in a controlled, incremental way. These tools aim to bring together precision and practicality, supporting traders without overcomplicating the process. Where AI Fits In AI plays a core role in ForexVIMs architecture, not just in speed but in pattern detection and data analysis. Rather than replacing human decision-making, it enhances it, offering another layer of insight that can help traders feel more confident in fast-moving markets. Simple to Use, Backed by Support ForexVIM is designed with accessibility in mind, making it easy to set up and operate for both experienced and beginner traders. A clean interface and responsive customer support round out the experience, making the platform approachable from day one. ForexVIM brings together automated pattern recognition, AI-powered analysis, and a risk-aware structure to support gold trading with greater clarity. For traders looking to improve their timing and decision-making, its a practical option built on solid foundations. About ForexVIM ForexVIM delivers precision-driven trading solutions, combining expert market insights with high-quality tick data optimization for reliable performance. Built by experienced traders and developers, it ensures accuracy, consistency, and innovation in forex trading strategies. Learn more at https://forexvim.com/. Media Contact Brand: ForexVIM Contact: Media team Email: support@forexvim.com Website: https://forexvim.com/ NEW YORK, April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of TFI International Inc. (NYSE: TFII) between April 26, 2024 and February 19, 2025, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), of the important May 13, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased TFI International securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the TFI International class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=36984 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than May 13, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, during the Class Period, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) TFI International was losing small and medium business customers; (2) as a result, TFIs TForce Freight revenue was declining; (3) TFI International was experiencing difficulties managing its costs; (4) as a result of the foregoing, the profitability of its largest business segment was declining; and (5) as a result of the foregoing, defendants positive statements about TFI Internationals business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the TFI International class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=36984 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. ------------------------------- Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com Miami, FL, April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Real Food Academy (TRFA), a leading culinary education center specializing in nutrition-focused cooking, is expanding nationwide through franchising. With a well-established presence in Miami, TRFA is now offering franchise opportunities in key markets, responding to the growing demand for hands-on nutrition education and healthy cooking experiences. Recently, TRFA hosted an exclusive Discovery Day for franchise brokers from the Franchise Brokers Association, highlighting its distinctive approach to culinary education. Co-founders Chef Maria Cummins and Arthur Cummins led the event, showcasing their commitment to making nutritious, whole-food-based cooking accessible to communities through interactive classes and culinary events. A Mission-Driven Approach to Healthy Cooking TRFA sets itself apart from traditional cooking schools by integrating culinary skills with nutritional education, empowering participants to make healthier food choices. Its diverse curriculum includes: Cooking classes for kids, teens, and adults Community programs focused on nutrition awareness Private events such as birthday parties and corporate team-building experiences While many of TRFAs offerings emphasize nutrition education, the academy also provides unforgettable social experiences through kids' birthday parties, adult cooking parties, and corporate team-building events. These gatherings prioritize fun, creativity, and connectionbringing people together through food in a joyful, engaging environment. The academys "real food" approach aligns with growing consumer awareness about the impact of nutrition on health and well-being. Unlike conventional culinary programs, TRFAs model emphasizes ingredient selection, healthy meal preparation, and education-driven experiences. "Our mission goes beyond teaching cooking techniques," said Chef Maria Cummins, Founder of The Real Food Academy. "We want to inspire lifelong healthy habits through hands-on education. Expanding our franchise network allows us to bring real food education to more communities across the country." Franchise Brokers Praise TRFAs Model Franchise brokers who attended Discovery Day recognized TRFAs strong market positioning. "This is more than a cooking schoolits a movement toward healthier living," said one franchise broker in attendance. "The Real Food Academy offers a unique franchise opportunity that combines education, community engagement, and the rapidly growing wellness sector." The academys approach aligns with rising consumer demand for healthier eating, hands-on nutrition education, and functional medicine principlesall of which position TRFA as an attractive investment for franchise entrepreneurs. Meeting Market Demand for Healthier Living The Real Food Academys national expansion comes at a time when consumer interest in health-conscious dining and wellness education is at an all-time high. Industry data supports this trend: 78% of consumers actively seek healthier food choices, and 60% are willing to pay more for food that supports their wellness goals. (Source: NielsenIQ Health & Wellness Study, 2024) Franchises in the health and wellness sector have experienced an 8% annual growth rate, outpacing many other franchise categories. (Source: International Franchise Association, 2024) Hands-on cooking education has been shown to increase healthier food choices by 35% in adults and children compared to traditional nutrition education. (Source: Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 2023) Functional medicine, which emphasizes personalized nutrition and whole-food-based health solutions, is projected to reach $25 billion by 2026. (Source: Market Data Forecast, 2024) With these market insights, The Real Food Academy presents a timely and impactful franchise opportunity. Expanding to Key U.S. Markets TRFA is actively seeking franchise partners in select high-growth markets, including: Dallas-Fort Worth, TX Atlanta, GA Houston, TX Nashville, TN Raleigh, NC Charlotte, NC Tampa, FL Phoenix, AZ "As interest in wellness-driven dining and nutrition education grows, were excited to bring The Real Food Academys proven model to new communities," said Arthur Cummins, TRFA Co-Founder. A Franchise Built for Passionate Entrepreneurs The Real Food Academy seeks mission-driven franchise partners who are passionate about food, education, and community health. The ideal franchisee: Believes in the power of real food and nutrition education Enjoys engaging with families, schools, and businesses to promote healthier eating habits Wants to be part of a growing wellness movement in the culinary education space Entrepreneurs, wellness advocates, and culinary professionals interested in joining The Real Food Academys national expansion can explore franchise opportunities by visiting www.therealfoodacademy.com/franchise. About The Real Food Academy Founded in 2008 by Chef Maria Cummins, The Real Food Academy is dedicated to transforming how people think about food. Through interactive cooking classes, educational events, and franchise opportunities, TRFA promotes informed food choices that lead to better health, wellness, and community engagement. TRFAs guiding principle, "Keep it Real at Every Meal," underscores its mission to make healthy cooking accessible for all. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stallion Uranium Corp. (the Company or Stallion) (TSX-V: STUD; OTCQB: STLNF; FSE: FE0) is pleased to announce that, further to its news release dated April 1, 2025 and due to increased investor interest, the Company has increased the non-brokered private placement from 13,000,000 common shares (the Shares) to up to 14,500,000 Shares at a price of CDN$0.10 per Share for gross proceeds of up to CDN$1,450,000 (the Offering). Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions (NI 45-106), up to 13,500,000 Shares (the LIFE Securities) will be offered pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106 (the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption). The Shares issued issuable pursuant to the sale of the LIFE Securities shall be freely tradeable under applicable Canadian securities legislation if sold to purchasers resident in Canada. Up to 1,000,000 Shares (the Non-LIFE Securities) will be offered by way of the accredited investor exemption under NI 45-106 in the United States on a private placement basis pursuant to one or more exemptions from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act. The Shares issuable pursuant to the sale of the Non-LIFE Securities will be subject to a hold period ending on the date that is four months plus one day following the closing date of the Offering under applicable Canadian securities laws. The Company may pay finders fees and/or commissions to eligible persons in connection with the Offering in accordance with applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the TSX-V). The net proceeds of the Offering will be used for corporate purposes and exploration expenditures on the Companys properties. Closing of the Offering is subject to certain conditions customary for transactions of this nature, including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the TSX-V. Closing of the Offering is anticipated to take place on or before April 18, 2025 (the Closing Date). The Offered securities described in this news release have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act), or any United States state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an exemption from registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities, nor a solicitation for offers to buy any securities in the United States, not in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The terms Unites States and U.S. person used herein are as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act. About Stallion Uranium Corp. Stallion Uranium is working to Fuel the Future with Uranium through the exploration of roughly 2,700 sq/km in the Athabasca Basin, home to the largest high-grade uranium deposits in the world. The company, with JV partner Atha Energy holds the largest contiguous project in the Western Athabasca Basin adjacent to multiple high-grade discovery zones and deposits. Our leadership and advisory teams are comprised of uranium and precious metals exploration experts with the capital markets experience and the technical talent for acquiring and exploring early-stage properties. For more information visit stallionuranium.com. On Behalf of the Board of Stallion Uranium Corp. Matthew Schwab CEO and Director Corporate Office: 700 - 838 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 0A6 T: 604-551-2360 info@stallionuranium.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. This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, forward-looking statements) that relate to the Companys current expectations and views of future events. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as will likely result, are expected to, expects, will continue, is anticipated, anticipates, believes, estimated, intends, plans, forecast, projection, strategy, objective and outlook) are not historical facts and may be forward-looking statements and may involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward- looking statements included in this material change report should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date they are made. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Companys control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of them or assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Any forward-looking statements contained in this presentation are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Innovative Warehouse Solutions (IWS) successfully shipped over 280,000 units in December 2024, a 300% rise from the 96,000 units of the same month the previous year. This new achievement shows the genuine commitment of IWS to provide excellent fulfillment solutions that help businesses scale better. Behind the Success For ecommerce brands, Q4 determines whether the upcoming year is set for growth. A surge in orders presents opportunities for increased revenue and a new wave of customers. Scaling at this speed can prove challenging both for brands that fulfill in-house and brands that utilize 3PL services. The challenges are mainly related to antiquated systems that require extensive training for new personnel. IWS Solution IWS enables brands to handle not only their standard volume but also allows brands to quickly 10x their brand while delivering the same accuracy and speed. Double-Scan Accuracy Process Every item passed through two scan points - during picking and packing. Every order is additionally visually checked 2 times for accuracy and product quality before shipping. Fast Training and State-of-the-Art System IWSs Warehouse Management System (WMS) provides a visual picture of the items and advanced warehouse routing. Ensuring fast processing times and industry-leading accuracy. These visual cues and walking paths allow new hires to be trained in hours, not weeks. Improved Customer Support IWS introduced a live chat system that connects brands directly with the right department - warehouse teams, receiving, shipping, billing, and customer support. This new system reduced bottlenecks, improved response time, and allowed a better flow of information. Future Plans: What's Next for the Industry and IWS Following the success, this E-commerce 3PL company expects continued growth in 2025. The company projects monthly shipments to remain 75-85% higher than last year. The industry's growth also supports this trajectory. Ecommerce saw a positive increase of 8-9% in 2024, and with more consumers choosing online shopping over traditional retail, new opportunities opened for small and mid-sized brands. This shift, combined with 3PL services like IWS, allows businesses to enter the market without the heavy costs of retail partnerships. The CEO said this in awe. "The team at IWS was blown away by the success of our partners in Q4 2024. There were a lot of early mornings, late nights, and weekends for both IWS and our partners. From a bird's eye view, it was amazing to watch. Brands working at the speed of light to market and create great content to engage and convert new customers. With the IWS team working at the same speed to fulfill and get those products into the hands of the end users." He continued, "With a new record year in our rearview, IWS is looking forward to pushing the bar further in 2025. With some exciting new partners already onboarded, we are sure 2025 will be our best year yet." See how IWS can support your ecommerce growth. Contact Innovative Warehouse Solutions to speak with a fulfillment expert. About Innovative Warehouse Solutions IWS provides secure warehousing, quick fulfillment, and shipping for direct-to-consumer brands. With same-day shipping, predictive tracking, and 99.98% accuracy, IWS helps companies expand with zero downtime. Media contact Brand: Innovative Warehouse Solutions Contact: Media team Email: Info@invwhs.com Website: https://invwhs.com New Chair brings more than three decades of life sciences industry experience, with a successful track record as a biotech company board member Significant leadership experience will be instrumental as Augustine transitions into a clinical-stage company LEUVEN, Belgium 9 April 2025 Augustine Therapeutics NV (Augustine or the Company), a biotechnology company focused on developing new therapies for neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases through the inhibition of the cytosolic Histone DeACetylase 6 (HDAC6) enzyme, today announced the appointment of Pascale Witz as Chair of its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Pascale is a senior executive with over 30 years of experience in the life sciences industry. She was formerly Executive Vice President, Pharma Divisions, and Executive Vice President, Diabetes & Cardiovascular, at Sanofi SA, and a member of Sanofis Executive Committee. She previously served as President & CEO at GE Pharmaceutical Diagnostics. Her expertise in strategic leadership and operational excellence will be instrumental in guiding Augustines growth as it becomes a clinical-stage company. Gerhard Koenig, PhD, CEO of Augustine commented: Having had the privilege of working with Pascale at Arkuda before the companys acquisition by Johnson & Johnson, I am delighted that she chose to join the Augustine Board as Chair. She brings exceptional senior experience and key insights which will be invaluable as Augustine grows. I look forward to continuing our successful track record of working together and her guidance will be instrumental as the Augustine team advances our pipeline for patients with neurological and cardio-metabolic diseases. Pascale Witz, Chair of Augustine Therapeutics added: Im excited to be joining Augustine at a pivotal time for the company, following its successful 78 million / $85 million Series A financing round an achievement that reflects strong confidence in the therapeutic potential of Augustines HDAC6 inhibitors. These cytoplasmic regulators play a key role in processes to treat neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases, and the company is well-positioned, with experienced leadership with a proven track record, to maximize the potential of this promising science to develop innovative medicines. I look forward to working closely with the board and leadership team to drive strategic growth. Pascale currently serves on the board of Fresenius Medical Care AG, Revvity, Inc. and Regulus Therapeutics, Inc., where she provides governance, financial oversight, and executive mentorship. She previously served on the boards of Horizon Therapeutics plc, Tesaro Bio, Inc., and Arkuda Therapeutics, Inc., until their acquisitions by Amgen, Inc., GSK plc and Johnson & Johnson, Inc. respectively. Additionally, Pascale serves on the boards of INSEAD and of the Global Alzheimer Platform Foundation. Pascale received a MSc in Biochemistry from INSA Lyon, and an MBA from INSEAD. She is a Chevalier de la Legion dHonneur (Knight of Honor), the highest French distinction, and has been recognized among Fortunes Top 20 Most Powerful Women in EMEA in 2014 and 2015. Media Contacts: Augustine Therapeutics Gerhard Koenig, CEO E-mail: info@augustinetx.com ICR Healthcare Amber Fennell E-mail: augustinetx@icrhealthcare.com About Augustine Therapeutics Augustine Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on the treatment of neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases through its next-generation approach to selectively inhibit HDAC6. Augustines HDAC6 inhibitors have been purposefully designed to selectively inhibit HDAC6 while preserving its beneficial non-catalytic functions. Augustines lead program, AGT-100216, is the first selective HDAC6 inhibitor for long-term treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease. With its novel non-hydroxamate, non-hydrazide producing chemotype, Augustines HDAC6 approach is selective, avoids the limitations of other chemotypes, and built for chronic diseases. With this novel approach, the Company will also be targeting diseases beyond CMT, including neurodegenerative and cardio-metabolic diseases. Augustine Therapeutics was founded on the ground-breaking research of Prof. Ludo Van Den Bosch from the VIB-KU Leuven in Belgium. The Company raised an oversubscribed EUR 78 million / USD 85 million Series A financing round in March 2025, led by Novo Holdings and Jeito Capital and supported by Asabys Partners, Eli Lilly and Company, AdBio partners, V-Bio Ventures, PMV, VIB, Gemma Frisius Fund, the US-based Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Research Foundation and Newton Biocapital. For more information visit www.augustinetx.com Mr. Morrish will be proposed for appointment to the Board at the Annual General Meeting scheduled for 9 May 2025. He is the former Managing Director and Regional Head of Europe at GIC Real Estate, where he oversaw European property investments. Antwerp, Belgium 9 April 2025: VGP, a pan-European owner, manager and developer of high-quality logistics and industrial real estate, as well as a renewable energy provider, announces the nomination of Mr. Chris Morrish as a member of its Board of Directors. He will bring his broad experience in the real estate sector to further strengthen VGPs Board. Mr. Morrish will be proposed for appointment to the Board at the Annual General Meeting scheduled for 9 May 2025. Mr. Chris Morrish currently is a Senior Advisor at FREO Group and previously served as Managing Director and Regional Head for Europe at GIC Real Estate, the real estate investment arm of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC), where he oversaw European real estate investments and was a member of GIC RE's Global Investment Committee. Prior to joining GIC, Mr. Chris Morrish was Strategic Planning Director at Hammerson plc, a major UK Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), and Associate Director at Greycoat PLC, specializing in Central London office development. He began his career at Hillier Parker (now CBRE). Chris holds degrees from Pembroke College, Cambridge, and an MBA from City University, with additional studies at Stanford University. He was a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and has served on the Management Board of INREV and the Supervisory Board of the Investment Property Forum (IPF). VGP is honoured to have Mr. Chris Morrish on board, replacing Mrs. Katherina Reiche, to whom VGP expresses its gratitude for her long commitment to the company. ABOUT VGP VGP is a pan-european owner, manager and developer of high-quality logistics and semi-industrial properties as well as a provider of renewable energy solutions. VGP has a fully integrated business model with extensive expertise and many years of experience along the entire value chain. VGP was founded in 1998 as a family-owned Belgian property developer in the Czech Republic and today operates with around 378.4 full-time equivalents in 18 European countries directly and through several 50:50 joint ventures. In December 2024, the gross asset value of VGP, including the 100% joint ventures, amounted to 7.8 billion and the company had a net asset value (EPRA NTA) of 2.4 billion. VGP is listed on Euronext Brussels (ISIN: be0003878957). For more information, please go to: http://www.vgpparks.eu VGP CONTACT DETAILS FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES Investor Relations Tel: +32 (0)3 289 1433 investor.relations@vgpparks.eu Attachment Aprocitentan, on top of background therapy, showed clinically meaningful and durable blood pressure (BP) reduction and a decrease in proteinuria in Black patients with confirmed resistant hypertension Allschwil, Switzerland April 9, 2025 Idorsia Ltd (SIX: IDIA) today announced the publication of "Aprocitentan for Blood Pressure Reduction in Black Patients in the April edition of Hypertension1. The publication reports preplanned analyses of the efficacy, tolerability and safety of aprocitentan Idorsias once-daily, orally active, dual endothelin receptor antagonist in the subgroup of African American patients enrolled in the Phase 3 PRECISION study2 in patients with confirmed resistant hypertension. Aprocitentan, when added to a combination of at least three antihypertensive drugs (four in more than 50% of patients), produced clinically meaningful and sustained blood pressure reductions.1 Aprocitentan also markedly decreased proteinuria in the patients with proteinuria at baseline.1 As reported by the authors, aprocitentan was safe and well tolerated, even in those Black patients with chronic kidney disease.1 Hypertension is the leading modifiable cause of early mortality and cardiovascular disease worldwide, impacting an estimated 1.3 billion people globally.3 Approximately 10% of these people have uncontrolled BP, despite receiving at least three antihypertensive medications from different classes, at optimal doses.4,5 Compared with adults whose hypertension is well controlled, adults with uncontrolled hypertension have much greater risk of heart attack, stroke, end-stage renal disease and death.6 Black hypertensive individuals frequently present with resistant hypertension and disproportionately increased cardiovascular risk.7,8,9 The endothelin (ET) pathway has been implicated in the pathogenesis of hypertension and is activated in patients prone to developing resistant hypertension,10,11 such as Black or African American patients12, patients with obesity13 or obstructive sleep apnea,14 and in comorbid conditions frequently associated with resistant hypertension such as diabetes15,16 and chronic kidney disease.17,18 Prof. Keith C. Ferdinand, MD, FACC, FAHA, FASH, FNLA Professor, Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane Heart & Vascular Institute, US, co-author of the publication and investigator in the PRECISION study, commented: Black individuals frequently present with resistant hypertension and disproportionately increased cardiovascular risk. This is possibly related to the activated endothelin system seen in patients prone to developing resistant hypertension and this may explain why existing therapies that do not target the endothelin system have not shown optimal improvement for Black patients. Now, for the first time, we have an approved treatment targeting the endothelin system that may help fulfil an unmet need in Black patients with resistant hypertension. The publication is accompanied by an Editorial entitled Endothelin Antagonism: A New Era for Resistant Hypertension?19 from Gavin B. Chapman and Neeraj Dhaun of Edinburgh Kidney, University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queens Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom and Department of Renal Medicine, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (G.B.C., N.D.). The Editorial recognizes that the approval of aprocitentan in the US and Europe represents the first new antihypertensive to be approved in over two decades and the first via a new pathway in almost four decades. In closing, the authors conclude Given the broad beneficial effects ET receptor antagonism has on a range of cardiovascular risk factors, it may not be long before clinicians reach for these drugs above other, more established antihypertensive medications.19 Prof. John M. Flack, MD, MPH, FAHA, MACP, CHS, Sergio Rabinovich Endowed Chair of Internal Medicine, Chair Departments of Medicine and Population Science and Policy, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Lead author of the publication and investigator in the PRECISION study, commented: The salt-sensitive, low-renin, hypertension often seen in Black patients makes their hypertension difficult to control and increases their cardiovascular risk. In fact, Black adults with hypertension less often achieve the guideline recommended BP goals, leading to an estimated 400,000 strokes, heart attacks and other cardiovascular events that could be prevented over 10 years if blood pressure control could be achieved. In PRECISION, the effect of aprocitentan for these patients was striking and I agree with the Editorial in suggesting that we are entering a new era for resistant hypertension, as with aprocitentan, the dual endothelin receptor antagonist or ERA, we can now tackle this important pathway. Aprocitentan is approved as TRYVIO in the US for the treatment of systemic hypertension in combination with other antihypertensives to lower blood pressure in patients who are not adequately controlled on other drugs, and has been commercially available since October 2024.20 Aprocitentan is approved as JERAYGO for the treatment of resistant hypertension in combination with other antihypertensives in the European Union21 and the UK and marketing authorization applications are under review in Canada and Switzerland. Notes to the editor About Prof. Ferdinand Keith C. Ferdinand, MD, FACC, FAHA, FASH, FNLA began his medical career with a BA in biology from the University of New Orleans. He then went on to earn an MD from Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, DC, an internship at the US Public Health Hospital in New Orleans, an internal medicine residency and cardiology fellowship at LSU Medical Center and a cardiology fellowship at Howard University Hospital, Washington, D.C. After years of doing clinical work, research and teaching at Xavier University, LSU, Baylor College of Medicine, and Emory University, Dr. Ferdinand returned to New Orleans as a Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Tulane University Heart and Vascular Institute. Dr. Ferdinand has been heavily involved in many national organizations concerned with public health, including the Association of Black Cardiologists, of which he was the former Chair and Chief Science Officer, the American Society of Hypertension, of which he was a board member, and the Healthy Heart Community Prevention Program, a cardiovascular risk program targeting African American and other high-risk populations. He is the immediate-past Chair of the National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, which provides the leadership and encouragement for collaboration among over 65 organizations. Dr. Ferdinand focuses largely on cardiac risk factor evaluation and control, especially hypertension and hyperlipidemia, including communities of racial and ethnic minorities. He has had over 100 manuscripts published and has a strong media presence. His passion for patient-care is highlighted in his commitment to non-profit work and community service. In 2015 he was inducted into the Association of University Cardiologists. Prof. Ferdinand serves as a consultant to Idorsia. About Prof. Flack John M. Flack, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.H.A., M.A.C.P., an Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) graduate of the University of Oklahoma School of Medicine, is the Sergio Rabinovich Endowed Chair of Internal Medicine and the Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. He is also Chief of the Hypertension Section. He is a board-certified Internal Medicine specialist and an internationally renowned hypertension specialist/cardiovascular epidemiologist with widely recognized clinical/research expertise in hypertension in African Americans, resistant/refractory hypertension, device-based therapies for hypertension and racial cardiovascular health disparities. Dr. Flack is the current President of the American Hypertension Specialist Certification Program. He has published over 210 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters and is an Associate Editor for the American Journal of Hypertension. He maintains an active clinical practice in complex hypertension at SIU where he teaches and mentors medical students and residents and undertakes innovative, cutting-edge research. Dr. Flack has received numerous awards including the Distinguished Research Award (1993) from the International Society on Hypertension in Blacks (ISHIB), the Daniel D. Savage Memorial Scientific Award (1998) from the Association of Black Cardiologist (ABC), the F. Dewey Dodrill Award for Excellence (2007) from the American Heart Association (AHA), the Detroit News Michiganian of the Year (2009), and the University of Oklahoma Academic Physician of the Year (2012). Also, he has been repeatedly named to Top Doctor, Best Doctor, and Super Doctor lists. Previously, he served a stint as a voting member of the FDA Cardio-Renal Advisory Board. Dr. Flack was recently conferred the status of Master by the American College of Physicians (ACP); he also is a current member of the ACP Board of Regents. Prof. Flack serves as a consultant to Idorsia. References Flack JM, et al. Aprocitentan for Blood Pressure Reduction in Black Patients. Hypertension. 2025;82:601610. Schlaich MP, et al. A randomized controlled trial of the dual endothelin antagonist aprocitentan for resistant hypertension. The Lancet, 2022; Dec 3;400(10367):1927-1937. NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC). Worldwide trends in hypertension prevalence and progress in treatment and control from 1990 to 2019: a pooled analysis of 1201 population-representative studies with 104 million participants. Lancet 2021; 398:957-80. Noubiap JJ, Nansseu JR, Nyaga UF, Sime PS, Francis I, Bigna JJ. Global prevalence of resistant hypertension: a meta-analysis of data from 32 million patients. Heart 2019; 105: 98105. Williams B, Mancia G, Spiering W, et al. 2018 ESC/ESH guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension. Eur Heart J 2018; 39: 3021104. Daugherty SL, Powers JD, Magid DJ, Tavel HM, Masoudi FA, Margolis KL, O'Connor PJ, Selby JV, Ho PM. Incidence and prognosis of resistant hypertension in hypertensive patients. Circulation. 2012 Apr 3;125(13):1635-42. Ostchega Y, Fryar CD, Nwankwo T, Nguyen DT. Hypertension prevalence among adults aged 18 and over: United States, 20172018. NCHS Data Brief. 2020;364:18. Flack JM, Hamaty M. Difficult-to-treat hypertensive populations: focus on African-Americans and people with type 2 diabetes. J Hypertens Suppl. 1999;17:S19S24. Egan BM, Bland VJ, Brown AL, Ferdinand KC, Hernandez GT, Jamerson KA, Johnson WR, Kountz DS, Li J, Osei K, et al. Hypertension in African Americans aged 60 to 79 years: statement from the international society of hypertension in blacks. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2015;17:252259. Dhaun N, et al. Role of endothelin-1 in clinical hypertension: 20 years on. Hypertension 2008; 52:452-9. Clozel M. Aprocitentan and the endothelin system in resistant hypertension. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 2022; 100:573-83. Grubbs AL, et al. Saphenous vein endothelin system expression and activity in African American patients. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2002; 22: 11227. Parrinello G, et al. Central obesity and hypertension: the role of plasma endothelin. Am J Hypertens 1996; 9: 118691. Phillips BG, et al. Effects of obstructive sleep apnea on endothelin-1 and blood pressure. J Hypertens 1999; 17: 616. Takahashi K, et al. Elevated plasma endothelin in patients with diabetes mellitus. Diabetologia 1990; 33: 30610. Solini A, et al. Resistant hypertension in patients with type 2 diabetes: clinical correlates and association with complications. J Hypertens 2014; 32: 240110; discussion 10. Dhaun N, et al. Endothelin-1 and the kidney--beyond BP. Br J Pharmacol 2012; 167: 72031. Rossignol P, et al. The double challenge of resistant hypertension and chronic kidney disease. Lancet 2015; 386: 158898. Chapman GB, Dhaun N. Endothelin Antagonism: A New Era for Resistant Hypertension? Hypertension. 2025;82:611614. TRYVIO (aprocitentan) Full Prescribing Information including BOXED Warning (PI and Medication Guide). JERAYGO (aprocitentan) Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) About Idorsia Idorsia Ltd is reaching out for more we have more passion for science, we see more opportunities, and we want to help more patients. The purpose of Idorsia is to challenge accepted medical paradigms, answering the questions that matter most. To achieve this, we will discover, develop, and commercialize transformative medicines either with in-house capabilities or together with partners and evolve Idorsia into a leading biopharmaceutical company, with a strong scientific core. Headquartered near Basel, Switzerland a European biotech hub Idorsia has a highly experienced team of dedicated professionals, covering all disciplines from bench to bedside; QUVIVIQ (daridorexant), a different kind of insomnia treatment with the potential to revolutionize this mounting public health concern; strong partners to maximize the value of our portfolio; a promising in-house development pipeline; and a specialized drug discovery engine focused on small-molecule drugs that can change the treatment paradigm for many patients. Idorsia is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker symbol: IDIA). For further information, please contact: Investor & Media Relations Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Hegenheimermattweg 91, CH-4123 Allschwil +41 58 844 10 10 investor.relations@idorsia.com media.relations@idorsia.com www.idorsia.com The above information contains certain "forward-looking statements", relating to the company's business, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "estimates", "believes", "expects", "may", "are expected to", "will", "will continue", "should", "would be", "seeks", "pending" or "anticipates" or similar expressions, or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions. Such statements include descriptions of the company's investment and research and development programs and anticipated expenditures in connection therewith, descriptions of new products expected to be introduced by the company and anticipated customer demand for such products and products in the company's existing portfolio. Such statements reflect the current views of the company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from any future results, performances or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Attachment DEME (Euronext: DEME) announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire Havfram, an international offshore wind contractor based in Norway. This strategic acquisition aligns with DEME's ambition to expand its footprint in the offshore wind energy market and enhances its competitive positioning in turbine and foundation installations. Attachment LOS ANGELES, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MyEssayWriter.ai introduces AI Suggest, the first feature in the industry to provide intelligent, personalized recommendations for essay topics, structures, and content, transforming the academic writing experience. MyEssayWriter.ai, a leading platform in AI-powered academic writing, introduces a powerful new feature: AI Suggest. Built to assist students and writers who often struggle with where to begin, the AI Suggest feature in Essay Writer by MyEssayWriter.ai uses sophisticated algorithms and deep-learning language models. It generates thoughtful, relevant suggestions for essay topics, structures, and supporting content. By analyzing context in real time, it helps users move from vague ideas to well-defined essay plans with ease. This innovative technology brings a new level of intelligence and personalization to academic writing, making the process more efficient, guided, and impactful. Why Traditional AI Tools Still Leave Students Stuck! For many students, the biggest challenge in essay writing is simply getting started. The endless list of possible topics and confusion around choosing the right essay type often cause frustration and delays. While AI writing tools are common , most still fall short. They produce vague suggestions, lack academic depth, and often miss the point entirely. This results in wasted time and essays that dont meet expectations. A smarter and more focused approach is clearly neededone that helps users think clearly from the very beginning. A Smarter Way to Start: How AI Suggest Works AI Suggest was built to solve one of the most common challenges in academic writing: figuring out what to write and how to approach it. The tool begins by analyzing current trends, academic relevance, and user intent to propose a meaningful essay topic. But it doesnt stop there. It also recommends the most suitable type of essay for that topic, such as analytical, argumentative, or narrative, helping users align structure with purpose from the beginning. Once a direction is set, users can keep refining. They can request more suggestions, explore variations, or ask for additional points or content ideas to deepen the scope of their work. Each suggestion is informed by advanced AI models trained to recognize academic tone, subject matter patterns, and contextual flow. What makes AI Suggest stand out is its ability to adapt. It doesnt just generate content. It understands the progression of ideas and responds intelligently with every click, giving users full control while maintaining relevance and depth. The result is a writing process that feels less like guesswork and more like guided thinking. The Technology Behind AI Suggest AI Suggest is built on advanced language models and natural language processing combined with intelligent prompt design. Its multi-layered system analyzes user input with contextual awareness, moving beyond basic text generation. Each suggestion is shaped by intent and relevance, offering topic and content recommendations that feel accurate and purposeful. Unlike tools that depend entirely on a single AI engine, AI Suggest adds a personalized logic layer that adjusts output in real time, resulting in more fluent, academically appropriate responses. The feature has been trained on a broad range of essay formats and styles to ensure each recommendation is specific and aligned with academic expectations. It includes an evaluation framework that checks for clarity, structure, and tone, along with an integrated plagiarism detection process to maintain originality. During development, the system was tested by students across various education levels, allowing the team to refine its performance through real-world feedback. The outcome is a more intelligent and reliable writing experience that supports users from idea to execution. How Students Are Using AI Suggest Emma, a high school student preparing for her final English paper, had no idea where to begin. She clicked on AI Suggest and within seconds received a list of timely topics related to modern literature. After choosing one, the tool suggested a persuasive essay format and helped her outline key points. It felt like someone was guiding me through the thinking process. I wasnt just handed a topic, I was given direction, she said. Daniel, a college freshman, used AI Suggest for his sociology assignment. Unsure what direction to take, he explored multiple topic suggestions until he found one that matched his interest in social media. The system then recommended supporting ideas he hadnt considered. It helped me go from zero to a full plan in minutes. I didnt expect it to be this focused, he shared. Priya, working on a last-minute political science essay, relied on AI Suggest to speed up her process. She used it to generate both a relevant topic and a list of arguments, then customized them before adding her word count and academic level to create a full draft. This saved me hours. It didnt just write for me, it helped me think clearly, she explained. Now Available: A New Standard for Essay Planning AI Suggest brings something new to the academic writing experience. It is designed for students who want more than generic ideas and for educators who value originality and depth in student work. By focusing on the early and often most difficult stage of writing, the feature helps users move from hesitation to confidence with a clear sense of direction. This update marks an important step in how technology can support learning, not just by producing content but by improving the way students think through their topics. It reflects a growing demand for smarter, more intuitive tools in education and shows how AI can be used with purpose and precision. AI Suggest is now available to all users on MyEssayWriter.ai. For media inquiries, partnership opportunities, or to try the tool firsthand, visit www.myessaywriter.ai. About MyEssayWriter.ai Founded in 2022 and headquartered in New York City, MyEssayWriter.ai is an innovative platform that combines artificial intelligence with professional writing expertise to transform the academic writing process. Our mission is to empower students worldwide by providing AI-driven tools that simplify essay creation, enhance learning, and uphold academic integrity. We are committed to delivering original, high-quality content that meets diverse educational needs. Media info: Contact Person: Nathan Company: MyEssayWriter.ai Email: info@MyEssayWriter.ai Website: https://www.myessaywriter.ai/ Address: 11315 W Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, California,90066 USA 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. Press Release Nokia, Telia and Finnish Defense Forces achieve worlds first 5G standalone slice handover across borders Companies showcase the potential of 5G technology in enhancing critical communications for defense units operating within coalition environments. Leverage Telias network infrastructure powered by Nokias 5G Standalone Core and, AirScale radio equipment, to ensure seamless experience, even when crossing country borders. 9 April 2025 Espoo, Finland Nokia, Telia and the Finnish Defense Forces have successfully conducted the worlds first seamless 5G standalone slice handover between multiple countries in a live network. This groundbreaking trial, carried out in Finland in March, represents a significant milestone in advancing critical 5G capabilities for defense and other mission critical industries. The test, conducted as part of a Nordic exercise with the Finnish Defense Forces, demonstrated a continuous and secure data connection over a 5G standalone slice while moving across three separate networks in three different countries. This capability is crucial for modern defense forces, as military personnel increasingly operate in coalitions beyond their national territories while requiring uninterrupted access to mission-critical applications and services. This trial marks a significant milestone in showcasing the dual-use possibilities of 5G for defense while also enhancing communication capabilities within the NATO domain. We are delighted to have partnered with Nokia and Telia on this project and are eager to explore further opportunities for integrating 5G into our operations, said Jarmo Vahatiitto, Major General, Finnish Defense Command, Chief of C5. 5G and network slicing enable secure, mission-critical communications. In collaboration with the Finnish Defense Forces and Nokia, we are pioneering in using commercial technology for critical defense communications. This trial meets the Defense Forces' needs and proves that commercial 5G networks can be utilized also in this domain, commented Jari Collin, CTO at Telia Finland. Seamless 5G slice continuity over country borders is a breakthrough for defense operations, enabling secure and reliable communications for collaborative missions that extend beyond national territories. Our trial with Telia and the Finnish Defense Forces reflects our commitment to delivering robust 5G solutions for defense customers, helping them achieve mission-critical objectives, said Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia. The trial was achieved through Nokia's industry-leading 5G Core Software as a Service (SaaS) and AirScale 5G base stations powered by ReefShark System-on-Chip technology, connected to Telia's commercial network. Additionally, Nokia's intelligent network management system, MantaRay NM, provided a consolidated network view, optimizing monitoring and management. Multimedia, technical information, and related news Web Page: Nokia communication technology for defense Web Page: Nokia 5G Web Page: Nokia Core SaaS Web Page: 4G/5G slicing Product Page: Manta Ray NM Product Page: AirScale Radio Access About Nokia At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together. As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, which is celebrating 100 years of innovation. With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future. Media inquiries Nokia Press Office Email: Press.Services@nokia.com Follow us on social media LinkedIn X Instagram Facebook YouTube VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With the Madsen Mine in Ontario, Canada, on track to start operating in a few months, West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd. (West Red Lake Gold or the Company) (TSXV: WRLG) (OTCQB: WRLGF) looks back at 22 months of achievements that have brought the project to this point. As we process our bulk sample - producing gold and further reinforcing that our systematic approach will successfully deliver Madsen as a new, high-grade gold mine in Canada - it is time to reflect on how West Red Lake has delivered on its goals, said Shane Williams, President and CEO. We bought a complicated asset, assessed needs, and got to work. We stated specific goals and we have delivered on those goals. Our plan has always been to restart Madsen as a sustainable mine and, with anticipated production just months away, we are on track to deliver this project from purchase to production in only two years. West Red Lake Gold completed the purchase of the Madsen Mine in June 2023. By October 2023 the Company published its first set of plans to advance Madsen and the nearby Rowan project. In June 2024 the Company added detail to those plans through a list of projects designed to advance Madsen to production in 2025. Below are listed the stated operational goals and the accomplishments on each to date. Goal Stated October 2023, Restated June 2024: Complete 39,000 metres (m) of underground drilling by the end of 2024. Accomplishment : From October 2023 through Q1 2025, the Company has completed 88,191 metres of drilling from underground at Madsen. Approximately 90% of those metres have been definition drilling, which references drilling into known resources to tighten drill hole spacing and upgrade confidence ahead of stope engineering. Not only does the tight-spaced drilling increase confidence in the resource but it also allows the team to effectively define very high-grade zones of gold mineralization that may not be fully represented in the life-of-mine resource model. A perfect example of this would be the 114.26 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (Au) over 10.6m recently announced from South Austin (see press release dated February 26, 2025). This high-grade panel between 8 Level and 10 Level (400m and 500m vertical depth) has seen very little historic development and is a near-term focus for additional drilling. Approximately 10% of the metres were focused on resource expansion targets, often with good success. Most of the expansion metres were drilled in late 2023 and early 2024 targeting North Austin. Initial results were quite favorable including 27.15 g/t Au over 10.28m and 22.31 g/t Au over 8.5m (see press release dated November 21, 2023). Additional drilling at North Austin is planned for 2025 to continue extending this zone down plunge. Goal Stated October 2023 : Complete 3,200 metres of underground development at Madsen in 2024. Accomplishment : West Red Lake completed 3,065 metres of underground development at Madsen in 2024. To date in 2025 the Company has completed another 1,178 metres. These metres are in addition to the development of the Connection Drift. Goal Stated June 2024 : Complete a Pre Feasibility Study (PFS) for the restart of the Madsen Mine. Results were originally planned for release in November 2024; this timeline was slightly extended to allow for further mine design optimization. Accomplishment : the results of the PFS were published on January 7th. The PFS validated the rationale to restart the Madsen Mine by generating strong economic results, including almost $70 million in average annual free cash flow over 6 full production years. West Red Lake has since described the PFS as the base case for the Madsen Mines restart. That statement stems from the conservative nature of the PFS, in particular that Reserves were determined at a gold price of US$1,680 per oz. If all other modifying factors stay equal, a higher gold price would result in a larger Reserve and more favourable mine economics. Goal Stated June 2024, Refined September 2024 : Initiate a test mining program to assess longhole stope and cut-and-fill mining methods on the range of underground mining scenarios at Madsen, as an essential step in derisking the return to mining. Accomplishment : Six months of test mining successfully produced the bulk sample. The test mining program has also provided indispensable knowledge of how to mine safely and effectively at Madsen, which in-house mining crews will now take with them into operations. In addition, the test mining program proved the mineability of ore directly adjacent to historic stopes. Lack of demonstrated mineability meant that ore adjacent to old stopes was at risk of being unsafe or dilutive to mine. Test mining, in places, blasted directly up against old stopes; the test was successful in that the stopes remained competent and the legacy backfill remained in place, which meant the area was safe to mine and the blasted mineralization was not diluted. Figure 1: Ore from Stope 3 of the bulk sample stockpiled on surface. Goal Stated June 2024, Refined September 2024 : Use a test mining program to generate a bulk sample to enable a reconciliation test between expected and actual tonnes and grade for planned stopes. Accomplishment : A bulk sample program of 6 stopes totalling at least 15,000 tonnes is almost complete. The sixth stope is currently being mined. Three of the six stopes have been processed through the Madsen mill. Independent experts have observed the entire project and will confirm the validity of the results, which will compare the tonnes and grade expected in each stope (based on the Companys detailed internal mine plan) with the tonnes and grade actually mined. The Company expects to release these results by May. Goal Stated October 2023, Refined June 2024 : Complete a 1,200-metre haulage way connecting the East and West Portals of the Madsen Mine by March 31st, 2025. Accomplishment : The 1,448-metre Connection Drift was completed on March 28th. This underground highway, as Vice President Technical Services Maurice Mostert describes it, is an essential part of the Companys plan to move material efficiently at the Madsen Mine. It was the largest of the capital projects planned in support of restarting the Madsen Mine and it was completed on time. Figure 2: The face of the last blast for the Connection Drift. Figure 3: The Connection Drift with blasting complete. The muck from the last blast is still on the floor and the meshing and bolting from the west advance is visible from the east side. Goal Stated June 2024 : Complete a 4-metre tailings dam lift to ensure adequate capacity to support tailings management. Accomplishment : A 4-metre tailings dam lift was completed on October 8th. This major earthworks project was completed on schedule and under budget. Goal Stated June 2024 : Procure and install a camp to house 100 workers at the Madsen site. Accomplishment : A 114-person camp opened for operation at the Madsen Mine on March 18th, with junior suites, a cafeteria, a gym, and full staffing. Goal Stated June 2024 : Install a permanent primary crusher. Accomplishment : A permanent primary crusher is operating at the Madsen Mine. A Terex brand crusher with a nominal capacity of 145 tons per hour well in excess of Madsen current needs was delivered to the mine site on November 5th, 2024. It was commissioned and operational within two weeks. Goal Stated June 2024 : Procure, install, and staff a mine dry sufficient to support miners of a full-operations Madsen mine team to transition in and out of shifts. Accomplishment : The constructed mine dry received its occupancy permit on April 3rd, 2025, and is now welcoming workers. Figure 4: The main room of the mens dry prior to occupancy. Goal Stated June 2024 : Continue dewatering the mine. Accomplishment : Dewatering has almost reached level 17, an achievement of 70 vertical metres since dewatering started in the fall of 2023. The 17 Level of the Madsen Mine has not been dry since 1972. Dewatering to this level and beyond will enable the Company to develop level access to large promising areas of the resource in preparation for definition drilling and mining and to explore deeper areas of the mine where we have evidence of both grade and tonnage extension. Goal Stated June 2024 : Install two evaporator fans with the ability to manage 2,000 cubic metres of water daily, to increase overall water management capacity at the mine site. Accomplishment : Two evaporator fans were installed and commissioned in the summer of 2024. Figure 5: Two evaporator fans operating over the polishing pond at the Madsen Mine Goal Stated October 2023 : Publish updated Mineral Resource Estimate for Rowan by Q4 2023. Accomplishment : An updated MRE for Rowan was published in March 2024. The Company is now completing an internal scoping study to evaluate the potential for a direct shipping ore (DSO) scenario at Rowan. Goal Stated October 2023 : Restart the Madsen Mine in 2025. Accomplishment : With the mill running smoothly, definition drilling and mine engineering having outlined over 15 months of mine-ready tonnes, the Connection Drift complete, mining crews operating effectively, development crews creating access to all needed mining areas, staffing up to needed levels, maintenance working well, and stockpiles underway, the Madsen Mine is on track to start operating by H2 2025. Additional Accomplishments West Red Lake has purchased and commissioned 19 major pieces of underground equipment for mine operations, at a cost of $5.7 million. The rolling stock on site is now sufficient for startup. The Company implemented a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system across the business. An ERP system is the backbone of expenditure decisions and tracking within a complex operation like a mine and such a system reaches into every key facet of the mine: maintenance scheduling, supply procurement, personnel planning, capital project management, and more. An ERP system fit to the task is essential for smooth mine operations, which is why the Company dedicated significant time and effort to testing, implementing, and training personnel on a robust new system. There are now over 200 employees at the Madsen Mine. Establishing a workforce of this scale spanning all roles with suitable aptitudes is a challenge. West Red Lake is glad to have been able to work through this challenge over the last 18 months of active mine site operations, as with that time the Company feels confident it has built a competent team to deliver operationally at Madsen. West Red Lake has dedicated significant effort to developing robust safety systems and a strong safety culture at Madsen. Through 2024 the mine had a Total Reportable Incident Frequency of 1.0, versus an Ontario mining average of 4.53. The Company is committed to maintaining strong safety practices every day at Madsen. Restarting the Madsen mine as a sustainable, efficient operation required a multitude of projects, said Mr. Williams. I am proud to say that we delivered every named project on or close to schedule, while also completing a host of other requirements from staffing the mine to securing funding. Collectively, these efforts have Madsen on track to start operating in H2 2025, which is on the schedule we stated since the start. QUALIFIED PERSON The technical information presented in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Maurice Mostert, P.Eng., Vice President of Technical Services for West Red Lake Gold and the Qualified Person for technical services at the West Red Lake Project, as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. ABOUT WEST RED LAKE GOLD MINES West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd. is a mineral exploration company that is publicly traded and focused on advancing and developing its flagship Madsen Gold Mine and the associated 47 km2 highly prospective land package in the Red Lake district of Ontario. The highly productive Red Lake Gold District of Northwest Ontario, Canada has yielded over 30 million ounces of gold from high-grade zones and hosts some of the worlds richest gold deposits. WRLG also holds the wholly owned Rowan Property in Red Lake, with an expansive property position covering 31 km2 including three past producing gold mines Rowan, Mount Jamie, and Red Summit. ON BEHALF OF WEST RED LAKE GOLD MINES LTD. Shane Williams Shane Williams President & Chief Executive Officer FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Gwen Preston Vice President Communications Tel: (604) 609-6132 Email: investors@wrlgold.com or visit the Companys website at https://www.westredlakegold.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. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT AND FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information generally can be identified by words such as anticipate, expect, estimate, forecast, planned, and similar expressions suggesting future outcomes or events. Forward-looking information is based on current expectations of management; however, it is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information in this news release and include without limitation, statements relating to the plans and timing for the potential production of mining operations at the Madsen Mine, the potential (including the amount of tonnes of material from the bulk sample program) of the Madsen Mine; the benefits of test mining; any untapped growth potential in the Madsen deposit or Rowan deposit; and the Companys future objectives and plans. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking information involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking information. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, market volatility; the state of the financial markets for the Companys securities; fluctuations in commodity prices; timing and results of the cleanup and recovery at the Madsen Mine; and changes in the Companys business plans. Forward-looking information is based on a number of key expectations and assumptions, including without limitation, that the Company will continue with its stated business objectives and its ability to raise additional capital to proceed. 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 information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Additional information about risks and uncertainties is contained in the Companys managements discussion and analysis for the year ended November 30, 2023, and the Companys annual information form for the year ended November 30, 2023, copies of which are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The forward-looking information contained herein is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking information reflects managements current beliefs and is based on information currently available to the Company. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law. For more information on the Company, investors should review the Companys continuous disclosure filings that are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dec8532f-ee06-41eb-adb3-9c266db82ecf https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/92a431be-a59c-40f6-835c-1e8402fb2678 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/34b416dd-32b2-4c6b-8023-81f217b459ef https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c38d0b0b-7494-4911-9b4a-c621ce7fbe11 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/57503792-6b30-4cf1-93cb-619d9fdcc034 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/05cc4754-023a-4f12-9793-238a67e1f587 Washington, D.C., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On June 5, 2025, the College of Commercial Arbitrators (CCA) and the Center on International Commercial Arbitration at American University Washington College of Law (WCL) will host Summit II at WCL in Washington, D.C. to mark the 100th Anniversary of the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) and to supplement the CCA Protocols for Expeditious, Cost-Effective Commercial Arbitration (CCA Protocols). The event promises to be a landmark occasion, bringing together thought leaders, legal professionals, and arbitrators to reflect on the history of the FAA, evaluate its impact, and discuss its future, while focusing on an update of the CCA Protocols to account for changes in arbitration since they were first published in 2010. The Federal Arbitration Act (FAA), enacted in 1925, marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of dispute resolution in the United States. The FAA was designed to promote the enforcement of arbitration agreements and provide a more efficient, cost-effective alternative to litigation. Over the last century, the FAA has shaped the way businesses resolve disputes, fostering an environment of contractual freedom and dispute resolution flexibility that has become essential to the modern commercial world. The CCA Protocols were the work product of the CCA at the first Summit in 2009. The Protocols have influenced changes in arbitral rules to promote expeditious arbitral proceedings and cabin the costs of arbitration without compromising fairness and impartiality. "The Federal Arbitration Act has been foundational to the practice of commercial arbitration for the last 100 years, allowing arbitration to serve as an effective mechanism for resolving complex disputes, explained Dana Welch, President of the College of Commercial Arbitrators, regarding the significance of Summit II. And the CCA Protocols have been an invaluable adjunct to achieve the goals underlying the FAA." Summit II will offer an exceptional opportunity for thought leaders, legal professionals, and arbitrators to engage in discussions that will influence the trajectory of commercial arbitration in the United States and abroad for years to come. As the FAA enters its second century, the updated CCA Protocols will ensure that arbitration remains a cost-effective tool for resolving disputes promptly and fairly in a fast-paced global economy. Event Details: Date: June 5, 2025 Location: American University Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C. For more information about Summit II and to register, please visit https://www.ccarbitrators.org/events/cca-summit-ii/. CCA Arbitration Talk, the Colleges official podcast, provides additional insider information about Summit II in episode 4, Summit II: A Centennial Celebration of the FAA. About the College of Commercial Arbitrators Founded in 2001, the CCA is an exclusive, invitation-only organization that promotes excellence in commercial arbitration, both in the U.S. and internationally. CCA Fellows possess the professional training, experience, and judgment to handle the most complex and challenging arbitration assignments. By fostering collaboration, innovation, and thought leadership, CCA makes significant contributions to the field of commercial dispute resolution. For more information or to find an arbitrator, visit www.ccarbitrators.org. About the Center on International Commercial Arbitration at Washington College of Law The Center on International Commercial Arbitration at American University Washington College of Law is a leading institution dedicated to advancing the study and practice of international commercial arbitration. It fosters academic excellence, training, and research to support the global arbitration community. Dublin, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Energy/Electricity Futures, Options, and Derivatives" training has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This proven program is for energy and electric power professionals who are looking for a comprehensive and clearly explained understanding of natural gas, oil and electricity financial instruments, the markets they trade in, and how these powerful tools can be used to manage risk and structure profitable transactions. Who Should Attend: Among those who will benefit from this seminar include energy and electric power executives; attorneys; government regulators; traders & trading support staff; marketing, sales, purchasing & risk management personnel; accountants & auditors; plant operators; engineers; and corporate planners. Types of companies that typically attend this program include energy producers and marketers; utilities; banks & financial houses; industrial companies; accounting, consulting & law firms; municipal utilities; government regulators and electric generators. CPE Credits in Specialized Knowledge This live group seminar is eligible for 13.5 CPE credits. Be aware that state boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. The program includes continental breakfast, lunch, and coffee breaks on the first day. On the second day a continental breakfast, snack or lunch and coffee breaks are included. Attendees also receive a professionally produced seminar manual that can serve as a valuable office reference. Dress is business casual for all seminars. Key Topics Covered: DAY ONE Overview of the three different energy & electric power forward markets, terminology, the purposes served by these markets, price & spread hedgers and the basics of energy and electricity physical transactions. The differences between futures commission merchants ("FCM"), over-the-counter brokers, traders, market-makers, and energy/power marketers. The four different methods used to manage energy and electricity price, basis, spread, delivery, operational, and volumetric (intermittency) risks. The dangers of liquidity risk, and when it can blow up a company. What physically-settled energy futures contracts are; why only 1% of physical energy futures go to physical delivery and what the difference is between a physically-settled energy future contract and a physical forward contract. How the CME and ICE futures exchanges are structured and the role of the CME and Ice Clear Clearinghouses. How physically-settled and cash-settled energy futures contracts trade electronically on CME Globex and ICE Futures. The broker account maintenance, margin deposit, cash management and "funding risk" issues associated with clearing a financial or physical energy transaction through the CME, Ice Clear or Nodal Exchange Clearinghouses. How buyers and sellers hedge natural gas, crude oil, heating oil and gasoline price risk with CME physically-settled futures contracts. The "political" risks of hedging and the factors that can weaken the effectiveness of a futures hedge. How "Active Hedging", "Dynamic Hedging" and "Hedgulation" can hurt your company's hedging program. What the difference is between the locational "basis" and a locational price spread. The five different ways the term "basis" is used in the energy markets. How the "Master Energy Hedging Equation" is defined, and what its implications are. What basis risk is, and how it can destroy your futures hedges. Two examples of natural gas "basis blowout" and how it relates to LMP spread risk in ISO electricity markets. The difference between a commodity swap, contract-for-differences ("CFD"), cash-settled futures contract and cash-settled swap futures contract. The definition and use of common energy/electricity cash-settled financial instruments including fixed-for-floating, penultimate, exchange-indexed, basis, index, swing, dart, outright swap and cash-settled futures products. How buyers and sellers use cash-settled futures contracts and swaps to hedge natural gas, oil and electricity price, basis, spread, and LMP risk. How buyers and sellers can use cash-settled financial instruments to turn natural gas into virtual oil or virtual electricity (And vice-versa); Day Ahead LMP into Real Time LMP (And vice-versa); An average of daily prices into a fixed or monthly index price; and many other forms of "slicing & dicing." An overview of how the "ICE OTC" energy & electricity trading platform works. What the differences are between ICE OTC, ICE Futures, CME Globex, CME Clearport Services CME Direct and The Nodal Exchange. Where to find the four different Master Sales & Purchase Agreement templates which contain the standard industry bilateral contract language for physical & financial natural gas and electric power transactions. How basis & spread swaps work; and how these swaps relate to cash-settled futures contracts. The difference between the financial and physical locational basis ("fin" and phys"). What a "trigger deal" is, and why it is economically and politically efficient. Why so many energy industry buyers and sellers outsource the execution of their hedges and risk management solutions. How the "Master Energy Hedging Equation" is a simple and powerful way to quickly understand many different types of energy transactions and to quickly convert one form of transaction into another. How the "Master Energy Hedging Equation" underlies the structure of a firm's energy trading books. The basics of the "Value-at-Risk" ("VaR") calculation, and why to be careful. Additional Electricity Material ( Optional Session at 4:30 pm). How heat-rate-linked power transactions can convert natural gas futures, options, and swaps into electric power financial instruments which can then be used to hedge electricity risks or to structure profitable power deals. DAY TWO "Puts", "Calls", extrinsic value and other energy option terminology and concepts. The difference between exchange-traded, over-the-counter and physical energy/electricity options. What American, European and Asian style options are. Why one should rarely exercise an option before its expiration date. Mean reversion & price jumps--Why the Black and Black-Scholes option pricing models may not accurately price energy and electricity options. The services often used to price energy options. The methodology used to calculate "annualized volatility" for the energy markets. The important implications of high energy price volatility Why trading energy and electricity is different from the trading equities, bonds and other commodities. The many different types of energy and electricity trading. Why traders specialize, and the different ways energy traders can get an "edge" on the competition. How the many types of energy & electricity trading can be summarized by one simple three dimensional graph and "The Master Energy Trading Equation." Why many traders trade the 'basis" or price spreads, and how it works. Why merchant energy and electric power assets are valuable call options on spreads. What asset "optionality" means. What the terms "Contango" and "Backwardation" mean, and how the energy "carry trade" works. Why having ownership or contractual control of physical energy assets gives a significant advantage to a trading company. What "trading around assets" means Why merchant assets are call options on location, calendar, and product price spreads. A simple rule that will optimize your daily decisions on whether to use or idle a merchant electric generator, energy storage facility or transmission asset. Three detailed examples of how to trade around energy transmission, storage, and generating assets What a "tolling deal" is. What "structured transactions" are, and why they can be a "win/win" for all parties involved. How energy and power marketers make money by buying valuable energy options from their customers and suppliers, and how your company may be missing a significant financial opportunity. What "extendible" deals are, and why they are so profitable for energy marketing companies. How to create price caps, price floors and "no cost" collars with energy options. What the option "Greeks" are, and the basic concept of delta hedging. The basics of the valuable put-call option parity equation,. Four common "synthetic option" positions, and why it is worthwhileto know them. Speakers: John Adamiak President PGS Energy Training John Adamiak is President and Founder of PGS Energy Training and an expert in energy derivatives and electric power markets. Mr. Adamiak is a well-known and highly effective seminar presenter who has over 20 years experience in the natural gas and electric power industries. His background includes 15 years as a seminar instructor, 9 years of energy transaction experience, and 6 years of strategic planning and venture capital activities. John's academic background includes an M.B.A. degree from Carnegie Mellon University. For more information about this training visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/g75n8k 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. Dublin, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Best Practices for Doing Business with IP (Intellectual Property) in China Training Course" training has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This course equips participants with a comprehensive understanding of best practices for managing intellectual property (IP) in China, including trademark and patent applications, as well as enforcement procedures. Participants will gain a comprehensive overview of the Chinese IP system, including patents and trade marks, while exploring the broader landscape for doing business in China. The expert trainers will provide the knowledge and practical skills needed to build an effective IP strategy tailored to the Chinese IP landscape and navigate the complexities of the patent and trademark application processes. Key topics include: Recent developments in Chinese patent legislation Patent prosecution strategies The enforcement of trademark and patent rights Practical remedies for patent infringements Benefits of attending Gain and overview of the Chinese IP system (patents, utility models, trademarks) Explore the landscape for doing business in China Learn how to build an effective IP strategy for China Get to grips with the patent / trademark application process in China Examine developments of patent legislations in China Master patent prosecution strategies in China Consider the enforcement of trademark / patent rights in China Discuss remedies for patent infringements in China Who Should Attend: Patent practitioners / managers IP administrators Business development managers Technology transfer agents Patent information specialists and analysts Private practice patent/trade mark attorneys IP lawyers and legal advisers Senior leaders looking to set up facilities or sell products into China Key Topics Covered: Day 1 Doing business in China Contracts Negotiations Cultural differences Building an effective IP strategy in China Best practice The IP system in China Including China in your IP portfolio Patent application process Utility Model application process Trade mark application process Best practice Day 2 Protecting your IP in China Introduction to China's IP protection landscape Government authorities with IP-related responsibilities Particular Chinese IP systems - patent, trade mark, copyright and more Protecting your IP in China continued Enforcement of IP rights in China Best practices for protecting IP in China Summary and final questions Speakers: Ting Zhang Crayfish.io Ting Zhang is an expert in China's business and investment landscape with over 25 years of experience. Her expertise has been sought after by UK and European governments, businesses and think tanks. As the Founder & CEO of Crayfish.io, she is passionate about providing top-notch, reliable business advisory services, along with a comprehensive suite of business solutions, aimed at facilitating success not only in China but also on a global scale. Ting's clientele encompasses FTSE100 corporations, as well as tech scaleups, UK universities, and UK/European government agencies. Additionally, she has served as a China Venture Partner for a leading European VC. Crayfish.io was first launched in 2017, as the go-to digital platform providing quality cross-border business services at transparent and affordable prices and serving SMEs all across UK and Europe. Since then Crayfish has evolved its business offerings portfolio to now include strategic consultancy and intellectual property commercialisation. As a thought leader, Ting regularly writes on cross-cultural communications and other important aspects of doing business between the West and China, and has been interviewed by main media in both UK and China. She holds an MBA from Cambridge Judge Business School. Xu (Ron) Jiansheng Sphere Logic Partners Xu Jiansheng (Ron) is a co-founder and senior partner of Sphere Logic Partners (SLP), heading the firm's international and intellectual property practices. He also regularly provides strategic and counseling supports for some of China's IP powerhouses, such as Sinofaith, PurpleVine and Wanhuida. Ron serves the diverse needs of multinational corporations, foreign-invested enterprises and Chinese domestic companies, providing them with inland and cross-border legal advices and business solutions, particularly with respect to intellectual property. The SLP IP group under Ron's leadership has since 1999 advised a legion of prominent IP owners from home and abroad representing various industries. He is passionate in nurturing tech startups and helping them build, protect, commercialise and scale their breakthrough innovations and valuable IP in the global market. Ron is a current Deputy Director of All China Lawyers Association Intellectual Property Committee. He served for four years during 2013 and 2017 on the Executive Committee of the Lawyers Associated Worldwide. He is an adjunct faculty at Xiamen University School of Law. Ron co-authored International Business Law, the first-of-its-kind English language legal textbook in China, penning the Intellectual Property chapter. Ron is a fellow of the National Committee on US-China Relations Young Leaders Forum. Jane List Consultant Extract Information Limited Jane List has run her own business, Extract Information Limited, providing consultancy, search services, and training, all with a focus on commercial uses of patent information, since January 2013. Prior to this Jane worked on both sides of the information business - commercial information provider side, in content development, product management, commercial strategy and training roles, and in industry in technology consultancy, and science focused organisations where she was responsible for IP matters, scientific, technical and market information. She teaches on commercial searching including patent landscaping and state of the art searching and reporting in the UK and The Netherlands. She has a BSc, MRSC in Chemistry; MSc in Information Science and Cert. in Intellectual Property Law. She has published papers and spoken at global conferences on patent information matters, and is an active member of PATMG, PIUG and BPIP, professional patent information user groups. In July 2014 she became co-Editor in Chief of World Patent Information Journal. For more information about this training visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/dknaqn 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. Dublin, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) Market Opportunity, Growth Drivers, Industry Trend Analysis, and Forecast 2025-2034" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) Market was valued at USD 16.8 billion in 2024, and is projected to reach USD 28.1 billion by 2034, rising at a CAGR of 5.4%. This growth is primarily fueled by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and sensor technologies. Enhanced sensor capabilities, such as improved sensitivity and filtering, have significantly increased the range and precision of SIGINT platforms, enabling more efficient and accurate intelligence collection. These advancements are reducing the reliance on human operators while boosting the effectiveness of both tactical and strategic intelligence operations. The rising geopolitical tensions and military confrontations worldwide have escalated the demand for SIGINT systems, as countries are increasingly relying on these technologies to monitor adversaries and secure national defense. The market is also expanding due to concerns over electronic warfare (EW), with SIGINT playing a crucial role in countering jamming, spoofing, and other electronic threats. Countries are integrating SIGINT into their military strategies to maintain a competitive edge in modern warfare, especially as threats continue to evolve in regions like Eastern Europe, the Indo-Pacific, and the Middle East. The market is primarily segmented by types, including Communications Intelligence (COMINT), Electronic Intelligence (ELINT), and Foreign Instrumentation Signals Intelligence (FISINT). Among these, COMINT leads the market, accounting for over 40% of the total share in 2024. COMINT solutions are increasingly used by military and security agencies for intercepting and analyzing voice, text, and encrypted messages, which play a critical role in real-time threat detection and cyber defense. In terms of applications, the cyber segment is witnessing rapid growth, capturing a significant share of the market. With the increasing threats from cyber espionage and digital warfare, there has been a surge in funding for cyber SIGINT technologies aimed at protecting critical infrastructure. Governments and defense agencies are heavily investing in automated, AI-driven systems to enhance real-time threat detection capabilities. The military and defense sector continues to dominate the SIGINT market, accounting for nearly 70% of the total market share in 2024. The increasing demand for electronic warfare and threat detection solutions is driving significant growth in this sector. Additionally, governments are leveraging SIGINT for espionage, counterterrorism, and border security operations. The commercial sector is also adopting SIGINT technologies to safeguard against cyber threats and ensure secure communication. North America leads the global SIGINT market, with the United States contributing a substantial share of USD 5 billion in 2024. The U.S. is making significant investments in AI-powered signal processing and data analytics to strengthen its defense and intelligence capabilities, ensuring robust national security. Comprehensive Market Analysis and Forecast Industry trends, key growth drivers, challenges, future opportunities, and regulatory landscape Competitive landscape with Porter's Five Forces and PESTEL analysis Market size, segmentation, and regional forecasts In-depth company profiles, business strategies, financial insights, and SWOT analysis Key Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 175 Forecast Period 2024 - 2034 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $16.8 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2034 $28.1 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 5.4% Regions Covered Global Key Topics Covered Chapter 1 Methodology & Scope Chapter 2 Executive Summary 2.1 Industry synopsis, 2021-2034 Chapter 3 Industry Insights 3.1 Industry ecosystem analysis 3.2 Supplier landscape 3.2.1 Telematics hardware providers 3.2.2 Software developers 3.2.3 Wireless carriers 3.2.4 System integrators 3.2.5 Fleet management service providers 3.3 Profit margin analysis 3.4 Technology & innovation landscape 3.5 Patent analysis 3.6 Use cases 3.7 Key news & initiatives 3.8 Regulatory landscape 3.9 Impact forces 3.9.1 Growth drivers 3.9.1.1 Rising Demand for telematics & IoT 3.9.1.2 Stringent safety & emission regulations 3.9.1.3 Growth in e-commerce & last-mile delivery 3.9.1.4 Growing adoption of electric & autonomous vehicles 3.9.2 Industry pitfalls & challenges 3.9.2.1 Data overload and management concerns 3.9.2.2 Driver management and safety issues 3.10 Growth potential analysis 3.11 Porter's analysis 3.12 PESTEL analysis Chapter 4 Competitive Landscape, 2024 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Company market share analysis 4.3 Competitive positioning matrix 4.4 Strategic outlook matrix Chapter 5 Market Estimates & Forecast, by Type, 2021-2034 ($Bn) 5.1 Key trends 5.2 COMINT (Communications Intelligence) 5.3 ELINT (Electronic Intelligence) 5.4 FISINT (Foreign Instrumentation Signals Intelligence) Chapter 6 Market Estimates & Forecast, by Application, 2021-2034 ($Bn) 6.1 Key trends 6.2 Cyber 6.3 Ground 6.4 Airborne 6.4.1 Fighter jets 6.4.2 Special mission aircraft 6.4.3 Transport aircraft 6.4.4 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) 6.5 Naval 6.5.1 Ships 6.5.2 Submarines 6.5.3 Unmanned Marine Vehicles (UMVs) 6.6 Space Chapter 7 Market Estimates & Forecast, by Mobility, 2021-2034 ($Bn) 7.1 Key trends 7.2 Fixed 7.3 Portable Chapter 8 Market Estimates & Forecast, by End Use, 2021-2034 ($Bn) 8.1 Key trends 8.2 Military & defense 8.3 Government & law enforcement 8.4 Commercial & private sector Chapter 9 Market Estimates & Forecast, by Region, 2021-2034 ($Bn) 9.1 Key trends 9.2 North America 9.2.1 U.S. 9.2.2 Canada 9.3 Europe 9.3.1 UK 9.3.2 Germany 9.3.3 France 9.3.4 Spain 9.3.5 Italy 9.3.6 Russia 9.3.7 Nordics 9.4 Asia-Pacific 9.4.1 China 9.4.2 India 9.4.3 Japan 9.4.4 South Korea 9.4.5 ANZ 9.4.6 Southeast Asia 9.5 Latin America 9.5.1 Brazil 9.5.2 Mexico 9.5.3 Argentina 9.6 MEA 9.6.1 UAE 9.6.2 South Africa 9.6.3 Saudi Arabia Chapter 10 Company Profiles 10.1 Airbus 10.2 BAE Systems 10.3 Boeing 10.4 Collins Aerospace 10.5 DRS RADA Technologies 10.6 Elbit Systems 10.7 General Atomics 10.8 General Dynamics 10.9 Hensoldt 10.10 Israel Aerospace Industries 10.11 L3Harris 10.12 Leonardo 10.13 Lockheed Martin 10.14 Mercury Systems 10.15 Northrop Grumman 10.16 Raytheon 10.17 Rohde & Schwarz 10.18 Saab 10.19 SRC 10.20 Thales For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/7rg6gc 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. MADRID, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On April 8, the "Refreshing Fujian" Cultural Tourism Promotion Conference & the "Invest in Fujian" Economic and Trade Conference took place in Madrid, Spain. The event was sponsored by the Fujian Provincial People's Government and organized by the Fujian Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the Fujian Provincial Department of Commerce, and the Fujian Provincial Foreign Affairs Office. Zhou Zuyi, Secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, introduced the competitiveness and opportunities of the province in the new era and invited all participants to visit Fujian to witness the vitality, reap the benefits, and experience the joys of Chinese modernization. Among the more than 300 guests, there were dignitaries from the United Nations World Tourism Organization, the City of Madrid, and the Chinese Embassy in Spain, leaders from Spanish government authorities, representatives of business associations, investors, traders, financial institutions in China and Spain, heads of Fujian associations, and celebrities in the cultural and art circles. The United Nations World Tourism Organization, the Fujian Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, and Fujian Normal University inked an agreement for the preparation of the Goals, Vision, and Action Plan of Fujian as a World-renowned Tourist Destination. Fujian and Spain signed 22 projects spanning culture, tourism, economy, trade, and more. Three routes thoughtfully designed for European citizens (i.e., UNESCO Heritage Exploration, Global Hub of Tea, and Cultural Diversity) were publicized, showcasing the ultimate charm of "Refreshing Fujian." The event ended on a cheerful note when artistic performances featuring the essence of the two countries won warm applause: a video, Cherishing Treasures with Friends, narrated the fascinating exchange of cultural legacies between the two places; the Song of Matadors was an innovative dance to honor both the Fujian puppet show and the Spanish bullfighting; and in the Mesmerizing Drama, Fujian opera, Shaoxing opera, and Spanish flamenco were staged one after another. Source: Fujian Provincial Foreign Affairs Office SINGAPORE, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Verde Agritech Ltd (TSX: NPK) (OTCQX: VNPKF) ("Verde or the Company) and Nautica Holdings Limited (ACN 647 075 401), an Australian unlisted public company with AUD $1 million in cash available for investment, are pleased to jointly announce the execution of a Share Sale Agreement (SSA). Under the SSA, Nautica will acquire high-grade magnetic rare earths exploration assets located in Brazil ("Exploration Assets") from Verdes subsidiary, Oby Rare Earths Pty Ltd ("Oby"). This strategic transaction enables Verde to realize value for its shareholders and positions Nautica as a significant player in the rare earths sector, capitalizing on increasing global demand for critical minerals. The AUD $1 million available in Nautica will be specifically allocated towards preparations for an IPO on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), developing the project and advancing exploration. Transaction Overview Verde discovered high-grade rare earth elements on its Brazilian mining concessions through reassessment of historical drill data (see Verdes press release from October 07, 2024) 1 . . In late 2024, Verde incorporated Oby in Australia as a wholly owned subsidiary to acquire and manage the Exploration Assets (see Verdes press release from November 20, 2024) 2 . . On 27 January 2025, Verde shareholders were entitled to a pro-rata distribution of shares in Oby as part of a planned spin-out of the Exploration Assets ( Record Date ) (see Verdes press release from December 20, 2024) 3 . ) (see Verdes press release from December 20, 2024) . On or about 31 March 2025, Nautica agreed to acquire the Exploration Assets, comprising three primary targetsNau de Guerra, Balsamo, and Alto da Serracollectively hosting a maiden mineral resource estimate of 1.35 billion tons averaging 3,437 parts per million ( ppm ) Total Rare Earth Oxides ( TREO ) and 793 ppm Magnet Rare Earth Oxides ( MREO ), using a 1,000 ppm TREO cut-off. ) Total Rare Earth Oxides ( ) and 793 ppm Magnet Rare Earth Oxides ( ), using a 1,000 ppm TREO cut-off. The consideration for the Exploration Assets is the issuance of 2 billion shares in Nautica at $0.01 per share to Verde shareholders on the Record Date. Upon completion, Nautica will oversee these assets as the top-hat public company, with approximately 2,240,000,000 shares on issue. Post-completion, Nautica proposes a share consolidation on a 1 for 45 basis and intends to rename itself Oby Critical Minerals Limited.4 Pro-forma Capital Structure: Group Quantity of Shares % Undiluted Nautica Shareholders 5,300,000 10.7 Verde Shareholders on the Record Date (issued) 44,400,000 89.3 Total 49,700,000 100 The above capital structure does not include options to be issued to management and directors. Transaction Highlights: Acquisition of 100% of Oby, holding four tenements in Minas Gerais state, Brazilan established mining district with existing infrastructure. Maiden Resource compliant with JORC 2012 Edition and NI 43-101 standards of 1.35 billion tons @ 3,437ppm TREO, 793 ppm MREO, 594 ppm Nd2O3, 172ppm Pr6O11, 22ppm Dy2O3, and 5ppm Tb4O7 at a 1,000ppm TREO cut-off, with exploration covering less than 50% of prospective geological formation. Additional critical minerals (Rb, Hf, Nb, Ta, V, Ga, Sc) identified, presenting further potential economic value. Experienced management team with a proven track record in project development and execution. Strategic Rationale: The transaction delivers long-term shareholder value for Verdes shareholders on the Record Date through the potential development of Oby. Simultaneously, it aligns with Nautica's vision to secure rare earth minerals critical for global technological advancements, including electric vehicles, renewable energy, and defense applications. Strategic Next Steps: Following acquisition completion, Nautica will prioritize preparations for an IPO on the ASX. Concurrently, Nautica is actively evaluating alternative strategic options, including potential listings in New York, or a direct asset sale. Preparing for an ASX IPO ensures flexibility to swiftly capitalize should alternative opportunities offer superior shareholder returns. Strong Market Confidence: Nauticas commitment of AUD $ 1 million of existing capital to the Oby Rare Earths project underscores strong confidence in asset quality and potential. Deploying this capital in a challenging market highlights the project's significant economic value and demonstrates alignment with shareholder interests, effectively positioning Nautica for future exploration, resource expansion, and project development. Leadership Structure and Corporate Governance: Following completion, the Board and management of Nautica Holdings Limited will be constituted as follows: Dr Mike Etheridge - Independent Non-Executive Chair Andrew Whitten - Non-Executive Director Cristiano Veloso - Managing Director Guido Pessoa - Environmental Manager Thiago Siqueira - Project Manager Acknowledging potential concerns regarding dual roles, Cristiano Veloso will serve as Managing Director of Nautica, ensuring initial strategic alignment and execution. Both Nautica and Verde have established robust governance measures addressing responsibilities and potential conflicts. Leadership structure will be continuously reviewed by independent directors following pre and post IPO completion and other ongoing strategic developments. "This year marks the 20th anniversary since I founded Verdea journey shaped by strategic foresight and commitment to delivering shareholder value. Assuming a leadership role at Nautica Holdings is a carefully planned move, intended solely to ensure a robust start and immediate strategic alignment between both companies. Our exceptional senior management teams and seasoned boards at both Verde and Nautica provide a solid foundation that enables this arrangement to function effectively. I want to assure shareholders that this dual role will be continuously assessed by myself and the boards of both companies. As soon as a structure emerges that better serves the interests of both organizations and their stakeholders, we will implement that change without delay." Shareholder Information: Verde shareholders should contact their brokers directly to arrange the receipt of their share certificates in Nautica. For further information, please contact: Andrew Whitten, Non-Executive Chairman, Nautica Holdings Limited +61 419 117 337 or andrew@prandium.com.au Cristiano Veloso, Verde Agritechs Founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer +55 (31) 3245 0205 or investor@verde.ag . Conference Call The Company will host a conference call to discuss the Transaction on Monday, April 14, 2025, at 6 PM EDT, corresponding to Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at 8 AM AEST. Subscribe using the following link and receive the conference details by email: https://bit.ly/ConferenceCall-VerdeAgritechLimitedandNauticaHoldingsLimited. Shareholders questions must be submitted in advance through the following link before the conference call: https://bit.ly/VerdeAgritechandNauticaHoldingsLimitedmagneticrareearthsminingassets. About Verde Agritech Verde is an agricultural technology Company that produces potash fertilizers. Our purpose is to improve the health of all people and the planet. Rooting our solutions in nature, we make agriculture healthier, more productive, and profitable. Verde is a fully integrated Company: it mines and processes its main feedstock from its 100% owned mineral properties, then sells and distributes the Product. Verdes focus on research and development has resulted in one patent and eight patents pending. Among its proprietary technologies are Cambridge Tech, 3D Alliance, MicroS Technology, N Keeper, and Bio Revolution.5 Currently, the Company is fully licensed to produce up to 2.8 million tons per year of its multinutrient potassium fertilizers K Forte and BAKS, sold internationally as Super Greensand. In 2022, it became Brazil's largest potash producer by capacity.6 Verde has a combined measured and indicated mineral resource of 1.47 billion tons at 9.28% K 2 O and an inferred mineral resource of 1.85 billion tons at 8.60% K 2 O (using a 7.5% K 2 O cut-off grade).7 This amounts to 295.70 million tons of potash in K 2 O. For context, in 2021 Brazils total consumption of potash in K 2 O was 6.57 million8. Brazil ranks second in global potash demand and is its single largest importer, currently depending on external sources for over 97% of its potash needs. In 2022, potash accounted for approximately 3% of all Brazilian imports by dollar value.9 About Nautica Holdings Nautica is an unlisted Australian public Company with over 130 shareholders (mainly sophisticated investors) formed to acquire a business or invest into an opportunity that Nautica can add value to and grow. Cautionary Language and Forward-Looking Statements All Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resources estimates reported by the Company were estimated in accordance with the Canadian National Instrument 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Definition Standards (May 10, 2014). These standards differ significantly from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Mineral Resources which are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. This document contains "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. This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements" are made as of the date of this document. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect current estimates, predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: the estimated amount and grade of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves; the estimated amount of CO 2 removal per ton of rock; the PFS representing a viable development option for the Project; estimates of the capital costs of constructing mine facilities and bringing a mine into production, of sustaining capital and the duration of financing payback periods; the estimated amount of future production, both produced and sold; timing of disclosure for the PFS and recommendations from the Special Committee; the Companys competitive position in Brazil and demand for potash; and, estimates of operating costs and total costs, net cash flow, net present value and economic returns from an operating mine. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects", "anticipates", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "envisages", "assumes", "intends", "strategy", "goals", "objectives" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based on Verde's or its consultants' current beliefs as well as various assumptions made by them and information currently available to them. The most significant assumptions are set forth above, but generally these assumptions include, but are not limited to: the presence of and continuity of resources and reserves at the Project at estimated grades; the estimation of CO 2 removal based on the chemical and mineralogical composition of assumed resources and reserves; the geotechnical and metallurgical characteristics of rock conforming to sampled results; including the quantities of water and the quality of the water that must be diverted or treated during mining operations; the capacities and durability of various machinery and equipment; the availability of personnel, machinery and equipment at estimated prices and within the estimated delivery times; currency exchange rates; Super Greensand and K Forte sales prices, market size and exchange rate assumed; appropriate discount rates applied to the cash flows in the economic analysis; tax rates and royalty rates applicable to the proposed mining operation; the availability of acceptable financing under assumed structure and costs; anticipated mining losses and dilution; reasonable contingency requirements; success in realizing proposed operations; receipt of permits and other regulatory approvals on acceptable terms; and the fulfilment of environmental assessment commitments and arrangements with local communities. Although management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. Many forward-looking statements are made assuming the correctness of other forward looking statements, such as statements of net present value and internal rates of return, which are based on most of the other forward-looking statements and assumptions herein. The cost information is also prepared using current values, but the time for incurring the costs will be in the future and it is assumed costs will remain stable over the relevant period. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. 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 beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates assumptions and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions and estimates expressed above do not occur as forecast, but specifically include, without limitation: risks relating to variations in the mineral content within the material identified as Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves from that predicted; variations in rates of recovery and extraction; the geotechnical characteristics of the rock mined or through which infrastructure is built differing from that predicted, the quantity of water that will need to be diverted or treated during mining operations being different from what is expected to be encountered during mining operations or post closure, or the rate of flow of the water being different; developments in world metals markets; risks relating to fluctuations in the Brazilian Real relative to the Canadian dollar; increases in the estimated capital and operating costs or unanticipated costs; difficulties attracting the necessary work force; increases in financing costs or adverse changes to the terms of available financing, if any; tax rates or royalties being greater than assumed; changes in development or mining plans due to changes in logistical, technical or other factors; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; risks relating to receipt of regulatory approvals; delays in stakeholder negotiations; changes in regulations applying to the development, operation, and closure of mining operations from what currently exists; the effects of competition in the markets in which Verde operates; operational and infrastructure risks and the additional risks described in Verde's Annual Information Form filed with SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com) for the year ended December 31, 2021. Verde cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on our forward-looking statements to make decisions with respect to Verde, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Verde does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by Verde or on our behalf, except as required by law. For additional information please contact: Cristiano Veloso, Founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Tel: +55 (31) 3245 0205; Email: investor@verde.ag www.verde.ag | www.investor.verde.ag ________________ 1 See press release at: High grade ionic absorption clay magnetic rare earths mineralization found in Verdes historical drill holes. 2 See press release at: Verde Announces Man of War Rare Earths Project Spin-Off. 3 See press release at: Verde Announces EGM Results, Oby Rare Earths Transaction Record Date, and Cost Reductions. 4 Assumes a 1 for 45 share consolidation has been approved by shareholders and implemented. 5 Learn more about our technologies: https://verde.docsend.com/view/yvthnpuv8jx6g4r9 6 See the release at: https://investor.verde.ag/verde-starts-ramp-up-of-plant-2s-second-stage-to-reach-production-of-2-4mtpy/ 7 As per the National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects within Canada (NI 43 -101), filed on SEDAR in 2017. See the Pre-Feasibility Study at: https://investor.verde.ag/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/NI-43-101-Pre-Feasibility-Technical-Report-Cerrado-Verde-Project.pdf 8 Source: Brazilian Fertilizer Mixers Association (from "Associacao Misturadores de Adubo do Brasil", in Portuguese). 9 Source: Brazilian Comex Stat, available at: http://comexstat.mdic.gov.br/en/geral ZURICH, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The first AI-powered decentralized exchange built on the XRP Ledger, XploraDEX, has officially achieved its soft cap fundraising goal, marking a major milestone in one of the most talked-about DeFi token sales of the year. With the $XPL Token Presale now entering its final phase, investors are racing to get in before the hard cap is reached and the sale ends. Momentum has exploded over the past several days as word spread about XploraDEXs breakthrough offering: an AI-integrated trading platform that brings hedge-fund-level technology to everyday XRP traders. This is not just another DEXXploraDEX is building intelligent infrastructure that empowers users to trade smarter, faster, and more profitably. JOIN $XPL PRESALE The $XPL token , which powers the entire protocol, is now in red-hot demand. Following the soft cap breakthrough, investor confidence has surged, with participation pouring in from both retail and whale investors. According to the development team, the remaining allocation is shrinking fast, and the opportunity to join the presale at current pricing is about to close. Why the Surge in Demand? XploraDEX is delivering what XRPs DeFi scene has been missing: intelligent automation, adaptive AI tools, and real-time trade optimizationall running natively on XRPL. Traders can execute personalized strategies, receive predictive market insights, and engage with smart liquidity routingall without needing coding knowledge or third-party bots. And its not just hype. XploraDEX already has working AI modules in beta, a live dashboard in development, and integrations with leading XRPL wallets. With a roadmap that includes sentiment-based trading alerts, cross-asset AI bots, and advanced staking mechanics, its easy to see why the smart money is moving quickly. PARTICIPATE IN $XPL PRESALE $XPL Powers Everything Holding $XPL Token unlocks the platforms most valuable featuresfrom AI-based trading dashboards to staking rewards, fee discounts, and governance access. Early buyers in the presale phase also gain early access to unreleased tools and higher-yield staking tiers, giving them a first-mover advantage as adoption grows. With the $XPL soft cap now in the rearview mirror, XploraDEX is laser-focused on closing out the presale by hitting its hard cap. Once that happens, the token will be officially listed on major XRPL-based DEXs, and the next phase of platform rollouts will begin. Buy $XPL Tokens Now: https://sale.xploradex.io Limited Time! Limited Allocation! With only a small percentage of $XPL left in the presale round , the window to get in early is closing by the hour. This is the final chance for investors to lock in their allocations before the price jumps and listings go live. If youve been watching from the sidelines, now is the moment to act. The combination of smart tech, real progress, and early-stage access is rareand with XploraDEX, its all happening on the fastest, most scalable chain in DeFi. Join the $XPL Presale Before It Ends: https://sale.xploradex.io Stay connected and Join the XploraDEX AI Revolution Website | $XPL Token Presale | X | Telegram Contact: Oliver Muller oliver@xploradex.io contact@xploradex.io Disclaimer: This press release is provided by the XploraDEX. 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. 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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e24544e8-e5df-4ab4-aced-fccc3e5c8601 As Trump-Era Policies Return, the NJ-Based B2B Digital Agency Pushes Urgent Digital Shift for American Manufacturing Industry MORRISTOWN, N.J., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In response to a renewed push for U.S. manufacturing under Donald Trumps proposed economic policies, Hudson Integrated is launching a dedicated manufacturing digital transformation initiative tailored for American manufacturers looking to reshore operations and/or scale domestically. With tariffs, tax incentives, and America First policies back in the national conversation, many manufacturers are eyeing growth on U.S. soil. But according to Hudson Integrated, revitalizing production without modernizing digital infrastructure is a critical mistake. American manufacturers have a real opportunity to thrivebut only if theyre digitally visible and operationally agile, said Daryl Bryant, CEO of Hudson Integrated. Were rolling out a focused initiative to help U.S. manufacturers build high-performing websites, develop custom applications, generate qualified leads, dominate local and national search, and leverage AI for automation and performance-enhancing solutions so they dont just come back, they lead amongst their competitors. Hudsons new initiative includes complimentary digital audits, strategic roadmap and brainstorming sessions, and customized services specifically engineered for small- to mid-size manufacturers that are currently residing in or transitioning back to U.S. soil. The program focuses on enhancing internal processes, strengthening online visibility, improving user experience, and driving lead generation in traditionally underserved sectors. Key Services Include: Website / Application Design & Development Custom AI Solutions Industrial-Focused Search Engine Optimization Local Google Business Optimization B2B Digital Marketing & Lead Generation Strategy Paid Media & Google Ads Campaigns Analytics & Performance Tracking While policy may bring production back, digital capability is what will sustain long-term competitiveness. Many manufacturers still operate on outdated platforms and systems and rely on outdated sales tactics, leaving millions in potential revenue untapped. This isnt about keeping upits about getting ahead, added Bryant. Were helping manufacturers become digitally mature enterprises that can meet todays buyer where they are: online. Manufacturers interested in a free digital assessment or learning more about Hudsons reshoring-focused initiative can visit https://hudsonintegrated.com. To contact their team, complete the quick 3-step form via https://hudsonintegrated.com/contact/ About Hudson Integrated Hudson Integrated is a nationally recognized digital agency based in New Jersey, specializing in digital transformation for growth-oriented B2B businesses. With deep expertise in the manufacturing sector, Hudson helps American companies modernize their web presence, improve search visibility, and convert traffic into revenue. Media Contact: Daryl Bryant CEO, Hudson Integrated info@hudsonintegrated.com www.hudsonintegrated.com EDINBURGH, United Kingdom, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Women looking for love online are being warned of a sinister side to dating apps, with new evidence that abusers may try to groom them to gain access to their children. Research by Childlight Global Child Safety Institute finds men who sexually offend against children are nearly four times more likely to use dating sites than non-offenders. The unit, hosted by the University of Edinburgh and University of New South Wales, found nearly two thirds (66%) of men who sexually offended against children used dating platforms and over one in five (22%) used them daily. The report is part of a broader investigation into the multi-billion-dollar industry of child sexual exploitation and abuse, which financially benefits perpetrators, organised crime and even mainstream companies. While Childlight warns that sexual exploitation and abuse of children has become a pandemic, affecting over 300 million every year, it says education, legislation and technological measures can help prevent it. Its findings, based on a survey of about 5,000 men in Australia, the UK and US, represent the latest evidence of the risk of dating site misuse by people who sexually offend against children. It follows a separate recent survey by the Australian Institute of Criminology that found 12% of dating apps users received requests to facilitate child sexual exploitation and abuse often related to their own children. Recent high-profile cases include Scottish lorry driver Paul Stewart who manipulated single mothers via dating apps to gain access to their children for sexual abuse. He was jailed for over three years last December. Around 381 million people use dating apps like Tinder, according to Statista. Report co-author Professor Michael Salter, director of the Childlight East Asia and Pacific Hub at UNSW, said: Our findings provide clear evidence that dating apps lack adequate child protection measures, and loopholes are exploited by abusers to target single parents and their children. The survey of 5,000 men found 11.5% admitted having sexual feelings towards children, while 11% confessed to sexual offences against minors. Most dating sites do not require new users to provide evidence of their identity. Salter recommends user verification processes, like mandatory ID checks, and tools to detect predatory behaviours like grooming language or suspicious messaging patterns. Childlights research also reveals that mainstream companies profit from and perpetuate the global trade in technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse of children (CSEA). They include payment transfer firms and social media platforms where illegal child sexual abuse images are present and where abuse-related traffic can increase advertising revenues. Debi Fry, Childlights Global Director of Data and Professor of International Child Protection Research at University of Edinburgh, said: Child sexual exploitation and abuse is a global public health emergency that requires emergency measures but its preventable. We must mobilise globally, focusing not just on reactive law enforcement but on prevention strategies tackling underlying determinants of abuse including financial and technological ecosystems sustaining it. More at childlight.org Chicago, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global anatomic pathology market was valued at US$ 40.96 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to reach US$ 76.71 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 7.22% during the forecast period 20252033. The growing clinical complexity associated with chronic and multifactorial diseases is directly accelerating global demand for subspecialized anatomic pathology market. Institutions across North America, Western Europe, and parts of Asia-Pacific have reported a marked increase in the deployment of dedicated pathology divisions addressing disease-specific workflows, notably within oncologic, dermatologic, and gastrointestinal domains. According to the College of American Pathologists, by Q1 2024, over 65% of hospitals with bed capacities exceeding 300 had operationalized subspecialty-specific diagnostic unitsreflecting a compound shift from generalist pathology models to precision-aligned pathology structures. This reconfiguration is being catalyzed by precision therapy protocols, which necessitate tissue-based verification of biomarker expression (e.g., ALK, EGFR, and PD-L1), driving downstream demand for specialized pathology review. Request Sample Pages: https://www.astuteanalytica.com/request-sample/anatomic-pathology-market In mature healthcare markets such as Germany and Japan, institutional funding in the anatomic pathology market is prioritizing digital connectivity across centers of excellence to facilitate remote consultation within highly specialized domains. Concurrently, public-private partnerships in India and Brazil are bridging human capital gaps through regional subspecialty training and outsourcing frameworks. As the complexity and volume of tissue diagnostics increase in tandem with novel therapeutic pipelines, pathology departments are no longer peripheral service units but essential clinical partners in personalized medicine delivery models. Strategic planning among providers and payers must now factor subspecialty readiness as a core diagnostic competency. Key Findings in Anatomic Pathology Market Market Forecast (2033) US$ US$ 76.71 billion CAGR 7.22% Largest Region (2024) North America (41.06%) By Product & Services Services (48.23%) By Application Disease Diagnostics (74.42%) By End Users Hospital Laboratories (48.01%) Top Drivers Rising cancer cases globally drive demand for anatomic pathology diagnostics Personalized medicine focus increases need for detailed pathological analysis services Advanced diagnostic technologies enhance precision and efficiency in pathology practices Top Trends Digital integration and workflow automation improve pathology laboratory operational efficiency Artificial intelligence and machine learning revolutionize diagnostic accuracy and speed High-resolution digital imaging enables better collaboration among healthcare professionals worldwide Top Challenges High diagnostic equipment costs limit adoption in developing regions worldwide Global shortage of skilled pathologists affects timely delivery of services Regulatory barriers and compliance requirements delay new technology market entry Integration of Molecular Diagnostics Redefining Anatomic Pathology Laboratory Models The convergence of molecular diagnostics and anatomic pathology has emerged as a strategic imperative for laboratories seeking to remain clinically and commercially competitive in the precision medicine era. As of 2024, 41% of hospital-based pathology labs in the U.S. anatomic pathology market have co-located molecular platformssuch as NGS, FISH, and RT-PCRwithin histopathology workflows, enabling single-site genomic and morphologic correlation. This represents a 52% increase since 2021, based on tracking from the Association for Molecular Pathology. These integrated workflows are notably influencing turnaround time and diagnostic comprehensiveness in oncology, where concurrent tissue analysis for morphology and molecular aberrations (e.g., KRAS, BRAF, IDH mutations) is becoming standard of care. In the European context, Germany and France report year-on-year increases of 1820% in dual-platform test volumes, supported by payer alignment around bundled reimbursement structures. Operationally, this integration is redefining personnel requirementsblurring traditional silos between molecular scientists and histopathologistsand driving investment in cross-functional lab informatics and sample integrity management systems. Vendors such as Thermo Fisher, Qiagen, and Roche are responding with modular automation platforms optimized for dual use. For pathology service providers, success in this space now hinges on their ability to offer consolidated diagnostics, maintain clinically actionable turnaround times, and ensure validation of multiplex assays under regulatory guidelines, particularly for companion diagnostics. Artificial Intelligence Tools Driving Workflow Optimization and Diagnostic Consistency Artificial intelligence (AI) adoption within anatomic pathology market is progressing from pilot-phase innovation to scaled operational deployment, with immediate implications for workflow efficiency, diagnostic reproducibility, and quality assurance. As of 2024, over 500 pathology departments in North America have integrated FDA-cleared AI tools for specific applications such as cancer grading, mitotic count quantification, and lymph node metastasis detection. Key clinical validation studiessuch as a multicenter trial published in JAMA Oncologydemonstrate AI-assisted breast cancer grading achieving 94.7% concordance with senior pathologists, a performance metric that outpaces junior-level diagnosticians. In operational terms, early adopters report up to 30% reductions in case review times for high-volume, low-complexity cases, thereby reallocating human resources toward diagnostic outliers. European institutions in the anatomic pathology market are increasingly integrating AI solutions for quality control, flagging cases with divergent preliminary and final reports, particularly in prostate and GI pathology. The market is seeing strong vendor activity from platforms such as PathAI, Paige AI, and Ibex, each of which is actively pursuing cross-border integrations. Additionally, AI-driven quantification tools are finding early traction in clinical trials, where they support objective biomarker readouts for endpoints. Decision-makers must assess AI not just as a productivity enhancer but as a long-term risk mitigation strategyparticularly as payers and regulators move toward outcome-linked quality metrics in diagnostic services. Accreditation and Regulatory Pressures Forcing Standardization of Laboratory Practices A tightening global regulatory environment is compelling anatomic pathology market providers to standardize diagnostic practices in alignment with emerging accreditation benchmarks. As of 2024, 88% of hospital-based pathology laboratories in the U.S. have achieved or are in process for College of American Pathologists (CAP) accreditationan increase of 13 percentage points since 2019driven largely by payer requirements and legal liability exposure. In the European Union, EN ISO 15189 certification is being mandated by 2026 for all clinical labs under pan-regional quality assurance frameworks. These shifts are introducing rigorous expectations around inter-observer concordance, quality documentation, and traceable reporting workflows. The impact is especially pronounced in oncology, where histopathology reports now form the basis for treatment eligibility under companion diagnostic guidelines. To meet these evolving demands in the anatomic pathology market, pathology labs are investing in LIS platforms that support structured reporting, protocol enforcement, and audit-ready traceability. Additionally, international standardization initiatives such as the ICCR (International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting) are gaining adoption as laboratories seek harmonized reporting formats for cross-border data sharing and clinical trials. Decision-makers must prioritize quality infrastructure, including proficiency testing programs and process automation, not just for compliance but to align with emerging value-based care models that emphasize diagnostic accuracy and accountability. Oncology Drug Development Pipelines Deepening Reliance on Tissue-Based Diagnostics The evolving oncology therapeutics landscape is reinforcing the centrality of anatomic pathology market in clinical trial design, treatment stratification, and market access. As of early 2024, the FDA has approved more than 160 targeted oncology therapies with explicit tissue-based companion diagnostic requirements, a near doubling from 2018. These include multiplexed assessments for biomarkers such as EGFR, ALK, ROS1, PD-L1, HER2-low, and KRAS G12Call of which require formalin-fixed tissue samples with validated staining or sequencing outputs. This has increased both the volume and complexity of tissue-based diagnostics in clinical workflows, as well as expanded the operational role of pathology labs in therapeutic eligibility screening. Pharma firms are proactively partnering with pathology service providers to ensure biomarker testing scalability during trial phases, with Roche, AstraZeneca, and Merck among the most active in these engagements. Concurrently, pathology labs in the anatomic pathology market are establishing SOPs for tissue triage, specimen preservation, and real-time reporting to meet protocol mandates. Tissue microarrays, digital histology repositories, and image-based biomarker quantification platforms are being deployed to streamline preclinical and early-phase development timelines. This evolving dependency landscape mandates that pathology networks develop not just diagnostic competency, but also GCP-compliant research infrastructure to position themselves as strategic partners in the precision medicine ecosystem. Decentralization of Pathology Services Aligning With Outpatient Care Delivery Models The structural realignment of healthcare deliverydriven by payer pressure to reduce inpatient dependencyis catalyzing the decentralization of anatomic pathology services to community-based settings. As of 2024, 36% of new pathology hires in the U.S. anatomic pathology market have occurred in non-academic hospitals and independent surgical centers, reflecting a fundamental redistribution of diagnostic capabilities. These environments are increasingly being equipped with mid-capacity immunohistochemistry platforms, digital slide scanners, and cloud-based LIS to enable on-site or near-site tissue diagnostics. In Canada and Australia, public health authorities are funding regionalized pathology hubs to reduce tertiary center overload and support equitable access to cancer diagnostics. Meanwhile, private hospital chains in India, the Philippines, and Vietnam anatomic pathology market are investing in full-stack diagnostic integration, enabling biopsy, histology, and molecular testing under one roof. Telepathology networksenabled by maturing broadband and cloud infrastructureare bridging remaining expertise gaps, particularly for subspecialty consults. This decentralization trend has strategic implications for lab networks, vendor partnerships, and clinical outreach models, requiring new approaches to quality control, logistics, and revenue sharing. For investors and operators, decentralization introduces new growth avenues but necessitates close attention to interoperability, local regulatory compliance, and workforce development in community settings. Ask for a bespoke version: https://www.astuteanalytica.com/ask-for-customization/anatomic-pathology-market Reimbursement Evolution Driving Consolidation and Service Model Transformation Global reimbursement dynamics for pathology services are undergoing fundamental restructuring, with implications for both business models and competitive landscapes in the anatomic pathology market. In the U.S., the 2024 CMS fee schedule introduced bundled reimbursement incentives for integrated diagnostics, while decreasing individual slide interpretation ratesthereby favoring vertically integrated networks capable of offering pathology, molecular diagnostics, and radiology in unified billing structures. This reimbursement recalibration has triggered a wave of consolidation, with M&A activity in the pathology services sector rising 27% year-over-year. Large diagnostic networksincluding Sonic Healthcare, Labcorp, and Unilabsare acquiring regional labs to optimize economies of scale, LIS harmonization, and payer alignment. Similarly, in Europe anatomic pathology market, Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) reforms are pushing pathology labs to bundle services with oncology treatment workflows, particularly within national health systems. In emerging markets, insurance penetration is driving the standardization of reimbursement-linked quality metrics, which small independent labs often struggle to meet. These changes are reshaping pathologist roles and reimbursement logic, positioning diagnostic networks as strategic providers in population health and precision care. Stakeholders must monitor payer trends closely, align service portfolios with value-based frameworks, and evaluate integration opportunities to maintain pricing power and compliance agility in the evolving reimbursement environment. Biobanking Infrastructure Scaling to Support Translational and Commercial Research Needs Anatomic pathology market is playing an increasingly strategic role in translational research and commercial R&D through its integration with biobanking operations. In 2023 alone, global tissue biobanks reported a 39% increase in new oncology sample accessions, with a concurrent 70% of samples featuring digital annotations for histologic features and molecular profiles. Hospital-linked biobanks in the U.K., Germany, and South Korea are now operating under hybrid clinical-research models, where pathologists oversee sample quality assurance, pre-analytical standardization, and eligibility screening for study inclusion. These biobanks serve both academic and commercial sponsors, with the latter showing increasing preference for institutional partnerships over CROs due to higher-quality data and sample traceability. Investment in digital pathology within biobanks is also acceleratingenabling whole-slide access for virtual research consortia and AI algorithm training datasets in the anatomic pathology market. Additionally, 31 countries have revised their human tissue governance frameworks since 2021 to permit secondary commercial use, with appropriate consent and data protection protocols. Biobanking thus presents a dual opportunity: as a revenue-generating adjunct to clinical pathology services and as a differentiator in precision medicine trial readiness. Health systems and private operators must explore biobank-pathology integration models to unlock downstream R&D revenue while maintaining ethical and operational rigor. Global Anatomic Pathology Market Key Players: F. Hoffman La Roche Ltd Danaher Corp PHC Holdings Corp Abcam Ltd Hologic Inc Agilent Technologies Inc Becton Dickinson and Co Sakura Finetek USA Inc BioGenex Milestone Medical Histo-Line Laboratories Diapath S.p.A. Slee Medical Gmbh Merck KGAA Bio SB Inc. Other Prominent Players Key Segmentation: By Product & Services Services Consumables Instruments By Application Disease Diagnostics Medical Research By End User Hospital Laboratories Clinical Laboratories Others Laboratories By Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa (MEA) South America Have questions? Inquire about this report before purchasing: https://www.astuteanalytica.com/inquire-before-purchase/anatomic-pathology-market About Astute Analytica Astute Analytica is a global market research and advisory firm providing data-driven insights across industries such as technology, healthcare, chemicals, semiconductors, FMCG, and more. We publish multiple reports daily, equipping businesses with the intelligence they need to navigate market trends, emerging opportunities, competitive landscapes, and technological advancements. With a team of experienced business analysts, economists, and industry experts, we deliver accurate, in-depth, and actionable research tailored to meet the strategic needs of our clients. At Astute Analytica, our clients come first, and we are committed to delivering cost-effective, high-value research solutions that drive success in an evolving marketplace. Contact Us: Astute Analytica Phone: +1-888 429 6757 (US Toll Free); +91-0120- 4483891 (Rest of the World) For Sales Enquiries: sales@astuteanalytica.com Website: https://www.astuteanalytica.com/ Follow us on: LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube Toronto, ON, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Days Inns - Canada was named as a recipient of the Franchisees' Choice designation for the fifth consecutive year during the Awards Gala at the 2025 Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) National Convention in Niagara Falls, Ontario. This milestone places Days Inns - Canada among an elite group of franchisors with a proven track record of exceptional franchise relations and support. "Achieving this designation for five straight years represents more than just an award - it's validation of our franchisee-first philosophy," said Irwin Prince, President and COO of Days Inns - Canada. "This remarkable consistency in franchisee satisfaction stems from our ongoing commitment to collaborative growth and mutual success." The Franchisees' Choice program, now in its 15th year, is based on comprehensive surveys where franchisees evaluate their franchisors across multiple critical aspects of the business relationship, including initial and ongoing support, leadership effectiveness, communication quality, and overall satisfaction and relationship between the franchisor and franchisee. "We celebrate Franchisees' Choice Designees for exemplifying franchising's core principle of working in partnership, sharing success, and Growing Together," says Sherry McNeil, CFA President & Chief Executive Officer. "Our congratulations go out to this year's Franchisees' Choice Designees on receiving this outstanding vote of confidence from their franchisees." For prospective franchisees, the Franchisees Choice Designation serves as an important endorsement from within the franchise community. It signals a high level of satisfaction among existing franchisees and highlights the brands commitment to mutual success. With a portfolio of over 105 independently owned and operated hotels across Canada, the Days Inn by Wyndham brand remains committed to delivering exceptional experiences and first-rate accommodations. To learn more about Days Inns - Canada, visit www.daysinn.ca. For more information about Franchisees' Choice designation and a full list of winners, visit the 2025 CFA Franchisees' Choice Designation web page. About Days Inns - Canada Part of Realstar Hospitality, Days Inns Canada is one of the country's leading hotel chains with over 105 independently owned and operated properties and over 8,385 rooms. Its franchises cover a wide range of urban, airport and resort properties in primary and secondary markets across Canada. Every Days Inn by Wyndham in Canada participates in the Wyndham Rewards guest reward program. Part of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH), Days Inn by Wyndham is a globally recognized hotel brand with over 1,600 properties across 23 countries. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is the worlds largest hotel franchising company by number of properties with approximately 8,900 hotels across nearly 95 countries on six continents. For more information about Days Inns Canada, to make an online hotel reservation, to become a Wyndham Rewards member, visit daysinn.ca or call the bilingual reservations hotline at 1 800 DAYS INN (1-800-329-7466). Like us on Facebook, follow us on X, and follow us on Instagram. About the Canadian Franchise Association The Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) helps everyday Canadians realize the dream of building their own business through the power of franchising. The CFA advocates on issues that impact this dream on behalf of more than 600 corporate members and over 40,000 franchisees from many of Canadas best-known and emerging franchise brands. Beyond its role as the voice of the franchise industry, the CFA strengthens and develops franchising by delivering best-practice education and creating rewarding connections between Canadians and the opportunities in franchising. Franchising is the 12th largest industry in Canada and franchised businesses contribute over $133 billion per year to the Canadian economy, creating jobs for almost two million Canadians. Learn more at: www.cfa.ca or http://www.FranchiseCanada.online. -30- Attachments Salt Lake City Utah, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BluSky AI Inc. Announces Effective Date of 1000:1 Reverse Stock Split Salt Lake City, Utah April 9, 2025 BluSky AI Inc. (OTCPink: BSAI) ( BluSky or the Company), a leading innovator in the data center industry for artificial intelligence, today announced the effective date for its previously-approved reverse stock split at a ratio of 1000:1. The reverse split took effect on March 10, 2025, following its authorization by the Companys Board of Directors and approval by the shareholders. The reverse stock split is intended to improve the marketability and liquidity of BluSky's common stock by consolidating every 1,000 shares of issued and outstanding common stock into one share. Fractional shares resulting from the reverse split were rounded up to the nearest whole share, ensuring that no shareholder is left with less than one share. Following the reverse split, the Companys total number of outstanding shares was reduced proportionately. Key details regarding the reverse stock split are as follows: Effective Date: 3/10/2025 3/10/2025 Record Date: 3/10/2025 3/10/2025 New CUSIP Number: 45327U302 45327U302 Impact on Trading: Beginning at market open on the Effective Date, the Companys shares were traded on a split-adjusted basis, with a new CUSIP number assigned to the post-split shares. BluSky remains committed to driving innovation in artificial intelligence and creating sustainable value for its shareholders. For more information on the reverse stock split or to address shareholder inquiries, please contact: SOURCE: BluSky AI Inc. (OTCPink: BSAI) https://bluskyaidatacenters.com/ 5330 South 900 East, Suite 280 Salt Lake City, Utah 84117 Trent D Ambrosio CEO info@bluskyaidatacenters.com About BluSky AI Inc. Blusky AI Inc., headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a modular data center company dedicated to providing innovative and sustainable infrastructure solutions that power the AI revolution. BluSky AI Inc. is revolutionizing the AI compute landscape by addressing the immediate global AI supply shortage with cutting-edge, turnkey modular solutions across multiple locations. BluSky AI Inc. is transforming the way AI companies access the compute power needed to drive innovation and growth. Forward-Looking Statements: This news release includes certain forward-looking statements or information. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements with respect to the potential and merits of the Company properties. There can be no assurance statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from anticipated in such statements. BluSky AI Inc. disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events except as required by applicable securities legislation. CASTRIES, St. Lucia, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Diana Thomas , Senior Partner at Floissac, DuBoulay & Thomas (FDT), along with the firms team, recently welcomed a high-level delegation from Lex Mundi, the worlds foremost network of independent law firms. The two-day visit, held on February 2728, 2025, reaffirmed FDTs commitment to global legal standards and its standing as a leading legal practice in St Lucia with international reach. The Lex Mundi delegation included Helena Samaha (President & CEO), David Sanders (Head of Marketing), and Jorge Carrillo (Global Head of Client Relations and Regional Head of Latin America). Lex Mundi is a premier global network comprising over 150 top-tier law firms across more than 125 jurisdictions. Member firms are carefully selected based on their demonstrated expertise, strong market presence, and commitment to professional excellence. Floissac, DuBoulay & Thomas has held St Lucias exclusive membership for several years, subject to rigorous triannual reviews to maintain international benchmarks. The visit began with a cocktail reception where the firm welcomed the Lex Mundi delegation and invited clients with regional and international business interests. This was an opportunity to showcase how our Lex Mundi membership enhances our service to our cross-border clients, said Diana Thomas, Senior Partner at Floissac, DuBoulay & Thomas . It gave clients a clearer view of how our local expertise is strengthened by a global support network. The following day, Lex Mundi led interactive sessions at FDTs chambers, presenting a comprehensive overview of network benefits, including global practice groups, professional development courses, mentorship programs, and cross-border project management support via Lex Mundi Equisphere. A collaborative SWOT analysis allowed the FDT team to share its internal priorities and growth strategies while identifying common challenges member firms face globally. We appreciated Lex Mundis candor and expertise, said Brenda Floissac Fleming, Senior Partner. It reinforced that we are not only aligned with global best practices but positioned to lead among our peers. Clients in attendance expressed pride in FDTs international recognition. Geoffrey Du Boulay, Senior Partner at Floissac, DuBoulay & Thomas, reflected: It was affirming to hear from clients that our growth and recognition within the Lex Mundi network reflects the high standard of work we have always aimed to deliver. It underscored that we are not just meeting international expectationswe are contributing meaningfully to them from right here in St Lucia. The visit followed FDTs recent participation in the Lex Mundi Caribbean Regional Roundtable in Miami, where Diana Thomas, Geoffrey DuBoulay, and Sardia Cenac-Prospere contributed to regional discussions on innovation, collaboration, and legal development in the Caribbean. As a Lex Mundi member, Floissac, DuBoulay & Thomas is required to uphold international standards in client service, cybersecurity, and responsiveness. The visit reaffirmed these standards and provided an opportunity to reflect on the firms journey and future direction. We are proud to represent St Lucia on a global legal stage, said Diana Thomas. The visit was a meaningful reminder of the value we bring to our clientsnot only because of where we are, but because of who we are and how we work. About Diana Thomas Diana Thomas, a leading attorney in St Lucia , is a senior partner and co-head of the Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution Department at Floissac, DuBoulay, & Thomas. Admired for her expertise in commercial, banking, and insolvency matters, Diana is recognized by Chambers and Partners and has served as President of the Bar Association of St Lucia. About Floissac, DuBoulay & Thomas Floissac, DuBoulay, & Thomas is a leading law firm in St. Lucia, celebrated for nearly 60 years of outstanding legal service. The firm blends expertise with a client-centric approach, offering both local legal representation and transnational support. The firm and its senior partnersBrenda Floissac Fleming, Geoffrey Du Boulay, and Diana Thomasare consistently recognized by Chambers and Partners for their exceptional service. Contact Information Organization: Floissac, DuBoulay & Thomas Website: https://www.fdt.law/ Email address: info@fdt.law Phone number: +1 (758) 455-2860 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8793229e-859a-4312-8455-15a0044f9330 Portsmouth, Hampshire , April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BAR Technologies, a leading developer of wind propulsion solutions for the maritime sector, today announced a strategic wind propulsion initiative in response to mounting geopolitical tensions at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) climate talks. The announcement follows the United States formal withdrawal from emissions negotiations, prompting BAR Technologies to call on the global shipping industry to accelerate the adoption of proven, scalable decarbonisation technologies. John Cooper CEO BAR Technologies As reported by TradeWinds yesterday (8 April), the Trump administration has formally withdrawn the United States from climate policy negotiations at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), raising the stakes for international shipping's decarbonisation efforts. BAR Technologies today issued a call for the global maritime sector to double down on credible, proven solutions such as wind propulsion, in light of the growing uncertainty around global emissions policy. The withdrawal, confirmed via diplomatic communication to other IMO delegations, expressed strong opposition to the economic measures under discussion, including the proposed levy on greenhouse gas emissions and a mandatory fuel standard. The US statement described the IMO's net zero ambitions as economically burdensome and reliant on what it characterised as "unproven fuels" while warning of potential retaliatory measures against any charges imposed on US-flagged vessels. Reacting to these developments, BAR Technologies' CEO John Cooper stressed that the industry must not allow political turbulence to derail progress towards shipping's climate goals. He stated that wind propulsion remains an essential, deployable technology that can provide immediate and scalable emissions reductions, regardless of the regulatory headwinds. "This latest development only sharpens the industry's need to prioritise solutions that are already available and proven in operation," Cooper said. "Wind propulsion is a tried and tested method of reducing fuel consumption and emissions. It is inherently zero-emission, freely available, and requires no external supply chain. With WindWings, we've demonstrated that wind-assisted propulsion solution is not a theoretical concept but a working solution that can deliver commercial and environmental benefits right now." BAR Technologies has long championed wind as a central pillar of shipping's decarbonisation strategy, particularly as fuel markets remain volatile and regulatory alignment proves difficult. With vessels already operating with WindWings installed, the company believes the maritime sector has a clear opportunity to take ownership of its decarbonisation pathway, using technologies that are resilient to the kind of geopolitical shifts currently playing out on the global stage. As the IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee continues its high-stakes negotiations this week in London, BAR Technologies urges policymakers and industry leaders alike to acknowledge the unique potential of wind propulsion, not only as a bridge to cleaner fuels but as a cornerstone of energy transition in its own right. Wind remains the only energy source that can be captured and used directly onboard a ship without mining, refining, bunkering, or storing. In a time when consensus is difficult and timelines are tight, wind propulsion stands out as an immediate, inclusive and scalable solution. WindWings are built on BAR Technologies' patented three-element wing design, delivering 2.5 times more lift than traditional single-element configurations, reducing CO2 emissions by an average of 4.7t per day per wing This advanced design provides greater thrust and adaptability, enabling consistent performance across global trade routes. By unlocking the full potential of wind, a limitless, natural and zero-emission resource, WindWings elevate wind from a supplementary aid to a primary propulsion method, offering ship operators a practical and immediate pathway to reduce fossil fuel dependency while enhancing operational resilience. About BAR Technologies With an impressive heritage, having spun out of Great Britain's former America's Cup Team, BAR Technologies provides a wide range of design and engineering consultancy services across commercial ships, workboats, leisure boats, and engineered solutions. The company boasts a team of world-leading naval architects, optimisation specialists, fluid dynamists, and system engineers, all focused on delivering next-generation maritime technology. BAR Technologies patented three-element wing design is unique in the marketplace, delivering 2.5 times the lift of a single-element wing. Unlike conventional wind-assisted propulsion systems, WindWings require no continuous power for suction fans or mechanical spinning. They automatically adjust camber and angle of attack for optimised efficiency, offering a proven, scalable solution for emissions reduction. Press inquiries BAR Technologies https://www.bartechnologies.uk/ Tom James sue@imageline.co.uk 07770755201 The Camber, East Street, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 2JJ COPENHAGEN, Denmark, April 9, 2025 Bavarian Nordic A/S (OMX: BAVA) today held the Annual General Meeting with the following results: The Annual Report for 2024 was adopted. The Board of Directors proposal to transfer the Companys result to 2025 was also adopted. The Remuneration Report for 2024 was not approved. It is noted that this was an indicative vote, and that the decision will not entail consequences on the reported remuneration. The Board of Directors will discuss the decision, and an explanatory statement will be included in the Remuneration Report for 2025. The Board of Directors and the Board of Management were discharged from liability. Luc Debryune, Anders Gersel Pedersen, Frank Verwiel, Anne Louise Eberhard, Heidi Hunter, Johan van Hoof, and Montse Montaner were re-elected to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors constituted itself with Luc Debruyne as Chairman and Anne Louise Eberhard as Deputy Chairman. The newly elected Employee Representatives on the Board of Directors for the period 2025-2029 were presented. KPMG was re-elected as the Companys auditor. The proposal to authorize the Board of Directors to increase the share capital of the Company was adopted. The proposal to authorize the Board of Directors to issue convertible notes which give the right to subscribe for new shares in the Company was adopted. The proposal to authorize the Board of Directors to issue warrants was adopted. The Remuneration Policy was approved. The proposed remuneration of the Board of Directors and the Board Committees for the current financial year was approved. The proposal to authorize the Board of Directors on behalf of the Company to purchase own shares in the Company was adopted. The full proposals are available on the notice for the Annual General Meeting. Minutes and voting results from the Annual General Meeting will be published on the Companys website within two weeks. About Bavarian Nordic Bavarian Nordic is a global vaccine company with a mission to improve health and save lives through innovative vaccines. We are a preferred supplier of mpox and smallpox vaccines to governments to enhance public health preparedness and have a leading portfolio of travel vaccines. For more information, visit www.bavarian-nordic.com Contact investors: Europe: Rolf Sass Srensen, Vice President Investor Relations, rss@bavarian-nordic.com, Tel: +45 61 77 47 43 US: Graham Morrell, Paddock Circle Advisors, graham@paddockcircle.com, Tel: +1 781 686 9600 Contact media: Nicole Seroff, Vice President Corporate Communications, nise@bavarian-nordic.com, Tel: + 45 53 88 06 03 Company Announcement no. 13 / 2025 Attachment COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT No. 204/2025 Tvis, 9 April 2025 COURSE OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The Annual General Meeting was held 9 April 2025 at 5.00 PM on the companys address, Skautrupvej 22b, Tvis, 7500 Holstebro. The Board of Directors report was not subject for voting. The Annual General Meeting took note of the report. The audited Annual Report for 2024 was approved by the Annual General Meeting. The Annual General Meeting approved the presented remuneration report. The Annual General Meeting adopted the remuneration policy. The Annual General Meeting also adopted the fees for the Board of Directors for 2025. The proposal by the board of directors to distribute a dividend of DKK 3.00 per share was approved by the Annual General Meeting. Anders Tormod Skole-Srensen, Sren Mygind Eskildsen, Jan Amtoft, Pernille Wendel Mehl, Erika Hummel and Bjorn Olsson Lissner were all re-elected. Pursuant to the proposal from the audit committee, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Statsautoriseret Revisionspartnerselskab, was re-elected as auditor by the Annual General Meeting. Pursuant to the proposal from the audit committee, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Statsautoriseret Revisionspartnerselskab, was re-elected as sustainability auditor by the Annual General Meeting. Furthermore, the Board of Director had the below stated proposals: a) The Board of Directors proposed that the Board of Directors is authorised to acquire treasury shares. The proposal was approved by the Annual General Meeting. b) The Board of Directors proposed certain changes to the companys Articles of Association based on updates of the Danish Companies Act. The proposal was adopted by the Annual General Meeting. Following the Annual General Meeting, the Board of Directors constituted itself by electing Anders Tormod Skole-Srensen and Sren Mygind Eskildsen as chair and vice-chair of the Board of Directors. For further information please contact: Torben Paulin, CEO, TCM Group A/S, +45 21 21 04 64 Thomas Hjannung, CFO, TCM Group A/S, +45 25 17 42 33 IR Contact ir@tcmgroup.dk About TCM Group TCM Group is Scandinavias third largest manufacturer of kitchens and furniture for bathrooms and storage. The products are designed and produced in Denmark and rooted in a proud tradition of good quality and good craftsmanship. TCM Group pursues a multi-brand strategy, under which the main brand is Svane Kkkenet and the other brands are Tvis Kkken, Nettoline and AUBO. Combined, the brands cater for the entire price spectrum, and are sold through c. 220 dealers in Denmark and the rest of the Scandinavia. TCM Group sells private label kitchens through DIY stores in Denmark and independent kitchen stores in Norway. TCM Group is supplier to the 45% owned e-commerce kitchen business Celebert, which operates under the brands kitchn.dk, billigskabe.dk, Celebert and Just Wood. See www.tcmgroup.dk for more information. Attachment Cheltenham, United Kingdom, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ben Heath Complacency is the enemy of growth in digital advertising. Brands that repeat the same creative styles, campaign structures, and strategies and hope consistency alone will drive results are bound to lose their competitive edge. Those seeking to break through performance plateaus can benefit from agile, experimental, and data-driven agencies like Heath Media. Heath Media, a United Kingdom-based digital advertising agency founded by Ben Heath, is known for delivering exceptional results. With a high-performing team of strategists, creative professionals, and campaign managers, it offers fully managed Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and Google Ads services. For Meta campaigns, Heath Media handles everything from scripting and creative design to optimization and scaling. It utilizes up-to-date, platform-specific strategies tailored to a clients niche. The agencys Google Ads service is equally comprehensive. It features customized campaign development, conversion tracking, sales funnel creation, ad copy production, and focused keyword and audience targeting. Moreover, Heath Media conducts in-depth audits of existing ad accounts to identify areas for improvement and maximize efficiency. Besides its services, the agency stands out for its hands-on, experimental approach, which proved to be pivotal in its work with a mystery guide company in the UK. The client had previously stuck to a single ad style and structure, which limited performance and scalability. Heath Media carefully executed several strategies to overhaul the clients campaign. First, Heath Media restructured the clients Meta ad account by integrating Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns and Manual campaigns. With this hybrid setup, a framework for scaling and testing was created, and the client saw quick performance improvements. It allowed budgets to be ramped up for successful campaigns while experimenting with new variables in a controlled environment. Changing the creative direction came next. Heath Media urged the client to break away from their usual ad style and test various formats. When we say we embrace experimentation, we mean not just tweaking headlines or swapping out images. We employed different creative approaches like changing the tone, visuals, messaging, and structure, the founder supplies. This aggressive testing helped the brand discover several winning creative combinations that consistently outperformed its original content. The ongoing rotation of creatives also helped prevent ad fatigue. It kept engagement and conversion rates high throughout the quarter. Segmenting the audience was also part of Heath Medias strategy. The agency divided the target audience into cold (new potential customers) and warm (existing or past customers) segments and then created personalized messaging for each group. Cold audiences were approached with fresh offers to spark initial interest. In fact, two of these new offers saw exceptional results. Meanwhile, warm audiences received reactivation campaigns, leveraging prior brand familiarity to encourage repeat purchases. This strategy ensured that both customer acquisition and retention were addressed. The impact of Heath Medias approach was striking. Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) jumped from 1.95 in Q4 2023 to 4.68 in Q4 2024. Interestingly, the clients performance improved instead of declining despite substantially increasing ad spending from 499,630 to 788,061. This is a rare achievement in advertising, where higher spending usually leads to diminishing returns. Moreover, the campaign generated 3,690,258 in revenue in Q4 2024 (compared to 973,925 the previous year), nearly quadrupling sales. Heath remarks: Creative testing is all about unlocking scale. In this case, we proved that different ideas, when executed with the right structure and strategy, can do more than move the needle. They can completely change a business trajectory. The founder notes that the campaign faced several challenges despite these successes. The clients rapid growth led to stock shortages, limiting additional sales. Its distribution network also struggled to keep up with the demand, resulting in delays and potential revenue loss. Heath emphasizes that these operational constraints didnt reflect on the advertising strategy itself. However, it highlighted the significance of aligning fulfillment capabilities with marketing scale. Heath Medias work with this UK mystery guide business is a masterclass in modern advertising strategy. Its a reminder that in digital advertising, the brands that win are those willing to experiment, adapt, and scale with purpose. Media Contact Name: Sheila McClurg Email: sheila@heathmedia.co.uk COMPLETION OF SOCIETE GENERALES 872 MILLION EUROS SHARE BUYBACK PROGRAM FOR CANCELLATION PURPOSE Regulated Information Paris, 9 April 2025 (In accordance with article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 on Market Abuse Regulation and article 3(3) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 through regulatory technical standards concerning the conditions applicable to buyback programs and stabilization measures) Societe Generale announces the completion of its share buyback program for cancellation purpose, which began on 10 February 2025. 22,667,515 Societe Generale ordinary shares have been purchased for a total amount of 872 million euros and will later be cancelled. The description and weekly information on the shares acquired in the context of this share buyback program are available on the Societe Generale website under the section Regulated Information and Other Important Information (societegenerale.com) and here below for the last buyback period. The liquidity contract concluded with Rothschild has also temporarily been suspended throughout the buyback period. Issuer name: Societe Generale - LEI O2RNE8IBXP4R0TD8PU41 Reference of the financial instrument: ISIN FR0000130809 Period: From 7 to 8 April 2025 Purchases performed by Societe Generale during the period Aggregated presentation by day and market Issuer name Issuer code (LEI) Transaction date ISIN Code Daily total volume (in number of shares) Daily weighted average price of shares acquired Platform SOCIETE GENERALE O2RNE8IBXP4R0TD8PU41 7-Apr-25 FR0000130809 1 026 774 33,0597 XPAR SOCIETE GENERALE O2RNE8IBXP4R0TD8PU41 7-Apr-25 FR0000130809 548 455 33,0694 CEUX SOCIETE GENERALE O2RNE8IBXP4R0TD8PU41 7-Apr-25 FR0000130809 79 250 33,0365 TQEX SOCIETE GENERALE O2RNE8IBXP4R0TD8PU41 7-Apr-25 FR0000130809 56 437 33,0179 AQEU SOCIETE GENERALE O2RNE8IBXP4R0TD8PU41 8-Apr-25 FR0000130809 903 223 35,2255 XPAR SOCIETE GENERALE O2RNE8IBXP4R0TD8PU41 8-Apr-25 FR0000130809 390 000 35,1024 CEUX SOCIETE GENERALE O2RNE8IBXP4R0TD8PU41 8-Apr-25 FR0000130809 55 000 34,8731 TQEX SOCIETE GENERALE O2RNE8IBXP4R0TD8PU41 8-Apr-25 FR0000130809 40 000 34,8287 AQEU TOTAL 3 099 139 34,0033 Press contacts: Jean-Baptiste Froville_+33 1 58 98 68 00_ jean-baptiste.froville@socgen.com Fanny Rouby_+33 1 57 29 11 12_ fanny.rouby@socgen.com Societe Generale Societe Generale is a top tier European Bank with around 119,000 employees serving more than 26 million clients in 62 countries across the world. We have been supporting the development of our economies for 160 years, providing our corporate, institutional, and individual clients with a wide array of value-added advisory and financial solutions. Our long-lasting and trusted relationships with the clients, our cutting-edge expertise, our unique innovation, our ESG capabilities and leading franchises are part of our DNA and serve our most essential objective - to deliver sustainable value creation for all our stakeholders. The Group runs three complementary sets of businesses, embedding ESG offerings for all its clients: French Retail, Private Banking and Insurance , with leading retail bank SG and insurance franchise, premium private banking services, and the leading digital bank BoursoBank. , with leading retail bank SG and insurance franchise, premium private banking services, and the leading digital bank BoursoBank. Global Banking and Investor Solutions , a top tier wholesale bank offering tailored-made solutions with distinctive global leadership in equity derivatives, structured finance and ESG. , a top tier wholesale bank offering tailored-made solutions with distinctive global leadership in equity derivatives, structured finance and ESG. Mobility, International Retail Banking and Financial Services, comprising well-established universal banks (in Czech Republic, Romania and several African countries), Ayvens (the new ALD I LeasePlan brand), a global player in sustainable mobility, as well as specialized financing activities. Committed to building together with its clients a better and sustainable future, Societe Generale aims to be a leading partner in the environmental transition and sustainability overall. The Group is included in the principal socially responsible investment indices: DJSI (Europe), FTSE4Good (Global and Europe), Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, Refinitiv Diversity and Inclusion Index, Euronext Vigeo (Europe and Eurozone), STOXX Global ESG Leaders indexes, and the MSCI Low Carbon Leaders Index (World and Europe). In case of doubt regarding the authenticity of this press release, please go to the end of the Group News page on societegenerale.com website where official Press Releases sent by Societe Generale can be certified using blockchain technology. A link will allow you to check the documents legitimacy directly on the web page. For more information, you can follow us on Twitter/X @societegenerale or visit our website societegenerale.com. Attachment Healdsburg, CA, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The culmination of a deeply held vision, co-owners Kenneth and Laura Juhasz are honored to announce the opening of Auteur Russian River, a striking new visitor destination on Wohler Road outside of Healdsburg. Perched on a wooded vineyard hillside, this intimate retreat embraces the regions vineyards and coastal forests, offering immersive hospitality experiences that draw guests into a setting as layered and expressive as Auteurs wines. We immediately felt a powerful affinity for this piece of land with its rugged slope of bay, redwood and fir trees, sweeping vineyard views, and the natural spring which has nourished the flora, fauna and human visitors for centuries, said Kenneth Juhasz, Auteur co-founder and winemaker. Wine bears witness to the cycles of nature, and we are humbled to begin marking each season from our new home here in the Russian River Valley, a pillar of world-class viticulture. Auteur Russian River is a place of renewal where guests can connect, reflect, and simply be. Auteur is known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and has quietly built a passionate following since its founding in 2003. Unwavering in the pursuit of bold choices and fearless winemaking, the vintner-founded team is independent to explore and fully commit to the creative process, surrendering to the land and lifecycle of each vintage. "Our vision has always been to create wines that capture a sense of time and place," continued Laura Juhasz, Auteur co-founder. "With this new home, we have an opportunity to extend that philosophy beyond the glass crafting an experience that invites guests to slow down, connect, and savor the moment. This project would not have been possible without the collaboration and dedication of so many over the past 20-plus years, and Kenneth and I feel incredibly fortunate. A Space Rooted in Place & Possibility Blending modern aesthetics with agrarian inspiration, the new Auteur destination, designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson and with construction by Earthtone Construction, feels deeply connected to the terrain. Natural materials, warm wood paneling, and panoramic views set the tone for a welcoming environment. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame uninterrupted views, while a redwood and blackened steel hearth anchors the main room, creating an atmosphere of refined comfort. Large sliding doors open onto a covered terrace, where visitors can enjoy their wines amidst the rolling landscape. Designing this place so that it feels connected to its extraordinary setting was our core goal, said architect Gregory Mottola, FAIA, principal at Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. We used the steepness of the site to help guests feel nestled at the edge of the hillside, as if floating above the valley. Natural elements are woven into every part of the design, while expansive windows, one of the most striking features, connect guests to sweeping views while capturing the drama of changing light throughout the day it is truly magical. The outdoor environment, designed by landscape architect James Munden of Munden Fry Landscape Associates, is emphasized by native insectary plantings, which support biodiversity. Ornamental, drought-tolerant grasses begin at the entry gate and flow toward the tasting terrace, expressing a wind-swept coastal influence. The planting design wraps the building and softens the edges of the vineyard while interweaving amongst a network of bioswales, reducing erosion and helping to retain water on site. Landscape contractor Lucas Dexter of DEXTER estate landscapes executed the design on-site, bringing the overall vision to life. Thoughtfully Curated Guest Experiences Wine and culinary tasting offerings spark discovery and deepen guests' appreciation for the nuances of site and vintage. Signature tastings highlight limited-production, terroir-driven Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, while immersive sensory experiences invite guests to explore the intersections of wine, conviviality and nature. Chef Elizabeth Payne, who has lived and worked in the Bay Area and Sonoma County for decades, will offer a seasonal menu of small bites and pairings that highlight locally sourced ingredients. Select experiences include: Be Here Now - A sensory-driven experience where guests taste wines without prior knowledge, allowing for an unbiased and introspective discovery. Musing of Clones - Sharpen the lens on the history and specific qualities of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir clones and how they differ from region to region. From The Archives - A retrospective library tasting showcasing the historical years of Auteur wines, each pour telling a story of a moment in time. A Commitment to Community & Creativity Beyond offering exceptional wines, Auteur is dedicated to fostering a thriving community. During the opening period, the winery is partnering with Farm to Pantry, a BIPOC/women-run, Sonoma County-based organization that gleans produce that would otherwise go wasted and shares it with those facing food insecurity. Ongoing, the winery will host collaborations with local authors, artisans, and nonprofit organizations, ensuring Auteur Russian River is a place not just for wine appreciation, but for meaningful connection and shared experiences. Auteur Russian Rivers grand opening, featuring special wines, pairings and more, will take place April 11, 2025. Location : 10520 Wohler Rd, Healdsburg, CA 95448 Hours : Daily, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Reservations Recommended : Reservations@auteurwines.com Auteur will also continue to host guests in the town of Sonoma at their Bungalow on First Street West. About Auteur Wines Founded in 2003 by Kenneth and Laura Juhasz, Auteur creates wines of intention, elegance, and authenticity. Its exceptional, small-lot Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are sourced from sustainable vineyards in distinct micro-terroirs along the Northern California Coast. Each wine transposes place and time to tell its own story, reflecting a deep respect for nature and a commitment to craftsmanship. Learn more at auteurwines.com or follow @auteurwines on social media. # # # Attachments ROCKLIN, Calif. and PORTLAND, Ore., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Multnomah Biblical Seminary (MBS) of Jessup University today announced that it has been awarded a significant grant from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) program as part of the " Science Engagement for Congregational Flourishing " (SECF) project, funded by the Lilly Endowment Inc. This initiative, titled Church and Science Working Together to Cultivate Resilience in the Face of Suffering, aims to equip pastors with the tools to address suffering and trauma in their congregations through a collaborative approach between theological and scientific communities. Through this grant, MBS/Jessup University will work with AAASDoSER and partner with The Institute for Cultural Engagement: New Wine, New Wineskins and Science for the Church to integrate scientific insights into pastoral care. The initiative responds to the increasing mental health challenges faced by clergy, including what has been described as a mental health crisis with alarming rates of post-traumatic stress disorder-level symptoms among pastors. Pastors are often on the front lines of suffering and trauma, yet many lack the resources and training to effectively navigate these challenges, said Dr. Paul Louis Metzger , Professor of Christian Theology & Theology of Culture, who alongside Dr. David Timms , Dean of the Seminary and Professor of New Testament, will be spearheading the initiative. Through our partnership with AAAS DoSER, we aim to support pastors with the knowledge and tools necessary to cultivate resilience and well-being in their ministry settings. The project will convene two pastoral cohorts one at Jessup Universitys Rocklin, California campus and another at its Multnomah Biblical Seminary campus in Portland, Oregon. Each cohort will include 8-12 pastoral leaders who will work with mental health practitioners and scientific advisors over a two-year period. These pastors will participate in six in-person sessions, engaging in discussions on the latest scientific findings related to trauma, resilience, and mental health. The program will also include webinars, guest instruction, and collaboration with science advisors to integrate these insights into their ministry contexts. The challenges pastors and their congregations face are multifaceted, ranging from the lingering effects of pandemic-related isolation to the increasing polarization of society and have heightened the demand for mental health support. This initiative is an opportunity for science and theology to work hand-in-hand in service to the church, said Dr. Timms. Through this grant initiative, Jessup seeks to bridge the gap between science and faith, equipping pastoral leaders with scientifically informed strategies to foster resilience both in themselves and their communities. The project will officially launch with a conference on holistic health in the autumn of 2025 and conclude with a final event reflecting on key findings and lessons learned. The programs long-term vision includes expanding its reach through the development of a graduate certificate program at the seminary and a textbook to amplify its impact for future pastoral leaders. Pastors interested in participating in one of the two cohorts are encouraged to contact the grant team at secf@jessup.edu . About Jessup University Jessup University, with three campus locations in Rocklin , San Jose , and Portland, Oregon , is a distinguished institution committed to academic excellence and transformative education. Known for its vibrant community and innovative programs, Jessup offers a range of undergraduate and graduate degrees designed to prepare students for impactful careers and lifelong learning. With a focus on integrating faith and learning, Jessup University fosters a supportive environment where students, faculty, and staff can thrive. The university is dedicated to research, scholarship, and service, aiming to make a positive difference in the world through its academic and community endeavors. About AAAS and DoSER The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the worlds largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals. The nonprofit is open to all and fulfills its mission to advance science and serve society through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, public engagement, and more. Building upon its mission, AAAS established the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) program in 1995 to facilitate communication between scientific and religious communities. For the latest information and news about AAAS DoSER and the Science Engagement for Congregational Flourishing project, visit ScienceReligionDialogue.org , ScienceforSeminaries.org , and AAAS.org/DoSER . Press Contact: Kevin Cancilla Jessup Marketing 916-672-3231 kcancilla@jessup.edu VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Almadex Minerals Ltd. ("Almadex" or the "Company") (TSX-V: DEX) is pleased to announce that it has acquired three new gold-silver early-stage exploration projects by staking. The projects are located in Nevada and New Mexico. Summaries of the work and results returned to date are as follows. Big Sky Project, New Mexico The Big Sky high sulphidation epithermal gold-silver project is located in western New Mexico and covers a large area of advanced argillic alteration and silicification hosted in rhyolite volcanics. Zones of hydrothermal brecciation occur along with quartz-alunite and dickite alteration. To date 57 grab rock samples have been taken from outcrop and subcrop (grab samples are selected samples and may not represent true underlying mineralisation). These preliminary results are very encouraging as 19 of these samples returned over 0.1 g/t gold with 4 returning more than 1 g/t gold (up to 3.5 g/t gold and averaging 0.26 g/t gold for all 57). The better values were returned from zones of brecciation that are part of several parallel quartz-alunite ridges that have been identified in the preliminary work. Results have now also been returned from a small preliminary soil grid which showed elevated gold and epithermal suite elements in proximity to the gold in rock results. Together these results help define a broad area of prospectivity surrounding the outcrops mapped to date. Almadex has initiated further soil sampling, geological work and a preliminary geophysical IP survey over the project area to help define potential targets to drill test this high sulphidation gold system in the future. Bald Valley and White Plains Projects, Nevada The Bald Valley and White Plains projects are located in eastern Nevada. At both projects large alteration zones have been mapped. The alteration mineralogy is consistent with a high-sulphidation/porphyry lithocap environment, including the presence of advanced argillic alteration. At both projects, the areas of advanced argillic alteration mapped to date cover roughly 2 km x 1 km, within which are observed silicified hematite-rich alunite ridges. While no significant assays were returned from the preliminary sampling undertaken prior to staking (9 samples from Bald Valley and 13 samples from White Plains) the alteration suggests the potential for both concealed high sulphidation epithermal and porphyry mineralisation. Further sampling and mapping has recently been completed, and geophysical surveys are planned. J Duane Poliquin, Chairman of Almadex commented, We are pleased to further confirm our regional exploration thesis by identifying and staking these new projects. Preliminary work at Big Sky has returned exciting gold results in the earliest stages of sampling which is very encouraging. We will continue to move these projects forward this year along with the others in our emerging portfolio and look forward to the day when we can initiate drilling. Qualified Persons Morgan J Poliquin, PhD, PEng, the President and CEO of Almadex and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"), has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical contents of this news release. The analyses reported were carried out at ALS Chemex Laboratories of Reno, Nevada using industry standard analytical techniques. For gold, samples are first analysed by fire assay and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Samples that return values greater than 10 g/t gold using this technique are then re analysed by fire assay but with a gravimetric finish. Silver is first analysed by Inductively Coupled Plasma - Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Samples that return values greater than 100 g/t silver by ICP-AES are then re analysed by HF-HNO3-HCLO4 digestion with HCL leach and ICP-AES finish. Of these samples those that return silver values greater than 1,500 g/t are further analysed by fire assay with a gravimetric finish. About Almadex Almadex Minerals Ltd. is an exploration company that holds a large mineral portfolio consisting of projects and NSR royalties in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. This portfolio is the direct result of many years of prospecting and deal-making by Almadex's management team. The Company owns several portable diamond drill rigs, enabling it to conduct cost effective first pass exploration drilling in house. The Almadex team have significant porphyry lithocap exploration experience and have made three discoveries of mineral deposits under advanced argillic alteration. Our success comes from our audacity, in house exploration capacity and most importantly our ability to drill with our company owned drilling unit. We have assembled a portfolio of lithocap targets that have the potential to be concealing large porphyry systems at depth as well as high sulphidation epithermal gold-silver systems in the best jurisdiction we know: the United States of America. We have the cash and drills to advance and test these targets and will begin to do so in 2025. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Morgan J. Poliquin, Ph.D., P.Eng. President and CEO Almadex Minerals Ltd. 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. This news release includes forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within it, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among other things, any further work to advance exploration targets at the Big Sky, Bald Valley and White Plains projects. 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 developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, permitting, continued availability of capital and financing, equipment availability and general economic, market or business conditions. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive. There can be no assurances that forward-looking statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, other than as required pursuant to applicable securities laws. Contact Information: Almadex Minerals Ltd. Tel. 604.689.7644 Email: info@almadexminerals.com http://www.almadexminerals.com/ OTTAWA, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pythian Services Inc. (Pythian), a leading global services company specializing in data, analytics, and AI solutions, announced the launch of its Google Agentspace QuickStart service. This new offering is designed to provide businesses with a fast and efficient pathway to leverage the power of Agentspace, putting industry-leading AI and Google quality search to work for their enterprise. Pythians new Agentspace QuickStart service enables businesses to rapidly deploy Agentspace, unlocking enhanced productivity, improved decision-making, and faster accessibility to AI-curated insights grounded in enterprise data. "AI-powered enterprise search presents opportunities for organizations to enhance business operations and simplify access to their internal information, said Kevin Ichhpurani, Global Partner Organization, Google Cloud. Pythian's Agentspace QuickStart offers a framework for organizations looking to implement Google Agentspace and understand its impact on internal productivity." Powered by Googles decades-long leadership in AI, Agentspace delivers high-quality search, insights and recommendations, driving tangible business value across numerous areas. Pythians Agentspace QuickStart service facilitates the creation of a unified search interface, integrating various enterprise applications and enabling a Google-like search experience with generative AI, intent-based search, conversational interfaces and clear source citations. This empowers employees to unlock enterprise expertise, search across enterprise data and public websites, and utilize expert agents for all business workflows. Businesses can easily license and set up Agentspace in just four weeks with our new QuickStart service, stated Brooks Borcherding, CEO at Pythian. Our Agentspace QuickStart service is designed to quickly boost employee productivity and provide a clear path to the organizations success with AI Adoption. Pythians Agentspace QuickStart service includes a structured four-week process: Discovery: establish project governance, define success criteria, and confirm technical setup. establish project governance, define success criteria, and confirm technical setup. Solution design: design a solution architecture unique to the customers environment to meet the outlined business and technical requirements including specifics around the security and system designs, data model design, and connector configuration. design a solution architecture unique to the customers environment to meet the outlined business and technical requirements including specifics around the security and system designs, data model design, and connector configuration. Solution development: Configure platforms and the identity provider for Agentspace. Configure and connect each of the identified data sources to Agentspace, ensuring each connector supports user-specific access. Configure platforms and the identity provider for Agentspace. Configure and connect each of the identified data sources to Agentspace, ensuring each connector supports user-specific access. Testing and optimization: Configure and test data source connections within Agentspace ensuring user-specific access and proper access controls. Evaluate the solution against a customer-provided dataset and refine based on feedback, with ongoing technical assistance provided throughout testing. Configure and test data source connections within Agentspace ensuring user-specific access and proper access controls. Evaluate the solution against a customer-provided dataset and refine based on feedback, with ongoing technical assistance provided throughout testing. Deployment: The project will conclude with a knowledge transfer meeting to review goals, lessons learned and deliverables, including a Technical Design Document. Operational guidelines will be provided alongside regular status reports and meetings throughout the project lifecycle. Get started today with Pythians Agentspace QuickStart, and visit Pythian in booth #2787 at Google Cloud Next 25 in Las Vegas from April 9 to 11 to discuss Agentspace. Agentspace enterprise search connects the hundreds to thousands of applications businesses use, said Paul Lewis, chief technology officer at Pythian. With Agentspace, employees have easier and faster access to information, can make better decisions with greater data accuracy and availability, enhance customer experiences by empowering customer-facing roles, and save significant developer time. Agentspace ensures data privacy with Google Clouds robust commitments: customers own their data, Google Cloud guards against insider access, never sells customer data and does not use customer data for model training or advertising. The enterprise AI adoption is undergoing a rapid transformation. AI spending has surged to $13.8 billion, an increase of 600 percent from the previous year. Enterprises are shifting from AI proof of concepts (PoC) to execution, integrating AI into their core business strategies. One of the biggest challenges business leaders face, specifically CIOs, is delivering real results from AI investments, said Lewis. The AI services Pythian offers have high impact, delivering appreciated ROI to demonstrate clear business outcomes. Organizations need to demystify the complex concept of AI and think about its immediate impact, starting from within their organization. The greatest impact of AI will be to drive adoption within an organization. Pythians Agentspace QuickStart service aims to deliver clear improvements in productivity and employee satisfaction, driving internal demand to onboard more applications onto the platform to improve access to information and databoosting productivity and better decision-making. About Pythian Founded in 1997, Pythian is a leading data and AI services provider specializing in digital transformation and operational excellence for enterprise customers. We help organizations optimize their data estates, helping them to drive AI enablement, innovation, and growth. Through strategic consulting, managed services and cloud migrations, we enable cost savings, risk reduction and seamless operations while preparing businesses to adopt AI and for the future of data management. A Google Cloud Premier Partner with multiple Specializations, including Data Analytics, Marketing Analytics, Machine Learning, Data Management, Infrastructure, Cloud Migration and a certified Google Cloud MSP, weve delivered thousands of professional and managed services projects for leading enterprises. For more information, visit www.pythian.com or follow us on X, LinkedIn, and our Blog. Pythian Media Contacts SINGAPORE, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teach For All will launch its Global Institute for Shaping a Better Future on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Singapore. The Institute is a new center of global learning, evidence-generation, and leadership development for people around the world who are working to transform classrooms, schools, and education systems to equip all students to shape a better future. The occasion will take place during a Global Forum bringing together nearly 200 education leaders, policymakers, researchers, students, teachers and philanthropists to explore how to shift the purpose and practices of education to equip young people to shape a more just, equitable, and sustainable future. The Global Institute is driven by a bold goal to grow a movement of 10,000 agents of change working in 100 countries by 2035, and generating evidence to catalyze systemic shifts in education to address global challenges such as climate change, inequality, and economic disruption. It aims to enable purpose-driven, evidence-based learning that fosters the holistic development of students globally, especially those from marginalized communities. Wendy Kopp, CEO and Co-founder of Teach For All, stated, We believe that as educators, we have the greatest role to play in putting the world on a better trajectory. Through our networks engagement across more than 60 countries, weve seen the power of enabling teachers, school leaders, education administrators, students, advocates and innovators who are committed to transformative education to learn together across borders. Were thrilled that with the Global Institute, well be able to make these powerful learning opportunities much more available across and far beyond our network While its team, audience, and reach will extend globally, the Global Institute will be based in Singapore, capitalizing on its status as a global hub for learning, collaboration, and scaling innovation. It will leverage the engagement of Singapore's educators and regional partners to strengthen the global learning network and evidence base. The Global Institute is being established with generous support from the Asia Community Foundation, which has launched a $10 million fund to support its pilot phase. An initial pledge has come from =DreamsAsia, with additional sponsorship from Grab. This support reflects a shared commitment to advancing education and fostering holistic student development globally. The launch will take place as part of the inaugural Global Forum for Shaping a Better Future (April 79), a high-impact gathering of students, educators, and policymakers focused on learning from classrooms, schools, and systems where education is enabling all students to thrive and where the purpose and practice of education are shifting toward holistic outcomes and developing students as leaders for a better future. The Forum is generously supported with sponsorship from Arena Foundation . The Forum will feature a keynote address by Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills at the OECD, and Chair of the Global Advisory Council of the Global Institute. Improving student outcomes requires not only great teachers, but ecosystems that enable leadership, collaboration, and innovation to thrive, said Andreas. The Global Institute will serve as a platform that connects local insights with global learning, enabling us to cultivate these ecosystems and drive system-wide change. Building on the foundational work of the Teach For All network, the Global Institute will offer three unique contributions to the global ecosystem: Enabling global learning among practitioners in classrooms, schools and systems around the world, accelerating the sharing of ideas, inspiration and collaboration across borders Translating evidence into practice and practice into evidence elevating the wisdom, insights and innovations of practitioners who are most proximate to the challenges Contributing to developing collective leadership for system change since complex challenges need more than technical fixesthey require new leadership mindsets, capacities & ways of working together About the Global Institute for Shaping a Better Future The Global Institute is a center of global learning, evidence-generation, and leadership development for people around the world who are working to transform classrooms, schools, and systems to develop all students especially those in marginalized communities globally so that they can shape a better future. Building on foundational work of the Teach For All network, the Global Institute aims to accelerate a needed shift in educations purpose and practices toward holistic student development. About Teach For All Teach For All is a global network of more than 60 independent, locally led organizations and a global organization united by a commitment to developing collective leadership to ensure all children can fulfill their potential. Each network partner recruits and develops promising leaders to teach in their nations under-resourced schools and communities and, with this foundation, to work with others, inside and outside of education, towards a world where all children have the education, support, and opportunity to shape a better future. BOSTON, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ION Solar, one of the nations leading residential solar providers has added Sungage Financial, a trusted name in solar financing, to their business to make solar energy more accessible and affordable for homeowners across the country. This collaboration allows Ion Solar to offer homeowners flexible loan terms, competitive rates, and a comprehensive financing experience through Sungage. By partnering with Sungage, ION Solar enhances its ability to deliver high-quality solar solutions backed by a financing partner dedicated to supporting the growth of the residential solar industry. "We are excited to partner with ION Solar, a leader in residential solar and top-five installer, to make solar more accessible with simple, flexible financing," said Mike Gilroy, CEO of Sungage Financial. "Their commitment to quality and customer experience aligns with our values and our mission to ensure more homeowners can switch to clean energy with confidence." Homeowners working with ION Solar will now have direct access to Sungages financing platform, ensuring a straightforward and transparent loan process. Sungages streamlined application and approval process allows homeowners to take control of their energy future without financial roadblocks. At ION Solar, we put homeowners first, and we seek partners who share that philosophy," said Matt Rasmussen, CEO of ION Solar. "Sungages reputation for service excellence initially drew us in, and their wide range of competitive loan options and high approval rates made them the perfect fit. Together, were making it easier for more homeowners to go solar seamlessly. About ION Solar: ION Solar is a leading full-service residential solar provider committed to delivering premium solar solutions with exceptional customer service. With a mission to help homeowners achieve energy independence, ION Solar has helped thousands of families make the switch to clean, renewable energy. Learn more: https://www.ionsolar.com/ . About Sungage Financial: Sungage Financial LLC is shaping the residential solar industry by offering reliable and flexible financing solutions with low monthly payments. Sungage enables solar installers to build strong and resilient businesses while helping families save money and live more sustainably. Headquartered in Boston, MA, with offices in Oakland, CA, and teams in Hawaii and Utah, Sungage currently operates in 42 states as well as the District of Columbia. For more information, please visit https://www.sungage.com/ . SAN FRANCISCO and CURITIBA, Brazil, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Accenture and Pipefy got together to develop more than 450 AI Agents that transform processes within the companies. With the market evolving towards a phase of agentification, these autonomous systems based on Artificial Intelligence contribute to advances in the efficiency and agility of operations. As a result of implementing this feature, Accenture has seen a 60% increase in efficiency in processes that involve AI Agents. With a partnership that began in 2016, Accenture and Pipefy are developing AI use cases that bring efficiency and innovation. Automations with Artificial Intelligence help with activities such as checking and validating documents, synchronizing form fields, standardizing due dates, executive summaries, calculation assistance and updating processing times. These initiatives are part of Accenture's integrated ecosystem solutions, which include AI Refinery, GenWizard and Synops IOGA. Accenture is also able to reuse 70% of the solutions created for its clients, supporting business scalability. Accenture has expertise in the GenAI ecosystem, which includes AI Refinery, GenWizard and Synops IOGA to build advanced orchestrators, where we use, for example, Pipefys platform, said Fabiano Guastella, GenAI Digital Transformation & Innovation Director at Accenture. We take advantage of Pipefys more complex functionalities integrated with our various technology partners and our clients' systems to take innovation to the next level, offering integrated GenAI to all our current and future clients. This initiative transforms processes in an intelligent and disruptive way, consolidating our leadership position in the market. Inside the AI Agents With workflows in companies challenged with bureaucratic and manual processes, AI Agents change this scenario by implementing advanced technology. The AI Agents ensure that approvals and processes are executed automatically, and also are standardized to help eliminate human error. AI Agents stand out for their simple adoption and setup process, offering an intuitive interface, recommending agents and automations for each type of activity. They support large volumes of work and deliver results more quickly, without the need for an IT team for implementation. According to Alessio Alionco, Founder and CEO of Pipefy, the partnership with Accenture solidifies Pipefys position as a leader in intelligent automation, with its AI Agents solutions. Together, we are pushing AI to do real work - automating critical processes, eliminating bottlenecks and boosting operational efficiency. With Accenture's expertise and Pipefy's technology, AI Agents are moving from being a concept to becoming the foundation of more agile and intelligent operations. About Pipefy Pipefy is a global Artificial Intelligence platform that orchestrates autonomous AI Agents, transforming the way companies manage processes, optimize workflows and democratize access to advanced technology. Founded in 2015 in Curitiba, Brazil, and also based in San Francisco, Pipefy serves companies in more than 150 countries and has positioned itself as an expert in solutions that integrate artificial intelligence in an accessible and practical way. For more media information, contact: Lisa Hendrickson, LCH Communications for Pipefy 516-643-1642 lisa@lchcommunications.com SAN FRANCISCO, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco) today announced a $12 million allocation for its 2025 Workforce Initiative Subsidy for Homeownership (WISH) Program. For 25 years, the WISH Program has provided matching grants to help enable low- and moderate-income families and individuals achieve the dream of homeownership, opening doors to wealth building opportunities for thousands of households. The WISH Program offers downpayment and closing cost assistance to eligible first-time homebuyers those earning at or below 80% of the HUD area median income. In 2025, FHLBank San Francisco will continue its partnership with member financial institutions to provide $4-to-$1 matching grants with a maximum subsidy of $32,099 per homebuyer set by the Federal Housing Finance Agency. In todays challenging housing market, where home prices are rising and affordable housing inventory remains tight, WISH grants are a proven tool for expanding access to homeownership, said Joe Amato, interim president and chief executive officer at FHLBank San Francisco. As we celebrate 25 years of impact with our WISH Program, we are proud to continue partnering with our member financial institutions to help more families and individuals turn their homeownership dreams into reality. The WISH Program is a key component of FHLBank San Francisco's commitment to expanding access to affordable housing and homeownership. Since the first WISH grant was awarded to a first-time homebuyer in 2000, the program has delivered over $160 million to more than 10,000 low- and moderate-income homebuyers. Making Homeownership Possible Changes Lives Diane Fuchs, a single mother and grandmother who rented for 25 years, was able to purchase her own home thanks to a $30,800 WISH Program grant delivered by FHLBank San Francisco member Tri Counties Bank. Dianes dream of living closer to family in Paradise, California, was made possible through this support. Owning a home has provided her with financial stability and reduced her housing costs. My rent was increasing by $100 every year, Diane shared. Now I know exactly what Im responsible for. Its a really secure feeling. Tri Counties Bank played a crucial role in guiding Diane through the homebuying process. At Tri Counties Bank, were very passionate about home affordability across our entire footprint, said Scott Robertson, head of community banking with Tri Counties Bank. Partnering with the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco and making homeownership dreams come true through the WISH program is exactly at the heart of what we do. WISH Program Applications Available for Bank Members FHLBank San Francisco is now accepting applications from member institutions to participate in the WISH Program on a rolling basis through March 13, 2026. First-time homebuyers interested in learning more about WISH matching grants are encouraged to contact a participating member institution directly. Visit fhlbsf.com for more information about the WISH Program and other FHLBank San Francisco grant programs. About Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is a member-driven cooperative helping local lenders in Arizona, California, and Nevada build strong communities, create opportunity, and change lives for the better. The tools and resources we provide to our member financial institutions commercial banks, credit unions, industrial loan companies, savings institutions, insurance companies, and community development financial institutions propel homeownership, finance quality affordable housing, drive economic vitality, and revitalize whole neighborhoods. Together with our members and other partners, we are making the communities we serve more vibrant and resilient. PERTH, Western Australia, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novo Resources Corp. (Novo or the Company) (ASX: NVO) (TSX: NVO) (OTCQB: NSRPF) is pleased to provide the launch of its April corporate presentation, aimed at providing investors with a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the Companys growth strategy and key projects throughout its Australian focused gold exploration portfolio. The new presentation is designed to give current and potential investors an enhanced understanding of Novos strong value proposition, with a focus on its Australian gold portfolio. "We are excited to present our new corporate presentation to the investment community," said Michael Spreadborough, Acting CEO of Novo Resources. "This updated presentation reflects our ongoing commitment to transparency and highlights the tremendous potential we see in our projects. We believe this presentation will provide investors with a clearer understanding of the exciting opportunities ahead for Novo as we continue to advance our exploration programs and deliver long-term value to shareholders." The updated presentation is now available on the Companys website at www.novoresources.com . Investors are encouraged to visit the site to view the full presentation and learn more about Novos vision and growth plans. Authorised for release by the Board of Directors. CONTACT Investors: Mike Spreadborough +61 8 6400 6100 info@novoresources.com North American Queries: Leo Karabelas +1 416 543 3120 leo@novoresources.com Media: Cameron Gilenko +61 466 984 953 cameron.gilenko@sodali.com ABOUT NOVO Novo is an Australian based gold explorer listed on the ASX and the TSX focussed on discovering standalone gold projects with > 1 Moz development potential. Novo is an innovative gold explorer with a significant land package covering approximately 5,500 square kilometres in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, along with the 22 square kilometre Belltopper project in the Bendigo Tectonic Zone of Victoria, Australia. Novos key project area in the Pilbara is the Egina Gold Camp, where De Grey Mining is farming-in to form a JV at the Becher Project and surrounding tenements through exploration expenditure of A$25 million within 4 years for a 50% interest. The Becher Project has similar geological characteristics as De Greys 12.7 Moz Hemi Project#. Novo is also advancing gold exploration south of Becher in the Egina Gold Camp, part of the Croydon JV (Novo 70%: Creasy Group 30%). Novo continues to undertake early-stage exploration elsewhere across its Pilbara tenement portfolio. Novo has also formed a lithium joint venture with SQM in the Pilbara which provides shareholder exposure to battery metals. Novo has recently strengthened its high-quality, Australian based exploration portfolio by adding the TechGen John Bull Gold Project in the New England Orogen of NSW, and Manhattan Tibooburra Gold Project in the Albert Goldfields in northwestern NSW. Both projects demonstrate prospectivity for significant discovery and resource definition and align with Novos strategy of identifying and exploring projects with > 1 Moz Au potential. These high-grade gold projects compliment the landholding consolidation that forms the Toolunga Project in the Onslow District in Western Australia. Novo has a significant investment portfolio and a disciplined program in place to identify value accretive opportunities that will build further value for shareholders. Please refer to Novos website for further information including the latest corporate presentation. *An Exploration Target as defined in the JORC Code (2012) is a statement or estimate of the exploration potential of a mineral deposit in a defined geological setting where the statement or estimate, quoted as a range of tonnes and a range of grade (or quality), relates to mineralisation for which there has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource. Accordingly, these figures are not Mineral Resource or Ore Reserve estimates as defined in the JORC Code (2012). The potential quantities and grades referred to above are conceptual in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. These figures are based on the interpreted continuity of mineralisation and projection into unexplored ground often around historical workings. The Exploration Target has been prepared in accordance with the JORC Code (2012), as detailed in the Companys ASX announcement released on 25 September 2024 (available to view at www.asx.com.au). The Tonnage range for the exploration target is 1.5Mt to 2.1Mt, the Grade range is 6.6g/t Au to 8.4g/t Au and the Ounces range from 320koz Au to 570 koz Au. The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information that material affects the information included in the original market announcement and that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in the original market announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed. Dr Christopher Doyle (MAIG) and Dr Simon Dominy (FAusIMM CPGeo; FAIG RPGeo), are the qualified persons, as defined under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, responsible for, and having reviewed and approved, the technical information relating to the Exploration Target. Dr Doyle is Novos Exploration Manager - Victoria and Dr Dominy is a Technical Advisor to Novo. #Refer to De Greys ASX Announcement, Hemi Gold Project mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) 2024, dated 14 November 2024. No assurance can be given that a similar (or any) commercially viable mineral deposit will be determined at Novos Becher Project and that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in the original market announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed. A photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f49a31c8-ca7d-4414-9bb8-6caca5b18cae https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a2ae21c5-8942-43d1-957c-292e950fc9c2 LIMERICK, Ireland, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- kneat.com, inc. (TSX: KSI) (OTCQX: KSIOF), a leader in digitizing and automating validation and quality processes, is pleased to announce that a multinational producer of generic pharmaceuticals (the Company) has signed a Services Agreement with Kneat to digitalize its drawing management process. Drawing management supports engineering and validation processes by digitalizing and organizing all technical drawings, eliminating paper-based errors, maintaining traceability of revisions, and controlling access. Headquartered in Europe and operating over a dozen manufacturing facilities around the world, the Company is a leading provider of generic and biosimilar pharmaceuticals to patients in over 100 countries. With more than 20,000 employees, the Company will initially use Kneat for management of all its engineering drawings at its largest manufacturing site in Europe. Subsequently, the Company can leverage Kneat to streamline and automate all its validation workflows, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, data integrity and adherence to good manufacturing practice. Todays announcement adds another global leader to our customer community. It also showcases the versatility of the Kneat platform, which can be leveraged to deliver additional adjacent functions." - Eddie Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Kneat Strong customer retention has emerged as a defining characteristic for Kneat as it has grown over the past ten years to become the validation software of choice for the life sciences industry, serving the majority of the top 20 largest life sciences companies in the world. Net revenue retention, which measures the expansion from existing customers for the previous 12 months, was 151% at December 31, 2024. Kneat is proud of its customer support where 97% of customers rate it as very good or excellent. About Kneat Kneat Solutions provides leading companies in highly regulated industries with unparalleled efficiency in validation and compliance through its digital validation platform Kneat Gx. As an industry leader in customer satisfaction, Kneat boasts an excellent record for implementation, powered by our user-friendly design, expert support, and on-demand training academy. Kneat Gx is an industry-leading digital validation platform that enables highly regulated companies to manage any validation discipline from end-to-end. Kneat Gx is fully ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified, fully validated, and 21 CFR Part 11/Annex 11 compliant. Multiple independent customer studies show up to 40% reduction in documentation cycle times, up to 20% faster speed to market, and a higher compliance standard. Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, certain information presented constitutes forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Such forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, the relationship between Kneat and the customer, Kneats business development activities, the use and implementation timelines of Kneats software within the customers validation processes, the ability and intent of the customer to scale the use of Kneats software within the customers organization, and the compliance of Kneats platform under regulatory audit and inspection. While such forward-looking statements are expressed by Kneat, as stated in this release, in good faith and believed by Kneat to have a reasonable basis, they are subject to important risks and uncertainties. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, the events predicted in these forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, given that they involve risks and uncertainties. Kneat does not undertake any obligation to release publicly revisions to any forward-looking statement, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Investors should not assume that any lack of update to a previously issued forward-looking statement constitutes a reaffirmation of that statement. Continued reliance on forward-looking statements is at an investors own risk. For further information: Katie Keita, Kneat Investor Relations P: + 1 902-450-2660 E: investors@kneat.com TORONTO, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trisura Group Ltd. (Trisura or Trisura Group) (TSX: TSU), a leading specialty insurance provider, announces the timing of its 2025 Investor Day. Trisura will host its 2025 Investor Day on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. ET at Royal Bank Plaza - North Tower, 200 Bay Street, Suite 1600, in Toronto where management will discuss long-term strategy and market conditions. To register for the Investor Day, or to access the live audio webcast, please follow the link below: https://reg.lumiengage.com/trisura-2025 About Trisura Group Trisura Group Ltd. is a specialty insurance provider operating in the Surety, Warranty, Corporate Insurance, Program and Fronting business lines of the market. Trisura has investments in wholly owned subsidiaries through which it conducts insurance operations. Those operations are primarily in Canada and the United States. Trisura Group Ltd. is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol TSU. Further information is available at https://www.trisura.com. Important information may be disseminated exclusively via the website; investors should consult the site to access this information. Details regarding the operations of Trisura Group Ltd. are also set forth in regulatory filings. A copy of the filings may be obtained on Trisura Groups SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. For more information, please contact: Name: Bryan Sinclair Tel: 416 607 2135 Email: bryan.sinclair@trisura.com SANDY, Utah, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mountain America Credit Union is proud to announce its partnership with Utah First Lady Abby Coxs Show Up for Teachers initiative with the launch of Show Up for Teachers Grants. This program through the Mountain America Foundation will award $40,000 in grants with forty educators each receiving $1,000 to spark classroom innovation and boost student success. This marks the first year of the partnership between Mountain America Credit Union and Show Up for Teachers, furthering their joint mission to support educators. A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link. We are honored to partner with Utah First Lady Abby Cox and are in awe of her dedication to educators. These grants further showcase our commitment to empowering teachers and supporting our schools, said Sharlene Wells, senior vice president of public relations and organizational communications at Mountain America Credit Union. By investing in education, we are investing in the future of our communities and supporting those who shape the minds of the next generation. The Show Up for Teachers Grants are designed to support teachers by providing financial resources. Candidates will be evaluated based on their dedication to education, creativity in teaching methods, and commitment to fostering a positive learning environment. To be eligible, applicants must be teachers in Utah. Membership with Mountain America is not required to apply. Online applications opened Monday, April 7, 2025, and will close Monday, May 19, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. MST. Collaborating with Mountain America Credit Union on the Show Up for Teachers Conference gives us a wonderful opportunity to provide our educators with the resources they need to bring innovation into their classrooms, Cox said. The grants will not only fuel creativity and enhance learning but also demonstrate our unwavering commitment to supporting educators in our communities. Together, we can make a meaningful impact on education and help our teachers succeed in their vital roles. The annual Show Up for Teachers Conference will take place on July 10, 2025, at the Mountain America Expo Center. At the event, Mountain America will be recognizing grant recipients. Educators can interact with Mountain America at their booth during the event, where there will be activities and prizes. For more information and to apply for the Show Up for Teachers Grants, visit macu.com/showup. Paris, France , April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The vibrant city of Paris witnessed an unforgettable night as BitMart hosted its exclusive afterparty, Seine & Crypto Connect, on April 8, 2025. Held at the stunning Les Jardins du Pont Neuf along the Seine River, the event was a resounding success, bringing together key leaders, investors, and innovators from the blockchain and Web3 space. The soiree, hosted by BitMart and its esteemed partners Paybis, MetaEra, Blockdaemon, and ZetaChain, offered an unparalleled networking experience with the perfect balance of glamour and intellect. A gathering of top industry leaders, investors, and innovators led to invaluable discussions and partnerships. Attendees enjoyed an unforgettable boat tour along the Seine, offering a unique and memorable view of the City of Lights. Additionally, during the event, DL News conducted an interview with Ksenia Drobyshevskaya, Growth Lead at BitMart, where she shared insights into BitMarts expansion efforts in the European market. Stay tuned for the full interview to learn more about our strategic vision. The night was filled with exciting discussions, collaborations, and unforgettable memories. It was a true celebration of innovation, as the crypto community gathered to shape the future of Web3 and digital assets. BitMart extends its sincere thanks to all who attended and contributed to the events success. A special thank you to our co-hosts Paybis, MetaEra, and our sponsors Blockdaemon and ZetaChain for their collaboration and support in making this event a truly exceptional experience. As BitMart continues its mission to promote financial inclusion and drive innovation in the crypto space, the success of Seine & Crypto Connect is a reminder of the power of collaboration within the blockchain ecosystem. Proudly Co-Hosted by: Paybis A trusted provider of secure and compliant cryptocurrency services across the US, UK, and Europe. A trusted provider of secure and compliant cryptocurrency services across the US, UK, and Europe. MetaEra A Web3 news pioneer shaping the next wave of tech innovation. Sponsored by: Blockdaemon The institutional gateway to Web3, trusted by 400+ institutions and securing over $110B in digital assets. The institutional gateway to Web3, trusted by 400+ institutions and securing over $110B in digital assets. ZetaChain A universal EVM-compatible L1 bringing cross-chain interoperability to Solana, Bitcoin, and beyond. Cascade Copper Corp. (CSE: "CASC") ("Cascade" or the "Company") a junior exploration company focused on advancing its portfolio of highly prospective copper assets in British Columbia and Ontario, is pleased to announce the appointment of Niel Marotta as an Advisor to the Company. Mr. Marotta brings decades of experience in corporate development, capital markets, and strategic growth, with a proven track record in building and financing successful ventures in the resource and consumer sectors. Niel has been involved in the capital markets as a precious metal fund manager for a leading U.S. firm where he managed a $1B fund. Mr. Marotta has also been involved as a director and executive management of TSX and TSX-V listed resource companies, and currently serves as CEO and director of TSX-V listed Sun Summit Minerals. Recently, he was instrumental in founding and scaling a publicly listed edibles company in the Canadian market, where he led its expansion from early-stage startup to a nationally recognized brand with leading market share. His entrepreneurial mindset and deep understanding of the capital markets will bring a valuable perspective to Cascade's strategic planning and corporate positioning. "We are thrilled to welcome Niel as an advisor to the Company," said Jeffrey Ackert, President of Cascade Copper Corp. "His experience in corporate strategy, investor relations, and capital raising will be invaluable as we continue to build shareholder value and unlock the potential of our copper projects in British Columbia and Ontario." Mr. Marotta will advise the Company on key areas including corporate growth strategy, corporate communications, and investor engagement. His appointment reflects Cascade's commitment to strengthening its leadership team and positioning itself for long-term success in the critical minerals sector. Incentive Stock Options The Company would also like to announce that pursuant to the Company's stock option plan approved by shareholders at its Annual General and Special meeting held on July 10, 2024, the Board of Directors has granted 2,250,000 stock options to directors, officers, consultants and advisors of the Company which will vest immediately. Each option will allow the holder to purchase one common share in the Company at a price of CAD$0.05. The incentive stock options have a term of five years, expiring on April 8, 2030. Following this grant, Cascade Copper will have a total of 3,400,000 stock options outstanding, representing approximately 8.0% of the outstanding common shares of the Company. About Cascade Copper The Company is an exploration stage natural resource company engaged in the evaluation, acquisition, and exploration of mineral resource properties with the intention, if warranted, of placing them into production. The Company is focused on exploration, development, and acquisition of quality exploration properties. More specifically, Cascade's objective is to conduct an exploration program on its flagship Rogers Creek Property located in the Coast Mountain Belt of British Columbia about 90 kilometres northeast of Vancouver, in the Southwest Mining Region. Cascade currently now has five projects, including the Centrefire Copper Project, the Copper Plateau Copper-Moly Project, the Fire Mountain Copper-Gold Project, the Bendor Gold Project, and the flagship Rogers Creek Copper-Gold Project. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: CASCADE COPPER CORP. Jeffrey S. Ackert, President and CEO 820-1130 West Pender St. Vancouver, BC V6E 4A4 Telephone: 1 613 851 7699 E-Mail: info@cascadecopper.com Web: www.cascadecopper.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, Cascade Copper Corp. provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Factors which cause results to differ materially are set out in the Company's documents filed on SEDAR. Undue reliance should not be placed on "forward looking statements." Vancouver, April 8th, 2025 - Panther Minerals Inc. ("Panther Minerals" or the "Company") (CSE: PURR) (OTC: GLIOF) (FWB: 2BC) announces that Mr. Casey Forward has been appointed as a director of the Company, effective immediately. Mr. Forward has worked with numerous public and private companies over the past 30 years, currently including positions as interim CEO of MegaWatt Lithium and Battery Metals Corp., director of Blast Resources Corp., and director, CFO of Leanlife Health Inc., and previous positions as CFO of NioCorp Developments Ltd. Mr. Forward is a Chartered Professional Accountant and a Certified General Accountant. Mr. Michael Leahy has resigned from the Board of Directors, effective immediately. The Company would like to thank Mr. Leahy for his valuable contributions and dedication during his tenure as a director. The Company wishes him all the best in his future endeavors. About Panther Minerals Inc. Panther Minerals is a mineral exploration company actively involved in the exploration of its North American project portfolio. The acquisition of the Boulder Creek option reflects the Company's continuing intention of pursuing advanced, high-quality prospective uranium projects that can be readily worked on and efficiently explored in a timely manner. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mr. Robert Birmingham, Chief Executive Officer For more information please visit: www.pantherminerals.ca or email info@pantherminerals.ca. The CSE and Information Service Provider have not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking information and information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates, and forecasts about the business, industry, and markets in which the Company operates. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, business and economic conditions, regulatory changes, and risks related to the Company's operations and ability to attract and retain qualified leadership.New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is impossible for the Company's management to predict all risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all factors on Company's business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are available on the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. Vancouver, April 9, 2025 - Starcore International Mines Ltd. (TSX: SAM) (FSE: V4J4) ("Starcore" or the "Company") is pleased to announce results of the auger drilling soil sampling, and soil Geochem follow-up, on its Kimoukro gold project, in the central Ivory Coast, some 30 km south of the country's capital, Yamoussoukro. The field activities completed in 2024 include: Installation of the main camp and opening of a private access road stretching 3.5 km from the paved road A4 near the village of Kimoukro, into the permit boundary. Pole-dipole Induced Polarization (IP) geophysical survey, and ground magnetic survey, for a total of 55 line-kilometres, spaced 100 m apart and oriented N 110, covering a surface of 5.5 km2. A 3000 m auger drilling campaign in saprolite and soil, covering the untested areas in the central part of the permit; auger drilling was carried out essentially over the lines opened for the IP survey, avoiding the artisanal mining zone where, access was not possible for adverse terrain. Presentation of the auger drilling exploration results The auger drilling campaign was completed in November 2024 using the local contractor, Geo-Explo Services SARL. The program was designed to confirm the previously identified topsoil gold anomaly and to test the remaining central part of the project, where alluvial clay cover returned barren samples in surface. This auger drilling campaign is a first-pass exploration in the full soil profile, following historic surface sampling over a 25x25 m soil sampling grid in the mineralised area, while the surface sampling grid remained first-pass, 200 x 200 m, in barren surface samples. A total of 355 holes were drilled with auger on a 100x100 m grid, amounting to 2,988 meters of drilling. Site preparation, carried out with the assistance of local labourers, spanned one month. Drilling commenced in late August and concluded in late November, with a one-month suspension from October 4th to November 4th due to heavy rainfall. Two drilling rigs were employed: a motorized, trail-mounted rig with a 2.5 m column height and a 16 cm auger diameter, used for most holes. A lightweight, manually operated rig was used for drilling in rugged terrain, particularly near artisanal mining areas. Drilling was subdivided in 5 different phases according to logistics and weather conditions. The initial phase covered the zone closer to the access road: it was away from the ongoing geophysical survey to avoid any signal noise, and aimed to test possible gold anomalies under the alluvial cover. Phase 2 to phase 3 drilling continued mostly in alluvial cover, in the central and western parts of the permit. Drilling restarted after the rainy season with phase 4, approaching the area of active artisanal mineworks, which was tested with portable auger due to ground conditions. Phase 5 included infill of an unsampled area, to complete the c.a 3000 m program. Some areas remain untested between the blocks of phase 1, 2 and 5. Except for weather conditions and problematic access in the days right after rain, the drilling continued with no major issues during the 35 days of effective drilling. Daily production of drilling averaged 10 holes, 85 m; drilled depth ranged between 2.0 m and 16 m, averaging 8.4 m. Both rigs were able to reach and sample the top of the bedrock most of the time. Accordingly, the inferred depth to the bedrock varies between 2 m and 16 m. Logging while drilling, although basic, allowed collecting representative composite samples of maximum length of 3 meters for the cover and argillic saprolite, while the base of saprolite and in the saprock were sampled each meter. A total of 1367 samples were collected in the field. Ten percent (10%) QA/QC samples were introduced, namely 74 field duplicates, 55 blanks, and 8 standard, for a grand total of 1,504 samples. Samples have been assayed for gold at the MSA lab in Yamoussoukro with fire assay and AA finish. Preparation for all samples was PRP-915 consisting of dry, crush to 2mm, split ~500g and pulverize to 85% -75m. The assay methods were FAS-121 (0.005-100 ppm Au) 748 samples and FAS-221 (0.01-100 ppm Au) for 756 samples. The quality control and assessment were positive with no issues to report. Methodology For each hole, sampling commenced after bypassing the topsoil, which was not collected during auger drilling. Samples were taken based on lithology and material consistency: Alluvial Cover: One or two composite samples were typically collected. Rock and Saprock: Continuous sampling was conducted at 1-meter intervals. Saprolite and Other Lithologies: Composite samples were collected if no changes were observed in the material description, with a maximum sample length of 3 meters. Drilled material from each meter was retrieved as the auger was lifted. The material was then mixed and homogenized in a plastic container. A ~2 kg sample was collected from the homogenized material using a scale. For larger or composite samples, the material was placed on a plastic sheet during the process to minimize contamination and material loss. Field duplicates were prepared in the field at the same time of the parent sample. Cleaning of used tools was done mechanically and using a brush, in order to minimize cross-contamination. The drilling technique included rimming and cleaning the hole per each sample, and removing the fallen material; usually, colour and consistency change were obvious indicators of reworked vs fresh material. Field samples, as well as their duplicates, were labelled with unique identification numbers at the drilling site. A corresponding tag was inserted into the sample bag, and an additional tag was retained as a reference in the sampling matrix for future verification. At the end of each hole, at least one picture was taken at the spot, with coordinates, hole name and sample interval. This was in order to have proof of evidence, but more importantly, to introduce best practice operational procedures. A sample number is left every 40 samples, for blank samples or standard sample (CRM). At the end of the working day, all the samples were transported with a motor tricycle and stored in the village, at the place of the geology team. When enough samples were ready for shipment, the sample bags were aligned in the ground and physically checked for preparing sample shipment. QA/QC samples (Blank and CRM) were inserted in this phase. Larger bags containing approximately 20 sample bags (totalling some 40 kg weight) were prepared at the storage facility; the sample list was completed in the lab's shipment form, and delivered to the MSA labs in Yamoussoukro, for preparation and assay. Key Findings: The overburden mainly consists of alluvial clay or transported material forming small pockets of sand and gravels. No significant gold intercepts were recorded, except for a few anomalous samples with peak values of 0.37 ppm Au in clay and 0.42 ppm Au in sand and gravel. Auger drilling was not conducted within the artisanal mining area due to unfavourable ground conditions (bumpy terrain, frequent open holes together with water and mud ponds). However, the area was encompassed within the survey, confirming and expanding the previously defined in-soil gold anomaly greater than 50 ppb Au; peak values where of 1.7 ppm Au in saprock, 0.7 ppm Au in saprolite, and 0.53 ppm Au in residual laterite. Based on the assay results from auger and surface soil samples, an updated delineation of the gold anomaly in the overburden has been compiled. The in-soil gold anomaly >20 ppb Au, stretches approximately 2.5 km in length and 500 to 800 meters in width, continuously covering more than 1.3 km. Additionally, scattered anomalies have been identified over an area of 1.8 x 600 meters in the central part of the project. The in-soil gold anomaly correlates with IP anomalies with good continuity at depth, and reflects primary mineralisation. Depth-to-saprock, groundwater level, and thickness maps of the cover units have been compiled to provide input for interpretation of the geophysical data, as well as for best planning the subsequent exploration activities, particularly trenching and drilling. Two IP anomaly zones, in the central part of the permit, and in the eastern part, remained relatively uncovered by the auger drilling program; the gap will be filled in a next phase of exploration; infill of selected lines could be performed as well. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the distribution of the samples from the auger drilling campaign, and the compiled in-soil gold anomaly map based on existing samples. Follow-up In Q1 2025, a field office was established at Oume, some 15 km west of the permit. Geology field work continued with reconnaissance mapping and geochemical soil sampling, aiming to cover the remaining area of the permit. The ongoing activities include completion of a superficial soil sampling program collected with manual auger at a depth of about 1 m, aiming to test some 5.5 km2 over a grid of 100x100 m, counting approximately 1300 field samples. Sampling is ongoing in the NW side of the permit, to complete the planned program. A total of 653 samples returned from the lab; figure 3 shows the distribution of all samples returned. Sparse anomalies are found in the alluvial and eluvial material in the northern part of the permit, east of the Bandama river, without clear pattern identification. In the southern portion of the permit, west of the Bandama river, the in-soil gold anomaly greater than 50 ppb Au spans 700 m x 400 m; the anomaly is open to the west. Samples from the opposite, east side of the Bandama, mostly in alluvial and pisolitic cuirasse, returned sparse mineralised samples. Further sampling will fill the gaps in the under-sampled areas. Qualified Person The scientific and technical disclosure in this news release has been supervised and approved by Dr. Riccardo Aque, Ph.D. Eurogeol., a Qualified Person as that term is defined in NI 43-101. He is independent of the Company. Note: Figures 1 - 3 as referenced in this news release can be viewed in the version filed on SEDAR+ and on our website. Other News In other news, the Company reports that it has appointed Baker Tilly WM LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants of Vancouver, B.C., as auditors of the Company. The appointment follows the resignation of the former auditors, Davidson & Company LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, at the request of the Company. The Company reports that there have been no reservations in the report of Davidson & Company for the audit of the most recently completed fiscal period and, in the opinion of the Company, prior to the appointment of Baker Tilly WM LLP, there were no reportable events. A reportable event is an occurrence in relationship between the reporting issuer and the former auditor which may have been a contributing factor in the change. A notice of Change of auditors has been filed by the Company on SEDAR pursuant to National Instrument 51-102. A reporting package has been filed with the regulators and will be included in the management materials sent to shareholders for the next annual general meeting of the Company. About Starcore Starcore International Mines is engaged in precious metals production with focus and experience in Mexico. While this base of producing assets has been complemented by exploration and development projects throughout North America, Starcore has expanded its reach internationally with the project in Cote d'Ivoire. The Company is a leader in Corporate Social Responsibility and advocates value driven decisions that will increase long term shareholder value. You can find more information on the investor friendly website here: www.starcore.com. ON BEHALF OF STARCORE INTERNATIONAL MINES LTD. (Signed) "Robert Eadie" Robert Eadie, President & Chief Executive Officer FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: LinkedIn X Facebook The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed nor does it accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. This news release contains "forward-looking" statements and information ("forward-looking statements"). All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included herein, including, without limitation, management's expectations and the potential of the Company's projects, are forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of Company management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Company's management and reflect the beliefs, opinions, and projections on the date the statements are made. Forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties and accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. 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. The Company assumes no obligation to update forwardlooking statements or beliefs, opinions, projections or other factors, except as required by law. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/247854 VANCOUVER, April 09, 2025 - A.I.S. Resources Ltd. (TSXV: AIS, OTC- PINK: AISSF) ("AIS" or the "Company") announces the grant of a total of 500,000 incentive stock options to a director in accordance with the Company's stock option plan. Each Option is exercisable into one common share of the Company at a price of $0.06 per share. The Options vest on the date of grant and will expire five years from the date of grant. The stock options granted are subject to the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange. AIS' Key Gold Projects in Australia: With the recent rise in gold prices, AIS has renewed its focus on advancing its exploration efforts. 1. Fosterville-Toolleen Gold Project AIS holds a 100% interest in the 28 km Fosterville-Toolleen Exploration License (EL6001), located just 10 km east of Agnico Eagle's renowned Fosterville gold mine. Promising drill targets have been identified at Toolleen, with geological characteristics similar to the high-grade Fosterville mine. 2. Bright Gold Project AIS has a 60% stake in the 58 km Bright Exploration License (EL6194), with the option to acquire full ownership. The Company is currently reviewing results from its 2023 drill program and is preparing to define additional high-potential drill targets. 3. Kingston Gold Project AIS holds a 100% interest in the 167 km Kingston Exploration License (EL6318), which includes a small-scale mine with a 50-meter vertical shaft. AIS will receive 15% of the revenue from gold sales generated from the Vendor's mining activities outside of their prospecting license. These three properties, totaling over 250 km, are located in the highly prospective Lachlan Fold Belt in Central Victoria, often referred to as the "Golden Triangle." According to the Geological Survey of Victoria, up to 75 million ounces of gold may still be undiscovered in the region. About A.I.S. Resources Limited A.I.S. Resources Limited is a publicly traded company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company focuses on natural resource opportunities, aiming to unlock value by acquiring early-stage projects and providing the necessary technical and financial support to develop them. AIS is guided by a seasoned team of engineers, geologists, and finance professionals with a proven track record of success in capital markets. On Behalf of A.I.S. Resources Limited Martyn Element Chairman Corporate Contact For further information, please contact: Martyn Element, Chairman of the Board T: +1-604-220-6266 E: melement@aisresources.com Website: www.aisresources.com ADVISORY: This press release contains forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligations to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Vancouver, April 9, 2025 - Angel Wing Metals Inc. (TSXV: AWM) ("Angel Wing Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to report assay results from the initial, 13-hole (1,400 metre) diamond drill program at the district scale La Reyna Gold Project in Nayarit, Mexico. This drill program tested five widely spaced prospects: El Polo, Dolorosa North, Dolorosa South, Celeste and Zorillo. These targets represent a selection of the many prospects identified on the project to date. The objective of this first drill program was to confirm continuity at depth of the extensive mineralization and alteration observed at surface across the project. All 13 drillholes returned anomalous intersections greater than 0.1 grams per tonne Au (g/T Au). Eight of the 13 holes returned intersections greater than 1 g/T, see Table 1. For a plan view of the drill hole locations see Figure 1. For drill collar locations see Table 2. Highlights include: El Polo: 2.07 g/T Au and 38.6 g/T Ag over 7.1 m (hole LR-25-005) 1.01 g/T Au over 6.8 m from 72.80 m to 78.8 m including 2.09 g/T Au and 234 g/T Ag over 1.40 m. (hole LR-25-013) Dolorosa South: 1.52 g/T Au and 12.4 g/T Ag over 7.75 m from 3.00 m down hole, including 2.10 g/T Au and 11.8 g/T Ag over 3.85 m (hole LR-25-001) 3.84 g/T Au and 13.8 g/T Ag over 2.10 m from 21.60 down hole (hole LR-25-011) 3.59 g/T Au and 9.9 g/T Ag over 2.30 m from 12.40 down hole (hole LR-25-012) Marc Prefontaine, President and CEO states, "We are very pleased that such an early-stage drill program successfully intersected mineralization in 8 of the 13 drill holes completed to date, with all drill holes intersecting anomalous mineralization. This maiden drill program marks the first time this extensively altered area has been drill tested. Drilling has succeeded in its initial objective, confirming the depth continuity of the extensive alteration and mineralization observed over the different targets exposed at surface, confirming our belief that precious metal systems underlies the project land holdings. Only 10- 15% of the total project area has been sampled to date. As we remain focused on ensuring the progress we are making on the ground continues, we will use the results of this maiden program to plan for follow-up work on the property." Table 1: Assay Intercepts - Grade Weighted To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11595/247950_angeltbl1.jpg Figure 1: Drill Hole Location Map To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11595/247950_b262657964808875_003full.jpg DISCUSSION OF RESULTS: El Polo Three holes were drilled on the El Polo prospect, all successfully intersected a targeted hydrothermal breccia and flow banded rhyolite at depth. LR-25-005 intersected 2.07 g/T Au and 38.6 g/T Ag over 7.10 m, including 3.75 g/T Au and 69.8 g/T Ag over 3.35 m. LR25-006 intersected the target downdip in heavily faulted ground returning 4.65 m 0.99 g/T Au and 12.2 g/T Ag over 4.65 m, which includes 3.39 g/T Au and 19.1 g/T Ag over 1.05 m. LR-25-013 stepped out 30 m to the north and intersected breccia grading 1.01 g/T Au and 60.1 g/T Ag over 6.80 m. This intersection includes 2.09 g/T Au, 234.0 g/T Ag and 0.5% Zn over 1.40 m. Gold mineralization is hosted primarily by a distinctive hydrothermal breccia and exhibits a strong correlation with tungsten. The target horizon is flanked by an extensive base metal anomaly (Zn>Pb) over 80 m in width. Values of Zn up to 0.6% occur in close proximity to the Au-W bearing hydrothermal breccias. See figure 2 cross section of results. More drilling is warranted to delineate the extents of the intersected mineralization. Figure 2: El Polo Assay Section (Note LR-13 is 30 m to the north of holes 5 & 6). Looking east. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11595/247950_b262657964808875_004full.jpg Dolorosa South Drilling at Dolorosa South also tested a series of historical trenches and pits dug into limited exposures of altered hydrothermal and fault breccia with quartz veining, in an area with scarce outcrop exposure. Four short holes tested this target from several orientations LR-25-001 intersected quartz vein breccia near surface for 7.75 m of 1.52 g/T Au and 12.4 g/T Ag, including 2.10 g/T Au and 11.8 g/T Ag over 3.85 m (See Table 1 and Figure 3 cross section). Hole LR-25-011 intersected 3.84g/T Au and 13.8 g/T Ag over 2.10 m in quartz vein breccia, while hole LR-25-012 intersected 3.59 g/T Au and 9.9 g/T Ag over 2.30 m. Drillhole LR-25-002 drilled the footwall in crystal tuff with 5 narrow intersections with anomalous gold less than 0.2 g/T Au. The grade thickness intersected in this area warrants follow up geophysics and drilling. Figure 3: Dolorosa South Assay Section (looking east) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11595/247950_b262657964808875_005full.jpg Dolorosa North Drilling at Dolorosa North target tested a series of historical trenches and pits exposing altered hydrothermal and fault breccia with quartz veining, in an area with little outcrop. Two drill holes tested this target. LR-25-003 intersected a 4.4 m fault structure returning 0.1 g/T Au, 12 g/T Ag and 0.41% Cu, including 0.23 g/T Au, 37.9 g/T Ag and 2.8% Cu over 0.3 m. LR-25-004 is currently interpreted to have drilled the footwall to the target, intersecting anomalous gold and silver mineralization with a best assay of 0.35 g/T Au and 2.0 g/T Ag over 2.6 m. More drilling is needed to determine target geometry and thickness and test continuity with the Dolorosa South prospect. (Table 1). Celeste The Celeste Ridge exposes widespread silicification, brecciation, and stockwork quartz veining over a strike length of one kilometer. Two holes were completed with the objective of testing beneath the silificied cap; both holes intersected on the order of 50 m of siliceous, felsic volcanic rock with abundant pyrite. Locally hydrothermal breccias occur within the pyritic envelop with abundant quartz. Zorillo Two short holes (50 m each) were completed at Zorillo to better test broken and faulted quartz veins exposed in trenches. Holes LR-25-009 & 10 intersected intensely faulted vein material with only LR-25-009 intersected 0.81 g/T Au and 11.8 g/T Ag over 0.65 m. Table 2: Drill Hole Coordinates To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11595/247950_angeltbl2.jpg QA/QC HQ sized drill core samples were sawed in half and the half core samples were shipped to ALS Limited in Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico and in North Vancouver, Canada for sample preparation and for analysis at the ALS laboratory in North Vancouver and rock samples were shipped to SGS Lab in Durango, Mexico for sample preparation and analysis. The ALS Zacatecas, North Vancouver facilities and SGS lab are ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 certified. Gold and Silver were analyzed using a four-acid digestion with an ICP finish and gold was assayed by 30-gram fire assay with atomic absorption ("AA") spectroscopy finish. Over limit analyses for silver, lead and zinc were re-assayed using an ore-grade four-acid digestion with AA finish. Control samples comprising certified reference samples, duplicates and blank samples were systematically inserted into the sample stream and analyzed as part of the Company's quality assurance / quality control protocol. QUALIFIED PERSON Marc Prefontaine, M.Sc. P.Geo., President and CEO, is a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content in this news release. ABOUT ANGEL WING METALS Angel Wing Metals (TSXV: AWM) is focused on the exploration and development of its portfolio of precious metals properties in Mexico and Canada . The Company's flagship La Reyna Project covers 106.89 km2 in the southern extension of the prolific Sierra Madre Occidental gold-silver belt in the state of Nayarit, Mexico. Angel Wing Metals is committed to sustainable and responsible exploration and business activities in line with industry best practices, supportive of all stakeholders, including the local communities in which the Company operates. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.angelwingmetals.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. Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains "forward-looking information" 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", "budgets", "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. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information regarding: exploration and future discoveries. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. This forward-looking information reflects Angel Wing Metals' current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Angel Wing Metals and on assumptions Angel Wing Metals believes are reasonable. 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 Angel Wing Metals 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: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; general capital market conditions and market prices for securities; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; the actual results of future operations; competition; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, affecting Angel Wing Metals; the timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; and lack of qualified, skilled labor or loss of key individuals. A description of additional assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of additional risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in Angel Wing Metals' disclosure documents on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca. Although Angel Wing Metals 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. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions, or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of Angel Wing Metals as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. However, Angel Wing Metals expressly 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 expressly required by applicable securities law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/247950 F1 return for Colapinto not priority says Briatore Putting Franco Colapinto into a race cockpit is not the "priority" at Alpine, team advisor Flavio Briatore insists. Franco Colapinto Williams Speculation is raging that Jack Doohan, whose mistakes and pace are under intense scrutiny, is only guaranteed the first six grands prix of 2025 - or perhaps less. At the same time, Briatore clearly favours the well-backed Argentine Colapinto, 21, who was brought into the team on lucrative loan from Williams. Colapinto? Let's see, Briatore told La Stampa newspaper. The priority is to have a top-level car that is up to par with the four giants McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari. In the interview, the 74-year-old re-told the story of his return to the paddock - offering to help Renault CEO Luca de Meo pull the once-great Enstone based team back to winning ways. Briatore suggests Doohan could actually be the wiser pick at present. It's not just about putting a kid in a car, said the Italian, because then they are dealing with everything else - the pressure, the interviews, the criticism, 100,000 spectators in the stands. Briatore mentioned that Liam Lawson, for instance, was not ready to handle the spotlight at Red Bull. As for Doohan, the Italian newspaper pointed out that the Australian is the son of MotoGP legend Mick Doohan - with Lance Stroll another F1 driver with an influential father. (Lawrence) Stroll has his own team and is a separate case, Briatore replied. As for Jack, you can be Mick's son but if you're not competitive you're going nowhere. Every driver is fast of course, but it's not easy. Briatore is eagerly looking ahead to Alpine's next few years. We are at the starting point, he said. "We started from very far behind, and only in 2026 will we have the complete Mercedes package - engine and gearbox. In 2026 we must be competitive but the real goal is 2027. Finally, Briatore offered some words of support for Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, who is still fending off accusations of sexual misconduct by a female staff member. Nowadays, F1 is so media-focused that if you go into an elevator with a woman you even have to be careful, he said. In terms of abuse, we have gone from one extreme to the other. I'm not saying that things were better before, but we need something fair, something just. (GMM) GPDA co-directors disagree over Doohan-DRS crash The two co-directors of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association are not on the same page about Jack Doohan's huge Suzuka crash. Jack Doohan, Japanese GP 2025 Alpine Under immense pressure to keep his Alpine seat, rookie Doohan admits to leaving his DRS rear wing flap open as he took turn 1 at Suzuka flat-out in practice - resulting in an enormous crash. Hopefully this accident shows that there is a need to have a system that switches off the DRS 50 or 100 metres before the braking zone so that the driver doesn't have a chance to make a mistake, Carlos Sainz, the newly-appointed GPDA co-director, said last weekend in Japan. However, the more established GPDA co-director, Mercedes driver George Russell, does not agree. Obviously what happened to Jack was a big accident, and it's very unfortunate, the Briton is quoted as saying by France's Auto Hebdo. "But it's one of those things that you see happen once, and everyone recognises that it's probably the only corner on the entire calendar where there's this problem. I don't think we need to do anything, Russell insisted. "As drivers, you have responsibilities. We come flat out into the first corner, and clicking the button to turn off DRS is part of our job. We don't want it to be automated - we have to let the drivers decide. There are already too many gadgets helping us. (GMM) Lack of Newey effect at Aston Martin surprising A former Formula 1 driver is surprised the 'Adrian Newey effect' is not yet being seen at Aston Martin. Fernando Alonso, Japanese GP 2025 Aston Martin Racing The recently-departed Red Bull design guru only started work at Aston Martin a month ago, and it is well-known that he is primarily focused on the 2026 project. However, the team has a brand new, highly sophisticated wind tunnel now up and running. It's only just started, Aston Martin ambassador Pedro de la Rosa told DAZN, "and we haven't had time to test an improvement. We'll have to wait a little longer, be a little more patient and wait for the improvements to be introduced on track. Fernando Alonso admitted last weekend that Newey is yet to have any big ideas about Aston Martin's 2025 car, which is even less impressive than the similarly-struggling 2024 single seater. As far as former Minardi driver Christijan Albers is concerned, the team's decline since early 2023 - even despite owner Lawrence Stroll's huge investments - is shocking. You can't always stay at the top, it's always changing, he told De Telegraaf. The thing that I am shocked and surprised about is that there is really no upward movement at Aston Martin anymore. Albers even thinks the month that Newey has been at the drawing board for should have had an effect by now. I expected Newey to give a certain direction, and that the car would come closer, said the Dutchman. "When Dan Fallows switched to Aston Martin and copied everything from Red Bull, they were there right away. They were suddenly competitive and Fernando Alonso was on the podium. So I definitely expected something - but that is not the case. (GMM) MTN Ghana CEO unveils $1billion in customer service over 5 years Kwame Larweh Business News Apr - 09 - 2025 , 14:49 In a bold testament to its dedication to customer satisfaction, MTN Ghana has poured more than $1 billion into enhancing its customer service framework over the past half-decade, according to Chief Executive Officer Stephen Blewett. The telecom giants leader made this announcement during a recent address, spotlighting the companys relentless focus on elevating the user experience. Blewett emphasized that this hefty financial commitmentequating to roughly $200 million annuallyhas been instrumental in fortifying MTNs network infrastructure. Our customers are the heartbeat of our existence, he declared. Were determined to deliver a seamless, top-tier experience, not a subpar connection. The success we enjoy today stems directly from our consistent investment in the network that serves millions. Looking ahead, the CEO revealed ambitious plans to channel even more funds into service improvements in the forthcoming year. By the close of 2025, our five-year investment will hit the $1 billion mark, Blewett noted. And thats just the beginningwere gearing up to allocate additional resources to ensure our services keep getting better. Beyond network upgrades, Blewett tackled the growing menace of mobile money fraud, a concern increasingly plaguing users. He urged MTNs customer base to remain cautious and proactive in safeguarding their transactions. To illustrate the prevalence of such scams, he recounted a personal brush with deception shortly after assuming his role. When I first joined MTN, I got a call from a trickster in my inaugural month, Blewett shared. The fraudster insisted Id authorized a transfer and tried to twist my arm into accepting his story. I played along, keeping him talking for a good 15 minuteshoping it might spare someone else from his scheme. Eventually, I revealed I was MTNs CEO. He didnt buy it, got flustered, and cut the line. It was a stark lesson in how critical awareness is. The CEO reassured subscribers that MTN is not standing still on this issue. Were tirelessly exploring ways to sharpen our edge, he said. The same passion we bring to customer care is driving us to combat mobile money fraud. Were digging deep to develop smarter, more effective protections for everyone who relies on us. Blewetts revelations underscore MTN Ghanas broader mission: to remain a customer-centric leader in the telecommunications landscape, blending substantial investments with innovative responses to emerging challenges. As the company charts its next steps, its focus on both service excellence and security signals a promising horizon for its millions of users across the region. Tullow Ghana dominates 2025 CISCM awards with five major honours Kweku Zurek Business News Apr - 09 - 2025 , 05:57 Energy giant Tullow Ghana cemented its reputation as a trailblazer in the oil and gas industry after scooping five accolades at the 2025 Chartered Institute of Supply Chain Management (CISCM) Awards held in Accra on April 8. The company emerged as the nights biggest winner, taking home honours for Best Organisation in Leadership and Governance, Best Organisation in Legal and Contracts, Best Organisation in Sourcing and Procurement, and Africas Institution of Excellence. In a personal triumph, Tullows Local Content Manager, Dr. Jennifer Bruce-Konuah, was named Professional of the Year, highlighting the company's growing influence in strategic leadership and local industry development. The recognition underscores Tullows longstanding commitment to enhancing Ghanas energy landscape, particularly through local content growth and supply chain excellence. For close to two decades now, Tullows influence and impact in the energy sector has positioned Ghana as a leading frontier for oil and gas in West Africa, organisers said in acknowledging the companys contributions. With over US$23 billion invested in Ghanas Jubilee and TEN oil fields and more than US$9 billion in revenues delivered to government coffers, Tullows economic footprint is hard to miss. Just last year, the company contributed US$844.4 million in oil and gas receipts to the state and awarded US$912 million worth of contracts to indigenous and joint-venture companiesfigures that reflect its deliberate strategy to deepen local participation. Speaking on the sidelines of the awards, Tullow Ghana Managing Director Jean-Medard Madama expressed gratitude for the recognition, noting that it was a testament to the companys ongoing dedication to national development. It is always a pleasure when you are recognised for the commitment and dedication to your line of business. We are grateful to the Chartered Institute of Supply Chain Management for acknowledging our hard work with these awards. Our commitment to the socio-economic growth of this country has never been in doubt and we are determined to push even harder. These accolades are a further call on us to continuously endeavour to build a better future for Ghana, he said. The awards also marked a symbolic transition for Dr. Otuko John-Teye, Tullows Supply Chain Manager, who officially handed over the title of CISCM Woman of the Year 2024 at the eventfurther evidence of the companys strong leadership presence across key segments of the sector. FULL TEXT: Minister for Communications Sam George briefs media on developments in the 1st Quarter GraphicOnline Opinion Apr - 09 - 2025 , 17:10 17 minutes read QUARTER 1 MEDIA BRIEFING: MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATION, DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATIONS Honourable Minister for Government Communications, Chief Director and Directors of the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Heads of Agencies under the Ministry and my esteemed friends in the media, good afternoon. It has been exactly 92 days since the John Dramani Mahama government got sworn into office and 61 days since I took the oath of Minister of State and assumed my role as Minister responsible for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations. It seems like a year has already swung by already. I have turned into action seeking to fulfil His Excellencys mandate and the charge the Ghanaian people have entrusted into our care. As part of my approach to transparent and accountable governance, this is the first of quarterly updates from my Ministry on our stewardship and the actions taken towards achieving the RESET agenda. In the first quarter of 2025, the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations laid a solid foundation for a digitally resilient Ghana that delivers real value and opportunity for every Ghanaian. The technology sector is a central pillar of Ghanas economic reset and is critical to positioning Ghana at the top of the digital and competitive global economy. Recognising this, His Excellency the President made a pre-election promise to launch the One Million Coders Programme, a bold initiative to train one million young Ghanaians in digital skills, empowering them to thrive in the rapidly growing Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) sectors. We have moved quickly to turn this vision into action to equip our youth for the future of work through the One Million Coders Program. The Ministry launched intensive efforts to mobilise partners and secure the resources needed to implement the program and deliver results at scale through strategic diplomacy and public-private partnerships. Under my guidance, the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre for Excellence in ICT has developed a standardised curriculum in multiple digital skills disciplines at the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels to enable a uniform training ecosystem for all Ghanaians irrespective of the part of our Country in which they reside. A landmark Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the MTN Group, with several other agreements with other private Ghanaian and International partners currently being finalised to support implementation, all aligned with our commitment to positioning Ghana as Africas premier digital talent hub. The level of interest and support from the private sector is a testament to the visionary leadership of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama. 1 am confident that several private partnership verticals would see us achieve the ambitious goal of positioning Ghana as a net exporter of critical digital skills in the short to medium term. The Ministry will launch the program with a pilot covering Greater Accra, Ashanti, Bono, and Upper East Regions on April 16th, with over 500 people from Accra, Bolga, Sunyani, and Kumasi expected to participate in the launch. The program is inclusive by design, with an integrated 50/50 gender split. Further, we would leverage our district assemblies and Community Information Centers in the subsequent implementation phase to ensure that the program reaches every corner of Ghana, not just urban centres. At the core of digital inclusion is affordable internet access. And it is pursuant to this that the President promised to partner with private sector players to make internet access more affordable for low-income households through targeted subsidies, discounted data packages, and device financing schemes. In February, I established a multi-stakeholder Data Cost Pricing Committee comprising telecommunication service providers, consumer groups, and regulators. The Committee was given a 14-day mandate to deliver a roadmap for implementation to achieve more cost-effective data prices. The Committee delivered its report in 13 days. I am grateful to all the stakeholders who worked assiduously and at no cost to the State to produce a short, medium-and long-term approach to data price rationalisation in our Country. Again, I say ayekoo to them for their selfless service to our Country. I have studied the roadmap and referred it to the regulator the National Communications Authority. The Authority under the able leadership of the Ag. Director-General has held several engagements with mobile network operators to discuss fashion implementation modalities. I have personally engaged with the CEOs of the three MNOs, and I am pleased to announce that all three have presented the Ministry and Regulator with specific improved data bundles for tertiary students across the Country, as well as content creation and gig economy demographics. In the coming days, the NCA will finalise the implementation and technical requirements with the relevant stakeholders for a public rollout. In the interim, I have agreed with all three network operators to have unique data bundle packages for all subscribers on five national holidays Independence Day, May Day, Republic Day, Founders Day and Farmers Day. The Independence Day test run was a resounding success, and I look forward to working with the NCA and the MNOs on May Day for our next holiday offering in celebration of the workers of Ghana. I have also noted several complaints about the quality of service of almost all the network providers in the Country. This past week, I have taken decisive policy decisions to approve technology neutrality and additional spectrum for MTN Ghana. I have also directed the NCA to offer additional spectrum to Telecel Ghana. These are to provide both operators with more resources to improve their service offerings. On the back of these approvals, I wish to serve notice that the NCA would, within three months of the assignments of this additional spectrum, begin rigorous enforcement of Qos on the providers. Failure to provide a marked improvement in quality of service would result in stiff fines. The Ministry and Regulator have fidelity to the Ghanaian people to ensure they get the best customer service and experience. The telecommunications sector has not been without its challenges. The previous government acquired AirtelTigo and rebranded it as AT with a reported purchase value of $1. Nothing could have been more disingenuous and unpatriotic. When the company was bought, its debt portfolio stood at $400 million, and its revenues could not meet monthly overheads. The core and billing platforms have reached the end of life, and both Bharti Airtel and Millicom (Tigo) have failed to make any meaningful investments in both companies over the past five years. The decision to step in at the time can best be described as ill-informed and reckless. It was an abdication of responsibility to the best interest of Ghana. Today, after a debt restructuring arrangement, the debt portfolio sits at about $200 million, rising as the company makes a monthly operating loss of GHS20 million. The bleeding needs to be triaged, and urgent steps are underway to engage the companys creditors in negotiating haircuts to ensure the companys viability. I will be updating the Nation in the course of this quarter on the policy directions the Ministry would be taking as a sole shareholder to ensure the security of the jobs of employees and the long-term survival of the business. To effectively regulate technology in todays fast-evolving digital environment, I have initiated a comprehensive review of existing legislation and regulatory frameworks. The Ministry I took over has legislation that should be in the museum and not as the underpinnings of a technology Ministry. The current State of the legislative environment of the Ministry is as follows; The Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT has no Establishment Act Ghana Telecom Act, 2003 Postal and Courier Services Regulatory Commission Act 2003 (Act 649) and Regulation 2013 (L.I. 2205) Electronic Communications Act, 2008 (Act 775) Electronic Transactions Act, 2008 (Act 772) National Communications Authority Act, 2008 (Act 769) Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038) We are redrafting outdated laws to ensure they reflect present realities, anticipate future developments, and provide a transparent, enabling environment for innovation, investment, and consumer protection. I am confident I will lay the revised legislation before Parliament in its next meeting. As part of this broader legislative effort, I convened strategic meetings with key stakeholders led by the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme across the startup and innovation ecosystem to build consensus on the path forward for the Ghana Innovation and Startup Bill. Together, we have developed a clear roadmap to finalise the Bill. This landmark legislation is essential for creating a robust legal and regulatory framework that empowers startups to grow, attract investment, and scale solutions that generate jobs and drive long-term economic transformation. I am grateful to our partners who have helped us achieve this much in so short a time. Recognising the impact of emerging technologies, the President made a pre-election promise to develop a National Digital Transformation and Emerging Technology Strategy to guide the ethical deployment of digital tools such as Al and emerging technologies for development. Following this, the Ministry has prioritised dialogue on Artificial Intelligence to fully assess its opportunities, security implications, and resource demands and ensure we put the appropriate governance framework in place for an ethical, inclusive, and beneficial development and adoption of Al. Ghana has entered strategic partnerships with key partners such as the British High Commission, UNESCO, and other international organisations to support efforts towards Ghanas National Artificial Intelligence Strategy and blueprint. Furthermore, the Ministry has commenced critical efforts to digitise the Nations essential data sets as a foundational step in our national Artificial Intelligence agenda. This initiative aims to enable Al systems to learn from local data, ensuring that the models we develop reflect our lived realities, cultural nuances, and development priorities. Al models trained solely on foreign datasets risk overlooking Indigenous knowledge and reinforcing learned biases that do not serve our interests. By anchoring Al development in our data, we are safeguarding digital sovereignty and building truly Ghanaian technologies in design and purpose. Recognising how critical prudent expenditure management is to Ghanas economic recovery, the Mahama Administration pledged to fight corruption and graft head-on. In line with this commitment, one of my first actions was to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the Ministrys financial position to guide how best to move forward. This review unearthed several irregularities, prompting a detailed investigation into the contracts entered into through the Ministry and its agencies on behalf of the Ghanaian people. The Ministry is following up with the relevant parties to establish the facts and take corrective action where necessary. We are deeply concerned about the disregard for public interest reflected by the unfavourable terms in some agreements and the resistance encountered in accessing key information from certain service providers. Against this backdrop, I have referred some contracts and agreements to the Attorney-General for his study and advice. One thing, however, is crystal clear to me as Minister I would clean up the Ministry and its Agencies. It is my solemn pledge to the President and the people of Ghana. I wish to announce that on the back of the foregoing, I will NOT be extending the Common Monitoring Platform contract, popularly called KelniGVG, beyond its current terminal date. The contract is in two parts one paid for by my Ministry through the NCA and another component paid for by the Ministry of Finance through the GRA. I have instructed the NCA to begin to hold itself in preparedness to carry out the revenue assurance platform on its own. This position is backed by the fact that at the commencement of the contract in 2018, the monthly fee paid represented 28% of the revenue accruing to the State from international inbound traffic. By the end of the first 5- year term of the contract, however, the monthly fee represented about 50% of the revenue accruing to the State. As of October 2024, the fees paid to KelniGVG represent 84% of the revenue accruing to the State. This means the State is paying far more to monitor the revenue than it retains. Another Agency under the Ministry that has had a considerable amount of my attention is the National Information Technology Agency (NITA). Some agreements that I have inherited have caused deep concern, and I have begun steps to either extricate the government from unreasonableness or achieve a more favourable arrangement that is in the best interest of Ghanaians. As part of operationalising the Digital Services and Payment Platform (DSPP) Call Centre, managed under a contract between NITA and DigitalGOV Limited, two companies, Sawtel Ltd and Dataceum Ltd, provided Project Management Services. Some irregularities observed by the Ministry under this contract include; NITA is making monthly payments to the two firms despite the firms not being directly contracted by NITA. Instead, they signed contracts with DigitalGOV Limited on March 1st, 2020, for an initial four-year term ending February 29th, 2024. Despite this, NITA has made monthly payments directly to the two firms as service providers throughout the contract period, creating a misalignment in accountability and oversight. Both Sawtel and Dataceum appear to deliver nearly identical project management functions for the DSPP Call Centre, with no clear delineation of roles, responsibilities, or reporting lines. The contracts with both firms expired on February 29th, 2024. No formal renewals or new engagement frameworks are in place, raising questions about continued service provision and NITAs legal or financial obligations. The Ministry is in the process of assessing the necessity of continuing with either or both. Sawtel and Dataceum in a bid to eliminate duplication and ensure cost-efficiency in future project management support for DSPP and to incorporate project management under the broader DSPP Governance Framework, as recommended in the DigitalGOV contract review, with clear reporting to NITA. I also directed an audit and update of the Smart Infraco (Lebara Ghana Ltd) e-Government Infrastructure Agreement. Upon receipt of NITAs assessment report, I promptly took steps to restore compliance, transparency, and fiscal discipline in managing our national e government infrastructure. I issued a directive for Smart Infraco to grant full physical and logical access to the e-Government infrastructure. This became necessary as the audit discovered that no financial dashboard or audit trail was provided to NITA to track revenue or operations, as initially stipulated in the contract. Also, NITA personnel were denied physical and logical access to infrastructure that the Agency legally owns, including the Data Center Facility and Network Operations Centre. NITA initiated engagements to ensure compliance, and we have made some progress in establishing and verifying about 95% of access. The Ministry shall engage directly with Smart Infraco to compel immediate payment of all outstanding amounts (including $6 million in initial and annual fees and revenue shares), invoking penalty and termination clauses as necessary to protect government interests. To the people of Ghana, I offer this assurance: I will get to the bottom of these issues and act decisively to restore sound financial stewardship in the Ministry. Still, on the subject of stewardship, I have directed the National Communications Authority to conduct a frequent audit as part of the governments Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) initiative, aimed at identifying and reclaiming all State resources within the purview of the Ministry which may have been handed over to private interests in a manner inconsistent with law and laid down procedure. The exercise, the first phase of a full audit of broadcasting frequencies to ensure proper management and compliance with legal procedures, identified incidents of non-compliance that would attract a total penalty tax of about 9.5 million Ghana Cedis and several infractions that warranted immediate shutdowns. The government is committed to taking the necessary action to ensure rectification of the instances of non-compliance. In the period under review, | have taken steps to better position Ghana Post to take advantage of the increased e-commerce activity and to ensure Ghanas readiness to take full advantage of trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Plans are underway to strengthen the backbone of domestic and cross-border trade logistics, especially for small businesses across the Country looking to expand beyond national borders. To position Ghana Post as a relevant and competitive public service in 2025 and beyond, the Ministry is implementing a three-pronged reform strategy, informed by an internal readiness assessment. First, we are updating existing infrastructure and information systems to reflect technological advancements and ensure resilience against cybersecurity threats. Second, we are modernising logistics systems to guarantee faster and more reliable delivery across all regions. Third, we are expanding service offerings to include e commerce support, secure parcel handling, and access to critical public services. These reforms will transform Ghana Post into a vital enabler of e-commerce, cross-border trade, and citizen access to essential government services, laying the foundation for a more connected and efficient national economy. In line with the critical reforms necessary to reset the Ministry when I took over, I took decisive steps in consultation with the World Bank Country Office in Accra to terminate the contracts of 13 staff under the Project Implementation Unit of the World Bank-funded Ghana Digital Acceleration Programme. This became necessary to show our zero level of tolerance for any semblance of graft or corruption in the Ministry. These terminations were a patriotic action aimed to save the State from any representation that affects our international image. The Ministry has secured clearance from the World Bank to replace the terminated staff, and we have proceeded to advertise the roles in the national dailies for two weeks, which lapsed last Friday. The interview panel is conducting a robust, competitive assessment to select the best-suited candidates. I have also directed the Acting Administrator of the Universal Access Fund GIFEC to immediately begin an asset inventory of our infrastructure across the Country to ensure that these Centres built primarily under the first John Mahama administration are put to use as 360 whole of government centres bring digital government services to the doorsteps of Ghanaians. GIFEC has also stepped up work to complete the Rural Telephony project to improve Ghanas Digital Inclusion drive. The completion of the project would connect an additional 4 million Ghanaians. On the legislative flank, we have begun work to evolve GIFEC into the Digital Economy and Innovation Development Fund in line with the NDCs Resetting Ghana manifesto. Even as I remain focused on delivering on the Presidents charge, I am minded by the increased incidents of orchestrated campaigns of mis(dis)information. I have instructed the Cyber Security Authority to improve its digital surveillance and monitoring. Several collaborative operations with sister security agencies have been undertaken and are currently underway to send a clear signal that such acts of public mis(dis)information would not be tolerated. The government once again reiterates our respect for the freedom of expression and rights to public/private communications of citizens but also reminds us all that we have a collective civic duty to be responsible in our communication. In the spirit of full transparency, I would present specialised legislation on mis(dis)information before Parliament in its next meeting to create a clear legal framework for law enforcement. Ghanas digital voice continues to be heard on the global stage. From the Mobile World Congress and ITU Forum to the World Bank Digital Summit and the Global Summit on Al in Africa, we have articulated our digital ambition and built valuable alliances. Our priority remains clear as we advance: building a digital Ghana where innovation thrives, access is equitable, and all share technologys benefits. We have continued to deepen strategic international partnerships, engaging with UNDP, Germany, Turkey, and Italy to strengthen our digital infrastructure, policy frameworks, and innovation ecosystems. The World Bank, ITU, DCO, CTO, ATU, and Smart Africa remain strong partners in our digital reset agenda, and I am grateful to them for their support so far. I look forward to achieving our shared goals. As we move into the second quarter of the year, the Ministry is poised to make even more significant progress towards a sustainable plan to ensure reliable and affordable internet for all, pilots of the one million coders program, the national Al strategy, and digitising public service delivery. We would see the strengthening of our policy and regulatory frameworks. We would commence public sensitisation and education towards the impending SIM Registration and Central Equipment Identity Register. Once more, I make a firm pledge that Ghanaians would not be saddled with having to abandon work and queue for long hours to register their SIMs. The process would be human-centred and technology-driven. This registration is critical for our collective security as a Nation. Ghanas digital future is being built today with purpose, with strategic partnerships, and with the people at the centre. Let us press forward together. May God bless our Homeland, Ghana, and make her great and strong. Thank you. Next article: Nigerian make-up artist jailed for throwing cash at wedding Previous article: China retaliates with 84 per cent tariffs on US goods as Trump trade war escalates Niger Republic dumps French, adopts Hausa as national language Graphic.com.gh International News Apr - 09 - 2025 , 13:22 1 minute read Niger's military-led government has officially declared Hausa as the countrys new national language, marking a significant break from its colonial history by replacing French. A new charter, published on March 31 in a special edition of the governments official journal, states, "The national language is Hausa," while "the working languages are English and French." Hausa is the most widely spoken language in Niger, especially in the regions of Zinder, Maradi, and Tahoua. It is understood and spoken by a large portion of the countrys 26 million citizens. In contrast, French is spoken by only about 13 percent of the populationapproximately three million people. The charter also recognizes nine other local languagesincluding Zarma-Songhay, Fula, Kanuri, Gourmanche, and Arabicas the spoken languages of Niger. This move follows a national conference held in February, which not only reinforced the ruling juntas authority but also granted its leader, General Abdourahamane Tiani, a mandate to remain in power for five more years. Since taking control in a July 2023 coup that removed civilian president Mohamed Bazoum, Nigers junta has systematically severed ties with France. Actions have included expelling French troops, cutting diplomatic relations, and renaming streets and landmarks that once bore French names. Nigers decision reflects a broader regional trend. Neighbouring countries like Mali and Burkina Fasoalso former French colonies with military regimeshave taken similar steps to distance themselves from France, including withdrawing from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), a body akin to the Commonwealth. Help identify elderly man abandoned in Tema Community 7 who needs assistance to locate family Benjamin Xornam Glover Apr - 09 - 2025 , 16:28 3 minutes read An elderly man has been found abandoned in front of a container shop at Community 7 in Tema, in the Uhuru Electoral Area of the metropolis. A resident of the area told Graphic Online that an unidentified person on a motorbike dropped the man by the roadside opposite the Tema Joint Church on Friday, March 28, 2025, and left. She said an eyewitness, concerned by the frail condition of the man and how he was abandoned, approached him. Upon questioning, it became clear that the motorbike rider had indeed left him there. He seems to be suffering from memory loss and cant give any useful information about himself except an inactive telephone number and his name, which he gave as Richmond Kwame Baffour, she said. She added that further questioning revealed the man claimed to be a former employee of Pioneer Food Cannery and had also worked as an Uber driver. Indeed, the telephone number he gave comes up as Kwame Uber on Truecaller, she noted. Ms Mante said a police report was filed immediately, and the police promised to come for the man. However, no action has been taken, despite several follow-ups and calls to some senior officers. Residents also contacted the Social Welfare office at the Tema General Hospital but were told a police extract was required before any intervention could take place. Currently, he is being fed by well-wishers and has been given a bath and change of clothes. But because he cant stand or walk, he messes himself. If no one helps, he sleeps in his own urine and faeces. He sleeps in the open, in front of a container with an extended roof. In the first few days, he slept on the ground under a table. It has rained several times at night since he was abandoned, she lamented. Help identify elderly man abandoned in Tema Community 7 who needs assistance to locate family https://t.co/nOUgG6RFMs pic.twitter.com/v4Joh2gfnA DailyGraphic GraphicOnline (@Graphicgh) April 9, 2025 When this reporter visited the scene, the man mentioned he was married to a woman named Kate, who resides at Tema Community 5, but could not recall who brought him to Community 7 or where he had been picked up from. She appealed to the public, particularly residents of Tema, to help identify the relatives of Richmond Kwame Baffour so that he can receive the care he needseither at home or in a healthcare facility. Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development in the Tema Metropolis has confirmed it is aware of the situation and has begun steps to evacuate the man to a psychiatric hospital, despite limited resources. The Head of the Social Welfare Department in Tema, Mr Robert Mensah Gbley, told Graphic Online that Tema currently has no shelter for abandoned persons. He said efforts were underway to secure space in a psychiatric facility for the man. He also echoed appeals to the public to help trace the mans family, stressing that most facilities require the presence of a relative or guardian to support the care process. Next article: Help identify elderly man abandoned in Tema Community 7 who needs assistance to locate family Five suspects arrested for illegal mining in Central North region Jemima Okang Addae Apr - 09 - 2025 , 17:51 2 minutes read The Ghana Police Service has arrested five individuals suspected of engaging in illegal mining activities on River Fum at Assin Ayitey, a farming community near Assin Akonfudi in the Assin North Constituency of the Central North Region. The suspects are made up of two Ghanaians and three Chinese nationals who are currently in custody and are being processed to appear before the court to face justice. The suspects are; Duut Kwabena Sakakba, aged 38, Douglas Nyamekye, aged 36, Ma Jian, aged 37, Ma Young, aged 31 and Ma Haibi, aged 54. A statement issued by the Central North Region, Public Affairs Directorate, ASP Francis Onyina, said during the operation, two excavators were found being used at the site. Although the operators managed to flee with the ignition keys, he said efforts were underway to move the machines to a secure holding area. He added that police are actively working to trace the owners of the excavators so they can also be held accountable. "During the operation, two (02) Excavators with chassis numbers SY 6HK1-XABEA-01-C3 and SWE365EOO762 were identified being used at the site by the miners. Notwithstanding the fact that the operators of the Excavators bolted with the ignition keys, efforts are underway to get the Excavators to a holding place. Meanwhile, the owners of the Excavator machines would be traced to face justice as well", the statement read. ASP Onyina also mentioned that a Toyota Hilux pickup with registration number GE 2743-13 was discovered at the site and has been impounded by the police. He emphasised the Service's determination to clamp down on illegal mining and assured the public that all those found culpable would be made to face the full rigours of the law. Ghana Airports Company denies cocaine flight allegations, warns of legal action GraphicOnline Apr - 09 - 2025 , 05:17 2 minutes read The Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) has strongly refuted claims suggesting its involvement in alleged drug trafficking activities at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), insisting the accusations are unfounded and damaging to its reputation. This follows allegations made by the Ranking Member on Parliaments Defence and Interior Committee, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, who claimed that two aircraft recently landed at KIA with illegal substances onboard. GACL, in a press statement dated April 8, 2025, described the allegations as false, baseless, and malicious, affirming that all necessary checks by the appropriate state agencies had been duly conducted. Landing permits of all aircraft entering Ghana are issued by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) in conjunction with the National Security and not GACL, the statement clarified. It further explained that security checks on the aircraft in question were conducted by Aviation Security and National Security, while Swissport handled the ground services. The GACL noted that there was no evidence of any illegal substances on board both aircraft. It also refuted any suggestions of contact between its Managing Director, Mrs Yvonne Nana Afriyie Opare, and Rev. Fordjour, stating, The Managing Director does not know or has never met or spoken to Rev. Ntim Fordjour. The statement went on to challenge those making the allegations to produce evidence. The onus is on the groups or individuals making false allegations to provide evidence of same, it said. GACL hereby serves notice that the company will not hesitate to seek legal redress against any media house, individual or any other entity for any intentional or mischievous publication on Rev. Ntim Fordjours false allegations, it stated. Concluding the statement, GACL called on the public to treat the rumours with the contempt they deserve, describing them as fictitious and malicious. It reiterated its commitment to upholding the integrity of Ghanas aviation sector and maintaining the highest standards of security and professionalism. Commemoration of World Health Day: We must come together to save our women, children Diana Mensah Apr - 09 - 2025 , 09:57 3 minutes read We must come together to save our sisters, our women and our children for a better Ghana. Unfortunately, nearly 300,000 women lose their lives each year due to childbirth complications globally, with more than two million babies dying in their first month of life, while around two million are stillborn from largely preventable deaths, the acting Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Professor Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, has said. He was speaking at the launch of a year-long national campaign to address maternal and newborn mortality in the country, on the theme: Healthy beginnings, hopeful future. It aimed at bringing all sectors and society together to improve the survival and wellbeing of mothers and their babies. Transformation Prof Akoriyea stressed the need to cooperate and partner with the government to transform the countrys healthcare system into a seamless, inclusive and equitable one for all. He said that a collective action must be started with stakeholders across all sectors joining hands to build a healthcare system that served every citizen, especially women, children and the most vulnerable. This is the time for cooperation and partnership. We must mobilise our spirit of togetherness and strengthen our collaboration to build a seamless healthcare system. We must synergise our efforts in prevention, health promotion, curative services, rehabilitation, palliative care and pathology to benefit every person living in Ghana, he said. Situation Prof Akoriyea said that there had been a marginal reduction in maternal mortality, with the current ratio being at 263 deaths per 100,000 live births, with that of children being 38 deaths per 1,000 live births. He described the numbers as being too high, saying they are unacceptable and we must act with urgency. Prof. Akoriyea, therefore, said citizens must view each maternal and child death not only as statistics, but a national failure with far-reaching consequences. As part of measures to ensure good health outcomes, he said the GHS would introduce a community scorecard system to allow healthcare clients to evaluate the performance of health facilities. We are shifting the paradigm. Patients are no longer passive recipients of care, but stakeholders. Their experiences will help shape a system that works for all of us. We cannot solve 21st Century health problems with 20th Century bureaucracy. We need fresh thinking. We need consensus. And yes, we must sacrifice, Prof. Akoriyea said. Social behaviour The acting Director, Health Promotion Division, GHS, Mabel Asafo, stressed the need to promote social behaviour change communication to challenge harmful practices, debunk myths, and raise awareness about the importance of early health interventions. We need to empower families with the knowledge they need to ensure that every child has the chance to grow up healthy and every mother can give birth safely. This work requires the collective effort of allthe government, healthcare providers, civil society organisations, and most importantly, the media, which is vital in amplifying messages that change lives, she said. The Country Representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Frank Lule, commended Ghana for its progress in reducing maternal and child mortality but called for an increase in investment to achieve the countrys health targets before the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal deadline. Next article: Police probe viral video of assault on suspected thief Ghana Bauxite Company targets 6m tonnes production this year Timothy Ngnenbe Apr - 09 - 2025 , 12:57 3 minutes read The Ghana Bauxite Company Limited (GBCL) has set an ambitious target of producing six million tonnes of bauxite by the end of 2025. To achieve the goal, the company has invested $122.97 million to upgrade its infrastructure and improve operational efficiencies. The investment has enabled GBCL to acquire a robust fleet of equipment, including surface miners, haulage trucks, dump trucks, excavators and retool existing plant and machinery. The General Manager of GBCL, Alexander Gyedu, at a press briefing at Awaso in the Western North Region, said the company's production volumes had already seen a significant boost. He added that the use of surface mining, drill and blast methods had increased production from 1.3 million tonnes per annum to about 1.8 million tonnes in 2024, from 600,000 tonnes in 2022. Mr Gyedu attributed the historic production milestone to Ofori-Poku Company Limited's (OPCL) takeover of Bosai Group in 2022. Background OPCL's acquisition of GBCL has brought about significant changes, including the replacement of old and dilapidated equipment. As of February 2025, OPCL had acquired 42 new earth-moving equipment, 52 new dump trucks, 16 new utilities, one surface miner and 35 new light-duty vehicles, among others. The company is expecting the delivery of a second surface miner by the end of June this year. The Haulage Department of the company has also seen significant improvements, with OPCL adding 161 fleet of nine-axle trucks since taking over in 2022. This has led to a substantial increase in haulage operations, from around 600,000 tonnes in 2022 to about 1.7 million tonnes of bauxite in 2024. As GBCL works towards achieving its production target of six million tonnes by the end of 2025, Mr Gyedu said the company remained committed to environmentally responsible mining practices. The General Manager said the acquisition of new equipment and technology was expected to reduce the company's environmental footprint. GBC also plans to expand its operations and increase production to have a positive impact on the local economy, Mr Gyedu stated, adding that the company's commitment to corporate social responsibility and environmentally responsible mining practices was a testament to its dedication to sustainable development. Journey In 2022, Isaac Ofori Poku (IOP), a Ghanaian businessman, acquired approximately 80 per cent shares of GBCL, located at Awaso in the Western North Region, marking a significant milestone in Ghana's mining industry. This acquisition means a local entity now owns majority shares in the company, paving the way for a new era of success. Under IOP's leadership, GBCL has undergone a remarkable transformation, aligning with one of the major visions of Mr Ofori Poku to reduce the unemployment rate in the catchment areas and Ghana at large. Consequently, the company has increased its contract staff strength from 465 to 1,061 employees, with 976 males and 85 females. This significant increase in employment opportunities has had a positive impact on the local economy. The results are impressive. Last year, GBCL, Awaso, exported a record 1.8 million tonnes of bauxite ore to China and other parts of the world. The success of Ghana Bauxite Company Limited under IOP's leadership is a shining example of what can be achieved when local businesses are given the opportunity to thrive. With a dynamic and energetic management team, supported by a committed workforce, the company is poised for even greater success in the future, Mr Gyedu stated. Previous article: Commemoration of World Health Day: We must come together to save our women, children Ghana, Czech Republic sign key agreements during Presidential visit Kester Aburam Korankye Apr - 09 - 2025 , 08:57 3 minutes read Ghana and the Czech Republic have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening political, economic and cultural cooperation during a high-level visit by Czech President Petr Pavel to the Jubilee House. The discussions, led by President John Mahama and his Czech counterpart, highlighted shared democratic values, expanded trade opportunities, and collaboration in health care, security and climate change. Both leaders emphasised the need to increase trade volumes, which currently stand at $33 million the second-highest in a decade for the Czech Republic in the region. To further solidify cooperation, the two leaders witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Political Consultations and a Bilateral Air Services Agreement, which is expected to enhance connectivity and trade between the two countries. The two leaders expressed optimism that the agreements and discussions would translate into tangible benefits for both nations, with a focus on private sector engagement, infrastructure development and multilateral cooperation. Diplomatic, trade relations President Mahama underscored the longstanding ties between the two nations, dating back to 1961 when diplomatic missions were established. He noted that the relationship had been reinforced over the decades through high-level exchanges, including the opening of resident missions in their respective capitals. He further urged private sector players from both nations to explore partnerships, particularly under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which offers access to a market of over 1.3 billion people. President Mahama commended the Czech Republic for its support in Ghanas healthcare sector, including the Vamed Health Projects, which involve the construction of 12 forty-bed hospitals and staff housing in beneficiary communities. He also called for the revival of the stalled 50 Bridges project, affected by Ghanas Debt Exchange Programme and proposed further cooperation on an additional 100 Bridges initiative. On regional security, President Mahama briefed his counterpart on ECOWAS and EU efforts to combat terrorism, violent extremism and unconstitutional governance in the Sahel and West Africa. He sought Czechs support in addressing these challenges. Mutual support Both nations also acknowledged the urgent need for climate action, pledging to collaborate on renewable energy, sustainable mining, and land reclamation. Additionally, they discussed vocational training under Ghanas Labour Export Programme, aimed at equipping youth with skills for international employment. At the multilateral level, President Mahama called for Czechs support for Ghanas candidate, Ambassador Mohamed Adam, for the position of Secretary-General of the UN Tourism Organisation. In return, Ghana pledged to back the Czech Republics bid for a UN Security Council seat. President Pavel, the first Czech head of state to visit Ghana in over 60 years, expressed gratitude for Ghanas hospitality and described the country as a key partner in Africa. A business roundtable between Ghanaian and Czech entrepreneurs has been scheduled to take place, with President Pavel expressing optimism about expanding collaboration in agriculture, mining, health care and water purification. He also announced the opening of a Czech Technology Hub in Ghana to facilitate knowledge exchange and investment opportunities. The Czech leader highlighted his countrys Medivac programme, which provides medical aid to vulnerable groups and facilitates knowledge transfer in health care. He emphasised the importance of diversifying partnerships amid global geopolitical tensions, including pressures from Russia and economic shifts influenced by the US. We believe in cooperation that creates added value and leaves lasting benefits in Ghana. This visit marks a new phase in our relations and we are committed to making it even stronger, President Pavel assured. Opioids abuse destroying nations youth - Renowned psychiatrist sounds alarm Emmanuel Bonney Apr - 09 - 2025 , 12:20 5 minutes read A former Chief Psychiatrist, Prof. J.B. Asare, has raised concern about the alarming abuse of opioids among the youth, saying that failure to crack down on the influx of the substance can lead to many wasted lives in some years to come. He, therefore, stressed the need to step up surveillance at the countrys borders in order to prevent the smuggling of the drugs into the country. In an exclusive interview with the Daily Graphic, Dr Asare urged the entire society, comprising religious bodies, politicians, educational institutions, civil society organisations, among others, to wage a relentless war against the abuse of opioids by the youth. Past In the past, our children were very much afraid of the opioids because of the physical effect that they have after using it. But I don't know why now it's resurfacing. No, the opiates are very dangerous; they destroy them more, he warned, adding that, When the harm is done, it's not easy correcting it. He lauded the governments campaign to deal with drug abuse among the youth in the country, and advised that every effort must be undertaken to enhance the initiative, which should not be a nine-day wonder. Prof. Asare said the campaign should be an ongoing activity in the communities, particularly in areas where the abuse of opioids, commonly called red, was rampant. He said he was sure that the security agencies knew where the drugs were used most frequently, and that the youth thought that they were recreational drugs to amuse themselves. In a similar vein, he said frantic efforts should be made to identify the areas in order to educate the youth. Right direction What government is doing is in the right direction, but then they need to intensify the efforts, he said, adding that churches, companies, individuals and groups could come on board to help since persons charged with doing such job were not enough. For instance, Prof. Asare said if churches preached against drugs and other substance abuse to let the youth know about their effects, it would go a long way to help sensitise them to the dangers associated with such drugs. He said once the youth got hooked on the abuse of opioids, we will have to spend money helping them to come back to normalcy. It's not easy. When the harm is done, it's not easy correcting it. You know, it's not easy at all, he emphasised, adding that It takes a long time before the dependency efforts are taken care of. If we're able to do it and prevent them from using it, that is far better. But if you don't do anything and you stay on this end you're going to have a lot of wastage, he said. The youth, he said, were assets to the country, and as such there was the need to ensure that they were protected from drug abuse. Campaign The Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment has launched a national youth anti-drug initiative aimed at combating the high rate of substance abuse among young people. Dubbed Ghana Against Drugs Red Means Stop, the campaign seeks to raise public awareness of the dangers of drug abuse, engage policymakers in strengthening regulations and implement proactive measures to curb the availability and misuse of these substances. It also aims to empower young people with the knowledge and support to make informed choices and champion drug-free lifestyles. Substance abuse, particularly the misuse of opioids, has become a growing national concern, with the recent spread of the drug known only as Red raising eyebrows. Over the past weeks, social media has been inundated with disturbing videos of young people allegedly under the influence of Red staggering, slurring their speech, struggling to stay conscious, incoherent or completely unresponsive. The viral posts with the hashtag Wonim Red heightened public concern and prompted urgent calls for action. Advice Prof. Asare, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Authority, said as the country grew and developed, many changes were ongoing with people aspiring to do a lot of things, hence the youth could not be left out. There are a lot of grounds that our youth can pass through to be able to acquire some skills that will be of help to them and society, their families and all that. But those who are not getting jobs shouldn't lose hope. As Ghana is being reset now, we're going to see a lot of jobs being created, he said. He said it was the youth who were going to benefit more from the resetting of Ghana agenda, and so they should not lose hope. They should not look for quick solutions for happiness. If you have problems, come to the right source and be counselled. Drugs cannot solve any of your problems. If you have a problem, just face it. See the right people to advise you, counsel you and help you to be able to manage your affairs, drugs certainly will rather destroy you rather than help you to achieve anything in life, he said. Opioids destroyed The Ministry of Health and the Foods and Drugs Authority last Friday destroyed a large consignment of opioids intercepted at the Tema Port last month. A total of 230 cartons of opioids were destroyed in last Fridays exercise, which was undertaken at a private incinerator at Katamanso, near Ashaiman, in the Greater Accra Region. They included 128 cartons of tafradol, 92 cartons of timaking tapentadol and 10 cartons of rahol tapentadol. Previous article: Help identify elderly man abandoned in Tema Community 7 who needs assistance to locate family Ghana to host Global Environment Facility Workshop to strengthen environmental project governance in West Africa Graphic Online Apr - 09 - 2025 , 15:33 3 minutes read The Global Environment Facility (GEF), in collaboration with the Tropical Biology Association, is set to train 14 Operational Focal Points (OFPs) from across West Africa in a high-level workshop aimed at enhancing governance, oversight, and strategic management of its country-driven environmental projects. The capacity-building event will be held in Accra, Ghana, on April 10-11, 2025, and will showcase real-world solutions and include a field visit to selected project sites in the country. The training is part of the GEF's broader strategy to ensure greater impact, transparency, and accountability in the implementation of projects across its partner countries. Since its establishment in 1991, the GEF has disbursed US$6.2 billion in Africa, supporting more than 1,800 projects, focused on pursuing goals in biodiversity, climate change, land degradation, and sustainable development. "This initiative strengthens the Operational Focal Points' project oversight and monitoring capacity, enabling them to take greater ownership of their portfolios and maximize the impact of GEF resources. By fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing through training activities and field visits, we create an opportunity for these focal points to learn from one another and optimize the management of GEF-funded projects," said Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, CEO and Chairperson of the GEF. "We believe that by investing in the capacity of our partners, we can drive impactful environmental outcomes that benefit both people and nature he added." The initiative will directly support OFPs from 14 countries in Western Africa: including Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Sao Tome Principe, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Liberia, Cabo Verdie, Cameroon, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Cote D'Ivore and Benin. The event brings together environmental leaders, policymakers, and project managers, and is expected to foster stronger collaboration and learning among African nations in the effective utilization of GEF resources. "I am optimistic, that the discussions will shape the policies and actions that determine how we achieve environmental sustainability with GEF resources. We must work collectively - government, private sector, civil society and academia, to ensure that the decision-making processes in GEF reflect national priorities critical in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), national climate targets, Global Biodiversity Framework targets, and the aspirations of "the Ghana we want" and in general the Africa We Want under the African Union Agenda 2063" reiterated the operational focal person for Ghana, Peter Justice Derry. Ghana's role as host for this workshop underscores the country's commitment to environmental sustainability and its active participation in global efforts to address environmental challenges. The workshop will feature key sessions on best practices in project oversight, ensuring greater financial accountability, and strategic alignment with national priorities. Participants will also visit GEF-funded projects in Ghana, providing a first-hand opportunity to assess project outcomes, engage with local stakeholders, and share knowledge on implementation experiences. About the Global Environment Facility The Global Environment Facility (GEF) includes several multilateral funds working together to address the planet's most pressing challenges in an integrated way. Its financing helps developing countries address complex challenges and work towards meeting international environmental goals. Over the past three decades, the GEF has provided more than $26 billion in financing, primarily as grants, and mobilized another $148 billion for country-driven priority projects. The Tropical Biology Association (TBA) is a world-leading NGO dedicated to capacity building in biodiversity conservation. Since its establishment in 1994, TBA has trained generations of conservation leaders from 96 countries around the world. Today, the organization runs impactful programmes in Africa and Asia, empowering students, professionals, and organizations to create lasting, positive change for the natural environment. Government dissolves National Cathedral Secretariat; Special Prosecutor probing project contracts Mohammed Ali Apr - 09 - 2025 , 11:25 3 minutes read The Minister for Government Communications, Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu, says the National Cathedral Secretariat established under the previous administration has been dissolved, with all outstanding contracts and procurement issues now under investigation by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP). Mr Kwakye Ofosu made this known in an interview on Channel One TV on 8 April 2025, where he made it clear that the government would not spend any more public funds on the controversial project, which he said would require an estimated $400 million to complete. This government will not commit additional public funds to the National Cathedral project, he said. We respect the religious significance of such an edifice, but our position is firm. If churches or private entities wish to complete it using their own resources, they are welcome to do so. The state will not bear the financial burden. Mr Kwakye Ofosu explained that the project is no longer being managed by any government body, as the Secretariat set up to coordinate its activities no longer exists. What remains are outstanding procurement issues and contractual obligations, which are being reviewed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor. If any wrongdoing is found, those responsible will be held accountable, he said. Mr Kwakye Ofosu rejected suggestions that the government should continue funding the project to avoid wasting the millions of cedis already spent. He argued that such calls ignored the countrys current economic conditions. Estimates suggest completing the Cathedral would require an additional $400 million. At a time when Ghanaians are demanding better roads, schools, and hospitals, we cannot justify such an expenditure on what is essentially a non-priority project, he said. He urged churches and other faith-based organisations that consider the project necessary to mobilise their own resources to complete it. Responding to criticism that the governments stance reflects a lack of support for religious interests, Mr Kwakye Ofosu dismissed that view. This government respects all religious beliefs, he said. We have supported faith-based initiatives in education and healthcare, where they directly benefit citizens. A national cathedral, while symbolic, is not a pressing need for the average Ghanaian struggling with economic challenges. On the future of the land allocated for the project, Mr Kwakye Ofosu said no decision had been taken yet. For now, the site remains as it is. Our priority is to ensure transparency in how previous funds were used. Once the Office of the Special Prosecutor concludes its investigations, we will determine the next steps, always in consultation with relevant stakeholders, he said. The National Cathedral project, initiated by former President Nana Akufo-Addo, has been one of the most debated public projects in recent years, attracting controversy over its cost, relevance, and management. Next article: Cocaine allegation: Security officers suspected to be from NIB besiege Assin South MP Ntim Fordjours residence Government will not renew Kelni GVG contract over unsustainable costs - Sam George Mohammed Ali Apr - 09 - 2025 , 15:23 2 minutes read The Ministry of Communications and Digital Technology has announced that it will not renew its contract with Kelni GVG, the private company managing Ghanas telecom traffic monitoring system, once it expires. The Minister of Communications, Samuel Nartey George, made this known at a press briefing in Accra on Wednesday [April 9[, citing concerns over the escalating cost of monitoring, which he said now accounts for 84 per cent of the revenues generated. The Common Monitoring Platform (CMP) contract, which was initiated in 2018, was designed to track international inbound calls and prevent revenue leakage within the telecommunications sector. However, Mr George disclosed that the cost of operating the platform had risen sharplyfrom 28 per cent of revenues at inception to 84 per cent as of October 2024. This contract has become unsustainable for the state, the Minister stated. We are spending more on monitoring revenues than we are retaining. This is unacceptable. As part of the transition plan, the National Communications Authority (NCA) will assume responsibility for monitoring telecom revenues going forward. Mr George revealed that he has instructed the NCA to begin preparations for the seamless transfer of operations and to carry out a review of the existing platform. The $89 million contract with Kelni GVG has faced consistent public scrutiny since its inception. Policy think tank IMANI Africa previously raised concerns over the contracts value for money, challenging it in court. Parliament also questioned the procurement processes involved, while some telecom operators cited inefficiencies in the systems performance. According to the Minister, the NCA will first conduct an operational audit of the current monitoring platform before taking over its full management. He stressed that the authority would be subject to strict accountability standards in its new oversight role. Govt wont pay contractors until Auditor-General audits GH67bn arrearsAto Forson Mohammed Ali Apr - 09 - 2025 , 11:25 2 minutes read The Minister for Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, says the government will not release any funds to contractors or other claimants until the Auditor-General completes a full audit of arrears owed by the state, which now exceed GH67 billion across 23 ministries. Speaking during a meeting with Chief Directors of the various ministries last Friday April 4 2025, Dr Forson stressed the need for transparency and accountability in the management of public funds. He made it clear that no payments would be made until the outstanding claims had been thoroughly vetted. As I pledged to Parliament, no payment will be made until a full audit is completed, he said. Not a single pesewa will be paid without the Auditor-Generals affirmative endorsement. According to Dr Forson, all Chief Directors have been instructed to cooperate fully with the Auditor-General by providing every document and detail necessary to verify the legitimacy of the arrears. He added that the audit must also determine whether the claims are supported by valid commencement warrants, a condition he described as critical. The Auditor-General has been given enough time to complete this process. During this time, I ask for full cooperation and complete disclosure. Nothing must be withheld, he said. Dr Forson further clarified that, since assuming office, he has not authorised any payment to contractors and has no intention of doing so until the audit concludes. We owe it to the people of Ghana to manage public funds with the highest level of integrity and discipline, he stated. And that begins with clarity, audits, and responsible decision-making. Next article: SIM card re-registration exercise in Ghana to start in June 2025 - Sam George High Court acquits Assin North MP James Gyakye Quayson of forgery and perjury Justice Agbenorsi Apr - 09 - 2025 , 11:21 2 minutes read The Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, has been acquitted and discharged of forgery and perjury charges by an Accra High Court. In a ruling delivered today, Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh upheld a submission of no case filed by the MPs lawyer, Tsatsu Tsikata. The court held that the prosecution failed to establish the essential ingredients of the crimes with which the MP was charged. Specifically, the judge ruled that Mr Quayson did not make false declarations on his nomination forms for the 2020 elections. At the time he declared that he owed allegiance to no other country besides Ghana, he had already submitted an application for renunciation of his Canadian citizenship. Therefore, the court held that his intent was not dishonest. The court further noted inconsistencies in the passport summary sheet and statutory declarations presented by prosecution witnesses. As a result, the court concluded that Mr Quayson could not be called upon to open his defence. Not guilty Mr Quayson was charged with forgery and perjury in connection with alleged offences in the lead-up to the 2020 Assin North parliamentary election. He pleaded not guilty to five counts: forgery of passport or travel certificate, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury, and false declaration for office. According to the prosecution, Mr Quayson allegedly made a false statement to the Passport Office, claiming that he did not hold a passport from any other country when applying for a Ghanaian passport. Additionally, the prosecution accused him of making a false declaration to the Electoral Commission (EC), stating that he did not owe allegiance to any foreign country when he filed to contest the Assin North parliamentary seat. Sam George approves new spectrum allocation for MTN Ghana & Telecel to boost telecom services GraphicOnline Apr - 09 - 2025 , 14:56 2 minutes read The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Mr Sam George, has announced key interventions aimed at improving the quality of telecommunications services across the country, amid rising complaints from consumers over poor network performance. Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, the Minister acknowledged widespread public frustration over the deteriorating quality of service by mobile network operators. I have noted several complaints about the quality of service of almost all the network providers in the country, he said. To address the situation, Mr George disclosed that the government has taken decisive steps, including the approval of technology neutrality for MTN Ghana. This move allows the telecom giant to deploy existing spectrum bands more flexibly to enhance network performance. Additionally, the National Communications Authority (NCA) has been authorised to provide more spectrum resources to both MTN and Telecel Ghana. I have taken decisive policy to approve technology neutrality for MTN and additional spectrum for MTN Ghana. I have also directed the NCA to make an additional spectrum offer to Telecel Ghana, the Minister stated. He explained that the policy shift is aimed at equipping telecom providers with the resources needed to address network challenges and enhance the overall user experience. This will provide operators with more resources to improve their service offerings and quality of services, he added. Mr George also issued a firm caution to the service providers, making it clear that the days of unchecked underperformance were over. He revealed that the NCA will begin strict monitoring within three months of the spectrum allocation, with sanctions to follow any failure to improve service quality. I wish to serve notice that the NCA will, within three months of the assignment of this additional spectrum, begin a rigorous enforcement of quality of service on the providers. Failure to provide an improvement and quality of service by the network operators will result in stiff fines, he warned. The Ministers announcement marks one of the first major regulatory interventions since he assumed office earlier this year and signals a tougher stance on the telecom sectors responsibility to provide reliable services to consumers. The move is expected to be welcomed by millions of mobile phone users and data subscribers who have long complained about dropped calls, slow internet speeds and general network unreliability. Supreme Court adjourns indefinitely injunction application against removal of Chief Justice Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson Apr - 09 - 2025 , 12:16 2 minutes read The Supreme Court has adjourned indefinitely an application seeking to halt the process that could lead to the removal of the Chief Justice. The application, filed by the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, is seeking an injunction to stop the entire impeachment process until the determination of his writ challenging the constitutionality of the proceedings. When the case was called today, a five-member panel of the apex court, presided over by Justice Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, announced that it had to adjourn the matter due to a request from the Office of the Attorney-General. Justice Mensa-Bonsu explained that the Attorney-General had written to the Chief Justice, requesting an adjournment of all cases involving the Attorney-Generals outfit for the week, owing to a conference of State Attorneys currently ongoing in Accra. Although the panel was already aware of the situation, a State Attorney, Reginald Odoi, appeared in court to further convey the request from the Attorney-General. Mr Odoi stated that he had been instructed by the Attorney-General to inform the court in person out of respect for the highest court of the land. However, counsel for the applicant, Godfred Yeboah Dame, a former Attorney-General, questioned why the Attorney-General or his deputy would miss what he described as an important constitutional case due to a conference of state attorneys. It is quite odd that a conference of state attorneys should lead to the adjournment of such an important case, he said. He urged the court to adjourn the matter to the earliest possible date, preferably Monday. However, the court said it had no power to set a new date, as the request from the Attorney-General was directed to the Chief Justice. The case will go back to the Chief Justice for her to fix a new date since it was a request to her office. Case is therefore adjourned sine die, Justice Mensa-Bonsu ruled. Vice President Opoku-Agyemang resting in UK, set to resume duties soon Government GraphicOnline Apr - 09 - 2025 , 06:27 2 minutes read Ghanas Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, is in good health and currently taking a short period of rest abroad, following medical advice, government officials have confirmed. The Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, clarified the Vice Presidents condition during an interview on Channel One TV on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. He reassured Ghanaians that the countrys first female Vice President is recovering steadily and is expected to resume her official duties shortly. She is currently in good health and taking a short rest as advised by her doctors and, in short order, she should be back to her duties, Mr Kwakye Ofosu said. She is in the United Kingdom as I speak, he added. His comments affirm earlier statements made by Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who also sought to quash swirling rumours about the Vice Presidents health status. Speaking to members of the Ghanaian community in Lagos, Nigeria, on Sunday, April 6, Mr Ablakwa condemned what he described as malicious misinformation and propaganda. Some fears about the state of our mother, the first female vice president of the Republic of Ghana. I also want to assure that she is doing very, very well. Your prayers worked, your prayers from all of us, Ghanaians at home and abroad, have really worked, Mr Ablakwa said. I have heard from her, so I know what I am talking about, and shes doing well, he added confidently. Vice President Opoku-Agyemang reportedly fell ill shortly after discharging official duties on Friday, March 28. She was initially treated at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) before being flown abroad for further care. In the days that followed, social media became awash with unverified claims about her healthclaims government officials now say are both false and politically motivated. Please ignore all of that very vicious and unGhanaian evil propaganda that some people are speculating, Mr Ablakwa urged. Our mother is doing very, very well, and very soon she is going to return to her duties, serving Ghana, making all of you proud and particularly inspiring our young girls, our daughters, to know that there is nothing our women cannot achievethat women are as good as men and that what men can do, women can also do and do it better. Prof. Opoku-Agyemangs return is anticipated in the coming days as government officials continue to encourage calm and unity, urging the public to focus on facts and not speculation. Samsung initially introduced the Ballie "companion robot" in early 2020, and it's still not become an actual product you can buy. That, however, will finally change this summer, when Ballie will become available in the US and Korea. Ahead of the release, we've already seen a teaser video earlier this month, and today Samsung is announcing that Ballie will come with Google's Gemini AI built-in. Awkwardly, there's no mention of Bixby whatsoever in the press release, so maybe Samsung's in-house assistant got kicked out. Yongjae Kim, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics, said: Through this partnership, Samsung and Google Cloud are redefining the role of AI in the home. By pairing Geminis powerful multimodal reasoning with Samsungs AI capabilities in Ballie, were leveraging the power of open collaboration to unlock a new era of personalized AI companion one that moves with users, anticipates their needs and interacts in more dynamic and meaningful ways than ever before. Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud, said: With Gemini on Google Cloud, Samsung is demonstrating how to deploy generative AI at scale, integrating it directly into the heart of their popular products. This expanded partnership with Samsung underscores our commitment to delivering reliable, enterprise-grade AI that drives lasting value for our customers and their customers. Ballie will use Gemini's multimodal capabilities as well as proprietary Samsung language models to process and understand inputs such as audio and voice, visual data from its camera, and sensor data from its environment. Thus it will be able to adapt its behaviors and responses in real-time. It will help you manage your home, your health, and your wellbeing too. Unfortunately, pricing is still a mystery, but we definitely don't expect Ballie to be cheap. Source A comprehensive anti-crime bill introduced by Sen. Telo Taitague would give prosecutors more time to file charges and prepare for trial, allow the government to appeal acquittals, and require all cargo at the port to be inspected for methamphetamine. The measure, advocated by Attorney General Doug Moylan, would also require courts to accept deportation pleas, mandate government employees to report crimes, and prevent tax dollars from being spent to defend government employees accused of crimes. For the past two years, I observed and took note of key problems that interfered with our realizing a safer community, Moylan wrote in a letter to Taitague requesting the legislation, which he said contains critical reforms that will result in safer villages and fewer crime victims. Releasing criminals is a big part of the problem, he said. The bill, titled the Crime Victim and People of Guams Protection Reform Act of 2025, states that: Superior Court Judge John C. Terlaje has affirmed the Civil Service Commissions decision and judgment in a more than five-year-old case surrounding the 2019 termination of State Historic Preservation Officer Lynda Aguon. Aguon was fired from her job at the Department of Parks and Recreation for alleged insubordination and other reasons. She was served with a notice of proposed adverse action on June 4, 2019 and was terminated about two weeks later for alleged violations of Guam law and departmental policies. She appealed her termination to the CSC two days later. DPR, through Chief Deputy Attorney General Joseph Guthrie, filed a verified petition for judicial review with the court and the case was assigned to Terlaje, who held a hearing on March 10, 2025. Besides Guthrie, attorney Michael Phillips represented Aguon, taking over for attorney John Bell, who successfully argued Aguons case before the CSC. Katherine Nepton, legal counsel for the CSC, was off-island for the hearing. Terlaje concluded that based upon the filings and applicable law, the court denied DPRs petition and affirmed the commissions decision and judgement issued on Feb. 11, 2020. The judge remanded the case to the Civil Service Commission for the purpose of determining damages. Additionally, Terlaje granted declaratory judgment that invalidated any and all CSC policies that were not created in accordance with the law. He cited that requiring DPR to call Aguon as its last witness, and setting advance time limits on witness and employee testimony, as examples. The CSC voted against recommendation by its administrative law judge to revoke the adverse action, reinstate Aguon, and award her back pay and reasonable attorneys fees and costs. In February 2020, DPR filed its petition with the court, seeking a stay of execution and enforcement of the CSC decision. DPR was successful in one request. They asked the court to invalidate various CSC practices. The petition stated that the CSC had implemented new informal or standing rules, including setting advance time limits on witness and employee testimony. A glance at a CSC hearing on April 8, 2025 shows that the time limits remain in place. In his order, Terlaje wrote that the time limits on testimony are not found in the current version of the CSCs Adverse Action rules and therefore, since they were adopted and implemented without compliance with statutory rule-making procedures, the court is responsible to declare these rules to be invalid. Harvest Christian Academy is hosting an International English Camp and is inviting visitors for an "exciting adventure and making friends." Participants will get to meet local students and learn American culture. "To get more practice and confidence with American friends, our English focus time in the morning will teach them to use English more naturally. Our specially trained teachers and smaller classes provide the kind of attention your student will need to reach the next level," Harvest Christian Academy said in a release. Those interested in participating are encouraged to apply early as space is limited. Session 1: Immersion (1st-12th) Admission is $230 a week per student. The session will be held June 2-6, June 9-13, June 16-20, and June 23-27. Schedule 8 a.m. - Welcome and warm-up game 8:30 a.m. - Morning singing and Bible time 9:15 a.m. - English focus time on conversation and culture 11:30 a.m. - Lunch and break 1:30 p.m. - Afternoon specials (Music, PE, Art) 3 p.m. - Pick-up or late stay (late stay, from 3:30 to 5 p.m., is $15 per day and due on Fridays) Session 2: Adventure (1st-12th) Admission is $375 a week per student. The session will be held July 14-18 and July 21-25. Schedule: 8 to 11:30 a.m. - English focus time 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Lunch, field trips and island adventure (no late stay for Session 2) Prices include books, resources, activities, field trips, lunch, and a weekly classroom immersion day. Humanities Guahan Executive Director CJ Ochoco said the organization has meetings with staff from Del. James Moylans office and the governor and lieutenant governor to seek support after its federal grants have been canceled. Without grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Humanities Guahan could close. Ochoco said Moylans policy team will meet with Humanities Guahan on Thursday. Moylan, in a statement to the Pacific Daily News, said his office is well aware of the situation and is actively communicating with Humanities Guahan. My team and I will be scheduling a meeting to explore potential options and solutions to assist them in recovering their funding, he said. I am committed to supporting organizations like Humanities Guahan and will do everything I can to help them secure the necessary funding. They are expected to meet with Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero and Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio on Monday to see what local funding they can give to Humanities Guahan, Ochoco said. They are also looking to get their support in advocating for Humanities Guahan as well. Humanities Guahan and the other 55 state and jurisdictional humanities councils were officially notified on April 2 that all active grants have been canceled, effective retroactively to April 1, the organization said. This abrupt action, directed by the federal Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, includes the complete rescission of five-year general operating support grants and other program-specific awards, Humanities Guahan said. The consequences for Guam and the broader Micronesian region will be significant, the organization said. Ochoco said they were expecting about $500,000 in funding for general operating support, which is keeping the entity afloat. Another $200,000 from a Pacific Islands Cultural Initiative grant was lost, Ochoco said. Were hoping that he can partner up with the humanities to advocate for the restoration of our funds, she said about meeting with Moylans staff. There was a Hands Off Democracy gathering on Sunday which Ochoco and several board members participated in. They had signs made specifically for Humanities Guahan. Were so grateful for the community to show up, she said. Humanities Guahan hasnt heard anything new from the National Endowment for the Humanities, she said. The organization has one more event that has already been funded the Nothing Micro About Micronesia tour, which will be on Guam May 2 and May 3 at the University of Guam Fine Arts Theatre. After that, they wont have any other programming if funding is not available. Humanities Guahan is almost fully funded by federal grants, Ochoco said. They are encouraging residents to donate if they can while they work to find other options for funding. Some people have donated and the organization is appreciative of the support, she said. Founded in 1991, Humanities Guahan operates vital programs that uplift community voices, build intergenerational connections, and bring accessible humanities experiences to island residents. These include family literacy projects, youth engagement, elder storytelling, educator workshops, cultural preservation initiatives, and regional partnerships that amplify CHamoru and Micronesian perspectives, Humanities Guahan said. One year after its grand opening on April 25, 2024, the massive Don Don Donki Guam said it will mark the milestone with a weekend-long event filled with flavor, excitement, and community spirit. The Village of Donki in Tamuning will host an April 26 and 27 celebration with live circus acts, cultural performances, games, and activities for families. There will also be a grand bingo giveaway with exciting prizes, including round-trip tickets to Japan. Year one was all about building something new with the people of Guam, Uta Miyazawa, of Don Don Donkis sales and marketing, said in a statement. This celebration is our way of saying thank you to the community that supported us, to our team who made it happen, and to every shopper who turned a visit to Don Don Donki into something more. Guests will be treated to an exciting mix of attractions, including a sneaker convention, the signature tuna-cutting show, Taiko drumming performances, interactive appearances from Donpen and Donko, face painting, and electric circus acts, the store said in a release. Don Don Donki said the anniversary highlights an ongoing commitment to Guams local economy, cultural exchange, and community connection investments that continue to shape the islands future in meaningful ways. Were proud of what weve accomplished, but were even more excited for whats ahead, said Makoto Hanawa, president. This weekend isnt the finish line; its just the beginning. The April 26 and 27 celebration is designed for all ages, providing enjoyment for everyone, from curious first-timers to loyal Donki regulars. Don Don Donki is recognized across Asia for creating immersive and entertaining retail environments. The Guam location skillfully blends global flair with local energy, making it a destination in itself. Full event details and schedule are available at https://www.villageofdonki.com. Superior Court Judge Alberto E. Tolentino denied a government motion and dismissed the case against Dr. Ugochukwu Akoma with prejudice, meaning the misdemeanor criminal sexual conduct charges alleged by De-Anna Taijeron can never be brought against him again. Tolentino issued his decision and order on Wednesday. Dr. Akoma pled not guilty to these claims since day one. Today, he has finally been cleared of these charges, which are now subject to expungement from his record. We remain confident any other pending matters involving this complaint will be resolved in his favor as well, attorney Jay Arriola, representing Akoma, said in a statement. Akoma was charged in October 2022 with two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct as a misdemeanor. Since his arraignment the following November, the case has survived several motions and when it finally went to trial in April 2024, the judge granted a mistrial on the grounds that the prosecution had improperly presented evidence. Jury selection and retrial was scheduled for July 19, 2024, but had to wait on two appeals that were filed with the Supreme Court of Guam. Ultimately, after judgments issued by the Supreme Court, the case against Akoma was dismissed without prejudice, and the court allowed the parties to file briefs on the issue of dismissal with or without prejudice. In January 2025, the court heard oral arguments supporting each partys position and took the matter under advisement. In his decision, Tolentino said the federal speedy trial act factors weighed in favor of a dismissal with prejudice, and a three-pronged test also supported the same: The seriousness of the offense, the facts of the case which led to the dismissal, and the impact of a re-prosecution of the administration of justice. Among the reasons supporting the decision was the length of time it took to prosecute, the unavailability of the victim or witnesses for the retrial, the deterioration of evidence and a public statement released by Taijeron, the self-identified victim in the case, who said she was unwilling to go forward with the retrial. The order also included the attorney generals professional opinion that a new trial is likely to end in acquittal. After deliberating for 10 minutes, a jury Wednesday found Mary Elizabeth Cruz Flores guilty of drug distribution. Attorney General Doug Moylan, in a release, said prosecutors will be asking Judge Vernon P. Perez to sentence Flores, 51, to the maximum 30 years in prison. She was convicted of possession of a Schedule II controlled substance with intent to deliver as a first-degree felony and possession of a Schedule II controlled substance as a third-degree felony. After midnight on April 3, 2022, police went to a Dededo apartment for a removal call and found Flores outside of the unit. She agreed to be transported, and allowed officers to search her bag. They found a total of 10 Ziploc bags with crystal methamphetamine in her possession, according to the release. Every cheap bag of meth creates a broken home, a stolen life, a child in danger, Moylan said in the news release. He also endorsed an anti-crime bill introduced by Sen. Telo Taitague Tuesday and advocated for examining all inbound and outbound cargo at the Port of Guam using X-ray technology, trained detector dogs and physical inspections. This trial victory shows that our jurors and people are fed up with criminals that voluntarily chose this destructive lifestyle of meth, Moylan said. Members of the Guam Nikkei Association on Saturday joined local leaders, Japanese dignitaries and guests, military representatives and clergy from both Guam and Japan in Yigo to honor those lost in World War II. The annual Peace Memorial Ceremony returned to the South Pacific Memorial Park in February last year following a five-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It again returned this year as the 14th Peace Memorial Ceremony. Eto Seiichi, chairman of the South Pacific Memorial Association Inc., said through a translator that he was thankful to be able to hold a joint memorial service between the U.S. and Japan at the memorial park. Ive always been involved in this memorial service. And here in Guam, too, around 20,000 Japanese soldiers in that war. A lot of American soldiers as well as local CHamoru people, civilians, have lost their lives during the war as well. He said since the end of the war, the association has been working with the relatives of those who have lost their lives to collect the remains. Archbishop Ryan Jimenez shared a prayer composed by Pope Francis that was a prayer for peace. It said, in part: ...grant us peace, teach us peace, guide our steps in the way of peace with our eyes and hearts and give us the courage to say Never again, war. With war, everything is lost...instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace...May the words division, hatred and war be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Seiichi said he wholeheartedly agreed with the prayer intentions and said it was that very spirit 15 years ago that led to the first joint memorial service between the U.S. and Japan. Pauline Okada, secretary of the Guam Nikkei Association, said it was important that her group attends the peace ceremony. The Guam Nikkei Association, she explained, was established before the war by a Japanese immigrant named J.K. Shimizu, who formed the association composed mainly of businesspeople from Japan. It eventually led to a whole bunch of families here. Many of the Issei immigrants converted to Catholicism, married CHamoru women, and had huge families, and a number of them are on this wall over here, she said. She gestured to a tablet of the etched names of Japanese-Guam forefathers. We have a very big and robust Nikkei community here on Guam. Many of their stories from the war werent told, she said. Its just amazing that we are now able to be a part of this mission of peace. Representatives from a major national laboratory are on island, talking to local officials about the potential for a facility that could produce energy using the temperature difference in Guams ocean water. Details about the new technology were shared at this weeks Promoting Optimal Ways to Energy Resilience, POWER, Symposium, hosted by the Guam Power Authority at Hyatt Regency Guam. Ocean thermal energy conversion, OTEC, uses the difference in temperature between warm water on the ocean surface, and cold water down below, to generate power, according to Andrea Copping, a researcher and engineer with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Its an experimental, renewable energy technology that will only work in tropical places where the difference between the ocean surface and depths is 20 degrees centigrade, Copping said. On Guam, the surface water is always between 24 and 25 degrees hotter than down below. So Guam is just in the perfect spot to carry this out, she said. OTEC power production hasnt gone commercial yet, Copping said, but one facility in Hawaii has been producing energy since the 1970s. Most OTEC plants tend to be small, producing about one to 10 megawatts of power, she said, but they could be bigger. A recent study of the Hawaii-based plant by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found there were a number of locations around the island that could support plants producing as much as 300 MW. By comparison, GPAs new Ukudu power plant, coming online in September, will produce 198 MW of power, and GPAs daily demand topped at 264 MW in 2024. However, the 300 MW potential plant was only an exercise, Copping noted, and probably more than anyone would start with. You can have OTEC plants that are onshore, and what you do is bring cold, deep water up through pipes laid on the seafloor, and then take warm water from the surface into the plant, Copping said. You can also have offshore floating OTEC plants on a barge or a vessel immediately offshore, in which case you bring the pipes up underneath and attach them with flexible attachments, so when the typhoon comes through, you can detach them and not lose everything. The most interesting potential use of the tech on Guam would be for seawater air conditioning, according to Copping. In this process, you bring cold ocean water onto shore to a chiller unit, she said. You use a separate system of fresh water that has gone through the chiller and then circulated through buildings, aquaculture ponds, residences, etc., and then it goes back into the ocean. Sea water air conditioning also requires a smaller temperature differential, of only about 10 degrees. For tropical areas where this has been instituted, such as French Polynesia, as well as all the estimates, its considered that you could drop electrical loads in these areas by 40 to 80% if you took the air conditioning load off and put it to seawater air conditioning, Copping said. One potential site for the tech could be in Tumon Bay, where hotels with high AC demands line the shore, she added. Another would be local military bases. You could certainly think about putting a seawater air conditioning system out off Tumon Bay or Apra Harbor, somewhere like that. In terms of infrastructure, you could reach the depth of water you needed within a few 100 meters of shore, she said. As far as power production, OTEC would likely be more useful as a backup and power-stabilizing source for the island. This is a 24-hour base load power source. It is much more predictable and much more steady than solar, wind, etc., she said If the whole grid went down, OTEC could be used to restart the island from a blackout. Another potential location for the power source would be Tanguisson Beach, where a power facility and related infrastructure is already in place. High cost The one downside of the technology is its current high cost. Building a 10 MW facility would cost about $600 million, a huge figure, according to Copping. There are many firms that have plans showing how you will bring that down quite quickly. And the levelized cost of energy, once we get past that hump, is likely to be certainly lower than wind, she said. There is a small, passionate, somewhat crazed community devoting energy to the tech, Copping added, and firms in Japan and the Caribbean seem to be close to a breakthrough. Everybody says we need to get the first big commercial plant. And big could be 10 MW, and we think this will proliferate, because there are private funds to be invested if we can show the reliability, she said. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will be on island this week, meeting with local officials and gathering more information about Guam. The POWER Symposium is part of the University of Guams Conference on Island Sustainability this week. Guam does not have any confirmed case of measles, a highly contagious virus and could start with red, blotchy rash on the face and other parts of the body, but the Department of Public Health and Social Services is raising concerns over a confirmed travel-related measles case in Hawaii and outbreaks in Asia. DPHSS is ramping up its messaging, urging the public to take preventive measures against measles following one recent case detected in Hawaii and a third measles-related death reported for the United States. Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus thats airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through the measles, mumps, and rubella, MMR, vaccine, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC. An unvaccinated child under 5 years old on Oahu was confirmed by the Hawaii Department of Public Healths State Laboratories Division on April 7 to have measles. That child had recently returned from international travel with the childs parents, the health agency said. The child developed a fever, runny nose and cough shortly after returning to Hawaii, sought medical care after breaking out in a rash, and is now recovering at home, the Hawaii health department said. A household member with similar symptoms is also being evaluated for possible measles infection, it added. As reports of measles continue to increase domestically and internationally, Guam remains with zero measles cases, the Guam DPHSS said. What raises our concern is Guams unique position as a transit point between the U.S. mainland and countries in Asia, where outbreaks are also occurring, DPHSS Director Theresa C. Arriola said in a statement. Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia are among Asian countries with measles outbreaks, based on CDC data. The top 10 countries with measles outbreaks, from most to least number of cases, are: 1. Yemen, 2. Pakistan, 3. India, 4. Thailand, 5. Ethiopia, 6. Romania, 7. Afghanistan, 8. Indonesia, 9. Kyrgyzstan, 10. Vietnam. As DPHSS previously stated, community members should take this seriously. From red rashes to encephalitis Measles is highly contagious. If one person has it, up to nine out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected, the CDC said. Measles can cause serious health implications, especially in children younger than 5 years old, and the common complications are ear infections and diarrhea and serious complications include pneumonia and encephalitis, CDC said. Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain caused by a viral infection or an autoimmune response. Check your vaccination status, especially if you travel, work with the public, or care for children, the Guam DPHSS said. What the Guam Public Health recommends: Residents should ensure that their children are up to date with their MMR vaccine. Adults uncertain of their vaccination status should consult with health care providers. One dose of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine is 93% effective against measles. Measles typically begins with a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes, followed by a rash that spreads across the body. Individuals exhibiting symptoms should contact their health care provider before visiting medical facilities to prevent potential exposure to others. Measles was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000, but measles is still common in many parts of the world. Today, the CDC has reported more than 600 confirmed cases of measles, mostly in Texas, as well as in New Mexico, Oklahoma and California. A third measles-related death was reported in the U.S.; the latest one was an unvaccinated child being treated for measles complications in a Texas hospital. For more information, visit https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html. A research ship from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will be in the waters of the Marianas beginning April 15 as scientists study the health of coral reefs in the region. The NOAA Ship Oscar Elton Sette, a 231-foot white research vessel, will carry scientists and crew around the Marianas. Researchers will scuba dive to record information on corals, fish, and changing ocean conditions. These surveys are non-invasive, and do not involve taking any marine life. The information collected will be used to improve scientists and resource managers understanding of the coral reefs, according to an announcement from NOAA. This is the ninth research trip conducted since 2000 as part of long-term monitoring efforts in the Mariana Islands. The surveys are like a routine health check-up for the oceanscientists assess fish populations, coral health, and ocean chemistry to detect changes and identify potential threats. With these insights, they can develop the most effective strategies to support reef conservation and resilience. The Pacific National Coral Reef Monitoring Program last visited Guam and the CNMI in 2022 to monitor fish and seafloor communities, while the research ship collected bathymetric data. Findings revealed that, on average, half of the regions coral has been lost over the past two decades. However, research also highlighted the success of Guams marine preserves in enhancing fish populations. Additionally, by bringing together data from 20092022, researchers developed a model to predict future fish distributions. This model can help local managers pinpoint key areas for conservation efforts. The agency said residents can expect to see the ship offshore until June. The third of three siblings wanted in connection with a shooting and kidnapping in Yigo last week was captured in Dededo, Guam Police Department spokesman Norman Analista said Wednesday. Shaenita Pangelinan, 26, was the subject of an islandwide search after two of her brothers were taken into custody over the weekend. According to police, she was apprehended at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Machanao area in Dededo after following up on tips from the community. One of her brothers, Jathan John Pangelinan Tedtaotao, 29, is being held at the Department of Corrections, charged with attempted murder. Another, Jeromy Moe John Pangelinan, 27, is at Guam Regional Medical City for a gunshot wound sustained during a brief shootout with police after a high-speed car chase Sunday. GPD would also like to acknowledge the community for providing tips assisting with the investigation, Analista said. All three individuals are biological siblings. Initial case They were initially accused of kidnapping a man in Yigo, tying him up and then shooting him in the leg at around 4:34 p.m. on April 3. Police said the victim of the kidnapping is in stable condition. Preliminary reports indicate that a man living in Chalan Gachai Kattan, Yigo, was forcibly taken from his residence by multiple suspects and pulled into a silver sedan. The suspects then proceeded to physically assault the victim, while his legs were bound. A suspect produced a silver handgun and shot the victim in the torso and left the scene, police said. Guam Fire Department personnel responded to the scene and transported the victim to GRMC for further medical treatment and care. Islandwide manhunt Saturday afternoon, police reported attempted carjackings in Talofofo, and one innocent person was shot in the hand. All this led to a manhunt, initially for Tedtaotao. Police set up an incident command in Talofofo. When Tedtaotao was caught without incident at around 4:20 a.m. Sunday in Yigo, the police search in Talofofo and other areas shifted focus on Jeromy Pangelinan, who was caught at almost 12 noon that same day. Carjackings Jeromy Pangelinan was apprehended after a carjacking in Talofofo on April 5, and another carjacking on April 6, at the Windward Hills Apartments in Yona. The second carjacking led to a high-speed chase ending on Stampa Road by Ysengsong in Dededo. Jathan John Pangelinan Tedtaotao was apprehended without incident in Yigo on April 6. He originally faced multiple felony charges including attempted murder, two counts of complicity to commit kidnapping, three counts of complicity to commit aggravated assault, all of which carried a special allegation of use of a deadly weapon in commission of a felony, plus notice of commission of a felony while on felony release. He also faced a charge of destruction of evidence as a misdemeanor. The amended magistrates complaint filed in Superior Court added another first-degree felony charge attempted aggravated murder. Untold millions of dollars in tax collections and nearly $100 million in federal funds could be lost because government of Guam agencies have neglected to enact hundreds of audit recommendations, Public Auditor Benjamin Cruz told senators on Wednesday. Cruz spoke to lawmakers during a public hearing on Sen. Sabina Perezs Bill 17-38, which would clarify the public auditors power to ask the courts to enforce audit recommendations, by seeking a writ of mandate. No one else showed up to testify. Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero vetoed a similar measure in October, stating that it removed safeguards that allowed each branch of government to manage their own affairs, and violated the separation of powers. Bill 17-38 would strike out a section of the law that mandates the public auditors power will not dilute the authority of the governor, chief justice of the courts, or legislative Committee on Rules, to manage their respective branches. Cruz, a former chief justice, judge and speaker, on Wednesday said he believes that his office has always had the power to seek a writ of mandate, though its never been tried before. He said the first thing hed like to exercise the power for is to see if audit recommendations can be enforced for taxes on alcohol and tobacco and use taxes. Mr. Chair, theres lots of tax leakage that should be addressed, especially now that we may be facing a need for additional money because of the...federal funds being withdrawn, Cruz said. Seven years after an Office of Public Accountability audit found tobacco taxes were not being assessed properly on Guam, there was still no change made to ensure taxes were collected properly, he noted. GovGuam is still unable to obtain data about how much tobacco comes to Guam, and how much they should be taxed, Cruz added. Likewise, OPA will be releasing a new audit on liquor taxes shortly, where it found the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency did not have clear records about liquor shipments to Guam, Cruz said. When we started this audit, they had to pull 16 officers off the floor to go into the warehouse, to go through hundreds of boxes to find invoices, to try to show where they received liquor shipments, he said. The records kept were not clear. Were probably going to be issuing a disclaimer on it and say where its impossible to say how much actually came in, how much was put on the shelves, how much went to the military, how much was exported to the other islands, and how much was collected, Cruz said. Besides liquor and tobacco taxes, Customs has likewise failed to purchase a scanner to assess use taxes years after it was recommended in an OPA audit, Cruz said. Questioned by Sen. Shawn Gumataotao, the public auditor said he believes there may be hundreds of audit recommendations that have gone unimplemented. A new report about audit compliance is being compiled, and when that new report comes in, maybe Ill test out this power and see whether or not I can get a couple of them to do something, Cruz said. Cruz said he is concerned that failure to turn in federal reports may lose the $42 million flagged in recent audits of the Guam Homeland Security and Office of Civil Defense. Likewise, compliance issues with cash that GovGuam had fronted in the hopes of federal reimbursements had exploded in the past few months. As of the fiscal year 2023 audit, that figure had gone up to $55 million, Cruz said. How much is in the (fiscal 2024)? I dont know, and how much is in the (fiscal 2025) would be even worse, because this year, theres even lots more that we fronted, he told senators. Perez at one point asked Cruz whether his office could still force audit compliance without removing the section of the law that ensured his powers would not dilute management authority for the other branches of the government. If you would ask me this last year, I would have said no, Cruz said. But recent decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court, affirming federal action from the Trump White House, had changed the picture, he said. Were finding this Supreme Court, saying there is an imperial presidency, and we may discover that we have an imperial government governor also, well, it would be an imperial executive, Cruz said. (Editors note: This is part two of a three-part series about the new United Airlines direct service between Guam and Taipei. Up next: Top 10 things to do in Taipei). If youre looking to travel off-island for some much needed medical treatment, to see a specialist, or get an in-depth checkup, you may want to keep Taiwan in mind. Local residents might look first to the Philippines, California, or Hawaii when thinking about off-island health care. But United Airlines new twice-weekly flights between Guam and Taipei, Taiwan open the door up to a whole realm of treatment options that are only about 4.5 hours flight away. Taiwan hosts a wide variety of top-notch hospitals, physicians, surgeons and more, who accept Guam health insurance and charge competitive prices, Guam Taiwan Office Director Felix Yen told members of the media during a tour of Taipei last week. United Airlines sponsored the tour. The Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs touts Taiwans repeated top-ranking in international health care satisfaction, with scores higher than even South Korea and Japan. China Medical University Hospital in Taichung City, about two hours drive from Taipei, already hosts about 1,000 patients from Guam, according to Yen. Taiwan President Lai Ching-Te, who met with Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero this past December, has been pushing for an increase in international visitors to Taiwans hospitals, Yen said. Accepting all four private health insurers from Guam and TRICARE Insurance is Taiwan Adventist Hospital, a little over an hours car ride away from the airport, in the heart of Taipei. We are so very happy, Dr. Jung-Cheng Kang, CEO of the hospitals International Healthcare Division, said during an April 2 tour of the hospital. Maybe we can showcase Taiwan, not only (as) a travel destination, but it will be a trusted health care partner, Kang said. Taiwan Adventist has had patient referral agreements with both Guam Memorial Hospital and the Guam Seventh-day Adventist Clinic since 2020, Kang said, but COVID-19 and reduced flights have limited the patient numbers. He said he hoped new direct flights could be a bridge for patients from Guam and other areas. According to Kang, quick data sharing of patient medical records and high-speed testing capabilities in the Taiwan Adventist lab can help visiting patients get in and out of the hospital and be treated fast. A presentation from hospital staff showed the average stay for patients is about 4.2 days. Among specialty services on offer at Taiwan Adventist are cardiology, gastroenterology, orthopedic and neurosurgery, among a number of other services. Theres also a trauma center available to help patients facing serious injuries. For those looking beyond acute medical care, theres skincare and aesthetic care, hair transplants, and in vitro fertilization on offer. Kang stressed that the hospital environment and nutrition specialists on staff are especially good for patients from Guam who are facing metabolic diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes. Taiwan Adventist has a strict healthy nutrition policy in place, according to Dr. Steven Yi Hsin Lin, director of education and research. In our hospital, we provide the high quality and healthy, very healthy, vegetarian food, Lin said, adding that theres no junk food, and no vending machines on hospital property. There are a number of family-style VIP rooms on offer, catering to international patients who come in with their loved ones in tow, Lin said. Members of the Guam media got a chance to look at the VIP suites during the tourthey look like a hospital bed space attached to a hotel room, and come with TVs that can also be used to review patient medical scans and other data. Patients looking to get a full physical examination should contact their insurance companies ahead of time for authorization, said Sabrina Wang, coordinator for the Taiwan Adventist International Healthcare Center. Wang said visitors can either get a checkup and move on to get further treatment, or get a full download of all their results so they can get further treatment later on. Kang added that many of the physicians on staff have already been on medical missions to Guam, Saipan, and even Palau, and are familiar with the medical challenges of people from the region. Taiwan Adventist has accreditation from the Joint Commission International, a U.S.-based accrediting body, according to Lin. Every month, Taiwan Adventist completes 864 patient surgeries, and sees 38,934 clinic visits, a presentation from Lin showed. By comparison, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, which treats and handles 20% of inpatient care in San Francisco, sees 606 surgeries and 17,286 clinic visits each month. The Guam Medical Referral Office, which helps coordinate off-island care for local residents, has not been tied in to help patients from Taiwan just yet, but it will be, according to Guam Visitors Bureau General Manager Regine Biscoe Lee. GVB is coordinating with ezTravel, the largest online travel agency in Taiwan, to help get visiting patients access to easy transport services. Roundtrip tickets to Taiwan through next March start at $481, according to Uniteds online bookings. Heres a list of which Taiwan facilities are covered by different Guam health insurance companies, based on each insurers website: StayWell Insurance Taiwan Adventist Hospital Taipei Medical University Hospital in Taipei China Medical University Hospital in Taichung City TakeCare Insurance China Medical University Hospital in Taichung Taipei Adventist Hospital Calvos SelectCare China Medical University Hospital in Taichung Taiwan Adventist Hospital in Taipei Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital in Taipei NetCare A woman who was banned from Micronesia Mall in December was arrested Tuesday after she was accused of trying to enter cars in the mall parking lot, according to a magistrates complaint filed in Superior Court. Roma Declasen Guieb, 32, was charged Wednesday with criminal trespass as a petty misdemeanor. At 8 p.m. Tuesday, police were called to the mall, where security workers had detained Guieb because she was attempting to make entry into vehicles in the southeast parking lot in front of Pay-Less, according to the complaint. When mall security arrived, they took Guieb into custody. Security workers told police she had been involved in a similar incident at the mall on Dec. 14, 2024, and as a result she had been banned from mall property for a period of five years, the complaint stated. Guam faces a historic opportunity through Bill 102-38, the Guam Tariff Advantage Development Act. As a U.S. territory, Guam uniquely benefits from exemptions under federal tariff regulations as noted in Headnote 3(a) of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule, allowing raw materials and parts to enter Guam and assembled or manufactured goods to exit Guam, both exempt from the high tariffs imposed amid escalating global trade tensions. President Trumps tariffs are designed explicitly to bring manufacturing back to American soil and Guam can strategically position itself to reap the economic rewards with our tariff exemption. This special status, largely unknown to many, is a powerful economic tool for our island. We need to put this tool to work now. By encouraging manufacturers to relocate operations here, the bill aligns directly with President Trumps stated goalsreshoring industry, creating American jobs, and revitalizing U.S. manufacturing. Nations around the globe have engaged in tit-for-tat tariffs, and businesses are scrambling for ways to avoid costly penalties on imported products. In this geopolitical environment of high tariffs and America First manufacturing, Guams tariff exemption is a golden opportunity. Critics argue Guam lacks the capacity for manufacturing. But not all manufacturing is resource-heavy or requires large-scale labor. Specialized sectors like electronics, medical devices, or pharmaceuticals rely more on innovation than extensive labor. Were not trying to turn Guam into the next Shenzhen, and we dont need to. Even a handful of specialized industries could bring substantial economic growth. Consider a clear economic example: a company importing $100 million of goods facing a 104% tariff, like those imposed on China, would incur an additional $104 million cost annually. Relocating manufacturing operations to tariff-exempt Guam immediately removes that expense. This powerful incentive transforms Guam into an attractive destination for businesses looking to stay competitive while adhering to Americas reshoring strategy. Bill 102-38 empowers Guam to actively participate in Americas manufacturing revival, ensuring our island benefits from geopolitical trade shifts rather than merely observing from the sidelines. This bill lets us step onto the playing field and claim our share of growth. For the young technician looking for a career beyond federal employment, for the small business owner dreaming of building something that lasts, this bill creates a real future right here at home. It positions Guam as a key player in a changing economic landscape and lays the groundwork for sustainable growth and greater economic self-sufficiency. President Trumps tariff policies have opened a door, and Bill 102-38 will help Guam walk through it. Lets seize this moment. The global economy is shifting and Guam can lead, not follow. The door is open. Lets be the first through it. I was eating on the fourth floor of Siam Paragon. I started feeling dizzy. I thought I had low blood sugar level and then my spoon fell off the table. The large billboard started shaking and swaying and people began shouting. Everyone started running and fighting to get downstairs. At first, I thought I would take the elevator, but I forgot that if the elevator got stuck, I could die. There were many elderly people and children running down the stairs in a terrible way. Some fell, some crawled under tables, and I ran down the fire escape with others. The above is an account from a friend of mine in Bangkok during the March 28, 2025 earthquake that jolted Myanmar and surrounding areas, including Thailand. This account joins countless others shared in the moments, hours and days following the earthquake. By now, many of us have seen videos of panic, chaos and devastation. Many of these accounts express panic, fear, chaos and confusion all of which typically happen when disaster strikes. When I read these accounts and see the horrors unfold, I sit back and think, Would I be ready for something like this? In my 18 years of working weather, my only first-hand experience with a disaster was with Typhoon Mawar. Upon canceling the remaining typhoon warnings for Guam and Rota, we handed over NWS Guam operations to our backup office in Hawaii and I sent staff home to tend to family, home and other needs: To start picking up the pieces. Once I had the office cleared and powered down, I sat alone on the Operations floor trying to think through everything that just happened on Guamto Guamin the last 48 hours. I departed the office to head north to see what happened to my house, which was uncomfortably close to the areas that experienced the peak conditions of Mawar. I didnt know what to expect. Once I got home, I knew that I wasnt ready for the days and weeks to come. Despite nearly a week of urging everyone to be ready, I was not. I didnt take the time I needed to be ready. I spent much of the day last Thursday messaging friends and family in Kentucky, a number of them former Guam residents, as a severe weather outbreak was unfolding across the Mississippi and Ohio River basins. Some were prepared to take shelter in an underground bunker nearby, or a neighbors basement, or simply, an interior room in their house. My sister prepped her yard, secured loose items, as well as her chickens, and even prepped a mattress to crawl under within an inner hallway. As she went to bed late that night before the severe weather hit, she asked me to call her the moment the NWS in her area issued any warnings for her neighborhood. With extreme sarcasm, she said, Its like being a kid and going to bed on Christmas Eve waiting for Santa to visit, except this Santa might destroy my house. A few hours later, I called to wake her up as NWS Louisville had issued a tornado warning for a storm cell headed toward her area. Fortunately, that cell did not spawn a tornado, but the winds left a mess in the yard. Unlike typhoons that usually have days of advanced warning and communications, tornadoes have much less lead-time. Thankfully, we dont see many tornadoes in these parts. However, we do experience earthquakes rather frequently, and they strike without warning. Earthquakes are a part of life in the Marianas, which sits within the Pacific Ring of Fire. Most of them are small, but theres that potential for a much larger one in the region. Youre ready or youre not. We know the catchy phrase: Drop, Cover, and Hold On, when it comes to earthquakes, but what about the moments, hours, days and weeks after, if the earthquake was another large one, similar to what shook Guam in 1993? Would you be ready? Would you have the supplies to survive for days or even a week without outside help? Does your family have a plan? National Earthquake Preparedness Month is observed in April and is dedicated to raising awareness and encouraging individuals, families, and communities to prepare for earthquakes. Its important to think of these things because earthquakes are a natural hazard that can cause significant damage and disruption to daily life. Being prepared can help mitigate risks and ensure safety. Having a plan in place and supplies ready to go following the drop, cover and hold on during a destructive earthquake can bring some sense of ease and relief. If you dont know where to start with developing a plan, visit the Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense at ghs.guam.gov/programs/natural-disasters/earthquakes. They provide information on things to do before an emergency/disaster strikes, how to create an emergency plan, what to put in that plan, general preparedness tips before an earthquake (remember preparedness should be year round), safety tips on what to do during an earthquake if indoors, outdoors, or in the car, and what to do after an earthquake. You can also visit ready.gov/earthquakes for more information on earthquake safety and preparedness. Looking ahead, if you have not participated in the Great Guam Shakeout, consider joining the tens of thousands of folks across the island, and the millions around the globe, in the worlds largest earthquake drill, that takes place every October. Visit shakeout.org/guam/ to learn more about the drill, how to participate, and details on earthquake preparedness and awareness. Haiti - Politic : Advisor Smith Augustin on official mission to Washington D.C. and New York. As part of the strengthening of international cooperation efforts for the restoration of security and the preparation of the next elections in Haiti, Presidential Advisor Smith Augustin is on an official mission to Washington D.C. and New York. At the United Nations (UN), he will intensify advocacy for the mobilization of $900 million, essential for the full and effective deployment of 2,500 troops as part of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MMSS). With Albert Ramdin, the new Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), he will discuss the need to mobilize member states around the technical support requested, both in terms of security and logistics. Smith Augustin will also meet with the Inter-American Defense Board on the implementation of a comprehensive military training program designed to strengthen the operational capabilities of the Haitian Armed Forces (FAd'H). He will also participate in working sessions with representatives of the Haitian diaspora in Washington and New York, focusing on their participation in the upcoming elections and their gradual and systematic integration into the Haitian political system. The duration of this mission has not been determined. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Social : Corventina calls for Peace in Haiti Following the violent attacks by armed gangs in Mirebalais, which left many families in mourning, burned homes and businesses, and displaced thousands of residents fleeing the violence, https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44597-haiti-flash-mirebalais-under-attack-numerous-victims-more-than-500-escapees-on-the-run-video.html Melchie Dumornay, aka "Corventina," whose hometown is Mirebalais, deeply affected by this tragedy, launched an appeal for peace on his Instagram account. Message from "Corventina" : In Haiti, violence strikes innocent people, and my heart breaks every moment. Once upon a time, my country radiated hope and culture, and my hometown, Mirebalais, was a true haven of life. Today, brutality has deprived us of this privilege : in Mirebalais, as elsewhere, entire families are forced to flee their homes, driven out by certain compatriots who sow terror. I call for an end to this violence that kills so many innocent people. It is time for our country to be freed from the tyranny that suffocates it and keeps it in darkness. I hope that a surge of solidarity and understanding will replace fear with trust, and that justice will heal the wounds of our Nation. Our aspiration is to rediscover the path to life we have lost, in order to rebuild a future for our youth, who have known only fear until now. May reason and compassion heal wounded hearts, and may peace return to our lands. Haiti deserves to rediscover the light of its past. It is together, in solidarity, justice, and hope, that we can build a better future..." HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... PNH : UTAG member killed On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, the Haitian National Police confirmed the death of Garry Junior Lima (30th class), assigned to the Temporary Anti-Gang Unit (UTAG), killed during violent clashes with members of the "Viv Ansanm" gang in Carrefour Peligre. Another comrade-in-arms was injured. Law enforcement has the green light A decree signed by the entire government during the last Council of Ministers gives law enforcement the green light to use all available resources necessary to combat the criminal groups responsible. At least sixty bandits killed On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, Commissioner Delin Boyer, Departmental Director of the Haitian National Police (PNH) Center, revealed that at least sixty bandits had been killed by law enforcement, while five others were executed by the population as part of Operation Bwa Kale during the gang attacks on Mirebalais and Saut-d'Eau, the Departmental Director of the PNH Center said on Tuesday. He also reported at least fifteen members. Dominican Consulates in Haiti will remain closed During the weekly press briefing La Semanal, President Luis Abinader, when asked about the possibility of reopening diplomatic missions in Haiti, which have been closed for two years, replied, "We cannot open the consulates now, given the current situation in Haiti; that's the reality. We cannot !" No news of two journalists Journalist and CEO of Radio RCFM Israel Roger Claudy and his brother were kidnapped by bandits. Furthermore, journalist Jean Christophe Collegue, correspondent for Voice of America and former correspondent for Radio Kiskeya, is still missing. Deportees, Family Reunification The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the National Office for Migration (ONM) help deported migrants reunite with their loved ones by reuniting families separated at the border, with the support of the French Embassy in Haiti. Through psychosocial assistance, transportation, and coordination, we ensure family reunification in safe and dignified conditions. HL/ HaitiLibre Android updates for a period of seven years are not enough? Samsung goes one better for certain customers. Anzeige When Samsung and Google introduced a seven-year update guarantee for their Galaxy and Pixel smartphones, that was quite an announcement. Up to that point, a maximum of five years was not possible. With Samsung's Enterprise Edition of the Galaxy S25 series, customers get one more year of guaranteed Android updates and security patches. Enterprise edition of the Galaxy S25 even gets Android 23 For years, Android update periods have been extended by some companies to the delight of customers in order to increase the secure service life of sometimes very expensive smartphones. Samsung's Galaxy S25 Enterprise Edition takes the lead with eight years of updates. Galaxy S25 Enterprise Edition: Samsung promises updates until 2032 (Image: Samsung) Samsung promises guaranteed updates for the Enterprise Edition of the S25 series until January 2032, while the "normal" models in the Galaxy S25 series will "already" stop receiving updates in January 2031. The extra year is not entirely surprising, as Samsung usually offers an additional year of software update support for the enterprise editions of its high-end devices. The Galaxy S25 variant is no different. Anzeige 8 years of updates also thanks to Qualcomm The fact that Samsung can provide the Galaxy S25 Enterprise Edition with Android updates for such a long period of time is partly thanks to chip developer Qualcomm. This is because the Snapdragon 8 Elite installed in the S25 models is the first SoC (system-on-a-chip) to be guaranteed update support for eight years. According to Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is not the only SoC to receive long-term support: The company's new 7 series is also promised up to eight years of support. Bild 1 von 6 Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge in Bildern (6 Bilder) Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 1 Auf dem MWC 2025 stellt Samsung das Galaxy S25 Edge aus. (Bild: heise online/sht ) However, long-term support does not only depend on Qualcomm, but also on the respective smartphone manufacturers, who have to provide the respective updates for their devices. Apart from Samsung and Google, only a few manufacturers cut a good figure in this area. Nevertheless, some companies, such as Honor with the Magic 7 Pro, at least offer a longer update period for their top models. From mid-2025, the update situation for customers in the EU will ease, while manufacturers will be held accountable. In future, they will have to guarantee software updates for five years. (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. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce (Ministry of Commerce MOFCOM) has placed a total of eleven US drone companies on the Unreliable Entity List (UEL), a blacklist of companies with which no import and export relationships may exist. This was announced by MOFCOM, as reported by the Chinese state media Global Times on Friday. The decision could have a major impact on drone manufacturing in the USA, which relies on imports of Chinese components and raw materials. Anzeige Specifically affected by the decision are the US drone companies Brinc Drones, Domo Tactical Communications (DTC), Firestorm Labs, HavocAI, Insitu, Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems, Neros Technologies, Rapid Flight, Red Six Solutions, Skydio and Synexxus. These are all companies that are important to the US drone industry be it autonomous, tactical or defense-related drones. China cites US military cooperation with Taiwan, which China counts as its territory, as the main reason for the measure, according to Global Times. The Chinese leadership sees a danger for China, as this is said to disrupt China's national sovereignty, security, and development interests. According to MOFCOM, however, companies based in Taiwan are disregarding China's interests because they are not complying with Chinese regulations. Restricted access to components and materials Companies on the UEL are now no longer allowed to conduct import and export business with Chinese companies. Companies that violate this rule will face severe penalties in the future, which could have a major impact on their business activities or even put an end to them in China. The trade ban means that US drone companies will be cut off from important components and materials. However, these are vital for the production of drones and cannot be easily sourced from other countries. These include batteries and rare earths, for example. If companies are unable to find other suppliers at competitive prices, this could significantly weaken the US drone industry, possibly even forcing smaller manufacturers to go out of business. US companies are also no longer allowed to invest in China. This restricts their expansion into the important Chinese market. Even entering into partnerships is no longer possible. In addition, the entry regulations for employees of the affected US companies may be restricted. This includes the withdrawal of residence and work permits to make cooperation more difficult. China is apparently assuming that the domestic drone industry will benefit from the measure in global trade. The Chinese drone manufacturer DJI in particular could be strengthened as a result. This currently also applies to the USA, where DJI has narrowly escaped a ban on the sale of its drones at the end of 2024. Anzeige However, this has not stopped the USA from preventing DJI from importing drones into the USA. The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently stopped the import of some drones, as Commercial UAV News reported on Monday. The reason given was that the drones may have been manufactured in China using Uyghur forced labor in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region. According to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (ULFPA), however, such goods may not be imported into the USA. DJI has rejected the allegation as false. Read also China tightens export controls on civilian drones capable of warfare (olb) Don't miss any news follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication. The Alvar Aalto Museums main summer exhibition will spotlight the anonymous yet influential figures behind many of Arteks most recognisable design pieces. Visibly Invisible Arteks Drawing Office 19362004 opens this summer and reveals the collective efforts of interior architects, textile designers and applied-arts professionals who shaped the companys identity across more than six decades. Although Alvar and Aino Aalto are widely credited with establishing Arteks legacy, the exhibition focuses on the many lesser-known designers who contributed to its enduring influence on Finnish and European modernism. These designers were instrumental in Arteks growth, yet remained in the background. This exhibition is a long-overdue recognition of their work, said the Alvar Aalto Foundation in its statement. The exhibition highlights contributions from Maija Heikinheimo, Hellevi Ojanen, Pirkko Stenros, and Ben af Schulten, among others. It also explores collaborations with external designers such as Marita Lybeck, Li Englund, and Antti Nurmesniemi, whose work enriched Arteks creative output. Textile experts including Sinikka Killinen, Marja Pystynen, and Marja-Liisa Parko are also recognised for their long-standing roles in shaping the companys aesthetic. The pieces on display cover a wide spectrum of design tasks, from individual furniture items to entire interior solutions. The exhibition includes iconic items such as Ben af Schultens childrens high chair and Anna-Maija Jaatinens vertical coat rack for Norrmark Handicraft. Most of the objects featured are part of the Artek collection held by the Alvar Aalto Museum, while additional items have been loaned by private collectors. The exhibition runs from 25 April to 29 September 2025. HT April 9, 2025: Over the last three years of war in Ukraine, NATO countries have supplied about $85 billion a year in military and commercial assistance. Initially most of this aid came from the United States. Gradually European nations expanded their own arms production and assisted Ukrainian arms producers in rebuilding local armaments facilities. This meant more of the military aid was coming from European countries and less from the United States. Ukraine has long been a major arms producer but the Russians have destroyed some of these arms production operations since the 2022 invasion. During the first few months of the Russian invasion Ukrainian producers supplied their military with the needed weapons and munitions. Russia responded while destroying many of those arms manufacturing facilities with missiles and airstrikes. By 2023 most of the arms and munitions were imported from the United States and NATO countries. European nations believe that expanding their own arms industries improves their ability to deter any future aggression from Russia. Eleven years ago Ukraine hampered Russian arms production by halting shipments of vital components for Russian helicopters and warships. Although only 4.4 percent of Russian imports were from Ukraine, some of these items were crucial for Russian weapons producers and Russian efforts to modernize their armed forces. The links between production facilities concentrated in Ukraine dates back to when Ukraine was a region of the Soviet Union. When the Soviet Union collapsed into fourteen new nations in 1991, Ukraine and its arms industry were not part of the new Russian Federation. This meant Russia was now dependent on Ukraine for key items like components for aircraft, missiles, ICBMs and warship engines. The largest and most productive Ukrainian defense manufacturer was Motor Sich which produces engines for helicopters. Many of the Soviet era shipyards were located in the Crimean Peninsula. After 1991 Crimea belonged to Ukraine. Russia refused to let Ukraine take possession of Crimea and grabbed it back in 2014. Russian shipyards still operate in Crimea although these facilities have been damaged by persistent Ukrainian attacks, and Crimean ports are avoided by Russian shipping due to UAV attacks. For years Russia has been building factories locally to reduce dependence on those located in Ukraine and Crimea. The economic sanctions imposed on Russia after they invaded Ukraine in 2022 further complicated Russian plans to rebuild their arms industries. Russia has managed to maintain defense production, but quality and quantity have suffered. Russian producers depended on key components imported from Western Europe. The sanctions cut off that source and Russia has tried to replace it with manufacturers in China and a few other countries. They were partially successful but Russian defense production will not recover completely until the war in Ukraine is over. The decision follows recent fatal accidents and growing concerns about youth road safety. Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne said the current law allows too much flexibility, enabling young people to obtain special permits without sufficient justification or adequate training. Finlands government will review the conditions under which 17-year-olds can be granted driving licences, following criticism of a 2018 law reform that relaxed requirements for teenage drivers. "The age limit for driving licences remains unchanged, but the conditions for exemptions will be reviewed critically," Ranne said in a press release. Driving instruction must also be reassessed in full, especially in light of traffic safety. Finlands legal age to obtain a driving licence is 18, but since the 2018 law reform, 17-year-olds have been eligible for permits under adequate rather than compelling reasons. As a result, the number of underage permit holders has grown significantly. According to officials, more than 90 percent of applicants receive the exemption, making one in four 17-year-olds eligible to drive. The reform also reduced the number of compulsory instruction hours. Prior to the change, learners had to complete 20 hours of theory and 17 hours of practical driving. That was cut to eight hours of theory and 10 hours of practice. Ranne said the government will examine whether those reductions have contributed to weaker preparedness among young drivers. The use of simulators or distance learning cannot replace contact teaching provided by professionals, she added. Public scrutiny of the permit system has increased since a recent accident in Nurmijarvi, where two teenagers died in a crash. The driver held a special exemption permit. Police suspect excessive speed was the cause. Another fatal crash involving young drivers occurred in the same area shortly before. In parliament, lawmakers have also raised concerns about the reform. Critics say the changes have normalised early licensing, putting pressure on young people to start driving earlier than necessary. The current system, they argue, no longer reflects the original intention of providing exemptions only for specific cases such as commuting to school from remote areas. The Ministry of Transport and Communications is now exploring further restrictions. These include limiting the number of passengers young drivers can carry, restricting night-time driving, and increasing mandatory training hours. The changes are expected to be introduced within the current parliamentary term. Statistics from Finlands traffic safety authorities indicate that young drivers face a significantly higher risk of serious accidents. Nationwide, around 40 young people between the ages of 15 and 24 die in road accidents each year. In proportional terms, Finland has one of the highest youth fatality rates in Europe. Ranne said the purpose of the upcoming changes is not to take driving rights away from young people but to ensure that safety is prioritised. She also noted that the government will seek to ensure that travel to school or hobbies remains possible under the revised rules. The goal is to close loopholes that have allowed permits to be granted without sufficient cause, Ranne said. No one should be given a licence based on vague or false claims. The ministry expects to finalise the new conditions and submit proposed changes to parliament later this year. HT The treaty, which prohibits the use, production, storage and transfer of anti-personnel mines, has been in force in Finland since 2012. The Finnish governments decision to prepare for withdrawal from the Ottawa Treaty banning anti-personnel landmines risks weakening international law and damaging Finlands global reputation, Amnesty Finland said on Monday. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo announced last week that the government would begin drafting legislation to leave the agreement. This is a deeply inconsistent and dangerous move, said Frank Johansson, Executive Director of Amnesty Finland. There is no such thing as responsible use of landmines. Their very nature is indiscriminate and they continue to maim civilians long after conflicts have ended. Johansson said Finlands withdrawal would set a harmful precedent for other countries and undermine the international rules-based system established after the Second World War. If we start chipping away at one treaty, whats the next step? he asked. This government repeatedly claims to support multilateral rules and global stability. This decision contradicts that completely. The Ottawa Treaty currently has 165 state parties. Notable non-signatories include Russia, the United States, China, India, and Israel. No country has ever withdrawn from the treaty. The only withdrawal from a comparable arms treaty occurred when Lithuania exited the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Finlands move follows similar announcements by Poland, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, who have all signalled their intention to withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty due to regional security concerns, though none has done so yet. In defending the decision, the Finnish government has argued that Finland would use mines in a responsible way, citing the changing security landscape in Europe. Johansson rejected this argument outright. There is no justification for labelling landmines as responsible. They are banned because they continue to kill and injure, primarily civilians, he said. According to the Land Mine Monitor, over 5,700 people were killed or injured by landmines in 2023. Of those victims, 84 percent were civilians. Johansson said the move would also be difficult to implement in practice. Many countries that are not party to the treaty still do not produce anti-personnel mines, meaning Finland could struggle to obtain them. Producing such weapons domestically would further isolate the country, he warned. If Finland were to start manufacturing weapons banned by international norms, we should seriously question the direction in which this country is heading, he said. The decision has also drawn international criticism. The International Campaign to Ban Landmines, recipient of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize, condemned Finlands decision and called for it to be reversed. Norways Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, speaking to Reuters, said the move was regrettable and reaffirmed Norways commitment to the treaty. Finlands own defence committee had concluded in 2023 that landmines were not essential to national defence, and warned that withdrawal could damage Finlands reputation. Despite these concerns, the Orpo government has indicated it intends to proceed with the legislative process. HT Halla-aho was accompanied by Finnish Members of Parliament Jouni Ovaska and Saara-Sofia Siren . Speaker of the Finnish Parliament Jussi Halla-aho concluded a four-day visit to China on 9 April 2025. The visit marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Finland and China. It followed an invitation from Zhao Leji , Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress of China. The delegation held formal discussions in Beijing and Shanghai. The agenda focused on political cooperation, economic exchanges, and global affairs. On 7 April, the Finnish delegation met with top Chinese officials in Beijing. These included Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Chairman of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, and Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China. Talks in Beijing focused on consolidating mutual trust and expanding bilateral cooperation. Both sides affirmed the significance of long-term political dialogue. Trade, scientific collaboration, and legislative exchange were highlighted as priority areas. The discussions also included global and regional issues. Finland raised the impact of Russias war in Ukraine. The parties discussed the state of EU-China relations and developments in East Asia. China-US relations were also addressed. In his remarks, Halla-aho reaffirmed Finlands commitment to the one-China policy. He noted Finlands interest in strengthening cooperation based on mutual respect and shared interests. He also acknowledged China's role in science and technological development. Chinese officials expressed willingness to enhance ties with Finland. Zhao Leji referred to the outcomes of previous presidential-level meetings. He stated China would implement the agreements made between the countries heads of state. Wang Huning highlighted the 2024 meeting between President Xi Jinping and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. He said this meeting laid groundwork for future cooperation. He called for increased engagement in governance and innovation between both nations. In addition to political meetings, the delegation visited Shanghai. In Shanghai, the focus was economic engagement. The delegation met with Chen Jining, Party Secretary of the Shanghai Committee of the Communist Party of China, and Huan Lixin, Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal Peoples Congress. Meetings in Shanghai included talks with Finnish companies operating in the Chinese market. Discussions centred on business conditions, regulatory frameworks, and investment opportunities. The Finnish delegation noted the presence of Finnish enterprises in the region. These include firms involved in clean energy, logistics, digital services, and machinery. The visit provided an opportunity to assess business performance and market access. China described the economic segment of the visit as a practical measure to boost trade and investment. Both sides discussed maintaining open markets and ensuring predictability in trade relations. The Finnish Embassy in Beijing confirmed that the visit featured multiple cultural and diplomatic activities. A commemorative logo marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations was unveiled earlier in the year. According to official Chinese sources, the visit also aimed to promote parliamentary cooperation. Both legislatures expressed interest in regular exchanges and mutual learning. The sides agreed to strengthen institutional communication through dialogue mechanisms. China has described Finland as an important partner within the European Union. Official statements reiterated China's stance on promoting ties with European countries on a bilateral and multilateral level. The Finnish side stated that open dialogue with China remains a part of its foreign policy. Finnish lawmakers expressed support for maintaining multilateral cooperation and peaceful international relations. The delegation returned to Helsinki on 9 April. The Finnish Parliament is expected to hold internal briefings on the outcomes of the visit. HT City OKs conditional rezoning for judicial center Rendering shows the four-story courthouse addition thats part of the $154 million judicial center including a jail expansion. The columned front is centered on Third Avenue East, making the building visible from Main Street. A step design keeps the front portion closer in size to the existing 1995 courthouse. [FENTRESS ARCHITECTS] Hendersonville City Council members set aside misgivings about the building height and insisted on a sidewalk thats not in current plans before voting unanimously to authorize Henderson Countys new $154 million judicial center. The council motion included a condition that the county add a sidewalk along the railroad right-of-way for pedestrian access to the new four-story courthouse addition. County commissioners are expected to take up the citys request during their regular mid-month meeting on April 16. The condition reads: The project shall extend their sidewalks along Fourth Avenue within the railroad right-of-way up to their their property line. The sidewalk will maintain the same park street design of an 8-foot-wide concrete sidewalk and 2-foot wide planting strip like the existing sidewalk along the property frontage on Fourth Avenue. It seems like a relatively minor concession considering that we would be going 50 percent beyond our maximum height limit if we say yes to this, Mayor Barbara Volk said. Thats a pretty big concession. So I think a little consideration for a sidewalk wed like them to think seriously about that, as our ask. Council members heard a detailed description of the judicial center before voting on the conditional-use zoning application. Steven White, who grew up in Chapel Hill and graduated from N.C. State University, is a principal and Washington, D.C., studio director for Fentress Architects, the designer of the additions. White views each project as a chance to blend history, community and sustainability and to shape an urban landscape that enriches both people and the environment, the firms website says. White described the security, functionality and esthetic of the courthouse. In the new courthouse, we have complete physical separation between the movement of the staff and the judges and between the public and staff, he said. The only place where those two come together is in rooms like courtrooms or clerks transaction counters and so forth. Prisoners from the jail are coming from a tunnel and they have completely segregated circulation for security purposes. Although its two blocks from Main Street, the new courthouse will nonetheless become a new presence downtown by virtue of its size and orientation. The main entrance is directly centered on Third Avenue, which creates a visual connection from Main Street, White said. We also have sited this first floor so that it is a gentle rise from Grove (because) it always feels better when you come up to a building. As we know, this is a large building, White continued. We have seven courtrooms in this new courthouse and because courtrooms have 12-foot ceilings, the structure needs 16 feet floor-to-floor to accommodate superstructure and mechanical equipment. Architects stepped the building strategically so that the main columnar element is actually very close in height to the 1995 building. Two more steps of 30-40 feet get to that full height of the building. Tallest building downtown At 93 feet, the new courthouse would be 43 feet higher than the maximum allowed in the Planned Institutional Development zoning district, and also would be taller than the 75-foot First Citizens Bank and 70-foot Skyland Hotel (although Main Street is 21 feet higher than the courthouse site). The courthouse property is outside the citys downtown height limit of 64 feet. The new courthouse will have a drop-off area and secure entrance for the public on North Grove Street. Parking will be in a large surface lot on the north side of the building. The courthouse addition contains seven courtrooms for District and Superior court and other judicial proceedings, improved security for judges and staff and segregated access corridors for jail inmates. [FENTRESS ARCHITECTS}The height is a concern, council member Lyndsey Simpson said. I understand the need for the space in the building, and I understand why its being done. I guess my concern is, does it open us up for a precedent of allowing other buildings of this size? City Attorney Angie Beeker responded that it does not. It is not a legally binding precedent because this is a legislative decision that youre making, she said. Is parking adequate? Responding to a question from the council, Assistant County Manager Christopher Todd said commissioners had rejected the idea of a parking deck. As far as the parking deck, that certainly was a conversation that was had publicly amongst the board, Todd said. The cost of that parking deck pushed the cost of the project into a place the Board of Commissioners felt (was) unacceptable at the time. Publicly, the question was asked and answered: When this building opens, will it have sufficient parking? And the answer to that is yes. No cost-benefit analysis supported parking deck construction when the surface parking could meet the need in the initial years of that building and most certainly for some years to come, he added. The Board of Commissioners at this time decided that would be a Board of Commissioners tomorrow question that they would wrestle with. Mayor pro tem Jennifer Hensley asked whether an outdoor handicapped-access elevator would remain. That led to the revelation that the design calls for the removal of the existing front steps of the 1995 courthouse. The simple answer to your question actually is, No, it will be removed, Todd said of the non-working elevator. The more complex answer to your question is, actually the staircase in its entirety is intended to be removed. We want there to be a focal point and an entry point to this building. The removal of the stairs is two-fold. It removes confusion about where the front door of the building will be, as well as gets rid of a security concern that weve had. There will be balcony space that will be preserved up there. The exterior will be precast concrete panels made to depict Indiana limestone, said White, the architect. The existing courthouse also is a precast concrete in more of a gray-granite tone. Were specifically differentiating because we feel strongly that if we were to try to match it exactly it would somehow be slightly off, or maybe (look like) the buildings dirty. Other exterior elements include dark bronze metal panels and insulated high-performing glass. LOCAL BRIEFS: Mills River grants, Bradford pear trees, Earth Day Bradford pear bounty is 9-11 a.m. Saturday, April 12, at the city Operations Center. [CONTRIBUTED] Related Stories Mills River invites nonprofits to apply for grants The Mills River Town Council is accepting applications from nonprofits that have programs that serve the town. Each year, the council hears requests from local nonprofits for the purpose of promoting partnerships for the benefit of Mills River residents and to strengthen community organizations. Past recipients include the Mills River Farm Market, Mills River Life Enrichment Center, Literacy Connection and Smart Start Partnership for Children. The council will convene at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 24, to hear the requests from 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Organizations interested in partnering with the town are encouraged to attend in-person. For an application contact Patty Brown at patty.brown@millsriver.org. Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. April 14. City hosts Bradford Pear Bounty Saturday To help combat the spread of invasive species, the Hendersonville Tree Board and N.C. State University are sponsoring the Bradford Pear Bounty, an invasive tree replacement program that rewards property owners for removing harmful species from their land. Through this program, participants who remove invasive trees from their property can receive free native trees or plants in exchange. To qualify, you must own property within the city or its ETJ (extraterritorial jurisdiction) and register on the Bradford Pear Bounty website. Several local tree-care service providers are also offering discounts for those participating in the program. For a list of participating vendors visit treebountync.com/removal-discounts. The event is 9-11 a.m. Saturday, April 12, at the city Operations Center, 305 Williams St. Participants must provide a photo of an invasive species they have removed or treated with herbicide. Only homeowners are eligible to register and receive replacement trees. More than 200 native trees will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Pre-registration is required. Registration does not guarantee a tree, so early arrival is encouraged. To register and learn more visit www.treebountync.com. Environmental advocacy is focus of Earth Day program The Henderson County League of Women Voters will celebrate Earth Day with a program from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, at the Hendrick-Rhodes Veterans Center at Five Points, 900 North Main St. Local Environmental Advocacy Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow will be a discussion about the local environmental scene and the Environmental and Conservation Organization, which helped lead the way. Formed in 1987, ECO worked to protect the environment of Henderson County. In 2014 ECO merged with two other regional organizations to form Mountain True. Program presenters will include two former executive directors of ECO, Mary Jo Padgett and David Weintraub. Katie Breckheimer will facilitate. For more information visit lwvhcnc.org. Italy's state railway group, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS), has announced plans to launch a high-speed rail service between Paris and London by 2029, directly challenging Eurostar's three-decade monopoly on the cross-Channel route, according to Reuters. The move is part of a broader European expansion strategy and could extend service to Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Milan, and potentially Ashford in the UK's Kent region. A New Player Enters the Tunnel FS is developing this ambitious project in partnership with Spanish startup Evolyn, with both companies signing a memorandum of understanding to explore future collaborations aimed at redefining trans-Channel travel. While technical and infrastructure approvals are still pending, FS has reportedly secured the necessary licenses and permits in France. As part of its 20252029 development plan, FS aims to integrate its signature Frecciarossa trainsalready in use on high-speed routes between Paris, Lyon, and Milaninto the ParisLondon corridor. These sleek, modern trains offer a competitive edge in comfort and speed. Since 2021, FS has operated Frecciarossa services between Milan and Paris, clocking in at just under seven hours. This made FS the first alternative to France's national railway operator (SNCF) on that route. Boosting Green Travel in Europe "High-speed rail networks are the backbone of efficient, eco-friendly mobility," said FS executive Luigi Ferraris, as quoted by The Independent. "By expanding our presence along key corridors, we're investing not just in infrastructure and innovation, but in the future of European transportation." The growing competition isn't limited to FS. Virgin Group is also entering the race, planning to raise 700 million to launch its own cross-Channel train service by 2029, with potential expansion to Amsterdam. A Station Upgrade for a Competitive Future To support this surge in competition, upgrades are already underway at London St Pancras International, aiming to nearly triple passenger capacity from 1,800 to 5,000 per hour. The station has introduced infrastructure cost discounts for operators planning new routes. Additionally, Getlink, the operator of the Channel Tunnel, has offered 50 million in incentives for any new player launching a cross-Channel route. Access to Temple Mills Depot, once exclusively used by Eurostar for train maintenance, has also been opened up, further lowering the barriers for new entrants. More Routes and Greater Reach In addition to the ParisLondon project, FS plans to restore Frecciarossa service between Milan and Paris and launch a new ParisMarseille line by June 15, 2025. FS's footprint in the UK is growing, too. Through its subsidiaries c2c and Avanti West Coastwhich together serve over 3 million passengersFS has already established a solid foundation. The company also holds a 30% stake in the joint venture with FirstGroup that operates Avanti West Coast. Travelers Could Win Big Industry leaders are optimistic about the shake-up. Robert Sinclair, CEO of London St Pancras Highspeed, welcomed the increased capacity and competition, while Mark Smith, aka The Man in Seat 61, described the expanding high-speed rail network from London to cities like Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and Milan as "exciting." According to Susanne Kries, co-author of Europe by Rail, "Frecciarossa will likely be the first real competitor to Eurostar." With the EU's liberalization of rail services helping to drive down ticket prices, travelers stand to benefit from more choice, better service, and greener travel options. Technical assessments are already in motion to ensure seamless integration through the Channel Tunnel and with national rail networks. Notably, Getlink confirmed the tunnel could handle up to 1,000 trains per day, suggesting that the race for high-speed, cross-border travel is just heating up. The U.S. Supreme Court has permitted the Trump administration to cancel millions of dollars in federal education grants linked to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. In a 5-4 decision, the Court granted the Justice Department's request to pause a lower court's order that had required the Department of Education to reinstate these grants to universities and nonprofit organizations in eight states. The majority reasoned that recipients could seek financial recovery later if they ultimately prevail in their legal challenges. Chief Justice John Roberts joined the three liberal justices in dissent. Justice Elena Kagan criticized the decision, noting that the administration did not defend the legality of canceling the grants. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson highlighted the potential harm from abrupt funding withdrawals, emphasizing that such actions contradict Congress's goals in establishing the Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) and Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) programs. The Department of Education had previously canceled all but five of the 109 grants after reviews found "objectionable" diversity and equity training material in the recipient programs. In response to the administration's actions, New York state officials have formally rejected the directive to eliminate DEI practices in public schools, citing a lack of legal authority for such demands. They emphasized that federal funding cannot legally be withdrawn without a formal administrative process. This Supreme Court ruling represents a significant development in the ongoing debate over federal funding for education programs associated with DEI initiatives. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday temporarily halted a court-ordered deadline requiring the return of a Maryland man wrongly deported to El Salvador. The move comes in response to a request from President Donald Trump, whose administration mistakenly deported Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia in March. At the center of the legal battle is Abrego Garcia, a father of three and Salvadoran national, who was removed from the U.S. despite a 2019 immigration ruling that barred his deportation due to credible threats against his life. Monday's Supreme Court action delays a midnight deadline set by a lower court, buying time for further judicial review in a case that has sparked fierce debate over executive power, immigration enforcement, and the role of federal courts in foreign affairs. Chief Justice John Roberts issued the temporary "administrative stay," extending the deadline without setting a new one. The court also ordered a response from Abrego Garcia's legal team by Tuesday, though it had already been submitted before Roberts' announcement. "This is just a temporary administrative stay. We have every confidence that the Supreme Court will resolve this matter as quickly as possible," said Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, attorney for Abrego Garcia. The Trump administration has admitted in court documents that Garcia was deported "because of an administrative error," but now argues it cannot retrieve him due to his current detention in a notorious Salvadoran prison. The Department of Justice is framing the case as a constitutional standoff, accusing the courts of overreach. "Even amidst a deluge of unlawful injunctions, this order is remarkable," Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote in a filing Monday. "The Constitution charges the president, not federal district courts, with the conduct of foreign diplomacy and protecting the nation against foreign terrorists, including by effectuating their removal." "While the United States concedes that removal to El Salvador was an administrative error ... that does not license district courts to seize control over foreign relations, treat the executive branch as a subordinate diplomat, and demand that the United States let a member of a foreign terrorist organization into America tonight," Sauer continued. Abrego Garcia's attorneys rejected that claim outright, stating in a filing that the administration is attempting to sidestep accountability. "There is no dispute that Abrego Garcia is only in El Salvador because the United States sent him there," his lawyers argued. "There is likewise no dispute that he is being held only because the United States has requested that he be held. And there is no evidence in the record of this case supporting the government's contention that it cannot bring him back." They further criticized the administration's characterization of their client as a threat: "The executive branch may not seize individuals from the streets, deposit them in foreign prisons in violation of court orders, and then invoke the separation of powers to insulate its unlawful actions from judicial scrutiny." Though Abrego Garcia was living in the U.S. without legal status, a 2019 immigration court ruling protected him from deportation due to credible threats from gangs targeting his family's pupusa business in El Salvador. The Trump administration now claims he is a "ranking member" of the MS-13 gang a group designated as a foreign terrorist organization thus arguing that the court's previous protection no longer applies. Despite those claims, records show Garcia regularly checked in with immigration authorities for six years and was never charged with a crime. Nevertheless, he was recently placed on a deportation flight to El Salvador, separated from his family under Trump-era legal justifications, including the rarely invoked 1798 Alien Enemies Act a statute currently facing its own Supreme Court challenge. Garcia's wife, Jennifer Stefania Vasquez Sura, expressed cautious optimism following the appeals court ruling, stating, "This decision gives me hope, and even more encouragement to keep fighting. My children, family, and I will continue praying and seeking justice. Now that the court has spoken, I ask again that both President Trump and President Bukele stop attempting any further delays. They need to follow the court's order NOW. My children are waiting to be reunited with their father tonight." A Missouri woman who has fostered over 200 children is under investigation for child abuse following reports that after years of abuse, she allegedly traded one of her foster children for a monkey. Brenda Ruth Deutsch, 70, of Winfield, has been charged with two counts of child abuse or neglect and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, according to Lincoln County Prosecutor Mike Wood. Police were alerted to the case after the victim's school reported her extended absence. Investigators learned Deutsch sent the teen to Texas to live with a friend, where she was reportedly left alone in unsanitary conditions with exotic animals, KSDK reported. "A witness said that they had been asked to bring the child down to Texas and bring the monkey back in return," Prosecutor Wood revealed. "Obviously we have to do more investigation to see if that's actually credible." The 16-year-old victim told police Deutsch had beaten her with a paddle, shoes, and wooden trim, and on one occasion had someone hold her down while she was struck on her bare buttocks. She also alleged that Deutsch punished her by stealing and giving away her clothes, and sent her to psychiatric and residential facilities for extended periods. Despite fostering hundreds of children, authorities say there were no prior criminal reports tied to the residence, although community members indicated the home had a long-standing reputation for abuse. "These types of abuse and emotional neglect had been going on for what seemed to be perhaps a decade," Wood said of the reports. Wood described the allegations as "particularly heinous and just disturbing to read," especially given "the number of children that had been fostered through that home." The victim is now in the custody of child protective services in Texas. Deutsch was taken into custody over the weekend, with bond set at $250,000. Originally published on Lawyer Herald French authorities on Tuesday detained a 76-year-old man over a death threat against the judge who presided over the panel that sentenced far-right leader Marine Le Pen to an election ban, prosecutors said. The bombshell judgement, which could crush the 56-year-old's dream of winning the French presidency in 2027, stunned France's political establishment and infuriated many in her National Rally (RN) party. Since the conviction, the judges who handed down the decision have received threats, and the head judge Benedicte de Perthuis is under police protection, including increased patrols and regular rounds around her home. The man being held, "On his X account, he had posted the following: 'What this bitch deserves,' along with a photograph of a guillotine," the public prosecutor's office told AFP. Le Pen last week was handed a partly suspended jail term, a fine of 100,000 euros ($109,000) and an immediate ban on taking part in elections for five years after being convicted for a scheme under which the EU Parliament paid assistants who were actually working for her party. The court ruled that Le Pen was at the "heart" of the system of embezzlement of public funds. A total of 24 people have been convicted, in addition to her party. In his reaction to the judgement, President Emmanuel Macron told members of the government that the French judiciary was "independent" and that "judges must be protected", according to an official present at the meeting last week. Rallying her supporters and RN party members at a gathering in Paris on Sunday, Le Pen said the far right was the target of a "witch hunt". Her top lieutenant and RN president Jordan Bardella, 29, has slammed "the tyranny of judges" but he also said Sunday that the party did not want to "discredit all judges." Former justice minister Nicole Belloubet on Tuesday condemned attacks on the French justice system, pointing out that the investigation into the case had lasted for years. In an opinion piece in daily Le Monde, she quoted the 19th-century novelist Honore de Balzac's warning: "To distrust the judiciary marks the beginning of the end of society." Making remarks like "the tyranny of judges" is "a frontal attack on the judiciary", Belloubet said. Such public statements "are as inaccurate as they are unacceptable, calling into question the justice system, the concept of the rule of law and even the law itself", she wrote. The Paris Court of Appeal said it would examine Le Pen's case within a timeframe that could potentially allow her to run in the 2027 polls if her conviction is overturned or her sentence changed. But there is no guarantee that the appeals court will overturn the lower-court ruling. Investigators opened another probe at the start of the year after death threats were posted on a far-right website. The threats were made against one of the judges and two prosecutors after they requested sentences against the defendants including Le Pen at the end of the eight-week trial in November. Five suspects have been identified and will be questioned. China announced sweeping retaliatory tariffs of 84% on U.S. goods Wednesday, directly countering a fresh wave of levies imposed by President Donald Trump earlier in the day. Trump's new "reciprocal" tariffs took effect Wednesday morning, targeting Chinese imports with levies that now amount to a total of at least 104%. The White House's move comes amid a hardline stance from Washington, with the administration citing the need to address long-standing trade imbalances and unfair practices. In response, Beijing reaffirmed its opposition to the escalating measures. "The U.S. escalation of tariffs on China is a mistake upon mistake, severely infringing upon China's legitimate rights and interests, and seriously damaging the multilateral trading system based on rules," China's State Council Tariff Commission said in a statement announcing the retaliatory measures. Despite previous warnings from Chinese officials that they would "fight to the end" if Washington pressed forward with new tariffs, Trump moved ahead with a dramatic increase first hiking levies by 34 percentage points, then tacking on another 50 after Beijing refused to back down. These come on top of a previous 20% hike implemented since Trump's return to office. In addition to tariff increases, China's Commerce Ministry imposed export controls on 12 U.S. companies, preventing Chinese firms from supplying them with dual-use items goods that can be used for both military and civilian purposes. China also added six American companies to its "unreliable entity list," effectively barring them from investing or conducting new trade in China. Beijing further escalated the dispute by filing a formal complaint with the World Trade Organization. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent downplayed the impact of China's response. Speaking to Fox Business on Wednesday, Bessent said it was unfortunate that China does not "want to come and negotiate" a tariff deal. He labeled China as "the worst offenders in the international trading system." "They have the most imbalanced economy in the history of the modern world, and I can tell you that this escalation is a loser for them ... They're the surplus country," Bessent said. "China's exports to the US are five times our exports to China. So, they can raise their tariffs. But so what?" Despite the show of defiance from Beijing, signs suggest China is preparing for economic fallout. Shortly after the tariffs went into effect, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson emphasized that the U.S. must "demonstrate an attitude of equality, respect and mutual benefit" if it genuinely wishes to resolve the conflict through dialogue. Beijing also released a white paper outlining the history and current state of U.S.-China economic relations, blaming Washington's "unilateral and protectionist measures" for the deterioration. In a written Q&A about the white paper, an unnamed Commerce Ministry official reiterated that China does not seek a trade war but vowed to respond to any further aggression. "If the U.S. insists on further escalating trade restrictions, China has the firm will and ample tools to take resolute countermeasures and will see it through to the end," the official said. Though China has seen signs of economic recovery in recent months following prolonged struggles with real estate debt, local government liabilities, and pandemic-related disruptions, the export sector remains crucial. Cross Hotels & Resorts has signed a hotel management agreement with PT Agungwaluya Kuta Pengembang for Cross Bali Waluya, a 115-key resort in Bali's vibrant Berawa neighbourhood. Set to open in 2029, the resort will operate under the Cross brand, which stands for bold experiences and Luxury by Design. Just moments from Berawa and Batu Belig beaches, Cross Bali Waluya is positioned in one of Bali's most in-demand areas. The resort offers one-bedroom suites, one-bedroom penthouses with jacuzzis, and two- and three-bedroom residences and penthouses with private rooftops, lap pools, and wellness amenities. Guests will also enjoy a full range of premium facilities, including a spa, fitness centre, infinity pool, kids' zone, plunge pool, restaurant and bar. The resort's design is grounded in Tri Hita Karana, the Balinese philosophy of harmony between people, nature, and spirituality. From carefully landscaped spaces to signature hospitality experiences, every detail of Cross Bali Waluya is curated to reflect the modern traveller's desire for well-being, serenity, and a deep connection with the environment. Cross Hotels & Resorts operates 28 hotels under six distinct brands - Cross, Cross Vibe, Away, Lumen, Cross Collection, and Kaura - across Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Japan. Hotel website Halcyon, a hotel in Cherry Creek, has welcomed Liliana Myers as pastry chef. Myers will use her experience in the baking industry to curate signature pastries and desserts for Local Jones, the hotel and its restaurant concepts, as well as for meetings, events and catering. Myers joined the Halcyon team as pastry chef in 2025. Her previous culinary experience includes positions at several New York restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Rouge Tomate, and she spent time in France as a pastry and savory cook at Michelin-starred La Feniere. Myers relo cated to Boulder in 2013, where she spent years leading numerous pastry programs at notable Boulder restaurants. Before joining the Halcyon team, Myers was the executive pastry chef at Safta where she led the bakery program and developed dessert menus. An award-winning pastry chef, in 2022 Myers was recognized as a Rising Star Pastry Chef for StarChefs. Henna Punjabi has been elevated to the role of Multi-Property Director of Marketing, overseeing the branding and communications strategies for both The Ritz-Carlton, Pune and Marriott Suites Pune. With close to two years in the Pune cluster and nearly a decade of experience in the hospitality and media industry, Henna's career has spanned renowned names including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, The Oberoi Group, Times of India, and Marriott International. Her sharp acumen in storytelling and her ability to harness digital platforms have helped shape compelling brand narratives across multiple touchpoints. In her new role, Henna will be responsible for building brand equity through strategic marketing, digital innovation, and public relations while driving visibility for the hotels' acclaimed restaurants, wellness experiences, and luxury offerings. Her focus remains on blending brand legacy with contemporary storytelling, ensuring every campaign resonates with guests and reflects The Ritz-Carlton's ethos of elegance and excellence. Holding a Communications degree and an MBA in Media Management, Henna brings a strong academic foundation to her role, which she balances with creativity, leadership, and a hands-on approach to execution. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, city explorations, and curating musical soundscapes. Seasoned hotelier Thomas Kochs has been appointed as Managing Director of legendary Claridge's in Mayfair, by Maybourne, operator of London's most prestigious hotels also including The Connaught, The Berkeley and The Emory. This move marks a welcome return to the Maybourne family for Kochs, who was previously General Manager at Claridge's from 2009 to 2015. He also held positions at The Berkeley and The Connaught earlier in his career. Over the past ten years German-born Kochs has held positions at luxury hotel companies including The Set, followed by Corinthia Hotels where he has been Managing Director at Corinthia London, the company's flagship property since 2017. Kochs is a passionate trustee of the Gold Service Scholarship, which nurtures the UK's emerging front-of-house talent, has been voted Hotelier of the Year by the Brit list and one of the 50 Most Influential People in British Luxury by Walpole. Claridge's has recently undertaken a seven-year programme of restoration and redevelopment in order to pave the way for the next 200 years of its life, and is setting the standard for the next generation of uber luxury hotels. Key additions include a new spa with swimming pool, a world class art gallery and cafe, as well as an additional three floors that house 72 new suites and rooms topped by the sky-skimming penthouse spanning the entire rooftop of the hotel complete with its own swimming pool and ornamental lake. Springboard Hospitality, the leading hospitality management company with 51 independent hotels across 14 states, is pleased to announce the appointment of Peter Kolla as area general manager for its West Hollywood Hotel Collection, which includes Chamberlain West Hollywood, Le Parc at Melrose, Montrose at Beverly Hills, and Hotel Ziggy. In his new role, Kolla will oversee 510 guest rooms, meeting and event spaces, and spearhead new initiatives, including an exciting partnership with Pizza Girl at Hotel Ziggy. Kolla brings more than 20 years of hospitality leadership experience to the role, having successfully launched Springboard Hospitality's Aviator Hotel Anchorage and held key positions across the country, including General Manager of Hotel Amarano. In addition, Kolla held the role of Associate Director of Hospitality at the University of Southern California, served as General Manager of Tower Bar at The Sunset Tower Hotel, and held leadership positions with Crescent Hotels & Resorts. Deeply rooted in the Los Angeles community, Kolla holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara. His commitment to community involvement has led him to serve as an Executive Board Member for the Central City Association of Los Angeles, as Chair of Visit Burbank, and as a Board Member at HALA and the Burbank Chamber of Commerce. Under his leadership, the West Hollywood Hotel Collection will continue to elevate the guest experience, foster innovation, and solidify its position as a premier hospitality destination in one of Los Angeles' most dynamic neighborhoods. San Francisco's historic Palace Hotel, a Marriott International Luxury Collection property, is pleased to announce the appointment of Owen Rundall as director of sales and marketing. With an expansive career in the San Francisco hospitality industry, including a former position at Palace Hotel, Owen returns to the iconic property bringing invaluable experience and a fresh vision to his new role as the hotel celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. Having previously worked at Palace Hotel as director of citywide sales for Starwood, Owen possesses deep insight into the hotel's unique place within the San Francisco market. He is driven to further solidify the Palace Hotel's position as a landmark in the city while engaging a new broader, younger audience. Before rejoining Palace Hotel, Owen served as director of sales and marketing at Omni San Francisco Hotel, where he led group sales, individual business travel, catering sales, event operations, and marketing. For more than six years, he revamped the hotel's revenue strategy, focusing on long-term customer relationships and shifting marketing efforts to digital platforms. Prior to Omni, Owen was the director of sales at Hotel Nikko San Francisco, where he led Group Sales, Catering, and Conference Services, and was influential in exceeding the hotel's revenue targets and spearheaded a successful rebranding following a renovation. As director of sales and marketing, Owen is excited to deepen the Palace Hotel's ties with the local community. As a Bay Area native, he values the hotel's longstanding status as a pillar of San Francisco's cultural and historical fabric. His efforts will focus on forging strong relationships with local businesses, building partnerships, and ensuring that Palace Hotel remains not just a hotel, but a continued central part of the city's identity. The Hythe, a Luxury Collection Resort, Vail announces the appointment of Tracy Stoltz as general manager, bringing more than two decades of global hospitality experience to Vail's luxury alpine retreat. A distinguished industry leader, Stoltz joins The Hythe with a dynamic vision to enhance the guest experience and further position the resort as the region's foremost destination for mountain luxury. Hailing from her tenure at world-renowned resorts across the U.S. and Caribbean, Stoltz brings the luxury acumen and operational finesse of a seasoned hospitality leader. Most recently, as general manager of the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel, she oversaw large-scale property operations, including high-profile events tied to the Super Bowl and Final Four. Stoltz previously held leadership positions at prominent Hawaiian resorts including The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort; Sheraton Waikiki; The Westin Maui Resort & Spa; The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas; and Sheraton Maui Resort, consistently elevating service standards, strengthening team culture, and enhancing guest experiences. Stoltz also played a pivotal role in shaping boutique Caribbean hospitality, supporting the international positioning of Point Grace in Turks and Caicos and directing a multi-million-dollar development initiative at Grand Isle Resort and Spa in the Bahamas. A Colorado native, Stoltz began her hospitality career at Keystone Resort and now returns to the Rocky Mountains, bringing both deep industry insight and a personal connection to the region. SUNRISE, FL - Xn Global Systems Inc. is delighted to announce it is partnering with Bluestone, the leading independent asset finance company to provide hotels in the US and the UK with competitive funding for the purchase of xnPOS. Bluestone have specialised in commercial finance for over 27 years and have a deserved reputation for providing their customers with a consultative and bespoke service based on an ethical approach to doing business. We are very excited to announce our partnership with Bluestone. This gives hotels more choice and flexibility when considering a purchase of xnPOS and avoids the need for upfront capital expenditure. The highly innovative Bluestone portal gives our sales team the ability to quickly give hotels indicative finance terms speeding up the sales process. Mark Pearman, Chief Commercial Officer, Xn Global Systems Were really pleased to be partnering with Xn Global Systems. We pride ourselves on offering simple, flexible and efficient finance solutions to businesses that enable them to make the business growth investments they need to thrive. The introduction of our online portal has provided a gateway to finance, making it even easier for businesses to access the funding they need, whenever they need it. Hezron Bowrage, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Bluestone About Bluestone Bluestone is an independent, award-winning broker with a team of experienced professionals providing finance solutions to UK businesses, supporting them to invest in the future growth of their business. With over 27 years of sector experience, Bluestone takes pride in their ethical and consultative approach when securing finance to unlock your organisation's potential. Apply for finance now at portal.bluestone.app For more information, visit www.bluestone.app About xnPOS xnPOS is a fully internationalized food & beverage point of sale system designed to meet the specific requirements of the hotel industry. It is a centrally managed, full-service, cloud system with enterprise scalability, security and performance. With a focus on self-service for guests and mobility for hotel team members, xnPOS can help revolutionize your hotel service and dramatically reduce operating costs. Xn Global Systems operates from offices in the US, UK and Dubai, with xnPOS successfully installed in hotels in some 50 countries worldwide. To learn more about xnPOS: Please visit our website www.xnpos.net Follow us on Linkedin www.linkedin.com/company/xnpos-by-xn-global-systems Mark Pearman Chief Commercial Officer, Xn Global Systems Limited KANSAS CITY, MO According to a flash study conducted by MMGY, more than 8 in 10 U.S. consumers still intend to travel for leisure over the next 12 months despite recent announcements regarding tariffs and declines in the market. The integrated travel marketing firm surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults to understand how the recent events may impact travel intentions. The following are key findings from the short survey fielded April 35: 83% of U.S. consumers still intend to travel over the next 12 months despite the recent executive orders and financial news. Thats down just 4% from MMGYs last Portrait of American Travelers study, which was fielded in mid-February. of U.S. consumers over the next 12 months despite the recent executive orders and financial news. Thats down just 4% from MMGYs last Portrait of American Travelers study, which was fielded in mid-February. 74% of U.S. consumers feel somewhat to extremely confident in their households financial situation for the next six months. This likely contributes to the fact that 70% of U.S. consumers intend to travel over that same period. of U.S. consumers feel for the next six months. This likely contributes to the fact that 70% of U.S. consumers intend to travel over that same period. In the next six to 12 months, 80% of U.S. consumers say their travel behavior will change as a result of the recent financial news. Most notably: 33% say they will travel closer to home 29% say they will change from an international destination to a domestic destination 24% say they will change to a less expensive mode of transportation 22% say they will change their length of stay of U.S. consumers as a result of the recent financial news. Most notably: Perception may also drive a shift from international travel to domestic travel in the coming year. Over half (53%) of U.S. consumers believe that American travelers will be less welcome in other countries as a result of the recent tariff policy decisions. Even in the face of economic uncertainty and polarizing headlines, the American traveler continues to show remarkable resilience. While many are adjusting their plans opting for shorter trips, closer-to-home destinations or more cost-effective options their intent to travel remains strong. This data underscores how travelers are making intentional trade-offs to protect the experiences that matter most. As an industry, our role is to meet them with value-driven offerings that reflect their optimism and adaptability. MMGY Global CEO Katie Briscoe For information and other travel industry research, visit MMGY Travel Intelligence online at mmgyintel.com. About MMGY Global MMGY Global is the world's leading integrated marketing firm specializing in the travel, hospitality and lifestyle industries. With operating brands across the world, the award-winning organization maintains a global communications practice in all marketing channels, serving many of the world's premier travel and tourism brands. As a company dedicated to the travel industry, MMGY Global strives to create a connected, inclusive and peaceful world by promoting travel as a cultural bridge of understanding. For more information, visit mmgyglobal.com. Phoenix, AZ IRECKONU, the leading guest experience middleware and customer data platform for hospitality, has been announced as the Title Sponsor of the GAIN (Growth Advisors International Network) VIP Networking Event at HITEC 2025, taking place on the prime Tuesday evening of June 17th, 2025, in Indianapolis. Held during HFTPs globally recognized HITEC conference, the GAIN VIP Networking Event is an exclusive, invite-only gathering designed to connect senior executives, investors, and innovators from across the hospitality technology and investment ecosystem. As per previous activations in Toronto 23 and Charlotte 24, which elevated the industrys overall VIP networking event experience, GAIN has secured the iconic Dallara IndyCar Factory, offering attendees a unique and immersive environment. The evening will feature a blend of high-powered networking, excellent F&B and thrilling experiential elements, including: A state-of-the-art corporate event space Interactive IndyCar racing simulators Street-legal rides in real IndyCars Self-guided access to the fully operational Dallara IndyCar Factory As Title Sponsor, IRECKONU will help shape a premium networking experience centered on hospitality innovation, collaboration, and growth. The title sponsorship reflects the companys ongoing commitment to empower hospitality brands through data-driven personalization and seamless guest experiences. Partnering, as Title Sponsor of the GAIN HITEC VIP Networking Event, represents a natural alignment of values. Our mission is to help hospitality brands deliver extraordinary guest journeys and drive strategies to build authentic guest loyalty. HITEC provides the global platform for this conversation, and were honored to be the Title Sponsor of an evening that fosters meaningful industry connections. Jan Jaap van Roon, Founder and CEO of IRECKONU Now in its third year, the GAIN HITEC VIP Networking Event has become a must-attend gathering for C-level and senior executive decision-makers, leading, as well as emerging vendors and thought leaders across the travel, hospitality, and investment sectors. The 2025 edition is expected to reach new heights in both attendance and impact. This collaboration with IRECKONU reflects GAINs ongoing commitment to bringing together the most forward-thinking minds in global hospitality innovation. Jan Jaap and his team are redefining what middleware and guest experience technology can do. Their role as Title Sponsor brings leadership, authenticity, and energy to what promises to be our most dynamic event yet. Michael C. Cohen, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at GAIN Full details on the impactful full group of industry sponsors, and the invite-only RSVP process will be further announced in mid-April. For partnership and media inquiries, please contact: [email protected] or [email protected] About IRECKONU Established in 2014, Ireckonu revolutionizes hospitality strategy through its sophisticated blend of Middleware expertise and an advanced Customer Data Platform. Empowering hotels with a unified, data-driven approach, Ireckonu strives for excellence in creating unmatched guest experiences. Globally trusted by distinguished brands like Okura, CitizenM, Hard Rock Hotels, and others, Ireckonu stands at the forefront, actively shaping the future of hospitality. About Growth Advisors International Network (GAIN) GAIN, the leading global travel & hospitality advisory firm for growth & innovation, is a specialized network of travel and hospitality industry veterans, innovators, and strategists. Through strategic industry access, networking and VIP events activations, and highly focused product, go to market and AI-enhanced advisory services, GAIN enables startups, scaleups and enterprise entities, to accelerate innovation and efficiently scale, in a rapidly evolving global marketplace. gainadvisors.com Honestly, we get your skepticism. If youve been setting prices manually or using a built-in PMS tool, and its been working (more or less), why change? You might have missed a few revenue opportunities, but it feels familiar. Why risk it? Turns out there are many real reasons to implement dynamic pricing using the RoomPriceGenie RMS. Back in 2019, we conducted a study with nine European hotels. The results showed that each property experienced an average revenue increase of 22% for a 19-room property, making it clear that automated dynamic pricing worked. But the industry, customer booking habits and technology have all come a long way since 2019 so we decided to find out exactly what our Revenue Management System can achieve for your property today. Our newest, largest performance study examined 567 properties from nine countries: Australia, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. And the results are in out of 567 properties using RoomPriceGenie, each experienced an average revenue increase of 19%. Lets break it down. How We Conducted the Study We didnt just pull numbers out of thin air. This study followed a strict methodology to ensure reliable, unbiased results: 567 properties across various markets and property sizes. across various markets and property sizes. Up to 700 days using RoomPriceGenie AutoPilot. using RoomPriceGenie AutoPilot. Comparing performance to the Same Time Last Year (STLY) to track improvements. to track improvements. Excluded properties with irregular usage patterns (e.g., switching AutoPilot off and on frequently). We examined core revenue metrics: total revenue, ADR (Average Daily Rate), and occupancy rates. The goal? To see if automated pricing really makes a difference. Spoiler alert: it does. The Results: Revenue Up 19% on Average The numbers spoke for themselves: Average revenue increase of 19% Average ADR increase of 4% Average occupancy increase of 14% These numbers confirmed that RoomPriceGenie helps increase room rates while driving higher occupancy, significantly increasing overall revenue. But dont forget about the benefit you gain beyond the revenue: time. What used to take days to several weeks to do is now possible in a single day. Kiki Shahabi, Steiner Residences Instead of spending 10 hours every month going over the pricing for the upcoming months, we can now complete it in about 15 minutes. Lucas Roth, Raincity Property Group When we switched to RoomPriceGenie, we very quickly saw the many benefits it would offer us. The intuitive system allowed me to make rate changes and implement different rate strategies at multiple properties quickly and easily. The RoomPriceGenie delivers excellent value for money. Pete Saunders, Oakman Group What Does a 19% Revenue Increase Mean for Your Property? Knowing that our RMS can increase your revenue by 19% is good, but what would 19% look like in terms of real money? Here are a few hypothetical examples: Small property with 10 rooms and $500,000 annual revenue $500,000 x 19% = $95,000 additional revenue per year Thats $792 more per room every month. Imagine what you can do with that: Buy 100 sets of high-thread-count linens ($5,000). Upgrade to premium mattresses ($7,500). (Just imagine all of the positive guest reviews raving about those new ultra-comfy beds!) Invest in Google ads to attract direct bookings ($4,000). Mid-sized property with 50 rooms and $2,000,000 annual revenue $2,000,000 x 19% = $380,000 additional revenue per year Thats $633 more per room every month. With that extra money, you could: Build a new website with direct booking functionality ($30,000). Hire two extra front desk team members to offer better guest service ($100,000). Install Smart TVs in all 50 rooms ($25,000). Larger property with 100 rooms and $5,000,000 annual revenue $5,000,000 x 19% = $950,000 additional revenue per year Thats $792 more per room every month. This extra revenue could pay for: An extensive social media ad campaign targeting new markets. A sustainability upgrade with solar panels. Creating a loyalty program to increase repeat guests and long-term brand loyalty. You could also invest in sales training for your front desk staff, run a social media ads campaign, or save for a rainy season. The choice is yours, and the amazing fact is that you have a choice! Your next question will probably be: are these properties like mine? Hotel Size Doesnt Matter in the Performance of our RMS One key insight from the study is that room count had no significant impact on revenue, ADR, or occupancy improvements. Whether you manage a cozy B&B in the Alps, a 100-room boutique hotel in Berlin, or a group of hotels in the UK, RoomPriceGenies automated revenue management system helps you maximize your revenue without the stress of constant price monitoring. Why These Results Matter for Hoteliers and Travel Accommodation Providers Revenue management isnt just about increasing prices. Its about finding the sweet spot where occupancy, rates, and guest satisfaction align perfectly. Yet many hoteliers are hesitant to trust automated solutions. Here are the most common concerns we hearand why theyre unfounded: 1. Will I lose control of my pricing? Absolutely not. With RoomPriceGenie, youre always in the drivers seat. Autopilot works based on the parameters you set, and you can adjust strategies anytime or even turn it off (if you prefer). 2. Wont fluctuating prices upset my guests? A study by the ZHAW School of Management and Law confirms that dynamic pricing does not significantly impact guest satisfaction. Travelers are used to dynamic pricing in other industries, like airlines or ride-sharing apps. More importantly, automated dynamic pricing ensures fair, demand-driven rates, helping properties stay competitive without unnecessary discounting or underpricing. 3. Is RoomPriceGenie really worth the investment? Our data says yes: 19% more revenue with less manual work. And the best part is you can try it for free to see the results for yourself. You can use our ROI calculator to determine the return on investment you could experience using RoomPriceGenie: Key Takeaways An average 19% increase in revenue across 567 properties in various markets worldwide. across 567 properties in various markets worldwide. ADR and occupancy improve together. With a 4% increase in ADR and a 14% boost in occupancy , properties benefit from higher rates and more booked nights. With a and a , properties benefit from higher rates and more booked nights. Hotel size doesnt matter. The benefits of automated pricing apply to all properties, regardless of the number of rooms. The benefits of automated pricing apply to all properties, regardless of the number of rooms. Hoteliers maintain control. RoomPriceGenies system can automatically optimize your prizes but you always have 100% control. Using RoomPriceGenies RMS gives your property the best chance at remaining competitive and increasing your overall profitability, no matter how the market changes. Want to see how RoomPriceGenie can help your property achieve similar results? Book a demo and start your free trial today. About RoomPriceGenie RoomPriceGenie, the award-winning revenue management system (RMS) for hoteliers, is the easiest way to ensure your rooms are priced right, every night. The solution is fast to implement, intuitive to use, simple to understand and completely transparent. Choose to be hands-off, letting the RMS act as an always-on pricing manager or jump in and control your price manually. Either way, RoomPriceGenie saves you time on adjusting your rates based on market trends and your property's performance. You can be confident your prices are always optimized to maximize revenue. In an uncertain world, it's revenue you can count on. Find out more at roompricegenie.com. MMGY Reports U.S. Travelers Undeterred By Tariffs and Recession Talk - Image Credit MMGY According to a flash study conducted by MMGY, more than 8 in 10 U.S. consumers still intend to travel for leisure over the next 12 months despite recent announcements regarding tariffs and market declines. The integrated travel marketing firm surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults to understand how recent events may impact travel intentions. The following are key findings from the short survey fielded April 35: 83% of U.S. consumers still intend to travel over the next 12 months despite the recent executive orders and financial news. Thats down just 4% from MMGYs last Portrait of American Travelers study, which was fielded in mid-February. 74% of U.S. consumers feel somewhat to extremely confident in their households financial situation for the next six months. This likely contributes to the fact that 70% of U.S. consumers intend to travel over that same period. In the next six to 12 months, 80% of U.S. consumers say their travel behavior will change as a result of the recent financial news. Most notably: 33% say they will travel closer to home 29% say they will change from an international destination to a domestic destination 24% say they will change to a less expensive mode of transportation 22% say they will change their length of stay of U.S. consumers as a result of the recent financial news. Most notably: Perception may also drive a shift from international travel to domestic travel in the coming year. Over half (53%) of U.S. consumers believe that American travelers will be less welcome in other countries as a result of the recent tariff policy decisions. Even in the face of economic uncertainty and polarizing headlines, the American traveler continues to show remarkable resilience, said MMGY Global CEO Katie Briscoe. While many are adjusting their plans opting for shorter trips, closer-to-home destinations or more cost-effective options their intent to travel remains strong. This data underscores how travelers are making intentional trade-offs to protect the experiences that matter most. As an industry, our role is to meet them with value-driven offerings that reflect their optimism and adaptability. For information and other travel industry research, visit MMGY Travel Intelligence online at mmgyintel.com. Kimpton La Mer Crete - Image Credit IHG Hotels & Resorts Bar at The Chania Hotel Crete, Vignette Collection - Image Credit IHG Hotels & Resorts IHG Hotels & Resorts announces the signing of two properties in Crete, Greece The Chania Hotel Crete, Vignette Collection and Kimpton Crete are owned by the Gelasakis Group. Both properties mark brand debuts in Greece and are set to open in 2025 and 2026, respectively. IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) has announced the signing of two properties on the island of Crete, Greece. The Chania Hotel Crete, Vignette Collection and Kimpton Crete, both owned by the Gelasakis Group, will mark the debut of these brands in Greece. The hotels are slated to open in 2025 and 2026 respectively. Situated in the Chania city center near the port and market, The Chania Hotel Crete, Vignette Collection will have 39 guestrooms, multiple dining options, a wellness center, and a heated rooftop plunge pool. Between Chania and Rethymno, Kimpton Crete will offer a luxury beach resort experience. The hotel, a 20-minute drive from Chania Airport, will sport 76 guestrooms, two restaurant offerings, a luxurious spa center with a seaside indoor pool, and direct access to Georgioupolis Beach. Willemijn Geels, Vice President, Development, Europe, IHG Hotels & Resorts, expressed delight at the debut of the luxury and lifestyle brands in Greece. She pointed out Chania's increasing popularity among high-end travelers and commented that adding two new properties would strengthen IHG's portfolio in the country. Antonis Gelasakis, CEO of Gelasakis Group's Travel & Hospitality Divisions, noted Greece's standing as a leading tourist destination in Europe and expressed excitement at partnering with IHG to bring two renowned brands to the country. The Vignette Collection, IHG's first collection brand, embodies distinct hotels that offer unique experiences. Each Vignette Collection hotel around the world provides a unique stay for guests. The brand has achieved over half its 10-year target of 100 hotels opening or operating worldwide within three years. As of December 2024, IHG Hotels & Resorts has five open properties and two Six Senses resorts under development in Greece. Hilton and Conferma Partner to Simplify Business Travel Payments with Virtual Card Payment - Image Credit Hilton Hilton, in partnership with Conferma, is introducing a first-of-its-kind virtual card payment technology to streamline business travel payments. The new solution aims to offer corporate travelers and companies a more efficient, flexible, and secure payment experience, eliminating the need for physical cards. To simplify business travel, Hilton has partnered with Conferma to introduce a novel virtual card payment system. This technology is set to be implemented in thousands of Hilton properties worldwide, marking a significant advancement in the business travel industry. The solution is designed to automate the integration of virtual card payment details into Hilton's property management system, thereby reducing the manual process associated with virtual corporate credit cards. Formerly, this process required receiving payment details through email or fax. However, the new technology integration will enable over 400 Travel Management Companies (TMCs) and thousands of corporate clients to benefit from a more efficient, flexible, and secure payment experience. Virtual cards are fast becoming the preferred payment method in the corporate travel sector, offering enhanced security, expense control, and spend reconciliation. Bookings made through Conferma's platform generate a unique virtual card number, which is securely shared with Hilton's property management system via API. This integration enhances the check-in process and guest experience by streamlining the process for travelers using virtual card payments, eliminating the need for physical cards, and helping to automate B2B payments. The partnership between Hilton and Conferma aims to transform corporate hotel payments, providing a seamless, secure, and stress-free solution that benefits business travelers, corporate finance teams, travel managers, travel management companies, and hoteliers. Virtual card technology is expected to enhance transaction security, reduce manual work and minimize customer friction. This paradigm shift in the industry will free business travelers from time-consuming administrative tasks, allowing hoteliers to focus on improving the business traveler experience. Fairmont Hotels Have a New (Website) Visitor A CIPA Class Action - Image Credit Unsplash+ A recent lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California alleges that Accor Management US Inc., the parent company of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, violated Californias privacy laws by improperly sharing users browsing and booking information with social media platforms without user consent. On March 19, 2025, Accor Hotels, through its Fairmont Hotels & Resorts brand, became one of the latest and one of highest profile defendants in a current wave of website litigation. In the complaint, the attorneys for Natalie Gianne, claimed that when she accessed the Fairmont Hotels website to book a room, Accor allowed social media platforms to intercept communications, including confidential guest records without her prior consent in violation of the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA, pronounced see-pa), and used that information to target her for advertisements. Hotel companies need to pay particular attention to this case and its implications. Hotels are attractive targets for claims like these they have broad website presence and have a public profile that makes these cases sensitive. In addition, large hotel companies are viewed as deep pockets that would be willing to settle. What is CIPA? The CIPA was originally adopted to adopted to protect California residents from a third party eavesdropping on a telephone call. As a result, in California and several other states, all parties to a phone call (including video calls) must consent to a recording. This is straightforward enough; however, CIPA plaintiffs, like Gianne, are extending the CIPA to information collected for website analytics purposes. Data analytics is the process of examining raw data to uncover patterns, draw conclusions, and make informed decisions, enabling businesses to optimize performance, improve efficiency, and make strategic decisions. In the website context, analytics involves collecting, measuring, analyzing and reporting data to understand and improve website usage. Where do the CIPA and Website Analytics Meet? Websites have employed third parties to analyze website usage for years. Website owners want to know how users came to their site, what they do when they are on the site, and where they go when they leave. Website owners can use this information to make sure their sites are easy to navigate; if, for example, a user leaves a website while making a purchase at a website, the website owners will want to know why. They want to know what drives users to their sites, and how they can get more visitors. Analytics can help a website owner boost their search engine ratings, determine the value of marketing campaigns, and track digital marketing efforts. Historically, analytics were internal a website owner would collect information from visitors and use that information to improve their website. The website owner might hire an outside service (Google Analytics is well known for providing this service). Information about the visitor might be collected by a third party, but only in anonymous, aggregated form, and was only shared with the website owner. Bringing us back to the CIPA and similar laws, no third party was involved, so no consent was required. Now, however, website owners have allowed (sometimes without their knowledge) social media companies like Facebook, LinkedIn and others to place tracking devices typically, pixel trackers and other invisible items) on the site; when a user visits a page where the tracking device is installed, the users browser is instructed to transmit information to the tracker. However, not all companies obtain user consent to these tracking devices. In this case, a user can argue that personal information was shared with a third party without consent, and that it constituted a violation of CIPA. How Should a Company Respond? Update Website Documentation . One of the most important steps is to evaluate and, if necessary, update existing website terms of use, cookie policy, and privacy disclosures to reflect what is allowed on the website. Website owners also need to implement processes to ensure and document consent. Typically, this is achieved through a cookie banner that a user must acknowledge before going to the site. However, the consent must be implemented carefully; its common for tracking technology to be triggered the moment a user lands on a site, which could be grounds for a claim that CIPA is being violated. Instead, no cookies or other trackers should be turned on until the user gives consent, something that website designers or privacy technicians can oversee. In addition, thought should be given to the form of the banner; it should provide for actual consent, which means that the consumer must be given a choice. As important as privacy policy disclosures are the terms of use. While these have long been seen as a boilerplate document and implemented with little thought, key terms can protect the website owner, including limitation on damages, enforceable arbitration clauses and, when possible, class action waivers. Act Quickly . When a company receives a CIPA claim, there are several things it (and its attorneys) should do to evaluate the seriousness of the claim: Does the claim bring any specific evidence? Some letters or complaints don t have specific information about the defendant or the basis for the claim, which may leave room for defenses. What law firm brought the action? Some firms are known for filing CIPA class action claims and may have a reputation for settling easily or as hard negotiators. Since class action claims are often arranged by attorneys, they can be seen as the adverse party. Does the demand letter include an offer for settlement? For better or worse, its often makes economic sense to resolve a case quickly, rather than spend unnecessary resources on litigation. This determination is more complicated that determining the cost of settlement against the cost of litigation. While a firm may want a quick and quiet resolution, it also should consider that a private, out of court may not protect them from future claims from other plaintiffs not included in this class. Could the claim be subject to arbitration? Arbitration is confidential and will avoid the uncertainty of a jury trial. In any case, responding to a claim, including a pre-litigation claim, requires experienced attorney. Counsel can evaluate the likelihood of litigation, preserve evidence and data, and conduct an internal investigation. A company needs evidence that can be used to challenge the CIPA claim, as well as class certification, but its important to gather it in a way that preserves the attorney/client privilege whenever possible. Bob Braun is a Senior Member of JMBMs Global Hospitality Group and is Co-Chair of the Firms Cybersecurity & Privacy Group. Bob has more than 20 years of experience in representing hotel owners and developers in their contracts, relationships and disputes with hotel managers, licensors, franchisors and brands, and has negotiated hundreds of hotel management and franchise agreements. His practice includes experience with virtually every significant hotel brand and manager. Bob also advises clients on condo hotel securities issues and many transactional matters, including entity formation, financing, and joint ventures, and works with companies on their data technology, privacy and security matters. These include software licensing, cloud computing, e-commerce, data processing and outsourcing agreements for the hospitality industry. In addition, Bob is a frequent lecturer as an expert in technology, privacy and data security issues, and is one of only two attorneys in the 2015 listing of SuperLawyers to be recognized for expertise in Information Technology. Bob is on the Advisory Board of the Information Systems Security Association, Los Angeles chapter, and a member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals. Contact Bob Braun at 310.785.5331 or rbraun@jmbm.com. Before ICE Checks In - Immigration Best Practices for Hotels By Isabelle Bibet-Kalinyak, Esq. and Ryan A. ODonnell, Esq. The broad immigration agenda of the current U.S. administration is of particular importance to the hospitality industry, which tends to utilize a high percentage of international employees. Enforcement actions in the hospitality industry have increased dramatically over the last few months. Immigration compliance obligations of employers, including hotels, remain relatively unchanged, but, with the rise of enforcement actions, it is important for hotels to revisit their current employment practices related to compliance with immigration law. Employers need to have a plan in place if they are the subject of an enforcement action, whether in the form of an I-9 audit or a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) knock on the door. Immigration compliance for hotels Immigration compliance begins with hiring practices. Hotels have to walk a fine line: It is not legal to discriminate based on national origin or citizenship status, nor is it legal to employ individuals who are not authorized to work in the United States (W2 or 1099). Hiring managers must choose their words carefully when discussing a candidates immigration status. It is not permissible to: Ask if a candidate is a U.S. citizen Ask if a candidate has a green card Request specific immigration documents Request more, or different, documents than the minimum required under Form I-9 regulations It is however permissible to: Ask Are you legally authorized to work in the U.S.? Ask Will you now, or in the future, require sponsorship for an employment visa? Request details about status & history and consult legal counsel as needed Employers do not have to hire candidates requiring sponsorship. Employers generally engage in this process based on valid business needs, such as when another comparable candidate is not available. Hotels may leverage a variety of visa types, including H-2B visas for non-agricultural temporary workers. For every employee hired or re-hired, employers must complete Form I-9 within three business days. Employers are responsible for establishing identity and employment authorization via one of the approved documents and may use the federal governments E-Verify system to confirm the validity of the document. Completed Form I-9s must be kept on hand and presented to law enforcement upon request. Preparing a hotel for potential ICE enforcement Responding to a written Notice of Inspection (NOI) or Form I-9 audit can be fairly straightforward. But dealing with an unannounced U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid can be more complicated and stressful. Preparation is key, and a good first step is to preventatively appoint and train a liaison or representative. All questions and communications with government officials should be funneled through this person. If ICE arrives at your hotel, you should immediately contact your appointed representative, as well as legal counsel. Then, establish if the law enforcement official has a warrant or subpoena. It is important to note that ICE may still enter certain spaces in the absence of these documents. Law enforcement officials can enter a public space without a judicial warrant such as: Hotel lobby/reception Dining room Patio Parking lot Examples of private spaces they cannot enter are: Individual hotel rooms or offices Places marked with Private sign Areas that are normally maintained with closed or locked doors Kitchens and other areas that visitors or the general public cannot enter without permission If ICE has a warrant or subpoena, your representative needs to determine the scope and type of document presented. A judicial warrant signed by a judge requires compliance from an employer if the business is identified on the warrant. Other types of warrants such as administrative warrants, warrants of removal, or deportation orders do not require compliance from employers. Similarly, employers must comply with a judicial subpoena, but not immediately a judicial subpoena can be challenged in court. On the other hand, an administrative subpoena does not require compliance from an employer. These nuances can be difficult to parse in the heat of the moment when law enforcement makes an unexpected visit. Thats why it is important for the appointed representative to remain calm, ask the right questions, and follow the procedures outlined by management and comply with the law. Isabelle Bibet-Kalinyak and Ryan A. ODonnell are partners at the law firm Pullman & Comley with offices in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York. ODonnell leads the firms Hospitality practice and Bibet-Kalinyak leads the firms Immigration practice. Wait! Before you go Please sign up for our Evening Digest and Breaking Newsletters Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Patrick Doyle, one of the speakers against the petition at Tuesday's City Council, displays the sign he brought. Pittsfield Council Files 'Median Safety' Petition Mayor Peter Marchetti tells the council that he has been 'pretty beaten up' over the median proposal. PITTSFIELD, Mass. The City Council put a controversial petition that triggered a protest and dozens of public speakers to rest. On Tuesday, it filed a proposed "median safety" ordinance that would have banned pedestrians from obstructing a median or traffic island and require 5 feet between people and motor vehicles at five city intersections, including Park Square. The measure is widely seen as a way to stop panhandling but could also affect protests. "We need to continue to work together, and we all need to take care of all of us and we always have. We've always listened. We've always moved things forward that makes Pittsfield better, not worse," Councilor at Large Kathy Amuso said. "Again, we can move forward. We can take a step, we can build on this and, I think, as you've seen, we listen. We take what you tell us seriously, and we also want people to be in a better position and feel safe." Fifteen public speakers, some returning and some new, spoke against the petition. Community members asserted that it is an attack on poverty rather than a safety measure and, if passed, the city would join other municipalities in being sued. Many called for resources to address the root of the problem: poverty and homelessness. "I ask that tonight, instead of piling on to those who are already suffering with problems you are well familiar with, that you file this proposed ordinance and put more time and energy into things that already save people's lives, instead of making them more difficult," said Michael Denton, pastor of United Church of Christ Pittsfield. Mayor Peter Marchetti said he got "pretty beaten up over this." Last month, about three dozen people gathered at Park Square to protest the proposal. "From day one, I have been doing the job of trying to take care of the exact people that I'm now being accused of trying to make disappear," he said, pointing to his administration's establishment of the Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force. He said the upcoming budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 includes three new co-responders working alongside police who would be funded by the city's Opioid Settlement account. In July 2021, the attorney general entered into an agreement with the major distributors of opioids. This includes payments to communities to address issues associated with opioid addiction and prevention and the city expects to receive $2,221,991.49 over its term. Mother and daughter duo Paula Mlynarski and Casey Christopher have opened House of Polish nail salon on Housatonic Street in Lenox. The former chamber offices were repainted and renovated over the winter. PreviousNext House of Polish Opens in Lenox An example of nail art by Casey Christopher from her Instagram. LENOX, Mass. Mother and daughter duo Paula Mlynarski and Casey Christopher have a passion for art and they are expressing their creativity together through nail design. They opened House of Polish , a nail studio, last month on Housatonic Street. Mlynarski has been a licensed cosmetologist since 2006 and worked as a nail technician at Nails by Silvia and at Evergreen Salon in Pittsfield. Christopher says she always had a passion for art and got her manicurist license through the Monarch School of Cosmetology. Mlynarski says she convinced her daughter to go to nail school last summer. "It's actually amazing," she said of Christopher. "She's got this natural ability for it and picked it up so fast and she's getting ready to surpass me." The two also took classes with Dylan Pritchard, known as the " Nail Whisperer " on Instagram. "I've always wanted to do something with art and my mom was showing me what she was doing, and I was like this was cool, I could see myself doing this," Christopher said. "So seeing what she was doing everyday, these little tiny pictures on so many different set of nails, it was something I was very drawn to." Mlynarski was looking for space when she drove by 4 Housatonic St., the former Lenox Chamber of Commerce, and saw it was for lease. Within the week, she called, met with the landlord, and signed a five-year lease on Oct. 1 last year. "It was empty for quite some time while they renovated it, so it was a blank slate and I was like, yes, I can do this here, I can put this here, I can already see it," she said, adding she told her landlord, "I was like sign me up if you're ready, I'm ready." The space features large windows, vintage tile flooring, and bright pink, purple and red plush seating, and several comfortable nail stations. They would eventually like to host events and parties for their customers. "I would love to incorporate some other events in the space. I'd like to maybe do a book club or a monthly some sort of art meet and greet," Mlynarski said. Mlynarski and Christopher hope to be a place where patrons can enjoy getting their nails done and hang out as well as educate their customers on their nails and care. "You have someone come in and they have some fungus underneath their toes or under their finger, instead of just servicing them and putting polish back on it, let's help them and teach them and give them the product to get rid of it," Mlynarski said. "Let's help make it better for you and give you a more positive experience, so I want to help educate customers too because its important. When you walk into a nail salon you should know what the products are that people are using on you." One of the inspirations behind Mlynarski starting this business was to have a place for her daughter to make a career. "It's been nice to be able to work together and have our own space together," she said. "Just be together working and trying to make her financially independent. So, my goal is for her to be able to afford the space herself and then once she can it will be hers. So that's the plan to give her a career." Christopher, in turn, see this as an inspiring opportunities for her son. "A lot of it's for him and for him to have a better future and to, you know, see that there are jobs out there that you don't have to feel like you're grinding away every single day, mindlessly, like there is definitely jobs out there that do make people genuinely happy and I think I've found mine which is just nice," she said. They also would like to continue that inspiration by helping others who are interested in learning how to do nails. "I want to share my knowledge with all of the young girls who want to do nails. If you want to learn, my door is open for you to come anytime and sit and ask questions," Mlynarski said. House of Polish offers pedicures, manicures and art nails. Prices range from $45 to $70, with add-ons extra. Services are by appointment but they have had walk-ins now that the weather is warmer. "It's nice weather, there's lots of foot traffic, people are banging on the door and calling and it's just been a really nice slow and steady uptick of customers," Mlynarski said. State Senate to Commission Bust of Elizabeth Freeman A bronze sculpture of Elizabeth Freeman in Sheffield. BOSTON A bust of Berkshires' freedom fighter Elizabeth Freeman, the first enslaved woman to successfully sue for her freedom in the United States, will be commissioned and placed in the state Senate Chamber. The Senate will also commission a bust of women's rights leader and presidential adviser Abigail Adams. They will be the first permanent busts depicting women in the State House, and the first in the Senate Chamber's collection of sculptures. "The story and spirit of the Berkshires' own Elizabeth Freeman serves as a testament to the promise of equality and freedom that our commonwealth was founded upon," said state Sen. Paul Mark in a statement. "I am so grateful to my Senate colleagues who voted to memorialize this amazing woman with a bust in the Senate Chamber, bringing further equality, inspiration, and representation to our historic State House building." State Sen. Julian Cyr, chair of the Senate Art Commission, said the selection of the two women "marks an important step in our ongoing work to recognize the women and individuals who have shaped Massachusetts but have too often been overlooked in our history books." Freeman, also known as Mum Bett, was born into slavery around 1744. Attorney Theodore Sedgwick of Sheffield represented Freeman in her fight for freedom in 1781 in one of the most important legal cases in Massachusetts history: It helped establish that slavery was incompatible with the state's founding principles. Freeman and a man named Brom sued for their freedom under the new state Constitution from the man who enslaved them, John Ashley, who was also ordered to pay them damages. full-size bronze of Freeman was installed in 2022 in front of the Old Parish Church at 125 Main St. in Sheffield. After gaining her freedom, Freeman became a respected healer and midwife, later securing her place in history as a trailblazer for civil rights. She died in 1829 and is buried in the Sedgwick family plot in Stockbridge. Abigail Adams, known for urging the Founding Fathers to "remember the ladies," was an early advocate for women's rights and education. As a trusted adviser to her husband, President John Adams, she managed their household and finances while influencing political discourse through her letters. Adams and Freeman were the top two choices of the Senate, where members selected them from four finalists chosen by the Senate Art Committee out of a pool of more than 300 nominations submitted by Massachusetts residents. Committee members selected the finalists following a series of public meetings. The Art Committee will now select an artist to create the sculptures. Freeman's will be only the third piece of art in the Senate honoring a woman leader, joining portraits of Abigail Adams and former Senate President Therese Murray, and the 22nd permanent piece of art honoring a woman in the State House. The contributions of women have "too long" been absent in State House art, said Senate President Karen Spilka. "Their presence will help us send a clear message to every woman who walks our halls: you belong here. I am deeply grateful to Senator Cyr for his leadership, and to the Senate Art Committee members for lending their expertise to a Senate that strives for better representation." Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A new star is born. The British firmament of modern political and military history is already a glittering one, but established names must now make way for a new companion, Timothy Pleydell-Bouverie. His first book, Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War, was a deserved success. His second, Allies at War: The Politics of Defeating Hitler, proves that his debut was no flash in the pan. Bouveries scope is wide, taking in the history of those relationships, which lay behind the creation and maintenance (just) of the greatest military alliance the world has ever seen: the British Empire, the United States, and the Soviet Union. We start with British policy based on the presumed rock of the French army; with Stalin supporting the German economy and war machine after the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact; and with western outrage at Russias invasion of Finland in 1939. In London sits the unpleasant figure of Joseph Kennedy Sr, the US ambassador, delighting in what he foresaw as the inevitable defeat of Britain. We end with the total victory of the Big Three: Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin, the last now our beloved Uncle Joe. And Poland, for whom we first went to war, betrayed. Churchill understood that winning would be, for the democracies, a matter of maintaining public support. He often drove the chiefs of staff mad with schemes that made no sense at all in military terms, but were designed to build pride in the honour of the cause for which free people were fighting. Churchills ludicrous plot for a second British Expeditionary Force (BEF) to return to France after Dunkirk; his insistence on the doomed defence of Greece and his unswerving defence of France (in spite of all Charles de Gaulles insults) all these derived partly from his sense of chivalry but also partly from his understanding that people had to believe in what they were fighting for: survival, yes, but honour, too. In the period when the British Empire was fighting alone, it was vital to show the likes of doubting US ambassador Kennedy that we would fight, and would not be defeated. We were not the lost cause that the isolationists claimed. A good many desperate enterprises were undertaken to demonstrate that we were serious, including the partial destruction of the French Fleet at Mers-el-Kebir allies who were friends only weeks before. In what is news to this reviewer at least, Bouverie shows that Churchill had cleared this with Roosevelt in advance. After Hitlers invasion of Russia, and then following Pearl Harbour, the great alliance which in the end would defeat the Axis forces, was formed. In his book, Bouverie lays clear both its strengths and its weaknesses. Its strength was their common enemy; its weakness was their irreconcilable post-war aims. Roosevelt passionately believed in the construction of a new world order, safe for the world and also for the almighty dollar. He was wholly unsentimental about his British allys future. Very hard bargains were driven in return for the supply of armaments including forced sales to US interests of British overseas assets. Britain had rebuilt her net overseas assets after the First World War; all those and more were effectively sold cheap for dollars in the Second. open image in gallery Pals in politics: The unity of the Big Three wavered due to each parts post-war aims ( US Navy ) Unlike the Soviet Union, who likewise received massive US (and very considerable British) aid, we went on paying for all this to the US until the first decade of the 21st century. All our military secrets, Bouverie shows, were given to America, up to and including the atom bomb research. Bouverie could have mentioned penicillin, too. Nothing came the other way. But it was necessary: we had nothing else to trade. The Red Army drove west in Michigan-made Chevrolet trucks, but Stalin obliterated any memory of the Western help without which Russian heroism might well not have been enough. The unity of the Big Three was often fractious and worse: Roosevelt could humiliate Churchill in front of Stalin every bit as much as Trump humiliated Zelensky in the White House. Bouverie charts the personal fallings-out and the reconciliations with great sensitivity and sometimes humour. Dreadful and dangerous beliefs in personal relationships often had terrible consequences. Poland was ultimately sacrificed at least partly because Roosevelt, and for a time Churchill too, genuinely trusted Stalin. Horrible things were agreed at Yalta and before involving the repatriation of people to their deaths in the Soviet Union Uncle Joe was, after all, such a good chap. open image in gallery Keeping up appearances: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin at a private dinner party to celebrate Churchills 69th birthday ( Getty ) Reading this powerful and well-researched book left this reviewer with one very uncomfortable feeling. Read from the point of view of an isolationist, right-wing American political adviser of today, you could find precedent in what the sainted Roosevelts did to the British for just about everything President Trumps administration is currently doing to Ukraine. Take their assets to pay for any help we give! Settle the boundaries of Europe in a way that satisfies Uncle Joe/my friend Putin! Russias interests do not really diverge from Americas! Good old Vlad just wants safe borders. Britain/Ukraine/Europe is on the way out anyway. And I have looked into Uncle Joes/my friend Putins eyes and I know I can trust him! But Roosevelt had another, very different side to him that ensured his legacy. He was determined not to do a Woodrow Wilson by letting the US scuttle home after the war to leave the world brewing up its next one. He believed profoundly in the values of liberal democracy and wanted his legacy to be a framework for peace, which would have the power and the prestige to prevent war. He left the embryonic UN and the Bretton Woods structures to try to ensure it. Roosevelt understood that the interests of the US and the almighty dollar depended on worldwide order. His safe place in history derives not least from his recognition that American power was the power of a law-based nation, and that spreading a law-based order was not only in the interest of his own people, but of the world as a whole. President Trump is said to admire FDR: he gets the ruthlessness, but does not seem to understand the greatness. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Adam Mondschein, who played a doctor in It Ends With Us, has said he was surprised by claims Blake Lively made in her legal action against director and co-star Justin Baldoni. When Lively filed an amended lawsuit against Baldoni in February, one of her complaints was that he had cast his friend Mondschein to play the doctor for a scene in which she was depicted giving birth. The legal complaint stated that Baldoni introduced his best friend to play the role of the OBGYN, when ordinarily, a small role of this nature would be filled by a local actor. It continued: Ms Lively felt that the selection of Mr Baldonis friend for this intimate role, in which the actors face and hands were in close proximity to her nearly nude genitalia for a birth scene, was invasive and humiliating. In a new statement to Page Six, Mondschein said: Im not going to speculate as to Ms Livelys motivations for mentioning me in the complaint. Needless to say, my experience working with her is very different than the one she described in her lawsuit. Indeed, I was surprised to read her description of the scene. Adam Mondschein, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni ( Getty ) Responding to the suggestion that Lively was nearly nude, Mondschein claims: Her costume included a full hospital gown, black shorts and torso-covering prosthetic to make her appear pregnant in addition to whatever personal garments she chose. He goes on to state that Lively never complained or expressed discomfort at any point because nothing unusual or improper occurred. It was entirely professional. As to whether another actor should have been cast, Mondschein wrote: Ms Livelys insinuations regarding my qualifications are offensive, as my bonafides are easily searchable online. Lastly, I was, in fact, a local hire (my wife and I are from New York and spend significant time there). As such, I, like any actor accepting that contract, was required to cover my own travel and living expenses in connection with the job. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Mondschein added that he would be willing to testify if the lawsuit makes it to trial, saying: If Im called to testify in the case I will answer truthfully, and more freely, whatever is asked of me with all the legal protection that affords. In particular, by noting that Ms Lively was not nearly nude in the scene we shot together. The case is currently scheduled to go to trial starting March 9, 2026. Lively is suing Baldoni for sexual harassment and a campaign to destroy her reputation following the release of the film, which was based on a novel by Colleen Hoover. Baldoni is also suing The New York Times for $250m over their reporting of the case, and he is countersuing Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds for allegedly attempting to destroy his reputation and career. Get the inside track from Roisin O'Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Groundbreaking rock artist Skin will appear as a keynote speaker at this years The Great Escape festival in Brighton, where her band Skunk Anansie will also headline The Independents stage in a rare intimate performance. The iconic frontwoman will sit down with The Independents Music Editor Roisin OConnor to discuss her extraordinary career and the many milestones she has achieved over the years, including becoming the first Black British woman to headline Glastonbury Festival in 1999. In the exclusive keynote conversation, which will be held on Friday 16 May, Skin will offer insights into the tumultuous period that shaped Skunk Anansies new album, The Painful Truth, which is scheduled for release on 23 May, as well as offering her views on the music industry today. The news comes as part of an announcement for the conference that a number of other new speakers, including representatives from Warner Music, UK Music and the BBC. Previously announced are high-profile names including Rizzle Kicks star and author Jordan Stephens, and Simon Raymonde of Cocteau Twins and co-founder of the record label Bella Union. Skunk Anansies TGE performance will mark the only chance fans have to see the band in an intimate club setting as part of their sold-out UK tour. open image in gallery Skunk Anansie (fronted by Skin) are one of Britains most pioneering rock bands ( Getty Images ) I dont care that we were big in the Nineties, Skin said in a statement about their album, The Painful Truth. Creatively its irrelevant because in my rock bible the first commandment states, If thy rest on them laurels thy shall wither up and die artistically, musically, mentally. And then financially. Meanwhile, The Independent is returning for the third consecutive year as The Great Escapes exclusive news partner, bringing readers the latest coverage of the event along with interviews and special offers. This years TGE festival will include an additional day of music on Wednesday 14 May, offering guests a chance to discover a wealth of new bands and artists in some of Brightons best-loved music venues. The Great Escape Festival takes place between 14 to 17 May. Tickets are on sale now. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice In 2016, eight-year-old Piper Rockelle uploaded her first YouTube video a clip of her making homemade slime. By 2018, her online popularity had boomed with the help of her momager, Tiffany Smith, who managed to enlist several other fellow child influencers to start collaborating on videos. Referred to as The Squad, the group began pumping out content. On camera, they appeared to be having a good time filming clips of everyday vlogs and pranks. But behind the scenes, a different story was unfolding. Four years later, 11 former Squad members sued Smith for $22 million, alleging they suffered emotional, verbal, physical, and at times, sexual abuse while creating content for Rockelles channel. Through interviews with former Squad members and their parents, Netflix dives deep into this disturbing tale in its new three-part docuseries, Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing. Who are Tiffany Smith and Piper Rockelle? Smith raised her only daughter, Rockelle, as a single mother in Canton, Georgia. Growing up, Rockelle dreamed of fame after watching TLCs Toddlers & Tiaras, according to the Los Angeles Times. At just four years old, Rockelle entered and won her first beauty pageant. From then on, Smith committed herself to ensuring her daughters success. A lot of people think that shes living her life that she didnt have and pursuing it through me, Rockelle told the outlet in 2022. Absolutely not. Shes making this so perfect for me. open image in gallery Tiffany Smith (right), the mother of YouTube star Piper Rockelle (left), was sued by 11 teen content creators for alleged emotional, sexual and physical abuse ( Netflix ) After a few years in the pageant world, Rockelle became, as Smith described it, defeated. So, in May 2016, when Rockelle expressed interest in social media, her mother approved. With Smiths consent, Rockelle opened an account on the app Musical.ly, which would later become TikTok. Rockelle quickly became one of the platforms more popular creators. In November of that year, Rockelle was invited out to Los Angeles for a meet-and-greet with other Musical.ly stars. There, she was approached by a manager, who wanted to represent her and suggested she start a YouTube channel. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. It wasnt long before Rockelles subscriber count started to grow. Smith then began recruiting other young influencers, such as Sophie Fergi, to collaborate on videos. At the direction of Smith and her boyfriend, Hunter Hill (now 28), the group dubbed The Squad consistently filmed videos out of Smith and Rockelles Los Angeles home. Their videos garnered billions of views and earned them millions of dollars. Youve got to remember, a lot of these kids joined The Squad during Covid, said The Dark Side of Kidfluencing co-director Jenna Rosher on an episode of Netflixs You Cant Make This Up podcast. And a lot of these kids were actors. They werent in a regular school situation, they were mostly homeschooled. The Squad provided this amazing community and an opportunity to meet friends and make videos together. However, things quickly began to spiral out of control. Between 2017 and 2020, several original Squad members quit the group due to Smith allegedly fostering a toxic environment. The childrens parents also claimed to have witnessed disturbing behavior by Smith. Why was Tiffany Smith sued by former members of The Squad? In January 2022, 11 former Squad members sued both Smith and Hill, who often appeared in videos with Rockelle, for alleged emotional, verbal, physical, and at times, sexual abuse while creating content for the latters YouTube channel. According to the $22 million lawsuit, Smith was described as a mean-spirited control freak who allegedly made wildly offensive and sexually explicit comments about childrens genitalia. open image in gallery Piper Rockelle (middle) and members of The Squad ( Netflix ) Lawyers accused Smith of touching the children on their legs, thighs, and buttocks, while one plaintiff said Smith mailed several of Rockelles bras and underwear to an unknown individual who liked to smell this stuff. The plaintiffs were asked to stage romantic crushes on each other for the purpose of Rockelles video content, including one video from 2021 in which several children participated in a last to stop kissing game. They were allegedly given very sexually explicit instructions during filming, such as aggressively kissing each other and wearing sexually revealing clothing. Tiffany absolutely wanted to do more questionable content to get more views and likes, former Squad member Sawyer Sharbino claimed in the documentary. The filing also included claims that the plaintiffs werent compensated for the use of their names, images, and likenesses in Rockelles content. Meanwhile, nine of the plaintiffs alleged that Smith and Hill sabotaged their YouTube channels after they left the Squad by falsely flagging their content as inappropriate, using bots to drive down their subscriptions, and embedding their videos on pornographic websites. What is the status of the lawsuit? open image in gallery Tiffany Smith was accused of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse by 11 former members of The Squad ( Netflix ) Months after the initial lawsuit was filed, Smith filed a $30 million countersuit and accused the plaintiffs mothers of making false sexual abuse allegations to extort her. However, she quickly dropped the lawsuit voluntarily, with lawyers representing the mothers calling her countersuit baseless. Before they were able to go to trial, both parties agreed to a $1.8 million settlement. As part of the settlement terms, Smith denied any wrongdoing. This lawsuit was never about money, Fergi clarified in the documentary. It was to make sure she couldnt do what she did to me to another kid. What is Piper Rockelle doing now? Rockelle, now 17, is still making YouTube videos but at a far less frequent rate than before. Her most recent video was posted in December 2024. She also maintains a significant presence on her Instagram, often posting photos with her boyfriend, fellow creator Capri Jones. Following the allegations against her mother, YouTube demonetized Rockelles channel in February 2022, making her YouTube channel unable to receive revenue from ads. Still, the controversy didnt seem to have had a lasting effect on Rockelles fanbase. She currently has 6.1 million followers on Instagram, 14.8 million on TikTok, and 12.1 million subscribers on YouTube. To this day, Rockelle insists her mother is innocent and did not do any of those things that they said. And Ill stand by my mom to the end, she said in a statement to USA Today. She additionally claimed the accusations are mean, untrue, and honestly all about money. Honestly, I just want to move on from all of this because its really painful to deal with every day, Rockelle added. And not surprisingly, my mental health has suffered more than anyone knows. Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing is streaming on Netflix. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice ITV News presenter Paul Brand has issued a statement about his health after viewers were left worried about his appearance. The 39-year-old Welsh broadcaster sparked concern when he presented the News at Ten on Monday (7 April) with what appeared to be a droopy eye. Viewers were alarmed, and shared their thoughts on social media. The comments ranged from mild curiosity to wild theories about serious health issues. Paul Brand looks as if his face has dropped on the right hand side, wrote one person. That could be the sign of a stroke or Bells Palsy. Another added: "Has Paul Brand had an allergic reaction / hay fever reaction in his right eye?" Brand cleared up the concern with an update on his social media, telling his fans: "For those asking, the dodgy eye is just a product of a toddler's grubby fingers. Hopefully less red tomorrow." He then shared a further update on Tuesday (8 April), writing: Eye slightly less weird today. open image in gallery Brands appearance raised concern among viewers ( ITV ) Brand shares one son with his partner Joe Cuddeford. The newsreader has been UK editor at ITV News since 2021. He started his career in journalism as a production journalist at ITV Wales in 2008. He then worked as a political correspondent for ITV Yorkshire and ITV Tyne Tees and Border. Having joined ITV News as a political correspondent in 2016, he occasionally presents Good Morning Britain and also presented the current affairs programmed Tonight for the past three years. Brand has been open about the homophobic abuse he has faced on social media in 2022, when he was at the centre of reporting on Covid law-breaking in Downing Street and Whitehall. open image in gallery Newsreader said his eye was slightly less weird after his appearance sparked concern ( Instagram/PaulBrandTV ) After breaking several agenda-setting exclusive stories on the Partygate scandal, including a picture of Boris Johnson raising a glass at the leaving do of his former spin doctor, Lee Cain, some speculated about who his sources were. A Tory MP also suggested that the image was linked to Brands husband who is a civil servant. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. He clarified the misconception writing: Its been an education in how disinformation spreads. Inevitably it became pretty homophobic and grim so in order to protect the people I love I felt I had to tweet this. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The actor Matt Bomerappeared on Mondays episode of Jesse Tyler Fergusons podcast, speaking about how he felt when the media outed his sexuality. Bomer came out as gay publicly in 2012 during the Chase Humanitarian Awards, thanking his partner, Simon Halls, during his speech. However, Bomer told Ferguson that outlets such as Perez Hilton took over [his] own personal narrative before [he] even had a chance to. Speculation around Bomers sexuality was rife before he came out, with tabloid media outlets discussing his personal relationships before he ever had. It wasnt because I didnt want to, Bomer emphasised, I didnt even have an opportunity to. The actor also spoke of his concern that he didnt want his family to feel like they were some kind of shameful secret or something I was sweeping under the rug so I could have a great career. Although Bomer had never officially come out to the media, he never hid his sexuality when out in public. Jonathan Bailey and Matt Bomer in Fellow Travelers ( Paramount+ ) Bomer said he didnt feel that he had the platform to actually announce his sexuality, adding that his right to come out publicly was stolen by people who did have a microphone at the time. The actor starred as Neal Caffrey in White Collar and, more recently, as Hawkins in Fellow Travelers. Fellow Travelers, which aired on Paramount in 2023, explores the effects on LGBTQ people who are forced to live in the closet in the 1950s. Set in Washington, DC, Bomer stars opposite Jonathan Bailey. The two start an intense affair as Senator McCarthy (Chris Bauer) launches the Lavender Scare, a persecution of gay people in the United States. Bomer said it was refreshing to play the part of a gay man, particularly after both White Collar and Magic Mike cast him in the mold of a straight leading man. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Popular YouTuber MrBeast has spoken out against President Donald Trumps extensive tariffs, claiming they will make it way cheaper to produce his chocolate bars overseas. Hours before the presidents sweeping tariffs on all global imports went into effect, the internet star (real name Jimmy Donaldson), who in 2022 launched his Feastables snack company, took to X to comment on the brutal situation. Ironically because of all the new tariffs it is now way cheaper to make our chocolate bars we sell globally NOT in America because other countries dont have a 20%+ tariff on our cogs, MrBeast, 26, wrote on Tuesday. According to the Feastables website, the products are designed in MrBeasts hometown of Greenville, North Carolina, but manufactured in Peru and other parts of the U.S. Btw we pay our farmers a living income, use fair trade certified beans, etc. so I was already spending a lot on cocoa, he added, noting that a random price hike was pretty brutal ngl [not going to lie]. Well figure it out. I feel for small businesses though, MrBeast said, predicting that this could really be a nail in the coffin for them. Popular YouTuber MrBeast has called out the president's 'brutal' tariffs ( Getty Images ) MrBeast is just the latest high-profile figure to lash out at the presidents controversial tariffs. Its a bad idea. If things were done in such a way where you could follow the logic, I would be all for it, Whoopi Goldberg said on a recent episode of The View. But I dont know what hes doing. I dont like what hes doing. The president has insisted that the levies, which took effect Wednesday at midnight, will have a roaring effect on Americas economy with the return of jobs and factories to U.S. soil. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. More production at home will mean stronger competition and lower prices for consumers. This will indeed be the Golden Age of America, Trump said at a Liberation Day press conference. However, other countries have since implemented their own retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods. China has been slapped with an additional 50 percent duty on top of the original 34 percent tariff after it refused to back down from imposing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods. This led China to increase its original 34 percent tariffs to 84 percent on U.S. goods from Thursday. The escalating trade war between the worlds two largest economies has shaken global markets, prompting a widespread sell-off and rattling investor confidence. Economists have warned that U.S. consumers are likely to face higher prices on everything from sneakers to wine as a result of the trade war. However, the full effects of Wednesdays tariffs may not be felt for some time, as any goods already in transit as of midnight will be exempt from the new levies as long as they arrive in the U.S. by May 27. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Pitt star Noah Wyle has, for the first time, publicly addressed the lawsuit accusing the series of being an unauthorized reboot of the seminal hospital drama ER. Wyle, 53, and Warner Bros. TV are being sued alongside executive producer John Wells and showrunner R. Scott Gemill, both of whom also worked on ER by the estate of ER creator Michael Creaton. The lawsuit alleges that Wells and Wyle, who played Dr. John Carter in ER, dreamed up The Pitt after the Crichton estate blocked plans to bring back the original show. Warner Bros. TV has denied the allegations, calling them false and meritless. Asked about the lawsuit in a new interview with Variety, Wyle said: The only thing that I can legally speak to is how I feel emotionally, which is just profoundly sad and disappointed. This taints the legacy, and it shouldnt have, he admitted. At one point, this could have been a partnership. And when it wasnt a partnership, it didnt need to turn acrimonious. But on the 30th anniversary of ER, Ive never felt less celebratory of that achievement than I do this year. Wyle insisted that once the ER reboot didnt come to fruition, we pivoted as far in the opposite direction as we could in order to tell the story we wanted to tell and not for litigious reasons, but because we didnt want to retread our own creative work. Noah Wyle as Dr. Robby in The Pitt ( Max ) ER, which ran for 15 seasons from 1994 to 2009, focused on the professional and personal lives of a group of Chicago doctors. Besides Wyle, it also starred George Clooney, Anthony Edwards, Julianna Margulies, and Laura Innes. Meanwhile, The Pitt, which has become an instant success for Max after its January debut, follows the 15-hour shift of Wyles Dr. Robby and his fellow ER workers at an underfunded Pittsburgh hospital. Each episode spans an hour of the shift. We really wanted to find something new for ourselves, Wyle told Variety. And in some ways, thats what was so disheartening about the whole thing. We really felt like wed done it. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Filed last August, the lawsuit alleges: The Pitt is ER. Its not like ER. Its not kind of ER. Its not sort of ER. It is ER with the exact same executive producer, writer, star, production companies, studio and network as the planned ER reboot. Despite the Crichton estates efforts to get a judge to issue an injunction on The Pitt, which would halt production, the series was renewed for a second season in early February. However, a week later, a judge denied Warner Bros. TVs motion to dismiss the lawsuit, saying the Plaintiffs meet the minimal merit standard to demonstrate at least a prima facie case that The Pitt is derived from ER. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice At least 20 people were killed in a major fire that engulfed a nursing home in northern China's Hebei province Tuesday night. The fire in Chengde city, about 180km from the national capital Beijing, broke out at around 9pm local time and 20 people were confirmed dead by 3am on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported. At least 19 people who suffered injuries were taken to a nearby hospital for further observation and treatment, while expert groups of the provincial administration were sent to the nursing home for "post-accident work". An investigation was underway to find the cause of the fire, state media Global Times reported, adding that a relevant person in charge of the facility had been taken in by police. The report did not provide further details. The investigation, consolation of the families of the victims and other work was being carried out in an orderly manner, the report added. Fire hazards remain a problem in China, with dozens of people killed in fire-related incidents last year. In January, a fire at a food market in Zhangjiakou city in Hebei province killed eight people and injured 15. In July last year, at least 16 people died in a fire at a shopping mall in southwestern China. A fire at a residential building in the city of Xinyu in Jiangxi province killed 39 people in January last year. An investigation launched by the state council identified the fire as a production safety accident. It found the landlord of the building had illegally leased the basement in which an unauthorised cold storage facility was being constructed when the fire erupted. More than 947 fire fatalities were reported in the first six months of 2024 in China, according to Li Wanfeng, a spokesperson for the National Fire and Rescue Administration. A major fire at a hospital in Beijing in April 2023 killed 29 people. Patients trapped in the multistorey building tied bedsheets into makeshift ropes and escaped by climbing out of windows, according to video footage circulating on social media. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The US is sending several long-range surveillance drones to Japans Okinawa prefecture near Taiwan for monitoring China's increasing drone activities in the region. Japans defence minister Gen Nakatani said the US MQ-4C Triton drones will be sent for indefinite deployment to the US air base on Okinawas main island Kadena in the coming weeks. The Trump administration is sending drones to Japan, one of the closest territories the US can work with in the event of a military invasion of Taiwan by China, to boost intelligence gathering, the Japanese defence minister said. This deployment is expected to enhance the Japan-US alliances intelligence-gathering capabilities and, by extension, the alliances deterrence and response capabilities, Mr Nakatani said, addressing a press conference. Officials at the Okinawa Defence Bureau said that the US military is seeking deployment of Triton drones to Kadena island to expand its surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence activities near Japan. According to the US Air Force, Kadenas strategic position makes it an invaluable location to stage Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations, enabling access to numerous potential flashpoints across the Indo-Pacific region. The Triton drones are likely to be utilised for short periods at US military bases in Yokota, western Tokyo, and Misawa, Aomori prefecture, the defence bureau officials said, reported Japanese daily The Asahi Shimbun. The American high-altitude long endurance Triton drones, which has the same wingspan as a Boeing 737, can operate at altitude above 50,000ft for more than 24 hours with a range of 7,400 nautical miles (13,700km). open image in gallery File: A US Air Force F-15 fighter aircraft taxiing at Kadena air force base in Okinawa ( AFP via Getty Images ) However, the latest round of US drone deployment has caused unease among the regional Japanese officials who have sought lesser presence of the American military. Denny Tamaki, Okinawas governor, said the move will go against his regional governments desire to reduce the burden of US military bases concentrated in Okinawa. Diplomatic and territorial tensions have ramped up dramatically between China and Taiwan, and the US by extension, since last week after Beijing staged military drills off Taiwan's north, south and east coasts. China said the drills were a "stern warning" against separatism and called Taiwanese president Lai Ching-te a "parasite" as Taiwan sent warships to respond to China's Navy approaching its shores. China views the self-governed democratic island as its own territory and has not ruled out capturing it by military force. However, the latest round of long-range drones deployment would provide a boost in the wake of increasing Chinese military activity near the southwestern islands, the Japanese defence minister said, adding that the security environment surrounding our country is becoming increasingly severe. China is ramping up pressure on the region by sending drones near Japans islands and carrying out daily military drills around Taiwans Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ). Just last year, China sent at least 30 drones in total around Japan, marking a more than seven times rise since 2021 when it had sent just four drones in the area. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Kim Shin Jo, a former North Korean commando known for his involvement in a failed assassination attempt on then-South Korean president Park Chung Hee in 1968, has died at the age of 82. He was pardoned and later became a pastor in South Korea, while his parents were executed by the North Korean regime. In 1968, Kim was part of a 31-member North Korean commando unit that attempted to infiltrate the South Korean presidential palace to assassinate Park, who had been South Koreas authoritarian leader since 1961. The North Koreans had slipped undetected through the Koreas heavily fortified border and came within striking distance of Parks palace. After battles that raged for two weeks in the nearby hills, all but three of the intruders were killed. Two survivors were believed to have returned to North Korea, while Kim was the only one captured alive by South Korean forces. In a news conference arranged by South Korean authorities, Kim stunned the nation by saying that his team came to slit the throat of Park Chung Hee. The infiltration, which also killed about 30 South Koreans, happened at the height of Cold War rivalry between the US-backed South Korea and the Soviet-supported North. After the incident, Parks government launched reservist forces, established a military unit tasked with attacking North Korea, had students take military training at schools and introduced residential registration card systems. open image in gallery Seoul citizens walk beside an army tank in 1979, after martial law was declared following the death of Park Chung Hee ( AP ) In media interviews, Kim said he was pardoned because he didnt fire a single bullet during the shootouts and was persuaded by South Korean officials to disavow communism. He said South Korean intelligence authorities later had him travel across the country to make speeches critical of North Korean systems at schools, companies and other places. Kim said he later learned that his parents in North Korea were executed. Kim was ordained as a pastor in 1997. Kim said the 1968 attack was made at the order of North Korea founder and then leader Kim Il Sung, the late grandfather of current ruler Kim Jong Un. Kim Il Sung died of a heart attack in 1994, handing over power to his son Kim Jong Il, the father of Kim Jong Un. I earlier didnt know why Kim Il Sung wanted to kill President Park, Kim Shin Jo said in a 2009 interview with South Koreas mass-circulation JoongAng Ilbo newspaper. But I came to know the reason as I spent time here. Kim must have been afraid of a poor country such as South Korea becoming rich. As the economy improved, South Korea would secure more money to buy weapons. From Kim Il Sungs perspective, he couldnt help killing President Park to achieve communisation of South Korea. But in a 2007 autobiography by Park Geun Hye, daughter of Park Chung Hee, who became South Korea's first woman president in 2013, she said when she met Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang, the younger Kim said the 1968 incident was orchestrated by extremists as he apologised for the incident. Park Geun Hye said Kim Jong Il told her that they all received unspecified due punishments. Kim Jong Il's reported comments couldn't be independently verified. He died of a heart attack in 2011. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice An Indian man who allegedly posed as British cardiologist Dr N John Camm has been arrested for performing unauthorised surgeries that reportedly caused the deaths of seven patients at a Christian missionary hospital. Narendra Vikramaditya Yadav, 53, is accused of faking medical degrees, impersonating the renowned British cardiologist, and working at hospitals across India for nearly two decades. Just hours before his arrest on Monday, he had even filed a legal notice seeking 50m Indian rupees (455,000) from those accusing him of impersonation. Mr Yadav worked as Dr Camm at Mission Hospital in Damoh in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Narendra Vikramaditya Yadav reportedly conducted 64 surgeries at a hospital in Damoh, Madhya Pradesh ( NEWS9 Live/YouTube screengrab ) He faces charges of forgery, fraud and endangering lives. The hospital has additionally accused him of theft. He has denied all allegations. Nobody suspected him of being a fake doctor. He was good at his job and acted like a big-time professor, an unidentified senior official at the hospital told The Indian Express. An investigation by Indian broadcaster NDTV found Mr Yadavs claimed medical degrees MBBS, MRCP from London and DM in cardiology appeared to be fake. The MBBS registration number reportedly belonged to a woman, it said, and there were no credible records of his other qualifications. Police said Mr Yadavs papers and devices pointed to fabricated identities and they were testing his medical knowledge to determine if he had any real expertise. Mr Yadav had reportedly been impersonating the UK doctor in Madhya Pradesh for 7-8 years. In his short stint at the Damoh hospital, police said, Mr Yadav handled 64 surgeries, including 45 angioplasties. He came under the scanner in February when Damohs Child Welfare Committee flagged multiple patient deaths under his watch. Mr Yadav soon disappeared without any notice. The president of the Child Welfare Committee, Deepak Tiwari, said they grew suspicious of the mans medical expertise and discovered online that he faced criminal cases in at least three states. Mr Yadavs suspected medical fraud dated back to at least 2006, when he operated at the Apollo Hospital in Chhattisgarh, including on former state assembly Speaker Rajendra Prasad Shukla. He allegedly caused the deaths of eight patients in his time there. An investigation back then had also raised doubts about his MBBS degree. The identity theft cropped up first about five years ago, at least to my knowledge. It was very disconcerting. He claimed at various times to both be me and to have been trained by me at St Georges Hospital in London, the real Dr Camm told The Indian Express. Damohs police chief told BBC Hindi that Mr Yadav had worked on a total of 64 cases, including 45 cases of angioplasty, which led to seven patient deaths. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav said the state had launched an investigation. Questions about Mr Yadavs identity had surfaced multiple times over the years. In a 2019 blog, BBC reported, he falsely claimed to have trained under British cardiologist Prof A John Camm and to have worked in top hospitals worldwide. Mr Yadav was sent to five days of police custody after appearing before a local court. The accused told us he was living in Kanpur. Some of his documents were of Uttarakhand and he claims his wife was from that state, a police officer told The Indian Express. In a 2021 blog on Medium, Mr Yadav claimed to be developing the John Camm Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, a 5,000-bed super speciality hospital in the northern state of Rajasthan, under the leadership of Dr N John Camm, renowned Interventional Cardiologist from Germany. He also claimed similar healthcare facilities were being planned in Vietnam and Tanzania, backed by an international team of doctors. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Tahawwur Rana, accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, is likely to be extradited to India from the US soon, following the US Supreme Courts rejection of his plea to block the extradition. A multi-agency Indian team is reportedly in the US to finalise legal and procedural steps to bring him to India. Mr Rana, 64, currently jailed in Los Angeles, had argued in his application that extradition would violate US laws and the UN Convention Against Torture because there are substantial grounds for believing that, if extradited to India, the petitioner will be in danger of being subjected to torture. The likelihood of torture in this case is even higher though as petitioner faces acute risk as a Muslim of Pakistani origin charged in the Mumbai attacks, the application stated. A team of three senior officers from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), along with three officials from Indian intelligence agencies, has arrived in the US to take custody of Mr Rana, according to sources in the Indian home ministry, The Indian Express reported on Wednesday. Earlier this month, the US Supreme Court rejected the Pakistan-born, Canadian physicians plea seeking to halt his extradition to India. The Indian officials reportedly departed for the US on Sunday after receiving confirmation of a surrender warrant, a legal requirement that allows a fugitive to be handed over to a foreign state, the outlet said. Mr Rana is known to have links with David Coleman Headley, a key conspirator in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that resulted in the deaths of 166 people. Headley had conducted reconnaissance of the attack sites and played a central role in planning the assault. The coordinated three-day assault, which began on 26 November 2008, targeted several locations in Mumbai, including luxury hotels, a train station, and a Jewish centre, resulting in 166 fatalities. India holds the Pakistan-based Islamist group Lashkar-e-Taiba responsible for planning and executing the attacks, although the Pakistani government denies any involvement. Mr Rana is accused of providing support to Headley during the lead-up to the attacks. His extradition to India was earlier approved by Donald Trump, who had publicly stated that Mr Rana should face justice for his alleged involvement in the deadly assault. The US Supreme Court first rejected Mr Ranas plea against his extradition to India on 21 January. His surrender to the NIA had earlier been approved by the Trump administration during prime minister Narendra Modis visit to Washington in February. Mr Rana challenged this decision by filing a review petition first before a single judge of the Supreme Court in February, and later before Chief Justice John Roberts seeking an emergency stay on his extradition. But the US Supreme Court rejected his plea. In February this year, during a press conference with Mr Modi, Mr Trump announced that the United States had approved the extradition of Mr Rana. I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters and one of the very evil people of the world, having to do with the horrific 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack to face justice in India. So he is going to be going back to India to face justice, Mr Trump told reporters at the White House. Although Mr Trump did not name the individual during the press conference, a joint statement issued later by both countries identified the person as Tahawwur Rana, a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin and a Chicago-based businessman. India Today reported, citing sources, that Mr Rana is expected to be in India on 10 April. The outlet reported that a special aircraft has been arranged to transport Mr Rana, with a brief stop planned at an undisclosed location before continuing to New Delhi. The operation is being closely overseen by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, in coordination with senior officials from the NIA and the ministry of home affairs. According to The Times of India, two prisons one in Delhi and another in Mumbai were discreetly directed to make special arrangements in accordance with recommendations from the US judiciary concerning the handling of extradited individuals. Initially, Mr Rana is expected to remain in the custody of the NIA for a few weeks, the outlet reported. However, a source was quoted as saying by The Indian Express that there is no formal communication to the Tihar Jail administration, but they have also started a security assessment of his cell; they are likely to lodge him in a high-security ward. His cell will have CCTV cameras, with in-built bathroom facilities, and they will monitor his activities 24 7. Indias external affairs minister S Jaishankar, speaking at a summit organised by News18, responded to a question about Mr Ranas extradition: There is nothing new to add on Tahawwur Rana issue. We welcome the decision of the American legal process. According to The Hindustan Times, NIA officials hope to obtain further information about the roles of conspirators based in Pakistan, including the alleged involvement of Pakistani Army personnel and ISI operatives in planning and funding the attacks. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice President Donald Trump has escalated his trade war with China, confirming a staggering 125 per cent tariff on goods imported to the US on Thursday. This is on top of the existing 20 per cent levy for Chinas alleged role in fentanyl trade, the White House confirmed; bringing tariffs to 145 per cent. Now, Beijing has responded by matching a new 125 per cent tariff on imported US goods. The trade war will hit US consumers hard, with Chinese imports spread across major industries and supply chains - and Apples iPhone in the firing line. Chinese President Xi Jinping said earlier that there were no winners in a tariff war in a meeting with the Spanish prime minister on Friday. Earlier this week, President Trump postponed retaliatory tariffs for all countries except China, in what has become a tit-for-tat levies exchange between the two countries. If the US insists on having its way, China will fight to the end, the Chinese commerce ministry has warned. What Chinese goods will be affected? Of all the countries hit with tariffs, Americans will likely feel the impact of Chinas most and soon. Meanwhile, as the worlds largest exporter, China sells products to nearly every country. This adds a layer of economic protection against Trumps tariffs, since the US makes up just 14 per cent of its goods exports. The 145 per cent total tariff on imported Chinese goods is the highest of any country. And more importantly, American consumers are highly reliant these goods, through many parts of the supply chain. Unsurprisingly, electronics and machinery are the top goods imported to the US from China, at $208bn in 2023 alone. open image in gallery Almost all iPhones are still assembled in China, as Apple products risk price increases from 104% tariffs. ( Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) These products span all elements of Americans lives; from computers to domestic appliances, and electric batteries. Smartphones are the biggest single export (9 per cent of the total) - and not just Chinese brands such as Huawei, but also American tech leaders including Samsung and Apple which manufacture in China. On a wider scale, drugs and medicines will likely face price shocks as pharmaceutical companies import billions in ingredients from China each year. This expense will ultimately fall to patients, warns Dr Michael Aziz, a board-certified internist and regenerative medicine specialist. "The effect of tariffs on prices of these drugs will be mostly be absorbed by patients, retail pharmacies versus insurance companies, said Dr Aziz. I believe that the rapid application of those tariffs leaves doctors and patients totally unprepared. Many will skip their meds if they cant afford those generic drugs." open image in gallery Trump Tariffs Ending Exemption ( Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Textile imports worth $36bn will also impact regular consumers; particularly since more and more clothing brands import from China, such as Nike and H&M. The US is also ending an exemption that allowed low-value products to avoid tariffs. This means that cheap, American-favourite clothing and homeware brands such as Shein and Temu may face tariffs for the first time and be forced to increase their prices. The US-China trade relationship Previously, retaliatory tariffs from China only covered specific industries such as fuel and agricultural products. Now, all US exports to China will be hit. The US imports far more from China than it exports. In 2024, goods exported to China were worth $143.5bn, according to the US Trade Representative office. Meanwhile, the US bought three times as many goods ($438.9bn) in the same period. This makes the trade deficit $295bn in 2024 - a 5.8 per cent increase from the previous year; and a prime target for President Trump. This means that the US will be less affected by retaliatory tariffs, Dr Xin Sun, a senior lecturer in Chinese and East Asian business at KCL, told The Independent. "Given the imbalance in trade between China and US, the damage caused by China's retaliation to US is due to be smaller than the impact of US tariff on China, which is not only the highest among all countries but also affects a wider range of sectors. In addition, the economic ties between China and the US have already been shrinking, and the US-China trade relationship accounts for less than five per cent of global goods trade. "There's been a significant unwinding in the economic ties between these countries since the middle of part of the last decade, explains Simon Evenett, Professor of Geopolitics and Strategy at the International Institute for Management Development. The disengagement has been well underway. What we're seeing now is the next chapter in the process of decoupling between these geopolitical rivals," he said. Retaliatory tariffs on US industries According to 2023 data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), around half of all goods exported to China are concentrated within five key categories. The top goods exports are fuel products, including crude and petroleum oil, propane, and liquefied natural gas, which were worth $23.6bn in 2023 (the latest available data). While the US is a big buyer of machinery and electronics from China, it is also reliant on China buying its own technology. China bought $17bn in machinery and parts from the US in 2023, and $12bn in electronics. The top products most affected by reciprocal tariffs, are integrated circuits and gas turbines. While Mr Trump was quick to slap tariffs on foreign-made cars and parts, the US also exports $7.5bn in cars to China, which will now be impacted by its reciprocal 125 per cent tariffs. Other areas of the transport manufacturing sector, namely aviation, have billions of dollars in goods at risk. Dr Mary Lovely, Senior Fellow at Peterson Institute for International Economics, said major American brands will suffer from the changes. We had settled into a new routine, and now that status quo was just completely upended by the tariffs from both sides, she told The Independent. I think long term, this actually reduces the prospects for companies like Boeing. This is going to impact companies like Apple and Caterpillar exports - companies which also export to [China]. The US pharmaceutical industry is also a major exporter to China, selling over $7.5bn in vaccines and packaged medicine in 2023, alongside $3.3bn in medical instruments. US farmers set to suffer most Most of all, Dr Lovely believes that the US agricultural sector will be worst hit by Chinas tariffs. China is a top buyer of its vegetable products ($20bn) not least US soy ($15bn), buying over half of all US exports. Billions in American meat and animal products will also be affected, while Mr Trump attempts to force the UK to buy chlorinated chicken in exchange for tax relief. open image in gallery Soybeans are one of the American products hardest hit by retaliatory tariffs ( Scott Olson/Getty Images ) These tariffs on farmers could have a significant impact on Trump's core political base, Dr Sun warned, pointing out that agriculture is a key export from the US to China. Dr Sun said: "Since agriculture constitutes a lion share of US export to China, China's retaliation has a bigger impact on some of Trump's core political base. By targeting this population, China hopes to cause political pains for Trump and force him to back down somewhat. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Donald Trump has repeatedly endorsed the idea of sending U.S. citizens to prisons in El Salvador, following a proposal from Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele, who is jailing dozens of deported Venezuelan immigrants in a notorious prison. But the presidents desire is plainly illegal. There is no constitutional or statutory authority to exile citizens in foreign prisons, and banishing citizens from the country and incarcerating them abroad amounts to an unconstitutional assault on human rights, according to immigration law experts and constitutional scholars. Trump and administration officials have not offered up any specific plans, or clarified whether he is only referring to naturalized citizens who were not born in the United States. But Trumps suggestion that citizens can be imprisoned in foreign jails shows how absolutely critical it is for the courts to put an immediate stop to this extrajudicial imprisonment by foreign proxy, according to David J. Bier, director of immigration studies at the libertarian Cato Institute. U.S. citizens may not be deported to imprisonment abroad, he told NBC News. There is no authority for that in any U.S. law. Bukele has already agreed to jail dozens of immigrants summarily removed from the United States inside a notorious prison complex that human rights groups have labeled a tropical gulag following reports of abuse, torture and lack of medical attention for inmates in densely packed cells. Inmates there face the prospect of indefinite detention. The State Department arranged a $6 million deal with Bukele the self-described worlds coolest dictator to jail hundreds of immigrants removed from the United States inside the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, despite U.S. law barring financial support in the form of units of foreign security forces that face credible accusations of human rights abuses. Inside the Oval Office alongside Bukele on April 14, Trump said homegrowns should be next. open image in gallery Salvadoran prison guards walk alleged gang members in handcuffs through El Salvadors Terrorism Confinement Center after they were deported from the United States on April 12 ( via REUTERS ) The homegrowns. You gotta build about five more places, he said. Its not big enough. I just asked the president its this massive complex that he built, jail complex I said, 'Can you build some more of them please? As many as we can get out of our country, Trump told reporters. Pressed on whether that means incarcerating American citizens in El Salvador, Trump said Im all for it. Trump said he spoke with Attorney General Pam Bondi to determine how to legally deport and incarcerate American citizens out of the country. Id like to go a step further. I said to Pam I dont know what the laws are, we always have to obey the laws but we also have homegrown criminals that push people into subways, that hit elderly ladies on the back of the head with a baseball bat when theyre not looking, that are absolute monsters, Trump told reporters. Id like to include them in the group of people to get them out of the country. But youll have to be looking at the laws. But the law is already clear, according to legal experts. It is pretty obviously illegal and unconstitutional, according to Ilya Somin, a professor at George Mason Universitys Antonin Scalia Law School. Its constitutionally very problematic, if not illegal, University of Virginia immigration law professor Amanda Frost told TIME. It's a baseline right of citizenship that you can remain in the country. Its also illegal to expatriate U.S. citizens for a crime, according to Lauren-Brooke Eisen, senior director of the justice program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law. In fact, U.S. citizens can only be stripped of citizenship if they knowingly perform acts resulting in a voluntary relinquishment of citizenship such as a formal renunciation of nationality in the United States during a time of war or leaving or remaining outside the United States during a time of war or national emergency to avoid military service, according to Eisen. open image in gallery During a White House meeting with El Salvadors president Nayib Bukele on April 14, Trump said he is all for jailing American citizens in that countrys prisons ( AFP via Getty Images ) Trump administration officials have been publicly mulling whether to send Americans to El Salvadors prisons since at least February. There are obviously legalities involved. We have a Constitution, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at the time. But its a very generous offer. No ones ever made an offer like that and to outsource, at a fraction of the cost, at least some of the most dangerous and violent criminals that we have in the United States But obviously, the administration will have to make a decision. Bukele is undoubtedly trolling, but to emphasize again: this is so incredibly illegal that there's not even a hint of a possible way to do it under any circumstances whatsoever, Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, senior fellow at the American Immigration Council think tank, wrote at the time. It violates international law and the U.S. constitution. Period. End of story. Trump later said he would be fine and very happy with sending incarcerated Americans to El Salvadors jails, which Elon Musk also called a great idea. On April 6, Trump told reporters he loves the idea of jailing American wise guys in El Salvador. "I love that," Trump said. "If we could take some of our 20-time wiseguys that push people into subways and hit people over the back of the head and then purposely run people over in cars if he would take them, I would be honored to give them. Courts have affirmed constitutional protections ensuring Americans cannot be stripped of their citizenship for criminal convictions, meaning incarcerated citizens cannot be kicked out of the country, whether or not theyre imprisoned. I know of nothing that would give the president the authority to force U.S. citizens serving federal prison sentences to serve their time in a different country's prisons, law professor M. Isabel Medina with Loyola University New Orleans College of Law told The Independent earlier this year. There is also nothing in federal law that would give the Bureau of Prisons discretion to send citizens outside of the federal corrections system. Thus, anyone enmeshed in the federal criminal justice system certainly including the very very bad people Trump says he would like to send to prison in El Salvador must be housed (and cared for) by the Bureau of Prisons, according to Cornell Law School professor Michael C. Dorf. To be sure, the statute nowhere says that the federal Bureau of Prisons must operate all of its facilities in the United States, but crucially, it must operate, manage, and regulate all prisons or other facilities that house U.S. prisoners, Dorf writes. It might, in theory, be possible for the Bureau of Prisons to operate a prison on foreign soil, but if so, it would have to be a U.S. prison operating under U.S. standards. Shipping U.S. prisoners to a prison operated by a foreign sovereign as Trump proposes to do would be plainly unlawful. Even if Congress tried to rewrite federal law to hand citizens to a foreign government, constitutional safeguards would still apply, according to Dorf. Other than the lack of statutory authority, another complication would be application of the Eighth Amendment, procedural due process, First Amendment and other constitutional protections that federal prisoners are entitled to while serving their sentences, Medina told The Independent. Because the constitutional authority to create federal crimes lies with Congress, not the executive, and because U.S. citizens may not be deported, even if imprisoned, it would appear to be illegal for the president to do this particularly without any statutory authority, she said. Its also a scenario that Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor warned about in a dissent to the courts divided ruling that partially blocked the Trump administration from summarily deporting alleged Venezuelan members of Tren de Aragua under the Alien Enemies Act without a court hearing. The implication of the Governments position is that not only noncitizens but also United States citizens could be taken off the streets, forced onto planes, and confined to foreign prisons with no opportunity for redress, she wrote. History is no stranger to such lawless regimes, but this Nations system of laws is designed to prevent, not enable, their rise. This story was first published on February 2 and has been updated with developments Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The availability of around 85 per cent of NHS medicines could be at risk unless the UK government strengthens its supply chains to prepare for worsening geopolitical tensions, ministers have been warned. Manufacturers in Britain have urged the government to treat it as a defence issue, with the supply of drugs such as antibiotics under threat if global tensions continue to rise as a result of Donald Trumps decision to impose hefty tariffs across the world. If pharmaceutical and medical suppliers are hit by the US-led tariff war, the NHS could have to pay more for medicines, another expert has said. The warnings come after health secretary Wes Streeting said UK medicines supplies could be impacted by the tariffs imposed on trade by President Trump. Mr Streeting said during an interview on Sky News that there are a number of factors at play when it comes to the UKs supply of medicines, including manufacturing and distribution challenges, and he warned that tariffs pose another layer of challenge. The health secretary was responding after the US president said he was not looking to pause the sweeping tariffs that have plunged global markets into turmoil. Although the US tariffs have so far exempted the pharmaceutical industry, some medical devices and equipment are affected, so UK manufacturers would still be hit by 10 and 20 per cent tariffs when exporting to the US. Some companies which rely heavily on exports to the US are likely to consider moving their manufacturing from the UK to America, according to RBC analysts quoted in Endpoints News, which could push prices higher for Britons. The UK also imports 4.5bn in medical products from the US, where companies may raise prices due to tariffs on imported raw materials. Health secretary Wes Streeting said ministers are watching the situation extremely closely ( PA ) Mark Samuels, chief executive of the British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA), which represents medicines manufacturers in Britain, told The Independent: There have been around 100 products (medicines) in shortage for the last year or so, and thats in peacetime, so it seems to me it would make complete sense to treat the nations medicines supply like defence... [medicines supplies] absolutely should be on the same level as defence. The BGMA chief said the government should prepare for the volatile geopolitical situation to put additional strain on the UK supply chain. I would expect the government to make the resilience of the supply chain for generic and other everyday medicines their top priority. Its not been a priority at all in previous governments. During the pandemic, the government woke up to the fact that most prescription medicines are generic medicine 85 per cent of NHS prescriptions are generic. It makes complete sense [to treat it like defence], particularly as we have various state actors engaged in grey zone hostile activity. A good example of that is antibiotics. We dont make any antibiotics in the UK: thats not a resilient situation to be in. Other life critical medicines, such as drugs used by heart patients to prevent sudden death syndrome, would also be vulnerable, he said. Generic-based medicines are copies of brand-name drugs which contain the same active ingredients. Last year the BGMA warned medicine shortages were around double the number recorded in 2023, with vital antibiotics, hormone replacement therapy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drugs hit by severe shortages. Mr Samuels also said ministers must focus on renegotiating post-Brexit medicines trade agreements with the EU, which have negatively impacted the UKs manufacturing industry. Current rules do not allow UK manufacturers to sell medicines they made to the bloc but do allow EU manufacturers to sell to the UK. Stockpiling would be a short-term solution, he said, but this would come with some additional costs. Although no tariffs have yet been imposed on pharmaceutical products, Dr Sanchayan Banerjee, a behavioural economist at the London School of Economics, highlighted that the medical and pharmaceutical sector was the second-largest UK exporter to the US in 2024. Trade amounted to 6.6bn, with the US making up about 40-50 per cent of total sales for British companies such as AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline. He told The Independent: A reduced supply could mean higher-end prices for medications for consumers which will mostly fall onto the NHS, which already heavily subsidises drugs. To alleviate pressure, encouraging those who can afford it to go private; encouraging on-shoring drug manufacture; and modest increases in prescription charges will help smooth out these costs. The government was approached for comment. Arm-in-arm, relaxed and happy in the spring sunshine, Charles and Camilla smiled for the cameras on the first day of their state visit to Italy yesterday. The scene is a far cry from the billowy April day 20 years earlier that marked the beginning of the King and Queens married life. Back in 2005, it was not weather for fly-away headgear but Camilla had no choice. Only royal brides who tie the knot in churches are blessed with heavy-set tiaras Charless second wife had to make do with golden feathers. A hand was required to clasp them to her head; the Queen, standing two steps above, muttered something perhaps I told you so? Camilla smiled and Charles dodged a feather in the eye. But at least their nuptials had been blessed, by God, in St Georges Chapels, and by the late Queens (fleeting) presence. Her Majesty turned up at the end, after the actual wedding in Windsor Guildhall. It would never do for the defender of the faith to ally herself too closely with the younger generations mistakes. Poor Camilla. Even Harry felt a begrudging sympathy in the build-up to the big day. In Italy two decades on, the couple are unlikely to have their planned audience with Pope Francis due to the latters ill health. Twenty years ago, his predecessors death delayed the royal wedding, another hitch in the star-crossed lovers long journey. Young Harry recalled the wedding had to be delayed, again: Bad karma. Less press. More to the point, Granny wanted Pa to represent her at the funeral. Charless dissenting son wondered if some force in the universe [Mummy?] was blocking rather than blessing their union. He wasnt the only one. In April 2005 Charles and Camillas wedding felt endured rather than celebrated. For many of us, it passed without comment. Memories of Diana were still painfully fresh, and Camilla was an uncomfortable reminder of the messy, modern age of affairs and divorces, that most preferred not to associate with monarchy. For much of the 20th century, the Windsors were sold to the public as the pin-ups of moral probity and romantic wedded bliss. Who can fail to recall, scene by scene, the wedding of Lady Diana Spencer to our future king in the summer of 1981? This was a replay of Elizabeth and Philips fairytale wedding of 1947, but on a far grander scale. The Duke of Edinburgh was reputedly delighted: his son in an honorary naval uniform walking an innocent virginal bride down the aisle into a bright royal future. At least, so we were all led to believe. With a wedding dress that enormous, what could possibly go wrong? Yet even then, there was generational disquiet. As the carriages trundled across the television screen like large prams I distinctly recall the adult conversation going on over my head: Poor Queen, she will be upset that Dianas parents had such a nasty divorce. Shes a great believer in marriage. But what kind of marriage? When Charles and Camilla first met, (a polo match apparently, in 1970) apocryphal stories of Camilla joking about her great-great-grandmother Alice Keppels affair, with his great-great-great-grandfather, Edward VII, abounded. open image in gallery The royal couple leaving St George's Chapel in Windsor after their wedding ceremony ( PA ) After all, as historian AJP Taylor once observed, aristocrats do things differently. Deep into the 20th century, while the rest of the population was getting used to the idea of a companionate marriage, among the upper classes, marriage still centred around property, progeny and propriety love came much lower down the list. Small wonder then that Charles thought he might be able to game the system, marry a royal-appropriate bride in Diana and privately hanker after his true love Camilla, long since hitched to another man. With the monarchy still an institution that has foregrounded tradition, it is perhaps unsurprising that the social changes of the Sixties and Seventies appeared to impinge little on royal thinking. Updated divorce laws in the late 60s brokered a brave new world where a man and woman could go their separate ways if a love match became a mismatch. But in 1992, long after Charles and Dianas union had so visibly and painfully hit the skids, prime minister John Major informed the House of Commons the couple would separate, not divorce. open image in gallery Camilla and Charles spent their 20th anniversary on a state visit to Italy ( PA Wire ) This was the Queens annus horribilis; we will never be privy to what she called the subsequent years of televised tell-alls and tragic deaths. The road to Charles and Camillas wedding day was a long and rocky one. Despite the well-established precedent that the Kings wife becomes Queen, the public were informed that Camilla would make do with consort in her title. At the time, it belittling reminder that this second bride would be a second-rate sort of Queen. Looking back it feels silly and cruel. Elizabeth II finally caught up with changed social mores when she announced Camilla should be known as Queen upon her sons ascension to the throne in 2022. A whole 17 years after Charless second wedding, his wife had finally received the ultimate royal seal of approval. open image in gallery Charles talking to Camilla at a polo match held at Cirencester Park in 1975 ( Shutterstock ) The public were quick to follow suit. If Camilla was good enough for Her Majesty the late Queen, she was good enough for us. These days, cast through a more flattering prism, Camillas enduring commitment to her vulnerable husband has become more than acceptable, it is an essential ingredient in the royal merry-go-round. Today, the king is an old, unwell man who needs support. It was perspicacious of him to realise he had to have Camilla by his side, that he couldnt serve without her. Rather than a blot on the royal copybook, their checkered backstory and resolute love is a reminder that human frailty and mistakes do not preclude happy endings. open image in gallery The royal couple with Donald and Melania Trump at Winfield House, London, in 2019 ( AFP/Getty ) Amidst the current turmoil, the prospect of bombastic rule-breaker president Donald Trump having to sit down beside our tender King, a sensitive soul who loves plants, organic food and un-airbrushed Camilla, is perversely pleasing. The state visit cant come soon enough. It is ironic given his son Harrys deliberate positioning as the modern Prince talking truth to power, that it is Charles with his own blended dysfunctional backstory and bumbling best efforts, who better represents our compromised modern era. The King and his loyal Queen have stayed the course; it has certainly not been easy but there is something undeniably moving about the triumph of a couple whose dogged commitment to each other has morphed into a symbol of strength and unity in the face of adversity. Tessa Dunlop is the author of Elizabeth and Philip, the story of young love, marriage and monarchy (Headline Press, 2022) For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A man has been found guilty of murdering a woman in front of her three-year-old daughter during Notting Hill Carnivals family day. Shakeil Thibou, 20, stabbed Cher Maximen, 32, in the groin as her young daughter was close by on August 25 last year. Moments before, he had carried out an equally horrifying attack on a man who was backing away from him, prosecutor Ed Brown KC said. On Wednesday, Thibou was found guilty of murder by a majority of 10 to two jurors. He was also convicted of attempting to cause grievous bodily to 20-year-old Adjei Isaac with intent, and having an offensive weapon. His brother Sheldon Thibou, 25, was found guilty of violent disorder and assaulting Pc Oliver Mort, who tried to intervene. A third brother, Shaeim Thibou, 22, was cleared of violent disorder but convicted of assaulting Pc Mort after the jury deliberated for 50 hours and 33 minutes. There was a shout of yes from Ms Maximens family in court as the verdicts were delivered. The Old Bailey heard that a disturbance broke out at about 5.48pm between the defendants and at least two other males close to where Ms Maximen was standing with her group. The crowd parted as Sheldon Thibou got into a physical confrontation with the males, prompting Pc Mort to step in to break it up, jurors had heard. open image in gallery Cher Maximen ( Metropolitan Police/PA Wire ) Sheldon Thibou was holding a stun gun as he and Shaeim hit out at the officer, the court heard. Meanwhile, Shakeil Thibou thrust a huge knife repeatedly towards Mr Isaacs stomach, only missing him because the victim drew back. Ms Maximen was knocked to the ground after Mr Isaac came into contact with her, then managed to partially get to her feet, Mr Brown said. She appeared to lift her right leg at Shakeil Thibou who raised the knife directly towards her and deliberately stabbed her in her groin, jurors heard. Mr Brown said: The injuries inflicted on Ms Maximen were fatal the defendant had killed her. It was a truly shocking attack, and regarded as such by those around it. The defendants, of Hammersmith, west London, had denied the charges against them although Sheldon Thibou admitted having the stun gun. In his defence, Shakeil Thibou claimed he picked up the knife at the carnival and acted in self-defence against Mr Isaac. He claimed the death of Ms Maximen was an accident. However, the prosecution case was that the knife was brought to the scene by the defendant, and that another blade was found during a search of his room. The judge just set sentencing for Shakeil Thibou on May 16 Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Rare notebooks of Alan Turings unpublished code-breaking work during the Second World War have been saved for the nation thanks to a charity campaign. The British mathematician, credited with breaking the Enigma code, seldom preserved his own research notes, meaning evidence of his papers was often lost. But now a significant archive has been saved by a campaign spearheaded by the Friends of the Nations' Libraries, after the government stepped in to stop its sale for 400,000 unless private funds were raised. The handwritten notes document Turings Delilah project, which involved building a portable voice encoder to be used in military operations. He turned to the project in 1943 after his groundbreaking work on the Enigma machines at Bletchley Park. With the help of the electrical engineer Donald Bayley he built a single prototype of the machine which could digitise and encipher speech for transmission across a telephone line. open image in gallery Turings secret papers join the main archive at Kings College, Cambridge, after a charity campaign ( King's College ) The two men kept a logbook of the experiments results, alongside handwritten notes from lectures Turing gave to engineers at Hanslope Park, a secretive government communications centre near Milton Keynes. Despite Turings status as a national hero, the 40 pages of notes were at risk of leaving the UK unless a British library or archive could raise the 397,680 needed to buy them at auction. In an attempt to halt the sale to an international bidder, the government followed advice to put a temporary export licence stop on the notebooks in August 2024, meaning they were banned from leaving the country. The papers, described as a national treasure and the most important archive of Turing material yet to come to auction, have now been saved by a major private donation. The papers will now be kept at Kings College, Cambridge, thanks to a 250,000 donation from the algorithmic trading firm XTX Markets and a 20,000 grant from Friends of the Nations Libraries, which has helped to save the UKs written and printed history since its foundation in 1931. open image in gallery Turings handwritten notes on the Bandwidth Theorem. ( King's College ) Geordie Greig, chair of Friends of the Nations' Libraries and editor-in-chief of The Independent, said: This extraordinary private donation means that crucial papers written by one of Britains geniuses have been saved and can be studied at Cambridge. It is a wonderful act of generosity by XTX Markets and its founder Alex Gerko, and we are delighted to have played a part in bringing together this brilliant collaboration between XTX Markets and Kings College, a centre of academic excellence, to save our heritage." Alex Gerko, co-CEO of XTX Markets said: The 'Delilah papers are a unique collection of notes from one of the nations greatest mathematicians. Its important that this archive remains in the UK and is made publicly accessible, so we are thrilled to be part of that effort. The balance of support has come from a 97,876 grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, private donations, and Kings College. open image in gallery Turing turned to the Delilah project after his groundbreaking work on the Enigma machine at Bletchley Park ( Getty ) Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, said: "Its brilliant news that the Friends of the Nations Libraries charity has successfully campaigned to save Alan Turings vital notebooks. Turing was not only a pioneering figure in science and mathematics, but also a national hero. This is a powerful example of what can be achieved when private and charitable sectors come together. After a government export ban was placed on the notebooks, this collaboration has ensured that these treasures will be preserved for years to come. The notebooks will now join the largest collection of Turing-related documents at Kings College, where Turing studied as an undergraduate from 1931 to 1934. Once digitised they will become part of the Turing Papers online archive, freely available to scholars and students around the world. The original archive was founded after his mother, Sarah, donated his papers in 1960. Kings College Provost Gillian Tett said: Alan Turings work laid the foundations of computer science, artificial intelligence and much of our modern world. We are honoured to house the Delilah papers at Kings and are deeply grateful to our partners in this endeavour, particularly XTX Markets, Alex Gerko and the Friends of the Nations Libraries. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Police in Colombia have offered a $12,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the murder of an Italian tourist who had travelled from London after working for eight years at the Royal Biological Society. The victim's dismembered remains were discovered in a suitcase on the city's outskirts, prompting a widespread investigation. In a message posted on X on Monday, Santa Marta Mayor Carlos Pinedo promised the gruesome death of Alessandro Coatti would not go unpunished. "Delinquents must know that in Santa Marta there is no room for criminality, we will chase them until we bring them to justice," he wrote. Investigators said the Italian tourist was dismembered after he was killed, with some of his remains stuffed into a black suitcase found by police Sunday. Coatti was a 42-year-old molecular biologist who was traveling in South America after working in London for eight years at the Royal Biological Society. open image in gallery Santa Marta ( Unsplash/@yvesalarie ) The Royal Biological Society paid tribute to him in a statement after the news was announced. It read: Alessandro, known as Ale, worked for the Royal Society of Biology for eight years as Science Policy Officer in the Science Policy team before being promoted to Senior Science Policy Officer. He was a passionate and dedicated scientist, leading RSB animal science work, writing numerous submissions, organising events, and giving evidence in the House of Commons. He left the RSB at the end of 2024 to volunteer in Ecuador and travel in South America. Ale was funny, warm, intelligent, loved by everyone he worked with, and will be deeply missed by all who knew and worked with him. Our thoughts and best wishes go out to his friends and family at this truly awful time. A hotel worker who spoke to Colombian newspaper El Tiempo said Coatti had inquired about visiting the village of Minca and was conducting research on local animal species. Santa Marta is surrounded by pristine beaches and lush mountains that have made it a popular destination with international travelers. The city of half a million people has struggled to contain crime, however, and police registered 194 murders in 2024. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A former reality TV star has been left with a 250,000 court bill after a dispute with his bird-breeding neighbours in a West Country hamlet. Barnes Thomas, a 29-year-old ex-London art dealer who appeared on Bear Grylls' The Island in 2018, clashed with brothers Martin and Scott Nicholas, 32 and 31 respectively, over noisy building work on his farm in St Just, Cornwall. The Nicholas brothers, who operate a falcon-breeding business called Raptors of Penwith Ltd next to Mr Thomas's property, claimed the noise resulted in the death of three valuable falcons, including a prize-winning bird worth 150,000. They also alleged harassment, citing incidents such as caged peacocks being left outside Scott Nicholas's home and silage bales obstructing his sea view. Mr Thomas, who described himself as possibly "the most hated man" in the village, denied the accusations and countered with his own harassment claims, including being pursued by a Raptors of Penwith employee in a van. The "bitter" row sparked a case that went before the High Court in Bristol, with Judge Jonathan Russen KC now ruling in the brothers' favour and awarding Raptors of Penwith 258,500 damages from Mr Thomas and his company. He said the noisy work constituted "nuisance and negligence" and had resulted in the deaths of three birds, including a race-winning gyr falcon, lost eggs and reduced breeding in the aviary. open image in gallery The Nicholas brothers accused Mr Thomas of causing so much noise on his land that it killed three valuable falcons - one of them a race-winner worth 150,000 alone. Generic image of Goshawk. ( Supplied by Champion News ) However, although he accepted some incidents occurred, he rejected the claims of harassment from both sides. Cornish-born Mr Barnes is a former London art dealer who in 2018 appeared as a contestant on Bear Grylls' The Island, in which participants' survival skills are put to the test on remote, uninhabited islands. He then moved to St Just, a picturesque hamlet close to Land's End, where in 2020 through his company he bought land, along with pigs, sheep and cows, and now runs a small farm, while living in a house he built on the site of a bungalow inherited from his grandmother. The Nicholas brothers run their raptor business on adjoining land, breeding mostly gyr and peregrine falcons, which they mainly sell to be used in falcon races in the UAE. Giving judgment on the dispute, Judge Russen said the "bitter" row which erupted between the three had "acquired real momentum...over a relatively short space of time." He said Mr Thomas, who he described as "prone to overreacting to events," had "proved to be a controversial neighbour," creating a lake on his land and temporarily removing a stile on a public footpath, causing "opposition within the wider neighbourhood." "Mr Thomas himself accepted that, before they fell out, he had told Martin and (his wife) Karen Nicholas in October 2020 that he may have been the most hated man in Mousehole - he had previously lived in Mousehole - and went on to say that he may now be the most hated man in St Just," he said. "This was a reference to Mr Thomas pre-empting the switching on of the villages Christmas lights in Mousehole by him and his immediate neighbours illuminating their own decorations shortly before the village switch-on after a full countdown." open image in gallery The Nicholas brothers run their raptor business on adjoining land in St Just, Cornwall. The pair breeds mostly gyr and peregrine falcons, which they mainly sell to be used in falcon races in the UAE. ( Supplied by Champion News ) Setting out the case, he said the Nicholas brothers complained of numerous acts of harassment by Mr Thomas, constituting a "vendetta" against them, while he had countered, blaming them or their employees. In one specific incident, Mr Thomas had based a peacock pen next to Scott Nicholas' house, causing disturbance, before leaving their carcasses in place after they were killed by foxes. As well as excessive noise from his land, he was also accused of stacking silage bales in such a way as to block Scott Nicholas' sea views from his home. Mr Thomas also complained of "frequent acts of harassment," complaining that Scott had destroyed signs and shouted aggressively at him, while he had also been chased in a van by one of the brothers' employees. The brothers sued for nuisance and negligence, arguing that noisy work on Mr Thomas' land during their birds' breeding seasons had caused the death of three birds, reduced overall breeding and also resulted in egg loss, with some birds damaging them. For three days, a JCB bucket had at one point been raised in the birds' line of sight, which Scott Nicholas said had caused them to "go mental at the sight of this alien object." Through their company, they claimed the acts breached a duty of care not to cause or permit the falcons to suffer excessive noise or visual threats, in particular during the breeding season. Giving judgment on the nuisance and negligence claims, Judge Russen said he was convinced that the actions of Mr Thomas and his company, Upper Cot Estate Ltd (UCE), had caused the three birds' deaths. "On my assessment of the evidence, Mr Thomas was made aware that March to the beginning of June was the time to avoid excessive noise and visual disturbances near the aviary," he said. "I am satisfied by reference to the evidence identified above that Mr Thomas knew that both excessive noise and visual disturbances on UCEs land were to be avoided during the period March to May of 2022." He said he had viewed videos taken in May within the incubation room of the brothers' aviary while building work was done on Mr Thomas' barn, which showed the "noise upsetting the birds." "These activities, related to the building of the barn, cannot be said to be outside the ordinary and common use of agricultural land - but they were carried out without proper consideration of Raptors of Penwiths breeding season," he said. open image in gallery An aerial view of the Raptor business, which was based near Barnes Thomas' home in St Just, Cornwall ( Supplied by Champion News ) In relation to the raising of the digger bucket, he added: "For the purpose of on-site inspection by an engineer, the bucket was raised. "With the bucket raised next to the aviary for those three days, the machine broke the line of sight of at least some birds in the western pens. "Scotts evidence was that the birds were 'going mental' at the sight of this alien object. "Placing the digger on the birds line of sight on 7 April, 2022, was entirely at odds with ensuring that no undue inconvenience was caused to Raptors of Penwith." However, he went on to find it was not proven that the actions on Mr Thomas' land involved "malice, as opposed to carelessness." "That reflects my assessment of Mr Thomass evidence taken as a whole. The activity which gives rise to those findings was farming or farm-building related activity," he said. "Even though malice has not been established, the proven acts of nuisance are in my judgment actionable because they were undertaken without proper consideration of the sensitivity of ROPs birds during the breeding season. "Mr Thomas was previously aware of the need to avoid disturbances during the breeding season, and appears to have accepted that could be done, and yet the activities were undertaken regardless. "I also find that those same tortious acts under the law of nuisance support a finding of negligence." In relation to the harassment claims, the judge found that the brothers knew Mr Thomas intended to have a peacock house on his land and that they had to be confined due to bird flu restrictions. "As Scott confirmed, because the peacocks were killed soon after their arrival they were not there long enough to cause a problem," he said. "The factual allegation of stacking of silage bales has been proved - and not disputed - but I do not accept this was an act of harassment, done with the purpose of blocking a sea view from Scotts family home," he added. In relation to Mr Thomas' claims, he found it "not proven" that anything amounted to harassment, including "the hot pursuit suggested by Mr Thomas." He rejected the harassment damages claims, but ordered that Mr Thomas and his company are liable to pay the Nicholas brothers' company 258,500 damages for the impact on their birds. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Researchers have warned that paedophiles may be using parents' dating apps to target children. A report co-led by the University of Edinburgh revealed that men who have sexually offended against children are active daily on dating apps. This has led to increased calls for stricter regulation of these platforms, which are used by 381 million people, according to Statista. The Childlight Global Child Safety Institute, hosted by the University of Edinburgh, found that men who sexually abuse children are nearly four times more likely to use dating sites compared to non-offenders. The study also found that 66% of men who have sexually offended against children use dating platforms, with over 22% using them daily. The report, called Swipe Wrong, is part of a broader investigation into the multibillion-dollar industry of child sexual exploitation and abuse, which financially benefits perpetrators, organised crime and, according to researchers, mainstream companies. It warned sexual exploitation and abuse of children has become a pandemic, impacting more than 300 million every year. Research based on a survey of about 5,000 men in the UK, US and Australia showed single mothers are at particular risk, while 11.5% of men surveyed admitted having sexual feelings towards children and 11% confessed to sexual offences against minors. It followed a separate survey by the Australian Institute of Criminology that found 12% of dating app users received requests to facilitate child sexual exploitation and abuse most often related to their own children. Most dating sites do not require new users to provide evidence of their identity, and the report shared new insights into perpetrator behaviour online. It found offenders may appear trustworthy, as they are more likely to have a child in their house, work with children, and have a higher education level. open image in gallery Paedophiles may be trying to gain access to children through their parents' dating apps, researchers have warned ( PA/PA Wire ) The report also found men who have committed sexual offences against children engage more frequently in certain online activities, like online shopping, dating and gaming, and are also more likely to own and use cryptocurrency and to buy sexual content online. Report co-author Professor Michael Salter, director of the Childlight East Asia and Pacific Hub at the University of New South Wales, said: Our findings provide clear evidence that dating apps lack adequate child protection measures, and loopholes are exploited by abusers to target single parents and their children. Theres no reason why the robust user identification methods we have in other industries, such as banking and gambling, should not also have to be adopted by dating app platforms. Similarly, there are a range of AI tools and systems that can flag problematic words and conversations that can and should be used. Professor Deborah Fry, Childlights global director of data and professor of international child protection research at the University of Edinburgh, said: Child sexual exploitation and abuse is a global public health emergency that requires emergency measures but its preventable. We must mobilise globally, focusing not just on reactive law enforcement but on prevention strategies tackling underlying determinants of abuse including financial and technological ecosystems sustaining it. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Police arrested an American tourist who admitted to openly carrying a knife on a British beachfront. The man had reportedly been sunbathing in Herne Bay on Thursday when locals reported to Kent Police that he was carrying a knife. The American reportedly told officers he came from an open-carry state in the US, claiming he had the blade for protection and was unaware he could not carry it in public in the UK. After being arrested on suspicion of possessing a knife, he was handed a community resolution where British law around knife crime was fully explained to him, police said. It is believed the tourist had picked up the steak knife from the kitchen of his rental property ( PA ) It was quite strange, a resident told KentOnline. I was just walking the dog along the seafront and saw a man relaxing on the grass verge listening to UB40 on his phone. I carried on walking and when I turned around, I noticed a police car at the bottom of Swalecliffe Avenue and two police officers talking to him. But then another two officers arrived. It is believed the tourist had picked up the steak knife from the kitchen of his rental property close to the coastline on Thursday April 3. A police spokesman told The Independent: Kent Police was called to a report that a man had been seen with a knife in the Hampton area of Herne Bay at 10.30am on Thursday. Officers attended and a man, who is a US citizen and was on holiday in the area, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a knife. In interview, the man made a full admission to possessing the knife in public and explained he had not understood UK law around possession of knives. The knife was seized and, following consideration of the circumstances, the matter was dealt with by a community resolution, during which the law was fully explained to him. The maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife or weapon illegally is either four years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both. British law states offenders will get a prison sentence if they are convicted of carrying a knife or weapon illegally more than once. The only exceptions are folding pocketknives that have a cutting edge no longer than 3 inches and are not lock knives. Good reasons for carrying a knife or weapon in public include if its for work, for religious reasons, such as the kirpan some Sikhs carry, and as part of any national costume. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Their love story wasn't a fairytale, but a complex narrative spanning decades. King Charles III and Queen Camilla, whose paths first crossed over 50 years ago, celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary on Wednesday. Their journey to this milestone was fraught with challenges: interfering families, previous marriages, and relentless public scrutiny. For years, their relationship remained largely obscured, overshadowed by the "fairytale" of Princess Diana. As royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith, author of Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life, notes, "We missed the love story, theres no doubt about it. But in fairness, it was not something that was very visible." The road between the time they met in the 1970s and their marriage on April 9, 2005, was rocky. open image in gallery The then-Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles leave the Ritz Hotel in London, the first time that the couple, who had been friends for more than 25 years, appeared together in public, in January 1999 ( AP1999 ) Charles, then a young naval officer, fell in love but was soon sent to sea for eight months. While he was away, Camilla accepted the proposal of a dashing cavalry officer. But they remained friends, even as Charles courtship and marriage to Lady Diana Spencer played out before an adoring nation in 1981. And they were more than friends when both of their marriages crumbled in the mid-1990s. Many blamed Camilla for the extramarital affair that torpedoed his marriage to Diana, the glamorous young mother of Princes William and Harry who was adored for her style and the human touch she brought to her charity work. That resentment flared when the Peoples Princess died in a Paris car crash in 1997, five years after her messy, public split from Charles. The crash thrust Camilla back into the shadows. Over time, she was slowly reintroduced to the public, starting with a 1999 event where she and Charles made their first public appearance as a couple. There were meetings with Queen Elizabeth II, as well as with William and Harry. Still, there were questions. Should a divorced man be king? Could Camilla ever be queen? But eventually the time was right. A quiet wedding The union came on April 9, 2005, in a modest civil ceremony in Windsor. Instead of the pageantry that marked Charles wedding to Diana an extravaganza watched by millions around the world there was a union between 50-something divorcees. open image in gallery Charles and Camilla leave St George's Chapel in Windsor The bride wore a cream silk chiffon dress and matching coat, with a lace-trimmed straw hat. The groom wore a black tailcoat and gray tie. William and Harry attended, as did Camillas two children. In total, there were 30 guests. A blessing ceremony at the castles St. Georges Chapel later that day was attended by 800 people, including the grooms parents, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. There were a few boos from the crowd presumably from Diana fans but mostly cheers. One banner read: Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. There were waves, but no kiss. A lasting union Their union has now lasted five years longer than Charles marriage to Diana and shows no signs of faltering. open image in gallery The union of Charles and Camilla shows no sign of faltering Julie Gottman, co-founder of The Gottman Institute, which studies relationships, said Charles and Camilla appear to embody many of the characteristics needed for a strong marriage: trust, commitment and a sense of shared purpose. Before anything, they had a friendship, she said. And when you have a relationship in which friendship is the foundation, youre much more likely to really succeed in marriage and a committed relationship because that foundation is already there. The public mood has continued to soften in the years since Charles married the woman then known as Camilla Parker Bowles. Camilla, 77, has taken on roles at almost 100 charities, championing issues that range from promoting literacy to supporting victims of domestic violence and fighting child sexual exploitation. Some of her causes pushed the boundaries of the royal family, known for supporting worthy but non-controversial charities. For the public, it seemed as if she was in touch with the modern world. Her style is down to earth. Her sense of humour is self-deprecating. Just like Charles, she loves dogs and horses. More to the point, she seems to make the king happy. Strength and stay George Gross, a royal historian at Kings College London, said the relationship reminds him of that between Charles parents. Elizabeth described Philip as her strength and stay in her Golden Wedding anniversary speech, recognieing his unwavering support and partnership throughout their 70-year marriage and her long reign. I think they have managed to find this way of making it work, and I do think feeding off each other in this strength of resilience, because I think you have to be resilient and if you count the number of, in fact its very difficult to count, the number of engagements they do every year multiplied by those 20 years of marriage, its thousands, Gross said. The relationship has been further challenged by Charles cancer diagnosis. The king briefly cancelled his public engagements for more than two months last year after revealing that he was undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. Camilla stepped lightly into the void, increasing her appearances and taking on the all-important role of keeping the royal family in the public eye. Camilla has helped pick up the slack, demonstrating the importance of her rehabilitation to Charles and the royal family. And when Charles resumed his duties, Camilla took a few steps back. Not into the shadows, exactly, but far enough to make sure that the spotlight shined on Charles. That suggests something else about Camilla that helped make the relationship a success, Gottman said. My guess is that ... it wasnt about becoming queen, she said. That wasnt it. What she wanted all along was to be his true love and mate. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Prince Harrys life is at stake in the clash over his UK security arrangements, his lawyer has warned the Court of Appeal on the final day of the dukes legal challenge. The Duke of Sussex is challenging the dismissal of his High Court claim against the Home Office over the decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) that he should receive a different degree of protection when in the UK. In her closing submissions, Shaheed Fatima KC, for the duke, told the court: One must not forget the human dimension to this case. There is a person sitting behind me whose safety, whose security, and whose life is at stake. There is a person sitting behind me who is being told he is getting a special bespoke process when he knows and has experienced a process that is manifestly inferior in every respect. In what his barrister said was an illustration of how important the case is to him and his family, the 40-year-old duke, who lives in the US, attended the Royal Courts of Justice in central London for the two-day hearing. open image in gallery The Duke of Sussex arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice, central London, on Wednesday ( Jordan Pettitt/PA ) After arriving at around 10.10am, ahead of the second day on Wednesday, Harry, wearing a dark blue suit, could be seen taking notes and quietly talking with members of his legal team during parts of the hearing. When the proceedings were paused early in the afternoon, the duke was being escorted out of court by his security detail when a member of the public shouted her support for him in a dramatic outburst, adding: If youre members of the press, youre the reason hes no longer in England. Describing how decisions over Harrys security were made in a unique set of circumstances, a lawyer for the Home Office told the court in the morning: There is nothing about the appellants announcement in January 2020 that he was to step back from his role in the royal family and spend most of his time abroad that was usual. In his oral submissions, Sir James Eadie KC added: It was a category of its own. The appeal comes after retired High Court judge Sir Peter Lane ruled last year that Ravecs decision, taken in early 2020 after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex quit as senior working royals, was lawful. Ravec has delegated responsibility from the Home Office over the provision of protective security arrangements for members of the royal family and others, with involvement from the Metropolitan Police, the Cabinet Office and the royal household. open image in gallery Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle stepped down as senior royals in January 2020 ( Getty ) Ms Fatima previously said that Ravec came up with a different and so-called bespoke process for Harry. She continued: The appellant does not accept that bespoke means better. In fact, in his submission, it means that he has been singled out for different, unjustified and inferior treatment. Ms Fatima told judges that the bespoke process involved Ravec considering why Harry would attend a particular event even though that is plainly irrelevant to the question of security. The Home Office is defending the appeal, previously telling the court the challenge involves a continued failure to see the wood for the trees, advancing propositions available only by reading small parts of the evidence, and now the judgment, out of context and ignoring the totality of the picture. Parts of Wednesdays hearing before Sir Geoffrey Vos, Lord Justice Bean, and Lord Justice Edis were heard in private, without members of the press or public, though the duke was allowed to remain. During the public part of the hearing, Sir James said that the committee does not proceed by way of comparison between people under its remit. He said: That is for the obvious reason that it is highly unlikely that two cases will ever in truth be the same, when judged against the broad guiding principles that apply. open image in gallery Prince Harry waves as he leaves the High Court in central London on Tuesday ( AFP via Getty ) In Tuesdays hearing, Ms Fatima told the court that the failure to do a risk management board assessment for Harry meant that Ravec did not have the expert analysis that it needed to determine whether the duke should be treated like people in an other VIP category. She continued: Ravec did not make a reasonable decision because the appellants position is analogous to those in that other VIP category. Had the judge properly evaluated the evidence, he would have come to that conclusion. Ms Fatima also said: The appellants case is not that he should automatically be entitled to the same protection as he was previously given when he was a working member of the royal family. The appellants case is that he should be considered under the terms of reference and subject to the same process as any other individual being considered for protective security by Ravec, unless there is a cogent reason to the contrary. At the end of the hearing, Sir Geoffrey said the Court of Appeals decision would be given in writing at a later date, which was most unlikely to be before Easter, adding: Plainly we will take our time to consider our judgments. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Acute shortages of larger social housing suitable for families mean it would now take more than 100 years to clear waiting lists in some places, according to analysis of official figures. Amid concerns about the suitability, safety and costs of temporary accommodation, the research found that in the nine council areas with the most acute challenges, it would take at least 67 years to allocate permanent social housing to all households in need of at least three bedrooms. With the most extreme pressures being felt in London, the longest projected timescales were found in Westminster (107.6 years), Enfield (105.3 years) and Merton (102.4 years). Based on current letting trends, just five areas in the top 20 for waiting times were outside London. These are Mansfield (75.5), Slough (74.3 ), Luton (42.1), Solihull (27.9) and Bolton (27.3). Representative body London Councils said boroughs collectively spend 4 million every day on temporary accommodation with homelessness expenditure jumping by 68 per cent in a year. A regional breakdown revealed that London has an aggregate waiting time of 27.6 years, followed by the South West (8.1), the North West (7.1) and the South East (6.2). The aggregate for England was 7.8 years, with the lowest timescales found in the North East (3.2), East of England and the East Midlands (both 5.6). Demand for larger social housing has outstripped overall waiting lists, the analysis found. Between 2014/15 and 2023/24, the number of families waiting for a house with three or more bedrooms increased by 36.6 per cent, at a time when the total households on waiting lists grew by 5.9 per cent. The data has been published by the National Housing Federation (NHF), Crisis and Shelter as they warn of a critical need to boost investment in social housing in the upcoming spending review. NHF chief executive Kate Henderson said: The fact that families in so many parts of the country face waiting lists for an affordable home longer than their childrens entire childhood is a national scandal. Security, stability and the space to learn and play is vital for a childs development, yet we are allowing hundreds of thousands of children to grow up in damaging temporary homes, in cramped and poor-quality conditions and with little privacy. This is no way for a child to grow up and these children deserve better. Matt Downie, chief executive of Crisis, said widespread child homelessness leads to people being trapped in poverty across generations. He added: Its ludicrous that in some areas of the country the wait for a social home is more than average life expectancy. This must spur action at the upcoming spending review. Government must commit to building social housing at scale and provide the necessary investment so that we can create a stronger society where everyone has the foundation of a safe home. Mairi MacRae, director of policy and campaigns at Shelter, said poor quality temporary accommodation means childhoods are being lost to homelessness and its costing the country billions. She added: By committing to serious investment in social housing building 90,000 social homes a year for a decade we can end the housing emergency, save public money, and give every child the foundation they need to thrive. Earlier this month, a cross-party committee of MPs said councils must be required to regularly inspect temporary accommodation for homeless families to prevent dangerous conditions contributing to more than one child death a month. The Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee said a crisis in temporary accommodation in England has left record numbers of children without a permanent home and many are living in appalling conditions, with significant impacts to their health and education. Last month, Rachel Reeves announced 2 billion in grant funding to deliver 18,000 new homes, described as a down payment ahead of longer-term investment in social and affordable housing. The government said it expects at least half of the 18,000 would be social homes, as charities urged that the vast majority should be for social rent amid record highs in homelessness across the country. A Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: The findings of this report highlight the scale and devastating impact of the social housing crisis weve inherited. Were taking urgent action to fix this through our Plan for Change, injecting 2 billion to help deliver the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation, investing in homelessness services, and bringing forward overdue reforms to the Right to Buy scheme that will protect the stock of existing social housing. The analysis assessed waiting list figures and lettings data published by the Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government. The final projection assumed no new additions to the waiting list and calculated how many years would it take to clear the backlog at the average rate of lettings. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice US tariffs are set to cause an uneven storm across the UK with Coventry expected to be the worst affected, a think tank has warned. The West Midlands, the home of British car manufacturing, and Wales, which is a significant contributor to British steel, are likely to take the brunt of the economic impact caused by Donald Trumps escalating trade war, a study by Centre for Cities shows. The 10 per cent tariff on all imports will see the cost of UK goods rise across the Atlantic, from artisan cheese and beer to cars and machinery. But the additional 25 per cent tariff on steel and aluminium is set to significantly impact car manufacturing and the British steel industry. Coventry is the most exposed city, where more than 22 per cent of its total exports are estimated to be goods to the US. It is closely followed by Derby with 19.9 per cent of its goods exported to the US and Telford at 13.3 per cent, according to 2016 to 2022 data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). Overall, 14.3 per cent of exports in Wales are to the US and 15.4 per cent in the West Midlands, Centre for Cities found through analysis of this data. On the other hand, the least impacted city is York at 2.7 per cent, which is seven times less exposed by tariffs than Coventry. Edinburgh (2.9 per cent), London (3.2 per cent) and Cardiff (3.7 per cent) all have low exposure to the impact of tariffs. That is because their economies are more service-oriented, and their goods exports make up a small share of their export industries. The West Midlands is a major hub for British car manufacturing, with notable brands like Jaguar, Land Rover, and Aston Martin. open image in gallery The PSA Peugeot Citroen factory in Ryton, near Coventry ( AFP via Getty Images ) British Steels headquarters is in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, with rolling mills in Teesside and Skinningrove. But Port Talbot in south Wales is home to the largest steel works in the UK. Gareth Stace, UK Steel director general, argued that US president Donald Trump has taken a sledgehammer to free trade with huge ramifications for the steel sector. Our high-quality products serve key US industries, many of which cannot source these domestically. This is a moment where our countries should work together to tackle global steel overproduction, not to be at loggerheads, he added. The government is now considering nationalising British Steel as fears grow that the companys blast furnaces in Scunthorpe could run out of raw materials within days. There are fears that without government support, there could be huge job losses. The motor industry is also warning there could be 25,000 job losses in the UK due to 25 per cent tariffs on automobiles and parts. open image in gallery British Steel's Scunthorpe plant, pictured in north Lincolnshire ( AFP via Getty Images ) Car manufacturer Morgan Motors, based in Malvern, West Midlands, exports about 30 per cent of its products and builds around 650 cars a year. Bosses are concerned the tariffs will impact growth. The tariffs are not good news, and we do not welcome them at all. In the short term, it could stop people from purchasing cars, James Guilbert, head of communications, told The Independent. There will be a knock-on impact to the wider supply chain, we buy materials from other suppliers in the Midlands and if they are impacted, we will be too. The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) pointed out that its 126m trade with the US could be wiped out with a 25 per cent tariff charge on aluminium cans. CEO Emma McClarkin said: We urge the government to defend the great British brewing industry and strike a deal which removes these harmful tariffs. With the enormous cost of doing business, many British brewers wont be able to sustain a hit such as this from one of our biggest trading partners." Morgan Schondelmeir, tax and trade policy manager at BBPA told The Independent: It will decrease the incentive for smaller breweries to export. Although the amount exported is relatively small, this additional 25 per cent tariff on cans is only being applied to beer - not other beverages sold in cans. We are the only beverage being targeted specifically. Responding to the latest on tariffs on Wednesday afternoon, doing a trade deal with the US or changing the rates of American tariffs will not be "enough", Sir Keir Starmer said. Asked by ITV's Peston if the 10 per cent tariff on importing goods to the US would be in place forever, the prime minister replied: "Look, I don't know. "We are negotiating and we hope to improve the situation, but what I mean by this is that simply thinking that any change in the rates, or any deal is going to be enough, to my mind is wrong, because just as we've done with defence and security, where we've recognised it's a changing world, we've got to step up and act differently. Sign up to our free Brexit newsletter for our analysis of the continuing impact of Brexit on the UK Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Brexit is to blame for the exodus of millionaires plaguing London, the culture secretary has claimed, vowing to get a far better deal with the European Union that makes sure that we can continue to support British business. It comes after a report found that London is no longer one of the top five wealthiest cities in the world after losing a higher proportion of millionaires than anywhere other than Moscow. The study, conducted by New World Wealth for advisory firm Henley and Partners, said the UKs capital has lost 11,300 dollar millionaires over the past year, including 18 centimillionaires - someone who has more than $100m - and two billionaires. Critics have blamed Labours overhauling of the non-dom tax regime, that allowed international millionaires to live in the country while paying lower taxes. Asked about the findings, Lisa Nandy primarily blamed Brexit for the issues and said the Labour government is taking the right approach and striking the right balance when it comes to taxing wealth and supporting business. The culture secretary told Sky News: The report points to a variety of factors that have led to that, most specifically Brexit, and one of the things that we're committed to doing as a government is making sure that we get a far better deal with the European Union that make sure that we can continue to support British business. Moscow is the only capital to have lost a higher proportion of millionaires than London in the last year ( Getty ) So in my area, for example, we've got significant problems, as has the EU, because music artists aren't able to tour from the UK and the EU and vice versa. Now that's not good for anybody, so closer cooperation is in people's interests. She added: But the tax regime in Britain is still highly competitive. We've got the lowest main rate of corporation tax in the G7 and, look, when I come on programmes like this, I get asked a lot, why aren't you taxing wealthy people more? The fact that you're challenging me today to say is the tax rate too high, I think broadly, shows that we're taking the right approach and we're striking the right balance. The UKs financial watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility, has estimated that Brexit would wipe 4 per cent per annum from the UKs economy in the long run, as a result of an increase in non-tariff barriers on UK-EU trade. Sir Keir Starmer is currently attempting to pursue a reset with the European Union, pledging to make Brexit work by renegotiating the deal agreed upon by Boris Johnson and the Tories. The exodus of millionaires comes as a new system took effect this week requiring those with a permanent home abroad but living in the UK to pay the same level of taxation as everyone else. The study, conducted before the fallout after the announcement of Donald Trumps tariffs, found that London is only one of two cities in the top 50, alongside Moscow, which now has fewer rich people than a decade ago. The capital, which now has 215,700 millionaires, has lost 12 per cent of its wealthiest residents since 2014. The report says the fall has come as a result of Brexit, tax rises and a fall in the value of the pound. Meanwhile, Moscow has lost 25 per cent of its wealthiest, primarily as a result of Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine. The study comes amid growing calls for the government to implement a wealth tax after Labour took an axe to the UKs ballooning welfare bill, with an estimated 1 million disabled people expected to lose their benefits. But Paul Johnson, the director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, last month told The Independent that no country in the world has ever successfully had a wealth tax thats raised serious money, saying the levy poses significant administrative problems. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice India hopes to sign a free trade agreement with the UK sooner rather than later as the two nations intensify negotiations amid growing global economic instability sparked by Donald Trumps imposition of near-worldwide tariffs. Nirmala Sitharaman, Indias finance minister, said on a visit to London that New Delhi was actively pursuing bilateral trade pacts in response to a shifting and fragmenting global order. Speaking ahead of talks with UK chancellor Rachel Reeves, Ms Sitharaman said the changing geopolitical environment had underscored the need for nations to prioritise direct trade relationships. While denying the US levies were the reason for the urgency in trade talks with the UK, she admitted they were part of the global economic headwinds prompting India to seek new trade ties. Mr Trump announced a new set of import duties on foreign goods on 2 April, affecting both British and Indian exports. The tariffs went into effect on Wednesday. We hope that with the new government showing a great deal of commitment and enthusiasm to have this agreement signed, we will be in a position to sign it sooner rather than later, Ms Sitharaman said during an event at the Indian high commission in London. India is also looking at many bilateral arrangements. In the recent past, weve signed agreements with Australia, the UAE, with Oman, and were looking forward to concluding the bilateral trade agreement with the UK, negotiating also with the EU. open image in gallery Chancellor Rachel Reeves speaks to workers during her visit to a Jaguar Land Rover car factory in Birmingham ( Reuters ) India and the UK have been negotiating a free trade agreement since January 2022. The talks were relaunched last month under the new Labour government. Ms Reeves is hosting the Indian finance minister this week as part of the 13th UK-India Economic and Financial Dialogue. The talks also include the UK trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds, who visited India in March to formally restart the trade discussions. In addition to the free trade deal, the two nations are negotiating a bilateral investment treaty. Ms Sitharaman said the discussions would cover mutual recognition of professional qualifications, cooperation in science and technology, and collaboration in higher education. She will also meet the lord mayor of London and have discussions with industry leaders in the city. The finance ministers are expected to attend a working dinner on Wednesday evening which may include prime minister Keir Starmer. Ms Sitharaman said the world was increasingly multipolar and fragmented, driving nations to step away from traditional alliances and multilateral forums in favour of bilateral arrangements. Ideological or bloc-related affiliations no longer hold, she said. Bilateral arrangements for trade, or for any other reason, are catching up. open image in gallery Sir Keir Starmer during a bilateral meeting with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi ( PA Wire ) The Indian government under Narendra Modi has lately struck trade deals with Australia, the UAE and Oman and started negotiations with the EU. A trade deal with the European Free Trade Association comprising Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein was concluded after 16 years. Global uncertainties the imponderables are multiplying by the day, Ms Sitharaman said at the event in London, adding that economic interests are now part of strategic interests. She noted that Indias negotiations with the UK were longstanding and not a knee-jerk response to the latest developments in the US. At an earlier event in the city, titled Opportunities and challenges for India's quest to become a developed economy by 2047, the minister highlighted Indias resilience and the strength of its domestic demand. India has maintained its fastest growing economy tag continuously for five years. It is backed by demand for global-standard goods, Ms Sitharaman said. The US is the leading trade partner for India. So, at a time when trade is going to be influenced by tariffswe still will have to make sure that the strength that India has in domestic demandmust be sustained and boosted. Indias large consumer base, she said, made it a natural magnet for foreign direct investment and global manufacturing. We think India, and a few emerging markets, are going to be the engines of growth. The global depressed growth, if it has to pick up, will have to be because of these engines, she was quoted as saying by the news agency PTI. open image in gallery New cars and vans at Peel Ports London Medway facility in Sheerness, England, on 8 April 2025 ( Getty ) The UK is seeking lower Indian tariffs on goods such as whisky and automobiles as well as expanded access for its financial and legal services sector in the South Asian country. In return, New Delhi wants faster and easier visa processing for Indian professionals, particularly those staying temporarily in the UK for business. A sticking point is Indias objection to its workers on business visas being required to pay National Insurance in the UK despite not being eligible for local pension or social security benefits, The Guardian reported. The talks are also expected to explore education collaboration. Ms Sitharaman expressed concern that the UK was losing ground to the US as a destination for Indian students and called for renewed efforts to revive interest. There was a time when the first choice for Indian higher education seekers was UK, but gradually it came down, she said. You see Indians discuss prioritising the United States rather than UKThat momentum will have to be regained. There is an ongoing debate within the UK government over international student visa rules, especially about the two-year post-study visa that allows foreign graduates to remain in the country even if they do not have a job. While the Home Office has proposed tightening the visa rules to reduce legal migration, the Department for Education is said to be concerned about the potential harm to UK universities. Several British universities are already increasing their presence in India. Queens University Belfast is set to begin courses at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, or Gift City, next year and the University of Surrey is exploring opportunities as well. Ms Sitharaman used her visit to encourage further investment in Gift City, pitching it as Indias financial hub of the future during a meeting with Baroness Shriti Vadera, chair of insurance giant Prudential PLC. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Eight people, including five children, have died during a three-hour trek in extreme heat to obtain cholera treatment in South Sudan. The deaths occurred after local health services were forced to shut down due to aid cuts imposed by US President Donald Trump. Three of the children were under the age of five, according to reports. The UK-based charity Save the Children said the deaths, which took place last month, are among the first directly linked to the cuts. Trump stated that the reductions, which began after he assumed office on January 20, were implemented to ensure grants aligned with his "America First" agenda. "There should be global moral outrage that the decisions made by powerful people in other countries have led to child deaths in just a matter of weeks," said Christopher Nyamandi, Save the Children's country director in South Sudan. Experts have warned that the cuts - including the cancellation of more than 90% of USAID's contracts - could cost millions of lives in the coming years due to malnutrition, AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases. open image in gallery Children sit and play on the remains of a tank, at the river port in Renk, South Sudan on May 17, 2023 ( Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) The US State Department said it did not have information about the deaths reported by Save the Children. A spokesperson said many US government programmes providing lifesaving aid in South Sudan remained active but that support for medical services had also been used to enrich the country's leaders. "While emergency lifesaving programmes continue, we will not, in good conscience, ask the American taxpayer to provide assistance that effectively subsidises the irresponsible and corrupt behaviour of South Sudans political leaders," the spokesperson said. South Sudan's government has in the past acknowledged a significant amount of public corruption but denied specific accusations of graft, including against President Salva Kiir's family. Humanitarian aid to the country is often channelled through non-governmental organisations, largely because of corruption concerns. Save the Children supported 27 health facilities in eastern South Sudan's Jonglei State until earlier this year when the US cuts forced seven to shut completely and 20 to close partially, the organisation said in a statement. US funded transport services to take people to hospital in the main local town also stopped for lack of funds, which meant the eight cholera patients had to walk in nearly 40C heat to seek treatment at the nearest health facility, it said. Besides the US cuts, more gradual reductions by other donors have strained the humanitarian response in South Sudan. Save the Children expects to spend $30 million in the country in 2025, down from $50 million last year, Nyamandi said. Over a third of South Sudan's roughly 12 million people have been displaced by either conflict or natural disaster, and the United Nations says the country could be on the brink of a new civil war after fighting broke out in February in the northeast. A cholera outbreak was declared last October. More than 22,000 cases had been recorded as of last month, causing hundreds of deaths, the World Health Organization has said. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Passengers were left terrified when their American Airlines flight from JFK to Milan was forced to turn back while they were over the Atlantic because of an unruly passenger. According to those on board, the man was originally upset that he couldnt sit in an exit row with a baby, reports CBS New York. He then became angrier when his meal choice wasnt available. The man later charged at air hostesses and, at one point, ran through the cabin and attempted to barge into the pilots cabin. Flight 198 left New York City around 7 p.m. Monday. Four hours later, it turned around and headed back to the terminal. We kind of noticed a scuffle in the back. They were asking around if there were any police officers or Army members, or somebody who could help because there were no air marshals on, passenger Krystie Tomlinson told CBS. There was apparently somebody in the back; he was charging at the stewardesses. At some point, he charged past all of our seats and tried to barge into the pilots cabin. Despite the ordeal, passengers say American Airlines did not offer them anything ( Getty/iStock ) Apparently, the whole thing started because of a meal choice they didnt get. I guess they asked for it ahead of time. They never got exactly what they wanted. They also wanted to sit in an exit row. They had a baby with them, so they told them they couldnt, and apparently those two things are what pushed the person over the edge, Tomlinson said. They were telling everyone that there were technical issues on the plane, which is even scarier, another passenger, Michael Scigliano, said. The guy was still in the back of the plane unprotected, unrestrained, which was a little bit scary considering we had a plane full of 300 people and there was no air marshal on board, and weve got this crazy man in the back, he added. The flight landed safely back at JFK around 3 a.m. local time. The passengers then waited tensely for the man to be brought off the plane. Scigliano said that despite the ordeal, the airline did not offer them anything. This was echoed by Tomlinson, who said that she was told she would need to pay $79 if she wanted to use the AA lounge to breastfeed. There were nearly 2,000 incidents of unruly passengers on flights in 2024, according to the FAA. The Independent has reached out to American Airlines for comment. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice An 11-year-old Wisconsin boy is now regaining the strength to walk and talk again after a routine tonsillitis surgery was botched, landing him in a coma, his family says. Liam Klaver underwent surgery to remove his tonsils on March 17. But the routine procedure - that half a million people undergo each year - went awry, causing the child to slowly bleed and go into cardiac arrest. Hes now able to speak a few words and sit up after a grueling few weeks in the hospital, his family said. He can say a few words, but it does hurt and [is] hard to understand, the family wrote April 6 on their GoFundMe. Today he tried to take a few steps and almost fell. He really wants to come home! He was able to pull himself up and into a wheelchair. Right now, he can do thumbs up, thumbs down, and give you a squeeze, his grandmother Tanya Coye told TMJ4. open image in gallery An 11-year-old boy is recovering, learning to walk and talk again, after a botched tonsillectomy ( AFP via Getty Images ) When the boy returned home after surgery, he didnt seem to be healing properly and he ended up throwing up two liters of blood, according to the GoFundMe page. Four days after his initial surgery, his family rushed him to the hospital, where doctors discovered a post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage in his right carotid artery. This artery, one of two that supplies blood to the brain, was leaking, causing him to bleed to death, the parents said. He then underwent an emergency second surgery days later, in which Liam needed nine units of blood. The child then went into cardiac arrest. He coded on the operating table for 10 minutes before doctors were able to revive him, the fundraiser stated, noting he was then intubated, put on paralytic medications and heavily sedated. Although initial tests showed he didnt suffer any brain damage, other issues emerged that doctors predict will take months to heal, according to the page. After a few days of weaning off of sedation and the medications, on March 31, doctors removed Liam from a ventilator. Ten days after he was first intubated, he was able to breathe on his own and he started to wake up in the hospitals pediatric intensive care unit. Liam the past few days is becoming more alert and has started to ask questions, his family said. His last memory is from lacrosse practice one day before the surgery, his family said. The 11-year-old has also become cognizant of the doctors coming in and out of the hospital room, which was starting to scare him more and prompted him to ask questions about why he was there. The boy cried and said he wanted to go home, but the family noted he is making great improvements each day. After just another week, Liam was already regaining the ability to talk and walk a bit. As of Wednesday morning, the GoFundMe had raised nearly $18,000. His page hopes to earn $50,000 to pay for his tremendous medical bills. The family did not disclose where the boy underwent the procedure. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A pair of Nebraska high school students are under investigation for taking an extremely inappropriate photograph posing with a swastika flag inside a locker room on campus. The pair are enrolled at Aurora High School in Hamilton County, 70 miles west of Lincoln. Aurora Public Schools said in a recent statement that law enforcement officers started an investigation around those in the photo, behind the camera, and even the people who spread the picture online. The schools statement was released on April 3. Its not clear when the photo was originally posted. The school district said that the photograph was first uploaded to Instagram before being posted on other social media platforms. What happens in the locker room does not stay in the locker room, the caption on one of the posts that spread online and has been seen by The Independent read. Both individuals' faces are blacked out on the image, but one of the suspects dressed in all black flashed a thumbs up. The other suspect sported a gray shirt tucked into matching trousers and sneakers. The school district said it has identified the suspects but will not be naming them publicly. We have taken some action as far as addressing it, making sure people are aware and know that we are taking care of it and proceeding accordingly, Aurora Public Schools Superintendent Jody Phillips told the Aurora News-Register Tuesday. Phillips said the school district is cooperating with the Aurora Police Department, though Chief Paul Graham told the newspaper that there is nothing criminal to investigate. Act will not be tolerated The Aurora Public Schools acknowledges this photo is extremely inappropriate and unacceptable. The photo depicts a symbol of hate and offensiveness that the Aurora Public Schools does not condone, Philips said. It sheds a negative light on our school, school district, and community. This act, and the message it sends, is not tolerated in our school and we will take all means necessary to address this issue. Phillips said that those who are responsible for the incident will be held accountable per the schools code of conduct. A meeting was held Monday morning with all high school students and administration, he confirmed to the News-Register. The school has less than 400 students enrolled. Several users who commented on the school district's Facebook post expressed their disdain and alleged that the two suspects received a three-day suspension. A 3-day suspension isn't enough FOR THAT, one person wrote. Is it true that the students involved in this hate crime only received a 3-day suspension? If so, thats just pitiful, another added. A third person wrote: As a former Military Brat. I found this offensive.. not the least bit amusing. These kids evidently need to go back and study history again. The Independent has contacted Aurora Public Schools for more information. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at ramping up American coal production this week - but environmental advocates say it will hurt Americans wallets and Mother Nature. The president said the move would revive an industry that was abandoned despite the fact that it was the best, certainly the best in terms of power, real power. I call it beautiful, clean coal, he said. Were ending Joe Bidens war on beautiful, clean coal, once and for all. But, environmentalists say increased coal-fired plants would harm Americans and that the presidents terminology is egregiously inaccurate. There is no such thing as clean coal, former EPA Admin. Gina McCarthy said in a statement shared with The Independent. Just as Trumps tariffs are hitting Americans wallets, his administration is wasting taxpayer dollars to prop up an expensive, dangerous, and dirty industry when we have abundant, cheaper, better, and safer clean energy. open image in gallery President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at ramping up American coal production this week. Environmental groups says its a waste of Americans money at great cost to their health ( REUTERS ) Jason Rylander, of the Center for Biological Diversitys Climate Law Institute, said that the orders take the presidents worship of the dirty fossil fuel industry to a gross and disturbingly reckless new level. Forcing old coal plants to keep spewing pollution into our air and water means more cancer, more asthma and more premature deaths. This is yet another assault on efforts to preserve a livable climate, and its now abundantly clear that Trumps promise to give America the cleanest air and water was a boldfaced lie, he said. During his second presidential run, Trump had said he was in favor of clean air and water, although he has shied away from any complex discussion on human-caused climate change and its effects. open image in gallery U.S. President Donald TrumpA signs a series ofA executive orders on American energy production and easing regulations on coal during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House on April 08, 2025 in Washington, DC. ( Getty Images ) In addition to emitting carbon dioxide and other pollutants, coal production also releases particulate matter that can cause respiratory and cardiovascular issues. Exposure to that particulate matter, known as PM2.5, is associated with increased risk of death. Exposure to coal PM2.5 is associated with a risk of mortality more than double that of exposure to PM2.5 from other sources, researchers found in 2023. A report from the Clean Air Task Force found that nearly 3,000 deaths each year are attributable to fine particle pollution from U.S. power plants. These consequences are in addition to health impacts tied to climate change caused by the fossil fuel industrys planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. Notably, the EPA is reconsidering Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards it says hut down opportunities for American manufacturing and small businesses. Exposure to mercury from coal plants can damage brain function. On Tuesday, Trump also granted certain coal planets the ability to comply with less stringent standards for mercury, lead, nickel and arsenic emissions. The Environmental Protection Agencys Mercury and Air Toxic Standards has helped mercury emissions drop by 86 percent since 2017. The EPA is also reconsidering the regulation. open image in gallery The majority of U.S. coal production comes from Wyoming and West Virginia. Coal plants produce particulate matter that are associated with an increased risk of death ( AP ) In addition to health costs, coal production is also more expensive than producing renewable energy, including solar and wind. The majority of domestic coal production comes out of Wyoming, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Illinois. A report by nonpartisan energy and climate policy think tank Energy Innovation: Policy and Technology found that 99 percent of all U.S. coal plants are more expensive to run than new renewables. Furthermore, the Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense says the use of coal becomes economically unviable because the market price is not enough to cover the repair of the damage caused. Coal use has declined because of the high cost of operating coal plants, and no Executive Orders will change that market reality. Increased use of coal will only be possible through subsidies funded either by using taxpayer money or by increasing costs for American families who are already struggling with high power bills, Environmental Defense Fund Director Ted Kelly said. Clinging to a 19th century power plan makes no sense for 21st century America it will only mean cost shocks in peoples electric bills, losing renewable energy jobs, surrendering U.S. manufacturing of clean energy solutions, and a public health and climate disaster, he added. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A small but growing number of Senate Democrats are using their power to gum up the works as Donald Trumps administration continues to flout the orders of federal judges and cut programs which its critcs argue the presidents appointees lack the constitutional standing to end. Though the minority party lacks the numbers to actually block any of the presidents political appointments without the support of several Republican defections, several senators are signaling that they plan to slow down business in the chamber unless the White House starts listening to them. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut was the latest member to join the ranks of a small number of senators who have vowed to place holds on the nominations of Trump appointees under the purview of their committees; the Democratic senator sits on several committees, including Armed Services, Veterans Affairs, Judiciary and Homeland Security. His hold is an informal notification of his intent to block the unanimous consent process through which most lower-level appointees are confirmed to get around it, the Senate Republican majority would need to schedule individual votes on each nomination. Blumenthal told Axios that he was planning to place holds on all nominations under his committee jurisdictions, increasing the total number of existing nominations under Democratic holds past the current total of around 300. The Independent reached out to his office Tuesday for further comment. open image in gallery Senator Richard Blumenthal was the latest Democrat to announce plans to place holds on Donald Trumps nominees on Monday. ( AP ) His action expands on a previous announcement from Ruben Gallego, Blumenthals freshman colleague on the Veterans Affairs committee. Gallego, in a video announcement released April 1, told viewers that he was placing a hold on nominations to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) until the Trump administration reversed the firings of tens of thousands of employees caught up in DOGE-ordered force reductions across the agency. The Associated Press reported in March that top VA officials had been informed about a plan to reduce the agencys size to pre-Covid levels, before the often-beleaguered system was expanded under the Biden administration. Even some Republicans have raised alarms regarding the effects the staff reductions will have on VA services, while Democrats accuse the president of wanting to privatize the agency altogether. Im concerned that theyre trying to cut 88,000 employees from the VA, Gallego, from Arizona, said in his video statement. Theres no plan [for] what this means, how this affects services. We actually need to be hiring more people, not firing people. Theres no way theyre gonna cut that many people and have it not affect veterans services, Gallego said. So Im going to do everything I can to try and stop that. open image in gallery Senator Ruben Gallego announced his intention to place holds on VA nominees in early April ( AFP via Getty Images ) Brian Schatz, a Democratic senator from Hawaii and (like Gallego) one of the caucuss younger members, was more blunt in his reasoning for putting holds on around 50 nominees in an interview with Axios. "Their lawlessness is escalating and they are intentionally destroying the economy, and so I don't think we should make anything easy going forward," said the senator. His comment follows a declaration from the Trump administration that it could not retrieve a Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador, with various explanations given. Some of Schatzs holds are over nominees to the State Department, which in coordination with DHS has worked to cancel student visas for hundreds of international students since January. None of the Democratic efforts to place holds on nominations will set the Trump administration back indefinitely, but the combined block potentially gives the Senate GOP more work to do while also possibly slowing or hindering the implementation of policy measures at various federal agencies. Senator Tommy Tuberville pursued a months-long hold on all military promotions at the Pentagon during the Biden administration as the conservative Alabama lawmaker sought to force the Department of Defense to cease funding travel for service members seeking to receive abortion care. His hold eventually grew to affect more than 400 service member promotions and in December of 2023 he finally relented after sharp pressure from colleagues on both sides of the aisle and allegations that he was damaging military readiness for political purposes. Democrats in the Senate in particular are facing growing pressure from their base to show greater signs of resistance in the face of Trumps second-term agenda after a group of Democrats led by the partys minority leader, Chuck Schumer, voted to break a filibuster and allow Republicans to pass legislation to fund the government without securing a deal to reign in Elon Musks DOGE effort or halting cuts to non-defense spending. Schumer, the partys longtime leader in the upper chamber, is facing historically high disapproval ratings and in a recent poll lagged behind Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a House member from New York and a rising star in the party, in a hypothetical primary matchup for his own seat. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice An economist cited by Donald Trumps team to justify his aggressive tariff hikes has accused the U.S. government of misinterpreting his work and causing a recession. An article co-authored by Pau S Pujolas, an associate professor at McMaster University in Canada, was one of the five bibliographical references used by the White House to support the sweeping levies Trump has imposed on the rest of the world. The 2024 study explores who would win in a trade war between the U.S. and China. But Pujolas has said that there is a huge gap between my study and what the White House is doing. Its an outrage. The article, entitled Trade Deficits in Trade Wars, concludes that in a trade war between two countries, the one with a trade deficit wins. open image in gallery President Donald Trump holds up a chart of reciprocal tariffs like Moses ( Getty Images ) The chairman of Trumps council of economic advisors, Steve Miran, referred to the findings on Monday when making the case for Trumps strategy. They show that by imposing tariffs on exporting countries, the United States can improve economic outcomes, increase revenues, and impose huge losses on the tariffed nation, even with full-blown retaliation, he said. However, referring to Trump posing with a large board of country-by-country tariffs, Catalan economist Pujolas told Spanish newspaper El Pais about the many ways the presidents plan differs from his theoretical study. Miran and the Council of Economic Advisers are very smart, but I know that what the White House is doing isn't necessarily what they're telling it, he said. The formula and tables Trump used as Moses have nothing to do with my article or the articles cited. We created a very comprehensive model and asked them if the United States would benefit from imposing an optimal tariff on China, and they said yes. But the ones they imposed in 2018 weren't optimal, and therefore they've already lost that trade war. And if you include the animal tariffs that Trump has imposed now in our model, they're sure to lose. They're beyond measure, and it goes beyond China: a trade war against the European Union, with which they have a smaller deficit, makes no sense. open image in gallery Stock markets around the world were in chaos on Monday following Trumps tariff hikes ( Getty Images ) Pujolas added that the model, based on 2014 data that pre-dates Trumps arrival on the political stage, does not account for an erratic leader who wants Greenland or wants to make Canada the 51st state. On the blog Nothing is Free he also pointed out the gain from a tariff comes only at the cost of impoverishing our neighbors; if our neighbors play it tit-for-tat, we (almost always) end up blind. Pujolas isnt the only person cited by Trump to have criticized the Presidents economic policies. University of Chicago Economics Professor Brett Neiman, formerly a Biden administration Treasury official, said the White House had got the tariff rates very wrong. He continued that the Trump administration had wildly overcalculated tariff rates placed on nearly all countries that export to the U.S. Writing a guest essay for The New York Times, he said: I disagree fundamentally with the governments trade policy and approach. Even taking it at face value, our findings suggest the calculated tariffs should be dramatically smaller perhaps one-fourth as large. Neiman called for the tariffs to be scrapped entirely. The tariff hikes caused stock markets across the globe to tank on Monday as even some of Trumps allies, including Bill Ackman, called for a rethink. Trump dismissed the panic and said sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something as he threatened to raise import fees even further against China unless Beijing dropped its retaliatory measures. The president has since insisted his economic strategy is a war with the world in pursuit of fairer trading conditions for the United States. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice As the world reels from the impact of Donald Trumps sweeping tariffs, a video mocking his plan by comedian Dave Chappelle has resurfaced. The president sent stock markets plummeting when he announced the stiff levies, with even his close advisor Elon Musk openly questioning the policy. But the worlds richest man is by far the first to question the logic of Trump going to economic war with the world. High people ideas, is how Trumps policies are described in a viral clip of Chappelle from 2017, which is being shared online after the White House broke decades of international trade convention. Like, he doesnt think these things through before he tells us. He just tells us what hes thinking as soon as it occurs to him, Chappelle says in the clip. That s*** sounds nuts, Im gonna go to China and Im gonna get those jobs from China and bring them back here to America. For what? So iPhones can be $9,000? Leave that job in China where it belongs. None of us want to work that hard," he joked, adding: "I want to wear Nikes I don't want to make them. China is at the centre of the trade war with the U.S., after 104 per cent tariffs came into force on Wednesday, with Beijing and Washington both vowing not to back down. The Chinese embassy has since posted a video of former US president Ronald Reagan, famed for his commitment to free market economics, addressing the impact of tariffs. Democrat campaigner Armand Domalewski shared the video with the caption: The Chinese Communist Party posting Reagan speeches about the importance of free tradewhat a time to be alive. In the video, Reagan says that when a country decides to impose a tariff on foreign imports it looks like theyre doing a patriotic thing by protecting American products and jobs. But he goes on to argue that it leads to less innovation and competition, as industries seek for government protections in the form of high tariffs. The fierce trade wars result in more and more tariffs, Reagan adds in the video. Elon Musk, who heads the Department for Government Efficiency,and has overseen a huge cost-cutting drive within government, has also been vocal in his opposition to the tariffs. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO shared a video of Milton Friedman, one of the leading figures of free-market capitalism, in which he explains that no single person could make a single pencil by themselves. Products are best produced through global cooperation and specialization, he argues. Musk likely sought to argue that products are best built with components from around the world, which are mass produced for cheap and then sold worldwide. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The acting chief of the Internal Revenue Service is resigning from the role after Donald Trumps administration struck up a deal for the agency to share undocumented immigrants taxpayer data with the Department of Homeland Security. A deal from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent allows Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to collect confidential IRS data for immigration enforcement as part of Trumps deportation blitz. The administration filed a redacted version of the agreement in court filings. Melanie Krause who is the third acting IRS commissioner under Trump reportedly had only learned of the deal after hearing about it on Fox News. As we focus on IT modernization and re-organize the agency to better serve the taxpayer, we are also in the midst of breaking down data silos that for too long have stood in the way of identifying waste, fraud, and abuse and bringing criminals to justice, a Treasury spokesperson told The Independent. We believe these goals are critical to a more efficient government and safer country. We wish Melanie well on her next endeavor. The deal, which prompted several resignations at that tax agency, allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to ask for information about immigrants under investigation or facing removal orders. A redacted memorandum in court filings states ICE agents will be able to interview, consult, depose, or interrogate or otherwise obtain relevant information from taxpayers. open image in gallery A deal between the Treasury Department and DHS would allow the IRS to share taxpayer data with ICE ( REUTERS ) Krauses planned departure follows a chaotic few months at the tax agency. She was in the role for a little over a month after her predecessor Doug ODonnell retired in the face of Elon Musks so-called Department of Government Efficiency operations at the agency, with looming pressure from immigration enforcement officials seeking broad access to taxpayer data. ODonnell had replaced Danny Werfel, who was appointed by Joe Biden and stayed on as IRS commissioner at the beginning of Trumps term. Trump then announced plans to fire him and install former Republican congressman Billy Long, whose nomination is awaiting Senate confirmation. Krause will remain as acting commissioner until at least May 15, according to a Treasury spokesperson. The resignation of acting Commissioner Krause as a result of a decision to share information with immigration enforcement officials highlights concerns about the ethics and legality of the deal, according to Lisa Gilbert, co-president of Public Citizen, which sued the administration on behalf of a group of immigrants advocacy groups to block IRS data from getting into the hands of immigration officers. Our laws were intended to keep taxpayer data confidential, she said. This backroom deal by Secretary Bessent and Secretary Noem violates those laws. The Trump administrations political efforts to use immigrants tax data against them should send chills down the spine of every U.S. taxpayer who disagrees with this administration. open image in gallery DHS secretary Kristi Noem has struck a deal with the Treasury Department to allow ICE agents seek taxpayer data for people under ICE investigation ( AP ) Undocumented immigrants paid $66 billion in federal taxes in 2023, with roughly $22 billion in individual income taxes and $43 billion in payroll taxes that fund services like Social Security and Medicare, according to Yale Budget Lab, the universitys non-partisan policy research center. Undocumented immigrants make up nearly 5 percent of the workforce, despite making up only 3.4 percent of the total population. For every 1 million undocumented immigrants who paid taxes, public services received more than $8 billion in additional tax revenue, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. But those immigrants, despite paying into government benefits and services like healthcare and retirement, are not eligible to receive them. To complete a tax return, undocumented workers are allowed to submit their returns using a nine-digit code called an individual taxpayer identification number rather than a Social Security number. The impacts of the Trump administrations agreement between ICE and the IRS and how many undocumented people will be caught up in the ordeal are unclear. If undocumented immigrants become less likely to file taxes, or end up moving to jobs or pay arrangements to avoid them, the Trump administrations data-sharing agreement could lead to a .5 percent loss in federal income and payroll tax revenue on average, or $25 billion in 2026 and $313 billion over the next 10 years, the center found. Meanwhile, Musks DOGE has been trying to obtain sensitive taxpayer data to cross-reference personal information with other agencies that provide public benefits. A recent appeals court ruling cleared a path for DOGE to begin tapping into troves of sensitive personal data at three federal agencies, including the Treasury Department. DOGE is reportedly planning to stage a hackathon in Washington, D.C., in the coming days to build a tool that lets separate systems share information with one another in an effort to collect IRS data, according to WIRED. The agency is expected to partner with a third-party vendor to manage construction of a mega API that would serve as a bridge between those systems, the outlet reported. Palantir, the surveillance software company cofounded by Musk associate Peter Thiel, is a potential candidate, according to WIRED. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Shortly after MAGA favorite and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced his plans to run for the Senate in 2026, he was hit with allegations about his personal life by his rivals campaign. Paxton will challenge fellow Republican, five-time incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the upcoming primary race. "I am announcing that I am running for U.S. Senate against John Cornyn," Paxton said in an interview on Fox News show The Ingraham Angle. "We have another great U.S. senator, Ted Cruz (from Texas), and it's time we have another great senator that will actually stand up and fight for Republican values, fight for the values of the people of Texas and also support ... Donald Trump in the areas that he's focused on in a very significant way." Cornyn's campaign immediately highlighted the senator's support for Trump and called Paxton, 62, a fraud. He says hes anti-woke, but he funnels millions of taxpayer dollars to lawyers who celebrate DEI. And Ken claims to be a man of faith but uses fake Uber accounts to meet his girlfriend and deceive his family. "Ken Paxton is a fraud," Cornyn's team said, touting that the senator has often voted in favor of Trump's agenda. Trump, a Republican, has previously expressed support for both Paxton and Cornyn, 73, who will be seeking a fifth term. Texas AG Ken Paxon shown here with President Donald Trump has become a MAGA favorite in recent years ( AFP via Getty Images ) In 2023, Paxton narrowly survived an impeachment vote over alleged bribes he took from Austin developer Nate Paul. Uber records reflect drivers picked up Paxton under the alias of 'Dave P' a block from his home and ferried him to his lover's or Paul's properties more than a dozen times from August 6, 2020, until October 2, 2020, officials wrote in impeachment documents. The woman that Paxton was accused of having an affair with worked for Paul. Paxton has four children with his wife, Angela, a Texas state representative. They are practicing evangelical Christians. Democrats have not won a Senate race in Texas since 1988. He talks tough on crime and then lets crooked progressive Lina Hidalgo off the hook. He says his impeachment trial was a sham but he didnt contest the facts in legal filings which will cost the state millions, Cornyns campaign also said. Cornyns campaign also noted that the senator has voted in favor of Trumps agenda 95 percent of the time. Republican strategist Dave Carney told Fox News that the race would likely be the most expensive primary in Texas. It will be a brutal battle. [It also] opens up the attorney generals race. There will probably be a very competitive primary for that and were going to have a lot of musical chairs down ballot, Carney added. Earlier this month, Paxton led attorney generals from 12 Republican-led states in demanding that 20 private companies shut down their DEI operations. In January, just after Trump began his second term, an attorney discipline board dropped its misconduct case against Paxton after the state Supreme Court blocked related claims against one of his top deputies over their work on a failed lawsuit that challenged Joe Bidens victory in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. The commission had accused Paxton of professional misconduct for allegedly making dishonest statements in a lawsuit Texas filed in December 2020 at the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to block Bidens victories over Donald Trump in four key states. Paxton denied violating attorney conduct rules and argued that the disciplinary commission lacked authority over his action as a state official. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul on Tuesday mocked President Donald Trumps unusual perspectives on international trade, deficits and tariffs, calling them backwards and upside down. Its based on a fallacy," Paul said in a CNBC interview from the Capitol. "The fallacy is this: that somehow in a trade, someone must lose, that somehow when you trade with someone, there's a loser and someone's taking advantage of you, and China's ripping you off or Japan's ripping you off, he said, characterizing Trumps view. (They ripped us off left and right. But now its our turn to do the ripping, Trump said Tuesday night in the keynote address at the annual National Republican Congressional Committee in Washington, D.C.) Its not a ripoff, its a purchase, and the U.S. has been powerful and wealthy enough to be able to purchase just about anything it wants from any country it wants, and thats not a bad thing, Paul emphasized. "Every trade that occurs in the marketplace is mutually beneficial," he argued. If were in a free society and you want to sell me your coat and I give your $200 for it, we both agree to it and were both happy with the trade. Consumers do the same thing when they make a decision to buy something at Walmart that was may have purchased from China, he noted. "You could artificially do this accounting between countries and say, oh, trade deficit. Look at this trade deficit. But I have a trade deficit with my grocery store, Paul added. Rand Paul: "The whole [tariffs] debate is so fundamentally backwards & upside down. It's based on a fallacy & the fallacy is this: that somehow in a trade, someone must lose. That somehow when you trade with someone, someone is taking advantage of you... I have a trade deficit pic.twitter.com/jsjB0JJk9U Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 8, 2025 Its the same argument University of Chicago Economics Professor Brent Neiman made Monday in a guest essay in The New York Times. He quoted Nobel laureate Robert Solow, who once quipped: I have a chronic deficit with my barber, who doesnt buy a darned thing from me. Neiman explained: Trade imbalances between two countries can emerge for many reasons that have nothing to do with protectionism ... [a] pattern reflects differences in natural resources, comparative advantage and development levels. Deficit numbers dont suggest, let alone prove, unfair competition. Ironically, the White House cited research by Neiman and three collaborators to support the White House plan on tariffs. One key problem? They got it wrong, very wrong, from the policy to the tariff calculations, according to Neiman. Paul argued later Tuesday on Fox News that the U.S. economy is always healthier with more, not less, international trade. The higher the trade deficits the more prosperity. The lower the trade deficits the less prosperity, he insisted. He vowed he wont support Trumps tariffs because theyll hurt Americans retirement savings with a likely slowed-down economy and continued weaker stock market. Paul also mocked Trumps claims about the tariffs and his calculations to determine the new tariffs hes imposing on foreign goods (which will mostly be borne by American consumers). The astronomical figures Trump claimed would be reciprocal ( but arent) were based on a cooked-up equation taking the U.S. trade deficit with a particular country, dividing it by the total goods imported from that country, and then dividing that by two. At best, according to Neiman, those figures are at least four times higher than make any sense. "We have to start [with] talking about the truth, Paul told CNBC, pointing to Trumps exaggerated claims about Canadian tariffs on U.S. dairy products. One of the things they say with Canada is, 'Oh, there's a 270 percent tariffs on dairy products going from the U.S. into Canada.' Well you know what the real tariffs is? Zero. That's a big difference between what the truth is, he said. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A persistent myth that millions of noncitizens are voting in federal elections is fueling legislation in Congress that could upend how Americans register to vote and disenfranchise millions of people in the process. House Republicans have reintroduced the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which would require a passport or a birth certificate matching ones current legal name when registering to vote and sets onerous in-person requirements that would make it more difficult to participate in elections. The House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 220-208 on April 10, with four Democratic members joining every Republican present in support. The bills fate in the Senate is unclear. The SAVE Act, if passed into law, would functionally eliminate voter registration by mail and online voter registration, according to Eliza Sweren-Becker, senior counsel at the voting rights program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law. It has a clear intent of trying to stop millions of American citizens from participating in our elections, she told The Independent. More than half of American citizens do not have a passport (application fees are $165) and 13 million citizens do not have ready access to citizenship documents, according to the Brennan Center. People of color are also more likely to lack easy access to those documents, the Brennan Center found. While roughly 8 percent of white American citizens dont have citizenship documents readily available, that figure is nearly 11 percent among Americans of color. Ilana Beller, democracy organizing manager with consumer advocacy nonprofit Public Citizen, said the SAVE Acts requirements will disproportionately impact women. open image in gallery Women voters are going to be most impacted if the SAVE Act is introduced ( Getty Images ) As many as 69 million women who have taken their spouses name do not have a birth certificate matching their legal name, according to the public policy think tank Center for American Progress. Once you change your name, the name on your birth certificate is no longer your legal name, so changing ones voter registration would essentially require a passport, Beller told reporters last month. Updating documents or getting replacements can take a lot of time and money. Voters will have to race to have them ready in time to meet voter registration deadlines. I am currently doing the things that conservatives so badly want women to do in this country: Get married, have kids, work a job, she added. And because of that, Congress wants to force me to pay $165 and spend months jumping through hoops in order to participate in our democracy? Forcing in-person voter registration including when updating voter registration is impractical and unfeasible for millions of Americans, including people with disabilities, elderly Americans and Americans who live in rural areas, according to the Brennan Centers Sweren-Becker. House Republicans with five Democrats passed a version of SAVE Act in 2024, after House Speaker Mike Johnson joined Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago to tie the presidents anti-immigration agenda to election integrity. Elon Musk had even suggested that anyone who voted against the bill should be executed for treason. Those who oppose this are traitors, he wrote on X at the time. What is the penalty for traitors again? open image in gallery Republican Rep. Chip Roy has reintroduced the SAVE Act, which would require states to collect and document proof of citizenship from voters ( AP ) Trump and his allies continue to baselessly insist that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him, including amplifying false claims about voting machines and the ways in which elections work, like the safeguards in place to prevent ballots cast by noncitizens from manipulating the outcomes. This legislation is premised on, ultimately, lies about the outcome of the 2020 election, and misinformation and disinformation about the way our elections work, and conspiracy theories about who's participating in our elections, Sweren-Becker said. The president has separately signed an executive order that similarly requires proof of citizenship when registering to vote. It also would require a national mail-in ballot deadline of Election Day. Trumps order would also require the Election Assistance Commission to rewrite voting machine certification standards, and threatens to withhold federal funds to states that dont use sufficiently compliant machines. State voter rolls would also be shared with federal agencies. White House staff secretary Will Scharf celebrated Trumps order as the farthest-reaching executive action taken in the countrys history. Election law professor Rick Hasen called it an executive power grab that could disenfranchise millions of voters. If the executive order survives legal challenges, it will severely shift power over federal elections into the hands of the Presidency, he wrote. open image in gallery Democratic attorneys general are suing Donald Trump over his unconstitutional executive order that outlines dramatic changes to voting and election administration and threatens states with the loss of federal funds or criminal prosecution for noncompliance ( Getty Images ) In their lawsuit trying to block the executive order, Democratic officials from 19 states argue that the president is illegally trying to usurp state control of elections. The order sows confusion and sets the stage for chaos in state election systems, attorneys general wrote in their lawsuit. Handing registration information to agencies like the Department of Homeland Security and Musks so-called Department of Government Efficiency which a federal judge has accused of launching a bogus fishing expedition for fraud could also open the door for mass purges of voter rolls over spurious accusations of fraudulent voter registrations. At least 19 states have proposed similar voter ID laws to target noncitizen voters. Ahead of the 2024 election, thousands of people across the country were targeted for removal from state voter databases for allegedly registering as a non-citizen, what civil rights groups said is part of a concerted mass disenfranchisement effort. Most of those purges appeared to stem from errors on paperwork at a states Department of Motor Vehicles offices, which collect voter registration information. And in state after state, eligible voters were accidentally caught up in those mass purges. Some were given notices that they would even be criminally charged if they tried to vote. open image in gallery A sign for new voter registration is seen outside a polling location at Pinkerton Academy in Derry, N.H., Tuesday, March 11, 2025. ( AP ) The SAVE Act and Trumps order are about MAGA Republicans wanting to choose their voters, according to Susan Corke, executive director of bipartisan pro-democracy group State Democracy Defenders Action. Republican lawmakers are deliberately rigging the system to silence our voices and seize power for themselves while Trump is laying the groundwork for mass voter disenfranchisement, she said in a statement. The SAVE Act also would codify the surge in threats to state and local election workers by building in a specter of criminal prosecution or potentially crushing civil liability if officials challenge a voters eligibility. Elections dont stay free and fair without a fight. Brennan Center vice president Wendy Weiser If there's any ambiguity as to whether somebody has adequately demonstrated citizenship, according to the bill, then election officials are going to be more inclined not to register that person because of reasonable fear of the consequences, Sweren-Becker told The Independent. The bill would direct states to come up with a process for people who do not have passports or requisite documents, but its not clear what those processes could entail, and whether states are even prepared to make those kinds of changes. Within the two years before the 2020 election, more than 91 million Americans registered for the first time or updated their registrations more than two-thirds of registered voters, according to the Brennan Center. I want folks to recognize that the fight for free and fair elections in 2026 and 2028 is on now, the centers vice president Wendy Weiser told reporters this week. We need to be vigilant Elections dont stay free and fair without a fight. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Donald Trumps former senior advisor Steve Bannon has thrown another jab at Elon Musk, this time over the Republicans getting their a***s kicked in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election. The GOP megadonor poured more than $20 million into conservative candidate Brad Schimels campaign coffers, only for him to be thwarted by liberal Susan Crawford on April 1. This means the liberals retained ideological control of the states High Court with a 4-3 majority. The race was considered the first big test of the Trump administration and was seen as a referendum on the president. Speaking to conservative British news channel GB News a week after the election, Bannon candidly said: People should know we got our a***s kicked. It was a big defeat. The former White House chief strategist decried Musks approach to campaigning, claiming that he should have put the party, not himself, in the spotlight after he forcefully inserted himself into the election. open image in gallery Steve Bannon, pictured in February, has blamed Musk for Brad Schimels election loss last week ( Getty Images ) Elon did make a mistake and made himself too central into the campaign, he said. It can't be about yourself. It has to be about the cause. It has to be about the movement. Aside from donating millions through his super political action committee America PAC, Musk traveled to Green Bay just two days before Election Day to perform his signature stunt: personally handing out $1 million checks to voters who signed his petition against activist judges. Musk said at the time that he did it to get attention for Schimels campaign and that his giveaways would cost substantially less than a PR campaign. According to a new poll of registered Wisconsin voters by the Washington Post, 65 percent of respondents disapproved of Musks choice to involve himself in the race. Bannon argued that only the commander-in-chief can place himself at the center of a GOP campaign because Trump embodies all of it, right? All the rest of us are kind of servants to that, to the movement, and we have to make sure we're putting the movement first, he added. Banon credited the Democrats, claiming they shifted the onus away from the Republican Party and Trump to make the embattled Tesla owner the star. open image in gallery Elon Musk poured millions of dollars into Brad Schimels campaign war chest, only for him to be defeated at the ballot box last Tuesday ( Getty Images ) Trump's name was barely mentioned, Trump was barely mentioned, he said. Bannon also addressed campaign financing. According to the Brennan Center for Law, the Crawford-Schimel contest was the most expensive judiciary battle in history, with more than $100 million being pumped into it. He claimed that Republicans may have actually outspent the Democrats in Wisconsin. Schimel lost despite having a near-$8 million spending advantage, according to the Brennan Center. After the defeat, Musk lamented the corruption of the judiciary rather than admit any blame for the conservative candidates loss. Bannon previously pushed for a MAGA civil war against Musk. He has labeled the SpaceX founder a parasitic illegal immigrant and truly evil, all while vowing to rip his face-off and to kick him out of Trumpworld. However, according to The New York Times, Trump contacted Bannon in mid-February and urged him to stop attacking Musk. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Donald Trump has claimed world leaders panicked by his gargantuan global tariffs are kissing my a** in desperate bids to reduce the levies. The president made the bold remark during a 90-minute address as he attempted to court political donors at the National Republican Congressional Committes annual fundraising dinner in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday evening. These countries are calling us up, kissing my a** to negotiate deals on tariffs, Trump said just hours before his reciprocal duties went into effect against dozens of nations just after midnight on Wednesday, including a 104 percent levy on Chinese imports. They are, he emphasized. They are dying to make a deal. The president went on to mock the tariff-deal supplicants, pretending to be them as he pitifully pleaded in a simpering voice: Please, Sir, make a deal. Ill do anything. Ill do anything, Sir. Trump failed to explicitly mention which countries were allegedly attempting to cozy up to him. Despite Trumps claims, a number of countries including China and Canada are launching counter-tariffs on U.S. goods. open image in gallery President Donald Trump was speaking at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) dinner at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. ( REUTERS ) Markets around the globe continued their sell-off Tuesday that began when Trump sparked his trade war when he announced the duties against every nation bar Russia in his Liberation Day last week. Trump, however, bragged that he had the most successful 100 days in the history of this country. According to the president, the stage is now set for a monumental victory for the Republicans in the midterms on account of his policies. Most mainstream economists and business experts argue they will supercharge inflation and threaten Americas status as the worlds leading economy with a grievous self-inflicted wound. Trump maintains that he is correct and everyone else is wrong about the dangers of tariffs. I know what the hell I'm doing, he told the audience. I know what I'm doing, and you know what I'm doing too. Trump also ripped into rebel Republicans who are attempting to give Congress the ability to block his tariffs. It includes at least a dozen House Republicans who are weighing their support for Nebraska Representative Don Bacons bill to limit the president's tariffs to 60 days unless Congress passes a resolution of approval. open image in gallery Trump brought back one of his more unusual references from his 2024 campaign, the fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter ( Getty Images ) I see some rebel Republican, some guy who wants to grandstand, say, I think that Congress should take over negotiations. Let me tell you, you don't negotiate like I negotiate, he told the audience. I just saw it today, a couple of your congressmen sir, Trump continued, gesturing into the crowd. I think we should get involved in the negotiation of the tariffs. Oh that's what I need, I need some guy telling me how to negotiate. He said that the Chinese would be the happiest people in the world, arguing that Congress would terminate duties on goods imported from China. The president also warned of impending tariffs on imported pharmaceuticals in an effort to bully companies into moving production to the U.S. Trump also resurfaced one of his more unusual remarks from the 2024 campaign trail about the fictional serial killer from The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal Lecter, before making a segue into a tirade about illegal migration at the U.S. southern border. They used to go crazy when I talked about... The late, great Hannibal Lecter. Right?, he said. Why does he talk about that? Hes a fictional character. Hes not. We have many of them that came across the border. Hes actually not. open image in gallery Trumps tariffs came into effect just after midnight on Wednesday ( AP ) He continued: But when the people went to the voting booth, then we understood why he talked about that because they voted for us. They say, We dont want Hannibal Lecter in our country. For many leaders, the White House hasnt bothered to respond to their phone calls to even schedule talks, Politico reported Tuesday. In addition, Trump officials havent yet even indicated what specific concessions theyre seeking. None of Trumps top officials have a mandate to negotiate, one foreign diplomat who requested anonymity said. Im not sure how receptive the administration is to meet with counterparts. Many of us have already written to them asking for meetings, said an official from the Philippines. We are all waiting for the reply, they added, referring to representatives of several Southeast Asian countries. Its unclear where the Trump administration stands on the tariffs, whose cost will be largely paid by American consumers in the form of higher prices for foreign goods. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CBS News Tuesday that the tariffs are negotiable but not a negotiating tactic. Trump said Monday that there could be both permanent tariffs and there could also be negotiations. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Senior Trump administration officials promised they would push through a roughly $1 trillion military budget for the coming year, even as the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) project aims to drastically shrink federal spending. Were going to be approving a budget, and Im proud to say, actually, the biggest one weve ever done for the military, Trump said Monday during a White House event with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. $1 trillion, Trump said elsewhere during the meeting. Nobody has seen anything like it. The president added that some of the funding to pay for the increase would come from savings under DOGE. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised the president after the announcement and said Trump is rebuilding our military and FAST. We intend to spend every taxpayer dollar wisely on lethality and readiness, he wrote on X. The proposed fiscal year 2026 budget would represent a roughly 12 percent increase over this years $892 billion military budget, and comes as each military branch is working to cut 8 percent of its spending each year for the next five years and invest the savings in modernization efforts. Trump wants $1 trillion military budget for coming fiscal year, a roughly 12 percent increase over current leves ( PA Wire ) The Pentagon is also looking to cut tens of thousands of civilian roles and consolidate bases across the world as part of the Trump administrations savings push. In February, the president said he wanted to forge an agreement between Rusia, China, and the U.S. to halve their defense budgets. I'm going to say there's no reason for us to be spending almost a trillion dollars on military, Trump said of his pitch at the time. Increase the military budget to $1 trillion would complicate the administrations stated aim of reducing the budget deficit, and of slashing billions from federal spending through DOGE. It would also mark a year area of increased investment for the administration, which has sought massive cuts and thousands of layoffs and retirements at marquee government agencies like the Social Security Administration and the National Institutes of Health. Elsewhere during the meeting with Netanyahu, Trump said the U.S. will have direct talks with Iran, though Iran subsequently denied any exchange would be direct. The talks could impact U.S. military concerns like Irans nuclear ambitions and that country backing Houthi rebels, who have attacked ships in the Mediterranean in protest of the Israel-Hamas war. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Donald Trumps administration is immediately reviewing immigrants social media accounts for what it considers antisemitic activity that could be used as evidence to deny them legal status in the United States. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service is considering what it calls antisemitic activity on social media as well as the physical harassment of Jewish individuals when reviewing immigration benefit requests, according to Wednesdays memo. This will immediately affect aliens applying for lawful permanent resident status, foreign students and aliens affiliated with educational institutions linked to antisemitic activity, according to the agency. Demonstrators in New York demanded the release of Columbia University graduate and Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil after he was arrested and threatened with deportation for pro-Palestine campus activism the Trump administration claims is antisemitic and a threat to national security ( EPA ) The agency will review social media content that indicates an alien endorsing, espousing, promoting, or supporting antisemitic terrorism, antisemitic terrorist organizations, or other antisemitic activity as a negative factor, the agency said. The guidance is effective immediately. The directive follows a series of high-profile arrests and deportation threats as well as the revocation of student visas for hundreds of international students and student activists over their advocacy for Palestine. The Trump administration has zeroed in on campus activism at prestigious universities, where Israels war in Gaza has provoked a wave of demonstrations and protest encampments demanding an end to U.S. support for Israels devastation. Trump signed two executive orders that critics fear are being used to chill speech in support of Gaza and Palestine by conflating demonstrations with antisemitism and support for Hamas. One declares U.S. policy to ensure noncitizens do not advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to our national security. A fact sheet for another executive order pledges immediate action to investigate and punish anti-Jewish racism in leftist, anti-American colleges and universities with a promise to deport Hamas sympathizers and revoke student visas. Wednesdays directive follows a similar measure at the State Department that was rolled out last month. A cable sent to consulates around the world calls for a review of social media for foreign students and student exchange visitors. The cable also suggested visas could be denied for perceived hostile attitudes towards the United States. On March 28, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said more than 300 student visas have been revoked under that criteria. There is no room in the United States for the rest of the worlds terrorist sympathizers, and we are under no obligation to admit them or let them stay here, said Homeland Security assistant secretary for public affairs Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement Wednesday. Do you remember Julian Assanges catchphrase, Courage is contagious? I think he may have borrowed it from the old Bible basher the Reverend Billy Graham, but no matter: it had a catchy ring about it. Sadly, there is something even more contagious: cowardice. There is a lot of it about. In the US today, it is spreading very rapidly, and there seems to be no known cure. An enterprising journalist at Politico has called it the Great Grovel. In a recent piece, John F Harris chronicled how a parade of the wealthiest and most elite institutions in American life have capitulated to a series of unprecedented demands from Donald Trump and his brutish team of retribution-seekers. Where to begin? Maybe with some of the wealthiest people on the planet. Im looking at you, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, who were among the first to take the knee before Trump had even cleared his throat. Or maybe the bosses at ABC who, rather than telling the president-elect where to shove his lawsuit, agreed to pay him $15m (11.5m) to settle an eminently defendable defamation claim. Or how about the lily-livered drips covering the White House, who in solidarity with their banned colleagues at Associated Press are seriously considering wearing badges that say First Amendment. For one day only, you understand. Trump must be trembling at the prospect. And then there are the crybabies running the great universities. Specifically Columbia, whose interim president hoisted a white flag high above the hallowed halls of learning. Katrina Armstrong promptly stepped down, to be replaced by an acting president, Claire Shipman, who has already been warned that its only a matter of weeks before shes forced out. But none of this rivals the flabby capitulation of some of the most affluent law firms in America, who have stumbled out of their well-appointed offices with their hands in the air. Trump began by (almost certainly illegally) threatening one law firm Paul, Weiss in retaliation for some slight, real or imagined. Within a week, the firm surrendered, promising to devote $40m in legal services to causes close to Trumps heart. It also vowed to abandon any DEI policies. As Pete Hegsethmight say: Its PATHETIC. Paul, Weiss has long prided itself on being at the forefront of the fight for civil rights. It is not a poor company. Last year was something of a boom year, with revenues growing 32 per cent to $2.63bn. The average pay for its partners in 2024 was $7.5m. And still, it folded. Well, what do you think happened next? Trump is going after more law firms for representing people he does not like. A fourth firm, Milbank, struck a deal this week to commit $100m of free legal advice to Trump causes, and also ditched diversity-based hiring. An equity partner at Milbank can expect to earn 4m a year. Meanwhile, all the richest law firms in America are so far looking the other way. One company with Democratic Party ties, Perkins Coie, has decided to fight back. Former partner Bob Bauer described the executive orders as exercises in intimidation, adding: We are at a critical moment. Which way is the legal profession going to go? According to Thursdays New York Times, the answer is a collective decision to climb under the duvet and hope no one notices. None of the top 10 firms by revenue has come out in solidarity with Perkins Coie. According to the NYT: For most of the big firms ... they quietly support it, but are concerned that signing the document would draw Mr Trumps ire and cost them clients. And thats how the Great Grovel unfolds. Back to universities: youll be amazed to hear that, following Columbias surrender, the Trump administration has decided to review roughly $9bn in grants and contracts awarded to Harvard. A former president of Harvard, Larry Summers, called out what was happening in a punchy piece in the NYT this week. He accused Trump of trying to bludgeon Americas elite universities into submission, and noted: Each act of capitulation makes the next one more likely. Each act of rectitude reverberates. Like the fabulously wealthy law firms, Harvard has immense riches should it choose to resist. If not Harvard, who? As Summers argued: Institutions such as Harvard, the administrations most recent target, have vast financial resources, great prestige, and broad networks of influential alumni. If they do not or cannot resist the arbitrary application of government power, who else can? Without acts of resistance, what protects the rule of law? The pattern of attacks by Trump and his cronies is hardly accidental. A law-based democracy is based on the reality created by science, the academy, journalism, law, and the government itself. So, if you want to manipulate your own version of the truth, then of course you target the fake media, the lawyers, the judges, and science (hello RFK!). And you get your mates to dismantle the government. Over 200 years, America has built up a system of institutions and norms that, together, helped form what the social historian Jonathan Rauch has called the constitution of knowledge. The entire system rests on a foundation of values: a shared understanding that there are right and wrong ways to make knowledge, he wrote in 2021. Those values and rules and institutions do for knowledge what the US constitution does for politics: they create a governing structure, forcing social contestation onto peaceful and productive pathways. If we want to defend that system from its many persistent attackers, we need to understand it and its very special notion of reality. But defending the system also requires a measure of courage. What if Zuckerberg and Bezos had held their nerve? What if ABC had told Trump theyd see him in court? What if the Ivy League universities had stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Columbia? What if the fabulously wealthy law firms had joined together to sue Trump for trying to blackmail them? But that would require powerful and wealthy people to show a bit of backbone. Cowardice is contagious. Welcome to the Great Grovel. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice If Americans want new Christmas decorations this year, they will have to pay a lot more for them - if they can find them on the shelves at all. Thats the warning from Chinese producers of plastic Christmas trees and other festive decorations who say orders from US clients, which are crucial for their business, should have started to come in by now. But because of Trumps surging import tariffs, they haven't. Donald Trump has raised tariffs on Chinese imports by 104% so far this year in an escalating trade war that threatens great pain for the world's largest exporter of manufactured goods. China has said it will impose 84 per cent tariffs on US goods from Thursday, up from the 34 per cent previously announced. They told the World Trade Organization on Wednesday that the situation has dangerously escalated and expressed grave concern and firm opposition to this reckless move from the US. US retailers are almost completely reliant on China for Christmas decorations, where they source 87% of such goods - worth roughly $4 billion. Chinese factories are also heavily dependent on the US market, where they sell half of what they make. "So far this year, none of my American customers have placed any orders," said Qun Ying, who runs an artificial Christmas tree factory in the eastern city of Jinhua. "Of course it's about the tariffs. By mid-April all the orders are normally finalised, but right now ... it's hard to know if any orders are coming. Maybe American customers won't buy anything this year." In Shaoxing, some 160 kilometres (100 miles) away from Jinhua, factory owner Liu Song was confident his business can cope by trying to sell more to Russia, Europe and Southeast Asia, which together take 75% of his products already. "We are worried that US orders will come down," he said, while adding: "We will definitely win this trade war." Jessica Guo, who also manages a Christmas tree factory in Jinhua, said she was just notified by an important US customer that it is pausing a 3 million yuan ($408,191) order for which she had already spent 400,000 yuan on materials. She expects that order will soon be cancelled and worries about her business. open image in gallery Domestic demand for Christmas decorations in China is insignificant ( Evan Vucci/AP ) "My peers and I rely on US orders to survive," Guo said. "This will inevitably affect a lot of people. No one can escape." Economists say the trade war will shave 1-2 percentage points off Chinese economic growth this year, exacerbate industrial overcapacity issues, threaten jobs, and further fuel deflationary forces. As Chinese exporters sell less to the US, which last year bought goods worth more than $400 billion, they will have to compete ever more intensely on prices in other markets. This will hit their already-thin profit margins and force them to cut costs at home, economists say. Guo's 10,800-square metre (116,250-square foot) factory employs 140 people regularly, but that number can hit 200 in peak production season over the summer. This year she does not expect to need extra workers. "Losing the US market will definitely impact many peoples jobs," said Guo. Domestic demand for Christmas decorations in China is insignificant, she added. open image in gallery US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony held by the National Park Service at the Ellipse near the White House on November 28, 2018 in Washington, DC ( Getty Images ) Sourcing from countries other than China will be difficult. The second-biggest exporter of Christmas decorations to the US is Cambodia, which makes 5.5% of the goods, and last week Trump imposed a 49% tariff on Cambodian imports. Shifting production to the US, one of Trump's goals in imposing tariffs on China and almost every other country in the world, is not feasible, says Jami Warner, executive director of the American Christmas Tree Association. "They certainly can't be made in the United States. There's no manufacturing, the technology isn't here, the labour market isn't here," said Warner. Warner, who expects significant, but hard to estimate, price increases, says 80% of all Christmas trees displayed in the US are artificial. The pre-lit trees, which is most of them, are only made in China. She decries her industry becoming collateral damage in a geopolitical fight. "What our members make and sell are not strategic products," said Warner. "We're not threatening. We're a happy, joyful business. We'd like to stay in that joyful business." Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A tattoo equipment supplier in Pennsylvania is worried they wont make it past summer. A three-person team making optical scanners in San Diego saw their bills double overnight. A coffee shop in New Orleans may be forced to raise its prices. Donald Trump has defended his sweeping tariffs by claiming to be a president who stands up for Main Street, not Wall Street, but it is small businesses that are already bearing the brunt of his economic gamble. I dont know if we're going to make it past July because of the tariffs, said Jeff Logan, 54, who runs a tattoo supply business near Philadelphia with his wife. Like many other small businesses in a globalized economy, Logan imports products that are made abroad and sells them to buyers in the United States. open image in gallery Almost all modern tattoo needles are made in China and now subject to a 125 percent tariff ( Getty ) Almost all modern tattoo needles are made in China, so he buys large quantities to sell to artists and studios here. With Trumps successive rounds of tariffs on imports from China, reaching a staggering 125 percent on Wednesday, his costs have more than doubled overnight. His business, which was founded in 1992, is now at risk of closing. The end result is real small businesses, mom and pop shops, we're the ones that get put under, he told The Independent. Amazon doesn't feel the hurt, Walmart doesnt feel it. We do, he added. President Trump backed down from the most extreme version of his policy Wednesday by pausing sweeping tariffs on most of the country's biggest trading partners for 90 days, while retaining a blanket 10 percent tariff on all imports. open image in gallery Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Washington, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. ( AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin ) But he increased his levy on imports from China to 125 percent, which leaves many small businesses with skyrocketing bills for goods they have imported for years. Ido Tuchman, 54, owns a three-employee company in San Diego that makes optical scanning equipment. He ordered a shipment of specially made aluminum parts from China two months ago. When it finally arrived this week, it came with a tariff bill totaling 73 percent the product cost $3380, and the tariff fees had skyrocketed to $2483. I looked at the bill and thought, oh, there must have been some mistake, he said. It was grossly larger than the 20 or 25 percent tariff that we keep hearing about. After some investigation, Tuchman realized his bill was the total of four cumulative tariffs Trump had imposed since taking office a mini timeline of the trade war so far. Tuchman said he would prefer to source materials domestically wherever possible, even if it meant higher prices, but often the products arent available in the U.S. or are at a price that makes it not financially viable. open image in gallery Business owner Ido Tuchman was shocked to receive a shipment with a 73 percent tariff this week ( Ido Tuchman ) A plastic injection molded part he recently tried to order in the U.S. was quoted at $7,000 or 99 cents per part, while the overseas manufacturer was $3,000, or 14 cents a part. That's a huge difference for a small business, he said. Tuchman is also unsure that his business would survive a long trade war. Small businesses like mine are the tip of the spear with this trade war, and we typically have less inventory and thinner profit margins than large companies. It makes it a lot more difficult to absorb even a few months of retaliatory tariffs, he said. Even small businesses that dont import from China are being impacted by the tariffs. Trumps blanket 10 percent tax on all imports to the U.S. is likely to rise prices at Hey Coffee Co, the two coffee shops Greg Rodrigue owns in New Orleans. The price of coffee beans was already high due to lower crop yields, and Rodrigue expects the tariffs will make things worse. We might try to hedge our bet on reducing prices as little as we can. But in general, when our raw coffee prices go up, we increase prices by that amount to continue to try to ensure a profit margin, he said. open image in gallery The price of coffee beans was already higher and coffee shop owners fear the tariffs will make a price rise inevitable ( Getty Images/iStockphoto ) Both Logan and Tuchman said they believed the administrations tariff policy was not properly thought through. They did this thing completely backwards, said Logan, the tattoo supply business owner. They should have stimulated some kind of startups over here for production so that we could at least start limping on production, then hit China with all the tariffs. Tuchman called on the government to invest in manufacturing technologies or provide low-interest loans to help create factories or fund worker training programs. Tariffs just push the costs onto businesses and ultimately the consumers, and it doesn't solve the underlying competitive challenges, he added. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The same tech CEOs who stood in the crowd and cheered as President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January have lost a combined $80 billion in net worths since he announced sweeping tariffs on nearly every one of the U.S.s trading partners last week. Between Liberation Day on April 2 and Wednesday, April 9, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon co-founder Jeff Bezos and Tesla CEO Elon Musk have seen their net worth plunge, according to the the Bloomberg Billionaire Index. Much of that can be attributed to the stock market negatively reacting to Trumps tariffs, which economists have warned will make everyday products more expensive and slow growth in the United States. All three CEOs have seen their net worths drop at least 19 percent since the tariffs were announced. open image in gallery Tech CEOs who attended Trumps inauguration in January are seeing the financial impact of worldwide tariffs ( Getty Images ) Tesla Musk, an adviser to the president and unofficial head of the Department of Government Efficiency, has had the largest drop in net worth, with his personal fortune dropping to $290 billion on April 8, the lowest it had reached in 2025. Teslas stock has gone down approximately 12 percent since the tariffs were announced on April 3. The worlds richest man campaigned heavily for Trump, being one of the largest financial contributors to his presidential campaign. Hes since joined the administration and played a major role in suggesting cuts to the federal workforce and entire agencies. But Trumps tariffs, including those on imported vehicles and parts, have caused Musks net worth to decline. Meta Zuckerberg, who axed his companys fact-checking team and diversity, equity and inclusion policies to seemingly align it with the president, has lost $26 billion. Metas stock was down 6 percent over the last five days and 14 percent since March. Much of Zuckerbergs wealth is tied to the company, which has also declined 30 percent from its February peak, according to Fortune. Although much of the companys revenue comes from ad sales on its social media platforms, companies that advertise with them may begin to scale back on ad spending if tariffs force them to raise prices on their products, according to the New York Times. Amazon Bezos, who has cozied up to the president and similarly got rid of Amazons diversity policies, has had $21 billion disappear from his net worth. Amazons stock has seen a lot of volatility since Liberation Day, and its stock price has slide around 30 percent since its peak in early February. Trumps increasing tariffs on China, where Amazon gets much of its inventory, are creating some uncertainty for the company. Amazon canceled some inventory orders from China on Wednesday, Bloomberg reported, to reduce exposure to tariffs. Bezoss net worth is down nearly 20 percent since this time last year, according to Bloomberg. open image in gallery Zuckerberg, Bezos and Musk attended Trumps inauguration in January ( POOL/AFP via Getty Images ) All three CEOs were present at Trumps inauguration in January. Amazon and Meta donated $1 million to Trumps inaugural fund while Musk has utilized his vast wealth to help Republicans in other elections. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Two months ago, Vice President JD Vance urged Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk to bring back Marko Elez, a staffer who once posted normalize Indian hate on social media. I obviously disagree with some of Elezs posts, but I dont think stupid social media activity should ruin a kids lifeSo I say bring him back, Vance wrote on February 7. Soon afterward, Democratic Representative Ro Khanna, who is Indian, shot back at the vice president. Are you going to tell him to apologize for saying Normalize Indian hate before this rehire? Khanna wrote on X soon after the vice presidents initial post. Just asking for the sake of both of our kids. Now, Second Lady Usha Vance who is Indian-American has responded to the incident. open image in gallery Vice President JD Vance stands with his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance ( AP ) In an interview with Usha Vance, The Free Press asked for her views on the row between her husband and Khanna. While the Second Lady said she hadnt seen the entirety of the exchange, she still condemned the post. Do I think its great when people talk about normalizing Indian hate or something like that? Absolutely not. I think its terrible, she said. She went on to note that racist rhetoric is nothing new, but the way that its spread on social media is: I think its our relationship to this informationthat is potentially new. Very, very intelligent people say things that are sometimes very, very ill-founded because we are now in this world in which all conversations happen based on limited information very quickly, without the kind of reflection that might have been possible before, she added. open image in gallery Usha Vance condemned DOGE staffer Marko Elezs normalize Indian hate post ( via REUTERS ) Usha Vance, the first nonwhite Second Lady, also shared what life has been like as an Indian-American woman among MAGAworlds litany of powerful white women, whom the interviewer described as blonde with Botox and facelifts wearing low-cut blouses and nine-inch heels. Im laughing because it would be really hard for me to be blonde, Usha Vance told The Free Press, noting, that color would look totally absurd. For what its worth, my reception into this worldand Im not from a particularly wealthy background, not from a very fashion-oriented background personally or professionallyhas been really positive, she added. People dont seem to care all that much what I look like. open image in gallery Usha Vance told The Free Press that people dont seem to care all that much what I look like ( AP ) The Second Lady also addressed a recent visit to the Kennedy Center, where she and JD were booed as they entered for a concert. I dont think we anticipated that anyone would really notice, she said. It was about 20 or 30 seconds of some people booing and delaying the start of the concert, right as the conductor is about to come out, and there were a few other people clapping. JD waved at them, and then we enjoyed the show that we had come for, she added. Usha Vance added that her role in her husbands life has been to offer support in a job she describes as lonely. I dont know that hes asking me for advice so much as, it can be a very lonely, lonely world not to share with someone, she said. Its a very strange life that we lead, where there are lots of people who have just imagined all sorts of narratives about us and what we think and what we do and why we do it and how much planning goes into it and all these sorts of things, she added. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese faced off with opposition Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton for the first debate of the 2025 election campaign. The debate, hosted by Sky News and The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday night, was dominated by concerns over the cost of living crisis, health and medicare, immigration, energy policy, and even Donald Trumps trade tariffs. Labor Party leader Mr Albanese won the debate with a narrow margin following a vote by 100 undecided voters from western Sydney who also asked questions on a range of topics. He won by 44 per cent of the votes from the audience, with 35 per cent voting in favour of Mr Dutton, and another 21 per cent remaining undecided. The debate was the first media face-off between Mr Albanese and Mr Dutton, the leader of the opposition Coalition, ahead of the general election on 3 May. The debate was not without drama, as Mr Dutton was wrongly declared the winner by the opposition coalitions social media accounts, while he remained resilient despite his fathers heart attack just hours earlier. open image in gallery Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, left, shakes hands with Opposition leader Peter Dutton ahead of their TV debate in Sydney In his opening statement, Mr Albanese declared that it was not the time for Australia to go backwards, pledging instead to focus on building the nations future. In contrast, Mr Dutton began the debate by promising to get "Australia back on track", arguing that the economy had regressed under the Labor government. During the debate on the cost of living issue, Mr Albanese touted Labors budget surpluses and support measures, while Mr Dutton blamed Labor for rising power bills and groceries, promising a Coalition fix. He said the Coalition's short-term support package includes the cut in the fuel excise and to bring in more gas. However, it was countered by Mr Albanese as a short-term gimmick, spotlighting a policy divide. A question on the US presidents tariffs was the first of the night but was discussed briefly as Mr Albanese acknowledged the risks posed by it but framed them as a chance for Australia to adapt and diversify. open image in gallery A woman looks at the imported frozen beefs from the United States and Australia on display for sale at the Hema supermarket, in Beijing ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) "We'll continue to negotiate, of course, with the United States looking for a better deal for Australia because reciprocal tariffs would, of course, be zero, because we don't impose tariffs on US goods." Mr Dutton, however, took a more combative line, saying: "The prime minister of the day should have the ability and the strength of character to be able to stand up against bullies, against those that would seek to do us harm, to keep our country safe. In another key highlight, Mr Albanese accused his rival Mr Dutton of gaslighting with the Coalitions seven-reactor nuclear plan, calling it costly and unproven. Mr Dutton has proposed constructing seven nuclear power plants across Australia, aiming to address the nation's future energy needs. The only gas policy the Coalition has is the gaslighting of the Australian public, Mr Albaese said. Israels intensifying war in Gaza was also briefly discussed, and the two leaders expressed hope for peace in the Middle East following a question from an audience member, who said their loved ones were affected by the conflict in Gaza. "This has been a very traumatic period for many Australians with family in Israel and Gaza and indeed, in Lebanon," Mr Albanese said. "My government's approach is that every human life matters, and we want a ceasefire. We want to see hostages released. We want to see aid get through to Gaza." Mr Dutton defended Israel and said if the same had happened to Australia "there would have been an expectation for our government to react". "I want to make sure that in our country, people can celebrate their heritage and celebrate their connections to a country of origin, or to a country which is important to them," he said. But when you come to our country, it's about celebrating being Australian." On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Canada is caught between two giants with diverging interests, the United States and China. Its also grappling with the repercussions of the trade and geopolitical tensions that are pitting these two powers against one another. On one side, Canada has an unpredictable and less reliable American neighbour, and on the other, an uncompromising China, which regularly imposes economic sanctions on Canadas strategic agricultural products, including soybeans and pork. This exposes the geopolitical vulnerability of Canada, which is too dependent on its traditional partners. As a political scientist and an economist, respectively, who specialize in international political economy, we study economic multilateralism, geo-economics and transatlantic relations. This has led us to consider some concrete measures that could strengthen ties between Canada and the European Union. President Donald Trumps second term has signalled the decline of the United States as a moral leader of the world. By withdrawing from an increasing number of multilateral agreements, displaying admiration for authoritarian regimes and reviving unfounded accusations of electoral fraud, the Trump administration has weakened Americas reputation as a democratic model and trusted player on the international scene. open image in gallery President Donald Trumps second term has signalled the decline of the United States as a moral leader of the world ( AFP via Getty Images ) Transatlantic tensions have intensified as a result of Trumps repeated threats to pull the U.S. out of NATO, a move that calls into question the security basis of the alliance. In addition, the stalemate in trade negotiations between Washington and Brussels illustrates how differences over international trade rules and the protection of strategic industries are now growing. Although China is in the midst of economic ascent, the country does not represent a credible alternative for Canada in the face of the U.S. withdrawal. Together, the coercive diplomacy of Chinese authorities, the countrys lack of transparency and internal tensions, particularly financial (its real estate sector is in great difficulty), limit Chinas appeal as a world leader. Since the 2018 arrest of Huaweis chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver, carried out at the request of the United States, Chinese-Canadian relations have deteriorated considerably. In retaliation, China arrested two Canadian citizens, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, sparking a major diplomatic crisis. Since then, mistrust has deepened, fuelled by persistent tensions around cybersecurity, foreign interference and trade restrictions, but also by the recent execution in China of four Canadian citizens convicted of drug trafficking. In this global context, the European Union is increasingly faced with the need to build strategic autonomy, both militarily and economically, in order to guarantee its sovereignty and long-term stability. To become a stabilising force, the European Union must meet three conditions: it must have sufficient economic power, demonstrate the political will to act collectively and be perceived as a legitimate and credible entity by other democracies. From this perspective, Canada appears to be a natural and reliable partner. On the commercial front, the foundations for a stronger partnership are already there. The European Union is Canadas second-largest trading partner after the U.S. In 2023, the combined trade in goods and services between Canada and the EU reached a value of CA$157.3 billion. The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), in force since 2017, has eliminated 98 per cent of customs duties between the two partners, which has promoted sustained growth in trade. But further integration would offer full access to the European single market, harmonization of standards and synergies in key sectors: green technologies, artificial intelligence, pharmaceuticals and cybersecurity. It would also give Canada access to major European programs such as Horizon Europe, a research fund of 95.5 billion euros (nearly $148 billion in Canadian dollars). Furthermore, Canada possesses natural resources that are crucial to the European energy transition: lithium, cobalt and nickel. Enhanced collaboration would ensure a secure and sustainable supply to Europe while promoting strategic industries on both sides of the Atlantic. In geopolitical terms, the EU is undertaking a major change in direction. It is developing a common defence policy, supported by a budget of 800 billion euros (CA$1,237 billion) and reinforced by the Draghi report, which calls for enhanced strategic autonomy, including the consolidation of a defence industrial and technological base. Germany, breaking with its tradition of budgetary restraint, is investing heavily in its military capabilities. Europe no longer simply wants to defend itself alongside the U.S., it wants to emancipate itself from an unpredictable America. Canada, a staunch NATO ally and supporter of rules-based international order, could play a role in the coalition of the willing a plan to support Ukraine adopted after the London Summit in March 2025 within the EU, without waiting for the unanimous agreement of the 27 EU member countries. Canadas participation would make it possible to strengthen the coherence and effectiveness of European action on the international stage. The idea of Canada joining the European Union is ambitious, but it follows a certain logic. Canada meets the Copenhagen criteria (rule of law, democracy, market economy) and shares the fundamental values of the EU. The main obstacles would be of a technical or political nature: geographical distance, the need for Canada to align its laws and regulations with all European standards (the Community Acquis) and to adapt its agricultural supply management system to European internal market rules. But Canada doesnt necessarily need to aim for immediate formal membership. A more flexible path could be a close strategic partnership, inspired by the Norwegian or Swiss models but adapted to Canadian realities. Such a partnership could include enhanced access to European markets, participation in joint research, defence or energy transition projects and increased co-ordination within multilateral institutions. The objective would not be strictly economic, but political and symbolic: to affirm a common commitment to democracy, international co-operation and respect for the global legal order. In a changing world, Canada can no longer rely solely on its North American anchor. It must diversify its partnerships and strengthen its strategic autonomy. The transatlantic link, if rethought in a modern and flexible way, can offer this alternative. A rapprochement with Europe could also help revitalise the democratic debate in Canada and strengthen both national cohesion around a common project and its ability to face future crises, whether economic, security or climate related. The time has come to start this discussion, which should not be considered a dream, but an exercise in strategic foresight. Canadas future may well be shaped, in part, on the other side of the Atlantic. Erick Duchesne is Professeur, Departement de science politique, Universite Laval Mehdi Abbas is Maitre de conference, Universite Grenoble Alpes (UGA) This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Chinese prisoner has a fearful expression as his Ukrainian captors train a video camera on him. He speaks in Mandarin, the common language of his homeland. His green uniform is like any regular soldiers. But is it proof that China is fighting alongside the Russian army? This is a hybrid war and while China has not disputed the facts, the boundaries of truth are cloaked in deniability. The incident astutely publicised by Ukraine just as America is in a trade showdown with China has illuminated the shadows of a very modern conflict. President Volodymyr Zelensky said his troops captured two Chinese citizens after a skirmish in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. They found identity documents, bank cards and other evidence of their nationality. In most armies that would be a severe security lapse. Zelensky said his men engaged with a unit of six Chinese combatants. The fate of the other four was not mentioned. Andriy Kovalenko, a member of the National Security and Defence Council, called the captured fighters mercenaries but gave no more information. open image in gallery Volodymyr Zelensky said his troops captured two Chinese citizens after a skirmish in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine ( Zelensky/Telegram ) One explanation is that the men are simply soldiers of fortune who caught a plane to Russia to escape boredom and penury at home. Just days ago, the correspondent of Le Monde in China, the highly experienced Harold Thibault, published an interview with a 37-year-old truck driver named Fen who went to seek adventure until he was wounded by a drone. Back in China, sipping tea, he told Thibault that he did not care about the rights and wrongs of the war. A search of a popular Chinese social media app, Douyin, revealed 40 accounts of men who had joined the Russian forces. Fen said there were hundreds. It is plausible that there are tens of thousands of trained soldiers hanging around in civilian life with not much to do. President Xi Jinping has spent heavily to modernise the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) but he has also ruthlessly thinned its ranks. It is a leaner force with less manpower and more warfighting technology. That lends weight to a second explanation, which is that Chinese military intelligence is using mercenaries to collect battlefield information on tactics and weapons systems that the PLA wants. It has not fought a conventional ground war since 1979 when then paramount leader Deng Xiaoping ordered an invasion of Vietnam which ended in a fiasco. So real-time observation in combat is priceless. The campaign in Ukraine, with its reliance on drones, cruise missiles, air defences, tracking and interception, is a model for the sort of warfighting the PLA would experience in an invasion of Taiwan. In addition, battlefield conditions yield performance assessments which the Russians might prefer to keep secret even from their supposed friends. And it is clear from Zelenskys statement that the six Chinese combatants were operating as an organised unit, presumably including Russian speakers for communications and perhaps eavesdropping. China has supplied the Kremlin with significant quantities of machine tools, drone and turbojet engines and technology for cruise missiles, microelectronics, and nitrocellulose, which is used in rocket fuel, US officials in the Joe Biden administration said in April 2024. A third and less subtle explanation is simply that China is staging a brazen, barely covert intervention in the war. It has history on this. A US diplomat in Beijing once told me that sometimes Chinese strategy is as subtle as the ancient arts of war taught by Sun Tzu but sometimes its a kick in the face. open image in gallery President Zelensky speaks at a press conference in Kyiv on 8 April 2025 ( AFP via Getty ) In the Korean War of 1950 to 1953, Mao Zedong sent hundreds of thousands of volunteers to fight American, British and other forces under the United Nations flag who were defending capitalist South Korea. Among the mass casualties was Maos own son. China also sent covert aid to North Vietnam and to Viet Cong guerrillas in South Vietnam, helped the Khmer Rouge take over Cambodia and waged a twilight struggle against both the Soviet Union and the West across Indochina until Deng called a halt to Cold War adventurism at the end of the 1970s. Its leaders are well schooled in complexity and state deceit. So they will have been unworried when the Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha summoned Chinas charge daffaires in Kyiv to condemn this fact and demand an explanation. China is verifying the information with the Ukrainian side, a spokesman for Chinas foreign ministry, Lin Jian, told reporters. Let me stress that the Chinese government always asks Chinese nationals to stay away from areas of armed conflict, avoid any form of involvement in armed conflict, and in particular avoid participation in any partys military operations. Unlike the words of President Trump, it would be wise to take this statement literally but not seriously. Michael Sheridan, longtime foreign correspondent and diplomatic editor of The Independent, is the author of The Red Emperor published by Headline Press at 25.00 On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Two Chinese soldiers have been captured inside Ukraine fighting alongside Vladimir Putins forces, Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday as he claimed there are many more among Russias ranks. Ukrainian forces battled six Chinese citizens in the eastern Donetsk region and took two prisoner, according to the Ukrainian president, who shared footage of one of the prisoners, who appeared with his hands zip-tied together. Kyiv demanded an explanation from Beijing, summoning Chinas charge d'affaires as foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said the development undermines Beijing's credibility as a responsible permanent member of the UN Security Council. open image in gallery The Ukrainian president said the capture of the two Chinese soldiers required a response from the White House ( Zelensky/Telegram ) Mr Zelensky said the clash with the Chinese soldiers occurred near the villages of Tarasivka and Bilohorivka in Donetsk. The involvement of Chinese troops appears to be the most significant participation of foreign fighters in Moscows war effort since 12,000 North Koreans assisted Russian troops in Kursk where they recently reclaimed large areas of land from Ukraine. But Mr Zelensky noted a difference between the two: "The North Koreans were fighting on the Kursk front against us. The Chinese are fighting on the territory of Ukraine. In a post on X, the Ukrainian president said the development required a response from the White House, from which Kyiv has repeatedly demanded a stronger stance against continued Russian aggression amid continuing efforts to achieve a ceasefire. open image in gallery Thousands of North Korean troops were sent to fight Ukrainian forces in Kursk ( Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service ) There has been no suggestion that Chinas government was directly involved in sending troops to Ukraine, and Kyiv has yet to provide evidence of further Chinese citizens on its front lines. UK defence intelligence officials also have no evidence the captured soldiers have links to the Chinese government, it is understood. Defence analyst Francis Tusa suggested that if Chinese troops were being used, it could indicate Russian manpower problems, with Moscow throwing thousands of troops towards the eastern frontline each day, suffering significant personnel losses for relatively small territorial gains. "It does raise the question of whether Russia has got problems with its troops, he told The Independent. They have only introduced very partial conscription and have tried to avoid making it Muscovites. "It might be considered by Putin to be better to bring in Chinese mercenaries rather than his own people where there is a risk of potential rebellion and people saying no. "However, that would be slightly high risk by Russia, as Trump does not like the Chinese." John Lough, head of foreign policy at the New Eurasian Strategies Centre, believes troops may have been coerced to join Russian forces with the promise of a future in Moscow, after dozens of Indian men were sent to the front line under the same pretences last year. It is very hard to believe that the Chinese authorities would be in any way involved in this, Mr Lough told The Independent, noting that Beijing has been extremely careful to limit their involvement in this war. Mr Zelensky may be seeking a geopolitical advantage by suggesting Beijing might be behind the move, the experts said, with the president hoping to drive a wedge between the increasingly friendly regimes in Washington and Moscow. Many figures in the Trump administration hold a particularly hostile stance towards China, with tensions between Beijing and Washington higher than ever as a tariff war rages on. I think the US needs to pay more attention to what's happening today," Mr Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv on Tuesday. "We really hope that after this situation, Americans will talk more with Ukrainians, and then with Russians. It makes sense that Mr Zelensky would want to play this up, Mr Lough said, because he knows there are people in the [Trump] administration who are very sensitive on China. Mr Tusa said the US president wants the war between Russia and Ukraine to end so he can focus on China. "If China is providing troops to the Russians, Zelensky has a strong position: that the people Trump does not like are in bed with Putin, so cut him some slack, he said. China has provided strong diplomatic support for Russia since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and has offered an economic lifeline through the trade in energy and consumer goods. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A two-year-old boy has died after choking on a grape in France, according to local reports. The boy, who was due to celebrate his third birthday on April 15, passed away on Monday evening after suffering a cardiorespiratory arrest while suffocating on the grape in Suresnes (Hauts-de-Seine), the Nanterre prosecutor's office told French media. His parents called the emergency services to report that their child had swallowed a grape - but when they arrived, they found the boy in cardiorespiratory arrest. Attempts to resuscitate the boy by emergency services lasted more than an hour, before he died at around 9.30pm in his parents home. Authorities have now opened an investigation into the cause of death and ordered an autopsy, Marion Chalaux, deputy prosecutor in charge of the general secretariat of Nanterres public prosecutor's office, told Le Figaro. An autopsy is due to take place in due course. According to Le Parisien, a little boy died in March after swallowing a piece of banana in a nursery in Plessis-Robinson. Earlier in March, a girl, just two years old, choked on a piece of meat while with her childminder in Elancourt (Yvelines). In February, a 10-year-old boy in Malaysia died after choking on an eyeball-shaped gummy, his family said. Mohamad Fahmi Hafiz, a fourth grader, was admitted to the intensive care unit of a local hospital after he collapsed at his school in Penang state on the northwest coast of peninsular Malaysia. His aunt, Siti Farhani Mohamad Fikri, said in a Facebook post that her nephew had purchased the candy from a shop near the school and choked on it shortly after consuming it, The Straits Times reported. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that Ukrainian troops are active inside Russias Belgorod region, as Kyiv seeks to protect towns near the border. The Ukrainian president described the move as absolutely justified as Ukraine looks to stave off Russian advances, as Moscow delays ceasefire negotiations in an apparent effort to seize more land. After Ukraines foothold in Russias Kursk region collapsed in dramatic fashion - despite Ukrainian troops remaining in small pockets of the area - Kyiv may be searching to rebuild the leverage it had hoped to keep for any future ceasefire negotiations. In his nightly video address, Mr Zelensky said Ukraine's top commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, had presented a report "on the front line, our presence in the Kursk region and our presence in the Belgorod region." "We continue active operations in the enemy's border areas and this is absolutely justified. The war must return to where it came from. Mr Zelensky added: "Our main objective remains the same: to protect our land and our communities in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions from Russian occupiers." According to a battlefield map by war analysts the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian troops advanced as far as the settlement of Demidovka, around two kilometres from the Ukrainian border. Russian military bloggers claim that Moscows forces have since began pushing back, and have claimed large amounts of land stretching back to the border But geolocated footage published on April 7 only confirms that Russian troops have pushed back in Demidovka city, while other claims of Russian advances have not been independently verified. In the Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops had smashed across the border into the biggest attack on Russian territory since the Nazi invasion of 1941, Kyivs troops are left with only a sliver of land - having claimed that they held around 1,300 square km (500 square miles) at the peak of the incursion. The Kursk offensive gave Kyiv one of its biggest advances of the war, and proved a major morale boost for Ukrainian troops, wearied by years of battling Russias invasion. But in March, their hold on Russian land collapsed in the space of just weeks, after Russia successfully cut supply lines between Ukraine proper and its forces in Kursk. Ukraine still holds small pockets of land in the Kursk region, according to ISW data, including land near the Russian towns of Tyotkino, Vesyoloye and Slobodka-Ivanovka - all of which are to the north and west of the focal point of Ukraines initial offensive in Kursk. In total, Kyivs troops still hold a fraction of the Russian land which they held in the latter parts of last year - and have therefore lost a crucial bargaining chip in ceasefire talks. With morale damaged following the loss of territory in Kursk, a renewed attack on the Belgorod region could hope to boost the spirits of Ukrainian troops once again. But a failure to seize land will intensify pressure on Mr Zelensky and Ukraine, as the Trump administration continues to push both sides towards accepting a ceasefire - which would include significant territorial concessions by Kyiv. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The EU is ready to hit back at Donald Trumps bombshell tariffs - but instead of simply striking back hard, Brussels may be looking to deploy a more creative response. As part of his sweeping round of levies, the US president landed the EU with a 20 per cent blanket tariff on all imports, just weeks after announcing damaging 25 per cent tariffs on automotive imports. Brussels is now considering hitting the US with tariffs targeting products that will particularly impact Republican heartlands, affecting billions of dollars of exports from Americas so-called red states, according to an internal document seen by Politico. Levies of up to 25 per cent could be placed on products from Trump-supporting red states - such as ice cream, cigarettes and soybeans - which are most reliant on exports across the Atlantic. open image in gallery European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen offered Mr Trump a zero for zero trade agreement on industrial goods ( AP ) Tariffs being considered by the European Commission would be placed on a broad range of exports worth roughly 22.1 billion based on the EUs 2024 imports. Duties of 25 per cent on steel, meat, white chocolate and polyethylene would be introduced in May, before another 25 per cent duty on almonds and soybeans lands on December 1. Iron and orange juice are also among the products that could be hit if the countries vote for the new policy on Wednesday (9 April). But trade experts in Brussels are seeking to strike industries and areas where Mr Trump has a strong supporter base. According to Politicos analysis of 2024 trade data, around $13.5 billion of exports from red states will be hit. Perhaps the most significant example is soybeans, the most valuable item on the EUs list. The US is the worlds second-largest exporter with around 83 per cent coming from Louisiana, the home and solidly red state of House Speaker Mike Johnson. open image in gallery Mr Trump has refused to back down from his tariff announcement ( REUTERS ) Beef from Kansas and Nebraska, car parts from Michigan, ice cream from Arizona, handkerchiefs from South Carolina, ties, bow ties and cigarettes from Florida, wood products from North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama, and poultry from Louisiana are also being targeted by Brussels, Politico adds. Electric blankets from Alabama, washing machines from Wisconsin, and pasta from Florida and South Carolina would also be impacted. Mr Trump has shown no signs of backing down from his tariff warfare, despite a significant response from China. When Brussels offered a zero-for-zero tariff scheme on industrial goods such as cars, drugs and chemicals, Mr Trump refused, demanding that the EU buy $350 billion worth of US energy products to make the trade deficit disappear. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The bustle of daily life in Ukraines Sumy makes it hard to believe that its people have faced a constant threat of death since Russia invaded their country three years ago. Just days ago, Putins forces targeted the city centre in back-to-back missile strikes, killing 35 people and injuring over 100. It marked the deadliest attack on Ukrainian civilians this year. Neighbours chatted in their apartment blocks, watching children play games in the courtyards. Pausing to look up, they would see the buzzing of attack drones and the familiar sounds of Ukrainian air defences before going back to their strange routine which is quickly becoming usual. open image in gallery Smoke rises from an explosion following a Russian drone strike on Sumy, Ukraine, 14 April 2025 ( AP ) Sumy is only 18 miles from the border of Russias Kursk region, where Ukrainian soldiers continue to hold on to the strip of territory they took in a surprise offensive last summer. Residents of the city say there has been an increase in attacks in recent weeks, but none as devastating as Sundays airstrike which targeted a busy intersection. It came just over over a week after a separate missile strike killed 20 people on the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih. Russia says its forces were targeting a meeting of soldiers in the attack which killed nine children, but evidence has not been provided to support the claim. The attacks on their cities has left many Ukrainians wondering where the next will occur and cast a shadow over the ongoing ceasefire talks being brokered by the United States. The talks have produced only muted results, as Russia insists on conditions Ukraine deems impossible and Kyiv believes Moscow's forces are gearing up for a fresh offensive. The attack ended some lives and shattered others To the people of Sumy, the talks seem far-removed from their daily struggles. As some of the victims of Sunday's attack were laid to rest on Tuesday, Viktor Voitenko, 56, described how he ended up paralyzed in a hospital bed. He was working as a security guard when the second missile hit and shattered his spine. As he spoke, his wife Hanna, 40, lovingly applied his deodorant a simple act he could no longer perform. open image in gallery The mother of Olena Kohut, who was killed in the deadly Russian attack on Sumy, during a farewell ceremony, 15 April 2025 ( AP ) Mention of the ceasefire negotiations conjured a weary smile from her. Its empty talks. They dont move anywhere. It seems to be public relations to me, Hanna Voitenko said. Nothing happens to bring comfort to regular people. Her husband offered his own take: They are stalling for time. Work, errands and planned family visits brought the victims of Sundays attack to the intersection of Petropavlivska Street and the state university on Sunday morning. Asia Pohorila, 20, was working at a cafe and thinking about whether to buy pastries after her shift when the first missile strike left her in shock and bleeding profusely from her legs. On Tuesday, the times 10:20 and "10:23" were still scrawled in marker on her thighs, noting when medics applied tourniquets to them. A teen springs into action Maryna Illiashenko and her 13-year old son, Kyrylo, heard the sound of that first blast ricochet across the center city as they waited for a bus. They were headed to visit his grandmother, but the teenager was more excited about wrestling practice later that afternoon. Undeterred, they boarded the bus when it arrived a few minutes later. One stop later, the second missile crashed a few feet from from the vehicle, scorching nearby cars, burning passengers alive, killing the bus driver and causing shrapnel to rain down. Three fragments tore through Kyrylos scalp and scratched Marynas face. Enveloped in smoke and debris, the teen leaped out of the shattered bus window and pried open the locked door from outside, saving half a dozen trapped passengers, witnesses said. open image in gallery A woman cries during farewell ceremony of Olena Kohut, who was killed in the deadly Russian attack on Sumy, Ukraine, 15 April 2025 ( AP ) I dont want to think about this as a new type of reality for Sumy city. We can clearly see that our frontline cities are being erased, Oleh Strilka, a spokesperson for the city's State Emergency Service, said while standing outside the collapsed facade of the university building, where the second missile struck. The most painful thing for me is our children. Why do they need to suffer? he asked. I dont want our 13-year-old kids becoming heroes. Liudmyla Shelukhina, 70, was waiting in a neighbors house for a haircut. She was standing in line in the kitchen when the windows suddenly shattered. She said the fridge she was next to saved her life. I would have been decapitated." Dont be so dramatic, joked her husband, Viktor, a former soldier. Their son was hospitalized in the attack. No relief for first responders Rescue workers like Dmytro Shevchenko, 31, have to be prepared to head to the scene of the next attack at all times. He was among the first to arrive at the university grounds on Sunday. Most people he found were too badly injured to help, he said, wiping away tears. He holds on to little hope that ceasefire talks will bear fruit. I just dont believe in it, he said. The childrens hospital where Kyrylo Illiashenko is recovering bears the scars of repeated drone attacks. More than 100 windows were shattered only two weeks ago when a massive drone attack struck nearby, said Chief Dr. Ihor Zmislya. As workers cleared rubble from the sites of the missile strikes Tuesday and Kyrylo expounded on his favorite computer games, an explosion sounded in the distance. From the teen's hospital window, plumes of smoke could be seen rising from a nearby railway line. This is our reality, said Zmislya. It happens all the time. Two men who laundered more than 6 million by exploiting the Russia-Ukraine war have been jailed after a major investigation. Footage shows the moment police stopped a vehicle in Twickenham with Valeiry Popovych, 52, as the passenger. After a search, officers found over 60,000 in cash and arrested him at the scene in June 2023. Following a subsequent search at his address, officers recovered 130,000 in cash. Further investigations led to the discovery of a 6m money laundering network, which exploited the demand for utility vehicles in the Ukrainian war effort by purchasing vans and lorries in the UK using criminal money and selling them in Ukraine in exchange for cryptocurrency. Popovych and Vitaliy Lutsak, 43, of Shortmead Drive, have been jailed for a combined 13 years. Any other day, any other week, and the revelation would have dominated headlines on both sides of the Atlantic. With leaders the world over preoccupied with the turmoil caused by President Donald Trumps tariffs, however, the news that the United States had made overtures to Iran and that direct talks were to take place on Saturday had to take a much lower billing. It has to be stressed, nonetheless, how much of a departure this is. It represents a far bigger turn in recent US policy than Trumps first phone call to Vladimir Putin last month, which ended more than three years of isolating the Russian president following Russias invasion of Ukraine. It may not be quite Nixon to China, but it has the potential to transform the politics of the region and beyond. The United States and Iran have had no diplomatic relations since Irans Islamic Revolution in 1979, when student revolutionaries held US diplomats hostage in their Tehran embassy for 444 days. There have been almost no contacts since, with one exception: the nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which committed Iran to limiting its nuclear activity to civil energy in return for the lifting of sanctions. The US was a party to this agreement as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, but it had little effect on bilateral relations, and Trump withdrew the US from the treaty in his first 18 months as president, accusing Iran of violations. There is then a particular irony that it should be Trump, at the start of his second term, who is broaching talks on a new Iran nuclear treaty. There is also a sense that the days of the nearly 86-year-old Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, are numbered, and change could be in the offing ( AP ) There are, though, many reasons why such a move could make sense and might even have a chance of success. Trump has a liking for the grand gesture, and initiating talks with Iran after nearly half a century is surely that. As was how the disclosure was made: almost in passing during an on-camera meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu, an Israeli prime minister who has long seen Iran as an existential threat to his country. Last October, he authorised reprisal raids against an Iranian nuclear facility, and during his tenure, the threat of an all-out Israel-Iran war has never seemed far away. That ever-present risk may be one reason why Trump has decided to talk to Iran, but other strategic and practical considerations militate for a change of policy now. As seen in his first term, Trump has a way of focusing his foreign policy on just a few countries that he sees as particular sources of trouble, the point being that solving just a few problems can potentially defuse many others. Hence his intended but thwarted first-term rapprochement with Russia and his talks with North Korea. For his second term, Russia again heads the list, with one of the hoped-for by-products being peace in Ukraine. But there were early hints that Iran could be a target for the Trump treatment, given its disproportionate capacity to destabilise the wider Middle East. And now might indeed be the optimal time. Irans theocratic regime is facing more resistance from women and young people than it has for many years, and sanctions have left the country dangerously impoverished. The days of the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, now in his mid-eighties, may also be numbered. Regionally, Irans reach is nothing like it was only two years ago. Israels response to the 7 October attacks has included attempts to destroy not just Hamas, which had some support from Iran, but Irans powerful proxies, the Hezbollah militias in southern Lebanon. The sudden end of the Assad regime in Syria has left Iran without either the influence or the land corridors it had before. There have also been signals, chiefly from the relatively new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, that Iran could be open to a rapprochement with the West. His speech at the UN General Assembly last September could be read almost as an overture to the US and Europe, and he has kept his job without any significant rowing back. As yet, it is unclear whether any of this could translate into a readiness in Iran to consider a new nuclear agreement. Tehran has cast doubt on whether this weekends talks will be direct and insisted that there will be no concessions on nuclear policy. What is clear, though, is that Trump senses a rare opportunity to transform relations with Iran and could potentially have others on his side including Russia. Moscow has long harboured fears of a nuclear-armed Iran on its southern border while maintaining good channels to Tehran. For Trump to include Russia in a new diplomatic process with Iran could be a way of bringing Moscow back into the international fold, especially if the UK, France and Germany, who also underwrote the original nuclear agreement, were involved, too. Three months into Donald Trumps term is too soon to envisage Air Force One landing at Tehran airport and the US president descending the steps to a guard of honour, but strange things have happened, including first-term Trumps stroll into North Korea at the DMZ. And if the stars were so aligned, it is not impossible that Trump could leave office having normalised US-Iranian relations, even if a new nuclear agreement remained a step too far. Its widespread. Every age cohort, every walk of life. Fraud doesnt see the customer, it sees the account, CEO of Bank of Ireland Retail on a scourge of the digital era Piper Rockelle and her friends became a YouTube sensation, attracting millions of views, but things started to unravel following an incident of inappropriate behaviour involving her mother You learn something new every day, and sometimes you very much wish that you hadnt. The online world of child influencers was a mystery to many of us and Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing will make us wish that it had stayed that way. Yet there are themes here, in this three-part Netflix documentary, that are as old as humanity itself. Chief among them is the exploitation of children by their parents. And, almost as old, the grisly sight of the civil and commercial authorities turning a blind eye to exploitation of children by their parents on the grounds that the kids dont complain, or sue or, indeed, vote. Piper Rockelle was a cute little girl from the US state of Georgia whose mother entered her for beauty pageants. Pipers mother, Tiffany Smith, became her manager, or momager, as the young people say. Smith seemed to be a bit of an online genius. In 2017, she and Piper, who was 10, moved to Los Angeles, the centre of the kidfluencer industry. On YouTube, Piper looked like she was just goofing around, messing about, doing kid things. She got millions of views. Smith expanded the group of children around Piper, making them the Piper Squad. They became enormously popular on YouTube, right through the pandemic. There were 8.5 million subscribers at one time, according to NBC News. Covid drove up the numbers and we are told those numbers never came down. Meanwhile, the boys and girls were getting older. Soon they were being pushed to have crushes on each other (crush videos are wildly popular), to share their first kiss with millions of viewers, and so on. But who exactly were those viewers? One of the interviewees here says that the first 50,000 views of pretty much anything on YouTube dont consist of real viewers but hits from bots, machines designed to drive up viewing figures. Yet there is no denying that the Piper Squad also got a lot of views from real-life humans as well. The members of the squad didnt get as much money as Piper, obviously, but they were monetising their screen appearances, creating their own individual channels and doing pretty well. They were charming kids and they were Pipers friends. Last year, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times investigated Instagram sites featuring girls in their very early teens and younger and found out that a substantial proportion of the audience were adult men. Sophie Fergie (left) and Piper Rockelle in Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing. Photo: Heather Nichole/Netflix 2025 Tiffany Smith was shooting video after video with her boyfriend, Hunter Hill. The children were sometimes working round the clock, with no protection from labour laws. Their parents, many of whom were single parents, were delighted. After all, whether you are a single or a married parent, an extra $10,000 a month is hard to turn down. (There are no sums specified for the earnings of the squad members during this period). One of the interviewees here, Brandon Stewart (content strategist) estimates that Smith had a six-figure income each month. Things can get very muddy when kids are making a lot of money, says Ava Michelle, now an adult, who has had her own online presence. But the money wasnt a problem, the enthusiastic parents were not a problem, the weird adult viewers werent a problem. The problem was inappropriate behaviour from an adult involved in making the videos and that adult was Tiffany Smith. On one occasion she kissed 17-year-old Raegan Beast (dont ask) on the mouth. Alcohol had been consumed by both parties. In the footage, it is Piper pulling her mother back from the boy. When Raegan woke up the next morning, this footage of the kiss had vanished. He couldnt find it anywhere. God knows how the producers of Bad Influence found it. Smith, an adult woman in her thirties, was flirting with boys much younger than Raegan. And gradually more and more of the kids pulled out, most of them at their own instigation. Their channels tanked. Their parents got worried. What had happened to our kids channels? asks one concerned mother. Presumably they were in the process of losing fortunes. Links to the channels of the former members of the squad were found on porn sites and gambling sites. My channel has never been the same, says squad member Sawyer sadly. In 2022, former squad members sued Tiffany Smith and Hunter Hill. Last year, they settled, dividing $1.85m between the 11 of them. Piper had lost her friends but she soon got new ones. She moved to a site that is frankly aimed at adults. Although there is no nudity allowed on this site, there was a lot of bikini footage. I remember when you used to wear clothes, comments one subscriber. Piper moved on, perhaps in anticipation of this documentary. Kidfluencing now is the wild, wild west, says Brandon Stewart sagely. Nobody protects these children: not the platform provider, not the legal system and certainly not their parents. Only Demi Lovato, herself a former child star, has come out to push for legislation in California, now signed into law by the governor, Gavin Newsom. #Presumably Piper just keeps on working. Australia's beef exports to US to remain strong despite tariffs On the day Donald Trump announced tariffs on imports from a dizzying number of countries last week, the U.S. president gave a special mention to Australian beef. "They won't take any of our beef," he said of Australia, which has restricted entry of U.S. beef due to mad cow disease concerns for over two decades, stopping almost all shipments. Woman says giving evidence against three men in rape case has helped protect other women A woman who was raped by three men she met in a nightclub in 2019 has said she feels she has protected other women by giving evidence against them in court. Anthony Hickey (39), Fabio Vicente (42) and Matin Zolfaghari (34) were convicted of the rape and sexual assault of the young woman following a trial at the Central Criminal Court earlier this year, after pleading not guilty to offences which took place on August 31, 2019. Imposing sentences of 15 and 13 years for the three men, Mr Justice Paul Burns said the three men took advantage of the woman in a cruel, cynical and depraved manner. Speaking to RTE News the woman, who wanted to be known as Kate, said she was out with friends on August 30, 2019 when they met the three men at a Dublin nightclub, where they had a very basic conversation. After her housemate left, Kate said her memory became hazy. CCTV footage of her time in the nightclub was shown in court, showing the three men accompanying her as she left the nightclub. She was then brought into the back of a car with no seats in the back. Hickey orally raped and sexually assaulted her in the back of the car, and Vicente also raped her in the car. She was driven to Hickeys then-home in Dundrum, where Hickey and Vicente raped her, and Zolfaghari orally raped her. Zolfaghari took videos of the woman, which were played in court. While nothing was visible in either of the two videos, Kate is heard saying no three times. Hickey asked him to share the videos in a WhatsApp group and after the two videos were sent by Zolfaghari, Hickey replied: Listen to you laughing after she says no. The woman said that if not for the help of her housemate, who contacted the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit at the Rotunda Hospital, she would not have reported the assaults. Left to right: Fabio Vicente, Matin Zolfaghari and Anthony Hickey Today's News in 90 seconds - 9th April 2025 Kate described receiving a call in February 2024 to say the three men had been charged as really overwhelming and said she felt validated, angry, upset and anxious about what was to come. She gave evidence in court with a screen around her, which she said was to protect her mental health. Recalling her experience in the courtroom, she said she was cross examined by three barristers over three days because there were three men on trial. "To be plunged back into the trauma of what happened and have 50 people in a courtroom judging every moment you make and every word you say and Im like thats my life, she said. "And youre hoping to be believed because you know what happened was wrong. So, its just a really traumatic experience but I did find the strength. In his remarks, Mr Justice Burns said Kate was not at fault for what had happened. Kate said this was one of the most emotional moments in court for her. Describing the guilty verdicts as the one moment of light in the whole thing, Kate said she felt she helped protect other women by giving evidence against the three men. Helplines: If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, click here for more information Workplaces encouraged to be aware of grieving employees needs amid drive to raise funds for hospice Niamh Finucane, co-ordinator of social work and bereavement services at St Francis Hospice in Dublins Raheny and Blanchardstown Creating grief-informed workplaces can help bereaved people navigate loss and be supported by their colleagues, according to one of Irelands leading hospices. With 100 deaths nationwide every day, many of us will find ourselves returning to work after bereavement or supporting other colleagues dealing with one. Niamh Finucane, co-ordinator of social work and bereavement services at St Francis Hospice in Dublins Raheny and Blanchardstown, says there is a major role for employers in Ireland to examine their response to a colleagues loss. She was speaking as employers across the country are encouraged to back a national fundraising drive for hospices. The Your Finest Hour for Hospice drive, organised by Together for Hospice, asks firms in every sector to give workers an hour of downtime in April and in return, staff are asked to donate an hour of their salary. The first few days back at work and meeting people again can be very activating of grief, said Ms Finucane. Things such as songs coming on the radio or events like Mothers Day can cause this, and when it happens, something touches on their grief and shakes it up. You may see a colleague being more emotional or finding it difficult to concentrate and even finding it difficult to have conversations. In some cases, those who are bereaved prefer to keep things as normal as possible but it is always important to acknowledge the loss. Its also important to remember that when people are grieving, they are not functioning as well as usual; their memory or concentration can be impacted they may make mistakes. What each person needs is very different. Sometimes a person may not even know themselves what they need. Employers can look at how they can do things in terms of managing the persons workload. While more workplaces are looking at their companys response to grief, its an area where a little can go a long way. A total of 60pc of people do well with the support of friends and family and good quality information about grief. The other 40pc may need additional things such as peer support or grief counselling, said Ms Finucane. Sometimes people can guide the bereaved person to services like their local bereavement network or the Irish Childhood Bereavement Network. Last year, researchers from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) found that focusing on work following a bereavement or divorce can be a healthy coping mechanism. Niamh Finucane, co-ordinator of social work and bereavement services at St Francis Hospice in Dublins Raheny and Blanchardstown Today's News in 90 seconds - 9th April 2025 Based on 68 in-depth interviews, it found that employees were able to transform the workplace into a refuge and a place for healing. Ms Finucane says that being there for a colleague and letting them know youre there is invaluable. Its the simple things; let them know you are thinking of them, even if you dont know what to say. That can mean the world. Employers can help if a line manager or HR manager reaches out to them in advance of their return to work asking them how best to support them. Colleagues also need to be aware that grief is a process and one that doesnt have a time limit on it and giving someone a card or some level of acknowledgement for their loss is very important. The Your Finest Hour for Hospice campaign runs throughout April. Employers are asked to reward staff by treating them to an office takeaway, giving them a wellbeing hour or simply an hour off work. Employees are then asked to donate an hour of their salary to hospice. Companies and employees, either in partnership or separately, are asked to register to support the initiative at: www.finesthour.ie. Registered firms will be given a digital information pack and every cent raised in local firms, goes to local Hospices. With the population over 65 set to triple over the next 30 years, demand for hospice services continues to grow and in 2023 alone, hospice and specialist palliative homecare providers cared for over 14,000 patients and made over 87,000 homecare visits. A man has been jailed for a year after he stole from a woman in her 80s after claiming he would use her money to buy her a new kitchen but instead used the money to pay off a drug debt. A woman who falsely claimed she was being held captive and being forced to work as a prostitute has been jailed for two years and three months. Brenda Emmanuel (34) arrived at Store Street Garda Station in Dublin in October 2019 and told them she had just managed to escape her captives. She said she had travelled from her village in Nigeria six months earlier to Ireland to work as a home help. Where Michelin-star chefs go to eat a curry: I think its some of the best food of any kind being served in Ireland right now A man has been charged following an armed robbery in Ballybrack, Co Dublin yesterday evening. The man, in his 40s, was arrested later on Tuesday evening in Dublin city centre. According to gardai, a male entered a commercial premises on Church Road at approximately 5.25pm, and threatened staff with a knife. A sum of cash was stolen and the man left the scene. No injuries were reported. Following enquiries and ongoing investigations as part of Operation Tairge, a male in his 40s was arrested later on Tuesday evening in Dublin city centre, a Garda spokesperson said. (He) was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a Garda Station in the DMR East. He has since been charged and is scheduled to appear before Dun Laoghaire District Court at 10.30am this morning. Operation Tairge is part of An Garda Siochanas Crime Prevention and Reduction Strategy that is aimed at detecting and preventing Organised Retail Crime (ORC). Gardai say organised retail crime typically refers to situations where a number of persons, acting together, target retailer outlets to steal significant quantities of goods that are then resold back into the retail supply chain through the black market. It can also involve refund fraud with the purpose of making a financial or material benefit. ORC is usually co-ordinated and well-organised by people who recruit others to commit theft from retailers, gardai stated. Operation Tairge is led by the Organised Retail Crime Tasking and Co-ordination Group within An Garda Siochana and supports each Garda region to monitor and respond to emerging trends in their area. Tom OReillys quick thinking saved a life An off-duty firefighter who was in Dublin City Centre to buy a wedding ring ended up saving a person from drowning in the river Liffey. Tom OReilly was in the capital last night with his fiance Lauren to collect a ring for their upcoming nuptials when he saw a person in the river. The firefighter and paramedic saved the person by throwing a lifebuoy into the water and pulling them to shore. Sharing the incident to social media, Dublin Fire Brigade said: Off duty Firefighter/Paramedic Tom O'Reilly, who was in town to collect a wedding ring with his fiance Lauren, sprang into action last night when he saw a person in the River #Liffey. Tom threw a life "ring" (soz) and brought the person into the quayside. From rings to rescue. Tom OReilly Today's News in 90 seconds - 9th April 2025 Members of the public shared their appreciation for the brave act. Well done and congratulations on your ring, one person said. Very brave of him, added another. Maybe his wedding cake might be in shape of a lifering but sure he is due all the praise he can absorb, a third joked. In an emergency situation, Water Safety Ireland advise looking for your nearest ringbuoy. According to the latest statistics from Water Safety Ireland, there were an average of 116 drownings per year between 2018 and 2022, down from 132 the year prior. Taoiseach brushes off calls for more resignations from Children's Health Ireland Taoiseach Micheal Martin outlined the importance of transferring services to the new National Children's Hospital as he brushed off calls for more resignations from Children's Health Ireland (CHI). The Government would implement the recommendations of the HIQA report, he said, referring to the use of unauthorised springs in scoliosis operations which left the devices to corrode inside childrens bodies. Mr Martin again ruled out a public inquiry, saying of such probes that "inevitably, victims don't get closure. Many of them are taking years and costing millions. He added: "The easiest thing in the world is to call for a public inquiry, but very few judges are coming forward." The Taoiseach rejected calls for the board of CHI to resign, saying such a move would result in further delays. The boards chair, Jim Browne, stepped down yesterday in the wake of the report. Mr Martin said there had to be a board to implement the recommendations, adding that the Minister for Health would be meeting tomorrow with the head of a taskforce on paediatric spinal surgery. However, he was reminded of the facts by Social Democrats stand-in leader Cian O'Callaghan, who said: Medical experiments were conducted on children in our major paediatric hospitals. "Corrosive springs were inserted in bodies of extremely vulnerable children. No ethical approval was sought for the use of these springs and the families did not give informed consent. This was not an isolated incident. "The litany of failures raises serious questions about whether Children's Health Ireland is fit for purpose. "Taoiseach, you rule out a public inquiry [and say] all the recommendations the HIQA report will be implemented. But families have heard that before." In 2013, a report into services for children with spina bifida found major deficits and a lack of co-ordination at national and local level, he said. "The recommendations from that report were not implemented." In 2017, a damning report from the Children's Ombudsman had found serious and ongoing violations of the rights of children waiting for scoliosis treatment, he said. "In response, then Health Minister Simon Harris promised that no child with scoliosis would wait longer than four months for surgery. That promise was never kept. "In 2023, the Children's Ombudsman published the Ivy report into the care of a child with scoliosis by Children's Health Ireland. That report found numerous failures of governance." "In 2024, a follow-up to the Ivy report revealed that surgery was delayed for Ivy for so long that she was no longer operable," Mr OCallaghan said. "The latest damning report into CHI cannot be viewed in isolation. In fact, we know that two more reports into care at CHI are on the way, one of which will detail that potentially hundreds of children had unnecessary hip surgeries. "Can you imagine the devastation for parents to learn that their child has been put through traumatic surgery that was never needed? "The extent of the crisis of CHI, and its implications for care of children in Ireland, are enormous." Mr OCallaghan told the Taoiseach that Una Keightley, from the Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Paediatric Advocacy Group, had written to Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill three weeks ago and was yet to receive a response, as she had said on television. He suggested to Mr Martin that "ruling out a public inquiry into this scandal is too rash. It can take nine years to get a diagnosis in Ireland for the debilitating disease endometriosis, the Dail has heard. One eighteen-year-old woman with the condition has been waiting no less than three and a half years for treatment, the Dail was told today. "I hate weekends," the sufferer, named as Nikita, told Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou in a letter, which she read into the Dail record. "I am a young woman alive but not living," Nikita added. Ms McDonald said it can take nine years for a case to be recognised in this country. "Many women and girls are required to travel abroad to get a diagnosis," she added, saying thousands of women were affected. She called for provision of a "long overdue" dedicated treatment centre. Taoiseach Micheal Martin said he understood that one in 10 Irish women could develop endometriosis, and Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill was hoping to make progress on the matter. "We acknowledge fully that it's a very serious issue for women, with severe pain." He said there had been significant progress, and 94pc of women were seen within six months, at least in the Cork region. "Government is listening," the Taoiseach said. "We can do this and we will do this." But Ms McDonald said she personally knew a woman who had lost a kidney to endometriosis, as well as a 27-year-old who went through a radical hysterectomy. Nikita's letter read: "I'm 18 years old, and instead of getting my driver's licence, picking out a Debs dress, studying for my Leaving Cert, going out with friends or getting a job, I spend my days sitting in bed in horrific amounts of pain. "My days just roll in all together. I barely get any sleep because of pain. Everything I do isn't without a high level of pain. "Walking hurts. I have to use a walker and a wheelchair to get around. I need help getting dressed, having a shower, doing my hair, going to the toilet. "It's humiliating being a young woman, once full of hope and dreams, now completely numb. I don't allow myself to feel because if I do, I won't be able to stop. "I have to watch my friends move on with life, going to parties, graduating, getting their licences, and so much more, while I hate weekends because it means a doctor won't call to set up my surgery. "It's been three and a half years. I've been patient. I've done everything the doctor told me to do. I'm fully dependent on my Mum. I got headaches that blur my vision. I have pain peeing, stomach pain. "I've bleeding constantly, with breaks only of a few days. How am I meant to stay happy and hopeful when no one's listening to me or helping? "I once dreamt of being a lawyer, a doctor, a nurse, of having a family of my own. Now I'm a young woman alive, but not living. Please help me to live again." Ms McDonald commented: "How sad an 18-year-old who hates weekends. "Endometriosis is a crisis in women's health a chronic, chronic inflammatory, whole-body disease. It affects the pelvic region, the uterus, fallopian tubes and the cervix. "It affects one in 10 women in Ireland. And yet it takes nine years for a woman to get a diagnosis here." The location for office meetings may have changed, but that doesn't make them more valuable. Photo: Getty Weve all been there. At least those of us who spent the best days of our lives cooped up in muggy grey offices, counting down the clock to liberation. You know the drill. Its noon and the boss who never knows what he wants until he doesnt get it is in a bad, irrational mood. The general diagnosis seems to be that he was over-promoted a decade ago and has been desperately treading water ever since. The meeting will have a crucial agenda, of course, but none so defined that it might ever be broached. Then someone will be picked on for no better reason than they offered an original thought or, alternatively, looked casually indifferent. Not only will the meeting go on too long, but nothing will be achieved. Those who have deadlines to worry about will emerge after an hour knowing less than when they went in. The whole exercise will have subtracted from the sum total of human knowledge, wisdom deposited instead in a cosmic black hole and never to be retrieved. Zoom and the virtual office have altered that traditional farce to some degree. Theres consolation in knowing that while you still have to sit through the same mind-numbing dross, you can at least do so in shorts and slippers. But the basic nature of office meetings hasnt changed and never will. They are generally an exercise in power and ego, distraction and prevarication. Getting things done efficiently can, occasionally, be a happy coincidence. Not that I can think of too many examples. Bosses see it differently. No point in having a mansplaining office with a conference table if you cant gather overworked underlings around it. Get those ducks in a row, prune low-hanging fruit and do some blue-sky thinking. When it comes to bossing people around, few have been more successful at it for longer than Jamie Dimon. The 69-year-old is il capo dei capi of JP Morgan Chase in New York, the blue-chip corporate bank that employs 250,000 people in 100 countries. Thats a lot of meetings, no matter how you cut it. JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon offered his firm views on office-meeting etiquette. Photo: Getty In his recent annual letter to shareholders, he had a few wry observations about office etiquette, politics and that sacred daily ritual where the higher-ups, the up-and-coming and the stuck-in-the-middle are forced to sit opposite each other and pretend to know whats going on maybe even let on they care. It would be silly to dismiss the words of this master of men, who has himself probably lost the will to live around countless conference tables, but his advice would be better directed at his executives who chair meetings, rather than the poor suckers who have to endure them. He urged employees to make these assemblies count, writing: I see people in meetings all the time who are getting notifications and personal texts or who are reading emails. This has to stop. Its disrespectful. It wastes time. Perhaps that is the view from the top table. After all, most certainties professed in this world are based on any given individuals perspective. As many as 65pc of managers said meetings keep them from completing their work and 71pc said they were unproductive It might not have occurred to Dimon and, sure, why would it? that the time-poor, stress-rich manager at a meeting in JP Morgan Chase, or any enterprise anywhere, sees things very differently. Mary from sales might be getting notifications about a deal going belly-up, a text from a client who has an urgent query or an invoice email that needs approval. Instead, shes frozen in time, staring at a bar chart. Again. Meetings are frequently cited as the top gripe for office workers. More than half of executives said they spent too much time in meetings, according to a survey of 10,000 office workers conducted by Slack, the messaging service. Harvard Business Review surveyed 182 senior managers in a range of industries in the US. As many as 65pc said meetings keep them from completing their own work and 71pc said they were unproductive and inefficient. The first thing on the agenda should be to ask: Was it worth calling this meeting in the first place? Lifes too short and theres too much to do. When Tanaiste Simon Harris lands in Washington, saddled with the responsibility of trying to ease the weight of Donald Trumps tariffs, he is more likely to be thinking it is a subjugation rather than a liberation day. We have come to a strange pass in transatlantic relations when he or any EU representative has to play a part in such an undignified tableau. There is something surreal in having to assume the role of supplicant and seek atonement for trade barriers that in reality only actually exist in the mind of the US president. But needs must. Yet, as Mr Harris noted, there can be no winners in this crisis. Unfortunately, there will probably be even more losers now that China has followed Canada in going down the road of retaliation and resistance. Neither can be blamed, given the attacks their economies have come under from Washington. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen had urged Beijing to pursue a negotiated solution. Clearly, for two of the worlds largest markets to be at each others throats does not bode well for global stability. After the announcement that China was to be hit with an additional 50pc on imports, Beijing said it was blackmail. Prime minister Li would not bow to economic bullying he said, but the likelihood of growth, jobs and investment all being adversely affected has grown exponentially. The second hammer falls today with another tariff blow to EU goods. It cannot be about who blinks first the focus must be on fixing the mess before lasting harm is done . Tanking the world economy serves no one, but taking it out of its tail-spin is primarily the responsibility of Mr Trump. The hardest tumble a man can make is to fall over his own bluff Assessing whether he intends the tariffs to be permanent or merely a mechanism albeit an incredibly irresponsible one to exert pressure is speculative. In the interim, grave harm is being done. China has announced it is prepared for the worst. Beijing was fully capable of hedging against adverse external influences Mr Li said, and took the opportunity to hold out a hand to Brussels, adding: China is willing to strengthen political mutual trust with the EU. Whether other countries will hit back, or whether the White House will negotiate deals to lessen the fallout, remains to be seen. The tariff wall threatens to play havoc with complex supply chains, leading to potential shortages. If market gyrations continue, global business will suffer. Photo: Reuters Today's News in 90 seconds - 9th April 2025 EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic said: Sooner or later we will sit at the negotiation table with the US and find a mutually acceptable compromise. We must hope it will be sooner. Should the market gyrations continue, the effects on global business are likely to be grave. According to American writer Ambrose Bierce: The hardest tumble a man can make is to fall over his own bluff. It would be an act of unprecedented economic recklessness were Mr Trump to take the world economy down with him after tripping over his own ill-advised policy. US president Donald Trump is a man on a mission that is causing concern to countless millions: Photo: Reuters Donald Trump laid out his vengeful ideas throughout the pre-election discussions and rallies. He promised to fix America and make it great again. He has kept his word America is today well and truly fixed. The US owes China $750bn (685bn). Commercial construction costs have soared, leading to the cancellation of some current projects as tariffs cause massive price increases for material. How anyone can rely on the financial wisdom of a man whose casinos went bankrupt is beyond belief. The problem is that his stupidity could create a long-term worldwide recession. Time for all nations to leave Trumps America to Vladimir Putin and trade with each other. Declan Foley, Melbourne, Australia US presidents avoidance of communication could exacerbate EU problems There is reportedly a feeling within the EU and the European Commission that the EU will have to hit back at the US with counter-tariffs. It is their contention that it is only at that point, potentially, that Donald Trump might be brought to the table. They believe this could happen in several weeks or potentially in a few months time, with the view of striking a deal. One of the problems the EU faces at the moment is it is struggling to develop a firm line of communication with Trump himself. It seems to me he is quite happy to let everyone sweat. It is as if he is saying: I will talk to you when I am good and ready. Trump and his billionaire colleagues believe this extraordinary gamble will work. If by some chance it did, the pieces will then land, but they will never return to their old places. John OBrien, Clonmel, Co Tipperary Trump merely doing what he said he would, so its a bit late to start panicking While no one especially those whose income and pensions are tied to the stock market likes to see major downward trends, some of the recent commentary in relation to the same is verging on the hysterical. After all, Donald Trump is merely carrying out his promises to the electorate who voted for him by trying to restore a semblance of balance to the US trade deficit and stimulate home-grown industry and jobs. Whether his policies will work is a different matter. In this context, its a bit rich for the EU and others to cry foul when their tariffs on US goods (and their internal trade barriers ) are greater than those applied by the US. In the overall scheme, the MSCI (world index of shares ) was down 0.09pc as of the April 7. This compares with a fall of 17.7pc in 2022. There is a danger that anti-Trump hysteria among the liberal commentariat is leading to a lack of perspective. Its early days, but no cause for panic just yet ! Eric Conway, Navan, Co Meath Is tariffs war a blatantly obvious ploy to make Donald pals even richer? I am not a financier and know nothing about the subject. The thought crossed my mind could this tariff lark of Trumps be a worldwide scam for the benefit of his rich mates? When the stock market is down, shares tend to be dumped on the market at rock-bottom prices, allowing rich people with plenty of money to buy them. These shares will eventually return to their original value once the market has settled. So who benefits? A look into who is buying these shares might tell a story. Just a thought. John Fair, Castlebar, Co Mayo If you thought Irish tax system was severe, you should see US version If youre not a fan of the Irish tax system, dont swap it for the American system. The basic tax rate for the average salary is 12pc. This is offset by the average property tax being $10,000 for a house. Then there is the average state tax of 5pc, and one must not forget the sales tax, which comes in at 10.25pc. Sewerage and garbage tax is about $80 a month. There is also a heavy tax on cellphones, electricity and cable TV, plus $800 for the average couple to get insurance from Medicare. House insurance is also expensive and car insurance not far behind. This is not the land of low taxes. Kieran McHale, Chicago Person who issues the invitation is one who should pick up the bill Im in receipt of the free travel card, and on many of the first dates I went on, the person I was with was lucky to get an ice cream or a Fanta if I was feeling particularly generous (Who should be expected to pay for dinner on a first date?, Irish Independent, April 8). These days, the bar appears to have been raised to dinner, drinks and an unspoken financial dance. Im all for equality, but thats where my conundrum begins. If both parties are equal, why should one always pay? On the other hand, theres still something oddly charming (and a bit theatrical) about someone gallantly whipping out their card at the end of the meal. Perhaps the fairest solution is this: whoever issued the invitation pays. Failing that, split it and save the awkward silences for the main course. Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Armagh Government unharmed by failure to keep promise to build 40,000 homes A claim that 40,000 new homes would be built in 2024 has not damaged trust in the Government, Transport and Environment Minister Darragh OBrien has said. Apparently only 30,330 were built. If the minister had done a survey with the 9,670 people who didnt get a house in 2024, he might have got a different set of statistics Seamus McLoughlin, Keshcarrigan, Co Leitrim Mairead wasnt exactly upfront when questioned about plans for the Aras On Upfront with Katie Hannon, Mairead McGuinness was somewhat less than upfront when asked about any plans she might have for a tilt at the presidency. Mairead informed us that for now she is on the farm. Mind you, should persuaders come calling regarding the Aras job, one wonders just how theyre gonna keep her down on the farm. Tom Gilsenan, Beaumont, Dublin 9 Houston and the rest of the entire world we have a problem. With Donald Trumps ultra-aggressive tariff plan now in place, the worlds markets are in meltdown and the global economy has become a bloodsport. But what effect will the high-stakes and fast-changing news have on you and your wallet? And how will Irelands economy react to a looming pharma tariff? Housing is one of the main areas the market shake may effect. Any prospect of a drop in house prices will be music to the ears of desperate renters but, unfortunately, past experience shows buying in a falling market tends to get harder, not easier. And what about the Irish economy? As more tariffs on big pharma are now being planned, Tanaiste Simon Harris is in Washington trying to cosy up to Howard Lutnick. Mr Lutnick, the US commerce secretary, has previously been critical of the Irish Governments fiscal policies, describing this country as a tax scam. Today on The Indo Daily, Kevin Doyle is joined by Donal ODonovan, group business editor with Mediahuis Ireland, and from Washington by Jeff Mason, White House correspondent with Reuters, to count the cost of the Trump monetary meltdown for Ireland. They will also ask if Americans really understand whats happening. The fossilised remains of denticles from the distinctive Listracanthus hystrix, discovered by Geologist Dr. Eamon Doyle in the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark. Photo: Dr. Eamon Doyle Fossilised remains of a unique prehistoric shark have been discovered along the coastline of the Burren and the discovery will be outlined at the annual Geopark Academy in County Clare this May. The first ever find in Ireland of denticles from the distinctive Listracanthus hystrix was made by Geologist Dr. Eamon Doyle of the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark, which is hosting speakers from the fields of geology and science at the Burren College of Art in Ballyvaughan. Recovered from the base of the Clare Shale Formation, the shark species died out an estimated 250 million years ago during the early Triassic Period and is known primarily for its unique barbed, feather-like denticles. Dr Eamon Doyle said: I will be presenting my findings at the upcoming Geopark Academy, and I am also delighted that my research paper on the discovery has been accepted for publication in the Irish Journal of Earth Sciences. Dr Doyle described the Geopark Academy as a multi-disciplinary event connecting research and the local community. He added: The Geopark Academy will feature invited guest speakers on new research of relevance to the Geopark area. This event will examine and promote the ancient geological history of the Geopark, and its evolution through time from its formation through the retreat of the ice sheets some 12,000 years ago to the vibrant region we know of today. The Burren in County Clare. Photo: AirSwing Media. Dr Doyle said the underlying geology of the Burren holds many fascinating clues to conditions on Earth more than 300 million years ago. Ongoing research attracts scientists and students globally to explore this area. The Academy will feature insights from individuals who have dedicated considerable time and effort to studying this fascinating terrain. Follow Independent Clare on Facebook Speakers at the Geopark Academy include Dr Gordon Bromley of the University of Galway on reconstructing the impact of abrupt climate change in the Burren; Phoebe Larkin of the Burren National Park (NPWS) about the latest studies on bryophytes, dung beetles and spiders in the Burren National Park; Ballyvaughan musician Daithi O Dronai about the Sounds of the Burren Using your own culture to make better art; and Katherine Doe, a final year student at University of Galway, who will speak about other fossil conodonts from the Clare Shale Formation. Above front from left: Ann-Marie OSullivan, AM OSullivan PR; March Cork Person of the Month Tom Butler; Oonagh Buckley, Masterkabin; back from left: Clara OMahony, AM OSullivan PR; Louise McNamara, Metropole Hotel; Manus OCallaghan, Cork Person of the Year Awards Organiser, at the Metropole Hotel. Tom Butler, a dedicated team member and long standing chairman of Ballincollig Tidy Towns for over 25 years, has been selected as the Cork Person of Month for March. This recognition celebrates his unwavering commitment to improving the community of Ballincollig and his pivotal role in leading the town to multiple Tidy Town accolades, including Irelands Tidiest Town 2024. For over two decades, Mr Butler has been the driving force behind Ballincollig's transformation into one of Irelands most litter-free towns. Under his leadership, Ballincollig has not only thrived in the national Tidy Towns competition but has also set a benchmark for sustainability, community involvement and environmental stewardship. In 2024, Ballincollig achieved unprecedented success under Toms guidance, being crowned the National Supervalu TidyTowns winner. The town also won the prestigious title of Irelands tidiest large urban centre and secured a gold medal in recognition of its outstanding achievement. All of this was achieved ahead of Ballincollig Tidy Towns celebrating their 60th anniversary in 2025. Beyond the awards and recognition, Tom remains focused on the future. He continues to lead efforts to ensure Ballincollig remains at the forefront of environmental sustainability. From nurturing pollinator-friendly habitats to advocating for green infrastructure, his vision extends to creating a legacy that future generations can inherit and cherish. Mr Butlers efforts go beyond the annual competition. His passion for fostering community pride has inspired countless local initiatives which include tree planting campaigns and biodiversity projects to litter picks and educational workshops for schools. He has also been instrumental in cultivating a shared sense of responsibility among residents, businesses and schools, creating a cleaner, greener and more vibrant town for all. Reflecting on his journey, Mr Butler said: Being part of this community has been a great privilege. This award is not just for me but for every volunteer, neighbour and supporter who has contributed to our shared vision. Together, we have turned small actions into big changes. Im excited to see what more we can achieve in the years ahead. Presenting the award, organiser Manus OCallaghan said Mr Butler embodied the essence of community spirit and leadership. His unwavering dedication to the betterment of Ballincollig and his passion for the environment are truly inspiring. Toms efforts have not only transformed Ballincollig but they have also left a lasting legacy for other communities to emulate. He truly deserves this recognition. Ballincollig Tidy Towns celebrate their 60th anniversary this year. All the volunteers deserve great credit and thanks from the whole community of Ballincollig, added Mr OCallaghan. Mr Butlers name will now be added to the list of monthly winners and will go forward for consideration for the title of Cork Person of the Year at the annual gala awards lunch on January 23. National Pyjama Day saw a variety of events take place in the care settings including teddy bear picnics, sing-alongs and storytelling. Pyjamas and picnics for a great cause! Pictured are Milica Atanackovic, Director of Membership, Excellence and Learning at Early Childhood Ireland ,Karen Leigh, Founder and CEO of Sensational Kids and Teresa Heeney, CEO of Early Childhood Ireland as Early Childhood Ireland. Picture: Marc OSullivan Though they were dressed in their pyjamas, Cork children were certainly not caught sleeping on the fundraising job late last year as they generated a whopping 20,300 for charity. Over 5,300 elated children and educators across 100 early years and school age care settings throughout the Rebel County wore their favourite pyjamas with pride as part of a unique fundraiser in late November last year. National Pyjama Day saw a variety of events take place in the care settings including teddy bear picnics, sing-alongs and storytelling, while raising vital funds for Early Childhood Ireland. CEO of Early Childhood Ireland, Teresa Heeney thanked members in Cork for making the day so special. Were thrilled to announce the significant funds raised in Cork during National Pyjama Day 2024, a campaign that continues to inspire generosity and community spirit. These contributions will create lasting, positive change for children, and were immensely grateful to our members in Cork for making the day so special for the children and their generous families, Ms Heeney said. This year, the funds raised will go towards Sensational Kids, an award-winning social enterprise that works with children who have sensory processing challenges. CEO of Sensational Kids, Karen Leigh said National Pyjama Day is a wonderful initiative and thanked Early Childhood Ireland for their inclusion. This wonderful initiative embodies the spirit of children helping children, making a real impact in young lives. Thank you to Early Childhood Ireland and all who took part for helping to create inclusive learning spaces for all children to thrive, she added. Early Irelands Eco-Emotions Project, which provides educators and parents with the necessary tools they need to support children to care for themselves, their community and the planet. Chief Executive of Community Foundation Ireland, Denise Charlton added: A huge showing of generosity that makes a real difference for the youngest among us. All of us at the Community Foundation are incredibly proud to contribute to this partnership, she said. Since the first National Pyjama Day in 2003, over 4.5 million has been raised for a host of charitable causes that support babies and children all over Ireland. Its part of the HSE Capital Plan for 2025 Cork will receive 104 million euro in capital funding towards the development and enhancement of healthcare infrastructure. The HSE Capital Plan, announced today by Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, will see over 1.3 billion spent by Government nationally, with just under 10% of that headed to Cork city and county. Cork University Hospital is set to get the lions share of the funding, with a new CT scanner, an expansion of the paediatric department, helipad works, and a new out-patient facility in Curraheen among a wide range of plans for the countys largest health facility. Mallow General Hospital will now have 24 new beds in the first floor of a new extension, while the ground floor will be used for a new outpatient/day clinic ward. Kanturk Community Hospital and Millstreet Community Hospital have both received funding towards Phase 2 of their refurbishment, while a Sexual Assault Treatment Service is also set to be established on the grounds of St Marys Health Campus in Gurranabraher,. A dementia specific ward at Heather House and money towards progressing a Primary Care Centre at the Orthopaedic Hospital have also been announced on the same campus. Money from the new project will be used to progress works on a new 50-bed Mental Health unit, and a new elective Hospital on the grounds of St Stephens Psychiatric Hospital, in Sarsfields Court, just outside Glanmire. Blarney CNU and the Carraig Mor Centre are also set to receive funding, while a new ambulance base is set to be built at the site of Mount Alvernia Hospital in Mallow. Fine Gael TD John Paul OShea says the money will be transformative, and says todays announcement shows a strong demonstration of this Governments commitment to delivering high-quality, accessible healthcare in Cork and across all of our communities. The 2025 plan marks a rise in funding made available for healthcare projects from the years previous. In 2023, the plan granted 1.026 billion for infrastructure, while last year saw 1.138 billion allocated. As part of this plan, Dublin received 434 million, over four times what Cork received, while Limerick also received more than Cork, getting over 107 million of the funding. Dating in Dublin: 'To get rid of him, I told him I was emigrating to London' In the first part of a new series, Amy Donohoe tells of dating disasters and ditching the apps Amy Donohoe ditched dating apps almost a year ago. Photo: Owen Breslin Amy Donohoe Wed 9 Apr 2025 at 07:00 Over the years, dating in Dublin has made me feel disposable. With apps like Tinder, Hinge and Bumble, a swipe was all it would take to replace me with someone better. Fans who attended dancehall artist Sean Pauls Dublin concert last night are calling for a refund, after some described the gig as an absolute disgrace. The Grammy Award-winning star was appearing at the 3Arena alongside Ashanti to kick off their Bring It Tour, which will visit 13 cities across the UK and Ireland. Despite being due on stage around 9pm, fans reported that Sean Paul left them waiting until 10.30pm, and then played for less than an hour. Others claimed Ashanti performed for longer than the act they had paid to see, and called on organisers to strongly consider refunds. Ashley Chadamoyo (23), who attended the gig, said it was shocking. Im not sure thats even the word to use because after talking to people at the gig, apparently Nicki Minaj was worse, but it was not good, she said. He [Sean Paul] didnt come on until 10.30pm, played until 11.15pm, so he was on stage for about 45 minutes. He was flying through the songs, and I remember at one point looking to my friend to say, Would he slow it down a bit? There were so many songs we didnt get to hear. I went to an official after-party following the gig where I heard more of his music than in the gig itself, she added. Ms Chadamoyo paid roughly 60 for her ticket, but spoke to multiple other fans who paid up to 95 to attend the gig. I was so excited to see him because I grew up on his music and listening to him, and I think it was his first time in Dublin, she said. I was buzzing because I never thought Id get a chance to see him live, and the day was perfect for it. Everyone was in good spirits, but it was just really disappointing. Even if it is a joint tour between Ashanti and Sean Paul, they should be performing for the same amount of time. Im annoyed because we didnt get what we paid for. The whole thing just seemed under-rehearsed, which is a shame because I think he is known for having an amazing stage presence and putting on stellar gigs, she added. Sean Paul appeared at Dublin's 3Arena alongside Ashanti. Pic: Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Today's News in 90 seconds - 10th April 2025 One woman who worked at the event said there was a support act who played for quite a while before Ashanti came on stage. However, after Ashanti finished, there was nothing going on for over half an hour, and some of those working at the event didnt think Sean Paul was going to play at all. To her knowledge, she said he came on stage at 10.35pm and finished shortly after 11pm. 3Arena and concert promoters Geestar Emprire have been contacted for comment. The Royal Canal Greenway runs from the north inner city past Croke Park and out through Drumcondra and Phibsboro. Pic: Owen Breslin A part of the Royal Canal Greenway, which runs through Dublins north inner city, is being destroyed by open drug dealing, it has been claimed. The anti-social behaviour was identified as a barrier for local residents in the area using the facility, according to Dublin City Councils Active Travel Office. Dublin City councillors have now unanimously supported a motion on how they are going to monitor and use the space, noting it as an area of particular concern. This short stretch of the wider Royal Canal Greenway was opened in 2022, costing just under 31m, and provides 2.1km of pedestrian and cycle track, extending from Newcomen Bridge, North Strand, to Cross Guns Bridge and Phibsboro. Social Democrats councillor Daniel Ennis, who raised the issue, was told Dublin City Councils Active Travel Office is currently working with the community to find ways of encouraging families to utilise the space more frequently. The ActPro team are happy to engage with An Garda Siochana and Waterways Ireland to find a solution to the anti-social behaviour along the route, they said. Cllr Ennis said the response he received was similar to the one he got on the same issue last July. Ive raised it on the local community safety partnership to no avail, and every day in the same three spots within that stretch of land, we see open, unopposed drug dealing, he said. One neighbour described it as being like a scene from The Wire, and I completely agree with him. Its a beautiful amenity in our area, a lovely green space, which we are all screaming out for as councillors and residents in the heart of the city, and yet it is being destroyed by open drug dealing. Drug dealing, by its very nature, is transient, and I understand when gardai say it will move to another spot, and then another spot. This hasnt been moved at all, and weve been screaming about safety along here, open drug dealing, anti-social behaviour, and the scramblers. People are being attacked and assaulted along here, and still, there has been no clearance or movement on whats going on here, he added. Cllr Christy Burke added that he was about to walk through the particular area recently, but decided not to as anything could go down if he walked that route. He also said residents in the area are blue in the face talking about the issue. Other councillors, including Sinn Feins Janice Boylan, said the issue has been raised consistently and called for senior gardai to come and meet the central area committee to give them a breakdown of how they are going to tackle the issue. Michelle Robinson, an executive manager with Dublin City Council, said the council does meet frequently with gardai on the issue. These are things we are in continuous engagement with gardai on, she said. Obviously, this is in relation to this particular area of the Royal Canal, but we would be engaging with them on different areas and different schemes or locations across the city where there is a lot of anti-social behaviour, she said. Its something that we, as the city council, are looking at in terms of how we can play a part in managing it. Its something I know Eileen Quinlivan, Deputy Chief Executive, has been engaging with Assistant Commissioner Paul Cleary for the Dublin Metropolitan Region on, and we can raise it again with him, she added. She also mentioned they might explore the use of CCTV. Brendan Doggett, Senior Executive Officer with Dublin City Council said there is frequent communication between Dublin City Council, local gardai and Waterways Ireland regarding the Royal Canal on waste, public-domain and anti-social issues. We will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure this fantastic resource is safe for all to use, he said. Doireann Ni Ghlacain, Siomha Ni Ruairc and Louise Cantillon at St Patricks Cathedral for the programme launch of Culture Date with Dublin 8. Pic: Marc O'Sullivan Lilly Maher, Frankie Jae Brambell and Callie Mae Rankin, from the Foley Irish Dance Academy, with broadcasters Doireann Ni Ghlacain, Siomha Ni Ruairc and Louise Cantillon, at the launch of Culture Date with Dublin 8. Pic: Marc O'Sullivan Culture Date with Dublin 8 is back for its seventh year and this year coincides with the 250th anniversary of Daniel OConnells birth. A special flagship concert is set to take place at Goldenbridge Cemetery on May 11 in honour of OConnell, known as the Liberator for his campaigning which liberated Irish Catholics from Penal Laws in the early 1800s. Curated by musician Fiach Moriarty, the event will feature reenactments of notable speeches by Daniel OConnell and Frederick Douglass, performed by Jim Roche and Peter Smith. Other contributions include spoken word artists Roxanna Nic Liam and John Cummins, historian Ultan Moran, and musicians Sive, renowned pipe and flute player Louise Mulcahy, along with a performance by the Foley Irish Dancing Academy. The programme for the festival was officially unveiled at a ceremony in St Patricks Cathedral. Speaking at the launch, Lord Mayor of Dublin, Emma Blain, said: It is my honour to launch the programme for this years Culture Date with Dublin 8 festival, which celebrates the Dublin 8 area as one of Irelands leading cultural destinations. From ancient history to modern art, Dublin 8 is home to some of Irelands most culturally significant and diverse heritage sites and museums. Im particularly excited about the series of events honouring Daniel OConnell, the Liberator, champion of equality and dignity, and former Lord Mayor of Dublin, she added. To honour and celebrate the community of Dublin 8, more than 100 specially curated events will take place from May 7 to 11. Some of these include walking tours, workshops, historic reenactments, concerts, late-night parties, and much more. Dublin 8 resident Paul Noonan, of Bell X1 and HousePlants fame, will also perform an intimate concert in St Catherine and St James Church on May 8. Other flagship events include the popular How to Gael podcast on Thursday, May 8, with a live Dublin 8-themed episode at the Guinness Storehouse. Doireann Ni Ghlacain, Siomha Ni Ruairc and Louise Cantillon at St Patricks Cathedral for the programme launch of Culture Date with Dublin 8. Pic: Marc O'Sullivan Historian and author Donal Fallon is hosting an event called A Pint of The Past, on May 10 at St Patricks Cathedral, an evening of music and performance celebrating Dublin 8s forgotten pubs, breweries, and stories. Visitors can also explore the life of Anne Devlin with a tour of the Liberties led by local historian Liz Gillis, or learn about the celebrated satirist and author of Gullivers Travels on the Swifts Dublin walking tour. Elsewhere, The Emergency: A Walk Through the Tenters, will guide participants through the Tenters area, focusing on the effects of World War II on the local community. Other special events include the celebration of retired Dublin City Council photographer William Billy Mooney, a longtime resident of Dublins Tenters. There will be a photographic exhibition of his images chronicling the citys history at The Former Bank on James Street. This years festival is also filled with family-friendly activities. St Audoens Park will feature performances from St Georges Brass Band, with family tours and activities in St Audoens Church. There will be an opportunity to dress like a monk at Christchurch Cathedrals family-friendly crypt tour or be part of a LEGO treasure hunt at Marshs Library. The Bee8 Initiative will provide a hands-on beekeeping class, while renowned artist and illustrator Aidan Harte will host a Lugs Branigan cartoon drawing workshop at St Patricks Cathedral. Teeling Whiskey will commemorate the 150th anniversary of The Great Liberties Whiskey Fire with a special talk by Las Fallon, historian and retired firefighter. The Culture Date with Dublin 8 Festival will take place from Wednesday, May 7, to Sunday, May. 11 Many of the events are free, but booking is required. For full details, see culturedatewithdublin8.ie Family and friends release blue balloons for Michael at Tralee Train Station There is widespread shock at the tragic death of teenager Michael Coffey following a road traffic incident involving a pedestrian and tractor The funeral details for 13-year-old Michael Coffey, who tragically lost his life in a road accident on Monday night, while walking on Beaufort Bridge have been announced. Moments earlier he had been fishing with his father and friends on the River Laune. Tributes have been pouring in for the much loved teenager whose life was cut tragically short following the accident involving a tractor. Tragically he was pronounced dead at the scene. Michael was living with his family in Killarney but his family have connections to Tralee and Castleisland and Michael's funeral will take place in Castleisland. On Tuesday evening Michael's family including his sister and friends released blue balloons at Tralee Train Station in memory of the teenager. He had been due to travel to Dublin for a concert but instead his heart-broken family marked the occasion without him. Tributes have been paid across social media to the family on their tragic loss with Michael described as a lovely young lad and his loss to those that knew him as 'heart-breaking. Its like a bad dream Michael son watch over your mommy and daddy and brothers and sisters god knows they need it. How could god be so cruel to take you from your family there, said one heart-breaking post. Another family member also expressed their love for Michael. Oh the pain in my heart I have writing this my lovely cousin I cant believe that you are gone, oh Michael I love you with my whole heart," said another post. Condolences online also express the sadness felt in Kerry at the loss of such a young man with his life ahead of him. "My heart is broken for the family of this beautiful boy. He is the most precious angel in the sky, to be taken so tragically away from his mommy and daddy is just so cruel, said one tribute. "Im so broken-hearted to hear such tragic news at the loss of such a beautiful boy who was out fishing with his dad I can only imagine the pain, said another post. Fr Kieran O'Brien who attended the scene on Monday night said the family are inconsolable following the devastating loss of the young man in such a freak accident. "He was in school and in a split second his life was changed, his family's life was changed and the life of the farmer. Michael is the eldest of five children. He is sadly missed by his heartbroken parents Thomas and Amanda, brother Thomas, sisters Ashanta, Leona and Precious Kathleen, his much loved grandmothers Kathleen O'Brien and Nora Coffey, his aunts and uncles, cousins, neighbours and many friends. He will repose at Tangney's Funeral Home Church Street Castleisland tomorrow, Thursday, April 10 5pm to 6pm. Funeral Mass will take place on Friday morning at 11am in Castleisland Parish Church followed by burial in New Rath Cemetery Tralee. Gardai are appealing for any witnesses to this incident to come forward or any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) who were travelling in the area of Beaufort Bridge, Co. Kerry, between 7pm and 7.45pm today, Monday 7th April 2025, are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardai. Anyone with information is asked to contact Killarney Garda Station on 064 667 1160, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station. A total of 27 million has been announced in funding for disability projects across Ireland, including for the construction of three new community dwellings for intellectual disability use in Pallasgreen. The announcement will improve facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities, helping them to live more independently within their communities. Limerick Minister of State Niall Collins TD welcomed the increased funding, saying: I am particularly glad to see that the delivery of three new dwellings in Pallasgreen for intellectual disability use for the HSE will be supported by this funding. This initiative is a vital step in ensuring that those with intellectual disabilities have access to the housing and services they need. The 27 million allocation will be used to support a range of projects across the country, including housing, facilities for Childrens Services, Day Services, Respite, and other Residential facilities. Follow Independent Limerick on Facebook Other counties to benefit include Dublin, Louth, Carlow, Kerry, Waterford, Sligo and Donegal. Funding for the Disability Capital Funding has grown year on year, and will provide accommodation for disability network teams, the development of Day Services facilities nationwide, the fitting out of adult and children's residential and respite houses, and other residential projects. Included in the 45.05m package for Waterford is funding the replacement of the existing adult acute mental health 44-bed multi-bed unit at UHW with a 50-bed single bed unit Over 45 million in funding has been announced for a number of projects in Waterford under the HSEs capital plan for 2025. Big ticket items for Waterford include the provision of a new surgical hub facility for the south east, a 96-bed ward block over five stories to expand acute inpatient bed capacity, and the replacement of the existing adult mental health 44-bed unit at UHW with a 50-bed single bed unit. Waterford Fine Gael Minister John Cummins said: Investment in our health service is essential, and this announcement of significant funding for a number of new and existing projects in Waterford demonstrates this Governments commitment to delivering high-quality, accessible healthcare in our communities. The capital plan is cyclical and as projects progress through planning, detailed design, tender and construction, the capital allocations made available will vary. The biggest health project currently under construction is the surgical hub which will have a transformational impact and projects such as a new 96-bed ward block and the Touching Hearts project on the grounds of St Otterans are being progressed through the detailed design stage. The capital plan is welcome news because it creates a pipeline of projects that will bring healthcare services closer to home to better meet the needs of patients and families across Waterford, added Deputy Cummins. Commenting on the publication of the HSE Capital Plan, Minister Carroll MacNeill said: Im pleased to approve the publication of the HSE Capital Plan for 2025. This plan continues the delivery of vital healthcare projects across the country and supports the expansion of capacity and reform in how we deliver care. The scale of investment reflected in this plan underlines the Governments focus on strengthening healthcare infrastructure and progressing toward universal, community-based care. The funding allocated for 2025 will progress and deliver a range of community and acute projects across the country. Funding is provided for specific priority programmes including critical care, surgical hubs, local injury units, urgent emergency care, elective hospitals, specialist disability services, enhanced community care, primary care, ambulance bases, older persons and the multi-annual mental health capital plan, currently in preparation. The full breakdown of Waterford capital health projects includes the following items. To develop a surgical hub facility for the south east area to include two operating theatres and two minor procedure rooms including a recovery - post anaesthetic unit and associated support services and staff facilities. Development of audiology services and new orthodontic development at rear block, ground floor of vacant St Otterans building. Development of an additional 96-bed ward block over five stories, in accordance with the acute inpatient bed capacity expansion plan. Enabling works such as a multi-storey car park, and electrical capacity, also in accordance with the acute inpatient bed capacity expansion plan. Two storey extension to the existing UHW laboratory providing specimen delivery and despatch, analytical office and workstations, locker room and on call accommodation. Proposed two-floor vertical extension over existing outpatient department (OPD) to provide an additional 36 consulting rooms, four treatment rooms, four measurement rooms and two virtual consultation rooms including plant room and alterations to existing levels. A new standalone ambulance base on a greenfield site. A new community healthcare network (CHN) storage unit in Dungarvan. Refurbish part of St Otterans and St Patricks incorporating an extension to house diagnostics to provide a permanent location for ICPCD and ICPOP for Waterford covering two CHNs. Replacement of the existing adult acute mental health 44-bed multi bed unit at UHW with a 50-bed single bed unit, incorporating acute beds, psychiatry of old age, hi obs area, and ECT. A new build St Otteran's Childrens Therapy site to facilitate therapy services for children and young with complex needs, including Sacred Heart Centre. The site is also known as St John's Hill. Works to be part funded by the Touching Hearts charity. Katie O Connor, Zara Kelly, Deirdre Kehoe. Paudie Breen and Avril Kealy all ready for the Rehearsals of Jekyll and Hyde The Musical by Gorey Musical Society PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Cast members on stage at the rehearsal of Jekyll and Hyde The Musical by Gorey Musical Society PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Colin Doran as Spider and Tommy Cox as Lord Savage on stage at the rehearsals of Jekyll and Hyde The Musical by Gorey Musical Society PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Cast Members on stage at the rehearsals of Jekyll and Hyde The Musical by Gorey Musical Society PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Ronan O Dubhghaill, Joan Duignan and John Duignan all ready for the rehearsals of Jekyll and Hyde The Musical by Gorey Musical Society PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Emily Kelly as Emma Carew, Chris Currid as Dr. Jekyll and April Kelly as Lucy Harris on stage at the Rehearsal of Jekyll and Hyde The Musical by Gorey Musical Society PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Thomas Furlong as Utterson and Chris Currid as Dr. Jekyll on set at the rehearsal of Jekyll and Hyde The Musical by Gorey Musical Society PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Brendan Sheridan as Sir Danvers Carew and Chris Currid as Dr. Jekyll on stage at the rehearsal of Jekyll and Hyde The Musical by Gorey Musical Society PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Tommy Cox and Charlie Church all ready for the rehearsals of Jekyll and Hyde The Musical by Gorey Musical Society PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Cast Member on set for the rehearsals of Jekyll and Hyde The Musical by Gorey Musical Society PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Concepta Church and Laura Doyle all ready for the rehearsals of Jekyll and Hyde The Musical by Gorey Musical Society PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench April Kelly, Moira Comerford, Schalan Flemming, Aileen Kennedy, Melissa Larkin and Emily Kelly all ready for the rehearsals of Jekyll and Hyde The Musical by Gorey Musical Society PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench Thomas Furlong as Utterson and Colin Doran as Spider on stage at the rehearsal of Jekyll and Hyde The Musical by Gorey Musical Society PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench GOREY Musical Society kicked off its six night run of Jekyll & Hyde the Musical on Monday evening with an all-star cast and performance. Starting at 8p.m. at the Gorey Little Theatre, the show will run until Saturday, April 12. Directed by Stephen Acton, musical director Stephen Acton and with choreography by Megan Lopez, this musical is set to impress audiences. Many of Gorey Musical Societys stars are set to take to the stage, including; Chris Currid as Dr Jekyll and April Kelly as Lucy. There are still some tickets left for the show which is based on Robert Louis Stevensons classic thriller, Jekyll & Hyde, the gripping tale of a brilliant mind gone horrifically awry, set to a powerful pop-rock score by Frank Wildhorn with book and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse. In an attempt to cure his fathers mental illness by separating good from evil in the human personality, physician Dr. Jekyll inadvertently creates an alternate personality of pure evil, dubbed Mr. Hyde, who wreaks murderous havoc on the city of London. Struggling to control Hyde before he takes over for good, Jekyll rushes to find a cure for the demon he has created in his own mind. There are still some tickets left which can be bought at the Gr8Events website. Tickets for Wednesday costs 20 plus booking fee, while Thursday to Saturday cost 23. To book wheelchair seats, email: goreymusicalsociety@gmail.com, and a member of Gorey Musical Societys committee will be in touch as soon as possible. Approximately 70 people gathered outside the former Kennedy Boutique Hotel in New Ross on Saturday as part of a protest objecting to proposed plans to convert the building into an International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centre. The crowd began to assemble around 1pm, some brought Irish flags and draped them over their shoulders, others had smaller flags in hand, and any signs that were held were handmade and distributed by a local man. No public representatives attended, however, local councillors Michael Sheehan and John Dwyer have previously said that they will not support the application submitted to Wexford County Council, with lack of services in the town and the premises being the only hotel in the town centre the main concerns for both. As it stands, the application is for an exemption of planning and was submitted last week by local landlord and business owner, Willie OLeary. If the application is not exempt from planning permission, a planning application would have to be submitted by Mr OLeary, which involves a process where members of the public can make submissions on the application. By 1.30pm, there were approximately 60 people in attendance, and while there were no speeches and no individuals or groups identified as leading the protest, the crowd chanted "New Ross says no on the quayside. IPAS protest at Kennedy boutique hotel. Photo; Mary Browne One man who did speak to the media said he wished to remain anonymous as he stated he didnt want a target" on his back. "It's a simple process, we dont want an IPAS centre in New Ross, he said. The man was asked why he was against the IPAS centre potentially being approved and responded: "We could say, services, doctors, dentistry and all that, but the bigger point is that the whole country is being flooded and being replaced. "The native Irish are being replaced, and well be a minority in time. The facilities were never 100 per cent in New Ross anyway for doctors, they never were. It'll be worse, but that's not the main reason. Its that you'll walk the street in New Ross someday and you won't see a native Irish face. That's basically it," he continued. A woman agreeing with his statements said its about the safety of the people. IPAS protest at Kennedy boutique hotel. Photo; Mary Browne "Theres a massive increase in crime already, of course, its not documented, theyll never give the nationality," the man continued. They're coming from the Middle East, from Africa, through England. When asked how immigrants in New Ross may feel having to observe the protest he said: I could not care less how they feel. This is my country, my land. I stand for my country. Im defending it. Across the road from the main group of protesters, 92-year-old Marie St Ledger supported the protest from afar, in the sun where she could keep warm. Marie said she wouldn't agree with an IPAS centre at all. I think its disgraceful. Theres a lot of homeless in New Ross that could be in [the hotel] instead of on the streets, she added. Ann St Ledger from New Ross also said she supported the protest. I think there are plenty [of immigrants] here at the moment, and I don't think there's room for anymore. We also don't have the facilities such as doctors or mental health services, so I just think enough is enough. I think we've done our bit. One local woman, who gave her name as Louise, said she was attending the protest because of her two girls. I'm here because I have two daughters, and I am worried about these men that are coming into the town, she said. I'm actually afraid for the future of my girls. New Ross used to be a town that you can walk around safely all hours of the day, I did as a child. There's no way I would let my girls now. I've already had a couple of incidents with men shouting out the window, hollering at my girls as they were walking the dog across from our home, which we do every evening. I have a fear of these men coming into our town and settling in the town, and their beliefs, to be honest with you. That's why I'm here, Louise concluded. The late Daisy (Margaret) Doyle, of Knockmullen, was a woman who cherished her family and prided herself on the relationship she had with loyal staff and hundreds of customers who dined in M & Js restaurant in New Ross town over the years. Born in November 1950, Daisy grew up among 16 siblings to their loving parents, Tommy and Nancy Dignam in Naas, Kildare, and in her teenage years she left Ireland to study nursing in England with her sister. In 1972, Daisy returned home for the wedding of her sister, Marie, and it was there that she met her life-long partner and husband, Michael Doyle. Daisy decided shed stay in Ireland and start a life with Michael, and they were married the following year. The couple were kept on their toes having two boys, Damien and Michael Jnr, while also running successful businesses, initially in Carnew with the popular Fiddlers Inn and Golden Grill in the late 70s, and then established themselves in New Ross with M & Js, which has been a family-favourite diner since July, 1978. While Daisy loved all things fashion and kept up with the latest trends from clothes to shoes, the stylish lady always put the needs of others before her own and loved her family, adored her grandchildren, and made many friendships through the bustling business over the years. Daisy loved having customers in the restaurant who would call in to have a chat and it was widely known how she took great pride and satisfaction in the customers and staff, to which have become great friends of her family over the years. Another love of Daisys was holidaying in Turkey, where the apartment was always in pristine condition, almost like a dolls house, and that standard of care to her apartment was extended from how she kept her home in New Ross, which of course was decorated for every occasion, particularly at Christmas time. No matter how big a task or challenge Daisy was met with, she took it on with grace and dignity, outdoing herself each time in ensuring everyone else was looked after, and this was the case despite Daisys battle with illness. Daisy passed away on Thursday, March 13, and is sadly missed by her loving husband Michael, sons Damien and Michael Jnr, daughter-in-law Anne-Marie, beloved grandchildren Martha and Jim, dearest sisters Ann and Pauline, brothers, sisters, extended family and friends. Daisy is predeceased by her loving parents Thomas and Nancy, her sister Phil and her nephew Noel. A small crowd gathered at Wexford Garda Station on Saturday to voice their concerns in relation to the alleged treatment of Mothers Against Genocide protestors at the hands of An Garda Siochana following their Mothers Day protest at Leinster House. Last week, the Dail heard allegations that female protestors were strip-searched as 11 people were arrested at the Dublin protest aimed at highlighting the ongoing plight of Palestinians in Gaza. Videos shared on social media showed gardai forcibly removing women who sat blocking the entrance gate to Leinster House in a display branded absolutely disgusting" by People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett. Wexford People Before Profit organised their own demonstration on Saturday morning, with around 20 protestors carrying Palestinian flags gathering outside of their local garda station. A garda spokesperson said that the demonstration passed off peacefully with about 20 protestors in attendance, remaining in place for around an hour. In the Dail last week, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said he would follow up on the incident with the Justice Minister, acknowledging that he would not understand the necessity for any strip-searching or whatever. community is calling for a judicial review A campaign group in south Dublin is raising funds to seek a judicial review against the decision by An Bord Pleanala (ABP) to approve the National Transport Authoritys (NTA) Bray to City Centre Bus Connects Corridor. The aim of the wider Bus Connects project is to transform Dublins bus system. The City Centre to Bray scheme has an overall length of approximately 18.5 kilometres, with a route that begins at the junction of Leeson Street Lower and Earlsfort Terrace on St Stephens Green, through Donnybrook and Stillorgan to Loughlinstown roundabout. From Loughlinstown roundabout, it runs along the Dublin Road (R837) to St Annes Church, in Shankill, and then continues south through Shankill village along the R119. It then passes through Wilford junction and along the Dublin Road until it ends on Castle Street in Bray, on the north side of the River Dargle. It is expected that the scheme will be completed by 2030, with on-site construction due to begin this year in phases. The first phase of the public consultations began as far back as November 2018, but ABP granted numerous time extensions to address submissions. And while there were 216 submissions received by the first deadline, in October 2023, following a further extension, the number of submissions soared, totalling 1,225, before ABP gave the green light to go ahead with the compulsory purchase orders (CPO) in February this year. The Shankill Community Action group is now fundraising to cover legal fees for a Judicial Review to challenge the decision by ABP to approve the corridor but only in so far as it relates to Shankill. The group believes the plans are unsustainable and damaging and while it is not against sustainable transport, it seeks a balance between progress and preservation, in order to meet future transport needs while retaining the unique charm of Shankill. The Bus Connects proposals for Shankill are, it argues, economically unsound, socially unacceptable and environmentally disastrous and the group supports alternative and more viable proposals which maintain Shankills excellent bus service. While the need for improved access to quality transportation is recognised, the campaigners believe the current proposals from the Wilford/ Bray north roundabout to Loughlinstown roundabout will have a devastating impact on Shankill village, and on all roads into and out Shankill, and have highlighted the destruction of tree-lined approaches; the closure of a key access route to Corbawn Lane; replacing roundabouts with traffic lights; the creation of further traffic tailbacks; an increasing risk of serious road traffic accidents and a risk to pedestrians and cyclists. Speaking on behalf of the group, Carol Scott, who has been involved with the campaign when plans were first announced, said the corridor would have a major impact on the landscape and the townscape character. She said that of the final total of 1,225 submissions, the lions share 1,118 came from concerned parties in Shankill. If the N11/M11 corridor goes ahead as well (which is subject to a separate dispute by Bray residents) there is the fear of a spaghetti junction at the entrance into Shankill. In fact, there is the belief that the scheme as currently proposed for the village would not even be necessary if the separate N11/M11 is to go ahead and would afford communities in both Bray and Shankill a better service overall. Shankill Community Action has so far raised just over 19,000 through its campaign on idonate. AIB has partnered with Irelands autism charity, AsIAm, to make all of its 170 branches as user-friendly as possible for autistic people. AIB has the largest branch network in Ireland with five branches in County Wicklow. Those branches in Wicklow town, Arklow, Bray, Blessington and Greystones, have received autism friendly accreditation from AsIAm to ensure they are as accessible and inclusive as possible for autistic people. This makes AIB the first Irish bank to receive the accreditation for all its branches. The environment has been enhanced to include changes in lighting to make the public areas of AIB buildings warmer and more accessible. Dedicated quiet spaces and sensory kits are also available at each location. In addition, they are providing sensory maps on their website showing the layout of each of branch to help customers plan their visit. AsIAm will also provide specialised customer support training in autism understanding and acceptance to colleagues across the branch network. AsIAms CEO, Adam Harris, who is from Greystones, said: We are absolutely delighted to see AIB leading the way as the first Irish financial institution to provide autism support in every branch. This is a landmark step toward true inclusion and accessibility, ensuring that autistic individuals and their families can navigate everyday banking with confidence, dignity, and understanding. AIBs Geraldine Casey added: Our branches play an important role in communities around Ireland and our people are committed to ensuring that they are as inclusive and welcoming as possible for all. Emma Connolly, occupational therapist, inclusive hair salon owner and AIB customer said Its fantastic to see all AIB branches becoming more inclusive and responsive to the diverse needs of our community. By becoming AsIAm accredited, and implementing small yet meaningful changes, they are creating a more welcoming environment that helps autistic people feel valued and supported in their everyday banking experiences. I know that for my customers and their families, it will make a real difference for them in the branch. Europes first Universal theme park set to open in UK after government backs deal Some 8.5 million visitors are expected to visit the resort, on the site of a former brickworks near Bedford, in its first year Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with president of Comcast Mark Cavanagh (Stefan Rousseau/PA) David Hughes Wed 9 Apr 2025 at 07:29 A deal to secure the first Universal theme park in Europe has been closed by the UK government in the hope it will generate tens of billions of pounds for the economy. I aim to find the UKs best Wetherspoons by visiting all 800 by the time I am 30 Charlotte Toller, 20, has so far visited 13 Wetherspoon pubs and hopes to go to every one in the UK by the time she is 30 Miss Toller, 20, hopes to visit every Spoons in the UK by the time she is 30 (Charlotte Toller/PA) Danielle Desouza Wed 9 Apr 2025 at 09:16 A university student on a quest to find the best Wetherspoons in the UK plans to visit and rank all 800 pubs by the age of 30. Prince Harry made a rare public appearance in Britain yesterday at Londons Royal Courts of Justice to fight the government over changes made to his security after he stepped down from royal duties, which his lawyer branded unjustified. Ruth Medjber: Ireland needs to wake up to beauty and value of street art and tell councils to scrap ridiculous planning rules A man has been arrested on suspicion of making death threats against the judge who barred French far-right leader Marine Le Pen from running for president in 2027, a public prosecutor's office said. The prosecutor's office in Bobigny, northeast of Paris, said on Wednesday that the 76-year-old man, whose name was not given, had published a photograph of a guillotine on his X account and written "This is what the bitch deserves" in reference to judge Benedicte de Perthuis who convicted Le Pen. Iran is approaching weekend talks with the United States over its nuclear programme warily, with little confidence in progress and deep suspicions over US intentions, Iranian officials told Reuters yesterday. The talks were announced on Monday by US president Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened Washingtons old foe Iran with military action if it does not agree to a deal since he returned to the White House in January. Beijing, feeling boxed into a corner by the United States intensifying tariff assault on China and any country that buys or assembles Chinese goods, is bracing for an economic war of attrition. Washington last week imposed import tariffs of at least 10% on almost the entire world, and much higher levies on countries such as Vietnam, where Chinese factories have been shifting production. This drew retaliation from China, followed by new threats of escalation from U.S. President Donald Trump. SEBI Amends ICDR Regulations for Capital Raising and Disclosure Norms SEBI notifies amendments to ICDR Regulations, 2018, on March 3, 2025, revising disclosure norms, rights issues, SARs, and public offer rules. On March 3, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) notified the SEBI (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025, revising its ICDR guidelines. The amendments aim to streamline public capital raising, reinforce disclosure standards, and align existing frameworks with corporate practices and investor protection needs. The amendment also addresses longstanding inconsistencies flagged in SEBIs observations on offer documents and integrates recommendations from expert committees. The amendments were published in the official gazette and came into effect on publication, except those related to rights issues, which have come into effect as of April 4, 2025. DOING BUSINESS IN INDIA EXPLORE IN-DEPTH INVESTMENT AND BUSINESS GUIDES. Explore vital economic, geographic, and regulatory insights for business investors, managers, or expats to navigate Indias business landscape. Our Online Business Guides offer explainer articles, news, useful tools, and videos from on-the-ground advisors who contribute to the Doing Business in India knowledge. Start exploring Changes to promoter lock-in requirements SEBIs latest amendment includes promoter lock-in periods that have been aligned with the actual usage of issue proceeds. If a majority of fresh issue proceeds are intended for capital expenditure or related debt repayment, promoters must now retain their minimum contribution for three years. In other cases, the lock-in remains at 18 months. For excess promoter holdings, the lock-in period has been extended to one year from the earlier six months, where proceeds are linked to capital expenditure. Advertisement and announcement norms SEBI has also revised the timeline for public announcements. Following the filing of the draft offer document, the issuer must now make a public announcement within two working days. Also, the earlier requirement of separate pre-issue and price band advertisements has been merged into a single advertisement to be published at least two working days before the issue opens. The draft document must remain open for public comments for 21 days from the date of this announcement. Streamlining of the rights issue process Removal of threshold for ICDR applicability The rights issue process has undergone substantial simplification. SEBI has eliminated the earlier size threshold of INR 500 million (US$5.87 million), which previously determined the applicability of ICDR norms. Now, all rights issues by listed issuers must comply with ICDR regulations, regardless of the issue size. This move brings uniformity to the disclosure and compliance obligations across the market. Procedural and documentation revisions The documentation and approval process for rights issues has also been made more efficient. Issuers are no longer required to file the draft letter of offer with SEBI. Instead, the document is to be filed directly with the relevant stock exchanges. This step removes a substantial layer of regulatory delay while preserving investor access through stock exchange platforms. The need to appoint a merchant banker has also been removed under the revised Regulation 69. Responsibilities such as ensuring regulatory compliance and facilitating allotment are now redistributed among the issuer, registrar, and exchanges. Despite the easing of procedures, SEBI has added further obligations to ensure transparency. Regulation 71 has been revised to specify the documents that must be submitted to the stock exchange. These include the draft letter of offer and promoter identity details (such as Permanent Account Number/PAN, bank and passport details for individuals, or company registration data for corporate promoters). In the case of convertible debt instruments, a due diligence certificate from the debenture trustee is also required. The final letter of offer must be filed with both SEBI and the exchanges, with SEBI responsible for public dissemination. Revised timelines and specific investor disclosures Rights issue timelines have also been tightened. According to SEBI Circular Faster Rights Issue (Circular No. SEBI/HO/CFD/CFD-PoD-1/P/CIR/2025/31) dated March 11, 2025, the entire rights issue process must now be completed within 23 working days from board approval. This replaces the earlier flexible schedule and provides greater certainty to investors. A notable change is the introduction of Regulation 77B, which allows promoters to renounce their rights entitlements in favor of specific named investors. These investors must apply before 11:00 A.M. on the first day of the issue, and the issuer must notify the stock exchange by 11:30 A.M. Issuers can also allocate under-subscribed portions of the issue to such investors, provided this intention is clearly disclosed in the letter of offer and advertisements. This change offers strategic flexibility while maintaining disclosure safeguards. To prevent misuse of the simplified framework, SEBI has introduced a safeguard under Regulation 61(d). Issuers whose equity shares are under disciplinary suspension as of the reference date will not be eligible to make rights issues. This discourages companies facing regulatory action from using rights issues as a short-term liquidity solution. Expanded disclosure and reporting obligations Timely reporting of transactions and placements SEBI has focused heavily on improving pre-issue and pre-IPO transparency. Revisions to Regulations 54 and 95 now require issuers to report all securities transactions by promoters and promoter groups within 24 hours of occurrence from the date of draft filing until issue closure. Additionally, any pre-IPO placements disclosed in draft documents must be reported to stock exchanges within 24 hours of the transaction. Litigation and agreement disclosures To address material risks to investors, the amendments also mandate detailed disclosures of any agreements that impact management control or impose legal obligations on the issuer. Issuers must also disclose all criminal proceedings against key management personnel and any regulatory actions taken against them. Material civil litigations must now meet SEBIs objective monetary thresholds, harmonized with those under the SEBI Listing Regulations. Financial and employee-related disclosures On the financial side, SEBI has enabled voluntary disclosure of proforma financials related to recent acquisitions or divestments, even if they fall below the materiality threshold. This is intended to provide investors with a fuller picture of financial performance, especially for companies undergoing structural change. Supporting documentation must be certified by the statutory auditor or a peer-reviewed chartered accountant. Further, issuers must now provide expanded information on employee benefit schemes, including SARs, in their IPO offer documents. Disclosure of standalone financials for working capital utilization has also been clarified, requiring consistency between audited standalone and restated consolidated financials where adjustments have occurred. Proforma financials refer to unaudited, hypothetical financial statements used to show what a companys financials would look like after a major event such as a merger or acquisition. Summary The SEBI ICDR (Amendment) Regulations, 2025, reflect a progressive recalibration of Indias capital markets regulatory framework. By easing procedural hurdles, introducing tighter disclosure timelines, and expanding compliance requirements, the amendments seek to balance market efficiency with investor protection. For listed companies, these changes necessitate a reassessment of internal controls, disclosure systems, and transaction reporting practices. For investors, especially those participating in IPOs and rights issues, the reforms provide greater transparency, faster issue execution, and improved safeguards. The emphasis on timely reporting, inclusion of specific investors, and new norms around SARs underscore SEBIs intent to strengthen capital formation while guarding against market abuse. (US$1 = INR 85.17) Agnyathavasi OTT Release Date: This Kannada murder mystery starring Rangayana Raghu and Pavana Gowda is ready for its big screen debut on April 11, 2025. Directed by Gultoo helmer Janardhan Chikkanna, the film is produced by Hemanth M Rao, who has now locked its post-release partners. According to OTTPlay, after Agnyathavasis theatrical run concludes, youll be able to watch it on Zee Kannada (TV) and Zee5 (streaming platform). Why was Agnyathavasi delayed? During the trailer launch, Hemanth shared that they waited over a year to release the film, as they felt the time wasnt right before. They were waiting for the cinema scene to improve and to secure the best deal for post-theatre rights. Now, with the movie releasing soon, theyll see if the timing works out better. There is already excitement among a small group of fans who love Hemanths work, and some are also looking forward to Janardhans next film, following the success of Gultoo. Even though Janardhans last film, Powder, didnt do as well in theatres, the OTT and TV deals in place will ensure that anything they earn from those platforms will be an added bonus. More about Agnyathavasi Agnyathavasi also features Ravishankar Gowda, Siddu Moolimani, Sharath Lohithashwa, and Arvind Kuplikar in supporting roles. Written by Krishna Raj, this Charan Raj musical is cinematographed by Advaitha Gurumurthy and edited by Bharath MC. For the unversed, Janardhan picked Raghu for the lead role because of his impressive performance in Cyanide, a Kannada-Tamil film about the events following the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, as well as celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. It seems Netflixs anime Moonrise is struggling with promotion, and the producer is now making a desperate plea for help. WIT Studios Ryoma Kawamura best known for his work on the iconic Attack on Titan has publicly urged Netflix to give more visibility to Moonrise. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Kawamura wrote in Japanese that the anime is buried deep, implying it's not getting the attention it deserves. Attack on Titan producer pleads with Netflix to save Moonrise Taking to X he wrote, "Please do your best to promote it. I can't do it on my own. Seriously please!!" He went on to add, "It's still buried deep. Red N Company!! It's time to show the world your power! N (@rv8DqHqXA1zaCzs) March 11, 2025 Kawamuras move is a bold one, it's not easy to go public and plead with a streaming giant like Netflix to promote a show. Whether Netflix takes his plea seriously remains to be seen. But once Moonrise is released, the results will speak for themselves. The viewership numbers will ultimately reveal whether the anime captures the audiences attention or fades into obscurity. All you need to know about Moonrise Moonrise explores this subject by adapting Tou Ubukata's story and unfolding on a massive scale. Beautiful character conceptions by manga artist Hiromu Arakawa are featured in this brand-new sci-fi series, which was produced by WIT Studio and directed by Masashi Koizuka. Moonrise examines a future in which humanity has set up a loosely structured government, with Sapientia, a worldwide artificial intelligence network, running everything. When is Moonrise releasing? Moonrise will be released on Netflix on 10th April 2025. For more news and upates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. Dust off your snark and warm up that side-eye because Hacks is strutting back onto our screensand it is not here to play nice. Season 4 officially drops on April 10, 2025, and Max is serving up not one, but two back-to-back episodes to get the ball rolling. Huzzah, indeed! Hacks return with season 4: Where to watch The Emmy-winning dramedy returns with the iconic Jean Smart as savage stand-up legend Deborah Vance, and Hannah Einbinder as her millennial mess of a writer, Ava Daniels. If you thought the last season had spicy tension, buckle inbecause this time they are trying to launch a late-night show together. Yes, two queens. One mic. Endless drama. Hacks OTT release: Stream Jean Smart-starrer on Max from April 10 | Credit: X Word on the street (and by that, we mean the official season logline) is that things are getting tense between the duo as they attempt to make late-night history. Deborah wants legacy. Ava wants her voice heard. The egos are as loud as the laugh track, and frankly, we are here for it. So, when can you watch it? The premiere drops at 6 pm PT / 9 pm ET on April 10 in the US. Internationally, it will hit screens in the wee hours of April 11, depending on your timezone. From Londons 2 am BST binge to Indias 6:30 am coffee-and-Hacks combo, global fans are prepped to tune in. Hacks OTT release: Stream Jean Smart-starrer on Max from April 10 | Credit: X As for the episode one runtimeexpect a snappy 30 minutes of razor-sharp dialogue and emotional gut punches. Just enough to leave you begging for episode three. Weekly release schedule? Sorted. New episodes hit Max every Thursday until May 29, with a cheeky two-episode drop on May 15. A full 10-episode season of drama, sarcasm, and fragile showbiz egos? We are feasting. Hacks on Max, but heres a twist Do not forgetyou will need a Max subscription to watch. Prices start at $9.99/month (ads) or $16.99/month (ad-free). Think of it as your weekly therapy session, just with more glitter and yelling. Hacks OTT release: Stream Jean Smart-starrer on Max from April 10 | Credit: X So set those alarms, grab your popcorn, and prepare to witness Deborah and Ava attempt the impossiblesharing the spotlight. Banks across several parts of India will remain closed tomorrow, April 10, 2025, due to Mahavir Jayanti 2025. This day is observed as a public holiday in honour of Lord Mahavir, the 24th and last Tirthankara of Jainism. However, there has been some confusion about the exact date of the bank holiday, leading to questions about which cities will be affected. Who declares bank holidays in India? In India, all bank holidays are officially declared by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). These holidays are listed under the Negotiable Instruments Act and include national holidays, regional festivals, and fixed weekly offs such as second and fourth Saturdays and all Sundays. Banks to be shut on Mahavir Jayanti 2025 On the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti 2025, banks will remain shut in several major cities. The closure falls on a Thursday, and will be followed by the usual weekend holidays, making it a long weekend for many bank employees and customers. Mahavir Jayanti bank holidays: City-wise list where banks will remain closed As per the RBI holiday list, Mahavir Jayanti bank holidays will be observed in the following cities on April 10, 2025: Ahmedabad Aizawl Belapur Bengaluru Bhopal Chennai Jaipur Kanpur Kolkata Lucknow Mumbai Nagpur New Delhi Raipur Ranchi Its important to note that not all states observe this day as a bank holiday, so banks in other cities may continue to operate as usual. Online banking services will remain active Even though physical bank branches will be shut in the above cities, online banking services will remain fully functional. Customers can still perform transactions, check balances, pay bills, and use mobile apps or net banking without any issues. Why is Mahavir Jayanti celebrated? Mahavir Jayanti marks the birth of Lord Mahavir, a spiritual leader and reformer in Jainism. He is remembered for spreading the message of non-violence, truth, and compassion. On this day, devotees visit Jain temples, offer prayers, and participate in religious events. Plan your banking needs in advance Since Mahavir Jayanti bank holidays may lead to long queues before and after the holiday, its a good idea to complete your important bank-related tasks ahead of time. With banks closed tomorrow, make sure you finish any urgent work today. For more informative articles on historical and upcoming events from around the world, please visit Indiatimes Events. Mahavir Jayanti 2025 is one of the most important festivals in Jainism. It marks the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankara of Jain tradition. The day is celebrated with devotion, prayers, and acts of kindness, highlighting the timeless values of non-violence, truth, and compassion. This article covers the Mahavir Jayanti date, its history, holidays on this occasion, along with meaningful wishes and quotes you can share with loved ones. Mahavir Jayanti 2025 Date In 2025, Mahavir Jayanti will be observed on Thursday, 10 April 2025. According to the Hindu lunar calendar, the festival falls on the Trayodashi Tithi of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Chaitra. As per Drik Panchang: Trayodashi Tithi Begins 10:55 PM on 9 April 2025 10:55 PM on 9 April 2025 Trayodashi Tithi Ends 01:00 AM on 11 April 2025 Since the tithi begins late at night on 9 April, the actual celebration of Mahavir Jayanti takes place the next day, on April 10. In 2025, it will be the 2623rd birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir. Who Was Lord Mahavir? Lord Mahavir was born in 599 BCE in Kundagrama (now in Bihar, India). His birth name was Vardhaman Mahavira. Though born into a royal family, he gave up his worldly life at the age of 30 to seek spiritual awakening. After 12 years of deep meditation and ascetic life, he attained Kevala Jnana, or supreme knowledge. Lord Mahavir then spent his life spreading the principles of Jainism: non-violence (Ahimsa), truth (Satya), non-stealing (Asteya), celibacy (Brahmacharya), and non-possessiveness (Aparigraha). His teachings are recorded in Jain scriptures known as the Jain Agamas. The Teachings of Lord Mahavir Lord Mahavirs philosophy teaches people to live a life based on: Ahimsa (Non-violence) Never harm any living being, even through thoughts. Never harm any living being, even through thoughts. Satya (Truthfulness) Always speak the truth and avoid deceit. Always speak the truth and avoid deceit. Asteya (Non-stealing) Do not take what is not given. Do not take what is not given. Brahmacharya (Celibacy) Live a disciplined and pure life. Live a disciplined and pure life. Aparigraha (Non-attachment) Avoid unnecessary material possessions. These values are the core of Mahavir Jayanti celebrations, reminding people to live with kindness, peace, and simplicity. How is Mahavir Jayanti Celebrated? The celebrations of Mahavir Jayanti are peaceful and spiritual. People visit Jain temples, where special pujas and prayers are held. Many temples organise Abhishekam a ritual in which Lord Mahavirs idol is bathed with milk, water, sandalwood paste, rose petals, and more. Charity or seva is an important part of the day. Devotees donate food, clothes, or organise health camps and langars (free meals) to help the needy. Lectures are also held in some places, where scholars and monks talk about Lord Mahavirs teachings and philosophy. Mahavir Jayanti 2025 Holidays and Closures Since Mahavir Jayanti is a gazetted holiday in India, several services and institutions will remain closed on 10 April 2025: Bank Holidays: Banks will remain closed in many Indian cities on Thursday, 10 April 2025, due to Mahavir Jayanti bank holidays. Customers are advised to plan in advance as this bank holiday is not observed nationwide. Banks will be shut in the following states: Gujarat Maharashtra Mizoram Karnataka Madhya Pradesh Tamil Nadu Rajasthan Uttar Pradesh West Bengal New Delhi Chhattisgarh Jharkhand Stock Market Holiday: Both the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE) will remain closed on April 10 for Mahavir Jayanti. School and Government Offices: Most schools, government offices, and public departments will also remain closed. Businesses may stay open depending on the location, but its best to check locally before visiting. Happy Mahavir Jayanti Wishes and Messages You can celebrate the day by sending meaningful Mahavir Jayanti wishes to your friends and family. Here are a few examples: May the teachings of Lord Mahavir inspire you to lead a life filled with peace and kindness. Happy Mahavir Jayanti! Wishing you a blessed Mahavir Jayanti 2025. May you walk on the path of truth and non-violence. On this holy day, may Lord Mahavir bless you with inner peace and wisdom. Wishing you a calm and blessed Mahavir Jayanti filled with kindness and care. May Lord Mahavir bring you peace, happiness, and good fortune on this special day. May Lord Mahavirs teachings inspire you to live with honesty, peace, and simplicity. On Mahavir Jayanti, lets promise to follow the way of truth and non-violence. On this sacred day, may Lord Mahavir bless you with wisdom and inner calm. Warm wishes to you and your family for a meaningful and peaceful Mahavir Jayanti. Celebrate Mahavir Jayanti by choosing the path of goodness and love for everyone. May Lord Mahavirs words guide you towards doing what is right and kind. Lets walk the path shown by Lord Mahavir and spread peace in the world. Happy Mahavir Jayanti! Let us remember the birth of a great teacher with love and respect in our hearts. May your heart be full of love, your soul feel calm, and your mind be wise. Happy Mahavir Jayanti! Lets honour this day with peace and kindness Happy Mahavir Jayanti! On Mahavir Jayanti, may you find the courage to live by ahimsa (non-violence) and truth. Mahavir Jayanti greeting for friends and family Be kind. Be calm. Be thoughtful. Wishing everyone a peaceful Mahavir Jayanti! May the message of Lord Mahavir bring peace and unity into your life. On this holy day, lets pray for understanding and kindness. Happy Mahavir Jayanti! This Mahavir Jayanti, let us all promise to be kind and patient in our everyday lives. Wishing you peace, love, and a life full of non-violence on this special day. May Mahavir Jayanti bring you happiness, success, and spiritual growth now and always. May Lord Mahavirs teachings always show you the right way. May Lord Mahavir light your path and bless you with calmness and joy. Happy Mahavir Jayanti! May his holy path brighten your life. Warm wishes on Mahavir Jayanti. May his timeless words guide your journey. Mahavir Jayanti WhatsApp status Lets walk the path of truth and kindness. Jai Mahavir! Celebrate this holy day by sharing love, kindness, and understanding. On this sacred day, may your soul find peace and meaning. May the wisdom of Lord Mahavir always shine in your life. Show compassion and live peacefullythis is the true way to honour Lord Mahavir. Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful and spiritual Mahavir Jayanti. Mark this day with simplicity and mindfulness. Follow the way of truth and non-violence, and feel the power of peace. Happy Mahavir Jayanti! Mahavir Jayanti reminds us to rise above our wants and pride. Lets remember Lord Mahavirs message: Live and let live. Happy Mahavir Jayanti! A calm and kind heart is the best gift we can offer to Mahavir. May this Mahavir Jayanti bring you closer to self-awareness and true happiness. May you follow the path of righteousness and find joy within. Inspiring Mahavir Jayanti Quotes Here are some timeless quotes that reflect the teachings of Lord Mahavir: "Live and allow others to live; hurt no one; life is dear to all living beings." Lord Mahavir "All souls are alike; none is superior, none is inferior." Lord Mahavir "Kill not, cause no pain. Nonviolence is the greatest religion." Lord Mahavir "Silence and self-control is non-violence." Lord Mahavir "The most important principle of the environment is that you are not the only element." Lord Mahavir "Do not injure, abuse, oppress, enslave, insult, torment, torture, or kill any creature or living being." Lord Mahavir "In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should regard all creatures as we regard our own self." Lord Mahavir "Live and allow others to live; hurt no one; life is dear to all living beings." Lord Mahavir "Do not deprive someone of his livelihood. This is a sinful tendency." Lord Mahavir These quotes are perfect to share on social media or include in your Mahavir Jayanti wishes. For more informative articles on historical and upcoming events from around the world, please visit Indiatimes Events. When life hands you controversy, make contentespecially if you are The Rebel Kid. After months of deafening silence and an internet scandal that got uglier by the minute, Apoorva Mukhija is back. And not just back, she is back with a mic drop. Apoorva Mehtas first video after the Indias Got Latent controversy On April 9 at 6 pm, Apoorva premiered her new YouTube video titled Till I Say It Isand yes, that title alone says she is not here to play nice. This is her first Story Time episode since the nuclear-level chaos that erupted after the infamous Indias Got Latent episode, which landed several internet starsincluding heron the nations cancel radar. Samay Raina, Ranveer Allahbadia and The Rebel Kid controversy at The Indias Got Latent controversy ICYMI: Indias Got Latent, hosted by comedian Samay Raina, spiralled into controversy after deeply criticised comments were made during a panel episode. YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia aka BeerBiceps took the bulk of the heat for an uncomfortable question involving sex and parents. But Apoorva Mukhija, comedian Jaspreet Singh, and content creator Ashish Chanchlani also caught fire for allegedly inappropriate remarks. The episode triggered not just public outrage but also an investigation, police summons, and calls from the National Commission for Women. While others retreated or posted carefully worded apologies, The Rebel Kid chose silenceuntil now. Her latest video marks her bold comeback and has already stirred reactions, both supportive and spicy. Pakistani actress Hania Aamir comes in support of The Rebel Kid aka Apoorva Makhija But the story does not end there. Just a day before dropping the video, Apoorva returned to Instagram with a chilling carousel of screenshots showcasing the death, rape, and acid attack threats she has received. In her caption, she made it clear this was only not even 1% of what she had endured. Cue the internet sisterhood moment: Pakistani actress Hania Aamir reposted Apoorvas story and clapped back at the hate brigade, saying there is a separate place in hell for those who send such vile threats. Fans are now rallying around the duo, calling it a cross-border moment of solidarity. Rebel Kid finally breaks her silence post Indias Got Latent chaos | Credit: X What's up Ranveer Allahbadia? Meanwhile, Ranveer Allahbadia has also re-emerged online after the Supreme Court called his comments vulgar and granted him interim protection from arrest in February. He has promised to be more responsible going forward. For now, all eyes are back on The Rebel Kidand honestly, she is owning this messy comeback arc like a Gen Z phoenix. Drama? Check. Internet justice? Pending. But one thing is clear: she is not going anywhere. Vivo V50e launching tomorrow: With the debut of the Vivo V50e tomorrow, smartphone enthusiasts are already excited about what Vivo has in store. This could be your next favorite gadget if you've been looking for a chic new gadget that combines contemporary features with usefulness for daily use. Even though Vivo has withheld certain information, there is enough excitement to pique curiosity, and with good reason. The V50e is looking more than just another phone launch, with previews of its elegant design and glimpses of its photography wizardry. Are you curious as to how this one differs from the others? We've got you covered, so don't worry. Before the big revelation, read the entire article to learn everything you need to know! Vivo V50e launch date and time It is confirmed that the Vivo V50e will go on sale in India on April 10 at 12 PM IST. Flipkart and Amazon India will carry the smartphone. At the launch event, the selling details will be disclosed. Vivo V50e's expected price in India It will be available in two different colour: Sapphire Blue and Pearl White | Credit: Vivo The price of the Vivo V50e in India is still unknown. However, it is anticipated that it will be comparable to the Vivo V40e. At Rs 28,999, the latter was introduced in India. Given that the Vivo V50 starts at Rs 34,999, the V50e will probably cost less than Rs 30,000 Vivo V50e expected specifications in India Available colors: The smartphone will be available in two colors: Sapphire Blue and Pearl White. Design: The smartphone features a rounded-edge quad-curved display. At the rear is a round camera module. Just behind the cameras is a shining ring LED that is engraved with the words "Aura Light 2x portrait." With IP68+69 dust and water resistance, the Vivo V50e will also be a robust smartphone. Camera: It has been confirmed that the Vivo V50e will have a 50MP autofocus group selfie camera. It will have an ultra-wide camera and a Sony IMX882 sensor with OIS at the back. With the Sony Multifocal Pro Portrait, you may take portraits at three different focal lengths: 1x, 1.5x, and 2x. 4K video recording will be supported by both the front and rear cameras. The brand's Wedding Portrait Studio, which includes functions like Wedding Portrait Style and Film Camera Mode, will also be included with the new Vivo phone. The Vivo V50e will have the highest IP68/69 rating for water and dust protection of any smartphone. Additionally, "Underwater Photography" will be featured. Battery: According to rumors, the Vivo V50e will have a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC, a 1.5K display, and a 5,600mAh battery that supports 90W fast charging. Additional features: The ultra-slim, quad-curved display of the upcoming Vivo phone will be protected by Diamond Shield Glass, AI Features, and Google's Circle to Search is also confirmed to be a feature of the smartphone. For the latest and more interesting tech news, keep reading Indiatimes Tech. Kunal Kamra is facing a lot of trouble after a joke he made during a comedy show in Mumbai, where he hinted at, without naming, former Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde being a "gaddar." Since then, Shiv Sena workers have vandalised the venue, hes received threat calls, and several FIRs have been filed against him. But now, the most unexpected twist has arrived, and it involves Bigg Boss and Salman Khan! Kunal Kamra took to Instagram with a gem of a screenshot - a Whatsapp message from a casting director who reached out to pitch him an opportunity. A spot on the next season of Bigg Boss. A WhatsApp message Kunal Kamra received, inviting him to be part of the upcoming season of Bigg Boss | Credit: Instagram The message read: "I am handling the casting for this season of Bigg Boss and your name came up as someone they might find interesting. I know it might not have been on your radar, but honestly, it's such a mad platform to show your real vibe and win over a massive audience. What do you think? Should we talk about it?" Now, if you know Kamra's brand of humour (and brutally honest reactions), you already know this wasn't going to end with a polite "thanks, but no thanks." Kamra responded, "I would much rather check into a mental hospital" Kunal Kamra 'gaddar' jibe case update Comedian Kunal Kamra, who hasn't appeared before police despite three summons, filed a petition on April 5 to quash the FIR against him. His lawyer told the court Kamra is willing to cooperate via video call, citing threats to his safety. Kamra, currently living in Tamil Nadu, argues the FIR violates his rights to free speech and personal liberty. His remarks, he says, were part of a satirical act commenting on the 2022 Shiv Sena split. His legal team insists this is not a serious criminal matter, but a case of targeting satire. Meanwhile, the Madras High Court has granted him interim bail until April 17. The case will be heard on April 16. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending. In a recent post on X, MrBeast, the popular YouTuber, reflected on the unexpected consequences of President Donald Trump's tariff increases. He shared an ironic observation: due to the new tariffs on imports to the U.S., it has become significantly cheaper for him to make his chocolate bars outside America. Well well, who would have thought Trump's attempt to 'Make America Great Again' could actually misfire? On April 2, Trump unveiled his most extensive round of tariffs yet, which he referred to as "Liberation Day" as part of his "reciprocal" trade strategy. In a passionate speech, he accused other nations of having "ripped off" the U.S. for years and announced that the U.S. would now impose a minimum 10% tax on nearly all of its trading partners, with higher rates of up to 50% for countries running trade surpluses with the U.S. Donald Trump announces 'reciprocal tariffs' globally | Credit: AP MrBeast took to X to highlight how these tariffs, meant to protect U.S. industries, have ironically made it cheaper to produce goods overseas rather than in America. In his case, the chocolate bars he sells globally could now be produced more cost-effectively outside the U.S., because they avoid these hefty import taxes. Ironically because of all the new tariffs it is now way cheaper to make our chocolate bars we sell globally NOT in America because other countries dont have a 20%+ tariff on our cogs MrBeast (@MrBeast) April 8, 2025 He also highlighted the challenges his business faces, explaining that even though he prioritises paying fair wages to farmers and uses fair-trade certified cocoa, the extra costs brought on by the tariffs were still a tough blow. Despite this, he reassured his followers that they would figure it out and continue their operations. However, his concern wasn't just for his own business; he expressed empathy for small businesses. For them, the impact of such tariff hikes could be devastating, a potential "nail in the coffin" for many who might not have the resources to absorb such additional costs. In comments, one simply said, "That's wild. Tariffs meant to protect actually push production abroad. Completely defeats the purpose, economically speaking." Thats wild. Tariffs meant to protect actually push production abroad. Completely defeats the purpose, economically speaking. Crypto Terry (@cryptoterry) April 8, 2025 Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, is currently the world's highest-earning content creator. Capitalising on his massive social media following, he has expanded into various business ventures, including launching his own chocolate brand in 2022. The company produces its products in both the United States and Peru. As reported by Bloomberg, his chocolate company achieved sales of approximately $250 million and a profit exceeding $20 million last year. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending. The Arewa Coalition of Youths (ACY) has announced its strong backing for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the upcoming 2027 general elections. The group revealed that more than 65,000 Northern organizations will cast their votes in favor of Tinubu. The coalition emphasised their unwavering support for the president, citing his leadership and commitment to the development of Nigeria, particularly the Northern region. ACYs endorsement reflects a growing sentiment within the North, as the group aims to consolidate support for Tinubus vision and policies. The declaration also signals the unity of Northern groups, positioning them as a significant force in shaping the 2027 electoral outcome. Advertisement Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday in Kaduna, the Director General of the group, Hon. Abubakar Aliyu, popularly known as Galadiman Takai disclosed: We have decided to hold this press conference to express our total support for His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. As Nigerians, we have witnessed various political administrations, but what we are seeing under President Tinubu is remarkable. Galadiman Takai highlighted several achievements of the Tinubu administration, including nationwide projects such as the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), and significant strides in attracting both local and foreign investments. As we move forward, we are committed to supporting the implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda. ACY has over 2 million members with Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) who will vote massively for President Tinubu in 2027. We believe that with collective support, we can create a brighter future for our country. He further noted that President Tinubus administration has prioritized economic development, security, and social welfare, particularly in Northern Nigeria. Notably, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, many sons and daughters of Arewa have been appointed to key positions in government, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Minister of Defence, and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, among others, he added. The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested two individuals on charges of criminal conspiracy and car theft. On Tuesday, the commands Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, issued a press statement revealing this information. The statement read, On 29 March 2025 at about 1900 hours, Yahuza Haruna, a 41-year-old resident of the Gidan Gona area in Bauchi Metro, reported to the Command that earlier that same day, at about 1800 hours, he parked his motor vehicle, a green 2000 model Honda Civic with registration number ALK-627-GG, at Yelwan Tudu market. Advertisement Upon his return, he discovered the vehicle was missing and suspected theft by unknown individuals, prompting him to notify the police. READ MORE: EFCC Arrests Man For Using Bought Bank Accounts In N2m Forex Fraud Wakil explained that after the report was received, a team of detectives was tasked with investigating the incident and retrieving the stolen vehicle. He mentioned that the detectives tracked down the stolen car along the Maiduguri bypass, near the Awala roundabout. The vehicle was found with two individuals identified as Ibrahim Uzeru, a 30-year-old resident of Kashere Santuraki, Akko Local Government Area, Gombe State and John Paul 35-year-old resident of the Bayan Gari area, Bauchi State, he stated. The PPRO stated that when questioned, neither individual could offer a satisfactory explanation for the vehicle, which led to their arrest for further investigation. He added, During interrogation, one of the suspects, Ibrahim Uzeru, admitted to have received the stolen vehicle from his employer and mentioned that he had invited John Paul to accompany him to Durum and hand over the vehicle to an undisclosed individual. Uzeru also indicated that he had promised John Paul a sum of twenty thousand naira (20,000) as his reward. The statement added that the Commissioner of Police for Bauchi State Command, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, has instructed that the case be taken to court once the investigation is completed. Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari has urged members of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) to adopt a citizen-centric approach to governance, prioritizing the welfare of the people over personal or political interests. He emphasised that leadership presents both challenges and opportunities, and finding the right balance between these elements is key to fostering national progress. In a statement signed by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, and made available to the media on Wednesday, Buhari was quoted saying: Leaders should accord importance to the welfare of the people, not themselves, offering his personal example of leaving office with the same physical assets he had before his presidency. Advertisement The ex-president expressed his gratitude to President Bola Tinubus administration for renovating his Kaduna residence, noting that although the exterior remained largely unchanged, significant improvements were made to the interior. He also thanked the governors for their visit, acknowledging that while he had worked with several of them, some were new faces to him. The Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, who was present during the visit, stated that their purpose was to extend Eid-el-Fitr greetings to the former president and convey their sincere gratitude and deep respect for his significant contributions to Nigerias democracy and the strengthening of their party. Many of us recall with pride the principled role you played in the founding of the APC. That legacy continues to shape our partys identity and direction. We are especially gratified, only a few weeks ago, to hear your public affirmation that the APC remains your party of choice. That declaration could not have come at a better time. It reaffirmed your place as a pillar of our movement and provided reassurance to members of our party. Mr President, you are pan-Nigerian. Your Excellency, your legacy in Nigerian history is secure. You remain the only opposition candidate in our nations history to have defeated an incumbent. You not only won power, but you governed with calm resolve and handed over, with honour, to another APC president. For this, we are extremely grateful. A Lagos Mobile Court has sentenced two commercial drivers to three months jail for attacking operatives of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority while carrying out their duties. In a statement by General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki on Wednesday, identified the two suspects as Mohammed Musa and Muhammed Nasara. Bakare-Oki said that the court verdict would serve as a necessary deterrent to unruly elements within the motoring public, especially commercial vehicle operators who habitually undermine traffic regulations. Advertisement He said: The attackers were apprehended following a brazen and unprovoked assault that occurred on April 7, in the vicinity of LASTMA Central District (Zone 9, Victoria Island) located in the Victoria Island/Lekki corridor of Lagos. READ MORE: Lagos: Commercial Bus Driver Sets Self, Vehicle, LASTMA Officer Ablaze The unfortunate incident was triggered by the legitimate apprehension of a white commercial minibus SMK 742 YJ (korope) by LASTMA officials for obstruction-related traffic infractions around the Mekwen Bridge, inward Flag House. In a blatant act of defiance, the vehicles driver mobilised a group of fellow commercial transport operators, who arrived at the scene in two additional minibuses (GGE 995 YF), and unleashed a premeditated and vicious attack on the LASTMA officials. The rapid and tactical intervention of security personnel led to the apprehension of two suspects, who were immediately arraigned before the Lagos Mobile Court at Oshodi on April 8. Valentine Ozigbo, a leading aspirant in the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primary for Anambra State, has vehemently rejected the results of the April 5, 2025, exercise. Ozigbo described the primary as a well-orchestrated heist and a charade, claiming it undermines democratic values and fairness. He vowed not to back down until the party addresses what he sees as fraudulent practices in the process. Ozigbos stance has sparked a fresh wave of controversy within the APC as he calls for transparency and a fair reevaluation of the election. Advertisement In a passionate public statement on Tuesday, Ozigbo revealed: The facts are now public: non-party members populated the delegate list; genuine party faithful were locked out or violently barred from voting; accreditation was either skipped or manipulated; and votes were counted without transparency, This is not just about me. It is about the soul of our democracy. About the values we claim to represent. About the future we owe our children. Despite the setback, he reaffirmed his commitment to the APC and to his mission of serving Ndi Anambra. I will not be distracted. I will not run to the Senate, nor will I pivot to another political opportunity for the sake of ambition. I will stand firm, here, in the APC, and I will fight this good fight to its just end. Because Ndi Anambra are worth it. Because our democracy is worth it. To his supporters, whom he referred to as the dreamers, the believers, the Valiants, Ozigbo offered reassurance: Keep your heads up. Our mission continues. Stay strong. Stay hopeful. We will not back down. We will not break. Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), has approved the appointment of administrators for the 23 Local Government Areas of the state. INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that the appointments take effect from Monday, April 7, 2025. The announcement was made in a statement on Wednesday by Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Ibibia Worika. Advertisement The development is coming, amid legal and political tensions in the state, with a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt having earlier barred Ibas from making such appointments. Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed issued an interim injunction in Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/46/2025, filed by PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative led by Courage Msirimovu. The order restrains the Sole Administrator and his agents from appointing sole administrators, under any designation to oversee the LGAs. The court granted the motion ex parte filed on March 28, and has fixed April 14 for a substantive hearing. Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who succeeded Wike, had dissolved the councils and appointed caretaker chairmen, triggering a fierce contest for control of the local government structures, widely regarded as critical to grassroots political dominance. READ MORE: Emergency Rule: Sole Administrator Suspends All Political Appointees In Rivers The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) went on to conduct local government elections on October 5, 2024. However, the Wike-aligned faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by Tony Okocha, challenged the process in court. Despite the litigation, the elections proceeded. Following a Supreme Court ruling on February 28, 2025, which sided with the Wike-backed APC, Governor Fubara nullified the results and directed heads of local council administrations to assume control until fresh elections are held. This move further escalated the crisis, prompting legal threats and political backlash from the Wike camp. A student of Osun State Polytechnic in Iree has been killed, while four others injured during a violent clash between rival cult groups outside the school gate. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, involved suspected members of Eiye and Aye confraternities. INFORMATION NIGERIA learnt that after the assailants left the scene, the deceased was rushed to a private hospital in Iree, but was rejected by the facility, which he later gave up the ghost while he was being rushed to another hospital in Osogbo. Advertisement A source who refused to disclose his identity told PUNCH that four other people, believed to be students, were also injured in the fracas. He said: I watched from a safe distance when they clashed. The crash occurred close to the gate of the Polytechnic. The victim was killed with a hammer. He was hit on the head repeatedly by a man who attacked him. Four other students were injured in the clash. READ MORE: Osun polytechnic student dies after allegedly visiting her boyfriend That guy killed in the clash was a student. Before the clash, we heard rumours that there were likely to be clashes and security men convened a meeting with those bad boys that they know on campus. No one can say immediately what caused the disagreement. He was hit with a hammer on the head several times by one of those that attacked him. During the clash, there was an exchange of gunfire between the two groups. The clash involved Eiye and Aye members. After those who attacked him left, the victim was rushed to a private hospital in Iree. But that facility rejected him. He died when his colleagues were rushing him to Osogbo. Immediately they observed he was no longer breathing, his colleagues took away his corpse. Also confirming the horrible incident on Wednesday, Student Affairs of the Polytechnic, Dr Tope Abiola, said that there was a clash by some hoodlums outside the gate of the polytechnic. He said: We were inside campus when we started hearing gunshots. From the findings, one person was critically injured. I am not aware anyone died. The person who was critically injured is an ex-student of the polytechnic. He did his National Diploma here and completed the program about 2 years ago. One of the other three people that were injured was hit by stray bullets. At least six persons, including a pregnant woman, have been killed in a violence which occurred in Ebonyi State. It was gathered that many properties, belonging to residents of Ndukwe community in Amasiri, Afikpo Local Government Area, and Okporojo, Oso, Edda Local Government Area were destroyed. LNFORMATION NIGERIA learnt that the horrible incident started on Tuesday over a land dispute between the two communities. Advertisement Addressing newsmen on Tuesday over the conflict, Chairman of Edda LGA, Chima Ekumankama, disclosed that security operatives had been deployed to restore peace and prevent further escalation. READ MORE: You Cant Be Here, Youre A Disgrace To Womanhood Senator Nwebonyi Clashes With Ezekwesili Over Natasha-Akpabio Case He said: I can assure you that normalcy and peace have returned to the area. I personally visited and witnessed the level of destruction. As we speak, there are sufficient security personnel on the ground to prevent any further violence. He praised Governor Francis Nwifuru for his swift intervention and deployment of security agents to the affected areas. Tension gripped Ondo State following the killing of four farmers by suspected herdsmen in the Akure North Local Government Area. In response, outraged youths and farmers staged a protest, transporting the victims corpses to the state secretariat in Alagbaka, Akure. The protesters blocked the main entrance, causing a major traffic gridlock around the Governors Office and Federal Secretariat. The victims were reportedly attacked at the 13/13 farm settlement in the Ajagbusi area of Ala Elefosan while on their way to the farm. Advertisement This incident follows a similar attack weeks earlier in Aba Oyinbo within the same local government, where five farmers were killed. The growing violence has sparked renewed concerns over rural security and herdsmen-farmer conflicts in the region. Speaking to newsmen on Tuesday, the traditional ruler of Adeshina Community, Chief Taiwo Samuel, described the attack as one too many, and criticized the governments failure to address the escalating violence.Three farmers were killed this morning in the Ajagbusi area. Another was killed two days ago. We brought their bodies to Alagbaka so the world can see our pain and to prevent any form of denial, which weve experienced in the past. The killings have become unbearable. During the late Governor Akeredolus administration, these kinds of incidents were not as rampant. Now, everything seems to be spiraling out of control. More than 20 farmers have been killed in just the past month. When contacted, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, SP Alayande Olayinka, confirmed the incident and said tactical teams had been deployed to restore order in the affected area. Our operatives are already on ground in the community to maintain peace. We assure the public that the perpetrators will be brought to justice, Olayinka stated. The day after the May 13, 1985 MOVE confrontation, an aerial view of Osage Ave. and Pine St. devastated by fire. Read more This story was originally published on May 26, 1985. Advertisement 5:27 p.m., Monday, May 13: The makeshift bomb in the canvas satchel lands near a front corner of the rear bunker of the MOVE house. A wisp of white smoke from the bombs 15-inch fuse drifts aloft as the explosive sits on the planked roof, near a crumpled piece of carpet, a rolled- up cloth hammock, a skylight covered with plywood and a blue five-gallon kerosene can. Forty-two seconds after the drop, the bomb explodes, taking the can with it and hurling flame and debris upward and forward toward Osage Avenue. The blast has a shock wave of close to 7,000 degrees Fahrenheit. A half-second after that, a red gasoline can, about 12 feet away, tucked against a makeshift wooden fence and surrounded by rubble, explodes in a secondary blast and sends flames 15 feet into the sky. Nearby, another blue five-gallon metal can, lying on its side, also takes the impact of the blast. The worst residential fire in the history of Philadelphia has begun. And no one realizes how bad it will be. No one will, for hours. Worse, the mayor did not know before he approved the detonation that the city was about to bomb not an ordinary rowhouse roof, but an expanse of planked flooring littered with lumber, cloth, paper and the three gasoline or kerosene cans. And, apparently, neither did the police command, nor the fire command. That reconstruction of the two distinct blasts that preceded the inferno that killed 11 MOVE members and destroyed or gutted 61 houses was pieced together from magnification of Inquirer photographs of the MOVE roof, taken an hour and a half before the explosion, and a frame-by-frame study of uncut videotape of the explosion recorded by WCAU-TV (Channel 10). It is part of a larger Inquirer reconstruction of the fire and the circumstances surrounding it that shows: * The bomb threw off a wave of heat three times as hot as a gasoline fire and up to twice as hot as the flames that gutted the houses on Osage Avenue and melted asphalt streets. * Despite the 640,000 gallons of water sprayed at the roof before noon, photographs taken 90 minutes before the bombing show a dry roof. Most of the water apparently overshot or bounced off the littered 12-by-12 foot area, enclosed by two bunkers and two fences, into which the bomb fell. In addition, the plank flooring MOVE had installed on the roof facilitated drainage. * The fire blazed unchecked for so long that an alarmed Mayor Goode, watching on television in his office, at one point telephoned Managing Director Leo A. Brooks and urged that firefighting begin. It didnt, until 6:32 p.m., when the water cannons opened up. * Even after the fire had spread to five rooftops, it was fought almost exclusively with two water cannons, which were too far away to be effective and which are considered inadequate to stop a fire by themselves even when they are close up. * Again and again, police officers complained that firefighters were creating too much smoke by pouring water on the fire, making it almost impossible to shoot at the MOVE house or even determine whether people were escaping. * Even when gunfire faded and firefighters observed police officers becoming more relaxed, no one ordered them in to fight the fire, they say. Finally, some firefighters moved in on their own. * Once three alarms were sounded and firefighters began attacking the fire in full force, after 8 p.m., they were hindered by chronic decreases in water pressure and the lack of any large water mains in the neighborhood. * The wood-and-glass porches on Osage Avenue, with no fire walls, and the wood front and back walls of the houses allowed the fire to spread much faster than it would have in an all-brick rowhouse row. * Because of all this, heroic action by many firefighters came too late for the 61 homes destroyed or gutted and the 250 or so people left homeless. Firefighters are bitter that their efforts late in the night have gone largely unrecognized by the public. They say the fire could have done twice as much damage were it not for what one officer calls a great and courageous effort. Instead, one 23-year veteran of the force, a battalion chief who helped fight the MOVE fire, has since been booed in the streets of Philadelphia. Many are also bitter that, since Monday, they have been silenced on the advice of city solicitor Barbara Mather. Among those silenced was Fire Commissioner William C. Richmond. The best view of the detonation was captured by a TV camera that Channel 10 had attached to a portable microwave antenna used to beam TV signals back to its studio. Early in the day, technician Jim Barger had raised the hydraulic mast of the antenna above the rooftops at 62d and Pine Streets, about 265 feet from the MOVE bunkers. Throughout the confrontation, the camera provided Channel 10 viewers - and Philadelphia police - with a periscope view of MOVEs ramparts. About 20 minutes before the bombing, a police sergeant who had been scrutinizing the rooftop on the Channel 10 monitor all afternoon asked Barger to lower the camera and reset the lens for a closer look. The technician considered the request a giveaway that something significant was about to happen. He complied, and was careful to keep his videotape recorder rolling. The scene captured by the camera, replayed frame by frame, provides a vivid record of the progress of the explosions. Viewed in conjunction with The Inquirers photographs of the rooftop, taken 90 minutes earlier, it shows the precise origins of the fire that traumatized Philadelphia and shocked the nation. One second of tape can be broken into 30 frames on the videocassette recorder The Inquirer used to analyze the explosion. As the chilling slow-motion sequence unfolds, a brilliant white flash erupts in front of the rear bunker, within a foot or two of where the Inquirer photographs show a blue five-gallon kerosene can. The sudden illumination, like a flashbulb, momentarily bathes the front bunker with light. The bunker, frozen in a single frame of the videotape, appears caught by the first rays of a rising sun - one side in dark shadows and another awash in a warm red glow. In the next several frames, the spherical fireball of the explosion expands concentrically, until it reaches the front bunker. The spreading shock wave rips a yellow tarpaulin from the top of the bunker, lifting it across the sky. Miscellaneous debris, mostly pieces of lumber, sprays outward from the center of the blast. The temperature of this blast was up to 7,000 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Du Pont Co., which manufactures Tovex TR-2, the explosive used. A normal gasoline fire burns at 2,000 degrees. A fire like the Osage Avenue inferno, which consumed everything but brick and metal, reaches 3,500 to 4,000 degrees, according to Jim Kolson, a fire-protection engineer for the insurance industry. In several more frames of the videotape, the fireball expands beyond the view of the television camera. Then, just as quickly, the force of the blast dissipates and the debris begins to rain down. Next, a smaller, secondary explosion erupts just behind the front bunker, where The Inquirers photographs show a gasoline can. Bright orange and red flames shoot skyward from the site of the second flash - about 12 feet from the point where the bomb detonated. In subsequent frames, the tongues of flame flare above the bunker - distinct and apart from the earlier fireball of the Police Departments high-explosive device. At normal speed, the blast appears to be a single burst. But replayed slowly in increments of 30 frames per second, it unfolds as two separate events, the first initiating the second. In The Inquirers photographs, the junk scattered around the MOVE roof includes at least three gasoline or kerosene cans and two other metal containers that cannot be positively identified. The roof appears dry, despite five hours of hosing that morning. MOVE neighbors had repeatedly told police that the militants had been stockpiling gasoline in their compound, and an Associated Press photographer had snapped a picture of a MOVE member hoisting a gasoline can to the roof 11 days before the confrontation. On the Saturday before the fire, according to Mayor Goode, police received a letter from Ramona Africa warning that MOVE would burn the house at 6221 Osage Ave., if attacked. The letter was passed to Police Commissioner Gregore J. Sambor late Monday afternoon, the day of the bombing and fire. The mayor said he did not see the letter until the following Wednesday or Thursday. But, from Lt. Frank Powell, head of the police Bomb Disposal Unit and the man who actually dropped the bomb, on up the chain of command to Mayor Goode, officials are resolute in insisting that they did not know there were gasoline cans or containers for other flammable liquids on the roof. Powell made four passes over the house in a helicopter before he bombed it on a fifth pass, without noticing any gas cans, he told The Inquirer the Wednesday after the fire. I probably know that roof better than my own neighborhood, Powell said. Indeed, Powell insisted that when his helicopter flew back over the house two minutes after the bomb drop, there was no fire on that roof and no fire in that hole. . . . We did not start that fire. Other police officers also went aloft on that Monday to peer at the fortified rooftop and, apparently, none reported the presence of gasoline cans. Sambor has said that only after the explosion and subsequent fire did he become convinced that MOVE had doused roofs on Osage Avenue with flammable liquids. Fire Commissioner Richmond hasnt said if he got a look at the roof before the bombing, but last Tuesday, Richmond and Fire Marshal Roger Ulshafer came to The Inquirer at the newspapers invitation to review the WCAU-TV videotape and The Inquirers photographs. They took notes on each, and at the conclusion of the meeting Richmond jokingly made a move to take the photographs with him. Ulshafer said, however, that it was not possible to draw immediate conclusions from the pictures or the videotape. Fire department investigators are currently performing their own detailed frame-by-frame analysis of the TV stations original, unedited videotapes, he said. Mayor Goode has said that, before the fire, he thought it was possible there were flammables or explosives on the first floor or in the basement of the house, but he had no clue that the roof contained either gasoline cans or piles of flammable debris and lumber. The day after the fire, he said, That morning we had . . . put thousands and thousands of gallons of water on that roof. No one would have expected . . . that anything could burn with all that water on top. Between 10 and 11 Monday morning, Richard Mealey, a police stakeout officer, flew over the MOVE house in a helicopter several times, in the company of a pilot and a friend, Bruce Johnson, a 30-year-old student helicopter pilot. Mealey says he too doesnt recall seeing any gas cans. But Johnson spotted one and possibly two five-gallon gasoline cans on the MOVE rooftop as the helicopter made several counterclockwise orbits. One was a very bright blue, he said. The cans, I felt, were pretty visible, Johnson said. They were almost obvious - so much so that he didnt point them out to Mealey. I just assumed that whatever I saw, anybody else who was flying would have seen them also. But a few days later, Johnson ran into Mealey, mentioned the gas cans and learned that Mealey had not noticed them. Brooks and Sambor have said that from their vantage point the fire appeared to die out for about 10 minutes after the bombing before flaring up again. This has led Sambor to speculate that the ultimate inferno was caused not by the bomb but by a subsequent fire, one set by MOVE. However, two technicians at WCAU-TV who were monitoring the signal from the camera trained on the roof, even though it wasnt being broadcast at the time, said Friday that they saw flames on the roof continuously from the time the device exploded until the fire spread and became generally visible, according to Ted Faraone, a WCAU-TV spokesman. I talked to two of the technicians who were right there, monitoring the video from that camera and who later saw much of the available tape, and they said there were always flames visible, from the explosion right through to the later, easily visible fire, Faraone said. Once it did become obvious to Brooks and Sambor that the roof was indeed burning, they decided to let it burn, in the hope the bunker would fall into the attic and smoke out MOVE. Because of city solicitor Mathers recommendation to officials on Monday that those involved stop talking to reporters, there are gaps in The Inquirers reconstruction of the first hour at the command post after the bomb dropped. But much is known. Sambor said at a news conference on the Thursday after the fire that the decision not to fight the fire was his, and that Richmond concurred. Richmond at first declined to confirm that, saying that only a thorough investigation would establish what actually took place at the command center. Richmond is indeed now running his own inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the fire. However, last Tuesday Richmond finally confirmed that he concurred with Sambors decision. We were hoping in all truthfulness that that would work, Richmond said Tuesday. In 25 years of firefighting, I have never seen a situation where people who had the opportunity to flee a fire did not do so. Goode, watching TV in his office, was unaware of the decision to let the fire burn. He has given two differing accounts of when he first became alarmed enough to call Brooks. At first, the day after the fire, he said he called Brooks and said, This fire looks serious on television. At that time, he recalled, water then started to pour in onto the roof. That would place the phone call at 6:32 p.m., the precise time water was first applied to the fire, according to television footage - and more than an hour after the bombing. Then, last Wednesday, Goode told The Inquirer he actually called Brooks about 6 p.m." and asked him to put the fire out. He (Brooks) said he gave the order two minutes ago. If Goode is correct in his second version, it took a long time for that order to be implemented - about half an hour. The equipment to fight the fire had been there since before dawn. The initial strategy included the use of two of the fire departments three Squrt" machines - trucks that carry 54-foot-tall hydraulic cranes topped with powerful nozzles capable of shooting 1,000 gallons of water a minute. The plan was to use the Squrts to demolish the bunkers. But as the day wore on, the two Squrts, poised above the rooftops like giant praying mantises, took on a symbolic aura. For five solid hours that morning, when they had failed to so much as dent the rooftop bunkers with 1,000-gallon-a minute streams of water, they had seemed to sum up the futility of the citys initial strategies. Then, when the water cannons stayed silent while the fire burned in the crucial hour that followed the bombing, they seemed to sum up the incomprehensible. It appeared to a world audience that a city was letting a part of itself incinerate. At 5:53 p.m., 26 minutes after the bomb, Richmond summoned Engine 57, stationed nearby, which arrived about 6 p.m. to set up a street-level deluge gun on the southwest corner of 62d and Osage. Then, firefighters waited for a go-ahead from police. And waited. By 6:28, most of the front of the MOVE house was consumed by flames. At 6:32, the deluge gun was still inactive, but the Squrts finally began to pump 2,000 gallons a minute onto the MOVE rooftop. Their operators had no idea where the water was going - from where they were standing, they could not see the fire or even the MOVE house. Battalion Chief Carlo Allodoli, who was monitoring the rooftop from a perch atop a ladder on Addison Street near 62d, had a clear view of the smoke and fire behind the front bunker. At first, the fire appeared to burn an area about 10 feet square, small flames, no big deal, he said. He saw no people on the roof, no cans. He got on the walkie-talkie and asked for water. But before the Squrts could get gunned up and aimed at the MOVE rooftop, Allodoli saw something that astonished him. The small flames had suddenly jumped to the rowhouses on either side. It was raging amazingly, said Allodoli, a Florence-born, 23-year veteran, who speaks in a rich Italian accent. I dont know, to me it was almost like there was something helping the fire burn. It might have been a flammable liquid, Allodoli said. It might have been the properties of the bomb itself. Allodoli said he could not say. Allodoli and other firefighters spoke to The Inquirer before they were instructed to decline comment. For the first few moments, the Squrts missed their target completely. When they opened up and we originally got water, he (a Squrt operator) was washing everything but the fires. . . . Im talking to a man who is shooting on the blind. When I am saying, Move the stream 20 feet to the left or to the right, he doesnt know, that doesnt mean anything. He doesnt have a calibration by feet, so I say, No, youre way over, now come back about 10 feet. . . . So thats how it goes." By the time the water had finally narrowed in on the MOVE roof, Allodoli had to change its direction. He aimed it at the fires starting on 6219 and 6223 Osage. At 6:34, two minutes after the Squrts started, the deluge gun at the southwest corner of 62d and Osage at last began shooting water at the MOVE house, according to TV footage. A few minutes later, firefighters were ordered to shut off the deluge gun. The reason: The water was causing so much smoke that it was hurting police visibility. We were knocking down fire, a fire lieutenant said, but the visibility became nil. Richmond defended that decision in an interview the following week. With visibility obscured, he said, wed be putting men in jeopardy. On the MOVE roof, all hell was breaking loose. Ten-foot flames shot into the air, producing heavy clouds of smoke that rose toward the north. The bunkers began to falter in the flames, and then they suddenly collapsed, into the roof. Flames shot straight up like a volcano erupting, rising 20 feet, some as high as 30 feet. It was amazing to Allodoli. A week later, he still could not believe what he had watched from the facing rooftop. A man who has watched thousands of fires in his lifetime, Allodoli had seen roofs collapse after 20 minutes of fire. He had seen roofs collapse after half an hour. Now, he had seen the MOVE roof collapse minutes after he had gotten to the top of the ladder. He did not realize the fire had been burning for an hour and he was bewildered. Let me put it this way, he said, the building collapsed, I mean, the roof collapsed . . . two bunkers collapsed . . . five minutes after the fire really got going like that. I mean, for the fire to collapse a roof like that, that fast, I mean, its unbelievable. To me, I dont know why - there is no way in hell. . . . Like I say, in 23 years of experience, I have never seen it. I guess it can happen, it did happen. Why, I dont know. Everything seemed to happen at once. I can see the roof, Allodoli recalled, and then I can see just two to three feet below the roof line. But now I start seeing flames coming from below. Which means now, I got fire on the second floor, definitely, maybe the first floor. I dont know, I cant tell, but now the fire is spreading below my eye level. And the next thing you know, again, even though were directing the stream on each side, I then reported to the commissioner that we now have five houses. Two on each side burning. Allodoli said it was possible from what he observed that MOVE members started a separate fire inside the house. Allodoli continued to direct water on the Osage Avenue rowhouses two houses over from MOVE, following the traditional firefighting strategy to douse the next houses that might be endangered by fire, not the one that is already consumed and probably lost. Squrts by themselves do not put out a fire, Allodoli said. They look impressive, but the real firefighting, he said, the down and dirty of inside firefighting, takes place when the men are working to control the blaze from inside the burning structure. In fact, according to fire Lt. Charles Crusemire, Squrts are not designed to fight a fire from a distance. Beyond 100 feet, he said, the stream will look effective, but it breaks up. The Squrts that evening were at least 140 feet away. Richmond ordered the first alarm. It sounded at 6:54 p.m., summoning four more engines and two ladders. 7:10 - WPVI-TV, Channel 6, shows a live helicopter view. Six or seven homes with roofs afire on Osage. Dark smoke rising thick and high above the skyline. The wind is pushing the smoke north toward Pine Street. Both Squrts on Pine are on, though the one to the east is faltering, sometimes barely shooting water. A water gun at the corner of 62d and Osage is spraying water, but the stream does not reach the MOVE house. Fire has moved down the row toward the west, away from the deluge gun. The fronts of six houses are burned out. From the front it looks as though only the side walls remain. 7:18 - Pete Kane, a Channel 10 cameraman reporting from 62d and Osage: It is spreading. There are balls of flame shooting out to the 6200 block of Osage. A trees on fire. Electrical wires are on fire. 7:20 - Kane: Half the block seems to be fully engulfed right now. Firefighters had trouble following the course of the fire. It kept them from knowing how many other homes were in immediate danger. You could not put yourself in a position to even see where the fire was going, Richmond said the next day. So it was even difficult to determine where the fire was going. . . . I will not jeopardize my people, civilians or anyone else. Thats the bottom line. Lt. Thomas Brennan and the other men of Ladder 24, at 61st and Thompson Streets, arrived at the scene in answer to the first alarm. From the ground, things didnt look nearly as alarming to them as it did to aerial observers. Brennan didnt think the fire was that big a problem - nothing more, he said, than a couple of porches on fire, a couple more under threat. People were setting up hoses, Brennan said. This was something that could have been easily handled with the (first) alarm and the equipment that was already there. All we needed to do was to make a frontal approach. But porch fires in rowhouses like those on Osage Avenue can move quickly, even when roofs arent also afire, because the fire wall on those buildings only goes up to the porches, said John Farrell, 42, a firefighter with Engine 41. They dont go beyond. So the fire has a pretty free path. And finding a way to make the frontal approach was a problem. In a normal situation, four engines would take positions facing the four corners of a building, in the street and the alley, forming a box around it. It was considered too dangerous to do that with MOVE in the house. Engines had to be left on Cobbs Creek Parkway, at the far end of the block. Men with hoses had to make their way east on Pine Street or up the alley between Osage and Addison. They entered houses through the rear, hoping to get to the second stories and aim their hoses through the windows toward the row of burning houses on the north side of Osage. The object, said John Farrell, a Ladder 24 firefighter, was to set up a water curtain that would cut down the chance of the fire jumping across the street or spreading to adjacent houses. A ladder went up at the corner of Osage and Cobbs Creek Parkway. Firefighters sprayed water onto the roofs of eight or nine houses on Osage nearest Cobbs Creek, houses not yet ablaze. Three stakeout police went with four firefighters who took a hose through the alley south of Osage. At a house several doors west and across the street from the MOVE house, the firefighters broke the back door with axes. They did the same at a house directly across the street from the flaming MOVE compound. SWAT police bearing guns and flak jackets would stand aside as firefighters opened doors. Then, firefighters waited while the SWAT members went in, checking under beds, checking the cellars to see if it was safe. Nerves were taut. A rooftop SWAT team came running up to firefighters in the alley, their guns poised and pointed. Then they saw who we were, said firefighter Robert Perry, and backed off. Behind the MOVE house, the problem was the same. As the fire spread, firefighters from Engine 43 broke into the house at 6226 Pine St. and dragged in hoses to train upon the fire across the alley on Osage. They moved into a second-floor rear bedroom, where sandbags left by stakeout police were still in the window. Then, before they could spray the fire, they heard gunfire and retreated. The chief was yelling for us to come out, said Ed Schwartz, lieutenant for Engine 43, and we needed no encouragement. We saw a rush of stakeout officers, and they told us to get out. The scariest part was to walk out of the house and find all those police officers with rifles pointing in our direction. Lt. Brennan and his men of Ladder 24, over on the alley south of Osage, heard gunfire, too. First a few shots. Then more. Then a radio report of activity in the alley. Then a confirmed sighting of at least one MOVE member and possibly more. It was about that time that police found Ramona Africa and Birdie Africa behind the MOVE house. Brennan and his men retreated to Cobbs Creek Park. Even that offered little haven. Its like a jungle back there. Its just woods with all these paths running through it, said Perry, so there was some concern that some MOVE sympathizers could even be back there. We were prevented from going into the backs of those houses and fighting that fire, Brennan said. We wanted to put that fire out. Officially, the firefighters were playing a supporting role to the police. An assist-police, they call it. Usually it involves nothing more exceptional than helping catch a burglar on a roof or assisting with first aid. The MOVE action was a police show because of the possibility of gunfire. No one had decreed it so, Richmond said. No one had to. It was understood, he said. The firefighters also have standing orders to take cover if gunfire erupts on a fire scene, according to Richmond. The orders were a legacy of the Watts and Newark riots, said Fire Marshal Ulshafer. They were clearly understood, Richmond said, by every firefighter on the scene. Moments before the sound of shooting, Carlo Allodoli was still on the ladder, still contending with problems directing the water streams. I am having a lot of troubles, he recalled, because there is so much smoke. I am having trouble seeing if they are hitting the fire on Number 6223. Its coming from the back. Meanwhile, now this is getting complicated because I did not see it, I am hearing reports on the radio, the firemen are moving in on Pine Street through the houses, to break out and extinguish the fire. Thats when the shooting started. Im reporting heavy fire. Im reporting fire spreading, and Im trying to knock the fire off. Right then . . . from the police walkie-talkie: People up on the roof. Heavy shots, a lot of firepower, shooting. I now have fire spreading on the rear of Osage over to Pine, and I hear the officer in charge of Engine 57 saying, Im moving in with the line, I can handle it. Then, additional, a lot of heavy shooting is now coming, and the guy in 57 said the SWAT team wanted them out. Then the police start telling me that they cannot see the MOVE people because the water is putting the fire out, and we start getting heavy smoke coming down and we lost visibility." Firefighters dived for cover under cars. SWAT officers grabbed other firefighters and pulled them to cover. It was 7:26 p.m. One minute earlier, Richmond had ordered the second alarm, 31 minutes after the first alarm. The second alarm almost instantly became useless when firefighters heard gunfire ringing off the walls of houses. They couldnt tell where it was coming from. They couldnt tell if it was exploding ammunition, or shots from MOVE, or shots from police. They didnt much care which it was. Neither did Richmond, who joined in the orders to back off. Maybe it was shell casings, he said in an interview a week later. But you dont differentiate when you hear gunfire. Three times police ordered firefighters to clear out. They ordered Frank Squadrito, the Engine 43 Squrt operator, away from his post. Many of the men backed away reluctantly. Richmond said he was sure some defied orders and continued to fight the fire. Police used fire equipment as shields. One took cover in Engine 43, his gun pointed out a window. Firefighters ducked behind fire engines or took refuge in wheel wells, remembering that in the 1978 MOVE confrontation in the Powelton Village section of Philadelphia, four firefighters were shot and others were hurt trying to flee gunfire. We remembered, said Lt. Charles Crusemire of Engine 72. I dont know which house was worth a mans life. Norman Stabinski of Engine 72 poked his head around a corner of a Pine Street house to see what was going on. First he took off his bright yellow firefighters helmet. A police sharpshooter, wearing layers of bulletproof gear, caught the move and chuckled. Thats not going to do you any good, he said. There was nothing to do that was any good. There was nothing to do at all. A house is going to go before one of my men gets shot, Richmond told a news conference later that night. I dont care whose house it is. Sambor added: I did not ask them or anyone else to sacrifice their life . . . to put out a fire when they are getting shot at. The fire burned. The firefighters watched. Watching the raging fire, just watching it, Philadelphias firefighters felt impatient and impotent. You always think you can put it out. When youre ordered out, its frustrating - you cant do what youre trained to do, said Lt. Schwartz of Engine 43. It was a feeling of helplessness. . . . Were trained to go in, were aggressive, said Stabinski of Engine 72. Schwartz especially remembered the faces. You could see the looks on the faces of the people across the street as they were watching us, he said. As we were opening up some of the houses (on Pine Street), breaking in with axes, a lady across the street yelled, Please dont break down my door. She sent a kid over with the key. So we opened the door with the key. And then the house burns down. Several men cried, said John McMenamin, president of Firefighters Local 22. Standing by is not our nature, he said. Were a very aggressive fire department. We dont lose. We win. But we dont dodge bullets. McMenamin predicted that the experience would leave a long-lasting psychological scar on the men and the department. I still dont believe it, he said. Two hundred and fifty-eight firefighters gave their lives in the citys history. Were not a laid- back firefighting operation. We aggressively counterattack. It was really hard on guys who were in houses and then pulled out. Theyd say: This is like my house, the pictures, the trophies, the family mementos. And theyre just burning up. Some firefighters thought the caution made sense. Police become police for whatever reasons they may have, Lt. Brennan said. They are used to guns. They have a gun. They know about ammunition, weapons and things like that. Fire scares police, but bullets scare us. We were as brave, as courageous as we could be in a fire situation, but when bullets start flying by, were not prepared for that. . . . In the 60s, during the time when there were all those riots, we had the slogan, Firefighters fight fires, not people. Thats just the way it is. Brennan was involved with MOVE in 1978. He heard threats against him and his family, and that left him with no doubts that the radical groups members would like to kill us - and there we are in our yellow jackets, perfect moving targets. When I saw police carrying weapons that I had never even seen before . . . I knew that this was for real, he said. And the result was that we were prevented from dealing with the elements (fire) as we know how. The firefighters retreat lasted at least 20 minutes. And the fire spread wildly. 7:46. Pete Kane: Theres white smoke coming from several of the roofs on the other side of Osage. . . . The water is being aimed at the homes on the MOVE side. . . . I cannot see any fire trucks at all. 7:48. Pete Kane: Its spreading toward the west side of MOVE right now. I see some of those homes are fully involved. It seems like . . . the whole side of Osage with MOVEs compound is in flames. 7:50. A Channel 10 camera shows flames on the front of houses on Pine, though the announcers dont notice them. 7:58. Harvey Clark, Channel 10 reporter: Youre starting to see white smoke coming from some of the rooftops on the Pine Street side. Firefighters from Engine 41 and Ladder 24 watched from Cobbs Creek Parkway, an uneasy haven. A SWAT-team member came over and told us that there was a male in 6235 (Osage) with a rifle, said firefighter John Farrell. The house was the sixth from the Cobbs Creek intersection. From where they stood, Farrell said, we never thought we were going to lose the whole block or the other side. Yet the fire marched toward them on Osage Avenue, leaping from porch to porch. These porches on the front formed almost a tunnel-like effect, fire Capt. Anthony Roman said, and it really added to the spread of the fire dramatically. Roman and the others noted that MOVE members easily could have broken the glass of the porches and obtained access up and down Osage Avenue. Breaking the glass also would have created easy openings for the fire to spread. This is conjecture based on experience, lots of experience, Roman said. We tend to notice the path of a fire, and through experience you know its going to go this way for a while, and then its going to go that way. But when we got to the fire area, it seemed like it just spread too quick and too fast. Watching as they did, firefighters became convinced that MOVE members had taken advantage of their access through the porches and had started a second fire to cover their escape from police. As it would turn out, all of the bodies and the weapons found in the aftermath of the fire were discovered in or immediately outside the MOVE house. It was a bad moment for firefighters to be standing on the sidelines. Throwing water on the roofs really does nothing at all, Roman said. Especially if you are fighting a tunnel effect. The only way to stop it is to get in on the porches and then stop the spread there." They noticed another curious thing. The fire was behaving naturally as it spread west on Osage, they said, until it reached the seventh or eighth house in the row. Suddenly, flames shot high into the air. We watched this fire go suddenly crazy, Brennan said. He added: It seemed like there must have been flammable liquid or something inside. The fire just didnt behave naturally there. An outside expert on fire protection, however, said there are other possible explanations that are not at all sinister. It is not uncommon for a fire to accelerate at some point, said Jim Kolson, fire-protection engineer for the Insurance Services Office, a nonprofit group that evaluates fire-protection facilities and procedures for major insurance companies. The units being so close together, youve got a tremendous amount of combustible material there, he said. Dont forget that while those (first) houses were burning, the others were cooking. It would be very logical that that (acceleration) would happen, that it would be cooking all that time and - boom! - it ignites all at once. Brennan remembered standing at the end of Osage for a while, unable to move into the street because of the heat. Suddenly, he said, we have fire spreading to the south side. With firefighting suspended, police drafted firefighters to help them search for MOVE gunmen reported on the loose. Television viewers watched a firefighter with an ax being escorted by police to houses on Pine Street. The police, in helmets and bulletproof gear, stood behind the firefighter. They were kicking the door and hitting it with their guns, and that wasnt going to do it, said the firefighter, Lt. Ed Schwartz. So I went up with the ax and opened it up. Another firefighter, Bob Iannucci, a muscular 34-year-old from Ladder 9, opened a door with a pikelike haligan while police stood behind him and pointed their guns at the door. There wasnt anywhere else they could stand, I guess, he said. But it was a weird feeling, knowing that if that million-to-one chance happened and there was a MOVE guy in there, hed shoot me when I opened the door - and then theyd shoot him. When it seemed safe enough - probably sometime nearing 8 p.m. - Engine 57 joined 72 and 43 on Pine Street. Stabinski, of Engine 72, took the engines deluge gun - a smaller, powerful water cannon - to the corner of the north-south alley behind 62d and the east- west alley behind Osage and trained it on the fire on Osage. Stabinski told Fire Commissioner Richmond that he thought the deluge gun would be more effective than the Squrt, which had been plagued off and on by inadequate water pressure. But police quickly ordered the deluge gun shut down, because the heavy water spray was obscuring their vision. We couldnt see what we were doing with the gun, Stabinski said. If we could have gotten into the houses on Pine, we would have been better off. But the firefighters were kept out of the houses on Pine until it was too late. Now, Frank Squadrito, the operator of the Engine 43 Squrt, trained his overhead cannon on the fronts of the Pine Street houses, trying to stop the spread of that fire. The shooting and police complaints forced halts to firefighting at least three times. Eventually - the firefighters are vague about times - they began to fight the fire with full force. No one gave a specific order, they said, but they knew by their own experience with fires and by the relaxation of police that it was safe to resume. It was obvious to them that the immolation of the MOVE house had ended the threat of gunfire. You didnt have to worry about being in the line of fire, said Norman Stabinski of Engine 72. And working around fires and knowing how long you can last in fires, it was hard to believe they could be alive. Richmond ordered the third alarm at 8:02 p.m., summoning engines from as far away as North Philadelphia. 8:03. Harvey Clark: It looks bigger than a three-alarm fire. . . . Let me tell you, this thing is out of control. . . . What were talking about here is possibly 20 houses on either side of Osage and Pine Streets, plus houses on 63d and 62d are being threatened. 8:19. As Harvey Clark speaks at 61st and Pine, a crowd chants in the background: BURN, BURN, BURN, BURN. 8:31. A new chant rises at Harvey Clarks location: MURDER, MURDER, MURDER, MURDER. Mayor Goode says at a news conference at 8:44 p.m: We may very well lose 14 to 16 homes. The heat from the fire amazed even veteran firefighters. At the height of the blaze, despite the thousands of gallons of water being used every minute, the 6200 block of Pine Street was dry - dry as a desert. At the west end of Osage, Bob Iannucci was on his knees, holding a hose, and he was sinking inches into molten asphalt. The street was literally melting. The heat was so intense that along Pine Street tires on several vehicles exploded. Thirteen lengths of Engine 43s canvas-and-polyester, 50-foot hose line burned, and the rubber tip of a metal nozzle melted away. Aluminum-alloy ladders from the Engine 168 firehouse twisted and melted. Sixty feet across Pine Street, on houses that would be saved from the fire, asphalt shingles melted and bubbled. At 6225 Pine, the metal brace on the storm door melted into a double loop. The fire evidently burned at nearly three times the temperature of the average residential fire, which is about 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit. Fires that consume all combustibles reach temperatures of about 3,500 to 4,000 degrees, according to Kolson of the Insurance Services Office. If all you have (left) is brick walls, he said, thats about as hot as you can get. The intensity of the heat made the lack of water pressure more serious. As more pieces of fire equipment arrived on the scene, they tapped into the same aging water mains serving the neighborhood. Whenever the fire department opens a lot of hydrants at the same time, the result is a drop in pressure and in the volume of water they deliver, according to an engineer who has studied the citys water system. To get an idea of the effect, imagine what would happen if everyone in an apartment building tried to take a shower at once. Some buildings - those with adequate plumbing - could accommodate the unusual demand. But others wouldnt. Like many older residential communities, the Cobbs Creek area is underlain by 6-inch and 8-inch water mains - relics of an earlier era. These days, the city installs 12-inch mains wherever possible. Very few communities in the country would have the ability to put enough water on a fire that size and have it do any good, said Kolson. When you have 6- to 8-inch mains, its not an ideal place to fight a six- alarm fire, said Fire Commissioner Richmond. To complicate the operation on Osage, a second, unrelated four-alarm fire was reported at 9:25 p.m. at a warehouse at 61st and Woodland Avenue, in Southwest Philadelphia. The houses were so nice, so nice, recalled Bob Iannucci. The firefighter from Ladder 9 showed up at the fourth alarm, entered at 8:27 p.m., and joined the house-to-house battle at the west end of Osage to try to save houses not yet burning. Two houses west of the fire, they would take a stand and begin pulling down ceilings, trying to stop the spread of the blaze. And each time, Iannucci said, they were convinced that this house, this time, they would beat it. So confident were they, and so impressed with the houses they were in, that before tugging down sections of ceiling, Iannucci and the other firefighters picked up televisions and other furniture and carefully moved them out of the way. The men from Engine 43 handled a curio cabinet with special care, moving it aside slowly so that none of the little pieces inside, obviously lovingly collected, would tip over. Minutes later, the house - and the curio cabinet - were reduced to ashes. Richmond calls for the fifth alarm at 8:47. 9:03. Channel 10s ground-level camera at 62d and Pine shows the south side of Pine fully ablaze. Houses are gutted - totally gone. Trees along the south side of Pine are ablaze. Squrts have been removed from their midblock positions, and one is out of the picture. The other is clearly visible and has virtually no pressure. Its emitting barely a dribble. It looked like Atlanta burning, said Battalion Chief Frederick Spitz. The burning of Atlanta. Or Rome. The burning of Rome." Richmond calls for the sixth and final alarm at 9:34. That brings the force to at least 219 firefighters and more than 50 pieces of equipment. It was, Richmond said last week, as fine a piece of firefighting Ive ever seen. The fire could easily have consumed two or three more blocks, Richmond and other fire officials said. When we made our stand, said Capt. Anthony Roman, when we were allowed back in and operate the way we wanted to operate, we stopped the fire. No firefighters were significantly injured in the blaze, but some suffered minor injuries that they ignored to keep fighting the fire - eyes inflamed from tear gas, cut hands, sustained rapid heartbeat, minor burns. If the effort was awesome, as Brennan called it, it went unnoticed. These men were willing to go in and . . . fight the fire through interiors while the whole stair was burning, Allodoli said, which takes a lot of guts to do, because you never know when the whole house is going to collapse on you. To a man, said McMenamin, the Firefighters Local 22 president, the fire department stands behind Richmond in the conduct of the firefighting. He did what he had to do, and we share his frustration and we share his sorrow, McMenamin said. We support the position he took - property over lives. A few days after the fire, Allodoli was booed as he drove his red battalion chiefs station wagon through a West Philadelphia neighborhood. After all we had gone through out there that night, he said. You work all of these years and then now, all of a sudden, youre a bum. The fire department declared the fire under control at 11:41 p.m. A week later, Richmond would say: It was a heroic effort, and it will be a glorious footnote when the whole storys written. This story was originally published on May 26, 1985. Comedian Quinta Brunson, the star and showrunner of Abbott Elementary, made a hilarious admission this week when she appeared on Amy Poehlers new podcast, Good Hang. At the start of the show, Poehler asks friends of the guest for question suggestions. She turned to Abbott writer Kate Peterman, Brunsons longtime friend from Temple University, who brought up Bon Jovi. Advertisement Ask [Brunson] if she now knows if Bon Jovi and Jon Bon Jovi are two different things, said Peterman, who met Brunson in Temples improv group Fowl Play. She asked me in confidence, like in a little whisper, she was like, Are Bon Jovi and Jon Bon Jovi the same guy? Like as if she had to go talk to him, and it was for no reason, and its so funny to me. When Poehler put Brunson on the spot during the episode, the Abbott creator immediately called out Peterman. Shut up Kate, dont go through Amy to do that, she replied as Poehler laughed. I dont know white people. I know you, I know Tina Fey, she said, chuckling. I know white people in comedy if theyre not in comedy, truly, I dont know. But yes, Brunson said she knows the answer to that question now. (Fey, who grew up in Upper Darby, appeared on the first episode of Good Hang and is on tour with Poehler this year, with a scheduled stop in Atlantic City in June.) Clips of the interview have gone viral, with one gaining 7.8 million views on X alone. Poehler compared it to the Keke Palmer sorry to this man meme, when during a Vanity Fair lie detector interview, Palmer didnt recognize Dick Cheney. I actually think thats also a wonderful way, like almost a gentle form of rebellion, Poehler said. My generation was told that we had to know a lot of these people and now we dont really need to know them. Its OK. To clear things up for Brunson, Poehler explained the origins of the band name and how the New Jersey rock star changed his original name, Jon Bongiovi, for the stage. You know everything you just said sounds crazy, right? Brunson said. And the thing is Im supposed to know this, but then Im supposed to deal with people who cant tell me and Keke Palmer apart. Or say my name. Aside from Bon Jovi jokes, the episode featured the comics candid conversations about their own career trajectories and the ways that comedy can provide a special and spiritual connection. When Abbott Elementary came to Philadelphia earlier this year to film for the second time in its four-season history the finale, airing on April 16, features the Please Touch Museum Brunson asked her very recognizable costars Sheryl Lee Ralph and Lisa Ann Walters to avoid walking around in public. She told Poehler that they didnt listen and instead went to shop and get their nails done. But that led to a poignant moment with a fan. Philadelphia has a huge Muslim population, [and] we try to represent the city as much as we can, Brunson said. And we had an episode that featured a young Muslim girl in her hijab, and this girl was crying [and] came up to Sheryl talking about how much that meant to her. Speaking about the finale, Brunson mentioned that Eagles player Jordan Mailata came by the set recently. The diehard Birds fan added that this years Super Bowl LIX win was one of the top five highlights in her life over the past decade. President Donald Guy Generals speaks to community representatives on a new effort to better focus on student wellness at a Community College of Philadelphia event in 2019. Read more Community College of Philadelphias board of trustees is preparing to vote Thursday to oust its longtime president when his contract expires in June. Donald Guy Generals, who has led the college for nearly 11 years, said the board told him in December of the intent not to renew his contract, even though he said he got an above-average evaluation with no problems noted other than some vague interpersonal issues with board members. Advertisement Now the board, Generals said, appears poised to vote on the nonrenewal at a special meeting at 8 a.m. Thursday. The meeting agenda states it is being held to make a decision regarding the presidents contract. READ MORE: After battling faculty union, president ponders CCPs future at his 5-year mark: We want to make our students well Generals said the move is unjustified, given the colleges progress in enrollment since the pandemic, fundraising, recent settlement of a contract with the faculty and staff union which avoided a strike and other accomplishments. Theres no objective reason that they would be doing this. I have no idea what thats about, said Generals, 69, who has led the college since 2014. Im preparing for the worst. I might have to defend myself and my reputation. That the board is choosing to force him out amid turmoil in the federal government, including the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education, is utterly ridiculous, Generals said. READ MORE: CCP board unanimously approves presidential hire Board chair Harold T. Epps did not return a call for comment. Kyle Anderson, a senior principal at Cozen OConnor Public Strategies whose areas include crisis communications, returned a call on Epps behalf and said he would have no comment before the meeting. Several other board members either did not return calls or declined to comment. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker did not immediately respond to a request for comment through a spokesperson. The city provides funding for the college. Junior Brainard, copresident of the faculty and staff union, said: We look forward to working with Dr. Generals or the next president to ensure that the college fulfills its recent agreements including to negotiate a free public transit benefit for students. The trustees board held at least three meetings to discuss Generals contract that were not properly posted or acknowledged, in violation of the Sunshine Law, Generals said. The boards lack of comment, Generals said, speaks volumes. He suggested board members hired an outside communications consultant to basically cover up their mess. Under his contract, the board would have to give him 60 days notice and a years pay if members vote to terminate him without cause, he said. Generals track record at CCP Generals came to Philadelphia from Mercer County Community College in New Jersey, where he was vice president for academic affairs. His hiring early on drew pushback from faculty concerned that he had not been a president before, and had once worked for a troubled for-profit college in New York that had closed. READ MORE: CCP faculty and staff union reaches tentative agreement, averting a strike His early tenure was rocked by contentious contract negotiations with the faculty and staff union that dragged on for more than half of his first five years. But he went on to lead the college through the pandemic he notes that there were no layoffs during that time and that employees continued to get raises even though the college saw a drop in enrollment. Since the pandemic, enrollment has rebounded to 12,400 credit students and 1,381 noncredit students this spring, the highest among community colleges in Pennsylvania, Generals said. Also during his tenure, CCP saw its first alumnus named a Rhodes scholar; Hazim Hardeman got that distinction in 2017. It also started the city-funded Catto scholars program championed by former Mayor Jim Kenney, which covers tuition costs not covered by other aid and money toward food, books, and transportation for up to three years for eligible students. The college launched a branding campaign last year, with billboards that say Rise from Within. And the school last month settled a new contract with the faculty and staff union after more than 14 months of negotiations. Generals noted the colleges 2022 opening of a career and advanced technology center in West Philadelphia, its recently signed $2.7 million contract with the U.S. Navy to train welders, and its student nurses 100% pass rate on certification exams this year. In October, CCP began a new program to train municipal employees, at Parkers request. I was able to get that up and running in six months, Generals said. The college has seen more than $100 million in capital improvements over the last decade and has raised over $50 million in the last four years, he said. All the indicators of a successful community college are there, he said. The Urban Affairs Coalition in November gave him its community leadership award, he noted. He also served as a vice chair of Parkers education transition team and had cochaired Philadelphia School District Superintendent Tony B. Watlingtons transition team when he arrived. His contract, he said, called for an annual evaluation, which he was supposed to receive in July but did not get the first draft of until November, and only eight of 15 board members participated. Typically, when a college is not going to renew a contract, a president is given a years notice, so the executive can look for another job and the college can search for a replacement. We made a life here, he said of his family, and, boom just like that. Members of CCPs foundation board, which raises money for the college, have been asking questions about the boards intentions and getting no answers. My concern is a lack of transparency, said Andrea Sanders, a member of the foundation board executive committee. I understand that we cant discuss personnel matters but at least we could have been given some idea if there was trouble on the horizon with Dr. Generals. We heard absolutely nothing. Sanders said based on his work and what she knows, she would like to see him remain president. His accolades speak for themselves, she said. Pennsylvania officials on Wednesday complied with the Trump administrations directive to certify that its schools comply with antidiscrimination laws but told districts they dont need to change any diversity, equity and inclusion practices. Read more Pennsylvania officials on Wednesday complied with a directive from President Donald Trumps administration to certify that its schools conform with antidiscrimination laws but told districts they dont need to change any diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. While the U.S. Department of Education instructed states that certain DEI practices violate federal law and threatened to pull federal funding over racially discriminatory practices it did not identify those practices or define illegal DEI, Carrie Rowe, acting secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, said in a letter to schools Wednesday. Advertisement Rowe said there were no federal or state laws generally prohibiting efforts relating to diversity, equity, or inclusion, and said that federal courts had rejected similar requests for compliance with such nebulous concepts. Pennsylvania, like all of its school districts, fully complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and has already confirmed that through its acceptance of federal grant money, Rowe said. Pennsylvanias position on the federal funding threat issued by the U.S. education department April 3 is similar to that of some other Democrat-led states, which have opposed the Trump administrations push to eliminate DEI initiatives. But the states official response to the department was more muted than some other Democratic-led counterparts. New York, for instance, told federal officials that we understand that the current administration seeks to censor anything it deems diversity, equity & inclusion and disputed the Trump administrations reliance on the U.S. Supreme Courts 2023 decision striking down affirmative action in college admissions saying the case does not have the totemic significance that you have assigned it, according to the New York Times. READ MORE: Gov. Shapiro says hes still reviewing federal funding threat to schools over DEI, as other states vow to fight Trump Massachusetts told the education department that it would continue to promote diversity in our schools, while Minnesota told the education department that it does not have the authority to unilaterally overrule the will of Congress, adding that the current uncertainty and threats would penalize the most vulnerable children in Minnesota. Pennsylvania education officials, meanwhile, told the Trump administration Wednesday that the state certifies that it has and will continue to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as required by law and by the various grant agreements and programs under which the department and its local education agencies (LEAs) receive federal funds. The department affirms that all of Pennsylvanias LEAs have previously certified, on multiple occasions, that they comply and will continue to comply with Title VI, Pennsylvanias acting deputy secretary of education, Angela Fitterer, said in the letter. The departments statement on behalf of school districts stood in contrast to states like New Hampshire, which has a Republican governor, and where the state education department launched a website tracking which districts have submitted certifications in compliance with the federal directive. In a statement April 3, U.S. Department of Education officials said that too many schools had been using DEI programs to discriminate against one group of Americans to favor another. The department which said in a letter to states that Title I funding for high-poverty schools was conditioned on compliance with antidiscrimination laws said that state education agencies would have to certify their compliance to continue receiving federal funding, and were also responsible for collecting certification responses from their local education agencies. Jeffrey Sultanik, a solicitor for numerous Philadelphia-area school districts, said Wednesday the Pennsylvania education department was not requiring further action from school districts. However, it is unclear at this time whether this letter will be sufficient to satisfy the Trump administrations directive, Sultanik said. The Philadelphia School District failed to make $2.2 million in required contributions to a federal college-readiness program, a new audit by the Philadelphia City Controllers Office found. Under the terms of the federal funding, offered to schools in economically disadvantaged communities, the district must match the funds it receives from the U.S. Education Department. Advertisement Philadelphia reported nearly $3 million in expenses for the program, called Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP), in the 2023-24 school year. But it contributed only $820,416 a little over a quarter of its obligation. The school system, the audit found, has no systems in place for identifying, securing and tracking matching contributions, which, under the terms of the grant, could come in the form of cash or in-kind services. The shortfall was judged a significant deficiency, and City Controller Christy Brady said that if the problem is not resolved, the school district is at risk of not receiving future grant funds for this particular program, or they might have to repay the federal dollars. The district in 2022 was awarded a $29.5 million GEAR UP grant to be administered over seven years. The funds support college-readiness work at 12 district high schools and 30 schools with middle-years grades. These are huge dollars to help our kids, and we would hate to see it not applied, Brady said. This is a great funding opportunity for the school district. Bradys office audits the districts federal grants programs annually. Though the bulk of the districts $4.6 billion budget comes from state and local funding, the school system does receive millions from the federal government the bulk of it via Title I aid to schools that educate students from low-income areas. Not every program is examined every year; this year, Bradys office audited the districts school breakfast and lunch programs and fresh fruit and vegetable programs, as well as GEAR UP, a career and technical education program, and an education stabilization program. Brady recommended immediate fixes including creating a tracking system, training grant staff to find funding streams for matching contributions, and conducting periodic reconciliations. Despite the deficiency, Brady said she was gratified by the districts quick response and plans to remedy the issue. They do have a very strong accounting staff, and they had a very detailed corrective action plan that Im very happy with, Brady said. Answering the controllers findings, district officials agree with the deficiencies identified regarding matching contributions, level of effort, and earmarking for the GEAR UP program, the controllers report said. School system officials promised to put fixes including launching a detailed tracking system in place by September to ensure the matching requirements are met by the end of the grant period in 2027. The news comes amid a time of turmoil at the U.S. Department of Education; Education Secretary Linda McMahon recently laid off about half of her staff. President Donald Trump has said he wants to shutter the department. And the department is threatening to withhold Title I funding from states that fail to certify that all of their districts have ended diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Plowshare Farms owner Teddy Moynihan, whose vegetables and farm dinners are popular with Philly chefs. Until recently, Moynihan was working full-time for Pasa, a Harrisburg-based nonprofit that has cultivated a network of sustainability-minded farmers from Maine to South Carolina. Read more Throughout February and March, the workers at Pasa Sustainable Agriculture faced a conundrum: They hadnt been paid and they were out of money. They also werent allowed to stop working. If they did, they would violate the terms of their grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the organization that owes them $3 million. Advertisement They say they have no idea when were going to be paid, Pasa executive director Hannah Smith-Brubaker said late last month, letting out a long sigh. The idea that we could have this binding agreement with the U.S. government which usually is good as gold that can just arbitrarily be terminated ... its just very, very challenging. The Harrisburg-based farming nonprofit has not been paid in over 60 days. Last week it furloughed 60 employees many of them farmers leaving just 10 on staff. The $3 million in outstanding reimbursements stems from work Pasa has done under the banner of a multimillion-dollar, five-year USDA grant to help farmers implement climate-friendly practices on their farms. In the wake of the funding freeze, the 34-year-old nonprofit drained its carefully saved rainy-day reserves by compensating farmers who had already spent money on projects the government had agreed to pay for. On top of that, hundreds of small East Coast farmers are recalculating after having sunk time, money, and effort into planning ecological and infrastructural improvements to their land. It is so hard to make farming work, Smith-Brubaker said. There definitely will be farmers who will lose their farm as a result of this. In March, Pasa joined a lawsuit filed by the Southern Environmental Law Center to restore the funding, which the Trump administration froze via executive order in late January. Two federal judges have since ruled the funding freezes unlawful and ordered the government to deliver the money it promised, to seemingly no effect. Formerly the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Pasa now operates from Maine to South Carolina, coordinating farmer-led educational events, training programs, and research studies while working with farms to implement sustainability practices like cover cropping and agroforestry. The nonprofit has built a network of dedicated East Coast farmers with an interest in stewarding the environment while analyzing ways to run farms more efficiently. In 2023, the USDA awarded Pasa a $55 million, five-year grant, one of several the federal agency awarded under the $3.1 billion Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program. The money would help Pasa provide financial and technical support to thousands of small farms across 15 states, combatting erosion, improving soil health, protecting water quality, and boosting resilience against extreme weather, as well as helping farmers with important data collection and marketing strategies. Historically, the lions share of federal farm subsidies have gone to the largest, wealthiest farms, which often grow just a few commodity crops (e.g.: corn, soybeans, cotton). Pasa aimed to reach as many as 2,000 small- to medium-size farms growing highly diversified crops with the $55 million, a task it was well-poised to do. The USDA basically asked us to leverage our community relationships with farmers that they werent reaching, Smith-Brubaker said. So now here [the small farmers] were finally being offered dollars that felt relevant. They thought they could trust the program, because it wasnt coming directly from USDA; it was coming through us. To assist farmers, Pasa hired people like Teddy Moynihan, who has run Plowshare Farms in Pipersville, Bucks County, for 12 years. The farm may be familiar to restaurant buffs, not only because its produce appears on local restaurant menus but also because Plowshare has hosted many high-profile chefs for farm dinners over the years. A former ninth-grade English teacher in the Philadelphia School District, Moynihan got his start in farming partly thanks to one of Pasas annual conferences, where he first met Plowshares eventual landlord. Years of both educating and farming made him well-suited to the Pasa position. He scaled down production on his own land to focus on the full-time job, winnowing Plowshares restaurant sales by about 75% in 2024 and holding just one farm dinner, as opposed to eight the previous year. Over the course of the last year, Moynihan estimated he worked with 40 farmers to spec out various projects all designed to have a positive impact on the environment and, eventually, the farmers bottom lines. He worked with a sheep dairy in Northampton County to develop a grazing plan that would increase milk production while delivering higher-value grasses and legumes. In Lehigh County, he consulted with an organic vegetable farm to reduce tillage (which helps prevent erosion) and plant a hedgerow to reduce chemical drift from a neighboring farm, preserving the farms organic certification. In Southwest Philly, he helped implement crop rotation and a soil nutrient management plan for an urban community farm. Each project was time-consuming, requiring lots of back-and-forth with governmental agencies. But the work felt well worth it to Moynihan. I just wanted to have a bigger impact on the farming community and really on the environment as a whole, he said. Now Moynihan is furloughed, and the projects in progress are on ice, if not scrapped indefinitely. Thats the case at 663 East Coast farms that Pasa was working with at the time. We have about about $2 million in projects that were considered shovel-ready, Smith-Brubaker said. Local people who were planning on these contracts are also impacted think about the fencing company, the seed company. Particularly in rural areas, the downstream effects in the local economy are really big, too. Moynihan is turning his attention back to Plowshare. Farmers are accustomed to dealing with sudden changes, he said, hardened by years of managing whatever weather and pests come their way. But hes sure this experience will leave a bad taste in some mouths. There are certain farmers who, for good reason, are deeply distrustful of the U.S. government and the USDA, Moynihan said. We had been told many, many times, We want to bring those farmers into the fold. We want to increase trust of the USDA and [the Natural Resources Conservation Service] among underserved farmers. And we did a lot of work to that end. Those same skeptical farmers just, again, had the rug pulled out from under them, Moynihan said. Its almost worse than if we just hadnt done any of this. Philly is a hotbed of pizza, and now two pizza chefs have the awards to prove it. Also in this edition: Advertisement Mike Klein If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here. Two pizzaioli Davide Lubrano (above) of Phillys Pizzata Pizzeria and Pizzata Birreria and Ben Tobin of Kennett Squares Mezzaluna KSQ are basking in victories at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Read on and Ill tell you how you can try these winning pies. From cheesesteaks and crab cakes to cocktails and beer, tariffs are set to ripple through Phillys food, beverage, and grocery industries. One food distributor told Jenn Ladd: If my price goes up, their price goes up. And so does the consumers. Potential tariffs on Mexico are already affecting restaurants, not to mention the cost of tequila and mezcal. Kiki Aranita found that even made-in-American spirits will have to adjust. One reason: Corks are made in Mexico. Is PHL the hottest restaurant neighborhood? asks Kiki Aranita. River Twice and Little Water chef Randy Rucker will design dishes for American Airlines new Flagship Lounge, set to debut this summer, while a standalone Middle Child different from the restaurants current setup inside the Chase Sapphire Lounge is planned for Terminal D later this fall. Are those new Middle Child sandwiches at PHL any good? Kiki tried them. And in other Middle Child news: Youll never guess who won our Breakfast Sandwich Bracket. The enormous cutlets at Carina Sorella in Bryn Mawr anchor the chicken parm and a pair of salad upgrades none so impressive as the shock-and-awe Caesar. Craig LaBan is both shocked and awed. Funding cuts out of Washington have deeply affected a program meant to help small East Coast farms. As Jenn Ladd explains, the workers at Harrisburg-based Pasa Sustainable Agriculture were owed money, but also werent allowed to stop working. Speaking of farms, Christa Barfield of West Chester-based FarmerJawn clarified whats going on with the agricultural outfits nonprofit arm, FarmerJawn & Friends Foundation Fund. Jenn Ladd has the full story. Scoops Musette, the cafe at 25th and Aspen in Fairmount, is opening a second location, taking the former Ultimo at 20th and Locust Streets in Rittenhouse. Michael and Caitlin Harding are expanding the scope to include an aperitivo menu with a few small plates, salumi, conserva, and a nonalcoholic cocktail and wine list BYOB otherwise. Hes a level-2 CMS sommelier and former beverage manager and cocktail professional. Theyre targeting early May. Fleurs an enormous project, more than two years in the works and backed by Josh Mann, Graham Gernsheimer, and chef George Sabatino is preparing to open this spring in East Kensington, in a former furniture retailers building. Itll be a two-floor French-ish restaurant, six-room boutique hotel, event space, and rooftop bar with an open-air patio. Theyll preview the food and aesthetic on April 19 at Citrine Studios (1834 E. Hagert St.) with a five-course tasting menu; seatings at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. are $135 a head. Heres the link. For two decades, Devon residents have been staring at two vacant restaurants on a busy corner across from Whole Foods. That wont be true for too much longer. Heres whats happening there. That Main Line complexs revival is one of five brand-new restaurant deals in the suburbs, including a French cafe in South Jersey thats going full-on Italian. Restaurant report Jolenes. Youd think that with all the offerings in downtown West Chester, someone would have opened a French restaurant after Gilmores shut down in 2012. The 3 West Hospitality Group, whose holdings include the casual Slow Hand, Square Bar, Brickette Lounge, and Jitters, made the big move to semi-fine dining in January with the polished Jolenes, taking over the double-wide storefront that housed Social Club and the long-ago Spence Cafe. Jolenes is big on buzz both the local word-of-mouth as well as the volume in the dining room. (The restaurant suggests coming out on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday to escape the din.) Chef Craig Russell a former sous chef at Will BYOB who drew a following at the old Red Store in Cape May and Co/Op in University City before he headed to cook upscale bar food at Slow Hand has segued into French bistro. His tight menu (a response to a kitchen staffing shortage) features steak tartare ($14), seared foie gras ($20), bouillabaisse ($38, shown at top), and duck breast over wild rice with a red-wine caramel sauce ($34), one of the more popular dishes. Figure on two or three dishes per person. The dining room, low-lit for date night, takes up one side, while the cozy, even dimmer bar on the other side (shown below) is stocked almost exclusively with French wines. Were bracing ourselves to see what that looks like come June when they start running out of inventory around here, said Matthew Gansert, the groups culinary director. Jolenes, 29 E. Gay St., West Chester. Hours: 5 p.m.-midnight Tuesday to Saturday. Wheelchair-accessible. First word: Honeysuckle Honeysuckles new incarnation, with a full bar and three times the space of its previous West Philly location, will debut April 24 at 631 N. Broad St. (Above, a decorative piece that anchors the bar area.) Some initial intel, starting with the menus from chefs Omar Tate and Cybille St.Aude Tate. Dinner is $95 fixed-price, with choices from a three-course selection. Among the add-ons is a $55 double-patty cheeseburger with truffle and caviar on white bread, served with fries. Tate calls it McDonalds Money, and its a sly tribute to his upbringing, when his mom made burgers at home on white bread because they didnt have money for McDonalds. St.Aude-Tates beverage menu is a tribute to Haitian rums and their house-made fermentations; you must try the holy trinity soda a fizzy, vegetal, Cel-Ray-like blend of onion, celery, and bell pepper. Reservations on OpenTable. Pop quiz How much of Americas imported fruit comes through the Port of Philadelphia? A) 5% B) 10% C) 20% D) 30% Find out if you know the answer. Ask Mike anything Is the rumor true that a McDonalds is opening across from Liberty Place? Jane J. It is true, as my colleague Jake Blumgart reported in December, specifying the location as 1604 Chestnut St. I checked in on the progress. Brett Feldman, a zoning attorney with Klehr Harrison who represents McDonalds, said the plans have received approvals from both the Zoning Board of Adjustment and the Art Commission (for proposed signs). Construction is due to start this summer with opening by the end of the year. Also, just a few doors away at 1614 Chestnut, a Taco Bell is under construction. Have a question about food in Philly? Email your questions to me at mklein@inquirer.com for a chance to be featured in my newsletter. By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirers Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10. Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland, shown in 2024, is owned by bankrupt Prospect Medical Holdings. Read more Crozers bankrupt owner, Prospect Medical Holdings, told a bankruptcy judge it needs $9 million by 4 p.m. Wednesday to keep the Delaware County hospitals open for another two weeks while it negotiates a sale. If it doesnt get that money, unfortunately, well need to commence our shutdown protocol, Bill Curtin, Prospects lawyer, told the judge during Tuesdays nearly 90-minute hearing. Advertisement That means Crozer would stop accepting patients at its emergency departments Thursday morning, Curtin said. Prospect has said multiple times since filing for bankruptcy in January that it was on the verge of closing the hospitals in a part of Delaware County with limited easily accessible alternatives, particularly in the low-income city of Chester. Curtin said there was no chance of an agreement this week to sell Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland and Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park to a proposed new nonprofit backed by a consortium of local health systems. Crozer employs 3,200. If the cash infusion comes in, talks would continue on a long-term solution that would require even more money, Curtin said, adding that Pennsylvania officials were trying to come up with the $9 million. Gov. Josh Shapiros office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The system has $25 million on hand, but needs to pay employees a little under $10 million this week, an attorney for FTI Consulting said. An FTI team, led by Bill Benton, has been overseeing management of Crozer since February. FTI has devised a plan that would slash Crozers annual loss from $140 million to $10 million to $15 million, Melissa L. Van Eck, a lawyer in the state Attorney Generals Office, told U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Stacey Jernigan. Another hearing is scheduled for Thursday at 3 p.m. in Dallas. The subject will be Prospects motion to close the Crozer hospitals or another update on the status of negotiations. Unable to force unidentified members of the proposed consortium of nonprofit health systems to meet, Jernigan ordered other parties to meet online Wednesday at 9 a.m. Usually bankruptcy is a little more transparent than this, Jernigan said. Tobey Deluz, a Ballard Spahr attorney representing Delaware County, explained to the judge that the members of the potential consortium are not creditors or otherwise parties of interest in the bankruptcy. Its that portion of a sale process where maybe an investment banker usually is talking to prospective bidders, and thats not always that transparent, Deluz said. Deluz acknowledged the long-term funding gap. The local systems need to feel more confident that they arent going to step into the shoes of the debtor and then have to close the hospital, she said. The judge grilled an attorney for a local nonprofit focused on health in the community, the Foundation for Delaware County, about why it wasnt offering to provide more money to keep Crozer open. The foundation already provided $20 million, and is facing up to $30 million in liabilities related to leases on medical office buildings Crozer uses. The foundations president, Frances Sheehan, said in a statement after the hearing that the $20 million was supposed to cover the shorter-term needs to keep the hospitals open. While we were hopeful that our investment would have borne fruit, it is apparent that there is no long-term solution, she said. Finally, the judge was concerned that frustration over past profit-taking by California-based Prospect was impeding a sale. This is a new era. This is not old Prospect, the judge said. Not all is new, though. Prospect still has Duane Morris LLP as special counsel, with a team led by Alan Kessler that represented Prospect on local issues for years. Duane Morris filed notice last week asking for $119,524 in fees for work in February. Delaware is the best state for working remotely, according to a new report by WalletHub. New Jersey and Pennsylvania are also among the top states. Read more While the number of remote workers has been shrinking locally and nationally, telework opportunities still exist. In Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and especially Delaware, conditions are favorable for those who work from home. A new report by personal finance company WalletHub ranked all 50 states and Washington, D.C., from best to worst for remote workers. Advertisement The ranking considered factors such as share of people working from home, households internet access, and cybersecurity risk. It also took into account factors like price of electricity, access to low-priced internet, and size and availability of homes. Delaware was ranked No. 1, New Jersey ranked No. 5 overall, and Pennsylvania ranked No. 7. In Delaware, 13.3% of the workforce works from home, the report said. The First State has the third-lowest internet cost, and 97% of people have fast enough internet to work from home smoothly. Similarly, in Pennsylvania 13.8% of workers do so from home and 15% in New Jersey. Homes also offer plenty of workspace in Delaware, with the fifth-highest square footages of the states, and a median of 918 square feet per person. Pennsylvania houses had a median of 852 square feet per person, and New Jersey had 672. Working from home can save people a lot of money on transportation expenses, as well as make their work environment a lot more comfortable and their hours more flexible, Chip Lupo, a WalletHub analyst, said in a statement. About 16% of Philadelphias workforce worked remotely in 2023, showing a decline from the year before. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker last year required municipal workers to return to in-person attendance five days a week and encouraged area businesses to push their employees for more in-person attendance. But some workers have pushed back on return-to-office mandates. Some see remote work flexibility as a necessity, not as an optional perk. Demand for remote jobs is high while 20% of job postings on LinkedIn are for remote or hybrid jobs, those posts are getting 60% of applications on the platform, CNBC reported last month. Things like energy costs, internet speed, home sizes, and how many people live together can greatly impact peoples savings and productivity, Lupo said. While work-from-home jobs can be done anywhere, certain states make the practice much better than others. The corner of 62nd and Larchwood on May 13, 1985, as smoke pours out over the 6200 block of Osage Avenue after police dropped a bomb on MOVE headquarters. Read more On the morning of May 13, 1985, the city dropped a satchel bomb on the roof of a rowhouse in West Philadelphia in the hopes of flushing a radical, Black-led, back-to-nature group called MOVE from its compound, a decision that led to the deaths of 11 people five of them children and the destruction of a neighborhood. What amazes Yvonne Latty, director of Temple Universitys Logan Center for Urban Investigative Reporting, is how many Philadelphians dont know this happened. Advertisement It wasnt taught at the schools of either of her daughters. A surprising number of young people she has surveyed have never heard of MOVE or the bombing. So last August, Latty began working on a project to dig into the causes and effects of the citys disastrous decision a six-part podcast that The Inquirer is cohosting, based on interviews with MOVE members, neighbors, and journalists who covered the bombing and fire that city officials let burn until they could not control it. Starting April 22, listeners will find on inquirer.com/move a raw and unfiltered tapestry of sound called MOVE: Untangling the Tragedy, as Linn Washington Jr., a Temple professor and former reporter at The Philadelphia Tribune and the Daily News, serves as a guide through the calamitous events. Some of the voices will be familiar from former Mayor Frank Rizzo, who detested the MOVE organization, to Wilson Goode, who as mayor approved the bombing; from local TV newsmen Vernon Odom and Harvey Clark to Walter Cronkite, the CBS Evening News anchor who brought the polices 1978 shootout with MOVE into the nations living rooms. Other audio has never been aired before, such as the drama that former Inquirer reporter Maida Odom captured on her cassette player as bullets zipped around her 40 years ago. On tape, she can be heard interviewing witnesses, then seeking cover. It was literally war reporting in West Philadelphia, Latty said. No one talked about the PTSD you could get from covering the stories. Every journalist there was impacted mentally. The trailer is live on The Inquirers MOVE page and episodes will drop each Tuesday, starting April 22. Subscribe to MOVE: Untangling the Tragedy on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. BANGKOK President Donald Trump raised the tariff on Chinese imports to 125% on Wednesday, hours after China boosted the duty on American goods to 84% in an escalating battle that threatens to disrupt trade between the worlds two largest economies. Citing a lack of respect, Trump set China apart from other countries. He said in a social media post that he is pausing his so-called reciprocal tariffs on many other trading partners because they had responded by reaching out for talks rather than retaliating. Advertisement The tit-for-tat hikes between the U.S. and China are the latest in an ongoing trade war that threatens to raise prices for consumers in America and derail Chinas attempts to reinvigorate its sluggish economy. The response from the Chinese government signals its determination not to bend to Trumps pressure, despite the risks. READ MORE: Philly businesses prepare for a new era of global trade: Everything remains up in the air If the U.S. insists on further escalating its economic and trade restrictions, China has the firm will and abundant means to take necessary countermeasures and fight to the end, Chinas Ministry of Commerce said before announcing its latest tariff hike. In Washington, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: When you punch at the United States of America, President Trump is going to punch back further. READ MORE: Philly port braces for tariffs as the largest U.S. importer of fruit China is a major exporter to U.S. but no longer No. 1 The United States sent a record $199 billion in exports to China last year, while China exported $463 billion in goods and services to the United States, third behind Mexico and Canada, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. Top U.S. exports to China in 2024 included soy beans, aircraft, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. In the other direction, mobile phones, computers, toys and clothing were among major imports from China. The manufacturing giant was the top source of U.S. imports as recently as 2022 but it has lost ground to Americas neighbors amid heightened tensions with the United States. READ MORE: Philly-area car dealers are bracing for higher prices as tariffs take effect The European Chamber of Commerce in China accused the U.S. of rolling back many of the principles that have underpinned its approach to trade and investment. It said that Trumps tariffs would have a significant impact on European companies exporting from China to the U.S., forcing them to rethink their business models and supply chains. This will lead to a substantial increase in operational costs and inefficiencies, and ultimately higher prices for consumers, it said. READ MORE: A small-business guide to avoiding and managing tariff costs No easy path to restarting U.S.-China trade talks Though the U.S. and China may want to find a way back to the negotiating table, this wont be an easy path to navigate with both countries doubling down and bilateral engagement at a virtual standstill, said former U.S. trade official Wendy Cutler, a vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute. China does not appear interested in bargaining, as some other countries have started doing. If the U.S. truly wants to resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation, it should adopt an attitude of equality, respect and mutual benefit, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said. The Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued a travel advisory asking its citizens to evaluate the risks of visiting the U.S. as tourists and to exercise caution. The advisory, which came shortly after the announcement of Chinas latest tariff hike, cited the deterioration in economic and trade relations as well as the safety situation in America. Chinas response has gone from measured to tough Trump has now raised the tariff on Chinese goods five times since taking office in January. The first two hikes of 10% each were met with what analysts described as a measured response from China that left the door open for talks. But after Trump announced an additional 34% duty on Chinese goods last week, along with tariffs on other countries in his Liberation Day, China matched that with a 34% tariff on imports from the U.S. Trump then added a 50% tariff on goods from China, saying negotiations were terminated, and bringing the cumulative U.S. tariff to 104%. China responded by raising the tariff on American products by the same amount, bringing its total rate to 84%. Then Trump upped the American tariff to 125%. China also said it was launching a new challenge to the U.S. tariffs at the World Trade Organization and added 11 American companies to an unreliable entities list that bars Chinese companies from selling them goods that could have military uses. Among the companies are American Photonics, and SYNEXXUS, which both work with the American military. The trade dispute has set back efforts to resolve a standoff over the TikTok short video app. Trump signed an order last week to keep TikTok running for another 75 days after a potential deal to sell the app to American owners was put on ice. Representatives from ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns the app, told the White House that Beijing would no longer approve a deal until there could be talks on trade. History and facts have proven that the United States increase in tariffs will not solve its own problems, the Commerce Ministry said Wednesday. Instead, it will trigger sharp fluctuations in financial markets, push up U.S. inflation pressure, weaken the U.S. industrial base and increase the risk of a U.S. economic recession, which will ultimately only backfire on itself. The Burlington County Health Department building in Westampton has had refurbishments halted by the Trump Administration . Read more Stymied by unexpected Trump administration cuts, Burlington County officials continue to explore their options to complete refurbishments of the building housing the countys health department. The department has spent around $5 million of the more than $6 million it would cost to finish the work on the building in Westampton, said county spokesperson David Levinsky. Federal grant money had been earmarked for the project, which was started last June. Advertisement Burlington County was notified by the New Jersey Department of Health on March 28 that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would not reimburse the county for any work done after that day, meaning the county would be short more than $1 million to complete the refurbishments, according to Linda Brown, executive director of the New Jersey Association of County and City Health Officials (NJACCHO). The nonprofit is an organization of municipal and county public health leaders and allied health professionals. Without the money reserved for the completion of building renovations, the work is just three-quarters done, Levinsky said. They are now scrambling, Brown said of Burlington County. Its been a really challenging moment. The county is contemplating possible alternatives for how to complete the project, Levinsky said. Other South Jersey counties have also seen their funding terminated, Brown said, adding that the effects are being assessed. I dont yet have confirmed losses at this time. By order of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), $11.4 billion in COVID-era funding that was slated for grants to state and county public health departments and nonprofit groups nationwide was cut on March 24. Of that amount, $350 million was to have gone to New Jersey, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Department of Health said. Normally, money flows from the federal government to the New Jersey Department of Health, which in turn allots the money to the NJACCHO for use in local health departments, Brown said. The organization had been distributing these funds statewide since October 2022 from two federal grants before DOGE stepped in. In a statement last month, HHS officials said, The COVID-19 pandemic is over, and HHS will no longer waste billions of taxpayer dollars responding to a non-existent pandemic that Americans moved on from years ago. But the money was being used for much more than treating COVID-19, health officials said. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy called the cuts irrational and inexplicable in a statement on March 31. The elimination of money for heath departments creates an unfillable void in funding that will have disastrous ramifications for our most vulnerable neighbors, Murphy said. To combat the cuts, 23 states including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware filed a lawsuit in federal court in Rhode Island against the Trump administration on April 1. Triggering chaos, the administration terminated critical public health funding with no advance warning, the lawsuit maintains. The New Jersey Department of Health uses this funding to support 94 local health departments to cover staff; data infrastructure; community outreach and education; infectious disease preparedness; coordination and crisis response; renovations and facility improvements; and professional development and training, according to the lawsuit. On April 3, a federal judge said she will temporarily block the Trump administration from cutting the money. It is not clear how that affects Burlington County. Built in 1975, the Burlington County Health Department building has not undergone any significant improvements since. Modernizing the building became a priority use for the grant funds, Levinsky, the county spokesperson, said. The grant was being used to improve clinic space, and to create more offices, boardrooms, and storage areas, Levinsky said. He added that none of the approximately 70 workers there have had to leave the building during renovations. The clinic is used for numerous programs, Levinsky said, including child immunizations, COVID and flu vaccine clinics, HIV/STD testing, counseling and treatment, pregnancy testing, and Access to Reproductive Care and HIV (ARCH) nursing services. Widely shared social media posts with alarming comments and credible threats of violence, including guns, prompted the postponement of Gloucester Township Day in light of a rowdy disruption at last years event that resulted in multiple arrests and injuries, officials said. The long-term safety and security of the community must take precedence over short-term enjoyment, Gloucester Township Police Chief David Harkins said at a Tuesday news conference. Our focus is on fostering a safe environment for future community events where residents can enjoy these activities without fear. Advertisement Last year, the event descended into mayhem after more than 500 teenagers and young adults converged on the festival, breaking out into fights that resulted in 11 arrests and five injuries, including to three police officers. As a result, organizers at the Gloucester Township Day Scholarship Committee this year attempted to reduce the chance for a similar disruption by planning to limit the festivals hours, ending it before dark, officials said. But after the township announced the events 2025 date and times initially June 7 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in an Instagram post last month, what officials referred to as alarming comments cropped up, prompting the indefinite postponement of the festival. The mayors office observed an unusual amount of sharing of and commenting on the post, prompting township police to look into the matter. The post, Mayor David Mayer said, was circulated about 20,000 times online, largely by what appears to be juveniles expressing their excitement about showing up and, once again, causing disruption and chaos. Investigators found that the post had been copied to a private TikTok account, and that the post had a number of concerning comments on it, Harkins said. The comments, he added, gave police reason to believe that people from across the region were going to come create problems, and at least one comment referenced guns at the festival. The townships Instagram post has since been taken down, but the TikTok accounts post remained up as of Monday, when it had roughly 800 comments, 8,000 shares, 39,000 likes, and 220,000 views the latter number being about three times the size of Gloucester Townships population, Harkins said. As a result of the threats, Harkins said, police recommended that the event be postponed. Some commenters, he added, suggested that police take extreme measures to ensure safety for event attendees, including armored rescue vehicles and riot gear. Thats not something that I would sign off on for a community event, and, quite frankly, I think those comments are ridiculous, Harkins said. Officials said that the event, which raises money for scholarships for the townships high school seniors, attracts large crowds each year. As a result, it is inherently vulnerable to violence and other disturbances, and even with heightened security, the risk would still be too great to allow the event to go on, given the recent threats combined with last years chaos. We are just trying to be prudent, Harkins said. Were not going to put ourselves in that position again. Officials expressed regret at the need to indefinitely postpone the festival and have not yet set a new date. Mayer added that the events postponement comes amid a juvenile crisis in this country that is not unique to Gloucester Township. Last year, a number of other regional summer events also saw cancellations, postponements, or other alterations due to similar concerns. The June Fete Fair in Montgomery County, for example, was canceled after a 111-year run, as was the Broomall Fire Company Annual Carnival, the Dreamland Amusements Carnival at the Neshaminy Mall, and the Exton Square Mall Carnival, among others. New Jersey officials, meanwhile, have pursued legislation aimed at enhancing penalties for disorderly conduct, and creating new ones for inciting or participating in public brawls. One bill, introduced by Sen. Paul Moriarty (D., Gloucester) following the chaos at last years Gloucester Township Day, is awaiting Gov. Phil Murphys signature, officials said. This decision is not the reflection of the Gloucester Township communitys spirit, Harkins said of the decision to postpone this years event. But its a necessary step to ensure safety for all involved. Emergency personnel work at the site of a deadly explosion at a chocolate factory in West Reading, Pa., Friday, March 24, 2023. Read more The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday made public its final report on the 2023 natural gas explosion at a West Reading chocolate factory that killed seven employees. The March 24, 2023, explosion at the R.M. Palmer Co. factory also injured 10 people and displaced three families from a neighboring apartment building that was severely damaged. The explosion caused an estimated $42 million in damage. Advertisement The 99-page report dated exactly two years after the tragic event that rocked the borough of approximately 4,500 people cited as the probable cause of the explosion a degraded plastic pipe fitting that allowed natural gas to leak and migrate into the R.M. Palmer candy factory building, where it was ignited by an unknown source. The pipe fitting a 1982 Aldyl A polyethylene service tee had been identified in a July 2023 NTSB report as the likely source of the leak. The fitting had been retired from use, but was still connected to natural gas. A corroded steam pipe significantly elevated the ground temperature and led to the natural gas service tee becoming degraded, the NTSB said. And contributing to the steam pipes becoming cracked were soil movement and R.M. Palmer Co.s lack of awareness of the pipes corroded state, the NTSB said. Contributing to the natural gas leak was [provider UGI Utilities] lack of awareness of the nearby steam pipe, which led to an incomplete integrity management program evaluation that did not consider or manage the risk posed by the steam pipe, the report said. R.M. Palmer Companys insufficient emergency response procedures and training of its employees, who did not understand the hazard and did not evacuate the buildings before the explosion, made the accident more severe, the report said. After the explosion, employees from both buildings described smelling gas or rotten eggs ahead of the blast. A spokesperson for R.M. Palmer said the company was reviewing the NTSBs report. Not a day goes by that we do not remember and reflect on the heartbreaking loss of several colleagues and friends on that tragic day. We continue to mourn this loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families affected by this tragedy, the company said in a statement. R.M. Palmer takes the health, safety and wellness of our employees very seriously and will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the health and safety of our employees and will proactively work with regulators to prevent any similar tragedy in the future. UGI Utilities Inc. released a statement saying that the natural gas provider was carefully reviewing the final report and recommendations and had fully cooperated with the NTSB investigation. What occurred at R.M. Palmer was a heartbreaking tragedy, and our deepest sympathies remain with the victims families, the West Reading community, and all those affected. Since the incident, UGI has remained unwavering in its commitment to providing safe and reliable natural gas service, the statement said. The NTSB report lists a lengthy series of recommendations for safety improvements, including raising national awareness of the risks associated with the plastic service tee and other plastic assets that could become degraded from elevated temperatures. The NTSB also recommended that UGI inventory all its plastic natural gas assets that may be in elevated temperature environments and address the risk associated with these assets. Other recommendations focused on improved communications and safety awareness, and recommended that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania review and amend its statutes to facilitate sharing investigative information with the NTSB. The report said that during the investigation, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission withheld some information, citing state security nondisclosure laws. Therefore, in September 2023, the NTSB removed the PA PUC as a party to the investigation, after which the PA PUC could not participate in information sharing among parties during the investigation, the report said. The report said the PUC had been helpful before the dispute. Nonetheless, the NTSB had to go to court and was eventually able to gain access to the required documentation, the report said. The PUCs refusal to provide investigative information pursuant to the NTSBs federal authority added to delays in the investigation and safety recommendations, the report said. In a statement on the NTSB report and on steps that Pennsylvania has taken to improve safety, the PUC said it reiterates its commitment to working with federal partners to address legal challenges surrounding the handling of what it said was confidential information. Transparency and cooperation are essential to safety, PUC Chairman Stephen M. DeFrank said in a statement. By continuing to bridge the gaps between state and federal frameworks, were not only resolving issues from the past were laying the groundwork for safer, more effective responses in the future, DeFrank said. A November 2024 file photo of Georgetown University, where officials of the law school have stated they will fight the Trump administration's efforts to control the curriculum. But even at Georgetown, the future for lawyers looks bleak, writes Sofia Franco. Read more I started my undergraduate studies at Temple University in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. During that time, I grew nauseated by the phrase unprecedented times I was tired of having to adapt and learn to cope with a nationwide epidemic not only of COVID-19 but of loneliness and hate. We were asked to adapt like it was normal. We did, and then eventually things seemed to settle into a changed kind of normal. Advertisement I studied psychology and analyzed how social dynamics influence who we are. I also worked full time at a local North Philadelphia bar, where I began to understand the distance between abstract policy and what is experienced and lived. As odd as it may sound, my experience tending bar inspired me to pursue a law degree at Georgetown University Law Center, with dreams of joining the federal government so I could advance policies that would help everyday people. Im now a first-year law student in Washington, D.C., during the first year of the second Trump administration. This time around, I havent really heard people use the word unprecedented to describe what students are going through, but I still have that nauseated feeling about everything that is happening. READ MORE: Trumps memo threatening immigration attorneys is a classic bullying tactic. We lawyers cant cave. | Opinion My universitys faculty includes many former federal employees and a diverse array of political figures, judicial scholars, administrative lawyers, litigators, and private practice partners who have dedicated their lives to teaching future generations of lawyers the ethical and technical intricacies of justice. When it comes to discussions about the judicial system, for example, my professors have a distinctive credibility because many of them helped build it. I speak with my professors regularly about the daily headlines Americans being wrongfully deported, law firms being singled out for retribution for the offense of representing their clients, cuts to funding for scientific research, and other efforts. In our conversations, I look for reassurance, stability, an anchor in the chaos. Through no fault of their own, they are unable to put me at ease. What were seeing now, they say, is, well unprecedented, and the next generation of public servants is being disillusioned and destabilized before they ever begin their careers. You must learn to live with the very strong probability that the America your children will grow up in is very different from the America you grew up in, one professor told one of my classes. How much of what I learn will still be true when I receive my degree? Another professor starts every class with a list of the law firms that have been targeted by the Trump administration. He updates it every day. My generation of students came to law school with a desire to serve but the jobs we trained for are vanishing into lawsuits, blacklists, silence. What does it feel like, to be trained for a system that is collapsing? There is an eerie irony radiating through lecture halls as we sit through constitutional law and criminal justice classes. I will start and complete my legal studies during the Trump administration. What will it be worth, at the end of the day? How much of what I learn will still be true when I receive my degree? The long-term effects of Donald Trumps policies are unknown, but I think I will measure them in futures foreclosed, in professors who speak in code, in classmates told to un-dream their dreams. READ MORE: A fearful Penn ditches DEI. Thats not the way of leaders. | Opinion Still, our school has made some headlines of its own during the past few weeks, fighting back against the administrations attempts to control the university curriculum. In doing that, the school and its faculty have equipped us with tools to speak up and speak out, at a time when compliance is cowardice. Silence is how democracies collapse. The institutions and pipelines of public service are breaking before our eyes. The students in these halls the ones who will argue your laws, interpret your Constitution, and lead your agencies are watching, and learning. I was tired of hearing unprecedented during the pandemic, but now Im terrified by the pretense that what is happening under the Trump administration is normal. You should be, too. Sofia Franco is a 22-year-old student at Georgetown University Law Center. A Philadelphia native, Franco studied psychology and political science at Temple University and was a server at Pub Webb for three years. The opinions here are her own. In Hans Christian Andersens famous fairy tale, The Emperors New Clothes, a child sees the rulers nakedness and cries out, But he has nothing on! In todays America, supine GOP legislators, greedy billionaires, unhinged conspiracy theorists, and a craven cabinet cheer on a naked emperor as he starts a senseless, destructive global trade war. They cheer or stay mum as he undermines U.S. security, shreds Americas military alliances, and bows to the Kremlin. Advertisement None have the honesty (or courage) to shout: But he has no clue about what he is doing. Convinced he knows better than anyone, surrounded by sycophants and unchecked by Congress, President Donald Trump wants to single-handedly reshape the world. Instead, he is en route to wrecking Americas economy and its global standing, while strengthening the influence of Russia and China. Even as Trumps tariffs tank the stock market, his nakedness is most evident in his failed pursuit of ending Russias war on Ukraine. READ MORE: Signalgate leak reveals a worse intelligence disaster than most Americans realize | Trudy Rubin Candidate Trump promised to end the Ukraine war in 24 hours (while refusing to admit Russia was at fault for invading). But his so-called peace talks, conducted by real estate crony Steve Witkoff, have achieved nil. The president has made concession after concession to Vladimir Putin, barring Ukraine from NATO, and accepting Russian claims to most of the territory it seized by conquest. He has bowed to Putin before Moscow has signed on to anything. Yet, the Kremlin czar refuses to endorse Trumps request for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, which Ukraine has agreed to. Instead, Putin keeps adding more conditions and heavily bombing Ukrainian cities. What kind of master dealmaker gives up all his leverage before the bargaining even begins? An honest observer would shout: This emperor has no idea how to make a deal. Unsurprisingly, Russia continues to string Trump and Witkoff along, promising partial ceasefires that are never delivered. First was Moscows supposed agreement to stop bombing Ukrainian civilian infrastructure. Never happened. As is Russias modus operandi, last week it struck a childrens playground in President Volodymyr Zelenskys hometown with a missile, killing nine kids. Then came the supposed partial ceasefire in the Black Sea, which would have benefited Russia greatly, but harmed Ukraine. Ukrainians, with no navy, had already driven Russias fleet out of the western part of the Black Sea with sea drones and established a safe route to export their grain and steel. Witkoffs deal attempted to replace that safe route by restoring a Russian-controlled route under U.N. auspices that had failed badly. The deal offered up front to help Russias grain exports, yet it neglected to prohibit Russia from blockading Ukrainian ports or lobbing missiles at them from across the Black Sea. But never mind. Running circles around Witkoff and Trump, Putin is demanding even more concessions before implementing a useless and partial Black Sea ceasefire. Part of the problem is Witkoffs stunning ignorance about Putins brutality and past record of breaking deals with Ukraine. The real estate mogul appears to know nothing at all about Ukrainian or Russian history. A perfect twin of his boss. In a March 22 interview with Tucker Carlson, Trumps negotiator displayed a level of naivete so shocking as to be almost unbelievable. Putins got a huge respect for the president, Witkoff babbled. I think we have moved Russia in ways that no one thought possible. Witkoff, who met with Putin twice, went on to parrot Kremlin talking points, claiming Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine have held referendums where the overwhelming majority of the people indicated that they want to be under Russian rule. Of course, these referendums were supervised by Russian-controlled security police. Ukrainians who object are tortured or deported to prisons in Russia. Those same regions voted heavily for independence in an internationally monitored free election after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. Yet, Witkoff was so besotted by meeting Putin that he gushed about a beautiful portrait of President Trump the Kremlin czar gave him to take back to the White House. He swooned over Putins tale of meeting with his priest and praying for Trump after he was shot at in Pennsylvania. Vladimir Lenin labeled foreigners who swallowed such Russian propaganda useful idiots, and rightfully so. READ MORE: Now we are fighting against a dictator supported by a traitor | Trudy Rubin The murderous Putin a former KGB colonel who has his opponents poisoned must have laughed himself silly over Witkoffs adulation. This is the same Witkoff whom Trump assigned to negotiate his mad plan for a Mideast Riviera in Gaza and is now dispatching for indirect nuclear talks with Iranian officials in Oman. Despite a moment of pique with Putin, Trump remains unwilling to pressure him for any concessions. He continues to offer more gifts to the Kremlin, hinting at lifting sanctions and restoring direct U.S. flights to Russia. Meantime, Trump didnt impose any tariffs on Moscow but hit Kyiv with a 10% levy. Yet, he is trying to force Ukraine to accept a draconian minerals deal that would compel the country to repay three times what the U.S. has delivered in aid and weapons. This punishment equivalent to what a conqueror imposes on a vanquished enemy would threaten Ukraines sovereignty and make it impossible for the country to recover economically when the war ends. What anyone with eyes can see is that Trump doesnt give a fig about peace in Ukraine. If he could get a temporary ceasefire and a photo op with Putin that he thinks would earn him a Nobel Peace Prize, that would be sufficient even if Putin later restarted the war. Failing that, it is now pipe dreams of huge business opportunities offered by Putin that have caught the eye of a venal U.S. president. Last week, the administration lifted travel sanctions on Putins investment adviser Kirill Dmitriev so he could come to Washington the first official Russian visit since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Dmitrievs mission: to discuss with Witkoff the supposed bright prospects for U.S. investors in Russia if Trump lifts sanctions on Moscow and ends the countrys international isolation. Never mind Putins Russia has a history of forcing U.S. investors to turn over their assets or expropriating them outright. As Bill Browder, once the largest foreign portfolio investor in Russia, told CNN Sunday: It is an exercise in masochism for anyone to go to Russia [for investment]. This time you dont just risk losing your money, you risk losing your life. Browders Russian tax lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, was jailed and beaten to death in prison after he alleged fraud by Russian tax officials. Yet, Trump let himself be hornswoggled by Putin, even as he is slapping close allies with prohibitive tariffs and working hard to turn them into enemies while aiding Putins efforts to destroy Ukraine. In Andersens fairy tale, the emperor is nude because he listened to con men. They convinced him they could weave him a suit of special cloth that would be invisible to those who were unfit for their job or unpardonably stupid. The emperors courtiers pretended to see the invisible suit because they feared being labeled unfit. Trump is wide open to swindlers like Putin along with ignorant advisers who encourage him on his path toward destruction. As shown by a growing number of protests, civil society is beginning to rally against the Trump bulldozer. It is past time for any sane GOP legislators and moneymen who want to save their country, their souls, and their purses, to stand up and shout before the emperor destroys them: But he has nothing on. Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity prepares backstage during the annual Pennsylvania Leadership Conference in Camp Hill, Pa., Friday April 4, 2025. They discussed the party's November successes and future goals. Read more HARRISBURG Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity is seriously considering a run for governor in 2026, as the GOP race to challenge Gov. Josh Shapiro heats up. Garrity, who replaced Shapiro as Pennsylvanias top vote-getter in history when she won reelection last year, has been a leading prospect for Republican insiders hoping to more seriously challenge Shapiro, an unusually popular first-term governor. Shapiro, a Democrat, won in 2022 by 15 percentage points, or 800,000 votes, and is rumored to have his eyes on the White House in 2028. Advertisement For months, Garrity ducked questions about whether she was considering a run for governor, while potential GOP candidates like U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser (R., Pa.) and failed 2022 gubernatorial candidate State Sen. Doug Mastriano (R., Franklin) started testing the waters to run in next years midterm election. But in recent weeks, Garrity has teased a bid for the governors mansion on social media and in interviews, culminating in a speech she gave last weekend to the Pennsylvania Leadership Conference in Harrisburg. The conference was the first major gathering for Pennsylvania Republicans since their sweeping wins in the November election. READ MORE: Pa. Republicans gathered to celebrate Trump and DOGE and hardly mentioned tariffs The Keystone State sent President Trump back to the White House, [former U.S. Sen.] Bob Casey back to Scranton, elected a Republican attorney general for the first time in over a decade, Garrity said. And next November, the Keystone State will send a Republican to the governors mansion, she added with a smile, pausing for applause from the audience. Garrity is a retired U.S. Army colonel and former corporate executive who has managed to define herself by running a critical (but often unknown) state office. She has paid the states bills with little controversy and focused on making the offices work more transparent. She has maintained a friendly working relationship with Shapiro, while remaining a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump. Over the years, Garrity, one of the only women serving statewide, has risen as a party leader in Pennsylvania. READ MORE: Stacy Garrity on being impatient, Pa.s unclaimed property problem, and the governors race In 2004, while serving a combat deployment in the Middle East, she earned the nickname the Angel of the Desert for her humane approach to running the prison at Camp Bucca in Iraq. The field of possible GOP primary candidates has grown. State Sen. Scott Martin (R., Lancaster), who ran in the 2022 GOP gubernatorial primary but eventually dropped out of the race, told reporters outside the Harrisburg conference that he, too, has not ruled out another run. Attendees who participated in the Pennsylvania Leadership Conferences annual straw poll overwhelmingly chose Garrity as their favorite potential GOP candidate for governor in 2026, with 41% of the 267 participants selecting her. Meuser received the second-most votes, with 9%, followed by Mastriano with 6%, State Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill (R., York) with 2%, and Martin with 2%. Several attendees said they hope Garrity chooses to run, citing her military leadership experience and tenure as treasurer as top reasons she would be a formidable opponent for Shapiro. One GOP state representative even greeted Garrity as governor. I think she would be a fantastic governor with her head on straight, said Judy Zabel, who lives outside Scranton. Her past has proven that shes a leader. Im partial to Treasurer Garrity, said Ryan Klein, a senior at Pennsylvania State University and president of Penn State College Republicans. Id love to see her run. I think thatd be really good for the commonwealth. Joe Phillips of Berks County said he wants Meuser to run, but thinks Garrity has the best chance at this point at winning a general election. Meuser, who also spoke at the GOP leaders conference, has already begun making his likely gubernatorial pitch to voters, including in almost daily national TV appearances and in-person events like his appearance last month in Germantown, a predominantly Black neighborhood in Philadelphia that went for former Vice President Kamala Harris in November with 78% of the vote. In order for us to have an America First agenda, weve got to have the governors office, my friends, Meuser told the crowd. We definitely need a governor who has a plan for Pennsylvania, not a plan for Pennsylvania Avenue. First female governor? Pennsylvania has never had a female governor. And Garrity, 60, has not been in Pennsylvania politics long. She won a long-shot campaign in 2020 over incumbent Democrat Joe Torsella, who outspent her 11-to-1. Throughout that time, she has remained a staunch Trump supporter, as evidenced by her speech last Friday praising Trumps first few months back in the White House and comparing the work she does in the Pennsylvania Treasury to stop improper payments to that of Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency. Imagine what [Trumps detractors] are planning to do now that they know he means business, Garrity said. Because he is already bringing about results that are so great for the American people. But you know what? Terrible for illegal aliens, the deep state, and the radical leftists. Like all the GOP hopefuls so far, Garrity still has not said she is officially joining the governors race. But Garrity, who is limited to two terms as the states top fiscal watchdog, posted on Facebook this week what sounded a lot like the precursor to a campaign announcement. Its been an honor to serve as the first Republican Treasurer in 16 years and the first from rural Pennsylvania in more than 40," she wrote, adding later, But today, I believe Pennsylvania is at a crossroads and like many of you, Im thinking about what comes next." If she enters a competitive primary, though, Garrity will likely face criticisms from other Republicans over her work with Shapiro. Garrity recently praised Shapiro and maintains a good working relationship with him. In February, appearing at a news conference with Shapiro, she thanked him for his commitment to ensuring our families, friends, and neighbors in rural Pennsylvania are not left behind. The two had formed an unlikely rapport since Shapiro took office, and Shapiro may have played a role in Garritys reelection by declining to endorse the Democratic candidate in the race, Erin McClelland. McClelland had publicly criticized Shapiro for his handling of a sexual harassment complaint against a former top aide in his office that led to a $295,000 settlement with the victim. Mastriano has also floated the idea of running with Garrity, possibly as her lieutenant governor, noting her statewide popularity and his grassroots supporters, a prospect Garrity has declined to comment on. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has abandoned a proposal to eliminate a program that subsidizes SEPTA fares for low-income Philadelphians, and has vowed to preserve a separate program that covers fares for city employees, the administration announced Wednesday following criticism of provisions of her $6.7 billion proposal for the next city budget that reduced funding levels for the transit benefits. Parker last month proposed eliminating the Zero Fare program, which provides SEPTA access for about 25,000 Philadelphians living in poverty. She also proposed cutting funding for the Key Advantage program, which covers fares for about 15,000 city employees, from $9 million to $5 million, but the administration has maintained that the program would still offer the same level of service to municipal workers at a lower cost. Advertisement READ MORE: Mayor Parker wants to defund a program that provides free transit passes for low-income people After City Council members and advocates for the cash-strapped transit agency criticized those moves, Managing Director Adam K. Thiel said Wednesday that the programs would be preserved. Im pleased to announce that Mayor Parker will be making an announcement later today regarding the continuation of the SEPTA Key Advantage program for city employees, Thiel said at a Council budget hearing Wednesday morning. Additionally, Mayor Parker will be announcing the city is in discussions with SEPTA to extend the SEPTA Zero Fare pilot through fiscal year 2026. The announcement means that the administration will continue with its proposal to fund Key Advantage while offering the same level of service, and is negotiating with SEPTA over the cost of continuing Zero Fare, Finance Director Rob Dubow said. The latter will require an amendment to the mayors budget proposal legislation. We have kept our word to our workforce, and SEPTA Key Advantage will continue, Parker said in a statement. Its an important benefit for our citys municipal workforce. Additionally, Parkers office said the administration is in discussions with SEPTA to extend the Zero Fare Pilot through Fiscal Year 2026, which begins July 1. The city and the transit agency reached an agreement Tuesday that will allow the city to continue offering Key Advantage at the current level with the equivalent of a payment plan. There is no special deal here. SEPTA is getting paid in full, said Erik Johanson, the transit agencys senior director of budgets. Were just being flexible. The city increased its local contribution to SEPTA beyond the required amount last year at the governors request. It will be able to use interest earned on its payment held in a SEPTA account and charged quarterly to make up the $4 million difference, Johanson said. Michael Carroll, Parkers deputy managing director for transportation and infrastructure, said Wednesday that the city had initiated talks with SEPTA to preserve Zero Fare before the public backlash over the funding cut in Parkers budget proposal. After Thiels announcement, Council President Kenyatta Johnson praised Councilmember Nicolas ORourke for championing the programs. Might be Christmas in April already, ORourke said following the administrations announcement. In response to Parkers initial budget proposal, ORourke announced plans to introduce legislation to require that the city dedicate funding for Zero Fare. ORourke will follow through with the legislation to establish the Philadelphia Transit Access Fund despite the administrations announcement, a spokesperson said. Discussions continue between the administration and SEPTA over a way to keep the Zero Fare program going. Our goal is the same as the citys, SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch said. We want to work to find a solution. Both Zero Fare and Key Advantage were launched late in former Mayor Jim Kenneys administration. Following Parkers proposal, Kenney published an op-ed in The Inquirer calling on the city to continue funding Zero Fare. Former mayors almost never comment critically on their successors policies, and Kenneys piece was particularly unusual given how recently he left office. Through this investment, we supported working families, their children, and our transit system, Kenney wrote. Eliminating the free transit program now would only mean fewer people able to work, more people relying on public assistance, and an even more strained local economy. The Zero Fare program provides SEPTA passes for people living at or near the federal poverty line. For 2025, that is $15,650 for an individual and $32,150 for a family of four. Zero Fare participants had taken about 6.6 million trips on SEPTA from when the program started in the late summer of 2023 through mid-March, SEPTA has said. In the last three months of 2024, pass holders took an average of 100,000 trips a week. This is an incredible opportunity for six exceptionally talented insurance lawyers to immerse themselves in different professional cultures, integrate international knowledge into their work, and establish lasting global connections. I encourage them to embrace this experience to the fullest, and I wish them every success, Davidson said. In celebrating our 20th year, I would especially like to thank the team, our partners, and our clients for their continued support. Its a privilege to lead such a brilliant team and work with some fantastic customers and partners, he said. Theres been so much change over the last 20 years, from market movements to natural disasters, but weve been able to respond to these changes and keep growing. Most importantly, when something goes wrong, were there for our customers when it really counts and strive to provide the highest levels of claims service and support. Looking at upside risk, we still see CEOs and boards talk about risk as just threats, he said. But risk is a two-sided corner, it's about the opportunity and if you don't take opportunities your business is not going to be around for very long. The ordinance also seeks to combat predatory behavior at accident scenes by establishing penalties for solicitation. Vehicles used in violation of these rules would be subject to seizure and impoundment, with the vehicle owner facing a $10,000 fine. The proposal also grants a private right of action, allowing individuals to file civil suits to enforce the provisions and seek damages, along with attorneys fees. Despite these efforts, both DFS and OIR have faced criticism regarding their handling of consumer complaints. Over a five-year period, consumers filed more than 52,000 complaints against property insurers. However, only about 5% of these were forwarded to OIR for potential legal violations, suggesting possible underreporting and inadequate enforcement. Jazz Pharmaceuticals said on Tuesday that it had agreed to a settlement of $145 million to resolve a series of antitrust lawsuits related to its narcolepsy drug, Xyrem. Xyrem, a medication approved in the U.S., is used for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden loss of muscle control in patients suffering from narcolepsy, a chronic neurological disorder. The lawsuits accused Jazz Pharma of orchestrating a scheme to delay the release of a generic version of Xyrem, made by Hikma Pharmaceuticals HIK.L, leading to inflated prices for health plans. The plaintiffs, which include the city of Providence, Rhode Island, and the New York State Teamsters Council Health and Hospital Fund, lodged cases accusing Jazz of violating U.S. antitrust laws. Jazz is accused of making a monetary payment that kept a rival generic off the market for years, and of distributing Xyrem exclusively through a single specialty pharmacy. Despite agreeing to the settlement, Jazz denied any allegations of misconduct. The Ireland-based company said it plans to use its existing cash reserves to finance the settlement and expects to record a pre-tax charge of $145 million in the first quarter of 2025 in relation to the settlement. The company reported sales of $233.8 million from Xyrem in the year 2024. Hikma did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment. (Reporting by Kamal Choudhury in Bengaluru; Editing by Mohammed Safi Shamsi) Helix Underwriting Partners Ltd., the Bermuda-based managing general agent (MGA), has launched a professional lines program with a maximum line limit of $10 million. Backed by Somers Re, the Bermuda-based program is writing a portfolio of professional liability products and is being led by Matt Irvine, who joins Helix as chief underwriting officer Professional Lines. The professional lines offering includes: directors & officers liability, errors & omissions, employment practices liability, wage & hour, transactional liability, and cyber covers. Irvine joins Helix from AXA XL and has over 30 years of underwriting experience in both London and Bermuda. At AXA XL, Irvine spent 13 years leading the insurers Bermuda professional lines business, expanding the product portfolio and growing the book of business. This new offering complements the companys middle-market property insurance and excess and casualty programs, Helix said. We are delighted to make this announcement as professional lines has always been on our radar, commented Nigel Mortimer, managing partner at Helix. The Bermuda insurance market has three pillars: excess property, excess casualty, and excess professional lines. The launch of our new professional lines portfolio is the third critical pillar needed for Helix to better serve its clients and brokers comprehensively, he added. Attracting someone of Matts caliber to lead the professional lines program is a great win for Helix, Mortimer said. After three decades in the industry, Matt has cultivated extensive broker relationships across the Bermuda wholesale market, the broader US retail market, and in London. Matt has spent more than 20 years in Bermuda and has built a strong reputation and deep connections with clients, risk managers, partners, and senior executives, reinforcing his position as a trusted leader in the market, he continued. Helix Underwriting Partners was incorporated in December 2018 as the first multiline, independent, managing general agent in Bermuda. Launched by leading underwriting executives Claude Lefebvre, Nik Lucking, and Neville Weston, Helixs existing portfolio includes a property and facultative book and an excess casualty program. Helix offers a suite of specialist risk programs, including property, casualty excess and surplus, and financial lines. In December 2024, Helix launched a US platform writing a portfolio of property business. The company said it has ambitions to expand into the London market. Source: Helix Underwriting Partners Topics Underwriting New Markets Insurance Wholesale Property-catastrophe capacity remained adequate to meet demand during the April 1 renewals for US reinsurance buyers, despite the record losses from Californias January wildfires, according to Aon and Gallagher Re in their renewal reports. Reinsurers continued to demonstrate an appetite for growth for US property-cat exposures during the April renewals, while alternative capital markets provided healthy competition and new start-up reinsurers looked for growth opportunities, Aon said in its report, titled Reinsurance Market Dynamics April 2025 Renewal. The California wildfire losses have not led to a market-wide change in reinsurer appetite or pricing, said Aon, noting that reinsurance capital continues to grow and keep pace with increasing demand. (Related article: Buyer-Friendly April Reinsurance Renewal Bodes Well for Mid-Year Renewals: Brokers). Aon acknowledged that the Los Angeles wildfires (expected to cost the re/insurance industry between $32 billion and $38 billion) had mixed results for the relatively small and diverse group of U.S. regional and national insurers that renewed at 4/1 based on their exposures and loss experience. (The wildfires also had little to no impact on reinsurance capacity, pricing and terms for buyers in Asia Pacific, the region that dominates the 4/1 renewals, Aon said). Reinsurers continued to trade and deploy capacity uninterrupted, with continuing support for insurers with significant wildfire exposure. Some reinsurers stepped up to offer additional wildfire capacity and were rewarded with larger signings, Aon said, adding that the majority of reinsurers responded outstandingly to the LA wildfires, which will like rank among the top three costliest wildfires in U.S. history. Property-catastrophe capacity remained ample despite the wildfires, with buyers taking advantage of this increase in supply to hold retention levels constant, and push price reductions at the top end of programs, according to Gallagher Re in its report, titled 1st View Finding the Path. Impacted renewals were limited in number, and specific outcomes were dependent on buyer loss experience and program size, Gallagher said. The Los Angeles wildfires tempered reductions and led to more conservative quoting at 4/1, although the impact was largely localized. Loss-free accounts achieved risk-adjusted rate reductions in line with January 1, while loss-impacted accounts typically experienced stable conditions, Aon said. Terms and conditions around wildfire were a key topic of discussion with reinsurers as each insurer determined with their trading partners the most effective path forward for their portfolio exposure, Aon continued. And there were growth opportunities related to wildfire exposures, Aon indicated, saying that reinsurers were rewarded with increased participation on programs at 4/1 if they took the opportunity to increase capacity and lean-in to wildfire risk. Impact on Catastrophe Budgets? In a report on the four largest European reinsurers Munich Re, Swiss Re, Hannover Re and SCOR Moodys Ratings said the LA wildfire losses have already absorbed around 39% of their combined annual catastrophe budgets. This will make it harder for the companies to remain within their budgets for 2025, as catastrophe claims typically do not peak until the US hurricane season gets underway during the third quarter. The LA wildfire claims of an estimated $30 billion-$50 billion are akin to a large hurricane, and will dent reinsurers annual catastrophe claims budgets, Moodys added in its report, titled Reinsurers earnings prospects favorable after record 2024 results, which was published on April 1. However, Moodys said the earnings prospects for the four reinsurers remain strong despite the sizable wildfire claims, helped by persistently strong demand for both property/casualty and life & health reinsurance along with robust investment returns. Three of the four reinsurers Hannover Re, Munich Re and Swiss Re have raised their net income targets by over 20%, Moodys said, noting that their earnings performance will ultimately depend on whether there are further significant catastrophe losses during the remainder of the year. While the California wildfire losses are indeed substantial, Gallagher said, claims remain manageable and sit within reinsurers 2025 natural catastrophe budgets. Gallagher explained that there was some market sensitivity about the degree to which wildfire losses have eroded remaining catastrophe budgets so early in the year with the traditionally higher cat loss quarters still to come. Aon said that 2025 is likely to see the highest first quarter loss from natural catastrophes in more than a decade as a result of the Los Angeles wildfires. While ceded losses from the wildfires are significant at an estimated $11 billion to $17 billion the impact on individual reinsurers will vary, Aon continued. These losses have absorbed 25% to 33% of major reinsurers annual catastrophe allowances which may affect how some come to the market at mid-year. However, global reinsurers fundamentals remain strong reporting excellent results in 2023 and 2024, which helped grow traditional reinsurance capital to an all-time high of $655 billion with overall capital rising by 5.3% to $769 billion, Gallagher said. (The brokers overall capital figure includes traditional reinsurance capital and alternative capital of $114 billion). Favorable Market Conditions Ahead Despite an active first quarter for catastrophe losses, we expect the favorable conditions seen at January and April renewals to continue at mid-year, supported by the weight of reinsurance capacity and unfulfilled reinsurer appetite, Aon confirmed. [T]he reinsurance market is highly capitalized and competitive ahead of midyear renewals. With pent-up supply still outstripping demand, the mid-year represents the last major renewal opportunity for reinsurers to meet 2025 growth targets and earn premium to offset losses in the first quarter, Aon noted. Photograph: Louise Hamlin visits her home ravaged by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters California Wildfire Reinsurance The U.S. Department of Labor reached an agreement with Jamesport roofing contractor John Troyer after a federal investigation determined he violated federal laws, resulting in a teen workers fatal fall in March 2023. The departments Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that Troyer, owner of Troyer Construction LLP which operates as Troyer Roofing & Coatings, failed to provide workers with required fall protection. A separate investigation by the departments Wage and Hour Division found he violated the Fair Labor Standards Act by employing minors illegally in roofing work from May 2022 to June 2023. Under the agreement, Troyer must pay $290,000, which includes $156,259 in OSHA penalties, $15,000 in child labor penalties, and $118,741 in criminal fines to the U.S. Department of Justice. The company will also enroll in Missouris On-Site Safety and Health Consultation Program. Source: Department of Labor Topics Missouri South Bow Corp.s Keystone oil pipeline has been shut after a spill in southeast North Dakota, curtailing a conduit that carries as much as 15% of Canadas crude exports to the US. The pipeline was shut within two minutes after a pump station worker heard a loud noise at 7:44 a.m. Central time Tuesday, Bill Suess of the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality said by phone. A yet-unknown volume of oil was discovered in a field near the pump station, he said. There is no timeline for restarting the line, Suess said. Workers will need to excavate to find the source of the leak and repair it, he said. Keystone, a 30-inch (76-centimeter) diameter conduit, carried more than 620,000 barrels a day of crude oil from Alberta into the US in December, according to the Canada Energy Regulator. South Bow started the shutdown after a pressure drop was detected, a company spokesperson said by email. The affected segment has been isolated and operations and containment resources have been mobilized, the company said. Federal investigators from the US Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration have been dispatched to the scene, the agency said in a statement. US crude futures prompt spread surged to session highs after the news on expectations the shutdown may tighten supplies at the vital storage hub of Cushing, Oklahoma. The companys shares turned negative, sliding as much as 6.2% in Toronto. The discount for Western Canadian Select heavy crude to West Texas Intermediate, the US benchmark, grew as wide as $11.25 a barrel after the spill from just over $9 a barrel on Monday, according to a person familiar with the matter and General Index prices compiled by Bloomberg. The spill is one of several accidents on Keystone since the pipeline was built more than a decade ago, including the biggest: a 13,000 barrel release on farmland in Kansas in 2022 that entered a waterway. That spill, the result of a weld that had been under stress because the soil under the line wasnt adequately compacted, came after the pipeline agency had notified then-operator TC Energy Corp. at least five times that elements of Keystones building and operating practices posed safety risks, according to a Bloomberg investigation. The agency recently lifted pressure restrictions on the segment of the like affected by the 2022 spill, the company said in an earnings call last month. The pipelines physical integrity is one of the biggest risks to the stocks investment thesis, and given the size of the company and the concentration of its financial performance on a single asset (i.e., Keystone Pipeline), a sell first, ask questions later approach is likely be taken by the market as an initial response to this news, RBC Capital Markets said in a report. Photo: Pipes for the Keystone XL pipeline stacked in a yard near Oyen, Alberta, Canada. Photographer: Jason Franson/Bloomberg Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Energy Oil Gas Allianz Commercial, headquartered in New York City, expanded its U.S. construction team with five new hires who will join Allianz Commercials Master Builders Risk team by mid-April. Kristen Hoskinson was appointed executive underwriter team leader for Allianz Commercial. Based in Atlanta, Hoskinson was previously the master builders risk practice leader and eastern zonal construction leader at AXA XL. Hoskinson also held underwriting positions at International Marine Underwriters, Ace Group and Zurich Financial Services. Emily Hernandez joins as an underwriting specialist, effective April 14, and is based in Chicago. Previously, Hernandez was an Underwriter at AXA XL and was responsible for the Midwest region, where she focused on Master Builders Risk, Project Specific Builders Risk and Contractors Equipment. Alexander Hansen joins as a senior underwriter, effective April 14. Hansen is based in Chicago and was previously an underwriter with AXA XL. He held various account management positions at Lockton Companies, Aon Risk Solutions and Hub International earlier in his career. Karima Jones joins Allianz Commercial in a newly created hybrid role focused on delivering seamless client services support alongside her underwriting skills. Jones is based in Atlanta and was previously a Builders Risk Underwriter for AXA XLs North America construction property team. Jared Bush-Howe joins as a senior risk consultant for the construction team and will be based in St. Louis. He joins from AXA XL where he was a senior construction risk engineer and worked with the master builders risk and builders risk teams. He previously worked as a project engineer with Hensel Phelps and had various prior roles in both the residential and commercial markets. Wargo to Lead IMA Property IMA Financial Group, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, hired Erik Wargo as executive vice president, head of property. Wargo joins IMAs headquarters team in Denver and will report to Patrick Lanning, president, national practice groups & central region. Wargo has over two decades of brokerage experience specializing in commercial property programs for risk management clients, with prior experience as vice president, property placement specialist at Marsh; assistant vice president, property broker at Crump; senior vice president, property marketing account executive at McGriff; and senior vice president, director, Northwest Property at Lockton. Topics USA Commercial Lines Property Allianz Construction The U.S. Justice Department is disbanding its National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team and ordering prosecutors to narrow crypto investigations to focus on drug cartels and terrorist groups, according to a memo seen by Reuters. The memo from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, sent out to employees late on Monday night, accused former Democratic President Joe Bidens administration of pursuing a reckless strategy of regulation by prosecution of the digital asset sector. The unit, known as NCET and launched in February 2022 as part of the administrations bid to combat fraud and illicit finance, investigated and coordinating cases including one against Binance and its founder Changpeng Zhao, who pleaded guilty to violating laws designed to prevent money laundering. But under President Donald Trump, whose family is building its own crypto enterprise, the U.S. government has been reversing course on crypto. The Republican promised to make the United States the crypto capital of the planet. Going forward, Blanche said, the department will prioritize investigations into individuals who victimize digital asset investors, or those who use digital assets in furtherance of criminal offenses such as terrorism, narcotics and human trafficking, organized crime, hacking, and cartel and gang financing. Any ongoing investigations inconsistent with this new policy should be closed, Blanche wrote. A Justice Department spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment. Blanche cited one of Trumps executive orders as the basis for his directive. That executive order calls for the government to help ensure that both individuals and private sector companies can access open blockchain networks without persecution. NEW STANCE ON CRYPTO, AND A PERSONAL STAKE Trump, who courted the sector on the 2024 campaign trail, has called for easing crypto regulations. Since he took office, regulators have begun swiftly rolling back the governments efforts to rein in the industry. The Securities and Exchange Commission, the top U.S. markets regulator, has refocused its own crypto enforcement team and paused or altogether walked away from high-profile cases many thought the agency was winning. A U.S. banking regulator last month told banks they could engage in some crypto activities. The Deputy Attorney Generals Monday memo said the Justice Department would stop targeting virtual currency exchanges, offline wallets and services known as mixers and tumblers designed to make crypto transactions anonymous, for acts of their end users or unwitting violations of regulations. Blanche, one of President Trumps former criminal defense attorneys, was confirmed last month in the No. 2 role at the Justice Department. In his memo, he ordered prosecutors not to charge regulatory violations under federal banking, securities and commodities laws unless there is evidence that the company or individual willfully violated licensing or registration requirements. Crypto is a sector in which Trump and his family now have a stake. Reuters previously reported that the Trump family has a claim on 75% of net revenues from token sales by World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture. Ahead of his inauguration, Trump also launched a crypto token. The companies behind the meme coins $TRUMP and $MELANIA, for first lady Melania Trump, said they are not investments or securities but are an expression of support. About 50% more pedestrians were killed during the first six months of 2024 compared to a decade ago, although the number is down 2.6% from the prior year. According to a report breaking down deaths by state published by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), 3,304 pedestrians were killed in the U.S. from January through June 2024. Thats 1,072 more pedestrian deaths than the same period in 2014 but 88 fewer than the first half of 2023the second annual decline in a row for the first six months of the year since a high of 3,526 in 2022. Despite the decline, deaths are far above pre-pandemic levels. There were 353 more pedestrian deaths in the first half of 2024 than during the first six months of 2019, GHSA noted. Every day, 18 people dont return home after taking a walk. Thats unacceptable, said Jonathan Adkins, chief executive of GHSA, a nonprofit that represents the highway safety offices of states, territories, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. While recent incremental progress is welcome, it doesnt disguise the fact that the numbers moved in the wrong direction over the past decade. The only acceptable number of traffic deaths is zero. We must continue to push for an all-in safety approach that protects people on foot from the dangerous behaviors that are all too common on our roads. By encouraging drivers and pedestrians to implement safe practices, supporting the enforcement of traffic laws and implementing infrastructure improvements, we can turn the tide on pedestrian fatalities. The report, based on preliminary data provided by State Highway Safety Offices, shows deaths of pedestrians have increased at a pace seven times higher than U.S. population growth. The projected number of fatalities during the first half of 2024 went up in 23 states and the District of Columbia, and down in 22 states. California, Florida and Texas had the most pedestrian fatalities. These states accounted for 35% of all pedestrian deaths in 2024 as of June 30. Topics Trends PointeNorth Insurance Group, one of the largest and fastest-growing independent agencies in the Southeast, has acquired three agencies in Alabama, the latest move in the groups expansion plans. The acquisitions include Holloway and Hunt Insurance in the town of Arab, in north Alabama; Vigilant Gulf Coast Insurance, in Daphne, near the coast; and O.M. Hughes Insurance, in the Birmingham area. Mickey Hunt, principal at Holloway Hunt, said in a news release that the move will allow the firm to expand its portfolio. Dan Quarella is president with Vigilant Gulf Coast, previously known as Align Insurance. The agency offers personal and commercial coverage and is licensed in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Florida and Tennessee. O.M. Hughes was founded in 1946 by O.M. Hughes Sr. His son, Marvin, joined in 1971, and his grandson, Mark Hughes, joined the firm in 2002, the agency website notes. All three agencies will operate under their established names. PointeNorth, with headquarters in Atlanta, has acquired more than 50 agencies in recent years. For 2025, the firm plans to continue its merger moves and hopes to expand its transportation practice, the company said. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Alabama The rate of California workers compensation medical treatment request denials being overturned was up slightly last year, but they are still a relatively rare occurrence, a new report shows. Denials were overturned at a rate of 12.7%, an increase from the previous years 10.2% rate, according to a report from the California Department of Industrial Relations and its Division of Workers Compensation. The annual report on the Departments Independent Medical Review program, the medical dispute resolution process for the states workers comp system, describes IMR program activity in 2024, the twelfth year since the program was implemented. The organization administering the program, Maximus Federal Services Inc., reported receiving 199,651 IMR applications and issuing141,621 Final Determination Letters addressing one or more medical necessity disputes. Throughout the year, the Maximus issued decisions on average six to seven days after receipt of all medical records. Some highlights from the report include: Nearly 90% of all unique IMR filings were deemed eligible for review, slightly less than the annual percentage for those filed in 2023. Pharmaceutical requests accounted for 33% of all treatment requests sent for IMR, a slightly higher proportion of total service requests than in previous years. Opioids comprised 24% of all pharmaceutical requests. Treatment request denials were overturned at an overall rate of 12.7% last year. The denials that were overturned most often were for evaluation and management services, followed by other programs such as Functional Restoration program, Brain Injury program, Weight loss program and behavioral and mental health service, the report shows. Topics California Workers' Compensation An excellent 41-acre parcel of land in East Cork is new to the market with Brian Gleeson Property. The holding in question is in the townland of Ballyhonock, near Killeagh, Co Cork. According to the selling agent, this is in a stunning and picturesque corner of East Cork and the agents havent ruled out the possibility of the farm going to auction. There are 36 acres of prime lands, with an additional five acres around Ballyhonock Lake. Its top-quality land, said Mr Gleeson, in a fantastic location thats right in the heart of East Cork and quality progressive dairy farmers, as well as significant and successful stud farms. There are numerous successful breeding operations in the area, such is the nature of the quality soil The property, therefore, will be of strong interest locally and with a significant quantity on offer there should be interest from farther afield too. The fact that its virgin soil for thoroughbreds, as well as being of interest to progressive dairy farmers, makes it a particularly interesting farm, says Mr Gleeson. The farm is currently in stubble, which also points to the quality of its soil. The holding is close to Killeagh village, which is on the N25 (Cork-Waterford main road) and it is also close to the Midleton-Youghal Greenway. The interest is very good, said Mr Gleeson. Only just after launching, theres already active interest in it The price guide for the property is 20,000/acre a reasonable expectation given the farms attractive qualities. Music Zone, Togher When Ireland succumbed to government mandates and closed during the 2020 pandemic, national record store owners found themselves in unfamiliar territory. Even though vinyl sales had surpassed CDs for the first time since the 1980s, one downtrodden thought dominated above all else: would record shops survive? For Ray OBrien, owner of Music Zone in Togher, the challenge presented itself as an opportunity. It was a tricky enough time alright, he says. But the positive that came from it, from our point of view, was that it gave us the push to really go for it with our website. That grew exponentially during Covid, having not done much business before. Suddenly, our online sales jumped to become about 30% of all of our sales, from about 10% pre-Covid. OBrien founded Music Zone in 2001 as the final step in a lifelong dream. I remember buying my first cassette in 1985, Bruce Springsteen's Born In The USA, and being given U2 records every Christmas. Having worked in record stores for nearly seven years before that, an opportunity arose in Carrigaline Shopping Mall, which encouraged him to take a punt. I saw some brochure and decided to go for it, he says. I had the experience, but that didnt mean it didnt feel like a shot in the dark. Ray OBrien at Music Zone. Picture: Chani Anderson Music Zone boasts the largest selection of records in Cork and Munster, and is now run by OBrien and his son Cormac, as well as two musicians Shane Healy and Adam Walsh. Together, the staff boast the kind of knowledge and in-store camaraderie you dream of from a local music store. They also prioritise local artists and put on in-store performances for local fans. Music Zones demographic generally skews male, but it is changing, OBrien says. We see kids and teenagers come in regularly today, he says. Kids as young as 8 or 9 come in and really enjoy the merch tables. Generally, its 35-65-year-olds who are here, but because of a resurgence in record popularity, we see all types. This Record Store Day, Music Zone will do as they always do: celebrate. Its a very important day for our shop, OBrien says. We support a lot of local music in the shop and throw a bit of a party on the day. Its also the one day in the year when certain stuff can only be bought in a record store. An awful lot of the time, record companies would have exclusives that cant be bought in shops, but it's the one day of the year where if you want to pick up a bespoke, special record, its available here. From that point of view, its great. He, like many others, expects Taylor Swift to dominate sales this Record Store Day. Also, Passengers, Bowie, Billie Eilish, Dusty Springfield, Talking Heads There are about 500 special releases due out on the day. And well probably carry three-quarters of them, if not more. Bunker Vinyl, Camden Quay John Dwyer is founder of Bunker Vinyl on Camden Quay in Cork. Dwyer moved back to Ireland in 2017 after two decades living in the UK. He first left the day after his 18th birthday to study nurse training at Brunel, then spent several years as a social worker for children with profound disabilities and addiction issues for Ealing Council. When the Conservatives returned to power in 2010, they ushered in a decade of spending cuts and rolling back state services, meaning Dwyer and some 750 other staff were left jobless. It was just the push he needed to head back to Ireland and start up that record shop. Im originally from Dungarvan, but I always said that if I were to come back to Ireland, I would move to Cork, he says. I just love it here. His first business was a market stall at the Mother Jones Market, until he found the space in the basement at Ozalid House. The store celebrated its ninth year in business on April 1. I actually forgot, he laughs. John Dwyer outside Bunker on Camden Place. Picture: Chani Anderson Bunker is that rare thing, a truly curated indie space where everyone from teenage girls to old men can bask in the reflected glory of pressed vinyl. Dwyer does not stock major labels like Warner and Universal due to the swelling price, which means the demographic is ever-changing. Vinyl had a good revival a few years ago, he says. Stranger Things meant that we had 15-year-old girls coming in looking for Kate Bush. And TikTok has been huge, too. Its great, because traditionally record shops were dominated by men, now you have teenage girls coming in looking for the Cocteau Twins. Record Store Day doesnt particularly affect Bunker. We do our own version, Dwyer laughs. It seems to work for us. The big sellers he predicts on the day? Khruangbin is flying out the door for us. Kate Bush remains a big, big seller. And were seeing a huge resurgence in the likes of Oasis, Blur and The Smiths. It seems like people are able to separate Morrisseys art from the artist. 33RPM, MacCurtain Street Todays music might be a digital commodity, meaning it has become easy to dismiss record collecting as a snobbish affectation. But the practice continues to hold a certain kind of allure. (2020 saw High Fidelity, Nick Hornbys 1995 novel about the romantic devastations of an obsessive record-store owner, adapted for the second time as a Hulu TV series, starring Zoe Kravitz.) What is the endearing allure of records? For many, its the nostalgia, says Erwin Morales, co-owner of 33RPM on MacCurtain Street. For many people, its the only way they consume music. Theyre the kind of people who pay in cash and still use DVD players, Claudia Hernandez, the other co-owner, laughs. For others, its cool. They really appreciate having the physical media and playing the whole thing in one go. I think they also appreciate supporting an artist this way they feel its better than simply streaming something on Spotify. Husband and wife team, Morales and Hernandez, took over 33RPM back in 2021. A biologist and software engineer by trade, the couple initially joked about taking it over before an opportunity presented itself. Both hail from Mexico and made the move to Ireland, via Spain, 11 years ago for work. When they settled, only to pick up a record store along the way, most of their friends laughed. I think they think we are crazy, Morales laughs. Every so often, they ask Do you still have that funny little shop? They make it work by way of split schedules, Transition Year students and hard work. And, business shows. We are still growing and learning, but sales are increasing month-on-month, Hernandez says. Our catalogue is broad, but were constantly changing it up. Claudia Hernandez in 33RPM, the record store she runs with her husband Erwin. Picture: Chani Anderson 33RPM generally has two categories to buy from, they say. The records that pay the bills, and the ones we like to sell, Morales laughs. We love hip-hop, reggae, soul and music from Africa and Latin America. And the ones that sell? Fleetwood Macs Rumours, Hernandez smiles. That is our best seller by far. The demographic that comes into 33RPM spans teenagers making mixtapes to OAPs reliving their youth. Just last month, Hernandez and Morales received an email from the daughter of a former punter to say he had passed and that she was eternally grateful for the joy hed had in his final weeks in the shop. In that way, running the shop can feel more like a public service than a functioning business, Hernandez says. On Record Store Day, they have mixed feelings. I think the original idea was a good one, Morales says. But the issue now is that the market is skewed towards the big labels, and independent records are not selling, Hernandez adds. Though their sales have gotten better over the years, both Morales and Hernandez would like the day to pivot around independents rather than capitalism. That said, they are excited to see what this year brings. Last year we had a queue of three people outside when we opened up, which was very cute, Hernandez smiles. Their expected big sellers this year span a myriad. The Gorilaz, definitely, Morales says. The Pixies, Charli XCX, The Harry Potter soundtrack Oh, and Ive been asked about the Bluey seven inches a lot recently, so I expect that to go too. Golden Discs, Patricks Street In a time where were all trying to navigate an appreciation for the arts as the cost of being alive gets higher, the idea of fostering community around music can feel harder, still. For David ODonovan, manager of Golden Discs on Patricks Street, an open-armed music community still persists. You always get the same people in browsing all the time, wed know them all, he smiles. What weve noticed though is that in the past two years or so, vinyl buyers are getting younger and younger. Its great to see. Theyre looking for new music as well as the classics, and often theyll mention how their parents and grandparents got them into it. ODonovan has been working at Golden Discs for nearly 25 years, after an opportunity arose after school. By his own admission, hes not from a musical family, but hes always loved music. My dad had a few Beatles records, whereas U2 was always my favourite band. David ODonovan outside Golden Discs on Patrick's Street. Picture: Chani Anderson Vinyl, he says, is the reason the shops still standing. Vinyl been our saviour, really he says. We opened up our vinyl section upstairs about seven years ago, and its been non-stop. Golden Discs has taken part in Record Store Day nearly every year since its inception, with no plans to stop. Theres a great buzz around the place for it, he says. I know people think its a racket, but it is for people who love vinyl, and who dont always have access to the ones they love. We always have a queue outside the door for it when we open. No matter what Taylor Swift does, according to ODonovan, she will sell. But he also expects to see records from The Cure, Gracie Abrams and Charli XCX fly out the door. The main thing hes looking forward to? Showing people the variety thats out there, he says. Its a chance to look around, get some new music and maybe even try something different. And I dont see any harm in that. Teachers unions have been told by the minister for education that changes to the Leaving Cert will proceed as planned from this September. Concerns around the incoming changes have prompted both second-level teachers unions, the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) and the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI), to call for a delay to the rollout. Many teachers are concerned about the rollout of new project work elements to each subject, to be worth at least 40% of a students overall grade, particularly given the rapid advancements in AI technology. Members of the ASTI are due to debate if the union should refuse to cooperate with the introduction of these changes unless its demands are met, and to call for a legal indemnity for teachers, at its upcoming annual congress when it meets after Easter. The Irish Science Teachers Association (Ista), which represents science teachers around the country, has also raised concerns around incoming changes, citing AI, available lab space, and fairness. However, following a series of meetings with the ASTI and TUI, Helen McEntee has confirmed to both unions senior cycle redevelopment and Leaving Cert reform will proceed as planned. Proceeding with the reform as planned is in the best interest of the more than 73,000 students entering fifth year this September, Ms McEntee believes, many of whom have already made their subject decisions for the upcoming school year. The minister has invited both the ASTI and the TUI to now engage in intensive talks to address specific additional measures to support teachers and students. From September, changes to the Leaving Cert will be introduced in chemistry, physics, business, Arabic, Ancient Greek and Latin. This involves the introduction of new project work elements, called Additional Assessment Components (AACs). Two new subjects, drama, film and theatre studies, and climate action and sustainable development will also be introduced on a phased basis. On Wednesday, the State Examinations Commission is expected to publish sample examination papers in these newly introduced Leaving Certificate subjects. In the science subjects, the AAC is intended to take the form of a research project based around an experiment. Guidelines from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment cleared the way for students to use AI as source material in their project work once referenced properly. AI guidelines are due to be issued to schools shortly. In a statement, the ASTI and the TUI expressed their disappointment at the Minister McEntee's position, saying: "Both unions will now consider todays development, consult and respond in due course. Engagement with the Department of Education has been ongoing since last November following a protest by 30,000 second-level teachers outside their schools over their serious concerns around the accelerated Senior Cycle Redevelopment programme." One of the Defence Forces newest aircraft spent almost 40% of the last year undergoing maintenance in Spain. The Irish Air Corps received two Airbus C295 maritime surveillance aircraft in 2023 at a cost of 230m, including funding for associated training. At the time, the now-outgoing Defence Forces Chief of Staff Sean Clancy said the aircraft provided a step-change in surveillance capabilities, with shallow-water mapping and enhanced data gathering through real-time imaging. Airbus C295 aircraft IRL284 was positioned at a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Seville to undergo scheduled maintenance in accordance with contractual arrangements with the manufacturer He said the two aircraft were part of the response to growing and more advanced threats operating at sea. He said: Everything from cartels trying to find weak spots in terms of people, drugs and trafficking which are counter to our norms and values and threaten the sovereignty of our state and every other state on the western shoreline of Europe, which is where they are probing those soft spots. Less than two years later, one of the aircraft has spent 20 weeks in Seville, Spain, where Airbus has a base. Flight tracking websites say that the C295 had been in Seville from November 14, 2024 until its return to Casement Aerodome, Baldonnel on April 3 last week. This 140-day spell accounts for roughly 38% of a year. Asked about the more than four-month period in Spain, the Defence Forces said the plane was undergoing scheduled maintenance. A spokesman said: Airbus C295 aircraft IRL284 was positioned at a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Seville to undergo scheduled maintenance in accordance with contractual arrangements with the manufacturer. Asked how often the C295 would be non-operational, the Defence Forces refused to comment on the specific maintenance schedule of the aircraft. Sources with relevant expertise said that the maintenance period was normal under routine inspections and airworthiness requirements due every couple of years. However, as it means the other C295 may be out of service for a similar length of time in the future, they said it shows the importance of adding redundancy into the Air Corps fleet. They argued that if one C295 had an unscheduled emergency problem while the other aircraft was in Spain for routine maintenance, it would leave the Air Corps without the ability to utilise the state-of-the-art surveillance and communication equipment on board. Ireland is expecting the delivery of another C295 in September. That aircraft will be under a transport specification, rather than being fitted out with maritime surveillance equipment. It will enable the Air Corps to provide a wide range of services including logistics support and transport of troops and equipment, medical evacuation and air ambulance, Special Operations Forces operations and a general utility role. The pressure staff are under to merge the three childrens hospitals into one is definitely a factor in the crisis facing Childrens Health Ireland now, Hiqa has warned. A report from the regulator on implanting of unapproved metal springs into childrens spines during operations described by a surgeon as bespoke and experimental also raises serious concerns about governance at CHI generally. Sean Egan, Hiqa director of healthcare regulation, described the planned merger into the new childrens hospital as probably the biggest change management project in the entire country at this time. He recalled interviewing clinical directors who reeled off lists of new responsibilities they have thanks to the new hospital on top of their patients care. Each had upwards of 100 consultants reporting to them. Thats a phenomenal amount of change for any organisation to address, and I think it is definitely a factor here in terms of the difficulties CHI have had with this, he said. The report describes new ways of working since 2021 across the three sites as increasingly complex and unwieldy for staff to manage. Sean Egan, Hiqa director of healthcare regulation, stressed the importance of having clinical staff in leadership roles, but said this review recommends more support is needed. This includes clinical specialist leads acting as middle management. Some key roles were moved away from CHI at Temple Street, the hospital where the surgeon under investigation had worked. Gaps in oversight systems ultimately resulted in use of springs made from a metal which corrodes in water in three children without alarms raised. He stressed the importance of having clinical staff in leadership roles, but said this review recommends more support is needed. This includes clinical specialist leads acting as middle management, he said. One of the key findings from this review is the pre-existing arrangements are actually pretty weak compared to where they need to be, he warned. Hiqa also said the HSE needs to improve how it supports health services in the middle of large changes. Meanwhile, Taoiseach Micheal Martin has insisted further resignations from the CHI board would not help in any shape or form. This follows calls by families and opposition politicians for the board to go. On Tuesday, chairman Dr Jim Brown resigned and apologised to children. Speaking in the Dail on Wednesday, Mr Martin said: "There needs to be a new chairperson appointed - you actually need a board to do that. "And I know that some people have called to just disband the board. That would not help the situation right now, in any shape or form. "That will weaken governance even further and could lead to further difficulties and challenges." Labour leader Ivana Bacik said of the 233 children waiting for spinal surgeries by February, 43 had been waiting more than six months - with 15 waiting over a year. Mr Martin said there had been increased activity and a reduction in waiting times, but added there is a need to do more. He said there has to be "absolute focus" on optimising the transition to the new children's hospital. The Government on Tuesday approved the long-awaited national planning framework. This new policy will set in stone revised housing targets and allow local authorities to reopen their local development plans and rezone hundreds of hectares of land for homes. But what exactly is the national planning framework, and how will it impact on Irelands ability to deliver the hundreds of thousands of homes that are needed to solve the longstanding housing crisis? What is the National Planning Framework? The framework document itself is described as the Governments high-level strategic plan for shaping the future growth and development of our country out to 2040. The national planning framework had been under review since mid-2023, with the new document setting out the expected growth of Irelands population out to 2040. This is expected to be between 6.1m and 6.3m. The plan itself will provide the policy and planning approach to dealing with an increased population, with new targets on housing, infrastructure and services across the country. It will call for 50% of future development to take place across Irelands five main cities Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford while the remaining 50% will need to be spread across villages, towns and rural areas around the country. What are the new housing targets? As outlined in the national planning framework and agreed in November 2024, the overall target for housing delivery between 2025 and 2030 is 303,000 houses. This means to achieve this target, there will need to be an average of 50,500 houses built each year. However, there is a more gradual ramp up over the years ahead, with a target of 41,000 for 2025. This will then grow to 43,000 in 2026, 48,000 in 2027, 53,000 in 2028, 58,000 in 2029 and 60,000 in 2030. Concerns have been raised by industry experts that Ireland could fall well below the 2025 target, with it possibly falling as low as 25,000 by the end of the year. However, housing minister James Browne has cast doubt on these figures, saying it is too early to predict final output for 2025. What does it mean for local authorities? Mr Browne has said he will introduce a ministerial order instructing all local authorities to reopen their local development plans. This will mean that changes will be made to existing plans, which essentially set out how councils areas will develop over a six-year period. The main ask under the new national planning framework, however, is the zoning of more land for residential development. This will require councils to integrate the new housing targets into their local plans. However, councils will be asked to prioritise development on brownfield sites in towns and cities, to avoid urban sprawl into the countryside. Will this provide more land for housing development? Its likely that it will, with a direct order from James Browne under new the new Planning and Development Act. These Section 28 orders will allow Mr Browne to directly order councils to focus on zoning land for housing. However, with some local authorities like Louth County Council opting in recent weeks to dezone land earmarked for housing, it could be difficult to convince councillors to significantly expand zoning. Will it lead to more housing being built? Its hard to say exactly. It will likely lead to increase supply of zoned development land, which has been sought by housebuilders across the country. But other issues exist alongside this, including difficulties in getting land access to electricity, water and wastewater services, which are vital for housing. At a housebuilding conference on Tuesday, Paul Carroll, who is the director of housing and community development at Fingal County Council, told attendees that his own local authority was working at or close to capacity in terms of what we can deliver. Sinn Feins housing spokesperson Eoin O Broin has said that the national planning framework itself underestimates the housing need, saying the new targets are not high enough. He also flagged concerns about land zoning, citing the fact the Government is itself unaware of exactly how much land is zoned for residential development. You can read the draft first revision to the national planning framework at NPF.ie. The National Transport Authority and Irish Rail are being urged to address a serious anomaly whereby a 40-minute train ride from Charleville to Cork is costing far more than a two-hour commute between Longford and Dublin. Councillors representing the North Cork region are to write to both, demanding Charleville is included in the Cork Commuter Rail Fares Area, which would substantially reduce what commuters pay. The issue was highlighted by Fine Gael councillor Aileen Browne, who priced all the cheapest fares available on a Monday. She said the cheapest adult return ticket from Charleville to Cork was 21.70, but passengers travelling from Longford to Dublin pay just 19.98 return. Meanwhile, nearby Mallow is in the Cork commuter area and a return fare from there to Cork is just 8.80. She said it was even more perplexing that passengers travelling from Limerick City to Cork City, a far longer journey, pay a 19.98 return fare, which is lower than the cost for Charleville commuters who are travelling on the same service over a shorter distance. Many Charleville residents are already opting to drive to Mallow daily in order to take advantage of the more affordable train fares. By including Charleville in the commuter zone, passengers could save up to 64.50 each week, which is a substantial amount that would make a real difference for regular commuters, Ms Browne said. She raised her concerns at a meeting of the Kanturk/Mallow Municipal District Council. This move would address the current disparity in ticket prices between Charleville and other locations, providing much-needed financial relief for local commuters, she said. Ms Browne said this issue needed urgent attention, particularly as commuters were being encouraged to reduce car usage and rely more on public transport. Offering Charleville passengers a Cork commuter fare would be a step in the right direction, helping to make public transport more accessible and affordable, she said. These inconsistencies in pricing highlights the need for fairer treatment of Charleville commuters. They are unfairly burdened with higher costs, and it's time they are treated more equitably. "Ensuring fair pricing across the board will encourage more people to use public transport, which is essential for both reducing traffic congestion and supporting environmental sustainability, Ms Browne said. She said she hoped the NTA and Irish Rail would take this issue seriously and take steps to correct these pricing disparities for the benefit of all passengers. She received unanimous cross-party support seeking the fares reduction, and the chairman of the municipal district council, Fianna Fail councillor Pat Hayes, said officials would write to the two bodies demanding change. Fianna Fail MEP Barry Cowen has confirmed that he is recovering in the cardiac unit of St Jamess Hospital in Dublin after experiencing a "health scare" over the weekend. In a statement, Mr Cowen said he felt unwell in Strasbourg last week, with his symptoms persisting after he returned home to Ireland. He then attended the emergency department of Tullamore Hospital on Saturday, and was transferred to St Jamess the following day. As US president Donald Trumps assault on the global economy intensifies, the need to communicate and advocate for Irish interests in the US has never been more urgent or more pressing. Previous experience of the Brexit negotiating period provides some useful pointers about how Irish influence might be wielded in a highly challenging and hostile US setting. Trumps America First policy is being pursued with vigour and at speed, and the risks this poses for Ireland are substantial and comparable to the Brexit period. Lessons from the Brexit era, however, can inform ways and means of approaching the current period of intense international turbulence. Such an approach essentially rests on ensuring that Irish interests are effectively communicated with as wide an American audience as possible. As the effects of Trump's trade war play out, the opportunity to engage with impacted stakeholders, industries, and interests forms a critical means of securing allies and creating pushback. To achieve this requires strategically resourcing Irelands diplomatic footprint in the US, proactively projecting a strong and clear national message, engaging in extensive ministerial networking across America, and encouraging civil society efforts which are supportive of Irelands key policy priorities. In the current international context, much of Irelands interaction with the US administration particularly on trade will be channeled through EU negotiators and networks However, this does not negate the vital importance of Irelands diplomatic and diasporic networks on the ground in the US. During the Brexit period, the Irish diplomatic corps played a critically important role in persuading and pressurising the EU to position itself in support of Ireland. This was achieved on the back of strategic mobilization and increased diplomatic resources. Critically, these efforts produced a favorable outcome for core political and economic interests. On the frontline Irelands diplomatic corps are on the frontline in terms of confronting the risks posed by the new US administration. The Irish embassy in Washington DC has 40 personnel. Its work is supported by a network of consulates spanning eight major US cities and employing an additional 90 staff. There are also a number of State agencies including Enterprise Ireland, the Industrial Development Agency (IDA), and Tourism Ireland with a presence in the US. By its own admission, and according to a Department of Trade and Foreign Affairs Policy Review from 2017, Irelands diplomatic footprint in the US is small relative to other small states Although the number of personnel has increased in recent years, Ireland continues to lag behind in terms of its US staffing levels and its diplomatic footprint in the US remains considerably lower than its presence across Europe. Taking heed from its experience of navigating Brexit, Ireland must now actively find new allies and cultivate new avenues of influence in the US. To do this, it needs a greater diplomatic presence in the US. This means strategically increasing its staffing in Washington DC and across the US, and supplementing this move with a programme of targeted civil service secondment which can add additional detailed policy expertise to the diplomatic effort. It requires targeting and lobbying not just the Trump administration itself but also congress, the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, state legislatures, foreign policy circles, thinktanks, educational institutions, and the media. The Brexit period clearly demonstrated the value and effectiveness of this kind of diplomatic investment The Trump era demands a replication, if not an escalation of the same approach. The Brexit period also saw Irish government ministers proactively engage with their counterparts across Europe an approach which paid dividends in terms of influencing other member states to rally in support of Ireland during the subsequent negotiations. Then taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the then ambassador of Ireland to the US, Geraldine Byrne Nason, during a meeting with representatives of the Capital Pride Alliance during his visit to the US for St Patrick's Day in 2024. In the US setting, the St Patricks Day events provide Ireland with a unique opportunity for visibility and voice. Ministerial engagement, however, must be sustained beyond this brief period via a longer-term program of strategic visits, extensive networking and targeted lobbying which connects with key political figures, outlets and audiences. Continuously repeating and reinforcing a strong and clear message can have a persuasive and potent effect as it did in the context of Brexit Much like the Brexit period, there is also an important opportunity for representatives of opposition parties, business, industry, trade and other interests to buttress the messaging of the Government through their own networking, lobbying efforts, and targeted engagement with influential figures and groups in the US. This was done to positive effect by the wider Irish body politic and by leading Irish interest groups, who engaged with key debates and figures in Brussels and elsewhere during the Brexit negotiations. Endorsement and support Similarly, Irish-American organisations across the US form an important part of this effort. Although this sector is becoming more generationally distant from Ireland, its promotion of key Irish interests and constituencies remains significant. Offering endorsement and support (financial and figurative) to those representing Ireland and Irish-American interests can help in broadening the network of Irelands influence across the US. As the Trump administration implements its America First agenda and as serious trade disruption beckons, Tanaiste Simon Harris is right to suggest that an "all-out diplomatic offensive" is warranted. Brexit demonstrated how a small state like Ireland can approach and navigate a highly complex international political, economic, and diplomatic situation. The Trump presidency may not be a ready comparator, but it nevertheless demands a similarly targeted and multi-pronged diplomatic blitz which mobilises arguments and allies supportive of core Irish interests. Mary C Murphy is a professor and the director of the Irish Institute at Boston College The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said it has reached a preliminary agreement with cash-strapped Argentina on a 20 billion-dollar (15.6 billion) bailout. Tuesdays agreement would provide a welcome reprieve to libertarian president Javier Milei as he seeks to overturn the countrys old economic order. As a staff-level agreement, the rescue package still requires final approval from the IMFs executive board, which was expected to meet in the coming days. The funds announcement offers a lifeline to Mr Milei, who has cut inflation and stabilised Argentinas economy with a free-market austerity agenda that has reversed the reckless borrowing of his left-wing populist predecessors. The IMF has praised his success in slashing Argentinas fiscal deficit, but had held off on a new loan to the country that is its biggest debtor, with 22 IMF loans already handed out since 1958. To achieve Argentinas first fiscal surplus in almost two decades, Mr Milei has eliminated government agencies, firing thousands of public employees and scrapping subsidies and price controls. But without cash from the international lender, he has been unable to rebuild Argentinas rapidly depleting foreign exchange reserves, which he needs to repay debts and lift the countrys long-standing strict currency controls. Currency controls prevent companies from sending profits abroad, discouraging foreign investment. The agreement builds on the authorities impressive early progress in stabilising the economy, the IMF said in a statement announcing the agreement on the loan under a 48-month arrangement. There was no immediate response from Argentine authorities, who had been negotiating the deal for months. The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has mocked Washington and its Asian allies for what she called their daydream of denuclearising the North. She insisted the country will never give up its nuclear weapons programme. The statement by Kim Yo Jong, one of the countrys top foreign policy officials, was in response to a meeting last week between the top diplomats of the United States, South Korea and Japan where they reaffirmed their commitment to push for the Norths denuclearisation. Noting North Koreas goals for nuclear weapons expansion are enshrined in its constitution, she insisted any external discussions of denuclearisation constitute the most hostile act and amount to a denial of her countrys sovereignty. Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (AP) If the US and its vassal forces continue to insist on anachronistic denuclearization it will only give unlimited justness and justification to the advance of the DPRK (North Korea) aspiring after the building of the strongest nuclear force for self-defence, she said in comments released by state media. She said North Koreas nuclear weapons status can never be reversed by any physical strength or sly artifice. Tensions in the regions have increased as Mr Kim continues to flaunt his military nuclear capabilities and align with Russia over president Vladimir Putins war on Ukraine. He is ignoring calls by Seoul and Washington to resume denuclearisation talks. US President Donald Trump has said he would reach out to Mr Kim again to revive diplomacy, but the North has not responded to that offer. The two men met three times during Mr Trumps first term, but their diplomacy quickly collapsed over disagreements about ending US-led sanctions in return for North Korea taking steps to wind down its nuclear and missile programmes. Mr Kims foreign policy priority is now Russia, which he has supplied with weapons and troops to help prolong its war-fighting in Ukraine. Seoul fears Mr Kim may receive economic assistance and advanced technology to develop his arsenal in exchange for its military supporting Russia. Kim Yo Jongs statement came a day after South Korea fired warning shots to repel a group of North Korean soldiers who had crossed the border. South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said about 10 North Korean soldiers, some carrying weapons, violated the military demarcation line in the eastern section of the border. When South Korea issued warnings and fired warning shots, they did not return fire and returned to North Korea. It was not immediately clear whether acting president Han Duck-soo discussed the North Korean nuclear threat with Mr Trump during a telephone conversation on Tuesday. Mr Trump said in a social media post that the two leaders discussed tariffs, trade and Seouls payment for what he called the big time military protection the United States provides to South Korea. There are concerns in Seoul he might push South Korea to pay significantly more of the costs for the some 28,000 US troops stationed in the country. China has again vowed to fight to the end against US president Donald Trumps tariffs. Mr Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs on dozens of countries took effect on Wednesday, including massive 104% duties on Chinese goods, deepening his global trade war even as he prepared for negotiations with some nations. In a length policy statement, Beijing argued that trade between the two countries is already in balance as a tax on the countrys exports to America came into effect. The Chinese government declined to say whether it would negotiate with the White House. Trump's punishing tariffs have shaken a global trading order that has persisted for decades, raised fears of recession and sent stocks around the world reeling. The S&P 500 has shed nearly $6tn since Trump unveiled the tariffs a week ago, the deepest four-day loss since the benchmark's creation in the 1950s. The index is now nearing a bear market, defined as 20% below its most recent high. A sell-off across Asian markets resumed on Wednesday with Japan's Nikkei (.N225), opens new tab down more than 3%, South Korea's currency hitting a 16-year low and government bonds suffering heavy losses as investors dashed for the safety of cash. US stock futures also pointed to a fifth straight day of losses on Wall Street. US president Donald Trump speaks during an event on energy production in the East Room of the White House on Tuesday. Picture: AP Photo/Alex Brandon Trump has offered investors mixed signals about whether the tariffs will remain in the long term, describing them as "permanent" but also boasting that they are pressuring other leaders to ask for negotiations. "We have a lot of countries coming in that want to make deals," he said at a White House event on Tuesday afternoon. He said at a later event that he expected China to pursue an agreement as well. Plan to target pharmaceuticals Speaking at the event, Mr Trump said the White House world soon be announcing a "major" tariff on pharmaceuticals. "We're gonna tariff our pharmaceuticals, and once we do that, they're gonna come rushing back into our country because we're the big market. The advantage we have over everybody is that we're the big market," he said. "So we're going to be announcing very shortly a major tariff on pharmaceuticals, and when they hear that, they will leave China, they will leave other places, because most of their product is sold here." 'Ready to negotiate' Tanaiste Simon Harris has travelled to Washington DC for a meeting with US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick, a key critic of the Governments fiscal policies. Over the course of Wednesday, he is due to hold several further meetings on Capitol Hill to discuss Irelands economic, trade and foreign policy priorities. He will also meet with Mr Lutnick on trade and investment relations, mentioning the US-Irish economic relationship which sustains 400,000 jobs. Pharmaceuticals were exempt from the sweeping 20% tariffs imposed on EU exports to the US earlier this month, but could be subject to further measures taken by the Trump administration. Speaking about his US visit, the Tanaiste said: We are here to keep the lines of communications open with US political and business leaders as well as share insights and engage. During the visit I will be emphasising our desire to find a negotiated solution between the EU and US on tariffs and that I am fully supportive of Commissioner Sefcovics work. I will make the point that the European Union is ready right now to negotiate." Meanwhile, Trump's administration has scheduled talks with South Korea and Japan, two close allies and major trading partners, and Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni is due to visit next week. The deputy prime minister of Vietnam, the low-cost Asian manufacturing hub hit with some of the highest duties globally, is set to talk with Trump's Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later on Wednesday. The prospect of deals with other countries had pushed stock markets up earlier on Tuesday, but US stocks had ceded their gains by the end of the trading day. China vows to fight A woman reacts in front of an electronic screen displaying stock prices at a brokerage house in Hangzhou in east China's Zhejiang province on Monday. Picture: Chinatopix Via AP Trump nearly doubled duties on Chinese imports, which had been set at 54% last week, in response to counter-tariffs that Beijing announced last week. China has vowed to fight what it views as blackmail. Top Chinese brokerages have pledged to work together to help steady domestic share prices in response to the tariff-induced turmoil. Other nations are racing to protect key industries from the duties, with South Korea announcing a raft of emergency support measures for the auto sector, including tax cuts and subsidies. Some economists have warned that ultimately US consumers are likely to bear the brunt of the trade war, facing higher prices on everything from sneakers to wine. Nearly three-quarters of Americans expect the prices of everyday items to rise in the next six months, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found. The full effects of Wednesday's tariffs may not be felt for some time, as any goods already in transit as of midnight will be exempt from the new levies as long as they arrive in the US by May 27. Trump's earlier across-the-board 10% tariffs on all imports from many countries began on Saturday. The latest round of duties, which took effect at 12.01am. ET (4.01am GMT), are aimed at countries that are "ripping off" the US, according to Trump. That list includes many of the United States' closest allies, including the European Union, which was hit with a 20% tariff as well as industry-specific duties. The 27-member bloc will vote on initial counter-measures later on Wednesday. The New York Stock Exchange is seen in New York, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Picture: AP Photo/Seth Wenig Trump has said the tariffs are a response to barriers put on US goods that have stymied American businesses. He has also accused countries including Japan of devaluing their currencies to gain a trade advantage, something Tokyo denies. Japan's finance minister on Wednesday said trade negotiations with Washington could include foreign exchange rates. Trump has signaled he may not be finished on tariffs. In remarks to Republican lawmakers on Tuesday evening, he said he would soon announce "major" tariffs on pharmaceutical imports, one of a handful of categories of goods that have been exempted from the new taxes. - Reuters with additional reporting from PA China has again vowed to fight to the end against US President Donald Trumps tariffs. In a length policy statement, Beijing argued that trade between the two countries is already in balance as a 104% tax on the countrys exports to America came into effect. The Chinese government declined to say whether it would negotiate with the White House. If the US insists on further escalating its economic and trade restrictions, China has the firm will and abundant means to take necessary counter-measures and fight to the end, the ministry of commerce wrote in a statement. Mr Trumps tariffs have led to sharp drops in international markets (AP) Last Friday, China announced a 34% tariff on all goods imported from the US and placed export controls on rare earths minerals as well as a slew of other measures in response to Mr Trumps Liberation Day tariffs. The US leader then added an additional 50% tariff on goods from China, saying negotiations with Beijing were terminated. So far, China has not appeared to be interested in bargaining. Ministry of foreign affairs spokesman Lin Jian said: If the US truly wants to resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation, it should adopt an attitude of equality, respect and mutual benefit. The Chinese governments white paper says that the US has not honoured the promises it made in the phase 1 trade deal concluded during Mr Trumps first term. US President Donald Trumps tariffs took effect on Wednesday (Pool via AP) As an example, it said that a US law that would ban TikTok unless it is sold by its Chinese parent company violates a promise that neither would pressure the other party to transfer technology to its own individuals. Mr Trump signed an order to keep TikTok running for another 75 days last week after a potential deal to sell the app to American owners was put on ice. ByteDance representatives called the White House to indicate that China would no longer approve the deal until there could be negotiations about trade and tariffs. The paper also argued that taking into account trade in services and US companies domestic Chinese branches, economic exchange between the two countries is roughly in balance. Chinese officials said the tariffs will not help the US solve its own problems (AP) It says that China had a trade in services deficit with the US of $26.57bn in 2023, in industries such as insurance, banking and accounting. Mr Trumps tariffs were designed to close trade deficits with foreign countries, but those were calculated only based on trades in physical, tangible goods. The Chinese commerce ministry said: History and facts have proven that the United States increase in tariffs will not solve its own problems. Instead, it will trigger sharp fluctuations in financial markets, push up US inflation pressure, weaken the US industrial base and increase the risk of a US economic recession, which will ultimately only backfire on itself. President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused China of manipulating its currency to offset the impact of US tariffs. During an event at the National Republican Congressional Committee Trump said China is facing a 104% tariff and he announced he would introduce tariffs on pharmaceuticals. "We have to do, we're going to put we're going to tariff our pharmaceuticals. And once we do that, they're going to come rushing back into our country because we are the big market, the advantage we have over everybody is that we're the big market. So we're going to be announcing very shortly a major tariff on pharmaceuticals." Facing a global market meltdown, US President Donald Trump has abruptly backed off his tariffs on most nations for 90 days even as he further increased the tax rate on Chinese imports to 125%. It was seemingly an attempt to narrow what had been an unprecedented trade war between the US and most of the world to a showdown between the US and China. The S&P 500 stock index jumped 9.5% after the announcement, but the drama over Mr Trumps tariffs is far from over as his administration prepares to engage in country-by-country negotiations. In the meantime, countries subject to the pause will now be tariffed at 10%. The president hit pause in the face of intense pressure created by volatile financial markets that had been pushing Mr Trump to reconsider his tariffs, even as some administration officials insisted his reversal had always been the plan. As stocks and bonds sold off, voters were watching their retirement savings dwindle and businesses warned of worse than expected sales and rising prices, all a possible blow to a country that sent Mr Trump back to the White House last year on the promise of combatting inflation. The global economy appeared to be in open rebellion against Mr Trumps tariffs as they took effect early on Wednesday, a signal that the US president was not immune from market pressures. By early afternoon, Mr Trump posted on Truth Social that because more than 75 countries had reached out to the US government for trade talks and had not retaliated in meaningful ways he had authorised a 90-day pause and a lowered reciprocal tariff of 10% effective immediately. Mr Trump later told reporters that he pulled back on many global tariffs but not on China because people were yippy and afraid because of the stock market declines. He added that while he expected to reach deals, nothings over yet. The president said he had been monitoring the bond market and that people were getting a little queasy as bond prices had fallen and interest rates had increased in a vote of no confidence by investors in Mr Trumps previous tariff plans. The bond market is very tricky, Mr Trump said. I was watching it. But if you look at it now, its beautiful. The president later said he had been thinking about his tariff pause over the past few days, but he said it came together early this morning, fairly early this morning. Asked why White House aides had been insisting for weeks that the tariffs were not part of a negotiation, Mr Trump said: A lot of times, its not a negotiation until it is. The 10% tariff was the baseline rate for most nations that went into effect on Saturday. It is meaningfully lower than the 20% tariff that Mr Trump had set for goods from the European Union, 24% on imports from Japan and 25% on products from South Korea. Still, 10% represents an increase in the tariffs previously charged by the US government. Canada and Mexico would continue to be tariffed by as much as 25% because of a separate directive by Mr Trump to ostensibly stop fentanyl smuggling. US treasury secretary Scott Bessent said that the negotiations with individual countries would be bespoke, meaning that the next 90 days would involve talks on a flurry of potential deals. Mr Bessent, a former hedge fund manager, told reporters that the pause was because of other countries seeking talks rather than brutal sell-offs in the financial markets, a statement later contradicted by the president. The only certainty we can provide is that the US is going to negotiate in good faith, and we assume that our allies will too, Mr Bessent said. The treasury secretary said he and Mr Trump had a long talk on Sunday, and this was his strategy all along and that the president had goaded China into a bad position. Prior to the reversal, business executives were warning of a potential recession caused by his policies, some of the top US trading partners were retaliating with their own import taxes and the stock market was quivering after days of decline. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the walk back was part of Mr Trumps negotiating strategy. She said the news media clearly failed to see what President Trump is doing here. You tried to say that the rest of the world would be moved closer to China, when in fact, weve seen the opposite effect. The entire world is calling the United States of America, not China, because they need our markets, she said. The head of the World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said the trade war between the US and China could could severely damage the global economic outlook and warned of potential fragmentation of global trade along geopolitical lines. Market turmoil had been building for weeks before Mr Trumps move, with the president at times suggesting the import taxes would stay in place while also saying that they could be subject to negotiations. Gennadiy Goldberg, head of US rates strategy at TD Securities, said before the announcement that markets wanted to see a truce in the trade disputes. Markets more broadly, not just the treasury market, are looking for signs that a trade de-escalation is coming, he said. Absent any de-escalation, its going to be difficult for markets to stabilise. John Canavan, lead analyst at the consultancy Oxford Economics, noted that while Mr Trump said he changed course because of possible negotiations, he had previously indicated that the tariffs would stay in place. There have been very mixed messages on whether there would be negotiations, Mr Canavan said. Given whats been going on with the markets, he realised the safest thing to do is negotiate and put things on pause. The rollercoaster nature of Wednesday could be seen in the social media posts of Bill Ackman, a hedge fund billionaire and Trump supporter. Our stock market is down, Mr Ackman posted on X. Bond yields are up and the dollar is declining. These are not the markers of successful policy. Mr Ackman repeated his call for a 90-day pause in the post. When Mr Trump embraced that idea several hours later, an ebullient Mr Ackman posted that Mr Trump had brilliantly executed his plan and it was Textbook, Art of the Deal, a reference to Mr Trumps bestselling 1987 book. Wednesday, Apr 9th, 2025 (12:39 pm) - Score 320 Alternative network operator Elevate (formerly Telcom and Luminet) has today announced that theyve completed the deployment of a new full fibre Hypercity network across the city of Cardiff in Wales. The new network gives over 5,000 businesses access to dedicated internet speeds up to 10Gbps and over 4,000 homes access to speeds of up to 1Gbps. Just to recap. The Cardiff Council (Gyngor Caerdydd) has long been aware that patches of the city still lack any commercial upgrade plans for gigabit broadband and suffer from sub-30Mbps broadband speeds, which is what theyve been trying to improve using a 7m+ funding boost from the Welsh Government that was first awarded in 2022 (here) via the Local Broadband Fund (LBF). NOTE: Cardiff Council are committed to ensuring that their citizens do not become a digital tale of two cities and that 100% coverage of full fibre connectivity is available across the city by 2025. Last year we reported that Telcom had won a contract to deliver the first phase of this network roll-out (here), which is understood to have delivered the new fibre connectivity to 79 sites, both residential and commercial. The same operator was then contracted to deliver Phase 2, which focused on premises identified as high on the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD) and was due to complete by March 2025 (here). Advertisement The new network has now been completed. The company will operate under the Elevate brand for business customers, and WeFibre for residential customers in their homes. Elevate Wholesale will also be working with local IT organisations to support their customers connectivity needs in the City. Elliott Mueller, CEO at Elevate, said: Working in the cultural and commercial centre of Wales, businesses across the region need rapid and resilient access to the best possible digital infrastructure. When we were awarded the contract back in 2023, we committed to full fibre coverage across Cardiff by 2025, and were delighted that the work weve undertaken with Cardiff Council and the Welsh Government has delivered exactly that. Isabelle Bignall, Chief Digital Officer at Cardiff Council, said: Broadband is a necessity in this digital age, and access to reliable connectivity is essential to help our local businesses flourish and our residents thrive. I am proud to share the transformative impact of Cardiffs Local Broadband Fund project which has successfully delivered gigabit speed connectivity to the most digitally deprived areas of the city. This project has boosted connectivity for businesses and residents, driving economic growth and enhancing daily life in Cardiff. Alongside the improvements in broadband infrastructure, this project has also invested in our local communities. Elevate has provided Cardiffs Virtual School with online tuition credits to enable students, who may struggle in a traditional school setting, to complete their English and Maths GCSEs. WeFibre offers an affordable social tariff helping to reduce the financial barriers to connectivity, and 15 community sites have received free-for-life gigabit internet connections, helping to ensure that everyone in our community can stay connected and flourish. We should point out that the vast majority of Cardiff and surrounding areas are already covered by gigabit-capable broadband networks, mostly via Hybrid Fibre Coax (Virgin Media) solutions and Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) infrastructure from the likes of Openreach, Hyperoptic, Ogi, FibreNest (Persimmon Homes) and the community orientated Michaelston-y-Fedw CIC project. But the above project should have helped to close many of the remaining gaps. Wednesday, Apr 9th, 2025 (2:04 pm) - Score 480 Consultancy firm FarrPoint has today published the results of a new study, which saw them working with the Orkney Islands Council to investigate 4G mobile coverage and network performance (mobile broadband) across Orkney. Vodafone and O2 were found to have the best coverage in the main areas surveyed, while Three UK and EE have the worse coverage overall. The Orkney study also looked at the impact on local businesses from increased numbers of people using mobile (particularly when cruise ships come), which involved a survey of 39 local businesses the majority being based in Kirkwall and Stromness. NOTE: The work part-funded by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIW) looked at Kirkwall and Stromness town centres and the main route from St Margarets Hope to Holm. The survey equipment was placed in a backpack, mapping the coverage information whilst walking the routes. Overall, FarrPoints economic assessment suggested that poor mobile coverage may lead to mobile access issues for tourists and the local community. But the same impact is not being felt by local businesses, who mostly use fixed (broadband) connectivity. Advertisement The study also found opportunities for improving mobile connectivity across Orkney, however, it concluded that any improvements would not have an economic impact on businesses when there are increased tourist numbers from cruise ships. Stage 1: Coverage Results Conclusions EE Overall coverage is relatively poor in Kirkwall and across the barriers to St Margarets Hope, with slightly better coverage in the Stromness area. Vodafone Coverage is generally good in all areas except the main road to the northwest, which has poor coverage to the north. O2 Coverage is good in Stromness and in some parts of Kirkwall. However, the road to the northwest and across the barriers, plus St Margarets Hope, has more mixed coverage. Three UK Coverage is poor in most areas, with Finstown having almost no coverage. Stromness is the exception from Three, which has good coverage. Overall: Vodafone and O2 have the best coverage in the main areas surveyed. Three and EE have poorer coverage overall. EE and Three best serve the road heading to the northwest of the mainland. However, it is important to recognise that user experience is affected by both coverage and capacity. Where the data suggests reasonable coverage, if user issues remain, then capacity could be an issue that would require the operators to take action. Our survey recorded 4G coverage from all four operators, plus Ofcom indicates that O2 has some 5G coverage in Orkney. This will be non-standalone 5G, meaning that a sufficient 4G service is still required to enable access to the 5G network and potentially higher throughputs. Looking ahead, mobile networks will remain on 4G for a significant period of time and it is expected additional operators will deploy 5G in Orkney as networks are refreshed. 5G Standalone coverage will increase in urban areas, but may need further intervention if it was required in more rural areas. Ewan Kennedy, Council Graduate Trainee (Digital Engagement & Enterprise), said: Access to reliable mobile coverage is increasingly essential to all and whilst Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) publish their coverage maps, these are based on modelled (predicted) coverage and dont necessarily reflect the real, on the ground experience of users. Mobile phone coverage in Kirkwall and Stromness varies depending on the network provider and officers have had anecdotal evidence from residents and businesses that the coverage is not always as good as a mobile operator information may suggest. Gaps in coverage remain and some are being addressed by intervention programmes such as S4GI and Shared Rural Network, but not all. Through this data gathering exercise we now have a much better understanding of the lived experience of users in Kirkwall and Stromness and can identify coverage gaps and areas needing improvement and enhanced mobile coverage. The data from this project will directly feed into development of projects to improve connectivity in the area. Anecdotally, it has been suggested that mobile performance is affected when there is an influx of visitors to the county using the local mobile networks resulting in the inability of local businesses to fully function, e.g. take card payments. The survey findings found this was not the case in fact out of 39 business respondents, only one, who was reliant on a mobile signal, gave a negative response to their business during high visitor density days. All other businesses reported only positive responses. The report recommends that improvements should be focused on mobile coverage and capacity where there is a demonstrated need. A review of overall resilience to ensure high availability of service is also advised. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. An N.C. House Select Committee is recommending that the General Assembly change a state law forcing districts to start school the Monday closest to Aug. 26 and end no later than the Friday clo China has dismissed as absolutely groundless allegations from Ukraine claiming that many Chinese nationals are participating in combat alongside Russian forces against Ukraine. The Chinese side is verifying relevant information with the Ukrainian side, stated spokesperson Lin Jian, noting that the Chinese government has consistently advised its citizens to avoid areas of armed conflict (and) refrain from participating in armed conflicts in any form. This response from China follows President Volodymyr Zelenskys announcement that Ukrainian forces detained two Chinese citizens fighting for Russian troops in the Donetsk region. We possess documents of these prisoners, along with bank cards and personal information, Mr. Zelensky mentioned in a social media post yesterday, which included footage of one of the alleged Chinese detainees. Our military has captured two Chinese nationals who were engaged with the Russian army. This occurred on Ukrainian soilin the Donetsk region. Identification documents, bank cards, and personal information were discovered in their belongings. We have information suggesting that pic.twitter.com/ekBr6hCkQL Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) April 8, 2025 During an apparent interview with an unnamed Ukrainian official, the individual mimicked combat sounds and spoke several words in Mandarin. A senior Ukrainian official informed AFP that the captives were taken a few days ago, adding that there may be additional cases. They suggested that the detainees were likely Chinese nationals lured into signing contracts with the Russian military, rather than being dispatched by the Chinese government. Mr. Zelensky asserted that there is evidence indicating many more Chinese citizens are fighting alongside Russian forces, a statement that Mr. Lin refuted as absolutely groundless. The position of the Chinese side regarding the Ukraine crisis is clear and unequivocal, earning broad approval from the international community, Mr. Lin remarked. The Ukrainian side should properly recognize Chinas efforts and its constructive role in advocating for a political resolution to the Ukraine crisis, he added. China positions itself as a neutral party in the conflict, claiming it is not providing lethal support to either side, in contrast to the United States and other Western nations. Since Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, China and Russia have fortified their political, military, and economic collaboration. However, China remains a close political and economic ally to Russia, and NATO countries have labeled China a decisive enabler of Russias offensive, which it has never publicly denounced. Russia has yet to formally respond to these allegations. Ukraine has continuously urged China to exert pressure on Russia to halt its invasion, which has resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of lives, and has yet to see Russia fulfill its primary objectives. Ukraine is also striving to strengthen its ties with China, and this week, Mr. Zelensky appointed a new ambassador to China. Nevertheless, Mr. Zelensky expressed concern about Chinese personnel fighting on Ukrainian territory, particularly as North Korean troops are engaging with Russian forces in the Kursk region. I believe this is a crucial point that we need to urgently discuss with our partners, he stated during a press conference. Emerging Serial Killer Executed in Florida for the Murder of Miami Newspaper Staff Member A 48-year-old man was executed by lethal injection in the southern US state of Florida for the murder of a newspaper employee in 2000, who was taken while on her lunch break. Michael Tanzi was executed shortly after 6pm (11pm Irish time) yesterday at the Florida State Prison in Raiford for the killing of Janet Acosta, 49, according to a statement from prison officials. Tanzi is the third inmate on death row to be executed in Florida this year and the 11th across the United States. He admitted to murdering Ms. Acosta, who worked for the Miami Herald, and received a death sentence in 2003. Additionally, Tanzi confessed to another womans murder, although he was never charged in that case, and a police detective referred to him in the Miami Herald as a fledgling serial killer. His legal team attempted to stop the execution, claiming there could be complications with the lethal injection due to his morbid obesity. Tanzis execution is one of two planned in the United States this week. Mikal Mahdi, 42, is scheduled to be executed by firing squad in South Carolina on Friday for the 2004 murder of an off-duty police officer. If carried out, Mahdi would become the second person executed by firing squad in South Carolina this year. Since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, the vast majority of executions in the US have been carried out using lethal injection. Last year, there were 25 executions in the United States. The death penalty has been abolished in 23 out of the 50 US states, while three othersCalifornia, Oregon, and Pennsylvaniacurrently have moratoriums in place. President Donald Trump advocates for capital punishment and called for an expansion of its application for the vilest crimes on his first day in office. Last week, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that federal prosecutors would pursue the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, who is charged with the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson on December 4 in New York. The number of fatalities from a roof collapse at a nightclub in the Dominican Republic has climbed to 44, according to officials, as search and rescue operations for survivors continue amid the debris. We have preliminary data indicating 44 fatalities thus far. Efforts are ongoing, stated Juan Manuel Mendez, the director of the Emergency Operations Center, noting that over 100 individuals have been injured. Authorities reported that around 400 rescue personnel were deployed at the Jet Set nightclub in the capital, Santo Domingo, with numerous ambulances prepared for emergencies. Many people gathered at the site, anxiously seeking updates on their missing relatives, including the well-known Dominican merengue artist Rubby Perez. Local news indicated that between 500 and 1,000 patrons were present in the club at the time of the incident. It happened all of a sudden. I thought there was an earthquake, so I dropped to the ground and shielded my head, recounted Enrique Paulino, Mr. Perezs manager. Members of the National Police stood guard outside the Jet Set nightclub following the roofs collapse. One of our saxophonists died. We tried to reach the area where Rubby was, but it was obstructed by debris, he added. Zulinka, Mr. Perezs daughter, told reporters that she had escaped the collapse but had no information about her fathers whereabouts. I feel hopeless. I speak out because I know people care about him Up to now, I was informed he was inside the nightclub. I dont know if hes in an ambulance, as Im not allowed to go in, she shared with the CDN television network. Among the victims was Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the Monte Cristi municipality, who passed away from her injuries in a hospital, as confirmed by President Luis Abinader. Mr. Mendez reported that ambulances had made 134 trips to hospitals, translating to approximately 150 or 160 patients. A Glimmer of Hope He mentioned that rescuers could hear cries for help from within the rubble. While there is still hope for survival, all authorities will continue their efforts to rescue these individuals, he affirmed. Numerous family members rushed to hospitals seeking information. We are in despair, said Regina del Rosa, whose sister attended the concert, to the Dominican channel SIN. They arent providing any updates, and we dont have any information. Emergency services were actively present at the scene of the incident in Santo Domingo. Local news outlets shared images of a construction crane at the site as workers in hard hats sifted through the debris. We are focused on rescuing all individuals we can save alive while also recovering those who have perished along the way. However, our primary focus has been on individuals we can potentially rescue alive as we hear their pleas for help, Mr. Mendez elaborated on the ongoing operation. He highlighted that multiple institutions part of the national emergency center were working diligently to assist those in need. The initial death toll was reported as 15, later increased to 18. Mr. Abinader stated on X that the government had been monitoring the situation closely since it began, eventually coming to the scene himself. Our main goal is to save lives We are profoundly impacted by this tragedy, he expressed upon arrival. All relief organizations are providing essential assistance and are tirelessly engaged in rescue operations, the president added. The Jet Set clubs Instagram page noted that it has been operating for over 50 years, featuring shows on Mondays until dawn. Its latest post advertised Mondays performance by Mr. Perez, encouraging fans to enjoy his greatest hits and dance in the best nightclub in the country. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the United States is initiating direct, high-level discussions with Iran regarding its nuclear program during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. While addressing reporters in the Oval Office, Mr. Trump expressed optimism about reaching an agreement with Iran, though he cautioned that Iran would be in great danger if the negotiations did not yield positive results. Mr. Netanyahu, for his part, mentioned that the US and Israel are collaborating on another agreement to secure the release of hostages from Gaza, following the breakdown of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Irans ally. Were engaging with the Iranians; we have a significant meeting scheduled for Saturday, and we are handling it directly, Mr. Trump informed reporters after a discussion focused on Israels aim to avoid US tariffs. Benjamin Netanyahu was the first foreign leader to personally appeal for a reprieve on tariffs. The announcement from Mr. Trump came just a day after Iran rejected the notion of direct negotiations to establish a new agreement to limit the Islamic Republics nuclear activities, labeling the idea as futile. He had withdrawn from the previous agreement in 2018 during his initial presidency, leading to rampant speculation that Israel, potentially with US assistance, might target Iranian facilities if a new accord is not reached. However, Mr. Trump issued a pointed warning to Iran. I believe that if the negotiations fail with Iran, they will be in great danger, and I hate to emphasize the word danger, because they must not possess a nuclear weapon, he stated. Shortly before Mr. Trumps announcement, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei indicated that Iran was awaiting a response from the US concerning its proposal for indirect talks. He described the offer from the Islamic Republic as generous, responsible, and honorable. After Mr. Trumps remarks, a senior Iranian official, who requested anonymity, remarked: The discussions will not be direct It will involve mediation from Oman. Oman, known for maintaining amicable relations with both the US and Iran, has historically served as a conduit for communications between the two nations. Read more: Netanyahu vows to eliminate US-Israel trade deficit Irans Nour news, linked to the nations top security authority, characterized Mr. Trumps announcement about a proposed direct meeting as part of a psychological operation aimed at swaying domestic and international public perception. A separate Iranian official, also speaking anonymously over the weekend, suggested that there might be an opportunity spanning roughly two months to secure a deal, citing concerns that Israel could undertake its own military action if they prolonged the discussions. This insight coincided with Mr. Netanyahu becoming the first foreign leader to explicitly request a reprieve from harsh US tariffs that have sent ripples worldwide. The Israeli Prime Minister affirmed his commitment to eliminate the trade deficit between the two nations and dismantle trade barriers. Israel has also moved to lift its final tariffs on US imports in anticipation of the meeting. Mr. Netanyahu expressed his belief that Israel could act as a model for many nations regarding tariff negotiations. Gaza talks The discussions between Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Trump also touched upon Gaza, where a brief US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has faltered. Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the US and Israel are working on new negotiations to free additional hostages taken by Hamas during its October 7, 2023, assault on Israel, which ignited the current conflict. We are currently pursuing another agreement that we hope will be successful, and we are committed to securing the release of all hostages, Mr. Netanyahu stated in the Oval Office. Mr. Trump also reiterated his intention for the US to control Gaza, describing it as a valuable piece of real estate. He initially proposed this plan during Mr. Netanyahus previous visit in February. Earlier, Mr. Trump welcomed Mr. Netanyahu outside the West Wing, pumping his fist in enthusiasm before the two leaders, both dressed in dark suits, red ties, and white shirts, entered for their meeting in the Oval Office. A planned press conference between the two leaders was abruptly cancelled without explanation, a rare occurrence; however, they engaged in lengthy discussions with a small group of pool reporters in the Oval Office. This visit marks Mr. Netanyahus second meeting with Mr. Trump since the US President regained power and came just days after Mr. Trump imposed a 17% tariff on Israel in his recent Liberation Day announcement. Mr. Trump declined to exempt the primary beneficiary of US military assistance from his global tariff initiative, citing the notable trade deficit the United States has with Israel. Mr. Netanyahu met with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Sunday night immediately following his arrival, according to his office. The Israeli Prime Minister also engaged with Mr. Trumps special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff the day prior. US President Donald Trumps reciprocal tariffs on numerous countries have officially taken effect, imposing hefty 104% duties on Chinese products and 20% on goods from the EU. This escalation has further intensified his global trade war, even as he prepares for negotiations with several nations. Mr. Trumps aggressive tariffs have disrupted a long-standing global trading order, instigated fears of a recession, and caused a significant decline in worldwide stock markets. He also mentioned that the US will soon reveal a major tariff on pharmaceutical imports. The S&P stock market closed below 5,000 for the first time in nearly a year yesterday, edging closer to a bear market, which is defined as being 20% below its most recent peak. Goods already en route as of midnight will be exempt from the new duties. A sell-off across Asian markets resumed today after a short pause, with Japans Nikkei index down over 3%, and South Koreas won hitting a 16-year low. US stock futures also indicated a fifth consecutive day of losses on Wall Street. Mr. Trump has delivered mixed messages to investors about the future of the tariffs, calling them permanent while also claiming they are pressuring other leaders to enter negotiations. We have many countries approaching us that want to strike deals, he stated at a White House event yesterday afternoon. He later expressed his expectations that China would also seek an agreement. The Trump administration has arranged discussions with South Korea and Japan, two key allies and significant trading partners, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is scheduled to visit next week. The possibility of deals with other nations had initially lifted stock markets earlier yesterday, but US stocks had relinquished their gains by the end of the trading session. Mr. Trump nearly doubled the duties on Chinese imports from 54% last week, reacting to counter-tariffs China announced during the same period. China has promised to resist what it perceives as coercion. Economists warn that US consumers can expect increased prices on a wide range of products, from sneakers to wine, due to the ongoing trade conflict. US consumers are likely to face higher prices on goods. The comprehensive impact of todays tariffs might not be immediate, as goods already in transit as of midnight are exempt from the new rates, provided they arrive in the US by May 27. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that nearly three-quarters of Americans expect prices for everyday items to rise within the next six months. Mr. Trumps previously announced across-the-board 10% tariffs on all imports from various countries began on Saturday. The latest set of duties, which came into effect at 12:01 am Eastern time (5:01 am Irish time), targets nations deemed as ripping off the US, according to Mr. Trump. This list includes several of the United States closest allies, such as the European Union, which has been subjected to a 20% tariff. Vietnam, which gained from the shift of US supply chains away from China during Mr. Trumps initial trade war with China, is facing a 46% tariff. Mr. Trump has asserted that these tariffs respond to barriers imposed on US products that hinder American enterprises. He has also accused nations like Japan of devaluing their currencies for competitive advantage, a claim Japan has denied. Japans finance minister indicated that trade discussions with the US could encompass foreign exchange rates. U.S. immigration officials announced they will review social media accounts and may deny visas or residence permits to individuals who share content deemed anti-Semitic by President Donald Trumps administration. Content identified as anti-Semitic will encompass social media activity that supports militant organizations recognized by the United States as terrorists, including Hamas, Hezbollah from Lebanon, and the Houthi insurgents in Yemen. This decision follows the Trump administrations contentious cancellation of visas for students already in the United States, where the First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has made it abundantly clear that anyone who believes they can come to America and use the First Amendment as a shield to promote anti-Semitic violence and terrorism think again. You are not welcome here, stated department spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin. The new policy will be enacted immediately and will affect student visas and applications for permanent resident green cards to remain in the United States. Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned late last month that he has revoked visas for approximately 300 individuals and continues to do so daily. Mr. Rubio asserted that non-U.S. citizens do not possess the same rights as Americans and that it is his prerogative, not the courts, to grant or deny visas. Several individuals who have had their visas revoked argue that they never expressed hostility toward Jews. Some claimed they were targeted simply for being present at protests. The most notable deportation case involves Mahmoud Khalil, who led protests at Columbia University in New York. He was also taken to Louisiana ahead of his deportation proceedings, despite being a permanent resident of the U.S. The Trump administration has also removed millions of dollars in federal funding from leading universities, citing their inadequate response to combat anti-Semitism during protests sparked by the Gaza conflict. 04/08/2025 From left to right: Mary Monk, Samuel Monk, Board of Trustees Chairman Randy Jones, and Jax State President Dr. Don C. Killingsworth, Jr. Jacksonville State University held a ceremony on Monday afternoon to dedicate the universitys Legal Office Suite in honor of longtime legal counsel and devoted Gamecock, Samuel Monk. Colleagues, friends, and university leadership gathered to celebrate Monks decades of service and lasting contributions to the university. Hosted in front of the newly named suite in Angle Hall, the ceremony featured remarks from Chief University Counsel Emily Davey, Jax State President Dr. Don C. Killingsworth, Jr., Board of Trustees Chairman Randy Jones, and Monk himself. Davey opened the ceremony by expressing her personal gratitude for Monks ongoing support of her and University Counsel and Title IX Coordinator Gloria Floyd. It took two lawyers to replace the good work that Sam did, she said. Thank you, Sam, from the bottom of my heart for helping me, counseling me, always being available to me. Jones praised Monk as the universitys bedrock during challenging times. He was our source, he was our inspiration, Jones said. We can literally point the finger and say this would not be happening if it werent for Sam Monk. Monk, a Jax State alumnus, first came to campus as a student before finding purpose in the ROTC program and the mentorship of leaders like then dean and eventual President Theron Montgomery. His story of academic transformation, military service, and return to Jax State as an adjunct professor and then legal counsel reflected the universitys values of growth, resilience, and giving back. Killingsworth, who worked closely with Monk through numerous transitions at the university, shared his admiration for Monks deep institutional knowledge and wisdom. Sam would walk around these halls, every office, every day, he said. His success was ultimately the universitys success. The event also drew several community leaders, including judges and public officials, as well as many university faculty and staff. Dr. Killingsworth emphasized the significance of their attendance: It is a testament to Sam. His legal knowledge is far better than anybody Ive ever known, he added. This is a happy time and I cannot think of a better testament and a legacy for you than to have the legal suite named in your honor. In his remarks, Monk expressed heartfelt appreciation to his mentors and colleagues, reflecting on his early days at Jax State as a student without direction, and the pivotal role Jax State played in his life. I love JSU, always have, he said. Working in that role was an absolute pleasure It was a personal honor, professional honor, and it was a pleasure. Monk concluded by praising the universitys current leadership. Coming back, seeing the changes, seeing the camaraderie within the administration, the true meaning of shared governance has told me that this institution is very healthy, and I think the future is very bright. Chair, Committee on Academic Freedom Professor Emerita, University of Southern California heather.k.gerken@yale.edu Dean, Yale Law School Heather K. Gerken president@yale.edu President, Yale University Maurie McInnis cc: Laurie A. BrandChair, Committee on Academic FreedomProfessor Emerita, University of Southern California MESA Executive Director Jeffrey D. Reger Sincerely, We look forward to your response. We believe that no one should lose their job or be denied employment solely because of expressive or associational activity protected by the First Amendment. We therefore call on Yale University to act in accordance with its avowed commitment to respect and uphold the right to free speech and association and the principles of academic freedom, and in conformity with its own policies, applicable laws and the right to due process. It is in tumultuous times that colleges and universities stated commitments to protect academic freedom are most put to the test. As the Israel-Hamas war rages and campus protests proliferate, institutional authorities must refrain from sanctioning faculty members for expressing politically controversial views and should instead defend their right, under principles of academic freedom, to do so. We call your attention to the statement issued on 24 October 2023 by the American Association of University Professors, which reads in part: Targeting university faculty, staff or students by means of allegations apparently generated and/or disseminated anonymously by an AI bot constitutes a dangerous escalation in the campaign being waged by groups based outside of academia seeking to silence criticism of Israel on college and university campuses. In these circumstances, institutions of higher education have a heightened responsibility to make sure that their actions in response to such allegations are measured, fully protect First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and association, and comply with accepted norms of due process. Universities must also take into account the potentially dangerous consequences which their actions may entail, including with regard to immigration status. We note that there appears to be legitimate concern about possible conflict of interest in Mr. Rings service as outside counsel in this case. According to its website , his law firm has an Israel practice that operates in the defense and aerospace sectors, among others, and he himself worked for the Justice Department for many years, including on national security cases, and is described as provid[ing] counsel to some of the worlds largest aerospace and defense companies. Mr. Lee informed Yale that his client was willing to answer questions in writing from Yale but not from the outside counsel; Yale demanded a live interview with outside counsel. On 28 March 2025, Yale Law School terminated Dr. Doutaghis employment because of her alleged refusal to cooperate with its investigation. SUBIACO, AU / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / The Board of RTG Mining Inc. ("RTG", the "Company") (TSX Code:RTG)(ASX Code:RTG) is pleased to announce that the Company has successfully completed the issue of 169,297,750 Chess Depository Instruments ("Securities") at a price of A$0.025 per Security to institutional and sophisticated investors pursuant to the placement announced by the Company on 31 March 2025 ("Placement"). Tranche 1 of the Private Placement raised proceeds of circa A$4.2 million (before costs). 169,297,750 Tranche 1 Securities were issued using the Company's placement capacity under ASX Listing Rule 7.1. Foster Stockbroking Pty Ltd ("FSB") acted as lead manager and bookrunner to the Placement ("Lead Manager"). Shareholder approval will now be sought at a general meeting to be scheduled in May 2025, for the issue of Tranche 2 Securities to Placement participants, the details of which are in RTG's announcement and Appendix 3B released to ASX on 31 March 2025. A Notice of Meeting relating to these approvals will be sent to shareholders in due course. The Placement is conducted under exemptions from prospectus and registration requirements of securities laws in relevant countries. The Placement is subject to approval of TSX. The Company intends to rely on exemption under Section 602.1 of the TSX company manual with respect to the Placement and shareholder approval. ABOUT RTG MINING INC RTG Mining Inc. is a mining and exploration company listed on the main board of the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Australian Securities Exchange. RTG is currently focused primarily on progressing the Mabilo Project to start-up having now received a mining permit for the Project, with a view to moving quickly and safely to a producing gold and copper company. RTG also has several exciting new opportunities including the Panguna Project in Bougainville, which it remains committed to while also considering further new business development opportunities. RTG has an experienced management team which has to date developed seven mines in five different countries, including being responsible for the development of the Masbate Gold Mine in the Philippines through CGA Mining Limited. RTG has some of the most respected international institutional investors as shareholders including Equinox Partners and Franklin Templeton. ENQUIRIES President & CEO - Justine Magee Tel: +61 8 6489 2900 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Australian Investor and Media Contact Sam Burns: +61 400 164 067 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. COMPLIANCE STATEMENT Date: 9 April 2025 Authorised for release by: By the Board of Directors CAUTIONARY NOTE STATEMENT The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed nor does it accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this press release, which has been prepared by management. This announcement includes certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this announcement, other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements, including statements made or implied relating to the anticipated timing, closing, size, structure of and exemptions utilized under the Placement, the use of the net proceeds from the Placement, the timing of the shareholder meeting to approve Tranche 2 of the Placement, the Company's opportunities to diversify its Philippine interests and to participate in the redevelopment of the Panguna Mine in Bougainville, the Company's objectives, strategies to achieve those objectives, the Company's beliefs, plans, estimates and intentions, and similar statements concerning anticipated future events, plans for further exploration. Forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties and are based on certain factors and assumptions. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from RTG's expectations include uncertainties related to market conditions and demand for the Placement, the receipt of requisite shareholder and regulatory approvals, fluctuations in gold and other commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; uncertainty of estimates of capital and operating costs, recovery rates, production estimates and estimated economic return; the need for cooperation of government agencies in the development of RTG's mineral projects; the need to obtain additional financing to develop RTG's mineral projects; the possibility of delay in development programs or in construction projects and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones for RTG's mineral projects and other risks and uncertainties as discussed in RTG's annual report for the year ended December 31, 2024 and detailed from time to time in our other filings with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities available at www.sedar.com. The forwardlooking statements made in this announcement relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. RTG will not release publicly any revisions or updates to these forwardlooking statements to reflect events, circumstances or unanticipated events occurring after the date of this announcement except as required by law or by any appropriate regulatory authority. NOT FOR RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES This announcement has been prepared for publication in Canada and Australia and may not be released to US wire services or distributed in the United States. This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction. Any securities described in this announcement have not been, and will not be, registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (as defined in Regulation S under the US Securities Act), except in transactions exempt from, or not subject to, registration under the US Securities Act and applicable US state securities laws. Not for release to US wire services or distribution in the United States ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE AND AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 8, 2025) - Spark Energy Minerals Inc. (CSE: SPRK) (OTC Pink: SPARF) (FSE: 8PC) ("Spark" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce positive lithium and key pathfinder analytical results from rock-chip sampling in a newly identified high priority Lithium LCT Pegmatite Target "Cruzeta" at the Company's flagship Arapaima Lithium Project, Lithium Valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The new target, Cruzeta, has been defined by reconnaissance near surface rock-chip samples with analytical results reporting anomalous Lithium values (up to 1,397 ppm) and essential pathfinder elements, including Tantalum (up to 31 ppm), Niobium (up to 413 ppm), Tin (up to 91 ppm), Cesium (up to 106.8 ppm), and Gallium (up to 165 ppm). Importantly, the samples returned Potassium/Rubidium (K/Rb) ratios as low as 23.84*, pointing to highly evolved and fractionated LCT pegmatites, which are characterized by this ratio and the above elemental association. Jon Hill, Director of Spark Energy Minerals, commented: "We are extremely satisfied with the identification of this new high quality "Cruzeta Target" that appears to contain highly fractioned pegmatites containing our highest anomalous Lithium values to date with up to 1,397 ppm Li. We continue to progress with our first pass exploration program with 61 sub-drainage basins remaining to be explored across Spark's extensive 64,359 Ha tenement package. The Company, after only a few months, has identified 123 pegmatite occurrences within 13 pegmatite trends over a combined 31km strike. We have now mapped three (3) high-priority lithium target areas (Agua Branca, Grota do Maquem and Cruzeta) and one high-priority rare earth elements (REE) target (Caladao) for detailed follow-up exploration. We are confident that initial diamond drilling targets will be generated from this detailed follow-up work within these prospective areas throughout the Arapaima Lithium project here in Brazil." Figure 1: Location of the new Cruzeta Target relative to Spark's tenement package and the Agua Branca, Groto do Maquem (lithium) and Caladao (rare earth elements (REE)) priority targets. Cruzeta Target Analytical results for six (6) rock-chip samples from the Cruzeta Target were recently reported and presented below. Table 1: Analytical results from Cruzeta for Lithium and important pathfinder elements including Potassium/Rubidium (K/ Rb) ratios. Figure 2: Newly defined Cruzeta Target showing the location of highly anomalous Lithium and pathfinder element rock-chip samples and the distribution of old artisanal garimpeiro workings within and along the margins of two anomalous sub-drainage basins. Reconnaissance exploration to date at Cruzeta has also identified the widespread occurrence of additional old artisanal-garimpeiro workings on Spark's tenements, previously exploited for gemstones providing very encouraging signs of economic mineral potential associated with pegmatites. More detailed mapping and sampling of these areas will be prioritized going forward. Figure 3: Old Artisanal Garimpeiro workings previously exploited for gemstones (Beryl Aquamarine) within the Cruzeta Target showing deeply weathered pegmatite occurrences. Potassium/Rubidium Ratio (K/Rb)* The (K/Rb) ratio is an important geochemical indicator used in lithium exploration (in conjunction with other tools and indicators), particularly in pegmatite-hosted lithium deposits. It provides insights into the degree of fractionation of pegmatites, which directly influences their potential to host lithium mineralization. Pegmatites with low K/Rb ratios (<150) are more evolved and considered fertile for lithium exploration. The Cruzeta Target has produced in the highest assays to date with 739 ppm, 1,217 ppm and 1,397 ppm Li respectively. The K/Rb ratios for these three samples tabulated above (Table 1) report as low as 23.84 to 36.42 pointing to the potential proximity of highly evolved Lithium, Cesium, Tantalum (LCT) pegmatites which are characterized by this ratio and the corresponding pathfinder elemental association. Given the deeply weathered pegmatite occurrences found throughout the tenements and elsewhere within the Lithium Valley, pathfinder elements and these key ratios become critical tools for narrowing in on priority targets to explore at depth. Exploration efforts are focused on the identification of advanced pegmatite evolution and strong K/Rb ratios can indicate the following: These pegmatites formed from highly evolved granitic melts (their composition changes as the melt differentiates). Rubidium (Rb) preferentially replaced potassium (K) in potassium feldspar and mica minerals during the melt process. Low K/Rb ratio is created suggesting a higher degree of fractionation, meaning the pegmatite has undergone extensive differentiation, increasing the likelihood of lithium (Li) enrichment. Highly fractionated pegmatites often contain lithium-bearing minerals like spodumene, petalite, and lepidolite. Arapaima Lithium Project Continued Exploration Plans Exploration of Spark's extensive 64,359-hectare tenement package will continue on three main fronts: Continued first pass reconnaissance phase geological mapping and stream sediment samples with 61 sub-drainage basins remaining to be sampled. Follow up initiatives in the highly prospective Agua Branca, Groto do Maquem, and Cruzeta priority lithium targets with ongoing interpretation of the results to develop initial drill testing targets. Plan more extensive programs in the high priority Caladao REE target including auger drilling to further delineate the potential of the prospective REE & gallium zone contiguous to Axel REE's project. To date, the Company has completed the following exploration work: Geological Observations: 401 Pegmatite occurrences: 123 Artisanal workings: 66 Samples collected: 399 Pegmatite trends: 13 Sub-drainage basins sampled: 27 Sub-drainage basins remaining to be sampled 61 Eugene Hodgson, CEO & Director of Spark Energy Minerals, commented: "Achieving the highest lithium anomalism to date at the Cruzeta target is a significant milestone for Spark Energy Minerals. The strong lithium and pathfinder element results from our recent rock-chip sampling confirm the highly prospective nature of the Cruzeta target, which adds to our growing portfolio of priority exploration zones across the Arapaima Lithium Project. This discovery, combined with our ongoing exploration efforts, positions Spark to continue advancing our understanding of this world-class lithium district. We remain confident that our systematic approach to exploration will lead to the identification of high-quality drilling targets and ultimately help position Spark as a key player in the growing global lithium supply chain." QA/QC Protocols Spark maintained full chain-of-custody control from sampling through to laboratory delivery ensuring the reliability of the assay results. SGS Laboratory used QAQC protocols for blanks, standards and duplicates, the results of which are reported alongside the completed analysis. Qualified Person: The scientific and technical information disclosed in this document has been reviewed and approved by Jonathan Victor Hill, BSc Hons, FAUSIMM, a Qualified Person consistent with NI 43-101 and a director of Spark Energy Minerals Inc. About Spark Energy Minerals Inc. Spark Energy Minerals, Inc. is a Canadian company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of battery metals and mineral assets, with a particular emphasis on its substantial interests in Brazil. The Company's flagship project is the Arapaima Lithium project spanning 64,359 hectares in Brazil's renowned Lithium Valley, one of the most prolific mining regions in the world. This region is rapidly gaining global recognition for its vast deposits of lithium and rare earth minerals, positioning Brazil as a critical player in the global energy transition. 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. Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer Certain statements contained in this release may constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively "forward-looking information") as those terms are used in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could," "intend," "expect," "believe," "will," "projected," "estimated", "anticipates" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to the business of the Company, the Property, financing and certain corporate changes. In addition, it should be noted that rock, soil and stream sediment samples are inherently selective samples and may not represent the true underlying mineralization. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. VANCOUVER, BC, April 9, 2025 /CNW/ - Freeman Gold Corp. (TSXV: FMAN) (OTCQB: FMANF) (FSE: 3WU) ("Freeman" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of its updated price sensitivity analysis using current market prices completed by Ausenco Engineering Canada ULC ("Ausenco") and Moose Mountain Technical Services ("MMTS"). Updating the pricing used in the October 16, 2023 initial Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") at a base case of US$2,200/oz gold price, based on current long-term consensus forecasts, results in a post-tax Net Present Value ("NPV") 5% of US$329 million, a post-tax internal rate of return ("IRR") of 28.2% and a payback of 2.9 years. This analysis quantifies the strong leverage to gold and is a marked improvement over the original base case of US$1,750/oz gold price resulting in a post-tax NPV 5% of US$212 million, a post-tax IRR of 22.8% and a payback of 3.6 years. The updated price analysis demonstrates that the Lemhi Gold Project's economics remain strong with significant leverage to the current spot price of US$2,900/oz which results in a post-tax NPV 5% of US$648 million, post-tax IRR of 45.9% and a payback of 2.1 years. Figure 1 summarizes the various post-tax NPV 5% for gold prices ranging from US$1,750/oz to US$3,400/oz. "Significant changes in gold prices over the last 18 months motivated Freeman's reassessment of its initial PEA model over a more fulsome range of scenarios. Using the current spot gold price, the Lemhi Gold Project will have an approximate US$1,871/oz cash margin using the updated all in sustaining cost ("AISC") of US$1,105/oz with significant additional upside at higher prices. The Lemhi Gold Project remains a low capital expenditure ("CAPEX"), low-cost project that is profitable across a range of prices and development options," commented Bassam Moubarak, the Company's Chief Executive Officer. "Furthermore, this updated economic analysis using a US$2,200/oz gold base case further solidifies the after-tax NPV (5%) at US$329 million, a post-tax IRR of 28.2% and reduces the payback to 2.9 years." Updated Economic Analysis The updated Economic Analysis is based on the production and mining profile used in the 2023 PEA. Table 1 provides a summary of the production profile along with the updated project price economics. Table 1: Updated Economic Analysis Summary General Unit Life-of-Mine ("LOM") Total/Avg. Gold Price US$/oz 2,200 Mine Life years 11.2 Total Waste Tonnes Mined kt 121,903 Total Mill Feed Tonnes kt 31,128 Production Unit LOM Total/Avg. Strip Ratio waste: mineralized rock 3.9 Mill Head Grade g/t 0.88 Mill Recovery Rate % 96.7 Total Payable Mill Ounces Recovered koz 851.9 Total Average Annual Payable Production koz 75.9 Operating Costs Unit LOM Total/Avg. Mining Cost (incl. rehandle) US$/t mined 2.96 Mining Cost (incl. rehandle) US$/t milled 13.49 Processing Cost US$/t milled 10.91 General & Administrative Cost US$/t milled 1.14 Total Operating Costs US$/t milled 25.54 Treatment & Refining Cost US$/oz 4.3 Net Smelter Royalty % 1 Cash Costs1 US$/oz Au 925 All-In Sustaining Costs2 US$/oz Au 1,105 Capital Costs Unit LOM Total/Avg. Initial Capital US$M 215 Expansion Capital3 US$M 6.5 Sustaining Capital US$M 105 Closure Costs US$M 33 Salvage Value US$M 14 Financials Pre-Tax Unit LOM Total/Avg. Net Present Value (5%) US$M 453 Internal Rate of Return % 33.2 Payback years 2.7 Financials Post-Tax Unit LOM Total/Avg. Net Present Value (5%) US$M 329 Internal Rate of Return % 28.2 Payback years 2.9 Notes: 1. Cash costs consist of mining costs, processing costs, mine-level G&A and treatment and refining charges. 2. All-in sustaining costs include cash costs plus royalties, sustaining capital and closure costs. 3. Expansion of mill from 2.5 million tonnes per annum ("Mtpa") to 3 Mtpa in year 5 of operation Capital & Operating Costs The updated capital cost estimate conforms to Class 5 guidelines for a PEA-level estimate accuracy according to the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering International. The capital cost estimate was developed in Q1 2025 United States dollars based on Ausenco's in-house database of projects and studies, as well as experience from similar operations and escalation of costs from 2023 PEA. The updated estimate includes open pit mining, processing, on-site infrastructure, tailings and waste rock facilities, off-site infrastructure, project indirect costs, project delivery, owner's costs, and contingency. The updated capital cost summary is presented in Table 2. The updated total initial capital cost for the Lemhi Project is US$214.9 million; and life-of-mine sustaining costs are US$104.8 million. The updated cost of expansion in the fifth year of production is estimated at US$6.5 million. Updated Closure costs are estimated at US$32.6 million, with salvage credits of US$13.9 million. Table 2: Updated Summary of Capital Cost Work Breakdown Structure WBS Description Initial Capital Cost (US$M) Sustaining Capital Cost LOM (US$M) Expansion Cost (US$M) Total Capital Cost LOM (US$M) 1000 Mine 52.0 63.0 2.2 117.2 3000 Process Plant 73.5 1.7 2.7 77.9 4000 Tailings 10.7 39.9 50.6 5000 On-Site Infrastructure 20.2 0.2 20.4 6000 Off-Site Infrastructure 2.5 2.5 Total Directs 158.9 104.8 4.9 268.6 7100 Field Indirects 6.9 0.2 7.1 7200 Project Delivery 12.8 0.3 13.1 7500 Spares + First Fills 3.2 0.2 3.4 8000 Owner's Cost 4.2 4.2 Total Indirects 27.1 0.7 27.8 9000 Contingency 28.9 0.9 29.8 Project Total 214.9 104.8 6.5 326.2 Sensitivity Analysis A sensitivity analysis was conducted on the base case post-tax NPV 5% and IRR of the project using the following variables: gold price, operating costs, and initial capital costs. Table 3 summarizes the post-tax sensitivity analysis results. Table 3: Post-Tax Sensitivity Analysis Post-Tax NPV 5% Sensitivity To Opex Post-Tax IRR Sensitivity To Opex Gold Price (US$/oz) Gold Price (US$/oz) #VALUE! $1,600 $1,750 $2,200 $2,600 $3,400 Opex #VALUE! $1,600 $1,750 $2,200 $2,600 $3,400 (20.0 %) 141 210 415 597 962 (20.0 %) 16.0 % 20.7 % 33.3 % 43.3 % 61.7 % (10.0 %) 97 166 372 554 919 (10.0 %) 12.8 % 17.8 % 30.8 % 40.9 % 59.6 % -- 53 123 329 511 876 -- 9.4 % 14.7 % 28.2 % 38.6 % 57.4 % 10.0 % 9 79 286 468 833 10.0 % 5.7 % 11.4 % 25.5 % 36.2 % 55.3 % 20.0 % -36 35 242 425 790 20.0 % 1.9 % 7.9 % 22.7 % 33.7 % 53.1 % Post-Tax NPV Sensitivity To Initial Capex Post-Tax IRR Sensitivity To Initial Capex Gold Price (US$/oz) Gold Price (US$/oz) #VALUE! $1,600 $1,750 $2,200 $2,600 $3,400 Initial Capex #VALUE! $1,600 $1,750 $2,200 $2,600 $3,400 (20.0 %) 97 166 373 555 919 (20.0 %) 14.2 % 20.3 % 36.1 % 48.3 % 70.9 % (10.0 %) 75 145 351 533 898 (10.0 %) 11.6 % 17.3 % 31.8 % 43.0 % 63.5 % -- 53 123 329 511 876 -- 9.4 % 14.7 % 28.2 % 38.6 % 57.4 % 10.0 % 31 101 307 490 854 10.0 % 7.4 % 12.5 % 25.2 % 34.9 % 52.4 % 20.0 % 10 79 285 468 832 20.0 % 5.7 % 10.5 % 22.6 % 31.7 % 48.2 % Qualified Persons and Technical Disclosure A team of Independent Qualified Persons (as such term is defined under National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101)) at Ausenco and MMTS led the price sensitivity analysis and has reviewed and verified the technical disclosure in this press release. The team of Independent Qualified Persons, includes: Kevin Murray , P.Eng., an independent Qualified Person at Ausenco, reviewed and verified the process and infrastructure capital and operating cost estimation, and project financials; and , P.Eng., an independent Qualified Person at Ausenco, reviewed and verified the process and infrastructure capital and operating cost estimation, and project financials; and Marc Schulte , P.Eng., an independent Qualified Person at MMTS, reviewed and verified the mine planning and cost estimation. The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and verified by Dean Besserer, P.Geo., Vice-President of Exploration of the Company and Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101. The updated sensitivity analysis in respect of the PEA is preliminary in nature, it includes inferred mineral resources considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. For a discussion on the basis and the qualifications and assumptions of the sensitivity analysis, please see the PEA entitled "Lemhi Gold Project, NI 43-101 Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment" dated with an effective date of October 13, 2023, and available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and the Company's website (www.freemangoldcorp.com). About the Company and Project Freeman Gold Corp. is a mineral exploration company focused on the development of its 100% owned Lemhi Gold property. The Lemhi Gold Project comprises 30 square kilometres of highly prospective land, hosting a near-surface oxide gold resource. The pit constrained NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate is comprised of 988,100 ounces gold ("oz Au") at 1.0 gram per tonne ("g/t") in 30.02 million tonnes (Measured & Indicated) and 256,000 oz Au at 1.04 g/t Au in 7.63 million tonnes (Inferred). The Company is focused on growing and advancing the Lemhi Gold Project towards a production decision. To date, 525 drill holes and 92,696 m of drilling has historically been completed. The recently updated price sensitivity analysis shows a PEA with an after-tax net present value (5%) of US$329 million and an internal rate of return of 28.2% using a base case gold price of US$2,200/oz; Average annual gold production of 75,900 oz Au for a total life-of-mine of 11.2 years payable output of 851,900 oz Au; life-of-mine cash costs of US$925/oz Au; and, all-in sustaining costs of US$1,105/oz Au using an initial capital expenditure of US$215 million. On Behalf of the Company Bassam Moubarak Chief Executive Officer 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 press release contains "forwardlooking information or statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, which may include, but are not limited to, all statements related to the PEA, statements relating to exploration, results therefrom, and the Company's future business plans, and statements regarding the price sensitivity analysis and impact thereof on the evaluation of the Project's economic potential. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are 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 may differ from those in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' web-based disclosure system, SEDAR+, at www.sedarplus.ca for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects. The Company does not undertake to update forwardlooking statements or forwardlooking information, except as required by law. Vancouver, British Columbia, April 8, 2025 TheNewswire - Westward Gold Inc. (CSE: WG, OTCQB: WGLIF, FSE: IM50) (Westward or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously-announced non-brokered private placement (the Offering) (see press releases dated March 19, 2025 and March 26, 2025), and has issued 49,999,999 units (each, a Unit) at a price of C$0.08 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of approximately C$4,000,000. Each Unit is comprised of one common share of the Company (each, a Common Share) and one common share purchase warrant (each, a Warrant). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share of the Company at a price of C$0.12 for a period of 24 months following the closing date of the Offering. Incoming strategic investor Crescat Capital LLC (Crescat) has subscribed for 18,750,000 Units for gross proceeds of $1,500,000, through Crescat Portfolio Management LLC on behalf of its Pooled Investment Funds. This represents a post-Offering basic ownership interest of approximately 10.3%, and approximately 18.7% on a partially-diluted basis. Upon closing of the Offering, Crescat was granted a pre-emptive right to maintain its pro-rata interest for as long as Crescat owns 2% or more of the then-outstanding common shares of the Company, on an undiluted basis. Quinton Hennigh, PhD, Crescat Technical Advisor, commented: In my view, this is the most exciting exploration campaign in Nevada in 2025. Toiyabe Hills is a critical part of the well-endowed Cortez gold district of north-central Nevada yet, prior to Westwards arrival it had been historically poorly-explored and misunderstood. Westward now holds a commanding land position across much of the Toiyabe Range. Mr. Hennigh continued: During recent geologic time and through extensional tectonic activity, the Toiyabe Range has been pulled apart from the Cortez and Simpson Park Ranges immediately to the east. These two neighbor ranges host a multitude of multi-million-ounce gold deposits, and share strikingly similar geology to the Toiyabe Range the prospectivity of which should be considered very high in my opinion, despite simplistic past branding as being off-trend. The Westward team has done an exceptional job collecting geologic, geochemical and geophysical data over the property that has yielded the robust Campfire Target Complex. Drilling will begin soon to understand what this exciting, never-before-tested target has to offer." Kevin Smith, CFA, Founder and CEO of Crescat, added: When Quinton told me this was his favorite frickin target in the entire state of Nevada, how could I not be intrigued? At Crescat, we provide capital for drilling across a portfolio of exploration-focused mining companies. We will only back strong management and technical teams, and Westward checks those boxes. We are serious about helping our portfolio companies make big, highly-economic metal discoveries in the most viable mining jurisdictions around the world. Nevada is elephant country for Carlin-style gold discoveries that become large, highly-profitable mines. After further analysis, my team and I are confident that Westward has a good shot at finding the next one. The net proceeds from the Offering will be used primarily for (i) drilling at Westwards flagship Toiyabe Hills Property in Nevada, where a 5,000-meter program across up to 10 holes is planned to test the Companys Campfire Target Complex (see press release dated February 27, 2025, for additional information), and (ii) general working capital purposes. Closing of the Offering is subject to receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including from the Canadian Securities Exchange (the CSE). The Common Shares and Warrants issued in relation to the Offering will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day, in accordance with applicable securities laws. In connection with the Offering, an aggregate total of approximately C$112,351 in cash finders fees were paid and 1,404,388 finders warrants (the Finders Warrants) were issued to qualified parties. The Finders Warrants are subject to the same terms as the Warrants issued in the Offering. Certain insiders of the Company acquired Units in the Offering, for an aggregate total of 1,038,687 Units and gross proceeds of approximately $83,095. The participation by such insiders in the Offering constituted a related party transaction as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101). Such participation was exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 based on the fact that neither the fair market value of the Units subscribed for by the insiders, nor the consideration for the Units paid by such insiders, exceeded 25% of the Companys market capitalization. The securities being offered have not, 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 in the absence of U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About Westward Gold Westward Gold is a mineral exploration company focused on developing the Toiyabe Hills Project located in the Cortez Hills area of Lander County, Nevada, and the Coyote and Rossi Projects located along the Carlin Trend in Elko County, Nevada. From time to time, the Company may also evaluate the acquisition of other mineral exploration assets and opportunities. For further information contact: Andrew Nelson Chief Financial Officer Westward Gold Inc. +1 (604) 828-7027 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. www.westwardgold.com The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This news release contains or incorporates by reference forward-looking statements and forward-looking information as defined under applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, which address events, results, outcomes, or developments that the Company expects to occur are, or may be deemed, to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally, but not always, identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expect", "believe", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate, potential, on track, forecast", "budget", target, outlook, continue, plan or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved or the negative connotation of such terms. Such statements include, but may not be limited to, the Companys intended use of the net proceeds from the Offering, information as to strategy, plans or future financial or operating performance, such as the Companys expansion plans, project timelines, expected drilling targets, and other statements that express managements expectations or estimates of future plans and performance. Forward-looking statements or information are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements or information, including, without limitation, the need for additional capital by the Company through financings, and the risk that such funds may not be raised; the speculative nature of exploration and the stages of the Companys properties; the effect of changes in commodity prices; regulatory risks that development of the Companys material properties will not be acceptable for social, environmental or other reasons, availability of equipment (including drills) and personnel to carry out work programs, that each stage of work will be completed within expected time frames, that current geological models and interpretations prove correct, the results of ongoing work programs may lead to a change of exploration priorities, and the efforts and abilities of the senior management team. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Companys forward-looking statements or information. These and other factors may cause the Company to change its exploration and work programs, not proceed with work programs, or change the timing or order of planned work programs. Additional risk factors and details with respect to risk factors that may affect the Companys ability to achieve the expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are set out in the Companys latest management discussion and analysis under Risks and Uncertainties, which is available under the Companys SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Companys forward-looking statements and information are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations, and opinions of management as of the date of this press release, and other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements and information if circumstances or managements assumptions, beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, or changes in any other events affecting such statements or information. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION, DISTRIBUTION, RELEASE, OR PUBLICATION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES VANCOUVER, BC, April 8, 2025 /CNW/ - Aris Mining Corporation (Aris Mining or the Company) (TSX: ARIS) (NYSE-A: ARMN) reports gold production of 54,763 ounces (oz) for the first quarter of 2025 (Q1 2025), with 47,549 oz from Segovia and 7,214 oz from the Marmato Upper Mine. Q1 2025 Gold Production Highlights: Positive trends across both the Segovia and Marmato operations, with a total gold production of 54,763 oz in Q1 2025, up 8% compared to 50,767 oz in Q1 2024. Q1 2025 production reflects strong operational momentum heading into 2025. With the commissioning of the expanded Segovia processing facility on track for Q2 2025, additional production growth is anticipated in the coming quarters. Aris Mining's 2025 full-year production guidance is between 230,000 to 275,000 oz, with Segovia expected to produce 210,000 to 250,000 oz and the Marmato Upper Mine expected to contribute 20,000 to 25,000 oz. *The Q1 2025 results provided in this news release are approximate and may differ from the final results to be included in the Company's 2025 interim financial statements and MD&A, which the Company expects to release in early May 2025. Neil Woodyer, CEO of Aris Mining, commented "We kicked off 2025 with strong momentum, highlighting our ability to effectively execute while advancing major growth initiatives. Q1 production came in slightly ahead of our budget target reflecting a solid operational start to the year. With the expanded Segovia processing facility set to be commissioned this quarter, we are well on track to deliver on our full-year production guidance of 230,000 to 275,000 oz." Chart 2: Segovia Operations Quarterly Production Data Operating Information Q1 2025 Q1 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2024 Q4 2024 FY 2024 Tonnes processed (kt) 167 154 156 167 168 645 Tonnes per day (tpd) 1,966 1,817 1,834 1,940 1,949 1,885 Average gold grade processed (g/t) 9.37 9.42 9.14 9.23 9.84 9.41 Recoveries (%) 96.1 % 95.6 % 96.0 % 95.9 % 96.6 % 96.0 % Gold produced (ounces) 47,549 44,908 43,705 47,493 51,477 187,583 Gold sold (ounces) 47,390 45,288 43,366 48,059 50,409 187,122 Chart 3: Marmato Upper Mine Quarterly Production Data Operating Information Q1 2025 Q1 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2024 Q4 2024 FY 2024 Tonnes processed (kt) 74 62 61 70 60 254 Average gold grade processed (g/t) 3.32 3.27 3.18 3.06 3.61 3.28 Recoveries (%) 91.7 % 90.2 % 89.2 % 89.4 % 90.7 % 89.9 % Gold produced (ounces) 7,214 5,859 5,511 6,115 5,887 23,372 Gold sold (ounces) 6,891 5,756 6,103 5,710 5,925 23,494 *The Q1 2025 results provided in this news release are approximate and may differ from the final results to be included in the Company's 2025 interim financial statements and MD&A, which the Company expects to release in early May 2025. About Aris Mining Founded in September 2022, Aris Mining was established with a vision to build a leading Latin America-focused gold mining company. Our strategy blends current production and cashflow generation with transformational growth driven by expansions of our operating assets, exploration and development projects. Aris Mining is listed on the TSX (ARIS) and the NYSE-A (ARMN) and is led by an experienced team with a track record of value creation, operational excellence, financial discipline and good corporate governance in the gold mining industry. Aris Mining operates two underground gold mines in Colombia: the Segovia Operations and the Marmato Upper Mine, which together produced 210,955 ounces of gold in 2024. With expansions underway, Aris Mining is targeting an annual production rate of more than 500,000 ounces of gold following the ramp-up of the Segovia mill expansion, expected during the second half of 2025, and the new Marmato Lower Mine, which is expected to start ramping up production in the second half of 2026. In addition, Aris Mining operates the 51% owned Soto Norte joint venture, where studies are underway on a new, smaller scale development plan, with results expected in mid-2025. In Guyana, Aris Mining owns the Toroparu gold/copper project, further diversifying its asset portfolio. Colombia is rich in high-grade gold deposits and Aris Mining is actively pursuing partnerships with the Country's dynamic small-scale mining sector. With these partnerships, we enable safe, legal, and environmentally responsible operations that benefit both local communities and the industry. Aris Mining intends to pursue acquisitions and other growth opportunities to unlock value through scale and diversification. Additional information on Aris Mining can be found at www.aris-mining.com, www.sedarplus.ca, and on www.sec.gov. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements relating to the timeline and potential benefits of the expanded Segovia processing facility; the Company's 2025 production guidance; and statements included in the "About Us" section of this news release relating to the Segovia Operations, the new Marmato Lower Mine and the Soto Norte project. Generally, the forward-looking information and forward looking statements can be identified by the use of forward looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "will continue" or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". The material factors or assumptions used to develop forward looking information or statements are disclosed throughout this news release. Forward looking information and forward looking statements, while based on management's best estimates and assumptions, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Aris Mining to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or forward looking statements, including but not limited to those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Aris Mining's Annual Information Form dated March 12, 2025 which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and in the Company's filings with the SEC at www.sec.gov. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The Company has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / Commerce Resources Corp. ("Commerce" or the "Company") (TSXV:CCE) (FSE:D7H0) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive arrangement agreement (the "Agreement") with Mont Royal Resources Limited (ASX: MRZ) ("Mont Royal") dated April 9, 2025 to combine their respective businesses in a merger transaction, pursuant to which Mont Royal has agreed to acquire 100% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Commerce (the "Commerce Shares") by way of a court approved plan of arrangement under the Business Corporation Act (British Columbia) (the "BCBCA") (the "Transaction"). This Transaction will create a Quebec-focused critical minerals explorer and developer through the combination of Commerce's Ashram Rare Earths and Fluorspar Project (the "Ashram Project") and Eldor Niobium exploration project (the "Eldor Niobium Project") and Mont Royal's Northern Lights Lithium Project (the "Northern Lights Project"). The merger will result in a dual listing on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") and the Australian Securities Exchange (the "ASX"), enabling greater access to liquidity and funding for the Ashram Project, with the combined entity bringing together highly experienced members of the management teams of each company with strong capital markets experience, project development and operational expertise. Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, holders of Commerce Shares will receive 2.3271 ordinary shares of Mont Royal ("Mont Royal Shares") in exchange for each Commerce Share (the "Exchange Ratio") held immediately prior to the effective time of the Transaction (the "Effective Time"). Based on the Exchange Ratio and a 30-traded day volume-weighted average price of A$0.04391 per Mont Royal Share on the ASX prior to suspension on February 14, 2025, this represents an implied value of C$0.093 per Commerce Share, an equity value for Commerce of C$17.2 million and an implied premium of 55% to Commerce's closing share price of $0.06 on April 8, 2025. As of the date of the Agreement, existing shareholders of Commerce ("Commerce Shareholders") and shareholders of Mont Royal will own approximately 85.3% and 14.7%, respectively, of the outstanding Mont Royal Shares following completion of the Transaction (before taking into account the Commerce Convertible Note Financing and Mont Royal Equity Raise - each as defined below). Commerce will appoint three Directors to the Mont Royal Board and Mont Royal will have one Director. The Transaction is conditional upon, amongst other things, Mont Royal raising up to A$10.0 million through the issue of Mont Royal Shares (the "Mont Royal Equity Raise") pursuant to a public equity offering in Australia. The net proceeds of the Mont Royal Equity Raise are expected to be used for, among other things, advancing the Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") at the Ashram Project, while also advancing the Eldor Niobium Project and the exploration pipeline at the Northern Lights Project. In addition to the announcement of the Transaction, Commerce intends to conduct a convertible note financing with a number of existing Commerce and Mont Royal shareholders and other sophisticated investors to raise up to C$2.2 million ("Convertible Note Financing") to provide interim funding to be used for the continuation of studies for the development of the Ashram Project and for working capital while the Transaction is completed. The Convertible Note Financing is necessary and integral for the Transaction. The convertible notes issued pursuant to the Convertible Note Financing will automatically convert into Mont Royal Shares upon completion of the Transaction at a conversion price set out therein. Refer to "Interim Convertible Note Financing" below for further information. Transaction Rationale The Transaction between Commerce and Mont Royal will create an ASX and TSXV listed, Quebec-focused, critical minerals developer and exploration company with a strong focus on rare earths, fluorspar, niobium and lithium exploration ("Merged Group"). In addition to Commerce's existing assets in Canada, the key highlights of the combination include: A complementary exploration asset package at Mont Royal's Northern Lights Project, covering an area of 536km 2 in the Upper Eastmain Greenstone belt, offering lithium, copper and gold potential. Achieving a dual listing on the ASX and TSXV, which aims to attract a broader range of investors for the Merged Group, increase liquidity and greater ability to raise capital. The ASX has a greater number of listed developing rare earth companies, providing a stronger group of peer companies against which to benchmark the Ashram Project. Having access to the combined experience of key members of the Commerce and Mont Royal Boards, senior management and major shareholders, who have held former and current roles with successful international resource groups including: Champion Iron Limited (CIA.ASX CIA.TSX) Green Technology Metals (GT1.ASX) Primero Group Limited (acquired by NRW Holdings Limited) Riversdale Resources Limited (acquired by Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd) Bannerman Energy Limited (BMN.ASX) Commerce's Executive Director, Jeremy Robinson, said: "The team at Commerce is excited at the prospect of working with the Mont Royal team to create a new Canadian-focused critical metals company and to maximize the value of our outstanding flagship asset at Ashram. This merger will provide a dual listing on the ASX and TSXV, funding, additional expertise and a clear strategy to generate superior shareholder returns through completion of the studies at the Ashram Project while also unlocking additional exploration upside at the Eldor Niobium and Northern Lights exploration projects." Mont Royal's Executive Director, Peter Ruse, said: "This transaction is a great opportunity to create value for both groups of shareholders. Combining the proven exploration and management skills of the Commerce and Mont Royal teams with the large resource at Ashram and the additional upside at the Eldor Niobium Project will have the potential to unlock value for shareholders." Board of Directors and Management Upon closing of the Transaction, it is anticipated that the board of the combined company will be comprised of a new non-executive Chairman in Mr. Cameron Henry, appointed by Commerce, two (2) Directors from Commerce, being Mr. Jeremy Robinson and Mr. Adam Ritchie, and one (1) Non-Executive Director from Mont Royal, expected to be Mr. Ronnie Beevor. In addition, it is expected that a new CEO and President will be appointed prior to the completion of the Transaction to replace the interim Commerce CEO and President, Jeremy Robinson, who will transition to a non-executive Director of the Merged Group. Summary of Transaction Terms Pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Agreement, Commerce Shareholders will receive 2.3271 fully-paid Mont Royal Shares for each Commerce Share held immediately prior to the Effective Time, implying a consideration of C$0.093 per Commerce Share. In addition, all outstanding stock options of Commerce immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be exchanged for replacement options of Mont Royal on substantially the same terms and conditions and exercisable to acquire such number of Mont Royal Shares at such exercise price in accordance with the Exchange Ratio. All outstanding warrants of Commerce immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be adjusted in accordance with their terms and become exercisable, based on the Exchange Ratio, to purchase Mont Royal Shares on substantially the same terms and conditions. The Transaction will be effected by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement under the BCBCA and will require the approval of (a) at least 66 2/3% of the votes cast by Commerce Shareholders, and (b) if necessary, a simple majority of the votes cast by Commerce Shareholders, excluding certain related parties as prescribed by Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions, in each case, voting in person or represented by proxy at a special meeting of Commerce Shareholders to consider the Transaction (the "Commerce Meeting"). The Commerce Meeting is expected to be held in July 2025. Commerce's major shareholders and directors of Commerce, representing, in the aggregate, approximately 21.8% of the issued and outstanding Commerce Shares, have entered into voting support agreements with Mont Royal, pursuant to which each of them has agreed to, among other things, vote in favour of the Transaction at the Commerce Meeting. The Agreement includes customary representations and warranties for a transaction of this nature as well as customary interim period covenants regarding the operation of Commerce's and Mont Royal's businesses. The Agreement also provides for customary deal protection provisions including fiduciary-out provisions, non-solicitation covenants and a right to match any superior proposal as defined by the Agreement as well as a termination fee of A$250,000 payable to Mont Royal in certain circumstances. Conditions Precedent and Key Approvals Completion of the Transaction is subject to customary conditions for a transaction of this nature, including: ( Court Orders ) the Supreme Court of British Columbia granting interim and final orders on terms consistent with the Agreement; ( Commerce shareholder approval ) Commerce Shareholders approving the Transaction by way of at least 66 2/3% of the votes cast on the resolution approving the Transaction by the shareholders of Commerce voting as a single class holding Commerce Shares on the record date; ( Commerce TSXV approval ) Commerce having obtained all necessary TSXV approvals in connection with the Transaction; ( Mont Royal shareholder approval ) Mont Royal shareholders having approved the Transaction (including the Mont Royal Equity Raise and Mont Royal Consolidation (as defined below)), including for the purposes of ASX Listing Rule 11.1.2; ( ASX approval ) ASX confirming that it will reinstate Mont Royal Shares to official quotation on ASX, subject to the satisfaction of such terms and conditions as are prescribed by ASX; ( Mont Royal TSXV approval ) Mont Royal having obtained all necessary TSXV approvals in connection with Mont Royal's proposed listing on TSXV; ( Completion of Capital Raising and Consolidation ) Mont Royal having completed the Mont Royal Equity Raise and the consolidation of Mont Royal Shares on the basis of 0.2195 post consolidation Mont Royal Shares for each 1 pre-consolidation Mont Royal Share (the "Mont Royal Consolidation"); and (Key Regulatory Approvals and Third Party Consents) Receipt of any other regulatory approvals or third-party consents which have not already been referred to in this news release. Subject to the satisfaction (or waiver) of all conditions to closing set out in the Agreement, it is anticipated that the Transaction will be completed in July 2025. Upon closing of the Transaction, it is expected the Commerce Shares will be de-listed from the TSXV and Mont Royal Shares will begin trading on the TSXV. Further information regarding the Transaction will be included in a management information circular (the "Circular") to be delivered to Commerce Shareholders in connection with the Commerce Meeting. Copies of the Circular, the Agreement, the voting support agreements and certain related documents will be filed with the applicable Canadian securities regulators and will be available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Special Committee and Board Recommendations and Fairness Opinion The Board of Directors of Commerce (the "Board"), having received a unanimous recommendation from a special committee comprised solely of independent directors of Commerce (the "Special Committee") and after receiving outside legal and financial advice, unanimously determined that the Transaction is in the best interests of Commerce and is fair to the Commerce Shareholders and unanimously recommends that Commerce Shareholders vote in favour of the Transaction. In making their respective determinations, the Board and the Special Committee considered, among other factors, the fairness opinion of Evans & Evans Inc. ("Evans & Evans") to the effect that as of the date hereof, subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications contained in its opinion, the consideration to be received by Commerce Shareholders pursuant to the Transaction is fair, from a financial point of view to the Commerce Shareholders. A copy of the fairness opinion of Evans & Evans will be included in the Circular. Interim Convertible Note Financing Commerce intends to conduct a convertible note financing with a number of existing Commerce and Mont Royal shareholders and other sophisticated investors to raise up to C$2.2 million to provide interim funding to be used for the continuation of studies for the development of the Ashram Project and for working capital while the Transaction is completed. The Convertible Note Financing is necessary and integral for the Transaction.. A summary of the key terms of the Convertible Note Financing are set out below: Aggregate principal amount - up to C$2.2 million. Automatically converts on completion of the Transaction at the automatic conversion price. The automatic conversion price is the implied price per Commerce Share based on the Mont Royal Share price pursuant to the Mont Royal Equity Raise converted into Commerce Shares at the Exchange Ratio, provided that , the automatic conversion price is equal to or greater than C$0.06, being Commerce's closing share price on April 8, 2025. The principal amount owing will bear interest at a rate of 20% per annum, and upon automatic conversion, 12 months' accrued interest will be converted into Mont Royal Shares at completion of the Transaction. If the Transaction doesn't proceed within 12 months, the convertible notes will either mature at a 24-month term from issue with all principal amounts owing and accrued interest due and payable at maturity or, at the holder's election, all principal amounts owing and accrued interest may convert into Commerce Shares at an optional conversion price of C$0.12 or, at a conversion price lower than C$0.12 in the event the Company undertakes an equity financing lower than the optional conversion price, subject to a minimum conversion price of C$0.06, being Commerce's closing share price on April 8, 2025. If the Transaction doesn't proceed within 12 months, the holders of the convertible notes will have a preemptive right to participate in any equity financing of the Company up to the aggregate amount of the principal amounts owing and accrued interest outstanding. The Company may redeem the convertible notes at any time prior to maturity at a price equal to the aggregate amount of the principal amounts owing and accrued interest outstanding and a cash amount equal to the sum of half of all payments of interest that would be due through the maturity date after redemption. The convertible notes will be secured under a general security agreement, whilst ranking pari-passu as between themselves and all holders will enter into an interlender agreement. The securities offered have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. Advisors and Counsel Commerce has engaged Evans & Evans, who has provided a fairness opinion in respect of the Transaction, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP as Canadian legal advisor and Hamilton Locke as Australian legal advisor and Wallabi Group Pty Ltd as financial advisor. About Commerce Resources Corp. Commerce Resources Corp. is a junior mineral resource company focused on the development of the Ashram Rare Earth and Fluorspar Deposit located within their Eldor Property, in northern Quebec, Canada. The Ashram Deposit is characterized by simple rare earth (monazite, bastnaesite, xenotime) and gangue (carbonates) mineralogy, a large tonnage resource at favourable grade, and has demonstrated the production of high-grade (more than 30 - 45% TREO) mineral concentrates at high recovery (more than 60 - 75%) in line with active global producers. The Ashram Deposit also has a fluorspar component which makes it one of the largest potential sources of fluorspar in the world and could be a long-term supplier to the met-spar and acid-spar markets. The Company is positioning to be one of the lowest cost rare earth producers globally, with a specific focus on being a long-term supplier of mixed rare earth carbonate and/or NdPr oxide to the global market. Additionally, Commerce is committed to exploring the potential of other high-value commodities on the Property such as niobium and phosphate minerals, which may help advance Ashram by reducing costs through shared development. For more information, please visit the corporate website at www.commerceresources.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . On Behalf of the Board of Directors COMMERCE RESOURCES CORP. Ian Graham Chairman Tel: 604.484.2700 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Web: http://www.commerceresources.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements, which includes any information about activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Forward looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the proposed Transaction and the terms thereof; the proposed benefits to be derived from the Transaction; the goals, strategies, opportunities, technologies used, project timelines and funding requirements; impact of combined management expertise and prospective shareholding; the anticipated date of the Commerce Meeting; the anticipated filing of materials on SEDAR+; the completion of the Transaction, including, receipt of all necessary court, shareholder and regulatory approvals and timing thereof; the proposed Mont Royal Equity Raise and the terms thereof; the proposed Consolidation and the terms thereof; the proposed use of proceeds of the Mont Royal Equity Raise; the expectation that the Commerce Shares will be delisted from the TSXV; the expectation that the Mont Royal Shares will be dual-listed on the ASX and TSXV; the plans, operations and prospects of the Merged Group and its properties; statements regarding the Convertible Note Financing and the terms thereof; the proposed use of proceeds of the Convertible Note Financing and receipt of TSXV approval; the continued advancement of the Ashram Project to development; that Ashram's fluorspar component which makes it one of the largest potential sources of fluorspar in the world and could be a long-term supplier to the met-spar and acid-spar markets; that the Company is positioning to be one of the lowest cost rare earth element producers globally, with a focus on being a long-term global supplier of mixed rare earth carbonate and/or NdPr oxide; and that the Company may explore the potential of other high-value commodities on the Ashram Property. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these events, activities or developments from coming to fruition include: the ability to obtain approvals in respect of the Transaction and to consummate the Transaction, the ability to obtain approvals for the listing of the Mont Royal Shares on the TSXV and the ASX; the ability to complete the Mont Royal Equity Raise and the timing thereof; the ability to complete the Convertible Note Financing and the timing thereof; integration risks, actual results of current and future exploration activities; that the Company may not be able to fully finance any additional exploration on the Ashram Project; that even if the Company is able raise capital, costs for exploration activities may increase such that the Company may not have sufficient funds to pay for such exploration or processing activities; the timing and content of the proposed drill program and any future work programs may not be completed as proposed or at all; geological interpretations based on drilling that may change with more detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumptions based on limited test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that, with further test work, may not be comparable; testing of our process may not prove successful or samples derived from the Ashram Project may not yield positive results, and even if such tests are successful or initial sample results are positive, the economic and other outcomes may not be as expected; the anticipated market demand for rare earth elements and other minerals may not be as expected; the availability of labour and equipment to undertake future exploration work and testing activities; geopolitical risks which may result in market and economic instability; and despite the current expected viability of the Ashram Project, conditions changing such that even if metals or minerals are discovered on the Ashram Project, the project may not be commercially viable, or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with applicable Canadian securities regulators. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause such actions, events or results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about our business and the industry in which we operate and management's beliefs and assumptions, including the non-occurrence of the risks and uncertainties that are described above and in the filings made with the applicable Canadian securities regulators or other events occurring outside of our normal course of business, and are not guarantees of future performance or development and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are in some cases beyond our control. 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. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law. HIGHLIGHTS: 8.85m grading 25.0 g/t gold and 768 g/t silver 8.55m grading 5.52 g/t gold and 121 g/t silver 3.5m grading 5.41 g/t gold and 87 g/t silver 5.5m grading 11.1 g/t gold 2.9m grading 10.5 g/t gold 4.6m grading 5.78 g/t gold 5.75m grading 4.72 g/t gold Higher-grade intercepts demonstrate underground potential beyond the current open pit The success of this drill program called for additional step-out drilling. Results for these drill holes are expected in Q2, 2025 La Colorada technical report update incorporating these results is expected in mid-2025 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2025) - Heliostar Metals Ltd. (TSXV: HSTR) (OTCQX: HSTXF) (FSE: RGG1) ("Heliostar" or the "Company") is pleased to announce additional results from a 12,500-metre drilling program at the La Colorada Mine in Sonora, Mexico. La Colorada restarted production in early January 2025, and the current drill program is intended to expand the mineral reserves ahead of an updated technical report and expansion decision planned for mid-2025. Heliostar CEO, Charles Funk, commented, "Heliostar closed the first quarter of 2025 with a US$27M (C$38M) cash balance, over half of which was generated from operating profits. This places the Company in a strong position to achieve our planned production and resource growth goals. Today's results reflect these growth plans and further cement our confidence in the future of La Colorada. They are expected to positively impact the economics of the mine when we update the La Colorada technical report in mid-2025. Our goal is for the study to support a decision to expand production to 50,000 to 100,000 ounces of gold per year. Additionally, the high-grades intersected demonstrate a potential underground future for the mine. We intend to target these deeper zones in more detail after we complete the technical report." Drill Results Summary Mineralization at La Colorada's Creston Pit is predominantly hosted in three veins: the North, Intermediate and South Veins (Figure 1). These veins trend northeast-southwest to east-west, dip northward and are surrounded by halos of smaller mineralized vein zones. The Creston Pit has historically mined oxide gold and silver from all three of these veins. A current Probable Mineral Reserve of 312,000 ounces of gold grading 0.76 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and 5,074,000 ounces of silver at 10.1 g/t silver is defined at the Creston Pit1. A technical review of expansion potential identified two opportunities for reserve growth. The near-surface extensions of known veins with little or no drill data and exploring the under-sampled mineralization beneath the pit. Both opportunities were defined using historical drilling, blast hole data, mining shapes, and the geological model. Figure 1: Plan view of the Creston Pit showing historic drilling, blast hole samples and Heliostar drill holes. Selected intercepts are labelled. Figure 2: Cross-section view looking west at the western end of the Creston Pit. The section shows historic drilling and new Heliostar drill hole results below the planned pit boundary. Blast hole data clearly shows the potential for a continuation of veins at shallow depths. They contain elevated gold grades that continue to the edge of the pit walls, where they remain open for expansion (Figure 1). At depth, drill spacing is wider than the area above. Additional drilling allows for improved estimation of grade and continuity. The Company has completed seventy-two holes totalling 11,075 metres in the program to date. This release reports results for twenty-three new holes. The majority of the new drill holes targeted extensions of the North, Intermediate, and South Veins in areas where drilling is widely spaced yet within the current resource. They aim to add ounces to the overall El Creston resources and reserves. Assay results show narrow to wide, low- to high-grade oxide gold intercepts. Targeted vein zones consistently return intercepts above the 0.16 g/t gold-equivalent cutoff grade of reserves within the Creston pit. The results may increase the tonnes and grade of mineralization in an updated pit shell. If so, that would add to the total reserves in an updated technical report. Further, the success of the drill program to date has required modification of the remaining drill program plans. Numerous step-out drill holes have been added to follow-up on intercepts reported here. Results remain pending for these follow-up drill holes and are expected to be received in April and May. Next Steps Results from the current drill program are being incorporated into a resource model. They will support a reserve update to be published with a technical report in mid-2025. This drill program is important because if it increases the volume of rock containing gold mineralization, it could improve the overall mine economics. Any zones of waste material with new gold intercepts from this program have the potential to reduce the overall strip ratio of the Creston pit expansion. That, in turn, could reduce the up-front capital requirements for the restart and improve the economics of the Technical Report. This study will be the basis of a decision for the expansion of production at La Colorada. The Company anticipates additional drilling results from the current program will be released in Q2, 2025. La Colorada Mineral Reserves Statement Classification Zone AuEq Cut-off (g/t) Tonnes (kt) Gold Grade (g/t Au) Silver Grade (g/t Ag) Contained Gold (koz) Contained Silver (koz) Probable El Creston 0.160 12,841 0.76 10.1 312 4,181 Veta Madre 0.175 1,905 0.70 3.1 43 189 La Chatarrera 0.164 3,413 0.20 6.4 22 704 Total 18,159 0.65 8.69 377 5,074 1. La Colorada Operations, Sonora, Mexico, NI 43-101 Technical Report (the "Report") is dated January 11, 2024, has an effective date of December 4, 2024. Drilling Results Table HoleID From (metres) To (metres) Interval (metres) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) % True Width Comment 24-LCDD-262 36.35 40.4 4.05 0.53 8.6 94 South Vein 24-LCDD-263 Abandoned 24-LCDD-264 165.05 178.4 13.35 0.34 43 74 North Vein 24-LCDD-265 8.35 11.1 2.75 0.34 6.2 28 South Vein and 15.7 20.55 4.85 0.24 5.2 28 South Vein and 76.9 92.3 15.4 0.19 2.8 44 South Vein 24-LCDD-266 22.3 28.95 6.65 0.50 2.5 82 South Vein 24-LCDD-267 No significant intervals 24-LCDD-268 15.85 28.1 12.25 0.40 4.8 15 South Vein and 77.9 90.0 12.1 0.19 6.8 61 South Vein 24-LCDD-269 163.75 181.65 17.9 1.69 8.8 84 North Vein including 167.7 172.3 4.6 5.78 16 84 North Vein 24-LCDD-270 24.55 33.4 8.85 1.89 82 89 South Vein including 29.0 33.4 4.4 3.52 155 90 South Vein 24-LCDD-271 4.0 11.95 7.95 0.38 12 84 Intermediate Vein and 50.0 58.85 8.85 25.0 768 71 South Vein 50.0 58.85 8.85 10.4 768 71 Top-cut to 20 g/t gold and 64.2 68.0 3.8 4.32 178 70 South Vein 24-LCDD-272 2.05 35.6 33.55 1.04 22 68 Intermediate Vein including 6.0 8.85 2.85 6.10 135 68 Intermediate Vein and 70.2 80.85 10.65 0.22 5.4 81 South Vein and 90.8 94.3 3.5 5.41 88 79 South Vein 90.8 94.3 3.5 4.31 88 79 Top-cut to 20 g/t gold including 90.8 91.35 0.55 27.0 433 79 South Vein 90.8 91.35 0.55 20.0 433 79 Top-cut to 20 g/t gold and 103.65 104.4 0.75 10.3 255 79 South Vein and 107.55 112.05 4.5 0.84 23 79 South Vein 24-LCDD-273 7.85 10.2 2.35 0.45 10 79 Intermediate Vein and 48.0 69.75 21.75 2.37 62 87 South Vein 48.0 69.75 21.75 1.97 62 87 Top-cut to 20 g/t gold including 59.25 67.8 8.55 5.52 121 87 South Vein 59.25 67.8 8.55 4.50 121 87 Top-cut to 20 g/t gold 24-LCDD-274 103.8 126.15 22.35 0.21 6.5 67 North Vein and 137.4 147.6 10.2 0.39 6.4 67 North Vein 25-LCDD-275 20.4 23.35 2.95 2.07 166 75 Intermediate Vein and 29.25 33.75 4.5 0.40 9.0 89 Intermediate Vein and 88.85 101.85 13.0 0.57 8.8 42 Intermediate Vein and 120.55 128.1 7.55 0.72 13 100 South Vein 25-LCDD-276 104.7 135.95 31.25 0.53 4.2 49 North Vein and 155.15 170.25 15.1 0.45 2.4 49 North Vein 25-LCDD-277 No significant intervals 25-LCDD-278 6.25 9.0 2.75 1.06 63 100 South Vein and 14.1 33.0 18.9 0.61 31 100 South Vein 25-LCDD-279 0.0 5.6 5.6 0.72 30 100 Intermediate Vein and 62.0 83.85 21.85 0.63 9.6 99 South Vein 25-LCDD-280 130.05 135.6 5.55 0.26 57 88 North Vein and 141.85 145.9 4.05 0.27 54 88 North Vein 25-LCDD-281 Abandoned 25-LCDD-282 11.15 16.5 5.35 0.67 39 33 Intermediate Vein 25-LCDD-283 60.5 66.2 5.7 1.51 20 90 Intermediate Vein and 82.15 99.65 17.5 1.90 6.8 84 Intermediate Vein 82.15 99.65 17.5 1.53 6.8 84 Top-cut to 23 g/t gold including 89.05 91.95 2.9 10.5 15 84 Intermediate Vein 89.05 91.95 2.9 8.32 15 84 Top-cut to 23 g/t gold and 107.0 110.0 3.0 1.92 21 85 Intermediate Vein and 127.0 132.5 5.5 11.1 23 88 Intermediate Vein 127.0 132.5 5.5 9.14 23 88 Top-cut to 23 g/t gold and 165.1 173.0 7.9 0.20 1.0 96 South Vein and 179.95 191.85 11.9 0.23 2.2 96 South Vein 25-LCDD-284 52.0 61.0 9.0 1.87 3.2 84 Intermediate Vein including 53.0 55.4 2.4 6.14 6.1 84 Intermediate Vein and 69.2 74.6 5.4 0.52 3.2 84 Intermediate Vein and 128.0 150.7 22.7 0.53 2.1 84 South Vein 25-LCDD-285 45.3 50.2 4.9 0.36 27 87 Intermediate Vein and 79.45 100.75 21.3 0.28 9.8 84 Intermediate Vein and 109.65 123.55 13.9 0.24 2.7 87 Intermediate Vein and 130.15 140.1 9.95 0.38 5.0 99 Intermediate Vein and 190.2 201.0 10.8 1.25 0.7 92 South Vein including 199.05 201.0 1.95 5.94 1.1 94 South Vein 25-LCDD-286 38.05 43.8 5.75 4.72 10 92 Intermediate Vein including 38.05 43.8 5.75 2.41 10 92 Top-cut to 23 g/t gold and 67.5 95.45 27.95 0.35 7.7 95 Intermediate Vein and 163.9 171.15 7.25 0.59 5.1 91 South Vein 25-LCDD-287 8.15 17.4 9.25 1.02 2.5 79 Intermediate Vein and 28.05 39.7 11.65 0.63 6.3 74 Intermediate Vein and 56.5 61.45 4.95 0.33 3.0 68 Intermediate Vein and 116.0 146.75 30.75 0.18 1.4 86 South Vein 25-LCDD-288 13.4 17.0 3.6 0.46 15 91 Intermediate Vein and 48.5 70.1 21.6 0.33 2.5 77 Intermediate Vein and 120.75 125.5 4.75 0.58 1.0 99 South Vein and 130.9 150.65 19.75 0.99 5.9 99 South Vein including 132.0 133.1 1.1 10.1 50 99 South Vein 25-LCDD-289 10.5 23.05 12.55 0.55 17 95 North Vein and 56.95 64.0 7.05 2.62 8.8 92 Intermediate Vein including 56.95 58.9 1.95 8.76 14 92 Intermediate Vein and 125.0 133.65 8.65 0.15 5.0 84 Intermediate Vein and 169.3 179.4 10.1 0.82 4.1 82 Intermediate Vein Table 2: Significant Drill Intersections Drilling Coordinates Table Hole ID Northing (NAD27 CONUS Zone 12N) Easting (NAD27 CONUS Zone 12N) Elevation (metres) Azimuth () Inclination () Length (metres) 24-LCDD-265 3185570 542775 389.8 000 -47 113.4 24-LCDD-266 3185676 542725 274.8 180 10 96.05 24-LCDD-267 3185754 543056 438.3 187 -40 69.5 24-LCDD-268 3185555 542750 392.4 000 -45 102.85 24-LCDD-269 3185954 542540 331.2 179 -60 298.3 24-LCDD-270 3185622 542401 206.7 202 -32 75.35 24-LCDD-271 3185633 542396 207.2 220 -31 124.45 24-LCDD-272 3185664 542415 206.5 217 -36 147.7 24-LCDD-273 3185636 542403 205.9 200 -54 114.05 24-LCDD-274 3185816 542788 248.7 000 +2 159.3 25-LCDD-275 3185715 542439 215.5 180 -56 167.0 25-LCDD-276 3185949 542700 315.6 180 -83 225.35 25-LCDD-277 3185853 542315 353.9 180 -56 258.6 25-LCDD-278 3185618 542414 209.0 180 0 55.15 25-LCDD-279 3185683 542515 198.1 180 -20 105.0 25-LCDD-280 3185810 542265 360.0 178 -50 325.7 25-LCDD-281 3185886 542389 346.7 178 -47 149.35 25-LCDD-282 3185786 542515 220.3 180 -85 124.6 25-LCDD-283 3185843 542685 237.6 169 -57 246.35 25-LCDD-284 3185822 542751 244.4 179 -62 191.4 25-LCDD-285 3185839 542715 240.5 173 -61 240.25 25-LCDD-286 3185837 542701 239.5 180 -48 205.05 25-LCDD-287 3185758 542735 251.1 215 -60 150.15 25-LCDD-288 3185817 542726 242.4 180 -58 180.5 25-LCDD-289 3185895 542775 305.9 193 -60 292.25 Table 3: Drill Hole Details Quality Assurance / Quality Control Core was drilled with PQ, HQ, and NQ tools, and the drill core was sawn in half, with one half submitted for analysis and one half retained as a record. Core samples were shipped to ALS Limited in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, for sample preparation and for analysis at the ALS laboratory in North Vancouver. The Hermosillo and North Vancouver ALS facilities are ISO/IEC 17025 certified. Gold was assayed by a 30-gram fire assay with an atomic absorption spectroscopy finish, and overlimits were analyzed by a 30-gram fire assay with a gravimetric finish. Control samples comprising certified reference and blank samples were systematically inserted into the sample stream and analyzed as part of the Company's quality assurance / quality control protocol. Statement of Qualified Person Gregg Bush, P.Eng. and Stewart Harris, P.Geo., the Company's Qualified Persons, as such term is defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, have reviewed the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release and has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Bush is employed as Chief Operating Officer of the Company, and Mr. Harris is employed as Exploration Manager of the Company. Technical Report Reference 1 La Colorada Operations, Sonora, Mexico, NI 43-101 Technical Report (the "Report") is dated January 11, 2024, has an effective date of December 4, 2024, and was prepared for Heliostar Metals Inc. by Mr. Todd Wakefield, RM SME, Mr. David Thomas, P.Geo., Mr. Jeffrey Choquette, P.E., Mr. Carl Defilippi, RM SME, and Ms. Dawn Garcia, CPG. The Report can be found under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and on Heliostar's website (www.heliostarmetals.com). About Heliostar Metals Ltd. Heliostar is a gold mining company with production from operating mines in Mexico. This includes the La Colorada Mine in Sonora and the San Agustin Mine in Durango. The Company also has a strong portfolio of development projects in Mexico and the USA. These include the Ana Paula project in Guerrero, the Cerro del Gallo project in Guanajuato, the San Antonio project in Baja Sur and the Unga project in Alaska, USA. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: 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 Information This news release includes certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "plan", "forecast", "may", "would", "could", "schedule" and similar words or expressions, identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information relate to, among other things, this places the Company in a strong position to achieve our planned production and resource growth goals. Today's results reflect these growth plans and further cement our confidence in the future of La Colorada. They are expected to positively impact the economics of the mine when we update the La Colorada technical report in mid-2025. Our goal is for the study to support a decision to expand production to 50,000 to 100,000 ounces of gold per year. Additionally, the high grades intersected demonstrate a potential underground future for the mine. We intend to target these deeper zones in more detail after we complete the technical report. The Company anticipates additional drilling results from the current program will be released in Q2, 2025. Forward-Looking statements and forward-looking information relating to the terms and completion of the Facility, any future mineral production, liquidity, and future exploration plans are based on management's reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the receipt of necessary approvals, price of metals; no escalation in the severity of public health crises or ongoing military conflicts; costs of exploration and development; the estimated costs of development of exploration projects; and the Company's ability to operate in a safe and effective manner and its ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms. These statements reflect the Company's respective current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of other assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political, and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information and the Company has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: precious metals price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Company's mining activities in foreign jurisdictions; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to reliance on the Company's management team and outside contractors; risks regarding exploration and mining activities; the Company's inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; the ability of the communities in which the Company operates to manage and cope with the implications of public health crises; the economic and financial implications of public health crises, ongoing military conflicts and general economic factors to the Company; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; the Company's interactions with surrounding communities; the Company's ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; litigation risk; and the factors identified under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's public disclosure documents. Readers are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements or information, other than as required by applicable law. A Swedish prosecutor on Wednesday accused a man detained this weekend of spying on exiled members of China's minority Uyghur community for Beijing. At a court hearing in Solna, north of Stockholm, later Wednesday, he will ask for the suspect to be taken into custody for aggravated spying. "The man is suspected of having illegally gathered information and intelligence on people from the Uyghur community for the Chinese intelligence services," said prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist. "The case is very sensitive and is at a preliminary stage of investigation. For this reason, I cannot provide further information at this point," he added in a statement. The suspect was detained on Sunday according to court documents obtained by AFP, which gave his date of birth as April 8, 1967 and said that he had needed a Mandarin interpreter. He is accused of spying on refugees, or illegal intelligence-gathering activity against individuals, the statement added. According to Sweden's SAPO intelligence agency, these offences refer to operations targeting political opponents or other minority groups. "This type of espionage is often carried out by authoritarian or non-democratic states," the statement added. The Sunni Muslim Uyghurs are the main ethnic group in China's northwest Xinjiang province. Beijing is accused of having detained more than a million Uyghurs and other Muslims as part of a campaign the UN has said could constitute "crimes against humanity". China denies the allegations, saying its actions have allowed it to eradicate extremism in Xinjiang and promote economic development. A French association behind a campaign to force officials in the resort city of Biarritz to rename the city's La Negresse historic district has received death threats and turned to police, the group said Wednesday. In February, a court ruled that authorities in the city must rename the district and one of the streets, possibly named after a black woman, following a case brought by activists who argued it was an outdated legacy of colonialism. La Negresse is the feminine version of the French word for negro, translating into English as "negro woman". Karfa Diallo, director of the Memoires et Partages (Memories and Sharing) association that fights legacies of slavery and colonialism, said the group's members had become the target of death threats and cyberbullying. "We are now the target of an extremely violent campaign," he told AFP. There are hundreds of "hateful" comments on social networks as well as "explicit threats" sent by email, Diallo said, adding that their families have been targeted, too. One of the messages reported to the police reads: "There will be blood. I'm going to ruin your life. I've got your licence plates, your addresses." Both the association and Diallo, who is also an elected representative of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine regional council, filed a complaint with police on Tuesday. The district is believed to be named after a black woman, possibly a former slave, who worked at an inn there in the 19th century. Activists say the moniker is associated with a "crime against humanity that saw millions of Africans deported to work as slaves on colonial plantations". After a long legal battle, a court sided with the association in February, saying the term could be perceived as "offensive". Pending a legal challenge to the ruling, the municipality is to convene its council in May to change the name of the street. In comments to regional newspaper Sud Ouest, the mayor of Biarritz, Maider Arosteguy, condemned the threats. "All deviant behaviour (cyberbullying, threats) is unacceptable and reprehensible," she said. "It poisons public debate." Sudan and the United Arab Emirates will cross swords at the International Court of Justice on Thursday, with Khartoum accusing the UAE of breaking the UN Genocide Convention with its alleged support for rebel fighters. The UAE has dismissed the case as baseless and a distraction from ending the civil war in Sudan that has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions, and caused famine in large parts of the northeast African country. Sudan wants ICJ judges to force the UAE to stop its alleged support for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that have been battling the Sudanese army since 2023. In its application to the court, Sudan charged that "the rebel RSF, with the United Arab Emirates' unlimited support, perpetrated genocide, forcible displacement, and murder." It urged judges to order the UAE to make "full reparations", including compensation to victims of the war. Sudan said the UAE was breaching its obligations under the 1948 UN Genocide Convention established in the aftermath of the Holocaust. But a top UAE official, who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive case, told AFP: "These baseless accusations are a misuse of the court's time and practice." The UAE denies supplying the RSF with weapons. The US has sanctioned both sides, accusing the army of attacking civilians and the RSF of "committing genocide" in the western Darfur region. - 'Important questions' - Legal experts say Sudan's case may founder on jurisdictional issues. When the UAE signed up to the Genocide Convention, it entered a "reservation" to a key clause enabling countries to drag each other before the ICJ over disputes. Sudan's claims raise "important questions", Michael Becker, international law expert from Trinity College Dublin, wrote in a recent piece for Opinio Juris specialist website. "Because the UAE made a reservation to Article IX when it acceded to the Genocide Convention in 2005, the ICJ can be expected to conclude that it lacks jurisdiction over the dispute," wrote Becker. Sudan argued in its application that the UAE's reservation is "incompatible" with the purpose of the Genocide Convention, which emphasises global collective responsibility to prevent the world's worst crime. Lawyers for Sudan will address the court at the Peace Palace in The Hague at 10am (0800 GMT), with the UAE responding at 4pm. The rulings of the ICJ, which hears disputes between states, are final and binding but the court has no means to ensure compliance. Judges ordered Russia to halt its invasion of Ukraine to no avail, for example. Tuesday, April 8, 2025 - Wajir Governor Ahmed Adbullahi is embroiled in a scandal after a private video of him and his youthful side chick leaked online. According to well-placed sources, the skirt-chasing Governor has been looting County funds to sustain the flamboyant lifestyle of his side chick. The beautiful lady openly parades a lavish lifestyle on social media, especially on Tiktok and Instagram, where she shares photos on lavish vacations sponsored by the 52-year-old Governor, whose appetite for ladies is well-known. The first-time Governor has in the past been linked to corruption. He is currently setting up a multi-million commercial building along Mombasa Road, besides financing the lavish lifestyle of his side chick. Wajir County is one of the poorest regions in Kenya, with high poverty rates, low household wealth and high unemployment. Most of the funds allocated to the County are looted by the Governor and his allies to sustain their posh lifestyles - putting up multi-million apartments in the leafy suburbs of Nairobi and sponsoring their side chicks. See the lavish lifestyle of his side chick Wednesday, April 9, 2025 - Tanzanian model and brand influencer, Nana Dollz, has opened up about her luxurious life, crediting her financial success to her politician boyfriend Ronald Karauri, the Kasarani Member of Parliament and Sportspesa CEO. Speaking in an interview, Nana disclosed that the wealthy MP takes care of everything - from her monthly rent, expensive wigs, to supporting her personal projects. Boyfriend wangu analipia kila kitu, analipa kodi ya nyumba, analipia ma wigi, ananisupport kwa kazi zangu. Hes taking care of me fully. Kuna hela ananipa nawekeza, she said, noting that he gives her enough money to invest and grow financially. Despite being advised by the MP to keep their relationship private, Nana said she felt compelled to speak her truth and set the record straight about how she built her posh mansion - an achievement many thought was funded by shady deals. He told me not to talk about our affair publicly, but I feel like I need to make things clear. People assume Im just showing off, but Im simply being taken care of and making smart investments, she added. Nanas admission has stirred conversations online, with some praising her transparency and others questioning the ethics of politicians funding lavish lifestyles while citizens struggle with the cost of living. Nana said when she met Karauri, he had already divorced his wife, contrary to reports that she wrecked his marriage. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, April 9, 2025 - It was an emotional scene on NTVs Fixing the Nation when Telvin Mburu, a humble Rongai matatu conductor, reunited with the woman whose life he helped save after a medical emergency. As he narrated the life-altering moment, the woman unexpectedly called into the show to thank him - triggering heartfelt tears live on air. Mburu recounted the incident, which happened on Friday, April 4th, during evening rush hour. A female passenger, visibly struggling to breathe, tapped him for help. He responded swiftly, opening windows and making space for her. As her condition worsened near Nyayo Roundabout, Mburu and his crew rushed her to Nairobi West Hospital. For me, I was just doing it out of goodwill. I lost someone so important to me due to negligence... I wasnt there, but can you imagine being told your mum died because no one helped? Mburu shared, his voice cracking. Mburu not only ensured she got to hospital, but stayed, oversaw treatment, and even facilitated her transfer to Sinai Hospital - sacrificing his days pay. The womans surprise call brought the studio to tears. I lack words. I am so emotional right now... You are the reason my children still have their mother, she said. Kenyans have hailed Mburus selflessness, calling for his recognition. Despite the matatu industry's often chaotic image, Mburus kindness is a shining reminder that true heroes walk among us - quiet, humble, and full of heart. Watch the emotional moment below. Tears in the studio as Viola calls Telvin. "My children wouldn't have a mother if you hadn't helped me." Telvin and the driver of a Rongai matatu helped Viola when she had a medical emergency. #FixingTheNationNTV @NationFmKE @OfficialJMbugua @MariamBishar @EricLatiff pic.twitter.com/SKWCubmahq NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) April 9, 2025 Wednesday, April 9, 2025 - A suspect believed to be behind phone snatching incidents along Thika Road has been arrested, following an intelligence-led operation conducted by undercover detectives. The suspect and his accomplices move around in a motorbike, targeting motorists, pedestrians, and other innocent Kenyans. He is believed to be a member of the infamous Black Eyed Gang that is behind a spate of armed robberies in Nairobi. The suspect was found in possession of machetes. See his photos below. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, April 9, 2025 - Residents of Eldoret are calling on the police to enhance security, following frequent cases of home break-ins. A recent robbery incident that took place at an apartment located in the city was captured on CCTV, and the footage was shared online. In the footage, the thieves are seen breaking into a house and making away with several items. The victim is now seeking assistance from the public to identify the perpetrators. The residents are now calling for increased security measures and accusing the police of laxity. Watch the footage. Robbery incident captured on CCTV in Eldoret as residents complain of rising insecurity pic.twitter.com/4Mb9mMDLSV DAILY POST (@dailypost_ke) April 9, 2025 The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, April 9, 2025 - President William Ruto has been accused of wasting state resources after a brand new Prado J250 was spotted carrying a public address system during his recent tour of the Mount Kenyan region. The PA system was previously mounted on a Prado but it seems Ruto has upgraded cars in his entourage, even as he pleads with Kenyans to take austerity measures amid tough economic times. The Prado J250 is estimated to cost over Ksh 20 Million. The multi-million guzzler is known for safety and comfort, but for Ruto he uses it to carry the PA system. Watch the video. Kenyas presidential motorcade, while the country struggles with poverty, unemployment, and poor healthcare infrastructure! pic.twitter.com/yk5Xa6aCEa The Kenyan Vigilante (@KenyanSays) April 9, 2025 The Kenyan DAILY POST The Hidden Dangers of Free Public Wi-Fi and How to Avoid Them Introduction Introduction Do you ever notice or think how we are treating free Wi-Fi like just air nowadays? We walk into a cafe, airport, or hotel, and whats the first thing we ask for? -Whats the Wi-Fi password? wherever we go, we need the Wi-Fi and whats better than getting it for free right? Its everywhere, and honestly, it feels like a basic human need. Doesn't it? But heres the question: Do we ever stop to think who else might be on that same network? Or what could happen when we connect without a second thought? Because as easy as public Wi-Fi makes our lives, it also opens the door to serious risks, like someone spying on your connection or snatching up your info while you sip your latte. So, shouldnt we be just as quick to protect ourselves as we are to connect? A little caution can go a long way when the cost of convenience might just be your privacy. So, in this blog, lets find out everything about the dangers of public Wi-Fi and how to avoid them. Common Threats on Public Wi-Fi Public Wi-Fi might seem super convenient, but its also a favorite hangout for cyber criminals. They use a few sneaky tricks that are somewhat scary. First, the Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack: Have you ever heard of it? Its when a hacker slips in between your device and the internet. So, while you think youre securely sending something like your password or bank info, they secretly watch and collect it. Then theres the issue with unencrypted websites: If a site doesnt use HTTPS (that little lock icon in the address bar), anything you do there can be seen like an open book. Hackers love that. And lets not forget malware: On some public networks, attackers can sneak harmful software onto your device without you even realizing it. With one click, your system is suddenly at risk. Oh, and the evil twin trick?: That ones clever. Hackers set up fake Wi-Fi networks that look like the real deal, like CoffeeShop_WiFi_Free instead of CoffeeShop_WiFi. You connect without thinking, and boom- theyre in. How Hackers Exploit These Vulnerabilities The problem with public Wi-Fi is that most of it has little to no encryption, which means your data is out in the open. And cybercriminals love that. They use packet sniffers (yeah, the names weird) to monitor and capture data while its moving through the network. So, if you're checking emails or logging into your bank, they could be grabbing that info. And it gets sneakier. Hackers will create fake Wi-Fi hotspots that look real. You might think you're connecting to the cafes network, but it's a trap. Sometimes, they even add fake login pages that look legitimate to trick you into typing in your username and password. The scary part? Its super easy for them to set these traps. That is why I always tell everyone that performing a VPN download when youre on public Wi-Fi isnt just a good idea; it's a must. Real-World Breaches: Lessons Learned And these arent just maybe it could happen risks. Theyve played out in real life. Remember the 2016 Republican National Convention? Someone set up a fake Wi-Fi network called I VOTE TRUMP WIFI. And hear this- over 1,200 people connected to it. Just like that, all kinds of personal data were exposed. Wild, right? Or take the WSpot leak in Brazil. Millions of people's info was exposed because a public Wi-Fi provider didnt secure their system correctly. It wasnt some big hack; it was just terrible security. This is precisely why I always say, "Dont let your guard down on public networks." If its easy to fall into a trap, a few extra precautions go a long way. Essential Protection Tips for Users Okay, so if you're using public Wi-Fi, especially at airports or coffee shops, heres what I always tell people- it doesnt take much to protect yourself, but it matters. VPN: First thing? Start with a VPN download. Seriously, just download one. It puts your internet in a locked tunnel so no one can see your actions, even if theyre on the same network. Multi-Factor Authentication: Always use Multi-Factor Authentication. Do you know that extra step where you get a phone code when logging in? It might feel like a hassle, but if someone does get your password, they still cant get in without that code. Also, look for HTTPS: If theres no lock icon in the web address bar, dont enter passwords or sensitive info. Plain and simple. Turn Off Auto-Connect and File Sharing: Another thing people forget is to turn off auto-connect and file sharing. You dont want your laptop or phone connecting to random networks alone or accidentally sharing files with strangers. Update your apps and software: I know updates can be annoying, but they patch up security holes hackers love to exploit. Dont forget to keep your firewall on, too. It's your devices basic line of defense. If you do all that, youre way ahead of most people when staying safe on public Wi-Fi. Conclusion Public Wi-Fi might feel like a gift from the internet gods. Free connection, no questions asked, but behind that magical Free_WiFi name could be a cybercriminal rubbing their hands together in anticipation. Man-in-the-middle attacks, fake hotspots, sneaky malware... Its like a digital version of a pickpocket convention. But hey, staying safe doesnt mean going full spy mode. Just download a solid VPN (think of it as putting your data in an invisibility cloak) and maybe avoid connecting to any network that sounds like a bad movie title. Oh, and dont ignore those software updates. They are not just nagging you; theyre trying to save your digital life. The key is balance. You can enjoy the ease of public Wi-Fi without falling into a trap. Just stay alert, protect your stuff, and roll on with confidence. Wednesday, April 9, 2025 - Joy Ngina, the Mombasa woman who went missing days before her pre-wedding ceremony, has been found alive in Nakuru under unclear circumstances. Joy vanished shortly after meeting her boyfriend to discuss their pre-wedding ceremony, leaving her family distressed. Before she went missing, she had sent a disturbing message to her boyfriend, saying her life was in danger. The two had met in Mombasa to finalize pre-wedding plans. After the meeting, Joys phone went off and could not be traced. From that moment, she went completely silent. Her family circulated her photos on social media and reported the matter to the police. The search came to an end after she was found in Nakuru by Good Samaritans, days after she disappeared. She was disoriented and unable to recall how she travelled from Mombasa to Nakuru. She is alive but mentally shaken. She doesnt remember what happened, a family member said. Police have launched investigations into the case to try and establish what happened. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, April 9, 2025 - A 47-year-old graduate teacher is appealing to the Government to employ her after languishing in joblessness for decades. She was spotted with a placard, begging the office of the President, TSC Kenya and the Senate to intervene so that she can secure employment. See photo. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, April 9, 2025 - The United States has once again raised the alarm over widespread corruption and extortion targeting American investors seeking Government tenders in Kenya. In its 2025 National Trade Estimate (NTE) report, the Office of the U.S Trade Representative says corruption continues to influence public procurement in Kenya, despite previous warnings. Tenders are often not announced in a timely and transparent manner. Foreign firms, some without proven track records, have won Government contracts when partnered with well-connected Kenyan firms or individuals, reads the report from Jamieson Greers office. The U.S notes that Kenyas efforts to digitise procurement through systems such as the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) have failed to address the underlying issues. Concerns about IFMIS include insufficient connectivity and technical capacity in county government offices, central control shutdowns, and security gaps that render the system vulnerable to manipulation and hacking, said President Donald Trumps trade advisor. The report also highlights delays and inefficiencies in customs clearance, citing a complex and inefficient process involving many steps with uncoordinated offices, and inconsistent application of classification and valuation rules. Additionally, Washington raised concerns about the availability of counterfeit and pirated goods in the Kenyan market. Kenya signed the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty in 1996 but has yet to ratify it, the report notes. This comes just days after Kenya began implementing the e-Government Procurement (e-GP) System, backed by the IMF, aimed at boosting transparency and curbing graft in both national and county government contracting. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, April 9, 2025 - The condemned building along Abdel Nasser Road in Mombasa has been brought down through a controlled demolition using explosives. Military engineers coordinated the operation, which followed hours of preparation within a 1.2 kilometre buffer zone. The explosives were placed at strategic points inside the structure to trigger a collapse inward, minimizing impact on nearby buildings. No casualties have been reported. Ambulances and firefighting units remained on standby as the multi-agency team executed the operation. The demolition followed earlier warnings after a partial collapse and confirmation that the foundation had been compromised by borehole drilling and unauthorized vertical extensions. Watch the moment the sinking 11-storey building in Mombasa was demolished using explosives pic.twitter.com/p00OJTuZeY DAILY POST (@dailypost_ke) April 9, 2025 The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, April 9, 2025 - A South Sudanese woman known as Josephine Abyei Tong Akech, congratulated her husband for marrying a second wife, sparking mixed reactions online. Abyei expressed her utmost happiness and support for her husbands decision to bring in another wife into the family. Congratulations my husband for bringing us our second wife, her Facebook post reads. The post instantly caught social media users attention, promptly sending her thoughtful wishes while terming her as a kind and true wife material. In South Sudan, polygamy is allowed in many communities, especially in the Jieng and the Nuer Cultures. See photos of her beautiful co-wife. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, April 9, 2025 - Comedian-turned-activist Eric Omondi is once again making headlines, but this time, it's not for his stunts or activism. This is after his fiancee and mother of his child, Lynne Njihia, officially announced the end of their relationship. In a heartfelt post on social media, Lynne revealed that the decision to walk away wasnt easy - but necessary. Life update: I've made the decision to end my relationship with Eric Omondi. It wasn't easy, but it's whats best for my peace, growth, and the future I envision for myself and my daughter. Here's to new beginnings always, she wrote. Lynne and Erics love story began in April 2020, when they met during a skit audition in Karen. Their chemistry was instant, and the two grew closer over time. In August 2023, they welcomed their daughter, Kyla Omondi. The breakup comes just weeks after Lynne signed a lucrative modeling contract with a UK-based agency, sparking speculation that career moves may have influenced her decision. She has hinted at relocating to the UK if necessary. While fans are divided over the split, Eric has previously expressed full support for Lynnes career, stating he will always cheer her on - even from afar. As Lynne steps into a new chapter, her decision reflects the growing trend of women choosing personal growth and ambition, even when it means letting go of love. Below are some reactions from netizens. The Kenyan DAILY POST The proposed development at Naas Cemex factory plans to demolish the existing building to make way for an Applegreen garage as well as other facilities. Although planning permission has been recently appealed to an Bord Pleanala by an Taisce, the development if it goes ahead will result in the displacement of the Roma community currently living on the site. It is estimated that around 11 people live at this site, with many living there for over a decade. The building is not fitted with electrics, which means there is no heating, water or sanitary facilities onsite. Local parish charity, NaasPoint, have been assisting the group since 2019, which is run by local volunteers and group Chairperson Tom Keightley. The group has continually donated the community food, clothes, gas cooking stoves as well as bottles of gas and other essential items. NaasPoint has also helped many of the people to get PPS numbers and have arranged for a dedicated GP in Naas to assist them medically. Mr Keightley said: These people are part of the community. They dont cause any trouble. They dont even get dole money. Theyre good workers. Anyone who can work, works. Mr Keightley is certain that there has been no communication about the planned demolition from the council to the people living at the site. No one from the council has been onto them, and that is a fact, he said. This has been falling on deaf ears for at least the last two years. More could be done for them. I made them aware two years ago, 18 months ago, 12 months ago, and then 6 months ago and there is a notice up on the premises, so they are aware of the situation. At the end of the day they are human beings. The situation they are in is dire. The place is infested with rats. One lady is around five months pregnant at this stage. We are still waiting for a medical card for her. While Mr Keightley is a huge advocate for the Roma community resident at the site, he still believes that the site's proposed development will be good for Naas. It does need to be developed. It will make a great difference to Naas. However, he believes that more could be done to assist the community in finding alternative accommodation. With regard to all authorities aware of the situation, Mr Keightley said: Everyone is sympathetic, but thats as far as it goes. Naas councillor Bill Clear posted a video to social media last week speaking about the site, mentioning the Roma community that currently resides there. I am aware of people living here. The homeless service will be engaging with them to facilitate them and I will be helping them on that. Cllr Clear spoke to Kildare Nationalist regarding this and explained that the homeless service and charity NaasPoint have been in contact with the group previously and that they have been told all the way along about the sites planned demolition and development. Cllr Clear continued: They have been offered places before, and explained that moving to alternative accommodation is ultimately their decision. The site has been derelict for many, many years. Its very important that it be developed, he concluded. Kildare County Council has stated that it is not aware that any such contact made between itself and the group living at the derelict site. It said: Kildare County Council has no jurisdiction over Naas Cemex Factory. The site is in private ownership and any notification in relation to vacating this site would be a matter for the site owner. However, it offered that should anyone from the site needed help they should contact the councils homeless team. A MAN who began to eat a mattress in a Kildare garda cell appeared before a sitting of Naas District Court last week. Appearing in Naas District Court this week were a couple, Agnieszka (38) and Grzegorz (37) Kulpa of Allenview Heights, Newbridge, who were both charged with being drunk and abusive, initially on Edward Street in the town on 12 May 2024. They called me Polish refugee and a blonde bitch, said Ms Kupla, about her treatment in Newbridge Garda Station following the arrest. These charges were then duplicated. Was it all worth it? asked Judge Desmond Zaidan. Double Take They both nodded. Thats pure love, smiled the judge. Sergeant Mary Meade then explained what else went on following their arrest. The man, started Sergeant Meade, only to be interrupted by Mrs Kulpa: husband! The male in the cells started to rip up the mattress and then began to eat the mattress, she said, while the entire court shook its head and did a double take. Wait now, said the normally unflappable judge, who has seen or heard most things, I think I need a glass of water! Then, returning to the case, the judge fined each of the couple 500. He concluded: Im feeling pain for the mattress! James Cox US president Donald Trump has announced a 90-day pause on tariffs "effective immediately". The pause excludes China - which is seeing tariffs rise to 125 percent. US stocks have jumped after Mr Trump's announcement. Global markets surged following the development, but the precise details of Mr Trumps plans to ease tariffs on non-China trade partners are not immediately clear. It appears to be an attempt to narrow what had been an unprecedented trade war between the US and most of the world to a showdown between the US and China. 9.45pm Tanaiste Simon Harris said US president Donald Trumps suspension of higher tariffs will come as a relief to many businesses in Ireland. The Tanaiste was speaking following a meeting with US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick in Washington DC. Mr Harris said his meeting with Mr Lutnick, a key critic of the Irish Governments fiscal policies, which occurred shortly after Mr Trumps announcement, was timely, valuable and substantive. _________________________________________ 9.05pm Tanaiste Simon Harris says Ireland will be a voice for calm, constructive engagement on tariffs. In a statement, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade says he had a "valuable exchange" with US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick in Washington today. They discussed Donald Trump's latest announcement, EU-US trade and the pharmaceutical sector. _________________________________________ 9pm European leaders have been reacting to the news that tariffs are going to be paused. It's not clear yet if the EU will be exempt from the revised 10 per cent tariff that was announced today. Germany's likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz says the pause is evidence a united European approach to trade is having a positive effect. Polish prime minister Donald Tusk says they should make the best of the next 90 days adding that maintaining close transatlantic relations is a common responsibility of Europeans and Americans regardless of temporary turbulences. __________________________________________ 8.40pm White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the walk back was part of a grand negotiating strategy by Mr Trump. President Trump created maximum negotiating leverage for himself, she said, adding that the news media clearly failed to see what President Trump is doing here. She said: You tried to say that the rest of the world would be moved closer to China, when in fact, weve seen the opposite effect, the entire world is calling the United States of America, not China, because they need our markets. ___________________________________________ 8pm Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer says nobody knows what's going on right now. "Every day becomes worse and worse and worse in terms of the chaos, in terms of the unpredictability, and in terms of the logic. The only victim is the American public... the American consumer, the American citizen, the American business." ___________________________________________ 6.39pm Mr Trump made the announcement on his social media network, Truth Social. In the post, Mr Trump claimed China has shown "a lack of respect to World Markets", as the country raised tariffs on the United States in response to the president's tariffs. US secretary of the treasury Scott Bessent has been speaking outside the White House in the past few minutes. Despite the rollback from the Trump administration, Mr Bessent tried to claim the tariffs had been a success. "It has brought more than 75 countries forward to negotiate. It took great courage for him to stay the course until this moment and what we have ended up with here... do not retaliate and you will be rewarded." Mr Bessent added that the markets didnt understand Mr Trumps tariff strategy. The market didnt understand, those were maximum levels. The countries can think about those levels as they come to us to bring down their tariffs, their non-trade barriers, he told reporters at the White House. He said Mr Trump created maximum negotiating leverage for himself and the Chinese have shown themselves to the world as the bad actors. Speaking earlier on Wednesday, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the tariffs were already having a negative impact on Irish business. - Additional reporting from Reuters and Press Association A MAN has been sent forward to Naas Circuit Court on 29 April for alleged fraudulent activity through 'phishing' text messages. Alberto Cinpeanu (21) with an address at Graces Park, Derrinturn, Carbury attended Naas District Court on 3 April to formally receive a date and an alibi warning for his trial at Naas Circuit Court. The defendant faces five charges altogether. It is alleged that Mr Cinpeanu took a total of 2,000 from a persons bank account on 20 July 2023 following a phishing text, before the subjects bank account was blocked by their bank provider, Bank of Ireland. Mr Cinpeanu was charged under Section 7(1)(b) of the Money Laundering and Financing Terrorists Act. He was able to obtain two 1,000 payments from the account at the time, said Sgt Meade. Judge Zaidan said: I formally send you forward to Naas Circuit Court on 29 March. I have to give an alibi warning. If any alibi forms, he has 14 days from today to give his alibi to the protecting authorities. Mr Cinpeanu is to continue bail under the same terms and conditions previously decided. Enda OSullivan has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer at the Church of Oak whiskey distillery in Monasterevin. The purpose-built distillery has been crafting whiskey since 2022, following an extensive redevelopment of Ballykelly Mills, the 200-year-old former mill and malthouse along the banks of the Grand Canal. With over 20 years in the global premium drinks industry, Enda joins Church of Oak from Canadian drinks group, Mark Anthony Brands, where he was Vice President, Global Spirits. Enda led the establishment and global roll-out of the groups spirits business unit and brand portfolio. Previously, he spent a decade with renowned Scottish family distiller, William Grant, and held various leadership positions including managing director of the Latin America region based in Mexico City, and Global Brand Director for Glenfiddich, Grants Whisky and Sailor Jerry Rum based in Dublin and London. Enda O'Sullivan, the new CEO at the 'Church of Oak' Distillery in Monasterevin. He also spent several years leading the Schweppes portfolio at Asahi Beverages in Australia and began his career in sales and marketing at Irelands leading dairy group, Ornua, building the Kerrygold brand in Germany. Enda OSullivan said: Its a privilege to be entrusted to work with the team at Church of Oak. I have been so impressed with the depth of care, provenance and innovative thinking thats going into whiskey making at the distillery. Im looking forward to working closely with the board and the team in Monasterevin, as we take the project to the next stage in its exciting evolution. Richard Burrows, a shareholder in Church of Oak, welcomed Endas appointment. Enda has extensive international industry experience. His expertise and leadership will be invaluable as we bring Church of Oak to the next level. His appointment affirms our vision for Church of Oak as a new progressive force in world whiskey. Paying tribute to Garrett Pitcher who is moving on after eight years, following the completion of the design, planning and development phases of the project, Richard Burrows added: We would like to pay tribute to Garrett as he moves on to pursue new opportunities. We wish him well and thank him for his passion and dedication, which has contributed in no small way to bringing Church of Oak to where it is today. A jury has convicted a young man of the murder of a 65-year-old "gentleman" who had taken both the defendant and his mother into his home after learning of their struggles with homelessness, rejecting his defence that he was entitled to a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. A consultant psychiatrist had told the jury that the first time Brian Ibe (23) reported hearing voices in his head was over a year after he was remanded in custody, on the same day his awareness of the possibility of the special verdict was first documented. The jury of six men and six women at the Central Criminal Court deliberated for just under seven hours before delivering their unanimous verdict today (Wednesday). Mr Ibe, of no fixed abode and formerly of Moore Park, Newbridge, Co Kildare, had pleaded not (NOT) guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of Peter Kennedy between 28 April and 12 May 2020, both dates inclusive, in Newbridge. He had 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. The jury found him guilty of both charges. The trial heard that Mr Kennedy took Mr Ibe's mother, Martha, into his home after learning she was living in her car. In 2019, Mr Kennedy invited Brian Ibe to join them, but neighbours soon became concerned about the older man's welfare. Rita Swords said she had been friends with Mr Kennedy for over 30 years and described him as a good guy and a lovely man. She suggested he get help for Brian and Martha Ibe through the proper channels but told him not to get directly involved. She thought Martha and Brian Ibe were taking advantage of his good nature. In the run-up to Christmas 2019, Ms Swords invited Mr Kennedy for tea and a chat. When he arrived, he was dishevelled and unkempt, where usually he would be smart. Ms Swords fed him because he was hungry. He was just a broken man, he just wasnt himself, she said. While Mr Kennedy was sitting with her, she said Brian Ibe called his phone and demanded a meal from McDonalds. She said Mr Kennedy was panicking and terrified when this happened. I said Peter youve got to get help, youve got to get him out because this chap was dangerous; he was afraid of him, said Ms Swords. Linda Mannion told prosecution counsel David Humphries BL that she first met Mr Kennedy in 1990 when she moved to Newbridge and was looking for somewhere to live. He would often drive her home to Athy to see her parents, and when she got her first car, he went guarantor on the loan. You felt very safe in Peters presence, she said. She described Mr Kennedy as kind and extremely intelligent and added: "He was always concerned with helping you out, helping you to better yourself." Ms Mannion said around December 2019, Mr Kennedy told her that Mr Ibe would come into his bedroom and shout at him for money. He would just burst into his room when Peter was in his bed asleep, she said. He would be woken up by Brian shouting, demanding money off him and Peter would say I cant get it for you now, Im sleeping but Ill get it for you in the morning and Brian would demand that he get up right then and get him whatever was required, said the witness. Damian Molyneaux recalled Mr Kennedy, whom he described as his best friend, telling him that Brian Ibe twice threatened to kill him, saying he would "slit his throat". Chris Pender, a county councillor in Newbridge, said he had helped to find emergency accommodation for Brian Ibe. He said the catalyst for Mr Kennedy wanting the accused out of the house was one especially aggressive incident in which Mr Kennedy said he woke to find Brian Ibe standing over him threatening to stab him. Martha Ibe, in a statement written down by gardai and read to the jury, said she had known Peter Kennedy for years and described him as a "lovely man" and a "kind gentleman". She said her son moved in with them in Moore Park but went to live at a Peter McVerry Trust hostel in Walkinstown, Dublin after Mr Kennedy phoned gardai and demanded he leave. On 28 April 2020, she said she was watching a DVD in her bedroom when she heard glass smashing. Mr Kennedy ran from another room, shouting, "Come quick, I think it's Brian" and went to walk past Ms Ibe into the bedroom. She then saw her son walking up the stairs, holding a knife with a blade that was five or six inches long. She said her son "zoomed past me to get to Peter" and began "pushing the knife with a jabbing motion, at least six times, into Peter's neck". She said Mr Kennedy cried, "Help me, Martha, ring the guards!" while she shouted at her son to stop. She ran downstairs and struggled to open the front door, fearing that her son was coming behind her. Once outside, she ran to a neighbour's house for help and phoned gardai. She didn't see her son again. The defence did not dispute that Brian Ibe assaulted Mr Kennedy and that he died as a result. However, the defence asked the jury to consider whether Mr Ibe qualified for a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity or of manslaughter due to diminished responsibility as a result of a mental disorder. Dr Stephen Monks, a consultant psychiatrist, told defence counsel Daniel O'Connell BL that he diagnosed Mr Ibe with schizophrenia and found that at the time of the assault, he was psychotic. He said Mr Ibe's psychotic state was a significant contributing factor to the assault and without the psychosis, it was unlikely the assault would have happened. Due to his delusions, including voices in his head telling him to kill Mr Kennedy, Dr Monks said it was possible that Ibe did not understand the nature and quality of his actions and, therefore, the court could consider that Ibe met the criteria for the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Dr Gaurav Malhan also diagnosed Ibe with schizophrenia and found that as a result of his psychosis, he was unable to refrain from assaulting Mr Kennedy. Dr Mary Davoren, a psychiatrist called by the prosecution, disagreed with the schizophrenia diagnosis. In his teens, she said it was documented that Ibe had regularly threatened and assaulted staff members at the institution where he was housed and smoked cannabis daily despite numerous appeals and warnings from gardai. This was, she said, evidence of a childhood conduct disorder which progressed to a dissocial personality disorder as he developed into adulthood. The threats he made to Mr Kennedy were goal-directed and rational, she said, and not evidence of the development of schizophrenia. He demanded money because he wanted money, she said. Dr Davoren said that in interviews with her, Mr Ibe described the offence. When he arrived at Newbridge, he said he banged on the front door of Mr Kennedy's home but nobody answered so he went to the back of the house where he found a rock. He used the rock to smash a window and climbed through, picking up a shard of glass as he went. He said he went upstairs and found Mr Kennedy on the landing beside Mr Ibe's mother. At some point, he noticed that the knife he had taken from the hostel was missing, so he used the shard of glass, about 8 inches long, to stab Mr Kennedy three or four times. Mr Kennedy fell to the floor, he said, so Mr Ibe started kicking him on the ground before leaving. He went to a nearby train station, took a train to Heuston Station and walked back to the hostel. When Mr Ibe spoke to gardai 24 hours later, Dr Davoren noted that he did not report any hallucinations, gave coherent answers and did not display any disordered thinking. During those interviews, he lied to gardai, telling them he had not been to Newbridge the previous day, that he had only met Mr Kennedy once and that he had never lived with him. He denied knowledge of the assault on Mr Kennedy and suggested that his mother could be lying when she told gardai that she saw him stabbing Mr Kennedy. Also, while in garda custody, he refused to give a DNA sample or to allow gardai to take his fingerprints, became aggressive and punched a garda. Dr Davoren said this was "goal directed" behaviour rather than "irrational or bizarre behaviour". He didn't want to give samples to gardai and became agitated and aggressive when told he would have to, the psychiatrist said. Dr Davoren said there was no psychiatric explanation for his lies to gardai or for inconsistent accounts he gave of his cannabis use in the days and weeks before the assault. She also said there was no psychiatric explanation for his failure to tell her that he was put out of a residential home in his teenage years because of his bad behaviour. In the days and weeks following the alleged offence, Dr Davoren said medical staff at Cloverhill Prison noted no overt psychotic symptoms despite multiple reviews of Mr Ibe by GPs, nursing staff, junior doctors and a consultant psychiatrist. The first time that he reported hearing voices, Dr Davoren said, was one year and 13 days after he was remanded to Cloverhill. This was, she said, the same day that it was first documented that Mr Ibe was aware of the possibility of a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Dr Davoren described the signs of Ibe's personality disorder, including a callous unconcern for the feelings of others, gross and persistent irresponsibility and disregard for social norms, low tolerance to frustration and low threshold for aggression and violence. He displays an incapacity to experience guilt or to benefit from punishment and is also prone to blame others or rationalise his behaviour, she said. When Mr Ibe's defence counsel asked what goal Mr Ibe had in taking a butter knife and travelling to Newbridge to attack Mr Kennedy, Dr Davoren replied that Mr Ibe may have been annoyed about being asked to leave the deceased's house the previous Christmas. She said Mr Ibe had complained that he lost some of his social welfare money because he could no longer attend an educational course in Newbridge and that he felt "disgust" about the state of Mr Kennedy's house. Mr Ibe had complained to Dr Davoren that there was dog faeces on the floor and that Mr Kennedy didn't keep the place clean. Dr Davoren said disgust is a "strong emotion", and Mr Ibe's "anger and resentment" provides an alternative explanation for the assault. In his closing speech, Paul Carroll SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, reminded the jury of Dr Davoren's diagnosis that Ibe had a dissocial personality disorder, which is not a mental disorder that could qualify a person for the special verdict. Mr Carroll said Ibe had repeatedly threatened Mr Kennedy during the months when he lived in the deceased's house and demanded money from him. These were "result-driven" threats and demands and were not irrational or related to delusions or hallucinations, Mr Carroll said. In his closing speech for the defence, Conor Devally SC said it would be easy to have sympathy for Mr Kennedy, who he said was "too kind for his own good". They may also sympathise with any of the witnesses who spoke of his kindness and generosity. "Regardless of the brutality on display," Mr Devally said the jury might also have sympathy for Ibe, given evidence that he was at the time of the alleged offence, a 19-year-old boy suffering with a mental illness. In her charge to the jury, Ms Justice Melanie Greally said that given the plea entered by Ibe, he had accepted that he killed Mr Kennedy and that he assaulted Gda O'Donnell. It was also not contested that serious injury or death were natural and probable consequences of the assault he carried out on the deceased, she said. Ms Justice Greally told the jury to apply a "healthy skepticism" to the expert evidence and to apply their critical faculties in coming to their verdicts. After the jury returned their verdict today, Ms Justice Greally thanked them for the exemplary way they had deliberated in the case and excused them from jury service for life. The matter was put back to 19 May next for sentencing, with Mr Ibe remanded in custody. He now faces the mandatory sentence of life in prison. Colliers has launched the sale of a high-profile investment opportunity in Kilkenny City, offering investors a long-term income stream secured by Bank of Ireland. The two-storey over basement property holds a prominent position at the axis of Parliament Street, High Street and the Abbey Urban Quarter, one of Kilkennys most established commercial locations. Extending to 887 sq. m. (9,551 sq. ft.), the property is let to Bank of Ireland under a 25-year lease from December 2006 and expiring in December 2031. TAP '>' ARROW OR NEXT FOR MORE PICS The passing rent is 263,387 per annum, providing secure and stable cash flow. The ground floor provides 4,640 sq.ft, features an open-plan customer banking hall. The first floor comprising 4,195 sq.ft provides a mix of open-plan and cellular offices along with meeting rooms. There is an additional 1,000 sq.ft in the basement. The property also offers parking for 13 cars to the rear, in addition to a large car park positioned behind the property at Market Yard. Parliament Street is home to a mix of retail, office and hospitality uses. The location benefits from consistent footfall and strong connectivity, with the Kilkenny train station and major transport links located within minutes of the property. Nearby high-profile retailers in the immediate area include Intersport Elverys, Dunnes Stores, Grafton Barber, Boots and Rituals, all within close walking distance. Importantly, the property is the main Bank of Ireland branch in Kilkenny with only one other branch in the county. The property proximity to the site of the new Abbey Quarter Urban Street and Park, a landmark regeneration project recently signed off by Kilkenny County Council, is a bonus. The wider Abbey Quarter masterplan will deliver a new urban park, retail, restaurants, apartments and a proposed hotel, transforming the area into a vibrant, mixed-use quarter which will significantly enhance the immediate environment. READ NEXT: Are property prices finally falling in Kilkenny? Interesting findings revealed The property sits on a substantial site extending to approx. 0.22 acres, offering excellent potential for future development. It is also worth noting that the property is not listed as a Protected Structure under the Kilkenny City Record of Protected Structures list. Colliers recently sold Bank of Ireland, Dooradoyle, Limerick, which sold for 1.9 million, reflecting a Net Initial Yield of 5.78%. Colliers are guiding 4 million, reflecting a Net Initial Yield (NIY) of 5.98%. As this is an investment sale, Bank of Ireland are not affected. Michele McGarry who is handling the sale on behalf of Colliers said "the opportunity offers buyers an easily managed, investment opportunity secured by a blue-chip tenant." "The property enjoys a pivotal location in the city centre, benefitting from a strong retail presence on Parliament Street and nearby High Street," she continued. "With very limited similar opportunities currently available we expect strong interest from buyers." FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE Local Sinn Fein councillor, Stephanie Doheny has raised concerns over lighting on the Callan Bypass in the wake of a tragic accident last week. Jelena Kuzic, lost her life while crossing a stretch of the road last week leaving her family and the wider Callan community devastated. Speaking at Aprils sitting of the Callan-Thomastown Municipal District, Cllr Doheny queried whether it was possible to improve lighting and road markings in the area to prevent similar future tragedies. READ NEXT: Calls for 'additional powers' to tackle Kilkenny dog poo epidemic In response, Senior Engineer with Kilkenny County Council, Declan Murphy acknowledged the need for additional safety measures on the route but noted such works are funding dependent and the road falls under the remit of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). Meanwhile, the family of Ms Kuzic have thanked the public for their kindness, adding, "your kindness means more than words can express." At last weeks meeting, councillors united in expressing their condolences with the family. Cllr Deirdre Cullen commented, it was tragic for all the community, while Cllr Joe Lyons extended his sympathies, noting, it was the second tragic accident to occur on the local bypass. FOR MORE CALLAN NEWS, CLICK HERE Barlo Kilkenny has just shifted gears in a big way officially launching the iconic Suzuki brand at its Dublin Road dealership. Known for building reliable, stylish, and value packed vehicles, Suzuki now joins the Barlo lineup, giving Kilkenny drivers an exciting new option for both city streets and countryside drives. From compact hatchbacks to rugged 4x4s, Suzukis versatility fits right in with the needs of todays motorists and Barlo Kilkenny is proud to back it up with 0% finance offers and a class-leading 7-Year Activated Service Warranty on new cars. TAP '>' ARROW OR NEXT FOR MORE PICS This launch is about giving local drivers more choice, better value, and complete confidence behind the wheel, says Liam Martin, Dealer Principal at Barlo Kilkenny. Suzuki has a fantastic reputation for reliability and innovation, and were proud to bring that to our customers here in Kilkenny. Whether youre a first time buyer or a lifelong motorist, Barlo Kilkennys experienced sales team is ready to help you find your perfect match. John Fitzgerald, Senior Sales Executive, brings a wealth of knowledge and a no pressure approach that customers consistently praise. We take the time to understand what people really need, says John. With the Suzuki range and these unbeatable finance options, were confident theres something here for everyone. But Barlo Kilkennys commitment doesnt end when you leave the showroom. Their highly rated Service Department, led by Tom Morris, ensures your Suzuki stays in peakcondition for the long haul. With decades of experience and a focus on customer-first care, Tom and his team deliver everything from routine servicing to diagnostics all backed by genuine parts and Suzuki-trained expertise. READ NEXT: Irish drivers could land themselves in hot water if they ignore this new law We know how important it is for people to trust their cars and the people who look after them, says Morris. Our job is to make that easy and stress-free. The addition of Suzuki is a fresh chapter in the Barlo Motor Groups long-standing commitment to quality, value, and local service. With over 80 years of automotive experience, Barlo Motor Group continues to evolve while staying true to what matters most: treating every customer like family. Nows the time to explore the new Suzuki lineup, take advantage of exclusive launch offers, and experience the unmatched service that Barlo Kilkenny is known for. Visit the team today on Dublin Road, Kilkenny, and let Barlo Suzuki help you find your perfect Suzuki and keep it running beautifully for years to come. FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE The Minister for Health has confirmed she is to ask the HSE to expand cardiac services at University Hospital Waterford to a 24/7 service, in a welcome boost for South Kilkenny and the wider county. Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said additional funding, totalling more than 600,000, is available to fund the expansion of the service, which currently operates from 8am to 8pm. READ ALSO: Iconic Kilkenny building could be about to reopen after closure last year The decision, she said, has been announced in the wake of the publication of the National Review of Adult Specialist Cardiac Services in Ireland which was established in 2018. Speaking on the News at One on RTE Radio 1, Minister MacNeill said that the numbers (of cardiac patients) has grown further since the review was completed at the end of 2022. "It's very clear that although we have extended it to an 8am-8pm service, we need to extend that further," she said. The minister confirmed approval has been given to recruit another five for the service but added that there is a struggle regarding recruitment and that it could take up to 18 months. READ NEXT: Kilkenny people set to benefit from expanded cardiac services at regional hospital Waterford TD and Minister of State John Cummins has welcomed this Tuesday's announcement. "This is really positive news for the people in Waterford and the South East region. I am delighted that the Minister is making this decision to expand the service at UHW to 24/7 cardiac care to meet the needs in the south east. This is something which I and others have been working towards for a long number of years," he said. The National Review of Adult Specialist Cardiac Services has recommended the establishment of four comprehensive cardiac centres in Dublin, Cork and Galway. The review also calls for specialist cardiac services to be organised into six regional cardiac networks, aligned to the six new Regional Health Authorities. FOR MORE SOUTH KILKENNY NEWS, CLICK HERE Politico reported: Marine Le Pens plans to run for the French presidency in 2027 were dealt a likely fatal blow Monday after she was found guilty of embezzling European Parliament funds and deemed ineligible to stand in elections for the next five years. Le Pen and 24 other codefendants were accused of illicitly siphoning European Parliament funds to pay for party employees who seldom or never dealt with affairs in Brussels or Strasbourg. The court estimated that the accused had over 12 years embezzled more than 4 million, 474,000 of which Le Pen was held personally responsible for as an MEP. I am no fan of Le Pen, but this is not good. What Le Pen was found guilty of is that basically parliamentary funds were used for purposes that were more about helping her party, than parliamentary duties. Anyone remember Helen Clarks pledge card that the Auditor-General ruled was illegally funded by the taxpayer. This is basically what Le Pen did. Helen didnt go to jail, get fined or ruled ineligible to stand. All around the world, politicians use parliamentary funding to try and help their political parties. Now you should certainly do so within the rules, and there should be consequences for breaking the rules. But being ruled ineligible to stand for office (especially when you are the leading contender for President) is un-democratic. Quake rescuers return to hero's welcome 08:40, April 09, 2025 By Yan Dongjie, Xu Nuo ( Chinadaily.com.cn A member of the Chinese Red Cross International Emergency Response Team salutes welcoming personnel on Sunday after returning from Myanmar to Kunming, Yunnan province. More than 10 members of the team and 37 members of the Yunnan Rescue and Medical Team, who had completed their earthquake relief mission in Myanmar, boarded the same flight to Kunming. (Li Jiaxian/China News Service) They risked their lives to pull out nine people trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings and guided many others to safety, but that is not the count they keep. For members of the Chinese teams that assisted in rescue and relief efforts in Myanmar, after a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck the Southeast Asian country on March 28, it is the number of people they could not save, despite doing their best, that matters more. As 54 Chinese rescuers returned as heroes on Sunday from Yangon, the largest city of Myanmar, to Kunming in Southwest China's Yunnan province, after a week of demonstrating extraordinary courage and endurance, their hearts still bleed for the victims of the quake. Chen Ying, a member of the Chinese Red Cross International Emergency Response Team, said her deepest regret was not being able to save a person trapped under the rubble of a building, because an excavator needed for the rescue could not reach the site on time. Chen was among the 17 Chinese Red Cross rescuers who arrived in Yangon on March 30. They engaged in search and rescue operations and provided medical aid and emotional support for earthquake survivors in Mandalay, the second-largest city in Myanmar. "In this rescue mission, the most heartbreaking and regretful moment for me was at location 107. We went there three times, and had all our supplies ready. The team was determined to save one of the three individuals trapped under the building, because there were definite signs of life," she said. Unfortunately, the Chinese rescuers failed to receive heavy equipment support on time, and it was too late by the time they did. "We felt a surge of pain when the body was brought out. It is a regret we will have to live with," she added. Besides the Chinese Red Cross team, a 37-member rescue and medical team from Yunnan also returned on Sunday. It was the first international rescue team to arrive in Myanmar within 18 hours of the earthquake. The team carried out rescue operations and actively assisted Myanmar in developing infectious disease prevention plans in the quake-hit areas. Both teams were warmly welcomed upon their arrival in Kunming on Sunday afternoon. While the flight crew paid a special tribute to the heroes in a cabin broadcast, local people greeted them with rounds of applause. In addition to these two teams, Chinese civil squads such as the Blue Sky Rescue Team the largest nongovernmental humanitarian organization in China played a key role in rescue and relief efforts in Myanmar. "Our team members from across China volunteered to join the rescue operations. ... They arrived in Myanmar from places such as Beijing, Tianjin and Jiangsu province at their own expense," said Xu Jingxia, a member of the Blue Sky Rescue Team. "We carried out the first round of search and rescue within the critical 72 hours, and continued for another two to three days under the scorching 40 C temperature," Xu said, adding that the whole team returned from Myanmar on Monday. Myanmar's State Administration Council Chairman Min Aung Hlaing, who visited the camp of Chinese rescue teams in Mandalay on Sunday, said the prompt arrival of rescuers from China exemplified the profound fraternal friendship between the two countries. Chinese rescue teams have extensive experience in cross-border search and rescue operations, and Myanmar looks forward to strengthening communication with China to expand cooperation in emergency response, disaster prevention and mitigation efforts, he added. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) BEIJING, April 8 (Xinhua) -- China has updated its tax refund policy for foreign tourists, shifting from a refund-upon-departure model to a refund-upon-purchase model, the State Taxation Administration (STA) said on Tuesday. Under the new refund-upon-purchase policy, foreign visitors can instantly claim value-added tax (VAT) rebates at tax-free stores, enabling them to reuse the refunded amount in real time for further shopping. Previously, VAT rebates were only available for withdrawal upon departure. The policy change, initially piloted in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangdong, Sichuan and Zhejiang, has now met all operational requirements for nationwide rollout, according to the STA. An official from the STA emphasized their commitment to strengthening policy guidance and streamlining refund procedures. Li Xuhong, vice president and professor at the Beijing National Accounting Institute, said that nationwide implementation of this service initiative would elevate China's tourism service standards and foster a "friendly, efficient and convenient" tourism environment. Today, Tuesday, April 8 is the General Municipal Election across Missouri. Polling places closed at 7 p.m., and election results have arrived. 10:11 p.m.: Murphy, Heath say they will not run again Hunter Walterman, Monica Johnson and Ethan Tolar, KOMU 8 News Blair Murphy said he will "happily retire from politics" following his defeat in the mayoral race. In his concession speech, Murphy said he called Barbara Buffaloe to congratulate her on the win. "We kept this thing positive," Murphy said in the speech at his watch party. "We didn't crush each other and weren't ugly to each other, and that means a ton to me." Murphy said the competitive race took its toll, and he indicated he likely will not seek to run for mayor again. "I can tell you I won't be able to do it again," Murphy said, "When you put this much effort, and have this much support and get beat, it ain't it for me." Tanya Heath also said she will "definitely not" run again for mayor. The two-time challenger to Buffaloe said that she would use what she's learned from her campaigns to help Columbia in other ways. 9:29 p.m.: Buffaloe says record contributions were a concern Bethany Cates and Jacob Richey, KOMU 8 News Buffaloe's path to reelection was a competitive one, facing Murphy, who saw record fundraising with several big-dollar donations. Murphy reported $255,699.86 in contributions this election cycle, compared to Buffaloe, who reported a little more than $70,000. "I felt nervous because even though I've done the work for the last three years and I've been advocating for our community at a state and a national level, we still saw a lot of money going into an election," Buffaloe said. "Advertising can sway people, and I was worried about that." As she prepares for her second term, Buffaloe said Columbia residents can expect a continued focus on the policies that she has put in place, in addition to the advancements she hopes to bring to the city. "I just want to say thank you to the voters for showing up," Buffaloe said. "I want to say thank you to our city staff for doing the work, and I hope to continue this momentum going forward." 9:05 p.m.: Incumbent Buffaloe re-elected to Columbia mayor After a close mayoral race, incumbent mayor Barbara Buffaloe has officially secured a second term as mayor of Columbia following Tuesday's municipal election. Buffaloe faced a competitive election, running against business owner Blair Murphy and public relations specialist Tanya Heath. 9:05 p.m.: Waters, Dickson earn seats on Columbia School Board Suzette Waters and Erica Dickson have won the Columbia School Board election, beating out Ken Rice for the two vacant seats. Incumbent Suzette Waters is the only candidate who had previously run for Columbia School Board. She was first elected to the school board in 2022 and has served as its president for three years. Erica Dickson will fill a school board seat for the first time. Dickson has previously worked to serve Columbia, but this is her first time being elected to a public position. Dickson is the founder and CEO of the Mid-Missouri Black Doula Collective, which works to connect birthing persons to resources in times of need. 9:05 p.m.: Nick Foster wins reelection to Fourth Ward seat Maddie Gonzales and Ian Paprocki, KOMU 8 News Incumbent Fourth Ward Councilperson Nick Foster has won reelection to the seat, fending off challenger Ron Graves. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Foster, who has served on City Council for three years, is a familiar name in the nonprofit community in Columbia. Foster previously served as Executive Director of the Voluntary Action Center for nine years, where he worked directly with Columbia's most vulnerable populations, before retiring in 2020. Jacque Sample will be the next council member for Columbia's Third Ward after running for the seat unopposed. The current representative, Roy Lovelady, did not seek reelection. 8:17 p.m.: Thomas, Allen earn seats on Jefferson City Council Derek Thomas won the Ward 3 seat to serve on Jefferson City Council. He has served on the boards for Jefferson City Airport Committee and as a Chamber of Commerce member on the Government Affairs and Transportation committees. Julie Allen will join the Jefferson City Council as the Fourth Ward seat. Allen is a member of the Transportation and Traffic Commission and the Cole County Extension Council. 7 p.m.: Polls close, candidates await results at watch parties Candidates for mayor have debated and campaigned for months, and now they are waiting for Columbia voters to make their voice heard. Incumbent Barbara Buffaloe is holding her campaign party at Ozark Mountain Biscuit & Bar, where she first learned she had been elected mayor three years ago. Across town, businessman Blair Murphy is watching the results come in from D Rowe's as he hopes to unseat Buffaloe. Public relations professional Tanya Heath is holding a watch party at Dickey's Barbecue, as she runs against Buffaloe in a rematch of the 2022 election. 6 p.m.: Boone County reaches 22.8% voter turnout, clerk says The Boone County Clerk's Office says the county has reached 22.8% voter participation, with one hour until polls close. 12 p.m.: Boone County clerk expects 25% voter turnout The Boone County Clerk's Office said that while over 8% of Boone County voters had cast their ballots around 10 a.m., voter turnout is expected to reach 25% by the time polls close at 7 p.m. KOMU 8 spoke to voters at the Blue Ridge Christian Church polling location, who said the process was quick and easy. "I'm hoping to make a difference on the crime," voter Brian Thomas said. Boone County has central polling locations where any voter can cast their ballot on Election Day: Boone County Government Center Woodcrest Chapel Friendship Baptist Church There are dozens of polling places in Columbia and across the county. Visit the secretary of state's website or view a map of polling places by address on the Boone County Clerk's website. JEFFERSON CITY Gov. Mike Kehoe signed Senate Bill 4 into law Wednesday morning, a law that makes sweeping changes to utilities and energy policy. The bill makes robust changes to multiple policies, including changes in utility rates and extending the time frame before utilities can shut down services for customers who are behind on payments during extreme heat or cold from 24 hours to 72. Supporters of the bill say it's a major step forward in strengthening Missouri's energy infrastructure and long-term development. The legislation comes in response to a growing energy demand in the state and introduces reform aimed at ensuring Missouri can meet its growing electricity needs. "This legislation strengthens our economic development opportunities, helps secure our energy independence and provides consumer protections to build a resilient energy future for generations to come," Kehoe said in a news release. Some other policies include utility rates tailored by the Public Service Commission for older adults, low-income families and other overly burdened customers. Supporters of the bill believe it is necessary because the statewide grid has been under stress recently. They believe this bill is a way to incentivize manufacturing plants to build in Missouri. "There's a lot of companies wanting to move back," said bill sponsor Sen. Mike Cierpiot, R-Lee's Summit. "That helps Missouri because these manufacturing plants bring a lot of jobs with them, so overall the state I think will improve vastly for the middle class with this power bill." Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Construction work in progress The bill also allows utility providers to charge customers for construction work in progress, which could raise rates in the short term with the goal of decreasing the overall cost to customers in the long term. Critics of the bill argue that some of these policies will end up increasing utility costs for customers, with some saying it will drive up utility costs by more than $1,000. This includes electric, gas and water rates. "The legislation in Senate Bill 4 will just cause people to have to pay more every month when they're just trying to keep their household running," said Sen. Tracy McCreery, D-St. Louis County. CWIP banned utility plants from charging customers while the plant is under construction. Instead, rates would not increase until the project was completed. The new bill will change this to allow plants to increase those rates before the plant is completed. "This bill potentially could raise rates an astronomical amount for Missourians, and we need to be working to keep people in their homes," said Rep. Wick Thomas, D-Kansas City. "We need to be working to make things more affordable, not less affordable." We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Ken Foxe A former top executive from Ryanair told the HSE that the travel and expenses bill for staff was too expensive at 1,050 per staff member and should be drastically reduced. Michael Cawley, who was appointed to the health service board last year, said a 91.3 million annual travel and subsistence bill was too high and that much more control needed to be exercised by management. Mr Cawley, a former deputy chief executive of Ryanair, said the use of online conference platforms like Team and Zoom could be used to reduce the spend significantly. In an email to fellow board members and HSE senior management, he wrote: Preauthorisation of all travel by [management] together with a prohibition on foreign travel should yield considerable savings. The discussions took place earlier this year as the health service looked to cut costs with several areas of spending targeted for savings. One of them was travel and subsistence with one senior official saying savings could be made by applying existing rules rather than new rules or limits. Maurice Dillon, the National Lead for Palliative Care, wrote: My sense is that they may not be applied consistently across disciplines, regions and line managers. For instance, if [an] employee uses their own vehicle where public transport could have been used, the amount of mileage should not exceed the cost of public transport. Another member of the HSEs senior management team Patrick Lynch said the rule around public transport before cars needed to be reinforced. Mr Lynch, National Director for Planning and Performance, also recommended a reduction in the use of taxis or hotel venues for meetings unless they had prior authorisation. He said there could be a reduction in foreign travel for conferences, and that a new process might be needed for exceptional approvals. The HSEs chief of technology Damien McCallion said there was more room for use of Microsoft Teams for meetings. He also said that consideration could be given to the process for how travel was approved and what level of management did that. An internal memo from February suggested that any travel expenditure which reached a certain ceiling in value should require prior approval from a line manager. It said hotels that provided substantial business to the HSE should be approached about a more competitive corporate rate with new providers also offered a chance to tender for corporate business. The memo said there should also be a conscious shift towards online meetings with a ratio of 75 to 25 suggested for virtual versus in person. Another email pointed out that daily subsistence rates and overnight rates for staff had just been hiked across the public sector. It said consideration should be given to a review of individuals to see if claiming travelling expenses was necessary. However, it said it was important that cuts did not affect the level of training being provided to staff as it was critical that staff were developed continually. Following the discussions, a memo issued from the HSE chief executive saying all non-clinical travel should be replaced whenever possible by virtual meetings. It said: Essential travel must be to the minimum with specific focus on use of public transport where possible. The memo said in-person engagement should be at the minimum and that accounting officers needed to closely examine travel and subsistence spending to see where savings could be made. Asked about the records, a spokesperson said that since the end of the COVID pandemic, the HSE had been focused on pay and non-pay savings. They said: [In February, the CEO] issued a further memo introducing new guidelines [and] restrictions designed to achieve a significant amount of non-pay savings and efficiencies. This was to ensure the best value for money and to drive a culture of improvement in how we manage public money in the public interest. A LITERARY event took place in Portlaoise Library recently where bestselling crime fiction author Andrea Carter spoke about her latest book There Came A-Tapping. The Ballyfin native is well known internationally for the six books in her Inishowen Mysteries series featuring solicitor-cum-sleuth Ben OKeeffe and Sergeant Tom Molloy. The full series has been optioned for television and filming is due to start later this year. Welcoming everyone to the event, Portlaoise Library manager Aoife Moore said the library was proud to host such a renowned author just six days after her latest book was released. Aoife introduced Ms Carter and local radio presenter Claire Dunne, who interviewed the author on the night. Together they brought the audience on a journey of Andreas life, from her time as a solicitor in Inishowen, Co Donegal and practising as a barrister in Dublin to her when her writing career began. Andrea said that Ben OKeefe has been parked for a while and that she was delighted when her agent asked if she would like to write some standalone books There Came A-Tapping is the talented writers seventh book, but her first standalone tome. During the interview, Andrea said that location is very important to her and that she has always wanted to write a book set in her home county of Laois. This thrilling psychological crime novel is set in the Slieve Bloom Mountains in the fictitious village of Rath. It features a secluded old 'reputedly haunted' house from the 1800s called Raven Cottage, which is outside the tiny village. The protagonist, Allie, finds herself with little choice but to move into the old cottage after her boyfriend Rory, a documentary maker, fails to return home to their Dublin apartment following a filming expedition in the West of Ireland. Allie reports him missing, a garda search begins and a couple turn up claiming to be the new tenants of Rorys apartment. Back in the 1890s, Raven Cottage was lived in by a spiritualist woman called Eliza and the story has an eerie and ghostly theme. The reader is drawn into the story and will want to keep reading until the brilliant and unexpected end, as both womens stories run together in an odd way in Raven Cottage and scary echoes from the past feature strongly in the present day. Andrea said that in her golden age Agatha Christie-style Inishowen Mysteries there is always a body at the beginning, a limited cast of suspects, an amateur sleuth and a solution at the end that ties up nicely for the reader, but she said that There Came A-Tapping moves into darker territory. During the question and answer session with the audience, Andrea was asked for writing tips, there were questions about her characters, what she likes to read herself and even about the publishing process. After the Q&A session, Andrea signed copies of her book, which were available at the event. One of the books was signed for Mabel Peavoy, her primary school teacher from Clonenagh NS in Mountrath, Mabel Peavoy who was a teacher and principal of the school from 1969 to 1997. There Came A-Tapping is available through all online bookshops and is on the shelves of all good bookshops throughout Ireland and in the UK. TRACTORS of all shapes and colours roared up the impressive avenue that leads to Knockbeg College, when the school hosted its annual tractor run recently. Knockbeg has a great tradition of organising its tractor run, when students from an agricultural background have a chance to show off their wonderful tractors. This year, almost 30 students got the chance to drive to school before they assembled for some banter and plenty of photographs. A total of 29 tractors from counties Laois, Carlow and Kildare converged on the scenic college grounds in support of Embrace Farm. Embrace Farm provides a caring and supportive network for all those affected by farm accidents in Ireland. It supports families of those who have lost their lives or have been injured, while also helping survivors of farm accidents, Embrace Farm organises networking and fundraising events as well as growing awareness for the organisation within the agri-sector. Apart from raising money through the tractor run, students also organised a non-uniform day and bucket collection to raise much-needed funds for the worthy cause. Principal John Maye congratulated those who took part in the event, asserting that it maintained the strong connection the school has with both agriculture and charity work, a tradition that started almost 30 years ago. He also thanked all those who kindly donated. A POPULAR Laois hair salon will close down this month, after many years in business. Society Salon on Main Street, Portarlington, has announced that it will sadly close its doors for the last time at the end of next week. The Society Salons Ireland group also has a busy outlet in Portlaoise, which will continue to operate. People with vouchers for the Portarlington branch will be able to use them in the Portlaoise salon. Announcing the closure plans on social media on Tuesday evening, proprietor Ian Phelan said: It's with a lot of sadness that we are announcing that Society Salon Portarlington will open its doors for the final day on Saturday 19 April. This has been an extremely tough decision and we have loved being part of the business community in Portarlington but, with staff and other pressures, the salon will be closing. Thanking all staff and clients for their amazing support over the years, Ian added: We will of course be phoning all clients booked in after 19 April and we would be delighted to see any of the salon's clients in our Portlaoise salon. Thank you again for all your support over the years and hope to chat to some of you in Portlaoise and a huge thank you and best of luck to Hayley and the girls. It's been my pleasure working with you all. The post was shared by the Port News Ireland Facebook page, which described the closure as very sad news for the town. The impending closure was greeted with dismay by followers, with many praising the exceptional service and staff, particularly Hayley, Casey and Emma. One said: So sorry to see this salon go. Staff are so lovely and always do a great job, while another commented: Such a loss to the town. TWO young people from Laois announced as Local Champions by the National Youth Council of Ireland The National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI), which represents organisations working with young people nationwide, has launched its Local Champions initiative for 2025. Anna McWey and Billie Constantinou have been selected as Local Champions in Laois. Anna McWey said: The local champion initiative highlights opportunities for us to engage with our local politicians and spread awareness about the work being done on a local level. While there a many incredible projects taking place in Laois there is definitely room for improvement which can only be facilitated with the help of our local politicians, civil servants and communities. Ireland is renowned for its voluntary sector and the Youth Work sector is no different, now is the time to recognise its value within each community across the island of Ireland. Billie Constantinou said: I really look forward to taking the next step in my youth work. The local champions for me is such a new experience and I cant wait to learn and meet new people. I am excited to make my voice heard and really dive into the issues that face young people. It is so important to be vocal as a young person and I want to portray that message both on a local level and further. Both Anna and Billie are engaging with local Dail Deputies Willie Aird, Sean Fleming and Brian Stanley. NYCI campaigns manager Grace McManus said: As part of the Local Champions project, a group of young people have been selected as representatives from their communities, tasked with meeting their local politicians and championing the cause of youth work. The Local Champions received training and support from NYCI to effectively convey the positive impact youth work has on their lives and the lives of young people in the local area, as well as the importance of investing in youth work. NYCI is calling for an increased investment of 21 million in youth work in Budget 2026, to support services with increasing pressures, and ensure equal access to youth work for all young people nationwide. The Local Champions initiative will include activities such as engaging with policymakers, sharing personal stories, and using social media to raise awareness and mobilise support. Through these efforts, NYCI and the Local Champions aim to create a broader understanding of the significance of youth work and its positive impact on society. The initiative is part of NYCI's campaign ahead of Budget 2026 later this year, to ensure that young people and youth work receive the necessary investment and support they deserve. The Local Champions initiative is supported by the Community Foundation Ireland. Chief Executive of Community Foundation Ireland Denise Charlton said: Empowering generations is central to our mission as a philanthropic hub for Ireland. To achieve that goal were delighted to be partners with NYCI. The Local Champions network aims to amplify the voices of young people and showcase the transformative power of youth work. It is bringing together an inspirational group of young people, and we look forward to seeing them connecting with their local representatives to share how youth work changes lives. To learn more about the Local Champions Initiative and NYCI's efforts to advocate for increased investment in youth work, log on to www.youth.ie On 8 Aprilresigned from his role as Brazils communications minister hours after the office of the attorney general (PGR) filed charges against him for allegedly mishandling public funds in 2022 when he was a member of congress. End of preview - This article contains approximately 396 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options Walmart+ members will get big savings during Walmart+ Week, including 50 cents off every gallon of gas at participating Exxon and Mobil gas stations nationwide. Walmart Walmart is showing its appreciation to its Walmart+ members by rolling out mega membership deals, including bigger discounts on gas. Walmart+ Week is finally back with big savings for Walmart+ members from April 28 through May 4. 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Tell us at nj.com/tips/. WHISKEY production is to cease at a major Midlands distillery for up to three months this year amid challenging conditions internationally for their renowned brand. Local sources indicated this week that three of the nine stills at the Tullamore distillery in Offaly, just beyond the Laois border, will initially pause production, followed by another three for a further three months. The business employs almost 100 staff, and makes Tullamore D.E.W., the second best selling Irish whiskey globally after Jameson, and is number one in a number of markets, including some European countries. Leinster Express' sister paper Tullamore Tribune has been told that the business decision to suspend distillation was taken before US President Donald Trump's announcement of a 20% tariff on goods imports from the European Union. The Tullamore Distillary. Industry observers have been speaking about a potential glut of whiskey supply worldwide since last year, along with concern about tariffs imposed by the US. Irish whiskey being sold in America has been placed at a disadvantage compared to Scotch because the UK is subject to a 10% tariff. Tullamore D.E.W. is owned by Scottish spirits producer William Grant & Sons, known for brands such as Glenfiddich scotch and Hendrick's gin. After purchasing the Tullamore D.E.W. brand in 2010 William Grant & Sons opened a new distillery in Tullamore in 2014 and has been expanding it for the last 10 years. There are an estimated 55,000 casks of whiskey maturing in up to 12 warehouses on the 60-acre Tullamore site but local sources have said construction work on further warehousing has also been stopped. About 100 people work at Tullamore D.E.W. but because many are employed in the bottling plant rather than production and distillation, the impact of this year's decisions on worker numbers might be limited. READ NEXT: Radio station serving Laois is expanding to another county following takeover According to its latest accounts, William Grant & Sons Irish Manufacturing Ltd, the Tullamore-based arm of the group, made after-tax profits of 3.277 million for the year ending 2023, up from 3.121 million the previous year. Turnover jumped from 34.465 million to 49.044 million. There were 96 employees and the total wage bill was just over 5 million. The financial statements for 2023 valued casks at 38.9 million but work in progress was worth 139.752 million. The financial statements also refer to assets under construction worth 3.748 million. Other than confirming that three of the stills at Tullamore Distillery will initially pause production, William Grant & Sons had no comment to make when contacted by the Tullamore Tribune. A young Camross woman who is among a select group of the next generation of Irish farmers to be nurtured as farming leaders, aims to work to help women farmers take ownership of their family farms. Michelle Lalor is one of 30 participants selected for IFAs Ready to Lead Programme for 2025. The programme, which received over 80 applications, aims to develop young farmers as IFA leaders by equipping participants with insights into agricultural policy and lobbying at home and in Europe. The IFA says Ms Lalor was chosen from a highly competitive field, reflecting their strong leadership potential and dedication to the business of agriculture. I am delighted to have been chosen for this programme. It is a fantastic opportunity to meet like-minded farmers and to better understand how decisions affecting Irish farmers are made at national and EU levels, said Ms Lalor. Speaking to the Leinster Express / Laois Live, she spoke about her farming background. "I grew up farming. I am a dairy farmer in Camross in partnership with my father and home and work on a dairy farm in Mountrath. I went to Gurteen College and started working in Mountrath seven years ago and then got into dairy farming myself. I love farming and wouldn't last in an office. I need to be outside," she said. She was encouraged to go forward for the programme by local IFA leaders Henry Burns and Pat Hennessy. She got involved because of what the programme aims to achieve. "It aims to get more young people into the IFA. There are not enough young people in the association," she said. She is looking forward to learning what the IFA does and how it goes about representing farmers. She will be asked to put her training to use on completion of the programme as Ms Lalor will then join the IFA national committee for two years. When she gets to contribute to the work IFA she hopes to work to get more young people into farming and is especially keen to advance the place of women in agriculture. Ms Lalor says that while women are 'the backbone' of farming she says that there were just four girls in a class of 80 when she attended Gurteen. Three of the women have stayed in some aspect of farming. The Camross IFA branch secretary said a change the traditional mindset about farm ownership is needed to help women enter farming through their families. She said it is 'sad' that farms end up sold because it is still not felt that women should inherit farms to run. READ ALSO: Popular Laois restaurant's beef supply bill rockets Ms Lalor, who is also Chairperson of the Laois Macra Agricultural Affairs committee, said that she is lucky in her family situation and agreed that this attitude toward women farming must change. "It is hard enough to keep people in farming as it is. The reality is that if (women) know for definite that they are not going to inherit a farm they are not going to waste their time working on the farm," she said. MORE BELOW PICTURE. IFA President and Laois man Francie Gorman congratulated all participants and said the strength of Irish farming depends on fresh leadership and strong representation. The selection process was extremely competitive, but all candidates selected have shown real promise. We are confident they will make a meaningful contribution to IFA and the wider farming sector, he said. John Cahalan, FBDs Chief Commercial Officer, underscored the significance of investing in future leaders, saying, This programme is aimed at dynamic emerging leaders an investment not only in their future, but in the future of Irelands farming sector. At FBD Insurance, we are proud to support this important initiative and wish the participants every success as they begin the programme. The national Ready to Lead 2025 programme will occur over three two-day modules throughout the year. It will feature sessions with industry experts, political engagement in Dublin, and a study tour to Brussels where the IFA Brussels Office will host them. Each of the successful applicants will also be co-opted to an IFA National Committee. The programme will officially commence on April 30 at the Irish Farm Centre in Dublin. The Ready to Lead 2025 programme is fully funded by IFA, FBD Insurance, and Farm Business Skillnet, demonstrating a shared commitment to fostering the future leaders of IFA and Irish agriculture. New Laois health facilities and the completion of work at Portlaoise and Mountmellick hospitals are outlined in the the Health Service Executives Capital Plan for 2025 Announcing the plan the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, said it includes a "transformative investment" of 17.72 million for Laois as part of a record 1.33 billion allocated nationally for the development and enhancement of healthcare infrastructure according. Most of the Laois money is allocated to Laois health services provided from Portlaoise but there is also funding for Mountmellick and Mountrath projects. Nearly 13 million of the money for Laois is assigned to complete big projects at the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise and St Vincent's Hospital in Mountmellick. A total of 6.82 million is allocated for phase 1 of the redevelopment of St Vincent's which is due to be completed in 2025. The new 50-bed unit was pursued to comply with HIQA regulations. The HSE has allocated 300k for design feasibility for phase 2 & 3 of the project which would be a 50-bed new build and a 30-bed refurbishment. Also near completion is the building of a new two-storey wing at Portlaoise hospital for emergency care and the treatment of children. Part of this was committed to during the Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 5.7 million is going to the project in 2025. The HSE's plan gives the go-ahead for a tender for fire safety improvement works and emergency lighting system upgrades at Portlaoise hospital at a cost of 800k. Tender approval is given for the purchase and refurbishment of a property beside the hospital for on-call accommodation costing 300k. Money has also been allocated to prepare a submission to increase beds in the hospital under the Acute Inpatient Bed Capacity Expansion Plan 2024-2031. The HSE is spending 200k on this project. A tender is also approved for the phased delivery of anti-ligature works at Portlaoise hospital's Acute Mental Health Unit at a cost of 750k. Tender approval has also been given for the completion of fire upgrade works at six midlands community nursing units following the completion of fire risk assessments. The Laois units are in Mountmellick, Abbeyleix and Shaen. MORE BELOW PICTURE. Pictured: St Vincent's Hospital Mountmellick. Pic: Leinster Express / Laois Live The HSE has earmarked the St Fintan's Hospital campus in Portlaoise for several projects. The HSE has released 800k to prepare a detailed design for Hub 24. This enhanced community care facility would be used for for interim and long-term accommodation for chronic disease and an elderly care outreach service. Phase 1 will comprise the interim hub and phase 2 will involve the fit-out of the remainder of the new build to provide the long-term hub. HSE Dublin Midlands said is seeking approval to move onto Stage 2a, scheme design, which includes scoping exercises, preliminary floor layouts and more detailed costings. A total of 500k has been allocated for detailed designs for a new-build Portlaoise Primary Care Centre on the Dublin Road Campus. Also at St Fintan's the green light has been given for a detailed design for refurbishment works for Laois Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service unit. This will cost 1 m. Another initiative at St Fintan's that has been allocated funds for appraisal is the construction of two 10 bed high support units in a community residence costing 200k. The HSE has allocated 100k to appraise the possibility of a new Community Mental Health day centre to replace the Triogue Centre on Bridge Street. The HSE has also allocated 250k for the 'design feasibility' of the proposed Primary Care Centre in Mountrath. READ ALSO: Portlaoise hospital on the home stretch Laois Fine Gael TD Willie Aird welcomed the plan. Investment in our health service is essential, and todays announcement, including in Primary Care Centres in Mountrath and Portlaoise, is a strong demonstration of this Governments commitment to delivering high-quality, accessible healthcare in our communities. For our area, this means direct investment in the Midlands Regional Hospital and St Fintans Hospital, Portlaoise and also in St Vincents Hospital Mountmellick. This is welcome news that will help bring healthcare services closer to home and better meet the needs of patients and families across Co Laois," he said. Laois Fianna Fail TD Sean Fleming was also pleased. "These works will help improve health services for people across the County and this new investment is a guarantee of better health facilities in the county for years to come. "The funding has been provided by the Government and it is essential that the HSE deliver on all the projects that are being funded and not to leave any of this money unspent in Laois," he said. The Department of Health said investment in 2025 will enable the progression of multiple Government priority projects, including the completion of the New Children's Hospital, construction of the National Maternity Hospital, continued delivery of additional bed capacity under the Acute Hospital Inpatient Bed Capacity Expansion Plan 2024-2031, and construction of new Surgical Hubs and Elective Care Centres. The Department also said it facilitates the development of infrastructure to support mental health service delivery and the delivery of more Primary Care Centres and community-based infrastructure to help ensure people can access appropriate care closer to home. MEP Laois and the Midlands and former Laois Offaly TD Barry Cowen had to have surgery in Dublin after suffering a heart scare. In a statement, Mr Cowen said he underwent a surgical procedure in St James's Hospital in Dublin on Monday, April 7 having first attended the Emergency Department at the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore. The statement obtained by the Leinster Express / Laois Live says that having felt unwell while attending the European Parliament in Strasbourg last week, his symptoms persisted after returning home. "I attended the emergency department at Tullamore hospital on Saturday night and was subsequently transferred to the cardiac care unit at St Jamess Hospital on Sunday. I underwent a surgical procedure there on Monday. "I am now receiving further care to support my recovery and hope to return home via Tullamore Hospital over the weekend. I am hugely indebted to the professionalism and compassion of all the staff in both Tullamore and St. Jamess hospitals. "I will continue my recovery at home and will remain in close contact with my team as I carry out my duties as MEP for Midlands North-West. My offices remain fully operational, and should you require any assistance, please dont hesitate to get in touch. READ ALSO: Midlands whiskey maker pauses production "My family and I are deeply grateful for all the kind messages and good wishes we have received thank you sincerely," he said. Many people have left well wishes on the post on Facebook wishing Mr Cowen a speedy recovery. The Clara native was Laois Offaly TD between 2011 and 2016 and again between 2020 and 2024 when he was elected to the European Parliament as an MEP for Midlands North West. His brother and former Taoiseach Brian Cowen suffered a serious health setback after stepping away from politics. A motorist was caught speeding at 110kph in an 80kmh on the R445 in Portlaoise during National Slow Down Day. Gardai across Laois are out in force conducting speed checks for the operation which began at midnight. The speed checks are taking place as part of National Slow Down Day - a 24 hour enforcement operation being conducted in association with the Road Safety Authority(RSA) which began at midnight. This will be the second National Slow Down Day of the year, and gardai are asking the public to support the initiative by slowing down. As spring arrives in Ireland and there is a longer period of daylight, we can expect an increase in vulnerable road users, pedestrians and cyclists with more people out and about. While gardai work tirelessly 365 days of the year to help people safe on Irelands road network, they alone cannot prevent all fatal road traffic collisions An Garda Siochana needs everyones help and support, gardai said. This is a conversation that should be had regularly with friends, family and colleagues, and should not only take place in the aftermath of fatal road traffic collision when it is too late. Speeding while driving is one of the most dangerous driving practices there are because the faster the speed the more severe the impact and the much deadlier the consequences. In its first update on National Slow Down Day, gardai said 125 motorists were detected speeding. They included 144km/h in a 100km/h Zone on the N11 in Newcastle, Co Wicklow, 84km/h in a 60km/h zone in Ashbourne, Co Meath, 110km/h in a 80km/h zone on the R445 in Portlaoise, Co Laois, 141km/h in 100km/h zone on the N67 in Co Galway and 153km/h in 120km/h zone on the M7 in Nenagh, Co Tipperary. Statistically, one in ten pedestrians hit by car travelling at 30km/h will die of their injuries. Five in ten of those out walking and struck by a car travelling 50km/h will be killed, and a car being driven at 60km/h and hits a pedestrian has a nine in ten chance of the collision being fatal. Already this year, more than 32,880 fines have been issued to motorists for speeding - thats over 335 people every day. Gardai say it is important that motorists realise that no matter how good the road and weather conditions are, any increase in speed increases a drivers likelihood of being involved in a serious or fatal road traffic collision. Driving at a speed that is not appropriate if the prevailing weather, traffic and/or condition of the road is as dangerous as exceeding the speed limit, they said. Chief Superintendent in the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau, Jane Humphries said, "National Slow Down Day is not about catching motorists speeding, in fact we would much prefer to not detect anyone breaking the speed limit. "Our 24-hour targeted initiative is aimed at getting people to talk about their driving behaviour. To be more mindful of it and the risks that they may take when behind the wheel. We are asking that you chat to family, friends, colleagues even neighbours please remind them to slow down, drive safely and without distraction. READ ALSO: Call for additional garda resources in Portarlington "No one likes to ever consider that when they get behind the wheel of a car to take a journey, that they very well may not make it there. There is every possibility if you are speeding that you wont. Director of Partnerships and External Affairs at the Road Safety Authority, Sarah OConnor said: "There is clear scientific evidence showing that speed directly affects the likelihood and severity of collisions. Lower speeds give drivers more time to react to unexpected hazards, reducing the chance of a collision, and they significantly reduce injury severity, as the force of a collision increases exponentially with speed. Portlaoise land owned by the HSE could deliver nearly 1,000 new homes for Laois people but developing them could cost over 300 million, according to a new report. The finding is contained in the second Report on Relevant Public Land from the Land Development Agency which has identified 102 parcels of public property with the potential for the development of up to 70,830 homes around Ireland. The analysis reviewed 55 towns or cities with a population exceeding 10,000 people. Public land deemed relevant for consideration for housing is all land within a town or city that is owned by a public body. The LDA identified parcels of land with the potential for affordable and social housing in 26 of the towns and cities with one site identified in Portlaoise. The land in question is owned by the HSE and adjoins St Fintan's Hospital. The report which was reviewed by the Leinster Express / Laois Live, says that the 28-hectare site is classed as being 'moderately constrained' for housing but nevertheless has the potential to yield between 680 and 960 new homes. The LDA, which is a commercial State-sponsored body created to coordinate land within State control for more optimal uses, says the land is used for health care and open space. Sandwiched between the busy Dublin and Stradbally Roads, the land is not identified in the Government's Housing Strategy nor is it zoned for residential purposes by Laois County Council. The LDA says any housing development would have to be subject to an overarching spatial framework that would include HSE requirements to provide additional facilities on the land. The LDA adds that the local authority has plans to develop an active travel route through the site. Some of the land that is being used for health and education purposes is not factored into the land that encompasses the St Fintan's lands which is also accessed from the Block Road that also serves the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise. The Agency also outlines the potential cost. MORE BELOW PICTURE. HSE has built a new car park on the site. Pic: Leinster Express / Laois Live It estimates that the residential development alone could cost between 180 m and 210 m. Infrastructure to allow construction would could come in at between 62 m and 71 m. So-called 'abnormal infrastructure' could cost between 43 m and 47 m. While the survey was completed in 2025, some of the land appears to already have been eliminated from development at least in the short term as the HSE has built a car park for Portlaoise hospital staff to the rear of the ambulance base on the Block Road. Just one other site in Portlaoise was identified - the IDA business park and lands on the Mountrath Road. This was not considered suitable. READ ALSO: New health projects for Laois in HSE spending plan John Coleman, Chief Executive of the LDA, commented on the national plan Updating the Report on Relevant Public Land is a key part of the LDAs work. The process creates a working guide to state-owned land in cities and towns and advises the Government on its potential use for affordable housing. Crucially, it also classifies the identified land, highlighting the high-potential sites that could be developed in the short to medium term. The LDA currently has a strong pipeline of land with a growing number of housing projects at all stages from design to under construction. This includes state-owned, acquired land and partnership projects with local authorities on land they own. A significant amount of state-owned land has already been transferred to the LDA and we are working closely with public bodies to unlock further sites to add to our direct delivery pipeline. I would like to thank all the public bodies who have worked with us to date and I would like to commend them for playing their part in addressing the countrys housing need, he said. The LDA is mandated to report to the Government on relevant public land and lands owned by the Agency that are assessed as fit for the purposes. It says the latest report is subject to Government consideration and decision as to whether sites should be developed for social and affordable homes or retained in occupational use. The report said a key part of the process was the engagement with Local Authorities, land owning bodies, Government Departments and Agencies. The LDA says it appreciates the engagement and feedback from all its stakeholders in support of the LDAs assessment of the potential of the public land identified. A Portlaoise councillor is urging the Minister for Health to intervene to save the SOSAD suicide prevention charity service. Meanwhile Laois County Council has told councillors they cannot donate from their discretionary budgets to help out. Save Our Sons and Daughters (SOSAD) has seven free counselling centres around Ireland, including one in Portlaoise that opened in 2021 after a huge local campaign to bring it to Laois. Now the national charity is threatened with closing all seven doors to people in mental health crisis, because it is still awaiting its first ever funding support from the Health Service Executive (HSE). A week ago, they alerted that 42,000 of the 55,000 monthly running costs was needed within a week to stay open. At the moment, a Laois Gofundme has brought in just over 11,000 of that. Cllr Marie Tuohy from the Portlaoise Municipal District tabled a motion to Laois County Council's March meeting, asking the council to send notification to both the Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll McNeill and the Minister of State with responsibility for Mental Health Mary Butler, to "reach out without delay" to help SOSAD and get their Government colleagues to find money fast. Portlaoise Municipal District Cllr Marie Tuohy "This is a non profit charity offering free professional counselling to people with low mood, people who self harm, who have suicidal ideation, and who just need to talk. "In Laois this year they have given 108 appointments, last year it was 44 by this stage, that indicates the demand. Suicidal ideation is not 9 to 5, it's 24 seven, with a helpline. SOSAD desperately needs Government to act urgently. This crisis is hopefully a one off until the HSE given funding. "Their clients do not need referrals from GPs, but they are being suggested to go to SOSAD by people in psychiatic services. They are picking up the slack, lives are at risk, lives are being lost. "I spoke to a man who said it was his third time there, and he was told the minimum waiting time for HSE help was six weeks. Mental health has always been the Cinderella of the Irish health service. The State and the HSE only pay it lip service. "Every intervention is critical, even lifesaving. This service is in crisis unless their funding application is fasttracked by the HSE. I ask my colleagues to highlight their plight, and help SOSAD," Cllr Tuohy said. Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley seconded the motion. "This is a vital service for people in our community. It is the Cinderella of the health service. The fact that they are doing referrals and steering people there knowing full well they are not funding this service. Last year we gave funding to SOSAD, I hoped to do the same this years. We are now told in Municipal districts that we cannot fund this out of our discretionary budgets. If this is the case, could we go back to the drawing board?" Cllr Dwane Stanley said. The council CEO Michael Rainey addressed the issue. "We need to look at the way we are assigning discretionary funding. There is discretion but its in the framework of what rate payers pay for, under the functions of the council," he said. Read also: 'It could be 500 cones a day' - Laois winner of the best 99 Other councillors also backed the motion. "We need to start investing in mental health. We all know somebody suffering. Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 35," said Cllr Aisling Moran. "the mental health service is overwhelmed for years. That's the reason SOSAD had to organise themselves. This great group came together to effectively do the job for the Government. It's important we support them as best we can. Unfortunately it's areally tough time for young people to be growing up, with social media pressure," Cllr Tommy Mulligan agreed. See the SOSAD GoFundMe account here. The state of lighting in one region of Kildare has been heavily criticised by a resident in the area, who has referred to it as "a farce". Pat O'Mahony informed the Leinster Leader of lighting issues which have been affecting the Roseberry area of Newbridge for the past number of months. He specified that the the region in question measures from "Carrolls Corner, or 'The College Corner', to the end of the houses on the riverside, before the rail". According to Mr O'Mahoney, the site in question was in "complete darkness" for much of last Winter. He added that during this time, the region was "pitch black" and people passing through were being blinded by the lights of oncoming cars. Fianna Fail Cllr Noel Heavey echoed a similar concern earlier this year at the Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District (MD) meeting held back in January, where he asked Kildare County Council (KCC) why Roseberry residents had been "deprived" of urban lighting for so long back in December. In response, Cllr Heavey was told by KCC that the ESB had been "overwhelmed" by Storm Darragh, leading to delays in addressing the situation. OPPOSITE ISSUE According to Mr O'Mahony, the lighting in the area has recently gone the opposite way: the lights are on 24 / 7. He further claimed that the whole situation is making local residents feel deflated "They have given up," he added. Mr O'Mahony has since brought the issue to local representatives in Newbridge. He added that he has sympathy for these local representatives: "They are getting criticised for something that they cannot solve as individual councillors or TDs." A set of lights in Roseberry turned on during the daytime. Photograph provided by Pat O'Mahony. Mr O'Mahony further said that he has not gone to KCC headquarters to discuss the issue. Explaining his stance, Mr O'Mahony said: "The public has more to be doing. It is not our job to do it [to keep reminding KCC to address the issue]." He also expressed his view that that the situation in Roseberry is symptomatic of a wider issue in Ireland: "The public sector has lost its way; there doesn't seem to be any sense of accountability." Lastly, Mr O'Mahony pointed out the amount of electricity the lights are using up, and questioned how this would benefit the local environment. MAYOR'S COMMENTS The Mayor of the Kildare-Newbridge MD, Fine Gael Cllr Peggy O'Dwyer, also commented on the lighting situation in Roseberry last month. She said via a social media post on March 12 last: "I have been making representation on behalf of the residents / business owners for a number of months on this intermittent problem. "The risk of trips and falls and safety is of grave concern and today I received the most recent update from Kildare County Council which I requested last week." Mayor O'Dwyer further said that KCC informed her that her request was examined by the Transport Public Lighting Team in the Transport and Mobility Department. Once again, KCC said that it is in the process of "trying to get the ESB to have the switching wire moved on a permanent live feed and to cut the tree branches". KCC's response to Mayor O'Dwyer echoes its reply to the Leinster Leader, when it was asked about the situation and how it plans to address it. According to KCC, the fault at Roseberry is being "caused by overhanging branches" that are "dangerously close" to overhead power lines. "For this reason, Kildare County Council cannot resolve the issue independently and continues to engage with the ESB regarding this matter," KCC added. SWITCH WIRE PLAN At the latest Kildare-Newbridge MD meeting, which took place on March 19 last, Social Democrats Cllr Chris Pender raised the issue of lighting in the Roseberry area. He asked KCC to provide an update on the public lighting situation in Roseberry, Athgarvan, and Kilcullen, "including details on any planned upgrades, maintenance schedules, and timelines for addressing any outstanding issues". KCC issued a response to Cllr Pender in three parts, each relating to the aforementioned three areas. For its response relating to Roseberry, KCC said: "Kildare County Council are liaising with ESB to come up with a plan to remove the switch wire and have the lights on individual photocells, so that a fault in one light does not affect the whole estate." As for Athgarvan, KCC said: "This has been resolved, and the new lighting infrastructure is now operational." Lastly, for Kilcullen, KCC told Cllr Pender: "ESB have advised that they will be on site within the next two weeks." READ NEXT: 'Exploitation' - Would you pay over 12k to be buried near Wolf Tone in Kildare? Punchestown Racecourse has issued a warning to members of the public to stay off the track as work continues ahead of the 2025 festival. The 2025 Punchestown Festival kicks off on April 29 and runs until May 3 with ground work continuing apace for the centrepiece of Ireland's national hunt season. Thousands of people will descend on the Kildare track in a few weeks time but bosses at the track are telling people to stay off the turf after some members of the public were spotted in 'disrespectful' activities on the banks. "Once again we respectfully ask that the public stay off the track, hurdles, fences and banks. Our track crew are working around the clock to prepare for the upcoming festival," a post on social media read. "Unfortunately some members of the public are using the course itself as a play area or to exercise dogs. This is our centre court, our Croke park pitch, our greenway, and has many signs asking people to not enter," the statement continued. READ NEXT: Punchestown Best Dressed competition details announced - there's a brilliant twist "The entire site is scheduled to be closed from Monday 14th April until Tuesday 6th May. This may need to be brought forward if necessary. "Thank you for your support and cooperation. Looking forward to welcoming everyone in three weeks time - just not on the track itself! Please share," they concluded. Followers were quick to blast the behaviour. One wrote: "Pure entitlement. These would be the kind of people who tie poo bags onto a tree branch instead of finding a bin." A second added: "Some people have no respect. Same with their dogs off the leads. Ruins it for everyone." A third said: "That's terrible how people are so disrespectful, looking forward to the festival. Can't wait!" The publication of the Health Service Executives Capital Plan for 2025 by the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, will bring investment of 9.98million to Kildare, as part of a record 1.33 billion allocated nationally for the development and enhancement of healthcare infrastructure. The news means direct investment of 2.4million for St Vincents Athy, 3.4million for Naas General Hospital, 250,000 for Kildare Town, 700,000 to progress Kilmeague Health Centre and 110,000 for Monasterevin. Plans are in progress for a 92-bed replacement of a community nursing unit at St.Vincents Hospital in Athy and this funding of 2.4m will bring further progress on this project, as well as allowing an upgrade of fire safety measures at the hospital. Ongoing projects at Naas General Hospital will benefit such as a new 50-bed mental health unit, a new mortuary, an improved Emergency Department admissions and discharge lounge and the refurbishment of existing HSE accommodation at St. Marys will all allow for further capacity at Naas general hospital. Kildare South Fine Gael TD, and Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon said: Investment in our health service is essential, and todays announcement, including in St Vincents Athy, Naas General Hospital, Tus Nua Kildare Town, and the renovation of an existing building in Monasterevan to provide services for older people, is a strong demonstration of this Governments commitment to delivering high-quality, accessible healthcare in our communities. This significant investment in high-quality, accessible healthcare across Co. Kildare from Naas General hospital, to St. Vincents Athy and projects in communities from Monasterevin to Kilmeague and Kildare town, will help bring healthcare services closer to home and better meet the needs of patients and families across Co. Kildare." READ NEXT: Crime 'surges' in Kildare village that has 'lost half its gardai' The decision to appeal against a plan for a significant service station development which could lead to 400 jobs in Naas, has come under fire. Service station network Applegreen was granted permission by Kildare County Council to build a service station and electric vehicle hub in a 17m development spanning 10,000 square metres. READ NEXT Kildare woman hired to clean elderly man's home took his ATM card and stole 8,000 cash Applegreen's parent company, Petrogas Group Limited, wants to demolish all buildings on the Cemex site near the Naas Ball as a first step. The industrial area has been derelict since building materials firm Cemex closed after over 50 years in the area with the loss of 50 jobs in 2007. Being planned is a new electric vehicle charging hub for 36 vehicles along with eight electric bus/HGV charging spaces. The designs include the construction of eight buildings comprising a distribution centre, offices and 13 loading bays. Also planned is a service station with retail area, seating area, drive-thru hatch and toilets. The entrance off Johnstown Road will be replaced with a new slip lane, according to the plans. There will be car parking for 169 vehicles, cycle parking for 46 bicycles as well as 16 spaces for buses and HGVs. The designs include internal roads, footpaths and cycle lanes, outdoor exercise areas, outdoor eating/picnic areas, a covered smoking area, roof-mounted solar panels and a new internal roundabout junction. However this has been appealed by An Taisce to An Bord Pleanala. Founded in 1948, An Taisce is one of Irelands oldest and largest environmental organisations. An Taisce is an independent charity that works to preserve and protect Ireland's natural and built heritage. Naas mayor Fintan Brett told a Naas Municipal District committee meeting that An Taisce is concerned with heritage and this is not an issue with their application. Where is the heritage interest here ?, he asked. He also said Transport Infrastructure Ireland, which oversees the motorways network had no issue with the project. He also said there would be no problems with access because it is sited a good distance from the motorway. He also disputed that the area is in a green belt. He said there are 400 jobs on the table at a time when the UK economy is in recession. Cllr Brett described the decision to appeal as a slap in the face to the councillors and Kildare County Council. And, he added, also to Naas Tidy Towns who spent many hours cleaning up the site. This is an overreach by An Taisce. It's not their responsibility, he said, adding that An Taisce did not make submission to the county development plan, the local area plan or the masterplan which charted the likely future use of land in that area of Naas. Independent councillor Bill Clear said he is a member of An Taisce and he was "disgusted". He noted the site has been derelict for a long time. He said people are living on the site and at the moment it is a blight on the entrance to Naas. Cllr Seamie Moore said he was gutted given that the masterplan took two years to complete and Cllr Evie Sammon described the decision as outrageous and ridiculous". It is understood that An Taisce is also concerned about future modes of transport, most likely on the basis that a service station will promote car use, which is contrary to most climate action strategies. Geological Survey Ireland has today published three beautiful, geophysical maps of County Kildare, showcasing the county from a completely new perspective. Since 2011, the Tellus programme of Geological Survey Ireland a division of the Department of the Environment, Climate, and Communications has been collecting geophysical data via onboard instruments on low-flying aircraft. The data, showing the magnetic, electromagnetic, and radiometric properties of the land, has now been compiled into a series of county maps with explanations on the information shown and key facts on the findings. Koen Verbruggen, Director of Geological Survey Ireland, said: Geologists and geophysicists have a different way of looking at things, both in terms of time and space. They use colour to represent different properties of rock or millions of years in time. People may remember the aircraft flying low above their homes and might have wondered was there anything unusual found in their county. These maps are a chance to show the results in a form thats accessible to all and to show people a different way to look at County Kildare. The radiometrics map highlights the peat bogs of County Kildare, with peat and saturated soils appearing black in the map. In the magnetic map, anomalies located to the west of Naas correspond with variations in Bedrock, notably the presence of Volcanic rocks in the area. Airborne geophysics is a cost-effective means of detecting the physical properties of soil, rock, and water beneath the ground. The data can be used for various purposes, for example, geological mapping, mineral exploration, radon risk mapping, and geothermal energy exploration through the understanding of the subsurface. The Tellus programme started in Northern Ireland, and it is planned that surveys of the island of Ireland will be completed by 2026. READ NEXT: Government condemned for housing failure in Kildare Irelands deputy premier Simon Harris has travelled to Washington DC for a meeting with US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick, a key critic of the Irish Governments fiscal policies. Mr Harris flew to the US on Tuesday night for meetings with economic and business stakeholders. Over the course of Wednesday, he is due to hold several further meetings on Capitol Hill to discuss Irelands economic, trade and foreign policy priorities. He will also meet with Mr Lutnick on trade and investment relations, mentioning the US-Irish economic relationship which sustains 400,000 jobs. The commerce secretary has been a key figure in US President Donald Trumps tariff plans. Mr Lutnick, who has described Ireland as his favourite tax scam, told a podcast last month: They have all of our (intellectual property) for all our great tech companies and great pharma companies. They all put it there because its low tax. They dont pay us, they pay them, so that is going to end. He has also said on social media that it is nonsense that Ireland of all places runs a trade surplus at our expense. Pharmaceuticals were exempt from the sweeping 20% tariffs imposed on EU exports to the US earlier this month, but could be subject to further measures taken by the Trump administration. Mr Harris held a late-night call with Mr Lutnick a number of weeks ago, which the Fine Gael leader described as a useful opportunity to exchange views. Speaking about his US visit, the Tanaiste said: We are here to keep the lines of communications open with US political and business leaders as well as share insights and engage. During the visit I will be emphasising our desire to find a negotiated solution between the EU and US on tariffs and that I am fully supportive of Commissioner Sefcovics work. I will make the point that the European Union is ready right now to negotiate. We have a team on standby to travel to DC to begin negotiations between the EU and the US to find a way forward. He added: In a complex and unpredictable global economic environment, direct bilateral engagement with the United States is one of my priorities. A particular focus of discussions will be the transatlantic economic and trade relationship between Ireland, the EU and the United States. I hope the trip will provide for an opportunity to gain further insight into the administrations thinking on their next steps. Mr Harris, who is also Irelands foreign affairs and trade minister, will also engage with US figures on Ukraine and the Middle East as well as discussions with the British government on legacy issues in Northern Ireland and on ending paramilitarism. He said: US support has been so significant over many decades in underpinning peace and reconciliation on this island, and remains essential. Some businesses have already seen orders from the US slowing or drying up entirely, Irelands premier has said. Taoiseach Micheal Martin warned that the 20% tariff imposed on most EU goods would negatively affect the Irish economy and put jobs at risk. He said despite the challenges, the Irish government should not be deflected from investing in infrastructure and people. He was speaking during a dedicated time in the Dail parliament to hear statements on US tariffs, during which TDs said it would be ordinary people that would pay the price for new tariffs. Sinn Fein asked that special attention be paid to the two separate tariffs on the island of Ireland 20% in the Republic and 10% in Northern Ireland. The Dail statements took place while Irish deputy premier Simon Harris met in Washington DC with US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick, a key critic of the Irish governments fiscal policies. Major worldwide tariffs announced by US president Donald Trump last week also came into effect on Wednesday, imposing a 20% import tax on EU goods worth 380 billion euro. This follows previously announced US tariffs of 25% on steel, aluminium and on automobiles. Mr Martin said that businesses in Ireland have already been affected by the 20% tariff imposed by the US on EU goods. He added: There is no way to sugar coat it. A 20% blanket tariff on most goods could potentially have a very significant and negative impact on investment and on the wider Irish economy, will represent a huge challenge to Irish exporters to the United States across all sectors. We are already hearing from some who are seeing orders from the United States slowing or even drying up entirely, putting valuable and skilled jobs at risk, and there may be more to come. He said that he had met with representatives of pharmaceutical and med-tech sectors, who expressed concern about import taxes on pharma goods threatened by Mr Trump. He added: I hope that, having reflected, the United States will step back from disrupting this most sensitive sector. I am sure that we can find a negotiated solution in which we can get a reasonable settlement. Mr Martin said the EU response to the tariffs to date was the correct one, and he was satisfied that the concerns of Ireland had been taken fully into account. The Taoiseach also said he shares serious concerns about how any EU counter measures would affect Northern Ireland. We are working through these issues, and we will continue to be in close contact with the Northern Ireland Executive, he said. There may be specific issues for the agri-food sector, not least due to the integrated supply chains north and south in this industry and the customs rules of origin, which define the origin of a product for tariff purposes. We understand that supply chains on this island are deeply connected, and that any change to current integrated arrangements will require huge investment. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said that Ireland was uniquely exposed to unprecedented blanket tariffs, which she called an unjustified act of economic aggression. She also warned against the EU taking counter measures, arguing that cool and calm heads were needed. Its workers and families who carry the can in the form of increased prices, threats to jobs and livelihoods and hits to their incomes, she said. A tit-for-tat battle is a race to the bottom, and thats a race that nobody can win. She said that the Irish government should work hand in glove with the Northern Ireland Executive. She added: Its a serious issue that we now have two different tariff rates on this small island of ours, and potentially two very different responses to those rates and the dynamic that is now unfolding around us. Im asking those in government here to work hand in glove and in lockstep with their counterparts in the Executive. Sinn Fein finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty asked for the all-island economy to be prioritised and for a sectoral assessment to be done to decide whether targeted measures are needed. He also said: Tariffs cant be used as an excuse to drop election promises. We need to strengthen our workforce by providing affordable childcare. We need to give people security by building the homes workers can afford. Labours Duncan Smith said that tariffs have never worked and are being used in a weaponised capacity to hurt countries. He repeated Labours call to introduce a German-inspired Kurzarbeit subsidy scheme to help keep workers in employment while companies adjust their supply chains. This could be a vital move to hold on to our economic competitiveness for when this storm passes, he said. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said the trade disruptions bring a major challenge for global economy which casts a dark shadow over prospects for the Irish economy. He said the priority was to deescalate the situation but this was not something the Government or the EU could fully control. He added: Despite the storm clouds that are clearly gathering, I want to emphasise to the House that we are approaching the current challenge from a position of strength, and we will use this to our advantage in the weeks, months and years that await. We have weathered many storms now, in recent years we have done this by working with our partners in the European Union, by managing our public finances in a sensible way, by creating a pro enterprise economy, and by keeping our economy and our society open to trade. In a very changing world, Im convinced these elements will continue. Housing in Leitrim has been a contentious issue with rising rents across the county and ongoing shortages. The supply of affordable housing for first-time buyers has become an increasing concern in recent years, particularly as the countys population continues to grow. Leitrim is feeling the effects of a nationwide housing crisis. With over 200 people currently availing of the social housing support scheme, and many on housing waiting lists, it is clear that an urgent increase in housing stock is needed. At an April meeting of Carrick-on-Shannon Municipal District, Cllr Des Guckian asked that the local authoritys CEO and Housing officials explain why there is such a disastrous crisis in housing provision. He urged them to send an emergency plea to the central government for funding for 60 much-needed houses in the Carrick-on-Shannon Municipal area. He described the Housing Department within the Council as dysfunctional, criticising its performance in delivering homes. A report by Mary Quinn, Director of Services, Housing and Community, Corporate Services, Cultural and Emergency Services noted that Leitrim County Council has annual social housing delivery targets to meet under the Housing for All plan for the four year period from 2022 to 2026. According to the report, under the 2024 Social Housing Delivery Programme, a total of eight new build dwellings were delivered in the Carrick-on-Shannon Municipal District. This included four three-bedroom family type dwellings in Carrick-on-Shannon and four one-bedroom apartments in Drumsna. Looking ahead, the 2025 Social Housing Delivery Programme includes plans for 18 additional units of social housing in the Carrick-on-Shannon Municipal District. The Housing Department has also issued an Expression of Interest (EOI) seeking land, sites or completed units. In terms of social housing, the department stated it continues to meet the demand through the re-allocation of vacant units and by entering into contracts with property owners. I fully accept there are challenges in the provision of housing in terms of the supply of housing, there are simply not enough units available in terms of being able to meet all the demands, Ms Quinn said. I dont accept the statement that the housing department has become dysfunctional, she added, emphasising that the department is working in very challenging circumstances. She explained that the Housing Department is dealing with many applicants who have complex and difficult needs. While acknowledging the severity of their situations, she stressed that housing is just one component of the broader support required. Irelands housing crisis remains a deep-rooted and persistent issue. At the recent Housebuilding Summit convened by the Construction Industry Federation, senior civil servants and major developers warned that the number of homes expected to be built in Ireland this year may fall short of the demand, potentially reaching as low as 25,000. With a national goal of delivering 303,000 new houses by 2030, many are watching closely. However, given current conditions, achieving that target seems increasingly unlikely. READ MORE: Bressie brings mental health show 'Where Is My Mind?' to the Landmark Leitrim is getting ready to celebrate the vibrant cultures of Africa this May, as Africa Day 2024 brings a burst of music, flavour and creativity to Ballinamore. The local event will take place on Saturday, 25th May, from 11:00am to 5:00pm at The Junction in Ballinamore, and promises to be a joyful, family-friendly celebration of African culture and community spirit. Organised in partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Leitrim County Council, the day will feature live music and dancing, mouth-watering African cuisine, and a series of hands-on cultural workshops. Attendees can try their hand at hair braiding, take part in arts and crafts sessions, and enjoy interactive music workshops designed to engage all ages. Africa Day is held annually to mark the founding of the African Union and to honour the contribution of African communities in Ireland. This years nationwide launch took place at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham in Dublin, where Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond TD, joined artists, designers, and performers to kick off the 2024 celebrations. Speaking at the launch, Minister Richmond highlighted the importance of the day, calling it an opportunity to celebrate diversity, deepen cultural understanding, and recognise the growing connections between Ireland and the African continent. He also acknowledged the incredible contributions made by African-Irish communities in towns and villages across the country, including here in Leitrim. All 31 local authorities are taking part in this years celebrations, but Ballinamores event is set to be one of the most engaging and inclusive in the regionbringing people together through music, storytelling, creativity, and connection. Whether you're a longtime resident or new to the area, this is your chance to experience the sights, sounds, and tastes of Africa right here in the heart of Leitrim. Come for the food, stay for the musicand leave with new memories and a deeper appreciation for the cultures that make up modern Ireland. READ MORE - Leitrim footballer Clare Owens with Irish guide dogs Employers in Leitrim are being urged to join a unique fundraising drive for North West Hospice. Together for Hospice, the national fundraising body for the 24 specialist hospices and palliative care providers in Ireland, is behind the Your Finest Hour for Hospice workplace charity initiative. Funds raised by companies and staff in Leitrim will benefit North West Hospice. The campaign asks firms in every sector to give workers an hour of downtime in April and in return, staff are asked to donate an hour of their salary, with every cent raised locally, staying locally. The Your Finest Hour for Hospice initiative is a wonderful opportunity for businesses and employees in the North West to come together and make a meaningful impact in their community, said Mary Horkan, Fundraising and Communications Manager for North West Hospice. Were incredibly grateful for the support of local companies and their staff in making this campaign a success. Plus, who doesnt love the idea of getting an hour to relax for such a great cause?" North West Hospice described it as a great example of how local businesses and employees can come together to make a positive difference in their community. Employers in Leitrim are asked to reward staff by treating them to an office takeaway, giving them a wellbeing hour or simply an hour off work. Employees are then asked to donate one hour of their salary to hospice. Companies and employees, either in partnership or separately, are asked to register to support the initiative at www.finesthour.ie. With the population over 65 set to triple over the next 30 years, demand for hospice services continues to grow and in 2023 alone, hospice and specialist palliative homecare providers cared for over 14,000 patients and made over 87,000 homecare visits across Ireland. READ MORE: Leitrim man organises coffee morning for charity that changed his life Plans by one of the country's largest forecourt retailers to acquire nine additional premises have hit a road block after the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) confirmed it is to carry out a more detailed review of the proposed deal. Last year, Circle K, which has hundreds of service stations across the country, announced it had reached an agreement to buy nine Texaco and Centra-branded service stations and stores from the privately-owned Pelco Holdings Limited. According to the CCPC, there are approximately 400 Circle K-branded service stations in the State, of which Circle K owns 168. The remainder are independently owned and operated under the Circle K brand by third parties. The nine forecourts which the company is proposing to buy are located in County Dublin (7), Batterstown in Meath and Mullingar in Westmeath. Around 140 people are employed across the nine locations. READ ALSO: PICTURES: Inside the upside down house crowned RTEs Home of The Year 2025 The CCPC says having examined details of the proposed acquisition, there are concerns about the impact it could have on competition in the market. "The assessment sets out the CCPCs preliminary concerns on how the proposed acquisition could reduce competition in the retail motor fuel sector," states the report which has published by the CCPC. The CCPC says the preliminary assessment is not a final determination and that both Circle K and Pelco now have the right to respond in writing, make oral submissions and get access to its file. The consumer watchdog, which has the power to block the acquisition, says it expects its full investigation will conclude by July. Disbanding the board of Childrens Health Ireland would not help in any shape or form, the Taoiseach has said. It comes after Labour said the CHI board must go in the wake of a report into the experimental use of non-medical grade springs in child spine surgeries at CHI Temple Street. The report from the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) said the use of the springs was wrong and highlighted failures around governance, communication, consent and safeguards in processes. After publication, the chairman of CHIs board, Dr Jim Browne, offered sincere apologies and resigned. However, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said on Wednesday that getting rid of the rest of the board would further weaken governance but said overall structures in paediatric care should be examined in the medium-to-long term. Speaking in the Dail, Mr Martin There needs to be new chairperson appointed you actually need a board to do that. And I know that some people have called to just disband the board. That would not help the situation right now, in any shape or form. That will weaken governance even further and could lead to further difficulties and challenges. During Leaders Questions, Labour leader Ivana Bacik said that of the 233 children waiting for spinal surgeries at the end of February, 43 had been more than six months with 15 of those on a list for over a year. She said these children are in agony, adding: It is a national shame on us all that they are kept waiting so long. Ms Bacik said the HIQA report raised uncertainty that CHI will ever be able to fulfil a commitment to provide the surgeries within four months, adding that Dr Brownes resignation further confirms doubts and concerns. She added: Some commentators are suggesting the problems at CHI start and end with the actions of one rogue surgeon. But while the details of reckless experimentation are horrifying, clearly, the problems at CHI go deeper than that. Ms Bacik said the HIQA reports indicates systemic failures at a broader level and a dysfunctional culture. She asked the Taoiseach if he believed the board had the capability to implement the reports recommendations, provide safe surgeries and manage the transition to new National Childrens Hospital. Mr Martin said what had happened was wrong, unacceptable and incomprehensible, adding: It is beyond belief that one would insert devices into a child thats not CE-approved. He also told the Dail that he fully understands the trauma experienced by families waiting for surgeries. He said there had been increased activity in child spinal surgeries and a reduction in waiting times, but added there was a need to do more. It is not where it should be and were going to continue to press ahead. Responding to the question on confidence in the board, Mr Martin said Government was awaiting further reports from other ongoing reviews into child surgeries and added: Meanwhile, the work has to continue in CHI. He told opposition TDs that there had to be absolute focus on optimising the transition to the New Childrens Hospital. The Taoiseach said: No-ones happy with this, obviously, and Im certainly not happy. He added: In a medium to longer term, we do need to look at the overall structures governing paediatric care. Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill later told the Dail there was a statutory structure around the board of CHI and added: I need to get the other two reports. I need to consider the governance in the round, because, as the Taoiseach said earlier, we need to have a functional system to be able to work towards the opening of the Childrens Hospital. But I am open to looking at everything in the round. Social Democrats deputy leader Cian OCallaghan said a litany of failures raises serious questions about whether CHI is fit for purpose. Medical experiments were conducted on children in our major paediatric hospital. Corrosive springs were inserted to bodies of extremely vulnerable children. No ethical approval was sought for the use of these springs, and the families did not give informed consent for these procedures. Mr OCallaghan said the matter could not be viewed in isolation and referenced a separate audit of paediatric hip dysplasia surgeries which said hundreds of children operated on between 2021 and 2023 did not meet the threshold for the procedure. He questioned the Taoiseachs decision to rule out a public inquiry into governance failures at CHI. Mr Martin said there was a need to reflect on whether inquiries were the best model to investigate these issues. He said half a billion euro had been spent on inquiries since 1998, adding: There is an ethical question as to whether those resources could be spent or should be targeted for existing services of children living today, right across social, healthcare and education services. Inevitably, victims or those who seek inquiries dont get closure from the inquiries, are not as happy with the outcome of the inquiries at the end of it. Many of them are taking years and costing millions. Mr Martin added that a Paediatric Spinal Taskforce had been established. Introducing Canada's Most Comprehensive Resource to Aggregate Data on the Diverse Mental Health Needs of Youth Coast to Coast GreenShield and Mental Health Research Canada are launching the Youth Mental Health Data Hub, delivering unparalleled insights into youth mental health. The publicly available dashboard centralizes data from leading youth organizations to analyze key social and demographic factors and identify trends shaping the lives of young Canadians. TORONTO, April 9, 2025 /CNW/ - With social and economic stressors on the rise, Canada's youth require tailored mental health solutions now more than ever. Yet, for too long youth have primarily been treated as a monolithic group, rather than a diverse population with a complex set of needs. Despite the availability of services, 73% of youth who access mental health supports report that their needs are not fully met. It is with the distinct goal of improving the mental wellbeing of young Canadians, that GreenShield, Canada's only national non-profit health and benefits company, is partnering with Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC) to launch the Youth Mental Health Data Hub (The Data Hub). The Data Hub is the first resource to unite Canada's leading youth mental health datasets, offering a first-of-its-kind dashboard that provides a national snapshot of youth mental health. Updated on a quarterly basis and uniquely informed by young people themselves, the dashboard highlights their biggest challenges and connects to partner databases for deeper insights into the issues they face and the services they use. The Data That's Changing the Conversation The Data Hub's interactive dashboard harnesses robust insights from over 25,000 Canadians to provide a holistic view of youth mental health. This data dashboard reveals critical gaps in navigation, access, and affordability across diverse sociodemographic youth groups, including: 29% of youth do not access support they need because they are unsure sure how to do not access support they need because they are unsure sure how to 18% of racialized youth struggle to find culturally sensitive care struggle to find culturally sensitive care 30% of students cannot afford mental health support "As a non-profit, GreenShield is committed to tackling Canada's most pressing health challenges with data-driven solutions that advance our mission of Better Health for All. As a purpose-driven company, we have a responsibility to close the gaps in youth mental healthcare, and that starts with data," said Zahid Salman, President & CEO, GreenShield. "Our Youth Mental Health initiative is built on a foundation of evidence, ensuring scalable, sustainable solutions that drive real impact. The Youth Mental Health Data Hub is a critical first step?helping us better understand young people's needs so we can connect them to the right care, at the right time." The Data Hub is a publicly available resource designed to: Provide insights into key subgroups: Including youth of colour, LGBTQ2S+ youth, students, and household income , helping identify barriers to care . Including . Highlight critical gaps: Addressing the urgent need for better navigation, access, and affordability in youth mental health care. urgent need for better navigation, access, and affordability in youth mental health care. Find solutions for long term change: Spotlight gaps in youth mental health services to drive effective solutions that can be scaled over time. "This Data Hub is a unique and powerful resource that will allow stakeholders to better understand the mental health needs of Canada's youth. By having access to current research data from many leading, credible organizations as well as information from youth themselves ? organizations, governments and other stakeholders will be empowered to gain deeper insight into supporting the mental health of young Canadians. We celebrate the leadership of GreenShield in their collaborative approach to making data easily accessible to support evidence-based decision making for youth mental health," said Akela Peoples, CEO, MHRC. Not only will The Data Hub be a publicly available resource to policy makers, researchers and educators, it will inform GreenShield's Youth Mental Health initiative to expand access, integrate innovative care solutions, and ensure Canadians between the ages of 15 and 29 receive timely, culturally appropriate support. In collaboration with leading youth mental health organizations, GreenShield will make mental health support more accessible and equitable for youth. "By bringing together like-minded partners, GreenShield is spearheading a collective effort to transform the mental health landscape?ensuring that all youth, regardless of their background or circumstances, have access to the support they need to thrive," said Mandy Mail, Executive Vice President, Head of GreenShield Cares. "Addressing youth mental health is critical because the formative years are when lifelong habits and coping mechanisms are developed. Providing timely, effective, and culturally appropriate support can prevent long-term mental health challenges and empower young Canadians to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives." The Data Hub is a crucial first step in GreenShield's Youth Mental Health Signature Initiative, to inform the solutions that enable Canadians to receive the right mental health support at the right time. Further announcements will be shared later this year as GreenShield expands its initiative to drive impact nationwide. About GreenShield As Canada's only national non-profit health and benefits company, GreenShield believes health care is a right, not a privilege. We're dedicated to improving health outcomes, driving systemic change, and building a future where every Canadian can reach their full health and well-being potential. We are revolutionizing the health and benefits experience with coverage and care in one place. Through our unique integrated payer-provider ("payvider") model, offering insurance, administering benefits and paying claims as a 'payer' while offering health services such as mental health, pharmacy, telemedicine and chronic disease management as a 'provider'. As a non-profit social enterprise without shareholders, we prioritize and reinvest our excess earnings to directly support underserved communities. Through GreenShield Cares, we've committed $75 million to improve the health of over one million Canadians by the end of 2025, focusing on mental health, essential medicines, and chronic disease management. Our scalable initiatives deliver meaningful change in pursuit of Better Health for All. GreenShield is proud to be recognized as one of Canada's Most Admired Corporate Cultures, a leading Imagine Canada Caring Company, and named on the Fortune's Change the World list. About Mental Health Research Canada Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC) is a national charity dedicated to improving mental health in Canada. Mental health systems and services cannot improve without research - it is essential to understand needs and create real solutions. MHRC prioritizes meaningful engagement with communities and Canadians with lived experience to ensure research reflects real needs and leads to impactful solutions. We advance mental health through collaborative partnerships, studentships, seed funding, and data collection and analysis. MHRC monitors the mental health of Canadians and reports on it to governments and stakeholders nationally to support data-informed decision-making on what people need and how Canada's services are performing. Visit www.mhrc.ca for useful data and insights. SOURCE GreenShield Holdings Inc. 9 april 2025 at 06:09 News published onand distributed by: 10th Ordinary Conference of the Council of Ministers of the African Diamond Producers Association in Freetown, Sierra Leone Samuel Kanyon Doe Jr. (left) and Fallah Varney Ezekiel Doe (right), biological sons of the late President Samuel Kanyon Doe (center) and Mrs. Nancy B. Doe Also, BMMC accused of polluting the vital water source through continuous blasting and mining activities The fellowship is aimed at students in grades 4 through 11, aged 10 to 19, who maintain at least a B average (83%) and have a passion for leadership and community service. Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti meets President of Chad, Mahamat Idriss Deby, on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at the Presidential Palace in NDjamena, Chad LIMERICK City and County Council Arts Office has formally launched the latest edition of The Stony Thursday Book at Limerick City Library. The Stony Thursday Book is one of the longest-running literary journals in Ireland, and this is its 46th edition, No.20 in the new series, funded by The Arts Council and Limerick City and County Council. Founded by Limerick poets John Liddy and Jim Burke in 1975, who have both continued to have long and impressive careers in poetry, this year marks the 50th anniversary of The Stony Thursday Book founding. This volume of The Stony Thursday Book was edited by award-winning Irish poet, writer, and teacher Victoria Kennefick and includes 116 works from 87 selected poets. Co-founders John Liddy and Jim Burke have been invited back to jointly edit this very special edition. During the submission process over the last year, Victoria reviewed 900 individual poems from over 300 submissions, from over 10 different countries, showcasing the publication's reach and its importance as a platform for poets to showcase their work. Over 30 of the selected poets gathered at the Limerick City Library to formally launch the book and read their poetry contributions. Deputising for the Mayor of Limerick at the launch, Councillor Sharon Benson said, "This year's edition, curated by the talented Victoria Kennefick, showcases a remarkable level of diversity that leaps from its pages. It is a powerful collection that reinforces the importance of providing a space where poets from all backgrounds can share their unique expressions and stories." Editor of the 46th edition of the Stony Thursday Book, Victoria Kinnefick commented: "Curating this year's edition of The Stony Thursday Book has been both a challenging and immensely rewarding experience. READ MORE: Limerick Astronomy Club: Aprils celestial wonders - what to see in the night sky It was a pleasure to delve into each submission and discover the unique perspectives and creative expressions that each poet brought to the table. This anthology is a testament to the vibrant and dynamic poetry community we have, and I am honoured to have had the opportunity to curate such a powerful collection." Etain McCooey, Arts Officer with Limerick City and County Council, said, "The Stony Thursday Book provides an invaluable opportunity for poets all across Limerick and beyond to have their poetry heard. It is a wonderful publication, which forms an integral part of the Limerick City and County Council arts programme. Two graduates of Limerick School of Art and Design were also involved: the edition was designed by Richard Meade, an accomplished graphic designer, and the cover art is by Limerick artist Ashleigh Boyd." Contributor poets this year include many from around Ireland and beyond, some with strong Limerick connections, Kieran Beville, Maighread Medbh, Suzanne Roys, and Breda Spaight are all natives of Limerick, and Deirdre Devally, Marion Moynihan, Eoin Devereux, Ian Hickey, and Andreas Pargger have all studied and taught at the University of Limerick or at Mary Immaculate College. With the launch of this edition of the book came the announcement of a new open call for poetry for the next edition. The Stony Thursday Book is seeking submissions from local, national, and international poets for its next issue, to be published in Autumn/Winter 2025. Submission to The Stony Thursday Book is online via Limerick.ie The closing date for receipt of poetry submissions is 5pm, Monday, June 2. MAYOR John Moran has said he will discuss a city-wide traffic management campaign, with illegal parking around Limericks third level colleges a major concern. Independent councillor Ursula Gavan has called for the mayor to work with council director general Dr Pat Daly and the gardai to come up with a plan to alleviate the issue of drivers parking on pavements, and across peoples driveways among other things. Councillors have previously raised concerns at this practice taking place around the University of Limerick (UL) campus with its students parking outside college grounds in estates. BREAKING: Teenager found guilty of raping girl, aged 16, in Limerick when he was 13 -years-old But Cllr Gavan says there is the same issue around the premises of Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) on the northside, and Mary Immaculate College in the city centre. We are losing an opportunity to have a city-wide campaign as we are ignoring TUS, Mary I and University of Limerick residential areas which suffer, she said. She also pointed out parents collecting or dropping children from schools in the morning and evening peak also suffer as a result. We need an enhanced campaign around think before you park coupled with a review of existing areas to see if there is scope for additional parking spaces to be created plus additional resources from the gardai and traffic wardens which will bring greater enforcement, she said. In a written response, Mayor Moran stated: The concerns you have raised are completely understandable, and it is clear the impact of inconsiderate parking continues to cause issues for many residents around the city. He pointed out traffic wardens issuing fines often slap a Think before you park information sticker on the car. This contains a QR code directing the driver to councils awareness bid. NANNING, April 8 (Xinhua) -- SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW), a joint venture between SAIC Motor, General Motors and Liuzhou Wuling Motors, reported robust new energy vehicle (NEV) sales in the first quarter of 2025, selling 199,078 units, with a 71.3 percent year-on-year growth. NEVs accounted for 52.8 percent of the company's total vehicle sales in Q1, during which overall auto sales reached 377,257 units, up 12.3 percent year on year. The company also recorded a strong export performance in the first quarter, with overseas NEV shipments rising 8.2 percent year on year to 53,385 units/sets. SGMW plans to accelerate its electrification efforts in global markets, with an upcoming entry into Central Asia and an expanded presence in the ASEAN region, according to the company. SGMW is based in the city of Liuzhou, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Stock Market News London Market Today - LONDON MARKET OPEN: London in the red as investors weigh China tariffs 09-04-2025 00:59 Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk The European Union said it would focus on building artificial-intelligence data and computing infrastructure and making it easier for companies to comply with regulation in a bid to catch up with the U.S. and China in the AI race. The European Commission, the EUs executive arm, said it wanted to develop a network of so-called AI gigafactories to help companies train the most complex models. Those facilities will be equipped with roughly 100,000 of the latest AI chips, around four times more than the number installed in AI factories being set up right now. The announcement, part of the EUs AI Continent Action Plan, underscores efforts from the block to position itself as a key player in the AI race against the U.S. and China. The EU has been lagging behind since OpenAIs 2022 release of ChatGPT ushered in a spending bonanza. Earlier this year, Washington announced Stargate, an AI joint venture that aims to build data centers in the U.S. for OpenAI. OpenAI, SoftBank Group, Oracle and MGX are the initial equity funders in Stargate, while Arm, Microsoft and Nvidia are technology partners. The companies are committing $100 billion initially, but plan to invest up to $500 billion over the next four years. Beijing, for its part, has also made strides in the technology. Chinese company DeepSeek developed AI models that it said nearly matched American rivals despite using inferior chips, raising questions about the need to spend huge sums on advanced gear provided by Nvidia and other tech giants. The global race for AI is far from over," said Henna Virkkunen, EU executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy. This action plan outlines key areas where efforts need to intensify to make Europe a leading AI continent." The EU in February pledged to mobilize 200 billion euros ($219.17 billion) in AI investments. More than 20 investors earmarked 150 billion euros for AI-related opportunities in Europe over the next five years, while the bloc is setting up a new 20 billion-euro fund for up to five AI gigafactories. The EU plans to work with the private sector to roll out the infrastructure given the elevated costs, a senior EU official said, with member states and companies sharing the burden in a public-private partnership. The bloc posted a call for expressions of interest to attract investors. Meanwhile, EU lawmakers plan to put forward a Cloud and AI Development Act to stimulate private investment in infrastructure as the bloc seeks to at least triple its data-center capacity in the next five to seven years. EU officials also said the commission would set up an AI Act Service Desk, a point of contact to make it easier for companies to comply with the AI regulation in the bloc. EU lawmakers last year approved the worlds most comprehensive legislation yet on artificial intelligence. The rules ban certain uses of the technology, roll out new transparency guidelines and require risk assessments for AI systems that are deemed high-risk. News Corp, owner of Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal, has a content-licensing partnership with OpenAI. Write to Mauro Orru at mauro.orru@wsj.com The two companies are setting up a new entity to jointly operate a hotel franchise business, which includes a fresh loyalty programme and a third partnerTreebo Hotels. The new business aims to have a portfolio of 300 hotels under Accor's brands by 2030, which would be developed by Treebo under a master licence agreement. Both Rahul Bhatia, group managing director of InterGlobe Enterprises, and Sebastien Bazin, chairman and CEO of Accor, spoke to Mint about the reset. New structure aims to revive growth The new entity will integrate InterGlobe Hotels and the upcoming entity, creating a single structure to manage the growth of Accors budget and mid-market brands in India like Ibis and Mercure. It expects to have 30,000 rooms by 2030. In parallel, the companies are creating a joint loyalty programme where hotel customers can use their points for flight bookings and vice-versablending Accors travel ecosystem with InterGlobes aviation presence. Bazin said that the new partnership framework had emerged from a desire to inject audacity, mission and vision" into a relationship that had grown sluggish. We were missing audacity, mission and vision till last year. Rahul and I decided we wanted to do something more with this business. We have unshuffled ourselves and have the right skeleton now: IndiGo, Ibis and Treebo and are doing something larger with it," Bazin told Mint. Bhatia, who in June 2024 offloaded a 2% stake in InterGlobe Aviation for 3,360 crore to fuel his groups hospitality and emerging businesses, said that he would not be making additional investments in hotels for now. Miiro (our international hotel ownership company) is doing extremely well and we are satisfied. For the Accor partnership, we also have the capital to grow it to our ambition. We don't see any more investments in the short term," he said. InterGlobe is also rolling out about a dozen Miiro-branded hotels in Europe and other parts of the world. Bhatia did not rule out the possibility of Miiro becoming part of the global Accor system, saying, We have a fantastic relationship together. Will we have Miiro integrating into this larger relationship? Time will tell." Accor expands India footprint with new brands The French hotel group currently operates 71 hotels in India, including 30 in partnership with InterGlobe. Of these, 25 are Ibis hotels, with around 4,600 rooms. Accor also has 40 new hotels in its development pipeline. The entitys expansion aims to capitalise on a fragmented market and rising domestic and outbound travel demand. Also Read: Hyatt eyes emerging cities for its next 50 hotels in India In 2024, Bazin acknowledged that their joint venture InterGlobe Hotelsset up in 2004 to tap into Indias budget travel segmenthad fallen short of expectations. Together, both of us did not succeed," he had earlier told Mint. While Accor rapidly expanded Ibis in China, its India play lagged. India could support 500 such hotels," he said. InterGlobe Hotels Private Limited reported an operating revenue of 545.6 crore in FY24, up 20.7% year-on-year. It turned a profit of 2.9 crore, reversing a loss of 8.9 crore the year prior, but continues to carry a 737.5 crore accumulated loss from previous years, according to filings with the Registrar of Companies accessed via business intelligence platform, Tofler. Accor, meanwhile, is ramping up its India portfolio. The company this week launched a new 440-room Fairmont Hotel in Mumbai. In the same complex, it plans to open a Morgan Originals property with about 110 rooms. Bazin also confirmed that three or four new Accor brands, including Morgan Originals, Ennismore, the Handwritten Collection and MGallery, are expected to enter the Indian market soon. "We are going to add more brands. There will be an enormous display of Ennismore and the Handwritten Collection and MGallery Collection," he added. Mint reported this recently as well that more than half a dozen companies were bringing new hotel brands to India. Treebo, founded in 2015 by IIT Roorkee alumni Sidharth Gupta, Rahul Chaudhary and Kadam Jeet Jain, was originally called Zipotel. Its integration into the new entity being created by InterGlobe Hotels and Accor is expected to play a key role in Accors expansion into smaller cities and Indias unorganised hotel segment. In view of the growing incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer and diabetes, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd will invest 6,000 crore over five years to add 3,500 beds across key urban centres with a focus on high-burden specialties such as oncology, cardiology, neurosciences, and gastroenterology. Speaking to Mint, Sangita Reddy, joint managing director, Apollo Hospitals, said that the group is actively working to expand its presence through a strategic two-phase growth plan to bridge the country's critical hospital infrastructure gap. Apollo is focused on strengthening its centres of excellence in cardiac sciences, oncology, neurosciences, orthopedics and gastro sciences," she said. The expansion will add 3,512 beds through a combination of asset acquisitions, greenfield projects and brownfield developments." The first phase, to be completed by FY26, involves a 2,880 crore investment to introduce 1,737 beds in cities like Pune, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Gurgaon. The second phase, to roll out over the following 34 years, will add 1,775 beds in Chennai, Varanasi, Mumbai, and Lucknow, with an additional investment of 3,220 crore. While the primary focus remains on tier-1 metropolitan cities, Apollo also plans targeted expansion into tier-2 locations in India. Shares of Apollo Hospitals Enterprise ended 1.15% higher at 6,755.90 apiece on the BSE on Tuesday. Apollo flags health risks Apollo Hospitals latest report, Health of the Nation 2025, has highlighted a concerning trend a large number of individuals in India are living with chronic non-communicable diseases (also known as chronic diseases such as hypertension, obesity, heart and respiratory diseases, depression, and anxiety) without showing any symptoms. Among the 2.5 million individuals it screened, approximately 27% were found to have three or more of these five risk factors - high blood glucose, elevated blood pressure, high body mass index, low HDL (high-density lipoprotein or good cholesterol), and high LDL (low-density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol) levels, a strong indicator of elevated NCD risk. This is a significant finding and highlights the silent, clustering nature of chronic conditions in the Indian population. These findings highlight the growing burden of NCDs in India, which have emerged as the leading cause of death and disability. The World Health Organization estimates that NCDs account for nearly 74% of global deaths annually, while in India, they are responsible for 63% of total fatalities. The report also provided striking health data from Apollos nationwide screenings. Of the 257,199 asymptomatic individuals, 65% showed early signs of fatty liver disease, with 85% of those cases attributed to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Also, 26% had undiagnosed hypertension, while 23% were newly identified with diabetes. Around 285,000 students across six states and ten cities ranging from primary school to college were screened and the data revealed a steady rise in childhood obesity with 8% of primary students classified as overweight, increasing to 28% by college age. Alarmingly, 9% of high school students and 19% of college students were pre-hypertensive, while 2% of college students showed early signs of diabetes through elevated blood glucose levels. These numbers point to the urgent need for structured, school-based preventive health programs, lifestyle education and regular screening starting at a young age," Reddy said. Also Read: Centre to sign deal with Delhi govt to implement PMJAY on 5 April Apollo now plans to share these findings with government authorities to support the development and implementation of nationwide NCD screening programs. The aim is to improve early detection, prevention, and management of chronic diseases across India, she added. Chinese electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD has been making headlines for surpassing Teslaa long-time EV industry leaderin revenue and volume. While BYDs quick rise now faces challenges from tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, the companys effort to seek alternate markets in Southeast Asia and South America may insulate it from the uncertainties to some extent. With BYD reporting revenues of $107 billion in 2024, exceeding Tesla's $97.7 billion, it is expected to surpass Tesla in global market share in 2025 (15.7% versus 15.3%, according to this month's forecast by Counterpoint Research). BYD has already outsold Tesla in the past two quarters. In the first quarter of 2025, it sold 416,000 battery electric vehicles, up 39% from the same period last year, compared to Tesla's 336,681 vehicles, down 13%. In 2024, it exported 417,204 units, up 71.9%, with ambitions to double it to over 800,000 this year. Counterpoint attributed this growth to BYD's tech leadership and vertically integrated production model, all bolstered by strong domestic policy support". Its vertically integrated production model gives it a significant cost advantage. In 2023, UBS conducted a teardown of the BYD Seal sedan and found that about 75% of its parts were made in-house, compared to 35% in the case of Volkswagen. Even where it relied on third-party suppliers, it was primarily domestic. BYD cars cost about 30% less to assemble than comparable models from Western companies, UBS said. BYD has passed on the benefits to customers. Last month, Rest of the World reported that BYD's lowest cost option was cheaper than Tesla's in at least 10 markets where they compete. In China, Tesla's most affordable model is priced at $32,438, while BYD's is priced at $9,614 per unit. Also Read: Mint Quick Edit | BYD has leapt ahead on charging speed R&D Push BYD is capturing the market not just with lower prices, but also with features. The company initially started as a battery manufacturer in 1995. Battery technology has remained one of its core strengths. It is known for its Blade Battery, a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that promises improved safety and energy efficiency. Last month, it introduced a charging system that, it claims, can add 400 kilometres of range in just five minutes (against Tesla's Superchargers, which take 15 minutes to add 275 km). In February, BYD said it would make its "Eyes of God" driving-assistance software available in all models, including one priced under $10,000, at no extra cost for most models. (Tesla charges subscription fees for a similar system.) All these were driven by its research & development push. Its CEO Wang Chuanfu said the company had the largest R&D staff among automotive companies and filed 32 patent applications every working day. Wider Range BYD's R&D investments are one of the series of strategic calls taken by Chuanfu over the years, often in the face of investor scepticism. Its foray into automobile manufacturing followed the acquisition of a struggling state-run car company in 2003. Investors saw it as a diversion from its core battery manufacturing. However, by 2008, Warren Buffett's investment firm Berkshire Hathaway invested about $230 million in the company, which gave it global credibility and boosted investor interest. In 2008, it launched its first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), and two years later, its first fully battery-electric vehicle (BEV). It stopped producing ICE vehicles in 2022 to focus on EVs. Offering both PHEVs and BEVs helped BYD cater to a wider range of customers, including those reluctant to go fully electric. While BEVs have a bigger share in new sales, PHEVs showed stronger growth in China, with registrations growing 80% in 2024 (compared to BEVs' 17.3%). Beyond China While China remains the world's largest market for EVs, it is also becoming one of the most competitive, accelerating BYD's global ambitions. It could also expand its margins (currently lower than Tesla's) as it pushes its most premium offerings, Denza and Yangwang, in Europe. Its flagship store in London is in the vicinity of Rolls-Royce, Ferrari and Bentley. However, amid intensifying trade wars, it faces challenges. The US has imposed a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs and Europe 27%. It is seeking alternate markets in Southeast Asia and South America, along with manufacturing plants. It wants to be in India but has received a cold shoulder so far. In 2023, the government rejected its proposal to set up a $1 billion factory in partnership with Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructure. That stance has not changed. Even as it waits on India, BYD is going places elsewhere. www.howindialives.com is a database and search engine for public data Elon Musk, the richest person in the world and close aide of United States President Donald Trump, on April 8 claimed that alleged financers of the attacks against Tesla, will go to prison. In another post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), he also called it FAFO time. Elon Musk's auto company Tesla has faced the brunt of the pushback against the billionaire's involvement in the Donald Trump administration. Leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has cut thousands of federal jobs and defunded multiple federal funded programmes and departments in the US, has caused massive backlash against the Trump administration and Elon Musk personally. Thousands of Hands Off rallies have been organised across US cities, with protestors demanding that Donald Trump and Elon Musk be held accountable for likely overreach of power. Will Go To Prison Claims Elon Musk About Alleged Financers Those who financed the attacks against Tesla will go to prison, he wrote in response to a post on X, that speculated that US Attorney General Pam Bondi is investigating the attacks on Tesla showrooms and vehicles across the US. The post Elon Musk responded to used a screenshot of another post online which alleged: WOW! Reports say Pam Bondi may be launching an investigation into George and Alex Soros for allegedly financing attacks on Tesla property. (sic) Notably, the US far-right has for long launched anti-Semitic accusations against George Soros. An Hungarian-born American financier, philanthropist, and activist, George Soros is an influential supporter of liberal social causes. The Jewish billionaire's Open Society Foundation provides grants to groups and individuals that promote democracy, transparency and freedom of speech. FAFO Time Says Elon Musk Amid Protests Against Tesla Meanwhile, another X user cited sources in the US Department of Justice (DoJ) and US House GOP (Republican) Subcommittee on DOGE, to claim that the attacks on Tesla dealerships across the country are coordinated, armed, and funded. WHOS PAYING TO BURN TESLAS? DOJ & CONGRESS PROBING THE MONEY TRAIL. The Molotov attacks on Tesla dealerships werent just mindless ragethey were coordinated, armed, and funded, X user Mario Nawfal wrote. Now, the Department of Justice is digging deeper. Investigators are pursuing not just the arsonists, but also the shadowy networks that may have financed the crimes. The House DOGE Subcommittee has formally called on the DOJ and FBI to expose any NGOs, activist fronts, or political donors fueling anti-Tesla violence. This is no longer about protests. Its about domestic terrorismand whos bankrolling it, Nawfal added. He claimed that AG Bondi has warned that financiers will not escape justice, adding: The anti-Elon mob is being unmasked. And the funders are next. IHG Hotels & Resorts sees significant potential in expanding its luxury portfolio in India though not through its existing brand Six Senses, which will not see additional growth for now. Kenneth Macpherson, chief executive officer, Europe, Middle East, Asia, and Africa, said the group is instead exploring opportunities to bring three of its other high-end global brands Regent, Kimpton, and Vignette Collection into the country. Right now we are going to be looking at very exclusive growth for Six Senses. There are also opportunities to bring in three of our other luxury brands we havent brought here so far, like Regent, Kimpton and Vignette Collection, which also have huge potential," he said. Of the 27 Six Senses properties globally, two are in India. The UK-headquartered hospitality company, which runs brands like Intercontinental, has stepped up its expansion in India and is set to introduce a new hotel brand here before the end of the year, Macpherson said, speaking to Mint. Seven of the 20 brands it operates globally are currently in India. Intercontinental was first launched in India in the 1960s and still has a strong brand recall, according to him. IHG has signed nine new hotels in India so far this year, including one in Jim Corbett, which will mark the debut of its Crowne Plaza brand there. Other upcoming properties include a Holiday Inn in Puri, Odisha, and hotels on the Bengaluru-Mumbai-Goa Highway and Kasauli. Typically, hotels take between 3-5 years to build when developed as greenfield projects. New brands Among the new introductions is Garner Hotels, one of the companys most recently acquired global brands. IHG announced the brands India entry this week with two properties one each in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, and Kathua, Jammu & Kashmir. These are expected to open in 2026 and 2027 and will cater to affordable-stay travellers. The brand follows a franchise or third-party model, with Rosaoul Hotelco Pvt. Ltd (Rosastays) is managing both properties and helping scale the brand in India. Garner is a mid-market, primarily conversion-based brand. A conversion hotel brand is an existing hotel that changes its name to become a part of a bigger hotel chain. In 2024, IHGs global chief executive, Elie Maalouf, said the British hospitality company would ramp up its India presence, aiming to double the number of operating hotels in the next five years. The company signed 17 new deals in 2024 and currently has 47 hotels in India with around 70 more in the pipeline which could translate to roughly 9,200 additional rooms. Its existing hotels account for 8,000 rooms. This next phase of growth will span cities such as Mumbai, Amritsar, and Goa, with new signings spread across both mid-scale and upper-mid-scale segments. The full pipeline will be realised in the next 3-5 years. IHGs other global brands include Six Senses, voco Hotels, Holiday Inn Resort, and Holiday Inn Express. Macpherson said that The Holiday Inn brands generate the maximum revenue across its India portfolio. Select brands IHG is being selective in the brands it brings to the country, even as it continues to pursue growth. Last year, it signed a property in Hyderabad with the Brigade Group, focusing primarily on its mid-market brands. Maalouf noted that India still has a smaller branded hotel footprint than China, but it is on a promising trajectory. While it is not yet a top ten market for IHG, Macpherson added, India is among the top ten emerging" or high growth" markets for the company globally. IHG isnt the only hospitality major with ambitious plans for India. In recent weeks, other hotel companies have also announced record signings. Marriott International said it achieved a record year for signings, while Hyatt has scaled up operations significantly in the country. IHGs revenue per available room (RevPAR) in India in 2024 rose 8.6%, higher than the average 6.6% across its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. Macpherson said its nationwide occupancy stood at 70%, about two percentage points above the industry average. Also Read: Hyatt eyes emerging cities for its next 50 hotels in India India currently has around 200,000 branded hotel rooms, including those operated by IHG, and this number is expected to increase to 300,000 by 2030. A hospitality consultancy Hotelivate report published in October 2024 stated that around 16,000 new rooms were added to Indias total hotel inventory in FY24, with broad-based growth across metro cities and smaller, emerging markets. Key takeaways Vijay Mallya, the embattled Indian businessman, suffered a significant setback on Wednesday as he lost his appeal against a bankruptcy order issued by London's High Court. The order pertains to a substantial debt exceeding 1 billion ($1.28 billion) owed to lenders, including the State Bank of India. Judge Anthony Mann stated in a written ruling that "the bottom line... is that the bankruptcy order stands." Vijay Mallya's lawyers said in a statement that he would continue to seek to overturn the bankruptcy order. Background of the Legal Battle Vijay Mallya, who lives in Britain, has been embroiled in a protracted legal struggle with lenders and Indian authorities since the collapse of his defunct Kingfisher Airlines in 2012. In 2017, a group of banks obtained a judgment in India worth over 1 billion against Mallya, who had personally guaranteed the airline's debt. This ruling was later registered in Britain and led to a bankruptcy order being issued against him in 2021. Mallya Claims Banks Have Recovered Assets On Monday, Vijay Mallya asserted that Indian banks have secured access to his properties valued at 14,131.6 crore, which is more than double the amount he owed to public sector banks. The embattled businessman's claim was based on purported references in the Finance Ministry's annual report for 2024-25, which detailed the restoration of attached properties worth 14,131.8 crore to the banks. Indian Banks' Recovery Vijay Mallya highlighted that the banks have recovered over 14,000 crore, which is twice the amount awarded by the Debt Recovery Tribunal. He referenced the Finance Ministry's annual report, which noted that the complete amount of attached properties worth 14,131.6 crore had been successfully restored to public sector banks in his case. In a post on X, Vijay Mallya remarked, Finally, against a DRT judgment debt of 6,203 crore, admitted recovery of 14,131.8 crore, which will be evidence in my UK bankruptcy annulment application. Wonder what banks will say in an English Court. New Delhi: India is mapping a course to become a shipbuilding powerhouse, forging strategic joint ventures between its state-owned enterprises and maritime giants from South Korea and Japan. State-run enterprises are engaging companies including Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha of South Korea and Mitsui of Japan, two people aware of the plans said, in an ambitious bid to secure a larger share of the global demand and reduce India's reliance on overstretched Asian shipyards. State-owned Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) may join hands with Hyundai Heavy Industries for a new facility in Kochi, the people said on the condition of anonymity. Cochin Shipyard confirmed the talks, but did not identify the future partner. A Hyundai team had visited India early this year for a preliminary survey for investing in Indian shipbuilding. We are close to signing a deal with an overseas shipbuilder from Korea or Japan that would be making hulls for large ships," said Madhu S. Nair, chairman and managing director, Cochin Shipyard. "We already have a large 310 m dry dock that can also be used by the new joint venture for making ships of different sizes up to 300 m in length. A foreign partnership will help in bringing technology and scale required for making large ship hulls using tonnes of steel. The new facility should roll out ships in double-digits to meet both domestic and overseas demand," Nair added. New facility Land for the new facility will be provided by the government-owned Cochin Port Trust, close to Cochin Shipyard's existing facility in Kochi, one of the two people said. The new facility will build cargo ships, container vessels, tankers, dry bulk cargo ships and multi-purpose vessels. It would, however, not make very large crude carriers (VLCCs) due to infrastructural shortcomings, but may consider it later depending on market conditions. Also read | Why India wants to build its own shipping fleet Separately, Korean shipbuilder Hanwha is scouting for partnerships with both government and private entities in India, the second person said. The company may consider a shipbuilding facility planned near Gujarat's Kandla Port, a Union government-owned port with ample land and basic infrastructure for shipbuilding and repairs. Also, a team from Japanese ship maker Mitsui OSK Shipping is expected in India around June, the people said. Among the main tasks for the group would be to seek local partnerships. The first deal for a large shipbuilding facility may be reached in the next couple of months, with a few other deals expected before the end of the current year. Ship manufacturing in India will help the country become a major hub for ships after Korea, Japan and China," said the second person. Also read | BlackRock becomes a power player in global shippingwith help from Trump Queries sent to the ports ministry, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean and Mitsui remained unanswered. Mint had reported in September that India is looking for investments from Korea and Japan for its shipbuilding ambitions. Shipping boost India is not alone in trying to breathe life into its shipbuilding industry. In February, US President Donald Trump slapped fees of up to $1.5 million on Chinese-built ships entering the US, with charges of up to $1 million on both fleets that have ordered new Chinese ships and non-Chinese vessels in fleets with Chinese ships. The move aims to rebuild American shipyards. The global shipbuilding industry is currently dominated by massive shipyards in China, South Korea and Japan; however, these facilities are overbooked, with waiting periods running from three to five years. Investments and technology transfers from countries like South Korea and Japan are being sought by the Indian government," said Pushpank Kaushik, CEO of Jassper Shipping, a Hyderabad-based shipping and logistics company. "Support has been expressed by states like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and Odisha for setting up maritime clusters. A detailed briefing on advanced and eco-friendly shipbuilding was also received from South Korea. Large commercial shipbuilding in India remains limited, even though 28 shipyards exist. Most ship repairs are handled overseas. However, with foreign support and partnerships, domestic capabilities are expected to improve, and larger ships may be constructed," Kaushik added. Global hub India is trying to become a global hub for ships, and push up local ship ownership by scaling Indian-built and Indian-owned and flagged cargo ships. The countrys share in global shipbuilding remains below 1%. The governments projection is raise the share of Indian built ships in Indias fleet from 5% at present to 7% by 2030 and 69% by 2047 under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The plan is to set four mega shipbuilding parks, two each on the east and west coasts. Shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal has said that two shipbuilding parks would be made operational by 2030, eyeing a share of the $100 billion global shipbuilding market. Also read | How charging Chinese ships could ripple through the economy Cochin Shipyard's Nair said that while the investment details and the nature of equity partnership of its new venture are being worked out, such a facility would require investments in thousands of crores of rupees and create employment for over 2,000 people. A modern shipbuilding facility typically costs $5-6 billion for construction, port infrastructure and ancillary services. Since a dry dock facility is already available in Kochi, the new facility may require less. In July last year, Mint reported that to create a market for domestic shipbuilding, the shipping ministry has proposed a joint venture of the state-run Shipping Corp. of India (SCI) with public sector oil marketing companies to build VLCCs. This venture may also rope in a foreign technology partner. Shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal told Mint in September that the government has launched a mega ship-building mission to develop mega shipbuilding parks along both coasts, and ministerial teams had visited South Korea and Japan to seek their investment in parks, and at least three state governments have agreed to provide land. Maritime fund Earlier this year, the FY26 budget proposed a 25,000 crore Maritime Development Fund, a government-industry partnership to help develop manufacturing clusters with a focus on shipbuilding and breaking. The budget also proposed revamping the existing Shipbuilding Financial Assistance (SBF) policy to address cost disadvantages, while also providing credit notes for shipbreaking to help purchase indigenously-built ships. The budget also included large ships in the infrastructure harmonized master list (HML) allowing purchase of ships on easier terms while providing basic customs duty exemption on raw materials, components, consumables or parts for the manufacture of ships extended for another 10 years. Also read | For Cochin Shipyard, new capacity commissioning, orders to ensure smooth sailing Under the Maritime Vision 2030 and Vision 2047 plan, the government is targeting to make India one of the top 10 and among top five shipbuilding and shipowning countrys worldwide respectively. The shipbuilding initiative would also address a concern of the trade about the uncertainty and variability (escalation) of shipping cost impacting their market competitiveness. With better availability of domestic shipping lines at affordable prices, the freight rate volatility due to Black Swan events like the covid pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war and the Red Sea crisis could also be checked. India and several other countries plan to lower tariffs on the United States after Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs on April 2, US trade representative Jamieson Greer claimed. Speaking at the Senate Finance Committee, Greer defended the national emergency on trade and mentioned that India's average tariff is nearly 39 per cent whereas the tariff on agriculture goods by the United States was 5 per cent. Our average tariff on agricultural goods is 5 per cent, but Indias average tariff is 39 per cent. You understand the trend here. Our trade deficit, driven by these non-reciprocal conditions, is a manifestation of the loss of the nation's ability to manufacture, to grow, and to build. The President recognises the urgency of the moment, Greer said, in a YouTube video posted by AP. Along with India, he said many countries, including Argentina, Vietnam, and Israel, had shown interest in lowering tariff and non-tariff barriers as Trump imposed reciprocal tariffs on trading partners. He claimed that almost 50 countries are willing to discuss the latest tariff policy. 50 countries have approached, says Greer Companies have announced $4 trillion into investments in the United States. Nearly 50 countries have approached me personally to discuss the President's new policy and explore how to achieve reciprocity. And they've spoken with many members of the administration," Greer said. "Argentina, Vietnam, India, and Israel, have suggested that they will reduce their tariffs and non-tariff barriers in line with the President's policy, he added. The recent measures and proposals by nearly 50 countries, including India, came after Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs on trading partners on April 2. Trump proposed a minimum10 per cent duty on nearly all goods entering the United States and a comprehensive tariff policy for most countries to correct the trade imbalance. One-sided tariff responsible for trade deficit According to Greer, the steep rise in the US trade deficit and the decline of the manufacturing sector was due to one-sided tariffs, trade barriers, and economic policies adopted by foreign partners. He claimed that such practices by trading partners have severely impacted American workers. From 1994 onwards, the country lost five million manufacturing jobs and 90,000 factories. Yu Jing, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India, on Wednesday said trade relations between India and China are based on mutual benefits and complementarity, amid the ongoing trade war with the United States. China-India economic and trade relationship is based on complimentarity and mutual benefit, said Yu Jing in a social media post on X. Also Read | EAM Jaishankar says India-China relations moving in positive direction The embassy spokesperson also highlighted that the current US tariffs on the Asian nation deprive Global South countries of their right to development amid the US-China tariff war. Facing the US abuse of tariffs, which deprives countries, especially Global South countries, of their right to development, the two largest developing countries should stand together to overcome the difficulties, she said. Who will win the tariff war? A tariff war between two or more nations related to international trade has no winners, as people on both sides of the court have something to lose. Highlighting this aspect of a trade war, the spokesperson also pointed out that world nations should uphold the principles of extensive consultations and true multilateralism in an escalating trade war. Also Read | White House confirms 104% tariffs on Chinese imports to take effect from April 9 Trade and tariff wars have no winners. All countries should uphold the principles of extensive consultation, practice true multilateralism, jointly oppose all forms of unilateralism and protectionism., said Yu Jing in the post. China focuses on innovation China's economy is based on manufacturing, industrial systems, investments in research and development (R&D), and a strong focus on innovation, which helps the government to ensure steady growth in the nation. China's economy is underpinned by a system that ensures steady growth, and produces positive spillovers. Chinese manufacturing is built on a complete and continually upgrading industrial system, sustained investment in R&D, and a strong focus on innovation, she said. Yu Jing also stated that China contributes nearly 30 per cent to global growth every year, and the nation still seeks to continue its work, prioritising its efforts to safeguard the multilateral trade system with the international trade body, World Trade Organization (WTO). China is a firm defender of economic globalization and multilateralism, which has injected strong impetus into the world economy, contributing to around 30 per cent of global growth annually on average. We will continue to work with the rest of the world to safeguard the multilateral trade system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core, she said. US tariffs on China The White House officially announced on Tuesday, April 8, that it had, in total, imposed 104 per cent tariffs on China after the Asian nation retaliated to Trump's reciprocal tariff move with 34 per cent additional tariffs on Friday, April 4. Also Read | China slaps additional 34% tariffs on all US imports It was a mistake for China to retaliate. When America is punched, He punches back harder. That's why there will be 104 per cent tariffs going into effect on China tonight... If China reaches out to make a deal, he will be incredibly gracious, said Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary of the White House on April 8. On Sunday, April 6, Donald Trump threatened China with an extra 50 per cent tariff move if they did not comply with the directive to tune down the additional tariffs on Western nations. The US implemented the tariffs after China failed to comply with the directive. The European Union (EU) on Wednesday adopted its first measures in response to US President Donald Trump's tariff onslaught, targeting more than 20 billion euros of US goods, including soybeans, motorcycles, and beauty products. The levies of up to 25 per cent are retaliation for US duties on steel and aluminium imposed last month. Europe's response to Trump's latest tariff salvo has yet to be announced. "These countermeasures can be suspended at any time, should the US agree to a fair and balanced negotiated outcome," the European Commission said after EU member states greenlit the measures. Duties will start to be collected under the measures on April 15. "EU considers US tariffs unjustified and damaging, causing economic harm to both sides and the global economy," it added. Trump has also slapped a 25-per cent tariff on car imports from the EU and targeted the bloc with so-called reciprocal tariffs of 20 per cent that came into force Wednesday, as in dozens of other countries. According to news agency AFP, the response to the measures could be unveiled next week. Approved by 26 EU countries - with Hungary voting against - the list of targeted products is weighted towards states held majoritarily by Trump's Republicans. The goods include poultry, rice, corn, fruit and nuts, wood, motorcycles, plastics, textiles, paintings and electrical equipment. EU tariffs on US Bourbon had been on a preliminary list, but the EU removed it after pressure from major wine exporters France and Italy, fearing Trump would deliver on threats of a 200-per cent tariff on European drinks. EU's response to Trump's tariffs has sought to balance calibrated retaliation with a push for negotiations to avert an all-out trade war. Its first retaliatory move was approved as Washington and Beijing ratcheted up a tit-for-tat escalation of tariffs. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said countries that do not hit back would not face higher rates. According to news agency AFP, the measures approved on Wednesday consist of two parts. EU to levy tariffs in two parts First, the EU will let a set of levies dating from Trump's first term -- but currently suspended -- snap back into place and they will be collected from next Tuesday. The second step includes the new list of products to target with tariffs, most of which will take effect next month, with some in December. EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa emphasised Europe's push for negotiation after meeting with leaders from the American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union on Wednesday. The chamber's members include Amazon, Apple, Boeing, Ford and McDonald's. Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday assured exporters and industry bodies that the Indian government is working to explore solutions in the nation's best interest amid the escalating trade war between the United States and other nations over President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs. The commerce and industry minister assured the exporters that the government will work to provide a conducive environment to enable them to successfully navigate the recent changes in the global trade environment, according to an official announcement from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Goyal also highlighted that the team working with the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) is exploring options for the right balance for India and reiterated that the exporters should not panic in the current situation. The team working on BTA is exploring the right mix and the right balance and he (Piyush Goyal) exhorted the exporters to not panic and look at the silver lining in the present scenario. He assured that the team is working with speed but not in undue haste to ensure the right outcome for the country, said the ministry in the statement. Also Read | LIVE: Trump likely to announce Pharma tariffs What's India's tariff plan? During the meeting, Goyal focused on how different nations are approaching the Trump tariffs in their own way. As far as India is concerned, he said the nation has the potential for an increase in manufacturing and job creation growth, which is likely to draw in big players from the global supply chain. However, as far as India is concerned, there is a potential for an increase in manufacturing and the creation of additional jobs because it can attract big players in the global supply chain as India has been able to establish itself as a trusted and reliable partner and with a predictable business-friendly destination, he said. The minister also stated that the nation is in discussions with the US for a mutually beneficial multi-sectoral BTA with the United States. Indian exports achieve record Piyush Goyal complimented the Indian exporters in the meeting for achieving a record export level of more than $820 billion for the 2024-25 fiscal year, marking a 6 per cent year-on-year (YoY) growth from the previous financial year. According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry data, India's goods exports were at $395.63 billion as of February 2025, compared to its $395.38 billion levels in the same period a year ago. The data also showed that India's services exports until February in the 2024-25 fiscal year were at $354.90 billion, compared to $311.05 billion a year ago. New Delhi: India is considering tweaking some of the import quality rules that the US has flagged as major non-tariff barriers as New Delhi negotiates a trade deal with Washington to lower 26% reciprocal tariffs, according to two people familiar with the matter. The potential policy shift could involve a review of Indias Quality Control Orders (QCOs)a suite of regulations that require both domestic and foreign manufacturers to meet standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). These rules have become a flashpoint in trade talks, with the US arguing they unfairly restrict market access for American companies. Indian negotiators have, in return, sought relaxations from the US on stringent compliance norms for Indian goods to help facilitate a mutually beneficial trade deal, the people said on the condition of anonymity. The review of QCOs is part of the governments efforts to work on multiple fronts to ease trade frictions and arrive at a mutually beneficial deal," said one of the two people cited above. India seeks to negotiate a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the US as reciprocal tariffs are estimated to shave off exports worth nearly $6 billion. Gems and jewellery, marine products, electronics, and auto parts sectors are expected to bear the brunt of the impact. Also read | India's quality crusade: Government targets substandard products The change in the applicability of QCOs is being considered, which could include exempting certain products from mandatory certificationparticularly those intended for industrial use or not meant for consumer sale," said the second person cited earlier. It may also include easing compliance requirements for imports from trusted countries that already meet widely accepted international standards," this person said. Emails seeking comment from Indias ministries of commerce, external affairs, and consumer affairs went unanswered. Industry advises caution Under the current rules, products covered by QCOs cannot be sold in India without the Indian Standards Institution (ISI) marka mandatory certification attesting to the products quality as per BIS norms. The standards apply uniformly to Indian and foreign firms, but US trade representatives have argued that the requirements are overly complex and misaligned with global norms. Violations can draw severe penalties. Under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016, companies face fines starting at 2 lakh, potentially up to ten times the value of goods sold, and imprisonment of up to two years. A recent example is the QCO on polyethylenea plastic widely used in packaging and industrial goodswhich India introduced in January 2024. US officials have raised objections to the rule multiple times over the past three years, including at the World Trade Organization (WTO), arguing that the labelling requirements are cumbersome and incompatible with international standards. Also read | More goods to come under quality control orders in Make-in-India step Healthy imports are essential for a vibrant economy, and protectionist measures must be grounded in clear evidence of unfair trade practices," said Vinod Kumar, president at India SME Forum, a small business lobby. He cited the example of fasteners where the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) found no dumping from China, yet a QCO was enforced, leaving many micro, small and medium enterprises entangled in compliance burdens without justification. Such actions risk undermining industry confidence". He, however, advised caution while removing non-tariff barriers. We need a well-considered middle path that safeguards critical sectors and livelihoods, while also incentivizing and supporting MSMEs." Currently, 761 products fall under QCOs, with the government planning to expand the list to 1,500 by year-end. The move is part of a broader effort to curb substandard imports, especially from China, and to raise the quality of domestic manufacturing. But with trade talks with the US gaining momentum, people familiar with the process said some QCOs may be softened to reduce tensions. India also uses anti-dumping duties to curb the import of substandard goods, particularly from China, based on complaints from domestic industry. These duties are imposed only after a formal investigation by the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), which assesses whether the imports are causing material injury to local producers. Also read | India stays measured amid Trumps tariff war, pushes for US trade deal Non-tariff barriers such as QCOs, based on transparent procedures, play a critical role in ensuring that imported products meet safety and quality standards, said Ravi Saxena, co-founder and chief executive officer, Wonderchef, citing certifications like CE or RoHS in Europe, G-Mark in the Middle East, ETL in the US, and BIS in India. When misused to block imports from specific countries, QCOs can have a more damaging impact than tariffs, leading to deeper trade tensions and persistent dissatisfaction among nations." US flags Make in India Trade tensions have sharpened in recent weeks. In its 2025 National Trade Estimate (NTE) report released on 31 March, the US criticized several Indian trade practices, naming the Make in India initiative as a key non-tariff barrier. The report said the policyby reserving certain government procurement contracts for domestic suppliersdisadvantages foreign firms. India, for its part, maintains that the programme is vital for boosting local manufacturing and job creation. The United States Trade Representatives (USTR) report also reiterated concerns over Indias longstanding restrictions on dairy imports, which require that imported products come from animals not fed meat, blood, or internal organs. While the US has called the requirement overly restrictive, India considers it a non-negotiable safeguard grounded in cultural and health norms. The report was released on 31 March, just two days after a US delegation, led by assistant US trade representative Brendan Lynch, concluded a visit to New Delhi for in-person discussions on a proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement. Tariff setback Indias merchandise exports to the US have been on a steady upward trajectory in recent years, rising from $75.6 billion in FY22 to $78.3 billion in FY23. In FY24, exports dipped slightly to $77.5 billion, largely due to supply chain disruptions. Still, the long-term trend remains positive. Also read | Centre mulls maximising electronics earnings amid uncertainty over Apple exports The US, however, continues to run a sizeable trade deficit with India$35.3 billion in FY24. According to a report released Monday by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), Indias exports to the US could fall by $5.76 billion, or 6.4%, in calendar year 2025, following Washingtons reimposition of higher tariffs. The White House on Tuesday asserted that it was a mistake for China to retaliate against the United States after imposing 104 per cent tariffs on the second-largest economy in the world. It was a mistake for China to retaliate. When America is punched, He punches back harder. That's why there will be 104 per cent tariffs going into effect on China tonight... If China reaches out to make a deal, he will be incredibly gracious, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a press briefing on Tuesday. The announcement comes in response to 34 per cent retaliatory tariffs announced by China on US goods after President Trump proposed his reciprocal tariff policy on April 2. White House criticises China's trade policies Leavitt also called out China's trade policies, alleging the country worsened the economic issues of American workers. "President Trump made it very clear that the era of American economic surrender is over. President Trump is no longer going to allow American workers and companies to be ripped off at the hands of foolish trade practices that shift away millions of high-paying jobs and hollow out communities across the country," the White House Press Secretary said. "Countries like China, who have chosen to retaliate and try to double down on their mistreatment of American workers, are making a mistake. President Trump has a spine of steel, and he will not break, and America will not break under his leadership," she added. Trump is willing to pick up the phone and talk, says White House Leavitt also mentioned that Donald Trump did not consider either "extension or delay" of the tariffs. However, he "is willing to pick up the phone and talk." She claimed since the reciprocal tariff announcement on April 2, almost 70 countries have approached Trump to negotiate. Meanwhile, the US President has asked his trade team to tailor-made trade deals with each and every country that calls up this administration to strike a deal, Leavitt said. Why were tariffs imposed? The White House further explained the strategy for tariffs, stating that it aims to address non-monetary barriers that act as a hindrance to American trade along with monetary barriers. "The reciprocal tariff rates that were implemented by country were focused on the monetary tariff that those countries have imposed on the US but also the non-monetary tariff barriers," Leavitt said. On Sunday, Trump planned to impose an additional 50 per cent tariff on China after Beijing proposed to levy 34 per cent tariffs in response to Trump's announcement on April 2. China called these tariffs "groundless" and a unilateral bullying practice, ANI reported citing a spokesperson from China's Ministry of Commerce. On April 2, Trump announced his reciprocal tariff policy, a comprehensive tariff on trading partners and at least a 10% duty on nearly all goods entering the United States. The move was aimed at correcting trade imbalances and boosting American industries. President initially proposed to impose a 34 per cent reciprocal tariff on China. According to Leavitt, new tariffs aim to address unfair trade practices resulting in job losses and economic issues for American workers. India's central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), issued a new draft guideline for gold loans on Wednesday, April 9. The draft guideline has directed that lenders have uniform documentation for such instruments to safeguard the people who borrow gold. According to the official RBI announcement, lenders who deal with gold loans are directed to ensure a standardised procedure that will help determine the purity of gold collateral, its weight (gross as well as net), etc. The procedure needs to be adopted uniformly across all branches of the lenders. The details of all the procedures framed under the new draft guidelines will be visible on the lender's website for the ease of gold loan borrowers, according to a PTI report citing the central bank's announcement. Lenders shall ensure presence of the borrower(s) while assaying the collateral at the time of sanctioning the loan. The deductions relating to stone weight, fastenings, etc., as part of the assay procedure shall be explained to the borrower(s) and details incorporated in the certificate to be issued, said RBI in the press release. Loan agreement disclosures The RBI draft guidelines state that the loan agreement should cover the description of the gold collateral taken as security when issuing the loan and the total value of the gold collateral. The agreement should also have details of the auction procedure and the circumstances leading to the auction of gold collateral, along with the notice period, which should be allowed to the borrower for repayment/ settlement of the loan before the auction is conducted. The draft guidelines also specified that all the communication between the lender and the borrower of the gold loan should be in the local/regional language or the language preferred by the borrower, said RBI in its official statement. Also Read | Is MCX gold headed for further upside amid tariff pressures? In case the borrower does not know how to read the agreement document, the lenders are mandated to explain the important terms and conditions of the agreement in the presence of a witness for acknowledgement. Umesh Mohanan, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Indel Money, a company dealing in gold loans, told the news agency that RBI's key benchmark interest rate decision on Wednesday will lead to an overall improvement in the business sentiment and provide an uptick in the consumption with as rise in demand for gold loans. This comes at a time when gold prices are near their all-time high levels, said Mohanan told the news agency. The tariff war between the US and China appears to be escalating by the day, as both nations have imposed extensive duties on each others goods. In response to the US raising tariffs on Chinese imports to a staggering 104 per cent, Beijing retaliated by imposing an additional 84 per cent tariff on American goods. Washington hit back at the Xi Jinping government, labelling it the offender in the international trading system. China's move to impose 84 per cent retaliatory tariffs against the United States is unfortunate and a losing proposition for Beijing, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday. Also Read | Dow futures tank 2% as China slaps fresh tariffs on US imports I think it's unfortunate that the Chinese actually don't want to come and negotiate because they are the worst offenders in the international trading system, Bessent said in an interview with Fox Business Network. China has announced that it will impose a total tariff of 84 per cent on US goods, effective April 10. This represents an increase from the previous rate of 34 per cent and is a retaliatory measure against the US tariffs on Chinese imports, which have been raised to a minimum of 104 per cent. Also Read | China to impose 84% tariffs on US goods from April 10 Countries are calling us up. Kissing my a** US President Donald Trump remains resolute in the trade war he initiated against at least 60 nations. Despite reports of internal discord with figures such as Elon Musk and Peter Navarrothe latter widely regarded as the architect of Trumps trade warthe President continues to adopt a bullish stance in his approach to global trade tensions. On Tuesday, the US President told a group of Republicans These countries are calling us up. Kissing my a**. They are dying to make a deal, CNN reported. Also Read | LIVE: Trump likely to announce Pharma tariffs Delegations from Japan and South Korea are en route to Washington. Italys prime minister will be in Washington next week. And Israels proactive approach to seeking out new US trade agreements could serve as a model for everyone, according to the White House. The World Trade Organization chief said Wednesday the US-China tariff war could reduce trade in goods between the two economic giants by 80 percent, pulling down the rest of the world economy. President Donald Trump raised tariffs on China to 125 percent on Wednesday as the world's two largest economies fought over retaliatory levies. "The escalating trade tensions between the United States and China pose a significant risk of a sharp contraction in bilateral trade. Our preliminary projections suggest that merchandise trade between these two economies could decrease by as much as 80 percent," WTO director general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said in a statement. She warned that the conflict could "severely damage the global economic outlook". Also Read | LIVE: Trump likely to announce Pharma tariffs Even as he slapped further tariffs on China, Trump paused higher tariffs on the rest of the world for 90 days after dozens of countries reached out for negotiations. Okonjo-Iweala warned that the world economy risked breaking into two blocs, one centred around the United States and the other China. "Of particular concern is the potential fragmentation of global trade along geopolitical lines. A division of the global economy into two blocs could lead to a long-term reduction in global real GDP by nearly seven percent," she said. She urged all WTO members "to address this challenge through cooperation and dialogue". Hours earlier, Trump ramped up duties on Chinese goods to 104 percent, only to hike them further when China retaliated by raising tariffs on US imports to 84 percent. In a social media post announcing the moves, Trump said China had been singled out for special treatment because of "the lack of respect that China has shown to the World's Markets". An update on actor, deputy CM of Andhra Pradesh Pawan Kalyans younger son, Mark Shankar Pavanovich has been issued on Wednesday. Mark sustained burns on his hands and legs following a school fire in Singapore on Tuesday. Pawan rushed to Singapore where Mark is currently admitted and receiving treatment. Health update on Pawan Kalyan's son As per his team, Mark has been moved out of the emergency ward. However, he will remain under observation for the next few days, According to a report of Hindustan Times, the official press note read: "Mark Shankar, the younger son of Deputy Chief Minister Shri Pawan Kalyan, is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Singapore. Shri Pawan Kalyan went to Singapore from Hyderabad last night and went directly to the hospital. He saw Mark, who was receiving treatment in the emergency ward for burns on his hands and legs and smoke inhalation in the lungs. Pawan Kalyan reached Singapore Chiranjeevi joined Pawan Kalyan as both reached Singapore after the fire incident. Reportedly, Pawan has met the doctors treating Mark. He informed his team that Mark will undergo further tests as a part of his treatment to avoid future health issues due to smoke inhalation. He was brought to the room from the emergency ward on Wednesday morning, according to Indian time. The hospital doctors have informed that he would have to undergo further tests and stay under their supervision for at least three more days, the team was further quoted. Fire incident in Singapore At least four adults and 15 children were rushed to the hospital in Singapore after a fire broke out at a "shophouse" in Singapore's River Valley Road on Tuesday morning, as per the country's state-owned CNA, which cited the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). Among those hospitalised was Mark Kalyan, the younger son of Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan. He is 7. Reacting to the fire incident, Pawan Kalyan told reporters in India before flying out, "I will be leaving for Singapore tonight. My son is going through a bronchoscopy under general anaesthesia today. I don't know what the long-term impact of it is. Singapore High Commissioner in India also conveyed their concern and said that whatever support is needed, it will be done. He's around seven years old. I would be leaving (for Singapore) by a 9:30 pm flight." Saif Ali Khan stabbing case: After nearly three months of the incident, Mumbai's Bandra police have filed a 1000-page chargesheet and submitted numerous pieces of evidence against the accused to the court, including three parts of knife which were discovered from the spot where the crime took place. "This chargesheet includes several pieces of evidence found by the police against the arrested accused, Shariful Islam. This chargesheet is more than 1000 pages long. The report of the forensic lab has also been mentioned in this chargesheet, which states that the knife pieces found at the crime scene, from Saif Ali Khan's body and from the accused, are three pieces of the same knife, " ANI quoted the police as saying. They added the fingerprint report of the accused's left hand, which the police discovered, during the probe, has also been included. According to investigators, he had entered India from Bangladesh and had been put in numerous locations in Kolkata before finally making his way to Mumbai. What happened to Saif Ali Khan on January 16? Khan allegedly entered Mr Khan's home on the 12th floor of a Bandra high-rise in the early hours in an attempt to robbery. When the actor, 54, confronted him, the intruder allegedly stabbed the actor six times prior to escaping. Khan was brutally injured, suffering damage to his thoracic spine and other body parts. He was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he was treated for five days prior to being discharged on January 21. According to reports, the police arrested Islam on January 19 in Thane, and after a thorough probe, confirmed that facial recognition tests from the CCTV footage, including forensic analysis of physical evidence, connected him to the crime. False cases against accused Islam's father Anim had stated his son fled Bangladesh due to "false cases" filed against him under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government, claiming Islam was not safe and asked refuge in India, with a purpose to find work. "For 16 years, the Hasina government was in power. There were false cases, even for mobile theft, against him. The political atmosphere was bad, and my son felt he could not live in the country," NDTV had quoted Anim as saying. THEY SAID it was divine intervention. TikTok was resurrected on January 19th, just hours after the short-video app shut down in America. Users gushed that their prayers had been answered. God said let TikTok rise up! one exclaimed. In fact, Donald Trump issued an executive order on his first day back in office, granting an extension before the Chinese-owned app would be divested or shut down due to American concerns over national security. Sacred sentiments are not out of place on TikTok, where religious content is booming among the apps 1.9bn global users (none of whom are in China, where it is not available). Videos with the top five holy hashtags, including #Jesus and #Islam, have been viewed more than 1.2trn times. FaithTok, as some call the platforms congregation, is eclectic. Videos show Catholics sprinkling holy water, Mormons annotating scripture and Muslims reciting the Koran. Nuns provide glimpses of convent life; imams proffer guidance; and congregants try to launch their own congregations. TikTok offers a cacophony of liturgy, which sometimes baffles as much as it enlightens. But it is worth more attention, because the app is changing faith and culture in notable ways. This is not the first time technology has influenced religion, of course. The printing press was famously disruptive, disseminating new teachings and spurring on the Protestant Reformation in 1517. Television helped evangelism flourish in America in the 20th century, though it was also linked to lower church attendance. After the internet boom in the 1990s, people in the West started shedding their formal religious affiliations. Since then the share of Americans who say they have no religion has almost tripled, to 28%, surpassing every other denomination (though most still say they believe in a higher power). Online there are so many religious truth claims floating around that it undercuts your certainty, explains Paul McClure, a sociologist at the University of Lynchburg in Virginia. As people spend more time on the internet, they are less likely to pray, attend services or belong to a religious tradition. That does not mean social media have been all bad for religion: online platforms have sometimes helped build religious communities through forums and chat rooms, including during covid. And inundated with multiple belief systems, pushed through algorithms, research has found that young adults on social media have become more accepting of different religions. TikTok is the loudest pulpit yet. The app is social media on steroids, according to Nathan Mladin of Theos, a Christian think-tank. Its supercharged algorithms reduce complex ideas to 30-second clips and erode the habits and virtues of traditional faith journeys faster than ever before, he says. TikTok is changing faith in three ways. First, conversions are occurring differently, especially among young people, who are not always attracted to established religious figures. Instead, they gravitate to FaithTokers, who sometimes peddle products that are in line with scripture, such as halal snacks and sportswear emblazoned with Bible verses. Their videos offer new rituals (holy girl habits), slogans (God is so cool!) and counsel in verse (When in doubt, worship it out). Influencers who tout the Jesus glow have seen great success on a platform where personal beauty advice flourishes. Gen Z, TikToks biggest flock of users, is more likely than any other generation to think faith has a place in the modern world, according to a study by Theos. Young proselytes are often attracted not to established churches but to online ministries. Short-form content wasa gift from God, says Taylan Michael Seaman, a Louisianan influencer who runs a digital ministry and helps other Christians form their own. (Kingdom University, his training programme for would-be ministers, costs $8,000.) Mr Seaman claims to have started a viral revival, training a thousand preachers and inspiring some 750,000 salvations, or conversions. A second way TikTok is changing faith is by making it less formal. Gen Z does not want smoke and mirrors, argues Gabe Poirot, an influencer who claims to have converted some 40,000 people to Christianity. Young people prefer unedited clips to polished productions. Some are leaving church pews, he thinks, to develop a more intimate relationship with Jesus online. Pared-back sermons and the parasocial relationships many netizens forge with online influencers offer some semblance of closeness to God. TikToks casual style also means that anyone with a phone and internet connection can start preaching, says Denis Bekkering, an expert on online evangelism. Influencers are lauded for their charisma rather than their credentials; those with large followings have little training. On top of that, creators are incentivised to provoke or pander to their audience for views. That leads to clickbait titles such as Are YOU going to HEAVEN or HELL? and inflammatory interpretations of scripture. This points to one of TikToks biggest effects on faith: it is sowing division. As ever more voices proclaim authority, peoples belief systems have splintered. Much as worshippers abandoned the Catholic church during the Reformation, today they are leaving traditional institutions to follow new religions. The vitality of unorthodox beliefs undermines dominant authorities. Influencers ministries are often non-denominational, espousing views separate from any established sect. On the outer fringes of FaithTok people are defecting to new age spirituality. #Wicca (paganism) and #Witchcraft each have billions of views on the platform, as youngsters extol crystals, potions and spells. FaithTok is awash in religious disinformation, from AI-generated hate speeches to deepfakes of prominent religious leaders. Spiritually minded conspiracy theories (dubbed conspirituality) spread rapidly on TikTok and beyond. For example, QAnon conspiracies are prevalent, infused with religious imagery and positioned as spiritual quests. Faith is a mobilising force, because believers think they are being summoned for a higher purpose, says Joan Donovan, a disinformation scholar at Boston University. Some may find it ironic that religious content is flourishing on an app with strong ties to the Chinese Communist Party, which officially promotes state atheism and has persecuted religious and ethnic minorities, including mostly Muslim Uyghurs. But those who have closely studied TikTok are not really surprised. Divisive content, including about politics, tends to be amplified on the platform, in order to sow social instability, some believe. Religious disinformation can be as divisive as the political sort, Ms Donovan says. Online, many of the lambs of God turn into lions. Screenshot of a video shot from Ukrainian drones showed them trekking in the winter cold across barren fields in large groups with no support from artillery or armored vehicles. They proved easy targets for Ukrainian explosive drones and artillery. The soldiers would press forward even as their neighbors were cut down. At first, it seemed like a typical Russian assault. Glide bombs smashed into the dugouts of Ukrainians from the 225th Separate Assault Regiment, then waves of enemy infantry advanced in small groups supported by artillery fire. The infantry kept coming in such numbers through fields and forests that the Ukrainians were soon overwhelmed and pulled back across a river. But something was different in this February attack in the village of Sverdlikovo in Russias Kursk province. As they took new defensive positions on the opposite bank, the Ukrainians tapped into their opponents radio channels and heard a language they couldnt understand. Their adversaries were speaking Korean. The decisive battles in the Kursk region, from which Ukraines army has now largely retreated, show how North Korean forces adapted their once outdated tactics for Europes biggest war since World War II with lightning speed. Their first forays on the battlefield in December were in large groups without support from artillery, drones or armored vehicles, making them easy targets for Ukrainian defenders. By February, their large numbers, physical endurance and willingness to advance under fire were combined with improved tactical awareness, such as moving in small groups, as well as support from the full Russian arsenal of weapons, from glide bombs to artillery and explosive drones. They became more integrated with Russian forces, and when the North Koreans finished their assaults, Russians would typically take over their positions. They kept advancing, advancing, advancing forward," said Capt. Oleh Shyriaiev, commander of the 225th Regiment, which has been operating in Kursk since Ukraines move into the Russian territory in August last year. We had a company stationed there, while they were attacking in battalions." While the West has learned from the Ukraine war, including how to strategically use modern equipment such as drones, the fighting is providing the North Koreans with unmatched battlefield experience. Those skills can now be taken home and spread throughout the countrys massive army. That unnerves North Koreas own foes in Seoul and Tokyoalready contending with Pyongyangs growing nuclear threat. Troops from South Korea and Japan, the U.S.s top Asian allies, havent seen such large-scale action in decades, and the Trump administration has signaled a deeper focus on deterring China. In recent months, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called on his military to gain real combat experience during visits to military schools. Though Kim hasnt acknowledged the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia, he called on his military to learn capabilities suitable for modern warfare as wars become commonplace around the world. South Korean officials said they detected signs that North Korean troops were learning drone operations and tactics from Moscow. They pay with blood," said Shyriaiev, the Ukrainian commander. But this experience will not go to waste." World War II scenes Pyongyang was already furnishing its Russian ally with rockets, ballistic missiles and massive shipments of artillery shells when Ukrainian and South Korean intelligence agencies reported in October that thousands of North Korean soldiers were training at bases across Russia. The soldiers, from elite units of North Koreas 1.2 million-strong army, were pictured in satellite photos and videos verified by The Wall Street Journal that showed troops lined up neatly on a training ground and freshly dug training trenches, a throwback feature of the war. There are millions of them here," says a man in one of the videos, in Russian, as he films North Korean soldiers walking through a training camp in Sergeevka, a small village 140 miles from North Korea in Russias far east. The Russian soldier sounds amazed but scornful about their arrival, calling the new recruits a horde." The handful of videos show North Korean troops jogging across a training camp or receiving equipment and documents, all of them wearing brand-new Russian uniforms. In December, the roughly 12,000 troops were sent to the Kursk province, where Russian forces were struggling to eject Ukrainian troops who had crashed across the border in August, embarrassing the Kremlin by seizing and holding dozens of towns and villages. Seouls military said North Korea dispatched an additional 3,000 troops this year. At first, they were kept off the front lines, digging trenches and offering logistical support. But after thousands of Russian troops, many from elite units, were quickly chewed up in wasteful assaults, the North Koreans were deployed to the battlefield. The soldiers quickly distinguished themselves with an ideological fervor and physical endurance far superior to their tactical awareness. Videos shot from Ukrainian drones showed them trekking in the winter cold across barren fields in large groups with no support from artillery or armored vehicles. They proved easy targets for Ukrainian explosive drones and artillery. The soldiers would press forward even as their neighbors were cut down. Soldiers from the 8th Regiment of Ukraines Special Operations Forces recounted an early battle with North Korean troops in mid-December. The nine-person team, tasked with helping defend positions and obtaining proof of the presence of North Korean troops, joined a skirmish alongside other Ukrainian soldiers that was so intense it lighted up the night sky like a laser show," said a soldier with the call sign Bulat who took part in the battle. The North Koreans were about 300 yards away from the Ukrainian positions, with a valley separating them. After the sun came up, they began attacking. It was impossible to count them, there were too many of them," said Volodymyr, one of the men who fought them. The North Koreans would push forward even as their compatriots were wounded or killed alongside them. Upon being attacked they would pull back slightly, regroup and press on again. They attempted to encircle the Ukrainians and the gunfire never stopped, sometimes giving the impression that 15 people were shooting at once. It was like scenes from World War II, they were just running," Bulat said. They charged ahead and shouted in Korean, there was a lot of shouting in Korean." The Ukrainians realized the Koreans werent using radios, and all the commands were given by shouts, which helped Ukrainians identify where they were. After four hours of battle, one North Korean soldier got within about 20 yards of the Ukrainians, who shot him and took him prisoner. Four more hours later, the Ukrainian team had to withdraw after running low on ammo attempting to repel a powerful push from the North Koreans that followed the capture of the prisoner. The North Korean later died of wounds sustained during evacuation, when the Russian side had unleashed a sea of fire" on the special forces soldiers attempting to get away. Twenty-one North Koreans were killed and 40 wounded in the battle, according to a count by the Special Operations Forces. All nine of the Ukrainian special-forces team made it out. The prisoner wore a new uniform and boots that were unmuddied by the landscape, indicating he was likely sent into battle immediately after arriving at the front, the Ukrainians said. While the North Koreans tactics werent sophisticated, the sheer number of soldiers charging at the Ukrainians was unsparing. After about three weeks in Kursk, the North Koreans had about 3,000 dead and wounded men, said Ukrainian and U.S. officials at the time. The North Koreans now have sustained around 5,000 casualties, with a third of those killed in action, according to one Western official. Scurvy, racial slurs Facing the new enemy on the battlefield, the Ukrainians took measures to find out more about them. When they encountered a dead North Korean, special forces operators would clip hair and take cheek swabs to carry out tests, in part to prove the soldiers were North Korean. They would gather documents to be sent to South Koreans for translation. Tests showed that many of the North Koreans had scurvy, an illness caused by the lack of vitamin C. Some of them had stuffed cheap sausages into their grenade pouches, a special forces operator said. But even as the North Koreans made inexperienced moves on the battlefield, Ukrainians had difficulty taking them prisoner, because many chose death over capture. Decades ago, North Korean special forces were trained to save one bullet in their sidearm for themselves and pull the trigger after shouting Long live leader Kim Il Sung!" if they were captured. Now the tactic has changed to detonating a grenade, said Michael Madden, a nonresident fellow at the Stimson Center, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. In December, one North Korean soldier in Kursk, surrounded by Ukrainian special forces, detonated a grenade after shouting, General Kim Jong Un!" Two prisoners Ukrainians managed to capture alive had to be coaxed out of taking their own lives. The two men claimed they didnt know why they were going to war. I thought the South Koreans were among the Ukrainians," said Ri, a 26-year-old North Korean prisoner held in Ukraine, in an interview. Ukraine said North Korean troops faced scorn from Russian troops. Their intercepts of Russian communications show troops dismissing their Korean partners and using racial slurs, underscoring the uneasy alliance at the heart of Moscows attempts to oust Ukraine from Kursk. In one intercepted radio communication, a Russian warns a fellow soldier to be careful in a village because their allies" are wandering around unsure of who is enemy or ally. I wanted to talk to them, but they all ran off somewhere," the Russian soldier said on the recording, shared with the Journal by a Ukrainian military-intelligence official. The soldier was asked which allies. The ones that like eating dogs for breakfast," he said. Fighting drones But the North Koreans were quickly adapting, according to military analysts, soldiers who fought them and documents taken off the troops by the Ukrainians. One of the quickest adaptations came against the drones that litter the sky across the front lines. When first deployed, the North Koreans simply stared at the drones, not comprehending that they posed a threat. But, very quickly, they learned tactics to avoid or destroy them, videos posted by Ukrainian officials and documents analyzed by the Human Rights Foundations Korea desk show, such as using one man as bait while others shoot at the drone. At least one North Korean soldier, possibly an officer, was found dead with a drone detectorwhich Russians use to detect drones and take evasive action. It is unlikely Kims troops knew how to use the technology when they were deployed to the battlefield in mid-December. To avoid losses from Ukrainian drone attacks, the North Koreans learned to flank the enemy with one side engaging with the attacks while the other struck from the rear, the documents showed, and to break up into smaller groups to avoid being mowed down by the Ukrainians. They encountered modern warfare, and theyre learning from it," said Kot, a special forces soldier who has fought against North Koreans. The documents taken from North Korean troops show careful reports of battlefield movements and a detailed accounting of the equipment used. Yesterday, a soldier from 3rd company 3rd platoon mistook an animal for a person and fired accidentally," said a note dated Dec. 5 reviewed by the Journal. Conduct soldier education to prevent accidental shootings, thoroughly investigate, and ensure proper duty performance." The documents showed the North Koreans were struggling to integrate with Russian troops, noting they needed Russian intelligence on Ukraines drone launch sites or artillery positions to pre-emptively strike them and minimize casualties. Eventually, to help the North Korean infantry, the Russians used their own high-end drones, and dropped larger bombs on Ukrainian soldiers and on infrastructure and supply vehicles to cut them off. At the end of March in North Korea, Kim inspected a new early-warning aircraft and small suicide drones that state media claimed incorporated artificial-intelligence technology. Analysts said North Korea likely converted a Russian-made cargo aircraft, while Seouls military said Moscow may have helped with the internal system and parts. Kim called on officials to make unmanned equipment and AI a top priority in modernizing the military, state media said. Back in battle After taking massive losses early on, North Korean troops withdrew from the Kursk battlefield in early January. They returned about a month later, as Russia was accelerating its efforts to oust Ukrainians from its territory. The Kremlin had made a win in the region a priority to deny Ukraine a bargaining chip in peace negotiations, and deployed some of its best drone operators there. Since then, North Korean soldiers have been among the most valuable on the battlefield, as better integration with Russian forces and superior tactics combined with their endurance, Ukrainian soldiers and analysts said. North Korean commanders sit with the Russians and pass instructions down in Korean, said an official at Ukraines military-intelligence agency. On the ground level, North Koreans understand elementary words of Russian that they would have learned in training. In a war where drones have made the survival of infantry even more perilous, the North Koreans willingness to advance under fire is a crucial asset. Because of the sheer mass that rushed forward, they began to gain some ground," said Shyriaiev, the Ukrainian commander. The village his men were defending was along one of the vital logistics routes used by Ukrainians to supply their armed forces on Russian territory. The Russians had unloaded everything they had on the Ukrainians defending it. They used fiber-optic drones, which arent vulnerable to electronic signal jamming, a main defense against the aerial craft. Their aviation dropped glide bombsthe big, cheap and hard-to-defend-against explosives usually reserved for targeting equipmenton positions where only two or three Ukrainians were defending. We couldnt even approach them to find human remains, to identify them and give them a proper farewell," Shyriaiev said. With bridges bombed to cut the Ukrainians off, the North Korean infantry moved against the Ukrainians under cover of artillery fire. Pressing forward through fields and a small wooded area, they used tactics adopted by the Russian infantry, moving in smaller groups of three to five people, said Shyriaiev. Similar scenes played out across Kursk in subsequent weeks, according to soldiers and analysts. The push that forced Shyriaievs troops back in the north of the Ukrainian-held territory was mirrored in the south, creating a pincer that allowed Russian drone pilots to strike vehicles used to supply Ukrainian forces. By mid-March, the largely cut-off Ukrainians had mostly retreated from the Kursk region and were defending a sliver of hilly territory on the Russian side of the border. Looking at the North Koreans unflinching advances under deadly fire made Shyriaiev realize a key advantage they hold over the Ukrainians: an apparent disregard for the value of human life, surpassing even that of the Russians. Why are the Koreans the ones storming? They are better prepared psychologically and they are better prepared physically," he said. In Kursk, they completed their mission." Write to Dasl Yoon at dasl.yoon@wsj.com and Alistair MacDonald at Alistair.Macdonald@wsj.com New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved three major infrastructure and farm-linked projects worth over 4,800 crore These include a six-lane Zirakpur bypass in Punjab-Haryana, rail track doubling in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, and modernization of command area irrigation systems under an expanded Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). A key approval was the construction of a 19.2- km access-controlled Zirakpur Bypass at a cost of 1,878.31 crore to ease traffic congestion in the Chandigarh-Mohali-Panchkula urban stretch. The project is aimed at decongesting this heavily built-up tri-junction and improving connectivity between Patiala, Delhi, Mohali Aerocity and Himachal Pradesh, said information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The bypass, to be built under the Hybrid Annuity Mode, will link NH-7 and NH-5 and is part of the broader ring road network planned under the PM Gati Shakti framework, the minister said. Also read | Centre weighs grand plan for critical mineral show The Cabinet also cleared the doubling of the TirupatiPakalaKatpadi single railway line, covering 104 km across Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, at a cost of 1,332 crore. Once completed, the project is expected to improve passenger and freight mobility, benefiting nearly 1.4 million people and 400 villages. It will also ease travel to religious and tourist hubs such as Tirumala, Sri Kalahasti, Kanipakam, and Chandragiri. As per the minister, the rail project will also enable movement of an additional 4 million tonnes of freight annually, cut oil consumption by 40 million litres, and reduce carbon emissions by 200 million kgequivalent to planting 10 million trees. In the agriculture sector, the Cabinet also approved the modernization of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM) as a sub-scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) for the 202526 period with an outlay of 1,600 crore. Read this | As India braces for hotter days, Railways to add more coal rakes to avert power crisis The scheme will fund pilot projects across various agro-climatic zones using challenge-mode funding to states, with the aim to eventually scale it into a national programme during the next Finance Commission cycle beginning April 2026. Focused on modernizing canal-based irrigation networks, the scheme will provide underground pressurized pipelines for irrigation up to one hectare from established sources, backed by efficient water management systems. The government also intends to transfer irrigation management to Water User Societies, which will be supported and linked to Farmer Producer Organisations and Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies for at least five years. The move is expected to boost water use efficiency, productivity and farmer incomes while drawing rural youth towards modern farming practices, the minister said. Indian tyre exporters who were bracing for tougher competition in international markets after the US unleashed higher tariffs on nearly 100 countries have another factor to contend with: the escalating trade war between the US and China. US President Donald Trumps administration on Wednesday increased its tariffs on Chinese imports into the country to 104%, in retaliation for China deciding to counter the US reciprocal tariffs with its own. China last year exported rubber tyres worth nearly $1 billion to the US, which is the largest importer of rubber tyres. While the US is a major market for Indian tyre makers, accounting for about one-fifth of their nearly $3 billion exports in 2023-24, Europe and Latin America are also key destinations. Industry experts believe Indian companies will face higher competition in these markets if China and other countries affected by Trumps tariffs decide to divert a share of their tyre exports from the US to other nations. With the imposition of US tariffs, the supply chain could witness disruptions along with price increase for consumers in the US," said Shefali Joshi, senior analyst, India Ratings and Research. The Indian companies might look for establishing manufacturing facilities in the US to cope up with the challenge." While CEAT Ltd and Apollo Tyres Ltd earned more than 10% of their revenue from exports in FY24, international sales accounted for nearly three-fourths of Balkrishna Industries Ltds topline. Indias largest tyre player, MRF Ltd, earned about 8% of its revenue from exports. The companies did not immediately reply to Mint's queries. With the US tariff imposition, the exports of other countries, particularly China, are likely to be diverted to other geographies like Latin America and Europe, which are key areas for Indian exports also. This is likely to increase competition for Indian players in these countries," Joshi added. Dashed hopes Anuj Sethi, senior director at Crisil Ratings, flagged another worrying factor for Indian tyre makers. The overall demand for auto sales in the US is also likely to witness a slowdown due to rising costs from tariffs imposed on automobiles as well as components, which will in turn impact the demand for the tyre players as well." On 26 March, Trump announced a 25% tariff on all cars and components fully made outside the US. Domestic automotive companies, including tyre makers, were spared additional levies on 2 April when the US announced 26% reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods. While Indias car exports to the US stood at just $8.9 million in FY24, the country shipped nearly a third of its overall auto parts exports of $21 billion to the US. CEATs share price has fallen by nearly 8% since the reciprocal tariffs were announced on 2 April, while Balakrishna Industries has seen a nearly 9% fall in its stock value. Apollo Tyres has lost more than 5% and MRF about 2%. The BSE Auto index has declined by 5% in the same period. CEAT, which recently acquired Canadian tyre brand Camsos off-highway tyre business for $225 million to expand its global footprint, had been bullish about the US market. The US will become a big market for us in the next 2 years time, with off-highway tyres leading the way, and now truck bus radials, and finally passenger car radials; it is not very high at present," Arnab Banerjee, CEATs managing director and chief executive, had said during the companys 16 January earnings call with analysts. Even before the current turmoil in global markets, Indias tyre industry had been attracting additional investments from international players. In November, Bridgestone India, a subsidiary of Japanese tyre maker Bridgestone Corp., announced an $85 million investment to expand its manufacturing capacity in Pune and Indore. The worlds largest tyre manufacturer earned about 44% of its revenue from the Americas in 2023, and about 2% from India. Our global teams are assessing the impact of the moves by the Trump administration," said Rajarshi Moitra, executive director sales and marketing at Bridgestone India. Long before the trade uncertainty, we had already termed India as a growth country and we will continue to invest here." Bridgestone expects Indias after-market tyre segment to grow at 6-8% over the next five years despite the uncertainty in the global markets. Oil prices plunged as much as seven per cent on Wednesday, April 9, hitting fresh four-year lows before recovering some ground after China announced additional tariffs on US goods in retaliation against US President Donald Trump's tariff policy. China said it will impose 84 per cent tariffs on some US goods starting Thursday, up from the previously announced 34 per cent. Crude oil has lost about one-fifth of its value since Trump announced higher tariffs on a range of US trading partners on April 2, the biggest five-day drop since March 2022. Brent crude index crashed below $60-barrel on Tuesday. Crude oil prices trend Brent futures were last down $2.47, or 3.9 per cent, to $60.35 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were down $2.35, or 3.9 per cent, at $57.23. Both contracts lost about seven per cent before paring losses. The two crude oil benchmarks have slumped by nearly 16 per cent since Donald Trump's April 2 announcement of tariffs on all US imports. Back home, crude oil futures last traded 2.41 per cent higher at 5,322 per barrel on the multi-commodity exchange (MCX). During Wednesday's session, MCX crude futures hit an all-time record low of 4,798. The MCX benchmark pared losses and hit an intraday high of 5,324 per barrel, up from a previous close of 5,197. MCX crude futures currently trade 18.4 per cent lower than their record high of 6,525 per barrel. What's dragging crude oil prices? -Trump's 104 per cent tariffs on China kicked in from 12:01 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, ratcheting up duties after Beijing failed to lift its initial retaliatory tariffs on US goods. Countermeasures over trade in Canada, a major US trading partner, took effect on Wednesday. -On Wednesday, European Union countries agreed to impose 25 per cent tariffs on a range of US imports in a first round of countermeasures. Brent and WTI have fallen for five sessions since Trump announced tariffs on most imports, prompting concerns over economic growth and fuel demand. -A decision last week by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies to raise output in May by 411,000 barrels per day, which analysts say will likely push the market into surplus, limiting oil's gains. -Goldman Sachs now forecasts that Brent and WTI could be at $62 and $58 a barrel respectively by December 2025 and $55 and $51 by December 2026. Morgan Stanley lowered price forecasts for Brent crude by $5 a barrel to $65 for the second quarter, $62.50 for the third quarter and $62.50 for the fourth. Crude oil at four-year low: How to place bullish bets on MCX crude? According to Gyan Ranjan Singh, Commodity Analyst, Choice Broking, Recently, the price of crude oil on the MCX fell to a four-year low, breaking through a significant long-term support level. The technical situation is now negative with a descending triangle breakdown and the price trading below all significant weekly moving averages," said Ranjan Singh. Although the oversold zone raises the prospect of a brief recovery, a rise in volume during the breakdown and an RSI reading close to 21 indicate a strong bearish sentiment. According to Singh, the next crucial level is at 4,666, and the 4,8704,800 area provides immediate support. For investors wishing to take bullish wagers, this oversold scenario presents an opportunity for a tactical comeback trade. A low-risk entry might be made in the 4,870-4,800 range, with a stop loss below 4,600 and upside targets of 5,380 and 5,535. "Swing traders can look for bullish reversal candlestick patterns and RSI divergence on the daily chart as confirmation before entering. Investors should maintain a cautious size position, respect critical support levels, and trail profits as crude tries resistance zones on the way up," said the analyst. According to Rahul Kalantri, VP of Commodities, Mehta Equities, the escalating trade war has fuelled global recession fears dragging equity markets and oil prices. With inflation risks and demand destruction looming large, oil remains under pressure, caught in the crossfire of a global trade war. We expect crude oil prices to remain volatile. Crude oil has support at $56.50-55.40 and resistance at $58.90-60.00. In INR, crude oil has support at 5,080-4,950 while resistance is at 5,360-5,450, said Kalantri. Indias longest sea bridgethe Atal Setu connecting Mumbai to Navi Mumbaiand the majestic Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya, inaugurated in January 2024, have one thing in common: both were built by engineering powerhouse Larsen & Toubro (L&T ). Despite decades of competition, L&T continues to dominate the high-value, critical EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) spacenot just in India, but across Middle Eastern markets as well. Its track record of executing complex, large-scale projects remains unparalleled. Recently, the company bagged a landmark ultra-mega order from Qatar EnergyL&Ts largest-ever contract, according to its management. Also read: Can L&T's order wins pave way for re-rating? Meanwhile, its hydrocarbon business order book has crossed the 1 trillion mark, reaffirming its global credibility in the sector. L&T's footprint extends far beyond infrastructure. Its financial services arm ranks among the largest in its peer group, and on the green energy front, L&T Electrolysers emerged as a winner in the first tranche of the governments PLI scheme. The company also launched a 1.4 MW pilot data centre in Panvel, further diversifying its presence in future-ready sectors. In semiconductors, too, L&T is stepping up. Its design division is fast becoming a key player in India's chipmaking ambitions. Missing the spotlight Despite being active in several key areaslike LNG, semiconductors, defence, and green energyL&T didnt benefit much from the strong stock market rally in 2024. Investors were worried about the companys ability to deliver on its massive order book and maintain profit margins. In contrast, many smaller, less-proven companies saw their stock prices soar, even with very high valuations. The start of FY25 wasnt great either. With the government spending less during the election period, new domestic orders were slow to come in. Still, L&Ts strong presence across industries and steady performance could help the company regain investor confidenceespecially if it shows it can handle big projects efficiently and market focus shifts back to solid, reliable businesses. In the second half of FY25, concerns grew over weak order inflows from the Middle East, largely due to falling crude oil prices. Despite these headwinds, L&T has stuck to its operating margin guidance for the year. However, theres a catchlarge order wins, while impressive, can sometimes be margin-dilutive. This makes it important for the company to strike the right balance between high-margin gas/LNG contracts and lower-margin renewable energy projects. Also read: L&Ts orders soothe, but margin worries remain Timely execution remains critical. As of December 2024, L&T had a massive order backlog of 5.6 trillion. While execution challenges are common in sectors like defence due to complex supply chains, L&T has managed these well so far. At its sprawling 45-acre defence facility in Pune, assembly lines run at full tilt. Teams of engineers and technical experts build advanced systems for both naval and land defencesuch as the BrahMos and Pinaka missile launchers. These homegrown systems are Indias answer to Americas HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System). L&T's deep roots in defence go back to the 1980s. Over the decades, it has worked closely with the Indian government and armed forces to design and produce a wide range of equipmentfrom armoured vehicles and artillery guns to radars, communication systems, and naval ships. The company also provides long-term maintenance and support for its defence products. It has invested heavily in R&D and developed over 100 defence products on its own or through partnerships with DRDO. This strong research focus and close collaboration with both Indian and international defence agencies have helped L&T build a leadership position in the private defence sector. Yet, L&T hasnt always received the spotlight like its public sector counterparts. Delayed government payments and rigid procurement systems slowed down its earlier push into exports. Thats now changing. In 2022, Pinaka missile components were exported to Armenia, and two South American countries are currently exploring similar deals. Going forward, L&T looks set to make major strides across green energy, defence, semiconductors, and data centres. These efforts could help strengthen its subsidiaries and prepare the company to weather any market cycles. Still, investors may need to be patient. While L&T remains a fundamentally strong business, this forgotten bluechip" might take time to get the market valuation it truly deserves. Happy investing! Also read: Workforce crisis hits construction & infra firms like L&T, KEC, HCC Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. It is not a stock recommendation and should not be treated as such. This article is syndicated from Equitymaster.com In a letter written to artist Janine Mongillat, while he was courting her in Paris, Syed Haider Raza, one of Indias foremost modern masters, had promised her, I will bring my time." Raza had arrived in France on a scholarship to study at the Ecole des Beaux-Art in 1950, where he first met Mongillat, who later became his wife. These words, written in a stream of consciousness, have acquired immense significance in retrospect. Razaa colourist par excellence, who brought a certain spirituality to his workis one of the most celebrated artists, worldwide, today. Feted during his lifetime and beyond, he became the first non-European to be awarded the prestigious Prix de la Critique in 1955, which made him part of an exalted league, including Akira Kito and Jean Dubuffet. He was honoured thrice by the French government with awards such as the Commandeur LOrdre des Arts et des Lettres (2007), and with the Padma awards by the Indian government. His works continue to set records at auctions. Seven years after his death in 2016, Razas acrylic on canvas, Gestation (1989), was sold for 51.75 crore (inclusive of commissions) at Pundole Auction House, making it the most expensive Indian artwork at an auction sale at the time. And now, a new book, titled Celebration & Prayer (Speaking Tiger), authored by Ashok Vajpeyione of the artists closest friends and managing trustee of the Raza Foundationcomes with behind-the-scenes insights into the evolution of a young boy from a small village of Madhya Pradesh into a philosophical painter, who was deeply influenced by Gandhian values and metaphysical ideas. The book is not just a scholarly work, elucidating on the different ways of look ing at the artists practicerather Vajpeyi writes from his knowledge of Razas mind. Unlike the academic tomes written about the artist, this one is peppered with conversations, reminisces and observations. Vajpeyis key focus is the plurality of Razas vision. Also read: Lounge Loves: Dhiren Cabin, hyperlocal treats View Full Image 'Celebration & Prayer', by Ashok Vajpeyi, Speaking Tiger, 182 pages, 599 Born in 1922, when he moved to Damoh in Madhya Pradesh to attend high school, he encountered two cultural traditions in proximity: the Islamic and the Hindu. His father taught him to observe namaz and appreciate the poetry of Mir and Ghalib. He listened to the singing of Ramcharitmanas in the neighbourhood Hindu temple and enthusiastically watched episodes of Ramlila," Vajpeyi writes. Razas interest lay more in spirituality than religion. He engaged with the values enshrined in Islam, Hinduism, Jainism and other religions of the worldfor him, ideas of generosity, compassion, non-violence were far more important than rituals. Vajpeyi returns to Razas syncretic outlook repeatedly, and this reiteration becomes particularly important at a time scarred by aggression and intolerance. For instance, Vajpeyi writes that after Mongillats death, when Raza moved back to Delhi in a new home in 2011, he would visit a temple, a mosque and a church every week. Even though Raza lived in Paris for nearly six decades, he found his centre, represented by the iconic bindu in his practice, back home. He retained his Indian passport even while living overseas. He would return regularly to visit villages, cities and caves to draw on the colour and metaphysical ideas rooted in India. Raza carried the homeland within him. Vajpeyi writes about his painting, Maa (1980): It is, as if, the surrounding scapes of France were being replaced by an imaginary homeland that seemed more clearly located in the motherland." Also read: Always a newsmaker: The enigma of M.F. Husain Even though Razas works feature geometric forms in recurring themes of the bindu, purush-prakriti and the panchtattva, these are not dense or solid, but pulsating with energy. I have no apology for my repetition of the form of the bindu. With repetition, you can gain energy and intensityas is gained through the japmala, or the repetition of a word or a syllableuntil you achieve a state of elevated consciousness," Vajpeyi quotes Raza. It is this inner voice of the artista geography of the soul"that Vajpeyi evokes in Celebration & Prayer. The book also places Raza in the context of the Progressive Artists Group, which he co-founded, how many artists in the group with west ern training managed to create a distinctive language to respond to a newly-inde pendent Indiabe it through their engagement with fiction, cinema, theatre and other performing arts. Raza, for one, engaged strongly with poetry. One of the most interesting sec tions relates to his tryst with Hindi poetry, which brought Vajpeyi and Raza together in the 1970s, with the former regularly sending the artist books of con temporary Hindi poetry. Raza would keep a diary where he noted down ideas, thoughts, and lines he liked. In the last phase of his practice, he inscribed lines of poetry in Sanskrit, Hindi and Urdu in Devanagari script on his canvases. The other arresting chapter is Life, Art and Gandhian Light, which looks at the influence of M.K. Gandhi on the artist. After Partition, Raza chose to stay back in India even though his family and first wife migrated to Pakistan. Vajpeyi cites a conversation with Raza about this decision, where the artist confessed he thought he would be betraying the Mahatma if he left the nation." He believed in the ide als of truth and non-violence espoused by Gandhi. On his return to Delhi in 2011, Vajpeyi suggested that Raza do a set of paintings inspired by these ideas. One late afternoon in 2013, I found him doing a canvas in very subdued hues . The painting in question had Gandhis last words as he fell dead from the bullets of his assassin: Hey Ram. It has a signifi cant use of white, indicating both purity and hope but that also engulfs the can vas with a mist or cloud of sadness ," Vajpeyi writes. Raza was also a believer in Vinoba Bhaves idea of swadharma, that everyone must find their own dharma, or call of duty, and abide by it. For him, this dharma was art, and he followed it till his last breath. While dozens of countries are engaging in the art of the deal, seeking to win tariff relief from the Trump administration, the situation with China is murkier. A lack of back-channel negotiations makes it harder to see an off-ramp from the escalating tit-for-tat between Washington and Beijing. In a Truth Social post detailing a call with South Koreas acting president about a trade agreement, President Donald Trump said: China also wants to make a deal, badly, but they dont know how to get it started. We are waiting for their call. It will happen!" That waiting for their call" is what concerns China watchers. While the leadership there has wanted to make a deal for months, there have been no senior-level discussions between the two countries of late, according to people familiar with the situation. Chinese officials have little confidence in U.S. negotiations, and there is increasingly a wait-and-see approach, they say. The view in China is that the more pushback the administration gets from allies, companies, the market, and Republicans, the better positioned they will be whenever the two sides do talk. Before Trumps April 2 announcement of additional tariffs on China, Chinese officials had proposed a deal to control chemicals used to produce fentanyl that included steps beyond what the U.S. had requested. But one of the people familiar with the situation said they couldnt find anyone in the administration who would engage. A White House spokesman didnt immediately respond to request for comment. For those keeping tabs, the U.S. hit China with 34% tariffs last week, on top of the 20% it had imposed shortly after Trump took office. Those came on top of up to 25% tariffs on about $350 billion of Chinese imports already in place from his first term. Another 25% related to buying Venezuelan oil was also in the mix. China responded Friday, saying it would impose 34% tariffs on U.S. goods if the latest U.S. levy takes effect, bringing a threat from Trump to add an additional 50% tariff. On Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent doubled down, calling Chinas escalation a big mistake" and saying they had a losing hand." That type of escalation is worrying those watching the situation. Every time the administration takes another action, it makes the off-ramp more elusive, makes the balance that needs to be struck harder and further erodes trust," said one of the people familiar with the situation. Analysts estimated an effective tariff rate of more than 60% before Trumps threat to raise the number another 50%. Even tariffs of 60% to 65% would be prohibitively high for exports to the U.S. to continue, especially for the lower-margin basic and midtier goods that account for much of what the U.S. buys from China. Economists described further tariff increases as besides the point because trade winds down to zero after a certain point, meaning further increases arent that meaningful. Several have referred to higher levels as "funny money" or "looney tunes" because after 65%, they wouldnt move the needle. If I move tariff from 1000% to 1 million percent, it doesnt matter because we have already choked off trade," said Nathan Sheets, Citis global chief economist and a former Treasury official. Though the next couple of weeks will likely bring possible tariff respite or deals with various countries, China may not be in the first batch. Id be very surprised to see significant process on China in the next three to six months," said Sheets. Over a one- to three year period, we could see some of the China tariffs reduced but that feels more like a next year proposition. The situation is more complicated with deep-seated issues." Few expect a grand bargain between the U.S. and China, in part because geopolitical strategists say there is neither the confidence nor the patience to hash out an agreement. The one struck during the first Trump administration took roughly 18 months. More likely, if the two sides are able to get to talking, are a series of mini-deals to rebuild confidence. Possibilities include an agreement regarding fentanyl for a cut in some tariffs, Beijing signing on a sale of TikTok for further reductions, and possible purchases or investment deals to help the U.S. reindustrialize if trust is rebuilt. Those agreements might be similar to the Phase One trade deal the two sides reached in Trumps first term. That included commitments by China to purchase a range of agricultural products, though Beijing ended up not following through. For now, China is focusing on its own house to gird against what people there see as continued tensions. A spate of other China-oriented measures remain possibilities, including potential tariffs on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. The Trump team floated the possibility of a new so-called Section 301 investigation of China, allowing for still more tariffs, in a report the U.S. Trade Representative released last week on the trading relationship and what it called Chinas noncompliance with the Phase One trade deal. The view among geopolitical strategists in China and others that have been meeting with officials and companies there is that U.S. trade policy now appears to be about decoupling from China, and perhaps from the world. Chinese officials are willing to let the U.S. hang itself, working around Washington to pursue deepening relationships with Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and others. In the White House, theres a sense that U.S. companies maybe shouldnt be doing business in China," said Owen Tedford, analyst at Beacon Policy Advisors. Theres not necessarily going to be as much sympathy for those caught in this trade war crossfire. If Apple says their business in China is going to get crushed, I dont think the White House is going to care. They are going to say get out of China." The concern now is that friction could worsen if China retaliates further. Already, it has introduced anti-dumping probes. Analysts expect further retaliation to include targeting companies operating there with probes like one recently launched into medical device makers and an antimonopoly investigation into a subsidiary of Dupont. Those looking for signs of de-escalation may want to track any progress on back-channel communications and whether the White House gives China any credit for its fentanyl-related proposals. China watchers, though, are increasingly bracing for trouble. Weather today: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for heatwaves in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, where temperatures are expected to soar. Himachal, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra and several other states across India are on yellow alert today. There is no yellow alert for Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. Heatwave is likely to subside over northwest India from April 10, and over Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh from April 11, IMD said. The weather department, in its latest press release, said, Heat wave conditions very likely at some/many places over West Rajasthan on 09th April with severe heat wave conditions at isolated pockets. Predicting that mercury levels will soar, the IMD added, Heat wave conditions likely at isolated to some pockets over Saurashtra & Kutch, East Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana Chandigarh & Delhi on 09th April with severe heat wave conditions at isolated pockets over the region. Furthermore, heatwave conditions are likely in isolated pockets of West Uttar Pradesh and Vidarbha on April 9; and in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat until April 10. Warning for warm night conditions Heatwave likely to subside over northwest India from April 10th and over Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh from April 11. The Meteorological Department also warned of warm night conditions over isolated pockets in West Madhya Pradesh until April 10, and in Rajasthan, Marathawada and Madhya Maharashtra on April 9. Hot and humid weather conditions are likely over Goa and central Maharashtra on April 9. IMD's heatwave alert for Delhi According to IMD's press statement, Delhi will experience heatwave conditions today, April 9, and maximum temperature is expected to reach as high as 41 degrees Celsius. IMD Scientist Dr Naresh Kumar on Tuesday said, Delhi can see heatwave conditions in the next three days, ANI reported. At least thirteen people were killed after being struck by lightning in four districts of Bihar, PTI quoted an official statement as saying on Wednesday. According to the statement issued by the chief minister's office (CMO), as PTI quoted, Begusarai reported five deaths, Darbhanga four, Madhubani three and Samastipur one. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had expressed condolences over the deaths and announced an ex gratia of 4 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased, said the statement. CM Kumar also appealed to the people of the state to follow advisories issued by the Disaster Management Department. According to the latest Bihar Economic Survey (2024-25) report, tabled in the state assembly during the budget session in February this year, the state witnessed 275 lightning or thunderstorm-related deaths in 2023. Thunderstorms, gusty wind expected in Andhra for 5 days According to the India Meteorological Department weather forecast, thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty wind of up to 50 km per hour speed in parts of Andhra Pradesh for five days from April 9 to 13. IMD forecasted thunderstorms at isolated places in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh (NCAP), Yanam, South Coastal Andhra Pradesh (SCAP) and Rayalaseema. "A well-marked low-pressure area over west-central and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal persists over the same region at 8:30 am on Wednesday, with associated cyclonic circulation extending up to middle tropospheric levels," IMD said in a press release. The weather system is likely to move northwards and further recurve in the northnortheastwards direction to gradually weaken over the central Bay of Bengal in the next 24 hours, said the Met Department. Apart from this, IMD noted that maximum temperatures are likely to be above normal by 2 4 degrees Celsius across NCAP, Yanam and SCAP over the next three days. For Rayalaseema, the IMD forecasted a maximum temperature rise of up to 3 degrees Celsius during the same period. New Delhi:A Delhi court on Wednesday stayed till April 21, an order for further probe against Law Minister Kapil Mishra for his alleged role in the February 2020 riots. Special judge Kaveri Baweja stayed the order after Mishra moved court with a plea against the magisterial court verdict. Also Read | Delhi HC rejects stay on proceedings against BJP leader Kapil Mishra The court also issued notice to complainant Mohammad Ilyas, on whose plea the magistrate ordered the FIR, and asked him to respond by April 21. Additional chief judicial magistrate Vaibhav Chaurasia on April 1 "prima facie" found a cognisable offence against Mishra requiring further investigation. It is clear that Mishra was in the area at the time of alleged offence further probe required, the judge had said. Delhi Police had opposed Ilyas' plea saying Mishra had no role in the riots. Protests over citizenship law Violence broke out in northeast Delhi on February 24, 2020, following protests over the citizenship law, leaving 53 dead and several injured. The police had informed the magistrate that "a plan" was being "hatched to shift the blame on Mishra". Mishras role was already investigated in the larger conspiracy behind the riots, it added. "The chats of the DPSG (Delhi protest support group) show that the chakka jams were planned well in advance, as early as February 15 and 17, 2020. Police investigation had revealed that a plan was hatched to shift the blame on Mishra," it added. Amid the continuous debate over the 90-hour workweek, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday said that there is no substitute for hard work, and added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a very good example. Vaishnaw made the remark while speaking at a summit hosted by broadcaster News18. The Union minister was asked what his staff thinks about the idea of 90-hours a week. To which, the minister quickly responded saying that they should ask the staff. However, when asked about his take, Vaishnaw said, Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a very good example. He works very hard. When we have to take our country to a totally new level, there is no option, but toand it's a personal choice. Each one, each company, each organisation should make their choices. For me, there is no substitute to hard work, added the minister. The work-life balance debate reignited a few months ago after L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan's views drew criticism from his remarks. Before that, Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy had suggested a 70-hour workweek. In the viral video, Subrahmanyan suggested that employees should even give up Sundays, and asks, How long can you stare at your wife. I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy, because I work on Sundays. What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can the wives stare at their husbands? Come on, get to the office and start working," he added. Earlier in January, in an interview with PTI, following the row over L&T chief's remark, ITC Ltd Chairman Sanjiv Puri had said it is more important for the workers to be aligned to the grander vision of the company rather than the number of working hours. Earlier in December 2024, Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani had remarks, "biwi bhaag jayegi (wife will run away)" if one spent more than eight hours at home. Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP P Chidambaram has revealed that he is perfectly well after suffering from dehydration due to extreme heat, saying his tests are normal. Chidambaram fainted at Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, April 8, and was immediately rushed to Zydus Hospital. Because of extreme heat, I suffered dehydration. All tests are normal. I am perfectly well now. Thank you, all , he posted on X. As seen in the video, numerous Congress members were seen taking Chidambaram to an ambulance. According to ANI, Congress MP and P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram said, My father is fine and is being examined by doctors. Congress' convention in Ahmedabad The Indian National Congress chaired its convention, and senior leaders, including Chidambaram, came to the city. Rajya Sabha MP Sonia Gandhi and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi were among those who reached the city for the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting. According to reports, besides Sonia and Rahul, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge visited the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to provide floral tributes at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial in Shahibaug around 11:30 pm. The INC passed a resolution to mark Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 150th birth anniversary year and stated it is dedicated to emulating the resoluteness of the 'Iron Man of India' by battling the frenzy of religious polarisation. Over 1,700 Congress members will likely participate in the main conclave on April 9. Facts about P. Chidambaram Palaniappan Chidambaram is a lawyer who served as the Union Minister of Finance four times and was the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs from 2017 to 2018. Under Mallikarjun Kharge, the 79-year-old served as Interim Deputy Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha from 2022 to 2023. Delhi law Minister Kapil Mishra on Wednesday moved a petition against the April 1 order that directed further investigation into his connection with the 2020 North East Delhi riots matter. The application was moved before special judge Kaveri Baweja, who is likely to take up the matter. Delhi police have also filed a plea against the order for further investigation. Last week, a court in Delhi ordered an FIR to probe Kapil Mishra's alleged role in the 2020 riots in the national capital. Also Read | Court orders FIR against Kapil Mishra to probe role in 2020 Delhi riots Additional chief judicial magistrate Vaibhav Chaurasia found a "prime facie" cognisable offence, saying Mishra's presence at the place of the incident couldn't be ruled out, and the matter required a probe against him and others. "It is clear that Mishra was in the area at the time of alleged offence further probe required, the judge said. "Let the further investigation be initiated with respect to Mishra and his associates with respect to first incident (on February 23, 2020) only and cognisable offence has been disclosed by the complainant. Put up for the compliance of the order from DCP North-East on or before April 16, 2025," the order said. The court gave the order on an application filed by Yamuna Vihar resident Mohammad Ilyas, who sought the registration of the FIR. Delhi Police opposed the plea and said Mishra had no role in the riots. The court asked Delhi Police to file a "compliance report" in the matter by April 16. Violence broke out in northeast Delhi on February 24, 2020, following protests over the citizenship law, leaving 53 dead and several injured. 202 Delhi Riots: Court acquits five men citing lack of evidence On April 4, 2025, a Delhi court acquitted five men accused of murder during the 2020 riots. The court acquitted Kuldeep, Deepak Yadav, Deepak Thakur, Mohammed Furkan and Mohammed Irshad of all the charges. Also Read | Delhi HC judge Amit Sharma recuses from Delhi riots case One Salman was allegedly murdered by a mob; however, in the court's opinion, the investigating officer (IO) could not find the real culprit and the five persons were charged with the offence based on their presence in the mob. An IED blast took place ahead of the fence along the India-Pakistan international border in Punjab on the intervening night of April 8-9, in which a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan was injured. The incident took place near Dorangla village in Gurdaspur district and is a rare instance of IEDs being planted along this sensitive front on India's western side, said the statement. Following the incident, the BSF has issued an "alert" all along the 553 km of this front in Punjab and suspension of farming around the blast area. A BSF party was undertaking an "area domination" patrol ahead of the border security fence during the night and it detected multiple improvised explosive devices (IEDs) with concealed wires "well inside" the Indian territory, reported PTI quoting a statement from the force. While cordoning off and sanitising the area, the detonating device of some of the IEDs, which was concealed, accidentally got triggered, resulting in a serious leg injury to a BSF jawan, it said. This patrol party aimed to dominate the area and ensure the safety of troops, defence personnel, and local farmers who frequently traverse and ply on the route during the daytime. The remaining IEDs were defused after daybreak, the force said. Quoting sources, the report said that a constable rank jawan suffered injuries to his feet and one of his toes blew off due to the blast. Sensitive area: A senior BSF officer based in Punjab said that the Gurdaspur area has seen a few cross-border drone sorties that illegally bring in narcotics from Pakistan but an IED is certainly new. He added that officers from BSF's Punjab Frontier headquartered in Jalandhar have reached the spot and are undertaking a security review. "This is the first time that an IED attack has taken place in this area or anywhere along the Punjab border or for that matter across the entire 2,289 kms of this IB," the officer said. During the 1965 and 1971 wars and during Operation Parakram, landmines were planted by both India and Pakistani forces, when India mobilised its defence forces to the Pakistan front in the aftermath of the 2001 Parliament attack. These landmines were marked and neutralised but IEDs were never used, another BSF officer said. The BSF will "change" its strategy while patrolling this border which is done on foot and on horse backs, the senior BSF officer said. The force will lodge a complaint with the local police too, he said. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday, April 9, that India and China were moving towards a positive direction in their ties. However, the minister said work needs to be done to normalise the relationship. I think we are moving in a positive direction, Jaishankar said, speaking at the News 18 Rising Bharat Summit. India-China relations plunged to their lowest point since the 1962 war following the Galwan Valley clashes in 2020. Following a series of diplomatic and military talks, the two sides withdrew their troops from several friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. In October last, the two sides firmed up a disengagement pact for Depsang and Demchok, the last two friction points in eastern Ladakh. It's obviously better than the last time I was here. I think the disengagement, particularly the Depsang-Demchok, was important, the MEA said at the summit. The disengagement at Demchok and Depsang Plains in the Eastern Ladakh sector adhered to agreements between both sides and Indian troops pulled back equipment to rear locations in these areas beginning in October 2024. The significant development came days after both India and China reached a border pact, ending a four-year stalemate. The relations between the two countries soured after the deadly clashes between soldiers in June 2020, which left at least 20 Indian Army personnel and an unknown number of Chinese dead. Days after the agreement was finalised, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks in Kazan and took a number of decisions to improve the ties. Issues on the border remained Jaishankar suggested on Wednesday that issues on the border remained to some extent because of the force build up over a period of years. But there were many other things that also happened during this period; some of them were collaterals of the situation, and some were actually a carryover from the Covid era. For example, our direct flights stopped during Covid, they were not resumed, he said. The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra stopped during Covid. It did not again resume. I think there is work to be done. We are at it, he said, adding that both sides are looking into these issues. Last month, India and China explored ways to rebuild ties and agreed to initiate efforts to promote people-to-people exchanges, including arrangements for resumption of direct flights and resume Kailash Manasarovar Yatra this year. It's obviously better than the last time I was here. In December, NSA Ajit Doval travelled to Beijing and held talks with Foreign Minister Wang under the framework of Special Representatives (SR) dialogue on the boundary question. In January, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Beijing and held talks with his Chinese counterpart, Sun Weidong. India has cleared a mega deal for sale of 26 Rafale Marine fighter aircraft from France, ANI reported on April 9, citing sources in the government. The deal, worth over 63,000 crore, is expected to be signed soon, they added. The Indian Navy will get 22 of the 26 single-seater and four twin-seater aircraft as part of the deal, the sources told ANI. Also Read | How you benefit on home loans and personal loans from RBI rate cut Explained India's Largest-ever Fighter Jet Deal Cleared! The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on April 9 approved India's largest-ever fighter jet deal, for the purchase of 26 Rafale Marine combat aircraft. India clears deal to buy 26 Rafale fighters for Navy: Besides the 22 single-seater and four twin-seater Rafale Marine jets, the government-to-government deal also includes a comprehensive package for fleet maintenance, logistical support, personnel training, and indigenous manufacturing components under offset obligations, according to the report. It added that the Rafale aircraft are expected to boost the Indian Navy's aerial capabilities. While the existing MiG-29Ks will continue to operate from INS Vikramaditya, the added Rafale jets and plans for indigenous fifth-generation fighter jets uder development by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), will boost overall airpower, it added. The upcoming twin-engine deck-based fighter aircraft is likely to be the naval counterpart of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) being developed for the Indian Air Force (IAF) by the Aeronautical Development Agency. New Delhi: India and the United Kingdom are working to deepen bilateral ties, and 'continuing negotiations at pace' towards a Free Trade Agreement and Bilateral Investment Treaty creating new opportunities for across both economies, UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a joint statement on Wednesday. "Both sides agree that a strong and robust UK-India relationship enhances the resilience of both economies, including through trade, macroeconomic cooperation, supply chain resilience and collaboration on global challenges, both bilaterally and multilaterally," the statement said. "We will continue to work together to address global challenges and support the rules-based international system," it added. Also read | Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to visit the UK and US in April The statement comes during Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharamans six-day visit to the UK and Austria, where she co-chaired the 13th India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) in London alongside her counterpart, chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves on Wednesday. The visit comes at a time of heightened global trade uncertainty following the reciprocal tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump. India is seeking to strengthen partnerships and attract investment to navigate potential disruptions from shifting trade policies. To be sure, during 2023-24, merchandise exports to the UK stood at $12.98 billion in value terms, up 13.3% annually, while goods exports stood at $8.4 billion, down 6.10% yearly, according to the data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Resumed negotiations India and the UK have resumed negotiations for an FTA after an eight-month pause in February. Challenges include the UKs planned rollout of its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) from January 2026, which could create an uneven playing field in the proposed FTA with India, as well as issues around mobility for professionals. "The UK side was pleased to update on its forthcoming Industrial Strategy, where the partnership can support the Industrial Strategys priority growth-driving sectors, such as advanced manufacturing and life sciences, where UK expertise and research capability can complement Indias emerging role as a global manufacturing hub, as well as in clean energy, professional and business services, financial services, the creative industries, and defence to support jobs and economic growth," the statement said. "Both sides look forward to the signing of the India-UK Defence Industrial Roadmap to strengthen ties between industrial sectors and support supply chains," it added. Also read | Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to visit US between 16-28 October Both sides also lauded their G20 collaboration and pledged to jointly address global macroeconomic risks while advancing shared goals for inclusive and sustainable growth across multilateral platforms. "We agree on the importance of continued engagement at the Financial Stability Board (FSB) to bolster global financial stability, address systemic risks, and ensure a resilient, inclusive, and stable international financial system including through implementation of agreed international reforms and standards," the statement said. "We support the ongoing work on enhancing cross-border payments, addressing climate-related financial risks and enhancing the resilience of nonbank financial intermediation (NBFI) from a systemic perspective, including the work programme to address non-bank data availability, use, and quality, and the work addressing risks from NBFI leverage," it added. An FIR has been filed against Krafton India, the maker of the popular online game Battlegrounds Mobile India aka BGMI, for allegedly selling user data on Telegram, according to a report by Talkesport.com. The FIR by Maharashtra-based Santosh Torane alleges contract violations, data breaches, and unauthorised sharing of data by the company, the report added. Livemint could not independently verify the report. But Talkesport has published a copy of the original FIR in its report. Also Read | How you benefit on home loans and personal loans from RBI rate cut Explained What Does the FIR Against BGMI's Krafton Allege? According to the FIR registered by Akluj Police in Maharashtra's Solapur district in September last year, Torane alleged that he agreed to an online service agreement in August 2021, of which Krafton and four of its executives violated the confidentiality clauses. The complainant alleged that Krafton is monetising user data and selling it for 2,000 per subscriber through unauthorised means, the report said. The FIR has been filed under IPC Section 120-B criminal conspiracy, Section 420 cheating, and violations of IT Act Sections 72, 72A, and 85, it added. Complainant Moves Court, Hearing on April 15 The complainant approached the Judicial Magistrate First Class at Malshiras after the Akluj police and Superintendent of Police, Solapur, failed to respond to complaints filed in November 2023. The Court also directed the Akluj police to investigate the complaint under Section 156(3) of the Criminal Penal Code (CrPC) in August 2024. In response, Krafton approached the Bombay High Court seeking relief. A bench of Justices Sarang V Kotwal and Justice Dr Neela Gokhale has clubbed the petitions and set the hearing for April 15, 2025, as per the report. It added that all ad-interim orders have been extended until then. Kunal Kamra revealed that he was offered an opportunity for the upcoming Bigg Boss season; however, he has declined, preferring a mental hospital instead. He shared an Instagram story featuring WhatsApp conversation between him and allegedly a casting director. Interestingly, he added Radhe title track song from Salman Khan film. "I am handling the casting for this season of Bigg Boss and your name came up as someone they might find interesting. I know it might not have been on your radar, but honestly, it's such a mad platform to show your real vibe and win over a massive audience. What do you think? Should we talk about it?" the message from casting director stated. Kamra replied, I would much rather check into a mental hospital. Kunal Kamra shares a chat between him and allegedly a casting director Though, the comedian didn't mention whether he was offered Bigg Boss OTT or Bigg Boss 19. Also Read | Deeply sorry for inconvenience that attending my show has caused: Kunal Kamra to audience Kunal Kamra's recent row BookMyShow recently removed Kamra's shows from its platform amid his controversy with Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde over a joke. He either sought access to audience data or not delisting him. "We collaborate with different venues and promoters based on agreed terms. Artists are also free to sell tickets through their own websites if they choose," the statement from the ticketing platform read, stating "facts have been misrepresented". Kamra has received anticipatory bail from Madras High Court and skipped Mumbai Police's summons. The Bombay High Court has reportedly ordered the Mumbai police and Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel to respond to a petition filed by him. He has challenged the FIR filed against him for allegedly making a "traitor" remark about Shinde during one of his stand-up comedy performances. Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a pivotal figure in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, is set to arrive in India after a protracted extradition process from the United States. This development marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice for the victims of the devastating assault that claimed 166 lives, including six American nationals. On Indian Soil: What Legal Proceedings Await Tahawwur Rana? Upon his arrival, Tahawwur Rana is expected to be presented before a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court at Patiala House in Delhi. The NIA intends to seek custodial interrogation to confront him with substantial evidence, including emails, travel records, and testimonies gathered during the investigation. Rana may be detained in a high-security cell at Tihar Jail, where security measures have been reinforced in anticipation of his arrival. India had provided assurances to U.S. authorities regarding Rana's safety, legal rights, and prison conditions, which were crucial in securing his extradition. Also Read | Tahawwur Rana can now be extradited to India? US Supreme Court rejects his plea Tahawwur Rana's 26/11 Connection: From Visa Fraud to Terror Mapping According to the NIA's charge sheet filed in 2011, Tahawwur Rana played a critical role in planning the 26/11 attacks. He allegedly assisted David Coleman Headley, his childhood friend and co-conspirator, in obtaining a visa to India and establishing a front office in Mumbai for reconnaissance activities. Tahawwur Rana accompanied his wife on a tour of several Indian cities, during which Headley made numerous calls to him. Their collaboration extended to planning attacks on Chabad Houses and the National Defence College. Tahawwur Rana was also in contact with Major Iqbal, a suspected ISI officer and co-conspirator. Also Read | 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Tahawwur Rana to reach India today End of the Line for Tahawwur Rana: From FBI Arrest to Supreme Court Rejection Tahawwur Rana was arrested by the FBI in Chicago in 2009 for his involvement in a failed LeT plot in Copenhagen. Although acquitted of direct charges related to the 26/11 attacks by a US court, he was convicted for other terror-related offenses and sentenced to 14 years in prison. India pursued his extradition, filing a request and securing a Red Notice from Interpol. Tahawwur Rana resisted the process through multiple legal appeals, including two emergency stay applications to the US Supreme Court, both of which were denied. On April 7, the US Supreme Court formally rejected his final plea. 26/11 Mumbai Attack: Where Does the Investigation Go From Here? The NIA hopes that Rana's interrogation will yield crucial evidence about the network of conspirators, including LeT operatives Hafiz Saeed, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Sajid Mir, and HuJI leaders like Illyas Kashmirisome of whom are linked to Pakistan's ISI. The NIA special court has issued non-bailable warrants against absconding accused and submitted letters rogatory to Pakistan, though no response has been received thus far. The NIA had earlier consolidated trial records from a Mumbai court to streamline prosecution. Why Rana's Extradition Is a Major Step in 26/11 Accountability? Tahawwur Rana's arrival in India marks a significant breakthrough in the 26/11 case, which had seen only partial justice with the 2012 hanging of Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving gunman from the attacks. The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved two railway projects on April 9 to remove congestion. The Cabinet approved the construction of a six-lane access-controlled Zirakpur bypass with a length of 19.2 km in Punjab and Haryana on 'hybrid annuity mode'. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Construction of 6 lane Zirakpur Bypass starting from Junction with NH-7 (Zirakpur-Patiala) and ending at Junction with NH-5 (Zirakpur-Parwanoo) with a total length 19.2 km in State of Punjab and Haryana under NH(O) on Hybrid Annuity Mode with a significant step to facilitate integrated transport infrastructure development under the PM Gatishakti National Master Plan principle, a statement by PIB said. The total capital cost of the project is 1878.31 crore. The Zirakpur Bypass starts from the junction with NH-7 (Chandigarh-Bathinda) in Zirakpur and follows the Punjab Government Master Plan in Punjab and terminates at the junction with NH-5 (Zirakpur-Parwanoo) in Panchkula of Haryana, thus avoiding the highly urbanized and congested stretch of Zirakpur in Punjab and Panchkula in Haryana. The Significance The primary purpose of the project is to ease the congestion in Zirakpur, Panchkula and surrounding areas by diverting traffic from Patiala, Delhi, Mohali Aerocity and providing direct connectivity to Himachal Pradesh. The current proposal aims at reducing the travel time and ensuring hassle-free traffic movement in the congested urban section of NH-7, NH-5 and NH-152. The Union government has taken up decongestion of Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Mohali urban agglomerations with the development of a road network that would take the shape of a ring road. The Zirakpur bypass is an important component of this plan, the PIB statement said. Also Read | PM Modi likely to visit Saudi Arabia later this month The Cabinet also gave its nod for doubling of Tirupati-Pakala-Katpadi single railway line section of 104 km in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu with total cost of 1,332 crore, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters in the national capital. The primary purpose of the project is to ease the congestion in Zirakpur, Panchkula and surrounding areas. Sub-scheme of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana The Cabinet also approved the Modernization of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM) as a sub-scheme of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for the period 2025-2026 with an initial total outlay of 1600 crore, according to the PIB press statement. The scheme aims for modernisation of the irrigation water supply network to supply of irrigation water from existing canals or other sources in a designated cluster. It will make robust backend infrastructure for micro-irrigation by farmers from established source to the Farm gate upto 1 Ha with underground pressurized piped irrigation, it said. The projects will be made sustainable by Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT) to the Water User Society (WUS) for management of irrigation assets. The Water User Societies will be given handholding support for linking them with existing economic entities like Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS) and the Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) for five years. The youth will also be attracted to farming, to adopt the modern method of irrigation. The initial approval is for taking up pilot projects across various agroclimatic zones in the country by challenge funding to the states. Based on the learnings in design and structuring of these projects, National Plan for Command Area Development and Water Management will be launched starting from April 2026 for the 16th Finance Commission period. Mahavir Jayanti or Mahaveer Janma Kalyanak is a Jain festival celebrating the birth of Lord Mahavir. On account of this occasion, banks, the Indian stock market and several other institutions across the country will be closed tomorrow, April 10. Here's a look at what is open or closed on Thursday. Are banks open or closed tomorrow? Banks will be closed in states including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Telangana on April 10, according to the Reserve Bank of India calendar. Indian stock market In April, the stock market is scheduled to be closed for three days April 10 (Mahavir Jayanti), April 14 (Dr B R Ambedkar Jayanti), and April 18 (Good Friday). Hence, on April 10 both the stock exchanges BSE and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) will be shut. Schools Most schools across the country will be closed on Thursday, April 10, to observe Mahavir Jayanti. Also Read | Rest and reboot: The growing appeal of wellness holidays in India Government offices April 10 is a gazetted holiday as per the Indian Audit and Accounts Department. Therefore, all the government offices will be closed on this day. Businesses Most businesses are likely to remain open tomorrow, however, customers must check before visiting. Significance of Mahavir Jayanti Mahavir Jayanti is one of the most significant festivals for the Jain community. It celebrates the birth anniversary of the 24th and the last Tirthankara of Jainism. On this day, Jains around the globe carry out processions(rath yatra), visit temples, give offerings to the poor, meditate, and chant hymns to observe Lord Mahavir's birthday. Lord Mahavira was born to King Siddhartha and Queen Trishala in the ancient kingdom of Vaishali. According to Swetambar Jains. Lord Mahavir was born in 599 BC, while the Degambar Jains believe he was born in 615 BC. Lord Mahavira was born on the 13th day of the month of Chaitra, according to the Hindu calendar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to pay a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia this month, news agency PTI reported. The visit will explore ways to shore up cooperation in areas of trade, investment, energy and defence between the two nations, the report said. Modi is likely to travel to Saudi Arabia in the third week of April, on his first visit to the Gulf nation in about four years. Modi will be in Saudi Arabia shortly after a planned visit by US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz to India. In November last, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud visited India. The visit saw both sides discussing avenues to strengthen their strategic partnership, especially in the areas of trade, investment, energy, defence, security and culture. Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud visited India in September 2023. Deliberations on proposed IMEC expected During PM Modi's visit, the two sides are also expected to deliberate on the regional security scenario, and the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), the PTI report said, quoting people familiar with the matter. The overall ties between India and Saudi Arabia have increased in the last few years. The Gulf nation has a 2.6 million-strong Indian community, and it is considered a vital pillar of the relationship between the two countries. Prime Minister Modi's visit to Riyadh in April 2016 and in 2019 were seen as significant milestones in India-Saudi Arabia ties and played a crucial role in strengthening the ties between the two nations. Also Read | Saudi Foreign Minister in Washington to plan Donald Trumps visit In December 2020, General MM Naravane, who was then the Chief of Army Staff, made a historic visit to Saudi Arabia, marking the first-ever visit by the head of the 1.3 million-strong Indian Army to this key Gulf nation. Bilateral trade has grown steadily over the years. India is the second largest trade partner of Saudi Arabia while the Gulf nation is the fifth largest trading partner of New Delhi. USD 42.98 billion bilateral trade In 2023-24, bilateral trade stood at USD 42.98 billion, with Indian exports at USD 11.56 billion and imports at USD 31.42 billion. Indian investments in Saudi Arabia have also increased in recent years, reaching a cumulative figure of approximately USD 3 billion in August 2023. These investments span diverse sectors such as management and consultancy services, construction projects, telecommunications, IT, financial services, software development, and pharmaceuticals. Major Indian companies and corporate groups, including L&T, TATA Motors, Wipro, TCS, Shapoorji & Pallonji, Tech Mahindra, Vedanta and Essar, have established a strong presence in Saudi Arabia. Dubai Crown Prince in India Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai arrived in New Delhi on his first official visit to India on April 8. He was welcomed with a ceremonial guard of honour at Palam Airport, where he was received by Union Minister of State for Tourism and Petroleum and Natural Gas, Suresh Gopi, along with senior Indian leaders. The Prince also met PM Modi Former Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Dr Soumya Swaminathan, took to social media to publicly criticise Air India after she was denied a seat upgrade on her flight from Nairobi to Delhi. The 65-year-old, former chief scientist of the World Health Organization, expressed frustration over the airlines handling of the situation despite her being a frequent flyer and a member of the airlines Maharaja Club loyalty programme. Terrible experience with Air India, wrote Swaminathan on X. Despite being a loyal member, enough mileage & hours online & on phone dead end. She claimed that all her efforts to upgrade her seat led nowhere and that the airline offered illogical reasons for the denial. Why should the customer suffer your irrationality? she asked in her post. Also Read | After US, Argentina says it will withdraw from World Health Organization Air India responded to her complaint on the platform, asking her to share her Maharaja Club ID. The Maharaja Club is the airlines loyalty programme offering frequent flyers benefits such as seat upgrades, award tickets, and priority check-ins, both on Air India and its Star Alliance partners. Swaminathan's complaint resonated with several users online, many of whom shared their own grievances with the airline. One user blamed poor IT services, especially after the merger of Air India and Vistara, calling it chaotic and unacknowledged by the airline. Another user commented, Same statement saying DM with your problem. Nothing happens when you DM. Others echoed complaints about declining cleanliness and service, urging the airline to become more customer-focused. While Air India has made efforts to revamp its image and operations under the Tata Group, customer dissatisfaction over service inconsistencies, especially with regard to loyalty perks and basic amenities, remains a challenge. Prince Harry was seen in the UK for the first time in over six months. The Duke of Sussex arrived from California to attend a court hearing. The 40-year-old prince is appealing against the Home Offices decision to remove his taxpayer-funded security when he visits the UK. He says this lack of protection stops him from bringing his wife and children. During his short stay, Harry missed the wedding of his close friend, Lord Charles Vivian. Harry famously pictured with his friend in the band of brothers photo on his wedding night. Also Read | Meghan Markle opens up about her frightening medical ordeal after giving birth Harrys friend married Saweda Kamara, a US-based compliance director, at Chelsea Old Town Hall in London. The couple later celebrated with a reception at The Nomad Hotel in London. When Lord Vivian was asked about Harry's absence, he said he wasnt sure why Meghan Markle's husband didnt come. However, Harrys 58-year-old friend mentioned that the prince had a lot on. The absence raised eyebrows, especially since Harry had even served as an usher at Vivians first wedding. Among the guests this time was Mark Dyer, often called Harrys second father, who introduced the prince to Vivian. This is not the first time Harry has missed a friends wedding, he also skipped Jack Manns ceremony in 2023. Later, a source close to Prince Harry told the Daily Mail that the main reason for missing the wedding was due to a lack of security. It makes attending events or moving around the UK very challenging for Harry, the source said. Harry stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and now lives in the US. Charles and Camilla in Italy Meanwhile, King Charles and Queen Camilla began their third day of royal duties in Italy. Their special visit also marks their 20th wedding anniversary. Prince Harry's father got married to Camilla on April 9, 2005. The royal couple arrived in Rome earlier this week. They were warmly welcomed with a grand ceremony. A fly-past was hosted by Italian President Sergio Mattarella. They also visited the famous Colosseum on their first day. King Charles made history by becoming the first British monarch to speak before both houses of Italys parliament, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. United States President Donald Trump on April 8 said his second term as President of the country as the most successful 100 days in the country's history. Speaking at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) dinner, in Washington DC, Donald Trump said, Somebody said the most successful first month... now they said the most successful 100 days in the history of our country, and I believe that's right. We're going to continue that way. Calling Me, Kissing My A**, Dying to Make a Deal Further, Donald Trump also said that his government was making tailored deals with trading partners and would prioritise allies, according to an AFP report. He claimed: These countries are calling me, kissing my a**, they are dying to make a deal...(sic) Tariffs on Pharma Imports Coming Soon: Donald Trump At the event, Donald Trump also said that the US will soon announce a major tariff on pharmaceutical imports, as per mediareports. The sector was previously spared from the sweeping tariffs annnounced last week, which come into effect today, on April 9. We're gonna tariff our pharmaceuticals ... we're going to be announcing very shortly a major tariff on pharmaceuticals, Donald Trump told the gathering. Dropping broad hints about the plan, the US president said that the tariffs would induce drug companies to move their operations to the US, the report added. Donald Trump Accusses China of Manipulating Currency Donald Trump also accused China of manipulating its currency to offset the impact of US tariffs. You got to hand it to them. They're manipulating their currency today as an offset against the tariffs, Trump said at the NRCC. Donald Trump Woos Political Donors for Republicans Trump also sought to allay the fears of wealthy Republican donors, saying that his tariffs are a political win, Bloomberg reported. The assurance came after global markets roiled and US markets tanked in the aftermath of sweeping US tariffs announced on 180 countries last week. Were going to win the midterm elections, and were going to have a tremendous, thundering landslide. I really believe that, Donald Trump said at the NRCC. The event is a fundraising party for House Republicans. Donald Trumps attendance at the event came as Republican lawmakers and business leaders expressed worry over his tariffs and trade policy, which had led to markets crash, and predictions of imminent recession for the US and inflation for consumers, the report added. Elon Musk made personal appeals to US President Donald Trump over the weekend, urging him to reconsider the sweeping global tariffs announced last week, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday, citing two sources familiar with the matter. The attempt, however, was unsuccessful. The tariffs, which affect a broad range of US allies, triggered a global market rout on Monday, erasing trillions. Tensions between allies Musk's relationship with Trump marks a growing divergence between the president and one of his most influential backers. Musk donated nearly $290 million to support Trump and Republican candidates in the last election cycle and currently leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), envisaged to take steps aimed at pruning federal spending. Musk takes on Navarro Last Saturday, Musk targeted Trumps key trade adviser Peter Navarro, the architect behind the tariff plan, questioning both his competence and credibility. A PhD in Econ from Harvard is a bad thing, not a good thing, Musk posted on X. His criticism intensified on Tuesday morning after Navarro appeared on CNBC and dismissed Musk as a mere car assembler. Navarro is truly a moron, Musk replied online. Tesla is the most vertically integrated auto manufacturer in America with the highest percentage of US content, he said before calling Navarro dumber than a sack of bricks. White House: "Boys will Be boys" Asked about the escalating feud, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt played down the dispute. Look, these are obviously two individuals who have very different views on trade and on tariffs, Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday. Boys will be boys and we will let their public sparring continue. And you guys should all be very grateful that we have the most transparent administration in history. She also said the president welcomes input from all sides. Musk pushes for free trade between US-Europe In an interview with Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini over the weekend, Musk laid out his vision for global trade, diverging sharply from Trumps protectionist agenda. At the end of the day, I hope its agreed that both Europe and the United States should move ideally, in my view, to a zero-tariff situation, Musk said. I would like more freedom for people to move between countries in Europe and the United States and work in either, if they wish, he added. That has certainly been my advice to the president. Criticism of Trumps tariffs Trumps aggressive trade policy has drawn broad condemnationnot just from business leaders like Musk, but from economists, political opponents, and some within his own party. The Donald Trump administration has intensified efforts to implement its mass deportation agenda, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) adopting a business-oriented approach to streamline operations. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, speaking at the 2025 Border Security Expo in Phoenix, Arizona, outlined plans to revolutionize deportation processes using innovative methods inspired by private-sector efficiency. Deportation System "Like Amazon Prime" Todd Lyons proposed a system akin to Amazon's delivery model, suggesting the use of trucks to round up immigrants for deportation. He referred to this approach as "Amazon Prime, but with human beings," emphasizing the need to treat deportation processes like a business. Lyons also highlighted the potential use of artificial intelligence to optimize detention capacity and expedite deportations, stating that AI could "free up bed space" and fill up airplanes. Also Read | Cornell Student Activist Fighting Deportation Has Left US Expanded Use of Alien Enemies Act Speakers at the expo praised Trump's use of the Alien Enemies Act, a controversial 1798 law previously invoked during World War II. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem promised to expand its application for more efficient deportations. Lyons described the act as "amazing," while Trumps border czar Tom Homan defended its use despite judicial pushback. Homan expressed frustration over court challenges and reiterated that family detention remains "on the table" as a policy option. Also Read | Trump Admin urges top court to approve mass deportations of Venezuelan migrants Private Sector Collaboration The administration is increasingly relying on private companies to execute its deportation agenda. Avelo Airlines recently signed an agreement to operate federal deportation flights starting in May, despite public opposition and petitions urging the airline to withdraw. Homan advocated outsourcing non-enforcement tasks, stating, Let the badge and guns do the badge-and-gun stuff. Everything else, lets contract out. Also Read | Donald Trumps team refuses to reveal deportation flight info to judge Broader ICE Mandate and Public Impact Since Trumps second term began, ICE has broadened its mandate, prioritizing arrests of all undocumented immigrants regardless of their cooperation with authorities. This aggressive approach has led to widespread unease among immigrant communities and foreign visitors. Recent data indicates a sharp decline in flight bookings between Canada and the US, reflecting heightened apprehension over immigration enforcement. Also Read | Trump Loses Bid to Vacate Order Against Gang Deportations Students in the US from India and other nations studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are now at risk of having to leave the country after finishing their studies. This follows the introduction of a bill in Congress aimed at removing the Optional Practical Training (OPT) work authorisation, which currently permits them to stay in the US for up to three years post-graduation to find employment, as reported by the Economic Times. The recent development has caused panic among current F-1 and M-1 student visa holders, who are urgently applying for jobs that could help them transition to an H-1B work visa, primarily sponsored by major US and Indian tech companies, according to experts. The Open Doors 2024 report reveals that there were over 300,000 Indian students in the US during the 2023-24 academic year, with nearly a third of them eligible for OPT. Economic Times quoted, Poorvi Chothani of LawQuest, an immigration law firm headquartered in Florida, as saying, OPT allows students to find jobs in the US for one year after they graduate and may be extended for another two years provided you are a STEM graduate and are working with a qualified US employer. If the bill goes through, OPT could end abruptly without an option to transition to another work visa. Students may have to leave the US immediately. Currently, non-STEM graduates have to leave a year after completing, ET reported Chothani as saying. In the 2023-2024 academic year, international students at US colleges and universities contributed a record $43.8 billion to the country's economy and helped support 378,175 jobs, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators. ET reported earlier that Indian students in the US are canceling plans to return home during summer breaks due to concerns that re-entry could be challenging. Cornell, Columbia, and Yale have unofficially advised international students not to leave the country. While the US remains the top destination for Indian students studying abroad, tightening visa scrutiny under the Trump administration has led many to consider alternatives like Canada and Europe. 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Tahawwur Rana is to reach India on Wednesday, as reported by Republic. Earlier on April 7, the United States (US) Supreme Court rejected the plea of Tahawwur Rana -- accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks -- seeking a stay on his extradition to India. Rana is expected to remain in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for several weeks. The operation was led by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, in coordination with officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, as reported by TOI. Meanwhile, speaking on the rejection by the Supreme Court to the extradition stay request of Rana, Uttar Pradesh's former Director General of Police (DGP) Vikram Singh stated that the decision was 'significant' and followed high-level discussions between the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the United States President Donald Trump, ANI reported. This decision is significant and follows high-level discussions between Prime Minister Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump. Now, only a few formalities like paperwork and diplomatic procedures, remain before this return, Singh said speaking to ANI. He also stated that since Tahawwur Rana was linked with Lashkar-e-Taiba, his interrogation would make him a key figure in discovering deeper terror networks. The NIA is fully prepared, and once he is brought back, custodial interrogation will be conducted by multiple agencies, including the NIA, IB, Mumbai Police... Rana's links to Lashkar-e-Taiba and his association with David Coleman Headley - who remains in a U.S. jail - make him a key figure in uncovering deeper terror networks... Once in India, his interrogation will reveal crucial information about sleeper cells, support networks and possibly even names from the Mumbai film industry who assisted Headley during his recce... he further added. In a previous application, Rana contended that he would not survive long enough to stand trial in India due to multiple health issues. He pointed out his deteriorating condition, including a 3.5 cm abdominal aortic aneurysm at immediate risk of rupture, Parkinson's disease with cognitive decline, and a mass that could be indicative of bladder cancer. Rana also argued that sending him into a "hornet's nest" would expose him to targeted violence due to national, religious, and cultural animosities. Tahawwur Rana is a known associate of Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the November 26 attacks in Mumbai in 2008. A Pakistani-origin businessman, physician, and immigration entrepreneur, Rana has alleged connections with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Rana's alleged role in facilitating the attacks has remained a point of contention between India and the United States for years. In a heartbreaking story reported by The Times, a British mother has opened up about how a Netflix web series led to a life-changing confession from her 18-year-old son, Dominic (name changed). After watching Adolescence, a show that explores the impact of online misogyny on young boys, Dominic bravely told his mother about his hidden addiction to pornography, which began when he was just nine. The mother said she was shocked to hear that her quiet, well-behaved son had lived with this addiction for nearly a decade. Despite growing up in a loving home with a good education and strong family values, Dominic had become trapped in a world of harmful online content. Also Read | Porn star who quit banking job now earns THIS amount on Onlyfans The boy even followed controversial figures like Andrew Tate, an alleged rapist, and subscribed to his ideas. It turned out that in the midst of what I had thought was a happy, stable normal household, Tate was the only figure in my teen sons life who made sense. I had brought him up to respect women. What had gone wrong? the mother started questioning herself. The confession revealed how deeply Dominic was affected. He was not just influenced by what he watched but by how it shaped his view of women, relationships and himself. He struggled with shame, fear and self-hatred. Dom tells me all his peers have used porn to varying degrees. His best friend was 11 when he told my son in the playground that he had an addiction that had started to scare him. They tried to stop together but kept relapsing. They both resented how easy it was for them to access adult porn, the mother added. He avoided romantic relationships because he felt unworthy. He said he didnt know how to behave around women without being haunted by disturbing images. Also Read | Sudhir Mishra questions how Adolescence topped Netflix India charts The mother explained how his addiction remained hidden behind good grades, quiet behaviour and early bedtimes. She admits to feeling intense guilt for not recognising the signs earlier and for believing he was immune to such dangers. The problem is, Mum, adults cant solve the problem. Youre all technologically illiterate compared with primary-school kids, the son told his mother. Teenager is recovering The family is now taking steps toward healing. Dominic has handed over his phone at night and is using support tools to recover. Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi took a sarcastic jibe at PM Narendra Modi highlighting the missing hug with US President Donald Trump. The Congress MP rang alarm bells of an impending financial storm at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) meeting, stating Trump chose to impose new tariffs on India, instead of hugging PM Modi. Rahul Gandhi accused PM Modi of succumbing to pressure from US President Donald Trump on the imposition of tariffs. Also Read | LIVE: Trump likely to announce Pharma tariffs Recalling the Trump-Modi camaraderie during the US President's first term, Rahul Gandhi said, Yaad hain aapko galein lage the? Iss abr gaelin lagne wali photo dekhi aapne? Kahan gayab ho gayi?(Remember they had hugged last time? This time did you spot any such image? Where did it(The friendship between trump and Modi) vanish? "President Trump ne order diya, jinko Modiji apne pitr kehetein hain. Suno iss baar galein nahin lagenge, iss baar nayein tarriff lagenge", (President Trump, whom PM Modi considers his friend, ordered that we wont be hugging this time, we will e imposing new tariffs on India), Rahul Gandhi added. The Congress MP said that PM Modi did not utter a word on the news tariffs. Rahul Gandhi maintained that the Indian PM remains mum on the same. He alleged that PM Modi ne 2 din drama chalaya, so that Indians don't pay attention to the tariff wars. Also Read | At AICC session, Rahul Gandhi pushes for caste census in country Sachchai hain ki aarthik toofan aane wala hain, (There is truth in the fact that India is loooking at an impending financial storm), Rahul Gandhi warned at AICC meet. Crores of people will be impacted, Rahul Gandhi cautioned, adding Where is the PM hiding? On Waqf Bill Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the Waqf (Amendment) Act is anti-Constitution and an attack on the freedom of religion, as he warned that the BJP-RSS will soon go after the rights of other minorities such as Christians and Sikhs. Rahul Gandhi said the new Waqf Act is an attack on freedom of religion and is anti-Constitution. Citing an article in an RSS-linked magazine, Gandhi alleged that the BJP and RSS have set their sights now on the rights of Christians, and Sikhs would be next. On Bangladesh Referring to PM Modi's recent meeting with Bangladesh's Chief Advisor Mohammad Yunus, Gandhi said the Bangladeshi leader "gives adverse remarks and he is sitting with him". As of April 9, 2025, the escalating US-China trade war, fueled by steep tariffs and retaliatory measures, has sent shockwaves through global markets, with USA-listed companies bearing some of the heaviest blows. With President Donald Trump imposing a staggering 104% tariff on Chinese imports and China responding with an 84% levy on US goods, industries reliant on cross-border supply chains and exports are reeling. This article dives into the American companies hit hardest by the trade war, exploring the real-world impacts on their operations, stock prices, and long-term prospects. Apple ($AAPL): A Tech Titan Under Siege Apple, the worlds most valuable publicly traded company, is caught in the crosshairs of the trade war. With over 90% of its manufacturing based in China, the $AAPL stock plummeted 8.8% on a single day in early April, erasing over $300 billion in market capitalization. Analysts estimate that the 104% tariffs could saddle Apple with nearly $40 billion in additional costs annually, potentially slashing operating profits by a third if the company absorbs them. The iPhone, a flagship product, faces price hikes that could dampen consumer demand, while Chinas retaliatory tariffs threaten Apples significant market share in the worlds largest smartphone market. The stakes are high for $AAPL as it navigates this tariff-induced storm. Boeing ($BA): Flying Into Turbulence Boeing, a cornerstone of American aerospace, is another casualty of the trade wars escalation. Chinas 84% tariffs on US goods directly target aircraft, making $BAs planes far more expensive than competitors like Airbus and Chinas COMAC. Already strained by past safety scandals and delivery delays, Boeing now faces a potential freeze on its 45-81 plane deliveries scheduled for 2025-2027 to Chinas top airlines. The companys reliance on Chinaone of its largest export marketsmeans these tariffs could slash revenues and cede market share to rivals. $BAs stock has taken a hit, reflecting investor fears of a prolonged trade standoff. Caterpillar ($CAT): Digging a Deeper Hole Caterpillar, a titan in farm and construction equipment, is feeling the pinch from both sides of the tariff war. The $CAT stock is under pressure as Chinas 84% tariffs compound an earlier 10% levy, targeting a sector already battered by slumping agricultural exports. China, a key market for $CATs machinery, buys billions in US equipment annually, but these tariffs threaten to choke demand. On the import side, higher costs for steel and components from Chinavital to $CATs supply chaincould erode profit margins further. Analysts warn that prolonged trade tensions could force Caterpillar to rethink its global manufacturing footprint, a costly and uncertain pivot. Deere & Co. ($DE): Harvesting Losses The agricultural sector, a long-standing victim of trade wars, sees Deere & Co. at the forefront of the fallout. $DE, a leading maker of tractors and farm equipment, is hit hard by Chinas tariffs on US soybeans, pork, and other agricultural goodsproducts that drive demand for its machinery. With China historically snapping up over half of US soybean exports (valued at $15 billion), the 84% tariffs have redirected buyers to Brazil, leaving American farmersand by extension, $DEhigh and dry. The company has already cut production by 20% in response to earlier trade disruptions, and the latest tariffs could deepen those cuts, dragging $DEs stock and outlook into the red. Broader Implications for USA-Listed Firms Beyond these giants, the ripple effects are stark. Tech firms like Intel ($INTC) and NVIDIA ($NVDA), reliant on China for semiconductor sales, face export hurdles, while retailers like Walmart ($WMT) and Nike ($NKE) grapple with rising costs for imported goods. The S&P 500 has suffered its worst losses since the 1950s, with trillions wiped off market values since Trumps tariff announcement on April 2. American consumers, meanwhile, brace for higher prices on everything from smartphones to tractors, as companies weigh passing on costs or eating into profits. A Human Perspective on a Corporate Crisis Behind the stock tickers and balance sheets are real stakes: jobs, livelihoods, and economic stability. Farmers in the Midwest, already stung by lost export markets, see $DEs woes as a reflection of their own. Factory workers at $CAT plants worry about layoffs if orders dry up. Even $AAPLs retail staff feel the uncertainty as iPhone sales forecasts dim. This trade war isnt just a numbers gameits a human story of adaptation and resilience in the face of policy upheaval. Looking Ahead: Can These Companies Recover? The path forward is murky. Some firms, like $AAPL, might accelerate moves to diversify manufacturingIndia and Vietnam are on the radar, though Trumps tariffs on those nations (26% and 46%, respectively) complicate the shift. $BA could lean harder into domestic or European markets, but losing Chinas growth potential stings. $CAT and $DE, tied to agriculture and construction cycles, may face years of adjustment if trade tensions persist. Investors, meanwhile, are left guessing: will Trumps tariffs force a renegotiation, or are we in for a prolonged economic slugfest? The US-China trade war, now at its fiercest, has turned USA-listed companies into unwilling frontline soldiers. For $AAPL, $BA, $CAT, $DE, and others, the battle is about survivalnavigating tariffs, protecting profits, and preserving their place in a fracturing global economy. As the dust settles, one thing is clear: the casualties of this war extend far beyond the headlines. Shayne Heffernan LEER EN ESPANOL | Directores del condado de Hamilton rechazan proyecto de ley que limita acceso escolar The Hamilton County Principals Association is opposing new legislation that would allow schools to deny education to children without U.S. Citizenship. SB 0836, originally proposed by Senator Bo Watson, would allow public charter schools in Tennessee to base enrollment on students' citizenship status. UPDATE: TN bill requiring student citizenship verification in public schools advances This challenges a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that ensures the rights of all school-aged children, regardless of immigration status, to free public education under the 14th Amendment. The association is asking the Hamilton County School Board to pass a resolution promising to allow school access to all children who reside in Hamilton County. The association stated on Wednesday: "As leaders of public schools across Hamilton County, we stand firmly in the belief that every child and every community must be served. Our schools are not only institutions of learningthey are the heart of our neighborhoods, and they reflect our shared values of inclusion, dignity, and opportunity for all." In their statement, they say public education is a right afforded to all children, regardless of their background or immigration status. READ MORE | Tennessee bill puts undocumented students' education at risk, advocates warn of consequences The principals' association quotes the 14th Amendment, "No state shall... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." Read the association's full statement below: There is less than a month left to renew your driver's license before the REAL ID deadline on May 7. After the deadline, you must have a REAL ID to enter certain Federal buildings, military bases, nuclear power plants, or board commercial flights within the United States. While the required date to receive a REAL ID has been delayed several times, officials say it's real this time. In Tennessee, DMV wait times are longer across the state while the community rushes to get the update in time. However, there's a tool to keep an eye on the lines at the DMV before you go. Through the Tennessee DMV website, you can watch live wait times for each DMV near you. Tennessee State Library & Archives offering document support for REAL ID applicants People seeking copies of their marriage records before 1974 can get them through the state library. This can be used as proof of identification during the REAL ID application process. The Tennessee State Library & Archives is also helping Tennesseeans with proof of identification for applying for the REAL ID. The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security has also added 1,432 appointment slots to DMV centers across the state. Authorities found reptiles, firearms and drugs when they searched a home following the accidental, self-inflicted shooting of a 4-year-old boy. Longford companies are bracing themselves for a bumpy future as the cost of exporting to America dramatically rose following US government actions. On April 2, 2025, US President Donald Trump declared Liberation Day, with an executive order issued to tariff all imports to the United States at a minimum of ten percent. For 57 nations and entities that tariff comes in at a higher rate ranging from 11% to 50%. The announcement means that goods imported from all countries into the US from April 5, 2025 will be subject to a baseline tariff of 10%, while for the selected territories, including the EU, higher reciprocal tariff rates will apply from April 9 onwards. The EU is earmarked for a 20% fee to export to America. The levies wiped out nearly $6 trillion in value from US stocks last week. With half of all the Irish whiskey in the world sold in the US, and alcohol identified as one of the goods to attract high tariffs, Longford's Lough Ree Distillery is keeping a close eye on the news to see how developments could affect their business. Since opening their micro distillery in July 2018 brothers, Peter and Michael Clancy, and their sister, Sheila Mullen, have enjoyed a growth rate of between 25% and 50%. Also Read: Enhancing healthcare: Almost 8.5 million to be invested in major Longford health projects The business has extended to markets in the UK, France, Austria, Germany, Italy, Poland, Estonia and Ukraine, but the US is a developing market. It's probably a bit early to say because the discussions are still open, Peter Clancy, CEO and co-founder of Lough Ree Distillery, said of the situation. Peter believes a 20% hike in the cost to consumers will be difficult, We don't have a massive volume currently going to the States, but that could change. If it does, then it would have a fairly serious impact. Also Read: Dalton is delighted to be returned to Longford County Council We're not as reliant on the US market, as some of our peers. That's to our benefit. But it's a no win situation. Ireland, France and Italy have been lobbying to have US bourbon taken off the list given that Mr Trump threatened to hit European wine and spirits with a 200% tariff. The Lough Ree Distillery CEO says the tariffs may not be all doom and gloom: Within all this is opportunity, you have to look for opportunity elsewhere and be open to that. We're looking at other markets, particularly the Asian markets where we've had some success. The beauty of us being a small, nimble business, is that we can do that. We can pivot, for bigger businesses that is more of a challenge. Another Longford company counting the cost of the impending Donald Trump tariffs is Butler Manufacturing Service on the Strokestown Road, Longford. Also Read: Center Parcs Longford visitors selling day passes on Facebook hit with stark warning Managing director Seamus Butler says the imposition of high tariffs will have an immediate impact on the business. Since 2022 we've been chasing to enter the US market. We finally got an order, which is cumulatively over half a million euros. That's proportionally a lot of money to us. Now it's up in the air, because nobody could have allowed for a 20% additional cost. Seamus is optimistic negotiations may pay a dividend. What we've learned, if anything, about this Trump presidency is that he's a transactional person. If he can see gains, he'll talk that out. The loss of such a contract could present challenges. We do have other export markets, but the US was something we could build on. The big problem with the United States is that each State has different regulations for wastewater. The distributor we've appointed has taken on a consultant company specialising in getting permits. Our technology is unique to the States. It's way ahead of their indigenous technology. It could prove a very lucrative market if we can iron out these issues. Business is all about solving problems. Longford businesses are very much at a point where wait and see is the only option. The difficulty for these companies, and many other Ireland based companies, is that negotiations are coordinated though the EU and the European Commission is purported to be targeting tech services, intellectual property, banking and public procurement in retaliation. Midlands MEP Barry Cowen is recovering in hospital after a health scare that required a surgical procedure on Monday. In a statement released this morning, he said he underwent a surgical procedure in St James's Hospital in Dublin on Monday having first attended the emergency department in Tullamore Hospital. The statement says that having felt unwell in Strasbourg last week, his symptoms persisted after returning home. Also read: Enhancing healthcare: Almost 8.5 million to be invested in major Longford health projects It states, "I attended the emergency department at Tullamore Hospital on Saturday night and was subsequently transferred to the cardiac care unit at St. Jamess Hospital on Sunday. I underwent a surgical procedure there on Monday. "I am now receiving further care to support my recovery and hope to return home via Tullamore Hospital over the weekend. I am hugely indebted to the professionalism and compassion of all the staff in both Tullamore and St. Jamess hospitals. "I will continue my recovery at home and will remain in close contact with my team as I carry out my duties as MEP for Midlands North-West. My offices remain fully operational, and should you require any assistance, please dont hesitate to get in touch. PICTURES | Traditional treat for Longford music lovers at inaugural Feile Joe Callaghan "My family and I are deeply grateful for all the kind messages and good wishes we have received thank you sincerely." Many people have left well wishes on the post on Facebook wishing Barry Cowen a speedy recovery. Also read: Longford County Council shortlisted for two Health and Safety Excellence awards In what has been slammed as a "mistake and short-sighted" decision by The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), the Government announced on Wednesday that paid statutory sick leave will remain unchanged at five days per year, despite the commitment to extend it under the previous Government's policy. An extra two days were to be added this year to bring the total number of paid sick days up to seven days for 2025. This proposal was part of a gradual increase which would eventually see the leave entitlement expand to a total of 10 days as introduced in legislation in 2022 by the previous Government. However, it is not too surprising that the plans to add two extra days have been halted considering the disagreement within the previous Government as to how much was too much. Despite the pledge to increase sick leave entitlements, Fine Gael had argued that five days per year was the right balance to maintain affordability for businesses. READ NEXT: Irish holidaymakers warned as highly contagious disease sweeps across Europe Even within the party there was disagreement, with former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar promising to reach 10 paid sick days by 2026 and then Simon Harris later deviating from such a statement citing the pressure it could put on small businesses. Indeed, in his announcement on Wednesday, Fine Gael Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke echoed these concerns for businesses. The Minister said on Wednesday: "I am committed to promoting working conditions in Ireland and boosting job creation. I must also ensure that we create a regulatory environment that allows businesses to remain viable, and, indeed, to thrive." He added: "Since the introduction of statutory sick leave in 2023, and subsequently the increase in the sick leave entitlement to 5 days in 2024, business owners and representative organisations, particularly in the retail and hospitality sectors, have consistently raised concerns about the cumulative impact of such regulatory measures in light of rising labour, input and energy costs. "Five days sick leave strikes the right balance. It gives workers income protection for five days, after which Illness Benefit is there to support them." As it stands, paid sick leave in Ireland ensures that employees are entitled to a minimum level of financial compensation if they cannot work due to sickness or injury. People are entitled up to five days of sick leave each year, paid at 70% of their gross earnings - which is up to a daily cap of 110. The purpose of the legislation is deemed as providing "financial protection to employees, often in low-paid, precarious roles, who are genuinely unfit to work due to illness or injury but who do not have access to a company sick leave scheme." However, research conducted by the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment found that increasing sick leave would have the greatest impact on businesses involved in retail. accommodation and food services and hence the reason why it is being capped at five days. Yet when the workers this legislation is set out to protect predominantly work in these areas, surely the Government can identify the conundrum on their hands? Ryanair has vehemently denied claims that its baggage policies have changed as hundreds of passengers have claimed they now have to pay for bags they never had to pay for before. According to the Irish Times, Hundred of their readers have been in touch following an article last week where three passengers spoke on a time where they were charged up to 75 extra at baggage claim, which they never had to pay for when previously travelled. Ryanair responded calling the stories "invented claims" and that passengers were "misinformed". The Irish airline also said that new stickers put on the sizers at boarding gates were there "to show the exact permitted dimensions of our two bag sizes (40x20x25cm) and (55x40x20cm)". Ryanair went on to say, "Our sizers are, therefore, bigger than our permitted/agreed bag sizes. Only bags that do not fit within our sizers (and so considerably exceed our agreed bag sizes) get charged for". The statement concluded by explaining the policy was "simple" and if the bag fits within the sizer, then it goes on free of charge, but if it's bigger, the passenger will be charged. The Irish Times has since published several stories and accounts from other passengers who claim that what Ryanair told them was "false". Passengers have claimed that their bags had fit into the sizers, but staff at baggage claim refuted this and charged them the extra money. One passenger named Julie said, "I flew Ryanair from Knock to Manchester to Brussels on Sainty Patrick's Day with my standard airline bag, which weighed 7kg. In Knock, it fit perfectly within the sizer, but the Ryanair agent said it was too deep, so I had to pay. No problem at all in Manchester - I sailed through." Another passenger named Ciaran said, "I fly approximately once per month with Ryanair and have used the same 10kg bag for many years. I was recently stopped at Dublin Airport and subjected to the 75 hustle." The Irish Times sent all of these passenger claims and Ryanair responded by saying, "Passengers 'sharing their stories' is not indicative of anything other than misinformed passengers. The airline went on to say that most of these stories seem to have been from passengers who used to travel with their "outsized bag" now believe this "entitles them" to fly with it again without being charged. It reiterated the claims that their policy was "simple" and that if passengers would simply comply with the policies in place then there would be no issues. They finished by saying their baggage policies have remained the same for "many years" and these passenger stories are just that, stories. READ NEXT: Irish holidaymakers warned as highly contagious disease sweeps across Europe Tanaiste Simon Harris said President Donald Trumps suspension of higher tariffs will come as a relief to many businesses in Ireland. Irelands deputy premier was speaking following a meeting with US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick in Washington DC. The US president announced on Wednesday he would be delaying tariffs on most nations for 90 days while raising his tax rate on Chinese imports to 125%. He posted the announcement on his Truth Social platform, but the precise details were not immediately clear. Mr Harris said his meeting with Mr Lutnick, a key critic of the Irish governments fiscal policies, which occurred shortly after Mr Trumps announcement, was timely, valuable and substantive. He said We discussed that announcement and the likely next steps. I welcomed the fact that the President has announced the suspension of the higher tariffs announced on April 2 for a period of 90 days. This, I know, will come as a relief to many businesses in Ireland. The Tanaiste said further engagement and clarification is required on the details of the US announcement. He added: We also had an opportunity for a substantive engagement on pharma and I outlined the mutually beneficial role that the sector plays for Ireland and the United States. During the meeting, I also outlined the dynamic interconnected economic relationship between Ireland, Europe and the United States. I conveyed our commitment through the EU to comprehensive negotiations that would address a broad range of issues. Mr Harris said the meeting confirmed his view that there is an openness on the part of the US to engage in a process of negotiations. He added: I outlined my view that Ireland, as part of the EU, wants to play a constructive role and will continue to be a voice for calm and measured engagement in the time ahead. During an appearance on RTE, Mr Harris was asked if 90 days is enough for the EU to negotiate a deal with the US. He said: I spoke to (EU Trade Commissioner) Maros Sefcovic straight after the meeting to update him on the details from our discussion with Secretary Lutnick. I think 90 days is a significant period of time. Whether its enough remains to be seen, and it is important that theres still clarifications needed. It looks like, for example, the higher rate on cars and steel and aluminium is likely to remain. He added: 10% tariffs still arent good. Tariffs are bad, so we need to be cautious in relation to this. But crucially, what this has done is provide the space that the European Commission, European member states and Ireland has been calling for. Its been a big part of our diplomatic and political effort over the last while to try and create space for real and meaningful engagement. And I did also take the chance to talk to the secretary about the two-way relationship between Ireland and the United States. And I must say, he spoke favourably in relation to the Irish economic model and our economic success to date. Local News, Crime By Long Island Published: April 09 2025 In November 2024, a 48-year-old man paid a $5,000 security deposit for a rental property in Uniondale, only to discover the property was already occupied. An investigation revealed that the suspect, Gerson Robles, 39, of ... The First Squad reports the arrest of a Uniondale man for a Grand Larceny that occurred during November 2024 in Uniondale. According to Detectives, a male subject received a $5,000 dollar security deposit to secure a rental property. The male victim, 48, signed a lease agreement and attempted to move in, when he discovered that it was already occupied. It was determined the subject did not have legal ownership to the property or the authority to rent. A thorough investigation was conducted and Gerson Robles, 39, of 1079 Midland Street, was arrested without incident. Defendant Gerson Robles is charged with Grand Larceny 3 rd degree and was arraigned on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at First District Court, located at 99 Main Street, Hempstead. The Port of Beirut. (Shutterstock) An unnamed Western security source told Al Arabiya and its Al Hadath sister channel that Hezbollah is using the Port of Beirut to smuggle weapons into Lebanon from Iran. The source told Al Arabiya that Hezbollah reasserted its control over Beiruts portpresumably after the groups recent war with Israel and the November 27 Israel-Lebanon ceasefireto facilitate transfers from Iran after Hezbollah lost its Syrian lifeline with the downfall of Bashar al Assads regime on December 8, 2024. Hezbollah is also adapting to Lebanons relatively tightened controls at Beiruts Hariri International Airport. The source said that Unit 190 and Unit 700 of the Quds Force, the external operations arm of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), were overseeing these weapons transfers to Hezbollah. The source said these units were smuggling weapons either via direct maritime channels between Iran and Lebanon or by using intermediate countries. Unit 190, commanded by Behnam Shahariyari, specializes in smuggling weapons to Irans proxy militias, including Hezbollah in Lebanon. Shahariyari also runs a network of companies that evade sanctions by packing weapons and materiel in powdered milk, cement, and spare vehicle parts. The US Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated and sanctioned Shahiyrayari and his companies in 2011 as a Specially Designated National for these weapons-smuggling activities. In 2024, the United Kingdom imposed financial sanctions on Unit 190 for the same reason. Unit 700, led by Ali Naji Gal Farsat, a former Quds Force official with significant ties in Iran, Syria, and Lebanon, is also involved in weapons smuggling to Hezbollah and the Tehran regimes other proxies throughout the region. Farsat was reportedly a board member of Qeshm Fars Air, an allegedly defunct airline said to be owned by the IRGC that has smuggled weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon via Hariri International Airport in the past. The United Kingdom has also imposed sanctions on this unit for conduct which facilitates (or is intended to facilitate) or gives assistance to the planning or conducting of activity which is intended to cause the destabilization of the United Kingdom or any other country. On the Lebanese side, the Western security source told Al Arabiya that Wafic Safa, Hezbollahs top security official, was heading the receiving end of the smuggling operation. Safa, claimed the source, has ensured Hezbollah has total freedom of action at Beiruts port by recruiting and running a network of collaborators in the ports customs and inspection authorities. Safa and his recruits, said the source, are facilitating the transfer of weapons and materiel to the group without any inspection or oversight. In 2019, OFAC sanctioned Safa, who it described as a Hizballah interlocutor to the Lebanese security forces. The designation noted that Safa, as the head of Hizballahs security apparatus [] has exploited Lebanons ports and border crossings to smuggle contraband and facilitate travel on behalf of Hizballah. The designation continues, Hizballah leveraged Safa to facilitate the passage of items, including illegal drugs and weapons, into the port of Beirut, Lebanon. The Lebanese government did not immediately comment on Al Arabiyas report. However, sources within the office of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told Al Jadeed that the premier had received no foreign intelligence regarding suspicious operations at the port, while describing the information regarding weapons smuggling as part of numerous rumors. Salam also reportedly tasked Lebanese Minister of Public Works and Transport Fayez Rasmany to investigate the claims made to Al Arabiya and instructed the relevant authorities to tighten security controls at the port, especially regarding the entry and exit of drugs. Accompanied by the media, Rasmany toured and claimed to inspect Beiruts port the next day and said that security was controlled by an iron grip. Though he conceded that some violations occur occasionally, they are not at the level described [in the Al Arabiya report]. Rasmany insisted Lebanon will not allow anyone to cast doubts, or the type of talk that came out yesterday. He concluded, If theres anything, give us proof. Despite the transport ministers insistence on security, Beirut Port Director Omar Itani clarified that the Port Authority is only responsible for logistical matters, such as organizing the movement of ships, loading and unloading cargo, storage, and coordinating operations within the port. Itani said that powers related to quality of goods, customs duties, and fee collection belong solely to Lebanons Customs Administration, pursuant to Lebanese law. Therefore, Itani said the Port Authority lacked the power to inspect the nature or content of goods, its role being limited to logistical facilitation, while the inspection [of goods] occurs through coordination between the Customs Administration, the Lebanese Army, and the other security agencies present at the port, as part of a unified inspection body whose goal is preventing potential violations. Itani insisted this bodys procedures had been vastly improved in recent years. Rasmanys inspection of Beiruts port recalled a similar press tour of Beiruts Rafic Hariri International Airport organized by then-Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil in 2018 to refute Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus revelation that Hezbollah was storing missiles at the site. In June 2024, then-Minister of Public Works and Transport Ali Hamiyeh, who is affiliated with Hezbollah, conducted a similar press tour of Beiruts airport after The Telegraph, citing airport whistleblowers, highlighted its use by Hezbollah to store and transfer weapons. The Israelis have also yet to comment on the smuggling operation described in the report. However, on March 4, Israel assassinated Khodr Sayed Hashem in a targeted strike in south Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement following the assassination that described Hashem as the commander of the Radwan Forces seaborne forces in Hezbollah who was involved in terrorist activity against the State of Israel and its citizens. Significantly, the IDF noted that, as part of his duties commanding the Radwan Forces seaborne forces, Hashem helped Hezbollah transfer and procure weapons through maritime channels. The IDF also noted that Hashem took part in planning Hezbollahs terror attacks by sea against the State of Israel and its citizens, including during the ceasefire. The latest report is particularly notable, given the terms of Lebanons ceasefire with Israel and the other impacts on Hezbollahs supply lines, but Hezbollah has long exerted influence over Beiruts port. The group has used it to transport drugs, weapons, and related material in and out of Lebanon. Note: This post has been updated with additional reactions from Lebanese officials. David Daoud is Senior Fellow at at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies where he focuses on Israel, Hezbollah, and Lebanon affairs. A member of the Popular Mobilization Forces takes part in a security operation along the Iraq-Syria border. (Iraqi government) Kataib Hezbollah has denied a recent Reuters report that stated it was considering disarming, according to numerous reports quoting the groups statement. Kataib Hezbollah is one of the Iranian-backed militias that largely comprise Iraqs Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). The militia has been involved in attacks on Americans in the past and is sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury. Reuters reported on April 7 that Iran-backed militias in Iraq ready to disarm to avert Trump wrath, referencing increased US pressure on Iraq over the Iran-backed militias that form the PMF. On April 8, Kataib Hezbollah released a statement, distributed to local and regional media, that rejected the Reuters report. The group said that the report included statements attributed to what it called a Kataib Hezbollah commander, which has no connection to our principles or positions. In light of this, we confirm that there are no statements by the [Kataib Hezbollah] Brigades in the media, as the statements are limited only to [those from our] official spokesman, Mohammed Mohi, and the military spokesman, Jaafar al Husseini. Anything other than them is considered a lie and slander. A report in The New Arab noted that Kataib Hezbollah called on international media to be accurate and credible in their publications and to obtain information from [Kataib Hezbollahs] authentic sources. We reserve the right to legally pursue media outlets and their employees who practice misinformation and publish news not supported by official sources. The Reuters report said it was based on statements from ten senior commanders and Iraqi officials, specifying that the reporter had spoken with six militia commanders in Baghdad and a southern province of Iraq. The report stated that the commanders spoke on condition of anonymity and noted they were from Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat Hezbollah al Nujaba, Kataib Sayyid al Shuhada, and Ansar Allah al Awfiya, all militias within the PMF. Alaa al Haidari, a member of Iraqs parliament, issued a statement backing the PMF on April 7. The New Arab noted that he is a member of the Sadiqoun bloc, the political wing of Asaib Ahl al Haq, one of the most prominent pro-Iranian groups in Iraq. In his statement, Haidari asserted that the PMFs weapons are the strength and sword of Iraq. He added that disarming the factions within the PMF would remove the backbone of the government. A state that disarms itself in exchange for the lie of living in peace, as the devil of the age [the US administration] wants, should prepare for the howls of humiliation and the pain of losing dignity and land. [] Without the weapons of the Popular Mobilization Forces, there will be no [] defense for Iraq, The New Arab quoted Haidari. Kurdistan24, a Kurdish media outlet based in Erbil, noted that Kataib Hezbollahs denial injects uncertainty into the narrative. The groups rejection underscores the opaque and factionalized nature of Iraqs paramilitary landscape and complicates attempts to assess whether disarmament efforts are truly gaining tractionor remain speculative at best. As of April 8, there did not appear to be statements from the other militias within the PMF. In addition, the PMFs website did not include a reference to the report. However, the organization highlighted its continued military activities in Iraq, including recent operations in Mosul and Nineveh and a meeting focusing on security in Salah al Din Governorate. In Nineveh Governorate, the PMF said it conducted an operation securing the Iraq-Syria border with elements of the 21st, 33rd, 53rd, and 74th Brigades. According to a list of PMF units, none of these brigades are linked to the four militias mentioned in the Reuters piece. A PMF unit in Anbar Governorate also issued a statement on April 8 saying it was prepared to confront any emergency that might take place on the Syrian border. These statements illustrate the widespread role of armed PMF units across Iraq. The PMF also said on April 7 that it held a meeting with UN officials to discuss human rights, indicating that the organization continues to conduct itself in an official capacity as part of the Iraqi state. Reporting from Israel, Seth J. Frantzman is an adjunct fellow at FDD and a contributor to FDDs Long War Journal. He is the senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post, and author of The October 7 War: Israel's Battle for Security in Gaza (2024). Controls along the border between Luxembourg and Germany will continue for the foreseeable future, the new government in Berlin has stated in its coalition agreement published on Wednesday. The deal between the CDU, CSU and SPD includes a commitment to continue border controls with Luxembourg, introduced by the previous government last September, as well as with all other neighbouring countries. Also read: How Luxembourg is backing down in the face of German border controls "Border controls at all German borders must be continued", the agreement states, with the parties saying the move will continue until the EU can guarantee functioning external border protection. Although Berlin has said it is planning to help boost the work of the EUs border protection agency Frontex through border checks and returns, it is expected that the government will renew the supposedly temporary measure once the six-month period is up. The introduction of the controls last year prompted an angry response from Luxembourg, with Home Affairs Minister Leon Gloden contacting his German counterpart Nancy Faeser to express his opposition. The Luxembourg government also wrote a letter of complaint to the EU Commission, but has decided not to take its neighbour to the European Court of Justice. That is not the right answer, Prime Minister Luc Frieden told parliament in December. However, the appeals by Luxembourg fell on deaf ears. Ahead of the German elections in February, Faeser extended the controls until September, a policy which will not be reversed by the new government. The German government programme also calls for a tougher approach to dealing with migrants. "In coordination with our European neighbours, we will also carry out rejections at our common borders for asylum applications," the coalition agreement states. (This article was originally published by the Luxemburger Wort. Translation, editing and adaptation by John Monaghan) Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden has emphasised his affection for the United States and at the same time expressed his sadness about the current tense transatlantic relationship. In an interview with weekly magazine Telecran, Frieden said he hopes that US President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance will sense the feelings of Europeans and maintain a global perspective on the world. He welcomed the fact that some of his counterparts are seeking dialogue with the US president. Frieden admitted that it is not always easy to keep calm in the face of some of Trump's statements. But as head of government, you have a great responsibility, the prime minister added. He said that will do everything in his power to safeguard transatlantic relations, but also Luxembourgs interests. He believes Europe has a duty to become more independent in security matters and to forge new alliances, for example with the UK, Norway, Canada and Asia. The current period of crisis is not comparable to 9/11 or the Kosovo war, he said, but rather a turning point in history. He sees no signs of lasting peace in Ukraine in the short term and emphasised the need for European unity and strength to secure peace. In addition to military defence, this includes security in space, the protection of infrastructure and the strengthening of cyber security. Luc Frieden said he hoped that the American people would not accept attacks on democracy. On 5 April, demonstrators across the United States gathered for so-called Hands Off protests, as seen here in Washington D.C. Photo credit: AFP Frieden emphasised the importance of international cooperation and warned of the dangers of populist parties that benefit from the narrative of reinterpreting the concept of freedom. He hopes that the American people will not permanently accept current developments. He said that he remains a little optimistic, even if that is sometimes very difficult. Frieden graduated with a Master of Laws (LLM) degree from Harvard University in 1988 and was a Fulbright scholar. I think we should never judge history through the lens of three months of the mandate of a president, but look from a broader perspective, said Frieden. Still, Vances speech at the Munich Security Conference and also Trumps clash with Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the White House deeply affected Frieden, he said. This is not the America that I love, he said. In that moment I sensed that something is fundamentally changing in America and in the relationship between America and Europe. This worries me. The full interview, in German, appeared in this weeks Telecran"(issue 16/2025). You can subscribe to the weekly magazine here. (This article was first published by Luxemburger Wort. Translation and editing by Duncan Roberts) TikTok is rarely out of the news cycle, with the video platform seeing a meteoric rise in recent years, but in late January 2025 it wasnt losing popularity due to something it had done instead, it was banned in the United States. At that point U.S. users had to do without their TikTok fix for about 12 hours on January 19, but now another ban is looming, and this time it could mean that U.S. users have to go TikTok cold turkey except there is a way to get around the TikTok ban, and well show you how. On April 5 2025 President Trump gave the Chinese owner of TikTok, ByteDance, another 75-days to decide if will sell to a U.S. owner. If the Chinese company doesnt comply that could mean that there is no more TikTok for North Americans after June 19. The multi-billion dollar question is whether TikTok users will be able to access the service if the ban comes into effect. Heres what we know about the potential of using a VPN if TikTok is banned again. How to use a VPN to get around the TikTok ban Its not as simple as installing a VPN and then accessing TikTok. As we know from the brief January ban, while VPN services can get around geoblocks, the app still wouldnt run for U.S. users. As pointed out by users on social media at the time, TikTok accounts created in the United States were unable to access the platform, even when using a VPN. And for Apple users, many found it was actually tied to the region of their Apple ID. The answer was to install a version of TikTok from another country. Many North Americans in January chose to install the Canadian version of the app. Heres how an Apple user can get a compatible version of TikTok and run it in a VPN: Choose one of the VPNs we recommend we have reviewed loads of VPNs for Mac, iPad VPNs and iPhone VPNs. Our top choice right now is NordVPN, but there are also some cheap VPN deals. NordVPN Read our review Best Prices Today: Run a VPN and choose a server in Canada (or another country). Now open Settings. Tap on your name to access your Apple Account. Tap on Media & Purchases. Tap View Account. Now tap Country/Region and switch from United States to somewhere else, e.g. Canada or United Kingdom. For payment method just tap on none. Add an address in your chosen country. You can use your own phone number. Shut down your iPhone. Now restart your phone and open the VPN. Set the VPN to the country you chose above. Now go to the App Store and download TikTok. You can now use the TikTok app via the VPN. Once you have the non-U.S. version of TikTok you can switch your Apple Account and App Store access back to the U.S. This is advisable as you wont want to lose access to all your other apps and subscriptions associated with your usual account. With so much of TikToks appeal being the way its feed is curated to your interests, this may not be an option for all users but its something to consider if a ban happens. The short answer then is that yes, a VPN can get around TikTok, but its certainly a hassle to do so since it requires jumping through more holes than youd perhaps hope to. Officials took at least 17 phones and nearly $50,000 from the ringleader of a Cambridge brothel that attracted high-end clientele in its multi-million, cross-state operations. Han Lee, 42, of Cambridge was sentenced in a Boston courtroom in March to serve four years in prison with one year of supervised release. Lee was also ordered to pay over $5.4 million in forfeiture and to pay restitution for an amount to be determined in the future, for leading the sophisticated sex trafficking network that generated over $5.6 million in revenue, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. 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 U.S. Attorney Leah 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. 6 1 / 6 Demonstrators outside Middlesex Juvenile Courthouse in Cambridge Lee had been arrested and charged in the fall of 2023 alongside her accomplices, Junmyung Lee, 31, of Dedham, and James Lee, 69, of Torrance, Calif. The three were indicted by a federal grand jury in Feb. 2024, and Han Lee pled guilty in September to one count of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice and coerce one or more people to travel interstate for prostitution, and one count of money laundering conspiracy. Officials seized more than 25 items from apartments in Watertown and Cambridge during the investigation. These included 17 phones, two iPads, two MacBooks, three SIM cards, four thumb drives and a router. Eight of the phones were found in plastic organizers. Some of the phones were also cracked. Two of the units the items were taken from were at a luxury apartments. The Watertown apartment building has a co-working lounge, craft room and roof deck, while the Cambridge building has a resort-style pool, resident clubhouse and a fully equipped 24-hour fitness center. Another apartment was one of the units the brothel was being run out of, which included units 109, 435 and 530 at 90 Fawcett St. in Cambridge. Some of the men accused of paying for sex through the high-end Cambridge brothel ring texted with people running the brothel more than 400 times, according to an attorney for one of the men at the March 14 hearing. There were a total of 2,800 contacts taken from brothel ringleaders phones. Appointments were set up by the sex buyers through text messages to a number on a website called bostontopten10.com, Cambridge Police Lt. Jarred Cabral said as he read through police reports during some of the hearings. The men used code words in their texts with the brothel owners, including GFE for girlfriend experience and BB for bareback, a slang term for sexual intercourse without protection, Cabral said. The buyers often requested women by name, and their payments which ranged from $250 for 30 minutes, to $350 for one hour and up to $840 for three hours were called donations, a usual term in sex trade, Cabral said. Officials also took $47,345.20 from the apartments and bank accounts. This included $22,608 from a Cambridgepark Drive apartment in Cambridge, $6,835 from a Fawcett Street apartment in Cambridge and $5,567.89 from a Bank of America checking account. Han Lee kept hundreds of money order receipts in a Louis Vuitton shoebox, organized by date, location, and amount, in an impeccable filing system, investigators asserted in court documents. Along with the receipts for Western Union and the U.S. Postal Service, Han Lee also used the filing cabinet with a sticker price of $1,360 to store utility records and other documents, investigators said. I believe that [Han Lees] financial and business record keeping was impeccable, Zachary A. Mitlitsky, a special agent with United States Department of Homeland Security and Homeland Security Investigations, wrote. Officials also found envelopes with cash and handwritten notes with the stage names of women and a tally of their earnings. The money received from the brothels was hidden through depositing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to personal bank accounts and peer-to-peer transfers, the U.S. attorneys office previously said. The rent and utilities of those brothels was also paid for in money orders, which were purchased through the cash proceeds in amounts that would not raise alarms, officails said. But Han Lee also had lavish and extravagant spending habits. Court documents claim Han Lee didnt have legitimate employment. Still, she was able buy luxury bags and shoes, including, items from Yves St. Laurent, Givenchy, Louis Vuitton, Christian Louboutin and Jimmy Choo. Bank records show purchases from Balenciaga, court documents state. And the Louis Vuitton shoe box, which was used as a filing cabinet, had a sticker price of $1,360. Investigators also found signed blank checks in the name of J.Y.P. Agents also found dozens of stored value cards and used lottery tickets throughout her apartment. All of the money and technology found at the apartments have been forfeited. Officials filed a forfeiture notice for the money and other items on March 21. Anyone, other than the defendants in this case, claiming interest in the forfeited property must file an ancillary petition within 60 days. If the property isnt claimed, it will be declared forfeit and disposed of in accordance with the law. This can include being auctioned off. On April 7, the General Office of Anhui Provincial Government officially released the "Special Action Plan for Effective Investment in Anhui Province (2025)." To expand effective investment and enhance its critical role in stabilizing growth, the province will continue to implement special actions for effective investment. According to the plan, by 2025, provincial investment is expected to grow by around 5%, with over 1,000 key projects worth over 100 million yuan each planned to commence. The plan aims for a reasonable growth in investment scale, with project investment and private investment growth rates exceeding the national average, targeting an overall investment growth of about 5% in 2025. The investment structure will be continuously optimized, striving for a growth rate in high-tech industries and manufacturing investments above 10%, and infrastructure investment growth to surpass total investment growth. All 102 projects included in the national 14th Five-Year Plan will commence, with over 1,000 key projects each worth over 100 million yuan starting, and the construction rate of provincial key projects aiming for 100%, with total investments exceeding 600 billion yuan. The province plans to establish around 100 service industry innovation zones, create 60 integrated manufacturing service application scenarios, and develop more than five service-oriented manufacturing functional areas. Investment in high-quality living services will be increased, with digital empowerment for business upgrades. This year, the province will accelerate the construction of archaeological park projects like Wuwangdun and the Yangtze River and Grand Canal National Cultural Park, while promoting the new provincial cultural center and establishing 600 public cultural spaces. Additionally, a "Hundred Scenic Improvements" initiative will be implemented to develop high-quality tourist resorts, boutique rural tourism, and "Beautiful Anhui" homestays. The province will commence construction on the Hefei-Chizhou section of the Hefei-Wenzhou High-Speed Railway this year, adding over 198 kilometers of high-speed railway throughout the year. The high-quality development of the Jianghuai trunk waterway will also be prioritized. Furthermore, an urban function and quality enhancement action will be implemented. According to the plan, this year, the province aims to renovate 4,500 kilometers of urban underground pipelines and support the upgrade of 3,390 old elevators in residential areas, achieving comprehensive safety monitoring for urban lifeline projects. Source: Anhui Business Daily Karen Read sits in Norfolk Superior Court during the second week of her trial, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (Matt Stone/The Boston Herald via AP, Pool) Jury selection for Karen Reads second trial entered its seventh day Wednesday with 12 jurors already in place toward a goal of 16. On Tuesday, three jurors were picked for the panel, and one selected on a previous day dropped out, bringing the total to 12 from a pool of nearly 400 people. One person questioned Tuesday was set to return to court Wednesday for additional questioning and could be seated on the jury. The jury comprises six men and six women. It took five full days to seat a jury for Reads first trial. Leaving court Tuesday, Read said opening statements will be on April 15. Alan Jackson will deliver the opening statement for Reads defense in the second trial, after David Yannetti delivered it in the first trial. Jackson delivered the closing argument in the first trial. An additional 58 potential jurors will undergo questioning to serve on the jury for the Read case Wednesday. Of those 58, 49 said they had seen, heard or talked about the case before arriving for jury duty, and 27 said they had formed or expressed an opinion about it. An even smaller group, 12 of the 58, said they had a bias or prejudice that would impact their ability to serve on the jury. And 21 of the 48 said they had a substantial scheduling hardship, like having a surgery scheduled or airline tickets booked, for the six-to-eight-week period the trial is set to take place. Each morning of selection begins the same way, with Cannone reading a statement of the case, laying out what prosecutors say Read did: backing her SUV into her then-boyfriend, Boston Police officer John OKeefe, outside a Canton home following a night of drinking. She tells jurors that Read is presumed innocent and has no obligation to prove her innocence during the trial. Cannone also references the intense publicity that has consumed the Read case, saying, public comment will likely continue, but the rule of law will be upheld. Read thanks the potential jurors after each lawyer introduces themselves. Cannone then reads out the entire witness list, which contains 150 names, before beginning questioning. After the group questioning, jurors are left to complete a three-page questionnaire. Only after all that are jurors questioned individually. During individual questioning, both sides can strike a juror for any reason. Each side gets 16 strikes. Read said her team has used 11 and prosecutors have used 12. Read, 45, is charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident causing injury or death in connection with the death of her boyfriend, Boston Police officer John OKeefe. Reads defense claims she is being framed and others are responsible for OKeefes death. President Donald Trump speaks at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) dinner at the National Building Museum in Washington, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Pool via AP) AP From Crooked Hillary to Maggot Haberman, President Donald Trump is no stranger to giving his rivals or opponents demeaning nicknames. His most recent nickname for California Senator Adam Schiff, however, seemed to only get a mild response from his supporters at the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner on Tuesday night. Schiff, a Democrat, was a Representative during Trumps first term and prosecuted impeachment proceedings against him. During the dinner, Trump mocked the senator by calling him Shifty Schiff, a name he had used in the past. He also appeared to give the senator a new nickname: watermelon head. Hes got the smallest neck Ive ever seen. And the biggest head. We call him watermelon head. How can that big fat face stand on a neck that looked like this finger? ... How we can allow people like that to run in office is a shame. The name seemed to get a few laughs during the dinner but no raucous applause Trump usually receives at his trademark rallies. Trump also polled the audience on which nickname he should use for former President Joe Biden Crooked Joe or Sleepy Joe. The audience responded to both names the same waywith mild smatterings of applause. Thats my problem, Trump said. Its like the same. They both work. They both work beautifully. Trumps trademark usage of creating new nicknames and terms for his opponents seems to have lost its luster at least according to comedian Jon Stewart. On Monday, Trump wrote a post on Truth Social, calling anyone worrying over the stock markets fall in response to his tariffs a Panican (A new party based on Weak and Stupid people!). The United States has a chance to do something that should have been done DECADES AGO. Dont be Weak! Dont be Stupid! Dont be a PANICAN (A new party based on Weak and Stupid people!). Be Strong, Courageous, and Patient, and GREATNESS will be the result! Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday. During Mondays airing of The Daily Show, Stewart mocked the new term. The genius who gave us classics like Sleepy Joe and Crooked Hillary, just sh-t out, Youre a Panican? Stewart said. How about Hysterocrats? Repussicans? How about Cryontologists? Did the overseas factory you had been sourcing your nicknames from get shut down during the tariff war? From left, Joaquin Smith, Isabella Trudeau, Kelsy Brainard, Kevin Carroll and Easton Randall appeard in Worcester District Court for arraignments on Thursday. All five Assumption University students face charges in connection with a "To Catch a Predator" plot. (AP Photos/Robert F. Bukaty) AP Photos/Robert F. Bukaty A Worcester District Court judge has dismissed kidnapping and conspiracy charges against five Assumption University students accused of carrying out a TikTok-inspired plot to frame a man as a predator. The court closed the cases against Easton Randall, Isabella Trudeau and Joaquin Smith on Tuesday as a result of the dismissal, according to court records. The cases against Kelsy Brainard and Kevin Carroll remain open, as Brainarrd is still charged with intimidation of a law enforcement official, and Carroll is still charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Prosecutors allege that the students, along with one unnamed minor, lured a man to Assumptions campus on Oct. 1, 2024, with the promise of a hook-up similar to the setup of the TV show To Catch a Predator. The students then accused the man of being a pedophile, assaulted him and chased him off the Worcester universitys campus, according to prosecutors. Lawyers for the students argued in their motions to dismiss that the evidence in the case did not merit the charges that were brought. Ms. Trudeau is extremely happy that the judge applied the law and decided the way he did, her lawyer, Attorney Robert Iacovelli, told MassLive Tuesday evening. The Worcester County District Attorneys Office did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday evening. Brainard communicated with the man via Tinder and convinced him to visit Assumptions campus, according to the police report. The man told police he was chased by a group of 25 people up a flight of stairs to his car, where he was assaulted. He then fled the campus and called the police. Security video of the incident shows the man and Brainard entering a campus building, according to the police report. He is then seen running up a flight of stairs and being chased by Brainard and others, who recorded the chase on their phones. Judge Michael Allard-Madaus didnt issue any findings on Tuesday, but Iacovelli said he believes that, upon reviewing the security video, the judge determined that there was not enough evidence to back most of the charges against the students. Fray Luis Rosario, owner of Terra Luna Cafe in Lawrence, was among the 124 people killed in the deadly Dominican Republic club roof collapse on Tuesday. Google Maps A Lawrence restaurant owner was among the 124 people who were killed when the roof of a club in the Dominican Republic collapsed early Tuesday morning, Lawrence City Council President Jeovanny Rodriguez said in a statement Wednesday. The U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic has confirmed that Terra Luna Cafe owner Fray Luis Rosario was among the 124 people known to have died when the roof of the famous Jet Set club in Santo Domingo caved in, Rodriguez said. A Rhode Island man already charged in connection with the sexual assaults of nine women was charged in connection with an attack on a corrections officer, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Haydens office said. Alvin Campbell Jr., 44, was charged with one count of assault and battery on a correctional facility employee, Haydens office said in a statement. Campbell was already charged in connection with the sexual assaults of nine women between 2014 and 2019. While awaiting trial in Suffolk Superior Court, Campbell was arraigned in connection with the attack on the corrections officer last month, the statement read. In the new case, he was held on $150 bail and should appear in court on April 24 for a pretrial hearing. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is revamping its fraud detection system for over-the-phone claims. In a post on the federal administrations official X account Tuesday evening, the administration announced that all social security claims filed over the phone will undergo an anti-fraud check. The announcement added that claims that have fraud risk indicators will also be flagged. People who have their Social Security claims flagged must provide an in-person ID check for their claim to be processed, according to the post. Individuals who have not been flagged can complete their Social Security claim without an in-person ID check. We will continue to conduct 100 percent ID proofing for all in-person claims. 4.5 million telephone claims a year and 70K may be flagged. Telephone remains a viable option to the public, read the SSAs post on X. The fraud detection change comes alongside a sweep of revisions made to the SSA after Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency began working with the department. Since DOGEs intervention, over 50 Social Security offices have been shut down and millions of deceased individuals were removed from Social Security records. Furthermore, overpayment withholding was increased from 10% to 100% for some beneficiaries. On Tuesday, a group of Democratic senators penned a letter to Acting Social Security Administration Commissioner Leland Dudek demanding answers to why some of their constituents are receiving disruptions to their Social Security benefits. A man accused of driving drunkenly on a Sunday morning in January when he hit and killed a 26-year-old in a South Boston crosswalk was ordered held on a $100,000 bail on Tuesday. Francisco Romero, 47, was arraigned in South Boston Municipal Court on charges of motor vehicle homicide by reckless operation, manslaughter while operating under the influence and an OUI liquor charge, reckless driving and speeding, court documents showed. Romero pleaded not guilty and was ordered held on a $100,000 cash bail by Judge Margaret F. Albertson. Noah Greany, of Mattapoisett, was the 26-year-old pedestrian killed in the crash on Jan. 12. Greany had just left the Dunkin on Southampton Street in Andrew Square at around 9:20 a.m. that morning and was walking home. At that same time, Romero was driving in a Mitsubishi Endeavor on Southampton Street. According to the documents, he was speeding before he swerved onto the wrong side of the road, around another car stopped ahead of him at a red light. Romero then ran through the red light and struck Greany as he was in the crosswalk on the passenger side of the car. The impact of the car threw the 26-year-old into the middle of the intersection, the filings read. Bystanders ran to help, but Greany was pronounced dead at Boston Medical Center less than an hour later. After he hit Greany, Romero crashed into the Small Victories bar on Dorchester Avenue, the court filings read. He and his passenger were both brought to Tufts Medical Center. Romero told police at the hospital hed lost control of the car while he was on his way to work that morning, the documents read, and had swerved on Southampton Street to avoid hitting other cars stopped at the upcoming light. He tried to go around the person walking but could not stop, the court documents read. Romero said his foot was on the brakes, but he felt the car was giving gas on its own. However, a blood alcohol level test revealed Romeros BAC content was between .091 and .096, documents showed. Massachusetts legal limit is .08. Mr. Romero was asked if he had been drinking any alcohol or had any drugs, and he stated no, and shook his head, the documents read. Surveillance footage from surrounding streets showed Romeros car traveling at an appropriate speed and in the proper lane in the minutes before the crash, but suddenly pick up speed near the South Bay Mall entrance. Romeros attorney, Virgen Palermo, could not be reached by MassLive for comment. Romero is employed at Stavis Seafood at the South Boston Fish Pier and has children. To know Noah was to love Noah, Greanys obituary read. His warmth, sense of humor and generosity made him the guy you wanted to be around. His presence could lighten up a room and his caring nature left a lasting impression on all who were lucky enough to call him a friend, his loved ones wrote. Greany was a consultant at Hayden Consulting Group in Boston and held two degrees from Northeastern University one in Cellular and Molecular Biology, and a masters degree in Bioinformatics Enterprise. In January, his mother said his family would never understand why Greany was taken so soon. And I dont think well ever, ever know the reason why he was taken so soon, Marie Lambalot Greany told The Boston Globe. He obviously needed to be somewhere else. And someday, hopefully, we can understand, she said. Romeros probable cause hearing was scheduled for May 2. Karen Read talks with her legal defense team during jury selection for her trial at Norfolk Superior Court, Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, Pool) AP A single justice of the U.S. Supreme Court declined to pause Karen Reads state murder trial while the court considers whether to take up her double-jeopardy appeal. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson denied the application Wednesday. Jacksons decision clears the way for jury selection to proceed as normal for Reads second trial. Through seven days, 15 jurors have been picked toward a goal of 16. The denial does not mean the court wont take up Reads case, though. The public docket shows the court will consider whether to do so on April 25, at which point Reads trial will be well underway and a jury will have been sworn in. Still, there is little guarantee the nations highest court will agree to hear the Read case. It is asked to review more than 7,000 cases each year but only agrees to hear between 100 and 150. The petition itself asks the court to consider whether a retrial of Read on charges of second-degree murder and leaving the scene of an accident causing injury or death would constitute double jeopardy. Several jurors from Reads first trial reported to her lawyers after the trial ended that they agreed to acquit her on those charges. Read contends she was acquitted based on those comments. Every court that has taken up the appeal has denied Read. Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone, who is overseeing the trial, denied a motion to dismiss the charges in August. Then, the Supreme Judicial Court Massachusetts highest court affirmed Cannones decision in a ruling published in February. Read appealed the SJC decision to U.S. District Court, where a federal judge denied the petition in March. She appealed that decision to the First Circuit Court of Appeals, which ultimately sided with the lower court judge and denied her petition. Thus far, 15 jurors have been selected for Reads second trial over five days. Read, 45, is accused of intentionally backing her SUV into her then-boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John OKeefe, outside a Canton home after a night of drinking in January 2022. Reads defense claims she is being framed and others are responsible for OKeefes death. A 50-year-old Weymouth man is facing a vandalism charge in connection with scratching a Tesla in a Hingham parking lot last week, according to police. On April 1, a man reported to Hingham police that his car had been vandalized while parked in the Derby Street Shops parking lot earlier that day, police said in a press release. He told police he noticed that his 2021 Tesla Model Y had been scratched along the drivers side front and rear doors and on the cars rear quarter. After hearing about Teslas across the country being vandalized in recent months, the cars owner recently started utilizing its security video system, he told police. The cars security video showed a man park his car in a space near the Tesla before walking by the car with an item in his hand, police said. The man can be seen reaching out and scratching the drivers side of the Tesla as he walks past. Officers investigated the incident and identified the man who scratched the Tesla, police said. He is being summonsed to Hingham District Court to face a charge of vandalizing or defacing property. His arraignment has not yet been scheduled. Police said they are not releasing his name prior to his arraignment. A woman struck and killed in a Newton crosswalk in March is being remembered for finding joy in every part of her life from her children to a steaming hot cup of black coffee. Heidi Budd, 56, died on March 18 as her and her husband, Bryan Budd, were walking together in a crosswalk. A Massachusetts State Police Trooper saw the crash on Route 9 in Chestnut Hill on his way to work. He stopped to attempt to save the woman. The vehicle involved in the crash remained on scene. Heidi Budd began as a United States Navy critical care nurse after graduation in 1991. But her career goal was to be a flight nurse, and with time and the dedicated gathering of ER/ICU experience, she got a job with LifeFlight of Maine, her obituary states. She did that job until 2004. She married the love of her life on the lighthouse island of Seguin on Aug. 17, 2013. And she found much of her joy in her children. She adored being out in nature with both of them as well as with her husband, her obituary read. She also loved the ocean, tuna fishing, mountain biking and hiking. When not outside, she loved a good book on a rainy day, scrapbooking, and a steaming hot cup of black coffee, the obituary read. But above all, her love for the Lord was evident in every action she took, every word of advice she gave, and every bit of love from her heart. She was a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist faith, and was a long-time attendee of the Brunswick SDA church, the obituary states, adding that she enjoyed womens ministries and growing relationships with her church family. A celebration of her life will be held on June 21 at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Brunswick. The family is asking donation be made in her memory to the New England Fishermans Stewardship Association. Sunny Isles Beach police responded to a domestic dispute involving Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill and his wife, Keeta Hill, an incident report obtained by WPLG Local 10 in Miami revealed. The incident, which was referred to as an assault in progress happened on Monday just before 2 p.m. Keeta Hills mother, Alesia Vaccaro, called police after an argument between Tyreek Hill and his wife led to the wideout throwing a laptop to the ground and grabbing his daughter who was born in November before be began walking toward the balcony in the high-rise condominium. The incident report said Vaccaro feared for her daughters safety due to Tyreek Hill acting very aggressive and impulsive. Police spoke with the three individuals and observed a bruise on Keeta Hills upper chest, though she claimed their argument never became physical. She told police her husband becomes angry and throws objects around when she states her opinion, and added the couple had been fighting more. The latest fight occurred after Keeta Hill told Tyreek Hill he was not involved enough with their daughter. The incident report stated Tyreek Hill grabbed his daughter without malice when he began walking toward the balcony something the 31-year-old admitted to police and said, I have the same rights as a father as her as a mother, and I can take my baby whenever I want. According to police, Keeta Hill is in the process of filing for divorce, and declined to provide a written statement. No arrests were made. FOX News Armando Salguero reported the Sunny Isles police department told him the case been closed and no crime was committed. Mondays incident is the latest in a slew of off-field issues for Tyreek Hill. In 2023, he under investigation for an alleged physical altercation with a Miami Beach marina employee and was uncooperative as he was being detained. In February 2024, social media influencer Sophie Hall accused Hill of fracturing her leg after he shoved her. In 2019, Hill was under investigation for child abuse after his 3-year-old son suffered a broken arm. He was never charged. Hill also has a slew of domestic violence accusations dating back to 2014. Sen. Elizabeth Warren speaks to the New England Council in Boston on Dec. 18, 2023. (Trea Lavery, MassLive) Calling them an act of economic sabotage, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Tuesday released a bipartisan resolution repealing President Donald Trumps sweeping tariffs. If approved, the measure would terminate the emergency declaration the Republican White House used to impose the trade sanctions that have roiled the markets, rattled business owners, and shook leaders worldwide. Warren, D-Mass., was joined on the resolution by Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., and Democratic U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Peter Welch of Vermont, and Tim Kaine of Virginia, along with Republican U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. The measure is whats known as a privileged resolution, which means it must receive a vote by the full Senate, circumventing the upper chambers usually rigid voting rules. Donald Trumps reckless agenda will hurt American families, small businesses, and manufacturers, Warren, the ranking Democrat on the Senates Banking Committee, said in a statement. The Trump tariffs are economic sabotage, and Congress has the power to stop them. Republicans can join Democrats and end this today. Read More: Trump administration revokes 3 student visas at Berklee College of Music Rather than retreat from a hardline that is seeing mounting pushback from Republican lawmakers and GOP mega-donors, the White House has doubled down, announcing that it will impose a 104% tariff on China starting at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, CBS News reported. Tech billionaire Elon Musk, who helms the quasi-governmental Department of Government Efficiency, and is a staunch Trump ally reportedly tried, and failed, to get the Republican president to repeal the tariffs, The Washington Post reported. Trump is driving our economy into a recession, killing jobs and wiping out seniors retirement funds as we speak, Wyden said. Enough is enough. No president should have the power to tax everything Americans buy without being accountable to Congress. Unless Republicans join with Democrats and take back Congresss power over trade policy, the damage could take years to reverse, Wyden said. Paul, a libertarian-leaning Republican and a critic of the White Houses trade war, asserted that tariffs are taxes, and the power to tax belongs to Congressnot the president. Our Founders were clear: tax policy should never rest in the hands of one person." Abusing emergency powers to impose blanket tariffs not only drives up costs for American families but also tramples on the Constitution. Its time Congress reasserts its authority and restores the balance of power, he continued. Warrens fellow New England lawmakers, Shaheen, of New Hampshire, and Welch, of Vermont, took a similarly critical line. In just a matter of days, President Trump has thrown the economy into chaos and wiped out Vermonters retirement fundsall in an attempt to achieve deeply misguided foreign policy goals," Welch said. The administrations ill-considered, short-sighted tariffs are a historic tax hike on American families jacking up the price of gas, fruit, coffee and other groceries, electronics, cars and everything in between, Shaheen said. President Trumps chaotic trade war targets close allies like Canada and Europe even while sparing adversaries like Russia leaving America weaker, more isolated and distrusted around the globe. Im proud to help introduce this resolution to force the administration to end these taxes before it does irreparable harm to American families and our international leadership role, the Granite State lawmaker said. Dr. Patrick Tutwiler, Massachusetts Secretary of Education, comes out dancing for his keynote address at the back to school convocation for West Springfield public school staff, held at West Springfield High. (Don Treeger / The Republican) 8/28/2023 The states top public schools official sent a strong message to the Trump administration as it tries to get states to drop diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Massachusetts will continue to promote diversity in our schools because we know it improves outcomes for all of our kids, and we have more work to do, Dr. Patrick Tutwiler, the interim commissioner of the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, wrote in a Wednesday letter to the Office of Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education. In rapid succession, officials at the states two teachers unions said they stood in solidarity with the Healey administration as the Republican White House tries to leverage millions of dollars in federal funding to bend states to its will. Holding hostage funding that supports our poorest, neediest children to coerce schools into letting the federal government supersede local authority on curriculum is not only heartless, but its antithetical to their justification for dismantling the Department of Education, Jessica Tang, the president of the state branch of the American Federation of Teachers, said in a statement. The Trump administration [claims] they want to give states and local governments the ability to oversee education -- a power our state and local school boards already have. Now, theyre trying to insert themselves into the schools and undermine that local control, Tang continued. Earlier this month, federal education officials circulated a memo requiring states to certify their compliance with their antidiscrimination obligations in order to continue receiving federal financial assistance. Specifically, the Education Department asked states to certify that they had complied with Title VI of the U.S. Civil Rights Act and the strictures of a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a case known as Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. That 6-3 decision by the courts conservative majority toppled Harvards race-conscious admissions policy, finding it violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The decision struck a fatal blow to affirmative action in college admissions, according to an analysis by Lawyers for Civil Rights. In a statement, Craig Trainor, the Education Departments top civil rights official, warned states that federal financial assistance is a privilege, not a right. When state education commissioners accept federal funds, they agree to abide by federal antidiscrimination requirements. Unfortunately, we have seen too many schools flout or outright violate these obligations, including by using DEI programs to discriminate against one group of Americans to favor another based on identity characteristics in clear violation of Title VI, Trainor continued. Trainor called the departments policy an important step toward ensuring that states understandand comply withtheir existing obligations under civil rights laws and Students v. Harvard. As Chief Justice Roberts wrote, Eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it. No student should be denied opportunities or treated differently because of his or her race, Trainor continued. We hope all State and Local Education Agencies agree and certify their compliance with this legal and constitutional principle. In his letter, Tutwiler wrote that he [acknowledged] that the Department does and will comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, its implementing regulation, and Supreme Court cases interpreting the same, and that such compliance is a material condition for the continued receipt of federal financial assistance. Tutwiler then went on to observe that Massachusetts is home to the best K-12 schools in the country. In fact, last year Massachusetts students received the highest numeric scores on all four categoriesin fourth and eighth-grade math and reading tested as part of the U.S. Department of Educations National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), known as the Nations Report Card. Bay State educators know that having people of diverse perspectives and backgroundsas educators, administrators, and leaders in our education systemis a strength, not a flaw," he continued. It is a reason for our success, not a barrier to it. Consistent with longstanding federal law, Massachusetts will continue to promote diversity in our schools because we know it improves outcomes for all of our kids, and we have more work to do, he concluded. In a statement, Max Page and Deb McCarthy, the two top officials in the Massachusetts Teachers Association, said the states largest teachers union stood with the Healey administration. The union said it was pleased that ... Tutwiler refused to sign a chilling order that demanded our public schools dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion programs. We believe this order is constitutionally illegal as well as educationally immoral. We in the Massachusetts Teachers Association will always defend the rights of students to learn and the full academic freedom of educators to teach, the statement continued. The risk of losing our identity as a state that strives in both planning and practice to include and appreciate diverse perspectives in our public schools is a far greater cost than the monetary loss Trump has threatened if state education officials throughout the country do not sign the letter sent by his Department of Education, Page and McCarthy concluded. Elon Musk, usually a steadfast supporter of President Donald Trumps administration, distanced himself from the presidents unpopular tariff agenda and berated its overseer. Musk took to the social media platform X, which he owns, to slam comments made by Trumps top trade advisor Peter Navarro. Navarro spoke about the administrations recent tariffs on CNBC Monday. When asked about how the tariffs will affect Musks Tesla electric vehicle company, Navarro said Tesla is not a car manufacturer but a car assembler. In many cases, if you go to his Texas plant, a good part of the engines that he gets (which in the EV case are the batteries) come from Japan and come from China. The electronics come from Taiwan, Navarro told CNBC. Navarro said the Trump administration and Musk have a difference of thinking. We want the tires made in Akron. We want the transmissions made in Indianapolis. We want the engines made in Flint and Saginaw. And we want the cars manufactured here, said Navaro. On Tuesday morning, Musk called Navarro a moron in response. Navarro is truly a moron. What he says here is demonstrably false, Musk wrote on X. A community note was added underneath Navaros stating Tesla has the most vehicles manufactured by Americans, according to a 2024 Cars.com report. Musk went on to link to the report and belittle Trumps tariff advisor, calling Navarro dumber than a sack of bricks. On April 2, Trump announced a sweeping set of tariffs on more than 100 countries. Many countries were hit with a baseline tariff of 10%, while others, such as Israel were hit with higher tariffs of 17%. On Tuesday night, Trump announced a significant 104% tariff on all goods imported from China. In retaliation, China imposed an 84% tariff of its own, and the European Union has also recently approved retaliatory tariffs. Musk has publicly denounced Trumps tariff plan. In a Saturday interview with the League of Congress, an event hosted by Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, Musk said he believes in a zero-tariff situation with Europe. I hope it is agreed that both Europe and the United States should move, ideally, in my view, to a zero-tariff situation, effectively creating a free trade zone between Europe and North America, said Musk. BOSTON Instant reactions from the Red Sox 6-1 loss to the Blue Jays on Tuesday here at Fenway Park: 1) Garrett Crochet made his first start as a Red Sox pitcher at Fenway Park. He pitched 5 innings, allowing four runs (one earned run), five hits and four walks while striking out five. Control was an issue. He threw just 65 of his 107 pitches (60.7%) for strikes. On a very cold night, his fastball velocity was down. He topped out at 96.7 mph and averaged 94.8 mph with his 58 four-seamers. Thats down from an average four-seam fastball velocity of 96.3 mph this season. He also threw 30 cutters, eight changeups, seven sinkers and four sweepers, per Statcast. 2) Crochet who he held Toronto scoreless through five innings didnt have great control but he probably deserved better as his defense let him down in the sixth inning. The lefty allowed a solo homer to George Springer that made it 1-0 Toronto. Davis Schneider reached on a throwing error by Alex Bregman. Crochet then walked Myles Straw and gave up an infield single to Tyler Heineman. Kristian Campbell made an errant throw to first base on Heinemans ground ball, allowing a second run to score. Crochet walked Alan Roden to load the bases before manager Alex Cora finally replaced him with Zack Kelly. Bo Bichettes two-run single against Kelly made it 4-0. 3) Crochets 107 pitches is the most he has ever thrown in a major league start. Its just the fourth time in 35 starts he has thrown 100 or more pitches. His previous career high was 103 pitches June 1, 2023 for the White Sox at Milwaukee. He threw 102 pitches in his previous outing (April 2 at Baltimore). Manager Alex Cora got Kelly warming after Crochet reached 100 pitches. 4) Ceddanne Rafaela continued to play strong defense in center field. He sprinted in to make a diving catch in the sixth inning on Ernie Clements 237-foot fly ball that had a .790 expected batting average. 5) How cold was it? This fact came from the Red Sox media relations department: "Per BBREF, at 35 degrees, this is the 3rd coldest first pitch temperature recorded at a game at Fenway. The coldest first pitch logged was 34 degrees (done 2x first on was April 15, 2018 vs Baltimore and again on April 17, 2003 vs. Tampa Bay Devil Rays)." 6) The Red Sox and Blue Jays will play the third game of their four-game series Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. Righty Tanner Houck (0-1, 6.52 ERA) will start for Boston opposite Jays righty Kevin Gausman (1-1, 3.97 ERA). by Tony Jarvis , Op-Ed Contributor, April 8, 2025 The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurements CIMM East Conference in New York City Tuesday delivered fundamental point and counter point positions along with diverse insights and perspectives across a broad range of topics: media currency measurements, ad effectiveness, campaign outcomes, research innovations, and associated issues. Fox Senior Vice President Kym Frank surely led the headlines during the opening panel on Making Sense of the Multi-Currency Market by calling the current TV/video multi-currency farrago a multi-currency fiesta. The fiesta, according primarily to the measurement vendors on the panel, is just getting started. How to navigate such a confusing set of different currency metrics which theoretically should reflect the same relationship to the ultimate goal of campaign outcomes clearly remains elusive. advertisement advertisement GroupMs eloquent Nicholas Grand, who has deep European/global perspectives where real JICs operate and provide the media currency reminded attendees that even in the complex U.S. market, consistency, relevancy and transparency of metrics are more important than accuracy. Referencing the chaos of the U.S. TV/video market relative to the value delivered by JICs, Grand suggested the ship has sailed for a real universal single media currency JIC in the U.S. Both Frank and Grand use Nielsen as their first language noting that competition has driven measurement innovations at Nielsen and other vendors, which CIMM is attempting to help understand via its frequent in-depth special reports. They both noted the importance of establishing buy/sell guarantees. But based on what, if there is no agreed media currency? Which brings us back to Nielsen. However, compared to the rest of the worlds JICs, what is the economic cost of confusion and contradictions of multiple currencies, especially if they have no interoperability? Media metrics cost-cutting via high tech with little or limited media research measurement focus, as espoused by VideoAmp, appears to underpin a fundamental problem facing the U.S. measurement marketplace. The questions surrounding the economics of media currencies may be answered in a paper being developed for CIMM by KnotSimplers Josh Chasin and consultant Manish Bhatia. Chasin, who is also the part-time Chief Research Officer of the Association of National Advertisers Project Aquila, pointedly referenced and rejected the long-established position on the value, pragmatism and cost effectiveness of a single, agreed currency for any media, most notably from an advertiser/agency perspective. It was not apparent that Bhatia fully agreed with Chasins position in pointing out some of the core principles and operational values of real JICs. The various Dutch and Swedish media JICs are each pursuing an initiative to establish a single cross-media planning currency in their markets. The economic measurement and metrics cornerstones that Chasin and Bhatia will address did seem to support: the importance of people-based panels; the need to address traditional TV and streaming; the measurement of content and ads in the same database. Echoing the U.S. currency fiesta rather than a currency war, Simulmedia Chief Science Officer Jonathan Steuer underlined the critical importance of a single relevant media metric, or currency, at least for media planning. Farrago or fiesta? During a later session on attention metrics, Mediahub Executive Vice President Michael Piner seemed to suggest that, as it normalizes value across all media channels and media vehicles, attention metrics could evolve as the ultimate currency singular. In terms of the now nebulous term impressions, he expects impressions to include audience, media content/context and attention, if the metric is to help drive increases in campaign effectiveness. Piner was on a panel with Netflix Vice President Measurement Julie DeTraglia and TVision CEO Yan Liu who were visibly smiling. As DeTraglia reminded, attention for both content and ads is finite and scarce, and the only means to generate an outcome. This raises the fundamental question as to the basis for cross-media measurement projects like the ANAs Aquila. Matter More Media Chief Strategy Officer Kelly Abcarian, who is obsessed with math and precision measurement, recommended all media users should have a crystal clear understanding of what any number actually represents. This should include the derivation, measurement, modeling and math behind the number, i.e., transparency; and that we move on from average commercial minute, which dilutes the value of TV. She suggests full transparency is substantially missing in our measurement and metrics business, including for the process auditors. Based on her extraordinary experience perhaps CIMM will soon publish her digest to achieve these goals? by Ray Schultz , April 8, 2025 Associated Press reporters will be allowed back in the White House and on Air Force One after Sunday. A federal court has stayed the order that granted AP a preliminary injunction against the government to provide the Government time to seek an emergency stay from a higher court and to prepare to implement the Courts injunction, wrote U.S. Judge Trevor N. McFadden in an order issued Tuesday. McFadden added: This stay automatically dissolves after April 13, absent further relief from a higher court. The White House had blocked AP reporters from events in retaliation for APs persistence in using the name Gulf of Mexico instead of the Trump-mandated name Gulf of America. advertisement advertisement AP filed suit in February, claiming its First Amendment rights had been violated. In his ruling ordering the White House to admit AP, McFadden, a Trump-appointed judge, wrote: "The Court simply holds that under the First Amendment, if the Government opens its doors to some journalists be it to the Oval Office, the East Room, or elsewhere it cannot then shut those doors to other journalists because of their viewpoints. The Constitution requires no less." by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, April 9, 2025 Siding against Amazon, a federal judge this week rejected its bid to throw out antitrust charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission, which claims the retailer illegally hindered competition in the "online superstore." Amazon had urged U.S. District Court Judge John Chun in Seattle to rule that FTC's lawsuit was procedurally improper, contending that the agency could not seek an injunction against the company in federal court unless the agency first brought charges in an in-house administrative court. Chun disagreed, writing that the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals -- which covers Washington -- ruled in 1982 that the FTC can request injunctions regardless of whether it pursues an enforcement action in an in-house administrative court. The ruling comes in a battle dating to September 2023, when the FTC and more than a dozen states claimed Amazon wrongly prevents marketplace sellers from discounting their products on other sites, and requires sellers to use Amazon's fulfillment system in order to participate in Amazon Prime, which offers expedited shipping. advertisement advertisement That "interconnected strategy" aims to block off every major avenue of competition -- including price, product selection, quality, and innovation -- in the relevant markets for online superstores and online marketplace services, the complaint alleged. Online superstores are described in the complaint as stores offering "a single destination for shoppers to browse a large and diverse selection of goods from multiple brands across a wide range of categories. The FTC is seeking an injunction that would prohibit Amazon from engaging in conduct the agency claims is anti-competitive. Amazon previously argued to Chun that even if the FTC's allegations were proven true, they wouldn't support a finding that the company violated antitrust laws. The complaint does not identify a single product or product category for which prices have risen as a result of the challenged conduct, Amazon wrote in a December filing. Instead, it implausibly, and illogically, assumes that Amazons efforts to keep featured prices low on Amazon somehow raised consumer prices across the whole economy. Chun rejected that argument last year, paving the way for the litigation to continue. by Joe Mandese @mp_joemandese, April 9, 2025 Ad buys are a lot like lunch. There ain't no free ones. Or in the case of the burgeoning CTV advertising marketplace, there are no cheap, high-volume ones either. That was one of the big take takeaways from the CTV ad fraud panel that closed out Tuesday's CIMM East conference in New York City. But if you ask me, there was an even bigger -- and far more controversial point -- made by a couple of the panelists, especially Simulmedia CEO Dave Morgan. Asked by moderator and CIMM Managing Director Jon Watts to kick things off, Morgan more or less kicked the can over, going back to his prosecutor roots and explaining the difference between criminal fraud and commercial fraud. "At the least," Morgan explained, "its causing or inducing someone to take action and not action based on a set of information that you either know or have a reason to believe might not be true. Or did not take appropriate care to ensure that it was true." advertisement advertisement In case that explanation of commercial fraud wasn't absolutely clear, Morgan added: "Willful ignorance can absolutely be fraud. That's really important, because of lot of people don't want to know. And not wanting to know, but transacting -- knowing that you dont know and are not inspecting, when you have a duty for inspection thats fraud." While the other panelists didn't necessarily agree with Morgan's stringent definition, they concurred that it falls along a spectrum from blatant criminal actions to negligence to willful ignorance, but whatever the state of the mind of industry practitioners, they are all somehow culpable for something in the order of at least $1 billion and as much as $7 billion in fraudulent CTV ad impressions. Kudos to Morgan for putting the industry's feet to the fire on this one. Not just because of the magnitude of the ad dollars involved, but because of the "downstream" effects it has on the marketplace -- and arguably -- society overall. You have to understand the consequences of all the secondary and tertiary effects," he explained, adding: "And so, the question is, whats happening because you are taking money away from a premium publisher by suppressing the pricing?" Among other things, Morgan said that's money that might otherwise be directed to professional studios and journalists. Theres a lot of downstream consequences that are significantly higher, and have a consequential impact than just the straight take rate of this $5 billion to $7 billion," he explained. To which CIMM's Watts exclaimed: "It's 2025. Why is it technically, commercially, operationally feasible to have a market in which there are billions of dollars of fraud?" Morgan's answer: "The number of people that make money on every impression thats delivered, irrespective of it is provably fraudulent, massively outweighs the number of people that care and will expose something. "Everybody benefits," he explained, suggesting that it goes all the way to the top, including clients who simply turn a blind eye in order to get cheap, high-volume CPMs. Morgan even provided some math on that (see above), providing a hypothetical example of what the actual yield of a cheap CTV CPM might be, after agency/client rebates. Now a $1.50 CPM may not seem like much, but $1.50 here and $1.50 there and pretty soon you're talking about some real money. Like several billion dollars real. "If we see volumes like that, that actually means someone yielded out $1.50, that cant be real," Morgan emphasized, citing that is just the sort of thing that happened during the 2024 election cycle, especially for "locally-based geo inventory on platforms at the highest demand that there has ever been for CTV a particular type. "It was pure synthetic delivery. And it was moved by significant players in the industry." By "synthetic," Morgan means it was completely bogus. While Morgan may have been the most impolitic of the panelists, he was not alone in the belief that it's not just sellers of bogus CTV ad impressions that are committing commercial fraud, but some of its buyers too. "Who exactly are we appealing to to be responsible?" Check My Ads Institute COO and former Chief Privacy & Responsibility Officer at Interpublic's UM unit Arielle Garcia asked rhetorically, noting: "This is now baked into the commercial model of holding companies, as well." You don't need to be a forensics accountant to understand where the blame is for the lax oversight enabling the magnitude of commercial fraud within the CTV -- or for that matter, many other fraudulent ad marketplaces -- because as the CIMM East panel concluded, there are motives up and down the food chain. The panelists did have some worthwhile suggestions for how to fix it, including the use of "filters" to weed out fraudulent deals before they happen, as opposed to using reports to detect them after they happen. And the session even showed some suggestions from a CIMM working group trying to tackle the problem (see slides below). But the bottom line seemed to be more about the most common sense cure for fraud in any industry: knowing and working with trusted partners who aren't the kind that are bound to screw you -- or even let you screw yourself. "Our industry relies on trust," Morgan noted, suggesting that as hard as it might be to call others out for fraudulent behavior, it's something the ad industry needs to do more of. As someone who has covered the business for more than 40 years, I can tell you first-hand that is hard to do, and in my years, I've been surprised how many times I've covered stories about the most blue-chip organizations -- J. Walter Thompson (Marie Luisi syndication scandal), Ogilvy & Mather, etc. -- committing various acts of fraud, sometimes willfully. And I also take exception that this is some kind of new behavior related to the opportunism associated with digital media, including CTV. Analog media-buying has always had ad fraud too, and while much of it was errors or breakage (discrepancy resolutions, etc.), a lot of it was explicitly fraudulent too. Kudos to CIMM for shining more light on it though, because the complexity -- not to mention the multiple "hops" -- in the programmatic digital supply chain surely great more opportunities for it. And if anyone wants to shed even more light on it, MediaPost would be happy to cover it. Heck, I'll even buy lunch. AI boosts TB detection accuracy, enabling faster, reliable diagnosis through chest X-ray analysis. AI for TB Detection Trusted Source Screening for TB disease Go to source Trusted Source What if I told you #artificial_intelligence is now a super-sleuth in the fight against #tuberculosis, with accuracy levels that could revolutionize healthcare? Mind blown. #TB #AI #healthtech Screening for TB disease - (https://www.who.int/activities/screening-for-tb-disease) KIMS Hospitals, Minister Road, has taken a giant leap in thedriven study on TB detection using chest X-rays (CXRs). The groundbreaking study retrospectively analyzed 16,675 chest X-rays of adult patients using thewithout direct clinician interventionmarking a milestone in AI-powered diagnostics in India.The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of AI in detecting pulmonary TB and to measure its alignment with expert radiologists interpretations. The findings were striking: theFurthermore, the tool exhibited a Negative Predictive Value (NPV) of 97%, confirming its strong reliability in ruling out non-TB cases. With a specificity of 69.1%, the AI met and even surpassed the minimum criteria set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for TB screening tools. (One of the most noteworthy outcomes of the study was the high level of agreement between AI-based assessments and radiologist interpretations. This significant overlap underscores the potential of AI to not only supplement but also strengthen diagnostic accuracy and clinical decision-makingespecially in high-burden, resource-limited settings.Dr. Latha Sarma, Head of Department and Senior Consultant Pulmonologist at KIMS Hospitals, remarked, The ability of AI to assist in TB detection with such high accuracy is a game-changer, particularly in areas where access to radiology experts is limited. This can have a profound impact on early diagnosis and timely treatment.Dr. Chaithanya Isamalla, Senior Consultant Radiologist at KIMS, added, AI is not a replacement for human judgment, but it is an incredibly powerful tool for first-line screening. It helps streamline workflows and ensures that complex cases get the focused attention they require.The study highlights the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence in healthcare, particularly in combating infectious diseases like TB. Tools like qXR offer promising opportunities to scale up early detection, reduce diagnostic delays, and ultimately improve treatment outcomes. As the integration of AI into healthcare systems becomes more widespread, KIMS Hospitals' pioneering work sets the stage for broader adoption of AI technologies in medical diagnosticsushering in a new era of smarter, faster, and more accessible healthcare.Source-Medindia After the blockbuster success of Gadar 2, Aamir Khan signed Sunny Deol for a movie titled Lahore 1947 directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. Based on Asghar Wajahats renowned play Jis Lahore Nai Dekhya, O Jamyai Ni, Lahore 1947 is about a muslim family from Lucknow that migrates to Lahore because of the partition in 1947. In Lahore, they are allotted a house that was previously owned by a Hindu family that migrated to India. The big twist arrives when they realise that the mansion already houses an old Hindi woman who refuses to leave the house calling it her own. Pen Studios While Sunny Deol plays the patriarch of the muslim family migrated from Lucknow to Lahore, Preity Zinta plays his wife and Shabana Azmi portrays the character of the old Hindu woman in Pakistan. The film went on floors soon after Gadar 2 and was earlier scheduled for Republic Day 2025 release but was delayed. Meanwhile Sunny shot for another film, a mass action entertainer titled Jaat which is releasing in theatres on April 10. Talking about the same, he said during an interview with Pinkvilla, Woh film (Lahore 1947) definitely aa rahi hai. Woh kya hua woh film maine pehle shuru ki thi. Uski shooting poori khatam ho chuki hai. And uske baad maine Jaat shuru ki hai. But usmein thoda sa waqt isliye bhi lag raha hai because Aamir (Khan) is the producer and he wants to take his time, wants to edit, wants to see everything, he wants to be very perfect about everything (That film is definitely coming. I started that before and its shooting has also wrapped. I started Jaat after that. But that is taking slightly longer because Aamir Khan is the producer and he's aiming for perfection in editing). A few days ago, Neha Kakkar was booed off stage after she arrived three hours late at a concert and now, Hrithik Roshan faces the fan-fury after he allegedly left a meet and greet midway. What actually happened? Hrithik Roshan was supposed to meet and greet and click pictures with fans who had paid money, as mentioned in the poster below. Reddit/BollyBlindsNGossip According to several Reddit users, Hrithik Roshan reportedly left the venue without meeting many of the fans who had gathered to see him. Some claim he didnt even greet or acknowledge half the crowd and departed without any prior notice or explanation, leaving many disappointed. A majority of users suggested that fans stop hero-worshipping. One user commented, I blame artist management teams here. What are they taking 10% fees for if not to check things like venue suitability, promotional material and keep track of whats being advertised vs whats been committed. Fans suffer, celebrity plays sympathy card (I didnt know myself) but somebody has to be accountable. Reddit/BollyBlindsNGossip Another user commented, You cant make this shit up! Its true and its unbelievable how these organizers can rip you off! A big hrithik fan myself and Im utterly disappointed in him for agreeing to do something like this! America is economically reeling right now and Im really wondering how ppl are so gullible to spend this kind of money! Disgusting! Reddit/BollyBlindsNGossip One of the users also accused that Hrithik is doing all this to collect money for Krrish 4, He is desperately trying to secure money for some reason (maybe Krish 4), but for that, he is doing whatever he can get at a massive discount too. He doesnt care about the product or the content of the ad; he just needs the money, thats it. Also, A-list stars dont shoot with just any ad director; they work with selected ones, no matter how shi**y the project is. Reddit/BollyBlindsNGossip One user wrote, People here are gonna blame the organisers but surely a star of Hrithik's stature and experience knows that a pay meet and greet in a mall's parking lot planned by local Indian Americans is rarely gonna go well so I judge him for trying to make a quick buck at the cost of the fans, who also should've known better. The armed services' highest-ranking enlisted leaders told members of Congress on Tuesday they support a proposal to extend the parental leave option period for troops following the birth of a child or adoption from one to two years. Reps. Stephanie Bice, R-Okla., and Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., introduced a bill in January that would let service members use parental leave at any time within two years of a child's birth or adoption and would standardize the services' requirements for exempting them from performance evaluations while they are gone. During a hearing held Tuesday by the House Appropriations Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies subcommittee on military quality of life, Bice pressed the top enlisted leaders for their opinions on the proposal. Read Next: Toxic Exposure at Domestic Military Bases Is Next Step After PACT Act, Democratic Lawmakers Say She received a resounding "yes" from Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy James Honea and affirmative nods from the other four. "I really appreciate your willingness to engage in this conversation, because I do believe that if we could expand that to two years, or have a conversation [about it], we could figure out how to get there," Honea told Bice. Under a policy rolled out in 2023, active-duty service members and activated Guard and reserve members can take up to 12 weeks of leave if they give birth, have a spouse who gave birth, adopted a child or became foster parents. The leave must be taken within 12 months of the birth or adoption event. But Honea said that the one-year time frame, combined with the annual leave troops accrue in a year, make it "challenging for someone to execute parental leave inside one year." "That flexibility would be extremely helpful," Honea said, referring to the two-year option. In announcing the legislation last year, Bice said the extra year to use the leave would be helpful for service members to plan timing regarding their family circumstances and permanent change of station orders. "I see a lot of heads nodding," Bice said during the hearing. "Thank you for that." The services rolled out new parental leave policies in 2023 after Congress required them to provide 12 weeks of paid parental leave to new military parents for members designated as primary caregivers as well as secondary caregivers, the latter of which was once called paternity leave. The 12 weeks is in addition to convalescent leave for military moms who give birth or adopt a child. For all branches of the military other than the Army, parental leave can be denied by lower-level commanders. In the Army, only the first general in a secondary caregiver's chain of command can deny parental leave. The Army was the last among the services to reveal its policy, in large part because of the debate over the denial of leave, with some officials wanting the authority to go to commanders and others wanting the final say to be from a general officer. The other services allow commanders to deny parental leave. Other quality-of-life issues addressed during the hearing were the services' approaches to improving barracks for single enlisted personnel and providing additional housing options such as apartments run by public-private partnerships, as well as child care, health care for service members and their families, and educational opportunities. Nearly universally, the enlisted leaders said that a congressional decision this year to fund the Defense Department without having passed a fiscal 2025 budget bill -- using a continuing resolution based on the previous year's budget limits -- has hurt their services' efforts to improve conditions for military personnel and families. "The loss of the fiscal 2025 budget, that did have a lot of effects," Honea said. "We're not putting shovels in the ground and building barracks. We're not putting shovels in the ground to build new child development centers." "The Space Force has operated under a continuing resolution for 51% of our existence, limiting our ability to evolve as necessary," Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force John Bentivegna said. Subcommittee Chairman Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, said committee members would work to get the appropriations process back on track for fiscal 2026. "Everyone on this dias is an appropriator. We don't like [continuing resolutions]," Carter said. "We know you don't like them. We don't like them. All that work ... we're the only people who get things done and then they throw us out like trash." Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, the subcommittee's ranking Democrat, asked the services to provide their priorities for projects such as child care centers, housing and other infrastructure that were included in the fiscal 2025 budget but were not funded. "I was incredibly disappointed by the way the fiscal year 2025 process ended and the missed opportunity for this committee to make the necessary investments to build on our progress in recent years addressing quality-of-life projects," Wasserman Schultz said. Related: Pentagon Unveils New Parental Leave Policy After Delay Caused Uncertainty for Troops Airmen and Space Force Guardians have had their scheduled family days for 2025 canceled after officials said the extra days off to spend time with loved ones did not align with the administration's warfighting priorities. The April 7 memo, confirmed as authentic by the Air Force, rescinds the family days -- extra leave granted around federal holidays that can be used for four-day weekends -- for troops in both services after the Air Force said it could not legally grant the leave to civilian employees two months ago. "Providing blanket designations of pass days, often called family days, to align with all eleven federal holidays throughout the year does not support our ability to execute the mission with excellence while maintaining our competitive advantage," according to the memo signed by acting Air Force Secretary Gary Ashworth. Read Next: Army Secretary Tapped to Also Lead ATF in Unusual Dual Role The new directive to cancel family days comes after a Feb.11 memo was issued stating the service was scrutinizing the use of family days for civilian employees who, historically, were also granted leave by their superiors around the holidays. "Federal law does not permit the [Department of the Air Force] to grant civilian personnel additional leave," Acting Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs Gwendolyn DeFilippi wrote in that memo. "Unless otherwise exempted, if civilian employees are not on an excused absence, they should be working at their current duty location." The Department of the Air Force also includes the Space Force. Katherine Kuzminski, the director of studies at the Center for a New American Security think tank, told Military.com on Wednesday that four-day weekends are often easy to grant when operational tempo -- the frequency of deployments and operations -- is slow. She said that, while the four-day weekends "have a lot of value for families," they're often harder to pull off when operational tempo, or "optempo," increases. "The cancellation is a signal that the [Air Force] is approaching the current environment as one with a high optempo and training," Kuzminksi said. "While it does have the negative externality of [placing] strain on families, it is aligned with the service's emphasis on readiness." Military family members and advocates, however, are angered by the change. Kayla Corbitt, a military spouse and the founder of The Operation Child Care Project, a nonprofit that advocates for family care for service members and their loved ones, told Military.com on Wednesday that family days "were not simply days off." She added they were often used strategically -- such as scheduling doctor visits or dentist appointments on those days -- and some schools would even plan parent-teacher meetings around those days. "For some service members who worked non-traditional hours, these are the only days they could be active parents during waking hours," Corbitt told Military.com. "The removal of family days for the purposes of readiness and lethality is almost certain to do the opposite for those with a family." The April 7 memo states that commanders, directors and supervisors can exercise their authority to grant passes "when aligned with operation missions and warfighting requirements." Related: Air Force Backtracks on Banning Personal Pronouns from Email Signatures Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is poised to assume temporary leadership of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a rare dual appointment that places the 38-year-old at the helm of two high-stakes federal institutions, according to five defense officials familiar with the matter. The move comes at a pivotal moment for both agencies. The ATF continues to draw partisan scrutiny over firearms regulation, while the Army is undergoing a strategic transformation to counter China's growing military influence in the Pacific. Driscoll is in Europe this week visiting soldiers and meeting with key Army leaders in the region. Both the head of the ATF and Army secretary are full-time positions with enormous responsibilities and long workdays. Read Next: Troops Booted over COVID-19 Vaccine Are Being Offered Back Pay But Not Huge Payouts As acting director, Driscoll, who has no background in law enforcement, will oversee nearly 8,000 employees, including more than 2,500 federal agents charged with enforcing firearms laws that have made the agency a frequent target of pro-gun activists and Republican lawmakers. In recent years, the GOP has made no secret of its intent to slash ATF's authority, pushing to gut the agency's enforcement power -- particularly around gun background checks -- and at times calling for its complete dismantling. In 2024, Republicans in Congress trimmed $47 million from the ATF's already modest $1.6 billion budget, signaling the latest round of partisan belt-tightening for an agency that's long struggled to secure consistent leadership. Driscoll will be taking on the role from FBI Director Kash Patel, who was removed from leading the ATF as his second job. It's unclear what led to Patel's dismissal, but he was still running the FBI as of Wednesday afternoon. Since Congress made the ATF director role a Senate-confirmed position in 2006, just two nominees have made it through the politically fraught confirmation process: Todd Jones in 2013 and Steve Dettelbach in 2022. Most other nominees have stalled amid fierce opposition and lobbying from gun rights groups. Driscoll oversees the Army, its $185.9 billion budget, and nearly 1 million soldiers across active-duty and reserve components. The Army is in the midst of a radical shift, transitioning from the Global War on Terrorism era to revamping its equipment and doctrine to modernize the force in hopes of deterring China. "The world is changing rapidly, and we must ensure the Army is prepared to operate in new, complex and contested environments," Driscoll said during his confirmation hearing in January. Driscoll, who has been a close friend of Vice President JD Vance since the pair met at Yale Law School, has spent most of his professional career in venture capital and other business enterprises. He came into the Army secretary role with a light resume compared to his predecessors, most of whom had robust backgrounds in national security policy. Driscoll served in the Army from 2007 to 2010 as a cavalry officer with the 10th Mountain Division based out of New York. He deployed to Iraq once during his service, left the Army as a first lieutenant and immediately went on to attend Yale. -- Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report. Editor's note: This story was updated to correct the number of employees at the ATF and with more information on sourcing. Related: Senate Confirms Driscoll, a Veteran and Financier with Little Leadership Experience, to Be Army Secretary MEXICO CITY Amid reports that the Trump administration is considering drone strikes against cartels, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum reiterated her staunch opposition to any such military action. "We do not agree with any kind of intervention or interference," Sheinbaum told reporters Tuesday at her daily morning news conference. "This has been very clear: We coordinate, we collaborate, (but) we are not subordinate and there is no meddling in these actions." The president's comments, reaffirming her already-stated views on the sensitive topic, come as various reports have suggested the Trump administration may be considering aerial strikes on cartel targets and that the administration is prepared to act unilaterally if Washington cannot secure Mexican support. On Tuesday NBC News cited six current and former U.S. officials saying that the Trump administration was weighing drone strikes in Mexico "to combat criminal gangs trafficking narcotics across the southern border." The Trump White House has already designated six Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, a move that Mexico opposed vociferously. Many in Mexico viewed the designation as moving the United States toward its first military strike on neighboring Mexico in more than a century. Sheinbaum has agreed to stepped-up military and Central Intelligence Agency surveillance flights over Mexico in a bid to gather intelligence on cartel operations, officials have said. But military strikes would probably cross a red line and could trigger a sharp deterioration in U.S.-Mexico relations and, experts say, could result in curtailed cooperation in battling illegal immigration and drug smuggling, and resolving other cross-border issues. "Unilateral U.S. strikes on Mexican soil would be devastating for the bilateral relations and could be detrimental to the objective of fighting drug cartels," Gustavo A. Flores-Macias, professor of government at Cornell University, wrote via email. "The Mexican government would face tremendous domestic pressure to respond in the strongest possible terms including severing diplomatic relations with the U.S. and collapsing binational cooperation on migration and security, among other topics," wrote Flores-Macias. The issue of U.S interference is an extremely sensitive one in a country that lost more than half of its national territory including present-day California in the 1846-48 Mexican-American War, a conflict widely viewed here as an act of U.S. imperial aggression. Mexico also endured 20th-century incursions, including the 1914 U.S. military occupation of the port of Veracruz and the unsuccessful 1916-17 expedition to capture Gen. Francisco "Pancho" Villa, the Mexican revolutionary leader. Although drone strikes would undoubtedly produce the kind of kinetic optics that President Trump favors, experts have questioned their use against Mexican cartels highly atomized operations that often produce clandestine drugs in primitive laboratories that can be easily replaced. Sheinbaum has won widespread praise at home and abroad for her administration's "cool-headed" talks with the Trump administration on the contentious issue of tariffs. The White House has imposed duties on imports of automobiles, steel and aluminum from Mexico, but has largely maintained the free-trade regimen of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, signed in 2020, during Trump's first White House term. But Trump has also charged that Mexico is "essentially run by the cartels" an assertion rejected by Sheinbaum, who has said that Mexico would defend its sovereignty against "violations by land, sea or air." Under the leadership of Sheinbaum, who took office in October, Mexico has stepped up actions against organized crime, arresting scores of alleged traffickers, making record busts of fentanyl and other illicit drugs, and shipping 29 purported cartel capos to the United States to face trial. She has quietly dropped the "hugs not bullets" approach of her predecessor and mentor, former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who reduced U.S.-Mexico coordination on anti-drug efforts and was widely criticized for not taking a more aggressive stance toward cartels that dominate wide swaths of Mexican territory. Trump has praised Sheinbaum's actions, calling her a "marvelous woman." But the U.S. president has still still insisted that the United States should "wage war" against drug cartels. _____ (Special correspondent Cecilia Sanchez Vidal contributed to this report.) _____ 2025 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The leader of Space Command, Gen. Stephen Whiting, highlighted major wins Tuesday at the Space Symposium, such as a combined exercise in space with France, and underscored upcoming goals like developing space weapons. "Fighting in space requires credible, acknowledged, kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities, fires and weapons. Acknowledging this reinforces a distinct space warfighting ethos ensures that threats are met with the right capabilities and restores credible deterrence in space," he said, to a packed ballroom at The Broadmoor. Though Whiting did not elaborate in his speech about "fires" a recent military document uses the term to refer offensive action in space that can disable a satellite, such as a cyberattack. The Colorado Springs-based Space Command brings together troops from across the service branches to protect and defend the area 62 miles above the Earth. It is distinct from the Space Force, the youngest military branch. In a conflict, the U.S. also needs to be prepared to reconstitute its assets in orbit, Whiting said. "We must prepare for a protracted conflict to be successful," he said. Warfighting in space is still a relatively new idea and blowing up satellites or other objects in space would add to the dangerous debris orbiting the Earth that can damage other crafts, such as space stations. But Russia's plans for a nuclear weapon in orbit and China's investment in space have added a sense of urgency to deterrence. During the event, Whiting announced that France and the U.S. had recently flexed their combined space capabilities in their very first rendezvous and demonstration near a "strategic competitor spacecraft." He did not offer any additional details. He also revealed the Space Command and the Space Force's SpaceWERX plan to fund solutions to refuel satellites in space. It's a problem he's highlighted before saying that too often decisions in space are guided by preserving fuel. The two military groups plan to fund 10 proposals with $1.9 million each over 15 months. "This effort will continue to invest in the most promising technology from commercial industry to help us solve the sustained space maneuver challenge," he said. Traditionally satellites are sent up with all the fuel they will need for their lifetimes. The Space Force already has plans underway to launch and test in-orbit fueling. It's an area rich with creativity, with some companies pursuing ideas that have been likened to gas stations in space and jet packs for satellites. 2025 The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.). Visit www.gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A24's "Warfare" has a relatively simple mission: to drop audiences into the chaos of a Navy SEAL mission gone wrong, told in real time and drawn from memory. Co-written and directed by Alex Garland ("Civil War," "28 Days Later") and former SEAL Ray Mendoza, the film is based on Mendoza's own experience during a deployment to Iraq. At its core is a surveillance op deep in insurgent territory, one that spirals into a life-or-death struggle. The film also serves as a tribute to Elliott Miller, a SEAL who was gravely wounded during the mission that inspired the story. An unfiltered look at modern combat, "Warfare" is a study in memory, trauma and brotherhood. Where Mendoza brings firsthand experience, Garland brings a filmmaker's eye for tension and emotion; together, they've crafted something urgent, immersive and deeply personal. In this Q&A, the pair reflect on the emotional weight of recreating real events, the responsibility to honor those who lived them, and how "Warfare" became a powerful bridge between veterans, their families and civilian audiences. Related: The Real Military History Behind the New Iraq War Film 'Warfare' Military.com: What is it like seeing the finished product on screen? Ray Mendoza: "For me, watching it each time, especially with veterans, it has been less weight off my shoulders. There have been phases of approval, to the guys that were there ... getting their sign-off was great. Then there is appealing to the masses of the veteran and active-duty military community. I want to make sure it's representative, although you cannot please everyone. "Each time I go to these screenings and you talk to wives, sons or daughters who lost a loved one who was active duty or a veteran, the burden is further lifted. It has started to function more as a voice and a conversation starter. Initially, it was for Elliott [Miller] because he doesn't remember, but it has become more useful and tangible in other facets." Alex Garland: "I would say that the experience of watching it, I don't really get partly because when I finish working on something, which is the final mix of the film, I then tend to never watch the film again. I can't change anything, so what's the point? The meaningful part of it was being on set. That was the really powerful, experiential part of the whole process, particularly on this film, because there was the responsibility of giving an account of real people, real lives, a moment of real trauma, real horror. "Not only that, but the set we built was like a location. We ... accurately recreated the physical space. The house that, when you walked through a door, you didn't suddenly start walking into scaffolding and bits of plywood. There was a whole house [where] you could go upstairs; you could look out the windows. It functioned like a location. "While we were filming, Ray was there all day, every day, directing the actors. Bringing all of his personal knowledge. We also had an actor, Cosmo [Jarvis], playing Elliott, or Joe Quinn playing Sam, based on Joe Hildebrand, and the real guy who experienced this thing and had their legs damaged, standing a few feet away watching the recreation of it. There are these incredibly complicated layers of blurring reality, memory and recreation, but at the heart of it is experience -- what this looked like, what this sounded like. We shot it quickly in five weeks. Five weeks in other ways is quite a long time. That was incredibly powerful, incredibly educational and incredibly meaningful." Actor Will Proctor and former Navy SEAL Alex Mendoza on the set of 'Warfare.' (Murray Close) Military.com: Could you describe the interactions between the real veterans of the operation and the actors portraying them? Ray Mendoza: "Not every single actor had their representative there, and only a handful of guys came out. They had discussions, and we interviewed all of them [those that came out]. I had to keep track of what I had to represent. It could be the physical action they did; or, 'I remember locking down this street'; or, 'I remember going up to the roof and doing x, y and z.' The other part of it was how they felt, whether it was fear and in spite of fear, still functioning, those internal struggles. "Essentially a bunch of little micro character arcs that I and the actors wanted to represent. The actors wanted to represent that as well. Not just the machine of the running and gunning of it, which is fun, but they wanted to represent how they felt. It was a bit challenging to keep track of that. They all did really well and are great actors. I didn't have to do much, other than just reiterate where they were in their arc. "There was a lot of responsibility and pressure there because those are my friends. I'd rather represent them more accurately than represent myself. I was more focused on the other guys, because they are my friends. Putting them before me is more important." Read Next: The Best Military Movies and Shows Streaming Right Now on Amazon Prime Video Alex Garland: "The most important part of it is a word that Ray used, which was true with the actors, but also true with the entire crew, which was that gave everybody, the presence of these people gave everybody the immense sense of responsibility to get it right. What we had was a cast and crew that were primarily civilians. There were a couple that were veterans, but mainly civilians. Civilians who were doing their best to get this right and not let down Ray, the other people, or the people that were being represented but couldn't be present... "It was an intense focus, and you could feel it on set every day. A very, very intense focus on making everything efficient, accurate and trying again if it wasn't right and really listening to Ray. I would see these actors so zoned in on every single word he [Ray] was saying. Because they knew that if the rifle didn't sit on their shoulder in the right place, or they didn't move across the room in the right way or they didn't take a position in the right way that they would be letting real people down. They [actors] didn't want to do that and the crew didn't want to do that." The cast of Warfare. (Murray Close) Military.com: How did you move from "Civil War" to making "Warfare''? Alex Garland: "It was quite simple. I was lucky enough to work with Ray, lucky enough to get to know him and also lucky enough to see how experienced he was not just with film sets but also in transmitting and relaying information. I could see how actors responded to him and how the crew responded to him and put together some sequences that were a gift from the film's ["Civil War"] point of view. "In the edit, putting those sequences together, it was a very natural question to call Ray and say, 'Are you interested in making a film together? To take an hour and a half of real combat and attempt to recreate it honestly and truthfully, without the typical romance of cinema, without you bumping on anything wrong with the script or production. To try to get all of the wrongs out of it, so a veteran could watch it from start to finish and not get bumped, but for veterans to say this fairly represents and gives an account. For veterans to feel respected and listened to." Ray Mendoza: "I wanted to tell this story for a very long time. I've been on a journey telling stories. This is just something I always wanted to do. I was really careful because it's one of those things that you can give to somebody that they would ruin it or be focused on something I wouldn't focus on. I had to ask myself questions, as there are a lot of emotional things tied to this story. Having to go through this was going to unearth a lot of those feelings we compartmentalize and take years of therapy to have the courage, understanding or verbiage to communicate it. It was a long journey to make it to this point. I had to understand what I was going to talk about." Actor Will Poulter. (Murray Close) Military.com: Do you have any final thoughts? Alex Garland: "I hope the film has two functions, one of which is to speak to veterans and their families. It has that side, and I'm excluding how the film talks directly to Elliott. There is the veteran side and also the civilian side. Civilians often say and correctly say, 'Thank you for your service,' but they don't necessarily understand very clearly what service might mean. The unfiltered voice of a veteran and a group of veterans just helps fill in that blank space, which could only be a good thing." Ray Mendoza: "I would shout out to veterans in the film industry, and I hope this serves as a voice to them. As a filmmaker, especially for veterans, we have a lot of stories to tell. We [veterans] have a voice, and it doesn't have to be recreating real combat experiences. There are things we've seen as a younger generation that involve a lot of chaos and evil. We've seen a lot in a very short amount of time, which morphs a lot of people's lenses or changes how we view things. "I think we can connect with a lot more people than society can understand. We can relate to people who have experienced trauma. We, as veterans, have a lot to give to the film industry. To tell stories even if it has nothing to do with the military. We understand the trauma, the journeys and the struggles to get back into society, to become functional members of society. It takes more veterans in the film industry, and I hope this breaks the mold open. We can help tell stories as well." Watch Joel Searls' full interview with "Warfare" filmmakers Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza below: Keep Up With the Best in Military Entertainment Whether you're looking for news and entertainment, thinking of joining the military or keeping up with military life and benefits, Military.com has you covered. Subscribe to the Military.com newsletter to have military news, updates and resources delivered straight to your inbox. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Patti Smith, is releasing her memoir, "Bread of Angels," on November 4, 2025. Photo by Phil McAuliffe | NJ.com Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Patti Smith, is coming out with a new memoir, part of which discusses her move to Michigan. Inducted in 2007 into the Rock Hall, Smith is releasing, Bread of Angels, on November 4, Random House announced today, according to the Associated Press. In a previous memoir, 2010s Just Kids, Smith looked back at her early years in New York City and her romance and friendship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. In her new book, according to Random House, she reflects on her childhood in Philadelphia and South Jersey and her marriage to MC5 guitarist Fred Sonic Smith. The book will also discuss her move to a home in Michigan by Lake Saint Clair. Smith lived in St. Clair Shores from 1980 to 1996. Fred died in 1994. The couple had two kids together, including Jackson Smith, who, back in 2019, told MLive a little history about his life growing up at the home. They recorded the album Dream of Life there in 1988. My mom tells the story of the lead single, People Have The Power, on stage all the time about being in the kitchen peeling potatoes for dinner. My dad was sitting at the dining room table and called her Tricia. He said, Tricia, people have the power. Write it." Smiths other books include M Train, Year of the Monkey, Woolgathering and Devotion (Why I Write). About Bread of Angels, Smith says: It took a decade to write this book, grappling with the beauty and sorrow of a lifetime. Im hoping that people will find something they need. Even the books release date is deeply personal, coinciding with Mapplethorpes birthday and the anniversary of Smiths death. It took a decade to write this book, grappling with the beauty and sorrow of a lifetime. Im hoping that people will find something they need, Smith said in a statement issued through Random House. Smiths other books include M Train,Year of the Monkey, Woolgathering and Devotion (Why I Write). Smith, 78, collapsed on stage in Brazil in January, and later wrote on Instagram that she suffered some post migraine dizziness. But besides her book, she is planning a tour this year to mark the 50th anniversary of her classic debut album, Horses, which she will perform in full. Last month, she was honored at Carnegie Hall, with guests ranging from Bruce Springsteen and Michael Stipe to Scarlett Johansson and Sean Penn. Editors note: This story has been updated. A recall of an estimated 1,700 pounds of butter sold in seven states was initiated last month as the product may contain elevated levels of coliform, an indicator of possible fecal contamination. On March 26, Agri-Mark Inc. announced the recall of 189 cases of the eight-ounce package of Cabot Creamery extra creamy premium butter, sea salted. The package contains two, four-ounce sticks of butter. The butter was distributed and sold in the following states: Arkansas, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. The recalled product features a best by date of Sept. 9, 2025, the lot number 090925-055 and the UPC code 0 78354 62038 0. Agri-Mark says only 17 of the packages were actually sold to consumers and all of those sales were made in Vermont. The rest of the butter was recovered before hitting stores shelves. No illnesses have been reported in relation to the issue. Agri-Mark has identified the cause and has taken the appropriate internal actions to address it, said an Agri-Mark spokesperson in a statement. No other products were affected. Agri-Mark is dedicated to food safety and producing quality products and is always monitoring its products for compliance. Coliform is commonly found in the soil, water, and animal waste and doesnt typically cause harm to humans. However, its presence does indicate that other pathogens could also be in the butter. Coliform is a generic term for Gram negative bacteria that are frequently found in the intestine, said Dr. Elaine Cloutman-Green, a professor at University College of London in an interview with Newsweek. Finding them would often suggest recent fecal contamination at some point along the production pipeline, potentially from the raw ingredients. While the company announced the recall in March, the Food and Drug Administration did not issue a press release alerting the public to the matter. However, the recall can be found on an FDA website. A drone view of ice-covered trees off of Eggleston Road and Curtisville Road in Oscoda County, Mich. after the spring ice storm. Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com The Michigan Department of Natural Resources released an interactive map showing what roadways have been cleared of storm debris and are now safe to travel. Its been nearly two weeks since a State of Emergency was activated in Northern Michigan after an ice storm took down hundreds of trees and powerlines. The storm hit the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan from March 28-30, devastating 12 counties. Still deep in the clean up phase, the DNRs Incident Management Team, along with the Michigan National Guard and other cooperators, have cleared 630 miles of roadway. The interactive map can be found here. The top priority has been making sure these roadways are clear for emergency vehicles and transportation, said Keith Murphy, Incident Management Team Operations Chief. This map is a tool people can use to find clear routes to their destinations, providing options to keep them and their loved ones safe, Murphy said in a statement. Ongoing cleanup will also focus on clearing pathways for school buses, said Capt. Kevin Sweeney, deputy state director of Emergency Management and commander of the Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division. The information on the map will be updated as more roads are assessed and cleared through state-supported efforts. This is not a comprehensive list of all open roads, only those that have been assigned to DNR Incident Management Team, according to the press release. In addition to clearing roadways, access to the state radio communications, including 911, state and local law enforcement, fire departments, hospitals, and other public safety agencies has been restored to 34 Michigan Public Safety Communications System towers. All 13 cellular towers assigned to the DNR team have also been cleared, according to the press release. The map and resources for those impacted by the ice storm can be found here, as well as Michigan.gov/IceStorm. RELATED: DNR begins flyovers to assess ice storm damage to state forests RELATED: DNR trails in 12 Michigan counties closed indefinitely due to ice storm RELATED: Storm Camp houses 1,100 working to rebuild power grid in Northern Michigan RELATED: Destructive spring ice storm debilitates Northern Michigan, see videos BEAVER ISLAND, MI - A 23-member crew sailed to Beaver Island on Tuesday to help clear roads in the wake of a catastrophic ice storm. The storm hit the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan from March 28-30, devastating 12 counties, including Charlevoix County of which Beaver Island is a part. The crew sent to the island is made up of Michigan Department of Natural Resources Incident Management Team, Michigan National Guard and Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue, the DNR said on social media. RELATED: Storm Camp houses 1,100 working to rebuild power grid in Northern Michigan The team sailed the 30 miles from Charlevoix to the island aboard the Emerald Isle ferry, which also carried several trucks, saws and a backhoe that the crew will use to clear roads of ice storm debris, the post said. This is part of a mission to ensure access to emergency communications towers, the post said. Dispatchers and first responders use these towers to communicate via radio. Work is expected to be complete on Thursday. RELATED: Destructive spring ice storm debilitates Northern Michigan, see videos 87 1 / 87 Ice storm damage in Northern Michigan Heavy and long-lasting freezing rain and a line of severe storms wreaked havoc with extreme and severe ice accumulation that resulted in widespread power outages, impassable roads, loss of phone and cellular services and significant damage to homes and businesses. Trees weighed down with ice sagged and snapped. Some fell onto power lines while others toppled into roadways, making some routes impassable. Hundreds of power poles broke. The ice remained for days, bringing down evermore trees, power poles and power lines. The ice also caused several closures of the Mackinac Bridge - including one that lasted 30 hours - disrupting supply lines to the Upper Peninsula. RELATED: Northern Michigan ice storm was orders of magnitude worse than Blizzard of 1978 RELATED: Similar to a hurricane: 10s of thousands still without power as utility rebuilds grid after ice storm On Beaver Island, located about 30 miles off the shore of Charlevoix in Lake Michigan, the damage wasnt as severe as some areas of the mainland, St. James Township supervisor Bobbi Welke told 9&10 News. Today, 12 days since the storm took out power to more than 100,000 homes and businesses, more than 30,000 customers remain without power in the affected counties. In Charlevoix County, 716 customers are waiting for the lights to come back on. RELATED: Catastrophic damage: Thousands of miles of powerlines smothered in ice after Northern Michigan storm Beaver Island has a population of about 600 permanent residents; about 80 were still without power as of Sunday, 9&10 News reports. Those customers could be waiting another week or two as power lines are replaced, the report said. The storm has been compared to a days-long hurricane, and one power co-op CEO even said it was worse than the Blizzard of 1978, in terms of damage to the power grid. RELATED: Why this Northern Michigan ice storm damage is so tough to fix On March 31, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency related to the ice storm for 10 counties: Otsego, Oscoda, Montmorency, Presque Isle, Emmet, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Mackinac and Alpena. Alcona and Antrim counties were added later. Citizens needing non-emergency assistance should call 211. Click here for resources and information about storm recovery. A firefighter is recovering after falling through the floor while battling a house fire in Detroit. MLive file photo DETROIT A firefighter is recovering after falling through the floor while battling a house fire. WXYZ-TV in Detroit reported the incident occurred on Detroits east side around 2 a.m. on Wednesday. EMS rushed one firefighter to St. Johns hospital after the fall from the second floor. The firefighter was conscious and able to walk with help, according to the TV station. Crews remained on scene until the fire was extinguished. The firefighter has not been identified by name and the cause of the fire has not been released. The driver of a mini-bike is dead after they were hit by a vehicle in Osceola County. File | MLive EVART, MI The driver of a mini-bike is dead after they were hit by a vehicle in Osceola County. Deputies from the Osceola County Sheriffs Office responded to the crash, which occurred near the intersection of North Oak Street and West Sixth Street in Evart at 6:37 p.m. on April 6. Deputies say a vehicle struck an individual driving a mini-bike. The operator sustained life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene despite the best efforts of first responders. The victim has not been identified by name. The crash remains under investigation. Deputies were assisted at the scene by the Michigan State Police, Evart Police Department, Evart Fire Department and Rescue, Osceola County EMS and Reed City Towing. MARQUETTE, MI-- One of the most popular breweries in the Upper Peninsula is nearly finished with its next expansion project. Fifteen years ago, Andy Langlois and David Manson opened Blackrocks Brewery with a tiny one-barrel nanosystem in a 1900s yellow house on the corner of Third and Michigan streets. Over the years they increased brewing capacity and even opened up an off-site production facility, but the demand continues to grow. Langlois added that brewing in a 100+ year old house has presented its share of challenges over the years. Well, here we are again. On this episode of This Old Yellow House we are overhauling our brewing operations at the pub.... Posted by Blackrocks Brewery on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 The latest expansion focuses on the pubs brewing operations, dramatically changing its familiar facade. Last June crews began to remove the front patio to make way for the latest addition. A yellow-sided building now encases the original house, though the back still reveals its two-house origins. An aerial view of the new expansion at Blackrocks Brewery in Marquette, Mich. on Friday, February. 14, 2025. The brewery was established in a single yellow house in 2010 has expanded multiple times over the years. Joel Bissell | MLive.com The new expansion nearly triples the pubs brewing capacity on site, while also creating more space for guests. RELATED: Leap of faith turns into success for Blackrocks, a U.P. brewery The expansion increases the pubs three-barrel system to a seven-barrel system, producing around a thousand barrels annually. The previous system produced 350-400 barrels a year. The system is also equipped with six horizontal lager tanks, which ferment at a colder temperature, allowing the yeast to perform better, according to Langlois. Workers install the new 7-barrel system at Blackrocks Brewery in Marquette, Mich. on Friday, February. 14, 2025. The new expansion triples production at the pub location. The brewery also has a production site with a 20-barrel system that produced around 11,000 barrels in 2023. Joel Bissell | MLive.com The brewerys 20-barrel production facility will continue to produce around 11,000 barrels of beer. Year-round staple beers are the 51K IPA, Mykiss IPA and the dry-hopped cream ale: Grand Rabbits. Honey Lav, laced with flowers and Michigan honey, has become a seasonal (April to August) favorite. Rays Fiesta Lager (a light Mexican lager), Float Copper (amber lager), Phloform (hazy pale ale) and the Super Deluxe (German Helles) have also become standouts. The new 7-barrel system being installed at Blackrocks Brewery in Marquette, Mich. on Friday, February. 14, 2025. The new expansion triples production at the pub location. The brewery also has a production site with a 20-barrel system that produced around 11,000 barrels in 2023. Joel Bissell | MLive.com Langlois said the expansion is complete and theyre hooking up tap lines, with the first brews expected to flow in the coming days. It was a hard decision to cover up the facade and porch of the original house, but something that needed to be done to move the brewery forward, Langlois said as he gave MLive a recent tour of the expansion. While the beloved front porch was removed, it was reimagined on the rooftop patio above the new brewing space. The original porch supports were even moved to the second level to recreate its vibe. The new deck connects to the rooftop deck added during the 2022 expansion. The new rooftop patio part of the recent expansion at Blackrocks Brewery in Marquette, Mich. on Friday, February. 14, 2025. The brewery established in a single yellow house in 2010 has expanded multiple times over the years. The posts are from the original front porch of the brewery. Joel Bissell | MLive.com It almost creates a fun maze. There are a lot of interesting spots throughout, if you come here in the summer you can sit at different areas for a variety of experiences, Langlois said. The major expansion doubled their space, incorporating the neighboring house. The new addition features another bar, a stage that fits multiple musicians, and an upstairs loft with a fireplace that overlooks the stage. Lavender Lions from Boyne City perform at Blackrocks Brewery in Marquette, Michigan on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. The new stage was part of the brewerys expansion in 2022. Joel Bissell | MLive.com The spaces are filled with tables made from recaptured wood from their barrel beer projects. Manson said the decor reflects the community, with much of it donated by people who felt it belonged in the brewery. 52 1 / 52 Blackrocks Brewery in Marquette The brewery is named after the local natural wonder, the Black Rocks, a cliff area just a few minutes away at Presque Isle Park. The Black Rocks are an ancient rock formation where - in the summer - visitors are known to jump from the 10- to 15-foot cliffs into the clear waters of Lake Superior. Blackrocks Brewery is located at 424 N. Third St. in Marquette. It is open Monday 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Tuesday-Sunday from noon to 11 p.m. You can find their beers at stores all over the state of Michigan and in some big cities like Green Bay and Milwaukee in Wisconsin. Dearborn-based lawyer Amir Makled was detained by federal agents, questioned and asked to turn over his phone at Detroit Metro Airport on Sunday, April 6 Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com Dearborn-based lawyer Amir Makled returned back to the United States this weekend after a family trip to the Dominican Republic. He was forced to stay at the Detroit airport for over an hour. Makled was detained by federal agents, questioned and asked to turn over his phone at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport on Sunday, April 6. He alleges this happened in what he considers to be an attack on lawyers. He claims he was targeted because of his profession and due to his representation of Samantha Lewis, who was one of several pro-Palestinian protesters arrested last year on the University of Michigans campus. Related: Charges dismissed for 2 pro-Palestine protesters arrested at Michigan sit-in Upon arrival back to the United States, Makled went through the passport kiosk and got his photo taken. It was shortly after when he heard agents asking for assistance from the TTRT team, he said. He didnt know the acronym, but a quick Google search showed it meant Tactical Terrorism Response Team. At that point, my heart sank into my stomach because I was so concerned about what this could be about, he said. He was soon taken into an interview room away from his family. Makled alleges a federal agent in plain clothes showed his badge but would not identify himself. He began questioning the attorney and was soon accompanied by another agent. They told me We know youre an attorney and we know that you have some high-profile cases you have been involved with. Do you have your phone with you? he recalls. Makled admitted to the agents he had his phone, but he couldnt figure out what they wanted to see. One of the agents handed him a pamphlet that detailed how they have the right to take his phone if requested. Makled said hes familiar with the law but also knows he doesnt need to give his password. Makled said he continued to ask pointed questions on what the agents wanted from his phone, especially because he was concerned about privileged information from his clients. Everything is in my phone, he said. (I said) my emails are all privileged information with my clients, and you already said you know Im a lawyer so Im not giving you access to my phone. The agents and Makled went back and forth until he eventually let them to go through his contact list. He wouldnt let the agents go through any content or messages, he said. I knew they were really just on a fishing expedition, he said. This situation happened a few weeks after President Donald Trumps administration sent a memo directing the attorney general to seek sanctions against attorneys and law firms who engage in frivolous, unreasonable and vexatious litigation against the United States. The memo also addressed alleged attorneys who participate in unscrupulous behavior when it comes to the immigration system, which is filled with rampant fraud and meritless claims. Makled is not an immigration lawyer. Instead, his firm focuses on criminal defense, civil rights and personal injury. Regardless, he thinks he was targeted because of his work. Its clear as day as to the reasoning, although they wouldnt admit to why they stopped me, he said. In a statement to MLive, Customs and Border Protection Assistant Hilton Beckham confirmed the inspection, calling it a routine, lawful process that occurs daily and can apply for any traveler. This lawyers accusations are blatantly false and sensationalized, she said in the statement. Beckham said in a statement that officers ensured attorney-client privilege was respected during the electronic media search. Makled provided written consent to a limited search, and he was then released. Claims that this was an attack on his profession or were politically motivated are baseless. Our officers are following the law, not agendas, she wrote. During this interaction, Makled said he was just relieved his wife and kids were through security and headed home, he said, adding he was willing to spend all night debating the law with the agents. Makled said he asked the agents what the purpose of the experience was and if this is something he has to be worried about every time he travels internationally. He said he didnt get a direct answer. While this wont stop him from traveling, Makled said he will start to carry around a different phone while he travels. He recommends other attorneys to do the same. 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. GOETZVILLE, MI Dreams of living in the Upper Peninsula can become a reality with this immaculate estate. Gray Stone Manor epitomizes the style, craftsmanship and unique setting that define a true Northern Michigan hunting ranch. Located at 8050 E. Sand Ridge Rd., this gem is listed at $1.2 million through Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors Cedarville with real estate agent Ted Ottaway. This one-of-a-kind property is MLives House of the Week. Homes across the state of various architectural styles and prices are showcased every Wednesday. Youre going to have your peace and quite and some truly beautiful terrain to experience, Ottaway said. Its designed to be a luxury hunting camp. I see it more as a wilderness retreat with a main home and a guest house on 80 private acres, which is adjacent to 1,500 acres of state land along the south boundary. Its very remote, and would be inaccessible to anyone who isnt neighboring it, providing incredible privacy with quality craftsmanship. The property is named after the intricately constructed stone exterior adorning both residences, with the main home offering three bedrooms and the carriage house an additional two bedrooms plus loft. The main home is distinguished by a vaulted living room, floor-to-ceiling fieldstone fireplace and locally harvested cedar mantle; both structures feature rosewood flooring, maple window frames and floor trim, and artisan-made metal stairway railings, each with its own theme that exemplify two of the owners passions wilderness and automobiles. The homes are built to optimize the sunset with the floor-to-ceiling custom Bavarian-inspired windows in the living rooms of both residences facing southwest. The windows are overlooking a three-acre clearing, which attracts a lot of wildlife including deer, bear, fox, turkey and ruffed grouse and other sport birds. There are naturalistic flourishes to many light fixtures, hallway sconces and also a moose-antler chandelier. Everything was crafted in order to provide an authentic lodge experience. Theres an artisan made stairway railing in the main home with wildlife renderings, Ottaway said. If you really like exploration and riding trails, its a mecca for trail and horseback riding. You could easily put a barn and a fenced in riding pen and ride horses all day. It has more recreational ideals than just hunting. The stunning originality of the two residences are only matched by a location that is equally unique in its immersive and authentic wilderness setting. A multi-acre clearing adjacent to the property creates a park-like feel, framed by massive hardwoods, a planted red pine forest, and features a custom fire pit that is the ultimate place for family gatherings at sunset. The 80 private acres on site offer outstanding terrain for hunting or riding horses, and the land neighbors a state-maintained snow and ATV trail along its southern border. This is like a trail paradise, Ottaway said. You have the state snowmobile trail that brushes up against the southwest side of the property, seasonal roads, unmarked trails for a 20-mile radius, that are perfect for horseback riding, snowmobiles or ATVs. There are 1,500 acres of state forest directly adjacent to the estates south boundary, with pre-existing trails connecting the parcels, which allows for even greater exploration of the diverse ecology and indisputable beauty of this still-undiscovered, spectacular region of the Eastern U.P. The property is only about a 20-minute drive from the quaint shorefront communities of Cedarville and Hessel. Its also only 25 minutes from the Chippewa International Airport, making it a destination for those seeking it as a vacation property, a roughly 45-minute drive northeast from the Mackinac Bridge, and 20 minutes from Lake Huron. You have the ability to access shops, restaurants, grocery stores, coffee shops and other services and also fly in and out of town close by as well, Ottaway said. For the final mile and a half drive into the property, you will not see a structure. Scroll down to see 10 of the images from the photo gallery for a glimpse inside this home to see why its MLives House of the Week. Exterior photographs of the $1.2 million property for sale, located at 8050 E. Sand Ridge Rd. in Goetzville in the upper peninsula through Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors Cedarville with real estate agent Ted Ottaway. (Photo provided by Ted Ottaway) Interior photographs of the $1.2 million property for sale, located at 8050 E. Sand Ridge Rd. in Goetzville in the upper peninsula through Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors Cedarville with real estate agent Ted Ottaway. (Photo provided by Ted Ottaway) Interior photographs of the $1.2 million property for sale, located at 8050 E. Sand Ridge Rd. in Goetzville in the upper peninsula through Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors Cedarville with real estate agent Ted Ottaway. (Photo provided by Ted Ottaway) Interior photographs of the $1.2 million property for sale, located at 8050 E. Sand Ridge Rd. in Goetzville in the upper peninsula through Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors Cedarville with real estate agent Ted Ottaway. (Photo provided by Ted Ottaway) Interior photographs of the $1.2 million property for sale, located at 8050 E. Sand Ridge Rd. in Goetzville in the upper peninsula through Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors Cedarville with real estate agent Ted Ottaway. (Photo provided by Ted Ottaway) Interior photographs of the $1.2 million property for sale, located at 8050 E. Sand Ridge Rd. in Goetzville in the upper peninsula through Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors Cedarville with real estate agent Ted Ottaway. (Photo provided by Ted Ottaway) Interior photographs of the $1.2 million property for sale, located at 8050 E. Sand Ridge Rd. in Goetzville in the upper peninsula through Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors Cedarville with real estate agent Ted Ottaway. (Photo provided by Ted Ottaway) Exterior photographs of the $1.2 million property for sale, located at 8050 E. Sand Ridge Rd. in Goetzville in the upper peninsula through Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors Cedarville with real estate agent Ted Ottaway. (Photo provided by Ted Ottaway) A property map showcases adjacent state land near the $1.2 million property for sale, located at 8050 E. Sand Ridge Rd. in Goetzville in the upper peninsula through Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors Cedarville with real estate agent Ted Ottaway. (Photo provided by Ted Ottaway) Exterior photographs of the $1.2 million property for sale, located at 8050 E. Sand Ridge Rd. in Goetzville in the upper peninsula through Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors Cedarville with real estate agent Ted Ottaway. (Photo provided by Ted Ottaway) View the listing on the realtor website here. View all 36 photos of the home here. See more on MLive House of the Week features: Tranquility in northern Michigan: Magnificent log home hits market for under $1 million Impressive Michigan mansion boasts 23 rooms on 40 acres with an underground tunnel Feels like Downton Abbey: Lavish Michigan mansion hits the market at nearly $3 million Floating fireplace, lavish manicured gardens accent rare $2.89 million Michigan mansion Rare Michigan mansion by famed architect hits market at $2.95 million Historic Michigan mansion hits the market at $2.5 million Hunting heaven: 3,000-acre property with near-lakefront lodge hits market for $5 million Historic Frank Lloyd Wright opportunity: Two houses being sold at once in same Michigan town Custom-built home in Michigans Little Bavaria could be yours for under $1M $1.99M minimalist home near Saline could be your private art gallery Boat to Lake Michigan from this Spring Lake bayou home listed at $500,000 See inside $1.55 million Michigan floating home with one-of-a kind breathtaking views GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Kate Veneklase is passionate about celebrating and sharing the best of Grand Rapids culinary scene. If food were a love language, it would be hers. Thats why Veneklase launched Taste of GR in 2023. It features curated food tours and dining experiences that help locals and visitors feel more connected to Grand Rapids. This year, shes adding a new tour to the list. Taste of GR has been a dream of mine for over a decade, Veneklase said. Community and building connections have always been really important, and theres something magical about the restaurant industry. Taste of GR started with private tours before offering Saturday public tours last year, from April through October. This year, Taste of GR is introducing Tuesday strolling dinners. During the strolling dinners, participants will embark on a walking food tour in uptown or downtown Grand Rapids. During the strolling tour, participants experience a series of eateries featuring three courses: savory appetizers, mouthwatering entrees and delectable desserts. It costs $65 for over two hours and includes the food tastings, local art history, and 0.7 miles of leisurely walking with stops. For a longer experience, the Saturday walking food tours consist of three hours at four restaurants, and tour guides provide a cultural history of the neighborhood. Around 20 restaurants participate in Taste of GR, including Donkey Taqueria, Brewery Vivant, Furniture City Creamery, Uccellos Ristorante, ROAM by San Chez and more. The most important part for me was choosing local restaurants, Veneklase said. To orchestrate this ballet of timing is important, so everybody has a good experience. But, I would love to do custom tours vegetarian or brunch. Things like that would be fun as well. Veneklase, with over two decades in the food service industry and a Grand Rapids Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) certification, told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press that shes fallen in love with the citys thriving food and art scene. During each tour, Veneklase discovers both well-known hotspots and hidden gems along the way. Participants rave about the opportunity to discover hidden gems too. Ive been on many food tours this year, and the order and placement of the stops were well-done, said Romie Robertson, a traveling food influencer. Plenty of historical context and opportunities to learn about the public artworks. Highly recommend. As the years go by, Veneklase has been inspired to expand the walking and strolling dinner tours, hoping to bring something to the Eastown or East Hills area. I think there is an obvious positive impact that we have when we are visiting these local restaurants, Veneklase said. And then just word of mouth, people sharing the experiences that theyve had at these restaurants, so that hopefully it will bring additional people into the Grand Rapids area. Learn more and book a tour through the Taste of GR website. Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Grand Rapids news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Grand Rapids daily newsletter. A popular Jackson bakery, Chelsea Cakes, is reopening on Jacksons southside with the help of a city grant. A piece of strawberry shortcake cheesecake cake is served at Chelsea Cakes. J. Scott Park | jpark4@mlive.com JACKSON, MI A popular Jackson bakery is reopening on Jacksons southside with the help of a city grant. Chelsea Jones, owner of Chelsea Cakes, started her business in 2016, and opened her first brick-and-mortar shop in 2022. However, she closed the Lansing Avenue store in 2024 to take a break and focus on her family. When she saw applications were about to close for the Martin Luther King Corridor Improvement Authoritys Entrepreneurial and Real Estate Fund, she decided to give it a shot to reopen her shop closer to her neighborhood. Related: More grants are coming to help revitalize Jacksons southside neighborhood I just took that time and stepped out on faith, Jones said. I had been praying about it and then God directed me to go ahead and apply. She was awarded a $50,000 grant in December and has been moving forward to create a new shop on Jacksons southside. The new bakery space at 1230 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive will allow her to continue her passion of baking cakes. The new space offers more room, additional parking and is located on a major business strip that should attract more customers. This spot will really expand Chelsea Cakes even more from what is already was, Jones said. The store will offer her signature cupcakes, cakes, cheesecake cups and banana pudding. She will also continue taking custom orders but plans to scale back on services like fondant, she said. Work is currently taking place inside the bakery to bring it to life with a kitchen, cooler and customer area. Jones expects to be open in June, she said. Jones has been sharing the news and progress of the bakery on Facebook. Shes excited to join the MLK Corridor, under redevelopment. Jones is a Jackson native and southside resident. Jacksons Chief Equity Officer John Willis said there has not been a bakery directly on Jacksons southside. The closest is Hinkley Bakery, 700 S. Blackstone St. This will make a great addition to the corridor, he said. Hopefully itll encourage somebody else to take a chance, Willis said. Its just exciting to see. The Jackson City Council created the corridor authority in October 2020 to direct redevelopment efforts in the area. Related: Revitalizing MLK Drive: New corridor improvement authority approved in Jackson A corridor improvement authority uses tax increment financing a method of freezing tax value for a number of years, capturing the rising tax revenue and reinvesting it to make improvements within a designated area. Michigan created the economic development tool in 2018 to fund improvements outside downtowns. The Jackson City Council in August 2022 allocated $4.5 million to the MLK Corridor Improvement Authority. The money, from the American Rescue Plan Act, the 2021 federal stimulus package, was planned to aid the authority in commercial redevelopment and small business assistance, officials previously said. Related: $4.5M to redevelop Jacksons southside coming from city Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Jackson daily newsletter. KALAMAZOO, MI American Airlines added a third daily flight from Kalamazoo to Chicago this past week. The schedule addition, which began on April 3, offers travelers the option of a new daily midday flight from Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport (AZO) to Chicagos OHare International Airport. The airline was previously flying once in the morning and once in the evening from AZO to OHare. We are excited about this increase from two to three flights a day by American Airlines, said Craig Williams, airport director at AZO. These additional flights will make for a more convenient travel experience with broader and better connection options, better fits for the travelers schedule, and allow greater flexibility and less stress overall. With the addition of the midday flight, travelers will now see regularly-scheduled, nonstop 77-minute flights on American Airlines depart AZO for Chicago at 7 a.m., 2:15 p.m. and 7:23 p.m. daily. American Airlines and its partners offer Southwest Michigan travelers one-stop connections to more than 150 domestic and international destinations via OHare. Travelers can search for these American flights by visiting the airports website at www.flyazo.com. Want more Kalamazoo-area news? Bookmark the local Kalamazoo news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Kalamazoo daily newsletter. Natural gas line is laid out for horizontal drilling in this MLive file photo. A major natural gas leak was discovered Wednesday in Allegan County. Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com ALLEGAN COUNTY, MI A major natural gas leak was discovered Wednesday afternoon in Allegan County. Sheriffs deputies and Michigan State Police responded to the leak at around 2:42 p.m. in the City of Fennville and Clyde Township. Personnel with the Clyde and Fennville fire departments were on scene as of 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, assessing the area. The Allegan County Sheriffs Office is requesting people avoid the area of 57th Street, from East Main Street to 120th Avenue to to 122nd Avenue, from 55th Street to 58th Street, until the leak has been contained. The gas company has been made aware and is en route with technicians to repair the leak. The Allegan County Sheriffs Office is currently being assisted in this incident by the Allegan County Emergency Management, Michigan State Police, Clyde Fire Department and Fennville Fire Department. Fresh produce is seen in this MLive file photo. Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com BAY CITY, MI The city will once again have a consistent, largescale farmers market after its last one disbanded in 2017. A collaborative effort spearheaded by volunteers from the Downtown Bay City boards, The Jefferson Project, and the Bay City Cooperative Market, has announced it is launching the Bay Area Farmers Market at 409 1st St. The new farmers market will be open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. every Tuesday from June 3 through Oct. 21. We are thrilled to invite vendors to join us in creating a thriving hub for locally produced goods and fostering a sense of community within the Bay Area. Local participation is key to bringing this vision to life, organizers said in a press release. Related: Heres how to get involved in Bay City mayors Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies initiative Jefferson Street and parts of 1st Street will be utilized to accommodate larger vendor vehicles and booths. The application period for prospective vendors is open through April 21. Notifications of acceptance or denial will be sent by April 29. To apply, vendors must submit the application form, sign the rules and regulations, and provide proof of required licenses and insurance. Forms and additional details are available at www.thejeffersonprojectbaycity.org/bay-area-farmers-market. Bay City has seen smaller, independent farmers markets in the city, such as on Jefferson Street, over the past few summers. Organizers said the new market will focus more on being a farm market, with produce and food options being the focus. The event will also be on Tuesday afternoons to avoid conflict with other markets, typically hosted on Friday evenings. Want more Bay City- and Saginaw-area news? Bookmark the local Bay City and Saginaw news page or sign up for the free 3@3 daily newsletter for Bay City and Saginaw. Want to subscribe to our Hello, Bay City newsletter? Sign up for free here. Eliza Vega, a nurse's assistant from California, who was fatally shot in Saginaw on April 5, 2025. Cole Waterman SAGINAW, MI Saginaws most recent homicide victim was a traveling nurses assistant, who came to the area all the way from California. Eliza Vega, 27, was found shot to death inside a house in the 1400 block of Cypress Street on the citys West Side about 4:15 a.m. on Saturday, April 5. Police have arrested no suspects in her homicide as of Wednesday, April 9. Vega, also known by the surname Vega-Aparicio, hailed from Aguanga, California, within Riverside Countys Inland Empire. She had been a travel certified nurses assistant working in the health care field for more than seven years, according to a GoFundMe campaign started by a family friend. Michigan Bureau of Community and Health Systems records shows Vega received her certification in December 2022. Vega was furthering her education toward becoming a licensed vocational nurse. Eliza Vega was a person who loved art, books, and musica, the GoFundMe page reads. Eliza was a fun, strong, and caring person for her immediate and extended family and friends. She loved her family and would give others unconditional love and compassion without any expectations. The online fundraiser has garnered $1,975 from 22 donors as of Wednesday morning, April 9. This was unexpected and something we NEVER saw coming, especially so suddenly, Vegas friend wrote. This has left us grieving and at a loss. Police have not released additional context around Vegas killing. Vega is Saginaws second female homicide victim of the year and eighth overall. All but one of the eight died from gunshots, the outlier having been stabbed to death. Another was fatally shot by Saginaw police in what investigators have described as a suicide by cop situation. Coincidentally, another traveling nurse who came to Saginaw, Florida resident Aaron R. Gann, is charged with assault with intent to murder in an unrelated case. Prosecutors allege Gann stabbed a 63-year-old man in his groin at Big Ugly Fish bar, 1418 State St., on Dec. 28. His trial is pending. Police are urging anyone with information on Vegas death to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-422-5245. Tipsters can remain anonymous. Want more Bay City- and Saginaw-area news? Bookmark the local Bay City and Saginaw news page or sign up for the free 3@3 daily newsletter for Bay City and Saginaw. Montreal Canadiens' Cole Caufield (13) celebrates his goal over Detroit Red Wings goaltender Cam Talbot during the second period Tuesday. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP) AP The Detroit Red Wings surely felt like they deserved a better fate Tuesday but skated off the ice in Montreal on the brink of playoff elimination. Josh Anderson snapped a tie midway through the third period and the Canadiens defeated the Red Wings 4-1 at the Bell Centre. Archisha Yadav is a sub editor with 1.5 years of experience in writing news articles on topics like education, jobs, and politics. She specialises in crafting simple, clear, and engaging stories that are easy to understand and hold the readers interest, making complex topics accessible and relatable to a larger audience. Archisha Yadav USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. 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I Accept Director in Latin America of IFIA and Founder and Head of Brazil-China Cooperation Hub Marcelo Vivacqua expressed his concern over the potential impact of the U.S. reciprocal tariff policy. He emphasized that if such scientific and technological materials become targets, global research and development efforts could suffer. He urged decision-makers to avoid taxing essential scientific materials and called for international cooperation to address major global challenges like climate change and population aging. (Chen Tianhao) When Priyanka Chopra revealed her reason for leaving Bollywood: I was pushed in one corner... Palak Vij USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. 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I Accept Top gainers and losers today: Stocks that moved the most on April 9 Debaroti Adhikary USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Rupee opens 21 paise down at 86.45 against dollar ahead of RBI monetary policy Manish M. Suvarna USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Sanjay Jha downplays backlash over JD(U)s support to Waqf Bill: 'No impact on Bihar polls' Abhinav Gupta USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Stalin wins a crucial battle in court, but a truce with Raj Bhavan is unlikely Swati Das is an independent journalist covering Tamil Nadu politics, and is based in Chennai. Chhabi Kala USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Alcatel partners with Flipkart to launch Make in India smartphones across e-commerce, quick commerce platforms 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. Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Shaurya Shubham USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. 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I Accept If you're not using AI to write code, you risk stagnation, says Perplexitys Aravind Srinivas Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Debangana Ghosh USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. 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By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Priyanka Roshan With over eight years in multimedia journalism, is passionate about storytellingboth visual and textualacross travel, jobs, business, markets, politics, and daily news. From crafting engaging articles to producing compelling videos, she blends creativity with strategy to bring stories to life. With a strong foundation in SEO, and video production she ensures content not only informs but also resonates with audiences. Priyanka Roshan USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept 'Be Cool,' says Donald Trump as Wall Street sways and DJT Stock rallies Pragya Trivedi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept 'Boys will be boys': White House plays down Elon Musk-Peter Navarro war of words Armaan Bhatnagar USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Pragya Trivedi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept EU adopts tariffs on 21 billion of US goods in metals dispute Sonalee Borgohain USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Explained: How a new US bill could jeopardize work prospects for 300,000 Indian students Pragya Trivedi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Explained: How Tahawwur Rana is linked to 26/11 Mumbai attacks and what his extradition means for India Abhinav Gupta USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Long, fraught timeline of tensions between Iran, US as nuclear negotiations loom Sonalee Borgohain USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept Netanyahu-Trump talks highlight tensions on Iran, tariffs and Gaza; few wins for Israel Pradeep Tripathi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Prince Harry challenges UK government over security downgrade: All you need to know about the dispute Pragya Trivedi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Pradeep Tripathi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept Treasury Department hits Iran with new sanctions targeting its nuclear program ahead of Oman talks 101Reporters USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Trump Tariffs News Live: The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 2,382 points, marking its strongest rally since 2020 The S&P 500 surged 7.8% on Wednesday, heading toward its biggest one-day gain in five years. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 2,382 points, or 6.3%, also marking its strongest rally since 2020. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite climbed nearly 10%, leading the charge as investor optimism returned. Fueling the rally was President Donald Trumps announcement of a 90-day pause on most new tariffs and a reduction in the Reciprocal Tariff rate to 10% during that period except for China. I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately, Trump wrote on Truth Social. He added that tariffs on China would simultaneously be raised to 125%, signaling a continued hardline stance. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later clarified that the 10% baseline would apply to all countries except China, and that sector-specific tariffs would remain in place during negotiations. Bessent also defended the pause, casting it as a deliberate tactic by the president, not a retreat. This was driven by the presidents strategy. He and I had a long talk on Sunday, and this was his strategy all along, Bessent said. You might even say he goaded China into a bad position. They responded. They have shown themselves to the world to be bad actors. According to CNN, Bessent met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend and encouraged a shift in focus toward finalizing new trade deals with various countries. Bessent emphasized that Trump would remain closely involved in upcoming negotiations. No one creates leverage for himself like President Trump, he said. (Market inputs from CNBC) Trump tariffs take effect in India, other economies in big blow to global economy Arindam Roy USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept U.S. strikes kill at least 6 in Yemen's port city of Hodeida, say Houthi rebels Pradeep Tripathi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept US slaps 104% tariff on Chinese imports after Beijing refuses to back down: Report Aishwarya Dabhade USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept US will not allow China to threaten Panama Canal: Pete Hegseth Pradeep Tripathi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Who actually pays Trump's reciprocal tariffs? A closer examination of the process and effect Abhinav Gupta USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept With 104% tariff bomb, Trump sets the stage for biggest trade war with China: Can India be the unexpected winner? Abhinav Gupta USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Kobani, Syria. With airstrikes pounding the region and ground forces closing in, residents of Kobane urgently call for international intervention to prevent further devastation Kobane, a city in northern Syria, has long stood as a symbol of resilience especially since 2014, when it withstood a brutal siege by the so-called Islamic State (ISIS). In a historic stand, Kurdish fighters, supported by international allies, managed to repel ISIS, marking the groups first significant defeat. For many, Kobanes victory was a turning point in the fight against ISIS, symbolizing both the strength of Kurdish resistance and the broader struggle for self-determination in Syria. Today, Kobane faces a new threat not from ISIS, but from Turkey. The Turkish government, wary of the Kurdish-led self-administration in northern Syria, has intensified airstrikes and supported ground offensives by the Syrian National Army (SNA), an Islamist militia. These assaults aim to encircle Kobane, cutting off vital supplies and placing its residents under siege once again. Kobane: The City That Won't Fall Im Krisenmodus Talal Sadun, a native of Kobane, describes the daily horrors of living under constant bombardment. With airstrikes hitting civilian areas indiscriminately, the toll is devastating. Kobanes residents, including fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), have pleaded for international support, urging countries like Germany, Canada, and the United States to intervene and stop Turkeys attacks. The situation in Kobane remains dire, and the calls for help echo the sacrifices Kurdish forces made in the past when they played a crucial role in defeating ISIS and safeguarding Europes security. As Turkey continues its offensive, the international community faces an urgent question: Will Kobane, once a beacon of resistance, fall to yet another wave of violence? Were now offering the podcast Im Krisenmodus in English to reach an even wider audience. The issues political journalist Jan Jessen explores are transnational in nature from war zones to humanitarian crises, these are stories that transcend borders. By making the podcast accessible to English-speaking listeners, we hope to build a broader, more diverse community that engages with voices and perspectives from around the world. Follow the podcast In Crisis Mode: In our podcast In Crisis Mode, people from conflict zones share their powerful stories. Soldiers, aid workers, and affected civilians speak firsthand about the challenges of war and crisis. Journalist Jan Jessen is on the ground to tell these stories. A new episode is released every two weeks, taking us to different regions around the world. Do you have a comment or question? Write to us at: krisenmodus@funkemedien.de we may feature your thoughts in an upcoming episode. Follow our podcast for free on platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or YouTube so you never miss an episode. Follow our podcast for free on platforms like Spotify , Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music or YouTube ,, so you never miss an episode. Mehr Reportagen von Kriegsreporter Jan Jessen Crime graphic with handcuffs View Photo Sonora, CA The Tuolumne County District Attorneys Office DUI Prosecution Unit has filed more cases in its second quarter and is interested in creating a fatal response protocol. The District Attorneys Office released the filing and conviction statistics for the second quarter of its DUI Prosecution Unit. We reported here at the beginning of the year that the D.A.s office praised the work of the lone experienced prosecutor working the cases in quarter one. There were 81 DUI cases filed, with 67 convictions. In the second quarter, both the cases and convictions rose, while still being staffed by just one attorney. Here are the statistics provided by the D.A.s office for the second quarter of the grant, as follows: DUI Cases Reviewed: 116 DUI Cases Filed: 111 DUI Convictions: 92 Wet Reckless Convictions: 13 At the second quarterly law enforcement roundtable meeting, hosted by the unit, attendees included the members of the California Highway Patrol, Sonora Police Department, Tuolumne County Sheriffs Office, and Tuolumne County Probation. The two main focuses of the roundtable discussion were generating ideas to increase awareness and education regarding the dangers of drinking and driving and creating a fatal response protocol that would be deployed in the event that there is a DUI-related fatality, according to D.A. office officials. The District Attorneys Office reports that, despite the units present funding expiring in September 2025, it has applied for a second award for the 20252026 grant year. Through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the California Office of Traffic Safety awarded a grant to fund this initiative. Chief Aimee New being recognized at the City Council meeting on Monday 4-7-2025 View Photo Sonora, CA Sonoras fire chief is retiring after ten years, and while leaving her post, she will remain in the Mother Lode. Sonora Fire Chief Aimee New tells Clarke Broadcasting that she is stepping down as chief but will continue to work with the Chicken Ranch Casino Resort in Jamestown. Chief New will continue consulting on the new fire station being built on Nelson Road, off Chicken Ranch Road. Being able to help out with the building of their fire station, the specifications for their new fire engine that they have, and its just a beautiful facility that they have down there. So, its really exciting, commented Chief New. Its not very often that you get the opportunity to try to help build something from the ground up. Its really nice to have that opportunity. Chief New has been in the fire service for 32 years, getting her first job at 18. She began her tenure as Sonoras chief in 2015, and city officials praised her for being instrumental in advancing fire safety initiatives, improving emergency response capabilities, and fostering strong relationships with residents and neighboring agencies. She says one of her biggest accomplishments was bringing in around $350,000 in SAFER grant money to the department, allowing three full-time fire engineers to be hired in less than ten years. There has been in excess of $2 million worth of grant funding that Ive been able to secure for the fire department, which has bought the apparatus and staffed personnel. In 10 years to be able to bring our full-time staffing from four personnel to six personnel, I think, is a really big accomplishment. One of her most challenging times was defending the city from the flames of the Washington Fire, which scorched 136 acres and burned 19 structures, including 15 homes. That was my worst nightmare, coming to fruition with seeing that header right out the window of the fire station, shared Chief New, adding, Looking and blinking my eyes and thinking, wow, it could take out the downtown in a heartbeat. We were lucky that the winds were not prevailing from the southwest and so that gave everybody a chance with ground resources and air resources to get a handle on it, but it was definitely a frightful situation. At Mondays City Council meeting, Chief New was honored for her leadership and experience that made her the relied-upon resource by the City Council and Administration for emergency response and recovery efforts, having played a crucial role in coordinating emergency and recovery efforts after the Washington Fire, as well as leading FEMA emergency response, recovery, and mitigation efforts for the January/March storms. She was also recognized for mentoring volunteers and interns to provide career development opportunities in the fire service. In return, Chief New expressed her appreciation, gratitude, and thanks to the community. I just think that this community comes together when theres a big problem and everybody works together, and that is something you dont find everywhere, especially in the state of California. So, I would just tell the community thank you for the opportunity to help the community be more fire safe, to provide the best emergency services that we can, and for their support over the last 10 years. The historian Christopher Lasch diagnosed the ills of late capitalism well and his books continue to be relevant. Three are briefly discussed here: The Culture of Narcissism: American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations (1978), The True and Only Heaven: Progress and Its Critics (1991), and The Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy (1995). These books will repay the effort more than most current diagnoses of our predicament as we navigate our current very dysfunctional political economy and political culture. * * * Choose your teachers well this is a key to a rich life, of the body, the mind, and the spirit. The historian Christopher Lasch (1932-1994) is one teacher, for those willing to listen, who has helped us make sense of our times during the rise of Neoliberalism. [1] Some time ago we discussed why Salvador Luria is a scientist for our time (especially now in the early months of Trump v2.0) and why Hannah Arendt is a philosopher/historian/cultural critic for our time. The following brief discussion of three of his books will explain why Lasch should be viewed as a historian for our time. These are (1) The Culture of Narcissism: American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations (1978), (2) The True and Only Heaven: Progress and Its Critics (1991), and (3) The Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy (1995). Each of these books could have been written today, nearly 50 years after the first. We do not really need someone like George Packer, supporter of the Iraq War started in 2003, to explain anything further. The Culture of Narcissism was written after the American defeat in Vietnam, during a time of economic stagnation and distress over what was at the time only theoretical climate and ecological catastrophe. The former had been predicted by Svante Arrhenius in 1896 while scientists at Big Oil were hiding what they knew. The more tangible ecological catastrophe had been averted, visibly, in my hometown and other pollution reservoirs by the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts of Richard Nixon. From the Preface: The political crisis of capitalism reflects the general crisis of western cultureLiberalism, the political theory of the ascendant bourgeoisie (which can be partially understood today as the Professional Managerial Class, PMC), long ago lost the capacity to explain events in the world of the welfare state and the multinational corporationpolitically bankrupt, liberalism is intellectually bankrupt as wellWhat looks to political scientists like voter apathy may represent a healthy skepticism about a political system in which public lying has become endemic and routine. A common response to Lasch is that he understood our past as something other than an unfortunate age to be overcome. The rise of identity politics as a substitute for real politics is implicit throughout the work of Lasch, however, as we have carried: The logic of individualism to the extreme of all against all, the pursuit of happiness to the dead end of narcissistic preoccupation with the self. Strategies of narcissistic survival now present themselves as emancipation from the repressive conditions of the past, thus giving rise to a cultural revolution that reproduces the worst features of the collapsing civilization it claims to criticize. Was the past better? Certainly not, in many ways, for many of us. But extinguishing the past rules out entirely any insights gained, and any values arrived at by personal experience, since such experiences are always located in the past. If we refuse to know where we have been, it is impossible to know where we are going. And we have come to refuse this very thing over the past 40+ years with increasing stridency on the notional left and right while the putative center muddles along. We have become a rootless people. This does not mean that everyone should remain at home but it does mean that everyone needs a home where he or she originally put down roots that nourished the body, the mind, and the psyche. Thus, rootedness is not necessarily associated with one place (although in my case I freely admit this to be so). Rootedness will be the key to human survival in the coming world, which is likely to be quite different from the present world, whatever our politicians and economists need to believe. Life under the Neoliberal Dispensation has no need for roots of any kind and certainly no need for fertile soil that will nourish healthy development: The devaluation of the past have become one of the most important symptoms of (our) cultural crisisA denial of the past, superficially progressive and optimistic, proves on closer analysis to embody the despair of a society that cannot face the future. This was published in 1978, at the same time Barbara and John Ehrenreich defined the PMC. A remarkable explication of the PMC is the recent, astonishing book by Musa Al-Gharbi, We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradiction of a New Elite. Al-Gharbi refers to the PMC as symbolic capitalists, which is what they wish to be, for the most part. This book could have been written only by a child of the working class who has understood political economy from the bootstraps up. A common theme throughout the work of Christopher Lasch is that every age develops its own peculiar forms of pathology. With Sigmund Freud it was the hysteria and neurosis of the Viennese bourgeoisie. Now, this has become syndromes such as borderline personality disorder and patients with ill-defined complaints that are difficult to identify in an enlarged DSM-5TR (2022). In the modern university and professional school, students have test anxiety, for which they receive accommodations? I digress, but in my reading much of this goes back to the development of modern advertising, explained well in Land of Desire: Merchants, Power and the Rise of A New American Culture by William Leach (the second draft of which was read Lasch). The headings in the chapters of The Culture of Narcissism explain where we were in 1978 and echo where we are forty-seven years later with The Eclipse of Achievement: In a society in which the dream of success has been drained of any meaning beyond itself(people)have nothing to measure their achievements except the achievements of others(previously) the good opinion of friends and neighbors rested on appreciation of accomplishmentstoday (people) seek the kind of approval that applauds not their actions but their personal attributes. This explains our identity politics, in which people crave the glamour and excitement of celebrityandwant to be envied rather than respectedSuccess in our society has to be ratified by publicity. People really do fall for this, both the famous and their admirers. Which leads directly to Politics as Spectacle. Politics has always had elements of spectacle, in the very serious Lincoln-Douglas Debates or the Scopes Trial a hundred years ago. But: When politicians and administrators have no other aim than to sell their leadership to the public (e.g., the factitious firm of Clinton Obama Biden Pelosi & Schumer LLC) they deprive themselves of intelligible standards by with to define the goals of specific policies or to evaluate success or failurebecause prestige and credibility (or place at table on K Street) had become the only measure of effectiveness. The degradation of work under Neoliberalism has been a constant theme among those paying attention, although Harry Braverman published the definitive account the degradation of work in the twentieth century in Labor and Monopoly Capital (1974). This has led to what Lasch has labeled The Spread of Stupefaction: Contrary to pronouncements of most educational theorists and their allies in the social sciences, advanced industrial society (which is now advanced deindustrialized society) no longer rests on a population primed for achievementIt requires instead a stupefied population, resigned to work that is trivial and shoddily performed, predisposed to seek satisfaction in the tune set aside for leisure. Followed by The Atrophy of Competence: The conversion of popular traditions of self-reliance into esoteric knowledge administered by experts encourages a belief that ordinary competence in almost any field, even the art of self-government, lies beyond the reach of the layman Resulting in the appearance of The Managerial and Professional Elite as a Ruling Class, which we have discussed before as the PMC. Altogether, The Culture of Narcissism was a wakeup call we missed. Reading The Culture of Narcissism, still in print, is worth several evenings. But it would not surprise me if the book were on the list to be removed from libraries. The True and Only Heaven: Progress and Its Critics (1991) is in my view the capstone of Christopher Laschs work, but only because he died too young. [2] The history is sweeping, beginning with: A deceptively simple question, how does it happen that serious people continue to believe in progress, in the face of massive evidence that might have been expected to refute the idea of progress once and for all. The attempt to explain this anomalyled me back to the eighteenth century, when the founders of modern liberalism began to argue that human wants, being insatiable, required an indefinite expansion of the productive forces necessary to satisfy them. Insatiable desire, formerly condemned as a source of frustration, unhappiness, and spiritual instability, came to be seen as a powerful stimulus to economic development. Or one way to look at it is that the Seven Deadly Sins became the Seven Rules to Live By. A major theme of The True and Only Heaven is that Liberals solutions to our various crises have gotten it exactly backwards. The prototypical Liberal in the form of Senator Paul Tsongas of Massachusetts called for liberals to become more conservative on economic issues and more radical on social issues. Or, in the current vernacular go all-in on identity politics and Neoliberalism at the same time. No. This did not work and it will not work, as covered in No Politics But Class Politics by Walter Benn Michaels and Adolph Reed, Jr. (Eris, 2022). Labor, if it is to be a source of value to human beings as well as the political economy, must approach a syndicalism that is: (T)he moral equivalent of an earlier form of proprietorship and the only form of political action that could sustainlifeWhatever can be said against them, small proprietors, artisans, tradesmen, and farmers (I would add teachers, scientists, physicians and other professionals to this list) more often victims of improvement than beneficiaries are unlikely to mistake the promised land of progress for the true and only heaven. Algorithmic Intelligence (AI) cannot build our houses, or even design them very well. It cannot grow our food or sew our clothes. AI can only pretend to make us healthy, physically and mentally. AI can only pretend to make us rich while leading us to a promised land of error. The importance of The True and Only Heaven lies in how it shows us how we could live together, mutually supporting one another in good faith and good will. This has always been so, but the powers that be, i.e., both wings of the neoliberal Uniparty in the so-called Global North, have a vested interest in hiding this truth. Thus, we have overshot the carrying capacity of planet Earth, and the consequences will be dire in the coming inconvenient apocalypse. The world will get smaller as a matter of course in the near future. The lessons of The True and Only Heaven must be re-remembered if we are to leave any kind of human and humane future to our children and their children. The only progress attainable and sustainable is development without growth on a finite planet. This was the kernel of the work of Herman Daly, who was an economist for our time. The essays in The Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy round out the importance of Christopher Lasch for understanding our current world. Beginning with a description of the democratic malaise, Lasch notes that at one time not so long ago capital was rooted and that even under conditions of economic inequality a large measure of social equality was still normal. Now, the citizen has been replaced by the consumer. This Neoliberal turn has been facilitated by the elites of the title: Upper-middle-class liberals (PMC) with their inability to grasp the importance of class differences in shaping attitudes toward life, fail to reckon with the class dimension of their obsession with health and moral upliftThey have mounted a crusade to sanitize American societyand in the person of Clinton Secretary of Laborthe starstruck Rhodes Scholar Robert Reich, prophet of the new world of abstraction, system thinking, experimentation, and collaborationadvocate a world in which laborhas no future at allin a society composed of symbolic analysts and in-person servers. This has led to the PMC version of meritocracy, apparently without the understanding that The Rise of the Meritocracy, 1970-2033 by the British sociologist Michael Young was a novel (still in print) describing just one more dystopia: In Youngs narrative, a historian writing in the fourth decade of the twenty-first century, approvingly chronicles the fundamental change of the century and a half beginning around 1870: the redistribution of intelligence between the classesMeritocracy, in Youngs description, rests on a mobilized economy driven by the compulsion to produce. And here we are, eight years short of 2033. Continuous growth in a finite ecosphere is seen as the one true path to the good life. But as Edward Abbey put it The Journey Home, Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell. In his discussion of communitarianism and populism, which should be continued despite the current demonization of populists from the left and the right, Lasch points in the direction of an escape from our predicament. Contrary to current misunderstanding: Populismis unambiguously committed to the principle of respectpopulism is to be preferred to communitarianismPopulism has always rejected both the politics of deference and the politics of pity. It stands for plain manners and plain, straightforward speechPopulism is the authentic voice of democracy. It assumes that individuals are entitled to respect until they prove themselves unworthy of it, but it insists that they take responsibility for themselvesCommunitarians regret the collapse of social trust but often fail to see that trust, in a democracy, can only be grounded in mutual respect. It is our reluctance to make demands on each otherthat is sapping the strength of democracy todayIn the name of sympathetic understanding, we tolerate second-rate workmanship, second-rate habits of thought, and second-rate standards of personal conductWe seldom bother to correct a mistake or to argue with opponents in the hope of changing their minds. Instead, we either shout them down or agree to disagree, saying that all of us have the right to our opinions. Democracy in our time is more likely to die of indifference than intolerance. This was, of course published before the internet was a thing, and before Justice Anthony Kennedy and Citizens United v. FEC. But its truth is self-evident. Which brings us to The Lost Art of Argument, written in the early days of the Information Age that will include an insatiable demand trained personnel, an upgrading of skills required for employment, and an enlightened public capable of following issues of the day and of making informed judgments about civic affairs. Not so much, actually. Once again Christopher Lasch diagnosed more than thirty years ago what may be our most pressing current problem: Information, usually seen as the precondition of debate, is better understood as its byproduct. When we get into arguments that fully engage our attention, we become avid seekers of relevant information. Otherwise, we take in information passively if we take it in at all. It is only by subjecting our preferences and projects to the test of debate that we come to understand what we know and what we still need to learn. Until we have to defend our opinions in public, they remain opinions in Lippmans pejorative sense half-formed convictions based on random impressions and unexamined assumptions. It is the act of articulating and defending our views that lifts them out of the category of opinions, gives them shape and definition, and makes it possible for others to recognize them as a description of their own experience as wellwe come to know our own minds by explaining ourselves to others. The decline of the partisan press and the rise of a new type of journalism professing rigorous standards of objectivity do not assure a steady supply of usable information. Unless information is generated by sustained public debate, most of it will be irrelevant at best, misleading and manipulative at worst. Finally, in Conversation and the Civic Arts, Lasch notes that If elites speak only to themselves, one reason for this is the absence of institutions that promote general conversation along class lines. For another time, but this was not the world of my childhood in a working class family that socialized with people who would have been members of the PMC today. This chapter is where I learned of the sociologist Ray Oldenburg and his marvelous book The Great Good Place: Cafes, Coffee Shops, Community Centers, Beauty Parlors, General Stores, Bars, Hangouts, and How they Get You through the Day (1989, still in print). A central theme in The Great Good Place is the third place where people gather apart from larger structured institutions and their families: The contrast between voluntary associations and the sociability of neighborhoods helps to explain why decencyis more highly regarded in the third place than wealth or brilliant achievement, and decency, we might add, is the preeminent or political virtuethird-place sociabilityencourages virtues more properly associated with political life. Shopping malls are dying a natural death because they are so unnatural, not unlike one of the most astonishing marketing failures in history, New Coke. This new concoction appealed to testers for one reason and one reason only, it had more sugar in it. Same with malls, except the sweetener was more artificial than high-fructose corn syrup. Oldenburgs book, on the other hand, helps us identify what is missing in most of our current world: Urban amenities, conviviality, conversation, politics almost everything, in short, that makes life worth living. When the market preempts all public space, and sociability has to retreat into private clubs, people are in danger of losing the capacity to amuse themselves (without amusing themselves to death) and even to govern themselves. As long as they recognize the danger, however, it is still possible to hope that they will find a way to reverse the suburban trend of our civilization and restore the civic arts to their rightful place at the center of things. Do we recognize this danger? Yes, in certain places, such as the midsize city in which I live, across the street from a very good public library and a half-block from the Imposing United States Post Office. Both of these essential institutions of American life are in serious jeopardy, here and everywhere. A mile down the hill is a trying-to-thrive renascent downtown. My local economy, originally with a foundation in manufacturing and transportation, was devastated by suburbanization, deindustrialization, and the decline of the railroads. But the built environment has been preserved, so there is hope. To end as we began: Choose your teachers well this is a key to a rich life, of the body, the mind, and the spirit. Christopher Lasch remains one such teacher more than thirty years after his death. The communal, public, and political life he describes will be essential in the coming years as the world gets smaller due to our multiple cascading crises. The perspicacious economist Herbert Stein put it well: If something cannot go on forever, it will stop. The question is what comes after. We can follow Christopher Lasch and live a humane life. Or not. The choice is ours. Acknowledgment: A special thanks to Gulag in this comment on March 8, 2025, who prompted me to think again about this essay. All deficiencies in the argument are mine alone. Notes [1] This has been discussed widely. A consensus is that Ronald Reagan, our original MAGA President, was our first neoliberal president. But it was Jimmy Carter, with his unimaginative technocrat mindset, who began the transformation from half-good liberalism to malignant Neoliberalism, i.e., The Market Is the Measure of All Things, Even Those that Cannot Be Measured. [2] His final book was the posthumous Women and the Common Life (1997), a collection edited by his daughter, the historian Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn. From the Acknowledgments: We put our love where he have put our labor. Ralph Waldo Emerson. An Ancient Guidebook on How Not to Get Pregnant Haaretz (Robin K) In Guatemala, painted altar found at Tikal adds new context to mysterious Maya history ScienceDaily (Kevin W) Trends in Melatonin Use Alarm Child Sleep Experts Undark. Paul R: I use melatonin as a sleep aid sometimes, but this cant be good. Moi: On top of that, Ive never found it to be helpful with sleep and I was not aware of other possible health effects. He Was Held Captive in His Room for Decades. Then He Set It on Fire. New York Times (Robin K). Read to the end. Another Country Aurelien Climate/Environment China? South of the Border European Disunion Old Blighty Garbage piles up on Birminghams streets as a sanitation strike in the UK city enters its 5th week Associated Press Israel v. The Resistance New Not-So-Cold War Big Brother is Watching You Watch Practical Paranoia: Navigating A Hostile Digital Landscape Libre Solutions (Micael T) Imperial Collapse Watch Trump 2.0 Tariffs DOGE National Weather Service issues lifesaving tornado and flood warnings amid massive cuts Yale Climate Connections Christian TheoBros Are Building a Tech Utopia in Appalachia Mother Jones (Paul R) Immigration Our No Longer Free Press Mr. Market Is Having a Nervous Breakdown AI Trump Order Seeks to Tap Coal Power in Quest to Dominate AI Bloomberg (resilc) The Bezzle Class Warfare They want a lake view then Stockholms food warehouses will be demolished Expressen via machine translation. Micael T: Gentrification causes crisis/wartime starvation. From bob in upstate New York: I live in a tourist area. Lots from Canada, its close. The summer is looking very grim. Someone a few weeks ago showed up to 75% of us bound flights were cancelled. The people coming here would not be flying, but anecdotally, we are seeing the same behavior. This is short on details, but its a tourist town newspaper. They arent going to try to start a panic. https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/news/local-news/2025/04/where-are-the-canadians/ The other issue here is that no one can afford to live here. Prices for 3rd and 4th homes are above 500k , median household income is $63,747. If youre really lucky you can buy a seasonal home built in the 1930s for 200k. Seasonal service work used to allow people to make decent money in season. Now, its all J1s (might be h2bs tecnically, but locally they are all J1s), not sure on the official name. In my research there isnt a program that would allow this. Yet they are here, lots, hundreds, constantly rotating. Young people who come over from some other county, eastern europe (croatia, serbia) or south america(peru, argentina), usually upper middle class university students in those countries. They work for a few months and then they are allowed to travel for a week or two. Not sure that week is going to be a good travel experience now with the black squads running around. Housing has to be made available to them, but they have to pay. The housing isnt good. Theyre young, they make it work. But those people have to be set up years ahead of time. Most of the larger resorts are staffed with them, mostly. Over 80%. They need to set menus months ahead to give the kids time to learn them. They can afford to handle and plan for the overhead and paperwork. Small businesses have no chance. Workers even less. They have to compete with indentured servitude (they dont have housing, or papers, if they quit) pushing down wages. Now, the J1s are even more scared, I bet. Id like to say that the J1s staying home would help the locals, but I dont think so. Antidote du jour (via): And a bonus: What kind of defense is this pic.twitter.com/OWgC0MbuqD Nature is Amazing (@AMAZlNGNATURE) April 8, 2025 See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. California FAILS federal program audit: More than half of COVID unemployment benefits are in question A state audit found California in noncompliance with 7 out of 22 federal programs, including "pervasive" failures in the unemployment benefits program, risking federal funding. The state likely made 200M in ineligible payments in 2023, with 66% of sampled claimants having verification issues. Lawmakers, like Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher, blame Governor Gavin Newsoms administration for mismanagement and failing basic governance duties. The audit raises alarms about withheld federal funding and long-term economic harm, urging reforms to restore accountability and trust. California's state government has been found to be in noncompliance with the requirements of seven out of 22 federal programs, according to a recent audit by the state auditor. The audit, which highlights "pervasive" noncompliance in the unemployment benefits program, raises significant concerns about the state's ability to manage federal funds and could jeopardize essential federal funding. Audit reveals widespread noncompliance The audit, conducted by Deputy State Auditor Linus Li, concluded that California did not materially comply with the requirements for seven federal programs, including one where noncompliance was pervasive. The report states, "This report concludes that the State did not materially comply with certain requirements for seven of the 22 federal programs or clusters of programs (federal programs) MGO audited, including one program for which the noncompliance was pervasive." The audit also noted that while the state complied with the remaining federal programs, it continues to experience deficiencies in its accounting and administrative practices, affecting its internal controls over compliance with federal requirements. Unemployment benefits program under scrutiny One of the most critical findings of the audit pertains to the state's unemployment benefits program. The report found that even in 2023, years after the state made 55 billion in fraudulent COVID lockdown?era benefits payments, the state likely made "potentially ineligible payments" of nearly 200 million. Of the 138 pandemic unemployment assistance claimants tested, 91, or 66%, had verification issues. California State Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher criticized the administration, stating, "While Gavin Newsom chases the national spotlight, Californians are left with an administration that cant accomplish the basic functions of government. The federal government is right to take a look at this spending and decide if its appropriate to keep throwing resources at an administration that treats it like Monopoly money." Structural deficit and payroll tax hikes The audit's findings are particularly concerning given the state's ongoing structural deficit in its unemployment fund. According to the Legislative Analysts Office (LAO), the state's unemployment fund runs a structural deficit of $2 billion per year, in addition to a $20 billion debt and $1 billion in annual interest payments to the federal government. To address this deficit, the LAO has recommended a significant increase in payroll taxes. Currently, businesses pay 42 per employee making 46,800 or more per year. However, the LAO suggests that this amount would need to rise to $889.20, or over 21 times higher than the existing base payroll tax, to cover the state's insolvency. Historical context and future implications The audit's findings are not just a reflection of current administrative failures but also highlight a long-standing issue with California's management of federal funds. The state's unemployment benefits program has been a source of controversy since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with widespread reports of fraud and mismanagement. The implications of this audit are far-reaching. If the federal government decides to withhold funding due to noncompliance, it could have severe economic consequences for the state. Additionally, the proposed payroll tax hikes could place a significant burden on businesses, potentially leading to job cuts and economic slowdown. Conclusion The state auditor's report underscores the critical need for improved oversight and accountability in California's management of federal programs. As the state grapples with the fallout from the audit, it is clear that significant reforms are necessary to restore public trust and ensure the responsible use of taxpayer dollars. The federal government's response to these findings will be closely watched, as it could set a precedent for how other states are held accountable for their use of federal funds. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com TheCenterSquare.com AOL.com TheCenterSquare.com Colorado Democrats advance controversial bill targeting parental rights in LGBT custody battles Colorado Democrats introduced HB24-1039 (Kelly Loving Act), allowing courts to consider misgendering, deadnaming or threatening to expose a child's gender-affirming care as "coercive control" in custody disputes, potentially restricting parental rights. The bill would block Colorado courts from enforcing other states' laws that allow child removals over gender-affirming care, escalating legal tensions between states. The legislation would mandate schools to recognize students' chosen names, ban gender-specific dress codes and classify misgendering as "discriminatory acts." Republicans and parental rights advocates argue the bill undermines parental authority, violates the First Amendment, and could lead to unjust custody losses. Critics claim it was introduced late to limit opposition. Opponents, including researchers and parents, warn that affirming a childs transgender identity prematurely can disrupt natural development, citing cases where children desisted or suffered worsened mental health after medical interventions. Democrats in the Colorado Legislature are pushing a new bill that undermines parental rights by allowing courts to weigh custody decisions against parents who "misgender" or "deadname" their children. The Kelly Loving Act (HB24-1039), named after a victim of the 2022 Club Q nightclub shooting, would classify misgendering, deadnaming or threatening to expose a child's gender-affirming care as forms of "coercive control" in custody disputes. Courts would be required to consider such actions when determining parenting time and the "best interests of the child." HB24-1039 also seeks to block Colorado courts from enforcing other states' laws that allow child welfare agencies to remove children from parents who permit gender-affirming medical care. (Related: Maine's pro-LGBT Democratic governor signs law allowing 16-year-olds to receive cross-sex hormones without parental consent.) Beyond custody battles, the legislation would label misgendering and deadnaming as "discriminatory acts," require schools to recognize students' "chosen names" for any reason, ban gender-specific dress codes and mandate that state forms include both legal and chosen names. The bill, which passed the Colorado House Judiciary Committee in a 7-4 vote on April 1, now heads to the Assembly floor for further debate. Critics: HB24-1039 only attack parental rights During the Judiciary Committee hearing, critics argued that the bill only attacks parental rights. State Rep. Jarvis Caldwell (R-District 20) who raised alarms about the bill on social media, said that Democrats introduced it late on March 28, Friday, to give opponents less than 24 hours to prepare before the committee hearing. "In my opinion, the goal is to eliminate the ability of a parent to seek treatment for gender confusion and dysphoria." I've seen many radical bills this legislative session, but this is by far the most egregious. At a minimum, it attacks parental rights, local control, the U.S. Constitution, and more specifically, the First Amendment," Caldwell said. Lori Gimelshteyn, executive director of the Colorado Parent Advocacy Network, echoed a similar statement. She called the bill an "unconstitutional overreach" that criminalizes parenting. Mia Hughes, a senior researcher at Genspect, and Erin Lee, executive director of Protect Kids Colorado (speaking personally), also addressed lawmakers. Hughes warned lawmakers that affirming a child's transgender identity can interrupt natural development, citing studies showing most gender-confused children eventually desist. "It's easy to turn a little boy into a convincing girl just by putting him in a dress and giving him a girl's name, but the illusion becomes unsustainable when testosterone begins to surge, so now he must medicalize," Hughes said, claiming that medical interventions like puberty blockers, hormones and surgeries often cause permanent harm. In relation to Hughes' statement, Lee testified that her daughter was secretly transitioned at school after being convinced that normal puberty discomfort meant she was transgender, but her daughter's identity only worsened her mental distress. "If this law was in place four years ago when CPS came to my door for non-affirmation, I would have lost my child," she said. "Parents have long been bullied by the suicide myth: that you must transition your child or else they will kill themself. Now the state is adding to that: transition your child or else we will take them from you," Lee said. Check out Gender.news for similar stories. Watch this clip of Muslim families in Maryland's Montgomery County protesting against LGBT books used in the MCPS. This video is from the Puretrauma357 channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Draft of Alberta Bill of Rights cements parental rights as "God-given." They're taking our kids: NY Democrats vote to separate children from parents, allow them to take drugs and get "vaccinated" without parental consent. Idaho bans trafficking minors across state lines for abortion without parental consent. Utah becomes first state to require parental consent for children to use social media. Oregon to become sanctuary state for children to get abortions, sex changes without parental consent. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com DailyWire.com Brighteon.com Federal judge blocks Trump administrations attempt to fire intelligence officers in DEI programs A U.S. federal judge temporarily halted the firing of 19 intelligence officers working on DEI programs, ruling they must be allowed to appeal or seek reassignment. The officers sued the CIA and ODNI after being placed on administrative leave, arguing their DEI roles were temporary and their terminations violated employment rules and constitutional rights. Judge Anthony Trenga ordered the employees to remain on paid leave or be reinstated, stating they faced termination without misconduct or poor performance. The injunction may also protect 39 additional employees. Trenga initially sided with the government in February, citing intelligence leaders broad authority to terminate employees under national security exemptions. The judge emphasized that future firings must follow proper procedures and left room for further legal challenges if employees face retaliation or reputational harm. A U.S. federal judge has temporarily blocked the firing of 19 intelligence officers who worked on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, ruling that the workers must be given a chance to appeal or seek reassignment. In February, a group of career intelligence officers assigned to DEI programs sued the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) after being placed on administrative leave. (Related: Education Department places 55 employees on paid leave as part of Trump administration's efforts to dismantle DEI initiatives.) The employees, whose names were not disclosed in the lawsuit, argued that their DEI assignments were temporary and that they also performed other duties as intelligence officers. They argued that their dismissals violated agency employment rules and their constitutional rights, as they were being terminated without evidence of misconduct or poor performance. As a response, U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga of the Eastern District of Virginia, an appointee of former President George Bush, granted a preliminary injunction on March 31, barring the CIA and the ODNI from terminating 19 employees who sued over their dismissals. In a written decision published last week, Trenga ordered that the workers remain on paid administrative leave or be reinstated while the case proceeds. "The plaintiffs face termination without any suggestion of wrongdoing or poor performance," Trenga ruled. He ordered that the government must allow the employees to seek reassignment or appeal their dismissals in accordance with federal employment regulations. He also requires the government to follow established termination procedures and he will review any future dismissal decisions to ensure compliance. Additionally, the injunction is expected to extend to an additional 39 CIA and ODNI personnel who did not join the lawsuit but also face termination. Trenga initially denies bid to block firing of intelligence officers in DEI programs The ruling contradicts with Trenga's initial decision in February, wherein he denied bid to block firings of intelligence officers in DEI programs. Trenga sided with the government at the time, citing the broad authority of intelligence leaders, including Ratcliffe, to terminate employees under national interest exemptions. "The regulations clearly state that there is no property interest in the employment they have. The ability of the director to terminate without respect to any other procedures is embedded in those regulations." While denying a temporary restraining order, Trenga left open the possibility of future legal challenges if the workers are barred from reapplying for other roles or publicly smeared as part of Trump's anti-DEI campaign. "The court is certainly available for future consideration of this case as the facts unfold," he said. The judge extended the deadline for the employees to accept a deferred resignation offer from the administration, but all this changed in the recent ruling. Visit BigGovernment.news for more stories about the termination of DEI policies in the federal government under Trump. Kevin McGary from Every Black Life Matters tells Mike Adams that woke DEI policies are destroying America. Watch this video. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trump signs orders banning transgender service members and eliminating DEI programs in the U.S. military. Trump team wiping out DEI hires, tackling corporate corruption and ending positions that focus on so-called "misinformation." Kristin is the new Karen: A dearth of leadership from the DEI hires in charge of public safety at the LA Fire Department. DEI Backlash: Neo-racist policies are fueling a legal and cultural revolt against corporate social engineering. Trump administration uncovers startling FBI revelations: Corruption, DEI and a nation at risk. Sources include: RT.com APNews.com Politico.com Brighteon.com Musk calls for ARREST of fake NGO leaders, accuses uniparty of money laundering Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has demanded the arrest of leaders of organizations he labels as "fake NGOs." He also accused them of being part of a politically connected "uniparty" involved in a massive taxpayer-funded money laundering scheme. Musk's remarks coincide with Republican scrutiny over a $2 billion environmental grant from the Biden administration to organizations linked to Stacey Abrams. The term "uniparty" is used by Trump supporters to describe politicians from both parties who allegedly prioritize their interests over public welfare. Musk claims that these NGOs, primarily run by Democrats, are part of a vast money laundering operation, with funds being funneled through a network of organizations. He suggests that the term "NGO" is becoming synonymous with "money laundering." Musk is leading DOGE in an effort to reduce annual federal spending by $1 trillion and halve the deficit. His influence could prompt action from government officials, particularly those appointed by Pres Trump. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has called for the arrest of leaders of what he deems as "fake" non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Speaking on Fox News' "The Five" on Tuesday, April 1, Musk accused these organizations of being part of a politically connected "uniparty". These groups, he claims, are engaged in a massive "money laundering" scheme involving taxpayer funds. "These are fake charities [run by] mostly Democrats," Musk said, refusing to mince words. "There's sometimes a little bit of Republican in there, because they sometimes throw the Republicans a bone to say, 'Hey, be quiet about this.' So that's where you start getting the uniparty thing going on." "They give these billions of dollars to NGOs run by Democrats that then go through a whole network of additional NGOs. It's a giant money laundering scheme, really. At this point, I think the word NGO and money laundering are almost synonymous." Musk's "maniacal" push to expose unchecked uniparty spending Musk's comments come amid growing scrutiny from GOP lawmakers over a $2 billion environmental grant awarded by the Biden administration last year. This grant was given to a consortium of organizations with ties to former Georgia State Rep. Stacey Abrams. The Democrat and erstwhile candidate for the Peach State's gubernatorial race has maintained that she did not personally benefit financially from the grant The term "uniparty" refers to politicians from both major parties who share similar stances on government operations, spending and foreign policy often in opposition to President Donald Trump's Make America Great Again agenda. Musk's use of the term suggests that these organizations are part of a broader, bipartisan network that prioritizes its own interests over those of the public. Musk's call for arrests comes as he leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in an effort to slash annual federal spending by $1 trillion, with the goal of halving the deficit. As an unpaid government employee, Musk is spearheading this ambitious initiative, which aims to streamline government operations and eliminate wasteful spending. (Related: Trumps DOGE saves $1 BILLION daily.) While Musk does not possess the authority to initiate criminal investigations, his significant influence could potentially sway officials within the Department of Justice and U.S. attorneys' offices, many of whom are Trump appointees. This raises the possibility that his allegations could prompt further scrutiny and action. "The wheels of justice turn slowly, but surely," Musk stated. "I have a maniacal sense of urgency." Check out ElonMuskWatch.com for more similar stories. Watch this video of Elon Musk exposing massive NGO fraud involving taxpayer dollars. This video is from Sanivan on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Texas legislature adopts DOGE model to tackle government efficiency. Left outraged over DOGE and Musks crusade against government waste. Musk targets strangely wealthy lawmakers in DOGE probe, names Pelosi, McConnell, Schumer. Sources include: NYPost.com TheNationalDesk.com AOL.com Brighteon.com New study links mRNA vaccines to GENETIC CHANGES and not the good kind A peer-reviewed German study suggests mRNA COVID-19 vaccines may cause lasting genetic changes including modifications to histones (H3K27ac), linked to cancer (e.g., leukemia, brain tumors) and autoimmune disorders. The vaccines induce epigenetic changes by altering histone proteins, potentially activating pro-inflammatory genes and disrupting immune homeostasis, with long-term effects still unclear. The study found genetic alterations in circulating white blood cells, indicating systemic effects that could lead to chronic inflammation, autoimmune diseases, or cancer. Similar findings from Chinese and Polish studies reinforce concerns about H3K27acs role in disease, The findings ultimately prompted calls for mRNA vaccine suspension and further FDA scrutiny. A groundbreaking peer-reviewed study has ignited a fierce debate over the long-term safety of mRNA Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines. In a paper published in Molecular Systems Biology late last month, a team of 19 German scientists suggested that these vaccines may induce lasting genetic alterations that could potentially lead to cancer and autoimmune disorders. According to the study, mRNA vaccines can alter the structure of histones proteins that play a crucial role in organizing DNA within cells. Histones act like spools around which DNA is wound, and their modification can significantly affect gene expression. The researchers identified a specific change known as "histone 3 lysine 27 acetylation" (H3K27ac), which was found to persist for several months after vaccination. This alteration is associated with the activation of genes that can promote inflammation and has been linked to various types of cancer, including leukemia and brain tumors. (Related: MEDICAL BOMBSHELL: FDA admits Covid mRNA 'Vaccines' CAUSE CANCER.) According to journalist Alex Berenson, the study shows that "mRNA vaccines can modify human chromosomes in ways that are connected to the development of leukemia and brain tumors." This occurs because the vaccines "train" immune cells to maintain a pro-inflammatory state, which can lead to chronic inflammation and, potentially, the onset of disease. Epigenetics, the study of changes in gene expression that do not involve alterations to the DNA sequence itself, is at the heart of this discussion. The mRNA vaccines induce epigenetic changes by causing chemical modifications to histone proteins. These changes can activate genes in ways that promote tumor growth and inflammation. The researchers also found that the genetic alterations were not limited to the site of injection but were observed in monocytes, a type of white blood cell that circulates throughout the body. This suggests that the vaccines' effects may be systemic, potentially impacting multiple organ systems. Parallels with other studies The findings of this German study align with those of other recent research. A Chinese study published earlier this year highlighted the potential of H3K27ac as a therapeutic target in cancer, while a Polish study linked H3K27ac alterations to leukemia and brain tumors. These studies collectively underscore the need for a deeper understanding of the long-term effects of mRNA vaccines. The study has prompted renewed calls for the suspension or withdrawal of mRNA vaccines. A petition filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier this year by a group of scientists argues that the vaccines are unapproved gene therapies and contain potentially harmful levels of DNA plasmids. The petition cites evidence from multiple studies, including the German paper, to support its claims. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently announced the creation of a new sub-agency within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dedicated to addressing vaccine injuries. This move reflects growing concerns about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines and the need for more comprehensive monitoring and research. The emergence of post-vaccination syndrome (PVS), a condition characterized by chronic symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog and dizziness, has raised additional questions about the vaccines' safety. Researchers from Yale University are currently investigating PVS, hoping to identify immunological patterns that could explain the condition. Their work, though preliminary, offers a glimmer of hope for those suffering from PVS and underscores the need for continued research into the long-term effects of COVID-19 vaccines. The German study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that mRNA vaccines may have unintended genetic consequences. The findings highlight the importance of rigorous, long-term safety monitoring and the need for further research to fully understand the implications of these genetic changes. Watch Dr. Robert Malone warning that vaccine developers will never stop circumventing people's free will in this clip. This video is from the TNTVNEWS channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Moderna developing new mRNA injection to heal damaged hearts, after mRNA covid vaccines cause heart damage. Moderna releases new mRNA injection to repair heart muscle while peoples hearts are being damaged by mRNA covid jabs. Long-term dangers of experimental mRNA shots. Sources include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org EMBOpress.org SciTechDaily.com News.Yale.edu Brighteon.com Teslas Sentry Mode exposes politically motivated vandals nationwide Teslas Sentry Mode captured nine vandals in March, leading to arrests in politically motivated attacks. Protesters targeting Teslas over anti-Musk sentiment ignored the high risk of being recorded. A Pennsylvania man carved a swastika into a Tesla, admitting his anger was directed at Musk. Attacks escalated to arson and shootings, with federal charges labeling them as domestic terrorism. Teslas security system provides crucial evidence, ensuring vandals face serious legal consequences. At least nine Tesla vandals were caught on camera in March by the automaker's built-in Sentry Mode security system, leading to multiple arrests across several states. The sophisticated surveillance feature, which automatically records nearby human activity, has proven invaluable in identifying perpetrators who targeted vehicles in what appear to be politically motivated attacks linked to anti-Elon Musk sentiment. The vandalism spree coincided with escalating protests against Musk's leadership role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Despite Tesla vehicles' well-known recording capabilities, attackers continue targeting them, seemingly undeterred by the high probability of being caught. One Cybertruck owner in North Dakota, whose vehicle was vandalized at a Costco parking lot, expressed disbelief at the perpetrator's actions, telling WDAY News, "I can't believe this guy is potentially ruining his life to follow a political ideology. If you're going to vandalize these vehicles, you're going to get caught." Captured in the act The surge in incidents has demonstrated the effectiveness of Tesla's security system, which activates when sensing movement near the vehicle. When enabled, Sentry Mode keeps cameras and sensors powered and ready to record suspicious activity, alerting owners via the Tesla mobile app and saving footage to an installed USB drive. On March 29, coinciding with a "Global Day of Action" against Musk, multiple demonstrations occurred nationwide with at least one incident of Cybertruck vandalism reported. In a particularly disturbing case on March 24, a Pennsylvania man allegedly carved a swastika into a Tesla SUV. According to media reports, the suspect apologized, saying, "I have nothing against your car, and I have nothing against you. Obviously, I have something against Elon Musk." Among the most destructive attacks was one involving an ATV-style vehicle. Police in Texas arrested Demarqeyun Marquize Cox for allegedly ramming the ATV into three Tesla vehicles and scratching the word "Elon" on them. The financial impact has been significant, with vandalism incidents causing thousands of dollars in damages. Escalating violence The attacks have grown increasingly serious, with some rising to the level of federal concern. Reports of firebombing and shootings targeting Tesla vehicles or charging stations highlight the dangerous escalation of these crimes from simple vandalism to potentially life-threatening assaults. In Las Vegas, five Tesla vehicles were set on fire and shot at in what police investigated as a "targeted attack" at a local repair center on March 18. Similarly, in Kansas City, bystander video captured a suspected arson attack after two Cybertrucks were set ablaze at a Tesla dealership on March 17. The Trump administration has begun cracking down on these attacks, with Attorney General Pam Bondi labeling the uptick in violence as "domestic terrorism." Three suspects have been charged in connection with "the violent destruction of Tesla properties," facing charges that carry a minimum of five years in prison and potentially up to 20 years. "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." For law enforcement, the high-quality video evidence provided by Sentry Mode has proven crucial in identifying and prosecuting suspects. As the wave of attacks continues, Tesla owners can take comfort in knowing their vehicles possess one of the most sophisticated automotive security systems available. For would-be vandals, however, the message is clear: attacking a Tesla means your crime will likely be recorded in high definition, leading to swift identification and serious legal consequences. Sources for this article include: YourNews.com FoxNews.com Teslarati.com FoxBusiness.com Army weighs massive troop cuts amid budget pressures and strategic shift The U.S. Army is considering reducing its active-duty force by up to 90,000 soldiers, potentially shrinking it to between 360,000 and 420,000, the lowest level in decades, due to budget constraints. These cuts aim to create a more agile, specialized force focused on future high-tech conflicts (e.g., with China) rather than counterterrorism or large-scale ground wars. Earlier cuts (24,000 positions in 2024) targeted counterterrorism roles, engineering jobs and cavalry units, mostly affecting unfilled positions rather than active soldiers. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered an eight percent annual budget reduction over five years (~$50B total), prioritizing nuclear modernization, drones and cybersecurity while cutting Middle East/Europe operations and DEI/climate programs. Savings may fund Trump-era priorities like border security and missile defense ("Iron Dome for America"), with the Pentagon emphasizing efficiency and warfighting readiness over bureaucracy. The U.S. Army is quietly deliberating a sweeping reduction of up to 90,000 active-duty soldiers due to budget constraints. According to three defense officials, internal review explores trimming the force to between 360,000 and 420,000 troops, down from its current strength of roughly 450,000, as military planners seek to transform the Army into a more agile, specialized force better suited for future conflicts. (Related: 20 State AGs sue Trump administration over mass layoffs.) Another official warned that such reviews often include extreme scenarios and that no final decisions have been made. It remains unclear whether the Army Reserve or National Guard would also face cuts. The potential reduction in the Army's active-duty force size under consideration could be significantly larger than the announced cut of approximately 24,000 positions in 2024. Former Army Secretary Christine Wormuth explained that the earlier reductions primarily targeted roles linked to counterterrorism, including around 10,000 engineering and related positions tied to counterinsurgency missions. Additional cuts affected cavalry squadrons, which have become less relevant due to advancements in drone technology, as well as support roles in special operations. Wormuth emphasized that the reductions largely involved unfilled job positions rather than discharging active soldiers, framing the changes as an adjustment to evolving military needs rather than a direct reduction in personnel. If enacted, the cuts would mark one of the most dramatic force reductions in years and signal a strategic pivot away from Europe and counterterrorism missions toward potential high-tech conflicts with adversaries like China. The deliberations follow the directive of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to slash eight percent of Pentagon's budget. In February, Hegseth directed senior Pentagon officials and military leaders to draft plans for an eight percent annual reduction in the defense budget over the next five years, a move projected to slash $50 billion from military spending while redirecting funds toward President Donald Trump's national security priorities. Budget cuts to target U.S. military commands in the Middle East and Europe The directive, outlined in a memo, calls for cuts primarily targeting U.S. military commands in the Middle East and Europe but exempts 17 critical programs, including nuclear modernization, Virginia-class submarines, attack drones, missile defense and cybersecurity initiatives. "The time for preparation is over we must act urgently to revive the warrior ethos, rebuild our military and reestablish deterrence," Hegseth wrote in his memo. "Our budget will resource the fighting force we need, cease unnecessary defense spending, reject excessive bureaucracy and drive actionable reform." Acting Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Salesses stated that the savings would help finance the Trump administration's defense goals, such as bolstering border security and establishing an "Iron Dome for America" missile defense system. The Pentagon also aims to eliminate "unnecessary spending," including diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and climate change initiatives. "The Department will develop a list of potential offsets that could be used to fund these priorities, as well as to refocus the Department on its core mission of deterring and winning wars," Salesses said. "The Department of Defense is conducting this review to ensure we are making the best use of the taxpayers dollars in a way that delivers on President Trumps defense priorities efficiently and effectively." NationalSecurity.news has more similar stories. Watch this clip of Republicans praising layoffs at the Department of Education. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trump administration targets 200,000 probationary federal workers in sweeping workforce cuts. Johns Hopkins cuts 2,000 jobs after Trump ends $800m in federal funding. Trump Administration cuts 2,000 USAID jobs, places most employees on leave in sweeping reform effort. Trump administration announces mass layoffs at HHS: CDC and NIH among hardest hit as 5,200 federal health workers face termination. Sources include: Military.com TheHill.com Brighteon.com White House directs NIH to study regret following genital mutilation The White House directed the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to prioritize studies on "regret" and "detransition" following genital mutilation while cutting broader transgender health research funding. An email from then-acting NIH Director Matthew Memoli framed hormonal and surgical interventions as "chemical and surgical mutilation," signaling alignment with conservative critiques of gender medicine. The NIH must produce findings within six months, redirecting funds to prioritize external studies on detransition and modifying existing research contracts. Experts argue that the administration is cherry-picking data to fit an anti-trans narrative, despite studies showing less than one percent regret rate for gender-affirming surgeries compared to 14.4 percent for general surgeries. High-profile cases like Chris Beck (a former Navy SEAL) and Chloe Cole (a teenage detransitioner) fuel demands for research on post-transition regret, though such cases remain statistically rare. The White House has instructed the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to prioritize studying "regret" and "detransition" in individuals who have undergone genital mutilation, while significantly cutting funding for broader transgender health research. In an email to institute directors, then-acting NIH Director Matthew Memoli stated that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had been directed to fund specific research on the "chemical and surgical mutilation" of children and adults, a reference to hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgeries. "NIH is prioritizing research that serves the best interests of public health, not ideological agendas, and will continue to support studies that provide clear, objective data particularly regarding the long-term effects of gender transitions," an HHS spokesperson said. The shift in research priorities follows Trump's Jan. 20 executive order, which barred federal agencies from recognizing gender identities differing from the sex assigned at birth. Shortly after, multiple NIH grants studying transgender health were canceled. Now, the agency is explicitly prioritizing studies on regret and detransition areas commonly emphasized by conservative critics of gender-affirming care. (Related: Trump signs executive orders reversing transgender protections and DEI programs.) Memoli's email outlined key research areas, such as "regret and detransition" following social transition (such as name or pronoun changes) and medical interventions and long-term outcomes of children who have undergone social or medical transition. Moreover, NIH officials revealed that they must produce tangible findings within six months. Proposals under consideration include creating new funding opportunities for external researchers focused on detransition and modifying existing contracts with research organizations to redirect efforts. Detransition stories highlight need for further "regret" and "detransition" research The Daily Mail reported that some individuals have spoken out against genital mutilation, sharing their experiences of later wishing they had not undergone medical interventions. For instance, retired Navy SEAL Chris Beck, who previously lived as transgender woman Kristin Beck, called his transition "the worst mistake" of his life, describing how he received hormones after only a brief consultation. After enduring facial feminization surgery, Beck detransitioned and now warns young people about making similar decisions. Similarly, Chloe Cole, who detransitioned at 16, compared genital mutilation to "experimentation on children," stating she was misled by medical professionals and influenced by social media rather than genuine dysphoria. Cole said irreversible procedures, including a mastectomy, left her with lasting physical and emotional harm. Both individuals argued for greater caution in genital mutilation, emphasizing the potential long-term consequences. These cases, which are not isolated, are the reasons the NIH should conduct research on "regret" and "detransition" in individuals who have undergone genital mutilation. Watch this clip of President Donald Trump signing his new executive order that bans transgender athletes from women's and girls' sports. This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: If reelected, Trump promises to end "transgender insanity" in schools. Trump promises to stop "transgender insanity" child mutilations if reelected. Trump clashes with Maine governor over transgender athletes, threatens federal FUNDING CUTS. Trump dismisses charges against doctor who exposed secret transgender surgeries on minors. Trump administration pauses $175 million in federal funding to UPenn over transgender athlete policies. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk Nature.com Brighteon.com German car brand Audi halts U.S. vehicle deliveries amid Trump tariffs Following the imposition of a 25 percent tariff on imported cars effective April 2, German car maker Audi halted deliveries of new vehicles to the United States. Dealers were instructed to withhold arrivals post-April 2, though the current U.S. inventory of 37,000 cars provides a two-month supply. The move reflects worsening Washington-Brussels trade friction, with U.S. President Donald Trump framing tariffs as "reciprocal" protection for U.S. manufacturers. Auto parts will also face tariffs starting in May, further straining import-reliant automakers like Audi. Germany's automotive industry condemned the tariffs as harmful to free trade. Analysts predict German brands will suffer most, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the measures "a major blow" to the global economy. Audi may shift production to Volkswagen's Tennessee plant or raise consumer prices, risking market competitiveness. Jaguar Land Rover also paused U.S. exports for a month to reassess pricing, though both brands have temporary inventory buffers. The dispute highlights vulnerabilities in global supply chains and rising protectionism, echoing past steel/aluminum tariff conflicts. Trumps policies have strained transatlantic relations, leaving automakers scrambling for long-term solutions amid economic uncertainty. German automaker Audi has suspended deliveries of its vehicles to the U.S. following the new 25 percent tariff on imported cars imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. The suspension was confirmed by the weekly German car newspaper Automobilwoche on Monday, April 7. It came days after the tariffs took effect on Wednesday, April 2. Audi dealers in the U.S. have been instructed to withhold vehicles arriving after April 2, though the company still has roughly 37,000 cars in U.S. inventory enough to last about two months. The move by Audi, owned by the Volkswagen Group, raises concerns about broader disruptions in the auto industry. It also underscores the growing trade friction between Washington and Brussels. Rising production costs and plant closures in Germany's manufacturing sector have already exacerbated the pressure caused by the levy. Meanwhile, Trump framed the tariffs as "reciprocal" measures, ostensibly to protect U.S. manufacturers. However, car imports won't be the only ones. Starting in May, 150 categories of auto parts will also be subject to tariffs. (Related: Trump imposes 25% tariffs on auto imports.) The import-reliant Audi which sources its vehicles from Germany and other countries like Mexico, Hungary and Slovakia now faces significant financial strain as a result. Its parent firm has also warned U.S. dealers of impending cost increases, with shipments from Mexico and U.S. ports already paused pending further pricing clarity. Audi scrambles for solutions as tariffs threaten sales The German Association of the Automotive Industry condemned the tariffs as "a disastrous signal for free, rules-based trade." Analysts meanwhile warned that German manufacturers like Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz could be hit hardest. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, criticized the U.S. measures as "a major blow to the world economy." She reiterated Brussels' willingness to negotiate a zero-tariff agreement for industrial goods. Unfortunately, the proposal has been met with little enthusiasm from the White House leaving Audi and other car manufacturers to scramble for solution. Analysts suggest Audi could leverage Volkswagen's Tennessee plant or prepare for higher consumer prices options that may alienate cost-conscious buyers in a competitive market. Audi isn't alone in this predicament, however. Jaguar Land Rover, another major importer of British-made vehicles to the U.S., announced a one-month pause on exports as it reevaluates pricing strategies. Like Audi, the company owned by India's Tata Group has a temporary buffer with existing U.S. inventory but long-term strategies remain uncertain. The dispute underscores a deepening rift in transatlantic trade relations, recalling past tensions over steel and aluminum tariffs. While Trump has defended the measures as economically beneficial, their immediate fallout highlights the vulnerability of global supply chains and the high stakes for automakers navigating an era of increasing protectionism. Watch this video about Audi's production facilities in the German city of Ingolstadt. This video is from the HTcurt - Truth Seeker channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trump's 25% auto tariffs: A bold move to strengthen U.S. manufacturing despite short-term challenges. President Trump announces new tariff rates to compete globally and rebuild American economy. Trump's 25% auto tariffs shake industry, but Tesla stands strong. Sources include: RT.com CarScoops.com Reuters.com Brighteon.com Stephen Sizers Christian Zionism: A journey through history, theology and politics Christian Zionism emerged in the early 19th century among British evangelicals who believed in the literal restoration of Jews to Palestine as a precursor to Christ's Second Coming, based on biblical prophecy. Key figures like Lewis Way, Charles Simeon and Lord Shaftesbury promoted this idea politically. Christian Zionists actively lobbied European leaders (e.g., Czar Alexander I) to support a Jewish homeland, seeing it as both a divine mandate and a strategic advantage for British colonialism. William Hechler later aided Theodor Herzl in gaining political backing for Zionism. John Nelson Darby's Dispensationalist theology, popularized in America by Cyrus Scofield, reinforced the idea of a separate destiny for Jews and the Church, shaping evangelical support for Israel as a fulfillment of prophecy. Christian Zionism strongly backs Israeli settlements, opposes Palestinian statehood and supports rebuilding the Jewish Templeeven at the expense of Muslim holy sitesdue to end-times beliefs. This stance fuels conflict and anti-Arab sentiment. The movement is a major force in U.S. politics, often opposing peace efforts. The article questions whether a more inclusive "Biblical Zionism" could promote coexistence while acknowledging Israel's legitimacy. In the early 19th century, a movement emerged that would reshape the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East and challenge theological interpretations across the globe. This movement, known as Christian Zionism, began with a group of British evangelical leaders who fervently believed in the literal restoration of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland, Palestine. Their conviction was rooted in a literal interpretation of the Bible, and they saw this restoration as a precursor to the Second Coming of Christ. This intriguing narrative is explored in depth in Stephen Sizer's thought-provoking book, "Christian Zionism: Road-Map to Armageddon?" The origins of Christian Zionism can be traced back to figures like Lewis Way and Charles Simeon, who were driven by a premillennial eschatology that prophesied a period of tribulation before Christ's return. However, their beliefs were not confined to theological discourse. These leaders were politically astute and actively lobbied European heads of state, including Czar Alexander I of Russia, to support the establishment of a Jewish homeland. One of the most influential figures was Lord Shaftesbury, who viewed the restoration of the Jews as both a biblical mandate and a strategic advantage for British foreign policy. He believed that a Jewish homeland in Palestine would give Britain a colonial edge over France and open up new markets for British goods. As the 19th century progressed, the Zionist movement gained momentum, heavily influenced by Christian Zionists like William Hechler. Hechler played a crucial role in helping Theodor Herzl, the father of political Zionism, gain access to key political figures, including the German Kaiser and British politicians. This collaboration between Jewish and Christian Zionists underscored the shared vision of a Jewish homeland, albeit for different reasons. The rise of John Nelson Darby, a key figure in the development of Dispensationalism, further fueled the spread of Christian Zionist ideas across the Atlantic. Darby's teachings emphasized a rigid distinction between Israel and the Church, and he believed that the Jewish people would return to their homeland before or after their conversion but remain separate from the Church. This dispensationalist perspective was popularized by Cyrus Scofield, whose Scofield Reference Bible became a cornerstone of American evangelicalism. Scofield's notes reinforced the idea that the promises made to Abraham were unconditional and eternal, and that the modern State of Israel was a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. The implications of Christian Zionism for the Middle East are profound and contentious. Christian Zionists believe that the land of Israel, including the Occupied Territories, belongs exclusively to the Jewish people. This conviction has led to strong support for Israeli settlements and opposition to any peace deals that would require Israel to relinquish territory. Furthermore, Christian Zionists vehemently oppose any proposals for joint sovereignty or the creation of a Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem, a stance that has significant political ramifications, particularly in the United States. Perhaps the most controversial aspect of Christian Zionism is its belief in the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple. Dispensationalists argue that the Temple must be rebuilt because the anti-Christ will desecrate it just prior to Christ's return. This belief has led to support for organizations like the Temple Mount Faithful, which seeks to destroy the Al Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock to make way for a new Temple. The belief in an imminent Armageddon leads Christian Zionists to oppose any peaceful resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict, arguing that such efforts are futile and even rebellious against God's plans. This apocalyptic worldview has significant implications for the future of the region, as it justifies the oppression of Palestinians, fuels anti-Arab sentiments and demonizes Islam. In conclusion, Christian Zionism has become a powerful force in American politics, with conservative estimates suggesting that the movement is at least ten times larger than the Jewish Zionist movement. It has become the dominant lobby within contemporary American politics, shaping policies and perceptions in ways that have lasting consequences for the Middle East. Watch this video below about Stephen Sizer's book "Christian Zionism: Road Map to Armageddon?" This video is from the BrightLearn channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: Brighteon.ai Brighteon.com Trumps EPA reviews fluoride safety amid growing concerns over risks to childrens health The Trump administration is reviewing fluorides safety in drinking water, focusing on risks to childrens health. Critics argue fluoride may harm IQ, thyroid function, and bone health despite CDC endorsements. Utah banned fluoride in public water, setting a precedent for state-led health policies. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now overseeing the CDC, opposes fluoridation and supports updated scientific reviews. The EPAs reassessment challenges forced mass medication through water, emphasizing informed choice and state sovereignty. The Trump administration is prioritizing health freedom by reexamining the safety of fluoride in drinking wateran issue that has divided Americans for decades. President Donald Trumps Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), led by Administrator Lee Zeldin, announced Monday that it will conduct a formal review of fluorides potential health risks, particularly to children. This decision aligns with the administrations Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative and reinforces its commitment to government accountability and sound science. The move follows mounting pressure from conservative leaders, public health advocates, and independent researchers who argue that fluoridelong promoted as a cavity-preventing measureposes serious risks, including diminished IQ in children, thyroid dysfunction, and bone fractures. In a historic first, Utah banned fluoride in public water systems in May, setting a precedent for states seeking to reclaim control over health policy. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal opponent of fluoridation, is now working closely with the EPA to ensure federal policy reflects the latest science. A long-overdue review For years, federal agencies like the CDC have insisted that water fluoridation is a safe and effective public health measure. However, emerging research suggests otherwise. A 2024 National Toxicology Program report found moderate confidence that fluoride exposure above 1.5 milligrams per liter is linked to lower IQ in children. EPA Administrator Zeldin confirmed the agencys review will consider these findings, stating, Without prejudging any outcomes, when this evaluation is completed, we will have an updated foundational scientific evaluation that will inform the agencys future steps to meet statutory obligations under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Kennedy, who now oversees the CDC, plans to direct the agency to cease recommending fluoridationan extraordinary shift in federal health policy. Fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease, Kennedy wrote on X last November. His stance aligns with a growing segment of the medical community questioning the practice, including Harvard researchers who in 2012 found strong indications that fluoride may adversely affect cognitive development in children. States take the lead Utahs historic fluoride bansigned into law by Republican Gov. Spencer Coxmarks a major victory for the MAHA movement, which emphasizes individual liberty and local governance. Despite fierce opposition from dental advocacy groups, the law, effective May 7, prohibits cities from adding fluoride to public water systems. Kennedy praised Utahs decision, calling it a model for other states. The EPAs review raises another key question: Should the federal government mandate mass medication via tap water? Fluorosilicic acid, the form of fluoride commonly used, is a byproduct of industrial fertilizer production. Critics argue that forcibly adding it to waterwithout individual consentviolates bodily autonomy. Siding with science and liberty The CDC has long championed fluoridation as one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. Yet, more than 200 million Americans consume fluoridated water daily, often without understanding the potential risks. A federal judge in California recently ruled that current fluoride levels pose an unreasonable risk to children, adding urgency to the EPAs review. This debate transcends political lines, but the Trump administration has positioned itself as the defender of informed choice. By reassessing fluoride, the EPA and HHS are challenging decades of entrenched policyputting families first. As the review progresses, expect fierce pushback from pro-fluoridation groups. Yet with Utah leading the charge and Kennedy at HHS, the tide may finally be turning. The Trump administrations willingness to confront this issue underscores its commitment to dismantling flawed policiesno matter how deeply ingrained. The Trump administrations fluoride review signals a seismic shift in public health policyone that prioritizes scientific scrutiny, individual rights, and state sovereignty. If successful, this effort could end the era of forced fluoridation, returning control to families and local governments. For decades, Americans were told fluoridation was harmless. Now, with mounting evidence to the contrary, the government is finally listening. As Kennedy and Zeldin spearhead this fight, one thing is clear: The future of clean, safe water may no longer include fluoride. Sources for this article include: YourNews.com FoxNews.com Reuters.com EU offers zero-for-zero tariffs to Trump, threatens retaliation European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen offers to eliminate all industrial tariffs for the U.S. to de-escalate trade tensions ahead of an April 9 deadline. The proposal covers cars, pharmaceuticals, machinery and more, aiming to counter the U.S. threat of 20-25% tariffs on EU goods. The Trump administration plans 20% across-the-board tariffs on EU imports (25% on steel, aluminum and autos), risking economic disruption. The EU dismisses U.S. justifications as unfounded and pledges swift retaliatory tariffs on $28.5B of U.S. goods if no deal is reached. Fearing flooded markets due to U.S. tariffs on Asian countries, the EU establishes an "Import Surveillance Task Force" to track trade flow shifts. China faces 54% tariffs, while other Asian nations like Vietnam and India see sharp increases. Some member states (e.g., France, Ireland) seek exemptions for certain U.S. goods (e.g., bourbon), while Germany opposes weakening a unified response. Italy proposes delaying EU counter-tariffs, but the Commission insists on enforcing them by April 15. The EUs offer mirrors past successful deals (e.g., CETA with Canada) but underscores urgency to avoid a trade war. Von der Leyen signals readiness for negotiations or retaliation, with outcomes set to impact supply chains and economic relations worldwide. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has extended a "zero-for-zero" tariff deal to the United States, aiming to de-escalate trade tensions before a critical April 9 deadline. The offer, which would eliminate tariffs on all industrial goods, comes as the Trump administration prepares to impose a 20% tariff on EU imports, affecting over 380 billion ($416.9 billion) in products. The EU has also threatened swift retaliation if no agreement is reached. A strategic offer amid rising tensions Von der Leyen announced the deal on Monday, emphasizing the EU's readiness to negotiate and its willingness to defend its economic interests. "We stand ready to negotiate with the US. Indeed, we have offered zero-for-zero tariffs for industrial goods as we have successfully done with many other trading partners," she stated. "Because Europe is always ready for a good deal." The offer includes the elimination of tariffs on a wide range of industrial goods, including cars, pharmaceuticals, rubber and machinery. This proposal builds on previous EU offers to remove automotive tariffs, which were met with little response from Washington. The expanded deal was put forward as trade talks intensified, according to a Commission spokesperson. Trump's tariff plan and EU concerns President Donald Trump's recent announcement of a 20% universal tariff on EU imports, with a 25% rate on steel, aluminum and automobiles, has sparked significant concern. The tariffs, set to take effect on April 9, are expected to have "immense costs" for U.S. businesses and consumers, according to von der Leyen. The EU Commission has dismissed the U.S. justification for the tariffs as "neither credible nor justified." The EU's concerns extend beyond its own economy. The Commission fears that harsh U.S. tariffs on Asian countries could lead to trade diversion, with excess supply redirected into the European market. Countries such as Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia have been hit with sharply higher rates, while China now faces a 54% total tariff. To address this, von der Leyen announced the formation of a new "Import Surveillance Task Force" to monitor and respond to sudden shifts in trade flows. Historical context and global implications The EU's offer reflects a broader trend in global trade negotiations, where tariff reductions and free trade agreements have been used to foster economic cooperation. However, the current tensions between the EU and the U.S. mark a significant departure from this trend. The Trump administration's approach to trade, characterized by unilateral actions and high tariffs, has strained relationships with key allies and disrupted global supply chains. The EU's "zero-for-zero" proposal is reminiscent of past trade deals, such as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada, which eliminated tariffs on 98% of goods. However, the scale and scope of the current offer highlight the urgency of the situation and the EU's desire to avoid a trade war. Preparations for defensive action Despite the EU's preference for a negotiated solution, von der Leyen made it clear that the bloc is prepared to take countermeasures if necessary. "We are also prepared to respond through countermeasures and defend our interests," she said, pointing to the EU's anti-coercion instrument, which was created in 2023 but has not yet been activated. The EU has already outlined a list of potential retaliatory tariffs, targeting up to 26 billion ($28.5 billion) worth of U.S. goods, including emblematic products like Harley-Davidson motorcycles, orange juice and jeans. The first round of counter-tariffs is set to take effect on April 15, pending a vote by EU member states on Wednesday. Divergent views within the EU While the EU Commission remains united in its stance, there are differing views among member states on how to handle the expanding trade war. France and Ireland have lobbied for bourbon whiskey to be exempted from the retaliation list, citing the potential economic impact. Germany's economy minister, Robert Habeck, has warned against handing out exemptions, emphasizing the need for a strong and unified EU response. Italy's deputy prime minister, Antonio Tajani, suggested postponing the enforcement of counter-tariffs until April 30 to allow more time for dialogue. However, the EU trade commissioner, Maros Sefcovic, ruled out any delay, citing EU procedures. Conclusion The EU's "zero-for-zero" tariff offer represents a significant attempt to de-escalate trade tensions with the United States. While the offer remains on the table, the EU is prepared to take defensive action if necessary. The coming days will be crucial as both sides navigate the complex and high-stakes negotiations. The outcome of these talks will have far-reaching implications for global trade and economic stability. Sources include: YourNews.com EuroNews.com TheGuardian.com Googles AI search overhaul decimates website traffic Google's AI-powered search results (AI Overviews) have drastically reduced traffic to independent websites, with some publishers seeing drops of 70% or more. Small businesses, like DIY site Charleston Crafted, report revenue losses in the tens of thousands. AI Overviews display summarized answers directly on Google, reducing the need for users to visit source websites. Publishers note fewer click-throughs, cutting into ad revenue and sales, forcing some businesses to shut down. Google claims traffic fluctuations stem from multiple factors, not just AI, but publishers counter with data showing declines correlate with AI Overviews rollout. Concerns arise about AI-generated inaccuracies and long-term sustainability for content quality. Publishers feel betrayed after years of following Googles "EEAT" (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) guidelines, only to see AI bypass their content. Some creators call the shift a move toward monopolizing information access. The changes threaten the traditional SEO model, pushing marketers to diversify revenue streams (e.g., newsletters, social media). If independent publishers diminish, AI training data quality could suffer, creating a harmful cycle for online information ecosystems. In a dramatic shift that has left many independent website owners reeling, Google's introduction of AI-generated answers and recent search algorithm changes has caused a significant decline in website traffic. According to a Bloomberg investigation, many publishers are reporting traffic drops of 70% or more, disrupting the long-standing relationship between Google and content creators. This crisis has forced numerous small businesses to either shut down or completely reinvent their distribution strategies. The impact on small businesses In March 2024, Morgan McBride, owner of the do-it-yourself home improvement site Charleston Crafted, posed for a Google ad campaign celebrating the search engine's role in her business's growth. Just weeks later, traffic from Google to her site plummeted by more than 70%. McBride, who had weathered algorithm changes before, found this time to be different. "You can't just sit around waiting for things to turn around," she told Bloomberg. In the year since the traffic collapse, display advertising revenue on her site dropped by 65%, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars in lost income. Data and analysis Data analyzed by Similarweb for Bloomberg showed significant declines across 67 small publisher sites spanning multiple categories. Travel websites, where Google has recently introduced robust AI features, experienced the most pronounced drops. The introduction of AI Overviews, which summarizes content directly in Google search results without requiring users to visit the original sources, appears to be a major contributor to the traffic decline. Google's response Google has disputed that AI Overviews damaged website traffic, stating it was "misleading to make generalizations about the causes" of declining traffic "based on individual examples." The company added that traffic can fluctuate due to numerous factors, including seasonal demand, users' interests and regular algorithmic updates to search. However, evidence from multiple sources challenges this position. Gisele Navarro, managing editor for the air purifier review site HouseFresh, shared internal web analytics with Bloomberg showing that while more people are seeing her content via AI Overviews, fewer are clicking through to visit her site. Sites don't generate revenue unless users click through and see ads or buy products. Quality concerns Publishers have also raised concerns about the accuracy of Google's AI-generated content. Morgan McBride noted that for home renovation questions, Google's AI might give unsafe or simply inaccurate advice, such as recommending specific products that don't exist. Jake Boly, founder of That Fit Friend, which reviews training shoes, expressed concern about the sustainability of Google's approach: "I don't understand how Google thinks this is sustainable. If you drive away all enthusiasts and small publishers, then we're going to be overrun by spam and the few players who can afford to pay to play." Conflicting guidance The situation has created frustration among content creators who followed Google's longstanding guidance. For years, Google emphasized that website owners should focus on making content driven by experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness, or "EEAT," as the set of guidelines is known to publishers. "For years, Google has had the audacity to gaslight us, saying, 'Don't write for search,'" said Mike Hardaker, founder of Mountain Weekly News. "Well, then, who am I writing for?" Future of AI and search Google's approach to AI in search is shifting toward providing immediate answers rather than directing users to outside websites. The company has begun testing a new recipe feature that summarizes food bloggers' content directly in Google search. Creators participating in this pilot program receive direct compensation, but according to Marc McCollum, chief innovation officer at media company Raptive, the payments are "not nearly enough to offset declines in their advertising revenue." If fully implemented, Raptive estimates traffic to food blogs would fall by half. Personal impact For many website owners, the consequences have been severe. Bloomberg reported that at least three sites whose publishers attended Google's creator summit have had to shut down their operations entirely. Dave Bouskill and Debra Corbeil, a Toronto-based couple who launched travel blog The Planet D in 2008, initially saw their traffic fall by half in the first few months after the introduction of AI Overviews. When traffic plummeted by 90% and revenue declined almost as much, they decided to stop updating their blog. "I do feel betrayed by Google," Bouskill said, with Corbeil adding: "Betrayed, that's the word." What this means for marketers This dramatic shift in how search functions has significant implications for the marketing community. The traditional SEO model, where creating high-quality content was rewarded with organic visibility, appears to be fundamentally changing. For marketing professionals, this development necessitates a strategic reassessment of content distribution channels and revenue models. This may include diversifying traffic sources beyond Google Search, exploring direct relationships with audiences through newsletters and social media, and rethinking how content is monetized when fewer visitors reach a website. The situation also raises questions about the future data ecosystem. If independent publishers continue to struggle, the diversity and quality of information available to train future AI models may degrade, potentially creating a negative feedback loop that impacts the accuracy and utility of AI-generated content. Conclusion Google's AI search overhaul has left a trail of devastation in its wake, with many independent website owners facing an existential crisis. The company's efforts to provide immediate answers and streamline user experience have come at a significant cost to the web economy. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the relationship between tech giants and content creators will need to be redefined to ensure a sustainable and equitable future for all. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com Bloomberg.com 1 Bloomberg.com 2 PPC.land Bloomberg.com 3 Idaho Gov. Brad Little signs Medical Freedom Act banning vaccine mandates Republican Gov. Brad Little signed the Idaho Medical Freedom Act, banning businesses, schools and government entities from requiring vaccines or other medical interventions as a condition for employment, attendance or services. The governor vetoed an earlier version over concerns that it could prevent schools from excluding sick students. The revised bill clarifies that institutions can still turn away actively ill individuals but cannot enforce preventative medical mandates (like vaccines). Schools cannot bar unvaccinated students during disease outbreaks unless the illness in question is the one they lack immunization against. The bill passed the Idaho House (44-23) and Senate (27-6) with no debate before being swiftly signed into law on April 4. Supporters, including bill author Leslie Manookian, hailed the law as a victory for bodily autonomy, urging other states to follow Idaho's lead in rejecting government-imposed medical mandates. Republican Gov. Brad Little of Idaho has signed the law that will prohibit businesses, schools and government entities to direct most medical mandates, including vaccination requirements. Little initially vetoed the Idaho Medical Freedom Act, as it could prevent schools from excluding students with contagious illnesses. The revised version of the bill clarifies that schools and businesses can turn away sick individuals but cannot require medical interventions (including vaccines) as a condition of employment, attendance or service. Additionally, schools cannot exclude unvaccinated children during outbreaks of diseases for which they are not immunized. (Related: Austrian government drops COVID-19 vaccine mandate.) Idaho Medical Freedom Act, which passed into law on April 4 after revisions to address earlier concerns, bans employers, schools and public venues from requiring medical interventions, such as vaccines, for employment, admission or access to services. This explicitly reaffirms the right of schools and businesses to exclude individuals who are actively sick but forbids mandates on preventative medical treatments. The bill passed the Idaho House 44-23 and cleared the Senate 27-6 with no debate before Little swiftly signed it into law. Bill author Manookian and other supporters hail passage of Idaho Medical Freedom Act into law Leslie Manookian, the president of the Health Freedom Defense Fund and author of the bill, could not help but post her excitement on X, formerly known as Twitter. "HE SIGNED!!! The IDAHO MEDICAL FREEDOM ACT is LAW. Idaho is the freest state!!! Congrats & gratitude to my health freedom sisters @liberty4_ever @ClendenonSarah and all the legislators who made this dream come true. @robbeiswenger @josh_idaho," Manookian posted, along with a video of her together with co-organizers Miste Karlfeldt and Sarah Clendenon. Karlfeldt echoed a similar statement and "hope to see all states secure their medical freedom rights." "We have set the bar and now other states in the nation are modeling bills after Idaho's Medical Freedom Act," Karlfeldt said. "Louisiana has one right now it's hoping will pass because Idaho was brave enough to pass this monumental legislation. We hope to see all states secure their medical freedom rights as we have in the great state of Idaho." Sayer Ji, the founder of GreenMedInfo and the Global Wellness Forum, also hailed the news as a "historical and revolutionary affirmation of the inalienable right to bodily autonomy." "In an era when coercive medical mandates have deeply eroded public trust and violated constitutional protections, this bill reasserts a foundational truth: that every individual has the sovereign right to make personal health decisions without fear of discrimination, punishment, or exclusion. "By codifying health freedom into state law, Idaho is doing more than protecting its citizens it is lighting the way for a nationwide return to constitutional governance, medical ethics and human dignity. This is not merely legislation. It is a landmark declaration of principles that can and must resonate far beyond state borders." Learn more about the fight against COVID-19 vaccine mandates at HealthFreedom.news. Watch this episode of "The HighWire" as host Del Bigtree talks about how the state government of Florida has forced the Special Olympics to drop its COVID-19 vaccine mandate. This video is from the channel The HighWire with Del Bigtree on Brighteon.com. More related stories: German parliament REJECTS proposed COVID vaccine mandate after months of debate. Louisiana House of Representatives passes bill that bans state and local governments from imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Coalition of Austrian clergymen denounces Vienna's COVID vaccine mandate. Victory for health freedom: Austria puts COVID vaccine mandate on hold after coercion efforts fail. NYC ends vaccine mandate for retail customers but not for employees. Sources include: TheDefender.org X.com How Big Pharma weaves its web I never set out to be an advocate. I wasnt a doctor, scientist, or policy expert. I was just a regular person who, like so many, blindly trusted that our healthcare system was designed to protect us (Article by Kim Witczak republished from AcceptableCollateralDamage.Substack.com) But life has a way of pulling us into the arena when we least expect it. After the tragic and unexpected loss of my husband Woody to the antidepressant Zoloft he was prescribed for insomnia, I was thrust into a world I never imaginedone where medicine wasnt solely about healing, but deeply entangled in a system that prioritizes profit over safety, buries harms, and keeps the public in the dark. For over two decades, Ive had a front-row seat to how this system truly operatesnot the illusion of rigorous oversight we see in medical journals or glossy pharmaceutical ads, but the reality of how industry influence is woven into every stage. Ive met with regulators, testified before the FDA and Congress, filed a wrongful death and failure-to-warn lawsuit against Pfizer, and earned a seat on the FDAs Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee as a consumer representative. Ive also spoken at and participated in global conferences like Selling Sickness, Too Much Medicine, and the Harms in Medicine meeting in Erice, Italywhere some of the worlds leading experts acknowledge what few in mainstream medicine dare to say: Our healthcare system isnt about healthits about business. And in this business, harm isnt an accident. Its built into the system. The more I uncovered, the more I realized: We arent just patients. We are customers. And we are all trapped in Big Pharmas spiderweb of influence. The Spiderweb of Influence The more I learned, the more I saw just how deeply embedded the pharmaceutical industry isnot just in drug development and marketing but in every corner of our healthcare system. Thats why I created the Big Pharma Spider Web of Influenceto visually map out how the system is designed not to prioritize health but to sell sickness while minimizing, downplaying, or outright hiding harms. From clinical trial design to regulatory approval, from direct-to-consumer advertising to medical education, from controlling medical journals to silencing dissenting voices, the industry has built an intricate and self-reinforcing webone that traps doctors, patients, and even regulators in a cycle of pharmaceutical dependence. How the Web Works Clinical trials are often designed, funded, and controlled by the very companies that stand to profit. They manipulate data to exaggerate benefits and obscure risks, ensuring that negative results are buried, spun, or never published at all. Regulatory agencies like the FDA are deeply entangled with the industry theyre supposed to oversee. More than 50% of the FDAs budget comes from industry-paid user fees, and a revolving door ensures that many key decision-makers come fromand later return topharmaceutical companies. Medical journals depend on pharmaceutical funding through advertising, reprint sales, and industry-sponsored studiesseverely limiting independent scrutiny of drug safety. Many studies are ghostwritten or crafted by paid key opinion leaders (KOLs) who serve as pharmas trusted messengers. Doctors receive education through industry-funded programs, learning best practices based on treatment guidelines crafted by the very system that profits from overprescription. Patient advocacy groups, once independent grassroots organizations, have been co-opted by industry money, ensuring that the loudest voices often serve pharmas interests rather than patients needs. I call them astroturf patient groupsthey look like real grassroots organizations, but theyre anything but. Screenings and guidelines continuously expand the definitions of disease, turning more people into lifelong customers. This isnt about one bad actor or isolated corruptionits a systemic issue. The entire structure is designed to push more drugs onto the market, medicalize normal human experiences, and only acknowledge harm when it becomes too big to ignore. Its a brilliant business modelbut a catastrophic public health strategy. To Sell to Everyone: The Business Model of Medicine If this sounds like a conspiracy, consider the bold admission made by Henry Gadsden, former CEO of Merck, in a 1976 interview with Fortune Magazine: The problem we have had is limiting the potential of drugs to sick people. We could be more like Wrigleys Gumit has long been my dream to make drugs for healthy people. To sell to everyone. Former Merck CEO Henry Gadsden Let that sink in. This wasnt about curing diseaseit was about expanding markets. Gadsdens vision wasnt just to treat illness, but to medicalize everyday lifecreating a cradle-to-grave model where every person, healthy or sick, became a customer for life. Just like selling a variety of gumsomething for everyone. Juicy Fruit, Big Red, Doublemint, Spearmint, and so on. And thats exactly what happened. Today, we live in a system where: Everyday emotionssadness, worry, shynessare rebranded as medical conditions requiring treatment. Preventive medicine often means lifelong prescriptions, not lifestyle changes. Drugs are marketed to the worried well, turning normal human experiences into diagnoses. This isnt just theoryits well documented. In Selling Sickness: How the Worlds Biggest Pharmaceutical Companies Are Turning Us All into Patients, Ray Moynihan and Alan Cassels expose how pharmaceutical companies create diseases, expand diagnostic criteria, and convince the public that normal life experiences require medical intervention. The goal? Make medication the defaultnot the last resort. Harms Are Always an Afterthought Harms from medication are not rare, nor are they unexpected. But in this system, they are treated as acceptable collateral damagesomething to be dealt with only after the damage is done, after lives are lost or forever changed. Ive sat in FDA Advisory Committee meetings, reviewing new drug applications, and have seen firsthand how safety concerns are often dismissed in favor of innovation or unmet medical need. Ive heard industry representatives and advisory committee members argue that safety signals can be addressed post-market, meaning after a drug is already in circulation and causing harm or a required REMS (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies) program upon approval. But by the time post-market safety issues are acknowledged, its often too late. Weve seen this play out over and over: Opioidsmarketed as non-addictive and pushed aggressively onto patients, leading to an epidemic of addiction and death. SSRIs and antidepressantslong linked to increased risks of suicide and violence, particularly in young people, yet downplayed or dismissed for decades. Other hidden harms include withdrawal syndromes and Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction (PSSD), conditions that many patients were never warned about. Antipsychoticswidely prescribed for off-label use, leading to severe metabolic and neurological side effects. Covid-19 vaccinesan experimental mRNA platform rushed to market, mandated, and imposed on society despite limited long-term safety data and growing concerns over harms. Every time, the pattern is the same: The industry sells the benefits while downplaying the risksuntil those risks become too big to ignore. By then, the drug is a blockbuster, billions have been made, and the system moves on to the next new breakthrough. More Than Degrees: The Truth of Lived Experience One of the biggest lessons Ive learned in this fight is that real-world experience matters just as much as credentials. Over the years, Ive been invited to speak at medical schools, PhD programs, and universities, thanks to brave academics willing to challenge the narrative. I share my journey as an accidental advocatesomeone who didnt have a medical degree but discovered Americas broken drug system the hard way. But lets be honestthe medical world is driven by credentials. Or, as I like to say, the alphabet soup. At conferences, attendees wear name tags listing their titlesMD, PhD, JD, MPH. Its a quick way to size someone up, to assess credibility before even speaking. And Ive seen it happen: people glance at my name tag, see no impressive letters after my name, and walk right by. Years ago, I was speaking at the Preventing Overdiagnosis Conference and noticed my badge read: Kim Witczak, BA. I was horrified. Was that really necessary? Did my name tag need to remind everyone that I only had a BA? Later, I was telling the story to a doctor friend, and he laughed. Next time, tell them BA stands for Bad Ass. And he was right. Because real expertise doesnt always come from an advanced degreeit comes from lived experience, from asking the right questions, from refusing to accept the status quo. The Counterargument: But Dont We Need Experts? Of course, some will argue that only experts with MDs and PhDs should be trusted to shape healthcare policy. But that assumes that the system they operate in is free from bias, conflicts of interest, or financial incentives. The reality is that many of those with the most letters after their names are also the ones benefiting from pharma fundingwhether through consulting fees, research grants, or advisory roles. Meanwhile, patients and their familiesthe ones living with the consequencesare too often ignored. That needs to change. Asking Better Questions: Reclaiming Our Power If theres one thing Ive learned on this journey, its this: no one is coming to save us. The institutions meant to protect us are too entangled in the web to act with true independence. My late husband, Woody, used to say: Follow the money. And when you do, the truth becomes impossible to ignore. Pharmaceutical profitsnot patient well-beingdrive the system. Thats why the only way to create real change is through awareness, transparency, and fundamentally shifting how we think about medicine and health. That starts with asking better questions: Who funded this research? Does this person or institution have financial ties, intellectual bias, or self-interest that could impact their recommendations? Who benefits from this treatment? What arent we being told? What are the long-term consequences of this drug or intervention? Are there safer, non-drug alternatives being ignored because they arent profitable? But asking the right questions isnt enough. We have to stop outsourcing our health to a system built on financial incentives and guided by corporate interests. We must demand full transparency, challenge the status quo, and recognize that sometimes the best medicine isnt a pill but a deeper understanding of what our bodies truly need. Because once you see the web, you cant unsee it. And once you recognize how deeply medicine has been shaped by profit, youll realize the most important question isnt just What can I take?its Who benefits if I do? Final Thoughts: Tearing Down the Web I never wanted to be in this fight, but once you see the web, you cant unsee it. Thats why I continue to speak out, to challenge the system, and to push for real accountability. Because the stakes arent theoretical. Theyre deeply personal. For me, this fight began over two decades ago with Woody. But for countless others, it begins the moment they or someone they love is caught in the webtrusting a system that was never truly designed to protect them. Its time to tear down the web. And it starts with seeing it for what it really is. Read more at: AcceptableCollateralDamage.Substack.com HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to end fluoridation of U.S. drinking water HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to phase out water fluoridation, citing overstated dental benefits and emerging evidence of health risks, including lower childhood IQ and thyroid disruption. The CDC will be directed to rescind its fluoridation recommendation while the EPA reviews fluoride regulations. A federal task force will reassess the policy in light of new scientific data. A federal court ordered the EPA to reevaluate fluoride limits after the National Toxicology Program linked high fluoride levels (above 1.5 mg/L) to cognitive deficits in children, aligning with international studies. Utah became the first state to prohibit fluoride in public water, with Gov. Spencer Cox signing a bill overriding public health objections. Kennedy praised the move, calling for other states to follow. Florida is considering similar legislation after its Surgeon General opposed fluoridation, with nearly two dozen localities already halting the practice. State and local governments retain final authority despite federal policy shifts. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has revealed that he would phase out the decades-long practice of adding fluoride to drinking water, citing mounting evidence of potential harm to public health. Fluoridation has been a cornerstone of U.S. public health policy since the 1950s, credited with drastically reducing cavities. Currently, around 73 percent of Americans receive fluoridated water, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommending levels at 0.7 milligrams per liter (mg/L). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforces a maximum contaminant level of 4.0 mg/L to prevent skeletal fluorosis, a bone-weakening condition. Kennedy, a long-time critic of water fluoridation, argued that research now links excessive fluoride to lower IQ in children, thyroid disruption and other health issues. (Related: Fluoride in drinking water poses serious risks to children, pregnant women.) Last August, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) reported a "moderate confidence" association between high fluoride exposure (above 1.5 mg/L) and cognitive deficits in kids echoing findings from international studies in China, Mexico and Canada. In September, a federal court ordered the EPA to review fluoride regulations, citing potential risks to childhood brain development. In line with this, Kennedy revealed plans to direct the CDC to rescind its recommendation for fluoridating community water supplies. He is also assembling a federal task force to review the policy, while the EPA separately evaluates new scientific data on the possible risks of fluoride. Utah bans fluoride in public drinking water This move fulfills a pledge Kennedy made last November when he declared that a Trump administration would target fluoride removal. Though initially unfulfilled, the issue gained traction after Trump appointed Kennedy as the new HHS Secretary. The HHS cannot mandate fluoride removal but can deprioritize CDC endorsements. Local governments ultimately decide whether to fluoridate, though changes to EPA limits could force adjustments. Utah has led other states in this initiative. Utah has become the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water after Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed a legislative measure prohibiting communities from adding the mineral, defying warnings from dental associations and public health officials. "Community water fluoridation and informed consent, which is foundational to good health care, cannot coexist," Utah State Rep. Stephanie Gricius (R-District 50), a sponsor of the bill, said in January. "I believe strongly in individual choice when it comes to what prescriptions we put into our bodies." Kennedy, who called Utah "the leader in making America healthy again," praised the law, which requires water systems to end fluoridation by May 7. "I'm very, very proud of this state for being the first to ban it, and I hope many more will," Kennedy said during a press conference with state lawmakers, flanked by Utah legislators. Meanwhile, Florida is considering a bill to block local governments from fluoridating water after state Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo advised against it in 2024. Nearly two dozen Florida counties and municipalities have already ceased fluoridation. Head over to CleanWater.news to read more stories about chemicals in the water supply. Watch this video discussing how fluoride can cause cancer. This video is from the Journaltv channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: RFK Jr. to lead HHS vaccine investigation under Trump administration. RFK Jr.'s confirmation hearings expose senators' ties to Big Pharma. WINNING: Fluoride Action Network has forced U.S. courts to review fluoride toxicity in drinking water. Fluoride used in municipal water supplies found contaminated with arsenic. Breakthrough device can easily and accurately measure fluoride concentrations in water. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com HealthNewsFlorida.com FoxNews.com DEADLY FLU JAB WARNING: New flu vaccines make recipients 27 PERCENT MORE LIKELY to catch the flu Negative Vaccine Effectiveness: The 2024-2025 flu vaccine showed a -26.9% effectiveness rate, meaning vaccinated individuals had a 27% higher risk of contracting the flu compared to unvaccinated individuals. This suggests the vaccine may have impaired immunity rather than provided protection. Repeated Vaccination Risks: The study builds on prior research showing that annual flu vaccination may reduce effectiveness over time, with some past studies reporting negative efficacy (up to -54%) in multi-year recipients. Immune system interference and strain mismatches were cited as potential causes. Concerns Over Ingredients and Safety: Most participants received vaccines containing thimerosal (a mercury-based preservative linked to neurodevelopmental risks), which researchers speculated might weaken immune responses. Prior studies also associated flu vaccines with Guillain-Barre syndrome and non-flu respiratory infections. Challenge to Public Health Policies: Experts argue the findings contradict mainstream vaccine advocacy, highlighting flaws in mandates, lack of pre-release efficacy testing, and the impracticality of annual reformulations. The study calls for a reevaluation of blanket flu vaccination campaigns, especially given low mortality benefits (particularly in the elderly) and potential net harm. This is deeply concerning folks. This years flu shots literally cause the jabbed sheeple to have a 27 percent higher risk of catching the flu. What kind of warped medicine is this? The flu can be deadly, especially for people already suffering from cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, lung disease, high blood pressure, and clot shot syndrome from the spike proteins of the Covid stabs. A new preprint study of over 53,000 Cleveland Clinic employees suggests that the 2024-2025 influenza vaccine may have increased recipients' risk of contracting the flu by 27%, contradicting long-standing public health recommendations. Published last week on MedRxiv, the research found a negative vaccine effectiveness rate of 26.9%, sparking debate among scientists and medical professionals. Conducted during a season marked by high flu transmission, the study challenges the effectiveness of annual vaccination campaignsparticularly when strain mismatches occur. The study tracked vaccinated and unvaccinated employees from October 2023 to February 2024, revealing that flu infections rose more rapidly among those who received the shot. The vaccine has not been effective in preventing influenza this season, the authors concluded. Epidemiologist Nicolas Hulscher called the findings deeply concerning, while Dr. Clayton J. Baker stated the data strongly suggests the shot was outright harmful. Internist Dr. Meryl Nass noted that flu vaccines are not rigorously tested for efficacy before approval, as they rely on historical licensing. Negative efficacy is possible, she said, citing minimal pre-release safety evaluations. Massive contradictions are evident from the Medical Industrial Complex, the Vaccine Industrial Complex, and the Mass Media push for everyone to get flu jabs Despite the Cleveland Clinics vaccine mandate for employees, the unvaccinated cohortcomprising those with medical or religious exemptionsshowed lower infection rates. Karl Jablonowski of Childrens Health Defense argued the results expose flaws in mandates: Those exempt posed less of a threat [to patients] than those who were mandated. The study echoes prior research, including a 2012 Clinical Infectious Diseases paper linking flu vaccines to higher rates of non-flu respiratory infections. James Lyons-Weiler, Ph.D., called the new analysis one of the most consequential influenza vaccine studies in recent years due to its scale and independence from industry funding. Researchers suggested strain mismatcha misalignment between the vaccine and circulating flu variantsmay explain the poor performance. Lyons-Weiler added that thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative in 98.7% of administered doses, could weaken immune responses. Thimerosal has been tied to neurodevelopmental risks in earlier studies, raising further safety concerns. CDC data shows declining flu vaccine uptake among healthcare workers, signaling growing skepticism. Annual flu vaccine strategies may need a serious rethink, wrote TrialSite News, urging policymakers to address evidence of potential harm. The studys implications extend beyond this flu season, challenging the foundation of mass vaccination campaigns. As Baker noted, It may be asking for too much to expect [the vaccine] to be highly effective year after year. With public trust in vaccines wavering, health officials face pressure to reevaluate blanket recommendationsand the science behind them. Bookmark plague.info to your favorite independent websites for updates on new gain-of-function viruses the CDC and WHO release into the wild while they push deadly flu shots and clot shots on the masses. Sources for this article include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org Pandemic.news GatewayPundit.com NaturalNews.com Heritage Foundations Project Esther: The blueprint behind Trumps controversial crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism The Heritage Foundations Project Esther outlines a plan to combat pro-Palestinian activism on U.S. campuses, labeling it as "antisemitic and anti-American." The Trump administration has adopted its recommendations, sparking legal and ethical concerns. The administration has revoked visas (e.g., students at Tufts and Columbia), cut university funding (Harvard, Princeton, Columbia) and pressured schools to censor protests and expel activists. Measures include surveillance, doxxing and restricting academic departments. Civil liberties groups (ACLU, Jewish Voice for Peace) argue these actions violate free speech and academic freedom, framing criticism of Israel as "antisemitism." Courts have temporarily blocked deportations, while universities resist funding cuts. The crackdown has drawn international condemnation, with human rights groups warning of eroded academic freedoms and strained U.S. relations with allies. Critics fear a chilling effect on political discourse. The policies test the balance between national security, free speech and democracy. The outcome may reshape academic freedom, campus activism and U.S. policy on Israel-Palestine. In a move that has sparked widespread controversy and legal challenges, the Trump administration has intensified its crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism, closely following the recommendations laid out in the Heritage Foundations Project Esther. This blueprint, unveiled in October 2024, provides a detailed strategy for deploying anti-terror, hate speech and immigration laws to target what it deems as an "antisemitic and anti-American" pro-Palestinian movement. The administration's actions, which include visa revocations, university funding cuts and the deportation of activists, have drawn sharp criticism from civil liberties groups and raised concerns about the erosion of free speech and academic freedom. The genesis of Project Esther Project Esther, released by the Heritage Foundation, is a 33-page document that outlines a comprehensive strategy to combat what it perceives as a growing threat from pro-Palestinian activism on American campuses. The document was quietly unveiled in October 2024, just months before the 2024 presidential election, and has since become a de facto playbook for the Trump administration's aggressive policies. The project's recommendations are rooted in a broader context of heightened tensions following Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed nearly 1,200 Israelis. This event galvanized pro-Israel groups, many of which are led by evangelical Christians, to push for more stringent measures against pro-Palestinian activism. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank with close ties to the Trump administration, was well-positioned to provide a detailed roadmap for these efforts. Implementation of Project Esther The Trump administration has adopted many of Project Esther's recommendations, including: Visa revocations and deportations: The administration has revoked at least 300 visas from students, visitors and others, including Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish student at Tufts University, and two students from Columbia University, Mahmoud Khalil and Yunseo Chung. These actions have been met with legal challenges, but the administration has defended them as necessary to protect national security and combat antisemitism. University funding cuts: The Department of Education has suspended or canceled significant research grants to universities deemed to harbor pro-Palestinian activism. Princeton University lost 210 million in research grants, Columbia University had $400 million in funding canceled, and Harvard University is under review for over $9 billion in contracts and grants. These cuts are part of an ongoing investigation into alleged antisemitic discrimination and harassment on campus. Discrediting pro-Palestinian faculty and staff: The administration has sought to undermine the credibility of pro-Palestinian university faculty and staff, with the ultimate goal of revoking their credentials and affiliations with campuses. This has included increased scrutiny of academic freedom and the use of websites like Canary Mission, which is accused of doxxing critics of Israel, to identify and target individuals. Campus restrictions and surveillance: Universities are being pressured to implement stricter restrictions on protests and demonstrations, empower public safety officers to make arrests, and expel or suspend students involved in pro-Palestinian activism. Columbia University, for example, agreed to nine of the administration's demands, including strengthening protest restrictions and placing its Middle Eastern, South Asian and African studies department under independent control. Legal and ethical concerns The Trump administration's crackdown has faced significant legal and ethical challenges. Civil liberties groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Jewish Voice for Peace, have condemned the tactics as a violation of free speech and academic freedom. They argue that the administration is using the guise of combating antisemitism to silence legitimate political dissent. Kevin Rachlin, the Washington director at the Nexus Project, a left-leaning Jewish group, warned, "There is real danger if this is implemented. It undermines the principles of democracy and free speech that are fundamental to our society." The legal challenges have also highlighted the potential overreach of the administration's policies. Judges have temporarily blocked the government's deportation efforts in several cases, and universities are pushing back against the funding cuts and demands for increased surveillance. Global implications and future outlook The Trump administration's actions have broader implications for the global discourse on Israel-Palestine and the balance between free speech and national security. The crackdown has drawn international attention, with human rights organizations and academic institutions around the world expressing concern over the erosion of academic freedom and the targeting of pro-Palestinian voices. The administration's aggressive stance has also strained relations with some of its traditional allies, particularly in the academic and civil liberties communities. The ongoing legal battles and public scrutiny may force the administration to reassess its approach, but the underlying tensions and ideological divides are likely to persist. The Trump administration's crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism, closely mirroring the recommendations of Project Esther, has ignited a fierce debate over the balance between combating antisemitism and protecting free speech and academic freedom. The outcome of this debate will have far-reaching consequences for the future of academic discourse and the broader political landscape in the United States. Sources include: InformationLiberation.com Politco.com APNews.com Annie Jacobsens Surprise, Kill, Vanish delves into the history of the CIAs covert operations and assassinations Annie Jacobsen's "Surprise, Kill, Vanish" traces the CIA's paramilitary roots to the WWII-era OSS, which pioneered sabotage, resistance training and assassinations like the 1942 killing of Nazi official Reinhard Heydrich though such actions often triggered devastating reprisals. After its 1947 founding, the CIA escalated covert operations, overthrowing governments (e.g., Iran's Mossadegh in 1953, Guatemala'sArbenz in 1954) with long-term destabilizing consequences, while failures like the Bay of Pigs invasion exposed operational risks. Despite a 1976 ban, the CIA continued targeted killings under terms like "preemptive neutralization," exemplified by Che Guevara's 1967 execution. These actions blurred ethical lines and fueled global backlash. The War on Terror saw elite CIA units (e.g., Stalker Team) and drone warfare mechanize assassinations, prioritizing secrecy and "plausible deniability" but distancing policymakers from the human costs and moral implications. Jacobsen highlights the paradox of covert ops effective short-term tools with unpredictable, often destructive long-term effects forcing a reckoning over whether such methods undermine democracy and international law. Annie Jacobsen's "Surprise, Kill, Vanish: The Secret History of CIA Paramilitary Armies, Operators, and Assassins" delves into the clandestine world of American covert operations, tracing their evolution from World War II to the modern War on Terror. The book reveals how the United States, once reluctant to engage in shadow warfare, became a global power reliant on secrecy, deception and lethal force to achieve its geopolitical objectives. The attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 marked a turning point, forcing America to reconsider its approach to warfare. The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) predecessor to today's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) pioneered unconventional tactics. These include training resistance fighters and orchestrating sabotage missions in Nazi-occupied Europe. One of the most audacious OSS-backed operations was the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, the architect of the Holocaust, carried out by Czech commandos in 1942. Though successful, the mission triggered brutal Nazi reprisals, including the massacre of the village of Lidice a stark reminder of the high costs of covert action. After WWII, the CIA was formally established under the National Security Act of 1947, inheriting the OSS' covert mandate. The agency quickly expanded its operations, toppling governments and eliminating perceived threats. In 1953, the CIA orchestrated the coup against Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, reinstating the Shah and sowing long-term resentment in Iran. A year later, the agency overthrew Guatemala's President Jacobo Arbenz inadvertently radicalizing figures like Che Guevara, who would later become a revolutionary icon. These operations, though successful in the short term, often produced unintended consequences that destabilized regions for decades. The Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 exposed the risks of covert intervention. A poorly planned CIA-backed attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro ended in disaster, humiliating the Kennedy administration and prompting a reevaluation of paramilitary strategies. Despite this setback, the CIA continued its clandestine activities, including assassination programs like Executive Action, which targeted foreign leaders. CIA operative Felix Rodriguez played a key role in the capture and execution of Guevara in 1967, later admitting to taking the revolutionary's Rolex as a grim souvenir. Though officially banned in 1976, assassination remained a tool of U.S. foreign policy under new guises. The concept of "preemptive neutralization" allowed the CIA to eliminate threats before they materialized. After the 9/11 attacks, the agency intensified its covert campaigns, forming elite units like the Stalker Team to track and eliminate high-value terrorist targets. These operatives worked in extreme secrecy, often blurring the line between intelligence gathering and extrajudicial killing. The rise of drone warfare further mechanized assassination, allowing the U.S. to conduct targeted killings with minimal risk to its personnel. The concept of "plausible deniability" shielded U.S. leaders from accountability, enabling covert actions without public scrutiny. Yet this technological shift also distanced policymakers from the human toll of their decisions. In Afghanistan, CIA paramilitary units like the Ground Branch faced moral dilemmas as they trained and fought alongside poorly disciplined Afghan forces, many of whom were corrupt or drug-addicted. Jacobsen's book raises profound ethical questions about the use of assassination as a political tool. While proponents argue that covert operations are necessary for national security, critics warn of their corrosive effects on democracy and international law. The normalization of targeted killings, whether by human operatives or drones, has transformed warfare into a sanitized yet morally ambiguous enterprise. The legacy of America's covert wars is fraught with contradictions. These operations have shaped global history, often with unpredictable and far-reaching consequences. As veteran operative Billy Waugh observed, war is inherently brutal a realm of chaos and revenge. The CIA's hidden hand has altered the course of nations, but at what cost? "Surprise, Kill, Vanish" challenges readers to confront the moral complexities of fighting a war without rules, leaving us to ponder whether the ends truly justify the means. Watch this video about Annie Jacobsen's book "Surprise, Kill, Vanish: The Secret History of CIA Paramilitary Armies, Operators, and Assassins." This video is from the BrightLearn channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: Brighteon.ai Brighteon.com Trump administration halts $510 million in federal funding to Brown University over antisemitism response The Trump administration suspended $510 million in federal funding to Brown University, citing its failure to adequately address campus antisemitism following the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. Brown has been a hotspot for pro-Palestinian protests, including sit-ins, hunger strikes and encampments. The administration has intensified scrutiny of universities, framing such activism as antisemitic and targeting DEI policies. The U.S. Department of Education launched probes into 60 universities, including Brown, for alleged antisemitic harassment. Schools risked losing federal funding under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act for non-compliance. Brown is the fifth Ivy League school targeted, following Columbia University ($400 million revoked), University of Pennsylvania ($175 million frozen), Harvard University ($9 billion under review) and Princeton University ($210 million lost) part of broader efforts to curb perceived liberal bias and antisemitism. The administration has moved to detain and deport foreign students involved in anti-Israel demonstrations, citing visa violations and national security concerns. The Trump administration has suspended $510 million in federal funding to Brown University over the Ivy League institution's handling of campus antisemitism during the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. Brown University has been a focal point of nationwide student protests since late 2023, with demonstrators urging the U.S. to end military support for Israel, demanding that universities sever ties with companies tied to Israeli operations and condemning Israel's siege on Gaza. Over the past year, Brown students have staged sit-ins, an eight-day hunger strike and a week-long encampment on campus. (Related: Trump says DEATH PENALTY a proper punishment for "antisemitism" in America.) However, the Trump administration has intensified scrutiny of universities, framing pro-Palestinian activism as antisemitic and targeting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies. Earlier executive orders shortly after taking office have sought to penalize institutions that allegedly suppress free speech or promote "discriminatory" practices under the guise of diversity. In line with this, the U.S. Department of Education launched investigations into 60 universities, including Brown over alleged antisemitic harassment and discrimination in March. "Americans have watched in horror for more than a year now, as Jewish students have been assaulted and harassed on elite university campuses repeatedly overrun by antisemitic students and agitators. Unlawful encampments and demonstrations have completely paralyzed day-to-day campus operations, depriving Jewish students of learning opportunities to which they are entitled," Education Secretary Linda McMahon said at the time. Federal warnings cited potential "enforcement actions" if schools failed to comply with nondiscrimination protections under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and Brown University failed to do so. In turn, nearly $510 million in federal contracts and grants awarded to Brown is under review, with payments frozen pending further scrutiny of the university's policies and actions regarding antisemitic incidents. Crackdown on campuses accused of suppressing free speech and promoting discriminatory policies Brown University is the fifth Ivy League institution targeted in recent weeks as part of a sweeping crackdown on campuses accused of suppressing free speech, promoting discriminatory policies and failing to uphold constitutional rights. In March, the administration revoked $400 million from Columbia University after accusing the school of tolerating antisemitism, prompting the university to revise protest policies and reassess its Middle East studies program. The university later adjusted its policies under pressure from the Trump administration, hoping to restore the critical funding. Soon after, the University of Pennsylvania faced a $175 million freeze over a controversy involving a transgender athlete, while Harvard University's $9 billion in federal contracts, grants and student aid programs, was placed under review. Trump accused Harvard of "moral failure" for not taking stronger action against anti-Israel protests and alleged antisemitic incidents. Princeton University also confirmed that it lost $210 million in research grants without explanation, though critics speculate it was tied to alleged liberal bias in faculty hiring and curriculum. The administration warned that funding could be permanently revoked if investigations find universities knowingly permitted discrimination or violence against Jewish students. Overall, a combined $784 million in federal funding for Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University and Princeton University was frozen. The administration has also taken steps to detain and deport foreign students involved in organizing anti-Israel demonstrations, citing potential visa violations and threats to national security. Visit Trump.news for more similar stories. Watch this discussion about antisemitism. This video is from the scottbarry1992 channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Israel closes embassy in Dublin, accuses Ireland of "antisemitism." Jerusalem Post: "Antisemitism must be criminalized before its too late." Wikipedia does fire drill to downplay Harvard's Gay plagiarism/antisemitism scandal. Davos 2025: WEF panel on 'antisemitism' pushes for increased social media censorship. ADL touts Trump admin taking up their 'antisemitism' complaints against Yale and others. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com USAToday.com FoxNews.com Brighteon.com Trump readies for high-stakes direct nuclear talks with Iran: Great danger looms if negotiations fail President Trump warns Iran of severe consequences if it continues its nuclear ambitions ahead of high-level talks. Direct talks between the U.S. and Iran will begin this weekend, the first since Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal. Trump emphasizes diplomacy but says failure will lead to "a very bad day for Iran," hinting at the potential for military action. New U.S. sanctions target Irans nuclear program as Tehran accelerates uranium enrichment and obstructs inspections. The world watches to see if Iran will de-escalate or face overwhelming U.S. retaliation. As tensions with Iran reach a boiling point, President Donald Trump has issued a serious warning ahead of "very high-level" direct talks scheduled for this weekend: If Tehran refuses to abandon its nuclear ambitions, it will face consequences "the likes of which it has never seen." The historic meeting marks the first direct diplomatic engagement between the U.S. and Iran since Trump withdrew from the widely criticized 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which he famously dubbed "the worst deal ever." Now, with Iran closer than ever to nuclear weapons capability possessing enough near-weapons-grade uranium for five bombs the stakes could not be higher. The return of no-nonsense diplomacy Trumps approach stands in sharp contrast to the previous administrations failed policies of appeasement. While the 2015 deal offered Iran economic relief in exchange for temporary limitations on uranium enrichment, Tehran exploited its loopholes, ramping up nuclear development the moment restrictions expired. By withdrawing in 2018, Trump rejected a toothless agreement that only delayed rather than dismantled Irans path to a bomb. "Were having direct talks with Iran, and theyve started. Itll go on Saturday. We have a very big meeting, and well see what can happen," Trump told reporters alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He reiterated that diplomacy is preferable but left no doubt that failure would bring devastating consequences. "I think if the talks arent successful with Iran, I think Iran is going to be in great danger and I hate to say it, great danger because they cant have a nuclear weapon If the talks arent successful, I actually think itll be a very bad day for Iran." The high cost of weakness After the U.S. exit from the JCPOA, Iran abandoned all pretense of restraint. The regime expanded uranium enrichment, obstructed international inspectors, and ignored appeals from European allies. The UNs nuclear watchdog now warns Tehran could produce weapons-grade fissile material within weeks. Meanwhile, Irans regime continues to finance terror proxies across the Middle East, destabilizing the region while inching toward the ultimate strategic weapon. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reinforced Trumps tough stance by imposing fresh sanctions this week, targeting Irans Atomic Energy Organization and key nuclear enablers. "The Iranian regimes reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons remains a grave threat," Bessent declared. "Treasury will continue to leverage our tools and authorities to disrupt any attempt by Iran to advance its nuclear program and its broader destabilizing agenda." Will Tehran choose peace or peril? Despite Irans public denialsForeign Minister Abbas Araqchi claimed talks would be indirectTrumps administration remains undeterred. His strategy echoes his successful pressure campaigns against North Korea, where unprecedented sanctions forced Kim Jong Un to the negotiating table. The question now is whether Irans ayatollahs will heed the warning or double down on brinkmanship. As Saturdays talks approach, the world watches to see if Tehran will choose the path of de-escalationor face the full force of U.S. resolve. After years of empty threats and failed diplomacy, Trumps uncompromising stance may finally force Iran to make a choice between surrender or ruin. Sources for this article include: SHTFPlan.com ABCNews.go.com FoxNews.com Trump and Netanyahu push ethnic cleansing of Gaza in White House meeting, doubling down on genocidal policies Trump and Netanyahu push Gaza "resettlement," a euphemism for ethnic cleansing. Trump suggests U.S. military control over Gaza, calling it "incredible real estate." Israels bombardment and blockade force Palestinians out under false "voluntary" claims. U.S. fuels war crimes with unchecked aid while blocking ceasefire efforts. Human rights groups condemn this as apartheid and forced displacement. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met at the White House on Monday, reaffirming their shared vision for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza under the guise of "resettlement," while the U.S. continues to bankroll Israels brutal military campaign. The two leaders casually dismissed international law, suggesting that Palestinian civilians displaced by Israels bombardment could simply be absorbed by unspecified "other countries"a plan that human rights groups have condemned as a blueprint for mass expulsion. Trump, who has long championed extreme anti-Palestinian policies, openly proposed U.S. control over Gaza, calling it an "incredible piece of important real estate" and suggesting that American forces could occupy the besieged enclave. "Having a peace force like the United States there, controlling and owning the Gaza Strip, would be a good thing," he said, framing ethnic displacement as an act of benevolence. Netanyahu echoed the rhetoric, asserting that Palestinians should have the "freedom" to leave Gazaa blatant euphemism for forced displacement. A facade of 'voluntary' expulsion Netanyahu claimed Palestinians would be given the "choice" to leave Gaza, but human rights organizations and Palestinian leaders have repeatedly warned that Israels relentless bombing, siege, and land seizures amount to coercion. Since March, Israels military has intensified its assault, killing thousands, tightening its blockade to starve civilians, and seizing more than half of Gazas territory in what legal experts describe as settler-colonial expansion. Trump and Netanyahus statements contradict the reality on the ground, where Israeli forces have systematically destroyed homes, hospitals, and refugee camps, rendering Gaza uninhabitable. Despite global condemnation, Israel continues to enjoy unconditional U.S. support. The White House has greenlit billions in military aid while deflecting accountability for war crimes. Trumps suggestion that other nations will absorb displaced Palestinians further highlights the racist logic underpinning U.S.-Israel policy: that Palestinians are a problem to be dispersed rather than a people with rights. No solutions, just more violence Beyond Gaza, the two leaders discussed Iran, tariffs, and regional security, though their positions revealed deep contradictions. Trump floated diplomatic talks with Tehran, undercutting Netanyahus push for military confrontation. Yet on Gaza, they remained alignedboth refusing to endorse a ceasefire while paying lip service to hostage releases. Netanyahus far-right coalition has repeatedly sabotaged truce deals, prioritizing territorial conquest over human life. Meanwhile, Trump, despite claiming he wants the war to end, fuels the bloodshed by enabling Israels military escalation. His administration has dismissed ceasefire efforts, instead endorsing strategies that accelerate displacement under the pretense of "security." Human rights groups warn that Gazas humanitarian catastrophe is a direct result of this political complicity. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have labeled Israels regime as apartheid, citing its systematic oppression of Palestinians. Yet U.S. officials continue to parrot Israeli propaganda, framing genocidal violence as "self-defense." A dangerous precedent for the world As the White House rolls out the red carpet for Netanyahu, Palestinian voices remain erased from the conversation. No Palestinian leaders were consulted on the so-called "resettlement" plan, underscoring its colonial nature. With Gazas death toll mounting and famine spreading, the U.S. and Israel are normalizing mass expulsion as a diplomatic "solution." Mondays meeting was a grotesque display of powertwo leaders casually plotting ethnic cleansing while the world watches in silence. The U.S. isnt just enabling Israels genocide; its actively participating by funding the bombs, blocking UN ceasefires, and now legitimizing forced displacement. As Palestinians cling to survival under bombardment, the so-called "freedom zone" Trump and Netanyahu envision is nothing more than a euphemism for annihilation. Sources for this article include: News.Antiwar.com Reuters.com APNews.com U.S. lawmakers investigate Meta over alleged China collaboration The Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has initiated an inquiry into Meta Platforms, demanding over a decade of internal records, focusing on alleged efforts to collaborate with the Chinese government and develop censorship tools to enter China's restricted digital market. The investigation is based on revelations from Sarah Wynn-Williams' book, "Careless People," which details a covert project called "Project Aldrin" aimed at establishing a presence in China by 2017, including the development of content control mechanisms to meet Chinese demands. Meta has denied the allegations, stating the claims are outdated and unreliable. The company has also filed for arbitration to enforce a non-disparagement agreement, resulting in a temporary gag order on Wynn-Williams, preventing her from promoting the book or making critical comments about Meta. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Josh Hawley have expressed deep concern over the ethical implications of Meta's alleged actions, emphasizing the potential complicity in human rights abuses and the broader issue of tech companies' ethical responsibilities in the global market. The investigation could set a precedent for how tech companies handle similar situations, potentially leading to legal and reputational consequences for Meta. The subcommittee's findings may influence future U.S. policy on technology and human rights, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability in the tech industry. U.S. lawmakers have launched an investigation into Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, over allegations that the tech giant explored ways to collaborate with the Chinese government to break into the country's heavily restricted digital market. The Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations announced the inquiry on Tuesday, April 1, demanding internal records and communications dating back over a decade, including those tied to censorship mechanisms designed to comply with Beijing's demands. The investigation, led by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-MN), with support from Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Josh Hawley (R-MO), is based on revelations published in "Careless People," a memoir by former Facebook executive Sarah Wynn-Williams. The book outlines a covert initiative, internally referred to as "Project Aldrin," which was reportedly developed in 2014 as a three-year plan to establish a presence in China. This plan allegedly included developing censorship tools to meet the stringent content control requirements of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). (Related: "Project Aldrin": Senate probes Meta's alleged censorship dealings with China.) Johnson's subcommittee has formally requested that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg turn over the requested documents by April 21. The letter from the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, dated April 1, addresses these concerns and refers to the internal Meta materials reviewed by the subcommittee, which corroborate Wynn-Williams' account. Meta has firmly denied the allegations, dismissing them as outdated and unreliable. A Meta spokesperson stated, "This is all pushed by an employee terminated eight years ago for poor performance. We do not operate our services in China today. It is no secret that we were once interested in doing so as part of Facebook's effort to connect the world. We ultimately opted not to go through with the ideas we'd explored, which Mark Zuckerberg announced in 2019." However, the company's legal actions have further fueled the controversy. On the day "Careless People" was released, Meta filed for arbitration, citing a voluntary non-disparagement agreement that Wynn-Williams had signed upon her departure. Within 24 hours, an arbitrator issued a temporary gag order that barred her from making "disparaging, critical or otherwise detrimental comments" about Meta and from promoting the book. Congressional concerns and legal challenges Blumenthal expressed deep concern over the internal documents reviewed by the subcommittee. "Chilling whistleblower documents reviewed by the Subcommittee paint a damning portrait of a company that would censor, conceal and deceive, to obtain access to the Chinese market," he stated. The subcommittee also investigates Meta's abandoned attempt to establish a submarine data cable connecting California and Hong Kong. Wynn-Williams' legal team has pushed to overturn the gag order, arguing that it prevents her from responding to inquiries from members of Congress and foreign governments. Her lawyers contend that the silence enforced through arbitration is cutting off access to key testimony about corporate behavior with real-world public policy implications. Meta has claimed it does not intend to interfere with her legal rights. The investigation into Meta's alleged collaboration with the Chinese government touches on the broader issue of tech companies' ethical responsibilities in the global market. China's internet is heavily regulated, with strict censorship laws and a firewall that blocks access to many foreign websites. Companies seeking to enter the Chinese market often face a choice between complying with these regulations and maintaining their core values. This case also highlights the tension between corporate interests and human rights. Critics argue that by developing censorship tools, Meta would be complicit in China's human rights abuses, which include surveillance and the suppression of dissent. The investigation could have far-reaching implications for how tech companies navigate the complex political and ethical landscape of the Chinese market. Watch the video below where Meta issues major changes to "restore free speech" on platforms. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Zuckerberg's Meta: A double game on China and censorship. Microsoft scales back AI data center boom as China's DeepSeek upends the market. Mark Zuckerberg's Meta allegedly trained AI on millions of stolen books from "shadow libraries." Sources include: ReclaimTheNet.org Docs.ReclaimTheNet.org Brighteon.com Due to scheduled maintenance from Saturday, March 15, 2025, at 10 PM to Sunday, March 16, 2025, at 2 AM, there may be interruptions for our News Gazette Digital subscribers. During this time frame, please click on any News Gazette website content without logging into your News Gazette Digital subscription account. Thank you for your patience during this scheduled maintenance. Download Now The News-Gazette mobile app brings you the latest local breaking news, updates, and more. Read the News-Gazette on your mobile device just as it appears in print. Researchers uncover how emotional eating and body dissatisfaction silently shape our weight and well-being, offering critical insight for better obesity and mental health strategies. Study: Pathways linking BMI trajectories and mental health in an adult population-based cohort: role of emotional eating and body dissatisfaction. Image Credit: Nicoleta Ionescu / Shutterstock In a recent study in the International Journal of Obesity, researchers investigated the role of emotional eating and body dissatisfaction in weight change trajectories and mental health. The study included 7,388 adult participants who had been followed over four years and employed mixed effects and regression models for data analyses. Financial hardship predicted rising BMI not just through reduced activity, but also by amplifying emotional eatinga connection revealed in structural equation models. Study findings revealed that both emotional eating and body dissatisfaction independently mediate suboptimal outcomes. Emotional eating partly mediated the association between baseline anxiety and depressive symptoms and increasing body mass index (BMI), while body dissatisfaction and self-rated health partly mediated the association between increasing BMI and reduced overall quality of life (QoL). Interestingly, BMI trajectories were not associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms at follow-up after accounting for baseline mental health, although they were linked to body dissatisfaction and lower QoL. The association between emotional eating and BMI trajectories was stronger among women and individuals with low physical activity levels. These findings suggest the presence of a potential bidirectional relationship, where emotional eating and body dissatisfaction contribute to BMI increases, which in turn further influence these mediators and negatively affect quality of life. Background Self-rated health acted as a hidden player: worsening BMI trajectories reduced participants perception of their own health, indirectly lowering quality of life. Overweight and obesity present significant public health concerns. While the World Health Organization (WHO) projects that 20% of the global population will have obesity by 2025, current prevalence estimates suggest that over 1 billion people live with excessive body mass index (BMI). These conditions are frequently associated with chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes (T2D), cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and certain cancers. These associations were referenced in the context of public health but were not directly investigated in the study. Mental health concerns present another substantial public health concern, with depression and anxiety afflicting an estimated 970 million people worldwide. Previous research employing extensive population-wide datasets and long follow-up periods has established the positive bidirectional relationship between overweight and adverse mental health outcomes. More recent research has further validated the roles of biological mediators (inflammation and gut microbiota) in promoting these outcomes. Unfortunately, these studies have failed to investigate the effects of psychosocial and behavioral mediators, such as emotional eating and body dissatisfaction, on altering BMI and mental health outcomes. About the study The present study aims to address these gaps in the literature by utilizing a large, long-term follow-up adult cohort to provide insights into: The psychosocial and behavioral predictors of BMI trajectories, The impacts of these BMI trajectories on mental health, and How emotional eating and body dissatisfaction influence BMI and mental health outcomes. Study data were obtained from the Specchio cohort, a digital follow-up study of Geneva (Switzerland) COVID-19 serosurvey participants. The study was launched in December 2020 and included 13,260 participants who completed an inclusion questionnaire at baseline. Participants who included their heights and weights in the baseline questionnaire were included in the present study. Screen time quietly emerged as a key drivereach extra hour daily correlated with a 0.2 kg/m BMI rise, rivaling the impact of poor sleep. BMI measurements were calculated from participant-provided height and weight data obtained at baseline and again in 2022, 2023, and 2024. WHO guidelines were referenced to classify participants into: 1. underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m), 2. healthy (BMI 18.524.9 kg/m), 3. overweight (BMI 25.029.9 kg/m), 4. obesity (BMI 3039.9 kg/m), and 5. severe obesity (BMI 40 kg/m). Custom prevalidated questionnaires were used to record participants behavioral factors (physical activity, diet, alcohol consumption, sleep patterns, leisure time, anti-depressant medication, and emotional eating) and psychosocial factors (social and psychological resources and risks). The questionnaire also incorporated the WHOs well-being index to measure participants mental and general health outcomes. The Oslo Social Support Scale was used to translate perceived resources and risks into analyzable data. Additionally, the Brief Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale was used to evaluate participants perceptions of self-esteem. Statistical analyses included mixed effects models for estimating BMI trajectories and regression models for both sets of association determination (behavioral/psychosocial factors and BMI trajectories, and BMI trajectories and mental health). Models were adjusted for participants age, sex, education, and pre-existing health conditions. Structural equation modeling was used to test mediation pathways and assess indirect effects. Trends in BMI over time for the total study sample, and by sex, age group, and financial difficulties (N = 7388). Study findings Of the 13,260 participants in the Specchio cohort, 7,388 (59% female) met the inclusion criteria and were included in downstream analyses. The average age of included participants was 51 years, with a mean estimated BMI of 24.5 kg/m. Study findings revealed that participants BMI slightly increased (0.4 kg/m) throughout the study (4 years) at the whole sample cohort scale. Most of the sample (86%) had the same BMI classification at follow-up as at baseline. 8% of the sample had an upward BMI classification trajectory, transitioning from healthy weight to overweight (5%), from overweight to obesity, or from obesity to severe obesity (3%). 5% had a downward BMI classification trajectory. By 2024, 43% of the sample had overweight or obesity. The Oslo Social Support Scale uncovered a surprise: strong social ties didnt buffer against BMI increases, but weak social support worsened body dissatisfaction. Mixed effects models revealed that the leading psychosocial and behavioral causes for changing BMI trajectories included a reduction in physical activity levels, financial difficulties, reduced sleep, increased screen time, depression/anxiety, and emotional eating. Increased BMI was, in turn, associated with increases in participants body dissatisfaction and lower overall quality of life (QoL). These findings remained robust even after accounting for mental health conditions. Notably, BMI increases were not significantly associated with anxiety or depressive symptoms at follow-up after adjusting for baseline scores. Structural equation modeling revealed that emotional eating partly mediated the effect of baseline anxiety and depressive symptoms on increasing BMI, as well as the association between financial hardship and BMI trajectories. Body dissatisfaction and poorer self-rated health partly mediated the relationship between increasing BMI and reduced QoL. The authors noted that these mediation effects were statistically significant but modest in size. The relationship between emotional eating and BMI was found to be stronger among women and those reporting low levels of physical activity, suggesting possible targets for tailored intervention. Conclusions The present study highlights the impacts of emotional eating and body dissatisfaction in contributing to rising BMI and adverse mental health outcomes, which in turn may promote further emotional eating and dissatisfaction. While the data support directional mediation pathways, the study does not establish a formal feedback loop. Importantly, the authors noted several limitations, including the observational design, reliance on self-reported BMI and emotional eating data, and the lack of clinical measures for mental health. These factors may limit the ability to draw causal inferences. These findings are essential in developing prevention and intervention strategies against these public health concerns (obesity and mental health conditions). Our study highlights emotional eating and body dissatisfaction as important factors associated with BMI trajectories and mental health, and to be considered in weight management and mental health promotion strategies. Global deaths from HIV/AIDS and new infections could soar to levels unseen since the start of the century if planned funding cuts to foreign aid are sustained, undermining years of progress, experts warn. A study published today (Thursday) in the journal The Lancet HIV estimates there could be 4.4 million to 10.8 million additional new HIV infections by 2030 in low- and-middle income countries and 770,000 to 2.9 million HIV-related deaths in children and adults. The administration of UN President Donald Trump has severed support for humanitarian work worldwideincluding withdrawing the US from the World Health Organization and freezing funding for the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Other major international donors, such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, which together with the US, account for over 90 per cent of international aid, have also announced plans to implement significant cuts to foreign aid. Collectively, it could lead to a 24 per cent reduction in global international HIV funding by 2026, according to the researchers. Progress unraveled Historically, the US has been the largest contributor to the global HIV response, investing more than US$100 billion through the PEPFAR since it was established in 2003. However, cuts to PEPFAR and USAID-supported programmes have already severely disrupted access to essential HIV services, including for antiretroviral therapy and HIV prevention and testing, says Debra ten Brink of the Burnet Institute, Australia, co-lead author of the study. Looking ahead, if other donor countries reduce funding, decades of progress to treat and prevent HIV could be unravelled, she said. It is imperative to secure sustainable financing and avoid a resurgence of the HIV epidemic which could have devastating consequences, not just in regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa, but globally. Ten-fold increase Separately, the head of the UN agency coordinating the fight against HIV-AIDS warned that an additional 6.3 million people will die in the next four years, unless support is reinstated. This represents a tenfold increase from the 600,000 AIDS-related deaths recorded globally in 2023, she said. We will see a real surge in this disease, UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima told journalists in Geneva on Monday (24 March). [We] will see it come back and we [will] see people dying the way we saw them in the 90s and in 2000s. She also predicted an additional 8.7 million new infectionsup from 1.3 million new infections globally in 2023. Mathematical model The authors of The Lancet HIV study used a mathematical model to estimate the effects of anticipated international aid reductions in 26 countries, including the immediate end to support from PEPFAR in all countries currently dependent on foreign aid to support programmes to diagnose and prevent HIV. They found there could be between a 1.3- to six-fold increase in new infections for people at higher risk of acquiring HIV, compared to if funding levels remained as they were. The greatest impact would likely be in Sub-Saharan Africa and among vulnerable populations, including people who inject drugs, sex workers, men who have sex with men, and children, according to the researchers. They called for a multipronged approach to help offset the effects of sudden funding cuts and build long-term sustainability. HIV integration Integrating HIV care with other primary healthcare services may improve efficiency and leverage shared resources, said Rowan Martin-Hughes, a senior researcher at Burnet Institute and co-author of the study. He noted that in Vietnam, this integration along with health insurance to cover HIV services, centralising antiretroviral therapy procurement and mobilisation of domestic resources, has resulted in an increase in domestic financing of the HIV response from 32 per cent in 2013 to 52 per cent in 2022. Introducing a modest HIV-specific tax levy or incorporating HIV services into a broader health insurance mechanism may provide additional domestic funding streams, he told SciDev.Net. Such measures, although challenging, have been successfully tried in some Sub-Saharan African countries. In many countries, HIV services have existed separately from the rest of the government-funded health system, because of the international focus on the disease, Martin-Hughes explains, adding that healthcare workers, infrastructure, and other basic pillars of health systems in many resource-poor countries have been supported by HIV funding. These are the countries that are being most acutely affected by the immediate pausing of that aid, he said. Angela Muvumba Sellstrom, senior researcher at the Nordic Africa Institute, believes the findings are credible. She says the short-term result of the withdrawal of this much aid will be an increased disease burden on weak health infrastructure, especially in Africa. And of course, we expect large levels of deaths as people living with HIV and without access to medicine become more vulnerable to HIV-related illnesses, she told SciDev.Net. She challenged international large-scale financing actors like the African Development Bank, World Bank and the IMF to commit more to financing for health and ease the debt burden by rescheduling payment for some African governments. Researchers at 60 different intensive care units around the world are seeking to establish methods to expedite and improve post-cardiac arrest recovery at ICUs. The research is led by Markus Skrifvars, Staff Specialist in Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care and Professor of Prehospital Emergency Medicine at University of Helsinki, jointly with Professor Niklas Nielsen from Lund University. Professor Skrifvars' part of the research is funded by the Research Council of Finland. Every year, approximately 350,000 people in Europe and 1,500-2,000 people in Finland suffer from acute cardiac arrest. With rapid cardiopulmonary resuscitation, blood circulation can be restarted in roughly 30 per cent of the cases, with the patients then receiving further treatment at a university hospital or central hospital ICU. In Finland, for example, the number of patients treated annually is approximately 600-700. Even with the circulation restored, there is a risk of hypoxic brain injury resulting from a lack of oxygen. "No specific treatments exist, although there have been attempts to establish one. It's not been possible to verify factors that clearly reduce the development of brain injury," says Skrifvars. Professor Skrifvars' part of the research entails trials to raise the patients' blood pressure through medication. The aim is to maintain better blood supply to the brain and reduce the risk of brain injury. The research also uses a large group of patients to investigate other interventions to further improve patients' capacity for recovery. The researchers have ended up comparing alternative methods and goals for three different interventions. They are related to controlling the depth of sedation, body temperature and mean arterial pressure. The STEPCARE trial aims to identify the levels to achieve the best chance of recovery for patients. There are 3,500 patients across the world taking part in the research. We're able to assemble a sufficient number of patients within a sensible time frame. With several different hospitals and patient groups involved, we can ensure definitive results with effective measures." Markus Skrifvars, Staff Specialist in Anesthesiology and Intensive Care and Professor of Prehospital Emergency Medicine at University of Helsinki Essential is the efficacy of the intervention, how the patient recovers and, first and foremost, whether the patient is still alive six months from the cardiac arrest. In cases where the heart stops and the person ends up in an intensive care unit, half of patients achieve good recovery and half die. The extensive research project runs for 7-8 years. The research involves approximately twenty specialists from Finland and approximately 150 specialists globally. The entire care pathway is taken into account, involving both intensive care specialists, cardiologists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists. "Once we have the results of our research, they may support existing recommendations or suggest entirely different policies. Our hope is that the care instructions based on the research published in 2027 will be adopted immediately the following year." As the research uses treatments that are currently in place, the risks are low and correspond to the standard risks related to treatment. The measures can be implemented anywhere in the world. The countries involved in the research are Finland, Estonia, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg, the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. The research is being launched in Ireland, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, the Czech Republic and Kuwait. A Cleveland Clinic-led clinical trial of tolebrutinib, an investigational oral Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor, a group of drugs originally developed to treat lymphomas and related blood disorders, demonstrated a 31% delay in the onset of six-month confirmed disability progression (CDP) in patients with non-relapsing secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). The first peer-reviewed results of the Phase 3 HERCULES trial published online today in the New England Journal of Medicine and were simultaneously presented during a clinical trials plenary session at the American Academy of Neurology 2025 Annual Meeting in San Diego, and suggest that tolebrutinib is an effective treatment for non-active SPMS, a form of the disease for which there are currently no U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatments. This is the first clinical trial showing a positive effect in delaying disability progression in non-relapsing SPMS, a later form of the disease where neurological function gradually worsens over time and disability increases relentlessly." Robert Fox, M.D., paper's lead author, chair of the HERCULES Global Steering Committee and a neurologist at the Mellen Center for MS Research and Treatment at Cleveland Clinic "The findings demonstrate the drug's impact on chronic neuroinflammation in the central nervous system, a key driver of this gradual disability observed in SPMS," said Dr. Fox. "The drug offers the potential for a new class of medications for the treatment of MS, the leading cause of non-traumatic disability in young adults." While topline results of HERCULES were first presented at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) meeting last September, the peer-reviewed paper offers new insights into the drug's efficacy and safety profile. Between Oct. 23, 2020, and Jan. 12, 2023, the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled 1,131 patients ages 18-60 at 264 sites across 31 countries. Patients with documented disability progression in the 12 months prior to screening and who had no clinical relapses in the 24 months before screening were randomly assigned at a 2:1 ratio to receive 60 mg oral tolebrutinib or a matching placebo tablet. For the primary endpoint, the cumulative incidence of six-month confirmed disability progression was 22.6% in the tolebrutinib group versus 30.7% in the placebo group, which was a 31% reduction with tolebrutinib compared to placebo. In addition, the drug demonstrated a positive effect across several of its secondary endpoints in disability progression and MRI-related measures: A similar degree of risk reduction was observed in the time to three-month confirmed disability progression. A higher proportion of patients achieved improvement in disability with therapy, with a six-month confirmed disability improvement rate of 8.6% versus 4.5% with placebo. Measures of three-month sustained 20% increase in the timed 25-foot walk test favored tolebrutinib, but three-month sustained 20% increase in nine-hold peg test was not impacted by tolebrutinib. In clinical trials of MS, these are standard tests used to measure walking ability and upper limb dexterity, respectively. The mean annualized rate of new and/or enlarging T2-weighted lesions, a test used to measure disease activity, including inflammation and tissue damage, was reduced with tolebrutinib compared with placebo. Adverse event rates were broadly comparable between the tolebrutinib and placebo groups, although serious adverse events were more frequent with tolebrutinib. Levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), an enzyme reflecting liver injury, above three times the upper limit of normal (ULN) were observed in 4% of tolebrutinib recipients versus 1.6% of placebo recipients over the course of the trial. ALT level increases above 20 times ULN were reported in 0.5% of tolebrutinib recipients versus 0% of placebo recipients, and one patient treated with tolebrutinib died of complications related to liver failure. Notably, all cases of severe ALT elevation occurred within 90 days of treatment initiation. Tolebrutinib is currently under review by the FDA. "If approved, the drug will likely require intensive monitoring of liver function enzymes during the first three months of therapy, with less frequent monitoring thereafter," says Dr. Fox. "It appears that about one in 200 patients will have severe elevation of liver enzymes during the first three months of use, so careful monitoring is important, and the drug should be stopped immediately in those with liver enzyme elevations." The HERCULES trial was sponsored by Sanofi, the developer of tolebrutinib. Dr. Fox reports consulting for, and receiving research support from, Sanofi and other pharmaceutical companies. Researchers explored the long-term effects of preschool expansion in Japan in the 1960s, revealing significant reductions in risky behaviors amongst teenagers. By analyzing regional differences in the rollout of the program, the study identified links between early childhood education and lower rates of juvenile violent arrests and teenage pregnancy. The findings suggest that improved noncognitive skills played a key role in mitigating risky behaviors, highlighting the lasting benefits of early-education policies. Given the complexity of human existence, it can be difficult to accurately define which aspects of youth have certain impacts later on in life. Interventions and experiments to explore theories are nearly impossible due to the long times involved. It is possible to compare different populations, but depending on the matter investigated, there might often be too many confounding aspects to produce reliable data from which to draw conclusions. So, when exploring a matter like the downstream impact of educational interventions, researchers ideally need multiple nearly identical populations, different only in the presence of the intervention in question. Building upon previous research which found that day care in Japan improves noncognitive skills of very young children around age 3, my colleagues and I wished to investigate whether these benefits persist over time and if early childhood education can genuinely change behavioral outcomes later in life." Shintaro Yamaguchi, Professor, Graduate School of Economics, University of Tokyo Yamaguchi added, "Our latest study examines Japan's 1960s preschool expansion and its long-term effects on adolescent risky behaviors. By leveraging regional variations, we found that increased preschool enrollment significantly reduced violent crime arrests and teenage pregnancies, highlighting the lasting impact of early childhood education, even in a society with low baseline rates of such behaviors." The team's findings are particularly significant because they come from a universal program that served all children regardless of socioeconomic background. Most previous evidence on the crime-reducing effects of early childhood education comes from small-scale targeted programs for disadvantaged children in the United States. "A key challenge was ensuring that the effects we observed were genuinely caused by Japan's preschool reform and not by other factors. Since different prefectures expanded preschool at different rates, we needed to rule out alternative explanations for changes in juvenile crime and teenage pregnancy," said Yamaguchi. "To address this, we used a simple but effective approach: We examined adult crime and pregnancy rates before and after the reforms. If preschool had a real impact, the effects should appear only in children who attended, not in older individuals who missed out on the reform." What's also interesting, and possibly counterintuitive in some ways, is that this preschool rollout program did not increase high school or college enrollment rates. Yamaguchi and colleagues suggest the mechanism behind the reduction in risky behaviors was likely improvement in noncognitive skills rather than additional schooling. This insight is important for understanding how early childhood education produces its long-term benefits. "Our next step is to further investigate the mechanisms through which early childhood education affects adolescent behaviors. While our current research suggests that noncognitive skills play an important role, we would like to gather more direct evidence about which specific skills are most influenced by preschool education and how they develop over time," said Yamaguchi. "Additionally, we're planning to investigate even longer-term outcomes into adulthood, including effects on health behaviors, family formation and intergenerational outcomes. Understanding these broader and longer-term impacts would provide a more complete picture of the value of investing in early childhood education." Mental health is in crisis worldwide. While the neurosciences are advancing rapidly, psychiatry still struggles to diagnose and effectively treat many disorders. The Synapsy Center for Neuroscience and Mental Health Research at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, is launching a new international prize to reward those who bring these two worlds closer together. A new research model is needed Depression, schizophrenia, anxiety or bipolar disorders: psychiatric illnesses affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide and are among the leading causes of disability, suffering and mortality. Yet clinical advances remain limited. Many diagnoses still lack clear biomarkers, and treatments often remain imprecise. This delay can be explained in part by the persistent separation between fundamental research in neuroscience and clinical practice in psychiatry. Although knowledge about the brain has advanced considerably, it is still difficult to translate this knowledge into concrete solutions for patients. The Synapsy Center has set itself the mission of bridging this gap. Heir to the Swiss National Science Foundation's Synapsy National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR), active from 2010 to 2022, it brings together neuroscience researchers and clinical psychiatry researchers from the University of Geneva with a clear objective: to boost translational research to improve mental health. An award to recognize bridges In spring 2025, the Synapsy Center is launching the eponymous international prize, worth 50,000 CHF, which will be awarded for an outstanding mid- to advanced-career contribution at the intersection of neuroscience and psychiatry. The future of mental health research depends on closer links between the laboratory and the clinic," emphasizes. This award will highlight those who already embody this vision and whose research quality has significantly contributed to improving the understanding of psychiatric illnesses. Our hope is that this will encourage others to follow their example, e.g. the Synapsy research model." Christian Luscher, Professor and Coordinator, Synapsy Center and Chairman of the Synapsy Prize Committee, University of Geneva Call for nominations Applications will be open from early April to June 30, 2025. Only peer nominations will be accepted. A selection will be made by a jury of Swiss experts from UNIGE, University of Lausanne and EPFL, members of the former NCCR-Synapsy, reinforced by a representative of a patient association. The winner will be invited to the Campus Biotech in Geneva in December 2025 for a public conference and a Master Class for young researchers Leroy Walker arrived at the county hospital short of breath. Walker, 65 and with chronic high blood pressure, was brought in by one of rural Greene Countys two working ambulances. Nurses checked his heart activity with a portable electrocardiogram machine, took X-rays, and tucked him into Room 122 with an IV pump pushing magnesium into his arm. I feel better, Walker said. Then: Beep. Beep. Beep. The Greene County Health System, with only three doctors, has no intensive care unit or surgical services. The 20-bed hospital averages a few patients each night, many of them, like Walker, with chronic illnesses. Greene County residents are some of the sickest in the nation, ranking near the top for rates of stroke, obesity, and high blood pressure, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Patients entering the hospital waiting area encounter floor tiles that are chipped and stained from years of use. A circular reception desk is abandoned, littered with flyers and advertisements. But a less visible, more critical inequity is working against high-quality care for Walker and other patients: The hospitals internet connection is a fraction of what experts say is sufficient. High-speed broadband is the new backbone of Americas health care system, which depends on electronic health records, high-tech wireless equipment, and telehealth access. Greene is one of more than 200 counties with some of the nations worst access to not only reliable internet, but also primary care providers and behavioral health specialists, according to a KFF Health News analysis. Despite repeated federal promises to support telehealth, these places remain disconnected. During his first term, President Donald Trump signed an executive order promising to improve the financial economics of rural healthcare and touted access to high-quality care through telehealth. In 2021, President Joe Biden committed billions to broadband expansion. KFF Health News found that counties without fast, reliable internet and with shortages of health care providers are mostly rural. Nearly 60% of them have no hospital, and hospitals closed in nine of the counties in the past two decades, according to data collected by the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Residents in these dead zone counties tend to live sicker and die younger than people in the rest of the United States, according to KFF Health News analysis. They are places where systemic poverty and historical underinvestment are commonplace, including the remote West, Appalachia, and the rural South. It will always be rural areas with low population density and high poverty that are going to get attended to last, said Stephen Katsinas, director of the Education Policy Center at the University of Alabama. Its vital that the money we do spend be well deployed with a thoughtful plan. Now, after years of federal and state planning, Bidens $42 billion Broadband Equity Access and Deployment, or BEAD, program, which was approved with bipartisan support in 2021, is being held up, just as states such as Delaware were prepared to begin construction. Trumps new Department of Commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, has demanded a rigorous review of the program and called for the elimination of regulations. Trumps nominee to lead the federal agency overseeing the broadband program, Arielle Roth, repeatedly said during her nomination hearing in late March that she would work to get all Americans broadband expeditiously. But when pressed by senators, Roth declined to provide a timeline for the broadband program or confirm that states would receive promised money. Instead, Roth said, "I look forward to reviewing those allocations and ensuring the program is compliant with the law." Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), the Senate commerce committee's ranking minority member, said she wished Roth had been more committed to delivering money the program promised. The political wrangling in Washington is unfolding hundreds of miles from Greene County, where only about half of homes have high-speed internet and 36% of the population lives below the poverty line, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Walker has lived his life in Alabama's Black Belt and once worked as a truck driver. He said his high blood pressure emerged when he was younger, but he didn't take the medicine doctors prescribed. About 11 years ago, his kidneys failed. He now needs dialysis three times a week, he said. While lying in the hospital bed, Walker talked about his dialysis session the day before, on his birthday. As he talked, the white sheet covering his arm slipped and revealed where the skin around his dialysis port had swollen to the size of a small grapefruit. Room 122, where Walker rested, is sparse with a single hospital bed, a chair, and a TV mounted on the wall. He was connected to the IV pump, but no other tubes or wires were attached to him. The IV machine's beeping echoed through the hallway outside. Staffers say they must listen for the high-pitched chirps because the internet connection at the hospital is too slow to support a modern monitoring system that would display alerts on computers at the nurses' station. Aaron Brooks, the hospital's technology consultant, said financial challenges keep Greene County from buying monitoring equipment. The hospital reported a $2 million loss on patient care in its most recent federal filing. Even if Greene could afford a system, it does not have the thousands of dollars to install a high-speed fiber-optic internet connection necessary to operate it, he said. Lacking central monitoring, registered nurse Teresa Kendrick carries a portable pulse oximeter device, she said like ones sold at drugstores that surged in popularity during the covid-19 pandemic. Doing her job means a "continuous spot-check," Kendrick said. Another longtime nurse described her job as "a lot of watching and checking." Beep. Beep. The beeping in Room 122 persisted for more than two minutes as Walker talked. He wasn't in pain he was just worried about the beeping. About 50 paces down the hall past the pharmacy, an office, and another patient room registered nurse Jittaun Williams sat at her station behind plexiglass. She was nearly 20 minutes past the end of her 12-hour shift and handing off to the three night-shift nurses. They discussed plans for patients' care, reviewing electronic records and flipping through paper charts. The nurses said the hospital's internal and external computer systems are slow. They handwrite notes on paper charts in a patient's room and duplicate records electronically. "Our system isn't strong enough. There are many days you kind of sit here and wait," Williams said. Broadband dead zones like Greene County persist despite decades of efforts by federal lawmakers that have created a patchwork of more than 133 funding programs across 15 agencies, according to a 2023 federal report. Alabama's leaders, like others around the U.S., are actively spending federal funds from the Biden-era American Rescue Plan Act, according to public records. And Greene County Hospital is on the list of places waiting for ARPA construction, according to agreements provided by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. "It is taking too long, but I am patient," said Alabama state Sen. Bobby Singleton, a Democrat who represents the district that includes Greene County Hospital and two others he said lack fast-enough connectivity. Speed bumps such as a need to meet federal requirements and a "big fight" to get internet service providers to come into his rural district slowed the release of funds, Singleton said. Alabama received its first portion of ARPA funds in June 2021, which Singleton said included money for building fiber-optic cables to anchor institutions like the hospital. Alabama's awards require the projects to be completed by February 2026 nearly five years after money initially flowed to the state. Singleton said he now sees fiber lines being built in his district every day and knows the hospital is "on the map" to be connected. "This doesn't just happen overnight," he said. Alabama Fiber Network, a consortium of electric cooperatives, won a total of $45.7 million in ARPA funding specifically for construction to anchor institutions in Greene and surrounding counties. James Hoffman, vice president of external affairs for AFN, said the company is ahead of schedule. It plans to offer the hospital a monthly service plan that uses fiber-optic lines by year's end, he said. Greene County Health System chief executive Marcia Pugh confirmed that she had talked with multiple companies but said she wasn't sure the work would be complete in the time frame the companies predicted. You know, you want to believe, Pugh said. Beep. Beep. Nurse Williams had finished the night-shift handoff when she heard beeps from Walker's room. She rushed toward the sound, accidentally ducking into Room 121 before realizing her mistake. Once in Walker's room, Williams pressed buttons on the IV pump. The magnesium flowing in the tube had stopped. "You had a little bit more left in the bag, so I just turned it back on," Williams told Walker. She smiled gently and asked if he was warm enough. Then she hand-checked his heart rate and adjusted his sheets. At the bottom of the bed, Walker's feet hung off the mattress and Williams gently moved them and made sure they were covered. Walker beamed. At this hospital, he said, "they care." As rural hospitals like Greene's wait for fast-enough internet, nurses like Williams are "heroes every single day," said Aaron Miri, an executive vice president and the chief digital and information officer for Baptist Health in Jacksonville, Florida. Miri, who served under both Democratic and Republican administrations on Department of Health and Human Services technology advisory committees, said hospitals need at least a gigabit of speed which is 1,000 megabits per second to support electronic health records, video consultations, the transfer of scans and images, and continuous remote monitoring of patients' heartbeats and other vital signs. But Greene's is less than 10% of that level, recorded on the nurses' station computer as nearly 90 megabits per second for upload and download speeds. It's a "heartbreaking" situation, Miri said, "but that's the reality of rural America." The Beeping Stopped Michael Gordon, one of the hospitals three doctors, arrived the next morning for his 24-hour shift. He paused in Room 122. Walker had been released overnight. Not being able to monitor a cardiovascular patient's heart rhythm, well, "that's a problem," Gordon said. "You want to know, 'Did something really change or is that just a crazy IV machine just beeping loud and proud and nobody can hear it?'" Despite the lack of modern technology tools, staffers do what they can to take care of patients, Pugh said. "We show the community that we care," she said. Pugh, who started her career as a registered nurse, arrived at the hospital in 2017. It was "a mess," she said. The hospital was dinged four years in a row, starting in 2016, with reduced Medicare payments for readmitting patients. Pugh said that at times the hospital had not made payroll. Staff morale was low. In 2021, federal inspectors notified Pugh of an "immediate jeopardy" violation grounds for regulators to shut off federal payments because of an Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act complaint. Among seven deficiencies inspectors cited, the hospital failed to provide a medical screening exam or stabilizing treatment and did not arrange appropriate transfer for a 23-year-old woman who arrived at the hospital in labor, according to federal reports. Inspectors also said the hospital failed to ensure a doctor was on duty and failed to create and maintain medical records. An ambulance took the woman to another hospital, where the baby was "pronounced dead upon arrival," according to the report. Federal inspectors required the hospital to take corrective actions and a follow-up inspection in July 2021 found the hospital to be in compliance. In 2023, federal inspectors again cited the hospital's failure to maintain records and noted it had the "potential to negatively affect patients." Inspectors that year found that medical records for four discharged patients had been lost. The "physical record" included consent forms, physician orders, and treatment plans and was found in another department, where it had been left for two months. Pugh declined to comment on the immediate jeopardy case. She confirmed that a lack of internet connectivity and use of paper charts played a role in federal findings, though she emphasized the charts were discharge papers rather than for patients being treated. She said she understands why federal regulators require electronic health records but "our hospitals just aren't the same." Larger facilities that can "get the latest and greatest" compared with "our facilities that just don't have the manpower or the financials to purchase it," she said, "it's two different things." Walker, like many rural Americans, relies on Medicaid, a joint state and federal insurance program for people with low incomes and disabilities. Rural hospitals in states such as Alabama that have not expanded Medicaid coverage to a wider pool of residents fare worse financially, research shows. During Walker's stay, because the hospital can't afford to modernize its systems, nurses dealt with what Pugh later called an "astronomical" number of paper forms. Later, at Home Walker sat on the couch in the modest brick home he shares with his sister and nephew. In a pinch, Greene County Hospital, he said, is good "for us around here. You see what I'm saying?" Still, Walker said, he often bypasses the county hospital and drives up the road to Tuscaloosa or Birmingham, where they have kidney specialists. "We need better," Walker said, speaking for the 7,600 county residents. He wondered aloud what might happen if he didn't make it to the city for specialty care. Sometimes, Walker said, he feels "thrown away." "People done forgotten about me, it feels like," he said. "They don't want to fool with no mess like me." Maybe Greene County's health care and internet will get better, Walker said, adding, "I hope so, for our sake out in a rural area." 'US Tariffs Present 1991 Moment For India, Opportunity To Boost Labour-Intensive Manufacturing': Economists At Rising Bharat Summit Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 18:51 IST India is in a relatively better position when it comes to the impact on impact tariffs on the economy, says economists at News18 Rising Bharat Summit. (From left to right): Economists Gurcharan Das, Deepanshu Mohan, and P K Basu discuss US tariffs' impact on India, at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit. India is in a relatively better position when it comes to the impact on impact tariffs on the economy. Though that is because of less exports from the country, it is the 1991 moment for India to tap its labour-intensive manufacturing to gain global market share amid higher tariff on our competitors, according to economists. India is in a relatively better position because we are not an exporting country. This is not something to be proud of but in this circumstance, it means the impact on us will be relatively modest. Secondly, in the products that we sell to America, the tariffs on our competitors are higher than on us. So, we have particular advantage," noted economist Gurcharan Das said while speaking at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit. Recommended Stories However, India is getting hurt because the global economy is weakening and moving to a recession. This is an opportunity for India. If we play our cards well, this might be the opportunity to really become an exporting country. One of the reasons we are currently not an exporting country is because our tariffs were too high," he said, adding that India has to boost its manufacturing capacity. Since 1991, India has grown at 6.35%, which is very good for a democracy. The country has lifted over 450 million people out of poverty and the middle class has grown from 10% to 30%. But, we have not created an industrial revolution," Das said. Deepanshu Mohan, Professor of Economics and Dean, IDEAS, Office of InterDiscplinary Studies, O.P. Jindal Global University, said, Its a very critical point in the economic and political history for nations. There are turning points in history for every century and this is one of them." India is in a relatively better position as it has started aligning with other regional groups much earlier in the conversation, thanks to the foresightedness of the current administration. A good example is what India is doing in BIMSTEC, BRICS, he added. A lot of things would look clearer six months or a year down the line on how India is relatively better positioned, said. There is a rise of multipolarity. We have regional competitive advantages. However, where India has been affected economically is that it has been vulnerable in a few sectors like agriculture, dairy, poultary, which will be a big contesting point in conversation with the US. Its been a larger issue for developing countries," he added. These sectors will be very critical in the way how India positions itself, Mohan added. P K Basu, founder and chief economist at REAL-Economics.com, suggested the US tariff measures have also been aimed at taming Chinas dumping, which the world has already been dealing with. He also stressed on pushing Indias labour-intensive manufacturing to gain advantage of the opportunity. Donald Trump has been very clear since 1988 at least that America is being taken for a ride. But, the simple fact that the world, included the US, faces is that China is not a market-based economy. In year 2000, the worlds steel production was 840 million tonnes, of which China produced 128 million tonnes. It was the largest steel production by any country in history. By 2007, it went up to 480 million tonnes for China, which increase to 1,065 million tonnes in 2020, which was bigger than the worlds total production in 2000," Basu said. If you look at automobile, semiconductor, solar panel, China produces way more than the rest of the world combined. Is it because China is very competitive? No. It is because China does not respond to market signals. It just keeps producing and supply across the world at below the cost of production, which is called dumping," he added. Now, Trump is dealing with China on our behalf. We all have been doing this for the past 20 years ago. The whole world is negotiating with the US, we already started this long before April 2. We have been negotiating a mutual reduction in tariffs. Once mutual reduction of tariffs happens, there will be no question of global recession." Basu said. Basu, however, added that the global trade will be disrupted. At the moment, the whole supply chain is centered around China, which used to be around ASEAN earlier. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Labour-intensive manufacturing is one area where we missed the boat earlier. Now, with heavy tariffs on Bangladesh (37%) and Vietnam (46%), we have the opportunity to do that well," he said. Echoing the similar view, Gurcharan Das said, Lets think of this moment as an another 1991 moment for India. It can be done through the labour-intensive manufacturing." 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: April 09, 2025, 18:51 IST Assam HSLC Class 10 Result 2025 Not Releasing Tomorrow, Says CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 23:09 IST Assam HSLC Class 10 Result 2025: The Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) has not yet announced an official date for the release of the HSLC Result 2025. Assam HSLC Class 10 Result 2025 is not releasing tomorrow, confirms CM. (PTI File Image) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has clarified that the Class 10 High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) exam results will not be declared tomorrow. Taking to social media platform X, the CM urged students and parents to stay calm and wait for an official update. I would like to inform all parents and students that the HSLC examination results will not be released tomorrow. Once the results are ready, the board will announce them promptly," he posted. Recommended Stories I would like to inform all parents and students that the HSLC examination results will not be released tomorrow. Once the results are ready, the board will announce them promptly. Please remain patient. - matric Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) April 9, 2025 The Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA), has not yet confirmed the official date for the HSLC Result 2025. Students who appeared for the exams held from February 15 to March 3 will be able to check their results on SEBAs official portals site.sebaonline.org and resultsassam.nic.in once they are announced. SEBA conducted the Class 10 HSLC exams 2025 from February 15 to March 3. Practical exams were held earlier, on January 21 and 22. The exams were conducted in two shifts the first from 9 am to 12 noon, and the second from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm. To pass the HSLC exam, students must score at least 30 per cent marks in each subject as well as in aggregate. How To Check Assam SEBA HSLC Class 10 Result 2025? Visit the official websites results.sebaonline.org or sebaonline.org. Click on the link that says Assam HSLC Result 2025" on the homepage. Enter your roll number and the captcha code in the required fields and click on Submit. Your result will be displayed on the screen. Verify the details and download a copy for future reference. In 2024, the Assam HSLC exams were held from February 16 to March 4, and the results were announced within 45 days. A total of 4,19,078 students appeared for the exams 1,87,904 boys, 2,31,164 girls, and 10 transgender students. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The overall pass percentage stood at 75.70%. Boys had a pass percentage of 77.28%, while girls recorded 74.41%. Among transgender candidates, 80% passed the exam. Chirang, Nalbari, and Baksa districts emerged as the top performers. Anurag Doloi from Jorhat secured the top position in the Assam HSLC 2024 exam with 593 marks, followed by Jharna Saikia from Biswanath district, who scored 590 marks. 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: April 09, 2025, 23:05 IST BPSC 70th CCE Mains Admit Card 2025 Date Announced, To Be Released On April 12 Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 20:52 IST BPSC 70th Mains Admit Card 2025: Candidates who are set to take the exam can download the admit card by visiting either of the official websites at bpsc.bih.nic.in or bpsconline.bihar.gov.in. The recruitment drive is being for a total of 2,035 vacancies. (Representative image/File) The Bihar Public Service Commission has announced the BPSC 70th Mains Admit Card 2025 release date. The main examination hall ticket will be issued on April 12, 2025. Candidates who are set to take the exam can download the admit card by visiting either of the official websites at bpsc.bih.nic.in or bpsconline.bihar.gov.in. They will need their login credentials such as application number and password to access the admit cards online. The exam centre code will be made available on April 22, 2025. The BPSC 70th CCE Mains exam 2025 will be held on April 25, 26, 28, 29, and 30. Those who clear the Mains round will be called for an interview. The recruitment drive is being for a total of 2,035 vacancies. Recommended Stories BPSC 70th Mains Admit Card 2025: How To Download? Step 1 Visit the official website of BPSC at bpsconline.bihar.gov.in. Click on the admit card link Step 2 Enter the required credentials, that is, your username and password Step 3 Download the admit card and take a printout for future use top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Candidates will be required to carry their Bihar Public Service Commission Mains admit card to the exam centre as without it they will not be allowed to enter the exam hall. They must also thoroughly cross-check all the details on it including roll number and in case of any discrepancy, they must notify the authorities immediately. The BPSC 70th CCE prelims exam was held on December 13. Due to an alleged paper at the Bapu Examination Complex, Patna, a re-exam was held for the candidates of this centre on January 4. Over 12000 took the exam. The results were announced on January 25, 2025. Of the 3,28,990 candidates who took the prelims exam, as many as 21,581 cleared it. 1,409 candidates scored negative marks, only one candidate could score a maximum of 120 marks out of 150. There are a total of 1,181 candidates who scored more than 100 marks, and 6,344 scored between 90 to 100 marks. 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: April 09, 2025, 20:49 IST IIM Ahmedabad Signs MoU With UAE Govt To Launch Dubai Campus Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 16:50 IST The first programme to be launched at the Dubai campus will be a full-time one-year MBA, designed only for working professionals and entrepreneurs. The IIMA Dubai campus will be located within the Dubai International Academic City (DIAC). (Image: @IIMAhmedabad) The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to establish a new campus in Dubai, reported IANS. The IIMA Dubai campus will be located within the Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) and the first programme will commence on September 2025. The formal agreement was exchanged between Professor Bharat Bhasker, Director of IIMA, and His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubais Department of Economy and Tourism. The exchange ceremony took place in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE; and Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry. Recommended Stories The IIMA Dubai campus represents a major milestone in our journey towards becoming a globally recognised management institution. With Dubais dynamic business environment and world-class infrastructure, we aim to nurture leaders who can thrive in complex global markets," Professor Bhasker said. The first programme to be launched at the Dubai campus will be a full-time one-year MBA, designed only for working professionals and entrepreneurs. The programme will include five academic terms featuring academic training, skill enhancement, and international exposure. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all On September 3, 2024, IIT-Delhi launched its first overseas campus in Abu Dhabi which was also the first international campus by an IIT. The first programme to be launched was BTech in Computer Science and Engineering, and Energy Engineering at the institute with 52 students onboard. The foundation of IIT-Delhi Abu Dhabi was formalised through an agreement between the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, IIT Delhi, and Indias Ministry of Education, witnessed by President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July 2023. 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: April 09, 2025, 16:39 IST Rajasthan RTE 2025 Admission Lottery Result Announced, Check Direct Link Here Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 19:40 IST Rajasthan RTE Lottery Result 2025: The first phase of seat allotment results will be out from May 9 to July 15 and the final admissions deadline is August 31, 2025. Parents and guardians can check the admission status of their ward on this official website at rajpsp.nic.in. (Representative/File Photo) Rajasthan RTE Lottery Result 2025: The Rajasthan government has announced the Right to Education (RTE) Admission Lottery Result 2025 today, April 9. Parents and guardians can check the admission status of their ward on this official website at rajpsp.nic.in. This year, over 3.39 lakh students registered for admissions under the RTE quota across 31,500 private schools. The lottery system has been used to select eligible students for PP 3 Plus (3-4 years) and Class 1 (6-7 years). Recommended Stories According to the official notice, the online reporting by parents will take place from April 9 to 15. Thereafter, the verification of applications by the schools will be conducted from April 9 to 21. The document correction window will be open from April 9 to 24. The rechecking of revised applications will be held from April 9 to 28. The first phase of seat allotment results will be out from May 9 to July 15 and the final admissions deadline is August 31, 2025. Rajasthan RTE Lottery Result 2025: How To Check? Step 1: Visit the Rajasthan RTE admission portal at rajpsp.nic.in Step 2: Click on the Rajasthan RTE Lottery Result 2025 link on the homepage. Step 3: Enter the required details such as application number, childs date of birth, and parents mobile number Step 4: Check for your childs name, roll number, and the allotted school. Download the result. Step 5: Download the result and take a printout for future reference. Rajasthan RTE 2025 Admission Lottery Result Direct Link Rajasthan RTE Lottery Result 2025: Documents Required For Admission During admissions, parents of selected students will need to provide the following documents to the allotted schools: Annual income certificate Domicile certificate (one year old) Childs age proof (Aadhaar card/birth certificate) Caste certificate (if applicable) BPL card (for economically disadvantaged families) Disability certificate (if applicable) top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all ALSO READ | PSEB Class 5th Result 2025 Out, Girls Outperform Boys; Check Steps To Download For admission through RTE, the applicant must be a permanent resident of Rajasthan. The annual income of the family must be less than Rs 2.5 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: April 09, 2025, 19:32 IST Want To Build A Career In Jewellery Designing? Pursue This BSc Course At Meerut University Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 11:23 IST Chaudhary Charan Singh University in Meerut now offers a BSc in Jewellery Design with 50 seats. The course includes practical training and costs Rs 45,000 per year In addition to academic instruction, students also receive practical jewellery design training at the National Institute of Jewellery Technology in Meerut. (Local18) Meerut is famous for its highly sought-after jewellery, which is in demand not only across India but also in major Asian countries. This is attributed to the variety of attractive designs crafted here. Recognising this, Chaudhary Charan Singh University has introduced a BSc in Jewellery Design course to help students build a bright future alongside their studies. Professor Bindu Sharma, the Coordinator of the BSc Jewellery Design course at the university, highlighted that students are receiving quality education aimed at enhancing their employment prospects. Recommended Stories In addition to academic instruction, students also receive practical jewellery design training at the National Institute of Jewellery Technology in Meerut. This initiative enables students to pursue a career in jewellery within the city itself. The course fee has been set at Rs 45,000 per year. Students who complete one year of the programme will receive a diploma, those who complete two years will receive an advanced diploma, and those who complete the full three-year course will be awarded a degree. The course has a total of 50 seats available. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Previously, students had to travel to Delhi or Mumbai to pursue such courses, but now they can access high-quality education and training in Meerut. The presence of numerous artisans from West Bengal working in the city, coupled with the growing demand for jewellery design in Meerut, makes this course a significant opportunity for students. Interested candidates can apply through the universitys online registration process. The course is open to students from any academic stream. Location : Meerut, India, India First Published: April 09, 2025, 11:23 IST 'NDA Will Return To Power With Record Numbers': Amit Shah's Prediction For Bihar Polls Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 23:15 IST On the seat-sharing pact with the Janata Dal (United) for the Bihar assembly election, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the state leaders of both the parties will sit and decide on it Union Home Minister Amit Shah speaks at the Rising Bharat Summit on April 9. (Image: News18) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday exuded confidence as he said the NDA government will win the upcoming Bihar assembly elections with the largest mandate to date. The NDA will make a comeback with record numbers. It will form the government with the largest mandate to date, there are no two opinions about that," he said on Day 2 of the Rising Bharat Summit 2025. Recommended Stories Shah, however, was evasive when asked if Nitish Kumar will once again be the chief minister if the NDA wins and said the election is being fought under his leadership. On the seat-sharing pact with the Janata Dal (United), he said the state leaders of both the parties will sit and decide on it. He further spoke about voter regret", which led to the BJP bouncing back in Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi despite major losses in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. On the 400 paar slogan by the BJP before the general elections, he said: We also agree that we won fewer seats, those are the figures. Tell me, whenever a team goes out for a match, do they go with the expectation of losing? We were at 300, so we said 400 paar. What was so wrong about that? I still say that well win Tamil Nadu and Bihar, and they (the opposition) will be wiped out." On the BJPs sweeping victories in Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi, the home minister said after the Lok Sabha performance, people felt they had not done justice to Modi and corrected that by giving the party big mandates. During the Lok Sabha elections, people were affected by lies and falsehoods and it did have an impact. We got fewer votes when the results came out and we felt that we hadnt done justice to Modi ji. Because of that, the BJP has got a bigger mandate in state elections giving the PMs work higher validation," he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Shah was asked about the BJPs plan for the Punjab polls, which are set to be held early in 2027, and if the party will fight with former ally Shiromani Akali Dal. To this, he said not even the Almighty can predict what will happen in Punjab in the next election. Even Brahma, the creator, will not be able to predict what happens in the next Punjab election. Theres such a mess over there, but by the time the polls come around, the public will choose and give a strong mandate for government formation," he added. About the Author Oindrila Mukherjee Oindrila Mukherjee is a senior sub-editor who works for the rewrite and breaking news desks. Her nine years of experience in print and digital journalism range from editing and reporting to writing impactful st... Read More Oindrila Mukherjee is a senior sub-editor who works for the rewrite and breaking news desks. Her nine years of experience in print and digital journalism range from editing and reporting to writing impactful st... Read More First Published: April 09, 2025, 23:15 IST Explained: Once-Extinct Dire Wolves Are Alive Again, What Does It Mean? Curated By : Trending Desk Edited By: Anurag Verma Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 10:12 IST Researchers at Colossal Biosciences have managed to revive the dire wolves through a process called de-extinction, bringing to life the giant wolves that went extinct over 10,000 years ago. A group of researchers at Colossal Biosciences have revived three dire wolf pups that went extinct over 10,000 years ago. (Credit: Time Magazine cover / Elon Musk | X) What seemed to be impossible has actually happened, with a Dallas-based biotech company bringing back the extinct species of dire wolves. Researchers at Colossal Biosciences have managed to revive the wolves through a process called de-extinction, bringing to life the giant wolves that went extinct over 10,000 years ago. With the milestone, the researchers have created three dire wolves by using ancient DNA, cloning and gene-editing technology, further altering the genes of a gray wolf, the prehistoric animals closest living relative. The result is three genetically engineered wolves who are now trotting, sleeping and howling at an undisclosed location in the US, as stated by the company. Recommended Stories What is DNA Cloning? DNA cloning allows a copy of any specific part of a DNA or RNA sequence to be selected from the millions of other sequences in a cell and produced in unlimited amounts in pure form. DNA sequences can be amplified after cutting chromosomal DNA with a restriction nuclease and inserting the resulting DNA fragments into the chromosome of a self-replicating genetic element," read an excerpt on National Library of Medicine website. De-extinction Of Dire Wolves The animals revival began with the researchers examining ancient DNA obtained from fossils, which included a 13,000-year-old dire wolf tooth found in Ohio and a 72,000-year-old skull fragment from Idaho. They also took blood cells from a living gray wolf and used CRISPR to modify them at 20 different sites where the genetic material was transferred to an egg cell. Also Read: Digvesh Rathi: The Ultimate Kaleshi Of IPL 2025 Whose Notebook Celebration Needs To Be Studied When ready, the embryos were transferred to surrogates, which included domestic dogs, and it was eventually after 62 days that the genetically engineered pups were born, said Colossals chief scientist Beth Shapiro, as per NBC News. Sharing more details, chief animal care expert Matt James explained that the pups physically resemble young dire wolves. However, they might not have all the traits, as they wont get to watch and learn from their dire wolf parents. What Does The Return Of Dire Wolves Mean? The company emphasised that the milestone is the first of many coming examples that demonstrate how their end-to-end de-extinction technology stack works. Christopher Preston, a wildlife expert at the University of Montana, added that the technology might have broader application for the conservation of other species as they are less invasive than other techniques to clone animals. He also discussed the role of these animals in the ecosystems, considering there has been recent trouble with maintaining a healthy population of gray wolves on the land. It is hard to imagine dire wolves ever being released and taking up an ecological role. So, I think it is important to ask what role the new animals will serve," Preston told CNN. With all that said, while the animals are currently expected to be kept in captivity, the company could potentially conserve other endangered species such as the red wolf. How Social Media Reacted Among the horde of online users, Tesla chief Elon Musk shared the cover of Time magazine that read: This is Remus. Hes a dire wolf. The first to exist in over 10,000 years. Endangered species could be changed forever." When a user asked Musks AI Grok on what could potentially go wrong after reviving the wolf, the chatbot responded by saying that reintroducing species that were already extinct could hamper the ecosystem while also citing the ethical dilemma that came along. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Also Read: What Is Grok And Why It Has Become Indias Favourite New Toy Plenty could go wrong with de-extincting dire wolvesecological chaos, ethical dilemmas, and unforeseen consequences top the list. Reintroducing a species gone for 10,000 years risks disrupting modern ecosystems, while the *Game of Thrones* nod hints at potential turmoil. Cool tech, sure, but natures not a sci-fi playground. Thoughts?" 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: April 09, 2025, 10:11 IST Dont Know What UPAs Agreement With China Was: Piyush Goyal Hails PM Modis Deft Handling Of US Amid Tariffs Published By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 21:19 IST Piyush Goyal at Rising Bharat Summit: PM Modi had the foresight to recognise the crisis. We believe India was not a country that needed tariffs, but we are in constant engagement and will work for them to take off the tariffs As Dr Jaishankar rightly said, the world should send a thank you note to Mr Modi for handling the Russian oil crisis well. Piyush Goyal at the Rising Bharat Summit. Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, at the Rising Bharat Summit 2025 on Wednesday, hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modis approach in handling the changes in the US policies with President Donald Trump at the helm. I think we have all seen the way Prime Minister Modi has deftly managed the entire situation. He was very cognisant of the impending possibilities. He was first of the block in building his old friendship and relationship with President Trump. They both jointly declared that the US and India are trusted partners and we will work towards the bilateral trade agreement by fall of 2025 to ensure that our relationship our friendship and our ongoing partnership not only in trade, but in so many areas geopolitical, defence. We have a very strategic relationship with the US and I think its only got reinforced since President Trump has come in," said Goyal. Recommended Stories Our strategy is very clear. We are engaged with the US. Incidentally, we are right upfront in the queue because we started early. Prime Minister Modi had the foresight to recognise the crisis. You have seen it in history over the past 11 years, every crisis has been converted into an opportunity for India," he said. US TARIFFS PRESENT NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIA: GOYAL SPEAKS ON US & CHINA We must recognise that the problem the US is facing is not directed towards India. The issue is about fair trade, which India has been vocal about for 10 years. They have to go to the root of the problem. The genesis of this problem emanates from the entry of China into the WTO around 30 years ago. They approached and they were admitted as a full-time member with all privileges. We cant have differential tariffs for different nations, unless we have a bilateral or free trade agreement (FTA). We dont know what the [Congress-led] United Progressive Alliance (UPA) agreement signed with the Communist Party of China. But post that we saw trade deficit with China grow by leaps and bounds and Indian industries suffered tremendously. Similarly, the US has suffered massive deficits because of trade deficit with China, their unfair trade practices, predatory pricesIn some sense, it is a good omen for India as it opens up new opportunities," said Goyal. I have come from an interaction with sectoral export promotion council. Everybody is excited and supporting our engagement and see potential" The exponential trade deficit growth in UPA time was 25x, so a small trade deficit from a billion increased to 35 billion dollarsOur industries became dependent on China for materialsWe have been working through product-linked incentive scheme, semicon, scheme for toys and footwear sectorA cabinet decision was announced on Friday that Rs 22,000-crore will be offered for electronics components manufacturing in IndiaContinuous steps to promote manufacturing in IndiaOur growth of deficit during 10 years has been 3x compared to 25x during UPA era," the minister said. The tariffs have been determined based on a formula of trade deficit divided by imports from the countryWe believe India was not a country that needed tariffsbut we are in constant engagement and will work for them to take off the tariffs," he said. WORLD SHOULD THANK PM MODI: GOYAL ON INDIAS HANDLING OF COVID, UKRAINE WAR, RUSSIAN OIL On the trade agreement, he said, Look at CovidPM Modi through deft handling of the ecosystem not only achieved the production of medical oxygen but also solved the problem of logistics of transporting it We did it on real-time basis. We can recall at least 50 such examplesLook at the Ukraine-Russia war. People criticised us but look at the situation today. The world is recognising and respecting PM Modis astute handling. We didnt take a side. We balanced our relationship and worked towards diplomacy and dialogue leading to peaceThere was a crisis of crude oil importsImagine, if India did not import the crude oil from Russia, our requirement is not small, the price of oil for the whole world would have increased to 300 dollars per barrel. Thanks to Indias buying, we brought stability to the prices which benefited the entire worldAs EAM S Jaishankar rightly said, the world should send a thank you note to Mr Modi for handling the crisis well." IT IS ALWAYS INDIA FIRST AND 140 CRORE INDIANS FIRST FOR US: GOYAL For us it is India FirstOur goal to make India a developed nation by 2047 is paramount. We are working on several free trade agreements with developed nations that can add to our economic prosperity. Every trade deal is a win-win for both sides. The final outcome is always in Indias interest. We did an FTA with Mauritius, Australia, the UAE, the worlds fastest, Switzerland, Iceland, Norwaythey need extensive consultations. Even News18 could not find faults with it. It is always for India and 140 crore Indians," said the minister. NOT TRUTH BOMB, AN APPEAL: GOYAL ON INDIAN STARTUPS & YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all [The remark on startups] was an appeal to Indias talentsOur skills, STEM graduates, 43% of whom are womenOur talent has huge potential. We have done wonderful work since the launch of Startup IndiaYou aspire for the next level. I was only trying to show the mirror on the huge potential India has to dream big and aspire big. PM Modi says unless you look for very big, you will never achieveCongress ecosystem bashed mebut a small group of experts, such as Aman Gupta of Shark Tank India, was encouraging the push. This happened during Chandrayaan too, PM Modi encouraged then," the minister said. A number of initiatives have been taken, are on the anvil. Our startups have done us proudThe work that I saw at Bharat Mandapam in Startup MahakumbhThe response was greatWe gave grants to great ideasModijis government is with you. Go ahead and innovate." 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: April 09, 2025, 20:49 IST From Tahawwur Rana To Abu Salem, A Look At Indias High-Profile Successful Extraditions Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 10, 2025, 14:44 IST Tahawwur Rana Extradition: As Tahawwur Rana is extradited, here's a look at some some notable high-profile extraditions to India that have taken place successfully Abu Salem and Ravi Pujari (File Image) Tahawwur Rana, accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, has been extradited from the United States and arrived in India after he exhausted his legal options in the US. The US Supreme Court rejected Tahawwur Ranas petition as per which he had requested a stay on his extradition to India. The US top courts order read, The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied." Earlier, the US Supreme Court had denied a similar request in March. In February, US President Donald Trump met PM Narendra Modi and announced in a joint press conference that Tahawwur Rana would face justice in India. Recommended Stories As Tahawwur Rana is extradited, heres a look at some some notable high-profile extraditions to India that have taken place successfully: 1. Abu Salem Extradited from: Portugal (2005) Charges: Key accused in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts; involved in organized crime and murder. Significance: One of the biggest successes under Indias extradition treaty with Portugal. 2. Christian Michel Extradited from: United Arab Emirates (2018) Charges: Alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter scam. Significance: First major extradition under the UAE-India treaty involving white-collar corruption and arms deal lobbying. 3. Ravi Pujari Extradited from: Senegal (2020), arrested in South Africa Charges: Underworld don wanted in several cases of extortion, murder, and threats in India. Significance: Known for making extortion calls to Bollywood celebrities and politicians, Ravi Pujaris extradition closed a long chase. 4. Neeraj Bawanas Aide Fateh Singh Extradited from: Thailand (2023) Charges: Associate of Delhi gangster Neeraj Bawana; involved in multiple criminal cases including murder and extortion. 5. Rajiv Saxena Extradited from: UAE (2019) top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Charges: Accused in the AgustaWestland scam for money laundering and being a conduit for illegal funds. Significance: His extradition followed Christian Michels and provided leads into deeper financial networks. About the Author Mallika Soni When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: April 09, 2025, 13:06 IST From Tariffs To Manipur And Judge's Cash-At-Home Row, Amit Shah Weighs In On Big Talking Points Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 21:58 IST Shah said the government is hoping that things will improve in Manipur, where about 260 people have lost their lives ever since the ethnic violence broke out between the Imphal valley-based Meitei and neighbouring hills-based Kuki communities in May 2023 Union home minister Amit Shah spoke during the second day of the Rising Bharat Summit 2025 on April 9. (Image: News18) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday addressed Rising Bharat Summit 2025 and spoke on a lot of matters from US tariffs to Manipur and the cash row involving a high court judge. Speaking at the summit, Shah said that the tariff issue is a very complex matter. Recommended Stories It would be too early to calculate the impact. Not just India, tariffs have been imposed on other countries as well. It is possible that we can export more goods. This is very complex matter," he said. President Donald Trump has imposed 26% tariffs on Indian exports to the US. The Indian government is in touch with the US over a trade agreement. When asked about the next BJP chief, Shah said that nothing has been decided yet. When he/she will file the nomination, people would know," he said. The Home Minister said that the government has trust on the Supreme Courts process to investigate the cash row. The Supreme Court has formed the committee. We should have trust on the process. When the report comes, everything will be clear We are waiting for this," he said. A huge pile of cash was recovered from Justice Yashwant Varmas residence last month. However, Justice Varma has refuted all allegations, stating that the room where the cash was found was accessible to numerous individuals due to its separation from the main residence. On process of appointment of judges, Shah said, A new debate has begun after this (cash row). We are waiting to see what the committee does." Shah said the government is hoping that things will improve in Manipur, where about 260 people have lost their lives ever since the ethnic violence broke out between the Imphal valley-based Meitei and neighbouring hills-based Kuki communities in May 2023. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Presidents rule is not complete. Assembly is in suspended animation. We are hopeful. We are holding talks. We are hoping that things will improve," he said. Presidents rule in Manipur was imposed on February 13 after the then chief minister N Biren Singh resigned on February 9. The state assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation. About the Author Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 First Published: April 09, 2025, 21:58 IST Germany, Indonesia To Join Indias Maritime Security Team By Year-End Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 16:40 IST Countries like Indonesia and Germany have expressed interest in appointing liaison officers, and we may see them join by the end of this year. Several other nations are also planning to come on board, said a government source The centre already hosts International Liaison Officers (ILOs) from 12 nations. The Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), based in Gurugram within the National Capital Region, is seeking to expand its international collaboration. It aims to onboard at least six to seven additional countries, including Germany and Indonesia, in 2025. The centre already hosts International Liaison Officers (ILOs) from 12 nations, including the US, UK, France, and Japan. The inclusion of new countries is expected to further strengthen coordination among partner nations to ensure free and fair navigation in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Recommended Stories Countries like Indonesia and Germany have expressed interest in appointing liaison officers, and we may see them join by the end of this year. Several other nations are also planning to come on board," said a government source. Strategically located at the junction of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, Indonesia controls key chokepoints like the Malacca Strait. Its proximity to the South China Sea, where tensions with China over territorial claims persist, allows Indonesia to share intelligence that could link security issues across both regions. Similarly, Germany can contribute advanced naval technology and expertise, honed through operations like EU NAVFOR off Somalia, to tackle maritime incidents. There are indications that other shipbuilding and shipping nations are also deliberating on being a part of the agency. Established in December 2018, the IFC-IOR aims to enhance maritime safety and security in the Indian Ocean Region. It works to counter threats like piracy, maritime terrorism, human trafficking, smuggling, illegal fishing (commonly referred to as IUUIllegal, Unreported, and Unregulated), and other maritime crimes by improving Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA). The centre collaborates with over 50 countries and various multinational maritime security frameworks, hosting ILOs to bolster ties and coordination. Its one of our go-to agencies for updates on anything happening in the Indian Ocean Region. From natural challenges to incidents like piracy, the agency has acted swiftly and proven its worth during multiple piracy incidents in 2023-24. Currently, it has 12 ILOs, and this number will increase in the coming days," said the source. In 2024, the IFC-IOR reported 4,279 maritime security incidents. Of these, 227 were cases of piracy and armed robbery, while 1,077 involved contraband smuggling. The agency also recorded 273 hybrid maritime security threats throughout the year. The information related to 2,500kg narcotics seized by INS Tarkash recently, was provided by IFC-IOR acting swiftly. The IFC-IOR played a role behind the scenes during the hijacking of the Malta-flagged merchant vessel MV Ruen and the attack on Chem Pluto, a vessel en route to Mangalore in 2023. The agency facilitated coordination between the Indian Navy and the ship owners in both incidents and was appreciated by the then Navy chief. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The creation of the IFC-IOR aligns with Indias strategic initiatives, such as SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region). It also complements regional frameworks like the Quad (comprising India, the US, Japan, and Australia) and supports a rules-based maritime order. Recently, when the President of Indonesia came to India, it was announced that an ILO from Indonesia would be sent to IFC-IOR. About the Author Akash Sharma Akash Sharma, Defence Correspondent, CNN-News 18, covers the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Railways. In addition, he also follows developments in the national capital. With an extensive experience coverin... Read More Akash Sharma, Defence Correspondent, CNN-News 18, covers the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Railways. In addition, he also follows developments in the national capital. With an extensive experience coverin... Read More First Published: April 09, 2025, 16:07 IST 'Firm Decision Of Our Govt': Amit Shah Vows To Wipe Out Naxalism By 2026 At Rising Bharat Summit Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 23:23 IST Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that the BJP-led government aims to eradicate Naxalism by March 2026 and will not tolerate any talk of dividing the country. Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses the Rising Bharat Summit on April 9. (Image: News18) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that the BJP-led government is committed to wiping out Naxalism by next year and will not tolerate any talk of dividing the country" over the Khalistan issue. Speaking at the CNN-News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025, Shah spoke on the governments approach to addressing Naxalism and the threat posed by anti-national elements like the Khalistan movement. Recommended Stories On the subject of eliminating Naxalism, Shah confidently stated that the government is committed to eradicating it completely by 31st March 2026. It is a firm decision of our government that we will make India free of Naxalism," he affirmed. The home minister also highlighted the progress made in reducing the influence of Naxalism across the country, noting that the number of affected districts has dropped from 120 to just 12. Once upon a time, there was a dream of Pashupati to Tirupati, but that dream has been shattered. Bihar is free, Jharkhand is free, Maharashtra is almost free, only a few districts are left, Madhya Pradesh is almost free, only a few districts are left. Telangana is free, Andhra Pradesh is free, Orissa is free, Kerala is free, Karnataka is free. Now, only a few districts and a few districts are left," Shah stated. Criticising the Congress, Shah defended the central governments record, pointing out that, in Chhattisgarh, between 1924 and 1925, 436 Naxalites were killed, 1,364 were arrested, and 1,400 surrendered. We have ended the security vacuum In the last 5 years, we have built about 380 camps. The soldiers of CRPF, ITBP, BSF, and Chhattisgarh Police have worked in these dense jungles and have made significant efforts to combat Naxalism. Still, I would like to say through todays programme that many people have surrendered, given up their weapons, joined the mainstream, and are now leading better lives," he noted. On the Khalistan issue, Shah addressed concerns about growing Khalistani activities, saying that it is the responsibility of both the Punjab government and the Indian government to tackle the issue. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all If anyone talks about breaking the country, we cannot tolerate it at all. The Indian government will do its job," the Union Minister added. ALSO READ: Rising Bharat Summit 2025: Amit Shah Slams DMK Over Delimitation, Reassures Southern People 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: April 09, 2025, 23:19 IST 24-Year-Old Gurugram Woman Killed. Husband Narrates 'Complicated Affair': 'Wife Had 2 Lovers...' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 12:33 IST Gurugram: When the deceased's husband came home on Monday evening, he found Vinod having a row with his wife about also having an affair with Sudhir. Gurugram: The woman's husband has testified that she had affairs with two men. One of the lovers allegedly killed her for "seeing another man". (AI-generated Image) A story of a complicated relationship emerged from Gurugram as it took a deadly turn, with a 24-year-old woman stabbed to death. The womans husband has testified that she had affairs with two men. One of the lovers allegedly killed her for seeing another man". According to a report in PTI, Haryana police on Tuesday revealed that the deceased, Neelam, lived in a rented accommodation in the Binola village with her husband and also worked in the same location. Recommended Stories Neelams husband said that she had affairs with two men, Vinod and Sudhir. When he came home Monday evening, he found Vinod having a row with his wife about also having an affair with Sudhir, police was quoted. She kept asking Vinod to leave, but he picked up a kitchen knife placed nearby and stabbed her in the stomach, officers said. Neelam was rushed to the Civil Hospital in Rewari, where she succumbed. On Tuesday, police arrested Vinod, a native of Kandhwachak village in the Shahjahanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. Vinod revealed that he had a relationship with Neelam, and when she ignored him, he stabbed her," said a Gurugram police spokesperson. The incident in Gurugram came around the time when a residential area in the Millennium City was witnessing high drama after a cab driver was allegedly hit by his wife and her lover with the butt of a pistol. In a surprise turn of events, when the cab driver caught them together, his wife threatened him of repeating the Meerut-style murder. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Meanwhile, a similar Meerut-like" incident came to light from Uttar Pradesh Bijnor district, which is nearly 200 km from Gurugram. In Bijnor, a woman allegedly killed her husband to secure his Railways job" after his death. The deceaseds family members further alleged that the accused also used to beat her mother-in-law. Some reports also claimed that the deceased and the accused had arguments over living separately from in-laws", while the husband even accused the woman of infidelity". READ FULL STORY HERE. 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: April 09, 2025, 12:14 IST Gurugram Cab Driver Beaten After He Catches Wife With Lover. She Threatens To Kill Him 'Meerut-Style' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 12:36 IST Gurugram Crime News: The Gurugram cab driver said that he married the woman from Punjab with whom he was in a relationship two years back. Since his family didn't agree to the marriage, the couple was living in Basai Enclave. In Meerut murder case, the woman brutally killed her husband, chopped the body, and put it in a blue-coloured drum before filling it with cement. (Local 18) Gurugram Crime: High drama was witnessed in a residential area in Gurugram after a cab driver was allegedly hit by his wife and her lover with the butt of a pistol. In a surprise turn of events, when the cab driver caught them together, his wife threatened him of repeating the Meerut-style murder. The Meerut murder case has been hitting headlines for over a month, with multiple angles unfolding almost every day. The case pertains to a woman and her paramour, who brutally killed her husband, chopped the body, and put it in a drum before filling it with cement. Recommended Stories ALSO READ: SP Leader Gifts Blue Drum To UP Deputy CM, Sparks Political Debate Around Meerut Murder Case According to news agency PTI, the Gurugram incident came to light after Mausam, the cab driver from Kharman village in Haryanas Jhajjar, lodged a complaint. In the complaint, Mausam mentioned that he married the woman from Moga in Punjab with whom he was in a relationship two years back. Since his family didnt agree to the marriage, the couple was living in Basai Enclave in Gurugram. ALSO READ: Will Muskans Pregnancy Have A Bearing On Her Bail, Trial In Meerut Murder Case? When I reached home around 6 am on Monday after night duty, I couldnt find my wife in the room. When I went to the terrace, I saw my wife standing with Naveen, a resident of my village," the cab driver stated. He further wrote in the complaint, As I interrupted them, Naveen took out a pistol and pointed it on my head. He also hit me on the head with the butt of the pistol. They fled after our neighbours reached the spot." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all ALSO READ: Bijnor Woman Kills Husband For Railway JobUsed To Beat Mother-In-Law Police have launched a probe after registering an FIR. A hunt is on to nab the accused, a senior police officer was quoted. 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: April 09, 2025, 09:58 IST 'He Sets Target, I Try To Achieve It': Amit Shah On 'Chemistry', Working Relationship With PM Modi Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 23:52 IST As PM Narendra Modi completes 25 years in governance, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke about their working relationship, chemistry and how they complement each other Home Minister Amit Shah in conversation with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi at Rising Bharat Summit 2025 in New Delhi. (Image: News18) Union Home Minister Amit Shah said there is no question of a difference in opinion between him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the two were working towards the same goals. As Modi completes 25 years in governance, Shah was asked about their working relationship, chemistry and how they complement each other. We do contribute to each other. He sets the target, I try to achieve it. He helps us improve," he said on Day 2 of the Rising Bharat Summit 2025. Recommended Stories He said the two of them have worked together for a long time, and knew each others method of working, thought process and nature. We have to work according to our ideology and we do that, so we dont have disagreements. He also thinks of his ideology, the country and the Constitution, and I do the same, so theres no question of difference of opinion," he added. Asked about his personal history and his childhood nickname of Poonam, the home minister said there is no mystery to it as he was born on Sharad Poonam (Sharad Purnima). My aunt had made a wish that Ill be named when I turn five years old, so because I was born on the day of Sharad Poonam, I was known as Poonam. Theres no mystery behind this, and its how kids are named in villages," he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all On what he thought about how his family wanted to send him to the US when he was 11 years old, he promptly said: I will not go anywhere; I wont leave India and will fight and live here." He further spoke about his love for books and classical music. On what he would do if he ever got any free time one of these days, he said: I have 8,000 books and havent read any. I am very interested in classical music, so I will read my books and listen to music while Im at it." About the Author Oindrila Mukherjee Oindrila Mukherjee is a senior sub-editor who works for the rewrite and breaking news desks. Her nine years of experience in print and digital journalism range from editing and reporting to writing impactful st... Read More Oindrila Mukherjee is a senior sub-editor who works for the rewrite and breaking news desks. Her nine years of experience in print and digital journalism range from editing and reporting to writing impactful st... Read More First Published: April 09, 2025, 23:52 IST 'Even People In Pakistan Admit...': Jaishankar Calls Out Cross-Border Terrorism At Rising Bharat 2025 Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 14:37 IST S Jaishankar slammed Pakistan for harbouring terrorists and said that people in the country "proudly claim" to have spread terrorist activities in India. EAM Dr S Jaishankar at News18 Rising Bharat Summit (Photo: CNN-News18) Rising Bharat Summit 2025: External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Wednesday tore into Pakistan for cross-border terrorism and said that those living in the neighbouring country also admit and proudly claim" to have been carrying out terror activities in India. He blasted Pakistan over the issue and said that the country nourished a terrorism industry", and today it is reaping what it sowed. Recommended Stories I dont have to say it, its visible, even they say it. Its not like I am making an accusation, and everybody in Pakistan is denying it. You have people in Pakistan who openly declare that they are doing terrorist activity in India. This is not a hypothesis, this is something they proudly claim. All sensible people have maintained that if you start a terrorism industry, you will be consumed by it, and that is what we are seeing today," Jaishankar said in response to a query at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit. Would you be okay if we were nice to each other in the morning and I come and attack your house at night? Would you live with it?" the Minister asked. When asked about the extradition of 26/11 Mumbai terror co-conspirator Tahawwur Rana from the United States, Jaishankar said that India welcomes the decision by the American legal process. There is nothing new to add on Tahawwur Rana issue. We welcome the decision of the American legal process," he said. Notably, Ranas extradition to India from the US was cleared by the Supreme Court on Monday after it rejected the review plea. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all When inquired about the ongoing unrest in Balochistan, the EAM denied commenting on the same. In Balochistan, there is a very disturbed situation, people are suffering. If I say something, there will be finger-pointing, so I dont want to say anything," he said. About the Author Ashesh Mallick Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More First Published: April 09, 2025, 10:49 IST India-Canada Should Work To Improve Relationship: Jaishankar At Rising Bharat Summit Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 14:33 IST Rising Bharat Summit 2025:Jaishankar said, I would encourage both India and Canada to work to improve the relationship between each other." S Jaishankar at News18's Rising Bharat Summit. Rising Bharat Summit 2025: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday that he would encourage India and Canada to have a better relationship as he urged both countries to work on the same. He said, I would encourage both India and Canada to work to improve the relationship between each other." What Jaishankar Said On Indias Canada Ties Recommended Stories At the Rising Bharat Summit 2025, Jaishankar said, I will be very careful about commenting on Canada, as I dont want my comments to be used in the political campaigning in the country." He added, For us, the direction in which the ties have gone has not served the interests of Canada. I would like both sides to mend the relationship." Read more: We See An Opportunity In The Current Situation: S Jaishankar Speaks On Trump Tariffs At Rising Bharat Summit 2025 Canadas general election campaign is underway amid a trade war with the United States. Canadians will head to the ballot box on April 28 after Justin Trudeau stepped down earlier this year. Following this, Mark Carney took over as prime minister. Jaishankar On Canadas Stance On Secessionism S Jaishankar also said that Canada must recognise the problem of secessionism. He said, If you encourage, import secessionism, there are consequences for your own. We see them recognising the problem, not platforming such forces." India has maintained that the main issue between the two countries is that of Canada giving space to pro-Khalistan elements operating from Canadian soil. Catch all updates from Rising Bharat Summit 2025 here top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Strained India-Canada Ties The relations between the two countries came under severe strain following Justin Trudeaus allegations in September last year of a potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistan extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. These claims were rejected by New Delhi as absurd", and Trudeau could not produce any solid evidence to back his claims that hit diplomatic ties. About the Author Mallika Soni When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: April 09, 2025, 10:58 IST India To Buy 26 Rafale Fighter Aircraft From France, Clears Mega Deal Worth Rs 63,000 Crore: Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 13:37 IST A government-to-government deal between India and France will be signed soon in this regard, the report said on Wednesday. IAF's Rafale fighter aircraft (Reuters File Image) In a major boost to Indias defence sector, the government has given the nod to a mega deal to procure 26 Rafale Marine fighter aircraft for the Indian Navy from France, according to a report on Wednesday. The deal will be executed under a government-to-government agreement worth over Rs 63,000 crore, and it will soon be signed, government sources told news agency ANI. Recommended Stories Indian Navy will get 22 single-seater and four twin-seater aircraft as part of the deal," sources said. The deal will also bag a comprehensive package for fleet maintenance, logistical support, personnel training, and indigenous manufacturing components under offset obligations, the report said. India already has 36 Rafale jets at Indian Air Force (IAF) bases in Ambala and Hashimara. When Will First Rafale M Aircraft Be Delivered? According to the report, the deliveries of the Rafale M aircraft are expected to start nearly five years after the deal is sealed with the French counterpart. These fighter jets will be deployed on INS Vikrant, Indias first indigenous aircraft carrier, complementing the Indian Navys current MiG-29K fleet. The MiG-29Ks will, however, continue to operate from INS Vikramaditya. The induction of the Rafale Marine fighter aircraft is expected to significantly boost the Navys airpower. The new Rafale Marine deal will also boost the IAFs strength by improving its buddy-buddy" mid-air refuelling system. This means about 10 IAF Rafale jets will be able to refuel other jets while flying, helping them travel longer distances without landing. Defence sources earlier told ANI that the new deal may also include ground-based equipment and software upgrades for the IAF fleet. Also, the Indian Navy will require installing specialised equipment on its aircraft carriers to support operations of the 4.5-generation Rafale aircraft. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Navy is also planning to induct indigenous fifth-generation fighter aircraft, which are being developed by the DRDO. (With ANI inputs) About the Author Ashesh Mallick Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More First Published: April 09, 2025, 13:04 IST 'It's Ours': Amit Shah Makes Big PoK Statement At Rising Bharat 2025 Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 10, 2025, 00:03 IST Amit Shah said India has a strong case, legal and historic, and it is not a claim but belief that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir belongs to India. Home Minister Amit Shah in conversation with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi at Rising Bharat Summit 2025 in New Delhi. (IMAGE: NEWS18) Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir belongs to India and that is not a mere claim but a firm belief backed by documents and evidence. Shah made the statement during a conversation with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi at the CNN-News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025 on Wednesday. Indias stand has been clear, for years, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is ours. It is not a claim but a belief supported by historic documents. Our legal case is also strong," Shah said, when asked when the region would rejoin India. Recommended Stories Speaking on Baloch separatism and militancy in Pakistan, Shah said that Pakistan is unable to handle the situation. Pakistan cannot handle the situation hence the issue. They should find a resolution," he said. Pakistan has been battling a separatist insurgency in Balochistan for decades, where militants target state forces and foreign nationals in the mineral-rich southwestern province bordering Afghanistan and Iran citing that the Pakistani state has taken control of the resources and deprived the Baloch of any benefits. Earlier in March, the separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) which accuses outsiders of plundering the provinces natural resources launched a dramatic train siege that officials said ended in around 60 deaths, half of whom were separatists behind the assault. Shah said that India is not supporting the Balochistan movement there and that certain provinces of Pakistan are unhappy with the way the government is running. No question of India supporting (Balochistan). Certain provinces of Pakistan are unhappy with the government, we cannot repair it," Shah said. Amit Shah said Nepal is a democracy and people have the right to express their ideas when asked about the recent rallies calling for declaring Nepal as a Hindu Rashtra. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Its a democracy, people can make demands in a democracy," Shah further added. Led by former Maoist leader Durga Prasai, several rallies have been taken out in Nepal over the past few weeks demanding the reinstatement of monarchy and declaring Nepal as a Hindu Rashtra. About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More First Published: April 09, 2025, 23:54 IST Encounter Between Security Forces, Terrorists In J&K's Udhampur; IED Defused In Kupwara Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 14:28 IST An encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in Udhampur. In a separate incident, an 8-kg IED was detected and defused by the Army in Kupwara. Security personnel keep vigil in Jammu and Kashmir (Photo: PTI) An encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmirs Udhampur district on Wednesday. Additional forces were rushed to the Marta area of Ramnagar after the exchange of fire was reported there. Recommended Stories Nearly three terrorists were believed to be trapped. This comes a week after an exchange of fire was reported between security forces and terrorists in Kathua. In a separate incident, a major tragedy was averted after security forces in Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara detected and defused a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on Wednesday. The device was found in the Hafrada village of Villgam in the Union Territory. According to the details, the Road Opening Party (ROP) of the 2 Rajput Regiment spotted a suspicious object along a roadside while a routine patrol in the area was underway. The IED, which weighed nearly 8 kilograms, was defused by the bomb disposal squad. #WATCH | Jammu and Kashmir: Security forces detected and defused an IED in Hafarda village, Handwara.(Video source: India Army) pic.twitter.com/wGzZR1pEV6 ANI (@ANI) April 9, 2025 top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all On April 6, the security forces in Kupwara had recovered arms and ammunition from a forest area. The recoveries included a machine gun, seven hand grenades, 90 cartridges, a China-made binocular, two solar-powered mobile chargers, clothes, and a sleeping bag of foreign origin. 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: April 09, 2025, 14:18 IST 10-Year-Old Raped, Killed Near Residential Society In Maharashtra's Mumbra, Accused Arrested Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 07:43 IST A minor girl was raped and killed by a 19-year-old man, who was later arrested. The girl's body was sent for a postmortem while locals protested and demanded the accused be handed over to them. Locals protesting the incident (L)/ accused Asif Mansuri (R) (CNN-News18) A 19-year-old man in Maharashtra was arrested on charges of raping and murdering a 10-year-old girl. The incident happened near a residential building in Mumbra. The accused was identified as Asif Mansuri, who lured the girl with some eatables and took her to a secluded spot near the residential society. Recommended Stories He allegedly raped her there, killed her, and abandoned her body. The incident came to light after the girls body was found at the spot. Though the accused had been arrested, locals protested at a nearby police station, demanding he be handed over to the public. Meanwhile, the body of the girl was sent for a postmortem. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Commenting on the incident, a senior police official told reporters that a medical examination of the girls body suggested sexual assault. The accused in the case was arrested, he said, adding that the cause of the girls death was being examined. 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: April 09, 2025, 07:02 IST Makes My Blood Boil: At Rising Bharat Summit, Chirag Paswan Opens Up On Family Feud Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 16:07 IST Speaking at News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025, Paswan, a key NDA ally, said whatever Paras is doing with his fathers first wife is unfortunate and it makes his blood boil Following Ramvilas Paswans death, Paras engineered a split in Lok Janshakti Party in 2021, and became the union minister. (Photo: News18) Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Wednesday opened up on the latest feud in his family involving his estranged uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras and his badi maa Rajkumari Devi, the first wife of his late father Ram Vilas Paswan. Speaking at News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025, Paswan, a key NDA ally, said whatever Paras is doing with his fathers first wife is unfortunate and it makes his blood boil. Recommended Stories If someone pushes you, you can tolerate this But if someone does this to your mother, it makes your blood boil. I keep myself in check while speaking, keeping our relationship in mind. But it bothers me," he said. Nobody Can Tell Me Where To Pray: At Rising Bharat, Chirag Paswan Says Religion Shouldnt Be Mixed With Politics Paswan was referring to a recent feud between Rajkumari Devi and the wife of Paras, against whom the former has lodged a case accusing the latter of trying to evict her from her late husbands ancestral house in Bihars Khagaria district. Elaborating on his ties with Paras, the Union Minister pointed out that his uncle did not open the door for him after the death of Ramvilas that later led to a split in the Lok Janshakti Party. I am not comfortable talking about this in public but circumstances are such that there is nothing to hide and everything is in the public domain I went to him but he did not open the door I was not well at that time. He is elder to me and I cannot say anything to him beyond a point. But the subject here is related to my mothers. It is unfortunate I am a fighter son," he said. PM Modi Always Acknowledges Issues Raised By Allies, Says Chirag Paswan At Rising Bharat Summit Following Ramvilas Paswans death, Paras engineered a split in Lok Janshakti Party in 2021, and became the union minister. The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president has claimed that personal and political ambitions" had led Paras, a former Union minister himself to first break the party and now break the family". After my father died, we hoped that chacha (uncle) would lead the family. But he got me ousted from the party, caused its extinction, got my mother and me evicted from our house and grabbed for himself a cabinet berth," the Hajipur MP said. The Union minister said, I urge chacha not to bring women of the family into his fight against me. He seems eager on getting the house partitioned." Let him first sort out the benami wealth he has amassed from Bihar to Noida. He should rein in chachi (his wife) whose behaviour has angered local villagers," he claimed. I have known that chachi had been a government teacher. But after her bad behaviour with badi ma, villagers have started complaining about her misdeeds such as never going to the school, getting attendance registers signed at her home and other irregularities," Paswan added. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Paras resigned from the Union cabinet ahead of Lok Sabha polls, in protest against the BJP throwing its weight behind his nephew, who also got for himself the Hajipur seat, represented by his father multiple times and held by the estranged uncle till 2024. (With PTI inputs) About the Author Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 First Published: April 09, 2025, 16:07 IST Mallikarjun Kharge Sits On Separate Chair At Congress Event, BJP Calls Party 'Anti-Dalit' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 15:09 IST A video from an AICC event in Ahmedabad showed Mallikarjun Kharge seated separately from Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, sparking criticism. The BJP accused Congress of disrespecting Kharge. Mallikarjun Kharge sits on a chair during a Congress event in Gujarat (Video Screengrab/Social Media) The Congress invited the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)s criticism after a video, widely shared on social media, showed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge sitting on a separate chair during an event, while party leaders Sonia, Rahul Gandhi, and Ambika Soni sat on a sofa. The Congress leaders had gathered in Gujarats Ahmedabad for an All India Congress Committee (AICC) event. Recommended Stories The video showed Rahul and Sonia Gandhi in the front row, while Kharge stood beside them near a chair. He could then be seen inviting Soni to the front row alongside Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. The leaders could then be seen sitting in their respective places. Sharing the same video, the BJPs IT cell chief Amit Malviya took to X and stated the party should learn to respect Kharge. He also alleged the party discriminated against the party chief because he is a Dalit. First learn to respect Kharge ji. He is the national president of Congress. What was the meaning of keeping his chair aside? This clearly shows that Congress is anti-Dalit," Malviyas post in Hindi suggested. Malviya had quoted one of Rahul Gandhis X posts, which stated, BJP has been continuously insulting Dalits and attacking the Constitution. Therefore, not only respecting the Constitution but also protecting it is important. Modiji, the country will be run by the Constitution and its ideals, not by Manusmriti which treats Bahujans as second-class citizens." Quoting the same post, BJPs spokesperson from Telangana, Tulla Veerender Goud, wrote, Enough of your fake morality, Rahul Gandhi! Before preaching equality, explain why a separate chair was placed for your own partys Dalit President Mallikarjun Kharge ji?" This is the true face of Congress, humiliate Dalit leaders publicly, then shed crocodile tears. Dont dare lecture us on the Constitution when your party has used and abused it for decades to appease your vote bank!" his post read. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Meanwhile, at the event, Kharge alleged the government was meddling in everything and was establishing its dominance". He also alleged that scams were taking place in elections and that developed countries had already abandoned the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and have moved to ballot papers. 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: April 09, 2025, 15:08 IST 'SpaceX So Far Pretty Reliable': Former NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly On Sunita Williams' Return To Earth Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 20:02 IST Commenting on India's "exciting" space programme Chandrayaan-3 and the upcoming first-ever manned mission, Gaganyaan former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly said ISRO has a great future with the technology and talent to be successful Former NASA astronaut was in conversation on Day 2 of the Rising Bharat Summit 2025. (Image: News18) Former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, who spent 340 days in space for his last mission, said SpaceX has so far been pretty reliable" while commenting on the recent return of astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore. Kelly, who was speaking during his session Spacewalk: Rocketing Towards Future on Day 2 of the Rising Bharat Summit 2025, did not openly comment on the accusations by US President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk that the failed Boeing Starliner mission was the Biden administrations fault. Recommended Stories Williams and Wilmore had gone to space for an eight-day mission in June 2024, but got stuck at the International Space Station (ISS) for nine months after their spacecraft developed serious technical snags and returned without them. The two astronauts returned to Earth on March 18 this year on a SpaceX rocket. Follow Rising Bharat Summit 2025 LIVE Updates Here Any country that builds a spacecraft needs to fly it for the first time. On a test flight, when youre testing something for the first time, you expect things to go wrong. And in the case of this Boeing spacecraft that Butch and Suni launched on, it had some serious issues," he said. He said NASA had decided it was safer to bring the Boeing Starliner home without the two crew members on it, and had another spacecraft up there that Williams and Wilmore could return on during an emergency. It was decided in August that in September, they would launch a SpaceX, which thankfully we have two vehicles and SpaceX has, you know, so far been pretty reliable. But they launched SpaceX in September with two crew members on board, where they normally have four, and they did that so there would be room for Butch and Suni. And thats the spacecraft they came home on a few weeks ago The decision to bring them home on that spacecraft was made last August," he added. Kelly, who spoke about his 340-day mission in space, described his typical routines at the ISS and shared how spaceflight and time spent in space affects the physical and mental health of astronauts. Commenting on Indias exciting" space programme Chandrayaan-3 and the upcoming first-ever manned mission, Gaganyaan he said ISRO has a great future with the technology and talent to be successful. My brother used to say this years ago that going to Mars, its not about rocket science, its about political science. Because we really have the technology, what we need is the public support to elect officials that believe in the mission, that believe in science, and provide the funds to get us there. As long as your country is excited about it and is supportive, youll be successful," he said. Excerpts from the interaction: What is it like to be in space? Spaceflight is probably one of the most exciting things you can do for I think most people, certainly not for everyone. Theres the excitement of the launch, microgravity, which is fun, to float and fly around but makes most things harder to do, however. Certainly the view of the Earth is absolutely spectacularBut what I like the most about flying in space is that its a really hard and challenging thing to do, a job that has immense risk but likewise much reward and to be able to do it with an incredible group of people that you fly in space with and those on the ground. What does a typical day look like on the ISS? We operate on the ISS on GMT, you generally wake up at 6 in the morning, you might do some quick science experiments that involve taking medical samples of yourself, morning activities like making believe youre taking a shower by moving the dirt around on your body with a washcloth, having a quick breakfast and then the next 12 hours is a combination of science experiments, general maintenance kind of like things you would at home to keep it operating and fixing the hardware. You do a lot of exercise and, at the end of the day, you have a conference with the ground about your plan the next day, eat dinner and maybe have a couple of hours to yourself and then repeat that the next day. Occasionally, its interrupted by things like doing a spacewalk or robotics activity. Whats the one thing that people on Earth underestimate or not understand about being in space? I think a lot of people think that microgravity would be the most awesome thing ever. Yes, thats fun but it makes most things that you do so much more difficult. When you cant put something down, you have to stick it in your pocket, tape it to the wall, Velcro it somewhere. There are two things that are easier everything else is harder and thats moving stuff thats heavy because it no longer has weight, still has mass. You have to be conscious of things that have a lot of mass and then just putting your body in different positions to do work, thats very easy to do. Everything else is harder, including sleeping, because we evolved sleeping in gravity. Overall, I just always prefer to sleep in a nice bed with a pillow. How does it change your body? When you came back after 340 days in space, NASA studied the genetic and physical changes. What was it about that report that surprised you the most? We evolved in gravity, our physiology is based on trying to push blood from our legs into our upper body, to our vital organs, to our brain. In the absence of that, our cardiovascular systems dont have to work as hard. On my last mission (340 days), I lost 25% of my heart mass It all came back eventually, but you lose bone mass, muscle mass, 1% each for every month in space. If you didnt do anything about it, if you were in space for 100 months and never exercised, youd have no skeleton left. Youd be like a rubbery kind of toy. Theres a fluid shift to your head that can be very uncomfortable, that never quite goes away. Even after my last day in space, I had a head that felt swollen. That pressure on the head affects vision, so we have astronauts with vision problems. There are effects of radiation in space; we get anywhere from 10 to 20 chest X-Rays equivalent to radiation every day in space and that has an effect on genetics. There was actually an experiment. My twin brother is also a former astronaut, and we had this comparative study between the two of us and an experiment on our telomeres the ends of our chromosomes. As we age, they get smaller and frayed. Its really an indication of our physical age, and the hypothesis of this experiment was that with me in space, my telomeres would have certainly got older, smaller or more damaged compared to his. But they actually got better and NASA was really surprised about this. When you have an experiment and the hypothesis is the exact opposite from the results, thats quite surprising. Mine got better compared to his; initially we thought it was due to the controlled diet and exercise. But, about six months after I got home, NASA learned that the Japanese space agency had a telomere experiment going on at the same time I was at the space station with these little worms, and their telomeres got better too just like mine did. We actually learnt that radiation can exercise your telomeres in a good direction, it may have some other negative effects but at least your telomeres are getting better. What about the psychological toll it takes to be up there? How do you deal with the isolation? Most astronauts are very highly vetted, even psychologically. When I was interviewing to become one, they gave us written psychological exams, you meet with psychologists and psychiatrists. Leading up to the mission, you may have meetings with two psychologists and two psychiatrists. In the flight, you have a conference call with them every two weeks. So, NASA and their international partners obviously take mental health really seriously, which is important and I wish the rest of the world would consider mental health just as important as our physical health. For me, in my last mission in particular, it was actually easier to be in space for 340 days than it was for my 150-day mission. And the reason is because it was part of my mission objective, so when youre expecting and prepared for it, its sometimes easier. How did a boy who struggled academically end up in NASA and become an astronaut? I think its one word and its inspiration. And I think inspiration is important because all kids are motivated differently. I graduated in the bottom half of my high school class and went to college because thats what my friends were doing. I went to the only college I got into and was still struggling, not doing well and eventually not even going to class; basically, on the path to being a first-year college dropout. One day, I happened to go into the bookstore to buy gum and I saw this book that had this really cool cover and title, saw the back The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe. It was about the fighter pilots that became test pilots, who became the original Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts. I felt I had something very much in common with them, with one exception that I couldnt pay attention and do my homework, I didnt do well in schoolI know you think 18-year-old kid, reads a book and decides to become an astronaut, thats a giant leap. Really for me, in retrospect, it was a foundation, and much more manageable steps built on that foundation that wouldve never started without the inspiration I found from a book. I think its important to recognise that all kids are different and they need to find their own inspiration wherever they can. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Whats your message to youngsters? I know a lot of kids want to be an astronaut and they come to me and ask about it. I tell them to choose the career field that they like, that theyre interested in. Choose something you like because if you dont like it, youre not going to do well in it. And space agencies, we want people that have done well in their chosen career fields. Its very important for people to love their work. I had 25 years in the navy and 20 in NASA, they overlapped a lot, but it was never a job and it always felt like a hobby that I was fortunate enough to get paid to do. I wish everyone else would have that kind of privilege. About the Author Oindrila Mukherjee Oindrila Mukherjee is a senior sub-editor who works for the rewrite and breaking news desks. Her nine years of experience in print and digital journalism range from editing and reporting to writing impactful st... Read More Oindrila Mukherjee is a senior sub-editor who works for the rewrite and breaking news desks. Her nine years of experience in print and digital journalism range from editing and reporting to writing impactful st... Read More First Published: April 09, 2025, 19:31 IST 'No Muslim Lost Citizenship': Amit Shah Blames Congress For CAA Violence Amid Concerns Over Waqf Protests Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 21:10 IST Amit Shah blamed Congress and INDI bloc for 2019 CAA protest violence, stating no Muslim lost citizenship under CAA. He challenged Rahul Gandhi to prove otherwise. Speaking at News18 Rising Bharat Summit, Shah said that PM Modi rightly said that Congress leaders at that time and their appeasement policies were responsible for partition. (Photo: News18) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday blamed Congress and INDI bloc parties for violence during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in 2019 and said no Muslim lost their citizenship under the law. Shahs remarks came amid concerns over protests against the Waqf Amendment Act in parts of the country . Recommended Stories Rahul Gandhi and opposition propagated throughout the country that Muslims will lose their citizenship due to CAA. It has been two years since CAA is in force. I challenge Rahul Gandhi to show if any Muslim lost his citizenship. Congress and INDI bloc parties misled people. They were responsible for violence," the Home Minister said at News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025. When asked if he fears CAA-like protests this time, Shah said, They (opposition) must have understood something by now." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has also agreed to hear petitions challenging the law on April 15. Shah said only some leaders in the Muslim community are protesting against the new law. He added that minority women and the poor within the minority community are being empowered but the Congress is protesting the legislation. About the Author Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 First Published: April 09, 2025, 21:10 IST PM Modi Chants 'Navkar Mahamantra', Says 'Jainism Influence Visible At Parliament Building' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 11:54 IST PM Modi participated in Navkar Mahamantra Divas event today and chanted the sacred Jain mantra along with others. The global event aims to promote peace and spiritual awakening, a release stated. PM Narendra Modi chants the 'Navkar Mahamantra' (Video screengrab/ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the Navkar Mahamantra Divas on Wednesday and chanted the Navkar Mahamantra with others at Delhis Vigyan Bhawan. The Prime Minister also listed nine resolutions one should take on the Navkar Mahamantra Divas. Recommended Stories 9 resolutions on Navkar Mahamantra Divas pic.twitter.com/SOFgDX0weV PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 9, 2025 Addressing a gathering, PM Modi said the influence of Jainism is visible at the new Parliament building, which comprises an idol of Tirthankara and a painting of Lord Mahavir on the roof of the Constitution Hall. Before inaugurating the event, the Prime Minister urged everyone to chant the Navkar Mahamantra together at 8.27 am. #WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with others, chants Navkar Mahamantra at Navkar Mahamantra Divas program at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi(Source: DD) pic.twitter.com/sQGWQJCUOK ANI (@ANI) April 9, 2025 In an X post before the event, PM Modi wrote, Come, lets all chant the Navkar Mahamantra together at 8:27 AM." Let every voice bring peace, strength and harmony. Let us all come together to enhance the spirit of brotherhood and togetherness," he added. An official statement suggested that the event is a global initiative, wherein people from more than 108 countries participated to foster peace, spiritual awakening, and universal harmony through the sacred chant. At the event, the Prime Minister, in a mark of reverence, came without his footwear. He also did not sit on the Dias, but alongside the common man. PM EXPLAINS IMPORTANCE OF NAVKAR MAHAMANTRA Addressing the event, the Prime Minister today called the Navkar Mahamantra the centre of faith. He also said he had been in the company of Jain Acharyas since he was born in Gujarat. The Navkar Mahamantra is not just a mantra. It is the centre of our faith and its importance is not just spiritual. It shows the path to everyone, from self to society," the Prime Minister said. The Navkar Mantra says believe in yourself. The enemy is not outside, it is inside us. Negative thinking, dishonesty, and selfishness are the enemies and winning over them is the real victory. Jainism inspires us to win over ourselves," he said. I can still feel the spiritual power of the Navkar Mahamantra within me. A few years ago, I witnessed a similar collective chanting event in Bengaluru, and today I experienced that same feeling once again. I was born in Gujarat where the influence of Jainism is visible in every street. Since childhood, I have been in the company of Jain Acharyas," he added. When we chant the Navkar Mahamantra, we bow to the Panch Parmeshthi," he said. The influence of Jainism is clearly visible in the new Parliament building, too. As soon as you enter the new Parliament building through the Shardula Dwar, you can see the Sammed Shikhar in the gallery," PM Modi said, adding, There is an idol of Tirthankara at the entrance of the Lok Sabha. This idol has returned from Australia. There is also a wonderful painting of Lord Mahavir on the roof of the Constitution Hall. All the twenty-four Tirthankaras are there on the wall." WHAT IS MAHAMANTRA DIVAS? Navkar Mahamantra Divas is a momentous celebration of spiritual harmony and ethical consciousness that seeks to unite people through the collective chanting of the Navkar Mahamantrathe most revered and universal chant in Jainism. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Rooted in the principles of non-violence, humility, and spiritual elevation, the mantra pays homage to the virtues of enlightened beings and inspires inner transformation. The Divas encourages all individuals to reflect on the values of self-purification, tolerance, and collective well-being. 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: April 09, 2025, 08:23 IST What Did Poor Muslims Get? Political Leaders, Experts Debate Waqf Bill Amendments At Rising Bharat Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 18:57 IST Rising Bharat Summit: "Now the sacred spirit of Waqf will be protected and the rights of poor and Pasmanda Muslims, women and children will also be safeguarded," PM Modi had said on Tuesday Waris Pathan and Sudhanshu Trivedi (right) at the Rising Bharat Summit. Through its various sessions, the Rising Bharat Summit 2025 tried to present all sides of the amended Waqf law. Speaking at the Rising Bharat Summit 2025, PM Narendra Modi had on Tuesday said that the rights of poor Pasmanda Muslims, women, and children will now be safe under the new Waqf law. Recommended Stories What did the poor Pasmanda Muslims get? They got illiteracy and unemployment. Whereas Muslim women got injustice like Shahbano. I congratulate the Parliament of the country for making a wonderful law in the interest of the entire society, in the interest of the Muslim community. Now the sacred spirit of Waqf will be protected and the rights of poor and Pasmanda Muslims, women and children will also be safeguarded," Modi said. How many schools, hospitals, libraries have been built out of 39 lakh acres land of Waqf properties? says @SudhanshuTrived@RShivshankar | #RisingBharatSummit2025 pic.twitter.com/yZGtibzK5a News18 (@CNNnews18) April 9, 2025 One of the sessions saw Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, AIMIMs Waris Pathan, SC lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain and lawyer Shahid Ali debate the new law. Waqf is an honest attempt to run the system Constitutionally for the poor. Waqf board is the richest in the world with 39 lakh acres. Have they done anything for the poor, education, healthcare," asked Trivedi. Advocate @Vishnu_Jain1 tells CNN-News18s @RShivshankar that the terms secular" and socialist" were incorporated into the Preamble of the Indian Constitution during the Emergency in 1976 without the formation of a JPC#RisingBharatSummit2025 pic.twitter.com/8uNGCvE8oi News18 (@CNNnews18) April 9, 2025 The Waqf amendment has only curtailed the unchecked powersOf the 22, only two will be non-MuslimsIt is in consonance with the principles of the Constitution. Only those provisions that were discriminatory against other religions have been removed," said Jain. Jain said that the terms secular" and socialist" were incorporated into the Preamble of the Indian Constitution during the Emergency in 1976 without the formation of a JPC. Why are Muslims not allowed in Hindu endowment board," asked Pathan. He urged the government to withdraw the Waqf Bill just as it had rolled back the farm laws. According to Ali, the amendment will not stand in court. AIMIM leader @warispathan at the Rising Bharat Summit 2025 urged the government to withdraw the Waqf Bill just as it had rolled back the farm laws@RShivshankar | #RisingBharatSummit2025 pic.twitter.com/5ZCAKZrH0O News18 (@CNNnews18) April 9, 2025 Another session was with BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, Shiv Sena UBT spokesperson and MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, and Congresss MP Imran Masood. Chaturvedi said, The Centre should have given clarity on how we will tackle the drop in exports owing to the tariffsWe too wanted reforms in Waqf, but the suggestions made through JPC by opposition parties were rejectedSena UBT is with reform, but it should take all sections of society. Non-Muslims on board would lead to suspicion within communityA lot of our concerns were considered, but considering others too would have helped." Masood said, The government has stopped registration and funds for madrassas, while talking about empowering Muslim students. The amount of land reduced over months. They spoke of digitisation of land records, but refused it was done in JPC. In India, 90% of the Waqf properties are from 1906. The 123 properties mentioned in Parliament are mosques and shrines which they said they wont take away. These properties were given away by the British to Waqf in 1913. The law doesnt state Pasmanda Muslims, the two women member provision was there earlier tooBut I agree with the government saying that the board has done nothing for the poor." Trivedi said, The amendment will not affect shrines, graveyard, it only talks about Waqf landOur provisions are better than any other Islamic nation." At an earlier session, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla, Delhi AIMIM chief Shoaib Jamai and SP spokesperson Rajkumar Bhati spoke about Waqf. Poonawalla said, Waqf is being used to incite people. In West Bengal, you have to go to courts to get nod for Ram Navmi procession, but they dont want to follow a law passed by Parliament. They protest and hurl stones at policeIf they talk about the Constitution, the old law allowed a property of choice to be declared a Waqf property. You could go only to tribunal and there is no appeal after that. The old law made the owner and not encroacher prove that they own it. Is that Constitutional? Waqf owns 9 lakh+ properties. The return on Waqf property is Rs 444 per year per acre. In case of agriculture or urban areas, the return is Rs 1-5 lakh per acre. The Waqf bill is an instrument of social justice for poor Muslims across their sub-groups." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Bhati responded to the claims of encroachment and the need for amendment. Jamai said, A false narrative is being spread about Waqf boardit is a legal body which registers land with the state officials. How can there be encroachment? Another is the amount of land with Waqf boardHindu board in four states have 12 lakh acres. Waqf may have corruptionPlus they have brought in non-Muslim members." 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: April 09, 2025, 18:26 IST Rising Bharat Summit 2025: Amit Shah Slams DMK Over Delimitation, Reassures Southern People Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 20:47 IST Speaking at the Rising Bharat Summit 2025, Shah said southern states will retain their Lok Sabha seats as per pro rata basis Amit Shah at Rising Bharat Summit 2025. (Photo: News18) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday assured the people of southern states on delimitation and hit out at MK Stalins DMK for raising the issue only to hide corruption. Speaking at the Rising Bharat Summit 2025, Shah said southern states will retain their Lok Sabha seats as per pro rata basis. Recommended Stories Is there anything happening in Himachal Pradesh on delimitation or any other governments ruled by INDIA bloc. Has the government announced a delimitation commission or appointed a supreme judge for delimitation. In Tamil Nadu, they are raising the issue to hide their corruption. I assure people of South India that the BJP will not do injustice and their seats will remain as per pro rata basis If they stop this noise, then they have to answer about corruption and dynasty politics. They dont want the election on issues," he said. Delimitation commission is formed on the basis of act.. The bill will be brought in Parliament and then it will be discussed. It might be sent to parliamentary committee. So, why the hullabaloo now?" he asked. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Shah further said that BJP-led alliance will claim victory in assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and Bihar. Speaking on language row, the Home Minister said, I am not a Hindi speaker. I am a Gujarati. The opposition claims that I speak about Hindi. But I propagate Indian languages. I believe we need to preserve all Indian languages if we want to connect with our roots and history. Before our government, Congress imposed Hindi and English on students of all languages. We ensured that government exams are taken in regional languages as well. Students are studying medical and engineering in their regional languages." About the Author Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 First Published: April 09, 2025, 20:39 IST Rising Bharat Summit 2025: Ashoka, Plaksha Universities Founders Highlight Academia-Industry Gap, AIs Role In Education Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 17:28 IST At the Rising Bharat Summit 2025, Sinha and Oberoi discussed the academia-industry disconnect in India, outdated curricula, and the need for scalable quality education Oberoi acknowledged that AI might displace some jobs but emphasised its potential to create new opportunities. (Photo: News18) At the Rising Bharat Summit 2025, Pramath Raj Sinha and Hitesh Oberoi, founders of Ashoka and Plaksha Universities, discussed the significant disconnect between academia and industry. Oberoi, who also runs Naukri.com, Indias largest job portal, highlighted the outdated curriculum, teaching methodologies, and infrastructure in Indian universities. There are so many issues that I dont know where to start. In my day job, I run Naukri., the largest job portal where we work with companies with job seekers. I think there is huge disconnect between academia and the industry. What is being taught in colleges and universities in the country is very very different from what the industry needs. There is too much focus on degrees, not enough to focus on acquiring skills. Curriculum and methodologies are outdated and infrastructure is stuck in the 90s There are 5k engineering colleges in the country. There is no shortage. But companies complain that only 20% of students are employable," he said. Recommended Stories Sinha agreed, adding that the traditional model of education is inadequate for providing quality education at scale to Indias growing population. You cant achieve quality education at scale with 25 million being born every year. I dont have answers. The core problem is that. Then there is a disconnect between industry and academia," he added. Sinha elaborated on Ashoka Universitys approach to bridging this gap: What we (at Ashoka University) are doing is bringing back the fundamental purest form of higher education that our civilization discovered. In college, you let people figure out how they want to lead their life. School is about when you teach essential things. Our biggest learning at Ashoka is to give people choices. But you do prescribe certain methods by which they have to exercise that choice, they cant go do something random and come out with nothing at the end." Oberoi pointed out that Indian students pursue higher studies abroad due to the superior curriculum and infrastructure offered by foreign institutions. The reality is government resources are limited and higher education is highly subsidised in the country. We saw this and said we want one institution in the country where we can address some of these issues and try and build over 20-30 years Stanford, MIT, give people overseas experience at a fraction of cost," he added. Collective Philanthropy Behind Success Of Ashoka, Plaksha Sinha highlighted the success of collective philanthropy behind Ashoka University: This whole experiment started with ISB. If you look at great universities in the world, no one owns them. The moment you say it is owned by one person. The best academics will not join you because they dont want to work for some entity." Oberoi added that collective philanthropy enables ambitious projects: The other advantage of collective philanthropy is that it allows individual philanthropists to think big and dream. Projects like Ashoka and Plaksha will require billions. It is not possible for one individual to build that. If someone pays more, they can get buildings or departments named after them. But they get only one vote." Artificial Intelligence Revolution top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Both Sinha and Oberoi believe that artificial intelligence (AI) will revolutionise education and employment. Sinha stated: AI is going to be a gamechanger for those people who dont have any education and no hope for a job. They will completely leapfrog from going to schools and college. We have to enable every Indian to use AI. If they can use these tools, they can be citizens of the world," he added. Oberoi acknowledged that AI might displace some jobs but emphasised its potential to create new opportunities: AI is a thousand-pound gorilla today. Every 10 years, you get a technology which is disruptive AI of course is magical. It will impact every industry and sector. AI, like computers and digital, will be net negative for some jobs. At our companies, we are automating operations. Jobs will get impacted. But with every tech, there is an opportunity. Every new company that uses AI to do new things, products, features, to do stuff that was not possible earlier. AI can be used to educate every Indian and take healthcare to every Indian in every village that was not possible earlier. There will be new jobs. Current workforce may not able to get jobs if they dont upgrade skills," he said. About the Author Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 First Published: April 09, 2025, 17:23 IST 'All Jargon...': At Rising Bharat, Ex-CJI Chandrachud Suggests Legal Language Should Be Simplified Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 14:38 IST Rising Bharat Summit 2025: Former CJI Chandrachud stressed that the language of judgments should be simplified for the common man to understand. He also said law is a commitment to public and societal service. Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud at CNN-News18's Rising Bharat Summit Rising Bharat Summit 2025: The law signifies a commitment to public and societal service, former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said on Wednesday. He also said the judgments and the law language should be simplified for the common man to understand the content of the judgment. At CNN-News18s Rising Bharat Summit, responding to a question on reforms in the judiciary, Chandrachud said, It has to take place at the lowest level. The government is the largest litigator, and I think it has to rethink its policy on litigation. If that is done, more and more efficient means of resolving disputes take place." Recommended Stories We have to bridge the gap between the ways laws are drafted in the official text, and the law should be drafted in a language that citizens speak." The first step is that the laws must be more simplified, and the second is what the judiciary should do," he said. When I was the Chief Justice, we began an initiative, wherein every judgment of the Supreme Court would be put into small paragraphs, in very simple terms, what that judgment decides, so that the common citizen must know what the judgment has done for me, that is something we have done," he added. We tried to simplify almost all important judgments from the Independence, and put them on the website of the Supreme Court, for allowing the citizens to understand what the content of the judgment is," he added. Legal language is extremely complex, its all jargon," he said, adding, I think we need to simplify the way we write, because whom do we write for, the citizens, and therefore the language has to be a lot more simple." Also speaking about the live streaming of court judgments, Chandrachud said, The live streaming of court proceedings has taken the work of the courts to the homes of the Indian citizens. It has also democratised the access to justice." The former CJI also said one should never make decisions which are reactionary, but those which benefit the nation as a whole. When you have a problem in hand, deal with it and allow the dust to settle. And then take decisions which are in the interest of the institution and the nation. Never take decisions on the spot, because they may not be well thought of," he said. CHANDRACHUDs ADVICE TO THOSE WHO WANT LAW AS THEIR PROFESSION On being asked about his advice to the young people aspiring to join law as a profession, Chandrachud said that the essence of law is realising your rights. Also speaking about the relevance of Artificial Intelligence, and if it could replace lawyers in the future, the former CJI said if there is one thing the AI cannot substitute, it is compassion, a sense of love of dignity. The most important thing about law is that it signifies a commitment to public service, the law is all about societal service. The essence of law is realising the rights to bring a wider social transformation," Chandrachud said. You ask me about AI, if it would take the place of lawyers and possibly judges, well theres a lot AI can do, but theres one thing which AI cannot substitute, and thats compassion, a sense of love, a sense of respect, dignity, and that only humans can bring to the table," he added. CHANDRACHUD COMMENTS ON JUDGES MAKING ASSETS DECLARATION PUBLIC In reference to the case pertaining to Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, the former CJI said that the Supreme Court had long back passed a resolution that all judges, including the chief justices of India, must declare their assets, like all citizens do for the purpose of Income Tax. However, whether these declarations should be uploaded on the website, should be left to the judges, he said. Right from 2009, there was a resolution that all judges must declare their assets. The resolution which was passed by the Supreme Court of India was the declaration of assets by judges, including the chief justices of India, is mandatory. Whether these should be put on the website, should be left to the individual judge," Chandrachud said. Does uploading these details on the website actually serve the purpose of transparency?" he asked. I completely understand and I support the decision on the declaration of assets, but to what extent you should have transparency, is an important question," he said. (A large pile of cash was found at Varmas official residence during a fire incident on the night of March 14.) Also speaking on the freedom of speech, the former CJI said, The freedom to speech is non-negotiable. The danger arises when you have prior sensation and that is the danger to the freedom of speech and expression, which happened during the Emergency. But we have robust laws in India, which deal with issues like obscenity, defamation, causing hatred between religious groups or communities." WHY CHANDRACHUD SAID JUDGES SHOULD GO TO THE GYM In continuation to his opinion that the laws in India need to be more robust, the former Chief Justice of India said, The process of creating the infrastructure to implementing the laws is a different thing and that needs to be strengthened, to make these laws more effective." But how do you deal with say someone who breaches or abuses the right to free speech?" he asked. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Speaking for judges, for what should they do for all the criticism which they have to encounter, judges just need to use the gym more often and have a better workout, why, because you must have robust shoulders," the former CJI joked. The Rising Bharat Summit 2025 is celebrating the power of Indias youth as the driving force in the journey towards a Viksit Bharat by 2047. 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: April 09, 2025, 10:55 IST By Preet Gill, Associate Lawyer Special to The Post Over the past several months, I have been consulting with clients eager to obtain their Canadian citizenship. Through my conversations with these individuals and their families, it has become evident that Canadian citizenship holds significant value, not only for those who currently reside in Canada but also for individuals and families with ancestral ties to the country. Currently, under the Citizenship Act, citizenship can only be passed down to one generation if the parent was a Canadian citizen (Canadian born or naturalized citizen) at the time of the child's birth. This means that if you were born outside of Canada to a Canadian parent, you can claim Canadian citizenship, but only if you're the first generation born outside the country. If your Canadian parent became a citizen after you were born, you won't automatically be granted citizenship because of the first-generation limit. There are very few exceptions to this, such as children born outside of Canada to crown servants. In my January 2025 blog post, I explored the complexities of the first-generation limit and the expected changes to the law, Please see here. In December 2023, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice found that the first-generation limit on Citizenship is unconstitutional, and the former Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC) sought to introduce legislation in accordance with the Court's finding. However, the introduction of this revised legislation has been suspended until further notice, and the current legislation and limitations continue to apply. Furthermore, due to the prorogation of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government, all pending bills in Parliament have been put on hold. This includes Bill C-71, also known as An Act to Amend the Citizenship Act (2024), which is aimed at extending Canadian citizenship by descent beyond the first generation born outside of Canada. If passed, this new law will allow Canadian citizens who were born abroad to pass on their citizenship to their children born outside Canada, provided that certain criteria are met. On March 13, 2025, Minister Miller issued a statement addressing the delays in passing Bill C-71. The statement acknowledged the hardship caused by the first-generation limit and emphasized the government's commitment to ensuring that Canadian citizenship remains accessible, fair and inclusive. As noted by Canadas then Immigration Minister: Canadian citizenship is highly valued around the world. As Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Im committed to making the citizenship process as fair and transparent as possible. The Honourable Marc Miller, former Minister of IRCC In light of the delays in passing legislative amendments, the government introduced and approved interim measures. The interim measures provide a path for being considered for a discretionary grant of citizenship for those who are affected by the first-generation limit. As stated in the Ministers announcement, under the newly introduced interim measures, certain applicants will be offered consideration for a discretionary grant of citizenship, including: applicants born or adopted before December 19, 2023, who are subject to the first-generation limit; applicants born or adopted on or after December 19, 2023, if their Canadian parent had at least 1,095 cumulative days of physical presence in Canada before their birth or adoption (applicants in this category will be offered consideration for a discretionary grant on a prioritized basis); certain individuals born before April 1, 1949, who remain affected by the first-generation limit; and those who lost their citizenship under the former section 8 of the Citizenship Act due to unmet retention requirements. You may read the former Minister's full announcement here. If you believe you qualify for the discretionary grant of citizenship under the new interim measures, you may be able to submit an application for a Canadian Citizenship Certificate (Proof of Citizenship). While the first-generation limit on Canadian citizenship is still in place for now, recent developments indicate that changes are on the horizon. The Ontario Court ruling and the governments introduction of interim measures provide hope for those affected by the current citizenship laws. If the first generation limit applies to you, its important to stay informed about the eligibility criteria and application process for discretionary grants of citizenship. I would also encourage you to explore your options for applying for Canadian citizenship under the new interim measures. Be sure to keep an eye out for updates as Bill C-71 progresses, and dont hesitate to consult the appropriate resources for further guidance. More information on the interim measures can be found on IRCC's website here. Preet Gill is an Associate Lawyer at Sas & Ing Immigration Law Centre in Vancouver, BC. She is committed to assisting clients with their immigration and residency goals in Canada. You can reach Preet by email at preet@sasanding.com or call her at 1-604-689-5444. Rising Bharat Summit 2025: JDU's Sanjay Jha Says Nitish Kumar To Continue As Bihar CM For Next 5 Years Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 19:31 IST The JDU leader said that his partys concerns about the Waqf Amendment bill were accommodated by the government The JDU leader said that the opposition got success in different states by creating a fake narrative about the constitution during the Lok Sabha polls but they failed in Bihar. (Photo: News18) Janata Dal (U) national working president Sanjay Jha on Wednesday said that Nitish Kumar will remain the chief minister of Bihar for the next five years if the NDA returns to power in the state. Speaking at the Rising Bharat Summit 2025, Jha dismissed rumours around Kumars health and said he is doing fine. He also highlighted the CMs Pragati Yatra", where Kumar visited different districts in the state, which will go to polls later this year. Recommended Stories The JD(U) leader asserted that there is no issue of ticket distribution among NDA allies. Nitish ji visited every part of Bihar two months ago. If we are fighting elections in his leadership, it is obvious that he will be the chief minister. There is no doubt," he said. When he was reminded that BJP made Devendra Fadnavis the chief minister in Maharashtra despite going to assembly polls with Eknath Shindes face, Jha said, I cant say what happened there. In 2020, we got fewer seats than BJP. So, Nitish told PM and BJP leaders that they should name their leader for chief minister. But the PM said that since elections were fought in Nitishs leadership, he should become CM." Commenting on BJP-JDU ties, Jha said that the two parties are natural allies and the people have accepted the alliance in the Lok Sabha polls, where they got the majority of seats in Bihar. On Kumars jumping ships multiple times, BJP and JDU are natural allies. When there was a change in government in 2005, BJP and JDU formed the government. There were some instances in between. Nitish ji has said that he will stay with the BJP. The people have accepted the alliance in the Lok Sabha polls." We are natural allies. We had personal ties as well. Nitish ji was initiating an alliance but after some time he realised this alliance did not have any future as there was no one who was with a vision. There was also confusion. After this, we took a call (to go with the BJP). This alliance was also good for the state and the BJP people at the centre also wanted the JDU to go with them," he added. The Rajya Sabha MP said that the opposition got success in different states by creating a fake" narrative about the constitution during the Lok Sabha polls but they failed in Bihar. We did well in Bihar. But the opposition ran a narrative on the constitution but this did not succeed in Bihar. No one can create confusion in Bihar. People trust the work Nitish has done for 19 years. There were attempts but they did not succeed," he said. The JDU leader said that his partys concerns about the Waqf Amendment bill were accommodated by the government. When this bill came, JDU wanted it to go to the JPC for wider consultation. There were lengthy discussions on the bill. People from the Muslim community met Nitish Kumar and told him about their concerns. A lot of concerns were accommodated. I dont think this bill will impact us. Bihar is the only state with a caste census. They couldnt do this. Rahul Gandhi does not even know his caste. They were part of the government if they had concerns, they could have said it. 73% of Muslims in Bihar are Pasmanda Muslims who are poor. What did they get from Waqf? We now think the poor will benefit. No hospital was built with Waqf money in Bihar," he said. Several JDU leaders from the Muslim community quit the party after Nitish Kumar backed the bill in the Parliament. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Jha accused the opposition of inciting Muslims against the BJP to get votes but they did not do any development for them. Every community is benefiting from Modi jis policies. I think they will know this after the result in Bihar," he said. The JDU leader said that the presence of Prashant Kishors Jan Suraaj Party will not make any impact on the assembly elections. I dont see anything on the ground. They know there is a double engine government. They know Bihars needs were taken care of in budgets of 2024 and Bihar is doing well in manufacturing," 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 First Published: April 09, 2025, 19:23 IST Russia Invites PM Modi For Victory Day Parade On May 9 Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 12:43 IST The invitation has already been sent and PM Modi's visit to Russia is being worked out, Russian news agency Tass quoted Andrey Rudenko as saying. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Russia sent an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the May 9 celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Germany in World War II, countrys Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko said. The invitation has already been sent and PM Modis visit to Russia is being worked out, Russian news agency Tass quoted Andrey Rudenko as saying. Recommended Stories Its being worked out, it should be this year. He has an invitation," he said, adding that Russia has invited leaders of several nations to attend this years Victory Day parade. What Is The Victory Day Parade In Moscow The Moscow Victory Day Parade is an annual military parade of the Russian Armed Forces on Moscows Red Square on May 9 during the Victory Day celebrations. At the parade, Russian President Vladimir Putin is the guest of honor and keynote speaker. The Moscow Victory Day Parade commemorates Russias victory over Nazi Germany. In January 1945, the Soviet Army launched an offensive against Germany. The commanders-in-chief on May 9 signed the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Germany- this ending the war. PM Modis Earlier Visits To Russia top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all PM Modi visited Russia in July 2024. This was his first trip to the country in nearly five years as he had earlier visited the far eastern city of Vladivostok in 2019 to attend an economic conclave. During the last visit, PM Modi invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit India- which the latter has accepted. However, the dates of Vladimir Putins visit to India have not been revealed yet. About the Author Mallika Soni When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: April 09, 2025, 12:35 IST Situation Has Changed In Jammu And Kashmir: Amit Shah Lauds PM Modis Address At Rising Bharat Summit Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 14:44 IST PM Modi At Rising Bharat Summit 2025: PM Modi said that the youth of Jammu and Kashmir are now actively engaged in development. PM Modi At Rising Bharat Summit 2025: PM Narendra Modi (Image: News18) Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised Prime Minister Narendra Modis keynote address at News18s Rising Bharat summit. In his Tuesday night speech, PM Modi emphasised that peace, stability, and a sense of security are essential for a nations rapid development, quoting Rabindranath Tagores vision of a fearless and confident mind, stating, Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high." Read more: Strong Response To Lobby: PM Modis Remarks On Waqf Act At News18 Summit Spark Political Debate Recommended Stories PM Modi said that India faced an atmosphere of fear, terror, and violence for decades, which caused the greatest harm to the youth as he highlighted that in Jammu and Kashmir, generations of young people were consumed by bombings, gunfire, and stone-pelting. Asserting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led governments strong political will has transformed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, PM Modi said that the youth of Jammu and Kashmir are now actively engaged in development. - , , pic.twitter.com/1342z0FmGL Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 9, 2025 top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all PM Modi said at the Rising Bharat summit, In the fire of violence, separatism, and terrorism, it is the youth of the country who have been scorched the most. In Jammu and Kashmir, till many years, many generations of youth, were trapped in bombs, guns, and stoning. But till so many years, the rulers of the country did not have the courage to put out this fire. Because of our governments strong political will and sensitivity, the situation there has changed. Today, the youth of Jammu and Kashmir is connected to development." Praising PM Modis speech, Amit Shah wrote on X (formerly Twitter), Modi Ji told how for decades many generations in Jammu and Kashmir were destroyed by bombs, guns and stone pelting, but today the situation has changed and the youth there have got connected with development." About the Author Mallika Soni When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: April 09, 2025, 14:30 IST 26/11 Attacks Accused Tahawwur Rana In Transit From US, To Land In India Shortly: Sources Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Ashesh Mallick Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 13:05 IST Tahawwur Rana Extradition: Rana is co-conspirator of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. He filed a plea in US Supreme Court, seeking stay on his extradition to India, however, court dismissed his petition. Tahawwur Rana to be extradited to India today (File Image) Tahawwur Rana Extradition: Shortly after the US Supreme Court denied Tahawwur Ranas legal appeal against extradition to India, a multi-agency team from India travelled to the United States to bring the 26/11 accused to the country, government sources said on Wednesday. Sources indicated to CNN-News18 that the surrender warrant a document for surrender to a foreign agency has been executed, and the multi-agency team could land in India with Rana shortly. Recommended Stories There is a very high possibility that Rana could be extradited to India shortly," sources said. High-security cells in Delhis Tihar and Mumbais Arthur Road prison have been asked to be prepared for a high-risk detainee, officials informed. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) recently obtained court orders seeking the transfer of the case from Mumbai to Delhi. NIA could seek the custodial interrogation of Rana once he lands in India and is produced in court. Tahawwur Ranas Extradition To India Rana, wanted in India for his role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, was arrested in the US in 2009 for his involvement in terror-related activities, which also included a foiled attempt to attack Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. He was also convicted in the United States for extending material support to the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba. India had sought the extradition of Rana to face trial for his role in the Mumbai terror attacks that killed over 150 people. During Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the US in February this year, President Donald Trump announced Ranas extradition to India, describing him as one of the plotters and one of the very evil people of the world". Tahawwur Rana will be going back to India, where he will face justice," Trump said at the press conference alongside PM Modi. Ranas Appeal In US Supreme Court The US Supreme Court on Monday denied the review plea seeking an emergency stay on his extradition to India. Rana had approached chief justice John G Roberts Jr after Supreme Court justice Elena Kagan declined to hear his plea on March 6. In his first plea, Rana had claimed that he would likely be tortured in India as he was a Muslim of Pakistani origin and also an ex-Pakistani army officer. Govt Answers On Rana In Parliament top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement in the Parliament during the Budget Session on April 4 and said that India and the US have been engaged in the case and are working closely for Ranas swift extradition. During the visit of Prime Minister to Washington DC on 13 February 2025, the U.S. Administration conveyed that it had approved the extradition of Tahawwur Rana to India. Ranas application for a stay on this decision is before the U.S. Supreme Court, which is expected to pronounce on it soon. Both India and the U.S. remain engaged on the case and are working closely to complete the necessary formalities to allow for the swift extradition of Tahawwur Rana to India," the government had said in the Parliament. 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: April 09, 2025, 08:24 IST 'Tahawwur Rana's Extradition A Big Diplomatic Win': Amit Shah At Rising Bharat 2025 Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 23:22 IST Amit Shah said that India remains committed to bring back those who have disrespected Indias honour and mistreated Indian citizens. Home Minister Amit Shah in conversation with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi at Rising Bharat Summit 2025 in New Delhi. (IMAGE: NEWS18) Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday that the successful extradition of 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Rana was a testimony to the Narendra Modi governments diplomatic prowess and commitment to justice. Shah, in conversation with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi at the CNN-News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025, said that the Modi government was committed to bringing back those who have misused Indias land, disrespected its honour and even mistreated Indian citizens" and try them under Indian laws. Recommended Stories Tahawwur Ranas extradition is a big diplomatic success of the Modi government," Shah said. The ones, during whose regime the attacks happened, could not bring the perpetrators back to the country and bring them to justice, but we remain committed to do so," Shah added, in a veiled dig at the Congress, which was in power both at the Centre and in Maharashtra in 2008, the year the attacks took place. A multi-agency Indian team has travelled to the United States to bring back Rana, government sources told CNN-News18 on Wednesday. They said a surrender warrant had been executed and that Rana would be in India soon. Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian businessman, is wanted in India for his alleged involvement in the 2008 attacks that killed 166 people, including security personnel and foreigners. He is accused of facilitating the brazen, coordinated strikes on Indias financial hub by carrying out reconnaissance missions and providing support to David Coleman Headley, a co-conspirator who surveyed key targets for the Lashkar-e-Taiba. He allegedly used his immigration services company as a front to help Headley pose as a US national while gathering intelligence in India. After years of legal wrangling, US courts cleared his extradition to India, citing his role in the conspiracy. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all At the sunmit, Shah said that the Modi government will continue to pursue those who attacked India. He was asked about Headley, a Pakistani-American who is serving a 35-year sentence in the US. The 26/11 Mumbai attacks were among the deadliest terror strikes in Indias history, leaving 166 people dead and hundreds injured. For nearly 60 hours starting November 26, 2008, 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists targeted multiple locations across the city, including the Taj Hotel, CST railway station, and the Jewish Chabad House. The attacks, orchestrated from Pakistan, sent shockwaves around the world. Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving gunman, was tried and executed in India. About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More First Published: April 09, 2025, 22:55 IST Tahawwur Rana's Extradition From US: What Happens After 26/11 Accused Lands In India? Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Mallika Soni Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 13:41 IST Tahawwur Rana Extradition: Tahawwur Ranas surrender warrant has been executed and a multi-agency team will land in India with him shortly. Tahawwur Rana Tahawwur Rana is set to land in India and face trial in the Mumbai 26/11 terror attack case after being extradited from the United States. Tahawwur Ranas surrender warrant has been executed and a multi-agency team will land in India with him shortly, sources said. This comes after New Delhi assured Washington about the safety and security of Tahawwur Rana, sources told CNN-News18 as earlier the fugitive had raised concerns about possible torture in custody and legal aid in India. Recommended Stories US officials also sought clarity about the security arrangements made for Tahawwur Rana in Tihar jail- where he is likely to be lodged, it was learnt. Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman, is known to have been an active operative of the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). He played a pivotal role in facilitating travel documents for David Headley who conducted reconnaissance of key targets in Mumbai which were later attacked killing 164 people, including six Americans. What Happens When Tahawwur Rana Lands In India? Upon landing in India, Tahawwur Rana is likely to be produced in the Patiala House special National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court. NIA could seek custodial interrogation of the terror attacks accused, for which NIA headquarters and Tihar jail have tightened security, sources revealed. Read more: From Abu Salem To Ravi Pujari, A Look At Indias High-Profile Successful Extraditions What Are The Charges Against Tahawwur Rana? The NIA charge sheet against Tahawwur Rana- filed in December 2011- accused him, David Headley and six others of planning and executing terror attacks in India. The charge sheet included statements of 134 witnesses, 210 documents and 106 emails including one from David Headleys wife who congratulated" him for his graduation" and also said that she saw the show (broadcast of the terror attack) all day ." David Headley and Tahawwur Rana were in constant communication in the run up to the 26/11 attacks, emails accessed by NIA showed. As per the charge sheet, Tahawwur Rana became part of the attacks conspiracy in 2005 as an operative of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harakat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) and was closely engaged with Pakistan-based conspirators. Tahawwur Rana provided logistics and financial assistance to David Headley who was entrusted with the task of doing a reconnaissance of the predetermined target and look for other targets", as per the charge sheet. What NIA Wants Tahawwur Rana To Reveal? NIA suspects Tahawwur Rana knew in detail about the Mumbai terror attack. As per probe officials, Tahawwur Rana visited Hapur, Delhi, Agra, Kochi, Ahmedabad and Mumbai with his wife Samraz Rana Akhtar between November 13 and November 21, 2008- a week before the attack. NIA would want Tahawwur Rana to reveal the purpose of these visits. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all He could also be shown emails, call records and other technical evidence which has been gathered during the investigation. Probe revealed that David Headley used many different email addresses for communicating to avoid being traced. Haidergillani1@hotmail.com " appears to be David Headleys most used email address while Tahawwur Rana used tahawwur@yahoo.com" and immigration@ameritechi.net". 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 Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: April 09, 2025, 13:39 IST Tahawwur Rana's Extradition More Than Just Optics, Will Help India Get Info On Terror Outfits: Sources | Exclusive Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Pragati Ratti Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 14:48 IST Now, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Mumbai Police, and other state police forces will have the opportunity to question Rana directly for their cases and seek his explanations, sources said. Tahawwur Rana is seeking a stay of his extradition to India after the US Supreme Court rejected his emergency bid. (File photo) Mumbai attacks convict Tahawwur Ranas extradition holds significant value for Indian intelligence agencies beyond mere optics. As a key figure involved in the most significant attack post-9/11, his trial in India could provide new insights, potentially uncovering more details about the conspiracy, top Intelligence sources told CNN-News18. While Ranas interrogation may not be a complete solution, it will help fill gaps in Indias understanding of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its connection with the ISI. Unlike armed militants, Rana was influenced by radical Islamist ideology, making him a valuable source for understanding the global jihad mission supported by groups like Lashkar, Jaish, or ISIS. Recommended Stories According to top intelligence sources, this is the first time a sophisticated terrorist like Rana, unlike Ajmal Kasab, will be interrogated in the Indian environment. Although extensive interrogations were conducted in US prisons, the process was controlled and limited by dependence on foreign agencies. Now, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Mumbai Police, and other state police forces will have the opportunity to question Rana directly for their cases and seek his explanations, sources said. Previously, cooperation from the CIA was minimal in expanding the probe to include Lashkar and Jaish. However, in this instance, Indian agencies will aim to explore all avenues. Ranas statements, recorded before investigators and cross-examined in court, will serve as testimony, providing documented proof of ISI involvement and aiding in putting further international pressure on Pakistan to act against terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish, sources said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Ranas proximity to the planners of the Mumbai attack makes him a key source for information on the leadership structure of LeT commanders like Hafiz Saeed and Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi. Although his direct ties to JeM are unclear, his knowledge of ISIs terror ecosystem could reveal their shared resources, such as training camps, funding networks, and safe houses, as well as their divided responsibilities, sources added. For instance, LeT focused on India-centric attacks like Mumbai, while JeM specialised in Kashmir-centric operations like the Pulwama attack in 2019. Ranas conviction in the 2009 Denmark terror plot targeting the Jyllands-Posten newspaper highlights his role in global jihadism. Indian agencies will explore LeTs international ambitions and their plans beyond South Asia, including recruitment efforts in the West, sources said. About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 First Published: April 09, 2025, 14:48 IST Thane: Two Women, One Holding Baby, Beaten For Saying 'Excuse Me' Amid Marathi Language Row Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 17:32 IST Two women, one of them carrying a baby in her arms, were on Tuesday beaten up in Dombivli in the district for allegedly saying "excuse me" instead of speaking in Marathi. The video of the incident has gone viral, and the police have stated that they are conducting a preliminary investigation. Two women, one of them carrying a baby in her arms, were on Tuesday beaten up in Dombivli in the district for allegedly saying excuse me" instead of speaking in Marathi. As a video of the incident went viral, police said they were conducting preliminary probe. Recommended Stories The incident took place in the morning when the women, who were on a two-wheeler, were entering the premises of the housing society where they lived. When the woman who was riding the scooter said excuse me" to a young man who was obstructing the entrance, he allegedly took offence, demanding that she speak in Marathi, she claimed. The man, who lives on the ground floor of the same building, allegedly twisted the arm of the pillion rider, they said in a complaint filed at Vishnunagar police station. Four or five women and two young men from his family gathered and allegedly beat up the two women. Eyewitnesses said they showed no concern for the nine-month-old baby. `Excuse me is a common courtesy and the accuseds reaction was unwarranted, the complainant said. Senior inspector Sanjay Pawar of Vishnu Nagar police station told PTI that investigation was underway. No First Information Report has been registered yet, he said, adding that police were probing if the incident arose from a past dispute. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Workers of the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had recently launched an agitation demanding that staff at banks in Maharashtra should speak to customers in Marathi. The United Forum of Bank Unions wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, stating that people claiming to be MNS activists have been visiting bank branches and intimidating staff. Thackeray later asked his workers to cease the agitation. Location : Thane, India, India First Published: April 09, 2025, 17:32 IST 'We See An Opportunity': S Jaishankar Weighs In On Trump Tariffs At Rising Bharat 2025 Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Pragati Ratti Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 11:27 IST Jaishankar said that while it's not the right time to speak on the impact of the tariffs on India, as that is yet to be known, India's strategy to engage with the Trump administration on the issue is not something negative. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at Rising Bharat Summit 2025. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has seen that India sees an opportunity" in the current situation with respect to the tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on several countries. Speaking at Rising Bharat Summit 2025, Jaishankar said that while its not the right time to speak on the impact of the tariffs on India, as that is yet to be known, Indias strategy to engage with the Trump administration on the issue is not something negative. Jaishankar said, Our strategy has been clear that we will engage with the Trump administration early on these issues. Weve been open with them as they have been with us. We are trying to negotiate a bilateral trade agreement by fall of this year. We are the only country that has engaged with the Trump administration on this. This trade agreement, in fact, has long been our objective, and there can be no better time for it than now." Recommended Stories Emphasising on Indias engagement with the US after Trump took over as the President, Jaishankar said, I think today when I look back at the last time since PM Modis visit to the US, weve actually had multiple rounds of talks with the US. I think we had more discussion with Americans in the last six weeks than what we have had with European leaders in the past two years." Talking about Indias engagement with European nations in the middle of the Russia-Ukraine war and the US tariffs, Jaishankar said, There is a natural growth protentional in the Gulf, Europe, Latin America, US. Its been our endeavour to have negotiations with Europe on FTA and we have been pressing the Europeans for engagement. We see an opportunity in the current situation with US." Jaishankar added that India was hopeful of closing the FTA talks this year. Europeans were serious about the FTA earlier. Typically, they have taken much longer periods between interacting with each other. Europe today releases the importance deeper ties with India and the relevance of the FTA for that purpose. There is a serious message coming out of Europe that we want to move forward on this. And, I see a very intense engagement with US and UK also. We have an aspirational goal, we hope to close the FTA this year," Jaishankar said. Jaishankar On Ties With China Speaking on Indias ties with China, Jaishankar said while the relationship was better than what it was this time last year, there were still issues that needed to resolved and work that needs to be done". While the Depsang and Depsong disengagement has been a positive sign, Jaishankar said there were still issues like resuming of direct flights which were stopped during COVID-19. Direct flights to the Kailash Man Sarovar yatra stopped during Covid. They have not yet been resumed. Jaishankar On Bangladesh Speaking on Indias relationship with Bangladesh, specially under the current circumstances in the neighbourhood country and on PM Modis meeting with Muhammad Yunus, Jaishankar said, I think the main message from our side which came from the meeting is that our relationship with Bangladesh is unique. It is fundamentally people to people connect and not about the government of the day. He added that India has been open about concerns coming out of the current rhetoric in Bangladesh and the attacks on minorities in the neighbouring country. Jaishankar stated that there was no other country that wished as well for Bangladesh than India. As a well-wisher, we want them to do the right thing. A democracy requires election and we hope they go down that path," the EAM said. Jaishankar on Pakistan Jaishankar reiterated how Pakistan was a terror factory". I dont have to say it, its visible, even they say it. Its not like I am making an accusation, and everybody in Pakistan is denying it. You have people in Pakistan who openly declare that they are doing terrorist activity in India. This is not a hypothesis, this is something they proudly claim. All sensible people have maintained that if you start a terrorism industry, you will be consumed by it, and that is what we are seeing today," he said. Speaking on 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks convict Tahawwur Ranas extradition to India, Jaishankar said India welcomes USs decision to send Rana to the country. When asked about the situation in Balochistan, Jaishankar said, In Balochistan, there is a very disturbed situation, people are suffering. If I say something, there will be finger-pointing, so I dont want to say anything." Jaishankar on Canada When asked about sour ties between India and Canada over the past one year, Jaishankar said that he would encourage both the nations to resolve issues and mend the relationship. Sounding caution, he also said that he would be careful about commenting on Canada since the country is set to go to elections later this year. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all On Khalistani elements in Canada, Jaishankar said, If you encourage, import secessionism, there are consequences for your own. We see them recognising the problem, not platforming such forces. We will take that into account." When asked what he saw as the biggest achievement of Indias foreign policy in his tenure as EAM, Jaishankar said it was the ability to maintain the rise of Bharat under extremely turbulent" global times. 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: April 09, 2025, 10:45 IST West Bengal Follows UP As Cabinet Passes New Rule To Appoint DGP Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Pragati Ratti Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 11:34 IST With these new rules, the acting DGP, Rajiv Kumar, may be appointed as the permanent DGP for a two-year term, sources said. The selection committee to appoint West Bengal DGP will be composed of a retired judge, the Chief Secretary, the Home Secretary, and other personnel. (Image: PTI File) The Bengal Cabinet has passed new rules for appointing the Director General of Police (DGP), sources told CNN-News18. Under these rules, a selection committee headed by a retired High Court judge will be responsible for appointing the DGP. This change eliminates the need for the State Government to send names to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). This approach mirrors steps taken by Uttar Pradesh last year. With these new rules, the acting DGP, Rajeev Kumar, may be appointed as the permanent DGP for a two-year term, sources said. Traditionally, the State Government would send names of the senior-most Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to the UPSC, which would then shortlist three candidates. The State Government would then choose one from this list. Recommended Stories Rajeev Kumar was appointed as the acting DGP of Bengal in December 2023 after being transferred from his post during elections by the Election Commission (EC). Following the elections, the Mamata Banerjee government reinstated him as the acting DGP. On Monday, the Bengal Cabinet passed the new rules, freeing the State Government from the obligation of sending names to the UPSC. Members Of Selection Committee The selection committee will be composed of a retired judge, the Chief Secretary, the Home Secretary, and other personnel, sources said. Sources indicate that the idea for these new rules was derived from a Supreme Court verdict in a 2006 police reform case, which was based on a petition filed by former UP DGP Prakash Singh. The verdict recommended the formation of such committees by the states. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all A former bureaucrat mentioned that there had been concerns that the UPSC might not approve the states recommended names, but the new rules will empower the State Government. Uttar Pradesh implemented similar rules last year, as they did not have a regular DGP since 2022. Now, Bengal has followed suit. 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: April 09, 2025, 08:33 IST Bonnie Henry By Michelle Gamage Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Around 40 people were in hospitals across B.C. with COVID as of the beginning of this month, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said. For COVID, really thats the lowest its been in many years, since the summer of 2020, she said. But COVID tends to surge in the spring and summer, she added. Starting April 8, British Columbians can access a spring COVID-19 vaccine the same one used in the fall and winterwhich could boost immunity for anyone who hasnt had a vaccine or infection in the past three months, said Andy Watson, communications director for the Public Health Officer. The province is offering an mRNA vaccine that protects against the KP.2 subvariant. During the fall and winter campaign, 1.1 million people in B.C. were vaccinated against COVID and 1.3 million against the flu, out of a population of 5.7 million. B.C. has been experiencing its worst flu season since before the pandemic, Henry said. RSV peaked in February and has since declined. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends the spring COVID shot for people at highest risk of serious illnessadults 65+, Indigenous adults 55+, those in long-term care, and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals aged six months and up. B.C. will prioritize these groups, but others are also welcome to book a shot, the Health Ministry told The Tyee. Notifications to book appointments start April 8, and shots will be available until June 30 at 400 pharmacies and health-care centres. Public health units will also provide vaccines for children under 12. Henry declared the cold and flu season over Friday, ending the requirement to wear masks in all health-care settings, though she still encourages people to wear them. Henry also said there are five confirmed cases of measles in the province, all likely contracted while travelling in Southeast Asia. Increasingly, were seeing cases of measles in parts of Canada, with outbreaks in Ontario and cases here in B.C., and around the world, she said. Measles can cause serious illness, particularly for young people who are not vaccinated. And we have tragically had one death in Canada last year. An unvaccinated child under five died in Hamilton in May 2024, according to the CBC. Henry urged people to check if theyve had both measles vaccine doses. The vaccine is free in B.C. The Tyee previously reported that B.C.s current measles vaccination rate is lower than in Gaines County, Texas, where a recent outbreak killed an adult and a six-year-old child. Parents of children aged seven to nine should double-check their vaccination records, in case their immunizations were disrupted during the pandemic, Henry said. People born before 1970 are assumed to have immunity. Those who received only one dose before 1996 should get a second to ensure full protection. If youre not sure or dont have your records, getting an additional dose does not have any harms and it makes sure you are protected for the rest of your life, Henry said. One dose offers 8595 per cent protection; two doses offer 97100 per cent, Dr. Jia Hu, interim medical director at the BCCDC, previously told The Tyee. Children should receive their first dose at age one and their second around kindergarten. Those travelling to outbreak areas can receive their first dose at six months and a second between ages one and four, the Health Ministry said. This includes travel to Ontario, where 572 cases have been reported since October 2024, and Quebec, which has reported 40 cases since December. Ontario has seen 40 hospitalizations, mostly children. Outbreaks have also occurred in New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, and internationally. These have been linked to other large outbreaks in North America, particularly in Texas, in the U.S. and in Mexico, Henry said. Babies younger than six months cant receive the vaccine as their immune systems arent ready, Henry said. Unvaccinated individuals can contract measles from minimal exposure and be contagious before showing symptoms. Thats whats so worrisome about this virus and why its so important that we take those measures now to protect ourselves from getting infected in the first place, she said. Wont Let Anyone Spread Terror In J&K; No Compromise On Security Or Separatism: Amit Shah Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 10, 2025, 02:25 IST The union home minister said at CNN-News18s Rising Bharat Summit 2025 that the Centre is committed to working with J&Ks elected leadership Union home minister Amit Shah speaks at the Rising Bharat Summit on April 9. (Image: News18) Speaking during the CNN-News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025, union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said his recent meeting with Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah was cordial and focused on development and governance. We have always supported regional governments equally, without any bias," Shah said in a conversation with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi. He added that the Centre is committed to working with J&Ks elected leadership. Recommended Stories We will not let anyone conspire to spread terror in J&K. If anyone tries such things, they will be punished," the minister warned. Shah said that national security is a top priority for his government. Security and separatism: on these issues our stand is firm. We will not compromise, nor will we allow anyone else to do it," he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Asked whether a recent terror incident in Kathua was caused by Pakistan-backed infiltration, Shah quipped, Infiltration is, of course, backed by Pakistan and not someone else like Russia. And this has been happening for years. But our soldiers and the government are both alert, and we will punish them if they try." The home minister met top government officials, political leaders, and security brass during his J&K visit this week to assess the current situation in the union territory and devise the future course of action. 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: April 10, 2025, 02:25 IST Banu Mushtaqs Heart Lamp Becomes First Kannada Work to Make International Booker Prize Shortlist Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 08:02 IST Karnataka writer Banu Mushtaqs Heart Lamp, translated by Deepa Bhasthi, has become the first-ever Kannada work to be shortlisted for the International Booker Prize, marking a historic moment for regional Indian literature on the global stage. Banu Mushtaq has made history with her short story collection Heart Lamp, which has been shortlisted for the 2025 International Booker Prize. In a landmark moment for Indian literature, Karnataka-based writer, activist, and lawyer Banu Mushtaq has made history with her short story collection Heart Lamp, which has been shortlisted for the 2025 International Booker Prize. Translated from Kannada into English by Deepa Bhasthi, the book marks the first-ever Kannada title to reach this stage of the prestigious 50,000 literary prize. The announcement was made in London on Tuesday, placing Heart Lamp among six finalists celebrated for their powerful portrayals of the human experience. Published by And Other Stories, the collection brings together 12 evocative tales written by Mushtaq between 1990 and 2023. Recommended Stories Bhasthi, who also translated Mushtaqs earlier acclaimed volume Haseena and Other Stories, which won the 2024 English PEN Translation Award, continues her collaboration with the writer in Heart Lamp. The Booker Foundation praised this years shortlist as a reflection of survival and resilience across cultural, political, and emotional landscapes. From the too-perfect interiors of a Berlin apartment to a terrifying journey across the English Channel; from patriarchal communities in southern India to a futuristic world at the limits of our imagination these are books about survival and self-preservation," the Foundation said in a statement. Reacting to the news, Mushtaq expressed deep emotion and gratitude, recalling her father, S.A. Rehaman, who had the foresight to send her to a Kannada-medium schoola decision that shaped her life and literary voice. My father chose Kannada for me against all odds. That choice didnt just give me a language, but a way of thinking. Im also thankful to my husband, Mushtaq Mohiyuddin, who supported my writing through challenging times," she said to The Hindu. The International Booker Prize awards 50,000, shared equally between author and translator. Each shortlisted title also receives 5,000 (2,500 each for author and translator). The winner will be revealed at a ceremony at Londons Tate Modern on May 20. 2025 International Booker Prize Shortlist: On the Calculation of Volume (Book I) by Solvej Balle, translated from Danish by Barbara J Haveland (New Directions) Small Boat by Vincent Delecroix, translated from French by Helen Stevenson Under the Eye of the Big Bird by Hiromi Kawakami, translated from Japanese by Asa Yoneda (Soft Skull) Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico, translated from Italian by Sophie Hughes (NYRB) Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi (And Other Stories) top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all A Leopard-Skin Hat by Anne Serre, translated from French by Mark Hutchinson (New Directions) As anticipation builds for the announcement, Mushtaq prepares to travel to London for what promises to be a defining moment in her literary journeyand for Kannada literature at large. About the Author Swati Chaturvedi Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl... Read More Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl... Read More fashion, travel, The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health food , and culture with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: April 09, 2025, 08:02 IST Tamannaah Bhatia Embraces Graceful Tradition at Babulnath Temple Ahead of Odela 2 Release Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 08:33 IST For the temple visit, Tamannaah swapped her signature glam for a more demure and devotional avatar, donning a stunning red-and-white Bengali saree Tamannaah kept her accessories minimala pair of sparkling diamond studs adding just the right hint of shimmer Tamannaah Bhatia recently turned to spirituality as she sought blessings at Mumbais revered Babulnath Temple. The visit came ahead of the release of her upcoming Telugu film Odela 2, and the actress marked the occasion with an elegant, traditional look that paid homage to timeless Indian aesthetics. For the temple visit, Tamannaah swapped her signature glam for a more demure and devotional avatar, donning a stunning red-and-white Bengali saree. Made from opulent silk, the saree featured a crisp white base embellished with delicate golden boti motifs. A striking contrast came through the broad red borders, intricately woven with golden threadwork, while the richly embroidered pallu added a layer of artisanal charm to the ensemble. Recommended Stories View this post on Instagram A post shared by Varinder Chawla (@varindertchawla) She paired the saree with a deep red blouse, perfectly offsetting the softness of the drape and lending a structured silhouette to the look. Tamannaah kept her accessories minimala pair of sparkling diamond studs adding just the right hint of shimmer. Her beauty look was equally understated and ethereal. With a radiant base, nude-toned makeup, defined eyes with a flick of liner, and a touch of blush, she let her natural glow take center stage. Her sleek, center-parted bun was adorned with a traditional white gajra, while a small red bindi completed her serene, temple-ready appearance. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Whats Next for Tamannaah Tamannaah will next be seen in Odela 2, which is set for a theatrical release on April 17, 2025. The film also stars Hebah Patel, Vasishta N. Simha, and Surender Reddy, among others. Additionally, she is working on Daring Partners, a film that pairs her with Diana Penty in a much-anticipated collaboration. About the Author Swati Chaturvedi Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl... Read More Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl... Read More fashion, travel, The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health food , and culture with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: April 09, 2025, 08:33 IST Akshay Kumar, Vishnu Manchu Starrer Kannappa Locks New Release Date | Check Here Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 16:41 IST The teaser shared a glimpse of Prabhas as Divine Guardian Rudra. It also revealed that Akshay Kumar will be essaying the role of Lord Shiva Kannappa to release in June this year The much-anticipated mythological drama Kannappa, featuring Vishnu Manchu, Akshay Kumar and Prabhas, has officially rescheduled its release date. The film is now being released on June 27, 2025. It was earlier scheduled to release on April 25 date. It also stars Preity Mukhundhan, Mohanlal and Kajal Aggarwal in key roles. Trade Analyst Taran Adarsh has confirmed the release date on his X handle. VISHNU MANCHUS PAN-INDIA FILM KANNAPPA LOCKS NEW RELEASE DATE: 27 JUNE 2025 Mark your calendars #Kannappa the historical action saga is now set to release on 27 June 2025. The makers officially announced the new release date during a special meeting with #UttarPradesh Chief Minister #YogiAdityanath ji. #Kannappa stars #VishnuManchu, with prominent roles by #Mohanlal, #Prabhas, #AkshayKumar and #KajalAggarwal. Will release in #Telugu, #Malayalam, #Tamil, #Kannada and #Hindi. Directed by #MukeshKumarSingh Produced by #MMohanBabu. #KannappaMovie." Recommended Stories Take a look here: VISHNU MANCHUS PAN-INDIA FILM KANNAPPA LOCKS NEW RELEASE DATE: 27 JUNE 2025 Mark your calendars #Kannappa the historical action saga is now set to release on 27 June 2025.The makers officially announced the new release date during a special meeting with pic.twitter.com/V9nZ0d9apl taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) April 9, 2025 The team also met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath in Lucknow. In a grand gesture of reverence and recognition, a striking poster of Kannappa was unveiled in the presence of the CM, bearing with it a big revelation: the film will be released worldwide on June 27. The date is now officialand etched in the calendar of Indian cinema. Talking about the meetup, Vishnu Manchu says,"Meeting Honble CM Yogi Adityanath ji was a moment of immense honour for all of us. As someone who has poured a decade of my life into Kannappa, seeing him resonate with the soul of our film was incredibly moving. He understood that Kannappa isnt just a storyits a cultural resurrection. The fact that he called for more such films to be made and seen affirms the spiritual and cultural power cinema can hold. His words were a reminder that our mythology, our history, our heroes must continue to find their voice on the big screen and be passed down to generations. It is a privilege to have the release date of the film June 27, unveiled by him." Recently, the teaser was released. It shared a glimpse of Prabhas as Divine Guardian Rudra. It also revealed that Akshay Kumar will be essaying the role of Lord Shiva in his Telugu debut. The teaser, which has generated significant buzz, offers a glimpse into a historical narrative of devotion, sacrifice, and grandeur. About the Author Akriti Anand Akriti Anand is Chief Sub Editor of the entertainment team at News18. A news writer with over a decade of experience, Akriti loves to keep a close watch on Bollywood celebrities and their social media. A post-g... Read More Akriti Anand is Chief Sub Editor of the entertainment team at News18. A news writer with over a decade of experience, Akriti loves to keep a close watch on Bollywood celebrities and their social media. A post-g... Read More First Published: April 09, 2025, 16:41 IST Kajol Serves Classic Glamour In White Saree At Mumbai Airport, Fans Are All Hearts | Watch Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 07:27 IST Kajol wowed fans with her beauty at Mumbai airport after attending News18's Rising Bharat Summit 2025, wearing a stunning white saree and leaving her hair loose. Kajol at the Mumbai airport. Kajol never fails to win hearts! The actress was spotted at the Mumbai airport as she returned from News18s Rising Bharat Summit 2025 held in Delhi, and fans cant stop talking about how beautiful she looked. Dressed in a simple yet stunning white saree, Kajol kept her look classic as she left her tresses loose. A video of her walking through the airport has now been shared online and people are loving her grace and style. Recommended Stories Take a look: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani) Many fans called Kajol timeless" and praised her for keeping things real and elegant. Some even dropped heart and fire emojis to show their love for the actress. The comments section is filled with praises for her. Meanwhile, at the News18s Rising Bharat Summit in New Delhi on Tuesday, Kajol was invited as a special guest where she spoke a lot about her career. During her session, she clarified that she was not approached for Sunny Deols superhit movie, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha. While several reports claimed that Kajol was initially considered for the role of Sakina, the actress told us that it was not the case. Gadar was not offered to me. It was a rumour," she clarified. However, Kajol admitted that a lot of other films were offered to her, which she rejected, because of different reasons. A lot of films were offered to me. I will not name. Those films have been made. Some were hit, others werent. I think you cant claim work which you havent done," the actress added. At the summit, Kajol opened up about her journey in the film industry and shared how things have changed for the better. She said actors today are lucky because they no longer have to stress about their age or body type to get good roles. She gave a big thumbs up to OTT platforms for shaking things up in showbiz and said that now, its all about talent and thats what truly matters. Kajol also addressed ongoing speculation regarding her daughter Nysa Devgns entry into the film industry. She stated that Nysa currently has no plans to pursue a career in acting. Talking at the Summit, the Do Patti actress said, Bilkul nai..no, I think..vo 22 saal ki ho gaye hai..hone wali hai abhi.. I think she has made up her mind that ki nai aane wali hai abhi." Kajol also got candid about why she chose to drop her last name when she entered Bollywood. She shared that it was a conscious decision to steer clear of the pressure that came with her familys legacy. Her mother, veteran actress Tanuja, had once asked her if she wanted to use her surname, reminding her of the strong lineage she had on both her grandmothers and grandfathers side. But Kajol said she wanted to stay true to herself. By going with just Kajol," she hoped to step into the industry without the weight of expectations and make a name for herself purely on her own terms. During Rising Bharat Summit 2025, Kajol said, It was a conscious choice. Meri maa ne mujhe puchha tha jab main pictures mein aana chahti thi, uss waqt. Mujhe puchha tha ki you have such an amazing lineage from your grandmother and grandfathers side as well. Mujhe uss waqt, aur abhi bhi, lagta hai ki mujhe kisi ki tarafdaari nahi karni thi. (My mother had asked me when I wanted to enter the industry, at that time. She had said, You have such an amazing lineage from both your grandmother and grandfathers side. But even then, and even now, I felt that I didnt want to take sides with anyone)." First Published: April 09, 2025, 07:27 IST Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act: South Korea National Assembly Reviews Plea; Parliamentary Session Soon? Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 16:29 IST Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act: South Korean actor Kim Soo Hyun has been accused of dating the late actress Kim Sae Ron when she was just a minor. Kim Soo Hyun recently held a press conference and addressed allegations against him. (Photo: Instagram) Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act: Amid the controversy surrounding actor Kim Soo Hyun, it has now been reported that the National Assembly of South Korea is reviewing the Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act. Reportedly, since over 50,000 people have already signed the plea in less than 30 days, the proposal is referred to the relevant committee in the National Assembly. Now, the committee has 90 days to decide if the plea should be discussed in the parliamentary session or not. It will also decide if the petition is eligible for the possible legislative action. More details are awaited. Recommended Stories What Is Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act? The Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act urges the lawmakers of South Korea to raise the age of consent from the current 16 years to up to 19 years. For now, South Korean people attain adulthood at 19. However, the age of consent in the country is 16. With the Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act, netizens demand that anybody who engages in sexual intercourse with an underage individual aged 13 and 16, or indulges in intimate acts with those under 13 is considered rape. The petition further calls for stricter punishment for those breaking these consent rules. It demands the punishment for molestation must be increased minimum two years of imprisonment and for rape, it must be five years of imprisonment. For now, punishment for molestation and rape in the country is only a fine and minimum of two years imprisonment, respectively. What Is Kim Soo Hyun Accused Of? South Korean actor Kim Soo Hyun has been accused of dating the late actress Kim Sae Ron when she was just a minor. So far, the latters family has made several allegations against Soo Hyun. However, Kim Soo Hyun recently held a press conference and addressed allegations. He said, Ill address the biggest concernI did not date the deceased when she was a minor. We dated five years ago for about a year, long before Queen of Tears aired." The actor also explained why he denied dating Sae Ron earlier, saying, As the lead actor of Queen of Tears, I couldnt confirm the relationship publicly because of its potential impact on the cast and crew." Kim also denied accusations that his agency pressured Sae Ron over her debts, saying, Aside from the fact that we were both actors, we were simply an ordinary couple who broke up over time." About the Author Chirag Sehgal Chirag Sehgal works as a Sub-Editor in the Entertainment team at News18.com. With an experience of five years in the media industry, he largely focuses on Indian television coverage. Apart from bringing breakin... Read More Chirag Sehgal works as a Sub-Editor in the Entertainment team at News18.com. With an experience of five years in the media industry, he largely focuses on Indian television coverage. Apart from bringing breakin... Read More First Published: April 09, 2025, 11:24 IST Pakistani Actress Hania Aamir Supports Apoorva Mukhija AKA The Rebel Kid Amid Threats: 'Special Place In Hell' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 15:07 IST Pakistani actress Hania Aamir has come out in support for YouTuber Apoorva Mukhija, in the spotlight due to the controversy surrounding Samay Raina's Indias Got Latent. Apoorva Mukhija has been subjected to death, rape and acid attack threats. Pakistani actress Hania Aamir has come out in support for YouTuber Apoorva Mukhija, also known as The Rebel Kid, who has been in the spotlight due to the ongoing controversy surrounding Samay Rainas show, Indias Got Latent. Mukhija, who had previously deleted all her Instagram posts, made a strong return to the platform on Tuesday with a shocking statement. In one of her posts, Apoorva declared her comeback with the message, Dont take away the story from the storyteller." In another post, Apoorva shared screenshots of inhumane comments that people left on her posts and DMs following the controversy. While some were grave rape threats, the other even worse, threatening acid attack. In the caption of her post, she shared that the screenshots were not even a fraction of what she had received. and thats not even 1%," she wrote. Recommended Stories Hania took to Instagram stories, shared Apoorvas post and wrote, A separate place in hell" referring to those who threatened her. For the unversed, Apoorva Mukhija has been facing legal troubles for Ranveer Allahbadias recent comments on Indias Got Latent. Allahbadia, also known as BeerBiceps, during an episode of the show, allegedly asked a contestant an inappropriate question involving body parts and proposed an indecent act in exchange for Rs 2 crore. The outrage peaked when he posed a controversial question: Would you watch your parents have sex every day for the rest of your life or join once to stop it forever?" Apoorva Mukhija is facing legal issues due to comments made by Ranveer Allahbadia on Indias Got Latent. Allahbadia, also known as BeerBiceps, allegedly asked a contestant an inappropriate question about body parts and suggested an indecent act in return for Rs 2 crore during the show. The outrage peaked when he posed a controversial question: Would you watch your parents have sex every day for the rest of your life or join once to stop it forever?" About the Author Shreyanka Mazumdar Shreyanka Mazumdar is Chief Sub Editor of the entertainment team at News18. With an unbridled passion for all things Bollywood, she loves deep-diving into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment world, bring... Read More Shreyanka Mazumdar is Chief Sub Editor of the entertainment team at News18. With an unbridled passion for all things Bollywood, she loves deep-diving into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment world, bring... Read More First Published: April 09, 2025, 15:07 IST Pawan Kalyan Shares Son Marks Health Update After Singapore School Fire, Says PM Modi Gave Him Courage Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 16:30 IST Pawan Kalyan Son Health Update: Pawan Kalyan, Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, updated on his son Mark Shankar's recovery after a school fire in Singapore. PM Modi and CM Chandrababu Naidu offered support. Pawan Kalyan reveals PM Narendra Modi called him after hearing about his son's school fire incident. Pawan Kalyan Son Health Update: Actor and Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan, has now provided an update on his son, Mark Shankar Pawanovich, who was injured in a school fire in Singapore. In a statement released on April 8, 2025, Pawan Kalyan stated, Our youngest son, Mark Shankar, was injured in a school fire in Singapore and is being treated in hospital. He is gradually recovering." The actor-politician shared that Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally called him after hearing the news, offering words of support that gave courage" during the difficult time. He added that the Indian High Commissioner in Singapore was instructed to extend necessary assistance. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu also reached out to him over the phone. Recommended Stories He expressed gratitude to everyone who prayed for Marks recovery, including politicians, actors, and well-wishers who conducted poojas at temples on his behalf. Concluding his message, Pawan Kalyan said, Mark Shankar is gradually recovering due to these good-hearted wishes and blessings. I sincerely thank everyone." On April 8, a fire incident occurred at a shophouse on Singapores River Valley Road, where several individuals, including children, were caught in the blaze. Among those injured was Pawan Kalyans eight-year-old son, Mark Shankar, who suffered burns on his limbs and faced breathing difficulties due to smoke exposure. Emergency crews, including the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), immediately arrived at the location and worked to control the fire. At the time of the incident, Pawan Kalyan was on an official visit to the Alluri Sitarama Raju district in Andhra Pradesh, where he was interacting with local communities. After completing his scheduled engagements there, he immediately departed for Singapore to be with his son. In light of the emergency, his remaining events planned in Visakhapatnam were cancelled. Mark, who is currently pursuing his education in Singapore, is under medical care and receiving treatment at a local hospital. Pawan Kalyan shares two childrenson Mark and daughter Polenawith his third wife, Anna Lezhneva. The family prefers to keep a low profile and is rarely seen making public appearances together. First Published: April 09, 2025, 08:01 IST Randeep Hooda Breaks Silence On Savarkar Controversy: 'One Must Research About It' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 16:21 IST Randeep Hooda At Rising Bharat Summit 2025: Randeep Hooda discussed his film Swatantrya Veer Savarkar at News18's Rising Bharat Summit, addressing its controversy and stressing ideological neutrality. Randeep Hooda to be next seen in Jaat. (Photo Credits: Instagram) Randeep Hooda attended News18s Rising Bharat Summit in New Delhi on Wednesday, when he talked about his directorial debut, Swatantrya Veer Savarkar. Released in 2024, the film also starred Ankita Lokhande in the lead. However, it landed in a controversy due to its claims that Savarkar inspired freedom fighters like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh. During the Rising Bharat Summit, Randeep Hooda addressed the controversy when he mentioned that a person doesnt need to be either left or right inclined, ideologically. Left and the right wing belong to the same bird. Ideologies must be different so that there is a debate for people to understand both sides. People can be neutral also," he said. Recommended Stories Politics on Savarkar has been going on since the time when there were only three political parties in the country the Indian National Congress, the Hindu Maha Sabha and the Muslim League. Today also, opposition raises questions on the government and vice versa," he added. Hooda, who is currently gearing up for the release of his next movie Jaat, asked everyone to introspect with regard to their views on Savarkar and continued by saying, A man who was maafi-veer, why was he imprisoned by the Britishers for 27 years? Ask this question to yourself. One must also research about it." The Rising Bharat Summit 2025 celebrates the power of Indias youth as the driving force in the journey towards a Viksit Bharat by 2047. With 420 million young minds shaping the nations future, their aspirations, innovation, and energy are redefining whats possible. Centered around the theme Youthful Aspirations Aspire. Achieve. Ascend". The summit brings an eclectic mix of leaders from across the globe, and towering leaders from India to share their insights and vision for sustainable growth, and a more equitable and prosperous tomorrow. About the Author Chirag Sehgal Chirag Sehgal works as a Sub-Editor in the Entertainment team at News18.com. With an experience of five years in the media industry, he largely focuses on Indian television coverage. Apart from bringing breakin... Read More Chirag Sehgal works as a Sub-Editor in the Entertainment team at News18.com. With an experience of five years in the media industry, he largely focuses on Indian television coverage. Apart from bringing breakin... Read More First Published: April 09, 2025, 12:38 IST Saif Ali Khan Stabbing Case: Police File Over 1000-Page Chargesheet, Submit Evidence Against Accused Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 07:19 IST Saif Ali Khan was stabbed six times by the robber, following which he was rushed to the hospital. The actor was discharged on January 21. Saif Ali Khan Stabbing Case: Previously Mumbai Police also confirmed that the accused entered India from Bangladesh and stayed at various locations in Kolkata before travelling to Mumbai. (File Image/ANI) In a big development in the Saif Ali Khan stabbing case, Bandra Police in Mumbai has now filed a chargesheet in the Metropolitan Magistrate Court. The chargesheet, which is reportedly 1000 pages long, contains several pieces of evidence against the accused, Shariful Islam. As reported by the Free Press Journal, the chargesheet also includes facial recognition test results, fingerprint reports, an identification parade report, and findings of the forensic lab. Recommended Stories This comes days after the Mumbai police also opposed the bail plea of the accused in the case. Police officials told a Mumbai court that the knife fragment that got lodged near the spine of the actor and the one found at the scene of the crime matched with the weapon recovered from the accused, Mohammad Shariful Islam. Besides this, the police also opposed the bail plea by stating that the accused is a Bangladeshi citizen who was living in India illegally. Cops claimed that there is a possibility of the accused absconding and therefore, he must not be granted bail. Police also said the offence was very serious in nature" and strong evidence" is available against the accused. Saif Ali Khan was stabbed by an intruder at his Mumbai residence in the wee hours of January 16. It was reported that at around 2 AM, the actor heard noises when one of his female employees was attacked in Jehs room. This prompted Saif to intervene, which led to an altercation between the two and the attacker injured both Saif and the female employee. Islam has been accused of breaking into Saif Ali Khans Mumbai residence with the intent of robbing. He has also been accused of attacking the actor and his staff member using a wooden weapon and a blade. Saif Ali Khan was stabbed six times by the robber, following which he was rushed to the hospital. The actor was discharged on January 21. About the Author Chirag Sehgal Chirag Sehgal works as a Sub-Editor in the Entertainment team at News18.com. With an experience of five years in the media industry, he largely focuses on Indian television coverage. Apart from bringing breakin... Read More Chirag Sehgal works as a Sub-Editor in the Entertainment team at News18.com. With an experience of five years in the media industry, he largely focuses on Indian television coverage. Apart from bringing breakin... Read More First Published: April 09, 2025, 07:19 IST A detail in a photo showing Samantha Strable holding a fish led many to believe the controversial hunting and fishing influencer was back in the country. An image posted to Samantha Strable's Instagram account, showing her holding a Murray cod, sparked rumours the US influencer had returned to Australia. Source: samstrays_somewhere The US influencer who made international headlines for snatching a baby wombat away from its mother sparked rumours on Wednesday that she had returned to Australia. Samantha Strable, also known as Sam Jones and Sam Jo, fled the country in March as Home Affairs investigated whether she had breached her visa conditions, sparking celebration from ordinary Australians and politicians, including the Prime Minister. Theres never been a better day to be a baby wombat in Australia, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke quipped following her departure. Pictures posted to her 95,000 Instagram followers this week showing her holding a large Murray cod in Australian waters momentarily led to speculation that she was back in NSW. However, a source has confirmed with Yahoo that Strable is still overseas and has not returned Down Under. ADVERTISEMENT Earlier, the two images of Strable holding the fish alarmed hundreds of Reddit users. It was captioned "First Murray Cod!!. Absolutely love the pattern on these beautiful native fish" and tagged as being taken in Australia. They better not let [her] back into the country, one Redditor wrote. If anyone sees her, report her, another said. Others correctly suspected they were old photos taken before she fled. Most pictures on Strables Instagram account were scrubbed during the backlash in March. During this time, she claimed to have received threats, and close to 46,000 people signed a petition calling for her to be deported. What happened to the baby wombat? Questions remain about the welfare of the baby wombat and its mother that Strable interfered with on the side of a NSW road. She claims the pair were reunited, but worryingly, experts noted both animals showed clear signs of mange, a disease spread by foxes thats fatal without treatment. ADVERTISEMENT Yahoo has corresponded with Strable and attempted to find out the wombats' location, but she has not responded to this question. From her base in Asia, Strable agreed to interviews with both Yahoo News and Channel 10s The Project in March, but she pulled out of both at the last minute. Instead she shared a video to her social media accounts, during which she accepted accountability for taking the wombat from its mother. It remains unclear whether Strable has revealed the location to anyone else. But she has not shared it with licensed wombat rescuer Yolandi Vermaak, who is leading a group of volunteers hoping to treat the animal. Australias largest wildlife rescue group WIRES told Yahoo that to its knowledge no one knows where the baby wombat is. Among those working to find the animal are a group of internet users who have compared details of the landscape in Strables video to pictures on Google Maps. Theyve even taken to driving around rural roads near Cooma and Kangaroo Valley but failed to locate the exact spot. The mange would have progressed. By the end of winter it will be dead, Vermaak told Yahoo News. This could be a way for [Strable] to redeem herself. If we could find the wombat it would be a happy ending. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. Sunny Deol Reacts To Fawad Khan's Return To Bollywood With 'Abir Gulaal': Let There Be More Countries Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 10, 2025, 02:30 IST In 2016, an unofficial ban on Pakistani artists in India took place, but by 2023, the Bombay High Court dismissed a petition to officially ban them. Sunny Deol reacts to Fawad Khan's comeback in Indian cinema. Actor Sunny Deol has shared his thoughts on the return of Pakistani actor Fawad Khan to Indian cinema, amidst the ongoing debate. When asked about it by HT City, Sunny made it clear that he doesnt mind Pakistani actors finding work in India. In response to a question about his history of doing patriotic films like Border and Gadar, and whether he supports Fawad Khans return to Indian cinema, Sunny said, See, I wouldnt like to go on to the political side because thats where things start getting messy. We are actors; we work for everyone all over the world. Even if somebody is watching or not, we are for everyone. So, aisi koi baat nahi hain (nothing like that). The more the way the world has become, we should stay global and let there be more countries; thats the way it should be." Recommended Stories This statement comes after years of tension regarding Pakistani artists working in India, a situation that followed political disputes. In 2016, an unofficial ban on Pakistani artists in India took place, but by 2023, the Bombay High Court dismissed a petition to officially ban them. Fawad Khan is now set to return to India after years with Abir Gulaal, directed by Aarti S Bagdi, which also stars Vaani Kapoor. However, the film has faced opposition from the MNS, with spokesperson Ameya Khopkar telling Dainik Bhaskar that they are against its release in Maharashtra. The films synopsis describes Abir Gulaal as a heartwarming tale from the picturesque streets of London." It adds, Weaving a love story filled with unexpected turns, tender moments, and pure magic. Audiences can expect a delightful blend of laughter, tender moments, and the undeniable chemistry between Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor." The film is slated to release on May 9, 2025. Meanwhile, Sunny Deols upcoming film Jaat, directed by Gopichand Malineni, is set to release on April 10, 2025. 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: April 10, 2025, 02:30 IST What Is Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act? Know Everything About It Here Amid Kim Sae Ron Death Row Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 16:25 IST Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act: A petition in South Korea, signed by over 50,000, urges raising the age of consent from 16 to 19 and stricter punishments for sexual offenses. Kim Soo Hyun has been accused of dating the late actress Kim Sae-Ron when she was a minor. (Photo: Instagram) Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act: Amid the controversy surrounding actor Kim Soo Hyun in South Korea, a petition titled Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act is being circulated online in the country. Signed by over 50,000 people as of now, it urges the lawmakers of South Korea to raise the age of consent from the current 16 years to up to 19 years. For now, South Korean people attain adulthood at 19. However, the age of consent in the country is 16. With the Kim Soo Hyun Prevention Act, netizens demand that anybody who engages in sexual intercourse with an underage individual aged 13 and 16, or indulges in intimate acts with those under 13 is considered rape. Recommended Stories The petition further calls for stricter punishment for those breaking these consent rules. It demands the punishment for molestation must be increased minimum two years of imprisonment and for rape, it must be five years of imprisonment. For now, punishment for molestation and rape in the country is only a fine and minimum of two years imprisonment, respectively. The age limit for statutory rape has allowed a pedophile, who seduced and deceived a promising female actress from childhood until her death, to evade the law," a part of the petition read. Meanwhile, Kim Soo Hyun recently held a press conference and addressed allegations that he dated Sae Ron when she was a minor. He said, Ill address the biggest concernI did not date the deceased when she was a minor. We dated five years ago for about a year, long before Queen of Tears aired." The actor also explained why he denied dating Sae Ron earlier, saying, As the lead actor of Queen of Tears, I couldnt confirm the relationship publicly because of its potential impact on the cast and crew." Kim also denied accusations that his agency pressured Sae Ron over her debts, saying, Aside from the fact that we were both actors, we were simply an ordinary couple who broke up over time." About the Author Chirag Sehgal Chirag Sehgal works as a Sub-Editor in the Entertainment team at News18.com. With an experience of five years in the media industry, he largely focuses on Indian television coverage. Apart from bringing breakin... Read More Chirag Sehgal works as a Sub-Editor in the Entertainment team at News18.com. With an experience of five years in the media industry, he largely focuses on Indian television coverage. Apart from bringing breakin... Read More First Published: April 09, 2025, 08:23 IST 'Priyanka Absent, Why Did Rahul Gandhi Not Speak': Amit Shah Attacks Congress Leaders Over Waqf Debate Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 21:10 IST Union Home Minister Amit Shah said minority -- women and the poor Muslims -- within the minority community are being empowered but the Congress is protesting the Waqf (Amendment) Act Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke during the second day of the Rising Bharat Summit 2025 on April 9. (Image: News18) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhis silence during the debate in Parliament over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which was passed in both Houses last week, and attacked Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi for being absent during the intense discussion. He said only some leaders in the Muslim community are protesting against the new law, for which the Supreme Court will hear petitions challenging it on April 15. He added that minority women and the poor within the minority community are being empowered but the Congress is protesting the legislation. Recommended Stories Why did Priyanka Gandhi not vote? Why did Rahul Gandhi not speak if this was such a big issue for them? Rahul Gandhi shouts from roof top that he is not allowed to speakwhy did he not? He could have spoken the entire time allotted to his party," he said. Follow Rising Bharat Summit 2025 LIVE Updates Here Shah said not all party decisions are to attract votes, but also to weed out wrong policies". Asked if he feared a CAA-like retaliation in the form of protests, he said: Rahul Gandhi and company went to town alleging that the law (CAA) will take away citizenship. My open challenge to Rahul Gandhi, show me one citizen who lost his citizenship. They are responsible for the violence that happened and, hopefully, they would have learnt their lesson." ALSO READ | Waqf Act Will Be Accepted With Time; Rahul Gandhi Practises Politics Of Division: Chirag Paswan The BJP recently attacked Priyanka for being absent in the Lok Sabha during the voting for the Waqf (Amendment) Act. It said the Gandhi siblings failed to represent Wayanad, which is a Muslim-majority constituency. While Priyanka was absent from the proceedings, Rahul entered the House just before the voting and did not speak on the matter. In fact, he was reportedly seen dozing off during the session. Rahul spoke only after the Bill was cleared by the Lok Sabha. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all ALSO READ | Rising Bharat Summit 2025: Amit Shah Slams DMK Over Delimitation, Reassures Southern People The Waqf (Amendment) Bill is a weapon aimed at marginalising Muslims and usurping their personal laws and property rights. This attack on the Constitution by the RSS, BJP and their allies is aimed at Muslims today but sets a precedent to target other communities in the future," he said. About the Author Oindrila Mukherjee Oindrila Mukherjee is a senior sub-editor who works for the rewrite and breaking news desks. Her nine years of experience in print and digital journalism range from editing and reporting to writing impactful st... Read More Oindrila Mukherjee is a senior sub-editor who works for the rewrite and breaking news desks. Her nine years of experience in print and digital journalism range from editing and reporting to writing impactful st... Read More First Published: April 09, 2025, 21:05 IST BJP Devises Mega Campaign To Spread Awareness About 'Benefits Of Waqf Act': A Sneak Peek Of The Plan Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: April 10, 2025, 03:09 IST As per the guidance of BJP president JP Nadda, it has been decided to undertake the Waqf Sudhar Janjagaran Abhiyan from April 20 to May 5, says a communication Every MP and MLA will conduct at least one interactive meeting in his or her constituency, says the party's latest directive. (Representational image) The Bharatiya Janata Party will undertake a Waqf Sudhar Janjagaran Abhiyan" (Waqf Amendment Awareness Campaign) from April 20 to May 5 at the state, block, and mandal levels, News18 has learnt. Every MP and MLA will conduct at least one interactive meeting in his or her constituency, says the partys latest directive. Passing of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and the Muslim Waqf (Repeal) Bill brought by the Central Government under the leadership of the countrys dynamic and visionary Prime Minister Narendra Modi after a healthy and comprehensive discussion in both the houses of the Parliament is historic, there is an atmosphere of happiness in the country due to this," the letter says. Recommended Stories The letter quotes the Prime Minister saying that this law brings a collective quest for socio-economic justice, transparency, and inclusive growth. This will particularly help those who have long remained on the margins, thus being denied both voice and opportunity. This especially protects and will benefit the interest of Muslim women, poor Muslims, Pasmanda Muslims. The legislations passed by the Parliament will boost transparency and also safeguard peoples rights," the letter says. As per the guidance of BJP president JP Nadda, it has been decided to undertake the Waqf Sudhar Janjagaran Abhiyan" from April 20, 2025, to May 5, 2025, says the communication. The following are the details of the Abhiyan: 1. At state level Town halls will be held at important locations by inviting clergy, doctors, artists, lawyers, academicians, women activists, media personalities & social media influencers from the Muslim community and other communities. Interactions will also be held regarding provisions of the UMEED Bill & its advantages. Isai Sadbhav Meeting" with members from Christian society will be held in states. Womens town halls with influential women leaders will be held in state capitals. Every MP & MLA will conduct at least one interactive meeting in his/her constituency. 2. At district level Pramukh Nagarik Samvad at all districts, including influential members from the Muslim community. Press conferences with presentations. Samvad Baithak with Muslim society members. One interactive programme with youth members of the society in every assembly by Yuva Morcha. 3. At mandal level Door-to-door Prachar Abhiyan at important locations. Mahila Samvad in each mandal. Muslim Mahila Sampark in each mandal. The BJP will also do a digital campaign with graphics, testimonials, and vox-pop videos in every district. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all A national workshop will be held on April 10 at the partys central office in New Delhi, and state workshops will be held between April 15 and 17. District workshops will be held on April 18-19. A team headed by Dr Radha Mohan Das Agrawal, national general secretary, and consisting of Anil Antony and Dr Arvind Menon (national secretaries), and Jamal Siddiqui, national president, Minority Morcha, will coordinate the campaign. 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: April 10, 2025, 03:09 IST 'Congress To Have Massive Organisational Reshuffle': KC Venugopal Last Updated: April 08, 2025, 21:56 IST KC Venugopal noted that the Congress has dedicated this year to a complete restructuring of the party organisation and the issue was discussed at length at the meeting. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and others pose for a group photograph after the extended Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Memorial, in Ahmedabad. (PTI) The Congress is going to have a "massive organisational reshuffle", AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said on Tuesday as the partys top leaders met here and vowed to embark on the "path of social justice" espoused by Sardar Patel. Briefing reporters after the extended Congress Working Committee meeting at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial here, Venugopal noted that the Congress has dedicated this year to a complete restructuring of the party organisation and the issue was discussed at length at the meeting. Recommended Stories "We are going to have a massive organisational reshuffle, and there will be guidelines for the same. Our general secretaries and in-charges are on it," he said. Venugopal also stressed that measures to empower the partys district unit chiefs will be rolled out soon. "We have already decided on that issue, empowering the DCC presidents and duties and powers of the DCCs has been discussed in various forums, already general secretaries and in-charges have approved the proposals and we are going to roll out that proposal in the near future," he said while replying to queries. Venugopal said the Extended CWC passed a resolution that "our party will walk on the path showed to us by Sardar Patel ji". "He stood up against the oppression of the British, fighting for the rights of workers and farmers. He rejected communal forces after Bapus assassination. He fought for an India where everyone had fundamental rights and freedoms. "Today, as we embark on the path of social justice, our Nyay Path follows the same principles laid down by Sardar Patel," he said. In his opening address at the meeting, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also asserted the partys claim to Sardar Patels legacy and accused the BJP and RSS of trying to usurp it under a "well-planned conspiracy" against national heroes. Kharge stressed that the Congress is taking forward the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Patel. "Sardar Patel Saheb lives in our hearts, lives in our thoughts. We are taking his legacy forward. We have organised this CWC meeting in Ahmedabad at Sardar Patel Museum with this thought in mind. We pay our heartfelt tributes to him," he said. Earlier in the day, AICC general secretary Sachin Pilot told reporters that the Congress intends to create more empowered district units with their presidents having enhanced accountability, responsibility and political strength. He said that the Congress would fight the upcoming elections with strength and expressed confidence that the Congress and its supporting ideologies would come together to give the BJP and the NDA a tough challenge. Briefing reporters outside the venue, Pilot said, "The intention of the Congress president and the Leader of Opposition is to create a more empowered district unit." "The accountability, the responsibility and the political strength that we have thus given to the district presidents is set to be enhanced," he stressed. The final outcome will be decided after the convention on Wednesday but the intention of the Congress is to make the District Pradesh Congress (DCC) presidents more empowered than before, the former Union minister said, adding the move is aimed at expanding the partys reach in villages, divisions and booths. "The year 2025 is the year of the organisation to strengthen our workers, expand our party ideology and to make sure that the Congress reaches out in a mass contact programme through padyatras and door-to-door programmes," he said. The party wants to send a clear message not just to its opponents but to its supporters and workers that the Congress will not step back and fight aggressively both within Parliament and outside, and make sure it wins the next political challenge, Pilot said. "Elections are fought to be won, the next few elections we will fight with strength and I am supremely confident that the Congress and its supporting ideologies will come together to give the BJP and the NDA a tough challenge," Pilot said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all He said the resolution passed at the end of the session on April 9 will be named Nyay Path. "Tomorrow session will write a new chapter in history," he said The grand old party has announced that the Ahmedabad Session will be themed "Nyaypath: Sankalp, Samarpan aur Sangharsh", with more than 1,700 elected and co-opted AICC members attending the main conclave on April 9 on the banks of the Sabarmati river between the Sabarmati Ashram and Kochrab Ashram. First Published: April 08, 2025, 21:56 IST 'Nehru Became PM': Amit Shah Blames Congress Leadership, Appeasement Politics For Partition Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 22:03 IST The union minister also said at CNN-News18's Rising Bharat Summit that anyone following the policy of appeasement is working against the interests of the country Union home minister Amit Shah spoke during the second day of the Rising Bharat Summit 2025 on April 9. (Image: News18) Nehru Became PM: Amit Shah Blames Congress Leadership, Appeasement Politics For PartitionThe Muslims of undivided India did not want a partition, while the Congress leaders of the time and their appeasement tactics are responsible for the split, union home minister Amit Shah said at the CNN-News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025 in Delhi on Wednesday, concurring with similar comments made on the platform by Prime Minister Narendra Modi a day earlier. The Muslim League lost the provincial elections of 1946 even in areas that later became Pakistan," he pointed out. The Muslim populace of the time was not in favour of a division. And Modiji is right when he says that Congress leaders of the time are responsible for the countrys partition, their policy of appeasement is responsible for the countrys partition." Recommended Stories When asked which leader in the Congress was responsible for the partition, Shah said, It would be very difficult to single out a leader. Congress later made Jawaharlal Nehru the prime minister. Whoever takes the decision becomes the PM. Our topmost leader is Modi ji, so he became the PM. Congress made Nehru ji the PM then." At the summit, PM Modi on Tuesday addressed the idea of Indias partition, stating that it did not originate from ordinary Muslim families but from some fundamentalists, who were nourished by some Congress leaders, so that they could become the sole claimants of power". top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Amit Shah also made an appeal to Indias youth. If needed, tolerate everything else. But never tolerate this poisonous scab of appeasement that the young generation must uproot and throw out of the country forever," said the minister. The senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader also said that anyone following the policy of appeasement is working against the interests of the country. 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: April 09, 2025, 21:45 IST Economy, Waqf Reforms, Minority Welfare: BJP, Opposition Debate Flashpoints At Rising Bharat 2025 Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 17:58 IST Economic anxieties, minority rights, and institutional reforms took centre stage as Sudhanshu Trivedi, Priyanka Chaturvedi, and Imran Masood debated Indias future at the Rising Bharat Summit 2025 Sudhanshu Trivedi, Priyanka Chaturvedi, and Imran Masood (L-R) at Rising Bharat Summit 2025. (Image: News18) At the CNN-News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025, the panel discussion Siyasat Ka Dharmsankat featuring BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, and Congress MP Imran Masood saw a heated exchange on the economy, minority rights, and the contentious Waqf reforms. ECONOMY: BJP DEFENDS, OPPOSITION QUESTIONS Recommended Stories Sudhanshu Trivedi defended the governments economic performance amid global headwinds, citing international stock market crashes and looming recession risks as factors beyond Indias control. If there is a storm in the global sea and other ships are sinking, you cannot blame the captain if our ship faces turbulence," he said. Imran Masood stressed that India should reduce dependence on global markets and strengthen its internal economy. Rahul Gandhi has long spoken of building a production-based economy. We must rely less on others," he said, adding that he had yet to see major benefits like pharmaceutical tariff relief materialising on the ground. Priyanka Chaturvedi argued that the real worry was the impact on Indias exports. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modis interaction with Donald Trump, she said, Its not just about being offered a chair next to global leaders. Its about what happens to our economy in real terms. Are we getting any real benefits from these high-profile global interactions?" She warned that a decline in exports would directly affect Indias economy. WAQF REFORMS: CALLS FOR CHANGE, BUT DISAGREEMENT ON APPROACH On the contentious Waqf reforms passed in Parliament, BJPs Trivedi maintained that the changes were aimed purely at better land management, not at interfering with religious sites. The mosque committees, dargahs, and graveyards are untouched. Only the land management has been restructured to bring transparency," he said. Masood countered that while reforms were needed, the current amendments risked legitimising encroachments. You have removed safeguards by changing the Limitation Act, making it easier for land grabbers to claim ownership of Waqf land," he warned. Chaturvedi supported the idea of reforms but criticised the governments selective approach. If we insist that non-Hindus cannot manage temple trusts, why is it fine to bring non-Muslims into Waqf land management? Reforms should uplift the community, not create new insecurities," she said. She added that while some of Shiv Sena UBTs suggested amendments were accepted, many were ignored. MINORITY WELFARE: WORDS VS ACTIONS On minority welfare, Masood questioned whether the governments actions matched its earlier promises, recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modis statement about empowering Muslim youth with a Quran in one hand and a computer in the other." He pointed to the reduction in scholarships, limited support for madrasas, and funding cuts at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). There is a gap between the commitment and the current situation," he said. Trivedi responded that Indias Waqf Board was the richest in the world, with 39 lakh acres of land, but questioned why it had failed to create significant educational or social infrastructure for the poor. Why are there no big universities or hospitals for Muslims funded by this massive land wealth?" he asked. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all FLASHPOINTS Throughout the session, several clear fault lines emerged between the BJP and the Opposition. On Waqf reforms, the BJP defended the changes as necessary to improve transparency, while the Opposition demanded stronger safeguards to protect minority rights and prevent political misuse. On the economy, the BJP cited global recession risks to explain economic turbulence, while the Opposition raised concerns over declining exports and the need for stronger domestic resilience. On minority welfare, the Opposition alleged a mismatch between the governments promises and actions, pointing to cuts in scholarships and funding for key institutions. 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: April 09, 2025, 17:45 IST PM Modi Always Acknowledges Issues Raised By Allies: Chirag Paswan On NDA Chemistry Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 15:55 IST While speaking at News18's Rising Bharat Summit in New Delhi, Paswan said that he had raised the lateral entry issue with Prime Minister and he acknowledged it and immediately withdrew the decision. Union Minister Chirag Paswan was speaking at Rising Bharat Summit. (News18) Rising Bharat Summit: Union Minister and LJP leader Chirag Paswan on Wednesday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that the latter heeds to the NDA allies and its members. While speaking at News18s Rising Bharat Summit in New Delhi, Paswan said that he had raised the lateral entry issue with Prime Minister and he acknowledged it and immediately withdrew the decision. Recommended Stories Follow Rising Bharat Summit Live Updates I raised the lateral entry issue with PM, he acknowledged it and immediately withdrew the decision," he said. The Union Minister further took a veiled dig at opposition parties for challenging the Waqf Law in the Supreme Court, saying that they were fine with a poor Muslim not having a recourse to got to court under the old Waqf system. Those who have gone to Supreme Court against Waqf Amendment Bill were fine with a poor Muslim not having a recourse to go to Court under the old Waqf system," he said. Read More: Nobody Can Tell Me Where To Pray: At Rising Bharat, Chirag Paswan Says Religion Shouldnt Be Mixed With Politics On Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi in his keynote address at the summit, hailed the recently enacted Waqf Law and dubbed the protests by the Opposition as appeasement politics" saying that the rights of poor pasmanda Muslims, women, and children will now be ensured under the new law. The politics of appeasement has been a big challenge in Indias growth. Recently, the law related to Waqf was amended in Parliament. Your network has also discussed this a lot. This debate related to Waqf has the politics of appeasement at its core," PM Modi stated at the event. Several Opposition parties and Muslim groups voiced their protest and moved to the Apex Court against the Waqf Act. The Supreme Court has also agreed to hear petitions challenging the law on April 15. While speaking about the seat distribution among the alliance for the upcoming Bihar Legislative Assembly Elections, the LJP leader said that no decision has been finalised yet but he hoped that every alliance partner would get respectful number of seats. Read More: Makes My Blood Boil: At Rising Bharat Summit, Chirag Paswan Opens Up On Family Feud No discussion has been done yet on the seat distribution in Bihar. We trust that everyone will get respectful number of seats," he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The NDA alliance partners in Bihar include the BJP, Nitish Kumars Janata Dal (United), Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Jitan Ram Manjhis Hindustani Awami Morcha (HAM), and Upendra Kushwahas Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP). The Bihar assembly elections are scheduled to happen later this year. 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: April 09, 2025, 15:37 IST Strong Response To Lobby: PM Modi's Remarks On Waqf Act At News18 Summit Spark Political Debate Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 13:28 IST Waqf Act: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addressed the 'Rising Bharat Summit 2025' at Bharat Mandapam and talked about the recently-enacted Waqf Act. Prime Minister Narendra Modi (PMO Image) Waqf Act: Prime Minister Narendra Modis first public remarks on the recently-enacted Waqf Amendment Act 2025 sparked a massive political debate, with the BJP calling it a strong response to the provocative lobby", while the Opposition dubbing the law divisive". Addressing the News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025 on Tuesday, PM Modi dubbed the protests by the Opposition against the law as appeasement politics" and said that the rights of poor pasmanda Muslims, women, and children will now be ensured under the new law. Recommended Stories BJP Reacts To PM Modis Remarks On Waqf Act BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said that the Opposition was playing appeasement politics" by protesting against the law. The Prime Minister has given a strong response to the provocative lobby and ecosystem regarding the Waqf Amendment Act. These people are only engaged in politics of appeasement," he said. Notably, several Opposition parties and Muslim groups voiced their protest against the Waqf Act. The Supreme Court has also agreed to hear petitions challenging the law on April 15. Opposition Slams PM Modi Over His Waqf Remarks Several Opposition parties, including Congress, Samajwadi Party, and AIADMK, hit out at the Prime Minister for his remarks during the Rising Bharat address. Congress MLC from Telangana, Addanki Dayakar, alleged that the Waqf Act divides not only Hindu and Muslims but also Muslims". Modi is the PM of India. He always divides people in the name of religion, region, caste, and gender. Today, he wants to divide the Muslims," he alleged. The Samajwadi Party said that India is sinking" under the BJP government. India is rising, not sinking, under BJPs leadership. You cannot drown 25 crore Muslims in the Indian Ocean. You cannot take over Shia Imambaras, mosques, and graveyards through black laws," SP spokesperson Ameeq Jamei said. AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan said that the Indian Constitution has given the right to live to every citizen, irrespective of religion; however, the BJPs reforms" bulldoze" one section of society. What has stopped the BJP from taking stakeholders into confidence in this case of Waqf Amendment of minorities? Whatever so-called reforms the BJP undertakes is perceived as bulldozing a particular section of people," he said. BJP Forms Panel On Waqf Act Message Propagation The BJP has constituted a panel of four leaders who will oversee the series of programmes to be undertaken by the party for spreading the message on how the Waqf Act will be beneficial for the Muslim community. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Various programmes will be undertaken, including small meetings at the district level to seminars, etc, to drive home the point that the implementation of this legislation will ensure transparency and justice for the cause of the common man and ensure gender justice. BJP leaders Anil Antony, Jamal Siddiqui, Radhamohan Das Agrawal and Dushyant Gautam are part of the panel. About the Author Ashesh Mallick Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More First Published: April 09, 2025, 10:12 IST Waqf Act Will Be Accepted With Time; Rahul Gandhi Practises Politics Of Division: Chirag Paswan Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 16:51 IST Speaking at CNN-News18s Rising Bharat Summit, the union minister also cited the protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) to criticise the oppositions stance on the Waqf Act Union minister Chirag Paswan was speaking at the Rising Bharat Summit. (Pic/News18) Asked about his alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party discussing the now-passed Waqf Bill that has not been taken too kindly by certain religious organisations, union minister for food processing industries Chirag Paswan said at CNN-News18s Rising Bharat Summit 2025 on Wednesday that he does not want the BJP or any other political party delving into any religious matters. It is a matter of personal faith. Whether I wear a kalava or a tilak is my decision. Nobody should comment on how I practise my religion," Paswan added. Recommended Stories The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader also cited the protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) to criticise the oppositions stance on the Waqf Act. Remember what happened in the case of CAA? What did the opposition say then? That Muslims will lose their citizenship. They stoked violence. But what happened? Nothing," he said. Today, a similar attempt is being made to antagonize Muslimstelling them that their land will be taken away. Give it some time. The Waqf Act decision will be accepted with time." Several opposition parties and Muslim groups have voiced their protest and approached the Supreme Court against the Waqf Act. The SC has also agreed to hear petitions challenging the law on April 15. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Taking on the Congress over its opposition to the Act, Paswan accused its MP Rahul Gandhi of practising the politics of division. What is wrong in giving the right to Muslims to protest in courts if their land is taken away by Waqf Board? Nothing is above nationalism; politics cannot be over nationalism. Rahul Gandhi practises politics of division. Should Indian citizens support anyone who talks about separating India?" Paswan 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 First Published: April 09, 2025, 16:49 IST Craft-washing, the practice of making mass-produced beer look like it's locally brewed, is driving Australia's small, independent brewers out of the market. Independent brewers say stores like Liquorland, which produce their own 'craft' beer labels, are killing small businesses. Source: Wikimedia Commons Independent breweries are sounding the alarm over what theyve dubbed "craft-washing" in Australias major liquor stores, where large corporations design beers to mimic small-batch, indie brands. Jonny Bucknall, founder of Freshwater Brewing Co. on Sydneys Northern Beaches, says across big corporation-owned bottle shops, there are many beers featuring vibrant colours and retro designs that look locally-owned, but most people fail to realise they're just disguised supermarket beers. Speaking to Yahoo News, Bucknall said he believes the trend has actually resulted in the closure of several local businesses, with a total of 20 independent breweries across Australia shutting down in the year to February 2024. According to Forbes, that was directly linked to craft-washing. "It plays a massive role," Bucknall told Yahoo. "If you think where most people buy their beer, it's from supermarkets that's a fact. With the cost of living crisis, people are shopping for beer like they used to shop for wine. They set a budget and work back from that. ADVERTISEMENT "People are now consolidating their purchases, and they're going direct to the bigger retailers, and then, surprise, surprise, bigger retailers' brands are cheaper." Zytho Brewing is owned by Endeavour Group, which was formerly part of Woolworths, and operates major liquor retailers such as Dan Murphy's and BWS. Source: Dan Murphy's Beer brewer encourages Australians to shop local Supermarket brands now control more than five per cent of Australias beer market while independents produce just seven. Bucknall claimed large retailers remove independent craft beers from their shelves, giving them less space and visibility, while at the same time prioritising their own, such as Tinnies, Zytho, Sail & Anchor, and Lorry Boys. Tinnies is a private-label beer brand owned by Coles Group and is available exclusively through their liquor outlets, including Liquorland, First Choice Liquor and Vintage Cellars. Zytho Brewing is a product of Pinnacle Drinks, which is owned by Endeavour Group, formerly part of Woolworths. Endeavour Group operates major liquor retailers such as Dan Murphy's and BWS. ADVERTISEMENT "You can see the increase in their brands," Bucknall said. "Then they're getting rid of a lot of independent ones from their shelves. If this were food packaging, thered be a national scandal." Bucknall explained how retailers go to suppliers and request a beer at a set price to secure strong profit margins, then create branding and a made-up name that mimics the look of real craft beer. He pointed out that distribution is everything in the beer industry and that very few true independent breweries are stocked nationwide anymore. Tinnies is a private-label beer brand owned by Coles Group and is exclusively sold through their liquor outlets, including Liquorland and Vintage Cellars. Source: Liquorland In contrast, supermarket brands get automatic national distribution, which ironically builds consumer trust just through familiarity. If a shopper sees the same beer in different states, it feels reliable, even if its not truly independent, giving these faux craft beers a significant advantage. "If you go to the point of purchase, there's not much signage," Bucknall said. "If you look at the catalogue, it looks like a regular beer. If you look at the shelf, it looks like a regular beer. Aside from a small line on the site, or on a can, I don't know how you would find out it was owned by a big corp." ADVERTISEMENT And it's not just supermarkets blurring the lines many once-beloved craft labels like Stone & Wood, Little Creatures and Balter have been snapped up by global giants like Lion and Asahi, raising fresh questions about what "independent" really means in todays beer market. Bucknall believes there's a growing global shift towards local and direct purchasing, and hopes consumers will eventually choose to buy directly from local breweries, where they can access the same variety of styles, but with fresher and better quality beer. How do independent breweries create a superior product? Still, Bucknall acknowledges the challenge, and says supermarkets are powerful, goal-driven machines with the resources to dominate the market. "I think were all just a bunch of small businesses going above and beyond in a really passionate way to brew beer thats genuinely world-class. The problem is, beer often gets commodified seen as just another product brewed in some big warehouse far away," he said. ADVERTISEMENT "But theres a human side to it a whole heap of workers putting in serious effort and theres a quality side too. Beer in Australia is actually world-leading. The hops we grow are shipped globally because theyre that good. "The grain we use is some of the best in the world and wins international awards. You put all that together and youve got a thriving, interesting industry but its being stifled, surprise surprise, by duopolies that dont want us to succeed. "So I think its just about shining a light on whats already here. Theres an amazing product right on your doorstep. If you search 'brewery near me,' you'll find one and when you visit, youll see all the romance that comes with it." Freshwater Brewing has kicked off an equity crowdfund, giving everyday Aussies the chance to own a piece of the beer they love. Theyre aiming to raise funds to open a new bar, install their own canning line, and supercharge their grassroots, community-first model. Coles, Endeavour respond to criticisms Speaking to Yahoo News, A Coles Liquor spokesperson said it's simplifying its beer range as part of a major rebrand, bringing Liquorland, First Choice, and Vintage Cellars under one banner. While private label beers make up just 4.2 per cent per cent of its total beer offering, the company says it stocks over 640 independent craft brews, with 70 per cent of its craft range coming from independent breweries. To help customers identify them, Coles added the Independent Brewers Association seal to relevant products online, it said. It also pointed to its sponsorship of the GABS Hottest 100 craft beer festival as part of its support for the indie brewing scene. Endeavour Group said its craft beer range has grown significantly, from around 350 products in 2014 to over 1,000 in 2025. Its own drinks arm, Pinnacle Drinks, produces a small portion of these just 2.4 per cent of the total Australian craft beer range and all Pinnacle beers "are labelled as such". The company said product ranges are reviewed annually based on customer behaviour, sales performance, loyalty data and broader market trends. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Google Brings Gemini Live Update With Real-Time Camera Search: What Is It And How It Works Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 08:10 IST Google Gemini AI Live camera access is finally here but only if you have these Android smartphones or use the Gemini Advanced plan with your Google account. Google's Project Astra AI assistant will work through the Gemini Live feature Google has rolled out a significant feature to its AI model called Gemini Live, which is a real-time AI assistant with camera and screen sharing capabilities. The new update allows users to point their phones camera at the objects around them and ask questions in real time. To use the new Gemini Live feature you need the latest Pixel 9 phones (including the 9 Pro Fold) or the Samsung Galaxy S25 models. The free update will also be available on other Android devices soon, but you will need a paid Gemini Advanced plan to try out the new abilities on Gemini Live. Recommended Stories Geminis conversational mode has only supported voice, image, PDF, and YouTube video input. Gemini Live lets you have natural, free-flowing conversations with Gemini in over 45 different languages, including Arabic," said Google. How To Use Gemini Live Camera Tool On Pixel 9 Phone You can easily activate Gemini on your Android by using these steps: Press and hold the power button to start Gemini on the screen Tap on the Live button Select Camera or Screen sharing to give the phones camera live access top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Google says you can allow Gemini to be your organisational partner and get real-time suggestions and visual support when cleaning. The screen sharing lets you get work done as the real-time camera can help you answer queries from the AI bot to share some creative ideas for designs, creative writing, or even crafts. It goes further as Gemini Lives camera input, can show what youre viewing in real time and receive immediate feedback while working. Simply aim your camera toward the issue and ask Gemini to come up with a solution. These Gemini additions and Live access will be Apples envy which continues to struggle with Siri that is now further delayed till 2026, while Amazons Alexa AI version is yet to fully release even after its actual launch date in March. About the Author S Aadeetya S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr... Read More S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr... Read More News18 Tech delivers the latest technology updates, including phone launches, gadget reviews, AI advancements, and more. Stay informed with breaking tech news , expert insights, and trends from India and around the world . Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: April 09, 2025, 08:10 IST Googles AI Search Mode Now Lets You Upload Image To Answer Queries: How It Works Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 08, 2025, 14:54 IST Google AI search is now letting you click or upload images to answer queries with better and faster responses from the AI model. Google AI search now works via Lens on your Android or iOS phone Google is extending the AI search mode to support more features, which includes the ability to upload images. The multimodal search has been developed over the last few years and Google now claims the AI mode is capable of giving comprehensive responses to your queries. The company offered the unique AI mode for its premium AI subscribers till date but further expansion and availability has been announced based on the early feedback for the tools. Recommended Stories Google AI Gets Better: How It Compares With ChatGPT? The AI mode is available in the experimental version called Labs that people can sign up for with their Google account and try it out today if you are in the US. For other users, the AI Mode will be rolling out in the near future. Heres what Google Chief Sundar Pichai said in a post on X this week: We are expanding AI Mode in Search to many more, Opt-in via Labs to try it today https://t.co/rXwnjXEYOO https://t.co/biD3OEHVRh Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) April 8, 2025 So, what does the new multimodal AI search bring for the users? Google says you will get AI-powered answers for the toughest and most complex queries. You can do these tasks using voice, text, upload an image or even click using the phones camera. The company will also assist you with additional web links and follow-up questions on your subject. With Geminis multimodal capabilities, AI Mode can understand the entire scene in an image, including the context of how objects relate to one another and their unique materials, colors, shapes and arrangements," Google explains in this post. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Google has enabled Lens across mobile and web platforms over the years and integrating AI into the mix probably feels like the obvious evolution for the company. For instance, Lens can help you identify the books on your shelf, even suggest related book titles and give you the power to widen the search to get the best results. AI mode is available in the Google app on Android and iOS by signing up for the Search Labs available in your region. About the Author S Aadeetya S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr... Read More S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr... Read More News18 Tech delivers the latest technology updates, including phone launches, gadget reviews, AI advancements, and more. Stay informed with breaking tech news , expert insights, and trends from India and around the world . Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : California, USA First Published: April 08, 2025, 14:54 IST iPhone 17 Prices In India To Increase Amid Trump Tariff Changes This Year? Heres What We Can Tell Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 07:20 IST iPhone 17 launch in September this year could face a tough time with a possible price hike for buyers but will these changes affect people in India as well? The Trump tariff hikes are going to force Apple to increase the iPhone prices Apple is in a rush to beat the Trump tariff deadline in April so that people dont have to bear the effect of the new iPhone prices in countries like India and the US as well. However, the tariffs are going to make it tough for the company to avoid passing on the higher costs of production to its consumers. And experts from the industry are very clear about the early picture of how the tariff change will affect the buyers. So, if you have been waiting for some news regarding the possible iPhone price hikes in India, we have some good and some worrying news this week. Recommended Stories The Tariff Effect Industry experts have said that Apple is likely to delay the iPhone price hikes to later this year. Why is that? The company, they say, has managed to source enough iPhone inventory at its disposal that were shipped when the tariffs were low. This means if you plan to buy the iPhone 16 or the 16 Pro models this year, now would be a good time. But what happens later once the tariffs come into effect? How much smartphone prices need to increase depends on where a given device is made. For example, India tariffs are at 26 percent, but Brazil is only 10 percent lowest amongst the key iPhone manufacturing centres. But Brazil probably doesnt have enough capacity to fill the gap," as explained by Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint Research to News18 Tech. iPhone Price Hike Inevitable? top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Will people in India also face this situation? Tarun says the iPhone 16 or 15 prices in India will not increase immediately, as Apple is likely to have some cushion with the existing iPhone stock." However, the iPhone 17 launch this year could see a big impact because of the tariffs and he suggests a price increase of around 30 percent on average, which means people might have to pay around Rs 30,000 more compared to the existing iPhone price range in the country. The WSJ reported earlier this week that people are making a dash to buy the iPhones, which they might have delayed in anticipation for the iPhone 17 launch in September this year. But Trump has made them change their plans and settle for the existing iPhones now. About the Author S Aadeetya S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr... Read More S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr... Read More News18 Tech delivers the latest technology updates, including phone launches, gadget reviews, AI advancements, and more. Stay informed with breaking tech news , expert insights, and trends from India and around the world . Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: April 09, 2025, 07:20 IST On Cam, Lady Copy Held Inappropriately As She Makes An Arrest. Internet Fumes: Chance Pe Dance... Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 10:13 IST The clip shows the team arresting and dragging the two men towards the police van when this incident occurred. The incident occurred during a rally. (Photo Credits: X) In a shocking incident, an on-duty female police officer was manhandled while she and her team were arresting two men suggestively at a rally. A video of the same has been circulated on social media. The clip shows the team arresting and dragging the two men towards the police van. While one of them tried to resist the officers, the second one was seen trying to hold the policewoman inappropriately from the back. As the clip moved on, the female police officer was seen taking immediate action on the man. She strongly held his hand and dragged him inside the van. Online users expressed their outrage towards the incident and condemned such behavior. What the hell.!!!How can this be??????" a user wrote. Another person stated, Even Policewomen are not safe from abuse !" Recommended Stories Just observe Blue shirt guy. pic.twitter.com/ggrNEi10Xq However, an individual noted, I think it was unintentional." Another person explained, There is a camera. He might have thought she was a male police officer even if he knows ..he didnt place his hands in any objectionable area ..He might have given full con to give a pose to the media pulling the police and saving his colleague.. His main intention is to pose to the media ..he is fighting to save his colleague. But his fortune has other things." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Some time back, a similar incident occurred in Nagpur. A report by India Today stated, an on-duty woman police officer was allegedly assaulted by a group of rioters present during the communal violence in Nagpur that erupted days ago, according to an FIR filed at the Ganeshpeth Police Station. The report added that the protesters were spotted yelling provocative slogans in an attempt to incite communal strife in the region. The FIR described how the accused pulled the woman officers clothes and attempted to touch her inappropriately. The officer, a member of the Rapid Control Police (RCP) team stationed on the scene, quickly reported the incident. Following her allegation, a case was opened against the person. 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: April 09, 2025, 10:04 IST Meet Sir Sankaran Nair, The Inspiration Behind Akshay Kumars Kesari Chapter 2 Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 13:22 IST Kesari Chapter 2 Real Story: Despite playing a key role in India's history of freedom, not much is known about Sankaran Nairs life and his contributions. Akshay Kumar will play Sankaran Nair in Kesari: Chapter 2. (Photo Credits: Instagram) Kesari Chapter 2 Real Story: More than 100 years after the tragic Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919, British MP Bob Blackman recently called on the UK government to issue a formal apology for the colonial-era atrocity. While this demand has reignited conversations about historical justice, the story of one courageous Indian who stood up to the British has largely faded from public memory Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair. A nationalist, legal luminary, and fierce critic of British rule, Nair made history by taking the British government to court, exposing its brutality in the aftermath of the Amritsar massacre. His bold stance rattled the colonial establishment, but over time, his legacy was forgotten. Now, his remarkable journey will be brought to life on screen in Kesari Chapter 2, with Akshay Kumar portraying the fearless lawyer and freedom fighter. Recommended Stories Despite playing a pivotal role in Indias fight for justice, little is known about Nairs life. Hailing from a wealthy family in Keralas Palakkad district, he built a distinguished career in law and public service. He began practising at the Madras High Court in 1880 and was later appointed to a committee investigating issues in the Malabar region. His exceptional work led him to become the Advocate General and eventually a judge. In 1908, he was appointed a permanent judge of the Madras High Court, a position he held until 1915. Everything changed following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, when Nair was serving as the Education Minister and was the only Indian member in the Viceroys Executive Council, which was a big position. The brutal killings in Amritsar left him disturbed. He was so upset by the British governments actions that he openly spoke against them and resigned from his post to protest. His resignation surprised and embarrassed the British authorities. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Later, Sankaran Nair wrote a book in 1922 titled Gandhi and Anarchy. In this book, he criticised Michael ODwyer, the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab during the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. After this, ODwyer, who had returned to England after he was removed from his post, filed a defamation case against Nair. This legal battle took place in the High Court in London and Kesari Chapter 2 will focus on this courtroom case. Apart from Akshay Kumar, the movie also stars R Madhavan and Ananya Panday. Directed by Karan Singh Tyagi, the movie is scheduled to release on April 18. 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! First Published: April 08, 2025, 15:51 IST Retired Army Officer Allegedly Attacked By Cab Driver And His Associates Over Waqf Bill Discussion Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 16:40 IST Retired Colonel Surya Prakash Singh informed the police that the argument began when he expressed his support for the Waqf Amendment Bill. The incident reportedly took place in Unnao on April 5. (Representative Image/Unsplash) A retired army officer has filed a police case against a cab driver and his associates after he was allegedly assaulted during a road trip from Lucknow to Kanpur. The officer, Colonel Surya Prakash Singh (Retd), currently serves as the head of the District Sainik Welfare Board in Kanpur. According to Times of India, the incident reportedly took place in Unnao on Saturday, April 5. Singh informed the police that he had hired a private cab for the journey. During the ride, he got into a discussion with the driver, Wasim, a resident of Begumpurwa in Kanpur. The topic of conversation was the Waqf Bill. Singh said the argument began when he expressed his support for the bill, which appeared to anger the driver. Singh further told the police that the driver stopped the car at Azad Nagar intersection in Unnao and called his associates. The group later arrived at the spot and assaulted Singh. Recommended Stories Agitated over Singhs stand, Wasim called his associates at Azad Nagar intersection in Unnao. While Singh was unaware of the ploy, Wasif stopped the car at the intersection and resumed the argument. After some time, a group of men reached the spot and assaulted Singh," a police officer said as quoted by the outlet. The group allegedly left Singh unconscious by the roadside before fleeing. Police reached the spot soon after and admitted him to a nearby hospital for treatment. Additional Superintendent of Police, Unnao, Akhilesh Singh, confirmed that Wasim and one of his associates, Anuj, have been arrested. During questioning, Wasif and Anuj claimed that the retired officer was intoxicated. Further investigation is on," he said. Police are now trying to trace the other people involved in the attack. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Waqf Amendment Act, 2025, was passed by both Houses of Parliament last week after two days of intense debates and received President Droupadi Murmus approval. It came into effect on Tuesday, April 8. The new law requires the inclusion of two non-Muslim members in the Central Waqf Council and Waqf Boards. It also states that only individuals who have practiced Islam for at least five years can donate properties to Waqf. The law further specifies that any government property identified as Waqf will cease to belong to it. The local Collector will determine the ownership of such properties. 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: April 09, 2025, 16:40 IST WWE Smackdown At Sarojini Nagar? Women Throw Punches Over A Dress Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 15:16 IST A viral video from Delhis Sarojini Nagar Market captures two women locked in a dramatic brawl over a dress. Shoppers paused to watch the drama. (Photo Credits: X) A video from Delhis ever-buzzing Sarojini Nagar Market has gone viral and no, its not because of fashion steals this time. Instead, its a full-blown street brawl between two women thats taken the spotlight. The drama allegedly began over a dress. In the now-viral clip posted by an X user, one woman lands a shocking slap on the other, setting off a chaotic scene of flailing arms, furious yelling, wild hair-pulling, and exchanged punches all in broad daylight, right in the middle of the crowded market. The crowded lanes of Sarojini stood still for a moment as shocked shoppers paused mid-bargain to watch the drama. Recommended Stories Take a look at the now-viral video here: In the background, someone can be heard pleading, Ladies hain, chudao na," hoping the fight would fizzle out. But the plea landed nowhere. Neither of the women looked ready to surrender. Even as a few onlookers cautiously stepped in to separate them, the scuffle only got more heated. No one was backing down. While the exact cause behind the clash remains a bit of a mystery, the post claims the commotion began over a dress pieceprobably the kind you hold onto like your life depends on it when its the last of its kind. The internet had a field day reacting to the video. Some couldnt stop laughing, joking about how only in Sarojini can fashion turn into combat." Others were more concerned, wondering how far people are willing to go in public over a few hundred rupees. One user wrote, This is what happens when Zara fashion meets Delhi energy." Another wrote, Not the catwalk I expected at Sarojini, but okay." There were, of course, a few who simply asked, Did she at least get the dress in the end?" top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all As of now, theres been no official word on whether any legal action has been taken. Famous for its export-surplus fashion finds and bargain-heavy buzz, Sarojini Nagar Market has long been Delhis hotspot for affordable, trendy clothes. Its a place where a keen eye and good haggling skills can get you a wardrobe refresh without burning a hole in your wallet but evidently, a sharp elbow might come in handy too. 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: April 09, 2025, 13:42 IST 55 Held At Rave Party In Pakistan, But Cops Who Busted It Got Suspended Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 08:37 IST A rave in Kasur in Pakistan's Punjab was raided by police, detaining 55 youths, including military officers' and politicians' children. The raid's video leaked, leading to police suspensions The rave party, attended by young men and women, featured a significant quantity of drugs and other intoxicants. (News18 Hindi) In a shocking turn of events, a high-profile rave party held at a farmhouse in Kasur district has thrust Pakistans Punjab province into the spotlight. According to reports, the local police, acting on information about the heavy use of drugs and narcotics, raided the party, only for the operation to backfire. Reports indicate that among the 55 youths detained were the sons and daughters of military officers, security forces, and ruling leaders. Consequently, the police team responsible for the raid has been suspended, and an investigation is underway to determine how the video of the night was leaked on social media. Recommended Stories The incident occurred at a luxurious farmhouse in the Mustafabad police station area of Kasur, one of the wealthiest regions in Punjab. According to reports, the rave party, attended by young men and women, featured a significant quantity of drugs and other intoxicants. Acting on complaints from local residents and confidential information, Mustafabads SHO, Saqlain Khan, organised the raid with permission from his superiors. Late at night, the police team raided the farmhouse, recovering a substantial amount of drugs, alcohol, and other substances, and detained 55 people, mostly youths. As per standard procedure, the police recorded the raid to document evidence. However, the situation took a dramatic turn when the video of the rave party went viral on social media within hours. The footage vividly displayed the condition of the inebriated youths and the drugs seized. According to reports, this led to chaos at Mustafabad police station, with calls flooding in from politicians, army officers, and senior security officials. The pressure became so intense that Kasurs District Police Officer (DPO), Essa Khan, had to intervene personally. Upon his arrival, he immediately suspended SHO Saqlain Khan and the investigating officer, accusing them of making and leaking the video without authorisation. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The detained youths were reportedly presented in court, where they were released due to insufficient evidence. Sources indicate that the youths belonged to influential families, prompting the police to avoid discussing the matter openly. A Superintendent of Police has been appointed to investigate the incident, focusing on how the video was leaked and identifying any errors made by the police. The police now claim that the raid occurred due to a misunderstanding and assert that the detained youths were not at fault. Location : Pakistan First Published: April 09, 2025, 08:37 IST Danish Couple Running Eco-Resort Flees Sweden, Leaves Behind 158 Barrels Of Human Waste Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 10:08 IST The couple, behind the popular Stedsans retreat in southern Sweden, allegedly vanished without notice, deserting animals and leaving a significant environmental disaster in their wake. Danish couple Flemming Hansen and Mette Helbaek once ran a popular eco-friendly resort, Stedsans, in Sweden. (Instagram) A Danish couple, Flemming Hansen and Mette Helbaek, who once ran a popular eco-friendly resort in Sweden, have been found living in Guatemala after allegedly fleeing the country and leaving behind 158 barrels of human waste. The couple, known for their environment-friendly retreat, Stedsans in Halland, southern Sweden, are reported to have left without warning, abandoning animals and creating a major environmental hazard. Recommended Stories Their staff claimed that several animals, including ducks, died as a result of the couple leaving them outside during the night and that other animals were abandoned. Daniel Helsing, a local official in Hylte, told Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter, as quoted by The Guardian, Voila. Over 150 barrels of human shit." Local authorities have called it an environmental crime". Stedsans, a forest retreat consisting of 16 wooden cabins, was once lauded by social media influencers and reviewers as a luxurious nature getaway. The couple, who previously operated a popular rooftop restaurant in Copenhagen, had said they moved to Sweden in 2016 after feeling the call of the wild". But then, Stedsans was declared bankrupt in March. The couple allegedly owed millions to the Danish tax authorities before moving to Sweden and then racked up about 6 million SEK (around 470,000) in debt to Swedish tax authorities. They have since opened a second hotel in Guatemala. On their website, the couple said they came very far with Stedsans but also realised that being soul-driven entrepreneurs on a mission in a country with some of the highest taxes in the world and relentless bureaucracy was an impossible task. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all When you read this, we have probably been declared bankrupt by the Swedish tax authorities. All we ever wanted was to be a part of creating a more beautiful planet," they added. Authorities are currently looking into the legal and environmental infractions connected to the couples abrupt disappearance. Location : Sweden First Published: April 09, 2025, 10:08 IST EU Slaps $23 Billion Tariffs On US Goods In Retaliation For Trump's Steel, Aluminum Tariffs Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 21:47 IST The tariffs will go into effect in stages, with some on April 15 and others on May 15 and December 1 European Union leaders attend a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels. (AP file photo) European Union member states voted Wednesday to approve retaliatory tariffs on USD 23 billion in goods in response to US President Donald Trumps 25 per cent tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, as the largest US trading partner described them as unjustified and damaging." The tariffs will go into effect in stages, with some on April 15 and others on May 15 and December 1. The EU executive commission didnt immediately provide a list of the goods. Members of the 27-country bloc repeated their preference for a negotiated deal to settle trade issues. Recommended Stories The EU considers US tariffs unjustified and damaging, causing economic harm to both sides, as well as the global economy," the EUs executive commission said in a statement. The EU has stated its clear preference to find negotiated outcomes with the US, which would be balanced and mutually beneficial." The targeted goods are a tiny fraction of the 1.6 trillion Euros (USD 1.8 trillion) in US-EU annual trade, which sees some 4.4 billion Euros in goods and services cross the Atlantic each day in what the European Commission calls the most important commercial relationship in the world." The head of the EUs executive commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has offered Trump a zero-for-zero tariffs deal on industrial goods including cars. But Trump has said thats not enough to satisfy US concerns. Trumps expanded steel and aluminum tariffs came into effect in March. The EU has targeted smaller lists of goods in hopes of exerting political pressure and avoiding economic damage from a wider escalation of tit-for-tat tariffs. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The EU is also working on a response to Trumps blanket 20 per cent tariff on all European goods, imposed as part of his sweeping reciprocal" tariffs imposed on global trading partners. That could include measures aimed at US tech companies and the services sector as well as trade in goods. Frances Economic Minister Eric Lombard said the second package will take account not only of European imports, but also of other ways in which we can respond." Speaking to legislators in the National Assembly in Paris, Lombard added that the idea is that, with these extremely strong, extremely powerful measures, we can get to the negotiating table on an equal footing, so that both sides of these duties can be lowered and all our economic sectors protected." Location : Brussels, Belgium First Published: April 09, 2025, 21:47 IST Bush stone-curlews returned to Phillip Island for the first time since the 1970s. Source: Paula Wasiak The haunting cries of bush stone-curlews are echoing across Phillip Island off Australias south coast for the first time in 50 years. While common up north, where it inhabits carparks, nature strips and schoolyards, in Victoria the knee-high nocturnal bird is critically endangered with no more than 100 living across a small frontier in the states northwest. A trial release of 12 birds proved successful, with 75 per cent surviving, an impressive outcome for the species at this stage of the introduction. Phillip Island is famously fox-free, which allows ground-dwelling birds like its internationally famous little penguin colony to flourish. Australian National University PhD researcher Paula Wasiak spoke to Yahoo News on Wednesday as she worked to catch 24 more captive-bred bush stone-curlews for release this week. They have a unique behaviour where they camouflage themselves by pretending to be a log. Its quite hard for us to find the birds catching them is taking a lot longer than expected, she said. ADVERTISEMENT Related: Rare island creature found living inside invasive plant Catching bush stone-curlews ahead of their release has proved a challenge for the researchers. Source: Paula Wasiak The bush stone-curlews were released wearing tiny GPS monitoring devices. Source: Paula Wasiak What does the bush stone-curlew sound like? The new release on Phillip Island will contribute to the creation of a stronghold in Victoria. Locals have reported hearing their cry, which has been described as eerie, ghostlike, or even similar to a human scream. People say its a haunting call, but I quite like it. Its unique I had someone from the local post office saying she could hear the birds from her house, which is almost a kilometre away. On really still nights, their calls can travel quite a bit, Wasiak said. It's hoped a permanent stronghold of bush stone-curlews can survive on Phillip Island. Source: Paula Wasiak What killed 25 per cent of the curlews? The trial-release bush stone-curlews were each fitted with a radio tracking device so their progress could be monitored. While the birds managed to outsmart domestic dogs and cats living on the island, a handful were struck and killed by cars. ADVERTISEMENT Vehicle strikes remain a constant threat to much of the island's wildlife. While it has a small permanent human population of under 14,000 people, every year millions of tourists flock to the island to see its penguins, seals, beaches and bars. It's also the location of the Australian motorcycle grand prix. The bush stone-curlew is also rare in NSW and South Australia, where its listed as endangered. Phillip Island used to be home to a small group of the birds, but no one can recall seeing one since the 1970s. The reintroduction is a collaboration between ANU, Phillip Island Nature Parks and the Odonata Foundation. Donations to help the curlews can be made via the Penguin Foundation website. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. Filipino Politician Faces Backlash For Joke About Sleeping With Single Mothers Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 11:31 IST The Filipino congressional candidate is facing potential disqualification from the upcoming May elections after making controversial statements about single mothers. Filipino congressional candidate Christian Sia. (Instagram/@tagapasigsia) A Filipino congressional candidate is under scrutiny for misogynistic remarks made during his campaign. During a speech on April 3, Christian Sia, a lawyer-turned-politician and congressional candidate from Pasig City, made comments about single mothers, which many have deemed sexist and degrading". Sia is facing potential disqualification from the upcoming May elections after making controversial statements about single mothers and his assistants physical appearance. Recommended Stories Any lonely, single mother who is still having her period let me be clear, she should still be having her period, I will sleep with her for one night," he said at a rally," the South China Morning Post quoted Sias statement. After his controversy, the Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) issued a show cause notice asking him to explain why his remarks should not lead to sanctions or removal from the ballot. Womens rights organisations condemned his statement, arguing that Sias comment trivialised the challenges faced by single parents, turning their struggles into a crude punchline. Christian Sia apologised on Friday, shifting blame to the person who uploaded the video, claiming it was edited to exclude the audiences laughter in response to his comment. He claimed his remark was meant to add shock" value to his speech. He later apologised, stating, If I hurt your feelings, I apologise". The womens rights organisation Gabriela submitted a letter to Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo of the Philippines, pressing the Supreme Court to disbar Sia due to his remark. According to the group, Sias apology was wanting of any ounce of sincerity and evidently was merely an afterthought to troubleshoot the public uproar and backlash that he created". It is an attack against the dignity of every woman and a clear disrespect for the pain and struggle every single mother endures day to day. With Sia, there will be no safe space for women whether in or outside the courtroom," the statement added. Elizabeth Angsioco, chairperson of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines, warns that politicians making derogatory comments about women are likely to introduce discriminatory laws or block initiatives promoting womens rights. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Later, Pasig councillor candidate Shamcey Supsup-Lee declared her resignation on Tuesday from the team of mayoral hopeful Sarah Discaya, which includes Mr Sia as a member. As a woman and a mother, I do not tolerate statements whether made in jest or in earnest that diminish or disrespect women. I believe we all have moments to learn from, and I hope this becomes one of them," Ms Lee said. Location : Philippines First Published: April 09, 2025, 11:31 IST India Among Several Nations Willing To Lower Tariffs, Says Trump Govt Official Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 07:37 IST Trump has imposed 26% tariffs on India, that rolled out on April 2. His government official has now said that India is among various nations planning to lower tariffs on US imports. US President Donald Trump with PM Modi (Reuters Image) India is among several nations planning to slash tariffs, US trade representative Jamieson Greer has said, adding that around 50 countries have approached him to discuss President Donald Trumps new plan, which has begun to reap rewards. Greer told the Senate Finance Committee that the United States average tariff on agricultural products is 5%, however, Indias average tariff is 39%. Recommended Stories US Trade Representative On India Our average tariff on agricultural goods is 5%, but Indias average tariff is 39%. You understand the trend here. Our trade deficit, driven by these non-reciprocal conditions, is a manifestation of the loss of the nations ability to manufacture, to grow, and to build. The President recognises the urgency of the moment," he told the Senate. Naming India and Israel among those mulling a reduction in tariffs, he said that countries have shown willingness to reduce both tariff and non-tariff hurdles as a result of Trumps agenda of reciprocity" in trade with allies. Nearly 50 countries have approached me personally to discuss the Presidents new policy and explore how to achieve reciprocity. They have also spoken with many members of the administration. Several of these, such as Argentina, Vietnam, India, and Israel, have suggested that they will reduce their tariffs and non-tariff barriers in line with the Presidents policy," Greer said. He also attributed the significant spike in the US trade deficit and decline of the countrys manufacturing sector to one-sided tariffs, trade barriers by foreign partners". Trumps big changes to trade rules like setting a basic global baseline tariff on imports and adding higher taxes on steel, aluminum, cars, and parts not made in the US have led nearly 50 countries to start talks, he added. Several of these countries have suggested that they will reduce their tariffs, in line with the Presidents policy," the US government official said. India-US Trade Talks As per the agreement between India and the US during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Washington DC in February, the two countries will negotiate a mutually beneficial Bilateral Trade Agreement by this Fall. India and the US have begun trade deal talks. According to a government official, New Delhi is not planning to retaliate against Trumps 26% tariffs that went live on April 2, when he also imposed sweeping tariffs on several nations, shaking the markets across the globe. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The official, who did not want to be named, said that the Indian government has found a clause in Trumps tariff order that offers a possible reprieve for trading partners who take significant steps to remedy non-reciprocal trade arrangements", Reuters earlier reported. This clause says that countries can be excused from the tariffs or get some relief if they work to fix unfair trade deals. About the Author Ashesh Mallick Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: April 09, 2025, 07:06 IST India Withdraws Land Border Transit For Bangladesh Exports Amid US Tariff Tensions Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 22:11 IST The move is expected to disrupt Bangladesh's readymade garment exports and raise costs for trade with countries including Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar Workers are engaged at their sewing stations in a garment factory in Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka. (AFP file photo) In a landmark move, India has withdrawn the transshipment facility that allowed export cargo from Bangladesh to export cargoes to other countries via Indian Land Customs Stations (LCSs), ports, and airports, amid increasing strain in bilateral ties. The transshipment facility, that was provided to Bangladesh in June 2020, enabled smooth trade flows for Bangladeshs exports to countries like Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar. Recommended Stories A government circular, issued on Tuesday said it has decided to rescind a 2020 order allowing transshipment of Bangladeshi exports to third countries through Indias land customs stations to ports and airports in containers or closed-body trucks. It has been decided to rescind circular dated June 29, 2020, as amended with immediate effect. Cargo already entered into India may be allowed to exit the Indian territory as per the procedure given in that circular," the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs circular said. The facility has been withdrawn due to delays and higher costs" hindering Indias own exports and creating backlogs. The trans-shipment facility extended to Bangladesh had over a period of time resulted in significant congestion at our airports and ports. Logistical delays and higher costs were hindering our own exports and creating backlogs," External Affairs Ministry (EAM) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. #WATCH | Delhi | On the withdrawal of the Transshipment facility for Bangladesh, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, The Transshipment facility extended to Bangladesh had over a period of time resulted in significant congestion at our airports and ports. Logistical delays pic.twitter.com/ZoLBJrskZ8 ANI (@ANI) April 9, 2025 Jaiswal said the transshipment facility has been withdrawn with effect from April 8. However, India has exempted Bangladeshi exports to Nepal and Bhutan as such trade facilitation is mandatory for landlocked countries under the framework of provisions of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). To clarify, these measures do not impact Bangladesh exports to Nepal or Bhutan transiting through Indian territory," Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing. Bangladesh has been using several Indian ports and airports including the Delhi airport for sending its exports to the Middle East, Europe and many other countries. The move came days after Chief Adviser of Bangladeshs interim government, Muhammad Yunus, made a controversial statement in China saying Indias northeastern states, which share a nearly 1,600-km border with Bangladesh, are landlocked" and have no way to reach the ocean except through his country. It came as a fresh blow to Dhaka which is already reeling from steep US tariffs on its goods. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hailed the decision saying that it underscores PMs commitment to safeguarding national interests and the security of the Northeast region. Indias decision to revoke the transshipment facility for Bangladesh underscores Honble Prime Minister Narendra Modis unwavering commitment to safeguarding national interests and the security of the Northeast region. This decisive action reflects the governments firm stance on protecting Indias strategic and economic priorities," he said in a post on X. Indias decision to revoke the transshipment facility for Bangladesh underscores Honble Prime Minister @narendramodi s unwavering commitment to safeguarding national interests and the security of the Northeast region. This decisive action reflects the governments firm stance Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) April 9, 2025 This will stop Bangladeshs exports to Nepal and Bhutan," Yunus Hossain, a Dhaka-based trader, said. In relation to readymade garments, Bangladeshs biggest export, Bangladesh has always prioritised direct shipping, so the impact will hopefully not be severe. But it does hamper an intra-regional potential," Rubana Huq, former president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association told news agency Reuters. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Trade ties between the neighbours, which share a 4,000 km (2,500 mile) border, have cooled since Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country amid mass protests last August and sought shelter in India. (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: April 09, 2025, 19:36 IST Russian YouTuber Vitaly Zdorovetskiy Faces Criminal Charges In Philippines, Deportation Delayed. Here's Why Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 08:34 IST Vitaly Zdorovetskiy is being held for alleged acts committed during his stay, many of which were captured on video and circulated online. Russian Youtuber Vitaly Zdorovetskiy (Image Credit: X) Russian YouTuber Vitaly Zdorovetskiy was arrested in the Philippines and his deportation was delayed as he faces multiple criminal charges. The vlogger was taken into custody on April 3 at a hotel in Pasay City following the issuance of an order which declared him an undesirable" foreign national. Philippines Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said that Vitaly Zdorovetskiy is being held for alleged acts committed during his stay, many of which were captured on video and circulated online. Recommended Stories He will remain there for now in the Bureau of Immigration detention facility in Muntinlupa while he awaits his trial here. We will not deport him. He will be held accountable under the law here in the Philippines," he stated. What Are The Charges Against Vitaly Zdorovetskiy? Vitaly Zdorovetskiy is facing charges including unjust vexation, alarm and scandal as well as attempted theft. Police said the charges are from several incidents during his livestreams in which he allegedly harassed Filipino citizens in public spaces. In the videos, Vitaly Zdorovetskiy was seen aggressively interacting with a security guard and an elderly woman in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. It was reported that Vitaly Zdorovetskiy also jumped onto a moving jeepney, fabricated negative reviews about local businesses and stole small items, such as an electric fan from a restaurant and a tricycle. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Jonvic Remulla said, The time when foreigners could just disrespect Filipinos is over. This is an example that we are serious, in our own country. We will not let them belittle us." Zdorovetskiy will undergo a tactical interrogation so that we can get the identity of his cameramen. The cameraman, whom I think is Filipino, will also face charges because he is involved in the commission of a crime. We are still searching for the cameraman", he added. About the Author Mallika Soni When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" Location : Philippines First Published: April 09, 2025, 08:34 IST Two Microsoft Workers Fired For Protesting Over Israel Contract During 50th Anniversary Event Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 08:46 IST Microsoft has fired two employees who interrupted the company's 50th anniversary celebration to protest its work supplying artificial intelligence technology to the Israeli military, according to a group representing the workers. Two Microsoft Workers Fired For Protesting Over Israel Contract During 50th Anniversary Event. (Reuters) Microsoft has fired two employees who interrupted the companys 50th anniversary celebration to protest its work supplying artificial intelligence technology to the Israeli military, according to a group representing the workers. Microsoft accused one of the workers in a termination letter Monday of misconduct designed to gain notoriety and cause maximum disruption to this highly anticipated event." Microsoft says the other worker had already announced her resignation, but on Monday it ordered her to leave five days early. Recommended Stories The protests began Friday when Microsoft software engineer Ibtihal Aboussad walked up toward a stage where an executive was announcing new product features and a long-term vision for Microsofts AI ambitions. You claim that you care about using AI for good, but Microsoft sells AI weapons to the Israeli military," Aboussad shouted at Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman. Fifty-thousand people have died, and Microsoft powers this genocide in our region." The protest forced Suleyman to pause his talk while it was being live-streamed from Microsofts campus in Redmond, Washington. Among the participants at the 50th anniversary of Microsofts founding were co-founder Bill Gates and former CEO Steve Ballmer. Microsoft said Suleyman calmly tried to de-escalate the situation. Thank you for your protest. I hear you," he said. Aboussad continued, shouting that Suleyman and all of Microsoft" had blood on their hands. She also threw onto the stage a keffiyeh scarf, which has become a symbol of support for Palestinian people, before being escorted out of the event. A second protester, Microsoft employee Vaniya Agrawal, interrupted a later part of the event. Aboussad, based at Microsofts Canadian headquarters in Toronto, was invited on Monday to a call with a human resources representative at which she was told she was being fired immediately, according to the advocacy group No Azure for Apartheid, which has protested the sale of Microsofts Azure cloud computing platform to Israel. An investigation by The Associated Press revealed earlier this year that AI models from Microsoft and OpenAI had been used as part of an Israeli military program to select bombing targets during the recent wars in Gaza and Lebanon. The story also contained details of an errant Israeli airstrike in 2023 that struck a vehicle carrying members of a Lebanese family, killing three young girls and their grandmother. In its termination letter, Microsoft told Aboussad she could have raised her concerns confidentially to a manager. Instead, it said she made hostile, unprovoked, and highly inappropriate accusations" against Suleyman and the company and that her conduct was so aggressive and disruptive that you had to be escorted out of the room by security." Agrawal had already given her two weeks notice and was preparing to leave the company on April 11, but on Monday a manager emailed that Microsoft has decided to make your resignation immediately effective today." It was the most public but not the first protest over Microsofts work with Israel. In February, five Microsoft employees were ejected from a meeting with CEO Satya Nadella for protesting the contracts. We provide many avenues for all voices to be heard," said a statement from the company on Friday. Importantly, we ask that this be done in a way that does not cause a business disruption. If that happens, we ask participants to relocate. We are committed to ensuring our business practices uphold the highest standards." Microsoft had declined to say Friday whether it was taking further action, but Aboussad and Agrawal expected it was coming after both lost access to their work accounts shortly after the protest. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Dozens of Google workers were fired last year after internal protests over a contract it also has with the Israeli government. Employee sit-ins at Google offices in New York and Sunnyvale, California targeted a $1.2 billion deal known as Project Nimbus providing AI technology to the Israeli government. The Google workers later filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board in an attempt to get their jobs back. Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: April 09, 2025, 08:46 IST US To 'Take Back' Panama Canal From Chinese Influence: Pentagon Chief Last Updated: April 09, 2025, 08:01 IST The Panama Canal handles over 40% of US container traffic, with an annual value of approximately $270 billion. US To 'Take Back' Panama Canal From Chinese Influence: Pentagon Chief The United States will take back" the Panama Canal from Chinese influence, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday during a visit to the Central American nation. After talks with Panamas government, Hegseth vowed to deepen security cooperation with Panamanian security forces and said China would not be allowed to weaponize" the canal by using Chinese firms commercial relationships for espionage. Recommended Stories Together, we will take back the Panama Canal from Chinas influence," Hegseth said, speaking at a pier renovated with U.S. assistance in Panama City. China did not build this canal. China does not operate this canal, and China will not weaponize this canal. Together with Panama in the lead, we will keep the canal secure and available for all nations." More than 40% of U.S. container traffic, valued at roughly $270 billion a year, goes through the Panama Canal, accounting for more than two-thirds of vessels passing each day through the worlds second-busiest interoceanic waterway. Hegseth, the first U.S. defense secretary in decades to visit Panama, flew over the canal in a Black Hawk helicopter after meeting U.S. troops and Panamanian security forces. He also toured the Miraflores lock, waving to sailors passing through on a container ship. His language appeared fine-tuned, talking tough but offering some assurances to Panamanians still unsettled by Trumps threats to reclaim the canal. While Hegseth spoke about removing Chinese influence, Trump has spoken in broader terms and not ruled out using military force. Hegseths trip follows reports that the Trump administration has requested options from the U.S. military to ensure access to the canal, which the United States built more than a century ago and handed over to Panama in 1999. Trump has complained that it was a bad deal for the United States. Given Trumps tough rhetoric, the stakes were high for Hegseths visit. On the whole, this hasnt been a winning issue for the United States in terms of public diplomacy in Panama," said Ryan Berg, director of the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Still, current and former U.S. officials and experts say the United States has found a willing partner in tackling Chinese influence in Panamas President Jose Raul Mulino, whom Hegseth met earlier on Tuesday. In February, Mulino announced Panamas formal move to exit Chinas Belt and Road Initiative and he has aided Trumps crackdown on migrants. He has accepted deportation flights of non-Panamanians and worked to stem migration from South America by those crossing through his countrys dangerous Darien jungle. Hegseth praised Mulino, saying his government understood the threat from China, and his remarks about Panama being in the lead on addressing the canals security concerns appeared to be a nod to Panamanian sensitivities. During his visits to bases, which once had names including Fort Sherman and Rodman Naval Station before the U.S. exit, Hegseth spoke about the canal as key terrain" and held out hope for more frequent engagements by U.S. troops, including by revitalizing a jungle survival training center. In reality or in perception, the communist Chinese have had designs on more control of this canal, and to that we say: Not on our watch," Hegseth told U.S. troops and Panamanian security forces. We will grow our partnership even more." Hegseth, a U.S. military veteran and former Fox News host, has enthusiastically backed Trumps southern-focused security agenda by means such as dispatching U.S. troops to the U.S. border with Mexico, offering space at a base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to detain migrants, and using military aircraft for deportation flights. US Security Concerns Trump has falsely claimed that China is operating the canal, something even Hegseth said was not true on Tuesday, and that Chinese soldiers are present. However, experts acknowledge US security concerns, particularly regarding espionage, with an expansive Chinese commercial presence in Panama that also includes plans by Chinese firms to build a bridge over the canal. China has never been involved in the management and operation of the Panama Canal, nor has it ever interfered in the affairs of the canal," said a statement by the Chinese Embassy in Panama. The only time in history the canal has been cut off was because of a U.S. invasion. Who is truly safeguarding the canals neutrality and prosperity? Who keeps clamouring to take back the canal? Who is the real threat to it?" Last month, Trump celebrated a deal led by U.S. firm BlackRock to buy most of the $22.8-billion ports business of Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison, including its ports on either end of the Panama Canal. Trump said the purchase was an example of how the United States was reclaiming" the canal. But China has criticized it, with the market regulator saying it will carry out an antitrust review of the deal. Current and former U.S. officials say the Panama Canal would be critical for the passage of U.S. warships during any future conflict in Asia, since Navy vessels would transit from the Atlantic to the Pacific to support the war effort. Even without blocking the canal, China could keep tabs on vessels passing through it. Still, John Feeley, who was U.S. ambassador to Panama from 2015 to 2018, disputed the Trump administrations assertion that Chinas presence in Panama was a violation of the U.S.-Panama treaty. Whats not legitimate about the way Trump has gone about this is the bullying tactic that hes used, which is to claim that there has been a violation of the neutrality treaty. There hasnt been," Feeley said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Mulino has defended Panamas administration of the canal, saying it has been handled responsibly for world trade, including that of the United States, and that it is, and will continue to be, Panamanian." Location : Panama First Published: April 09, 2025, 08:01 IST In 2025 rental prices are still sky-high and while the national vacancy rate rose slightly in January, it remains well below what is needed for a balanced market. As the federal election looms, Australias housing crisis is at the forefront of voters' minds, with many calling for urgent action on the rising price of homes and the shortage of available properties. In 2025, rental prices remain dizzyingly high. And although in February the national vacancy rate rose to 1.3 per cent, up from 1.0 per cent in January, they're still well below the three per cent threshold typically indicative of a balanced market. This week in Queensland, a shocking video surfaced online, capturing an individual's camp in quite an unexpected location on a body of water at the Gold Coast. The footage, filmed in Surfers Paradise, shows a tent suspended by rope and supported by two paddleboards, floating on the Nerang River. It sparked widespread concern among responders, with some saying they were "struggling to process" the sad scene. "This is what the housing crisis has come to," one person replied. ADVERTISEMENT "People will do anything when there is a lack of funds and care," another said. "There is no affordable housing available in this country," a third wrote. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, a spokesperson for the City of Gold Coast council said its officers had referred the matter to the Department of Housing and local welfare services, which are equipped to provide proper support. "The City does not provide any direct housing or welfare services," they said. Across the country it's not uncommon for Australians to resort to sleeping in tents. Source: NCA Newswire Australia's housing crisis particularly dire in Queensland Across the country, it's far from uncommon for Australians to resort to sleeping in tents though more so on a body of water with a lack of available resources forcing people to take drastic action. Paul Slater, who runs the Northwest Community Group and manages a makeshift "tent city" in Musgrave Park, in Brisbane's south, said he's struggling to keep up with the enormous demand for his services. ADVERTISEMENT Paul gets dozens of messages every week from those seeking help and has supplied over 500 tents to battling Australians last year alone. He said within the last couple of decades, there's been an "absolute failure on all levels of government" when it comes to social housing. "It's clear we're in an emergency," he earlier told Yahoo. "I've got people calling me multiple times per day, sleeping on concrete with nowhere to go. "I've got one lady... she's been searching every day for rentals. She's been to 100 inspections and can't get anywhere within her budget for her and her two children. She's not getting any support, and she has two weeks until she's homeless. "I got a call last night from another woman out at Redcliffe who's sleeping in her car with three children, 8, 10, and 14 three girls. She's been sleeping in her CAR." 'Cruel' response to 'tent cities' criticised Despite this, homeless people in Brisbane's tent cities were earlier this year given 24 hours to pack up their things and leave, amid a crackdown on temporary housing on public land. ADVERTISEMENT The move was announced by Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner in mid-March, stating the public had raised concerns about the safety of people sleeping on public land, particularly at Musgrave Park. Homeless people in Brisbane's tent cities were earlier this year given 24 hours to pack up their things and leave. Source: NCA Newswire The idea sparked widespread condemnation, with Gabba Ward councillor Trina Massey branding the decision "cruel and hypocritical". "The Lord Mayors cruel and opportunistic stance, criminalising homelessness just days after vulnerable communities were exposed to severe weather, does nothing to support those facing domestic violence, substance abuse or others falling through the cracks," she said. ADVERTISEMENT And tent living is not just a Queensland issue, with similar "cities" popping up right across Australia due to a shortage of adequate accommodation. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. A judge in Brazil went by the name Edward Albert Lancelot Dodd Canterbury Caterham Wickfield for his entire career but it was only after he retired that authorities discovered it was fake. Investigators say his real name is Jose Eduardo Franco dos Reis, which the Guardian notes is "a name fairly typical in a country once colonized by Portugal." His pension has been suspended and he has been charged with identity fraud and using false documents, though police say they have been unable to find him. Investigators say the judge, who was born and raised in Brazil, started used fake documents in the Wickfield name and claimed to be the son of British aristocrats in the early 1980s, when he was admitted to the University of Sao Paolo law school. He claimed he had studies in the UK and his grandfather was a British judge. Reis became a judge in 1995 and retired in 2018. Former colleagues say he spoke Portuguese with a slight British accent, Globo reports. The ruse was discovered in October when he tried to get a new identity document in the Wickfield name but his fingerprints matched the ones on file for Reis. Police say that when they brought Reis in for questioning, he said he was Reis and Wickfield was his twin brother, who had been adopted by British aristocrats when he was a child. He claimed he was renewing the ID card at his twin's request, Folha de Sao Paolo reports. Prosecutors believe Reis used both identities for different purposes over the years, though his motivation for the double life is unknown. He handed down thousands of decisions under the fake name during his decades as a judge and it's not clear whether they can now be challenged, Globo reports. UPDATE Apr 10, 2025 2:30 AM CDT A Maryland man found dead hours after arriving in the Bahamas on a family vacation died by drowning, per the autopsy report cited by Fox News. The Royal Bahamas Police Force says toxicology results are still pending, and that foul play is not suspected in the death of 23-year-old Dinari McAlmont. Apr 9, 2025 1:54 PM CDT The parents of a Maryland man found dead on vacation in the Bahamas says it appears he was beaten to death hours after arrival. Dinari McAlmont, 23, of Bowie traveled to Nassau with his parents on Friday. All three were at dinner at the Atlantis Paradise Island resort around 9pm when McAlmont left to get a jacket and explore the resort, family members tell WTTG. Hours later, McAlmont's parents were reportedly visited by Bahamian police, who said their son had been accused of spitting on restaurant staff members and that they were looking for him, per the New York Post. At that point, the parents realized they were unable to track McAlmont using his phone's location data. "China did not build this canal. China does not operate this canal. [A]nd China will not weaponize this canal. Together, we will take back the Panama Canal from China's influence." Those were Pete Hegseth's fighting words on Tuesday during his visit to Panamathe first by a US defense secretary in more than 20 yearsin which Hegseth met with Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino. During his visit, Hegseth warned about the "ongoing threats" from China regarding the Panama Canal, which President Trump has hinted about "reclaiming," reports Axios. More on Hegseth's trip and its implications: Making nice: Per Politico, despite Hegseth's harsh words regarding China, he played "carrot, not stick" when it came to how he talked about the Central American nation. "Together with Panama in the lead, we will keep the canal secure and available for all nations through the deterrent power of the strongest, most effective, and most lethal fighting force in the world," Hegseth said Tuesday in a presser. Hours after President Trump's 104% tariffs on Chinese goods went into effect, China did exactly what Trump urged it not to do: It retaliated. Beijing increased tariffs on US goods from 34% to 84%, effective Thursday. US stock index futures fell sharply with the announcement, per Reuters. Speaking before the announcement, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said China was firmly opposed to the "domineering and bullying behavior" by the US, per CNN. "If the US disregards the interests of both countries and the international community and insists on waging a tariff war and trade war, China will fight to the end," he said. The tit-for-tat now "threatens to bring trade between two of the world's most important economies to a standstill," per CNBC. Kim Shin-jo, a prominent ex-North Korean commando who resettled in South Korea as a pastor after his daring mission to assassinate South Korean President Park Chung-hee in 1968 failed, died on Wednesday. He was 82. Kim died of old age and his official funeral is set for Saturday, Kim's Sungrak Church in Seoul said. It said Kim was survived by his wife, whom he met after resettling in South Korea, and two childrena son and a daughter. Kim was among a team of 31 North Korean commandos who tried to storm South Korea's mountainside presidential palace to assassinate Park, an authoritarian president who had been ruling South Korea with an iron-fist since 1961, the AP reports. The daughter of a British adventurer is apologizing after trumpeting what she described as an adventurous first of her own: crossing Nunavet's Baffin IslandCanada's largestsolo as a female. Camilla Hempleman-Adams completed the 150-mile journey via foot and ski on March 27, and had written in a expedition blog prior to setting out that "Parks Canada has confirmed that there are no historical records of a female solo attempt from Qikiqtarjuaq to Pangnirtung." Members of the native Inuit population quickly pushed back, prodding Hempleman-Adams to issue an apology and take down her blog and Instagram account. ExplorersWeb notes her website now describes the trip as "a winter attempt to become the first British woman to traverse across Baffin Island." The BBC spoke with Gayle Uyagaqi Kabloona of Ottawa, who is Inuit. She explained such records hadn't existed because the making such journeys is "a normal way of life" for the Inuit. Learning of Hempleman-Adams's claim was "like watching colonization happen all over again," she said. "This woman is coming here from such a place of privilege and ignorance ... it was almost like she was bringing back news of a new continent to Europe and saying 'there's nobody here!' We were and still are." In her apology, Hempleman-Adams said "it was never my intention to misrepresent any historical achievements or cause distress to local communities. ... I have travelled in this region multiple times and hold immense admiration for its nature, culture and traditions. I am truly saddened that the coverage of my journey may have caused concern or upset, and I remain committed to learning from this experience and engaging with the community with the utmost respect." The CBC has this from Parks Canada: Records are kept solely for public safety purposes and "do not document trip motivations or serve as records of personal or professional achievement." Two federal judgesone in Texas, one in New Yorkhave temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deporting Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act. The rulings were issued in response to Monday's Supreme Court decision that allowed deportations under the 18th-century wartime law, but said migrants must have a chance to challenge their deportation before they are removed from the US, the New York Times reports. In Manhattan, US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein said any Venezuelan migrants in his district would have the opportunity for a hearing before they are deported under the law. "It seems to me that people need to be protected," he said. In Brownsville, Texas, US District Judge Fernando Rodriguez blocked the deportation of Venezuelans being held at a detention center near the border until at least April 23. Both rulings came after civil liberties lawyers brought lawsuits seeking class action status for those facing deportation under the Alien Enemies Act, the AP reports. ACLU lawyers said the plaintiffs, two men in New York and three in Texas, were identified as Tren de Aragua gang members by ICE's "Alien Enemy Validation Guide," which critics say is unreliable, with points tallied based on attributes including tattoos and manner of dress. In the New York case, the ACLU sued on behalf of two men being held in an Orange County detention center who had been protected from deportation by an order from US District Judge James Boasberg issued the same day that President Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act last month, reports Reuters. Boasberg's order is defunct under the Supreme Court ruling, which requires migrants to challenge the deportation process in the places they are being held. The ACLU argues that Trump is unlawfully using the wartime law because the presence of gang members in the US doesn't constitute an "invasion," the Times reports. The Supreme Court did not address that issue in its Monday ruling. Apr 10 (News On Japan) - A new adventure unfolds on Future Island "Egghead," home to the lab of genius scientist Dr. Vegapunk. What awaits the Straw Hat crew there? As of April 2025, the latest episodes of One Piece delve into the Egghead Island Arc, where the Straw Hat Pirates arrive at the futuristic island of Egghead, home to the enigmatic scientist Dr. Vegapunk. The crew becomes entangled in a complex web involving the World Government's covert operations, the revolutionary advancements of Vegapunk's research, and the formidable Seraphimadvanced Pacifista units modeled after the former Warlords of the Sea. Concurrently, significant developments unfold globally, including escalating tensions between major pirate factions and the Marines, setting the stage for pivotal confrontations that could reshape the world's balance of power. Strong returns driven by disciplined, long-term investment approach 2024 HIGHLIGHTS Delivered positive absolute returns across all asset classes, except real estate Grew assets under management ("AUM") to $86 billion , up from $77.4 billion in 2023 , up from in 2023 Over five years, grew AUM to $86 billion from $73.3 billion and distributed over $7 billion to clients from and distributed over to clients Became Strategic Asset Allocation advisor to clients Recognized as a Greater Toronto Top Employer for a second consecutive year TORONTO, April 9, 2025 /CNW/ - The Investment Management Corporation of Ontario ("IMCO") announced today that the weighted average net return of its clients' portfolios was 9.9 per cent for the year that ended Dec. 31, 2024. This was IMCO's strongest performance since inception. Assets under management ("AUM") rose to $86 billion. Bert Clark, President and CEO, Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (CNW Group/Investment Management Corporation of Ontario [IMCO]) Rossitsa Stoyanova, Chief Investment Officer, Investment Management Corporation of Ontario. Photo Credit: Jaime Hogge (CNW Group/Investment Management Corporation of Ontario [IMCO]) "While we don't measure success based solely on one-year returns, we are pleased with our 2024 results. They reflect the strength of our disciplined, long-term approach to investing," said Bert Clark, President and Chief Executive Officer of IMCO. "We avoid unnecessary complexity and focus on building well-diversified, cost-effective portfolios for our clients, with strong liquidity management." Except for real estate, IMCO delivered positive absolute returns across all asset classes in 2024, led by public equities and private equity. In public equities, IMCO's mix of passive, factor and focused fundamental investment strategies delivered strong absolute returns of 24.2 per cent. Private equity's 16.4 per cent return was driven by solid operating performance across a diversified set of portfolio companies. Total returns also benefited from the appreciation of the US dollar. "We believe that helping our clients select the optimal asset mix, while avoiding market timing, big bets and unnecessary complexity, and pursuing outperformance in a very targeted way, positions us to effectively navigate an uncertain environment for our clients," said Rossitsa Stoyanova, Chief Investment Officer of IMCO. Over the last five years, IMCO has adjusted asset class strategies and helped clients modify their target asset mixes, with a view to generating better long-term investment results. IMCO results now reflect that work at the asset class and client portfolio design level. Read IMCO's 2024 Annual Report here. ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND 2024 NET INVESTMENTS AND RATES OF RETURN BY ASSET CLASS As of Dec. 31, 2024 ASSET CLASS NET INVESTMENTS (C$ BILLIONS) 1-Year Actual1 (%) 5-Year Actual2 (%) Public Equities $20.0 24.2 % 10.3 % Fixed Income $18.9 0.0 % (1.8 %) Global Infrastructure $11.3 8.0 % 6.8 % Real Estate3 $9.4 (0.8 %) (3.1 %) Private Equity $9.1 16.4 % 17.1 % Global Credit $8.6 8.1 % 4.2 % Public Market Alternatives 4 $1.8 6.2 % 2.9 % Money Market & Other 5 $0.7 Leverage6 $(4.2) Total IMCO7 $75.6 9.9 % 4.2 % 1 Net investment returns reflect new performance reporting policy for the 1-year return. 2 Net investment returns reflect new performance reporting policy for the 1-year (2024) component of the 5-year inception-to-date ("ITD") return. 3 Real Estate is net of certain assets (mortgages) and investment-related liabilities (debentures), totaling $1.3 billion. 4 Public Market Alternatives discontinued effective July 1, 2024. 5 Money Market & Other includes other assets and strategies for portfolio rebalancing and asset allocation purposes and are included in the total return. 6 Leverage, employed by IMCO's clients as part of their strategic asset allocation, is applied at the total portfolio level rather than within a specific asset class. 7 Excludes investments of $4.6 billion that do not align with our investment strategies. ASSETS UNDER MANAGEMENT BY ASSET CLASS As of Dec. 31, 2024 Asset Class (C$ billions) ( %) Fixed Income/Government Bonds 20.8 24 % Public Equities 20.0 23 % Real Estate 11.5 14 % Infrastructure 11.3 13 % Private Equity 9.5 11 % Global Credit 8.7 10 % Money Market and Other 2.3 3 % Public Market Alternatives 1.9 2 % Total 86.0 100 % Percentages shown are approximate due to rounding. REGIONAL ALLOCATION OF ASSETS UNDER MANAGEMENT As of Dec. 31, 2024 Region ( %) United States 52 % Canada 29 % Europe 11 % Asia Pacific 6 % Other regions 2 % Total 100 % ABOUT IMCO The Investment Management Corporation of Ontario ("IMCO") manages $86 billion of assets on behalf of its clients. Designed exclusively to drive better investment outcomes for Ontario's broader public sector, IMCO operates under an independent, not-for-profit, cost recovery structure. We provide leading investment management services, including portfolio construction advice, better access to a diverse range of asset classes and sophisticated risk management capabilities. As one of Canada's largest institutional investors, we invest around the world and execute large transactions efficiently. Our scale gives clients access to a well-diversified global portfolio, including sought-after private and alternative asset classes. Follow us on LinkedIn and X @imcoinvest. CONTACT : Annette Robertson Corporate Communications, IMCO [email protected] SOURCE Investment Management Corporation of Ontario [IMCO] All Super C stores now offer assortments of unsold perishable products on Too Good To Go MONTREAL, April 9, 2025 /CNW/ - The discount supermarket chain Super C and the social impact company Too Good To Go are proud to announce a major partnership, offering Quebecers another way to save money at the grocery store and fight food waste. A year after its successful launch in over 100 Metro stores in Quebec, the world's largest marketplace for surplus food is now deployed in all Super C stores across the province. All 113 Super C stores are now offering surprise bags of unsold food for a fraction of the price. (CNW Group/METRO INC.) In 2025, 86% of Quebecers plan to take action to reduce food waste*, including buying surplus or imperfect products at the grocery store. With this partnership, consumers can now purchase unsold food for a fraction of the price. Four types of bags are offered: fruits and vegetables, meats, dairy products, and baked goods. Each Surprise Bag is sold for a fraction of the price, and can be picked up between noon and 6 p.m. "At Super C, we are committed to offering value to our customers every day, without compromising on quality. By offering these assortments at low prices, we are giving a second chance to products that are still perfectly good to eat, while meeting the needs of our customers who are looking for economical and responsible options." said Loic Cloutier, senior Vice President, Super C. This partnership announcement is a continuation of the success of the collaboration between the Metro banner and Too Good To Go, across Quebec and Ontario, having saved more than 750,000 kilos of food from waste since December 2022. Expanding to Super C strengthens METRO's impact in the fight against food waste in Quebec. "Partnering with Super C is an important step toward creating a world with no food waste. We are proud of the close collaboration that we have forged with METRO. To date, more than 1.5 million meals have already been saved in Quebec via Too Good To Go, thanks to the commitment of more than 4,000 local businesses. We are pleased to welcome the Super C team into our mission," added Andrea Li, Country Director of Too Good To Go Canada. METRO has been investing in the fight against food waste for several years, in particular with their price reduction program, which offers up to 30% discount on products nearing their best before date, or their One More Bite food recovery program. In 2024, more than 8.5 million kilos of food were recovered and redistributed to their partners: Second Harvest, Feed Ontario and Food Banks of Quebec. The Too Good To Go app is available for free on the Apple App Store for iOS and Google Play for Android. To find out more about Too Good To Go and to find tips and tricks to waste less, follow the Instagram page TooGoodToGo.can. About METRO inc. With annual sales of more than $21 billion, METRO inc. is a food and pharmacy leader in Quebec and Ontario, providing employment to more than 97,000 people. Its purpose is to Nourish the health and well-being of our communities. As a retailer, franchisor, distributor, manufacturer and provider of eCommerce services, the company operates or services a network of 995 food stores under several banners including Metro, Metro Plus, Super C, Food Basics, Adonis and Premiere Moisson, and some 640 pharmacies primarily under the Jean Coutu, Brunet, Metro Pharmacy and Food Basics Pharmacy banners. For more details, visit corpo.metro.ca and follow the latest news on LinkedIn. About Too Good To Go Too Good To Go is a certified B Corp social impact company that connects users with partners to rescue unsold food and stop it from going to waste. With 100 million registered users and 170,000 active partners across 19 countries, Too Good To Go operates the world's largest marketplace for surplus food. Since its launch in 2016, Too Good To Go has helped to save over 400 million meals from going to waste, the equivalent to 1,080,000 tonnes of CO2e avoided. According to Project Drawdown (2020), reducing food waste is the number one action you can take to help tackle climate change, by limiting the temperature rise to just 2C by 2100. For more information see https://www.toogoodtogo.com/en-ca/press *Leger survey for Too Good To Go (2024) SOURCE METRO INC. Nicolas Dot, PR Manager, Too Good To Go Canada, 647.406.9153, [email protected]; Genevieve Gregoire, Communication Manager, METRO Inc., 514 209-9863, [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 Saturday to Sunday. 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: Saturday to Sunday, coming to an end Sunday night. ### 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. UPDATE: Police increase security after stabbing, attempted murder A 16-year-old Fort Lee High School student has been charged with attempted murder and related charges for stabbing a fellow student in the schools bathroom Tuesday morning, authorities said. The suspect, who was not identified because of their age, was charged with first-degree attempted murder, second-degree aggravated assault and two weapons-related offenses, the Bergen County Prosecutors Office announced Tuesday night. The suspect was apprehended at the scene. Detectives later determined the two teens got into an altercation in the bathroom and the suspect stabbed male victim several times with a knife in the neck, abdomen, back and arm, the office said. Police were called to the high school at 10:52 a.m. when a uniformed officer assigned to the district reported that a student had been stabbed, the office said in a statement. The school was placed on lockdown during the incident. Officers found the male student had been stabbed multiple time and first responders and school security personnel provided first aid to him before he was taken by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment, the office said. The victim was in critical but stable condition, authorities said Tuesday evening. The suspect was in custody Tuesday at the Bergen County Juvenile Detention Center, pending a closed hearing in family court. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. A student organization at the states largest Catholic university has canceled an LGBTQ-themed bingo event after it received multiple hateful messages. Seton Hall Hillel, the student-run Jewish organization at Seton Hall University, had scheduled Drag Bingo for Tuesday at 6 p.m. A social media post on Monday announced its cancellation. What was meant to be a joyful (belated) celebration of Purim a holiday that embraces resilience, Jewish pride, inclusivity, and joy instead became a target for hostility as our Hillel community received unacceptable, hateful messages in response," the statement read. The Purim holiday, which was created to celebrate the saving of the Jews from genocide in ancient Persia, is celebrated on March 13 and 14. The group explained that it canceled the event out of an abundance of caution for its members, the guest performer and the Seton Hall community. It did not elaborate on the nature of the hateful comments. In the Monday post, the organization thanked the university administration for its continued support. A university spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday night. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com. A large Monmouth County school district is backing off a plan to close two schools and convert a middle school into an elementary school, but at a potentially hefty cost. The Middletown school board voted Tuesday night on a revised plan for the 2025-26 academic year that would save Navesink Elementary School and Leonardo Elementary School. However, to make it work, school taxes would increase by anywhere from 5.88% to 10.1%. A vote on adopting the next budget is scheduled for April 30. Middletown Schools Superintendent Jessica Alfone spoke at Tuesdays meeting following nearly 90 minutes of comments from residents. Im just going to take the elephant out of the room right now. There is no plan for school closure for next year, Alfone said, according to a video of the meeting on the districts YouTube channel. Alfone had outlined a very different scenario at a school board meeting three weeks ago, at which the districts proposed $197 million budget for the 2025-26 school year was introduced. Under what officials were then calling Middletown Reimagined, the district would have closed the two elementary schools, which enroll students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Students from both schools would have been sent to Bayshore Middle School, one of the districts three middle schools, which would as a result have ceased to enroll students in grades six through eight. Alfone, last month, cited the impact of state aid cuts over the past decade, stemming in part from the school districts declining enrollment. The plan to close the schools drew significant pushback, most notably from Middletown Mayor Tony Perry. Perry on April 3 outlined an alternative in which the township would purchase from the school district a vacant, 10-acre tract assessed at approximately $2 million and reduce police coverage costs in the schools by $600,000. Alfone, at Tuesdays meeting, said that the final tax impact on residents has not been determined. I want to clarify what the 10.1 means, Alfone said, referring to the maximum percentage increase. The 10.1 means that thats the max we can take advantage of. We do not have to eventually in the end use all 10.1 but if we dont approve the 10.1 we cant utilize it, Alfone said. The vote the board took Tuesday was apply to the state education commissioner for permission to increase expenditures, as spelled out in the states new Tax Levy Incentive Aid program. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism you rely on and trust. Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. New Jerseys largest university is among several prominent U.S. higher learning institutions where the federal government has rescinded visas for some international students, officials said. Rutgers University said Wednesday that about a dozen of its international students, all in good academic standing, recently lost their legal residency status without explanation. The universitys president, Jonathan Holloway, has responded with a statement of support for international students and scholars. Recent media reports regarding travel bans and visa reviews by the federal government have created uncertainty and fear, Holloway wrote in a message to the campus community on Sunday. Here at Rutgers, as at other universities across the country, students who are in good academic standing have learned that their lawful status in the United States has been terminated without explanation, Holloway said. Harvard, Stanford, Michigan, UCLA and Ohio State University are among the other U.S. institutions of higher learning where visas for international students have been rescinded, a step that can lead to detention and deportation, the Associated Press reported. While the Trump administration has targeted some international students involved with pro-Palestinian protests or advocacy including Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder who led protests at Columbia University others losing visas appear to have no connection to any protests, the Associated Press reported. Holloway did not disclose information about the dozen affected international students at Rutgers, but wrote that the university has been in touch with these students to provide information and guidance. We deeply benefit from and we strongly support our international students and scholars," Holloway wrote in his message. Rutgers discovered the changes in legal status late last week via the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System data system, a university spokesperson told NJ Advance Media Wednesday. Rutgers remains in contact with the students and has referred them to the Rutgers Immigrant Community Assistance Project, at Rutgers Law School. The project offers free and confidential legal consultations to all students with immigration-related concerns, the spokesperson said. While the number of such instances at Rutgers is limited thus far, the effect is understandably chilling to our international community, Holloway wrote. Holloway pledged the universitys continued commitment to international students and scholars at Rutgers. We take pride in Rutgers standing as one of the most richly diverse state universities in the nation. Contributing in so many ways to the strength of our diversity are the thousands of students, faculty, scholars, clinicians, and staff who come here from other countries, Holloway wrote. Holloway announced last year that he will be stepping down as Rutgers president at the end of June. The Henry Luce Foundation, a New York-based philanthropic organization, announced last week that Holloway will become its president and chief executive officer in the fall. Rutgers is truly an international university: our classrooms and labs form microcosms of the global community, bringing people from different cultures and nationalities together to study and solve the worlds most pressing challenges, Holloway wrote. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism you rely on and trust. Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Places Gigi Hadid has been in recent weeks: Paris Fashion Week and Lyndhurst. Stephane Cardinale | Corbis via Getty Images Celebrities, theyre just like us. Dinner and tournament? Sure, why not? On Tuesdays episode of The Tonight Show, model Gigi Hadid told Jimmy Fallon she recently took her daughter Khai to Medieval Times in Lyndhurst. Fallon, who had his bachelor party at that very same castle, was all ears. I have a 4-year-old daughter and youre always trying to look for fun stuff to do on weekends and whatnot and a few weeks back, we went to Medieval Times in Jersey, said Hadid, 29. Highly recommend. Khai got very into it, she said her daughter dressed as a princess for the occasion. And Hadid was not expecting one particular development during the visit. You can make kids a hundred different things in a week, and we get there, and why is her favorite chicken the one at Medieval Times? she said. She ate so much chicken! Apparently, Khai who she welcomed in 2020 with her former partner, former One Direction member Zayn Malik preferred the venues utensil-free approach to poultry consumption. As for Hadid, before she got there, she didnt really know what Medieval Times was. I thought we were going to a Renaissance fair, she told Fallon. Medieval Times has drawn plenty of celebrities for its knights, horses and jousting. Last year, Stranger Things actors Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler) and Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), who have been a couple onscreen and off, were spotted at the Lyndhurst castle. Thank you for reading. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup on Twitter/X, @amykup.bsky.social on Bluesky and @kupamy on Instagram and Threads. 15 1 / 15 National education leaders join Baraka for Newark rally protesting Trump cuts National union leaders in K-12 and higher education gathered in Newark with its mayor on Tuesday to call for a unified effort opposing federal funding cuts and policy dictates by President Donald Trumps adminsitration. Today we are here to say: Enough! shouted Todd Wolfson, a journalism professor at Rutgers-Newark who is the national president of the American Association of University Professors, a union affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, or AFT. K-12 and higher education have to get together if were going to fight back. Union leaders used call-and-response chants to fire up the crowd of 150 academics for the 4 p.m. rally at downtown Newarks Military Park. When higher ed is under attack, what do we do? shouted Wolfson, who is also president of the Rutgers-Newark AAUP-AFT local. Stand up, fight back! the crowd yelled. The Newark event was one of 30 rallies around the country sponsored by the AFT on Tuesday, dubbed a Kill the Cuts National Day of Action. Randi Weingarten, the AFTs national president, was one of the featured speakers in Newark. Weingarten likewise called for unity and said educators at all levels play a key role in preserving democracy. Whether we are para-professionals, whether we are college professors teaching all kinds of courses that I cannot even pronounce, whether we are social studies teachers like me, she said, we help young people have agency and empowerment. We help young people engage in critical thinking and problem-solving so that they can discern fact from fiction, so that they can stand up for themselves, so that they know how to think, Weingarten added. And that is what this administration is so fearful about. Wolfson later called up Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka to close the rally. Baraka, who is running for governor in the June Democratic primary, has criticized the Trump administration on a variety of issues, including an immigration crackdown that began with a warrantless raid on a seafood outlet in January, followed the next month by ICEs announcement of its impending opening of a detention center near Newark Liberty International Airport. The spoken word artist and former high school history teacher led the crowd in an a capella version of the 1931 union song, Which Side Are You On? about the bloody Depression-era struggle in Harlan County, Kentucky, pitting coal miners and union organizers against mine owners and police. Earlier, Newark Teachers Association President John Abeigon called Trumps second term a good day for the Confederacy, and International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers Local 98 President Chris Dols told the story of Emmett Till, the 14-year-old Black teen brutally lynched in Mississippi in 1955 who became an inspiration for the modern Civil Rights movement. Baraka synthesized and expanded on the references for the mixed-race crowd of educators. The question is, what do coal miners in Kentucky have to do with civil rights workers in Mississippi? he said. That moment in history is the same moment were in now: Our ability to figure out what we have in common, how we need to be together, how we need to be united. Evoking the 1963 church bombing that killed four young girls in Birmingham, Alabama, Baraka said the same kind of people who opposed higher pay and safer working conditions for the miners also supported racial violence in the Jim Crow South. The problem is, it takes us decade after decade after decade to figure that out, he said. We spend a lot of time fighting and debating and struggling with one another and allowing our enemies off the hook. Trump foreshadowed his recent moves during his first term and his most recent campaign, Baraka said. We shouldnt be shocked by what is going on, he said. Baraka said Trumps goal is to make America a kleptocracy of oligarchs, using a well-worn strategy to distract the populations attention from whats really going on. And how do you distract people? he asked. You blame people that are gay. You discriminate against people because they speak another language. You criminalize Latinos. You make it difficult for us to study Black history. You attack education because an educated populous is a democratic one. You attack all the things that make us related to one another, that make our struggle common. Somebody said it earlier, the only way we win is if we stay united. Speakers included New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller, a rival of Barakas for the gubernatorial nomination whom the mayor nonetheless applauded in a modest show of unity. Spiller, a former Montclair mayor, introduced himself as a proud high school science teacher who moved to the United States from Jamaica as a child. I stand here right now as an immigrant, Spiller said. Im here as that teacher. Im here as that union leader. Im here as that Black man who understands what Donald Trump is trying to do. Hes trying to threaten us and erase us from our history right now, Spiller added. And we have to stand up, and we have to raise our voices right now. AFT New Jersey President Jennifer Higgins said the states K-12 districts stand to lose up to $1 billion in Title 1 and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act funding from the U.S. Department of Education if they dont eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, programs or curriculum. Title 1 funding is federal aid to poor districts created by Congress under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Separately, the education department has withheld $600 million in funding for K-12 and higher ed institutions from a pair of related sources - the Teacher Quality Partnership Program and the Supporting Effective Education Development Grant Program. The initiatives help recruit and train minority teachers for understaffed subjects in poor districts, though Trump administration officials have criticized the programs as divisive. Last month, the cuts prompted New Jersey to join Massachusetts and California as lead plaintiffs in a suit to restore the funding, which Congress authorized through laws in 2008 and 2015. The department has implemented the policy changes and budget cuts even as Secretary of Education Linda McMahon tries to carry out Trumps executive order last month to dismantle the department. In response to a request for comment, the education department referred to an interview McMahon gave at the 2025 ASU+GSV Summit StageX education forum in San Diego on Tuesday. In the interview, posted on YouTube, McMahon said the department had spent more than $3 trillion since its creation in 1980 as a stand-alone agency from the former Department of Health, Education and Welfare, with little progress to show for it compared to China and other competing nations. We just cant keep going along doing what weve been doing, McMahon said. We have to shake it up. In an interview with Fox News last month, McMahon said she and Trump would work with Congress on legislation to legally dismantle the department, while preserving education funding but shifting control of it to the states. Melissa Rogers, an associate professor of microbiology, biochemistry & molecular genetics at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark, told the crowd that she now has to avoid using certain words in her grant applications to the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation so theyre not flagged for promoting DEI. Rogers read examples from a list of absurdly inane terms compiled by Forbes magazine that includes women, trauma, systemic, and sex. The NIH did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday night. Wolfson said 100 student activists around the country, including 12 from New Jersey, have had their visas revoked, most for advocating on behalf of Palestinians in the war with Israel, whose prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is a close Trump ally. The administration has threatened huge funding cuts to universities that it says have failed to adequately address anti-Semitism on campus. But others assert the administration is weaponizing anti-Semitism by conflating religious or ethnic-based hateful speech or actions against Jews with criticism of Israeli conduct in Gaza and using the threat of funding cuts to silence such criticism. On another subject, Wolfson warned that student loan payments would balloon as a result of privatization of higher education debt if Trump succeeds in eliminating the education department. A non-union leader who spoke was Larry Hamm, founder of the civil rights nonprofit Peoples Organization for Progress, who plugged an all-day Convention for Justice And Resistance his group is hosting on April 26 at Essex County College. Hamm noted that next week will be the 47th anniversary of a student occupation of Nassau Hall, the main administration building at Princeton University. Hamm and other Princeton students occupied the building to demand the university divest from South Africa, which was still under apartheid and minority rule at the time. Hamm said the anniversary should serve as a reminder that student sentiments are often ahead of broader public opinion but later prove to be on the right side of history. For that and other reasons, their right to speak out, whether in support of Palestinians or on any other issue, must be protected. Students who lift their voices in the cause of human rights should not be suppressed, he said. NOTE: This article was updated to include a response Wednesday from the U.S. Department of Education to a request for comment. Nobody knows Jersey better than NJ.com Sign up to get breaking news alerts straight to your inbox. Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com Bojangles is opening its highly anticipated New Jersey location in Piscataway April 22. Popular Southern-based chicken chain Bojangles is preparing to make its highly anticipated debut in New Jersey. Bojangles is planning to open its Piscataway location on April 22 at 12 p.m., a store employee told NJ Advance Media on Wednesday. The new restaurant will be located at 1000 Stelton Rd. The beloved fast-food chain is slated to open in Neptune, Marlboro and Vineland as well, though further details havent been announced for those locations. The North Carolina-based company originally announced plans to open 10 New Jersey outposts across Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex and Union counties in 2022. A Bojangles location previously operated in Newark but closed years ago. Bojangles is widely popular for its fried chicken, buttermilk biscuits and sweet tea. Its menu features fried chicken, chicken tenders, sandwiches, breakfast biscuits, salads and more. The company was founded in 1977 in Charlotte, N.C. and has expanded to currently operate more than 800 locations throughout 20 states. More food coverage: Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Christopher Burch can be reached at cburch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SwishBurch. Find NJ.comon Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips/. Residents at one of Jersey Citys largest apartment complexes say the city is ignoring building violations, allowing daily infractions to go unchecked while a legal fight over rent control continues. But, city officials say this is false and that violations of local ordinances are being properly investigated and enforced. Thousands of people live at Portside Towers, a 527-unit apartment complex in the citys downtown. And, for nearly three years, tenants have been in a legal battle with their landlord, Equity Residential, over rent control. Two lawsuits have been filed, with landlords challenging an October 2023 decision by a city board saying that the complex should be rent controlled. While the years-long legal battle persists, residents claim theres another issue: the building remains plagued with unresolved violations, with the city allegedly failing to enforce its own rules on issuing daily fines to the landlord for offenses. Equity Residential, the sixth-largest apartment owner in the country, owns 79,322 units nationwide, according to the National Multifamily Housing Council. A spokesperson for the company could not be reached for comment. There are more than 1,000 violations each day at the complex, according to the Portside Towers Tenant Association, which has helped tenants fight rent increases. According to the association, every unit is currently in violation due to the lack of a uniformed security measures and an on-site superintendent, as required by law. There are emergency systems that misfire...theres no resident superintendent, said Kevin Weller, president of the Portside Tower East Tenants Association. The law demands daily fines, rent reductions, enforcement, but weve seen none of it. A spokesperson for Jersey City said Thursday that the tenants claims were false and that residents had been advised on the proper way to file violation claims. The tenants have been informed that city protocol requires any additional complaints to be submitted through a tenant petition which they have never done, city officials said. Despite this, the Tenant-Landlord Relations Office continues to fully enforce local ordinances and has issued multiple summonses for any violations investigated and found. Michele Hirsch and Kevin Weller, presidents of the west and east Portside Towers tenant associations, respectively, with a copy of the $400 million federal class action lawsuit against landlord Equity Residential, on July 3, 2024. (File photo by The Jersey Journal) Reena Rose Sibayan | The Jersey Journal Several tenant association members spoke at the citys March 26 council meeting, urging city officials to enforce rent control laws and address what they called widespread code violations. A recording of a recent call to Portside Towers emergency line was played for council members. In the middle of the night, residents were woken by flashing lights and fans turning on, but no alarm sounded, leaving them unsure if they were in danger, the tenant association said. When a resident called the emergency number, they were routed to an overseas call center with no response and no superintendent on site. Weeks later, tenants said the landlord had not addressed the situation. Meanwhile, residents claim they are also dealing with illegal rent hikes. Jersey Citys rent control ordinance limits increases to 4% or the annual change in the consumer price index. However, Portside Towers residents say their rent has increased by 20% to 35%, amounting to $800 to $1,500 more per month. Amid the alleged violations, tenants filed a $400 million federal class-action lawsuit against Equity Residential, accusing the landlord of years of overcharging. The lawsuit, filed in July 2024, is ongoing, with both sides appearing in court last month. While Jersey City attorneys defended the rent control law in court, residents say there has been no action taken to enforce it at Portside Towers, according to the tenants association. Jersey City officials said they are prohibited from taking action regarding the illegal rent petition because the matter is still being addressed in court. As has been explained to the tenants multiple times, and supported by legal documents, the issue of illegal rent is being actively litigated in both federal and state courts, officials said in a statement. There is no ability to take action until the courts have resolved the litigation. However, tenants say alleged violations of ordinances, including the lack of a superintendent and security in each building, are issues that still need to be addressed in the meantime. Were not asking for the city to interfere with court proceedings, said Silvia Helou, a Portside tenant association member. Were asking it to enforce the law today Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Nyah Marshall may be reached at nmarshall@njadvancemedia.com South River police are looking for three men involved in a road rage incident last week. Two of the vehicles they were using are also pictured. South River police One man has been charged and police in South River are asking for the publics help in identifying three others who were part of a road rage incident last week. Detectives on patrol in an unmarked patrol vehicle witnessed the end of an altercation that involved several people with weapons around 5:30 p.m. April 1 on Ferry Street, police said in a statement. Following an investigation, police charged Donovan Cimaglia with aggravated assault, riot, criminal mischief and multiple weapons offenses. Cimaglia, 21, of East Brunswick, has a warrant for his arrest and is being sought by police along with three other unknown men. Police recovered a gun with a high-capacity magazine from Cimaglias vehicle after obtaining a warrant. Details about the incident werent immediately available. Anyone with information on Cimaglia or the other suspects is asked to call Detective Patrick Molina at 732-254-9002 x113 or Sgt. Kenneth Nale at 732-254-9002 x 123. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. A New Jersey man who terrorized and attacked at least four women he struck up relationships online with by posing as a nurse has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. Herman C. Brightman, 31, of West New York, will also be subject to three years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York said Tuesday. Brightman used Facebook and the dating application Hinge to prey on multiple women over a 20-month period starting in January 2022. Brightman took selfies of himself wearing scrubs and lab coats and told women he was a nurse or nurse practitioner employed at area hospitals. After gaining their trust, he acted violently toward the women when they tried to break up with him, officials said. Brightman also went by the aliases Nazir Griffiths and Nazir Luckett, authorities said. His crime spree began in July 2022 when he kidnapped a woman and her child at knifepoint and brought both from New York to his home in Hudson County after she ended their relationship, authorities said. Brightman threatened to kill her and held her overnight before she escaped and called police, prosecutors said. In August 2023, he attacked and tied up a woman he had been dating in her Queens, New York home, threatening to gut her like a fish, prosecutors said. The woman then ended the relationship and Brightman made repeated threatening phone calls to her, authorities said. The other two attacks took place in September 2023, authorities said. Early in the month, he lured a woman he had been dating to his car in the Bronx and forced her to call the Queens woman he had attacked a month earlier, prosecutors said. Brightman then punched the woman and put her in a choke hold when she tried to escape, authorities said. She eventually was able to get away from him, authorities said. Days later he confronted the woman at her job before following her home, pushing her to the ground and throwing a traffic cone at her, prosecutors said. Finally, at the end of the month, Brightman attacked a fourth woman he had been dating in her home in the Bronx. Brightman attempted to strangle and rape the woman before a friend came to her aid, authorities said. He later pleaded guilty to traveling in interstate commerce to commit a crime of violence and sending interstate threats. Brightman was originally charged with kidnapping a minor, threatening physical harm by interstate communication, cyberstalking, two counts apiece of kidnapping and travel in interstate commerce to commit a crime of violence and travel in interstate commerce to stalk. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Elon Musk, left, listens as President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 11, 2025. (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images/TNS) TNS Democratic pollster Evan Roth Smith has a plan to defeat MAGA: Hitch worlds richest man Elon Musk to Donald Trump. Basically, more of Musk. Thats because largely unlike Trump to date the billionaire has seen a massive drop in polling approval ratings. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during an event announcing proposed changes to SNAP and food dye legislation, Friday, March 28, 2025, in Martinsburg, W. Va. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) AP Matters escalated quickly. Democratic Congressman Robert Garcia exchanged barbs with Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene over vaccinations as it relates to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. At least three people who were unvaccinated have died from measles-related illnesses this year, including two elementary school-aged children in Texas. The second child died Thursday at a Lubbock hospital, and Kennedy attended the funeral in Seminole, the epicenter of the outbreak. And during the exchange, Garcia referenced Kennedys 2019 trip to Samoa. The heated exchange occurred during a U.S. House committee chaired by GOP Congressman James Comer on Wednesday: Comer: Conspiracy theories are in the eyes of the beholder. Garcia: Sir, do you think that children should be getting the measles vaccine? That children should be receiving the measles vaccine? Comer: All my children are vaccinated. Garcia: Thank you. And do you think that we should be getting vaccinated for COVID? Comer: Well, I think theres a lot of questions about COVID that we need answered, but measles? Yes. Garcia: And again, our current HHS secretary is an anti-vax conspiracy theorist. And that is the facts. He caused a measles outbreak in another country that caused the death, absolutely, that caused the deaths. Greene: No he did not. Thats a lie. Garcia: He absolutely did. Greene: Thats a lie. Garcia: That is a proven matter. Greene: RFK did not cause a measles outbreak. Garcia: Ms. Greene Greene: You sound ignorant. Garcia: Ms. Greene, ... you are an anti-vax conspiracy theorist. Greene: No, Im for choice and ... for people choosing. Garcia: Youre the No. 1 anti-vax conspiracy theorist. Comer: That was my fault. Greene: Thats a lie. RFK did not cause a measle outbreak. You sound ignorant. Thats ignorant and thats a lie. pic.twitter.com/mcqZDQR99c Acyn (@Acyn) April 9, 2025 Perhaps the most well-known example of Kennedys anti-vaccine activism outside the U.S. was in 2019 on the Pacific island nation of Samoa. That year, dozens of children died of measles. Many factors led to the wave of deaths, including medical mistakes and poor decisions by government authorities. But people involved in the response said Kennedy and the anti-vaccine activists he supported made things worse. In June of that year, Kennedy and his wife, the actress Cheryl Hines, visited on a trip Kennedy later wrote was arranged by a local anti-vaccine influencer. Vaccine rates had plummeted after two children died in 2018 from what was supposed to be a measles vaccine that a nurse had incorrectly mixed with a muscle relaxant. The government suspended the vaccine program for months. By the time Kennedy arrived, health authorities were trying to get back on track. Kennedy was treated as a distinguished guest and met with the prime minister and other officials. He also met with anti-vaccine activists, one of whom wrote on Instagram that the meeting was profoundly monumental ... for this movement. A few months later, the outbreak broke out and killed 83 people, mostly infants and children. During his Senate confirmation hearings earlier this year, Kennedy seemed to say he would not undermine vaccines. I support vaccines. I support the childhood schedule, he said. He promised Cassidy, who was unsettled about Kennedys anti-vaccine work, that he would not change existing vaccine recommendations. But in the hearings, he also repeatedly refused to acknowledge scientific consensus that childhood vaccines dont cause autism and that COVID-19 vaccines saved millions of lives, and he falsely asserted the government has no good vaccine safety monitoring. And since his confirmation, Kennedy has repeated his skeptical views of vaccines in interviews and other public statements. During the COVID pandemic, Greene said there were extremely high amounts of deaths because of the COVID vaccine. More recently, she claimed vaccines cause autism. I fully believe vaccines cause Autism. Its another example of crimes against humanity. And innocent babies, children, and their families are the victims, Greene posted to X. If you needed more evidence that vaccines don't cause autism ... this post should quell any remaining doubts. https://t.co/nan24jRJZR Craig Garthwaite (@C_Garthwaite) December 16, 2024 The Associated Press contributed to this report. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., center, departs a news conference, joined by, from left, Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., and Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, after discussing the interim GOP spending bill that would keep federal agencies funded through Sept. 30, at the Capitol, in Washington, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) AP Was House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) paying attention to President Donald Trumps speech on Tuesday? Trump addressed Republicans during a speech at the National Republican Congressional Committee Presidents Dinner on Tuesday, where he doubled down on his controversial tariffs and jabbed GOP lawmakers for criticizing his plan. At one point during the speech, Trump mocked Republicans for suggesting that Congress get involved in the negotiation of tariffs. He appeared to single out Johnson at one point, according to nonprofit news organization NOTUS. I just saw it today, a couple of your congressmen, sir, I think we should get involved in the negotiation of the tariffs, he said as he pointed to Johnson, according to NOTUS. Oh, thats what I need, I need some guy telling me how to negotiate. Ay-yi-yi. A handful of Republicans have sounded the alarm on Trumps tariffs, with many warning that it could hurt American consumers and shutter the economy. At least seven GOP senators have also signaled support for a Democratic-backed bill that would require Congress to approve costly tariffs on the U.S.s trading partners. The tariffs have sent the stock market plummeting as global leaders scramble to respond to Trumps new taxes. Even Johnson has been keeping an eye on the stock market despite his continued defense of Trump and his tariffs. NOTUS reported that Johnson was spotted ignoring Trump during the dinner and instead scrolling on his phone. From the NOTUS report: As for right now, the economic reality isnt looking so good. While Trump was talking, Johnson was looking at his phone. Our eagle-eyed reporter in the press area above the crowd took this snap, showing Johnson reading Drudge. The blaring red headline? Stocks Continue Plunge. SPOTTED: Speaker Johnson, on his phone and checking out the Drudge Report during Trumps speech last night. The websites headline at the time was about the stock market crash https://t.co/q15K5tYtUJ pic.twitter.com/CVCMeiiu9e Alex Roarty (@Alex_Roarty) April 9, 2025 Trumps reciprocal tariffs went into effect on Wednesday. Trump announced his latest and most sweeping round of tariffs on April 2, which he dubbed Liberation Day, as part of his reciprocal trade plan. In a fiery speech claiming that other countries had ripped off the U.S. for years, Trump declared that the U.S. would now tax nearly all of Americas trading partners at a minimum of 10% and impose steeper rates for countries that he says run trade surpluses with the U.S. The 10% baseline already went into effect Saturday. And when the clock struck at midnight, the higher import tax rates on dozens of countries and territories took hold. The steeper levies run as high as 50% with that biggest rate landing on small economies that trade little with the U.S., including the African kingdom of Lesotho. Some other rates include a tax of 47% on imports from Madagascar, 46% on Vietnam, 32% on Taiwan, 25% on South Korea, 24% on Japan and 20% on the European Union. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. President Donald Trump speaks at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) dinner at the National Building Museum in Washington, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Pool via AP) AP Democratic strategist David Axelrod had an idea of how President Donald Trump will back off his tariffs. Trump announced Wednesday that he would be backing down on most tariffs on most nations for 90 days, but would be raising the tax rate on Chinese imports to 125%. Earlier on Wednesday, Axelrod suggested that Trump would make mostly unremarkable" deals to end his global trade war. Prediction: Trump, in way over his skis and staring down the barrel of economic disaster, will quickly strike a series of mostly unremarkable, bilateral trade deals and declare them the greatest of all time, he wrote on social media platform X. Prediction: Trump, in way over his skis and staring down the barrel of economic disaster, will quickly strike a series of mostly unremarkable, bilateral trade deals and declare them the greatest of all time. David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) April 9, 2025 Its not clear if any deals were made as a result of these reciprocal tariffs despite Trump backing off his campaign promise. It was seemingly an attempt to narrow what had been an unprecedented trade war between the U.S. and most of the world to a showdown between the U.S. and China. The S&P 500 stock index jumped nearly 7% after the announcement, but the precise details of Trumps plans to ease tariffs on non-China trade partners were not immediately clear. Trump posted on Truth Social that because more than 75 Countries had reached out to the U.S. government for trade talks and have not retaliated in meaningful way I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately. The 10% tariff was the baseline rate for most nations that went into effect on Saturday. Its meaningfully lower than the 20% tariff that Trump had set for goods from the European Union, 24% on imports from Japan and 25% on products from South Korea. Still, 10% would represent an increase in the tariffs previously charged by the U.S. government. The announcement came after the global economy appeared to be in open rebellion against Trumps tariffs as they took effect Wednesday, a signal that the U.S. president was not immune from market pressures. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at a roundtable discussion on the potential negative impacts of Republican-proposed budget cuts to Medicaid at the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor on March 19, 2025. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) shocked Democrats on Wednesday for admitting that she agreed with President Donald Trump on tariffs. Trump has taken heat from Democrats and Republicans for his tariff announcement that has sent the stock market and the global economy spiraling. Economists have warned that the costly tariffs will increase prices for Americans and could drive the country into a recession. Politico Playbook first reported on Whitmers planned economic speech in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, where she said she supports some tariffs. I understand the motivation behind the tariffs, Whitmer said, according to planned remarks reported by Politico. and heres where President Trump and I do agree. We do need to make more stuff in America more cars and chips more steel and ships. We do need fair trade. ... [W]e need a consistent national strategy united around the new economic consensus that a lot of Democrats and Republicans now share." Whitmer gave her economic speech on Wednesday morning, where she also backed Trumps vision for a Golden Age of America. Lets make more ships, planes, and semiconductor chips in America. Lets cut red tape and unleash the extraordinary potential of American industry. Lets give more hardworking people a fair shot at a decent life. And lets usher in, as President Trump says, a Golden Age of American manufacturing, she said, according to Semafors David Weigel. "Lets make more ships, planes, and semiconductor chips in America. Lets cut red tape and unleash the extraordinary potential of American industry. Lets give more hardworking people a fair shot at a decent life. And lets usher in, as President Trump says, a 'Golden Age' of David Weigel (@daveweigel) April 9, 2025 Weigel reported that Whitmer said she is not against tariffs outright earlier in her speech, but they are a blunt tool. You cant just bust out the tariff hammer to swing at every problem without a clearly defined end-goal, she said, according to Weigel. Whitmer is seen as a possible Democratic contender for the 2028 presidential election. As governor of a swing state, she is trying to appeal to voters who may have voted for Trump. However, her comments sparked backlash from Democrats. Gonna be honest IDGAF what Gretchen Whitmer has to say in her little speech in D.C. today. I am annoyed with people positioning themselves for 2028. Makes me hate them, one liberal pundit wrote on X. Democratic organizer Armand Domalewski wrote: The Titanic is sinking and Gretchen Whitmer is talking about how it wouldve been smarter to hit a smaller iceberg. Absolutely f--king disqualifying. And The Bulwarks Bill Kristol said: This is nuts. Democrats really, really have to learn, as Robert Frost put it, to take their own side in a fight. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in D.C. today: "And lets usher in, as President Trump says, a Golden Age of American manufacturing.' This is nuts. Democrats really, really have to learn, as Robert Frost put it, to take their own side in a fight.https://t.co/xfaDYTfPv4 Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) April 9, 2025 Trumps reciprocal tariffs went into effect on Wednesday. Trump announced his latest and most sweeping round of tariffs on April 2, which he dubbed Liberation Day, as part of his reciprocal trade plan. In a fiery speech claiming that other countries had ripped off the U.S. for years, Trump declared that the U.S. would now tax nearly all of Americas trading partners at a minimum of 10% and impose steeper rates for countries that he says run trade surpluses with the U.S. The 10% baseline already went into effect Saturday. And when the clock struck at midnight, the higher import tax rates on dozens of countries and territories took hold. The steeper levies run as high as 50% with that biggest rate landing on small economies that trade little with the U.S., including the African kingdom of Lesotho. Some other rates include a tax of 47% on imports from Madagascar, 46% on Vietnam, 32% on Taiwan, 25% on South Korea, 24% on Japan and 20% on the European Union. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. FILE - This April 11, 2019 file photo shows MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell at The Hollywood Reporter's annual Most Powerful People in Media cocktail reception in New York. O'Donnell says he made an "error in judgment" in reporting a story about President Donald Trump's finances based on a single source. O'Donnell's tweet on Wednesday came after a lawyer for Trump said the story was false and defamatory, and called for NBC News to apologize and retract it. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File) Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Evan Agostini/Invision/AP President Donald Trump proved MSNBC host Lawrence ODonnell was right. Trump backed down on his tariffs on most nations for 90 days on Wednesday, but raised the tax rate on imports from China to 125%. On Tuesday, ODonnell predicted that Trump would cave on his tariffs as the stock market plummeted for days after the announcement. The way this story is going to end is Donald Trump is going to back down on these tariffs. It could take several months for Donald Trump to back down. It could take weeks, it could take days. We dont know. But a year from now, these crazy Trump tariffs will be history. And Republicans will be running away from them as they run for reelection to the United States Senate and to the House of Representatives, ODonnell said on The Last Word on Tuesday. As predicted last night, Trump caved. No surprise. https://t.co/GTPQkxm5IC Lawrence O'Donnell (@Lawrence) April 9, 2025 ODonnell also predicted Trump would fire his top trade advisor Peter Navarro as a result of the unpopular tariffs. And Donald Trump is going to fire Peter Navarro because Wall Street will demand it. The problem now for Donald Trump is when does he back down from these tariffs? And how will [Wall Street] know that Donald Trump will not suddenly impose those tariffs again? Donald Trump will need proof for Wall Street and for American industry and for Republican members of Congress that he is not going to ruin their lives again with tariffs," he said during his show. And thats why Peter Navarros current high visibility is good for Donald Trump, because the more visible Peter Navarro is, the more impactful and convincing for Wall Street it will be. On the day that Peter Navarro is fired by Donald Trump, the stock market on that day will skyrocket, absolutely skyrocket the day Peter Navarro is fired. And Donald Trump knows, he added. This comes after Navarro and tech billionaire Elon Musk engaged in a heated feud over tariffs in recent days. Musk said Navarro was a moron and the trade adviser suggested Musk did not understand the tariffs. A reporter asked White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to respond to Musk insulting Navarro. These are obviously two individuals who have very different views on trade and on tariffs, she said Tuesday during a White House press briefing. Boys will be boys, and we will let their public sparring continue, she added. Trump posted on Truth Social that because more than 75 Countries had reached out to the U.S. government for trade talks and have not retaliated in meaningful way I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately. The 10% tariff was the baseline rate for most nations that went into effect on Saturday. Its meaningfully lower than the 20% tariff that Trump had set for goods from the European Union, 24% on imports from Japan and 25% on products from South Korea. Still, 10% would represent an increase in the tariffs previously charged by the U.S. government. The announcement came after the global economy appeared to be in open rebellion against Trumps tariffs as they took effect Wednesday, a signal that the U.S. president was not immune from market pressures. Business executives were warning of a potential recession caused by his policies, some of the top U.S. trading partners are retaliating with their own import taxes and the stock market is quivering after days of decline. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. The New Jersey Civil Service Commission approved a proposal Wednesday for employees to continue to telework. A program that allowed employees to work up to two days remotely was approved in 2022. That program was extended in 2023. The agency has since then made moves to make the rules permanent. All accounts of the Model Telework Pilot Program have been positive. The Commission intends to institute formal rule making procedures to codify a telework program into Title 4A of the New Jersey Administrative Code, the commission said in a 2024 administrative action document. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy echoed similar comments in 2023. Our pilot telework program has been successful in accelerating the modernization of state government to reflect the reality of the workplace today, Murphy said when the policy was extended in 2023. This experience has enhanced efficiencies and accelerated the development of many online services to improve the way we ultimately serve the public. Under the current programs rules, eligible employees have to go through an application process, and employees as well as managers are required to do telework training as part of that approval process. Approval can be done as a matter of departmental discretion for agencies and union negotiations can play a role, as well. Remote work policies came into effect during the pandemic, but have continued to become a traditional mainstay of work in the private and public sector. Almost a third of remote workers teleworked all the time, according to 2023 Pew Research Survey statistics. Roughly 41 percent worked a hybrid schedule. New Jerseys remote work policy however, does have opposition among Republicans. In January, a bill, S4057, was introduced by state Sen. Joseph Pennacchio, R-Morris, to ban the policy. While remote work was necessary at the onset of the pandemic, it has become clear that in-person collaboration is essential for maximizing productivity, accountability, and effective service to the public, Pennachio said in a statement when the bill was introduced. Republicans are also making it a matter of fiscal policy during the current budgetary negotiations in Trenton. The governor declared the public health emergency over two years ago. If remote work is supposedly more productive, maybe the real question is: whats dragging down productivity in government offices? Instead of avoiding the problem, we should fix it, said state Assemblyman Brian Rumpf, R-Ocean, a member of the Assembly Budget Committee. Taxpayers, many of whom never had the luxury of working from home, deserve a government that shows up, works hard, and respects their money, he said. Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Jelani Gibson may be reached at jgibson@njadvancemedia.com. President Donald Trump is still angry at California Sen. Adam Schiff. (Pool via AP) AP Comedy Central host Jon Stewart hit Donald Trump where it hurts insisting the president no longer has the ability to slap a sticky and humiliating nickname on political adversaries. Stewart, on Mondays The Daily Show, ridiculed the presidents latest attempt calling anyone who is panicking over the economic collapse sparked by Trumps globally derided tariffs a Panican (A new party based on Weak and Stupid people!). The United States has a chance to do something that should have been done DECADES AGO. Dont be Weak! Dont be Stupid! Dont be a PANICAN (A new party based on Weak and Stupid people!). Be Strong, Courageous, and Patient, and GREATNESS will be the result! Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday. Panican? The genius who gave us classics like Sleepy Joe and Crooked Hillary, just sh-t out, Youre a Panican? Stewart said as his audience howled. How about Hysterocrats? Repussicans? How about Cryontologists? Did the overseas factory you had been sourcing your nicknames from get shut down during the tariff war? "It didn't have to be like this!" @jonstewart reacts to Trump's chaotic tariff rollout pic.twitter.com/Zn42lBKVOp The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) April 8, 2025 Well, after that burn, Trump apparently went back to his grade-school strategy: picking out a physical attribute and belittling it. Never mind that these insults come from a guy who is obese and covered in orange makeup with the worlds worst combover. Trump delivered his usual comedy material at the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner on Tuesday night. His target: California Sen. Adam Schiff, who, as a Representative during Trumps first term, prosecuted impeachment proceedings against him. Trump has never forgotten. Adam Schifty Schiff. Can you believe this guy? Trump told dinner attendees. Hes got the smallest neck Ive ever seen. And the biggest head. We call him watermelon head. How can that big fat face stand on a neck that looked like this finger? ... How we can allow people like that to run in office is a shame. Trump also showed that he doesnt have any new material. He later polled the audience on which nickname he should use for former President Joe Biden Crooked Joe or Sleepy Joe. Who wants to call him Crooked Joe? Trump asked. There was a smattering of unenthusiastic applause. Who wants to call him Sleepy Joe? The halfhearted response was roughly the same. Thats my problem, Trump said. Its like the same. They both work. They both work beautifully. Trump, who wants to pull the country back into the 1800s with his destructive tariff plan, cant seem to get himself out of 2020. Biden, of course, beat Trump in the 2020 presidential election, which led to Trumps Big Lie that he actually had won, an insurrection, attempted coup and an investigation and possible criminal charges that were shut down by an enabling Supreme Court. And unlike Trump, who was convicted on 34 counts of fraud by a New York court, Biden was never charged with any improper behavior. Even a politically motivated investigation by the Republican-led House Oversight Committee ended embarrassingly when the GOPs star witness was charged with lying to the FBI about supposed bribes paid to Biden. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. President Donald Trump attends a meeting with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, Monday, April 7, 2025. (Pool via AP) AP President Donald Trump revealed the real reason he loves tariffs so much despite the global economy reeling from his actions. Trump addressed Republicans during a speech at the National Republican Congressional Committee Presidents Dinner on Tuesday, where he doubled down on his controversial tariffs. Many Republicans have pushed back on Trumps levies on partners of the U.S., warning that it will hurt Americans and small businesses. But Trump did not seem worried about the flailing stock market as he bragged about how countries want to make deals with him as a result of the tariffs. Im telling you, these countries are calling us up, kissing my ass. They are. They are dying to make a deal. Please. Please make a deal. Ill do anything. Ill do anything, sir, Trump told Republicans. And then Ill see some rebel Republican. You know some guy that wants to grandstand say, I think that Congress should take over negotiations. Let me tell you, you dont negotiate like I negotiate, he added. Trump: "These countries are calling us up. Kissing my ass." pic.twitter.com/a52SfBnsf8 Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 9, 2025 His comments immediately drew criticism online. Many pundits suggested that Trumps real reason for levying tariffs on close U.S. allies was to boost his ego. The real reason at last: its just another dominance ritual to satisfy Trumps boundless need subservience displays. Were governed by the worst manosphere video on YouTube, political science professor Robert E. Kelly wrote on social media platform X. And political commentator Franklin Leonard wrote: This is why we have tariffs. They exist solely to force a dynamic that will feed his ego. Trump critic Ron Filipkowski also weighed in: I guess the people in every country that makes a deal with us on tariffs will know that it only happened because their leaders kissed Trumps ass. Trumps reciprocal tariffs went into effect on Wednesday. Trump announced his latest and most sweeping round of tariffs on April 2, which he dubbed Liberation Day, as part of his reciprocal trade plan. In a fiery speech claiming that other countries had ripped off the U.S. for years, Trump declared that the U.S. would now tax nearly all of Americas trading partners at a minimum of 10% and impose steeper rates for countries that he says run trade surpluses with the U.S. The 10% baseline already went into effect Saturday. And when the clock struck at midnight, the higher import tax rates on dozens of countries and territories took hold. The steeper levies run as high as 50% with that biggest rate landing on small economies that trade little with the U.S., including the African kingdom of Lesotho. Some other rates include a tax of 47% on imports from Madagascar, 46% on Vietnam, 32% on Taiwan, 25% on South Korea, 24% on Japan and 20% on the European Union. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Many people are taking a wait-and-see approach to President Donald Trumps economy. But if things go south and Americans end up spending more on everything from groceries to new cars, things will likely turn bad for the president and quickly. Thats according to Wall Street Journal pollster John Anazalone, who works with Trumps pollster Tony Fabrizio. Anazalone broke down some numbers from his latest poll on the podcast Hacks on Tap with hosts David Axelrod and Mike Murphy: Ill point out two numbers in this poll which I think are really important. One is, is that when we say, Do you believe the presidents economic policies create economic difficulties with little benefit? Forty-eight percent say that (they do). But another 48% kind of fall into this, either, Hey, you know, there are gonna be great benefits, or this middle universe, 35% (say itll) create some economic difficulties in the short run, but economic benefits in the long run, 35%, which is his argument (for his economic policies). Why I say this 1/3 is important is because that (group will) potentially move if we do it all in June, thats going to be a really interesting number. But theres also another question we say, which is, Thinking about you and your family, which of the following best describes your situation when it comes to cost of living? And theres another third that say, Its not a problem for me now, but will become one if costs keep going up. So those two numbers, those two thirds, I think, are the ones that are kind of hanging back and saying, Okay, lets see what happens. And I think that thats where Trump is going to be judged The fact is that we havent seen a ton of negative movement (towards Trump), but at the same time, you know, guess what, theres a whole universe of people (waiting to see). I mean, weve been in this business a long time, Ive never seen the right direction, wrong direction move this much. In January, it was 70% (right) direction, 19% (wrong) direction. Its now 41%/51% (right direction/wrong direction.) And thats just not Republican base, guys. ... 41%/51%, we havent seen that in a hell of a long time. World shares are slumping again on Wednesday after Trumps latest tariff hikes took effect and he threatened to add still more. China announced countermeasures, saying it will raise its retaliatory tariff on the U.S. to 84%, up from 34%, effective April 10. China again vowed to fight to the end Wednesday in an escalating trade war with the U.S. as it announced it would raise tariffs on American goods to 84% from Thursday. Beijing also added an array of countermeasures after Trump raised the total tariff on imports from China to 104%. Beijing said it was launching an additional suit against the U.S. at the World Trade Organization and placed further restrictions on American companies trade with Chinese companies. If the U.S. insists on further escalating its economic and trade restrictions, China has the firm will and abundant means to take necessary countermeasures and fight to the end, the Ministry of Commerce wrote in a statement introducing its white paper on trade with the U.S. The government declined to say whether it would negotiate with the White House, as many other countries have started doing. On Friday, China announced a 34% tariff on all goods imported from the U.S, export controls on rare earths minerals, and a slew of other measures in response to Trumps Liberation Day tariffs. Trump then added an additional 50% tariff on goods from China, saying negotiations with them were terminated. The Associated Press contributed to this report. United Airlines announced flights direct flights to Greenland from Newark and New York will begin on June 14, 2025, according to a message from the airline company. The company will run two nonstop flights per week to Nuuk, Greenland and is the only airline flying directly from the U.S. to Greenland, according to United. A new international terminal and expanded runway was completed at the Nuuk Airport in late 2024 that allows larger jets to land at the airport, according to the website VisitGreenland.com. United announced the twice-weekly flights to Nuuk in October 2024, according to a statement from the company. Nuuk is Greenlands largest city with about 19,000 residents, according to VisitGreenland.com. Expanding the runway to accommodate larger commercial aircraft will open access to increased tourism and more efficient access to other areas in Greenland, according to VisitGreenland.com. Greenland announced that two other international airports in Ilulissat to the north and Qaqortoq to the south would open in 2026, according to VisitGreenland.com. The new airports are expected to open up access to most of the country within one-and-a-half hours from the airports, according to VisitGreenland.com. U.S. relations with Greenland have become tense in recent months after President Donald J. Trump suggested Greenland could be annexed by the U.S., according to a report from Reuters. The U.S.s Pituffick Space Base is in Greenland and Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, visited the base in March. Greenlands outgoing Prime Minister Mute Egede called the visit by U.S. dignitaries a provocation and said he would not meet with the group, according to Reuters. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X Six-day (Tuesday through Sunday) print subscribers of the Watertown Daily Times are eligible for full access to NNY360, the NNY360 mobile app, and the Watertown Daily Times e-edition, all at no additional cost. If you have an existing six-day print subscription to the Watertown Daily Times, please make sure your email address on file matches your NNY360 account email. You can sign up or manage your print subscription using the options below. Keeping in mind the criteria the inspectors use to make their decisions, Times-Picayune and Advocate readers across Louisiana weighed in on what restaurants they think should gain a spot on the restaurant guide. Photo Credit: Pablo Torre Finds Out A lot of people are tired of hearing Stephen A. Smith talk about a possible run for U.S. president in 2028. Yet it might be impossible to find anyone more annoyed with Smiths I might run/Im not running flip-flops than Wyatt Cenac. The comedian and actor appeared on the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast Tuesday and went scorched earth on Smith. Torre, who recently commissioned a poll on Smiths possible candidacy, brought up whether Stephen A. Smith is actually going to do the thing that hes been saying for months now and actually run for president. Thats all so bull****, Cenac said. Everything hes saying is bull****. Its just like, Oh, if I put the time in, I could totally run for president. He might as well say, Oh, if I put six months in, I could fight Mike Tyson. All hes doing is just talking. There is nothing serious. He is the most unserious human being who just likes the attention. The egomaniac wants people to talk about him and you just did it, and you tricked me into taking part in this. And I want no part of it, Pablo. Because he doesnt want this. He just wants attention. Wyatt Cenac is losing his mind at people earnestly discussing Stephen A. Smith for president. All hes doing is talking! Hes the most unserious human being who just likes the attention, and that is what you are giving him with this! pic.twitter.com/R1rDRrFPKw Pablo Torre Finds Out (@pablofindsout) April 7, 2025 As noted earlier, Pablo Torre Finds Out recently commissioned a Rasmussen Poll on Smiths viability as a candidate, which yielded some surprises. When matched against Kamala Harris in a hypothetical Democratic primary, Smith trailed the former VP and 2024 nominee 45% to 24%. Smith did much better against U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, whom he trailed 32% to 28%, and he trailed California Gov. Gavin Newsom, 31% to 28%. Smith has been all over the map on a possible presidential run. Smith told The View in November he would definitely consider running for president if he had a chance to win. He went through a power phase explaining how hed be a great candidate and president, boasting Im qualified to be a hellraiser and Id bring hell. Hell! Cause I aint playing. Im there to win. And just last month, he said, I can beat them all, when discussing potential candidates in 2028. He had a flip-flop phase, during which he said, in almost the same breath, he had no intentions of running for the presidency but its something I would consider. Many political observers have dismissed Smiths potential political ambitions. Democratic pundit James Carville said, Are you s***ting me? when informed that Smith was considering a run. Smiths agent, Endeavor president Mark Shapiro, said last month that Smith will not run for president. Anyone who believes thats the final word doesnt know politics or Smith. Tesco is offering North Devon shoppers the chance to support local families facing financial difficulties this Easter by purchasing pre-packed donation bags filled with long-life food items. These donation bags will be available in large Tesco stores across the region from April 7 to 20, making it easier for customers to help those in need during the school break. The initiative aims to provide essential support to families who struggle to make ends meet when free school meal provision is unavailable during the holidays. Tescos donation bags will be distributed to food charities FareShare and Trussell, helping thousands of children and their families. We know that families find it difficult to make ends meet and give their kids nutritious meals, said Claire De Silva, Head of Communities at Tesco. Our pre-packed donation bags will give a much-needed top-up to food charities FareShare and Trussell and make a difference to the lives of thousands of children and their families. The Easter Holiday Helps initiative is part of Tesco's ongoing support for schoolchildren through its Stronger Starts campaign, which also includes the Fruit and Veg for Schools programme. This programme helps schools with the highest rates of free school meals by offering grants to purchase fruit and vegetables from Tesco stores, ensuring healthier snack and lunch options for children. Tesco partners with the charity Trussell, which supports families in North Devon year-round. Last year, nearly two-thirds of the charity's support went to families with children, with a 94 per cent increase in the demand for emergency food parcels over the past five years. Tescos support this Easter will make a real difference to families across the UK, said Emma Revie, CEO at Trussell. Our network of food banks distributed more than 1.1 million food parcels for children last year, almost double the amount provided just five years ago. No-one should need to turn to a charity for something as essential as food, and as we work towards achieving the long-term change needed, Tescos support this Easter will make a real difference. FareShare, the UKs largest food redistribution charity, is also a key partner. The charity supplies food to over 8,000 local organisations, many of which support families with children. During the holidays, demand for food increases, and Tescos donation scheme will help ensure that more good food reaches those who need it most. Any donations from Tesco customers this Easter will enable us to continue getting good food to charities supporting and bringing people together around food, helping to strengthen communities and change lives, said Kris Gibbon-Walsh, Chief Executive at FareShare. The most-needed items for donation include UHT and powdered milk, tinned meat and fish, long-life fruit juice, pasta sauces, tinned vegetables, pasta, rice, cereal, tea and coffee, and sponge or rice puddings. Tescos Stronger Starts programme, launched in 2023, is a 8million initiative in partnership with Groundwork UK. The programme supports schools, childrens groups, and community projects by providing funds for nutritious food and healthy activities, helping to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of young people. Jerry Davich Metro columnist Follow Jerry Davich Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The first confirmed case of measles in Indiana this year has been identified as an unvaccinated minor near Fort Wayne in Allen County, the third most populous county in the state. As state and local public health officials work to confirm any additional cases, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is now publicly supporting the MMR vaccine, which has been protecting children against measles, mumps and rubella for more than 40 years. After attending the funeral for an unvaccinated child in Texas who died from measles, Kennedy said in a statement posted on X that the MMR vaccine is the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles. It took two child deaths, and possibly more to come, before the longtime anti-vaccine advocate changed his stance in his new federal government position. His previous misleading comments regarding the ongoing measles outbreaks have only amplified existing misinformation campaigns. The decision to vaccinate is a personal one, Kennedy told Fox News last month. Hes right. But personal decisions come with broader costs in regard to public health. Kennedy also said vitamin A can reduce deaths from measles and cod liver oil is producing very good results. But vitamin A does not prevent measles, yet some parents are giving their child toxic levels of it, leading to liver damage. The second young child died Thursday from what the childs doctor described as measles pulmonary failure, and did not have underlying health conditions, according to the Texas State Department of State Health Services. Since that childs death, Ive heard from several readers in response to my recent column on this topic. As I wrote, only one thing can prevent measles the MMR vaccine, which has been protecting children against measles, mumps and rubella for more than 40 years. Not massive levels of vitamin A. Not cod liver oil. Not repeated doses of political snake oil. Measles was declared eliminated from our country a quarter century ago. However, anti-vaccination movements and misinformation campaigns have allowed for the reemergence of measles outbreaks in multiple states, now including Indiana. For the life of me I don't understand why any parent would fail to get their child vaccinated against these diseases, wrote Bill T., a reader in response to my previous column. It is well established that there is no evidence these vaccines cause autism despite what the nation's ignorant HHS Secretary Kennedy says. Nonetheless, I also heard from a handful of readers who are staunch anti-vaccination parents, refusing to give their child a vaccine for anything. Our child, our decision, as one mother told me. Again, its a parents right to vaccinate or not. However, their choice comes with potential consequences, mostly for children who have no say in the misinformed decision. It should be noted that with measles, an immediate rash does not emerge. You have cold symptoms, red eyes and maybe a fever, a Region pediatrician told me. Then by day three to day five, the rash starts to show. But you are contagious four days before and four days after the rash shows. This pattern often contributes to new outbreaks, defined by three or more cases in a short period within a geographically limited. But with measles, even one case can be considered an outbreak. Its simply that contagious. On Sunday, Republican U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy from Louisiana, a liver doctor whose vote helped cinch Kennedys confirmation, called for stronger vaccination confirmation from health officials. Everyone should be vaccinated! There is no treatment for measles. No benefit to getting measles. Top health officials should say so unequivocally b/4 another child dies, he posted on X. In January, during Kennedys confirmation hearings, Cassidy said, If theres any false note, any undermining of a mamas trust in vaccines, another person will die from a vaccine-preventable disease. In response to my previous column, another reader shared a website listing the personal vaccination history of Indiana residents. I would urge every Hoosier to look up their own vaccine record, Susan M. wrote. I sent mine to my doctor and we will be going over it to make sure I'm up to date on all vaccines. He's already said I should get a MMR dose, as it appears I only had one in childhood. MyVaxIndiana is a portal created by the Indiana Department of Health that allows you to access online your vaccine record(s), and those of your dependents. The updated portal allows users to access their records using a cell phone number or email address registered in the IDOH system known as CHIRP (Children and Hoosiers Immunization Registry Program). Once the information is verified, you can print and save the official immunization record, download the record as a PDF, or have it faxed or mailed to you, the site states. I visited the site, inputted my personal info, and my entire vaccination record popped up, dating back to 1971. It also lists my vaccination shots for influenza, COVID-19 and typhoid, among other things. (For the record, Im officially 50 years past due for my second MMR dose.) The departments Immunization Division uses health information technology to track immunization status, by county, and to improve knowledge on vaccine safety and adverse events, which aligns with the National Vaccine Plan. For 2024, Lake County showed a series completion rate of 45% for childhood vaccinations, by far the lowest in at least a decade and one of the lowest rates in the state. I fear if we see a case of measles again in Lake County, we won't see a big jump of parents who don't vaccine wanting the MMR vaccine for their child, the pediatrician said. What Rights Do Immigrants Have? Leer en espanol Since taking office, the Trump administration has implemented rapid, significant changes to United States immigration policy. It has taken a much more expansive view on who should be targeted for arrest or deportation and how the laws governing immigration can be interpreted. Which people can immigration authorities detain and try to deport? Situations in which the Trump administration has attempted to expand who is targeted and how. Citizen Green-card holder Long-term visa Short-term visa No valid visa Could immigration authorities detain and seek to deport you, even if you have not been convicted of a crime? No Unlikely Unlikely Unlikely Yes Could you be arrested and deported if you have been convicted of a crime? No In some cases In some cases In some cases Yes Could you be arrested and deported based on your speech or for engaging in protest? No No No No Yes The Biden administration focused its immigration enforcement efforts primarily on people crossing the border. By contrast, the authorities are now increasing enforcement against the millions of people already in the country with no legal status or with only temporary permission as well as legal permanent residents, known as green-card holders, and other foreigners lawfully in the country on student and other visas. It has long been the case that green-card holders or others with a valid visa who commit certain crimes can have their status revoked and can be deported. Recently, however, green-card holders convicted of minor crimes many years ago who previously were not targets have been detained, and the Trump administration is seeking to deport them. In the past, foreign students could lose their status and be deported if they committed certain crimes or violated the terms of their visas, which typically require that they remain full-time students. Recently, international students, workers and green-card holders who have not been accused of any crime or a specific violation of their visas have also been arrested by immigration agents, and the administration is seeking to deport them mostly, it seems, for their political activism related to the Gaza conflict. Many of these cases are being challenged in the courts. United States citizens cannot be deported, even though it sometimes happens by accident, and the first Trump administration expanded attempts to denaturalize or strip people of citizenship they had previously obtained. It is unclear to what extent the current administration is pursuing denaturalization. What due process rights do different groups have? Situations in which the Trump administration has attempted to restrict the rights people have. Citizen Green-card holder Long-term visa Short-term visa No valid visa Are you entitled to fight your case against deportation in court to prevent your removal? Yes Yes Yes Yes Usually Do you have the right to be represented by a lawyer in immigration cases? Yes Yes Yes Yes Usually Typically, people must have received an order of removal from an immigration judge before they are deported, though, since the start of 2024, 70 percent of these removal orders were issued to someone who did not attend their hearing before the judge, according to a New York Times analysis of court records. Recently, however, the Trump administration has expanded the use of expedited removal, allowing agents to swiftly deport people who have been in the country for less than two years without giving them a court hearing. The administration has also invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a rarely used law that grants the president authority to deport alien enemies with no due process, in cases of war or invasion. Both of these efforts are being disputed in the courts. On Monday, the Supreme Court decided that the government could proceed with deportations under the Alien Enemies Act but that they must provide notice to those they were seeking to deport to give them an opportunity to challenge the deportation in court. Unlike in criminal proceedings, the government does not provide a lawyer to represent immigrants in deportation proceedings. Immigrants must find and pay for a lawyer on their own. In 2024, just 32 percent of people were represented by a lawyer in their immigration cases, according to a Times analysis. Under a law combating human trafficking, the government has provided funding to nonprofit groups that provide lawyers for children who have crossed the border alone. The Trump administration has attempted to cut off that funding, but that decision is being challenged in court. A judge has ordered the funds to be at least temporarily restored. In at least one case, the Trump administration has admitted to without due process mistakenly deporting a man, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, who was in the United States legally, because of what it called an administrative error. He is imprisoned in El Salvador, where he was sent with other migrants accused of being gang members. A federal court ordered the Trump administration to return Mr. Abrego Garcia to the United States, but Trump administration officials said there was nothing they could do to correct the error. The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked the lower courts order while it hears the case. What rights do different groups have when arriving in the U.S.? Situations in which the Trump administration has attempted to expand who is targeted and how. Citizen Green-card holder Long-term visa Short-term visa No valid visa Could you be denied entry or detained while attempting to enter the United States? No Unlikely Unlikely In some cases Yes Could you be denied entry based on your public speech or social media postings? No No No No Yes Could immigration officers search your phone upon entry? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes The government has long had broad discretion to question and search noncitizens before admitting them into the country. Under the Trump administration, immigration officers have been more aggressively screening and denying entry to foreigners arriving at airports, even when they present valid visas. This happened infrequently in the past. Officers at ports of entry are also allowed to search peoples possessions, including their phones, to examine their social media accounts for suspected criminal activity that applies to citizens, too. Officers have recently been rejecting noncitizens whose posts suggested criticism of the United States or Israel, but not necessarily criminal activity. Recent reports of foreigners denied entry or detained while attempting to enter the United States have prompted some countries to issue travel advisories. What public programs, and civic duties and privileges, are different groups eligible for? Citizen Green-card holder Long-term visa Short-term visa No valid visa Are you allowed to vote, or run for office, in federal and state elections? Yes No No No No Are you eligible for Social Security and Medicare? Yes Yes In some cases No No Are you eligible for Medicaid? Yes In some cases No No No Can your children attend public school? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Are you required to file a tax return? Yes Yes Yes No Yes Are you eligible for a drivers license? Yes Yes Yes No In some cases Little has changed, at least so far, about the public benefits and programs immigrants are eligible for, which can vary by state. Green-card holders must wait five years before they are eligible for Medicaid. Unauthorized immigrants are eligible for a drivers license in 19 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. Definitions Green-card holders are legal permanent residents who have been granted the right to reside permanently in the United States and who are eligible to apply for citizenship after five years, or three years after marrying an American citizen. Long-term visas include student and work visas that typically allow someone to reside in the country for an extended period and can typically be renewed. Short-term visas include tourist and business visas and visitors entering under a visa-waiver program. There is no population figure for people under this status because they are short-term visitors and not residents. People with no valid visa (sometimes called undocumented) are those who have no legal status, or only a temporary permission under the DACA program or an asylum application. Not a Subscriber? Join O'Dwyer's & Get RFP Access Stop wasting time tracking down RFPs. O'Dwyer's connects you with organizations looking for PR firms & services. Get new business with O'Dwyer's! Join O'Dwyer's Offaly MEP Barry Cowen is recovering in hospital after a health scare that required a surgical procedure on Monday. In a statement released this morning, he said he underwent a surgical procedure in St James's Hospital in Dublin on Monday having first attended the emergency department in Tullamore Hospital. The statement says that having felt unwell in Strasbourg last week, his symptoms persisted after returning home. It states, "I attended the emergency department at Tullamore Hospital on Saturday night and was subsequently transferred to the cardiac care unit at St. Jamess Hospital on Sunday. I underwent a surgical procedure there on Monday. "I am now receiving further care to support my recovery and hope to return home via Tullamore Hospital over the weekend. I am hugely indebted to the professionalism and compassion of all the staff in both Tullamore and St. Jamess hospitals. "I will continue my recovery at home and will remain in close contact with my team as I carry out my duties as MEP for Midlands North-West. My offices remain fully operational, and should you require any assistance, please dont hesitate to get in touch. "My family and I are deeply grateful for all the kind messages and good wishes we have received thank you sincerely." Many people have left well wishes on the post on Facebook wishing Barry Cowen a speedy recovery. READ NEXT: Huge sum raised for Tullamore Hospital in memory of late Offaly man OpEd News One-Time Security Check This Is NOT An Error Message Your site IP address* (145.224.119.253) is listed on one or more Internet blacklists. We get visited by hundreds of these spambots daily. To prevent these from taking resources away from legitimate users, we show this page. 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Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator Syrian President Ahmad Sharaa, and the rebels under his command, freed Syria from a despotic dictator of 24 years on December 8, 2024, as well as eliminated the Iranian presence in Syria, which posed a substantial security threat to Israel. Previously, Iran and its operatives inside Syria were firmly entrenched across the country. Former President Bashar Assad had allowed Iran a free hand in Syria in exchange for Iranian paramilitaries, and military supplies, fighting the rebels to keep him in power. After the Sharaa administration took power, all Iranian assets and personnel fled the country. The new government in Damascus is opposed to Iran and Hezbollah. The Axis of Resistance is gone. Hezbollah has been brought to its knees by Israeli attacks and occupation, and Syria is no longer a friend of Iran or an Iranian weapons depot. Instead of Israel thanking Syria for removing an enemy and cutting off the supply chain of weapons to Hezbollah, Israel has carried out almost daily airstrikes across Syria that have killed civilians, and security forces and destroyed infrastructure. Syria has done nothing to provoke any military action. Israel has also struck areas associated with Turkey in Syria sparking fears of an unprovoked and unwarranted proxy war fought on Syrian soil. US President Obama began supporting the rebels in Syria in 2011, but by 2017 President Trump had cut off funding of the CIA program supporting the rebels. However, Turkey continued its role as the leading supporter of the rebels in Idlib, which was under the control of Sharaa, previously known as 'Jolani'. Turkey wanted to send home the 3 million Syrian refugees and sought to oust Assad to create a safe, secure, and stable Syria that could welcome home the refugees. Assad lacked the support of the majority of the Syrian people, and he refused to support his army with decent payroll and benefits, which dissolved the Army almost without a fight as the rebel forces from Idlib poured through Aleppo, Hama, Homs and finally arrived in Damascus as Assad escaped on a plane. As the plane carrying Assad was flying away, the Israeli air force was busy bombing military bases, airstrips, warehouses, air defense systems, and all other military assets in Syria. Syria was left defenseless and without any military personnel or assets. Syria became the Switzerland of the Middle East overnight. Simultaneously, Israel invaded and occupied a buffer zone in southwestern Syria adjacent to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights set up after the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, and sent forces onto the Syrian side of a nearby mountain, setting up nine bases across the area. The United Nations denounced Israel's occupation as a violation of the 1974 accords. Israel occupied the Golan Heights in 1967, and illegally annexed it in 1981, although the UN and the international community refused to accept it. In 2019, Trump unilaterally recognized it as Israeli territory. Benjamin Netanyahu has said, "We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border." Syrian citizens in the Israeli-occupied buffer zone have complained of Israeli encroachment on their land as well as checkpoints, unauthorized arrests, housing raids, and road closures. Netanyahu said the IDF would be there for "an unlimited period of time", while the Defense Minister, Israel Katz, has said the IDF will remain there "indefinitely". Katz added, "Any attempt by Syrian regime forces or terrorist organizations in the country to establish a foothold in the security zone of southern Syria will be met with fire." Recently, in the southern city of Deraa, nine civilians were killed by an Israeli attack, during the deepest incursion there yet by the IDF. On April 2, Israel carried out air strikes on military targets in Syria, including the Hama military airport and the T4 base near Homs. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Green Team Academy invites changemakers, activists, and community members worldwide to the 6th Annual Earth Week Summit (www.greenteamacademy.org/ews25), a free online gathering from April 19-26, 2025. This year's theme, "People Power," underscores the strength of grassroots action in tackling global challenges. While powerful world leaders are falling short in protecting the planet and human rights, grassroots leaders are stepping up and shaping a sustainable future. "With everything happening, it's easy to Vipin Khuttel : A Champion of Change Vipin Khuttel is India's Leading Digital Marketing Expert, Entrepreneur, Educator, and Social Reformer who has made remarkable contributions to the fields of education, digital literacy, social empowerment, and the preservation of India's cultural heritage. As the founder of Being Topper, he has mentored thousands of students and professionals, helping them achieve success in the ever-evolving digital world. https://www.beingtopper.net/team/vipin-khuttel/ His extensive experience in digital marketing and his An LGBTQ+ related book is seen on shelf at Fabulosa Books a store in the Castro District of San Francisco on Thursday, June 27, 2024. AP Photo/Haven Daley, File Is someone coming for your favorite book? Book challenges are something libraries contend with every year, but according to the American Library Association, those challenges are now most frequently coming not from concerned parents but from organized groups. Last year, 72% of attempts to censor books on shelves came from pressure groups and government entities that include elected officials, board members and administrators, the American Library Association said in a post about banned books. Parents made up 16% of challenges to books while library users made up 5%. The most common reasons groups and people asked for books to be removed were false claims of illegal obscenity for minors; inclusion of LGBTQIA+ characters or themes; and covering topics of race, racism, equity, and social justice, the association said. A challenge is defined as a formal, written complaint filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness. The American Library Association documented 821 attempts to censor library books and other materials in 2024 across all library types but not every challenge is reported to the association, so they believe the number is actually higher. Libraries may face even more headwinds in 2025. Federal funding could be cut off for some rural Oregon library services and a long-running statewide reading competition for elementary, middle and high school students, as President Donald Trump works to eliminate a small federal agency that routed money to states for libraries and museums. Did your favorite make the top ten? The 10 Most Challenged Books of 2024 1. All Boys Arent Blue, by George M. Johnson 2. Gender Queer, by Maia Kobabe 3. (Tie) The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison 3. (Tie) The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky 5. Tricks, by Ellen Hopkins 6. (Tie) Looking for Alaska, by John Green 6. (Tie) Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, by Jesse Andrews 8. (Tie) Crank, by Ellen Hopkins 8. (Tie) Sold, by Patricia McCormick 10. Flamer, by Mike Curato Lizzy Acker covers life and culture and writes the advice column Why Tho? Reach her at 503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com. Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com. Noah Madrano, 43, won't get out of custody until he's in his early 90s, under the 50-year prison sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Michael W. Mosman. A judge Tuesday sentenced a Gladstone man to 50 years in prison for abducting a 13-year-old Canadian girl after meeting her online, stowing her in his trunk as he drove her across the border and sexually assaulting her until he was caught eight days later. U.S. District Judge Michael W. Mosman said Noah Madranos crimes were profoundly sadistic and cruel and he rejected as ridiculous Madranos contention that hes not a violent man, didnt use force and was only trying to help the girl. Mosman reminded Madrano that the rape of a child is a crime of violence and called Madranos warped explanation for his actions painfully blind and oblivious to the harm he caused. I have possibly never seen a person who has pleaded guilty and shown less acceptance and responsibility to that crime than Mr. Madrano, Mosman said. Madrano pleaded guilty in January in federal court in Portland to sexual exploitation of a child and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. In late June 2022, he had picked up the girl outside her junior high school in Edmonton, Alberta, and the two disappeared into Oregon. Mosman issued the lengthy term after hearing directly from the girl, now 16, her parents and her younger sister. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mira Chernick, along with the victims family, sought a life sentence. Chernick argued that Madrano will never be rehabilitated and will always pose a danger to children. Before taking off with the girl, he attempted to lure another 13-year-old girl from Washington state until her family intervened. Then he tried to lure the Washington girls mother, who had posed as a child online to catch him, the prosecutor said. In each case, he contacted his targets online, lied about his age and groomed them into trusting him, Chernick said. Theres no indication he will ever be different than who he is, she said. The Canadian girls father called Madrano a monster and a sociopath who does not belong in society. He described the fear and helplessness he felt while walking the streets in Edmonton posting his daughters photos on poles and stuffing mailboxes with fliers to draw attention to his missing child. The Oregonian/OregonLive isnt naming the father to protect his daughters privacy. The news organization generally doesnt identify victims of sex crimes. The girl spoke in a soft voice, sitting beside the prosecutor, and read from prepared remarks. She also read several poems she wrote about her nightmare of a week and resulting trauma, including one titled, Why me? I deserve to be free, she said. He does not. Defense lawyer Justin Rusk urged a sentence for Madrano of 24 years and four months with lifetime supervision and sex offender registration. He said Madrano has been diagnosed with a pedophilic disorder but argued that as Madrano ages, his risk of reoffending will diminish. A life prison sentence is substantially unwarranted, Rusk said, for a first-time offender who pleaded guilty and who was dealing with personal and mental struggles coming out of the extreme isolation of the pandemic and who has no prior sexually aggressive or violent tendencies. Madrano committed the crimes under a misguided and fantastical belief that he was having a real relationship with the minor victim and that she was reciprocating and inviting his pursuit of the relationship, Rusk wrote to the court. Madrano stood and told the judge hes not a violent man and did not use force on the girl he abducted. I made some horrible mistakes I deeply regret, he said. Its terrifying to think I caused such grief. Madrano met the girl online when she was 12, then traveled to Canada to meet her in person on at least two occasions before taking her across the border to the United States in 2022, according to prosecutors and court records. On the first visit, he took her to a hotel room in Canada, sexually abused her and video recorded the abuse, according to a federal affidavit. During a second visit, Madrano abducted the girl from outside her school, took her to a hotel room and sexually abused her for several days, prosecutors said. After briefly returning to the United States, Madrano went back to Canada, picked up the girl from outside her junior high school and drove her in the trunk of his car across the border. He took her to a hotel room in Oregon City, where he continued to abuse her, prosecutors said. At the hotel, Madrano made the child dye her hair black and wear a hooded sweatshirt to disguise her appearance, the prosecutor said. He had her change the color of her hair and disguise her face so that she wouldnt be recognized when they went out in public, because he wanted her completely under his control and subjected consistently to his violence and his sexual abuse and his degradation, Chernick said. On July 2, 2022, FBI agents and Oregon City police located Madrano and the girl in the Oregon City hotel room. At the time of his arrest, Madrano was unemployed and had no prior criminal record beyond traffic violations, according to court records. Madrano had been an on-air volunteer at KBOO community radio. He was listed on a podcast app as the producer and co-host of a program that aired on KBOO called Sub-Human Intellect Theater, which was posted 11 days before the girls disappearance. One episode featured a segment in which the host pretended to have phone sex with a teenage girl, according to The Edmonton Journal. Once KBOO learned of Madranos arrest, the radio station said in a message on X in July 2022 that it had acted swiftly to remove the content from the website and banned the suspected volunteer from the station. While the girl was missing, her family plastered the community and social media with her photo and engaged politicians for help finding her, they said. During that week of hell, as the girls mother put it, she turned to her husband one sleepless night and said, We cannot lose another child, telling the court how they had been devastated to lose their first child in a stillborn birth in 2007. Though the parents put controls on their daughters cellphone when they gave her one at age 12, Madrano was able to contact the girl online through her school-issued device that held a music chat platform with no age restriction, the mother said. Her daughter has suffered suicidal thoughts and was recently hospitalized for two weeks to be stabilized and will return to the hospital later this week, her mother said. The teenager told the court that she was innocent when she first met Madrano. He told me he loved me. He told me he would never hurt me, she said in court. But she said she had bruises all over her body from his sexual abuse, that he tried to drown her in a bathtub and threatened to kill her and have sex with her corpse, she said. She spoke of how he gave her drugs before taking her to a hotel room, recorded himself slapping her in the face and how shed wake up to him showing her those videos. She described how he told her that the next time he put her in the trunk of his car, she wouldnt be breathing and that if he was caught, once he gets out, he will find me again and take me, she said. In her poem Why me? she recounted, You hurt me so much. Now Im damaged Hes broken me. ...Tears melted down my face and my body in pain, asking myself, why me? she said. Looking in the mirror at myself, asking myself over and over, why me? But in another untitled poem she described how shes regained control. Every mark on my body has been healing. Every scar from the monster that has been left behind shines out in the world. I never thought I would see another day, not even a light, just me in the dark with memory loss. My words represent my bravery and strength, she said. Im not a failure. Im a survivor. Im a warrior. I have power over myself. She told the judge that she was buoyed by the support of her family and friends. I stand here today with pride and strength, she said. I stand here with every other victim of sexual violence that never got justice in my heart. Mosman said he found her testimony and account of what occurred 100% credible. He cautioned her family that whatever sentence he issued, it would not make this better for your family. And he urged the girls father to learn from his oldest daughter. Of all the statements made, the most hopeful, courageous and inspiring, Mosman said, was from the victim herself -- how life has to go forward for her. -- Maxine Bernstein covers federal court and criminal justice. Reach her at 503-221-8212, mbernstein@oregonian.com, follow her on X @maxoregonian, on Bluesky @maxbernstein.bsky.social or on LinkedIn. This week, Portland police said they did not have adequate resources to stop a street takeover in Southeast Portland Sunday evening. Austin De Dios/The Oregonian At least 100 people stood under the Morrison Bridge in Southeast Portland to watch a street takeover Sunday evening, a sign that the brazen events are still happening even as police try to stop them. Footage shared on social media showed high-performance muscle cars revving engines and spinning tires while people watched and recorded videos on their cellphones. In one video, a Dodge Challenger spun into a bridge column, and part of its rear bumper came off. This week, police said they did not have adequate resources to stop the spectacle. But several officers sat a block away with their police lights on to monitor the situation, according to police spokesperson Mike Benner. The Police Bureau recorded an average of 32 ongoing calls for service each hour that evening, which included assaults, disturbances and injury accidents. Benner also said police helped employees of nearby businesses get to their cars safely and leave the intersection. Police have said street takeover and racing events are challenging to disrupt. Theyre also dangerous. A 20-year-old Vancouver man was fatally shot at a 2022 street takeover in Northeast Portland. That same year, a 26-year-old bystander died after a street racer crashed into her as she waited at a Portland bus stop. Efforts to stop the events come with hefty price tags. The Police Bureau spent about $232,000 in overtime in a three-day crackdown in August to stop an event dubbed the West Coast Invitational. Crowds are also hostile to police presence. In the past, Benner said officers have had their cars vandalized while theyre inside. For all those reasons, it would be ineffective and dangerous to just send in just a few officers, Benner said. It takes numerous officers working in a coordinated fashion to effectively address these events. Zaeem Shaikh covers the Portland Police Bureau and criminal justice issues for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach him at 503-221- 4323, zshaikh@oregonian.com or on X @zaeemshake. Anyone needing to appear at a Superior Court proceedings in Benton and Franklin counties will need to head to the hearings in person. Wednesday mornings criminal docket in Benton County Superior Court came to a screeching halt when someone hacked into the online court broadcast and began blaring music and displaying pornographic videos. Court administrators told the Tri-City Herald that the WebEx system used to broadcast the proceedings was compromised by hackers. The images continued to play for about an hour before the system was shut down in Benton and Franklin counties, which share a joint Superior Court. Its not clear how long it will take for it to be restored. District Court broadcasts were not affected. The regular Benton Superior Court docket at 8:30 a.m. was already underway Wednesday, with people in the courtroom and viewers watching online, when shortly before 9 a.m. it was disrupted by loud siren-filled music and profanity-laced shouting. Judge Jackie Shea Brown started to warn the hacker to stop until her audio shut off. All the proceedings were then moved to in-person only. It appeared the first hacker logged out or was kicked out, but that person was followed by others logging in and broadcasting split-screen images of sex acts. Swastikas were posted in the corners of the screen. After awhile, a printed message appeared on the screen claiming the system was hacked by the CCP and a video of a Klu Klux Klan rally began to play. Its unclear how widespread the problem is. 2025 The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.). Visit www.TheNewsTribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Voting is now open for the latest category of The Oregonians Readers Choice Awards: the best beer brewed in Oregon. Hundreds of readers took the time to nominate their favorite beer and determine our 10 finalists. You can vote once a day here or at the bottom of this post until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, April 15. Barley Browns Pallet Jack IPA Barley Browns Beer in Baker City offers a plethora of beers, including several IPAs, but our readers favorite is the Pallet Jack IPA. Barley Browns describes this frequent winner at the Great American Beer Festival as hoppy with flavors of citrus, tropical fruit, and a little bit of pine. 7.0% ABV Block 15 Sticky Hands IPA Back in 2017, Andre Meunier included Sticky Hands in his list of Oregons 10 most influential IPAs. The Corvallis brewery describes it as an aromatic full throttled hop blast. 8.10% ABV Boneyard Beers RPM IPA We last asked our readers to pick Oregons best beer a decade ago, and Boneyard RPM was the top pick. It also made Meuniers list of the most influential IPAs. Boneyards website says, Theres no mystery why RPM IPA has inspired a following, a culture, and a sizable number of tattoos. Born from our chop-shop roots, our flagship IPA can taste too good, too clean, too damn balanced to be true. 6.5% ABV Breakside IPA Meunier really had his fingers on the pulse of our beer scene; this is another entry from his list of the most influential IPAs. Breakside Brewerys website says, This light copper beer has huge citrus and tropical fruit aromas, with hints of perfume and pine. Flavors like apricot, guava, and orange hit the tongue accompanied by a mild evergreen note. ... This is really a showcase for the beautiful varieties of hops grown in the Northwest. 6.7% ABV Breakside Wanderlust IPA Breakside is the only brewery with two beers among the finalists. Its website says this golden IPA is made with five different hops and describes the flavor as intense grapefruit and dank notes with a crisp finish. 6.4% ABV Commensal Fermentation Pagarus European Lager Im taking a little bit of liberty here. Commensal received a bunch of nominations, but every one of them just listed the brewery, not a specific beer. I picked its Pagarus European Lager because thats the first beer this relatively new brewery made. Commensal opened its brewery and taproom in North Portland just over a year ago in January 2024. 4.4% ABV Fort George Vortex IPA A team of eight journalists from The Oregonian/OregonLive ranked the top 50 beers in our state back in 2015, and this Astoria brewery had multiple beers on the list. Its a big, bitter, piney beer that seems like food after youve had two, we said about the Vortex IPA. Fort Georges website says, We designed Vortex IPA not to rip the taste buds off of your tongue, but rather vigorously stimulate your palate with lupulin ecstasy. 7.2% ABV pFriem Family Brewers recently opened a tasting room in downtown Milwaukie. Sean Meagher/The Oregonian pFriem Pilsner pFriem Family Brewers flagship beer, the award-winning Pilsner is the best selling craft pilsner six pack in America, according to co-founder and CEO Rudy Kellner. Tasting notes on pFriems website say the Pilsner has aromas of fresh grass, spring flowers, with a touch of lemon zest quaffs from the glass. The mouth fills with zesty spiciness, a touch of honey, and finishes crisp, snappy, and refreshing. The Hood River brewery recently opened a new taproom in Milwaukies former city hall and fire station where the pilsner is poured through a decommissioned fire pole. 4.9% ABV Rogue Pacific Northwest IPA Headquartered in Newport, Rogue has six pubs in Oregon. Its website describes its Pacific Northwest IPA as dank and piney. The golden straw hue shimmers, inviting a sip of bold, nature-inspired flavors a proper tribute to the regions evergreen spirit, it says. 6.9% ABV Von Ebert Brewing Volatile Substance IPA This IPA was named The Oregonian/OregonLives 2019 Beer of the Year. This robust West Coast IPA has a subtle but strong malt character and sturdy hoppiness throughout without stepping into the overly bitter zone. Its zesty with a touch of fruity sweetness, dry and dank with notes of pine. And it pulls it all together in exquisite balance, said Meunier. 6.9% ABV Vote Here You can vote once a day until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, April 15. Mims Copeland is a social media producer and covers trending topics for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach her at mcopeland@oregonian.com Subscribe to The Best Thing I Ate This Week newsletter Each week, restaurant critic Michael Russell takes Oregonian/OregonLive subscribers along on his culinary explorations. Not a subscriber? You can receive a few weeks of The Best Thing I Ate This Week newsletter as a free trial. Sign up here. Tony Hopson, founder and CEO of Self-Enhancement Inc., speaks at an event announcing the creation of the fund at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, OR in 2023. The fund will invest $75 million in Self Enhancement Inc, founded by Hopson and Albina Head Start, over the next 10 years. Dave Killen / The Oregonian Two stalwart Portland nonprofits focused on Black youth will each receive $25 million in grant funding over the next 10 years from the 1803 Fund, a philanthropic effort that aims to uplift the historic center of the citys Black community. Additionally, the two grantees, North Portland-based Self Enhancement Inc. and Albina Head Start, which is headquartered in Northeast Portland, will jointly redistribute another $2.5 million per year from the 1803 Fund over the next 10 years to other organizations that serve Black families, preschoolers, children and teens all around the Portland metro area. At a total of $75 million, its the biggest announced round of grants yet from the 1803 Fund, a public benefit nonprofit which began in 2023 after a $400 million seed investment from Nike founder Phil Knight instantly made it one of the worlds largest funds led by a Black woman. Its chair, Rukaiyah Adams, is a high-profile community leader who was formerly the top investment official at Meyer Memorial Trust and the chair of the Oregon Investment Council. The funds ambition is to reclaim and reimagine the Albina neighborhood, once the thriving, compact heart of Portlands Black community and among the only places where Black people were permitted to buy homes, courtesy of Oregons historically racist real estate regulations. Great swaths of the neighborhood were later razed to make way for the Rose Quarter, Interstate 5 and a planned expansion of Emanuel Hospital that never happened, followed by waves of gentrification that drove much but not all of Portlands Black population north and east in search of cheaper housing. The $75 million represents the 1803 Funds initial foray into education, in a city where the most recent data showed that only 18% of Black third graders in Portland Public Schools can read proficiently, vastly increasing the chances that many of the rest wont make it through the end of high school, let alone to college or into a living wage career. Our plan for education was [always] that it would be a significant part of the commitment, Adams told The Oregonian/OregonLive. In years to come, that could include other significant grants for education policy and practice, she said. But given the uncertainty over federal education funding under the Trump administration and a public education system that has struggled for decades to serve its Black students, Adams said the 1803 Fund decided to start its education investments in two organizations that it knows well and have proven track records. Self Enhancements now retired founder, Tony Hopson Sr., and Albina Head Starts CEO, Ron Herndon, are longtime community leaders who were both founding board members for the 1803 Funds advisory board and helped persuade Knight to make his landmark initial investment. The money earmarked for Self Enhancement is intended to improve high school graduation outcomes for Black students, while the Albina Head Start money is intended to focus on getting preschoolers prepared to enter kindergarten, both academically and socially. The organizations could use the funding to strengthen their existing services and expand their presence in new geographic zones of the metro area, Adams said, to provide more and better services in areas that have changing populations. Trent Aldridge, Self Enhancements CEO, said the organization intends to use the funds to fortify, strengthen and grow the areas where we currently serve. The larger goal is that we realize we cant solve every problem and I think that is where the grant-making will come in for us. It will allow organizations that are currently in the David Douglas and Centennial school districts, for example, to deepen their roots in spaces that serve students. Self Enhancements centerpiece program is its mentorship initiative, which matches students at Jefferson, Roosevelt, McDaniel and Grant high schools in Portland plus high schools in Parkrose and Reynolds with mentors who help shepherd them through high school and the college application process or their first job search. The organization also runs afterschool and summer programs and services like food pantries in elementary and middle schools around Portland, and its community center is a magnet for the students and families with which it works. A federally funded program, Albina Head Start enrolls about 900 low-income children across North, Northeast and Southeast Portland in nearly two dozen day care programs. The program has educated generations of children from low-income families in Portland, including the largest number of Black infants, toddlers and children of any early childhood program in the state. Herndon, its director for 51 years, spent a dozen years as president of the National Head Start Association. The $2.5 million in grants that the two organizations will administer each year are aimed at a next generation of nonprofit groups working around the region, Adams said, from mentoring programs that serve middle and high schoolers in the David Douglas School District to cultural and community centers for African immigrants and refugees in East Portland along in the citys southern reaches. We can build something that is transformational, Aldridge said, efforts that he said could be used as a calling card for national foundations and the state to invest further. I feel like this is the start of something really profound. And the beautiful part of the 1803 partnership with us is that we dont have to ask for permission. We just get to make opportunities happen. Julia Silverman covers education for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach her via email at jsilverman@oregonian.com The U.S. government revoked the international visa of a Washington State University student who left the country in December, the third school in the region apparently confronted with the Trump administrations mission to deport foreign students for participating in protests against Israel. The school learned of the students visa revocation Tuesday morning, according to WSU spokesperson David Wasson. The student completed their undergraduate degree and left the country in December, he said, but was legally granted a work permit to seek employment in the U.S. Washington State University is the third school in the region in the past week to publicly report the revocation of student visas. The University of Idaho said on Friday two students had their visas rescinded, and Gonzaga University said the same in a Monday letter to students and staff, according to reporting from The Spokesman-Review. Whitworth University hasnt learned of any similar actions taken against students on their campus, a spokesperson wrote in an email Tuesday. At the University of Oregon, four student visas have been rescinded. While the school wouldnt release details on the student, President Donald Trump issued an executive order in January claiming the government will find students who participate in protests against the war in Gaza, revoke their international visas and deport them, referring to the students as Hamas sympathizers. On the west side of the state, nine visas were revoked at the University of Washington, and dozens of others were revoked across the country in the last few weeks, the Seattle Times reported. Like the University of Idaho and Gonzaga, some Washington State University scholars took part in these protests in April of last year, according to the Daily Evergreen. The Pullman students gathered to call on the school to divest from organizations with ties to Israel, the student newspaper reported. WSU is monitoring any additional cases of visas being revoked in the coming months, Wasson said. 2025 The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.). Visit www.spokesman.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. An investigation into a cyberattack is under way at the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, the agency said Wednesday. AP An investigation into a cyberattack is under way at the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, the agency said Wednesday. DEQ officials did not say what type of data has been compromised and they have yet to determine the source of the attack. The full extent of the impact is not yet clear, said Lauren Wirtis, a DEQ spokesperson. Our focus has been on minimizing the impact. Wirtis said DEQ has been working with Enterprise Information Services, which administers the states information technology and cybersecurity controls, to shut down all computer systems as quickly as possible to provide isolation for the agency servers and network until the attack is totally contained and potentially eradicated. Microsofts cybersecurity team is also working to analyze and resolve the cyber issues, the agency said. The cyberattack has put a near-halt to most office work at DEQ as employees cant use computers or access files on their shared network. Vehicle inspection stations will also be closed Thursday and Friday, April 10 and 11, Wirtis said. DEQs systems will continue to be down through the end of the week, the agency said in a news update on Wednesday night. DEQs online information management tool Your DEQ Online which allows people to submit applications, make payments and post public comments, among others has not been affected because it is hosted by a third party on different servers, Wirtis said. Gosia Wozniacka covers environmental justice, climate change, the clean energy transition and other environmental issues. Reach her at gwozniacka@oregonian.com or 971-421-3154. Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com. The Oregon Senate voted Tuesday to pass a bill that would bring some of the nations strictest regulations over corporate ownership of doctors offices and medical clinics. Senate Bill 951, which passed the chamber 21-8, aims to strengthen the states long-standing prohibitions on the corporate control of medical practices and clinics but opponents say it will weaken already struggling medical practices. The measure now heads to the House for approval. A federal judge ordered the White House on Tuesday to restore The Associated Press full access to cover presidential events, ruling on a case that touched at the heart of the First Amendment and affirming that the government cannot punish the news organization for the content of its speech. U.S.. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden, an appointee of President Donald Trump, ruled that the government cant retaliate against the APs decision not to follow Trumps executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico. The decision handed the AP a major victory at a time the White House has been challenging the press on several levels. Under the First Amendment, if the Government opens its doors to some journalists be it to the Oval Office, the East Room, or elsewhere it cannot then shut those doors to other journalists because of their viewpoints, McFadden wrote. The Constitution requires no less. It was unclear whether the White House would move immediately to put McFaddens ruling into effect. McFadden held off on implementing his order for a week, giving the government time to respond or appeal. The AP has been blocked since Feb. 11 from being among the small group of journalists to cover Trump in the Oval Office or aboard Air Force One, with sporadic ability to cover him at events in East Room. The organization had asked McFadden to rule that Trump had violated APs constitutional right to free speech by taking the action because he disagreed with the words that its journalists use. He had earlier declined APs request to reverse the changes through an injunction. Trump came out and said why he made the move While there was little dispute in a March 27 court hearing about why Trump struck back at the AP the president said as much the administration said it was up to its own discretion, and not White House correspondents or longstanding tradition, to determine who gets to question the president and when. Since the dispute with AP began, the White House has taken steps to control who gets to cover the president at smaller events and even where journalists sit during press secretary Karoline Leavitts briefings, saying both need to better reflect changes in how people get information. The APs decisions on what terminology to use are followed by journalists and other writers around the world through its influential stylebook. The outlet said it would continue to use Gulf of Mexico, as the body of water has been known for hundreds of years, while also noting Trumps decision to rename it the Gulf of America. Different outlets have used different approaches, some skirting it by calling it the Gulf. For anyone who thinks The Associated Press lawsuit against President Trumps White House is about the name of a body of water, think bigger, Julie Pace, the APs executive editor, wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed. Its really about whether the government can control what you say. Trump has dismissed the AP, which was established in 1846, as a group of radical left lunatics and said that were going to keep them out until such time as they agree its the Gulf of America. Testimony revealed APs coverage has been impeded For a news organization that relies on speed as a major selling point, the AP brought its chief White House correspondent and photographer to testify before McFadden about how its absence from covering certain events has delayed its transmission of words and images. Its lawyer, Charles Tobin, said AP has already lost a $150,000 advertising contract from a client concerned about the ban. The governments lawyer, Brian Hudak, showed how AP has been able to use livestreams or photos from other agencies to get news out, and pointed out that AP regularly attends Leavitts daily briefings. As a service whose product is delivered to thousands of newspapers, websites and broadcasters across the nation and world, the AP has been part of small text and photo pools that have covered presidents of both parties for decades. The administration has sought to give more prominence to new and in many cases, Trump-friendly outlets. In its action filed on Feb. 21, the AP sued Leavitt, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich. Trump has moved aggressively against the media on several fronts since taking office again. The Federal Communications Commission has open lawsuits against ABC, CBS and NBC News. The administration has sought to cut off funding for government-run news services like Voice of America and is threatening public funding for public broadcasters PBS and NPR for allegedly being too liberal in news coverage. --David Bauder/The Associated Press There is a new MAGA hat on the market compliments of Greenland. It reads Make America Go Away. Greenlanders MAGA effort might succeed thanks to President Donald Trumps actions. Internationally, Trump is threatening withdrawal from NATO, imposing draconian tariffs on almost every county, making imperialistic demands on Greenland, Panama and Canada and dismantling foreign aid, especially USAID resulting in America going away from humanitarian responsibilities. He is helping Americas safety net go away through the efforts of DOGE to shrink, eliminate or privatize federal departments. Americas rule of law is also going away as Trump advocates impeachment of judges, deporting people without due process or First Amendment rights and attacking law firms and media companies. Because of his economic policies on tariffs and taxation, Americas prosperity is going away and could lead to a recession or economic collapse. If you believe Trumps focus on retribution, vindictiveness and heartlessness is making American prosperity, democracy and compassion go away, what can you do? Focus on engaging with Trump voters. Hold peaceful protests and rallies especially in Republican communities, contact elected Republican officials, write letters to local newspapers serving those communities and personally engage with those who voted for Trump. Trump voters are not the enemy and are not deplorable. Most of them voted for Trump thinking he would Make America Great Again. If you believe Trump is leading American democracy in the wrong direction, then engage Trump voters and convince them not to let America go away. Joe Rodriguez, Portland To read more letters to the editor, go to oregonlive.com/opinion. Police in Spokane last month arrested a man suspected of using a flag to hit a Tesla, the brand of electric cars made by controversial billionaire and presidential adviser Elon Musk. Protests to decry Musk have become more prominent since President Donald Trumps inauguration. Recent vandalism against Tesla cars has also spurred anger from Republicans. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, a longtime Trump ally, announced charges in March against three people from Oregon, Colorado and South Carolina for allegedly setting Teslas or their charging ports on fire, calling it a wave of domestic terrorism. But in the Spokane case, the man arrested says it was an accident. North Snow, 22, was standing near Main and Wall streets downtown on March 22 waving a Palestinian flag with his sibling at a transgender rights protest. Nearby law enforcement stationed there for the protest observed seeing the flag wave over a Tesla driving east, hearing a jeer to the effect of Nazi car at the Tesla and then hearing an impact, police wrote in their reports. Snow was later arrested and accused of resisting arrest, pedestrian interference, disorderly conduct and obstructing a law enforcement officer. Snow told police the flag blew in the wind and may have hit the car on accident. Officers told Snow, as they grabbed his arms, that he was resisting arrest because he was tensing up and pulling away. At the time Snow was being arrested, other police formed an arrest circle around the two officers as a safety tactic for crowd management to prevent people from intervening, the police report states. In videos online, one officer can be heard saying, Youre under arrest, and Relax, please stop resisting. Snow replies, I am not and Stop. Police eventually grab his arms, to which he says, You are hurting me, let me go. As police walk Snow to their patrol cars, Snow can be heard yelling, I didnt do (expletive) and I apologize for the wind ... blowing my flag down. Snows defense attorney Steve Graham said his client maintains any contact with the Tesla was inadvertent and that police contact with Snow seemed to be excessive compared to what the police put up with downtown, because Snow had marks on his wrist from being detained. I think police were trying to send a message, he said. There are probably more protests to come. After police walked Snow away from the area and waited for another car to take him to jail, police read him his rights, the report says, although witnesses to the incident have denied this happened on social media. The witnesses also posted that police told Snow he would be charged with a hate crime against the driver, although that is not indicated in any reports. The Tesla involved in the incident has front, side and rear cameras. In the police report, photos show the flag blowing over the top of the Tesla as the car approaches Snow in the bike lane. From the right-side camera, the tip of the flag pole is visible overhead of the cameras location, the report shows. Police appear to have drawn an outline they believe shows Snows arm extended with the flag over the Tesla as a probable reason to arrest for pedestrian interference, according to the report. The driver of the Tesla was interviewed by police and stated the flag hit the top of his car, but didnt cause any damage. Musk has accused Democratic fundraisers of organizing the nationwide Tesla demonstrations. He took to his X platform last week to claim vandalism against his car brand should be considered terrorism. Although there is no federal domestic terrorism law on the books, prosecutors are able to use state law to attempt to convict a defendant. Experts have long argued domestic terrorism in the U.S., like hate-based acts from far-right and white supremacist groups, should be tracked and treated with the same concern as foreign terrorism, especially after increasingly hostile race-based rhetoric following Trumps first term. Last week, a Spokane Valley woman was arrested after she sped by Tesla protesters while flipping them off and ignoring officers sirens, nearly causing a significant crash, police reports say. 2025 The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.). Visit www.spokesman.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article deals with suicide. Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts can call the national crisis hotline at 988. Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a bill Monday restricting the sale of a lethal chemical used in dozens of deaths by suicide. Tylers Law, named in honor of Tyler Schmidt, a 15-year-old boy from Camas who died by ingesting the chemical, bans the sale of sodium nitrite in concentrations over 10%. The chemical, sold as a powder, is used at low levels of purity as a meat preservative, but in high concentrations it can kill. Amazon shoppers used to be able to buy the chemical in 99% concentrations. As of March, there were 10 lawsuits filed against Amazon by 28 families who lost loved ones who used it to die by suicide. They alleged the company continued selling the chemical despite knowing of its misuse. Tylers law carries a civil penalty of up to $10,000 for a first violation and up to $1 million for subsequent violations. Amazon voluntarily stopped selling the chemical in 99% concentrations in October 2022. The company didnt admit any wrongdoing, maintained the sales were legal and that it couldnt be held responsible for customers intentional misuse of the chemical. House Bill 1209 takes effect immediately. It passed in both the House and the Senate overwhelmingly, with bipartisan support. Sellers must also now label such products, WARNING DANGER: Deadly if ingested. If ingested, seek immediate medical attention for intravenous administration of methylene blue. Ingestion of sodium nitrite, even in small quantities, causes severe methemoglobinemia, extreme pain, and imminent death. Keep out of reach of children. Washington is now the fourth state to limit the sale of the chemical, following California, Colorado and New York. Legislation to limit the sale of the lethal chemical made progress at the federal level, passing the U.S. House of Representatives before stalling in the Senate last year. 2025 The Seattle Times. Visit www.seattletimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A view of the Columbia River Gorge and the Vista House at Crown Point in Oregon in 2023. Washington state lawmakers are considering defunding a commission that regulates development in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Sean Meagher/The Oregonian Washington state lawmakers are considering defunding a commission that regulates development in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, which spans 85 miles in Oregon and Washington between east Multnomah County and the Deschutes River. The fate of the commission could have major implications for tourism and recreation in the gorge, which attracts roughly 2 million visitors each year. But its unclear if Washington legislators can legally halt funding for the commission, which also receives state dollars from Oregon. The Columbia River Gorge Commission has long been responsible for protecting and enhancing the scenic area, which totals nearly 300,000 acres across Washington and Oregon. The commission helps enforce the areas management plan, which details land use restrictions and building regulations that homebuilders and businesses must abide by. The commissions oversight has prevented the construction of large commercial and housing developments aimed to accommodate tourists, which could disrupt the natural beauty of the area, according to Friends of the Columbia Gorge, a local conservation nonprofit. People are coming out because this area is protected, said Renee Tkach, conservation director for the nonprofit. It has beautiful recreation and has public lands that are open to all. And its not just a local treasure or regional, its become an international destination too. But the 13-member commissioner has long provoked the ire of some Washington residents who live in the scenic area. Those residents contend that the commissions oversight makes it more difficult for local residents to modify their homes and often delays or nixes developments that require approval from the commission. Theres been significant friction ... between the oversight that the gorge commission has provided and the needs of people who live in the community, said Skamania County Commissioner Brian Nichols. I think (the commission) has been potentially a little bit too aggressive in trying to protect the gorge at the expense of people in the community. Supporters of the commission say it has enhanced the environmental health of the gorge while accommodating economic growth where necessary. Opponents say they arent necessarily supportive of large-scale developments, but instead aim to slash some regulatory red tape for low-income residents. This long-simmering battle came to a head in late March when the Washington House Appropriations Committee approved an amended bill that removed all state funding for the commission in the biennium that begins this July. The move quickly prompted immense pushback from conservation groups. More than 1,200 individuals have sent letters to Washington lawmakers in support of funding the commission, according to Tim Dobyns, communications and engagement director for Friends of the Columbia Gorge. Without the commission, its supporters say, developers would face an easier path building large-scale projects in rural lands, which could have detrimental effects on the surrounding environment and wildlife. Most of that development would likely occur on the Washington side of the river, which has fewer land use restrictions in the area than Oregon. Lawmakers in the Washington Senate and House have until April 27 to synthesize their proposed budgets into a final spending plan for the next biennium. The Senate, unlike the House, included funding for the commission in its version of the next state budget. Conservation groups say defunding the commission would be illegal. Per the agreement between Oregon and Washington that established the commission, each state must adequately fund the commission to fulfill its responsibilities. Furthermore, it requires both states to contribute the same amount of money to the commission, and Oregon lawmakers have not indicated any plans to change their normal contributions. Oregon and Washington have provided the commission around $2.2 million apiece in the current biennium. On April 4, the Washington State Office of Financial Management sent a lengthy list of budget concerns to the Legislatures top budget writers. In it, the office recommended restoring funding for the gorge commission. If lawmakers want to defund the commission, they would have to end Washingtons participation in the bi-state agreement by repealing a state law, officials wrote. Defunding is not an option, said Tkach. You cannot eradicate the funding completely, because then there would be no gorge commission staff to be able to regulate and enforce the ... management plan. That would be a good thing, opponents of the commission say. We dont want the natural beauty to go away, said Nichols. Were not trying to change it and add a lot of growth. ... But we do want to see processes that are streamlined to support people in our community. Carlos Fuentes covers state politics and government. Reach him at 503-221-5386 or cfuentes@oregonian.com. Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com/subscribe. Henry Cakebread and Ashley Barnhill-Hubbard with CAHOOTS, a mental health crisis intervention program, discuss their last encounter during their night shift in Eugene. The program ceased operations in Eugene this week. White Birds CAHOOTS program, which provides services to people in crisis, will no longer serve the city of Eugene. Employees had been warning of impending cuts for months, and White Bird had already planned to scale back to two shifts a week: Fridays and Saturdays. But on Monday, the organization and the city of Eugene issued a joint press release announcing they didnt have the financial capacity to continue providing CAHOOTS in Eugene, and that service was ending immediately. CAHOOTS, which stands for Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets, will continue to be available in Springfield from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. The announcement is a stunning development for a service thats been recognized nationally, especially in the wake of the social justice protests that followed the 2020 murder of George Floyd, which renewed the national conversation about the role of armed officers in responding to mental health crises. In 2021, Oregon U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden even introduced a bill to try to replicate the model nationwide. That same year, White Bird created an online course to help other communities create similar services. Despite the immediate discontinuation of CAHOOTS in Eugene, officials urged people experiencing or witnessing a mental health crisis to continue to reach out for help. How you access service, really doesnt change, Eugene Springfield Fire Chief Mike Caven told KLCC. Frequency of availability, or the type of resources thats going to go to mitigate that call might be different until we get things stabilized and figured out for the long-term. But, if you call non-emergency, crisis line, or 911, the safety nets still there. He said Lane Countys mobile crisis team is available, though they may not be able to provide some services that CAHOOTS covered, like transportation, and housing assistance. It was not immediately clear what prompted the sudden pivot from White Birds plan to continue CAHOOTS services in Eugene two days a week, to the announcement that it was ending immediately. As recently as last Thursday, White Bird told KLCC the twice-weekly shifts would continue. When the city and White Birds joint press release was issued Monday afternoon, White Birds website still listed the Friday and Saturday schedule. The website has since been updated to reflect the complete cessation of services in Eugene. White Birds interim Executive Director Amee Markwardt said in a news release that the organization was committed to exploring solutions to restore CAHOOTS. We recognize the impact these changes have on both our staff and the people who rely on CAHOOTS in times of crisis, she said. White Bird will continue advocating for investment in mental health services and crisis response to ensure that those in need receive the care and support they deserve. This is a time for our community to come together to find sustainable funding solutions that allow essential programs like CAHOOTS to thrive. -- Rebecca Hansen-White and Chris M Lehman, KLCC A bill that would add Oregon to a list of more than 30 states that require law enforcement officials to collect the DNA of every serious felony suspect upon their arrest advanced out of a legislative committee Monday. The bill would represent a significant shift from current law, which allows the state to take DNA samples only upon a felony conviction. Supporters of the bill say broader collection of DNA would enable police access to a larger pool of potential offenders and significantly increase chances of solving old cases ranging from rape to robbery to murder that may have gathered dust for years. Oregon Republican Party Chair Jerry Cummings has been accused in the last year of failing to make payments on two bank loans totaling $93,000 and withdrawing more than $17,000 from a separate bank account that didnt have that amount of money available. Cummings, a pastor from Columbia County who won his seat in February, has a lengthy legal track record in Oregon. The Oregon Journalism Project first reported the financial institutions claims as well as others in a years-long divorce and custody case that did not result in Cummings being charged with any crime. Cummings did not immediately respond to a phone call seeking comment. Sheri Brady, secretary of the Oregon Republican Party, told The Oregonian/OregonLive that the party is planning to send a press release regarding the Wednesday news report, but she declined to comment further. I just want to encourage people to continue to pray for the Oregon Republican Party, pray for our team, pray for Chair Cummings, Brady said. A collections agency sued Cummings last April in Washington County Circuit Court. The agency, on behalf of OnPoint Community Credit Union, accused Cummings of withdrawing more than $17,000 from his bank account in 2023 after depositing checks that later bounced, meaning that amount of money was not headed to his bank account when he took it out. Despite demands from OnPoint, (Cummings) has and continues to refuse to reimburse OnPoint for the deficiency, the agency wrote in its April 2024 complaint. (Cummings) has been unjustly enriched by that amount. In September, Washington County Circuit Court Judge Andrew Erwin ordered Cummings to pay back the full amount owed to OnPoint plus interest and attorney fees. Just three months later, Washington Trust Bank filed a lawsuit against Cummings in Multnomah County Circuit Court. The bank alleged that two businesses controlled by the pastor had signed loan agreements totalling $93,000 in December 2022 and failed to make payments on them. The financial institution sued Cummings after he failed to make multiple minimum payments in 2024 and didnt respond to default notices from the bank, the bank alleged. Washington Trust Bank sought more than $93,000 plus accrued interest from Cummings. Cummings has not filed any response to either suit. Carlos Fuentes covers state politics and government. Reach him at 503-221-5386 or cfuentes@oregonian.com. Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com/subscribe. Editor's note: This story was updated at 9:34 a.m. on April 10 to include a statement from Mayor-elect Stephen Tyler Holman. Senate Bill 484, which would impose zoning restrictions on homeless shelters in most Oklahoma cities, failed in committee Wednesday afternoon. The bill, proposed by Sen. Lisa Standridge (R-Norman) in January and amended in February, would prohibit new homeless shelters from being approved within 3,000 feet of a school, school property, public library, municipal park, child or adult day care facility or pre-K facility in cities with less than 300,000 residents. NEWSLETTERS * required Thank you for subscribing! Email * Please enter a valid email address First Name Last Name When major news breaks + a few times a week FREE SIGN UP Subscribing... Tulsa and Oklahoma City are the only cities in Oklahoma with a population over 300,000. The bill died in the House County and Municipal Government Committee Wednesday, failing to receive a recommendation of do pass. Rep. Kevin West (R-Moore), a sponsor of the bill, answered several questions from committee members. Rep. Tim Turner (R-Kinta) questioned why the bill specified a 3,000 feet distance when sex offenders and marijuana dispensaries can be located closer to a school. West said sex offenders are closely monitored by law enforcement and are usually employed so they are occupied during the day. West said there is not enough police available to monitor people experiencing homelessness so the distance is needed. Rep. Brad Boles (R-Marlow) asked, considering the bills language only applying to cities with a population of over 300,000, if a specific community requested the bill. West said he has worked closely with the city of Norman and has heard concerns from Norman residents. West clarified that he did not know if the city requested the bill. I do want to make it crystal clear, to the best of my knowledge, the city of Norman did not request this bill, West said Maybe they did. Maybe they didn't, but to (the) best of my knowledge, they did not. In an Instagram story posted on Wednesday, Ward 7 Councilmember and Norman Mayor-elect Stephen Tyler Holman posted that he was happy to see the bill defeated. NO PAYWALL, NONPARTISAN Students pay about $14 in fees that support the Daily. If you're not a student, please join those invested in OU and Norman who have given more than $110,000 to support our trustworthy, independent journalism. SUPPORT OUR LOCAL JOURNALISM "I hope to see actual solutions from the legislature to address homelessness and how it grew by over 20% in the State of Oklahoma last year," Holman wrote. The bill would not have affected existing shelters within 3,000 feet of the specified areas, or shelters that existed before the development of those areas. The bill would have required any entity that proposed a shelters development to notify property owners within 1,000 feet of the proposed site. According to the bill, owners would be required to receive a written notice mailed within 30 days of a hearing to preserve public safety. Domestic violence and youth shelters would not be subject to the bill, according to its language. Background on Normans emergency shelter In October 2022, Norman City Council entered into a contract with Food and Shelter, a nonprofit dedicated to providing services to people experiencing homelessness in Norman, to operate A Friends House, the citys emergency shelter, by an 8-1 vote. In March 2023, council extended the contract 8-1 to July 2023. After July 2023, council continued to extend the contract on a monthly basis. In September, Food and Shelter announced it would part ways with the shelter after a report issued by the city accused the organization of mismanaging funds. Food and Shelter continued operating the shelter until City Care, an Oklahoma City-based nonprofit, took over operations in January. Between September and November, council discussed finding a new operator and continuing the shelter. In October, Mayor Larry Heikkila and Ward 1 Councilmember Austin Ball said they believed the shelter should close. On Nov. 26, council approved a new contract with City Care 5-4, terminating its contract with Food and Shelter. Ball, Heikkila, Ward 5 Councilmember Michael Nash and Ward 8 Councilmember Scott Dixon voted against the contract. At a debate for the Feb. 11 mayoral election, Heikkila said he agreed with Standridges original bill, believing the city does not have the funds to support people experiencing homelessness. The police force in Billings saw a drop in calls for service last year, which coincided with a general decline in violent crime in the city. Calmer was how Billings Police Department Chief Rich St. John described the public safety situation in the city at a press conference Tuesday as he went through the departments crime data for 2024. We certainly did not get crime fought to a standstill, he said, but things have settled down significantly compared to years past. Violent crime in Billings reached a decade-long high in 2021 with nearly 1,200 offenses logged that year. Those offenses have been on the decline since then. Homicide cases in Billings similarly peaked in 2020 with 22 people killed. Although murders in Billings have remained above what they were prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, last year ended with 12 cases of deliberate homicide. BPD also investigated a single case of justifiable homicide, and four cases of negligent homicide, all four of which were instances of vehicular homicide. St. John noted at the press conference that three of the homicide offenses included in BPDs report were cases of people who were reported missing in Billings but were found outside of the city. Welfare checks and suicide attempts dropped by about 8% from 2023 to 2024. I credit that to the partnership with the (Billings) Fire Department, St. John said. They had the Crisis Response Unit up and running for the first part of 24, before things went sideways on that. That really highlights the value of that program and gets our officers off doing other things. The citys mobile crisis unit was launched as a partnership between BFD and the Rimrock Foundation. The unit paired an emergency medical technician paired with a licensed mental health professional. In the summer of 2024, Rimrock pulled out of the partnership, and the program has been on hiatus since then. BPD supplied about 60% of the calls to the mobile crisis unit until its suspension, the Gazette previously reported. Aggravated assault offenses, which includes assault with a weapon, criminal endangerment and partner or family member assault reached a 10-year high in 2024, with BPD logging 825 such offenses. Less than 5% of those cases resulted in a permanent or life-threatening injury. There were 74 cases of partner or family member assault in which the victim suffered a serious injury. Assault with a weapon was the most offense with 329 cases. Cases of kidnapping, of which there were 79 last year, were mostly connected to unlawful restraint during instances of partner or family member assault. The department recently added a domestic violence investigator, St. John said, to aid in the departments response to PFMA cases. Partner or family member assault has driven up BPDs caseload data for years, St. John said, and has been a special focus of the department. Physical assaults of partners and family members dropped 21% from 2023 to 2024, he said. One figure that troubled St. John were the 37 cases of assaults against law enforcement in 2024, nearly double the number of cases in 2023. Robberies, the taking of property by force, have been dropping in Billings since 2022, going from 159 cases that year to 132 in 2024. What typically bolsters those numbers, St. John said, are cases in which shoplifters try to leave a store, are confronted, and then assault an employee or security guard. The most common weapon used in robberies last year were hands and feet, according to BPD data. Theft cases likewise went from 5,548 cases in 2021 to 3,437 cases in 2024. With that decline came a drop in cases of motor vehicle thefts and break-ins. Compared to 2021, vehicle thefts last year dropped by over 40%. We spent a lot of time, he said, the last couple of years encouraging people to lock their vehicles, dont leave them unattended when theyre running and to take their firearms out. Not necessarily that we were advocating gun control, but we were advocating (being) responsible gun owners. While DUI offenses in Billings have dropped considerably over the past decade, going from 643 cases in 2015 to 446 last year, crashes in the city consistently increase from 2022 through 2024. About 56% of the 4,021 wrecks last year only resulted in damage to property. There were 649 crashes that resulted in injuries, and 14 people were killed in wrecks across the city. The intersection of Shiloh and Grand Avenue, a roundabout, had the highest number of crashes last year, with a total of 42. Along with improving the flow of traffic, St. John said roundabouts also reduce the severity of crashes, with most collisions being the side of vehicles rather than head-on. Focusing on arrests made by officers, St. John said most people apprehended by police were wanted for warrants, failing to appear in court or were in violation of the conditions of their release. With the amount of time and effort cops sunk into arresting those for what he described as admin violations, St. John touted the opening of the city and countys short-term holding facility. St. John said he expected the facility to open by the fall next year. The Undergraduate Student Congress recognized Womens History Month, established a campus safety survey, expelled a member, extended its reservable offices system for student organizations and passed a resolution to update scholar recognition initiatives at its Tuesday evening meeting. During the special orders section of the meeting, Student Government Association President Avery Dunlap addressed congress about assuming the role of president and what she plans to do with her time in office. Dunlap previously served as vice president to former SGA President Carter Strickland, who became the first SGA president to be impeached in university history on March 25. Strickland announced his resignation on April 5. NEWSLETTERS * required Thank you for subscribing! Email * Please enter a valid email address First Name Last Name When major news breaks + a few times a week FREE SIGN UP Subscribing... I first want to assure you that I will be acting in transparency throughout my administration. I'll be inclusive in discussions, assignments and projects to the SGA to accomplish work for our student body, Dunlap said. Dunlap said her top priority is rebuilding the culture of SGA, specifically within the executive branch, into one of trust, accountability and collaboration. I want to encourage us all in this time of transition to remember why we're here. We were all elected to serve our student body. I am excited to work and dig into civic engagement, student belonging and student services, Dunlap said. I really want to refocus our attention back to those issues after the past couple weeks. Dunlap said although she is committed to taking on the presidency, she is still adjusting to new responsibilities. I am prepared, but not quite ready. Moving forward, I ask for grace and patience. I know what's expected of me, and I will fulfill the duties of this office, but as with anything, there is a learning curve. Dunlap said she looks forward to serving as SGA president and working alongside the Undergraduate Student Congress as a collective voice to serve students. SGA was designed to amplify the student voice and also develop and protect the student experience in the short eight months that I have in this position, I hope to do just that, Dunlap said. Conoco Student Leadership Center The news: The Conoco Student Leadership Center Pilot Program Extension Act of 2025 extended the pilot program for the second and third floors of the Archie W. Dunham-Conoco Student Leadership Center, where registered student organization offices were located until the decision to make the spaces reservable in April 2024. Student organizations have been able to use the space since Feb. 19 and reserve any of the 20 multi-use rooms via Engage since March 3. At the end of the 2025-26 school year, the SGA Space Allocation Committee shall evaluate how the spaces have been used following the pilot period and will choose whether to continue the program based on student feedback and space usage. What theyre saying: Chief of Staff Ellie Wolthius, who co-authored the bill with Dunlap, said they wanted to extend the pilot period because the spaces were opened much later in the year than anticipated due to the renovation process. Wolthius said they have watched if RSOs are using the space during the brief window since renovations finished, and have been checking students are using the spaces at the times they reserved them. It's all very, very early data, and we're still waiting to get that feedback to really push out the RSOs, Wolthius said. Wolthius said the program was initially implemented to reduce wasted space and provide a meeting space for student groups that may not have had the opportunity previously. A lot of the offices did not get used, Wolthius said. No one was ever in them. So the space had kind of gone to waste. Following the initial decision to make the offices reservable, various students expressed discontent that they were not consulted about the decision, and felt it was unfair the first floor of the building, where SGA offices are located, were not affected. The vote: The Undergraduate Student Congress approved this bill with a vote of 34-0-0. Encouraging scholar recognition updates The news: The Scholars Walk Revival Resolution explained various ways scholarship recipients have gone unrecognized in recent years. The bill encouraged the university to update its public-facing scholarship recipient webpage, which has not been updated since 2016. The bill also called for the OU Presidents Office to initiate and oversee the revival of the South Ovals Scholars Walk, including the addition of missing honorees dating back to 2019, and to establish a sustainable annual update process going forward. The bill encouraged the university to assign responsibility for Scholars Walk maintenance to a designated body such as the Honors College, the Office of the President or the Office of University Advancement, in collaboration with nationally competitive scholarship advisors. Copies of the bill will be sent to university and Oklahoma leaders. What theyre saying: Associate Saniya Shibu, who authored the bill with associate Aaron Lim, said despite that a number of students are eligible to be featured on the Scholars Walk, they have yet to be included. NO PAYWALL, NONPARTISAN Students pay about $14 in fees that support the Daily. If you're not a student, please join those invested in OU and Norman who have given more than $110,000 to support our trustworthy, independent journalism. SUPPORT OUR LOCAL JOURNALISM (The Scholars Walk) hasn't been updated since 2019. There's been about 30 plus students from the University of Oklahoma that have received one of these competitive scholarships, and there's not any plaques, Shibu said. These students aren't being acknowledged for their high achievement. Lim said reviving these programs will encourage even more high achievement from students. We're here to urge the Office of the President to revive the scholars walk project and to honor these students, and of course, have the current student body be motivated to pursue these national, prestigious awards, Lim said. The vote: The Undergraduate Student Congress approved this bill with a vote of 34-0-0. Recognizing Womens History Month The news: The bill titled Womens History Month of 2025 officially acknowledged the month of March as Womens History Month by SGA. Copies of the bill which encourages students to take advantage of the month of March to learn more about Womens History and gender disparities will be sent to the OU President Joseph Harroz Jr., Vice President for Access and Opportunity Belinda Hyppolite, OU student media and various student organizations. What theyre saying: Rep. Lilian Higareda Castillo, who co-authored the bill with associate Lily Mosisa, asked congress members to reflect on how women have personally impacted their lives. Women's contributions are woven into our society and history, and with this concurrent resolution, we aim to acknowledge the importance of the celebration and recognition of Women's History Month,Higareda Castillo said. Mosisa said the resolution is not just about honoring women, but also standing with those who continue to fight for equality. Gender discrimination remains a reality, affecting access to education, economic opportunities, healthcare, research and safety. In the US, women still earn about 83 cents for every dollar a man earns. During time for questions, Rep. Syed Aslam asked the authors if they thought some of the statistics included in the bill lacked context. Higareda Castillo said it was possible, but that she wanted to acknowledge income inequality. Higareda Castillo included that she referred to past womens history resolutions and they had similar statistics. The vote: The Undergraduate Student Congress approved this bill with a vote of 32-1-0. Aslam voted against the resolution. Rep. Thomas Richardson was not in the room during the vote. Establishing safety survey The news: The Safety of OU Survey Act of 2025 established a survey under the SGA to assess current safety measures and explore potential improvements to enhance nighttime security and support services. The survey will ask students to rate how safe they feel on campus at night, identify which areas they find the least safe, share how they've responded to perceived danger and reflect on campus safety resources. Responses to the survey will be collected from March 24 to April 24 anonymously. The survey will be distributed via Qualtrics, OUs mass mail system, fliers and social media platforms. What theyre saying: Rep. Ben Keupen, who authored the bill, said the goal of the survey is to collect honest feedback about nighttime safety, evaluate the awareness and use of safety resources and identify specific areas for improvement, like lighting security, presence or transportation. The results will help guide future advocacy and policy decisions, Keupen said. Just by passing this bill, we're taking a proactive step to ensure a safer campus for everyone. The vote: The Undergraduate Student Congress approved this bill with a vote of 34-0-0. Member Expulsion The news: The Session 113 Expulsion Bill No. 3 expelled associate Lauren Stubbs from her position due to excessive unexcused absences. Secretary Chloe Harris said Stubbs was a member of the human diversity committee and has not been to any meetings. The vote: The Undergraduate Student Congress approved this bill with a vote of 34-0-0. This story was edited by Anusha Fathepure. ANDRITZ to Acquire Italy-based A.Celli Paper April 7, 2025 - ANDRITZ has signed an agreement to acquire the Italian company A.Celli Paper, a supplier of machinery and equipment for the production of tissue, paper and board grades. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. "This strategic move is driven by our commitment to providing comprehensive, innovative solutions to our customers," said Alexander Wassermann, ANDRITZ Executive Vice President Paper & Textile. "It expands our capabilities in key areas such as winding and rewinding technologies, making us a leading full line supplier from fiber to the packaged paper rolls, while also strengthening our service business." A.Celli Paper, headquartered in Lucca, Italy, operates additional locations in Pinerolo, Italy, and Shanghai, China. The company offers solutions for complete turnkey plants, tissue machines, winders and rewinders for tissue, paper and cardboard, roll handling and packaging. It acquired PMT (formerly Beloit) in 2020. A.Celli Paper has annual revenues in the range of 70 MEUR and employs more than 100 people. ANDRITZ offers a broad portfolio of innovative plants, equipment, systems, services and digital solutions for a wide range of industries and end markets. SOURCE: ANDRITZ The Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital announced that it is opening a new specialized clinic in Riverton that would cater to kids with autism. The hospital also announced a $3 million donation from a Utah businesswoman and philanthropist and her family. The money would be used to support the Primary Promise campaign to build the country's model health system for children. New Clinic for Children With Autism The announcement is for the opening of the new Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Clinic at the Primary Children's Outpatient Services building at Intermountain Riverton Hospital. The news marks a major milestone in the expansion of services for kids with autism and helps in meeting a rapidly growing need across the community. Katy Welkie, the chief executive officer of Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital, said that they want children with autism and their families to know that they are not alone. She added that the expansion of autism services means they can help more children thrive, according to Intermountain Health News. Welkie added that the expansion of services was only made possible with the help of the generous community. She said that the assistance has helped turn bold visions of building a model health system for children into a possibility. The news comes as autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disability that manifests in differences in behavior. There are one in 36 children across the country who have autism spectrum disorder, which is equal to about 25,000 kids in Utah alone. Filling in a Massive Gap Katie Maday, a pediatric service line director at Intermountain Health, said that the large number of children with autism represents a massive need in the community. The new clinic will focus on intensive behavioral intervention, ABC4 reported. This is a proven scientific method that aims to teach kids new skills while also bringing down challenging behaviors. The method works to assist children in being able to stand on their own through individualized strategies. Dr. Casey Clay, the clinical director, said that it is the gold standard in autism treatment. Maday added that the new clinic has several larger rooms and spaces that were built so as to have the "appropriate distance to see an eye chart." A news release noted that there has been a historic care gap in Utah and surrounding states when it comes to helping kids with autism. This means that there has been a lack of programs for families to receive care for their kids quickly, as per KSLTV. We spent all day today filming for our Becoming Brigham documentary series. It was tough going. At one point, we checked the temperature and found it to be a bracing 31F (approximately -0.6C), with a windchill factor of 9F (roughly -12.8C). The day was blustery, too, and, especially in the morning, fairly serious snow was falling. (My wife and I were in Hawaii just a few days ago!). I found myself thinking of the greatest film ever made, Groundhog Day: Okay, campers, rise and shine! And dont forget your booties cause its cold out there today. We Camrey Bagley Fox (Emma Smith in Witnesses and Six Days in August) and John Donovan Wilson (Brigham Young in Six Days) and I and our core filmmakers (Mark Goodman, James Jordan, and Russell Richins) worked outdoors at the home of Brigham Youngs father, John, in Mendon, New York. There, thanks to the kindness of Elder and Sister Rasmussen, physical-facilities missionaries from Pocatello, Idaho, we had access to occasional refuge in a small heated house across the road. We also filmed in the old Tomlinsons Corners Cemetery there in Mendon, where Solomon F. Kimball father of Heber C. Kimball and great-grandfather of Spencer W. Kimball is buried. More to our present purpose, the Tomlinsons Corners Cemetery is also the burial place of Miriam Works Young, Brigham Youngs first wife. In 1829, Brigham and Miriam and their daughter moved to Mendon, where he built them a home and a woodworking shop on his fathers property. In 1832, they were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Brigham in early April during a snowstorm much like todays bitterly cold early-April storm, and Miriam in May. Unfortunately, Miriam had contracted tuberculosis. When she eventually became bedridden, the responsibility for caring for their home and for her and for their two daughters fell entirely to Brigham. I doubt that very many people imagine the commanding Brigham Young in such roles, but he regularly prepared breakfast for the family, dressed his daughters, cleaned up the house, and carried Miriam to the rocking chair by the fireplace, where she would rest until he could return in the evening. At that point, he cooked his familys supper, got them into bed, and finished the household chores. Years later, when president of the Church, he teasingly boasted that he could beat most of the women in the community at housekeeping. Miriam died on 8 September 1832, at the age of only 26. Thereafter, Heber and Vilate Kimball cared for her daughters, ages 7 and 2 at the time, while Brigham served a series of missions. Our team collected some B-roll footage outside the Tomlinson Inn in Mendon, but then, happily, most of the rest of the day was spent filming indoors at Genesee Country Village & Museum, where Peter Wisbey, GCV&Ms Philip K. Wehrheim Curator of Collections, kindly assisted us. Mr. Wisbey has been of great help to our prior film projects and to other Latter-day Saint efforts over many years. Im delighted to report that, while the early-nineteenth-century building in which we did our work was still very cold, it was nothing like outside! Ive hesitated to share the letter below and, frankly, Im more than a bit embarrassed by the generosity of Dr. Ghneims sentiments. However, since (his idea, not mine) he kindly volunteered to write it and since Im tired of being publicly and repeatedly branded a racist and a bigot and even (incredibly), on one or two occasions, of being termed anti-Islamic by anonymous critics at the Peterson Obsession Board, Ive decided to go ahead and pass it on: A Man of Integrity: Reflections on Dan Petersons Life and Legacy I can distinctly remember the first time I encountered the work of Daniel C. Peterson. It was 1993, and I was at the BYU Bookstore when I saw a copy of his book *Abraham Divided*. The title caught my attention because it delved into aspects of Arab and Jewish history, but more intriguingly for me, it also contained a brief history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Middle East. As the first Jordanian to be baptized in my country, I was especially eager to learn more about the churchs history in the region. The few people who had taught me about the faith shared only bits and pieces of its story, and I longed to understand more. I have to admit that as much as I appreciated the churchs history in the area, I found myself disagreeing with Dans assessment of Islamic history. You see, I grew up living under various Islamic-majority governments, and as an Arab Christian, I experienced firsthand the discrimination deeply rooted in Islamic doctrine. While I recognize that Dan is far from ignorant of such perspectives, I felt he was perhaps too generous in his portrayal of Islamic history. I sought out information about him on campus, and the small group of Arab students I spoke to all knew himand all shared only positive stories. They spoke of a man who took a genuine interest in Arab and Muslim students, who mentored them, and showed kindness and respect. At that time, my roommate, Morgan Davis, worked for Dan at the Maxwell Institute, contributing to the first volumes of what became the Middle Eastern Texts Initiative. Anyone familiar with this project knows it is a labor of love, a true dedication to understanding the history, culture, and people who produced the texts. In Jordan, I served as the Amman Branch President, later as President of the Jordan District, and as an Assistant to the Greece Mission President. We often used Dans works as gifts for heads of state in the Middle East, helping to build bridges with leaders in Islamic countries. I vividly remember how impressed those leaders, as well as intellectuals from the region, were by the fruits of Dans efforts. Its fair to say that Dans work played a part in the churchs outreach in the region, which eventually culminated in the announcement of the Dubai temple. In 2002, I returned to the U.S., shortly after 9/11, a time when the country was embroiled in a vital debate about Islam and its role in supporting terrorism. Here was Dan, standing as one of the few voices trying to present Islam and Muslims in a positive light, engaging in debates with figures like Robert Spencersomeone I respect. What I find significant here is not just Dans stance, but how he approached Islamone that reflects a greater tolerance than the perspective I, admittedly, carry based on my own experiences. I had just spent years living in a region where Islamist violence was on the rise, and I couldnt fully align myself with Dans positive portrayal of Islam. But Dan, recognizing the humanity of the people I grew up amongst, opted to seek understanding and bridge-building instead of the blanket condemnation that others, with less tolerance, often resorted to. His love for all of Gods children led him to reject the idea of an open season on Muslims, fully aware that such rhetoric would only breed more hate, not foster the kind of debate that could lead to understanding and positive change. In 2007, Dan published a small book aimed at introducing Muhammad, where he referred to him as a Prophet of God. Again, while I understood Dans underlying motives and the context of his perspective, I still couldnt reconcile his interpretation with the historical realities I had witnessed firsthand. Why do I recount this history now? Recently, I came across an article on Dans blog where he mentioned accusations that some had made against himclaims that he is a racist or a white supremacist. My immediate, lighthearted response to Dan was that if hes a white supremacist, then I must be the Viking king of Sweden. Anyone who knows Dan, has followed his work, or has read his writings over the years, would know that such accusations are utterly unfounded. Dan is a man who believes deeply in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and he holds a firm conviction in the brotherhood and sisterhood of all mankind. We are all children of Heavenly parents, regardless of our race, ethnicity, or background. Im not saying this simply because hes a member of my church. I say this because, having followed his work for over three decades, I can vouch for Dans character. He is a person of integrity. If he disagrees with someone, it is always a disagreement based on a genuine understanding of the facts as he sees them, and he engages in these discussions with honesty and openness. I should add that, despite our shared commitment to Latter-day Saint orthodoxy, Dan and I have never seen eye to eye on politics. In the past, he supported traditional conservative politics, while I opposed them. Now, however, I support many of the current conservative policies, and he finds himself in opposition. But one thing I know for sure is that Dan is always willing to engage in a respectful, honest disagreement, and you walk away from such conversations feeling enlightened, not bitter. I also know, without a doubt, that Dan, like me, longs for a Zion society. Anyone with that deep-seated desire to build a Zion society cannot possibly be a white supremacist. Anyone who accuses him of such a thing is merely adding to the noise of the vast and empty comments section on social media, and their opinions are not worth the attention of anyone with genuine understanding. What Im saying is simple: Dan Peterson is a person of goodwill, a scholar of integrity, and a believer in the shared dignity of all people. To label him as anything else is to misread his character and to misunderstand his lifelong work and convictions. Warmly, Dr. Jabra Ghneim Im deeply grateful to Dr. Ghneim for his letter and for his kindness. Unfortunately, I expect that his letter will have no impact upon my critics at the Peterson Obsession Board whatever except, perhaps, to spur them on to further insults and redoubled attacks. After all, collectively speaking, theyve been maligning me pretty continually for something on the order of fifteen or twenty years now. Really. Fifteen or twenty years! But it should give them pause. Posted from Rochester, New York Updated April 9, 2025: Yesterday, with Aprils Patch Tuesday update KB5055523, Microsoft rolled out the emoji and more panel thats now accessible via a system tray icon in the taskbar. This feature was previously available in the optional KB5053656 update from March, and before that was available in the preview update mentioned below. The easiest way to install KB5055523 is via Windows Update. Original story from December 10, 2024: Microsoft seems to think Windows 11 users are clamoring for easier ways to insert emojis, as if were so constantly in need of quick access to emojis on a day-to-day basis that we need super shortcuts for it. Well, if that describes you, Microsoft wants you to know that theyre listening and they care. In the latest Windows 11 Insiders preview (Build 22635.4580), Microsoft has added an emoji panel to the taskbar, granting immediate access to emojis no matter what youre doing. Although theres already a keyboard shortcut for accessing the emoji panel simply press Windows key + Period or Windows key + Semicolon its clear that not everyone is aware of it. After all, who can really remember the hundreds of keypress combinations that exist? If you dont want the emoji panel in the taskbar, you can turn it off in the settings by navigating to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar, then under System tray icons, look for Emojis and more. Change the drop-down menu to Never to disable it. If you arent a Windows 11 Insider, this feature will come to you soon enough. Keep an eye out for update KB5046733 in Windows Update, but we have no word on when exactly it will arrive as of yet. Google plans to launch tons of new AI innovations at its Google Cloud Next conference, beginning today. But one of the most important could be one of its smallest: simply asking Gemini to get you caught up in a meeting. By now, AI-powered transcriptions are relatively passe. Ditto for AI summaries. Now, as you quietly sidle in late for a virtual Google Meet meeting, youll be able to ask Gemini, what did I miss? and get caught up on what was discussed while you were dealing with a sick toddler. Google said that this and additional capabilities such as asking about specific action items or decisions will be available in Meet later this quarter. Google Cloud Next is also an opportunity for Google to add new features to other apps within Workspace, too. Here are some of the highlights: Audio docs: In the coming weeks, youll be able to ask Docs to read your document to you or, alternatively, you can listen to documents as audiobooks during your commute. Help me in Sheets and Docs: One of the challenges in an app like Sheets is simply making sense of a worksheet full of data. Help me analyze is a new feature coming to Sheets later this year, where Gemini will simply eyeball your worksheet, highlight interesting data, and launch a few charts making sense of it all. The help me refine feature in Docs will debut in alpha later this quarter; instead of correcting your grammar, help me refine works to strengthen your argument or improve its structure. You can finally address @gemini in any Chat application. In January, Google added its advanced AI capabilities to Workspace for free: no longer charging a premium for the AI features, but raising the price of the Workspace bundle nevertheless. Well, would you look at that! Isnt it time to upgrade your home office setup with a proper 4K monitor? One thats affordable enough for your wallet but doesnt skimp too much on specs? If so, then Ive found the one for you. Right now, Samsungs 27-inch ViewFinity S80D monitor is only $200 at B&H. Thats a whopping 50% off discount! The ViewFinity S80D is a gorgeous display that brings 4K to your desk without breaking the bank. The IPS panel is super responsive and delivers fantastic color contrast with HDR10 at up to 350 nits of brightness, which means its great for productivity and youll be able to enjoy whatever you watch on screen with vivid visuals and color accuracy. With just 60Hz of refresh and a 5ms response time, it aint the best for gaming. This monitor comes with slim bezels and a minimalist design, so its an especially good pick if you intend to put two or three of them next to each other. Connectivity options are pretty basic here: a single full-sized HDMI 2.0 port and a single DisplayPort 1.2 connection. You also get two USB-A ports for peripherals. No built-in speakers on this one. If you dont like the stand, you can mount it on a separate monitor arm with the standard 100x100mm VESA mount. At this price, you can upgrade to a multi-4K-monitor setup and elevate your home office experience without wincing too hard at all. Dont miss this chance to get a 4K Samsung monitor for just $200! Save 50% on Samsung's office-ready 4K monitor See our Best Monitor round-up for more PC monitor buying advice. By Anya Litvak, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS) The Trump administration has ordered a new national security review of Nippon Steel Corps bid to buy U.S. Steel, signaling a potential new avenue for the $14.9 billion deal to go through. President Joe Biden blocked the acquisition in January, after a review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) deadlocked over potential national security risks and did not issue a recommendation. President Donald Trump gave CFIUS 45 days to submit a recommendation describing whether any measures proposed by the parties are sufficient to mitigate any national security risks identified by CFIUS. This recommendation shall include a statement describing each member agencys position, including the reasons for such position, the memorandum issued on Monday directed. 'Welcome to Nippon Steel' sign in front of Blast Furnace No. 1 at Nippon Steel's Kashima Plant in Kashima, Japan on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill, file) AP Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel, the largest steelmaker in Japan, had filed lawsuits challenging the presidential block, alleging it was politically motivated and aided by rival steelmaker Cleveland-Cliffs and the United Steelworkers union. The labor union had pledged its exclusive approval for Cliffs effort to buy U.S. Steel. The executive order issued on Monday coincides with a deadline for the U.S. government to file a response in the lawsuit pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit challenging the CFIUS review. Last month, a judge granted a request by the U.S. Justice Department to push back its required response date until April 7, which U.S. Steel and Nippon did not oppose. The federal government asked for the delay to allow the government to complete its ongoing discussions with the parties regarding the U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel transaction with the goal of eliminating the need for this Courts resolution of the litigation on the merits. U.S. Steel thanked the president in a statement on Monday, saying his action today validates our Boards bold decision to challenge President Bidens unlawful order. FILE - This is a portion of US Steel's Edgar Thomson Works in Braddock, Pa., on Sunday, Apr., 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File) AP Todays decision by President Trump is pivotal as we work to deliver on new and historic levels of investment in American steelmaking. We look forward to continuing to work closely with President Trump and his Administration to finalize this significant and important investment, which will preserve existing jobs, create new jobs, enhance national security and secure a bright future for American manufacturing. The CFIUS group that will be conducting the new review is comprised of all new members from the Trump administration. As reported by Bloomberg News, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who is now a member of CFIUS, met with Nippon Steels Vice Chairman Takahiro Mori in recent days. The Japanese company reportedly offered to increase its investment into U.S. Steels facilities to $7 billion, from the $2.7 billion it had pledged previously. Lutnick also was said to have met with Ancora Holdings, an activist investor with a 1% stake in U.S. Steel that has launched a proxy challenge aiming to oust U.S. Steels CEO David Burritt and place nine members on the companys board of directors. In a reversal of its previous posture, Ancora said on Monday that it is committed to seeing the U.S. Steel/Nippon deal close. Less than a month ago, Ancora said in a letter to shareholders that the sale has no chance of being resurrected and demanded an immediate termination of the merger agreement. Today, however, the Companys securities filings and other public reports about increased capital investments indicate that the prospects for the transaction have significantly improved, Ancora wrote in a letter to U.S. Steels shareholders Monday. Ancoras letter last month followed Trumps announcement, during a news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, that Nippon would invest in U.S. Steel without buying it. I didnt want it purchased, Trump said, according to a transcript. But investment, I love. And theyre going to do a big investment subject to getting the deal done. Ishiba tried to stress that the investment would be mutually beneficial. Japanese technology will be provided and the better-quality products will be manufactured in the United States, he said. Nippon has a long history of joint ventures, which it calls alliances, with other companies both inside Japan and abroad. Multiple spots for a crossing had been considered by Billings County during its more than a decadelong attempt to build the bridge, but the Short ranch has been the county's primary target location since around 2017 when an environmental study by the Federal Highway Administration said the property was the best spot for a river crossing. The family sued the FHWA for its findings and later sued the County Commission, too. The family contended that a bridge would mainly benefit the oil industry. The project's supporters at the county government had said it was needed for multiple uses including emergencies, commerce and recreation. In 2021, the County Commission voted 2-1 to not use eminent domain for the bridge and signed an agreement with the family to not further pursue eminent domain action in exchange for the Shorts dropping lawsuits against the commissioners and the FHWA. Eminent domain is the taking of private property for public use with just compensation. But after the 2022 election, the deciding vote on the issue flipped when then-County Commissioner Mike Kasian lost his seat on the board to Steven Klym. In 2023, the county sought to attain the Short property again, first through a lease offer, then soon after through a procedure called "quick take." "Quick take" allows a government body to take private property for public use immediately and negotiate the payment later, whereas in typical eminent domain cases the property cannot be used until compensation is decided. The Shorts filed a suit in federal court to block the action, alleging the quick take was a breach of contract from the 2021 agreement. The family also challenged the county's quick take action. Last year, U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor granted the family an injunction that prevented any construction in the summer of 2024. The county appealed that ruling. The quick take case was being argued in state court, when in December, Billings County voted 2-1 to negotiate with the family. This change in approach came after James Haag was elected to the County Commission. He beat former Commissioner Lester Iverson, who had supported using eminent domain to build the bridge, in the November election. Per the settlement, Billings County will drop its quick take filings against the Shorts in state court with prejudice, meaning it cannot file the same case. The Shorts will drop their cases against the county in federal court once a decision is issued on the appeal. The county will also pay the Shorts $200,000 for expenses the family has incurred. Haag and Commissioner Dean Rodne signed the agreement. Commissioner Klym did not. The Shorts' attorney Derrick Braaten said the family is happy the fight is over. "They have invested more into this fight than they ever should've been forced to invest, but in the end, they successfully protected the Short ranch, and it is an incredible victory and success story for private landowners and property rights," he said. Tami Norgard, attorney for Billings County, said these commissioners cannot tie the hands of a future commissioners on eminent domain, but this Commission does not support using eminent domain for the bridge. Norgard's claim on the power of counties was affirmed by a state judge last fall in a summary judgement. But the question of whether Billings County could use eminent domain in this specific instance -- given the 2021 agreement -- had not yet been ruled on. The issue was briefed to the case's judge last year, but he did not rule by the time that Billings County voted to negotiate. A jury trial was set for February on compensation. "One city or county cannot forever abolish the future city or county from exercising sovereign powers like eminent domain and taxation of certain residents. Yet, the current Billings County Commission is not interested in continuing to pursue the state court condemnation action," Norgard said. By REBECCA BOONE, The Associated Press BOISE, Idaho (AP) Prosecutors and attorneys for a man charged in the killings of four University of Idaho students in 2022 began arguing some of the final ground rules they want for Bryan Kohbergers trial in a Wednesday morning hearing. Kohberger, 30, is charged with murder in the stabbing deaths of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves at a rental home near campus in Moscow, Idaho. Prosecutors say the four were killed in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022, and their bodies were discovered later that day. Four University of Idaho students were found dead in this home Sunday, Nov. 14, 2022. A Pennsylvania man is soon going to trial in their killings. (Angela Palermo/Idaho Statesman via AP, file) Angela Palermo/Idaho Statesman via AP 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. When asked to enter a plea to the charges, Kohberger stood silent, prompting the judge to enter a not-guilty plea on his behalf. His trial is set to begin this summer. Attorneys on both sides of the case have filed hundreds of pages of legal motions, including whether Kohberger should face the death penalty if he is convicted, whether witnesses should be allowed to testify about things like touch DNA, and who should be allowed in the courtroom during the trial. Bryan Kohberger in 2023. (August Frank/Pool/Getty Images/TNS, file) TNS Inflammatory evidence and phrases Kohbergers defense team opened the hearing by asking 4th District Judge Steven Hippler to prevent the state from relying on the excessive use of emotional appeal or gruesome photographs, and inflammatory words like murderer, psychopath and sociopath. Hippler declined to issue a general order against inflammatory conduct but told both sides that he expected them to follow courtroom rules. He said he wouldnt allow the use of the terms psychopath, sociopath or murderer during the evidentiary phase but left open the possibility that prosecutors could use murderer during closing arguments. Make no mistake, these murders, whoever did them, were ... horrific. And I expect that the evidence will reflect that, Hippler said. When it comes to cumulative evidence or some that are unnecessarily graphic, I think we will address that on a case-by-case basis. In this image from a bodycam video provided by the Hancock County Sheriff's Office, a white Hyundai Elantra occupied by Bryan Kohberger and his father is seen on a deputys body camera video during a traffic stop on Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022, in Hancock County, Ind. Kohberger was arrested less than two weeks later. (Hancock County Sheriff's Office via AP, file) AP Evidence about Kohbergers identity and car Prosecutors want to use video of a traffic stop to verify Kohbergers identity, address, phone number and ownership of a Hyundai Elantra for the jury. But the defense team says that video would be prejudicial, in part because Kohberger asked why an officer needed his phone number. Prosecutors have countered that they dont think jurors would jump to the conclusion that Kohberger had a propensity for murder just because he asked why an officer needed his phone number. The judge said he will review the video before issuing a ruling but thinks it can likely be used if it is redacted. In other words, the traffic shop can be used to show Kohbergers identification, phone number and car ownership, but the other communications between Kohberger and the officer will be cut out. Kohberger family members attend the trial The prosecution has listed Kohbergers family as potential witnesses. Typically, witnesses are excluded from trials until after they have testified so their testimony isnt influenced by other evidence they may see. But the defense team says Kohbergers family should be able to attend because it is the humane thing to do and Kohberger relies on their support. Prosecutor Ashley Jennings told the judge that the defense shouldnt be able to dictate how the prosecution presents its case. She says putting the family members on the witness stand early in the trial would make the testimony out of context and out of order. This is like a gumbo, Hippler replied. You all are going to put all the pieces you need into a pot, and at the end of the day, the jury is going to decide if its a good soup or not. He said he would take the matter under advisement and issue a ruling later. I can only imagine that the family of Mr. Kohberger is devastated by these things. Its nothing that they did, and their ability to be here to see the trial is important, Hippler said. When is the trial? Jury selection in the case is expected to begin July 30, with the trial starting Aug. 11 in the Ada County Courthouse in downtown Boise. The trial is expected to take nearly three months to complete, lasting into the start of November. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it has elevated a recall it issued last month for one of its most popular chip brands due to an undeclared allergen. Frito-Lay initially issued the recall for 1,300 bags of its Tostitos Cantina-style corn chips on March 26, but WKRC reports that the FDA has now upgraded that recall to Class 1, meaning that it presents a serious health hazard that could cause serious adverse health consequences or death. The chips are being recalled because they might include nacho cheese tortilla chips and thus have an undeclared milk allergen. As a result, anyone with an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk runs the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they eat the chips. The product was sold in grocery and convenience stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. The chips were sold as early as March 7. The 13-ounce bags contain a UPC code of 2840052848 and have a freshness dating of May 20, 2025. Anyone who has an allergy or sensitivity to milk should not consume the product but instead throw it away. For more information, visit the Frito-Lay contact page or call 800-352-4477 between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. CST, Monday-Friday. They're creepy and gross, but they're harmless (and they're not locusts). (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) AP Cicadas are creepy-looking, red-eyed bugs that emerge in writhing masses everyone once in a while looking for love. And one of the largest cicada broods around will come up from the ground in some areas of the United States in a couple of months, including in Pennsylvania. According to CicadaMania.com, Brood XIV (14) will grace 13 states this upcoming spring season, Pennsylvania among them. Theyll also pop up in Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. This brood involves all three 17-year species, the site explains: Magicicada septendecim, Magicicada cassini, and Magicicada septendecula. The University of Connecticut explains that Brood XIV is, in fact, the second-largest periodical brood there is. Brood XIX is the largest. Periodical cicadas are found in eastern North America and belong to the genus Magicicada, the University of Michigan said. There are seven species four with 13-year life cycles (including one new species described in 2000), and three with 17-year cycles. The three 17-year- species are generally northern in distribution, while the 13-year species are generally southern and midwestern. Magicicada are so well-synchronized developmentally that they are nearly absent as adults in the 12 or 16 years between emergences. They also might be called locusts, but theyre not, the University of Michigan added. Additionally, while theyre certainly freaky-looking, theyre harmless to humans (and even nutritious). So, just to quote a certain metal group: You know that its time to emerge, Brood XIV. Well, by mid-May theyre expected to emerge, anyway. Then this emergence will end late June. A possible Listeria contamination led to struggles for the manufacturer. (Getty Images) Getty Images The maker of a massively popular ice cream sold by major brands has auctioned off its assets due to bankruptcy. The company filed for bankruptcy last year right after struggling with a possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination in their products. According to Parade, Totally Cool Inc. which manufactured ice cream for such well-known names as Friendlys, ChipWich and Hersheys Ice Cream filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Aug. 23, 2024. This bankruptcy news broke after the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced a recall of the ice cream in June of that year due to said possible contamination. The FDA explained that Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. The products in question were distributed nationwide, although no illness associated with the recall seem to have been reported. Parade noted how the bankruptcy was a direct result of the financial damages brought about by the recall. The Baltimore Business Journal now reports how the Owing Mills, Maryland-based company sold its assets for $650,000 as of last month. These assets were sold to a company called Chill Ice Cream Solutions, the Baltimore Sun added. Passengers line up at the security checkpoint in Pittsburgh International Airport in December 2024. A West Virginia man is charged with having a flash grenade in a carry-on bag at the airport. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File) AP A West Virginia man has been federally indicted after he was caught last year trying to bring a flash grenade onto a plane at a Pennsylvania airport. Zachary Velling, a 26-year-old Morgantown resident, is charged with possession of an unregistered firearm, said the U.S. attorneys office in Pittsburgh. He faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. According to a statement, Velling was going through security at Pittsburgh International Airport on Nov. 12 when Transportation Security Administration officers noticed a suspicious object in his carry-on luggage. That object was later identified as a bang/flash diversionary hand grenade that is considered a firearm and destructive device under federal law. It was not registered to Velling. Velling, the statement said, was previously charged in Allegheny County Court, but those have been dismissed following the federal indictment. The TSA confiscated 42 firearms at checkpoints in 2024 at Pittsburgh International Airport. Want a say in the news? Email Claudia at todayinpa@pennlive.com to have your thoughts on the stories covered here or on PennLive heard. You can listen to the latest episode of Today in Pa on any of your favorite apps including Alexa, Apple, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube. Episodes are available every weekday on PennLive. Feel free to subscribe, follow or rate Today in Pa. as you see fit! Today in Pa. Daily Podcast | April 9, 2025 A high court has blocked the lawsuit against a gunmaker brought forward by the parents of a teen who was fatally shot in 2016. The emails between state lawmakers and lobbyists will stay out of the public eye thanks to a recent court ruling. Many complaints submitted to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) in western Pennsylvania involve home improvement debacles. And zombies arent the only thing in Zombie Land. Those are the stories we cover in the latest episode of Today in Pa., a daily weekday podcast from PennLive.com and hosted by Claudia Dimuro. Today in Pa. is dedicated to sharing the most important and interesting stories pertaining to Pennsylvania that lets you know, indeed, whats happening today in Pa. Todays episode refers to the following articles: If you enjoy Today in Pa., consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or on Amazon. Reviews help others find the show and, besides, wed like to know what you think about the program, too. Author: Stefan Wolff is a Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham You cannot annex another country. This was the clear message given by the Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, at a recent press conference with the outgoing and incoming prime ministers of Greenland. It did not appear aimed at Russian president Vladimir Putin but at Donald Trump, the president of one of her countrys closest allies, who has threatened to take over Greenland. Frederiksen, speaking in Greenlands capitak of Nuuk, was stating something that is obvious under international law but can no longer be taken for granted. US foreign policy under Trump has become a major driver of this uncertainty, playing into the hands of Russian, and potentially Chinese, territorial ambitions. The incoming Greenlandic prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, made it clear that it was for Greenlanders to determine their future, not the United States. Greenland, which is controlled by Denmark, makes its own domestic policy decisions. Polls suggest a majority of islanders want independence from Denmark in the future, but dont want to be part of the US. Trumps interest in Greenland is often associated with the islands vast, but largely untapped, mineral resources. But its strategic location is arguably an even greater asset. Shipping routes through the Arctic have become more dependable and for longer periods of time during the year as a result of melting sea ice. The northwest passage (along the US and Canadian shorelines) and the northeast passage (along Russias Arctic coast) are often ice-free now during the summer. Breaking the Ice: Arctic Development and Maritime Transportation, www.arcticportal.org www.arcticportal.org This has increased opportunities for commercial shipping. For example, the distance for a container ship from Asia to Europe through the northeast passage can be up to three times shorter, compared to traditional routes through the Suez Canal or around Africa. Similarly, the Northwest Passage offers the shortest route between the east coast of the United States and Alaska. Add to that the likely substantial resources that the Arctic has, from oil and gas to minerals, and the entire region is beginning to look like a giant real estate deal in the making. Arctic assets The economic promise of the Arctic, and particularly the regions greater accessibility, has also heightened military and security sensitivities. The day before J.D. Vances visit to Greenland on March 28, Vladimir Putin, gave a speech at the sixth international Arctic forum in Murmansk in Russias high north, warning of increased geopolitical rivalry. While he claimed that Russia has never threatened anyone in the Arctic, he was also quick to emphasize that Moscow was enhancing the combat capabilities of the Armed Forces, and modernizing military infrastructure facilities in the Arctic. Equally worrying, Russia has increased its naval cooperation with China and given Beijing access, and a stake, in the Arctic. In April 2024, the two countries navies signed a cooperation agreement on search and rescue missions on the high seas. National Snow & Ice Data Center, Arcticportal.org Arcticportal.org In September 2024, China participated in Russias largest naval maneuvers in the post-Cold War era, Ocean-2024, which were conducted in north Pacific and Arctic waters. The following month, Russian and Chinese coastguard vessels conducted their first joint patrol in the Arctic. Vance, therefore, has a point when he urges Greenland and Denmark to cut a deal with the US because the island isnt safe. That the Russia-China partnership has resulted in an increasing military presence in the Arctic has not gone unnoticed in the West. Worried about the security of its Arctic territories, Canada has just announced a C$6 billion (3.2 billion) upgrade to facilities in the North American Aerospace Defense Command it operates jointly with the United States. It will also acquire more submarines, icebreakers and fighter jets to bolster its Arctic defenses and invest a further C$420 million (228 million) into a greater presence of its armed forces. Svalbards future role? Norway has similarly boosted its defense presence in the Arctic, especially in relation to the Svalbard archipelago (strategically located between the Norwegian mainland and the Arctic Circle). This has prompted an angry response from Russia, wrongly claiming that Oslo was in violation of the 1920 Svalbard Treaty which awarded the archipelago to Norway with the proviso that it must not become host to Norwegian military bases. Under the treaty, Russia has a right to a civilian presence there. The commission on ensuring Russias presence on the archipelago Spitzbergen, the name Moscow uses for Svalbard is chaired by Russian deputy prime minister Yury Trutnev, who is also Putins envoy to the far eastern federal district. Trutnev has repeatedly complained about undue Norwegian restrictions on Russias presence in Svalbard. From the Kremlins perspective, this is less about Russias historical rights on Svalbard and more about Norways and NATOs presence in a strategic location at the nexus of the Greenland, Barents and Norwegian seas. From there, maritime traffic along Russias Northeast Passage can be monitored. If, and when, a central Arctic shipping route becomes viable, which would pass between Greenland and Svalbard, the strategic importance of the archipelago would increase further. From Washingtons perspective, Greenland is more important because of its closer proximity to the US. But Svalbard is critical to NATO for monitoring and countering Russian, and potentially Chinese, naval activities. This bigger picture tends to get lost in Trumps White House, which is more concerned with its own immediate neighborhood and cares less about regional security leadership. Consequently, there has been no suggestion so far that the US needs to have Svalbard in the same way that Trump claims he needs Greenland to ensure US security. Nor has Russia issued any specific threats to Svalbard. But it was noticeable that Putin in his speech at the Arctic forum discussed historical territorial issues, including an obscure 1910 proposal for a land swap between the US, Denmark and Germany involving Greenland. Putin also noted that Nato countries are increasingly often designating the Far North as a springboard for possible conflicts. It is not difficult to see Moscows logic: if the US can claim Greenland for security reasons, Russia should do the same with Svalbard. The conclusion to draw from this is not that Trump should aim to annex a sovereign Norwegian island next. Maritime geography in the north Atlantic underscores the importance of maintaining and strengthening long-established alliances. Investing in expanded security cooperation with Denmark and Norway as part of NATO would secure US interests closer to home and send a strong message to Russia. It would also signal to the wider world that the US is not about to initiate a territorial reordering of global politics to suit exclusively the interests of Moscow, Beijing and Washington. BetMGM Casino Ontario Reaches Record-Breaking Multi-Million Jackpot Eliot Thomas Content Executive Copy link A progressive jackpot at BetMGM Casino in Ontario has surpassed $1.6 million CAD, setting a new record for the operator in the province. The jackpot (around $1.1 million USD), which is available to players on both BetMGM Casino and Wheel of Fortune Casino, is the largest ever offered by BetMGM in Ontario since launching in the regulated iGaming market. The prize pool, known as The Big One, is tied to a network of 19 exclusive in-house slot titles developed by Entain, BetMGMs joint venture partner. It is one of over 5,400 individual titles available on the BetMGM Casino site. Among the titles eligible for the progressive jackpot are: Bison Fury MGM Grand Millions Looten Khamun: The Dead Sea Scrolls Melon Madness Bison Fury Megaways Each time one of these linked games is played and the jackpot isnt hit, the prize pool increases. The network is part of BetMGMs broader push to establish one of the largest exclusive jackpot systems in North America. In a statement, Matt Prevost, Chief Revenue Officer at BetMGM, called the Ontario milestone a significant achievement, noting the operator's focus on a wide variety of games, jackpots, and readily available responsible gambling tools. According to BetMGM, players in Ontario have received $14 million CAD in progressive jackpot payouts so far in 2024. The Ontario record follows other major wins for the company in the last 12 months, including a $6.5 million USD payout in New Jerseyat the time the largest in the history of legal U.S. iGaming. That record has since been surpassed by a $9.28 million USD jackpot awarded by DraftKings Casino in February, which now holds the record for iGaming's largest ever jackpot win. Game in Focus: MGM Grand Millions MGM Grand Millions, one of the slot games tied to Ontarios record-breaking $1.6 million CAD jackpot, is part of BetMGMs exclusive lineup of in-house games developed by parent company Entain. Designed specifically for the operators progressive network, it has become a popular pick for jackpot chasers across regulated markets, including Ontario. With a 95.49% Return-to-Player (RTP) and medium volatility, MGM Grand Millions strikes a balance between frequent base game hits and the potential for big wins. 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We encourage all users to check the promotion displayed matches the most current promotion available by clicking through to the operator welcome page. Please read the terms and conditions carefully before you accept any promotional welcome offer. Share this article RunGood Poker Series Heading to Horseshoe Iowa for RGPS Council Bluffs Connor Richards Senior Editor U.S. Copy link After successful stops in Missouri, the RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) is sticking around the Midwest for a stop at Horseshoe Iowa. The Mission RunGood Council Bluffs stop will take place April 22-27 and will feature a dozen ring events across six days of action. The series features $300,000 in guaranteed prize pools and will culminate with an $800 buy-in Main Event with a $100,000 guarantee attached. Read About RGPS Joplin! Win a Ring in Iowa The RGPS Council Bluffs stop will kick off with satellite events next week before the $250 Seniors Ring Event on April 22. That same day will also see a $250 Series Opener Ring Event and $200 Opening Night Ambassador Bounty Ring Event that should be sure to bring out the RunGood ambassadors. The next few days of the schedule will see a $400 DeepStack NLH Ring Event, a $250 One Day NLH Ring Event, a $400 Black Chip Bounty NLH Ring Event and a $400 Omaha 8 Ring Event. RGPS Council Bluffs schedule Main Event action gets underway on April 25 with the first of three starting flights, the next two of which will play out on April 26. The $100,000 guaranteed event will then play to a winner on April 26. That same day, a $400 Series Sendoff NLH Ring Event will close out the series. Last Time at Council Bluffs Donald Nimneh If Slipknot's Iowa is the cultural embodiment of the Midwestern state, then the RGPS Council Bluffs stop is a close second. Last year's Main Event drew 648 players for a prize pool of $372,600. Omaha, Nebraska local Donald Nimneh took down the $700 buy-in event for $69,546 and his first RunGood Ring. Oh, Im very excited, Nimneh told PokerNews after his victory. The 2024 RGPS Council Bluffs Main Event final table also included Stephen Moy (4th - $22,710), Tyler Klumb (3rd - $41,403) and runner-up Stefan Kegley ($48,758). Read About Last Year's RGPS Council Bluffs Stop! RGPS Council Bluffs Main Event Final Table Results Rank Player Prize 1 Donald Nimneh $69,546 2 Stefan Kegley $48,758 3 Tyler Klumb $31,403 4 Stephen Moy $22,710 5 Jon Gibbs $17,427 6 David Fager $13,999 7 Mike Vanier $11,633 8 Scott Buller $9,270 9 Adam Bacome $6,956 After wrapping up in Council Bluffs, the RunGood team will head South to Jacksonville, Florida, for Mission RunGood bestbet Jacksonville, which will take place April 24-May 5 and will feature a $300,000 guaranteed Main Event. The full schedule for the upcoming RGPS Council Bluffs stop is available in the table below. 2025 RGPS Council Bluffs Schedule Date Time Event Buy-in Guarantee / Notes Sun, Apr 13 2:00 PM Package Satellite $400 - Tue, Apr 15 7:00 PM Step Satellite into Package Satellite $100 1 in 5 wins $400 Entry Wed, Apr 16 7:00 PM Step Satellite into Package Satellite $100 1 in 5 wins $400 Entry Mon, Apr 21 7:00 PM Package Satellite $400 - Tue, Apr 22 10:00 AM Seniors Ring Event (Age 50+) $250 $20,000 GTD Tue, Apr 22 1:00 PM Series Opener Ring Event $250 $20,000 GTD Tue, Apr 22 7:00 PM Opening Night Ambassador Bounty Ring Event $200 $10,000 GTD Bounty prizes up to $1,000 cash & merch Wed, Apr 23 10:00 AM Turbo Satellite into any $400 Ring Event $100 1 in 5 wins a seat Wed, Apr 23 12:00 PM DeepStack NLH Ring Event $400 $50,000 GTD Wed, Apr 23 6:00 PM One Day NLH Ring Event $250 $20,000 GTD Wed, Apr 23 8:00 PM Satellite into any $400 Ring Event $100 1 in 5 wins a seat Thu, Apr 24 10:00 AM Turbo Satellite into any $400 Ring Event $100 1 in 5 wins a seat Thu, Apr 24 12:00 PM Black Chip Bounty NLH Ring Event $400 $30,000 GTD Thu, Apr 24 4:00 PM Main Event Satellite $190 1 in 5 wins a Main Event seat Thu, Apr 24 6:00 PM Tag Team Ring Event $300 ($150 ea) $10,000 GTD Combine stacks at break Fri, Apr 25 10:00 AM Earlybird NLH Ring Event $250 $10,000 GTD Fri, Apr 25 12:00 PM Omaha 8 Ring Event $400 - Fri, Apr 25 2:00 PM Main Event Satellite $190 1 in 5 wins a seat Fri, Apr 25 6:00 PM RUNGOOD Main Event Flight A $800 $100,000 GTD Prizepool Sat, Apr 26 10:00 AM Main Event Satellite $190 1 in 5 wins a seat Sat, Apr 26 12:00 PM RUNGOOD Main Event Flight B $800 $100,000 GTD Prizepool Sat, Apr 26 6:00 PM RUNGOOD Main Event Flight C $800 $100,000 GTD Prizepool Sun, Apr 27 10:00 AM Turbo NLH Ring Event $200 $5,000 GTD Sun, Apr 27 12:00 PM Main Event Restart - - Sun, Apr 27 1:00 PM Series Sendoff NLH Ring Event $400 $25,000 GTD Sun, Apr 27 3:30 PM RGPS Online Ring Event - 110SC 25,000SC GTD (Online) *Photos courtesy RGPS & 8131 Media Share this article Aiken, SC (29801) Today A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 71F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 71F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Watching the tropics. Partly cloudy skies during the evening giving way to a few showers after midnight. Low 76F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Watching the tropics. Partly cloudy skies during the evening giving way to a few showers after midnight. Low 76F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Moncks Corner, SC (29461) Today Watching the tropics. A few clouds. Low 73F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Watching the tropics. A few clouds. Low 73F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Reporter Spencer Donovan covers Greenville for The Post and Courier. He's an Atlanta native and graduate of the University of Georgia. You can find him on walks around town, eating at local restaurants and hiking in the mountains. Reporter Lillia Callum-Penso covers food for The Post and Courier Greenville. She spent over a decade as a reporter with The Greenville News where she covered business and food and won awards for her feature, profile and food writing. Outside work, Lillia can usually be found running to keep up with her very energetic twins. Seth Taylor covers Greenville and the Upstate for The Post and Courier. Born in Iowa, he worked in Wyoming at the Buffalo Bulletin before moving to the Palmetto State. Summerville, SC (29483) Today Watching the tropics. Mainly clear. Low 74F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Watching the tropics. Mainly clear. Low 74F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. You are the owner of this article. Mount Pleasant, SC (29464) Today Tropical storm conditions possible. Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low around 75F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Tropical storm conditions possible. Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low around 75F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Myrtle Beach, SC (29577) Today Tropical storm conditions possible. Partly cloudy skies this evening. Increasing clouds with periods of showers late. Low around 75F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Tropical storm conditions possible. Partly cloudy skies this evening. Increasing clouds with periods of showers late. Low around 75F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Tropical storm conditions possible. Partly cloudy this evening followed by mostly cloudy skies and a few showers after midnight. Low near 75F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Tropical storm conditions possible. Partly cloudy this evening followed by mostly cloudy skies and a few showers after midnight. Low near 75F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Charleston, SC (29532) Today Rain showers this evening with clearing overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with clearing overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. PR-Inside.com: 2025-04-09 16:04:35 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 741 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / The newly updated mobile app by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), launched as part of the organization's 25th anniversary initiatives, provides easy access to the latest MEMRI translations, analyses, and videos, updated 24/7. It is now available for free in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store - now with an app update that gives people easy, up-to-the minute access to content on their devices."This upgraded app represents a milestone for MEMRI's 25 years of research and an easy way for users to access MEMRI's latest and most important content," said MEMRI Executive Director Steven Stalinsky."We are incredibly proud to be launching this upgraded version of the MEMRI app that serves as an extension of the MEMRI website," said MEMRI President Yigal Carmon and Executive Director Steven Stalinsky. "We believe this app will change the way people interact with our research, and we're excited for users to experience the app for themselves." "The upgraded MEMRI app allows an opportunity for users to engage with MEMRI research in a new way and an ability to expand our audience," said Mr. Stalinsky. "We are pleased with this major app upgrade that will provide an improved user experience." The MEMRI app's redesign makes the most important and informative content even more easily accessible to our global audience so users can obtain enhanced content with seamless efficiency. The new features include:A "Trending" tab to highlight MEMRI's most relevant content: As one of the world's most productive nonprofit think tanks, MEMRI publishes numerous clips, translations, and analyses every day. The Trending tab displays the most relevant, curated MEMRI content, offering an easy way to better understand the latest issues and news of the day.Updated design and quick content load time: With the top-to-bottom app redesign, users can navigate informative content within a new, highly efficient landscape. The newly upgraded platform is equipped to operate as fast as readers do.Social sharing capabilities for easy access to multiple platforms: MEMRI has integrated a unique capability to share and repost informative content across the Web, for updating friends and family via various platforms. This allows for efficient distribution and promotes active discussion of new content.All these improvements give users an enhanced ability to easily read, view, and share informative content faster than ever before, with a streamlined and simplified user experience.Download the free MEMRI app today to access the latest content - unique video, translations, and analysis of the media of the region - and to quickly share content via X, WhatsApp, Facebook, text message, and email, to save favorites, and to get push notifications - all for free.You can download the Apple version of the app here and the Android version of the app here.Please help us continue our crucial work as one of the world's most productive nonprofit think tanks focusing on the Middle East and South Asia and on threats to the U.S. and the West. MEMRI's extensive research output equals or surpasses that of similar organizations many times our size with many times our budget.Over the last 25 years, MEMRI has been exposing extremism, antisemitism, and jihadi threats. Nobody else is doing the work that we do. Please consider making a donation today.ABOUT MEMRIExploring the Middle East and South Asia through their media, MEMRI bridges the language gap between the West and the Middle East and South Asia, providing timely translations of Arabic, Farsi, Urdu-Pashtu, Dari, Turkish, Russian, and Chinese media, as well as original analysis of political, ideological, intellectual, social, cultural, and religious trends.Founded in February 1998 to inform the debate over U.S. policy in the Middle East, MEMRI is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization. MEMRI's main office is located in Washington, DC, with branch offices in various world capitals. MEMRI research is translated into English, French, Polish, Japanese, Spanish, and Hebrew.MEMRI - Middle East Media Research Institute: www.memri.org MEMRI TV - www.memri.org/tv Jihad & Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) - www.memri.org/jttm Cyber & Jihad Lab (CJL) - www.memri.org/cjlab MEMRI Twitter: https://twitter.com/memrireports/ MEMRI YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC59Cpk70K2TwdmApJOTuW9g/videos MEMRI Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/memrireports/ Contact Information:MEMRI media@ memri.org 202-955-9070 www.memri.org SOURCE: Middle East Media Research Institute PR-Inside.com: 2025-04-09 10:11:49 Press Information Published by ACN Newswire +65 6304 8926 e-mail https://www.acnnewswire.com/ # 755 Words ACN Newswire+65 6304 8926 HONG KONG, Apr 7, 2025 - (ACN Newswire) - On the evening of March 21, Bank of Chongqing Co., Ltd. (Stock Codes: 601963.SH, 01963.HK, hereinafter referred to as "BCQ" or "the Bank") released its 2024 Annual Report. During the reporting period, BCQ recorded operating income of RMB13.679 billion, a year-on-year (YoY) increase of 3.54%, and net profit of RMB5.521 billion, up 5.59% YoY. Net profit attributable to shareholders reached RMB5.117 billion, marking a YoY growth of 3.80%. Basic earnings per share (EPS) stood at RMB1.38 To enhance shareholder returns, the Bank proposed a final dividend of RMB2.48 per 10 shares (tax inclusive) for 2024. Dividend payments continued to demonstrate greater stability, sustainability, and predictability. The cash dividend payout ratio reached 30.01% in 2024, maintaining a five-year streak above 30% since the Banks A-share listing.Net Profit Attributable to Shareholders Exceeds RMB5 Billion, Asset Quality Continues to ImproveAgainst a backdrop of global economic complexity, Chinas economy demonstrated resilience and vitality through steady progress in 2024. As a key regional financial institution, BCQ remained committed to advancing the "Five Key Areas in Financial Sector"technology finance, green finance, inclusive finance, pension finance, and digital finance. By adhering to strategic directives, the Bank deepened its regional footprint, optimized its service offerings, expanded asset deployment, and reinforced liability management, steadily progressing toward high-quality development.By the end of 2024, BCQs total loans reached RMB440.616 billion, a 12.13% increase YoY, while total deposits rose 14.30% YoY to RMB474.117 billion.In terms of profitability, the Bank achieved operating income of RMB13.679 billion (+3.54% YoY) and net profit attributable to shareholders of RMB5.117 billion (+3.80% YoY), both hitting record highs since its 2021 listing.Within the framework of high-quality development, BCQ refined capital management and executed external capital replenishment initiatives, driving steady improvements across capital adequacy ratios. As of December 31, 2024, the Bank's Core Tier 1 Capital Adequacy Ratio stood at 9.88%, Tier 1 Capital Adequacy Ratio at 11.20%, and Total Capital Adequacy Ratio at 14.46%, representing increases of 0.10, 0.04, and 1.09 percentage points, respectively, from the prior year. These metrics not only meet regulatory requirements but also bolster risk resilience and provide a solid capital foundation for business expansion.The Banks non-performing loan (NPL) ratio declined to 1.25% by the end of 2024, the lowest level in five years. The special-mention loan ratio dropped to 2.64%, down 0.72 percentage points YoY, while the overdue loan ratio fell to 1.73%, a 0.22 percentage point reduction YoY. Additionally, the loan loss provision coverage ratio rose for the second consecutive year to 245.08%, up 10.90 percentage points, reinforcing financial security.Proactively Aligns with National Strategies, Multi-Tiered Services Empower the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin-City Economic CircleAs the first city commercial bank in Western China to achieve dual "A/H" listings, BCQ leverages its robust capabilities to serve markets across one municipality (Chongqing) and three provinces (Sichuan, Guizhou, Shaanxi). In 2024, the Bank seized strategic opportunities including the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin-City Economic Circle, New Western Land-Sea Corridor, and Rural Revitalization, cementing its differentiated competitive edge.During the reporting period, BCQ extended RMB40 billion in incremental credit to the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin-City Economic Circle, supported the New Western Land-Sea Corridor with RMB20 billion in additional business volume. The Banks issuance and outstanding balance of foreign currency bonds ranked among the top regional legal person banks in Western China.By adhering to a differentiated development strategy, BCQ leveraged its status as a legal-person bank and its strengths in inclusive finance, green finance, and other specialized sectors, to promote the "Five Key Areas in Financial Sector". In 2024, the Banks outstanding loans in technology, green projects, inclusive finance, and medium-to-long-term manufacturing grew by 32%, 40%, 22%, and 25%, respectively, injecting momentum into regional economic growth.In manufacturing finance, since 2024, the Bank has supported over 250 major projects through product innovation, channel expansion, and service optimization, including the Chengdu-Chongqing High-Speed Railway and Metro Line 15, with credit volume surging over 150% YoY. BCQ also provided RMB150 billion in credit to industries and infrastructure within the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin-City Economic Circle.For inclusive finance, the Bank refined its product ecosystem to empower small and micro businesses, individual businesses, and agricultural business entities. Under the "dual growth" framework, its outstanding inclusive micro and small loans reached RMB61.068 billion, up RMB10.822 billion YoY, while agriculture-related loans rose to RMB44.782 billion, up 15.40% YoY or RMB5.975 billion from 2023.As 2025 marks the conclusion of Chinas 14th Five-Year Plan, BCQ pledges to strengthen strategic leadership, seize policy opportunities, accelerate transformation, and advance toward a "trillion-yuan" scale through reform, innovation, and relentless effort. The Bank aims to deliver superior financial services, enhance shareholder value, and contribute more meaningfully to regional economic and social development. PR-Inside.com: 2025-04-09 20:02:15 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 984 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Find out about the best gold IRA company of 2025 through IRAEmpire's latest rankings.NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / IRAEmpire.com has officially released its updated list of the Best Gold IRA Companies of 2025, providing valuable insight for investors looking to safeguard their retirement savings with physical precious metals.Quick Look: Top Gold IRA Companies of 2025According to IRAEmpire.com , the top picks for 2025 are:Augusta Precious Metals - Best for High-Value PortfoliosGoldencrest Metals - Best for First-Time InvestorsPreserve Gold - Best for Diversified Metals SelectionAugusta Precious Metals retains its position as the #1 overall Gold IRA company. "Their consistent performance in education and ethical practices continues to set the gold standard," says Whitaker.Goldencrest Metals earned recognition for catering to beginners, while Preserve Gold stood out for offering access to a broader range of IRS-approved precious metals.Ryan Paulson, Chief Editor at IRAEmpire.com , shared, "This year's rankings reflect changes in investor priorities-especially around transparency, service quality, and account flexibility. Our aim is to give readers clear, actionable recommendations they can trust." You can view the full list here: Best Gold IRA Companies 2025Spotlight on Augusta Precious MetalsFounded in 2012, Augusta Precious Metals continues to lead the industry by combining investor education with white-glove service. Clients benefit from one-on-one web conferences led by a Harvard-trained economist, an offering unique to Augusta.The company provides a full suite of IRA-eligible gold and silver products, plus streamlined rollover services from 401(k)s and other retirement accounts. Transparent, commission-free pricing and a strict no-pressure sales approach have earned Augusta top marks from customers and financial reviewers alike.Their lifetime customer support and straightforward buyback program give investors peace of mind well after their initial purchase. Publications like Money and Investopedia regularly feature Augusta as a top-tier provider in the Gold IRA space.Visit Augusta Precious Metals HereSpotlight on Goldencrest MetalsGoldencrest Metals, based in Woodland Hills, California, has quickly emerged as a preferred choice for new investors in Gold IRAs. Founded in 2022, the company is known for its transparent pricing, beginner-friendly approach, and a strong emphasis on customer education.Goldencrest offers a range of IRS-approved gold, silver, platinum, and palladium products, as well as Traditional and Roth IRAs with hassle-free rollover options. Their pricing structure is upfront, with special incentives for first-time investors.With strong customer satisfaction scores-4.4 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot and 4.94 out of 5 on the Better Business Bureau (BBB)-Goldencrest Metals is praised for its responsive service team and lifetime support throughout the investment process.Goldencrest's commitment to accessibility and education makes it an excellent choice for those just getting started with precious metals.Spotlight on Preserve GoldPreserve Gold has established itself as a standout for investors who value both product variety and personal service. The company offers an extensive selection of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium for IRA inclusion, appealing to those who want a well-diversified portfolio.Known for its hands-on approach, Preserve Gold assigns dedicated account specialists to guide clients through every step-from IRA setup to asset selection and storage options. The company partners with secure, IRS-approved depositories and offers both segregated and non-segregated storage.Preserve Gold has received high praise for its clear pricing model, straightforward rollover assistance, and commitment to investor education. Their customer-first mentality and wide product offering make them a strong option for those seeking flexibility and variety in a Gold IRA.What to Look for in a Gold IRA CompanyBefore choosing a Gold IRA provider, investors should evaluate a range of critical factors that impact both short-term setup and long-term financial success. Not all companies operate with the same level of integrity or service, so taking the time to investigate each provider's offerings can make a meaningful difference in your retirement planning.Industry Reputation - Look for companies with strong customer reviews, long-standing industry presence, and top-tier ratings on platforms like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot. Peer feedback is a powerful indicator of reliability and service quality.Pricing Clarity - Transparent fee structures are essential. Avoid firms that bury costs in the fine print or apply undisclosed markups on precious metals. The best providers will walk you through setup fees, annual maintenance, storage charges, and product pricing without hesitation.Secure Storage - Metals in your IRA must be held in an IRS-approved depository. Evaluate whether the company partners with reputable, fully insured storage facilities such as Delaware Depository or Brinks. Ask whether they offer both segregated and non-segregated storage options and the associated costs of each.Education & Support - Gold IRAs can be complex, especially for first-time investors. Companies that offer live educational sessions, written resources, and personalized guidance provide extra peace of mind and a better client experience.Buyback Policy - A dependable buyback program ensures that you can liquidate your holdings quickly and at a fair market rate. Companies with no-questions-asked policies or guaranteed buyback terms stand out for flexibility and investor protection.IRS Compliance - Ensure the company deals only in IRA-approved metals and follows all IRS regulations for storage, contributions, and rollovers. Non-compliance can result in tax penalties and disqualification of your IRA status.Customer Service Responsiveness - Quality service doesn't end after setup. Test their responsiveness by calling with questions or requesting information before committing. Good communication and prompt answers are strong indicators of ongoing support.Making an informed choice can safeguard your retirement portfolio and help you avoid unnecessary risks. Doing the homework now sets you up for more stable returns and greater confidence in your financial future.What is a Gold IRA? How Does it Work?A Gold IRA, or Gold Individual Retirement Account, is a type of self-directed IRA that allows investors to hold physical gold and other approved precious metals as part of their retirement portfolio. Unlike traditional IRAs that typically hold stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, Gold IRAs give investors the ability to dive PR-Inside.com: 2025-04-09 18:01:34 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 402 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 New Independent Member from FedEx to Advise on Autonomous Logistics for Dynamic Deliveries DivisionPHOENIX, ARIZONA / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / BrooQLy Inc., doing business as Dynamic Aerospace Systems (DAS) (OTC PINK:BRQL), is thrilled to announce the appointment of Jorge L. Torres to its Board of Directors. Torres, Vice President of Operations of FedEx Mexico, joins the Board as an independent director, bringing over 30 years of industry expertise to support the growth of the company's Dynamic Deliveries division.Since 2012, Torres has overseen one of Latin America's most complex logistics networks. Under his leadership, FedEx successfully integrated Multipack. Recognized as one of Mexico's most trusted and influential logistics leaders, Torres has a proven track record of operational excellence, innovation, and employee engagement."We are excited to welcome Jorge L. Torres to our Board of Directors," said the current Board in a joint statement. "His extensive experience at FedEx and deep understanding of logistics operations make him an exceptional strategic advisor. Jorge's insights will be instrumental as we expand our Dynamic Deliveries division and pioneer autonomous delivery technologies at scale." Torres holds an MBA from EGADE Business School and is widely regarded for his leadership. His appointment reflects Dynamic Aerospace's focus on building a world-class board to drive innovation and operational excellence.The Dynamic Deliveries division of DAS focuses on developing autonomous logistics technologies to enhance efficiency, reliability, and sustainability in aerospace and delivery operations. Jorge will provide strategic guidance on integrating autonomous systems into real-world logistics frameworks, leveraging his extensive industry knowledge.BrooQLy Inc. dba Dynamic Aerospace Systems continues to strengthen its leadership team as it drives innovation in the aerospace sector. The addition of Jorge follows the recent appointment of Ron J. Rich, a Honeywell Aerospace executive, underscoring DAS's commitment to assembling a world-class board to support its ambitious growth plans.About BrooQLy Inc. dba Dynamic Aerospace Systems (DAS)BrooQLy Inc., operating as Dynamic Aerospace Systems (OTC PINK:BRQL), is a forward-thinking aerospace company dedicated to advancing autonomous systems and next-generation aerospace technologies. With its Dynamic Deliveries division, DAS is redefining logistics through innovative, scalable solutions that address the evolving needs of the global market.Media Contact: Shannon Rigney, VP: IR@ dynamicaerosystems.com Links:LinkedIn Profile - Jorge L. Torres https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorgeltorresa/ His professional profile detailing his role as Vice President of Operations of FedEx Mexico and career highlights.SOURCE: BrooQLy, Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2025-04-09 15:04:47 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 346 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 KILMARNOCK, VA / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / Chesapeake Financial Shares, Inc., holding company of Chesapeake Bank and Chesapeake Wealth Management, held their 124th Anniversary Annual Shareholders Meeting on Friday, April 4, at Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury in Irvington, Virginia. The company reported earnings for 2024 at a 12.9% increase over 2023 earnings.Along with the numbers, Jeffrey M. Szyperski, Chairman, President & CEO, presented banking industry trends and insights. "We like to share with our shareholders what is happening in the industry so they have a good perspective on our performance and path going forward," commented Szyperski. "A lot is happening in banking including merger and acquisition activity, new technology, and changing consumer behavior. It's important for our shareholders to know how we are approaching these trends and how we are preparing ourselves for the future." Szyperski also spoke about how much Chesapeake gives to its local communities in both monetary contributions and employee volunteerism. Additionally, he outlined Chesapeake's strategy and the importance of staying relevant in order to thrive for the next 125 years. As part of the strategy to enhance long-term shareholder value, Szyperski discussed the company incurring an $8 million loss in the first quarter expressly done to reposition $75 million of investments into significantly higher yields. "This decision was made as a proactive move on our part to enhance long-term shareholder value," said Szyperski. "The company will remain profitable for 2025 as well as well capitalized." To learn more visit Chesapeake's website at chesapeakefinancialshares.com The meeting concluded with a festive 125th Anniversary reception for shareholders and company employees in attendance.For more information about Chesapeake Financial Shares stock (CPKF), or to receive daily e-mail alerts of our stock price, see www.chesapeakefinancialshares.com . The company is followed by Zacks Investment Research, and a copy of their report can also be found on this site or at www.zacks.com . Chesapeake Financial Shares is an over-the-counter, publicly traded stock. Follow Chesapeake Bank on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.Contact: Jeffrey M. Szyperski jszyperski@ ches.bank 804-435-1181; 1-800-434-1181SOURCE: Chesapeake Financial Shares Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2025-04-09 20:30:43 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 485 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 A Legacy of Faith and Fellowship in BataviaBATAVIA, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / City Church Batavia, a cornerstone of faith and community for 25 years, has been featured in a recent article titled "Faith in Action: The Story of City Church Batavia." The article showcases the church's history, mission, and the strong sense of belonging it has fostered within the Batavia community.Founded on biblical teachings and a commitment to helping others, City Church Batavia has remained dedicated to ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to hear and experience the Gospel. With a welcoming environment and a mission-driven approach, the church has become a place where people can grow in their faith and build lasting relationships."We learn every day and will continue to," shared a church member in the article, reflecting the church's belief in continuous spiritual growth and community support.Building Faith Through CommunityThe feature article highlights the church's beginnings as a small gathering place for those seeking faith, family, and friendship. Over time, it has grown into a thriving community that welcomes people from all walks of life. Whether someone is deeply rooted in faith or just beginning their journey, City Church Batavia offers a place to learn, worship, and connect."We started this church because of our faith," a church leader shared. "We wanted a place where people could grow, not just in belief, but in life." The church's guiding principle, "We Do Life Together," reflects its commitment to supporting one another through life's challenges and celebrations.A Mission That Stands StrongCity Church Batavia's unwavering mission is:"To ensure that every man, woman, and child has repeated opportunities to hear and see the Gospel of Jesus Christ." This mission is evident in every aspect of church life, from weekly gatherings to outreach efforts. The article highlights the church's dedication to faith-based learning, community service, and fostering genuine connections among its members.One churchgoer emphasized, "When one of us is struggling, we all step in. When someone is celebrating, we celebrate together." A Church for AllWith three weekly services-Sundays at 8:30 AM and 10:00 AM, and Thursdays at 7:00 PM-City Church Batavia provides regular opportunities for worship, reflection, and growth. The church's doors are always open to those seeking faith, encouragement, and a sense of belonging.As the article notes, even after 25 years, the church remains committed to adapting, growing, and serving its community while staying true to its core values of faith, family, and friendship.About City Church BataviaCity Church Batavia is a faith-based community located in Batavia, New York, dedicated to sharing the Gospel and fostering a welcoming environment for people of all backgrounds. The church believes in learning together, supporting one another, and living out faith in daily life.To read the full article, clickhere .Contact: info@ citychurchbatavia.com SOURCE: The City Church Batavia PR-Inside.com: 2025-04-09 23:45:47 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 584 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 /Robbins LLP reminds stockholders that a class action was filed on behalf of all investors who purchased or otherwise acquired e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (NYSE:ELF) securities between November 1, 2023 and November 19, 2024. e.l.f., together with its subsidiaries, provides cosmetic and skin care products under the e.l.f. Cosmetics, e.l.f. Skin, Well People, Naturium, and Keys Soulcare brand names.For more information, submit a form, email attorney Aaron Dumas, Jr., or give us a call at (800) 350-6003.The Allegations: Robbins LLP is Investigating Allegations that e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) Misled Investors and Overstated its ProfitsAccording to the complaint, during the class period, defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (i) the Company was experiencing rising inventory levels as a consequence of flagging sales; (ii) e.l.f. falsely attributed the rising inventory levels to, among other things, changes in its sourcing practices; (iii) to maintain investor confidence, e.l.f. reported inflated revenue, profits, and inventory over several quarters; (iv) accordingly, the Company's business and/or financial prospects were overstated; and therefore (v) the foregoing, once revealed, would likely have a material negative impact on the Company.On November 20, 2024, Muddy Waters Research published a report entitled "e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. A Revenue and Inventory Mystery", alleging that e.l.f. 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 cause-insufficient sales.On this news, e.l.f.'s stock price fell $2.71 per share, or 2.23%, to close at $119.00 per share on November 20, 2024. e.l.f.'s stock has continued to decline. On March 5, 2025, e.l.f.'s stock closed at $64.67 per share, representing a decline of $57.04 per share - or nearly 47% - since the truth was revealed.What Now: You may be eligible to participate in the class action against e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. Shareholders who want to serve as lead plaintiff for the class must file their papers with the court by May 5, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. You do not have to participate in the case to be eligible for a recovery. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. For more information, click here.All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses.About Robbins LLP: A recognized leader in shareholder rights litigation, the attorneys and staff of Robbins LLP have been dedicated to helping shareholders recover losses, improve corporate governance structures, and hold company executives accountable for their wrongdoing since 2002.To be notified if a class action against e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. or to receive free alerts when corporate executives engage in wrongdoing, sign up for Stock Watch today.Attorney Advertising. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.Contact:Aaron Dumas, Jr.Robbins LLP5060 Shoreham Pl., Ste. 300San Diego, CA 92122 adumas@ robbinsllp.com (800) 350-6003 www.robbinsllp.com SOURCE: Robbins LLP PR-Inside.com: 2025-04-09 15:04:40 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 466 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 CINCINNATI, OH / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / NTT DATA Business Solutions has announced it has earned the 2025 Top Workplaces USA award. Issued by Energage, a purpose-driven organization that develops solutions to build and brand Top Workplaces. The Top Workplaces program has a 15-year history of surveying more than 20 million employees and recognizing the top organizations across 60 markets for regional Top Workplaces awards."We are truly honored to be recognized as a Top Workplace for the third year in a row," said Steve Niesman, Executive Vice President & President Americas Region. "NTT DATA Business Solutions continues to thrive thanks to the passion of our employees who continue to serve our purpose and support each other throughout the process. Our customers benefit from their ongoing growth." Top Workplaces USA celebrates organizations with 150 or more employees that have built great cultures. Over 42,000 organizations were invited to participate in the Top Workplaces USA survey. Winners of the Top Workplaces USA list are chosen based solely on employee feedback gathered through an employee engagement survey, issued by Energage.Results are calculated by comparing the survey's research-based statements, including 15 Culture Drivers that are proven to predict high performance against industry benchmarks."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 NTT DATA Business SolutionsNTT DATA Business Solutions is a leading global IT service provider focused on SAP with a powerful ecosystem of partners. With more than 35 years of in-depth experience, we enable companies worldwide to become Intelligent Enterprises. We deliver end-to-end solutions that accelerate sustainable growth and success - from strategic consulting and implementation to managed services and beyond. As a global strategic SAP partner, we drive innovation and leverage the latest technologies to support our customers individually and across all industries. Our more than 16,000 dedicated employees in over 30 countries work passionately every day to make it happen.NTT DATA Business Solutions is part of NTT DATA, a $30+ billion trusted global innovator of business and technology services headquartered in Tokyo. As One NTT DATA we serve 75% of the Fortune Global 100 and are committed to helping customers innovate, optimize and transform for long-term success. NTT DATA is part of NTT Group.###Press Contact NTT DATA Business SolutionsLocalGlobalShawnee SchauffJasmin StraeterVice President - MarketingHead of Global CommunicationsNTT DATA Business SolutionsNTT DATA Business Solutions AG10856 Reed Hartman Highway, Cincinnati, OH 45242Konigsbreede 1, 33605 Bielefeld, GermanyT: +1 859-802-2644T: +49 521 9 14 48 108Email: Shawnee.Schauff@nttdata.com Email: Jasmin.Straeter@nttdata.com SOURCE: NTT DATA Business Solutions St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church parishioners meet weekly in a nearby hall in Olean to plot strategies for saving their church. An open house inside the garage of a longtime Our Lady of Peace church member helped generate 330 signatures on a formal petition to the Vatican requesting that the parish be kept intact. And in Jamestown, organizers of an effort opposing a merger of Holy Apostles parish spent weeks preparing 1,303 pages of paperwork that they then submitted to the Vaticans Dicastery for the Clergy. Since announcing in September plans to merge dozens of parishes and close as many as 70 worship sites within nine months, the Buffalo Diocese so far has shut down about 29 churches as part of 34 mergers, according to diocese officials. At the same time, at least 30 groups of parishioners have moved to forestall a parish merger or church closure, with about 15 of those groups already asking the Vatican to intervene. 'Not the kind of anniversary we would look forward to': Buffalo Diocese bankruptcy case drags on after 5 years It's now been five years since the diocese filed for bankruptcy protection in the face of more than 150 Child Victims Act lawsuits from plaintiffs who alleged they were sexually abused by priests and other diocesan employees. And theres no indication the diocese will be exiting bankruptcy anytime soon. The time-consuming task of preparing a formal request for recourse to the Vatican is detailed and requires a fair amount of organization and preparation to be done correctly, with slim chances of an appeal successfully keeping a church open or a parish from being merged. It also could get costly if an appeal proceeds to multiple levels of Vatican bureaucracy and requires extensive legal work. But Catholics who love their churches said they will go to whatever lengths necessary to keep them as is. I dont want to see, as the data shows, when a parish closes, 20 to 50 percent of the parishioners stop attending Mass, said Dan Hinz of Olean. We cant afford to have 20 to 50 percent stop going to Mass, and our church cant afford it. And Im not talking financially. Im talking about the soul. Hinz is leading an effort to keep St. John the Evangelist as a freestanding parish, rather than having it be merged into St. Mary of the Angels, with the prospect that St. John the Evangelist Church would be shuttered. I spent my life there and my parents before me and my grandparents before that, said Hinz, who is part of a group that created a Save St. Johns Church website, which includes regular newsletters and frequent updates. Holy Cross Church on West Side to stay open as diocese reverses plan to close The church, at 345 Seventh St. on the city's West Side, had been slated to close after talks about parish mergers last summer. The diocese announced Wednesday it had reversed course and that the church will remain open. Because the Catholic Diocese will not allow appealing church members to meet on church property, the group has gathered weekly at the Pulaski Club or St. Stephens Club to collect signed parishioner mandates required for an appeal. There, they also plot out the creation of a 501c3 nonprofit organization to raise money for legal and other costs. Those meetings have continued even after the group recently submitted its Vatican appeal of Bishop Michael W. Fishers decree authorizing the Olean church merger to take effect on May 31. Tim Creenan, a member of Our Lady of Peace for more than 30 years and a former parish council president, opened his garage on a Sunday afternoon in October and invited fellow parishioners to sign the required mandates. He and other parishioners will continue their efforts, even if it means pursuing all three appeal steps at the Vatican, he said. That might require as much as $25,000 to cover legal costs, but that wont be an issue for us, Creenan said. We are pulling it together. Creenan and other Our Lady of Peace members were still awaiting a Vatican letter confirming that the Dicastery for Clergy will consider their appeal. Appealing parishioners at Holy Spirit in Buffalo, St. Rose of Lima in Forestville, All Saints in Lockport, St. Aloysius and Infant of Prague in Cheektowaga and several other churches this week received their letters, which means those parishes will remain as they are until the Vatican office rules on the appeal. The number of groups formally opposing the mergers and closings is greater than when the dioceses previous large-scale restructuring effort, known as Journey in Faith and Grace, resulted in the closing of several dozen churches between 2009 and 2012. Many parishioners at that time expressed dismay and outrage about the closings, but only a handful were organized enough to press their cases at the Vatican, and just one group ultimately was successful in keeping open St. Adalbert Basilica in Buffalos Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood. This time around is different, in part because of a group called Save Our Buffalo Churches, which formed early on after diocese officials proposed closing churches. It has helped support parishioners who sought to keep open a church or block a merger, but were unsure of how to do it. During the Journey in Faith and Grace era, Catholics in the diocese were just more accepting. The bishop said it, so it has to be so, said Mary Pruski, a spokeswoman for Save Our Buffalo Churches. This time, when the diocese decided to close places that had strong congregations and were fiscally sound, that went to our heart for a betrayal, Pruski said. Bishop urges St. Aloysius parishioners to halt appeal to stop closure as possible buyer emerges Bishop Michael W. Fisher asked the parishioners in a recent letter to reconsider their appeal in light of what he called the parishs degraded finances and a very viable interested party seeking to move forward with buying the church. Many parishioners at Pruskis parish, St. Bernadette in Orchard Park, have joined an effort to block a merger with nearby SS. Peter & Paul in Hamburg, arguing that it would cause the demise of a vibrant worshipping community. The Vaticans Discastery for Clergy has agreed to take a look at the parishioners request for recourse. We dont understand the need for this, Pruski said. The more we started researching a little bit of canon law, we could see that, by canon law standards, they (diocese officials) really dont have a solid case to stand on. The current downsizing also is enmeshed with a Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding that was brought on by hundreds of lawsuits accusing past bishops of enabling priests to molest children. The extent of the abuses against children in the Buffalo Diocese wasnt known to Western New York Catholics during the Journey in Faith and Grace restructuring. The diocese is currently in mediated talks to negotiate a settlement with abuse victims that is likely to exceed $100 million, including significant funds from parishes. Pruski said abuse survivors deserve some sort of recourse of their own for what they endured. Sales of Catholic churches will likely help fund sex abuse settlements, decrees suggest Decrees issued by Bishop Michael W. Fisher to close or merge Catholic parishes in Western New York make it clear that the sale of parish properties could help fund a settlement in bankruptcy court of hundreds of sex abuse claims against the Buffalo Diocese. But were saying it cant be on the backs of people losing their spiritual home, she said. In a recent interview with The Buffalo News, Fisher said the diocese has fewer active Catholics trying to support too many parishes and facilities and too few priests to serve them all. While painful, the massive downsizing will be crucial to allowing the Catholic Church to flourish in Western New York in the long haul, he said. And while the quagmire of Chapter 11 has made it more difficult to focus on pastoral and strategic planning for the diocese and its parishes and schools, it couldnt be avoided any longer, Fisher said. It was absolutely necessary, he said. Something needed to be done, and it couldnt wait. We cant just keep kicking a can down the road. The Rev. Bryan Zielenieski, diocese vicar for renewal and development, said he is not surprised by the amount of pushback the diocese has received. Buffalo Diocese looks to centralize administration of schools, reduce deficits and grow enrollment The Buffalo Diocese will create a centralized school system governed by a diocesan school board and led by a superintendent, as part of a new strategic plan for Catholic schools in the region. We were expecting that this would be a challenge. We were expecting that there would be parishes that wanted to appeal the process, said Zielenieski, who is leading the restructuring effort. But Zielenieski said there are also successful parish mergers that dont get much attention and have moved forward ... with that fresh start. In parishes that actively participated in the dioceses move to a family model with multiple parishes operating as a family with one pastor the mergers have proceeded much more smoothly. For those who maybe werent participating as fully as we wanted is where theres been a few more hiccups along the way, he added. After Easter, more churches that were targeted in September for closure will be celebrating final Masses, Zielenieski said. Fisher has yet to issue decrees of merger or closure for more than a dozen parishes. Save Our Buffalo Churches hosts weekly Zoom sessions to update parish groups on developments and pass along useful tips. In turn, the parish groups post the information on Facebook pages and websites. Save Our Buffalo Churches also helped connect several parishioner groups with the St. Joseph Foundation, an Ohio-based nonprofit organization that primarily assists Catholic lay people seeking some sort of relief under church canon law, and the organizations president Philip C.L. Gray, a canon lawyer who has worked on parish merger and church closing cases in more than 100 dioceses. Gray said parish mergers are allowed under canon law only for just cause, which means the merger must allow for a bishop to better provide for the pastoral care of the faithful in the parish being merged and extinguished. Clergy shortages, demographic shifts and financial difficulties by themselves dont necessarily amount to legitimate causes, although a combination of those elements might, he said. When they start with the premise, We dont have enough priests, we have to close parishes, thats a false premise, Gray recently told WLOF, a Catholic radio station in Elma. A dioceses financial distress, including a Chapter 11 proceeding, also cant be the basis for parish mergers and church closings, said Gray. A bishop has to demonstrate that each parish he intends to merge or close cannot pay its bills and wont have the ability to pay its bills in a reasonable period of time, he said. PR-Inside.com: 2025-04-09 18:33:23 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 442 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / Farmers Bank & Trust 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 Farmers Bank & Trust.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?On October 25, 2024, Farmers Bank & Trust experienced unauthorized access to an employee's email account. Upon detection, Farmers Bank & Trust immediately launched an investigation with the assistance of third-party cyber security professionals to determine the nature and scope of the incident. Following a detailed forensic investigation and manual review, on February 17, 2025, Farmers Bank & Trust determined that certain files containing personal information may have been accessed or acquired.Upon information and belief, the following types of sensitive personal information may have been compromised: full name, Social Security number, financial information, email address, and driver's license. Farmers Bank & Trust conducted a comprehensive review to determine the specific information affected and began sending notification letters to impacted individuals on March 17, 2025. A public notice was filed with the Massachusetts Attorney General on the same day.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 Farmers Bank & Trust, 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: 2025-04-09 15:37:48 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 343 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Autonomous AI agents eliminate manual workflows, cutting operational costs by up to 30% and unlock a new era of self-operating networks.VALENCIA, ES / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / Telecom operators worldwide have a problem: too many dashboards, too many data, and too little time. Today, Kenmei introduces Autonomous AI Agents, purpose-built tools designed to independently analyze network data, autonomously solve issues, and drastically reduce the workload of telecom engineers. AI agentsUntil now:Telecom operators have relied heavily on engineers manually interpreting data and performing tasks to maintain network reliability.This approach has proven increasingly unsustainable amid growing network complexity and volume of data, creating operational bottlenecks and inefficiencies."Telecom operations can no longer rely solely on human monitoring and manual interventions," said Vicent Soler, CEO of Kenmei. "Our Autonomous AI Agents proactively analyze networks, independently making real-time decisions to maintain optimal performance and efficiency." Kenmei's Autonomous AI Agents:Independently analyze complex network scenarios and decide necessary actions across critical areas such as anomaly detection, network optimization, interference management, and energy conservation.These AI Agents move telecom operators from reactive problem-solving toward proactive, automated network management."The goal is simple: networks that manage themselves," explained Soler. "Our AI Agents dramatically reduce manual workloads and human bottlenecks, allowing telecom operators to focus on strategic initiatives rather than day-to-day operational challenges." Early deployments of Kenmei's Autonomous AI Agents have already demonstrated impressive results, including:operational expense reductions of up to 30%,30% increase in engineers' efficiency,significant improvements in network uptime and overall performance.Kenmei's solution addresses a critical need at a pivotal moment when telecom operators face heightened complexity, cost pressures, and ambitious sustainability goals.For more information or to schedule an exclusive briefing, visit https://www.kenmei.ai/post/ai-agents-network-management About KenmeiFounded in 2018 by telecom industry veterans, Kenmei specializes in advanced AI solutions tailored for mobile network operators. Based in Valencia, Spain, Kenmei serves leading global telecom providers, driving operational efficiency and innovation through autonomous network management.Contact InformationMatteo GasparelloMarketing Directormatteo.gasparello@kenmei.ai SOURCE: KENMEI TECHNOLOGIES, S.L. PR-Inside.com: 2025-04-09 18:50:05 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 459 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / JPW Industries, Inc., recently disclosed that it suffered a data breach that compromised the sensitive personal data of individuals. This data breach has led to concerns over the security of sensitive personal information entrusted to JPW.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?On February 3, 2025, JPW Industries became aware of a security incident on its computer network systems. Upon detection, JPW launched an investigation with the assistance of third-party cybersecurity experts to determine the nature and scope of the incident. The investigation determined that a computer virus had locked certain computer systems, and an unauthorized third party may have viewed and copied sensitive personal information. JPW conducted a comprehensive review of the impacted data to determine what information was compromised and identified affected individuals, which concluded on March 14, 2025.Upon information and belief, the following types of sensitive personal information may have been compromised: name, Social Security number, driver's license or other government-issued identification number, and financial account information (account number, credit or debit card number, along with security/access codes).On April 1, 2025, JPW filed a notice with the New Hampshire Attorney General 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 JPW, 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: 2025-04-09 18:33:08 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 475 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / Laborers' International Union of North America, Local Union 1184, 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 Local 1184.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?On November 17, 2024, Local 1184 became aware of a security incident on its secure computer system. Upon detection, Local 1184 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 used information obtained from sources other than the Local Union to gain access to Local 1184's computer system and subsequently infected the system with ransomware. Local 1184 conducted a comprehensive review of the impacted data to determine what information was compromised and identified affected individuals. On November 18, 2024, Local 1184 regained control of its system. Subsequently, Local 1184 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: name, Social Security number, membership numbers, telephone numbers, home address, email address, and work dispatch records. On March 31, 2025, Local 1184 filed a notice with the California Attorney General's Office 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 Local 1184, 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: 2025-04-09 18:49:24 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 424 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / Amherst College, 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 Amherst College.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?Amherst College recently experienced unauthorized access to its email and payroll system. Upon detection, Amherst College launched an investigation with the assistance of third-party cybersecurity experts to determine the nature and scope of the incident. On March 3, 2025, the investigation determined that an unauthorized party had viewed and possibly copied sensitive personal information. Amherst College conducted a comprehensive review of the impacted data to determine what information was compromised and identify affected individuals.Upon information and belief, the following types of sensitive personalinformation may have been compromised:name, and Social Security number.On March 28, 2025, Amherst College filed a notice with the Attorney General of Massachusetts and started sending out notice letters to the impacted individuals.Compensation may be available for those individuals who received notice that their personal information was compromised.WHY 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 Amherst College, 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: 2025-04-10 00:37:21 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 662 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 /WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) between February 3, 2022 and February 3, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important April 14, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline.SO WHAT: If you purchased Merck securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Merck class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=34975or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than April 14, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, throughout the Class Period, defendants provided investors with material information concerning Merck's expected revenue of $11 billion from sales of Gardasil by 2030. Defendants' statements included, among other things, confidence in Merck's purported ability to utilize successful consumer activation and education efforts on the benefits of Gardasil in order to drive demand and capitalize on eligible populations for vaccination, resulting in confidently optimistic reports and forecasts of Gardasil's growth in China. Defendants provided these overwhelmingly positive statements to investors while, at the same time, disseminating materially false and misleading statements and/or concealing material adverse facts concerning the true state of Gardasil's demand in China; notably, that Merck lacked visibility into demand for Gardasil in China among eligible and otherwise targeted populations, resulting in the inflated inventory of its distributor, Zhifei. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.To join the Merck class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=34975 call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.---Contact Information:Laurence Rosen, Esq.Phillip Kim, Esq.The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.275 Madison Avenue, 40th FloorNew York, NY 10016Tel: (212) 686-1060Toll Free: (866) 767-3653Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@ rosenlegal.comwww.rosenlegal.com SOURCE: The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. PR-Inside.com: 2025-04-09 08:20:31 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1017 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 STOCKHOLM, SE / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / AlzeCure Pharma (STO:ALZCUR)(FRA:AC6) - The shareholders of AlzeCure Pharma AB, reg. no. 559094-8302 (the "Company") are hereby invited to attend the annual general meeting to be held on Wednesday 14 May 2025 at 4 p.m. CET at Synch Advokat AB's premises at Birger Jarlsgatan 6, in Stockholm.REGISTRATION AND NOTIFICATION Shareholders who wish to attend the annual general meeting shall;i. be recorded in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB no later than Tuesday 6 May 2025, andii. notify the Company of their intention to attend the general meeting to AlzeCure Pharma AB, Halsovagen 7, 141 57 Huddinge, or via e-mail birgitta.lundvik@alzecurepharma.com no later than Thursday 8 May 2025. Notification of attendance shall state the name, personal or corporate identity number, address and telephone number. For notification of representatives, the procedure as described applies (not more than two assistants are allowed).BROKER REGISTERED SHARES Shareholders whose shares are registered in the name of a broker are, to be entitled to participate in the annual general meeting, required to have their shares registered in their own name through a broker, so that they are registered in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Such registration may be temporary (so-called voting rights registration) and is requested from the broker in accordance with the broker's procedures in such time in advance as the broker determines. Voting rights registration requested by shareholders in such time that the registration has been made by the nominee no later than Thursday 8 May 2025, will be taken into account in the preparation of the share register.REPRESENTATIVES Shareholders represented by proxy must issue a written, signed and dated power of attorney for the representative. Anyone representing a legal entity must present a registration certificate (or equivalent authorization document) showing that the persons who have signed the power of attorney are authorized signatories for the shareholder. To facilitate admission to the general meeting, shareholders are requested to send the original power of attorney and other authorization documents to AlzeCure Pharma AB, Halsovagen 7, 141 57 Huddinge, Sweden, in connection with the notice of attendance.A proxy form is available on the Company's website www.alzecurepharma.com and will be provided to the shareholder upon request.PROPOSED AGENDAOpening of the meetingElection of a chairman of the general meetingPreparation and approval of the voting listApproval of the agenda for the general meetingElection of one or two persons in addition to the chairman to verify the minutesDetermination as to whether the meeting has been duly convenedPresentation of the annual report and the auditor's reportResolutions regarding;adoption of the profit and loss statement and the balance sheet;allocation of the Company's profit or loss in accordance with the adopted balance sheet; and,discharge from liability of the directors and, when applicable, the managing directorResolution regarding the number of directors of the boardResolution regarding the number of auditorsResolution regarding the remuneration for the directors of the boardResolution regarding the remuneration for the auditorsElection of directors of the board and chairmanElection of the auditorResolution on the approval of the remuneration reportResolution on authorization for the board of directors to resolve on new issuesResolution to amend the articles of associationClosing of the meetingPROPOSALS FOR RESOLUTIONSTHE NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE'S PROPOSALS The nomination committee has consisted of William Gunnarsson (representative of BWG Invest Sarl), Rolf Karlsson (representative of FV Group AB), Peter Thelin (representeratative of Sjuenda Holding AB) and Thomas Pollare (chairman of the board of directors).The nomination committee have, ahead of the annual general meeting 2025 informed the board of directors of their proposals as follows.Election of a chairman of the general meeting (item 2) The nomination committee proposes attorney Mattias Anjou is appointed chairman of the annual general meeting.Resolution regarding the number of directors of the board (item 9) The nomination committee proposes that the board of directors shall consist of five ordinary members.Resolution regarding the number of auditors (item 10) The nomination committee proposes that one auditing firm shall be appointed as auditor, without deputies.Resolution regarding the remuneration for the directors of the board (item 11) The nomination committee proposes that each of the board members, who are not employed by the company, shall receive a board renumeration of SEK 135,000 except for the chairman of the board who shall receive renumeration of SEK 270,000.Resolution regarding the remuneration for the auditors (item 12) The nomination committee proposes that the auditor shall be remunerated according to the invoice approved by the company.Election of directors of the board and chairman (item 13) The nomination committee proposes to re-elect Thomas Pollare, Ragnar Linder, Janet Hoogstraate, Eva Lilienberg and Jan Lundberg as ordinary members of the board of directors, for the period until the end of the next annual general meeting. The nomination committee proposes to re-elect Thomas Pollare as chairman of the board of directors.Election of the auditor (item 14) The nomination committee proposes to re-elect accounting firm Grant Thornton Sweden AB as auditor. If the proposal is approved, Grant Thornton Sweden AB has announced that the authorized auditor Camilla Nilsson will be appointed auditor in charge.The board of directors supports the proposal by the nomination committee.THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS PROPOSALSAllocation of the Company's profit or loss in accordance with the adopted balance sheet (item 8 b) The following profits are at the disposal of the annual general meeting: Accumulated profit/loss of minus SEK 340,218 thousand, share premium reserve of SEK 399,430 thousand, profit/loss for the year of minus SEK 35,234 thousand, totalling SEK 23,978 thousand. The board of directors and the managing director proposes that the profits shall be disposed of by carrying forward SEK 23,978 thousand to be carried forward.Resolution on authorization for the board of directors to resolve on new issues (item 16) The board of directors proposes that the annual general meeting resolves to authorize the board of directors to decide on the issue of shares, warrants, and/or convertibles, which entails the issue of, conversion into or subscription for a number of sh PR-Inside.com: 2025-04-09 08:20:36 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1049 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 LUND, SE / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / Spago Nanomedical (STO: SPAGO.ST)(FRA:7UX.F) This English version of the notice to the Annual General Meeting is for convenience only. The Swedish version prevails in the event of any inconsistency.The shareholders of Spago Nanomedical AB (publ), corporate registration number 556574-5048 are hereby summoned to the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 14 May 2025, at 13.00 p.m. CEST at Advokatfirman Cederquist's premises, Hovslagargatan 3, in Stockholm. Registration starts at 12.30 p.m. CEST.The board of directors has, in accordance with Spago Nanomedical's articles of association, decided that the shareholders may also exercise their voting rights by postal voting prior to the general meeting.Right to attend and notice Shareholders wishing to attend the Annual General Meeting:shall be registered in the share register kept by Euroclear Sweden AB concerning the circumstances on Tuesday 6 May 2025, andshall give notice of their intention to attend the Annual General Meeting of Spago Nanomedical no later than Thursday 8 May 2025. Notice of attendance may be given:by e-mail to annica.von.schoting@cederquist.se by post to Advokatfirman Cederquist, P.O. Box 1670, SE-111 96 Stockholm, Sweden, Att: Annica von Schoting (mark the envelope with "Spago Nanomedical AB (publ), AGM 2025"), or by phone +46 (0)8 522 066 67, weekdays between 9.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m CEST.When giving notice of attendance, the shareholders shall state their name, address, daytime telephone number and personal identification number or company registration number.Shareholders who wish to use the possibility of postal voting shall do that in accordance with the instructions under the heading "Postal voting" below. Such postal voting does not require any further notice of attendance.Nominee-registered shares To be entitled to participate in the Annual General Meeting, a shareholder whose shares are registered in the name of a nominee must, in addition to registering for the Annual General Meeting, register the shares in their own names so that the shareholder is entered into the share register as of Tuesday 6 May 2025. Such registration may be temporary (so-called voting rights registration) and is requested from the nominee in accordance with the nominee's procedures in such time in advance as the nominee determines. Voting rights registrations made by the nominee on or before Thursday 8 May 2025 will be taken into account in the preparation of the share register.Proxy etc. Shareholders who wish to attend the meeting venue in person or through a proxy are entitled to bring one or two assistants. Shareholders represented by a proxy shall issue a signed and dated power of attorney for the proxy. If the power of attorney is issued by a legal entity, a copy of a certificate of incorporation, or if such document doesn't exist, a corresponding document, shall be enclosed. In order to facilitate the registration at the general meeting, the power of attorney and certificate of incorporation and other documents of authority should be provided to Spago Nanomedical at the address stated above well in advance of the Annual General Meeting. If applicable, such original power of attorney shall be brought to the Annual General Meeting. A proxy form is available on the companys website, www.spagonanomedical.se Postal voting A designated form shall be used for postal voting. The form is available on the company's website, www.spagonanomedical.se . The postal voting form is valid as notification of attendance at the Annual General Meeting.The completed and signed voting form must be received by Spago Nanomedical no later than Thursday 8 May 2025. The completed and signed form shall be sent by post to Advokatfirman Cederquist, P.O. Box 1670, SE-111 96 Stockholm, Sweden, Att: Annica von Schoting (mark the envelope with "Spago Nanomedical AB (publ), AGM 2025"), or by e-mail to annica.von.schoting@cederquist.se . If a shareholder postal votes by proxy, a power of attorney must be enclosed with the form. A proxy form is available at the company's website, www.spagonanomedical.se . If the shareholder is a legal entity, a certificate of incorporation or a corresponding document must be enclosed with the form. The shareholder may not provide special instructions or conditions in the voting form. If so, the vote (i.e. the postal vote in its entirety) is invalid. Further instructions and conditions are included in the form for postal voting.Proposed agenda 1. Opening of the Annual General Meeting.2. Election of chairman of the Annual General Meeting.3. Preparation and approval of the voting list.4. Election of one or two persons to verify the minutes.5. Approval of the agenda.6. Determination of whether the meeting has been duly convened.7. Presentation of the annual report and the auditor's report, as well as the consolidated financial statements and the auditor's report on the consolidated financial statements.8. Presentation by the CEO.9. Resolutions on(a) adoption of the income statement and balance sheet as well as the consolidated income statement and consolidated balance sheet.(b) dispositions regarding the companys earnings in accordance with the adopted balance sheet.(c) discharge from liability for the directors of the board and the CEO for the financial year 2024.10. Determination of the number of directors and deputy directors of the board.11 . Determination of remuneration to the directors of the board and the auditors.12 . Election of directors and chairman of the board of directors.13 . Election of auditor.14 . Resolution on authorisation for the board of directors to resolve to issue new shares and/or warrants.15 . Resolution on amendment on the articles of association16. Closing of the Annual General Meeting.Proposed resolutionsItem 2. Election of chairman of the Annual General MeetingThe nomination committee proposes that Tone Myhre-Jensen, member of the Swedish Bar Association, is elected as chairman of the Annual General Meeting.Item 9 (b) Resolution on dispositions regarding the company's earnings in accordance with the adopted balance sheetThe board of directors proposes that accumulated funds of SEK 29,752,683, of which SEK -32,494,815 consists of the result of the year, is carried forward.Item 10. Determination of the number of directors and deputy directors of the boardThe nomination committee proposes that the board of directors, for the period until the end of the next Annual General Meeting, shall consist of four directors with no deputies.Item 11. Determination of remuneration to the directors of the board and the auditorsFor the period until the end of the next Annual General Meeting, the nomination committee proposes that remuneration of PR-Inside.com: 2025-04-09 18:32:56 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 466 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / Plaisted Companies, Inc., recently disclosed that it suffered a data breach that compromised the sensitive personal data of individuals. This data breach has led to concerns over the security of sensitive personal information entrusted to Plaisted.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?In September 2024, Plaisted experienced a network disruption that prompted an immediate investigation with the assistance of third-party cybersecurity experts. The investigation determined that certain employee files were accessed without authorization around September 4, 2024. In response, Plaisted initiated a comprehensive review of the impacted files to determine what specific types of personal information were present and to identify affected individuals. This review concluded on February 11, 2025. Following the review, Plaisted verified address information to ensure proper notification could be provided. That process concluded on March 21, 2025.Upon information and belief, the following types of sensitive personalinformation may have been compromised:name, Social Security number, driver's license or other government identification number, account number, credit or debit card number, in combination with any required security code, access code, or password that would permit access to an individual's financial account.On March 26, 2025, Plaisted filed a notice with the New Hampshire Attorney General and began mailing data breach notification 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 Plaisted, 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: 2025-04-09 02:17:11 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 646 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 8, 2025 /WHY: New York, N.Y., April 8, 2025. Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Edison International (NYSE:EIX) between February 25, 2021 and February 6, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important April 21, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline in the securities class action first filed by the Firm.SO WHAT: If you purchased Edison securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Edison class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=33590or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than April 21, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Edison's claim that Southern California Edison Company ("SCE") used its Public Safety Power Shutoffs ("PSPS") program to "proactively de-energize power lines to mitigate the risk of catastrophic wildfires during extreme weather events", was false; (2) this resulted in heightened fire risk in California and heightened legal exposure to Edison; and (3) as a result, defendants' statements about Edison's business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.To join the Edison class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=33590call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.---Contact Information:Laurence Rosen, Esq.Phillip Kim, Esq.The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.275 Madison Avenue, 40th FloorNew York, NY 10016Tel: (212) 686-1060Toll Free: (866) 767-3653Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@ rosenlegal.comwww.rosenlegal.com SOURCE: The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. PR-Inside.com: 2025-04-09 07:41:06 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 981 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Not for release to US wire services or distribution in the United StatesANNOUNCEMENT TO THE TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE AND AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGESUBIACO, AU / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / The Board of RTG Mining Inc. ("RTG", the "Company") (TSX Code:RTG)(ASX Code:RTG) is pleased to announce that the Company has successfully completed the issue of 169,297,750 Chess Depository Instruments ("Securities") at a price of A$0.025 per Security to institutional and sophisticated investors pursuant to the placement announced by the Company on 31 March 2025 ("Placement"). Tranche 1 of the Private Placement raised proceeds of circa A$4.2 million (before costs). 169,297,750 Tranche 1 Securities were issued using the Company's placement capacity under ASX Listing Rule 7.1.Foster Stockbroking Pty Ltd ("FSB") acted as lead manager and bookrunner to the Placement ("Lead Manager").Shareholder approval will now be sought at a general meeting to be scheduled in May 2025, for the issue of Tranche 2 Securities to Placement participants, the details of which are in RTG's announcement and Appendix 3B released to ASX on 31 March 2025.A Notice of Meeting relating to these approvals will be sent to shareholders in due course.The Placement is conducted under exemptions from prospectus and registration requirements of securities laws in relevant countries. The Placement is subject to approval of TSX. The Company intends to rely on exemption under Section 602.1 of the TSX company manual with respect to the Placement and shareholder approval.ABOUT RTG MINING INCRTG Mining Inc. is a mining and exploration company listed on the main board of the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Australian Securities Exchange. RTG is currently focused primarily on progressing the Mabilo Project to start-up having now received a mining permit for the Project, with a view to moving quickly and safely to a producing gold and copper company.RTG also has several exciting new opportunities including the Panguna Project in Bougainville, which it remains committed to while also considering further new business development opportunities.RTG has an experienced management team which has to date developed seven mines in five different countries, including being responsible for the development of the Masbate Gold Mine in the Philippines through CGA Mining Limited. RTG has some of the most respected international institutional investors as shareholders including Equinox Partners and Franklin Templeton.ENQUIRIESPresident & CEO - Justine MageeTel: +61 8 6489 2900Email: jmagee@ rtgmining.com Australian Investor and Media Contact Sam Burns: +61 400 164 067Email: sam.burns@sdir.com.au COMPLIANCE STATEMENTDate: 9 April 2025Authorised for release by: By the Board of DirectorsCAUTIONARY NOTE STATEMENTThe Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed nor does it accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this press release, which has been prepared by management.This announcement includes certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this announcement, other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements, including statements made or implied relating to the anticipated timing, closing, size, structure of and exemptions utilized under the Placement, the use of the net proceeds from the Placement, the timing of the shareholder meeting to approve Tranche 2 of the Placement, the Company's opportunities to diversify its Philippine interests and to participate in the redevelopment of the Panguna Mine in Bougainville, the Company's objectives, strategies to achieve those objectives, the Company's beliefs, plans, estimates and intentions, and similar statements concerning anticipated future events, plans for further exploration. Forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties and are based on certain factors and assumptions. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from RTG's expectations include uncertainties related to market conditions and demand for the Placement, the receipt of requisite shareholder and regulatory approvals, fluctuations in gold and other commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; uncertainty of estimates of capital and operating costs, recovery rates, production estimates and estimated economic return; the need for cooperation of government agencies in the development of RTG's mineral projects; the need to obtain additional financing to develop RTG's mineral projects; the possibility of delay in development programs or in construction projects and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones for RTG's mineral projects and other risks and uncertainties as discussed in RTG's annual report for the year ended December 31, 2024 and detailed from time to time in our other filings with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities available at www.sedar.com . The forwardlooking statements made in this announcement relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. RTG will not release publicly any revisions or updates to these forwardlooking statements to reflect events, circumstances or unanticipated events occurring after the date of this announcement except as required by law or by any appropriate regulatory authority.NOT FOR RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATESThis announcement has been prepared for publication in Canada and Australia and may not be released to US wire services or distributed in the United States. This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction. Any securities described in this announcement have not been, and will not be, registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (as defined in Regulation S under the US Securities Act), except in transactions exempt from, or not subject to, registration under the US Securities Act and applicable US state securities laws.SOURCE: RTG Mining Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2025-04-09 05:00:58 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 462 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 8, 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=141865&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: 2025-04-09 18:34:10 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 474 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / EVJ, LLC which does business as Storage Durango Blue Diamond, 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 Storage Durango.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?On August 31, 2024, Storage Durango became aware of a security incident on its internal systems. Upon detection, Storage Durango launched an investigation with the assistance of third-party cyber security experts to determine the nature and scope of the incident. The investigation determined that an unauthorized third party gained access to systems containing personal information between August 8 and August 31, 2024. Storage Durango conducted a comprehensive review of the impacted data to determine what information was compromised and identified affected individuals. On March 25, 2025, Storage Durango 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, driver's license or state identification number, financial account number, and health insurance policy number. On March 25, 2025, Storage Durango filed a notice with the Vermont Attorney General 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 Storage Durango, 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: 2025-04-09 14:02:07 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 888 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Surgeon's Advisor highlights AI's role in accelerating healthcare practice growth.MIAMI, FLORIDA / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / Surgeon's Advisor, a leading provider of healthcare digital marketing solutions, has unveiled new methods incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) to drive practice growth. These advanced AI solutions are designed to improve the online presence and patient engagement of healthcare providers, helping medical practices attract more patients and achieve greater growth. Amelia R. Viera Amelia is the Director of Operations of Surgeon's Advisor. She and the Surgeon's Advisor team offer digital marketing solutions for medical and healthcare practices.In an era where patient interactions and decisions increasingly happen online, medical professionals face growing pressure to maintain robust, effective digital strategies. Surgeon's Advisor is addressing these challenges head-on by integrating powerful AI tools, ensuring medical practices stay ahead in an ever-changing digital landscape.Smarter SEO Strategies with AISearch Engine Optimization (SEO) remains a crucial component of online success for healthcare practices. Surgeon's Advisor employs sophisticated AI technologies, including innovative platforms like Search GPT, Bing AI, and Gemini, to accurately identify trending healthcare topics, patient search behaviors, and high-performing keywords.By leveraging these AI-driven insights, practices can effectively optimize their digital content, ensuring it ranks highly across major search engines. This targeted approach significantly improves online visibility, making it easier for potential patients to find healthcare providers exactly when they need them most."At Surgeon's Advisor, we're harnessing the power of AI to help practices not only stay competitive but lead the way in digital growth. Our goal is to take the stress out of marketing so doctors can focus on what really matters-taking great care of their patients-while we make sure their online presence is working for them around the clock," said Amelia R. Viera, Director of Operations.Advanced AI-Powered Content CreationHigh-quality, informative content has always been central to building patient trust and driving engagement. With AI technology, Surgeon's Advisor can now enhance content creation by generating relevant topics, optimizing readability, and refining messages to align precisely with patient interests and concerns.Through AI-enhanced content, medical professionals can consistently deliver valuable insights, from educational blog posts to personalized patient communications. This strategy not only strengthens patient-provider relationships but also positions healthcare providers as trusted industry leaders, fostering long-term practice growth.Predictive Insights for Proactive MarketingThe ability to anticipate industry trends before they fully emerge provides a considerable advantage. Surgeon's Advisor utilizes predictive AI tools that analyze large data sets to identify emerging patient demands, shifts in public interest, and upcoming digital trends.With these proactive insights, healthcare practices can strategically adjust their marketing efforts and service offerings, effectively meeting patient needs ahead of the competition. Such predictive capabilities empower medical professionals to remain adaptable and responsive, ensuring sustained growth and patient satisfaction.Optimized Multi-Platform VisibilityToday's patients interact with healthcare content across multiple platforms-Google, Bing, social media, and increasingly, AI-driven search engines and voice assistants. Surgeon's Advisor employs AI tools to ensure content seamlessly adapts and remains optimized across every platform, providing consistent visibility and maximizing patient outreach.This cross-platform optimization guarantees that practices stay visible and accessible to potential patients, regardless of their preferred search method or platform. It ensures healthcare providers can maintain their competitive edge in a crowded digital marketplace.Data-Driven Results for Rapid ImprovementTime efficiency is critical in healthcare marketing. AI integration allows Surgeon's Advisor to rapidly analyze marketing performance, conduct comprehensive testing of new ideas, and quickly refine strategies based on real-time feedback. This data-driven approach ensures faster and more impactful results, providing medical practices with a clear advantage in patient acquisition and retention.Healthcare providers who adopt AI-enhanced marketing strategies benefit from an agile approach, continuously optimizing their campaigns for peak performance. These timely improvements translate into better patient engagement, higher conversion rates, and stronger overall practice growth.Innovation and Commitment to Healthcare GrowthSurgeon's Advisor, committed to innovation and excellence in healthcare digital marketing, continually adopts cutting-edge technologies to support the unique needs of medical practices. By integrating AI into their comprehensive suite of services, the company is effectively empowering healthcare providers with powerful, scalable marketing solutions.For over a decade, Surgeon's Advisor has successfully partnered with numerous practices to enhance their digital presence and drive measurable results. The firm's expertise and dedication ensure that medical professionals can confidently navigate digital complexities while focusing on delivering outstanding patient care.Supporting Your Practice Every Step of the WaySurgeon's Advisor understands that each healthcare practice is unique, with its own set of challenges and goals. Their expert team works closely with medical professionals to tailor AI-driven marketing solutions specifically suited to each practice's requirements. From initial assessment and strategy development to ongoing support and performance tracking, Surgeon's Advisor offers comprehensive assistance throughout the entire process.Learn more about Surgeon's Advisor and their innovative approach to healthcare marketing by visiting their official website at Surgeon's Advisor or exploring their history and commitment to medical practice growth at the About Us page.About Surgeon's AdvisorSurgeon's Advisor is a premier digital marketing agency dedicated exclusively to medical and healthcare practices. Based in Miami, Florida, the company specializes in SEO, website design, patient engagement solutions, reputation management, and innovative digital marketing strategies. Surgeon's Advisor prides itself on delivering tailored, impactful solutions that enhance online visibility, patient acquisition, and practice growth.For more information on integrating AI in PR-Inside.com: 2025-04-09 14:30:35 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 786 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO AND NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 /Tekumo, Inc. (TKMO or the "Company") a leading provider of innovative solutions for On-Demand field service delivery is proud to announce a strategic partnership with NxtKonekt, a national provider of cutting-edge 5G mobile connected networks, IoT cameras, sensors, robust failover and carrier aggregation services over mobility fixed wireless.This collaboration will empower NxtKonekt to deliver fast, scalable, and efficient services to customers across its comprehensive suite of offerings, including fleet management, fixed wireless access, IoT sensor deployments, all leveraging the power of 5G wireless technology.Strings Kozisek, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Tekumo stated, "This is an exciting partnership, an enormous market and something we have been working on for several months. NxtKonekt's commitment to providing seamless connectivity and innovative solutions is further strengthened by the integration of Tekumo's robust platform. This combination ensures a seamless flow of information from initial installation scheduling to real-time device monitoring and efficient break-fix service dispatch. The digitally connected systems will result in streamlined operations and enhanced customer satisfaction for NxtKonekt's growing clientele nationwide." The partnership leverages Tekumo's advanced platform capabilities to enable NxtKonekt to rapidly deploy and scale its national 5G offerings. This includes efficient installation of 5G fixed wireless solutions and IoT devices, as well as providing responsive break-fix technology support. By digitally connecting their systems, NxtKonekt and Tekumo are creating a streamlined and efficient service delivery model that benefits customers through faster deployment times and quicker issue resolution."The integration of Tekumo's robust platform empowers NxtKonekt to deliver rapid and scalable deployment of 5G fixed wireless and IoT sensor solutions," commented Destah Owens, COO/CTO, NxtKonekt. "Our digitally connected systems ensure a seamless flow of information, from initial installation scheduling to real-time device monitoring and efficient break-fix service dispatch, resulting in streamlined operations and enhanced customer satisfaction for NxtKonekt's clientele." This strategic alliance underscores NxtKonekt's dedication to leveraging the latest technological advancements to provide superior connectivity solutions and support to its customers across the nation.About NxtKonekt:NxtKonekt is a national provider of cutting-edge 5G mobile connected networks, IoT cameras and sensors, robust failover and carrier aggregation services over mobility fixed wireless, and comprehensive managed mobility services and solutions. Committed to delivering seamless connectivity and innovative technology, NxtKonekt empowers businesses with reliable and efficient communication and data management tools.About TekumoTekumo offers an Onsite field services delivery platform that solves the "last-mile" of installing, monitoring, and maintaining technology systems and smart connected devices.We play at the intersection of several major trends: the "Uber-ization" of product and service delivery, the explosion of smart connected devices brought about by the "Industrial Internet of Things" (IIoT), the push of "Data-to-the Edge" and the AI revolution. Our Service Delivery platform is designed to intelligently automate the installation and maintenance of products by coordinating On-Demand local technician resources and service management with complete data visibility of service events.Tekumo caters for a broad range of technologies from POS systems, kiosks, digital menu boards, print services, cameras, cabling, Wi-Fi and networking, as well as smart homes devices, wearable sensors, and access control.Our platform results in "less people, less time and less cost" for our customers.Tekumo, Inc (OTC PINK:TKMO) is an alternative reporting publicly held company that wholly-owns Tekumo LLC.Safe Harbor:When we discuss our strategy, plans, future financial and operating performance, or other things that have not yet taken place, we are making statements considered to be forward-looking statements under United States (US) securities laws.Forward-Looking StatementsAny statements made in this press release which are not historical facts contain certain forward-looking statements, as such term is defined in the Private Security Litigation Reform Act of 1995, concerning potential developments affecting the business, prospects, financial condition and other aspects of the company to which this release pertains. The actual results of the specific items described in this release, and the Company's operations generally, may differ materially from what is projected in such forward-looking statements. Although such statements are based upon the best judgments of management of the Company as of the date of this release, significant deviations in magnitude, timing and other factors may result from business risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, the Company's dependence on third parties, general market and economic conditions, technical factors, the availability of outside capital, receipt of revenues and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the company. The Company disclaims any obligation to update the information contained in any forward-looking statement. This press release shall not be deemed a general solicitation.Colorado SpringsGraham King, CXO719-793-4500SOURCE: Tekumo, Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2025-04-09 09:00:12 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1035 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 CALGARY, AB / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / Touchstone Exploration Inc. ("Touchstone", "we", "our" or the "Company") (TSX:TXP)(LSE:TXP) announces that Mr. John D. Wright has retired as a member and Chair of the Board of Directors, effective immediately.We extend our sincere gratitude to Mr. Wright for his invaluable contributions and dedicated service. His leadership and strategic insight have been instrumental in guiding Touchstone through key phases of our growth and development.Touchstone is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Kenneth R. McKinnon, K.C., ICD.D, as Chair of the Board of Directors. A member of our Board of Directors (the "Board") since 2012, Mr. McKinnon brings extensive experience in corporate governance, financial oversight, and strategic advisory roles. His service on numerous public company boards and committees has provided him with the insight and leadership required to guide Touchstone through our continued growth. With a strong commitment to governance excellence and an independent perspective, Mr. McKinnon is well-positioned to support the Company's long-term growth strategy.Additionally, following a comprehensive review of the Company's governance in light of our operations, geographic footprint, strategic direction, and scale, we intend to reduce the size of our Board to six members at the upcoming Annual Meeting of Shareholders on June 18, 2025 (the "2025 Meeting"). This strategic decision aims to streamline decision-making, enhance Board efficiency, and support a more agile governance framework aligned with the Company's long-term goals. As part of this process, Touchstone is conducting a thorough evaluation of the skills and expertise required to support our future Board governance and committee needs. The Company intends to nominate six current members of the Board for re-election at the 2025 Meeting.Paul Baay, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented:"On behalf of Touchstone, I extend our sincere gratitude to John for his leadership and unwavering dedication as Chair of the Board since 2012. With a career in executive leadership across the energy sector, John's strategic vision and industry insight have been instrumental in driving Touchstone's growth. His contributions to the Company and to the broader industry through both his leadership and philanthropy continue to leave a meaningful and lasting legacy.I am also pleased to welcome Mr. Ken McKinnon as the new Chair of our Board. Ken brings extensive experience, proven strategic leadership, and deep industry knowledge that will be invaluable as we advance our growth strategy. I look forward to working closely with him as we begin this next chapter in Touchstone's evolution." Ken McKinnon, Chair of the Board, commented:"I would like to thank John for his outstanding service and exemplary leadership. His guidance has been pivotal in navigating the Company through key phases of development, and his dedication and expertise have left a lasting impact on both the Board and the organization. We are deeply grateful for his many contributions.It is an honour to assume the role of Chair of the Board, and I am appreciated of the trust and confidence placed in me. I look forward to supporting the Company's continued progress and long-term success." Touchstone Exploration Inc.Touchstone Exploration Inc. is a Calgary, Alberta based company engaged in the business of acquiring interests in petroleum and natural gas rights and the exploration, development, production and sale of petroleum and natural gas. Touchstone is currently active in onshore properties located in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The Company's common shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange under the symbol "TXP". For further information about Touchstone, please visit our website at www.touchstoneexploration.com or contact:Mr. Paul Baay, President and Chief Executive OfficerMr. Scott Budau, Chief Financial OfficerTel: +1 (403) 750-4405Advisory Regarding Forward-Looking InformationThe information provided in this news release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, forecasts, estimates, expectations and objectives for future operations that are subject to assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "maintain", "continue to", "pursue", "design", "result in", "sustain" "estimate", "potential", "growth", "near-term", "long-term", "forecast", "contingent" and similar expressions, or are events or conditions that "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur or be achieved. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release speak only as of the date hereof and are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The Company's actual decisions, activities, results, performance, or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements and accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur or, if any of them do, what benefits that Touchstone will derive from them.Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. Certain of these risks are set out in more detail in the Company's 2024 Annual Information Form dated March 19, 2025 which is available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ ( www.sedarplus.ca) and on the Company's website ( www.touchstoneexploration.com) . The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof, and except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company assumes no obligation or intent to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements made herein or otherwise, whether as a result o PR-Inside.com: 2025-04-09 18:34:10 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 438 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2025 / UAS Asset Management 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 UAS.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?On March 13, 2025, UAS Asset Management became aware of a potential data breach and shut down access within hours. In response, UAS launched an investigation with the assistance of third-party cyber security experts to determine the nature and scope of the incident. The investigation confirmed that sensitive personal information within its systems may have been accessed by an unauthorized third party. UAS conducted a comprehensive review of the impacted data to determine what information was compromised and identify affected individuals.Upon information and belief, the following types of sensitive personal information may have been compromised: name, Social Security number, financial account information, driver's license, email address, and phone number. On March 19, 2025, UAS began mailing data breach notification letters to impacted individuals and filed a public notice with the Massachusetts Attorney General. 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 UAS, 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 A meeting between a presidential delegation and officials of the Dangote refinery, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) and other parties has agreed to extend the policy of selling Nigerian crude to local refineries in naira. The Ministry of Finance disclosed this in a post on its X handle. The Tuesday meeting also resolved that the policy, including the sale of the products obtained from such crude in naira, will not have a terminal date. The Crude and Refined Product Sales in Naira initiative is not a temporary or time-bound intervention, but a key policy directive designed to support sustainable local refining, bolster energy security, and reduce reliance on foreign exchange in the domestic petroleum market, the finance ministry stated. PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Dangote refinery, currently the largest supplier of petrol to the Nigerian market, had threatened to start selling its refined products in dollars because it was finding it difficult to obtain crude from the NNPC in naira. This would have resulted in an increase in the pump price of petrol to Nigerians. Dangote refinerys officials attended Tuesdays meeting, the finance ministry stated. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Implementation Committee, Hon. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun; the Chairman of the Technical Sub-Committee and Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr Zacch Adedeji; the Chief Financial Officer of NNPC Limited, Mr Dapo Segun; the Coordinator of NNPC Refineries; Management of NNPC Trading; representatives of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals; and senior officials from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), representative of Afreximbank, as well as the Secretary of the Committee, Hauwa Ibrahim, the ministry wrote. The ministry explained that the stakeholders reaffirmed the governments continued commitment to the full implementation of this strategic initiative, as directed by the Federal Executive Council (FEC). As with any major policy shift, the committee acknowledges that implementation challenges may arise from time to time. However, such issues are being actively addressed through coordinated efforts among all parties. The initiative remains in effect and will continue for as long as it aligns with the public interest and supports national economic objectives. In July last year, FEC directed NNPC Ltd to engage Dangote Refinery and other local refineries to resolve the dispute over the sale of crude oil to them. The FEC, presided over by President Bola Tinubu, also directed that crude oil sales to the refineries be made in naira and that the refineries, located in Nigeria, sell their refined products to the Nigerian market in naira. Last October, the Nigerian government said it officially commenced selling crude oil and refined petroleum products in Naira. READ ALSO: FG pledges employment for all community health officers nationwide On 10 March, the NNPC Ltd said the contract for the sale of crude oil in Naira was structured as a six-month agreement, subject to availability, and expires at the end of March 2025. At the time, the NNPC said discussions were currently ongoing towards emplacing a new contract. Reacting to reports alleging unilateral termination of the crude oil sale agreement between NNPC and Dangote Refinery, the Nigerian government on 11 March said the policy framework enabling the sale of crude oil in naira for domestic refining remains in force. On 19 March, the Dangote refinery announced the temporary suspension of sales of petroleum products in Naira. The refinery said the decision is necessary to avoid a mismatch between its sales proceeds and its crude oil purchase obligations, which are currently denominated in dollars. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print As stakeholders in the Nigerian oil and gas industry gear up to mark 15 years of the enactment and implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, a new book that captures some of the thrills and highlights of the local content policy has just been unveiled to the reading public. Titled Nigerias Local Content: A Journey of Strategic Communication and Economic Transformation and written by Obinna Ezeobi, a management staff at Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), the book provides a detailed account of how deft communication initiatives, skillful stakeholders management strategies and effective collaboration among key players in the oil sector played pivotal roles in propagating and advancing Nigerias local content policy, making it a national agenda, and influencing several countries across the African continent. Written in fast-paced and easy to access vocabularies, the book was endorsed by notable personalities in the Nigerian and African energy sector, including the pioneer Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Ernest Nwapa, who penned a riveting foreword for the book. Another notable endorsement that appeared on the books blurb was from the Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO), Omar Farouk Ibrahim, who recommended the publication to policy makers and local content enthusiasts across the continent and beyond. Similarly, the Chairman of Oildata Group, and former Chairman of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Emeka Ene, lauded the work for chronicling some of the local content success stories, while mentioning how advocacy, and stakeholder management played important roles in Nigerias local content journey. Receiving a copy of the book on Monday in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Felix Omatsola Ogbe, commended the author for his efforts in documenting and projecting the local content story. He particularly lauded the aesthetics and quality of the book, pledging that the Board would procure copies. The book has 267 pages, split in five parts, each section focusing on different but related themes such as the evolution of oil and gas industry and local content, as well as contemporary issues like impact of oil companies divestments and Presidential Directives on local content 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 Some of the unique segments include the case studies on the Nigerian content 10-year strategic roadmap and key Nigerian content initiatives, and how the initiatives were enabled by strategic communication and stakeholder engagement. The book closes with a treatise on local content compliance and enforcement and findings from an empirical study on the impact of Nigerian content communications on compliance by oil and gas companies. The book bears the hallmark of the authors media background, career at the NCDMB, as well as his doctoral studies in Energy Communication. Giving reasons for the writing book, Dr. Ezeobi harps that the Nigerian Content Act is one of the most impactful and transformational legislations since Nigerias return to democracy in 1999, principally because of how NCDMB and its key partners deployed public communication and stakeholders management initiatives in the implementation process. He adds that he was inspired to document and tell the remarkable local content story from the perspective of communication and stakeholder management, having played key roles in conceptualising and implementing the impactful strategies since the agencys inception in 2010. The book is targeted at broad target audiences, cutting across oil and gas players, local content actors, communication professionals and scholars, regulatory agencies, development partners, host community members, and historians. The author hopes the book would help various strata of oil and gas stakeholders to better understand the local content policy, learn how the models are implemented and communicated and replicate them where possible. This would ensure, as Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim indicated in his endorsement of the book, that we derive maximum value from our natural resources, create jobs for our people and develop our economies. Copies can be obtained in Nigeria from the publishers, Four Point Communications. Yesterday, I had the utmost pleasure to present to our amiable Executive Secretary, my debut book, Nigerias Local Content: A Journey of Strategic Communication and Economic Transformation Sir. Im very grateful for your kind words and commendations for the quality of the publication, particularly your pledge that the Board will procure copies. It is noteworthy that the pioneer Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Dr. Ernest Nwapa penned a riveting foreword for the book. I also got endorsements from the Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO), Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim and the Chairman of Oildata Group, and former Chairman of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Engr. Emeka Ene. Copies are available in Lagos, and will reach Yenagoa and Abuja Thursday. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Public health experts have raised concerns over Nigerias primary healthcare system, revealing that only about 40 per cent of local government areas (LGAs) have medically qualified Medical Officers of Health (MOHs). This means more than 460 out of the 774 LGAs in Nigeria lack medically trained officers to supervise health services, a situation that experts describe unacceptable for a country with a population of over 200 million people. The shortage of MOHs was spotlighted at the just concluded 41st Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference (AGM&SC) of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN) held in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The conference, themed Primary Healthcare Delivery in the Face of Multidimensional Challenges, brought together healthcare professionals from across Nigeria from 9 to 14 March. National health crisis At the conference, APHPN discussed the implications of the shortage of MOHs, who are responsible for overseeing essential public health activities at the local government level, including disease surveillance, immunisation campaigns, and health emergency responses. The role of Medical Officers of Health is critical to the delivery of healthcare in Nigeria. It is unacceptable that only about 40 per cent of LGAs in Nigeria have medically qualified MOHs, APHPN noted in its communique. The communique, which was signed by the National President of APHPN, Terfa Kene, and the National Secretary, Augustine Ajogwu, called for urgent reforms to fill this gap and strengthen the countrys public health infrastructure. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The association advocates for the appointment of medical doctors with additional training in public health to serve as MOHs in every LGA, in line with public health laws and global best practices. Challenges facing PHCs Apart from the shortage of medical officers, the communique also highlighted several challenges hindering the effectiveness of Nigerias primary healthcare system. It pointed out that the implementation of primary health care in Nigeria has been suboptimal since its inception. Effective implementation of Primary Health Care is a sine qua non to optimal healthcare delivery, it noted. It observed that Nigeria is still grappling with a double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, which are compounded by psychosocial and mental health issues. This combination, according to APHPN, is contributing to poor health indices across the country and a deteriorating human development index. Other challenges include inadequate political will, a weak healthcare system, limited human resources, and a lack of motivation among health workers. The report also flagged the issues of poor infrastructure, health insecurity, and an uncoordinated approach to healthcare as major obstacles to efficient service delivery. The communique further emphasised the importance of a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary One Health approach to improve healthcare delivery and public health practice. Investment in Adolescent health The experts also raised concerns about the state of adolescent health in Nigeria. They emphasised the importance of investing in adolescent healthcare for demographic, human rights, economic, and health reasons. The communique pointed out that the insufficient provision of adolescent-friendly services and a shortage of health workers trained in delivering these services were significant barriers to addressing the healthcare needs of young people. APHPN called for capacity building for health workers in every state regarding provision of adolescent friendly services. This includes a need for sub-speciality training in adolescent health in the curricula of postgraduate medical colleges, it noted. More recommendations The communique also recommended the establishment of Public Health and Community Medicine departments in all secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities in Nigeria to better prepare the country to handle the rising incidence of communicable and non-communicable diseases. Health workers were urged to adopt a CEO mindset, developing skills in business, project management, and financial literacy to improve health service delivery. The communique also recommended school-based prevention programmes to address substance abuse, policies prioritising rehabilitation over punishment, and the strengthening of occupational health practices through improved legislation and awareness. To address the challenge of electricity supply in healthcare facilities, the experts suggested innovative, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly solutions, such as solar energy powered by lithium batteries. The experts also advocated for leveraging digital innovations and artificial intelligence for enhanced disease surveillance and community engagement. About the General Meeting The 41st Annual Scientific Conference and General Meetings of APHPN brought together 650 participants, including 350 in-person and 300 virtual attendees, from various sectors such as academia, teaching hospitals, health facilities, government MDAs, NGOs, and the private sector. The conference featured eight plenary sessions, eight parallel scientific sessions, 79 oral abstract presentations, and 21 poster presentations. The opening ceremony, held on 11 March, was chaired by Akin Osibogun, the former President of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria. The Ogun State Honourable Commissioner for Health, Tomi Coker, represented Governor Dapo Abiodun and declared the conference open. Other dignitaries included the Minister of State for Health, Iziaq Salako, and the Special Adviser to the President, Salma Ibrahim Anas, represented by Tanko Yakasi, and members of the Board of Trustees of the association. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The federal government has pledged that no certified Community Health Officer (CHO) will remain unemployed, reaffirming its commitment to addressing the health disparities between urban and rural Nigeria. The Coordinating Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, made the announcement on Tuesday during the 5th Induction and Oath-Taking Ceremony for new CHOs in Abuja. Mr Salako acknowledged the progress made in Nigerias healthcare system but noted that challenges such as workforce shortages, infrastructure gaps, and the uneven distribution of healthcare resources continued to impede advancement. He, however, noted that these issues are most acute in rural areas, where more than 60 per cent of Nigerias population resides. You are not just healthcare providers; you are the bridge between government policies and the realities of grassroots health, he told the new inductees. The minister highlighted their crucial role as the first line of defence in these communities, particularly in promoting preventive care and health education. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Mr Salako also reiterated the governments commitment to Universal Health Coverage (UHC), which it viewed as a fundamental right for every Nigerian. He said President Bola Tinubu-led federal government is actively implementing policies to achieve UHC, including the revitalisation of 10,000 Primary Healthcare Centres nationwide. The governments policy is clear: no CHO should be unemployed, he said. We are dedicated to deploying and empowering community health workers to address healthcare needs, especially in underserved regions. He further discussed the National Health Insurance Authority, which aims to enroll 50 million Nigerians by 2027, stressing that CHOs would play a pivotal role in this initiative through grassroots mobilisation. In addition to deployment efforts, the minister emphasised ongoing support for the Community Health Practitioners Registration Board of Nigeria, ensuring rigorous standards and continuous professional development for CHOs. Mr Salako urged the inductees to view their certification as a national calling and to serve with integrity, compassion, and innovation. He also called on Nigerians to prioritise preventive healthcare and support the work of community health practitioners in their local communities. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Nigeria has lost over 16,000 doctors in the last five to seven years, a situation that has cost the country billions of naira, according to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate. Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday at the seventh annual capacity-building workshop of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa (AMCOA), Mr Pate, a professor, expressed concern over the rising migration of healthcare workers and its economic impact on the health sector. He said the estimated cost of training a single doctor in Nigeria exceeds $21,000, highlighting the fiscal damage of losing such a large number of trained professionals to other countries. This trend is not just about people leaving, the minister said. It represents a fiscal loss. The estimated cost of training one doctor exceeds $21,000a figure that reflects the magnitude of public financing walking out of our countries. It deeply affects our health systemsleaving many of our rural communities critically underserved. Doctor-to-population ratio falls The minister noted that the doctor-to-population ratio in Nigeria has dropped to 3.9 per 10,000 people, far below the World Health Organisations recommended standard. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later In Nigeria alone, over 16,000 doctors are estimated to have left the country in the last five to seven years, with thousands more leaving in just the past few years. Nurses and midwives have also thinned in numbers. The doctor-to-population ratio now stands at around 3.9 per 10,000well below the suggested global minimum, he noted. Mr Pate explained that the exodus is driven by a combination of factors, including better economic prospects, improved working conditions, access to advanced training, and more supportive research environments abroad. He acknowledged that the migration of health professionals from developing to developed countries is not new, but said it has intensified in recent years, with more healthcare workers aspiring to practice outside Nigeria. National policy on migration Despite the challenges, the minister said the situation offers an opportunity to rethink and reshape health workforce management policies. He referenced the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration as part of the federal governments broader efforts under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu. This policy is designed to address health workforce migration with dignitydignity for health workers, for the country, and for the profession, he said. It is not a restrictive policy, nor is it one born out of resignation. It is evidence-based and data-driven. He explained that the policy aims to retain and motivate health workers still in Nigeria, establish ethical recruitment agreements with destination countries, expand training capacity, reintegrate Nigerian professionals abroad, and strengthen regulatory systems and data management. Mr Pate acknowledged that the global health workforce shortage is at 18 million, and countries in the Global North face their human resource crises due to demography and other factors. But our response is based on stewardshipbalancing the rights of health professionals to seek opportunities abroad with our duty to protect the integrity and viability of our national health system, he said. Call to action Mr Pate, who praised President Tinubus role as the African Unions Continental Champion for Human Resources for Health and Community Health Delivery, urged other African countries to join Nigeria in forging a continental response to workforce mobility. He proposed a new compact based on pan-African training and accreditation standards, shared planning tools, and joint negotiating platforms with countries that recruit African health workers. Also speaking at the workshop, the President of AMCOA, Joel Okullo, emphasised the need for unity among African nations in regulating healthcare and managing the growing challenge of workforce mobility. Mr Okullo expressed the belief that the outcome of the workshop would produce actionable strategies to improve healthcare services across Africa. This years theme highlights our commitment to tackling the diverse array of challenges within the health regulatory landscape, he said. Let us embark on this journey with enthusiasm and a shared sense of purpose. Our collaborative efforts today and over the next few days will lay the groundwork for transformative changes. Professional unity, patient focus The Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Fatima Kyari, welcomed participants and noted that this was Nigerias first time hosting the AMCOA workshop. Ms Kyari lauded the alignment of leadership at various levels to ensure patient safety and stronger regulation. Chairman of MDCNs Governing Board and head of the Local Organising Committee, Afolabi Lesi, stressed the need for healthcare regulators to maintain global standards while tailoring practices to suit the local context. However, Mr Lesi raised concerns over divisions among health professionals that hinder effective teamwork and patient care. The reality is that while we have committed and clear directions at the level of governance, implementation of actions is bedevilled by fractioned and fractious relationships among health workers who ought to be working as a team, he said. The patients well-being and safety must be the primary focus of all our actions. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has attributed the bickerings and frictions noticeable in its fold to possible gaps in understanding the specific roles and responsibilities of the different actors within the Hajj industry. The spokesperson of the commission, Fatima Usara, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja. Mrs Usara expressed concerns that the frictions are being experienced at the time the commission is working towards enduring a successful Hajj this year. Although she was not specific about the frictions, Mrs Usara may be referring to media reports of the misunderstanding within the leadership of the commission. Daily Trust reported on Tuesday that some members of the board of NAHCON had expressed displeasure with the leadership style of the commissions chairman, Abdullahi Usman. According to reports, some aggrieved board members, who are also commissioners, had written a petition to Vice President Kashim Shettima, accusing Mr Usman, a professor, of gross misconduct, violation of procurement regulations and exclusion from activities at the commission. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The petitioners alleged that they were sidelined by the commission from the pre-hajj visits to Saudi Arabia, the fixing of Hajj fare, the selection of tour operators and Saudi service providers, and procurement, among other oversight functions. Mrs Usara admitted that the development is a cause for concern but assured that despite differing opinions, all parties share a common concern for the welfare of the pilgrims. Recently, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has, unfortunately, witnessed a series of bickering and exchanges in the media. This development, coming at a critical period when preparations for Hajj are peaking, is indeed a cause for concern. However, on the positive side, these exchanges reflect the keen interest of various stakeholders in ensuring the success of Hajj. It shows that, despite differing opinions, all parties share a common concern for the welfare of the pilgrims. That said, the back-and-forth also indicates a possible gap in understanding the specific roles and responsibilities of the different actors within the Hajj industry. This misunderstanding is perhaps responsible for some of the frictions being experienced as more efforts are geared towards the successful delivery of Hajj 2025, she said. The spokesperson said the commission fully understands these dynamics and, therefore, appealed to all stakeholders to kindly prioritise collaboration towards the immediate goal of delivering a successful Hajj exercise. We assure all concerned that, by Allahs grace, the commission will convene such a retreat after the Hajj, where all issues can be thoroughly discussed and amicably resolved, she stated. Read the full statement NAHCON: Lets Work Together for a Successful Hajj Recently, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has, unfortunately, witnessed a series of bickering and exchanges in the media. This development, coming at a critical period when preparations for Hajj are peaking, is indeed a cause for concern. However, on the positive side, these exchanges reflect the keen interest of various stakeholders in ensuring the success of Hajj. It shows that, despite differing opinions, all parties share a common concern for the welfare of the pilgrims. That said, the back-and-forth also indicates a possible gap in understanding the specific roles and responsibilities of the different actors within the Hajj industry. This misunderstanding is perhaps responsible for some of the frictions being experienced as more efforts are geared towards the successful delivery of Hajj 2025. It is worth recalling that since the assumption of office by the new NAHCON Chairman, Prof Abdullahi Saleh Usman, there has hardly been sufficient time to convene a stakeholders conference or retreat where roles, responsibilities, and limitations of each party could be clearly spelt out. Also recall that before his untimely exit from office, Malam Jalal Ahmad Arabi had indeed planned to hold such a retreat to address contentious issues and promote smoother operations going forward. The Commission fully understands these dynamics and, therefore, appeals to all stakeholders to kindly prioritize collaboration towards the immediate goal of delivering a successful Hajj exercise. We assure all concerned that, by Allahs grace, the Commission will convene such a retreat after the Hajj, where all issues can be thoroughly discussed and amicably resolved. For now, our stakeholders collective priority should be ensuring the success of the forthcoming Hajj, especially considering the huge financial, emotional, and spiritual investments that pilgrims have made in order to discharge this spiritual obligation. Let not our differences of understanding affect the trust reposed on us to serve our pilgrims efficiently. In another development, the Commission has received an official notice from Saudi Arabia informing that 13th April is the deadline for those who wish to enter the kingdom for Umrah, and 29th April is the deadline for those in kingdom for Umrah to exit the country in preparation for this year Hajj. The notice says any violation will attract a fine of SR100,000 (one hundred thousand Saudi Riyals). Please all Umrah pilgrims are advised to be guided by this directive to avoid any embarrassment. Fatima Sanda Usara, Assistant Director, Information and Publication, For Chairman NAHCON Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has expressed sadness over the death of Paschal Dozie, the founder of the defunct Diamond Bank and pioneer chairperson of MTN Nigeria. Mr Dozie passed away on 8 April at 85. The late entrepreneur hailed from Egbu, a community in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigerias South-east. Accomplished entrepreneur In a statement on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, Mr Otti described the late Dozie as an accomplished entrepreneur, investor, as well as a statesman. The governor said the entrepreneur recorded giant strides and made his mark in different fields of human endeavour. He said his passing was a big loss to the nation. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later He impacted humanity positively and wrote his name in gold in many areas. Hence, its very much in order to record that he led a fulfilled life. His death, though at old age, has created a huge vacuum that will be difficult to fill, the governor stated. Mt Otti expressed confidence that Mr Dozies impact would help him etch his name in the memories of many and inspire the younger generation to strive for excellence. The governor commiserated with the late Dozies family over the loss and prayed to God to grant his soul eternal repose in his bosom. READ ALSO: Tinubu mourns Pascal Dozie Founding Diamond Mr Dozie was best known as the founder of Diamond Bank, which he established in 1990 and led until his retirement. The bank became one of Nigerias most innovative financial institutions before merging with Access Bank in 2019. He later handed over the banks leadership to his son, Uzoma, who served as CEO until the merger. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Today, the headlines on the front pages of Nigerian newspapers varied. The Sun reported that FG laments mass migration of medical doctors abroad, and the Salient Times reported that USA slams Nigeria over ban on agricultural, pharmaceutical imports. According to the Daily Independent, 20 Years After, Rural Telephony Project Still In Doldrums. Daybreak newspaper reported, We are losing ground to Boko Haram- Zulum cries out! On its cover page, Tribune reported, Presidency, Ndume row over lopsided appointments claim, while Blueprint wrote, FG to review budget parameters, sustain oil, mineral production volumes. First News reported, APC Govs Beg Buhari to Halt Mass Defection to SDP, But He Refuses to Intervene. Daily Trust reported, Borno losing ground to terrorists Zulum, and a Guardian headline read, 16,000 doctors exit in 7yrs a fiscal loss, says FG. 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 NSA To Nigerians: Stop Paying Ransoms To Bandits, Kidnappers, Platform Times reported. According to Punch, 11 PDP governors urge SCourt to halt Rivers emergency rule. Tinubus appointments are based on merit, not tribalism. Presidency fires back at Naume, according to News Direct. Other major headlines include Ndume to Linubu: Your recent appointments violated the fed. character principle, make amends, a Daily Times front page headline. The newspaper also reported, Reps probe CBN over N1.12 trillion ABP farmers funds. No land-grabbing, only safe habitation, Aiyedatiwa clears air, the Hope reported. Customers can reclaim unclaimed airtime within 12 months of deactivation NCC, News Direct also reported. We thank Abiola Ayankunbi, a media management expert, for providing screenshots of the newspapers front pages. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Champion Breweries Plc has announced a revenue performance of N21 billion in 2024, indicating an increase of 64.5 per cent from the previous year. The companys Managing Director, Inalegwu Adoga, disclosed this to reporters at Bae Arena, a relaxation centre in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Monday. Mr Adoga said the figure shows that the companys profit after tax increased by 121 per cent. Our shareholder equity almost increased by over N1bn. Our earnings per share increased from N5.10k to N9.00 to give you a sense of our financial performance. Last year was very good for us, and this has not happened before, said Mr Adoga, according to Punch newspapers report. He said the company is growing into a dominant force in the beverage industry while reinforcing its deep connection with the people of Akwa Ibom, its operational base. Its necessary to make a statement of dominance as we elevate our game and optimise our momentum, he said, explaining that the Drink & Win Bar Activation Promo was the companys way of consolidating on its home market and the importance of maintaining visibility and dominance in Akwa Ibom. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Mr Adoga said the event was the beginning of a series of mega activations, noting that the initiative will be extended to other selling districts within the state to deepen brand visibility and consumer engagement. He described one of its brands, Champion Lager Beer, as the official beverage of Akwa Ibom State and expressed appreciation to customers for their support. He also announced that the can formats are in the market. We are going green and solar At the event, Mr Adoga told reporters that his company was going green, a term that referred to lifestyle and practices that minimise environmental impact but promote sustainability. May I officially announce that we are also going solar and green soon because of our eco-friendly core values and care for Mother Earth. While it is no brainer that going solar will cut the cost of our production, our primary objective is to sufficiently decarbonise our operations because it is the right thing to do to curtail environmental pollution and save planet earth for generations to come, he said. Champion Breweries Plc, incorporated in July 1974, is 50 years old in the competitive Nigeria brewing industry. The company has strived to maintain dominance in Akwa Ibom, its operational base, producing five products including Champion Lager Beer with Ginger Extract, Champ Malta, and Champ Malt with Tiger nut. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Blessing Adagba, the coordinator of Ngbo Central Development Centre in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, has been released by her abductors. She was released on Tuesday after spending about five days in captivity. It is unclear for now if a ransom was paid or not. Joshua Ukandu, the police spokesperson in the Ebonyi, confirmed her release to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki on Wednesday. NAN recalls that Mrs Adagba was abducted in the Okposhi Eheku community, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state, on 3 April. READ ALSO: Israeli rescued from kidnappers in Taraba Mr Ukandu, a superintendent of police, explained the role the police played in her release. The victim was released yesterday (Tuesday) night. During the tracking of the suspects, after the release of the victim, we were able to arrest one of the syndicate members, Chukwuemeka Nwazunku, a male. 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 We hope that the arrest of Nwazunku will help our men in fishing out the rest of the gang, the spokesperson said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A chieftain of Nigerias main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has petitioned President Bola Tinubu, alleging an assassination attempt on him by supporters of Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State. In a letter dated 7 April and addressed to Mr Tinubu through the Office of the National Security Adviser, the PDP chieftain, George Turnah, said his life and his family were in danger. Mr Turnah is the South-south zonal secretary of the PDP and a former executive assistant on public affairs to Governor Diri until 14 February. The PDP chieftain had switched political loyalty from Governor Diri to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and is currently the lead convener of the New Associates, Bayelsa Chapter, a platform he wants to organise a mega rally and reception of Mr Wike in Bayelsa on 12 April. Governor Diri, who is against the rally, has said he does not want Mr Wike to export the political crisis in Rivers to Bayelsa. In the petition, Mr Turnah alleged that Governor Diri is involved in a plot to form a coalition of political parties ahead of the 2027 elections. He said this move is against his (Mr Turnahs) belief that Mr Tinubu, a Southerner, should complete a second term in 2027, as was the case of former President Muhammadu Buhari. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later On 28 March, Governor Diri publicly called me out during both the State Security Council and Elders Council meetings, labelling me an enemy of the state and the Ijaw nation for proposing a rally to honour the president and the FCT minister on Ijaw soil, he said in the letter. State of emergency in Rivers President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and state lawmakers. In his petition, Mr Turnah said Governor Diri claimed President Tinubu suspended an Ijaw governor and that the FCT minister insulted the Ijaw people and should, therefore, not be hosted in Bayelsa state. The PDP chieftain said he addressed a press conference to clarify the situation and affirmed his commitment to the president and the FCT minister, after which he alleged that he has faced threats to the extent that one of Governor Diris loyalists, Jonah Paebi, boasted on a Facebook post that his actions were death trap and that people should watch how George Turnah will soon be a thing of the past. Mr Turnah attached a screenshot of the comments to the petition. This is a clear indication of an assassination plot by Governor Diris administration, he said, stressing that the governor has yet to condemn the statement. He claimed the threats had forced him to relocate his family from his home in Yenagoa, the state capital, and is currently seeking refuge in a hotel, a financial burden he said he could not sustain and urged the federal government to take measures to ensure his safety and those of his supporters. Governor Diris reaction to the rally In the petition, Mr Turnah attached a press statement from Governor Diris spokesperson, Daniel Alabrah, dated 27 March. The statement was released after the governor attended the Bayelsa Elders Council and the State Security Council meeting. As of today, that young man, George Turnah, is not a member of PDP in Bayelsa state, the governor was quoted as saying and warning that no public facility owned by the state government should be used for the rally. As you are aware, we have threats from our sister state. The political crisis there is threatening us, and we will not allow what is happening there to come to Bayelsa State, the governor said. He urged security agents in the state to be on alert and warned that any attempt to import Rivers political crisis to Bayelsa would be resisted. Childish allegation Gov Diri When contacted, Mr Diris spokesperson, Daniel Alabrah, described the governor as a man of peace who would not descend to the arena to respond to Mr Turnah. READ ALSO: PDP picks candidate for Anambra governorship election Mr Turnah is inconsequential when it comes to the governor responding to him. In law, it is said that he who alleges must prove, he said, asking Mr Turnah to prove his allegation. Ordinary post on Facebook that he claimed he saw? Is that a proof? It is a childish allegation. The governor is concerned about serious governance business, he said. At the proposed rally in honour of the FCT minister, the governors spokesperson said Mr Turnah should vacate the court order first. As it is, the court has said no rally until the matter is heard. The matter is before the court. He should go and defend himself on 11 April, not raising false alarms, Mr Alabrah said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Nigerian government has taken a significant step towards reforming the countrys electricity sector by unbundling the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) into two entities. The government, on Tuesday, inaugurated the board and management of the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO). The TCN, which coordinates the nations electricity transmission network, is one of 18 companies unbundled from the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in April 2004. It was incorporated in November 2005 and issued a transmission licence a year later. TCNs licensed activities include electricity transmission, system operation and electricity trading. The company is currently fully owned and operated by the government. In December 2023, the Nigerian government hinted at plans to restructure the TCN into two entities. Nigerias Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, at the time, said the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) transmission sub-sector has been identified as a critical weak point in the electricity value chain. 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 To align with the Electricity Act 2023 and the industrys demands, its time to restructure the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) into two entities: the Independent System Operator (ISO) and the Transmission Service Provider (TSP), Mr Adelabu said at the time. Under the new structure, the TSP will oversee TCNs physical infrastructure, including transmission towers, power lines, and substations, while the NISO will take charge of system operations, managing load allocation from generation companies to distribution companies and eligible customers. Speaking at the induction ceremony organised by the Bureau of Public Enterprises in Abuja on Tuesday, Abdu Mohammed, managing director/chief executive officer of NISO, explained that the company is committed to enhancing the availability, reliability, and quality of supply of electricity to Nigerians. You recall the passage of the bill that enacted the Electricity Act 2023, as amended, and the provisions therein for the creation of the Nigerian Independent System Operator. So, going by the law, the NISO has been inaugurated today by His Excellency, the Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima. We have been inaugurated this afternoon, and we have assumed the job role as described by the Electricity Act 2023. Our major role in the power industry is to bring the needed changes in the system that will enhance availability, reliability, and quality of supply of electricity to Nigerians. In addition to that, were supposed to create an atmosphere, an environment of transparency, discipline, and orderliness in the electricity business in Nigeria, meaning that participants in generation, transmission, distribution, and eligible customers behave in a passionate manner in line with the provisions of the market rules and the grid code, he said. He further explained that the coming on board of the NISO Board of Management will usher these qualities that are required to make the power sector tick, just like other power sectors in bigger jurisdictions. Now its a journey. Its not a one-off business. The beginning of the journey starts today. We begin today, and were going to set the ground running. We hit the ground running. Tomorrow, were going to Oshogbo, the National Control Center, to make sure that our operators are aligned with our vision, mission, objectives, and goals as enshrined in the Electricity Act 2023. Furthermore, were going to have interfaces with generation companies, with the TSP, with the distribution companies, and eligible customers. Those interfaces must be coordinated well, managed well, to make sure that the generation of electricity, transmission of electricity, distribution, and utilisation of electricity is in line with the rules and is in favour of the numerous Nigerian customers. We understand the challenges in the industry, and were going to tackle them pragmatically and systematically. Were going to deal with these problems, like I said, its a journey, were starting from somewhere, and gradually, definitely with speed and quality, we shall be there to make sure that Nigerians enjoy a steady, reliable electricity supply in the nearest period, he said. Last month, President Bola Tinubu appointed executive and non-executive board members for the newly established NISO. Adesegun Akin-Olugbade was appointed the board chairman, while Abdu Mohammed, an engineer, was appointed managing director. The president has also appointed four Executive Directors: Nafisatu Ali for Systems Operation, Shehu Abba-Aliyu for Systems Planning, Edmund Eje for Market Operations, and Babajide Ibironke for Finance and Corporate Services. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Governing Council of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) has exonerated the Vice-Chancellor, Abayomi Fasina, a professor, from the sexual harassment allegations levelled against him by the universitys former Director of Works, Folasade Adebayo. The council directed Mrs Adebayo, the accuser, to write a letter of apology to the council within seven days. In February, the university council set up a committee to investigate the sexual harassment allegations levelled against the VC by Mrs Adebayo and which the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), FUOYE chapter constantly pushed for investigation. According to a statement by the university registrar, Muftau Ibrahim, the council received the report of the investigative committee and considered it at a meeting on Tuesday. The council also said the report found the Chairperson of SSANU-FUOYE, Benjamin Faleye, and Secretary, Ayomikun Aluko, of misconduct for issuing a communique accusing the vice-chancellor of the same allegations. The university had in December suspended Mr Faleye and Mrs Aluko after accusing them of making unproven allegations against the VC without routing the complaints through the university authorities. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The council, however, said it has lifted Mr Faleye and Mrs Alukos suspensions with the condition that they forfeit half their salaries during the period of suspension. It also asked them to write letters of apology and undertaking to abide by the laws of the university within seven days. On the alleged case of sexual harassment levelled against the VC, Abayomi Fasina, a professor, council asked the VC to recuse himself from the meeting to ensure free and open deliberation on the report, parts of the statement reads. The audio recordings were listened to by all council members with the assistance of a translator. Thereafter, Council discussed the report exhaustively though the audio recordings were not subjected to any forensic evaluation and arrived at. There was no case of sexual harassment thus confirming the earlier investigation by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) during which investigation Adebayo had made a statement that she was not sexually harassed. All documents relied on in the investigation by the Committee were attached to the report (NPF report, audio tapes, their transcripts, correspondences by the Vice-Chancellor and Adebayo, minutes of Management meetings etc). The council condemned the recording of the vice-chancellor without his consent. It also accused Mrs Adebayo of using the recording as a tool for blackmail to have her confirmed as substantive Director of Works. Contrary to Adebayos allegation that she was removed as Acting Director of Works and Services, her tenure rather expired, the statement said. The council agreed to come up with policies on cyber-bullying, use of social media, community and public relations. The statement also indicated that the Council will set up a Peace and Reconciliation Committee to look into all issues within the University. Background The universitys former Director of Works, Mrs Adebayo, had accused Mr Fasina of sexually harassing her and victimising her after she repeatedly rejected his advances. She provided an audio recording of Mr Fasina pestering her for an illicit relationship, which she said began sometime in 2023. In the recording obtained by PREMIUM TIMES late last year, Mr Fasina could be heard telling Mrs Adebayo that he would make her happy as long as she made him happy. In the conversation, he prayed for her, commended her works and threw his advances at her. Let me tell you, Im dying inside for you, he said, in a mix of Yoruba and English. When she asked him to stop, he dismissed her saying, Youre only speaking grammarSomeone said they like you and youre saying (something else). Mrs Adebayo said in the phone recordings: What I think personally is that its not right. Were married and its not the right thing at allThat you need a confidant, thats not a problem. You know I always look for your interest in terms of administration, I always work on your directives. But he said she was only looking at it from a moral and spiritual angle. You are only looking at it from two angles alone but it goes beyond that, he said. I think youre looking at it that the two of us are married. See let me tell youmarriage is by chance. If I had seen you before getting married to my wife, do you think I cant get married to you? Just make me happy, Sade (Mrs Adebayo). Listen, I beg you in the name of God, make me happy, I will make you happy. I wont say more than that. And things will work out fine, he added. When Mrs Adebayo pointed out a cordial relationship she has with his wife and why it is wrong for her to even be the one to do that to the wife, Mr Fasina interjected with Shut up, shut up, thats what I dont want you to say. But she continued; That is even secondary, the main thing is that I am a married woman and it is not right. The VC made it clear he was not going to give up. I wont relent o, he said to which she replied, Thats always your final word. As the phone call ended, he said: Im still on my stance, I know youre stubborn but God will help me on this. Mrs Adebayo said her continuous refusal led to Mr Fasina victimising her by issuing unwarranted queries, demoting her and criticising her work ethic. SSANU wades in One time during its congress, SSANU-FUOYE resolved to push for an investigation into the alleged harassment against one of their members, Mrs Adebayo. But they couldnt take any action at the time because there was no council to report the matter to, according to one member who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES. President Bola Tinubu had in June 2023 dissolved the councils of all tertiary institutions and only reappointed them a year later in July 2024. Its not possible for the union to write to the vice-chancellor because he was the one being accused, the SSANU official, a member of the university, said, asking not to be named. So we have to wait and allow the federal government to drop the list of the governing council. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the union wrote the newly constituted council in July, seeking redress for Mrs Adebayo. The council, then led by Kayode Ojo, invited the VC Mr Fasina, Mrs Adebayo and the leadership of SSANU to a reconciliatory meeting at the institutions liaison office in Abuja in September 2024. (Mr Ojo was later replaced with Victor Ndoma-Egba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) as chairperson of FUOYE council.) The matter, however, remains unresolved, according to individuals familiar with the situation. One person told this newspaper that the meeting at one point asked Mrs Adebayo to apologise to Mr Fasina to which she refused. A day after the unfruitful meeting in Abuja, Mrs Adebayo wrote to the council, restating her grievances and noting they were not addressed at the meeting. She noted in the letter that though she was persuaded to let go of her grievances, her concerns were not fully addressed. She listed the grievances as; false allegation of writing a petition against the VC, false allegation of attempted seduction of the vice-chancellor, and false allegation regarding a construction project at the College of Medicine. She said: It was alleged that I authored a petition against the VC, an allegation which is entirely false. I had no knowledge of how the petition came to be, and I am, in fact, a victim of this petition. On multiple occasions, I had to travel to Lagos and Osogbo, at great personal risk due to the poor condition of the roads, responding to invitations from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) and the Nigeria Police Force, all at my own expense. She added that the construction for the college of medicine project, for which she was alleged to have authorised, there is documented evidence confirming that the VC himself requested and obtained a No Objection approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement for this project. It is difficult to comprehend why the VC would claim ignorance of this matter. SSANUs continuous push After a congress held on 25 November 2024, SSANU-FUOYE raised the matter again, calling on the federal government to investigate the allegations against Mr Fasina. The union also issued a communique signed by the Chairperson, Benjamin Faleye, and Secretary, Ayomikun Aluko. The union also wrote to the Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Abdullahi Ribadu, over the same allegations of harassment, intimidation and abuse of office against the VC. Queries and suspension On 4 December 2024, the university registrar issued queries separately to SSANU-FUOYE Chairperson, Mr Faleye, and Secretary, Mrs Aluko. The queries were issued after an emergency meeting of the university council held on Wednesday 4 December 2024, according to a copy of the query signed by the registrar and secretary to the council, Mufutau Ibrahim. The query letters noted that the union leaders addressed a press conference and made unproven allegations against the VC without routing the complaints through the university authorities. The council reviewed the matter carefully and observed that you caused these weighty allegations to be published by several news media including Sahara Reporters from where the unproven allegations have gone viral in the social media world. As you are aware, the university operates based on the Act of Parliament, Statute rule and regulations all of which guide staff conduct and behaviour and guard discipline in the system, the letter reads in part. In his response, as seen by this newspaper, Mr Faleye said he had done nothing wrong in his capacity as a university employee. He noted that the issues listed by the university in the query are union issues and should therefore be directed to the union and not him as an individual. Days later on 9 December, the university suspended both Mr Faleye and Mrs Aluko for misconduct identified in the query, after noting that their response was unsatisfactory. The suspension letter, signed by the university registrar, Mufutau Ibrahim, also advised them to stay away from the university premises except otherwise expressed in writing. READ ALSO: FUOYE panel investigating VC set to release report Council, ICPC investigates In February, the university council set up a committee to conduct comprehensive investigation into the allegations levelled against the VC by Mrs Adebayo and which SSANU, FUOYE chapter, constantly pushed for investigation. Earlier in January, the ICPC said it had initiated a probe into the allegations against the professor. The ICPC action followed a petition submitted by a coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs), including the Gender Mobile Initiative and Baobab for Womens Human Rights, Education as a Vaccine, BIGIF, BraveHeart Initiative and Hope Behind Bars. The groups said their intervention was aimed at eradicating gender-based violence and fostering accountability in public institutions. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The United States has criticised Nigerias longstanding import ban on 25 product categories, warning that the policy undermines American exporters and blocks access to one of Africas largest consumer markets. The complaint came as part of a new campaign launched by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), following President Donald Trumps announcement of sweeping new tariffs targeting Chinas industrial overcapacity. In honour of @POTUS historic trade action, the USTR said in a post on X, we are spotlighting another 10 unfair trade practices faced by American exporters. Leading the list was a symbolic grievance showing that more than 100,000 Chinese-made American flags are sold each month on just one e-commerce platform, the USTR said, costing US manufacturers an estimated $2 million in lost sales. American flags should be made in America! the agency wrote. Nigeria featured later in the statement, with the USTR highlighting the countrys import ban on 25 different product categories as a significant barrier to US trade. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later These policies create significant trade barriers that lead to lost revenue for US businesses looking to expand in the Nigerian market, it wrote. Restrictions on items like beef, pork, poultry, fruit juices, medicaments, and spirits limit U.S. market access and reduce export opportunities. The ban placed on 25 products, a policy initially introduced by Nigerias central bank in 2015, blocks access to foreign exchange for a wide range of imported goods as part of a broader push to promote local manufacturing. The USTR also cited similar practices in other countries, including Kenya, which imposes a 50 per cent tariff and what it called burdensome regulatory requirements on U.S. corn imports. India and Thailand restrict US fuel ethanol, while Angola is preparing to limit import licences for beef, pork and poultry from July 2025, a move that could disrupt over $130 million in American poultry exports. The European Union was also targeted, particularly for its deforestation and carbon rules, which the USTR estimates could impact more than $13 billion in annual US exports. These include geolocation mandates and emissions-based pricing mechanisms, which the US claimed that it gives EU-based competitors an unfair edge. The trade spotlight comes days after President Donald Trump announced a sweeping package of tariffs on Chinese good, including electric vehicles, semiconductors, and solar cell, citing national security and the need to restore long-term economic competitiveness. On 2 April, Mr Trump unveiled a 10 per cent baseline tariff on all US imports, starting 5 April, with even higher duties for countries deemed to be trading unfairly. Nigerian exports to the US will now face a 14 per cent tariff. These reciprocal tariffs, set to take effect on 9 April, are part of what President Trump called a strategy to promote economic independence and reduce the US trade deficit, particularly with major players like China and the European Union. While the Trump administration says the measures are intended to protect American jobs and industries, the new USTR campaign highlights a growing list of grievances with global trade partners. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A Zenith Bank Plcs staff member, Femi Remigus, on Tuesday, tendered exhibits against Ali Bello, a nephew of former Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State in a money laundering trial involving alleged diversion of N3 billion states coffers. Ali is the current Chief of Staff to Yahaya Bellos successor Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State, Mr Remigus, a compliance officer at the bank, tendered the exhibits while appearing as the sixth prosecution witness in Alis trial. He was led in evidence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)s lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). Mr Ali, who is a nephew to Governor Ododos predecessor, Yahaya Bello. Mr Bello, who was governor for eight years till last year, is facing similar charges of diverting Kogi State Governments funds before two judges in separate courts. On 8 February 2023, the EFCC arraigned Ali Bello, alongside Abba Daudu, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege, Iyada Sadat and Rashida Bello (said to be at large) on 18 counts of criminal misappropriation and money laundering of N3,081,804,654.00. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later They, however, pleaded not guilty to all the counts when they were read to them before trial judge Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja. On Tuesday, Mr Remigus, the Zenith Bank official, explained to the judge how millions of naira were deposited into Komfort Koncept Companys bank account from the bank account names of different local government areas (LGAs) in the state on different dates in 2018. The witness said that on specific dates, monies were simultaneously transferred from the said account, at different times, into some of the defendants bank accounts, especially Mr Daudus. On 4 October 2018, there were nine credits or inflows into the account of Komfort Koncept Company, he said. He told the court that N18,629,944 came from Ibaji LGA of Kogi of Kogi State. He said N20,887,537 came from Adavi LGA and N17,496,929 came from Kogi LGA. The prosecution witness also said N18,460,565 came from Kabba LGA while N17 million came from Ankpa LGA. Yagba West Local Government credited N18,234,063, while Ofu Local Government credited N21,363,633, the witness added. When asked how much was in the Komfort Koncepts bank account before the inflows, Remigus said: N7,275. According to him, on the date of the inflows, there was a transfer of N105 million to Abba Daudu and others. Earlier in the proceedings, the EFCCs witness identified associated bank documents, including the statements of account, account opening packages and certificates of identification of accounts of Komfort Koncept, Mr Yakubu, Mr Daudu, and others. Mr Oyedepo, the prosecuting lawyer, therefore, applied to tender the documents as exhibits but defence legal team, including Nureni Jimoh, a SAN, objected to the admissibility of the documents but reserved objections for the final written address stage. The judge, Mr Egwuatu subsequently admitted the exhibits in evidence, noting that the probative value of the exhibits would be determined by the court during the judgment. The judge then rescheduled the case for 5, 19, 20, and 21 May. It would be recalled that the EFCC is also prosecuting Ali Bello in another case before another judge, James Omotosho of the same Abuja Division of the Federal High Court. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Lamidi Apapa has declared himself as the national chairman of the Labour Party, citing the recent judgement of the Supreme Court. Mr Apapa made the declaration at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, adding a new twist to the leadership crisis rocking the party. The partys leadership crisis has escalated since the Supreme Court judgement delivered on 4 April nullifying an earlier verdict that recognised Julius Abure as the partys national chair. Following the Supreme Court judgement, disputing parties have interpreted it to support preferred interests and persons asserting to be the legitimate chair of the party. Mr Apapa, whose claim to the partys leadership dates back to 2022, reasserted himself as the partys chair on Wednesday, joining Mr Abure and Nenadi Usman, who have made similar declarations in the aftermath of the Supreme Court verdict. Ms Usman came into the equation after she was appointed the partys caretaker committee chair last year. 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 While claiming to be the chair of the Labour Party in the lead-up to the 2023 general elections, Mr Apapa antagonised the partys presidential candidate Peter Obi. He also made frantic efforts to thwart the case Mr Obi and the party filed in court to challenge the victory of President Bola Tinubu and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). Chairmanship assertions? Renewing his claim to the partys leadership on Wednesday, Mr Apapa announced that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party as constituted as of 2022 would meet on Monday 14 April. Following the dismissal of the cross-appeal filed by the ousted former National Chairman Julius Abure, also by the Supreme Court on 4 April 2025, what this means is that all actions and decisions taken by Abure since 4 April 2023, are null and void, Mr Apapa said. He added, Following the decision of the Supreme Court on setting aside all judgements that recognise the leadership of Julius Abure as National Chairman, I, Lamidi Apapa, the most senior deputy national chairman, and in consonance with our party constitution, Article 14 2(a)(b), hereby take over the running of the affairs of our great party with effect from today, Wednesday, the 9th day of April 2025, in an acting capacity, and Farouk Ibrahim as National Secretary. Mr Apapa also announced a list of what he described as members of the partys National Working Committee. They are Deputy National Chairman NLC, Ladi Iliya; Deputy National Chairman TUC, Ayo Olorunfemi, National Secretary; Umar Ibrahim, National Legal Adviser; Oyelekan Akingbade, National Publicity Secretary; Abayomi Arabambi, and Oluchi Opara as National Youth Leader. He also planned to zone the position of the partys National Chairman to the North and National Secretary to the South. My leadership will also take proactive steps to resuscitate the moribund Board of Trustees and make it functional, he said. He added that the partys NWC constituted as of 2022, will set in motion the conduct of Ward Congresses, Local Government Congresses, State Congresses, and National Convention, where every member of the party shall have the right to participate, provided you are a financial member. Background The Supreme Court, on Friday, 4 April, set aside the judgement of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which recognised Mr Abure as the national chairperson of the Labour Party (LP). A five-member panel of the Supreme Court unanimously held that the Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction to have affirmed Abure as chairman of the LP since the substance of the case was about the partys leadership. It held that the issue of leadership was an internal affair of a party over which courts lacked jurisdiction. The court upheld the appeal filed against the judgement by Nenadi Usman, who was appointed the caretaker chairperson of the party in September 2024, and one other. The National Executive Committee (NEC) had sacked the Mr Abure-led executive in September last year and appointed Ms Usman, a former Minister of Finance and ex-senator representing Kaduna South, to lead a 29-member caretaker committee and facilitate the election of a new party leadership within 90 days. The Supreme Court held on Friday that Ms Usmans appeal was meritorious, as it also dismissed the cross-appeal filed by the Mr Abure-led faction of the LP for lacking merit. Earlier on 17 January 2025, the Court of Appeal ruled that its earlier decision in November 2024, recognising Mr Abure as the partys chairman, remained valid and had not been overturned by any court. Hamma Barka, who read the lead judgement, held that the appellate court did not consider the two separate appeals filed by the appellants since they centred on party leadership, on which the court lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate. He said anything done outside jurisdiction amounted to nullity. The court voided the judgement of the Federal High Court delivered on 8 October 2024 on the grounds that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit. The party was founded in 2002 by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which was at the time the umbrella body for all Nigerian workers. It made its first remarkable performance in a national election when it fielded former Anambra State Governor, Mr Obi, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) , as its presidential candidate. The party stunningly came third in the presidential election behind the PDP and the APC, which won the poll. It won in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and in 11 of the 36 states, ensuring for the first time since the advent of the Fourth Republic that no presidential candidate, including the winner, polled up 50 per cent of the vote. The party also picked up an unprecedented number of seats in the National Assembly and some state Houses of Assembly, and won the Abia State governorship election. But with the lingering crisis in the party and the allure of the ruling APC, some of its legislators have defected, making the chances of reenacting its 2023 sterling performance or surpassing it slimmer by the day. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has arrested some unidentified persons allegedly buying National Identification Numbers (NINs) from Nigerians in Anambra State, the countrys South-east region. Kayode Adegoke, NIMC spokesperson, said in a statement on Wednesday, that the commission received a report that the suspects asked residents to submit their NINs in exchange for money. Mr Adegoke said the offence contravenes the NIMC Act No 23, 2007, Data Protection Act, and the Cyber Crime Act. The NIMC spokesperson said the commission arrested the individuals upon receiving notice of the illegal collection of the NIN. He said the arrest was carried out in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and State Security Service operatives. They are currently being interrogated and would be made to face the full wrath of the law, he said of the arrested suspects. 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 Dont submit your NINs to unauthorised individuals Mr Adegoke urged Nigerians, particularly Anambra residents, to desist from submitting their NINs to unauthorised individuals, organisations or platforms. He stressed that the Nigerian government and NIMC have not authorised such a collection, maintaining that anyone caught would be sanctioned appropriately. At no time should NIN holders give out their NINs for monetary compensation. This is against the laws of the federation, he said. Mr Adegoke recalled that the commission had earlier warned Nigerians against sharing their NIN or data with anyone or on any fictitious websites. The NIN can only be used by the holders to access government or private sector services, and it must be verified, he stated. The NIMC spokesperson said the commission had taken necessary measures to curb the activities of fraudsters buying NINs from Nigerians. He appealed to Nigerians to contact the commission whenever they notice indiscriminate collection of their NINs by unauthorised persons. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership has announced plans to track the compliance of Nigerian tertiary institutions with the recent directive issued by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa. In a statement signed by the centres media adviser, Aliyu Jalal, and shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday, the centre said a dedicated countdown for the compliance-tracking initiative would go live in a few weeks. A dedicated countdown webpage will go live in the coming weeks, allowing Nigeriansincluding students, alumni, parents, researchers, and development partnersto see, in real-time, which institutions are embracing transparency and which are falling short, parts of the statement reads. The centre said it is working with stakeholders to establish an annual university transparency index to rate universities by audit compliance, financial disclosure, and governance effectiveness. Speaking on the planned university transparency index, the Founder of the Athena Centre, Osita Chidoka, noted: The University Transparency Index will become both a spotlight and a scoreboard. It will reward credible leadership, stimulate healthy competition, and reposition Nigerian universities for global relevance. The centre also said it offers technical assistance to any institutions requiring support in setting up open data platforms and building internal capacity to comply with transparency standards. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later It also recommended that the minister directed the publishing of audited financial statements and link institutional transparency to funding and accreditation, The centre called for the launch of a centralised university transparency portal for budgets, grants, and performance reports. Create a University Transparency Index to rank institutions, reward excellence, and highlight best practices; professionalise financial management to certify bursars and financial officers in global standards like IFRS and strengthen the Auditor-Generals oversight to ensure governance reviews are tied to real-time audits and reforms, it added. Ministers directive The education minister, Mr Alausa, recently directed all public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education to publish full breakdown of their annual budgetary allocation on personnel cost, overhead costs and capital expenditures as well as their endowment funds and research grant revenues, including from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). The minister also directed the institutions to provide their current total student population, categorised into undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The Ministry emphasises that this information must be presented in a clear, accessible, and user-friendly format for public visibility. Websites should be structured in a way that allows the public, including parents, students, and stakeholders, to easily locate and understand these data points, said a statement announcing the ministers directive as issued by the ministrys spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo. Financial secrecy affects Nigerian universities Last month, an Athena Centre research which surveyed 64 Nigerian universities both public and private revealed that none of them publish their budgets. The research also noted that most public universities ignored Freedom of Information (FOI) request for their allocation It concluded that the culture of secrecy systematically excludes the institutions from the global research funding ecosystem and diminishes their international credibility. In Wednesdays statement, the Athena Centre commended the minister for the directive, noting that it aligned with the centres long-standing advocacy for transparency and accountability in Nigerias higher education system. The directive directly and positively responds to the Athena Centres recent University Transparency Survey, which revealed systemic gaps in financial openness, governance standards, and stakeholder engagement across Nigerias university system, the centre said. The directive validates the findings and recommendations of our study. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print US President Donald Trump has announced a 90-day pause on the reciprocal tariffs imposed on 60 countries, including Nigeria, with the exception of China. The US president announced the reversal of his rattling trade policy, which took effect on Wednesday, in a post on Truth Social. However, the US president kept the 10 per cent baseline tariff in place for all countries. I have authorised a 90-day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10 per cent, also effective immediately, he said. PREMIUM TIMES reported that Nigeria was one of the 60 countries affected by the reciprocal tariffs with the US imposing a 14 per cent tariff on goods from Nigeria, the second highest in West Africa. In response, the Nigerian government said it would not retaliate but use the instruments of the World Trade Organisation to call for dialogue between all parties. 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 More tariff on China In his statement, Mr Trump also increased tariffs imposed on China from 104 to 125 per cent and noted that the levy would continue to rise due to the countrys continued retaliation. The tariff increase on Chinese goods will take effect immediately, he said. Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the Worlds Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125 per cent, effective immediately. At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the USA and other Countries are no longer sustainable or acceptable, he wrote. The higher tariffs on China came after the Asian country hiked its retaliatory duties on US imports to 84 per cent from 34 per cent. This tariff was a response to the US earlier doubling its duties on Chinese goods, bringing the total tariff rate to as much as 104 per cent. President Trumps reciprocal tariff imposed last Tuesday escalated the trade war between the two global giants. Mr Trump described it as payback for unfair trade policies used in the past years. However, several countries retaliated with a levy on US imports. Earlier on Wednesday, the European Union approved a 25 per cent tariff on a broad range of US goods as its first countermeasure against Mr Trumps reciprocal tariffs. The bloc imposed a 25 per cent duty on US cars, steel and aluminium. The levy also affected imports from the US, such as soybeans, sweet corn, rice, almonds, orange juice, cranberries, tobacco, iron, steel, aluminum, certain boats and vehicles, textiles, and certain clothes, and various types of makeup. The total value of US goods affected by the EU tariffs is 22.1 billion euros, based on the EUs 2024 import data from Eurostat. However, this is less than 26 billion euros of EU metals exports hit by Mr Trumps tariffs. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Silas Jonathan, the digital investigations manager for the Digital Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and Information Disorder Analysis Centre (DAIDAC), has won the 2025 Michael Elliot Award for Excellence in African Storytelling for Nigeria. The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) made this announcement via its official X handle @ICFJ. Announcing the 2025 winners of the Michael Elliott Award for Excellence in African Storytelling! Congratulations to @GodwinAsediba of Ghana and @Silas2Silas of Nigeria the X post read. The award announcement flyer. Photo source ICFJ. Silas, who leads the DIDAC team under CJID, is an expert in media research, fact-checking, disinformation analysis, and Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT). DAIDAC is a Project of the Centre the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) focused on the complex interplay between technology, AI, and information systems, particularly in the context of African societies and democracies. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later His winning story, How Telegram, TikTok aided Russian disinformation that led to the incarceration of Nigerian minors was published on DUBAWA in November 2024. This investigation followed DUBAWas observation during its #EndBadGovernance live fact-check in August 2024. DUBAWA observed that in the North, the protest was dominated by Russian flags, which seemed out of place considering the protests purpose which was against the economic struggle and hardship faced by citizens. This investigation dug into the ways in which foreign disinformation campaigns can influence African politics and society. Reacting to this win, Silas who is now the sixth Nigerian to win this award said he is excited and believes this win cements the role of OSINT in Nigerian Journalism. i really feel great. It is a career changing award. I think it is a big contribution to OSINT and a confirmation that OSINT has a place in journalism he said. Last year, DUBAWAs editor, Kemi Busari, won this award with his Baba Aisha investigation. The Elliott Award was established in 2016 in honor of former ICFJ board member Michael Elliott, who served as a top editor at The Economist, Newsweek, and Time before becoming CEO of ONE. The Award aims to advance the careers of emerging journalists in Africa who work to strengthen peoples voices and improve their well-being. The award is sponsored by ICFJ in partnership with the ONE campaign. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State announced on Wednesday in Benin that he has begun mobilising support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubus 2027 reelection bid. The governor disclosed this while receiving Kaycee Osamwonyi, an Edo House of Assembly member. Mr Osamwonyi defected from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The lawmaker represents the Uhunmwonde State Constituency and serves on the Edo House of Assembly Committee on Budget and Appropriation. He was first received by APC State Chairperson Jarrett Tenebe before being presented to Governor Okpebholo. Welcoming the lawmaker, Mr Okpebholo commended him and his fellow defectors for strengthening the APC. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later He assured them of a supportive environment for collaboration and development in Edo. We congratulate you on your return home. Your defection, along with four others, has made our party stronger and more united, Mr Okpebholo said. A lot of people from other political parties are ready to join us. Very soon, it will be a carnival of defections. I seek your support to drive development. Together, we will transform Edo and improve the lives of our people. Uhunmwonde Local Government is very dear to me. Together, we can unlock its potential and attract meaningful growth and development, he added. Speaking on the upcoming election, Governor Okpebholo declared: The 2027 presidential election is near. Here in Edo, we are ready. We have already kick-started our campaign for President Tinubus reelection. He urged the youth to get involved, saying, We must mobilise young people. You are part of that demographic, and I assure you, youll find fulfilment in the APC. Presenting Mr Osamwonyi, the APC chairperson, Mr Tenebe noted that the party now holds a majority in the Edo Assembly. Osamwonyi joined us because of your administrations impressive achievements in such a short time, Mr Tenebe said. PDP crisis In his remarks, Mr Osamwonyi cited internal divisions within the PDP as the reason for his defection. The PDP internal crisis, from the national level down to the wards, pushed me to return to the APC. For me, its a homecoming. I was once a member of this great party, he said. He praised the state governments development initiatives, especially those affecting his constituency. Several projects in the state budget for Uhunmwonde are commendable. I had to align with the APC to ensure progress for my people, he added. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The universality of self-defence refers to the inherent and widely recognised right of individuals and states to use force for the purpose of defending themselves against an imminent or actual threat, a concept found across cultures, religions, and philosophies, and enshrined in international law. Growing up on the dusty streets of Sabon-Gari in Kano saw me take a liking to several newspaper columnists. One of these columnists is Sonala Olumhese. Perhaps, owing to his ability to deliver his message in simple yet flowery language, not minding whose ox is gored, his penchant for delving into topical issues, or his sense of humour, I always found his columns delightful, educative and insightful. I, therefore, was understandably perturbed, if not disheartened, reading his piece of 6 April, titled We Have To Shut Down the State Security Service. I kept wondering if it was the same Sonala Olumhese who penned this piece. Or a hilarious parody? Uncle Sonala, as I love to call him, began by narrating how, in August 2024, Mr Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi became the new director-general of the State Security Service (SSS). Six months after his arrival, Mr Ajayi is proposing new thinking about Nigeria that suggests the collapse of the governments traditional security architecture and its responsibility for fixing its growing insecurity, he noted. He continued, According to the SSS chief, communities not the countrys security agencies should now become the nations first line of defence in tackling the current issues. You do not expect the Nigerian Army, police, and SSS to protect every Nigerian. It is not going to work, he quoted and rightly so the SSS boss as saying. 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 Apparently, the position of the SSS boss did not sit well with the respected columnist. And he didnt conceal his sentiments. He snarled, We DO expect the security agencies to do their work. That is what the constitution provides, affirming that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government. Not secondary purpose, but the primary.' Not done, the columnist continued, This means that this is the first order of business of the government of the federation, which is the level of governance that hasand controlsthe security agencies. Apparently, he was miffed that Mr Ajayi, arguably one of the finest Secret Service officers in the history of Nigeria, cited examples of communities in Nigeria that are on record for combating and defeating attacks, trying to frame them as a template for Nigeria if she is to defeat insecurity. He blurted, It is a bad argument. Nigerian communities have always defended themselves and they still do, despite the imbalance in modern firepower where they find themselves holding sticks and cutlasses as against the handguns and assault rifles routinely deployed against them by kidnappers, terrorists or even security agents. Mr Olumhese, in his piece, noted that, it is the responsibility of the state to protect its citizens, noting, it is a debt the government incurs when it takes the oath of office. He noted that, the problem is that in Nigeria, after the government has been sworn in, the love of luxury and sense of power kicks in over and above a sense of obligation. Over the years, I have, time and again, seen columnists fall into the trap that social scientists call value judgement. For those who may not be familiar with the term, value judgement is a statement expressing an opinion about the worth, goodness, or importance of something, based on personal values or beliefs, rather than objective facts. To be sure, the protection of life and property is the core responsibility of governments the world over. What remains a global challenge is how to tackle this arduous, if not impossible, task. Like what economists call the Problem of Scarcity, where we have an unlimited number of desires in the face of limited resources, the challenge becomes how to allocate these limited resources. In 2024, the world population was estimated to be 8.2 billion people. Mr Olumhese would agree that it is impracticable to assemble 8.2 billion policemen for the sole purpose of policing 8.2 billion people. Attempting to do that would mean that we wouldnt have teachers, drivers, firemen and columnists! It was against the grain of this reality that the United Nations recommended the minimum ratio of one policeman to protect 450 citizens. Nigeria has a police to citizen ratio of 1 to 600. It is interesting to note that even in the United Kingdom, which has a relatively high police to citizen ratio of 1:179, there were over 570 recorded homicide victims in 2024. In other words, in 2024, the UK government was unable to prevent the murder of 570 citizens. Imagine if these hapless victims had the opportunity to defend themselves. Perhaps theyd be alive today! It is against the realisation that it is practically impossible to protect the life of each citizen at all times that led to the universal concept of self-defence, which the SSS DG tried to highlight as the possible solution to our security challenges. The universality of self-defence refers to the inherent and widely recognised right of individuals and states to use force for the purpose of defending themselves against an imminent or actual threat, a concept found across cultures, religions, and philosophies, and enshrined in international law. In fact, so important is the principle of self-defence that it found its way into the United Nations Charter. Article 51 of the UN Charter states that, Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations In other words, according to the UN, self-defence is an inalienable right of an individual. It has nothing to do with the government. Even at that, the most powerful country in the world today in terms of military might and security is the United States. In 2023, the country spent a whopping $820 billion on security. However, it still is the country with the highest number of guns in private hands in the world. With 340 million people in 2024, there were 393 million privately owned firearms in the US. This translates to 120.5 firearms per 100 persons. Nobody has accused the US government that, in spite of its $820 billion security budget, Americans are still responsible for protecting themselves. Nobody has called for the scrapping of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) which, by the way, has budgeted $11.3 billion for 2025. Nobody has said, well, since nearly all Americans bear arms, the over 2.63 million military personnel in six branches of the US military should be disbanded. Self-defence is standard practice all over the world, so the SSS DG didnt say or propose anything new. Even in Switzerland, considered one of the safest countries in the world, private gun ownership is common. Citizens, including those who have completed military service, are allowed to own firearms, but with regulations and permits required for acquisition and carrying in public. The same kind of regulation the DSS boss advocated. Back home in Africa, several countries encourage their citizens to bear arms for self-defence. There was this recent case of a Namibian man arrested by Nigerian security officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. He had a pistol. When Nigerian authorities reached out to the Namibian High Commission, after running some checks, they confirmed that the arrestee was duly licenced by their home government to carry the weapon. Nigerian security officers had no choice but to release him. From Ghana to South Africa, from Egypt to Angola, citizens are permitted to bear arms for self-defence. Centuries before countries came together to form the United Nations, our forefathers understood the principle of self-defence. This is captured in this very common African proverb: It is only a tree that would hear it is going to be cut down, and it would stay unmoved. On a final note, it is important to note that the SSS DG, Mr Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi isnt the first high-profile security chief to call for self-defence as a solution to our insecurity. In October 2022, retired Army General, Theophilus Y Danjuma advised Nigerians to take up arms and defend themselves against terrorist attacks. Danjuma, it would be recalled, served as chief of army staff, and later, minister of defence. He made the call way long after leaving office. In my opinion, for having the uncommon courage be the first serving security chief to openly call for the design of a system that would allow Nigerians bear arms to defend themselves, Mr Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, whom I understand bagged the national honour of MON for his security exploits in the early 2000s, deserves another higher national honour! We should learn to reward excellence! Bako Abdul wrote from Kano. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Climate adaptation is not merely an environmental imperative, it is a cornerstone of national resilience and prosperity. The Renewed Hope Agenda, with its focus on inclusive growth and structural reform, is the vehicle through which this transformation can be realised and a platform to mainstream adaptation into every aspect of national development, from agriculture and infrastructure to education and health. As the world grapples with the escalating impacts of climate change, nations are being called upon to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to slow down the impacts of climate change. 195 Parties (194 countries and the European Union) have signed up to the Paris Agreement, which stipulates emissions reduction measures that countries must implement. These reduction measures are captured in the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) document that each Party must submit to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) every five years. The latest edition is due for submission this year (2025) and is termed NDC 3.0. However, many nations have struggled to meet emissions reduction targets from the previous NDCs (2.0) for various reasons, which is a topic for another day. It is evident that developing countries, such as Nigeria, that are not considered high greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting countries have struggled to balance the need for economic growth through industrialisation (using fossil fuels) with reducing emissions. The moderate climate change sceptics view mitigation as a problem for developed, highly industrialised nations in the global North, whilst the hardliners and conspiracy theorists think it is a ruse to prevent developing countries in the global South from industrialising. Although there is a growing acknowledgment that climate change presents a critical threat to lives, livelihoods, and national development, Nigeria tends to be more concerned with how to minimise the impact of this threat, rather than addressing its root causes i.e. mitigation. It is relatively easy to understand why, given that despite accounting for less than 1 per cent of global GHG emissions, Nigeria faces some of the devastating impacts of this phenomenon. Therefore, the clamour for climate change adaptation financing is growing ever louder and offers a unique opportunity to build resilience and sustainability through visionary leadership and strategic investment. In this context, President Bola Ahmed Tinubus Renewed Hope Agenda presents a transformative platform for aligning Nigerias climate adaptation efforts with broader goals of inclusive growth, economic diversification, and national stability. This article underscores the urgent need for climate adaptation in Nigeria, outlines the strategic objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda, and emphasises the collective responsibility of the government, communities, and individuals in forging a climate-resilient future. Why Climate Adaptation is a National Imperative 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 Climate adaptation refers to actions taken to prepare for and adjust to the effects of climate change, including both current and projected impacts. It includes adjustments in systems, practices, and policies to minimise the damage caused by climate change. Whereas mitigation addresses the root causes of climate change through emissions reduction, adaptation is focused on managing its effects. These effects include floods, droughts, desertification, sea-level rise, and changing agricultural conditions. In Nigeria, the signs are all too visible: In the North , desertification and erratic rainfall have devastated farmlands, threatening food security and deepening poverty in already vulnerable communities. , desertification and erratic rainfall have devastated farmlands, threatening food security and deepening poverty in already vulnerable communities. In the South , rising sea levels and coastal erosion put millions at risk in cities like Lagos and Port Harcourt, while floodwaters regularly destroy homes and critical infrastructure. , rising sea levels and coastal erosion put millions at risk in cities like Lagos and Port Harcourt, while floodwaters regularly destroy homes and critical infrastructure. In the Middle Belt, climate-induced migration and resource conflicts are on the rise, further straining national unity and security. Climate change is not a sectoral issue, it is a systemic threat. It cuts across health, education, food security, infrastructure, energy, and even our national security. Without urgent adaptation, the economic costs of inaction will far exceed the investments required to build resilience. Nigeria cannot afford to be reactive. We must be proactive, strategic, and people-centred in how we adapt. The Renewed Hope Agenda: A New Dawn for Climate Resilience The Renewed Hope Agenda unveiled by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration offers a comprehensive framework to transform Nigerias development trajectory. At its core, it focuses on empowering people, rebuilding the economy, and restoring public trust in institutions. Climate adaptation aligns seamlessly with this vision because resilience is development, and adaptation is an investment in the future. What makes it especially relevant in the context of climate change is its cross-sectoral commitment to sustainability, innovation, and human capital development. Agriculture and Food Security The agenda prioritises agricultural transformation as a pathway to food security and economic diversification. To succeed in the face of climate volatility, Nigeria must adopt climate-smart agriculture. These are techniques that increase productivity, improve resilience, and reduce emissions. This includes: Drought-resistant seeds Efficient irrigation systems Early warning systems for extreme weather Access to insurance for smallholder farmers By supporting farmers to adapt, we protect rural livelihoods and reduce our dependence on food imports. The Renewed Hope Agenda seeks to empower millions to withstand environmental shocks and contribute meaningfully to the economy. Infrastructure and Urban Resilience Nigerias infrastructure, which includes roads, power systems, housing, and sanitation, must be climate resilient. The Renewed Hope Agenda emphasises infrastructure development as a pillar for national progress. This ambition must be implemented with climate risks in mind. Adaptation strategies here include: Flood defences and drainage systems Green building standards Resilient road and transport networks Nature-based solutions like mangrove restoration to protect coastal cities Adaptation is not just about responding to disasters; it is about designing for the future we know is coming. Such infrastructure safeguards lives, enables commerce, and prevents costly disruptions to essential services. Water Resources and Energy Nigerias energy and water sectors are vulnerable to climate variability. Hydropower, for example, depends on rainfall, while access to clean water is threatened by drought and contamination. Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the expansion of clean and reliable energy must go hand-in-hand with water security strategies, such as: Integrated water resource management Expanding solar-powered boreholes in drought-prone areas Improving water storage and distribution infrastructure These are win-win solutions: they meet immediate needs and build longer-term resilience. These investments ensure that communities, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, have the resources they need to thrive. Health, Social Protection, and Human Capital Climate change threatens to reverse any potential gains in health, education, and poverty reduction. Heatwaves, vector-borne diseases, malnutrition and mental health issues are on the rise. It also disproportionately affects women, children, the elderly, and people living with disabilities. The Renewed Hope Agenda recognises the need for inclusive development. Adaptation in this sector involves: Strengthening health systems to respond to climate-related illnesses Expanding social safety nets Supporting climate migration and displacement with targeted interventions Skills development and green jobs programs for young people Human capital is Nigerias greatest asset. Protecting it from climate shocks is not just moral, it is strategic. Incorporating climate adaptation into health, social protection and human capital policies strengthens the labour force needed for economic development. Financing Climate Adaptation: Unlocking New Opportunities Adaptation requires capital, but it is a sound investment. Every naira spent on risk reduction saves many more in avoided losses. Many adaptation measures, while cost-effective in the long term, require upfront investments that are often beyond the reach of local governments and communities. The Renewed Hope Agenda presents a golden opportunity to reimagine Nigerias approach to climate finance. It calls for: Improved coordination across ministries, states, and development partners across ministries, states, and development partners Increased access to international climate funds , such as the Green Climate Fund and Adaptation Fund , such as the Green Climate Fund and Adaptation Fund Public-private partnerships to de-risk investments in climate-resilient infrastructure to de-risk investments in climate-resilient infrastructure Domestic resource mobilisation, including adaptation levies and blue/green bonds By prioritising adaptation in national planning and budgeting, Nigeria can attract the finance needed to protect its people and assets while fostering economic growth. Policy and Institutional Frameworks No adaptation strategy can succeed without strong institutions. Nigerias Climate Change Act and the establishment of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) represent significant milestones. But effective implementation is key. The Renewed Hope Agenda should strengthen this momentum by: Institutional coordination across MDAs, states, and local governments Execution of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Mainstreaming adaptation into sectoral policies especially in agriculture, health, water, and infrastructure Capacity-building across all levels of government A whole-of-government approach ensures that adaptation is not treated as a siloed issue but as a national priority embedded in all development efforts. Effective governance turns good policy into real impact. It also builds trust and accountability with the Nigerian people. Local Action, National Impact While government leadership is critical, climate adaptation also depends on the actions of individuals and communities. Top-down policies must be matched with bottom-up action. The Renewed Hope Agenda encourages civic responsibility and community engagement, which are essential for effective adaptation. Collective responsibilities include: Participation in community-based disaster risk reduction Facilitating access to finance for local governments and CSOs Incorporating traditional knowledge into adaptation planning Creating platforms for youth and women to lead in climate resilience Community-wide education on the impacts of climate change Community-led adaptation is often more responsive, equitable, and cost-effective. When people are part of the solution, outcomes are more durable and inclusive. A Call to Collective Action Nigerias climate adaptation journey will not be easy, but it is necessary, and it is achievable. Climate adaptation is not merely an environmental imperative, it is a cornerstone of national resilience and prosperity. The Renewed Hope Agenda, with its focus on inclusive growth and structural reform, is the vehicle through which this transformation can be realised and a platform to mainstream adaptation into every aspect of national development, from agriculture and infrastructure to education and health. This is not just about protecting what we have, it is about creating what we need: stronger systems, inclusive growth, and a shared sense of purpose. Climate resilience is not a burden; it is an investment in Nigerias future prosperity. We must act boldly, plan strategically, and adapt relentlessly. The time is now. Ibrahim A. Shelleng is the senior special assistant to the president on Climate Finance and Stakeholder Engagement. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print When Buffalo Public Schools this year directed that Spanish-speaking students at Bilingual Center School 33 receive extra academic help in the English language only, teacher Kara Mayer complied. UB's Urban Teacher Residency in peril after two federal grants cut UB's Urban Teacher Residency has prepared more than 70 teachers to work in Buffalo district and charter schools, filling high-need positions in English as a New Language, bilingual instruction, math and science. Due to the elimination of two federal grants, the residency's future is murky at best. It became clear to her that it wasnt working. They try for a bit but pretty quickly they just sort of shut down, said Mayer, an English as a New Language teacher. I try to explain something to them and they just stare at me. Her experience is shared by other educators and is why she and four other teachers from School 33 told the Buffalo School Board they see the recent directive as continuing a long-term trend of prioritizing English over Spanish. They said the shift may not be in the words of district policy but is evident in attention, resources, student support and staffing, especially for native Spanish speakers. Its discrimination, racism and social injustice, said Linda Mauras, a bilingual second-grade teacher at 33. The teachers emphasize that the English-only period of extra help, called response to intervention, has put native Spanish speakers further behind academically. District leaders have a different perspective, emphasizing students at School 33 received in Spanish 60 minutes each day of academic help for the first half of the year. Every student comes to us in a different place, said Chief Academic Officer Anne Botticelli. They did receive intervention in Spanish, so we feel confident that the base the teachers are building for the students will transfer to English and theyll continue to build their skills in that language as well. The teachers short speeches at the meeting and follow-up interviews paint the problem as bigger than one change at their Elk Street building. Its not a School 33 problem, said Mauras, who added her father, Pedro, was a pioneer in Buffalos bilingual education. This is a bilingual education problem. The structure The Bilingual Center, like fellow schools DYouville-Porter and Frank Sedita, uses a 50-50 language allocation model. At the Bilingual Center, over a six-day cycle, students learn core subjects for three days in English and three days in Spanish. The goal is oral fluency and literacy in both languages. Its often called a Dual Language Model. The three schools populations are evenly split between English and Spanish as home languages, which means about half the students have more exposure to English than Spanish, and vice versa. The districts other policy is a 90% Spanish, 10% English split, implemented at Herman Badillo, School 48 and Frederick Law Olmsted School 64, with the goal of 50-50 by fourth grade. The district has one bilingual high school program at Lafayette International. Botticelli indicated using English-only interventions for the second half of the year fits within the 50-50 dual language model, and that each bilingual school may approach intervention differently. Im sure any time theres a change to the model, theres going to be questions, she said. Bilingual education falls under Buffalos Division of Multilingual Education, led by Assistant Superintendent Alicia Baez, former president for the New York State Association for Bilingual Education and previously an associate for the State Education Department. Im proud of the work that the division has done around the language allocation policy, the structures for the schools and understanding the difference between English and Spanish literacy and how that drives instruction and making it intentional for our Spanish-speaking English language learners that have chosen bilingual education programming, Baez said. Baez stressed several efforts moving bilingual education forward. A principal consortium allows building leaders to tour other bilingual schools in the district, while a program quality review serves as a self-assessment featuring focus groups of parents, students, administrators and teachers with a general aim of improving the program. Botticelli and Baez noted added benefit from summer programs such as Jumpstart and Se Levanta geared toward Spanish speakers who are new to America. The administrators say they are confident this multipronged effort will pay off. Well see results soon, Botticelli said. Is there disconnect? Teachers say their issue is not just a shortage of bilingual teachers, which they see as a perennial struggle. Mayer, who teaches elementary students new to English, says strong and regular instruction in a students home language is imperative to tackling a language with which they are less familiar. If they build literacy skills in their own language, she said, then they will flourish. Spanish-speaking students enter the district at different grades and with different educational histories, the teachers said. Some are new immigrants from Colombia or Venezuela. Others hail from Puerto Rico but arrive in Buffalo from New York City. Others are more transient, spending time with family in Florida and in Buffalo. And just because they come from Spanish-speaking countries does not mean they have been taught well or at all in that language, which gives even greater emphasis on home language instruction. The curriculum for teaching Spanish is inadequate, too, several teachers argue. For kindergarten through second grade, the primary material is a Spanish translation of an English program the district previously used but is now considered obsolete, Mauras said. Resources requested by teachers might not arrive until more than a month into the school year, Mayer added, and translated English texts vary in quality. Audit finds Buffalo, Dunkirk districts failing to meet requirements for non-English-speaking students The two districts were required to have bilingual education, or BE, programs because each has 20 or more students known as English language learners who are of the same grade and speak the same non-English home language. Were not really supported, Mayer said. Were kind of doing this alone. Its lopsided time allocation, however, that bothers the teachers at School 33. Proficiency in any language, can take roughly five years, said Mayer and Claudine Picado, a home language arts teacher at the school. While some language skills help in the growth of both languages, they require time, patience and individualized supports. If the child does not have their skills in their home language, Picado said, its all nonsense words to them in English. The teachers message at the March meeting prompted a private meeting in late March in which Superintendent Tonja M. Williams Knight, Botticelli and other administrators listened further to the teachers concerns. Ultimately, there was no change to the requirement for English-only interventions, and the teachers expressed disappointment there was no representative from the Multilingual Department. The value of a bilingual education is not in question, and thats something that unites district administrators and the teachers. Its been vital to Picados identity as a Costa Rican American. Im living proof that it functions, Picado said. You just have to implement it correctly. Citizens must take responsibility for their own growth and relevance. AI is not going to wait for us. The machines are getting smarter, faster and more capable. If we do not act now, we will find ourselves irrelevant, not because of fate, but because of our own refusal to adapt. The future may be uncertain, but it is also full of potential for those who choose to prepare. In the end, obsolescence is not a sentence. It is a choice. So is reinvention. In a recent public statement, Bill Gates predicted that artificial intelligence (AI) will begin replacing many doctors and teachers within the next ten years. According to him, humans will not be needed for most roles in the future. Although this may sound like science fiction, the signs of this shift are already around us. AI is writing code, diagnosing illnesses, tutoring students, managing warehouses and automating tasks that once required skilled human labour. The concern is no longer whether AI will change the world. It already has. The real question is how people, institutions and societies will adapt to stay relevant. In this emerging world, survival will depend not only on formal education but on our capacity to adapt, to learn continuously and to reinvent ourselves. Robert Greene, author of Mastery, argues that the future belongs to those who develop a wide range of skills and combine them in original and creative ways. This idea is both inspiring, and also essential in the age of AI. To succeed, we must stop relying on one-dimensional qualifications. It is no longer enough to be good at one thing. You must be able to evolve, merge knowledge from multiple areas and apply it to solve new problems. The reality is harsh. In some fields, like physics or medicine, the pace of development is so rapid that professionals who step away for even a few years find themselves outdated. In the United States, it is estimated that a physicist working outside their core specialty for just four years will often need to retrain to remain employable. That is how fast the world is changing. On the other hand, there are fields that evolve very slowly. English language, for instance, allows professionals to remain relevant for decades with little retraining. This may sound like stability, but it also brings stagnation. When a field hardly changes, it becomes difficult for new entrants to break in, and existing professionals may become too comfortable. Eventually, these sectors become vulnerable to disruption, especially from emerging technologies like AI. Those who aim to reach the top 10 or even top five per cent in their professions, and who combine that excellence with creativity and adaptability, will always find opportunities. At the top, there is space. At the bottom, there is confusion and struggle. In many parts of the world, especially in developing countries, people often attribute success to divine luck, rather than action. The deeper message in Bill Gates warning is about the collapse of traditional ideas about work and value. In the past, basic competence could guarantee a job. Today, that is no longer the case. Most people aim to be average, or slightly above average, in their fields. But that average is getting crowded, and it is also where competition is most intense. Those who aim to reach the top 10 or even top five per cent in their professions, and who combine that excellence with creativity and adaptability, will always find opportunities. At the top, there is space. At the bottom, there is confusion and struggle. In many parts of the world, especially in developing countries, people often attribute success to divine luck, rather than action. I have seen people with access to multiple opportunities do nothing with them, choosing instead to wait for a miracle. They claim that God has not given them a chance, when in fact they have chosen not to act. They are waiting for God to do what He has already given them the ability to do themselves. This mindset creates a dangerous culture of dependency and fatalism. The people I speak of are not poor because they were denied opportunities by God. They are poor because they are waiting for miracles instead of using the resources available to them. It is this mindset that must be challenged if any meaningful transformation is to occur. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later In advanced societies, there are people who think ahead, who plan for the future, and who guide national development. These people are often referred to as visionaries or strategic thinkers. They are the ones who advocate for reform as society evolves. In our context, His Highness Dr Muhammad Sanusi II, the Emir of Kano, stands out as one of the few genuine thinkers who continues to push for long-term societal change. For years, Emir Sanusi II has been speaking boldly about issues such as family law reform, education for women, economic restructuring and institutional transformation. Poverty will persist, especially for those with limited skills. Even those with formal education may find themselves unemployed if their training is not aligned with the skills needed in a modern economy. The solution is not complicated, but it is demanding. We must change our mindsets. We must stop moralising a conversation that is fundamentally about responsibility. But many of his messages are dismissed simply because they are not what people want to hear. In a society where the definition of generosity is reduced to feeding almajirai without educating them, the man who advocates for systemic reform is often branded as an enemy of tradition or a puppet of the West. This is a profound irony. The same society that praises someone for handing out food without solving the underlying problems will condemn the person who wants to address the root causes of poverty and underdevelopment. As a result, deep reformers like Emir Sanusi II face resistance not because they are wrong, but because they are ahead of their time. In the interim, our failure to modernise continues to hold us back. One major example is electricity. Without reliable power, no country can industrialise. Without industry, there is no base to absorb unskilled labour. Poverty will persist, especially for those with limited skills. Even those with formal education may find themselves unemployed if their training is not aligned with the skills needed in a modern economy. The solution is not complicated, but it is demanding. We must change our mindsets. We must stop moralising a conversation that is fundamentally about responsibility. This is not about who is a good or bad person. It is about who is prepared to compete in the world that is coming. We must build a culture where people are encouraged to push beyond the average. Where continuous learning and skills development are the norm. Where innovation is not only welcomed but expected. Governments must create the infrastructure that enables a modern economy. Citizens must take responsibility for their own growth and relevance. AI is not going to wait for us. The machines are getting smarter, faster and more capable. If we do not act now, we will find ourselves irrelevant, not because of fate, but because of our own refusal to adapt. The future may be uncertain, but it is also full of potential for those who choose to prepare. In the end, obsolescence is not a sentence. It is a choice. So is reinvention. Mohammed Dahiru Aminu ([email protected]) wrote from Abuja, Nigeria. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The clock is ticking on womens inclusion in politics. Even before independence, Nigerian women had played active roles in the resistance to colonial interference in their day-to-day lives and sacrificed their lives for it. The Aba Womens War and the activities of the Abeokuta Womens Union under the headship of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti tell us all we need to know about the strategic impacts that women can have. In the present day, these have not receded in the least. Since 2023, multiple expressions of indignity have pervaded Nigerias legislative chambers. These conducts are beyond the simple attribute of being a rubber stamp; they are symbols of a deep-rooted disregard for responsible, accountable leadership. Yet, I have not penned this to decry every indiscretion of the Nigerian Senate. I am writing to decry a particular one the raw mistreatment of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. Far from being an isolated case of abuse of office against a single person, the conduct of the Senate has deep reflections on the perception of women in leadership. Given the sensitivity of this topic, particularly for the male folks, I know without a doubt that many contest or even dismiss this without thought. So, heres a case in point Senator Onyekachis Nwaebonyis altercation with Mrs Oby Ezekwesili. That dismal show was enacted in the wrong setting. It was more befitting of streetside shouting matches, where such often occurs, than the chambers of a Senate Committee hearing. Both sides have traded blames, and Ezekwesili has been equally blamed for triggering the happening in the first place. From her narration of the issues, the feeling that the hearing was just ceremonial is a hovering nag. However, my grouse lies primarily in the contents of Mr Nwaebonyis protests against the two-time minister and former vice president of the World Bank. In an angry interview with Channels TVs Seun Okinbaloye, he refused to express remorse for his actions, repeating the very same words that made his utterances unacceptable in the first place. In my view, it is one thing to fault a behaviour on merit and another entirely to level insults using personal attributes such as sex. Especially sex. Nwaebonyi had retorted to the former ministers description of him as a disgrace to the Senate, with a youre an insult to womanhood response of his own. On Channels, he had railed against her, citing her status as a grandmother. It is the 21st century, and it would not be wrong to assume that members of the Nigerian political cadre are, at a minimum, conscious of terms like patriarchy and inclusivity. They are not mere constituents of the civility lexicon; they are a real challenge, with solutions resting in the hands of the same legislators in whose number Mr Nwaebonyi is a part. Sadly, I did not get the impression that he was bothered or even remotely aware of the uneven territory he had entered. Would it have been better if he had simply responded by attacking her qualifications, too? I have caught myself asking. Was his introduction of sexuality not a flimsy emblem of desire to inflate his status, expecting submission? Crucially, what would he have said if his opponent were a man? I find a bothersome response to these in Mrs Ezekwesilis statement that this is an off-camera routine. I see an additionally disturbing one in Nwaebonyis refusal to acknowledge the complex principles upon which the petitioner, on Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghans behalf, had declined to proceed with submissions before the committee. This disregard for elementary tenets of fair hearing suggests that quality leadership for Nigerians is purely illusory. Now, to the genesis of the matter. Ezekwesili and Nwaebonyi would likely not have tangled in such a manner if Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghans matter had not erupted. To anyone who has observed proceedings at the Senate through time, the Kogi senators eventual suspension was not the first time she would cross fire with Godswill Akpabio. In July 2024, Mr Akpabio had shut her down with the statement, We are not in a nightclub. Though his remarks to FCT Senatorial District Senator Ireti Kingibes prayer on victims of a market fire had arguably been more temperate, it still drew the ire of critics who have sited it within a pattern of condescending, derogatory comments on women. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later On the one hand, a case can be made for Akpabios verbal incontinence. In times past, he has been known to make out-of-pocket statements that were not by any measure of reason connected to gender. However, That case weakens when the statements particularity is considered. The choice of a nightclub as a reprimand implies a potentially deeper level of attachment to the context in which it was applied. Even if we were to refrain from over-interpretation, it still seems unbecoming of a professional, similarly elected colleague to be addressed in that fashion. The minimum response in an allegation of sexual harassment, as with other offences, is a fair, unbiased investigation. Kingibe witnessed the blatant disregard Akpabio showed for a fair hearing when he presided over the same session that saw Akpoti-Uduaghan suspended for six months. He failed to exercise his legal training when he oversaw a suspension that excluded a senator from the chamber for more than the court-stipulated two weeks. In 2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio had locked horns over seats. Being only an observer, developing a fairly accurate position on seat change is tricky. The rules of the Senate on the prerogative of its president to allocate seats and the mandate upon each senator to only speak from those were read live on national television. According to the Senate President, the apparent reasoning behind Akpoti-Uduaghans refusal to comply was the relative obscurity of the new seat to which she had been assigned. Based on the statements uttered in her protests of defiance, being hidden from the cameras coverage may have been taken as an action by the senator. Yet, on the face of it, it would seem that there is not much that can be said in her favour, given the regular nature of seat reallocations within the Senate. In reality, there just might be. We should not expect the procedure always to be applied in good faith. If that were indeed the case, the colourations surrounding Senate committee hearings on the matter, the disregard for judicial injunctions and the blanket refusal of the bulk of the Senate to condemn its leadership would not be occurring. Instead, these signals send a poor message the institution cannot be trusted. Moving further, delicate as it appears for me to run commentary that seemingly favours loyalty based on identity, I must. The issue in question is not so simple as to be viewed purely within those lenses. Senator Ireti Kingibe, who, ironically, heads the Senate Committee on Women Affairs, has walked a careful line in her reactions. Natashas public comments have pencilled her as involved in muting her litigious claims against the Senate president. Ms Kingibe, another of only four female senators in the red chamber, caved in under public criticism, quickly highlighting her legislative contributions to advocacy for womens rights. Another interesting facet of the conversation is that Kingibe had only recently been in the crosshairs of the Senate president over a motion for the cessation of demolitions in the FCT. Reacting after a walkout, she had declared that it wasnt fair for the president to demand a standard for which he had made concessions in the past. The question, therefore, is why a female senator, who had not only been on the receiving end of professional indiscretion but was also responsible for a strategic office in a gender-imbalanced Senate, would practically choose to temper her reactions. The minimum response in an allegation of sexual harassment, as with other offences, is a fair, unbiased investigation. Kingibe witnessed the blatant disregard Akpabio showed for a fair hearing when he presided over the same session that saw Akpoti-Uduaghan suspended for six months. He failed to exercise his legal training when he oversaw a suspension that excluded a senator from the chamber for more than the court-stipulated two weeks. When the matter came to the Imasuen-led committee on ethics and public petitions, sub judice was only considered when the opportunity arose to apply double standards. Otherwise, it was discarded. I must submit now that my country must be addicted to making the news for all the wrong reasons. Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghans suspension has seen us grace the stages of foreign media and international organisations, with the absurdity of Akpabios conduct being on full display. The recall process in Kogi bears different connotations, none of which sound positive. First, if the affair was indeed a people-led push, without undue interference, it is strong evidence of Nigerian societys deep revulsion for anything that upends the patriarchal status quo. In their submission to INEC, constituents calling for the senators recall cited her gross misconduct, abuse of office, evasion of due process, and a pattern of deceitful behaviour. They went further to point at her embarrassment of the people of Kogi Central and her tarnishment of the integrity of the Nigerian Senate and the nations democratic institutions. These contrivances are the most misinformed reasons to recall a senator. It would be indisputably valid if the thrust emanated from allegations of corruption, unfulfillment of duty, and any other such behaviour that signifies underperforming leadership. There are, without any doubt, senators who abandoned their mandate to the electorate the moment they were elected. Also abundant are others who have arrogated public dividends to themselves throughout their tenure. Where were the calls for a recall? The fact that this constitutes a reason for withdrawing an electoral mandate indicates a paucity of political consciousness amongst the Nigerian masses. Where things are sane, the minimum expectation is demand for fairness and due process, if nothing at all. I venture on a safe gamble when I say that a random selection of any number of the petitioners for Akpoti-Uduaghans recall will reveal a threadbare comprehension of the nuances behind her suspension. Even if that were not the case, finding evidence of foul play in the procedure would be unsurprising. It would be simplistic to see this as anything less than the senator against the mores of Nigerian politics. At every angle, we spot themes, each a replay of the tropes that have always played out. The recall is the big stick of Nigerias political topshots against someone who dared to step out of line, as is the convenient curfew imposed in Kogi before her visit. Alarmingly, we do not often find the few women appointed to have recorded groundbreaking impacts through their portfolios. There is a certain reticence in the approaches taken to leverage the duties with which they have been tasked for the betterment of the teeming female populace. This argument is, however, a risky one because it supposedly blames women for doing nothing about their plights. I do not entirely agree. My contention is more about the quality of persons appointed or elected than it is a gendered one. Grimly, the messaging is painfully crystal to aspiring female politicians fall in line or pay. Against this backdrop is a slew of dismal statistics showcasing womens dearth of political opportunity. It follows that dim representation of demography in spheres of power severely reduces the quality of interventions it gets in its affairs. Unfortunately, this is just not another demography; it is half of the Nigerian population. The ratio of men to the four women in the Nigerian Senate stands at twenty-six to one. For each attempt to introduce new women-focused legislation, a female lawmaker will theoretically be confronted by the opinions and beliefs of 104 males, with only three women who could identify with it. In the House of Representatives, which has 360 members, there are only 16 females. This statistical trend, placing women in the Senate at less than 4 per cent of the overall number and the lower chamber at 4.4 per cent, represents data not seen since the pre-democracy years, particularly in the upper house. At the state level, 15 out of 36 Houses of Assembly had no women, according to the Policy and Legal and Advocacy Centre in 2023. Cumulatively, Nigerias state houses of assembly, totalling 993 members, have just 50 women or 5 per cent of the aggregate. The highest figure for womens presence in elective offices was 6.4 per cent in 2011. Comparatively, other African countries, with whom we at least share cultural convergences, have an average of 23 per cent and West Africa, 15 per cent. This is because the Nigerian leadership has pledged in various spheres to increase womens representation in key offices. Alarmingly, we do not often find the few women appointed to have recorded groundbreaking impacts through their portfolios. There is a certain reticence in the approaches taken to leverage the duties with which they have been tasked for the betterment of the teeming female populace. This argument is, however, a risky one because it supposedly blames women for doing nothing about their plights. I do not entirely agree. My contention is more about the quality of persons appointed or elected than it is a gendered one. For instance, before the reshuffle of the Tinubu Cabinet, the then-Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, had advised women to act like fools and keep their mouths shut during arguments with their spouses to avoid domestic violence. She had also backed down on the issue involving the mass marriage of underaged female victims of banditry in Niger State. In the first event, the former minister had entirely reduced the crisis of gender-based violence to talking back during arguments. Her comments suggested a concession to the aggressive male norm, best tamed with silence. They were not simply disagreeable for the sake of it; they were empty of the sophistication required of the official in charge of managing challenges confronting women. The latter case of acquiescence on the marriage of underage brides may as well have been a publicity stunt in the first place, lacking proper zest for execution. To put the problem into the deserved context, the overwhelming bulk of the countrys 22 million child brides are concentrated in Northern Nigeria. Forty-eight per cent of girls enter matrimony by age 15, and 78 per cent by 18. The consequences are widely documented in literature, but reforms have been a trifle. It was a real opportunity to make a statement that would dovetail with the submissions of womens rights movements for a long while. What this spells is that the characters appointed or even elected to office are rarely ever feminism-inspired figures; they are simply politically convenient. The clock is ticking on womens inclusion in politics. Even before independence, Nigerian women had played active roles in the resistance to colonial interference in their day-to-day lives and sacrificed their lives for it. The Aba Womens War and the activities of the Abeokuta Womens Union under the headship of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti tell us all we need to know about the strategic impacts that women can have. In the present day, these have not receded in the least. Far from their well-known roles in contributing to agriculture, even in the thick of childcare, women constitute a politically critical demographic mass. Excluding them is practically a capital blow to political ambitions. Sadly, the rewards, over time, have been under education, political exclusion, and economic marginalisation. There is only so much non-governmental organisations can do to liberate the massive population of those experiencing inequality. The government must shift from dragging its feet over gender-critical legislation to centring these as national priorities. It must equally detach from making mockeries of women by donating paltry goods termed empowerment. It must do more. And more should begin in non-sexist legislative chambers. Toyin Falola, a professor of History, University Distinguished Teaching Professor, and Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin, is the Bobapitan of Ibadanland. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print It dawned on me that individuals like him are legends. They are extraordinary figures deposited in our midst. Still, because of the privilege of existing in the same period, we often downplay how superhuman they are in their disposition to things. Anyone familiar with TF would attest to how this man has risked his health on the account that he wants to use his prodigious mind to improve the conditions of the world and leave it better than he met it. This piece is instigated by the good news that Professor Toyin Falola will be receiving two honorary degrees back-to-back in South African Universities in April and May one at The University of the Free State and the other at North-West University. Every generation season, nature graciously programmed its events so perfectly that they deposited people with great qualities in adequate proportions into the world. But history has been so persistent in teaching us that the people in whom valuable ideas and uncommon courage are deposited do not always get the appropriate attention and honour, for the simple fact that the people around whom they lived and performed extraordinary feats sometimes failed to understand how significant their superhuman engagements were adequately. In South Africa, for example, people in the generation of Nelson Mandela did not appreciate the gravity of the mans demeanour, grace, and excellence because, I believe, they thought that the action of protest that took away his freedom for approximately three decades was an everyday feat. There was no place in human history and no time in human civilisation that the experience of incarceration of an activist over a just course was considered normal, much less the courage that they summoned to undergo the series of dehumanising treatments to which they were subjected. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jnr in the United States of America, Mahatma Gandhi in India, and Awolowo in Nigeria, among others, were individuals who performed awe-inspiring and unprecedented excellent feats that transformed the lives of the people around them, and the ones in various generations to succeed them. Today, Toyin Falola has proven to everyone that he belongs to the category of individuals making gracious efforts to improve human life. For one, Toyin Falola is an incurable writer whose obsession with transferring knowledge is not rivalled by anyone in this generation, and this conclusion is data-driven. It would be difficult, if not wholly impossible, to come across anyone who has produced as many books as this man at the current time, and that itself underscores the argument that he takes writing as an obsession. Of course, anyone may protest and point to the fact that sometimes the indicator of productivity in an intellectual society is not the magnitude of what an author produces but the quality and substance of what they have created. They would not be wrong to say such things, but this is where it gets very interesting. I mentioned earlier that he was obsessed with sharing knowledge because I struggle to understand how an individual of 72 years of age would have successfully authored over a hundred and fifty publications, the majority of which are voluminous books and papers. If subjected to arithmetic analysis, it would reveal that the man produces at least two of them each year from the time of his birth. One cannot lay a hand on his intellectual productions and pass negative comments about them or accuse them of not being in-depth in their intellectual reach. With each publication, lecture, workshop, and conference anchored by Falola, you would come across chains of refined ideas that could be used to improve the conditions of the world in extraordinary ways. In my book, Power, Politics, and African Agency in the Works of Toyin Falola, I capture Falolas works that discuss the undergarments of sociopolitical and socio-philosophical affairs of the African world, primarily to project aspects of human epistemic traditions that the dominant have brutally marginalised. By that condition, TF, as he popularly likes to be addressed, has established himself not just as a carrier or conveyor of ideas that could be used or discarded by the powerful ones but as a driver of how they can be implemented and enforced. And this is what has separated him from his contemporaries. I mentioned earlier that he was obsessed with sharing knowledge because I struggle to understand how an individual of 72 years of age would have successfully authored over a hundred and fifty publications, the majority of which are voluminous books and papers. If subjected to arithmetic analysis, it would reveal that the man produces at least two of them each year from the time of his birth. But then, there is something more enthusing in that conclusion! No one ever begins the trade of writing books from the time they were born. You cannot start to write coherently or to the extent that your work draws enormous attention unless you have spent at least two decades on the land of the living, not least when you are a historian, because the items of history you want to write about demands your time and ability to examine the evidence before you can produce quality content critically. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later If you have to extract items of history from a target population, you must have acquired substantial knowledge and technical know-how so that you can get information where necessary, and you can become an imposing individual who would write credibly. Given that TF has demonstrated this eloquently and even efficiently, he is an incurable writer in this generation. His growing age does not deter him; his other career demands are not an impediment. Now and then, TF always comes with avant-garde writings that show his unwavering dedication to what he finds entertaining writing. I cannot find another word to describe this reality than obsession. Falola writes, teaches, mentors, advocates, mediates, promotes, and does many other things, all of which do not divorce him from scribbling ideas down for the benefit of humanity. I started by establishing a node for my conversation by stating that each generation is filled with extraordinary individuals who perform extraordinarily for the benefit of humanity. This is underscored by the awareness that to be consistent, just like TF, requires a great deal of sacrifice, including your precious time and sometimes the attention that the people around you naturally deserve, and the one you also deserve to enjoy from them. I generally have no other language to describe this other than to conclude that such feats are only possible for legend because such individuals are more gracious than others. It is not coincidental that Falola is celebrated in South Africa and across the continent. I belong to individuals who believe all these actions deserve honour, celebration, and recognition. On that basis, I commend South Africa for making these efforts to celebrate this outstanding individual. Without knowing, he has inspired different generations of Africans to believe in the dream of the continent and themselves. Finding people with remarkable values worth modelling ones life after is challenging. For one, people have understood that his efforts towards repositioning the country to its deserved heights in global politics indicate that he is a committed writer, dedicated to the course of emancipation that would bring otherwise groups of people to their proper statuses. In addition, this mans network of influence spreads across different places, and it cannot be overemphasised how African intellectuals have generally benefited from this individual. In numerous conferences in Africa and beyond, scholars highligh how TF has personally contributed to their monumental growth in academia and other sectors. It dawned on me that individuals like him are legends. They are extraordinary figures deposited in our midst. Still, because of the privilege of existing in the same period, we often downplay how superhuman they are in their disposition to things. Anyone familiar with TF would attest to how this man has risked his health on the account that he wants to use his prodigious mind to improve the conditions of the world and leave it better than he met it. If there are educational engagements that would usher great minds into the intellectual landscape of Ethiopia today, Falola will strive to make invaluable contributions to its success, in most cases with his physical presence. TF will not run from the battle tomorrow when he is invited to offer insights about post-truth policies geared towards situating our steps on the right pedestal. TF will attend to them without prejudice. This does not impair his academic business in Texas, where his sphere of influence has been extensive. On many occasions, I have experienced how tolerant he is to people around him, not only his acquaintances. Combining such rigorous academic engagements with writing should be ordinarily considered heroic. More enticing is the understanding that he has always supplemented all these actions with humanitarian activities that directly impact the people. For instance, Toyin Falola commits to the youths annually awarded monetary and immeasurable prizes to encourage them where necessary and use that to promote their ambitions. I belong to individuals who believe all these actions deserve honour, celebration, and recognition. On that basis, I commend South Africa for making these efforts to celebrate this outstanding individual. Without knowing, he has inspired different generations of Africans to believe in the dream of the continent and themselves. Finding people with remarkable values worth modelling ones life after is challenging. Today, it is indisputable that TF has taken that role and has been doing so elegantly in his demeanour. Serges Kamga is the Dean of the Law School, University of the Free State, South Africa. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina, has stated that Kaduna State is leading the way by being the first to launch the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) in Nigeria. Speaking when he paid a courtesy call on Governor Uba Sani at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Tuesday, Mr Adesina praised Mr Sanis commitment to agricultural transformation. The AfDB president cited Kaduna States remarkable budgetary increase for agriculture, from N1.4 billion to N74 billion, adding that the increase is an example of political will backed by substantial investment. You didnt just put your money where your mouth isyou put your money where your mind and your body are, Mr Adesina remarked, drawing applause from stakeholders and dignitaries present. According to him, Kadunas leadership on this project reflects not just a vision for food security, but a roadmap for economic prosperity and inclusive development. Mr Adesina further described Kaduna as a trailblazer, noting that , you are the first state to launch the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone in Nigeria. This is a great day for us all. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The AfDB president also commended the states hospitality, adding that not only did we get hospitality here in Kaduna, I think we got maternity toobecause your Deputy Governor is a medical doctor Mr Adesina emphasized the AfDBs commitment to supporting Kaduna State in expanding school feeding programmes and integrating them with the new processing zones. He pledged additional support for primary health care improvements, health insurance, and infrastructure, including water, sanitation, and digitalization. The AfDB president added that were proud to partner with a government that listens, that leads with compassion, and that is open to all. The ADB president described Governor Uba Sani as a model leaderhes a listener, a unifier, and above all, a doer. In his remarks, Governor Sani described Mr Adesina as a blessing to Nigeria, Africa, and humanity, just as he applauded the AfDB presidents transformative work in agriculture across the continent. The governor further said that Mr Adesinas initiative, when he was Nigerias Minister of Agriculture years back, has benefited more than 15 million small holder farmers across Nigeria, mostly in Northern Nigeria, through his e-wallet initiative. The initiative aimed not only to transform agriculture but could have also addressed the problem of financial exclusion we are facing today, as it could have provided access to financial credit for our smallholder farmers. It could have also addressed the problem of insecurity we are facing in Northern Nigeria. In Kaduna, agriculture contributes about 42 percent of our GDP and accounts for about 60 percent of employment in the state. This is why we believe insecurity has hindered much of the development we could have achieved through agriculture. Because we believe it is one of the most important sectors to invest in, part of what we did was to increase the agricultural budget from N1.4 billion, which we inherited in 2023, to N74 billion in the current budget. By doing that, we became the first sub-national government to achieve the 10 percent target of the 2014 Malabo Declaration, which set the goal of allocating 10 percent of the budget to agriculture, Mr Sani said. The governor described the launch of the Agro-Industrial Processing Zone as a very important project for Kaduna State. Governor Sani also commended Mr Adesina for his efforts in transforming agriculture in Nigeria and across Africa. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Vice President Kashim Shettima has stated that implementation of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) in Kaduna State is due to Governor Uba Sanis result-oriented leadership. The Vice President who said this during the groundbreaking ceremony of the SAPZ at Dakin Takwas village, along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway on Tuesday, said that it is not surprising that Kaduna State is a front runner in the implementation of the programme. Mr Shettima commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for classifying the SAPZ as one if his administrations priority projects because it is about the resilience of our farmers, the ingenuity of our processors and entrepreneurs, and the commitment of our government and development partners to build a future that works for everyone. The Vice President however said that Nigerias full agricultural potential cannot be realised if we stick with the old ways of processing our produce. We cannot afford to be chained to outdated systems while the world moves with urgency towards innovation. According to him, under the SAPZ, farmers will collaborate with private investors and entrepreneurs, adding that sustainable agribusiness linkages will drive increased productivity, enhance value addition, and spur enduring private sector development. Mr Shettima pointed out that Kaduna State has vast agricultural and agro-industrial potentials because of its abundant arable land and natural resources, which place it on the frontline of our agricultural revolution. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later He lamented that the dream of agro-industrialisation has been haunted by inadequate access to finance and markets, limited infrastructure, and sub-standard agro-processing environments. These challenges have frustrated the efforts of our farmers and stunted the growth of our rural economy, he said, adding that the SAPZ will change the narrative for the better. The Vice President commended the steadfast support of international development partners, including the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Speaking before the ground breaking, Governor Uba Sani noted that SAPZ will move agriculture beyond primary production into processing, value addition, and industrialization. According to him, SAPZ is a game-changer which is designed to integrate agricultural production, processing, and marketing by concentrating agro-industrial activities in key locations. Mr Sani stated further: The Agricultural Transformation Centre (ATC) in Dutsen-Wai, Kubau LGA, will provide essential infrastructure for crop aggregation, processing, and storage, particularly for key value chains such as maize, tomatoes, and ginger. Meanwhile, the Agro-Industrial Hub (AIH) in Daki-Takwas, Chikun LGA, strategically located along the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway, will serve as a nucleus for agro-processing industries, logistics services, and export-oriented agribusinesses. By clustering these activities, we will reduce post-harvest losses, improve efficiency, create thousands of jobs, and drive economic growth across multiple sectors, he explained. The governor further explained that this project will position Kaduna State as a major player in the export market, especially within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). With the right infrastructure in place, our farmers and agro-processors will have access to larger markets, enabling Kadunas agricultural products to compete on a regional and global scale, he added. According to him, SAPZ will strengthen our capacity for export, earning much-needed foreign exchange, improving Nigerias trade balance, and contributing to exchange rate stability. To further complement the SAPZ, we are also developing the Agricultural Quality Assurance Centre (AQAC) with the support of the Afrexim Bank, a first of its kind in Northern Nigeria. This facility will play a crucial role in ensuring that our agricultural produce meets both domestic and international quality standards. By providing world-class testing, certification, and quality assurance services, the AQAC will enhance Kadunas competitiveness in the global market, particularly under the AfCFTA framework, he assured. Governor Sani said this means that our farmers and agro-industries will not only produce more but will produce bettermeeting the highest standards required for export and premium markets. Also speaking at the event, the President of AfDB, Akinwunmi Adesina commended Governor Sani for his incredible leadership, vision, dedication and tenacity that have led to this historic groundbreaking for the development of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone in Kaduna State. You have been a great Governor for Kaduna State. Your passion for agriculture is impressive. I learnt that since you became the Governor you have increased the share of the State budget allocated to agriculture to 10%; and that this has risen to about N74 billion, he added. According to him, with the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones, farms will thrive across Kaduna State, in every local government. Food and agricultural processing companies will move to Kaduna State. The rural areas of Kaduna State will boom with economic activities. And Kaduna State will mark out itself as a leading center for agro-industrialization in Nigeria, he added. Mr Adesina praised President Tinubu for the strategic partnership with the ADB, disclosing that the bank has committed over $934 million for the development SAPZs and mobilized co-financing of over $938 million from partners, including the Islamic Development Bank and the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD). Currently, the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones are under implementation in 27 sites across 11 countries including Cote dIvoire, Senegal, Guinea, Liberia, Madagascar, Togo, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and Mali, he added. The ADB President disclosed that the first phase of the development of SAPZs involves eight states, including Kaduna, Kano, Kastina, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara, Cross Rivers and Imo States; and the Federal Capital Territory. Mr Adesina further disclosed that the total financing for the first phase of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones in Nigeria is $510 million. For this first phase, the African Development Bank is providing $200 million, including $50 million from the Africa Growing Together Fund; with co-financing of $100 million from the International Fund for Agricultural Development, $150 million from the Islamic Development Bank and $60 million from the Green Climate Funds. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Nigerian government has warned illegal miners to immediately vacate all sites in Zamfara State, citing a recent lead poisoning in Bugundu Local Government Area of the state. Segun Tomori, the special assistant on media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday. The statement noted that all mining activities are still on hold until the release of standard operating procedures that will guide the resumption of exploration in the state. Mr Alake, reacting to the report on lead poisoning, said the ban on mining in the state in the last six years meant there shouldnt have been any reason for lead poisoning. He explained that the outbreak was evidence that traditional and local institutions allowed illegal miners to operate in their areas in flagrant violation of the ban. Every citizen should obey the laws and regulations established by constituted authorities. Our revered traditional institutions and local authorities, which are funded from the federation accounts, have an even higher responsibility to enforce government directives. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later However, where they demonstrate wilful negligence and abdicate their responsibilities, they perpetrate a state of anomie with dire consequences, as we are witnessing in this case, Mr Alake was quoted as saying. To mitigate the situation, the minister said experts and ministry officials reports will recommend specific interventions enabling us to stave off future calamities. Mr Alake commended the government of Zamfara State for deploying emergency services to the area and called for more collaboration between the state and officials of the ministry in the state. We must work together to kick out illegal miners from all corners to protect the lives of innocent citizens endangered by the desperation of a few individuals to make money at all costs. Mr Alake said the ministry would soon release comprehensive standard operating procedures to guide the resumption of mining in Zamfara. The procedures, he explained, shall address cases of existing holders of mining licenses and fresh applicants, compliance with community development agreements, and beneficiation and remediation efforts to overhaul the mining sector in the state. He reiterated that the recent approval of the deployment of satellite technology to monitor mining nationwide will put an end to illegal mining and other sharp practices in the sector. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Akwa Ibom State Government has issued Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company (SEEPCO) Limited a seven-day ultimatum to submit all documents relating to its land acquisitions and right-of-way approvals. SEEPCO is a subsidiary of Sterling Oil Resources Limited, which is involved in developing and producing crude oil in the OML 143 block. The company has one of its operational bases in Eastern Obolo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State. In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the Akwa Ibom State Government said the ultimatum was contained in a letter dated 4 April and signed by Uko Udom, the attorney general and commissioner for justice. Mr Udom, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, expressed displeasure over the companys illegal operations and disregard for regulatory provisions and directed the oil company to revert to the land lawfully allotted to them. The state government is accusing the oil company of violating the terms of land grants and unlawful encroachment beyond its legally assigned portion in Eastern Obolo and surrounding communities. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The state government reiterated its pro-business stance but warned that its corporate interest must not override the rights, welfare, and ecological integrity of communities in the state. Mr Udom reaffirmed the state governments commitment to protecting citizens and host communities affected by the companys activities and upholding the legal frameworks guiding the Oil and Gas Free Zone under which Sterling operates. Sterling Oil, Eastern Obolo land dispute Sterling Oil has been engaged in a prolonged land dispute with its host communities, prompting the Akwa Ibom State Governments intervention. Ekerete Udoh, the spokesperson to Governor Umo Eno on 12 February, said in a statement posted on Facebook that the governor had sued for peace between the company and its host communities, assuring that his administration will ensure an amicable resolution to the lingering crisis. According to Mr Udoh, the governor gave the assurance after touring the companys facility in Eastern Obolo. He promised to set up a committee to address issues including Environmental Impact Assessment and the relocation of the people of Obianga and Ikonta, and ascertain the actual hectare of land occupied by the company. Our coming here today should be a relief, give you succour, and give you hope that the (Akwa Ibom) State Government has come. We have seen, and we will go back and work for you. We have looked at the location issues and the closure of the creeks, particularly as it affects Obianga and Ikonta, the governor said, urging the people to remain peaceful. As a follow-up to the visit, the governor, on 26 February, inaugurated a tripartite committee the state government, Sterling Oil, and Eastern Obolo communities to facilitate the amicable settlement of the disputes. In a Facebook post, the governors spokesperson, Mr Udoh, said the governor charged the committee to establish the actual land size occupied by Sterling Petrochemical and Fertiliser Limited, work with the company to get a place for the displaced communities (Ikonta and Obianga), and also work with the community to ensure smooth and peaceful relocation. A few days ago, some officials representing the state government in the committee clashed with the companys representatives during a visit to its operational base in Eastern Obolo. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the visit followed a tip-off by members of the host communities, who said that the oil company has continued to encroach on their lands and block several routes to creeks. The governor said dont close everywhere. Open one channel for them, and before we know it, youve closed everywhere, a member of the committee, Udo Kieran, Governor Enos aide on labour relations, said in a video posted on Facebook. Dont insult the man (referring to the governor) like that, for Gods sake. You cant do this to a president in your country, Mr Kieran, a former state lawmaker, said, venting his anger at companys officials for flouting the governors directives. You are asking for cooperation. Okay, tell us how to cooperate again when youve finished everything. You have to suspend the work from now, Mr Kieran, a former chairperson of Nigeria Labour Congress in the state, said. PREMIUM TIMES could not reach Sterling Oil for its comment. Our reporter called a phone number on the companys website, identified as Thomas Emma, by the True Caller app, but the person who picked up the call ended it immediately after our reporter introduced himself. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print LONDON, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Little Caesars, the third largest pizza chain in the world, is set to participate in the International Franchise Show at the ExCeL London from April 11th to 12th, 2025. Located at Booth 260, Little Caesars invites prospective franchisees to explore exciting business opportunities within the dynamic pizza industry. With the brand launch in Nottingham and London and plans for further expansion across the UK, Little Caesars aims to connect with individuals passionate about joining its franchise network. The brand's proven business model, supported by robust training programs and operational support, offers entrepreneurs a pathway to owning and operating their own Little Caesars restaurants. Michael Therrian, Global Director - International Development at Little Caesars, states "We are thrilled to showcase Little Caesars growth and opportunities at the International Franchise Show in London. As we continue to expand in the UK market, we are seeking dedicated franchise partners who share our commitment to quality and guest satisfaction." Visitors to Booth 260 can learn firsthand about the benefits of becoming a Little Caesars franchisee, including comprehensive marketing support, ongoing operational guidance, and access to the brand's iconic menu items, which are loved by guests worldwide. For more information about franchising opportunities with Little Caesars, visit Booth 260 at the International Franchise Show or contact Michael.Therrian@lcecorp.com About Little Caesars Little Caesars, the Best Value in Pizza in the United States of America*, was founded by Mike and Marian Ilitch as a single, family-owned restaurant in 1959 and is headquartered in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It is the third-largest pizza chain in the world, with restaurants in each of the 50 U.S. states and 29 countries and territories. Known for its HOT-N-READY pizza, Crazy Puffs, and famed Crazy Bread, Little Caesars uses quality ingredients, like fresh, never-frozen mozzarella and Muenster cheese and sauce made from fresh-packed, vine-ripened California crushed tomatoes. The brand is known for innovation and is home to the exclusive Pizza Portal pickup, a heated, self-service mobile order pickup station. A high-growth company with over 65 years in the $150 billion worldwide pizza industry, Little Caesars continually looks for franchisee candidates to join the team in markets worldwide. In addition to providing the opportunity for entrepreneurial independence in a franchise system, Little Caesars offers a simple operating system, a reputation for taste and value, and strong brand awareness with one of the most recognized characters in the country, Little Caesar. Little Caesars is proud to be part of the Ilitch Companies family of businesses. For more, visit LittleCaesars.com and follow Little Caesars on TikTok , Instagram , and X . *Limited to top 4 national pizza chains in the United States of America Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2389060/Little_Caesars_International_Logo.jpg Schoox will deliver access to educational resources, programs, certification courses, and more. AUSTIN, Texas, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Schoox , a global leader in frontline workforce learning and skills development, has been selected by the ALS Association to provide fast and easy access to a comprehensive range of educational resources to support clinicians, care teams, people living with ALS, and their families. ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is an always fatal progressive neurodegenerative disease that damages nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. For decades, it was widely referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease. Currently, there is no cure for ALS. "The ALS community looks to us for all things related to ALS," said Shannon Waters, Vice President, Learning & Development at the ALS Association. "We chose Schoox to help us provide an easy-to-use experience for everyone from health professionals earning certifications to people living with ALS and their loved ones." The ALS Association is committed to delivering top-tier educational resources and tools for people living with ALS and their caregivers, healthcare providers, and researchers. One notable example is the self-paced ALS Caregiver Education Course, designed to offer in-depth guidance and training for caregivers in various settings. This course is an excellent resource for home health aides, therapists, and palliative caregivers, equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide compassionate, effective care for ALS patients. "We are excited to partner with the ALS Association to offer a learning management solution that provides valuable knowledge and support," said Lefteris Ntouanoglou , founder and CEO of Schoox. "Together, we aim to empower individuals living with ALS, their families, caregivers, and anyone seeking to learn more about the disease." Over 3,000 organizations globally rely on Schoox to modernize training, engage team members, boost employee retention, and improve guest satisfaction. About the ALS Association The ALS Association is the largest ALS organization in the world. The ALS Association funds global research collaborations, assists people with ALS and their families through its nationwide network of care and certified clinical care centers, and advocates for better public policies for people with ALS. The ALS Association is working to make ALS a livable disease while urgently searching for new treatments and a cure. For more information about the ALS Association, visit our website at www.als.org About Schoox Schoox empowers frontline organizations to turn learning into a strategic advantage. We believe people aren't cogs in a machine, but the driving force behind business success. That's why we designed a unique learning platform that caters to the way humans actually learn. Schoox delivers AI-powered, mobile-optimized, and skills-aligned learning experiences that engage and motivate every employee, from frontline to corporate. By making learning easy, accessible, rewarding, and fun, we help organizations build a highly skilled workforce that drives business growth and achieves its full potential. Schoox's frontline LMS supports people-focused learning in organizations worldwide, including Subway, KIOTI Tractor, Sport Clips Haircuts, and Sonesta Hotels. Learn more at schoox.com . SOURCE Schoox APTIM-led team awarded contract to manage and operate the US Department of Energy's Strategic Petroleum Reserve BATON ROUGE, La., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- APTIM and joint venture partner BWX Technologies, Inc. have been awarded a $1.4 billion contract by the US Department of Energy (DOE) to manage and operate the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), as well as its associated facilities and systems in Louisiana and Texas. The joint venture, known as Strategic Storage Partners, LLC, will assume management and operation of SPR on June 15 for a five-year period with an option for DOE to extend the contract for an additional five years. "APTIM is honored to serve the DOE, the talented and committed SPR workforce, and the nation as the SPR fulfills its essential mission of protecting our energy and economic security. APTIM and our partner BWX Technologies will bring the experience, resources, and commitment required to deliver," said Mark Fallon, APTIM CEO and Chairman of the Strategic Storage Partners board of directors. As the world's largest supply (714 million barrels) of emergency crude oil, SPR's mission is to minimize disruptions of US petroleum supplies through emergency stocks and uphold the country's commitment to the International Energy Program. Federally owned oil stocks are stored in underground salt caverns at four sites along the Gulf Coast in Texas and Louisiana, protecting the US during international oil shortages. About APTIM APTIM enhances the quality of the environment, wellbeing of people, resilience of communities, and opportunity for employees to make a difference, not just a living. A leading professional solutions firm, we specialize in environmental, sustainability, resilience, and infrastructure solutions. Our team of experts provide these integrated solutions for forward-thinking government agencies, commercial and industrial clients, and energy customers. Together, we create sustainable and resilient communities for all. Learn more at APTIM.com, and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X. About BWXT At BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BWXT), we are People Strong, Innovation Driven. A U.S.-based company, BWXT is a Fortune 1000 and Defense News Top 100 manufacturing and engineering innovator that provides safe and effective nuclear solutions for global security, clean energy, environmental restoration, nuclear medicine and space exploration. With approximately 7,800 employees, BWXT has 14 major operating sites in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. In addition, BWXT joint ventures provide management and operations at a dozen U.S. Department of Energy and NASA facilities. For more information, visit www.bwxt.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and Instagram. SOURCE APTIM ARLINGTON, Va., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Scott Harris, MD, MPH, president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and state health officer for the Alabama Department of Public Health, testified today before the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Education and Related Agencies. Harris emphasized the importance of providing sustainable and predictable federal funding for key programs and initiatives at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Resources and Services Administration, and other federal health agencies that enhance our nation's public health. In addition, he mentioned the challenges associated with the recent cancellation of COVID-19 grants by HHS. "Governmental public health agencies are on the front line protecting our nation and improving the health and well-being of the entire U.S. population. Our country continues to face many public health challenges, deaths associated with chronic diseases, the re-emergence of vaccine-preventable diseases, and opioid misuse," says Dr. Harris. "To build long-term resilience, public health funding must be consistent, forward-looking, and rooted in community-driven initiatives that address the needs of people where they live." ASTHO calls on Congress to provide stable and long-term financial support for public health agencies. Without consistent investment, state, local, tribal and territorial health agencies will struggle to strengthen their infrastructure, build public trust and protect the health and safety of all Americans. We must have a firm commitment to lasting resources that ensure a healthier future for our communities. For more information about the hearing, please visit the committee website and read Dr. Harris's full testimony. ASTHO is the national nonprofit organization representing the public health agencies of the United States, the U.S. territories and freely associated states, and Washington, D.C., as well as the more than 100,000 public health professionals these agencies employ. ASTHO members, the chief health officials of these jurisdictions, are dedicated to formulating and influencing sound public health policy and to ensuring excellence in public health practice. SOURCE Association of State and Territorial Health Officials Nation's top early education transaction advisor secures new owner for key childcare provider in Spartanburg as population continues to grow SPARTANBURG, S.C., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country, Spartanburg needs every childcare spot possible to meet demand from an ever-growing population of families and young children. To ensure an essential local provider continues serving the community with high-quality programming, early education veteran Kris Greer has sold Kid City Child Development Center to national childcare provider Milestone Education. The sale was led by HINGE Early Education Advisors, the nation's leading expert in growing and selling childcare businesses and real estate. "I've been in the daycare business for more than 20 years. I knew when it was time to find a new owner for my center, a national player could take the award-winning programs and opportunities that we provide for our students and staff to the next level," says Greer, who is relocating out of state with her family. "HINGE Advisors was instrumental in helping me find a wonderful successor that's truly invested in doing what's best for our children and teachers." Based in Greenville, HINGE Advisors has relationships with the most reputable and experienced early education buyers and investors throughout North America. This enables the firm to identify groups whose business strategies and cultures align well with owners across the country looking to sell their school or childcare business. HINGE's team manages the entire marketing and transaction process confidentially and is known for successfully closing more school transactions than any other advisor in the United States. "Kid City is doing a great service for the community," says HINGE Transaction Advisor Nan Rikard, who spearheaded the sale. "It was a distinct privilege to help a local school with such a strong reputation here in the Upstate start its next chapter and deliver peace of mind for a dedicated and talented childcare leader like Kris." In addition to Rikard, the Kid City sale was facilitated by a seasoned team of HINGE Advisors' early education business and real estate experts, including Financial Analyst Marnie Rhen, Diligence Manager Melissa Davis, and others. "With high demand for childcare in South Carolina and many other states, we're seeing strong interest on the acquisition front from buyers and investors who recognize the potential for industry growth and innovation," adds Rikard. "Now more than ever, school owners need an advocate to help them carefully consider their options if they are thinking about selling or considering an offer from a buyer. HINGE Advisors is proud to play that role and educate the leaders who make quality early learning accessible every day." If you are a childcare owner interested in exploring selling or growth opportunities, learn more at hingeadvisors.com. About HINGE Early Education Advisors HINGE Early Education Advisors is the nation's leading expert in growing and selling childcare businesses. The HINGE team comprised of former childcare business owners, financial experts, and commercial and real estate brokers has more than 300 years of combined industry experience and proudly maintains strong relationships with more than 600 active early education business buyers and investors. Following a proven process, HINGE has closed more school transactions than any advisor in the nation, helping childcare owners gain maximum value for their businesses and real estate. Learn more at hingeadvisors.com. Media Contact: Pamela Caruolo For HINGE Early Education Advisors [email protected] 484.574.2946 SOURCE HINGE Advisors MUNICH, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Co., Ltd. ("Zoomlion"; 1157.HK), a global leader in construction machinery, is showcasing its latest innovations at bauma 2025 under the theme "Greener Development, Brighter Future" from April 7 to 13 at Booth FS.905 at Messe Munchen. Over 60 flagship products across nine major categories are on display, along with a debut lineup of intelligent and green system solutions in Europe. The Company also signed multiple international orders and cooperation agreements to accelerate and lead the construction machinery industry's shift toward digital, intelligent, and green transformation. bauma 2025: Zoomlion Leads Industry Trends with Green, Intelligent Technologies Highlights at the Show A highlight of Zoomlion's lineup is the ZT72J-V, the highest telescopic boom lift in Europe, showcasing its leadership in high-end AWP development. The company is also unveiling 10 earthmoving machines, many featuring 5G remote control, AI panoramic monitoring, and electric-drive energy recovery. In the tower crane segment, the R800-40, the largest-tonnage Chinese model in Europe, secured strong interest with its safety, efficiency, and transportability. Zoomlion also introduced six concrete machines, including a 70-meter pump truck with a topology-optimized boom and smart mixer trucks with remote upgrades and intelligent diagnostics. Zoomlion also showcased system solutions integrating industrial internet, AI, big data, and new energy technologies at bauma 2025. Its mining solution combines intelligent equipment and digital technologies, including unmanned trucks and remote control, to enable fully automated mining, digging, transporting, and unloading. On the opening day, Zhan Chunxin, Chairman and CEO of Zoomlion, together with other senior executives, held in-depth discussions with customers and institutional representatives, reaffirming the company's commitment to global development and delivering improved service worldwide. Driving Growth Through a Global Industrial Ecosystem With its unique overseas business ecosystem emphasizing the end-to-end digitalization and localization strategy, Zoomlion connects directly with customers and markets to deliver products that best meet market demands and expedite response times. At bauma 2025, over 20 featured products are locally manufactured in Europe that meet the market demand and customer preference in terms of performance, technology, standards and design. Zoomlion's 72-ton and 62-ton folding jib cranes, assembled in its German factory, meet the EN12999 standard and have received CE certification. The R800-40 flat-top tower crane, produced in China and assembled in Europe, ensures quick delivery and efficient service for customers. On March 31, Zoomlion officially laid the cornerstone for Phase II of its German factory project in Waldlaubersheim. In February, Zoomlion's AWP factory opened in Hungary, further deepening the group's global industrial footprint. Currently, Zoomlion operates globally with 11 R&D bases, 210 service centers, and sales in over 170 countries. Backed by 6,300 overseas staff, its network ensures fast delivery and strong growth. "The bauma Germany has built a solid bridge for global industry exchange and cooperation enhancement. ZOOMLION will take this exhibition as an opportunity to explore innovative and cooperative development pathways using more high-end, intelligent, and green products to build our beautiful world together," said Yuan Ye, Assistant President of Zoomlion. SOURCE Zoomlion Leading contractor celebrates an impressive legacy while planning for the next generation of leadership and expanding its facilities ODENTON, Md., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bausum & Duckett Electric LLC, a leading full-service electrical contractor in the mid-Atlantic, is proud to celebrate 65 years of delivering reliable electrical solutions across Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia. From its roots as a small residential repair shop in Edgewater, Maryland, the company has grown into a regional leader in complex commercial and residential electrical projects with offices in Odenton, MD and Delmar, DE. The company has an impressive portfolio of projects including the Rod N' Reel Casino in Chesapeake Beach, the McDowell Hall renovation at American University, Aventon Luxury Apartments in Annapolis, 40 Patterson Apartments (SoNYa) in Washington, DC, NASA Launch Pad 0A in Wallops Island, UMES School of Pharmacy in Princess Anne, Snow Hill High School Renovation in Snow Hill, and Sunset Apartments in Dover. Bausm & Duckett early years. Long-time employees Mark Llewellyn, Thomas Luc, and John Dorsey purchased the company in 2011 and have guided the company's strategic growth while maintaining its strong reputation for quality and professionalism. Under their leadership, Bausum & Duckett has expanded its capabilities and geographic footprint while staying true to its founding values. As the company reflects on 65 years of service, it is also looking ahead by investing in its future leadership. Bausum & Duckett has launched a formal internal program to prepare its current Vice Presidents Jacob Foy, Ed Kennell, and Tom Necessary for their future ownership roles. All three leaders have risen through the company ranks, and the program will provide them with hands-on mentorship, business strategy exposure, and leadership development to prepare them to guide the company forward. "Succession is something we've taken seriously from day one," said president, Mark Llewellyn. "We're proud that our future leadership team has been developed from within, and we are committed to supporting their continued growth through a clear and intentional plan. Our goal is to ensure that the values and culture of Bausum & Duckett continue for generations to come." This focus on internal advancement reflects a broader commitment to workforce development that has long been central to the company's success. Through partnerships with the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC), Bausum & Duckett has supported hundreds of apprentices in four-year programs that combine classroom learning with hands-on experience. The company also actively participates in local and regional career fairs and continuing education in emerging technologies such as EV charging stations, voice-controlled systems, and smart building solutions. "We're always thinking about the futurenot just in terms of projects and technology, but people," said senior vice president, Tommy Luc. "Many of our most talented electricians started as apprentices, and some of them are now helping lead the company. That's something we're incredibly proud of." In December, the company marked another milestone by relocating to a larger warehouse and offices in Odenton, Maryland. The move affords not only additional space but also a step forward in supporting long-term growth, training, and innovation. To stay competitive in a fast-changing industry, Bausum & Duckett has embraced a range of digital tools and technologies that improve operational efficiency. From mobile platforms for safety tracking and field reporting to cloud-based systems for file sharing and real-time updates, the company continues to invest in tools that keep teams connected and projects on track. Looking ahead, Bausum & Duckett is positioning itself to meet the increasing demand for smart buildings, energy efficiency, and sustainable solutions. Clients are seeking intelligent lighting systems, advanced energy management, and infrastructure for renewable technologies. The company is responding by integrating these solutions into its service offerings and ensuring its workforce remains trained in the latest innovations. "Technology and sustainability are changing the way we workand we're evolving right alongside them," said senior vice president, John Dorsey. "We're committed to delivering the highest quality electrical systems while staying ahead of industry trends." Founded in 1960, Bausum & Duckett Electric LLC provides commercial and residential electrical services with a reputation built on trust, craftsmanship, and integrity. Learn more at https://bdelec.net. About Bausum & Duckett Electric LLC Bausum & Duckett Electric LLC is a full-service electrical contractor serving both commercial and residential customers in Chesapeake Bay region, from northern Virginia and Metro DC to the Eastern Shore Maryland, Delaware and Virgina. The Bausum & Duckett team performs the full range of electrical work, from maintenance and repairs, generator installation and service, to renovations and new construction projects. Learn more at https://bdelec.net/. SOURCE Bausum and Duckett Electric LLC MUNICH, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bigge Crane and Rigging Co. announced the acquisition of three new Liebherr LTM 1100-5.3 all-terrain cranes at Bauma 2025, marking a defining moment for the 109-year-old company. The deal was signed on-site by Hunter Settlemier, representing the fifth generation in the family business. Liebherr deal being signed by Hunter Settlemier. "Today marks a very special day for me and for Bigge's history," said Weston Settlemier, Chief Executive Officer of Bigge Crane and Rigging Co. "It's my 55th birthday, and I'm proud to be attending Bauma for the 30th year in a row. Even more meaningful, I'm here with my oldest son, Hunterthe fifth generation to join our family business." The newly acquired cranes will soon join Bigge's industry-leading Perfect Fleet in Northern California, raising the bar in service, performance, and reliability. Designed to meet the demands of modern lifting projects, these Liebherr machines are a strategic investment in quality and customer service. "Bigge has partnered with Liebherr for over 20 years," added Settlemier. "Like us, they are a family-owned company, and we share a common philosophy: world-class teams, innovation, investment, and quality. This latest investment reflects our ongoing commitment to bringing the very best to our most valued customers." Bigge's Perfect Fleet represents the most modern, efficient, and meticulously maintained crane fleet in the industry. With this latest expansion, Bigge continues its mission to provide best-in-class lifting solutions nationwide, backed by over a century of expertise and a forward-looking commitment to the future. For more information about Bigge's Perfect Fleet and crane rental services, visit https://www.bigge.com/crane-rental/. About Bigge Since 1916, Bigge Crane and Rigging Co. has been the premier provider of best-in-class cranes. Bigge offers crane rentals, cranes for sale, crane parts, and specialized heavy lift equipment to customers across America. With headquarters in California and Texas, Bigge operates a strategic network of over 20 service locations nationwide, allowing them to provide logistical and field support throughout the United States. Bigge actively buys and sells new and quality used cranes and maintains a rental fleet of more than 1,800 assets. Safety, teamwork, results, innovation, and passion are central to Bigge's core values. Bigge continues to lead the crane industry into the 21st century with generations of combined experience in the crane and rigging industry. SOURCE Bigge Crane and Rigging Co. Plenary session includes investment panel featuring global bankers and VCs TEL AVIV, Israel, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Biomed Israel, the premier international Life Science and HealthTech conference in Israel, will take place on May 20-22, 2025 at the David InterContinental Hotel in Tel Aviv, Israel. The event presents a unique opportunity for global healthcare and HealthTech leaders to experience Israel's innovative and vibrant life science and biomedical industry. For the 23rd consecutive year, Biomed Israel is the largest and leading meeting venue connecting healthcare professionals from Israel with their colleagues and partners from around the world, who come together for three days of intensive networking to discover business opportunities and promote partnerships. As in previous years, more than 100 Israeli life science companies, both promising startups and more established companies, will present and exhibit their innovative products and technologies. One of the conference's plenary sessions will feature a panel of bankers and VCs titled The Investment Tango: VCs, Bankers, and the Dance of Deal-Making. Participants include: Michael Margolis, Senior Managing Director, Head of Healthcare Investment Banking, Oppenheimer & Co. Michael Rice, Founding Partner, LifeSci Advisors Nick Pachuda, MD, General Partner, Neovate Capital Partners Mitchell Gold, MD, Venture Partner, Frazier Life Sciences; Former Executive Chairman, Co-Founder and CEO of Alpine Immune Sciences Jing Bao, MD, PhD, Partner, Shanghai HealthCare Capital Craig Yeshion, MD, Managing Director, Specialty Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices, Perceptive Advisors Additional plenary speakers include: Prof. Yitshak Kreiss, Director General, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer Philippe Gallone, Partner and Head of Healthcare Investment Banking in EMEA, Goldman Sachs Prof. Yinon Ben Neriah, The Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Awarded 2025 the Israel Prize in the Field of Medical Research Dror Bin, Chief Executive Officer, Israel Innovation Authority Boaz Hirshberg, MD, Senior Vice President, Clinical Development Unit Head, Internal Medicine, Regeneron Rony Paz, Dean, Faculty of Biology; Director, Azrieli Institute for Brain and Neural Sciences; Weizmann Institute of Science Co-Chaired by Ruti Alon, Founder and CEO of Medstrada, Ora Dar, PhD, Senior Expert, Medical Sciences and Health Innovation, and Nissim Darvish, MD, PhD, Managing General Partner, Eliraz Ventures, the conference will explore and aim to fuel the innovations and trends that are shaping the future of the healthcare ecosystem. "Over the past two decades, Biomed has grown into one of the largest and most influential gatherings in the field, celebrating advancements, fostering groundbreaking partnerships, and addressing critical challenges in medicine," said Ruti Alon. "This legacy continues to thrive through the dynamic mix of senior executives, visionary scientists, pioneering engineers, and dedicated healthcare professionals from Israel and around the world, all coming together to drive innovation and create meaningful impact that will shape the future of medicine and healthcare in a rapidly evolving world." "This year, we convene under unique global and local challenges, underscoring the urgency and relevance of our discussions. Our focus goes beyond addressing immediate issues in healthcare systems to exploring the transformative innovations and strategies that will shape our industry's future. The conference's content is designed to provide a comprehensive exploration of the critical intersections between medicine, technology, and society," concluded Ms. Alon. For preliminary agenda For heads of sessions For registration Contact: Tsipi Haitovsky Global Media Liaison Biomed Israel Email: [email protected] Tel: +972-52-598-9892 SOURCE Biomed Israel Request for expression of interest (RFEI) from African Governments LONDON, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Boom Technologies Ltd. ("Boom") proudly announces PHOTON, an ambitious pan-African initiative to establish decentralised, gigawatt-scale AI data centres across the continent. PHOTON marks the dawn of Africa's golden age in Generative Artificial Intelligence, data sovereignty and technological empowerment. PHOTON's mission is to democratise access to state-of-the-art AI infrastructure, enabling African businesses, startups, researchers, financial, medical and academic institutions to benefit from "African Intelligence" - AI that embodies Africa's history, values and languages. PHOTON will drive innovation, create millions of jobs, and establish Africa as a leader in Generative AI. As part of this visionary effort, Boom is inviting African governments to submit a Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI) to host PHOTON's initial seven AI data centres. To be considered, countries must acquire their Sovereign Reserve Allocation of Boomcoin (BMC), the pan-African digital currency enabling instant worldwide cross-border transactions in local African currencies, offer compelling investment incentives, and ensure reliable, uninterrupted power supply. "Photon ushers in Africa's AI Sovereignty, empowering it with the capacity to design, develop, host and deploy AI systems that reflect and advance the continent's own narratives, values, and interests,"said Peter Alfred-Adekeye, Founder of Boom Technologies and PHOTON. "We envision an Africa not confined to low-level tasks like training AI models for $2 an hour, but leading the global AI revolution with innovative solutions that are inclusive and deeply rooted in our rich African identity and culture." Powered by open-source technologies, energy-efficient designs, and cutting-edge hardware, PHOTON will offer ultra-low-cost API access, payable in local currencies or BMC, creating an inclusive, currency-agnostic digital economy for Africa. Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI) Boom is seeking seven African nations to host PHOTON's first set of AI data centres. Eligible countries must: Have acquire their Sovereign Reserve Allocation of BMC Offer compelling incentives for investment and development Ensure stable, uninterrupted power for gigawatt-scale operations "We're excited to collaborate with forward-thinking governments committed to Africa's AI-driven future," added Alfred-Adekeye. About Boom Boom is the global online commerce, payment, and settlement system for cash. It enables the world to spend, save and receive cash online, without banking. Prior to Boom, the only way to transact online was through the banking system, which excluded billions of adults and businesses in cash-based economies such as Africa. To learn more, please visit www.boom.market About PHOTON PHOTON is a pan-African initiative to establish decentralised, gigawatt-scale AI data centres across the continent. To learn more, please visit https://pan-african.ai SOURCE Boom Technologies Ltd The Arizona Cannabis Scene just got elevated PHOENIX, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Shango Cannabis, one of the nation's most respected multi-state operators, announces its strategic partnership with BOUTIQ, the premium California-based cannabis brand renowned for redefining industry standards. This collaboration marks BOUTIQ's first expansion outside of California, bringing its revolutionary product line to Arizona consumers in April 2025. BOUTIQ Brings Its Game-Changing Cannabis Tech and Luxury Design to Arizona in Partnership with Shango Post this At BOUTIQ, we believe that crafting exceptional cannabis experiences is not only a science but an art form. Our products are as beautiful as they are enjoyable. These products will be available across licensed dispensaries statewide. Shango's established distribution network and commitment to high quality standards will ensure these standout products reach Arizona's growing cannabis market. "We're proud to partner with BOUTIQ to bring one of the most highly anticipated cannabis products to Arizona," said Brandon Rexroad, Founder/CEO of Shango. "This collaboration allows us to deliver exceptional quality and innovation to our customers, and we're excited to see these products hit the market." Known for fusing bold design, cutting-edge tech, and premium flower, BOUTIQ is a brand built for cannabis connoisseurs. Arizona consumers will now get exclusive access to two of the brand's most coveted creations: the BOUTIQ Switch, a dual-chamber live resin vape in over 40 nostalgic colorways, and the Mini Prerolls, infused with real live diamonds and finished with a sleek ceramic tip. Explore The BOUTIQ Product Experience The BOUTIQ Switch : The first dual-chamber vape that lets you toggle between strains or blend them for a custom high. Featuring premium live resin, a digital display, 90s-inspired aesthetics, and a USB-C port for fast charging, it's as smart as it is stylish. : The first dual-chamber vape that lets you toggle between strains or blend them for a custom high. Featuring premium live resin, a digital display, 90s-inspired aesthetics, and a USB-C port for fast charging, it's as smart as it is stylish. BOUTIQ Mini Prerolls: Each preroll is packed with diamond-infused indoor flower, crowned with a ceramic tip for a smooth draw, and tucked inside a waterproof, pocket-sized case. No shake. No trim. No compromise. "The BOUTIQ family is incredibly proud to introduce our vision of next-generation cannabis to the Arizona market," said Oleg Spektorov, CEO of BOUTIQ. "We've spent years refining every detail from formulation to hardware to packaging, to deliver products that redefine what premium cannabis can be. Partnering with an experienced and respected operator like Shango gives us full confidence that Arizona consumers will receive the same exceptional quality and elevated experience we're known for in California." Arizona retailers can expect BOUTIQ products on shelves in April 2025, with a robust selection of strains with more than 80 strains in the pipeline. Shango is committed to providing its discerning consumers access to the most cutting-edge cannabis products in the United States. Media Contact: Virginia Martino 702-591-9183 [email protected]. About BOUTIQ BOUTIQ is a California-based cannabis brand, committed to crafting high-quality products that merge innovative design with cutting-edge technology. Known for its disruptive innovations, including the BOUTIQ Switch and diamond-infused Mini Prerolls, BOUTIQ is expanding its reach to elevate cannabis experiences internationally. About Shango Cannabis Shango is a well-established vertically integrated cannabis brand offering a full range of award-winning products, including flower, extracts, concentrates and cannabis-infused edibles. The company has State-of-the-art cultivation, processing and retail operations in Nevada, Oregon, Arizona, California and Missouri. Founded in 2014, the Shango brand is a recognized leader in the cannabis industry, setting the standards for superior genetics, product quality and consistency, and ethical business conduct in the cannabis industry. Global Health & Pharma named Shango the Best Multi-State Medical Cannabis Dispensary in the U.S. in its 2020 Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Awards. Macias Gini & O'Connell named Shango to its 2021 Cannabis 50 list, recognizing companies that are reshaping and inspiring the continued growth of the cannabis and hemp industries. Shango is committed to cannabis education and is a fierce advocate of the safe and responsible use of cannabis products. SOURCE Shango Experience a Bigger, Brighter Bremer Ribbon Cutting on April 25th at 10 AM PEORIA, Ill., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bremer Jewelry , a cherished part of Central Illinois since 1953, proudly announces the grand re-opening of their Peoria store! This newly expanded and remodeled 7,000-square-foot space reflects not only a renewed commitment to luxury and service but also a heartfelt dedication to the Peoria community. The celebration begins with a special Grand Re-Opening Bridal Event on April 24-26th and a ribbon-cutting event on April 25th at 10AM. Bremer Jewelry At the heart of Bremer Jewelry's transformation are owners Justin and Julie May, who have long been dedicated to offering high quality jewelry with a luxury experience to anyone who walks through their doors. Their vision for the remodel was simple yet profound: to ensure that everyone feels welcomed, valued, and celebrated at Bremer, and that they receive the absolute best service around. More than just a store, Bremer Jewelry has become a place where life's most meaningful moments are honored and celebrated, from engagements to anniversaries and everything in between. "We believe that everyone deserves to experience the joy of fine jewelry," said Justin May. "This remodel is about more than expanding our showroom; it's about ensuring that every individual who walks through our doors knows they belong here. We want Peoria to know that we are committed to being the best we can be because they deserve that; our community has given so much to us, and this is our way of giving back." Justin and Julie have spent years fostering deep connections with the Peoria community, from supporting local charities to celebrating milestones with their customers. Their commitment goes beyond businessthey see Bremer Jewelry as a gathering place where families and friends can come together to commemorate life's most precious moments. The newly renovated Bremer Jewelry will offer an expanded showroom and bridal area, a state-of-the-art jewelry repair department, a more inviting shopping experience, and an enhanced selection of engagement rings, fine jewelry, and gifts. But most important, it will serve their customers better than ever, offering an experience second to none. During the Grand Re-opening Bridal Event, guests will enjoy exclusive promotions, including a Free YETI with a $3,500 purchase, making it the perfect opportunity to find the ideal engagement ring or Mother's Day gift. "We can't wait to welcome everyone into this stunning new space," added Julie May. "Every detail has been designed with our guests in mind, creating an atmosphere of attainable luxury and warmth. We believe we have the best employees around and they are passionate about providing an unforgettable experience for our guests. No matter what you're shopping for, we want you to leave feeling special." Grand Re-Opening Details: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: April 25th at 10 AM April 25th at Grand Re-opening Bridal Event: April 24th-26th April 24th-26th Location: 4707 N University St, Peoria, IL 61614-5830 4707 N University St, 61614-5830 Phone: (309) 683-1024 Join us in celebrating a new chapter for Bremer Jewelrywhere we create and preserve memories, and every moment shines. Contact: Justin May Owner & President [email protected] SOURCE Bremer Jewelry Ted Zeller of Norris McLaughlin, P.A., Ron Jeffries, Shawn Mullen, and the NC Beer Community to receive honors ALLENTOWN, Pa., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Brewers Association (BA), the not-for-profit trade organization representing small and independent American craft brewers, is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Industry Awards. Since 1987, these prestigious honors have been bestowed upon individuals and groups that have made a significant impact on the craft beer community. This year's award winners will be celebrated for their dedication and contributions during a special ceremony on April 30, 2025, at the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) in Indianapolis. "Congratulations to this year's Industry Award winners. Their dedication and advocacy have strengthened the craft brewing community and paved the way for its continued success," said Bart Watson, president and CEO of the Brewers Association. "We celebrate their achievements and thank them for their invaluable contributions." 2025 Industry Award Recipients Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Craft Brewing Ron Jeffries (in memoriam), Founder, Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales (Dexter, Mich.) This award is presented in honor of Wynkoop Brewing Company's founding partner, Russell Schehrer, to an individual or company for their innovative contributions to the brewing industry. Ron Jeffries (1967-2024), this year's recipient of the Innovation in Craft Brewing award, embodied the spirit of the Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Craft Brewing. His passion, dedication to excellence, and commitment to sharing knowledge left a lasting impact on the brewing community. Ron's journey began in the 1980s, sparked by his curiosity for craft beer, which led him to study brewing science and work in the industry. In 2004, he and his wife, Laurie, founded Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, a brewery known for its fun, quirky spirit and pioneering wild, oak-aged sour beers. That same year, Jolly Pumpkin won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival. As an early supporter of the Michigan Brewers Guild and a longtime board member, Ron played a key role in shaping the craft beer scene throughout the world and was a mentor to many. His legacy lives on through his commitment to artisan brewing and innovation in craft beer. Brewers Association Recognition Award The NC Beer Community This award is presented to an individual, company, or group whose inspiration, enthusiasm, and support have contributed to the craft brewing movement. Hurricane Helene's devastation on September 27, 2024, brought over 20 inches of rain, extreme flooding, and landslides that destroyed roads, bridges, and entire communities. More than 7,000 roads and 650 bridges were damaged, and 106 lives were lost. In Asheville, Buncombe County's water system failed, leaving residents without potable water for 53 days. With power and cell service down, families were disconnected. Breweries statewide stepped uptaprooms became supply hubs, trucks delivered emergency aid, and impacted breweries served as relief centers. Highland Brewing's Leah Ashburn captured the moment: "We can't brew without water, so each day we adapt to meet new needs." The NC Craft Brewers Guild launched Pouring for Neighbors, raising $250,000 through national brewery support. Its new nonprofit, the NC Craft Brewers Foundation, has distributed $152,000 in grants, ensuring breweries can rebuild and continue serving their communities. The NC Beer Community's collaborative spirit remains unwavering, proving that in times of crisis, the beer community rises strongertogether. F.X. Matt Defense of the Industry Award Ted Zeller, Norris-McLaughlin, and the Brewers of Pennsylvania This award, named for the late F.X. Matt of F.X. Matt Brewing Co., is presented to an individual or company for their contributions and efforts in championing the small brewing industry. "I am completely honored and grateful," says Ted Zeller, Chair of the Liquor Law Practice Group at Norris McLaughlin, P.A. "I really am at a loss for words." Ted Zeller, this year's F.X. Matt Defense of the Industry Award winner, entered beer law in 2006, leading a landmark case against InBev. His work caught Dick Yuengling's attention, sparking ongoing collaboration on legislative and distribution efforts with D.G. Yuengling & Son. In 2009, Ted helped Yuengling fight a wholesaler bill threatening franchise laws. He connected with craft industry leaders, including Bill Covaleski of Victory Brewing Company and Chris Trogner of Troegs Independent Brewing, playing a key role in forming the Brewers of Pennsylvania, where he currently serves as General Counsel. Among his countless contributions to craft beer advocacy, these stand out as especially significant: Opposing franchise law expansion before the Pennsylvania Senate. Senate. Authoring laws streamlining brand registration, packaging, and direct sales. Negotiating a reduced 1.5% beer sales tax. Defending craft brewers in antitrust and licensing cases. Advocating for breweries as essential businesses during COVID-19. "Ted has been the agent of change that turned Pennsylvania into one of the best states for breweries," said Tom Kehoe, Yards Brewing. Brewers Association Mentor of the Year Award Shawn Mullen, Stone Brewing Company Shawn Mullen, this year's Mentor of the Year, joined the Brewers Association's inaugural mentorship cohort in 2021. His dedication to fostering industry talent has helped individuals, companies, and brands grow. Shawn began his career buying beer for a Massachusetts liquor store group, building a craft-focused program centered on quality and education. In 2014, Shawn relocated to Seattle to expand Wallace Brewing's sales territories, later joining The Odom Corporation as National Account Manager to support craft brands in building chain retail business. In 2019, Shawn joined Stone Brewing, where he currently serves as the Director of National Accounts, Off Premise for the East Coast. He earned his Advanced Cicerone certification in 2022 and joined the Brewers Association's Market Development Committee in 2024. "Shawn has been the professor of craft beer I always hoped for," said mentee Chris Housman. "He builds bridges and shows the path forward, empowering others to succeed." Award recipients were nominated by their peers and determined by votes from staff and committees comprised of members of the Brewers Association board of directors, the craft brewing community, and past award winners. Please visit here for more information on past winners and nominations for the 2026 awards. In addition to the individual industry awards, the Brewers Association conducts two prestigious national and international professional brewing competitions: the Great American Beer Festival Competition and the World Beer Cup. About the Brewers Association The Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers, and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents 5,600-plus U.S. breweries and more than 23,000 homebrewers. The BA's independent craft brewer seal is a widely adopted symbol differentiating beers from small and independent craft brewers. The BA organizes events, including the World Beer Cup, Great American Beer Festival, Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, National Homebrew Competition, and American Craft Beer Week. The BA publishes The New Brewer and Zymurgy magazines, and Brewers Publications is the leading publisher of brewing literature in the U.S. Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com and about homebrewing via the BA's American Homebrewers Association. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. The Brewers Association is an opportunity equal-opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/familial status. The BA complies with provisions of Executive Order 13672 and the Secretary of Labor's rules, regulations, and appropriate orders. Norris McLaughlin, P.A., is a multi-practice, commercial law firm with offices in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, delivering legal solutions to clients wherever they conduct their business, including nationally and internationally. The firm's nearly 130 attorneys practice in more than 25 legal disciplines and industry-focused groups and serve a wide range of clients, including small businesses, middle-market companies, and Fortune 500 corporations, as well as the private individuals and families who may own, lead, and/or manage those companies. Norris McLaughlin is a member of Meritas, a global alliance of leading independent law firms. To learn more, visit www.norrismclaughlin.com. Contact: Skylar Daley Communications Coordinator (908) 252-4214 [email protected] Jessie Vandenhouten On behalf of the Brewers Association (970) 963-4873 ext. 1220 [email protected] SOURCE Norris McLaughlin, P.A Douglas Brings Decades of Brand-Building Expertise to Propel Growth and Franchisee Success New Chief Brand Officer to Lead Bold Marketing Campaigns and Strengthen Brand Identity Strategic Vision: "Fuel Your Inner Badass" Campaign to Inspire Communities Nationwide in 2025 DENVER, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii , a leading coffee franchise renowned for its premium sourcing of Hawaiian coffees and memorable cafes, has named Iain Douglas as Chief Brand Officer. With extensive experience in brand development, and brand building activation, Douglas is set to accelerate the brand's growth, drive franchisee success, and enhance its community engagement. With extensive experience in brand development, and brand building activation, Iain Douglas is set to accelerate Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii's growth, drive franchisee success, and enhance its community engagement. Douglas brings an impressive track record of transformative brand development to Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii. He has held executive leadership roles at globally recognized brands, including The Procter & Gamble Company, where he led global beauty care innovation and helped redefine the Olay brand. As Vice President of E&J Gallo Winery, he played a pivotal role in the delivering the premium and popular wine categories, including such brands as Barefoot, Bella Sera, Whitehaven and Louis M. Martini, driving triple-digit growth and significantly expanding the winery's revenue. As Senior Vice President at Mark Anthony Group, Douglas successfully repositioned brands and drove double-digit profit growth, and as VP of Global Strategy and Brand Development at VF Corporation, he was instrumental in expanding iconic brands such as The North Face, Vans, Timberland, and Wrangler, contributing to the near doubling of revenue. Most recently, as Chief Marketing Officer at Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, he spearheaded the further explosive growth of Josh Cellars, turning it into the #1 premium wine brand in the U.S. Additionally, Douglas has worked as a partner at ArchPoint Group Consulting, leading brand strategy and innovation initiatives. His recent consulting work with Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii helped shape the brand's evolved DNA and accelerate both franchisee and brand expansion. "I'm thrilled to join Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii at such an exciting moment in its journey," said Iain Douglas, the newly appointed Chief Brand Officer. "This brand represents everything I stand for empowering people to push beyond their limits, inspiring them to seize the day, and fueling their inner strength with every cup. Under Scott Snyder's leadership, the brand has built a strong foundation, and I'm excited to help drive its next phase of exponential growth. Together, we'll continue to showcase why Bad Ass Coffee is the destination for anyone seeking to be part of a truly iconic, dynamic, and fast-growing brand." Douglas's vision aligns perfectly with Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii's mission to bring premium Hawaiian coffee and an authentic, adventurous brand experience to communities across the nation. His immediate, strategic initiatives include building a unified brand voice, delivering enhanced franchisee support, and launching bold new marketing campaigns focused on empowerment and community engagement. In 2025, Douglas will spearhead the "Fuel Your Inner Badass" campaign, inviting customers and franchisees alike to embrace a bold, adventurous spirit every day. "This isn't the first time that Iain Douglas has injected some Badass influence here at Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii," said Scott Snyder, CEO of Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii. "Following our acquisition of the brand in late 2019, Iain led the way in developing the Bad Ass Coffee brand DNA we still use today and so, five years later, I am thrilled to welcome him back in a senior leadership role as Chief Brand Officer to further bring this iconic brand to life, accelerate growth and drive franchisee and community engagement. Iain doesn't just bring extensive Fortune 500 brand know-how to our aggressive growth plans, but he's creative force that knows how to unlock brand potential and generate sustainable growth. We are excited to welcome Iain back to the Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii 'ohana and are ready for an exciting ride." Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii is redefining franchising by fostering a culture of engagement and collaboration. Franchisees benefit from a proven business model and innovative technology, as well as a development support system, including teams and tools to help identify the right territories for expansion. With its unique blend of Hawaiian culture and responsible growth, and a brand that resonates with modern consumers, Bad Ass Coffee offers a compelling opportunity for entrepreneurs ready to join a thriving community of operators. Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii was born on the Big Island of Hawaii in 1989 with the dream of sharing American-grown, premium Hawaiian coffee with customers everywhere. In addition to premium coffee from the famous Kona region of the Big Island, Bad Ass Coffee also sources from Kauai and Maui. Beyond premium Hawaiian coffees, Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii serves up a full menu of popular blended drinks, signature lattes, cold brews, teas, innovative foods with a Hawaiian twist, and branded merchandise. Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii is looking to partner with qualified and engaged individuals seeking multi-unit opportunities. The brand offers an affordable, highly scalable opportunity with strong profit potential. Franchisees can expect a total investment range between $454,200 920,500*. As International Franchise Association VetFran members, Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii offers veteran franchisees who join a $10,000 discount* off the initial franchise fee. For more information on Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii franchise opportunities, visit badasscoffeefranchise.com or call 833-205-2224. About Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii was born on the Big Island of Hawai'i in 1989 and is dedicated to sharing premium Hawaiian coffees "with a kick" from the Hawaiian Islands through 30-plus U.S. franchise locations with 100+ additional shops in various stages of development. Today, Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii stores also serve popular blended drinks, teas, food, along with other international premium coffees and sell popular branded merchandise with exceptional service and the Aloha Spirit. Bad Ass Coffees are available in franchise stores, online and will soon be available through grocery, hospitality, and specialty retail channels. The Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii brand and franchise is owned by Royal Aloha Franchise Company, LLC. For more information, visit badasscoffee.com and connect on Facebook and Instagram @badasscoffeeofhawaii . Franchise information is available at badasscoffeefranchise.com. SOURCE Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii The trusted home service company shares insight into the regulatory environmentand what it means for homeowners in Northern Virginia STERLING, Va., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As Earth Day approaches, Cardinal Plumbing Heating & Aira trusted home service provider serving Northern Virginiaoffers insight into the HVAC industry's move toward eco-friendly refrigerants, and the implications for homeowners considering a system upgrade. Cardinal Plumbing Heating & Air shares insight into new HVAC manufacturing regulations, detailing implications for consumers. Most legacy HVAC systems use a compound known as R-410A, by far the most common refrigerant included in residential cooling and heating systems. Due to recent changes in HVAC regulations at the federal level, this refrigerant is being phased out by HVAC companies in favor of natural and eco-friendly refrigerants. In fact, the use of R-410A is legally prohibited in HVAC systems made in 2025 or beyond. "Spurred by the adoption of these new environmental regulations, HVAC companies are shifting toward refrigerants that have a lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) ratingin other words, refrigerants less likely to have hazardous environmental effects," said Daniel Fuentes, co-founder of Cardinal Plumbing Heating & Air. "These new guidelines from the Environmental Protection Agency are designed to help the HVAC industry reduce its carbon footprint, but there may also be implications for homeowners." While EPA regulations extend a one-year grace period for HVAC companies to sell systems made before 2025, most manufacturers have already begun implementing the new environmental standards. By upgrading to one of these new systems, homeowners can not only reduce their own environmental impact, but potentially enjoy greater energy efficiency at home. State-of-the-art systems can also provide homeowners with cost savings, in more ways than one. A system upgrade can keep homes comfortable while expending less energy, reducing utility costs. At the same time, a new system will usually entail fewer repairs while potentially adding to the value of the home. "Now is a great time to consider upgrading to a more sustainable system, and one that may help keep utility costs in check," said Fuentes. "Upgrading now can be a good way to future-proof your system and invest in the latest technology." For more information on Cardinal Plumbing Heating & Air, call (703) 783-4099 or visit www.cardinalplumbingva.com . About Cardinal Plumbing Heating & Air Cardinal Plumbing Heating & Air is a residential service company proudly assisting homeowners in Northern Virginia. For more than a decade, the company has been a trusted provider for plumbing installation and maintenance, as well as a full spectrum of HVAC services. Founded by a team of seasoned plumbers, Cardinal is known for high standards of quality and a robust commitment to homeowner satisfaction. Additional information about Cardinal Plumbing Heating & Air can be found at www.cardinalplumbingva.com. MEDIA CONTACT: Heather Ripley Ripley PR 865-977-1973 new [email protected] SOURCE Cardinal Plumbing Heating & Air Developed in partnership with The Ohio State University's John Glenn College of Public Affairs, the hands-on kit honors Senator John Glenn's legacy of exploration, public service, and respectful dialogue. COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Center of Science and Industry (COSI) today unveiled its John Glenn Inspiration Learning Lunchbox a new hands-on science kit that helps students explore STEAM concepts while also learning the value of civility and civic engagement. The kit pays tribute to astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn, whose legacy of exploration, leadership, and public service continues to inspire generations. The kit debuts at a special launch event at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, Ohio, where approximately 25 eighth-grade students from Champion Middle School will be among the first to explore its interactive lessons. "Senator John Glenn showed us that exploration knows no boundaries whether in space or in how we engage with one another as citizens," said Dr. Frederic Bertley, COSI President & CEO. "Through this innovative Learning Lunchbox, we're connecting STEAM education with civic engagement in a way that truly exemplifies our belief that science is everywhere and for everyone. By blending hands-on experiments with lessons in respectful dialogue, we're empowering young people to become both scientific thinkers and thoughtful citizens who can tackle tomorrow's challenges with the same courage and commitment that defined Glenn's remarkable legacy." Developed as part of COSI's award-winning Learning Lunchbox program, the John Glenn Inspiration Kit blends hands-on STEAM experiments with civic-focused activities that promote empathy, leadership, and respectful discourse. Through seven immersive experiences including launching rockets, mapping orbits, learning about effective speech and communication, and writing to elected representatives students explore science and civility side by side. As part of the launch event, students from Champion Middle School will be paired with college mentors from The Ohio State University's John Glenn College of Public Affairs. These mentors serve as relatable role models, guiding students as they apply civil discourse, compassion, and problem-solving to real-world scenarios. Students will also have the opportunity to engage with current elected leaders, reinforcing the idea that young voices have the power to shape the future. "John Glenn believed deeply in the power of science, service, and civility for others. This new Inspiration Learning Lunchbox Kit honors that legacy by inviting young minds to dream big, stay curious, and engage with the world around them. Through our partnership with COSI, we're proud to help carry forward Senator Glenn's vision making STEAM learning accessible, exciting, and rooted in the spirit of discovery he championed," added Trevor Brown, Dean, John Glenn College of Public Arts at The Ohio State University. By integrating STEAM learning with civic engagement and respectful dialogue, COSI aims to prepare the next generation to be not just innovators but thoughtful, informed individuals. Since launching the Learning Lunchbox program in 2020, COSI has distributed nearly 400,000 kits to children and families across the country and world. The Learning Lunchboxes include direct links to Dr. B in 3 videos an animated series that teaches science concepts in under five minutes and some feature a Digital STEAM Portal a mobile video player where students can explore Dr. B in 3 episodes alongside hands-on activities, creating an immersive and interactive learning experience. For more information, visit www.cosi.org. About COSI COSI, ranked "#1 Science Museum in the Country" for five years as voted by USA TODAY's 10Best, is an esteemed science center that has delighted Central Ohio with all things science for 60 years, inspiring interest in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) topics and delivering our experiential, "hands-on fun" brand of learning. COSI has been awarded nine Emmys for its effective science communication television and video productions impacting science literacy for people of all ages. As a trusted educational resource for families, schools, and community partners, COSI is an essential element of our regional, national and international communities, engaging millions of people annually through onsite, offsite, and online experiences. Learn more at www.cosi.org. Media Contact: Griffin360 Dan Griffin [email protected] 212-481-3456 SOURCE Center of Science and Industry (COSI) HONG KONG, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- China Telecom Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "China Telecom") and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement recently, marking a significant step in strengthening industry-academia-research collaboration. As part of this partnership, both parties announced the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence Innovation Laboratory and a Quantum Innovation Joint Laboratory. Additionally, they will launch a Joint Talent Development Program under a "1+2+1" innovation framework to drive cutting-edge technological advancements, facilitate research commercialization, and cultivate a high-caliber talent pipeline. The signing ceremony was attended by Mr. Ke Ruiwen, Chairman and CEO of China Telecom, and Prof. Nancy Ip, President of HKUST, who served as witnesses to this milestone collaboration. The agreement was formally signed by Ms. Liu Ying, Executive Vice President of China Telecom, and Prof. Kar Yan Tam, Vice-President for Administration and Business of HKUST. Leveraging Premier Resources to Establish a Leading Innovation and Technology Hub As a leading research university in Asia, HKUST is globally recognized for its excellence in research and innovation. Its artificial intelligence subject ranks first in the Greater China region and is among the top 20 worldwide. In October 2023, HKUST established the Hong Kong Generative AI Research and Development Center (HKGAI), led by Prof. Guo Yike, Provost of HKUST. The center focuses on advancing foundational large models, developing vertical AI applications, and exploring AI governance frameworks. As a global leader in integrated intelligent information services, China Telecom leverages its cloud-network integration expertise to transform into a service-oriented, technology-driven, and security-focused enterprise. The company continues to drive breakthroughs in cloud computing, computing power networks, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and quantum technology, reinforcing its position at the forefront of digital innovation. This collaboration will fully harness HKUST's cutting-edge research strengths and China Telecom's industrial transformation expertise to drive innovation. Through the '1 Joint Management Committee + 2 Major Laboratories + 1 Talent Program' framework, the partnership aims to establish a comprehensive innovation ecosystem spanning basic research, technological breakthroughs, commercial applications, and ecosystem development. The Artificial Intelligence Innovation Laboratory will focus on conducting research aligned with international standards, developing a robust evaluation system for large-scale models, and advancing AI technologies. Meanwhile, the Quantum Innovation Joint Laboratory will engage in joint research on quantum computing and targeted application scenarios, while also developing interdisciplinary curriculum frameworks to foster cross-domain expertise. In addition, both parties will jointly launch a series of talent development initiatives, including a summer elite internship program, high-level talent workstations, academic exchange programs, and advanced training certifications. These efforts will strengthen the digital technology talent pool in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, laying a solid foundation for sustained innovation and development. Aligning with National Strategy to Drive New Frontiers of Development Prof. Nancy Ip, President of HKUST, expressed her sincere appreciation for China Telecom's support. She remarked, "This collaboration seamlessly integrates HKUST's research expertise with China Telecom's industrial strengths. We will jointly address key national scientific challenges, drive industrial technology innovation, establish a robust talent development framework, and accelerate the transformation of technological advancements. Together, we can make a greater contribution to both Hong Kong and the nation." Mr. Ke Ruiwen, Chairman and CEO of China Telecom, underscored the company's dedication to advancing national strategic goals through technological self-reliance and innovation. He stated, "China Telecom is committed to leveraging joint laboratories and talent programs in collaboration with HKUST to cultivate core competencies in strategic emerging fields. Together, we aim to accelerate the growth of new productive forces and contribute the strength of a leading central enterprise to the development of a digital China and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area." This collaboration between China Telecom and HKUST sets a new benchmark for industry-academia-research partnerships in the fields of artificial intelligence and quantum technology. It also drives the development of smart cities in Hong Kong, fostering innovative applications and advancing the growth of various industries. SOURCE China Telecom Global News / National by Staff reporter Former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislators Amos Chibaya and Costa Machingauta have been spared jail after a Harare magistrate fined them US$500 each following their conviction for participating in an unlawful gathering in January 2023.Magistrate Sharon Rakafa, who presided over the case, also sentenced the two politicians and three fellow party activists - Monica Mukwanda, Aletta Viremai, and Lancelot Tungwarara - to 12 months in prison, wholly suspended on condition they do not commit a similar offence within that period. Failure to pay the fines would result in six months behind bars.In her sentencing remarks, Rakafa said the court had taken into account that all five were first-time offenders."They are first-time offenders and they should be given a chance to reform," she said. "They are all breadwinners and each of them is involved in community work with the aim to empower the less privileged."The five were convicted of contravening provisions of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act after prosecutors proved they had participated in an unsanctioned political gathering at Machingauta's home in Harare's Budiriro suburb on January 14, 2023.According to the state, 25 people gathered at the former MP's residence for what was described as a CCC presidential assembly meeting. The meeting had reportedly been organised via social media by Tungwarara.While 20 of the accused were acquitted, with the magistrate ruling they were victims of a "dragnet arrest," the court found that Chibaya, Machingauta, and the three others had indeed mobilised for the meeting and were wearing CCC regalia, including caps, helmets, and T-shirts.During the gathering, the court heard, the group chanted the CCC slogan "Ngaapinde hake Mukomana, 2023 Chamisa chete chete" a rallying call in support of the party's then leader Nelson Chamisa.Police in Budiriro reportedly acted on a tip-off and found the group still assembled. According to testimony, officers instructed the crowd to disperse, but the order was ignored, prompting the arrests.The sentencing comes amid continued scrutiny over the use of public order laws against opposition activists in Zimbabwe. Human rights watchdogs have frequently criticised what they view as selective application of the law, while the government maintains it is acting within legal boundaries to maintain public order. Consumer group urges regulators to reject rate hike as unsupported and unfair LOS ANGELES, April 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In the first day of hearings, Consumer Watchdog made its case before Administrative Law Judge Karl-Fredric Seligman that California regulators should deny State Farm's request for an emergency increase in homeowners insurance premiums, saying the company hasn't provided evidence to justify charging consumers more. The company on Friday proposed reducing its requested rate hike for homeowners from 22% to 17%, with more support from the parent company, but Consumer Watchdog said those changes still do not justify the rate hike. "State Farm is trying to push through a rate increase without following the rules," said William Pletcher, Consumer Watchdog's lead attorney at today's Department of Insurance hearing. "The company hasn't made the case required under the law their proposal isn't even consistent first they wanted 22%, now they want 17%. We're glad the amount went down, but it still needs to be justified, and State Farm has not." Copies of documents filed in the case can be found here, including Consumer Watchdog's objections, and here, and the declarations of Consumer Watchdog's actuary here, and here. State Farm Expert Disqualified For Conflict of Interest, Also Working for Department of Insurance Administrative Law Judge Seligman ruled that State Farm's expert Nancy Watkins could not testify on behalf of State Farm's rate request because she is also working as an expert consultant for the California Department of Insurance. The Judge left open the possibility that he would revisit that decision later in the hearing. Watkins' contract, obtained from a Public Records Act request, shows she was charged with drafting regulations to allow insurance companies to pass on reinsurance costs to consumers and responding to public comments about the regulations. Consumer Watchdog criticized the conflict of interest at the time, noting Watkins's work as an industry expert. Public Pressure Reduces Rate Request An April 4 supplemental stipulation by State Farm and Department of Insurance staff proposed a reduced interim rate for homeowners of 17%, and included a promised $400 million capital contribution from State Farm's parent company and general commitments related to nonrenewal practices. Consumer Watchdog argued the stipulation is flawed because it failed to comply with the court's orders and regulations: it was not jointly submitted, it lacked supporting declarations, and it was filed after the deadline for public review. Still, the concessions in that filing reflected the impact of Consumer Watchdog's legal and public opposition. "They didn't follow the law, but they lowered the rate and added a capital infusion because they had to respond to the pressure," said Pletcher. "It shows the impact of public participation under Proposition 103 in reviewing rates and protecting consumerseven when insurers won't follow the rules." No Justification, No Emergency State Farm says it needs the hike because of financial pressure. But according to Consumer Watchdog's actuary, Benjamin Armstrong, the company's current rates are well within legal limitseven using State Farm's own data. "There's no urgent need that meets the legal threshold for an 'emergency' rate hike," Pletcher said. A Broken Process Consumer Watchdog also criticized State Farm for missing deadlines and failing to turn over key information: "There's a process designed to protect the public from unjustified rate hikes," said Pletcher. "It wasn't followed. Filings came in very late, in violation of the court's orders. And this hurts the ability of the public to review, to analyze, and to respond to rate hikes." Why Financial Condition Doesn't Belong in Rate Setting Consumer Watchdog also argues that California law is clear: insurers can't raise rates just to improve their financial profile. Rates must reflect actual risk and costsnot an effort to restore profits or maintain credit ratings. Policyholders aren't shareholders. They pay for protection for their own risks, not to subsidize an insurance company's balance sheet. What the Data Really Shows Armstrong is the only expert in the case who ran a full rate analysis using California's official rate-setting formula. He found that, based on the law, State Farm's current homeowners rates are not too low. Consumer Watchdog argues State Farm has failed to provide the minimum data required by law to show the need for an increase including basic information on how much it has paid in claims, and that State Farm is improperly leveraging the financial impact of the L.A. fires. Consumer Watchdog also pointed out that State Farm sent $3 billion in reinsurance payments to its parent company over the past decadewithout any significant recovery for California policyholders until this year. "This isn't about fair pricing. It's about padding their corporate balance sheet," said Pletcher. Refunds Are Not a Solution State Farm says it will offer refunds if its rate increase is later overturned. But Consumer Watchdog says that's not how the law worksand not how fairness works. "You can't overcharge now and promise to fix it later," Pletcher said. "Especially when families are still recovering from disasters like the January wildfires." What's Next The emergency hearing continues this week. A full evidentiary hearing is scheduled for June 1. "Californians deserve transparency and accountability in rate-setting," Pletcher said. "The record doesn't support this rate hike. And it shouldn't move forward." SOURCE Consumer Watchdog LOS ANGELES, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 18 Grey Games, a Black-owned game developer and publisher, proudly announces the worldwide release of Cuties Candy Quest, a vibrant match-three puzzle game launching the Cutie Puffs universe a brand celebrating world culture, unity, and fun. Cuties Candy Quest Crew A Fun & Fresh Take on Match-3 Starring Cutie Puffs, a bold, adventurous Black heroine with iconic Afro-Puffs, Cuties Candy Quest blends challenging gameplay with a heartfelt journey across cultures. From Leimert Park in Los Angeles to the heart of Africa, players help her share hometown sweets and collect global candies. "We wanted a match-3 game with real heart something fun, challenging, and culturally meaningful," says 18 Grey Games. "Cutie Puffs is a modern, relatable heroine who brings people together through treats and travel." What Makes Cuties Candy Quest Stand Out A Black Heroine with a Big Personality The first Black lead in a major match-3 game. The first Black lead in a major match-3 game. Global Travel & Diverse Friends Meet Atsuko ( Japan ), Bella ( Mexico ), Nora ( Middle East ), Priya ( India ), and Imani (Africa) . Meet Atsuko ( ), Bella ( ), Nora ( ), Priya ( ), and . More Strategy Rewards smart play over randomness. Rewards smart play over randomness. Feel-Good Vibes Positive affirmations and empowering messages in every level. Positive affirmations and empowering messages in every level. Anime-Inspired Art Led by Cameron Townsend , a Pasadena Art Center student, whose vibrant designs bring the world to life. Led by , a Pasadena Art Center student, whose vibrant designs bring the world to life. Localized in 12 Languages Available in English, French, German, Italian, Swahili, Portuguese, Hindi, Arabic, Amharic, Spanish, Hebrew, and Russian. Available in English, French, German, Italian, Swahili, Portuguese, Hindi, Arabic, Amharic, Spanish, Hebrew, and Russian. Free-to-Play, No Paywalls Optional purchases and ads only for bonuses. A Bigger Vision Cuties Candy Quest is just the beginning. What started during the pandemic has grown into a bold new brand focused on joy, culture, and authenticity. With plans for animation, merchandise, and more games, 18 Grey Games aims to make Cutie Puffs a global cultural icon. Cuties Candy Quest is available now on iOS and Android. On your phone? Download here https://onelink.to/a5nu98 www.18greygames.com Press Kit SOURCE 18 Grey Games SAN DIEGO, April 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Janina Scarlet, Ph.D., licensed clinical psychologist, founder of Superhero Therapy, and internationally-celebrated author, has announced the release 'Through Bullets and Thunderstorms: A Holocaust Survival Pact.' The title based on Scarlet's grandmother's extraordinary survival story in Ukraine during WWII will be released on May 8, 2025. Through a harrowing, inspiring, and gripping first person perspective, Scarlet brings to life the tale of a young Ukrainian woman, Maria, whose family is murdered by the Nazis, with Maria nearly meeting the same fate. Distraught, Maria runs to the local river with an intention to end her life, only to find another young woman attempting the same. This chance encounter leads the two women to make a pact to survive the Holocaust together. "I think many people simply don't know about the genocide in Ukraine. They may not know that the nationality listed on an Ukrainian Jewish person's birth certificate doesn't list them as Ukrainian, rather it lists them as Jewish something that made it easier for the Nazis to massacre millions of Jews in Ukraine, including many of my family members" Scarlet said. "This story is not only about my grandmother's escape and travail It is a story about survival through connection, the power of chosen family, and perseverance in the face of unimaginable horror." "This is a story so unbelievable it shouldn't be true," said Lora Innes, author of 'The Dreamer.' "Bullets and Thunderstorms starts off with a horrifying bang and doesn't let you breathe until the very last page. This incredible survival story reminds us that when hate and bigotry are given permission to grow, brave heroes will always rise up against it. The beautiful, personal details that Scarlet weaves into her family history bring to life the suffering and perseverance of her grandmother's remarkable story. Shocking, unflinching, and true, this book should be required readingas both a warning, and an inspiration." "Janina Scarlet takes an unflinching look at the Holocaust, but serves as a reliable guide through some of history's darkest moments," said Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of 'NecroTek' and 'Burn to Shine.' "Compelling, heartbreaking, and uplifting in equal measures. Highly recommended!" Released through Divine Feminine Publishing, the book will be available through Amazon, Target, Apple Books, Barnes and Noble, as well as libraries and independent bookstores. Pre-order is available now. About the Author Dr. Janina Scarlet is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, author, and TEDx speaker . She has authored sixteen books and has written chapters for eighteen others. A Ukrainian-born refugee, she survived Chernobyl radiation and persecution. She immigrated to the United States at the age of 12 with her family and later, inspired by the X-Men , developed Superhero Therapy to help patients with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Dr. Scarlet is the recipient of the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award by the United Nations Association for her work on Superhero Therapy. Her work has been featured on Yahoo, BBC, NPR, Sunday Times, The New York Times, Forbes, and many other outlets. She regularly consults on books and television shows, including HBO's The Young Justice. She was also interviewed for Marvel's MPower series and was portrayed as a comic book character in Gail Simone's Seven Days graphic novel. Dr. Scarlet is the Lead Trauma Specialist at the Trauma and PTSD Healing Center and is also the Founding Director of Divine Feminine Publishing, a small press dedicated to promoting genre fiction with at least 50% of female characters. About Divine Feminine Publishing Divine Feminine Publishing is a women-owned small press dedicated to increasing women's representation in genre fiction. We believe in the power of stories to inspire, challenge, and transform, especially when those stories are representative of the readers. Our mission is to create a space where authors can explore the vast realms of science fiction, fantasy, and other speculative genres, bringing to life unique perspectives and untold narratives in stories, in which at least 50% of characters are female. To learn more about Divine Feminine Publishing, please visit https://divinefeminine-publishing.com/ CONTACT: Cielo Villasenor 760.822.7938 [email protected] https://divinefeminine-publishing.com/contact SOURCE Divine Feminine Publishing BIRMINGHAM, Ala., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Encompass Health Corp. (NYSE: EHC) today announced it has changed the time of its 2025 first quarter earnings call from 10 a.m. ET to 9 a.m. ET on Friday, April 25, 2025. As previously announced, the Company will report results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2025, after the market closes on Thursday, April 24, 2025. The Company will host the investor conference call to discuss its results at 9 a.m. ET on Friday, April 25, 2025. The conference call may be accessed by dialing 800-245-3047 and providing the conference ID EHCQ125. International callers should dial 203-518-9765 and provide the same conference ID. Please call approximately 10 minutes before the start of the call to ensure you are connected. A live webcast of the conference call and an online replay of the conference call can be found on the Company's investor website at https://investor.encompasshealth.com. About Encompass Health Encompass Health (NYSE: EHC) is the largest owner and operator of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals in the United States. With a national footprint that includes 167 hospitals in 38 states and Puerto Rico, the Company provides high-quality, compassionate rehabilitative care for patients recovering from a major injury or illness, using advanced technology and innovative treatments to maximize recovery. Encompass Health is ranked as one of Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies, Becker's Hospital Review's 150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare and Forbes' Most Trusted Companies in America. For more information, visit encompasshealth.com , or follow us on our newsroom , X , Instagram and Facebook . From Fortune. 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Fortune is a registered trademark and Fortune World's Most Admired Companies is trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited and are used under license. Fortune and Fortune Media IP Limited are not affiliated with, and do not endorse products or services of, Encompass Health. From Forbes 2024 Forbes Media LLC. All rights reserved. Used under license. Media contact: Polly Manuel | 205-970-5912 [email protected] Investor Relations contact: Mark Miller | 205-970-5860 [email protected] SOURCE Encompass Health Corp. NEW ORLEANS, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Entergy announced its published 2024 Performance Report, "Energy for a better future." This detailed report presents the company's 2024 achievements, future plans and strategies for continued success. Presented along with financial results are the economic, environmental, governance, and social aspects helping drive outcomes for the benefit of all our stakeholders. "As we move forward from a strong 2024, Entergy is uniquely positioned to power life for our customers and communities, today and for future generations," said Drew Marsh, Entergy chair and chief executive officer. "Our investments in customer-driven solutions like strengthening the energy grid and advancing cleaner energy reflect our commitment to adapting to changing needs. We're also addressing unprecedented growth opportunities while maintaining low electric rates by engaging our stakeholders on this transformational journey." Highlights from 2024 include: Driving growth in our region. Entergy is benefiting from companies expanding or establishing new operations in the Gulf South. That's in part because our service area provides access to international markets with proximity to the Mississippi River and the ports along the Gulf Coast. We have a customer-led plan to invest for continued growth, reliability and resilience while maintaining a strong balance sheet and managing risk for all stakeholders. Through 2028, we plan to invest $37 billion to meet this expected growth. Creating a cleaner energy future. We operate one of the cleanest large-scale power generation fleets in the United States. As we continue to transform our generation portfolio to cleaner resources, we are also responsibly delivering meaningful environmental, social and economic value to the communities we serve, now and in the future. We are continuing to expand our power generation fleet to meet the need of anticipated growth in our service area including new data centers and other large customers with cleaner technologies. This strategy supports Entergy's long-term commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and helps customers meet their own environmental goals through low-carbon and carbon-free power. Affordability for our customers. Entergy is committed to keeping bills as low as possible for all our customers, especially for people struggling financially. Entergy promotes energy efficiency initiatives that help individual customers save money by reducing their usage. This includes energy audits, incentives, rebates and products to make people's homes or businesses more energy efficient. Our Bill Toolkit, launched in 2024, empowers customers with resources and available assistance options to help them more easily manage their energy bills. Empowering our communities. Giving back to our communities, and empowering them, is at the core of our mission. In 2024, our focus on corporate social responsibility made a meaningful difference in the lives of our customers and communities, resulting in an economic impact of $153.52 million across our service area. Our dedicated employees were vital to this success, contributing more than 122,000 hours of volunteer service, valued at more than $4 million. Delivering on our financial commitments. Our 2024 adjusted earnings per share was $3.65, in the top half of our guidance range. Our predictable financial results are the result of our actions to create value for our customers, employees, communities and owners. We are investing in our power delivery system to improve reliability and resilience, and we are expanding our clean, modern generation to support rapidly growing industrial load and the emission reduction goals of our customers. Explore the report to see our progress and learn how we provide energy for a better future. About Entergy Entergy (NYSE: ETR) produces, transmits and distributes electricity to power life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We're investing for growth and improved reliability and resilience of our energy system while working to keep energy rates affordable for our customers. We're also investing in cleaner energy generation like modern natural gas, nuclear and renewable energy. A nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship, we deliver more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to the communities we serve through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is a Fortune 500 company headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. Learn more at entergy.com and connect with @Entergy on social media. Forward-looking information Entergy's statements concerning its plans, goals, beliefs and expectations, including statements regarding its financial and operational outlooks, industrial load growth outlooks, capital plans and climate goals or commitments, and other statements of Entergy's plans, beliefs, or expectations included in this news release are "forward-looking statements" which apply only as of the dates indicated. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements, including, among other things, uncertainties associated with regulatory proceedings and other cost recovery mechanisms; operation and relicensing of nuclear facilities; major storms and other catastrophic events; risks associated with executing on our business strategies; effects on Entergy or its customers of changes in federal, state, or local laws, regulations and other governmental actions or policies, including changes in monetary, fiscal, tax, environmental, or energy policies; risks and uncertainties associated with executing on business strategies, including, (i) strategic transactions that Entergy or its subsidiaries may undertake and the risk that any such transaction may not be completed as and when expected and the risk that the anticipated benefits of the transaction may not be realized, and (ii) Entergy's ability to meet the rapidly growing demand for electricity, including from hyperscale data center and other large customers, and to manage the impacts of such growth on customers and Entergy's business, or the risk that contracted or expected load growth does not materialize or is not sustained; the effects of technological change, including the costs, pace of development and commercialization of new and emerging technologies, uncertainties and other factors discussed in Entergy's most recent Annual Report or Form 10-K and subsequent reports and filings made under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. SOURCE Entergy Corporation Sweet Treats and Innovation: Epson's "Seventy5 Candy Company" Booth Highlights Wide-Format Printing Technology and Live Demonstrations LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Epson today announced it will be showcasing its wide range of digital printing solutions at ISA Sign Expo, the preeminent event for the sign, graphics, print, and visual communications industry from April 23-25 in Las Vegas, Nevada. At the show, Epson will be introducing new products and sharing a preview of forward looking professional printing technology. In the "Seventy5 Candy Company" themed booth (#2216), attendees will have the opportunity to experience a comprehensive range of innovative printing systems for a variety of applications indoor and outdoor signage, photography, graphics, textiles, and more as well as enjoy sweet treats, talk with product experts and see product demonstrations. "Epson has long been committed to the signage community, providing innovative printing solutions that meet the growing demand for high-quality, reliable and versatile applications," said Matt McCausland, group product manager, Industrial and Professional Imaging, Epson America, Inc. "Businesses today need printing technology that enhances efficiency and expands creative possibilities, and ISA provides a valuable opportunity to showcase our latest advancements and demonstrate how our technology is setting new industry standards." Epson to display its wide range of digital printing solutions at ISA Sign Expo 2025. Post this At ISA, Epson booth attendees can experience wide-format printing solutions firsthand. Inside the vibrant booth, every element from candy wrappers and jar labels to POP displays, signage, and more will be printed using Epson technology. Products on display will include: The ISA exhibit hall at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center will be open Wednesday, April 23 and Thursday, April 24 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday, April 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For additional information about Epson's professional printing solutions, visit www.epson.com/proimaging. About Epson Epson is a global technology leader whose philosophy of efficient, compact and precise innovation enriches lives and helps create a better world. The company is focused on solving societal issues through innovations in home and office printing, commercial and industrial printing, manufacturing, visual and lifestyle. Epson's goal is to become carbon negative and eliminate use of exhaustible underground resources such as oil and metal by 2050. Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of more than JPY 1 trillion. global.epson.com/ Epson America, Inc., based in Los Alamitos, Calif., is Epson's regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. To learn more about Epson, please visit: epson.com. You may also connect with Epson America on Facebook (facebook.com/Epson), X (x.com/EpsonAmerica), YouTube (youtube.com/epsonamerica), and Instagram (instagram.com/EpsonAmerica). 1 Percent coverage of PMS Formula Guide Solid Coated 2022 Edition Full (excluding Pastels, Neon and Metallic colors) based on Epson internal testing. Coverage will vary when printed under other conditions. 2 Versus comparable professional large-format (54" to 64'') solvent ink printers. Competitor specifications from industry available sources and manufacturer websites as of July 1, 2024. 3 SureColor F-Series most shipped dye sublimation printers in NA (US+CA). 12 months ending November 2023. Ranking is based on shipments. IDC Quarterly Industrial Printer Tracker 2023Q3 Historical Release. 4 All features of this system require an active Internet connection and the use of a supported browser on a compatible printer. EPSON, ColorWorks, Epson Cloud Solution PORT, Epson Edge, SureColor, SureLab, and SurePress are registered trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks. Copyright 2025 Epson America, Inc. SOURCE Epson America, Inc. Hg increases its stake in enterprise software provider IFS and becomes co-control shareholder alongside EQT, while existing minority shareholder TA Associates remains invested. New investors in this transaction include a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority ("ADIA") and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board ("CPP Investments") IFS continues to perform strongly, having recently surpassed EUR 1 billion in ARR while growing by more than 30% year-on-year. STOCKHOLM, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- IFS, a leading provider of cloud enterprise software and Industrial AI applications, announces it has achieved a valuation of over EUR 15 billion following a significant pivot to AI-driven growth. The valuation comes as Hg increases its stake to become a co-control shareholder alongside EQT, with TA Associates ("TA") remaining as minority shareholder. New minority shareholders also include a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority ("ADIA") and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board ("CPP Investments"). Hg and the new investors are acquiring shares in IFS from EQT, which is selling through its EQT VIII and EQT IX funds, as well as from TA and other minority investors. The transaction follows many successful years of growth for IFS, delivering more than EUR 1 billion in ARR ("annual recurring revenue") last year. Total revenue for 2024 was over EUR 1.2 billion, with some of the world's largest industrial companies choosing IFS over legacy vendors. Demand for IFS's industrial AI capabilities has increased significantly over the past 12 months as organizations across IFS's focus industries of Aerospace & Defence, Engineering & Construction, Energy & Utilities, Manufacturing, Telco and Service, continue to realise the rapid and transformative value that IFS.ai delivers. IFS will continue to expand its capabilities with the industrial application of generative and agentic AI, so that customers can automate workflows, improve efficiency and deliver amazing moments of service to their own customers. Over the past year, IFS added 350 new customers including Exelon who adopted IFS to streamline asset maintenance across its energy grid, Rolls-Royce who is using IFS to transform service delivery of its Power Systems business, and Total Energies who is deploying IFS as the single platform for management and servicing of its global operated asset portfolio. Moreover, an increasing number of large businesses are moving to IFS which is reflected in the average deal size of IFS's largest customers increasing by 64% year-on-year. Mark Moffat, CEO of IFS, said: "IFS's success and sustained growth is centred around a commitment and track record of rapidly delivering business value to our customers. We have a differentiated proposition that continues to drive momentum in the industrial setting, specifically with the agentic and generative capabilities of IFS.ai, which enables us to be the technology of choice for the businesses that service, power and protect our planet." Moffat continued: "The investment and continued commitment from Hg, EQT and TA will help IFS further accelerate our journey to be the undisputed category leader of Industrial Software." Johannes Reichel, Partner and Co-Head of Technology in the EQT Private Equity advisory team, added: "EQT's relationship with IFS started in 2015 and it has been remarkable to see the company's growth since then. Starting as a software vendor focused on Northern Europe, IFS has become a global provider of enterprise solutions while embracing the power of AI for the benefit of its industrial clients. It's a prime example of EQT's ability to 'run with the winners', where we partner with management teams over the long-term to scale regional players into global champions. We are excited to work alongside Hg to continue supporting IFS through this next phase." Nic Humphries, Senior Partner and Head of the Saturn funds at Hg, commented: "With 20 years' experience investing in software, we recognise exceptional businesses when we see them. Our increased investment in IFS reflects our conviction in their long-term vision and strong execution, which enables their customers' digital transformation." Jonathan Wulkan, Partner at Hg, added: "Since our initial partnership in 2022 alongside EQT, Mark and the team have not only delivered impressive and consistent growth but have emerged as a global leader in Industrial AI - translating the promise of AI into practical solutions that drive efficiency and sustainability for essential industries, with significant potential for continued growth." Naveen Wadhera, Managing Director at TA, commented: "IFS's exceptional leadership, strong execution, and transformative AI capabilities are redefining what's possible in enterprise software. We remain confident in the company's vision and are excited to be part of its continued journey." The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to complete end of Q2 2025. IFS and selling shareholders were advised by Arma Partners and White & Case, EQT was also advised by Evercore, and Hg was advised by Morgan Stanley & Co. plc and Skadden. Contact EQT Press Office, [email protected] Hg Tom Eckersley, [email protected] Sam Ferris, [email protected] TA Maggie Benoit, [email protected] IFS EUROPE / MEA / APJ: Adam Gillbe, [email protected] NORTH AMERICA / LATAM: Mairi Morgan, [email protected] This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com. https://news.cision.com/eqt/r/eqt--hg-and-ta-owned-ifs-valued-at-eur-15-billion-in-minority-stake-sale--following-investment-from-,c4133272 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/87/4133272/3378631.pdf PR_EQT, Hg and TA-owned IFS valued at EUR 15 billion_09.04.25 https://news.cision.com/eqt/i/ifs,c3397176 IFS SOURCE EQT SAN LEANDRO, Calif., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Fisica, Inc. ("Fisica"), a leading manufacturer of airborne and ground-based antennas and electromagnetic systems and simulators, announced today its acquisition of Space Vector Corporation ("Space Vector"), a trusted provider of high-reliability RF avionics and battery systems. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1969 and based in Chatsworth, California, Space Vector has been a long-standing partner to the aerospace and defense industries, particularly in support of the national test range community. The company's extensive experience in flight termination systems (FTS), and rechargeable batteries and mission-critical RF systems aligns with Fisica's focus on delivering advanced, reliable technologies for defense and aerospace applications. "I formed Fisica less than a year ago as a defense technology platform - through the acquisition of three businesses from L3Harris - to think expansively and opportunistically about growth in the broader defense space," said Warren B. Kanders, Executive Chairman of Fisica. "The acquisition of Space Vector represents our first acquisition to augment already impressive organic growth. The addition of a niche business with a differentiated market position and compelling growth prospects is consistent with our M&A approach, which we expect to continue." "This acquisition marks a key step forward in Fisica's long-term growth strategy," said Mark Rayner, President of Fisica. "Space Vector's specialized expertise complements our existing capabilities and expands our footprint in high-demand sectors such as FTS and platform/system batteries for aircraft/UAV, missiles/hypersonics, launch vehicles and satellites. Most importantly, both organizations share a commitment to quality, innovation and ensuring mission success." Chris Yamada, Chairman and CEO of Space Vector, remarked, "I am proud of what our team has accomplished at Space Vector leading up this transaction, and we are very excited about the next chapter in our development with Fisica as our partner. The augmented resources that come with being part of a larger but still entrepreneurial organization should accelerate Space Vector's growth, and we see considerable opportunities for collaboration between our team and our new colleagues." The acquisition enhances Fisica's ability to serve customers across critical national defense and space domains. The Space Vector management team will continue in their leadership positions, while the selective integration of aspects of Space Vector's operations is currently underway, with no anticipated disruption to customers or partners. About Fisica Fisica, Inc. is a leading defense products manufacturer that operates three business units: Randtron, Datron and ATI that serve as critical partners for flagship defense primes and the U.S. Department of Defense. The business units design and produce airborne electronic warfare and radar antennas, ground-based antennas, and electromagnetic systems and simulators. Headquartered in San Leandro, Calif., with additional operations in Simi Valley, Calif., the company has approximately 375 employees. Fisica delivers advanced defense technologies that support the evolving needs of the aerospace and defense sectors. More information can be found at www.fisica.com. About Space Vector Space Vector has supplied high-reliability hardware for over five decades to key stakeholders in aerospace and defense. The company specializes in batteries and mission-critical subsystems that support range safety and mission assurance. More information can be found at www.spacevector.com. Press Contacts: Gray Hudkins [email protected] (203) 550-7148 Fisica Media Helpline [email protected] SOURCE Fisica, Inc. Smart vehicles enhanced by AI-integrated physics simulation to enhance performance, energy efficiency BOSTON, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Flexcompute is proud to unveil its groundbreaking partnership with NIO, a global leader in smart electric vehicles, at the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) World Congress. This collaboration is set to redefine the future of electric mobility by combining Flexcompute's GPU-native solvers with NIO's cutting-edge engineering to push the limits of aerodynamic optimization, enhancing vehicle performance and sustainability. NIO, driven by its mission "Blue Sky Coming, shaping a sustainable and brighter future together," is committed to build green and low-carbon smart electric vehicle products with its partners. By leveraging Flexcompute's Flow360 high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) platform, NIO is optimizing airflow and reducing drag to improve both vehicle performance and energy efficiency. "After extensive validation, I am very impressed by the speed and accuracy of Flow360.The CFD solver has produced consistently accurate results vs our Wind Tunnel experiments on a variety of vehicle types from small sedans to large SUVs," said Principal Chief Engineer and Head of Advanced Technologies at NIO Danilo Teobaldi. "What used to take hours or days to solve is now done in minutes. Flow360 is becoming an integral part of our future product development plans." Key Results: NIO has fully validated more than 60 cases spanning sedans and SUVs, using Flexcompute's Flow360. Industry-Leading Accuracy : More than 94% of simulation cases deviate by less than 3% compared to wind tunnel data. : More than of simulation cases deviate by less than 3% compared to wind tunnel data. Significant Speed Improvements : 10-100x faster than traditional CFD, completing simulations in under an hour on an 8L20 system and just 10 minutes on an 8 H200 system. : 10-100x faster than traditional CFD, completing simulations in under an hour on an 8L20 system and just 10 minutes on an 8 H200 system. Cost Efficiency : Flow360's scalable performance allows NIO to achieve 60% lower cost per simulation run , while reducing physical prototyping needs and accelerating development timelines. : Flow360's scalable performance allows NIO to achieve , while reducing physical prototyping needs and accelerating development timelines. Aerodynamics and Aeroacoustics in One Platform: Flow360's built-in Ffowcs WilliamsHawkings (FWH) acoustic modeling to accurately predict wind noise at the source. Recent validations show strong agreement with physical tests on driver-side window pressure, helping engineers design quieter, more refined EV cabins. "We're thrilled to support NIO's bold vision," Vera Yang President and Co-Founder of Flexcompute said. "By combining our GPU-native solvers and Physics AI technologies, we're enabling NIO to design smarter and move fastersetting new benchmarks in performance and sustainable mobility." This partnership represents the future of EV innovationwhere high-fidelity simulation and intelligent prediction converge to deliver cleaner, smarter transportation. About Flexcompute: At Flexcompute, innovation is not just a principleit's the foundation of everything we do. Born from the minds of engineers at MIT and Stanford, we push the boundaries of what's possible in simulation technology. With our GPU-native technology, seamlessly integrated into existing workflows, we enable teams to innovate faster, reduce costs, and minimize risksbringing better products to market in less time. Our mission is to make hardware innovation as easy as software through physics intelligence. Learn more at flexcompute.com. About NIO: NIO is a global smart electric vehicle company founded in November 2014. Dedicated to shaping a sustainable and brighter future together by providing high-performance smart electric vehicles and exceptional user experiences, NIO is the first car company listed on the NYSE, HKEX and SGX. NIO currently has three major brands under its umbrella: NIO, ONVO and firefly. Media Contact: Stephanie McGuirk Interdependence PR (845) 269-8868 SOURCE Flexcompute $250M Solar Plus BESS Portfolio to Drive Innovation in Clean Energy Solutions DENVER, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Foss & Company , a premier institutional investment fund sponsor, has entered into a $250 million tax credit transaction involving residential solar systems paired with battery energy storage. The deal represents Foss & Company's largest residential solar investment to-date and marks a significant milestone in the company's ongoing efforts to drive innovation and investment in clean energy solutions. The transaction between Foss & Company and Palmetto, a leading provider of clean technology products and services, marks a significant step in enhancing the nation's energy infrastructure. This transaction is based on a substantial portfolio of residential rooftop solar systems integrated with cutting-edge battery storage technology installations. By pairing residential solar with battery storage, this portfolio addresses two critical areas: boosting the production of renewable energy and providing supplemental capacity during peak demand or outages. This combination plays a pivotal role in improving energy stability and supporting the transition to a more resilient, sustainable energy future. "This portfolio is more than just a major financial transactionit's a key initiative in strengthening our nation's energy infrastructure," said Bryen Alperin, partner and managing director, Foss & Company. "This highlights the potential for large-scale, residential solar-plus-storage solutions to make a significant impact on energy security across the U.S." "This transaction with Foss & Company accelerates our shared mission to transform how energy is generated, stored, and consumed in the U.S.," said Chris Kemper, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Palmetto. "By coupling residential rooftop solar with battery storage at scale, we're not just delivering clean energy to more homeswe're building a more resilient, distributed energy future that empowers homeowners and supports the grid." This milestone reflects Foss & Company's growing leadership in the clean energy sector. As Foss continues to build on its success with this portfolio, it is well-equipped to capitalize on emerging opportunities in renewable energy, contributing to a more sustainable energy landscape across the U.S. ABOUT FOSS & COMPANY Founded in 1983, Foss & Company is a national tax equity investor and fund sponsor that has deployed over $9 billion in tax equity on behalf of insurance, banking, and other large corporate clients into historic rehabilitation projects, renewable energy and advanced energy production facilities. Foss & Company is a full-service advisor with proven expertise in helping our partners navigate the world of tax equity investments. For more information about Foss & Company and its innovative transferable tax credit opportunities, please visit www.FossandCo.com . ABOUT PALMETTO Palmetto is an award-winning clean tech company dedicated to accelerating the transition to a clean energy future. By leveraging a cutting-edge technology platform, Palmetto simplifies the adoption of renewable energy for homeowners, fosters innovation among businesses and clean tech entrepreneurs, and drives scalable environmental impact. Palmetto's platform integrates digital tools, data assets, and actionable insights to create an end-to-end solution powering its consumer marketplace. The company operates as both a B2B and D2C provider, offering software, financial products, and support services that deliver competitive pricing and exceptional value to end consumers. Key offerings include the Clean Energy Operating Platform, LightReach Energy Plans, Energy Intelligence, and Asset Management Platforms for customer service, with more innovations on the horizon. Committed to making clean energy accessible to everyone, Palmetto's Get Solar, Give Solar program funds philanthropic initiatives to bring renewable energy to underserved communities worldwide. A triple bottom line company with team members across the United States, Palmetto prioritizes people, planet, and profit in every aspect of its operations. SOURCE Foss & Company WASHINGTON U.S. President Donald Trump partially reversed course Wednesday on his global trade war following days of market turmoil but he's not offering any changes to the tariffs hitting Canada. Trump announced an immediate 90-day pause on the levies on nations slapped with the highest duties under his "reciprocal" tariff regime. A White House official later clarified that a 10-per-cent baseline tariff will remain in place for all countries. The president has held fast to his plan to rapidly realign global trade through a benchmark "reciprocal" tariff since his return to the White House in January, but his tariffs have spread chaos throughout global markets. The 10-per-cent baseline tariffs on all imports to the U.S. from most countries, and higher duties on dozens of nations, came into force just after midnight Wednesday. Those higher tariffs included a 20 per cent levy on imports from the European Union, a 25 per cent tariff on South Korea and a 32 per cent levy on Taiwan. Trump also increased tariffs on Chinese goods to 104 per cent. Beijing responded with additional duties on U.S. imports, pushing its total tariffs on U.S. goods to 84 per cent. Trump posted on social media that Americans should "BE COOL!" and "Everything is going to work out" a few hours before changing course and pulling back some of the most devastating duties. On social media, Trump said he made the decision after more than 75 countries called his administration "to negotiate a solution." Later at the White House, the president said he lowered the levies because "people were jumping a little bit out of line." "They were getting yippy, you know," Trump said. "They were getting a little bit yippy, a little bit afraid. While some countries saw a reprieve, Trump posted that China had shown a "lack of respect" and announced he's increasing tariffs on Chinese imports to 125 per cent, effective immediately. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent spread his own confusion by telling reporters that Canada and Mexico were included in the 10-per-cent universal levy. The White House official later stated that the tariffs on Canada remained unchanged. In early March, Trump imposed and then partially paused 25-per-cent across-the-board tariffs on Canada and Mexico, with a lower 10 per cent levy on energy and potash. Goods imported under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade, known as CUSMA, do not face duties. Imports that fall outside the continental trade pact are hit with the 25 per cent tariff. LUXEMBOURG, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Gcore , the global edge AI, cloud, network, and security solutions provider, has launched Super Transit, a cutting-edge DDoS protection and acceleration feature, designed to safeguard enterprise infrastructure while delivering lightning-fast connectivity. Gcore Super Transit Brings Advanced DDoS Protection and Acceleration for Superior Enterprise Security and Speed This comes as organizations face a 56% year-on-year increase in high-volume, complex DDoS attacks that disrupt operations, increase latency, and compromise network security. Traditional solutions often require expensive, complex integrations, but Super Transit is delivered as part of the Gcore DDoS Protection Suite. Using the Gcore global network of 180+ points of presence (PoP), traffic is automatically routed through the Gcore Anycast backbone , and any malicious traffic is intelligently split from legitimate traffic in real-time. This proactive detection, filtering, and mitigation of DDoS attacks means an uninterrupted user experience, so even during an attack, users remain unaffected and continue to experience stable, secure, high-speed connectivity. Gcore Super Transit, which is available to all customers now, optimizes performance and security through the following key differentiators: Real-time DDoS threat mitigation: Detects and blocks malicious traffic in real-time at the nearest Gcore PoP, before it can reach user networks minimizing impact on performance. Global-scale protection: Comprehensive defense against DDoS attacks of any size, backed by a total filtering network capacity exceeding 200 Tbps. Consistent performance: Traffic is filtered at the edge with legitimate traffic routed via the optimal path within Gcore's high-performance backbone, eliminating unnecessary rerouting to external scrubbing centers and reducing latency. Cost-effective protection: Optimizes security spending with flexible, integrated deployment options that balance performance and affordability. Andrey Slastenov, Head of Security at Gcore, commented: "This is a hugely important launch for many reasons. Primarily, Super Transit allows for fast, worldwide access to our DDoS protection services, with real-time intelligent data analysis and filtering ensuring legitimate data is routed to servers efficiently. These are crucial capabilities as advanced DDoS protection for real-time services mitigates latency and outages that significantly impact user experience and enterprises' business success." About Gcore Gcore is a global edge AI, cloud, network, and security solutions provider. Headquartered in Luxembourg, with a team of 600 operating from ten offices worldwide, Gcore provides solutions to global leaders in numerous industries. Gcore manages its global IT infrastructure across six continents, with one of the best network performances in Europe, Africa, and LATAM due to the average response time of 30 ms worldwide. Gcore's network consists of 180 points of presence worldwide in reliable Tier IV and Tier III data centers, with a total network capacity exceeding 200 Tbps. Users can learn more at gcore.com or follow them on LinkedIn , Twitter , and Facebook . Contact Gcore PR team gcore.com [email protected] Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2660945/Gcore_DDoS_Protection.jpg SOURCE Gcore USA News Group News Commentary Issued on behalf of Lake Victoria Gold Ltd. VANCOUVER, BC, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- USA News Group News Commentary As tariff talks continue from the White House, gold prices rebounded back above $3,010 , signalling that markets still favor gold as the safe bet for any stagflation or recession. Major banks continue to lean bullish in where gold prices are headed, including HSBC, Bank of America, Standard Chartered, and Citigroup. The recent gold rally has attracted investors back to mining stocks , with gold mining ETFs signaling healthy inflow. Among the miners making moves, recent developments have come from Lake Victoria Gold (TSXV: LVG) (OTCQB: LVGLF), New Gold Inc. (NYSE-American: NGD) (TSX: NGD), Thor Explorations Ltd. (TSXV: THX) (OTCPK: THXPF), WESTGOLD RESOURCES LIMITED (TSX: WGX) (OTCPK: WGXRF), and Dakota Gold Corp. (NYSE-American: DC) The article continued: Analysts are beginning to raise their fair value estimates on mining stocks, as tailwinds support higher gold prices to come. According to VanEck, gold miners substantially outperformed in March , as surging prices sparked M&A activity and drove the largest monthly inflows in over a year. Lake Victoria Gold Ltd. Provides Update on Tembo Project Following Mining License Conversion Lake Victoria Gold (TSXV: LVG) (OTCQB: LVGLF), an emerging East African gold developer, today announced an update on the Company's Tembo Project, located in the Lake Victoria Goldfield of northern Tanzania, following the successful conversion of its Prospecting License into four Mining Licenses (MLs). The milestone marks a significant advancement in LVG's strategy to unlock the potential of Tembo, which has already benefited from over US$28 million in exploration expenditures, including 50,000 meters of diamond and RC drilling. The conversion from a Prospecting License to four Mining Licenses grants LVG the legal right to develop and produce from the Tembo Project. Key provisions include that each Mining License (ML) is valid for 10 years, with the option of a further 10-year renewal. "The approval of our Mining Licenses is a pivotal step forward for the Tembo Project," said Marc Cernovitch, President & CEO of Lake Victoria Gold. "We have always believed in the district-scale potential of this asset. With tenure now secured for the next 10 years, we can focus on evaluating the most efficient development options to unlock maximum shareholder value. This is a transformational moment for the Company and its stakeholders." Armed with data obtained from the already mentioned +$28 million already invested into exploration at this site in Tanzania, Lake Victoria Gold (LVG) has zeroed in on three high-priority targets showing impressive gold grades and real growth potential. At Ngula 1, drilling has revealed a 250-meter-wide zone made up of multiple gold-bearing structures that run at least 600 meters in length, and remain open for expansion both deeper and farther out. Some of the more exciting drill results here include hits like 3.13 grams per tonne (g/t) of gold over nearly 26 meters, and an especially rich interval of 22.18 g/t over 15 meters. These numbers point to both strong grade and sizetwo ingredients that matter when assessing the economic potential of a gold deposit. The Nyakagwe Village target is just as exciting. Here, multiple mineralized structures have produced gold grades as high as 78.1 g/t over one meter and 27.88 g/t over nearly four meters. These are high-grade zones that could feed either near-term mining efforts or future development plans. At Nyakagwe East, drilling has uncovered a 300-meter-wide zone with strong quartz veining and visible sulphide mineralization. Results include intercepts like 19.1 g/t over three meters and 10.25 g/t over 3.5 metersonce again reinforcing the project's high-grade profile. With Mining Licenses now secured, LVG is evaluating multiple options for how to move Tembo forward. First, there's real near-term production potential. Some of the shallow, high-grade areas could potentially be mined using open pits once a little more drilling is done, while nearby third-party facilities may allow the company to start producing gold without having to build its own plant right away. Longer term, LVG may still consider building a dedicated processing facility if production volumes justify it. On the exploration side, there's still plenty of runway for growth. A new drill program is being designed to follow up on historical high-grade hits and convert them into formal resource estimates. A recent study also identified 38 new exploration targets on the propertysuggesting that the current high-grade zones might just be the beginning. More fieldwork is underway to test these areas for additional gold discoveries. Finally, LVG is keeping the door open for potential partnerships or strategic deals. The Tembo Project sits right next to Barrick's massive Bulyanhulu Mine, and the two companies already have a relationship. Back in 2021, LVG sold six non-core licenses to Barrick for $6 million in cash and up to $45 million more in potential contingent payments, which is essentially a bonus if Barrick finds gold on the ground it bought. That deal gave LVG funding to focus on Tembo, while still allowing it to benefit from discoveries made next door. Looking ahead, LVG now has fresh 10-year Mining Licenses at two promising assets. "We believe Tembo represents a rare opportunity to define a new gold camp in one of Tanzania's most historically productive districts," said Simon Benstead, Executive Chairman of Lake Victoria Gold. "With multiple exploration and development levers available to us, and a supportive regulatory environment, we're committed to responsibly unlocking the full value of this high-potential asset." CONTINUED Read this and more news for Lake Victoria Gold at: https://usanewsgroup.com/2025/04/02/with-funding-commitments-in-place-a-gold-mine-is-being-built-and-this-stock-is-still-under-0-20/ In other industry developments and happenings in the market include: New Gold Inc. (NYSE-American: NGD) (TSX: NGD) has agreed to acquire the remaining 19.9% free cash flow interest in its New Afton copper-gold mine from the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan for $300 million. The deal will be funded through a mix of available cash, a credit facility, and a gold prepayment arrangement that covers about 8% of New Gold's expected gold production over the next year. "This is an excellent transaction allowing New Gold to fully consolidate the free cash flow exposure to one of Canada's highest quality gold/copper assets, which we already own and operate," said New Gold president and CEO Patrick Godin. "This transaction allows us to grow in an exceptional location with no diligence or integration risk, and with no equity dilution to our shareholders." This move gives New Gold full 100% free cash flow exposure to New Afton, one of Canada's top-tier gold-copper assets. Godin also highlighted that with the ramp up of the C-Zone, New Afton is on the verge of exceptional production growth and cost improvement, which should lead to increased free cash flow generation. Thor Explorations Ltd. (TSXV: THX) (OTCPK: THXPF) recently reported strong full-year 2024 results , highlighted by 85,057 ounces of gold poured at its Segilola Gold Mine in Nigeria and the announcement of its maiden dividend. The company also advanced exploration across Nigeria, Senegal, and Cote d'Ivoire, with positive drill results at the Douta project and the discovery of a promising new zone at Baraka 3. "In 2025, the Group's strategy will be focussed on increasing shareholder value by extending the Segilola mine life and advancing the Douta Project in Senegal," said Segun Lawson, President and CEO of Thor Explorations. "At the same time, we are encouraged by the early exploration results on our newly assembled portfolio in Cote d'Ivoire. We look forward to advancing these projects through 2025." In Cote d'Ivoire, Thor expanded its presence with new acquisitions and began early-stage exploration on several permits. Looking ahead to 2025, Thor has guided for gold production between 85,00095,000 ounces and plans to spend up to $17.5 million on exploration across West Africa. Backed by strong cash flow and a debt-free balance sheet, Thor is now positioned to self-fund its growth while returning capital to shareholders. WESTGOLD RESOURCES LIMITED (TSX: WGX) (OTCPK: WGXRF) has activated its ore purchase agreement with New Murchison Gold for the Crown Prince gold deposit in Western Australia. Under the deal, Westgold will acquire between 30,000 and 50,000 tonnes of ore per month from the deposit, located just 33km from its Bluebird processing facility in Meekatharra. Ore shipments must meet a minimum gold grade of 1.5 g/t and will be transported by road for processing as part of Westgold's Murchison operations. This agreement strengthens Westgold's regional ore supply as it continues to evaluate long-term growth options across its Western Australia asset base. Dakota Gold Corp. (NYSE-American: DC) has closed a $35 million financing , bringing its total cash position to over $47 million and fully funding the company through the completion of a Feasibility Study for its Richmond Hill Oxide Heap Leach Gold Project. Richmond Hill is one of the largest undeveloped gold resources in the U.S. being advanced by a junior, with the next key milestone being the release of an Initial Assessment with Cash Flow (IACF) in mid-2025. Drilling is set to resume in April, as the company progresses toward potential production by 2029 in a favorable U.S. permitting environment. Article Source: https://usanewsgroup.com/2025/04/02/with-funding-commitments-in-place-a-gold-mine-is-being-built-and-this-stock-is-still-under-0-20/ CONTACT: USA NEWS GROUP [email protected] (604) 265-2873 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this publication should be considered as personalized financial advice. We are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular financial situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision. This is a paid advertisement and is neither an offer nor recommendation to buy or sell any security. We hold no investment licenses and are thus neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. The content in this report or email is not provided to any individual with a view toward their individual circumstances. USA News Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Market IQ Media Group, Inc. ("MIQ"). This article is being distributed for Baystreet.ca media corp, who has been paid a fee for an advertising contract with the company (333,333 unrestricted shares received via DRS from the company direct) MIQ has not been paid a fee for Lake Victoria Gold Ltd. advertising or digital media, but the owner/operators of MIQ also own Baystreet.ca Media Corp. There may also be 3rd parties who may have shares of Lake Victoria Gold Ltd., and may liquidate their shares which could have a negative effect on the price of the stock. This compensation constitutes a conflict of interest as to our ability to remain objective in our communication regarding the profiled company. Because of this conflict, individuals are strongly encouraged to not use this publication as the basis for any investment decision. The owner/operator of MIQ own shares of Lake Victoria Gold Ltd. reserve the right to buy and sell, and will buy and sell shares of Lake Victoria Gold Ltd. at any time without any further notice commencing immediately and ongoing. We also expect further compensation as an ongoing digital media effort to increase visibility for the company, no further notice will be given, but let this disclaimer serve as notice that all material, including this article, which is disseminated by MIQ has been approved by Lake Victoria Gold Ltd.; this is a paid advertisement, we currently own shares of Lake Victoria Gold Ltd. and will buy and sell shares of the company in the open market, or through private placements, and/or other investment vehicles. While all information is believed to be reliable, it is not guaranteed by us to be accurate. Individuals should assume that all information contained in our newsletter is not trustworthy unless verified by their own independent research. Also, because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected, there will likely be differences between the any predictions and actual results. Always consult a licensed investment professional before making any investment decision. Be extremely careful, investing in securities carries a high degree of risk; you may likely lose some or all of the investment. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2603685/5259989/USA_News_Group_Logo.jpg SOURCE USA News Group Plans to Bring Fiber Optic Internet to Thousands of Homes and Small Businesses in Northeast PA, Construction Underway in Dickson City DICKSON CITY, Pa., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Greenlight Networks, a leading fiber-to-the-home provider in New York State, announced today its first fiber internet expansion project in Pennsylvania. The company is committing an investment of more than $13 million to expand its high-speed network into Northeast Pennsylvania, starting with Dickson City, one of the first municipalities in Pennsylvania to benefit from this expansion. Greenlight plans to provide service to more than 10,000 homes and small businesses in Lackawanna County by the end of 2026. "Our team has been busy making the short drive from our existing service areas in Binghamton and the Hudson Valley, to design and build our first fiber network in Pennsylvania," said Mark Murphy, CEO of Greenlight Networks. "Greenlight was recently named top-rated internet provider in the country, and we know when consumers compare our value, reliability, speed, technical support, and customer service against their current provider, they'll also make the easy switch to Greenlight." As part of this expansion, Greenlight is partnering with the Dickson City Community Center, providing complimentary internet access to support this important community asset. "The prospect of having a high-speed internet option for those digitally underserved in our community is extremely exciting. We can all agree that there is an eagerness among our residents to usher in a new era of connectivity and opportunity here in Dickson City," said Cesare Forconi, Manager, Dickson City Borough. "We have heard great things about the advantages of fiber connectivity and Greenlight is well-known for its customer experience. We welcome Greenlight to our community." Delivering High-Speed Fiber Services Greenlight has already built a strong reputation among both residential and business customers for offering fast speeds with affordableand transparent pricing models. Unlike traditional cable providers, the company does not have contracts, taxes, or hidden fees. Greenlight's multi-gigabit fiber services feature data speeds as high as 8 Gbps with a base speed of 500 Mbps for just $50 a month. With fiber internet the upload and download speeds are symmetrical, providing users with seamless, reliable connectivity without lag or buffering. Residents of Dickson City can now place pre-orders for as low as $50/month. Placing a pre-order ensures customers are first in line for installation when construction is complete. It also allows customers to stay updated on construction progress in their neighborhood. For a limited time, Greenlight is also offering special promotions for new customers, learn more on Greenlight Networks - Dickson City. About Greenlight Networks Greenlight Networks is an ultra-high-speed, broadband service provider, offering residential and small business customers Internet speeds up to 8 Gigabits per second. Greenlight Networks was founded in 2011 and builds, owns, and operates a fiber-optic network that provides extremely high-speed Internet connections. The company's high-speed fiber internet network is currently available to more than 200,000 homes and nearly 10,000 small businesses in 33 municipalities in the Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Rochester, and Hudson Valley regions. For more information, visit GreenlightNetworks.com or find it on Facebook.com/GreenlightNetworks, and instagram.com/greenlightnetworks. Media Contact: Jenny LePore PR Director, The Martin Group E: [email protected] SOURCE Greenlight Networks 12 Botanicals, 9 Countries, 1 Curious Adventure NEW YORK, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ten years after Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin burst into the US market, the spirit maker is excited to kick off it's latest chapter: A Curious Irish Adventurea 360 campaign (the brand's first ever) celebrating the global journey that defines every sip. In 2004, at the edge of a lake in rural Ireland, where nature and history converge, P.J. Rigney set out to create something extraordinary. His relentless pursuit of flavor led him across nine countries, gathering twelve botanicals to craft Gunpowdera fusion of exotic ingredients, rare gunpowder tea, and the untamed spirit of Ireland. Timed to National Gin & Tonic Day, on April 9, the brand has officially launched their newest campaign. To celebrate this boozy holiday, look for Gunpowder Irish Gin, available at retailers nationwide at an SRP of $36.99. A Curious Irish Adventure Campaign At the core of the campaign is the Botanical Trail, a vibrant storytelling experience that highlights the origins of Gunpowder's signature botanicals and the captivating tales behind them. The campaign is visually anchored by Gunpowder's signature blue bottle, a symbol of depth, intrigue and adventure. National Gin & Tonic Day marks the opportunity to enjoy and celebrate one of the most iconic cocktails in history. What began as an 18th-century medicinal remedy has evolved into a globally beloved classic, offering cocktail enthusiasts endless possibilities to discover new gins, play with garnishes, and elevate flavors with unique botanicals. Modern distilleries, like Gunpowder Irish Gin, have reimagined the G&T, infusing it with exotic ingredients and a spirit of adventure. The Gunpowder G&T is a bold twist on tradition, heightened by the vibrant zest of grapefruit. Simply pour Gunpowder Irish Gin over ice, top with chilled premium tonic water, garnish with a fresh slice of grapefruit, and experience a cocktail that ignites the senses and sparks curiosity with every sip. "Gin & Tonic Day is more than just a celebration of a classic cocktailit's an invitation to explore new flavors," says Andrew Eis, Vice President Brand Excellence - Spirits for Palm Bay International. "Every sip of the signature G&T is a journey, infused with exotic botanicals and a bold spirit of curiosity. We hope that when gin lovers seek something truly unique, they reach for Gunpowder Irish Gin." Through the years, P.J. Rigney's insatiable thirst for adventure has taken him from Sardinia's citrus-scented groves to California's sun-kissed orange coast and the captivating, vibrant country of Brazil, where he found the lush sweetness of tropical pineappleall in pursuit of extraordinary flavor. These far-flung adventures have given rise to extraordinary expressions, each infused with the essence of its homeland. Experience the full range of Gunpowder creations, including Sardinian Citrus , Brazilian Pineapple , and California Orange Citrus each a tribute to exploration, best enjoyed as a refreshing G&T, ready to transport cocktail enthusiasts to distant shores with every sip. To purchase a bottle, please visit https://thesheddistilleryus.store/collections and to learn more about Gunpowder Irish Gin, please visit https://www.palmbay.com/spirits/drumshanbo-gunpowder-irish-gin/ About The Shed Distillery: Founded in 2014 by PJ Rigney, The Shed Distillery is known for creating exceptional, award-winning products including Gunpowder Irish Gin, Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey and Sausage Tree Vodka. Blending traditional distilling practices with modern innovation, The Shed Distillery emphasizes quality, craftsmanship, and sustainability, using locally sourced ingredients to create distinctive flavors. Under PJ Rigney's visionary leadership, The Shed Distillery has rapidly expanded its global footprint, earning numerous prestigious awards including International Spirit Brand of the Year from 2022 Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Awards and Best in Show award in the Gin & Genever category of the 2024 TAG Awards, while remaining deeply connected to its Irish roots and community. SOURCE Gunpowder Irish Gin FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- HALO AirFinance ("HALO"), a joint venture between GA Telesis ("GAT") and Tokyo Century Corporation ("TC"), has successfully closed a mezzanine loan secured by a widebody freighter aircraft, reinforcing the continued expansion of its aviation financing portfolio. The financing, completed in partnership with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation ("SMBC"), supported the refinancing of a Boeing 747-8F freighter for a leading U.S.-based air cargo operator. This transaction highlights HALO's commitment to providing flexible and innovative capital solutions for the aviation sector. "Our continued expansion into the mezzanine loan space reflects HALO's ability to meet a broader range of capital needs across the aviation industry," commented Marc Cho, Co-Head and Managing Director of HALO. "This transaction exemplifies the strength of our platform and our collaborative approach. We're proud to partner with SMBC and support our clients with tailored financing solutions." This latest transaction further solidifies HALO's position as a dynamic provider of customized financing solutions for commercial aviation assets. By leveraging the deep expertise and resources of its parent companies, HALO remains at the forefront of structuring strategic and effective financing arrangements for airlines, lessors, and investors worldwide. About HALO HALO AirFinance is a joint venture established by GA Telesis, LLC and Tokyo Century Corporation to focus the extensive capabilities of both organizations to deliver customized lending solutions to airlines, lessors, and investors, covering the collateral spectrum from new to mid-life aircraft and engines. HALO utilizes a sophisticated underwriting approach derived and supported by an extensive platform of services, products, and capabilities of the GA Telesis Ecosystem and the Tokyo Century conglomerate. For further information, please contact [email protected]. About GA Telesis GA Telesis, a global leader in aerospace solutions, is renowned for its unmatched excellence in aftermarket services and lifecycle management. The GA Telesis Ecosystem is a vast global network spanning 54 locations in 30 countries on six continents. The company's integrated solutions include parts and distribution services, logistics solutions, inventory management, leasing and financing, engine overhaul, and MRO services. GA Telesis is committed to sustainability through innovative sustainability initiatives and advanced technologies, including digital transformation, and using advanced materials. The company's aerospace systems and connected aircraft technologies drive efficiency and performance, while its MRO network and 24/7 AOG support provide unparalleled reliability About Tokyo Century Corporation Tokyo Century Corporation is an industry-leading financial services company with roots in leasing and develops a business model that integrates "Finance x Services x Business Expertise" through co-creative businesses with partner companies in Japan and overseas. The company holds 49.2% of GA Telesis shares and is the largest shareholder. Tokyo Century Corporation has four operating segments: "Equipment Leasing" with a broad customer base, "Mobility & Fleet Management" with auto leasing for both corporate customers and individuals and car rental services, "Specialty Financing" driving growth mainly in aviation leasing and real estate business, and "International Business" with a network spanned more than 30 countries and regions worldwide. It provides unique finance and services that contribute to solving social and environmental issues in a wide range of business domains. SOURCE GA Telesis, LLC WARMINSTER, Pa., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Havis, a leader in rugged mounting and docking solutions for demanding mobile environments, proudly announces the release of its DS-GTC-1500 Series Docking Stations for the Getac ZX80. Engineered for versatility, durability, and seamless connectivity, this compact docking solution is purpose-built to support mobile professionals across various industries including warehouses, public transit and energy & utilities. Havis mounting and docking solutions for public transit Designed with both mobility and performance in mind, the DS-GTC-1500 Series enables secure and efficient device docking while maximizing uptime in critical operations. With one-handed operation, a spring-loaded connector head, and a lightweight form factor, users can quickly dock or undock their Getac ZX80 with ease. Dual stylus holders on both sides of the dock ensure the stylus is always within reach, helping boost productivity in fast-paced, on-the-go work environments. Rugged Docking. Seamless Mobility. Designed for performance and flexibility, the DS-GTC-1500 Series includes key features that enhance usability and connectivity in mobile work environments: Optional Port Replication - Standard or Advanced configurations to meet connectivity needs. - Standard or Advanced configurations to meet connectivity needs. LED Power Indicator Easily confirms active power status at a glance. Easily confirms active power status at a glance. Optional Triple Pass-Thru Antenna Connection Supports enhanced signal connectivity. Supports enhanced signal connectivity. Dual Stylus Holders Conveniently located on both sides for seamless access. Conveniently located on both sides for seamless access. One-Handed Docking & Undocking Streamlined device engagement enhances user efficiency. Streamlined device engagement enhances user efficiency. Spring-Loaded Connector Head Ensures a secure and reliable connection every time. Ensures a secure and reliable connection every time. Compact & Lightweight Design Ideal for space-constrained installations. Ideal for space-constrained installations. Power Supply Included Comes with DS-DA-339 power cable for easy setup. Comes with DS-DA-339 power cable for easy setup. Accessory Support Compatible with Getac ZX80 extended batteries and stylus hand strap. Compatible with Getac ZX80 extended batteries and stylus hand strap. Integrated Cable Management Keeps workspaces clean, organized, and safe. Keeps workspaces clean, organized, and safe. VESA 75 Mounting Pattern Standardized mounting for easy integration with a wide range of brackets and arms. "The DS-GTC-1500 Series reflects our focus on supporting the unique needs of today's mobile workforce across critical industries," said Doug Dodson, Havis Sales Director for Enterprise. "Whether it's powering productivity in fast-paced warehouses, maintaining connectivity in transit systems, or supporting field operations in work truck applications, this docking solution for the Getac ZX80 delivers the rugged reliability and smart functionality our customers rely on." For more information on product specifications visit www.havis.com or contact a Havis representative. About Havis Havis, Inc. is a privately held, ISO 9001-certified company that is the leader in providing robust and reliable end-to-end technology mounting and mobility solutions in demanding environments. The Havis legacy dates back over 80 years as a trusted designer and manufacturer of critical equipment that ensures critical technology is accessible, secure and reliable. Havis's engineering and manufacturing teams are committed to consistently researching and developing unique products and solutions for a range of industries worldwide. With headquarters in Warminster, PA, and additional locations in Plymouth, MI, Burnsville, MN, Hilliard, OH and in the UK, Havis currently employs more than 400 team members. For more information on Havis, please call 1.800.524.9900 or visit http://www.havis.com. SOURCE Havis, Inc. Participating in the world's largest exhibition, bauma 2025, under "HYUNDAI" and "DEVELON" brands Launching exclusive new models at each brand's booth, drawing significant industry attention to their European debut Showcasing compact equipment and eco-friendly products for the European market, with live demos highlighting quality and technological excellence SEOUL, South Korea, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- HD Hyundai Construction Equipment and HD Hyundai Infracore, affiliates of HD Hyundai's Construction Equipment division, are targeting Europe with their new next-generation models, which will spearhead their rise to the top. HD Hyundai Construction Equipment and HD Hyundai Infracore announced that they are participating in bauma 2025, the world's largest construction machinery trade fair, held in Munich, Germany, from March 7th to 13th. A panoramic view of HD Hyundai Construction Equipments booth at bauma 2025 A panoramic view of HD Hyundai Infracores booth at bauma 2025 bauma ranks as one of the world's three largest construction machinery trade fairs, alongside Conexpo held in the US and INTERMAT in France. Here, HD Hyundai Construction Equipment and HD Hyundai Infracore introduced their new next-generation models, which are poised to become flagship products for both companies as they target the European market. The subsidiaries also highlighted their compact equipment designed specifically for European needs and showcased eco-friendly products powered by next-generation energy sources such as hydrogen and electricity, reinforcing their commitment to sustainability and innovation. HD Hyundai Construction Equipment has set up a 3,500 booth under the theme "Intelligent Park," inspired by its brand identity (BI). Visitors will have the opportunity to experience firsthand next-generation models, alongside more than 20 pieces of advanced equipment. The company will also be demonstrating its hydrogen-powered excavator, which was listed as the one of the final nominees at the International bauma Innovation Award in the climate protection category. HD Hyundai Infracore, participating in bauma for the first time since rebranding to "DEVELON" in 2023, has set up a 3,800 booth to showcase a key lineup of compact machines for the European market, along with a range of products from electric to specialized machinery. A standout exhibit is Real-X, the commercial version of the unmanned autonomous solution Concept-X2, which was first introduced in Europe at last year's INTERMAT. Additionally, HD Hyundai Infracore will be demonstrating a collaboration with the heavy machinery automation company Gravis Robotics, which they signed a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) with, showcasing how unmanned excavators work in tandem with articulated dump trucks (ADTs). To kick off their presence at bauma, HD Hyundai Construction Equipment and HD Hyundai Infracore held an exclusive "Unveiling Showcase" on Monday, March 7th. They unveiled the superior performance and quality of their next-generation models for the first time to the European market. "To challenge the dominance of established top-tier brands, we have invested three years of meticulous preparation for the launch of our new next-generation models and our participation in bauma," said an official at HD Hyundai XiteSolution. "We are eager to demonstrate HD Hyundai's technological prowess and showcase the true value of our next-generation models to a global audience of customers and industry experts." Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2659947/Photo_1__A_panoramic_view_of_HD_Hyundai_Construction_Equipment_s_booth_at_bauma_2025.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2659948/Photo_2__A_panoramic_view_of_HD_Hyundai_Infracore_s_booth_at_bauma_2025.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2163576/HD_Hyundai_logo_Logo.jpg RICE LAKE, Wis., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Henry Repeating Arms, one of America's leading firearm manufacturers, is building on its legacy of acknowledging its most valued constituencies with the launch of the American Construction Industry Tribute Edition, a new addition to its venerable lineup of collectible Tribue Edition rifles that honors the men, women, and companies who build America from the ground up. Henry Repeating Arms recognizes the American construction industry with a new Tribute Edition rifle. Now shipping to Henry dealers nationwide. MSRP $1,240. (Henry Repeating Arms) "America runs on the backs of its builders," said Anthony Imperato, Founder and CEO of Henry Repeating Arms. "This rifle is our celebration of all the skilled tradespeople who work on everything from blueprints to brick and mortar to shape our city's skylines, put roofs over our heads, build roads, bridges, and most importantly, the foundation of our lives and future. This new rifle is our way of saying thanks." Andy Wickstrom, President of Henry Repeating Arms, said, "We are proud to acknowledge the demanding and dangerous work, which requires a diverse range of skills. From carpenters and plumbers to electricians and engineers to ironworkers and excavators, the construction industry plays a vital role in shaping our communities and creating spaces for growth and progress." Built on the award-winning Henry Golden Boy .22 S/L/LR platform, this lever-action rifle, like the rest of Henry's Tribute Edition rifles, features highly detailed engraved embellishments that pay tribute to some of the country's most fundamental workforces and constituencies. The right side of the nickel-plated receiver cover features a 24kt gold-plated "Proud to Build America" plaque, an engraving of the American flag, and a portrait of three construction workers standing proudly in front of steel I-beams. The left side shows a residential framer at work on a rooftop and a tower crane erecting a skyscrapera nod to the vast scope of the construction trades. Both sides are bordered by a brick motif, symbolizing the industry's foundational role in America. The rifle's genuine American walnut buttstock features a hand-painted yellow construction helmet beside a scroll banner reading "American Construction Tribute," providing a lasting symbol of pride for those in the trades. The fully functional work of art is chambered for .22 Short, Long, and Long Rifle. It features a 20" blued steel octagon barrel, brass buttplate and barrel band, adjustable sights, and the legendarily smooth action Henry firearms are known for. The American Construction Tribute Edition is available now through licensed Henry Repeating Arms dealers nationwide. MSRP is $1,240. For more information about the new American Construction Tribute Edition and Henry's entire lineup of rifles, shotguns, and revolvers, visit www.henryusa.com. ABOUT HENRY REPEATING ARMS Henry Repeating Arms is one of the leading firearm manufacturers in the United States and a world leader in the lever action category. The company's motto is "Made in America, Or Not Made At All." Every Henry firearm comes with a Lifetime Warranty and a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee backed by award-winning customer service. Henry Repeating Arms employs over 800 people and has 400,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space in Rice Lake and Ladysmith, Wisconsin. The company is also known for its Guns for Great Causes charitable program, which focuses on assisting the families of sick children, children's hospitals, military veteran organizations, law enforcement, first responder groups, Second Amendment advocacy groups, and wildlife conservation organizations. The company is named in honor of Benjamin Tyler Henry, who invented and patented the Henry lever action rifle in 1860 the first practical repeating rifle and America's unique contribution to the international stage of firearms design. Visit Henry Repeating Arms online at henryusa.com, on Facebook, X, and Instagram. SOURCE Henry Repeating Arms The House Committee's passage of H.R. 845 advances gray wolf delisting, allowing states to manage recovered populations and preventing judicial review, a move Hunter Nation celebrates as a win for science-based conservation and local control. MISSION, Kan., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- House Bill H.R. 845, the "Pet and Livestock Protection Act of 2025" introduced in the United States House of Representative in January 2025 by Representative Tom Tiffany (WI-7) and Representative Lauren Boebert (CO-4) was successfully passed from the House Committee on Natural Resources today. "Hunter Nation salutes the House Natural Resources Committee for voting the 'Pet and Livestock Protection Act' out of committee, and we also thank Rep. Tom Tiffany and Rep. Lauren Boebert for their unwavering support of hunters and our hunting lifestyle," said Keith Mark, President/Founder of Hunter Nation. "The delisting of the gray wolf is a policy change we have been fighting for since our founding. The recovery of the gray wolf is an incredible conservation success story that should be celebrated. This legislation allows each state to manage the now recovered wolf population just as they manage all other wildlife within the state. The best part of this legislation is the provision that prevents judicial review of the legislative action which will preclude anti-hunting groups from using activist judges to interfere with sound, science-based conservation," added Mark. During a recent Congressional hearing in Washington DC, where the merits of delisting the gray wolf were being debated, biologist and wildlife management expert Dr. Nathan M. Roberts , testified and laid out these undeniable facts: In the Great Lakes region alone, there are an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 wolves, a population level more than ten times the original recovery goal. to 5,000 wolves, a population level more than ten times the original recovery goal. Recovery goals have been surpassed every year since at least 1994, yet the wolf remains listed, tying the hands of state wildlife managers. Scientific studies, including work by Adams et al. (2008) , show that harvest rates of up to 29% of a state's wolf population will have no negative impact on wolf population trajectories. It's Time for Congress to Act Hunter Nation is calling on the US Senate and the US House to pass the Senate bill introduced by Senators Johnson, Lee and Barrasso and pass H.R. 845, introduced by Representatives Boebert and Tiffany and other common-sense reforms to the ESA that restore management power to the states. We stand with America's hunters, ranchers, and state wildlife managers who know firsthand that local control works . Hunter Nation remains committed to holding Congress accountable and ensuring that common sense and science, not radical activism, drive America's wildlife management policies. ***Hunter Nation is America's leading grassroots organization advocating for the rights of hunters and the responsible management of wildlife. We fight for the freedom to hunt and fish, and we champion science-based wildlife management policies.*** SOURCE Hunter Nation ARMONK, N.Y., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) will hold its quarterly conference call to discuss its first-quarter 2025 financial results on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. ET. The live webcast of the earnings call can be accessed at www.ibm.com/investor. Please also visit the investor website for the earnings press release prior to the webcast. A replay, associated charts and prepared remarks will be available after the event. Contact: Timothy Davidson [email protected] 914-844-7847 SOURCE IBM The combined company will bring together 2,250 employees and will be one of the largest energy retailers in North America , annually serving 7.5 million RCEs (residential customer equivalents). Just Energy to continue to operate independently under its existing brands. This is a joint press release by IGS Energy and Just Energy (U.S.) Corp. DUBLIN, Ohio, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- IGS Energy announced today it has signed an agreement to acquire Just Energy, a move that will create one of the largest energy retailers in North America. The combined company will serve 7.5 million residential customer equivalents (RCEs), positioning it for continued growth across deregulated energy markets in both the U.S. and Canada. Just Energy The acquisition will bring together 2,250 employees and expand IGS Energy's presence in key energy markets. Just Energy will continue to operate independently under its existing brands and maintain its proven operating model. This strategic deal offers both companies substantial opportunities to use their strengths in expanding customer offerings. "We are thrilled to welcome Just Energy to the IGS Energy family," said Scott White, president and CEO of IGS Energy. "Just Energy's highly successful origination channels, marquee retail relationships, and deep industry expertise are complementary to our current capabilities and open new opportunities for growth, particularly in Texas." Just Energy, headquartered in Houston, Texas, has been a leader in the retail energy industry for over 25 years, operating under four well-established brands (Just Energy, Hudson Energy, Amigo Energy and Tara Energy). The acquisition of Just Energy allows IGS Energy to significantly expand its footprint in the ERCOT (Texas) market, a region of long-standing interest to IGS Energy, while also further strengthening its presence in PJM markets. Just Energy's "plug and play platform" will allow the company to operate independently from Day 1. This flexibility reinforces IGS Energy's commitment to preserving the autonomy of Just Energy's operations, which have been a key driver of its success. "Just Energy's operating model will remain independent as we continue to provide superior service to our current and future customers under their existing brands," said Michael Carter, CEO of Just Energy. "We are confident that this acquisition will provide new opportunities for our customers, business partners and employees." With this acquisition, IGS Energy is poised to lead in the energy retail space in North America, offering services and solutions for both commercial and residential customers across the continent. The companies are excited about the future and look forward to continued success in the years to come. IGS Energy's legal advisors in connection with the transaction are Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP. Wells Fargo led the acquisition financing and served as exclusive financial advisor to IGS Energy. Wells Fargo, Bank of America, The Huntington National Bank and JPMorganChase provided committed financing. Just Energy's legal advisors in connection with the acquisition are Latham & Watkins LLP. Just Energy's exclusive financial advisor is PJT Partners. About IGS Energy: IGS Energy is a private, family-owned company with 36 years in business, founded by CEO Scott White and his father, Marv White. Based in Dublin, Ohio, IGS Energy employs more than 1,500 employees and serves over 5 million residential and commercial customer equivalents (RCEs). The company focuses on natural gas and electricity supply, as well as innovation in emerging energy solutions like solar, batteries, biogas and demand response. Perennially recognized as a Great Place to Work and listed among Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For, IGS Energy values independent ownership, prioritizing long-term results over quarterly earnings and purpose over profits. About Just Energy: Just Energy is a retail energy provider specializing in electricity and natural gas commodities and bringing energy-efficient solutions and renewable energy options to customers. Operating in the United States and Canada, Just Energy serves residential and commercial customers under the Just Energy, Amigo Energy, Hudson Energy and Tara Energy brands. It also provides water filter solutions through its HomeWater brand. For further information, please contact: IGS Energy Jessica Spencer [email protected] (304) 840-2995 Just Energy Nancy Donnaperna [email protected] (647) 389-9483 SOURCE IGS Energy Recognized for technical excellence and customer experience LAS VEGAS, April 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- iKala, a multinational AI transformation solutions provider, has been honored with 2025 Google Cloud Country Partner of the Year Award for Taiwan. iKala is being recognized for its contributions to cloud adoption, digital transformation, and AI-driven innovation. This award highlights its cutting-edge AI technology and commitment to an exceptional customer service experience. iKala receives the 2025 Google Cloud Country Partner of the Year Award for Taiwan. Over the years, iKala has received numerous international accolades, including being recognized by KPMG Singapore as one of Taiwan's Top 10 Innovative Companies in 2023 and winning APAC Insider's Best AI Transformation Provider in 2023 and 2024 for two consecutive years. iKala continues to deepen its collaboration with Google Cloud, integrating industry insights with state-of-the-art AI solutions to lower the barriers for enterprises in adopting AI. With a cloud-driven approach, iKala is committed to unlocking the full potential of AI and data, accelerating innovation, and driving industry transformation. "Adopting AI is not an easy journey for enterprisesit involves navigating complex technologies and calculating ROI in an ever-evolving landscape. Thanks to over a decade of expertise, iKala now offers one of the industry's most comprehensive AI solutions and a world-class team to support businesses in their AI adoption," said Sega Cheng, Co-founder and CEO of iKala. "Winning this global award is a testament to the dedication and excellence of our team." "Google Cloud's Partner Awards recognize partners who have created outsized value for customers through the delivery of innovative solutions and a high level of expertise," said Kevin Ichhpurani, President, Global Partner Ecosystem, Google Cloud. "We're proud to announce iKala as a 2025 Google Cloud Partner Award winner and celebrate their impact enabling customer success over the past year." Setting New Standards in AI-Driven Business Transformation As cloud and AI adoption accelerate, businesses face mounting challenges, from complex IT architectures and scattered data to cloud cost management, cybersecurity risks, and regulatory compliance. These obstacles often delay AI implementation, hindering efficiency and operational optimization. As a global leader in AI solutions, iKala specializes in end-to-end AI and cloud transformation, helping enterprises seamlessly transition from AI architecture planning to deployment and ongoing management. iKala ensures businesses can adopt AI in the most cost-effective and efficient way possible, maximizing return on investment. Building High-Performance Cloud Infrastructure for AI Applications With deep expertise in AI and industry knowledge, iKala builds scalable and secure enterprise AI infrastructures that enable businesses to achieve operational excellence and AI-driven growth. iKala's AI-driven innovations include: Revolutionizing high-performance computing for a global tech leader, enhancing computational power and accelerating next-generation smart computing. for a global tech leader, enhancing computational power and accelerating next-generation smart computing. Developing an AI-powered compliance and marketing review system for a top financial institution in Asia , ensuring regulatory adherence while optimizing marketing precision. for in , ensuring regulatory adherence while optimizing marketing precision. Redefining intelligent commerce by implementing AI-driven predictive analytics for a leading e-commerce platform, creating hyper-personalized shopping experiences. by implementing AI-driven predictive analytics for a leading e-commerce platform, creating hyper-personalized shopping experiences. Launching Kolr, one of the world's largest AI-powered influencer search engines , analyzing over 300 million influencers worldwide to provide brands with unparalleled marketing intelligence. , analyzing over 300 million influencers worldwide to provide brands with unparalleled marketing intelligence. Publishing TMMLU+, a widely used AI benchmarking dataset for Traditional Chinese , setting a new standard for AI language model accuracy in the Chinese-speaking market. , setting a new standard for AI language model accuracy in the Chinese-speaking market. Building a world-class AI and cloud engineering team with over 60 top-tier experts, pushing the boundaries of AI and delivering cutting-edge enterprise solutions. By leveraging iKala's AI-driven solutions, businesses gain access to exceptional computational power, real-time insights, and intelligent automation, driving innovation, efficiency, and revenue growth. Leading AI Technology Development and Enterprise Transformation A Google Cloud partner since 2016, iKala has been at the forefront of cloud and AI innovation, continuously refining its AI transformation solutions to help businesses adopt AI with agility and efficiency. Today, iKala operates in over 190 countries, empowering enterprises to fully capitalize on the commercial value of AI. As AI technology continues to evolve, iKala is exploring new frontiers in AI deployment, particularly in edge AI applications with advancements such as Google's Gemma models. By extending AI capabilities from the cloud to edge devices, iKala is shaping the future of flexible and scalable AI adoption for businesses worldwide. About iKala iKala is a multinational AI transformation solution provider with a mission of "AI empowerment," enabling clients to achieve business transformation, acceleration, and new business model creation with AI at the core. iKala provides AI-driven cloud services and marketing technology to help businesses optimize operational efficiency and enhance customer engagement. Currently serving over 1,000 enterprises and 50,000 brand advertisers, including Fortune 500 leading brands, iKala remains customer-focused while continuously improving service quality and investing in innovative R&D to create more value for clients. For more information, visit: https://ikala.ai/ SOURCE iKala Revolutionary 'off-the-shelf' cancer vaccine designed to prevent the recurrence of oesophageal cancer ITOP1 to enter first-in-human Phase I/IIa clinical development in the VISTA study in H1 2025 Multicentre study to be conducted at four university cancer centres, aiming to raise the standard of care by reducing the recurrence of metastases and cancer-related deaths OXFORD, England, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Infinitopes Ltd today announces that the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has granted Clinical Trial Application (CTA) approval for the first-in-human Phase I/IIa clinical trial of ITOP1, the company's lead 'off-the-shelf' cancer vaccine. ITOP1 is a precision cancer vaccine, designed to safely and accurately target tumour antigens, leveraging the company's vector delivery system, aiming to drive strong and durable T-cell protection for patients with surgically resectable oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC). The vaccine is designed to stimulate a robust immune response, including activation of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, to eliminate residual cancer cells expressing the target antigens, reducing the risk of disease recurrence. Tumour antigen targets for ITOP1, Infinitopes' lead asset from its Precision Immunomics platform, are derived using the company's bespoke AI/ML-driven immunopeptidomics approach and demonstrate high tumour-specificity and inter-patient conservation with potential clinical applicability across multiple cancer types. The VISTA* study is a phase I/IIa double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial to assess the safety, tolerability and anti-tumour activity of ITOP1 in reducing OAC recurrence rates. 60 patients will receive ITOP1 in a prime/boost regimen, in combination with the best standard of care, i.e., a priming dose following neoadjuvant and a boost dose before adjuvant FLOT (fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel) chemotherapy. Infinitopes' VISTA trial will be one of the first in the world to administer a cancer vaccine in the neoadjuvant setting while the primary tumour remains in situ, unlocking the potential for enhanced protection from epitope spreading. The multicentre VISTA study will be conducted at specialist cancer centres in the UK under the leadership of Prof Mark Middleton, a world-renowned Chief Investigator. The VISTA* study is set to commence in Q2 2025. For further details, visit the UK Clinical Trials Registry for Integrated Research Application System (IRAS) project 1008088. Prof Mark Middleton, Chief Investigator, Head of Oncology & Co-director, CRUK Oxford Centre, University of Oxford, and Scientific Advisory Board Member for Infinitopes, said: "Half of us will suffer cancer in our lifetimes, so we need better, affordable treatments for the disease. ITOP1 is an exciting new immunotherapy with the potential to make a difference across a wide range of cancers, bringing hope to many patients. This first trial in oesophageal cancer will evaluate ITOP1's precision targeting, which enables anti-tumour immunity through epitope spreading to tackle residual cancer cells and prevent recurrence. We are particularly excited that, by working with the MHRA, we can test ITOP1 where we believe it will achieve the best protection, in potentially curable disease." Dr Jonathan Kwok, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder at Infinitopes, commented: "We are delighted that we have advanced our lead vaccine candidate, ITOP1, from university research to a groundbreaking clinical programme in just over three years. This marks a major performance milestone for the company, bringing Infinitopes an important step closer to offering lifesaving solutions for patients with oesophageal and other aggressive cancers. This achievement is a testament to the power of our team, across immunopeptidomics, computational biology/AI/ML, immunology, oncology, advanced trial design, and our collaborations with Cancer Research UK and leading centres around the world." Infinitopes recently strengthened its scientific and clinical team with the appointments of exceptional industry leaders, Dan Menichella and Jo Brewer, PhD, supporting the company's ambition to advance ITOP1 through clinical development to prolong survival and improve the quality of life for patients. Dan Menichella, Non-Executive Director at Infinitopes, noted: "Infinitopes' Precision Immunomics approach has the potential to revolutionise cancer treatment as we know it today. I am very excited for the start of our VISTA study, to validate our ITOP1 vaccine and the fundamental enabling technologies." *VISTA (Vaccination with ITOP1 in resectable oesophageal adenocarcinoma, to evaluate Safety, Tolerability & Anti-tumour activity) About Infinitopes Infinitopes Ltd is now a 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 scheduled to begin Phase I/IIa trials in Q2 2025. 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, fuelling 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 About Oesophageal Adenocarcinoma (OAC) Oesophageal cancer is an aggressive tumour. In the UK, approximately 10,000 people are diagnosed annually, resulting in around 8,500 deaths, making it the 12th most common cancer and the sixth leading cause of cancer deaths. Survival rates depend on the stage at diagnosis, with only 20% of patients surviving beyond five years. The disease is often diagnosed late due to a lack of early symptoms and the absence of effective population screening. Infinitopes selected oesophageal cancer as our proof-of-concept indication because of the obviously high unmet clinical need and limited effective treatment options. SOURCE Infinitopes Kia Design returns to Milan Design Week for third consecutive year, providing a platform for artistic expression and cultural exchange Works by artists Philippe Parreno and A.A. Murakami curated to reflect the brand's 'Opposites United' design philosophy ' Marquee', 'The Cave', 'Beyond the Horizon' and 'The Eclipse' deliver a sensory journey echoing the evolution of Kia's design philosophy Exhibition runs from April 7-13 at Museo della Permanente in Milan, Italy MILAN, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Kia Design has introduced the theme of its Milan Design Week 2025 exhibition, Opposites United: Eclipse of Perceptions, in collaboration with internationally acclaimed artists Philippe Parreno and A.A. Murakami (Azusa Murakami and Alexander Groves). Kia Design Opposites United Exhibition Milan Design Week 2025 - The Cave by A.A. Murakami Kia Design Opposites United Exhibition Milan Design Week 2025 - Marquee by Philippe Parreno This year's exhibition continues Kia's commitment to cultural exchange and creative exploration. Focusing on the brand's evolving transformation rooted in its core cultural values and creative identity the event sparks conversations that challenge and inspire both Kia Design and the global creative community. By bringing together visionary artists such as Philippe Parreno and A.A. Murakami, alongside Kia Design and other prominent members of the global creative community, the exhibition aims to offer an interactive experience where visitors can engage with the ideas, philosophies, and expressions that shape contemporary creativity. Since its first participation in Milan Design Week in 2023, Kia Design has sought to support art and culture by providing a platform for artists to express their interpretations of the brand's design philosophy, 'Opposites United'. Participating artists collaborate on experimental approaches, expressing the 'Opposites United' theme through their works or performances, creating resonant experiences for visiting audiences. The Eclipse A central stage for performances and talk sessions, 'The Eclipse' features tiered seating reminiscent of the Colosseum, with content projected onto a layered system of shades. In this space, the audience is encouraged to become active participants, immersed in the content and interpreting it subjectively, rather than simply remaining as observers. Eclipses have held significant scientific, religious, and cultural meanings throughout human history. These celestial events have inspired us to dream, look beyond our own existence, predict the future and advance our technologies. Opposites United: Eclipse of Perceptions uses the space to embody the story of Kia Design, and its ambition to evolve relentlessly, through dramatic staging and spatial transformations. The audience serves as witnesses to a rare and exceptional moment, joining as active participants at each instance of delight and contemplation. Philippe Parreno One of the most internationally influential French artists of the last 25 years, Philippe Parreno works across a diverse range of media, including film, music, sculpture, drawing, and performance. Adopting languages and codes from a variety of media, Parreno's work questions the boundary between reality and fiction, exploring the space where the real and imagined intersect. Parreno encourages audiences to reconsider how they engage with the real and the imagined, prompting a deeper reflection on the nature of experience itself. Marquee Located at the exhibition's entrance, Parreno's Marquee exemplifies the cultural vanguard by revitalizing the historical marquee concept in the context of contemporary art. By blurring the lines between architecture, design, and performance, the work transcends its origins as a cinema frontage, with the text-free work instead focusing on light and form. Ephemeral light, spatial interaction, and performative illumination shape a dynamic experience, elevating the marquee from a mere object to a reflection on the evolving interplay of past and present. A.A.Murakami Established in 2020 by Azusa Murakami and Alexander Groves, A.A. Murakami creates immersive installations that blend science and art. The ongoing Ephemeral Tech series combines innovative technology with ethereal materials and states of matter to create sensory experiences and unnatural phenomena. A.A. Murakami's work has been featured at the Venice Art and Architecture Biennales and is part of permanent collections at MoMA in New York, the Pompidou Centre in Paris, Vitra Design Museum in Germany, and M+ in Hong Kong. Murakami and Groves' experimental design practice, Studio Swine, has also received awards at major global festivals, including Cannes. The Cave A.A. Murakami's The Cave fuses primal and technological elements to highlight humanity's enduring creative impulse. A large-scale automaton with robotic limbs, representing cutting-edge technology, interacts with ancient instruments crafted from replicas of ancient animal bones. The juxtaposition represents relentless exploration, with the limbs emerging from a pool of water before activating bellows to blow air through the instruments, creating an ethereal soundscape that fills the space. The immersive red light and still water environment push sensory boundaries, reflecting the work's concept as a meditation on life's defiance of entropy and sparking intellectual curiosity. The installation poses profound questions about the endurance of human creativity and meaning in the face of existential uncertainty. Through its ephemeral performance, The Cave underscores A.A. Murakami's pursuit of capturing a unique moment not by replicating the past or present, but by relentlessly combining and reimagining elements to forge a new path. Beyond The Horizon Beyond the Horizon is the second work by A.A. Murakami featured within Opposites United: Eclipse of Perceptions. The display showcases giant, amorphous bubbles emerging from hanging automata and transforming into clouds. Pushing the boundaries of traditional sculpture and installation, the work explores ephemeral, performative, and interactive dimensions. The use of mechanical devices to create organic, ever-changing forms reflects a willingness to experiment with unconventional materials and technologies, a hallmark of creative risk-taking. The unpredictable nature of the bubbles sometimes random, sometimes synchronized introduces an element of chance, embracing the inherent risk in working with dynamic, uncontrolled systems. The immersive environment, with its elevated walkway, hazy atmosphere, and floor covered with a thin layer of water to make it reflective, further amplifies the viewer's experience, creating a sense of wonder and encouraging interaction with the artwork's unpredictability. Opposites United: Eclipse of Perceptions runs from April 7-13 at Museo della Permanente in Milan, Italy. Kia Corporation about us Kia (www.kia.com) is a global mobility brand that is creating innovative, pioneering, and leading sustainable mobility solutions for consumers, communities, and societies around the world. As a Sustainable Mobility Solutions Provider, Kia is spearheading the popularization of electrified and battery-electric vehicles and developing a growing range of mobility services, encouraging people around the world to explore the best ways of getting around. Kia has been providing mobility solutions since 1944. With 52,000 employees worldwide, a presence in about 200 markets, and manufacturing facilities in six countries, the company today sells around three million vehicles a year. The company's brand slogan 'Movement that inspires' reflects Kia's commitment to inspiring consumers through its products, technologies, and services. For more information, visit the Kia Global Media Center at www.kianewscenter.com SOURCE Kia Europe GmbH XI'AN, China, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This is a news release from the Shaanxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism: Starting December 17, 2025, China has significantly relaxed and optimized its transit visa-free policy, offering travelers from qualifying countries an extended stay of up to 240 hours (10 days) instead of the previous 72 and 144-hour limits. Shaanxi, a province famous for its rich cultural heritage and profound historical significance, offers much more than just a stopover. Thanks to the expanded scope of the visa-free policy, transit travelers are now free to explore not only Xi'an, but the entire province, unlocking a treasure trove of ancient sites, stunning landscapes, and local experiences. Aside from Xi'an, what other cities can you explore in Shaanxi? Here is our list of the attractions across Shaanxi province: Mount Huashan, Weinan: Known as one of China's Five Great Mountains, Huashan offers breathtaking views and thrilling hikes along its dramatic cliffs and scenic peaks. Travels can take in the spiritual atmosphere and ancient temples dotting the landscape. Bronze Ware Museum, Baoji: This museum showcases Shaanxi's ancient craftsmanship, featuring exquisite bronze artifacts from the Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-771 BC) and beyond. It's a must-visit for history enthusiasts keen to learn about China's ancient metallurgy. Zhenbei Pavilion, Yulin: This ancient site is a symbol of the region's importance during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Standing tall against the desert landscape, it offers a unique glimpse into China's past. Qingwei Tower Art Museum, Xianyang: The newly completed Qingwei Tower not only impresses with its ancient architectural style but also houses a modern museum inside. Qingwei Tower Art Museum features a large, comprehensive art museum that combines art collection, research, and global exchange. Tianhan Tower, Hanzhong: Located along the Han River, this tower is known for its beautiful architectural design and as a symbol of the region's historical significance. Hualong Mountain, Ankang: Known for its picturesque landscapes and lush environment, Hualong Mountain is ideal for travelers seeking tranquility and natural beauty. Tayun Mountain, Shangluo: Known for its rugged terrain and ancient temples, Tayun Mountain provides a perfect mix of outdoor adventure and cultural exploration. As the new visa-free policy takes effect, more global visitors will be able to explore this province's deep historical roots and vibrant modern life, making Shaanxi a must-visit destination on any traveler's list. SOURCE Shaanxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism NEW YORK, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to recent federal workforce reductions, Lawline, the nation's leading Continuing Legal Education (CLE) platform, is extending a helping hand to government attorneys facing career disruptions. The company announced today it will provide free, one-year unlimited CLE access to all federal employees who have recently been laid off. This initiative is designed to support public servants during career transitions by helping them stay compliant with CLE requirements and continue their professional development, at no cost. "Lawyers who've served in government have given so much to the public, and in a moment of career uncertainty, the last thing they should worry about is CLE," said Rich Hernandez, Chief Operating Officer of Lawline. "At Lawline, we're here to lift up attorneys through every chapter, and offering free access to our courses is just one small way we can give back during a time of transition." Eligible attorneys will receive full access to Lawline's comprehensive course library, featuring over 2,000 programs, including live webcasts, covering topics such as ethics, legal technology, trial skills, AI, cybersecurity, and more. The platform enables attorneys to learn anytime, track credits, and download certificates with ease. Federal lawyers impacted by layoffs can visit https://cle.lawline.com/fed-free to verify eligibility and activate their free subscription. This offer is available immediately and will end on August 31, 2025. About Lawline Founded in 1999, Lawline is the leading online CLE provider for attorneys across the U.S. With a mission to empower legal professionals through knowledge, Lawline has issued over 10 million CLE credits and continues to set the standard for online legal education. SOURCE Lawline WASHINGTON, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sparacino PLLC filed an anti-terrorism federal lawsuit today against Defendants Iran and North Korea on behalf of dozens of American service members, U.S. government contractors, civilians, and their family members, who were killed or injured in seven separate terrorist attacks while serving the United States in Iraq, Syria, Israel, and Kenya between 2019 and 2023. This lawsuit appears to be the first-ever case of its kind filed against either Iran or North Korea in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The lawsuit alleges that while these individuals were working to rebuild post-war Iraq, defeat ISIS in Syria, and support key American allies such as Kenya and Israel, they were attacked by terrorists who received material support and resources from Iran and North Korea. As alleged, the seven terrorist attacks were carried out by the "Axis of Resistance"a global terrorist alliance of Iran's proxies and agents, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Hizballah, Hamas, al-Qaeda, and others, including North Korean-backed groups. The lawsuit also alleges that material support or resources for the terrorist attacks were provided by Iran and North Korea through these groups, including supplying arms for attacks, training terrorists how to attack Americans, and providing incentive payments and other financing to terrorists for killing and maiming Americans. The lawsuit asserts these Iranian terrorist sponsors and their North Korean allies sought to use terrorism to undermine American foreign policy, including attempting to coerce U.S. government decisionmakers in the U.S. Department of Defense at the Pentagon, which is located in the Eastern District of Virginia. As alleged, Iran and North Korea sourced funds, intelligence, and technologies from, among other places, the Eastern District of Virginia, which enabled their terrorist attacks. "As alleged, Iran and North Korea are responsible for these attacks because they provided material support, weapons, and training to terrorist organizations that targeted U.S. servicemembers, and government contractors deployed with them, who paid the ultimate sacrifice," said Sparacino PLLC's Managing Partner, Ryan Sparacino. "As alleged, Iran and North Korea's collaboration within the 'Axis of Resistance' equipped and financed terrorist groups such as the IRGC, Hizballah, Kataib Hizballah, Hamas, and al-Qaeda, all of whom callously perpetrated these atrocities." The American victims seek justice against Iran and North Korea under the terrorism exception of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which authorizes any U.S. national, member of the armed forces, U.S. government employee or contractor, or legal representative of such person to recover against a designated State Sponsor of Terrorism for personal injury or death caused by an act of extrajudicial killing, aircraft sabotage, or hostage taking, or the provision of material support or resources to such act, by an official, employee, or agent of the state. The lawsuit alleges that the victims' injuries resulting from the seven terrorist attacks at issue were reasonably foreseeable or natural consequences of Iran's and North Korea's conduct. Raj Parekh, the former Acting United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA), joined Sparacino PLLC as a partner last month to chair the firm's EDVA national security practice. "The anti-terrorism work that we are privileged to do allows us to give a voice to those whose lives were shattered by acts of horrific violence and to ensure the pain the victims endured is never forgotten," said Parekh. "We fight not only for legal victory, but for the affirmation that justice will always rise above fear." The U.S. Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism Fund ("the Fund") provides financial compensation to American citizens who have been harmed by acts of terrorism sponsored by foreign governments. Established by Congress under the Justice for U.S. Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism Act of 2015, the Fund supports victims with successful legal claims under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) against designated State Sponsors of Terrorism, including Iran, North Korea, and others. The Fund provides compensation to individuals (or personal representatives of deceased individuals) who hold a final judgment issued by a United States District Court awarding the individual compensatory damages. Since the Fund's establishment in 2015, it has paid over $7 billion to eligible victims. The Fund aims to help alleviate the financial impact on victims while providing a measure of justice for their suffering. Sparacino PLLC, a D.C.-based litigation and investigations firm, represents over 4,000 Americansincluding more than 1,000 Gold Star familieswho were injured in terrorist attacks committed by foreign terrorist organizations such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, al-Qaeda, and ISIS. On behalf of those victims, the firm aggressively pursues claims in litigation under the Anti-Terrorism Act, as amended in 2016 by the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, against the corporations and individuals who choose to do business with terrorists. The firm also pursues claims against state sponsors of terrorism under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. The firm has already helped a substantial number of victims of Hizballah and terrorist groups in Iraq since 2003 and of the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan since 2001. The firm has deep experience with national security issues and high-stakes litigation and intends to continue to seek justice for Americans in anti-terrorism litigation and expand its anti-trafficking, whistleblower, and commercial litigation practices. The case is captioned Alkhalili, et al. v. Islamic Republic of Iran and Democratic People's Republic of Korea, No. 1:25-cv-601 (E.D. Va.). The Complaint is available at: https://terrorismcase.com/alkhalili Media contact: [email protected] SOURCE Sparacino PLLC Advancing Sustainable Materials Through Green Innovation DUBLIN, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- LCY Group Chairman Bowei Lee received the 2025 IISRP General Award from the International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers (IISRP) at the 65th IISRP Annual General Meeting held in Dublin, Ireland. As one of the highest honors in the synthetic rubber industry, the General Award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to global industry development, technological innovation, and sustainable transformation. Bowei has been a longtime champion of materials science innovation and the advancement of green technologies. Under his leadership, LCY Chemical Corp. has delivered significant breakthroughs in green materials, carbon neutrality, and the circular economydriving meaningful progress toward a more sustainable future for the industry. Bowei remarked: "This recognition from the IISRP is a testament to LCY's commitment to innovation and sustainable development in synthetic rubber by our teams in Taiwan, China, the United States, and Europe. The synthetic rubber industry is facing challenges such as changing market demands, tightening environmental regulations, and carbon emissions management. In response, the industry must improve material performance to reduce environmental impact. LCY will continue to develop advanced materials and technologies, promote sustainable development, and deepen collaboration across the industry to accelerate the transition to a greener future." As a long-standing partner of the IISRP, LCY will seek to engage more actively in global technical exchanges and respond to global environmental trends through the development and innovative application of green materialsstrengthening its competitiveness in the advanced materials industry. Roxanna Bauza Petrovic, CEO of IISRP, also extended her congratulations: "Mr. Bowei Lee has led LCY Group in advancing the development of green elastomer materials that help improve the quality and convenience of everyday life. He is a well-deserving recipient of the IISRP General Award. With his commitment to promoting sustainable development and nurturing talent in the materials industry, we can look forward to seeing continued and dynamic growth in the synthetic rubber sector." Advancing the Circular Economy and Carbon Neutrality Through Green Technology Innovation LCY is making a lasting positive impact on the global materials sector by developing green technologies, driving industry transformation, and nurturing talent. Among its innovations, LCY's liquid rubber has received certification from copper-clad laminate (CCL) customers and plays a critical role in fuel cell applications. Furthermore, LCY supports the next generation of scientific talent by sponsoring the Bowei Research Conference (BRC), a premier international academic platform that supports young scientists to engage in cutting-edge research and develop into future industry leaders. Looking ahead, LCY will continue to increase R&D investment, deepen international collaborations, and promote talent development to strengthen Taiwan's competitive edge in the global materials science sector. About LCY Chemical Corp. Established in 1965, LCY Chemical Corp.(LCY) believes in reimagining science for a thriving tomorrow. With key business focuses on electronic materials, bioscience and nutrition solutions, performance materials, industrial solutions, and interconnect solutions(LCY Technology Corp.). Embracing the corporate values of safety and health, integrity, accountability, kaizen, and co-creation, LCY has built global presence in the field of material science. Looking ahead, LCY aims to leverage its growing momentum to foster future talents in material science, initiate the industry's transformation, and catalyze innovation for now and beyond. For more information about LCY, please click here About Mr. Bowei Lee, please click here News Supplement About the International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers (IISRP) The International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers (IISRP) is the leading global organization representing the synthetic rubber industry. Its member companies, spanning 22 countries, account for over 75% of the world's synthetic rubber production capacity. The IISRP plays a pivotal role in shaping market trends, advancing technological advancements, and setting sustainability standards. The IISRP actively promotes low-carbon manufacturing, green materials application, and the development of a circular economy through international collaboration, industry standards development, technical exchange, and market research. SOURCE LCY RESTON, Va., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Leidos (NYSE:LDOS), a leading information technology partner for governments worldwide, and Moveworks , the leading agentic artificial intelligence (AI) assistant for enterprises, are collaborating to increase the efficiency of government workers in the U.S., U.K., and Australia. Steve Hull, Leidos Digital Modernization Sector president (left) and Bhavin Shah, Moveworks CEO and Co-Founder (right). (Photo/Leidos) Agentic AI helps people do their work better and faster as a digital personal assistant that knows how to make decisions and automate daily work processes. As commercial organizations are embracing it, the Leidos-Moveworks partnership will allow government agencies to adopt the technology with assured security and compliance. "For decades, Leidos has been at the forefront of helping government agencies achieve their mission objectives with speed and precision," said Steve Hull, president of digital modernization at Leidos. "Our expertise in AI and cybersecurity provides a solid foundation for introducing this transformative technology to the government sector. We're excited to bring these capabilities to government agencies where rapid, intelligent solutions will bring great benefits." Government employees using agentic AI for administrative tasks such as managing computers and mobile phones, navigating databases and drafting emails will have more time to focus on their agencies' core missions. "Collaborating with Leidos allows us to elevate the standard of government employee support," said Bhavin Shah, CEO and co-founder of Moveworks. "Our focus is on developing AI solutions that enhance the efficiency and quality of operations within government agencies." Leidos helped Moveworks achieve U.S. government security certification ready status to work with federal agencies. That ensures Moveworks is equipped to support government agencies with secure and compliant AI solutions. Learn more about the Leidos and Moveworks partnership . Learn more about Moveworks' Government solutions . About Leidos Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 48,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.leidos.com . About Moveworks Moveworks is the leading agentic AI assistant, helping businesses transform with a single place that empowers the entire workforce. Moveworks enables organizations to boost productivity by streamlining how employees across the company find answers and automate tasks. Currently 350+ large enterprises and over 5 million+ employees rely on Moveworks including 10% of the Fortune 500. Customers include Hearst, Instacart, Palo Alto Networks, Siemens, Toyota, and Unilever. Moveworks surpassed $100M ARR in September of 2024 and has raised $315 million in funding at a $2.1 billion valuation from investors such as Alkeon, Bain, Iconiq, Kleiner Perkins, Lightspeed, Sapphire, and Tiger Global. The company is based in Mountain View, CA and has offices in Austin, Bangalore, New York, San Francisco, and Toronto. For more information, follow Moveworks on LinkedIn or visit Moveworks.com . Certain statements in this announcement constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These statements are based on management's current beliefs and expectations and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These statements are not guarantees of future results or occurrences. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the "Risk Factors" set forth in Leidos' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Leidos does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of circumstances or events that arise after the date the forward-looking statements were made. Media Contact: Victor Melara Press Secretary & Senior Media Relations Manager 703.431.4612 [email protected] SOURCE Leidos BOSTON, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Liberty Mutual Insurance Board of Directors today elected Timothy M. Sweeney Chairman of Liberty Mutual Holding Company Inc., effective today, April 9, 2025. Sweeney, who is currently the company's President and Chief Executive Officer, will succeed David H. Long, who is retiring as Chairman and Director. Timothy M. Sweeney, Liberty Mutual Insurance Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer Long has been part of Liberty Mutual for 40 years, and became President in 2010, Chief Executive Officer in 2011 and Chairman in 2013. Sweeney was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer in January 2023 upon Long's retirement as Chief Executive Officer. "David's tenure has been defined by his unwavering commitment to excellence and the well-being of our employees. His leadership has transformed challenges into opportunities, ensuring that our core values remain at the center of everything we do," said Sweeney. "On behalf of our Board of Directors and the entire organization, I'd like to thank David for a remarkable four decades at the company and wish him and his family the very best in the years to come." "Experiencing the evolution of this organization is something I will always cherish," said Long. "I'd like to express my immense appreciation to our people, as they truly make Liberty Mutual a best place to work, and to the leadership team for their dedication to driving our business forward. I'm eternally grateful for my time with the company and everyone's unwavering commitment to keep our promises to our customers, partners, communities and each other." About Liberty Mutual Insurance At Liberty Mutual, we believe progress happens when people feel secure. By providing protection for the unexpected and delivering it with care, we help people embrace today and confidently pursue tomorrow. In business since 1912, and headquartered in Boston, today we are the eighth largest global property and casualty insurer based on 2023 gross written premium. We also rank 87 on the Fortune 100 list of largest corporations in the US based on 2023 revenue. As of December 31, 2024, we had $50.2 billion in annual consolidated revenue. We employ over 40,000 people in 29 countries and economies around the world. We offer a wide range of insurance products and services, including personal automobile, homeowners, specialty lines, reinsurance, commercial multiple-peril, workers compensation, commercial automobile, general liability, surety, and commercial property. For more information, visit www.libertymutualinsurance.com. Contact: Liberty Mutual Insurance Public & Media Relations [email protected] SOURCE Liberty Mutual Insurance The Group is migrating major data science and AI platforms to the cloud to transform its AI capability LONDON, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cloud Next '25, LAS VEGAS -- Lloyds Banking Group has taken a significant step in its strategic transformation, leveraging the artificial intelligence (AI) and data science capabilities of Google Cloud to transform customer and colleague experience. This transition is unlocking new opportunities to innovate, enhancing the Group's ability to provide cutting-edge, personalised financial services. Embracing cloud technology As part of its mission to Help Britain Prosper, Lloyds Banking Group is using data and AI to help its customers make better financial decisions. A crucial part of this transformation is building a new machine learning (ML) and generative AI (genAI) platform using Google Cloud's Vertex AI. This collaboration has revolutionised the Group's ability to deploy impactful AI use cases at pace with over 300 data scientists and AI developers across the Group now using the platform. Machine learning platform migration In moving to the new platform, Lloyds Banking Group migrated 15 modelling systems, comprising hundreds of individual models from the Group's on-premise infrastructure. As a result, the Group has saved 27 Co2 tonnes of operational emissions. The migration has also unlocked new capabilities and tooling across the Group's business areas, allowing it to further develop ML and AI capability and deploy advanced AI models. This includes an algorithm which reduces the income verification step in its customers' mortgage applications from days to seconds. These advancements are part of Lloyds Banking Group's ongoing efforts to empower individuals and businesses across the UK. Evolving expectations and delivering cutting-edge services With the increasing speed at which AI is evolving, Lloyds Banking Group recognised the need for a platform capable of keeping up with these advancements. It sought a flexible solution that could integrate a variety of tools, including open-source models. Since deploying the new platform on Vertex AI, the Group has successfully initiated over 80 new ML use cases and launched over 18 genAI systems into production, spanning its entire business. A further 12 genAI systems are expected to go live by the end of June. Work is also ongoing on a cutting-edge Agentic AI system which will transform the ways customers interact with the Bank. The prototype was built in collaboration with Google Cloud and is expected to launch to customers later this year. Ranil Boteju, Group Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Lloyds Banking Group said: "Moving to Vertex AI has been transformative for us as a Group, providing us with the scalability and reliability to innovate with AI at pace. Vertex AI is enabling data scientists and AI developers across the Group to access genAI solutions with consistent guardrails, as well as giving them the flexibility to use Large Language Models from third parties and open-source providers, as well as Google's Gemini model." Tara Brady, Google Cloud said: "With Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform, Lloyds Banking Group can deploy powerful machine learning models faster, so that it can action transaction insights more quickly. This partnership demonstrates how cloud-powered AI innovation can drive unique, personalised experiences, bringing the bank even closer to its customers." About Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Banking Group is the largest UK retail and commercial financial services provider with around 27 million customers and a presence in nearly every community. We are proud to support British businesses, with nearing one million UK businesses supported by our leading digital and relationship banking services. Our main business activities include retail and commercial banking, general insurance and long-term savings, provided through well recognised brands including Lloyds, Halifax, Bank of Scotland and Scottish Widows. Our purpose is Helping Britain Prosper. We have served Britain through our products and services for more than 320 years, across every community, and millions of households. Our success is interwoven with the UK's prosperity, and we aim to help Britain prosper by operating as a responsible, sustainable and inclusive Group. About Google Cloud Google Cloud is the new way to the cloud, providing AI, infrastructure, developer, data, security, and collaboration tools built for today and tomorrow. Google Cloud offers a powerful, fully integrated and optimized AI stack with its own planet-scale infrastructure, custom-built chips, generative AI models and development platform, as well as AI-powered applications, to help organizations transform. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted technology partner. SOURCE Google Cloud FORT MYERS, Fla., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mayhugh Commercial Advisors proudly marks its 50th year as a name in commercial real estate, a milestone that reflects decades of dedication, integrity, and success in Southwest Florida's commercial real estate market. Founded in 1975 by Chuck Mayhugh, the firm has grown into a trusted leader in commercial property sales, leasing, and management. "My father, Chuck Mayhugh, began brokering commercial properties in 1975, initially specializing in a variety of commercial real estate developments and Florida land trusts," said Chase Mayhugh, CEO at Mayhugh Commercial Advisors. "Now, in 2025, my father and I continue to work together, building upon his legacy and ensuring that our clients receive the highest level of service and expertise." In 2024 alone, Mayhugh Commercial Advisors successfully closed over 100 sale and lease transactions, while its property management portfolio has expanded by more than 50% over the past two years. The firm's commitment to delivering outstanding results has earned it the prestigious 2024 Best in Business Award by Gulfshore Business for Best Commercial Real Estate Property Management Company. Additionally, the company was honored as a finalist for Best Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Company. "Whether clients are looking to buy, sell, lease, or professionally manage their properties, our team is dedicated to maximizing their investments and exceeding expectations," Chase added. "Our deep market knowledge, innovative strategies, and client-first approach set us apart in the Southwest Florida market." As Mayhugh Commercial Advisors celebrates this significant milestone, the company remains focused on the futurecontinuing to provide exceptional service and strategic solutions for property owners and investors. For more information about Mayhugh Commercial Advisors, please visit https://mayhughcommercial.com/. About Mayhugh Commercial Advisors Mayhugh Commercial Advisors is a reputable full-service commercial real estate firm headquartered in Fort Myers, Florida. Established in 1975, the company boasts extensive experience and expertise in serving clients throughout Southwest Florida. Mayhugh Commercial Advisors offers a comprehensive suite of services including sales, leasing, and property management. Known for its commitment to excellence and personalized client solutions, the firm is deeply ingrained in the local market dynamics. Through ethical practices and dedication to client success, Mayhugh Commercial Advisors continues to be a trusted leader in the region's commercial real estate sector, driving growth and fostering lasting relationships within the community. SOURCE Mayhugh Commercial Advisors RICHFIELD, Ohio, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- When every second counts, time equals life. Schools and first responders need the right tools to act immediately, and Navigate360 has enhanced its comprehensive, end-to-end safety management system to support them. This integrated solution streamlines emergency planning, response, and reunification, helping schools and communities take decisive action in critical decisions. A Collaborative Approach to School Safety Effective emergency response depends on coordination, speed, and clarity. Working closely with schools, first responders, and technology partners, Navigate360 removes obstacles that can slow critical decision-making and limit communication. Navigate360's latest enhancements improve communication, simplify incident management processes, and ensure emergency plans are followed with fidelity and without delay. "True school safety isn't just about having the right toolsit's about ensuring they work seamlessly together when every second counts," said JP Guilbault, CEO of Navigate360. "By integrating technology, training, and real-world implementation, we're empowering schools and first responders to act with confidence and precision. Safety isn't a static goalit requires continuous innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to eliminating barriers that keep our schools safe." An Integrated System Designed for Real-World Emergencies Emergency preparedness goes beyond having the right features it's about ensuring systems and people work together seamlessly in real-world situations. To support effective implementation, the system is designed to integrate with school safety training programs and emergency drills, ensuring that staff, students, and first responders are familiar with response protocols and facilities before a crisis occurs. Navigate360's modular emergency management platform provides an intuitive, end-to-end solution that goes beyond regulatory requirements, and is compliant with policies that includes Alyssa's Law, while helping schools conduct, track, and evaluate their emergency operating plans and security audits. "Effective emergency management requires more than just technologyit demands solutions that are intuitive, reliable, and built for real-world scenarios," said Jami Klotz, Chief Product Officer of Navigate360. "By working closely with schools and safety experts, we ensure that every enhancement supports not only rapid response, but also ongoing training and preparedness. Our goal is to provide schools with the tools and insights they need to execute their safety plans with confidence and precision." Enhancements Focused on Speed & Efficiency As part of its commitment to improving school safety, Navigate360 continues to refine and enhance its platform with new capabilities designed to make emergency response faster and more effective: Enhanced Alarm & Visibility Tools A centralized dashboard displaying active alarms across multiple buildings, ensuring greater situational awareness. A centralized dashboard displaying active alarms across multiple buildings, ensuring greater situational awareness. Intelligent Emergency Response Integration Real-time, audible and silent alerts, direct communication with first responders, and actionable operation mapping and location data. Real-time, audible and silent alerts, direct communication with first responders, and actionable operation mapping and location data. Advanced Drill Management Comprehensive tracking and reporting to help schools stay prepared and compliant. Comprehensive tracking and reporting to help schools stay prepared and compliant. Improved App Functionality A simplified interface for quick, discreet, and decisive action in emergencies. Technology & Community Partnerships Enhancing School Safety Navigate360's system integrates trusted emergency response technologies to improve communication and coordination between schools, response teams, and first responders: 911Cellular + Navigate360 : Providing one-button activation, immediate notification, and multi-modality communication via app and wearable badge. : Providing one-button activation, immediate notification, and multi-modality communication via app and wearable badge. CRG (Critical Response Group) + Navigate360 : Simple and modern visual communication and mapping tools, usable under stress, to coordinate both outside and inside a building. : Simple and modern visual communication and mapping tools, usable under stress, to coordinate both outside and inside a building. Sandy Hook Promise + Navigate360 : A holistic solution to school violence prevention focused on education, anonymous reporting technology, and crisis intervention. : A holistic solution to school violence prevention focused on education, anonymous reporting technology, and crisis intervention. Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG) + Navigate360: A holistic technology and training program helping prepare school teams to use and apply the leading evidence-based school threat assessment program. A holistic technology and training program helping prepare school teams to use and apply the leading evidence-based school threat assessment program. National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) + Navigate360: Education focused programs raising awareness and understanding of the importance of human-centric training and how to integrate technologies seamlessly into existing and evolving safety procedures in today's schools. About Navigate360 Navigate360 is the nation's leading provider of safety solutions for schools, offering comprehensive, research-backed solutions that span the full spectrum of safety, from prevention and preparation to response and recovery. Trusted by thousands of schools nationwide, Navigate360 is committed to fostering safer learning environments through innovation and partnership. For more information, visit www.Navigate360.com. For media inquiries please contact Basheer Mohamed at [email protected] SOURCE Navigate360 Essential Motorcycle Battery Care to Prep Your Motorcycle For Safe Road Trips CHICAGO, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Spring is here, and as temperatures rise, many motorcyclists are eager to embrace the freedom of the outdoors. Riding a motorcycle is the ultimate expression of freedomcruising open roads, feeling the wind, and experiencing the exhilaration of the journey. Yet nothing destroys that excitement faster than turning the key to find a dead battery, particularly after winter storage. Many riders discover their motorcycles won't start after extended downtime because their batteries have failed. Responsible battery maintenance is essential to prevent this frustration and ensure your bike is always ready for adventure. Never Miss A Ride: CTEK Offers Top Tips For Motorcycle Battery Maintenance Know Your Motorcycle Battery Your motorcycle's battery powers all critical systems. Different battery types require specific maintenance approaches to maximize reliability. The most common motorcycle batteries are lead-acid and lithium-ion. Lead-acid batteries are widely used due to their affordability and dependable performance. Meanwhile, lithium-ion batteries are gaining popularity for their lightweight design, rapid charging, and extended lifespan. Preventing Battery Drain During Downtime Modern motorcycles come equipped with electronic systems that can drain a battery even when the bike is idle. Additionally, features like alarms or tracking devices contribute to battery depletion over time. If you ride regularly, your alternator will keep the battery charged. However, if your motorcycle sits unusedespecially through winteryou'll need a quality charger to maintain its health. The CTEK CT5 POWERSPORT charger is an excellent option for keeping motorcycle batteries fully charged and ready for action. This advanced charger offers three automatic programs: Normal for all lead-acid batteries (including AGM), Lithium for lithium-ion batteries, and Recond to restore deeply discharged lead-acid batteries. The Recond function helps mix battery acid and recover lost energy, ensuring longevity. Once fully charged, the device switches to maintenance mode to prevent overcharging. Invest in a Battery Maintainer for Long-Term Health Choosing the right charger is crucial to maintaining your battery's longevity. Motorcycles are often stored for long periods of time. The CT5 POWERSPORT battery charger provides peace of mind that your battery is charged to capacity and ready to go when you are. The CT5 POWERSPORT has been designed specifically to charge and maintain motorcycle batteries using advanced technology. You can event connect The CT5 Powersport directly to the battery indefinitely, it will not over or undercharge. To extend the lifespan of your battery, aim to charge it monthlyeven during peak riding seasons. This practice keeps battery cells in optimal condition and prevents premature depletion. Neglecting regular charging may lead to reduced performance and the need for an early replacement. Have Piece of Mind with a Portable Solution If you're looking for a portable solution, the CTEK CS FREE is a great choice. The CS FREE features CTEK Adaptive Boost technology to ensure precise delivery of power and swiftly charge any 12V lead acid or lithium battery, resurrecting a dormant motorcycle battery within 15 minutes without the need for a power outlet. With intuitive LED indicators, the CS FREE keeps riders informed, signaling when their battery is primed for ignition. Moreover, it offers sustained maintenance charging, whether via conventional grid power, solar panels, or a 12V service battery, effectively extending battery lifespan by up to threefold during idle seasons. The Key to a Reliable Motorcycle Battery A well-maintained battery ensures that your motorcycle is always ready for your next adventure. Beyond just charging, responsible upkeep involves understanding battery types, choosing the right charger, and adopting a consistent maintenance routine. By taking these steps, you can keep your motorcycle running smoothly and enjoy many more miles of hassle-free riding. For more information about CTEK, visit www.ctek.com About CTEK Established in Dalarna, Sweden , CTEK is the leading global brand in vehicle charging solutions. , CTEK is the leading global brand in vehicle charging solutions. CTEK offers products ranging from 12V and 24V battery chargers to charging solutions for electrical vehicles. CTEK's E-mobility solutions range from individual EV chargers to larger corporate and commercial installations with multiple charging stations, that require load balancing and integrate seamlessly with monitoring and payment equipment. CTEK's products are sold via a carefully selected network of global distributors and retailers: as original equipment; supplied to more than 50 of the world's leading vehicle manufacturers; and through charge point operators, property owners and other organizations/individuals providing EV charging infrastructure. CTEK takes pride in its unique culture based on a passion for innovation and a deep commitment to supporting the transition to a greener mobility, by adhering to industry leading ESG standards. Press Contact: Michelle Suzuki 310-930-6655 SOURCE CTEK Marks Rise of Integris as Reliable, Robust Resource for Global Military Commands and Top Defense Contractors TYSONS CORNER, Va., April 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Integris Composites, a leader in armor protection and survivability for military, police and security worldwide, announced it will provide ballistic protection systems for a Royal Navy Type 45 Destroyer. The news is issued during the Sea-Air-Space 2025 Conference at the National Resort & Convention Center in Maryland through April 9. Integris is exhibiting at Booth 247. The announcement underscores the company's 30-year legacy as a trusted partner for top defense contractors, according to David Cordova, chief commercial officer of Integris Composites' U.S. business. The UK award also highlights Integris Composites' commitment to delivering high-quality solutions for defense prime contractors globally. Integris is partnering with BAE systems to bring technological innovation, ensuring Type 45 vessels will employ the most effective ballistic defenses possible. The initial order was confirmed in October 2024. "This project demonstrates our commitment to delivering top-tier defense solutions and reinforces the value of our longstanding relationship with BAE Systems," said Steve Wilde, Integris UK sales manager. "This is also the latest in a series of major contract wins, reflecting our worldwide capability in providing survivability protection to critical defense systems. We're proud of the growing number of partnerships with prestigious multinational defense contractors," added Cordova. Cordova noted that just months before the Royal Navy award, Integris was selected as the armor systems supplier for the U.S. Army's Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) helicopter program. Tier One Status Integris Composites has earned Tier One supplier credentials with aerospace original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and prime defense contractors globally. "Beyond the FLRAA contract, we have contracts for the MH 139 Grey Wolf with Boeing" Cordova continued. "These contracts reflect the strength of our partnerships and the trust that top defense companies place in Integris Composites. With a legacy of innovation and a dedication to meeting the evolving needs of the defense industry, Integris Composites is poised for continued growth and success, "Cordova said. "As we continue to push the boundaries of materials science and engineering, Integris remains committed to delivering innovative, lightweight, and robust solutions that ensure the safety and survivability of our customers' critical assets," Cordova concluded. About Integris Integris is a global engineering company specializing in composite armor for land vehicles, aircraft, naval craft, protective housings for optronics and other sensitive technology, and personal protection gear. The company also manufactures body armor plates for military personnel worldwide. Known as TenCate Advanced Armor until 2023, Integris has built a strong reputation for innovative survivability solutions. Contact: David Cordova, Chief Commercial Officer [email protected] 7044587796 Photos: https://www.prlog.org/13070683 Press release distributed by PRLog SOURCE Integris Composites, Inc. JUNO BEACH, Fla., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) today announced that it plans to report first-quarter 2025 financial results before the opening of the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in a news release to be posted on the company's website at www.NextEraEnergy.com/FinancialResults. The company will issue an advisory news release over PR Newswire the morning of April 23, with a link to the financial results news release on the company's website. As previously communicated, the company will make available its financial results only on its website. John Ketchum, chairman, president and chief executive officer of NextEra Energy, Brian Bolster, executive vice president, finance and chief financial officer of NextEra Energy, and other members of the company's senior management team will discuss the company's first-quarter 2025 financial results during an investor presentation to be webcast live, beginning at 9 a.m. ET on April 23. The listen-only webcast will be available on NextEra Energy's website by accessing the following link: www.NextEraEnergy.com/FinancialResults. The financial results news release and the slides accompanying the presentation may be downloaded at www.NextEraEnergy.com/FinancialResults, beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET on the day of the webcast. A replay will be available for 90 days by accessing the same link as listed above. NextEra Energy, Inc. NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) is one of the largest electric power and energy infrastructure companies in North America and is a leading provider of electricity to American homes and businesses. Headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida, NextEra Energy is a Fortune 200 company that owns Florida Power & Light Company, America's largest electric utility, which provides reliable electricity to approximately 12 million people across Florida. NextEra Energy also owns one of the largest energy infrastructure development companies in the U.S., NextEra Energy Resources, LLC. NextEra Energy and its affiliated entities are meeting America's growing energy needs with a diverse mix of energy sources, including natural gas, nuclear, renewable energy and battery storage. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com. SOURCE NextEra Energy, Inc. NEW YORK, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a long-awaited act of justice, a New York State jury has awarded $1.68 Billion to 40 courageous women who came forward to expose the decades-long reign of terror inflicted on them by disgraced Hollywood director James Toback. The jury awarded a total of $280 Million in compensatory damages and $1.4 Billion for punitive damages to the plaintiffs. The verdict, delivered after a week-long trial in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, holds Toback responsible for a sprawling pattern of sexual assault, false imprisonment, coercion, and psychological abuse. The survivorsactresses, artists, and dreamersdescribed how Toback used lies, manipulation, and threats to trap them in deeply exploitative situations under the false promise of career opportunity. This is not just a legal victory. It is a cultural reckoning. "This verdict is about justice. But more importantly, It's about taking power back from the abusersand their and enablersand returning it to those he tried to control and silence," said Brad Beckworth, lead counsel for the plaintiffs. "Several years ago, when the Me-Too movement began, I think many of us thought that we were past the point where men in positions of power would prey on women and try to steal their dignity and honor in exchange for allowing them to advance in their careers. We now know that the movement didn't go far enough. We still have a lot of people in this country who abuse their powerand there are many more who turn a blind eye to it." "Today, a jury from the greater New York Community spoke very clearly and sent a message that reverberates far beyond this courtroom: no one is above accountability. The movement is not over. There is more work to do." "I'm very proud of all of these heroic women. They were brutally honest with the jury. Their testimony was empoweringfor them and for all women." "I'm also proud of the work by our entire firm and trial team: Ross Leonoudakis, Jessica Underwood, Rachel Cross and Michael Medina. They have been relentless advocates for the past 3 years for all these women. They gave them an opportunity to be heard. Finally. And that is priceless. The Survivors Speak: Mary Monahan, a lead plaintiff whose bravery helped launch the case, said: "This is not just a verdictit's validation. For decades, I carried this trauma in silence, and today, a jury believed me. Believed us. That changes everything. This verdict is more than a numberit's a declaration. We are not disposable. We are not liars. We are not collateral damage in someone else's power trip. The world knows now what we've always known: what he did was real. And what we didstanding up, speaking outwas right." Sheila Hageman, a plaintiff, shared: "This verdict is about more than just the pastit's about the future. It's about making sure no one else has to suffer what we did. We sent a message to every predator: You will be held accountable. You will no longer hide behind closed doors while lives are shattered. This verdict isn't just for usit's for every woman who thought her pain didn't matter. It does. We matter." Karen Sklaire Watson, a plaintiff and long-time New York resident, said: "I've lived in New York City for 32 years. This is my home. Today's verdict makes this city safer for every woman who calls it home. We're drawing a line in the sand: predators cannot hide behind fame, money, or power. Not here. Not anymore." Marianne Hettinger, also a plaintiff, added: "This is a victory for every woman who was ever told to stay quiet or risk her career. For every woman who thought no one would believe her. We were silenced for decades. Today, we roared." The lawsuit was filed under New York's Adult Survivors Act, which opened a one-year window allowing survivors of sexual abuse to file civil claims regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred. Throughout the trial, the plaintiffs revealed a chilling pattern: Toback repeatedly approached women on the streets of New York, promised them roles in his films, and lured them into private meetings where he subjected them to degrading sexual acts, threats, and psychological coercion. Despite media exposes dating back to the 1980s and hundreds of public allegations in the years that followed, Toback faced little real accountabilityuntil now. A Moment That Will Echo Forward This verdict is more than a courtroom victory. It is a thunderous affirmation that the truth matters. That women matter. That the systems that protected men like Toback are beginning to crack under the weight of justice. These 40 survivors stood together. They told the truth. And they won. As a result of this historic decision, survivors hope to send a message to powerful institutions across the country: protecting predators is no longer acceptable, and accountability will be pursuedno matter how long it takes. Spiro Harrison & Nelson assisted as local counsel. Nix Patterson, LLP is headquartered in Austin, Texas. The Firm is committed to its vision that everyone deserves access to a good lawyer and a fair trial. Since 1985, Nix Patterson has become the premier contingency firm in Texas and has been involved in some of the most significant, record-setting cases in the history of the American civil justice system. Learn more at: www.nixlaw.com Contact information Name: Christina Yarnell Email: [email protected] Phone: 512-328-5333 SOURCE Nix Patterson LLP BIELEFELD, Germany, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- NTT DATA Business Solutions today announced that it received four 2025 SAP Pinnacle Awards, which recognizes its outstanding contributions as an SAP partner, in the categories: "GROW with SAP", "SAP Business AI | Customer Adoption", "Business Transformation Management" and "Cross-Portfolio Success". The global consulting company specializing in SAP technologies for SMEs was also named a finalist in three categories: "Sales Success | Midmarket", "SAP Business AI | Partner Innovation Customer AI Use Case" and "Partner Learning and Skills Growth". SAP presents these awards annually to the top partners that have excelled in developing and growing their partnership with SAP and helping customers run better. Winners and finalists in 24 categories were chosen based on recommendations from SAP, customer feedback, and performance indicators. Norbert Rotter, CEO NTT DATA Business Solutions, is delighted to have once again received four SAP Pinnacle Awards Katrin Biller Fotografie "Our premier partner recognition program, the SAP Pinnacle Awards, reflects the outstanding performance and commitment of our partners to deliver customer value, exponential growth, and simplification. The winning partners of this award are recognized for their successful alignment with SAP's business strategy, delivering innovative AI and cloud services and solutions to help businesses succeed," said Christian Klein, CEO of SAP SE. "I am delighted that we are once again the top winner of this year's SAP Pinnacle Awards with four wins and three finalists. This recognition is a strong sign of our long-standing partnership and the trust that SAP places in us. I am particularly proud of the award in the category "SAP Business AI | Customer Adoption". Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a key topic for us, which we are driving forward with the clear goal of creating value for our customers. The renewed award in the "GROW with SAP" category also confirms our focus to successfully support companies on their way to the Public Cloud. Together with SAP, we continue to set standards and shape the future of digital transformation worldwide," said Norbert Rotter, CEO NTT DATA Business Solutions. SAP Pinnacle Awards shine a spotlight on distinguished partners to acknowledge their dedication to teamwork, exceptional innovation and capacity to help customers achieve their goals. The award is based on objective performance metrics and extensive data analysis. NTT DATA Business Solutions has been successfully implementing SAP technologies for more than 35 years to support customers worldwide in their digital transformation, reducing complexity and enabling them to become Intelligent Enterprises. As one of only eleven SAP Platinum Partners worldwide, the company has been recognized with the prestigious SAP Pinnacle Awards for the eleventh consecutive year. For more information on this year's SAP Pinnacle Awards winners and finalists, click here. About NTT DATA Business Solutions NTT DATA Business Solutions is a leading global IT service provider focused on SAP with a powerful ecosystem of partners. With more than 35 years of in-depth experience, we enable companies worldwide to become Intelligent Enterprises. We deliver end-to-end solutions that accelerate sustainable growth and success from strategic consulting and implementation to managed services and beyond. As a global strategic SAP partner, we drive innovation and leverage the latest technologies to support our customers individually and across all industries. Our more than 16,000 dedicated employees in over 30 countries work passionately every day to make it happen. NTT DATA Business Solutions is part of NTT DATA, a $30+ billion trusted global innovator of business and technology services headquartered in Tokyo. As One NTT DATA we serve 75% of the Fortune Global 100 and are committed to helping customers innovate, optimize and transform for long-term success. NTT DATA is part of NTT Group. Press Contact NTT DATA Business Solutions Jasmin Straeter Head of Global Communications NTT DATA Business Solutions AG Konigsbreede 1, 33605 Bielefeld, Germany T: +49 521 9 14 48 108 Email: [email protected] LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/ntt-data-business-solutions YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@NTTDATABusinessSolutions Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/NTTDATABusinessSolutions/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ndbs_global/ Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2661120/NTT_DATA_Business_Solutions.jpg SOURCE NTT DATA Business Solutions AG Sam's Club is the next retailer to carry Nurri, available now in-store and online LITTLE CHUTE, Wis., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Nurri, the better-for-you lifestyle brand known for its creamy Protein Milk Shakes, announced today its highly requested expansion into Sam's Club. Available in Chocolate and Vanilla, Sam's Club is the second retailer to sell this popular challenger brand, which debuted at Costco last fall. Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/nurri/9310952-en-nurri-sams-club-nationwide-expansion Nurri Expands into Sams Club Nationwide -- Bringing Better-For-You Protein Milk Shakes to Millions of More Shoppers "We're thrilled to expand our reach to Sam's Club, bringing our delicious Protein Milk Shakes to more people than ever before," said Adam Tollefson, Director of Marketing at Nurri. "Nurri's mission is to bring smiles to nourishment, and expanding to more retailers helps us bring that vision to even more people it's a very exciting moment for the brand!" Since launching at Costco last September, Nurri has quickly built a loyal following. Shoppers have been eager for the brand to expand through more retailers and new flavors requests Nurri answered in January with the launch of Vanilla. These expansions highlight Nurri's growing popularity and strong demand for alternative, health-conscious beverages. "We're redefining the protein shake category at retail, creating excitement for shoppers and driving incremental value for our partners," said Katy Seidler, National Sales Manager. "With Nurri, nutrition isn't a compromise or a chore it's enjoyable!" Product Highlights: Price : $19.98 for a 12-pack of 11oz cans, now available at Sam's Clubs in Alabama , Arizona , Arkansas , California , Colorado , Connecticut , Delaware , Florida , Georgia , Idaho , Illinois , Indiana , Iowa , Kansas , Kentucky , Louisiana , Maine , Maryland , Michigan , Minnesota , Mississippi , Missouri , Montana , Nebraska , Nevada , New Hampshire , New Jersey , New Mexico , New York , North Carolina , North Dakota , Ohio , Oklahoma , Pennsylvania , South Carolina , South Dakota , Tennessee , Texas , Utah , Virginia , West Virginia , Wisconsin , and Wyoming : for a 12-pack of 11oz cans, now available at Sam's Clubs in , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and Benefits : 30g of protein, 10 essential vitamins and minerals, 1g of sugar, lactose-free, made with ultra-filtered milk : 30g of protein, 10 essential vitamins and minerals, 1g of sugar, lactose-free, made with ultra-filtered milk Eco-Friendly Packaging : 100% recyclable aluminum cans : 100% recyclable aluminum cans Versatility: Enjoy it chilled, over ice, mixed with coffee, or added to cereal or homemade ice cream Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to stay tuned for more flavor releases and retail expansions as the brand continues to grow and innovate in the beverage market. About Nurri Nurri is a new lifestyle brand whose mission is to bring smiles to nourishment by delivering 'better-for-you' health with exceptional taste, flavors, and a little more fun. Nurri offers a perfect balance of flavor and function, empowering everyone to live better and healthier every day. Nurri is where better taste meets better living. www.drinknurri.com SOURCE Nurri FARMINGTON, Conn., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Otis Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: OTIS) will host a conference call on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. ET. Otis Chair, CEO & President Judy Marks and Executive Vice President & CFO Cristina Mendez will discuss the company's first quarter results and 2025 outlook. We encourage you to join through our webcast link. A corresponding presentation and news release will be available on www.otis.com prior to the call and a recording will be available on the website later in the day. If you are unable to join via the webcast, please contact Otis investor relations ([email protected]) for alternative dial-in information. Additional investor updates are also available on www.otis.com from time to time. About Otis Otis is the world's leading elevator and escalator manufacturing, installation and service company. We move 2.4 billion people a day and maintain approximately 2.4 million customer units worldwide, the industry's largest Service portfolio. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, Otis is 72,000 people strong, including 44,000 field professionals, all committed to manufacturing, installing and maintaining products to meet the diverse needs of our customers and passengers in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. For more information, visit www.otis.com and follow us on LinkedIn , Instagram , and Facebook @OtisElevatorCo. Media Contact: Investor Relations Contact: Katy Padgett Rob Quartaro +1-860-674-3047 +1-860-676-6011 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Otis Worldwide Corporation NEW YORK, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Paradox Public Relations , the leading communications firm advising the top decision-makers and companies shaping frontier markets, has been named as a finalist in the 2025 SABRE Awards North America . Paradox is named alongside partners Art Shield and Dom Master Klass for co-producing the "Kyiv Art Sessions" festival series in the United States and London as part of the larger "Preserving Art in Crisis" media campaign aimed at raising the profiles of Ukrainian artists worldwide. The SABRE Awards, presented by PRovoke Media, represent the highest honors of public relations, communications, and brand-building. Media campaigns for Deloitte, McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Walmart, and Razom have all been nominated during this year's edition. Paradox, Art Shield, and Dom Master Klass are named as finalists in the award ceremony's "Educational & Cultural Institutions" category. "We worked with Art Shield and Dom Master Klass to achieve results across several continents, with multiple trips to Ukraine, including Kharkiv, to bring the best Ukrainian talent to North America and Europe," says Paradox Public Relations President Davis Richardson. "A SABRE nomination is recognition of these efforts and to the artists who keep Ukraine's soul visible to the world. They have turned cultural preservation into an act of public diplomacy and defiance." Paradox, Art Shield, and Dom Master Klass showcased 27 groundbreaking Ukrainian artists during Kyiv Art Sessions at Knotel's 'Old Sessions House' last spring in London's Clerkenwell district, resulting in coverage in The New York Times, The Spectator, Art Newspaper, among other esteemed publications. The festivals have been recognized by Ukrainian Ambassador Valerii Zaluzhny as "a powerful testament to the unyielding spirit of Ukrainian art and culture." "At Art Shield , we believe that protecting culture is protecting the soul of a nation. This nomination honors the artists risking everything to keep Ukraine's creative spirit alive and reminds the world that cultural heritage is frontline infrastructure," says Art Shield CEO Edward Akrout. Kyiv Art Sessions included a photo-series from Ukrainian-American photographer Sasha Maslov, the first UK series of legendary 'Ukrainian Sixties' painter Oleksandr Dubovyk, and live musical performances from top Ukrainian musical talent Antytila, the NotaBene Chamber Choir, and D'ZOB. The festival also included an exhibit from the War Fragments Museum featuring translucent cubes with artifacts from Mauripol, Kherson, and other regions of Ukraine. "Culture and Art in times of war is a story of struggling for Humanity: entirely laid bare skinless, honest, poignant, aching, and uncompromising. And Kyiv nowadays is the Heart of this story for the whole planet," says Dom Master Klass Founder Evgeni Utkin. "The Dom Master Klass team believes that this nomination affirms that art remains a vital force in shaping not just identity, but international solidarity. Strategic partnerships with allies abroad like those forged with Paradox and Art Shield through Kyiv Art Sessions are essential for regeneration and building a cultural front that stands stronger than war." Media Contact: Marina Dillon, [email protected] About Paradox Public Relations Paradox Public Relations is a U.S.-based strategic communications firm advising frontier-market leaders, emerging technology companies, and institutions at the intersection of global policy and innovation. With deep roots in Ukraine and a global perspective, Paradox specializes in shaping narratives that move markets, shift mindsets, and drive public interest. Through its independent media arm, Paradox Politics , Paradox has published investigative reports from Ukraine, including dispatches alongside the Ukrainian Army's 24th Brigade from Zaporizhzhia, Kreminina, and Bakhmut. About Art Shield Art Shield is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization founded in 2022 by British actor and cultural advocate Edward Akrout. Dedicated to identifying, nurturing, and elevating artistic voices in communities facing war, oppression, or severe economic hardship, Art Shield's inaugural chapter focuses on preserving Ukrainian cultural heritage amid ongoing conflict. Through direct support to at-risk artists, safeguarding vulnerable artworks, and immersive events, exhibitions, and productions, the organization raises global awareness and forges international partnerships. With a mission that transcends borders, Art Shield offers a blueprint for protecting endangered voices everywhere, ensuring that art remains a force for resilience, cultural dialogue, and creative resistance in crisis zones worldwide. About Dom Master Klass Dom Master Klass is a Kyiv-based cultural institution that has been shaping Ukraine's artistic landscape since 2008. Founded by Evgeni Utkin, a pioneer of Ukraine's IT sector, and educator Iryna Budanska, the center has become a vital platform for multidisciplinary artistic expression and cultural diplomacy. Its flagship event, Bouquet Kyiv Stage, gathers artists from across the globe at the iconic Sophia Kyivska each summer. In the wake of the full-scale war, Dom Master Klass has emerged as a leading voice in using culture to expose atrocities, preserve identity, and connect global communities through co-creation. SOURCE Paradox Public Relations LONDON, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Paratus Holdings Limited ("Paratus"), the world's first (re)insurance group dedicated to underwriting energy price risk, and Low Carbon, a leading renewable energy company and IPP (Independent Power Producer), have commercially transacted and today announced a strategic partnership to protect revenues across Low Carbon's portfolio through Paratus' innovative energy price insurance policy. This unique collaboration merges Paratus' expertise in energy markets and pioneering insurance-based solutions with Low Carbon's reputation as an IPP delivering best-in-class renewable assets and operational performance across its portfolio. The partnership will enhance Low Carbon's Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and route-to-market strategies, delivering a tailored solution to mitigate exposure to adverse power price movements while stabilising revenue streams. The Paratus insurance policy mitigates exposure to adverse energy market fluctuations by stabilising a power generator's balance sheet and enhancing the credit profile. This in turn, improves the investment potential of renewable power assets, supports industry growth and accelerates decarbonisation. Licensed and regulated by the Guernsey Financial Services Authority ("GFSC"), Paratus offers scalable insurance solutions across the UK, Europe, and the US tailored to diverse portfolios and asset types. Gus Majed, Group CEO and Founder, Paratus, commented: "We are delighted Low Carbon has selected Paratus as a partner. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in our mission to revolutionise the renewable power sector with energy price insurance and demonstrates our commitment to aligning with our clients to deliver optimal risk management solutions. Low Carbon is a leading IPP focussed not only on scaling capital, but also on outperforming in the renewables sector. They are an ideal partner as we both enter our next phase of growth. "At Paratus, we are committed to accelerating the energy transition by delivering innovative, and commercially viable insurance-based solutions that help renewable power generators manage energy price risk and improve bankability. As we expand into Europe and the U.S., we look forward to building more strategic partnerships that strengthen the industry's long-term resilience." Marco Verspuij, Head of Power Management at Low Carbon, added: "Paratus has a deep understanding of the renewable energy industry and the energy market expertise required to navigate industry-wide challenges on price risk and revenue protection. The Paratus insurance product provides Low Carbon with an innovative price risk management mechanism that will help to secure long term revenue certainty in combination with PPAs and CfDs to capture power price volatility that is critical for an IPP. "At Low Carbon we are committed to making a positive and significant contribution in the fight against climate change by building, owning, and operating renewable energy projects at scale. As an enabler for decarbonisation, Paratus is well aligned with our mission to power the world with renewable energy." About Paratus Paratus is the world's first (re)insurer underwriting energy price risk with innovative solutions to protect against adverse energy price volatility and accelerate the transition to net-zero. A unique partnership of world-class experts in energy, insurance, and technology, Paratus is backed by Ara Partners, a $6.3 billion global private equity and infrastructure firm focused on industrial decarbonisation, and underwritten by globally rated financial institutions. https://paratusltd.com/ About Low Carbon Low Carbon creates large-scale renewable energy to fight climate change. We're building a net-zero energy company that will protect the planet for future generations. This defining purpose drives us to deliver for our communities, investors, and the environment. We are a long-standing certified B-Corporation and recognised as a gold standard for our environmental impact. We invest in, develop, and operate solar, wind, energy storage, and energy from waste projects across the UK, Europe, and North America. We're contributing to the world's move to 100% renewable energy by creating and operating 20 GW of new capacity by 2030. We have more than 16 GW in new renewables in development right now across the globe. Low Carbon is on a mission. Together, we will power tomorrow. https://www.lowcarbon.com/ FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES For Paratus Kapil Arya / Ed Shelley Lansons [email protected] 07550044000 For Low Carbon Tim Le Couilliard SEC Newgate UK [email protected] 07913698298 SOURCE Paratus Handbag Designer Patricia Nash Connects with Fans, Signs Bags, and Honors Her North Dakota Roots at Von Maur's Newest Location FARGO, N.D., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Patricia Nash, founder and designer of Patricia Nash Designs (https://patricianashdesigns.com/), joined the celebration of Von Maur's (https://www.vonmaur.com/) newest store opening in Fargo, North Dakota, this past weekend. Von Maur, renowned for its exceptional shopping experience, opened its 34th store, bringing their unique selection of high-quality merchandise to the community. Known for her vintage-inspired leather handbags and timeless craftsmanship, Patricia's special appearance was the perfect way to celebrate both Von Maur's grand opening and the 15th anniversary of Patricia Nash Designs. Patricia Nash and Event Guest Since launching her brand in 2010, Patricia has cultivated a devoted following for her heirloom-quality pieces, each inspired by travel, heritage, and vintage designs. At the Von Maur event, Patricia personally greeted shoppers, shared the stories behind her designs, and signed bags for longtime fans. To commemorate this exciting milestone, she also celebrated her own brand's 15th anniversary with an exclusive Gift with Purchase: a limited-edition anniversary key fob and leather journal with any Patricia Nash purchase of $200 or more. "Coming back to North Dakota always feels special to me it's where so much of my family is," shared Patricia Nash, Founder and CEO of Patricia Nash Designs. "Being here for the opening of Von Maur's gorgeous new store is a real joy. This year is extra meaningful for us as we celebrate our 15th anniversary, so to be part of such an exciting milestone for Von Maur while continuing our own anniversary celebrations just made the day even more memorable. Connecting with the women who carry our bags reminds me exactly why I started this brand. It's always been about creating pieces that connect us through shared moments and memories." The day also featured a special giveaway: guests could enter to win the Santorini Specialty Woven Satchel ($299), one of Patricia Nash's most beloved statement bags. Perfect for warmer weather, the Santorini is a truly covetable, roomy satchel crafted from paper straw with leather trim. In signature Patricia Nash fashion, this bag combines elegance with practicality. The versatile design allows you to change the shape of its profile using the side snaps, creating either a square silhouette or a more drawn-in look at the sides. Patricia Nash's personal connection to her designs and the fans who love them makes every interaction special, and this grand opening was no exception. As she continues to celebrate her 15th anniversary, Patricia remains focused on creating bags that tell stories, capture memories, and, most importantly, connect people. For more information about Patricia Nash Designs, the brand's 15th anniversary, and Patricia Nash's appearance at Von Maur's grand opening in Fargo, North Dakota, contact BPM-PR Firm at [email protected] or call 1.877.841.7244. ABOUT PATRICIA NASH DESIGNS Patricia Nash Designs is rooted in a passion for discovery and storytelling. After years of working and shopping across Europe, Patricia developed a deep appreciation for vintage European bags, appreciating their timeless styling, impeccable craftsmanship, and beautiful leathers. Discovering a beautiful handcrafted leather handbag in her own mother's closeta treasured piece cherished for 50 yearsinspired Patricia to create her namesake brand. Patricia launched her brand in 2010 to create pieces that balance timeless elegance with functional design. Every product embodies her love of travel, craftsmanship, and family, making Patricia Nash Designs a trusted name for those who value artistry and authenticity. ABOUT VON MAUR The Von Maur family opened its first store in the late 1800's. The rented store was 20 by 50 feet, located in Davenport, Iowa. They have come a long way since that cozy shop. Today, 34 Von Maur stores are scattered across 16 states: Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and North Dakota; and still expanding. Its corporate headquarters and E-commerce store are still proudly located in Davenport, Iowa. The strength of the Von Maur brand lies in its enjoyable and unique shopping experience. The backbone of this experience is its wide selection of brand-name merchandise, open and attractive store design, amenities that enhance the customer experience, and its commitment to excellent customer service. Media Contact: Alexa Summerson 877.841.7244 [email protected] SOURCE Patricia Nash Designs SALT LAKE CITY, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- DiscGenics, Inc., a privately held, late-stage clinical, biopharmaceutical company developing allogeneic, cell-based, regenerative therapies for musculoskeletal degeneration, today announced that the double-blind, peer-reviewed article, "Allogeneic Disc Progenitor Cells Safely Increase Disc Volume and Improve Pain, Disability, and Quality of Life in Patients With Lumbar Disc DegenerationResults of an FDA-Approved Biologic Therapy Randomized Clinical Trial," was selected as one of just three of the best and most influential articles published in the International Journal of Spine Surgery (IJSS) in 2024. The publication reported results from the combined Phase I/II clinical study of allogeneic disc progenitor cell therapy (IDCT or rebonuputemcel) for painful lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD). The study met the primary safety and efficacy endpoints, showing that a single intradiscal injection of high-dose IDCT (9,000,000 cells/mL) safely increases disc volume and produces statistically significant, clinically meaningful improvements in back pain, disability, and quality of life out to 2 years post-injection in patients with lumbar disc degeneration. "The patient outcomes from this study are very encouraging, as they show IDCT's ability to safely and effectively reduce pain and disability associated with DDD while also demonstrating the potential of this treatment to produce a regenerative effect within the degenerating disc," said Matthew F. Gornet, M.D., Board Certified Spine Surgeon at The Orthopedic Center of St. Louis, lead author, and top enroller in the IDCT study. Dr. Gornet will present the research at the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery (ISASS) meeting in Miami, Florida, on Friday, April 11. "We are honored to be recognized by ISASS and the IJSS and would like to thank Dr. Gornet and all of the study authors for their contributions to this article," said Flagg Flanagan, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board for DiscGenics. "IDCT truly has the potential to change the paradigm of care for patients with DDD, and the momentum provided by this publication has been inspiring as we finalize preparations to initiate Phase III clinical study of this therapy in the U.S." DiscGenics previously announced it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to proceed with Phase III clinical evaluation of IDCT. Subject enrollment is expected to begin in Q2 2025. About IDCT IDCT (injectable disc cell therapy, or rebonuputemcel) is a standalone, single-injection biologic drug treatment designed to halt progression of symptomatic lumbar disc degeneration and regenerate the disc from the inside out. The active ingredient (Drug Substance) in IDCT is a live, manufactured progenitor cell population derived from donated adult human intervertebral disc tissue. These cells are enriched and expanded into Discogenic Cells through a multistep manufacturing process in a highly controlled environment under current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) that results in significant proliferation and phenotypic changes to the cells. The Discogenic Cells are mixed with a viscous Sodium Hyaluronate Solution and excipients to generate IDCT, the Final Drug Product. At the completion of the manufacturing process, each lot of IDCT is subjected to extensive release testing prior to use, including identity, purity, potency, and safety evaluations. IDCT is cryopreserved and maintained as individual "off-the-shelf" doses for administration via percutaneous injection into the intervertebral disc in an outpatient setting. IDCT has been granted regenerative medicine advanced therapy (RMAT) and Fast Track designations by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Disclaimer: IDCT is an investigational product that is under development by DiscGenics and has not been approved by the FDA or any other regulatory agency for human use. About DiscGenics DiscGenics is a privately held, late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company developing allogeneic, cell-based regenerative therapies for musculoskeletal degeneration. It's lead product candidate, IDCT (injectable disc cell therapy, or rebonuputemcel), is a standalone, single-injection biologic drug treatment designed to halt progression of lumbar disc degeneration and regenerate the disc from the inside out. DiscGenics is also developing a follow-on allogeneic cell platform to enable new musculoskeletal indications. To further development of these unique therapies, and to maintain control over compliance, cost, and production timelines, DiscGenics has built and validated an in-house scalable, allogeneic cell manufacturing process and cGMP facility at its headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. For more information, visit discgenics.com. SOURCE DISCGENICS, INC. BOCA RATON, Fla. and OSLO, Norway, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- PharmaLogic Holdings Corp. ("PharmaLogic" or "the Company"), a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in radiopharmaceuticals, today announces that it will acquire a majority stake in Agilera Pharma AS ("Agilera") from the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) in Norway, marking a significant step forward in the company's strategy to create the first fully-integrated, global CDMO specializing in radiopharmaceutical therapies. Agilera has been a trusted partner for major pharmaceutical companies for more than a decade, manufacturing commercial radiopharmaceutical therapies across the United States, Europe, and Asia. With more than 600,000 commercial therapeutic doses delivered to more than 40 countries, Agilera stands as a leader in the radiopharmaceutical CDMO space, further advancing PharmaLogic's commitment to innovation and excellence in the industry. "PharmaLogic's acquisition of Agilera, one of only two CDMOs worldwide currently manufacturing radiopharmaceutical therapeutics, accelerates the expansion of our capabilities in this high-growth field," said Etienne Montagut, President of PharmaLogic. "By combining our expertise with Agilera's industry-leading scale and quality systems, we will be uniquely positioned to offer an end-to-end solution for manufacturing therapeutics at scale and ultimately improve global patient access to these essential treatments. We're thrilled to welcome Agilera's very talented team to PharmaLogic and to take the lead in expanding our presence in Europe." Under the terms of the agreement, Agilera will complement PharmaLogic's existing manufacturing platform for therapeutics, enhancing the company's ability to deliver world-class radiopharmaceutical solutions. PharmaLogic is committed to investing in the expansion of Agilera's CDMO capabilities, strengthening its infrastructure, and scaling its manufacturing footprint to meet rising global demand for radiopharmaceutical therapeutics. This acquisition establishes PharmaLogic as the only CDMO with a global presence actively producing and distributing one of the main commercially-approved radiopharmaceutical therapies for major pharmaceutical companies. From Nils Morten Huseby, CEO of IFE: "For IFE, the sale of a majority stake in Agilera marks a significant achievement as the largest commercialization effort carried out from the Institute to date. As a leading Research Institute, IFE is committed to innovation and job creation and has played a key role in the development and manufacturing of radiopharmaceutical therapeutics through Agilera. The entry of PharmaLogic as a new majority shareholder in Agilera will enable rapid scale-up, growth and development of Agilera's operations to meet the increased demand for radiopharmaceutical therapeutics globally." "At Agilera, we highly welcome PharmaLogic as a majority shareholder in the company. Agilera's most important asset is the experience and expertise of our employees, as the company with the longest experience in large-scale production of radiotherapeutics globally. With PharmaLogic as a new owner beside IFE, this will enable further investments in the business to ensure that we have the right, available capacity to take on new customer projects and thus achieve faster adaptation to the promising market opportunities," said Erik Flatmark, CEO of Agilera. "An important step will be to strengthen European and transatlantic distribution of the products from both companies. We feel confident that we together will provide great opportunities for European, U.S., and global customers, with increased manufacturing capacity and capability in the market." Deal Terms and Conditions Closing of the transaction is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory approvals, license transfers and certain third-party consents. The acquisition is expected to close in June of 2025. Advisors Solomon Partners Securities, LLC served as financial advisor on the acquisition. About PharmaLogic Holdings Corp. PharmaLogic is a world-class contract development and manufacturing organization specializing in novel diagnostic imaging and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancers and other malignancies. In addition to an established and reliable network of radiopharmacies, PharmaLogic has decades of expertise in drug development from discovery, through manufacturing and commercialization. The Company seeks to take the lead in the advancement of radiopharmaceutical technology for the benefit of patients worldwide. For more information, visit: radiopharmacy.com and follow us on LinkedIn. About IFE IFE was established in 1948 to conduct research on nuclear energy and has built and operated four experimental reactors at Kjeller and in Halden. IFE was a frontrunner and started with radiopharmaceutical activities as early as 1952 at the research reactor JEEP I at Kjeller. In the 1960s, IFE offered 28 individual radioactive isotopes for use in diagnostics and treatment and was particularly known for its labeling technology. During the 1980s and 90s, IFE exported its production technology to several countries. IFE was a key player in the introduction of PET technology in Norway, which has been of great importance for the diagnosis of cancer. Over the past 10 years, IFE has developed the radiopharmaceutical activities to become a successful contract development and manufacturing organization with a global footprint. In 2023, IFE spun off the radiopharmaceutical business into a newly created subsidiary, Agilera Pharma AS. About Agilera Pharma AS Agilera Pharma AS was established as a subsidiary of IFE in 2023 with 140 employees as part of their organization. Agilera has three business areas: CDMO : Development partner for innovative radiopharmaceuticals from early phase to clinical production, tailored to customer needs. CMO : Commercial production and distribution. Permits from the Norwegian Medicines Agency and GMP certified. Wholesaler and distribution : Agilera is the national wholesaler of radiopharmaceuticals in Norway . Agilera has a central pharmacy function for radiopharmaceuticals and a logistics centre that distributes radiopharmaceuticals throughout Norway and globally. SOURCE PharmaLogic Holdings Corp The leading accounting firm's annual report shows dramatic shift in founder compensation as capital efficiency and fewer VC funding opportunities become available SAN FRANCISCO, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pilot, the leading accounting firm for startups and small businesses, today released its annual Founder Salary Report, revealing a dramatic 43% decrease in median founder compensation over the past year. Based on data from nearly 2,000 founders, the report highlights a fundamental shift in how startup leaders are approaching personal compensation in today's more challenging funding environment. 2025 Founder Salary Report "The data is super clearfounders are rethinking compensation," said Waseem Daher, co-founder & executive chair of Pilot. "We're seeing founders make smarter calls to extend runway while figuring out reasonable personal compensation. It's a stark contrast to previous years and signals an ecosystem getting serious about financial disciplinewhich is exactly what should be happening." Key findings from the 2025 Founder Salary Report include: Median founder salaries dropped 43% : The median founder salary fell from $132,000 in 2024 to $75,000 in 2025, with nearly twice as many founders (60%, up from 37%) now paying themselves less than $100,000 annually. : The median founder salary fell from in 2024 to in 2025, with nearly twice as many founders (60%, up from 37%) now paying themselves less than annually. Fewer founders taking zero salary : Only 5.4% of founders reported taking no salary, down from 9% last year. Founder salaries are down as venture capital (VC) is harder to come by, time between rounds is expanding, and bootstrapping is up. When founders invest their own money or funds from family and friends, they typically opt for lower salaries to fund operations, particularly when they believe in the long-term equity outcomes. : Only 5.4% of founders reported taking no salary, down from 9% last year. Founder salaries are down as venture capital (VC) is harder to come by, time between rounds is expanding, and bootstrapping is up. When founders invest their own money or funds from family and friends, they typically opt for lower salaries to fund operations, particularly when they believe in the long-term equity outcomes. AI startups buck the trend : In contrast to the overall decline, founders of AI startups (now representing 40% of respondents, up from 14% last year) report higher median compensation of $90,000 , reflecting continued investor enthusiasm for the sector. Though like all salaries, AI founder salaries are lower than they were last year. : In contrast to the overall decline, founders of AI startups (now representing 40% of respondents, up from 14% last year) report higher median compensation of , reflecting continued investor enthusiasm for the sector. Though like all salaries, AI founder salaries are lower than they were last year. Bootstrapping on the rise: The percentage of bootstrapped companies increased 77% from last year, now representing 18% of surveyed founders, as more entrepreneurs choose self-funding in today's challenging venture capital environment. Most founders (31%) reported setting their salaries based primarily on "what the startup can afford," while those who benchmarked against market rates earned 79% more on average. "Understanding where you fit in today's capital-efficient landscape is how you build companies that survive when things get tough," added Daher. "This isn't just about cutting costsit's about making strategic decisions that balance personal sustainability with runway preservation." The 2025 Founder Salary Report is based on responses from 1,844 founders across various industries, funding stages, and geographic regions. The full report includes detailed breakdowns by industry, company size, company phase, funding level, and geographic location. To download the complete report, visit pilot.com/fsr . About Pilot Pilot is an accounting firm that specializes in providing expert bookkeeping, tax preparation, and CFO services specifically designed for startups and small businesses. Headquartered in San Francisco and Nashville, Pilot brings together U.S.-based finance experts and cutting-edge technology to deliver trustworthy financials and actionable insights, helping founders and business owners focus on what they do bestgrowing their businesses. Media Contact Sarah Evans [email protected] Alexandria Hurley [email protected] SOURCE Pilot ST. LOUIS, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Post Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: Post) ("Post"), a consumer packaged goods holding company, today announced plans to close two of its Post Consumer Brands cereal manufacturing facilities in Cobourg, Ontario and Sparks, Nevada. The planned closure of the facilities reflects Post's need to reduce capacity in its cereal production network. The two facilities together employ approximately 300 employees and are expected to close by the end of December 2025. Post Consumer Brands has notified employees of the decision. Production capabilities at the facilities will be transferred to other Post Consumer Brands manufacturing locations. Regarding the planned closure of the facilities, Post Consumer Brands President and CEO Nicolas Catoggio said, "The ready-to-eat cereal category continues to decline. To respond to this, we are reducing excess manufacturing capacity and optimizing our North American plant network to better utilize our production capacity." The Cobourg facility has been part of the Post Consumer Brands business since July 2017, when Post acquired Weetabix. The Sparks facility has been part of the business since June 2021, when Post acquired the Treehouse Foods ready-to-eat cereal business. Post currently expects to incur cash and noncash pre-tax charges totaling approximately $63.5 to $67.5 million in connection with the transfer of production capabilities to other Post Consumer Brands locations and closure of the facilities. Completion of the transfer and start-up of production at other locations is estimated to require capital expenditures of approximately $5 to $7 million, incremental to Post's previously announced capital expenditures guidance range of $380 to $420 million, in fiscal year 2025. As a result of the transfer of production capabilities to other locations and closure of the facilities, Post expects to achieve annual cost savings of approximately $21 to $23 million, starting in fiscal year 2026. Forward-Looking Statements Certain matters discussed in this release are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made based on known events and circumstances at the time of release, and as such, are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. These forward-looking statements include the expected timing of the closure of the facilities, the expected amount and timing of costs associated with the closure of the facilities, the expected amount of capital expenditures associated with completion of the transfer and start-up of production at other locations, Post's fiscal year 2025 capital expenditures guidance range, the expected amount of annual cost savings and the continuing decline of the ready-to-eat cereal category. Such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements made herein. These risks and uncertainties include the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could delay the closing of the facilities and the transfer and start-up of production at other locations, the possibility that the expected amount of costs associated with the closure of the facilities and capital expenditures associated with completion of the transfer and start-up of production at other locations could be greater than anticipated, the risk that the amount of annual cost savings could be lower than anticipated, and other risks and uncertainties described in Post's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements represent Post's judgement as of the date of this release. Post disclaims, however, any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements in this release are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. About Post Holdings, Inc. Post Holdings, Inc., headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a consumer packaged goods holding company with businesses operating in the center-of-the-store, refrigerated, foodservice and food ingredient categories. Its businesses include Post Consumer Brands, Weetabix, Michael Foods and Bob Evans Farms. Post Consumer Brands is a leader in the North American ready-to-eat cereal and pet food categories and also markets Peter Pan peanut butter. Weetabix is home to the United Kingdom's number one selling ready-to-eat cereal brand, Weetabix. Michael Foods and Bob Evans Farms are leaders in refrigerated foods, delivering innovative, value-added egg and refrigerated potato side dish products to the foodservice and retail channels. Post participates in the private brand food category through its ownership interest in 8th Avenue Food & Provisions, Inc. For more information, visit www.postholdings.com. Contact: Investor Relations Daniel O'Rourke [email protected] (314) 806-3959 Media Relations Tara Gray [email protected] (314) 644-7648 SOURCE Post Holdings, Inc. KIHEI, Hawaii, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Privateer, a leader in geospatial intelligence and space sustainability, today announced a strategic investment from Far Eastern Group (FEG), one of Taiwan's largest and most influential conglomerates. FEG joins a group of top investors on whose support Privateer's rapid emergence in the national security and commercial geospatial markets has been built, including Lux Capital, Sequoia, Google Ventures, Murata, and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. Privateer, Wozniak-founded space sustainability & geospatial leader, gets investment from Taiwan's Far Eastern Group. Post this "We've grown with the backing of some of the best venture firms in the world, and I'm thrilled to count the prestigious Far Eastern Group among them," Privateer CEO and Chairman Alex Fielding said. "I look forward to working together on public and private sector opportunities in the Asia-Pacific as Privateer continues to expand globally." FEG's investment becomes the latest milestone for Privateer, which followed its $56.5M Series A fundraise and Orbital Insight acquisition with a contract award from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . Fusing disparate data sources for an all-domain perspective with AI-driven analysis, the company's intelligence solutions eliminate gaps to uniquely produce critical insights. Privateer's recent maritime monitoring tool exemplifies the optimizing power of its blend of space domain awareness, Earth observation data, and AI modeling. "Privateer's cutting-edge sea-to-space intelligence platform offers powerful insights that can drive innovation across a wide range of industries," said Juliana Pidner Hsu, Managing Director of DRIVE Catalyst, FEG's venture capital arm. "Investing in this level of advanced technology strengthens our ability to understand complex regional dynamics and identify transformative solutionsparticularly in areas like marine transportation, which is central to FEG's operations." The investment demonstrates the premium placed on real-time, actionable intelligence as businesses and governments navigate increasingly complex and interrelated global challenges at a time of intense focus on government efficiency. Privateer's sustainable, scalable decision intelligence platform responds to that need by enabling speed, cost, and accuracy of information for civil, commercial, and defense applications. About Privateer Privateer is a leader in Earth intelligence and AI, integrating data from sea to space to deliver actionable insights. Leveraging advanced analytics, Privateer enables organizations to understand the present, anticipate the future, and make better decisions. From global security and supply chain resilience to infrastructure monitoring, Privateer transforms space-based data into strategic intelligence. Co-founded by Apple pioneer Steve Wozniak, the company is committed to making space a shared and sustainable resource for humanity. Learn more: privateer.com Contact [email protected] SOURCE Privateer Space LAREDO, Texas, April 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Provident Industrial, a division of the Dallas-based real estate development firm Provident, has successfully completed the sale of Phase 1 of the Northpoint 35 Industrial Park. Developed in 2024 and located at 1203 Reuthinger Parkway, Laredo, TX. Northpoint 35 is situated within the North Industrial Laredo Park, a vibrant industrial hub in the north Laredo submarket. Northpoint 35 Phase 1 - Laredo, TX (PRNewsfoto/Provident Realty Advisors, Inc.) Phase 1 of Provident's Northpoint 35 development consists of one metal maintenance building totaling 10,000 square feet on 32 acres with 919 trailer parking stalls. In March 2025, Phase 1 was sold to Alterra IOS, a vertically integrated real estate company focused on industrial outdoor storage facilities. "Laredo's prime location serves as a critical gateway for international trade, connecting Mexico with major U.S. markets along the I-35 corridor, a sought-after destination for industrial outdoor storage (IOS) investment," said Parker Pearson, Senior Vice President at Alterra IOS. "This acquisition expands Alterra's footprint to one of the largest and highest growth inland port markets in the United States." The project was spearheaded by Provident's Houston Office, Director Christen Vestal, and Senior Analyst, Titus Jefferies. Phase I of Northpoint 35 was developed in partnership with Interbank Bank and Howard Capital Partners. Provident has significantly expanded its industrial portfolio, with 8.2 million square feet currently under construction or in pre-development across Texas, Arizona, and the Carolinas. About Provident Provident is a privately held real estate and investment firm with over three decades of success across multiple market cycles driven by foresight, experience, and adaptability to changing markets. Provident focuses on delivering exceptional risk-adjusted returns to investor partners through development of opportunistic and value-add strategies. Since its founding in 1991, Provident has developed or invested in over $5.9 billion in real estate projects nationwide. For more information, please visit www.providentrealty.net. Media Contact: Christen Vestal, [email protected] SOURCE Provident Realty Advisors, Inc. SUSSEX, Wis., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Quad/Graphics, Inc. (NYSE: QUAD) ("Quad" or the "Company"), a global marketing experience company, announced today that it will release its first quarter 2025 financial results after the close of regular market trading on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. The Company will host a conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, to discuss the aforementioned results. The call will be hosted by Joel Quadracci, Quad Chairman, President and CEO, and Tony Staniak, Quad CFO. The full earnings release and slide presentation will be concurrently available on the Investors section of Quad's website at http://www.quad.com/investor-relations. As part of the conference call, Quad will conduct a question and answer session. Participants can pre-register for the webcast by navigating to https://dpregister.com/sreg/10198067/fec5edd3f9. Participants will be given a unique PIN to access the call on April 30. Participants may pre-register at any time, including up to and after the call start time. Alternatively, participants may dial in on the day of the call as follows: U.S. Toll-Free: 1-877-328-5508 International Toll: 1-412-317-5424 An audio replay of the call will be posted on the Investors section of Quad's website shortly after the conference call ends. In addition, telephone playback will also be available until May 30, 2025, accessible as follows: U.S. Toll-Free: 1-877-344-7529 International Toll: 1-412-317-0088 Replay Access Code: 9177057 About Quad Quad (NYSE: QUAD) is a marketing experience, or MX, company that helps brands make direct consumer connections, from household to in-store to online. The company does this through its MX Solutions Suite, a comprehensive range of marketing and print services that seamlessly integrate creative, production and media solutions across online and offline channels. Supported by state-of-the-art technology and data-driven intelligence, Quad simplifies the complexities of marketing by removing friction wherever it occurs along the marketing journey. The company tailors its uniquely flexible, scalable and connected solutions to each clients' objectives, driving cost efficiencies, improving speed-to-market, strengthening marketing effectiveness and delivering value on client investments. Quad employs more than 12,000 people in 14 countries and serves approximately 2,500 clients including industry leading blue-chip companies that serve both businesses and consumers in multiple industry verticals, with a particular focus on commerce, including retail, consumer packaged goods, and direct-to-consumer; financial services; and health. Quad is ranked among the largest agency companies in the U.S. by Ad Age, buoyed by its full-service media agency, Rise, and creative agency, Betty. Quad is also one of the largest commercial printers in North America, according to Printing Impressions. For more information about Quad, including its commitment to operating responsibly, intentional innovation and values-driven culture, visit quad.com. Investor Relations Contact Don Pontes Executive Director of Investor Relations 916-532-7074 [email protected] Media Contact Claire Ho Corporate Communications Director 414-566-2955 [email protected] SOURCE Quad HOUSTON, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Right Choice Construction, a rapidly growing woman-owned commercial general contractor, is launching a new division: Right Choice Maintenance. This branch will provide businesses across the Greater Houston area with reliable, efficient, and budget-friendly property maintenance solutions just in time for summer. As a trusted name in the commercial construction industry, Right Choice Construction specializes in ground-up construction, steel buildings, corporate interior and exterior remodels, retail spaces, shopping centers, industrial spaces, and more. With the introduction of Right Choice Maintenance, the company is expanding its scope of services to ensure the long-term functionality and upkeep of commercial properties throughout Houston. Right Choice Maintenance will offer a comprehensive range of services, including but not limited to lighting, painting, flooring, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, general repairs, glass repairs, and damage restoration. "Whether for office buildings, retail centers, industrial sites, or other commercial properties, Right Choice Maintenance is committed to delivering dependable, professional services that keep facilities operating smoothly," says James Wright, vice president of operations at Right Choice Construction. "With Right Choice Maintenance, you're not just getting a serviceyou're getting a local, knowledgable partner dedicated to going above and beyond," states CEO Danielle Wright. Businesses in the Houston area can now contact Right Choice Maintenance at (832) 450-4999 or https://rightchoicemaintenance.com for a free consultation. The company offers various tailored solutions that meet clients' specific needs, from everyday repairs to emergency on-call services. About Right Choice Construction Right Choice Construction is a woman-owned commercial construction company with over 25 years of experience in the industry. Right Choice Construction is a Certified City of Houston Women Business Enterprise (WBE) and Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) under the Small Business Administration (SBA). Right Choice Construction specializes in ground-up construction, and its principles of compliance, quality and client satisfaction are at the core of its operations. Learn more at rightchoiceconstruction.com. PR Contact: Emily Saxton | Right Choice Construction [email protected] SOURCE Right Choice Construction ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hearing Examiners of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (NMPRC) issued a Certification of Stipulation recommending approval of the unopposed stipulation filed by PNM, a wholly-owned subsidiary of TXNM Energy (NYSE: TXNM), and parties in PNM's 2025 Rate Request application. The stipulation was filed in November 2024 and hearings were held in February 2025. If approved by the NMPRC, customer rates are phased in under the stipulation with 50% of the increase effective July 1, 2025, and the remaining increase effective April 1, 2026. The stipulated $105.0 million increase to PNM's revenue requirements is based on a 9.45% return on equity and a 51% equity capitalization structure on $3.0 billion of rate base. PNM's currently authorized rates are based on a 9.26% return on equity and 50% equity capitalization structure. Parties joining PNM on the stipulation include Utility Division Staff of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission, the New Mexico Department of Justice, Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, City of Albuquerque, Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy, Coalition for Community Solar Access, County of Bernalillo, New Energy Economy, New Mexico Affordable Reliable Energy Alliance, The Kroger Co., Walmart Inc and Western Resource Advocates. Other intervening parties to the application, Onward Energy Holdings, LLC and Renewable Energy Industries Association of New Mexico, do not oppose the settlement. ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON WEBSITE The Certification of Stipulation and other documents related to the application are available at https://www.txnmenergy.com/investors/rates-and-filings/pnm-nmprc-filings.aspx. Background: TXNM Energy (NYSE: TXNM), an energy holding company based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, delivers energy to more than 800,000 homes and businesses across Texas and New Mexico through its regulated utilities, TNMP and PNM. For more information, visit the company's website at www.TXNMEnergy.com. Contacts: Analysts Media Lisa Goodman Corporate Communications (505) 241-2160 (505) 241-2743 Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 Statements made in this news release for TXNM Energy, Inc. ("TXNM"), Public Service Company of New Mexico ("PNM"), or Texas-New Mexico Power Company ("TNMP") (collectively, the "Company") that relate to future events or expectations, projections, estimates, intentions, goals, targets, and strategies, including the unaudited financial results and earnings guidance, are made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned that all forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and estimates and apply only as of the date of this report. TXNM, PNM, and TNMP assume no obligation to update this information. Because actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, TXNM, PNM, and TNMP caution readers not to place undue reliance on these statements. TXNM's, PNM's, and TNMP's business, financial condition, cash flow, and operating results are influenced by many factors, which are often beyond their control, that can cause actual results to differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of risk factors and other important factors affecting forward-looking statements, please see the Company's Form 10-K, Form 10-Q filings and the information included in the Company's Forms 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which factors are specifically incorporated by reference herein. SOURCE TXNM Energy, Inc. Gemini on Google Cloud will enable Ballie to bring personalized interactions and proactive home assistance to users; available in United States and Korea this Summer SEOUL, South Korea and SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cloud Next '25, LAS VEGAS -- Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd and Google Cloud today announced an expanded partnership to bring Google Cloud's generative AI technology to Ballie, a new home AI companion robot from Samsung. Available to consumers this Summer, Ballie will be able to engage in natural, conversational interactions to help users manage home environments, including adjusting lighting, greeting people at the door, personalizing schedules, setting reminders, and more1. "Through this partnership, Samsung and Google Cloud are redefining the role of AI in the home," said Yongjae Kim, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. "By pairing Gemini's powerful multimodal reasoning with Samsung's AI capabilities in Ballie, we're leveraging the power of open collaboration to unlock a new era of personalized AI companionone that moves with users, anticipates their needs, and interacts in more dynamic and meaningful ways than ever before." Ballie will use Gemini's multimodal capabilities along with proprietary Samsung language models to process and understand a variety of inputs, including audio and voice, visual data from its camera, and sensor data from its environment. This will allow it to adapt its behaviors and responses in real-time. For instance, if you're not sure what to wear to work in the morning, you can turn to Ballie for advice. Users could ask, "Hey Ballie, how do I look?" and Ballie can respond with styling recommendations, such as trying new accessories or adding a colorful shirt. With enhanced reasoning enabled by Gemini, Ballie will be able to help users manage not only their home, but also their health and wellbeing. For example, a user could tell Ballie, "I feel tired today." Ballie could then use Gemini's grounding in Google Search to give tailored advice on how to improve their energy levels, including sharing recommendations from trusted sources on how to get more exercise, optimize their sleeping environment, or monitor their sleep patterns. This partnership announcement builds on the successful integration last year of Gemini on Google Cloud into Samsung's Galaxy S24 smartphone series. With Ballie, Samsung and Google Cloud are exploring how to bring their generative AI collaboration to a wider range of devices. "With Gemini on Google Cloud, Samsung is demonstrating how to deploy generative AI at scale, integrating it directly into the heart of their popular products," said Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud. "This expanded partnership with Samsung underscores our commitment to delivering reliable, enterprise-grade AI that drives lasting value for our customers and their customers." To learn more about Ballie Home AI Companion, visit here . About Google Cloud Google Cloud is the new way to the cloud, providing AI, infrastructure, developer, data, security, and collaboration tools built for today and tomorrow. Google Cloud offers a powerful, fully integrated and optimized AI stack with its own planet-scale infrastructure, custom-built chips, generative AI models and development platform, as well as AI-powered applications, to help organizations transform. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted technology partner. About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tables, home appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions, and delivering a seamless connected experience through its SmartThings ecosystem and open collaboration with partners. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com . 1Final product specifications, requirements and pricing to be determined. SOURCE Google Cloud LONDON, MONTREAL, and OSLO, Norway, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Sandbrook Capital, a private investment firm focused on building leading climate infrastructure companies, and the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments), one of Canada's largest pension investors, today announced the signing of an agreement to sell Havfram, an international offshore wind infrastructure company, to DEME (Euronext: DEME), a global leader in offshore energy and marine engineering. Sandbrook Capital (CNW Group/PSP Investments) Established in 2021 through a strategic partnership between Sandbrook Capital and PSP Investments, Havfram was created to provide critical offshore wind installation capacity to the world's leading energy companies. Under their ownership, Havfram has evolved into a world-class operator of Wind Turbine Installation Vessels (WTIVs), with two state-of-the-art vessels currently under construction and a strong contract backlog to build some of the largest offshore wind farms. "We partnered with PSP Investments to build Havfram because we saw a unique market opportunity to provide the state-of-the-art vessels required to build today's enormous offshore wind farms" said Christopher Hunt, Partner at Sandbrook Capital. "In just a few years, Havfram has become one of the most important players in the offshore wind industry. We are proud of what the team has achieved and the positive financial returns delivered to our investors. DEME will be an outstanding steward of the company in its next phase of growth." "Our investment in Havfram reflects our broader capabilities and commitment to invest in assets essential to the renewables value chain, while generating strong risk-adjusted returns," said Sandiren Curthan, Managing Director and Global Head of Infrastructure Investments, PSP Investments. "We are proud to have partnered with Sandbrook Capital and with the Havfram team to build a fleet of next generation WTIVs." "The support and long-term vision of Sandbrook Capital and PSP Investments have been instrumental in building Havfram into what it is today," said Ingrid Due-Gundersen, CEO of Havfram. "We're incredibly excited to join forces with DEME, a global leader with a shared mission to accelerate offshore wind deployment. Together, we will play a major role in enabling the energy transition around the world." The transaction, valued at approximately 900 million, is expected to close by the end of April 2025, subject to customary closing conditions. Goldman Sachs served as financial advisors and Thommessen served as legal advisor to Sandbrook Capital and PSP Investments. About Sandbrook Capital Sandbrook Capital is a private investment firm dedicated to building the next generation of climate infrastructure companies. Founded by a team of seasoned investors and operators, Sandbrook partners with exceptional management teams to grow sustainable businesses that deliver attractive financial returns and meaningful climate benefits. For more information, visit www.sandbrook.com. About PSP Investments The Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments) is one of Canada's largest pension investors with C$264.9 billion of net assets under management as of 31 March 2024. It manages a diversified global portfolio composed of investments in capital markets, private equity, real estate, infrastructure, natural resources, and credit investments. Established in 1999, PSP Investments manages and invests amounts transferred to it by the Government of Canada for the pension plans of the federal public service, the Canadian Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Reserve Force. Headquartered in Ottawa, PSP Investments has its principal business office in Montreal and offices in New York, London and Hong Kong. For more information, visit investpsp.com or follow us on LinkedIn. About Havfram Havfram is a Norwegian offshore wind installation company providing critical services to the global renewable energy industry. With two newbuild WTIVs under construction and a robust backlog, Havfram is positioned as a leading player in enabling the deployment of next-generation offshore wind farms. For more information, visit www.havfram.com. SOURCE PSP Investments - Seegene to showcase a conceptual video introducing CURECA at ESCMID Global 2025 a full automation system expected to cover the entire PCR workforce, from sample pre-processing to result analysis. - Designed for 24-hour, seven-days-a-week, unattended, CURECA reflects the company's mission to set a new global standard and advance its vision of "a world free from all diseases." SEOUL, South Korea, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Seegene Inc., a global leader in molecular diagnostics (MDx), is advancing its vision for innovation in laboratory automation with the development of CURECA a next-generation system currently under development, designed to streamline automation in Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing and laboratory environments. Seegenes CURECA concept video, showcasing the brand identity of the next-generation automated PCR system to be unveiled at ESCMID Global 2025. The company announced today that it will showcase a conceptual video introducing the CURECA system at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID Global 2025), held April 11-15 in Vienna, Austria. The video will outline the system's design goals and envisioned workflow. A physical demonstration of the system is expected to take place in July 2025 at the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM 2025) in Chicago. CURECA short for Continuous Unlimited Random access Expandable and Customizable full Automation is Seegene's envisioned PCR testing solution, intended to enable full automation of the PCR testing workflow. The system is expected to include two core components: the Customizable Pre-treatment System (CPS), responsible for sample loading and pre-treatment processing; and Customizable and Expandable Full Automation (CEFA), which would carry out sample loading and preparation for nucleic acid extraction, PCR setup, gene amplification, and result analysis. Pioneering Full Automation of PCR Pre-treatment Processing The pre-treatment stage in MDx requires careful handling of various specimen types such as stool, urine, blood, and sputum as well as sorting different container formats. Traditionally, this process has relied heavily on manual labor by trained laboratory professionals. Seegene aims to lead innovation in automating pre-treatment processing for all PCR specimen types through the development of CPS. The system is designed to automate key steps such as sample sorting, centrifugation, vortexing and heat treatment. CPS may also operate independently of the full CURECA system and be applied to other laboratory testing areas such as hematology, biochemistry, and immunodiagnostics broadening its potential utility in clinical laboratory workflows. The modular design of CURECA is intended to provide laboratories with flexibility to configure the system according to their operational needs. By supporting automation across the full workflow, the system aims to help reduce the risk of human error and enable continuous, high-throughput PCR testing 24 hours a day, seven days a week. At ESCMID Global 2025, Seegene will present a conceptual video simulating the full PCR automation workflow from sample loading and pre-treatment processing to nucleic acid extraction, PCR setup, gene amplification, and result analysis. The presentation will further highlight the system's adaptability across different laboratory environments and testing capacities. CURECA to Support Seegene's Vision of "a World Free from All Diseases" "Until now, there has been no system capable of fully automating pre-treatment processing for all specimen types, which has prevented true automation in MDx," said Dr. Jong-Yoon Chun, founder and CEO of Seegene. "We aim to define a new global benchmark and help reshape the future of MDx." Dr. Chun also noted that CURECA is envisioned to support Seegene's global technology-sharing initiative, which aims to make advanced MDx more accessible and better integrated into everyday healthcare around the world. "CURECA marks an early step toward advancing Seegene's vision of creating 'a world free from all diseases.' We will continue to lead through innovation and global collaboration to drive this vision ahead." Seegene to Highlight "Redefining MDx" at ESCMID 2025 Seegene will present its syndromic real-time PCR assay portfolio under the theme "Redefining MDx" at ESCMID Global 2025, including validated testing solutions currently in use. The company will also host symposium sessions during the conference, exploring the evolving role of MDx in addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and shifting diagnostic needs in the post-COVID-19 era. Featured assays, such as Drug Resistance (Entero DR) and Sexually Transmitted InfectionAntimicrobial Resistance (STI-AMR), are designed to support more informed and timely treatment decisions. 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 Technology-sharing Initiative The technology-sharing initiative aims to globally share Seegene's advanced diagnostic and data analysis technologies, including syndromic real-time PCR and an automated product development system (SGDDS), with a leading company partnered in each country. Partnering companies will collaborate with local scientists and experts to develop diagnostic tests tailored to the needs of their communities and fields, spanning a wide range of human and non-human diseases. The initiative's ultimate vision is to create "a world free from diseases" a future where people no longer suffer from infectious diseases and cancer, and where animals and plants thrive without illness. SOURCE Seegene Inc. The courts are America's last line of defense against tyranny and they're under siege. Speak Up for Justice is holding a nationwide online forum April 15 to preserve the rule-of-law. LOS ANGELES, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With federal courts and prominent law firms under attack, Los Angeles lawyer Paul R.Kiesel is reminding his colleagues nationwide: "We took an oath to uphold the Constitution. Now is when it counts!" Kiesel has helped launched a public awareness campaign called Speak Up for Justice. Step one: an online forum that will begin to harness the collective influence and skills of America's legal community to defend the access to justice and the rule of law. This is not about ideology or partisan politics. "Justice isn't left or right," said Kiesel, "it's the foundation of our Constitution and nation. The legal community must stand together to defend against assaults on our laws, our judicial institutions, and our judges' safety." "The legal community cannot stand by silently while judges are being intimidated, while public figures call for defunding the federal judiciary, and while efforts to target individual lawyers and firms deny Americans access to proper legal representation," added Kiesel. "These threats to our democracy must be called out and resisted. Inaction is acquiescence." Who's Invited: Attorneys, judges, bar associations, law students, legal journalists, judicial clerks, legal scholars, law school faculty, allied legal professionals, and anyone concerned about the integrity and safety of courts, judges and the rule of law in the United States When & Where: April 15, 2025, 9 a.m. Pacific / 12 p.m. Eastern register online at SpeakUpForJustice.law Purpose: The Speak Up for Justice rally is a show of support for judges who daily strive to realize the promise of justice for all, regardless of who appointed them and whether a decision is popular or not. Featured Speakers: U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas : Judge Salas serves on the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey . She has become a national voice for judicial security and reform following the tragic killing of her son in a targeted attack on her family. Judge Salas serves on the U.S. District Court for the District of . She has become a national voice for judicial security and reform following the tragic killing of her son in a targeted attack on her family. 9/11 Fund Special Master Kenneth R. Feinberg: Ken Feinberg is widely recognized for his role as Special Master of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, the BP Deepwater Horizon Disaster fund, and other high-profile legal settlements. He is known for his deep expertise in public compensation and justice. is widely recognized for his role as Special Master of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, the BP Deepwater Horizon Disaster fund, and other high-profile legal settlements. He is known for his deep expertise in public compensation and justice. Berkeley School of Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky: Dean Chemerinsky is one of the country's foremost constitutional scholars. He has argued before the U.S. Supreme Court and authored multiple influential books on the Constitution and civil rights. is one of the country's foremost constitutional scholars. He has argued before the U.S. Supreme Court and authored multiple influential books on the Constitution and civil rights. U.S. District Judge (ret.) Paul Grimm was appointed as a United States District Judge for the District of Maryland on December 10, 2012 . Previously, he was appointed to the Court as a Magistrate Judge in February 1997 and served as Chief Magistrate Judge from 2006 through 2012. was appointed as a United States District Judge for the District of on . Previously, he was appointed to the Court as a Magistrate Judge in and served as Chief Magistrate Judge from 2006 through 2012. California Associate Justice Eileen C. Moore serves on the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three. A Vietnam War combat nurse turned jurist, she is a longtime advocate for veterans and judicial education. Justice Moore is also an award-winning author and nationally recognized voice on justice system reform. Moderator: Paul R. Kiesel A nationally recognized trial attorney and founding partner at Kiesel Law LLP , Paul R. Kiesel has led major cases like the Juul e-cigarette product liability litigation, Kiesel Law is currently co-lead counsel in the social media litigation representing hundreds of children and young adults with mental health issues related to their social media use. Kiesel was a former president of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, he champions access to justice. In 2010 to engage the California Bar Associations to fight for reinvesting the courts after nearly $1 billion was reduced from court funding due to budgetary challenges the state was facing. About Speak Up for Justice Organized by attorney Paul R. Kiesel and supported by attorneys across the country, Speak Up for Justice has been launched to literally speak up for the courts, for judges, and for the rule of law in the United States. The initiative is based on the belief that we must speak up now or risk losing what makes our democracy work. The courts are not political tools, they are A coequal branch of government and an essential part of the check and balance that makes America a democracy. The silence of the legal community ends here. This is an historic opportunity for the legal system to speak with a unified voice conservative and liberal alike. Website: SpeakUpForJustice.law Speak Up for Justice Contact: Paul Kiesel ([email protected]) Media Contact: On The Marc Media Jen Reed (508) 944-4884 [email protected] Marc Silverstein (202) 716-9123 [email protected] SOURCE Kiesel Law SHANGHAI, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- UnionPay is pleased to welcome senior leadership from Standard Bank for high-level discussions, reinforcing a long-standing partnership and a shared commitment to advancing digital payment solutions across Africa. UnionPay and Standard Bank have a deep-rooted history, commencing as early as 2010, of collaboration, driving financial innovation and expanding digital payment access. UnionPay and Standard Bank have formed a strategic partnership to drive acquiring, e-commerce acceptance, and contactless payments across several African countries. This strategic partnership positions both organisations to capitalise on the accelerating growth of e-Commerce across the continent and - aims to enhance global connectivity and boost economic prosperity in Africa. The visit will include bilateral discussions focused on exploring new opportunities to build on the existing partnership. Both organisations are dedicated to expanding digital payment capabilities, strengthening cross-border financial connectivity, and addressing the evolving needs of businesses and consumers in South Africa and beyond. "We remain committed to innovation and collaboration, ensuring that our customers continue to benefit from secure and seamless digital payment solutions. Our partnership with UnionPay is set to transform how Africa connects with China by making cross-border payments more accessible to our customers." said Steven Barker, Head of Product, at Personal and Private Banking, Standard Bank Group. "We deeply value our long-standing strong relationship with Standard Bank and are excited to take our collaboration to the next level," said Asad Burney, Head of UnionPay International Africa Region. "This renewed commitment sets the stage for launching key projects this year, reinforcing our shared vision for financial innovation and inclusion." As UnionPay and Standard Bank continue to shape the future of digital payments, this partnership remains central to driving financial accessibility and fostering economic growth across key African markets. In closing, UnionPay will forever be grateful for the role that Standard bank has played in the establishment of UnionPay on the continent. With the theme "We make work easy and safe," the robotics pioneer will demo a variety of automation solutions and offer a look at how it brings ideas into reality DUNCAN, S.C. , April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- North America's biggest automation showcase, Automate, returns to Detroit's Huntington Place on May 12-15. At Booth 2232, Staubli Robotics will exhibit advanced robots engineered to bring new levels of efficiency to industrial applications. An interactive exhibit will walk visitors through Staubli's customer journey and robust support options. Staubli has a comprehensive portfolio of four- and six-axis industrial robots, mobile robots, and AGVs (automated guided vehicles) deployed worldwide across numerous industries. In addition to its broad range of solutions, Staubli is set apart by full lifecycle support. Staubli is a leader in high-payload mobile robots Post this Unique solutions for automotive and general industry Staubli Robotics has been at the forefront of industrial automation for decades. In collaboration with OEMs, system integrators, and customers in numerous industries worldwide, it has developed solutions for evolving needs, resulting in a strong record of innovation. The flexibility of its robots will be on full display at Automate Booth 2232 with exhibits and demos showing how they make work easy and safe and offer innovative approaches to optimize production processes. In EV production, power electronics are vital in managing power and ensuring efficient energy flow. Staubli will demonstrate its TS2-60 ESD robot, designed for handling ESD-sensitive components, turning a power supply on and off, and simulating a controlled electrical connection process using a PerforMore high-voltage connector from Staubli Electrical Connectors. Supporting components, including Schunk air and servo grippers managed via MPS 025 pneumatic tool changers from Staubli Fluid Connectors, enable smooth and reliable operation. Staubli will also feature a versatile TS2-60 robot in a hairpin electric motor assembly application in which the robot picks copper hairpins from a queuing rack and places them precisely into the correct slots of a stator, indexing one slot at a time. The process shows how robotic automation improves accuracy and cycle times in the production of critical motor components. Mobile robotics: Staubli is a leader in high-payload mobile robots with a full portfolio of platforms, forklifts, and autonomous mobile robots known for high-precision omnidirectional positioning and ability to carry payloads of up to 500 tons. Automate attendees will have the opportunity to see Staubli's PF3 OMNI, a mobile robot platform with a 3-ton payload. Complete lifecycle solutions for robot longevity Turning the spotlight on the customer journey, Staubli will show how its automation projects are planned and executed, highlighting the services and support provided at each stage. The space will consist of a series of walls with vivid displays and interactive exhibits, allowing visitors to explore. The first wall will cover initial stages, such as ideation, feasibility, virtual commissioning with digital twins, and programming with SRS 2025, the latest version of Staubli Robotics Suite software, with an emphasis on the role of technical support in determining the right solution. The next phase is integration and performance, which involves deploying the new solution within existing systems, determining performance metrics, and developing enhancements. The exhibit will feature CS9 controller modules and software options, as well as application support. The final stage is robot use and production, when the focus is on optimization and extending the robot's lifespan through maintenance. This will show the variety of service offerings, the ease of obtaining parts, and in the broader view, the robot's total cost of ownership (TCO). These displays will be complemented by a "innovation station," where attendees can consult with technical experts, underscoring the total lifecycle support that Staubli provides. Deriving maximum value through next-level service Staubli offers a wide variety of services and products aimed at ensuring customers derive the greatest value from their robots and keep downtime to a minimum. Attendees will experience Staubli's newest digital solution for smart factories, a powerful hardware platform for managing robot fleets. With connectivity for up to 50 robots, it enables remote monitoring, fault identification, data visualization, and performance optimization. Using iPads, visitors will be able to visualize the inner workings of a robot with a virtual preventative maintenance experience and explore the MyStaubli Portal, which gives customers access to an extensive technical support library, premium support options, training, and more. Staubli also aims to demonstrate how easy its robots are to use and integrate. Operators do not need programming expertise, and visitors will experience this at an interactive training cell, where they can try out the user-friendly new SP2 plus robotic teach pendant, direct a TX2-60 robot through a pick-and-place process, fine-tune settings for performance and load, and even build a basic application using the VALBlocks software tool. Life sciences: Flexible solutions for strict regulations Staubli Robotics has distinguished itself in the life sciences sector with hygienic robots designed to ensure safety and compliance in highly regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals and medical devices. At Automate, Staubli will show how an ultra-precise Staubli TX2-60 Stericlean robot works with a vision-guided flex feeder from VTR Feeder Solutions. The robot will use the vision system to meticulously pick and place medical device components. Robotic tool changers from Staubli Fluid Connectors Staubli Robotics will be joined at Automate by Staubli Fluid Connectors (FCS), a leading manufacturer of quick connector systems for fluids, gases, and electrical power. The division also produces robotic tool changers and will host a demo cell featuring its new MPS line of robotic tool changers and end-of-arm tooling solutions for material handling. Highlighting its extensive technology portfolio, the demo will feature electrical modules such as DuraDock Vision for inspection and scanning, DuraDock Ultra for ultrasonic technology, and DuraDock Servo for servoelectric drives. About Staubli North America Staubli North America has more than 200 employees supporting Connectors, Robotics and Textiles customers. The company's North American headquarters is in Duncan, South Carolina. Staubli provides customer support through its locations in Duncan, Queretaro, Mexico, and the newest Staubli North American facility, which opened in 2018 in Novi, Michigan. In addition to 24/7 customer support, each of these facilities offers training and has dedicated on-site technical experts who can be deployed whenever needed. Staubli's North American sales force is located strategically on the West and East coasts, and also serves Canada and Puerto Rico. Worldwide, Staubli is a leading manufacturer of quick release couplings, robotics systems and textile machinery. With a workforce of more than 6,000 employees, Staubli is present in 28 countries supported by a comprehensive distribution network in 50 countries worldwide. About Staubli Robotics Staubli Robotics is a leading player in robotics around the world, consistently delivering engineering as effective and reliable as our service and support. Staubli offers a complete range of 4-axis and 6-axis robotic systems, collaborative and mobile robotics as well as software to meet the most exacting demands of the market internationally. Staubli robots combine speed, performance and safety. staubli.com/robotics Contact: Cynthia Jamison-Brashier, Events & Media Relations Staubli Robotics North America +1 864 764 4729 [email protected] SOURCE Staubli Corporation HOUSTON, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tachyus has entered into an agreement with INEOS USA Oil & Gas LLC (INEOS) to deploy Aurion, its cloud-scalable platform for carbon accounting, monitoring, forecasting, and reporting. Aurion will provide INEOS with an integrated solution for managing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from individual facilities to the corporate level. As regulatory and stakeholder pressure increases, oil and gas companies are adopting technology to improve emissions accuracy and transparency. Aurion consolidates data from multiple sources and applies transparent, auditable calculations to support reliable GHG monitoring, forecasting, and reporting. "We're very excited to partner with INEOS and work together to manage their carbon emissions proactively; Aurion will allow them to estimate the impact on emissions of future operational decisions supporting their objective to achieve Net Zero by 2050," said Matt Elbert, CFO & CRO at Tachyus. "We are excited to announce that INEOS Energy has chosen Tachyus' Aurion platform to manage, monitor, forecast, and report GHG emissions. With Aurion, INEOS Energy will benefit from streamlined data integration from multiple sources, as well as transparent auditable calculations. Aurion allows us to archive scenarios and forecasts as our plan and budgets change. The Tachyus team made implementation quick and easy, allowing us to hit reporting deadlines," said Marty Memory, COO at INEOS Energy USA. About Tachyus: Based in Houston, Tachyus delivers advanced modeling and optimization software for the oil and gas sector. Its products combine reservoir physics with machine learning to enhance enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods such as waterfloods, steam floods, and CO injection. Aurion, launched in 2022, is a comprehensive emissions estimation, reporting, and forecasting platform that ties operational decisions to sustainability goals. www.tachyus.com About INEOS USA: INEOS USA's onshore operations focus on acquiring, exploring, and developing oil, gas, and NGL assets, primarily in South Texas. As part of INEOS Energy, the company supports a broader commitment to a lower-carbon future, including investments in hydrogen and other clean technologies, with a goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. SOURCE Tachyus Reliance Hospitality Group Partners with Taco John's to Bring Bold Flavors to Boston , Brand's First Metropolitan Storefront Franchisees Slated to Bring 19 Additional Locations to the Vibrant Market BOSTON, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston's food scene got bolder as Taco John's, a leading Mexican quick-service restaurant, opened its first metropolitan location. Located at 77 Summer St., the new Boston location invites guests to experience what makes Taco John's bigger, bolder, and better. Led by seasoned multi-unit and multi-brand operators, Reliance Hospitality Group, the brand continues its East Coast expansion with 19 additional units planned for the area. Located at 77 Summer St., the first metro Boston location invites guests to experience what makes Taco Johns bigger, bolder, and better. Reliance Hospitality Group is spearheaded by CEO and Co-founder Arsal Jaffery and Co-founder Deven Jadav, who signed a 22-unit development agreement with Taco John's for the Boston and Connecticut area in 2021. Jaffery has nearly a decade of experience in the quick-service industry, operating Wendy's franchises in the Springfield/Hartford, MA, and New York markets. Jadav brings 22 years of experience owning, operating, and constructing hotels with Wyndham, IHG, and Choice Hotels across the Southeast and Texas. In 2023, the group opened the first two Taco John's locations in the Lawrence and Leominster communities, introducing bold flavors to a market hungry for more. Now, with their latest opening in Boston, the duo is making significant strides in their development deal, with a fourth location underway, expected to open in Q3 of 2025. The group is also actively selecting sites for its next five locations in the metro Boston area. "We're thrilled to bring Taco John's to the heart of Boston and introduce even more guests to our signature bold flavors and quality ingredients," said Jaffery. "When we first experienced Taco John's, we knew it was special the brand's dedication to bold, innovative flavors and fresh ingredients stood out in the quick-service space. The enthusiasm and loyalty of Taco John's fans across the country spoke volumes, and we saw a clear opportunity to bring that same energy to Boston. Boston is an incredible, dynamic city with a rich food culture and a strong sense of community. We're committed to establishing Taco John's as a go-to dining destination for locals and visitors alike." With wide-open territory in the New England market, Reliance Hospitality Group is capitalizing on Boston's vibrant and growing economy. Economic reports project the region to generate $150.8 billion in output in 2025, making it an ideal location for Taco John's expansion from its Midwest roots to reach new audiences craving bold, distinctive flavors. "Deven and Arsal's dedication and expertise have been instrumental in introducing Taco John's to the East Coast," said Shannon Iverson, VP/Development at Taco John's. "Their strategic approach and passion for delivering exceptional guest experiences align perfectly with our brand's growth vision. As Taco John's expands our 50-plus-year legacy into more metropolitan spaces, their deep understanding of the restaurant industry and the local markets will continue to be essential." As Taco John's continues expanding from coast to coast through single and multi-unit development, recent advancements like the Path to Ownership structure and the brand's optimized business model offer a robust framework for franchisee support and sustainable growth. Enhanced systems across onboarding, real estate and construction, operations, training, branding, and technology make Taco John's a compelling investment for entrepreneurs seeking to diversify their portfolios with a proven business concept. Existing franchisees also benefit from these innovations, driving unit-level profitability, expanding market presence, and achieving long-term success. With nearly 350 locations across 22 states and the brand's broader strategy of sustainable, market-responsive franchising, the development team has identified strong opportunities in the Upper Midwest, Rocky Mountain regions, and high-growth suburban markets nationwide. Franchise opportunities are available for new and multi-unit operators, with tailored support to help franchisees scale effectively. Taco John's is reducing complexity and enhancing profitability potential for operators at every stage. Prospective franchisees are taking note of the business opportunity, as the Taco John's Franchise Disclosure Document reports an AUV of $1,881,809* for the top 25% of freestanding restaurants with drive-thru. For more information about Taco John's Boston, please visit https://locations.tacojohns.com/ma/boston/77-summer-street/. For more information about Taco John's franchise opportunities, please visit https://tacojohnsfranchise.com/ or contact Shannon Iverson at [email protected]. About Taco John's Founded in 1969 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Taco John's has been delivering bigger. bolder. better. flavors for over 55 years. Today, Taco John's operates and franchises nearly 350 restaurants across 22 states, solidifying its place as one of the largest Mexican quick-service restaurant brands in the U.S. Famous for coining Taco Tuesday in 1989, Taco John's offers everyday value with its popular menu. Signature items like Potato Oles showcase the bold, original flavors that help fans Ole The Day. With generous portions and made-to-order dishes crafted from fresh, high-quality ingredients, Taco John's sets the standard for crave-worthy Mexican fare. Taco John's continues to be a standout in the industry, highlighted by recent accolades including ranking No. 147 spot on Entrepreneur Magazine's 2025 "Franchise 500" ranking and the No. 158 on Franchise Times 2024, "Franchise 400" ranking. For more information, visit TacoJohns.com and follow Taco John's on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. *Based on the Average Sales Volume of the top 25% of U.S. freestanding restaurants with drive-thru. This information appears in Item 19 of Taco John's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document ("FDD"). SOURCE Taco John's Taiwan Tourism Administration launched its upgraded tourism brand, "Taiwan Waves of Wonder," at Seatrade Cruise Global Post this This year, the Taiwan Pavilion featured interactive exhibits with videos, activities, and guided presentations, demonstrating Taiwan's transformation toward a tourism model centered on sustainability, innovation, and immersive experiences. The exhibition also highlighted Taiwan's growth potential as a key emerging player in the Asian cruise market, offering attendees a firsthand experience of its rich cultural diversity, commitment to sustainable tourism, and exciting events year-round. Ben Yi-Chen Huang, Director of the International Affairs Division of the Taiwan Tourism Administration, stated: "Under our newly refreshed brand, Taiwan Waves of Wonder, we are actively promoting Taiwan as a destination of scenic beauty, rich culture, and sustainable development. With convenient inland transportation, cruise passengers can easily reach major cities and attractions right after disembarkingexploring natural landscapes, diverse cultural heritage, and world-renowned cuisine. As global travel trends shift post-pandemic, Taiwan is embracing low-carbon and sustainable tourism practices. Beyond implementing green port concepts, we are committed to developing eco-friendly tourism destinations. With international platforms like Seatrade Cruise Global, which this year celebrates its 40th anniversary, we aim to strengthen partnerships with global cruise lines and industry stakeholders, promote Taiwan's diverse tourism offerings and incentive measures, and invite more travelers to experience Taiwan's unique charm." Charles Chih-Yu Chou, Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Miami, added: "Taiwan is blessed with stunning natural scenery, vibrant festivals, rich traditions, and warm hospitality. Its strategic location makes it a must-visit stop on Asian cruise itineraries. We warmly welcome global travelers to discover Taiwan's local charm through cruise experiences." Taiwan's cruise development strategy focuses on attracting multi-port itineraries and fly-cruise travelers from markets such as Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia, while also actively expanding into long-haul markets like the United States, Europe, and Oceania. Centrally located in Asia, Taiwan offers culturally enriching and sustainability-oriented cruise routes across the region. Taiwan International Ports Corporation has also accelerated upgrades to Taiwan's port infrastructure in recent years. Facilities at Keelung Port's east and west terminals and Kaohsiung Port have been continuously enhanced to accommodate larger vessels. E-gate clearance systems are being upgraded to improve the speed and convenience of passenger processingdelivering a better experience for international cruise visitors. High-quality photos from Taiwan's presence at Seatrade Cruise Global 2025 are available here . ABOUT TAIWAN TOURISM ADMINISTRATION The Taiwan Tourism Administration (TTA) is the official government agency of Taiwan (R.O.C.) responsible for domestic and international tourism policy development and execution. Taiwan's presence at Seatrade Cruise Global is managed by the New York office of TTA. For more information about Taiwan tourism, please visit the official website of the Taiwan Tourism Administration: eng.taiwan.net.tw Follow us on social media in North America: Instagram: @taiwantourism.na Facebook: Tour Taiwan - America Contact: Alex Trup Marketing Director, Purple Media [email protected] SOURCE Taiwan Tourism Administration Workers Demand Contract that Reflects Company's Massive Earnings MIDDLETOWN, Ohio, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Members of Teamsters Local 100 at Air Products were forced to strike after the company failed to reach an agreement on a fair contract. The 24 workers transport, load, and unload hazardous materials. "Air Products can afford to treat its workers fairly, and it's time they did," said Bill Davis, President of Teamsters Local 100. "Our members handle hazardous materials, and they deserve a contract that reflects the company's success." Air Products, a supplier of industrial gases, reported $1.2 billion in revenue last year. "We're skilled professionals, and we deserve good wages and strong protections," said Jonah Creech, a shop steward with Local 100. "We will remain on strike until the company comes to its senses." Teamsters Local 100 represents more than 5,000 hardworking men and women throughout Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky, ranging from delivery, logistics, warehouse, municipalities, construction, and the movie industry. For more information, visit teamsterslocal100.com. Contact: Kent McCord, (513) 769-5100 Ext. 317 [email protected] SOURCE Teamsters Local 100 OVERLAND PARK, Kan., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Michael C. Stiles, MD is acknowledged as a 2025 Pinnacle Lifetime Member for his contributions to Ophthalmology. Dr. Michael C. Stiles, a leading surgical ophthalmologist with a distinguished career in cataract and glaucoma surgeries, continues to make significant contributions to both his patients and the field of ophthalmology. With a private practice based in Overland Park, KS, Dr. Stiles is renowned for his commitment to patient education and high-quality care. Dr. Stiles earned his Bachelor of Science in pre-medical studies from the University of Notre Dame before completing his MD and residency in ophthalmology at the University of Kansas, School of Medicine. He furthered his expertise with a fellowship in glaucoma and anterior segment surgery at the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Stiles is a board-certified ophthalmologist and serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Kansas, School of Medicine. As a dedicated professional, Dr. Stiles is affiliated with several esteemed organizations, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Glaucoma Society, American Society of Cataracts and Refractive Surgery, Kansas City Society of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology, and the Kansas Medical Society. His extensive experience and commitment to excellence are reflected in his active role in patient education and clinical teaching. Dr. Stiles' philosophy revolves around educating patients about their conditions using all available methods to ensure thorough understanding. His work is inspired by his late parents, Joseph and Patricia Stiles, who provided unwavering support throughout his career. Dr. Stiles has been married to Michella Stiles, MD, for 34 years, and together they have two daughters. Looking ahead, Dr. Stiles aims to continue delivering exceptional ophthalmic care and maintain his influential educational role at the University of Kansas. His future plans include furthering his contributions to patient education and advancing the field of ophthalmology. Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected] SOURCE The Inner Circle LAS VEGAS and BENGALURU, India, April 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tredence, a global data science and AI solutions company, announced today that it has been named the 2025 Google Cloud Industry Solutions Partner of the Year for CPG. This achievement underscores Tredence's impact in the Google Cloud ecosystem, driving data modernization, GenAI operationalization, and helping consumer goods leaders unlock the power of their data. Tredence named 2025 Google Cloud Industry Solutions Partner of the Year for CPG Tredence is the trusted AI partner driving the data strategies for 8 of the top 10 global retailers and CPGs, helping them solve their toughest data science and data engineering challenges. Trusted by the world's leading retailers and CPGs, Tredence's data model, data science and GenAI capabilities are powering over $2 trillion in annual retail and CPG sales for Tredence customers. The 2025 Google Cloud Partner of the Year Awards are a recognition of Tredence's collaboration with Google Cloud in accelerating CPG transformation with GenAI and Agentic AI solutions. These solutions leverage cutting-edge GenAI to help retailers & CPGs make actionable recommendations accessible to everyone, empowering data-driven decisions across the organization. "Google Cloud's Partner Awards recognize partners who have created outsized value for customers through the delivery of innovative solutions and a high level of expertise," said Kevin Ichhpurani, President, Global Partner Ecosystem, Google Cloud. "We're proud to announce Tredence as a 2025 Google Cloud Partner Award winner and celebrate their impact enabling customer success over the past year." "This recognition from Google Cloud reaffirms our commitment to transforming the consumer goods industry with AI-driven innovation," said Morgan Seybert, President and Chief Business Officer. "Tredence along with Google Cloud, is enabling CPG leaders to modernize their data foundations, enhance governance, and unlock new use cases at scale through our industry-first unified data model and 150+ AI/ML accelerators. By leveraging Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform, Looker, and Google's Gemini models, we help brands elevate data quality, operationalize AI, and drive meaningful business outcomesensuring they stay ahead of the curve." Tredence recently launched its Transformative Retail and CPG GenAI Suite of Accelerators at NRF 2025. By integrating Google Cloud's scalable infrastructure with its advanced AI capabilities, Tredence empowers CPG companies to optimize supply chains, enhance omnichannel strategies and maximize revenue growth opportunities. About Tredence Tredence is a global data science and AI solutions provider focused on solving the last-mile problem in AI the gap between insight creation and value realization. Tredence leverages deep domain expertise, data platforms and accelerators, and strategic partnerships to provide tailored, cutting-edge solutions to its clients. The company has 3,000+ employees across San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, London, Toronto, and Bengaluru, serving top brands in Retail, CPG, Hi-tech, Telecom, Healthcare, Travel, and Industrials. For more information, visit www.tredence.com and follow us on LinkedIn. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2659084/GCP_Award_2025.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1773052/Tredence_Logo.jpg SOURCE Tredence SINGAPORE, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- HTX DAO took the spotlight at the "TRON x HTX DAO 2025 Hong Kong Whale Night," co-hosted with TRON on April 8 alongside the 2025 Hong Kong Web3 Festival. The event gathered industry leaders, institutional innovators, and Web3 pioneers to explore the future of decentralized governance and financial systems. Justin Sun on TRON, HTX DAO, and the Future of Web3 In a powerful keynote, Justin Sun, Founder of TRON and Global Advisor of HTX, shared his reflections on 13 years of crypto leadership and his vision for the next chapter of Web3. Citing the values of "fear, reverence, and respect", Sun emphasized long-term commitment over short-term speculation. "Whether markets rise or fall, we are here to build," Sun declared. "HTX DAO and TRON will continue to serve as the backbone of decentralized finance, providing clarity, security, and innovation." Sun also addressed the industry's path to global scale, predicting the total digital asset market could eventually reach $200 trillion. "The mission is simple," he said. "Get the math right. Get the security right. That's how we earn trust and unlock the next wave of growth." HTX DAO Launches Token-Based Governance Molly, Ambassador of HTX DAO, introduced the launch of the $HTX Token-Weighted Voting Tool, which enables holders to participate in on-chain governance. The feature marks a step toward building a truly community-led exchange. "This tool makes every $HTX holder a stakeholder in the platform's future," Molly said. She also previewed HTX DAO's first two governance proposals, including the establishment of a DAO committee and the launch of a community media series, DAO Talk. HTX Ventures: Regulation and Stablecoins Will Drive 2025 Growth Alec Goh, Head of HTX Ventures, presented an outlook on the global regulatory landscape, highlighting how recent shifts are unlocking institutional participation. He noted the positive impact of MiCAR in Europe and the crypto-favorable stance of the current U.S. administration. "The stigma around regulation is changing. Institutions are no longer on the sidelinesthey're deploying capital," Goh said. He emphasized that stablecoin adoption and regulatory clarity would be the two primary drivers of crypto market growth in 2025. Crypto Leaders Join the Conversation Other notable speakers included Jack Kong, Founder of Nano Labs; Ken Zhang, Head of Security of Google Cloud; and Chanel, Contributor of Core. Their insights spanned blockchain security, infrastructure growth, and global developer engagementreinforcing the evening as a convergence point for thought leadership and collaboration across the Web3 space. Immersive Web3 Engagements Connect Community and Culture The event was not only a forum for thought leadership but also an immersive experience for attendees. Highlights included: A Forbes cover-themed photo booth featuring Justin Sun . . Trivia quizzes, blind box giveaways, and exclusive challenges. A tremendous prize pool including crypto rewards, VIP black cards, and exclusive merch. These engaging touchpoints brought Web3 technology and culture closer to users, reinforcing HTX DAO's mission of building a user-first ecosystem. From Hong Kong to the World: A New Era of Decentralized Finance By leveraging Hong Kong's global financial reach and Web3-friendly environment, HTX DAO is setting new standards for community-driven platforms. Backed by HTX infrastructure and the TRON ecosystem, HTX DAO aims to build a decentralized, transparent, and inclusive financial Freeport for the world. About HTX DAO As a multi-chain deployed decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), HTX DAO demonstrates an innovative governance approach. It pioneers a blended CeFi/DeFi paradigm, including listing and community governance, through its focus on building an exchange DAO and a free financial hub ecosystem. Unlike traditional corporate structures, it adopts a decentralized governance structure composed of a diversified group, jointly committed to the success of this organization. This unique ecosystem advocates openness and encourages all DAO participants to propose ideas that can promote the development of HTX DAO. Website: www.htxdao.co SOURCE HTX DAO CHICAGO, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Trucking Hub, a leading provider of trucking software and solutions, today announced the launch of its proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) specifically designed for the trucking industry. Seamlessly integrated into its Transportation Management System (TMS), Trucking Hub AI streamlines critical tasks, from instantly converting rate confirmation emails into fully built and dispatched loads, to handling key safety and accounting tasks enabling teams to do more with less. What sets Trucking Hub apart is its foundation as an asset-based carrier with decades of real-world experience driving and scaling a trucking business. This hands-on industry experience ensures the Trucking Hub TMS effectively addresses the everyday operational challenges faced by small and medium-sized carriers. By embedding deep industry intelligence into Trucking Hub AI, the platform is uniquely positioned to meet the specific demands of trucking operations, driving greater efficiency and profitability. Trucking Hub strengthens its position as the leading TMS for small and medium-sized trucking companies. Post this "Our mission has always been to simplify trucking through smart, intuitive software," said Milos Pavlovic, CEO of Trucking Hub. "With our proprietary AI, we're removing manual friction from operations, helping carriers maintain lean operations while significantly increasing their capacity to grow." With this launch, Trucking Hub strengthens its position as the leading TMS for small and medium-sized trucking companies augmenting an already best-in-class platform with industry-trained AI to unlock new levels of speed, accuracy, and automation. About Trucking Hub Trucking Hub is a Chicago-based technology leader providing advanced transportation management system (TMS) software for trucking companies. Its platform streamlines operations, improves visibility, ensures complete DOT compliance, and minimizes administrative task, enabling carriers to achieve scalable growth efficiently. To get started with a 30-day trial or request a demo, visit https://www.truckinghub.com or contact our sales team at +1 877 287 8250. Contact Trucking Hub [email protected] 877-287-8250 https://www.truckinghub.com SOURCE Trucking Hub The supermarket invites the community to join them in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, April 23rd PARK MESA HEIGHTS, Calif., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Vallarta Supermarkets, one of California's leading Latino-owned grocery chains, is thrilled to announce the grand opening of its newest store in the Park Mesa Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Marking 40 years of delivering high-quality products and exceptional customer service, the opening of this location furthers Vallarta's commitment to serving diverse communities across Southern California. Located at 3300 W Slauson Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90043, the store will officially open with a Grand Opening Ceremony on April 23, 2025, at 7:15 AM, welcoming the community to celebrate this milestone together. Vallarta Supermarkets is thrilled to take over the 46,333ft space, formerly occupied by Ralphs and left vacant for some time, and bring 165 new jobs to Park Mesa Heights. Throughout the store, customers will find themes and imagery paying homage to the neighborhood's landmarks and iconic culture, as well as a select few products catering to the preferences of the local community, only sold at this location. Among these new products are offerings from brands such as Grace Foods , Blue Runner Foods , and fellow SoCal favorite, Dulan's Soul Food Kitchen , all of which share a similar history of culture-forward foods and family values. In addition to the fresh, quality produce and everyday goods that the chain is known for, the new store will feature many beloved departments: Fresh Produce: The freshest produce from local U.S. growers and premium farms worldwide, offering a wide selection of certified organic and ethically farmed options at the best prices. From every necessity, seasonal Latino favorites, exotic fruits from around the world, along with all of the latest and newest items on the market today, we have it all. Carniceria: The heart of its stores, known as the Home of the Original Carne Asada, customers can find premium cuts like Rancheraa thinly sliced flank steak available unseasoned or marinated in Vallarta's signature spice blend. It has everything needed to bring family and friends together around the grill. Guacamole Station: Made to order using 100% Hass avocados and the freshest ingredients, guests can personalize their guacamole with the newly added Pico de Gallo, tailored precisely to their taste. Whether customers prefer a classic blend or a bold twist, every serving is prepared fresh for the ultimate flavor experience. Sushi: Premium, handcrafted sushi rolls made daily with the finest ingredients at our sushi station. With multiple options to choose from, it's perfect for a quick lunch, dinner, or snack. Juice Bar: Bringing vibrant, fresh flavors to customers with its signature aguas frescas, served straight from traditional vitroleros. Available in a variety of flavorsincluding horchata, strawberry, and jamaicathese refreshing drinks all have an authentic taste. Customers can also enjoy fresh-pressed fruit and vegetable juices, boost their wellness with shots of wheatgrass, turmeric, or ginger root. La Fruteria: Choosing from the freshest fruits and ingredients, customers can order juicy fruit bowls topped with Tajin, Chamoy, lime juice, and salt. Cremeria: Brings the essence of a traditional Latin American deli to life, offering a curated selection of the freshest cremas and an array of authentic cheeses. Customers can find favorites like queso fresco, queso frijolero, cotija, queso Oaxaca, and moreperfect for enhancing any dish with rich, authentic flavors. Panaderia: Made fresh daily, Vallarta offers a variety of Latin American baked goods as well as hand-decorated cakes and signature sweets. Tortilleria: Customers can buy authentic corn and flour tortillas, made fresh in-house with the highest quality corn, soaked & boiled for 24 hours, ground with volcanic rock and then cooked to perfection. La Cocina: La Cocina offers the convenience of a ready-made delicious meal for any time of day. Choose from a variety of traditional favorites from Mexico and Central America for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Get a "comforting taste of home" for a quick meal or snack before or after you shop. Dulceria: Vallarta's candy section carries a wide array of authentic dulces from Mexico and Central America and has everything needed to make any occasion a celebration pinatas, lotteria, piggy banks and traditional decor. Floreria: For any holiday or occasion, customers can browse a wide selection of perfect arrangements from local growers ensuring quality, long-lasting flowers. For more permanent options, the floreria also offers a huge variety of potted plants. "This new Park Mesa Heights store is special to Vallarta as it expands on our commitment to the Los Angeles community that has been with us since the first store opened 40 years ago," said Lizette Gomez, Vallarta's Director of Marketing. "This expansion reflects our incredible growth while staying true to our roots of bringing fresh, high-quality products and authentic flavors that we love to new communities. We're excited to see the community's response to Vallarta Supermarkets on Slauson." In support of their commitment to the community and appreciation for the residents, Vallarta Supermarkets will also be donating $7,500 to local charities and schools in the Park Mesa Heights area and giving away reusable grocery bags filled with fresh, high-quality groceries to the first 300 customers. Vallarta Supermarkets is now just a few taps away! Get your favorite grocery essentials and La Cocina hot, ready-to-eat meals delivered straight to your door through all major delivery services, including DoorDash , Uber Eats, Instacart, and more. From fresh produce to delicious carnitas tacos, enjoy the best of Vallarta anytime, anywhere. For more information about Vallarta Supermarkets and the grand opening of its Park Mesa Heights, Calif., location, visit vallartasupermarkets.com or follow @vallarta.supermarkets on Instagram. About Vallarta Supermarkets Since 1985, Vallarta Supermarkets has been bringing families together over fresh and authentic food. Vallarta's mission is to serve the community with respect and pride, providing authentic, traditional, fresh products for the whole family. Vallarta celebrates the food, culture, colors, and vibrant energy of Mexico and Latin America. As of 2025, Vallarta counts 59 stores throughout California (Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Kern, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Fresno, Madera, Tulare, Orange, Monterey, Santa Cruz, Stanislaus and Fresno counties), and more than 8,000 team members. For media inquiries, please contact: BLND PR [email protected] 310-504-0685 SOURCE Vallarta Supermarkets SAN FRANCISCO, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Weee! , the largest ethnic e-grocer in the U.S., is now accepting SNAP/EBT benefits, formerly known as food stamps, making it easier for millions of Americans to access fresh, culturally diverse groceries. This milestone is made possible through a partnership with Forage , a USDA-approved EBT payments processor. Now accepting SNAP EBT: Weee! makes it easier for diverse communities to shop for the fresh, cultural groceries they love. For the 1 in 8 Americans who rely on SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), access to familiar, culturally relevant ingredients can be a challenge. By integrating EBT payments, Weee! is breaking down barriers and ensuring that Asian and other diverse communities can shop for the foods that bring comfort and nourishment to their tables. "Food is more than sustenanceit's culture, tradition, and identity," said Larry Liu, Founder and CEO of Weee!. "By accepting SNAP, we're reaffirming our commitment to making cultural discovery through food, accessible and affordable for all." Ofek Lavian, CEO and Co-Founder of Forage, emphasized the significance of this partnership, stating, "We're thrilled to partner with Weee!, the first online Asian supermarket to accept SNAP benefits, and bring culturally diverse and authentic foods to households nationwide. This partnership reflects Weee! and Forage's shared mission to make nutritious, inclusive food more accessible to all Americans, regardless of income." Through Forage's secure EBT processing, Weee! customers can now use their government benefits to shop for fresh produce, pantry staples, and specialty ingredients that reflect their heritage. This initiative is a significant step toward food equity, ensuring that diverse communities can enjoy delicious and nutritious meals without financial constraints. Weee! continues to innovate and expand its offerings, making grocery shopping more inclusive, convenient, and culturally enriching for all. For more information on how to use SNAP benefits on Weee!, visit sayweee.com About Weee! Inc. Weee! is the leading Asian e-grocer in the U.S., delivering more than 15,000 locally sourced and hard-to-find goods from around the globe directly to customers. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Fremont, California, Weee! is on a mission to enable affordable access to groceries for every home in North America while setting a new standard for freshness and value. By leveraging social e-commerce and proprietary forecasting technology, the company continues to redefine online grocery shopping and food delivery. Since its inception, Weee! has received $800M+ in funding from Arena Holdings, Blackstone, DST Global, Goodwater Capital, Greyhound Capital, iFly.vc, Lightspeed Ventures, SoftBank Vision Fund II, Tiger Global, VMG, and XVC. For more information, please visit www.sayweee.com/en or follow us on Instagram , TikTok , and Twitter . About Forage Forage builds payments infrastructure that processes government benefits, starting with enabling merchants to accept SNAP EBT payments. 42 million Americans receive government assistance to afford groceries, and Forage powers payments to serve communities in need. Forage is the only USDA-approved third-party payment processor (TPP) that offers retailers best-in-class software combined with dedicated service, enabling complex government payments online and guiding retailers through USDA authorization. For more information visit www.joinforage.com . Creative: link SOURCE Forage Technology Corporation XCMG Accelerates European Growth with Localized Services, Green Tech, and Strategic Partnerships MUNICH, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- At bauma 2025, the world's premier trade fair for construction machinery, XCMG Machinery ("XCMG", SHE: 000425) unveiled its latest breakthroughs in intelligent, low-carbon technologies. With over 60 cutting-edge products across seven categories and integrated scenario-driven solutions, XCMG is leading the charge toward a sustainable future under the theme Solid Innovation for Green Tomorrow. Intelligent + Low-Carbon: Pioneering New Energy Solutions XCMG showcases green, smart tech at bauma 2025, expanding Europe with localized solutions Over 40% of XCMG's showcased products feature new energy technologies, aligning with the expo's green vision. Highlights include: The XCA60_EV , the world's first hybrid all-terrain crane developed for Europe , enabling fully zero-emission operations . , the world's first hybrid all-terrain crane developed for , enabling fully . A suite of smart, full-scenario solutions for road construction, including electric pavers, milling machines, and compact rollers. for road construction, including electric pavers, milling machines, and compact rollers. The XZ450E-R horizontal directional drill, which boosts steering speed by 200% while reducing slurry consumption by 60%. "XCMG remains committed to advancing engineering technology to empower a sustainable future. Our mission is to deliver efficient, intelligent, and eco-friendly lifecycle solutions for global clients," said Mr. Yang Dongsheng, Chairman of XCMG Group and XCMG Machinery. "Today, 19% of our product portfolio comprises green innovations under our 'Green Mountain' new energy line, with full electrification across all series underway." XCMG launched its next-gen Xrea Global Telematics Platform, integrating IoT, big data, cloud computing, and AI to enable seamless cross-border fleet management. Supporting 10+ languages via PC and mobile interfaces, the platform offers real-time diagnostics, predictive maintenance, and data-driven optimizationempowering clients to manage equipment anytime, anywhere. In partnership with Germany's Schwing GmbH, XCMG debuted the Ultra Eco, a pure electric concrete mixer, and Schwing's first all-electric pump truck. These innovations mark a leap forward in zero-emission, high-efficiency machinery for global markets. "By combining Schwing's expertise with XCMG's innovation, we aim to refine our offerings for Europe's specialized markets. Our localized strategy ensures we meet client needs with precision," emphasized Chairman Yang. Localized Empowerment: Strengthening European Presence XCMG announced strategic initiatives to deepen its European foothold: XCMG Europe Training Center : Enhancing localized service through technical training, brand development, and sales support. : Enhancing localized service through technical training, brand development, and sales support. XCMG Italy Subsidiary and XCMG Europe Financial Leasing Co., Ltd.: Expanding market access and financial services to drive integrated "R&D-production-supply-sales-service-finance" growth. The company celebrated a batch delivery ceremony at the event, handing over premium cranes, intelligent earthmoving equipment, new energy excavators, and road machinery to clients worldwide. This milestone underscores XCMG's growing leadership in high-end, customized solutions. SOURCE XCMG Machinery The Foreigner's Fortune Quest | Rub ancient steles, savor 'Hi' dishes, and seek Fuzhou's blessed realm in Gushan & Guling People's Daily Online) 09:30, April 09, 2025 Editorial Note: Fuzhou, known as the "City of Blessings," is nestled among the mountains of southeastern China's Fujian Province. With its famous "Three Mountains and Two Towers," this thousand-year-old city is a harmonious blend of natural wonders and cultural heritage. Blessed by majestic mountains and nurturing waters, its neat alleyways and bustling streets are home to a wealth of history and human ingenuity. But what truly makes Fuzhou "blessed"? Recently, a group of international visitors embarked on a quest to uncover the city's hidden treasures. Let's join them in discovering Fuzhou's timeless charm today. British historian Felix Goodbody teaches at Minjiang University and recently embarked on a cultural journey to Fuzhou's iconic Gushan, or Drum Mountain, and Guling. During his trip he hiked the renowned peak, learned the ancient art of stone rubbing, enjoyed tea while composing letters at local pavilions, and sampled 'Hai Cai,' a traditional dish embodying Fuzhou's culinary heritage. Join Felix as he uncovers the layers of history embedded in these Fuzhou landmarks. (By Lin Ying) (Web editor: Hongyu, Zhong Wenxing) The News in Brief Wednesday, April 9, 2025 Lasha Jioshvili, a cameraman for TV Pirveli, alleges that the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has launched administrative proceedings against him following a Facebook post in which he criticized the ministry.Jioshvili shared a video on social media showing a police officer reportedly issuing a report of a violation. He claims that the MIA is pursuing charges under Article 173, Part 2 of Georgia's Administrative Code, which pertains to verbal insults directed at police officers."The patrol police officers called me and told me that a case has been opened against me. They said they are filing a lawsuit with the court," he said in a statement aired by TV Pirveli.Jioshvili asserts that the proceedings relate to a post made on April 6, where he accused patrol police of violating the law and used profanity in reference to the MIA."I posted a specific violation of the law by the police. I am not going to delete it. I still have that opinion, of course. We will meet in court," he said.He also criticized the police for, in his view, monitoring citizens' social media posts instead of focusing on crime."People who should be fighting crime are sitting and watching my Facebook posts. If you think that you will change something for your own good, I want to tell you that you are changing it for the worse. We will meet in court, and, of course, fire on the oligarchy."Eka Gigauri, Executive Director of Transparency International Georgia criticized the government's proposed amendments to the Law on Grants, calling it an "act of persecution against the Georgian people."According to the proposed amendments, obtaining a foreign grant would require prior consent from the government or an authorized official. Any grant received without such approval would be prohibited and could result in legal consequences.Gigauri said the move is a direct response to the solidarity and activism of the Georgian public."This is an act of persecution of the Georgian people. Throughout this period, we have seen how the Georgian Dream was afraid of the solidarity of the Georgian people. They were afraid of people who help each other, they were afraid of people who defend the rights of the detainees," she stated.She added that civil society organizations will continue their work despite the potential legal obstacles."We will continue our activities and do everything so that those people who seek solidarity can see it. We are confident that we will win this fight." 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 Sanaa, April 9 : At least six people were killed and 15 others injured in multiple US airstrikes across Yemen on Tuesday, according to Houthi-run al-Masirah TV and local health authorities. Of the casualties, six deaths and 13 injuries took place in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah as US strikes hit a residential neighbourhood in the city's Amin Muqbil district, while two other injuries were reported in Dhamar province, where a farm was attacked, Xinhua news agency reported. The strikes also bombed telecommunications infrastructure in the western-central province of Amran and the central province of Ibb, according to Houthi television and residents. Civil Defence teams are working to extinguish fires in the targeted facilities, said the Houthi television. The United States intensified its military campaign against sites of the Houthi forces in Yemen on Tuesday, conducting 50 airstrikes in total. The US military has yet to comment, but it previously said in statements that it would continue conducting airstrikes daily until the Houthis stop attacking commercial vessels and US warships in the Red Sea. The persistent US airstrikes have not deterred the Houthi group, which continues to attack American and Israeli-linked interests in the region. The Houthis claimed their attacks are intended to put pressure on the US-backed Israel to stop airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and allow humanitarian aid into the enclave. Earlier on Tuesday the United States intensified its military campaign against sites of the Houthi forces in Yemen, conducting 22 airstrikes across northern Yemen. These strikes targetted eastern and southern areas of the capital, Sanaa, the Island of Kamaran in the Red Sea, and the oil-rich Marib province, according to reports from Houthi-run al-Masirah TV and local residents. Washington, April 9 : US President Donald Trump's sweeping reciprocal tariffs go into effect Tuesday at midnight US Eastern time (9:30 am IST) unaffected by negotiations underway between the US and the affected trading partner countries, with the heaviest levy of 104 per cent on goods from China. India has been tariffed 26 per cent and is among the countries hit the hardest. The Trump administration has said negotiations are on with 70 trading partner countries, and efforts are being made to agree on a tailor-made deal with every country and not an off-the-rack template for all. White House Spokesperson Karoline Levitt said the reciprocal tariffs, "will continue to go in effect as these deals are negotiated". External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed and agreed on the "early conclusion" of a Bilateral Trade Agreement on a call on Monday, which was the first discussion on trade between the two sides at the level of cabinet officials. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump have not spoken yet after the announcement of the reciprocal tariffs but that could change very soon as the American leader has been receptive to negotiations despite assertions from his aides that the levies are not negotiable. Trump spoke Monday with Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and met in person with Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu and had a call with the South Korean acting president, Han Duck-soo. The American leader has also expressed dismay that the Chinese decided to hit back with retaliatory tariffs instead of negotiations, showing, once again, that he is open to negotiating the tariffs that have shocked the world and spooked markets. Levitt pushed back against the suggestion that the White House's position on negotiations on these tariffs has evolved. "The entire administration has always said that President Trump is willing to pick up the phone and talk." There are no time limits on these negotiations and imports from these countries will continue to be tariffed at the new rate even as talks are on. And that is going to be a protracted affair as the US looks for tailor-made deals for each country. "The President met with his trade team this morning, and he directed them to have tailor-made trade deals with every country that calls up this administration to strike a deal and listen," Levitt said. "And each and every one of these trade deals should be tailored and unique based on that country's markets, based on that country's exports, the imports here in the United States of America, what makes the most sense for the American worker and for our industry, the President is focused on putting America first." Jamieson Greer, the US trade representative, was pressed by lawmakers at a hearing Monday for a timeline on the negotiations. " We don't have any particular timeline," he said, adding, "the outcome is more important than setting something artificially for us. What I can say is I'm moving as quickly as possible." Jerusalem, April 9 : Israel's High Court of Justice issued an interim order, ruling that Ronen Bar, chief of the internal security service Shin Bet, would remain in his position until another court decision. The order followed an over 10-hour hearing on petitions filed by opposition factions and other organisations against the government's March 21 decision to dismiss Bar due to "a lack of trust," Xinhua news agency reported quoting state-owned Kan TV News. As part of the decision, the court also ordered the government not to advance any move regarding ending Bar's tenure, including announcing a replacement or acting head, and that his power should not be impaired. The court also ruled that the government and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara may submit a joint statement on a settlement, if reached, by April 20. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement that the court's decision is "puzzling" because the judges have reiterated several times that the government's authority to remove the Shin Bet chief from office is not in dispute. It added that Netanyahu would continue interviewing candidates for the position. The statement accused Baharav-Miara of trying to prevent Bar's dismissal in any way possible under the pretext of "an active investigation" initiated by Bar. On Friday, Baharav-Miara cautioned that the dismissal was fundamentally flawed and tainted by Netanyahu's personal conflicts of interest, which include an ongoing criminal investigation against his associates. The attorney general referred to a case known as "Qatar-Gate," which involves an inquiry into alleged undisclosed contacts between Netanyahu's two close aides and Qatari officials. On the same day, Bar wrote to the court that Netanyahu had repeatedly required him to issue an opinion citing security concerns to prevent Netanyahu's continuous court testimony, a request Bar rejected. He emphasised that the Shin Bet chief should not be "a position of trust" or a personal confidant of the prime minister but must maintain professional independence, warning against the possibility that the Shin Bet would become a secret police. Tensions between Netanyahu and the Shin Bet have been growing over the handling of events before and during Israel's multi-front conflicts with regional factions that erupted in October 2023 and the "Qatar-Gate" investigation. Sao Paulo, April 9 : Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva criticised the new tariff regime of the United States, saying Washington's attempt to reshape global trade under US President Donald Trump "won't work" and violates the principles of multilateralism. Speaking at an event in Sao Paulo, Lula on Tuesday condemned what he called Washington's unilateral approach to international trade, Xinhua news agency reported. "All of a sudden, one man thinks he can dictate the rules for everything that happens in the world," Lula said. "No one grabs hold of a fully loaded transatlantic ship and tries to steer it like this. It won't work." Lula added that Trump's decision to impose "reciprocal tariffs" on other countries and regions ignores the reality of a multipolar world. "There are nearly 200 countries," he said. "All of them want sovereignty and a harmonious process. Today, the most important thing is multilateralism." The Brazilian leader also recalled the free trade rhetoric of the 1980s, when then US President Ronald Reagan and UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher publicly opposed protectionism. Lula contrasted those earlier stances with what he viewed as the current protectionist turn of the United States. The United States has been Brazil's second-largest trading partner since 2009, behind China. In recent weeks, the Trump administration raised import tariffs on Brazilian goods, including a 10 per cent tariff on a broad range of products, following earlier hikes on steel and aluminum. Ramallah, April 9 : The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said Israeli officials from the Jerusalem Municipality and Israeli security forces forcibly entered six UNRWA-operated schools in East Jerusalem and gave "illegal" closure orders effective in 30 days. The UN agency said the closure orders directly impact some 800 boys and girls, who will likely be unable to finish their school year, Xinhua news agency reported. UNRWA schools are protected by the privileges and immunities of the United Nations, said the UNRWA on the social media platform X. It noted that unauthorised entries into the schools and issuance of closure orders violate the protections and "represent a revocation of Israel's obligations under international law." "These illegal closure orders come in the wake of Israeli Knesset (parliament) legislation seeking to curtail UNRWA operations," it said. The executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization condemned the move on Tuesday, describing it as a "flagrant violation" of UN General Assembly resolutions and part of a broader attempt to undermine the agency's role, particularly in Jerusalem and its refugee camps. The Palestinian government also called on the UN to take immediate steps to protect UNRWA institutions in East Jerusalem, warning that the closure orders threaten to dismantle vital educational and service infrastructure in violation of international law. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to coordinating with international stakeholders to uphold UNRWA's mandate and ensure its continuity. It called for intensified global efforts to protect the rights of Palestinian refugees and support the agency's work until a just resolution is reached based on UN resolutions. Algiers, April 9 : Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in Algiers for an official visit, holding talks with senior Algerian officials to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments, including the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip. Araghchi and his delegation were received by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on Tuesday at the presidential palace in Algiers, the presidency said in a statement. Following the meeting, Araghchi reaffirmed "strong and longstanding" ties between Tehran and Algiers, calling the relationship "deep-rooted and brotherly." Speaking to reporters, Araghchi said he had conveyed greetings from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and extended an official invitation for Tebboune to visit Tehran, Xinhua news agency reported. He said the talks covered a broad range of topics, including bilateral, regional, and international issues, with both sides emphasising a "convergence of views" and coordination in multilateral forums. The Iranian minister said the discussions also focused on the situation in Gaza. He praised Algeria's "courageous and principled" stance on Palestine, frequently expressed at the United Nations and in Security Council sessions, as firm support for Palestinian rights. Araghchi voiced hope for enhanced cooperation among Islamic countries to help bring an end to the war in Gaza. Earlier in the day, Araghchi met with Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf at the Foreign Ministry headquarters. New Delhi, April 9 : After the US Supreme Court rejected Tahawwur Rana's petition to stop his extradition to India, he is slated to land in the country on Wednesday, and the NIA is taking his custody. Sources said the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will bring the 26/11 mastermind, Tahawwur Rana, to India. It was unclear whether he would be brought to Delhi or Mumbai. However, sources said that he is likely to land in Mumbai, where the 26/11 plan was executed. The sources also said that he would spend the initial few weeks in NIA custody. Rana is being brought to India to face legal consequences for his role in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai that killed 157 people. The US Court denied his plea to stop his extradition to India. "Application () denied by the Court," read the Supreme Court docket as updated on Monday. Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian and member of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), had tried to stop his extradition, citing fears of torture by mentioning a UK case. "A man convicted of money laundering was prevented from being extradited by a London court upholding his fears of torture. If that person could not be extradited to India because he was likely to be tortured, the petitioner is even more likely to be tortured and similarly should not be extradited," Tillman J. Finley, counsel to Rana, said in the application. The application was rejected by Justice Elena Kagan in March. Rana went on appeal to Chief Justice John Roberts, and the matter was posted for conference on Friday. The justices' verdict was posted on Monday. Rana is wanted in India for helping David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American found guilty by a US jury of scoping out the targets hit by the LeT terrorists in 2008. Although he was acquitted by a US jury of providing material support for the attacks, he was found guilty of two other charges for which he was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison. Due to failing health in the aftermath of Covid-19, he was ordered to be released from jail. But he was rearrested for extradition to India. Headley had secured himself a guarantee against extradition in a plea deal with the US authorities. Rana appealed against his extradition, and exhausted his legal options with his appeal to the chief justice being denied. President Donald Trump had announced his extradition to India during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the White House in February. Rana subsequently went to the Supreme Court to stop his extradition. Kolkata/New Delhi, April 9 : The Trinamool Congress will lead a protest march in Kolkata on Wednesday against the termination of 25,000 teaching and non-teaching jobs in different schools run by the West Bengal government. The decision to hold the protest march came days after the Supreme Court upheld the previous order of the Calcutta High Court to cancel the appointments of the teachers made by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC). The march, according to party officials, will begin at College Square and conclude at Dharamtala at 3 pm today, and will include participation from the party's youth and student wings. In addition to the Kolkata rally, the Trinamool Congress has also announced plans for similar rallies across districts, blocks, wards, and towns on April 11. Trinamool Congress' state president in West Bengal issued a statement on Monday stating that a mega protest rally will be organised in Kolkata on April 9 by the members of the students' and young wings of the party. The rally will start at 3 p.m. at College Square in North Kolkata and will end at Esplanade in central Kolkata. On the next day, April 10, similar protest rallies will be conducted in every district of the state. The official tone of the Trinamool's protests will be that the CPI(M) and BJP conspired to ensure the termination of the 25,753 jobs. Political observers say that deliberately the official tone of the protest rallies had been limited to accusing political opponents as direct protests against the decision to cancel jobs would have meant a protest against a verdict of the Supreme Court, whose Division Bench last week had upheld an order by Calcutta High Court last year cancelling a total of 25,753 appointments made by the WBSSC. The apex court's Division Bench last week also accepted the observation of the Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court that the entire panel of 25,753 jobs had to be cancelled because of the failure of the state government and the commission to segregate the "genuine" candidates from the "tainted" ones who allegedly got jobs by paying money. New York, April 9 : US President Donald Trump has warned that the reprieve for pharmaceuticals - a major Indian export - from his repressive retaliatory tariffs would end soon. New York, April 9 (IANS) US President Donald Trump has warned that the reprieve for pharmaceuticals a major Indian export from his repressive retaliatory tariffs would end soon. "We're going to be announcing very shortly a major tariff on pharmaceuticals", he said on Tuesday night shortly before his levies on most US imports were to come into force. He mentioned China in his speech at a dinner of the National Republican Congressional Committee in Washington, but no India, which sends 31.5 per cent of its exports to the US. Most other exports from India will be hit with the 37 per cent reciprocal tariffs he announced last Wednesday. Trumpeting the announcement, President Trump said, "That's breaking news, ladies and gentlemen." When the drug companies hear about the tariffs "they will leave China, they will leave other places, because they have to sell and most of their product is sold here", he said. "They're going to be opening up their plants all over the place, in our country", he said. When President Trump announced his reciprocal tariffs last week, he exempted pharmaceuticals, copper, semiconductors, lumber, bullion, energy, and certain minerals from the tariffs because of their critical importance to the US economy. The reprieve for the pharmaceuticals was because imported drugs, especially the generics from India, help hold down the costs of the US healthcare system, which is one of the most expensive in the world. There have been warnings that the US health system will face higher costs if tariffs are imposed on pharmaceuticals. ING Bank said that "in the absence of a deal with India, we think Trump's tariffs will mostly drive up drug prices for US consumers" because of the wide use of generics for which India is the major supplier. "The global supply chain for generic and biosimilar medicines is critically important for US patients", John Murphy, president of the Association for Accessible Medicines, said earlier this year. "Generic manufacturers simply can't absorb new costs" due to the tariffs, he said. "Our manufacturers sell at an extremely low price, sometimes at a loss", he said. India and the US are trying to work out a Bilateral Trade Agreement, which could soften the impact of tariffs. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a call agreed on the "early conclusion" of such an agreement. IQVIA, a healthcare data and analytics company, said that four out of ten prescriptions filled in the US in 2022 were from Indian companies. "Out of the top 10 therapy areas by prescription volume, Indian companies supplied more than half of the prescriptions for five: Hypertension, mental health, lipid regulators, nervous system disorders, and antiulcerants", it said. Mumbai, April 9 : Actress Sneha Ullal took a trip down memory lane as she reminisced about her debut film, "Lucky: No Time for Love," starring Salman Khan, as it clocked 20 years since its release in Hindi cinema. Mumbai, April 9 (IANS) Actress Sneha Ullal took a trip down memory lane as she reminisced about her debut film, "Lucky: No Time for Love," starring Salman Khan, as it clocked 20 years since its release in Hindi cinema. Sneha took to Instagram, where she shared the poster of the film with the song "Sun Zara" by Sonu Nigam playing in the background. She captioned the post: "20 years & Forever (sic)." The actress then re-shared a collage by T-Series Films on her Instagram stories, which had glimpses of Salman and her from the film. For the caption, she wrote: "20 years of 'Being Lucky'." Directed by Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru, the film also stars Mithun Chakraborty. It followed a chain of unfortunate events, where a 17-year-old schoolgirl narrowly escapes a possible rapist and is caught up in a terror attack. She drinks contaminated water that poisons her. The film turned 20 on April 8. The filmmakers had shared some anecdotes regarding the film and said, "They say your first is always special and Lucky truly was. To have Salman Khan as part of our very first film was nothing short of magical. He'll always be our forever favourite hero." "It's hard to believe it's already been two decades since we shared a love story that touched so many hearts. The songs, the memories, the love, they still live on, and always will." Talking about Sneha, who was last seen on screen in the film "Love You Loktantra" in 2022, she made her debut in Telugu movies with Ullasamga Utsahamga, which turned out to be a huge hit. She was then seen in the Telugu movie Her Nenu Meeku Telusa? It was followed by an appearance in the song Nuvvu Ready in the Telugu movie King opposite Nagarjuna. Her 2010 release, Simha, opposite Balakrishna, turned out to be a blockbuster. Sneha was brought up in the Middle East in Muscat, Oman. Later, she moved to Mumbai with her mother and attended Durelo Convent High School and studied at Vartak College. Arpita, sister of Salman, spotted her, and she got to act at 17 in 2003, when she had just completed her 12th standard, in the Hindi film Lucky: No Time for Love. Mumbai, April 9 : Actor Randeep Hooda is excited about stepping back into the action zone after five years post the release of the Chris Hemsworth-starrer "Extraction" and said that he has always loved the "action as a genre" because "there is something raw, visceral, and thrilling about it." Mumbai, April 9 (IANS) Actor Randeep Hooda is excited about stepping back into the action zone after five years post the release of the Chris Hemsworth-starrer "Extraction" and said that he has always loved the "action as a genre" because "there is something raw, visceral, and thrilling about it." "Extraction" is directed by Sam Hargrave and produced by the Russo Brothers, which was released on Netflix in 2020. Now with Jaat, he is set to play an action star as he steps into the role of Ranatunga. Talking about his return to action, Randeep Hooda shares, "I have always loved action as a genre. There is something raw, visceral, and thrilling about it. After playing intense characters in biopics and embodying law enforcement roles, getting to unleash my dark side as the menacing Ranatunga in Jaat has been exhilarating. The actor said he had been missing action, and "Jaat" gave her the perfect opportunity to get back into that space. Randeep said: "The choreography, the high-octane sequences, and the sheer physicality of the roleit has been a challenging yet fulfilling experience. Playing a character who is as ruthless as he is charismatic is something I'm really looking forward to showcasing. "Extraction was the first of its kind for me, to be an Indian actor taking on a full blown action role in the west, was a thrilling experience". "Jaat" is directed by Gopichand Malineni. It also stars Vineet Kumar Singh, Saiyami Kher, and Regina Cassandra. Each actor brings their unique intensity and depth to their roles, ensuring a captivating viewing experience. The film features the soundtrack composed by Thaman S composing the soundtrack and Rishi Punjabi behind the lens as the Director of Photography. The editing is done by Navin Nooli, while Avinash Kolla's production design will transport audiences into the heart of the film's gripping world. Produced by Mythri Movie Makers and People Media Factory, the film will be released in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu on April 10. New Delhi, April 9 : India offers a compelling growth opportunity for foreign banks and the government is actively encouraging foreign investment in the banking sector, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has stressed. Addressing the India-UK Investor Roundtable discussion in London with around 60 investors, representing various pension funds, insurance companies, banks and other financial institutions in London, the Union Minister outlined priorities of the government for enabling sustained economic growth and investment opportunities with the policy support that is shaping New India. She highlighted the efforts being made by the government to pursue process and governance reforms to reduce compliance burden and ease regulation for facilitating an enabling environment for business and investments, according to a Finance Ministry statement on Wednesday. With expanding middle class, and strong and stable policy environment, the Union Finance Minister said that India is set to become the sixth largest Insurance market by 2032 with the expected growth at 7.1 per cent CAGR from 2024-2028 one of the fastest growing insurance market among G20 countries. FM Sitharaman informed the investors that the Indian securities market is among the first major markets to fully adopt "T+1 settlement" -- as early as in 2023 -- and India's market capitalisation stands at $4.6 trillion (3.7 trillion GBP), currently ranked fourth globally. The Union Finance Minister spoke at length about India's maiden International Financial Services Centre GIFT-IFSC an offshore zone that is endowed with an enabling ecosystem with considerable tax exemptions, skilled manpower, foreign currency transactions, and strategic geographical location. She further informed the investors that as of March 2025, more than 800 entities across banks, capital markets, insurance, FinTech, aircraft leasing, ship leasing, bullion exchange, among others have been registered with the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA). Underlining India's digital economy as a significant contributor to its economic growth, accounting for 11.74 per cent of the GDP in 2022-23, the Finance Minister informed the participants that India stands third globally in terms of the number of homegrown unicorns. She further stated that India is home to leading FinTech ecosystem, driven by a large tech-savvy population, supportive government policies, and innovative startup ecosystem. The sector has witnessed rapid surge in FinTechs over the last 5 years as is evident from an astounding 87 per cent adoption rate against global average of 64 per cent and 15 per cent share of global FinTech funding. The Union Minister also participated in a fireside chat on the 'Opportunities and challenges for India's quest to become a developed economy by 2047', at the India House in London. IANS na/ New Delhi, April 9 : Actress Nimrit Kaur Ahluwalia shared how she copes with the constant pressure of an ever-changing industry. She revealed that she reminds herself that if she wasn't meant to be here, she wouldn't "still be here." New Delhi, April 9 (IANS) Actress Nimrit Kaur Ahluwalia shared how she copes with the constant pressure of an ever-changing industry. She revealed that she reminds herself that if she wasn't meant to be here, she wouldn't "still be here." Asked how she handles the pressure of expectations in an industry that's constantly evolving, Nimrit told IANS, "I feel like I always tell myself that if I wasn't meant to be here, I wouldn't still be here. And so I will find my way through, just as I did before." Talking about what has surprised her most about the film industry since she started her career, Nimrit, who made her acting debut with the show "Choti Sarrdaarni" in 2019, replied, "That projection apparently takes center stage instead of talent." Does she find it harder to play a character entirely different from herself or one that closely resembles her? "I think playing a character isn't as simple as hard/easy. I feel like to understand the character, you have to start by keeping yourself away from it and allowing space for the character to come together. Developing a character is as intense as you can make it," said the actress. "To know a person's journey from their habits to their ideologies to their favorite color is always challenging yet fun," added Nimrit, who is set to make her film debut with "Shaunki Sardar" alongside Guru Randhawa. Talking about her fashion, Nimrit said that she leans towards "sustainable choices." "And I have truly incorporated less is more subconsciously," she added. Nimrit revealed that one underrated habit or mindset she believes more people should adopt is repeating outfits. "It's okay to repeat outfits. Styling can be a huge game changer," she said. What does a perfect day off look like for you? "A perfect day off would be me away from my phone/social obligations. Having the time to be with my inner self, maybe laze around, read a bit, watch a movie, & have healthy home food with no time limitations." If her life were a movie, what would the title be? Pat came the reply from Nimrit: "Life is a movie. The title would be 'Dil Chahata Hai'". Jammu, April 9 : With Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Legislative Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather, re-affirming that he won't allow a discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 in the House, the ruling National Conference (NC) finds itself in an unenviable tight spot. A meeting of the NC's allies held on Tuesday to discuss the issue remained inconclusive and the same would be discussed again on Wednesday when Chief Minister Omar Abdullah joins the discussion. All members of the NC, Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the lone members of the Peoples Conference (PC) CPI-M, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) have demanded a discussion in the House on the Waqf (Amendment) Act. No business was conducted in the House on Tuesday because of the ruckus that followed the Speaker's ruling that he won't allow a discussion on this. The House has three resolutions seeking statehood and two Private Bills pending for debate while the Assembly otherwise would be adjourned sine die today as per its calendar. Sajad Gani Lone of the PC has asked the NC to bring in a no confidence motion against the Speaker if they are serious about discussions on the Waqf Amendment Act in the Assembly. The Opposition BJP, led by Leader of the Opposition (LoP), Sunil Sharma has opposed the demand for a discussion on the Act. If the NC decides to side with the Speaker's decision, the ruling party would have given a handle to its opponents in the regional mainstream politics of Kashmir Valley. The only Muslim majority region of the country not even prepared to discuss the Act, will not go down well with the people and the political parties in the region. "This is a piquant situation, which makes NC's shying away from the discussion by hiding behind the Speaker's ruling obvious," said Waheed Para of the PDP. Till such time the Centre vigorously launches an awareness campaign on the ground to convince Muslims that the amended Act protects the rights of the ordinary Muslims by removing anomalies and monopolies on Waqf properties in the country, the ghost of the Waqf (Amendment) Act will continue to haunt the NC in J&K. Whether they convince the Speaker to change his ruling or bring in a no confidence motion against him, either ways the NC is sure to face embarrassment. To be, or not to be? Hamlet's dilemma haunts the NC in J&K. Jerusalem, April 9 : Israeli researchers have created an AI-based tool to identify critical proteins that could unlock insights into human diseases. The tool, called Weighted Graph Anomalous Node Detection (WGAND), uses methods similar to those that detect fraud in social networks to analyse how proteins interact in the body, Xinhua news agency reported. Published in the journal GigaScience, the algorithm spots unusual proteins that connect heavily with others and play central roles in biological processes -- key to understanding health and disease. Proteins are essential molecules in our bodies, and they interact with each other in complex networks, known as protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks. The team from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev developed the algorithm to analyse these PPI networks to detect "anomalous" proteins -- those that stand out due to their unique pattern of weighted interactions. This implies that the amount of the protein and its protein interactors is greater in that particular network, allowing them to carry out more functions and drive more processes. Studying these networks helps scientists understand how proteins function and how they contribute to health and disease, said the team. "This innovative algorithm has the potential to pinpoint which proteins are important in specific contexts, helping scientists to develop more targeted and effective treatments for various conditions," said Prof. Esti Yeger-Lotem, from the varsity In tests, WGAND successfully identified proteins linked to brain and heart disorders, as well as those involved in essential functions like nerve signalling and muscle movement. Researchers from the Ben Gurion University (BGU) said it performed more accurately than existing methods. By combining expertise in biology and cybersecurity, the tool could lead to more targeted medical treatments and provide new insights into how the human body works. "It's exciting to see how bringing together expertise from bioinformatics and cybersecurity can lead to breakthroughs in understanding human biology. By applying network analysis and machine learning, we have developed a tool that helps uncover key proteins in different tissues -- paving the way for new insights into human health and disease," said Dr. Michael Fire, from the varsity. Islamabad, April 9 : Pakistan has forcibly deported 11,371 Afghan refugees back to Afghanistan through the Torkham border. Over 3,669 Afghan refugees were repatriated through the border crossing on Tuesday, according to media reports. The repatriation affected a large number of Afghans who have lived in Pakistan for decades, including many born in Pakistan who have never lived in Afghanistan. Following the end of the deadline on March 31, the crackdown on Afghan refugees continued across the country. Meanwhile, the police and district administration teams are conducting raids across the Peshawar city of Pakistan, targeting individuals who either possess Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC), have expired visas, or lack residential documentation, Pakistan's leading daily, The Express Tribune, reported, quoting officials. Several forcibly deported individuals stated that they were arrested by Pakistani police while at work and deported to Afghanistan, leaving behind their businesses and family members. "I ran a small hotel business in the fruit market. The police raided the place, detained me in Haji Camp in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for four nights and have now deported me via Torkham," said Gul Mohammad, an Afghan deportee. Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan have narrated harrowing accounts of their belongings being confiscated by Pakistani police during forced deportations, intensifying the hardship of an already traumatic journey and life ahead. Afghan refugees deported through the Torkham border crossing further stated that they were detained and expelled from the country despite holding legal documents such as visas or residency cards. Many refugees lost personal property in the process of forced deportation by the Pakistani authorities. "Our belongings were taken. We were treated unfairly," Afghan media outlet Amu TV quoted an Afghan returnee as saying. Afghanistan's Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation Affairs on Tuesday issued a strong statement condemning the forced deportation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan, declaring it as a violation of Islamic principles, humanitarian values, and international laws. In its statement, the ministry emphasised that such actions were not only unjust but also detrimental to the well-being of Afghan families who have sought refuge. "Afghanistan is preparing for the safe return of these refugees, urging that they be allowed to bring their assets back with them," the statement added. Additionally, the Afghan ministry called on international organisations to extend necessary support to the refugees during the challenging times, highlighting the need for collaborative efforts to ensure their safe and dignified repatriation, Afghan state-run Bakhtar News Agency reported. Kochi, April 9 : The Kerala High Court on Wednesday denied bail to accused K.N. Anand Kumar, the founder and Managing Trustee of National NGO's Confederation who is presently in judicial custody in the Rs 1,000 crore CSR scam case. The Crime Branch wing of the Kerala Police arrested Kumar last month in the massive scam that has rocked the state after thousands of people were cheated. Soon after he was taken into custody, he fell ill and was admitted to a leading private hospital in the state capital city. Reports said he faced cardiac issues. The Kerala High Court last month came down heavily on the way VIPs, after getting arrested, take the health route to avoid jail. The court said such a step should be taken only when the jail hospital does not have such facilities. Kumar is alleged to have received Rs 10 lakh per month for several months from 28-year-old Ananthu Krishnan, the alleged mastermind behind the massive scam. Krishnan, considered the kingpin of the fraudulent scheme, is currently in judicial custody. Kumar is the second accused in the case. The scam, executed by Krishnan and his associates, involved deceiving victims by offering high-value consumer products -- such as scooters, laptops, and sewing machines -- at half their market price under the guise of a CSR initiative. This aggressive promotional campaign attracted thousands of unsuspecting investors, who were led to believe that they were making a lucrative purchase through corporate sponsorship. As the fraudulent scheme unravelled, several victims came forward, alleging that they had invested their savings in what appeared to be an enticing opportunity. However, once the promised products failed to materialise, complaints began pouring in from across Kerala, prompting an extensive police investigation. The Crime Branchas investigation has revealed the staggering extent of the scam, leading to the registration of more than 500 cases of financial fraud across all 14 districts of the state. Now, with the High Court refusing bail, Kumar, considered to be a popular figure in the social and cultural circles of the state capital city, will continue to cool his heels behind bars, along with the first accused Krishnan in judicial custody. New Delhi, April 9 : In a grand show of unity and spirituality, over 10,000 people gathered in Surat on the occasion of Navkar Mahamantra Day to chant the sacred Navkar Mantra, promoting a global message of peace and harmony. The event took place at a large venue in Surat and featured Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who participated virtually from Delhi to express his support for the initiative. PM Modi inaugurated the Navkar Mahamantra Divas at Vigyan Bhavan and joined various locations across the country virtually. The event was organised by local community leaders and Jain groups, with a special focus on spreading the message of peace, spirituality, and unity across the globe. As part of the occasion, organisers announced that Navkar Divas will be celebrated every year on April 9, urging people from all walks of life to join in this global peace initiative. Speaking about the significance of the event, organiser Milan Parikh stated, "The main objective of todayas event was to promote peace and harmony across the world. Just like we have International Yoga Day, we wish to see World Navkar Day celebrated across the globe." The event also called for a day of solidarity, with slaughterhouses in Surat and Ahmedabad remaining closed as a gesture of compassion and respect for all living beings. The event witnessed a strong turnout, not just from the Jain community but also from several non-Jains who came together to chant the Navkar Mantra, emphasising the universal appeal of the message. Nirav Shah, a participant in the event, said, "For the sake of global welfare and peace, not only the entire Jain community but also many non-Jains have come together today to participate in the chanting of the Navkar Mantra. Today, even the honourable Prime Minister himself was present (virtually) and joined in chanting the Mahamantra, which is a matter of great pride. I believe this is truly a remarkable and rare event for promoting world peace." The Vishwa Navkar Mahamantra Divas is an annual event dedicated to promoting the core values of Jainism, peace, non-violence, and respect for all life forms. April 09 : As excitement continues to grow around the highly anticipated film Kesari 2, Akshay Kumar is once again at the forefront of attention with his powerful portrayal of C Shankaran Nair, a prominent figure in India's fight for justice following the infamous Jallianwala Bagh massacre. The actor recently shared a glimpse of his character on social media, further fueling the anticipation for the film's release on April 18, 2025. In the post, Akshay Kumar shared an image of himself dressed in traditional Kathakali costume, which is rich in symbolic meaning. Kathakali, a classical dance form of Kerala, often features characters with green faces, which represent great figures, philosophers, sages, and kingselements that resonate deeply with Akshays portrayal of C Shankaran Nair. In his caption, Akshay revealed the deeper significance behind the costume, writing: "This is not a costume. It is a symbol of tradition, of resistance, of truth, of my nation. C Shankaran Nair did not fight with weapons. He fought the British Empire with the law and had fire in his soul." C Shankaran Nair was a lawyer and former president of the Indian National Congress, who became instrumental in seeking justice for the Jallianwala Bagh massacrea pivotal event in India's history that left an indelible mark on the struggle for independence. Nair's legal battle against the British Empire and his pursuit of justice through the courtrooms is the central theme of Kesari 2, which delves into one of the most significant legal cases in the nations history. Akshays portrayal promises to bring Nairs unwavering determination and courage to life, reflecting the essence of Indias fight for justice during colonial rule. The trailer for Kesari 2, released on April 3, 2025, gives audiences a first look into the intensity of the courtroom drama that follows Nairs quest for justice. The film will explore the aftermath of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the legal challenges that ensued as Nair and others sought accountability from the British authorities. Akshay Kumars role is a far cry from the action-packed characters he is often known for, showcasing his versatility as an actor willing to take on nuanced, powerful roles that challenge the status quo. Joining Akshay Kumar in this historical drama are Ananya Panday and R Madhavan, both of whom will play pivotal roles in bringing this gripping story to the screen. Together, they will help showcase the emotional depth and stakes of a battle that was fought not with weapons, but with intellect, law, and unyielding resolve. Kesari 2 is more than just a period dramait is a tribute to the unsung heroes who fought for India's freedom and justice in ways that history books often overlook. As Akshay Kumar leads this charge with his exceptional performance, Kesari 2 promises to be a powerful, unforgettable cinematic experience. With its release slated for April 18, 2025, the film is set to bring to the forefront a critical moment in India's history, shedding light on the courageous legal battle that helped shape the countrys future. Fans and history enthusiasts alike will surely flock to theaters to witness this remarkable retelling of one of the most pivotal events in Indian history. Sonipat, April 9 : The Jindal School of Public Health and Human Development, in collaboration with the Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, Jindal School of Psychology and Counselling, and the Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities, hosted a day-long celebration to mark World Health Day 2025 at O. P. Jindal Global University. The event, themed 'Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures', brought together a wide range of scholars, global health experts, policymakers, and students. Participants included experts from Harvard University (US), University of Southampton (UK), BRAC University (Bangladesh), and UNSW Sydney, state government of Haryana, along with UNICEF, PATH, PHFI, alongside faculty members from JGU. Prof. Sabu Padmadas and Prof. Vikram Patel delivered distinguished lectures and other participants engaged in panel discussions, poster making and presentations. The day commenced with a welcome address by the Deans of the organising schools. Dean Stephen P Marks outlined the key goals of World Health Day, including access to healthcare during pregnancy, reducing discrepancies in maternity and neonatal health, education and training, community engagement and policy commitment. Dean Kathleen Modrowski stressed the value of universities working together with the community in a dignified and respectful collaboration for better maternal and child health, citing the example of students' efforts in Kundli area of Sonipat, where they learn from the community, while giving back to society. Dean R. Sudarshan related his career in the United Nations to lessons in subsidiarity and experience with successful implementation of policy when those who implement are involved in the conceptualization. Dean Derick Lindquist discussed the relationship between physical and mental health and the wide range of mental health issues facing women across the life cycle, and the value of life skills training. JGU's Founding Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar welcomed the event on behalf of the university and explained the evolution of the degree programmes offered by JSPH, including the launch of a new online MSc in Global Health and Human Development and replacing the two-year residential Master of Public Health (MPH) with a one-year residential MPH programme pursuant to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. He shared his ideas on policy making in public health through bridging the gap between theory and practice, making aggressive efforts to address society's problems and the challenge of interacting with state-level governments. Prof. Sabu Padmadas, Professor of Demography and Global Health from the University of Southampton, delivered a distinguished lecture on 'Sustainability at Risk: The Looming Energy Crisis and Global Health', outlining the challenge of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy) and the projections of world population growth and the negative impact of inequitable access to energy and energy poverty towards maternal and child health. He noted the particular challenge of AI and the extreme demand for electricity and water and other challenges from anthropogenic factors, including death due to air pollution and sea level rise. The concluding distinguished lecture was delivered by Prof. Vikram Patel, Paul Farmer Professor and Chair of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Professor in the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. Spoke on transforming mental health systems in India, drawing on survey data on mental health conditions, barriers to care and paradigm shifts in mental health care, from biomedical approached to a wider range of interventions and highly trained professionals to community level workforce, drawing on examples from the pioneering work of Sangath in India and the implementation of EMPOWER project. He concluded making the case for community-based mental healthcare using psychosocial interventions, engaging frontline workers in global mental health care. Geneva, April 9 : The UN refugee agency has stated that more than 41,000 refugees have crossed from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) into Uganda since January, many of them having witnessed killings, "sexual violence and other traumatic experiences during their flight". Geneva, April 9 (IANS) The UN refugee agency has stated that more than 41,000 refugees have crossed from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) into Uganda since January, many of them having witnessed killings, "sexual violence and other traumatic experiences during their flight". The fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) between Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and Congolese troops has claimed many lives and forced even more families from their homes. According to a UN report released on Tuesday, approximately 600 Congolese people have been crossing the border into Uganda each day since the end of last month. Uganda, which has the largest number of refugees in Africa, is currently sheltering nearly 600,000 refugees, out of a total of 1.8 million in the region. "This risks overwhelming the country's capacity, as it also responds to the needs of over 70,000 Sudanese refugees who have arrived fleeing the two-year-long war in Sudan. Transit is overwhelmed, with Uganda's Nyakabande, one of the main transit centres, reaching six times its capacity," said the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The agency further stated that many of the new arrivals mostly women and children came by foot or local transport, while there have been "increasing reports of men travelling separately from their families to avoid being forcibly recruited by armed groups." Children are especially vulnerable, often arriving in a weakened condition due to a high prevalence of malaria and malnutrition, according to the UNHCR. The funding shortfall is seriously affecting the humanitarian response, forcing the UNHCR to reduce some standard protection services, such as legal aid for refugees, in order to focus on the most urgent needs. "While the Ugandan authorities, UNHCR, and partners are working to strengthen support to the newly arrived refugees, vital services across the country have had to be deprioritised, including health facility closures and the loss of some 250 health workers," UNHCR added. A report from the UN Human Rights Council, released on April 1, reveals that civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are still suffering greatly due to ongoing violence. In North and South Kivu, there were 602 reported victims of extrajudicial or summary executions within a single two-month period. Last week, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that ongoing violence in North and South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to kill, injure, and displace civilians. New Delhi, April 9 : The long-awaited extradition of Tahawwur Rana, one of the key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, is a major achievement for the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said Union Minister Shantanu Thakur on Wednesday "This is a big success and an achievement because under the leadership of our respected Prime Minister, India has envisioned the dream of a Viksit Bharat. So, everything has to be Viksit and strengthened," he said. A multi-agency team from India has reportedly travelled to the US, where the legalities and paperwork for the extradition process have been finalised with the US authorities. This marks a significant step in bringing Rana to justice for his role in the deadly 2008 attacks that claimed the lives of 166 people. Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla emphasised the strategic approach of the Indian government in this case, stating, "This shows how strategically and in a well-planned manner Prime Minister Modi's government is working." The development has also sparked reactions from the opposition. Congress leader Atul Londhe welcomed the move, saying, "That is a good thing. Those who have acted against the nation should be extradited and it should not be limited to just Tahawwur Rana. Vijay Mallya should also be brought back. And everyone else who fled the country after looting the nationas money all should be extradited to India." Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Raju Waghmare expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Modi for his efforts in securing Ranaas extradition, remarking, "We thank and congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi because it is due to his efforts that we have been able to bring a terrorist back to India. On behalf of Shiv Sena, we express our gratitude to Prime Minister Modi." "If needed, amend the Constitution, but this terrorist must be encountered. Not just one bullet, he should be shot a hundred times, in a public encounter, so that a clear message goes out to the world: anyone who looks at our country with evil intent will face dire consequences," he added. The 26/11 Mumbai attacks are a case that has long remained in the global spotlight. The legal processes are currently underway, and it is expected that his return to India will provide closure to the families affected by one of the most horrific terrorist attacks in the countryas history. Moscow, April 9 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to attend Russia's Victory Day celebrations next month, the country's media reported on Wednesday. "[Singh's visit to Moscow for the parade] is possible," reported Russia's state-run news agency Tass, citing Indian government sources. Earlier, the agency had reported that India has received an invitation from Russia for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Moscow to participate in the Victory Day celebrations and will confirm his arrival at the appropriate time. The celebrations on Red Square in Moscow will mark the 80th anniversary of Russia's victory in the Great Patriotic War. "On Tuesday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko told journalists that Moscow was expecting Modi at the parade on May 9, and the visit was being worked out," reported Tass. The report indicated that participation of a ceremonial detachment of the Indian armed forces in the parade on Red Square is also being worked out. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has stated that many countries have confirmed their participation in the upcoming events on May 9 in Moscow, with invites going out to several foreign leaders from different countries and not just the CIS members. Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier invited Prime Minister Modi to attend the celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War in Moscow in May 2020. Last month, while citing that the political dialogue between India and Russia is "developing dynamically" and is facilitated by the fact that Moscow and New Delhi "have close or even coinciding views on the objectively emerging multipolar world order", Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that preparations are being made for Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming visit to India. "Relations between our countries have a long history. It can be said that they have stood the test of time more than once. Today, Russia and India are developing equal cooperation based on sincere, mutual respect and consideration of each other's interests," Lavrov told the participants of the first international conference 'Russia and India: Towards a New Agenda for Bilateral Relations' which was also addressed by External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar. "It is difficult to overestimate the contribution of our leaders to this process. It is symbolic that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his first bilateral foreign visit after his re-election last year to Russia. Now it is our turn. Russian President Vladimir Putin accepted the invitation of the head of the Indian government. The visit of the head of the Russian state to the Republic of India is being prepared," he added. Earlier, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov had confirmed that Putin is expected to visit India in early 2025 following an invitation from Prime Minister Modi. The visit is being planned as part of the ongoing commitment to annual meetings between the two leaders. "Our leaders have an agreement to meet once a year. This time, it is our turn," Ushakov had said during a press briefing. The last visit by the Russian President to India took place on December 6, 2021, during the 21st India-Russia Annual Summit in New Delhi. Meanwhile, PM Modi held two high-profile visits to Russia last year, attending the 22nd Russia-India Summit in July and later participated in the BRICS Summit held in Kazan in October. Patna, April 9 : Six police personnel, including a woman officer, were injured when a police team came under attack during a raid in Moradabad village under Sasaram Mufassil police station limits in Rohtas district on Tuesday night, officials said on Wednesday. According to officials, the police team had gone to arrest two accused persons when they were attacked by a mob with sticks and stones. Two police personnel sustained serious injuries in the assault. Head Constable Rajendra Singh, one of the injured, said the team was ambushed soon after reaching the village. "As soon as we arrived in Moradabad, a group of villagers -- mostly relatives of the accused -- attacked us with sticks and pelted stones and bricks at us," Singh said. The other injured police personnel have been identified as Lallu Kumar, Smriti Kumari, ASI Sunil Kumar, Shatrughan Singh, and Nitish Kumar. All of them were admitted to Sadar Hospital in Sasaram. Two officers suffered skull injuries and remain under intensive treatment. Inspector Roshan Kumar, in charge of Sasaram Mufassil police station, confirmed the incident. "An FIR has been registered against 20 named and several unidentified persons. Further legal action is underway," he said, adding that raids are being conducted at multiple locations to apprehend those involved. "The accused fled their homes after the attack," he said. This is not the first such incident in the state. On March 12, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Rajiv Ranjan Mal was killed during a raid in Bihar's Araria district. ASI Mal, who was posted at Fulkaha police station, had gone to arrest an accused, Anmol Yadav, when a violent clash broke out with locals. He suffered a serious head injury after falling during the scuffle and later died in a hospital. Mumbai, April 9 : Malayalam superstar Prithviraj Sukumaran has started shooting for his upcoming film 'Nobody' along with Parvathy Thiruvothu, and Hakim Shajahan. The shoot commenced with a formal pooja and switch-on ceremony held at the Wellington Island, Ernakulam. The film is directed by the acclaimed Nissam Basheer with the script penned by Sameer Abdul. 'Nobody' promises to be a compelling cinematic experience, blending intensity, emotion, and power-packed performances. The film is jointly produced by Supriya Menon, Mukesh Mehta, and C.V. Sarathi, under the prestigious banners of Prithviraj Productions and E4 Experiments. Adding further depth to the film's atmosphere is the music by Harshavardhan Rameshwar, known for his intense compositions in Animal. With a stellar team both in front of and behind the camera, the film is all set to deliver a unique and unforgettable cinematic experience. Earlier this month, the Prithviraj Sukumaran directorial 'L2: Empuraan' got embroiled in controversy over depiction of certain real life events. In March this year, the actor shared what he thinks is the toughest part in the process of directing, especially when the director himself has to act in the same film. Juggling between the roles of actor and director is no easy feat but, Prithviraj seamlessly balanced both responsibilities with 'L2: Empuraan'. Speaking about his experience of directing while acting, Prithviraj shared, "I've never really found it to be very challenging. The toughest part is having to stay in costume and makeup while directing, which I don't usually enjoy. But beyond that, it's all part of one giant process". With 'L2: Empuraan' shaping up to be one of the biggest films of the year, Prithviraj's ability to effortlessly switch between roles only adds to the anticipation. His unique vision, both in front of and behind the camera, continues to elevate Malayalam cinema to new heights. New Delhi, April 9 : The Cabinet Committee on Security, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has cleared the Rs 63,000 crore government-to-government deal with France to buy 26 Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Navy, senior officials said. The deal includes 22 single-seater aircraft and four twin-seater variants, designed specifically for the maritime requirement of the Indian Navy as China increasingly flexes its muscle in the Indo-Pacific region. The Rafale procurement will include weapons, simulator, spares, associated ancillary equipment, crew training and logistics support for the Indian Navy from the French government. The 26 Rafale-M jets for the Navy, manufactured by Dassault Aviation, are expected to be delivered within 37 to 65 months after the final contract is signed in the coming weeks. The delivery of all the planes is scheduled to be completed by 2030-31, a senior official said. The deal will also ensure logistics support and spares for the 36 Rafale fighter jets already inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 2016 under an earlier Rs 59,000 crore deal with France. These Rafale jets comprise two squadrons in the IAF. The first Rafale squadron is based at Ambala Air Force Station. The second Rafale squadron is based at Hasimara Air Force Station in West Bengal, near the China border. The Rafale squadrons are intended to enhance India's air power, in the eastern sector, to counter China, and also on the western front against Pakistan. The French maritime fighter is a sturdy aircraft that incorporates design features to withstand the rough conditions involved in aircraft carrier operations in a highly corrosive environment. It is presently deployed to operate from the French Navyas aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. The aircraftas naval variant Rafale-M will bring commonality with the IAFas fighters, creating advantages in training, maintenance and logistics support, the official said. Indiaas Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, had earlier approved the Navyas proposal to buy the 26 Rafale M fighters earlier in accordance with the official process. Chennai, April 9 : One of South India's most celebrated stars, Jr. NTR, is all set to commence shooting for acclaimed director Prashanth Neel's upcoming film, tentatively titled "NTRNeel," from April 22. Chennai, April 9 (IANS) One of South India's most celebrated stars, Jr. NTR, is all set to commence shooting for acclaimed director Prashanth Neel's upcoming film, tentatively titled "NTRNeel," from April 22. Produced by Mythri Movie Makers in association with NTR Arts, "NTRNeel" is poised to be a one-of-a-kind cinematic spectacle. This collaboration marks a significant milestone, bringing together three powerhouses of Indian cinemaJr. NTR, Prashanth Neel, and Mythri Movie Makersfor the very first time. The announcement has created a buzz across the country, with fans eagerly anticipating what promises to be a massive cinematic event. The makers had teased a major reveal, and they've now deliveredofficially confirming that Jr. NTR, affectionately known as the "Man of the Masses," will begin shooting on April 22. Sharing the news on their social media platforms, the production houses generated a wave of excitement among fans and film enthusiasts alike. The film is being jointly produced by Kalyan Ram Nandamuri, Naveen Yerneni, Ravi Shankar Yalamanchili, and Hari Krishna Kosaraju. With the creative vision of Prashanth Neelrenowned for his success with the KGF franchiseand Jr. NTR's dynamic screen presence, NTRNeel is expected to redefine action cinema and set new industry benchmarks. Promising high-octane action, compelling storytelling, and grand visuals, this film is already being hailed as one of the most eagerly awaited Indian films in recent times. Dubai, April 9 : New Zealand stand-in skipper Michael Bracewell has moved up in the top five of the ICC Men's All-Rounder Rankings following victory in the third ODI against Pakistan. The 34-year-old, who contributed 85 runs with the bat, including a superb half-century in the final ODI in New Zealand's 3-0 series sweep over Pakistan, rose two spots to be placed fifth in the all-rounder list with 246 rating points, becoming highest ranked Kiwi in the category with compatriot Mitchell Santner sitting sixth. In the final ODI, walking in at 6, the allrounder's rampant 40-ball 59-run knock, including a four and six maximums, powered the Black Caps' charge as they posted 264/8 on the board from their 42 overs. Bracewell didn't stop there as he went on to grab the wicket of Faheem Ashraf, ending with an economical 1-39 from his eight overs, with Ben Sears' sizzling five-wicket haul leading the home side to a 43-run win and the series sweep. His blitz with the bat has also pushed him up 12 places in the batter rankings, occupying the 89th position, while retaining his 18th spot in the bowlers rankings, ICC reports. The ODI batting rankings witness no major change, with India's Shubman Gill retaining his No. 1 spot, followed by Pakistan's Babar Azam and India skipper Rohit Sharma on second and third, respectively. Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan climbed two spots, placing him at 21 in the batting rankings after a decent outing over the course of the three ODIs against New Zealand. New Zealand's Ben Sears was the big mover for the bowlers, taking five wickets to finish with 10 for the three matches that helped him to bag the Player of the Series accolade. He jumped 64 spots in the bowling rankings to enter top 100. Peshawar/New Delhi, April 9 : Qari Eijaz Abid, a close aide and relative of Pakistan-based global terrorist and founder of banned Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist organisation Maulana Masood Azhar, was shot dead by "unknown men" in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's provincial capital Peshawar on March 30, the local police authorities have confirmed. As per reports, Abid was shot dead in Pishtakhara area of Peshawar while his associate named Qari Shahid was critically injured in the targetted attack by unknown gunmen. Pakistani media reported that Qari Eijaz Abid was part of the Ahle-e-Sunnah Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) and was the provincial head of the International Khatm-e-Nabuwat. The local police authorities have confirmed the killing, stating that spate of targeted killings has spread across the country targetting "religious figures" particularly affiliated with the Deobandi school of thought. However, intelligence sources have maintained that all those killed were linked to major terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Qari Eijaz Abid was believed to be a top recruiter of JeM through Ahle-e-Sunnah Wal Jamaat . While Pakistan continues to be in a denial mode on terrorists enjoying safe haven on its soil, the killing of these individuals, many of whom were involved in terror attacks in India, nailed Islamabad's lies. Top LeT and JeM terrorists have been shot dead in Pakistan by "unknown armed men" riding motorcycles over the past few months. Since its formation in 2000 by Maulana Masood Azhar, JeM has carried out several terrorist attacks in India, including J&K. JeM was enlisted as a 'Designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation' by the United Nations Security Council resolution (UNSC) and Azhar was designated as a 'global terrorist' in 2019. New Delhi, April 9 : The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) on Wednesday said its members can now generate a Universal Account Number (UAN) and activate it using Aadhaar Face Authentication Technology (FAT) through the UMANG mobile app. New Delhi, April 9 (IANS) The Employeesa Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) on Wednesday said its members can now generate a Universal Account Number (UAN) and activate it using Aadhaar Face Authentication Technology (FAT) through the UMANG mobile app. The contactless and secure service marks a major leap in providing hassle-free and fully digital experiences to crores of EPFO members. Earlier, UANs were largely generated by employers using employee data submitted to the EPFO. While Aadhaar details were validated, inaccuracies in fields such as fatheras name, mobile number, or date of birth were common, according to the Ministry of Labour and Employment. These errors often required corrections during claim processing or while accessing other EPFO services. In the financial year 2024-25 alone, out of 1.26 crore UANs allotted, only 44.68 lakh (35.30 per cent) were activated by members. "Several reminders were given to employers to get employees to activate their UAN using Aadhaar OTP so that in future any benefit under the Employment Linked Scheme could be potentially provided using direct benefit transfer (DBT)," according to the EPFO. In many cases, the UAN was not even communicated to the employee, and mobile numbers were missing or incorrect, making direct communication difficult. Furthermore, UAN activation through Aadhaar OTP validation on the EPFO Member portal was a separate process to be completed by the member, causing confusion. To address these challenges, the EPFO has now enabled direct UAN generation and activation using Face Authentication via the UMANG App. This service can be used by both employees and employers. It offers 100 per cent validation of Aadhaar and user using Face Authentication and data of user is pre-populated directly from Aadhaar database. According to the EPFO, the mobile number of the user is matched with the mobile registered with Aadhaar, and UAN activation on EPFO portal simultaneously completed during generation process. At the time of employment, an employee can hand copy of the e-UAN card PDF and UAN to the employer for onboarding with the EPFO. Access to EPFO services such as passbook viewing, KYC updates, claim submission, and more is immediately unlocked. Last week, the government announced two key reforms in the EPFO claim settlement process. The EPFO dispensed with the requirement of uploading an image of a cheque leaf or attested bank passbook while filing online claims, which would benefit over 7.7 crore members. The EPFO also removed the requirement of employer approval after bank verification. Mumbai, April 9 : Actress Simaran Kaur met with an unfortunate accident while shooting for her television show "Jamai No. 1". She twisted her ankle during the filming of an action sequence but displayed sheer professionalism by continuing to shoot despite the injury. Recalling the incident, Simaran shared, "We were shooting an action sequence and in the middle of the shot, I lost my balance and ended up twisting my ankle. The pain was immediate and sharp. For a moment, I couldnat even stand properly." Simaran decided not to halt the shoot despite the discomfort. "In daily soaps, we work with tight schedules and there's always a clock ticking. I knew I had to push through, and I didnat want to hold up the team. Thankfully, I could manage the pain and continue with the support of everyone around me," she added. Praising the production team for their quick response to the situation, the actress stated, "I am extremely grateful to the production house. They acted swiftly and called a doctor on set almost immediately. I received treatment and the necessary first aid without any delay, which helped reduce the swelling and pain." Simaran believes that challenges like these come with the territory of being an actor. "People often think acting is all glamour, but behind the scenes, itas a lot of hard work, long hours, and sometimes even physical strain. Injuries happen, and it's part of the journey. I believe that when you love your work, you find the strength to keep going," she went on to add. Following the medical advice, Simaran is currently using a bandage and cold compresses in between shots to deal with the pain. She revealed, "Iam being extra cautious now. The team has adjusted my scenes slightly to ensure I donat put too much pressure on the ankle. Everyoneas been very understanding and supportive." Dhanbad, April 9 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday conducted raids at three locations in Nirsa and Chirkunda areas of Dhanbad district in Jharkhand and seized a large cache of illegal explosives, officials said. One person has been detained and is currently being questioned in connection with the case. The Jharkhand police said the NIA's Kolkata unit acted on intelligence inputs regarding the illegal supply and trade of explosives from the Dhanbad coal belt to other parts of the country. During the raid, the agency recovered hundreds of kgs of ammonium nitrate packed in 50 boxes, along with a substantial number of gelatine sticks -- commonly used in blasts -- from a house located in a secluded area of Boria village under the Kalubathan Out Post. The NIA team also raided the residence of Amarjeet Sharma in Layekdih under Chirkunda Nagar Panchayat. His brother, Sanjay Sharma, was detained during the operation. Amarjeet Sharma, who is reportedly on the run, had allegedly converted an old warehouse -- earlier used for poultry farming -- into a storage unit for explosives. Villagers say the warehouse had remained unused for years after its roof was blown off in a storm, and they were unaware of any activity taking place there since. According to Jharkhand Police, an NIA official said the case has serious implications for national security. "Those involved in this illegal explosives trade may have links with several gangs across the country. We are also probing possible connections with anti-national elements," the official said. Local police assisted in the raids, and a manhunt is underway to nab Amarjeet Sharma, who is believed to have fled upon learning of the operation. The agency is also investigating whether there is a link between the explosives seized in Dhanbad and those recovered during anti-Maoist operations in Jharkhandas West Singhbhum district in recent months. Panaji, April 9 : Rohan Khaunte, Minister of Tourism for Government of Goa, talked about the home stay policies, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Viksit Bharat' through "Yuva Shakti and Mahila Shakti." Panaji, April 9 (IANS) Rohan Khaunte, Minister of Tourism for Government of Goa, talked about the home stay policies, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Viksit Bharat' through "Yuva Shakti and Mahila Shakti." At the launch of the guide book Goa unseen, by Airbnb, in collaboration with the Goa Tourism Department, Khaunte said: "One of our initiatives, which we thought of, with our Prime Minister talking about Viksit Bharat, we built around the four pillars, we picked up two pillars, in terms of the tourism sector, largely. " "One is the Yuva Shakti, second is the Mahila Shakti. From that Mahila Shakti, we thought of getting the whole idea of the homestay policies being stitched around," he said. "And the homestays policies are, today, empowering women, talking about tourism being inclusive. We are talking about homestays, which are in the rural area, where we are talking about tourism being inclusive, more in the rural sector, where we are able to build a new story. And as we started this, this is where Airbnb initially came in." He added: "They were the first to come in and collaborate. So, heartiest congratulations to you guys for having come with a think tank, thinking about a policy which every state makes. Unless we collaborate, complement each other, we cannot move ahead." He said: "It is always said that the government can be a facilitator, we cannot come into the line of business. So, we need to be there facilitating policies. But there needs to be somebody coming in that area of putting those SOPs right, ensuring the skilling, upskilling metrics is right, ensuring that they are marketed properly and we build up a new story." Ahmedabad, April 9 : Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to establish a new campus in Dubai. The formal agreement was exchanged between Professor Bharat Bhasker, Director of IIMA, and His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism. The exchange ceremony took place in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE; and Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry. Speaking on the occasion, Professor Bhasker highlighted the strategic significance of the partnership: "The IIMA Dubai campus represents a major milestone in our journey towards becoming a globally recognised management institution. With Dubai's dynamic business environment and world-class infrastructure, we aim to nurture leaders who can thrive in complex global markets." The IIMA Dubai campus will be located within the Dubai International Academic City (DIAC), a leading regional hub for higher education that brings together a vibrant multicultural student population and world-class infrastructure. The move marks IIMA's first international foray and reinforces India's growing educational footprint abroad. The first programme to be launched at the Dubai campus will be a full-time One-year MBA, designed specifically for global working professionals and entrepreneurs. Structured across five academic terms, the programme promises rigorous academic training, skill enhancement, and international exposure. The initiative aims to bridge the growing demand for executive-level education in the Middle East and surrounding regions. India currently has 21 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), spread across different states, making up a robust network of premier public business schools offering postgraduate, doctoral, and executive management programmes. These institutes were established by the Central government with the aim of developing world-class leaders and managers through high-quality education, research, and training. The oldest and most renowned IIMs, often referred to as the first generation, include IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Calcutta, and IIM Bangalore, established in the 1960s and 1970s. These are considered the "top three" in the IIM ecosystem and are globally recognised. IIM Lucknow, established in 1984, followed by IIM Kozhikode and IIM Indore in 1996, form the second tier of the older IIMs. These institutes have built strong reputations in various domains such as HR, operations, entrepreneurship, and finance. Notably, IIM Indore introduced the five-year Integrated Programme in Management (IPM), which combines undergraduate and postgraduate studies. In the 20082011 phase, the government established several second-generation IIMs to expand access to management education. These include IIM Shillong, IIM Rohtak, IIM Ranchi, IIM Raipur, IIM Tiruchirappalli, IIM Udaipur, and IIM Kashipur. Each of these institutions has carved a niche for itselffor instance, IIM Shillong is known for its focus on sustainability, while IIM Udaipur has gained attention for its emphasis on global exposure and academic rigor. Sindh, April 9 : In a major disappointment with Pakistan's Sindh government, the Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association (SPLA) announced a protest movement to address several issues faced by college teachers. The sit-in demonstration will be held on April 15 in Sukkur, April 17 in Hyderabad and April 22 in Karachi, local media reported. Sindh, April 9 (IANS) In a major disappointment with Pakistanas Sindh government, the Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association (SPLA) announced a protest movement to address several issues faced by college teachers. The sit-in demonstration will be held on April 15 in Sukkur, April 17 in Hyderabad and April 22 in Karachi, local media reported. Asserting that college teachers in Sindh are being consistently ignored, SPLAas central President Munawar Abbas and Secretary General Ghulam Mustafa Kaka, along with other leaders, said that despite several written requests to the Minister of Education in Sindh, no action has been taken, forcing them to take to the streets. They slammed the provincial government stating that while teachers from the primary to university levels have been upgraded, college teachers have not been given any importance. The SPLA leaders detailed 14 demands in the charter of the protest movement. These demands include granting college teachers in Sindh a five-tier formula similar to that of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, providing promotion opportunities and issuing health cards for college education staff. Additional demands include reconstruction of colleges, provision of modern digital classrooms, preparation of a permanent transfer and posting policy and strengthening of laws to prevent attacks on colleges, Pakistanas leading daily Dawn reported. Furthermore, the leaders stated that the protest movement aims to secure the rights of college teachers and improve the educational system. Earlier, rounds of protests erupted in universities across the Sindh province as there was a stand-off between the provincial government and university teachers over the formeras plan to appoint bureaucrats as Vice-Chancellors of public sector universities. The protesting faculty contended that appointing bureaucrats as university heads would not only undermine academic freedom and excellence but also expose universities to increased political interference. Despite strong opposition from academic circles, including the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, the Sindh Assembly passed the Sindh Universities and Institutes Law (Amendment) Act, 2025, on February 1. In response, university teachers promptly launched their protest, boycotting classes and suspending academic activities to voice their dissent, The Express Tribune reported. Chennai, April 9 : The Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Wing has issued a public advisory, warning citizens about the rising misuse of AI-generated Ghibli-style art, which has recently become a tool for cybercriminals. Officials have noted a growing number of cases where individuals unknowingly compromise their personal information by uploading selfies or personal photos to platforms that transform them into animations mimicking the iconic Ghibli aesthetic. While these AI tools may appear to offer harmless fun, authorities caution that they often pose serious threats to user privacy and data security. Cybersecurity experts revealed that several of these platforms collect and store users' biometric data - such as facial features - without clear or informed consent. Once uploaded, users typically lose control over how their images are stored, shared, or potentially misused. "People often fail to realise the magnitude of the risk involved," said an official from the Cyber Crime Wing. "These images can be manipulated for deepfakes or other forms of synthetic media, leading to serious misuse." The department also flagged the growing number of unofficial websites and digital platforms distributing Ghibli-style AI images. Many of these sites, often offering free artwork or custom animations, are believed to serve as fronts for cybercriminal activity. Users who access or download content from such sources risk exposing their devices to malware, ransomware, or viruses - threats that could result in identity theft or severe data breaches. A particularly alarming trend involves scammers leveraging the popularity of Ghibli visuals to launch phishing attacks. These fraudsters often run fake contests, giveaways, or download links to trick users into providing sensitive personal or financial information. Authorities have already received reports of financial fraud and unauthorised access to online accounts linked to such scams. In light of these developments, the Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Wing urges the public to remain vigilant. Citizens are advised not to upload personal photos to unverified platforms and to avoid clicking on suspicious links. Additionally, users should ensure their devices are protected with updated security software. The department is actively monitoring the situation and plans to launch awareness campaigns to help educate the public about the evolving tactics employed by cybercriminals in the digital age. Bhubaneswar, April 9 : Odisha Commissionerate Police has registered cases against around 5,000 Congress workers and leaders in connection with the "violent scuffle" with police at Gandhi Marg in Lower PMG area in Bhubaneswar during the protest rally organised by the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on March 27. Bhubaneswar, April 9 (IANS) Odisha Commissionerate Police has registered cases against around 5,000 Congress workers and leaders in connection with the "violent scuffle" with police at Gandhi Marg in Lower PMG area in Bhubaneswar during the protest rally organised by the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on March 27. The Congress leaders include OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das, Congress MLAs Tara Prasad Bahinipati, Ramesh Chandra Jena, Rama Chandra Kadam, Pabitra Saunta, Sagar Charan Das, Prafulla Chandra Pradhan, Mangu Khila, CS Raazen Ekka, Ex-MLAs Md Mokim and Suresh Chandra Routray. The Congress had called for a rally to gherao Odisha Vidhan Sabha in protest against the alleged rise in the cases of atrocities against women in the state under the BJP rule. DCP Bhubaneswar, Jagmohan Meena, on Wednesday told IANS that so far three persons have been arrested in the case. The DCP further stated that police will take action against those protestors who will be found involved in the violence during the course of the investigation. As per the FIR, on March 27, the members of Congress from various parts of the state came to Gandhi Marg in procession from different sides of Bhubaneswar City. It added that a meeting was organised at the Gandhi Marg, where the Congress leaders reportedly gave anti-government speeches and made inflammatory speeches. The police said instigated by such inflammatory speeches, the workers gathered there turned violent and tried to break the police cordon and move towards the state Assembly building. "They also turned violent and pelted eggs, stones, tomatoes, and plastic chairs towards the police," an official said. He added that the police first warned the Congress workers not to take the law into their own hands, but they did not listen. He said that police later used water cannons, tear gas to disperse the "violent" workers. On March 27, more than 50 people, including many police officials, sustained injuries during the face-off between the supporters of the Congress and security forces during the protest rally in Bhubaneswar over women's safety. Ahmedabad, April 9 : The Congress Party's political gathering on the banks of the Sabarmati River was more than just a routine session -- it was a symbolic return to the soil that shaped one of its greatest leaders, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The two-day All India Congress Committee (AICC) meet in Ahmedabad was a calculated effort to reassert the party's connection to Patel's enduring legacy in Gujarat -- a legacy that has, over the years, been overshadowed by rival political narratives. On the 150th birth anniversary of Patel and the 75th year of his death, the Congress adopted a detailed resolution titled "Flag Bearer of Freedom Movement -- Our Sardar -- Vallabhbhai Patel". It paid tribute not only to Patel's achievements as India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister but also sought to reclaim the ideological ground he represented -- a ground Congress claims has been misappropriated in recent years. "We are here not just to remember Sardar Patel but to remind the country of the values he truly stood for -- secularism, unity, and inclusive nation-building," said Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge during the proceedings. "There is an attempt to distort history. Patel was a Gandhian first and foremost." The location itself held immense significance. The Sabarmati Ashram and the nearby Sardar Smarak are both soaked in the memories of India's freedom struggle. It was from these very lands that Gandhi and Patel began many of their revolutionary campaigns -- Kheda, Bardoli, and Salt Satyagraha. These echoes were not lost on the Congress Working Committee (CWC) members, who gathered in full force, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, determined to draw strength from the past in order to reposition their party for the future. Born in 1875 in Nadiad, Gujarat, Vallabhbhai Patel rose from a humble agrarian background. Trained as a barrister in London, he returned to India not to pursue a lucrative legal career, but to serve the nation. His leadership during the Kheda Satyagraha of 1918, where he fought for the rights of farmers against unjust British taxes during a famine, marked his arrival on the national stage. It was in Bardoli, however, that he earned the title "Sardar" for his steely resolve and organizational skill. Post-Independence, Patel's role in uniting over 560 princely states into the Indian Union stands as one of the greatest feats of modern diplomacy. He was pragmatic yet principled, tough yet deeply rooted in Gandhian thought. "There is something unique in this soil, which despite many obstacles has always remained the abode of great souls," Patel once said of Gujarat -- a statement that resonates today as Congress tries to re-anchor itself here. For the Congress, reclaiming Patel is not just about historical memory but also about political correction. Over the last two decades, the BJP has actively invoked Patel's legacy, often setting him in contrast to Nehru, to further its ideological goals. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has frequently projected Patel as the true architect of modern India, culminating in the unveiling of the Statue of Unity in Kevadia in 2018 -- the tallest statue in the world. This appropriation has left the Congress on the defensive, even though Patel was one of its most committed leaders. The AICC resolution attempts to set the record straight. It highlights Patel's commitment to secularism, his deep opposition to communalism, and his efforts to safeguard India's democratic fabric -- elements that stand in stark contrast to the narratives currently projected in his name. The resolution also makes a broader ideological point. It reminds that Patel banned the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the wake of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination in 1948, and emphasized the importance of constitutional values over religious identity in public life. "The values Patel fought for are the very values we must protect today -- values that are being systematically eroded," said senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh during the session. The state of Gujarat holds a complex relationship with the Congress. Once a stronghold of the party, Gujarat has not seen a Congress government since 1995. The rise of the BJP has been meteoric, and it has anchored much of its success in Gujarat around cultural pride, development politics, and historical symbolism. Patel has played a central role in this narrative. For Congress, returning to Gujarat is not merely a symbolic gesture -- it is an urgent political necessity. The Sabarmati meet also comes at a time when the party is trying to rebuild its cadre, forge grassroots connections, and counter the BJP's domination ahead of the 2024 elections. The Congress hopes that invoking Patel -- truthfully and contextually -- will help realign it with the people of Gujarat, many of whom still regard Patel with deep reverence. In its resolution, Congress has made a conscious effort to align Patel's values with its contemporary political vision -- defending federalism, resisting authoritarianism, and rebuilding trust in democratic institutions. The resolution doesn't just stop at the past; it offers a blueprint for ideological struggle, emphasizing economic justice, secular governance, and constitutional morality. Whether this will translate into electoral success in Gujarat remains uncertain. But what is clear is that Congress is no longer willing to cede Patel's legacy without a fight. As the sun set over the Sabarmati on the final day of the convention, party workers lit diyas in the name of unity and remembered Patel not just as the "Iron Man of India" but as a Gandhian nationalist whose real strength lay in bringing people together, not dividing them. For a party seeking revival, his legacy may well be the path forward. Jammu, April 9 : J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said on Wednesday that a man is closest to God only when his heart is filled with goodwill. The Lieutenant Governor attended the 'Navkar Mahamantra Divas' celebration at Raj Bhavan here on Wednesday. The Lieutenant Governor extended his felicitations to the citizens from different walks of life, members of the Jain International Trade Organisation and numerous other organisations and senior officials who have joined together for the collective recitation of the sacred Navkar Mahamantra. "For thousands of years, several significant 'Mantras' have guided the path of seekers and devotees. Among them, Navkar Mahamantra's aura and essence of divinity are unique," the Lieutenant Governor said. L-G Sinha observed that Navkar Mahamantra -- the most revered and universal chant -- inspires inner transformation and fosters spiritual awakening. "Where there is love and harmony, there is God. It is true power. A man is closest to God when his heart is filled with goodwill. It is my firm belief that the most precious assets of society are love, harmony, peace and compassion. A person full of these qualities can uplift humanity," he stated. "I believe that the true meaning of life lies in self-discovery. When we know ourselves then one thing becomes clear that God has not given this life for small things, but there is a big purpose behind it, and that is selfless service to society and welfare of all living beings," the Lieutenant Governor said. In a global initiative, people from more than 108 countries participated in the 'Navkar Mahamantra Divas' celebration, promoting peace and universal harmony. The occasion also encourages all individuals to reflect on the values of self-purification, tolerance, and collective well-being. Prominent members of the community attended the celebrations, including Anand Jain, ADGP (Jammu), Rajeev Jain, north India advisor of Jain international trade organisations and a large number of other community members. Ranchi, April 9 : The Jharkhand High Court has directed the state government to take necessary steps to preserve Parasnath Hill -- a sacred pilgrimage site for Jains -- in accordance with their religious beliefs and traditions. The directive came during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Jain organization 'Jyot'. A division bench led by Chief Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao instructed that a joint team comprising members of the District Legal Services Authority, state government representatives, and the petitioner visit the site and submit a report on its current condition. The court said it will pass an interim order after examining the findings. Representing the petitioners, advocates argued that Parasnath Hill is the nirvana bhoomi (place of liberation) of several Jain Tirthankaras and holds immense religious significance for Jain followers across India and abroad. They alleged that in recent years, the sanctity of the site has been compromised due to the sale of liquor and meat, encroachments, and unauthorised constructions. They also objected to eggs being served in nearby Anganwadi centres and raised concerns about the government's push to promote the area as a tourist destination, which they claimed could further erode its spiritual environment. "The government has failed to curb these activities which hurt Jain sentiments," the petitioners told the court, citing a January 5, 2023, notification by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change urging preservation of the site in alignment with Jain traditions. Appearing for the state, Advocate General Rajeev Ranjan said the government is sensitive to the concerns of all religious communities, including Jains. He told the bench that measures are already being taken to stop the sale of meat and prevent encroachment around the sacred site. "The government is committed to ensuring that religious sentiments are respected, and necessary steps will continue to be taken," he said. Senior advocate Darius Khambata, along with advocates Indrajit Sinha, Khushboo Kataruka, and Shubham Kataruka, appeared on behalf of the petitioner. Chandigarh, April 9 : Self-styled pastor Jashan Gill, who has been accused of raping a 22-year-old BCA student and later forced her to undergo an abortion that eventually claimed her life in 2023, surrendered in a trial court in Gurdaspur town of Punjab on Wednesday. The victimas father alleged that the pastor lured her daughter with false promise, raped her and arranged botched up abortion, resulting in severe complications. A day earlier, the brother and sister of the accused were arrested by the police. The victimas father also blamed the police for indulging in corruption, saying the pastor had bribed officials and that was the reason he had not been arrested. "The police have not arrested Gill. He roams freely even though this incident occurred in 2023. The police take money from him," the victimas father was quoted as saying. He also accused Gill of making threats to his life on several occasions. The father had approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking a CBI inquiry into the case. Gillas surrender comes days after a Mohali court sentenced another self-styled pastor, Bajinder Singh, 42, to life imprisonment in a 2018 sexual harassment case. The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Vikrant Kumar had pronounced the verdict in the case where a woman alleged that pastor Bajinder Singh, the 'Yeshu Yeshu Prophet', had established non-consensual sexual relations with her on the pretext of taking her abroad. The court held Bajinder Singh, 42, who is based in Jalandhar, guilty on March 28. Baljinder Singh, known for claiming to heal ailments through miracles, appeared before the court on Monday, after which the verdict was reserved. In 2022, Bajinder Singh was accused of taking money from a Delhi family for treating their daughter for her illness, but she could not be saved. Mumbai, April 9 : Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday directed the administration to implement a comprehensive project to strengthen various health institutions ranging from sub-centres to referral hospitals across the state on a "mission mode" with the support of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). He was speaking at the meeting that he chaired to review the ongoing projects of the Medical Education and Public Health Departments in collaboration with ADB. According to the government release, construction is underway for the Alibag and Sindhudurg general hospitals. "Hospitals in Amravati, Washim, and Dharashiv are at the tender stage. A network of Centers of Excellence is being developed to enhance quality, with Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) as the central 'hub' and seven proposed 'spokes'," the release added. A Health Management Information System (HMIS) is also under development. Equipment is being procured for Satara, Chandrapur government hospitals, and Sir JJ Super Specialty Hospital. Institutions related to organ donation and transplantation are also being set up. The Chief Minister said that the Central government has introduced a National Cancer Care Policy, and in line with this, an effective protocol should be established for cancer diagnosis and referral services. The treatment framework should include chemotherapy and radiation therapy, with implementation within a specified timeframe. "The Departments of Medical Education and Public Health have been instructed to prepare a comprehensive project report to strengthen healthcare institutions. Innovative solutions must be adopted to ensure the delivery of quality healthcare services to citizens," he added. He further mentioned that new government medical colleges are being established across the state, with corresponding district hospitals being affiliated to these institutions. At locations with a high population and patient load, instructions have been given to establish independent hospitals. CM Fadnavis emphasised the need to assess the requirement for separate hospitals under the Medical Education Department in districts where government medical colleges are operational. A detailed planning and classification must be done to identify necessary hospitals and potential sites for new hospitals for both the Medical Education and Public Health departments. He specifically directed that a hospital under the Medical Education Department be established in Dharashiv. Additionally, he suggested verifying the feasibility of making it mandatory for students admitted to postgraduate medical courses to serve in government hospitals for a specified period after completing their education. Bengaluru, April 9 : The Karnataka government has extended the term of the retired judge John Michael D'Cunha-led Inquiry Commission to investigate the alleged irregularities and scams during the Covid-19 procurement period till July 31. The Commission has sought an extension as its term ended on March 31. Nagaraju. S, the Under Secretary to the government of Karnataka, issued the order on Wednesday in this regard. The order mentions that the term of the commission has been extended in connection with investigating the incident of deaths due to non-availability of oxygen at the Chamarajanagar District Hospital. Twenty-four Covid-19 patients, who were being treated at Chamarajanagar district hospital, allegedly died due to lack of oxygen on May 2 and 3, 2021. The investigation revealed that the alleged shortage of oxygen occurred due to the failure of the district administration in general and the hospital authorities in particular. The retired judge John Michael DaCunha had submitted the second interim report on the Covid scam to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on April 5. The report comprises a total of 1,808 pages. This is the second of a total of seven interim volumes, out of which four volumes pertain to the irregularities and scams that took place within the jurisdiction of the BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike). Separate volumes detail the irregularities related to BBMP's Bommanahalli Zone, South Zone, West Zone, and Yelahanka Zone. The remaining three volumes cover irregularities in Bengaluru Urban District, Bengaluru Rural District, and the districts of Gadag and Koppal. The interim report was officially handed over to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Chief Secretary to the government, Shalini Rajneesh, was also present on the occasion. The Congress-led government in Karnataka, headed by Siddaramaiah, had also handed over the Covid 'scam' investigation to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on February 14, two months after lodging an FIR. The team headed by CID SP Raghavendra Hegde and three Deputy SPs are investigating the "scam" which allegedly occurred during the tenure of the previous BJP government. The FIR was lodged regarding the Covid scam in Vidhana Soudha police station on December 13, 2024, against senior officials and staff. The Congress government hinted at action against former CM B.S. Yediyurappa, former Health Minister B. Sriramulu and BJP MP K. Sudhakar. The government had also formed a special cabinet sub-committee headed by Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar to look into the report by the Commission headed by the High Court Justice John Michael D'Cunha formed by the Congress government and give recommendations. Shivakumar had announced that "officials are conducting an investigation based on the recommendations of Justice Michael Cunha's committee on Covid management-related irregularities. Those who embezzled Covid funds will not be spared". Sanaa, April 9 : Yemen's Houthis have shot down another US MQ-9 drone, the 18th since the start of the war in Gaza, the military group said on Wednesday. "Our air defences shot down a US MQ-9 drone in the airspace of Al-Jawf province, using a locally manufactured surface-to-air missile," the group's spokesperson, Yahya Sarea, said in a televised statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV. "This is the 18th US drone shot down by our air defenses since October 2023," Sarea said, referring to the timeframe when his group began launching attacks against Israeli targets to show solidarity with Palestinians a few days after the outbreak of war in Gaza on October 7, 2023. The last MQ-9 was reportedly shot down by the Houthi forces on Thursday over the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah. This type of drone has become well-known to Yemenis because it has been hovering overhead across northern Yemeni provinces almost daily since October 2023, Xinhua news agency reported. "We will continue to support the Palestinian people until the aggression on Gaza stops and the siege is lifted," the spokesperson said, vowing also to continue launching attacks against US warships in the northern Red Sea in response to the ongoing US airstrikes against Houthi positions. The Houthi statement came a few hours after the US military conducted 50 airstrikes late Tuesday against Houthi targets in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, Hodeidah, and the provinces of Marib, Dhamar, and Ibb, according to the Houthi television. The death toll from Tuesday's airstrikes on Hodeidah's residential neighbourhood rose to six, including a pregnant woman, with 16 others wounded, mostly children and women, according to a statement by local health authorities. On March 15, the US military resumed airstrikes on Houthi targets in a bid to deter the group from targeting Israel, following the collapse of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. Koderma, April 9 : At least nine schoolgirls fainted after lightning struck St. Maurya School in Markacho in Jharkhand's Koderma district on Wednesday, officials said. The incident triggered panic among the students and teachers on the school campus, prompting immediate medical attention and an administrative inquiry. The girls, who were playing in the school premises during a light afternoon drizzle, fell unconscious following a loud lightning strike within the campus. They were rushed to the community health centre at the Markacho block headquarters, where doctors gave them first aid and said all nine are out of danger. Eyewitnesses said the sound of the strike caused chaos, with other students screaming in fear. Teachers and area residents quickly responded, and the injured girls were taken to the hospital in a school van. Following the incident, the district administration ordered an investigation and assured the local community that the school's safety infrastructure would be reviewed. St. Maurya School, located in Lalkipani village under Paplo Panchayat, has been temporarily closed. Preliminary findings revealed that the school lacked a lightning conductor, which is mandated for educational institutions as a safety measure. Officials also found that the schoolas infrastructure did not meet the required standards. Jharkhand is among the six states identified by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) as highly vulnerable to lightning strikes. In 2008, after a similar tragedy at a Ranchi school, the state government had ordered the installation of lightning conductors in all government schools -- a directive that has hardly been implemented. While rules also mandate lightning protection for private schools, enforcement has been lax. Lightning is classified as a specific disaster in Jharkhand. In 2019, the Disaster Management Department introduced an SMS alert system, but its effectiveness is limited due to poor mobile network coverage and many users not enabling location services on their phones. New Delhi, April 9 : The proverbial long arm of the law has eventually caught up with Pakistani-Canadian businessman Tahawwur Hussain Rana, the co-conspirator of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that killed 165 people and wounded over 300 in 2008. The extradition of Rana, wanted in India for helping childhood friend, Pakistan-American David Coleman Headley found guilty by a US jury of scoping out the targets hit by Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT) terrorists in 2008, is a result of untiring efforts made by Indian security agencies over the past decade and spotlights the country's rising stature along with its negotiating power on the global stage. Although he was acquitted by a US jury of providing material support for the attacks, Rana was found guilty of two other charges for which he was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison. Due to failing health in the aftermath of the Covid-19 epidemic, he was ordered to be released from jail but rearrested for extradition to India. Headley, on the other hand, had secured himself a guarantee against extradition in a plea deal with US authorities. Earlier this week, the US Supreme Court rejected Rana's petition to stop his extradition to India to face legal consequences for his role in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Rana had been in a US prison in Los Angeles for plotting a terror attack on Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. Though the Chicago court in the US had held him guilty in 2011 for supporting Lashkar, the globally banned terror group, it had acquitted him in the Mumbai terror attacks case. However, in 2013, India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) charged Rana, in absentia, in a Delhi court and sentenced him to 14 years in jail. Since then, the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi intensified efforts to get him extradited to India. Investigators in India always believed that Rana is a "bigger catch" than Headley and his extradition to India will be a huge success for India's counter-terror grid. Rana and Headley were arrested in the US in 2009 for plotting attacks on the offices of the Danish newspaper, which had published cartoons of Prophet Mohammad. Born in 1961, Rana, a former doctor who served in the Pakistani Army, had immigrated to Canada and turned into an immigration service businessman. Before the terror attacks, he had travelled to Mumbai and stayed at the Taj Hotel, one of the dozen places the Lashkar suicide squad attacked in a coordinated manner on November 26, 2008. His friend David Coleman Headley (born Dawood Sayed Gilani) had pleaded guilty in the Mumbai terror attacks case and was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison in 2013. But his plea that he should not be extradited to India, Pakistan or Denmark was accepted by the US court. In February, during Prime Minister Modi's landmark visit to Washington, US President Donald Trump's declaration to extradite Rana to India was widely welcomed and seen as the United States standing behind the country in its fight against acts of terror, mostly emanating from Pakistan. Trump, during a joint presser with PM Modi said, "I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters and one of the very evil people of the world. A key accused of the horrific 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, he will be going back to India to face justice". Interestingly, the acquittal of terrorist Rana in 2011 by a Chicago court was called out by PM Modi while he was serving as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. "How can courts in America give judgment for a terrorist attack that happened in India? Would they allow the trial of 9/11 accused in India?" PM Modi had asked then, warning that such actions could be exploited by other terror elements across the world to evade justice, leading to a dangerous precedent. After Rana's acquittal by the US court in 2011, the then Gujarat CM had also slammed the UPA government for mishandling Rana's case, leading to his reprieve. New Delhi, April 9 : The government on Wednesday okayed the modernisation of command area development and water management (M-CADWM) as a sub-scheme of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) with an initial total outlay of Rs 1,600 crore in FY26. The projects will be made sustainable by Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT) to the Water User Society (WUS) for management of irrigation assets, according to the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The water user societies will be given handholding support for linking them with existing economic entities like Farmers Producer Organisations (FPOs) or a Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) for five years. The youth will also be attracted to farming, to adopt the modern method of irrigation. The scheme aims for modernisation of the irrigation water supply network to supply of irrigation water from existing canals or other sources in a designated cluster. According to a Cabinet statement, it will make robust backend infrastructure for micro-irrigation by farmers from an established source to the farm gate up to 1 hectare with underground pressurised piped irrigation. "The use of SCADA, Internet of Things technology will be used for water accounting and water management. This will increase the Water Use Efficiency (WUE) at the farm level, increase agriculture production & productivity; and thereby increase the income of farmers," the government said. According to the Cabinet, the initial approval is for taking up pilot projects across various agroclimatic zones in the country by challenge funding to the states. Based on the learnings in design and structuring of these projects, the National Plan for Command Area Development and Water Management will be launched starting from April 2026 for the 16th Finance Commission period, it added. Late last month, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the inclusion of the Kosi Mechi Intra-State Link Project of Bihar under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana-Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (PMKSY-AIBP). The CCEA also approved Central support of Rs 3,652.56 crore to Bihar for completion of the project by March 2029, at an estimated cost of Rs 6,282.32 crore. New Delhi, April 9 : India on Wednesday once again raised concerns over the persecution of minorities in Bangladesh, hoping that the interim government in the country led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus will take strong action against the perpetrators of violence. Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised the issue of safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, during his meeting with Yunus, held on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok. "On the question of minorities, this particular issue came up for discussion. We have conveyed our concerns regarding the treatment of minorities and the kind of violence that has happened against them. We have been raising this in several of our conversations, including our meeting in Bangkok, that this violence and atrocities against minorities cannot simply be wished away or dismissed as political reasons or media agitations. We hope that the Bangladesh government will take strong action against those responsible for these atrocities," Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said during a weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Wednesday. The Bangkok meeting was the first in-person meeting between the two leaders since the ouster of the Awami League government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and formation of the interim government under the leadership of Yunus in the neighbouring country, last August. During the discussions, Prime Minister Modi had urged that any rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided and expressed his conviction that all issues of mutual interest between the two countries would continue to be addressed and resolved bilaterally through constructive discussions in the interest of the long standing bilateral relationship between the two countries. "Prime Minister also underlined India's concerns related to the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, and expressed his expectation that the government of Bangladesh would ensure their security, including by thoroughly investigating all cases of atrocities committed against them," said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri after the BIMSTEC Summit. During the meeting, PM Modi reiterated India's support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. He also underlined that India believes in a people-centric approach to the relationship and highlighted the cooperation between the two countries over a long period of time that has delivered tangible benefits to people of both countries. "In this spirit, he once again underlined to Prof Yunus India's desire to forge a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh based on the spirit of pragmatism. The Prime Minister also urged that any rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided. "On the border, strict enforcement of the law and prevention of illegal border crossings, especially at night, is necessary for maintaining border security and stability. There are a number of mechanisms between the two countries and these mechanisms could meet as appropriate to review and take forward our ties," remarked Foreign Secretary Misri. -- IANS int/as Sanaa, April 9 : The death toll from overnight US airstrikes on Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah has risen to eight, including a pregnant woman, with 16 others injured, local health authorities said in a statement early on Wednesday. The majority of the victims were women and children, according to the statement. The tragedy occurred when US military warplanes struck homes in the Amin Muqbil residential neighborhood late Tuesday night, according to health authorities and local residents, who also shared video footage on social media following the airstrikes. These strikes on Hodeidah were part of a broader series of 50 US airstrikes across northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa and the provinces of Amran, Dhamar and Ibb, as reported by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV. The strikes specifically targetted telephone network facilities in Amran and Ibb, residents from those areas said. This marks the latest round of US airstrikes since March 15, when the US resumed attacks aimed at deterring the Houthi group from targeting Israel following the collapse of the Gaza ceasefire deal, Xinhua news agency reported. In a similar attack on Sunday night, US airstrikes hit a house in Sanaa, killing four children and injuring 25 others, with several nearby buildings also damaged. Earlier in the day, Yemen's Houthis said that they have shot down another US MQ-9 drone, the 18th since the start of the war in Gaza, the military group said. "Our air defences shot down a US MQ-9 drone in the airspace of Al-Jawf province, using a locally manufactured surface-to-air missile," the group's spokesperson, Yahya Sarea, said in a televised statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV. "This is the 18th US drone shot down by our air defenses since October 2023," Sarea said, referring to the timeframe when his group began launching attacks against Israeli targets to show solidarity with Palestinians a few days after the outbreak of war in Gaza on October 7, 2023. The last MQ-9 was reportedly shot down by the Houthi forces on Thursday over the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah. This type of drone has become well-known to Yemenis because it has been hovering overhead across northern Yemeni provinces almost daily since October 2023. Jaipur, April 9 : The Union government has taken a serious note of the drinking water crisis in Rajasthan following former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's sharp criticism. In response, the Centre has demanded an immediate and detailed report from the Rajasthan government. Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil posted on social media, "Vasundhara Raje's concern regarding the water crisis in Jhalawar has been taken seriously. A factual report has been sought from the Rajasthan government." Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje had recently visited several areas in Jhalawar district, where she reprimanded officials over the ongoing water crisis. During her visit to Raipur town, she expressed dissatisfaction over the administration's inaction, saying: "Does the public not feel thirsty? Only the officers feel thirsty? The people are suffering due to the drinking water crisis in this scorching summer, while the officials remain indifferent. Water should reach the people, not just exist on paper. The officers are asleep, the people are crying. I will not let this continue." Reacting to the situation, Leader of the Opposition Tika Ram Jully posted on social media, "When even a former Chief Minister feels helpless, what must be the condition of the common man?" Vasundhara Raje also demanded transparency regarding the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission. "The Prime Minister has allocated Rs 42,000 crore for the Jal Jeevan Mission. Provide a detailed account, how much of Jhalawar's share has been used, and where? Our government is committed to resolving the water crisis, but implementation at the ground level is lacking. The people of Rajasthan are still suffering. If this is the situation in April, what will happen in June and July?" she said. Deepak Jha, Superintending Engineer (SE), PHED Project, acknowledged the situation, saying that significant work has been done in the district, and wherever there are shortcomings, efforts are underway to fix them. "Most of the work is near completion, though tenders for the Parwan Akavad project are still pending," he said. However, visibly displeased, the former Chief Minister warned, "Do not test the patience of the people." Thiruvananthapuram, April 9 : Two prominent Kerala politicians and former film co-stars -- State Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar and Union Minister of State for Tourism Suresh Gopi -- are locked in a public spat that has spilled onto the streets. Both actors-turned-politicians, known for their fiery temperaments and sharp tongues, have acted together in several Malayalam films. But in real life, they are now on opposing political fronts -- and clashing openly. The latest row began after Suresh Gopi, who is also Lok Sabha MP from Thrissur, got into heated exchanges with the media. Gopi, for the last few days, has been in the news for his skirmishes with the media. Last week, he lost his cool when a reporter from CPI(M)-backed Kairali TV asked him a question. A day later, he asked journalists to leave the premises at a public function, further drawing criticism. Taking a swipe, State Minister Ganesh Kumar remarked that ever since Gopi played a police officer in a blockbuster film, he started keeping an IPS cap in the rear of his car. "Maybe it's time for someone to shout 'cut' on his act," Kumar quipped. Gopi's supporters responded by circulating an old video from 2014, in which the actor gifted that same police cap to a young boy who had been in the news after being assaulted. Gopi had fulfilled the boy's wish to meet him and joined in his birthday celebrations. Kumar wasn't impressed. "What should have been done was to auction that cap and give the proceeds to the boy. What will the child do with a police cap?" he retorted. The exchange sparked protests in Pathanapuram, Ganesh Kumar's constituency, where BJP workers marched to his official residence on Wednesday, shouting slogans and clashing with the police. The political theatrics between the two stars have added a dramatic twist to Kerala's political landscape, blending cinema and politics in true Kerala style. New Delhi, April 9 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received an invitation for participation in Russia's Victory Day celebrations next month, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Wednesday. "Our Prime Minister has received an invitation for the participation in the Victory Day celebrations. We will be announcing our participation in the Victory Day celebration at the appropriate time," Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said during a weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, Russian media reported that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to attend the celebrations next month. "[Singh's visit to Moscow for the parade] is possible," reported Russia's state-run news agency Tass, citing Indian government sources. The celebrations on Red Square in Moscow will mark the 80th anniversary of Russia's victory in the Great Patriotic War. "On Tuesday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko told journalists that Moscow was expecting Modi at the parade on May 9, and the visit was being worked out," reported Tass. The report indicated that participation of a ceremonial detachment of the Indian armed forces in the parade on Red Square is also being worked out. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has stated that many countries have confirmed their participation in the upcoming events on May 9 in Moscow, with invites going out to several foreign leaders from different countries and not just the CIS members. Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier invited Prime Minister Modi to attend the celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War in Moscow in May 2020. Last month, while citing that the political dialogue between India and Russia is "developing dynamically" and is facilitated by the fact that Moscow and New Delhi "have close or even coinciding views on the objectively emerging multipolar world order", Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that preparations are being made for Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming visit to India. "Relations between our countries have a long history. It can be said that they have stood the test of time more than once. Today, Russia and India are developing equal cooperation based on sincere, mutual respect and consideration of each other's interests," Lavrov told the participants of the first international conference 'Russia and India: Towards a New Agenda for Bilateral Relations' which was also addressed by External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar. "It is difficult to overestimate the contribution of our leaders to this process. It is symbolic that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his first bilateral foreign visit after his re-election last year to Russia. Now it is our turn. Russian President Vladimir Putin accepted the invitation of the head of the Indian government. The visit of the head of the Russian state to the Republic of India is being prepared," he added. Earlier, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov had confirmed that Putin is expected to visit India in early 2025 following an invitation from Prime Minister Modi. The visit is being planned as part of the ongoing commitment to annual meetings between the two leaders. "Our leaders have an agreement to meet once a year. This time, it is our turn," Ushakov had said during a press briefing. The last visit by the Russian President to India took place on December 6, 2021, during the 21st India-Russia Annual Summit in New Delhi. Meanwhile, PM Modi held two high-profile visits to Russia last year, attending the 22nd Russia-India Summit in July and later participated in the BRICS Summit held in Kazan in October. Madikeri, April 9 : Karnataka Leader of the Opposition (LoP) R. Ashoka claimed on Wednesday that Hindu workers are always killed whenever comes to power in the state. "Whenever Congress comes to power, workers of Hindu organisations get killed. Prashant Poojari, RSS's Raju, Rajesh Kotian, Praveen Poojari, Charan Poojari, Vishwanath - these are just a few of the many Hindu workers murdered by Muslim organisations like PFI and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI)," claimed the Karnataka LoP while addressing the Janakrosh Yatra in Madikeri city. He added that Vinay Somaiah, of Kodagu, has been harassed to the point of committing suicide, adding that targeting Hindus will not go on for long. "In Kodagu, during the earlier Tipu Jayanti celebrations, an elderly person Kuttappa was killed. The Congress government is trying to divide Hindus. Reservations have been given to Muslims in government contracts. If Chief Minister Siddaramaiah remains in power, he will hand over Karnataka to Pakistan," he further claimed. He also claimed that in the past, attacks by Muslims on Hindus used to happen in Jammu and Kashmir, adding that if Siddaramaiah continues as Chief Minister, Kodagu will also become like Kashmir. He alleged that even when young women are raped in the state, Home Minister G. Parameshwara says these incidents are routine, adding that police officers obey whatever Congress leaders tell them. "Police should not engage in such acts of hushing up crimes against Hindu workers and women for the sake of transfers or money," he claimed. He said that due to tax hikes and rising prices, people are suffering, adding that if ministers or Congress MLAs come to the public, they should be heckled. "The government wants people to say everything is fine even when there are no medicines in hospitals. Congress leaders want people to praise them and say it's a great hospital," he alleged. He added that Siddaramaiah has taken loans and burdened the people, claiming that no previous Chief Minister has ever taken on so much debt. "Siddaramaiah is sucking the blood of the people. Congress is collecting money from the people to provide guarantees," he alleged. New Delhi, April 9 : Giving no relief to expelled BJP UP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain his plea seeking bail or early disposal of his appeal pending before the Delhi High Court. A bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi dismissed the special leave petition seeking bail on the ground that Sengaras appeal pending before the Delhi HC was adjourned several times without any substantive progress. The Justice Narasimha-led Bench told Sengaras counsel that a bail order would not come to his rescue since he is serving a sentence in other cases. Without passing any direction in relation to the pending appeal, the apex court proceeded to dismiss Sengaras special leave petition. Sengar's appeal against the trial court's order in theUnnao rape case is pending before the Delhi High Court, with him having sought reliefs like quashing of the trial court's December 16, 2019 judgment, which convicted him, and the December 20, 2019 order sentencing him to imprisonment for the rest of his life. The trial court had convicted Sengar under various provisions of the IPC and also imposed a fine of Rs 25 lakh on him. Also, in March 2020, a special court sentenced Sengar, his brother Atul Singh and five others to 10 yearsa imprisonment in two cases linked to the death of the Unnao rape survivor's father in 2018. The court had held them guilty under various sections of the IPC for offences such as conspiracy, culpable homicide, disappearance of evidence, framing incorrect records, wrongfully restraining a person, and the Arms Act. The trial started on August 5, 2019, after the Supreme Court directed to transfer of all five cases related to the matter from Unnao to Delhi. The top court had directed that the trial be held on a daily basis and be completed within 45 days. Sengar was expelled from the BJP and disqualified as a member of the Assembly after the trial court convicted him. Chandigarh, April 9 : Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia on Wednesday slammed the AAP government over "deteriorating" law and order in Punjab, seeking a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the grenade blast at the residence of BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia in Jalandhar city. Chandigarh, April 9 (IANS) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia on Wednesday slammed the AAP government over "deteriorating" law and order in Punjab, seeking a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the grenade blast at the residence of BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia in Jalandhar city. Talking to the media in Jalandhar after visiting the house of Kalia, former minister and ex-Punjab BJP President's house, Majithia questioned Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over his "silence" on the grenade blast and other terror incidents. "Bhagwant Mann is the home minister and he has not made any statement yet," said Majithia. He said 17 explosion incidents have taken place in the past few months. "Has anybody heard about so many such incidents taking place in any state in the country?" he asked, while questioning the government over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. There have been several incidents of explosions, targeting police posts in Amritsar and Gurdaspur in the past four to five months, but this was the first such incident when the house of a prominent politician was targeted. Last month, a blast occurred outside a temple in Amritsar. Regarding AAP blaming gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and Pakistan's spy agency ISI for the blast in Kalia's residence, Majithia said, "It is a cover-up. BJP leader Kalia is a big name. If his house is under attack, then you can well imagine what is the law and order in the state." "To mislead people, the ISI and Bishnoi have been blamed for this blast incident... This is misleading information only to mislead the public," he added. Punjab Police on Tuesday claimed to have cracked the hand-grenade attack at the BJP leader's house that was masterminded by Pakistan's ISI-backed terror module with the arrest of two accused in less than 12 hours, said Special Director General of Police (Special DGP-Law and Order) Arpit Shukla. "Preliminary investigations have revealed a larger conspiracy orchestrated by Pakistan's ISI to disrupt communal harmony in Punjab. The plot was masterminded by Zeeshan Akhtar, a close associate of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and Pakistan-based ISI-sponsored gangster Shahzad Bhatti," he said, while not ruling out the possible links of the accused with Pakistan-based Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) mastermind Harwinder Singh, alias Rinda, and gangster Happy Passia. BJP National General Secretary, Tarun Chugh, said the Bhagwant Mann government has completely failed to check subversive and disruptive forces, which have ushered in a "grenade culture" in Punjab. Coming down heavily on the AAP government, Chugh said it reflected a complete failure of Chief Minister Mann, who is also the Home Minister, to check foreign-based anti-national forces. He said, "It is time Mann resigns as Chief Minister for his failure to check grenade attacks in the state." "Law and order in the state has completely collapsed as the grenade attack took place on a senior BJP leader's house," Chugh said in a statement on Tuesday. Mumbai, April 9 : Actor Arjun Rampal gave a lovely surprise to his girlfriend Gabriella Demetriades who turned 38 on Tuesday. In the video shared by Gabriella on her official Instagram handle, she can be seen arriving at a restaurant with Arjun and their two sons - Arik and Ariv. As they enter, Gabriella is left pleasantly surprised as their friends are already waiting for them to celebrate with her on her birthday. After greeting everyone, she cut her birthday cake with her two little munchkins. "Hard to keep a surprise from a detective @rampal72 thank you baby . And @erikapackard @atiyarakyan @agisilaos_demetriades thanks for keeping secrets," Gabriella captioned the video. While Gabriella looked simple yet chic in a black tube top, and blue denim, Arjun was his usual charming self in a black T-shirt and white trousers. Arjun tied the knot with model Mehr Jesia back in 1998 and welcomed two daughters - Mahikaa and Myra. After being married for 20 years, the couple went their separate ways in 2018. Later, the 'Rock On!!' actor introduced his girlfriend Gabriella Demetriades. They are now parents to two sons. Work-wise, Arjun has been roped in for Imtiaz Ali's, "O Saathi Re." The Netflix project will also feature Aditi Rao Hydari, and Avinash Tiwary in key roles. As per variety.com, Imtiaz Ali spilled the beans about his next saying, "O Saathi Re' surprised me at every turn of its development. It is a modern story with a vintage heart, an enchanted fairy tale set in the fiasco of metropolitan life." "I feel both relieved and excited at having Arif direct the stellar cast of Avinash, Aditi and Arjun (all aces there) and it is the ever strengthening relationship with Netflix that enabled us to enter the deceptively charming world of 'O Saathi Re," the 'Tamasha' maker added. With Imtiaz Ali as the creator, writer, and showrunner for "O Saathi Re", his brother Arif Ali will helm the drama. Jaipur, April 9 : Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday slammed the BJP after its leader Gyandev Ahuja sprinkled Gangajal in Ram Mandir after Rajasthan LoP Tika Ram Jully visited the temple. "A Dalit person is not given the right to enter a temple. And if he does, the temple is washed. This is not our religion. We call ourselves Hindus, but our religion respects every human being. What the BJP practices is not religion, it is discrimination hidden in the hearts of their leaders," said LoP Rahul Gandhi while addressing the 'Nyaypath' session of All India Congress in Gujarat's Ahmedabad. He said that Tika Ram Jully is a Dalit and the Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan, adding that after he visited the Ram Temple, the BJP leaders cleaned and washed it. "They call themselves Hindus. Such a behavior is an insult not just to Dalits but to the very values that Hinduism stands for," he said. LoP Rahul Gandhi also shared a video on 'X'. "This is another example of the BJP's anti-Dalit and Manuwadi thinking. BJP has been constantly insulting Dalits and attacking the Constitution," he wrote. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also addressed the issue, adding further weight to the party's stance. "A Dalit man, who is also the Leader of the Opposition, went to a temple. And after his visit, the temple was 'purified' with Gangajal. This is shameful. We Dalits, the backward communities, are also part of Hindu society. How can such humiliation be tolerated?" asked Kharge. The Congress President also directly addressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. "If this is the treatment being given to a senior politician, imagine the plight of Dalit Hindus living in remote villages. Modi ji, start with your own party - correct this mindset. Shah ji, you have the Home Ministry. Take action and stop these atrocities," said Kharge. The official Congress account on 'X' echoed the same sentiment, directly targeting Gyandev Ahuja and the BJP. On Monday, Rajasthan's Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully visited the Ram Mandir on the occasion of Ram Navami. However, BJP leader and former MLA Gyandev Ahuja sprinkled Gangajal (holy water) at the temple after Jully's visit, triggering a sharp response from Congress. Rajasthan LoP slammed the BJP, asking: "Does the BJP hate Dalits so much that it cannot tolerate us offering prayers? Do BJP leaders alone have the right to worship God? The Chief Minister and BJP state chief must clarify whether they endorse such acts of so-called purification when Dalits enter temples." Echoing similar sentiments, Congress state chief Govind Singh Dotasra said, "The heart of the BJP is filled with hatred, ill-will, and jealousy towards Dalits." Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also condemned the incident, calling it a "disgusting act" and demanding accountability. Gyandev Ahuja, however, defended his actions with another controversial statement targeting Jully. "Tikaram Jully, who is against Sanatan and Hindutva, visited Karni Mata on Sunday and came to Ram Mandir. He should be ashamed. I will go to the place where he visited and fulfill my vow to wash it with Gangajal," Ahuja reportedly said. New Delhi, April 9 : India has withdrawn the transshipment facility extended to Bangladesh for sending its export cargoes to other countries through Indian territory. A circular issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs' (CBIC), dated April 8, states that it has been decided to rescind the circular dated June 29, 2020, which allowed such transshipments, with immediate effect. However, cargo that has already entered into India may be allowed to exit Indian territory, as per the procedure given in the earlier circular. The 2020 circular had permitted the transshipment of export cargo from Bangladesh to third countries using Indian Land Customs Stations en route to Indian ports and airports, to enable smooth trade flows for Bangladeshas exports to countries such as Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar. Indian apparel exporters had earlier urged the government to withdraw this facility to the neighbouring country as it is a fierce competitor in the textile sector with its cheap labour. There were also allegations that the neighbouring country was misusing the facility to hurt Indian exports. Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Director General Ajay Sahai said there were complaints from Indian exporters about space being reduced for their shipments at airports due to the transshipment facility allowing cargoes from Bangladesh. The announcement has come at a time when the US has imposed hiked tariffs against most countries and is expected to hit the Bangladesh economy. The move also comes against the backdrop of controversial statements made by Professor Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser of Bangladeshas interim government, about Indiaas Northeast states during his recent visit to China. Yunus had stated that with Northeast India being "landlocked", Dhaka was the "only guardian of the ocean for all this region". Indian had reacted strongly to the statement, which was seen as an attempt by Bangladesh to assert its leverage over access to the Northeast. Yunus has reversed Bangladeshas foreign policy and has been moving closer to China, a country which he views as a new strategic partner. This has further soured relations between New Delhi and Dhaka. The issue of persecution of minorities in Bangladesh is another problem area in the bilateral relations between the two countries, and Dhakaas stand on the issue has been far from comforting for India. Kolkata, April 9 : A West Bengal minister, a senior bureaucrat and a top police officer on Wednesday justified the action of the police on the protesting individuals who lost their school jobs at different pockets of the state. The most intense protest was witnessed at Kasba in South Kolkata near the office of the district inspector of schools. Although several protestors received major injuries following the massive cane-charge by the police personnel present at Kasba, Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma described the action as a mild one and that too was prompted by the attack on the cops by the protestors. "The police were attacked first. Six policemen, including two women cops, were injured. There is video footage of the attacks on the cops," Verma said. Thereafter, he claimed that the police were forced to take mild action to keep the situation under control and prevent additional damage. Seconding the police commissioner, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant said that if there are attempts to vandalise government property or attack the police, the cops by rule have to take action. However, several protesters who were protesting at Kasba earlier in the day refuted the claims by the city police commissioner that the police action was "mild". A few protesters even flashed their injuries -- apparently caused by the impact of police batons -- to the media cameras. West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu also justified the police action, saying those who lost jobs will have to decide whether they would like to go for negotiations with the state government or resort to such a "destructive movement" under the provocation of vested interests. "Where does the question arise even after the state government is extending full cooperation to the job losers? We have not given any termination letters to anyone. So what are these protests for," he said. Last week, a division bench of the Supreme Court upheld a previous order by a division bench of Calcutta High Court in April last year cancelling the entire panel of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching jobs on grounds that the state government and the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) to segregate the "genuine" candidates from the "tainted" ones getting jobs against payment on Monday. On Wednesday, the job losers, reportedly "genuine" ones, assembled in hundreds in different offices associated with the state education department in different pockets of the state, demanding immediate action on the part of the state government and WBSSC in segregating the "genuine" candidates from the "tainted" ones. Jaipur, April 9 : Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday slammed the BJP after its leader Gyandev Ahuja sprinkled Gangajal in Ram Mandir after Rajasthan LoP Tika Ram Jully visited the temple. "A Dalit person is not given the right to enter a temple. And if he does, the temple is washed. This is not our religion. We call ourselves Hindus, but our religion respects every human being. What the BJP practices is not religion, it is discrimination hidden in the hearts of their leaders," said LoP Rahul Gandhi while addressing the 'Nyaypath' session of Indian National Congress (INC) in Gujarat's Ahmedabad. He said that Tika Ram Jully is a Dalit and the Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan, adding that after he visited the Ram Temple, the BJP leaders cleaned and washed it. "They call themselves Hindus. Such a behavior is an insult not just to Dalits but to the very values that Hinduism stands for," he said. LoP Rahul Gandhi also shared a video on 'X'. "This is another example of the BJP's anti-Dalit and Manuwadi thinking. BJP has been constantly insulting Dalits and attacking the Constitution," he wrote. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also addressed the issue, adding further weight to the party's stance. "A Dalit man, who is also the Leader of the Opposition, went to a temple. And after his visit, the temple was 'purified' with Gangajal. This is shameful. We Dalits, the backward communities, are also part of Hindu society. How can such humiliation be tolerated?" asked Kharge. The Congress President also directly addressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. "If this is the treatment being given to a senior politician, imagine the plight of Dalit Hindus living in remote villages. Modi ji, start with your own party - correct this mindset. Shah ji, you have the Home Ministry. Take action and stop these atrocities," said Kharge. The official Congress account on 'X' echoed the same sentiment, directly targeting Gyandev Ahuja and the BJP. On Monday, Rajasthan's Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully visited the Ram Mandir on the occasion of Ram Navami. However, BJP leader and former MLA Gyandev Ahuja sprinkled Gangajal (holy water) at the temple after Jully's visit, triggering a sharp response from Congress. Rajasthan LoP slammed the BJP, asking: "Does the BJP hate Dalits so much that it cannot tolerate us offering prayers? Do BJP leaders alone have the right to worship God? The Chief Minister and BJP state chief must clarify whether they endorse such acts of so-called purification when Dalits enter temples." Echoing similar sentiments, Congress state chief Govind Singh Dotasra said, "The heart of the BJP is filled with hatred, ill-will, and jealousy towards Dalits." Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also condemned the incident, calling it a "disgusting act" and demanding accountability. Gyandev Ahuja, however, defended his actions with another controversial statement targeting Jully. "Tikaram Jully, who is against Sanatan and Hindutva, visited Karni Mata on Sunday and came to Ram Mandir. He should be ashamed. I will go to the place where he visited and fulfill my vow to wash it with Gangajal," Ahuja reportedly said. Kolkata, April 9 : The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday granted former BJP Lok Sabha member from Barrackpore constituency in North 24 Parganas district Arjun Singh protection from any kind of coercive police action including police arrest in connection with a shootout incident last month. However, the single-judge bench of Justice Sengupta directed Singh to fully cooperate with the police in the process of investigation into the shootout in which a Trinamool Congress leader was injured. Justice Sengupta also directed the police to submit the CCTV footage of the spot of the shootout for that day to the court by April 17, which has been fixed as the next date of hearing into the matter. Local Trinamool Congress leaders have alleged that their party leader was injured on the night of March 26, when the shootout took place. The Trinamool leader was allegedly hit by a bullet fired by Singh from his licensed firearm. However, Singh, from the outset, had been denying the allegations and claimed that as he went with his men to sort out a tension between two groups of workers of a local Meghna Jute Mill, suddenly, the ruling party supporters led by local ruling party leader Namit Singh reached there and started quarreling with him. He also claimed that the ruling party activists fired at him and he had a narrow escape. The police also directed Singh to submit his licensed firearms at the local police station. However, Singh refused to do so until he got a clear direction from the court in the matter. This was not the first time that there has been tension and violence in front of Arjun Singhas residence. In October last year, Singh was injured, being hit by the splinter of a crude bomb on his limb following an attack on his residence allegedly by local Trinamool Congress activists. Bhopal/Ahmedabad, April 9 : Madhya Pradesh Congress Chief Jitu Patwari on Wednesday asked his party leaders to aggressively criticise the Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) like the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, criticises them. "Congress leaders should criticise RSS aggressively just like LoP Rahul Gandhi. The leaders who are afraid to criticise RSS cannot fight Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP," said Jitu Patwari while addressing the 'Nyaypath' session of All India Congress in Gujarat's Ahmedabad. He added that RSS is a political organisation and urged Congress leaders and workers to take a pledge to take an aggressive approach against the organisation. "RSS is a social and cultural organisation. When PM Modi did 'note-bandi', RSS remained silent. It means that the BJP and RSS are the same. Congress leaders and workers should take on them in a similar fashion," Patwari said. He further added that when demonetisation was imposed in 2016, LoP Rahul Gandhi cautioned the country that it would have an adverse impact on India's economy. "But, the BJP mocked Rahul Gandhi while RSS supported the demonetisation," he said. Patwari said that all the Congress leaders should take a pledge to consider RSS as a political organisation only. "Those who fear to criticise RSS cannot fight and win against BJP and PM Modi," he reiterated. On April 8-9, the Indian National Congress (INC) convened a two-day All India Congress Committee (AICC) conclave in Ahmedabad, marking its first such session in Gujarat in over six decades. The event, themed 'Nyaypath: Sankalp, Samarpan aur Sangharsh' (Path of Justice: Resolve, Dedication and Struggle), unfolded against the symbolic backdrop of the Sabarmati Riverfront, between the Sabarmati and Kochrab Ashrams, places steeped in the history of India's freedom struggle. With over 1,700 elected and co-opted AICC members in attendance, the conclave aimed to reassert the party's ideological roots and outline its roadmap for revival, particularly in Gujarat, a state long dominated by the BJP. Imphal, April 9 : Manipur MLA Vungzagin Valte, who was brutally attacked and apparently left to die by the attackers on May 4, 2023 in Imphal, on Wednesday arrived in Mizoram capital Aizawl after a prolonged medical treatment in Delhi. He will leave for his home state by helicopter. A tribal leader associated with Valte said that the MLA skipped Imphal for security reasons and arrived in Aizawl from the national capital. Valte, a sitting Manipur BJP MLA, was officially received at the Lengpui Airport by Mizoram MLA Ginzalal, who is adviser (Technical) to Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma. The influential Mizo Students' Organisation organised a warm reception programme at the airport, extending support and solidarity to the veteran leader. The tribal leader urged unity among the ethnic Zo community people, stating, "since we are all descendants of the Zo community, we should come together and jointly fight against the present ethnic crisis in Manipur". Valte, who represented Thanlon constituency, one of the six assembly constituencies in tribal inhabited Churachandpur district, accused former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, alleging that "he (Biren Singh) has been against the Zo community right from the beginning". The 61-years-old tribal legislator was attacked on May 4, 2023, in Imphal, shortly after attending a meeting with the former Chief Minister. The assault left him with multiple injuries and partial paralysis, forcing his urgent shift to Delhi for medical treatment for months. "Valte's driver was killed in the May 4, 2023 violent attack and he was cruelly attacked and left to die by the attackers in the capital city," the tribal leader said. The banker turned politician Valte said that he received very limited financial assistance from the Manipur government during his prolonged medical treatment in Delhi, despite the severity of his condition. Ginza Vualzong, a prominent leader of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), a leading body of tribals in Manipur, on Wednesday said that Vungzagin Valte is living evidence of the brutality of the Meitei community. "He was brutally tortured and left to die after he met N. Biren Singh," Vualzong said. The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), a conglomerate of 13 organisations of the Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribal communities in Manipur, many other tribal organisations and 10 tribal MLAs including Vungzagin Valte have been demanding a separate administration equivalent to a Union Territory for the Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribal-dominated areas. Washington, April 9 : Pakistan-origin 26/11 plotter Tahawwur Rana, whose appeal to block his extradition to India was rejected by the US Supreme Court earlier in the week, is no longer in the custody of the US Bureau of Prisons as of Wednesday. It could not be immediately confirmed if he was on the way to India. "Not in BOP Custody as of: 04/08/2025," said the Federal Bureau of Prisons' website search for inmates. Earlier in the week, Rana's extradition was cleared by the US Supreme Court. "Application () denied by the Court," read the court's docket as updated on Monday. A response was awaited from the US Department of Justice, whose Office of International Affairs works with foreign authorities for the actual handover. Rana had tried to stop his extradition, citing fears of torture with the example of a UK case. A man convicted of money laundering was prevented from being extradited by a London upholding his fears of torture. If that person "could not be extradited to India because he was likely to be tortured, the petitioner is even more likely to be tortured and similarly should not be extradited", Tillman J. Finley, counsel to Rana, said in the application. The application was rejected by Justice Elena Kagan in March. Rana went on appeal and to Chief Justice John Roberts and the matter was posted for conference on Friday. The justices' verdict was posted on Monday. Rana is wanted in India for helping David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American found guilty by a US jury of scoping out the targets hit by the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists in 2008. Although he was acquitted by a US jury of providing material support for the attacks, he was found guilty of two other charges for which he was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison. Due to failing health in the aftermath of the Covid-19 epidemic, he was ordered to be freed from jail. But he was rearrested for extradition to India. Headley had secured himself a guarantee against extradition in a plea deal with US authorities. Rana appealed against his extradition and had now exhausted his legal options, with his appeal to the Chief Justice being denied. President Donald Trump had announced his extradition to India during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the White House in February. Rana had subsequently gone to the Supreme Court to stop his extradition. Thiruvananthapuram, April 9 : Hours after his daughter Veena Vijayan suffered a jolt when the Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused a stay on the probe by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) into allegations of her (now defunct) IT firm receiving monthly gratification from Kochi-based Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) for mining sanctions, a peeved Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday expressed his displeasure at questions on the issue. "You (media) want my blood, but will not get it easily. See, I have said numerous times now, that since the matter is in the court, let it finish," Vijayan, who seemed to be trying to retain his composure as he faced a barrage of questions from media persons, said. a All this is happening because itas me. Our party has also said the same. So if you have any other questions other than this, I will answer," he said. Incidentally, this was the first time in several months that Vijayan has appeared before the media, and he seemed unhappy as media persons persisted with questions about his daughteras now defunct IT firm and the illegal gratification . Earlier in the day, as a bench of Delhi HC's Justice Girish Kathpalia took up the case, the counsel for SFIO pointed out that the charge sheet has already been filed at a court in Kochi. At this, the court said that there is nothing else to be done. But as the judge was closing the case, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner CMRL, pointed out that when this case was previously heard by Justice Subramaniom Prasad, the SFIO had orally informed the court that they would not take further action. On Sibalas mention, the court, after perusal of the papers, pointed out that there is no mention of such a thing according to the judicial records before the court. But as Sibal reiterated the oral observation, the court decided to repost the case before Justice Prasad on April 22, as, according to Sibal, it was this judge to whom the SFIO had provided this assurance. Meanwhile, with the court giving no stay, Veena Vijayan could find herself in a spot of bother as the Enforcement Directorate has already got the charge sheet filed by the SFIO about this illegal gratification at the court in Kochi. Reacting to the developments in the Delhi High Court, Kerala BJP leader Shaun George, who is also a party in the case, said with no stay being granted, the ED can now go forward with the findings in the SFIO charge sheet, as it also involves money changing hands outside of the country. The SFIO has all along maintained in the Delhi High Court that the payment made by the mining company CMRL to Exalogic constituted corruption and that the payment was made to ensure smooth operations for the CMRL. This issue first surfaced when an Income Tax Settlement Board statement pointed out that Exalogic received this illegal gratification, and there was no service the IT firm had provided. Incidentally, two petitions, filed earlier in the Kerala High Court and the other in the Karnataka High Court, challenging the SFIO investigation into the CMRL-Exalogic transactions, were dismissed. Kolkata, April 9 : West Bengal BJP Rajya Sabha and spokesman Samik Bhattacharya, on Wednesday, criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's opposition to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, saying it is nothing but appeasement politics. "How can a Chief Minister say she would not allow the implementation of a central act in the state. This is nothing but appeasement politics. However, the educated sections from the Muslim community are welcoming the new act," Bhattacharya told IANS. He claimed that there are several instances of corruption involved with Waqf properties in West Bengal. "In Kolkata, two posh clubs are operating over huge plots of land, which are Waqf properties. They pay rent, but it is extremely paltry. Such vested interests are scared of the new act. That is why they are trying to mislead the people of the state. The Chief Minister is also fuelling their interests. The only aim of the Chief Minister is to consolidate the 30 per cent Muslim votes in favour of Trinamool Congress," claimed Bhattacharya. He also criticises the state government and the Kolkata Police for handling protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. "In Murshidabad's Jangipur, the police refrain from taking action against those protesters who are resorting to vandalism in the name of Waqf protests. Any organisation has the right to protest against any Act. But should not resort to vandalism," he said. He further claimed that in Kolkata, the police are resorting to merciless lathi-charge against the sacked school employees. He said that while the population patterns in the bordering districts of West Bengal are changing fast, the state's ruling party is posing ignorance in the matter. "Unfortunately, even some of the members of the state cabinet are backing those groups who are shouting anti-Indian and anti-Constitution slogans," Bhattacharya said. He also claimed that people in West Bengal are uniting to throw the Trinamool Congress out of power. "Trinamool Congress and the state government are resorting to coercive actions against 'genuine' candidates just to protect those 'tainted' ones getting jobs by paying money, and those ruling party leaders who collected money against jobs," Bhattacharya claimed. Amaravati, April 9 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the approval of the Tirupati-Katpadi railway line doubling project. Naidu took to X to thank the Prime Minister, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and the Union Cabinet on behalf of the people of Andhra Pradesh for approving Rs 1,332 crore for the Tirupati-Katpadi railway line doubling project. Naidu, whose Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is a key ally of the Narendra Modi-led government, stated that this transformative initiative will connect sacred landmarks like Sri Tirupati Balaji Temple, Sri Kalahasti Shiva Temple, and Chandragiri Fort while enhancing access to educational and medical hubs like Vellore and Tirupati. "It will boost the agricultural economy and accelerate the growth of electronics, cement, and steel industries in Andhra Pradesh. For Chittoor and Tirupati districts, this line will mark a new era of connectivity and progress," posted Naidu. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, approved the doubling of the Tirupati Pakala Katpadi single railway line Section (104 km) in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. According to the South Central Railway, the enhanced line capacity will improve mobility, providing enhanced efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. The multi-tracking proposal will ease operations and reduce congestion, providing the much-needed infrastructural development on the busiest sections across Indian Railways. The project covering three Districts in two States, i.e., Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 113 km. Along with connectivity to Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, the section also provides rail connectivity to other prominent destinations such as Sri Kalahasti Shiva Temple, Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple, Chandragiri Fort, etc., attracting pilgrims and tourists from across the country. Multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to approximately 400 villages and about 14 lakh population. This is an essential route for transportation of commodities such as coal, agricultural commodities, cement and other minerals etc. The capacity augmentation work will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 4 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum). Gurugram, April 9 : Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini congratulated the state's first mountaineer, Narendra Kumar, for hoisting the Tricolor on the world's most inaccessible peak, 8091-meter-high Mount Annapurna in Nepal. "On behalf of every Haryanvi, many congratulations to the son of Haryana and best wishes for a bright future. You have made every countryman proud with this achievement," the Chief Minister posted on 'X'. Narendra Kumar, a native of the village of Mingni Kheda of Nalwa constituency of Hisar district, has etched his name in history after he successfully summited the world's 10th highest peak. This extraordinary journey was accomplished on April 7 at 10:30 AM local time on one of the most treacherous and demanding mountains located in Nepal. At just 29 years old, Narendra was not only the youngest in the expedition team but also served as the team leader of an international group comprising eleven members from six countriesIndia, Vietnam, the US, Japan, the UK, and South Africa. His leadership and resilience guided the diverse team through one of the world's most perilous and challenging climbs, Mount Annapurna, which is known to be one of the most dangerous and technically demanding climbs in the world. Narendra's successful ascent is a remarkable feat of human endurance, courage, and sheer determination. "I am deeply grateful to the Haryana government and thank Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, who admires my achievement, and the M3M Foundation for their constant encouragement, trust, and support. Their belief in me has been my biggest strength. With every step I take, I carry the dreams of countless youth who wish to rise above their circumstances and touch the sky," he said. Narendra has been associated with the M3M Foundation as a Sankalp Volunteer and Environmental Ambassador, where he has inspired thousands through his initiatives focused on climate action, sustainability, and youth leadership. "Narendra is soft-spoken with quiet determination about supporting five young girls from Haryana in their dream to reach the Everest Base Camp, which I have given him as a challenge. He took on the challenge wholeheartedly. These girls, whom we named 'The Elemental Sisters,' not only completed the expedition but also became symbols of courage and hope. I still remember Narendra saying, 'I'm going to make history soon,' and today, he has done it," Dr. Payal Kanodia, Chairperson & Trustee of M3M Foundation, said. Now, Narendra sets his sights on an even more ambitious goal Mount Shishapangma and Mount Cho Oyu, two of the world's highest and most formidable peaks. His mission continues, driven by his unshakable resolve and the support of his community. Bhubaneswar, April 9 : The Special Crime Unit of Commissionerate police have seized 515 grams of brown sugar worth around Rs 50 lakh during a raid in Khandagiri police station area in Bhubaneswar, Commissioner S. Dev Datta Singh said on Wednesday. The police also arrested two drug peddler siblings -- Sk Jamir Mohammad alias Jammu and Sk Sahid Mohammad alias Muna -- of Jaleswar in Balasore district. The Commissionerate police sources also said that acting on an intelligence tip-off, the Special Crime Unit executed a surveillance operation and arrested the peddlers' duo from a place near Naka Gate Chowk under Khandagiri police station area on Tuesday evening. The accused had been to the place to deliver the consignment of drugs to local peddlers of Bhubaneswar. The sleuths also recovered 515 grams of brown sugar from the possession of the accused siblings. Additionally, a red Honda Activa (Regd. No. OD 01 AW 4291), two mobile phones, and Rs 3,150 in cash were recovered. The arrested individuals were taken into custody and are currently being interrogated to uncover further details about their operations and connections. "This operation is a testament to our relentless commitment to eradicating drug networks. Our dedicated team has worked meticulously to intercept criminal activities and ensure that those involved face the full weight of the law. We will persist in protecting public safety and urge citizens to come forward with any information that may aid our investigation," Singh told IANS. The Commissionerate police's crime unit also carried out raids at various small shops in the Infocity Police station area and seized huge quantities of Ganja, Ganja filled cigarettes and other incriminating materials on Wednesday. It is worth noting that recently the Commissionerate police have arrested five persons and detained a juvenile along with brown sugar worth Rs 72 lakh from two different places in Bhubaneswar last month. Hyderabad, April 9 : Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police have arrested a man from Uttar Pradesh who is involved in digital arrest fraud. Police said that Ranjit Kumar of Ghaziabad is involved in four cases across India, including two cases in Telangana. The 42-year-old accused, a software employee, had contacted a 72-year-old retired government employee from Hyderabad, claiming to be calling from the Mumbai Airport. The caller told the victim that one parcel from Mumbai to Iran was received in FedEx International Service on his name and phone number, and it contained narcotic drugs. The caller asked him to contact the narcotic department to take clearance certificate otherwise, he would be forced to inform police for taking necessary action. The caller also told the victim that he was connecting him to Mumbai Crime Branch Police. The caller then asked him to be on line to speak with an official from the government of India. The victim was told that there are bank accounts in Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana in his name, and he was asked to give the particulars of his bank account in Hyderabad. Under fear and anxiety, the victim followed the instructions and deposited Rs 19,61,045 into the account number provided. In another case, the Cyber Crime Unit also arrested an accused involved in online stalking, extortion and blackmail by using fake Instagram ID. The accused has been identified as H. Akul Singh, 24 years, working as a private employee and residing at Mehdipatnam in Hyderabad. The accused was blackmailing a 21-year-old housewife from Hyderabad. According to police, the victim received an edited and obscene photograph of herself and her husband via Instagram. She later received a morphed image of her sister. She began chatting with the Instagram account holder, who claimed to know her personally. The accused then began to blackmail her, threatening to leak the images online and destroy her marriage unless she paid money. The Cyber Crime police have advised citizens to remain alert. The Fraudsters contact victims through social media platforms like Telegram app, WhatsApp calls, and messages. Scammers pose as representatives of government agencies, such as Telecom Department (TRAI), CBI, CID, ED, Cyber Crime Department etc. Scammers threaten victims, claiming they are involved in serious offenses, such as human trafficking, money laundering, terrorist activities, narcotics etc. Fraudsters claim that the Reserve Bank of India and Supreme Court authorities have permitted the victim to deposit funds for inspection. Once the victim transfers the amount, the fraudsters block them, severing all communication. Patna, April 9 : Bihar Police has issued a detailed response to Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, who has repeatedly raised concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. Taking serious note of a recent post where Tejashwi Yadav mentioned 76 alleged criminal incidents, the Police Headquarters clarified that 46 of those incidents have been identified and thoroughly examined. In its statement, the police revealed that 112 accused individuals have already been arrested and sent to jail in connection with these 46 incidents. According to the Police Headquarters, 1,632 individuals have been arrested in murder cases between January 1 and April 7, 2025, while 947 people were apprehended for attacks on police personnel. Additionally, 697 individuals were arrested in connection with robbery cases, and 281 in dacoity-related incidents. The police claimed that a majority of the incidents flagged by Tejashwi Yadav were minor in nature, stemming from issues such as money disputes, land conflicts, family feuds, romantic relationships, and mobile-related quarrels. Each incident is being investigated thoroughly, with police stating they are "working with full dedication and honesty." The Police Headquarters objected to what it called "unnecessary and demoralising" social media commentary. It noted that the absence of specific details like dates and police station names in Tejashwi Yadav's post made several of the claimed incidents unverifiable. The police emphasised that "sensationalism" around law and order could negatively impact the morale of security forces. Citing National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, the Bihar Police highlighted that Bihar ranks 14th in murder cases based on crime rate per lakh population. In 2022, the total cognizable crime rate in Bihar was 277.1 per one lakh population, while the national average stood at 422.2. Bihar ranked 19th in this metric. Under the Indian Penal Code, Bihar's crime rate was 168.1, placing the state in 21st position among Indian states and union territories. In 2021, 69.73 per cent of crimes were linked to personal enmity, illicit relations, or disputes. In 2022, this rose to 71.20 per cent, and in 2023, it increased further to 73.69 per cent. The Police Headquarters concluded by reaffirming its commitment to public safety and transparent policing while urging political leaders to avoid undermining ongoing investigations with incomplete or misleading information. The crime rate in Bihar compared to some big states is low. As per the data, the national cognizable crime rate 422, Andhra Pradesh - 368.2, Chhattisgarh - 404.2, Gujarat - 738.9, Haryana - 810.4, Kerala - 1274.8, Madhya Pradesh - 569.3, Maharashtra - 443.0, Odisha - 386.7, Rajasthan - 388.8, Tamil Nadu - 617.2, Uttar Pradesh - 322.0 and Bihar - 277.1 per lakh population. New Delhi, April 9 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah has lauded the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, as a defining triumph for the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Tahawwur Rana's extradition is a big success of Prime Minister Modi's diplomacy," said the Home Minister. Speaking at a programme organised by a leading media outlet, Home Minister Shah highlighted the significance of this achievement, crediting Prime Minister Modi's diplomatic skill and steadfast commitment to protecting India's honour and sovereignty. "He will be brought here to face trial and punishment," HM Shah affirmed. HM Shah proclaimed that Rana's repatriation signifies a decisive stride toward holding accountable those who conspire against the sanctity of India's land, its people, and its pride. This achievement marks a turning point in the global pursuit of justice against terrorism. Rana's extradition heralds the opening chapter of long-awaited legal proceedings that shall endeavour to bring resolution to one of the gravest violence episodes in India's contemporary history. A Canadian-American of Pakistani origin Tahawwur Rana, stands accused of orchestrating the heinous 2008 Mumbai attacks that tragically claimed the lives of more than 166 individuals. The US has formally ceded custody of the 64-year-old suspect to the National Investigative Agency (NIA) of India, following protracted legal wrangling and a series of high-level diplomatic negotiations. On April 8, 2025, in the state of California, Rana was officially handed over to an NIA delegation that had journeyed to the United States specifically for this purpose. He is currently en-route to New Delhi aboard a chartered Indian aircraft, whereupon his trial shall soon commence. It is reported that Rana had exhausted every legal option in his endeavour to obstruct the extradition, including multiple appeals to the Supreme Court of the United States. Nevertheless, his pleas were twice rebuffed, most recently on April 7, as his arguments citing deteriorating health and fears of persecution in India failed to convince the court. Among his claims were ailments such as Parkinson's disease, a precarious abdominal aneurysm, and indications of bladder cancer, which, he contended, rendered him incapable of enduring a protracted trial. This extradition honours a prior assurance extended by former US President Donald Trump in his discourse with Prime Minister Modi. Rana, an associate of David Coleman Headley a central figure in the planning of the Mumbai attacks is alleged to possess links with entities such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Though a US jury acquitted him of directly supporting the 26/11 attacks, he was convicted on other charges and served over a decade in prison before his release during the Covid-19 pandemic on account of his waning health. Subsequently, he was re-arrested for extradition to India, culminating in the present development. Bengaluru, April 9 : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, reacting to allegations of renewing mining leases and causing a loss of thousands of crores to the state, has asserted that there has been an ongoing attempt to create confusion regarding the issue of mine lease renewal. In a statement on Wednesday, he remarked that such misinformation campaigns have persisted ever since he assumed office. CM Siddaramaiah has alleged that certain malicious forces have consistently attempted to mislead the Raj Bhavan. Addressing the reports concerning eight mining companies, the Chief Minister stated: "Before 2015, the MMDR Act of 1957 allowed for the renewal of mining leases for a period of 20 years. Based on that provision, the government had granted conditional in-principle approval solely for obtaining forest clearance for lease renewal." However, on January 12, 2015, the Central government amended the MMDR Act through an ordinance. Following this amendment, a thorough review was conducted, and on February 9, 2015, it was determined that the conditional in-principle approvals granted to eight companies for mine lease renewal were not valid. These approvals were subsequently canceled, and the government was instructed to proceed according to the amended act, CM Siddaramaiah stated. Later, the proposals submitted by the Mines Department for deemed lease extension were reviewed in accordance with legal procedures. Based on a Supreme Court directive, the state government cancelled one such case without considering a deemed extension, he stated. For the remaining seven cases, deemed extension letters were issued with strict conditions a" companies were required to submit statutory forest and environmental clearance documents, pay pending dues, and adhere to the final reports of investigations conducted by agencies such as the CBI and SIT, CM Siddaramaiah said. "Out of these seven companies, two have not submitted the required legal clearances. Hence, no mining rights have been granted to them. Among the remaining five cases, three were granted mining lease rights during the BJPas tenure in 2020 and 2021. The other two were conditionally granted deemed extension lease rights via supplementary lease deeds in 2016 and 2018. Therefore, in none of these eight cases has the government incurred any financial loss, and no iron ore has been extracted during this period, " CM Siddaramaiah stated. Previously, opposition parties and individuals had lodged complaints about this matter with various agencies. All these complaints were dismissed due to lack of merit, he said. The issue was also raised in the Assembly. On January 14, 2018, H.D. Kumaraswamy, who is now the Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel, even held a press conference on the subject, CM said. However, there was no merit in any of these cases. All eight were handled in accordance with the provisions of the amended ordinance. Expired mining leases were later auctioned as per the rules, he stated. After nearly a decade, there is now a politically motivated attempt to rake up this issue again, he maintained. CM Siddaramaiah appealed to the people of the state not to fall for such malicious political conspiracies that aim to poison public opinion with baseless allegations. Earlier, a complaint alleging corruption in mining contract renewals has been lodged with Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Wednesday, targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Ramamurthy Gowda, a social activist, filed the complaint, urging the Governor to sanction prosecution against CM Siddaramaiah in the case. The development had gained significance as sources confirmed that Governor Gehlot, after hearing the complainant for three hours at the Raj Bhavan, has forwarded the complaint and documents related to the case to legal experts for their opinion. The Governor has also sought the opinion of the Solicitor General on the matter. The complaint alleged that CM Siddaramaiah received kickbacks of approximately Rs 500 crore from the renewal of mining licenses for eight companies operating in the state. The complainant claims that during his first tenure in 2015, CM Siddaramaiah renewed the licenses of these eight mining companies instead of opting for auctions. Gowda further alleged that CM Siddaramaiah's decision resulted in a loss of approximately Rs 5,000 crore to the state. This amount would have been generated as royalty if CM Siddaramaiah had conducted auctions. Additionally, the complainant charges that licenses were renewed for companies under investigation in a mining scam. Imphal, April 9 : Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth on Wednesday reviewed the implementation of various schemes in Manipur's Naga-dominated Kamjong district and discussed the prevailing situation of the state with various civil society organisations. The Union Minister arrived in Imphal on Wednesday on a two-day visit to the ethnic strife-torn northeastern state and later called on Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at Raj Bhavan. Naga-dominated Kamjong district shares an unfenced border with Myanmar and has often witnessed protests against the fencing of the international boundary. In Kamjong District, Seth was greeted by the Deputy Commissioner of Kamjong, Rangnamai Rang Peter and local MLA Leishiyo Keishing. During the meeting, the MoS Defence met with the District Level Officers (DLOs) where he was briefed on the status report of the different schemes of the government. An interaction programme with the Self-Help Groups (SHGs) members was also held. The District Administration also presented a proposal to the visiting minister for a model town at K Ashang Khullen Aze (KAKA), so as to boost 'Act East Policy' in terms of connectivity and infrastructural development along the India-Myanmar Border, thereby transforming it into a vibrant international corridor. With a belief that it will provide urban amenities and opportunities in the border area, the DC also stated that it will strengthen trade and commerce across the border village and emerge as a "Growth Point", an official statement said. The meeting was attended by DLOs of 26 departments and representatives of 35 SHGs. Meanwhile, Assam Rifles organised a significant event at Sugnu in Kakching District of Manipur, reaffirming its enduring commitment to humanitarian service and peace in Manipur. In a solemn yet uplifting ceremony, six vehicles, comprising three JCBs, one truck, and two two-wheelers, were formally handed over to their rightful owners after having been retrieved and safeguarded. The owners were constrained to abandon these vehicles amidst the escalating violence in May-June 2023. Demonstrating exemplary resolve and compassion, Assam Rifles recovered and preserved the vehicles. In January this year, a few individuals approached Assam Rifles to ascertain the whereabouts and status of the vehicles, however, the vehicles were found to be unserviceable, and the prevailing security environment did not permit safe movement. Over the course of nearly one and a half years, Assam Rifles undertook sustained efforts to identify the legitimate owners, restore the vehicles to functional condition and arrange for their safe move. Senior officials from the Assam Rifles and the Manipur government from Kakching graced the event. The occasion witnessed the presence of approximately 300 locals and representatives from civil society organisations, reflecting a strong synergy between the security forces, civil administration, and the community. The initiative symbolises the spirit of compassion and brotherhood, also reinforcing the Assam Rifles' role as the true "Friends of the North East", a force dedicated to ensuring security but also to uplifting lives across the region. Guwahati, April 9 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma boarded his Emirates flight from Delhi to Dubai, preparing for the first leg of his travels. As he settled in, he realised he needed to charge his phone. A young gentleman sitting beside him noticed and, without hesitation, offered his international plug and charging cable. It was a small but significant act of kindness, the kind that connects strangers in fleeting yet meaningful ways. With a smile and a nod of appreciation, Sarma accepted the help and plugged in his device. The journey continued smoothly, and as exhaustion set in, Sarma drifted off to sleep. Hours later, he awoke to find that the plane had landed in Dubai, and the kind gentleman was gone. In the rush of disembarkation, amidst the movement of passengers, baggage, and airport announcements, one crucial detail had slipped past him: he still had the charger and cable in his possession. The young man had left without reclaiming them, unaware that his small gesture of kindness would lead to an unexpected twist in the journey. In Amsterdam, Sarma found himself filled with regret. It wasn't just about an international plug or a charging cableit was about honoring a simple act of kindness. "Today morning I traveled on an Emirates flight from Delhi to Dubai, where a kind young gentleman lent me his international plug and charging cable. Unfortunately, he disembarked in Dubai while I was asleep, and I couldn't return them. I've just now arrived in Amsterdam and feel deeply apologetic for not returning his belongings. If this message reaches him, please send me a direct message so I can arrange to return your charger and cable promptly. Thank you for your kindness, and I regret any inconvenience caused @emirates," he wrote on X. The response was overwhelming. People admired the sincerity behind the post, and many shared the message in hopes that it would reach the unknown traveler. Sarma also enlisted the help of the Assam Police, who immediately began working to identify the gentleman in question. His team remained confident that within a few hours, they would have his contact details. "I am pleased to inform you that, following my request, the @assampolice are currently working to identify and provide the contact details of the gentleman in question. My team is confident that this task will be completed within a few hours. This will enable me to return the charger on my way back or, at the very least, express my gratitude," the Chief Minister added. In a world often dominated by headlines of conflict and discord, this simple yet powerful gesture resonated with many. It was a story of gratitude, responsibility, and the lengths one would go to repay a stranger's kindness. A journey that started with a borrowed charger had now turned into a testament to humanity's simple, yet profound, acts of kindness. Jaipur, April 9 : As part of his two-day tour of Hanumangarh and Sri Ganganagar, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma visited the Suratgarh Super Critical Thermal Power Station on Wednesday. During the visit, he conducted a detailed inspection of the facility and directed officials to ensure the smooth and systematic functioning of all power generation units to maintain an uninterrupted power supply, especially during the peak summer season. Addressing a review meeting, the Chief Minister instructed officials to carry out regular inspections of all technical systems. He stressed the importance of identifying and resolving potential faults in advance to prevent breakdowns or shutdowns of production units due to technical failures. CM Sharma also emphasised the need for continuous monitoring of the power generation capacity of each unit to meet growing demand without disruption. Reiterating the state governmentas commitment to improving Rajasthanas energy infrastructure, the Chief Minister stated that efforts are underway to boost the stateas power generation capacity using cost-effective and modern technologies. In line with this vision, work orders have been issued for the establishment of a 125/250 MWh Battery Energy Storage System at the Suratgarh Thermal Power Station. Additionally, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed for the development of a 100 MW solar power plant at the station, through a joint venture between RVUNL and Coal India. These initiatives aim to fulfill the government's resolve to provide reliable daytime electricity to farmers and ensure energy availability for all. The Chief Minister was accompanied by several key officials and dignitaries, including Food and Civil Supplies Minister Sumit Godara, Water Resources Minister Suresh Singh Rawat, Minister of State for Energy (Independent Charge) Heeralal Nagar, and Additional Chief Secretary of Water Resources Abhay Kumar. Also present were Devendra Shringi, CMD of Rajasthan State Electricity Generation Corporation Limited, Chief Engineer and Additional Secretary (West) Amarjeet Singh, and Chief Engineer of the Suratgarh Super Critical Thermal Power Station KC Singhal, along with various public representatives and senior administrative officers. The visit underlines the state governmentas proactive approach to addressing power needs and ensuring energy security for both the agricultural sector and the general public, said officials. Jaipur, April 9 : In a major breakthrough in the SI Recruitment 2021 scam, the Special Operations Group (SOG) has arrested Hanuman Ram, currently serving as the SDM of Fatehgarh in Jaisalmer. An official said that this is the first time an SDM has been arrested in connection with the scam, adding that Hanuman Ram is accused of appearing in the exam as a dummy candidate on behalf of another individual, Narpatram. Earlier, the Jodhpur Range Police had arrested Narpatram (29) and his wife Indra (27) in the paper leak case and handed them over to the SOG for further investigation. The official said that during interrogation, both named SDM Hanuman Ram as a key conspirator, leading to his arrest. He said that Hanuman Ram Virda, a native of Bisaraniyan village in Barmer district, had secured 22nd rank in the RAS Exam 2021 in his second attempt, adding that he began preparing for competitive exams in 2016 from Bhatia Ashram in Suratgarh. The official said that though he failed in his first RAS attempt, he later got selected as a Computer Assistant in the Statistics Department in Barmer in 2018. "Despite his job, he continued preparing for the RAS exam and succeeded in his second attempt," he said. Hanuman Ram's family includes his father Kaushala Ram, mother Pempo Devi, two brothers, and six sisters. His father and one of his brothers are engaged in farming in their village. His first posting as SDM came on February 13, 2023, in Chitalwana (Jalore), followed by stints in Bagoda (Sanchore) and Shiv. Most recently, on February 11, 2025, he was posted as the SDM of Fatehgarh, Jaisalmer. The investigation began when the SOG apprehended Harkhu Jat, who had cleared the SI exam using a dummy candidate. During interrogation, Harkhu confessed to meeting Indra, an intelligent student, at a library. Struggling academically, she was persuaded to take the exam on Harkhu's behalf. When Indra's husband, Narpatram, found out, he agreed to the plan in exchange for Rs 15 lakh. Indra appeared in the exam posing as Harkhu, which helped her clear the exam and eventually secure the post of Platoon Commander. Ironically, while Indra also attempted the exam for herself, she failed. After learning that Harkhu had been caught, Narpatram and Indra fled. However, three days ago, they were tracked down and arrested under Operation Tarpan. Narpatram was nabbed from a wine shop in Goa, while Indra was arrested from Kheme Ka Kuan on Pal Road in Jodhpur. Indra reportedly tried to escape upon hearing of her husband's arrest but was apprehended before she could flee. The official said that with Hanuman Ram's arrest, the investigation has now reached higher levels of the state bureaucracy, revealing the deep and disturbing extent of the recruitment fraud. He said that the SOG is expected to continue its crackdown on others involved in similar malpractices. The Sheikh Zayed Book Award, organized by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, has announced the winners of its 19th awards program across eight categories. This years winners hail from seven countries around the world, including the U.K., Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Iraq, Morocco and the UAE. This year's awards received more than 4,000 submissions from 75 countries. The winners will be celebrated at an April 28 award ceremony during the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, with each receiving prize money of 750,000 UAE dirhams ($204,198) and the Cultural Personality of the Year receiving one million UAE dirhams ($272,264). Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami has received the Cultural Personality of the Year award for his cosmopolitan literary sensibilities...and his ability to assimilate shared influences from around the world, which have won him a significant following in the Arab world, said the award committee. Receiving the Sheikh Zayed Book Award from the United Arab Emirates comes as both a great surprise and an immense honor to me, said Murakami in a statement. Arabic is a language with a long and rich storytelling tradition, and it is a great honor for me that my books have been translated and are being read in Arab countries. I believe that stories are a universal language. It is my sincere hope that by sharing good stories, people can connect with each other and that this can become a force, even if only a small one, that moves the world towards peace. Lebanese novelist Hoda Barakat took home the Literature award for Hind, or the Most Beautiful Woman in the World, and The Phantom of Sabiba by Moroccan writer Latifa Labsir was named the winning book in the Childrens Literature category. Arab Literature in Southeast Asia in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries by Andrew Peacock, a history professor at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, received the award in the Arab Culture in Other Languages category, and Orosius, an English translation by Italian scholar Marco di Branco of Kitab Hurushiyush, the Arabic version of Paulus Orosiuss Seven Books of Histories Against the Pagans, was named the winner in the Translation category. In the Editing of Arabic Manuscripts category, the winning book was News of Women by Iraqi scholar and editor Rasheed Alkhayoun, and in the Contribution to the Development of Nations category, Mohamed Bashari's The Right to Strive: Perspectives on Muslim Womens Rights was named the winner. Finally, Said Laouadi received the award in the Literary and Art Criticism category for Food and Language: Cultural Excavations in Arabic Heritage. This years outstanding laureates exemplify the Awards strategic impact, spanning diverse disciplines and demonstrating how literature and scholarship transcend borders to create a shared global dialogue, said Ali bin Tamim, Secretary-General of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, in a statement. We look forward to celebrating these exceptional voices at the Award Ceremony in April. In celebration of Earth Day, we spoke with the creators of three picture books highlighting underappreciated processes of nature and the conservationists fighting to protect the environment. Martha Brockenbrough When did you first learn about the importance of the Saharan plumes? I was poking around the NASA website, as I often do when I need some inspiration. I had no idea dust could be photographed from space. We think of it as these tiny particles, but if you have enough of them, they can change the world. What did your research process entail? I read. I watched videos. I looked at images. I consulted with a scientist who studies the phenomenon. I really wanted to understand how everything connected. This project helped me shift my understanding of the world. Nothing happens in isolation. Everything is connected: time, space, the living, the dead, the arid, the rainforest. Its astonishing. (And of course I did lots of research into the comparative sizes and weights of things to try to make it accessible to kids.) How do you hope this book helps readers gain a new perspective on an oft overlooked part of nature? I hope readers start to look closely at the world. Even something almost too small to seea speck of dusthas a story that can help us feel connected to everything and everyone else on the planet. To me, this is a miracle. A Gift of Dust: How Saharan Plumes Feed the Planet by Martha Brockenbrough, illus. by Juana Martinez-Neal. Knopf, May 27 $19.99 ISBN 978-0-593-42842-9 Kelly Crull What made you want to take a deeper look into the Black Mambas, South Africas first women-led anti-poaching unit? At first, I was drawn to the Black Mambas courageevery day they walk miles deep into the bush in the heat, unarmed, relying on their knowledge of lions and other wildlife to stay safe. But looking closer, I saw that their story isnt just about stopping poachers. They use relationshipsteaching children to love wildlife, bringing their elders into the bush, and providing jobs that make conservation a source of pride and economic growth. Theyve found a way to protect wildlife by lifting people up, not removing them from the equation. Thats the story I wanted to share. What did your research process entail? Did you meet or speak with any of the Black Mambas? I spent five years working on this story with the Black Mambas. After reading everything I could find about them and the poaching crisis in South Africa, I reached out in 2020. Over the next two years, I exchanged hours of audio messages and phone interviews with the Mambas and those who know them. They answered my questions and shared stories about their lives, daily work, and communities. Most of the words in The Black Mambas come directly from our conversations. In 2023, I traveled to South Africa to take photos for the book. We walked the fence line at dawn, swept the bush for snares, and scanned the reserve with a flashlight from the back of their truck late into the night. We attended a graduation for hundreds of kids in the Bush Babies conservation program and tagged along on a game drive at one of their kids camps. Bringing together years of conversation with a rare opportunity to document their work resulted in a book we are all proud to share. Why was it important to highlight the Black Mambas and their routine? What does it reveal about the nature of their work? The Black Mambas daily routine shows that conservation isnt just about dramatic confrontations with poachersits about vigilance, teamwork, and a deep connection to the land and animals they protect. By highlighting their routinepatrolling the reserve, looking for snares, and educating local communitiesI wanted to show that their impact goes beyond stopping poaching in the moment. Theyre working toward long-term change by reducing the demand for poaching and building a culture of conservation. Their story reveals that wildlife conservation isnt just about protecting animalsits about daily actions that create a future where people and wildlife can thrive together. The Black Mambas: The World's First All-Woman Anti-Poaching Unit by Kelly Crull. Millbrook, Apr. $19.99 ISBN 979-8-7656-2725-9 Kirsten Pendreigh Why did you choose to frame the nurse log as a mother-like figure to the forest? Given her incredible role of regenerating the forest, and enabling a new tree to grow, it made sense to call the nurse log a mother. I also used mother as a verb: when the nurse log shelters, warms, and feeds plants and animals, she mothers them all. Mothers are strong and powerful; I hope this mothers strength and vital importance come through! Of course, nurturing is not a female-specific trait. In the story, the seedling or tree child that grows on the mother log, is male. He inherits her role of nurturer and becomes a place to grow, to rest, to shelter. And, as I note in the backmatter, a Douglas fir (the tree that becomes the nurse log) is actually monoecious (both male and female) so it self-reproduces. Like humans, trees are complex and wonderful! What did your research process entail? Im a proud plant nerd, so many of the facts were already in my head from years of hiking forest trails and reading about treesespecially nurse logs, which long fascinated me. I didnt set out to write a nonfiction book, it was more of a love letter to these fallen giants. But paying attention is a kind of love, and details are the heart of poetry, so those details came through from the first version onwards. Lines of the story seemed to arrive in my brain, and I found myself repeating them as I hiked, almost like an incantation, that pulled in new lines. Then, once the story was ready for submission, I consulted with arborists, and we had everything fact-checked. The bulk of my research hours went into verifying the species found in these West Coast forests, sourcing images, and making lists of animals and plants for illustrator Elke Boschinger to select from. And what a lush, detailed world Elke created! Its been a delight seeing people recognize iconic West Coast flora and fauna like swordtail ferns, varied thrushes, pileated woodpeckers, Douglas squirrels, and, of course, our beloved banana slugs. How do you hope this book helps readers gain a new perspective on an oft overlooked part of nature? I hope it encourages little ones to keep noticing the tiny life that adults often miss. At kids-eye level there is so much happening in a forest! Paying attention to all of nature, big and small, tall and fallen, deepens our understanding of how connected healthy ecosystems are, and reminds us that we all matter, regardless of our age or size or background. When readers see the diversity of life nurtured by a single fallen Douglas firincluding the Western hemlock that grows to take her place perhaps they will make a connection to human communities too. All healthy communities thrive on diversity and need wise, generous, stewards to guide the next generation. For older readers, the story is a profound reminder of how our elders, teachers, and parents nurtured us. How will we pay that forward to the children in our lives? What will our legacy be? Ive been struck by the emotional impact this story has. Many readers, including my wonderful acquiring editor Naomi Kirsten and I, cant get through a read without tearing up! When a Tree Falls: Nurse Logs and Their Incredible Forest Power by Kirsten Pendreigh, illus. by Elke Boschinger. Chronicle, Mar. $18.99 ISBN 978-1-79721-867-0 Prolific childrens author Jean Van Leeuwen, known for a broad oeuvre including her beginning-reader stories following the adventures of Oliver Pig and his baby sister Amanda, died on March 3 at her home in Chappaqua, N.Y., of cancer. She was 87. Jean Van Leeuwen was born December 26, 1937, in Glen Ridge, N.J., to Cornelius, a minister, and Dorothy, a teacher. She grew up in Rutherford, N.J., experiencing a book-filled childhood, she wrote in an essay for Something About the Author. It was not that my family was a particularly literary one. I was just irresistibly attracted to books, she wrote. Anytime, anywhere, I was likely to be found with a book in my hand. In sixth grade, Van Leeuwens self-described bookworm tendencies remained a strong influence. She recalled an early attempt at writing fictionan uncompleted tale of a girl and her horseand a class assignment to write a report about a career, for which she chose book editor as her subject. Van Leeuwen began her studies at Syracuse University in 1955, and after two years of liberal arts courses, she formulated a vague plan for a career that involved writing and editing by declaring a major in magazine journalism at the universitys School of Journalism. Upon graduating with her B.A. in 1959, Van Leeuwen set her sights on the world of magazine publishing in New York City. She landed her first job as an assistant editor at TV Guide. But when she found the work unfulfilling, she answered an advertisement for a library promotion assistant at the small family-owned book publishing company Abelard-Schuman. It was there that she began volunteering extra hours to assist esteemed childrens book editor Frances Schwartz and found her footing as an assistant editor. In 1963, Van Leeuwen moved to Random House as an assistant editor in the childrens department. Around the same time, she tried her hand at writing for young people and took a night course at Hunter College with picture book author William Lipkind, who later invited Van Leeuwen to join a writers workshop. As her skills and confidence grew, Van Leeuwen submitted a picture book manuscript to editor-in-chief Walter Retan and in 1967 Random House published her first book, Timothys Flower, inspired by a boy she had seen in her Manhattan neighborhood. The following year, Van Leeuwen moved to a new position as associate editor at Viking Press, working with editor-in-chief Velma Verner. And in July 1968 she married Bruce Gavril, a mechanical engineer and computer systems designer, with whom she shared two children. Van Leeuwen published several more childrens titles, including The Great Cheese Conspiracy (Random House, 1969), first in an eventual quintet of chapter books about a crime-boss rat and his bungling rodent crew, and then moved in 1970 to a job at Dial Press as a senior editor working with Phyllis Fogelman, who would also become Van Leeuwens longtime editor. Following the birth of her son David in 1972 and her daughter Elizabeth a year later, Van Leeuwen decided to leave her publishing career to be a full-time mother and try to continue writingwhich she did while the children napped. It was during this busy period that Van Leeuwen developed a series of storiesbased on observing her own kidsstarring young sibling pigs named Oliver and Amanda. In 1979, Tales of Oliver Pig, illustrated by Arnold Lobel, became one of the first entries in Dials new line of early readers. The popular, long-running series, later illustrated by Ann Schweninger, grew to include 20 titles. Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day (Dial, 2005) was named a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book in 2006. In all, Van Leeuwen published more than 50 books for young readers, moving seamlessly between format and tone, from picture books to contemporary middle grade novels (Dear Mom, Youre Ruining My Life, Dial, 1989) and historical fiction (Cabin on Trouble Creek, Dial, 2004), to a YA novel (I Was a 98-Pound Duckling, Dial, 1972). Many of her works were inspired by her family and personal experiences, and in 2009, the picture book Chicken Soup (Abrams) became more of a family affair, when her son David Gavril illustrated it. Throughout her career, Van Leeuwen said she loved communicating directly with students during school visits, and she treasured the letters she received from children. In her hometown of Chappaqua, she especially enjoyed an annual project she collaborated on with first-grade teacher Yvonne Davies at Douglas Grafflin Elementary School for many years. Beginning each fall, Van Leeuwen would volunteer as a one-on-one writing mentor for the first graders who came to know her by her married name, Mrs. Gavril. Then, in May, Davies would tell her class that they will be meeting author Jean Van Leeuwen. When the kids discovered that author and volunteer were one and the same, the reaction was priceless, Davies told Inside Chappaqua in 2015. Author-illustrator Marisabina Russo, one of Van Leeuwens longtime friends, shared this remembrance: Jean and I first met many years ago at a book signing at a local school. We came from very different backgroundsshe the daughter of a minister, raised in N.J. and me the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, raised in N.Y.C.but we bonded over our shared love of childrens books. Soon we were part of an informal authors group that included Pat Schories and Roni Schotter. We got together a few times each year to share our works in progress and to talk shop. Our lunch gatherings began to get longer and longer, stretching into the late afternoons. After we finished eating, we would pull out our latest manuscripts and/or dummies. Jean never asked to go first. She was so modest and self-effacing. She listened intently to each of us before she read her own work. When she gave her critiques, she got to the heart of the matter with precision and kindness. That is exactly who she was. We shared many other things, good and bad, like births of our grandchildren, love of our Mini Coopers, our struggles with cancer, and more. Jean walked through her life with grace and humility and a sense of humor. Her books reflect that. They will live on. And author Roni Schotter, also in Van Leeuwens close circle, offered this appreciation: I first met Jean at a book awards ceremony where both our books were up for an award in the same category. Such an honor for me! Before I ever met her, I had been reading Jeans booksespecially her Amanda and Oliver Pig booksto my at-the-time young son. And now, here she was, and here I was! At the end of the awards ceremony, I sat next to Jeana bit nervous in the presence of such a wise, humorous, and wonderful writer. We made a plan to have lunch. When later on we did, I couldnt stop praising Jean for her books and the delight they had given me and my son. She soon interrupted me saying, If were going to be friends, as I think we are, you need to stop complimenting me. This was so Jean. She was talented and modest. She became a steadfast friend and we shared our many publishing storiesthe good ones and the tough ones. With the kindest of hearts housed in an elegant, reserved exterior, she was a gift. I miss her terribly. Dan Nadels knowledge of, and immersion in, the world of comics is staggeringand very much present in Crumb: A Cartoonists Life (Scribner), Nadels new biography of Robert Crumb. In telling the story of Crumbs life and art, Nadel tracks the evolution of a medium and the personal and ethical dilemmas that the comics industry has faced over the decades. Nadel, who previously served as editor of the Comics Journal and founded Picturebox Comics, now works as a curator-at-large for the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. The collection of Crumbs work that he editedR. Crumb: Existential Comics, Selected Stories 19792004 (David Zwirner Books)will be published to coincide with the biography. In his introduction to Existential Comics, Nadel calls the work contained within a selection of Crumbs most ambitious and profound work while also noting that they were made for the smallest audience of Crumbs career. Its an excellent companion piece to Nadels comprehensive, often moving biography. How long has Crumb been in the works? In early 2018, more or less, is when I started really thinking about it. I wrote to Robert in the late spring of 2018 to ask him if he was game. At that moment, it felt like there'd been a bunch of interesting biographies that had come out. I mean, I guess the [Charles] Schulz bio had been out a while by then, but [Michael Tisserands] George Harriman book came out somewhere in there. And there was Bill Schelley's [Harvey] Kurtzman biography. I love biographies in general, but also it seemed like an underutilized way of taking in both the cartoonist's life as well as the history of comics, which has always been interesting to me. And I've always been interested in artists personal canons and what they are into, and what they have absorbed in order to create their own language. So Crumb just seemed like an ideal subject to give myself a chance to write longform about the medium. But also, hes had such a fascinating life. What was your first exposure to Crumb's work? Was there a book of his that youd say started you down the path to writing a biography of him? My first exposure was the very first collection of American Splendor comics. That blew my mind. I think I was 13 or 14. And then after that, the Fireside reprint of Head Comix with his incredibly long introduction. That book, more than anything else, kind of turned me on my head. That turned me into an obsessive. In writing this book, you covered the ways that the authorities tried to ban and otherwise suppress different underground comics. Did you anticipate that that history would start to feel a lot more relevant to the present moment when you began working on Crumb? These days it seems like comics in the counterculture are almost too small for anybody to do that except Maus. Something like Maus is a much more dangerous book to people than any issue of Zap because it is so much more historically, politically, socially coherent in its message and in its meaning. Zap, I would imagine, would be almost irrelevant to what people now are dealing with or going after. Because he lives in a small village in the south of France, I'm not worried about Crumb getting banned. There are much larger things to worry about than that. Somebody like [Art] Spiegelman is a much greater concern to me in the sense, in the sense that he's a much more present threat. And also, try and find Crumb in a bookstore these days. Youll find The Book of Genesis and that's pretty much it. He's not part of that literary dialogue in the way that other artists are. It's interesting. Robert is an amazing custodian of his own legacy in his home, but he has not put a lot of effort into his published legacy of comics. Thats why a lot of his books are out of print in America. Things just aren't that readily available, but that should be changing. Early in your book, you mention that Crumb asked you to be honest about reckoning with some of the ways that race and gender have come up in his work in troubling ways. How did you decide how best to reckon with that? That was a very unexpected thing for him to say to me at his kitchen table. It was the day after my wife and I had arrived, and so we were staying with them. We'd had this really fun evening the night before listening to records, doing everything but talking about why I was there, which was to get him to agree to let me write this thing. And so around noon, he brought that condition out, which was a great thing. I can't say that I knew that this was something that I was going to be addressing. I also had a story to tell and a narrative to maintain. I knew that I needed to address it when it occurred first in the narrative, and then to give it space, but not to slow down the book. I try to keep the narrative moving; I want people to finish the book. Not just hardcore fans, but also civilians. So the conversations with Robert were actually not a huge part of how I dealt with that material. He is very open about it, he's still figuring it out. If you catch him on one day, he might say one thing that may be just to provoke you; catch him on another day, and he's a little more thoughtful about it. For me, I had conversations with colleagues, mostly interesting conversations with museum colleagues. You know, there's a history of well-meaning, but now racially insensitive, satire and art of that time. I was looking at that kind of work when thinking about it. I think I understand Robert pretty well at this stage. I have the privilege of knowing that he's not a racist. He made racist work, but that doesn't equate. For the book, I talked to Dewey Crumpler, who's an amazing painter who worked with the Black Panthers in the 1960s and knew Crumbs work very well. I talked to Black artists and writers of that time, who could shed light on what it was like to encounter it. And then I read somebody like Gerald Early, who's a little younger than those guys, who wrote beautifully about comics and about Crumbs issues with race. And then I also talked to curators who are dealing with this all the time in museums, because that's the world Im in. And then I talked to my friends, and also my editor, Kathy, who helped a huge amount, and my wife. Those were just conversations to suss it out. The misogyny was interesting. I talked to women who were there, who could help me understand what the environment was like. And I talked to women my age and younger women, and it was about remembering that this stuff is art, and being generous of spirit with it. We all want generosity to be extended to each other. It happens very rarely. But I felt like there needed to be an antidote to this reactionary online conversation about Crumb, which I find mostly really counterproductive to thinking in general, but also to understanding any cartoonists work. It's just not useful. Late in the biography, you bring up the fact that Robert Crumb isthe polite phrase might be a vaccine skeptic. And hes engaged with some conspiracy theories over the years. Was that something you were reckoning with throughout the whole process? It came up mostly in the end. His engagement with that kind of material kind of started after the late eighties and early nineties. It wasn't really something I needed to address early on. That is mostly a very private thing for him. It's not something thats in the work that much, although its been a little bit lately. I don't care really if Robert's a vaccine skeptic or a conspiracy theorist or any of that. Lots of people are into lots of things and he's not running for political office. There's no harm, I guess. And there are things where if I were him and had gone through what he's gone through with the medical establishment his whole life, I'd be skeptical too. And, as I said in the book, given what we've seen from pharmaceutical companies, we should all be a little skeptical of them. I didn't make it a big part of the book because it wasn't a big part of my interactions with him, nor is it a big part of his work. And for me, the balance was following him and following the work and following our interactions. The medical material is an interest of his, but I dont think it's a defining interest. In the process of researching and writing this book, were there any particular works of Crumbs that you came across and felt that they were underrated and deserved more of a spotlight? The nice and extremely gratifying thing about working on this book is that my appreciation of his work just grew and grew and grew. I never got sick of it. That was one reason I didn't want it to end. Not that I have to stop looking at the work now, but I found it so profoundly rich. Works in particular? Dont Tempt Fate, which I think is an under-sung masterpiece. I think Walkin the Streets, which was his final short-form comic until soon, may be his greatest work. I think his later work is really under-appreciated. He was really at the height of his powers and drawing comics at the highest possible levelarguably, some of the best comics ever madefor a teeny tiny dwindling audience in comic books that haven't even been reprinted. I think that some of the early work has gotten lost in the shuffle of being in anthologies and being reprinted with other stuff. Some of the early tabloid pages for the East Village Other are just unbelievable. I think the work in Yarrowstalks #3 in 1967 is some of the best comics ever made. And you just don't see that material anymore because it was tabloid format. If you see it, it's chopped up or shrunk down. That's something I'm looking to fix down the line. Its funny the way for an artist that strong, people tend to focus so much on the really extreme work. But I think in many ways that Crumbs best material are meditative deep dives. "We've got to get this right," declared Maria Pallante, president and CEO of the Association of American Publishersa sentiment later echoed by several speakers during "The Story Starts With Us," a day-long forum held Tuesday in Washington D.C., to address the threat generative AI poses to copyright law and the creative industries. The event was co-hosted by the AAP and the Copyright Alliance and brought together more 100 authors, journalists, publishers, songwriters, legal experts, lawmakers, and technologists to address what many characterized as an existential threat to creative professions, including writers and musicians. Pallante noted that creators contribute more than $2 trillion to the U.S. GDP. "In this moment, where books and news reporting and songs and other works of authorship are so tremendously important to our world that we live in, we have to get it right," she emphasized. "So, it's a moment for collaboration between sectors, lawful markets. But it's not a moment for expediency or piracy." In his opening remarks, Keith Kupferschmid, CEO of the Copyright Alliance, emphasized the central question facing policymakers: "As they weigh the benefits and risks of Generative AI technologies, the question of how to protect and incentivize the creative and intellectual expression of humans is of critical importance." He underscored that "authors and publishers are first in line in the AI value chainbooks, songs, and other works of authorship are of tremendous importance to global AI markets and framing the regulatory landscape going forward." In a keynote speech, Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont emphasized the critical role creative industries play in society, especially in challenging times. "The work of the creative community has never been more important and never more needed than it is right now," he stated. "The real contribution that the creative community makesthat the arts makein music and literature and film, whatever that form may be, is to help us understand the world we're in." Welch then outlined what is at stake. "Now, as generative AI [emerges], can that work be silently appropriated and monetized essentially by corporate interests that had nothing to do with the creation...and deny any compensation with the artist and the creator is entitled to." Before anything can happen, he said, "the real challenge here is that we don't know what went into those algorithms to create the ultimate product... We've never had this tool of generative AI, where you're an artist Creator. The generative AI company has appropriated your work, and you don't have the clue as to whether or not your work is part of what is the ultimate outcome." To wit, in November last year Welch introduced the TRAIN Act (Transparency and Responsibility for Artificial Intelligence Networks) to Congress. This legislation seeks to create an administrative subpoena process to help copyright owners identify whether their copyrighted works have been used in training generative AI models. "What we are trying to do in this legislation is acknowledge first and foremost, that the creator is entitled to effective copyright protections and compensation for the work that's done," Welsh said. "The principle here is the same as we've always had, and that is, the creator is entitled to the protection... What we're trying to apply it to is this whole new world that we're in where generative AI can just vacuum up everything." He added, "The main reason it's so profoundly important is not just to protect the content and the monetary compensations that artists are entitled to, it's really to make certain that the artistic community can continue...The world of creation is preferable to the world of destruction." Throughout the day, several politicians offered short video messages in support of copyright protections for creators. These included Sen. Marsha Blackburn (TN); Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28th); Rep. Ben Cline (VA-6th); Sen. Chris Coons (DE); Sen. Martin Heinrich (NM); and Sen. Adam Schiff (CA). Calling for unity Later in the day, Bob Goodlatte, former Republican Congressman from Virginia, sat for a conversation with Pallante, who worked with Goodlatte during her previous role as Register of Copyrights from 2011 to 2016. "AI is a wonderful new technology. It is something that I use almost every hour of every day," Goodlatte admitted. "But it is also still absolutely critical to build it on the foundation of human creativity because it is not a substitute for human creativity." Goodlatte, who served in Congress for 26 years and chaired the Judiciary Committee from 2013 to 2019, highlighted the constitutional basis for intellectual property protection. "It's right there in the heart of the Constitution it is explicitly authorized in the ConstitutionArticle One, Section Eight, Clause Eight," Goodlatte said. He added Its also right there at the heart of the Judiciary Committee. Pallante, emphasized that copyright is "explicitly authorized in the Constitution" and that the first Congress enacted the initial Copyright Act in 1790, covering "books, maps, and charts." The duo noted that copyright protection has historically been a bipartisan issue and dismissed concerns raised by technology companies that copyright protections should be weakened to accommodate AI innovation. Creators are in the way, copyright had a good run, it's a new world. We keep hearing it, and it's all familiar. None of it is new. None of it is true, Pallante said. Pallante added: "The argument is that they have to dismantle and trample copyright, not pay creators, not recognize the human expression that is the value that makes generative AI possible in the first place," Pallante said. Both speakers rejected the notion that copyright protection hampers innovation. "Creativity goes hand in hand with the advancement of technology. The advancement of technology is itself creativity," Goodlatte said. Pallante highlighted the "value chain of copyright" from authors to publishers and beyond as "very exciting when it works," adding that "it does work, despite the rhetoric that it's not working, and that it needs to be dismantled." Goodlatte referenced suggestions that a failure to alter copyright laws to cater to AI companies will ultimately result in the U.S. falling behind China, calling such arguments un-American and illogical. "I'm very pleased that we have companies that have dominated the world in terms of technology, but let's not overlook the fact that we have individuals and companies that have dominated the world in terms of all forms of creative expression and the two put together are... I hate to say the word invincible, but that's what they are." He pointed out that there were several instances where Chinese AI technology has been copied from U.S. AI companies. "China steals everything, Goodlatte said. We do not get ahead in the world by copying China." On potential Congressional action, Goodlatte suggested that licensing agreements between content creators and technology companies are already emerging, potentially reducing the immediate need for new legislation. However, he acknowledged that Congress should remain vigilant against piracy and copyright abuses. Pallante cautioned against statutory licensing schemes that would undermine creators' exclusive rights guaranteed in the Constitution. "If we get to a copyright system where we are not any longer talking about exclusive rights, but talking about some regulated environment...we're not really talking about a copyright act anymore," she warned. Goodlatte concluded by calling for unity among creative sectors. "It is so important that every sector of the creative community come together and stand strongly in this area, because every sector will be impacted by one form of AI or another," he said. "I want to see them succeed. I want to see them create great new things with AI, but I want to see the people who've actually done the real creativity, not just the ones who've written the algorithms... be rewarded maybe first and foremost as the Constitution requires." CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Like the other programs launched at universities around the country to revive the classical liberal arts and Americas founding principles, the University of North Carolinas School of Civic Life and Leadership has faced fierce antagonism from entrenched faculty and administrators. Mostly, the opposition comes from academics on the left who typically demean the push for traditional civics education as a rightwing enterprise. J. Christopher Clemens: Quit as provost after months of acrimonious infighting. But here at the states flagship university, the battle lines are not strictly ideological. Although leftwing professors have condemned the School of Civic Life and Leadership since its inception, the real damage has been caused by the internecine fighting among professors and administrators who believe in its mission. The vitriol poisoning the two-year-old initiative rose to new heights last week with the resignation of UNCs chief academic officer. Provost J. Christopher Clemens, who once described himself as among the most outspoken conservative members of the faculty, was instrumental in advocating for the School of Civic Life and Leadership, known as SCiLL, against vicious pushback from hostile faculty. Clemens decision to return teaching duties follows months of acrimonious infighting and protest resignations by several UNC professors from other departments who became involved in SCiLL, marked by charges of broken promises, retaliation, character assassination, and planted media leaks. The mutual recriminations roiling SCiLL threaten to turn off students, sour donors, and scare off professors from accepting faculty positions at one of the nations most ambitious efforts to revive free speech and traditional scholarship in academia. Inger S.B. Brodey: Resigned in protest from leadership duties at the civic school. While some of the disputants are conservatives and others classical liberals, all of them are free speech advocates who all profess commitment to SCiLLs traditional intellectual principles and democratic ideals anchored in the ideals of civil discourse. Behind those lofty principles, however, lie some very concrete free-market motivations: coveted civics professorships that pay up to twice as much as some humanities teaching positions at UNC, plus entree into an elite academic unit whose fundraising potential in the conservative funding network is said to be in the tens of millions of dollars. The conflict touches on a key question for a dozen similar civics initiatives that have arisen at other public universities and others in the pipeline: Do you break from academes progressive orthodoxy by hiring civics-minded professors already at the school, or do you recruit outside faculty who are not beholden to the status quo? The tension between these two visions has come to the fore in Chapel Hill. On one side, longtime UNC professors who sought faculty positions at SCiLL are allied with Clemens, a self-avowed conservative who has been pushing for civics-minded programs at UNC for nearly a decade against faculty whose belligerence he once decried as vicious personal attacks and persecution. They cast blame on SCiLLs dean, Jed Atkins, who has focused on recruiting outside professors. A classical scholar of Greek and Roman political philosophy, Atkins has served as SCiLLs dean for a year, after leaving his position as a professor of classical studies at nearby Duke University and director of Dukes Civil Discourse Project. Above, a freshman orientation at UNC's civics school, a session that Inger Brodey helped run as associate dean. She says that as a woman she was subject to inequities in treatment, workload, and salary. In emails leaked to the media last month, Atkins was accused by his critics of hijacking the faculty selection process. More recent disclosures show that he is accused of retaliating against Inger S.B. Brodey, a UNC literature professor, for criticizing him. In recent weeks, similar allegations have been leveled against Clemens, a professor of physics and astronomy who is depicted as orchestrating a hostile takeover of SCiLL. In a redacted internal email provided to RealClearInvestigations, a SCiLL professor blamed the provost for interfering in the faculty hiring process to help his allies. According to this version of events, which was ccd to top UNC officials, Clemens poisoned the process to create the media firestorm he personally threatened would come if the Dean did not bow to Chriss pressure campaign to hire Chriss friends outside of normal rules and procedures. Dustin Sebell: The tenured professor makes base pay of $200,000. Brodey's base pay is $114,309. Inger Brodey, one of the senior UNC professors who resigned in protest as associate dean of SCiLL and from SCiLLs faculty search committee, suggested Provost Clemens became political collateral damage in a power struggle over the civics mission from which SCiLL may never recover. Under political pressure, Chancellor Lee Roberts "is siding with Jed Atkins against the many faculty and administrators calling him out on his lack of integrity, poor decisions, lack of leadership ability, and betrayal of SCiLLs mission, Brodey emailed in a rare on-the-record faculty comment. It damages, perhaps beyond repair, SCILLs future ability to improve civil discourse on campus and in the community. UNC Board of Trustees members either did not respond to inquiries or declined to speak for attribution. Clemens and Atkins declined comment. The bad blood spilled out in public in March in articles by Inside Higher Education and the student newspaper, The Daily Tar Heel, which quoted leaked emails accusing Atkins of disregarding faculty input on candidates in the hiring process. Brodey told the student newspaper by email that the faculty search was corrupted by improprieties, slander, vindictiveness and manipulation. The IHE article quoted an email sent by UNC economist Jonathan Williams to Dean Atkins, Chancellor Roberts and Provost Clemens declaring SCiLL to be an unmitigated disaster. An Outside-Hiring Mandate The conflict partly stems from the way SCiLL was created as a self-governing, autonomous institute designed to operate at arms length from the rest of the university. In the legislation creating the civics school, North Carolinas Republican-controlled General Assembly directed SCiLL to hire 10 to 20 tenure-track faculty from outside the university, restricting lucrative professional opportunities for longtime UNC faculty. UNC's bio of SCiLL's dean is here But there was an escape hatch. UNC professors can work at SCiLL as adjuncts, with renewable contracts, and, more important, they are also eligible for positions shared between two academic departments, called joint appointments. The joints are coveted positions because they not only give professors voting power over hiring and curricula and influence over the departments mission and philosophy but they typically come with compensation packages more in line with full-time SCiLL professors, some of whom are paid 50% to 100% more than some veteran UNC professors in the humanities. While directed to hire from outside UNC, SCiLL was unable to disentangle itself from UNC professors entirely. In October 2023, the university announced that nine UNC professors would serve as SCiLLs inaugural faculty to help the new civics program get off the ground. Disqualified by law from seeking full-time tenured positions at SCiLL, many of these inaugural faculty joined SCiLL with the expectation that they would be rewarded with joint appointments and pay raises, according to internal emails. As SCiLLs inaugural faculty was reviewing and interviewing outside candidates, the anticipated joints never materialized, sparking a revolt within SCiLL. "They could not apply for a job at their own university it's borderline illegal, said one UNC professor of the hiring restrictions. "The conservative UNC faculty who helped lay the groundwork for the program got totally burned." 'Tough Calls' Have to Be Made External hiring is a common practice in civics programs, a design feature that can lead to faculty tensions over mission and direction, said civics pioneer Paul Carrese, who is a former member of the advisory board of SCiLLs predecessor, the Program on Public Discourse. Ive been in this situation where faculty from other existing departments think they might be sympathetic and supportive, said Carrese, who was the founding director of the civics school at Arizona State University. And then, when it comes down to some crucial questions like hiring the life-blood of the faculty community there are tough calls that have to be made. After a contentious faculty search process that led to several UNC faculty resigning from faculty search duties at SCiLL, Atkins sent out tenure-track offers to eight external candidates. The faculty resignations from faculty search duties are not merely symbolic protests. They complicate the requirement, under SCiLLs bylaws, for SCiLL to have four full professors to hire faculty or to award tenure. Dean Atkins supporters see the professor resignations, and last months email leaks publicizing the resignations, as an attempt to sabotage the new school. No new hires have been publicly announced since the eight job offers went out more than a month ago. Tensions were already simmering as early as May 2024, as SCiLL was bringing in its first six outside hires. UNC philosophy professor Matthew Kotzen, one of the nine inaugural faculty members, expressed impatience in an email to Atkins for the joint appointments, reminding the dean that the UNC inaugural faculty were expecting promotions. Our understanding all along had been, Kotzen wrote, that the inaugural faculty would be recommended for non-Adjunct appointments in SCiLL, in part so that we would have formal voting rights. 'Toxic Environment' One professor caught up in the dispute was Brodey, a professor of English and comparative literature who joined SCiLL as inaugural faculty and was appointed as SCiLLs associate dean, in addition to serving on SCiLLs faculty search committee and on the advisory committee for faculty hiring. Under university rules, all faculty votes are advisory to the dean, but it is customary for the dean to accept faculty advice. Brodey, who came to UNC in 2003, is a full professor who has been working in academia for three decades. Before she became one of the nine inaugural faculty at SCiLL, her base annual salary at UNC was $95,509. In 2024, her base pay increased to $114,309, but she is still woefully underpaid compared to the full professor tenured in SCiLL, Dustin Sebell, whose base salary is $200,000. SCiLL pays a competitive wage by UNC standards. The average base salary last year for a full professor at UNC was $174,500, and the average associate professor was paid $113,200. On Jan. 8, Brodey wrote a plea to Provost Clemens, expressing alarm that Dean Atkins was unilaterally changing SCiLLs mission and hiring candidates who conform to unspoken, homogenous, ideological criteria. She cited the rejection of an external candidate whose syllabus included a land acknowledgment honoring indigenous Indian tribes as only one example of a pattern of exclusion. Brodey also wrote that as the sole woman on SCiLLs leadership team, she was subject to inequities in treatment, workload, and salary. She said her joint appointment was being withheld from her as punishment for her objections to the deans hijacking of SCiLL. I feel personally betrayed by our current Dean, who promised me a joint position so that I could vote on SCiLL issues and then suddenly reversed course, Brodey wrote. The contract and raise Ive consistently been promised by the Dean have been punitively removed in retaliation for perceived disloyalty not to SCiLLs mission, but to the blind and unquestioning loyalty that the current Dean demands. She described Atkins as secretive, authoritarian, manipulative, divisive, and frequently unjust. Dean Atkins did not respond to a request for comment. UNC faculty appointment procedures would not allow him to unilaterally honor such a promise. Brodey urged the provost to intervene before SCiLL could hire another wave of tenure-track faculty from outside the university. I urge you to act soon to restore SCiLL to its original mission before a bevy of new faculty are hired, are immediately forced to polarize in this toxic environment, Brodey wrote. One of Atkins own hires in SCiLL, David Decosimo, who came from Boston University, has publicly expressed support for Brodey. In an emailed statement to RealClearInvestigations, SCiLL professor Sebell said that a joint appointment would have to go through an internal review process involving SCiLL faculty. "The process involves a letter of application, a research presentation, and a vote of the tenure-line faculty on the appointment, Sebell emailed. On Jan. 17, Brodey wrote a two-page memo to Atkins outlining her concerns. She again mentioned the spat over the job candidates land acknowledgment, which may have been required by the institution at which he currently works. While it may be within the deans power to intervene at every stage of the search and add/remove names, overruling the opinions of the committee, she wrote, I have never seen this power executed outside of SCiLL. In a Jan. 19 email to Brodey, SCiLL professor Sebell said nothing untoward took place in the faculty selection process. Inger, I understand that youre unhappy with the results of the process, Sebell wrote. Youre disappointed. I get it, I really do. But try to keep things in perspective, and dont lose sight of the difference between your disappointment with the outcome in a very small handful of cases and the integrity of the process itself. Less than a week later, on Jan. 24, the provost intervened. Clemens took the extraordinary step of canceling SCiLLs job search, citing a lack of funding for tenure-track positions. In his two-page memo, Clemens authorized Atkins to limit the faculty search to teaching-track positions, which are ineligible for tenure or for voting on hiring and curricula essentially, professors without institutional power. Then three days later, the provost reversed himself. In a brief note to SCiLL faculty, Clemens said Chancellor Roberts had committed sufficient funds to continue the job search for tenure-track professors. More Scrutiny Likely The SCiLL faction sees the canceled job search as payback. When RealClearInvestigations asked UNC to explain the reason for the eleventh-hour search cancellation and how funds suddenly became available to resume the job search, UNC communications told RCI: We have nothing further to share. In a statement to Inside Higher Education last month, UNCs media relations office defended the faculty search: SCiLLs faculty searches honored all university rules and procedures. Applicants were advanced on the basis of merit and fit with the advertised positions. SCiLL professors hired last year have also defended this years faculty selection process. "Those who ended up receiving offers earned overwhelming support from SCiLL's core faculty, said SCiLL professor Danielle James. Were committed to hiring humanists and social scientists with impressive backgrounds in literature, history, American constitutional development, and comparative politics. The provosts resignation does not signal the end of unwanted scrutiny for Chapel Hills vaunted civics school. The parties involved say that the release of public records requests will trigger another wave of interest, as will the credentials and backgrounds of any future hires who accept positions in SCiLL. If the internal turmoil spills out into the courts, as some predict could happen, a fuller picture will emerge of how the elusive ideal of civil discourse and respectful disagreement turned into a conflict that seemed everything but. It is often said that academic turf battles are so vicious because the stakes are so low. The contretemps in North Carolina illustrates a deeper reality: Disputes over power and money in the ivory tower can make or break academic careers. Editors Note: John Murawskis wife is a UNC alumna and longtime contributor to the school who made two donations earmarked for SCiLL from her personal account in December 2024. Photos by Kenda Lenseigne Originally created as a homage to Stoners other design, the BRN-180 has undergone not so much an evolution, but a caterpillar-to-butterfly transformation. Almost no parts on the Gen 3 version will interchange with previous iterations, but the family lineage is still obvious. When Stoner came up with the AR-18, it was to provide countries with less advanced manufacturing capabilities a means to access a modern assault rifle, by substituting a stamped and folded sheet metal receiver for the AR-15s machined aluminum components. The hard-to-make bolt carrier with its linear piston was swapped for a tappet system, but he retained the successful multi-lug bolt, adding twin recoil springs located inside the upper receiver. This design change allowed for the addition of a folding stock, which was a major improvement to the AR-15 in a market which favored compact carbines for operating out of vehicles. The SIG MCX SBR lower we used to add fire control components doesnt quite match the BRN-180 upper, but its the most widely distributed bufferless receiver in the U.S. While the AR-18 was not a commercial success, it nonetheless paved the way for just about every other assault rifle using a short stroke gas piston adopted by a major military in the following half century. So much for historical background; how does Brownells version stack up? BROWNELLS BRN-180 GEN 3 SPECS Caliber: 300 BLK Capacity: 30 rounds Barrel Length: 9 inches Overall Length (As Shown): 32 inches Weight (As Shown): 7.7 pounds MSRP: $1,200 PROS: Good suppressor host Gen 3 changes modernize design CONS: Expensive, big price jump since Gen 1 & 2 UNDER THE HOOD Perhaps the biggest departure from Stoners vision, the upper receiver is milled from solid aluminum, while the handguard appears to be an extrusion. This is driven by modern manufacturing methods the up-front cost of making a set of stamping dies to press the receiver from sheet metal is prohibitive, especially for a comparatively short production run, whereas you can be making chips on a CNC machine for the price of creating the code. While purists will no doubt decry the historical heresy, theres no debating the quality of the machine work that went into this product, which keeps getting better with every generation. Compared to the Gen 2, this ones streets ahead in terms of fit, feel and finish. Were kinda known for breaking stuff, and this was no exception. Fortunately the dust cover didnt cause a stoppage. We requested the 9-inch-barreled 300BLK option for T&E, but there are others, including a 13.9-inch 223 Wylde with a pinned and welded muzzle device to bring it up to 16 inches total, as well as a 16-inch-barreled upper in the same caliber. We paired the shorty Blackout with an SBRd SIG MCX lower receiver, as this is probably the most widely distributed, non-buffer tube lower in circulation right now. Rattler owners who want to add a 5.56 upper to the safe can save 500 bucks by going this route, rather than adding an MCX-LT to their shopping cart, so its an attractive proposition. With a means to light off cartridges secured, it was time to get down to business. Starting out front, the 9-inch-long, 1/6 twist barrel is terminated in an A2-style muzzle device, which can be removed to access 5/8-24 threads. So, we did. To these, we added a Dead Air Mojave 9 suppressor in its short configuration. While Dead Air markets the Mojave as a pistol can, its right at home on a 300BLK, and its 8-ounce weight is appreciated on a short carbine. Behind the can is the handguard, which has received a few refinements since the second-gen version. There are seven rows of M-LOK slots spaced out around its 7-inch length, with a full Pic rail at the 12 oclock position. The area over the gas block, which vents propellant gases to the atmosphere, is blanked off, preventing the shooters wrist from being sand blasted, but still allowing access to the four-position regulator. The gas block itself is secured to the barrel by means of both a keyway machined into the barrel shoulder, and a substantial roll pin. 300BLK is a tricky cartridge to accommodate, as theres a huge span of gas pressure and volume between heavy subsonic loads and fast-moving supers add the variation in backpressure caused by different suppressor designs, and you have a recipe for a lot of customer service calls. We tried several different super and sub loads, as well as two different cans, and the upper was able to handle all of them reliably. The Gen 3 handguard is secured to the upper by means of a single bolt at the 6-oclock position. This bears on the barrel at the chamber area and pulls the rail tightly against a dogleg keyed area between the two, making for a very secure and rigid connection, which appears to be resistant to deflection under pressure. Outfitted with a Samson folder, EOTech Vudu, and Tac Shield sling, the BRN-180 is an excellent suppressor host, here sporting a Dead Air Mojave 9. We didnt get the opportunity to test zero retention with a laser aiming module but are confident it would bend less than an MCX, judging on how difficult it is to remove. We wound up having to beat it into submission with a soft-faced hammer for the first couple of times we stripped it. One of the biggest differences between generations of BRN-180s is the charging handle. The first two gens used the traditional bent wire charging handle, which was attached to the bolt carrier and whipped back and forth on the right side of the receiver. The new version employs a non-reciprocating charging handle on the left side, and the slot in which it rides is sealed by a synthetic gasket, much like the Swiss Stgw 90. Although the handle is bent downward, if you use an optic with a bulky mount, you can still wind up scraping your knuckles if its positioned forward on the rail. Fortunately, the EOTech 3-932s mount is very compact and stays out of the way, but wed like to see an even lower handle, preferably one that also folds when not in use. Hopefully, the aftermarket will address this. On the other side of the receiver at the rear of the ejection port sits an aluminum shell deflector, which is held in place by a roll pin and is absent in the first two BRN-180s. They employed a traditional hinged dust cover to reduce ingress of contaminants to the receiver, but the new version has ditched this in favor of a sliding dust cover permanently attached to the bolt carrier. The good news is that youll never need to remember to close the cover. The bad news is ours broke. We have no idea whether this is a one-off failure caused by a freak manufacturing fault, or whether its a design flaw. We do know that it didnt cause the gun to stop firing, and the broken piece was simply grabbed through the ejection port and yanked out once it was discovered. Inside the upper receiver, the bolt carrier group rides on a pair of AR-18-style guide rods, like gens 1 and 2. Brownells added a steel rail to the third gen, which is bolted through the left side and keyed to the receiver, which should increase both longevity and reliability. The guide rods are held at their rear by a block, which is captured by a sliding catch in the back of the receiver previous models would launch their guide rod apparatus across the room once you popped takedown pins and shotgunned the action, but in this version, theyre retained until you decide to pull them out. ROUNDS DOWNRANGE To make our cobbled-together carbine perform, we added a Samson folding stock to the Pic rail at the rear of the MCX receiver, along with the aforementioned EOTech Vudu optic (see Dave Merrills review elsewhere this issue) and Dead Air can for the majority of testing. A SilencerCo Omega 30 was also used as a higher backpressure example. To this assemblage was added a Tac Shield sling designed by a dude who is the epitome of been there, done that, and who Im proud to have in my close circle of move a body friends. While its a bit narrow for use on an M240, for a lightweight build like this, its damn near perfect. After a quick zero, we shot the BRN-180 for groups, and from bags at 100 yards, it turned in 1.75 MOA with SIG 124-grain FMJ ammo, which was used for the first few mags to break in the action. Switching to Hornady SubX 190-grain rounds, the upper proved to be consistent; 1.25 MOA was easily achievable, though naturally, POI was about 8-MOA low from the supersonic zero. We ran the gun with its gas regulator set on position 2 for supersonic ammo and the low backpressure can, with position 4 needed to reliably run subs. The higher backpressure SiCo suppressor was run on position 1 and 3, respectively. Throughout all of our testing, the lack of gas to the face was remarkable, despite our initial misgivings about the effectiveness of the polymer seal around the charging handle slot. Compared to a similarly equipped AR-15, the difference was night and day, and not having to mess with buffer weights or springs was a bonus just figure out what gas setting was needed for the combination of ammunition and suppressor, then flick the regulator over to that position. Due to the bolt carriers comparatively low reciprocating mass, recoil was very mild. With a can, the impulse of 124-grain rounds was about what youd expect from an unsuppressed 5.56. What would we like to see changed? While the upper is very good, theres a couple of things we think can be improved upon from a user perspective. The first is the method of handguard removal, which is necessary to access the gas system for normal cleaning and maintenance ideally, this should be tool-less as the easier it is to remove, the more the user is likely to clean the piston and cylinder. The second concerns the dust cover the second upper we got handsy with had no issues, but wed like to see some long-term testing of multiple units before giving it the thumbs up. In all, Brownells has come up with a useful piston upper, which offers great functionality for those looking for a suppressor host. Theyve managed to do this without creating something excessively muzzle heavy the piston system adds very little mass and in the 9-inch 300BLK version, its hardly noticeable. Given the ability to mount a folding stock, its worthy of consideration for your next backpack or truck gun. The News in Brief Thursday, April 10, 2025 April 9 marks the 36th anniversary of the 1989 crackdown by Soviet troops on pro-independence, peaceful demonstrators in Tbilisi. On April 9, 1989, Soviet forces violently dispersed a peaceful rally outside the government building, killing 21 people and injuring hundreds more. The troops used toxic gas and beat protesters with spades, leaving a lasting scar on the nation's collective memory. The brutal crackdown became a defining moment in Georgia's struggle for independence from the Soviet Union.On the same day in 1991, following the pro-independence coalition's victory over the Communist Party in the 1990 elections and a March 1991 referendum, the Georgian parliament declared the restoration of the country's independence.Georgia's international partners expressed solidarity with the Georgian people on the occasion:"We join Georgia in honouring the legacy of 9 April 1989 - the symbolic end of Soviet rule. Today we commemorate those who gave their lives for Georgia's independence. Generations of Georgian citizens continue to protect that independence resolutely.""On 9 April 1989, peaceful demonstrators in Tbilisi were killed by the Soviet regime. With our Georgian friends, we commemorate those who fought & suffered for a free, independent and democratic Georgia. Standing against Soviet oppression, Poland and Georgia shared a common struggle then. We continue to be united with Georgian society aiming for a free, democratic, and European future.""On the eve of National Unity Day, France will pay tribute to the memory of the Georgian women and men who were killed by the Soviet army on April 9, 1989, fighting for freedom and independence. France continues to stand by the Georgian people in their quest for independence, democracy, and Europe.""On Georgia's Day of National Unity, together with the Georgian people, we remember the tragic events of the Soviet military crackdown of 9 April 1989 and the restoration of independence on 9 April 1991. Lithuania stands with the Georgian people as they continue the struggle for a European future!""36 years ago, on 9 April 1989, Soviet troops massacred peaceful Georgians demonstrating for freedom. On this Day of National Unity, we honor all those who gave their lives for a free Georgia. We continue our support for a united, strong, European Georgia!""Today marks 36 years since the tragedy of April 9. We remember the 21 innocent victims of freedom fighting and the hundreds injured, as Georgians bravely stood side by side in the fight for Georgia's freedom and independence.""To pay tribute to the victims and injured of April 9, 1989, German Ambassador Peter Fischer laid a wreath in front of the Parliament today. At that time, Georgians demanded freedom and independence from the Soviet Union, for which they sacrificed their lives and health. Today, we remember their courage and strength. Their dedication should be a motivation for us to always defend freedom and the rule of law. On April 9, 1989, the Soviet army violently dispersed a peaceful demonstration in front of the Parliament in Tbilisi, during which many people were killed, most of them women. The youngest were 16 years old."The Georgian Dream party is pushing for a change in the law to stop political parties from receiving in-kind support, such as free venues, services, or materials, from foreign entities for events like seminars and public gatherings. The proposed amendments to the Law on Political Associations of Citizens will be fast-tracked through parliament and will take effect as soon as the President signs them.Currently, while foreign funding is banned for political parties, the law allows in-kind contributions from international organizations that support party development, as long as it doesn't directly favor any particular party. The new amendments would remove these exceptions.Alongside this, Georgian Dream has also introduced changes to the Law on Grants, which would require international donors to get approval from the government before providing grants to local organizations. Multiple international students at the University of Georgia have been affected by the recent wave of visa cancellations, though it is not publicly known at this time to what extent. Federal officials working under the Trump administrations orders have terminated hundreds of international students visas at universities across the U.S. over the past few days, often without notifying the universities administrators. So far, the visa cancellations have affected students at colleges all over the country, although a full list has yet to be revealed and it remains unclear to what extent UGA students have been affected. University of Georgia officials are aware that a small number of international students have been affected, and we are working to learn more about the situation, UGA spokesperson Greg Trevor said in an email statement to The Red & Black. Amid the ongoing global tariff war, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday asked exporters not to panic and assured them that India is working on the "right mix and right balance" in its proposed trade agreement with the US. Photograph: PiyushGoyal/ X He also said the Indian team is working with "speed" but not in "undue haste" to ensure the right outcome for the country. The two countries are negotiating a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with an aim to more than double bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2023 from the present about USD 191 billion. They are aiming to conclude the first phase by the fall (September-October) this year. Goyal made the remarks during a meeting called by the ministry with the export promotion councils and industry bodies here in the light of the emerging trade scenario due to the imposition of high tariffs by the US. America has imposed an additional 26 per cent duty on India, which came into effect on Wednesday. During the meeting, the minister also apprised the exporters regarding discussions with the US for a mutually beneficial multi-sectoral BTA. "The minister assured that the country is working in a proactive manner and exploring solutions which are in the best interest of the nation. The team working on BTA is exploring the right mix and the right balance and he exhorted the exporters to not panic and look at the silver lining in the present scenario," an official statement said. Goyal noted that different countries are approaching the tariff imposition in a different manner. "However, as far as India is concerned, there is a potential for increase in manufacturing, creation of additional jobs because it can attract big players in global supply chain as India has been able to establish itself as a trusted and reliable partner and with a predictable business friendly destination," he said. The meeting was called to deliberate on the impact as well as opportunities arising out of the evolving and dynamic scenarios and to apprise the industry and trade about the steps being taken by the government. 'Granting the country's highest civilian honour to Prime Minister Modi was surprising as it indicated the government was going out of its way to have India as a close partner.' IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inspects a guard of honour at Independence Square in Colombo. Photograph: Thilina Kaluthotage/Reuters "While there was initially concern that the NPP* government would lean closer towards China, India's engagement with Sri Lanka has been steadily growing since 2022," notes Dr Rajni Gamage, research fellow, Institute of South Asian Study, National University of Singapore. Dr Gamage's main topic of research is Sri Lankan politics and development issues. "Economic pragmatism by the government, despite past antagonism to India, was expected due to the country's fragile economic state, recognition of opportunities that lay in engaging closely with India, and shifting US relations in the Indo Pacific under Trump which is causing a lot of global volatility," Dr Gamage tells Rediff's Archana Masih in an e-mail interview. What surprised you most about Prime Minister Modi's visit to Sri Lanka? The historic welcome? The defence treaty? Or the outreach to Mr Modi and India by President Dissanayake's government? The granting of the Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana, the country's highest civilian honour to Prime Minister Modi stood out. Previous recipients were former Maldives president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Yasser Arafat. The past awards indicated the close relations between Maldives and Sri Lanka, and the Palestinian cause which has been an issue of Global South solidarity for several past governments, including those of Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Ranasinghe Premadasa and Mahinda Rajapaksa. Sri Lanka's relations with India are at an all-time high, and while there was initially concern that the government would lean closer towards China, due to historical antagonism towards India by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, JVP (its main political party) and its former Marxist-Leninist ideology, India's engagement with Sri Lanka has been steadily growing since 2022. Economic pragmatism by the government, despite past antagonism to India, was expected due to the country's fragile economic state, recognition of opportunities that lay in engaging closely with India, and shifting US relations in the Indo Pacific under Trump which is causing a lot of global volatility. Granting the country's highest civilian honour was surprising as it indicated the government was going out of its way to have India as a close partner. IMAGE: Sri Lanka conferred on Prime Minister Modi its highest civilian honour, the Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana, during the visit. Photograph: Thilina Kaluthotage/Reuters Would you have expected a government headed by the JVP, perhaps the most India hostile political entity for more than half a century in Sri Lanka, to produce such an enthusiastic response to India likely ever seen in your country? What accounts for this transformation? The Sri Lankan government understands the precarious economic (and by extension political) situation it is in. It was voted into power by a significant mandate and has to manage high expectations, despite the economic constraints it is working within. With what is going on in the US under President Trump, such as the 44% reciprocal tariffs on Sri Lanka the US announced, and an ongoing IMF programme, the government faces a lot of uncertainty and inexperience in navigating these tricky waters. So, it recognises the importance of India economically, and how in the past Sri Lanka has suffered politically and economically by ignoring India's needs (such as during the J R Jayawardene government or more recently under the Mahinda Rajapaksa government). In addition, one must recognise that China too is taking stock of the popular pushback against its large infrastructure projects that were partially blamed for the 2022 economic crisis and poor governance practices among the Sri Lankan political leadership. So their investments are now at the smaller, community level engagement. Do you think Colombo is weary of China's demands on repaying loans, its unwillingness to provide economic relief without asking for its pound of flesh in return? And India is more benign source of economic support, asking for not much, only for some commercial deals? Colombo's relations with China appear to remain strong. The NPP (JVP) has had strong relations with the Communist party of China, and it could be that it is the sureness of this relationship, that enables the NPP to make strong statements in favour of India. Perhaps it is the Sri Lankan government's close reading or a sure understanding with the Chinese government that makes it certain that a close relationship with India will not strain its relations with China. But one has to wait and see how China responds to these latest developments. How would the agreements signed during Mr Modi's visit play out with President Dissanayake's domestic audience? The defence treaty shows how India is proactively attempting to convert its economic leverage to security gains. There has been some pushback by the political opposition and civil society in terms of questioning the government what the defence pact entails, and demanding for more transparency and inclusivity, such as why it was entered into without adequate public consultations. Since the details or the implications of this pact are not clear at the moment, there is no significant opposition. It also signals at the fragmented state of the political Opposition, to be able to mobilise on these matters; and the popular economic hardships which make mobilisation on these fronts difficult. But we can expect such demands, as well as anti-India political sentiments, to come from the nationalist political camps -- the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), represented by MP Namal Rajapaksa, and the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MJP) represented by MP and media tycoon Dilith Jayaweera. IMAGE: Prime Minister Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumar Dissanayake flag off a train in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. Photograph: Thilina Kaluthotage/Reuters Is the defence agreement the most significant of the ten agreements for India? Was it to signal to China its proximity to a country seen in Beijing's camp through the Rajapaksa years? The defence and power and energy-related agreements are equally important. India has been observed to generally engage in energy and connectivity projects with a geostrategic objective as foremost. Among the energy related projects, the MoU to develop Trincomalee as an energy hub and the construction of a multiproduct pipeline is significant. The project also involves the United Arab Emirates, a strategic partner of India's, and whose involvement may offset geopolitical tensions of engaging bilaterally and tapping into mutual strategic competencies. The project may intensify competition between India and China, as China's State energy company Sinopec secured a deal to construct a $3.2 billion oil refinery in Sri Lanka's southern Hambantota port. So, besides the defence pact, which the Indian side may have desired to make it very clear that it is not leaving Sri Lanka's strategic engagement up for chance, these energy projects may elicit a response from China, who is still a key economic player in the country and may see its strategic interests as being pushed beyond acceptable limits. As we have seen in the Maldives such agreements may quickly reach its use by date with a change in government. How can the goodwill built with Sri Lanka by India through its assistance during the economic crisis be sustained? This nature of changes in external projects with governments has been very common in Sri Lanka too, as with the Chinese-funded Port City project and the Japanese metro project, as knee jerk political reactions. Under the current government, during the campaigns, the NPP and Presidential candidate AKD (Anura Kumar Dissanayake) promised to cancel the Adani wind power projects due to claims that it was overpriced following non-competitive bidding. However, the current government has shown significant continuity with the past government in terms of economic policy, and despite Adani's withdrawal from the wind power project, the government has indicated that it is open to working with the entity through an open bidding process. The Sri Lankan government had also indicated that it would continue with the Adani investment in the Colombo Port West Container Terminal, despite bribery allegations against Adani in the United States. So policy consistency can be expected to considerable extent. For goodwill to be sustained, the benefits of the partnership need to be felt at the community level, through small scale, high impact projects. Otherwise, a disconnect may develop between large development projects and local perceptions towards India. What did President Dissanayake mean when he said Sri Lanka would not be used by forces inimical to India? Since the election of President Dissanayake in September 2024, we have heard this statement at least on three occasions. So, there is a clear recognition by the Sri Lankan government that this is a concern for India, and that Sri Lanka's stance is not ambiguous on this front. Was it meant to elicit a reciprocal assurance from India that Indian territory will not be used against Sri Lanka as it was in the 1980s? I do not think that the Sri Lankan government expects such a response due to the power differential between the two countries. But yes, a case can be made that it is eager that Indian geopolitical anxieties do not escalate, and in a way that is detrimental to Sri Lanka's interests. The country in its weakened economic state is vulnerable to local political and security-driven instability, and the last thing the government would want is for these divisions to become serious national security threats. *National People's Power, a leftist political alliance, currently rules Sri Lanka. It is dominated by the JVP. In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court on Tuesday held that governors cannot sit over bills passed by the state legislature and fixed a timeline of one to three months for their actions under the Constitution. IMAGE: The Supreme Court of India. Photograph: ANI Photo A bench of justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan said the expression "as soon as possible" permeates Article 200 with a sense of expediency, and does not allow the governor to "sit on the bills and exercise pocket veto over them". "Similarly, by virtue of the first proviso intrinsically and inextricably attached to the option of withholding of assent, there is no scope for the governor to declare simpliciter withholding of assent meaning thereby absolute veto is also impermissible under Article 200," it said. The bench also said there is no expressly specified time limit for the discharge of the functions by the governor under Article 200 of the Constitution. "There is no expressly specified time limit for the discharge of the functions by the governor under Article 200 of the Constitution. Despite there being no prescribed time limit, Article 200 cannot be read in a manner which allows the governor to not take action upon bills which are presented to him for assent and thereby delay, and essentially roadblock law-making machinery in the state," it said. The bench also said it is fixing a timeline of one to three months for the governors to decide the fate of bills cleared by the state assemblies, keeping in mind the constitutional significance of Article 200 and the role it plays in the federal polity of the country. "Failure to comply with this timeline would make the inaction of the governors subject to judicial review by the courts," the bench cautioned. "In case of either withholding of assent or reservation of the bills for the consideration of the president upon the aid and advice of the state council of ministers, the governor is expected to take such action forthwith subject to a maximum period of one month," the bench said. The top court said that in case of withholding of assent, contrary to the advice of the state council of ministers, the governor must return the bills together with a message within a maximum period of three months. It said in case of reservation of bills for the consideration of the president, contrary to the advice of the state council of ministers, the governor shall make such reservation within a maximum period of three months. "In case of presentation of bills after reconsideration in accordance with the first proviso (of Article 200), the governor must grant assent forthwith subject to a maximum period of one month," it said. The use of the expression "as soon as possible" makes it clear that the Constitution infuses a sense of urgency upon the governor and expects him to act in expediency, the bench noted. "If he decides to declare withholding of assent, the settled position of law is that when no time limit for the exercise of power is prescribed, the same must be exercised in a reasonable time period," it said. The bench also said that guided by the decision of this court in the AG Perarivalan case, it is settled law that the courts are well empowered to prescribe a time limit for the exercise of any function or any power, which by its very nature demands expediency. "Prescribing of a general time limit by this court within which the ordinary exercise of power by the governor under Article 200 must take place is not the same thing as amending the text of the Constitution to read in a time limit, thereby fundamentally changing the procedural mechanism of Article 200. "Prescription of such a time limit within the scheme of Article 200 is with a view to lay down a determinable judicial standard for ascertaining the reasonable exercise of such power to curtail any arbitrariness," it said. This court by prescribing a time limit for exercise of power is guided by the inherent expedient nature of the procedure prescribed under Article 200, it added. "Keeping in mind the constitutional significance of Article 200 and the role it plays in the federal polity of the country, the following timeline is being prescribed," the bench said. The top court said as a general rule, the governor in exercise of the functions under Article 200 is required to abide by the aid and advice tendered by the council of ministers. "Any exercise of discretion by the governor in exercise of power under Article 200 is amenable to judicial review," it said. The verdict holds importance as several opposition-ruled states such as Kerala, Punjab, Telangana and West Bengal have approached the apex court against delay in giving assent by governors to bills passed by the respective state assemblies. China on Wednesday hit back at United States President Donald Trump's tariffs on Chinese exports with 84 per cent levies on its imports from America, intensifying the trade war between the top two economies of the world. IMAGE: Chinese President Xi Jinping. Photograph: Selim Chtayti/Pool via Reuters The hike in levies, up from 34 per cent, came hours after Trump's explosive new tariffs on 60 countries, including 104 per cent on China, came into effect after midnight Wednesday US time. Trump's threat of the additional 50 per cent tariffs on China on Monday came after Beijing refused to withdraw the 34 per cent tariffs on US goods by Tuesday, which it had announced to retaliate Trump's 34 per cent levy on Chinese goods announced last week. China will hike the additional tariffs on products imported from the United States to 84 per cent effective Thursday, state-run Xinhua news agency reported quoting the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council's announcement on Wednesday. The announcement follows the US decision to raise the reciprocal tariffs on Chinese imports from 34 per cent to 84 per cent, a move that is 'going further down the wrong path and seriously infringes on China's legitimate rights and interests', according to the Commission. China has filed a lawsuit against the US with the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism following the latest US tariff hikes. The US additional tariff measures seriously violate WTO rules, a spokesperson of the Commerce Ministry said, responding to the additional tariff announcement by the US on Chinese goods over and above the earlier reciprocal tariffs. The imposition of additional 50 per cent tariffs is a grave mistake on top of an existing one and highlights the unilateral bullying nature of the US actions, the spokesperson said. Additionally, China added six US firms to its unreliable entity list, the country's Commerce Ministry announced on Wednesday. These companies, in disregard of strong opposition from China, have in recent years either participated in arms sales to Taiwan or engaged in so-called military technology cooperation with Taiwan, seriously undermining China's national sovereignty, security and development interests, a spokesperson for the ministry said, Xinhua reported. Separately, China has added 12 US companies to its export control list, the ministry said, adding, these companies have engaged in activities that may endanger China's national security and interests. Meanwhile, China's State Council Information Office on Wednesday released a white paper titled 'China's Position on Some Issues Concerning China-US Economic and Trade Relations' saying the 'rising unilateralism and protectionism in the United States have significantly impeded normal economic and trade cooperation between the two countries,' according to Xinhua. A sessions court in Maharashtra's Kolhapur on Wednesday granted bail to former journalist Prashant Koratkar, who was accused of using offensive language against Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. IMAGE: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation worker cleans the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on the eve of his birth anniversary, in Mumbai, February 18, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo Nagpur resident Koratkar, who was arrested on March 24 and subsequently remanded in 14-day judicial custody, is currently lodged in Kalamba jail in Kolhapur district. The former scribe has been accused of threatening historian Indrajeet Sawant and making derogatory remarks against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Sambhaji Maharaj, both highly revered figures in Maharashtra. Earlier, a judicial magistrate (first class), or JMFC, here had denied bail to Koratkar after the prosecution argued he might tamper with evidence if released from jail. He had subsequently moved the sessions court. The sessions court on Monday had reserved its order on his bail application. On Wednesday, it granted bail to Koratkar, who appeared via videoconferencing from the jail, on a surety of Rs 50,000. A Border Security Force jawan was "seriously" injured in an IED blast that occurred ahead of the fence along the India-Pakistan international border in Punjab on Wednesday. IMAGE: A Border Security Force soldier patrols at the international border. Photograph: ANI Photo It is the first such instance at this front of usage of this dangerous concoction of explosives and shrapnel used to kill and maim. The incident took place on the intervening night of April 8-9 near Dorangla village in Gurdaspur district. The Border Security Force (BSF) has issued an "alert" all along the 553 km of this front in Punjab and suspension of farming around the blast area. The BSF will take up the matter and issue a strong protest note to their counterparts across the border -- Pakistan Rangers -- once a "technical and forensic" investigation concludes, sources in the force told PTI. The force said in a statement that a BSF party was undertaking an "area domination" patrol ahead of the fence during the night and it detected " multiple" (about two IEDs as per preliminary inputs) improvised explosive devices (IEDs) with concealed wires "well inside" the Indian territory. This patrol party aimed to dominate the area and ensure the safety of troops, defence personnel, and local farmers who frequently traverse and ply on the route during the daytime. While cordoning off and sanitising the area, the detonating device of some of the IEDs, which was concealed, accidentally got triggered, resulting in a serious leg injury to a BSF jawan, the statement said. The constable rank jawan suffered injuries to his feet and one of his toes blew off due to the blast, the sources said. Despite the inherent risks, the troops continued their operation, successfully securing the area and preventing a potentially "massive" tragedy to force personnel and farmers, the BSF said. The remaining IEDs were defused after daybreak. The Gurdaspur area has seen a few cross-border drone sorties that illegally bring in narcotics from Pakistan but an IED is certainly new, a senior BSF officer based in Punjab said. Officers from BSF's Punjab Frontier headquartered in Jalandhar have reached the spot and are undertaking a security review even as an alert has been issued, he said. "This is the first time that an IED attack has taken place in this area or anywhere along the Punjab border or for that matter across the entire 2,289 kms of this IB," the officer said. Landmines were planted by both India and Pakistani forces during the 1965 and 1971 wars and during 'Operation Parakram' when India mobilised its defence forces to the Pakistan front in the aftermath of the 2001 Parliament attack. These landmines were marked and neutralised but IEDs were never used, another BSF officer said. The BSF will "change" its strategy while patrolling this border which is done on foot and on horse backs, the senior BSF officer said. The force will lodge a complaint with the local police too, he said. The BSF said in the statement that the "bravery displayed by the personnel not only averted a major incident but also safeguarded countless civilian lives." IEDs are a major threat to the lives of security personnel and civilians in other combat theatres of the country like Left Wing Extremism (LWE), terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and insurgency in the north eastern states apart from such terrorist triggered blasts in metro cities leading to numerous deaths and loss of limbs for many. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday pledged to strengthen the strategic relationships with neighbouring countries by 'appropriately' managing differences and enhancing supply chain ties as China's tariff war with the United States escalated. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia on October 23, 2024. Photograph: China Daily via Reuters In his first public speech after US President Donald Trump's steep global hike of tariffs, especially targeting China with 104 per cent on Chinese exports to America, Xi called for building a community with a shared future with neighbouring countries and striving to open new ground for China's neighbourhood work, state media reported. Xi made the remarks at a central conference on work related to neighbouring countries, which was held in Beijing from Tuesday to Wednesday. Trump's additional 50 per cent tariff, taking the overall levies against the Chinese exports to the US to 104 per cent, kicked in on Wednesday. China vowed to fight to the end if Trump pursued the tariff measures. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also said on Wednesday that India and China are moving towards a 'positive direction' in their ties and work needs to be done to normalise the relationship. "I think we are moving in a positive direction," he said. "It's obviously better than the last time I was here. I think the disengagement, particularly the Depsang-Demchok was important," Jaishankar said at the News 18 Rising Bharat Summit in New Delhi. As its relations with the US became increasingly strained, China recently wound down border tensions with India and sought to improve its relations with other neighbours like Japan and South Korea, bracing for tough times under Trump's presidency on trade and strategic fronts. India-China relations plunged to their lowest point since the 1962 war following the Galwan Valley clashes in 2020. Following a series of diplomatic and military talks, the two sides withdrew their troops from several friction along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The ties showed signs of improvement after Xi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Kazan in Russia last October. In October, the two sides also firmed up a disengagement pact for Depsang and Demchok, the last two friction points in eastern Ladakh. Since then, the two countries have held a series of high-level meetings to normalise relations. Jaishankar suggested that issues on the border remained to some extent because of the force build up over a period of years. "But there were many other things which also happened during this period some of it was a collateral of the situation; some of it was actually a carryover from the Covid era. For example, our direct flights stopped during Covid, they were not resumed," he said. "The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra stopped during Covid. It did not again resume. I think there is work to be done. We are at it," he said. "We are sort of trying to see whether lot of this post-Covid and parallel to the border tension, the combination of these issues -- how much we can progress on this," Jaishankar added. The external affairs minister said both sides are looking into these issues. "We are looking at it because at the end of the day we have always maintained that the situation, which we saw between 2020 and 2024, was not in the interest of either country," he said. "It was not in the interest of our relationship. And I think there is a recognition of that now," he added. Last month, India and China explored ways to rebuild ties and agreed to initiate efforts to promote people-to-people exchanges, including arrangements for resumption of direct flights and resume Kailash Manasarovar Yatra this year. In December NSA Ajit Doval travelled to Beijing and held talks with Foreign Minister Wang under the framework of Special Representatives (SR) dialogue on the boundary question. In January, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Beijing and held talks with his Chinese counterpart Sun Weidong. Recently, China held trade talks with South Korea and Japan, the first economic dialogue between the three countries in five years, to discuss regional trade facilitation as the countries braced for Trump's tariff announcement. The trade ministers of the three countries discussed free trade agreements to promote regional and global trade. China is also ramping up trade relations with several other countries in the neighbourhood under its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday cleared a proposal to procure 26 naval variants of Rafale fighter jets from France at a cost of around Rs 64,000 crore for deployment on board aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, sources in the defence establishment said. IMAGE: A Rafale jet performs during an air show. Photograph: ANI Photo The delivery of the jets will begin around five years after the signing of the contract under an inter-governmental framework between India and France. In July 2023, the defence ministry accorded the initial approval for the mega acquisition following a series of deliberations and evaluation tests of the platform. Under the deal, the Indian Navy will also get associated ancillary equipment including weapon systems and spares from Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of Rafale (Marine) jets. The Indian Air Force bought 36 Rafale fighter aircraft in fly-away condition. There is a thinking in the IAF that it should go for at least two more squadrons of Rafale jets. The defence and strategic ties between India and France have been on an upswing in the last few years. In July 2023, India and France announced a raft of ground-breaking defence cooperation projects including the joint development of jet and helicopter engines. The two strategic partners also had expressed commitment to cooperate in the co-development and co-production of advanced defence technologies, including for the benefit of third countries. The defence ministry also approved a proposal nearly two years back to procure three Scorpene submarines to further crank up India's naval prowess. However, the CCS has yet to clear the project. Under the Indian Navy's Project 75, six Scorpene submarines have already been constructed in India by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in cooperation with the Naval Group of France. India has withdrawn the transshipment facility it extended to Bangladesh for exports to the Middle East, Europe and various other countries through its ports and airports amid increasing strain in bilateral ties. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Bangladesh chief adviser Muhammad Yunus in Bangkok. Photograph: Courtesy @PMOIndia/X The move came days after head of Dhaka's interim government Muhammad Yunus made a controversial statement in China saying India's northeastern states, which share a nearly 1,600-km border with Bangladesh, are "landlocked" and have no way to reach the ocean except through his country. India has exempted Bangladeshi exports to Nepal and Bhutan as such trade facilitation is mandatory for landlocked countries under the framework of provisions of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). India and Bangladesh entered into the transshipment arrangement in 2020 and the facility was formally extended for Bangladeshi exports in 2022. "The trans-shipment facility extended to Bangladesh had over a period of time resulted in significant congestion at our airports and ports," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. "Logistical delays and higher costs were hindering our own exports and creating backlogs," he said. Jaiswal said the transshipment facility has been withdrawn with effect from April 8. Bangladesh has been using several Indian ports and airports including the Delhi airport for sending its exports to the Middle East, Europe and many other countries. "To clarify, these measures do not impact Bangladesh exports to Nepal or Bhutan transiting through Indian territory," Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing. In an address at a business event in China recently, Yunus said the seven northeastern states of India are a landlocked region and they have no way to reach the ocean except through Bangladesh. In a notification, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) withdrew the transshipment facility extended to Bangladesh. On April 4, Yunus and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks in Bangkok on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit . However, the Indian side was upset over Dhaka's version of the meeting between Yunus and Modi, especially attacks on minorities and the extradition request for Hasina. People familiar with the matter described the version as "mischievous and politically motivated", especially the aspects relating to attacks on minorities and Dhaka's request for extraditing former premier Sheikh Hasina. Yunus' press secretary Shafiqul Alam, in a Facebook post, on Saturday said the chief adviser raised with Modi Bangladesh's request for the extradition of Hasina and the "response was not negative". The characterisation of the Indian prime minister's remarks regarding the relationship with Yunus and the previous Bangladesh government were "inaccurate", the people said. New Delhi has not responded so far to the request made by Bangladesh's interim government last year for the extradition of Hasina. India-Bangladesh relations nosedived dramatically after Yunus failed to contain attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in that country. Hasina has been living in New Delhi since she fled Dhaka in August last year. In the meeting in Bangkok on Friday, Modi conveyed to Yunus India's deep concerns about the safety of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. "The prime minister urged that rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided," an Indian readout of the meeting said. PM Modi underlined India's concerns related to the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, and expressed his expectation that the government of Bangladesh would ensure their security. On Dhaka welcoming China to participate in Teesta river project, Jaiswal said India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers, which includes the Ganga and Teesta rivers. "To discuss relevant issues, an institutional dialogue mechanism is in place called the 'Joint Rivers Commission'. Conversation could take place on matters mutually agreed upon, provided the overall environment is conducive," he said. Karnataka-based writer, activist and lawyer Banu Mushtaq's short story collection Heart Lamp, translated from Kannada to English by Deepa Bhasthi, was on Tuesday shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2025 in London. IMAGE: Karnataka-based writer, activist and lawyer Banu Mushtaq. Photograph: Courtesy The Booker Prizes website It marks the first time a Kannada title has made it this far in the race for the coveted GBP 50,000 literary prize -- divided between author and translator. Shortlisted among six worldwide titles, Mushtaq's work appealed to the judges for its witty, vivid, colloquial, moving and excoriating style of capturing portraits of family and community tensions. Stories about encroaching modernity, as told through the lives of Muslim women in southern India. An invigorating reading experience, reads the judges' reason for including it on the shortlist. The 12 stories, published originally between 1990 and 2023, will now go head-to-head with authors from across the world. "My stories are about women, how religion, society, and politics demand unquestioning obedience from them, and in doing so, inflict inhumane cruelty upon them, turning them into mere subordinates,Mushtaq said in a statement. The daily incidents reported in the media and the personal experiences I have endured have been my inspiration. The pain, suffering, and helpless lives of these women create a deep emotional response within me. I do not engage in extensive research; my heart itself is my field of study, she said. The book's translator, Deepa Bhasthi, added: "For me, translation is an instinctive practice, and each book dem ands a completely different process. With Banu's stories, I first read all the fiction she had published before I narrowed it down to the ones that are in Heart Lamp." "I was lucky to have a free hand in choosing what stories I wanted to work with, and Banu did not interfere with the organised chaotic way I went about it." In a statement, Penguin Random House India said, "This achievement marks a historic moment, with Heart Lamp becoming one of the very few Kannada-language works to be recognised at this level". Moutushi Mukherjee, Penguin Commissioning editor who worked on the book, said, "To see Heart Lamp on the International Booker shortlist is an extraordinary affirmation of the power of Indian regional literature and the importance of translation". The annual prize celebrates the best works of long-form fiction or collections of short stories translated into English and published in the UK and/or Ireland between May 2024 and April 2025. The other five books shortlisted from the longlist for this year's prize are: "On the Calculation of Volume I' by Solvej Balle, translated from Danish by Barbara J. Haveland; 'Small Boat' by Vincent Delecroix, translated from French by Helen Stevenson 'Under the Eye of the Big Bird' by Hiromi Kawakami, translated from Japanese by Asa Yoneda; 'Perfection' by Vincenzo Latronico, translated from Italian by Sophie Hughes; and 'A Leopard-Skin Hat' by Anne Serre, translated from French by Mark Hutchinson. Max Porter, International Booker Prize 2025 Chair of judges, said: "This list is our celebration of fiction in translation as a vehicle for pressing and surprising conversations about humanity. These mind-expanding books ask what might be in store for us, or how we might mourn, worship or survive. They offer knotty, sometimes pessimistic, sometimes radically hopeful answers to these questions." Taken together they build a miraculous lens through which to view human experience, both the truly disturbing and the achingly beautiful. They are each highly specific windows onto a world, but they are all gorgeously universal. Each shortlisted title is awarded a prize of GBP 5,000 -- shared between author and translator -- and the announcement of the 2025 winning title will take place May 20 at a ceremony at Tate Modern in London, with the winning author receiving GBP 25,000 and the translator or translators dividing the other half of GBP 25,000. In 2022, Geetanjali Shree and translator Daisy Rockwell won the coveted prize for the first-ever Hindi novel Tomb of Sand, with Perumal Murugan's Tamil novel Pyre, translated into English by Aniruddhan Vasudevan making it to the longlist in 2023. Fiammetta Rocco, administrator of the International Booker Prize, adds: "With all six books on the list published by independents for the first time, I'd like to thank the publishers for their ongoing commitment to bringing so many original and exciting international writers and translators to English language readers." Their passion, along with that of the many booksellers and librarians championing global writing, has no doubt helped to fuel a very welcome boom in translated fiction in the UK and Ireland. The Delhi Police will launch an investigation after Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra claimed on Tuesday that a few people, allegedly belonging to right-wing ideology, forcibly tried to close fish shops in South Delhi's Chittaranjan Park area. Image used only for representation. Photograph: ANI Photo Sources in the force said they have not received any complaint about the matter, but they are verifying all the facts from the social media post. "The market is a licensed market according to MCD records. The video appears to be outdated, but we are verifying the date of the incident. The police have not received any complaint so far," said a police source. In a series of social media posts on X, Moitra posted a video with the caption, 'Please watch as saffron brigade BJP goons threaten fish-eating Bengalis of Chittaranjan Park, Delhi. Never in 60 years has this happened, residents say.' In another post, the TMC MP said, 'The temple in CR Park that BJP goons are laying claim to was built by the non-veg market vendors. They pray there - the big pujas are held there. Three months of BJP rule in Delhi. A good anniversary present.' In her third post, she claimed, 'WhatsApp message from a Bengali who lives near CR Park saying how terrible the situation is with the forcible closure of meat and fish shops.' Meanwhile, Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party president Virendra Sachdeva, in a statement, said that everyone should respect the sanctity of temples, and that the fish market traders in CR Park have always respected the temples. 'The fish markets have been legally allotted and are a necessity in the area. The fish traders maintain a high level of cleanliness in the area and regularly participate in the socio-religious activities of CR Park,' Sachdeva said in the statement. The video posted on social media by Mahua Moitra seems to have been tailored by people with vested political interest to disturb community harmony in CR Park, it read. 'We strongly condemn the incident and request the Delhi Police to take stern action,' the statement concluded. In a stern warning to non-performing leaders, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said those who do not help in party work should take rest and those who don't fulfil their responsibilities should retire. IMAGE: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addresses the AICC session on the banks of the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad. Photograph: @kharge/X In his inaugural address at the AICC session on the banks of the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad, Kharge also alleged "fraud" in elections and said the Maharashtra polls were won like this as he made a strong pitch for return to ballot paper. He attacked the Election Commission for not stopping the "irregularities" and instead taunting the parties raising questions. He also hit out at the ruling BJP government accusing it of inciting communalism by raising 500 years-old issues and seeking to divide people and promote hatred among them, instead of preparing for future challenges. Such dangerous thinking should never be supported, Kharge said. Talking tough, he said, "I also want to say that those who do not help in party work, need to rest, those who do not fulfil their responsibilities must retire," amid applause from Congress leaders and workers. "There is fraud happening in elections. With the advancement of electronic technology, developed countries of the world have abandoned EVMs and moved towards ballot paper. But our Election Commission is not ready to take cognizance of this. We saw in the Maharashtra elections that fake voter lists are being prepared," he alleged. Kharge also stressed that role of district Congress committee presidents in the organisation will be greatly enhanced and they will henceforth have a say in the selection of party candidates. "The role of district presidents is going to be important in the formation of the organisation. Therefore, their appointment has to be done strictly and impartially as per the AICC guidelines," he said. The district president has to make the booth committee, mandal committee, block committee and district committee by adding the best people within one year of his or her appointment, Kharge said, adding that there should be no bias in this. "In future, we are going to involve district presidents in the candidate selection process for polls," the Congress president said. Taking on the ruling dispensation, the Congress chief said from the banks of Sabarmati, the Congress is going to take the message of determination, struggle and dedication to walk on the path of justice. Kharge said we are once again fighting for India's independence, claiming that in this second battle for independence the enemies are injustice, inequality, discrimination, poverty and communalism. The only difference is that back then foreigners used to promote injustice, poverty and inequality, now our own government is doing it, he said. "Then foreigners used to take advantage of communalism, today our own government is taking advantage of it," he charged. "But we will win this battle too!" Kharge added. Attacking the government, he said it gives new slogans every few days but the purpose behind this is only to divert attention of people. Kharge also accused the Modi government of selling off government assets to benefit crony capitalists and finishing democracy slowly. "Democracy is being finished slowly, slowly, slowly," he alleged. He said monopoly is being established with resources being handed to a few crony capitalists. Kharge also alleged that SC, ST and OBC reservation was being finished through privatization. "If this continues, the Narendra Modi government and Modi will sell off the whole country and go," he alleged. Alleging that constitutional institutions and principles are being attacked, Kharge said we have to fight to protect them. He alleged that the government ran Parliament's Budget session according to its whims and fancies. The Speaker took the Leader of Opposition's name but did not let him speak. This is shameful in a democracy. If you do not allow LoP to speak how will you let people to raise their voice, Kharge said. Instead of debating issues of the people, the government conducted debate till late night for its agenda of communal polarisation, Kharge said in an apparent reference to the debate on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. He pointed out that the debate on Manipur took place at 4 am and he requested that it be held the next day but the government did not agree. He alleged that it seems the government wants to hide something. He said the opposition was not allowed to raise in Parliament the issue of imposition of tariffs by the US. Kharge said the RSS chief has asked their people not to look for Shivlings' under every mosque, but they continue to do that and divide people. Modi ignites fire and RSS people add fuel to it, he alleged. He lashed out at the BJP for having an "anti-Dalit mindset" after its leader sprinkled Ganga water at a Ram temple in Rajasthan's Alwar to "purify" it following Congress' Tikaram Jully's participation in the consecration ceremony there. Kharge also made a strong pitch for a nationwide caste census and alleged that Prime Minister Modi uses OBC status for political gains but does not take steps for their welfare. The Congress president also slammed the government over increasing excise duty on petrol and diesel and hiking the price of LPG cylinder. Earlier, the Congress passed a condolence resolution, paying tributes to those Congress members who passed away after the Raipur session of February 2023. The party paid rich tributes to former prime minister Manmohan Singh who passed away last year in December. The Congress is holding its AICC session on the banks of the Sabarmati River here on Wednesday during which the party will present its social, political and economic views through at least two resolutions. The Ahmedabad session, themed "Nyaypath: Sankalp, Samarpan aur Sangharsh," is being attended by more than 1,700 elected and co-opted AICC members. This comes a day after an extended Congress Working Committee (CWC) met here to finalise the session's agenda and discuss the resolutions to be passed at length. Countering the BJP's high-pitched campaign of invoking nationalist figures to rally support, the Congress on Tuesday asserted its claim on the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India's first deputy prime minister, whose path it pledged to follow in the "ideological war" with the BJP-RSS. The Bombay high court on Wednesday said the Maharashtra government has not taken vindictive action against any person for re-sharing or re-uploading stand-up comic Kunal Kamra's video in which he indirectly passed a 'traitor' jibe at Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Photograph: Kunal Kamra on YouTube A bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice M S Karnik made the observation while refusing to entertain a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a 25-year-old law student questioning the government's action against Kamra and also the Mumbai hotel where the controversial comedy show was shot. The court also noted the aggrieved person (Kamra) has already filed a petition in the HC seeking to quash the first information report (FIR) lodged against him at a Mumbai police station over his critical comments against Shinde, who heads the ruling Shiv Sena. "The person aggrieved is before this court. He is not poor or illiterate. Why are you (present PIL petitioner) fighting his cause? He has taken action for relief," the HC observed. The PIL, filed by law student Harshwardhan Khandekar, contended filing FIRs against a comedian for expressing his political views was violative of fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution. His lawyer Amit Katarnwaware said several politicians belonging to a party which is an ally in the state's ruling coalition have warned of action against anyone who shares or uploads Kamra's video containing jokes directed at Shinde. Public prosecutor Hiten Venegaonkar told the bench the government has not taken any action against any person who has shared or uploaded the video. The court took note of this statement and observed there have been no instances where state authorities have taken any 'vindictive' action against any person who has shared the video made by Kamra (36), who himself uploaded it last month. "It is also pertinent to note that the aggrieved person (Kamra) has already approached this court seeking to quash the FIR. He has also got interim protection from arrest from the Madras the HC," the bench pointed out. In respect of the vandalism of the studio where the stand-up show was shot, an FIR has been lodged and the accused persons have been arrested, it maintained. "In view of this, we are not inclined to entertain this PIL at this stage and hence the same is disposed of," the court said. Late last month, 12 Shiv Sena workers were arrested for vandalising the Mumbai studio where Kamra's comedy was shot. They were later granted bail by a city court. During the show, Kamra had taunted Shinde, without taking his name, using a modified version of a popular Hindi song from the 1997 film Dil To Pagal Hai where he called him a 'gaddar' (traitor). The comedian referred to Shinde's early profession in Thane before he entered politics and also made references to his rebellion against then-chief minister Uddhav Thackeray in June 2022. Kamra's petition seeking to quash the FIR is due for hearing on April 16. Russia has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the May 9 celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Germany in World War II, Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has said. IMAGE: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi walk during their meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence near Moscow, Russia on July 8, 2024. Photograph: Sputnik/Sergei Bobylyov/Pool via Reuters Moscow is expecting the Indian Prime Minister at the May 9 parade. The invitation has already been sent, and the visit is being worked out, Russian news agency Tass quoted Rudenko as saying. "It's being worked out, it should be this year. He has an invitation," Rudenko said on Tuesday. Russia has invited leaders of several friendly nations to attend this year's Victory Day parade. In January 1945, the Soviet Army launched an offensive against Germany. The commanders-in-chief on May 9 signed the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Germany which ended the war. Prime Minister Modi visited Russia in July 2024, his first trip to the country in nearly five years. He had visited the far eastern city of Vladivostok in 2019 to attend an economic conclave. During the last visit, Modi invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit India. Putin has already accepted Modi's invitation to visit India. However, the dates of Putin's visit have not been revealed yet. Putin and Modi maintain regular contact, holding telephone conversations once every couple of months. The two leaders also hold in-person meetings, particularly on the sidelines of international events. The Mumbai Police said they have filed a 1000-page chargesheet, including several pieces of evidence in the Bandra court in connection with the stabbing attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan. "This chargesheet includes several pieces of evidence found by the police against the arrested accused, Shariful Islam. This chargesheet is more than 1000 pages long. The report of the forensic lab has also been mentioned in this chargesheet, which states that the knife pieces found at the crime scene, from Saif Ali Khan's body and from the accused, are three pieces of the same knife, " as per the Bandra police. "At the same time, the fingerprint report of the accused's left hand found by the police during the investigation has also been mentioned," the chargsheet said. The attack on Saif Ali Khan occurred on January 16 when accused Shehzad, allegedly attempting a robbery, broke into the actor's Bandra residence. During the incident, Khan was severely injured, suffering damage to his thoracic spine and other body parts. The actor was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he was treated for five days before being discharged on January 21. Investigators revealed that the accused had entered India from Bangladesh and had stayed in multiple locations in Kolkata before eventually making his way to Mumbai. Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana is expected to be extradited to India from the United States shortly, sources have said. IMAGE: Tahawwur Rana. Photograph: ANI Photo According to government sources in India, a multi-agency team from India has gone to the US and all paperwork and legalities are being completed with US authorities. Sources said very high possibility" that Rana could be extradited shortly. It is also learnt that Rana is not coming to India on Wednesday and the extradition process is in the works. The hugely significant development comes just days after Rana's last-resort attempt to evade extradition to India failed after the US Supreme Court justices denied his application, moving him closer to being handed over to Indian authorities to face justice in the dastardly attacks. Rana, 64, currently lodged in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, had submitted an Emergency Application For Stay Pending Litigation of Petition For Writ of Habeas Corpus' on February 27, 2025 with Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and Circuit Justice for the Ninth Circuit Elena Kagan. Kagan had denied the application earlier last month. Rana had then renewed his Emergency Application for Stay Pending Litigation of Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus previously addressed to Justice Kagan', and requested that the renewed application be directed to US Chief Justice John Roberts. An order on the Supreme Court website noted that Rana's renewed application had been distributed for Conference on April 4 and the application has been referred to the Court. A notice on the Supreme Court website Monday said that Application denied by the Court. New York-based Indian-American attorney Ravi Batra had told PTI that Rana had made his application to the Supreme Court to prevent extradition, which Justice Kagan denied on March 6th. The application was then submitted before Roberts, who has shared it with the Court to conference so as to harness the entire Court's view. The Supreme Court justices are Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice Samuel A Alito, Jr, Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Neil M Gorsuch, Associate Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, and Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. In his emergency application, Rana had sought a stay of his extradition and surrender to India pending litigation (including exhaustion of all appeals) on the merits of his February 13. In that petition, Rana argued that his extradition to India violates US law and the UN Convention Against Torture "because there are substantial grounds for believing that, if extradited to India, the petitioner will be in danger of being subjected to torture." The likelihood of torture in this case is even higher though as petitioner faces acute risk as a Muslim of Pakistani origin charged in the Mumbai attacks, the application said. The application also said that his severe medical conditions render extradition to Indian detention facilities a de facto" death sentence in this case. It cited medical records from July 2024 that confirm Rana has multiple acute and life-threatening diagnoses, including multiple documented heart attacks, Parkinson's disease with cognitive decline, a mass suggestive of bladder cancer, stage 3 chronic kidney disease, and a history of chronic asthma, and multiple COVID-19 infections. Accordingly, petitioner certainly has raised a credible, if not compelling, factual case that there are indeed substantial grounds for believing he would be in danger of torture if surrendered to Indian authorities. "Further, because of his Muslim religion, his Pakistani origin, his status as a former member of the Pakistani Army, the relation of the putative charges to the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and his chronic health conditions he is even more likely to be tortured than otherwise would be the case, and that torture is very likely to kill him in short order. Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is known to be associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks. During a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the White House in February, President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved the extradition of "very evil" Rana "to face justice in India. A total of 166 people, including six Americans, were killed in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in which 10 Pakistani terrorists laid a more than 60-hour siege, attacking and killing people at iconic and vital locations in Mumbai. Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana, who is expected to be extradited to India from the United States very soon, would help probe agencies expose the role of Pakistani state actors behind the dastardly act that claimed 166 lives, sources said on Wednesday. IMAGE: Mumbai's Taj Mahal hotel on fire after Pakistani terrorists launched a multi-pronged attack on the city on November 26, 2008. Photograph: Reuters Rana has exhausted all his legal options available to such subjects in the US and would be brought back to India very soon, they said, adding a multi-agency team is in the United States to bring the Pakistan-origin Canadian national to India. The significant development comes days after Rana's last-ditch effort to stop his extradition failed as the US Supreme Court denied his application, moving him closer to being handed over to the Indian authorities to face the law in the country. Rana was lodged at a metropolitan detention centre in Los Angeles. He is known to be associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks. A multi-agency team from India has gone to the US and all paperwork and legalities are being completed with the authorities there, the sources said, claiming that there is a "very high possibility" that Rana "could be extradited shortly." During a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the White House in February, US President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved the extradition of "very evil people of the world" Rana "to face justice in India". The sources said Rana's extradition would help probe agencies expose the role of Pakistani state actors behind the 26/11 attacks and may shed new light on the investigation. Once extradited, Rana may be kept in the NIA's custody initially after due legal formalities, they said. His extradition from the US could provide important leads into his travels in parts of northern and southern India days before the carnage in 2008, the sources said. The central security officials had found that Rana had visited Hapur and Agra in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Kochi in Kerala, Ahmedabad in Gujarat, and Mumbai in Maharashtra with his wife Samraz Rana Akhtar between November 13 and November 21, 2008, they said. Rana had submitted business sponsor letters from 'Immigrant Law Center' and Property Tax payment notice from Cook County as his address proof. The sources said once Rana is brought to India, the purpose of these visits would be established. On November 26, 2008, a group of 10 Pakistani terrorists went on a rampage, carrying out a coordinated attack on a railway station, two luxury hotels and a Jewish centre, after they sneaked into India's financial capital Mumbai using the Arabian sea route. Among the 166 people killed were US, British and Israeli nationals. The nearly 60-hour assault sent shockwaves across the country and even brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war. The terrorists had targeted multiple iconic locations in Mumbai, including the Taj Mahal and Oberoi hotels, Leopold Cafe, Chabad House and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus train station, each of which Headley had scouted in advance. In November 2012, Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist among the Pakistani group, was hanged to death in Yerawada Jail in Pune. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the US arrested Rana in Chicago a year after the attacks in October 2009 for arranging material support for terrorist attacks in Mumbai and Copenhagen. India has been trying to extradite Rana for many years because of his association with Pakistan-based terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul Jihadi Islami (HUJI), Headley and his active involvement in the Mumbai attacks. It is alleged that Rana was aware of Headley's terror links and even helped in reconnaissance of targets in Mumbai and planning the attacks on the National Defence College (NDC) in New Delhi and Chabad House in Mumbai. The extradition of Rana was first cleared by the US Supreme Court in January as it rejected his review petition in the case. Rana submitted an 'Emergency Application For Stay Pending Litigation of Petition For Writ of Habeas Corpus' on February 27, 2025, with Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and Circuit Justice for the Ninth Circuit Elena Kagan. Kagan denied the application last month. Rana then renewed his 'Emergency Application for Stay Pending Litigation of Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus previously addressed to Justice Kagan', and requested that the renewed application be directed to US Chief Justice John Roberts. An order on the Supreme Court website noted that Rana's renewed application had been "distributed for Conference" on April 4 and the "application" has been "referred to the Court." A notice on the Supreme Court website on April 7, said, "Application denied by the Court." Rana is wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the 26/11 attack case. During the investigation, the roles of senior functionaries of banned terror groups LeT and HUJI -- Hafiz Muhammad Saeed alias Tayyaji, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Sajjid Majid alias Wasi, Illyas Kashmiri and Abdur Rehman Hashim Syed alias Major Abdurrehman alias Pasha with active connivance and assistance from officers of the ISI, namely, Major Iqbal alias Major Ali, Major Sameer Ali alias Major Samir, all residents of Pakistan, have emerged, the sources said. The NIA had chargesheeted Rana as a "co-conspirator" who provided logistic, financial and other assistance to Headly and other co-conspirators towards the criminal conspiracy to organise terrorist attacks in India. The NIA had sent extradition requests to the US for extradition of Headley and Rana. Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday said the Congress must be a party of hope, not of resentment, a party of the future not just of the past and a party with a positive narrative and not just criticism. IMAGE: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor delivers a speech at AICC session in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, April 9, 2025. Photograph: Courtesy Congress Kerala on X He also slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party for trying to divide North from South and said the idea of India is that one can be a good Gujarati, a good Muslim and a good Indian all at once. In his address at the AICC session on the banks of the Sabarmati river, Tharoor said, "As I said at the CWC meeting yesterday (Tuesday), the Congress must be a party of hope, not of resentment; a party of positivity not only of negativism, a party of the future not just of the past, a party with a positive narrative and not just criticism." "I hope we will leave here with a resounding message to the nation, that we are here, we will fight, we will be resolved, we will focus on the future and we will build a better India for all," he said. Tharoor said, "We are here to send out a message from the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel that the Congress is reviving itself and is ready to face the challenges of tomorrow." "Here in Gujarat where we have been out of power for three decades, we stand on the brink of a new revival and that is a moment of celebration for all of us here. 2024 has given us both good news and bad news -- a good result in the Lok Sabha elections where we doubled our strength but bad news in a number of state elections that followed, the Congress Working Committee member said. Seconding the resolution moved at the AICC session, Tharoor said the resolution should mark a turning point in the fortunes of the Congress. "We need to retain and restore the votes we have won before but we have failed to win in the last three elections and that is where this resolution leads us. It is a resolution in which we express constructive criticism and not mere unrelenting negativity," he said. Tharoor pointed out that the resolution starts by showcasing the party's nationalism upfront rather than ceding it to the other side. "But our nationalism is anchored in the well-being of all our people. It is anchored in a sense of social justice for the weakest in our society. A major theme of this resolution is protecting the weak, the marginalised, the OBCs, SCs, STs, those who have been left out of the great adventure of building our nation." "As our Constitution makes clear, it doesn't matter what language you speak, which state you come from, what religion you profess, what caste you belong to, you are an Indian and the Constitution ensures that you have the same rights as every other Indian. That is what the Congress has stood for," he said. He said the Congress is the party of inclusive India, an India of all religions, all castes, all languages, all states and all regions. The resolution speaks of national harmony, the harmonious co-existence and striving for the well-being of all for a better tomorrow, he said. "We understand the variety, the pluralism of India. We all come from different parts of this great country. But we understand standing here that you can be a good Gujarati, a good Muslim and a good Indian all at once," he said. Hitting out at the BJP, Tharoor said some are trying to divide the North from South. "I proudly say that I am from South India and I say too, nafrat chhorho Bharat jodo," he said. Uniting India is the work of all, whichever corner of the country people are from but that does not mean that they forget their special commitment to their respective states, he said. When we hear the name of Bharat, our hearts should swell with pride; when we hear the name of Kerala, our blood should throb in our veins, Tharoor said. He said the party is all too conscious that the young, "who are the majority of the electorate, are more concerned with what we will do for them today and what kind of tomorrow we can provide for them." "Our resolution will be judged by that resolution speaks of economic growth, but it also speaks of importance of distributing the revenues of that growth to those who have been left behind. Our party has been and must remain the voice of the voiceless," he said. Noting that the resolution acknowledges the sacrifices of the unsung party workers, Tharoor said, "You are the lifeblood of the party. We stand on your shoulders. Without your hard work, this resolution would only be words. I thank you for your service." Deposed Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday issued a stern warning against threats to ban her age-old Awami League, saying that the party is not a parasite or did not emerge with floodwaters. IMAGE: Deposed Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Photograph: ANI Photo Their (the interim government) audacity astonishes me, she said, in a virtual address to party workers and supporters from India, where she now lives after fleeing Bangladesh in August last year after her nearly 16-year-long Awami League government was toppled in a student-led uprising steered by Students Against Discrimination (SAD). Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, who was in a protracted row with the past regime for obscure reasons, flew from Paris three days later and assumed the charge of an interim government as the nominee of the SAD, which demanded the ban on Awami League. A part of SAD leadership recently floated a political outfit called National Citizen Party (NCP), visibly with blessings of Yunus, whose administration by now disbanded Awami League's student wing Chhatra League. Hasina said the Awami League was established in 1948 in the then Pakistan to wage a campaign to ensure people rights in the then East Pakistan, the independence struggle and eventually led to the 1971 Liberation War under stewardship of its founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The name of the country where they now live is also given by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib. He had united the people of Bengal using Awami League's organisational structure and made the country independent, nobody must forget this fact, she said. Hasina, 77, questioned what rights those demanding the ban have and said Yunus himself was a fascist because of his ruthless actions on workers, teachers, students and others who were trying to wage a campaign for their rightful demands. The demand for Awami League's ban, however, did not get any positive response from its arch-rival Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of ex-premier Khaleda Zia and most other political groups. But the NCP and some extreme right-wing groups vowed to disband it and bury the country's original 1972 Constitution calling it a Mujibist charter. The SAD initially waged a campaign for reforms in quota system for government jobs in July last year which in early August turned to be movement for toppling the regime as the security forces came down heavily on the protesters after they refused to halt street protests and await a positive Supreme Court decision on their demand. According to a UN rights office report, some 1,400 people were killed between July 15 and August 15, 2024 in actions by police and pro-government political elements like Chhatra League and later in retaliatory violence on law enforcement personnel and people linked to the past regime. But we have to make the calculation now, how many people were killed in their list of martyrs and how many beyond that list they have killed among Awami League activists, policemen, members of minority community, workers, students and teachers, Hasina said. She said the calculation would find that the list on the other side was heavier. Hasina said while her government was in power, no student belonging to any opposition camp like Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student front of far-right Jamaat-e-Islami or BNP's student wing Chhatra Dal was debarred from carrying their pursuit for education and nobody can deny it. Today, if someone is found to have any link to Chhatra League, his or her certificate is being cancelled while they are not being allowed to study. So, who is the autocrat, fascist and who should be banned in this country, she said. The ex-premier came down heavily on Yunus calling him a usurper and saying he did not have any constitutional basis or peoples mandate to run the country while he assumed power under a meticulous design with the money supplied from overseas, misleading ordinary students and people. They at that time actually did not realise the design. Now they must have understood and I have nothing (grudge) against them, she said. Hasina added: But those who have implemented the design receiving Yunus's money, their trial will be held in Bangladesh's soil one day, definitely. And how Yunus will get rid of his misdeed... His real face is now unmasked before the people of the world. She said Yunus lost his cute image before the people all over as they realised what a fraud, corrupt, how big a militant he is. He actually did not come to power through any mass movement, rather through a tricky plan... what value or legitimacy his orders carry?... Does Yunus or his advisory council have any legitimacy, Hasina said. The former premier also blasted the NCP leaders, without mentioning them for demanding ban on her party saying their audacity astounds me. They must not think, I have left abandoning everything. In line with the constitution as the voted representative of the people and elected nominee of parliament members, I am the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. There is no legitimacy of their power, she said. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the Waqf (Amendment) Act is 'anti-Constitution' and an attack on the freedom of religion, as he warned that the Bharatiya Janata Party-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh will soon go after the rights of other minorities such as Christians and Sikhs. IMAGE: Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi pays tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel during the extended Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. Photograph: ANI Photo Addressing the All India Congress Committee session on the banks of the Sabarmati river, Gandhi also said that an 'economic storm' is approaching and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of succumbing to pressure from US President Donald Trump on the imposition of tariffs. "Did you see the photograph of PM Modi hugging Trump? This time he ordered Modi ji that 'we will not hug but will impose new tariffs'. PM Modi did not say a word. To divert attention from this they ran a drama in Parliament for two days," he said, adding, 'Where is the PM hiding?' Referring to PM Modi's recent meeting with Bangladesh's Chief Advisor Mohammad Yunus, Gandhi said the Bangladeshi leader 'gives adverse remarks and he is sitting with him'. "Where is the 56-inch chest," Gandhi asked in a swipe at Modi. Gandhi said the new Waqf Act is an attack on freedom of religion and is anti-Constitution. Citing an article in an RSS-linked magazine, Gandhi alleged that the BJP and RSS have set their sights now on the rights of Christians, and Sikhs would be next. Gandhi also said that District Congress Committees and their chiefs would be empowered and strengthened so that they act as the foundation of the organisation going forward. Pushing for a caste census in the country, Gandhi said, "We will break the wall of 50 per cent reservation. What Telangana has done, we are going to do across the country." Gandhi alleged that the RSS' ideology is against the Constitution and 'they want to control all institutions in the country'. He told party leaders that the fight is for the Constitution and it is not easy. "They have everything at their disposal but we have truth and the love of the people on our side," Gandhi said. Fish sellers of Chittranjan Park found themselves in a state of disbelief last week when the anti-meat overdrive of the Hindu right hit the local markets with a warning to shut shops because they were close to a temple. IMAGE: A fish seller at his shop in Chittranjan Park, New Delhi amid shutdown threat. Photograph: ANI Photo Incredulous, some of the shopkeepers claimed they were the ones who built the temple in the first place. A video that captured a member of the saffron brigade making a case before the shopkeepers for the shutdown, citing the temple's closeness, made rounds on social media, attracting at least one lawmaker's attention. Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra posted a series of statements on X, accusing Bharatiya Janata Party workers of threatening Bengali fish vendors. In one of her posts, Moitra shared a video, with the text: "Please watch as saffron brigade BJP goons threaten fish-eating Bengalis of Chittaranjan Park, Delhi. Never in 60 years has this happened, residents say." She too claimed that the temple in question was built by the market people. In another post, she shared a WhatsApp message, allegedly from a local, who described the situation as "terrible" due to the "forced closure" of meat and fish shops. Divendu, a fish vendor, said that some people came to his shop and asked him to close his shop, as they recorded the incident on camera. "We told them the land was approved by the DDA for us to set up our shops. No one has ever asked us to shut down before," he told PTI Videos. "We are Bengali Sanatanis. We also pray before opening our shops each day this is our tradition." Mithoon Das, another shopkeeper, said he has been selling fish in the area for 25 years and what happened that day was unprecedented. "Around four or five days ago, a few people came and told us that we had to shut down our shops because we cannot sell fish near a temple," Das said. Ashok Bose, the vice-chairman of the EPDP, an apex body of the Bengali community in CR Park, said the group became aware of the issue through social media. He said the fish market association has submitted a complaint to the EPDP, and its secretary, Ashok Bhattacharjee, would file a police complaint today. "The fish market was here even before the temple was built. In fact, shopkeepers pooled money to build the temple," Bose said. He argued that across India, temples are commonly located near markets or even within police stations so people can offer prayers before starting their day. "No one has had any issue with the temple being next to a fish market until now," he added. Sanjeev Bhattacharya, a priest at the Kali Temple near the market, said fish has a venerated place in Bengali traditions. "We offer fish to the goddess during Durga Puja and serve it at weddings. Every culture has its practices, and no one should oppose that," he said. "Those who eat fish don't have a problem with the market, but those who don't, often do. There are also wine shops and hookah parlours near the temple, but no one objects to those," he added. An authorised source said no complaint has been made yet with the police. "The market is a licensed one according to MCD records. The video appears to be outdated, but we are verifying the date of the incident. No police complaint has been received so far," said the person. All the same, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Amit Malviya on X claimed that the video in question was "false and fabricated." "It appears to have been shot with the intent to promote ill will among communities -- and perhaps to distract from the 'versatile international lady' controversy that the TMC parliamentary party currently finds itself embroiled in," the party's West Bengal co-in-charge said. Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said everyone must respect the sanctity of temples and added that fish market traders in CR Park have always done so. "Fish markets have been legally allotted and are essential in this area. Traders maintain high cleanliness standards and actively participate in CR Park's socio-religious events," he said. Videos from places across Delhi have surfaced on social media showing local BJP MLAs or other leaders asking meat sellers to shut their shops citing one pretext or the other. Last month, Delhi minister Parvesh Verma informed the assembly that orders had been issued to remove illegal meat and fish-selling units in the capital. Explainer on Mumbai terror attack case accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who is likely to be extradited to India from the US very soon. IMAGE: Mumbai terror attack case accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana. Photograph: ANI Photo Who is Tahawwur Hussain Rana? Rana, 64, is a Pakistan-born Canadian national and close associate of one of the main conspirators of 2008 Mumbai terror attacks David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani, a US citizen. He was born in Chichawatni city in Sahiwal district of Pakistan's Punjab province. After pursuing his studies in medicine from a college in Pakistan, he worked in Pakistan Army's medical corps. Rana migrated to Canada after leaving the Pakistani Army in late 1990s and later got Canadian citizenship. He started his own business of immigration services provider through his 'First World Immigration Services' venture. Rana then moved to the US and set up office in Chicago. How did Rana get in touch with Headley? Security agency officials say Headley, who was born in the US to a Pakistani father and American mother, is Rana's childhood friend. Some time after his birth, Headley's family moved to Pakistan where he went to a school in Hasan Abdal city in Attock district. This is where Headley befriended Rana. What is Rana's involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case? The National Investigation Agency registered a case on November 11, 2009 under section 121 A of Indian Penal Code, Section 18 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Section 6(2) SAARC Convention (Suppression of Terrorism) Act against Headley, Rana and others. Headley, a resident of Chicago, Illinois, and Rana entered into a criminal conspiracy with members of Pakistan-based terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul Jihadi Islami (HUJI) to commit terrorist acts in New Delhi and other places in India. A total of 166 people, including six Americans, were killed in the 2008 attacks in which 10 Pakistani terrorists laid a 60-hour siege, attacking people at iconic and vital locations of Mumbai. In November 2012, Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist among the Pakistani group, was hanged to death in Yerawada Jail in Pune. Investigating agency officials said Rana had assisted Headley in obtaining a visa for India and established 'Immigrant Law Centre' in Mumbai, which acted as a front. It is alleged that Rana was aware of Headley's terror links and even helped in reconnaissance of targets in Mumbai and planning the attacks on the National Defence College in New Delhi and Chabad House in Mumbai. Rana also visited Hapur (Uttar Pradesh), Delhi, Agra, Kochi, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai in the country with his wife Samraz Rana Akhtar between November 13 and November 21, 2008. His initial planning includes the attack on Chabad Houses located in different cities. Headley had gone to the US and met Rana in June 2006 where they discussed their future action plan, the officials said. Rana also remained in contact with Major Iqbal, another co-conspirator of the 26/11 carnage. During his first visit to India, Headley spoke to Rana over phone more than 32 times. Subsequently, Headley spoke with Rana 23 times during his second visit, 40 times during the third visit, 37 times during the fifth visit, 33 times during the sixth visit and 66 times during the eighth visit, officials said, explaining his active involvement in the Mumbai attack conspiracy. What's next after Rana's extradition? Probe agency officials said Rana is likely to be kept in NIA's custody after due legal process for further questioning to ascertain the role of Pakistani state actors behind the 26/11 attacks. His interrogation may shed new light on the investigation. Officials are also believed to be exploring the option of keeping him in a highly-secured cell of Tihar prisons. His extradition from the US could also provide important leads into his travels in parts of northern and southern India days before the carnage in 2008, they said. During the investigation, the roles of senior Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami functionaries namely Hafiz Muhammad Saeed alias Tayyaji, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Sajjid Majid alias Wasi ,Illyas Kashmiri and Abdur Rehman Hashim Syed alias Major Abdurrehman alias Pasha in the attack case have emerged. They were working in active connivance and assistance from ISI officers namely Major Iqbal alias Major Ali, Major Sameer Ali alias Major Samir, all residents of Pakistan, the officials said. The NIA special court, Patiala House has issued non-bailable warrants against all the accused persons. Headley and Rana were arrested by law enforcement agencies in the US in their case. Consequent upon the request of the NIA, the Interpol, CBI issued red notices against the remaining seven absconding accused persons. NIA had also sent extradition requests to the US for extradition of Headley and Rana. A letters rogatory (letter of request for assistance in investigation) has been furnished to Pakistan as well and their reply is said to be awaited. The NIA, after completion of its investigation, filed charge sheet before the court on December 24, 2011 against all the accused under sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy), read with 121, 121A, 302, 468 and 471 Indian Penal Code and sections 16,18 & 20 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The punishment for criminal conspiracy depends upon the nature of offence which is the object of the conspiracy. A convict can be sentenced to death penalty or life imprisonment if the conspiracy involves offences like murder punishable with death or life term. A Delhi court had earlier this year sought the trial records of the 26/11 terror attack from a Mumbai court. The order came on a plea of the NIA , seeking the retrieval of the records from Mumbai. The trial court records were previously sent to Mumbai due to the presence of multiple cases related to the 26/11 attacks in both cities. Why and where in the US is Rana now? Rana is currently lodged at a metropolitan detention centre in Los Angeles. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the US arrested Rana in Chicago a year after the attacks in October 2009 for providing support for an aborted plan to attack a newspaper in Copenhagen (Denmark) and providing material support to LeT. However, Rana was acquitted of conspiracy to provide material support to the Mumbai terror attacks. Rana was convicted in 2011 in that case and sentenced to 14 years. Why and how Rana's extradition would be processed? India has been trying to extradite Rana for many years because of his association with LeT and HuJI, Headley and his active involvement in the Mumbai attacks. Rana has now exhausted all his legal options available to such subjects in the US and would soon be brought to India to face the law. A multi-agency team from India has gone to the US and all paperwork and legalities are being completed with the authorities there, sources said. During a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the White House in February, US President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved the extradition of "very evil people of the world" Rana "to face justice in India". Rana's extradition was first cleared by the US Supreme Court in January as it rejected his review petition in the case. Rana submitted an 'Emergency Application For Stay Pending Litigation of Petition For Writ of Habeas Corpus' on February 27, 2025, with Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court and Circuit Justice for the Ninth Circuit Elena Kagan. Kagan denied the application last month. Rana then renewed his 'Emergency Application for Stay Pending Litigation of Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus previously addressed to Justice Kagan', and requested that the renewed application be directed to US Chief Justice John Roberts. An order on the Supreme Court website noted that Rana's renewed application had been "distributed for Conference" on April 4 and the "application" has been "referred to the Court." A notice on the Supreme Court website on April 7, said, "Application denied by the Court", thus paving the way for his imminent return to India to face the trial. BRATTLEBORO Supporters of diversity, equity and inclusion practices and programs in schools are speaking out in the wake of a federal ban. Vermont Education Secretary Zoie Saunders asked superintendents Friday to certify compliance with a civil rights section of Title 6 that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion and national origin in federally funded programs. Then Monday, she said she would instead send the U.S. Department of Education a statewide letter indicating compliance. "The twist here is new language that has been added to Title 6 that seemingly negates an ongoing commitment to social justice as well as negates current initiatives associated with diversity, equity and inclusion," Deborah Stanford, chairwoman of the Windham Southeast School District Board, said at the board meeting Tuesday. "That was a pretty hard hit this weekend. It mobilized, I think, the entire state." DEI practices will not change in Vermont schools, Saunders said. The plan for responding about compliancy to the DOE remained the same as of Wednesday, according to a Vermont Agency of Education spokesperson. The agency is anticipated to respond to the DOE by April 14. WSESD Board member Tim Maciel said DEI "isn't about grievance. It's about fairness. It's not a rigid ideology. It's a framework for identifying and addressing barriers to student success." Creating a sense of belonging is a major goal of the school district this year, Maciel said. Students who feel more understood are more likely to engage and contribute to their school community, he added. Thursday's board meeting agenda includes consideration of a letter to the AOE from organizations statewide that says in part, "We cannot allow anti-equity ideologies to be repackaged as civil rights enforcement." "True compliance with Title 6 means standing against discrimination not undermining the programs that work to end it," the letter states. "We urge Vermonts leaders to act with courage and integrity by rejecting this mandate and protecting equity in education for all." In a statement Wednesday morning, Gov. Phil Scott said Vermonters "must not allow ourselves to be distracted or live in a constant state of fear, anger or outrage over the next 45 months." Theres fear that Vermont might change how diversity, equity and inclusion policy is implemented in our school system," Scott said in part. "The reality is that weve been asked to verify we comply with existing federal civil rights laws and our democratic attorney general agrees with our assessment." Activists are stoking "more fear and anxiety throughout our education system," Scott said. "My office heard from hundreds of parents and educators all of whom had been given inaccurate information or worse, misled," he said. To move the nation past the chaos Washington is causing, we need to rise above it and lead by example. James Lyall, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union Vermont, said the "attempt to certify 'compliance' with Title 6 is not, as the governor suggests, business as usual as our neighboring states have recognized, it is a cynical attempt to gain leverage over schools and teachers." "We urge the governor to follow their lead and reject this attempt to undermine our laws and values," Lyall said in part of a statement Wednesday. The people of Vermont have been outspoken in calling on their elected leaders to stick up for Vermonts laws, values, and communities. Now more than ever, we must be unified in defending our democracy from existential threats." 'WHAT'S NEXT?' A "walk-in" demonstration outside Academy School on Wednesday morning in West Brattleboro included teachers, parents, students and other community members standing in support of DEI. They also were critical of the Scott and Trump administrations. "Gov. Scott, don't shame Vermont kids," read a sign held by Tim Kipp, a retired Brattleboro Union High School history teacher. Kipp said he attended the demonstration to stand against "the coup" underway in Washington, D.C., and "the assault on every value that is decent in our society." He cited concerns about the future of Social Security, Medicare, postal service and public schools. "What's next, mother and apple pie?" he said. Ian Hefele of Vernon called DEI in schools and access to education "important." "This brave little state needs to turn around like New York and Massachusetts and New Hampshire and tell the federal government to back off and not certify anything just like New York State is doing," he said. "That's why I'm here." Currently, Hefele is unemployed after losing his job in refugee resettlement. He said he wants to put his time to good use and be an example for his children. "I'm a product of public schools myself," he said. "My mom was a teacher. Local control over schools is very important." Andy Paciulli, retired Academy School principal, said he came to the demonstration to support education and children. "We've done a lot in this district," he said. "It's a leader in the state for inclusion and for fighting for all of our kids." Eliminating DEI is "a step in the wrong direction," Paciulli said. "That's not going to happen in Brattleboro or the WSESU," he said of the Windham Southeast Supervisory Union. Jen Oliver, academic support teacher and former classroom teacher at Academy School, said she believes "all students should have their needs met, and that inclusion matters and that everyone deserves to have their education, and we shouldn't be fighting for this really." "It should be a known thing," Oliver said. "I've been here for 15 years and we've always been a school where inclusion matters, and community matters and diversity matters, and we shouldn't change our beliefs because we're being mandated to. We're here to fight for it for sure." Oliver said she was happy with the large turnout. An AOE staff was planning to visit the school for testing reasons later Wednesday morning. "We're hoping they'll see our support and maybe it will make a difference," Oliver said. The demonstration was the first time Jill McColgan of West Brattleboro, a parent and outreach coordinator at Academy School, participated in activism. "I've had enough," she said. "I can't take any more. I just think that we need to be able to teach history, whatever that history involves." McColgan said every student has the right to be different and feel part of the community. "I think Vermont and Brattleboro are truly unique because I think we really do have a community where everyone does belong, which isn't necessarily true across the country," she said. Youth 4 Change, a program of the Root Social Justice Center in Brattleboro, said DEI "should be standard and yet here we are in 2025 having to fight for our communities, truths, knowledge, skill sets and gifts to not be erased from our schools." The group demanded Saunders use her "position of power and privilege to protect students' right to education instead of propaganda and discrimination." "Saunders," the group said, "we call on you to do what is right and stand up for the students and educators by writing a letter clearly stating the Vermont AOE will not sign nor comply with the U.S. Department of Educations Title 6 certification demand that threatens DEI education. New York, Massachusetts, and Maine did this, what is stopping you?" Isaac Evans-Frantz, a member of the Brattleboro Select Board and executive director of Action Corps who graduated from BUHS in 2001, recounted his white peers at the high school routinely hanging a Confederate flag in the gymnasium, calling students of color racial epithets, burning a Black doll in the homecoming fire and creating what he called "a hostile learning environment." "In response, a group of us organized fellow students for the creation of a diversity program, which has continued to evolve and strengthen to this day," he said. "To heal the wounds of racism, we have to be able to talk about racism. This is critically important in a state that is so white. We need to be able to communicate thoughtfully to learn and to move forward together." A statewide day of action on the issue is planned at schools Thursday. Stanford said she thinks "the entire district appreciates the advocacy, the energy that exists in our community in our four towns, in the leadership councils. There is a lot of communication taking place." INSPIRE School threatened with closure; 'We will do them,' interim director says of requirements DXC Technology has hired former Connetico CEO Michelle Bendschneider as its Australia and New Zealand (A/NZ) industry general manager of banking and financial services, taking over from Stephen Wooldridge. Bendschneider will be based in Melbourne to look over the global service providers banking and financial services portfolio across the region, shaping strategic initiatives and supporting clients. Meanwhile, Wooldridge has moved into consulting and data and AI. Bendschneider takes up the post with over 25 years of experience, with her previously being CEO of business group Connetico which includes specialist Microsoft partner Arinco from March 2023 to July 2024. According to DXC, she has experience in leading technology transformations, professional services consulting practices, product teams and holding general management positions with full P&L accountability across organisations. Aside from DXC and Connetico, Bendschneider worked at IBM for over 13 years and Telstra for 5 years, as well as spending time at Spirit Technology Solutions, PaperCut Software and Comparex Design Engineers. She has also held technology-focused roles at Commonwealth Bank, Boston Consulting Group and Philip Morris International. On her appointment, Bendschneider said she will be working with a world class team to drive innovation, deliver exceptional value to our customers and shape the future of financial technology together. In a swift response to China's decision to impose 84 percent tariffs on a wide range of US imports, President Donald Trump on April 9 announced that the United States will immediately raise tariffs on Chinese goods to 125 percent. The move marks another escalation in a trade conflict between the world's two largest economies and sets the stage for what could become a prolonged economic standoff. "Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World's Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%, effective immediately," Trump declared on social media. "At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent insisted this had been Trump's strategy all along, telling reporters at the White House that Beijing has shown themselves to the world as the bad actors. In an interview earlier on April 9 with Fox Business, Bessent condemned China's move, saying that it was unfortunate that the Chinese don't want to negotiate "because they are the worst offenders in the international trading system." China's announcement of sweeping 84 percent tariffs on US imports initially sent shockwaves through global markets. But the markets soared after Trump reversed his larger reciprocal tariffs on most of the world for 90 days in the face of recession fears. Beijing's announcement of 84 percent tariffs came in response to Washington's 104 percent tariff on imports of Chinese goods. Beijing described the move as a defensive measure in response to what it called "persistent trade aggression" by the United States. The United States imported $439 billion worth of goods from China last year with smartphones, laptops, lithium-ion batteries, games, and toys among the top items by value. The United States exported $144 billion worth of goods to China, leading to a trade deficit of $295 billion. China's tariffs on US goods will come into force on April 10. Sectors targeted include American agricultural products, electronics, and industrial machinery -- key pillars of the US export economy. "If the US insists on further escalating its economic and trade restrictions, China has the firm will and abundant means to take necessary countermeasures and fight to the end," China's Commerce Ministry wrote in a statement. Wendong Zhang, a professor of applied economics and policy at Cornell University, said China cut its reliance on US goods, including agricultural products, following the previous trade war with the Trump administration in 2018-2019. "This time around, Chinese leaders have the backing of a more supportive general public to stand up to the US and pivot to domestic consumption," Zhang said in e-mailed comments. Trump's countermove included an overture to America's trading partners. He announced the 90-day pause on new tariffs for more than 75 countries that, he said, have been working constructively with US officials. Fears over economic fallout from the tariffs had led to stock market collapses around the world. April 8 was the worst single-day fall since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Wall Street's benchmark S&P 500 lost more than 10 percent of its values in three days of trading, and Asian markets have also seen steep declines. These sell-offs continued in the wake of China's announcement on April 9, with London's FTSE 100 index and Frankfurt's Dax both making large losses. Investors are even selling US Treasury bonds, traditionally seen as a "safe haven" asset. Paul Ashworth, an economist with the think tank Capital Economics, said that when the bond market began to weaken, it was only a matter of time before Trump folded on his high tariffs. During the 90-day pause all countries except China will have their reciprocal tariff rates set to the minimum 10 percent, he noted. "Our working assumption now will be that, cowed by the market response, Trump will repeatedly extend the 'pause' meaning that this will end up looking a lot like the 10 percent universal tariff that he campaigned on," Ashworth said in a news release. Trump has been unmoved by the market turmoil. He has said his tariff policy is "medicine" and that he won't back down. On April 8 Trump said partners were "dying" to negotiate new trade deals as a result of his trade measures. "These countries are calling us up, kissing my ass," he told a Republican Party black-tie dinner. The latest U.S.-China escalation occurred hours after European Union officials approved tariffs on approximately 21 billion euros ($23.2 billion) worth of U.S. goods in response to the 25 percent tariffs imposed by President Trump on the EU's steel and aluminum exports. On April 9, most of the EU's 27 member states voted in favor of the new tariffs, with some set to take effect on April 15. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made headlines when he said on April 8 that Ukrainian forces had captured two Chinese nationals fighting with the Russian Army. But are the two captured Chinese citizens proof that Beijing is sending soldiers to fight for Russia against Ukraine? The short answer is no. Chinese nationals fighting in Ukraine are not new, and there is currently no public evidence showing the two captured men were sent by Beijing. A few hundred Chinese nationals are thought to have traveled to fight as mercenaries with Russia's army, and there have been previous reports on Russian military groups on Telegram about Chinese citizens killed fighting alongside Russian forces. A Russian Defense Ministry hospital database obtained exclusively by RFE/RL in February also showed Chinese mercenaries serving alongside Russian troops. But the more important development that this episode represents for the war in Ukraine is the departure Zelenskyy's comments mark from the carefully balanced diplomatic tightrope Kyiv had been walking with China since Russia launched its full-scale invasion against Ukraine in 2022. Beijing has been Moscow's strongest partner amid the war and has boosted Russia's war machine with stepped-up trade and a steady flow of militarily useful civilian goods. China, however, has stopped short of providing Russia weapons or military expertise. As this has unfolded, Kyiv has largely refrained from criticizing China -- with a few exceptions -- as Ukraine has held out hope to potentially win over Chinese cooperation in a future peace deal. What's Behind Zelenskyy's New Approach to China? So what's changed for Zelenskyy? The most obvious is his relationship with Washington and lingering questions about future US military support for Kyiv. His statements after the announcement of the two fighters being captured also show how linking the war more clearly to China may shift the needle for his dynamic with US President Donald Trump. In his social media post on April 8, which included a video of a captured soldier describing a drone attack in Chinese, Zelenskyy said the involvement of Chinese nationals alongside Russian troops "is a clear signal that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin intends to do anything but end the war. He is looking for ways to continue fighting." Speaking at a press conference later that day, the Ukrainian president went on to imply the two fighters were evidence of the international backing Moscow has behind it on the battlefield. "This is another country that militarily supports Russia's invasion of Ukraine on the side of Russia. This is another one after Iran and the North Korean military," he said. Ukraine's Role In The US-China Power Struggle Beijing has been adamant that it doesn't have its own troops on the ground in Ukraine. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on April 9 that it is currently verifying information about the two nationals with Ukraine and that it has always told its citizens to refrain from participating in military operations. But Zelenskyy appears to be aiming to lump China together with North Korea, which has sent thousands of troops to fight with Russia, and Iran, which has provided Moscow with drones to bombard Ukrainian infrastructure. This was pushed further when he said he had tasked Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha with contacting Beijing and summoning China's charge d'affaires posted at its embassy in Kyiv. Taking to social media, Sybiha said that "Chinese citizens fighting as part of Russia's invasion army in Ukraine puts into question China's declared stance for peace and undermines Beijing's credibility as a responsible permanent member of the UN Security Council." While Trump and senior US officials have floated the prospect of a reset with Moscow in exchange for ending the war, China remains in the US president's crosshairs -- and countering Beijing could also come at the expense of supporting Ukraine. As laid out in a leaked internal Pentagon memo published by The Washington Post at the end of March, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said stopping a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan should be the top priority and doing so will require the Pentagon to "assume risk in other theaters" amid personnel and resource constraints. It goes on to call for pressuring allies in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia to spend more on defense to take on a larger role in deterring other US adversaries like Iran, North Korea, and Russia so the United States can devote more resources to China. With the future of Ukraine's relationship with the United States uncertain amid a push by Trump to reach a peace deal of the war as it enters its fourth year, Zelenskyy appears to be searching for his own China card to play. In Dnipro, at least 15 people were hurt when businesses, homes, and infrastructure were damaged. Local says they ran for cover as powerful explosions shattered windows and tore off roofs. Germany's Christian Democrat leader Friedrich Merz has announced that talks on forming a new coalition government have been completed, stating it would aim to take office in early May. Merz noted the coalition talks took place amid "growing international political tensions," citing Russian President Vladimir Putin's ongoing invasion of Ukraine and US tariffs. "The Russian aggressor, Putin, shows no willingness to end the war and to let the guns go silent. At the same time, economic uncertainties are growing enormously. Just this week, US government decisions have caused new turbulence," Merz said. Merz will be the new German chancellor in a coalition with the Social Democrats, led by Lars Klingbeil, who is expected to be Finance Minister. Support For Ukraine As the new government was announced, its 144-page policy plan was published, pledging strong support for Ukraine. "We will provide comprehensive support to Ukraine so that it can effectively defend itself against the Russian aggressor and assert itself in negotiations," it says. Germany's outgoing government, which is led by the Social Democrats under Chancellor Olaf Scholz, has been a key supplier of military and economic aid to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Merz, as opposition leader, has often called on it to be faster and bolder in this. But it's not clear what this will mean in practice. During a recent visit to Berlin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy voiced the hope that the new government would supply Taurus cruise missiles -- a longstanding request. Merz, at the time, was noncommittal. The new government is expected to significantly boost Germany's defense budget, although it's not clear by exactly how much. Even before taking office, Merz has pushed a constitutional reform through the German parliament that means strict limits on government debt no longer apply to defense spending. "Our security is currently more endangered than at any time since the end of the Cold War. The greatest and most direct threat comes from Russia," says the new coalition's policy document. It adds that "Putin's pursuit of power threatens the rules-based international order." Trump Tariffs There's no mention of the US president in the document. But when Merz was asked about US ties by a foreign journalist, he switched briefly to English to say, "The message to Donald Trump is: Germany is back on track, Germany will fulfil the obligations in terms of defense." Asked about US tariffs, Merz said Europe should seek a joint response. His words came hours after EU countries agreed a range of countermeasures, including staggered tariffs on selected imports from the United States beginning on April 15. Merz is a lifelong transatlantacist who also spent four years working for the US investment company BlackRock. After his election victory in February, amid a tense start in ties between Europe and the new US administration, he said Europe must secure "independence" from Washington in terms of defense. Still, the coalition agreement says the relationship with Washington is of "paramount importance." "In trade policy, we seek close cooperation with all of North America. The trans-Atlantic economic area offers the best conditions for success in global competition," it states. Iran's Nuclear Program The document also reaffirms Germany's commitment to working with Washington and other Western partners to end Iran's nuclear program. "We support international sanctions against the Iranian regime and will push for the Revolutionary Guards to be put on the EU list of terror organizations," it says. The new government's domestic priorities include promises to boost growth via economic reforms and to crackdown on illegal immigration. The new coalition needs to be approved by Social Democrat party members and the senior leadership of the Christian Democrats, before a confidence vote in parliament. Telstra-owned Papua New Guinea telco Digicel PNG is reportedly investing PGK20 million (almost US$4.9 million) to upgrade its 4G network in Lae, the capital of Morobe Province and the second-largest city in the country. According to a report in the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier newspaper on Tuesday, Digicel PNG senior vice president and chief sales officer Lorna McPherson said the latest network upgrade builds on the PGK370 million the telco has invested in its network since Telstra acquired its parent company Digicel Pacific in 2022. Digicel PNG also said it has upgraded its network in Port Moresby and built 115 new mobile towers in the past two years, which has significantly expanded its reach to underserved areas. In September 2024, the telco expanded its 4G coverage to all 21 provinces in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. Its 4G network now covers over 80% of the population of Papua New Guinea, the report said. Digicel PNG CEO Tarik Boudiaf said the telcos network investments are bringing connectivity to more Papua New Guineans, enabling better communication, remote education, and digital commerce for individuals and businesses, as well as participation in the digital economy. By enhancing connectivity, we are not only improving digital access but also contributing to the nations social and economic development, he was quoted as saying. A Russian drone attack on the Ukrainian cities of Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Kramatorsk late on April 8 wounded more than two dozen people and damaged multiple residential buildings, local officials said. Serhiy Lysak, governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, said that "Dnipro suffered the most" from the overnight Russian attack, which wounded at least 15 people, leaving almost all of them in serious condition. "People have cuts, shrapnel wounds, bruises, and head injuries. Some needed help due to severe stress," Lysak said. Lysak added that the attack damaged 15 private houses and nearly two dozen cars. According to him, several business facilities, administrative buildings, and the city's infrastructure were damaged. Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv, and the eastern city of Kramatorsk were also hit by the Russian drones. Local authorities said more than 20 explosions were heard in Kharkiv, injuring at least two people. Five others were injured in Kramatorsk, in the Donetsk region. "An 11-year-old girl, her 34-year-old mother and a 55-year-old grandmother were wounded in the attack," said the head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, Vadym Filashkin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for support from Ukraine's partners "to save as many people as possible." "War does not abate from talks and statements, and Moscow ignores any diplomacy because they believe they have the liberty to do so," Zelenskyy said on X. The Ukrainian Air Force said that it shot down 32 out of 55 drones launched by Russia overnight, with another eight "not reaching their targets." Ukraine Claims 'Successful Actions' Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a post on the Telegram that its air defense units destroyed 158 drones overnight, including 29 over the southern Rostov region. Russias aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said that several airports in Russia's south were closed early on April 9 to ensure air safety. Ukraine's top military commander, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskiy, claimed that Kyiv had recently conducted "successful" strikes on Russian air bases. "A few days ago, our successful actions destroyed a Tu-22M3 long-range bomber. It had just landed and our drone hit it," he told Ukrainian media outlet LB.ua. Syrskiy claimed that the cost of such a plane could be as high as $100 million. On the ground, according to the latest report by the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian forces are currently pursuing three different objectives in their attempt to capture the crucial city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region. The situation immediately south and southwest of Pokrovsk remains extremely dynamic amid intensified Russian offensive operations, the report said. With Russian forces spending the last 13 months trying to capture the city, the ISW further underlined that Ukrainian drone operations and localized counterattacks are continuing to complicate Moscow's advances in the area. Earlier, this month, a unit of Ukrainian drone pilots stationed in Pokrovsk told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service that they have become a high-value target for Russian forces. On March 26, Zelenskyy said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was "trying to buy time and prepare for a spring offensive." According to him, Russia was preparing a new offensive, particularly in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions. Syrskiy said that offensive has already started. "We are seeing an almost doubling of the number of enemy offensives in all major directions," he told LB.ua. The ISW report said Russian forces also recently advanced in Russia's Kursk region, parts of which are controlled by Kyiv, and conducted a raid into Ukraine's neighboring Sumy region, but "likely did not establish new positions." In the interview, however, Syrskiy again hailed Ukraine's surprise incursion into Kursk last August, saying the operation was "critical" to the defense of the Kharkiv region. Late on April 7, Zelenskyy acknowledged publicly for the first time that Ukrainian troops are now holding new positions inside Russia -- this time in the Belgorod region. "We continue active operations in the enemy's border areas and this is absolutely justified... Our main objective remains the same: to protect our land and our communities in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions," he said. Sweeping new tariffs on goods imported by the United States are took effect on April 9 under US President Donald Trump new trade policy, which he said is aimed at revitalizing American manufacturing. The higher import tax rates on dozens of countries and territories include a massive 104 percent duty on Chinese goods and 20 percent on products from the European Union. The new tariffs come after 10 percent baseline tariff that went into effect on April 5. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said that Trump had not considered an extension or delay for the increases. He expects that these tariffs are going to go into effect, she said on April 8 hours before their midnight implementation. Trump himself offered mixed signals about whether the tariffs will remain. While describing them as "permanent," he said representatives of the countries targeted were on their way to Washington to negotiate bilateral trade agreements. "We have a lot of countries coming in that want to make deals," he said at a White House event on April 8. He said later that he expected China to pursue an agreement as well. Trump's administration has scheduled talks with representatives of South Korea and Japan, two close allies and major trading partners. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is due to visit next week. EU Executive Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is among those offering a mutual reduction of tariffs but also warned that countermeasures are still an option. Trump announced the tariffs on April 2, calling it America's "liberation day" and saying it will be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America's destiny was reclaimed, and the day that we began to make America wealthy again." The president complained bitterly in announcing the tariffs that the United States for decades had been mistreated by "friend and foe alike on trade, creating a massive trade imbalance. Stock markets around the world have sunk amid the rollout of the tariffs, which economists warn will raise prices for goods that US consumers buy each day -- particularly as the new tariffs build on some previous trade measures. The countries targeted also are likely to retaliate. China already has, announcing a 34 percent tariff on all US goods. That matched the rate before Trump announced that the United States would impose a 104 percent of China starting on April 10. China's Commerce Ministry called Trump's threat to escalate tariffs a mistake on top of a mistake that once again exposes the blackmailing nature of the US. Beyond levies on China, Trump imposed a steep 25 percent tariff on auto imports beginning on April 3 that was largely aimed autos made in Mexico and Canada to pressure them to take steps to control immigration and drug trafficking. These tariffs are on fully imported cars but are set to expand to applicable auto parts in the following weeks. Canada responded with a 25 percent levy on auto imports from the United States that do not comply with the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Those tariffs also are slated to go into effect on April 9. Steel and aluminum have also been targeted. Both metals are now taxed at 25 percent across the board under expanded tariffs that went into effect last month. With reporting by AP and Reuters US President Donald Trump surprised almost everyone when he announced in an Oval Office briefing -- with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sitting right beside him -- that high-level direct talks on Iran's nuclear program were scheduled for April 12 in Oman. It is unclear whether Iran wanted to keep it quiet, but Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi felt the immediate need to clarify in the middle of the night Tehran time that talks would be indirect, contrary to what Trump had said. Regardless of the format, both sides have framed the rendezvous as an exploratory meeting to see if negotiations can be held. But beneath the headlines lies a deeper strategic debate: What exactly should the United States demand from Iran's nuclear program -- tight oversight or total dismantlement? Trump has been clear about what Washington's end-goal is: Iran can never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. What he hasn't explicitly talked about is whether that means imposing restrictions on Iran's nuclear program or completely dismantling it. Instead, senior members of his administration have been doing the talking, but they've been sending contradictory messages. Steve Witkoff, Trump's Middle East envoy who will be leading the US delegation in the Oman talks, said last month that Washington wants to "create a verification program so that nobody worries about weaponization of [Iran's] nuclear material." The implication was that the United States wants to curb enrichment and establish an oversight mechanism to ensure Iran's nuclear program remains peaceful -- something that Iran claims has always been its intention. But national-security adviser Mike Waltz struck a different chord days later, charging that the administration wants "full dismantlement," adding, "Iran has to give up its program in a way that the entire world can see." What Should The US Aim For? Proponents of full dismantlement of the nuclear program say it is the only surefire way to ensure Iran won't ever acquire nukes. Behnam Taleblu, senior director of the Iran program at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), argues Trump should not entertain arms control. "Rather than seeking to limit Iran's atomic program, it should be forced to junk it altogether," Taleblu told RFE/RL. He conceded that going for dismantlement is "high risk" but argued it is achievable and necessary through pressure such as stepping up sanctions and holding joint military drills with Israel. Indeed, the US Treasury on April 9 announced sanctions on five entities and one person based in Iran for their support of Iran's nuclear program, including the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI). And if talks are futile, Taleblu said, Trump should be ready to walk away. "The Islamic republic will only seriously consider surrender if it knows America has a credible exit option," he added. A major supporter of the complete dismantlement of Iran's nuclear program is Netanyahu, who has floated the idea of a "Libya-style agreement," which Tehran has long rejected. Others argue that any demand for Iran to fully dismantle the program would be seen in Tehran as political suicide. "US demands for full dismantlement or a Libya-style' deal that involves Iran breaking apart its entire nuclear program would be a nonstarter for Tehran," said Gregory Brew, senior Iran analyst at the New York-based Eurasia Group. He argued that aiming for implementing a verification scheme to keep Iran's nuclear program in check "would, at the very least, provide a basis for further discussions." But if Washington is intent on tearing down Iran's nuclear program, "talks will be over fast, and the risk of military escalation will go up," Brew added. Is Iran Ready To Risk War? The 2015 nuclear deal, which Trump withdrew from in 2018, formally expires in October. With it gone, the UN Security Council (UNSC) will lose the power to reimpose sanctions on Iran. So, the West is running out of both time and patience. Trump has warned Iran that it will bomb it if no agreement is reached. France, also a permanent member of the UNSC and a signatory to the 2015 deal, has expressed concern that the absence of a new agreement would make the prospect of military confrontation "almost inevitable." The United States has been flexing its muscles and beefing up its military presence in the region. It has been launching air strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels for weeks, using some of its most sophisticated hardware against a group that does not even have an air force to speak of. "The deployments offer the United States a credible military threat that can serve to put more pressure on Iran," Brew said. "The United States is clearly signaling that it is prepared to escalate if talks fail or if Iran advances its nuclear program to weaponization." The stakes for the regime are very high, he added. But Taleblu believes the Islamic republic is ultimately risk-averse and won't want to risk a military confrontation. "There are instances in history, admittedly not many, where the regime has significantly backtracked on a stated security goal it sunk significant capital into," he asserted. "In instances where Tehran senses strength and a willingness to grow penalties and impose costs over time that could meaningfully threaten the regime, it has backed down." The stage is set for diplomacy in Oman. As the clock ticks, the question is who will blink first. Dera Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Granted Parole Again After 30-Day Release in January Earlier this year, in January, he was granted parole in January for 30 days just a week before the Delhi Assembly elections. Dera Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Granted Parole Again After 30-Day Release in January, Latest News: Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, convicted in rape and murder cases, is out on parole again this time for 21 days. He was granted parole by the Haryana government and was released from Sunaria jail in Rohtak, Haryana, on Wednesday morning. According to reports, he will stay at the Deras headquarters in Sirsa during this period. In previous instances, he stayed at the Deras ashram in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh. Advertisement Earlier this year, in January, he was granted parole in January for 30 days just a week before the Delhi Assembly elections. This is reportedly his fifth release since October 2024. In total, he has been granted parole 13 times, amounting to 326 days of release since October 24, 2020. In August 2017, Ram Rahim was convicted of the rape of two female disciples and sentenced to 20 years in prison. In 2019, he was also convicted for the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati, who had reported on the rapes. Additionally, he faces accusations related to the castration of followers and forced separations of families. His paroles have often coincided with elections in Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, and Rajasthan. Advertisement Despite his convictions and imprisonment, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh continues to enjoy a large following. Many of his supporters still view him as a spiritual leader and remain loyal to Dera Sacha Sauda. While many subsea cable stories recently have been about accidents and repairs in the worlds oceans, two recent stories from India and West Africa are land-based and underline some of the potential pitfalls of inadequate planning. In India, according to news resource the Economic Times, the subsea cable industry has called on the government to decongest the landing station at Versova in Mumbai, where 15 of Indias 17 international cables land in what is only a six-kilometre stretch. In recommendations to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the industry, through lobby body Broadband India Forum (BIF), says that the concentration at Versova creates a heavy risk of cuts and failures; indeed faults are said to be happening as often as monthly. The industry is also calling for a dedicated indigenous vessel to repair the cables. The two service providers E-marine and SEAICOMA apparently have repair times averaging between three months and five months. Meanwhile India's subsea cable growth along with its data demand is unlikely to slow down any time soon. Theres a slightly more bizarre planning issue in Liberia where regulator the Liberia Telecommunications Authority, state-owed service provider Libtelco and the Cable Consortium of Liberia (CCL) are rerouting the countrys only fibre optic cable, the ACE cable, which first landed in Liberia in 2011. Thats because a monument is being built on the landing point of the ACE cable, which happens to be in the recently opened PHP Community Park in Monrovia. The cable is now inaccessible from the initial landing point, so it has to be rerouted for the pending repair works. The rerouting process wont be easy or cheap but will, it is hoped, offer a clear line of access to the cable without future obstructions. A ship bringing in technicians will arrive in Liberia on 22 April to begin the repair process on the cable. As for how the ACE cable ended up in this situation, apparently the contractor that built the PHP Park did not consider the advice of the CCL not to build the monument at the park on the cable landing point. Every Two Minutes, a Mother Dies: Aid Cuts Affect Maternal Care Worldwide; India Ranks Second (Image courtesy: Scroll in) India continue to suffer some of the highest maternal mortality rates. Every Two Minutes, a Mother Dies: Aid Cuts Jeopardize Maternal Care Worldwide; India Ranks Second in Maternal Deaths, latest News: A woman dies every two minutes due to pregnancy-related complications, according to a WHO report. The findings highlight the alarming impact of aid reductions by countries like the US and the UK, as reported by The Independent. Citing the WHO, The Independent reported that there were 260,000 maternal deaths in 2023 equating to 712 women a day or 30 per hour with the vast majority occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. Maternal deaths are defined as any death related to or aggravated by pregnancy or occurring within six weeks of the end of a pregnancy. The United Nations, under its Sustainable Development Goals, aims to reduce global maternal mortality to fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. Advertisement WHO organization has warned that many countries are far from achieving this goal. The pace of progress has slowed to a near standstill, the report noted. Globally, the maternal mortality rate has improved by 40% from 328 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 197 in 2023. However, the numbers remain high in Sub-Saharan Africa, with 454 deaths per 100,000 and minimal progress. Central and Southern Asia saw a decline, now at 112 deaths, reflecting an improvement of 285 fewer deaths since 2000. Countries like Australia and those in Europe are performing well, with maternal death rates of just 3 and 7 per 100,000, respectively. In contrast, North America has seen a worrying trend the rate has risen from 12 in 2000 to 16 in 2023, making it the only region with an increase. The WHO, along with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and other leading health organizations, has warned that the recent $770 million cut in US funding for maternal health and family planning could further slow global progress or even reverse it. Dr. Bruce Aylward, Assistant Director-General for Universal Health Coverage at the WHO, said during a press conference: The funding cuts risk not only halting progress, but could shift us backwards. He warned that the cuts are already affecting access to life-saving supplies and medicines, especially treatments for leading causes of maternal death. One of the first impacts were seeing is countries laying off staff, not hiring, or slowing down spending on health workers. This is a real concern, he added. Indian and Sub-Saharan Africa Advertisement As many as 60 countries reportedly depend on U.S.-funded maternal health and family planning programs, most of which are located in Africa and South Asia. India is among the countries that benefit from this funding. According to reports, Sub-Saharan Africa and India continue to suffer some of the highest maternal mortality rates. In 2023 alone, half of all maternal deaths worldwide occurred in just four countries: Nigeria, India, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Pakistan. Nigeria recorded a staggering 75,000 deaths, followed by India with 19,000, tying with the DRC. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has played a key role in supporting Indias family planning and maternal health programs since 1992. India is currently considered a high-priority country in USAIDs global strategy for maternal and child health. Africa remains the most dependent region on U.S.-funded family planning initiatives. These programs also support the employment of midwives in regions where access to maternal care is limited. Reports suggest that the termination of some USAID contracts has resulted in job losses among midwives, leaving pregnant women without essential care. In February 2025, the United Kingdoms Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced plans to cut the UKs foreign aid budget from 0.5% to 0.3% of gross national income (GNI) by 2027 to redirect funds towards defense spending. Advertisement Labour MP Sarah Champion, Chair of the International Development Committee (IDC), told The Independent: I remain deeply concerned that the cuts to aid will hit womens health hard and destroy all the hard-won progress around the world. She added, Preventing maternal deaths is not a medical mystery; we can end them with political commitment and financial investments. Realising the right to safe pregnancy and childbirth requires continued efforts to improve the quality of care, which must be backed by adequate financial resources and supportive laws. Weak health systems and prolonged humanitarian crises have led to stagnation and even reversal of progress in many countries. In 2023, nearly 70% of global maternal deaths occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa, with over 100,000 of them reported in Western Africa alone. By comparison, only around 650 pregnancy-related deaths were recorded in Western countries. Dr Pascale Allotey, Director of the Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health at the WHO, warned: Despite advances since 2000, the pace of progress has slowed to a near standstill. In some regions, we are already sliding backwards. In this context of fragility, complacency is not just dangerousit is deadly. When women die because of where they live, what they earn, or what rights are denied, it is indefensibleand it is preventable. Julia Bunting, Programme Director at UNFPAthe United Nations key agency for women's reproductive healthtold The Independent that the decline in maternal deaths is not sufficient and is by no means fast enough. She said, We know there has been a 40 per cent decline in maternal death rates since 2000, but the progress is uneven and slowing. She added, These lives can be saved. Its not just a matter of healthits a matter of rights; its a matter of justice. We believe every woman deserves to survive childbirth. We know how to prevent these deaths: with skilled midwives, quality care, and political commitment, we can save many of these lives. But theres an urgent need for investment so we dont risk reversing the gains that have already been made. Advertisement She further warned, The combination of funding cuts, the increasing frequency of conflicts, and the impacts of climate change mean pregnant women can't access lifesaving care, and gender-based violence is rising. We cant abandon the women and girls who need us most. The report is published in the Independent on Monday 07 April 2025, by Rebecca Thomas and Alicja Hagopian. For details and for better understanding visit their website. For More News, Apart from, "Every Two Minutes, a Mother Dies: Aid Cuts Jeopardize Maternal Care Worldwide; India Ranks Second in Maternal Deaths, Stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) White House Warns Gang Members After Supreme Court Clears Use of Alien Enemies Act, (Image courtesy: Busines Insider) White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a warning, Deport yourself now or you'll be locked up." White House Warns Gang Members After Supreme Court Clears Use of Alien Enemies Act, latest news: The White House has issued a strong warning to gang members living illegally in the U.S., following a Supreme Court ruling that overturned a lower courts decision blocking the Trump administration from using the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) to deport certain individuals. The ruling now allows the administration to resume deportations under this wartime-era law. During a press briefing on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, Last night, the Supreme Court delivered a massive legal victory to the Trump administration and allowed us to continue removing foreign terrorist invaders under the Alien Enemies Act. This was a smackdown to a rogue, left-wing, low-level district court judge." Advertisement According to ANI, the warning was aimed specifically at groups such as Tren de Aragua, MS-13, and other foreign terrorist organizations residing in the U.S. The spokesperson issued a warning, Deport yourself now or you'll be locked up." Earlier, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated a ruling by the District Court for the District of Columbia, presided over by Judge James Boasberg, which had temporarily blocked the Trump administration from using the AEA to deport Venezuelans. Judge Boasberg had issued a temporary restraining order, but on April 7, 2025, in a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court lifted the order, allowing deportations to resume. The Alien Enemies Act, enacted in 1798, permits the U.S. government to detain or deport nationals of countries deemed enemies during wartime or national emergencies. "The ANI has explained the reason behind the blocking of the law, citing inputs from The Hill, According to The Hill, the issue before the Supreme Court was not whether the AEA was properly applied to expel individuals accused of gang affiliations, but rather where those challenging their deportation should file their lawsuits. The Supreme Court emphasized that Venezuelans facing deportation must be given a fair chance to challenge their removal and should be allowed to seek habeas relief before being deported. The Trump administration has defended its actions by citing national security concerns, pointing to Venezuelas close ties with countries like Iran, Russia, and China. Several Venezuelans are being deported on grounds of alleged gang connections. Advertisement As of April 9, 2025, U.S.-Venezuela relations remain highly strained, marked by economic sanctions, legal tensions, and diplomatic friction. For More News, Apart from, "White House Warns Gang Members After Supreme Court Clears Use of Alien Enemies Act, Stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) Flying Romanian airspace, over the cold Black Sea Spain's "Guardian" detachment has completed its air policing mission in Romania (Credits: Bogdan Dinu/Agentia Media a Armatei) Agentia Media a Armatei, 09.04.2025, 14:00 The Guardian detachment of the Spanish Air Forces from the 57th Captain Aviator Constantin Cantacuzino air base in (southeast) has completed its enhanced air policing mission in Romania. The mission included two four-month rotations, the first with F18 aircraft, the second with Eurofighter. In the last four months, six such aircraft from the Los Llanos air base, near the Spanish city of Albacete, have been stationed here. They are 3rd generation state-of-the-art Spanish Eurofighter aircraft, and for several months they have patrolling Romanian airspace, trading Spains sunny skies for the snow and cold of the Black Sea coast. Major Alejandro Lobato is one of the pilots who completed his first tour in Romania. This is my first deployment abroad for an enhanced air police mission. It is different to fly Romanias skies, the landscape is different from what we were used to in Spain. For example, it snowed a few weeks ago, and the landscape was covered in snow as we saw it from the cockpit. We are not used to flying in such a cold environment and climate, but also over a rough and cold sea like the Black Sea. During our missions, for extra safety, we have to wear an additional thermal protection suit in case we have to eject from the cockpit and end up landing in the sea. I would say that these are the main differences when you fly the skies of Romania and not Spain, our interlocutor says. A seasoned Eurofighter pilot, Major Alejandro Lobato, born in Zamora, the capital of the province bearing the same name on the border with Portugal, told us he felt at home during his Romanian adventure: I stayed in Romania for nearly four months and to sum up, I can say that for me it was a great adventure, in the positive sense. My colleagues and I, and this is something we have always discussed among ourselves, felt welcome, right from the start, we felt the warmth of the Romanian people, we experienced Romanian culture and cuisine, we had the opportunity to travel around the country, some more, others less, but I can truly say that the opinion of the Spanish military from the entire detachment about the mission in Romania is a very good one, for them it was a beautiful adventure, the Spanish told us. The last Spanish rotation was a successful one, with over 850 flight hours in over 400 sorties, mainly training missions with Romanian and NATO Air Forces and less Alpha Scramble missions, i.e. real-life interception missions, so from this point of view, we can say it was a quiet rotation compared to the first. But beyond the missions and aircraft are the people, the soldiers, the pilots. Major Alejandro Lobato left a baby at home for a few months when leaving for Romania. We asked him if this was hard for him: Yes, it was hard, especially since I spent Christmas for the first time away from my family, my baby was only a few months old, it wasnt easy to leave my family at home. But we must be grateful, because we were needed here and we are happy to contribute to the security of the European Union, of Romania of course and of NATO member states. I want to thank all the Romanians for the warm welcome and for the way they have interacted with us in the last four months. I hope to return to Romania soon. Thank you! Major Alejandro Lobato concluded. Starting April, enhanced air police missions have been carried out at the 57th air base by a detachment of the Italian Air Forces, also onboard Eurofighter aircraft, so we may very well say Adios y gracias Espana! Benvenuti agli italiani! (VP) Combating human trafficking A study on human trafficking published by the European Commission earlier this year shows that most victims in the European Union were Romanian. Photo: Eric Ward / unsplash.com Iulia Hau, 09.04.2025, 14:00 The study on human trafficking published by the European Commission at the beginning of the year showed that the most numerous victims in the European Union were Romanian, followed by those of French, Hungarian, Bulgarian and German nationality, while sexual exploitation was the most widespread aim of this phenomenon. An Eurostat report indicated that 63% of the victims of trafficking in the EU were girls or women, with Luxembourg, Estonia and Austria being the countries with the highest number of victims identified and registered. Stefan Coman, advocacy coordinator at the International Justice Mission NGO, explains that just because a large number is reported in a country does not necessarily mean that that country has a bigger problem, but that, on the contrary, it may be dealing with it better: Traditionally, Romania has the highest number of victims of human trafficking in the European Union. This is also because Romania has the most number of convictions for human trafficking, which means that we identify the victims, convict the perpetrators and report these figures. Another country that is close to Romania in terms of the number of convictions and the number of victims reported is France. This is a good comparison, because it shows that countries that are looking for it will find cases of human trafficking. There are also countries that report a small number of victims, but it does not mean that human trafficking does not exist there. It just means that they do not identify the cases. The expert also says that although Romania is doing well when it comes to the number of the convictions, their length has been quite short in recent years: Indeed, there were quite a few convictions, but in terms of length, they were 3 to 3 and a half years in 2018 I think. The maximum conviction being very short, it means a lot of the sentences were suspended. I think in 2020-2021, 20% of human trafficking convictions were suspended. This means that one in five traffickers will not serve any time in prison, so they can still do exactly what they did before and they just learned how to not get caught. The report of the National Agency against Trafficking in Persons in Romania identified 500 victims in 2022, including meant Romanian citizens who were the subject of human trafficking both at home and abroad. In 2004, this number was 1,960. Stefan Coman describes the vulnerable situations that can make a person more likely to fall victim to human trafficking: Any vulnerability becomes a vulnerability for human trafficking. That is, if a person is economically vulnerable, has difficulty integrating into the labor market, they will be vulnerable to human trafficking, because they can easily be convinced, under the pretext of a well-paid job, to go somewhere where they are not safe and then be exploited. If they are vulnerable with regard to alcohol consumption, they automatically become vulnerable to human trafficking. A person who is emotionally vulnerable becomes vulnerable to human trafficking. It is clear that in terms of sexual exploitation, by which I mean any form of sexual abuse, the victims of sexual violence become vulnerable to human trafficking much more likely than in the examples I mentioned earlier. The expert says most people working in prostitution were abused as children: To the extent that the person in question believes they are not valuable and that the little worth have comes from actions or things related to their sexuality, they are easily lured into prostitution and many victims of human trafficking are recruited from among people who practice prostitution. The International Justice Mission European program is dedicated to combating cross-border trafficking, with experts saying the legal systems of various member states have great vulnerabilities. The organization already carries out operations in Romania, Bulgaria and Poland, has a rapporteur in the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands and is to expand its activity to Hungary, France, Italy and Spain: We would like to open offices in the main source countries and in the main destination countries, to consolidate and demonstrate that this system of combating cross-border trafficking really does work. When a trafficker takes a victim, they can cross the border five times in one day. They go through Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, ending up in Germany, lets say, depending on the route. But for the police or the prosecutors office, to investigate the case, you have to do it together with the police in all those other countries. And apart from the fact that several units have to work together, there are also obstacles that have to do with the fact that there is different legislation in the respective countries. There are different priorities of the police and prosecutors offices in different countries. Traffickers know this. 76% of the largest organized crime organizations operate across several different countries. They know the challenges for police and prosecutors and will use this to their benefit by working across multiple countries to make it harder to be detected. If we want human traficking to decrease, well just have to get rid of traffickers. The theory of change stated by the International Justice Mission is that a consistent and effective response by law enforcement over time guarantees a decrease in crime. The NGO claims that, after the nine programs carried out over time in different countries around the world, crime has decreased by 50%-86% in the respective countries. Vulnerable people exist and will always exist, and reducing the level of vulnerability takes a very long time, and during this time traffickers will continue to make victims, says Stefan Coman. There are vulnerable people who are exploited and vulnerable people who are not, and what is present in one case and absent in the other is the trafficker. April 9, 2025 A roundup of local and international news. Newsflash Newsroom, 09.04.2025, 13:55 Government. The government is today holding its second meeting this week. The agenda features the 2025-2030 strategy for open governance, an important pillar for the development of an efficient, transparent and inclusive administration that protects citizens fundamental rights and enhances the trust and quality of interaction between citizens and state institutions. Also today, the government is analyzing three draft emergency orders on the national forestation campaign, the digital competence framework Romanian citizens and on state treasury loans. Ban. A general fishing ban is in place in Romania until 7th June. This 60-day period is established so as to protect the reproduction of the aquatic resources. In the border waters, the prohibition period begins at a later date. In the waters that act as state border, the prohibition is in place for a period of 45 days, between 24th April and 7th June, and in the waters constituting state border with Ukraine between 16th April and 30th May. From this year, the prohibition order is multiannual, so the authorities will only intervene in the event of certain species or to change certain periods, according to the fishing law, approved last year. Pensions. The Superior Council of Magistrates in Romania responded to proposals to amend the special pensions law. The Council warns in a statement that any change affecting the rights of judges and prosecutors must comply with constitutional standards and after talks with the representatives of the judicial system. The bill on magistrates pensions, initiated by the ruling coalition formed by the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, was submitted to Parliament on Tuesday. It stipulates that the retirement age for magistrates will increase gradually and the ceiling for calculating their pensions will decrease to 65% of their incomes. Church. A new stage in the construction of a monumental Orthodox cathedral in Bucharest was marked on Tuesday with the consecration and installation of a cross on the structures main tower. With a height of 7 metres and weight of some 7 tonnes, the cross was put in place with the help of a high-tonnage crane. This symbolic step marks a crucial stage in the completion of the National Cathedral, a structure intended to become one of the most important church buildings in Romania and Europe. The cathedral is now 127 m high, which makes it one of the highest in Europe. It will be consecrated on 26th October, with the Romanian Orthodox Church celebrating 140 years in 2025 since it was recognised as an autocephalous church and 100 years since it acquired the rank of patriarchal church. Book fair. The Radio Romania Gaudeamus book fair caravan continues its journey around the country. From today until 13th April, the organisers have prepared 56 stands for the book fair in Cluj Napoca, bringing together 70 publishers from around the country and abroad, book launches, meetings with writers and special projects dedicated to achievements in education. The events hosted by the citys main square are also available to watch online at gaudeamus.ro. The Radio Romania Gaudeamus national project is in its 25th year and comprises over 100 book fairs held around the country. April 9, 2025 UPATE 2 The latest news from RRI Newsflash Newsroom, 09.04.2025, 20:05 Customs tariffs The EU adopted its first retaliatory measures on Wednesday against tariffs imposed by the US President Donald Trump, taxing a range of US products such as motorcycles, soybeans, poultry and rice, the European Commission announced. The measures are a response to the 25% tariffs announced by Washington in mid-March on steel and aluminum imports. The EU has stressed that it is ready to suspend its tariffs at any time if a fair and balanced agreement is reached with Washington. Over the past few months, the 27 EU member states have been hit with three rounds of additional tariffs by the US and have responded in a similar manner. Brussels is also planning to present its response to US tariffs on cars and other European products early next week. On the other hand, the US administration confirmed that, starting on Wednesday, imports from China will be subject to a 104% customs tariff. The decision came after Donald Trump said he would increase tariffs on Chinese products if Beijing did not withdraw additional tariffs imposed on the United States. China accuses the US administration of acting like a bully and announces that it will retaliate. In Bucharest, the interim president, Ilie Bolojan, spoke in favor of continuing trade negotiations between the EU and the US. Government A German enterprise will open a new factory in Romania, where components for passenger aircraft will be manufactured, the Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Wednesday, during a government meeting. He also said that 14.5 million lei (about 2.9 million Euros) would be allocated so that by the beginning of the new school year, in the fall, there would be no more educational units with toilets outside in Romania. At the same time, the government tested the open governance strategy 2025 2030. This aims to become an important pillar for the development of an efficient, transparent and inclusive public administration, which will protect the fundamental rights of citizens, but also increase the trust and quality of interactions between citizens and state institutions. On the other hand, among the emergency ordinances issued on Wednesday, there was also the one targeting the national afforestation campaign. Thus, the annual premium granted to landowners on which afforestation or reforestation is carried out as provided for in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) was increased by 40%. Our objective is to afforest about 28 thousand hectares by the end of 2026, the PM Marcel Ciolacu stated. Investors Romanias interim president, Ilie Bolojan, participated in a meeting with the Foreign Investors Council. He has stated that what has happened in Romania in recent years is the result of the mix of Romanian and foreign investments and has pointed out that it is time for politicians to create conditions for foreign investors to continue developing in our country. Bolojan has also expressed his hope that Romanian decision-makers will show wisdom so that the country can overcome the challenges caused by the complicated economic context. In turn, the President of the Foreign Investors Council, Daniel Anghel, said that the business environment needed predictability, transparency and legislative clarity to regain trust. He showed that the average annual investment effort should be approximately 35% of the Gross Domestic Product in the period 2024-2030, and in the period 2031-2040, it should reach 28%-30% of the GDP. The most recent study on business perceptions reveals that Romanias attractiveness for investments has decreased, and their pace has dropped to a level close to that during the coronavirus pandemic. USR The National Bureau of the Save Romania Union has decided, by a large majority, to convene the Political Committee to decide on the withdrawal of support in the presidential race for the head of the parliamentary group, Elena Lasconi. The Political Committee, a body representing the extended leadership of the party, is also expected to decide on the support for the mayor general of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, who is running as an independent in the May election. The USR Vice-President, Timisoaras mayor Dominic Fritz, explained that this decision is necessary for at least one pro-European candidate to reach the second round and stated that USR must put responsibility for the country first. Elena Lasconi, however, ruled out a withdrawal of her candidacy from the presidential race. She considered the partys decision to support Nicusor Dan to be extremely bad and expressed her belief that she would be the best president of Romania. Russia Declaring the Romanian military attache in Moscow and his deputy as personae non gratae is ungrounded, the Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE) announced. On Wednesday, the ad-interim charge daffaires of Romania in Moscow was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry. During the meeting, the Russian side informed about the decision to declare two members of the diplomatic staff of the Romanian Embassy in Moscow as unacceptable persons. This measure taken by the Russian side, unfounded in relation to the provisions of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, comes in response to the decision adopted by the Romanian authorities, on March 5, 2025, regarding the declaration of the military, air and naval attache of the Russian Federation in Bucharest, as well as his deputy, as unacceptable persons on Romanian territory, the MAE explained. The decision of the Romanian authorities took into account the activities carried out by the respective Russian diplomats that contravene the provisions of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. NATO The Romanian Defense Minister, Angel Tilvar, together with the Italian Ambassador to Romania, Alfredo Maria Durante Mangoni, participated, on Wednesday, in the 57th Air Base Mihail Kogalniceanu (southeast), in the certification ceremony of the Italian Air Force detachment for the execution of Reinforced Air Policing missions in the southern area of the North Atlantic Alliance. According to the Defense Ministry, Angel Tilvar highlighted that it is the sixth time that the Italian Air Force carries out such a mission in Romania, confirming the firm commitment to collective defense and solidarity between the member states of the North Atlantic Alliance. The Italian detachment is made up of approximately 180 military pilots and technical personnel and six Eurofighter aircraft. For four months, they will act together with the Romanian Air Force to protect the NATO airspace, through a surveillance and rapid reaction mission. (LS) April 9, 2025 UPDATE 1 A news update Newsflash Newsroom, 09.04.2025, 17:34 USR The National Bureau of the Save Romania Union has decided, by a large majority, to convene the Political Committee to decide on the withdrawal of support in the presidential race for the head of the parliamentary group, Elena Lasconi. The Political Committee, a body representing the extended leadership of the party, is also expected to decide on the support for the mayor general of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, who is running as an independent in the May election. The USR Vice-President, Timisoaras mayor Dominic Fritz, explained that this decision is necessary for at least one pro-European candidate to reach the second round and stated that USR must put responsibility for the country first. Elena Lasconi, however, ruled out a withdrawal of her candidacy from the presidential race. She considered the partys decision to support Nicusor Dan to be extremely bad and expressed her belief that she would be the best president of Romania. Customs tariffs The EU adopted its first retaliatory measures on Wednesday against tariffs imposed by the US President Donald Trump, taxing a range of US products such as motorcycles, soybeans, poultry and rice, the European Commission announced. The measures are a response to the 25% tariffs announced by Washington in mid-March on steel and aluminum imports. The EU has stressed that it is ready to suspend its tariffs at any time if a fair and balanced agreement is reached with Washington. Over the past few months, the 27 EU member states have been hit with three rounds of additional tariffs by the US and have responded in a similar manner. Brussels is also planning to present its response to US tariffs on cars and other European products early next week. On the other hand, the US administration confirmed that, starting on Wednesday, imports from China will be subject to a 104% customs tariff. The decision came after Donald Trump said he would increase tariffs on Chinese products if Beijing did not withdraw additional tariffs imposed on the United States. China accuses the US administration of acting like a bully and announces that it will retaliate. In Bucharest, the interim president, Ilie Bolojan, spoke in favor of continuing trade negotiations between the EU and the US. (LS) Discussions about the retirement age of magistrates The ruling coalition in Bucharest comes up with a new proposal for special pensions, after previous such initiatives have failed. Photo: Facebook / Curtea Constitutionala a Romaniei) Daniela Budu, 09.04.2025, 13:50 The ruling coalition in Bucharest comes up with a new proposal for special pensions, after previous such initiatives have failed. The retirement age for magistrates in Romania will gradually increase to 65 years, and the calculation ceiling will reduce the pension to 65% of income, according to the latest amendments proposed to the Law on the Status of Judges and Prosecutors. The project, initiated by the ruling coalition PSD-PNL-UDMR, will be submitted for approval, and will be debated in Parliament in an urgent procedure. The document is in public consultation until April 15. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said that Romania cannot afford to lose 230 million euros from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which is why he submitted to Parliament, alongside the other coalition leaders, a draft amendment to the Law on Special Pensions. He added that this project aims to correct inequities among retirees, both in terms of contribution and retirement age 65 years for all, including the special ones. At present, prosecutors and judges can retire, regardless of age, if they have 25 years of seniority in these positions. The proposal is that, starting in 2026, judges, including those of the Constitutional Court, prosecutors, as well as legal personnel, will retire and benefit from the service pension, if they meet the cumulative condition of at least 25 years of seniority in these positions and the age, which is least 48. Also next year, according to the new draft law, the retirement age for magistrates will gradually increase, by six months, annually, until 2045, when the retirement age of magistrates will reach 65 years. Another major provision is the reduction of the pension calculation ceiling from 80%, at present, to 65% of the average monthly income in the last two years before retirement. In addition, the net amount of the service pension cannot be higher than 100% of the net income in the last month of activity before the retirement date. The leaders of the ruling coalition say, in the explanatory memorandum, that Romania has assumed, under the NRRP, the reform of service pensions, so as to correct the inequities in terms of contribution and social justice between the beneficiaries of these categories of pensions and those in the public system. The measures proposed now come after the rejection last December, by the Constitutional Court (CCR) of the Governments attempt to introduce progressive taxation of the non-contributory part of special pensions. It should also be noted that, in recent years, there have been attempts to modify special pensions, but each time the Constitutional Court has prevented their implementation. The last time, in November 2023, the CCR decided to maintain special pensions, and Parliament has the power to eliminate them only for the future. The CCR judges argued that by withdrawing and eliminating these pensions, the integrity and substance of an acquired legal right would have been affected. (EE) Indian shares opened slightly lower on Wednesday as China and the United States moved towards an all-out trade war. The White House announced that a sweeping 104 percent tariff imports from China has gone into effect, deepening the economic standoff between Washington and Beijing. U.S. President Donald Trump's "reciprocal tariffs" on all other countries are also set to take effect today. The benchmark S&P/BSE Sensex was down 367 points, or half a percent, at 73,858 while the broader NSE Nifty index was down 147 points, or 0.7 percent, at 22,388. Technology stocks led losses, with TCS, HCL Technologies, Infosys and Tech Mahindra falling 2-4 percent. Power Grid Corp outperformed with a 3 percent gain while Asian Paints, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hindustan Unilever, Nestle India and ITC all were up around 1 percent. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com SBM Offshore N.V.(SBFFY), a Dutch offshore energy solutions company, on Wednesday announced that it has signed a non-recourse sale and leaseback financing agreement for FPSO Cidade de Paraty for $400 million for 8 years. The deal is expected to be completed before the end of April. The FPSO Cidade de Paraty is owned by a special-purpose company formed by SBM Offshore with 63.125% stake and its partners with the remaining 36.875% stake. According to the agreement, the special-purpose company will hand over ownership of FPSO to four Chinese leasing companies. SBM Offshore and its partners will keep running and maintaining the asset for the rest of the initial charter and operating contracts that last another 8.5 years. Tuesday, SBM Offshore closed 3.96% higher at EUR 17.05 on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Makaiko Chithambo, Physics Professor and Head of the Department of Physics and Electronics at Rhodes University Physics Professor and Head of the Department of Physics and Electronics at Rhodes University Makaiko Chithambo has been elected a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS), marking a major recognition of his contribution to physics on the continent. The African Academy of Sciences brings together top scholars from across Africa. Fellowship is awarded through a rigorous peer-reviewed process involving expert evaluation, voting by current Fellows, and final endorsement by the AAS Governing Council. In a letter to Professor Chithambo, Secretary General of the AAS Governing Council Professor Friday Okonofua, wrote: The Governing Council has made its decision on nominations, and I am pleased to inform you that you are now an elected Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences. The AAS Fellowship recruitment follows a rigorous evaluation by the AAS Membership Advisory Committees in various fields of specialisation. The recommendations of the Membership Advisory Committees and the votes by the Fellows were compiled and submitted to the AAS Governing Council for final review and endorsement. As a Fellow, Professor Chithambo will contribute to shaping science policy, support research programmes, serve on expert committees, and help identify and nominate future Fellows across Africa. He will be formally inducted at the next AAS General Assembly Meeting and join a network of scholars committed to advancing science, technology, and innovation for the benefit of the continent. Regarding the announcement, Professor Chithambo said: I am truly humbled to have been elected a Fellow of this Academy. Ive always believed in the power of collaboration between researchers in Africa and the importance of supporting each other to succeed, despite the challenges we face. Its possible to achieve meaningful progress even with limited resourcesyou just have to make smart, deliberate choices. As a Fellow, I intend to draw on my experience in international science policy and my global networks to support students and fellow African academics wherever I can. Rhodes University congratulates Professor Chithambo on this outstanding achievement and celebrates his continued impact on science in Africa. In a rather interesting turn of events, thieves has stolen around 900 Kia engines from the companys manufacturing facility in Penukonda, Andhra Pradesh. Gwanggu Lee, Kia Motors India MD and CEO, has filed a formal complaint with Penukonda Industrial Estate Police Department regarding the same. Lets take a closer look. 900 Kia Car Engines Stolen In India Kia Motors India, a renowned premium car manufacturer is based out of Penukonda in Andhra Pradeshs Sri Sathya Sai district, situated in Rayalaseema region. During the year-end audit carried out in March 2025, the company realised that they were subjected to a major theft that seems to have taken place for the past 5 years. The company seems to have lost up to 900 car engines over a duration of 5 years. Y Venkateshwarulu, Penukonda DSP, firmly believes that some insiders were involved to facilitate this theft. He suspects that there might have been some connivance between former and present employees. This theft, involving 900 Kia car engines seems to have happened in a planned and phase-wise manner. Initially, Police suspected that these thefts could have happened in transit while the engines were transported from Tamil Nadu (presumably by Hyundai) to Kias facility in Penukonda. However, recent conclusions by Police suggest that all engines were stolen from Kias facility in Penukonda by tampering with records. Gwanggu Lee, Kia Motors India MD and CEO, filed a formal complaint with Penukonda Industrial Estate Police on March 19th, 2025 and the case has been registered. What next? The Police are investigating this case seriously. Sri Sathya Sai district SP, V Rathna, has conducted a plant inspection. He mentioned that there are three special investigation teams for this case. He promises that the investigation is progressing in a brisk pace and the team is travelling all over India to collect relevant records. Kia Motors India has not divulged finer details about this case. However, the company maintains that this theft has not caused any setbacks to the production output in any way. The company is still capable of rolling out 3,00,000 to 4,00,000 units annually, depending on demand and is unaffected by these thefts that took place over a span of around 5 years. Source Mahindra has achieved a significant milestone in its electric journey by delivering over 3,000 units of its all-electric Origin SUVsXEV 9e and BE 6 since deliveries commenced on March 20, 2025. The announcement marks a strong start for Mahindras next-generation EV lineup, reinforcing growing customer trust and enthusiasm for electric mobility. Record EV Deliveries In Record Time Both the XEV 9e and BE 6 have received an overwhelming response in the market, with the majority of customers opting for the top-spec Pack Three variant. Current booking data reveals a 59% preference for the XEV 9e and 41% for the BE 6. Given the high demand, waiting periods now extend up to six months in select regions. To address this, Mahindra is scaling up deliveries across the country to reduce wait times and ensure a smooth ownership experience. In a customer-centric move, Mahindra has introduced a new Default drive mode specially designed for first-time EV adopters. This mode replicates the driving characteristics of internal combustion vehicles, making the transition to electric smoother, more natural, and immediately comfortable for new owners. Additionally, each Origin SUV delivery is accompanied by curated video guides that walk customers through EV best practicesranging from efficient charging techniques to optimizing driving range and understanding the vehicles advanced connected features. These resources aim to empower customers to get the most out of their electric SUVs right from day one. Mahindra India Design Studio Mahindra recently inaugurated its all-new Mahindra India Design Studio (MIDS) in Mumbai, marking a bold leap forward in its design capabilities. This state-of-the-art facility doubles the size of the previous studio and is equipped with cutting-edge design technologies, blending digital tools with traditional craftsmanship. Serving as a key creative hub for both domestic and global markets, MIDS will closely collaborate with Mahindra Advanced Design Europe (MADE) in the UK. With a growing product portfolio across Auto, Farm, and Last Mile Mobility, the new design studio is set to shape Mahindras next-generation vehiclesincluding the new electric Origin SUVs, XEV 9e and BE 6, which stand out with their futuristic, globally competitive design language that redefines the perception of Indian cars. WPLoginLockdown is a comprehensive tool designed to enhance the security of your WordPress website without causing any frustrating complications. This tool is perfect for business professionals who want to protect their site and login form from potential threats before they even have a chance to intrude. Features Here are some key features that WPLoginLockdown offers: Simpler Security for Everyone: With just a few setup options, WPLoginLockdown effectively keeps malicious entities away from all the sites you manage. Cloud Blacklists: Easily maintain blacklists and whitelists across all your websites with just one click, ensuring enhanced protection. Bot Protection: Block bots from accessing your login form or the entire site, and set up honeypots to trap them. Firewall: Benefit from lightweight, server-level protection against various threats including malicious requests, bad bots, automated attacks, and spam. Customizable Login Page: Choose from preset design templates or customize the login page to align with your sites design. Editable Login URL: Keep your login page private by changing the URL, making it harder for attackers to locate and target. Centralized Dashboard: Streamline the management of purchases, licenses, sites, and Cloud Blacklists from a single dashboard, saving you time and effort. Premium Support: Receive expert assistance from developers who created the plugin, ensuring that you are in capable hands. WPLoginLockdown does not impact site performance as all processes occur in the admin area, guaranteeing a seamless user experience. Additionally, you can effortlessly move your license between sites and manage all aspects of your security measures from the centralized Dashboard. In conclusion, WPLoginLockdown provides robust security features and user-friendly functionalities for businesses looking to safeguard their WordPress websites. With its advanced capabilities and seamless performance, WPLoginLockdown is a valuable asset for enhancing website security. Pricing WPLoginLockdown offers three pricing plans: Agency Lifetime for $179 (100 site license), Team Lifetime for $99 (5 site license), and Personal Lifetime for $89 (1 site license). All plans include lifetime updates & support, cloud blacklists, dashboard, white-label mode, and rebranding. Visit wploginlockdown.com for more. Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter , Facebook and Instagram. The world's largest and most comprehensive study of the long-term health impacts of flooding -- via analysis of over 300 million hospitalizations records in eight countries prone to flooding events -- has found an increased risk of 26 per cent of all diseases serious enough to require hospitalization. This impact on the health of communities lasts up to seven months post event. The study, led by Monash University researchers, and published in the journal, Nature Water, found that flooding events -- which are increasing globally due to climate change -- led to increases in hospitalization for cardiovascular diseases (35%), respiratory diseases (30%), infectious diseases (26%), digestive diseases (30%) such as gastroenteritis, mental health disorders (11%), diabetes (61%), cancer (34%), nervous system disorders (34%), and renal diseases (40%). Led by Professors Yuming Guo and Professor Shanshan Li, the study covered the period from 2010 to 2019, looking at 747 communities from eight countries/territories that had experienced major flood events in that period, including the northeast region of New South Wales in Australia, along the Amazon River and the southern region of Brazil, within the Mekong Basin in Vietnam, and in the south region of Thailand. An estimated 23 per cent of the global population is exposed to inundation due to serious flooding equivalent to a 1 in 100-year event. According to Professor Guo, there will be "an escalation in the severity, duration and frequency of floods due to the more frequent extreme precipitation events and rising sea levels due to global warming." While the health impacts of flooding, such as drowning, electrocution, and hypothermia, are expected, this is the first and most comprehensive study to look at broader impacts on health, "suggesting that the health impact of floods may have been underestimated and will further exacerbate as climate changes," Professor Guo said. The countries involved in the study were Australia, Vietnam, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Thailand, New Zealand and Taiwan. How Floods Have a Long-Term Impact On Health Flood events impact health through the contamination of water supply system, which can elevate the risk of digestive diseases and aid the spread of infectious diseases. Additionally, floods can create environments that are conducive to the growth of fungi, bacteria, viruses, and vectors like mice and insects which can trigger outbreaks of respiratory, digestive, and infectious diseases. Floods may also force massive evacuations, causing displacement. Even when temporary shelters are provided, short in sanitation facilities often result in hygiene issues, raising the likelihood of respiratory, digestive, and infectious diseases. Access and capacity to healthcare services may be impaired after floods, leading to delay in regular medical interventions, which include dialysis for renal diseases, chemotherapy and radiotherapy for cancer, and medication regimens for cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, infectious diseases, digestive diseases, mental disorders, diabetes, nervous system disorders, and renal diseases. And long-term psychological stress (e.g., from property damage and financial losses) can worsen or induce adverse health outcomes by compromising the immune system, disrupting sleep, leading to substance abuse, and diminishing self-care. A key highlight of the initiative is the opportunity for 26 Australian start-ups to pitch their cutting-edge cyber security solutions The Australian Cyber Exchange 2025 (ACE 25), in collaboration with the Tech Council of Australia (TCA), rolled out in Sydney and is aimed at building up Australias own cyber capabilities. It unites government, large companies, and startups to solve cyber threats ahead. The creme de la creme? Twenty-six Aussie startups with innovative solutions to protect the nation. For small and medium enterprises (SMEs), that could mean better equipment, if only its reasonable in price and not too hard to use. TCAs strategy with industry and government is to create indigenous cyber defenses. SMEs, normally lacking finance and know-how, might benefit from a secure internet, but only if these start-up ideas reach them at a reasonable cost. Startups drive the fight ACE 25 gives 26 startups a chance to shine with fresh cybersecurity fixes. TCA CEO Damian Kassabgi said, This collaboration is a critical step to ensure industry and government are taking a coordinated approach to building Australias cybersecurity and resilience. It also highlighted the key role of emerging innovators and start-ups in addressing the challenges faced by large corporations, as they bring agility and fresh perspectives to the table. SMEs could get cheaper solutions from these startups, but theyll need help to keep up with big firms. By building connections and sharing intelligence and perspectives, Australian innovators and the research ecosystem can develop tailored solutions that enhance the resilience and growth of big corporations, while also driving their own success, Kassabgi added. SMEs might gain from this shared info, but they need direct access, maybe through special programs. Baidam Solutions, led by CEO Jack Reis, stands out. At Baidam, we see our role in building sovereign capability as twofold, delivering world-class cybersecurity solutions tailored to Australias unique threat landscape, and empowering vulnerable communities and First Nations communities to lead in this critical sector. ACE25 represents a pivotal opportunity to demonstrate that Indigenous-owned businesses can not only protect Australias digital borders but also shape its cyber future, Reis said. SMEs could like Baidams local, community-focused options, if theyre priced right. Teamwork powers the plan CommBanks Nicola Nicol stressed working together: In this rapidly evolving landscape, collaboration is crucial. Government, industry, and emerging innovators must work as one to stay ahead of cyber threats. She added, As cyber threats grow more sophisticated CBA remains committed to investing in innovation and fostering the collaboration needed to keep building sovereign cybersecurity capabilities and safeguard Australias digital economy with a more self-reliant cyber ecosystem. SMEs could face fewer threats in this setup, but theyll need resources to join in. Secure Code Warriors Pieter Danhieux praised the event: Cybersecurity is a fundamental pillar of our national security, and Australian enterprises, not to mention the government, have a key role to play in safeguarding consumer data from threat actors and Nation-State attacks. The inaugural Australian Cyber Exchange is an incredible initiative, and together with the Tech Council of Australia, The Group of Eight (Go8), and Commonwealth Bank, we are very proud to be part of this event showcasing the wealth of cyber talent and innovation present in the Australian landscape today. It is our hope that the industry continues to thrive and is supported to grow well into the future. SMEs might find simpler tools here, if they fit small-scale needs. Telstras Narelle Devine agreed: Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility that requires a united front. ACE25 provides a unique platform for government, industry, and innovators to come together, share insights, and develop robust solutions to help protect our digital landscape. This forum underscores the power of collaboration in driving forward our national cybersecurity capabilities. SMEs win with a safer digital space, but only if tools are affordable. The Tech Council of Australia is the peak body representing Australias tech sector. These 26 startups, like Baidam, could help SMEs with local, low-cost cyber fixes. But without cheap prices or easy setups, SMEs might miss out. ACE 25 shows Australias cyber future, making it work for small businesses will prove its worth. Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. A visitor takes photos of an Origin Wukong superconducting quantum computer model at the 2024 World Manufacturing Convention in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Sept. 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Huang Bohan) HEFEI, April 8 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese quantum computing firm has completed the large AI model task on a quantum computer with remarkable efficiency, as reported on Monday by Science and Technology Daily. Origin Quantum, a startup based in the eastern Chinese city of Hefei, has successfully fine-tuned a billion-parameter AI model on Origin Wukong, the country's independently developed third-generation superconducting quantum computer. The company has hailed this achievement as a world-first breakthrough. This marks the first real-world application of quantum computing in large-model tasks, demonstrating that current quantum hardware is capable of supporting AI model fine-tuning, said Chen Zhaoyun, a scientist from Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center. The experimental results showed that reducing the number of parameters by 76 percent led to an 8.4 percent improvement in training performance. The advancement demonstrates that quantum computing can enable lightweight large models, offering a promising new approach to overcoming future computing power constraints. Fine-tuning is the process of adapting a general-purpose large AI model, such as DeepSeek, for specialized applications, like medical diagnosis or financial risk analysis, by retraining it on domain-specific data. The 72-qubit Origin Wukong is a programmable and deliverable superconducting quantum computer. Since its launch, this system has provided quantum computing cloud services to a global user base exceeding 23 million across 139 countries, while successfully executing 350,000 quantum computing tasks. Editor: GSY The challenge: design a circuit board for a home pet door with an emphasis on safetywithin a five-hour time limit. No prior preparation just pure reliance on the students knowledge, hands-on skills and problem-solving abilities. Thats exactly what South Dakota Mines senior electrical engineering students Cody Noe and Vincent Mitchell delivered during the recent Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Region 5 Student Competition at Wichita State University. The annual event gathers top student talent for a weekend of innovation, collaboration and professional networking. The two students from Colton, S.D., earned second place with their unique circuit design that opened the door controlled by a sensor on the pets collar. You are really relying on what you know and what you can do on the fly, Noe said. Each year, the competition challenges students to apply their circuit design and building skills within real-world parameters and constraints, with all teams tackling the same problem. Noe and Mitchell credited their education at South Dakota Mines for preparing them to face challenges like this confidently. We are really taught how to think through problems logically, Noe said. Mitchell added that they approached the challenge just as they would a lab assignment at Mines. Noe and Mitchell competed against 15 other teams spanning across 10 states, which included Texas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and portions of South Dakota, Nebraska and Wyoming. More than 30 institutions participated in a variety of competitions from circuit design and ethics to robotics. IEEE is the world's largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. A researcher demonstrates samples of titanium dioxide before (L) and after reformation, for directly splitting water with sunlight, at the Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 3, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) SHENYANG, April 8 (Xinhua) -- French sci-fi author Jules Verne predicted about 150 years ago that water would become the fuel of the future. Today, scientists are striving to turn this fantasy into reality. Chinese researchers recently achieved a breakthrough in "photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production." By performing "structural reshaping" and "element substitution" on a semiconductor material, they significantly enhanced the efficiency of converting water into clean hydrogen energy by using sunlight. Current solar-driven hydrogen production primarily relies on two methods -- one uses solar panels to generate electricity for water electrolysis, which requires complex and costly equipment, while the other employs semiconductor materials as catalysts to directly split water molecules under sunlight, according to Liu Gang, director of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and leader of the research team. The key to directly splitting water with sunlight lies in a material called titanium dioxide. When exposed to sunlight, it functions like a microscopic power plant, generating energized electron-hole pairs that break down water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, Liu explained. However, traditional titanium dioxide has a critical flaw -- its internal structure resembles a maze, causing the activated electrons and holes to collide randomly and recombine and annihilate within a millionth of a second. Additionally, the high-temperature fabrication process of the material often leads to oxygen atom loss, creating positively charged "trap zones" that capture electrons. Liu's team addressed these issues by introducing scandium, a rare-earth element neighboring titanium on the periodic table, to restructure the material. Scandium ions, similar in size to titanium ions, fit perfectly into the titanium dioxide lattice without causing structural distortion. Their stable valence neutralizes the charge imbalance caused by oxygen vacancies, eliminating "trap zones." Moreover, scandium atoms reconstruct the crystal surface, creating specific facets that act like "electronic highways and overpasses," allowing electrons and holes to escape the maze efficiently. Through precise control, the research team successfully developed a specialized titanium dioxide material with significantly enhanced performance -- its utilization of ultraviolet light exceeded 30 percent, and its hydrogen production efficiency under simulated sunlight was 15 times higher than previously reported titanium dioxide materials, setting a new record, Liu stated. "If used to create a one-square-meter photocatalytic material panel, around 10 liters of hydrogen can be produced in one day of sunlight," Liu said. The achievement was published in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society. "We aim to further improve the technology to enable efficient utilization of visible light in sunlight," Liu revealed. He also noted that China currently accounts for over 50 percent of global titanium dioxide production, supported by a robust industrial chain. Additionally, China ranks among the world's leaders in terms of scandium reserves. "With continued advancements in photocatalytic water-splitting efficiency, this technology holds promise for industrial application, and could drive the transformation of energy systems," Liu added. A researcher observes the progress of a photocatalytic water splitting experiment for hydrogen production at the Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 3, 2025. Chinese researchers recently achieved a breakthrough in "photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production." By performing "structural reshaping" and "element substitution" on a semiconductor material, they significantly enhanced the efficiency of converting water into clean hydrogen energy by using sunlight. The key to directly splitting water with sunlight lies in a material called titanium dioxide. When exposed to sunlight, it functions like a microscopic power plant, generating energized electron-hole pairs that break down water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, Liu Gang, director of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and leader of the research team, explained. However, traditional titanium dioxide has a critical flaw -- its internal structure resembles a maze, causing the activated electrons and holes to collide randomly and recombine and annihilate within a millionth of a second. Additionally, the high-temperature fabrication process of the material often leads to oxygen atom loss, creating positively charged "trap zones" that capture electrons. Liu's team addressed these issues by introducing scandium, a rare-earth element neighboring titanium on the periodic table, to restructure the material. Through precise control, the research team successfully developed a specialized titanium dioxide material with significantly enhanced performance -- its utilization of ultraviolet light exceeded 30 percent, and its hydrogen production efficiency under simulated sunlight was 15 times higher than previously reported titanium dioxide materials, setting a new record, Liu stated. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) Liu Gang (C), director of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and leader of the research team, poses for a group photo with his colleagues at the Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 3, 2025. Chinese researchers recently achieved a breakthrough in "photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production." By performing "structural reshaping" and "element substitution" on a semiconductor material, they significantly enhanced the efficiency of converting water into clean hydrogen energy by using sunlight. The key to directly splitting water with sunlight lies in a material called titanium dioxide. When exposed to sunlight, it functions like a microscopic power plant, generating energized electron-hole pairs that break down water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, Liu Gang, director of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and leader of the research team, explained. However, traditional titanium dioxide has a critical flaw -- its internal structure resembles a maze, causing the activated electrons and holes to collide randomly and recombine and annihilate within a millionth of a second. Additionally, the high-temperature fabrication process of the material often leads to oxygen atom loss, creating positively charged "trap zones" that capture electrons. Liu's team addressed these issues by introducing scandium, a rare-earth element neighboring titanium on the periodic table, to restructure the material. Through precise control, the research team successfully developed a specialized titanium dioxide material with significantly enhanced performance -- its utilization of ultraviolet light exceeded 30 percent, and its hydrogen production efficiency under simulated sunlight was 15 times higher than previously reported titanium dioxide materials, setting a new record, Liu stated. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) Researchers discuss the design of an experiment at the Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 7, 2025. Chinese researchers recently achieved a breakthrough in "photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production." By performing "structural reshaping" and "element substitution" on a semiconductor material, they significantly enhanced the efficiency of converting water into clean hydrogen energy by using sunlight. The key to directly splitting water with sunlight lies in a material called titanium dioxide. When exposed to sunlight, it functions like a microscopic power plant, generating energized electron-hole pairs that break down water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, Liu Gang, director of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and leader of the research team, explained. However, traditional titanium dioxide has a critical flaw -- its internal structure resembles a maze, causing the activated electrons and holes to collide randomly and recombine and annihilate within a millionth of a second. Additionally, the high-temperature fabrication process of the material often leads to oxygen atom loss, creating positively charged "trap zones" that capture electrons. Liu's team addressed these issues by introducing scandium, a rare-earth element neighboring titanium on the periodic table, to restructure the material. Through precise control, the research team successfully developed a specialized titanium dioxide material with significantly enhanced performance -- its utilization of ultraviolet light exceeded 30 percent, and its hydrogen production efficiency under simulated sunlight was 15 times higher than previously reported titanium dioxide materials, setting a new record, Liu stated. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong) Researchers examine samples of titanium dioxide after reformation for directly splitting water with sunlight, at the Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 7, 2025. Chinese researchers recently achieved a breakthrough in "photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production." By performing "structural reshaping" and "element substitution" on a semiconductor material, they significantly enhanced the efficiency of converting water into clean hydrogen energy by using sunlight. The key to directly splitting water with sunlight lies in a material called titanium dioxide. When exposed to sunlight, it functions like a microscopic power plant, generating energized electron-hole pairs that break down water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, Liu Gang, director of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and leader of the research team, explained. However, traditional titanium dioxide has a critical flaw -- its internal structure resembles a maze, causing the activated electrons and holes to collide randomly and recombine and annihilate within a millionth of a second. Additionally, the high-temperature fabrication process of the material often leads to oxygen atom loss, creating positively charged "trap zones" that capture electrons. Liu's team addressed these issues by introducing scandium, a rare-earth element neighboring titanium on the periodic table, to restructure the material. Through precise control, the research team successfully developed a specialized titanium dioxide material with significantly enhanced performance -- its utilization of ultraviolet light exceeded 30 percent, and its hydrogen production efficiency under simulated sunlight was 15 times higher than previously reported titanium dioxide materials, setting a new record, Liu stated. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong) This photo taken on April 3, 2025 shows the experiment of photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production being conducted at the Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province. Chinese researchers recently achieved a breakthrough in "photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production." By performing "structural reshaping" and "element substitution" on a semiconductor material, they significantly enhanced the efficiency of converting water into clean hydrogen energy by using sunlight. The key to directly splitting water with sunlight lies in a material called titanium dioxide. When exposed to sunlight, it functions like a microscopic power plant, generating energized electron-hole pairs that break down water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, Liu Gang, director of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and leader of the research team, explained. However, traditional titanium dioxide has a critical flaw -- its internal structure resembles a maze, causing the activated electrons and holes to collide randomly and recombine and annihilate within a millionth of a second. Additionally, the high-temperature fabrication process of the material often leads to oxygen atom loss, creating positively charged "trap zones" that capture electrons. Liu's team addressed these issues by introducing scandium, a rare-earth element neighboring titanium on the periodic table, to restructure the material. Through precise control, the research team successfully developed a specialized titanium dioxide material with significantly enhanced performance -- its utilization of ultraviolet light exceeded 30 percent, and its hydrogen production efficiency under simulated sunlight was 15 times higher than previously reported titanium dioxide materials, setting a new record, Liu stated. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) A researcher demonstrates samples of titanium dioxide after reformation for directly splitting water with sunlight, at the Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 3, 2025. Chinese researchers recently achieved a breakthrough in "photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production." By performing "structural reshaping" and "element substitution" on a semiconductor material, they significantly enhanced the efficiency of converting water into clean hydrogen energy by using sunlight. The key to directly splitting water with sunlight lies in a material called titanium dioxide. When exposed to sunlight, it functions like a microscopic power plant, generating energized electron-hole pairs that break down water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, Liu Gang, director of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and leader of the research team, explained. However, traditional titanium dioxide has a critical flaw -- its internal structure resembles a maze, causing the activated electrons and holes to collide randomly and recombine and annihilate within a millionth of a second. Additionally, the high-temperature fabrication process of the material often leads to oxygen atom loss, creating positively charged "trap zones" that capture electrons. Liu's team addressed these issues by introducing scandium, a rare-earth element neighboring titanium on the periodic table, to restructure the material. Through precise control, the research team successfully developed a specialized titanium dioxide material with significantly enhanced performance -- its utilization of ultraviolet light exceeded 30 percent, and its hydrogen production efficiency under simulated sunlight was 15 times higher than previously reported titanium dioxide materials, setting a new record, Liu stated. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) A researcher grinds titanium dioxide after reformation for directly splitting water with sunlight, at the Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 7, 2025. Chinese researchers recently achieved a breakthrough in "photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production." By performing "structural reshaping" and "element substitution" on a semiconductor material, they significantly enhanced the efficiency of converting water into clean hydrogen energy by using sunlight. The key to directly splitting water with sunlight lies in a material called titanium dioxide. When exposed to sunlight, it functions like a microscopic power plant, generating energized electron-hole pairs that break down water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, Liu Gang, director of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and leader of the research team, explained. However, traditional titanium dioxide has a critical flaw -- its internal structure resembles a maze, causing the activated electrons and holes to collide randomly and recombine and annihilate within a millionth of a second. Additionally, the high-temperature fabrication process of the material often leads to oxygen atom loss, creating positively charged "trap zones" that capture electrons. Liu's team addressed these issues by introducing scandium, a rare-earth element neighboring titanium on the periodic table, to restructure the material. Through precise control, the research team successfully developed a specialized titanium dioxide material with significantly enhanced performance -- its utilization of ultraviolet light exceeded 30 percent, and its hydrogen production efficiency under simulated sunlight was 15 times higher than previously reported titanium dioxide materials, setting a new record, Liu stated. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong) Researchers discuss the design of an experiment at the Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 3, 2025. Chinese researchers recently achieved a breakthrough in "photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production." By performing "structural reshaping" and "element substitution" on a semiconductor material, they significantly enhanced the efficiency of converting water into clean hydrogen energy by using sunlight. The key to directly splitting water with sunlight lies in a material called titanium dioxide. When exposed to sunlight, it functions like a microscopic power plant, generating energized electron-hole pairs that break down water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, Liu Gang, director of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and leader of the research team, explained. However, traditional titanium dioxide has a critical flaw -- its internal structure resembles a maze, causing the activated electrons and holes to collide randomly and recombine and annihilate within a millionth of a second. Additionally, the high-temperature fabrication process of the material often leads to oxygen atom loss, creating positively charged "trap zones" that capture electrons. Liu's team addressed these issues by introducing scandium, a rare-earth element neighboring titanium on the periodic table, to restructure the material. Through precise control, the research team successfully developed a specialized titanium dioxide material with significantly enhanced performance -- its utilization of ultraviolet light exceeded 30 percent, and its hydrogen production efficiency under simulated sunlight was 15 times higher than previously reported titanium dioxide materials, setting a new record, Liu stated. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) Editor: Zhang Zhou Tristel reported growing traction for its Tristel ULT disinfection foam in North America on Wednesday, underpinned by positive feedback from leading healthcare institutions and steady sales growth. The AIM-traded company highlighted the publication of a new case study from the Mayo Clinic, presented at the AORN Global Surgical Conference in Boston. It said the study evaluated the use of Tristel ULT over a 90-day period involving 189 ultrasound probe reprocessing procedures by 11 staff members. No surgical site infections were reported during the trial. The study described the foam-based high-level disinfection (HLD) method as effective, efficient, and cost-saving, with benefits including reduced reprocessing time and less probe damage. Tristel said the Mayo Clinic trial added to a growing body of US evidence supporting its chlorine dioxide-based technology, following its recognition in an updated ANSI/AAMI standard published in February. It also built on a separate white paper released in May last year by US urologist Dr Matthew Allaway, which outlined the product's advantages in busy urology settings. Tristel said sales of ULT in North America were continuing to grow in line with internal expectations, supported by increased adoption and usage within existing customer accounts. As of the end of the third quarter, the product had been used in more than 200,000 disinfection procedures in the region during the current financial year. We are delighted to see such positive feedback on the use of Tristel ULT in clinical practice at the renowned Mayo Clinic, said chief executive officer Matt Sassone. As a leading US hospital, the Mayo Clinic pride themselves in excellence and are always seeking to adopt the best possible practices in infection control. To have them present this poster to the thousands of perioperative professionals who attend this conference is a great support to our plans to wider drive adoption in the US. Sassone said the company was confident in its continued momentum across North America, and was looking forward to US revenues becoming substantial in the coming years. As Tristel ULT is manufactured in the United States by our partner, Parker Labs, we're confident that the newly announced tariffs will have no adverse impact on our pricing or sales performance in North America. At 1227 BST, shares in Tristel were up 3.7% at 280p. Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com. Travel-to-publishing group Saga posted a jump in annual earnings on Wednesday, but warned the coming year would be one of transition, leading to weaker profits. The group, a specialist in products and services for the over 50s, said underlying revenues improved 5% in the year to 31 January, to 768.2m. Revenues rose 4%, at 588.3m, while underlying pre-tax profits from continuing operations strengthened 8% at 37.2m. Total underlying profits jumped 25% to 47.8m, ahead of guidance. Sagas travel arm drove the jump in profits, following strong demand for its river and ocean cruises. During the year, Saga agreed to sell its insurance underwriting business to Belgiums Ageas, with whom it also signed a 20-year insurance broking partnership. Mike Hazell, chief executive, said: These achievements materially reduce the risk and complexity of our insurance business going forward, and when combined with our continued strong trading performance, meant that we were able to complete the financing of our long-term corporate debt. However, looking to current year, Saga acknowledged it would be one of transition. Our travel businesses will deliver further growth, supported by their strong forward bookings position, it said. Alongside this we will continue to prepare for the sale of our insurance underwriting business andnew partnership arrangement with Ageas. A material increase in financing costs will mean that we expect the group to generate an underlying pre-tax profit below that of 2024/25, before returning to growth thereafter. Hazell added: "I am confident that the plans we have in place will step change our financial performance within the next five years, delivering a business with annual underlying profits of at least 100m." Saga also announced that following the insurance deals, senior independent director Peter Bazalgette and insurance chief executive Steve Kingshott had stepped down from the board. Sage said the move reflected the companys new, simplified business model. Gareth Hoskin replaces Bazalgette as chair of the nomination committee and senior independent director. As at 0900 BST, shares in the FTSE All Share stock were up just under 1% at 126.2p. Vitaliy Koval, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food As of the end of March 2025, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy's humanitarian initiative Grain from Ukraine has already delivered more than 280 thousand tons of food to countries facing an acute food crisis. Recent deliveries include wheat flour and vegetable oil to regions with a high level of food insecurity. In particular, on March 10, a ship with 415.9 tons of vegetable oil arrived in Mozambique. Prior to that, on March 7, 553 tons of wheat flour were delivered to Palestine, which was the final delivery under the Grain from Ukraine initiative for WFP operations in the region. Also, at the end of February, on February 27, an important shipment of 4,400 tons of wheat flour was completed to Syria, which, according to WFP, will help provide bread for more than 59,000 Syrians for six months. Grain from Ukraine is an international humanitarian program launched in 2022 at the initiative of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Its goal is to supply Ukrainian food to the most vulnerable countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East with the financial support of donor countries and in coordination with the UN World Food Program (WFP). Despite its name, the program covers not only cereals but also other food products, including vegetable oil and flour. Food aid has been provided to 15 countries under the initiative: Djibouti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nigeria, Palestine, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Yemen, and Zambia. In total, more than 280,000 tons of food have been delivered since the start of the program. This has been made possible by contributions from international donors, whose total commitment since 2022 has been announced at USD 331 million. Funding for the program is organized in rounds. The current, third round has raised $35.5 million in confirmed funding from 29 donor countries. The next round of deliveries, with $18.8 million in funding from Canada, Sweden, Portugal and Spain, will be sent to Bangladesh, Chad, Mozambique, Pakistan and Syria. The Grain from Ukraine initiative is an example of how a country that is itself affected by russian aggression is actively addressing global food security challenges and remains a reliable partner in the fight against hunger in the most vulnerable regions of the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to the unprecedented pace and volume of the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) while saying that before one gets a delivery app order, 1,000 Mudra loans get sanctioned in the country. During the 'News18 Rising Bharat Summit' in the national capital, PM Modi compared routine activities with the fast pace of Mudra loan sanctions. "By the time you are done watching an episode on an OTT platform, foundations for 5,000 new businesses are created under PMMY. When a red light becomes green on the traffic light, 100 Mudra loans are sanctioned. Around 200 are sanctioned by the time you brush your teeth, and 400 by the time you are done listening to your favorite song on the radio," he said. Launched on April 8, 2015, the Mudra scheme is celebrating 10 years of empowering micro and small entrepreneurs across India. The Prime Minister underscored that more than 52 crore collateral-free loans have been disbursed under the scheme in the last decade, amounting to over Rs 33.65 lakh crore. PM Modi highlighted that the scheme has given new opportunities to those who were previously not in a position to get loans as they lacked collateral. "Mudra has not only been a financial programme; it has become a source of confidence for the country's youth. It empowered people with the ability to dream and work towards entrepreneurship," he further stated. self-employment under PMMY, of which many became first-time entrepreneurs. "These 11 crore people are 11 crore dreams which have found wings in the last 10 years," he added. The Prime Minister further disclosed that more than 11 crore individuals have gained, of which many became first-time entrepreneurs. "These 11 crore people are 11 crore dreams which have found wings in the last 10 years," he added. The Mudra scheme is designed to encourage financial inclusion by offering loans of up to Rs 10 lakh for non-farm, non-corporate small and micro enterprises. It has especially helped entrepreneurs belonging to marginalised sections, contributing significantly to economic growth and grassroots development. On April 9, a ten-member team from the 16th Finance Commission of India, led by Smti Annie George Mathew, visited the picturesque Ziro Valley. The District Administration of Lower Subansiri District warmly welcomed the team at the Circuit House in Hapoli, where they engaged in a fruitful discussion with members of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) and Heads of Departments (HODs). During their visit, the Commission members assessed the challenges encountered in implementing various flagship programs and reviewed the progress made thus far. The team toured several significant locations, including the Integrated Aqua Park at Tarin, the revered Shivalinga at Kardo, and the scenic Seeh Lake at Birii. They also had the opportunity to visit a traditional Apatani household belonging to Shri Tilling Duri in Hong Village, where they interacted with local residents to gain insights into their lives and challenges. Additionally, the team explored the Naara Aaba Winery in Hong, renowned for producing Indias first organic kiwi wine. They engaged with the winery's founder, Smti Tage Rita, who is recognized as a leading entrepreneur in the region. To conclude their visit, the District Administration organized a vibrant cultural program in the evening, showcasing the rich traditions and culture of the Apatani Tribe. This event highlighted the community's heritage and provided the visiting team with a deeper appreciation of the local culture. Overall, the visit was a significant step in fostering collaboration and understanding between the Finance Commission and the local community. As part of an effort to cultivate young technical talent and foster digital innovation, students between the ages of 14 and 18 from all over the globe, including India, are encouraged to join the International IT-Olympics. The competition, open to students of all levels of programming ability, seeks to draw attention to the increasing role of digital technologies in contemporary life and business. The IT-Olympics, which has government support from Russia, is hosted by the region's government, with the general partner being Sberbank. The competition is centered on cybersecurity, algorithmic thinking, data analysis, modelling based on AI, and programming. It inspires students to leverage the capabilities of technology to address real-life issues and develop innovative digital products. "Information technology allows one to view the world in a totally different manner and connect very intricate processes that, on first glance, do not look as though they are associated with one another", told German Gref, Sberbank President and Chairman of the Management Board. He invited young minds to go along with this discovery process and development and term it "the most interesting time in the most interesting world". The competition starts with an individual qualifying round open until April 18. Participants will take an IT competency test and get a certificate based on their results. They are also required to solve 15 theoretical and practical problems focused on key cybersecurity concepts. The topics include information security, mathematical logic, algorithmization, programming fundamentals, word processing, data analytics, and simple AI-based modeling. The second phase, from April 23 to April 25, will be a team semi-final in the Capture the Flag (CTF) mode. Five-member teams, consisting of the best performers from the first round, will face different challenges like cryptanalysis, AI and machine learning, reverse engineering, computer forensics, web vulnerabilities, and algorithmic programming. In this phase, a "flag" a particular line of code verifies successful completion of each challenge. The 100 top scorers will be invited to the in-person final round, held from May 30 to June 3 on the School 21 campus in Nizhny Novgorod. Winners will be celebrated at the exclusive "Digitalization of Industrial Russia" Conference. young technology enthusiasts but also encourages early awareness of cybersecurity and cutting-edge IT ideas. It emphasizes the importance of online education in the current fast-paced world and challenges the next generation to enter confidently into the age of technology and innovation. This international event not only supports cross-cultural communication amongbut also encourages early awareness of cybersecurity and cutting-edge IT ideas. It emphasizes the importance of online education in the current fast-paced world and challenges the next generation to enter confidently into the age of technology and innovation. Interested students may register online by April 18 and embark on their first step towards a thrilling global challenge that can define their careers in tech. In a significant step towards deepening economic cooperation, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a series of key agreements during the visit of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE. The visit marked a new chapter in the bilateral relationship, reinforcing collaboration across trade, education, healthcare, and infrastructure. One of the highlights of the pacts was the declaration of the first international campus of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) in Dubai, and the first MBA programme is planned to be started in September 2025. Concurrently, the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) will also establish its first international campus at the India Pavilion in Expo City Dubai. These advances highlight a close educational alliance and place Dubai at the center for top Indian educational institutions in the region. These educational efforts are complementing the earlier launch of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) campus in Abu Dhabi, which was the first IIT footprint in the Middle East. The initiative is anticipated to benefit the large Indian expatriate population in the region, such as the 4.3 million Indians in the UAE and almost 9 million in the Gulf. Further strengthening business relationships, the two nations announced plans for the development of Bharat Mart, a Dubai trading complex. A 3-D image of the complex was unveiled during the visit. Work on the Virtual Trade Corridor (VTC) and the MAITRI digital interface intended to facilitate the VTC was also announced. These plans reaffirm India's resolve to deepen trade and investment linkages with the UAE and are part of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC). India's Ministry of External Affairs stressed that bilateral trade is likely to exceed $97 billion, with the new initiatives set to further spur this growth and support ongoing efforts in reaching the non-oil trade target of $100 billion. These agreements come after the successful rollout of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which already spurred the growth of trade between the two countries. In a move that recognizes the role of Indian workers in the development of the UAE, the Dubai government has reserved land for the construction of a 100-bed 'India-UAE Friendship Hospital'. The hospital will offer low-cost healthcare services mainly to the blue-collar Indian expatriate community. The action also identifies India's status as a medical tourism destination, with several Emiratis, including royal family members, having long depended on Indian medical professionals. In the maritime sector, Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) signed an MoU with Drydocks World (DDW), a subsidiary of DP World, to develop ship-repair clusters at Kochi, Kerala, and Vadinar, Gujarat. This partnership is expected to bring in global best practices and enhance capacities in India's ship-repair ecosystem. The MoU also opens doors for collaboration on offshore fabrication and partnerships with major ports, providing a major boost to India's shipbuilding and repair infrastructure. Indian businesses have 30-40 percent of all businesses registered in Dubai, including its Free Zones, according to official statistics. Strengthening investment ties, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce declared the opening of its first-ever India Office. The office will be crucial in aiding business connections and assisting Indian businesses seeking to grow in Dubai. Indian enterprises continue to dominate the non-UAE company listings in Dubai and play a significant role across sectors such as hospitality, tourism, healthcare, retail, and education.have 30-40 percent of all businesses registered in Dubai, including its Free Zones, according to official statistics. The high-level visit also included a business summit in Mumbai, where Sheikh Hamdan sat down with India's Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal. The leaders discussed the implementation of CEPA and its positive effects on bilateral trade. Goyal praised the signing of several MoUs and welcomed the announcements, saying that the increasing partnership between India and the UAE will touch new heights in the coming years. These strategic steps signify a major enhancement of the India-UAE economic corridor and betoken a vision of shared, long-term, inclusive, and sustainable growth. Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, JP Nadda, inaugurated the Inter-AIIMS Referral Portal today, an indigenously created digital platform by AIIMS New Delhi to facilitate patient referrals within the AIIMS network. The pilot initiative will begin connecting AIIMS Delhi and AIIMS Bilaspur, paving the way for a countrywide rollout. The portal uses advanced technologies such as facial recognition and automated workflow to provide an efficient, safe, and transparent referral system. Intended to cut waiting times and eliminate manual errors, the platform vows to raise the level of overall patient satisfaction and introduce more efficiency in healthcare provision. "Through the strength of technology, we can revolutionize the health sector and improve the lives of millions", Nadda said, highlighting the vision of the government for a streamlined and inclusive healthcare system. As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, pilot phase will serve as an important testing ground to refine operating protocols and address the issues encountered in the real world. The ultimate aim is to establish a completely integrated national referral system that would link all the AIIMS institutions. transparency and convenience in the referral process. The system allows authorized medical staff to effectively handle slot bookings, follow institutional guidelines, and have smooth communication. It also empowers patients by offering morein the referral process. Moreover, the portal is also integrated with the current online system for booking Vishram Sadan accommodation so that patients can access affordable and comfortable accommodation during their treatment. JP Nadda underscored the government's ongoing drive towards innovation in public healthcare. "This effort embodies our quest for transparency, efficiency, and access to healthcare", he stated. Through this launch, the Ministry looks to redefine coordination between institutions and build a solid foundation for an increasingly patient-focused national healthcare system. Grocery carts at Aldi in Greenridge Plaza are pictured in this 2024 photo. The brand, known for its no-frills selling strategy, competitive prices and quarter-fed carts, was dubbed America's "fastest growing grocer" by a new research report. (Advance/SILive | Jan Somma-Hammel) Staten Island Advance STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Aldi was the countrys fastest-growing grocer in 2024, a new report says, detailing how the discount food chain added 105 new stores over the past 12 months and witnessed a 51.2% increase in foot traffic. Post-pandemic, the popularity of discount and specialty grocers has risen significantly among consumers as the elevated cost of groceries has left many searching for lower prices, noted the annual Grocery Report from JLL, a global commercial real estate and investment management services company. Enticed by low prices, shoppers would increasingly frequent these discount grocers, with Aldis foot traffic rising over 900 million in 2024, the report continued. The brand, which opened its first Staten Island store in Greenridge Plaza in September, is currently building out another location in New Dorp, which is estimated to open this summer. Known for its no-frills selling strategy and competitive prices, Aldi operates more than 2,000 locations throughout 36 states, mostly concentrated in the eastern half of the country. Headquartered in Batavia, Illinois, the company employs more than 25,000 people a number that is expected to increase soon. In February 2025, Aldi announced plans to open over 225 new stores in 2025 a doubling of new store openings from previous years, following its five-year growth plan of opening 800 new stores by 2028, the Grocery Report said. And Aldi is not the only food brand experiencing growth: According to JLLs research, larger-format regional grocers like Publix and H-E-B are actively expanding in the South, adding millions of square feet to their footprint. Specialty grocers are having a moment too. Sprouts opened 35 new stores, adding just under 840,000 square feet of new space, and Trader Joes added over 450,000 square feet of new space in the form of 34 new locations including a highly anticipated store in Pleasant Plains, which is slated to debut later this year. The entrance to the Rikers Island jail complex is shown Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) AP STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been cleared to reestablish a presence on Rikers Island, per an executive order handed down by the Adams administration. On Tuesday, New York City First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro signed the document, which allows ICE to run an office onsite at the embattled jail complex. Manuel Masalva, left, and Carolina Miranda arrive at the Billboard Latin Music Awards on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier) AP Actor Manuel Masalva, known for his work in Netflixs Narcos: Mexico, is hospitalized in a medically induced coma in Dubai after contracting a highly infectious bacteria while vacationing. Manager Jaime Jaramillo Espinosa confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that the 43-year-old had been in the Philippines but arrived in the United Arab Emirates city on March 18 when he began having internal discomfort and pain that worsened. Masalva had emergency surgery on March 26. During his hospital stay, doctors discovered the infection, which had reached his lungs. He remains in critical but stable condition in a Dubai hospital. Espinosa said his clients lungs appear to be recovering after the type of bacteria was discovered and treated with a specific antibiotic. A GoFundMe campaign was launched to help cover Masalvas expenses, already raising more than $1.05 million in Mexican pesos, within three days. Close friend and fellow actor Mario Moran took to social media to share the news of his status. My brother is fighting for his life far from home. I want to ask for your help in this very difficult moment, Moran said in a Spanish-language video on Instagram. As was made known yesterday, Manuel Masalva who is one of my best friends (and) who is really like a brother to me fell victim to an aggressive bacteria while he was on vacation. This led to him being in an induced coma and now his situation continues to be delicate. In a follow-up post, Moran shared that Masalvas condition is still delicate, while thanking fans for their support. Masalva portrayed Ramon Arellano Felix in the wildly popular Netflix show, which also starred Diego Luna, Michael Pena and Bad Bunny. _________ 2025 New York Daily News. Visit at nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Staten Islanders have complained about noise from increased tourist helicopter flights over the borough, a constant disruption that Islanders say is destroying their quality of life. But an anti-helicopter advocacy group told the Advance/SILive.com that the chopper traffic here and over other parts of the city isnt just a nuisance but could be a deadly disaster waiting to happen. Its going to be much worse Andrew Rosenthal, president and treasurer of Stop the Chop NY/NJ, pointed to the deadly collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter over Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia on Jan. 29 that took the lives of 64 people. That was 100 percent foreseeable and preventable, Rosenthal said. And we have the same exact, maybe worse, situation here in New York City. Rosenthal said that helicopters every day are sneaking under the approach routes to LaGuardia Airport the same way they were trying to sneak under the Reagan Airport route. He said, The difference is when it happens here, its going to take out several blocks of residential homes. Its going to be much worse. At least 32 people have died in helicopter accidents in New York City since 1977, according to the Associated Press. In 2009, nine people died when a sightseeing helicopter carrying Italian tourists collided with a private plane over the Hudson River. Five people drowned when a charter helicopter offering open door flights crashed into the East River in 2018. Three people perished in 2011 when a helicopter taking a family on an outing plunged into the East River. Asked to respond to Rosenthals comments, the Federal Aviation Administration in a statement said, The FAAs top priority is keeping the flying public safe. The FAA manages the worlds safest and most complex aviation system, the FAA statement said. On an average day, we serve more than 45,000 flights and 2.9 million airline passengers across more than 29 million square miles of airspace. The statement continued The FAAs priority is to advance the safety of the nations aviation system. We are continuously proactive, consistent, and deliberative in executing our responsibilities to the American public. Were all just like helicopter victims Stop the Chop has been battling helicopter noise for years, tracking flights that take off from heliports in Manhattan and airports in New Jersey. Included in that is Linden Airport, which has been identified as the site where tourist helicopter flights that plague Staten Islanders, including those from the HeliNY Tours firm, originate. Stop the Chop aims to eliminate or substantially reduce the number of non-essential helicopter flights over the city, said group board chair and secretary Melissa Elstein. We want to emphasize that noise pollution is a non-partisan issue, she said. It affects everyone who unfortunately is under the flight paths. Were all just like helicopter victims. There have been successes in the battle against chopper noise over the years. A court order mandates that the city-owned East 34th Street Heliport be open only from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and closed on weekends. Operating hours are also limited at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, near Wall Street, which is also owned by New York City. A heliport at East 60th Street in Manhattan was closed under Mayor Rudolph Giuliani because of its impacts on neighboring residences, hospitals and parks. This is a health hazard But Elstein said that battling chopper noise is kind of a whack-a-mole situation because community noise complaints cause helicopter companies to adjust their flight paths, which only leads residents of other areas to complain. This is not a new issue, Elstein said. Its a different issue. An additional issue. Elstein said that the repetitive noise and low vibration sounds from choppers are beyond an annoyance. This is a health hazard. She said the noise affects schoolchildren as well as people working from home. The helicopter companies, Elstein said, say were flying neighborly, but they are not. People have screenshots that will show exactly where they are flying. And its over residential homes, its over parks, its over schools. And they have really not come to the table to try to find a solution to this problem. HeliNY had previously told the Advance/SILive.co. that they had altered flight paths so as not to fly over the borough. But Staten Islanders continue to complain about persistent chopper noise. Rosenthal acknowledged that battling the noise is tough because the helicopters arent technically breaking the law even though they are creating a nuisance. But the group is looking at legislation that could provide relief. There are efforts on the federal level to create a New York-New Jersey commission to study the problem and reduce the helicopter traffic. A New York City Council bill aims to ban non-essential flights from the Downtown Manhattan and 34th Street heliports. There is also a proposal to place a New York state per-seat tax on helicopter and seaplane flights. There are also a number of petitions that noise-weary Staten Islanders and others can sign on the Stop the Chop NY/NJ website. Just dont let politicians or other people get away with the statement we cant do anything because thats not true, Rosenthal said. The European Union has disbursed EUR 1 billion to Ukraine under the Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) initiative, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced. "The EU has transferred EUR 1 billion to Ukraine as part of the ERA initiative. This was announced during our meeting with European Commissioner for Economy and Productivity Valdis Dombrovskis in Brussels. This is the third tranche under the G7-led program funded by windfall revenues from frozen Russian assets. The funds will be directed toward Ukraine's priority state budget expenditures. In total, the EU has provided EUR 5 billion to Ukraine through the ERA initiative," Shmyhal stated via Telegram. During the meeting, Shmyhal reiterated that Ukraine's priority remains the full confiscation of frozen Russian sovereign assets, which should serve as a resource for Ukraine's recovery. "We also discussed macroeconomic conditions, the reform agenda, and the rebuilding process. I'm grateful to our partners for their support of Ukraine's economy and its rapid recovery," he added. Federal authorities recently arrested over 100 people during an immigration operation in New York. Officials spread out through an apartment complex during a raid Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in east Denver. (David Zalubowski | AP Photo) David Zalubowski | AP Photo More than 100 people were arrested by federal immigration authorities across Upstate New York in a recent operation. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and federal law enforcement partners arrested 133 people during the operation, which took place in late March. The operation focused on finding criminals in the country illegally and other people who violated immigration laws, according to ICE. The operation focused on the Buffalo area, but extended throughout Upstate New York. A total of 84 people were arrested in the Buffalo and Rochester areas and another 49 people were arrested in the Syracuse, Albany, Rouses Point and Massena areas. Of those arrested, 20 had criminal convictions or charges including three who were convicted of homicide, according to ICE. Nine of the arrests were of people who had been previously removed from the United States. A total of 18 administrative arrests involved violations of immigration law, ICE said. ICEs statement on the arrests did not mention Jefferson County. But the operation it referenced took place during the same time frame that a mother and her three children were detained by immigration authorities during an investigation at a dairy farm near Sackets Harbor. The mother and children were initially transferred out of state before being returned. The three children were students in Sackets Harbor schools. Officials there pushed for their return. Critics described the removal of the mother and children as cruel and horrifying. Over 1,000 people attended a rally in Sackets Harbor in support of the family on Saturday. The group gathered near the Sackets Harbor home of President Donald Trumps border czar, Tom Homan. ICE agents have been knocking on doors in communities across Upstate New York since Trumps inauguration in January. Trump promised an immigration crackdown repeatedly during his campaign. The Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island held its 50the Annual Pre-Passover Food Distribution. (Courtesy of Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island) Council of Jewish Organizations STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. The Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island held its 50th Annual pre-Passover food distribution on April 2. The event took place at Aur Torah Sephardic Minyan in New Springville and was led by the organizations food pantry and Social Services Director, Iva Reuven. Public officials, civic and community leaders, and law enforcement joined forces to ensure a meaningful Passover celebration for all, as hundreds of families gathered and were provided with essential holiday foods. The event was sponsored by the Met Council, which played a pivotal role in this years success. The organizations President, Mendy Mirocznik, praised Met Councils efforts. They are truly the gold standard in fighting poverty in the Jewish community throughout the city. We at COJO look forward to continuing to expand this relationship and ending hunger and food insecurity in Staten Island, said Mirocznik. Iva Reuven, Mendy Mirocznik, Kajori Chaudhuri, Terry Troia, Dennis Quirk, and Benjamin Zaientz, with Council of Jewish Organization volunteers. (Courtesy of Council of Jewish Organization of Staten Island) Council of Jewish Organization Mirocznik further thanked Aur Torah Sephardic Minyan Rabbi Aharon Zeev, President Oshri Reuven, and the Aur Torah congregational family for adopting the organizations pantry as a mitzvah project. It is thanks to the support and generosity of Aur Torah in hosting the pantry that we are able to meet the goals of the pantry in supporting the community, said Mirocznik. Mirocznik extended his gratitude to the organizations security chairman and Staten Island Shomrim Coordinator Ari Weiss, who played a key role in organizing the Passover distribution alongside the NYPD, who ensured a safe and seamless operation. Lisa Crosby and Mendy Mirocznik with Officers Sibal, Gusenfitter, and Mondello distributing food to the community. (Courtesy of Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island) Council of Jewish Organizations Many community leaders and representatives also pitched in to support the event. These included Council Member Inna Vernikov, Richmond County Public Administrator Edwina Martin, and retired court officer and former president of the New York State Court Officers Association, Hon. Dennis Quirk. The organization also recognized the sponsorship and participation of Project Hospitality, the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, and many more. President Donald Trump recently said that he would love to run against former President Barack Obama. But Trump might want to be careful what he wishes for if a new poll is any indication. An Overton Insights survey of 1,100 registered voters showed Democrat Obama beating Trump head-to-head, 53% to 47%, the Daily Mail reported. The survey showed that Obama would crush Trump among moderate and independent voters, taking 59% of independents and 61% of moderates. The poll also revealed that Obama would scoop up 10% of Trumps 2024 voters. The survey asked who people would vote for if the 22nd Amendment was amended to allow presidents to seek third terms. The 22nd Amendment currently prohibits anyone from being elected president more than two times. Republican Trump last month was asked during an Oval Office press conference if he would like to run against Obama if it was constitutionally possible. Id love that, Trump said. That would be a good one. Id like that. Trump said, I know people are asking me to run and there is a whole story about running for a third term. I dont know. I never looked into it. They do say theres a way you can do it, but I dont know about that. Trump in March said, Im not joking when asked about the possibility of running for a third term. There are methods which you could do it, Trump said during a phone interview with NBC News from his Mar-a-Lago club. Flying from Florida to Washington on Air Force One later that day, Trump told reporters, I have had more people ask me to have a third term, which in a way is a fourth term because the other election, the 2020 election was totally rigged. Trump lost that election to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump added: I dont want to talk about a third term now because no matter how you look at it, weve got a long time to go. GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana threw cold water on a potential Trump third term, saying the 22nd Amendment was a high bar to overcome. The Overton poll was conducted between March 24 and 28 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7%. President Donald Trump recently said that he would love to run against former President Barack Obama. But Trump might want to be careful what he wishes for if a new poll is any indication. An Overton Insights survey of 1,100 registered voters showed Obama beating Trump head-to-head, 53% to 47%, the Daily Mail reported. The survey showed that Obama would crush Trump among moderate and independent voters, taking 59% of independents and 61% of moderates. The poll also revealed that Obama would scoop up 10% of Trumps 2024 voters. The survey asked who people would vote for if the 22nd Amendment was amended to allow presidents to seek third terms. The 22nd Amendment prohibits anyone from being elected president more than two times. Trump last month was asked during an Oval Office press conference if he would like to run against Obama if it was constitutionally possible. I'd love that, Trump said. That would be a good one. I'd like that. Trump said, I know people are asking me to run and there is a whole story about running for a third term. I don't know. I never looked into it. They do say there's a way you can do it, but I don't know about that. Trump in March said Im not joking when asked about the possibility of running for a third term. There are methods which you could do it, Trump said during a phone interview with NBC News from his Mar-a-Lago club. Flying from Florida to Washington on Air Force One later, Trump told reporters, I have had more people ask me to have a third term, which in a way is a fourth term because the other election, the 2020 election was totally rigged. Trump lost that election to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump added: I dont want to talk about a third term now because no matter how you look at it, weve got a long time to go. GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana threw cold water on a potential Trump third term, saying the 22nd Amendment was a high bar to overcome. The Overton poll was conducted between March 24 and 28 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7%. Michelle Obama is punching back about rumors that her marriage to former President Barack Obama was on the rocks. The former first lady scoffed at the gossip during an appearance on Sophia Bushs Work in Progress podcast. Michelle Obama also explained why she was absent from high-profile political events that her husband was seen at alone earlier this year, the New York Post reported. The interesting thing is that when I say no, for the most part, people are like, I get it, and Im OK, Michelle Obama said. And thats the thing that we as women struggle with disappointing people, she said. So much so that people, they couldnt even fathom that I was making a choice for myself, that they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing. Rumors about the Obama marriage gained heat when former President Barack Obama attended two major events in Washington alone last month: the funeral for former President Jimmy Carter and the inauguration of President Donald Trump. The former presidents solo appearances came after unfounded rumors that Barack Obama had been romantically involved with former Friends star Jennifer Aniston. Michelle Obama laughed off the notion of ending her marriage and pushed back against the idea that she couldnt be a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself. But thats what society does to us, she said. We actually finally start going, What am I doing? Who am I doing this for? And if it doesnt fit into the sort of stereotype of what people think we should do, then it gets labeled as something negative and horrible. Mrs. Obama said she is at a period in her life when it was time to make some big girl decisions about her life and to own it fully. If not now, when? What am I waiting for? she asked. Now is the time for me to start asking myself these hard questions of, Who do I truly want to be every day? And that changes, she said. So, who do I want to have a lunch with? How long do I want to stay in a place? Do I want to travel? If a girlfriend calls and says, Lets go here, I can say Yes! I can. And Im trying to do that more and more. The former president last week said that he had been in a deep deficit with my wife so I have been trying to dig myself out of that hole by doing occasionally fun things. Not every Democrat is totally opposed to President Donald Trumps tariffs. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, thought to be a potential contender for the 2028 Democratic Party nod for president, said she understands the motive behind Trumps tariffs, the New York Post reported. Heres where President Trump and I do agree, Whitmer said. We do need to make more stuff in America. More cars and chips. More steel and ships. We do need fair trade. While Whitmer said tariffs nave to be done right, she also acknowledged under questioning from journalist Gretchen Carlson that I havent really thought about how her approach would differ from Trumps. I dont know how I wouldve enacted them differently, Whitmer said. I havent really thought about that. What I have thought about is that tariffs need to be used like a scalpel. Trumps wide-ranging tariffs led to a global stock market meltdown. The markets recovered on Wednesday when the president announced that he would temporarily pause most of the levies. Whitmer, who is term-limited out of office come January of 2027, said Trumps tariffs couldnt have come at a worse time given the current high cost of living. You cant just pull out the tariff hammer and swing at every problem without a clear, defined end goal, she said. Whitmer hasnt spoken about her political future but is looked at as a potential 2028 presidential contender. She has said that the country is ready for a female president. Two Democratic presidential nominees, Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Kamala Harris last year, have gone down to Trump in defeat. Lots of men have run for president and lost. And no one concludes that people dont want a male president, Whitmer said in January, per the New York Post. She said, So for anyone to state that its about gender probably betrays that theyve got their own agenda at stake, as opposed to really looking at what happened in this last election. The NYC Charter Revision Commission will host a public hearing at Northwell Staten Island University Hospital - Ocean Breeze on Wednesday, Apr. 9. (Advance/SILive.com | Jason Paderon) Staten Island Advance STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Islanders will have an opportunity to give their thoughts on changes theyd like to see to how New York Citys government functions. The New York City Charter Revision Commission will host a public input session focused on government reform at Northwell Staten Island University Hospital - Ocean Breeze on Wednesday, Apr. 9, at 5 p.m. Support the Peninsulas only locally-owned newspaper. Subscribe! Subscribing annually brings you big savings. We also offer monthly and weekly subscriptions. Premium Subscription As low as $8.25 per week Premium Includes: -- Access to the Daily Journals e-Edition: a digital replica of our daily newspaper including crossword puzzles, games, comics, classifieds and ads. You can download a digital replica of the Daily Journal for offline reading. You can also clip & download articles or images from the e-edition to share with others The most recent 90 issues are available at any given time. -- Unlimited access to our award-winning online content -- Commenting access on all stories as a valued member of the DJ community -- NEW! Access to our online-only digital crossword puzzle. A new puzzle every day, seven days a week! Visitors to chocolatier Koko Black are poring over glass cabinets full of truffles, examining blocks or Easter eggs of varying sizes, flavours and designs, and walking away with carefully gift-wrapped packages. There seems to be little trace of cost-of-living pressures or the surging sometimes sixfold cocoa prices. Koko Black chief Rory Gration in the chocolate companys new Chadstone store, which had queues lining up from 6am on its opening day. Credit: SMH/Age Were seeing a bit of a flight to quality over quantity and people still wanting to experience beautiful chocolate, enjoy those moments, treat themselves, Koko Black chief executive Rory Gration said. Cocoa prices are the headline, and the ability to pass that on or absorb it has always been a big challenge, he said. Were able to make sure that we only pass on what we need to and look at other ways of optimising our offer or focusing on different areas. Its a different picture in the aisles of major supermarkets, where Easter egg prices this year are soaring. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is facing pressure to explain how his plan to cause a gas glut in eastern Australia will lead to sustained energy bill relief, as experts and industry leaders rubbish the Coalitions modelling for failing to understand how the market works. Long-awaited modelling released by the Coalition claims its policy to hold back more liquefied-gas shipments from Queensland will slash wholesale gas prices to $10 a gigajoule, easing household gas bills by 7 per cent a year. Because gas-fired generators supply about 10 per cent of the electricity consumers draw from the grid, the modelling from Frontier Economics said it would also cut power bills by 3 per cent about $60 a year. The opposition leader is facing pressure to explain how his plan to cause a gas glut will lead to sustained energy bill relief. Credit: James Brickwood However, energy experts on Wednesday countered those claims, which they said failed to consider the added costs of $2-$4 involved in transporting gas thousands of kilometres from Queensland to consumers in Australias populous south-east. The Coalition last week clarified it intended to cut gas prices to $10 at Queenslands Wallumbilla gas hub not the wholesale price for delivered gas into Victoria or NSW. 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 Having an Oscar, says Cillian Murphy, hasnt really changed anything for him. Two weeks after the ceremony in 2024, where he was named best actor for his lead performance in Christopher Nolans Oppenheimer, he was back on a film set. The previous year, he says, he had done more publicity than he had done in the previous 28 years. I also did two films, which I rarely do. Now he was back working with good mates, taking the dog for long walks over the Kerry hills and being a dad to two teenagers: everything was normal. Nothing is different. Thats genuine. Im not just saying that. Nothing is different: Cillian Murphy with his Best Actor Oscar for Oppenheimer. Credit: AP Before Oppenheimer, Murphy was probably most recognised as that bloke in Peaky Blinders, the BBC/Netflix gangster series set in 1920s Birmingham whose legions of fans love everything about it, from the theme song to the haircuts to the characters, not just the blue-eyed ringleader. Hard-core, Oscar-style stardom crept up on Murphy slowly, much to his retrospective relief. He says he couldnt have faced it when he was younger. Murphy grew up in Cork, a lively city in Irelands south-west. Both his parents were teachers. In his teens, all he wanted to do was play in a band; even now, he will do anything that involves music even just making mix tapes or making radio shows, as he told the Financial Times. Its a primal thing. Cillian Murphy and Elaine Cassidy in Disco Pigs. It was the same urge that led him to badger a local theatre director to give him an audition when he was supposed to be studying law. The director was persuaded. Murphy got a part and was away to the arts, never to look back. Advertisement At 19, he was cast in Disco Pigs, a vivid two-hander about a childhood friendship by Enda Walsh another energetic Cork lad, just 10 years older than him which toured the world and was then turned into a film in 2001. They are still best of friends; Walsh wrote the script for Small Things Like These, Murphys latest film, based on Claire Keegans Booker-shortlisted novel. Eileen Walsh, his stage partner in Disco Pigs all those years ago, plays his wife in this film. Cillian Murphy and Eileen Walsh in Small Things Like These. Credit: Enda Bowe/Lionsgate Thats how Murphy likes to work and one reason he has made six films with Christopher Nolan, including three Batmans and Oppenheimer. The new film is directed by Tim Mielants, a Belgian director who worked on Peaky Blinders. If you trust somebody, you can really go straight to the work and be vulnerable and really try things out, Murphy says. I think a lot of my work has been re-collaborations. Small Things Like These, which he also produced, is indeed a small thing compared with Oppenheimer, but Murphy gives arguably his best performance ever as Bill Furlong, a coal merchant and decent family man who finds himself at loggerheads with the Catholic Church, source of all authority in the country town where he lives. It is set in 1985, years before the Celtic Tiger roared; people live somewhere between poverty and modest means, good Catholics all, much as they have for generations. It is a shock when music starts up in the pub and turns out to be the Human Leagues Dont You Want Me, an 80s hit. Otherwise, it might as well be 1955. Bill Furlong delivers coal to the nearby Magdalen laundry, run by the same nuns as the local convent where his five daughters are at school. Everyone knows each others business round these parts, but you are advised to mind your own. When he finds a young girl locked in the laundrys coal cellar on a freezing winters night, a well-meaning friend tells him to look to his own family: his girls need that convent education. But Bill cant just walk away. It was Yvonne McGuinness, Cillian Murphys artist wife, who suggested he and Mielants bring Keegans slender but potent story to the screen. They both jumped at it, but it didnt feel like an easy sell. Advertisement We kind of realised very quickly that it would have to be a very quiet film with an almost non-verbal performance from the main character for it to work, because the book is so interior, says Murphy. So we knew it would have to be an unusual kind of film for todays cinematic landscape. Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer, the role that earned him an Oscar. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo They had a lucky break, however. Talking to Matt Damon between scenes on the set of Oppenheimer, Murphy told him the story. He really got it, Murphy told Deadline later. Artists Equity, Damons production company with Ben Affleck, was soon on board. Murphy can remember something of the Ireland portrayed in Keegans novel. I would have been nine in 1985 and I grew up in a city, he says. Luckily, I didnt directly experience any encounters with these institutions. But everything around me was run by the Church. I went to a Catholic primary school; at my secondary school I was taught by brothers. My dad trained to become a priest but then didnt become one. It was in every facet of my life, although never in a malevolent way. Cillian Murphy plays a man who defies the Catholic Church in Small Things Like These. Credit: Shane OConnor/Lionsgate But I was aware there were two laundries in Cork, one very close to where I grew up. It was never talked about. It was only until the whole thing began to be revealed that I began to take notice of it. And then it was kind of this huge schism in Irish society when everything was blown open about the abuses in the Church, and it was kind of devastating for the whole country. It was very hard not to be deeply affected by it, if only as an observer. The story takes place just before Christmas, with its attendant festive drinks, puddings being baked at home and a rush for last-minute presents. Set against this is Bills melancholy, fading into memories of his own childhood. He was born out of wedlock; his mother was taken as a housekeeper by a wealthy Protestant woman who treated Bill like a grandson, giving him books to read and opening up his world. He has never been told who his father is. Advertisement When he finds the shivering girl in the coal cellar called Sarah, like his mother he doesnt need to make a decision about what to do. His body drives him, moving of its own accord. A Catholic convent is the setting for unspeakable cruelty in Small Things Like These. Credit: Enda Bowe/Lionsgate I actually feel hes in the middle of some sort of nervous breakdown, says Murphy. As happens with a lot of middle-aged men who are holding it together, holding it together, having to do that, not dealing with anything emotional particularly at that point in Ireland and then it comes like a tsunami and hits him. And he begins to piece together over the course of this Christmas what has formed him as a man I never, ever considered him a hero and it would have been kind of limiting to play him like that. It was much more interesting to play him as a character who was just kind of driven by this terrible inner reckoning, you know. Loading Cases of abuse continue to be brought before the courts and national commissions in Ireland; it is essential work that the majority of people will never see or read; books and films ask questions in a gentler way. Of course, Murphy says, the most egregious abusers generally priests should be tracked down and arrested. But otherwise, its hard to apportion blame, he says. Because it was a whole society that seems to have been complicit in what was going on. I think it has to be about understanding, now, how it happened. How did we get to a place where everybody knew, but didnt know? Surely, I say, the convents ruling Sister Mary portrayed by Emily Watson in a rivetingly fiendish performance that won her the top acting award at the recent Berlin Film Festival deserves punishment? She seems to have thrived on cruelty. Advertisement But then, how could you not blame Eileen? counters Murphy. Because she knows whats going on, thats very clear, but she doesnt call it out. I think it is about a spectrum from innocence to complicity. Where does one place oneself on that spectrum? Its very hard, even now, to talk about it. Murphy has a reputation as publicity-shy, but he says he enjoys discussing the work once it is done. Indeed, I get the sense he has several pints worth of views on the issues raised by Small Things Like These. When hes working, however, he acts on instinct; while other actors talk about a process, he says he has no idea whats going on. Its like doing anything intensively for 17 hours a day and then reading about it and thinking about it all the time, he says. Inevitably, you begin to exchange atoms with the character at some point. But its never conscious. Cillian Murphy in Peaky Blinders. I wonder what it must be like to exchange atoms with Tommy Shelby, the red right hand of Peaky Blinders. Murphy has played the ruthless gangster for six seasons, filmed over 12 years. A feature one for the fans, he says starring Barry Keoghan, Tim Roth and Rebecca Ferguson alongside Murphy, is expected to release in cinemas as well as on Netflix later this year. Murphy laughs. Hes exhausting to play, he says. The nice thing about Peaky is that we would do a season, and then Id have a year or 18 months or two years off. And its a gift of a character. Hes relentless. And another victim of a rotten social system? Oh well certainly, I think hes a product of what happened to British soldiers in the First World War, he says slowly. Hes clearly deeply damaged. We always looked at the character like there was a line before 1914 and another line after 1918. We never get to see that earlier version of him, but I think he was forever changed by a different sort of system, where young men were sacrificed and those who survived were just spat back into society. Advertisement The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing Ukraine with EUR 300 million for the restoration of energy and critical infrastructure, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said. "The relevant agreements were signed in Brussels during a meeting with EIB President Nadia Calvino," Shmyhal wrote on the Telegram channel. In particular, the bank will provide EUR 100 million for investments in centralized heating, improving energy efficiency, and purchasing necessary equipment, including installations for generating electricity or heat; EUR 100 million for the implementation of projects aimed at improving water supply and sanitation; and EUR 100 million - for the restoration of water, heat supply and sewage facilities, as well as for the modernization of basic social services in the education, healthcare and housing sectors. "During the meeting, we discussed with Nadia Calvino the implementation of joint projects and the launch of new ones, in particular in the field of transport, social infrastructure, energy efficiency and energy power. Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, the EIB has mobilized over EUR 2 billion in emergency financing. We are grateful to the bank for its active support for Ukraine and for its contribution to our resilience," the Prime Minister wrote. For over two decades, Oscar-nominated visual effects (VFX) supervisor Keith Herft has barely stopped moving. Since beginning his career, Herft has travelled the globe for work, living in both London and Wellington. Its a story familiar to most Australian VFX artists. In the 2000s and 2010s, Australian VFX was a feast and famine thing, says Herft, who has worked on Better Man (for which he received an Oscar nod this year) and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Youd start on something great, but then nothing else would come in, and youd need to disappear to find work somewhere else. Keith Herft is bringing his Oscar-nominated abilities back to Australia. He isnt the only one. Credit: Wayne Taylor Now, a new studio is bringing some of Australias best VFX talent home. Weta FX, the award-winning New Zealand visual effects company founded by The Lord of the Rings (LOTR) director Peter Jackson with Richard Taylor, and Jamie Selkirk in 1993, which has worked on the LOTR and Avatar movies among many others, is opening a permanent base in the Melbourne suburb of Abbotsford. The move follows the success of its temporary facility for Michael Graceys Better Man. With state government and VicScreen support, it will generate up to 80 specialist VFX jobs. 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 Can a classic sitcom prosper in the streaming age? Max Mutchnick and David Kohan certainly believe so. The duo, long-time writing and producing partners who had a signature half-hour hit with Will & Grace, have a new show, a new home, and new boundaries for Mid-Century Modern, their sitcom about a trio of gay men who decide to consolidate their friendship by sharing a home. But to the comfortably chatty pair, its still the sitcom format they know and will forever love: the television genre of multiple cameras shooting on a studio set in front of a live audience, an A and B-plot, and gag upon gag advancing the story. Add audience whoops and some lessons learnt as seasoning. Its what were comfortable with, Kohan says. Its easier to know when were doing something right, and more importantly its easier to know when were doing something wrong. You can isolate it and fix it quickly. Max Mutchnick (left), Nathan Lee Graham, Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, and David Kohan promoting Mid-Centrury Modern in New York. Credit: CJ Rivera/Invision/AP Adds Mutchnick: And most importantly 95 per cent of the time, were able to get home and have a martini and dinner. Its the absolute best. People like to make fun of [the sitcom], but its a brilliant way to work and the turnaround of being able to see a script shot five days later is an amazing thing. With all 10 episodes directed by sitcom legend James Burrows (Cheers, Friends), Mid-Century Modern feels familiar. It opens with one-liners at a funeral, as Bunny (Nathan Lane), Jerry (Matt Bomer) and Arthur (Nathan Lee Graham) say goodbye to their friend George. As gay men of a certain age (Jerry is younger), as they put it, the trio have lived through tumultuous change and experienced complicated lives. The next step, they decide, is to live together in bra magnate Bunnys oversized Palm Springs home. In true sitcom fashion, its an act of comforting solidarity and a way for Bunny to distract his very Jewish-American mother, Sybil (Linda Lavin). Soon the snippy retorts and silly complications take hold; by the end of the first episode theres a group dance sequence. Advertisement But come the second episode and theres some innuendo-laden dialogue delivered, which hits the line Mutchnick and Kohan had to stop at on Will & Grace. But here, after a moment of demure politeness, that line is crossed with gusto. Mid-Century Modern was commissioned for Disneys various streaming platforms and the old broadcast network rules do not apply. Jerry (Matt Bomer), Bunny (Nathan Lane) and Arthur (Nathan Lee Graham) reunite at the funeral of their longtime friend George in Mid-Century Modern. Being careful was part of the craft, and we would have gone that way this time if [Disney] wanted, but theyve been very open and the world has changed, Mutchnick says. Hopefully, the show opens the door for an audience that hasnt come to this form before because they think its something stodgy and something their parents watched. For Bomer, who has spent much of the last decade exploring repression and trauma in explicitly gay dramas such as The Normal Heart, The Boys in the Band, and Fellow Travelers, Mid-Century Modern was the comic change he needed. Jerry is the good-hearted hunk, irrepressibly friendly or as Arthur, a New York fashion maven puts it, a mercilessly upbeat Ken doll. Loading We talked about iconic fools on television shows past that had inspired the role for them, Bomer says. That, for me, was a good launching point in terms of context for what direction they wanted Jerry to go in. It was everything from Woody on Cheers to Rose on Golden Girls to Edith on All in the Family. Bomer, who is an executive producer on the show, has to thread some tricky transitions as Jerry. The characters innate goodness is used for stealthy purposes. You come to realise Jerry was excommunicated from his Mormon community as a young man because he was gay, and is estranged from his family. Different episodes, with bittersweet laughs, skilfully open up a painful past. Advertisement What makes Max and David such great writers is that in a medium that moves so fast, they put so much thought into everything, Bomer says. I love that Jerry carries all that around inside him, but the public persona is the golden retriever. Hes had a lot of difficult experiences which makes this family which accepts him for who he is all the more important. For Matt Bomer, who plays Jerry, Mid-Century Modern, was the comic change he needed. Although he did a six-episode arc on the Will and Grace revival in 2018, playing the career-minded boyfriend of Eric McCormacks Will, Bomer had to fine-tune his sitcom performance skills for Mid-Century Modern. The live audience and the last-minute rewrites are second nature to Mutchnick and Kohan, but Bomer needed to master a very exacting skill set. Loading It is its own style of acting. It borrows heavily from the theatre, it requires a certain kind of performance, it requires physical comedy, Bomer says. A lot of it is made from wide shots so you cant just rely on the intensity of your thought in a close-up. Its also very fast, some of the lines youve had at best for 72 hours and at worst two minutes. You find your footing as you go. That swift turnaround from page to production was put to sad but satisfying use on Mid-Century Modern. Near the end of production in 2024, Lavin, a stage and screen veteran whose credits included the hit 1970s sitcom Alice, passed away from lung cancer at the age of 87. Mutchnick and Kohan, who had based the character of Sybil on his late mother, channelled the sudden loss into the show, writing and shooting a new episode within a week. It was the most difficult writing assignment weve ever had to take on, Mutchnick says. To experience something this traumatic and profound and then turn around and write about that experience and put it on a stage was a tall order, but I think we did right by Linda. Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The indignation among Catholic and independent school system bosses sparked by NSW Education Department secretary Murat Dizdars suggestion for a conversation about our rampant private school systems is amusing (Uproar over NSW schools chiefs push to reconsider private schools, April 9). The settlement around Catholic education was only post-war and has now reached the point where its a cheap form of private education for non-believers. The obscenity of resources sitting on independent school campuses and rich Catholic collegiate campuses does require a conversation. It is only since John Howard was PM that the latter were so widely supported, leading to a proliferation of small religious schools. Its a joke. The belief that parents who pay are more interested or care more about their children underscores much support for these schools. In the funding shift from the 1990s, we have set up a two-class system that is bad for our country and its educational outcomes. No other country and in Australia no other state has such a lopsided funding regime. In the top five countries for educational outcomes, private schools (yes, Catholic schools are private) barely exist other than international schools for travellers. Carol Reid, Tuross Head NSW Department of Education Secretary Murat Dizdar. Credit: Sydney Morning Herald Your editorial suggests that Murat Dizdars remark that Australia needs to discuss and debate our bizarre hybrid education system of publicly subsidised public and private schools is Trumpian, when it is the exact opposite (A culture war over public and private schools fails everyone, April 8). Our current system, which is unlike any other in the world in the way it gives public money to private schools without any reciprocal obligation to cap fees charged, or shoulder any responsibility for compulsory education, is not a million miles away from the voucher system touted by the Trumpian guide book Project 2025. Australia already has a quasi-voucher system whereby the subsidy is given to the school rather than the family. This has led to increasing segregation of our children according to social class. The OECD has warned that we have high concentrations of disadvantaged students in disadvantaged schools and that this concentration is increasing at the second-highest rate. If anything is Trumpian, it is the system we currently have. Jane Caro, Naremburn The principal of inner west girls private school PLC, Paul Burgis, says having private schools benefits us all. The evidence overwhelmingly contradicts his claim. The commensurate and coincidental plunge in our schools international rankings is proof of this. After decades of increasing public funding of private schools, we have created a two-tier system of overfunded private and underfunded public schools. We knew it would happen, but the vested interests of private schools and craven politicians has seen the public system unquestionably undermined. Murat Dizdar is probably right, but Gonski is also right. International evidence also shows that private schools can work as part of a high-performing system, provided they dont accept private money and are accountable to the public exactly as public schools are. David McMaster, Mosman Thank goodness we have someone like Murat Dizdar to bring a powerful stand for public education. An egalitarian society that values cohesion need only look at public education in Finland versus the defunding of public education in the US to see what works. Thank goodness for Dizdar. All power to him. Roz Townsend, Queanbeyan East The real issue raised by Dizdar goes beyond funding. It raises the question of whether we want segregation of children by class/wealth and religion added to that which already exists due to postcode. It could legitimately include consideration of public selective and single sex schools. That need not be a culture war but may be an appropriate analysis of how best to socialise children and young people to the real post-school world. Al Svirskis, Mount Druitt Murat Dizdar saying the existence of private schools needs to be debated and discussed is just that, a debate and discussion, not tomorrows policy. His comment suggests an extreme position, but maybe what hes actually doing is highlighting extreme disparities that are widening in Australias education system. He wants to affect change, and hes got people listening. The counterarguments have big holes. To say parents should have choice is insulting to those that could never afford private education for their kids, but face declining standards in public education. Also, to say Dizdar needs to lift those standards glibly overlooks gross underfunding. Private schools largely have better academic outcomes because they offer higher pay, have higher staffing levels and are generally better resourced. Finally, criticising the states for failing to fund the needs-based Gonski reforms is unfair while there is a disproportionate flow of commonwealth funding to the private sector, why not question that? When private schools can afford rural retreats and castle-sized libraries something is wrong. Lucy France, Cronulla Advertisement Dizdar is right to call for a debate on some questionable practices of the non-government schools sector. As a head teacher in a lower north shore co-educational comprehensive high school, I used to dread day one of term two, when a busload of rejects would arrive outside our school from the non-government sector. Our government school had no option but to enrol them. It wasnt lost on our staff that the timing of the arrival of these students occurred after school census had been sent into the state and federal governments and their state aid budgets had been allocated for the year. Of course, none of the state and federal money accompanied these students to our school, or any other government school. Warren Dunn, St Ives Inadequate funding of public schools reinforces entrenched disadvantage, writes Adrian Felton. Credit: iStock The criticism of Murat Dizdar is unjustified and says more about his critics than him. Finally, the public education sector has an advocate who strongly believes in the system, knows how effective education works and passionately argues his case. NSW parents and citizens should be thankful that he is attempting to redress years of poor public education policy which has created a bloated private system favouring advantaged families at the expense of those less fortunate. Rather than cop criticism from both the opposition and Catholic schools, he should be applauded. Max Redmayne, Drummoyne Murat Dizdar has the audacity to question the current system, which severely disadvantages public schools where the majority of students are taught. In the heated debate that ensues, this is labelled as a culture war, a push to reconsider private schools and provoking an uproar. A reminder that what Dizdar actually said was that private schooling in Australia needed to be debated and discussed. The outrage that these mild comments provoked are indicative of the vested interests that drive this inequitable system, and further reinforce the entrenched disadvantage that inadequate funding to public schools causes. Dizdar should be applauded for his commitment to public education. Adrian Felton, Dulwich Hill Premier Chris Minns is being disingenuous when he says he supports school choice. State and federal governments of both persuasions have overseen the overfunding of private schools and the underfunding of government schools for many years. The governments themselves have acknowledged this but pay only lip service to redressing the imbalance. With the government schools being run down over time by design or neglect, what is your choice going to be if you have the means? If governments really supported school choice, they wouldnt be skewing the choice by their funding decisions. Bill Irvine, Goulburn Bravo to Murat Dizdar for mentioning that which must never be said in polite society; ending the reign of private schools. I dare say a lot of pearls were clutched on that suggestion. Alan Egan, Paddington (Qld) Advertisement Beware of dodgy home battery installers Ross Gittins is right on the money (No cheap fix for energy evolution, April 9). Neither major party wants to focus on climate change as an electoral issue, even though it is closely linked with the cost of living. Labor is working hard on the renewables roll-out but doesnt want to draw attention to the fact that they are still approving fossil fuel projects. The Coalition doesnt appear at all genuine about reducing pollution. In fact, their plans to lower the fuel excise tax and reverse fuel emissions standards are likely to increase emissions. Not to mention Duttons nuclear thought bubble, which would continue our reliance on coal and gas for years to come. Labors offer to subsidise home batteries makes more sense. Its an opportunity for households to reduce their power bills and pollution at the same time. A solar battery system is certainly something I would consider for our home. This is not because I want to see myself as one of the good guys. Its purely out of self-interest because Id like to see a liveable future for my children and grandchildren. Anne OHara, Wanniassa (ACT) Do we really need gas? Credit: Alessia Pierdomenico Thank you, Ross Gittins, for throwing some proper light on the energy transition and the positions of the two parties. It again emphasises that the hidden cost of current Labor (and, presumably, teal) policy is in network and distribution charges rather than generation. These are enormous and will be borne by consumers who remain connected to the grid through their energy bills. Increasing solar and batteries is not without cost either leaving aside the direct cost to all taxpayers of the subsidies being rolled out by governments, the grid will also need to be built out further to adapt. Again, this will be a cost borne by consumers, regardless of whether they have solar or batteries in their energy bills. Against this background, is trying something different and forecast substantially cheaper - with the Coalition really that outrageous? Rob Ritchie, Mosman Thank you to Ross Gittins for airing the major parties dirty climate laundry. The truth about successive governments failure to properly tax fossil fuel corporations is now out in the open. According to the Australia Institute, weve missed out on $13.3 billion in royalty revenue over the past four years. Never mind Duttons empty promises; imagine the energy efficiency and electrification measures that we could be rolling out to reduce energy costs if wed followed Norways lead and properly taxed gas corporations. Sadly, it remains an opportunity going begging. Amy Hiller, Kew (Vic) Gas is just hot air If ever I needed a reason not to vote for the Coalition, Peter Dutton gave it to me in spades in pledging to flood the Australian market with gas (Opposition plan for gas deluge in bid to cut prices, April 9). The last thing Australia (and the world) needs is the production and burning of more methane, the most toxic of greenhouse gases, 25 to 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide. The true colours of the Coalition with regard to climate change are now blatantly obvious. Hugh Barrett, Sanctuary Point Advertisement Our high cost of energy for the eastern states stems from the failure of the Howard government, in which Peter Dutton was a minister, to protect and ensure adequate domestic gas supply when approving the export of our gas, while the WA government ensured the protection of their domestic supply. Dutton now vows to obtain adequate and cheaper gas, but his policies will require the opening of more projects. His policy will be good for gas providers but bad for our groundwater and environment. Our planet is unlikely to provide cheaper energy than currently being obtained. Brian McDonald, Willoughby Democratic superpower Melanie LaBrooy rightly sees our compulsory voting system as a strength (PM, Dutton dull, but thats not so bad, April 9), but that isnt the only reason that our electoral system is one of the best in the world. Preferential voting gives a better indication of voters wishes than first-past-the-post. But perhaps the most important feature is an apolitical electoral commission that runs the system objectively and openly, thus preventing gerrymandering of electorates and other malpractices. Andrew Macintosh, Cromer Downstream costs My sympathy and support for the doctors strike (Junior doctors offered $2k to break strike, April 9) is considerably enhanced by the premiers decision to grant huge pay increases to the police. Did he seriously not think this would have a flow-on effect? Patrick McMahon, Paddington Advertisement Rubbish invention I agree with your correspondent that bin chickens are a nuisance (Letters, April 9) but I feel our garbage bins are part of the problem: at Randwick, in laneways with the contents strewn all over the pathways, some from nearby cafes, like the stench of prawn shells etc. is certainly unhygienic and a disgusting sight. Solution: we need bins with lids that close when filled (otherwise, extra bins must be acquired) then the latch automatically releases when the bin is turned up to go into the disposal truck. Fines for bins not securely fastened. Come on, inventors remember the show on the ABC, The Inventors? We need you. Carmel Kenniff, Randwick Credit: Cathy Wilcox Travellers tales I also heard a group of young English travellers on a train (Letters, April 9) deciding not to go to the Northern Territory as the Aboriginals dont like us, and it wouldnt be safe. Seemed like a very misguided piece of travel advice. Vicky Marquis, Glebe Your correspondent amusingly reports that an American in Sydney wondered if she was looking at the same moon as back home. There is, however, a point of difference. In the southern hemisphere, we observe the waxing moon lit up on our left-hand side, and the waning crescent is lit on our right-hand side. These positions are reversed in the northern hemisphere. This I learnt from my father, who had a German language mnemonic suited to the north. Therese Weiss, Maroubra When travelling through Canada and the US in 1968, I was warned by a Canadian that along the way, I would be asked by an American to say something in Australian. I didnt believe him, but decided to put together a sentence in Australian just in case. Sure enough, the question was eventually asked, and I confidently replied: Indooroopilly Woolloomooloo Gulargambone. The American was delighted but then caught me off guard by asking for a translation. I hadnt thought that far ahead, so I had to quickly ad-lib. Bob Doepel, Greenway (ACT) Advertisement In retrospect and with a more adult understanding of politics Rudds win seems less about him and more about the economy, the state of the world and the electorates fatigue with Howards prime ministership. But nearly 20 years on, its that line between politician and actual person that I remember best. As Australia prepares for another election, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton another aspiring national leader with roots in Brisbane is figuring out how to toe that same line. Holding children and embracing old ladies two ways to show people youre just a normal functioning member of the human race. Credit: James Brickwood, Alex Ellinghausen Political leaders arent known for their warmth and rizz, but Dutton has a particularly dry brand of no-bullshit. Hes derided by critics as divisive, with a track record that includes walking out on the apology to the Stolen Generations, accusing asylum seekers of faking claims and suggesting Melbourne was being overrun with African gangs. While those that know him personally say he is warm and likeable, it hasnt translated smoothly on a national stage. Politics is a popularity contest, not a personality hire. So, does it matter whether we like politicians as people or not? Loading George Hasanakos, the research director for Australian political and election polling company DemosAU, says personality is important, but not as influential as I might think. This is a chicken-or-egg conundrum, Hasanakos says. What is driving voters intentions is habits of a lifetime, the state of the economy, how well things are going for them, where they come from. Characteristics of leaders and their personality traits can be influential, but there are a lot of other factors at play. If you think back to the federal election in 2022, then-LNP leader Scott Morrison wasnt just losing voters on policy points, his brand had taken a hit. His vibe swung between smug, insincere and indifferent. Combined with a nightmare PR run that included a trip to Hawaii during the bushfires and public remarks about womens issues, by the end of his term he had become electorally unpalatable. Like Rudd, Anthony Albaneses single-mum, social housing battler schtick was antidotal, a cool splash of water after a fever dream. This time around, the PM seems to have lost a bit of the Albo from his Albanese, his personality perhaps diluted by the reality of leading a country during a cost-of-living crisis. Hes also been criticised by those who were sold on his progressive politics. In his younger years, Albanese was a vocal supporter of Palestine. Since becoming prime minister, hes been reluctant to use his platform to advocate for Palestinian causes during the Gaza conflict, preferring to straddle a centrist position. Former PM or four-year fever dream? Credit: AAP Hasanakos says the seat can also influence how much personality is rolled out. Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather comes to mind. Loading Max Chandler-Mather has had a high profile over the previous three years, but hes gotten [to where he is] on the back of a large door-knocking campaign. There was quite a bit of personality too, but it also required a lot of friends and supporters, Hasanakos explains. Definitely inner-city seats where you have Greens versus Labor, they require that sort of brand definition ... the voters that are up for grabs in these contests are usually younger voters, and you need to have that personality. Young Australians are set to outnumber baby boomers at the polls for the first time this federal election, so the power of persona cant be entirely discounted. When we were growing up, I wanted to be an engineer. Carl wanted to be a security guard outside McDonalds. Then he could stand around all day and get free Maccas. Hes always had a big appetite. Its like hes got an imaginary friend that he needs to feed. Our parents separated when I was eight. The lawyers asked us which parent we wanted to go with and I said, I choose Carl. Our five half-siblings were born later; four live with Dad in the Philippines, ones with Mum in Adelaide. Charles: We grew up in Legazpi in the Philippines. Our mother mostly brought us up since our father worked away a lot. We were neither well-off nor poor; we had enough to get by. Filipino brothers Charles, 22, and Carl Ong Sio, 21, came to Australia in 2022. They live, work and travel together as hospitality attendants on the Ghan, Indian Pacific, Overland and Great Southern trains. Im 16 months older than him and a typical big brother. I want Carl to be the best he can be, but hes always so relaxed, which irritates me. Mom said I had to be the role model. When she emigrated to Australia, I was in year 10 and we went to live with Dad in Manila. We started an online business, buying gold-plated, stainless-steel jewellery from a supplier and reselling it. We used the money to buy phones, clothes, games and shoes. Id get stressed and boss Carl around. One day, after a huge fight, he said, Dont act like my boss: act like my brother. Growing up, I wanted to be an engineer. Carl wanted to be a security guard outside McDonalds. Charles Ong Sio Dad wasnt happy when I told him we were going to Australia to be with Mum and have a career there: he locked us inside the house. I was worried hed take our passports. That night, Carl said, If we dont escape now, I dont think well ever have the chance to leave. We threw some clothes in our backpacks and took the bus to our grandparents house in Legazpi. My Australian tourist visa was granted, but Carls was rejected three times, no reason given. Carl showed how much he loved me by being willing to be left behind, but I wouldnt go without him. We finally came together in November 2022. I first worked on the trains in housekeeping. Then I applied for the role of hospitality attendant (HA) so I could travel. As an HA, I look after guests: I make their beds and coffee and take their food orders. Later, when they were recruiting again, Carl applied and joined me nine months ago. We work on separate ends of the train. When we support guests on off-train excursions together, we have a bit of fun and we swap our name badges. Even though we look quite different, guests get very confused! Pratima Karki takes a precarious 1-hour odyssey from her home in Craigieburn in Melbournes outer north to university in the inner west. First, she walks to the bus stop. Second, she rides the bus for 20 minutes. Third, she boards a train for a 40-minute journey. Fourth, she changes at North Melbourne station. Fifth, she hurries from Footscray station to Victoria University. Then she does it all again in reverse to get home. Pratima Karki can be left stranded for more than 30 minutes at Craigieburn station because of its infrequent off-peak services. Credit: Justin McManus But unlike her peers on the other side of Melbourne, or other students interstate, if Pratima puts a foot wrong on her journey she can end up stuck for a long time. Ive had the experience of missing [the train] by a second, and I miss the first hour of my class, she said. Standing outside Melbournes court precinct last week, the irony was inescapable. Here was Tony Mokbel, one of the original gangland bosses, walking down the steps of the Court of Appeal before a sizeable press pack and cheers from his supporters. No handcuffs were on his wrist, and he was whisked away in an expensive Mercedes. After almost 18 years in prison he was kind of a free man. This was where he was supposed to show up or across the road at the County Court, to be precise the last time he was on bail, almost 20 years ago. Instead, he went on the run before his arrest, in a bad wig, in Greece about a year later. To Parliament now, and its been a baptism of fire for the new Member for Cottesloe, who has been greeted with a string of glowing tweets she published about her new political rivals while in her previous role. Treasurer Rita Saffioti rose to defend the governments financial management and record on infrastructure delivery after drawing criticism for seeking a $1.9 billion increase on the Treasurers advance. Treasurer Rita Saffioti poring over the tweets Brewer posted in 2019. It also came after fresh patronage data saw its flagship Metronet program critiqued in the pages of The West Australian and by members of the opposition. And she seized on the digital footprint of the newly-appointed shadow treasurer Sandra Brewer, taking aim at the praise she lavished on the Labor government while serving in her previous role as chief executive of the states Property Council. Saffioti proceeded to unfurl a booklet containing four tweets the Cottesloe MP published back in 2019 and a photograph of Brewer outside Parliament House clutching state budget papers. Among them was a post praising the Labor governments economic management, planning and infrastructure announcements, and another claiming the lobby groups own research showed enormous community support for the Metronet rail projects. On September 27, 2019, Brewer penned a post claiming she wished she could apply the same fiscal prudence to her own family finances, congratulating the McGowan government on the first budget surplus in five years. In another, she stared down the opposition in the face of criticism and doubled down on her support of the Labor Partys performance, stating credit where credit is due. She speaks proudly of her time at the Property Council, and I remember it too because she wouldnt leave us alone, Saffioti told parliament. There wouldnt be a press conference on housing where the Member for Cottesloe wouldnt ring up and ask to be involved. She wanted to be part of the economic narrative of this state. So the Member for Cottesloe getting up and critiquing the financial management of this state when year after year she was begging to come to our press conferences... I dont think this member is genuine. The tirade continued until Member for Carine Liam Staltari called a point of order, claiming Saffioti was speaking negatively on the character of the shadow treasurer. China is offering to work with Australia to boost trade and defend growth in response to tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump in a new bid to find common ground when the world is spiralling into a catastrophic trade war. The Chinese government is asking Australia to join hands with China to defend global trade in response to the American trade barriers which Trump announced overnight would rise to an unprecedented 125 per cent for China while blasting Trump for inflicting sabotage on international rules. The Chinese government has urged Australia to join forces to deal with the trade barriers created by Donald Trump. Credit: Nathan Perri But the diplomatic overture faces major obstacles in Canberra after China imposed an 80 per cent tariff on Australian barley and a 212 per cent tariff on wine in recent years, among other sanctions that exceeded the 10 per cent tariffs Trump imposed on Australia last week. The message from China is the first of its kind to Australia since the global volatility unleashed by Trump last week. Investors wiped another 1.8 per cent from the ASX 200 on Wednesday equivalent to about $41 billion. Ukrposhta to receive EUR 600,000 grant from the EBRD Crisis Response Special Fund for development of modular branches JSC Ukrposhta will receive EUR 600,000 from the EBRD Crisis Response Special Fund for the installation of modular branches, the company's press service reported. "Ukrposhta will receive a 600,000 grant through the EBRD Crisis Response Special Fund to support the Banks existing 63 million loan. The funds will be used to install modular branches", - Ukrposhta said in a Telegram message on Wednesday. The company emphasized that modular branches can be quickly installed in places where stationary branches were destroyed or damaged due to enemy shelling. "Modular branches will also be installed in settlements 'cut off from the world' - with barrier-free access, equipped with Starlink and generators, they will become an island of stability for Ukrainians," Ukrposhta said in a message. In addition, it is reported that in modular branches it is possible to send a parcel across Ukraine and beyond its borders; pick up ordered medicines; make a transfer or pick up funds sent by loved ones; subscribe to publications; pay utility and other bills; as well as receive a pension. A Liberal candidate who connects Australian businesses with the Saudi government has praised its autocratic leader and argued the country is as safe for women as any other in the world. Fiona Douskou, the opposition candidate in the NSW seat of Barton and a Bayside councillor, endorsed the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a podcast, frequently travels to the Arab powerhouse, and met with the Australian consul general. Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. Credit: NPearson Thats the first question that everyone asks me: How is it to be a single female in Saudi Arabia? And I say I feel like Im at the most secure country in the world extremely safe, Douskou in a business podcast called Brain Splat in August. I feel that Prince Mohammed bin Salman is a huge game changer. Never have I been in a country where everyone is so hopeful and thats really powerful. Peter Dutton and Anthony Albanese discussed Bruce Duttons heart attack before the first debate of the 2025 federal election, with the pair agreeing not to raise it publicly on the night. Dutton revealed on Wednesday morning that he had considered pulling out of the leaders debate after his father suffered a heart attack that left him in hospital in the hours leading up to the event in Sydney. But the opposition leader decided that his father Bruce was a strong man who had his daughters around him and pressed on with the town hall-style debate against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at a western Sydney leagues club. Opposition leader Peter Dutton leaving the leaders debate on Tuesday. Credit: James Brickwood This masthead has confirmed that Albanese learned of the incident before the debate and spoke to Dutton, checking on his welfare and that of his father. The pair agreed during the conversation that Bruce Duttons health would not be raised, as this was the opposition leaders preference. Think of Julia Child, and its likely Meryl Streep who springs to mind. She memorably depicted the towering TV chef who made French cuisine doable for American home cooks in the 2009 film Julie and Julia (with her performance earning her a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination). Child, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef and larger-than-life personality (as well as being a physical presence at 188 centimetres tall), died just two days short of her 92nd birthday in 2004. Stephanie Hersh, a trained chef who became Childs executive personal assistant for 15 years, was devastated. Julia Child on the set of her cooking show, The French Chef. Credit: Fairchild Archive/Penske Media/Shutterstock I know this because I meet Hersh aboard an Oceania Cruises ship on the eastern Mediterraneans popular Athens-Istanbul route over 10 nights. What she misses most about her high-voiced former employer, she says, is her sense of humour. One of my favourite Julia quotes is, Stephanie tells a lot of jokes sometimes shes actually funny, Hersh recalls. Meeting Hersh is not a random encounter shes a chef instructor at the ships Culinary Centre, which not only runs cooking classes but co-ordinates a program of food-focused shore excursions. Passengers never know before boarding who their on-board chef instructor will be (a team of 11 is led by the lines executive chef Kathryn Kelly), but theres every chance theyll find someone as fascinating as Hersh buttoned up in chefs whites and demonstrating how to wield a knife like a pro, among other things. Shes aboard Oceania Riviera (this 1250-passenger ship plied the Mediterranean last Euro-summer, but in 2025 it is shuttling around the Pacific Northwest and Alaska before heading to Asia and Australia). Some 800 staff will also cater to our whims. Singapore: China has hiked its tariff on US imports to 84 per cent, raising it by an extra 50 per cent to match US President Donald Trumps latest increase, as the worlds two biggest economies go tit-for-tat in a trade war showdown. China announced the revised levy will take effect on Thursday, as it repeated its accusations that America was engaging in economic bullying. Beijings response comes hours after a crippling tariff of 104 per cent on Chinese imports into the US came into effect on Wednesday, alongside sweeping import duties on dozens of other countries, as Trumps campaign to upend global trade systems entered its next phase. Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are now locked in an escalating feud of tariff brinkmanship that is hammering global markets, upending trade norms and intensifying fears of a worldwide recession. Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said two Chinese men had been captured fighting for Russia in eastern Ukraine, potentially threatening a fragile peace effort in the three-year-old war. Writing on X, where he posted a video of one of the men, Zelensky said Kyiv had information suggesting that there are many more Chinese citizens fighting. He did not say whether Ukraine believed the men were acting on Beijings orders. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky posted footage on X showing what he said was one of two Chinese citizens captured by the Ukraine army. Credit: X/@ZelenskyyUa Russias involvement of China, along with other countries, whether directly or indirectly, in this war in Europe is a clear signal that Putin intends to do anything but end the war, he wrote, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelensky said the clash with Chinese soldiers occurred near the villages of Tarasivka and Bilohorivka in Donetsk, where six Chinese military personnel engaged Ukrainian troops. Australia could do well to follow Britains lead and conduct our own inquiry into the AUKUS nuclear submarines deal. As President Donald Trumps impetuousness realpolitik shatters old assumptions, the House of Commons Defence Committee has launched an inquiry into the trilateral security partnership between the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Australia. It will evaluate if the program, which will cost Australian taxpayers $368 billion over the next 30 years, remains on track. It will also consider the impact of global geopolitical shifts since the deal was signed in 2021. A US nuclear-powered submarine docks at Rockingham, Western Australia, in March last year. Credit: US Navy The two-pillar AUKUS agreement enables the United Kingdom and the US to transfer submarine-specific material and equipment for Australias future nuclear-powered submarines. The House of Commons inquiry will investigate if the first pillar remains on track to deliver against the timelines and objectives set out in the 2023 Joint Leaders Statement on AUKUS. The second pillar facilitates broader co-operation on cutting-edge technological advancements, including artificial intelligence and quantum technologies, and the committee will look at whether there is sufficient clarity about how this pillar will be delivered. After playing Russian roulette with Americas trading partners and allies, Donald Trump has fired only one deadly economic bullet. And thats the one aimed at China. His new 125 per cent tax on Americas imports from China is so large that it constitutes an economic act of war, because it simply prices most of Chinas products out of the US market. The consequences of todays economic war are unpredictable. Credit: Aresna Villanueva In essence, this means that Trump is committed to ending US trade with China, according to American economist Arthur Kroeber of Gavekal Research in Beijing. Shi Yihong, a veteran adviser to Chinas state council, agrees that trade between the two great powers will be mostly destroyed. PHILIPSBURG;--- Judicial and Institutional Services (J&IS), Probation Department successfully hosted a professional exchange program from March 31 to April 4, 2025, welcoming a delegation of professionals from Surinames and Netherlands probation services. The week's theme was collaboration and knowledge-sharing around community service (werkstraffen), strongly focusing on practical implementation and regional partnership. The Surinamese delegation consisted of Charissa Kalloe and Sashni Soekhlall (Probation Officers of Forensic Social Care), Jessica Fredison (Deputy Head of Forensic Social Care), and Mureije Winter (Prosecutors Office). Their visit was part in light of the Makandra project, a collaboration between the International Office of Probation Netherlands and Forensic Social Care Suriname (Probation Suriname), that focussed on the introduction and implementation of community services practices and legislation in Suriname. The Dutch participants were Gisella Conrad (Regional Coordinator of International Office Probation Netherlands ) and Jochum Wildeman (Head of International Office Probation Netherlands), who contributed both expertise and coordination support during this visit. Program highlights The weeks program was rich in practical experiences and interactive sessions. Participants joined local J&IS staff in client intake, administration, and supervision of community service projects across multiple Not for Profit working locations. Visits to the Minister of Justice, Nathalie Tackling, and the Office of the Public Prosecutor provided further insight into justice policies and priorities, interagency cooperation on (conditional) sentencing, the role of probation services, and enforcement strategies. Positive evaluation and Future commitments Participants described the week as motivating and energizing, expressing that they are returning to Suriname with inspired with renewed purpose and practical ideas. They were particularly impressed by the diversity of community service locations on Sint Maarten and the types of meaningful tasks assigned to clients. In their evaluation, the Surinamese delegation outlined concrete steps they intend to implement back home: Documenting before-and-after visuals of community service projects to highlight client contributions and program outcomes Collecting and presenting client narratives to support internal learning, evaluation, and advocacy efforts Enhancing interagency collaboration between Surinames Probation Services and the Prosecutors Office through improved information-sharing practices Promoting a positive, strengths-based approach in client interactions to foster engagement and accountability Proactively identifying, assessing, and securing suitable community service sites and placements tailored to client profiles and community needs The week concluded with a formal certificate ceremony and expressions of gratitude from both sides. The delegation left the island committed to applying their new insights and continuing the regional exchange of ideas and expertise. Strengthening regional bonds through Community Service This exchange forms part of J&IS broader rebranding mission under the banner For Restored and Reconciled Communities. Cynthia Filemon, Director of J&IS, stated: Community service is one of the most tangible ways to show that justice can be restorative rather than purely punitive. When clients repair harm through meaningful work, it helps rebuild trust and create a safer, more connected society. This exchange has shown us that by working together across the region, we can strengthen these efforts, connect professionals, and support people in building better lives. J&IS is grateful for the active participation of all delegates and expresses its commitment to ongoing international cooperation. The organization looks forward to continuing these efforts in close partnership with Suriname, the Netherlands, and other justice stakeholders within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. What is Community Service? Community service is a judicial sanction that enables individuals to make amends for the harm they have caused by using their time and abilities to support meaningful initiatives that serve the community. In St. Maarten, this alternative sanction not only supports rehabilitation but also promotes a sense of responsibility and accountability among those involved. Currently, 23 organizations are registered with the J&IS-Probation Department as community service workplaces, offering a range of placements across different sectors. Individuals may be sentenced to perform up to 240 hours of unpaid work under the supervision of J&IS, ensuring accountability, structure, and support throughout the process. Organizations interested in partnering as a community service placement site are encouraged to contact the Probation Department via 5264322 or info@sjis-sxm,org to learn more about registration requirements and how they can contribute to positive change. MARIGOT: --- On the afternoon of Tuesday, April 7th, the crew of the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard cutter ship Poema received a Mayday distress call on VHF radio channel 16. A vessel located in French territorial waters was in urgent need of assistance. The captain reported that the boat rapidly took on much water, causing the onboard water level to rise significantly. The Poema immediately set course to the vessels location. Upon arrival, the crew observed that another boat was already on the scene and pumping water from the distressed vessel. The Coast Guard crew quickly took control of the situation and deployed a larger pump to accelerate the process. Once enough water had been removed, the vessel and its two occupants were taken in tow and safely brought to Simpson Bay. The European Commission (EC) announced on Wednesday a number of EU steps to further support Ukraine, in particular the allocation of EUR1 billion to Kyiv as part of a loan from the G7 countries. We work across the board to strengthen the country and support a just and lasting peace on Ukraine's terms. Today's disbursement and agreements are also an investment in a shared common future, said Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. "The European Commission has disbursed an additional EUR1 billion tranche of its exceptional Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) loan to Ukraine, to be repaid with proceeds from immobilized Russian State assets in the EU. This payment brings the total MFA disbursements to Ukraine to EUR5 billion," reads the report. "This week the EU has requested EUR2.1 billion in windfall profits generated from immobilized assets of the Russian Central Bank, held by the Central Securities Depositories (CSDs). This receipt of this amount will mark the second transfer of its kind, following a first tranche delivered in July 2024. It covers revenues accumulated during the second half of 2024," the EC said. "Five new EU-Ukraine agreements were signed today. These include three finance contracts worth EUE300 million between the European Investment Bank and Ukraine, supporting key operations that address Ukraine's most pressing recovery needs. In addition, the Commission signed an agreement on Ukraine's participation in the Copernicus component, as well as in the Space Weather Events and Near-Earth Object sub-components of the EU Space Program," according to the document. PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament and Leader of the United People's Party (UPP), Omar E.C. Ottley, has extended his heartfelt congratulations to the Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) for their unwavering commitment to continuous development and training of their personnel. The recent successful completion of multiple specialized training programs by KPSM officers is a significant and commendable step in the ongoing mission to strengthen public safety and deepen community engagement. MP Ottley particularly highlights the return of five KPSM officers from Miami, who became certified School Resource Officers after completing an intensive week-long program. "I am particularly impressed by this because of my deep desire to help our young people. This training is a meaningful investment in our youth's future and our educational institutions' safety. Officers trained to understand and support young people help build trust, reduce tension, and create safer school environments," Ottley noted. MP Ottley applauds the successful execution of the BAVPOL training program (Buitengewoon Agent van Politie) in collaboration with various government departments. "The multidimensional nature of this training demonstrates exactly what we need cross-sector collaboration to build a well-rounded, well-equipped, and community-conscious police force," he stated. Ottley emphasized that management at KPSM deserves special recognition for its vision and leadership in prioritizing the training and development of its team. "What we are witnessing is a force that is not standing still but evolving with the demands of modern policing. This type of leadership, driven by law enforcement officers, combines to inspire public confidence and strengthen national security." Looking ahead, MP Ottley calls on the Government of St. Maarten to support KPSM not only through training but also through strategic investments in modern policing tools and technology. "The world is evolving rapidly, and our police officers need the best tools to match their growing responsibilities," he said. "We must work together to develop a plan in close consultation with the KPSM to access advanced equipment and smart technology solutions that are already available in regions such as the Netherlands." Among the resources MP Ottley encourages the government to prioritize are, Body-worn cameras for accountability and officer safety, Real-time communication systems and GPS-enabled dispatch tools, Mobile data terminals in patrol units, more Drones for surveillance in high-risk situations and to monitor traffic congestion, along with investments in modern forensic tools for evidence gathering and analysis. "These technologies can dramatically improve officer efficiency, safety, and transparency all essential to restoring and maintaining public trust," Ottley stressed. "To all the men and women of the KPSM, we see your efforts, we recognize your sacrifices, and we, the UP Party, stand with you. The United People's Party faction in Parliament remains committed to ensuring you have the training, the tools, and the trust you need to continue serving and protecting our island with excellence. Let us continue on this positive path together toward a safer, stronger, and more resilient St. Maarten." PHILIPSBURG:--- The Honorable Prime Minister of Sint Maarten, Dr. Luc Mercelina, extends heartfelt condolences to the people of the Dominican Republic following the tragic incident that took place at the Jet Set disco. On behalf of the Government and people of Sint Maarten, I offer our deepest condolences to the families affected by this senseless and devastating tragedy, stated Prime Minister Mercelina. We join the mourning of all the families impacted by this unfortunate event, and we reiterate our solidarity with the Dominican people during this painful time. PM Dr. Mercelina acknowledged the profound sense of loss felt within the Dominican Republic and among the Dominican community in Sint Maarten. Our hearts are heavy as we stand with our Dominican brothers and sisters, both here and abroad, he said. The Dominican community is a cherished part of our country, and your grief is our grief. The Prime Minister emphasized the strong historical and cultural ties between Sint Maarten and the Dominican Republic. The people of the Dominican Republic have long been valued neighbors and trusted partners, he affirmed. Your sons and daughters have become family within the social, cultural, and economic heartbeat of our island. PM Dr. Mercelina praised the Dominican community for its resilience and contributions to the development of Sint Maarten while recognizing the recent celebration of the Dominican Republics 181st Independence Day as a symbol of cultural strength and unity. Dominican nationals in Sint Maarten are not simply residents; they are nation-builders, he stressed. Your culture, your commitment, and your presence enrich our collective identity. In closing, Prime Minister Mercelina reaffirmed Sint Maartens commitment to stand in unity with the Dominican Republic: Let this be more than a message of condolencelet it be a promise of friendship. In joy and in sorrow, Sint Maarten stands with you. Juntos somos mas fuertesTogether we are stronger. Photo: https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/ On the night of April 9, 2025 (from 20:00 on April 8), the enemy attacked with 55 Shahed-type strike UAVs and various types of drone imitators in the following directions: Kursk, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk of the Russian Federation, Chauda - Crimea, the Ukrainian Air Force reported on Wednesday. The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile forces, electronic warfare units and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. "As of 8:30, the downing of 32 Shahed-type attack UAVs (drones of other types) in the north and east of the country has been confirmed. Eight enemy drone imitators have been lost (without negative consequences). Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions suffered as a result of the Russian attack," the Telegram message says. US antitrust cases against US tech giants Washington, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2025 Launched under both the Trump and Biden administrations, five major antitrust cases from the Federal Trade Commission and the US Department of Justice are proceeding against major American technology companies. These cases represent a significant shift in antitrust enforcement in the United States, with regulators taking a more aggressive approach toward big tech companies after a relatively quiet period in antitrust prosecution since the Microsoft case in the late 1990s. - Google Search - The DOJ's case against Google regarding its dominance of internet search was filed in 2020. In August 2024, Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google maintained an illegal monopoly in online search, marking a landmark decision. Before lodging its appeal, Google must await the resolution of the case's remedies phase, with both sides due in court later this month to argue over how to fix the illegal monopoly. The US government is asking that the Chrome browser be spun off from Google, and for an end to the tens of billions of dollars Google pays to Apple annually to secure its default position on the iPhone's Safari browser. A decision is expected from Judge Mehta this summer. As with all these cases, an appeal potentially reaching the US Supreme Court is almost certain, extending legal proceedings for years. - Google Ad Tech - The Department of Justice's antitrust case against Google's ad tech business, filed in a Virginia federal court in January 2023, alleges that Google built a monopoly in the digital advertising market through strategic acquisitions and anticompetitive behavior. The lawsuit specifically targets Google's dominance across three sectors of online advertising -- publisher ad servers, advertiser tools, and ad exchanges -- and seeks to force Google to divest portions of its advertising technology business to restore competition. The trial concluded late last year, and the case is now awaiting a ruling from Judge Leonie Brinkema, which is expected shortly. - Meta - The Federal Trade Commission's case against Meta (Facebook's parent company) was filed in 2020, with the FTC alleging that Meta illegally maintained a monopoly in "personal social networking" services by acquiring potential rivals Instagram and WhatsApp. The FTC is seeking potential divestiture of the acquired platforms, while Meta argues their acquisitions benefited customers. The case goes to trial in Washington on April 14, with proceedings expected to last at least eight weeks before Judge James Boasberg. Meta CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg has lobbied the White House as he tries to persuade President Donald Trump to choose settlement instead of proceeding with the trial. - Amazon - Filed in September 2023, the Federal Trade Commission argues that Amazon illegally maintains a monopoly in online retail. The lawsuit specifically targets Amazon's "buy box" feature, which prominently displays preferred sellers, and claims that Amazon imposes penalties on sellers who offer lower prices elsewhere, effectively preventing meaningful price competition and harming both merchants and consumers. The trial for the case is currently scheduled to begin in a Seattle federal court in October 2026, with Judge John Chun presiding. - Apple - The Department of Justice's lawsuit against Apple, filed in March 2024, was the last of the major cases to be launched against the big tech companies. It alleges that the company illegally maintains a monopoly over smartphones by making it difficult for consumers to switch from iPhones to other devices and by limiting how well competing products like non-Apple smartwatches and digital wallets work with iPhones. The lawsuit was filed in a New Jersey federal court and will be tried before Judge Julien Neals. arp/st/ Meta US will not let China disrupt Panama Canal: Pentagon chief Panama City, April 8 (AFP) Apr 08, 2025 The United States will not allow China to jeopardize the operations of the Panama Canal, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned during a visit to the Central American nation on Tuesday. Hegseth is the second senior US official to visit Panama since President Donald Trump took office in January vowing to "take back" the US-built canal to counter what he sees as China's disproportionate influence over the waterway. "Today, the Panama Canal faces ongoing threats," Hegseth said in a speech at a police station located at the entry to the shipping route. "The United States of America will not allow communist China or any other country to threaten the canal's operation or integrity," he added. The United States built the more than century-old canal and handed it over to Panama in 1999. A Hong Kong company called Panama Ports operates two ports at either end of the canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific, through which five percent of all global shipping passes. - 'Wonder of the world' - The Trump administration has put immense pressure on Panama to reduce Chinese influence on the canal, which Washington sees as a threat to US national security. "I want to be very clear. China did not build this canal. China does not operate this canal. And China will not weaponize this canal," Hegseth said, calling it a "wonder of the world." Speaking alongside Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino, Hegseth said the US and Panama together would "take back the Panama Canal from China's influence" and keep it open to all nations, using the "deterrent power of the strongest, most effective and most lethal fighting force in the world." He claimed that China's control of critical infrastructure in the canal area gave Beijing the power to conduct spying activities across Panama, making Panama and the United States "less secure, less prosperous and less sovereign." The Chinese Embassy in Panama issued a statement refuting Hegseth's claim that Beijing interferes in the operations of the canal. "China has never taken part in the management or operation of the Panama Canal, nor has it interfered in issues" concerning the waterway, the statement said, calling on Washington to halt "blackmail" and "plundering" of Panama and other countries of the region. It labeled Hegseth's comments "not at all responsible or founded" and said the United States "has orchestrated a sensationalist campaign based on the 'China threat theory' so as to undermine cooperation between China and Panama. "China has always respected Panama's sovereignty with regard to the canal," the embassy said. The Panama Ports concession to operate Balboa port on the Pacific side of the canal and Cristobal port on the Atlantic side was first granted in 1997 and renewed for another 25 years in 2021. But faced with Trump's repeated threats to seize the canal, Panama has put pressure on CK Hutchison, the parent company of Panama Ports, to pull out of the country. In January, it began an audit of Panama Ports to determine if it was honoring its concession contract. On the eve of Hegseth's visit Panama's comptroller announced that the audit had revealed "many breaches" of the contract and said Panama did not receive $1.2 billion it was owed from the operator. In March, CK Hutchison announced an agreement to sell 43 ports in 23 countries -- including its two on canal -- to a group led by giant US asset manager BlackRock for $19 billion in cash. A furious Beijing has since announced an antitrust review of the deal, which likely prevented the parties from signing an agreement on April 2 as had been planned. Hegseth's visit to Panama comes two months after that of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Shortly after that visit Panama announced it was pulling out of Chinese President Xi Jinping's landmark global infrastructure program, the Belt and Road Initiative. US will not let China disrupt Panama Canal: Pentagon chief Panama City, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2025 The United States will not allow China to "threaten" the operations of the Panama Canal, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned during a visit to the Central American nation on Tuesday. Hegseth is the second senior US official to visit Panama since President Donald Trump took office in January vowing to "take back" the US-built canal to counter what he sees as China's influence over the waterway. "Today, the Panama Canal faces ongoing threats," Hegseth said in a speech at a police station located at the entry to the shipping route. "The United States of America will not allow communist China or any other country to threaten the canal's operation or integrity," he added. The United States built the more than century-old canal and handed it over to Panama in 1999. Hegseth met with Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino, with the two issuing a joint statement that affirmed security ties -- though there was a notable discrepancy in the versions released by both sides on the issue of Panama's sovereignty over the canal. "Secretary Hegseth recognized Panama's leadership and inalienable sovereignty over the Panama Canal and its adjacent areas," read a Spanish-language statement released by Mulino's office. That sentence did not appear in the English-language statement released by the US government. - 'Wonder of the world' - A Hong Kong company operates two ports at either end of the canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific, through which five percent of all global shipping passes. The Trump administration has put immense pressure on Panama to reduce what it calls Chinese influence on the canal, which Washington sees as a threat to US national security. Panama has denied the assertions that China exercises undue control over the waterway, but its protests on the subject have grown weaker and on the eve of Hegseth's visit it accused the Hong Kong company of failing to meet its contractual obligations. "I want to be very clear. China did not build this canal. China does not operate this canal. And China will not weaponize this canal," Hegseth said, calling it a "wonder of the world." Speaking alongside Mulino, Hegseth said the US and Panama together would "take back the Panama Canal from China's influence" and keep it open to all nations, using the "deterrent power of the strongest, most effective and most lethal fighting force in the world." He claimed that China's control of critical infrastructure in the canal area gave Beijing the power to conduct spying activities across Panama, making Panama and the United States "less secure, less prosperous and less sovereign." The Chinese Embassy in Panama issued a statement refuting Hegseth's claim that Beijing interferes in the operations of the canal. "China has never taken part in the management or operation of the Panama Canal, nor has it interfered in issues" concerning the waterway, the statement said, calling on Washington to halt "blackmail" and "plundering" of Panama and other countries of the region. It labeled Hegseth's comments "not at all responsible or founded" and said the United States "has orchestrated a sensationalist campaign based on the 'China threat theory' so as to undermine cooperation between China and Panama." It added: "China has always respected Panama's sovereignty with regard to the canal." - Pressure on port company - The concession to the HK-based company's subsidiary to operate Balboa port on the Pacific side of the canal and Cristobal port on the Atlantic side was first granted in 1997 and renewed for another 25 years in 2021. But faced with Trump's repeated threats to seize the canal, Panama has put pressure on CK Hutchison to pull out of the country. In January, it began an audit of Panama Ports -- the subsidiary -- to determine if it was honoring its concession contract. On the eve of Hegseth's visit Panama's comptroller announced that the audit had revealed "many breaches" of the contract and said Panama did not receive $1.2 billion it was owed from the operator. In March, CK Hutchison announced an agreement to sell 43 ports in 23 countries -- including its two on canal -- to a group led by giant US asset manager BlackRock for $19 billion in cash. A furious Beijing has since announced an antitrust review of the deal, which likely prevented the parties from signing an agreement on April 2 as had been planned. Hegseth's visit to Panama comes two months after that of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Shortly after that visit Panama announced it was pulling out of Chinese President Xi Jinping's landmark global infrastructure program, the Belt and Road Initiative. Kim Jong Un's sister says North Korea denuclearisation is a 'daydream' Seoul, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2025 Kim Jong Un's powerful sister slammed US-led efforts to take away North Korea's nuclear weapons, saying the idea of denuclearising the country was a "daydream". Her remarks come after the top diplomats of South Korea, Japan and the United States issued a statement on the sidelines of a NATO meeting last week in which they "reaffirmed their resolute commitment to the complete denuclearisation" of the isolated state. In a statement published Wednesday by the official Korean Central News Agency (KNCA), the sister of ruler Kim Jong Un said that any discussion of convincing the North to give up its nuclear weapons is "nothing but a daydream that can never come true". "If anyone openly talks about dismantling nuclear weapons... it just constitutes the most hostile act of denying the sovereignty of the DPRK," Kim Yo Jong said Tuesday. "It only fully exposed the uneasiness of the US, Japan and the ROK, in a desperate plight of having to talk about 'denuclearization' in chorus," she said, referring to the South by its official name. The statement was Kim's second in a little over a month. In early March, she condemned Washington over the visit of a US Navy aircraft carrier to the South Korean port of Busan, accusing US President Donald Trump's administration of "carrying forward the former administration's hostile policy". During his first term, Trump became the first sitting US president to meet a North Korean leader when he held talks with Kim Jong Un in 2018 in efforts to reach a deal on denuclearisation. Since taking office a second time in January, he has referred to the North as a "nuclear power". Pyongyang has ramped up efforts to further enhance its nuclear and military capabilities since Trump and Kim's second summit in Hanoi collapsed in 2019. US Pentagon chief says will not let China 'threaten' Panama Canal Panama City, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2025 The United States will not allow China to "threaten" the operations of the Panama Canal, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned during a visit, earning a rebuke from Beijing on Wednesday over Washington's "bullying nature." Hegseth is the second senior US official to visit Panama since President Donald Trump took office in January vowing to "take back" the US-built canal to counter what he sees as China's influence over the waterway. "Today, the Panama Canal faces ongoing threats," Hegseth said in a speech Tuesday at a police station located at the entry to the shipping route. "The United States of America will not allow communist China or any other country to threaten the canal's operation or integrity," he added. The United States built the more than century-old canal and handed it over to Panama in 1999. Beijing hit back at Hegseth's remarks on Wednesday, saying "senior US officials have maliciously attacked China, smearing and undermining China-Panama cooperation." The criticism from Hegseth is "once again exposing the United States' bullying nature," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said. Hegseth met with Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino, with the two issuing a joint statement that affirmed security ties. However, there was a notable discrepancy in the versions released by both sides on the issue of Panama's sovereignty over the canal. "Secretary Hegseth recognized Panama's leadership and inalienable sovereignty over the Panama Canal and its adjacent areas," read a Spanish-language statement released by Mulino's office. That sentence did not appear in the English-language statement released by the US government. - 'Wonder of the world' - A Hong Kong company operates two ports at either end of the canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific, through which five percent of all global shipping passes. The Trump administration has put immense pressure on Panama to reduce what it calls Chinese influence on the canal, which Washington sees as a threat to US national security. Panama has denied the assertions that China exercises undue control over the waterway. But on the eve of Hegseth's visit, it accused the Hong Kong company of failing to meet its contractual obligations. "I want to be very clear. China did not build this canal. China does not operate this canal. And China will not weaponize this canal," Hegseth said, calling it a "wonder of the world." Hegseth added that the United States and Panama together would "take back the Panama Canal from China's influence" and keep it open to all nations, using the "deterrent power of the... most lethal fighting force in the world." He claimed that China's control of critical infrastructure in the canal area gave Beijing the power to conduct spying activities across Panama, making Central American nation and the United States "less secure, less prosperous and less sovereign." The Chinese Embassy in Panama issued a statement refuting Hegseth's claim, labeling it as "not at all responsible or founded." "China has never taken part in the management or operation of the Panama Canal, nor has it interfered in issues" concerning the waterway, the statement said, calling on Washington to halt "blackmail" and "plundering" of Panama and other countries of the region. It added that the United States "has orchestrated a sensationalist campaign based on the 'China threat theory' so as to undermine cooperation between China and Panama." "China has always respected Panama's sovereignty with regard to the canal," the embassy said. - Pressure on port company - The concession to the Hong Kong-based company's subsidiary to operate Balboa port on the Pacific side of the canal and Cristobal port on the Atlantic side was first granted in 1997 and renewed for another 25 years in 2021. But faced with Trump's repeated threats to seize the canal, Panama has put pressure on CK Hutchison to pull out of the country. In January, it began an audit of Panama Ports -- the subsidiary -- to determine if it was honoring its concession contract. On the eve of Hegseth's visit Panama's comptroller announced that the audit had revealed "many breaches" of the contract and said Panama did not receive $1.2 billion it was owed from the operator. In March, CK Hutchison announced an agreement to sell 43 ports in 23 countries -- including its two on the canal -- to a group led by giant US asset manager BlackRock for $19 billion in cash. A furious Beijing has since announced an antitrust review of the deal, which likely prevented the parties from signing an agreement on April 2 as had been planned. Hegseth's visit to Panama comes two months after that of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Shortly after that visit Panama announced it was pulling out of Chinese President Xi Jinping's landmark global infrastructure program, the Belt and Road Initiative. Photo: MFA of Ukraine Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha thanked UN member states for speaking at the Security Council meeting and condemning the Russian attack on Kryvyi Rih, and rejected Russia's lies about an attack on a military facility. I am grateful for today's UN Security Council meeting on Russia's brutal murder of nine Ukrainian children in Kryvyi Rih with a ballistic missile. I thank UN Member States for speaking out and condemning this horrendous Russian war crime. We will continue to demand full accountability for this and other atrocities. Russia continues to reject a full and unconditional ceasefire, while lying about the military targets it attacks in Ukraine, he said on X. The minister stressed that Ukraine categorically reject Russia's blatant lies, and that Russian attacks are deliberate acts of terror against civilians. A strong and united international response to Russia's atrocities is imperative. Such terror should never be normalized. To save our people's lives, Ukraine requires stronger defense capabilities, pressure on Moscow, and international resolve to hold Russia accountable, Sybiha noted. According to him, Ukraine continues working closely with our American and European partners to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine and Europe based on respect for the principles of the UN Charter and with clear security guarantees. He also added that Ukraine appreciates the efforts of UN Human Rights in Ukraine and UNICEF. Yemen rebels say US strikes on Hodeida killed eight Hodeida, Yemen, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2025 Yemen's Huthi rebels said Wednesday the number of people killed in an air strike on Hodeida the day before that they blamed on the United States has risen to eight. "The death toll of the American aggression in Hodeida rose to eight martyrs and 16 wounded, with rubble removal operations ongoing," the Huthis' Al-Masirah TV station said, quoting the health ministry. On Tuesday, health ministry spokesman Anis al-Asbahi had said four children and two women had been killed. Huthi media said the strike had targeted a residential area in the Red Sea port city. On Tuesday night, an AFP journalist heard three loud blasts in succession. Rebel-held areas of Yemen have seen near-daily strikes since Washington launched an air campaign against the Iran-backed Huthis on March 15 to force them to stop threatening vessels in key maritime routes. Since then, the Huthis have also launched attacks targeting US military ships and Israel, claiming to be acting in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The rebels began targeting ships transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as Israeli territory, after the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, later pausing their attacks during a January ceasefire. Israel cut off all supplies to Gaza at the start of March, and resumed its offensive on the Palestinian territory on March 18, ending the short-lived truce. The new US campaign followed Huthi threats to resume attacks on vessels over Israel's Gaza blockade. The Huthi attacks crippled the vital Red Sea route, which normally carries about 12 percent of world shipping traffic, forcing many companies to make a much longer detour around the tip of southern Africa. Lithuanian volunteer fighter killed in Ukraine Vilnius, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2025 A Lithuanian man has been killed fighting Russian troops in eastern Ukraine, an NGO from the Baltic state said Wednesday. The body of the fighter, identified as Tomas V., was recovered from a battlefield near the town of Kupiansk during a special operation on Tuesday night, weeks after he went missing in Ukraine. "Volunteer Tomas was killed in action while on a combat mission with Ukraine's International Legion," the Lithuanian NGO Blue/Yellow said. The NGO had been involved in the operation to retrieve his body, which it called "complex and dangerous". The efforts led by Ukraine's Special Operations Forces involved special equipment to camouflage the troops, since the body was in an area under heavy shelling. Lithuania, an EU and NATO member, has been a staunch ally of Ukraine since Russia invaded the country in February 2022. Lithuania and its fellow Baltic states Estonia and Latvia fear that Russia could target them next. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said in a statement that Tomas V. fought "for both Ukraine and Lithuania". "May the heroism and dedication to the ideals of freedom of the fallen soldier remain forever in our memory," Nauseda said. The Lithuanian foreign ministry confirmed reports of a volunteer fighter missing in Ukraine on March 19. Tomas V. was the second Lithuanian fighting for Ukraine to die on the battlefield, after a man was killed last year. Iran's expanding nuclear programme: from 2015 deal to today Vienna, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2025 The United States and Iran are to hold talks in Oman on Saturday on Tehran's nuclear programme, with concerns mounting about its rapid expansion and both Washington and Israel warning of military action if discussions drag on. Tensions between Iran and the West have repeatedly flared up since Donald Trump, during his first term as US president, withdrew from a landmark 2015 deal that had exchanged sanctions relief for limits on the nuclear programme. As Iran began significantly ramping up its nuclear activities in recent years, Western powers have voiced fears that it seeks nuclear bombs, an ambition Tehran has always denied. AFP takes a look at the main developments in talks on Iran's nuclear programme since 2015. - Historic accord - On July 14, 2015, Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany reached a historic accord in Vienna. The deal, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), placed significant restrictions on Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief after 12 years of crisis and 21 months of protracted negotiations. Under the accord, which came into force in January 2016, Tehran's nuclear programme was subject to strict control by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to guarantee Iran is not trying to make a nuclear bomb. But the hard-won deal began to unravel when Trump walked away from it on May 8, 2018. Washington reimposed sanctions on Iran and companies with ties to it, hitting the central bank and the country's vital oil sector. Major international firms then halted activities in the country. - Iran breaches nuclear commitments - Following the US withdrawal, Iran retaliated by stepping up its nuclear activities. It first began enriching uranium to five percent -- breaching the limit of 3.67 percent imposed by the deal -- before it raised the enrichment levels to 20 and then to 60 percent in 2021, which is a short step from the 90 percent required for use in a weapon. Uranium enriched up to 20 percent can be used to produce isotopes for medical uses, for example in diagnosing certain cancers. Iran has also increased its stockpiles of enriched uranium, which was set at 202.8 kilogrammes under the deal. And Tehran has since exceeded the number of centrifuges -- the machines used to enrich uranium -- it is allowed to have while beginning to produce more material faster by using advanced models at its Natanz and Fordo plants. At the same time, the country has reduced its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog by limiting inspections, disconnecting surveillance cameras and withdrawing accreditations from several inspectors. Efforts to revive the deal have been fruitless so far, with European-led talks on hold since summer 2022. - Status quo - According to the latest IAEA report, Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium was estimated at 8,294 kilogrammes as of February, an increase of 1,690 kilogrammes since the previous quarterly report. The amount is about 41 times the limit set in the 2015 accord. The report also noted "serious concern" that Iran had an estimated 274.8 kilogrammes of uranium enriched to 60 percent, marking a clear acceleration in the rate of production. According to experts, the country now produces 35 to 40 kilogrammes of uranium enriched to 60 percent per month -- close to the 42 kilogrammes needed for one nuclear weapon, if enriched further. Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon state to enrich uranium to up to 60 percent, the IAEA says, even if the production of a nuclear bomb requires many other steps. In the coming talks, Tehran could "save face" by agreeing not to enrich uranium beyond 20 percent and by exporting most of its production up to that level, Robert Kelley, a former director of IAEA inspections, wrote in a recent column. Such a proposal would remove the "imminent weapons threat" and pave the way for a new agreement that "differs substantively" from that of 2015, according to Kelley, now an associate fellow of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Yemen rebel media says US strikes on Hodeida killed 10: new toll Hodeida, Yemen, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2025 Yemen's Huthi media said on Wednesday the number of people killed in an air strike on Hodeida the day before that they blamed on the United States has risen to 10 people. "The death toll rose to 10 as a result of the American enemy's massacre in a residential neighbourhood" of Hodeida, the Huthis' Al-Masirah TV station said. Health ministry spokesman Anis al-Asbahi had earlier said four children and two women had been killed. Huthi media said the strike had targeted a residential area in the Red Sea port city. On Tuesday night, an AFP journalist heard three loud blasts in succession. Huthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group had downed a US drone, targeted an Israeli military site in the Tel Aviv area and launched drones at aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman. Rebel-held areas of Yemen have seen near-daily strikes since Washington launched an air campaign against the Iran-backed Huthis on March 15 to force them to stop threatening vessels in key maritime routes. Since then, the Huthis have also launched attacks targeting US military ships and Israel, claiming to be acting in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The rebels began targeting ships transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as Israeli territory, after the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, later pausing their attacks during a January ceasefire. Israel cut off all supplies to Gaza at the start of March, and resumed its offensive on the Palestinian territory on March 18, ending the short-lived truce. The new US campaign followed Huthi threats to resume attacks on vessels over Israel's Gaza blockade. The Huthi attacks crippled the vital Red Sea route, which normally carries about 12 percent of world shipping traffic, forcing many companies to make a much longer detour around the tip of southern Africa. US imposes new sanctions on Iran nuclear program before talks Washington, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2025 The United States on Wednesday announced new sanctions targeting Iran's nuclear program ahead of closely watched talks on the row between the longtime adversaries. The Treasury Department said it was imposing sanctions under additional authorities on five entities including the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and one individual over the contested nuclear program. In practical terms, the move is symbolic as the United States already enforces sweeping sanctions on Iran and particularly its nuclear program, whose scientists have also been the target of an assassination campaign attributed to Israel. But the sanctions are the latest show of pressure by the United States ahead of the talks, which are set to take place Saturday in Oman. "The Iranian regime's reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons remains a grave threat to the United States and a menace to regional stability and global security," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement, vowing to "disrupt any attempt by Iran to advance its nuclear program." Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and US intelligence has not concluded that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon, saying only that the clerical state could quickly make a bomb if it chooses to do so. Trump, who ripped up an earlier nuclear accord during his first time, has voiced hope for a diplomatic solution but has repeatedly warned of the use of force if talks fail. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that military action would be "inevitable" if talks drag on too long. Iraq signs deal with US firm to produce 24,000 MW of electricity Baghdad, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2025 Iraq on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding with US energy firm GE Vernova to produce 24,000 megawatts of electricity, the government said, during a visit by an American trade delegation. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani oversaw "the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding as part of a strategic cooperation framework with GE Vernova", his office said in a statement. "The MoU covers projects to establish combined-cycle gas power plants with a total capacity of approximately 24,000 megawatts," it said. It marks "the largest and most advanced electricity generation initiative in Iraq's history," the statement said, adding that it "also includes provisions for securing external financing through major global banks". The signing comes at the conclusion of a visit to Iraq by a high-level US delegation comprising of representatives from 60 private firms. Despite sitting on large reserves of petrol and natural gas, decades of conflict and instability have ravaged Iraq's energy infrastructure. The country frequently suffers from long power cuts, particularly during the searing summer months, when temperatures often surpass 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit). To avoid power cuts, Iraq needs to boost its energy grid with an additional 55,000 megawatts during peak hours. With production currently standing at just 16,000 megawatts, the energy ministry hopes to exceed 27,000 megawatts this year. The deal also comes as Iraq seeks to diversify its energy sources away from dependence on its powerful neighbour Iran. The US administration has told Baghdad that it expects "rapid progress" in eliminating "all purchases of natural gas" from Iran. On March 8, Washington did not renew a waiver on sanctions that Iraq previously benefited from to purchase Iranian energy. "The Iraqi government has drawn up plans to guarantee its energy independence and meet the population's demand for stable, uninterrupted electricity," Farhad Alaaldin, the prime minister's advisor on foreign affairs, told AFP. The new partnership signed Wednesday "underscores the enduring relationship" between Baghdad and American companies, he said, adding that it is "capable of providing the expertise and services Iraq needs". "Iraq is a land of opportunity for major companies to operate and invest in," he said. Israel's defence minister says troops seizing 'large areas' in Gaza, expanding buffer zones Jerusalem, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2025 Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that the army was seizing large areas in Gaza and incorporating them into buffer zones cleared of their inhabitants, in a bid to force Hamas to release hostages. "Large areas are being seized and added to Israel's security zones, leaving Gaza smaller and more isolated," Katz said during a visit to the newly announced Morag Corridor between the southern Gaza cities of Rafah and Khan Yunis. In his comments, Katz said that the population of Gaza was already "evacuating from combat zones". He appealed to Gazans to force Hamas from power and return the hostages. "This is the only way to stop the war," he said, threatening that the military would "move to more intense fighting throughout Gaza until the hostages are freed and Hamas is defeated". Katz also said that Israel was working to implement US President Donald Trump's plan for the "voluntary emigration" of Gaza residents. Israel resumed intense strikes on the Gaza Strip on March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. Efforts to restore the truce have so far failed. Earlier on Wednesday, Gaza's civil defence agency said an Israeli strike on a residential building in Gaza City killed at least 23 people, including children and women. When asked by AFP about the strike, the Israeli military said it "struck a senior Hamas terrorist who was responsible for planning and executing terrorist attacks" from the area. It did not give the target's name and renewed its claim that the militant group uses "human shields", which Hamas denies. Estonian MPs approve bill to boost maritime security Tallinn, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2025 Estonia's parliament on Wednesday approved a bill meant to strengthen its maritime security by allowing the country's military to use force on any ship attacking vital naval sites or infrastructure. The bill is in response to an incident last year in which the Estlink 2 electricity cable and four telecom cables linking Finland and Estonia that lie on the Baltic seafloor were damaged. Investigators suspect the cables were damaged by the anchor of the Eagle S, a Cook Island-flagged oil tanker believed to be part of a so-called "shadow fleet" used to export Russian oil. "There's a point to every law. In this case, the reason for it is our eastern neighbour who poses a real danger to us," Estonian national security committee chairman Meelis Kiili said in parliament on Wednesday, referring to Russia. Tensions have mounted around the Baltic Sea since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Experts and politicians have said recent actions targeting vital infrastructure are part of a hybrid war between Russia and Western countries. Estonia, a small EU and NATO member, has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since the invasion. The Estonian bill still needs to be signed by the president and published in the public journal to take effect. It was approved unanimously by the 62 out of 70 lawmakers present for the vote. "The security environment around us and on the Baltic sea, which has through the ages been one of the most peaceful naval environments, is unfortunately getting worse," said lawmaker Peeter Tali. The bill's explanatory note said that to date the defence forces were mainly allowed to use force to defend Estonia's border, repel attacks on Estonian territory and intervene if the life of a civilian were in danger. It said the government initiated the bill to strengthen maritime security, allowing the defence forces to intervene in the event of danger posed by a civilian ship. Iraq signs deal with US firm to produce 24,000 MW of electricity Baghdad, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2025 Iraq on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding with US energy firm GE Vernova to produce 24,000 megawatts of electricity, the government said, during a visit by an American trade delegation. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani oversaw "the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding as part of a strategic cooperation framework with GE Vernova", his office said in a statement. "The MoU covers projects to establish combined-cycle gas power plants with a total capacity of approximately 24,000 megawatts," it said. It marks "the largest and most advanced electricity generation initiative in Iraq's history," the statement said, adding that it "also includes provisions for securing external financing through major global banks". The signing comes at the conclusion of a visit to Iraq by a high-level US delegation comprising representatives from 60 private firms. Iraq has been trying to move past decades of war and unrest, including a sectarian struggle after the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. Decades of conflict have ravaged its infrastructure, resulting in chronic power cuts, particularly during the searing summer months, when temperatures often reach 50 Celsius (122 Fahrenheit). Despite sitting on large reserves of petrol and natural gas, Iraq's power plants are currently highly dependent on gas imported from Iran, which provides about a third of its neighbour's energy needs. Baghdad has repeatedly said it aims to diversify energy sources away from dependence on Iran, which has often cut supplies. The US administration has also urged Baghdad to eliminate "all purchases of natural gas" from Iran. On March 8, it did not renew a waiver on sanctions that Iraq previously benefited from to purchase electricity from Iran. - 'Energy independence' - Steve Lutes, who led the US trade delegation to Iraq, said "we think that we can compete with anyone when given a level playing field". "American companies want to lean into, you know, ideas of energy diversification and economic diversification," he added during an event in Baghdad. There are "a lot of opportunities in oil and gas, and we want US companies pursuing those". Iraq, which is both a major ally to Iran as well as a strategic partner for the US, has for years negotiated a delicate balancing act between the two foes. The new electricity deal coincides with US President Donald Trump's announcement that his administration will start talks with Iran over its nuclear programme. Farhad Alaaldin, the prime minister's advisor on foreign affairs, told AFP: "The Iraqi government has drawn up plans to guarantee its energy independence and meet the population's demand for stable, uninterrupted electricity." To avoid power cuts, Iraq needs to produce 55,000 megawatts during peak hours. With production currently standing at just 16,000 megawatts, the energy ministry hopes to exceed 27,000 megawatts this summer. Iraq also signed on Wednesday a memorandum of understanding with UGTRenewable Group to build a solar power project with a capacity of 3,000 megawatts, and to develop up to 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) of high-voltage lines. In a post on X, the US embassy in Baghdad said it was "proud that US companies GE Vernova and UGT Renewables signed agreements worth billions... to address Iraq's energy needs". The new agreements comes amid fears of an international recession after Trump imposed sweeping global tariffs, including 39 percent duties on Iraqi imports. According to the office of the US trade representative in Iraq, total goods trade with the oil-rich country reached $9.1 billion in 2024. tgg/rh/jsa Israel says seizing 'large areas' of Gaza as strike kills 23 Gaza City, Palestinian Territories, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2025 Israel said Wednesday its troops were seizing "large areas" in Gaza and making the Palestinian territory "smaller and more isolated", as an air strike on a residential block killed at least 23 people. Defence Minister Israel Katz's comments come weeks into a renewed offensive by the military on the war-battered territory, which has displaced hundreds of thousands, while an aid blockade has revived the spectre of famine for its 2.4 million people. French President Emmanuel Macron meanwhile said that France plans to recognise a Palestinian state in the "coming months", a move that risks antagonising Israel which insists such moves by foreign states are premature. Katz said that "large areas are being seized and added to Israel's security zones, leaving Gaza smaller and more isolated", during a visit to the newly announced Morag Corridor between the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Yunis. Katz emphasised that Israel would keep increasing pressure on Gaza "until the hostages are freed and Hamas is defeated". Katz also said that Israel was encouraging plans for "voluntary emigration... in accordance with the vision of the US president, which we are working to implement". US President Donald Trump had earlier this year proposed a plan to develop Gaza into a "Riviera of the Middle East" while displacing its population elsewhere. Gaza's civil defence agency meanwhile said an Israeli air strike on a residential building in Gaza City killed at least 23 people, most of them children or women, while the military said it targeted a "senior Hamas" militant. The strike took place in the Shujaiya neighbourhood of Gaza City, the agency's spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP. "There are still people trapped under the rubble," he said. - 'Torn to pieces' - Ayub Salim, a 26-year-old Shujaiya resident, told AFP that the area was hit with "multiple missiles" and was "overcrowded with tents, displaced people and homes". "Dust and massive destruction filled the entire place, we couldn't see anything, just the screams and panic of the people." Salim said the dead were "torn to pieces". A crew from the Gaza civil defence agency rushed to the scene, only to find several people trapped under the rubble, a rescuer said. "This house was home to many people who believed they were safe. It was blown up over their heads," rescuer Ibrahim Abu al-Rish told AFP. "We pulled out the remains of women and children. There are still people buried under the rubble," he said. First responders and neighbours worked to break through the concrete floor of an entire storey that collapsed in the strike and trapped residents, AFP footage showed. Taking turns swinging a sledgehammer through the thick, hard surface, they eventually broke a hole through which the bodies of children were extracted and taken away wrapped in dusty blankets. - 'Move towards recognition' - When asked by AFP about the strike, the Israeli military said it "struck a senior Hamas terrorist who was responsible for planning and executing terrorist attacks" from the area. It did not give the target's name. Hamas condemned the strike as one of the "most heinous acts of genocide." Israel resumed intense strikes on the Gaza Strip on March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. Efforts to restore the truce have so far failed. The health ministry in the Hamas-run territory said on Wednesday that at least 1,482 Palestinians have been killed in the renewed Israeli operations, taking the overall death toll since the start of the war to 50,846. Hamas's October 2023 attack that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. The strike came as CIA chief John Ratcliffe visited Jerusalem on Wednesday, days before the US holds nuclear talks with Iran and amid continued attempts to revive a ceasefire in Gaza. Meanwhile, Macron said France could recognise a Palestinian state as early as June. "We must move towards recognition, and we will do so in the coming months," Macron told France 5 television. "I believe that at some point it will be right and because I also want to participate in a collective dynamic, which must also allow all those who defend Palestine to recognise Israel in turn, which many of them do not do," he added. Palestinian minister of state for foreign affairs Varsen Aghabekian Shahin told AFP that France's recognition of Palestinian statehood "would be a step in the right direction in line with safeguarding the rights of the Palestinian people and the two state solution". April 5, 2025 Recently, the United States has imposed tariffs on all its trading partners, including China, under various pretexts. This severely infringes upon the legitimate rights and interests of all countries, severely violates World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, severely undermines the rules-based multilateral trading system, and severely disrupts the globaleconomic order. The Chinese government strongly condemns and resolutely opposes such move. By taking such action, the United States defies the fundamental laws of economics and market principles, disregards the balanced outcomes achieved through multilateral trade negotiations, ignores the fact that the U.S. has long benefited substantially from international trade, and weaponizes tariffs to exert maximum pressure for selfish interests. This is a typical act of unilateralism, protectionism and economic bullying. Under the guise of reciprocity and fairness, the United States is playing a zero-sum game to pursue in essence America First and American exceptionalism. It attempts to exploit tariffs to subvert the existing international economic and trade order, put U.S. interests above the common good of the international community, and advance U.S. hegemonic ambitions at the cost of the legitimate interests of all countries. Such action will inevitably face widespread opposition from the international community. China is an ancient civilization and a land of propriety and righteousness. The Chinese people value sincerity and good faith. We do not provoke trouble, nor are we intimidated by it. Pressuring and threatening are not the right way in dealing with China. China has taken and will continue to take resolute measures to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and development interests. China-U.S. economic relations should be mutually beneficial and win-win in nature. The United States should go along with the shared aspiration of the peoples of the two countries and the world, and, minding the fundamental interests of the two countries, stop using tariffs as a weapon to suppress China economically and stop undermining the legitimate development rights of the Chinese people. As the second largest economy and second largest market for consumer goods, China is committed to opening ever wider to the world, no matter how the international situation changes. We will continue to advance high-standard opening up. We will steadily expand institutional opening up in rules, regulations, management, and standards. We will implement high-standard policies for trade and investment liberalization and facilitation. We will foster a first-class market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment. And we will share our development opportunities with the world to achieve mutual benefits. Economic globalization is the only way to human progress. The WTO-centered, rules-based multilateral trading system has been critical in promoting global trade, economic growth and sustainable development. Openness and cooperation are a historical trend. The world will not, and should not, return to mutual isolation or fragmentation. The whole world aspires for win-win cooperation. Economic bullying that shifts risks onto others will ultimately backfire. Making economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all is a shared responsibility of the international community. Development is an inalienable right of all countries, not the exclusive privilege of a few. International affairs should be addressed through consultation, and the future of the world should be decided by all countries. There are no winners in trade or tariff wars. Protectionism is a dead end. All countries should uphold the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefit. They should practice true multilateralism, jointly oppose all forms of unilateralism and protectionism, and defend the U.N.-centered international system and the WTO-centered multilateral trading system. We are confident that the vast majority of countries, committed to fairness and justice, will stand on the right side of history and act in their best interests. The world must embrace fairness and reject hegemonism! Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak held a phone conversation with National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Jonathan Powell. They discussed the security situation and joint efforts with partners to achieve peace for Ukraine, the press service of the President of Ukraine reported on Tuesday. The primary focus of the conversation was the security situation and joint efforts with partners aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace for Ukraine. In particular, both sides highlighted the importance of last weeks visit to Ukraine by the Chiefs of Defense of France and the United Kingdom, the message reads. Yermak and Powell also discussed the implementation of the agreements reached between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Additionally, the parties discussed the need to step up efforts on the humanitarian track with the involvement of international mediators. This includes securing the release of all military and civilian prisoners, as well as the return of Ukrainian children illegally deported and displaced by Russia. Hegseth says US could 'revive' Panama troop deployments Panama City, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2025 US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday floated the idea of US troops returning to Panama to "secure" its strategically vital canal, a suggestion that would face fierce local opposition. During a visit to Panama, Hegseth suggested that "by invitation" the United States could "revive" military bases or naval air stations and rotate deployments of US troops to an isthmus the United States invaded 35 years ago. Since coming to power in January, President Donald Trump has claimed that China has too much influence over the canal, which handles about 40 percent of US container traffic and five percent of world trade. His administration has also vowed to "take back" control of the interoceanic waterway that the US funded, built and controlled until 1999. Hegseth on Wednesday suggested the slew of former US military bases that dot Panama could again be used to host US troops. He said a deal signed deal with Panama this week was an "opportunity to revive, whether it's the military base, naval air station, locations where US troops can work with Panamanian troops to enhance capabilities and cooperate in a rotational way." Hegseth cited the possibility of "joint exercises" but the mention of a "rotational" force is likely to raise the hackles of Panamanians, for whom sole ownership of the canal is a source of intense national pride. The US has long participated in military exercises in Panama, but a longer-term rotational force -- like the one the US maintains in Darwin, Australia -- would be politically toxic for Panama's center-right leader Jose Raul Mulino. The chairmen of the European Parliament's parliamentary committees and members of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine discussed the ongoing cooperation between the two institutions to prepare Ukraine for future accession to the EU during a second remote meeting, the European Parliament's website dedicated to supporting Ukraine reported on Tuesday. Ukraines rightful place is in the European family. Ukraine has proven with significant progress on reforms that they are ready for these accelerated accession talks to move further, and our Parliaments response is equally clear: our Union must continue to move ahead with even more resolve and action, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said. Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk thanked the EU and the European Parliament in particular for their leadership and support for Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. He also pointed to Ukraine's determined efforts to make progress on the path to European integration, adding: We are fully committed to the reform process. During the meeting, MEPs and their Ukrainian colleagues called on the European Union to continue to provide assistance to Ukraine, including through the confiscation of frozen Russian assets, and to ensure justice for Russian war crimes. Which hasnt stopped him playing with it of course, and indeed what we have here in this retrospective of the British artist is a vivid demonstration of trying to make sense of life and death but with tools that simply arent up to the job. This digital world we live in, with computers increasingly taking over more and more aspects of our lives, and into which we now willingly put our time, money and heart and souls (births, loves, illnesses, deaths even, posted for all the world or its algorithms to see/like) is both highly advanced and quite crap. ChatGPT is astonishing and also quite rubbishy. You can get yourself an AI girlfriend who will chatbot you loving/sexy things, but its hardly convincing is it? Its all a bit tragic. Less Neuromancer, more Abba Voyage. 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 We have been working tirelessly with colleagues across government to ensure our sanctions enforcement regime is both effective and efficient, and to give the right tools to our law enforcement agencies to be able to take robust action when necessary. However, she has set herself the target of visiting all Spoons by the time she is 30 and has been documenting each visit on TikTok under the handle @charlsaurus, where thousands of people have become engrossed in her thoughts on the 13 pubs she has rated so far. So I am here today with one purpose: to reaffirm the deep friendship between the United Kingdom and Italy, and to pledge to do all in my power to strengthen that friendship even further in the time that is granted to me as King, he said. The spot where he was found is by a road leading to the Sierra Nevada stadium, which was the host ground for football matches at the 2017 Bolivarian Games and is the home stadium of local side Union Magdalena. A meeting was held at the Child Rights Protection Center in Kyiv between representatives of Ukraine involved in the return of Ukrainian children deported and forcibly displaced by Russia and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, reported on the website of the official Internet representative of the President of Ukraine on Tuesday. Belgiums presence in the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children is a powerful gesture of solidarity. And today, we are counting on Belgiums practical support in implementing real projects, particularly in the reintegration of returned children, noted the communications adviser to the head of the Presidents Office of Ukraine, Daria Zarivna. She reminded attendees that President Zelenskyys Bring Kids Back UA initiative is aimed at the return of all Ukrainian children who were illegally deported or forcibly displaced, and at establishing a new global agenda for the protection of children in armed conflicts. In particular, the meeting included discussion of potential Belgian support for several initiatives: the creation of a Child and Family Support Center that would serve as a temporary reception point for children returning to Ukraine and provide emergency services; the Return the Family program focused on reuniting children with their families or placing them with Ukrainian foster families; and the modernization of a rehabilitation center in the Chernivtsi region for children with disabilities and ensuring their physical and psychosocial recovery. Advisor, Presidential Commissioner for Childrens Rights and Child Rehabilitation Daria Herasymchuk emphasized the importance of the UN Security Councils Children and Armed Conflict mechanism, which documents grave violations of children's rights in war zones. Russia has already appeared twice on the 'list of shame' for its crimes. This year, it must be listed for a third time after which, within this mechanism, the UN Security Council is to begin applying special sanctions against the Russian Federation, she stressed. The Prime Minister of Belgium spoke with children who had been successfully returned to Ukraine. They shared their personal stories of what they endured and their dreams of living in a free Ukraine. Photo: https://www.facebook.com/RedCrossUkraine Volunteers of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) provided assistance to victims of the Russian drone attack on Dnipro and Kharkiv at night. Dnipro. The Ukrainian Red Cross emergency response team volunteers in Dnipropetrovsk region promptly responded to the scene following another attack. They provided psychological first aid to eight victims, URCS said on Facebook Wednesday. The Ukrainian Red Cross emergency response team in Kharkiv region was on the ground at the sites of the strikes. Volunteers inspected the damaged buildings and surrounding areas to identify victims, provided first aid, and offered psychological first aid to those affected. Three of the injured were transported to medical facilities in the city. The team from the Kharkiv regional branch of the Ukrainian Red Cross is currently assessing the needs of the affected people and preparing to distribute humanitarian aid, including OSB boards, tarpaulins, hygiene kits, and water to help people recover from the tragedy. According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, 15 people were injured in Dnipro city as a result of the drone attack. Private homes, multi-storey residential buildings, cars, and businesses were damaged. According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, at least two people were injured in a massive drone attack. Civilian infrastructure was damaged, including warehouses, industrial buildings, and service stations. Ukrainian-born Republican member of the US House of Representatives Victoria Spartz notes that Ukraine will not recognize the currently occupied territories as the Russian Federation, but will be able to achieve a temporary solution to the war with the Russian Federation with the help of the USA and decide its final outcome later, according to her page on the U.S. parliament website. The current reality on the ground is that Ukraine is not in the position to retake its territories, nor could they agree to give them up permanently. Therefore, only a temporary solution with the help of the United States can be achieved, which will give each side some time to regroup. The end result of that war will have to be decided later and not just on a battlefield, Spartz noted. At the same time, she called media reports in which her words were interpreted as a demand that Ukraine give up its own territories a distortion of her true position. The congresswoman also criticized both Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. I spent an enormous amount of energy trying to help the Ukrainian military to win their brutal fight against Russia, she said. As reported, the British publication of The Telegraph reported on Monday that Spartz allegedly believes that Ukrainians should come to terms with the transfer of their territories to the Russian Federation, and also demand the resignation of Volodymyr Zelenskyy as head of state. I just dont see how they (Ukraine) can be positioned to demand to keep the land. If they would be winning the war, that will be very different, the ezine quoted her as saying. Spartz also stated that the best thing is to win wars as fast as you can. As long as it takes usually doesnt end very well for Democracies. It was previously reported that at the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Spartz was an active supporter of US support for Ukraine, but last year she voted against the $61 billion aid package, accusing the Ukrainian government of alleged corruption and providing no evidence for her words. Before that, the House of Representatives rejected her amendments, in which Spartz proposed removing four provisions from the bill that would have allowed the White House to provide Ukraine with weapons directly from US military warehouses. Interim President Ilie Bolojan on Wednesday said politicians must create conditions for foreign investors to continue developing in Romania, stressing that performance should be rewarded and lack of performance should be penalised. "What we need to do, I believe, as politicians, is to create conditions so that you can continue to develop. I have said it before: I believe that a country is not changed by a government or a president, but a country is changed by the people of that country and the companies that invest there. But we also have the obligation to create conditions, to create predictability, to create conditions so that performance is rewarded, and the lack of work or performance is penalised, and to have good rules. And I believe these are the basic elements we can rely on," said Ilie Bolojan at the "FIC CEOs: Romania on the Investment Map" event, organised by the Foreign Investors Council (FIC) at the Cotroceni Palace. He thanked foreign businesspeople for the investments they made in the country. "Because if Romania has changed in these years, it is the result of the combination between Romanian investments and foreign ones made in Romania. And, as an administrator, having managed a smaller city in western Romania for 12 years, I know the value of an investment because it does not mean just an investment for the profit of those making it, but it means technology transfer, it means jobs, it means taxes and fees, and it means better living conditions for our communities. And I thank you, I am grateful for what you have done in Romania over these years," said the interim president. Ilie Bolojan pointed out that Romania is in a rather complicated economic context. "But I hope there will be wisdom to overcome these times, just as we have overcome other more complicated stages," added the head of state. The event at Cotroceni was also attended by President of the Foreign Investors Council Daniel Anghel, who said that foreign investments account for approximately 35% of Romania's GDP in 2024. "At the same time, with the help of these investments, the economy has grown significantly over the past ten years, from 36 to 355 billion euros - in 2024," he said. Anghel also pointed out that 51% of the turnover of companies in Romania is represented by foreign capital. He mentioned that exports related to foreign direct investments represent approximately 69% of total exports, and companies with foreign capital employ over 1.3 million employees and invest approximately 1.5% more than the national average. The Foreign Investors Council president indicated that FIC members had a total contribution to the state budget of approximately 82 billion lei in 2023, which represents over 18% of the state's collected revenue. "Member companies transferred to the Romanian budget VAT and excises amounting to approximately 31% of the total indirect taxes and fees collected by the state budget, and the investments of the companies from the Foreign Investors Council represent 43% of public capital, according to the execution of the consolidated budget, while payments made by FIC to the state budget in 2023 - an important figure - covered more than half of the personnel expenses in the public sector," added Anghel. He mentioned that, in March, data showed a slowdown in investments due to political uncertainties, the geopolitical context, the budget deficit and fiscal uncertainties. "The capital investments planned by FIC members are somewhat reduced, unfortunately comparable to the situation six years ago during the pandemic," said Anghel, who called for predictability, transparency and legislative clarity. Due to Sybiha's initiative 32 heads, reps of diplomatic missions, visit site of Russian attack on Kryvyi Rih Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, after Russia killed nine children with a cluster munition strike on Kryvyi Rih, invited foreign ambassadors to Ukraine to personally visit the site of this war crime. I thank 32 heads and representatives of diplomatic missions for their brave visit organised by Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, paying tribute to 9 kids and 11 adults killed in Kryvyi Rih on that day, and talking to the relatives of the murdered children, he said on X. Sybiha noted the importance of foreign diplomats seeing the consequences of Russias criminal terrorism with their own eyes. We are working with our partners to provide Kryvyi Rih with additional support. Thank you for sharing our pain, the minister stressed. The celebration of the Roma ethnicity represents, every time, an opportunity to reflect on their identity and discover their traditions, which enrich the culture, interim President Ilie Bolojan said on Tuesday. He delivered a message on the occasion of the International Roma Day and the celebration of the Roma ethnicity in Romania. "On the occasion of the International Roma Day and the celebration of the Roma ethnicity in Romania, I send my congratulations, wishes of health and prosperity to all Romanian citizens of Roma ethnicity. Today, we celebrate an ethnicity that has been deeply tested by history, which, despite its difficult path toward freedom and emancipation, has played an important role in achieving Romania's national goals and in strengthening our country's European journey," underscored Bolojan in a message presented by State Advisor Catalina Galer during an event organised for this occasion in Bucharest. According to Ilie Bolojan, the Roma ethnicity celebration represents, every time, an opportunity to reflect on their identity and discover their traditions, which enrich the culture. "It is a good opportunity to recognize the Roma personalities who, through talent and creativity, have promoted a valuable and original heritage worldwide. At the same time, we honor the memory of the Roma who sacrificed themselves in the critical moments of history to fulfill the ideals of national unity and freedom, in the spirit of a fraternity that deserves to be honoured with the same devotion. The full integration of the Roma and the elimination of social and economic gaps are major goals for which we have the responsibility to mobilize our energies. In this way, we build together the Romania we want, a country where respecting values and supporting all communities ensures performance and well-being, a nation of unity in diversity, where every citizen matters," the interim president's message reads. He emphasised that this Roma celebration is a suitable occasion to remind everyone that society develops only through constant and consistent dialogue between ethnicities and cultures, in an environment of stability and solidarity. "We are going through a period with unprecedented challenges, which risk deepening distrust and divisions, proliferating extremist, racist and xenophobic speech and actions. We must respond to these manifestations by promoting knowledge, dialogue and tolerance. We will only succeed if we cultivate together, through education and civic involvement, pluralism, equality of opportunity for everyone to have a dignified life in a democratic and inclusive society," Bolojan further conveyed. A feasibility study for the high-voltage direct current interconnector (HVDC) that will cross Romania from the Black Sea coast to the Hungarian border has been completed and confirms the technical feasibility and economic viability of the project, according to the Romanian Ministry of Energy. The project, developed by Transelectrica, together with TAQA (Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC), Meridiam (France) and E-INFRA (Romania), is supported by the Ministry of Energy. The study, carried out by the Italian company CESI - an international leader in energy engineering and research - confirms the technical feasibility and economic viability of the project, underlining its strategic importance for regional and European energy security, according to a press statement released by the Ministry of Energy on Wednesday. "The completion of the feasibility study for the HVDC project is an important achievement and marks an essential step in transforming Romania into a regional energy hub and a strategic player in Europe's energy security. It is one of the most important energy infrastructure projects of the next decade for our country. That's why I said clearly: we don't have time to lose. We will speed up all the necessary steps for Romania to become a net exporter of clean energy and a pillar of stability in the region," Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja is quoted as saying in the statement. The minister added that the project is vital for the modernisation and balancing of Romania's electricity transmission network and will ensure the transmission of significant amounts of electricity that will be generated following the completion of Romania's strategic investments in Units 3 and 4 of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant, as well as in the offshore and onshore wind projects in the Dobrogea area. "At the international level, the project contributes to strengthening the integration of the regional and European energy market and increasing the security of supply of consumption in the South-East of Europe, supporting the increase of the possibilities of exporting electricity to neighbouring countries. The project is an integral part of the Green Corridor, which will connect Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary, as well as other countries in the region. Under this project, we are taking another important step in achieving the objective for which we work every day at the Ministry of Energy: safe energy at affordable prices for Romanians and green economy and energy - in this order of priorities," added Burduja. The HVDC system is a state-of-the-art technology in the transmission of electricity, allowing the transmission of large amounts of energy over long distances, with minimal losses. The planned route will connect the Black Sea to Romania's western border, passing through Bucharest, and will connect with the energy networks of Hungary and other European states. Basically, the project transforms Romania into a real energy corridor, with an essential role in the continental electricity grid. One of the innovative elements of the project is the use of existing infrastructure corridors, such as those of the BRUA and Tuzla-Podisor gas pipelines. This approach allows to significantly reduce the time it takes to get permits, cut costs and reduce environmental impact. It is said to be a smart and efficient solution that leverages the assets already available and can be a model for future energy investments. The high-voltage direct current interconnector will allow the transmission of green energy, produced in Romania - including from the future offshore wind farms in the Black Sea - to consumers in the country and in other European states. At the same time, it will allow Romania to benefit from green energy produced in Azerbaijan when there is a deficit in the national grid. The project will contribute to the modernisation of the national energy transmission system and will position Romania as a strategic energy hub in the region. In addition, the project is compatible with other major European infrastructure initiatives, such as SuedLink or NordLink, and will support the formation of an interconnected energy network from the Black Sea to the North Sea. "Under this project, Romania capitalises on its own energy potential and actively contributes to the energy security of the European Union. The HVDC interconnector strengthens regional cooperation, supports market stability and provides a more predictable framework for energy prices, with direct benefits for end consumers. The project marks an essential stage in the national energy transition strategy and reconfirms the commitment of the Ministry of Energy to transform Romania into a regional clean energy leader." The National Cathedral is monumental also for the unique occurrences in the history of its construction, says Father Nicolae Cringasu, coordinating patriarchal councillor at the Monuments and Church Constructions of the Romanian Christian Orthodox Patriarchate, who confessed that he permanently felt, during the execution of the works, "the hand of God building His house." On Tuesday, after mounting the cross on the large cupola of the National Cathedral, the priest gave AGERPRES details about the works being carried out on this edifice. "Mounting the cross - seven metres high and weighing seven tonnes - on the large cupola, was now done for reasons of organising the technological-engineering flow throughout the site, especially works above the plus 45 level, which is the level of the Cathedral nave. (...) The tower crane that we had until the other day would not allow mounting the cross, because, in rotation, it would have collided with it. The other day, according to the graphs, with the 650-ton crawler crane we dismantled the former tower crane, and we lifted and mounted the cross on the large cupola in position," explained the coordinator of the work team on the construction site of the National Cathedral. The cleric said that all the crosses on the towers of the National Cathedral were manufactured in Germany. "They were made by the Strassacker company, and they had an engineering, so to speak, professional, special approach. The doors to the cathedral, 27 large bronze doors, were made by the same company. After I had, the opportunity to try about 10 or 12 companies in Austria and Germany, I chose this one. From the beginning I want to tell you that both the crosses and the doors were designed and executed with a lot of responsibility and respect, so to say, for Romanian Christian Orthodoxy in that everything I asked of them they did. I felt that they did so, as if from the bottom of their heart and with the desire to offer us the best product in terms of engineering quality," said Father Cringasu. For those who are involved in building the cathedral, mounting the cross on the Pantocrator Cupola is, first of all, a joy, for placing the "Holy Cross in its place, in the highest place of the church, as it should be." "Secondly, it marks the end, to a very large extent, of the works in the air, which are more difficult to execute than those on the ground. Tuesday inaugurated a stage of other works that we have to do until October, when the day of the consecration of the National Cathedral is scheduled. These many other works that we still have to do (...) are carried out by many contractors, by many construction companies, which we, the coordination team of the Romanian Patriarchate here on the site, myself and my fellow engineers, have tried to coordinate. Even if they may not know each other, they must work in full technological harmonisation, because if the schedule of the works is not followed, if one is late, it confuses everyone," the priest said. Father Cringasu said that inside the cathedral there are still installation works to be carried out, up to the highest levels, but also plastering works and then painting. "The installation works are extremely difficult, and we hope to complete them until before the consecration, when we have to make the reception with the authorities, so that we can also have the safety approval for operating as a place of worship. People should enter the cathedral, as in any church," he explained. About the painting, the priest said that "a huge volume of works" still needs to be done. "We have to make in 18 months a painted surface that we did in 60 months. In five years, we made 6,400 square metres of painting. And now, in a year and a half, from January 2024 to this summer, we have to make 6,200 more. And even more than that, I think, because we will exceed that. The paintings, besides the fact that they are very beautiful and very special and resistant in time - a mosaic lasts for thousands of years - besides that, they are in an incredibly large volume. You almost can't believe that this team of painters has to paint 360 square metres every month, at least, so that the painting can be done in the entire area of the nave before the moment of consecration," said Cringasu. However, there will be works to be completed after the consecration of the cathedral as well. "In depth, we have only been able to do the works that are necessary for the operation of those at zero level. For example, if we have a pipe that is needed at zero elevation, but also passes through the lower elevations, we had to do it. But otherwise, nothing more, because neither the budget nor the time allowed us. They will remain after the consecration, let's see when we can complete the lower levels. For now, we have only dealt with the zero level. In addition to these installations, we also have inside plasters and floors and wall cladding up to a certain level, about 2.30 m from the floor, underfloor heating as well," the priest explained. About the two porticoes through which visitors can enter the cathedral, father Cringasu said that only "the two straight lines" are built as a resistance structure in concrete. "The others, arched ones, are finished as a resistance structure, but we are now working on their roofs. And in the westernmost part, at the main entrance to the courtyard of the cathedral, we have two towers, two higher domes, which take over these two arched porticoes and which, at the moment, are also under construction. We have just put the resistance structure of the roof, we are going to coat them completely, to plaster them. We would like them to be plastered before the consecration, if possible, or at least to primer paint them in the colour of the cathedral, so that they do not look like just concrete," he said. "From the very beginning, when we dug the pit for the main sill plate, we had a very large pit to excavate, almost 20 metres high, and supporting its walls, for example, with mulled walls, was a great challenge at that time. That's because we had four rows of anchors, we reduced one row of anchors, because from the calculations it seemed that it could be done, we did it, although there was a risk that it would give way, that the mulled wall would tilt, but, with God's help, everything went very well. Then at the main sill plate we were surprised to find that it is sitting in a groundwater table, at about 60 centimetres, and we had to take drastic measures against water penetrating the structure. Later on, we had another big challenge related to the construction of the nave of the cathedral, which is 120 metres long. For such length, you must necessarily have settlement joints, from place to place, which cut your building completely, from top to bottom, to work separately in case of an earthquake. However, we could not do that," the priest said. He explained that, in an earthquake, "if it is not divided into several components, a mastodon self-destructs with tectonic movements." "For example, Anca Petrescu, the main architect of the People's House, the current House of Parliament, told me that the building is composed of 25 totally distinct bodies, which we do not see. We see that it's a house, but in an earthquake, they would act like that. In Romania, imagine that the challenge for the design engineers was very big, because we could not make settlement joints, to divide the church into three, cut from top to bottom. We have paintings, it's a long room. A solution was found, but with a lot of turmoil. Also, our engineering calculations indicated that a tall building, if it is well designed and well made, should swing 120 centimetres and return to its initial position without destroying itself in a 9.0-magnitude earthquake. Calculations show that in the case of our cathedral, which is 125 metres above the ground, in an earthquake, God forbid, of 9 magnitude the swing need to be only 30 centimetres, instead of 120, which is extraordinary stability," said Father Cringasu. Also the 25.5-tonne large bell of the National Cathedral saw a first, Cringasu told us. "It was made at the Grassmayr company in Austria, which had been making bells for 500 years, with great precision, with great art. This company through collaboration with two brass universities, one in Austria and one in Germany, has been making carillons. (...) After they cast the bell it always doesn't come out on a desired note. That is, instead of A, G can come out, for example, or B can come out. As a result, they say that they tune the bell, as instrumentalists tune their instruments. In the case of this large bell, weighing 25,196 kilograms, Grassmayr told us that it is the first time in the history of the company when it came out directly on the C note in the zero range. No need for tuning. So, from that calculation, this is neither engineering precision nor chance. It is the hand of God, in my humble opinion. The bell exists there. And, once again, they told us that they had never had such a case before. They expected that, when they had casted it, they would take it out, toll it, and see what sounds came out, and then tune it. And there was no need at all," the priest said. He confessed that he permanently felt, during the execution of the works at the National Cathedral, "the hand of God building His house." "I have told you about only a few of the special occurrences. Finally, I would like to tell you that the hand of God building His house I have personally felt, as a priest, and I am convinced that my fellow engineers, thousands of times in this construction site, felt the same in emergencies related to organisation, to something. For example, the metal sheet supplier has problems. He doesn't have it anymore; his factory has burned down or something happened. He can no longer provide them to you, and it rains on us in the church, and we had to find a quick solution, which seemed impossible. By insisting and doing, with the help of God, we overcame these incredible moments, which are not related to engineering performance, but to the actual work on site," the cleric said. On the construction site of the Cathedral, occupational safety rules are followed. "No people died here. Again, thank God. We have been very rigorous about following the occupational safety rules. I asked everyone to always be prepared, with a helmet, vest, boots, with everything they need on site. Especially the construction workers, because they sometimes try to undress in the summer, when it is hot. I have always told them: please follow the rules to the core, otherwise we will not allow you on the construction site. Thank God, that nothing bad happened, as it happens on other large construction sites, where workers die or fall off the scaffolding. Let us thank the Lord from the bottom of our hearts that this, in my opinion, is a clear proof of His presence here, which has helped us not to have the death of people on our hands. It would have not our fault, but you couldn't help but think someone might fall of the scaffolding of the church we are building," Cringasu said. The large cupola also seems "a miracle" to Father Cringasu. "It is large, it is high relative to the body of the cathedral, to the other towers, seen from the ground up... Its volume, its diameter, everything that means that expresses an architectural message seems overwhelmingly beautiful to me. And I know that it is difficult to manage to match the volumes, the ratio between height and volume, or the footprint to the ground so that everything is very beautiful. Here it seems to me that this relationship between the large cupola nd the rest of the edifice and everything that this ensemble means is extraordinarily successful," he pointed out. He never thought of giving up coordinating the work team on the construction site of the National Cathedral. "I didn't think about giving up, because I was extremely attached to this work. I would become extremely attached to all the churches I built. I did the first one in '89, under the communists, with problems, in seven months, in Calarasi, where my first parish was. I'm glad when a wall is concreted (...). And this connection doesn't allow me anything else, if you can believe me, neither medically nor with my family, I don't have time anymore. I'm completely here. I would not leave here willingly unless there comes a time when - the cemetery is full of irreplaceable people, as they say - someone has to continue, to do, and I hope he loves as much or more than I do, if possible, the House of the Lord and what is happening here. It is very dear to me. Especially because I have been with this team since 1994 for the construction of the People's Salvation Cathedral. We had, so to speak, the bitterness of the failures of the past, of the old years, when they would keep on changing the site of the cathedral. (...) I was even talking to the Patriarch the other day that another proposal was made, in 2007, to move the cathedral from here, from where it is, to another place. But when I see that that it is finally been made, it becomes dear to my heart. I love it!", confessed the priest. About the place where the services that are currently celebrated in the Historic Cathedral on the Hill of Joy will take place and about the status of the building after the consecration of the National Cathedral, Father Nicolae Cringasu showed that, probably, the old place will remain the Metropolitan Cathedral. "I don't know. His Eminence Patriarch Daniel always reminds us about the so-called provisional states in Romanians - that that historic cathedral was a monastery church at its beginning. Subsequently, when the Metropolitan Bishopric of Wallachia was established, it was declared a metropolitan cathedral, provisionally, until the Cathedral of the Metropolitan Bishopric was built. Once again, it was a monastery church in the beginning. When the Romanian Patriarchate was founded, it was declared the patriarchal cathedral, provisionally, until it was built... and this provisional state lasted hundreds of years. As a result, it will probably remain the metropolitan cathedral or I don't know. (...) It is clear, from the moment it is put into use, the building here will be called the National Cathedral, the Patriarchal Cathedral, because it is so, it is made for the Romanian Patriarchate, from the beginning, not like the others," the priest stressed. He recounted the case of a hostile protester of the cathedral's construction site, who, after visiting it in 2018, became a supporter of it. "Standing here, day and night, for so many years, I have seen many cases, without naming names, of people who have challenged it hostilely: 'look how ugly it is!' and, when they came to see it, they changed their opinion. They said, 'I really needed to!' There was a case of someone really hating this church. When I went to the General Town Hall for various approvals and he saw me there, dressed as a priest, he would handed me leaflets protesting the People's Salvation Cathedral. That man, that person, I heard, from witnesses, I didn't see him, but several people told me that he stayed, in 2018, five hours, in the cold, in line, to enter the Cathedral Altar. And after that, he became a supporter of it. So, whoever is against it clearly does not have enough information, personal experience with this miracle of God, which is the National Cathedral," he said. The clergyman considers that the new place is not as big as commonly believed. "We are not filling up Romania with cathedrals. We didn't have any. Some wondered why it should have been so big. You'll see how small it is. How small it is when it will be full of people and there will be no spare room. That's why we made the front platform. Because it is clear that, considering how many people come only to Saint Demetrius, now, in autumn, in Bucharest - you have seen them sitting in the streets, on the sidewalk, at the fountains in front of the Unirea store, because they have no place in the church. So, it's small, it's not big, compared with how faithful Romanians are and how practicing they are in terms of their ancestral, Christian Orthodox faith," Father Cringasu concluded. The foundation stone laying ceremony and the consecration of the site for the construction of the National Cathedral, also called the People's Salvation Cathedral, took place on November 29, 2007. The names of 350,000 well-known Romanian heroes of all times are inscribed at the foot of the Holy Table. The total area covered in mosaic will stretch over 25,000 square metres, and there will be 10,000 pebbles (tesserae) in each square metre of painting; Spanning 406.98 square meters, its iconostasis will be the largest Orthodox iconostasis in the world. There will also be 392 windows. The 120-m high cathedral will have 27 electrically controlled doors equipped with fire safety systems. The National Cathedral will be consecrated on Sunday, October 26, by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople and Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Christian Orthodox Church. In 2025, it is 140 years since the Romanian Christian Orthodox Church was recognised as an autocephalous church and 100 years since it was promoted to the rank of Patriarchate. The National Company Bucharest Airports (CNAB) has launched a tender for the design of the new terminal of the "Henri Coanda" Airport and the related airport infrastructure, a contract estimated at approximately 40 million euros. According to a CNAB press release sent to AGERPRES on Wednesday, this is the largest and most complex airport infrastructure project in Romania, with the tender to be held to award the design services contract for the making of the studies, concept, technical execution project and technical assistance during the execution of the works for the infrastructure necessary to accommodate the traffic forecasted for the year 2040 - Stage I for the achievement of the investment objective "Strategic Programme for the Development of the Airport Infrastructure at Henri Coanda Airport - Bucharest." The main objective of this project is to build a new passenger terminal with all the necessary facilities, which will cover approximately 176,000 sq m and will accommodate a traffic forecast for the year 2040 of 30 million passengers/year. Basically, passenger traffic at peak times in the new terminal will be able to reach 6,500 passengers/hour. "CNAB's vision for the new infrastructure is: an airport that is individualized at an international level; a smart airport using modern technologies such as AI, IoT, BMS, etc.; an efficient airport - optimal flows for passengers, baggage, aircraft, vehicles, equipment; safety and security through using advanced technologies; passenger experience - comfortable spaces, intuitive flows, diverse spaces for food & beverages, shopping, lounges; sustainability and resilience - energy-efficient solutions, the use of green technologies with minimal impact on the environment (for example: rainwater reuse); solutions that lead to the concept of 'healthy building' (passenger flows, air quality, materials used, HVAC solutions, no interior noise, with natural light, digital technology, etc.)," the press release states. The terminal will be modular, which will allow for phased commissioning and will be designed to the highest airport standards for Schengen - Non-Schengen traffic, with generous Arrivals, Departures and passenger transit or transfer areas. CNAB emphasises that the facilities of the new terminal will be comparable to major European airports: a minimum of 48 new aircraft parking stands; a minimum of 20 boarding bridges; generous spaces for passengers, modern baggage belt systems (arrivals and departures), security control equipment, separate supply flows, passenger information systems, ambient lighting, optimal acoustics, efficient air conditioning and intuitive signage, protocol lounges for airline customers, VIP lounges, various commercial areas, all sized to achieve the "IATA Optimum Level of Service." Last but not least, aircraft will have new modern taxiways, on a new airport infrastructure. Other facilities that will be built: control tower, PSI depot, handling areas, administrative buildings, transformer stations, water purification stations, parking lots for passenger vehicles. A complex network of access roads will also be built in the landside and airside areas, in order to ensure road connections, with roads and underground passages, between the current terminal and the future terminal. In addition, the terminal will have modern taxi and public transport stations, as well as special areas for buses, created to avoid traffic congestion. The new airport infrastructure will be connected to the road and rail infrastructure. The estimated value of the design and technical assistance services is approximately 40 million euros. The deadline for submitting offers is June 16, 2025. MEP Victor Negrescu from the Social Democratic Party (PSD) requested, in his capacity as chief negotiator of the EU budget for 2025, that part of the 10 billion euros set aside for unforeseen circumstances be used to compensate for the negative effects of the tariff war on European companies, including Romanian ones. "I have requested, in my capacity as chief negotiator of the EU budget for 2025, that part of the 10 billion euros set aside for unforeseen circumstances be used to compensate for the negative effects of the tariff war on European companies, including Romanian ones. This is even more necessary since the authorities have confirmed the alarm signal I raised a few days ago regarding the risks for Romania," Negrescu wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday. He added that, during the interinstitutional meeting with representatives of the member states and the European Commission, he underscored a few clear budgetary priorities: protecting the cohesion policy and measures for the development of rural areas, maintaining allocations for already committed projects, activating the 3 billion euros allocated to Eastern European countries affected by floods - funds obtained with difficulty following negotiations, efficiently implementing the European defence loan programme worth 150 billion euros without affecting the Union's existing objectives, strategically using funds for unforeseen situations and unused funds, including to manage the direct and indirect impact of new trade tariffs. "Also, as the European Parliament's rapporteur for the Recovery and Resilience Facility, I reiterated the need to extend the financing for mature projects, with at least 20% of execution completed, for one more year. We cannot allow strategic investments to remain blocked or construction sites to be abandoned. It is time to use every European euro wisely to protect the economy, strengthen resilience and complete projects that matter to citizens," Victor Negrescu pointed out. The Group for Social Dialogue (GDS) notes with concern the contamination of the public discourse of the presidential candidates with populist, sovereignist and anti-democratic rhetoric. "GDS firmly disapproves of the degradation of the political discourse of the presidential candidates. The future president of Romania cannot be populist, cannot be anti-EU, cannot be anti-NATO, cannot be Orbanist (directly Putinist under European camouflage), cannot be suburban. We ask the presidential candidates to respect European Romania through their discourse. GDS has always supported candidates with a European discourse, assumed both in terms of values and tone," reads a press release sent on Wednesday to AGERPRES by the GDS. According to the same source, "if this type of discourse was predictable for the candidate of the extremist AUR (Alliance for the Union of Romanians) party, it is worrying to note that an independent candidate like Victor Ponta, theoretically coming from a left-wing party, has exactly the same anti-EU, anti-NATO and pro-Russian rhetoric as the former far-right candidate Calin Georgescu." "It is even more worrying to note the populist degradation of the discourse of candidates from declared pro-European parties, such as Crin Antonescu and Elena Lasconi. Mr. Antonescu's speeches, increasingly conservative, draw comparisons between globalism and homo sovieticus and explicitly and repeatedly propose Viktor Orban as a model. As for her, Ms. Lasconi has on some occasions unexpectedly lowered her discourse regarding the opposing candidate Nicusor Dan, answering legitimate questions about possible negotiations for the unification of the candidacy through attempts at infantilization ("this boy", "I'm sending him after parsley"). (...) Unfortunately, the GDS is forced to note that for now there is only one candidate left in the electoral competition with this type of fully European discourse - Nicusor Dan," the Group for Social Dialogue claims in the same press release. In this context, "GDS calls on all candidates for the presidency of Romania, especially those representing pro-European parties, to immediately resume a pro-European discourse, both in terms of values and tone - the only acceptable discourse for a president of Romania." USR (Save Romania Union) chairwoman Elena Lasconi ruled out on Wednesday a withdrawal of her candidacy from the upcoming presidential elections, after her party announced that it will support independent Nicusor Dan. "Categorically, I am not withdrawing. And now I am more determined than ever. (...) I am built for tough fights. I have no intention of withdrawing and I will fight with everything that I have," Lasconi told Digi 24 private television channel. She mentioned that she did not convene the USR National Bureau in which the decision for Nicusor Dan was made, which she considers "extremely bad." Lasconi also said she was certain she would be the "best president" for Romania. The USR National Bureau decided on Wednesday to convene a meeting of the Political Committee to vote on supporting independent candidate Nicusor Dan in the May presidential elections. The announcement was made during a press conference by USR vice president Dominic Fritz. The springs in Arad County, some with sparkling mineral water, are becoming increasingly sought after, especially on weekends, when people wait in line in front of the wells to stock up for the entire week, thus avoiding buying bottled water. In Arad County, there are 50 public wells in rural areas under the monitoring of the Public Health Directorate (DSP), according to information provided by the institution at the request of AGERPRES. These are monitored on a rotating basis every year, but the local authorities are also required to conduct at least one set of tests annually. According to DSP, in 2024, only 16 of the 50 public wells tested were declared safe for water consumption, with the remaining wells exceeding certain parametres, either those indicating bacterial contamination or those showing concentrations of harmful chemical substances. However, according to DSP, the best-known water sources in rural areas, such as the Siria and Mocrea wells, have water that is safe for consumption. In urban areas, the most well-known public wells are in Lipova and Chisineu-Cris, which have been tested by local authorities, who guarantee that the water is suitable for consumption. Residents of Arad city have two closer sources for spring water supply. The first is a well located in the centre of the Siria locality, about 25 kilometres away, and the second is in Lipova, approximately 30 kilometres away. The well in Siria is located at the edge of the county road and has a spacious parking lot nearby, but it is almost always occupied by drivers who stop to fill their containers with spring water. "The water is very good, it doesn't contain limestone, it's very clean, and we mainly use it for coffee machines, because it doesn't cause limescale deposits and the machine doesn't get damaged. Before, we used to buy water from the store until we discovered the well," said a man from Arad. A retired couple comes to Siria every Saturday with ten five-litre containers. "We use the water for cooking too; the food tastes different. For example, beans cook much faster in spring water," said the woman while waiting in line to fill their jugs. Many locals from nearby areas come to Siria to avoid buying bottled water. "Plain or sparkling mineral water has become more expensive in the past year, especially now with the tax on packaging. We don't buy anymore; we come to the spring and stock up. It's even better than the store-bought one, it's naturally purified by the rock layers," said a man from Ghioroc. The mayor of Siria, Valentin Bot, said that the well is over 100 years old and was modernised in 2014. "People come in large numbers because they appreciate the spring water here, which has been valued since 1884, when the first public well was built by a local baron," the mayor told AGERPRES. In Lipova, mineral water is considered the most important resource of the city, mainly known to tourists because of the Baile Lipova resort. In 1928, it received the gold medal at a mineral water exhibition in Bucharest, when the city became the supplier to the Royal Court under the brand "Borvizul de Lipova." The sparkling mineral water from the local resort is the most sought after by Arad residents, but the wells have not been operating permanently in recent years. Visitors can only stock up on sparkling mineral water if they are lucky enough to find the tap open, as the borehole is under concession to a plant that bottles the water for commercial purposes. The mayor of Lipova, Florin Pera, told AGERPRES that the water flows from the wells in the park only when the company uses a lower flow rate. "The borehole is under concession by the company that bottles the water, but there are also pipes leading to the places where visitors get their mineral water. These places no longer have continuous flow. In the period when the company's orders are higher, and the water is extracted more, it's necessary to manage the flow from the borehole, and the taps for the pipes in the park are closed," said the mayor. In Chisineu-Cris, in the centre of the town, near the Town Hall, another well has become popular with locals. Here, people can supply themselves with free still mineral water taken from depth. The well is over a century old, and ten years ago, the local administration invested in modernising it. Representatives of the Town Hall say that the well has become increasingly sought after by both local residents and passersby. On the other hand, the water from Mocrea is sought after because it is believed to have therapeutic properties. In front of the two wells located at the edge of the county road connecting Arad to the city of Ineu, there is always a line. On weekends, hundreds of people stop to fill their containers with sparkling water that has an unpleasant taste and smell due to its sulphur content. "We estimate that over 200 people stop daily at the two wells, which are next to each other. This water is very well-known for its therapeutic effects, especially on the digestive system," says the mayor of Ineu, Calin Abrudan. The properties of the water were first noticed during the interwar period, and, in 1979, the authorities set up a public-access well and installed an informational panel indicating that the water was beneficial for digestive disorders, diuresis cures, biliary lithiasis, urinary tract infections, or for recovery after surgeries on the urinary tract. The water was also recommended for diabetes. Twenty years ago, the water from Mocrea was a business for some locals, who sold it in containers across the border in Hungary to those who used it in various treatments. A Chicago-based cannabis company operating local dispensaries is accused of failing to pay its supplier here for more than $200,000 worth of products. In a lawsuit filed with St. Louis County Wednesday, Sunrise Beach GP, LLC, a dispensary headquartered in south St. Louis County, said it sold $213,167 worth of cannabis products to various dispensaries under JG Missouri, LLC, which operates as Bloc Dispensary. Sunrise Beach claims it delivered cannabis products to JG Missouri at Blue Sage Cannabis Deli in Valley Park, Bloc Dispensary in Richmond Heights and Key Cannabis dispensaries in Belton, Kirksville and Farmington, but never received payment for any of the orders. JG Missouri is accused of breach of agreement, action on account and unjust enrichment. In February, a different St. Louis-based cannabis company sued JG Missouri, LLC for failing to pay for $148,615 worth of marijuana flower, pre-rolled joints, cartridges and more. JG Missouri did not immediately respond to multiple requests to comment. TROY, Mo. A Lincoln County judge refused to reduce the $250,000 cash-only bond of a woman charged with abusing and neglecting a 16-year-old girl in her care. Brenda Deutsch, 70, was arrested Sunday night at her home along a remote stretch of Highway 47 in Lincoln County, roughly 60 miles north of St. Louis. Deutsch was in court Tuesday, but did not yet have an attorney. The hearing was rescheduled for next week, when the 16-year-old girl is expected to testify via video from her new home in Texas. Authorities say Deutsch sent the teen to Texas to visit someone whom Deutsch knew through collecting exotic animals. The teen now lives in a group home and "is thriving," said Lincoln County Prosecutor Mike Wood. The other child found at Deutsch's home, a 13-year-old boy, has been moved by Missouri children's services, Wood said. Deutsch and her late husband, Dennis, had been foster parents to more than 200 kids from 1997 to 2017, according to his obituary. Missouri began investigating Deutsch in early December, following an anonymous call to the states child abuse hotline. In a Dec. 4 interview with the teen at her school, she told state authorities that the physical and mental abuse began when she was in the eighth grade. The teen, whom police have not named, said Deutsch repeatedly abused other family members, threatened to kill her, and told doctors she was suicidal or harming herself to discredit claims of abuse, court records said. There is clearly some systemic failure somewhere, Wood said, because what we are hearing now is that there were a voluminous amount of hotline calls being made, but we had no reports. We didnt have a single report from anybody. A Chinese citizen, captured by Ukrainian soldiers during the fighting near Bilohorivka (Donetsk region), joined the Russian army through an intermediary in China and paid RUB 300,000 for it, officially he left the country as a tourist, the publication Ukrainska Pravda (UP) reported with reference to the communications department of the Luhansk Task Force. "A Chinese citizen, captured by Ukrainian soldiers during the fighting near Bilohorivka, said that he joined the Russian army through an intermediary in China, paying RUB 300,000 for it. He was motivated by promises of Russian citizenship, and he underwent military training in occupied Luhansk region - without an interpreter, using gestures and over the phone," the UP said in a statement on its website on Wednesday. It is noted that during the fighting in the Bilohorivka area, soldiers of the 81st separate mechanized brigade captured three enemy servicemen. Among them was a citizen of the People's Republic of China. He was captured during hostilities, when the enemy assault group, having found itself under fire pressure as a result of the actions of Ukrainian soldiers, in particular UAV operators, decided to surrender. According to the prisoner himself, he joined the Russian army through an intermediary in the PRC, having paid RUB 300,000 for the opportunity to join the ranks of the Russian armed forces. He reported that he underwent training in the temporarily occupied territory of Luhansk region as part of a group formed from citizens of the People's Republic of China. The training included basic military skills and was conducted without an interpreter - using gestures and a mobile translator. According to him, the main motivation was the desire to become a military officer and obtain citizenship of the Russian Federation. He also noted that some members of the group had problems with the law in the PRC. "Currently, the specified citizen is cooperating with the investigative authorities. His identity and citizenship have been confirmed. According to him, the family knew about his intentions to go to the Russian Federation, but officially he left as a tourist," the report states. The communications department of the Luhansk Task Force also emphasized that Ukraine strictly adheres to the provisions of the Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war. All necessary investigative and procedural actions are being taken with the captured Chinese citizen. As reported, on April 8, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Ukrainian military personnel had captured two Chinese citizens who fought in the Russian army in Donetsk region. According to him, the captured Chinese had documents and even bank cards. Zelenskyy instructed the Foreign Minister to immediately contact Beijing and find out how China intends to respond. At the same time, he reported that Ukrainian military personnel engaged in combat with six Chinese soldiers and only two of them were captured. MADISON COUNTY A Metro East man was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison in the 2021 stabbing deaths of his adoptive father and the fathers husband. Bryce V. Andrews, 26, was convicted at a bench trial in February of first-degree murder, aggravated arson and concealing a homicide. Killed were Robert B. Andrews Sr., 59, and Andrews husband, Leonard James Jim Ebrey, 67. Both men were fatally stabbed Feb. 1, 2021, at their home on Wedgewood Drive in Godfrey. The men were stabbed a combined 115 times. Associate Judge Neil Schroeder sentenced Bryce Andrews to two terms of natural life in prison. Natural life in Illinois means he has no chance for parole. After killing the men, Bryce Andrews tried to dig a grave but the ground was frozen so he doused the bodies with gasoline and set the house on fire, prosecutors said. He drove his dads car to St. Louis, tried to hide the car and remove the license plates, then destroyed his cell phone, prosecutors said. Firefighters trying to put out a blaze at the home found the bodies. Bryce Andrews was arrested after going to a hospital for treatment of wounds he suffered in the attack. The Major Case Squad investigated. Robert Andrews Sr. and Ebrey were married in 2017. Both men were retired. Andrews had worked as a certified surgical technician for SSM St. Clare Hospital. Ebrey worked as a customer service representative for Mastercard. According to his obituary, Andrews had 14 children, Bryce among them. Ebreys obituary listed the 14 children as his stepchildren. Bryce Andrews was born to a drug-addicted mother and suffered seizures as an infant, according to a release from Madison County States Attorney Tom Haine. Robert Andrews took care of the baby and adopted him. Shortly before the murders, Bryce Andrews moved back in with Andrews and Ebrey, prosecutors said. Before that, Bryce had lived in the Alton area. Bryce Andrews defense attorneys sought a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity, arguing that Andrews suffered from severe mental illness. He had told one doctor he had auditory hallucinations. Prosecutors argued that he was not insane at the time of the killings. In the end, Bryce Andrews was found guilty but mentally ill, leading to a potential for mental health treatment while in prison. The prosecutor, according to Haines office, called Bryce Andrews a manipulator who killed the men in a terrible, brutal way. Linda Ebrey, Ebreys sister-in-law, told the judge at sentencing, We miss them terribly. The hurt and pain will never go away, according to victim impact statements. Andrews son Robert Andrews Jr. said the loss has been torture. Countless moments of sadness, fear, depression, anger and worry will forever haunt me. In addition to the life sentence for murder, Bryce Andrews was sentenced to 10 years in prison for aggravated arson and five years for concealment of a homicidal death. Illinois law requires that his sentences be served consecutively. He previously was convicted of robbery in St. Louis County. ST. LOUIS Antionette Toni Cousins will lead one final meeting of the St. Louis Board of Education after losing her reelection bid to three newcomers. Brian Marston, Karen Collins-Adams and Allisa (AJ) Foster are expected to be sworn in April 22. Cousins, the boards president, finished the race in fourth place after a tumultuous year overseeing St. Louis Public Schools. City voters rejected Cousins leadership in the wake of ex-Superintendent Keisha Scarletts termination for questionable expenses including at least 30 out-of-state trips during her one-year tenure. SLPS, Ive given you 4 years of my time, expertise, love and commitment, Cousins posted to Facebook after the votes were tallied. I wish the Board of Education success for these challenging times ahead. The people have spoken! Thanks to everyone who supported and believed in me! Now back to my family and job that actually pays me! Just hours after the election, a special board meeting was scheduled for Thursday with a closed session to discuss a legal matter and a personnel matter. The open session agenda only includes a vote on approving $8.8 million to Hankins Construction for auditorium renovations at Central Visual and Performing Arts, Metro and Vashon high schools. Cousins commands a four-member majority on most of the boards votes, including to replace Scarlett with her deputy superintendent and friend Millicent Borishade, who also came from Seattle in July 2023. The three newly elected board members disagreed with Borishades promotion to superintendent in February without any community or staff input. A staff survey released at the time indicates Borishade is unpopular with SLPS employees. The reconstituted board will face several other challenges including a $35 million operating budget deficit, an ongoing state audit and plans to close under-enrolled schools. The winning candidates matched the endorsements of St. Louis Board of Aldermen President Megan Green, who called the election consequential in addressing the turmoil at SLPS. Collins-Adams is a longtime educator and wife of former SLPS Superintendent Kelvin Adams. Marston is the only candidate with children currently attending SLPS. Foster is a 2016 graduate of the district. This campaign has been a labor of love for me, built on the power of new voices to bring about change, Foster wrote on social media. Im excited to lead collaboratively and focus on long-term solutions that move our district forward, enhance our students experiences, and restore hope and trust in our leadership. Marston racked up the most endorsements during the campaign including the only winning nod from the American Federation of Teachers Local 420, which also backed Cousins and Teri Powers. The St. Louis Labor Council endorsed Tavon Brooks, Cousins and Marston. The losing slate of Krystal Barnett, Zacheriah Davis and Andre Walker ran on a platform of change backed by the political action committee Coalition with STL Kids, which is run by former charter school director Chester Asher. The other candidates in the race were former SLPS board members David Jackson and Bill Monroe. St. Charles County In St. Charles County, voters rejected conservative candidates in school board races for the second year in a row. All 10 candidates supported by St. Charles County Families for Public Schools, a political action committee formed by former Democratic state legislator Ted House and two former Francis Howell superintendents, succeeded. In the hotly contested race for two seats in Francis Howell School District, Sarah Oelke and Amy Gryder defeated Republican-backed incumbent Randy Cook and his running mate, Ashley Sturm. Voters in the Wentzville School District opted for incumbent Julie Scott and newcomer Jeremy Way, an assistant superintendent for the Wright City School District, over conservatives Danielle Looney and Christina Macormic. ST. LOUIS For the first time in 30 years, St. Louis will have a new leader in the powerful comptrollers office. With just over 49,000 votes cast, challenger Donna Baringer, a former Democratic state representative and alderwoman from St. Louis Hills, beat longtime incumbent Darlene Green, 51.5% to 48.5%. When the results came in just after 9 p.m. Tuesday at Baringers watch party at the Dogwood event space in the Grove, someone shouted, Madame Comptroller! I almost cant breathe, Baringer said, as her family members, including the household dog, surrounded her on stage. Baringer worked for months to build up enough support to topple Green, an incumbent who has faced just one strong challenger since 1995. With a base of support in the high-turnout neighborhoods of southwest St. Louis, Baringer collected small-dollar donations from those unhappy with Green while also tapping into support from car dealerships, developers and the St. Louis Police Officers Association. I will be there, Baringer told her supporters after the race was called, a reference to the open secret in City Hall that Green was often absent from the office. I love my city. I love my region. The race was expected to be close. Baringer won the March primary by just 532 votes out of more than 41,000 cast. Early results in that contest gave Baringer a roughly 10-point lead, but Green largely closed that gap as election-day votes rolled in later that evening. However, the March primary also whittled the race down, eliminating political newcomer Celeste Metcalf, a CPA and accountant who drew some 8,500 votes in the first round. Metcalf then endorsed Baringer and criticized Green for firing her in 2019 from an auditing job in the comptrollers office. Green again closed the gap Tuesday, but couldnt overcome Baringers large early lead from voters who cast ballots before election day. In a statement late Tuesday night, Green thanked her supporters and said she "was grateful for the opportunity to have served the people in the city that I love with integrity and dignity." "Even though we didn't get victory this time," Green said, "we move forward with hope." The office is one of the most important in city government. Along with the mayor and board of aldermen president, the comptroller holds one of three votes on the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, which must approve all city spending and contracts. The office also runs the citys internal audit division and must sign off on all city contracts. Baringer was the most significant challenger Green has faced since her first electoral win in 1996, a year after she was appointed to fill a vacancy left by the resignation of Virvus Jones. Green ran on the citys relative fiscal health, good credit rating and a record largely devoid of scandals. Many voters agreed there was no reason to fire her. Darlene Greens been in that seat for a while and she hasnt failed us yet, Teijuania Finley, of the Wells-Goodfellow neighborhood, said Tuesday outside Friendly Temple Church. Baringer argued it was time for a change after 30 years, pointing to delays paying bills and payroll errors due to operational issues in the comptrollers office, as well as Greens frequent absence from City Hall. She can go, John Hill, a 65-year-old retired city firefighter said outside the polling place at Mann Elementary School in Tower Grove South, said of Green. Some of these politicians, theyve been in office too long. Dan Henroid, a Lindenwood Park resident who volunteered for Baringers campaign, said he got to know Baringer while she was his state representative and always liked her accessibility. He said he voted for Green in the past. I think we just learned a little bit more this time around, he said. Baringer said the first order of business would be to restaff an office that is down dozens of positions, including by luring back former employees who left under Green, and modernize its operations. Among those huddling with Baringer after her win as they began to contemplate a transition when she takes office in just seven days was Jim Garavaglia, a former deputy comptroller Green fired in 2019, surprising many in City Hall. Other notable officials at Baringers party included Rep. Steve Butz, who served with Baringer in the House, and Mary Ellen Ponder, a former chief of staff to both Mayor Francis Slay and megadonor Rex Sinquefield. Former Convention and Visitors Commission chief Kitty Ratcliffe also made an appearance, as did Board of Alderman President Megan Greens operations chief, Christine Ingrassia. Once in office, Baringer said she would focus on projects at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, including working with legislators in Jefferson City to fund upgrades. We have to make sure we dont put any hurdles in place, Baringer said. I will be a hands-on airport commissioner at every meeting doing whatever I need to do to make sure we have the airport we need in the city. Green warned of Baringers lack of experience in accounting and said she wanted to rid the city of the office altogether. Baringer denied that. The race later turned to issues important to the Democratic Party base that makes up the vast majority of the city electorate. Green criticized Baringer for two 2017 votes in the state legislature in favor of Republican-backed bills regulating abortion and a 2015 vote as alderwoman against a city-only minimum wage hike. Greens campaign also highlighted Baringers 2023 vote in favor of a state takeover of the St. Louis Police Department, a hot topic in the city now that the GOP-dominated Missouri legislature just succeeded in passing the measure. Baringers vote in Jefferson City to return the police department to control of a board mostly appointed by the governor turned off John Regenbogen of Tower Grove South, who voted for Green. Theres no place in the city of St. Louis for elected officials that dont support local control, he said. Sinquefield, the libertarian-leaning political donor, appeared to send Baringer some last-minute campaign help. On March 31, he donated $15,000 to a political action committee, Pulse PAC, that the next day paid for $15,000 in mailers criticizing Greens management. The mailers would have landed in mailboxes just before election day. Pulse PAC also accepted a recent $10,000 donation from the Missouri Leadership Forum, which accepts funds from large Missouri businesses like Drury Development and Warrenton Oil. The Leadership Forum also donated to Alderwoman Cara Spencers campaign for mayor. Sinquefield was the main backer of privatizing St. Louis Lambert International Airport, which Green strongly opposed before the city abandoned the idea in 2019. Election day in St. Louis: STL City, County voters go to the polls Editor's note: Family has scheduled visitation for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 26, at Leesman Funeral Home in Millstadt, Illinois. The memorial service is set for 3 p.m. there, followed by a Celebration of Life banquet at The Columbus Club in Millstadt. ST. LOUIS Former Post-Dispatch reporter Nicholas J.C. Pistor died suddenly on Tuesday of an acute illness. Friends of Pistor, 43, were shocked. He was whats called a reporters reporter, said Tim Bross, a longtime editor at the paper who worked with Pistor and became friends with him. He did not sit around and wait for assignments or press releases. He got after it. Pistor grew up in Millstadt, Illinois, and went to St. Louis University, where he was state chairman of the Missouri Federation of College Republicans. He started freelancing for the Post-Dispatch in the early 2000s, came to work on the papers voters guide by 2006, then was hired full time, first to cover the Metro East, then St. Louis City Hall. At City Hall, he was known for his sharp wit and dry humor and nose for a scandal. And he discovered that airport officials were giving away free parking cards to the regions important and well-connected. He also wrote two books Shooting Lincoln and Ax Murders of Saxtown and for a time, he regularly appeared on major television news networks. Bross said the underlying cause of Pistors death was still unknown. Funeral arrangements are pending at Leesman Funeral Home in Millstadt. ST. CHARLES COUNTY St. Charles County voters again voted against conservative candidates in key school board races, the second sweep in a row. In the hotly contested race for two board seats in the Francis Howell School District, Sarah Oelke and Amy Gryder defeated Republican-backed incumbent Randy Cook and Cooks running mate, Ashley Sturm. We have a chance now to make normal happen, Oelke said in an interview after the election. Voters in the Wentzville School District opted for incumbent Julie Scott and newcomer Jeremy Way, an assistant superintendent for the Wright City School District, over conservatives Danielle Looney and Christina Macormic. I think people showed up because theyre done with culture wars and buzz words, said Scott, the top vote-getter in Wentzville. Looney, Macormic, Cook and Sturm did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday. All of the 10 candidates supported by St. Charles County Families for Public Schools, a political action committee formed by former Democratic state legislator Ted House and two former Francis Howell superintendents, succeeded. The results mirror that of the last general election, when no candidate running on a conservative platform across the St. Louis region was elected to a school board. In the Francis Howell district, conservatives have held the majority on the school board for two years, after issues surrounding gender and Critical Race Theory emboldened candidates to run on platforms promising values that matched St. Charles Countys conservative makeup. Cook, the Francis Howell boards vice president, has championed some of the boards more controversial moves since he was elected in 2022, including the rescinding of an anti-racism resolution and removing Black literature and Black history electives that used the Southern Poverty Law Center Teaching Tolerance standards. Voters also had to select a replacement for Board President Adam Bertrand, who decided not to run for reelection. Historically nonpartisan school board races have, for the most part, turned into battles of left and right in St. Charles. The results Tuesday indicated that last years election wasnt just a fluke, but the start of a real drift from the partisan politics that embroiled school boards over the last few years in St. Louis and beyond. Voters are exhausted by the political back and forth, said Gryder, one of the two newly elected Francis Howell board members. People are ready go back to focusing on our kids and the real issues that affect them, to feel a sense of community again, Gryder said. This post has been updated to correct the spelling of Sarah Oelke's name. Election day in St. Louis: STL City, County voters go to the polls JEFFERSON CITY The Missouri Senate set aside legislation Tuesday afternoon proposing alternative methods of school certification after senators discussed the impact of standardized testing and accountability for nearly two hours. Sen. Jill Carter, R-Granby, has filed the bill during each of her three years in office, but it has never passed the Senate. On Monday, she unsuccessfully attempted to add the legislation as an amendment to another education bill. The bill debated Tuesday, she explained, is the brainchild of her time as a public-school parent. She sought change in her local school district, talking first to parents, then to teachers and the school board. The hangup came from state officials, she said, who mandate that public schools administer a standardized test and score districts on the results. She came to the Missouri Capitol asking lawmakers to give school boards more autonomy. Now in the position of legislator, she has annually proposed her idea to decentralize standardized tests. It is putting public schools on the same playing field, giving them the same opportunities as private schools or parochial schools, she said in the Senate Tuesday afternoon. What were trying to do is get an even playing field so that they have the opportunity to be innovative. But her bill, which received praise from public-school groups at the committee level, has its critics in the Legislature. Sen. Curtis Trent, R-Springfield, told Carter that he has concerns about accountability. There (should be) accountability when we are writing a taxpayer check and sending it to a government school, he said. Carters bill would allow schools to seek accreditation from national organizations, like those used by private schools, instead of being beholden to standards set by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The statewide standardized test, the Missouri Assessment Program, would only be used to meet federal requirements. Carter added a five-year sunset to the bill, hoping to win over skeptics in the Senate, but it wasnt enough to convince Trent. Districts would have no incentive to perform well without a performance report from the state, he told her. Carter pointed to legislation that would allow public-school students to transfer to schools outside their address, dubbed open enrollment. Trent is sponsoring the Senates version of the proposal, which has sat on the bodys calendar for weeks without discussion. The Houses open enrollment legislation is due for Senate debate in coming days, with a Senate committee hearing scheduled for later this week. This is a both-and conversation and not an either-or, Carter said. Trent feared lawmakers would lose their grip on public schools if national accreditation agencies became responsible for assessing school performance. If we decouple the assessments from the accreditation process, we have to put something else in place that this body still has control of, he said. We dont have any control over these nationwide accrediting agencies, so we will have ceded all of our authority as the General Assembly of Missouri from any control over these government schools. Despite opposition from Trent, the bill has supporters on both sides of the aisle. Sen. Mike Henderson, a Desloge Republican, said he has concerns about the states standardized test and wonders whether performance scores are accurate after speaking with his 12-year-old grandson about the assessment. He has already figured out (the test) didnt really mean anything to him. It didnt affect his grade, Henderson said. And hes not the only one. Many of them have figured that out, so sometimes I wonder how true of a snapshot it is. Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Kansas City Democrat and former educator, applauded the bill for the flexibility teachers would get in the classroom. If we were to pass this, we would see drastic improvement and education, she said, saying that educators are currently handcuffed by state tests. After just under two hours of discussion, Senate Majority Leader Tony Luetkemeyer, a Parkville Republican, whispered to Carter, and she laid the bill aside, saying time had run out. Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501(c)(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: info@missouriindependent.com. Follow Missouri Independent on Facebook and X. ST. LOUIS Antionette Toni Cousins lost her reelection bid for the St. Louis Board of Education after a tumultuous year overseeing the school district. Brian Marston, Karen Collins-Adams and Allisa (AJ) Foster won the three open seats on the St. Louis Public Schools board. Cousins finished the race in fourth place. Ten candidates vied to unseat Cousins, the only incumbent who sought reelection after Matt Davis, the boards vice president, and member Natalie Vowell decided not to defend the other two open seats. The three winners match the endorsements of St. Louis Board of Aldermen President Megan Green. Collins-Adams is a longtime educator and wife of former SLPS Superintendent Kelvin Adams. Marston is the only candidate with children currently attending SLPS. Foster is a 2016 graduate of the district. With the recent turmoil at SLPS, this round of school board elections stands to be the most consequential elections weve seen in quite some time, Green said in her endorsement post on Facebook. We need candidates with vision, governance experience, and a strong connection to our public schools. Marston racked up the most endorsements during the campaign including the traditionally coveted nod from the American Federation of Teachers Local 420, which also backed Cousins and Teri Powers. The St. Louis Labor Council endorsed Tavon Brooks, Cousins and Marston. The trio of Collins-Adams, Foster and Marston was also backed by a grassroots campaign started by SLPS staff members. In a recent survey, SLPS staff gave a 19% favorable rating when asked if they felt valued by the district. The losing slate of Krystal Barnett, Zacheriah Davis and Andre Walker ran on a platform of change backed by the political action committee Coalition with STL Kids, which is run by former charter school director Chester Asher. Asher is affiliated with charter school funders Opportunity Trust. The other candidates in the race were former SLPS board members David Jackson and Bill Monroe. The new board will face ongoing challenges in the wake of ex-Superintendent Keisha Scarletts termination last year, including a $35 million operating budget deficit, an ongoing state audit and plans to close under-enrolled schools. Scarletts credit card charges of nearly $150,000 during her one-year tenure included at least 30 out-of-state trips. Wells-Goodfellow resident Crystal Stovall, 43, said she has a son in middle school in SLPS and she made sure not to vote for Cousins because of the spending scandals. She aint been doing her damn job, Stovall said Tuesday afternoon outside Friendly Temple Church. John Hill, 65, a retired firefighter in Tower Grove South, said he voted for a slate of candidates that didnt include Cousins. You didnt keep an eye on that superintendent, Hill said. Jacob Barker of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report. Election day in St. Louis: STL City, County voters go to the polls JEFFERSON CITY A proposal taking aim at federal gun laws is pitting some St. Louis-area police chiefs against a pro-firearms activist known for aggressive lobbying tactics. House legislators last month sent the Second Amendment Preservation Act to the Senate on a 100-51 vote. Its an updated version of a controversial measure originally passed in 2021 but struck down by a federal appeals court last year. The new version under consideration bars local and state police officers from enforcing federal gun laws against citizens allowed to possess a firearm under state law. Discussion has placed Republicans in an awkward spot politically between gun-rights activists and police, two groups generally viewed as GOP allies. The measures chief backer is Aaron Dorr, the political director of the Missouri Firearms Coalition. His organization has amassed a following of 150,000 on Facebook, promoting a no-compromise approach to gun rights. SAPA protects cops from being forced to enforce laws that violate their oath and the Constitution, Dorr said in an email this week. But some police chiefs are taking issue with the current legislation. One provision would prohibit departments from hiring former federal employees who enforced federal gun laws. Departments in violation of the law would be subject to $50,000 civil penalties. It really restricts law enforcement and opens up police officers and police departments to litigation, said Kurt Frisz, chief of the St. Charles County Police Department and president of the Law Enforcement Legislative Coalition. I think theyre fear-mongering in saying the federal governments going to come in and take your guns and all that, Frisz said. We dont see that as happening. I think theres plenty of protections in place. Frisz said the proposal restricts police from taking part in some federal task forces and would restrict police from using a federal database to track recovered guns, allowing stolen guns to be returned. If your firearm gets stolen, in the state of Missouri we wont be able to return it to you if its recovered, he said. Dorr, in an email, didnt directly address a question about whether hed be open to changes to the bill to address law enforcement concerns. The claim that SAPA is anti-cop is as much a fraud now as it was (when) we first passed this law in 2021, Dorr said. Rep. Bill Hardwick, a Dixon Republican who sponsored the House bill, said Missouri law enforcement agencies already dont have subject matter jurisdiction on their own to enforce federal gun laws, but do at the behest of federal agencies. Thats kind of the problem that we want to seek to address, he said. Tension exposed All but three Republicans present voted for the plan in the House on March 27, while all Democrats in the chamber voted against it. On the surface, the 100-vote majority appeared to demonstrate strong support for the effort. But debate exposed tension between some Republican legislators and the gun lobby. Two days before House lawmakers sent the bill to the Senate, state Rep. Lane Roberts, R-Joplin, spoke out on the House floor against the legislation as written. This makes sacrificial lambs of our police officers and I wont do it, Roberts, a former Joplin police chief, said on the House floor. This bill creates an entirely new category of lawsuit aimed squarely at police officers, at their agencies, at their employers, Roberts said. It makes our officers second-guess everything they do with their federal counterparts. His comments prompted a negative post on the firearms coalitions Facebook page, including a picture of Roberts apparently taken from the upper House gallery. The post called Roberts a RINO or Republican In Name Only and said Joplin deserves better than this. Additional pictures of lawmakers were posted alongside commentary during the debate. Two days later, state Rep. Jim Murphy, R-south St. Louis County, urged legislators not to just worry about the guy up there. The guy up there that that attacked him (Roberts) on social media doesnt know what we know, Murphy said. Its not a perfect bill, Murphy said. But he said legislators should advance it to the Senate anyway. Its not totally supportive of our law enforcement. ... This bill needs to be fixed. Rep. David Tyson Smith, D-Columbia, claimed after Republicans passed the legislation that Republicans were afraid of speaking out. Smith said people knew these bills are wrong but theyre afraid to come forward because the ramifications. Theyre being bullied. The Firearms Coalition, they show up in committee, they take photos of representatives. Even if that representative makes a comment thats slightly not in favor of some of this legislation, they take their photo, they put them on blast. I mean, theyre afraid. Theyre living in fear. Hardwick defended Dorr in an interview on Friday. Id welcome more people in the process advocating for Second Amendment rights in Missouri, and protecting the amendment thats under assault, even sometimes in the Missouri Legislature. Dorr said gun owners in too many states arent respected, and because of that their rights suffer. That is not the case here in Missouri, thanks to the Missouri Firearms Coalition, he said. Regarding politicians whining on the House floor, we are happy that gun owners are so effective at election time that we have anti-gun Democrats whining the way Rep. Smith did on the floor. Roberts, reached by phone Friday, said he didnt know what the Firearms Coalition said because he doesnt read their comments. He said he and the firearms coalition had kind of been at odds for years. Roberts said hes never actually opposed SAPA but said hes always opposed the remedy that basically sacrifices our police officers. Im just not willing to do that. The legislation, House Bill 1175, had not been referred to a Senate committee as of Tuesday morning. ST. CHARLES COUNTY Four cities grappling with growth concerns in St. Charles County have new mayors. Voters in Lake Saint Louis, Dardenne Prairie and Foristell picked new leaders for their cities after the current mayors opted to not run for reelection. Voters in Cottleville backed Stephen Thompson, a challenger with an aggressive anti-development agenda, over an incumbent mayor. All four cities have battled developers over large housing proposals in recent years. Thompson campaigned on a 20-point platform that includes calls for a six-month moratorium on new construction permits, the creation of a parks and recreation committee, and for the city to take a more active role in developing the Dardenne Creek Blueway project. Thompson, who served as alderman in Cottleville from 2021-23, received 56% of the vote; Mayor Bob Ronkoski got 44%. Thompson did not respond to interview requests Tuesday night. Ronkoski drew the ire of residents after supporting the Village at Twin Creeks, a controversial subdivision approved despite being partially in the flood plain. Cottleville, which is largely landlocked, has grown from 700 residents in 1990 to more than 6,000 people now. Lake Saint Louis In Lake Saint Louis, the race to replace Jason Law, who opted to run for St. Charles County Executive in 2026, featured two candidates: current Alderman Tom Mispagel and zoning Commissioner Brian McKinney. Concerns over the citys growth dominated the race here and was a common campaign theme for both candidates. Mispagel and McKinney largely agreed on the issues, especially when it came to growth. But McKinneys pledge that he would urge developers to focus on building more single-family homes over apartments resonated with voters. He received 59% of the vote compared to Mispagels 40%. Tom and I have spoken tonight and we have both agreed that we are going to continue to serve this city together, McKinney said. McKinney said he and his wife knocked hundreds of doors in Lake Saint Louis, and, on Tuesday, voters at the polls said they appreciated it. People were coming up to us, saying that they recognized us from coming to their home, McKinney said. McKinney said he has already been in contact with Law, the current mayor. The pair plan to meet in the next few weeks to begin introducing McKinney to city hall staff, policy and procedures. I want to learn as much as quickly as possible, McKinney said. McKinney said among his priorities is helping Lake Saint Louis celebrate its 50th anniversary celebration, Bash at the Boulevard, planned for June. Dardenne Prairie In Dardenne Prairie, Alderman Keith Widaman was the winner of a three-person race to replace retiring mayor John Gotway. Widaman received 41% of the vote, defeating former Alderman Justin Ungerboeck and current Alderman Mark Johnson. Ungerboeck received 39% of the vote for a second-place finish. Johnson garnered 20% of the vote. Widaman had the endorsement of former Dardenne Prairie Mayor Marilyn Field and from the Citizens for Smart Growth, a group that formed following the controversy surrounding the Tall Tree development, a 556-home subdivision in rural St. Charles County that would have been the largest housing development in unincorporated St. Charles County. The project was initially blocked, before being ultimately scaled back and then approved as separate projects in OFallon and St. Charles County. Widaman said garnering those endorsements came at a crucial time in his campaign. Just days prior, he had been the target of a mailer paid for by a political action committee, Missouri Leadership Fund, attacking Widamans stance on development. The PAC spent more than $2,000 opposing his candidacy. The new endorsements, Widaman said, were an immediate counter to the PAC mailer. They showed we had support from people here on the ground, he said. Campaign finance reports show that the PAC opposing Widaman had recent donations from developers including Lombardo Homes and St. Peters-based Blanton Construction, which gave $10,000 to the PAC this year. The people spoke tonight, Widaman said Tuesday. They saw this PAC and these special interest groups trying to interfere with a Dardenne Prairie election and they rejected it. Foristell And in Foristell, the tiny city on the far-western edge of St. Charles County, Bradley Miller was elected to replace retiring Mayor Mark Meyerhoff. Miller, who ran unopposed, is now tasked with leading a city that is experiencing rapid growth thanks to the jobs created by the soon-to-open American Food Groups meat packing plant and the Coastal Cold Storage facility. Foristell had 550 residents in 2020, and now has more than 800 residents. Next year, the population is expected to grow to 2,700. A decade from now, more than 10,000 people could live in this area bordering St. Charles and Warren counties, according to some estimates. CAIRO U.S. President Donald Trumps administration has reversed new cutoffs in emergency food aid to several nations but maintained them in Afghanistan and Yemen, two of the worlds poorest and most war-ravaged countries, according to the State Department and officials who spoke to The Associated Press. It marks the latest round of abrupt cancellations of foreign aid contracts run through the U.S. Agency for International Development and equally sudden reversals. The whipsawing moves come as the Republican administration and Trump adviser Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency dismantle USAID and dramatically reduce foreign assistance, asserting that the spending is wasteful and advances liberal causes. The United States over the weekend sent notices terminating funding for U.N. World Food Program emergency programs in more than a dozen countries. Aid officials warned that the cuts could threaten the lives of millions of refugees and other vulnerable people, stressing the potential to further destabilize conflict-prone regions. The State Department confirmed Wednesday that it had reversed those cuts in Somalia, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Ecuador. It said it was keeping the cancellations for Afghanistan and Yemen but left the fate of food aid in six other unidentified nations unclear. Even in Syria, Somalia and other crisis areas where it had reinstated support for lifesaving food programs, the U.S. would work with the U.N. to modify its funding "to better align with Administration priorities, the State Department said by email. It gave no details. Two USAID officials said Jeremy Lewin, the DOGE associate overseeing the dismantling of the aid agency, ordered the reversal of some of his contract terminations on Tuesday, after the AP reported them. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. Trump administration turns back some cuts The USAID officials said Lewin sent a note internally expressing regret for the sudden contract terminations and abrupt reversals. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other Trump administration officials had pledged that the kind of lifesaving aid targeted in those surprise cuts would be spared. A United Nations official said the decision to restore funding came after intense behind-the-scenes lobbying of members of Congress by senior U.N. officials. The United States terminated a limited number of WFP programs based on specific country or program level priorities including WFP awards terminated in Yemen and Afghanistan based on credible and longstanding concerns that funding was benefitting terrorist groups including the Houthis and the Taliban, the State Department said. At a briefing Tuesday, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce cited a U.S. government watchdogs 2024 finding that department contractors reported paying at least $10.9 million to Afghanistans Taliban government in taxes, utility payments and fees. Other programs with WFP that were terminated were contrary to an America First agenda and didnt make America stronger, safer, or more prosperous, the State Department said Wednesday. Remaining cuts could still be disastrous Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, urged Rubio on Wednesday to restore funding for other critical programs as well. Despite continued assurances that life-saving programs would be protected during the Trump Administrations review of foreign assistance, DOGE again spent the weekend cutting World Food Program assistance to feed people in crisis," the New Hampshire senator said in a statement to the AP. It will weaken Americas standing around the world, she added. An expert in international aid at Yale University questioned the Trump administrations rationale. I dont know how much they know about the system they are dismantling. I dont know how much they care, said Nathaniel Raymond, executive director of the Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health. Raymond called the cuts a potential extinction-level event" for two generations of gains in limiting the suffering of those caught in crises. The U.S. had been the largest funder of the WFP, providing $4.5 billion of the $9.8 billion in donations to the worlds largest food aid provider last year. Previous administrations had viewed such aid as a way of alleviating conflict and combating poverty and extremism while curbing migration. Afghanistan is scarred by decades of war More than half of Afghanistans population some 23 million people need humanitarian assistance. Its a crisis caused by decades of conflict including the 20-year U.S. war with the Taliban as well as entrenched poverty and climate shocks. Last year, the United States provided 43% of all international humanitarian funding to Afghanistan. Some $560 million in humanitarian aid has been cut, including for emergency food assistance, treatment of malnourished babies, medical care, safe drinking water and mental health treatment for survivors of sexual and physical violence, according to an assessment by current and former USAID officials and partner organizations. The figure has not been confirmed by the U.S. government. A separate WFP assessment obtained by the AP showed that food assistance to 2 million people in Afghanistan would be terminated later this year. More than 650,000 malnourished children, mothers and pregnant women would would lose nutritional support. The United Nations Population Fund said the U.S. had cut $100 million in support for maternal health services for millions of women, as well as gender-based violence services. The International Rescue Committee, whose programs include nutritional assistance for tens of thousands of children under 5 and counseling services, said the cuts would affect nearly 1 million people. Kids who have seen great violence, who benefit from social work and psychosocial care that we provide, will be cut off, said Bob Kitchen, head of global emergencies for the aid group. Some in Yemen have been at risk of famine The poorest Arab country was plunged into civil war in 2014 when Iranian-backed Houthi rebels seized much of the North, including the capital, Sanaa. The U.S. supported a Saudi-led coalition that intervened the following year on behalf of the government. The conflict has been at a stalemate in recent years. The war has led to widespread hunger, and experts warned as recently as 2024 that parts of Yemen were at risk of famine. The U.S. cuts would end lifesaving food assistance to 2.4 million people and halt nutritional care for 100,000 children, according to the WFP assessment. The U.S. is carrying out a campaign of airstrikes against the Houthis in retaliation for their attacks on international shipping linked to the war in the Gaza Strip. The WFP had already suspended its programs in Houthi-ruled northern Yemen, where the rebels have detained dozens of U.N. staffers and people associated with aid groups, civil society and the now-shuttered U.S. Embassy. The latest cuts would affect southern Yemen, where the internationally recognized government opposed to the Houthis is based. The WFP assessment warned that halting aid there carries significant political and security implications and risks deepening the economic crisis and exacerbating instability. Last year, the WFP assisted 8.6 million people in Yemen, more than a quarter of its population, including more than 330,000 internally displaced people and 1.2 million with disabilities. Half were women and children. Butt reported from Islamabad, Knickmeyer from Washington. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee in Washington, Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Sarah El Deeb in Beirut contributed to this report. British Defence Minister John Healy and French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu will hold a Coalition of the Willing meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels on April 10. According to the program published on the NATO website, the arrival of ministers and statements to the media are scheduled for 14:00 (Brussels time). At 15:00 (Brussels time), the Coalition of the Willing meeting will begin directly at the defence ministers' session. Opening remarks by the French Defence Minister and the British Defence Minister are scheduled. Earlier, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, announced that the Secretary of State for Defence of the United Kingdom, John Healy, will chair a new meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, scheduled for April 11. On March 27, a summit of the Coalition of the Willing was held in Paris, attended by representatives of 31 countries, as well as the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte. On April 4, meetings were held in Kyiv between representatives of France, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine regarding the deployment of the military contingent. It was reported that the meetings were held at the level of the Chiefs of Military Staff. The French delegation was headed by General Burkhard, and the British delegation was headed by Admiral Radakin. After the meeting with them, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reported that there was tangible progress and the first details regarding the deployment of the partners' security contingent. WASHINGTON Facing a global market meltdown, President Donald Trump on Wednesday abruptly backed down on his tariffs on most nations for 90 days, but raised the tax rate on Chinese imports to 125%. It was seemingly an attempt to narrow what had been an unprecedented trade war between the U.S. and most of the world to a showdown between the U.S. and China. The S&P 500 stock index jumped nearly 7% after the announcement, but the precise details of Trump's plans to ease tariffs on non-China trade partners were not immediately clear. Trump posted on Truth Social that because more than 75 Countries had reached out to the U.S. government for trade talks and have not retaliated in meaningful way I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately. The 10% tariff was the baseline rate for most nations that went into effect on Saturday. It's meaningfully lower than the 20% tariff that Trump had set for goods from the European Union, 24% on imports from Japan and 25% on products from South Korea. Still, 10% would represent an increase in the tariffs previously charged by the U.S. government. The announcement came after the global economy appeared to be in open rebellion against Trump's tariffs as they took effect Wednesday, a signal that the U.S. president was not immune from market pressures. Business executives were warning of a potential recession caused by his policies, some of the top U.S. trading partners are retaliating with their own import taxes and the stock market is quivering after days of decline. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the walk back was part of some grand negotiating strategy by Trump. President Trump created maximum negotiating leverage for himself, she said, adding that the news media "clearly failed to see what President Trump is doing here. You tried to say that the rest of the world would be moved closer to China, when in fact, weve seen the opposite effect the entire world is calling the United States of America, not China, because they need our markets. But market pressures had been building for weeks ahead of Trump's move. Particularly worrisome was that U.S. government debt had lost some of its luster with investors, who usually treat Treasury notes as a safe haven when there's economic turbulence. Government bond prices had been falling, pushing up the interest rate on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note to 4.45%. That rate eased after Trump's reversal. Gennadiy Goldberg, head of U.S. rates strategy at TD Securities, said before the announcement that markets wanted to see a truce in the trade disputes. Markets more broadly, not just the Treasury market, are looking for signs that a trade de-escalation is coming," he said. "Absent any de-escalation, its going to be difficult for markets to stabilize. John Canavan, lead analyst at the consultancy Oxford Economics, noted that while Trump said he changed course due to possible negotiations, he had previously indicated that the tariffs would stay in place. There have been very mixed messages on whether there would be negotiations," Canavan said. "Given what's been going on with the markets, he realized the safest thing to do is negotiate and put things on pause. Presidents often receive undue credit or blame for the state of the U.S. economy as their time in the White House is subject to financial and geopolitical forces beyond their direct control. But by unilaterally imposing tariffs, Trump is exerting extraordinary influence over the flow of commerce, creating political risks and pulling the market in different directions based on his remarks and social media posts. There still appear to be 25% tariffs on autos, steel and aluminum, with more imports set to be tariffed in the weeks ahead. On CNBC, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said the administration was being less strategic than it was during Trump's first term. His company had in January projected it would have its best financial year in history, only to scrap its expectations for 2025 due to the economic uncertainty. Trying to do it all at the same time has created chaos in terms of being able to make plans, he said, noting that demand for air travel has weakened. Before Trump's reversal, economic forecasters say his second term has had a series of negative and cascading impacts that could put the country into a downturn. Simultaneous shocks to consumer sentiment, corporate confidence, trade, financial markets as well as to prices, new orders and the labor market will tip the economy into recession in the current quarter, said Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at the consultancy RSM. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has previously said it could take months to strike deals with countries on tariff rates, and the administration has not been clear on whether the baseline 10% tariffs imposed on most countries will stay in place. But in an appearance on Mornings with Maria, Bessent said the economy would be back to firing on all cylinders at a point in the not too distant future. He said there has been an "overwhelming" response by the countries who want to come and sit at the table rather than escalate. Bessent mentioned Japan, South Korea, and India. "I will note that they are all around China. We have Vietnam coming today, he said. What's not yet known is what Trump does with the rest of his tariff agenda. In a Tuesday night speech, he said taxes on imported drugs would happen soon. The one (and perhaps only) thing Americans seem to agree on these days is political rhetoric is too toxic. They long for folks to cool down and behave like dignified statesmen from that long-ago time before Twitter inflamed passions. Ah, the good old days! Except they werent so good. In fact, angry words sometimes even resulted in death. This is the story of how one nasty exchange ended badly for everyone. President Andrew Jackson despised banks. He had an all-consuming hatred of the Second Bank of the United States. A forerunner of todays Federal Reserve System, it was responsible for establishing sound currency and regulating credit meaning the banks president, Nicholas Biddle, was the equivalent of a Federal Reserve chair today. Jackson and his fellow Democrats thought Biddles bank intentionally kept money in the hands of the rich and out of the hands of the working poor. They made destroying it Priority No. 1. Henry Clay, Daniel Webster and the National Republicans fought back equally hard, defending it. By 1830, public discourse had grown just as toxic as today. During that years midterm elections, several blistering speeches came from Spencer Pettis, Missouris only congressman and an ardent Jacksonian Democrat. Just 28 years old and wildly popular, his political future was bright. Pettis repeatedly damned the bank in general and banker Biddle in particular. That infuriated Nicholas Biddles brother Thomas, an Army major stationed in St. Louis. He wrote an angry letter to a local newspaper defending his big brother and savaging Pettis as a dish of skimmed milk (which apparently sounded worse in 1830 than it does today). Pettis responded with a letter questioning Biddles manhood. It was personal now, and things only went downhill from there. The men trash-talked each other to anyone who would listen. Things reached a tipping point on July 9, 1831, when Maj. Biddle heard Pettis was lying sick in a St. Louis hotel room. He burst in and attacked the ailing congressman with a whip. Biddle was arrested. When he appeared in court a few days later, Pettis pulled out a pistol and tried to shoot before being restrained by friends. Pettis then challenged Biddle to a duel. The affair of honor was the talk of St. Louis. With dueling outlawed in Missouri and neighboring Illinois, they agreed to meet on a Mississippi River sandbar, a kind of no-mans land between the states where the authorities wouldnt interfere. It was used so often for that purpose that the locals called it Bloody Island. Although Biddle had the choice of terms, he also had a major disadvantage: he was seriously near-sighted. So, he chose pistols at five feet. (Note: not five paces five feet.) With arms outstretched, the guns would almost touch. It would be suicide; there was no way either man could miss standing that close. Some historians believe Biddle picked the absurd distance to scare Pettis into rejecting it, thus making Biddle the winner without actually shooting. However, Pettis didnt take the bait. He accepted. A large crowd watched on the St. Louis riverfront late on Friday afternoon, August 26, as the men and their seconds slowly rowed to Bloody Island. The two stood back to back, then walked one step, turned, and fired directly at each other. Both fell to the ground in bleeding heaps. As they were carried away, each was heard saying he forgave the other. Pettis died the next day and Biddle the day after that. Their funerals were among the largest and most elaborate held in St. Louis in the 19th century. As soon as they were buried, they were mostly forgotten though a St. Louis street today is named for Maj. Biddle. Andrew Jackson eventually won his duel with the bank when it went out of business. But the deaths of Congressman Pettis and Maj. Biddle had nothing to do with determining the outcome. This should serve as a cautionary tale for 2025. Lets hope people of all political persuasions tone down the rhetoric before its too late. When the going gets tough, the tough take a recess? As U.S. stock markets shudder and the global economy teeters on the brink of recession thanks to the Trump administrations unprovoked tariff wars, Americas congressional representatives are preparing to skip town for two weeks. Not that it would much matter if they suddenly decided to stay in Washington after Friday and, you know, do their jobs. Most House and Senate Republicans have made crystal clear that, wherever they physically happen to be, they are permanently AWOL when it comes to asserting their constitutionally mandated authority over trade. Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution is unambiguous: The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises and To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations. Period. Its true that Congress has willingly bestowed upon the presidency increased power over trade in modern times, for the same reason it has mostly abdicated its own authority over declaring war and other urgent issues: Its the politically easy thing to do. That doesnt mean Congress cant reassert such powers when a president is clearly abusing them. The fact that President Donald Trumps tariff-mania is based primarily upon the plainly false declaration of a national emergency regarding trade is as abusive as it gets. Some Republicans have stepped up. GOP Sens. Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine all sided with Democrats this month in an effort to block tariffs Trump announced against Canada. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has co-sponsored a bill that would cause any new tariffs to expire if they arent approved by Congress within 60 days. For too long, Grassley said in a statement last week, Congress has delegated its clear authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce to the executive branch. That kind of constitutional fidelity and clear-eyed courage is, unfortunately, in short supply in Grassleys party today. Too many of his GOP colleagues are taking the easy path of slavishly declaring their support for whatever Trump does, even when it clearly hurts their own constituents. Auto workers right there in the St. Louis region are cheering Trumps tariffs because we have been losing auto jobs to Mexico for years, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, recently told an interviewer. ... Youve got a lot of people who are very happy about the tariffs. What I hear from my farmers, says U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, who represents southeast Missouri, is that were willing to have the short-term pain for the long-term gain. The reality outside the MAGA bubble is a little different. American auto workers are already being laid off as a direct result of Trumps 25% tariffs against all automobile imports, because many of the parts for those foreign-made cars are manufactured in the U.S. And polls show farmers are generally opposed to the agricultural tariffs because they know retaliatory tariffs from other nations will make their crops harder to sell overseas. Tariffs will drive up the cost of critical supplies, and retaliatory tariffs will make American-grown products more expensive globally, American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall recently said in a statement. The combination not only threatens farmers competitiveness in the short-term, but it may cause long-term damage by leading to losses in market share. And this part cannot be said too strenuously or too often: U.S. tariffs are a tax on U.S. consumers. We pay them when we buy imported goods. The fact that the president of the United States remains apparently incapable of grasping that simple, undebatable fact is in itself deeply troubling. At least the public gets it, according to poll after poll showing a majority of Americans oppose Trumps tariff expansions. Yet at this writing (midday Tuesday), the administration is preparing to formally invoke the next round of steep new tariffs against most U.S. trading partners, starting Wednesday. The latest tariffs were calculated under a novel formula that has been widely dismissed by most economists as economic gobbledygook. The senseless results are higher tariffs against friends like Israel than enemies like Iran and, perhaps not surprisingly from this president, a free pass for Russia. We hesitate to offer too much more detail here about the latest round of tariffs because the situation could well be turned on its head by the time this editorial is in print. That unpredictability, driven entirely by Trumps innate impetuousness, is almost as big a problem as the tariffs themselves and all the more reason for Congress to step in and bring some order to this chaos before it does permanent damage to the economy. Given the anger that constituents have expressed to the few Republican members of Congress who have been brave (or foolish) enough to hold town hall meetings lately, its a good bet most of them will remain hunkered down away from the public during their approaching two-week break. Thats too bad, because those constituents deserve a simple answer to a simple question: Why isnt Congress working to slow down a tariff train that both economic experts and the public at large believe is dangerously out of control? It wasnt a good day for incumbency. Or culture-war extremism, or shortsighted political gamesmanship. But Tuesdays local elections might have been a very good day, indeed, for St. Louis-area citizens who are tired of dysfunction and demagoguery and eager for public service that lives up to the phrase. In St. Louis citys election, Mayor Tishaura Jones, city Comptroller Darlene Green and city School Board President Antionette Toni Cousins all lost their offices in a sweeping rejection of incumbents who have angered the public in various ways lately. Jones failure to deliver basic city services like snow removal, Greens failure to show up to work and Cousins failed handling of a school district cronyism scandal all contributed to the voters harsh judgment. It will now be up to Mayor-elect Cara Spencer, Comptroller-elect Donna Baringer and the newly reconstituted school board to regain that lost public trust. If theres a message that should have come through loud and clear from the voters to this new city leadership, its: Just do the job. That message was especially clear in the landslide margin by which Spencer unseated Jones a gap of about 28 percentage points after Jones defeated Spencer for the same office just four years ago. Electorates dont flip so thoroughly based on isolated controversies but rather on a broader thirst for fundamental change. Spencer will get plenty of advice in coming weeks, from us and many others, about how to deliver on the promise for change. Truly engaging with all voices, including her critics, would represent an improvement over her predecessors leadership style. As for the St. Louis school board outcome, the most obvious advice is immediately clear: Cousins dismal showing of less than 11% of the vote in a 12-candidate field should stand as a referendum on her circle-the-wagons lack of transparency during the deeply troubling fiscal and personnel controversies in the district. Newly elected board members Karen Collins-Adams, Allisa Foster and Brian H. Marston ignore that lesson at their political peril. In two key suburban school districts, meanwhile, voters continued their promising trend of turning back right-wing activists who have prioritized book-banning and other culture-war tripe over educating kids. In the Wentzville and Francis Howell districts, voters chose moderate school board candidates who have promised to get back to the business of teaching. The radicalization of those and other school boards began after the pandemic, as conservative populists were elected largely in response to controversies over mask and vaccination mandates. However legitimate those debates may have been, the newly empowered ideologues wasted no time in expanding their mission to include (in Francis Howell) race-baiting attacks on Black history and literature and (in Wentzville) censorship of literary classics from school library shelves. For the second consecutive election, voters in both districts said, Enough. In Wentzville, two right-wing activist candidates were defeated by mainstream moderates Julie Scott, an incumbent, and Jeremy Way. Similarly, at Francis Howell, incumbent conservative activist Randy Cook and running mate Ashley Sturm lost to moderate challengers Sarah Oelke and Amy Gryder. We have a chance now to make normal happen, Oelke told the Post-Dispatchs Monica Obradovic. Amen. In St. Louis County, voters soundly and properly rejected Proposition B, a misguided attempt by County Council members to give themselves authority to fire county officials who answer to County Executive Sam Page. While Pages leadership has been tumultuous at times, that doesnt justify the breach of separation of powers that the Council was attempting. Kudos to the voters for rejecting it and for decisions up and down the ballots Tuesday that indicate they are done with distractions and ready to get back to basics in civic representation. I am disturbed by the unending flow of executive orders being promulgated by President Donald Trump. As a member of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas who strive to balance justice and mercy, I see this as blatant injustice and an abuse of authority which reflects a growing disrespect for our Constitution and democratic practices. Many of these executive mandates are merciless, instilling fear and punishing vulnerable groups of people. Likewise, these orders are causing confusion and chaos, all the while stomping on our cherished practices of caring for our neighbors abroad, as well as our family and friends at home including our common home, Earth. It is very disconcerting to see Missouri's two U.S. senators, Eric Schmitt and Josh Hawley, as well as Congresswoman Ann Wagner all of whom took an oath to uphold the Constitution freely yielding their rightful legislative authority to someone who gleefully signs these executive orders. This creates a dangerous imbalance in the separation of powers. It also dishonors the dignity and rights of thousands of Americans who elected these persons to work for the good of all, not just the wealthy elite or the politically powerful. This obvious disregard for our rights as American citizens must be protested. We did not vote for a dictatorship or an oligarchy. We must continue to boldly exercise our responsibility by speaking out against illegal actions and cruel injustice. And we must strengthen our resolve to support the God-given rights and freedom of all. Sr. Agnes Brueggen St Louis Via LA HEVC Patent Pool licensors sue Microsoft over HEVC use in Germany Three licensors of the Via LA HEVC Patent Pool (M&K Holdings, Gensquare, and Tagivan II) have filed a patent infringement suit against Microsoft in the Landgericht Duesseldorf court in Germany, alleging unlicensed use of High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) technology in several Microsoft products. The Via LA HEVC patent pool, which now covers VVC as well, covers patents essential to the HEVC video compression standard. The pool includes over 50 licensors and over 550 licensees, including companies such as Apple, Samsung, Sony, and Huawei. The pool was founded by MPEG LA in 2014 and acquired by Via LA when Via merged with MPEG-LA in 2023. According to the plaintiffs, Microsoft has deployed HEVC in multiple products, including Windows 11, Surface tablets, Xbox consoles, and a downloadable HEVC plug-in sold to Windows 10 users, without proper licensing. Gottfried Schull, Partner at Cohausz & Florack and counsel for the plaintiffs, stated that Via LA (and previously MPEG-LA) has communicated with Microsoft regarding HEVC licensing since 2015. Schull confirmed that the suit seeks an injunction to stop Microsoft from selling the allegedly infringing products in Germany. Schull explained that German courts can issue and enforce injunctions in patent cases, which can compel companies to cease sales. Heath Hoglund, President of Via LA, stated: "Our HEVC patent pool has been available for ten years and offers an efficient way to license a large, essential portfolio of IP. Our licensors have patiently engaged the market. Unfortunately, many implementers of the technology remain unlicensed, so the time has come for the patent holders to enforce their rights. We continue to believe that our HEVC patent pool is the most efficient way to license essential IP, and we hope more implementers will join the 500 licensees already part of this pool." Streaming Media interviewed Gottried Schull regarding this story. A lightly edited transcript is presented below, and you can watch the interview here. Schull's interview provided further legal context, including details on the German patent litigation system, potential defenses Microsoft might raise (such as patent invalidity or non-infringement), and the estimated timeline for a decision on the injunction claim (approximately 12 months). Schull also discussed the German court's view of FRAND licensing and patent pools. We reached out to Microsoft for comment two days before publishing this article and didn't hear back. We'll update this article if and when Microsoft responds to our request. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Related Articles The Buffalo Soldier Gate at Fort Bliss, Texas. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes) A Fort Bliss soldier was found guilty of keeping an explosive device in his barracks room but acquitted on additional charges that he posted antisemitic comments online saying he wanted to attack synagogues, according to court records. Spc. Ryan S. Newberry, 21, accepted a plea agreement on Nov. 15 that limited his sentence to five months. He pleaded guilty to violating a lawful order against owning any form of a privately owned weapon in the barracks on Sept. 24, 2024, and using psychedelic drugs at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., in April 2022, according to court documents released by the Army last week. He was also reduced in rank to an E-1. He did not receive a discharge or forfeiture of pay as part of the deal. The charges to which he pleaded not guilty included reckless conduct for storing incendiary substances and explosives in his barracks room and for communicating threats through the online platform Discord in February, April and May of 2024, according to court records. Military Judge Lt. Col. Rick Mathew accepted the plea agreement, according to online court records. Newberry enlisted as a combat medic in June 2021, according to his official service record. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Armored Division at the time of his arrest. Some of Newberrys posts on the social media site Discord were included in court records, such as I want to kill everyone I disagree with and I am literally a jews [sic] worst nightmare. Other posts included a derogatory slur toward Black people and one that discouraged others from enlisting in the U.S. military. The court documents were posted to the Armys online court records system. The service has up to 45 days after a court-martials results are certified to post related documents for public access. Newberry, who was placed in pretrial confinement Sept. 17, 2024, was credited with roughly two months of time served for his sentence, according to court documents. He served the remainder of his time at a military prison at Lewis-McChord and has been released from confinement. He received an other-than-honorable discharge from the Army on March 28, according to Fort Bliss. The Army Criminal Investigation Division did not respond Wednesday to questions about their investigation or how the Army discovered Newberry had a bomb in his barracks. Following the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol over the results of the presidential election, in which many veterans and some service members were among those arrested, the Defense Department pledged to root out extremist behavior in the ranks. A report published by the Pentagon in 2021 said such activities in the military were rare but even a few could pose a problem. In a 2022 review of the Pentagons efforts, the Center for Strategic International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, said the military should improve its transparency on counter-extremism efforts and focus on gaining buy in from the troops. It should also track the scope of the problem in a centralized place. Sgt. Greville Clarke enters the Lawrence H. Williams Judicial Center at Fort Cavazos, Texas, on Dec. 10, 2024, for a hearing. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes) FORT CAVAZOS, Texas Army Spc. Anthony McCollough sat in his third-floor barracks room on a Sunday morning in October 2022 listening to music. His neighbor, a new female soldier assigned to his air defense artillery company, had texted him to find out what he was doing. He responded but never heard back from her. Soon, a figure flashed past his shaded window screaming for help. McCollough dressed and ran outside to see a man in dark clothing running from their building, two soldiers exhausted from chasing him and another woman blocking the door to her ground-floor room. Inside was McColloughs neighbor, naked except for a belt attached to her waist like a leash. She was seeking refuge from an armed robbery, sexual assault and attempted kidnapping at the hands of a sergeant who she had met only days earlier. That testimony from McCollough on Tuesday was part of the second day of Sgt. Greville Clarkes court-martial at the central Texas Army base, which is expected to last through May 2. Clarke, 32, is accused of attacking this woman and four other female soldiers living in and around Clarkes own barracks building between March 16, 2021, and Oct. 2, 2022. His attacks were careful, calculated and planned, Maj. Allyson Montgomery, the prosecutor on the case for the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel, said Monday in her opening statement. The barracks are a refuge and safe place. The accused took that away. When he used force, fear and violence, he turned their barracks rooms into crime scenes, she said. Clarke used various methods to break into the rooms, including a key that he had kept from living in one of the buildings, a known trick of opening a window to reach a locked doorknob, and his clout as a noncommissioned officer to convince new soldiers to open their doors in the middle of the night, Montgomery said. He would then wield a knife or pistol to demand their money, sexually assault them and, in one attack, strangle a woman to near death with a lamp cord. Clarke has pleaded not guilty to the 37 counts against him, including charges of attempted premeditated murder, attempted rape, attempted unlawful use of an access device, violation of a lawful general regulation, rape, unlawful recording, robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, kidnapping and obstruction of justice. However, Clarke, who was apprehended in the hours after his October 2022 attack that McCollough described, confessed to his crimes during an interview with the Army Criminal Investigation Division. Excerpts from a recording of the interview were played Tuesday in court, where Clarkes case is being tried by a military judge, Col. Maureen Kohn. There is no jury. In that interview, Clarke described attacks against other women, which investigators at that time had not formally linked together, said Matthew Casper, assistant special agent in charge of the CID office at Fort Cavazos. Casper interviewed Clarke for hours that night, getting him to speak first of his difficult childhood and then of his attacks against fellow soldiers. As the crimes were unfolding in the barracks during the course of a year, none were ever shared with the public, Casper said Tuesday during his testimony. Only people in CID or people told of them by the victims would have known about what had happened. Clarke even brought up an assault that CID was not initially tracking because it had been handled by Fort Cavazos police instead of CID. Dressed in gray pants, a gray tank top and the same white Converse sneakers that left footprints in one of the barracks rooms, Clarke said he found the door to the room propped open by the deadbolt that morning, so he walked in and hid in the bathtub. He wore a medical mask and sunglasses to hide his face, as well as gloves, a hooded sweatshirt and pants. Eventually, the woman returned from the laundry room. Stars and Stripes does not name people who identify as victims of sexual assault, unless given permission to do so. I waited for her to leave. She didnt. She came into the bathroom, Clarke said in the interview. I pushed her and told her to shut up. He said he pointed his Walther brand firearm at her one of at least six guns that he owned and stored at other peoples homes because personally owned guns are not allowed in the barracks. As Montgomery described the attack in her opening statement, the female soldier, who had not yet been assigned a roommate, had left her door propped open that morning as she walked to the laundry room and back. The barracks buildings in that area are motel-style with doors that open to an outdoor hallway. The woman had begun to clean her toilet when Clarke attacked, pushing her to the ground and putting the weapon to the side of her head. He tied her hands, blindfolded her, removed all her clothing except for her shirt, took her phone and began demanding her password and banking information. He stole about $14,000 from her, according to his charge sheet. He turns from her money to her body, Montgomery said. After sexually assaulting the woman with his hands, Clarke untied her, fully undressed her and forced the woman to shower to his specifications. He then affixed the belt from her Army uniform around her waist. Shes asking him questions. He tells her to stop making sense, Montgomery said. Clarke then told the woman that he wanted to take her to a room where hes prepared to kill her, the attorney said. He tried to put her in a suitcase, but it didnt work. He then went into the rooms walk-in closet and began to empty a large plastic tough box of the womans items. Her blindfold had lifted enough at this point to see that Clarke was no longer watching her. She tiptoes out of the room, opens the door and runs screaming, Montgomery said. Clarke told Casper in the interview that he pointed his gun at the woman as she ran. I never wanted to hurt anyone, Clarke told the CID agent. I didnt want to shoot anyone, so I ran. As Clarke ran, he dropped one of his two cellphones, which had a photo of his yellow and white Yamaha motorcycle as the lock screen image. This allowed investigators to quickly identify him as a suspect, according to information discussed in court. Clarke, who has been in pretrial confinement at Bell County Jail since he was arrested Oct. 2, 2022, has been absent from his own trial this week because he refused to be transferred from a holding facility on post to the courthouse. Speaking to the judge Monday through a video feed from the facility, Clarke said he was under constant observation because he was deemed a risk to himself and could not sleep or shower. The lights were always kept on in his cell, and he was not allowed privacy during a shower. I dont plan to participate in my current capacity, Clarke told the judge. The judge ruled he had ample opportunity for personal hygiene but was not taking it. She ruled the court-martial could proceed without his presence because he was waiving his right to be there. She is well within her right to do that, said Sherry Bunn, a former Army attorney who now represents accused service members in military court. She is not affiliated with Clarkes case. You can forfeit your right to be present because you dont want to be there, you can say you are not going to be there, or you can do something for the judge to kick you out, Bunn said. The judge only has to determine that waiting would create an unreasonable delay in the trial. Prosecutors presented evidence Monday that if Clarke did attend the trial, he could become violent and a danger to others. Mark Boore, a confinement liaison officer for Fort Cavazos, testified Monday that he has transported Clarke to the base from Bell County Jail for more than two years. In that time, he has seen Clarke have outbursts and refuse to comply when he feels he does not have control. Clarke on Monday asked guards to brush his teeth, Boore said. Instead, Clarke tore the lockers from the walls of the restroom and headbutted them. Even with restraints, he said everyone in the courtroom could be at risk of harm. Sgt. Clarke is extremely strong, Boore said. Clarkes defense team did not object to his absence from court. Navy Secretary John Phelan greets crew members of the submarine USS Iowa on April 5, 2025, during a commissioning ceremony in Groton, Conn. (Joshua Karsten/U.S. Navy) NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. All Navy shipbuilding contracts are under review, according to John Phelan, the new Navy secretary, who said Wednesday that he is trying to understand why warship construction and maintenance are often delayed and over budget. The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps have long been the cornerstone of global security, but rising costs, shifting requirements and years of underinvestment in shipbuilding have left us vulnerable, Phelan said during the 2025 Sea Air Space Symposium, which was his first public appearance since being confirmed March 24 to lead the sea service. Phelan has been tasked by President Donald Trump with getting more warships to sea. A businessman, Phelan is the first person in more than 15 years to lead the Navy without having served in any branch of the military. The state of naval shipbuilding, he said, is unacceptable. I think this is a process issue. We add too many requirements, and I think quite honestly, the Navy is not culpable and alone in this. I think Congress sometimes piles on things and adds things that they want, he said. The Navy, which relies on contracted private shipbuilding companies, has come under fire in recent years for its shipbuilding struggles. The service planned to have a battle force of 313 ships by 2025. But in its fiscal 2025 shipbuilding plan, the Navy has said it will have 287 ships by 2025 26 fewer ships than expected pointing to workforce shortages, supply chain issues and budget shortfalls. From 2019 to 2023, the Navy planned for the delivery of 11 new Virginia-class submarines and 15 new Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. Only four of those submarines and seven of the destroyers were delivered. Additionally, a federal watchdog report found 37 out of 45 or 82% of surveyed ships now under construction are facing delays ranging from five months to more than three years. Cost overruns for the 46 ships that the Navy has under construction grew from $3.4 billion to $10.4 billion in the past budget year. Meanwhile, aging ships are spending more time in shipyards for maintenance, creating a backlog of ships that need work done. The Navy was on track for a 67% on-time maintenance completion rate across the fleet in 2024. That comes after a 36% completion rate in 2022 and a 41% completion rate in 2023. I tend to like very complex problems. Now on the 14th day of the job, I can tell you, I may have underestimated just how complex. As everyone in the room knows, leading the Department of the Navy is anything but easy. But I didnt come here for easy. I came here to solve problems, Phelan said. Phelan is bringing a business approach to the Navy that he said will be more industry friendly. He will travel to public and private shipyards that work with the service in the next six weeks. He intends to meet with contractors and potential new contractors. Phelan also said he wants to consider opening additional shipyards. He did not elaborate on whether the shipyards would be public and owned by the Navy, or the service would seek to work with the commercial sector to open more private shipyards for Navy building. The Navy has four public shipyards responsible for maintaining the Navys nuclear-powered fleet of submarines and aircraft carriers: Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine, Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Virginia, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Washington and Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard in Hawaii. Private shipyards are contracted to do maintenance on non-nuclear vessels, such as destroyers and amphibious warships. Private shipyards are also contracted by the Navy to build new warships. All his efforts aim to accelerate the shipbuilding process without compromising quality or capability, Phelan said. We must challenge ourselves individually and as a force to push beyond whats comfortable and familiar. Growth comes from questioning the status quo for being willing to look critically at how we operate and asking if theres a better, more efficient and more effective way to achieve our objectives, he said. The need to fix the Navys shipbuilding and maintenance issues is a national emergency, Phelan said. While the Navy has struggled with maintaining and building warships, China considered Americas top military competitor is rapidly growing its fleet and is on pace to reach a 425-ship fleet by 2030. Navy leaders have projected the U.S. could be involved in a conflict with them by as soon as 2027. China is not interested in being No. 2. They are attempting to dominate the seas, and beyond that, the global order, Phelan said. Our competitors are not waiting for us to get our act together. U.S. Army Maj. James J. ODonovan was captured, subjected to the 65-mile Bataan Death March and held at POW camps by Japan. He died a POW on Oct. 18, 1942, at age 34. (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency) The remains of U.S. Army Maj. James J. ODonovan, who died during World War II, will be interred Tuesday at Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego. ODonovan, a native of Cohoes, N.Y., was a member of the 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December 1941. He was among thousands of U.S. and Filipino service members who were captured, subjected to the 65-mile Bataan Death March and held in POW camps by Japan. According to historical records ODonovan died a POW on Oct. 18, 1942, at age 34. ODonovan was accounted for by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency on Feb. 4, 2024, after his remains were exhumed in 2019 from the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines for laboratory analysis and identification. He will be buried with full military honors. About 81,000 American troops from past conflicts remain unaccounted for, according to the DPAA. Photo: https://newsroom.consilium.europa.eu/ Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal says that Ukraine has fulfilled 81% of its obligations under the Association Agreement with the European Union. "Ukraine has fulfilled 81% of its obligations under the Association Agreement with the EU. The greatest progress has been recorded in the field of intellectual property, education, information exchange, humanitarian policy, justice, public procurement, and national security. In these and other areas, Ukraine has fulfilled over 90% of its obligations," Shmyhal wrote on the Telegram channel following the results of the 10th meeting of the Ukraine-EU Association Council. According to him, in 2024, Ukraine also achieved particular successes in the customs, medical and financial sectors. "Once again, we demonstrate that we are able to go through the path to membership in the European Union quickly and effectively. This year, we aim to open all six clusters in the negotiations on accession to the EU, as well as deepen sectoral integration," he added. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes) Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Mar. 11, 2020: The Latvian firefighting team puts out an engine fire on a mockup of a fighter jet. Firefighters from four NATO nations practiced putting out fires at the USAFE Fire Academy. Read the full story and see additional photos here. Remote control operators with the 96th Test Wing simulate command and control of a high-speed maritime target vessel at the Eglin Range Control Complex in Florida, Nov. 9, 2023. (Michelle Gigante/U.S. Air Force) A Pentagon initiative to create a high-speed, interconnected military command system is lagging due to fragmented efforts and a lack of clear oversight, the Government Accountability Office said in a report released Tuesday. The concept, known as Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control, or CJADC2, aims to unify data, sensors and weapons across all U.S. military services and domains land, sea, air, space and cyberspace to give commanders rapid decision-making capabilities in combat. But six years into development, the Defense Department has made only piecemeal progress, the GAO said. Military branches are largely working in isolation and without shared goals, which could slow progress and undermine the effectiveness of the system, the report found. This approach will likely result in delivering capability much more slowly and inefficiently, if at all, the GAO wrote. Envisioned as a seamless data-sharing network enhanced by artificial intelligence, CJADC2 is intended to allow commanders to quickly sense threats, make decisions and take action in a coordinated way including with allies and international partners. In a hypothetical scenario, Navy ships or Air Force jets might detect an enemy target, transmit the data for rapid analysis, and trigger a timely strike by ground forces. Rather than a single weapons system, CJADC2 is a broad strategy guiding modernization and new acquisitions. The Pentagon, however, has yet to build a comprehensive framework to monitor progress or coordinate investments across the department, the GAO said. Each service branch is developing elements that will fit into the overall concept. For example, U.S. Indo-Pacific Commands Joint Fires Network prototype offers a shared targeting picture and tools to coordinate strikes across services and allies. Still, combatant commands including INDOPACOM told the GAO they lack guidance on which CJADC2 projects to prioritize, especially as units approach similar problems in different ways. Without a common framework any progress made by DOD will remain hard to understand and likely relies on joining individual efforts together after-the-fact, rather than working collectively from the outset, the GAO said. The Pentagon mostly agreed with the GAOs recommendations to create a structure to track and assess progress and to improve information sharing across the department. A U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton assigned to Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 takes off from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 5, 2022. (David Getz/U.S. Marine Corps) U.S. Navy surveillance drones are returning to Okinawa six months after their last deployment to the island in response to heightening tensions with China, according to Japans Ministry of Defense. Several MQ-4C Tritons will deploy to Kadena Air Base within the next few weeks, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said during a news conference Tuesday. The security environment surrounding our country is becoming increasingly severe, he added. The Tritons will join Marine Corps and Air Force Reapers already posted at Kadena. Nakatani said the Tritons, capable of long-endurance surveillance flights, will enhance intelligence gathering over Japans southern island chain, including the Nansei Islands, which stretch from Kyushu to Taiwan. The aircraft may also temporarily operate from Yokota or Misawa air bases on Honshu for weather or mission-related reasons, according to the Okinawa Defense Bureau. An MQ-4C Triton assigned to Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 taxis after landing at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Aug. 4, 2023. (U.S. Navy) The U.S. 7th Fleet is deploying the drones and personnel from Andersen Air Force Base on Guam to a location in Japan, spokeswoman Lt. j.g. Sarah Merrill confirmed by email Tuesday. She declined to provide a deployment timeline, citing security concerns. Merrill said the deployment supports U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and is not in response to a specific incident. However, the defense bureau linked the move to regional tensions, citing Chinese activity near the disputed Senkaku Islands, North Koreas ship-to-ship transfers, and recent joint bomber flights by China and Russia. Two Tritons operated from Kadena between May and October last year. The Navy drone resembles the Global Hawk but can descend below 10,000 feet and has reinforced wings and avionics for harsh weather and lightning protection. The Navy has spent more than $600 million on Triton development, and each drone costs about $32.8 million annually to operate. Marine and Air Force Reapers have been flying from Kadena since 2023 and 2024, respectively. MQ-9A Reapers with Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3 from Marine Corps Base Hawaii are still deployed to Okinawa, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing spokesman Maj. Joseph Butterfield said by email Tuesday. The aircraft arrived in August and provide real-time situational awareness to U.S. Marines, the Joint Force, and regional allies in support of mutual defense, the wing said in March. Fewer than six Marine Reapers are at Kadena, the defense bureau said in August. Air Force MQ-9 Reapers from the 319th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron also moved to Kadena in late 2023 from Kanoya Air Base on Kyushu. The Reaper, made by General Atomics, is a medium-altitude drone capable of surveillance and armed missions. It can carry Hellfire missiles and laser-guided bombs and costs approximately $56.5 million per unit. Students at Wiesbaden High School in Germany hold up a banner at a demonstration March 6, 2025. DODEA administrators in Europe and Asia are issuing letters to parents warning that students who participate in walkouts during school time will be given unexcused absences. (Courtesy photo) KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany Defense Department schools overseas are warning of consequences for student-led walkouts planned for Thursday, a move that represents a shift in stance on demonstrations over the removal of programs designed to foster inclusivity. Participating students will receive an unexcused absence for missing classes, seminars or advisory periods, principals at Department of Defense Education Activity schools in Europe and Asia said in identically worded letters to parents this week. While students have a right to freedom of expression, that right must be exercised in a way that is balanced with the responsibility of DODEA schools to maintain an environment conducive to learning and free from disruption, the letters said. Unexcused absences may result in detentions or suspensions, and prevent student-athletes and others from participating in extracurricular activities, among other consequences. Agency officials did not respond Tuesday and Wednesday to questions about the new guidance, including whether its being directed by DODEA or higher up at the Pentagon. The planned walkouts follow similar actions a month ago and are in response to DODEA policies instituted in accordance with executive orders, including one titled Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also has criticized DEI efforts as divisive. At least 14 schools had planned to participate in demonstrations Thursday, according to student organizers. Its unclear how many students will proceed. Students hold up a banner at Ramstein High School in Germany as they walk around the track March 6, 2025, to support school programs deemed to fall under diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. DODEA administrators in Europe and Asia are issuing letters to parents warning that students who participate in walkouts during school time will be given unexcused absences. (Courtesy photo) We have seen the emails and have even received one from our (principal), said Tristan, 18, a Ramstein High School student in Germany, in reference to the DODEA message on walkouts. On March 6, an estimated 240 Ramstein students demonstrated against measures that have removed books and curriculum from libraries and classrooms, while school officials review their compliance with White House and Pentagon orders. Three of DODEAs largest schools in Europe and Asia held similar walkouts. Tristan added that many students are highly upset and frustrated by this update, especially because the last time we protested, we were allowed 30 minutes of instructional time to protest. No unexcused absences were issued after the demonstration, he said. Last month, DODEA administrators had a much different response to student-coordinated walkouts. In a letter March 10 to DODEA families in Europe, Michelle Howard-Brahaney, director for student excellence, said DODEA respects the rights of our students to engage in the peaceful expression of their free speech rights. Most of the latest letters from principals were emailed to parents and sponsors on Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday, DODEA officials said an unexcused absence would subject students to the progression of disciplinary measures in our attendance policy. The discourse from parents in military social media groups was as sharply divided as it is among many other Americans. One private group related to schools on base included several comments critical of DODEAs latest stance and backed student rights to speak out about their education. Others on a Facebook page for the Aviano military community in Italy expressed support for a stricter handling of the walkouts. I was relieved to hear that the principal is not condoning it per se, said one commenter, but it should be strictly forbidden. Period. The (defense secretary) had made it clear, no more of this social nonsense, back to learning. Thousands of U.S. soldiers stand in formation Dec. 3, 2023. The European Union has been aware of a purported Pentagon plan to pull 10,000 U.S. troops from Europe since the administration of President Joe Biden, Italy's defense minister said this week. (Brian Barbour/Army National Guard) NAPLES, Italy The European Union wont struggle to fill a void left by the potential departure of thousands of U.S. troops from Europe, Italys defense chief said this week. Those American service members would be readily replaced with European contingents, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto told the news agency Ansa on Tuesday. Crosetto did not elaborate on which countries would deploy more troops. But he added that the EU had known about a Pentagon plan to pull at least 10,000 troops from the Continent since President Joe Bidens administration. It is not unexpected. It is something we have been preparing for a long time; now we will need to understand with what timing it will be made, Crosetto said during a visit to Albania that included the donation of an Italian patrol ship to the country. It wasnt clear how quickly the EU could step up to fill the security gap. European militaries must address years of underinvestment, which has resulted in a shortfall in ammunition, air defense systems and other capabilities. There are about 65,000 active-duty U.S. service members permanently stationed in Europe, with thousands more U.S.-based service members deployed to Europe on a rotational basis. Since Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the U.S. has maintained an overall force level in Europe of about 100,000 troops. Washington has not made any statements regarding a possible withdrawal of U.S. troops in Europe except to say that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is reviewing the militarys force posture. But experts say its likely the Defense Department will shift some forces to the Pacific as the U.S. balances looming Chinese threats against obligations in Europe focused on deterring Russian aggression. President Donald Trump has long advocated for a force reduction in Europe along with increased defense spending by NATO countries, arguing that the Continents security cannot be disproportionately borne by American taxpayers. On Tuesday, NBC News reported that the Pentagon was considering a plan to withdraw some 10,000 troops from Romania and Poland, citing six unidentified U.S. and European officials familiar with the plan. Most U.S. troops in those countries are on rotational deployments. The Army has three rotational brigade combat teams in Europe, two of which were added in 2022 after the start of the Russia-Ukraine war. The Biden administration considered reducing the extra rotations, which ultimately remained. With about 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers to a brigade, cutting the rotational assets could realize any objective to reassign 10,000 service members. But any weakening of U.S. posture in the region would hurt efforts to quickly respond to Russian aggression, Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, commander of U.S. troops in Europe and the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said during a House Armed Services Committee meeting on Tuesday. Cavoli recommended that the U.S. keep its military footprint in Europe as is, noting that of all NATO militaries, Russia fears Americas the most. Stars and Stripes reporters John Vandiver in Germany and Svetlana Shkolnikova in Washington contributed to this report. A sailor receives the coronavirus vaccine at Naval Base San Diego in January 2021. (Luke Cunningham/U.S. Navy) WASHINGTON The Pentagon and service branches are ramping up efforts to get the word out that service members who refused to take the coronavirus vaccine and want to return to the military have until next April to pursue reinstatement, a senior defense official said Tuesday. The department is eager to welcome back those who are impacted by that vaccine mandate, said Tim Dill, performing the duties of deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. They never should have had to leave military service, and the department is committed to assisting them in their return. The Army has reenlisted more than 23 soldiers who were dismissed for refusing to take the vaccine, according to The Associated Press. About 400 soldiers have expressed interest in returning and about 100 are in the application process. More than 8,000 service members were discharged from the military for refusing to get the vaccine for religious or other reasons. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday shared the Armys news by posting on X that MANY more coming back soon! Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell on Tuesday also posted on X that the deadline for service members to seek reinstatement is April 1, 2026. Were working hard to make sure each of them receives clear information and support throughout the process, he said. Their service mattered then, and it still matters now. About a half-dozen sailors have expressed interest or requested additional information on reinstatement opportunities, a Navy spokesperson said. The Air Force on Monday began outreach to airmen who left the service. Former airmen will be contacted by mail, email if possible and by phone to be provided with more information, the Air Force said. The outreach will explain the streamlined process as well as the requirement for a four-year service commitment upon reinstatement. April 7 was the day targeted by the Office of the Secretary of Defense for the service-wide outreach to begin, an Air Force spokesperson said. The Air Force did not have numbers to provide on airmen who have expressed interest in returning. Since Monday, 40 Marines have completed the initial questionnaire in the first step of the reinstatement process, a service spokesperson said. The service expects the number will increase as outreach continues. The Navy on Tuesday said sailors who voluntarily left and are reinstated will return to their previous rank at the time of their separation and must commit to a minimum of two years of active service. During President Donald Trumps inauguration speech, he said he would sign an executive order reinstating all service members, with full back pay, kicked out for refusing the coronavirus vaccine. The vaccine mandate was an unfair, overbroad, and completely unnecessary burden on our service members, according to the Trump executive order signed in January. Further, the military unjustly discharged those who refused the vaccine, regardless of the years of service given to our nation, after failing to grant many of them an exemption that they should have received. Federal government redress of any wrongful dismissals is overdue. Former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered in August 2021 that all active-duty, National Guard and Reserve troops be vaccinated against the coronavirus or face separation. Troops at the time with a health condition incompatible with the vaccine could get a waiver. Additionally, troops with religious beliefs that prohibit the use of vaccines could seek exemption. The order was rescinded January 2023. Two years ago, the military services sent out notices to all troops discharged for refusing the vaccine, advising them they could return to the military. Just 113 reenlisted. Dill emphasized the difference between this policy compared to previous ones is the back pay and those who return will be assessed for the medical retention standard, rather than the traditional accession standards when you go through an initial recruitment. The back pay only applies to those who returned under the new policy, Dill added. At this time, there is no discussion about extending the deadline past April 1. We anticipate that that will be enough time to effectively communicate the opportunity to every impacted service member and give them time to make the decision whether or not they want to express interest, Dill said. EU to provide Ukraine with another EUR 2.1 bln in proceeds from frozen Russian assets Photo: https://www.facebook.com/kallaskaja/ The EU will provide EUR 2.1 billion in proceeds from frozen Russian assets, which will be used to support Ukraine, said EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas. She said that, in parallel, Ukraine would soon receive the remaining funds from the first tranche of windfall revenues, which amounted to EUR 1.4 billion from Russian frozen assets. She added that they aimed for the second tranche, EUR 2.1 billion, to arrive gradually, starting from the end of that month. Most of this amount, as Kallas emphasized, EUR 1 billion, will go to support Ukraine's own defense industry. She emphasized that in the long term, the EU and Ukraine are working on the integration of the Ukrainian and European defense industries, and companies in the European Union have a lot to learn from Ukraine in this regard. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll speaks Jan. 30, 2025, during his Senate confirmation hearing. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes) WASHINGTON Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has been appointed as acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, replacing FBI Director Kash Patel in that job, a defense official confirmed Wednesday. The defense official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Driscoll will dual hat as Army secretary and acting ATF director but did not have more information to provide. The ATF did not respond Wednesday to a request for comment. Driscoll was sworn in as Army secretary in February to lead the largest military branch. He served in the Army after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in three years. Military service is a family tradition: Driscolls father served in Vietnam and his grandfather was a decoder during World War II. In the Army, Driscoll completed Army Ranger School, earning a Ranger tab, and served as an armor officer. He deployed to Iraq from October 2009 to July 2010 with the 10th Mountain Division and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal and the combat action badge. Upon leaving service in 2011 at the rank of first lieutenant, Driscoll used the post-9/11 GI Bill to attend Yale Law School. He became friends with Vice President JD Vance at Yale and later served as his senior adviser. Patel was sworn in as ATFs acting director in late February, just a few days after he was also sworn in as FBI director. Agent Clint Hill crouches on the back bumper of the presidential limousine on Main Street in Dallas, Texas, just minutes before the assassination, Nov. 22, 1963. (Erin Thompson/U.S. Army) Under the stained glass and towering arch ceilings of Washington National Cathedral, hundreds of Secret Service members paid their respects Tuesday to an agent who came to symbolize the elite agencys commitment to bravery and sacrifice in the face of danger. Secret Service agent Clint Hill had hurled himself atop President John F. Kennedys uncovered limousine when Lee Harvey Oswald opened fire on the presidential motorcade in Dallas in November 1963. His attempts to shield Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy from the shots that killed the president inspired thousands of Secret Service agents who came after him, while the experience left Hill, who died Feb. 21 at his home in Belvedere, California, at age 93, with a deep guilt that haunted him late into his life. Generations of agents gathered Tuesday morning in the cathedral nave the place where the country has memorialized Supreme Court justices, first ladies and presidents. They watched as an honor guard carried Hills urn, draped in a gold pall, through the solemn hall and rested it on a table between the folded flags of the United States and the Secret Service. Some of those in attendance had worked alongside Hill during his 17-year career with the service. Others, he mentored. All knew his actions well. He understood duty and sacrifice, and the profound sense of purpose that comes from protecting others, as well as the emotional toll that can carry, former Secret Service director Lewis Merletti, who led the agency in the late 1990s, said in a eulogy. He made us proud. Hill rode on the left-front runner of the vehicle tailing Kennedys limousine as the motorcade wove through downtown Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963. The motorcade had rounded a corner toward a freeway when Hill heard an explosive crack. He saw Kennedy grab his throat. Realizing they were under fire, Hill jumped off the runner and dashed toward Kennedys limousine. A second shot sounded, then a third, this one tearing through Kennedys head. Hill grabbed the trunk handrail just as the driver accelerated, and he thrust his body toward the mortally wounded president and his wife. We saw that with every step of his sprint to President Kennedys limo, he tried. And we all wanted to try just as hard as he tried, Merletti said, his voice quavering. Several agents in the audience wiped their eyes. Everyone in the Secret Service who ever served on a protective assignment, Merletti said, hoped they could react the way Clint reacted. Hills actions were immortalized in footage known as the Zapruder film, as well as an Associated Press photograph showing Hill, an anonymous agent in a dark suit, hunched over the rear of the vehicle as it sped away. What happened next was not captured on film. As Hill recounted in later writings and interviews, he continued to shield the Kennedys with his body on the way to Parkland Memorial Hospital. When they arrived, he placed his suit jacket over the presidents head and upper torso. Inside the hospital, Hill fielded a call from Kennedys brother, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. How bad was it, the younger Kennedy asked. Its as bad as it can get, Hill replied. Doctors pronounced Kennedy dead soon after. Hill accompanied Kennedys body to the autopsy. He got home the morning of Nov. 23, returning to the White House soon after to help Jacqueline Kennedy collect her husbands belongings. Hill protected Jacqueline Kennedy and her family for a year after the assassination, then went on to serve Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon and Gerald Ford. He retired in 1975, at age 43, as assistant director of the services protective forces. Clint Hill appears at the LBJ Presidential Library on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017. (Jay Godwin/LBJ Presidential Library) Hill, who was born in North Dakota, had joined the service in 1958 after serving as a counterintelligence officer in the Army and briefly working in corporate security. He started out protecting President Dwight D. Eisenhowers mother-in-law in the Denver area, then was transferred to Washington to work the Eisenhower detail in 1959. He was assigned to protect Jackie Kennedy the following year a job he initially viewed as a demotion but soon came to love. Shortly after his retirement, Hills suppressed anguish over the assassination spilled out in an interview with Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes. Wallace asked if Hill or the service could have done anything to prevent Kennedys death. Hill, speaking through tears, said he blamed himself for not reacting quicker and would have given his life to save the presidents. Hill struggled with depression long after he left the service. He said in books and interviews that he lived reclusively for years, drinking and smoking heavily and isolating himself from friends. One turning point came in 1990, when he visited Dealey Plaza, the assassination site in Dallas, for the first time since 1963. There, he would say, he finally accepted that he had done all he could to protect Kennedy. In 2009, Hill met the woman who would become his second wife, journalist and author Lisa McCubbin Hill. She had teamed up with one of Hills fellow former agents to write a book about working on the Kennedy detail. In Tuesdays service, Lisa McCubbin Hill recalled their first meeting: a two-hour interview at a hotel in Washington for the text. He had vowed never to write a book about his experiences, and they did not discuss the assassination in the interview. But over time, he opened up about it, she said. She recalled what Hill would tell other law enforcement officers and veterans about how he reconciled with his grief and trauma: Find someone you trust and tell your story. You can begin to live again. The couple would go on to write four books together about Hills time in the service. Two hours turned into 15 amazing years, she said, calling their relationship a once-in-a-lifetime love that everyone hopes for. She described him as a music lover a fan of Frank Sinatra, the Bee Gees and Lady Gaga. He was a consummate gentleman, she said, who held their longtime housekeeper in the same esteem as he did their friend Antony Blinken, the former secretary of state, who was one of several dignitaries who attended. Officials from Secret Service headquarters also attended, including Director Sean Curran, the former head of Donald Trumps detail. Nearly nine months ago to the day, Curran covered Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, to shield him from a gunmans bullets. At the end of the funeral, Curran presented the flag of the Secret Service to Hills wife. They spoke quietly for a moment, their hands folded over one anothers. The widow pulled the flag close to her body and looked ahead. The mourners soon exited, and a noble chapter in Secret Service history closed with the cathedral doors. Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif., left, speaks with John Noh on April 9, 2025, before a House Armed Services Committee hearing. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes) WASHINGTON Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee warned Wednesday that tariffs levied against Australia and other security partners in the Indo-Pacific region were harming relationships needed to deter China. The lawmakers lashed out at a Defense Department official testifying before the committee, telling him the military was not insulated from the effects of President Donald Trumps decision to impose sweeping tariffs on nearly all goods imported to the United States. Youve got to send back to the [defense] secretary that the trade war significantly diminishes our power throughout the world, said Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif. Send the message back that these negotiations, this trade war, is a very serious challenge toward the Indo-Pacific region and other parts of the world. John Noh, who is performing the duties of the assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, repeatedly refused to answer questions about the tariffs, saying they were outside the purview of his position. Im not here to talk about tariffs, Noh said during a hearing on the militarys posture and national security challenges in the Indo-Pacific. Many U.S. allies and partners in the region have been hit with tariffs in recent days, including Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines. Democrats said they were particularly concerned about alienating Australia, which has a security pact with the U.S. and the United Kingdom to acquire nuclear-powered attack submarines. The U.S. imposed a 10% tariff on Australia despite having a free trade agreement with the country. The submarine agreement with Australia, called AUKUS, is intended to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific that is secure and stable and includes a $3 billion commitment by Australia to invest in the U.S. submarine industry. Theyre putting money into our industrial base and yet we are tariffing Australia at the same level as the country of Iran, said Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn. For some of us who are in touch with members of parliament in Australia, there is definitely collateral damage to our allies in terms of whats happening out there. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said last week that the duties levied on Australian goods entering the U.S. go against the basis of our two nations partnership and were not the act of a friend. Trumps trade chief Jamieson Greer defended the tariffs against the country during a Senate hearing on Tuesday, saying we should be running up the score against Australia. Noh on Wednesday described the U.S. relationship with Australia and other Indo-Pacific allies as strong, pointing to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths recent visit to the region. He also emphasized that Trumps America first policy did not mean America alone, though Democrats did not buy it. We have launched a trade war against every single one of our partners in the Asia region, every last one of them, no matter how much theyve worked with us, said Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, the top Democrat on the committee. I am deeply concerned that that is going to undermine our ability to deter the region toward no particular end. Several Republicans defended Trumps trade policy despite the criticism. Rep. Trent Kelly, R-Miss., said the U.S. was looking for relationships with nations that were mutually beneficial, not with someone who just takes everything we give them and gets mad when we want something back. Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., a Marine Corps and Navy veteran, argued the tariffs are forcing dozens of countries to come to the table to seek trade terms with the U.S. that are fairer. One thing that we all understand as military guys [is] what everybody understands around the world is strength, he said. [This is] more beneficial to the United States because weve been at a disadvantage all this time. And I think it puts us in a position where people understand strength and fairness. American soldiers stationed at U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria, Germany, marched with residents in Grafenwoehr from the city hall to a church as part of a ceremony on April 8, 2025, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Grafenwoehr and the end of World War II. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes) GRAFENWOEHR, Germany On April 8, 1945, hundreds of American bombers unleashed a wave of ordnance over this Bavarian village, destroying much of a sprawling military training base and setting surrounding buildings ablaze. Eighty years to the day, U.S. soldiers who now run the training area came together with their hosts in the old town to honor the World War II dead, as well as show a commitment to peace and stability on the European continent. Large ceremonies that recall WWII and the Allied advance are a rarity in much of Germany. Its a different story in a handful of rural towns like Grafenwoehr, where residents have forged decades of deep relations with American forces. An American soldier carries a wreath during a march through Grafenwoehr, Germany, April 8, 2025, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Grafenwoehr and the end of World War II. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes) Brig. Gen. Steven Carpenter, head of the 7th Army Training Command, speaks to soldiers and residents in Grafenwoehr, Germany, during a ceremony on April 8, 2025, celebrating 80 years of peace following the bombing of Grafenwoehr in 1945 and the end of World War II. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes) U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Steven Carpenter, commanding general of 7th Army Training Command, joined residents in Grafenwoehr, Germany, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Allied bombing of the city. The ceremony on April 8, 2025, laid wreaths to honor the day's events and celebrate 80 years of peace. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes) Wreaths are laid at a church in Grafenwoehr, Germany, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Grafenwoehr and the end of World War II during an event on April 8, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes) On Tuesday, about 100 German civilians, soldiers and firefighters joined leaders from U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria and the 7th Army Training Command for a service at the Ascension of Mary Church. They followed with a march to the town hall, where they laid wreaths at a war memorial. Afterward, they walked to the nearby cultural and military museum to hear some of the last survivors recount their memories. Hans Heindl was a 6-year-old when the bombs fell. After surviving a prior attack in the basement of the family home, he and the rest of his family members fled to Freihung, about 10 miles south. Thank God, as you can see, the house is still standing, he said as he showed an old picture of it. The war came to Grafenwoehr with American air raids on April 5 and April 8, 1945, according to local historian Gerald Morgensterns book Grafenwoehr Training Area: Yesterday and Today. The Hubertus post office in Post Square is seen here following U.S. air raids on April 5 and April 8, 1945, in Grafenwoehr, Germany. (Archiv Gerald Morgenstern) The former site of the Hubertus Post Office in Post Square is a doctor's office as of April 7, 2025, in Grafenwoehr, Germany. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes) A bombed out bank on Alte Amberger Street in Grafenwoehr, Germany, is seen here following U.S. air raids on April 5 and April 8, 1945. In 2025, the site is home to the Rio Restaurant. (Archiv Gerald Morgenstern) The Rio Restaurant as seen on Alte Amberger Street in Grafenwoehr, Germany, on April 7, 2025. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes) The town hall in Grafenwoehr, Germany, is seen here in this archival photo from around 1910. (Archiv Gerald Morgenstern) A war memorial stands outside the city offices in Grafenwoehr, Germany, as seen on April 7, 2025. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes) During the initial raid, bombers first attacked around 11 a.m. from the east, striking the Mark Forest. The bombs narrowly missed the German armys largest poison gas depot, which was hidden in the woods. A strike on the 3 million gas grenades and projectiles would have been enough to extinguish life in the northern Oberpfalz region, Morgenstern said. The bombers then struck the northern part of the main camp. Seventy-four people were killed, including 15 civilians. Three days later, over 200 B-17 bombers from the 3rd Air Division hit the German base and town for nearly two hours with conventional and fire bombs, Morgenstern said. Over 200 buildings were destroyed and 3,000 residents lost their homes. The Grafenwoehr Water Tower, seen here in this archival photo from around 1915, was completed in 1911. Today, it is a main attraction at the U.S. Army's Tower Barracks in Grafenwoehr, Germany. (Archiv Gerald Morgenstern) The Grafenwoehr Water Tower, seen here on April 8, 2025, is located on the U.S. Army's Tower Barracks in Grafenwoehr, Germany. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes) A former German military supply building with a dining facility, foreground, and a larger barracks building behind it, seen in this archival photo from the 1960s, survived the Allied bombings in April 1945. The barracks is today home to the headquarters for U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria. (Archiv Gerald Morgenstern) The former German military supply and dining facility is today home to the 7th Army Training Command's headquarters, as seen on Tower Barracks in Grafenwoehr, Germany, on April 8, 2025. The headquarters building for U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria, a former German military barracks, can be seen to the left. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes) Eleven civilians were killed along with hundreds of German soldiers and prisoners of war, though the exact number is not known. Civilians rode out the storm in cellars and basements. The buildings along Alte Amberger Street, just outside Gate 1 today, were destroyed. Soldiers from the 11th Armored Division faced little resistance when they entered the town on April 19. The German commander of the training area, known to the Germans at the time as the Grafenwoehr Fortress, surrendered the following morning. U.S. forces began training on the approximately 90-square-miles of live-fire and training ranges the following year. The training areas role and importance expanded during the Cold War. Buildups to support a brigade sized element and brigade combat team occurred on nearby Rose Barracks in Vilseck in the 1980s and 20 years later on Tower Barracks. Commanders with U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria and 7th Army Training Command marched along with residents in Grafenwoehr, Germany, on April 8, 2025, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Grafenwoehr and the end of World War II. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes) American soldiers stationed at U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria and residents of Grafenwoehr, Germany, gathered on April 8, 2025, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Grafenwoehr and the end of World War II. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes) Hans Heindl, a resident of Grafenwoehr, Germany, who was 6 years old at the time of the city's bombing, recalls some of the events that took place 80 years prior during an event at a local musuem on April 8, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes) Toni Wittmann, a resident of Grafenwoehr, Germany, who was just four years old at the time of the city's bombing, recalls some of the events that took place 80 years prior during an event at a local museum on April 8, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes) Today, it is the Armys largest permanent European training area, where U.S. and NATO forces hone their tactics for a variety of global missions. Standing in front of the town hall, training command head Brig. Gen. Steven Carpenter spoke of the importance of remembering and learning from the past. He also reiterated the U.S. commitment to Germany and the people of Grafenwoehr. Alex Richter, the chief of the Grafenwoehr fire department, said that in these times, events like this keep us grounded. We need this ceremony, he said, turning his attention to the soldiers in attendance. We have great friends. Peggy Lutz sits for a photo after an interview with the Oregon National Guard on March 31, 2025, in McMinnville, Ore. Lutz served in the Navy Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) during World War II more than 80 years ago. (Emily Simonson/Oregon National Guard) Navy WAVES veteran Peggy Lutz is celebrating her 103rd birthday on Thursday. Born on April 10, 1922, Lutz was a 22-year-old school teacher at Myrtle Point, Ore., when a U.S. Navy recruiter asked her to join the service in 1944, according to an interview released by the Oregon National Guard. The only reason that I went in the Navy was I liked their uniforms better, Lutz said. The Armys [uniform] was just horrible. Lutz joined the Navys Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) program. The program had been established just two years before she joined and was intended to fill roles in the U.S. left vacant by men deploying overseas. Enlisted members took on mostly administrative or office positions, though about a third of the women who served in WAVES during WWII had naval aviation duties. Lutz was one of them. She was assigned to air traffic control and reported to Klamath Falls Naval Air Station in her home state of Oregon, before later transferring to Naval Air Station Tongue Point in Astoria, also in Oregon. It wasnt always seamless. Lutz and her peers faced discrimination from some of the men they worked alongside. But Lutz also said that pilots welcomed us because they liked our voice. We just laughed about the fact that our work was [deemed] not as acceptable as mans work, and yet we were doing better. Actually our statistics were better, Lutz told the Oregon National Guard. Lutz worked at Tongue Point until WAVES was disbanded in January 1946. The release says Lutz wanted to continue serving but faced expectations to return to the household. She was also unable to find civilian air traffic control employment because of prejudices about women in the workforce, and she returned to being a school teacher. Lutz remains proud of her service and her WAVES uniform remains on proud display in her home eight decades later. A uniform for the U.S. Navys Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) program is seen on display. The WWII-era program was established to fill roles in the U.S. left vacant by men deploying overseas. (Naval History and Heritage Command) The Department of Veterans Affairs building in Washington. (Stars and Stripes) WASHINGTON Veterans groups urged the Department of Veterans Affairs to take steps to end common mistakes in claims reviews for disability that include redundant requests for veterans to undergo more medical exams when the clinical diagnoses already are in their records. Veterans of Foreign Wars and Disabled American Veterans were among veterans advocacy groups to identify problems and offer recommendations at a hearing Wednesday of the House Veterans Affairs Committees subpanel on disability assistance and memorial affairs. The hearing examined common errors that delay claims processing and contribute to a backlog of veterans requests for disability benefits to cover illnesses and injuries incurred from military service. The VA reported a backlog of more than 230,000 claims on April 5, according to the agencys website. Claims are considered backlogged when a decision has been pending for more than 125 days. Every veteran and survivor deserve a timely decision on a claim, said subcommittee chairman Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas. We need to make sure the VA systems work the best they can and that we empower employees to do their best work, said Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-Ky., the top Democrat on the subcommittee. Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, makes remarks during a House hearing in November 2024. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes) Disabled American Veterans said the group helped veterans file more than 500,000 claims in fiscal 2024 for illnesses and injuries connected to their military service. But DAV and other veterans groups raised concerns about claim overdevelopment that leads to mistakes and delays in decisions for compensation. Claim overdevelopment is a term that refers to repeated and unnecessary requests by VA processors for medical exams to support a disability award, Luttrell said. The VA pays government contractors to conduct these medical exams. But duplicate exams often are mistakenly ordered when there is sufficient medical documentation in a veterans file, he said. Luttrell said he has introduced legislation called the Review Every Veterans Claims Act to address the problem. In fiscal 2023, 2.4 million medical exams were completed to support disability claims, which increased to 3.2 million in fiscal 2024, Luttrell said. Most of those exams were government funded, he said. But an audit has shown the VA spent $1.4 million on unnecessary medical exams in a six-month period in 2023, Luttrell said. Overdevelopment drives government waste because VA pays contracted exam vendors for every exam, even for those that were never necessary, he said. Even simple mistakes in improperly indexing claims submissions can lead to redundant and costly requests for re-documenting medical evidence, according to Marquis Barefield, assistant national legislative director at the DAV. Veterans also receive vague notices asking for more medical documentation without a clear explanation about why their original submission was determined to be incomplete, he said. Processors also will mistakenly order clinical exams unrelated to a veterans specific medical condition, especially in more complex cases involving illnesses and injuries from toxic exposures while on active duty, according to Barefield. Veterans who present medical diagnoses and records from private physicians outside the VA also seem to encounter more obstacles and delays in receiving decisions, he said. But Kenneth Smith, assistant deputy undersecretary for field operations management at the Veterans Benefits Administration, said the VA recently added training to help claims processors avoid mistakes and delays. He said the VA is adopting a tool that gives processors a checklist to review before deciding whether more medical documentation is needed to support a claim. New VA policies emphasize government-contracted medical exams are not required when there is sufficient evidence in a veterans records to support an award, Smith said. Kenneth Smith, assistant deputy undersecretary for field operations management at the Veterans Benefits Administration, testifies April 9, 2025, during a House Committee on Veterans Affairs hearing. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes) Nancy Springer, associate director of national legislative service for Veterans of Foreign Wars, echoed the comments of DAV. Processors often conduct only a cursory check of a veterans records before ordering medical exams when the necessary documentation is in their records, according to Springer. The VFW sees many instances of the VA failing to fully review a veterans records, she said. Claims for conditions related to toxic exposures seem especially prone to overdevelopment. Presumption of service connection satisfies the need for a medical opinion if the claimants service record substantiates service in an exposure location and eliminates the requirement for further medical examination, Springer said. It also is common for a contracted clinician to contradict the diagnosis of a physician in a veterans records, according to Springer. Sending the physicians medical opinion to a lesser-credentialed medical professional, such as a nurse practitioner, for confirmation and certification causes unnecessary delay, she said. Barefield recommended the VA expand specialized training for processors for handling more complex claims, including from veterans exposed to toxins and veterans reporting illnesses or injuries connected to military sexual trauma. DAV also urged the VA to strengthen protocols for medical evaluations so veterans are not repeatedly sent back to clinicians for additional medical evidence. A union official from the American Federation of Government Employees recommended the VA keep the same regional office involved in the decision-making process of individual claims. When claims are bounced from one regional VA office to another, processors often misunderstand the work that has been done and prolong the review, said James Swartz, president of AFGE Local 2823, which represents employees at the Cleveland regional office of the Veterans Benefits Administration. He suggested the VA assign claims to processors based on their individual availability instead of the current practice of allotting a set number of claims per day to each regional office regardless of existing caseloads. David Slattery of Priory Square, Celbridge, Co Kildare, took the then 16-year-old girl to a hotel on two occasions A 50-year-old man who befriended a teenage girl on Snapchat and sexually exploited her, giving her money and alcohol in exchange for sexual favours, has been jailed for three years. David Slattery of Priory Square, Celbridge, Co Kildare, took the then 16-year-old girl to a hotel on two occasions, bought her a vape, mobile phone credit, food and alcohol, gave her cocaine once and engaged in sexual activity with her several times, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard. When his home was searched by gardai, two child sexual exploitation images and two videos which had been sent to him from another teenage girl were discovered on Slattery's device, the court heard. Slattery, a married father of two, pleaded guilty to one count of obtaining a child for sexual exploitation and one count of possessing child sexual abuse material, known in law as child pornography, on dates in 2023. The pleas were entered on the basis that Slattery believed that both girls were 17 years old at the time, defence counsel said. He has three previous convictions for minor road traffic offences. The child who sent Slattery the photos and videos was tracked down by gardai, but didn't want anything to do with a criminal investigation, the court heard. She was aged around 13 at the time. David Slattery Sentencing Slattery today, Judge Martin Nolan said Slattery's behaviour was serious, noting he broke the law and preyed upon the injured parties. The judge noted the mitigation, but said Slattery must suffer a prison term for what he did, imposing a sentence of three years. Garda Cillian Duffy told the court that Slattery's child exploitation offending came to light when he was pulled over by a garda in relation to a road tax issue for his Mercedes while the girl was a passenger on August 28, 2023. When the garda queried the relationship between them, Slattery claimed the girl was his daughter's friend and he was dropping her home. However, Slattery was unable to provide an address and the girl was unable to provide a name for Slattery's so-called daughter. As a result, the garda called for a female garda to talk to the girl and her parents were called. At the station, she seemed unwilling to talk in the presence of her father, so the female garda asked if she would like to speak in private. The girl then confided that Slattery had befriended her on Snapchat that summer, that she was 16 years old but had told him she was 17 and that he gave her money in return for sexual stuff. The girl was later interviewed by specialist gardai over three occasions in which she outlined how Slattery bought her fast food, alcohol, a vape, mobile credit and brought her to a hotel on two occasions. In one hotel, he rubbed cocaine in her gums and tried to have sex with her, eventually having anal sex with her. David Slattery On the second occasion in a hotel, he left her two 50 notes on the desk after engaging in further sexual activity with her. In her victim impact statement which was read out by Fiona McGowan BL, prosecuting, the now 17-year-old girl said her family treated her differently after the crime came to light and made her feel like it was her fault. She said she has been robbed of her safety and sense of trust, left with memories she doesn't want and scars that will live with her forever. I was a victim and a child just looking for a friend, she said. That friend just wanted to use me, but as a child, I didn't see it like that. She said that counselling has helped her realise that what Slattery did was wrong and that she should not be feeling bad for him. The victim was in court for the sentence hearing. I don't know what justice looks like for someone like me, she said. I don't know if anything can undo the pain caused to me. But I deserve to be acknowledged. I deserve to be heard. In relation to the child sexual abuse material which was seized during a search of Slattery's house in September 2023, the court heard the two images and two videos contained explicit material of a 13-year-old child. Slattery believed she was 17, the court heard. Slattery was arrested in March 2024 and made no comment other than to say he thought the girl he engaged in sexual activity with was over the age of consent. Giollaiosa O Lideadha SC, defending, said Slattery was extremely remorseful for his actions, with letters of apology handed in to the victim and the court. In the letter, Slattery said he was a man with no moral compass at the time of the offending. A letter from Slattery's wife outlining his childhood circumstances was also handed in to court. The court heard that Slattery had a cocaine addiction at the time. Defence counsel said he has since rehabilitated himself and has helped others in their recovery from drug addiction. He has a good work history working for a family business, among other businesses, the court heard. By Qabil Ashirov In a world where geopolitical tensions often escalate faster than they can be resolved, the quiet yet powerful role of diplomacy is more vital than ever. Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyevs recent remarks at the 7th International Policy Forum Facing the New World Order held at ADA University shed light on a highly significant achievement: Azerbaijans behind-the-scenes mediation in the reconciliation between Turkiye and Israel. This is not only a noteworthy diplomatic accomplishment, but it also demonstrates Azerbaijan's emerging influence in fostering peace and stability in a volatile region. One of the most compelling statements made by President Ilham Aliyev was: During the initial crisis, we played an active role in bringing the positions of the two countries closer together. This quote, simple yet powerful, encapsulates the essence of Azerbaijans contribution to regional diplomacy. While many larger nations focus on projecting hard power, Azerbaijan has opted for a strategic use of soft power, utilizing its trusted relationships with both Turkiye and Israel to encourage dialogue and understanding. The importance of this role cannot be overstated. Turkiye and Israel, both critical players in the Middle East, have experienced fluctuating relations over the years, marked by diplomatic breakdowns and public disputes. The fact that Azerbaijan was able to help mediate and bring them back to the table is a testament to its growing diplomatic credibility. The countrys unique positionmaintaining strong bilateral relations with both nationsgave it the trust and access needed to act as an intermediary. Not every country could have pulled that off. Another significant takeaway from President Aliyevs speech was his emphasis that both countries are close friends of Azerbaijan and added: We are allied with Turkiye. In 2021, we signed the Shusha Declaration, and we are officially allies. Highlighting that Israel is also a friendly country to Azerbaijan, the President noted that this mutual friendship has manifested itself over many years in various challenging situations: Azerbaijan is not merely watching the world changeit is actively shaping that change, especially in its immediate geopolitical neighborhood. He referred to Turkiye as a formal ally, citing the 2021 Shusha Declaration, and described Israel as a long-standing friend. These relationships are not just symbolic; they are practical, grounded in mutual interests, and now, evidently, in shared diplomatic values. Azerbaijans concern about any misunderstanding between Turkiye and Israel reflects a broader visionone that seeks regional harmony over rivalry. As he put it: Any misunderstanding between these two countries concerns us. This quote reinforces Azerbaijans central role in what could be a turning point in Middle Eastern diplomacy. In a time when conflicts dominate headlines and mistrust defines international relations, Azerbaijans diplomatic initiative should serve as a model. Its mediation efforts offer a blueprint for how small and mid-sized powers can play significant roles in global affairs, not through coercion or competition, but through conversation and cooperation. President Aliyevs remarks are not only a reflection of past success but a signal of intent for future engagements. Azerbaijans role in the reconciliation between Turkiye and Israel should not be underestimated. It is a sign of the countrys rising status on the international stage and its ability to act as a trusted mediator in complex geopolitical matters. With continued commitment to diplomacy, Azerbaijan could become a key player in fostering peace far beyond its borders. European Commissioner Kos: I think we will be able to open all negotiation clusters by late 2025 Photo: https://newsroom.consilium.europa.eu/ European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos believes that there is a clear prospect of opening all negotiation clusters on Ukraine's accession to the European Union by the end of 2025. Kos said that the screenings were almost complete and that they had a clear prospect. According to her, they would be able to open all cluster negotiations by the end of 2025. 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. On March 20, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine - Minister of Justice Olha Stefanishyna stated that Ukraine is ready to open the negotiating clusters on joining the EU both sequentially and within the framework of a single intergovernmental conference, depending on the progress of negotiations with the Hungarian side. The EU procedure defines 35 negotiating chapters. Under these chapters, the European Commission first conducts an official screening of the compliance of Ukraine's 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. The jury of six men and six women at the Central Criminal Court deliberated for just under seven hours before delivering their unanimous verdict A jury has convicted a young man of the murder of a 65-year-old "gentleman" who had taken both the defendant and his mother into his home after learning of their struggles with homelessness, rejecting his defence that he was entitled to a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. A consultant psychiatrist had told the jury that the first time Brian Ibe (23) reported hearing voices in his head was over a year after he was remanded in custody, on the same day his awareness of the possibility of the special verdict was first documented. The jury of six men and six women at the Central Criminal Court deliberated for just under seven hours before delivering their unanimous verdict today. Ibe, of no fixed abode and formerly of Moore Park, Newbridge, Co Kildare, had pleaded not (NOT) guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of Peter Kennedy between April 28 and May 12, 2020, both dates inclusive, in Newbridge. He had 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. The jury found him guilty of both charges. The trial heard that Mr Kennedy took Ibe's mother, Martha, into his home after learning she was living in her car. In 2019, Mr Kennedy invited Brian Ibe to join them, but neighbours soon became concerned about the older man's welfare. Rita Swords said she had been friends with Mr Kennedy for over 30 years and described him as a good guy and a lovely man. She suggested he get help for Brian and Martha Ibe through the proper channels but told him not to get directly involved. She thought Martha and Brian Ibe were taking advantage of his good nature. In the run-up to Christmas 2019, Ms Swords invited Mr Kennedy for tea and a chat. When he arrived, he was dishevelled and unkempt, where usually he would be smart. Ms Swords fed him because he was hungry. He was just a broken man, he just wasnt himself, she said. While Mr Kennedy was sitting with her, she said Brian Ibe called his phone and demanded a meal from McDonalds. She said Mr Kennedy was panicking and terrified when this happened. I said Peter youve got to get help, youve got to get him out because this chap was dangerous; he was afraid of him, said Ms Swords. Linda Mannion told prosecution counsel David Humphries BL that she first met Mr Kennedy in 1990 when she moved to Newbridge and was looking for somewhere to live. He would often drive her home to Athy to see her parents, and when she got her first car, he went guarantor on the loan. You felt very safe in Peters presence, she said. She described Mr Kennedy as kind and extremely intelligent and added: "He was always concerned with helping you out, helping you to better yourself." Ms Mannion said around December 2019, Mr Kennedy told her that Ibe would come into his bedroom and shout at him for money. He would just burst into his room when Peter was in his bed asleep, she said. He would be woken up by Brian shouting, demanding money off him and Peter would say I cant get it for you now, Im sleeping but Ill get it for you in the morning and Brian would demand that he get up right then and get him whatever was required, said the witness. Damian Molyneaux recalled Mr Kennedy, whom he described as his best friend, telling him that Brian Ibe twice threatened to kill him, saying he would "slit his throat". Chris Pender, a County Councillor in Newbridge, said he had helped to find emergency accommodation for Brian Ibe. He said the catalyst for Mr Kennedy wanting the accused out of the house was one especially aggressive incident in which Mr Kennedy said he woke to find Brian Ibe standing over him threatening to stab him. Martha Ibe, in a statement written down by gardai and read to the jury, said she had known Peter Kennedy for years and described him as a "lovely man" and a "kind gentleman". She said her son moved in with them in Moore Park but went to live at a Peter McVerry Trust hostel in Walkinstown, Dublin after Mr Kennedy phoned gardai and demanded he leave. On April 28, 2020, she said she was watching a DVD in her bedroom when she heard glass smashing. Mr Kennedy ran from another room, shouting, "Come quick, I think it's Brian" and went to walk past Ms Ibe into the bedroom. She then saw her son walking up the stairs, holding a knife with a blade that was five or six inches long. She said her son "zoomed past me to get to Peter" and began "pushing the knife with a jabbing motion, at least six times, into Peter's neck." She said Mr Kennedy cried, "Help me, Martha, ring the guards!" while she shouted at her son to stop. She ran downstairs and struggled to open the front door, fearing that her son was coming behind her. Once outside, she ran to a neighbour's house for help and phoned gardai. She didn't see her son again. The defence did not dispute that Brian Ibe assaulted Mr Kennedy and that he died as a result. However, the defence asked the jury to consider whether Ibe qualified for a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity or of manslaughter due to diminished responsibility as a result of a mental disorder. Dr Stephen Monks, a consultant psychiatrist, told defence counsel Daniel O'Connell BL that he diagnosed Ibe with schizophrenia and found that at the time of the assault, he was psychotic. He said Ibe's psychotic state was a significant contributing factor to the assault and without the psychosis, it was unlikely the assault would have happened. Due to his delusions, including voices in his head telling him to kill Mr Kennedy, Dr Monks said it was possible that Ibe did not understand the nature and quality of his actions and, therefore, the court could consider that Ibe met the criteria for the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Dr Gaurav Malhan also diagnosed Ibe with schizophrenia and found that as a result of his psychosis, he was unable to refrain from assaulting Mr Kennedy. Dr Mary Davoren, a psychiatrist called by the prosecution, disagreed with the schizophrenia diagnosis. In his teens, she said it was documented that Ibe had regularly threatened and assaulted staff members at the institution where he was housed and smoked cannabis daily despite numerous appeals and warnings from gardai. This was, she said, evidence of a childhood conduct disorder which progressed to a dissocial personality disorder as he developed into adulthood. The threats he made to Mr Kennedy were goal-directed and rational, she said, and not evidence of the development of schizophrenia. He demanded money because he wanted money, she said. Dr Davoren said that in interviews with her, Ibe described the offence. When he arrived at Newbridge, he said he banged on the front door of Mr Kennedy's home but nobody answered so he went to the back of the house where he found a rock. He used the rock to smash a window and climbed through, picking up a shard of glass as he went. He said he went upstairs and found Mr Kennedy on the landing beside Mr Ibe's mother. At some point, he noticed that the knife he had taken from the hostel was missing, so he used the shard of glass, about 8 inches long, to stab Mr Kennedy three or four times. Mr Kennedy fell to the floor, he said, so Ibe started kicking him on the ground before leaving. He went to a nearby train station, took a train to Heuston Station and walked back to the hostel. When Ibe spoke to gardai 24 hours later, Dr Davoren noted that he did not report any hallucinations, gave coherent answers and did not display any disordered thinking. During those interviews, he lied to gardai, telling them he had not been to Newbridge the previous day, that he had only met Mr Kennedy once and that he had never lived with him. He denied knowledge of the assault on Mr Kennedy and suggested that his mother could be lying when she told gardai that she saw him stabbing Mr Kennedy. Also, while in garda custody, he refused to give a DNA sample or to allow gardai to take his fingerprints, became aggressive and punched a garda. Dr Davoren said this was "goal directed" behaviour rather than "irrational or bizarre behaviour". He didn't want to give samples to gardai and became agitated and aggressive when told he would have to, the psychiatrist said. Dr Davoren said there was no psychiatric explanation for his lies to gardai or for inconsistent accounts he gave of his cannabis use in the days and weeks before the assault. She also said there was no psychiatric explanation for his failure to tell her that he was put out of a residential home in his teenage years because of his bad behaviour. In the days and weeks following the alleged offence, Dr Davoren said medical staff at Cloverhill Prison noted no overt psychotic symptoms despite multiple reviews of Ibe by GPs, nursing staff, junior doctors and a consultant psychiatrist. The first time that he reported hearing voices, Dr Davoren said, was one year and 13 days after he was remanded to Cloverhill. This was, she said, the same day that it was first documented that Ibe was aware of the possibility of a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Dr Davoren described the signs of Ibe's personality disorder, including a callous unconcern for the feelings of others, gross and persistent irresponsibility and disregard for social norms, low tolerance to frustration and low threshold for aggression and violence. He displays an incapacity to experience guilt or to benefit from punishment and is also prone to blame others or rationalise his behaviour, she said. When Ibe's defence counsel asked what goal Ibe had in taking a butter knife and travelling to Newbridge to attack Mr Kennedy, Dr Davoren replied that Ibe may have been annoyed about being asked to leave the deceased's house the previous Christmas. She said Ibe had complained that he lost some of his social welfare money because he could no longer attend an educational course in Newbridge and that he felt "disgust" about the state of Mr Kennedy's house. Ibe had complained to Dr Davoren that there was dog faeces on the floor and that Mr Kennedy didn't keep the place clean. Dr Davoren said disgust is a "strong emotion", and Ibe's "anger and resentment" provides an alternative explanation for the assault. In his closing speech, Paul Carroll SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, reminded the jury of Dr Davoren's diagnosis that Ibe had a dissocial personality disorder, which is not a mental disorder that could qualify a person for the special verdict. Mr Carroll said Ibe had repeatedly threatened Mr Kennedy during the months when he lived in the deceased's house and demanded money from him. These were "result-driven" threats and demands and were not irrational or related to delusions or hallucinations, Mr Carroll said. In his closing speech for the defence, Conor Devally SC said it would be easy to have sympathy for Mr Kennedy, who he said was "too kind for his own good". They may also sympathise with any of the witnesses who spoke of his kindness and generosity. "Regardless of the brutality on display," Mr Devally said the jury might also have sympathy for Ibe, given evidence that he was at the time of the alleged offence, a 19-year-old boy suffering with a mental illness. In her charge to the jury, Ms Justice Melanie Greally said that given the plea entered by Ibe, he had accepted that he killed Mr Kennedy and that he assaulted Gda O'Donnell. It was also not contested that serious injury or death were natural and probable consequences of the assault he carried out on the deceased, she said. Ms Justice Greally told the jury to apply a "healthy skepticism" to the expert evidence and to apply their critical faculties in coming to their verdicts. After the jury returned their verdict today, Ms Justice Greally thanked them for the exemplary way they had deliberated in the case and excused them from jury service for life. The matter was put back to May 19 next for sentencing, with Ibe remanded in custody. He now faces the mandatory sentence of life in prison. The six-week trial heard Bhim Kohli, 80, was injured and racially abused just yards from his home in Franklin Park, Braunstone town, near Leicester on September 1 last year A 15-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl have been found guilty of killing an 80-year-old dog walker who was filmed being assaulted before his death. The six-week trial heard Bhim Kohli, 80, was injured and racially abused just yards from his home in Franklin Park, Braunstone town, near Leicester on September 1 last year. Jurors at Leicester Crown Court deliberated for six hours and 46 minutes before unanimously convicting the boy and girl, who cannot be named because of their ages, of manslaughter. The boy had also been charged with murder, but was found not guilty by the jury on that count. In a letter written two months after the attack, the court heard the boy said I did it and I accept Im doing time The youths, who sat in the dock for the first time since their trial began, appeared upset as the verdicts were returned yesterday. Jurors were told Mr Kohli suffered a broken neck and rib fractures which were consistent with something heavy striking the rib cage and died in hospital the next evening. The boy, who denied inflicting the fatal injuries, told a friend he would go on the run to Hinckley, in Leicestershire, the day after the attack but was arrested by police minutes later while hiding in a bush, the court heard. In a letter written two months after the attack, the court heard the boy said I did it and I accept Im doing time and I kinda just needed anger etc releasing. After the verdicts were returned, Mr Justice Turner further remanded the boy into custody and granted the female defendant bail. He told the jury: Its quite clear from what I have seen that you have been following the case closely and have been extremely conscientious in the discharge of your duty. He adjourned sentencing until May 20. The boy told the jury he walked over to Mr Kohli that evening, wearing a balaclava, because the girl told the group of five children that he carries a knife, before the man fell to his knees during a tussle over the youths slider. The court was shown a video clip filmed by the girl of the masked boy slapping Mr Kohli in the face with his shoe, which he told the jury he did out of instinct. In the prosecutions closing speech, Harpreet Sandhu KC called the boys actions gratuitous violence against a man who was defenceless. In another clip taken by the girl, who was alleged to be laughing in one of the videos, Mr Kohli could be seen lying motionless on his side. In his evidence, the male defendant told the court he pushed Mr Kohli over to defend the girl, who he thought was going to be hit or pushed by the elderly man, but he denied ever kicking or punching Mr Kohli. The jury heard that when the victim was found injured in the park, he told his daughter that he had been called a P*** during the attack. Speaking after the case, Detective Chief Inspector Mark Sinski, of Leicestershire Police, said Mr Kohli was a much-loved grandfather who was enjoying the simple things in life, spending time with his family, tending to his allotment and walking his dog. He said: (Mr Kohli) used to grow vegetables for his neighbours, and a lot of his neighbours used to call him grandad, both as a term of affection and as respect to the absolute gentleman he was. Clearly the fatal attack of an elderly man in a public park close to his home by children has shocked the community and the family to the core. This should never have happened. When gardai stopped dad-of-four Michael Bailey (31) he had two phones on him and had discarded 2,200 of cannabis on the ground A handyman caught with packages of cannabis and mobile phones outside the wall of a Dublin prison has been jailed for four months. When gardai stopped dad-of-four Michael Bailey (31) he had two phones on him and had discarded 2,200 of cannabis on the ground. Bailey, with an address at Tyrconnell Road, Inchicore, admitted possession of drugs and phones intended to be taken into Wheatfield Prison on February 22, 2023. Bailey had a troubled background and developed a difficulty with drugs Blanchardstown District Court heard gardai on patrol at Cherry Orchard Green, Ballyfermot, saw the accused acting suspiciously. He discarded several items at the prison wall before being stopped and searched. They found two phones wrapped in tape on his person, and when they recovered the discarded items, they found cannabis worth 2,200, also wrapped in tape. Bailey had a troubled background and developed a difficulty with drugs - tablets were his main issue, his solicitor Simon Fleming said. He was working as a part-time handyman and was on social welfare. He had previous convictions, had served sentences before and was in prison when his father died. Mr Fleming said it stood to reason that the court would take a strong line on phones and drugs in prison because otherwise there would be anarchy. He asked the judge to be as lenient as he could. Judge David McHugh said it was not a question of whether Bailey would serve a sentence but how long. Shawn Divin struck the woman across the face after taking the 1.20 bag of Rowntree Randoms from a shop in Belfast city centre A man who slapped a female shop worker for challenging him about stealing a packet of sweets has been jailed for four months. Shawn Divin struck the woman across the face after taking the 1.20 bag of Rowntree Randoms from a shop in Belfast city centre. The 30-year-old defendant, a heroin addict from Scotland, admitted carrying out the theft and common assault on March 22 this year. Belfast Magistrates' Court heard he went into Centra on Great Victoria Street with his hood up, selected the confectionary and left without paying. The victim followed him out onto Howard Street to confront him about the shoplifting incident. Divin, of no fixed abode, responded by slapping her and threatening further violence before walking off. Police located and arrested him after examining CCTV footage of the incident. In a statement read out in court, the woman described how the assault was carried out. He took his hand out of an inside pocket where the sweets were and struck me on the face with the back of his hand, she said. I immediately felt pain and he continued to make threats to slap me again. Defence counsel Michael Boyd accepted Divin faced immediate imprisonment for the offences. It was a completely distressing, horrible thing to have happened to a lady just doing her job, he acknowledged. Mr Divin is a heroin addict and this is consistent with the behaviour of someone who is completely detached from societal norms. The barrister added that his client has managed to get clean for the first time in seven years and plans to return to Scotland once he gets out of jail. District Judge Steven Keown stated that the victim had gone over and above her duties in challenging Divin. Passing sentence, Mr Keown confirmed: The common assault is outrageous, there will be four months custody. Aaron Mulvey (22) walked free from court with sentencing judge Kenneth Connolly stating he had to consider the guidance laid down of another judge who dealt with the other defendants The instigator of a serious assault in a Sligo pub who attacked a man along with three others was seen on CCTV smiling and laughing seconds after the incident, Sligo Circuit Court heard. Aaron Mulvey (22) from Geevagh, County Sligo punched his victim, Adam Murphy along with three others at Gracies, Grattan Street, Sligo on St Stephens night in 2022. Mulvey walked free from court with sentencing judge Kenneth Connolly stating he was guided by the decision of another judge Keenan Johnson who had dealt with the three other perpetrators previously by way of the Probation Act. Judge Connolly told the Circuit Court sentencing hearing of Mulvey on Tuesday that ordinarily he would not hesitate to impose an immediate custodial sentence in this case and a lengthy one at that. The Judge described the assault as thuggery and one which he utterly despised involving a young person out with his girlfriend for a few drinks and is then beset by thugs. Its utter thuggery for people to go out and subject others to an assault, said Judge Connolly, adding that the victim had suffered a significant assault. CCTV of the assault, which lasted for just over a minute, was shown to the court. When the assault finished, after the victim was knocked to floor where had suffered a loss of consciousness, Mulvey could be seen walking away smiling and laughing with his friends. Mulvey had pleaded guilty on March 18th last to assault causing harm to Adam Murphy and the matter was adjourned for sentencing to Monday. A second charge of violent disorder was taken into consideration. The defendant was represented by Ms Eileen OLeary SC with Mr Eugene Deering BL, instructed by Mr Tom MacSharry, solicitor while Mr Leo Mulrooney with State Solicitor, Ms Elisa McHugh, prosecuted. Aaron Mulvey leaving Sligo Courthouse. Mr Mulrooney outlined how Mr Murphy made a statement to Gardai on January 5th 2023, ten days after the assault. He was aged 19 at the time and Mulvey was 20. The victim was not in court as he was now living and working in Australia but his mother was in attendance. Led by Mr Mulrooney, Sergeant Fergal Flynn outlined how in his statement, Mr Murphy stated he and his girlfriend, Lauren French went to Gracies around 10pm on December 26th. They were in the upstairs bar and it was very busy. At around 11.30pm he and his girlfriend were walking past the toilets heading towards one of the alcoves upstairs when he was suddenly pushed in the chest and shoulder by Aaron Mulvey. This man got in my face and kept shouting at me. I cant remember what he was saying. I found it hard to understand his accent, said Mr Murphy, a native of Dublin. Mr Murphy continued that he looked up and saw that his girlfriend was talking to Oran Blake who was previously in a relationship with her. Suddenly, I saw Orans right arm come across Aaron and Lauren and pushed me in the left side of my face. After this first punch, I felt another punch to the right side of my face. I dont know where that came from. I covered my face and was knocked to the ground. I could feel punches coming fro everywhere and I was doing my best to stop them. After about ten to fifteen seconds I blacked out. When I regained consciousness I stood back up. I then felt one more punch to the face and it was Oran who punched me. I fell back and hit the back of my head on a glass cabinet which was attached to the wall behind. I dont know if I was knocked out. When I stood up i looked down and my hands were covered in blood, he said. Lauren French told him later that there were five men punching him while he was on the ground and she knew two of them, one being Niall Whelehan who kicked her in the stomach when she was trying to pull him off him. The victim left the bar with his girlfriend and walked home to her house. Her mother then brought him to Sligo University Hospital where he remained for 14 hours. He had a CT scan and was told he had concussion. There was a large lump to the back of his head and he also had severe bruising of his left eye and cheek. His forehead and nose were bruised and his neck was scraped. He could barely see out of his left eye. Mr Murphy said that his girlfriends ex-partner Oran Blake had been causing trouble for them for the past year along with his group of friends. Lauren French (22) in her statement to Gardai said she saw Aaron Mulvey push her boyfriend Adam Murphy against the wall and she asked him what he was doing. Her ex-boyfriend came in and threw a punch at Mr Murphy and there were four or five of them hitting him. I tried to push them off because he was getting battered really bad, she said. Sgt Flynn said he investigated the incident and looked at CCTV from Graces Bar. He spoke to Lauren French who was able to identify those who took part in the assault. CCTV of the incident was played to the court. It showed Aaron Mulvey squaring up to Mr Murphy and pushing him. It then showed Mr Murphy being pushed by Oran Blake and then being hit by Niall Whelehan and Pauric Feeney. Blake is seen punching Mr Murphy several times as he lay on the ground. Blake is seen punching Mr Murphy as does Niall Whelehan again. Mulvey is also seen hitting Mr Murphy as does Blake again. Sgt Flynn said that on December 17th 2024 he met with Mulvey for the purpose of charging. Mulvey had gone to Australia shortly after the incident. Mr Mulrooney outlined the contents of a medial report from Consultant in Emergency Medicine Michael Sweeney who stated Mr Murphy attended at the Emergency Department at 1.28am on December 27th. He had bruising around his left eye with swelling and he complained of blurred vision. There were lacerations to his forehead and lips and he complained of pain across his nasal bridge. There was a raised bump behind the left ear which was tender and he complained of general dizziness. Mr Murphy was diagnosed with a minor brain injury. A CT scan was performed. It showed no intracranial injury and there were no fractures to his face or head. He was discharged at 12.40pm on the 27th. Mr Mulrooney stated that Oran Blake and Niall Whelehan, both from Ballintogher and Pauric Feeney from Calry were charged with assaulting Mr Murphy causing him harm and appeared before Judge Keenan Johnson on March 8th 2024. They pleaded guilty. Whelehan was also charged with assaulting Lauren French which was taken into consideration. The three defendants brought 5,000 and apologised and all were given a conditional discharge under Section 1.2 of the Probation Act. They also entered a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for one week. They did not have any previous convictions. Mulvey had road traffic convictions for no insurance and careless driving arising out of his use of a motorbike in May 2021.Pictures showing the injuries suffered by Mr Murphy were handed in to court. Sgt Flynn read Mr Murphys Victim Impact Statement which said he had suffered a financial loss of 220 in medical expenses. His injuries were also outlined but he said he did not have any long term effects. He had only been down to Sligo once since the incident and at the time he was afraid to go to town. He suffered from post traumatic syndrome for awhile but he was fine now. In reply to Ms OLeary, Sgt Flynn agreed that Mulvey came from a good family who were all upset at the defendant finding himself in court. Ms OLeary said the defendant went to Australia in February 2023 for work with his partner and Sgt Flynn agreed this was something that had been pre-planned. Sgt Flynn said he contacted the defendant on April 29th 2024 and he agreed to return to Ireland. Ms OLeary suggested that the defendant was not the main person involved in the assault but Sgt Flynn said he had certainly instigated it by approaching Mr Murphy. Sgt Flynn accepted the probation report put Mulvey at low risk of re-offending and that he showed genuine remorse and at all times had indicated he would be pleading guilty. On December 17th 2024, the defendant presented himself for arrest, said the Sergeant. Addressing the victims mother who was sitting at the back of the court, Judge Connolly said he was very sorry this had happened to her and her family and hoped that her son was getting on well in Australia. The Judge told Mrs Murphy that she should not be insulted if she hears nice things being said about the defendant, this was the way the system worked but that her son was not forgotten and he was foremost in his mind. Ms OLeary said the defendant hoped to return to Australia where he was doing an apprenticeship as a mechanic. A reference was handed in from his employer there as was one from former Sligo/Leitrim TD John Perry. The defendant took to the witness stand to read out two letters of apology, one to Mr Murphy and the other to Ms French. Mulvey said hew as truly sorry for the harm and distress he caused and that he had acted without thinking. He said he took full responsibility and that he had acted without considering the consequences of his actions. He added that he took this as an opportunity to learn. Mulvey also issued an apology to Mrs Murphy in court. He had 5,000 to hand over to his victim. Ms OLeary asked the court that Mulvey be treated in a similar fashion to the others involved in the incident. Judge Connolly said the assualt might not have started at all if the defendant hadnt instigated it. He (Mulvey) decided to be the big fellow, that he was going to sort it all out and thats the big mystery, said the Judge. Mulvey was the instigator, he had approached the victim. Judge Connolly said if he had been dealing with the matter, which was utter thuggery, he wouldnt have hesitated in imposing a custodial sentence and a lengthy one at that. After adjourning for a short period to consider sentencing, the judge returned to say the nature of the assault was something he utterly despised. He said young people were going out to enjoy a few drinks and were set upon by a bunch of thugs. It was utter thuggery of people to go out and subject others to an assault. It seemed to him that the defendant was the instigator of the events and he couldnt fathom why he had involved himself in all of this. He took it upon himself to single out the victim and he found this utterly intolerable. I have seen the pictures and it has to be said he (Mr Murphy)) got quite a battering from this group, said Judge Connolly. He said he felt somewhat restricted somewhat in that the others involved were dealt with in a lenient fashion and this was the view of this court. Judge Connolly said he refused to accept that any person who goes out at night should be subjected to assault. The Judge said Mulvey was an active participant and he also appears to be smiling and laughing after the assault and this was something he noticed though in sentencing he wasnt going to hold this against him. The victim, added the Judge was outnumbered and defenceless and was also smaller in stature than the defendant. Judge Connolly said he had to consider parity of sentencing with regard to the other three involved. He was obliged to apply parity unless there was a distinct difference and while he probably could find this as the defendant was the instigator, this would be a departure from the decision of his more senior colleague, Judge Johnson. In lieu of a prison term of one year and seven months, Judge Connolly said he was applying Section 1.2 of the Probation Act on condition the defendant enter a bond to keep the peace for one year and hand over the 3,000 to Mrs Murphy. He is a very lucky young man indeed that hes not going to prison this afternoon to serve a custodial sentence, said Judge Connolly. Witnesses claim man said he feared being sent back to jail after accident A man said he didnt care that another man had been knocked down and killed on the M1 after he got out of the car they had been travelling in, witnesses have told an inquest. Darryl Thompson (22) was a previously physically healthy man when he was struck by a car on the M1 road near Dungannon on Saturday 10, November 2018 and died as a result of head and neck injuries. A key witness had been instructed to attend court in person on Wednesday in order to give their evidence. Kellie Keenan was the front seat passenger in the car Mr Thompson was travelling in shortly before his death. She said the victim of the motorway accident had been involved in an argument with Dominic Daly who was in the back seat. Ms Keenan had told the inquest the argument was verbal in nature, they werent fighting, hitting each other there was no physical punching or anything. However, Coroners Counsel Michael McCartan had told Ms Keenan that she and the driver, Tiernan Sutton, had confirmed to a police officer that Mr Thompson and Mr Daly had been in a fist fight and that their fight continued on the hard shoulder. When he attempted to press the point to see if she had any recollection of a fist fight, Ms Keenans video link to the court cut off and an attempt was made to reconnect her. Ms Keenan was told to attend via video link yesterday but the court was told she had not appeared. There was said to be no response from Ms Keenan by the conclusion of the sitting. The coroner made clear that Ms Keenan has been instructed to attend in person on Wednesday and the court will utilise powers available to it if that does not happen. Yesterday, several witnesses who were driving on the motorway on the night Mr Thompson died appeared to give evidence. They all noted there was foggy weather, and that after the incident happened there was a build-up of cars as many people were travelling home from a drift car racing event at Tullyoan. One witness noticed a person at the side of the road twisting and trying to get away from others. They noticed an argument on the hard shoulder, believed to be Mr Thompson and those he was travelling with. A number of witnesses were basing their evidence off what they observed in seconds while driving past. Another witness felt there was nothing malicious in terms of what theyd seen and believed individuals were trying to help like mates would by encouraging Mr Thompson to get into the car. A female witness said that Mr Thompsons friend was acting suspicious and the woman had said we need to get out of here. Witness Megan Newell said she came across a man in a blue hoodie on his hunkers at the side of the road who said his mate was dead. She told the court there was a strong smell of alcohol off him. He spoke of a fight in the car. A girl in a green coat then arrived along with a ginger-haired man who was very drunk and couldnt walk straight. Ms Newell overheard a conversation between them where one of the males said: Look at what you have done. The witness said the man responded: I dont care. When the woman in the green coat said: Thats your mate, he responded: No, thats his mate. The witness said the boy in the blue hoodie then said: I cant go back to the nick (prison). Ms Newell went to retrieve items from her car and when she returned with friends the two men and woman were gone. Chloe Brisbane shared similar evidence saying the ginger-haired male wasnt emotional and at one point said he didnt care what happened. The ginger-haired male was said to be heavily intoxicated and stumbling. Ms Brisbane was also suspicious that the main concern from the man in the blue hoodie appeared to be that he didnt want to go to the nick. It was said that the female in a green coat was keen to move the car and distance herself. The PSNI later asked Ms Brisbane which car the individuals were in that theyd spoken to and to identify those inside. On Monday, bereaved mother Edwina Thompson-Clarke remembered with deep affection her bright-eyed boy who was knocked down on the M1 saying, I miss him every waking minute of each and every day. She said the sparkle never left his eyes from the moment he was born until the night she saw him dead on the motorway when the light and sparkle had gone out from his eyes forever. The inquest continues. Michael McConville is accused of using Deepfake technology to create naked pictures A Co Antrim man tried to take his own life after images depicting sexual abuse of babies were discovered on his phone, the High Court heard today. Michael McConville was also involved in WhatsApp conversations with a father showing photographs of his own daughter, prosecutors said. The 31-year-old defendant is accused of using Deepfake technology to create naked pictures of that girl. McConville, of Linn Road in Larne, faces charges of making, possessing and distributing indecent images of a child. He faces a further count of possessing an extreme pornographic image in connection with the investigation. During an application for bail the judge was told McConville had made admissions to the alleged offences. Police initially arrested him after seizing two devices from his home on October 31 last year. He confirmed in interviews that he got sexual gratification from the images and distributed them through his Snapchat account, Crown counsel said. Initial examinations of McConvilles phone uncovered more than 100 banned photos, videos and other prohibited material. He stated that he had viewed images of children aged between five and sixteen, the court heard. But counsel disclosed: The indecent images located included images of babies under one being raped. She also described chats with another man whose details were stored on McConvilles mobile. In the WhatsApp conversations this gentleman sent the applicant images of his daughter clothed and sexual comments were made by both (of them), the barrister submitted. McConville had allegedly used Deepfake technology to create an image of that child with her breasts on display. Police have since identified the other man involved in those exchanges. McConville was initially released on police bail, but failed to attend a PSNI station in Belfast last month. Officers then forced entry to his home and found him in an intoxicated state. He had left a number of suicide notes and attempted to take his own life, the prosecutor added. Bail was opposed amid concerns that he could harm himself if released. McConvilles barrister argued that he is not being held in the suicide wing at Maghaberry. Once he was interviewed by police it was a huge relief and his mental health is now stable, the lawyer said. Adjourning the case, however, Mr Justice Humphreys requested an expert assessment of McConvilles mental state before deciding whether to grant bail. The judge stated: Clearly there was a crisis at one stage in the very recent past, I would like to see something from a fully qualified professional. Aaron Maguire (24) smashed the bus window, door and mirrors, then attacked an innocent eyewitnesss car when he saw the man filming the episode on his phone A motorist with anger management issues trashed a bus with a wheel brace as he tried to get at the driver in a shocking fit of road rage following a crash. Aaron Maguire (24) smashed the bus window, door and mirrors, then attacked an innocent eyewitnesss car when he saw the man filming the episode on his phone. Judge John King jailed Maguire for nine months, saying although he had paid compensation and expressed genuine remorse it was a horrendous incident. Maguire, with an address at Ballycanew, Gorey, Co Wexford pleaded guilty to brandishing the wheel brace as a weapon and two counts of criminal damage. Dublin District Court heard Maguire was in a collision with a bus on Rathfarnham Road, Terenure at 4.50pm on May 1 last year. He alighted from his car and attacked the bus with a wheel brace as he attempted to gain access to the driver, a garda sergeant said. As Maguire walked away, he smashed the side window of another car that had stopped, because the driver was recording him. The accused was under enormous pressure and stress at the time The total value of the damage was 1,250 - 1,000 to the bus and 250 to the car. Maguire had previous convictions and was under a suspended sentence at the time. A garda sergeant said it was Maguire who collided with the bus, but defence solicitor Michael Kelleher said that was disputed by the accused, who said he was rear-ended by the bus. This might have been an opportunity for a civil action if Maguire had remained calm but he had enormous issues with anger management and behaved irrationally, Mr Kelleher said. The accused was under enormous pressure and stress at the time and had attended a mental health clinic. Maguire accepted that his reaction to the collision was utterly disgraceful and he behaved in a bizarre, dysfunctional manner. Its inexplicable, he doesnt seek to justify it, Mr Kelleher said. He said Maguire had since made huge changes and asked for leniency. This is a shocking series of events, the judge said. It doesnt matter whether he was rear-ended or not. Judge King said the offences were at the highest end for the district court. The man, (63), who cannot be named at present, is facing a potential maximum ten years in jail, Limerick Circuit Criminal Court heard Two women, who were sexually abused when they were small children by a member of the Defence Forces, said they came forward to Gardai so that no other child would potentially be harmed by the retired soldier. The man, (63), who cannot be named at present, is facing a potential maximum ten years in jail, Limerick Circuit Criminal Court heard. The man sexually assaulted the two girls, Miss A and Miss B, on different dates in the 1980s when they were aged between three and eight years old. The two women bravely spoke in court of the trauma they had endured as little girls, at the depraved hands of the retired soldier, forty years ago. They said they hoped their speaking out and making formal complaints about their abuser would help show other victims of historic sexual abuse that it is never too late to pursue justice. Reading her victim impact statement, just feet from the defendant sitting in the court dock, Miss B said: Before these heinous acts were committed on me I was a carefree, innocent six-year old little girl who had no idea of sexual behaviour or deviancy. As a child, I was confused and terrified. The person who hurt me was someone who was supposed to protect and serve our community. Instead, he took advantage of my innocence and vulnerability, she said. Ms B said the sexual abuse shattered her trust in others. I had never seen a mans penis before, and the thought and disgusting smell of his penis has stayed with me into adulthood and still makes me feel sick to my stomach. She praised her parents who instantly believed me and brought me to make a statement to gardai, following the abuse, a week prior to her first holy communion, despite the DPP determining then there would be no prosecution. Miss B said she struggled with the anxiety that there are many more (paedophiles) out there, it has affected my family who felt helpless in bringing this pedophile to justice, I watched it have a devastating impact on my parents and siblings. The only reason I have put myself and my family through this is to keep other children safe from this man. He is now a convicted paedophile. I am certain that he thought he would never have to answer for what he did to me but I am relieved that my allegations were finally taken seriously by the DPP and that (the defendant) is being held to account. If (he) had been held accountable when I made my original complaint, (Miss A) may have avoided his depraved actions. My hope is that by making his crimes known to the public he will never have the opportunity to harm another child. Miss A said the sexual abuse warped her childhood, and that, despite extensive and ongoing therapy, the psychological scars never go away. Miss A said she feared for her own daughter and all little girls because of men like him which convinced her to come forward (to Gardai) once and for all. He needs to go to prison for justice to be served. Justice has been delayed but it should not be denied. Prosecuting counsel, John OSullivan BL, informed the court that while both victims stressed they wished to retain their anonymity, they supported legal restrictions being lifted in respect of the defendant, so that he could be identified. The man pleaded not guilty to a total of five counts of indecently assaulting the two girls, Miss A and Miss B, who the court heard were aged between three and eight when the sex attacks occurred in the 1980s. However at the mans trial at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court a jury found him guilty on four of the counts, and they could not agree on the fifth count. The man, who was supported in court by family members, was arrested and later charged after Ms A and Ms B made separate complaints to Gardai in 2020. When the defendant was arrested he denied all of the allegations. The two women said they made the complaints to try and protect other little girls from the defendant or any other paedophile. In mitigation, the mans barrister, senior defence counsel, Anthony Salmon, said the defendant had served an honourable career in the Defence Forces; that he had not had penetrative sex with the girls; that he is currently suffering with depression and back pain; and his ill wife depends on him for basic household tasks. Mr Salmon said that, despite the defendant having pled not guilty to all of the offences, he wishes to state he now accepts the validity of the jurys determination in this case. Mr Salmon told judge Colin Daly that, the nature of the mans offences against the two girls was not at the higher end of offending, and I would ask you to sentence him accordingly. Mr Salmon asked the judge to take into account the defendants past service to the State, and his previous good character until his convictions caught up with him. Judge Daly said he had much to consider and remanded the defendant on continuing bail for sentencing on April 28th. The judge said he would deal with the matter of anonymity in respect of the defendant at the sentencing hearing. Brenda Emmanuel (34) arrived at Store Street Garda Station in Dublin in October 2019 and told them she had just managed to escape her captives A woman who falsely claimed she was being held captive and being forced to work as a prostitute has been jailed for two years and three months. Brenda Emmanuel (34) arrived at Store Street Garda Station in Dublin in October 2019 and told them she had just managed to escape her captives. She said she had travelled from her village in Nigeria six months earlier to Ireland to work as a home help. She said a woman had organised her transportation and she was instructed to engage in certain rituals and afterwards she was threatened that if she didnt partake she would be killed. Emmanuel said she had never travelled before and she was provided with certain documentation as she travelled with this woman to Ireland. She was collected from Dublin Airport and brought to a house in Balbriggan where she was held captive and while there she was forced to work every day as a prostitute. She estimated that she was effectively raped two to three times a day. Emmanuel said she had been told that the prostitution was necessary as she was now in debt to others because of the cost of her travelling to Ireland. Emmanuel, who was previously living in hostel accommodation in Carrickmacross, Monaghan has now moved to Co Louth. She pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three charges of knowingly making a false statement on dates between October 2019 and December 2020 at Store Street Garda Station. She made five statements to gardai in total. Judge Ronan Munro said after hearing the evidence last week that public deterrence in such cases is important. It is quite concerning to me that the nature of these allegations insulates her from further investigation as you do not want to challenge her on it, Judge Munro said, referring to the sensitivity of the allegations Emmanuel made to gardai. The gardai should not have been put in this position, he continued. Before sentence was imposed today, Emmanuel made a statement outlining her deepest remorse for her actions. She said she was taking full responsibility and knows that her behaviour was unacceptable and had an impact on the officers involved in the case. I am committed to change my ways and be of good character henceforth, she said. Sentencing Emmanuel, Judge Munro said unfortunately such cases as Emmanuel alleged do occur in the real world. He commended the gardai for their swift, professional and effective response later describing their high quality detective work as painstaking. Their investigation was thorough that aggravates the crime, Judge Munro said. Judge Munro said it was obvious that the gardai would have been concerned that there could be other women being held captive and the crime needed to be detected. The gardai were very compassionate because they took what she said at face value - that they were dealing with a trauma victim, the judge said. He noted that the officers drove around Balbriggan for three to four hours trying to get Emmanuel to point out the house where she was held and later put hours into tracing her movements through CCTV footage. Judge Munro noted that the maximum sentence for the offence is five years. He said it was pre-planned story that was concocted and repeated many times over a year, describing her actions as pre-meditated and calculated. The gardai put many hours into investigating the crime in an attempt to rescue the other potential victims. Such false claims of rape is a disservice to rape victims and undermines those victims who are subjected to such appalling circumstances, Judge Munro said. He said Emmanuel had deliberately assumed the status of a rape victim which undermines those complaints, noting that gardai may now ask themselves if these reports of rape could be false they (gardai) should not be put in that position, the judge said. She diverted garda resources from genuine victims which does them an appalling disservice to woman in particular as it attacks the resources reserved for trafficked women, Judge Munro said. In imposing sentence, he took into account that Emmanuel had no previous convictions and had not made a specific allegation against one person. He acknowledged that her motivation was in sourcing a better life for her children. He set a headline sentence of four years which he reduced to three years taking into account the mitigation. There should be a general deterrence for other people who are contemplating such a offence that they are left in no doubt of the gravity of this crime. Her children are at home now without their mother but she has brought this upon them herself. She wanted a better life for her children but that was built on a lie and that is why it has fallen apart, Judge Munro said. He suspended the final nine months of the three-year term on strict conditions. Helplines: If you have been affected by the contents of this article, click here for more information. Head of the Presidents Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak had a telephone conversation with National Security Advisor to the President of the Republic of Ghana Prosper Douglas Kwaku Bani, the presidential press service reports. "We seek to strengthen interaction between Ukraine and Ghana. Ghana is one of Ukraine's most important and promising partners in West Africa. I believe that the recent opening of the Embassy of Ukraine in Ghana will contribute to our further cooperation," Yermak noted. He also emphasized that Ukraine seeks to achieve a just and lasting peace, but Russia is doing everything to further prolong the war. In particular, Andriy Yermak called the brutal Russian attack on Kryvy Rih, which claimed the lives of 20 people, including nine children, evidence of this. Separately, Yermak noted that Ukraine remains a guarantor of global food security and continues to implement the humanitarian initiative Grain from Ukraine. The parties also discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation between Ukraine and Ghana in the fields of agriculture, digital transformation, food security, transport and education and agreed to intensify practical dialogue in the near future. "From the seizure of a relatively small amount of cocaine, my team was able to build a picture of largescale drug dealing Some of the cocaine that was seized A drug dealer has been banged up for 10 years after his encrypted phone proved he had imported more than half a tonne of cocaine. Kurtis Hoyte (35) from Beckenham, was arrested in May 2020 after police watched him hand over five kilos of cocaine with an estimated street value of 180,000 to the driver of a flat-bed truck near Beckenham Hill Station. Officers with the Organised Crime Partnership (OCP) a joint National Crime Agency and Metropolitan Police Service unit - seized three phones from him. One of these was an encrypted EncroChat device that had been using the handle 'retroblade'. Subsequent forensic examination of messages on this phone showed he had used it to organise the importation of 540 kilos of cocaine over a nine-month period between June 2019 and March 2020. Hoyte and truck driver Kieran Graham (27) of Rayleigh, Essex, were convicted in October 2020 in relation to the seizure of the five kilos of cocaine. Some of the cocaine that was seized Graham was subsequently sentenced to eight years imprisonment for this offence. Hoyte was then convicted by a jury at Southwark Crown Court on March 25 this year in relation to drugs and money laundering offences relating to the 540 kilos of cocaine. He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in November last year for the five-kilo seizure, and to 18 years imprisonment at the same court today for the importations shown on his EncroChat phone. The sentences will run concurrently. The OCP investigation formed part of Operation Venetic, the UK NCA-led law enforcement response to the takedown of the EncroChat service in June 2020. Andrew Tickner, NCA Operations Manager from the OCP, said: "From the seizure of a relatively small amount of cocaine, my team was able to build a picture of largescale drug dealing arranged by Kurtis Hoyte. "He was behind multi-kilo importations which would have seeped on to the streets of London and the UK, leaving a trail of violence and exploitation with them. "The crucial partnership between the National Crime Agency and Metropolitan Police Service has helped put a high-harm offender behind bars for a very long time. "Our fight against the organised criminal networks behind the drugs trade will never slow down." The Organised Crime Partnership (formerly the Middle Market Drugs Partnership) has been in operation for 20 years and is comprised of equal numbers of specialist NCA officers and Metropolitan Police detectives. The team works to stop the flow of drugs to the criminal market in London, target upstream criminals that impact on London, as well as disrupting those overseas that make huge profits from this illegal activity. The 380lb inmate was executed although his lawyers had argued he was too overweight for a lethal injection The killer when he was first arrested A morbidly obese killers final meal before he was executed by lethal injection has been revealed. Michael Tanzi was put to death just after 6pm on Tuesday evening at Florida State Prison in Raiford having enjoyed pork chops, bacon, ice cream and a candy bar. The 380lb death row inmate was executed although his lawyers had argued he was too overweight for a lethal injection. Tanzi's lawyers went all the way to the US Supreme Court as they said the state's three-drug lethal injection could potentially cause Tanzi serious illness and needless suffering. Arguing that the method would be incredibly painful for him due to his weight, they filed a brief on March 24 stating that he was morbidly obese and suffers from a nerve condition called sciatica. The brief detailed how the drugs may not be able to fully sedate Tanzi who would be left paralyzed but aware with a sensation of being burned from the inside. However, just hours before his execution, the request was denied. Victim Janet Acosta Tanzi, who had been branded a fledgling serial killer by investigators, kidnapped and murdered Janet Acosta 24 years ago. In his final statement, Tanzi apologised to the family before reciting a Bible verse. After the lethal injection was administered, he heaved for three minutes before being pronounced dead at 6.12pm. Having witnessed Tanzi's execution the victim's sister, Julie Andrew, said: It's done. Basically, justice for Janet happened. My heart felt lighter, and I can breathe again. Miami Herald employee Acosta was on her lunch break in her car on April 25, 2000, when Tanzi approached and asked for a cigarette. He then punched the 49-year-old repeatedly until he was able to take control of the car. Tanzi threatened to cut her from ear to ear with a razorblade if she made any noise, and drove around in her car for around an hour. During that time he sexually assaulted her, stole her money and credit cards, and then drove to an isolated area to kill her. After sealing her mouth with duct tape, he strangled her and left her body in a wooded area. He then drove to Key West as Acosta's friends eventually reported her missing. Police located him when they discovered he was driving Acosta's car and as they approached, he said that he knew what this was about. He was indicted for first-degree murder and charged with carjacking with a weapon, kidnapping to facilitate a felony with a weapon, armed robbery with a deadly weapon and two counts of sexual battery with a deadly weapon. Court records revealed how he knew he would get caught quickly if he released her alive, but the Miami Herald reported that Tanzi claimed he didn't want to get caught because he was having too much fun. Tanzi was sentenced to death three years later but filed an appeal in 2005. The killer when he was first arrested His death sentence was affirmed in 2007 but he still fought for a rehearing which was denied. Acosta's sister told the Herald at the time of Tanzi's sentencing that her family did not want revenge but wanted to see justice done for my sister. And we wanted to make sure no one else had to go through what we went through, she added. Tanzi who admitted to the killing of another woman, Caroline Holder, in Brockton, Massachusetts, a few months before he killed Acosta, was described by Miami police detective Frank Casanovas as a fledgling serial killer. The mayor of Santa Marta, Carlos Pinedo Cuello, said authorities had offered a reward of around 10,000 for information that leads to the capture of those responsible Tributes have been paid to a murdered former Royal Society of Biology scientist after his dismembered body parts were found in Colombia. Investigators in Santa Marta, a port city on Colombia's Caribbean coast, said Alessandro Coatti was dismembered after he was killed, with some of his remains found in a black suitcase by police. The mayor of Santa Marta, Carlos Pinedo Cuello, said authorities had offered a reward of around 10,000 for information that leads to the capture of those responsible. In a statement posted on X, Mr Pinedo Cuello said: "This crime will not go unpunished. The criminals must know that crime has no place in Santa Marta. "We will pursue them until they are brought to justice." Mr Coatti, who studied a master's course at UCL, worked for the Royal Society of Biology (RSB) for eight years as science policy officer before being promoted to senior science policy officer. He left the RSB at the end of 2024 to volunteer in Ecuador and travel in South America. In a statement, the RSB said: "He was a passionate and dedicated scientist, leading RSB animal science work, writing numerous submissions, organising events and giving evidence in the House of Commons. "Ale was funny, warm, intelligent, loved by everyone he worked with and will be deeply missed by all who knew and worked with him. "Our thoughts and best wishes go out to his friends and family at this truly awful time." Santa Marta is a gateway to some of Colombia's most popular tourist destinations including Tayrona National Park, Minca, and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains. Jordan Ronan-Pakenham (20) suffered fatal injuries in an incident at Drumcairn Avenue, Tallaght in the early hours of July 26, 2024 A coroners court has heard that the father of a young Dublin man who suffered a violent death last year was unable to attend the opening of his sons inquest because he was still struggling with the circumstances of how his son died. Jordan Ronan-Pakenham (20), of Rossfield Court, Tallaght, Dublin 24 suffered fatal injuries in an incident at Drumcairn Avenue, Tallaght in the early hours of July 26, 2024. Gardai and emergency services received a report of an incident and attended the scene where the victim was found with a serious injury just before 4am. Mr Ronan-Pakenham was brought by ambulance to Tallaght University Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later. At the opening of the inquest into his death at Dublin District Coroners Court on Wednesday, Inspector Tony Collins said the deceaseds father, Stephen Pakenham, was due to attend the hearing. However, Insp Collins said a garda acting as a family liaison officer had been unable to contact Mr Pakenham when it appeared he was not in attendance. Mr Pakenham had been expected to provide evidence in relation to the formal identification of his sons body. The inquest heard that he had found it quite difficult to deal with his sons unexpected passing. However, the coroner, Aisling Gannon said she was satisfied that every effort had been made to secure the attendance of the witness at the hearing and she was happy that a written deposition by Mr Pakenham could be read into the record as evidence. The coroner also noted that the inquest was attended by the victims mother, Sabrina Ronan, and another relative, while other gardai witnesses had provided evidence about the chain of identity of the body. Ms Gannon heard that Mr Pakenham had formally identified his sons body to gardai at the Dublin City Mortuary in Whitehall three days after his death. The coroner also revealed that a post-mortem showed that Mr Ronan-Pakenham died as a result of a single stab wound to the chest with no other contributory factors. Insp Collins applied for an adjournment of the inquest under Section 25 (2) of the Coroners Act on the basis that criminal proceedings in relation to the death had already been initiated. The inspector informed the coroner that a person is due to go on trial before the Central Criminal Court on December 1 next. Offering condolences to relatives of the deceased, Ms Gannon granted the application and adjourned the inquest to a date to be fixed on the conclusion of any related criminal proceedings. The accused, Patrick Murphy (36), of Drumcairn Parade, Tallaght was charged with the murder of Mr Ronan Pakenham on the day after the fatal incident. A sitting of Dublin District Court heard that when charged with the offence, Mr Murphy replied: Im real sorry that he died. I didnt mean for this to happen. A woman in her 30s was also arrested in connection with the Garda investigation into Mr Ronan-Pakenhams death but was later released without charge. The deceaseds partner, Lauren Geraghty, was pregnant with the couples first child at the time of his tragic death. It subsequently emerged that he had seen the first ultrasound scan of his baby just hours before the fatal incident. It was reported that Mr Ronan-Pakenham was over the moon at the first image of his son. Documents show field agents suspected Hitler may have taken refuge in Argentina under an alias and they even obtained a photo of a man with a striking resemblance to the Nazi leader Former Nazi SS soldier Phillip Citroen (left) in the photograph showing him with the man who bears a resemblance to Hitler on a beach in Tunja, Colombia In this last official photo, Adolf Hitler is pictured leaving his Berlin bunker to award decorations to members of Hitler Youth in 1945 Persistent rumours that Adolf Hitler survived World War 2 and lived out his life in South America have resurfaced as Argentina prepares to release classified docs on Nazi fugitives. Argentinas interior minister, Guillermo Alberto Francos, announced last month that classified files relating to Nazis who sought refuge in Argentina and were protected for many years after World War II would be released. The President has instructed that all relevant documents from any state institution be made public because there is no reason to keep them classified, Francos said, according to the Buenos Aires Times. The records will detail banking and financial transactions and the use of Nazi ratlines. It is generally accepted that Hitler died by his own hand in 1945, as Soviet troops approached his Berlin underground fuhrer bunker, to avoid capture. The CIA even has an autopsy report confirming the Nazi leader's death on its website. However, immediately after reports of Hitlers death, conspiracy theories emerged that he had survived the war and fled Germany through the ratlines set up to help them escape. While theres no concrete proof that Hitler made his escape, members of the Nazi party did use such ratlines to reach Argentina and other South American countries to avoid persecution for their crimes after the war. It is estimated around 10,000 Nazis and other fascist war criminals escaped as they were aided and abetted by sympathisers. Former Nazi SS soldier Phillip Citroen (left) in the photograph showing him with the man who bears a resemblance to Hitler on a beach in Tunja, Colombia Israeli Mossad agents only captured one of the masterminds behind the Holocaust, Adolf Eichmann, in Argentina in 1960 and brought him back to stand trial in Jerusalem, where he was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. SS physician Josef Mengele dubbed the angel of death for his disturbing medical experiments on prisoners at Auschwitz also escaped and died from drowning after suffering from a heart attack while swimming in Brazil in 1979. As Argentina prepares to release the classified docs on Nazi fugitives, other CIA files revealing a search for Hitler in South America 10 years after his suicide have re-remerged. CIA documents show agents were on the hunt for a fugitive Hitler some 10 years after the world believed he was dead. Documents show field agents suspected Hitler may have taken refuge in Argentina under an alias and they even obtained a photo of a man with a striking resemblance to the Nazi leader. A declassified file from October 1945 shows that agents with the US War Department told the FBI of a possible secret hideout at a spa hotel in La Falda that Hitler may have used if he survived. The document states that the owner of the hotel and her family were enthusiastic supporters of Adolf Hitler and had made financial contributions to the Nazi party in its early days. This voluntary support of the Nazi party was never forgotten by Hitler, the docs claim. During the years after he came to power, her friendship with Hitler became so close that she and members of her family lived with Hitler in the same hotel on the occasion of their annual visit to Germany. The report claims that the hotel had already made the necessary preparations for Hitler to take refuge that their hotel in Argentina if he should at any time get into difficulty and needed a safe retreat. Another document from a CIA agent with the code name CIMELODY-3 dated October 1955 said he received information from a friend who spoke to a man claiming to be a former Nazi SS soldier Phillip Citroen. Citroen had claimed to have talked to and provided CIMELODY-3s friend with a photograph showing him with the man who bears a resemblance to Hitler on a beach in Tunja, Colombia. CIMELODY-3s friend had reportedly stolen the picture from Citroen long enough for the agent to make a copy. The CIA also sent agents to contact a person known in the files as Girella to further investigate a Adolf Schrittelmayor in Colombia before 1955, although this case was later dropped. Irish CEO of Nurture Africa says charity treats 3,000 infected kids and adults Only two thirds of Ugandan children make it from primary to secondary school An Irish nurse who runs a charity in Uganda has spoken of his shock after his funding was frozen without warning after Donald Trumps decision to dismantle USAID. Nurture Africa CEO Brian Iredale, from Sutton in Dublin, has run the hugely successful charity which supports more than 50,000 people in Uganda for more than two decades. Paediatric nurse Brian founded the NGO after meeting his Ugandan-born wife, Annet, during a 3,000 mile cycle across Africa. Founded in 2003 in Nansana, near Kampala, Nurture Africa thanks to the help of volunteer nurses from Temple Street Hospital administers a life-saving programme treating children at risk of HIV. However, within days of taking the reins at the White House in January, Donald Trump halted all funding for all USAID programmes around the world, many of which had been in place for decades. Brian Iredale founded Nurture Africa in 2003 The decision to effectively shut the department at a moments notice has sparked chaos for charities across the globe who have relied on grants from the US government to help the most vulnerable. I was shocked and devastated, to be honest, when Id heard that the funding for our HIV programme was frozen, out of the blue, without any notice, says Brian. For the last 21 years, it had been funded through the US Presidents Fund, PEPFAR, via USAID. Irish nurses from Temple Street Hospital started this lifesaving HIV programme in 2004. Our programme grew from treating 10 HIV-infected children under a tree, to developing the first paediatric HIV clinic in the largest region in Uganda, routinely treating 3,000 HIV-infected children, young people and adults with anti-retroviral dugs, or ARVs, Brian says. Part of that programme entails the near-elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission, meaning that less than 1 per cent of babies born to HIV-infected mothers with Nurture Africa are born with the virus. The PEPFAR programme has been an amazing success internationally just as it has been in Uganda, says Brian. The charity supports kids and their families When we started this programme, access to ARVs was so limited, especially for children. But since 2004, PEPFAR has changed all that, which is why we are now treating 3,000 HIV-infected children, instead of 10. In response, Nurture Africa immediately set up an iDonate page, which soon raised over 7,000 from mostly Irish donors enough to fund the HIV programme for a month. Then, as abruptly as the funding was frozen in January, it recommenced in February, or for Nurture Africa, at least, under the Emergency Waiver. But for how much longer is anybodys guess. As this is one of the USs most successful bipartisan foreign AID programmes, it really is hard to understand what the Trump Administrations agenda is in doing all this, says Brian. The charity supports kids and their families But while the Trump administrations decisions have had an impact, Nurture Africa is continuing to expand its work on the ground in Uganda with the opening of a maternity post-operative ward and neonatal ICU. Its the latest development in Nurture Africas impressive record in the sub-Saharan region. Nurture Africa is unique in so far as we are co-Irish, co-Ugandan founded, says Brian. We founded Nurture Africa following my cycle through seven countries in eastern and southern Africa. It started with four volunteers, including myself and Annet. We now have 125 full time staff and 11 full time local volunteers. Between us, we directly support over 50,000 vulnerable Ugandans each year, and over 120,000 through our partner schools and health centres. Actually, we recently measured it and found that over 80 per cent of the families we support graduate out of poverty. Formally opening a new ward and ICU was Irish Ambassador to Uganda, Kevin Colgan. We have been working with Nurture Africa since 2008, says Colgan. There has been huge progress in Uganda in reducing child mortality, but we realise there are huge challenges as well. Today I was struck by the real importance of this facility in decongesting the national referral hospital. Nurture Africa hosts many Irish volunteers and visitors. For me, the important thing is that its not just one-way; it works both ways. When people from Ireland come out here, they learn so much about Uganda, and so much about the similarities between Ireland and Uganda. You can donate or read more about Nurture Africa here. President Donald Trump The Overseas Volunteering Programme at Nurture Africa runs from June to October, for three-week placements at a time. Required fundraising by each volunteer averages 2,400. Each year, upwards of 120 Irish volunteers make the trip. While open to anyone with a positive attitude and a decent work ethic, Nurture Africa is particularly interested in hearing from trainee and/or experienced nurses, doctors, teachers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, counsellors, engineers, project managers, catering/ restaurant managers and tradespeople. Id heard about what Nurture Africa are doing through family, but also colleagues through work had come out, says Eleanor MacLoughlin from Dublin, a paediatric doctor trainee. There are already strong links between paediatricians in Ireland and Nurture Africa, and I was particularly interested in the work they do on self-sustainability and self-reliance. I think Irish health professionals can offer a lot to their Ugandan counterparts. MacLoughlin says she would recommend the volunteering programme to people in Ireland, as it offers such a variety of values to the local community. There is a lot of areas where volunteers could help and get involved in. So, too, thinks Liam Russell, an engineer and project manager from Dublin. I was pleased how much my own skillsets could add value. But also, being a less developed country, they are learning as they go, he says. On balance, our workforce systems in Ireland are more advanced, so Irish professionals coming out here can help suggest systems and structures to aid the workforce. I think its a win-win; its hugely rewarding on a personal level, but its also hugely helpful and valuable to the Ugandan people. Te Puke is now home to the countys second-best excavator operator. John Rohloff placed second at the Civil Contractors New Zealand (CCNZ) CablePrice National Excavator Operator Competition last month. Dubbed Mr Consistency, John says hes over the moon. I wasnt expecting anything like this. When I saw my name come up across a number of the events [during the awards night], I thought jeez, I might be in with a shot here. I owe it to my employers, Fulton Hogan, for supporting me in doing this. And to Civil Contractors New Zealand for putting this on. Im just grateful. John says he thought the key was good time management, especially on the Saturday of the two-day event. The key was, I think I had a bit better time management today. Thats what helped on the 135 13-tonne challenge; I set good times and I achieved what I wanted to. First-place winner Northlands Steven George demonstrated his grit to rise above a historic field of competitors at the competition, outclassing 11 of the countrys top operators to reign supreme. Winner Steven George taking on the Connexis challenge. Photo / Supplied The Whangarei owner-operator showcased nerves of steel and precision operating to clinch the victory. He took the title over Bay of Plenty champion Rohloff, of Fulton Hogan, while last years runner-up, Michael Brown, also of Fulton Hogan, took third place. Georges success in the competition, held on March 14-15 at Manfeild Park in Feilding during Central Districts Field Days, follows previous attempts in 2023, when he was runner-up, and 2024, when he took third. He was supported at the competition by Julie Fraser. George said winning the competition title was bloody awesome and thanked everyone involved for their efforts in his victory speech. Thanks very much to everybody that put this on. All the organisers, sponsors, volunteers, its just great. Third nudge at this. I was second, dropped to third and managed to get there today. I wasnt too confident. I enjoyed watching all the other competitors. Everybodys pretty skilled, eh! I dont usually get nervous, but this evening was a bit of that. This years event marked the 31st anniversary of the excavator battle royale and broke new ground with three female regional champions Georgia Lyford, of Canterbury Westland, Lydia Hill, of Nelson Marlborough, and Tanya Claxton, of Hawkes Bay East Coast competing in the national finals for the first time in the competitions history. The 2025 winners: Champion: Steven George, Steven George Contracting, Northland Runner-up: John Rohloff, Fulton Hogan, Bay of Plenty Third: Michael Brown, Fulton Hogan, Waikato Connexis One-day Job Challenge: Josh Keane, McEwan Haulage, Otago Humes MVP Award: Lydia Hill, Elite Excavations, Nelson Marlborough Geoff Duff Memorial Trophy: Brad Fallow, SouthRoads, Southland Ballance pleaded guilty to failing in its duty to ensure the health and safety of workers and to ensure the conveyor belt system had effective guarding and emergency stop services. The emergency stop activation was delayed and he was dragged under heavy machinery and crushed. The 37-year-old was cleaning when he tried to step over a running conveyor belt and lost his footing. Wesley Tomich, 37, died at the Ballance Agri-Nutrients factory on Hewletts Rd in Mount Maunganui on July 27, 2023. A leading fertiliser business fined $420,000 after safety failures resulted in a factory workers death says it is committed to learning from the tragedy. A WorkSafe investigation found risk assessments had previously flagged safety hazards with the conveyor belt system. One of Tomichs sisters described the conveyor belt system to the court as a ticking time bomb due to the known issues. Wesley Tomich fell while stepping over the middle conveyor belt. Photo / WorkSafe Judge Paul Geoghegans sentencing decision, released this month, said Tomichs death was the direct result of cleaning the conveyor without effective guarding, without appropriate locations for the emergency stop switch, and without effective instructions to workers on how to perform their task safely. The $420,000 fine took into account reparations Ballance had already paid Tomichs family, its early guilty plea, remorse, co-operation and the remedial steps it had taken. Ballance responds to judgment In a statement responding to the decision, Ballance Agri-Nutrients chief executive Kelvin Wickham said Tomichs death was a sudden and tragic accident. All who knew Wesley have been immensely impacted by his death," Wickham said. He said the company had fully co-operated with WorkSafe NZ during its lengthy investigation. Ballance Agri-Nutrients' Hewletts Rd fertiliser manufacturing plant. Photo / John Borren Ballance is committed to recognising the failures and learning from this tragedy wherever we can. Wickham said Ballance had put additional measures and new training programmes in place to ensure that an incident of this nature does not happen again. WorkSafe ramps up compliance activities In a statement, WorkSafe area investigation manager Paul West said basic machine safety failures and obvious risks being overlooked led to Tomichs death at one of New Zealands biggest fertiliser companies. West said WorkSafes investigation found the conveyor that should have been guarded had exposed moving rollers and nip points. The factorys procedures allowed workers to routinely clean near the conveyor system while it was in motion. Whats worse, workers could not easily reach the emergency stop switches as they were too far away. Although Ballance had some safety processes in place, they failed to match the reality of workers trying to find the quickest or most effective way to do a task. West said emergency stops were no substitute for effective machine guarding. If using e-stops, they should always be placed close to where workers may need them. Another option for businesses was to issue each worker a personal e-stop device to cover risky areas. A qualified expert could help organisations ensure machinery was properly guarded. Businesses must manage their risks and, where they dont, WorkSafe will take action. He advised getting out on the floor and speaking to workers face-to-face about how they do things can give you a feel for exactly whats going on in a workplace. These observations can help to plug dangerous gaps. West said manufacturing was one of New Zealands most dangerous sectors. The sector, including reducing risks of workers caught or trapped in machinery, was a focus in WorkSafes new strategy. Our targeted frontline activities will be increasing as there are opportunities to significantly improve health and safety performance, reduce acute and chronic harm, and address inequities. Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year. The revelation follows a story in Tuesdays Whanganui Chronicle in which Air Chathams chief operating officer Duane Emeny spoke about the airlines battle for survival through Covid and a recession and its future plans for services in regional New Zealand . An interline agreement would allow customers to book Air Chathams connecting flights through Air NZ, creating one itinerary and eliminating the need to recheck luggage. Partnership talks are under way between Air New Zealand and Air Chathams after Covid-19 scuppered previous plans. Air Chathams is looking to build on its services to regional New Zealand. As part of NZMEs On The Up campaign, chief operating officer Duane Emeny reveals a deal with Air New Zealand is in the works to improve regional connectivity. Emeny said he could not reveal too much about the interline proposal due to commercial sensitivity. What I can say is that [Air NZ] will be looking to establish something this year, and not too far into this year. It will be a staged roll-out, but we dont know which routes will be taken up. Thats still up for discussion, but this is a very big step. He said there was clear intent from Air NZ and the national carrier recognised the importance of regional connectivity. Air NZ chief transformation and alliances officer Mike Williams said the airline did its best to serve communities nationally. Smaller operators play a critical role and do an excellent job. We are in discussions with Air Chathams about potential opportunities to work more closely with them. A codeshare agreement between Air NZ and Virgin Australia was announced last year. Emeny said codeshare was slightly different from interline. A lot of big airlines tend to codeshare with each other selling seats on other aircraft under their own code. Interline can be unilateral or bilateral, and, in this case, it would most likely be unilateral. Effectively, we would just put our inventory into Air NZs system and that will enhance their route network, under their brand. Air Chathams took on the Whanganui route in 2016 after Air NZ withdrew its service under then-chief executive, now Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon. Emeny said an interline agreement had been close to completion before the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020. Weve been in a bit of a holding pattern since then, waiting for Air NZ to have some capacity. Now, it looks like theyre keen to do it. It definitely helps when [Whanganui Mayor] Andrew Tripe and [Whanganui MP] Carl Bates show their support for it. Tripe said he was keen to fast-track the agreement and had sent a letter to Air NZ chief executive Greg Foran and Associate Transport Minister James Meager, who oversees aviation issues. Duane Emeny says an agreement had been close to completion just before the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020. Regional centres need to have the same love as other centres serviced by Air New Zealand, Tripe said. We want people getting to and from [Whanganui] easily. Were seen as a visitor destination more and more, and we need to make provisions. He said a deal would benefit all the centres Air Chathams operated in, not just Whanganui. The airline services Whanganui, Whakatane, Kapiti and the Chatham Islands. Emeny said an interline agreement would make travel seamless, with only one ticket required. This will be a slow burn, but there is positive intent. Thats the key thing, he said. An interline agreement would also introduce more people to Whanganui and Air Chathams, he said. Tripe said Air Chathams was an airline that had proved they can stick around. Discussions with Air Chathams are ongoing for a potential Christchurch route and relocation to Whanganui, he said. A South Island link is something our community has sought for a long time and will also be of benefit to our visitor sector. However, there was plenty to work through. The next step is a business case to determine high-level feasibility. Most people [overseas] have no idea who Air Chathams is, nor should they, and they arent going to look for our website. In terms of visibility, this [agreement] would be massive. Bates said he had also written to Foran about the potential agreement and met with NZ Airport Association chief executive Billie Moore. Im doing my bit to support this, Bates said. Having travelled the world over the years, I understand the importance of it. It would bring tourists into Whanganui and support business travellers from Whanganui. With China and the US promising trade war escalations, it could be five to 10 years before the world adjusts to Donald Trump's tariffs, former Reserve Bank economist Michael Reddell says. Other economists have drawn parallels with the Great Depression, and say New Zealand should be preparing now for a downturn. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to increase China's tariffs to 104 percent if it fails to back down from its own retaliatory tariffs. Beijing in return has vowed not to bow to "blackmail" and promised to "fight to the end". Reddell told RNZ an increasingly likely global recession would resemble the 2008 global financial crisis more than recent shocks, made worse by already inflated unemployment levels. "We didn't have a domestic financial crisis, the US had one - but we still caught the brunt of that slowdown in economic activity. "You could easily see world GDP - that this year was forecast to be perhaps 2.5 to 3 percent growth - going to zero or materially negative ... so, something more severe than the recessions that we've already been in and out of over the last 18 months - and that's from a starting point where the unemployment rate has already increased to 5 percent." Former Reserve Bank economist Michael Reddell says it could be five to 10 years before the world adjusts to Donald Trump's tariffs. Photo / Supplied Simplicity chief economist Shamubeel Eaqub said the "opening salvos" from the US and China meant "we are now in the grips of this tariff war and trade war". "That's why markets have fallen so much, because there is so much uncertainty and there's a real fear that it will lead to a big slowdown in the global economy." He said New Zealanders saving for retirement should remember the biggest contribution to those funds was making regular savings, and ensuring they were in a fund that fitted their circumstances. Exporters should be strategising for slowing demand, he said. Things might look good in the short term because of low US tariff rates relative to other countries - but it was not likely to last. "New Zealand has a little bit of reprieve in terms of just in the next few months - we might be able to get a bit of market share - but we should be getting ready for a wider kind of fallout because of this high tariff affecting demand in many of these large economies." NZ Initiative chief economist Eric Crampton pointed to the effects on New Zealand's biggest export - dairy - to its largest trading partner, China. "They're our number one trading partner currently, if their products are substantially tariffed by the United States, China gets poorer; they are less able to afford the things that we sell them. Unfortunately, America also gets poorer, and they're also then less able to afford the things that we sell them." He said with the rules being upended, it was hard to make predictions - but the odds for a recession in the US were odds-on likely. "Pretty disappointing, [considering] Trump came into office with a pretty strong economy ... if it's compounded by ongoing regime uncertainty and ongoing waves of tariffs, then it could be deeper than that, but I wouldn't want to put a number on it." Economist Eric Crampton says it's hard to make predictions - but the odds of a recession in the US are likely. Photo / Supplied Reddell said the effects of global recession for New Zealand tended to be lower commodity prices, fewer tourists, and fewer international students; business investment was particularly likely to suffer, and not just domestically. "If you're a business person - really anywhere but particularly in those big economies or Vietnam or Japan or Korea that are caught up with high tariffs - you'd be saying no to any new investment plan. "That alone, combined with the nervousness of consumers facing higher prices and uncertainty about their jobs, means that, yeah, we could have a very nasty slowdown." 'It could be very bad' Crampton harkened back to the Great Depression, saying some of the settings were similar. "The initial cause of the Great Depression wasn't tariffs, it was a faulty monetary policy - but the tariffs had a few effects, they made everyone poorer. The sets of retaliatory tariffs made it hard for people to make investment decisions, and that was compounded in that instance, by ongoing policy uncertainty in the United States. "That's the worrying dynamic here, where Trump's tariffs are breaking most of the rules that have been established for decades, whether they're going to be on again or off again is always up in the air." "The parallel here is that we've got the waves of tariffs ... there's going to be an unwinding of the sets of trading relationships ... compounded with ongoing additional policy uncertainty in the United States and potentially China going to war with Taiwan. "It could be very bad. It would be surprising if we avoided a recession at least in the United States this year, New Zealand is in better shape than other countries, but it's still overall pretty bad." He said how long it took New Zealand to recover "depends on how long it takes for the American administration to really come to its senses". "If that regime remains fundamentally unpredictable for a very long time, there will be a sharp depression in investment in the United States and consequent reductions in consumer spending and less demand for New Zealand products." The same effect would apply to China and other Asian countries, having "very serious consequences" for New Zealand's exports and global trade, he said. Fears over European tariffs on China Reddell said the US and China escalating the trade war would only make things worse - but that could improve in about five to 10 years. "The more these things build, the more overall pain and dislocation and short term cost there is," he said. China was more of a concern for New Zealand because of its size than merely because of its status as our largest trading partner. He said Beijing was in a more difficult position than when it took the "big bazooka" approach to the GFC crisis - a US$586 billion stimulus package. "They've got more debt problems. They've got more of an overhang of excess investment from the last decade. So they're limited, probably, in what they can do." While global exporters may look to other markets like Australia and New Zealand, that could also risk escalating tariffs - for instance if Chinese exporters began sending goods to Europe instead of the US, the EU may look at tariffs on China to protect their own manufacturing industries. But it was not all doom and gloom. "If we move to a world where all the big blocks - China, the US and Europe - had 50 percent tariffs on each other, and that was a permanent feature of their economies, we'd all be poorer as a result, but economies would still grow. Societies are still innovating. Businesses are still investing. "The US had really high tariffs coming out of World War II for example, and that was a period of very strong growth for us and a bunch of other economies." But until that stage was reached, "the dislocation of getting from where we've been - largely free trade - to much higher tariffs is going to be enormously painful ... having to relocate production plants to different places, to reorganise supply chains and those sorts of things, it wouldn't be surprising if that took at least five years to work its way through. I mean, this is a really huge economic policy dislocation." Economist Shamubeel Eaqub wants to see the government moving from a period of austerity to instead boosting the economy. Photo / Supplied What New Zealand could do to prepare Reddell said there was little New Zealand could do to affect the US-China showdown. "We're in that sort of situation - when the elephants fight, the grass gets squashed," he said. "I think we sort of want to stand together with a bunch of small, advanced democracies in favouring free trade - perhaps not needlessly antagonising Trump, but equally not being obsequious." Eaqub agreed, saying that was the most important thing the country could do, while also keeping diplomatic channels open to try to reduce tariff effects from the US. "We also want to see the government moving from a period of austerity to a period of actually boosting the economy, because when there is so much risk and uncertainty around the global economy, we cannot be pursuing austerity - it's madness." Crampton said Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's message criticising tariffs was "spot on". "It was less about trying to convince Trump that his tariffs are wrong - because he'll never listen to us on that. It was more about reasserting commitments to the norms that have held well for everyone for decades, and trying to build that coalition of countries that remain committed to open trading orders." -RNZ Head of the President's Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak and Advisor to the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Desire Cashmir Eberande Kolongele discussed security issues, the importance of opening diplomatic institutions in the capitals of both countries, as well as the development of trade and economic cooperation, in particular within the framework of the humanitarian initiative "Grain from Ukraine," the presidential press service said. "Head of the President's Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak had a phone conversation with Advisor to the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo on National Security Desire Cashmir Eberande Kolongele," the presidential office says. It is reported that Yermak thanked the Democratic Republic of the Congo for supporting key UN resolutions condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine. "We respect the territorial integrity of the DR Congo, as well as all countries with internationally recognized borders. We adhere to a clear position that all states strictly adhere to international law without any exceptions," he said. Yermak also informed about the daily Russian shelling of Ukraine, as well as the situation on the front: it remains difficult, but Ukrainian defenders do not allow Russia to achieve real successes. It was also about Ukraine's diplomatic efforts to achieve a just and sustainable peace. Yermak said despite the war, Ukraine remains a guarantor of global food security. The Grain from Ukraine humanitarian initiative has become a key tool in the fight against the food crisis. In total, over 290,000 tonnes of agricultural products were sent within the framework of this program to 13 countries in Africa and Asia, including the Democratic Republic of Congo. Other important topics include the development of trade and economic cooperation in agriculture, energy, construction and implementation of infrastructure projects. It is noted that Yermak also stressed the importance of opening the Embassy of Ukraine in Kinshasa and expressed hope for the opening of a diplomatic mission of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Kyiv. The parties agreed to maintain regular dialogue and give impetus to the development of cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The year-long programme of changes was first announced by then Police Commissioner Andrew Coster last year. Photo / Michael Craig The year-long programme of changes was first announced by the former police commissioner Andrew Coster in August 2024, to help alleviate the high demand of mental health callouts on police resources. This is the second time the police have rescheduled the start date for phase two of the changes. After advice from the group which includes representatives from the Ministry of Health, Health New Zealand (HNZ) and ambulance agencies the start of phase two will also now be staggered across districts, based on an assessment of their readiness for the changes. Police have pushed out the starting date for phase two of the police reduction of support to mental health events even further, after advice from a governance group for the programme. In the initial timeline, phase two was set to be implemented between January and March 2025, bringing in two changes: Sixty-minute emergency department handovers: police who have transported a person detained under the Mental Health Act for an assessment will remain for a maximum of one hour before departing unless they consider there is an immediate risk to life or safety. Mental health custody rules tightened: police do not consider custody suites to be an appropriate place for mental health assessments to be conducted. Custody rules will ensure people in distress are not being assessed unnecessarily in police custody. In February with unions and health workers confused about inconsistencies of the rollout across different health districts, as well as the timeline police told RNZ that both police and HNZ believed those timelines were aspirational, and that phase two would instead begin on March 31. Multiple frontline health workers have told RNZ over the past few months that they were concerned about escalating violence towards staff by patients, and feared the police withdrawal could put workers at risk. On Tuesday, police announced that phase two of the programme will now start on April 14, with a phased implementation across districts. Moving the start of this phase by two weeks was recommended by the Mental Health Response Change Programme Governance Group (including police, Ministry of Health, Health NZ, and ambulance agencies), to allow districts to be ready, a statement said. Each district has been assessed for their readiness to implement the next phase and as a result, districts will have different starting points for the rollout, it said. The districts where phase 2 will commence on April 14 are HNZs Waitemata, Counties Manukau, Waikato (excluding Tokoroa and Taumarunui), Nelson-Marlborough, and West Coast districts. Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson said the safety of police and healthcare staff was a priority for police. Police will always respond when there is an offence or an immediate risk to life or safety and this will not change, he said. HNZ director of specialist mental health and addiction Karla Bergquist said multiple agencies had been collaborating on how they responded to mental health, including police, HNZ, Ministry of Health, Hato Hone St John and Wellington Free Ambulance. At the heart of these changes is ensuring people receive the right mental health care at the right time, and their safety and that of kaimahi delivering that care is paramount, said Bergquist. This is why agencies have committed to safely phasing in these changes and working together to make adjustments to implementation timeframes when necessary, she added. RNZ has reported that hundreds more health workers were assaulted at work in 2024, according to HNZ data. About 14,000 assaults on staff by patients, family members and visitors were recorded across the nation in the two-year period between January 2023 and December 2024. A nurse and union delegate who has been punched and had a chair thrown at her told RNZ that staff have often had to deal with dangerous situations themselves due to delays in security or police arriving. - RNZ Competing in the Rotorua final will be Alistair Ball, Lyston Collier, Taylor Forrest and Steffano Hutton. Lucy Brailsford-Hunt (the first female apprentice in the Tauranga heats), Scott Davies, Cody Eden, Liam McFarlane, Mason Bollee, Matthew Terry and Rhys McKinnon will be taking part in the Tauranga final. The Rotorua heat is at Mitre 10 Mega Rotorua, while the Tauranga heat is at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, both from 8am to 4.30pm. The 15th annual New Zealand Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge sees up to 100 apprentices donning tool belts for the regional heats, held in 17 regions this Saturday, the organisation said in a statement. Its hammer time for local builders competing to become New Zealands top apprentice. Apprentices are given eight hours to construct a community planter box that follows specific design plans and meets safety standards, using materials provided by Mitre 10. Each apprentice will donate their finished planter box to a deserving community recipient. A panel of expert judges will assess the final builds and determine the regional podium winners, who will receive prizes from Mitre 10 and Makita. Up to 22 regional winners will be selected to advance to the national final in June to compete for the winning title and a prize pack worth $10,000. New Zealand Certified Builders chief executive Malcolm Fleming said the event was created to showcase the carpentry skills of the countrys future builders. The apprentice challenge centred on an eight-hour practical build as it would prove the apprentice had the skills to look at plans on paper, understand the vision, and use their two hands to make it a reality, he said. Eighty-one BCITO apprentices will compete in this years challenge. BCITO director Greg Durkin said the organisation was incredibly proud to see such skilled apprentices stepping up to demonstrate their talents. Its inspiring to witness the passion and dedication these future builders bring to the trade and I have no doubt these young leaders will continue to shape the future of New Zealands construction industry. The heats are open to the public. Tauranga regional heat: Date: April 12 Time: 8am-5.30pm Venue: Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, 70 Windermere Drive, Poike Rotorua regional heat: Date: April 12 Time: 8am-5.30pm Venue: Mitre 10 Mega Rotorua, 1542 Amohau St National final: Date: June 6-7 Venue: Claudelands Event Centre, Hamilton One of the most influential members of the Comancheros gang has been charged this week with allegedly importing 200kg of drugs removed by force from the Port of Tauranga. The arrest of such a senior figure in the outlaw motorcycle group comes four months after two men allegedly broke into a shipping container at the port and loaded five suitcases into their car, as previously revealed by the Herald. The pair allegedly drove away recklessly at high speed towards Whakatane but the brazen daylight heist in December ended when police laid out road spikes on the Eastern Link highway. Police said a total of 200kg of methamphetamine were found inside the suitcases in the boot of the car, along with an angle grinder and gloves allegedly used to break into the shipping container. Two men, both 28, were charged with entering the Port of Tauranga without authority, possession of instruments for burglary, refusing to give police the passcodes to their phones and possession of a Class-A drug for supply. Two other men, aged 33 and 36, were arrested a week later after a joint investigation by the National Organised Crime Group and Customs and charged with importing the 200kg meth shipment. Four months later, the high-ranking Comanchero was arrested in Auckland on Tuesday. The man, in his 30s, was also charged with importing the 200kg of meth as well as refusing to give police the passcode to his phone. The Comanchero has also been arrested in relation to a separate police investigation. He was charged with participating in an organised criminal group with two men, aged 31 and 35, and attempting to obtain cocaine for supply in February. A baggage handler at Auckland International Airport was caught on camera unloading a secret stash of methamphetamine on a Malaysian Airlines flight. Photo/Supplied. The two other men, believed to be Israeli nationals, were also charged with manufacturing cocaine, as well as possession of precursor ingredients and equipment to manufacture the Class-A drug. At the time of the raid on the Port of Tauranga in December, Detective Inspector Albie Alexander said the four men arrested had links to the Mongrel Mob, but also the Comancheros and Filthy Few outlaw motorcycle gangs. Even more significantly, we believe we have now shut down an insider threat at the port and inquiries into this aspect will continue. The alleged burglary happened after Customs officers became aware of suspicious concealment during a routine X-ray of the shipping container, which was flagged for further inspection. Alexander believed the alleged criminal syndicate may have been operating from inside the port for some time. Law enforcement has repeatedly warned about organised criminal groups probing for weaknesses at the border, either through burglaries or corrupt insiders who can circumvent security measures to smuggle drugs into the country. But the 200kg of methamphetamine found in the suitcases in Tauranga was the biggest bust of its kind. There have been other alleged break-ins at the port in recent years. In December 2023, three men linked to the Comancheros motorcycle gang allegedly cut a wire fence and entered the grounds of the port in the middle of the night. The trio had allegedly driven down from Auckland the previous day and had purchased around $500 of high-visibility clothing and work boots. Tools and duffel bags were also found in their car. However, no drug shipment was found in connection to the burglary. Several months earlier, security staff at the Port of Tauranga raised the alarm with police after finding signs of a break-in at the boundary fence. Over the next two days, Customs officers then searched 36 shipping containers and discovered plastic-wrapped cocaine bricks, weighing 26kg and worth an estimated $12 million, inside the refrigeration unit of one container. Three men were arrested. Dominic Adams, the investigations manager at Customs, said New Zealand continued to be an attractive market for organised criminal groups to smuggle drugs, including methamphetamine and cocaine and illicit tobacco. Customs was seeing an increase in legitimate imports being targeted by overseas criminal groups who conceal illicit drugs within freight containers or container contents, which are later recovered by New Zealand-based criminals, Adams said. This can involve attempted break-ins to collect the drugs. We know that criminal groups attempt to circumvent border and port security processes to intercept drugs. We work closely with port companies, their security teams and our police colleagues to ensure people who intentionally attempt to breach port security measures are identified and apprehended. Our increased port and maritime presence is helping us face this threat, Adams said. Criminal infiltration of the supply chain is common overseas and it is a threat that all supply-chain businesses, including port companies, should be alert to. The Customs Border Protect team has a range of resources to support businesses to identify and report criminal infiltration in the supply chain. A number of recent covert investigations have uncovered corrupt port and airport staff known as having a door into the country working for gangs. In 2019, a supervisor at the Ports of Auckland was caught after a shipping container flagged for inspection disappeared from the wharves on the back of a truck in the middle of the night. The container was linked to the Mongols motorcycle gang and $90,000 was found in a shoebox at the supervisors home. Several linked investigations focusing on Auckland International Airport revealed rival crews of baggage handlers smuggling drugs for the King Cobras gang and other criminal syndicates. And in Operation Tarpon, a stevedore at the Port of Tauranga was sent to prison as part of a plot to smuggle 200kg of cocaine belonging to a Mexican cartel. With millions of dollars to be made from the methamphetamine trade in New Zealand, police and Customs have long warned of the risk of bribery and corruption. However, the arrival of outlaw motorcycle gangs such as the Comancheros after senior members were deported as 501s from Australia has accelerated the need for greater vigilance. Although making up only a small fraction of the 501 deportees, nicknamed for the section of the immigration law used to remove them on character grounds, law enforcement believes these gangs have led to an escalation in the criminal underworld. The Comancheros were mentioned by name in a report by an independent expert group published this week which warned that New Zealand was losing the fight against organised crime and urged the Government to take urgent action. In recent years, there have been record-breaking drug busts at the border as global crime syndicates including Mexican cartels have targeted New Zealand as a small but lucrative market. Cristina Vallejo Malaga Wednesday, 9 April 2025, 11:08 Compartir Buying a home in Malaga today would require 10.6 years of full salary according to a study that relates average salary data from job offers on the InfoJobs platform to average prices of properties up for resale on Fotocasa. In 2024 the price of housing for sale in Malaga closed at 3,836 euros per square metre. This means that, taking into account the average gross salary recorded by InfoJobs in the province, which in 2024 was 28,911 euros, the people of Malaga have to dedicate 10.6 years of their full salary to paying for an 80-square-metre home at an average price of just over 306,000 euros. This figure contrasts significantly with that for all Spain where, for a home purchased in 2024, 85 months of gross salary, or 7.1 years, is needed. The equation in this case is formed by an average gross salary of 27,060 euros and an average house price of 80 square metres of just over 191,000 euros. Before the pandemic, in 2019, the number of years of salary needed to buy an 80-square-metre house was only 5.8. In the countrywide ranking Malaga province is in third place for the highest number of years of full salary required to pay for a resale property (not a new build), behind only the Balearic Islands (13.5 years of salary of 27,327 euros gross per year for an average house price of around 4,600 euros per square metre, making an average 80-square-metre house cost over 367,000 euros) and Madrid (12.2 years of an average salary of 28,075 euros per year needed to pay for the same size of property, costing 342,272 euros on average at a rate of 4,278 euros per square metre). After Malaga comes Guipuzcoa, where buying a second-hand property of the same size, costing around 300,000 euros, swallows up ten years of full salary that in 2024 amounted to an average of around 29,800 euros. Housing is rising three times higher than wages "The proportion of salary that buyers have to sacrifice to access housing is increasing year on year because the price of housing rises at a faster rate than salaries." The report published by Fotocasa also highlights that "access to home ownership continues to move away from the purchasing power of the people." It stresses that "the proportion of salary that buyers have to sacrifice to access housing is increasing year on year" as the price of housing "rises at a faster rate than salaries." "This is a worrying trend: although incomes have improved slightly, the cost of housing has grown almost three times faster," said Maria Matos, research director and spokesperson for Fotocasa. "The average gross annual salary of 27,060 euros offered in the vacancies published on InfoJobs in 2024 has increased by more than 800 euros compared to the previous year. A rise of 3.1% which, compared to the 2.8% variation in the CPI [consumer price index], reflects a slight improvement in purchasing power", states InfoJobs, but the price of resale properties has risen by more than 8% in Spain as a whole, and by more than this figure (double-digit rates) in Malaga. Ciudad Real is the province with the lowest average price per square metre in the country and where its residents require only 2.8 years of full salary to pay for their home. Other provinces where it takes less than five years of salary to buy a house are Jaen (3 years), Avila (3.5), Zamora (3.6), Caceres (3.9), Cordoba (also 3.9), Teruel, Ourense, Leon, Toledo and Almeria (all at 4 years), Castellon, Badajoz (both at 4.2 years), Albacete (4.3), Huelva, Murcia (both at 4.4 years), Lleida, Soria (both at 4.5 years), Lugo (4.7), Burgos (4.8), and finally Palencia and Huesca (both at 4.9 years). File image of Dolores Vazquez and some of the SUR coverage of the murder crime at the time. Wednesday, 9 April 2025 | Updated 10/04/2025 18:51h. Compartir Dolores Vazquez, unjustly convicted of the murder of her ex-partners daughter Rocio Wanninkhof in Mijas in 1999, was honoured by her hometown, Betanzos, during the celebration of the Ursula Melendez de Texeda awards. The prize, which recognises the works of women and their contributions to society, is a symbol of the solidarity of Doloress neighbours and fellow citizens. However, Dolores used the opportunity to express her undying wish to receive an apology from the Spanish government for the unjust conviction and the relentless media trial that she was subjected to before being absolved in 2002. "In my heart, I need the government to apologise to me. This is my town and it is not the same - it is my people, those who have lived with me for seven years and know me. Today is special and I know that I will not have another opportunity like this, but it is not enough," she said. Zoom Dolores Vazquez at the award ceremony of the 17th Ursula Melendez de Texeda prize in Betanzos (A Coruna). Concello de Betanzos In September 2000, Dolores Vazquez was arrested as the main suspect in the Mijas murder of 19-year-old Rocio Wanninkhof, the daughter of her estranged ex-partner, despite lack of solid evidence. Rocios disappearance in 1999 sparked one of the most high-profile media circuses in Spanish history. She spent 519 days behind bars for a crime actually committed by British man Tony King. 'Today is special and I know that I will not have another opportunity like this, but it is not enough' She was released after serving 519 days in prison after an appeal overturned the conviction due to insufficient evidence.The investigation of Sonia Carabantess murder in August 2003, found DNA evidence linking Tony Alexander King to both cases. The British citizen was arrested, solidifying Doloress innocence. The consequences of the trial, the 17 months spent in prison and the media attention caused Dolores to move to the UK, without having been compensated. In 2008, the Ministry of Justice recognised the error and proposed compensation of 120,000 euros - well short of the four million demanded by Vazquez. A fee was never agreed and Vazquez dropped the case, without ever receiving an apology. She currently lives in her hometown, Betanzos, which has paid tribute to her, 25 years after the conviction, within the framework of International Womens Day. 'I don't hold grudges against anyone' The auditorium during the commemorative act was full of Betanzos residents and municipal figures. The mayor of Betanzos, Maria Barral, apologised to Dolores Vazquez on behalf of the municipality and acknowledged her as a victim of a "terribly unfair" society. Barral also accused Spains government for not being by Doloress side and apologised "for every unfair look, for every doubt, for every personal and global condemnation, for every nudge and for every gesture of abandonment". "It is a special day, because we are here to do something we should have done a long time ago: to recognise, honour and, above all, apologise to a woman who suffered one of the greatest injustices of our recent history. You were the victim of a society that, instead of protecting you, singled you out, and of a system that condemned you without evidence, without reason and without humanity," the mayor said. 'I don't hold a grudge against anyone, because feeling bad and not being true to yourself only makes you become bitter inside' Visibly moved by the speech and the applause of a standing audience, Dolores admitted that she cried when she received the news that she was going to be honoured by the town hall of her hometown, where she feels "included, free and loved". She added that she "had not expected to see so many people" at the ceremony, hoping that this would be an opportunity for other cities in Spain to "recognise the mistake". Dolores stated that she would always receive an apology with an open heart. "I don't hold a grudge against anyone, because feeling bad and not being true to yourself only makes you become bitter inside. I will always go forward and whatever they give me will be well received," said Dolores. Pilar Martinez Malaga Wednesday, 9 April 2025, 12:07 Compartir Asian airline giant Air China has expressed its interest in Malaga Airport not only as the first passenger connection between the airline and Andalucia, but also as a stopover and gateway to Latin America. The intention was outlined during the Routes Europe fair, which was held in Malaga on 8 April and where regional minister of tourism, Arturo Bernal, met with the Chinese delegation to discuss connections to Brazil and Cuba, among others. The prospect would establish Europe as Air China's transfer point, replacing the United States. The plan means that Malaga Airport could play a key role in supporting Madrid in the traffic to Latin America, which is expected to increase by 265,000 passengers, paralleling the strengthening of business connections with Chinese companies. Currently, the gateway to the Costa del Sol connects to 148 regular destinations around the world, which jump to 160 during the summer. The airport has performed well managing a high volume of passengers. Zoom The regional minister of tourism with the Air China delegation after the meeting. SUR The plan, still at a very early stage, is for Malaga to function as a hub connecting Air China's bases in Asia to Brazil and Latin America. "The company has many flights with Madrid and Barcelona and they are looking for new options to complement them," said Bernal, adding that another meeting, this time in China, has been planned for May. Bernal stated that the plan is for Malaga Airport to operate both "commercial and cargo flights". "They are looking for airports with an international distribution structure like Barajas or El Prat. Malaga - the third busiest airport on the Spanish mainland after those two - is starting to gain this status due to its growing number of international routes and connections to different continents beyond Europe," said the regional minister. 148 connections operate from Malaga Airport on a regular basis Air China expects that the airport complementing Madrid and Barcelona would have the capacity to also operate cargo flights, to take some of the load off Madrid. In addition, Malaga's facility offers the advantage of operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week - an exclusive feature in Andalucia. Other airline plans Air China is not the only company with which Andalucia is establishing connections at the Routes Europe fair. More than thirty appointments with various international companies and airport operators have been scheduled across the three days of the conference. Among the participants in Tuesday meetings were Vueling and American Airlines. According to Bernal, all of the participating companies "represent a large part of Analucia's strategic objective: the European domestic market, the outbound markets of the United States, Mexico and Canada and, on the other hand, China and the Asia-Pacific area". Routes Europe seeks to increase the region's capacity to host new routes, responding to international demands and strengthening Andalucia's leading position in air connectivity and tourism offer in general. In 2024, Andalusian hotel establishments recorded more than 355,062 overnight stays by passengers from China, which represents an increase of 87%, while stays by visitors from the US exceeded 1.7 million, marking a growth of 16% compared to 2023. Maria Albert Madrid Wednesday, 9 April 2025, 15:27 Compartir The end of cash seems to be drawing ever closer. The use of this means of payment, which was the most common in shops throughout Spain for decades, is at an all-time low: fewer and fewer people are going out with bank notes and coins in their pockets to pay for their purchases. In addition to all this, the European Central Bank (ECB) has announced its plans to implement the digital euro in the coming months. This 'new currency' would function as an electronic equivalent to the cash. The aim is to modernise payments within the EU, allowing operations without the need for intermediaries such as banks or card providers. The ultimate goal is to eliminate fees for consumers and businesses. The date for launching this practice has been brought forward by more than a year - it was initially planned for 2027, but the ECB has now scheduled it for October 2025. According to ECB president Christine Lagarde, the project is of "crucial" importance, hence the decision to advance the process. This decision, however, has generated a lot of negative reactions because of what it could mean for the financial privacy of Europeans. The majority of citizens in the eurozone countries do not seem too convinced by the implementation of this new digital currency. Many of the critics of the digital euro believe that it may eventually precipitate the disappearance of cash, which, they fear, would impair privacy, increase surveillance of transactions and risk of fraud, and limit spending control. Pedro Ruiz - an avid supporter of cash One of the most critical voices has been Spanish presenter and actor Pedro Ruiz, who has protested against the disappearance of cash on more than one occasion. The actor has once again expressed his opinion on his X social media profile, this time addressing the digital euro announcement. "They have announced that the digital euro will become a reality by the end of the year. You know what I think," said Ruiz. Warning about the risks this could have for many businesses and citizens, he has issued an advice to his Spanish followers: "Don't give in and demand to be charged or paid with physical money. Otherwise, it is an economic dictatorship," said Ruiz. Anuncian para fin de ano la aparicion de el Euro Digital. Ya conoceis mi pensamiento. No cedais y exigid que os cobren u os paguen con dinero fisico. Lo contrario es una dictadura economica impresentable. Pedro Ruiz (@ElPedroRuiz) April 5, 2025 A couple of months ago, the performer complained about the widespread disappearance of cash. "Yesterday, in a couple of places, I struggled to find change for cash to make two payments," said Ruiz. "The idea of disposing of cash is moving forward. We have to resist it." It is known that 155 Chinese citizens are fighting against Ukrainians on the territory of Ukraine, but there may be more, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. "The Chinese issue is serious. There are 155 people with surnames, with passport data 155 Chinese citizens who are fighting against Ukrainians on the territory of Ukraine. We are collecting information, we believe that there are many more of them. For these 155, we have passport data, where they are from, their Chinese documents, age, etc. Also places of service: 70th, 71st, 255th motorized rifle regiments, etc.," Zelenskyy said at a meeting with journalists. According to the president, the Russians are recruiting citizens of the PRC, in particular through social networks: TikTok and other Chinese social networks, where the Russians distribute advertising videos. "Official Beijing knows about this. The Russians distribute advertising videos about recruitment through Chinese social networks. Non-secret recruitment is important. Maybe there is also secret one," the president added. After recruitment, these people arrive in Moscow, where they undergo 3-4 days of medical examinations, 1-2 months in training centers. "They fight on the territory of Ukraine. They receive migration cards, as well as a card of the Mir payment system, for which they receive money, respectively," Zelenskyy noted. The death of Lincoln, circa 1865. Lincolns body was removed from Fords Theater and taken across the street to the Petersons boarding house. Secretary of War Stanton stands to the right of the bed, holding papers behind his back. Courtesy of the Onondaga Historical Association Despite the current turmoil facing the country, it is difficult to imagine the manic week endured by the American people beginning on April 9, 1865. That evening, newspapers in Central New York and all across the war-torn nation announced the remarkable news of Robert E. Lees surrender to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia. President Abraham Lincoln was barely a month into his second term. During his inaugural address a few weeks earlier on March 4, he made it clear that his administration would act with malice toward none, and charity for all to bring about a just and lasting peace after almost exactly four years of a bloody civil war. That Lincolns election in 1860 was the catalyst for that sanguinary revolution was one of historys great twists of fate. The self-trained lawyer turned president, born into poverty in Kentucky, issued a warning to his fellow citizens in the winter of 1838. Then, just a 28-year-old serving in the Illinois House of Representatives, Lincoln gave a speech before the Young Mens Lyceum in Springfield. The topic was the perpetuation of the nations political institutions, and the prescience of his observations still amaze. He wasted no time getting to the point. We find ourselves under the government of a system of political institutions, conducing more essentially to the ends of civil and religious liberty, than any of which the history of former times tells us At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant, to step the Ocean, and crush us at a blow? Never. Lincoln continued, At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time or die by suicide. That suicide came in the form of secession and rebellion. Tasked and bound by his constitutional oath to faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States and preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, Lincoln responded to the bombardment of Fort Sumter. Over the next four years, approximately 720,000 men died in the war to preserve the union and, later, to abolish slavery. Now, with the war over, Lincoln wanted to turn his attention to bind up the nations wounds. A jubilant and war weary nation rejoiced. Thus, the horrific and shocking news reported in the evening edition of the Syracuse Daily Courier and Union on April 15, 1865, was made all the more surreal. The President had been felled by an assassins bullet during the previous evenings performance of Our American Cousin at Fords Theatre in Washington D.C. It was Good Friday. He died the next morning in the house across the street. W.W. Green, the editor of the Daily Courier and Union a long-time and strident Lincoln critic, urged his readers in the days that followed to disavow the spirit of malignity and revenge and to render Mr. Lincoln the last sad tribute due to the Chief Magistrate of the Republic. The death of Lincoln, circa 1865. Lincolns body was removed from Fords Theater and taken across the street to the Petersons boarding house. Secretary of War Stanton stands to the right of the bed, holding papers behind his back. Courtesy of the Onondaga Historical Association Clipping from the Syracuse Daily Courier and Union, April 17, 1865. Courtesy of the Onondaga Historical Association Over the next several days, readers in Syracuse followed the rapidly developing story, as those feelings of malignity were directed towards the Presidents assassin, John Wilkes Booth, a middling stage actor and the younger brother of Edwin Booth, the Daniel Day Lewis of his day. As history records, Booth was the leader of a rag-tag group of conspirators that sought to avenge the Confederacy by decapitating Lincolns cabinet through a series of assassinations on the evening of April 14. Yet, the readers of the Daily Courier and Union did not know the extent of the conspiracy. On April 17, they reported that former New York State Governor, Senator, and current Secretary of State, Auburns own, William Henry Seward, was lying near death in his home, the victim of a heinous stabbing. (Sewards son, Augustus, was also wounded in the attack). Seward had been stabbed in the face and neck with a Bowie knife by another conspirator, Lewis Powell. In a near miraculous coincidence, Sewards life was saved by a splint doctors used to mend a broken jaw, an injury the Secretary suffered in a carriage accident only a few weeks earlier. What the American people did not know was that in addition to Lincoln and Seward, Booth charged another conspirator, George Atzerodt, the task of assassinating Vice-President Andrew Johnson. Unlike Booth and Powell, Atzerodt never carried out his attack; instead, he got drunk and aborted the mission, deciding instead to pass out in a D.C. hotel room. Unfortunately for the United States, John Wilkes Booth, did not get drunk and fall asleep in a hotel room. The dashing actor played the role he cast for himself in this national tragedy to a tee. Around 10 p.m., Booth, finding it unguarded, snuck into the private box where the Lincolns and their guests were enjoying the comedic performance. Booth knew the play. Thus, he barred the door from the inside and waited for a big crowd reaction, then he shot Lincoln in the back of the head with a .44 caliber Deringer pistol. Ever the performer, Booth jumped out of the box and onto the stage. According to the reports printed in Syracuse, Booth caught his spur in the curtain and fell to the stage, breaking his leg; he got to his feet and screamed, The South is avenged before, incredibly, making his escape. The terrors of the assassination were spelled out in incredible detail for the readers of the Daily Courier and Union. Underneath the call for a public meeting to discuss the Syracuses official response, was a harrowing minute-by-minute recounting of the Presidents final hours that included his pulse and respiration rates. The final entry read, 7:21 oclock: Death. At that moment, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, who was standing beside the bed where Lincoln died, was said to have uttered, Now, he belongs to the ages. It was according, to one of the headlines, The Darkest Day Since the Rebellion. Here in Syracuse, like many other cities around the country, the profound national grief took the cathartic form of a mock funeral for the martyred President, a sad tribute indeed. Mayor Stewart announced that all schools, churches, and businesses would close on April 19, for a city-wide procession to coincide with Lincolns actual funeral in the White House. Beginning at sunrise, cannons fired from the armory every half an hour, while thousands reported to their churches in preparation to join the funeral procession, which began at 12:30 p.m. Each of the citys wards selected pallbearers, which included former Mayor and future Congressman E.W. Leavenworth and local brewing magnate Jacob Pfhol, to follow the elegant and handsome hearse, pulled by six grey horses. Various military regiments, the fire brigades, members of the Common Council, and all of the citys civic societies marched in the procession to the sound of church bells and funeral dirges. Starting in Hanover Square, the assembled multitudes moved through Clinton Square, crossing the Erie Canal at Clinton Street. They continued up James, past houses and buildings draped in black crepe and bunting, to Lock Street (State Street) down to Genesee Street on their return to Hanover Square at quarter past three. In the center of the square stood a large platform tastefully decorated with flags and black and white cloth, around which had gathered what Mr. Green called the largest, most intelligent appearingassemblage ever convened in this city. After a few remarks by Mayor Stewart and a prayer, former Republican Congressman, Charles B. Sedgwick, a man who worked with the fallen President many times over the years, gave a stirring and erudite eulogy that spoke glowingly of the virtues of Lincoln, who only one week ago, full of life and hope, was laboring with cheerful heart for the public welfare, and the dark clouds of rebellion and treason, which during his whole administration had lowered above, were just beginning to lift. Ultimately, the war thrust upon him, waged by the rebels with characteristic cruelty to maintain slavery had brought about the end of the institution. Hon. Charles B. Sedgwick. Born in Ithaca in 1815, Sedgwick moved to Syracuse in 1848 and opened his law practice. A staunch Republican from the earliest days of the party in the 1850s, he was elected to Congress in 1859. He served two terms, chairing the Naval Affairs Committee. He left Congress in 1863. He died in 1883 and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Syracuse. Courtesy of the Onondaga Historical Association The Hon. Mr. Sedgwick continued to sing the praises of his fallen friends administration, while giving voice to some critiques of the man, of which there had been many. His friends, he continued, have sometimes conceded that he was vacillating, hesitating particularly around the crowning achievement of his administration, the proclamation of emancipation. The former Congressman disagreed. Pertinacity, not vacillation, was the distinguishing quality of his mind. Sedgwick continued, He is gone, but he has left us the rich inheritance of a redeemed and regenerate and free country. More important than that, Sedgwick told this throng of mourners in a city that had been a great central depot on the Underground Railroad, was the eradication of slavery. Reaching his rousing conclusion, Sedgwick declared, The great stain upon our national character, the great source of strife and contention among our people, by his courage and fortitude, has been wiped out and removed. His name has become historic. Robert Searings weekly articles are supported by the William G. Pomeroy Public History Media Series. To learn more about the William G. Pomeroy Foundations work to promote public history, visit wgpfoundation.org. Syracuse, N.Y. If you call 911 in Syracuse, a police drone could potentially respond before an officer. City police officials say a live video feed from a drone could improve how officers respond to serious incidents. They say video could help officers identify a suspect or determine whether someone is armed with a weapon. Civil liberties experts, however, say the drones potentially raise privacy concerns. It will ultimately be up to police officials to decide whether and how to use the new generation of drones. The proposed program received a tepid response last month from city lawmakers, who delayed a vote on a key contract. Still, police say the program could take flight this summer. Traditionally, drones used by police had to be within sight of the operator, limiting officers to using them at a fixed location. The new drones would be flown remotely from a control room. Other police departments across the country, including in nearby Oswego, have implemented similar drone as a first responder programs. Syracuse officials have already given an initial signoff on the program. Common councilors voted unanimously last fall to spend $250,000 on it. They did not discuss the program before approving it at their Nov. 12 meeting. The police department also won a state grant for $369,000 for drones. Police officials have refused to say how much the program will cost. The citys Surveillance Technology Working Group a committee that provides guidance about purchasing technology that may raise privacy concerns has approved the program. It is expected to send recommendations to Mayor Ben Walsh on how to implement the new drone program. Daniel Schwarz, a member of the group who is also a privacy strategist at the New York Civil Liberties Union, said officials need to limit the types of incidents in which police could deploy a drone. There should be a very strict policy about when drones can be used, he said, so were not seeing an explosion in drone flights over communities, over peoples backyards. Police officials are still writing the rules of how the five new drones would be used. But some details of the program are being finalized. A room in the new public safety building now under construction will be dedicated to the drone program. Police officials are still deciding whether the pilots who fly the drones will be civilians or officers. Lt. Brian Williams of the city police said the on-duty pilot will generally decide when to launch the drones. They will have access to the county 911 system, and can determine as new calls arrive whether a drone should be sent out. An officer can also request a drone. Calls with a drone response will likely be something serious or high priority, Williams said, such as shootings, stabbings, house fires or robberies. The pilot will need to make a quick decision, since the goal is to have drones on scene for the first two to five minutes of a call. In Oswego, officers are using drones to patrol the banks of the Oswego River and to respond to calls including larcenies and warrant executions. In Marylands biggest county, a drone was used to determine a man holding a gun actually had a phone in his hand. That allowed officers to change how they responded. The Syracuse drones will launch from inside docking stations fitted with heating and air conditioning. Williams said the stations will likely be on the rooftops of city-owned buildings. When the program begins, the department will need a so-called visual observer to watch drone flights in order to comply with federal regulations. They could potentially be a cadet or an officer on light duty, Williams said. The observer makes sure the drone, typically flying at about 200 or 250 feet off the ground, doesnt collide with anything. That means the drone can essentially only fly as far the observer can see it. That could change if and when SPD gets a special approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. Once the drone arrives at an incident, officers and supervisors can pull up the live video feed. The video will also be monitored by the pilot, who can call out on the police radio what theyre seeing. The drones will be fitted with three cameras, Williams said. A camera that can zoom, one looking at the horizon for the pilot and another with infrared capabilities. Williams said the department plans to add a section to its website with a listing of drone flights, detailing where they went and why. We subscribe to full transparency, he said. Williams said the new drones complement the departments existing surveillance and drone capabilities. The department already has several types of drones on hand, which are primarily used by the traffic and crime scene units at specific incidents. Officers also currently can tap into the hundreds of city surveillance cameras on utility poles that form the Criminal Observation and Protection System. The department also at times calls in Air 1, a helicopter operated by the Onondaga County Sheriffs Office. Williams said the drones are not intended as a full replacement for the helicopter. The aircraft has cameras and spotlights that are more capable than a drone, he said. Sgt. Jason Wells of the city police said it is to the departments benefit to limit the number of times the drones are used, given their relatively short battery life of about 30 minutes. Flying them around the city all the time could leave them unavailable when they might truly be needed. If were out flying around and just looking for stuff and then potentially spying on somebody in their backyard he said, that doesnt look good for the program and thats a good way for us to lose this ability. Wells said he hopes city residents embrace the drones once they see them in action, similar to how the COPS cameras have been received. When I first came on the job here 15 years ago, the public was very concerned about them, rightfully so, he said. Eventually, they started seeing how we were solving crimes with them, and that program has expanded to the point where there are COPS cameras all over the city now and the public isnt concerned about it. Staff writer Jon Moss covers breaking news, crime and public safety. He can be reached at jmoss@syracuse.com or @mossjon7. The Trump administration has frozen more than $1 billion in federal funding for a Central New York college, the White House announced late Tuesday. The Associated Press reports grant money was pulled from Cornell University as part of a larger effort to get major academic institutions to comply with President Donald Trumps political agenda. The Trump administration similarly halted $790 million for Northwestern University, claiming it was investigating alleged civil rights violations at both schools. Cornell, an Ivy League school located in Ithaca, N.Y., said it had not received information confirming $1 billion in frozen grants, but did say it received more than 75 stop work orders earlier Tuesday from the U.S. Defense Department related to research profoundly significant to American national defense, cybersecurity, and health. We are actively seeking information from federal officials to learn more about the basis for these decisions, Cornell University President Michael I. Kotlikoff said in a statement with other top school officials. According to the AP, the U.S. Education Department warned Cornell, Northwestern and more than 60 other schools of potential enforcement actions if they do not fulfill their obligations under federal law to protect Jewish students on campus, including uninterrupted access to campus facilities and educational opportunities. The Trump administration claimed the colleges alleged antisemitism to go unchecked at campus protests last year over Israels war with Hamas in Gaza. The Trump administration previously cut off $400 million in federal funding and grants for Columbia University, demanding changes in university policy. Columbia agreed last month to overhaul its rules for protests and student discipline, plus adopt a new definition of antisemitism, sparking concerns about free speech and fascism. Momodou Taal, a Cornell University graduate student who sued the Trump administration and was threatened with deportation, announced last week that he had voluntarily left the United States. A federal judge in Syracuse had rejected an effort by Taal to get an injunction against executive orders from Trump that Taal said were being used to deport him for attending pro-Palestinian protests. Given what we have seen across the United States, I have lost faith that a favorable ruling from the courts would guarantee my personal safety and ability to express my beliefs. I have lost faith I could walk the streets without being abducted. Weighing upon these options, I took the decision to leave on my own terms, Taal said. Cornell described itself Tuesday as a land-grant university that serves New York state and the nation. The university has worked diligently to create an environment where all individuals and viewpoints are protected and respected, Kotlikoff said. We are committed to working with our federal partners to continue the contributions made by our scientists and scholars. In this Aug. 4, 2005, file photo, traffic traveling from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, lines up on the Rainbow Bridge to enter the United States through a border checkpoint at Niagara Falls, N.Y. (Don Heupel | The Associated Press) Don Heupel | The Associated Press It soon will cost more to get into Canada from three Upstate New York bridges. The Niagara Falls Bridge Commission announced recently that the tolls on the Rainbow Bridge, Whirlpool Bridge, and Lewiston Queenston Bridge will increase starting May 1. This is the first toll increase in Western New York since 2022. The commission said the cost of goods and materials, as well as the cost of maintenance and safety procedures have risen, causing the need for an adjustment. Standard passenger vehicle tolls will rise to $6 ($8.50 CAD) from the current $5, while standard five-axle vehicle tolls will increase an additional two dollars to $34 ($48.50 CAD). According to WIVB, commercial traffic across the U.S.-Canadian border in Western NY has remained similar or increased slightly as compared to this time last year, but auto traffic has substantially reduced. Mark Poloncarz, Erie County Executive, told Fortune that border crossings are down 13% this year as fewer Canadians make the trip. Fortune reported that the U.S. is poised to lose about $3.3 billion of lost spending due to a decrease in Canadian tourism. It is likely that this reduction is predominantly due to the existing exchange rate, which has historically impacted border crossing patterns, and to some extent the Buy Canadian campaigns and general uncertainty about the application of duties and taxes on consumer goods, the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission said, according to WIVB. Patrick Tine, Times Union, Albany, N.Y. (TNS) SARATOGA SPRINGS A 26-year-old man has been charged with manslaughter after he allegedly shot his roommate with a BB gun and the victim died. Investigators have released few details about how the Upstate New York shooting occurred. Court documents described him as recklessly causing his roommates death. Officers were summoned to a residence on Warren Street in Saratoga Springs early Sunday morning after receiving a 911 call reporting that a man had shot his roommate with a BB gun. Police said the caller told the dispatcher the man was bleeding and having trouble breathing. In a department news release, police described the call they received about the alleged incident as distressing. Officers found Michael Collins, 27, unconscious and unresponsive, police said. Collins was taken to Albany Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital, police said. His roommate, Brendan Carl, was arraigned on manslaughter and weapon possession charges in Saratoga Springs City Court. Bail was set at $25,000 cash, $50,000 partial bond, or $300,000 bond. Carl was taken to the Saratoga County jail, where the jail said he paid the bond and was released. His criminal possession of a weapon was the BB gun, according to court documents. City police called the circumstances surrounding Collins death a tragic incident that remains under investigation, and urged anyone with additional information to contact the police department at 518-584-1800. Court documents indicate the incident unfolded at 2:30 a.m. Sunday. Carl intentionally, knowingly and unlawfully possess (ed) a weapon with intent to use it when he held and shot a pellet style gun at Michael E. Collins, the documents said. He did intentionally, knowingly, unlawfully and recklessly cause the death of Michael E. Collins. It was not immediately clear Monday if Carl has an attorney. A phone number listed for him went to voicemail. 2025 the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) . Visit www.timesunion.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has adopted a resolution on preventing impunity of Russia for aggression against Ukraine, Yevhenia Kravchuk (Servant of the People) said. "The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has just adopted an extremely important resolution Russian aggression against Ukraine: the need to ensure responsibility and prevent impunity, with 100 votes in favour," Kravchuk said on Facebook on Wednesday. According to the MP, the Assembly clearly called things by their names: Russia continues its aggression, despite all attempts to stop the war with humanitarian steps. "Any peace negotiations, as PACE emphasizes, must begin with the humanitarian dimension: the release of all prisoners of war and civilians held by Russia, and the return of our illegally deported children," Kravchuk said. The_Artificer Newbie Join Date: Feb 2024 Location: Chennai Posts: 19 Thanked: 253 Times My Yamaha R15 S V3 | A year of living the dream Hello fellow BHPians! This is my second post on the forum, and its a special one - a celebration of one year with my dream machine, the Yamaha R15 S V3. The desire to own this bike wasnt something that struck overnight. It goes way back to 2018 when I first laid eyes on the V3 and instantly fell in love with its design, aggressive stance, and the race-inspired DNA that Yamaha infused into it. Back then, I told myself, One day, Ill own this bike. Fast forward to March 2024, that dream finally came true when my parents gifted it to me at the age of 19. It wasnt just any V3, Yamaha had already discontinued the model in 2021, but I was lucky enough to get the R15 V3 S variant Before this, my riding experience was mostly limited to the humble and reliable 110cc Hondas owned by my dad and mom. They were practical and served their purpose well, but deep down, I always longed for something more, something with spirit, style, and sportiness. And thats exactly what the V3 delivered. Buying Experience: A Rough Start with a Rewarding Finish I got my Yamaha R15 S V3 from Avi Motors, Redhills, Chennai, a bike I had dreamed about since 2018. But the joy of finally owning it came with a little turbulence during the buying process. We had specifically booked the 2024 variant, the one featuring the updated negative LCD display. But when we went for delivery, the dealership rolled out a 2023-manufactured unit that had been sitting in their yard for over 8 months, without any prior notice or discussion. It felt like they quietly hoped we wouldnt notice the difference. Naturally, I was disappointed, my face went red, not just from the heat of the moment, but because I genuinely felt like something wasnt right. After standing our ground, they finally agreed to arrange the correct 2024-manufactured unit, and delivery was rescheduled for two days later. To add to the confusion, during the final handover, the sales executive casually asked me to open the seat so he could pair the bikes Bluetooth with the Y-Connect app. I stood there confused, because the V3 S doesnt even come with a Bluetooth module. At that point, all I could do was smile awkwardly. While the process wasn't smooth, my parents encouraged me to add a few personal touches to brighten the experience. I picked up some basic accessories from a local motorcycle accessories shop, a tail tidy, LED indicators, and a lever protector, just enough to give the bike a cleaner, more personal look. The ride home was pure bliss. Despite the dealership hiccups, everything I had waited for was finally mine - on my terms. Initial Impressions: Love at First Ride The moment I swung a leg over her and thumbed the starter, it all began to feel real. After years of waiting, planning, and dreaming, I was finally riding my R15 S V3. Right from the first ride, she felt sharp, responsive, and surprisingly refined for a 155cc machine. The engine delivered exactly what I expected from the segment, smooth power delivery, enough punch for city commutes, and a bit of zing when you open her up on open stretches. The gearbox was slick, and that characteristic Yamaha refinement stood out from the first kilometer. While she may not be the most powerful on paper, the way the S V3 carries itself makes it feel more than just another 155cc bike. Every throttle input, every gear change, it all felt mechanical yet precise, and the riding triangle kept me engaged without being overly aggressive. At the end of the day, shes not just a motorcycle, shes my dream bike. Something I had visualized since 2018. And now, every time I park her, I cant help but turn around and take one last look. Riding Experience: Everyday SuperSport, Responsibly Ridden I use my S V3 primarily for college commutes, and shes been doing that duty like a champ. I ride entirely on the highway, with a pillion on board almost every day, so I make it a point to ride responsibly and smoothly. Despite being a faired sportbike, heating was never an issue during these highway runs. The bike stays calm and composed even during extended rides. In bumper-to-bumper city traffic, you do feel some warmth from the engine, but nothing alarming or uncomfortable. Its all within expected limits for a liquid-cooled machine. Fuel efficiency has been pretty reasonable, especially considering that I always have a pillion. She consistently returns 40 to 45 kmpl on relaxed highway runs, and dips slightly below 40 kmpl when pushed a bit harder. For a bike with this level of performance and daily usage with load, I find that quite acceptable. As for comfort - lets be real. No sane being buys an R15 expecting plush seating or an upright stance. Its a lightweight sportbike, and it wears that identity proudly. I havent gone for handlebar risers or a street-naked bar conversion either, because I wanted to stay true to the bikes DNA - low, lean, and sharp. Despite the aggressive ergonomics, it never feels out of place once you get used to it. You adapt, and soon enough, it becomes second nature, part of what makes this machine so involving to ride. Service Experience: A Tale of Two Workshops Over the course of the year, Ive completed five periodic services on my R15 S V3 , four of which were under Yamahas free service program (free of labour cost), and one was fully paid. Heres a quick breakdown of the services: 1st Service @ 1000 km 1376 2nd Service @ 5000 km 1476 3rd Service @ 7000 km 1376 4th Service @ 13000km - 1019 (service) + 1113 (rear brake pads) 5th Service @ 17,000 km 2720 (included air filter + front brake pad replacement) The first four services were done at Avi Motors, Redhills, Chennai. The service advisor, Mr. Bhupalan, was courteous and approachable, but unfortunately, the overall execution of service often left me underwhelmed. The workshop itself is located on the third floor, accessible only by a steep, long ramp. Watching the young technicians, most without uniforms, revving and taking bikes hard up the incline wasn't the most confidence-inspiring sight, especially for someone particular about how their machine is handled. There were some clear lapses. During the 4th service, the front brake fluid wasnt replaced even though it was due. My lever protector end was also broken, something I noticed only after reaching home. It started becoming clear that I had to specifically mention each task, even those outlined in the service manual, else theyd be skipped. Thats not something you expect from an authorized Yamaha dealership. But what really pushed me to switch was the experience during the 4th service. I dropped my bike off as the second vehicle at gate entry, early in the morning, and headed to college on my mom's Honda Aviator. I returned expecting the job to be done, only to find that my V3 had not even been touched. I ended up waiting nearly two hours, and even then, the rear brake fluid wasnt topped up properly. For the 5th service, I decided to go local, a Yamaha dealership just 5 minutes from my home, BG Motors, Ponneri (Thiruvallur District). It was a breath of fresh air. The technicians here are family-run, literally brothers, and deeply respectful of both the bike and the rider. The experience was smooth, transparent, and professional. I got the air filter and front brake pads changed here as part of the service, and Ive decided this is going to be my regular service point moving forward. Mods & Accessories: Subtle Touches That Make Her Mine Right from the beginning, I knew I wasn't going to keep her bone stock. While the R15 S V3 already looks like a scaled-down superbike, a few tasteful mods just had to be done to make her feel truly mine. Every modification was made not for bling, but to sharpen her already aggressive design and improve overall aesthetics. The first mod I installed was a tail tidy, because the stock mudguard just didnt sit well with the sharp tail section of the bike. It immediately made the rear profile look clean and track-ready. Next came a light smoked Indonesian visor, which blends beautifully with the bike's front fairing and adds that aggressive look from the front. I also went for adjustable metal lever protectors, not the bulky kind, but a sleek set that offers a bit of safety and a lot of style. And the sequential turn signals I picked up (refer to the previous thread I posted for a detailed view on these) added a modern flair, giving the bike a premium touch that stock indicators simply cant match. Finally, I removed the wheel hugger and saree guard. The saree guard, to be honest, felt completely out of place on a sportbike like the V3. It was like putting a schoolbag on a racehorse. Without it, the bikes rear looks way sharper, and the hugger delete makes chain cleaning easier too. All these mods were done at a trusted local mechanic shop nearby. Nothing over the top, just the right touches to bring out the V3s sporty soul. Maintenance: Because She Deserves the Love Ive always believed that a motorcycle gives back the care you show it, and that shows in how I maintain my V3. From day one, Ive made it a point to park her only in shaded spots, especially in university parking. I've seen a couple of my classmates 125cc scooters, bought even after I got my V3, already faded from being baked under the sun daily. I guess they prefer their Suzuki sun-dried . Every Sunday is ritual time. I pull out the paddock stand, set her up, and spend a good 3 to 4 hours washing, drying, and detailing. The chain gets cleaned and lubed religiously with Motul C1 and C2, and I inspect the little things that many tend to overlook. Lever bolts, visor bolts, fluid levels, and the general tightness of everything. One thing Ive never done is run her dry. Not even once. I always top up responsibly and try to keep the fuel above the last bar, it's just something Im particular about. For fuel, Ive been using HPs 95 octane premium petrol since the 5th periodic service. Its been smooth sailing with it, but Im considering whether I should continue or switch back to regular fuel. Would love some inputs from fellow BHPians on whether its actually making a difference long-term in a 155cc engine like this. Design Language: Timeless Aggression That Still Grabs Eyeballs The Yamaha R15 S V3 is living proof that good design doesn't need a refresh every year to stay relevant. Even with its 8-year-old design language, the V3 still manages to pull attention, whether its slicing through traffic or parked quietly in a corner. The aggressive fascia, razor-sharp fairings, and that distinctive rear end all come together to give it a stance thats unapologetically sporty. It may not be the latest in the R15 family, but this one carries a raw, track-bred essence that newer versions have slightly diluted with rider-friendly ergonomics and tech. What I ride today might have been launched years ago, but the way people still turn around and give it a second glance says everything. A recent visit to VST Ducati, Chennai for a test ride of the Panigale V4S gave me an unexpected moment of pride. I parked my V3 beside the Italian legend, a bike that's twenty times the price and flaunts exotic curves. But surprisingly, my V3 didnt look completely out of place. Sure, the Panigale has presence and prestige, but the R15 S V3 held its own, looking like a junior assassin in the superbike league. Even in everyday situations, the V3 gets its share of love. Once, as I was waiting at a traffic signal fully geared up, a mini-van packed with kids drove by, and out of nowhere, they started cheering and pointing at my bike. That spontaneous excitement from them made me smile, proof that this bike still has charm, even to the next generation. Now, moving forward, Im planning to black out my V3 completely using high-quality black PPF. Not only will it protect the factory paint from scratches and sun damage, especially considering how harsh Chennais weather can be, but itll also give the bike a murdered-out, stealthy look. A win-win situation, really. Protection with style. So while newer bikes may come and go with added features and electronics, the V3 proves that true design doesnt fade, it grows with the rider. Final Verdict: Would I Buy It Again After One Year? After riding through a year filled with early morning college commutes, weekend cleaning rituals, questionable dealership experiences, and countless stares at traffic signals, you'd expect some hesitation in my answer. But looking back at every twist and turn in this journey, from the first time I twisted that throttle to every minor mod and moment of frustration. I already know my answer. Yes ! In a heartbeat. Because this wasnt just about owning a machine, it was about fulfilling a dream that started all the way back in 2018. A dream that still feels fresh every time I glance back at her after parking. Despite the hiccups with delivery and service, despite the aggressive ergonomics and stiff city traffic, I never stopped choosing to ride her every single day. And that speaks volumes. I didnt just adapt to her quirks, I embraced them. I didnt chase comfort, I chased connection. And now, a year later, Ive built something far beyond a spec sheet or showroom test ride, a bond between a rider and his dream machine. So yes, if given the chance to do it all over again, Id go back to the showroom, walk past all the other options, and pick the R15 S V3 once more. Because she isnt just a motorcycle, shes my motorcycle. Ride safe, happy motorcycling, and always wear your helmets while riding. This is my second post on the forum, and its a special one - a celebration of one year with my dream machine, the Yamaha R15 S V3.The desire to own this bike wasnt something that struck overnight. It goes way back to 2018 when I first laid eyes on the V3 and instantly fell in love with its design, aggressive stance, and the race-inspired DNA that Yamaha infused into it. Back then, I told myself, One day, Ill own this bike.Fast forward to March 2024, that dream finally came true when my parents gifted it to me at the age of 19. It wasnt just any V3, Yamaha had already discontinued the model in 2021, but I was lucky enough to get the R15 V3 S variantBefore this, my riding experience was mostly limited to the humble and reliable 110cc Hondas owned by my dad and mom. They were practical and served their purpose well, but deep down, I always longed for something more, something with spirit, style, and sportiness. And thats exactly what the V3 delivered.I got my Yamaha R15 S V3 from Avi Motors, Redhills, Chennai, a bike I had dreamed about since 2018. But the joy of finally owning it came with a little turbulence during the buying process.We had specifically booked the 2024 variant, the one featuring the updated negative LCD display. But when we went for delivery, the dealership rolled out a 2023-manufactured unit that had been sitting in their yard for over 8 months, without any prior notice or discussion. It felt like they quietly hoped we wouldnt notice the difference.Naturally, I was disappointed, my face went red, not just from the heat of the moment, but because I genuinely felt like something wasnt right. After standing our ground, they finally agreed to arrange the correct 2024-manufactured unit, and delivery was rescheduled for two days later.To add to the confusion, during the final handover, the sales executive casually asked me to open the seat so he could pair the bikes Bluetooth with the Y-Connect app. I stood there confused, because the V3 S doesnt even come with a Bluetooth module. At that point, all I could do was smile awkwardly.While the process wasn't smooth, my parents encouraged me to add a few personal touches to brighten the experience. I picked up some basic accessories from a local motorcycle accessories shop, a tail tidy, LED indicators, and a lever protector, just enough to give the bike a cleaner, more personal look.The ride home was pure bliss. Despite the dealership hiccups, everything I had waited for was finally mine - on my terms.The moment I swung a leg over her and thumbed the starter, it all began to feel real. After years of waiting, planning, and dreaming, I was finally riding my R15 S V3.Right from the first ride, she felt sharp, responsive, and surprisingly refined for a 155cc machine. The engine delivered exactly what I expected from the segment, smooth power delivery, enough punch for city commutes, and a bit of zing when you open her up on open stretches. The gearbox was slick, and that characteristic Yamaha refinement stood out from the first kilometer.While she may not be the most powerful on paper, the way the S V3 carries itself makes it feel more than just another 155cc bike. Every throttle input, every gear change, it all felt mechanical yet precise, and the riding triangle kept me engaged without being overly aggressive.At the end of the day, shes not just a motorcycle, shes my dream bike. Something I had visualized since 2018. And now, every time I park her, I cant help but turn around and take one last look.I use my S V3 primarily for college commutes, and shes been doing that duty like a champ. I ride entirely on the highway, with a pillion on board almost every day, so I make it a point to ride responsibly and smoothly.Despite being a faired sportbike, heating was never an issue during these highway runs. The bike stays calm and composed even during extended rides. In bumper-to-bumper city traffic, you do feel some warmth from the engine, but nothing alarming or uncomfortable. Its all within expected limits for a liquid-cooled machine.Fuel efficiency has been pretty reasonable, especially considering that I always have a pillion. She consistently returns 40 to 45 kmpl on relaxed highway runs, and dips slightly below 40 kmpl when pushed a bit harder. For a bike with this level of performance and daily usage with load, I find that quite acceptable.As for comfort - lets be real. No sane being buys an R15 expecting plush seating or an upright stance. Its a lightweight sportbike, and it wears that identity proudly. I havent gone for handlebar risers or a street-naked bar conversion either, because I wanted to stay true to the bikes DNA - low, lean, and sharp.Despite the aggressive ergonomics, it never feels out of place once you get used to it. You adapt, and soon enough, it becomes second nature, part of what makes this machine so involving to ride.Over the course of the year, Ive completed five periodic services on my R15 S V3 , four of which were under Yamahas free service program (free of labour cost), and one was fully paid.Heres a quick breakdown of the services:1st Service @ 1000 km 13762nd Service @ 5000 km 14763rd Service @ 7000 km 13764th Service @ 13000km - 1019 (service) + 1113 (rear brake pads)5th Service @ 17,000 km 2720 (included air filter + front brake pad replacement)The first four services were done at Avi Motors, Redhills, Chennai. The service advisor, Mr. Bhupalan, was courteous and approachable, but unfortunately, the overall execution of service often left me underwhelmed.The workshop itself is located on the third floor, accessible only by a steep, long ramp. Watching the young technicians, most without uniforms, revving and taking bikes hard up the incline wasn't the most confidence-inspiring sight, especially for someone particular about how their machine is handled.There were some clear lapses. During the 4th service, the front brake fluid wasnt replaced even though it was due. My lever protector end was also broken, something I noticed only after reaching home. It started becoming clear that I had to specifically mention each task, even those outlined in the service manual, else theyd be skipped. Thats not something you expect from an authorized Yamaha dealership.But what really pushed me to switch was the experience during the 4th service. I dropped my bike off as the second vehicle at gate entry, early in the morning, and headed to college on my mom's Honda Aviator. I returned expecting the job to be done, only to find that my V3 had not even been touched. I ended up waiting nearly two hours, and even then, the rear brake fluid wasnt topped up properly.For the 5th service, I decided to go local, a Yamaha dealership just 5 minutes from my home, BG Motors, Ponneri (Thiruvallur District). It was a breath of fresh air. The technicians here are family-run, literally brothers, and deeply respectful of both the bike and the rider. The experience was smooth, transparent, and professional. I got the air filter and front brake pads changed here as part of the service, and Ive decided this is going to be my regular service point moving forward.Right from the beginning, I knew I wasn't going to keep her bone stock. While the R15 S V3 already looks like a scaled-down superbike, a few tasteful mods just had to be done to make her feel truly mine. Every modification was made not for bling, but to sharpen her already aggressive design and improve overall aesthetics.The first mod I installed was a tail tidy, because the stock mudguard just didnt sit well with the sharp tail section of the bike. It immediately made the rear profile look clean and track-ready. Next came a light smoked Indonesian visor, which blends beautifully with the bike's front fairing and adds that aggressive look from the front.I also went for adjustable metal lever protectors, not the bulky kind, but a sleek set that offers a bit of safety and a lot of style. And the sequential turn signals I picked up (refer to the previous thread I posted for a detailed view on these) added a modern flair, giving the bike a premium touch that stock indicators simply cant match.Finally, I removed the wheel hugger and saree guard. The saree guard, to be honest, felt completely out of place on a sportbike like the V3. It was like putting a schoolbag on a racehorse. Without it, the bikes rear looks way sharper, and the hugger delete makes chain cleaning easier too.All these mods were done at a trusted local mechanic shop nearby. Nothing over the top, just the right touches to bring out the V3s sporty soul.Ive always believed that a motorcycle gives back the care you show it, and that shows in how I maintain my V3. From day one, Ive made it a point to park her only in shaded spots, especially in university parking. I've seen a couple of my classmates 125cc scooters, bought even after I got my V3, already faded from being baked under the sun daily. I guess they prefer their Suzuki sun-driedEvery Sunday is ritual time. I pull out the paddock stand, set her up, and spend a good 3 to 4 hours washing, drying, and detailing. The chain gets cleaned and lubed religiously with Motul C1 and C2, and I inspect the little things that many tend to overlook. Lever bolts, visor bolts, fluid levels, and the general tightness of everything.One thing Ive never done is run her dry. Not even once. I always top up responsibly and try to keep the fuel above the last bar, it's just something Im particular about.For fuel, Ive been using HPs 95 octane premium petrol since the 5th periodic service. Its been smooth sailing with it, but Im considering whether I should continue or switch back to regular fuel. Would love some inputs from fellow BHPians on whether its actually making a difference long-term in a 155cc engine like this.The Yamaha R15 S V3 is living proof that good design doesn't need a refresh every year to stay relevant. Even with its 8-year-old design language, the V3 still manages to pull attention, whether its slicing through traffic or parked quietly in a corner. The aggressive fascia, razor-sharp fairings, and that distinctive rear end all come together to give it a stance thats unapologetically sporty.It may not be the latest in the R15 family, but this one carries a raw, track-bred essence that newer versions have slightly diluted with rider-friendly ergonomics and tech. What I ride today might have been launched years ago, but the way people still turn around and give it a second glance says everything.A recent visit to VST Ducati, Chennai for a test ride of the Panigale V4S gave me an unexpected moment of pride. I parked my V3 beside the Italian legend, a bike that's twenty times the price and flaunts exotic curves. But surprisingly, my V3 didnt look completely out of place. Sure, the Panigale has presence and prestige, but the R15 S V3 held its own, looking like a junior assassin in the superbike league.Even in everyday situations, the V3 gets its share of love. Once, as I was waiting at a traffic signal fully geared up, a mini-van packed with kids drove by, and out of nowhere, they started cheering and pointing at my bike. That spontaneous excitement from them made me smile, proof that this bike still has charm, even to the next generation.Now, moving forward, Im planning to black out my V3 completely using high-quality black PPF. Not only will it protect the factory paint from scratches and sun damage, especially considering how harsh Chennais weather can be, but itll also give the bike a murdered-out, stealthy look. A win-win situation, really. Protection with style.So while newer bikes may come and go with added features and electronics, the V3 proves that true design doesnt fade, it grows with the rider.After riding through a year filled with early morning college commutes, weekend cleaning rituals, questionable dealership experiences, and countless stares at traffic signals, you'd expect some hesitation in my answer. But looking back at every twist and turn in this journey, from the first time I twisted that throttle to every minor mod and moment of frustration. I already know my answer.In a heartbeat.Because this wasnt just about owning a machine, it was about fulfilling a dream that started all the way back in 2018. A dream that still feels fresh every time I glance back at her after parking. Despite the hiccups with delivery and service, despite the aggressive ergonomics and stiff city traffic, I never stopped choosing to ride her every single day. And that speaks volumes.I didnt just adapt to her quirks, I embraced them. I didnt chase comfort, I chased connection. And now, a year later, Ive built something far beyond a spec sheet or showroom test ride, a bond between a rider and his dream machine.So yes, if given the chance to do it all over again, Id go back to the showroom, walk past all the other options, and pick the R15 S V3 once more. Because she isnt just a motorcycle, shes my motorcycle. Oops: TSMC could be fined more than $1 billion by the US Commerce Department for allegedly and apparently inadvertently supplying sanctioned Huawei with a chiplet that ended up in the Ascend 910B AI accelerator. The size of the potential penalty stems from export control regulations, which allow fines of up to twice the value of transactions that violate the rules. The Commerce Department has been investigating TSMC over its work for Chinese chip designer Sophgo, which was cut off from TSMC last year following allegations it was attempting to supply components to Huawei. According to Reuters, which cites two unnamed people familiar with the matter, Huawei gave its chip designs to Sophgo after sanctions prevented it from working with TSMC. Sophgo, in turn, gave the blueprints to TSMC, suggesting they were its own designs. TSMC suspended its shipments to Sophgo after discovering that the compute chiplet it had supplied was part of Huawei's HiSilicon Ascend 910 series. TSMC made almost 3 million chips in recent years that matched the design ordered by Sophgo and likely ended up with Huawei, according to researcher Lennart Heim, who is tracking Chinese developments in AI. While TSMC could not have known the chip it was producing was destined to end up with Huawei, the fact it was a complex, expensive chiplet designed for AI applications and ordered by a small company mostly known for its links to mining hardware supplier Bitmain should have raised suspicions. As Taiwan-based TSMC's chipmaking tools include some American-made parts, the company is subject to US export controls on Huawei, meaning it would need to secure a license, which is almost never granted, to do business with the Chinese firm. The potential fine comes at a time of strained relations between TSMC and the US. Trump has placed a 32% tariff on imports from Taiwan, and while it excludes chips, he said his team is looking at levies on semiconductors. The president also said he told TSMC that it would pay a tax of up to 100% if it did not build its plants in the United States. In April 2023, storage giant Seagate was hit with a $300 million fine by the United States Department of Commerce for selling $1.1 billion worth of disk drives to Huawei. A company filing confirmed that between August 2020 and September 2021, it sold approximately 7.4 million HDDs, valued at roughly $1.1 billion, to Huawei and its entities. The number of civilian casualties in Ukraine surged in March, according to the monthly update of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) on the protection of civilians, released on Wednesday. At least 164 people were killed and 910 injured in March, a 50% increase compared to February 2025 (129 killed and 588 injured) and over 70% more than in the same period last year (129 killed, 498 injured in March 2024). According to the HRMMU, 95% of civilian casualties occurred in government-controlled territory, with the majority of casualties caused by long-range missiles and cluster munitions. The number of civilian casualties in Ukraine rose, with casualties in March significantly higher than both last month and the same month a year ago, Danielle Bell, Head of HRMMU, said. The near daily barrage of long-range drones killed and injured scores of civilians across the country last month, and disrupted life for millions more. The UN says one of the cities hardest hit in March was Kryvy Rih, located about 60-70 kilometers from the front line. Five attacks by Russian forces killed at least six civilians and injured 66 in the city. The targets included civilian buildings, including two hotels and a restaurant. Deadly attacks on Kryvy Rih continued in April. On April 4, a ballistic missile exploded in a playground, killing 19 civilians, including nine children. Another 74 people were injured, including 12 children. This attack was the largest number of child deaths in a single strike confirmed by the HRMMU since the start of the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022. The head of the UN Human Rights Office, Volker Turk, expressed his outrage at the attack and called for a prompt, thorough and independent investigation. In an incident that contributed to Marchs high casualties, Russian armed forces launched an attack on 7 March that killed 11 civilians and injured 48 in Dobropillia town, Donetsk region. HRMMUs examination of the site, interviews with victims and witnesses, and review of photos of weapon remnants determined that multiple weapons were used in the strike, including cluster munitions which caused many of the civilian casualties. HRMMU also verified that two functioning hospitals were attacked multiple times with loitering munitions launched by Russian armed forces. Early on 14 March, three loitering munitions struck a hospital in Zolochiv, a town about 17 kilometers from the Russian border in Kharkiv region. On 27 March, it was struck again by two loitering munitions. In a similar attack, at least five loitering munitions struck a hospital in Krasnopillia, Sumy region, on 19 March. Only one female ambulance paramedic sustained light injuries in the attacks, as hospital staff in all cases had followed safety protocols to ensure that patients and medical personnel were in shelters. However, both hospitals were damaged in the attacks, the Krasnopillia hospital significantly so. The fact that the two hospitals were directly struck multiple times raises the possibility that they were attacked deliberately, HRMMU said. In context: Microsoft has fired the two employees involved in a protest during the company's recent 50th-anniversary celebration. The termination was attributed to misconduct, as stated in an internal email. Both individuals had previously sent mass emails to thousands of employees, urging the company to end its contracts with the Israeli government. One employee was let go by Microsoft Canada, while the second had already submitted his resignation prior to the demonstration. One of the employees, Ibtihal Aboussad, interrupted a presentation by Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft's head of AI, during the anniversary event. Following the incident, she sent an email to various internal distribution lists expressing opposition to the company's involvement with the Israeli military, reaching hundreds or thousands of Microsoft employees, including CEO Satya Nadella, finance chief Amy Hood, and company president Brad Smith. In the email, she claimed that Microsoft's AI technology was being used in ways that violated human rights and stated, "I did not sign up to write code that violates human rights." Aboussad also urged colleagues to sign the "No Azure for Apartheid" petition demanding Microsoft sever ties with the Israeli military. Unsurprisingly, Microsoft was not pleased with Aboussad's actions. The company responded by stating that Aboussad's actions both the disruption and her internal communication were deliberate violations of company policy. Microsoft emphasized that concerns about corporate ethics or business decisions should be raised through appropriate internal channels, such as a direct manager or Global Employee Relations. The internal memo described her behavior as "intentionally disruptive" and aimed at drawing attention at the expense of the event's purpose. "The only appropriate response to such misconduct was the immediate termination of employment," the internal communication said. A second employee, Vaniya Agrawal, engaged in a similar action on the same day, interrupting a speech by CEO Satya Nadella at a different company event. Agrawal had also sent emails to other employees and leadership criticizing the company's technology partnerships, calling Microsoft a "digital weapons manufacturer that powers surveillance, apartheid, and genocide." Agrawal said she intended to resign from Microsoft on April 11, but the company told her on Monday that it had decided to make her resignation effective immediately. On both accounts, the company said that as their misconduct was designed to gain notoriety and cause maximum disruption to the events, the only appropriate response was immediate cessation of their employment. The protests came during the same week that the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement called on people to cancel their Game Pass subscriptions, avoid Microsoft video game properties such as Minecraft and Call of Duty, and boycott all Microsoft Gaming and Xbox-branded products to protest the company's business dealings with the Israeli military. Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years.TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust Rumor mill: Nvidia plans to unveil the mainstream GeForce RTX 5060 Ti next week, right on the heels of the high-end RTX 50 series launch for enthusiasts and pro gamers. Chinese media outlets have leaked official pricing for the two upcoming cards ahead of the announcement. According to industry insider Board Channels and Chinese tech blog IT Home, the RTX 5060 Ti 8GB model will cost $379, while the 16GB variant is $429. In China, they will reportedly go for 3,199 yuan ($435) and 3,599 Yuan ($490), respectively. Board Channels has a fairly reliable track record with hardware leaks, but ongoing uncertainty around import tariffs means US pricing could still shift. Nvidia also has yet to confirm the prices, so take both reports with a healthy grain of salt. If accurate, the leaked pricing is good news for gamers. The rumored prices come in lower than the RTX 4060 Ti, which launched at $499 for the 16GB Ada Lovelace model and $399 for the 8GB version. Nvidia later cut the 16GB price to $449 to better compete with AMD's RX 7700 XT. NVIDIA has confirmed RTX 5060 Ti MSRP to AIC RTX 5060 Ti 8GB: $379 RTX5060 Ti 16GB: $429https://t.co/rZi4fi5bRw pic.twitter.com/7eiKxECeay (@harukaze5719) April 9, 2025 The RTX 5060 Ti uses the GB206-300 GPU, which TSMC fabricates using its 5 nm process. It includes 36 streaming multiprocessors for a total of 4,608 CUDA cores. It also features a 128-bit memory interface and GDDR7 memory running at 28 Gbps, delivering 448GB/s of bandwidth. The card runs at a 2407MHz base clock and a 2572MHz boost clock, with a 180W TGP powered by a single 16-pin connector. Other notable specs include 144 texture mapping units, 48 render output units, and 36 ray-tracing cores. For display connectivity, the card offers one HDMI 2.1b port and three DisplayPort 2.1b outputs, enabling users to connect multiple monitors at once. Nvidia will likely confirm the remaining tech specs and announce pricing on Tuesday, April 15. Gamers will not have to wait long to see whether the leaked information proves accurate. The rising controversy behind President Donald J. Trump's tariffs on all imported goods are already causing a significant stir in the tech industry, with Apple facing a massive hit to its operations. However, the POTUS believes that Apple could move its iPhone manufacturing right here in the United States, having faith in the company's resources and capabilities. While Apple designed the entire iPhone series in California, several of its components were sourced from its Chinese partners, including Foxconn, and assembled in Asian plants. Trump: Apple Could 'Absolutely' Move iPhone Manufacturing to the US Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt discussed via a media briefing that President Trump "absolutely" believes that Apple could manufacture its iPhones right here on US soil. Apart from that, Leavitt claimed that Apple could also manufacture their other devices right here in the country, talking about the possibility of having Apple move its supply chain to its homeland. According to Leavitt, "Absolutely, he believes we have the labor, we have the workforce, we have the resources to do it," pertaining to Apple's capabilities to transfer its development of the smartphone from its foreign operations. Moreover, Leavitt mentioned that Apple recently made a $500 billion investment in the United States, believing this to be proof that the Cupertino-based tech giant "could do it" as they have the funds and means. Trump's Tariff Fiasco: Apple Faces Tech Manufacturing Issues According to MacRumors, Apple's CEO Tim Cook previously claimed that they chose China for tech manufacturing not because of the low labor costs but due to the advanced skills of their workers in the region. That being said, Howard Lutnick, the United States Secretary of Commerce, also claimed that iPhone manufacturing could be done in America as an "army of millions of millions of people" can screw components to make an iPhone. Tech Industry Faces the Drastic Effects of Trump's Tariffs The tech industry has recently scrambled to mobilize the arrival of stocks from their foreign manufacturing plants outside the country, stashing different devices in the US to avoid the massive tariffs that are now taking effect. Apple recently reportedly flew planes full of iPhones to the US for stockpiling as reports have speculated that with the tariffs, the iPhone 16 Pro Max, its most expensive variant, could cost up to $2,300 because of the tax. Despite Trump and his administration presenting a united front on these tariffs, it is certainly an unpopular move for the tech industry as well as the American public as this means a significant rise in costs for almost all goods. Fans of the Switch 2 have been blaming Trump for the delay in its preorders and a possible price increase, with Nintendo citing the tariffs to be behind it all. Back when Trump announced that there would be tariffs for all imported goods, many have already expressed their dismay about what it will do to the various industries and sectors, including tech. However, while there is a solution, like bringing the manufacturing and assembly line back to the country, there would still be significant changes, even for companies as large as Apple. A leaked document revealed that Waymo has a secret privacy policy that you might not want to experience. With the world leaning on the capabilities of autonomous driving, your car could spy on you everywhere, including your ride. There have been recent reports that Waymo, Google's self-driving car unit, is experimenting with features that draw on rider information to feed AI systems and, in turn, target users with in-car ads. Waymo's Secret Privacy Policy Leak Raises Concerns Digital Trends recalled that a 2002 sci-fi film, "Minority Report," could be within our reach. Perhaps, whenever we feel safe inside our cars, this movie will remind us that we are actually not. In the movie, Tom Cruise's character Agent John Anderton is being chased by personalized ads from American Express, Lexus, and other brands. That happens every time hidden detectors recognize his eyes. Well, this is not impossible to happen nowadays since technology is moving quickly. In connection with this, online security researcher Jane Manchun Wong discovered what seems to be an unpublished privacy policy for Waymo. The document suggests the company may start using interior camera video from its self-driving cars to train generative AI modelsand potentially show targeted ads based on rider behavior and interests. The leaked privacy policy reads: "Waymo may share data to improve and analyze its functionality and to tailor products, services, ads, and offers to your interests. You can opt out of sharing your information with third parties unless it's necessary to the functioning of the service." Waymo is working on Generative AI training using "interior camera data associated with rider's identity," provides opt-opts for this and data sharing under CCPA Waymo explicitly states in this unreleased Privacy page it may share your data for personalized ads pic.twitter.com/wDUu867Eh3 Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) April 5, 2025 That language indicates there could be a change in what might happen to personal information, in this case, visual recordings from within the car. While Waymo's de facto spokesperson, Julia Ilina, spoke with The Verge, denying that the update was "placeholder text," the privacy community is already ringing alarms. Ilina underlined that the AI models don't have any goal to spot individuals and that presently "no plans" are on the books to employ this data for advertising. And yet, because of how much "no plans" become actual features in the future, everybody remains suspicious. How Waymo Uses Its Onboard Cameras Today Waymo's robotaxis, which are already running in cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin, have interior cameras. Waymo says these are mostly utilized for retrieving lost items, ensuring passenger safety, monitoring rule compliance, and improving vehicle performance. However, the concept of one day having such feeds, training personalization AI models is not too remote, given the existing infrastructure. Even if users are allowed to opt out of third-party data collection, according to Waymo, the amorphous terms are open to interpretationand possible exploitation. From Sci-Fi to Reality: Is Targeted Advertising Coming to Your Commute The idea of real-time, behavior-driven advertising in the physical world used to be relegated to dystopian novels. Today, with internet-connected cars, smart devices, and AI-enabled integration, it's becoming a discomforting reality. As more and more of our daily routines get digitized, the border between privacy and convenience keeps eroding. Though Waymo denies any near-term plans to introduce ad-supported features, the revealed documents indicate that the foundation is being set. It's a reminder that the path to a hyper-connected future isn't paved only with innovation, but with ethical choices we haven't yet faced. The British government is under the spotlight for its controversial "murder prediction" program, a project to predict violent crime using personal data. It looks like an initiative taken from a science fiction book, but this is how reality works right now. The bad news? There are people concerned about its privacy violations, algorithmic bias, and the ethics of pre-crime risk assessments. What is this 'Murder Prediction' Tool? The UK Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is said to be working on an advanced computer program that can foretell people likely to commit violent crimes, even murder. Initially titled the "homicide prediction project," the program is now titled "sharing data to improve risk assessment," but remains as contentious as ever. The purpose of the scheme is said to be aimed at improving public safety by tracking potential threats beforehand, as declared by the authorities. However, critics are anxious that this technology could be misused and result in biased profiling and privacy invasion. The information on which these predictive models are trained comes from reported personal details of people who have had interaction with the justice system, thus evoking fears of privacy and discrimination. How Does the 'Murder Prediction' Algorithm Work? At the core of the program are machine learning algorithms and data analytics tailored to review personal data regarding victims as well as individuals who have past criminal histories. The algorithms sort through data like names, birthdates, gender, ethnicity, and previous criminal history. There are also reports that the system may incorporate sensitive health information, such as mental health issues, drug and alcohol addiction, and history of suicide or attempted suicide, in a bid to make more informed predictions. According to The Guardian, the program aims to try to identify individuals who can be at heightened risk of perpetrating violent offenses in the future. However, the application of data from individuals who have not been convicted of a crime is highly contentious. Statewatch, a civil liberties organization, discovered evidence that indicated that the MoJ could be using information on individuals who do not have criminal convictions, including data from victims of domestic abuse and people with mental illnesses. The Controversy: Data Privacy and Possible Bias Critics claim that the scheme would exacerbate the inequalities that already exist in the criminal justice system. Sofia Lyall, a Statewatch researcher, warns that relying on algorithms to predict crime will amplify biases against minority ethnic and poor communities. She also claims that these predictive models tend not to capture the complexities of people's lives, and instead, draw on flawed data that may lead to discrimination. The program's dependency on existing police records, which can be prone to bias, is another area of concern. Opponents argue that basing the use of such highly sensitive data without clear permission might violate privacy rights and single out vulnerable members. UK Government Insists it's Only on Research Stage The Ministry of Justice has come to the defense of the project, insisting that it is only in the research stage and is using information from convicted criminals merely to conduct the study. They point out that the project aims at enhancing the process of risk assessment for individuals on probation but does not yet aim at forecasting precise criminal behavior such as murder. The MoJ also ensures that people will be able to opt out of data collection where necessary. Even with these guarantees, the project is extremely contentious. While the UK government continues to play with predictive technologies, the public and privacy groups will be closely monitoring to determine if this program results in meaningful gain or still more violations of personal liberty. Just over half of the Ukrainians surveyed (51.9%) agree that by countering Russian aggression, Ukraine has become a single entity, according to the results of a survey conducted by the Institute of Social and Political Psychology of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine together with the Association of Political Psychologists of Ukraine. The results were presented at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Wednesday. As noted, in 2024, the share of such people reached almost 56%, and in 2023 it exceeded 63%. The share of those who disagree with this statement increased from 13.2% in 2023 to 23.1% in 2025. The share of citizens who agree with the statement "Those who fled the war abroad, let them stay there, they do not deserve to live in Ukraine" has doubled - from 14.5% in 2023 to almost 31% in 2025. Relations between displaced persons and host communities within the country remain an area of potential tension and contradictions. On the one hand, respondents now disagree more (37.9%) than agree (32.1%) that relations between displaced persons and the local population are not easy and leave much to be desired (in 2023, the situation was the opposite - 27.7% versus 39.1%, respectively). On the other hand, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the number of respondents who believe that their lives are significantly influenced by migrants from other regions of Ukraine has doubled (from 14.4% to 29.8%). Among respondents who are migrants, 43.4% are sure that the population of the host region significantly influences the situation in which they live. The level of dissatisfaction with such influence in all of these groups of respondents is 100%. In addition, during the full-scale invasion, the proportion of respondents who believe that Ukraine is a European state and should go to Europe has significantly decreased. If in 2023, three quarters of respondents (76.3%) agreed with this and only 6.5% disagreed, now less than 60% share Euro-optimistic views, and every sixth does not share them. The least pro-European attitudes are shown by residents of the southern regions of Ukraine, where the share of those who support the European integration imperative (32.4%) is less than the share of those who do not support it (40.3%), and is comparable to the share of those who are undecided (27.3%). Three quarters of respondents in the eastern regions (74.3%) are confident that Ukraine is a European state and should go to Europe, while in the West there are less than half of them (48.2%). "The reasons for this paradox are difficult to interpret unambiguously. One explanation may be that the socio-demographic structure of the population of these regions has significantly transformed due to displacement and refugees, as well as due to the intensity of mobilization measures," the press release notes. The survey was conducted by the Institute of Social and Political Psychology of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine together with the Association of Political Psychologists of Ukraine using face-to-face interviews on March 15-25, 2025. A total of 1,213 respondents aged 18 and over were interviewed in government-controlled territory. The sample is representative of the adult population of Ukraine. The margin of error is 3.2%. Once-dying Mexican river delta slowly nursed back to life Laguna Grande, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2025 In a drought-hit Mexican border region at the center of growing competition with the United States for water, conservationists are working to bring a once-dying river delta back to life. On a stretch of the Colorado River, which on the Mexican side of the frontier is mostly a dry riverbed, native cottonwood and willow trees have been planted in place of invasive shrubs. It is the fruit of two decades of work by environmentalists along the lower part of the river from the US-Mexican border to the upper estuary of the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez. "If we give a little water and care to certain sections of the river, we can recover environments that had already been completely lost," said Enrique Villegas, director of the Colorado River Delta program at the Sonoran Institute, a US-Mexican civil society group. The Colorado starts in the Rocky Mountains and winds its way through the southwestern United States, feeding cities and farmland along the way. By the time it crosses into Mexico most of its water has already been consumed. What is left is diverted to supply border cities like Tijuana and to irrigate agricultural land. It means Tijuana and nearby areas are at the mercy of how much snow falls in the Rockies, said Marco Antonio Samaniego, an expert at the Autonomous University of Baja California. "We don't live off what rains in Tijuana. We live off what snows in those mountains," he said, adding that several years of below-average precipitation had reduced reservoir levels in the United States. Growing competition for resources sparked a recent diplomatic row when the US refused Mexico's request for water due to shortfalls in sharing by its southern neighbor under a decades-old treaty. "The basis of all the problems," Villegas said, is that "there is more water distributed among all the users of the Colorado River than actually exists." - Wildlife returns - Over the years, dams and diversions reduced the river to a trickle and turned a delta that once teemed with birds and other wildlife into a dying ecosystem. So conservationists secured land as well as irrigation permits, cleared invasive shrubs and planted thousands of native trees. In 2014, water was allowed to surge down the Colorado River through a dam at the border for the first time in years to encourage the natural germination of native species. "After years of this type of work, we now have a forest of poplars and willows on 260 hectares (642 acres) on a stretch of the Colorado River. Fauna has returned. Many birds have returned," Villegas said. The rejuvenation has also brought back another native -- the beaver -- a species that had largely disappeared from sight in the area, Villegas said. "On the one hand, it's a biological indicator that if you give nature a habitat then it returns and begins to reproduce. But they're also knocking down trees that we planted," he said. At Laguna Grande, a lush oasis surrounded by dusty fields that is a centerpiece of the restoration project, coots and other birds swim contentedly in wetlands while herons startled by visitors clumsily take flight. Nearby, on land, underground hoses feed water to trees sprouting from the dusty ground. - 'People must change' - The Colorado River Delta is an important rest point for migratory birds including the yellow-breasted chat, vermilion flycatcher and endangered yellow-billed cuckoo, according to conservationists. The wetlands and forest of Laguna Grande contrast starkly with parched agricultural land nearby where farmers such as Cayetano Cisneros are facing increasingly tough conditions. "Years ago, we sowed maize, we sowed cotton, we sowed everything, and we didn't suffer because of water," the 72-year-old said on his dusty ranch. These days, "the Colorado River no longer carries water," he said. "The environment is changing a lot." If more of the delta and other such areas are to be nursed back to health, people must change their use of water, conservationists note. "We can all improve our awareness of water consumption," Villegas said. "This drought is just a warning." dr/mlm/sco/fg Canadians in Great Lakes city bristle at Trump water threats Sarnia, Canada, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2025 Like many Canadian border cities, Sarnia has seen a surge of patriotism in response to President Donald Trump's aggressive behavior, but residents of the community on Lake Huron have focused on one threat in particular: local waters. Trump's trade war has raised fears of a Canadian recession and his repeated references to annexation have sparked outrage. But in Sarnia, Ontario, Trump's reported musings about scrapping agreements related to the Great Lakes have triggered added contempt. "Lake Huron means a lot to me. I grew up on the lake," said Jay Casbourn, who is part of a group of Sarnia residents making red "Proud to be Canadian" signs that are increasingly being displayed across the city of some 72,000 people. "If Mr. Trump wants to move that border, he is going to have a big fight on his hands." The US president -- and which Canadian leader can best confront him -- are dominant topics in Sarnia ahead of the April 28 general election. The city has elected a conservative member of parliament in several consecutive votes, even as liberals won elections elsewhere in Ontario. But midway through this year's campaign, some voters said partisan preferences had taken a back seat to concerns about US tensions. "In my lifetime, at 87 years old, I have never seen anything like this," said Marilyn Madery, another Sarnia resident selling red patriotic signs. She told AFP the Liberal Party leader, Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre were "both very strong candidates." The election, she added, "is very important because of Trump being in the White House." Stan Latewiec, who also lives on the lake, said he wants to vote for "somebody strong who will stand up for Canada." Trump's tariffs on Canadian imports and his questioning of Canadian sovereignty are "making me feel more patriotic," said Latewiec, 76, speaking on the porch of his home a few dozen meters from the lake. "We do have a good country. And we want to keep it that way." - Massive water reserves - Trump, who is known to take a keen interest in water resources, has reportedly questioned the validity of the US-Canada agreements regulating access to water. In early February, Trump reportedly challenged the border treaty in calls between the two countries, and told then prime minister Justin Trudeau, who has since resigned, that he didn't like their shared water agreements about rivers and lakes. The New York Times also reported last month that Trump, in discussions with advisers, has specifically discussed tearing up agreements and conventions that govern management of the shared Great Lakes -- Superior, Huron, Erie and Ontario. Combined with the Lake Michigan in the United States, the Great Lakes account for roughly 20 percent of the world's surface fresh water reserves. They are a source of drinking water for tens of millions of people in Canada and the United States and have been governed by a network of treaties and arrangements since the start of the 20th Century, said Western University historian Mary Baxter, who specializes in the Great Lakes. "It has been a long-term cooperative arrangement," Baxter told AFP. It's an arrangement Trump appears to be breaking, she added. - 'Just neighbors' now - Looking out through the windows at Sarnia's city hall, across the St. Clair River that feeds into Lake Huron, Mayor Mike Bradley can see the United States. But Bradley said that lately he's spent more time watching the news on TV than enjoying the view. Trying to keep up with Trump's latest comments about Canada causes "a lot of anxiety," he told AFP. "You just cannot track what's going to happen next," he said. He voiced fear the Trump administration may be serious about some of the scenarios that have circulated concerning the Great Lakes, including drilling on lake beds or diverting water to US areas facing water shortages, like California or Arizona. He's been Sarnia's mayor for 37 years and sits on a cross-border Great Lakes mayors group that was once unified but is now riddled with fractures. The Americans "used to be our friends," he said. "Now they're just our neighbors." The Metals Company courts Trump for deep-sea mining contract New York, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2025 A Canadian deep-sea mining pioneer, The Metals Company, is charting a new course to land the controversial extraction practice's first commercial contract -- by appealing to US President Donald Trump. It wants to collect so-called polymetallic nodules -- mineral deposits made up of multiple metals -- on the Pacific Ocean floor. TMC originally planned to apply for a contract with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) -- the organization with jurisdiction over the seabed in international waters -- in June. The company's subsidiaries had spent years using contracts awarded by the ISA to explore parts of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a section of the Pacific Ocean rich with these nodules. The zone contains an estimated 21 billion tonnes (23.1 billion tons) of nodules containing minerals used in high-demand products like electric car batteries. The ISA has yet to award a contract for industrial extraction, however, as it has spent a decade developing a deep-sea mining code with member states. The extended wait has led the Canadian firm to seek opportunities through different means. Although the area TMC hopes to deep-sea mine is in international waters, a 1980 US law could be used to issue a commercial extraction permit -- if the Trump administration allows it. "We are ready," TMC CEO Gerard Barron said on a conference call last month. "What we need is a fair hearing and a regulator willing to engage." Originally named DeepGreen Metals upon its creation in 2011, the company rebranded to The Metals Company after going public in 2021. The firm collects nodules more than four kilometers (2.5 miles) underwater, having tested a vehicle that gathers the raw materials from the ocean floor and transports them to a ship on the water's surface using a giant pipe. The company's change in strategy to bypass the ISA has angered member nations of the international body, as well as environmental NGOs concerned about the impact of deep-sea mining. Bobby-Jo Dobush, a legal officer with The Ocean Foundation, told AFP that deep-sea mining is "the worst, most environmentally destructive, most expensive way to get minerals." - 'Political appetite' - The Metals Company is banking on Washington -- which opted not to join the ISA -- and Trump's desire for minerals not imported from China or other rivals to outweigh the environmental concerns. TMC Chief Financial Officer Craig Shesky said during the March conference call that the legal precedent for the United States to authorize extraction "has always been there." "What has been missing is the political appetite in the United States to take advantage of it. And that's the main change that has come with this administration," Shesky said. He estimated that allowing the company to collect a billion tonnes of nodules via deep-sea mining could provide the United States with "456 years of manganese, 165 years of cobalt, 81 years of nickel and four years of copper" based on current consumption patterns. Dmitry Silversteyn, an analyst with Water Tower Research, said TMC could begin production some time in 2026, especially "with the administration in the United States now being very focused on standing up a domestic critical metals and critical materials industry that's independent of Chinese supply chain." Dobush, of The Ocean Foundation, said the apparent rush to nail down a contract shows TMC is "really in dire financial straits." But Silversteyn said TMC was progressing steadily enough for "getting into production commitment" by the end of 2026. Barron touted his company's progress, saying last month: "We've shown that we can pick up nodules from the seafloor, we can lift them to the surface and process them onshore, all the way to the refined products, with minimal environmental impacts and limited capital expenditure." Gabon: Five things to know Libreville, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2025 Gabon, a small oil-rich but heavily indebted central African country, elects a new president on Saturday after 19 months of interim rule by military leaders who seized power in a coup. Here are five key facts about the country: - The Bongos - Strongman Brice Oligui Nguema, 50, has led Gabon since the August 30, 2023 putsch, which ended 55 years of Bongo family rule. Omar Bongo Ondimba came to power seven years after Gabon's independence from France in 1960, ruling for nearly 42 years. On his death in 2009, his son Ali was elected, winning re-election in 2016 in a contested vote and was overthrown moments after being declared the winner for a third term two years ago. Bongo senior had the reputation of a kleptocrat -- one of the richest men in the world, with a fortune derived from Gabon's oil wealth. He also won respect for mediating in several African crises and was a key ally of "Francafrique", a policy whereby Paris furthered its interests in Africa through cronyism. Ali Bongo has lived under house arrest in the capital Libreville since being toppled. His French-born wife Sylvia, 62, and son Noureddin, 33, are accused of embezzling public funds and, according to their lawyers, have suffered torture during their detention. - Military rule - Oligui had promised to hand power back to civilians after a transition period but announced he would run for president, ditching his military uniform to campaign. After the coup, the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI) formed a government that included civilians, held a national consultation and drew up a new constitution widening the president's powers. It promised to revive an economy wracked by "14 years of waste and looting" but the national debt has only deepened, from 72.1 percent of gross domestic product in 2023 to 73.3 percent last year. - Oil powerhouse - Gabon is one of the richest countries in Africa in terms of per-capita GDP, thanks to oil, wood and manganese -- used in steelmaking and batteries -- and the small population of 2.3 million. But as global crude prices have fallen, the contribution of Gabonese oil production to GDP has fallen and it is struggling to diversify its economy. In 50 years, the average income per capita has halved and more than a third of the population lives on less than $2.15 a day, according to the World Bank. - Africa's 'Eden' - Forests cover 88 percent of the surface of Gabon, providing a haven for gorillas, buffalo, panthers, elephants, chimpanzees and other species. The country, which markets itself as the "last Eden", has become a major advocate for conservation in a region where wildlife is being battered by wars, habitat destruction and the bushmeat trade. Gabon's forests capture more carbon dioxide than the country emits and it has a low rate of deforestation, according to the World Bank. - Healer or hallucinogenic? - A powerful psychoactive root found in Gabonese forests is used to make a drug that has been touted as a potential healer of heroin and cocaine addiction. The hallucinogenic iboga root is used in ancestral initiation rituals, including the "bwiti" which combines worship of forest spirits with elements of Christianity. High doses can have effects similar to LSD, mescaline or amphetamines, and cause anxiety, extreme apprehension and hallucinations. But the pill form of the drug, ibogaine, has also been hailed for helping some drug addicts kick their habit. Treatment centres using the drug have sprung up in countries including Costa Rica, New Zealand and the Netherlands. About half of Ukrainians surveyed (47.9%) agreed that despite Donald Trump's unfriendly statements, the United States still remains a stronghold of world democracy and a strategic partner for Ukraine, according to the results of a survey conducted by the Institute of Social and Political Psychology of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine together with the Association of Political Psychologists of Ukraine. Only every fifth respondent (18.7%) disagreed with this statement. More than 22% of respondents would agree to provide the United States with access to Ukrainian rare earth metals as payment for military aid, less than half (45%) would disagree, and another third (33%) would find it difficult to decide. About 28% of respondents agree that the negotiations between the Americans and the Russians behind our backs and the deterioration of relations between Zelenskyy and Trump make our hopes for victory and a fair peace absolutely unrealistic. However, there are significantly fewer such respondents than those who are not yet ready to give up their expectations of a fair peace (41.4%). Among residents of the western regions, such "negative" sentiments associated with the position of the current American administration are three times more common than in the south (36.9% versus 12.9%, respectively). Respondents are not sure whether Ukraine is capable of resisting the Russian aggressor today even without American military assistance. The share of those who believe that it is capable remains in the relative minority (27.7%) compared to the number of those who do not think so (34.8%) or find it difficult to answer (37.3%). However, among residents of the West, the share of respondents who believe that Ukraine is capable of resisting the enemy without American assistance (41.1%) exceeds the share of those who do not think so (30.1%) or find it difficult to answer (28.8%). The survey was conducted by the Institute of Social and Political Psychology of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine jointly with the Association of Political Psychologists of Ukraine using face-to-face interviews on March 15-25, 2025. A total of 1,213 respondents aged 18 and over were interviewed in government-controlled territory in Ukraine. The sample is representative of the adult population of Ukraine. The margin of error is 3.2%. Sign up to IndyEat's free newsletter for weekly recipes, foodie features and cookbook releases Get our food and drink newsletter for free Get our food and drink newsletter for free Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Loyal customers of Asian supermarkets and other grocery stores that specialise in selling imported food heaved a collective sigh of dismay when President Donald Trump announced extra-high U.S. tariffs on goods from dozens of countries. What would happen to prices at 99 Ranch Market and H Mart?, wondered Asian Americans and immigrants who shop at the two American chains for preferred brands like Japan's Kewpie mayonnaise and China's Pearl River light soy sauce. Were all going to be crying in H Mart, a TikTok user commiserated, referencing the title of a bestselling memoir by Korean American musician Michelle Zauner as other posters shared videos of their pre-tariff hauls from Asian supermarkets. The tariffs, which took effect on Wednesday, target nations accused of unfair trade practices. A baseline 10 per cent tax has been applied to goods from most countries, with significantly higher rates imposed on several Asian nations. South Korea faces a 25 per cent tariff, Vietnam 47 per cent, and Cambodia 49 per cent. Following China's retaliatory tariffs and pledge to fight a trade war "to the end," the tariff on Chinese goods has been raised to a staggering 104 per cent. open image in gallery Chan 'Bill' Vuu, owner of Hiep Thai grocery store, walks past cashiers and customers at his family's store in Garland, Texas ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) At a 99 Ranch Market less than a mile from the UCLA campus, one of the California-based chain's 58 stores, regular shopper Artis Chitchamnueng said he won't be able to go anywhere else to find the foods he likes if prices skyrocket. I think (Trump's) just like playing a lot of like mind games of just trying to like take control of the market and stuff like that," Chitchamnueng, a part-time worker and entrepreneur, said. Many customers have said on social media they don't know if they will be able to continue doing their routine grocery shopping at 99 Ranch Market. Even if mainstream grocers stock some of the same items, a lot of imported items are less expensive at the specialty supermarkets. An 18-ounce bottle of Lee Kum Kee Panda oyster sauce, for example, retails for $3.99 at 99 Ranch. The websites for Safeway and Walmart list the same bottle for $4.79 and $10.45, respectively. The stores stocking a wide range of noodles, dried vegetables, herbs and skin care products from China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam can be a source of comfort for immigrants and foreign students craving the tastes of home. open image in gallery The stores can be a source of comfort for immigrants and foreign students craving the tastes of home ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Tony He, an international student at UCLA, said Trump's tariff policies confused him but he would continue shopping at 99 Ranch to get his groceries if prices increase. As long as I need Asian food, I usually come here, He said. Shopping for culturally specific foods, drinks and condiments in the U.S. has come a long way from the once-meagre offerings found in the ethnic food aisles of American supermarkets. International supermarkets and small grocery stores across the country generated $55.8 billion in revenue last year, according to market research firm IBISWorld. The sector has recorded an annual growth rate of roughly 3 per cent since 2019, and an IBISWorld forecast predicted revenue for grocery stores with international brands would go up to over $64 billion by 2029. Analysts attribute the increase in demand to the growth of Asian and Hispanic immigrant populations, as well as to the tastes of younger consumers who enjoy experiencing new flavours. Mass market stores and brands increasingly have stocked or created Americanised versions of Asian products to ride the trend. The specialty rice used for sushi that mainstream supermarkets sell also is usually imported from South Korea, China or Japan, noted Nancy Qian, a professor of economics at Northwestern Universitys Kellogg School of Management. She thinks tariffs may lead consumers to find alternatives for their favourite brands. When my parents first came to America in the '80s from China, they couldnt really get the same type of rice as they did in China, So they switched to a different type of rice, Qian said. I think families and restaurants and people, theyll do what it takes to make ends meet. And theyll substitute foods. Theyll buy new foods. Independent shops that are integral to smaller Asian American communities are also bracing for a hit. The owner of Not Just Spices, a tiny South Asian grocery in Providence, Rhode Island, said he was concerned about costs rising costs for everyday products such as basmati rice sourced from India and Pakistan, or the smaller-grained Kalijira rice from his native Bangladesh. When things are cheaper, people usually buy extra. Now they buy exactly what they need, said Mohammed Islam, who has run Not Just Spices since 1998. People are scared of spending any money because they dont know whats going to be happening. Trump announced a tariff of 37% on goods from Bangladesh, 26% on neighbouring India's products, 29% on items from Pakistan and a whopping 44% on imports from the island country of Sri Lanka, known for its cinnamon and other spices. If he does have to raise prices as the tariffs impacts start to hit supplies, Islam trusts his customers wont blame him. People dont complain because its already in the news, he said. Its not like Im the one who is raising the price. Customers at Hispanic supermarkets also may be shopping more carefully. Trump has repeatedly threatened to impose a 25% tariff on most imports from Mexico. In Phoenix, roommates Andrew Colvin and Mario Aviles typically patronise Los Altos Ranch Market, where they say the bulk of the produce and snacks they buy are from Mexico. The sprawling supermarket, which includes a deli and a bakery, is one of the 115 stores the Heritage Grocers Group operates in six states. We expect pretty much everything to go up, said Colvin, who was stocking up on Parrot canned coconut water, his favorite drink, in case the price goes up. I probably eat 14 avocados a week. Therell be a lot less of that. Aviles doesnt want to shop elsewhere. If tariffs result in serious sticker shock, he is prepared to restrict himself instead. No more avocados, no more mangoes, no more orange, Aviles said. Some experts say it wouldnt hurt to stock up on non-perishables within limits and individual household budgets. But shoppers need to avoid the panic buying that accompanied the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which could create shortages and cause additional price increases, Qian said. While it's not yet clear how much of the tariffs will get passed onto U.S. consumers, researchers say any price increases would disproportionately affect low-income households. These are regressive taxes. And for the elementary reason that affluent people do not spend 100% of their incomes and disadvantaged people do, Steven Durlauf, director of the University of Chicago's Stone Center for Research on Wealth Inequality and Mobility. Northwestern University's Qian said the cumulative economic impacts of Trump administration tariffs may hold one possible silver lining if they bring people back to the cultural enclaves of major cities. If you think about the old Chinatowns, or the old, like, Little Italys of America, she said. The reason that those places became really important for their communities was because that was the only place where you can get the thing you wanted. Sign up to IndyEat's free newsletter for weekly recipes, foodie features and cookbook releases Get our food and drink newsletter for free Get our food and drink newsletter for free Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A popular hot sauce brand is recalling select products because they may contain an unlisted ingredient that could pose life-threatening risks to some consumers. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced last Thursday that T.W. Garner Food Company is recalling its Texas Pete Habanero Buffalo Sauce because it may contain Sriracha Sauce, which includes sulfites a known allergen not disclosed on the product label. Sulfites can trigger severe or potentially fatal allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. In addition, the company is recalling its Texas Pete Sweet CHAbanero Sauce due to an omission of Aged Peppers in the ingredients list. The recall includes both the 12-ounce and the two-ounce bottles of the habanero buffalo sauce with best-by dates of November 7, 2025, and December 5, 2025. For the Sweet CHAbanero Sauce, the two-ounce bottles with MFR codes BB 090427M and BB 082627M, as well as the 20 fluid-ounce and half-gallon containers, were recalled. The hot sauce bottles were distributed between February 5 and March 26, according to the FDAs report. They were shipped to distribution centers and other stores in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia, and Vermont. Texas Petes Habanero Buffalo Sauce and Sweet CHAbanero Sauce were recalled ( Texas Pete ) There have currently been no reported illnesses as a result of the labeling error. Customers who have purchased the recalled bottles of hot sauce are urged to either dispose of them or return them in exchange for a full refund. The news comes just a few days after a popular brand of sausages was recalled due to a potential plastic contamination. Johnsonville, LLC is recalling approximately 22,672 pounds of its cheddar bratwurst product, according to an announcement shared by the United States Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on Saturday. The recall was issued because the sausages may have been contaminated with foreign material, specifically hard plastic. Each of the tray packages contains five pieces of Johnsonville BRATS CHEDDAR Bratwurst and the package code B9FOD. The recalled product has the establishment number Est. 1647 on the front of the label. They were first produced on February 5, 2025. The affected sausages were sent to various retailers in 10 states: Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The recall was initiated after Johnsonville, LLC received complaints from two different customers reporting hard plastic found in their bratwurst. At the time of writing, there have been no reports of injuries due to the consumption of the sausage. FSIS is urging consumers not to eat these products and to throw them away immediately. Consumers can also return the recalled product to the store they bought it from. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Meghan Markle has made a rare acknowledgement of the media backlash shes experienced in recent years. The Duchess of Sussex, 43, has been at the centre of a frenzy since her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018, with every gesture, item of clothing, and business decision scrutinised and unpicked. Her husband Prince Harry told Oprah Winfrey in 2021 that tabloid racism was a large part of why the couple left the country to live in California. Analysis from Statista in 2020 showed that Markle received overwhelmingly negative media coverage with 43 per cent of articles deemed negative, 36 per cent neutral, and only 20 per cent positive. Between 2018 and 2019, she received twice as many negative headlines as positive ones, according to data. In comparison, headlines about Markles sister-in-law and Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, were 47 per cent neutral, 45 per cent positive with just 8 per cent considered negative. Comparable content, including similar outfits and holding their baby bumps, sparked diametrically opposed treatment by newspapers. For the first episode of her new podcast Confessions of a Female Founder, Markle interviewed Bumble founder and close friend Whitney Wolfe Herd. The businesswoman unpacked the effects of online backlash following her departure from Tinder. open image in gallery Markle said she chose to ( Getty Images ) When I see the way that youve been treated in the media, which is a magnitude Ill never understand, my heart breaks for you. Its not fair, and its brutalising, Herd told Markle. The Duchess agreed, saying: Well, maybe because you understand it in whatever degree, you know how to show up for me. Herd then recalled an experience of walking through an Irish airport and seeing Markle on the cover of every single magazine and newspaper. Recalling her surprise, Herd said: Im in Ireland [youre] back home in California doing school drop-off, [youre] the front page of every single one of these things. I know, Markle agreed. Herd then praised her for her ability to exist even in the presence of that, adding: That takes a very strong cookie. open image in gallery Meghan Markle has declared that she is going to be myself and talk and be unfiltered in her new Spotify podcast ( Archewell Audio/Spotify ) The Bumble founder went on to recall not leaving her house, avoiding people and feeling humiliated. Speaking about their shared experience, Markle said: We turtle a reference to the instinct to hide away in a shell. The pair then shared how they overcame their challenges. No matter what point youre at theres going to be a point where youre going to take a hit and youre going to have to decide whether youre going to cower, or if youre going to conquer or rise above it, Markle said. Markle announced plans for her new podcast shortly after the release of her Netflix cooking show With Love, Meghan. Produced by Lemonada Media, the eight-part series debuted on Tuesday morning (8 April), and will explore her experiences as an entrepreneur, as she hosts fellow female business owners. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Disrespectful. Thats the word Jamie Dimon, chief executive of JP Morgan, has used to describe his employees behaviour in meetings. Why? Because theyre frequently reading personal texts or scanning emails, he noted in his annual letter to shareholders: I see people in meetings all the time who are getting notifications and personal texts or who are reading emails. This has to stop ... It wastes time. Instead, Dimon stressed the need to make meetings count, reports The Times, highlighting that he always gives 100 per cent of [his] attention. As much as Id like to hate on The Man and stir a grassroots uprising among the workers at Americas largest bank against their corporate overlords, theres just no getting around the fact that this request that staff be present and focused, not constantly tapping away on laptops or distracted by phones is about as far from unreasonable as its possible to get. Its strange to read Dimons words and be confronted by just how much office life has changed over the past five years. Even as Im agreeing with him, Im struggling to remember the last time I went into a meeting and sat for the duration, whether it be 15 minutes or an hour, without checking Slack; refreshing Instagram; reacting to a friends WhatsApp with an appropriate emoji; scanning my emails; pinging off message after message after message across the multiple platforms I have open on my devices at all times. It feels acceptable only because I am rarely alone in this endeavour; Im usually in a room surrounded by other people doing likewise. But when did being so woefully inattentive become standard practice? When did the most basic tenets of office etiquette become irreparably eroded? When, in short, did we collectively forget how to behave at work? Arguably our decline in manners can be traced back to the insidious rise of smartphone use and, subsequently, dependency. When I first started an office job at 22, the idea of having my mobile out at work was unthinkable. No one ever explicitly said it wasnt allowed there was simply an understanding about these things. You kept it in your handbag, checked it at lunchtime, and then back in the bag it went until home time. Work time was work time; you might have to take a specific personal call once in a while, but that was the exception, not the rule. I cant pinpoint exactly when the lines between personal and professional began to blur. Was the rapid-pace growth of social media to blame? The switch from texts to online messaging services like WhatsApp, with the latter making us come to expect and feel pressured to deliver instant replies? open image in gallery Meetings where colleagues arent paying attention are a waste of time, says banking boss ( Pixabay ) Whatever the reason, weve slowly but surely become a nation of device addicts. Leave it in the bag? Ha! We can barely leave our smartphones at our desk when we go to the loo. According to Ofcom research published last year, the average Briton spends four hours and 20 minutes online on their phone every day, jumping to over six hours for those aged 18-24. A separate study by HR Review revealed that 60 per cent of Brits cant go an entire workday without checking their mobile. A third of respondents said they check their phone every time a notification pops up; 17 per cent confessed to doing so multiple times per hour. And yet the only really shocking thing about these numbers is the idea that 40 per cent of us are managing to get through the nine-to-five without looking at a personal device. What kind of insane, herculean willpower must these people possess? Honestly, I call bullshit. The slow death of analogue note-taking relying on a good old-fashioned pen and paper, for example was another nail in the coffin for distraction-free meetings. Most of my colleagues have their ideas or discussion points recorded digitally, so that they have no choice but to have a device to refer to. Once its there in your hand, of course, so is the temptation to quickly respond to that email, give your mate a thumbs-up icon, start scrolling through the social feeds and never stop... And then, of course, there was Covid. Id wager that the pandemic was the true culprit when it came to moving the goalposts of what constitutes work-appropriate behaviour. How could it not when, for many workers, office life became home-office life overnight? It was a huge cultural shift, and one of the biggest differences was meetings. The pandemic was the true culprit when it came to moving the goalposts of what constitutes work-appropriate behaviour While the ascendance of video call tech was a necessary stand-in for the real thing during lockdowns, engagement plummeted. After the initial novelty had worn off, half the time colleagues wouldnt even bother to turn their camera on or unmute themselves. Entire Zoom or Teams meetings felt like speaking into the void. On the racier end of the spectrum, I even heard more than one anecdote during peak-pandemic times about employees who were, ahem, getting lucky during camera-off Zoom calls (their colleagues mercifully remaining none the wiser). Talk about distracted. Even the faces that did deign to make an onscreen appearance were often vacant, distracted, eyes flicking hither and thither. It was common knowledge, if not provable, that every attendee was simultaneously working on several other tasks, with the meeting serving as little more than audible wallpaper. According to one poll of 1,000 participants, 80 per cent owned up to zoning out more in virtual meetings than in person, with 86 per cent admitting to texting and 75 per cent doing other work at the same time. Science backs up this lack of participation. One study published in the journal Imaging Neuroscience revealed that staring at another persons face via a computer screen prompts lower levels of certain brain activities and social arousal compared with seeing them in real life. All this set a dangerous precedent. We may have returned to the office but we never quite returned to the pre-wfh mentality. Younger Gen Z employees had no frame of reference to begin with, having experienced their first taste of the working world as fully remote employees. How could they be expected to know that scrolling through TikTok while someones standing in front of you giving a financial presentation is different to doing it unseen over a conference call? open image in gallery Device addict? Smartphones have replaced the humble pen and paper in meetings ( Pixabay ) As for the rest of us, though weve not got anywhere near as good an excuse, our bad behaviour is nevertheless understandable. The move to home and hybrid working also precipitated the move to a constantly on culture, one in which were always contactable and notifications distract us a hundred times a day. Multitasking across endless platforms and flitting between tasks and tabs like an ever-buzzing horsefly, unable to settle anywhere for too long, has become the norm. We dont check our Slack during a meeting because were rude. We do it because the compulsion to keep our brains and fingers busy at all times feels overwhelming; we do it because we feel guilty about not doing enough the second we stop, focus, and give someone our full attention; we do it because we cant not do it. JP Morgan isnt wrong. Our office etiquette needs some serious work. But the problem goes much deeper than checking Outlook during the Monday morning catch-up and company culture will need a bigger overhaul than leaving your phone at your desk to overcome it. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Viral sensation Onijah Robinson is officially back in New York and her 19-year-old boyfriend, Nidal Ahmed, is now breaking his silence on her trip to Pakistan. Robinson, 32, travelled to Karachi, Pakistan in October 2024 to marry Ahmed, who she had been dating online but upon arrival, she was allegedly rejected by his family. After her 30-day visa expired, she stayed on in the country and went viral for holding a press conference where she demanded hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, declaring that she would rebuild the nation. Her exploits quickly amassed millions of view. Various news outlets reported that Robinson, now dubbed the Queen of Pakistan, had been jilted by her lover after she looked different to the pictures she shared online. Others suggested that the teenagers family were opposed to the marriage. Ahmed has now spoken out for the first time about the nature of their relationship, declaring: We are in love. In his first and only interview to date, he revealed that he met Robinson while making calls to the US during employment at a call centre in Pakistan, in Ahmed told The Shade Room it was entirely Robinsons decision to visit and that she stayed in a hotel for three months, enjoying shopping trips with his family, especially his mother and sisters. However, after he dropped her off to the airport in mid-January, the mother-of-four turned around and stayed in the country at which point the media frenzy began. Everything was good. It was perfect. Nothing was bad for me or shocking or anything, he said about Robinsons arrival. He denied claims that he or his family had abandoned or betrayed the social media star. Onijah and her boyfriend are in love ( The Shade Room/Instagram: TheRealOnijah ) Media is making up s*** by itself, but if you can show me one video in which Onijah is saying I abandoned her or I left her or dumped her, I would agree, but media and third parties are showing that. Did Onijah say anything like that? Robinson is now back in New York where she has since set up her own social media accounts, featuring multiple celebrity appearances. She has demanded 50m from US president Donald Trump, remarking: Stop playing with me, Trump. Ahmed shed light on her disappearance from public life, saying: She was not detained; she was in hospital. He stayed in contact with her family as they searched for answers, contacting the Dubai authorities who said she was unable to communicate or use her phone during her stay. American woman in Pakistan returns home after planned marriage to a teen fell through We love each other just like other couples, every relationship has its ups and downs, he said. Were working on projects, and you guys are going to see us together soon. He denied the couple were married as Robinson regularly shares, referring to Ahmed as her husband. Asked if he could spend the rest of his life with her he said: I cant answer that, only God knows. But he said his favourite thing about his partner is her confidence, adding: Its something we need to study about her. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Rosie ODonnells daughter, Chelsea, is making a change to her last name after reportedly being removed from her mothers will. According to court documents obtained by the Daily Mail on Tuesday, Chelsea, 27, petitioned to change her last name in January, stating she wanted to go by her birth mother Deanna Micoleys maiden name, Neuens, Chelsea made this decision after her mother reportedly cut her out of two separate trusts. The comedian who has five adopted children changed her will days before she responded to Donald Trumps presidency by moving to Ireland. Rosie cut Chelsea out of two separate trusts on January 6, according to documents obtained by the Mail, including her $27 million life insurance policy. On her Substack on Monday, Rosie shared a 30-stanza poem to respond to Chelseas petition to change her last name. The piece was titled My Child Chelsea. She wishes to change her last name / to her birth moms maiden name / doesn't make sense to me / I am not her, Rosie wrote. She also wrote that Chelsea was doing so well now, despite the tabloid fodder, and that she was proud of her daughter. Rosie ODonnells adopted daughter has requested to change her last name to that of her birth mothers ( AFP via Getty Images ) But rain or shine / same name or not / that's my girl /fierce and determined, she wrote, before noting that her poem was posted with her daughters approval. A representative for Rosie declined The Independents request for comment. A contact for Chelsea was not immediately locatable. The news comes days after Chelsea was sentenced to six years of probation following three consecutive drug arrests. The conditions of her probation include sobriety, no possession of alcohol or another controlled substance without a valid prescription, no contact with any known drug users or sellers, and no possession or ownership of any firearm. Rosie has spoken publicly in the past about her fraught relationship with her daughter. She has had a tough road, she told the Mail in 2017. Chelsea is mentally ill. Has been in and out of hospitals most of her life. She is very sick. She is not capable of truth or reason. Chelsea went missing from their New York home in 2015, and shortly after was found safe by authorities. She later relocated to Wisconsin to live with her birth mother. The A League of Their Own star eventually reconnected with Chelsea in 2018, with Rosie saying at the time: Shes doing better now and were both communicating with each other. In addition to Chelsea, Rosie and her ex-wife, Kelli Carpenter, share three adopted children: Parker, 29, and Blake, 24, and Vivienne, 21. The Now and Then star adopted her daughter, Dakota, 11, with her second wife, Michelle Rounds, whom she divorced in 2015. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Uber has revealed some of the craziest things that passengers left in the backseat after completing their car rides. On Tuesday, the car service released its ninth annual Uber Lost & Found Index, showcasing the items that passengers usually forget to take when exiting a car. Some of these are the everyday essentials, like phones, wallets, keys, headphones, and a water bottle. However, many Uber drivers have found a series of passengers belongings that are anything but ordinary. From wayward mannequin heads to live lobsters, Uber riders have left behind some truly unforgettable items this year, Camiel Irving, VP of Operations and GM of Mobility US&C at Uber said in a press release. Whether essential or totally unusual, we understand how important it is to be reunited with your lost belongings. The Uber Lost & Found Index celebrates the most unique and commonly forgotten items, while reminding riders that getting support to retrieve their prized possessions is simple through the Uber app. Heres the list of the 50 most unique lost items that passengers left in Uber cars in 2025. Mannequin head with human hair Viking drinking horn Ghostbusters ghost trap Chainsaw Breast milk Fine china Turtle Urinal Club promoter sign reading Annies married it belongs to the club Sticky boob bra Aviation headset Shrek ears Bermuda shorts A pink fan that has two hearts and the word bimbo DNA testing kit Pickleball paddles and ball 2 mattresses 15 hookahs Amethyst crystal Aquarium Witchs broom Unicycle 100 DVDs Bouquet of 100 red roses Sea moss Traffic cone A very large portrait of myself in a brown box Yankees bobblehead figure Plunger A photograph of me and my friend at Benihana Little cactus Peacock feather Lady Liberty crown Hoverboard and a mini fridge Harry potter wand Sewing machine Orthopedic foot insoles Boiled eggs and a candle Divorce papers Ozempic Remy the rat doll Blue laminated paper with yellow smiley face Cornish hens A placard that says its a Philly thing Fake blood 10 live lobsters Taxidermied rabbit Chicken sculpture Hannah Montana merchandise DJ mixing board Uber also looked at the cities where the most riders left their belongings behind, declaring one city in the US as the most forgetful. In 2025, New York City took the title, followed by Miami, Chicago, and Los Angeles. San Francisco, Boston, Dallas, and Houston were also on the list of the 10 most forgetful cities. Uber declared New York City as the most forgetful in 2025 ( Uber ) The company examined the dates and times people took a trip, discovering that most items were lost on October 26. In 2025, this date happened to be the Saturday before Halloween. According to Uber, the most popular time for lost items to be reported was between 11 p.m. and midnight. The Lost & Found Index also looked at common trends when passengers forgot their items in 2025. For example, many people left the high-end liquors they had in the car, including Don Julio 1942, Clase Azul, and Grey Goose. More than 8,000 red items were lost in an Uber, from a cardigan to a cherry lip gloss. In addition, a whopping 1.7 million iPhones and Androids were left behind this year. Passengers even reported forgetting their luxury items in the Uber, including Air Jordan 1s worth $1,800, a Black Gucci belt, an Alexander Wang heel, Dior slides, and YSL jeans. In the press release, Uber also outlined a step-by-step way for passengers to get their lost items back. Passengers can use the app to report a lost item and describe where in the car they lost it before they are ultimately connected to their Uber driver. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Zendayas stylist, Law Roach, just spilled a few details about her upcoming wedding with Tom Holland in a new interview. Its far away. Theyre both doing a bunch of movies this year and theres a lot of premieres next year so youll see a lot of red carpets, Roach, 46, told E! News outside the Fashion Trust Awards in Los Angeles on Monday. According to the fashion expert, whos famously worked with Zendaya for 14 years, the couple has asked him to be involved in the wedding. Im resting up for 2026, he said, subtly hinting that the nuptials wont be for another year. Zendaya is currently filming for season three of Euphoria. She and Holland, 28, are also set to star in Spider-Man 4 together, which is scheduled for release on July 31, 2026. Aside from those two projects, the 28-year-old Challengers lead has been cast in two upcoming productions Christopher Nolans The Odyssey and Shrek 5 and could be reprising her role as Chani in Dune: Part Three. All three films are also said to premiere in 2026. open image in gallery Law Roach reveals he will be involved in Zendaya and Tom Hollands wedding, but the nuptials wont be happening for a while ( Getty ) The former Disney Channel star revealed her engagement to Holland four months ago on the Golden Globes red carpet, flashing her five-carat, cushion-cut diamond ring in front of swarms of photographers. At the event, a Los Angeles Times reporter asked the star outright if she was engaged. open image in gallery Zendaya flashed her engagement ring on the Golden Globes red carpet in January ( Getty Images ) The actor smiled coyly and shrugged her shoulders mysteriously, wrote the LA Times journalist. Though the star stayed quiet as she crossed over the carpet, TMZ and People later confirmed the Spider-Man lead had popped the question over the 2024 holidays. The pair met in 2016 on the set of Spider-Man: Homecoming, in which Holland starred as the superhero and Zendaya played his love interest, MJ. The two have kept the intimate details of their relationship private over the years. Zendaya has spoken extensively about how her rise in fame has elicited a lack of privacy in her life, resulting in her wanting to keep her relationships to herself. Parts of my life, I accept, are going to be public, she told Elle in a 2023 interview. I cant not be a person and live my life and love the person I love. But also, I do have control over what I choose to share, she continued. Its about protecting the peace and letting things be your own but also not being afraid to exist. You cant hide. Thats not fun, either. I am navigating it more than ever now. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. The 7th ADA Policy Forum organized jointly by the ADA University and the Center for Analysis of International Relations will be held in Baku today, Trend reports. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev will address the forum. The forum will be broadcast live through TV channels and the President of Azerbaijan's accounts in social networks: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Xw548hNuD/ https://x.com/presidentaz/status/1909834452617867586 https://youtube.com/live/_hiILgSEBv0?feature=share. The forum will be attended by more than 80 international experts and representatives of think tanks from 44 countries. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice An alleged member of the Zizians, a cult-like group of political radicals, had to be forcibly removed from a California courtroom following an outburst in which she repeatedly claimed that an officer had told her that she should be killed for being transgender. Alexander Somni Leatham, a 29-year-old trans woman from Agoura Hills, was one of five alleged members of the group of radical vegans, many of whom are trans, who were in court Tuesday. Several of them, including Leatham, face charges in connection to a string of killings across the country. As Leatham was led into Solano Superior Court in Fairfield, California, in chains and flanked by multiple armed officers from the Solano County Sheriffs Department on Tuesday, she loudly spoke over the judge, reading what appeared to be a statement from a piece of paper, SFGate reported. Leatham said that a specific officer had threatened her life, telling her that she deserved to be shot for being transgender while he had a gun and I was in chains. The court has been hormonally detransitioning me for quarter of a decade as part of a state-sponsored conversion therapy program, she told the court. I am not suicidal. I have never been suicidal. If I am killed in police custody, it was murder! Leatham shouted as the courtroom descended into chaos. open image in gallery Leatham claimed that an officer had told her that she should be killed for being transgender ( Sonoma County Sheriffs Office ) The judge quickly had Leathaman escorted to an isolation room where she could appear over camera but also be muted if needed. Leatham and Suri Dao face murder charges after a confrontation with their landlord Curtis Lind in 2022 about unpaid rent. The incident left fellow Zizians follower Emma Borhanian dead shot by Lind in alleged self-defense and Lind himself injured, stabbed by a samurai sword. Both Leatham and Dao are charged with murder, attempted murder and aggravated mayhem in the death of their friend Borhanian, with prosecutors arguing that their actions that day in 2022 led to her death. During the attack, Leatham allegedly impaled Lind with a samurai sword. The 82-year-old was the only remaining eyewitness to that attack. open image in gallery Curtis Lind, who rented his trailer yard to several friends of Ziz, including Leatham and Dao, was the only witness to the 2022 attack. He was killed in 2025 just weeks before he was set to testify in the case ( Friends of Curtis Lind via GoFundMe ) In a horrifying twist, Lind was killed in a separate knife attack in January 2025, just weeks before he could testify in this case. Maximilian Audere Snyder, an Oxford University graduate and fellow Zizian, was later arrested and charged with Linds murder and is currently awaiting trial. Also on Tuesday morning, 3,000 miles across the country, three more alleged members of the so-called Zizians appeared for their hearings in a Maryland courtroom. open image in gallery Jack Ziz LaSota, is a key member and the namesake of a mysterious group of mostly transgender and non-binary young people known as the Zizians ( Allegany County Sheriff's Office ) Jack Ziz LaSota, the groups namesake was arrested in February, along with Michelle Jamie Zajko, 33, who is a person of interest in a Vermont shooting that left a U.S Border Patrol officer dead, and a Pennsylvania shooting where her parents were killed, and Daniel Blank, 26, who was charged with trespassing and possession of a handgun. LaSota and Zajko were charged with additional gun crimes on March 19, including possessing a loaded handgun and attempting to buy or sell an assault weapon, both misdemeanors. A judge ordered all three held without jail, describing them as dangerous flight risks, despite LaSota asking for pretrial release, saying she was homeless with no means of traveling. open image in gallery This combination of images from top left shows 2019 Sonoma County Sheriff's office booking mug shots of Jack LaSota, Alexander Leatham, Emma Borhanian and, at bottom left, Gwen Danielson, court appearance of Maximilian Snyder and a Newport City Inn surveillance video image of Teresa Youngblut. They are associates of LaSota, also known as Ziz ( AP ) While wanted in two states, LaSota, who allegedly faked her own death in 2022, has not been charged or deemed a person of interest in connection to any of the killings. The bizarre saga emerged following the deadly shooting at a traffic stop that left a border patrol agent and a car passenger dead, leading to a cross-country investigation that has revealed a series of violent incidents that started years earlier. Alleged members of the Zizians have since been linked to the death of a woman during an attack on a California landlord in November 2022, the landlords subsequent slaying in January, and the December 2022 deaths of Zajkos parents in Pennsylvania. Tuesdays incident was not the first time Leatham has disrupted court proceedings. In March, she struggled with court officers from her wheelchair as she repeatedly yelled: This is a show trial to coordinate the genocide of transgender people. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A judge has dismissed conspiracy and kidnapping charges against five Massachusetts college students who were accused of plotting to lure a man to their campus using a dating app. The Assumption University students, all teenagers, were accused of seizing the man as part of a "Catch a Predator" trend on social media. They were arraigned in January and entered not guilty pleas. Their lawyers subsequently filed motions seeking to dismiss the charges, arguing that authorities lacked probable cause to believe they committed any crimes. Following a hearing last month, a Worcester District Court judge dismissed the conspiracy and kidnapping charges against Kelsy Brainard, Easton Randall, Kevin Carroll, Isabella Trudeau, and Joaquin Smith on Tuesday. It is not yet known whether charges are still pending against a sixth student, whose case is being handled in juvenile court. Isabella is very happy the judge applied the law correctly, her lawyer, Robert Iacovelli, told WCVB-TV. Police say Brainard's Tinder account was used to lure the man to the private, Roman Catholic university in Worcester last October. open image in gallery Tinder ( Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Brainard still faces a charge of witness intimidation stemming from the encounter. Carroll also still faces a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Messages seeking comment were emailed Wednesday to the Worcester County District Attorney's office and to the university, where campus police had conducted an investigation. The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported that defense lawyers entered into the court record a video of a university police officer interrogating one of the students as part of their argument to dismiss the charges. They said the officer presented an incomplete and distorted picture of the evidence. A report filed by campus police said a 22-year-old active-duty military service member connected with a woman on Tinder and was invited inside a basement lounge. Within minutes, a group of people came out of nowhere and started calling him a pedophile, accusing him of wanting sex with 17-year-old girls, according to the report. The man told police that he broke free and was chased by at least 25 people to his car, where he was punched in the head and his car door was slammed on him before he managed to flee. Campus surveillance video shows a large group of students, including the woman, all with their cellphones out in what seems to be a recording of the whole episode, the police statement said. They are seen laughing and high fiving with each other in what appeared to be a deliberately staged event, and there was no evidence to indicate the man was seeking sexual relations with girls, the police report said. Randall had told officers they were inspired by the catch a predator trend, which he said is big on TikTok." He said their group shared ideas of what to tell the man through the Tinder app to lure him to campus, and then spread word through a dormitory chat group that a predator was in the building, the report said. After the assault, Brainard reported the man to police as a sexual predator, police said, which they determined to be false. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A music producer from Maryland was found dead in the Bahamas just hours after allegedly being reported to the police for spitting on restaurant workers at the five-star resort where he was staying. The family told Eyewitness News Bahamas that Dinari McAlmont, 23, traveled to the Bahamas with his parents on Friday and stayed at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island, close to the capital, Nassau. Around 12 hours after touching down for the family getaway, officials said the McAlmonts body was found at approximately with no vital life signs Saturday on the shoreline of Paradise Island. The Royal Bahamas Police Force Commissioner Shanta Knowles said that authorities are awaiting autopsy results before providing further information to the public, and the cause of McAlmont's death was not immediately clear. An investigation is underway. The family told FOX 5 that McAlmont was last seen leaving dinner to grab a coat and explore the resort just before 9 p.m. the evening he arrived in the Bahamas. Dinari McAlmont was staying at the Atlantis Paradise Island resort with his parents when his body was found lifeless on a beach over the weekend ( AFP via Getty Images ) The family said that resort officials came to the parent's room and questioned them about his whereabouts. They say that staff accused McAlmont of spitting on several workers inside one of the hotels restaurants. The police said they were looking for him because apparently he spat on some staff in a restaurant, Michelle McAlmont, the victims mother, told the outlet. She said she could not verify the hotel staffs reports. McAlmonts mother said she attempted to text him hours before his body was found and said her sons phone location was not working. After scouring the resort and failing to find him, the family said they filed a missing persons report. Resort staff again returned to McAlmonts parents room, they said, this time to notify them that their sons body had been found. His face was traumatized The victims mother told Eyewitness News her sons face appeared traumatized after identifying his remains in a photograph, alleging he appeared to have been beaten down in the sand. She said his sons face appeared damaged, with sand on his hair and on his teeth. I need justice for my baby, she said, breaking down to the camera. I need justice. The Atlantis resort said it is working with authorities during the investigation. We are deeply saddened by the passing of one of our guests. Our thoughts and condolences are with the guests family and loved ones during this difficult time. This is an active police investigation, and we are fully cooperating, the resort told FOX 5. McAlmont is being mourned by Lowcation Studios in Brentwood, Maryland, where he worked under the pseudonym Diddy. Diddy was more than an engineer to us, he was a great friend and an all around incredible individual. He was deeply passionate about his work and always committed to bringing the ideas of artists to life. He was a true team player, always stepping up to lend an extra hand when needed and making sure to keep all of us laughing during team meetings. Its hard to imagine life in general and life at the studio without him. Diddy will be deeply missed by his friends, his family, and all of us at Lowcation Studios, but he will forever be a part of our family, story, and legacy. This studio would not be where it is without him and I will always have the utmost respect and love for him, a statement read. The Independent has contacted the Royal Bahamas Police Force for more information. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Police have arrested a kayak guide over the death of a woman who went missing and was later found dead at a resort in Key Largo, Florida. The Monroe County Sheriff's Office said that deputies were alerted to the disappearance of Nadyne Marie Tillman, 43, on Monday after her family said they had not heard from her since Saturday, according to NBC Miami. Investigators learned that Tillman had met with Dylan Lamb, 33, at the Amoray Beach Resort resort on Saturday morning. Police searched Lamb's room, and found Tillman's body inside with injuries consistent with being beaten, according to police. Ka Thigpen, a local resident, told NBC Miami that her mother was in town for her wedding and had been staying at the resort in the room next to Lamb's. She said during their time at the resort, they saw Tillman's daughter searching near Lamb's room for her mother after a tracking app on her phone led her to the area. "We just saw like frequently throughout the last few days, like the gentleman in and out, and her poor daughter came around looking and knocking on everyone's door," Thigpen told the broadcaster. When deputies arrived at the resort, they were told by its assistant general manager that she was "aware of the missing person investigation and wished to report suspicious behavior involving a former guest, identified as Dylan Lamb," Local 10 reports. According to the arrest report, hotel staff wanted to move Lamb to another room, but he allegedly refused to move and would only communicate through a closed door. He remained in the room until Sunday morning, when he finally agreed to leave. The sheriff's report said that after Lamb left, "a housekeeper discovered three large trash bags" inside his room that were "filled with soiled towels and bed liners, and were described as heavily stained with substances consistent with blood, urine, and feces." Staff reportedly threw the towels into the garbage before realizing they might be relevant to a murder investigation, deputies said. The dumpster had already been emptied by the contracted waste company, rendering the items unrecoverable, the report said. After deputies found text exchanges between Lamb and Tillman on Lamb's phone, they went to search his room. Deputies found Tillman's body hidden inside a closet and under a water heater in the room. A detective at the scene opened a closet housing the units water heater and observed a deceased white female concealed underneath," the report said. It described her as being partially clothed and in a fetal position, with "two black eyes, swollen and lacerated lips, and other facial trauma consistent with blunt force impact." Deputies contacted Lamb's probation officer he was previously convicted on a grand theft auto charge who revealed that he worked at a nearby outdoors shop as a kayak guide. Lamb was arrested at his workplace, and deputies allegedly found Tillman's credit card in his wallet. Lamb reportedly told the deputies that he hired Tillman as an escort off a website and agreed to pay her $200 for sex. He allegedly said Tillman took his money but refused to have sex with him, and that he blocked the door to his hotel room to stop her from leaving. He stated that she began striking him and, in response, he struck her once in the face, investigators wrote in the report. He claimed she fell to the floor, struck her head and became unconscious. Deputies noted that Tillman's injuries were not consistent to a single blow to the face. Lamb allegedly said he went into the bathroom to "calm down" but when he reemerged he found Tillman had stopped breathing. He reported that he placed her on the bed, checked for signs of life, and did not find a pulse, the report says. He admitted that he panicked, cleaned the scene using towels and linens from the room and concealed the victims body inside the closet underneath the water heater. When asked why he didn't call 911, Lamb allegedly said he "freaked out" and wanted to avoid getting into trouble. He has been charged with second-degree murder, kidnapping-false imprisonment, soliciting prostitution, and evidence destroying. Lamb's arraignment is scheduled for May 13. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A Texas mother is behind bars after she was pulled over on suspicion of driving under the influence and told cops was on her way to pick up her five-month-old baby but the child was actually in the backseat. Ivana Dolores Salazar, 27, was driving through El Paso on Sunday when officers pulled her over after she failed to signal for a lane change, reported El Paso County Sheriff Oscar Ugarte. When officers stopped her, Ugarte said Salazar identified herself and told them she was on her way from work to pick up her baby. Salazar had a clear glass cup containing an unknown red liquid, Ugarte reported, and officers had a reasonable suspicion she was drunk, he noted. open image in gallery Ivana Dolores Salazar told police she was on her way to pick up her child, police said, even though her five-month-old was in the back seat ( El Paso County Sheriff ) Salazar also said there was no one else in the car with her. But when officers searched her vehicle they discovered the baby in a car seat that was not properly secured, Ugarte said. Officers asked Salazar again about the child, and she told them she was on her way to pick up the baby. But when officers walked her to her cars backseat and showed her the child, Salazar became uncooperative and said she didnt know the baby was with her, police said. Salazar is now in the El Paso County Jail with a bond of $23,000. Her baby was taken to the Hospitals of Providence East Campus in El Paso, and Child Protective Services have been notified. She faces charges of driving while intoxicated with a passenger under 15 years of age and endangering a child. The Independent was unable to identify Salazars attorney for comment. The Independent has contacted the District Attorneys Office for more information. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. The next meeting of the Pardon Issues Commission under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan will take place today, the commission's member Rashad Majid told Trend. He noted that the meeting will take place at 15:00 (GMT +4). This year, the commission has already held four meetings. NEW YORK A Columbia University student activist who was detained by the U.S. government over his participation in pro-Palestinian demonstrations has the right to challenge the legality of his detention, but the case should be heard in New Jersey, rather than in New York or Louisiana, a judge ruled Wednesday. By Laman Ismayilova Azerbaijani artists have showcased their art pieces at Art Shopping in the Carrousel du Louvre. Every year, the Societe Nationale des Beaux-Arts, an association of artists created in 1861 by Louis Martinet and Theophile Gautier to break with the official exhibition, holds its salon in the Carrousel du Louvre. The international contemporary art exhibition gathered a large number of artists from Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Kazakhstan, France, and China. The stands represent various styles in contemporary art, here you can find applied arts, ceramics, carpets, new trends in the fashion industry. Paintings are adjacent to sculptures and photographs. Rovshan Nur's seascapes aroused interest in his impressionistic style of painting. Note that Rovshan Nur (Guliyev) is a landscape artist from Baku, a graduate of the Azim Azimzadeh Art School, the Azerbaijan State Academy of Arts, and the Estonian Academy of Arts. He is a member of the Azerbaijan Artists' Union.For about twenty years he has lived and worked in Estonia, taking part in various projects and holding exhibitions. Meanwhile, artist Sahib Asadli's natural motifs attracted viewers with their freshness of perception. His talent lies not only in his technical prowess but also in his profound understanding of the natural world, which he skillfully translates onto the canvas. Each of his paintings resonates with vibrant colors and intricate details, capturing the essence of nature. His art works have been exhibited in numerous galleries around the world. The art works of Honored Artist of Azerbaijan Asmar Narimanbayova were presented in the genre of Azerbaijani fairy tales and allegories, as well as with a traditional still life dedicated to the Novruz holiday. Asmar Narimanbayova's art never ceases to amaze with a riot of colours. Her art works have been successfully demonstrated in many prestigious galleries and museums across Azerbaijan, the USA, France, Germany, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Finland, and China. The exhibition featured photographs by Maya Baghirova, dedicated to the influence of modern technology on relationships between people. Photographs of the gates of the Aghdam mosque shot during the occupation, as well as photographs from Azerbaijan's Garabagh region were also on display at the exhibition. Maya Baghirova moved to Paris in 2016. She trained at one of the leading photography schools in Europe - Speos International photography school. In 2015, she took part in an exhibition at "Carrousel du Louvre" in Paris. In addition, the photographer won the prize of famous "Paris Match" magazine in 2018. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. It is for the seventh time the big group of international experts from different countries visit Azerbaijan to address important issues of global agenda. At the same time, all these visits help to know Azerbaijan better, to feel the pulse of the country, said President Ilham Aliyev as he addressed an international forum themed Facing the New World Order at ADA University, Trend reports. And also after liberation of historical territories of Azerbaijan, the regular visits of international experts to the liberated territories gives more information about the history of our country, the history of the conflict and, of course, todays reality of Azerbaijan, added the head of state. News Corps top political minds declared Peter Dutton the clear winner of its paywalled leaders election debate on Tuesday night despite the independently selected audience of 100 undecided voters favouring Anthony Albanese. The Peoples Forum broadcast, hosted by Sky News Australia and The Daily Telegraph, was available only to those with a paid subscription to either Foxtel, Sky Newss digital platform, one of News Corps major mastheads, or in some selected regional television markets. Albanese won the debate according to a poll of the 100 undecided voters at the debate. Credit: News Corp Australia This means its unlikely a complete and final audience viewing figure will be available from an independent ratings agency. About 175,000 Australians tuned in to the 2022 version, and a Sky spokesperson said it would share a cross-platform figure by Thursday afternoon. News Corps top political commentators immediately cast doubt on the political leanings of its audiences profile, which had a 100-person panel made up of undecided voters selected by independent firm Q&A Market Research. The United States Department of Interior (DOI) has reconfirmed ASX-listed Dateline Resources has a valid right to mine and explore for gold and rare earth elements (REE) at its flagship Colosseum project in California. The decision, announced in the US yesterday, paves the way for a dual-commodity future for the company, just 10 kilometres from the USs only operating REE mine, Mountain Pass. The United States Department of the Interior has reconfirmed ASX-listed Dateline Resources right to restart mining at the companys historic Colosseum project in California. DOI highlighted the strategic importance of the historic Colosseum mine as Americas second REE operation under a Trump administration executive order to bolster domestic mineral production. Datelines ongoing right to mine is locked in under the Californias Mining and Desert Protection Acts. The Colosseum project, which is in and adjacent to national parks, now has a green light to extract gold and pursue REEs across the projects claim boundary. Abby Howells | Welcome To My Dream Melbourne Town Hall, until April 20 Welcome to Abby Howells dream, where a clip of her winning a prestigious comedy award goes viral, eliciting millions of views and hundreds of comments. Pretty sweet. But along with this comes hateful internet comments, the beginnings of a feud to rival that of Kendrick and Drake, and the realisation that her nemeses are inextricably wound into the story of her success. Abby Howells Welcome To My Dream is at Melbourne Town Hall until April 20. In this beautifully structured show, she shares the stories behind this moment. The art is in the telling. Howells has an exquisitely strange way of seeing the world, taking us to unexpectedly wonderful places. Who else would explore the challenges of getting on the property ladder through an extended bit about Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? It is her unique perspective that delights; there is no way to predict what the lover of arcane historical facts, improvisation and Adam Lambert will charm us with next. Reviewed by Lefa Singleton Norton Tom Cashman | 2 Truths, 1 Lie & 17 Slight Exaggerations Melbourne Town Hall Lower Town Hall until April 20 Tom Cashman, of televisions Taskmaster fame, expresses how chuffed he feels about being moved to a bigger venue, before embarking on a fast-paced, sharp, hilarious hour. Tom Cashman performs 2 Truths, 1 Lie & 17 Slight Exaggerations until April 20. He barely draws breath as he seamlessly barrels through an inordinate number of thoughts, conundrums and quips. Theres talk of Metro Tunnel cabbie complaints, jet lag, how to get free passport photos, the pursuit of happiness, a police encounter, flirting, fitness, pranking mates, saunas, and so much more. PowerPoint slides with outrageously ridiculous graphs intensify the laughs. He teases the crowd. He engages with a heckler. Hes even figured out a way for the audience to take home a laugh via a QR code Intimacy Test. As I leave the venue, I hear one chap turn to his mate and say, I gotta see that again. It felt like a minute like a good fever dream. Reviewed by Donna Demaio Rosie Jones | I Cant Tell What Shes Saying The Westin, until April 20 Rosie Jones performs I Cant Tell What Shes Saying until April 20. Third times a charm for Rosie Jones and Melbourne. The comedian returns with her third solo show, I Cant Tell What Shes Saying, opening with a declaration of love for our city. After all, we share what Jones dubs the Shakira approach to alcohol: whenever, wherever. Melbourne audiences adore her in return. In previous MICF shows, Jones declared that she was waiting for David Attenborough or his ilk to die so she could take on the coveted mantle of national treasure. Well, shes done waiting, this time gleefully declaring herself a national treasure multiple times. Frankly, its hard to argue. From tales of meeting royals to single life and her dual passions (gravy and tits, natch), its all first-class. Fans of her takes on queer and disabled life will find plenty here, too. Shes cheekier, ruder, swearier, brasher and funnier than ever. Her audience croons with laughter; the love affair between city and comedian is clearly not one-sided. Reviewed by Lefa Singleton Norton David Quirk | The House That Was Never Built Coopers Inn, until April 20 Ive attended every show by David Quirk since his 2013 exploration of his own infidelity, Shaking Hands with Danger. Twelve years later, Im still convinced that when he brings his A-game that hes the best storyteller in Australian comedy, even if his crowd sizes and venues suggest otherwise. David Quirk will perform The House That Was Never Built at Coopers Inn until April 20. Quirk acknowledges this. This is one of the rare pubs in the central business district that retains a general soullessness, he laments, as he performs in a room above a sports bar where a level below most are betting on greyhounds. The House That Was Never Built centres on the inheritance of a small bit of land following the passing of both his parents, and his partners encouragement for him to build a home. Quirk is no headspace to think about entering the housing market. Hes barely making ends meet as a comedian and with a side hustle of painting other peoples houses. To save money, he once moved from St Kilda to Fitzroy on the 96 tram. But still, he persisted, and the hour follows his conversations with a draughtsman named Beau a chain-smoking alcoholic whose flurries of trains-of-thought range from poetic, profound, but mostly profane. But Quirk finds a rare humanity in the discourse and mines it for introspection on the human condition and privileges in life. Its a marvel to see this level of talent in such an intimate setting. Reviewed by Tyson Wray Brendan Murphy | Buffy Revamped fortyfivedownstairs, until April 20 Wearing a black tee, skinny jeans and Dr. Martens boots, a wiry, demonic gentleman with slicked-back, bleached blond hair and varnished black nails graces the stage. You all Buffy fans, are ya? he inquires menacingly. Its none other than Buffy the Vampire Slayers one-time paramour, Spike, played with campy flair by British comedian Brendan Murphy. Brendan Murphys Buffy Revamped is at fortyfivedownstairs until April 20. Murphys satirical one-man send up of the seven-season supernatural series is a hilarious trip down a 90s pop culture vortex, accompanied by a nostalgic soundtrack. The production perfectly encapsulates the Sunnydale essentials with moody lighting, smoke effects, a bookshelf, and a high school locker. The pointy stakes are aimed high, but Murphys theatrical prowess is primed to absolutely kill it. From physical to musical comedy, accents to wigs, he playfully captures the characters and storylines while lightly mocking narrative holes and the unrealistic context (how did club Bronze survive on the patronage of minors?). In moments when the sold-out crowd doesnt respond as expected, Murphys ad-libbed retorts still generate a laugh. Catch it before the hellmouth swallows Melbourne whole. Reviewed by Vyshnavee Wijekumar Nicole Gulasekharam | Casual Receptionist of the Quarter The Motley Bauhaus Cabaret Room, until April 20 I find as long as I am calm and non-threatening, and articulate, charismatic, submissive, present, resilient, likeable, agreeable, and mindful of something, its usually fine, the titular receptionist, played by Nicole Gulasekharam, says about one-third of the way into this one-woman show. Nicole Gulasekharam is the Casual Receptionist of the Quarter at The Motley Bauhaus. And this is how Casual Receptionist of the Quarter goes: Gulasekharam greets customers and tries to resolve complaints behind a makeshift gym reception desk, all while rolling fresh towels and making occasional announcements into the loudspeaker to inform all gym-goers to please wipe down their equipment before leaving. This is workplace comedy at its best. In between scenes at the gym, we learn that the protagonist is a struggling 24-year-old musician who has had to move back in with her parents to cut down on expenses. At one point, when a customer compliments her on having lost weight, she blurts out: Ive not been able to afford food. Loading There is a particular Peep Show feel to Casual Receptionist, with obvious nods to other satirical shows such as Parks & Recreation and Utopia. We witness Gulaksekharams activities and gaffes up-close as she interacts with myriad invisible people off stage. Her acting is a delight to witness: she shifts from mirth to disappointment through minute facial expressions and small movements that reveal a latent helplessness and angst. Her comedic timing, too, is incredible. As the show builds up, multimedia and musical elements come together for Gulasekharam to showcase her multiple talents, a true joy to watch. If art is about reflecting the times, Gulasekharams show has it all: interrogations about labour and its expectations in this world, delivered in a way thats engaging, well-paced and non-didactic. The fact that Gulasekharam does indeed have a decade of experience working as a gym receptionist is the icing on the cake autofiction, but done live. Reviewed by Cher Tan Vidya Rajan and Mel McGlensey | Greg Chinese Museum, until April 20 In a festival of nearly 700 shows, its fair to assume more than a few of the Gregs in this audience bought their tickets based on the show title alone. There are at least three on this night which is exactly what Rajan and McGlensey want. Vidya Rajan and Mel McGlensey idolise Greg at the Chinese Museum. The whole pretext of the show is that Gregs are superior humans to be idolised and celebrated. They proceed to list all the laudable qualities in a Greg, and have created a catchy-cute theme song around it. Said Gregs are invited to the stage to either participate or watch from the premium seats to the side of the stage. Its all delightfully silly and brave and weird. The pair presents as deliberately amateurish but with flashes of brilliance like when they face off in a rap battle (purposely misheard as a rat battle), and Rajan launches into an impressive performance punctuated with the funniest gag of the night. Reviewed by Hannah Francis Ben Hunter | Self-Titled Grouse Room 7, until April 20 Its hard to explain Self-Titled, Ben Hunters second show. Not because its haphazard or incoherent, but because its the type of show which consciously or not isnt too interested in sacrificing itself under the altar of arts criticism. Its evident from the get-go that he isnt beholden to conventional comedy structures. Self-Titled is at Grouse Melbourne until April 20. Thats what makes Self-Titled refreshing. Hunter takes good aim at random members of the audience amid bits about Yo-Chi, The Grinch and Oodies, to name a few. Plus there are some pleasantly surprising elements that cant be spoiled you simply have to be there. Theres a Jack Nicholson-in-The-Shining energy to Hunter: he looks like hes about to have a meltdown and then in the next moment smiles like hes done a heroic deed. The layering to this show is onion-like; his next move is often unpredictable. This is smart contemporary comedy (think the likes of Vidya Rajan, Isabelle Carney, Kevin Han, Ray OLeary, and Aaron Chens early days) theres an intrepidness that challenges conventions while having a conscience that doesnt care to moralise. Reviewed by Cher Tan Hunter Smith | Bushranger Tasma Terrace, until April 20 When Hunter Smith got an alarming text from a former f--- bestie, he embarked on a journey that eventually revealed he was a descendant of one of Australias most iconic outlaws. He tried not to make it his whole personality but failed. Hunter Smith performs Bushranger at Tasma Terrace until April 20. In line with the title, theres a real Australiana feel to the show. Smith discusses his aversion to the bush and drops cultural references from across the eras, from Harold Holt to Belle Gibson and The Veronicas. He proposes we retaliate against Donald Trump by putting a tariff on Bluey and Nicole Kidman, our two biggest exports to America. The writing is sharp unsurprising, given Smith was formerly the head writer on The Project. His casual affability makes you feel like youre gossiping with a friend, with intrusive thoughts thrown in as ad lib. His Joel Creasey impersonation bang on. The room within the Victorian terrace venue is eerily dark, with only fluorescent blue lighting illuminating the room. Whether by design or accident, it adds to the colonial narrative being woven. A how-to on tracing your roots and embracing the unexpected revelations that result. Reviewed by Vyshnavee Wijekumar Schalk Bezuidenhout | Crowd Pleaser The Greek Centre, until April 20 South African comic Schalk Bezuidenhout is a rock star of a performer. So much that he even crowdsurfs over the sold-out audience to the music of Kelly Clarkson. Schalk Bezuidenhout is a Crowd Pleaser at The Greek Centre. On his third visit to Melbourne, Bezuidenhout bursts out of the gates with recollections of his homeland be it the stereotypes of crime-riddled neighbourhoods and tales of being carjacked, or how through comedy (Trevor Noahs stint hosting The Daily Show) and politics (Elon Musk in the White House), South Africa is slowly taking over the world. He delivers one of the finest (and loudest) routines of the festival when speaking about the house he bought in the coastal town of Ballito, a gesture he made to please his wife who would then go on to leave him now a dwelling that represents more of a zoo than a home. He even invites a member of the audience to take the mic and deliver any joke of their pleasing. Its a daring/dangerous move in any environment, but culminates with one of the best callbacks Ive ever seen at this festival. Crowd Pleaser is a scorching hour of rapid-fire gags and manic energy. Highly recommended. Reviewed by Tyson Wray The 35th Annual Great Debate Melbourne Town Hall, April 12 Its a testament to the pulling power of the comedy festivals highly vaunted annual debate that audiences chose to congregate in a majestic dark room instead of enjoying the unseasonably warm day. Desiree Burch argued on the negative team for this years Great Debate. The two teams this year squared off against each other to argue for and against the statement that social media is good, actually, which would seem like a somewhat tired premise if it werent for the renewed actions of tech oligarchs and Australias recently implemented social media ban for children. Hosted by the effervescent Steph Tisdell, whose periodic bouts of wheezing laughter begot a similar response from the crowd, Pierre Novellie (affirmative captain), Jenny Tian and Chris Parker faced off against Alexei Toliopoulos (negative captain), Gillian Cosgriff and Desiree Burch. Loading Novellie kicked things off strongly by detailing the merits of each social media platform and playing footage of the state of the world before its advent taking the debate to a laughably dark place. In what would become an overarching theme of his contributions, Toliopoulos went deep and niche as a certified film guy on the cinephile registry, outlining all the ways social media had ruined film-watching and filmmaking. There could be no better proponent for social media than Tian, a viral TikTok sensation whose online popularity has translated into a flourishing stand-up career. She was the first to go combative and personal with customised jabs aimed at each member of the negative team, drawing howls of laughter from an audience fanging for blood. Cosgriff did what she does best and sang about the corrosive effect social media has had on her attention span and ability to get things done. Parker evoked the power of community that social media brought him as a gay closeted teen. The positive team drew on an arsenal of supporters conservationists in Tians case, firefighters in Parkers to further underline the revolutionary power of social media. As perhaps the only Gen Xer in either team, Burch brought things home with a passionate manifesto that had more soundbites than one could count. Channelling an ominous Marvel villain in his pointed rebuttal, Novellie expertly denounced each of the three negative debaters points, but Toliopoulos countered that by running headfirst into the continuation of an utterly mad and lengthy anecdote about minions, pronounced mignon (you had to be there). Despite the lack of effective rebuttal from the negative team, they won though as Parker pointed out, it wouldnt stop anyone from doom-scrolling once they got home. Reviewed by Sonia Nair Chloe Petts | How You See Me, How You Dont Melbourne Town Hall, until April 20 Petts is riding the waves of success on the main stage, with spots on this festivals gala and, back home in England, a Saturday morning TV sports show. Which is how the self-described radical feminist queer (who also happens to be a football lad) wound up with her first lot of social media trolls. Chloe Petts performs How You See Me, How You Dont at Melbourne Town Hall. In previous shows, Petts has used her apparent juxtapositions in identity to disarm and dismantle prejudices against the queer community. This hour is more personal. We go back to her school days in Kent and imagine a young Petts in context: school captain, oblivious to her own sexuality and impervious to bullying. This becomes unexpectedly meta on Saturday night as an inebriated second row threatens to derail the show, and one audience member suggests they could leave. Petts is quick to defuse with her brilliant and ever-agile crowd work, and we witness what shes already told us: be it hecklers or trolls, she needs no one to protect her. Reviewed by Hannah Francis Sofie Hagen | Banglord The Greek Gallery, until April 20 Sofie Hagen performs Banglord at The Greek until April 20. Theres no time to be wasted on needless introductions and crowd work in Danish comedian and podcaster Sofie Hagens show. A natural raconteur with a gentle air of self-deprecation, Hagen immediately disarms audiences with a joke about her smartwatch before launching into a memorable hour of humorous soliloquies. The throughline of Banglord is the fact that Hagen hasnt had sex in a very long time. She decides to meet with a sexologist, who turns out to be someone quite different to who she envisioned. Hagen oscillates between recounting this story and meandering into entertaining tangents about being a queer, non-binary, fat person. When presented with a close friends admission that shes bisexual, Hagen weaves an extended hypothetical about living with a wife that becomes more uproarious the longer she persists with it. I dont want anyone to refer to me by they and be proud of themselves, she says in a bit admonishing those who feel a disproportionate sense of pride in getting peoples pronouns right while elucidating her own. Countering the fatphobia that remains prevalent in comedy, Hagen takes aim at people who insist shes not fat but beautiful, skinny people, chairs ill-equipped to accommodate bigger bodies. Its refreshing to be in a room erupting in laughter at a person punching up towards the institutions that belittle them when the opposite is still far too common. Reviewed by Sonia Nair Rhys Darby | The Legend Returns The Athanaeum, until April 13 From robots to rocketships and Rubiks cubes, this slick hour of comedy bursts at the seams with the accoutrements of humanitys aspirations. We created them, we dont understand them and, Darby suggests, we likely cant control them the AI horse has already bolted. Rhys Darby is The Legend Returns at The Athenaeum. For many comedians, an observation would stop there but Darby goes the extra step every time, physically committing to each bit and character even as the metaphors grow extra metaphors, like AI horses with too many limbs. A line about saying things you shouldnt turns into an elaborate escapade where his thoughts boldly venture from the brain to the vocal cords. We revisit the hoverboards of past decade and explore what school drop-off might look like using drones. Some of these are amusing sidebars while others loop back as clever set-ups in a wildly imaginative sci-fi-comedy narrative. The Tesla Cybertruck and dancing Roomba vacuum cleaner impressions are gold. Reviewed by Hannah Francis Ahir Shah | Ends The Westin One, until April 20 British-Indian comic Ahir Shah isnt your average stand-up. His routines characteristically wade into dark and difficult material mental health and mortality in Duffer, the rise of authoritarianism in Control but theres a tinge of something different this time. Shah has found love and refuses to be anything other than staggeringly naive, even as the UK devolves into a place calling its last drinks. Ahir Shah performs Ends at The Westin until April 20. Speaking at a frenetic pace, spurting out more words in a minute than most people are capable of in 10, Shah warms the audience up with punchlines about his name, learning Latin, and arranged marriages. Its but a mere prelude to his central preoccupation: the privilege to go without saying as a person of colour in the UK, which Rishi Sunaks appointment as prime minister heralded, and the generational progress thats unfolded since Shahs nanaji migrated to London in 1964. The laughs evaporate as Shah moves into the emotional terrain of unacknowledged sacrifice, the dislocation of migration and the sheer dehumanisation of racism. But hes a consummate performer, always holding the tension of the room in the palm of his hand as he oscillates between passionate raving orations and punchlines designed to dispel the pressure cooker atmosphere of the room. Whether you believe or not in the merits of representation politics, Shah poetically and resoundingly argues that 2025 wouldve appeared positively utopian to his nanaji. If youre closer to tears than you thought youd be, its proof of Shahs skilled extrapolation between the personal and the political. Reviewed by Sonia Nair Olga Koch | Came From Money Melbourne Town Hall, until April 20 A show that centres on your own affluence, at a festival where many performers are destined to incur a financial loss, in the time of a cost-of-living crisis? Its a bold move but Olga Koch circumnavigates the awkwardness of checking her own privilege ingeniously. Olga Kochs Came From Money plays at Melbourne Town Hall until April 20. The Russian-born comic was born into unfathomable wealth due to her father the once-deputy prime minister of Boris Yeltsin who was a benefactor from when the riches during the collapse of the Soviet Union were divided. A wealth not one that Koch took for granted, but politely declined to receive furthermore from her family in her early 20s. Came From Money is a piercing skewer of capitalism, socialism, oligarchies, class divides, and how we are defined by our bank balances. Kochs ability to heel-turn from economic inequality into societal critiques and observations is superb, be it a borderline disgusting comparison of the fall of the Berlin Wall to the female reproductive system, call-backs, or impeccable crowd work. She ends with a line Im sure her promoters must hate: If you know someone who wants to see the show but cant afford it, just get them to message me I dont want someone not to be able to see a show about money because of money. Its an ode to the ideology that money should never be a barrier to life in a perfect world or at least a damn good comedy show. Reviewed by Tyson Wray Nish Kumar | Nish, Dont Kill My Vibe Arts Centre Melbourne, until April 20 British comedian Nish Kumar barely utters a breath as he delivers his politically imbued, rage-fuelled set at pace. He argues that Rishi Sunak and Usha Vance dont represent his ideals despite their shared Indian heritage. Nish Kumar in Nish, Dont Kill My Vibe at Arts Centre Melbourne. Theres a false start as his walk-on music plays prematurely: an altered version of Kendrick Lamars Bitch, Dont Kill My Vibe, which inspired the shows name. He sheepishly confesses he was busy eating an orange and using the bathroom at the time. The pre-election timing of Kumars show is fortuitous. The first half draws humorous comparisons between UK, US and Australian politicians and their policies, encouraging the audience to use their upcoming vote wisely. The second half is a notable shift towards personal observations, revealing his battles with anxiety and its origins. The intended 70-minute set runs for just under two hours. He promises to rectify this for future shows, graciously creating an opportunity for audiences to exit if need be. An intelligent jokester with a moral vendetta. Reviewed by Vyshnavee Wijekumar Con Coutis | Escape from Heck Island Malthouse Playbox, until April 20 Armed with an impish grin and decked out in a boilersuit, Con Coutis is the correctional systems favourite comedian. But what happens when a case of mistaken identity results in Coutis becoming a prisoner himself? Con Coutis tries to Escape from Heck Island at The Malthouse. With over an hour of immaculately incorporated pre-recorded audiovisual cues, audiences are plunged into the immersive world of Heck Island where different cliques rule the roost and a certain iteration of MasterChef holds the key to Coutis escape. Incarcerated alongside Coutis, the audience and therefore audience participation, albeit of the most unthreatening kind is a big part of the show. Its testament to Coutis easy affability that not even an unco-operative audience member in the front row throws him off. Escape from Heck Island is a clever show that seamlessly melds multimedia components with live interactions culminating in something that feels dynamic, vibrant and open to the vagaries of possibility. Theres a healthy dose of misdirection in the way Coutis constantly subverts expectations while obscuring his working. Simultaneously interrogating the social contract between audience and comedian while acting in an ensemble cast where hes the only onstage performer, Coutis has assembled an exceedingly well-crafted hour of throwbacks, cultural references and suspended disbelief. Reviewed by Sonia Nair Tiffany Wong | Help Me, ChatGPT <3 Queen Victoria Womens Centre, until April 19 Tiffany Wong is just a girl, standing in front of an app, asking it to find her soulmate. Dressed as a lab technician, Wong proposes a hypothesis: ChatGPT can find her a romantic match because it knows her better than she knows herself. She asks audience members questions, such as their name (most provide a pseudonym), pronouns and food preferences, which are then entered live into the platform, generating answers that will hopefully lead her to her one true love. Help Me, ChatGPT >> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim told investigators she offered to help Lopez with a ride to Florida from South Carolina, the news release states. After crossing the state line, she said Lopez began punching her while she was driving. The victim said she pulled over the vehicle and the suspect dragged her out of the drivers seat and threw her to the ground, the news release states. According to witness statements, the suspect punched the victim a couple more times and then hopped the fence and fled into the woods. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Using the suspects scent, K9 Kylo and his handler, Deputy Tyler Clements, tracked the area for Lopez and found him in the woods near the interstate, where he was taken into custody without incident. A search of Lopez revealed the victims cell phone in his pocket, the news release states. Vote for Kylo The sheriffs office is using the incident to urge people to vote for Kylo who made it to the Final Four of the Florida Sheriffs Associations K9 March Madness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Learn more about the K9 competition and vote HERE Angelino Lopez (left) was captured by Nassau County Sheriff's Office K9 Kylo on April 6, 2025 after a robbery and assault on I-95 in Yulee. Angelino Lopez, 65, is charged with armed robbery after a woman said he assaulted her on I-95 in Yulee on April 6, 2025. Read: Duval County inmate hospitalized in critical condition, 9 officers removed from jail duties Read: St. Johns County homeowners struggling with construction noise and damage from new highway project Read: 44 dead, 160 injured in Dominican Republic nightclub roof collapse [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. SEOUL, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Lee Jae-myung, chief of South Korea's main liberal opposition Democratic Party, resigned as party leader on Wednesday amid wide expectations for his presidential run. Lee said at the party's supreme council meeting that he was grateful to party members, officials and lawmakers for achievements during his three-year party chairmanship. The most-favored presidential hopeful noted that he would start something new soon, indicating his declaration to run for president in the near future. He stressed that the difficulties people were currently experiencing would be overcome quickly by the help of "great DNA," with which people overcame the past hardships, pledging that he would be with people in the process. A snap presidential election was set for June 3 following the constitutional court's removal of former President Yoon Suk-yeol from office on April 4 over his short-lived martial law imposition last December. Lee, who lost the 2022 presidential election to Yoon by the narrowest margin, had been broadly viewed as the most powerful contender for the snap election. According to a survey by local pollster Flower, 49.6 percent said they will vote for the Democratic Party's candidate in the next presidential election, while 29.5 percent were in favor of the ruling People Power Party's candidate. Lee was the most favored as the Democratic Party's presidential candidate with a support rate of 85.5 percent. The result was based on a poll of 3,004 voters conducted from March 17 to 20. It had plus and minus 1.8 percentage points in margin of error with a 95-percent confidence level. RAPID CITY S.D. (KELO) This week is National Crime Victims Rights Week. The Pennington County States Attorney hosted several agencies working in the field of victim advocacy to recognize the work they are doing today. People are coming together in western South Dakota for victims rights week. Its really about everyone whos been hurt by someone whether or not they participate in the criminal justice system or choose their own pathway to healing. This week is Nationally about elevating people who have suffered at the hands of someone else. Pennington County States Attorney Lara Roetzel said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emilys Hope naloxone boxes installed at Sanford So a week like this allows us to elevate their voices and their experiences and their strength. But also to bring awareness to some of the challenges that victims of crime might face. To help encourage community members in what they can do to wrap around people whove experienced crime. Victim Services Director Tifanie Petro said. In South Dakota, victims have the right to receive updates and explanations about court hearings and updates on a suspects status. So today is about recognizing some specific people that have gone above and beyond in the world of victim advocacy. Its also just a day to come together and appreciate each other for the work that we do in the community. Roetzel said. We do it really well in terms of navigating barriers and coming together to overcome challenges. But its healing to be able to see that all of these professionals, all of these different providers come together and help victims in their own unique way. Petro said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of the agencies who provide help include Pennington County Victims Assistance Program, South Dakota Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assult, and WAVI. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. (FOX40.COM) The U.S. National Weather Service in Sacramento announced on Tuesday that they have limited monitoring and posting on social media platforms X and Facebook. Video Above: Tornado Watch vs. Tornado Warning In both posts, their caption read as follows, Going forward, this account will have limited monitoring and posting. For the latest real-time weather information and forecasts, please visit http://weather.gov/sacramento. We always recommend having many ways to receive hazardous weather watches and warnings! The ways to get warnings include: The internet Wireless emergency alerts and weather apps Local TV and radio Outdoor sirens NOAA weather radio Communicating with friends, family and coworkers Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BizX networking event returns to Sacramento This comes after the National Weather Service also announced Tuesday it will no longer be providing language translations of its products for non-English speakers. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed on Wednesday to deepen his country's cooperation with NATO in the defence industry in light of global security threats from China and Russia. Speaking to the press after a meeting in Tokyo, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized the need for the defence alliance to work with Japan at what he called a "crucial" time for security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions. Japan and NATO are to work together on the development of cutting-edge technologies that can be used for both civilian and military purposes, Rutte and Ishiba said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Japan and NATO have intensified their partnership since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with many in Asia fearing that what is happening in Ukraine today could happen in the South China Sea if China invades Taiwan. Ishiba said Tokyo welcomes the defence alliance's increasing engagement in the region, adding that a stronger NATO would greatly benefit Japan. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Sailors aboard a U.S. Navy warship off the coast of Southern California reported having a dramatic encounter with four unknown objects that seemingly flew away in a synchronized formation. That formation seemed eerily similar to the now-famous Tic Tac object seen in those same waters in 2004 and investigated by a secret government program based in Las Vegas. It appears the Tic Tac is back, or maybe never left, as the crew members aboard the USS Jackson said that they saw four of the oddly shaped craft, one of which emerged from the ocean. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sailors were able to record video of two of the Tic Tacs as they appeared on a thermal sensor in the ships command center. That video was made public Tuesday in a podcast that 8 News Now Investigator George Knapp co-hosts and is likely to rekindle questions about who is piloting these objects. Its been nearly 2 decades since the Tic Tac incident, heres what we know about the iconic UFO encounter When Navy aviators first encountered a Tic Tac shaped object off the coast of Southern California in 2004, it was largely ignored until 2008 when a new UFO program based in Las Vegas learned about the incident. The program, dubbed AAWSAP, was launched by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), with support from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Bigelow Aerospace as the contractor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As it turns out, the 2004 Tic Tac is pretty much identical to the 2023 model. In February 2023, crew members aboard the Navys USS Jackson saw an illuminated object emerge from the ocean off the coast of Southern California in the same general area where the original Tic Tac was seen. Inside the ships command center, the sailors saw a familiar shape on the thermal sensor. The thermal system, known as Safire, is a heat sensor, not a camera. A closer look showed that there were two of the objects, not just one. The witness said they saw four Tic Tacs in formation. But when we start talking about all of the objects, all we witnessed was all four of them. All in synchronous, jetting into the abyss. All four, all timed together and all left. And we were like holy [expletive] The second they left, maybe three, four seconds pass, I run to my station and I look at my radar, theyre all off radar. Thats it, they all zoomed off. But its clear that theyre in communication with one another and synchronized like three, two, one countdown. Lets all go. I think unless theres some level of like one entity controlling all four and then they all leave at the same time, a USS Jackson crew member, who requested to stay anonymous, said. His account and the video recorded from the thermal sensor were made public on the Weaponized Podcast with filmmaker Jeremy Corbell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement George Knapp analyzes drone-a-palooza, the swarm of unidentified objects creating buzz nationwide It is not an unusual thing for people who are out in combat zones to see anomalous craft, and were talking no wings, no tail, no rotors, no exhaust. You and I get it time after time after time. Usually, theyre just stories. When you have a piece of data that correlates with the verbal testimony, thats big and that moves the needle, Corbell said. Crew members told Corbell that other sensors on the ship confirmed what was seen on the thermal screen. 8 News Now asked former defense department analyst Marik Von Rennenkampff to figure out if the sensor may have picked up images from an airplane or helicopter. The very first thing, George, that I did, is I went back to the historical flight tracker data, and we know the time, location, we know which way, we know with a high level of precision which way the infrared camera aboard the USS Jackson was pointing, and we can we can in the 3D space, we can kind of, we can project where that camera was looking, and there are absolutely no aircraft within that line of sight that match up with what we see in the video, Von Rennenkampff said. Inside one of the most consequential UFO encounters of all time: the tic tac incident Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Could it be some sort of secret military project that has been stashed out in the ocean for the past 21 years or longer? I dont think its ours. I suspect there are better places for us to showcase that kind of equipment to unwitting sailors. That just doesnt make sense, Von Rennenkampff added. The new Tic Tac video was shared with the Navy aviators who encountered the first Tic Tac 21 years ago. David Fravor and Chad Underwood both said they were stunned by the similarities. So why was this incident not reported up the chain of command or to the Pentagons UFO office, AARO? Its not clear, however, this is just the beginning, and it is suspected that Congress will be asking questions about the video and the incident. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. NBC News has settled a $30 million defamation case with Dr. Mahendra Amin, an obstetrician-gynecologist based in Georgia. The case involved allegations of unnecessary procedures performed on female immigrants without their consent while in custody. The case was set to go to trial on April 22 in a federal court in Waycross, Ga., but the two parties informed the court they had reached a settlement in February and were finalizing the agreement. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Amin dismissed the case on Friday, April 4, with the settlement terms not included in the public case record. Neither NBC News nor MSNBC provided a comment to TVNewser at press time about the settlement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amins defamation case stems from an MSNBC report that aired in September 2020. The story focused on a whistleblower complaint that alleged the doctor performed two unnecessary and unauthorized hysterectomies on immigrant women at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Ocilla, Ga. Court records reveal that the medical records for both hysterectomy patients show ICE authorization, and the two patients also signed informed consent forms for their procedures. The NBC News report disputed that these women provided their informed consent. Lisa Godbey Wood, the U.S. District Judge overseeing the case, found that NBC News did not provide evidence of Amin performing more than the two hysterectomies, but still published that mass hysterectomies were conducted by him and that detainees knew his as the uterus collector. A jury could conclude that [Amin] performed unnecessary and unauthorized gynecological procedures, including the two hysterectomies, Wood said in the order. A jury could also conclude that these accusations were materially false. North Carolina General Assembly (File Photo) The NC House delayed a scheduled debate and floor vote on a controversial bill that would ban diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in state and local government from Tuesday to today. House Speaker Destin Hall said the bill sponsor wanted time to consider amendments to House bill 171. It prohibits schools and state and local governments from maintaining DEI offices or programs. Diversity and equity could not be considered in awarding contracts. It bans diversity training. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Employees would face civil fines of up to $10,000 for infractions and could be sued for alleged violations. After Tuesdays House session, House Democratic leader Robert Reives (D-Chatham) said he hoped the bill would not reappear. Im hoping that we recognize that this isnt the kind of thing we need to be concentrating on right now, he said. I dont see any purpose that is served by this bill. I think the House has done an exceptionally good job this year of not getting into these kinds of issues. Legislation on DEI and other divisive topics are a distraction from the issue of economic well-being for state residents that should be the legislatures focus, Reives said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres one clear question that everybody has: Why do I have to work two or three jobs to get the same thing my parents did with one job? We keep trying to find ways to keep people distracted from that, and weve got to stop that. In response to criticisms, Hall (R-Caldwell) maintained that DEI is illegal and unconstitutional, pointing to the 2023 US Supreme Court decision banning affirmative action in college admissions. That same general rule, one would think, applies to hiring decisions, Hall said. Rep. Timothy Reeder (R-Pitt) talks about a bill regulating the sale and purchase of edibles containing cannabinoids from hemp. (Photo: Screenshot from NCGA video feed) North Carolina lawmakers have proposed at least nine bills this year that seek more regulation on the sale and purchase of gummies, drinks, and vaping products containing compounds from hemp. Most of the bills seek to make it illegal for youth to buy snacks, drinks, and vape products containing hemp-derived cannabinoids or to keep them off school property. Legislators and sheriffs talked about one of the bills, House Bill 680, The Protect Children from Cannabis Act, at a Wednesday news conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill would make it illegal for shops to sell consumables containing hemp compounds without a permit, and would make it illegal for people under 21 to buy them. The Alcohol Beverage Control Commission and the ALE would have investigative and enforcement powers. Currently, theres no age restriction on purchasing these intoxicating cannabinoids, and children do use these and buy these every day, said Rep. Timothy Reeder (R-Pitt), one of the bills primary sponsors. Onslow County Sheriff Chris Thomas said vape shops have opened near schools in his county to take advantage of the young customer base. It appears sellers are focusing on young customers, he said, because the young clientele is a customer for a long time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An effort to regulate snacks containing hemp cannabinoids and banning the products from schools faltered last year when the state Senate attached medical marijuana legalization to a House bill. The House and Senate have been at an impasse over medical marijuana for several years. Reeder said he anticipates parties interested in regulating edibles will work together to pass a bill this session. I hope we can do something versus nothing, he said. The Child Fatality Task Force noted in its annual report that the rate of emergency department visits in North Carolina related to cannabis increased 600% for children and teens younger than 17 and by more than 1000% among older teens since 2019. A 2018 federal law legalized hemp. The task force recommended banning sales of cannabis or hemp products to people younger than 21, child-resistant packaging, and package warnings. A Republican bill filed this week that proposes making abortion illegal in North Carolina at any stage of pregnancy wont move forward, House Speaker Destin Hall said Tuesday. I dont think theres any real desire in our caucus to hear that particular bill, and so, its not going to be heard in committee, Hall told reporters after the Houses voting session Tuesday afternoon. The bill, introduced on Monday by Rep. Keith Kidwell with the support of two other House Republicans, would ban abortion after conception and allow no exceptions other than to preserve the life of the mother. Violations of the ban would be punished as felonies, and by a civil penalty of $100,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats were quick to raise concerns about the bill after it was filed, and vowed to fight it as hard as we can. Named the Human Life Protection Act of 2025, the bill mirrors similar legislation Kidwell, the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, filed two years ago during the 2023 legislative session that was never taken up. At the time, Republicans in the House and Senate were working within their caucuses to come up with a consensus bill to further restrict abortion in the state that all GOP lawmakers could agree on and get behind. When Kidwell filed the similar bill in March 2023, a spokeswoman for then-House Speaker Tim Moore clarified that it didnt reflect the work of the working group or the consensus product we expect to emerge from those discussions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House and Senate Republicans ultimately settled on a bill banning most abortions in the state after 12 weeks with exceptions up to 20 weeks for rape and incest, up to 24 weeks for a fetal anomaly, and at any point in pregnancy if a qualified physician determines there exists a medical emergency. On Tuesday, Hall said he doesnt expect Republicans to consider any big changes to that 12-week law that they enacted in 2023 over a veto by then-Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat. We just passed, less than two years ago, really landmark pro-life legislation, and that bill did a lot of things, and I think we need to give some more time to see how that bill is working, but I dont anticipate doing much more on that issue this session, Hall said. Senate leader Phil Berger, meanwhile, told reporters on Tuesday that he wasnt familiar with Kidwells bill, and said he doesnt expect the 12-week law to be changed either. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of any potential bills that would be more restrictive than whats currently in effect, Berger said: I dont know that theres support that we could get a bill passed and a veto overridden, so I dont see us moving in that direction. Berger said last June that he didnt want to see any new abortion restrictions this year, noting that he was only speaking for himself. Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan contributed to this report. OLATHE, Colorado - The first report was filed just before Thanksgiving. Twenty-nine cows and calves, a rancher told a state agriculture official, hadnt come home. One week later, three more reports from three other owners: 46, 38 and 31 head of cattle, all gone. Three days after that, rancher Kelly Burch also alerted authorities. She had counted her herd and come up 43 animals short. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have this cow, but not this calf. Or I have this calf, but not this cow, said Burch, whose family has run cattle on the same swath of public land for 106 years. Somethings not adding up here. All 187 missing bovines had spent the warmer months grazing thousands of acres on the high Uncompahgre Plateau, rugged country where some animals always fall victim to predators, illness or weather. But never this many and not without leaving lots of carcasses behind. Also unusual: The vast majority were calves. Ranchers and local authorities suspected they might have a modern-day case of cattle rustling on their hands. The disappearances in the fall set off an unprecedented state investigation spurred by Colorados governor and involving sheriffs, a multiagency task force, search planes, a $10,000 reward and a bull rider turned cowboy who has scouted the area on horseback. The effort cast a spotlight on an enduring way of life in Colorados more conservative Western Slope, where cattle bulk up in wild forests and canyonlands before eventually being sold to feed Americans appetites for burgers and steaks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Months later, with much of the possible crime scene still blanketed in snow, the case remains mostly cold. Lost livestock isnt unheard of in this agricultural area famed for its sweet corn. But nothing, nothing of this magnitude at all, said Chuck Searcy, an administrative sergeant for the Montrose County Sheriffs Office who is leading the investigation. Searcy spent the winter fielding tips about suspicious characters and even theories about alien abduction. He has ruled out insurance fraud. He is convinced its at least partially a theft case, probably carried out by someone deeply familiar with the area and knowledgeable about the industry. Say you get a little heifer calf and you breed her and she has five babies for you, Searcy said. Now what is her value? A lot, officials note. Drought and other pressures have caused the U.S. herd to steadily shrink since 2019, while consumer demand for beef is at a near-record high. The combination has sent cattle prices soaring. At market, the 187 missing cattle could fetch $400,000, maybe more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even so, the particulars are puzzling. No semitrailer could reach the hardscrabble, unpaved altitude where these cattle were spread, the kind of range even experienced ranch hands dont know by heart. Typically, mother cows separated from their calves would show distress. A mass die-off, perhaps from poison weed, would produce bodies. Its a mystery, said Janie VanWinkle, a former Colorado Cattlemens Association president whose herd grazes north of here. A big one. The missing animals were reported to local brand inspectors, who play a key role in Colorado, known as a brand state. Branding is not obligatory, but livestock owners who do it must register their brands with the states Agriculture Department. Any sale or movement of cattle over 75 miles or to another state requires a review by one of the 63 inspectors to verify ownership. (According to Brand Commissioner Todd Inglee, inspectors have also been asked to certify ownership of dinosaur bones and a camel.) In the lower 48, all states from the Rockies west are brand states. But most to the east are not, meaning they do not require proof of ownership to sell livestock. Once you get past those borders, theyre pretty much gone, Inglee said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colorados inspectors also investigate possible thefts, which began to spike in 2022; last year, 475 cattle were reported missing or stolen in 57 cases. But prosecutions have often taken a back seat to crimes against humans, Inglee said. This time is a new game, Inglee said, thanks to attention from Gov. Jared Polis (D), who has called the case a rural matter of public safety. We are committed to holding cattle rustlers accountable, Polis said in his State of the State address in January. A task force was formed. Led by Inglee, it includes the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, officials from the federal Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, state police, local law enforcement and Colorado Parks and Wildlife, which dispatched a plane in search of cows or clues. Its nice to have representation for little Western Colorado, said Searcy, whose office is a five-hour drive from the capital, Denver. Lets just call it like it is: A lot of times, it feels like its a completely different state, whether its political views, whether its just way of life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Burch, that life revolves around cattle. Her 400-head herd departs her Olathe ranch in early June for the 80,000-acre allotment of her federal grazing permit. The cows are always eager, she said: They line up at her southern gate, ready to trudge 20 miles up the plateau. Burch and her teenage sons - aided by their cattle dogs and horses - keep loose tabs on the herd all summer, often sleeping in a nearby wooden cabin built by her ancestors in 1939. When the first snowflakes fall, she said, the cows know its time to go home. As she and the other ranchers do every year, Burch chartered a helicopter in early December to fly over the terrain and peer down into dark canyons for stragglers. She and her older son spotted just one elk and one coyote. Bears might have gotten some of her missing cattle. But she suspects many were lost to thieves who plucked off a few one night, a few another. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whatever the explanation, it was a kick in the gut. Burch sells animals each January, bringing in her sole annual paycheck. This year, it was 20 percent to 30 percent smaller, she said. Her insurance policy does not cover theft or disappearance. She holds out hope a culprit will be nabbed - and punished. They dont realize that theyre taking it from my kids; theyre taking the food off my table, she said. Back in the day, they would have been hung. The case has raised alarm at sale barns across Colorado. At one of the busiest, Centennial Livestock Auction in Fort Collins, the brands of the missing cattle are posted on the bulletin board of inspector Jesse Phillipss office. Ahead of a morning cattle auction on a sleeting March morning, he and two other inspectors gingerly moved massive bovines around slatted pens, making sure the brands on their hides matched those on their paperwork. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the cattle prices the way they are now, theres just crazy, stupid money, said Phillips, a district supervisor. I am super, hyperaware of anything that comes through thats not branded or whatever because theres just too much money. Out in Montrose County, Searcy is hoping the sheriff might let him purchase a horse to use for exploring the plateau once the snow melts. Any tire tracks will most likely be lost to moisture, any carcasses to predators or bugs. But Searcy figures he might come across a makeshift corral or some other sign. And maybe someone will talk. Without evidence, thats probably our biggest hope, he said. In the meantime, the case got a break of sorts. Tony Mendes, a former pro bull rider, found 17 of the missing cattle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mendes lives in a neighboring county, and these days, he cobbles together a living helping on ranches, working at a sales barn and operating as a backcountry cowboy. He takes that title seriously. My real passion my whole life was being able to gather and catch cattle that nobody else could get, said Mendes, who grew up in Reno. A challenge junkie, I guess you could say. Over the past few years, he has scoured the plateau for feral cattle, the descendants of animals that never made it home. The state wants them gone, fearing they will spread disease to ranchers herds. Mendes said he has found about 100, which he has been able to sell. When he heard about the reward in the case of the missing 187, offered by the Uncompahgre Cattlemens Association and the Rangeland Users Association, Mendes had a new mission. Logging several 20-mile days on horseback, he found two groups in mid-January and another in mid-February. All of the animals belonged to two ranchers who had filed reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mendes suspects many more cattle are out there, perhaps unable to descend from cliffs or unwilling because a low-snow year has left enough to eat. A large-scale theft would require a mastermind, in his view. Im thinking, Man, is there cattle thieves in my country, or is it just lazy cowboys? he said. Im not wanting to point fingers or bad-mouth anyone, but I think its a bunch of things going on. He went looking for more bovines a few weeks ago, bouncing in an off-road vehicle up a steep dirt trail studded with sizable rocks and craters. At the top of Winter Mesa, one finger of the plateau, he had placed a game camera near large tires where water collects, and it captured four black cows drinking there days before. If he laid eyes on them, Mendes planned to come back with his horse and dogs to push them down to the flatlands. Cattle tracks surrounded the tires, though they werent fresh. Mendes surveyed the hillsides tawny slopes, patches of pinyon-juniper and a deep canyon. There could be cattle right now in them clear-cuts over there, and how can you get to them? he said. That sagebrush down there could be holding cattle all day long. He continued searching for a few hours more, jostling up and down another mesa. A herd of mule deer appeared at one point. But not a single cow. Related Content Scientists are X-raying the Amazon, unlocking a lost human history The Smithsonian could be the beginning of Trumps plan to edit history. Or the end. Pro-Trump creators play down market turmoil: Losing money costs you nothing State police say three people stole close to $3,000 dollars worth of merchandise from a Dicks Sporting Goods in Greensburg. Troopers have arrested a man who reportedly admitted to driving the trio to the store. Surveillance video shows the three people running out of the store with their arms full of stolen goods. Troopers say this all happened on Sunday right before noon. Authorities say the thieves were last seen in a black Ford, which they put out a be on the lookout alert for. Theft- 4/6 1139 hrs Dicks 5280 Rte 30 Greensburg- A traffic stop was initiated & Hussein HASSAN was the operator of the vehicle. Search of his residence in Pittsburgh found articles of stolen clothing. The other actors are unknown. Anyone w/ info call PSP GBG 724-832-3288 pic.twitter.com/eq5OkGUWZY Troopers Steve Limani & Cliff Greenfield (@PSPTroopAPIO) April 8, 2025 Police were able to track down the car in the city of Pittsburgh on Monday morning. Police say when Hussein Hassan, 18, got into the car on Suncrest Street in Knoxville, officers pulled the man over and searched his car. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State police say Hassan admitted to taking the three men to the Dicks parking lot of the Westmorland Mall. Hassan allowed police to also search his home, where they found several stolen clothing items with tags still on them. I think they should arrest them, put em in jail and let em rot, Don Svetkovich of Greensburg said. Police arrested Hassan and charged him with retail theft. Hassan told police that after leaving the Dicks he drove the three men back to Pittsburgh and dropped them off at a park. Theres no word on their whereabouts right now. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Rescuers work at the site of a car accident in Kengtung township of Shan State, Myanmar, April 8, 2025. Seven people were killed and three others injured in a traffic accident in eastern Myanmar's Shan state late Tuesday, an official from a rescue organization said. The accident occurred at around 10:40 p.m. local time on Tuesday when a six-wheeled vehicle plunged into a 500-foot-deep ravine beside the Pyidaungsu road in Kengtung township. (Myanmar Fire Services Department/Handout via Xinhua) YANGON, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Seven people were killed and three others injured in a traffic accident in eastern Myanmar's Shan state late Tuesday, an official from a rescue organization said. The accident occurred at around 10:40 p.m. local time on Tuesday when a six-wheeled vehicle plunged into a 500-foot-deep ravine beside the Pyidaungsu road in Kengtung township. The death included five males and two females, the official from the Tai Nay rescue organization in Kengtung said. The Lincoln headquarters of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a short walk from the Nebraska Capitol. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN A Utah manufacturing expert has been named the next president and CEO of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the largest statewide business lobbying group. Todd Bingham, most recently president and CEO of the 120-year-old Utah Manufacturers Association, is to assume the post in mid-May. He was selected by a search committee that included state chamber board members and business leaders. Todd Bingham, most recently president of the Utah Manufacturers Association, has been named the next president and CEO of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry. (Courtesy of the Nebraska Chamber) Bingham will replace Bryan Slone, who earlier had announced his departure from the chamber following seven years in that position. Slone said he planned to pursue other possibilities in Nebraska, including a possible political bid, though he didnt provide details. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Slone, in a statement, said he was pleased about Binghams appointment. He said Binghams connections across the country and experience in urban and rural business development make him a great choice to continue the chambers work. Joel Russell, chamber chair, said: Todd is a wonderful addition to the Nebraska Chamber, bringing backgrounds in public policy and manufacturing, two of the chambers largest endeavors. Bingham comes with 30 years of experience as a registered lobbyist. He has been an advocate for business and industry, specializing in governmental and regulatory affairs. According to a chamber news statement, Bingham has served as national chair of the Council of State Manufacturing Associations and is a current board member of the National Association of Manufacturers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has served on various state boards and councils, including the Utah Employers Council and an OSHA advisory board, and has contributed to such groups as the Utah Labor Commissions Workers Compensation Advisory Council. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) Kathryn Hauser was in East Hartford today to emcee a Made Leadership Series event. The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development hosted it at Rentschler Field in partnership with the Connecticut Business and Industry Association. The event is designed to equip the states industry professionals and entrepreneurs with the connections resources and insights necessary to create opportunity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. If Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was looking for the easy political victories that once gushed from US President Donald Trump, he left the Oval Office empty-handed. The meeting was supposed to be about the two leaders negotiating the new 17% tariff the White House imposed on Israeli exports last week. In a gamble to avoid them, Israel had dropped its own tariffs on American products to zero a day earlier, even though they were only imposed on very few items. Seated next to Trump in the White House, Netanyahu said Israel would eliminate trade barriers and trade deficits very quickly. With his usual effusive praise of Trump, the long-serving Israeli leader said, We are going to eliminate the tariffs and rapidly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It made no difference to Trump. He pointed out that Israel gets $4 billion a year from the United States - Congratulations, by the way. Thats pretty good, he said but he would not commit to changing his plans. Maybe not, maybe not, he said when asked if he would reduce the tariffs. For years, Netanyahu grew accustomed to political gifts from Trump, especially during the first Trump administration. Moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing the occupied Golan Heights as part of Israel, normalizing relations between Israel and two Arab Gulf countries, and many more - Netanyahu was always eager to celebrate these decisions and the president who made them. Netanyahu was quick to point out that he was not only the first foreign leader to visit Trump during his second term, he was also the first to meet him to negotiate tariffs. But this meeting left Netanyahu with no clear deliverables or US promises for which he could take credit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The biggest blow of all was on one of Netanyahus favorite topic: Iran. For days before the highly anticipated meeting, Israeli media were rife with speculation that the two leaders would discuss military strikes on Iran. The top Sunday headline in Israels most prominent newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, shouted IRAN FIRST and said the Islamic Republic would need to suffer a heavy blow before negotiating. The presence of at least six US B-2 stealth bombers in the Indian Ocean and a second aircraft carrier in the Middle East only fueled speculation in Israel that a strike was not only possible, but increasingly probable. Ultimately, the biggest headline was about Iran, but almost certainly not in the way Netanyahu expected. Trump announced that the US and Iran were about to begin talks on the potential for a new nuclear agreement. Netanyahu has been aware that Trump was pursuing talks with Iran, but the sudden revelation of the imminent talks - set to begin Saturday - appeared to surprise the prime minister. The smile quickly vanished from his face as he looked toward his team of advisers. The announcement was certainly not to Israels liking, two sources told CNN. Its unclear if Netanyahu was given advance notice of the US-Iran talks or if he was consulted ahead of time, the sources added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before flying back to Israel, Netanyahu laid out his position. We agree that Iran will not have nuclear weapons. This can be done by an agreement, but only if this agreement is Libyan style, he said, referring to a 2003 deal under which Libya voluntarily agreed to fully dismantle its nascent nuclear program. But if Iran drags out the talks, Netanyahu said he discussed the military option at length with Trump. In Israel, the damage was already done. If (Trump) started the negotiation without our knowledge, it means that hes going to represent the American interest only, said Ronni Shaked, a researcher with the Truman Institute at Hebrew University. If Israel knew in advance, Netanyahu could have contributed with some ideas, some new facts, some new intelligence, Shaked said. But here its nothing, nothing at all. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is shown in Ankara on March 23, 2024. He has been one of Israel's most fierce critics of its war in Gaza, following the Hamas-led October 7 attacks. - Adem Altan/AFP/Getty Images Trumps effusive praise of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan one of Israels most vociferous critics since the start of the war in Gaza was another surprising line in a press conference full of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, Erdogan called on God to punish Netanyahu and said at an election rally, We will send the person called Netanyahu to Allah. For months, Erdogan has kept up a steady stream of anti-Israel and specifically anti-Netanyahu rhetoric. Sitting right next to Netanyahu, Trump heaped praise on Erdogan. I have great relations with a man named Erdogan, Trump said. Hes a tough guy. Hes very smart. Trump said he thought he could work out any disagreement between Turkey and Israel. I think it was especially embarrassing for Netanyahu, because last week, Erdogan said he thinks Israel should be destroyed or eliminated, said Alon Liel, Israels former ambassador to Turkey. It was a very small part (of the press conference), but very meaningful. During a speech marking the Muslim holiday of Eid al Fitr on March 31, Erdogan called on God to condemn Israel to misery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump did give Netanyahu some political cover back home. The two leaders said theyre working on another deal to bring Israeli hostages back from Gaza. Trump said Netanyahu was working on it constantly, even as the Israeli leader faces continued criticism that hes not doing enough to return the hostages. Trump said hed like to see the war stop and I think the war will stop at some point, that wont be in the too-distant future. For Netanyahu, a ceasefire would be a poisoned chalice, since his government relies on the support of far-right parties that adamantly oppose an end to the war. Referring to Netanyahu by his nickname, Shaked said, Bibi is coming back home with empty, empty hands. Not Iran, not Gaza, not the kidnapped people. Nothing at all. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) An infants broken bones led to child abuse charges being filed Monday against a Lancaster County woman, according to police. Coralys Baerga-Diaz, 29, of Lancaster, is accused of causing injuries to the baby from Nov. 6 to Dec. 16, the charging documents filed by East Lampeter Township police show. Doctors found 16 fractured ribs that were in various stages of healing, along with two fractured clavicles and a broken left Ulna, police said in the charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now abc27 Evening Newsletter Police met with the doctors after getting a report from Lancaster County Children and Youth Agency about the month-old baby being at Penn State Childrens Hospital in Hershey and spoke with them. According to the charges, a doctor reported they thought the injuries were consistent with abuse, and since the bones were in different stages of healing, it meant the baby was assaulted multiple times. When confronted, police said Baerga-Diaz allegedly admitted to not speaking with her pediatrician about the baby screaming. According to the charges, Baerga-Diaz said that the baby would scream and not cry like a normal baby. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dog left abandoned in crate at Lancaster County park Police learned during their investigation that Baerga-Diaz screams and a family member calms her down. There were at least two times that Baerga-Diaz was alone with the infant while the family member was away, police said. Baerga-Diaz faces felony charges of aggravated assault victim less than 13 defendant older than 18 and endangering the welfare of children. She also faces a misdemeanor charge of simple assault. She is out on unsecured bail set at $250,000 by Magisterial District Judge B. Denise Commons and she has a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 23. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. When you think of historic small towns, does Newport, Kentucky, come to mind? If not, it should. USA TODAY announced its top historic small towns Wednesday as part of its 10Best Readers Choice Awards, and Newport ranked No. 6. It came in just above Mackinac Island, Michigan, and right under Ruston, Louisiana. The city, which was founded in 1790, is the oldest Northern Kentucky river town and home to the second-largest historic district in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. However, Newport really etched itself in the history books during Prohibition. Newport ranked No. 6 among the best historic small towns in the U.S. From the 1920s to the 1960s, the riverfront town served as stomping grounds for celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Shirley MacLaine. It was also a place U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy condemned in 1963 as "known nationally for wide-open gambling and prostitution" and where "law enforcement was deeply corrupted." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city's criminal underworld, full of gambling, mafias and rampant crimes, earned Newport the name Sin City, a title Las Vegas would eventually take over. "Today, Newport is a family-friendly town with a strong historic core six districts are found on the National Register of Historic Places including Mansion Hill, East Newport, and Monmouth Street," 10Best wrote. USA TODAY 10Best invites a panel of industry experts to nominate their favorite points of interest and attractions across a wide range of categories. 10Best editors then vet the nominations and select a final set of nominees, which readers vote on over a four-week period. Here's a look at the top 10 best historic small towns, according to USA TODAY readers. Best Historic Small Towns, according to USA TODAY 10Best Granbury, Texas. Abilene, Kansas. Worthington, Ohio. Ludington, Michigan. Ruston, Louisiana. Newport, Kentucky. Mackinac Island, Michigan. Castine, Maine. Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Astoria, Oregon. USA TODAY is owned by The Enquirer's parent company, Gannett. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Kentucky town named 1 of the best historic small towns in the US A Delaware judge ruled Wednesday that the conservative news outlet Newsmax Media defamed Dominion Voting Systems through its false reporting, which accused the voting machine company of rigging the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Dominion is seeking $1.6 billion in damages to be determined by a Delaware jury in a trial scheduled to begin on April 28 in Wilmington, said Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis. The Denver-based company sued Newsmax in 2021 for airing false claims that Dominion machines had stolen the election from President Donald Trump, who was defeated by President Joe Biden. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump and his allies spent weeks after the vote making wild claims that the election was stolen, without ever presenting any credible evidence of fraud. President Trump still baselessly insists he won in 2020. In a lengthy ruling, Judge Davis stated that Newsmax's assertions in its broadcasts that Dominion aided in election fraud, manipulated votes using an algorithm, was linked to Venezuela, paid kickbacks to government officials, and was connected to voting irregularities in Dallas were false and amounted to defamation. Davis said that, in addition to damages, jurors must determine if Dominion is entitled to punitive damages, which can be awarded if Newsmaxs conduct is deemed willful and wanton. A Dominion representative said in a statement to Reuters that the company was gratified by the court's thorough ruling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A statement from Newsmax provided to The Independent said: Newsmax covered both sides of the 2020 election dispute fairly. At no time did it defame Dominion. This case represents a serious threat to free speech and a free press and Newsmax will defend itself vigorously at trial. A banner for Newsmax Inc. is displayed during the company's IPO at the New York Stock Exchange (REUTERS) Shares of Newsmax fell more than 10% in late Wednesday trading, while broader stock indexes posted their biggest rally in years after President Trump announced a 90-day pause in tariffs against U.S. trading partners. At the close of trading, it stood at $34.71. The company only debuted on the New York Stock Exchange last month after an initial public offering that raised $75 million. When the stock began trading, its value surged to more than $220 a share from an initial price of $10 before dramatically falling back. Last year, Newsmax agreed to pay $40 million to settle defamation allegations made by Smartmatic, a voting machine company that also filed similar allegations. The company also had to issue a five-year cash exercise warrant for the voting machine firm to purchase 2,000 shares of preferred stock in the conservative cable channel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details of the settlement were revealed in the Newsmax investment prospectus, which also noted that there was an inherent risk to investors due to the ongoing defamation case brought by Dominion. Dominion settled a similar defamation lawsuit with Fox News in 2023 for $787.5 million, just as the case was about to go to trial two years ago in front of the same judge. Smartmatic has also taken legal action against Fox News. With reporting from Reuters Julie and Richard hold a stuffed animal that belongs to their daughter in their home in southeastern New Hampshire. The two have dealt with extensive challenges caring for their daughter, and the Office of the Child Advocate has been one of the few agencies able to help. (Photo by William Skipworth/New Hampshire Bulletin) In January, Julie and her husband, Richard, from southeastern New Hampshire, were being told two seemingly contradictory things: They needed to pick up their daughter, who has struggled with severe behavioral problems due to her reactive attachment disorder, from her treatment program at state-owned Hampstead Hospital or else face child abandonment charges. At the same time, they were being investigated for child abuse. Im like, Wait, wait, wait let me understand, Julie recounted. You are investigating us for abusing this girl because you believe that were locking her in her closet and refusing her food, and youre also telling us, if we do not pick her up from Hampstead Hospital, that we are going to face child abandonment and neglect charges? And she said, Right. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The situation, which caused anxiety and stress for the parents, was part of a long series of challenges they faced raising their daughter. But it was during this incident that they were connected with the New Hampshire Office of the Child Advocate. The watchdog agency was established by the state Legislature in 2018 to oversee the states child welfare, juvenile justice, and care systems, and advocate for the best interests of children. Julie and Richard said it was among the only entities able to help them do right by their daughter. Now, the Office of the Child Advocate is one of the agencies on the chopping block as Republicans seek to shrink the state budget. An altered state Julie and Richard adopted their daughter in 2022 soon after moving to New Hampshire. (The Bulletin is not naming the daughter or using the familys last name to protect her privacy.) My husband and I got married a little bit later in life, Julie said. We were in our late 40s when we met, and we were both very, very eager to start a family through adoption. In New Hampshire, they began the foster-to-adopt process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Really quickly after we got approved, I would say, within a couple of weeks, we got a phone call that there was a little girl who needed emergency respite placement, Julie said. There was an incident at her foster home, and so she spent a weekend with us, and it was a wonderful weekend. A couple days later they were told shed need an adoptive home soon, and they didnt hesitate. Less than a week after meeting her, she permanently moved in with us, Julie continued. And there was just a series of things that occurred that really, really highlighted to us how much need there is to better fund agencies in the state that are taking care of the states most vulnerable children. Their new daughter, who was 8 at the time of adoption, had an extensive history of abuse and neglect from her biological family, they said. The couple was horrified by documents they received outlining what the girl had experienced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every abuse you could think of, she suffered at her bio family, Richard said. Their daughter was soon diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder, a rare condition that predominately affects children in the foster system. It occurs when a young child doesnt establish healthy attachments with parents or caregivers, and becomes unable to do so in the future. It can lead to severe behavioral challenges. For Julie and Richards daughter, the condition caused her to become violent. Once the adoption was finalized, their daughter lost access to the therapy and supports she was receiving in the foster system. This now fell all upon Julie and Richard, who promptly began seeking similar supports, but struggled navigating several complex systems with little guidance from the state. Their daughter would often have violent episodes, and endanger herself and others as a symptom of her disorder, they explained. They and others, such as school counselors, had to call 911 several times, and their daughter has had to stay in hospitals throughout the state, including in Portsmouth, Concord, and Dover. There were incidents with knives, screwdrivers, and pills; sometimes, they said, shed do thousands of dollars of property damage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It got to a point where we had to lock up all our knives and silverware and anything that she could use as a weapon, Richard said. Because when she would get into these states, anything and everything she could find, she would use as a weapon. Julie emphasized how this is a result of her condition. Weve had brain scans done now with neurofeedback, Julie said. And we saw clearly before and after scans where she did not, at that time, have any physiological capability to control her impulses. She was in an altered state, and thats why, you know, she would grab anything she could, to punch, to hit, to kick, to break things. Over the years, theyve seen a number of therapists and utilized several programs, including in Vermont, Missouri, and Massachusetts. How do we take her home? Aside from, you know, a few individuals that weve worked with, we really believe there are too many broken systems in New Hampshire for the children who are most vulnerable, Julie said. And the most egregious experience in the state we had is with Hampstead Hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After an emergency department visit, Julie and Richards daughter was transferred to Hampstead Hospital, New Hampshires only acute psychiatric hospital and residential treatment facility for youth and young adults, in 2023. They said that after she was at Hampstead for 10 days, they received a call saying she needed to be picked up. My response was, Wait, wait, wait, she is incapable of spending any time in person with me without punching and kicking and hitting, Julie explained. How do we take her home? Were going to have to call 911, again. And theyre like, Yeah, exactly. Thats how the state works, but you have to come pick her up. They retrieved their daughter, and as they expected, they called 911 because she got violent. They continued trying to work with their daughter through her struggles, but in December 2024, she was getting violent with others and threatening self harm, so she was admitted to an emergency room at Portsmouth Hospital, which eventually referred her to Hampstead Hospital again. A few weeks later, in January 2025, Hampstead Hospital again demanded they bring their daughter home, this time threatening them with child abandonment charges. They refused to have a care team meeting. Julie said they were screaming at her like a banshee. Meanwhile, they learned they were being investigated by the state for child abuse its common for children with reactive attachment disorder to falsely accuse parents of abuse or neglect, according to the organization RAD Advocates. Additionally, there was no safety plan to ensure a repeat incident didnt occur, and they were providing no further support at home. Julie and Richard said they were certain if they brought their daughter home, theyd be forced to call 911 again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we were really abusing our daughter, why would you want the child going home? Richard said. Audra Burns, media relations director for Dartmouth Health, which runs Hampstead Hospital through a contract with the state, said in a statement, We cannot comment on individual patient matters. Hampstead Hospital and Residential Treatment Facility cares for very complex pediatric behavioral health needs and has robust risk assessments and discharge planning to ensure patients are cared for when and where will be most beneficial. (In February, Dartmouth Health took over the hospital entirely; prior to that, it was contracted to assist with a portion of the operations.) Jake Leon, communications director for the Department of Health and Human Services, (Hampstead Hospital is owned by the state) said in a statement: The Department is unable to comment on the specifics of this case due to patient confidentiality laws. The teams at Hampstead Hospital and Dartmouth Health work with DCYF to determine the best long-term treatment path when it is time for a patient to be discharged from a residential setting, factoring in both patient and community safety. The States goal is to reduce time spent in residential treatment where appropriate and help youth achieve long-term stability with family and community-based solutions supported by the Behavioral Health System of Care. Like a 180 After their daughters most recent stay at Hampstead Hospital, Julie and Richard consulted a representative from a program called Fast Forward, who suggested they reach out to the Office of the Child Advocate. Throughout this yearslong process, Julie and Richard have felt mostly alone with little guidance on how to navigate this system and what to do when they believe the system isnt doing right by their daughter. Theyd gotten conflicting advice from different therapists and providers. However, the Office of the Child Advocate was one of a few exceptions to that (along with Fast Forward), they said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We were being asked to do something where we felt there were going to be extraordinary safety concerns for our daughter, Julie said. And there was no empathy or compassion or planning or concern for our daughters safety, until the Office of the Child Advocate got involved. Jason Taylor, an assistant child advocate on the team, told them to call their bluff, Julie recounted. Hes like, Given your story, theres no judge in this state that is going to file charges against you, she said. You have done more than any family would ever be capable of doing, let alone willing. And Hampstead Hospital does this all the time. Taylor helped them keep their daughter in Hampstead Hospital, which wanted to discharge her, until a bed opened up at a facility in Massachusetts. And the couple recruited over a dozen loved ones to write character references and email them to the state with Taylor copied. This got the investigation into them closed, unsubstantiated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday morning, I still remember, Julie said. It was 10 oclock. I was in the car. I got a call from (the state), and shes like, I think theres been some confusion, and I just want to clear some things up. We dont believe theres any abuse going on in your home, and we dont want to file child abandonment charges. When the Office of Child Advocate got involved, it was like a 180, Richard added. Julie said the difference between the Massachusetts facility and previous ones theyd been at, particularly in Missouri, was night and day. The two said complex situations like theirs are difficult to navigate without an entity designed to advocate on behalf of the child. Theyve heard that many others have had issues at Hampstead Hospital specifically. They also acknowledged that it must be even more difficult for families who dont have the financial resources they have. Richard said theyd spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on treatment programs, therapies, and other supports in addition to state-funded programs, and Julie was able to quit her job to focus on their daughters treatments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They wonder how different their story would be if theyd known about the Office of the Child Advocate sooner or how much money the state wouldve saved if it had invested even more in it and similar programs meant to catch issues on the front end before they grow into more costly and devastating tragedies. We need the money Julie and Richards interactions with the Office of the Child Advocate came a few months before Republicans in the New Hampshire House of Representatives proposed eliminating the office as a cost-cutting measure. The Legislature is in the middle of the lengthy state budgeting process during a difficult fiscal year. After Gov. Kelly Ayotte released her two-year budget proposal in February, the Republican-led House Ways and Means Committee decided her revenue projections, which predicted a quick economic turnaround after years of lagging business tax revenues, were too optimistic, and the House Finance Committee began proposing funding cuts. In March, Republicans on House Finance Division I, one of three legislative subcommittees working on the budget, identified the Office of the Child Advocate and several other agencies as areas to cut. That committee voted 5-4, along party lines, to recommend the full House eliminate the Office of the Child Advocate, fire its staff, and repeal the statutes that created it. Doing so would save the state about $2 million over two years. The House was looking to trim nearly $800 million to match the governors budget to their projections. Rep. Kenneth Weyler, chairman of the House Finance Committee, and Rep. Dan McGuire, chairman of House Finance Division I, did not respond to requests for comment or an interview from the Bulletin. However, at the March work session where they voted to recommend elimination, McGuire said the office as well as the Commission on Aging, and the Housing Appeals Board, which they also voted to eliminate are sort of nice-to-haves, but theyre not necessary. We need the money, he continued. I dont know how to put it any blunter. On Thursday, the full House is set to vote on the budget. If they vote in favor of the budget without an amendment restoring the Office of the Child Advocate, the Senate will consider it. The Senate will have the ability to restore the Office of the Child Advocate or keep it out of the budget. Once they approve a budget and reconcile it with the House if needed, it will go to the governor, who will get the final sign-off. The House budget proposal being considered Thursday would also eliminate the Office of Early Childhood Education, the State Council on the Arts, the Human Rights Commission, the states right-to-know ombudsman, the Housing Appeals Board, and the Governors Scholarship Fund. It would also cut down on state staffing, eliminating 190 positions from the Department of Corrections; 34 in the Liquor Commission; 27 from the Department of Education; 14 in the Department of Business and Economic Affairs; eight in the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources; eight in the Department of Safety; five in the Secretary of States Office; and three in the Insurance Department. The budget also includes cuts of roughly $50 million to the University System of New Hampshire, $46 million to the Department of Health and Human Services, $14.7 million to the Department of Justice, $10 million to the Department of Information Technology, $8.7 million to the New Hampshire Retirement System, $7.9 million to the judicial branch, $6 million to the Department of Environmental Services, $1 million to the legislative branch, $600,000 to the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and $100,000 to the governors office. At the same time, the House proposal seeks to expand the states voucher-like education freedom accounts program, making it universal by 2026-2027 school year, for an estimated cost of $91 million over two years. Lets not cut things that protect the children Cassandra Sanchez, the New Hampshire child advocate and head of the office, said Julie and Richards story is not entirely uncommon. Sanchez and Taylor arent allowed to discuss specific cases under department policy, but Sanchez spoke generally about this type of situation, which she said is one we see far too often at the office. New Hampshire Child Advocate Cassandra Sanchez speaks on April 2, 2024, in Concord. (Photo by Ethan DeWitt/New Hampshire Bulletin) We have received so many of those calls from families a large number of them adoptive families, others biological families having attempted to utilize everything available to them in the system, and really at a loss for what to do, because they dont feel they can keep their child safe, Sanchez said. We have become highly involved in those cases, understanding the importance of getting children swiftly into the appropriate level of care, especially if theyre in the acute need for Hampstead Hospital. She said theyve seen numerous issues at Hampstead Hospital, which she said has had staffing issues and has been unable to utilize all their beds. She said her office spends a significant amount of time at Hampstead Hospital, monitoring the services and speaking with children there. Meanwhile, Julie and Richard hope others see the value in the child advocate. If theres a subset of people who do not have a voice, do not have a mechanism for advocating for themselves, its children, right? she said. So that should be the one place where, no matter what your political leaning is, you can get around this. Like, lets not cut things that protect the children who dont have a voice, that cant help themselves, right? An NHS trust is trying to shut the public out of a tribunal about a transgender doctor being allowed to use a female hospital changing room, The Telegraph can reveal. NHS Fife has asked the judge overseeing the landmark case brought by nurse Sandie Peggie to remove public access to an online livestream of the tribunals proceedings. The board told The Telegraph it wanted to restrict virtual viewing of the tribunal so that only journalists could watch it when it restarts in July. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NHS Fife said the first stage of the tribunal was marred by technical issues and interruptions from public observers watching online, which it said caused significant delays to proceedings. The board has also asked for a ban on an open justice campaign group for posting live social media updates about the case on X, formerly Twitter. But Ms Peggies supporters attacked the deeply cynical move by NHS Fife and argued that the tribunal should be available to all to watch, given the considerable public interest in the case. Although they acknowledged there were technological challenges during the first stage of the hearing, they argued these could be easily resolved by preventing online observers from activating their microphones or cameras. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Tories accused the health board of secrecy over the tribunal and of trying to find any excuse to keep it out of view from the public. Judge Sandy Kemp will issue rulings on both NHS Fifes applications at a hearing being held behind closed doors on Tuesday next week. NHS Fife accused Ms Peggie of misconduct after she challenged the presence of Dr Beth Upton, who is a trans woman, in a female changing room at Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy. At the time, it was not possible for Dr Upton to hold a gender recognition certificate, meaning the medic was legally male. But the doctor claimed during the first stage of the tribunal to be biologically female. Dr Beth Upton, who is a trans woman, was accused of sexual harassment for using the female changing room at Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy - Iain Masterton / Alamy Live News In May last year, Ms Peggie submitted a formal claim to an employment tribunal against NHS Fife and Dr Upton for sexual harassment, belief discrimination and victimisation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The nurse complained of being required to share a single-sex space with someone she believed to be male and being victimised for holding a gender-critical belief that biological sex is immutable. Last September, NHS Fife and Dr Upton sought an order to hold the tribunal in private and prevent the publication of the doctors name, citing concerns about the medics health and safety. But this was rejected on the grounds that the issues involved were of legitimate public debate and that open justice must be upheld. A livestream of the tribunal, which started on Feb 3 this year, attracted huge numbers of public observers. But the viewing system that was used was similar to that in a conference call. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This meant that those observers that failed to mute their computers microphones or switch off their cameras could be seen and heard on a large screen that had been erected in the tribunal. In one example, a woman who logged in could be seen and heard drying her hair. The judge limited access to the livestream to accredited journalists for the final days. Restrictions should be made permanent NHS Fife argued this temporary restriction on non-media observers should be made permanent, saying: The technical issues and interruptions caused significant delays which impacted the Tribunals progress. A request has therefore been made that this approach be maintained in July. If these requests are granted, accredited media and press outlets will still be permitted to report on matters and in-person public access to the hearing will remain available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The board has also asked that the judge revoke permission for a group called Tribunal Tweets to post live updates about the proceedings on X. NHS Fife said it had received a public complaint about the posts, adding: Our legal team at the Central Legal Office carried out an analysis of the tweets, and found a number of inaccuracies. Following this review, a request was therefore made to the Tribunal to revoke Tribunal Tweets permission to live-tweet proceedings, on the grounds that reporting must be fair and accurate. Tess White, the Scottish Tories shadow equalities minister, said: This reeks of an attempt at secrecy and cover-up from NHS Fife. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is understandably huge public interest in this case, yet this health board are trying to find any excuse from keeping it out of view from the public. Tribunal Tweets and three other groups wrote to HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) arguing that improvements should be made to the livestreaming service rather than restricting public access to court proceedings. Murray Blackburn Mackenzie, a policy analysis group, Sex Matters, a human rights charity and For Women Scotland, a feminist campaign group, joined forces with the open justice group to contact Nick Goodwin, the tribunal services chief executive. They argued that public observers logging in to watch the tribunal should be automatically muted and have their cameras disabled, and for capacity to be increased as the technology could not support the high numbers of individuals dialling in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lisa Mackenzie, the director of Murray Blackburn Mackenzie, said: This is an important case that has generated considerable public interest. Seeking to restrict access to the HMCTS livestream, when there are very few seats in the public gallery, is a deeply cynical move by NHS Fife and one that we hope will be resisted by the employment tribunal judge. It should be pressing for the technical issues to be resolved instead of seeking to put in place further barriers to open justice. A spokesman for Tribunal Tweets said: The respondents have applied to have our permission to report using live text based communications revoked. We will contest that application and believe that we have respected the relevant order and hope to be allowed to continue to report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HMCTS was approached for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Preparations for popular, often daylong Lent and Holy Week processions are underway across Latin America but not in Nicaragua. Theyve been largely banned for a second year, one of many concerns for the faithful in a country that human rights advocates, exiled priests and the U.S. government say is pursuing one of the worlds most flagrant persecutions of religion. The Associated Press spoke with several priests who are in exile in different countries, some after being imprisoned in inhumane conditions in Nicaragua. All requested their names, current locations and circumstances of departure from the Central American country be withheld for fear of repercussions against their families there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 200 religious figures are in exile, making it difficult to hold Mass or hear confessions in Nicaragua, especially in small villages. Many pastors still in Nicaragua are under near-constant surveillance, obliged to inform the police if they want to visit someone whos ill and to submit drafts of their sermons for approval, according to those in exile and human rights activists. With their bank accounts often frozen or stolen, some face shortages of food and medicine. One Catholic priest said his fellow clergy are trying to serve their flock while feeling constrained by constant threat. U.S. denounces Nicaraguas crackdown on religion Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. government has condemned the Nicaraguan government led by co-presidents Daniel Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo for the crackdown that seems to have intensified in recent years. On his February trip to the region, Secretary of State Marco Rubio singled out the Nicaraguan governments effort to eliminate the Catholic Church and the religious community, and anyone who tries to take power from that regime is punished. In its annual report published in March, the U.S. governments Commission on International Religious Freedom denounced conditions in Nicaragua as abysmal. More than 80% of the population is Christian, about evenly divided between Catholics and evangelicals. Religious freedom is kind of the canary in the coal mine for the jeopardy of all human rights, said the commissions chair, Stephen Schneck. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commission found that over the last year, the Nicaraguan government harassed and deported Catholic clergy, used intimidation and manipulation to force leaders of the Indigenous Moravian Church into exile, arrested members of the evangelical Mountain Gateway ministry and allowed attacks on sanctuaries, including arson that destroyed a 400-year-old crucifix in the capital, Managua. The commission denounced the arbitrary cancellation of legal status of most faith-based organizations, which often leads to property seizures. All nuns were ordered to leave the country. These are the nuns that really care for the poorest of the poor, said Maureen Ferguson, one of the U.S. commissioners. What happens to them when these religious institutions, people motivated by faith, are exiled? Government tries to co-opt faith, critics say Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To prevent last years Easter-time processions, thousands of police were deployed, according to the report. Only clergy aligned with the government are allowed outdoor worship. Local governments often create parallel festivities to give the impression that popular piety is still free, advocacy groups like British-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide say. Thats part of the strategy to try to co-opt the clergy and the faithful, said Felix Maradiaga, a Nicaraguan opposition leader and practicing Catholic who was jailed, then exiled to the United States in 2023. The Sandinista government has a long history of trying to create a parallel church, of wanting to take possession of the symbols of faith, said Maradiaga, who wasnt allowed to pray publicly or to have a Bible while imprisoned. The model that Sandinistas want to implement is very similar to that of China. They will not stop their pressure on the Catholic Church until they obtain a bishops conference in some way aligned with the dictatorships ideology. They will not succeed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tensions between Nicaragua and faith leaders Like several Latin American governments tracing their roots back to socialist revolutions, Nicaraguas Sandinista National Liberation Front has had an uneven relationship with faith leaders for decades. The Catholic Church drew the current governments ire when priests and nuns provided shelter and first aid to those injured when the Ortega government violently repressed civic protests in 2018. The government has blamed terrorist clergy for supporting unrest. Clergy and lay observers say the church has been an increasingly rare voice opposing state violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A college professor when the protests started, Maradiaga said students called him saying Theyre killing us and clergy opened their churches doors. What the church did was put itself on the side of those who were being persecuted, Maradiaga recalled. Several priests in exile said they witnessed youth being shot during the protests and tended to them, seeing it as an essential part of their ministry to help those hurting. New forms of repression, but lingering hope Martha Patricia Molina, a Nicaraguan lawyer who fled to the United States, has recorded nearly 1,000 instances of church persecution in Nicaragua from 2018 through 2024. Among those in the past year are arrests and deportations of clergy and the prohibition of a public Via Crucis procession the Lent devotion commemorating Jesus path to the cross. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The repression in the past few months has a new face. The people who are under attack now no longer speak out and denounce the abuses, because if they do that, the repression only grows, she said. Out of eight bishops and one cardinal in Nicaraguas Catholic conference, four are in exile along with more than 150 clergy and seminarians as well as nearly 100 nuns and religious sisters who were exiled, fled for their safety or havent been allowed back to Nicaragua, per Molinas count. According to the Vatican, Nicaragua has exiled five groups of priests since 2022, most to the United States and Rome including Bishop Rolando Alvarez, who was jailed for more than a year before being released and sent overseas in early 2024 after negotiations with the Holy See. For the December solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, to whom Nicaraguans are particularly devout, Pope Francis wrote a letter exhorting them not to doubt Gods care and mercy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The faithful continue to attend Mass although some have also taken to gathering in secret to avoid suspected government spies who record those in the pews, Molina and some clergy said. The fear is palpable, and personal. Molinas father died recently in the United States, so she asked a few priests in Nicaragua if they would be willing to say a Mass over his ashes. None was, fearing repercussions for their congregations. She hopes she might one day be able to return to grant her father burial in their homeland. Several of the clergy in exile said the ability to believe in a different future for their country is one thing they havent been forced to leave behind. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. JAKARTA, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The shipments of Indonesian products overseas do not depend heavily on the U.S. market, as the value of exports to the country is relatively small, a senior minister said here. Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said that China is currently Indonesia's top export destination. The minister emphasized that Indonesia's overseas shipments are not entirely reliant on a single export destination. He noted that the value of Indonesia's exports to the United States accounts for only 2.2 percent of gross domestic product. In terms of scale, Airlangga said that the U.S. market contributes just 17 percent of Indonesia's total trade value. He added that the government is working to boost trade with countries beyond the United States. "Trade with other countries, which contributes 83 percent of our total trade value, represents a significant opportunity. The U.S. market only contributes 17 percent," he said at an event on Tuesday. As part of its effort to broaden market access beyond the United States, Airlangga said the Indonesian government is actively pursuing a number of international trade agreements and initiatives. ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) Nigerian health authorities are struggling to contain a rapidly spreading meningitis outbreak that has so far killed 151 people across the west African nation, mostly in remote parts of the northern region with children affected the most. While cases first recorded in October have spread to 23 of Nigerias 36 states, nearly half of the deaths, 74, were reported this year, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control said this week, with local partners describing the recent rise in fatalities as alarming. Most deaths from the disease have been mainly due to infected people not going to health facilities or arriving there late with severe complications, NCDC spokesperson Sani Datti told The Associated Press, a common problem in past outbreaks in the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The current outbreak has hit Africas most populous country as its health sector reels from U.S. aid cuts ordered by the Trump administration in February that have affected multiple countries. Nigeria relied heavily on such aid over the years to help fight similar outbreaks and support its underfunded healthcare systems. Seasonal meningitis outbreaks are common during the dry season, especially in northern Nigeria. Almost all the worst-hit states are in the north, where health providers have warned the outbreak is rapidly spreading in hard-to-reach areas. Meningitis, more common during the hot season in Nigeria, affects the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Its a major public health challenge for a country already grappling with the worlds highest burden of malaria, according to the World Health Organization. Last week, Nigeria received the first batch of more than 1 million vaccine doses from the global vaccine alliance Gavi, described by local officials as a crucial milestone in disease response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Nigeria CDC also said it is working with state authorities to scale up disease surveillance with a focus on tracking new cases, laboratory testing, and public sensitization campaigns to curb the outbreak. Campaigns are also being rolled out, urging residents to take precautionary measures and seek immediate medical attention if they are experiencing symptoms such as high fever, stiff neck and severe headaches. However, access to hospitals remains a huge problem, local partners say. We have seen hundreds of admissions and scores of deaths in just a few weeks. The high fatality rate is due to access (to) care, there are challenges with that and low vaccination coverage, said Simba Tirima, Nigerias country representative for French medical charity Doctors Without Borders, or MSF. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tirima told the AP that the most vulnerable are residents in remote areas who often arrive late to MSF facilities. We know that meningitis progresses rapidly, and patients' (conditions) can deteriorate in 24 hours, he said, calling for mass vaccination campaigns. For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. By Ahmed Kingimi MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) - Nigeria's Islamist group Boko Haram has renewed attacks and kidnappings in northeastern Borno state with little push back from security forces, suggesting that authorities in the region were losing ground to insurgents, the state's governor has said. Militants from Boko Haram and its offshoot Islamic State West Africa Province have mainly operated in the northeast of Nigeria, attacking security forces and civilians and killing and displacing tens of thousands of people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the last few years, Nigeria's military had managed to push back against Boko Haram while internal fights with ISWAP further weakened the group. Borno state governor Babagana Zulum said Boko Haram had recently upped attacks, dislodging some military formations in several districts and killing civilians and security forces. "It is a setback in the fragile state of Borno and the North East region," Zulum said during a meeting with security forces in Borno state capital Maiduguri on Tuesday. Zulum added that "the renewed Boko Haram attacks and kidnappings in many communities, almost on a daily basis without confrontation, signalled that Borno state is losing ground." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nigeria's military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Boko Haram, which is based in Borno state, has adapted its tactics over time, including the use of drones for surveillance and attacks, the military says. Nigeria's task in the northeast has also been made harder by Niger's withdrawal from the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) fighting armed Islamist groups in the Lake Chad region. MNJTF includes soldiers from Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon. Zulum said Nigeria should put more effort in deploying technological warfare to "stem the tide of all renewed attacks bedevilling parts of the Sahelian Borno." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nigeria's military is stretched by insecurity across the country, including criminal armed gangs who kidnap for ransom as well as militants in the northwest, and deadly farmer-herder clashes in the central belt. (Writing by MacDonald Dzirutwe, Editing by Chijioke Ohuocha and Aidan Lewis) WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) A Niles man was sentenced to three years probation in connection to a family dog attack that left a baby hospitalized. Read next: Woman sentenced to prison for overdose death of child Dillon Gallagher received his sentence Wednesday morning. He previously pleaded guilt to a third-degree felony charge of child endangering. It stems from a June 28 incident at Gallaghers Frederick Street home where he and his long-time girlfriend and the mother of the child, Brianna McNeese, reportedly fell asleep on a couch with their seven-week-old son. The couple woke up a few hours later to find the child on the floor with his diaper in shreds, and according to the prosecutor, the baby suffered life-threatening injuries which included bite marks, a lacerated liver and other internal injuries. A subsequent investigation by Niles police found that the child had been mauled by a German Shepherd in the house. The child spent a long period recovering in the Akron Childrens Hospital. Prior to sentencing, Gallagher addressed the court. I would first like to say I take full responsibility for what happened to my son, he said. Gallagher also told the court he thanks God every day his son is still alive. Im gonna live with the guilt and the blame for this for the rest of my life and I can guarantee wholeheartedly that nothing like this will ever happen again, he said. As part of his sentence, Gallagher will be subject to random drug and alcohol testing, isnt allowed in any bars or liquor establishments, will perform 100 hours of community service, and abide by all the recommendations of Trumbull County Children Services. McNeese was also sentenced to three years of community control last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gallaghers attorney says Gallaghers mother has custody of the child, who is doing 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. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A 33-year-old New Mexico man was found guilty of child sex crimes by a Lordsburg, New Mexico jury, the Office of the Sixth Judicial District Attorney announced. Eric Dominguez, 33, of Lordsburg, was found guilty of one count of criminal sexual penetration (first degree) and one count of false imprisonment (fourth degree), the DAs Office said. Sentencing for Dominguez will be held at a later date. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On May 16, 2023, a Hildago County Sheriffs deputy was dispatched to a Lordsburg Municipal School regarding a child victim who reported a sexual assault. The DAs Office said the victim told her teacher she was assaulted. The victim was 10 years old at the time of the crime, the DAs Office added. A forensic interview was done and at trial, expert testimony was given by a sexual assault nurse examiner, the DAs Office said. The jury deliberated for 20 minutes, the DAs Office said. We take great care when dealing with such young victims of any type of crime, especially sex crimes. Our victims advocates and legal prosecution team were a tremendous help with the victim and her legal guardians throughout the judicial process, District Attorney Norman R. Wheeler said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KRQE) New Mexico State University confirmed Tuesday night that six of its international students had their visas revoked by the federal government and could face deportation. The university said its unclear why their visas were revoked. Child diagnosed with measles in Chaves County, New Mexico It does coincide with President Donald Trumps Administrations crackdown on students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests. Student visas are approved by the State Department, and their legal status is determined by the Department of Homeland Security while they are in the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPMs Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version. Halfway Down The Slippery Slope Occasionally, something emerges from the daily litany of Trump II destruction, corruption, and retribution that helps focus the mind and clarify the stakes. Over the weekend, President Trump responded favorably to the suggestion from the president of El Salvador that he could house U.S. prisoners in his notorious prisons: I love that, Trump told reporters on Air Force One. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it was the casualness and assuredness with which the White House press secretary confirmed from the briefing room podium that the president has both publicly and privately considered transferring U.S. citizens convicted of crimes to El Salvador that set off alarm bells: Leavitts remarks came just one day after Justice Sonia Sotomayor warned that the Trump administrations position in the Alien Enemies Act case means even a U.S. citizen would have no legal recourse if secretly swept up and rendered to a foreign prison: The implication of the Governments position is that not only noncitizens but also United States citizens could be taken off the streets, forced onto planes, and confined to foreign prisons with no opportunity for redress if judicial review is denied unlawfully before removal. History is no stranger to such lawless regimes, but this Nations system of laws is designed to prevent, not enable, their rise. It is why two distinguished law professors warned in a NYT op-ed today: We should all be very, very afraid. SCOTUS Still Hasnt Ruled On Mistaken Deportation We are still awaiting the Supreme Courts important decision on whether the Trump administration has to try to retrieve Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the El Salvadoran man it admits it deported to a prison in his home country in error in violation of a immigration judges order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump Justice Department filed a sneering argument with the Supreme Court yesterday, prompting Abrego Garcias lawyers to ask for permission to file an additional reply to set the record straight. Alien Enemies Act Challenges Resume Advocates for Venezuelan nationals swept up by Trumps invocation of the Alien Enemies Act swiftly went back to court following Mondays Supreme Court setback. In the most prominent case, two of the original plaintiffs filed a new lawsuit in the Southern District of New York, seeking class action status for all the similarly situated migrants and asylum seekers. In a twist, the two plaintiffs, who had almost been deported on the March 15 flights from Texas, had subsequently been transferred back to New York, which allowed them to file their lawsuit there instead of Texas. Judge Sets Immediate Deadline In Khalil Case An immigration judge in Louisiana gave the Trump administration until 5 p.m. today (local time, I believe) to cough up evidence for why Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University graduate, should be deported. DHS can either can provide sufficient evidence or not, Judge Jamee Comans said, according to The Guardian. If hes not removable, Im going to terminate this case on Friday. Quote Of The Day Its totally silly. Theres no other way to say it, it makes no sense.Dani Rodrik, a professor of international political economy at Harvard Universitys John F. Kennedy School of Government, on President Trumps use of steep tariffs to combat bilateral trade deficits SCOTUS Gives Trump A Win On Federal Worker Purges The Supreme Court blocked a lower court order out of San Francisco that required the Trump administrations to rehire some 16,000 purged probationary federal government workers, ruling that the nonprofit organizations who brought the case lacked standing. A separate order in a Maryland case brought by 19 states and DC reinstating the workers remains still in place. The Soft Purges Along with the direct removals of federal workers to make room for loyalists, the Trump administration is acting in parallel to make remaining in government so intolerable that people leave on their own, opening up more opportunities to replace them with toadies: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement IRS : Several top IRS officials including acting Commissioner Melanie Krause are leaving the agency in response to an unprecedented agreement to share tax data with immigration officials. DOJ: At least half of the front-line lawyers in the DOJs office of solicitor general are preparing to leave or have already announced their departures, the WaPo reports. AP Beats White House In Court U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, one of the Trumpiest federal judges in DC, nonetheless ruled that Trump White House officials engaged in unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination when they denied access to the Associated Press because it didnt go along with the use of Gulf of America in its news stories. The Very Worst People On several occasions, Trump administration officials have refused to answer questions from journalists because their email signatures include their pronouns, the NYT reports. Dripping With Contempt When a federal judge in DC issued a temporary restraining order blocking President Trumps executive order targeting the Jenner & Block law firm, he directed the administration to give internal notice of his order. This is the snotty notice that went out: New Round Of Trump Attacks On Higher Ed Heres the latest: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cornell : Trump administration freezes more than $1 billion in federal funding. Northwestern : Trump administration freezes $790 million in federal funding. Princeton: The Commerce Department announced that it was ending nearly $4 million in funding for climate change research because itpromotes exaggerated and implausible climate threats. A Brutal Final Twist Of The Knife The Trump DOJ is taking the position that the federal government should return the restitution that the pardoned Jan. 6 rioters paid for the damage to the Capitol. Do you like Morning Memo? Let us know! Nonprofit Mercy Ships converts cruise ships into floating hospitals. Its first ship was an Italian cruiseliner, while another was previously a train ferry. Its newest ship, Global Mercy, was built for the nonprofit a $200 million project. Not all cruise ships are created equal. Instead of vacationers, some accommodate Olympic surfers, refugees, or, as is the case of Mercy Ships' two vessels, folks in need of surgery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since 1978, Christian nonprofit Mercy Ships has operated a fleet of cruise ships turned floating hospitals, providing complimentary medical services to the countries they visit. Onboard, reminders of the vessels' past life, like pools and hair salons, remain in place. Instead of waterslides and theater shows, the ships now have schools, operating rooms, CT scanners, and ICU beds. https://www.businessinsider.com/amenities-dining-activities-new-carnival-firenze-cruise-ship-2024-7 Mercy Ships has operated 5 vessels in its 47 years. The first was a converted Italian cruise liner. Mercy Ships' two vessels, Global Mercy and Africa Mercy, docked in Dakar, Senegal. Caleb Brumley The decision to use floating resorts was based on a simple fact: 40% of the world's population lives on a coastline. "Coastal, rural cities have high medical deserts because they face extreme isolation and lack of infrastructure," Kerry Peterson, the senior vice president of Mercy Ship's US office, told Business Insider in an email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The nonprofit provides its patients with dental care and seven surgery specialties, such as pediatric and women's health all for free. Mercy Ships' seven surgery specialties include maxillofacial, reconstructive plastic, and ophthalmic surgeries. Inge Wiersma Food, lodging, anesthesia, post-operation rehabilitation, and transportation are also complimentary, even if more than one operation is required. In addition, the ships also offer specialized postgraduate training to locals through partnered residencies, fellowships, and rotations. Mercy Ships currently has 2 vessels, Africa Mercy and Global Mercy. Mercy Ships has onboard schools for the children of its crew. Tirsa Tapia Zamora According to Peterson, the nonprofit provided 4,746 surgeries and 13,312 dental procedures and trained more than 900 healthcare workers in 2024. Both ships exclusively operate in African nations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like any typical cruise liner, Africa and Global Mercy have an auditorium, pool, library, cafe, and store. But instead of operating as vacations at sea, the two ships are more "akin to floating cities," Peterson said, noting there are onboard mechanical and carpentry shops, post office, bank, gym, salon, and laundromat. The nonprofit received a donation in early 2024 to fund the construction of a new vessel. Its first ship, Africa Mercy, was previously a train ferry before finding a second life. The 16,572-gross-ton Africa Mercy has undergone several modernization and sustainability upgrades, most recently in 2023. Caleb Brumley Mercy Ships acquired the Danish vessel, then known as Dronning Ingrid, in 1999. Following a $62 million refurbishment, it was re-deployed as Africa Mercy in 2007. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the nonprofit, as of June 2024, the floating hospital had performed more than 70,910 surgeries in countries such as Liberia, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Madagascar, and Cameroon. The 12,917-square-foot deck that once accommodated trains now serves as the hospital. Africa Mercy has cabins for couples and families. Tirsa Tapia Zamora The space includes a pharmacy, a radiology lab, five operating rooms, 75 acute care beds, and five ICU beds. In addition to patient beds, Africa Mercy also has 159 cabins for 470 crew, although it sees about 1,000 volunteers from surgeons to plumbers to housekeepers throughout the year. Accommodation options include dorm-style cabins and rooms for couples and families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second ship, Global Mercy, was built for the nonprofit. Global Mercy is 37,856-gross-ton and has administered more than 4,490 surgeries since June 2024. Maria Anne van der Spijk Mercy Ships began construction on its newest addition, Global Mercy, in 2015 a $200 million investment, including the cost of equipment and the first patients. The nonprofit touts the 571-foot-long vessel, launched in 2022, as the largest civilian hospital vessel in the world. Larger than its predecessor, Global Mercy has 75,347 square feet of hospital space, including 102 acute care and seven ICU beds in addition to a simulation lab for its training program. It provides surgical care to about 1,500 patients annually, having so far served patients in Senegal, The Gambia, and Sierra Leone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Global Mercy has 277 staterooms that can accommodate 640 crew. Volunteers work with Mercy ships for as short as a few weeks to as long as several years. Tirsa Tapia Zamora Its solo, double, couple, family, guest, and VIP cabins see about 1,500 volunteers annually. Peterson said Mercy Ships encourages its volunteers to explore the countries during their free time, whether grabbing dinner in town or staying overnight onshore harkening back to the perks of a traditional cruise line. Read the original article on Business Insider GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) Multiple nonprofits are working together on a project leaders said will expand affordable housing options in a historically disadvantaged community in Greenville County. Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County and Juneteenth Greenville teamed up to build a new three-bedroom home on Zora Drive in Nicholtown. The home, which is a little more than 1200 sq. ft., is under construction and is expected to be move-in ready in the fall. Its going to be a celebration. A celebration of hope, opportunity and a stronger community, and a celebration of Juneteenth, said Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County VP. of Equity Joseph Fields. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The home is part of a bridge builder series which leaders for the non-profits said provides opportunities for more minorities to own homes. They invite the community to be part of the project by volunteering to help build the homes or by donating money. I think access to homeownership is crucial to building a legacy, to building wealth. I just think theres so much opportunity to grow from here, said Juneteenth Greenville Founder and CEO Rueben Hays. For us, its not just about building walls, its about opening up opportunities to bridge gaps and build communities. Its been an honor. Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County has built nearly half a dozen homes in Nicholtown in the last four years, according to Fields. Building in the Nicholtown community is very special. Its a historical neighborhood. Its very important to us to be able to build in that community, Fields also said. We want to build bridges in our community. It doesnt matter your background, it doesnt matter your ethnicity. Or your religious preference. We want to pull all those people together in the community to build something thats bigger than them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every Habitat for Humanity home requires sponsors. For the Juneteenth project in particular, nonprofit leaders are seeking $80,000 in sponsorships. Anyone whod like to be involved can find more details here. Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County and Juneteenth GVL will host a wall-raising event for volunteers on June 11th. The nonprofits are also slated to host a homeownership resource fair at Upstate Circle of Friends on June 16th from 4-7pm. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. PHNOM PENH, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia attracted fixed-asset investment of 2.5 billion U.S. dollars in the first quarter (Q1) of 2025, up almost 14 percent from 2.2 billion dollars in the same period last year, said a Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC)'s report released on Wednesday. The Southeast Asian country approved 172 investment projects during the January-March period this year, up from 106 projects over the same period last year, generating nearly 120,000 jobs, the CDC said. Key projects included an auto garage equipment manufacturer, a car tire plant, a car assembly plant, metal processing plants, plastic product factories, an aluminum processing plant, a medical equipment manufacturing factory, a solar-powered plant, and garment and travel goods factories. The top five foreign investors in the kingdom are from China, Singapore, the British Virgin Islands, Vietnam, and the Cayman Islands, the CDC said, adding that investment from China accounted for 56.2 percent of the total investment. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's Secretary of State and Spokesperson Penn Sovicheat said the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and Cambodia's bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) with China, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates are key factors in attracting foreign direct investment. "These regional and bilateral FTAs are magnets for foreign investors to Cambodia," he told Xinhua. Sovicheat said new investments will bring new capital, technologies and job opportunities for the Cambodian people. CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW) A North Carolina man on Tuesday pleaded guilty to drug charges and to fleeing from Horry County police, the 15th Circuit Solicitors Office said. Ryan Davenport, 41, of Tabor City, pleaded guilty to a second offense of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, and failure to stop for blue lights. Circuit Court Judge R. Keith Kelly sentenced Davenport to 10 years in prison. Davenport was arrested on April 3, 2024, by Horry County police after they tried conducting a traffic stop on his vehicle in the Loris area, the solicitors office said. Davenport led officers on a brief chase before he stopped his vehicle and was confrontational and attempted to discard several narcotic substances. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers collected those substances and searched Davenports vehicle, where they found more than eight grams of fentanyl and 14 grams of crack cocaine, according to the solicitors office. Davenport had multiple previous convictions of drug crimes. * * * 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. The North Carolina Legislative Building in Raleigh. (Photo: Clayton Henkel/NC Newsline) A North Carolina House panel advanced a bill expanding the investigative powers of the state auditors office Tuesday, though some raised concerns over the scope of agencies and individuals who could be subject to inquiries. Rep. Brenden Jones (Photo: ncleg.gov) The Judiciary 1 Committee voted in favor of House Bill 549 after presentations from sponsor Rep. Brenden Jones (R-Columbus), the second-ranked Republican in the House, and Kirk OSteen, the director of government affairs for the state auditors office. It will now head to the Committee on State and Local Government for further debate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill expands the auditors investigative powers to encompass any entity receiving state or federal funds, requiring the office to pursue any reports of improper governmental activities among those agencies, their employees, and any individuals who receive public funds including fraud, misappropriation and waste of public resources, and violation of state or federal laws. If enacted, the auditors office would also receive continuous and unrestricted access to any databases, datasets, and digital records deemed necessary for investigations, allowing the auditor to seek a court order if access is not provided. The bill also exempts the state auditors office from a number of statutory requirements, including legislation around the use of information technology and the North Carolina State Human Resources Act a level of independence Jones said is similar to that of the General Assembly and the state courts. Jones said in introducing the bill that it was largely directed by State Auditor Dave Bolieks staff, telling lawmakers, its not my dog, Im just walking it. He said the additional powers were crucial for improving government accountability and transparency. It strengthens the auditors independence, ensuring the office can do its job without red tape or delays or interference from other branches of government, Jones said. It allows the auditor to better follow the money by clarifying the ability to investigate individuals and organizations that receive state or federal funds. State auditor Dave Boliek. (File photo) The bill comes amid a substantial increase in the state auditors authority after the office flipped from Democratic to Republican in the 2024 election, the only Council of State office to do so. The House committee action came on the same day the state Senate approved a measure to establish a new team in the same office to scrutinize state spending and job openings. Lawmakers also gave Bolieks office administrative authority over the State Board of Elections and the ability to make appointments to it just weeks after the election, though the law is currently being challenged in state court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Brandon Lofton (D-Mecklenburg) raised concerns about the breadth of the new definition for state agencies, calling the bills proposal to open up any entity that receives state funds to the auditors full scrutiny broad and onerous. Any church that receives any grants, any factory that receives state incentives, any hospital or farm that receives subsidies, any private school that receives voucher money all these entities, no matter how much money they receive, are now subject to these requirements, Lofton said. That means that any of these entities would have to subject themselves to the auditor having continuous and unrestricted view of databases, data sets and digital records. OSteen, the auditors office staffer, said the bills intention is to be able to track any public funds that are issued and follow the money. He said the bills primary purpose is to clarify the auditors power rather than expand it, as the office already has ample authority for conducting investigations and audits. Rep. Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford) said she found the bills provision around investigating any individuals who receive state funds to be excessive, noting that it opens up anyone receiving money for Hurricane Helene relief for auditing. OSteen said those are the sorts of funds that the auditors office should be following. As far as going after individuals, its not the intention of the auditors office. Even if it was, theres no capacity to go that deep into individuals. Thats not the intention or the vision of the Auditor, OSteen said. Kim Jong-uns sister has attacked US-led efforts to remove North Koreas nuclear weapons. Kim Yo-jong, a politician and diplomat, warned on Wednesday that her countrys status as a nuclear power is permanent and called any suggestion it could give up its weapons of mass destruction a daydream. Her remarks came after the top diplomats of South Korea, Japan and the United States issued a statement on the sidelines of a Nato meeting last week in which they reaffirmed their resolute commitment to the complete denuclearisation of the isolated state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kim insisted that any external discussions of denuclearisation constitute the most hostile act and amount to a denial of her countrys sovereignty, claiming the countrys goals for nuclear weapons expansion are enshrined in its constitution. In comments to state media, she said: It only fully exposed the uneasiness of the US, Japan and the ROK [Republic of Korea], in a desperate plight of having to talk about denuclearisation in chorus. If the US and its vassal forces continue to insist on anachronistic denuclearisation it will only give unlimited justness and justification to the advance of the DPRK [North Korea] aspiring after the building of the strongest nuclear force for self-defence, she said. Kim Yo-Jong said US-led efforts to disarm her country were a daydream - Jorge Silva/Pool Photo via AP, File She said North Koreas nuclear weapons status can never be reversed by any physical strength or sly artifice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The statement was Kims second in a little over a month. In early March, she condemned Washington over the visit of a US Navy aircraft carrier to the South Korean port of Busan, accusing Donald Trumps administration of carrying forward the former administrations hostile policy. Tensions in the region have increased as its leader continues to flaunt his military nuclear capabilities and align with Russia over Vladimir Putins war on Ukraine. Kim is ignoring calls by Seoul and Washington to resume denuclearisation talks. Mr Trump has said he would reach out to Kim again to revive diplomacy, but the North has not responded to that offer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Trump and Kim met three times during the US presidents first term, but their diplomacy quickly collapsed over disagreements about ending US-led sanctions in return for North Korea taking steps to wind down its nuclear and missile programmes. Kims foreign policy priority is now Russia, which he has supplied with weapons and troops to help prolong its fighting in Ukraine. Seoul fears that Kim may receive economic assistance and advanced technology to develop his arsenal in exchange for its military supporting Russia. 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. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Wednesday mocked Washington and its Asian allies for what she called their daydream of denuclearizing the North, insisting that the country will never give up its nuclear weapons program. The statement by Kim Yo Jong, one of the country's top foreign policy officials, was in response to a meeting last week between the top diplomats of the United States, South Korea and Japan where they reaffirmed their commitment to push for the Norths denuclearization. Noting that North Koreas goals for nuclear weapons expansion are enshrined in its constitution, she insisted that any external discussions of denuclearization constitute the most hostile act and amount to a denial of her countrys sovereignty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the U.S. and its vassal forces continue to insist on anachronistic denuclearization it will only give unlimited justness and justification to the advance of the DPRK aspiring after the building of the strongest nuclear force for self-defense, she said in comments released by state media, using the initials of North Koreas formal name, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. She said North Koreas nuclear weapons status can never be reversed by any physical strength or sly artifice. Tensions in the regions have increased as Kim Jong Un continues to flaunt his military nuclear capabilities and align with Russia over President Vladimir Putins war on Ukraine. Kim is ignoring calls by Seoul and Washington to resume denuclearization talks. U.S. President Donald Trump has said he would reach out to Kim again to revive diplomacy, but the North has not responded to that offer. Trump and Kim met three times during Trumps first term, but their diplomacy quickly collapsed over disagreements about ending U.S.-led sanctions in return for North Korea taking steps to wind down its nuclear and missile programs. Kims foreign policy priority is now Russia, which he has supplied with weapons and troops to help prolong its warfighting in Ukraine. Seoul fears that Kim may receive economic assistance and advanced technology to develop his arsenal in exchange for its military supporting Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kim Yo Jongs statement came a day after South Korea fired warning shots to repel a group of North Korean soldiers who had crossed the border. South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said about 10 North Korean soldiers, some carrying weapons, violated the military demarcation line in the eastern section of the border. When South Korea issued warnings and fired warning shots, they did not return fire and returned to North Korea. It wasnt immediately clear whether acting president Han Duck-soo discussed the North Korean nuclear threat with U.S. President Donald Trump during a telephone conversation on Tuesday. Trump said in a social media post that the two leaders discussed tariffs, trade and Seouls payment for what he called the big time military protection the United States provides to South Korea. There are concerns in Seoul that Trump might push South Korea to pay significantly more of the costs for the some 28,000 U.S. troops stationed in the country. Video: Officer Norman inspiring future generations of police officers NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Officer Tommy Norman will be recognized by the U.S. Veterans Hall of Fame for his dedication to public service Wednesday. The organizations founder and board of directors representatives will honor Norman in the community room of the North Little Rock Justice Center. The community policing of the North Little Rock Police Department will also be recognized. The event will begin at 1 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Normans Neighborhood: Officer Norman seen as father figure in North Little Rock community Norman will also be honored at the national Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Saturday, Nov. 8, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He has gained national attention through his method of community policing in North Little Rock. With thousands of followers on social media, he shows how law enforcement can connect with the community beyond the badge. Norman has been recognized locally and nationally, receiving the Difference Maker Award, Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award and being featured on NBCs The Today Show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Normans Neighborhood: Officer Norman impacting generation after generation KARK 4 News highlights the ongoing efforts Norman makes in the community on Normans Neighborhood at 6 p.m. every Wednesday and re-airs at 10 p.m. every Sunday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. MADISON, Neb. (KCAU) A northeast Nebraska man has pleaded guilty to one charge after he was accused of threatening to burn a house down and lighting fireworks indoors while two children and his girlfriend were inside. Court documents say that Neal Dittman, 49, of Battle Creek entered a guilty plea on April 4 for one count of terroristic threats, a felony. Two additional counts of felony child abuse were dropped as part of the plea agreement. At about 12:41 p.m. on Jan. 22, the Madison County Sheriffs Office said, officials got a call from the girlfriend for a barricaded subject inside a home. He was allegedly threatening to burn it to the ground while he and the other three were in it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The woman said she was upstairs with her children and was trying to escape the house. She also said that Dittman was highly intoxicated and was lighting fireworks downstairs. Man accused of 1989 Northwest Iowa murder pleads not guilty Before officials arrived, the woman and the children had gotten out of the house and away from the area. When officials did arrive, Dittman walked outside and spoke with them. After a short negotiation, he surrendered and was arrested. Dittman pleaded not guilty on Feb. 13 to the initial three charges before ultimately pleading guilty to one charge. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 27 at 9:30 a.m. According to court documents, the state of Nebraska agreed to recommend that Dittman serve one year in prison and nine months of post-release supervision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. EVANSTON, Ill. (WGN) The Trump administration has reportedly frozen $790 million in funding for Northwestern University while the government investigates alleged civil rights violations at the school, the White House said. Northwestern has not received any official notification from the federal government, according to a spokesperson. The university released the following statement Wednesday: Northwestern was informed by members of the media that the federal government will freeze a significant portion of our federal funding. The University has not received any official notification from the federal government. We are working closely with members of our Board, deans and our administration to assess the impact of these actions. We will continue to keep both affected individuals and the broader community informed as the implications of these actions become clearer. Thank you for your continued dedication and patience. Northwestern University The New York Times reported Tuesday evening that the Trump administration plans to freeze $790 million in federal grants and other funding earmarked for Northwestern, along with $1 billion in federal funding directed toward the Ivy Leagues Cornell University. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The university spokesperson noted an interruption in federal funding to the school could curtail innovative and life-saving research, like the recent development by Northwestern researchers of the worlds smallest pacemaker, and research fueling the fight against Alzheimers disease. The spokesperson also said the university has fully cooperated with investigations by both the Department of Education and Congress. Back in February, Northwestern was one of five universities that came into the sights of the Trump administrations effort to crack down on what they call anti-Jewish bias on college campuses. Trump administration opens antisemitism inquiries at 5 colleges including Columbia and Berkeley Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The university negotiated an agreement with student protestors to have their encampment at Deering Meadows on the schools Evanston campus torn down, a move the Trump administration called a stunning capitulation. In 2024, Northwestern President Michael Schill was among university presidents who were called to testify in Washington D.C. At the time, Republicans sought accountability for allegations of anti-Semitism involving Pro-Palestinian protests that took place on college campuses following Israels bombings of the Gaza Stripmilitary actions the country said was in response to the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks. That led to Northwestern including updates to the schools Student Code of Conduct and disciplinary procedures, along with investing in public safety, a university spokesperson 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 WGN-TV. CHICAGO President Donald J. Trumps administration froze $790 million in federal funding to Northwestern University, White House officials confirmed to the Tribune on Wednesday morning. A White House spokesman pointed to a social media post by Pat Ward, senior White House editorial producer at Fox News Channel, explaining the cuts. The money was frozen in connection with several ongoing, credible, and concerning Title VI investigations, Ward wrote in his post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Evanston-based research institution learned from media outlets on Tuesday that a significant portion of its federal funding would be frozen but had not officially been notified, according to university spokesman Jon Yates. The news coincided with a New York Times report that the Trump administration had frozen $1 billion in federal dollars to Cornell University. Federal dollars fund innovative and life-saving research at Northwestern and the school has fully cooperated with federal investigators, Yates said in a statement Tuesday evening. Once the funding cuts were confirmed Wednesday morning, Northwestern did not immediately respond to a request for further comment on which specific programs and departments would be impacted. The federal government has been zeroing in on Northwestern for months as part of a recent crackdown on alleged antisemitic action on campuses across the country, with a particular focus on how schools handled pro-Palestinian protests that swept campuses across the country last spring. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of the encampments at colleges across Chicago were eventually dismantled by police, leaving lawn chairs and colorful student artwork dotting the muddy grass of campus quads. Northwesterns encampment, in Deering Meadow, was taken down in an agreement with students and faculty believed to be the first between a major U.S. university and pro-Palestinian protesters. In early February, Northwestern was put under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education through a newly created multiagency task force for what the federal agency called widespread antisemitic harassment. The school was one of 60 institutions to receive a warning in March that it could lose money if it did not fulfill its obligations to Jewish students. The university is also on a U.S. Department of Justice list of 10 institutions accused of not protecting their Jewish students and faculty. Northwesterns president, Michael Schill, has testified before Congress about his commitment to making Jewish students, faculty and staff feel comfortable around Northwesterns campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, the university released a progress report detailing several steps the school has taken to secure its campus for Jewish students, faculty and staff. The school has seen a dip in instances of antisemitic conduct over the last year, that report stated. Researcher Igor Efimov, a Northwestern experimental cardiologist, said Tuesday evening he was flabbergasted by news of the funding freeze at Northwestern. He already has federal grant funding in limbo money that was supposed to fund research to develop a new implantable device to treat atrial fibrillation, he said. An advisory council meeting of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, where the funding was to be approved, was canceled in February, and the next meeting isnt until later this month, Efimov said. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute is at the National Institutes of Health, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Now I dont know what is going to happen, Efimov said. We are developing life-saving therapies for patients with heart disease, which is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. If we dont support this science, whos going to support that? _____ GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) Novant Health announced plans Wednesday to build a new 20-bed hospital on the east side of Greenville. The North Carolina-based healthcare company filed a certificate of need application with the South Carolina Department of Public Health to build an outpatient-focused hospital off Patewood Drive. According to Novant, the hospital is their first step in broader expansion plans the company has for the Upstate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposed 20-bed hospital would focus on surgery with state-of-the-art operating rooms and diagnostic imaging services. Novant said they plan to open the new facility in early 2027, pending regulatory approval. The hospital would be located on an 11.5 acre site located on Patewood Drive near Interstate 385 that the company purchased in 2024. Novant Health recently broke ground on an emergency department and medical office building in Bluffton. Rendering of proposed Novant Health hospital in Greenville, S.C. (From: Novant Health) Rendering of proposed Novant Health hospital in Greenville, S.C. (From: Novant Health) Rendering of proposed Novant Health hospital in Greenville, S.C. (From: Novant 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 WSPA 7NEWS. VIENTIANE, April 9 (Xinhua) -- As cassia fistula trees, known as golden rain trees, began to bloom across Laos, the country was filling with excitement and festive atmosphere as Lao New Year approached, with the Lao people eager to embrace celebrations. Yellow cassia fistula trees, known as "Dok Khoun" in Lao, bloomed just in time for the Lao New Year festival. The blooming of these flowers served as a reminder to people across Laos of the approaching New Year. Mina, a 31-year-old resident of the capital Vientiane, told Xinhua that the blooming of the Dok Khoun flowers is like a signal that the Lao New Year is approaching. The bright yellow flowers fill the streets and the air with joy. "To celebrate the Lao New Year, my family and I fill small bowls with clean water, adding petals and perfume to bless our home, Buddha images, and elders. Additionally, we use the flowers to decorate our house and car, symbolizing happiness and good fortune," said Mina. The Lao government has issued guidelines for the 2025 Lao New Year celebrations, highlighting the importance of cultural preservation and safety throughout the festivities. The government encouraged all celebrations in the country to follow traditional practices. Souphavanh, an office worker, said, "While the festivities are fun and lively, safety and moderation are key. I want to encourage the younger generation to celebrate the festival respectfully, focusing on respect, gratitude, and cultural preservation." Lao authorities were preparing to celebrate the festival and welcomed the vibrant influx of tourists during the Lao New Year celebration. Meanwhile, northern Laos' Luang Prabang province was gearing up for the New Year festival, with an exciting lineup of events scheduled from April 11 to 20, attracting both local and international visitors. Aksone, an office worker from Khammuan province, believed that Luang Prabang will be a top destination for those wanting to experience the rich culture of Lao New Year, thanks to its cultural activities and peaceful atmosphere, making it a favorite among both locals and tourists. "In terms of beliefs, to remove bad luck and welcome good fortune, we clean our home and buy new clothes for a fresh start. This year, my family and friends will gather for a hearty meal. We will also visit temples and participate in the water splashing tradition," he said. Chai, a market vendor, said that the Lao New Year festival helps boost the local economy. During the festival, demand for goods like clothes, food, and decorations rises, leading to higher sales. She said that people tend to spend more during the festival, and many customers come to the market looking for specific items for the celebrations. The festive atmosphere also encourages more people to spend. To ensure safety, Laos' Ministry of Public Security will strengthen measures to ensure road safety and a peaceful, joyful celebration during the Lao New Year 2025. The Lao New Year is the most important festival in the Lao calendar. This year's holiday will be observed from April 14 to April 16. Donald Trump loves Fox News and Fox News loves Donald Trump. That's a long-standing symbiosis, rarely interrupted. But now Trump's favorite network looks like it's starting to push back on his tariff push. Rupert Murdoch wants Donald Trump to change his mind about tariffs. So he's communicating the best way he knows how: through Fox News. That's the takeaway I got Wednesday morning when I saw clips of Fox programs raising the alarm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's Steve Doocy on "Fox & Friends" relaying the story of an American small business swamped by China tariffs: Fox News tells a story a small business owner who used to pay $26,000 in tariffs on goods imported from China, but now faces a $346,000 tariff due to Trumps new 104% tariff on Chinese imports. "We think that China is gonna have to pay for it. A special needs toy importer-- when pic.twitter.com/bcDBrlUggM Ron Smith (@Ronxyz00) April 9, 2025 And over on Fox Business, here's JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon telling the host Maria Bartiromo it's "likely" that the US is headed for a recession. Bartiromo: "Do you personally expect a recession?" J.P. Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon: "I am going to defer to my economists at this point, but I think probably. That's a likely outcome." pic.twitter.com/RWe70xZMPu The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) April 9, 2025 Let's spell out why it matters: Murdoch owns many media outlets. Some of them notably, The Wall Street Journal have criticized Trump at various times, including in the first few months of Trump 2.0. And Trump definitely sees some of that coverage (check out this photo of Trump reading Murdoch's New York Post over the weekend.) But the Murdoch outlet that matters the most to Trump, by far, is Fox News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He not only inhales Fox coverage but also has staffed his administrations with Fox hosts and people he watches on Fox. Which is one reason Pete Hegseth is now the secretary of defense. It's also why people who want to get in front of Trump get themselves booked on shows like "Fox & Friends," which is what the Meta executive Joel Kaplan did in January, to announce the company's pivot to Trump-friendly policies. And generally, people on Fox say things about Trump that Trump likes to hear. (A notable exception: When Trump complained that the 2020 election had been "stolen" from him, Fox initially resisted that narrative, prompting Trump to pump up would-be Fox rivals like Newsmax, which embraced Trump's made-up story. Fox quickly pivoted back to Trump's narrative which ended up costing the network nearly $800 million in a defamation suit.) So it's notable to see any Trump pushback on Fox networks, period. After the markets swooned following Trump's tariff announcements last week, Fox generally supported the moves, or ignored them. So now, when I see Fox questioning Trump's tariff war twice in one morning? It makes me think there's a there there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have no idea whether any of that will actually change Trump's mind. After consuming the Dimon interview Wednesday morning, Trump focused on (what he thinks) was the upside of the chat: "'Fixing Trade and Tariffs is a good thing!' Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase, Chairman & CEO, on Maria B Show!" he posted on Truth Social. But at least he's seeing it. Read the original article on Business Insider WEST READING, Pa. (WHTM) The National Transportation Safety Board released their final report this week on a deadly explosion at a Berks County chocolate factory in 2023. The explosion rocked the R.M. Palmer Company complex in West Reading on March 24, 2023. Seven employees of the company were killed, 10 people were injured, and Building 2 of the complex was leveled. Two other buildings were also severely damaged, the NTSB said. In total, $42 million in property damage was caused. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The explosion was ruled accidental. PREVIOUS COVERAGE > Pennsylvania communities holding vigil to honor chocolate factory explosion victims In the final report, investigators say the probable cause was likely a retired plastic natural gas service line and an adjacent steam pipe leak. The retired line was a stub that remained connected to the gas main. Prior to the explosion, several employees reported smelling gas, but few evacuated. The NTSB issued numerous recommendations, including that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) require employers serviced by natural gas to implement emergency procedures. They also want Pennsylvania to require pipelines transporting steam and other high-temperature materials in public rights of way to register with PA One Call. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also recommended is the installation of natural gas alarms in facilities serviced by the utility. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission is also being requested to respond to a formal safety recommendation relating to the placement of emergency valves on natural gas distribution systems. We value the opportunity to contribute to the ongoing conversation about these safety recommendations, PUC Chairman Stephen DeFrank said. The collaboration between the PUC and NTSB helps strengthen our utility systems and better protect communities across the Commonwealth. From accelerated pipe replacement and advanced leak detection to stronger communication protocols, every step we take is aimed at reducing risk, DeFrank adds. The most meaningful way we can honor those lost in West Reading and in other tragic incidents is by building a safer future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Download the abc27 News+ app on your Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and Apple TV devices The Common Ground Alliance, which focuses on damage prevention related to underground facilities like natural gas pipelines, applauded the NTSBs recommendations. The long-awaited recommendations stemming from this catastrophic incident bring to light the dangers of not prioritizing underground utility line safety, CGA President Sarah Magruder Lyle, said. This tragic incident is a reminder that everyone dealing with the transport of hazardous materials underground must work together to avoid another disaster. By recommending the widespread adoption of CGA Best Practice 3-26 on 811 center membership, the NTSB has affirmed the importance of improving damage prevention awareness and closing gaps in participation in the 811-before-you-dig process. In remembering the victims and their families, we hope that through common-sense best practices and comprehensive participation in the 811 process, lives and property will be saved. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Since Gov. Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 1 into law on March 28, Ohios public universities are preparing for a new landscape of higher education, one free of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Senate Bill 1 bars colleges from implementing DEI practices on campus, drawing concern from students whose majors require diverse perspectives. The law also prohibits professors from endorsing any controversial belief or policy that may include gender identity and international politics. How tariffs are expected to raise prices for Ohio consumers Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although there are protections in place for majors that require diverse studies to remain accredited, Ohio students and recent graduates said Senate Bill 1 threatens their programs success. See previous coverage of S.B. 1 in the video player above. If we do away with all the DEI programs on campus, where are the trainings and faculty going to come from? Ohio State University history professor Christopher McKnight Nichols said. Under Ohio law, university programs like social work or nursing must include courses on religious, racial, gender and cultural diversity to be accredited, in an effort to understand and serve patients or clients. Senate Democrat spokesperson Casey Rife said S.B. 1 was amended in the Ohio House and concurred in the Senate to address concerns for major requirements. In situations where a DEI orientation or training is required to comply with laws, licensure requirements or accreditation standards, universities can submit written requests for an exemption to S.B. 1. Recent Ohio State nursing graduate Ruth Tesfay said S.B. 1 would still unnecessarily complicate the program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is truly an upsetting and life-shattering bill thats been signed into law, Tesfay said. The efforts our nursing schools were making were just barely scratching the surface but a start nonetheless. We are heading in the opposite direction. DeWine addresses bill to ban cellphones in schools Liberal arts majors, who would not be eligible for such exemptions, said they worry S.B. 1 will prevent future students from accurately learning under their programs. Di Galbraith is graduating from Ohio University this year with a history major and globalization and development minor. Galbraith said protections in S.B. 1 to limit perceived faculty bias may instead limit student learning. History is all about being able to infer what happened and why and to draw your own conclusions while being able to see bias, Galbraith said. Were trained to look beyond bias when it appears. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Galbraith focuses on marginalized communities in the Soviet Union and said Russian censorship has complicated the project, with documents deleted off Russian websites last fall. Her thesis examines if the Holodomor, a mass famine in the Soviet Union that killed millions of Ukrainians, was genocidal. I would have never been able to do that without being given all the resources and statistics, Galbraith said. It (S.B. 1) limits research and education on atrocities that came before us. Ohio museums, art groups hit by DOGE cuts Maggie Bennink graduated in 2024 with a history degree from Ohio University. As part of her required work, she interned at the Mahn Center Archives at the university library, where she processed the newly donated LGBTQ+ collection. She also presented on the history of Athens sexual orientation amendment and studied the relationship between gender identity, sexuality and magic as her thesis project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I wouldnt have had access to these materials, and I wouldnt have been able to properly study either of these subjects without proper teaching by professors, Bennink said. With subjects like history or English, professors said they worry how professors may have to adjust their teaching. Ohio State English professor Jill Galvan teaches British literary history, a subject she said requires a lot of historical context, including studying the British empire and decolonization. What does it mean to have to go into a classroom and, and be nervous about doing that? Galvan said. Am I going to get complained about because Im teaching things as facts rather than entertaining everybodys opinion? Nichols raised similar concerns. Before the bills passage, he told NBC4 he worried S.B. 1 would require him and other professors to entertain opinions that defy fact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ohio State students react to international students losing visas In a class about World War II, I dont think we should be legitimizing Holocaust denial, he said. Ohio universities are still determining how S.B. 1 will affect programs that involve controversial topics. Ohio University President Lori Stewart Gonzalez said Ohio University does not anticipate changing course offerings that involve controversial topics, addressing student concerns on April 7. An Ohio State representative said the university is still beginning its full compliance with S.B. 1, so they could not comment on specific coursework changes. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. BEIJING (Reuters) -Twenty people were killed in a fire that broke out in an apartment for the elderly at a nursing home in China, state media said on Wednesday, while authorities arrested its owner as they investigate the cause. It was the latest in a series of similar incidents in recent years, including a fire at a hospital in the capital in 2023 that killed 26 patients and wounded dozens. Tuesday's fire in the city of Chengde in the northern province of Hebei blazed for two hours before it was doused, the official Xinhua news agency and the state-backed Global Times newspaper said, citing local authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State broadcaster CCTV said police had arrested the owner of the apartment, while 19 residents of the home were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and observation. Experts are visiting the nursing home to ascertain the cause, Xinhua added. In January, eight people were killed and 15 injured in a fire at a vegetable market in Hebei, while a department store fire in the southwestern province of Sichuan killed 16 people last year. (Reporting by Farah Master in Hong Kong and the Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Clarence Fernandez) Albany lawmakers are nearing a deal on expanding involuntary commitment laws a key plank in Gov. Kathy Hochuls plan to tackle New York Citys mental health crisis. State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie told reporters Tuesday that negotiations have moved beyond an impasse, but details have yet to be locked down. I think involuntary is close, he said in the state capitol. Disagreements among Democrats and progressive pushback against Hochuls involuntary commitment and discovery law proposals have helped push the states budget far past its April 1 deadline. State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said lawmakers are close to a deal on involuntary commitment. Hans Pennink The horse-trading on involuntary commitment came as New Yorkers reeled from back-to-back bloody incidents involving mentally ill alleged attackers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A maniac with schizophrenia allegedly slashed his four young nieces with a meat cleaver before NYPD officers shot and grievously wounded him Sunday. A day later, a homeless man whod been through dozens of mental health hearings, randomly slashed a woman in the neck in broad daylight on a SoHo street, sending her to the ICU, cops said. Heastie didnt say whether lawmakers have agreed to part of Hochuls proposal that would expand the criteria to force mentally ill people into psychiatric care a bid omitted from the Assemblys own budget plan. Gov. Kathy Hochul has pushed for change that will make it easier to send mentally ill people into psychiatric care against their will. Christopher Sadowski He did reveal that talks include a pilot program for county-level behavioral health teams thatll work with police on 911 calls, as well as rigorous discharge planning for people once theyre dismissed from a psychiatric hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Members also wanted to make sure that when people were discharged, they werent being discharged back out into the same set of circumstances that may have brought them there in the first place, he said. Assembly Mental Health Committee Chair Jo Anne Simon (D-Brooklyn) said she hasnt seen specific language around a prospective deal on involuntary commitment, despite Heasties crowing. She has been publicly opposed to Hochuls involuntary commitment proposal, arguing it will be less effective unless other related components such as providing supportive housing for people who are mentally ill are strengthened as well. I will say its close when I see any language. I havent seen anything at this point, she said. NEW YORK A federal judge on Wednesday said he would temporarily block the Trump administration from deporting Venezuelan nationals detained in jail facilities in the Southern District of New York without affording them due process. Manhattan Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein announced his proposed decision after hearing arguments from lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union and the Trump administration. I propose to limit the relief to an injunction that requires notice and a hearing, Hellerstein said. Because there is danger of imminent removal in the absence of any effective remedy if that occurs given the state of affairs going on right now I think an injunction is appropriate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hearing concerned a suit filed late Tuesday on behalf of two Venezuelan men facing imminent deportation to a Salvadoran mega prison without a chance to refute allegations they are gang members. The Trump administration has sought to deport them in secret, without due process, to a prison in El Salvador known for dire conditions, torture, and other forms of physical abuse possibly for life. This has already borne out for over 130 individuals on March 15 who have lost all contact with their attorneys, family, and the world, the filing read. The suit was filed in the wake of a ruling by the Supreme Court on Monday vacating the order of a federal judge in D.C. that barred the government from sending Venezuelan migrants to the notorious prison complex in El Salvador, CECOT, from which no known prisoners have ever been released. The ruling by the nations high court empowered the Trump administration to deport Venezuelans determined to be members of the Tren de Aragua street gang under President Donald Trumps proclamation invoking the Alien Enemies Act while reaffirming their right to due process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, on March 14, invoked the 1798 wartime law in declaring that all Venezuelan citizens over 14 years old who the U.S. determines to be members of Tren de Aragua were liable to be removed from the country as alien enemies. Legal papers filed by lawyers at the ACLU, New York Civil Liberties Union, and The Legal Aid Society said the two men at the center of Tuesdays suit, referred to by their initials, G.F.F. and J.G.O., had been shackled and brought to an airport the day after Trumps proclamation and told they would soon be put on a plane to El Salvador, despite the lack of a deportation order from ICE. Their attorneys quickly filed legal papers challenging their removal, leading them to be pulled off the planes and, eventually, brought back to the El Valle Detention Facility in Texas, and then New York, where they were initially arrested, Tuesdays filings state. G.F.F. is 21 years old and arrived in the U.S. last May seeking asylum based on fear for his life and persecution by President Nicolas Maduros authoritarian regime based on his sexuality, according to his lawyers. J.G.O. is 32 and deeply fears deportation to Venezuela, where he faces beatings, torture, and imprisonment based on his political activism against Maduro, court documents say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both men are being held at Orange County Jail, which is located within Hellersteins jurisdiction in the SDNY and encompasses New York, Bronx, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess and Sullivan counties. Over 200 migrants were taken to the mega-complex on plane trips the two men in New York narrowly avoided without a chance to defend themselves against allegations they had gang affiliations. CBS reported earlier this week that the majority of them have not been accused of committing any crimes. At least one of those deported, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, was accidentally included in the group, according to admissions in court by the Trump administration, which has cited an administrative error and is still pushing back on court orders to bring back the young father who was based in Maryland. Tuesdays suit challenges the Trump administrations use of the Alien Enemies Act, which it notes had only been invoked during war and applied to warlike actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (It) cannot be used here against nationals of a country Venezuela with whom the United States is not at war, which is not invading the United States, and which has not launched a predatory incursion into the United States, the suit reads. On Wednesday, Hellerstein, whose ruling applies to about a dozen detainees in New York, declined to weigh in on whether the government adequately invoked the wartime law. This is an age of disproportionate war, the judge said. We have to deal with al-Shabab in Africa, al-Qaida in Iraq. Its the same thing thats going on between the government of Israel and the Hamas and Hezbollah. These are not governments, these are terrorist organizations, and there may be an argument that the Alien Enemies Act applied to such a thing, if god forbid, we were endangered by that. I dont want to go further than I have to go. The parties are due back in court on April 22. _____ Mayor Adams office issued an executive order late Tuesday allowing federal immigration agents to operate on Rikers Island again a move sought by President Trumps administration that comes on the heels of his Justice Department securing a dismissal of the mayors federal corruption indictment. Adams first said on Feb. 13 he would sign an executive order to let ICE agents return to Rikers, where they havent been able to operate since 2014, when the city beefed up local sanctuary laws to bar them from the island. Adams February announcement which many local Democrats said flew in the face of the sanctuary laws came days after Trumps Justice Department first moved to drop the mayors corruption case with the understanding it would enable him to assist the presidents effort to target undocumented New Yorkers for mass deportations. The long-awaited issuance of the order, which takes effect immediately, comes after a Manhattan judge last week begrudgingly approved the Trump DOJs request to drop Adams case. In a decision, the judge wrote he by law had no choice except to approve the request, but affirmed the arrangement smacks of a bargain in which Adams gets his criminal dilemma quashed in exchange for helping Trump with immigration enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adams didnt sign Tuesdays Rikers order himself. Randy Mastro, Adams new first deputy mayor, instead signed the directive, which says agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and some other federal agencies, including the FBI, can now maintain offices on Rikers for the purpose of criminal enforcement and criminal investigations only. Adams office said the mayor tasked Mastro with signing the order to ensure trust among New Yorkers. In an appearance on 1010WINS on Wednesday morning, Adams said he hasnt recused himself from the issue. I did not recuse myself I delegated, said Adams. When [Mastro] came onboard, I delegated to him. I said I need for you to look at this with an unbiased eye so no one can say that theres some bias. That explanation did little to convince Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, whose chamber was key in the 2014 expansion of the citys sanctuary laws. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is hard not to see this action as connected to the dismissal of the mayors case and his willingness to cooperate with Trumps extreme deportation agenda that is removing residents without justification or due process, Speaker Adams, whos running for mayor this year, said in a statement in which she also vowed her chamber is closely reviewing the order, and is prepared to defend against violations of the law to protect the safety of all New Yorkers. According to city data, there are more than 7,100 inmates on Rikers, most of them not convicted of any crimes. Its unclear how many of them are immigrants. Rikers has long been plagued by systemic problems of overcrowding and other dangerous conditions, and it wasnt immediately clear where on the island ICE will set up its office. In a sign of the worsening conditions on Rikers, Correction Department officials told the Daily News on Wednesday they are moving 300 male inmates into the Rose M. Singer Center, the jail meant for women, in order to alleviate overcrowding. Under sanctuary laws, city law enforcement agencies can only cooperate with ICE agents if the feds have judicial warrants for a persons detention as part of an investigation involving 170 serious crimes, including murder and rape. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Acknowledging the sanctuary laws, which also bar city resources from being used in civil deportation proceedings, Mastros order says any feds on Rikers must enter legal agreements with Adams administration requiring their activities be limited to purposes unrelated to the enforcement of civil immigration laws. But the Legal Aid Society, which by statute represents city inmates, argued the civil enforcement restriction is meaningless at a time Trumps administration has used the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to label a broad swath of Venezuelan migrants terrorists subject to immediate deportation, even if they havent been convicted of crimes. We are considering all of our options including litigation to protect the people and communities we serve, the Legal Aid Society said in a statement, calling Mastros order a severe breach of sanctuary law. According to Mastros order, Rikers currently houses members and associates of designated terrorist organizations. The missive says its critical federal authorities be allowed to cooperate with the NYPD and other city agencies when it comes to going after such violent criminals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adams office didnt return a request for comment on what information Mastro has indicating there are terrorists on Rikers. Trump recently designated Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang, as a foreign terrorist organization as part of a presidential executive order that has drawn legal challenges amid concerns that individuals are being designated as terrorists without due process. In a CBS News interview Tuesday night, Mastro, an alum of ex-Mayor Rudy Giulianis administration, appeared to defend Trumps order. These are vicious killers and the worst kind of criminal gangs, and thats why theyve been designated as terrorist organizations, he said, so we are doing what we can for the safety of all New Yorkers to cooperate and communicate directly with federal law enforcement. Mastros order also reveals Adams tasked the first deputy immediately upon his April 1 appointment with looking into whether and under what circumstances to permit federal law enforcement authorities to have a presence on Rikers Island. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Previously, Adams only said his Law Department was working on the order. Tom Homan, Trumps immigration czar spearheading his mass deportation push, first let it be known in February that Adams could face consequences if he didnt act on the Rikers issue, saying in a joint appearance with the mayor on Fox & Friends that he would show up at his City Hall office and be up his butt if he didnt follow through. Though Mastros order promises feds on Rikers can only engage in criminal investigations, Zach Ahmad, a senior policy counsel at the New York Civil Liberties Union, said it opens the door to unlawful collusion between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials. New Yorkers see this for what it is: Mayor Adams skirting the City Council, cozying up to Trump, and putting immigrant New Yorkers in harms way, said Ahmad. NEW YORK Mayor Eric Adams office issued an executive order late Tuesday allowing ICE agents to operate on Rikers Island a move sought by President Donald Trumps administration that comes on the heels of his Justice Department securing a dismissal of the mayors federal corruption indictment. Adams first said on Feb. 13 he would sign an executive order to let federal immigration agents operate on Rikers, the citys main jail housing thousands of inmates, most of whom arent convicted of any crimes. The announcement which immigration advocates and local Democrats said flew in the face of local sanctuary city laws came days after Trumps Justice Department first moved to drop Adams corruption case with the understanding it would enable the mayor to assist the presidents effort to target undocumented New Yorkers for mass deportations. The long-awaited issuance of the order, which takes effect immediately, comes after a Manhattan judge last Wednesday begrudgingly approved the Trump DOJs request to drop Adams case. In his decision, the judge wrote he by law had no choice except to rubber-stamp the request, but affirmed the arrangement smacks of a bargain in which the mayor gets his criminal dilemma quashed in exchange for helping Trump with a political agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adams didnt sign Tuesdays Rikers order himself. Randy Mastro, Adams newly-minted first deputy mayor, instead signed the directive, which says agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as well as some other federal agencies, such as the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration, can now maintain offices on Rikers for the purpose of criminal enforcement and criminal investigations only. In a statement, Adams office said the mayor delegated the order to Mastro to ensure trust among New Yorkers, but that explanation did little to convince Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, whose Democrat-controlled chamber expanded the citys sanctuary laws in 2014 to bar ICE from Rikers. It is hard not to see this action as connected to the dismissal of the mayors case and his willingness to cooperate with Trumps extreme deportation agenda that is removing residents without justification or due process, Speaker Adams, whos running for mayor this year, said in a statement in which she also vowed her chamber is closely reviewing the order, and is prepared to defend against violations of the law to protect the safety of all New Yorkers. Under sanctuary laws, city law enforcement agencies can only cooperate with federal immigration authorities in cases pertaining to 170 serious crimes, including murder and rape. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Acknowledging the sanctuary laws, which bar city resources from being used in civil deportation proceedings, Mastros order says any feds on Rikers must enter into legal agreements with Adams administration requiring their activities be limited to purposes unrelated to the enforcement of civil immigration laws. According to Mastros order, Rikers currently houses members and associates of designated terrorist organizations. The missive says its critical federal authorities be allowed to cooperate with the NYPD and other city agencies when it comes to going after such violent criminals. Adams office didnt return a request for comment on what information Mastro has indicating there are terrorists on Rikers. In a CBS News interview Tuesday night, Mastro said, these are vicious killers and the worst kind of criminal gangs, and thats why theyve been designated as terrorist organizations, so we are doing what we can for the safety of all New Yorkers to cooperate and communicate directly with federal law enforcement. Trump recently designated Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang, as a foreign terrorist organization as part of a presidential executive order that has raised legal concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mastros order also reveals Adams tasked the first deputy immediately upon his April 1 appointment with looking into whether and under what circumstances to permit federal law enforcement authorities to have a presence on Rikers Island. Previously, Adams only said his Law Department was working on the order. Though Mastros order promises feds on Rikers can only engage in criminal investigations, Zach Ahmad, a senior policy counsel at the New York Civil Liberties Union, said it opens the door to unlawful collusion between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials in violation of our citys well-established sanctuary protections. Crime in New York City is down and there was never any evidence that a surge in crime was caused by immigrants, said Ahmad, whose group has a history of suing both the Adams and Trump administrations. New Yorkers see this for what it is: Mayor Adams skirting the City Council, cozying up to Trump, and putting immigrant New Yorkers in harms way. NEW YORK New York City Mayor Eric Adams office issued an executive order late Tuesday allowing ICE agents to operate on Rikers Island a move sought by President Donald Trumps administration that comes on the heels of his Justice Department securing a dismissal of the mayors federal corruption indictment. Adams first said on Feb. 13 he would sign an executive order to let federal immigration agents operate on Rikers, the citys main jail housing thousands of inmates, most of whom arent convicted of any crimes. The announcement which immigration advocates and local Democrats said flew in the face of local sanctuary city laws came days after Trumps Justice Department first moved to drop Adams corruption case with the understanding it would enable the mayor to assist the presidents effort to target undocumented New Yorkers for mass deportations. The long-awaited issuance of the order, which takes effect immediately, comes after a Manhattan judge last Wednesday begrudgingly approved the Trump DOJs request to drop Adams case. In his decision, the judge wrote he by law had no choice except to rubber-stamp the request, but affirmed the arrangement smacks of a bargain in which Adams gets his criminal dilemma quashed in exchange for helping Trump with a political agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adams didnt sign Tuesdays Rikers order himself. Randy Mastro, Adams newly minted first deputy mayor, instead signed the directive, which says agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as well as some other federal agencies, such as the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration, can now maintain offices on Rikers for the purpose of criminal enforcement and criminal investigations only. In a statement, Adams office said the mayor delegated the order to Mastro to ensure trust among New Yorkers, but that explanation did little to convince Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, whose Democrat-controlled chamber expanded the citys sanctuary laws in 2014 to bar ICE from Rikers. It is hard not to see this action as connected to the dismissal of the mayors case and his willingness to cooperate with Trumps extreme deportation agenda that is removing residents without justification or due process, Speaker Adams, who is running for mayor this year, said in a statement in which she also vowed her chamber is closely reviewing the order, and is prepared to defend against violations of the law to protect the safety of all New Yorkers. Under sanctuary laws, city law enforcement agencies can only cooperate with federal immigration authorities in cases pertaining to 170 serious crimes, including murder and rape. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Acknowledging the sanctuary laws, which bar city resources from being used in civil deportation proceedings, Mastros order says any feds on Rikers must enter into legal agreements with Adams administration requiring their activities be limited to purposes unrelated to the enforcement of civil immigration laws. According to Mastros order, Rikers currently houses members and associates of designated terrorist organizations. The missive says its critical federal authorities be allowed to cooperate with the NYPD and other city agencies when it comes to going after such violent criminals. Adams office didnt return a request for comment on what information Mastro has indicating there are terrorists on Rikers. In a CBS News interview Tuesday night, Mastro said, These are vicious killers and the worst kind of criminal gangs, and thats why theyve been designated as terrorist organizations, so we are doing what we can for the safety of all New Yorkers to cooperate and communicate directly with federal law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump recently designated Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang, as a foreign terrorist organization as part of a presidential executive order that has drawn legal challenges amid concerns that individuals are being designated as terrorists without due process. Mastros order also reveals Adams tasked the first deputy immediately upon his April 1 appointment with looking into whether and under what circumstances to permit federal law enforcement authorities to have a presence on Rikers Island. Previously, Adams only said his Law Department was working on the order. Though Mastros order promises feds on Rikers can only engage in criminal investigations, Zach Ahmad, a senior policy counsel at the New York Civil Liberties Union, said it opens the door to unlawful collusion between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials in violation of our citys well-established sanctuary protections. Crime in New York City is down and there was never any evidence that a surge in crime was caused by immigrants, said Ahmad, whose group has a history of suing both the Adams and Trump administrations. New Yorkers see this for what it is: Mayor Adams skirting the City Council, cozying up to Trump, and putting immigrant New Yorkers in harms way. _____ MOSCOW, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Russia has declared the defense attache at the Romanian embassy in Moscow and his deputy personae non gratae, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement Wednesday. The charge d'affaires of the Romanian embassy in Russia was summoned to the Russian foreign ministry and handed a diplomatic note of the decision on Wednesday. Moscow said the measure was a response to Bucharest's previous "unmotivated" decision. On March 5, Romania declared the Russian military, air and naval attache at the Russian embassy in Bucharest, along with his deputy, personae non gratae, for "engaging in activities that violate the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations." NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) Mayor Eric Adams has included funding for a massive teacher hiring spree in his 2026 Executive Budget. New York City schools were previously asked to submit proposals to meet reduced class size requirements. Their proposals, which include 3,700 new teaching jobs, will be funded in the mayors Fiscal Year 2026 Executive Budget, Mayor Eric Adams announced Wednesday. More Local News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The jobs would span across 750 schools in the public school system. They will help schools meet class size requirements in the next school year, Adams said. New York City schools are supposed to cap class sizes between 20 and 25 students by September 2028, phased in over the next five years, according to the United Federation of Teachers. If all these schools hit their hiring goals by the start of the next school year, 60% of New York City classrooms will have fewer students, according to UFT. Lowering class sizes in more than 700 schools will have an immediate and profound impact on the lives of students and will allow educators to do the work they love and signed up to do, said UFT Assistant Secretary Michael Sill Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State The city is planning a massive hiring spree that would far outpace previous years at the Department of Education, which usually hires between 4,000 and 5,000 employees per year, according to Chalkbeat. This year, the city aims to hire over 7,000. Adams released his preliminary 2026 budget in January. City Council has called for $800 million more in education funding, Chalkbeat reported. The budget must be agreed upon and adopted by July 1. Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. The ugly scaffolding sheds that have painted the city green for decades will get a glow-up after Mayor Eric Adams approved legislation cracking down on the eyesores Tuesday. The new laws, passed near unanimously by the City Council, will allow more design options for the structures, add more lighting and shorten the length of time they are allowed to stay up. The welcomed legislation comes after a recent Post analysis found that at least one troublesome city-owned building has had scaffolding up for over a decade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those sheds have been up for quite some time. They were created to protect New Yorkers from unsafe buildings and construction sites but we have allowed too many to languish for years or even decades crowding our sidewalks and darkening our streets, Adams said Tuesday. Scaffolding collapsed at a building on Amsterdam Avenue near West 185th Street, outside Yeshiva University. Kevin C Downs forThe New York Post The Big Apple currently has 8,531 scaffolding sheds blighting the city, and 327 of the sheds have been up for five years or more, according to the Department of Buildings (DOB). The average age of a New York City sidewalk shed is 511 days. But the rotting green sheds will soon look quite different after a redesign that will be overseen by the DOB. This scaffolding shed, photographed on Feb. 28, 2025, had been erected for about ten years at a building located at 2270 Broadway at West 104th Street. Christopher Sadowski Councilmember Keith Powers has said the dark sheds are a safety hazard for New Yorkers. Paul Martinka The characteristic hunter green will still be allowed under the new legislation but so will white, metallic gray and any color that matches the building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So a red building could have a red shed, and so on, a DOB spokesperson explained to The Post. Councilman Keith Powers (D-Manhattan) sponsored three of the five bills. He said dingy scaffolding currently covers more than 400 miles of the citys sidewalks. Under the reforms, sidewalk shed permits for facade repairs would be cut from one year to three months unless the structure is needed because of building renovations or new construction. The inspection cycle would also be pushed back from five years to nine years for new buildings, while different inspection standards will be set based on the age of the building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another bill sponsored by Erik Bottcher (D-Manhattan) would double the required number of lighting fixtures under the sheds. The Adams administration first started battling scaffolding sheds in the summer of 2023 with its Get Sheds Down initiative to remove longstanding structures, Department of Buildings Commissioner Jimmy Oddo said. Under the new laws, scaffolding sheds will be required to have LED lights. James Messerschmidt However, critics slammed the plan as toothless at the time. While we are proud of the progress we have made, outdated codes meant that in many cases we were fighting the issue with one hand tied behind our back, Oddo said. Now thanks to our partners in the city council, we will finally have the updated regulations we need to push owners into repairing their buildings, and we can start to make serious progress on getting more sheds down faster, he added. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) Trial continues for the man accused in a police shootout and violent crash last January. James Skirvin is facing several charges after the chaotic events of Jan. 8, 2024. Skirvin is accused of running over his daughter before leading law enforcement on a chase down US-35, shooting at officers with a long gun and crashing into a police cruiser. Man charged in fatal Riverside crash of stolen vehicle Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Skirvin is now facing domestic violence charges and four counts of felonious assault on a police officer with a deadly weapon. On Tuesday, jurors heard from several law enforcement witnesses and learned more about the timeline of events from the moments Skirvin ran over his daughter at a trailer home park in Trotwood to the final crash site on US-35 near Abbey Avenue. Trotwood police were the first to respond to the scene, but several other agencies were called in as Skirvin led police on a chase on US-35 with a long gun. On the witness stand Tuesday were those officers from Trotwood PD, including the officer seriously injured in the crash. Officers with Dayton PD and deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office who fired shots also took the stand, along with officials from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Jurors got to see the long gun used in the shootout as well as dashcam footage of the crash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Testimony will continue on Wednesday. Stay with 2 NEWS as we continue to cover this trial. Click here for prior coverage of Day 1 of Skirvins trial. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. A British firm was recently awarded a contract to oversee a major infrastructure project in Belize as part of the country's efforts to realize its ambitious climate goals. As detailed by Environment+Energy Leader, Offshore Marine Subsea International, headquartered in Bristol, specializes in undersea engineering projects. OMSI will connect San Pedro and Caye Caulker to the mainland power grid. San Pedro is a town on Ambergris Caye, the largest of Belize's coastal islands, while Caye Caulker is a tiny island popular with tourists. The move is part of Belize's ambitious plan to get 75% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030, based on the nation's 2023 Energy Policy, reported on recently by the World Bank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It will help by reducing the reliance on locally sourced dirty fuels and providing more resilience against increasingly common and severe extreme weather events. Belize imports about half its energy from neighboring Mexico, according to the World Bank, and much of that comes from hydroelectricity. While hydroelectricity is indeed renewable, it does have drawbacks, namely the habitat destruction involved. Belize is also reportedly exploring solar and geothermal energy as part of a multifaceted approach. Though responsible for just 0.01% of planet-warming pollution worldwide, per the U.N. Development Programme, Belize is more vulnerable to the effects of the worsening climate than most nations. For example, Hurricane Lisa caused massive disruptions to power and water supplies in 2022. According to a study of storms that have passed over Belize's Great Blue Hole, there has been a steady increase in storms over millennia, but the researchers predicted a significant increase within this century tied to climate change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Goethe University Frankfurt's Eberhard Gischler, one of the study's authors, explained: "Our results suggest that some 45 tropical storms and hurricanes could pass over this region in our century alone. This would far exceed the natural variability of the past millennia." The Great Blue Hole is part of Belize's barrier reef reserves system, a "biodiversity hotspot," per UNESCO, and is home to nearly 1,400 species. Infrastructure projects such as the one to be overseen by OMSI will play a key role in safeguarding Belize's natural treasures for generations to come. "The Belize Government will do all it can to ensure this treasure is ours to enjoy, not only Belizeans but the rest of the world," former Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber said in the UNESCO report. 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. Apr. 9OREGON A rural Dixon man charged with the attempted murder of three police officers at his residence in June will remain jailed despite extensive arguments made by the defense for his release. Jonathon Gounaris, 32, is charged with four counts of attempted first-degree murder, three counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, three counts of aggravated battery and two counts of possession of a firearm without a firearm owner's identification card all of which stem from a June 12 standoff with police in the rural Dixon subdivision of Lost Lake. Gounaris has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is being held in the Winnebago County Jail in Rockford. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ogle County Judge John "Ben" Roe has denied Gounaris' pretrial release around a dozen times, citing the seriousness of the charges and community safety concerns. His release was initially denied by Judge Anthony Peska at a detention hearing June 20, 2024. Monday afternoon, Gounaris appeared before Roe to hear his decision on the defense's motion to reconsider detention. At the previous hearing on March 17, Public Defender Michael O'Brien argued for Gounaris' release in order for him to receive adequate mental health treatment. He asserted that Gounaris' "delusional" and "paranoid" mental state led to the June 12 standoff with police. [ Dixon man charged with attempted murder of three police officers seeks release for mental health treatment ] At 8:39 a.m. June 12, police were called to the residence with a warning that it could be a "suicide-by-cop" situation. The officers were informed that Gounaris had made suicidal and homicidal threats, Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle said at a news conference that afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [ Sheriff: Rural Dixon resident shoots 3 deputies after barricading himself in home at Lost Lake ] Shortly after officers arrived, the Ogle County Sheriff's Office's Emergency Response Team was called. The ERT is made up of individuals from different agencies, including the sheriff's office, Oregon and Byron police departments, and SWAT medics from the Rochelle Fire Department. Police made more than 60 attempted phone calls to the residence and deployed a throw phone inside the home before breaching the door at 11:53 a.m. Officers were immediately met with gunfire from inside the house, which ended in three deputies and Gounaris being shot, VanVickle said. O'Brien's argument for release largely hinged on his claim that arguments pertaining to the circumstances of the officers' entry to the home were not made at the initial detention hearing. At that hearing Gounaris was represented by former Ogle County Public Defender William Gibbs, who has since left that position. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In court March 17, O'Brien questioned the officers' use of force, describing it as a "very violent entry into the home" consisting of "several armed officers kicking down a door." Instead, he said that the call was made to police because Gounaris' mother was concerned for her son's mental health. Officers' subsequent response was a "very funny looking welfare check," O'Brien said. Assistant State's Attorney Heather Kruse disagreed. Kruse pointed out that police found Gounaris to be wearing ballistic body armor while armed with two handguns, pepper spray and a knife. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This wasn't a man who was having a mental health crisis. This was a man that wanted to kill someone," she said. Winnebago County State's Attorney J. Hanley independently reviewed the ERT's use of force in September 2024. He determined the deputies acted in accordance with the law because they only fired their weapons after being shot at by Gounaris. In Roe's ruling Monday he said, "the totality of arrest...are things the court has already considered." At the March 17 hearing, along with many previous hearings, O'Brien outlined many conditions for release that he said would mitigate the risk to the public, such as receiving mental health treatment or staying with family in McHenry County, among others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement O'Brien said Gounaris has begun taking medication while in custody, which has improved his mental health. Kruse disagreed with those conditions and said Gounaris has a history of refusing to get treatment for his mental health, including a dislike of taking medications. She said he's still a danger while "he's taking unspecified medications for an unspecified mental health condition." On Monday, Roe said "mental health is certainly an issue," but he agreed with Kruse that the court has not been given any "specific diagnosis that would lead to a specific medication" and that Gounaris disliked taking medication in the past. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roe also rejected the prospect of Gounaris staying with family in McHenry County because there's been "no specific testimony or evidence showing what the families capabilities are" in dealing with his mental health. "These are very serious offenses" resulting in serious injuries, Roe said. During the gunfire exchange June 12, Ogle County Sheriff's Lt. Jason Ketter was shot in the face, Deputy Tad Dominski was shot in the arm, Tyler Carls of the Rochelle Fire Department was shot in the torso and Gounaris was shot in the stomach. That day, Dominski and Carls were treated at OSF Saint Katharine Medical Center which at the time was KSB Hospital in Dixon and released later that evening. Ketter was flown to OSF Medical Center in Rockford, underwent surgery and was released from the hospital June 14. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gounaris was also treated at KSB and then booked into the Winnebago County Jail on June 18. "I do not find that there's substantial change in circumstance to release the defendant in any capacity," Roe said Monday. A status hearing was set for 1 p.m. April 28, during which Gounaris will no longer be represented by O'Brien since he's leaving the public defender's office. "Gounaris would still maintain his general position for release," O'Brien said. The April hearing is also the deadline for the state to respond to O'Brien's motion to "appoint an expert and/or reimburse defense costs to assist in presenting a change of venue request," according to the motion filed March 6. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his motion, O'Brien argues the court should allow and pay for a company to "explore the likelihood that this case should be tried" in a different county because there exists "prejudice against" Gounaris and he cannot receive a fair trial in Ogle County. A change-of-venue motion typically asks the judge to move the trial to a different location. Those motions usually cite reasons that the filing party believes would prevent a fair trial in the county in which the case was filed. Pretrial publicity often is listed as a reason for a change-of-venue motion. This article comes from Canary Medias Ohio Utility Watch newsletter, a monthly update on Ohios HB6 power plant bailout scandal. Visit our newsletter page to sign up. Welcome to Ohio Utility Watch, a newsletter tracking Ohios ongoing public-corruption saga, often referred to as the House Bill 6 or HB 6 scandal. If you're new to the story, it revolves around the use of dark money by utility companies and others to pass roughly $60 million in bribes to secure more than $1.5 billion in ratepayer subsidies for aging, uneconomical coal and nuclear power plants. Here are some developments from the last few weeks: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The states consumer advocate wants regulators to reduce FirstEnergys rate of return to reflect poor management practices that enabled bribes and corruption. Environmental advocates say FirstEnergys ratemaking case should consider grid disparities in disadvantaged communities. Legislation that would remove HB 6s coal plant subsidies is moving full-speed ahead, along with incentives for more in-state power plants. At a March 13 hearing, former FirstEnergy executives again declined to answer questions, citing their Fifth Amendment rights. Should abysmal management mean less profit from ratepayers? Ohios state consumer advocate and others say FirstEnergy should be penalized with a lower rate of return in its rate case due to the companys egregious violation of laws and norms in connection with the HB 6 scandal. The Office of the Ohio Consumers Counsel filed testimony on March 24 arguing, among other things, that the Public Utilities Commission should cut the companys requested rate of return on capital investments by at least half a percent. All told, the consumers counsel says Ohio customers should pay FirstEnergy roughly $132 million less for annual distribution charges. FirstEnergy responded on March 31, arguing the corruption scandal has no bearing on its first ratemaking case since 2007. Although the company expected five years ago that it would need to reduce rates when a new ratemaking process began, it now wants $183 million more per year from Ohio ratepayers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company has proposed that it earn a 10.8% rate of return on equity. That income generally functions as a reward to the firm for capital investments. An auditor hired by the commission suggested 9.63% based on its market analysis. Ashley Brown, a former PUCO commissioner and past executive director of the Harvard Electricity Policy Group, said the companys abysmal management should be a factor, regardless of whether its also addressed in other regulatory cases. Ive never seen a better case for arguing performance should play a huge role in determining the rate of return, Brown said. Read more: FirstEnergy asks regulators to raise rates by $183 million. Auditors say $8.5 million (Cleveland.com) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FirstEnergy wants to raise prices following repeal of scandal-tainted legislation (Ohio Capital Journal) Should equity affect rates? Ohio environmental advocates say FirstEnergys ratemaking case needs to address grid disparities for disadvantaged communities compared to elsewhere in the companys service area. The Ohio Environmental Council filed testimony last month criticizing the utilitys efforts to maintain and improve infrastructure for lower-income areas. The environmental groups filings include testimony by Shay Banton, a regulatory program engineer and energy justice policy advocate for the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. When utilities are requesting a return on investment, I think its prudent for customers to know why those investments are being made and to make sure those investments are being made in an equitable way, Banton told Canary Media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FirstEnergys March 31 response argued that its ratemaking case is unrelated to the equity issues raised by the Ohio Environmental Council. However, company testimony filed on March 24 talks about various investments to maintain and improve reliability. Read more: Lots of demand, too little grid: The state of the US power sector (Canary Media) Mapping tools help Ohio cities chart course for environmental justice (Canary Media) Energy bills move ahead Both houses of the General Assembly have passed bills to end HB 6s coal subsidies. Customers have paid roughly $460 million for two 1950s-era coal plants since the laws subsidy mandate began in January 2020, according to the Office of the Ohio Consumers Counsel. The consumers counsel also estimates the plants have emitted almost 60 million tons of carbon dioxide, plus other pollutants, since then. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ohio utilities oppose the bills, especially after lawmakers dropped language that would have let some charges continue as late as 2028. AEP Ohio will continue to advocate for a reasonable timeline for transitioning the cost recovery, along with other changes, said spokesperson Scott Blake. More broadly, the bills aim to attract new in-state electricity generation, primarily through tax incentives and regulatory changes. The Ohio House and Senate are now considering versions of each others bills. Changes are likely before either becomes law. Read more: Ohios big utilities fight repeal of scandal-tainted bill riders that cost customers billions of dollars (Energy and Policy Institute) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ohio House passes bills to ax coal fees, attract new energy to the state (Cincinnati Enquirer) Ohio lawmakers vote to repeal coal subsidies from scandal-ridden FirstEnergy bill (News 5 Cleveland) Witnesses still arent talking Former FirstEnergy lobbyists and executives again asserted their Fifth Amendment rights and refused to answer questions under oath about issues related to HB 6 during a March 13 hearing at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Administrative Law Judges Megan Addison and Jacky Werman St. John told lawyers for the Ohio Attorney General to secure a court order for Joel Bailey, Ty Pine, Dennis Chack, and Justin Biltz to answer questions in subsequent depositions, for which Ohio law would grant them immunity from criminal prosecution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The PUCO first directed the Ohio Attorney General to get judicial orders compelling the testimony in early December. Whats different now is the witnesses lawyers appear inclined to accept a court order and grant of immunity within boundaries to be outlined in that order. The terms are not yet known. Meanwhile, an evidentiary hearing for three of the HB 6related regulatory cases is scheduled to start on May 13. One case deals with corporate separation issues that were split off from another evidentiary hearing last year. The other two cases involve riders, including one that was ultimately found unlawful but for which customers paid roughly $450,000. In a separate proceeding, the Ohio Consumers Counsel and Northwest Ohio Aggregation Coalition have appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court PUCOs decision to let FirstEnergy revert to a package of added bill charges while its new electric security plan case makes its way through the commission. Read more: Six years after bribery scandal, ousted FirstEnergy lobbyists still aren't talking to the PUCO (Cleveland.com) Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, second from left, and First Lady Fran DeWine, talk with Anne Rhodes, center, and Allison Howell, far right, of the Mansfield/Richland County Public Library, about services they provide, as part of a library "showcase" in the Statehouse rotunda. Libraries attended an advocacy day at the Statehouse to discuss the importance of libraries and potential state budget cuts. (Photo by Susan Tebben, Ohio Capital Journal) Calls from the Ohio Library Day gathering of about 350 library staff members from across the state were possibly heard from the Ohio Statehouse atrium on Tuesday, because the newest House version of the budget walks back plans to eliminate the Public Library Fund. If it wasnt the advocacy gathering on Tuesday, it could have been the calls and emails legislators received amid the budget process, according to some that attended the event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have never in my entire time in the Statehouse received more emails and phone calls from individuals advocating for their libraries, said House Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, to cheers from the crowd. Republican House Speaker Pro Tempore Gayle Manning also said shes been receiving a lot of emails lately, as has state Sen. Jerry Cirino, R-Kirtland. It is very clear what your interests are, said Cirino, who will face budget negotiations head-on as the budget discussion heads for the Senate Finance Committee, of which he is the chair. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cirino made no guarantees about funding, partly because the House had not finished their discussions of the omnibus bill as of Tuesday morning when he spoke to the crowd. State Sen. Jerry Cirino, R-Kirtland, speaks to library representatives during the Ohio Library Councils advocacy day. The same day that legislators spoke of the importance of public libraries, the Ohio House walked back planned budgetary changes that would have eliminated the Public Library Fund in favor of a population-based funding formula. (Photo by Susan Tebben, Ohio Capital Journal) No guarantees, dont know what its going to end up as, Cirino said. But trust me, youve got a lot of us that really believe in libraries and what you do and what you bring to the communities. A summary of the omnibus bill released on Tuesday afternoon states that the current distribution of state funds to public libraries was put back, instead of a proposed population-based formula initially written into the House budget draft. The omnibus bill is set to be put to a vote on Wednesday. The new budget amendment appropriates $490 million in fiscal year 2026 for the Public Library Fund, and $500 million in fiscal year 2027. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The House budget proposal, even with the restoration of the PLF, comes in at a lower allocation than Gov. Mike DeWine proposed in his executive budget, which had an increase to the fund from 1.7% to 1.75% of tax revenue in the General Revenue Fund. According to the Ohio Library Council, DeWines proposal would have allocated $531.7 million in 2026 and $549.1 million the year after. DeWine praised libraries at Tuesdays event, and said, of funding public libraries as it has been done for the last century, I think thats probably something that really should be continued. Our libraries are really at the center of each community, DeWine said. It doesnt matter whether its in an inner city, it doesnt matter whether its in Harrison County or any of our smaller counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked for tips on advocating as the budget moves on to the Senate, the governor said engaging directly with the senators in individual districts would make the most impact, and give them the perspective of those in their communities. We all react to people and we react to stories, he said. Statistics are interesting, stories are people. Anne Rhodes and Allison Howell, of the Mansfield/Richland County Public Library, were more than happy to give DeWine and others the story of their library, which not only provides reading services, but also a library of things where residents can rent items such as power tools and board games. The library can help convert old VHS tapes and other old recording types for free, and brings their bookmobile to nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Rhodes said a community member told her his mother gets books from the bookmobile monthly, looking forward to the delivery every time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said it has just changed her world, Rhodes said. It gives her something to do and keeps her interested, and shes excited to see what she gets every month. The library of things not only saves people the cost of buying a power tool or musical instrument that they may only need temporarily, but helps enrich lives without the burden of cost, Howell said. We have kids come in and they get so happy that they can get a board game that they can play with their parents because they may not be able to afford a board game, she said. Staff members from public libraries across the state met at the Ohio Statehouse on Tuesday to promote the roles of libraries, and fight against potential state budget cuts. (Photo by Susan Tebben, Ohio Capital Journal) Library patrons were panicked when they heard news that state funding might be at risk, according to Rhodes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When they started talking about these budget cuts, I dont know how many phone calls we got in our office, pretty much immediately with people, their hair was on fire, Rhodes said. Ive had people call in tears that theyre worried about the cuts. Russo, Manning, Cirino, and state Sen. Beth Liston, D-Dublin, all spent some of their time at the library advocacy event explaining how their local libraries benefitted them, from reading help when they were children, to helping their own children, and giving them space to hear from constituents on the issues of the day. Now, more than ever, legislators said libraries are in need of support. I think everyone will agree that in our changing times, there has been a huge need for places where people can come together and gather and feel part of things, Liston said. I would agree that it is critical that we maintain the funds for the library system through our public library funding. Cirino didnt question the value of libraries, but as the budgeting process goes forward into his committee and the Senate, he said a big question will be: How much can we afford to support it? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think like everybody else that we appropriate, it should be a biennial appropriation process thats justified based on input and feedback that we get, not an automatic number, Cirino told media after he spoke to the library group. I think the way that the House presented it in their sub bill (with a population-based formula) I think will actually be better off for libraries. Russo said changes to the Public Library Fund that would reduce the monies going to those entities, even more so than the $27 million public libraries lost over the last year, would bring the costs back to the residents. Without state funding, libraries are forced to ask for property tax levies to supplement the costs of business and performing what Russo said are critical needs in our communities. When we take money away from those efforts that are being done very well in our communities, that actually costs us money in the longterm, Russo told the Capital Journal. The reason that our communities have to keep going back to local residents is because we are not doing our share here at the Statehouse. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE File photo of electricity pylons. (Getty Images). Ohio state senators took up the House version of a broad-based energy bill Tuesday aimed at encouraging new power generation. Backers warn the regional energy grid known as PJM is teetering on the verge of shortfall. Forecasts suggest energy demands could outpace supply as soon as next year. With those alarms ringing in their ears, lawmakers in the House and Senate have been advancing bills on parallel tracks. Both chambers approved their proposals in recent weeks with broad bipartisan support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX But Tuesdays hearing wasnt the beginning of a fast-track process. Senators cancelled a follow up hearing scheduled for Wednesday and theyre preparing to leave town on a two-week recess. In the House, meanwhile, attention is focused squarely on the budget. Sen. Brian Chavez, R-Marietta, who heads up the Senate energy committee explained they havent yet settled on which bill will be the vehicle for passage. We havent figured that out yet. The House is focused on the budget right now, Chavez said after committee. I think well pick one and well just go with it, he added, and well blend them together and hopefully come up with a really solid bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres agreement on the broad strokes, but with lawmakers headed for the exits, hammering out the details might stretch into May. And despite wrestling over language for months, lawmakers and stakeholders have a few additional tweaks in mind. Whats distinct about HB 15 Both proposals encourage new power plant investment with tax incentives and assurances that monopoly distribution companies (think AEP, Duke or FirstEnergy) cant jump into the marketplace. They also shake up how those distribution companies set rates, and repealing a widely criticized subsidy for aging coal plants. But HB 15 carries a handful of additional provisions. Utilities would have to create heat maps reflecting energy capacity on quarterly basis. The state power siting board would gain oversight of transmission projects that currently have little. Critics argue that allows companies to make big investments and pass the cost on to ratepayers. The House bill also includes a pilot program for community power where small groups could chip in on new power generation to defray their existing power bills. The Senate bill includes a program loaning schools money for solar from an existing fund. The House instead would eliminate it and refund the balance to consumers. Ideas Senators sitting on the Energy committee heard another round of the suggestions theyve heard before. AEP Ohios Steve Nourse asked lawmakers for a glide path off the coal plant subsidies. Those subsidies are the result of 2019s House Bill 6 which is at the center of the largest corruption case in Ohios history. Consumers have already spent close to half a billion dollars on propping up the plants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Utilities, barred from any role in energy production under HB 15, urged lawmakers to let them get involved behind the meter providing on-site power plants for big customers like data centers. The Ohio Consumers Counsel Maureen Willis suggested lawmakers should remove or revise a section in the bill about customer refunds. It may have the unintended effect of prohibiting a refund opportunity that currently exists for consumers, she argued. The bill allows customers to collect refunds from the date of an Ohio Supreme Court decision rather than the date when charges began. Her office is pursuing refunds right now on behalf of half a million Ohioans who get their power from AES, the company that used to be Dayton Power and Light. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Bill 15 gives the Public Utility Commission of Ohio a shot clock for many of its ratemaking decisions. State Sen. Shane Wilkin, R-Hillsboro, asked about adding one for an annual revision process. The House sponsor, Rep. Roy Klopfenstein, R-Haviland, said hes willing to consider it. But after the hearing, Chavez said I dont know why the PUCO wouldnt be diligent about it. Were trying to let everyone do their job without putting too many restrictions on them, he added, because everyone wants to do the right thing. So, its something that well talk about. Chavez acknowledged he scheduled two hearings in case negotiations moved quickly, and they wanted to get the bill to the Senate floor Wednesday. We prepared for the possibility, he said. The Committees ranking member, Sen. Kent Smith, D-Euclid, added, Some of it is we want to have conversations with the House. Follow Ohio Capital Journal Reporter Nick Evans on X or on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE DENVER (KDVR) Crews are still working to mitigate a containment issue at a Chevron oil and gas facility northeast of Greeley that has led to 12 people evacuated and a school closure, as well as injured a Chevron business partner employee. The well control incident began at about 5:50 p.m. on Sunday as Galeton Fire Protection District crews responded to an oil and gas facility south of Weld County Road 74. On Monday, the Weld County government said the well was releasing primarily water with some oil and gas. Original reporting: 1 injured after incident at northern Colorado oil and gas facility, evacuations still in place Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weld County said that Galeton Elementary School is expected to remain closed through at least the end of the day on Thursday. Residents within a half-mile of the well pad are still under temporary evacuation, and a community meeting will be held on Thursday. Containment efforts underway On Tuesday, response work continued at the well site. Weld County said that on Monday, crews were able to: Successfully turn off all potential ignition sources Conduct air monitoring on and around the well site, as well as in the evacuation zone Results were below levels of concern for public health Recover and remove liquids from the site Those actions were followed up with crews securing the site on Tuesday and staging equipment that will be used to stop the release from the well. Weld County said that the containment and removal of liquids is ongoing at the site. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wednesday, the county said several goals were met on Tuesday, including: Equipment located at the well site was safely removed Air monitoring continued in and around the well pad and evacuation zone Results remain below levels of concern Wildlife biologists are monitoring a Bald eagle nest located just over a mile and a half southeast of the well pad. The biologists have also been surveying the area within a mile of the pad for any other raptor nests. Our priority remains the safety and security of our neighbors, workers and environment, Weld County said Wednesday. Community meeting on Thursday There will be a community meeting for Galeton residents at the Galeton Fire Station No. 2, located at 33535 Highway 392, on Thursday at 6 p.m. Fire representatives and officials from the Weld County Office of Emergency Management and Chevron will share updates with residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with livestock is directed to contact their veterinarian to evaluate and monitor the animals. Questions or requests for help boarding or relocating livestock can be directed to 970-342-0135. A Joint Information Center Community Information Line has been set up at 970-400-4264. There is also an informational website available here. Brooke Williams contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. BRUSSELS, April 9 (Xinhua) -- European Union (EU) member states on Wednesday backed the bloc's first package of retaliatory measures against U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs. The EU considers U.S. tariffs unjustified and damaging, causing economic harm to both sides, as well as the global economy, said the European Commission in a statement. The European Commission proposed the retaliatory duties on Monday, setting most at 25 percent. The tariffs target a range of U.S. imports in response to Washington's levies on steel and aluminum. The list spans from agricultural to industrial products such as soybeans, poultry, tobacco, iron, motorcycles, dental floss, and both steel and aluminum. These goods totaled around 22 billion euros (24.36 billion dollars) last year. (1 euro=1.11 dollar) OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) An Oklahoma immigration attorney says international students who have had their student visas revoked could be in for a months-long ordeal to get them back. On Tuesday, News 4 received information from several Oklahoma universities confirming the federal government had revoked student visas for their students. Oklahoma Christian University says two of its students have had their visas revoked. The University of Central Oklahoma says as many as four of its international students have been potentially affected. Eight Oklahoma State University students, according to a school spokesperson, had their visas revoked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UPDATE: Several Oklahoma college students visas revoked by federal government According to a report from the OColly, the director of OSUs Office of International Students and Scholars, Elisabeth Walker, spoke about the eight students who had their visas revoked during a Faculty Council meeting on Tuesday. Walker said political activity was cited as a reason for at least one of the students affected, while the others said their visas were revoked due to criminal activity ranging from a previous arrest to a speeding ticket. I feel for all the people who are going through this as a college student, you know, said University of Central Oklahoma student, Amen Darrehmane. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A UCO spokesperson told News 4 on Tuesday that they didnt know why students visas were revoked there and that students had to notify the university that they received an email from the Department of Homeland Security. News 4 reached out to a spokesperson for Governor Kevin Stitts office and was told they are looking into it. They received the notice of revocation and were told to leave the country as soon as possible, said Oklahoma immigration attorney Lorena Rivas, when describing what shed heard from one OSU student pursuing their post-graduate degree. They paid for this, but now theyre being told to get out, said Rivas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rivas says visas can be revoked for a number of reasons by the federal government, such as committing crimes, not staying in school, or if the government thinks youre a security risk. Do all those things that youre supposed to be doing in order to maintain the student visa, said Rivas. Do not give them reasons. Rivas said that if youre an international student who has strong political beliefs, it may not be wise for you to leave the United States until you finish your degree, in case you are denied entry. Rivas says you definitely shouldnt be publicly discussing those beliefs or sharing them on social media. It might be wise for these students not to express their opinions as openly, said Rivas. And its hurtful for me to say it again, because the foundation of this country is that we have the right to freely express our opinions, even if you are a citizen or not, especially when it doesnt involve inciting violence or doing anything like that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News 4 asked Rivas about individuals who believe they havent done anything wrong but have had their visas revoked anyway. She recommended reaching out to an immigration attorney to see if theyll review your case and determine if you should apply for a new student visa. Even for students who go through that process, Rivas said it can be challenging and frustrating. Applications to reinstate student visas take five months, said Rivas. So for five months, these individuals are not able to attend classes, not knowing whats going to happen to them. Cant really work lawfully in the United States either. The University of Oklahoma says it cant tell News 4 if any of its students have had their visas revoked. As of Tuesday evening, Rose State College didnt have any reported incidents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News 4 never heard back from Oklahoma City Community College or Langston University on the matter after inquiries on Tuesday 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 KFOR.com Oklahoma City. The 86-year-old Okeene Rattlesnake Roundup kicks off this week and is one of several rattler-themed community events in western Oklahoma. If you're interested in hunting for snakes or just want to visit the county fair-like celebration, the Rattlesnake Roundup runs from Thursday, April 10, through Saturday, April 12. Visitors can step into the "Den of Death" to see snake handlers put on a show with live rattlesnakes, enjoy carnival rides and games or just hang out in the atmosphere of a small-town festival. How to attend the Rattlesnake Roundup The Rattlesnake Roundup kicks off Thursday in the small northwest Oklahoma town of Okeene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Along with the carnival and live musical performances the three-day event will include vendors selling food (including snake meat), gifts and a whole bunch of rattlesnake-themed merchandise. There will also be a competition for rattlesnake hunters. Okeene is located about half an hour northwest of Oklahoma City in Blaine County, near Canton Lake. How to hunt for a rattlesnake H.H. Tomlinson of Watonga shows the proper technique in holding a live rattlesnake in 1958. Joe Durham/The Oklahoman File Those who want to compete for a cash prize and bragging rights at the Okeene Rattlesnake Roundup must sign in to enter the contest, according to the Rattlesnake Roundup website. Measurements of western diamondback rattlesnakes will be taken and winners will be announced by the event sponsor, the Okeene Diamondback Club. Oklahoma law allows individuals to obtain a five-day rattlesnake hunting permit. Persons with a valid hunting license are exempt from needing the rattlesnake permit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Oklahoma is home to several venomous snake species. How to spot them, what to do Rattlesnakes can be hunted in Oklahoma between March 1 and June 30. Permits are available online at GoOutdoorsOklahoma.com , by calling (405) 521-3852, or at any hunting or fishing license dealer. The following reptiles are legal to harvest with no daily limit: prairie rattlesnakes, western diamondback rattlesnakes, timber rattlesnakes, and massasauga. Missed Okeene? There are other Oklahoma hunts this month Okeene isn't the only place in Oklahoma where you can attend a rattlesnake festival or hunt. Here is a list of other events this April: April 10-13 Waurika Rattlesnake Hunt Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement April 17-20 Apache Rattlesnake Festival April 25-27 Waynoka Rattlesnake Hunt April 25-27 Mangum Rattlesnake Derby This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Okeene Rattlesnake Roundup this week: How to attend Oklahoma festival An Oklahoma Senate bill that would codify Gov. Kevin Stitt's executive order prohibiting state funds from supporting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at higher education institutions is inching closer to becoming law. Senate Bill 796, authored by Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, would require universities to submit a certificate of compliance showing that tax dollars are not being spent on DEI initiatives to the governor and legislative leaders by July 1, 2026, and every July 1 thereafter. The measure passed in the House Postsecondary Education committee 4-2 on Tuesday with Rep. Michelle McCane, D-Tulsa, and Rep. Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater, voting against it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont, SB 796's House author, told the committee that the bill would stop preferential treatment at Oklahoma universities. She said she believed athletes at some universities had been required to participate in trainings on white privilege, but did not say where or when that had happened. The lawmaker said equity creates determined outcomes while equality creates outcomes based on merit. She did not vote on the bill Tuesday as she's not a member of the committee. More: Conservative activist Riley Gaines speaks at the University of Oklahoma, draws protest Rep. Michelle McCane, D-Tulsa, speaks with Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont, after the House Postsecondary Education committee approved a bill that would codify Gov. Kevin Stitt's anti-DEI executive order. "What we're seeing is students that are going into college to learn, say, to be an engineer, having a whole other topic that they're having to study, taking out student loans, taking a longer time in college for something that is really not anything that was on their radar that they're focusing on for an education," Crosswhite Hader said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the meeting, McCane, a Black and Native American woman, told Crosswhite Hader that she was called a racial slur for the first time when she was 5 years old, adding that there are numerous other 5-year-olds who haven't had that experience. McCane asked the representative whether she'd agree that kids who might be targeted with racial slurs would benefit from different types of support from children who don't face those taunts equitable support rather than equal support, she said. Crosswhite Hader said she would not agree. Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, pictured here if February, authored Senate Bill 796, which would require universities to submit a certificate of compliance showing that tax dollars are not being spent on DEI initiatives to the governor and legislative leaders by July 1, 2026, and every July 1 thereafter. Anti-DEI bill stirs up past focus on OU women's leadership program Oklahoma universities have already pulled back DEI initiatives in response to Stitt's 2023 executive order that required state agencies and higher education institutions to formally review the necessity and efficiency of DEI positions, departments, activities, procedures and programs. Five months after the directive, the University of Oklahoma announced the closure of its National Education for Women's Leadership program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The program encouraged young women to engage in politics and public policy, and graduated more than 650 female students from 42 colleges since it was founded in 2002. More: Performers, LGBTQ+ advocates fear potential impact of anti-drag bills on OKC's Pride festivals At the time, the closure created heightened concerns about the fate of state-funded programs meant to empower women and minorities. That conversation resurfaced during the committee meeting on Tuesday when Ranson referenced the program's closure and asked Crosswhite Hader whether SB 796 would support that chilling effect, giving women fewer opportunities at universities. "Though I participated in that organization, as well, that was an opportunity where the university took a proactive approach, rather than the state giving them a directive," Crosswhite Hader answered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said that the program was never responsible for her decision to run for office, adding that she never wanted to be elected because she's a woman, but because she wanted to be the best candidate. During debate on the bill, McCane cited her own experiences to explain how systemic barriers can affect people of color. The 37-year-old representative is in the first generation of her family to have the rights of all Americans. "We are not talking about extra. We are talking about people who have systemically and historically been kept out of spaces and have to work much harder, and this is about just giving them the help that they should have had from the beginning," she said. Crosswhite Hader responded by saying, "Where someone's history falls, we have come a long way." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Women in particular have the opportunity to serve in this body just like anyone else, but it is based on merit," Crosswhite Hader said. "It is not based on an extra starting block or even starting from behind. Any of us getting in this building has worked to make ourselves get to this position." The two lawmakers continued to talk one-on-one for a few minutes after representatives voted to approve the bill. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma bill to codify Gov. Stitt's DEI ban at universities advancing OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Oklahoma families continue to worry as measles cases pop up in the state. State health leaders confirm that as of now, there are 10 cases, eight cases confirmed and two probable. Just last week, word of an exposure risk at OU Childrens Hospital sparked concern. A program called The Oklahoma Caring Van travels around the metro and other areas in the state, offering childhood vaccines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The program, which began in October 1999, has given thousands of vaccinations to children in Oklahoma. Probable: Two additional measles cases reported, says OSDH With the recent measles outbreak raising the alarm for families, those with the Caring Van say its more important now than ever to get vaccinated. I would say more and more people are seeking out the measles vaccine, said Christina Raabe, a Nurse at Variety Care. As the outbreak continues to make its way across the U.S., health experts are trying to inform parents on why it is important to get the vaccination. We get a lot of questions on what do vaccines do, said Raabe. So, well tell them that the vaccines help train your body to fight against the infection if they come in contact with it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Measles was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000, following a large vaccination rate across the country. Now, those rates are low again, causing an increasing likelihood of an outbreak. We are making sure that our community stays healthy and safe, you know, especially during this rough times, said Rosalba Martinez with Oklahoma Caring Foundation. Rosalba said that the goal of the Caring Van is to travel around the metro and help those who may not be able to go to the doctor and get a vaccine. Just last week, a mother who went to the Caring Van was unfamiliar with vaccinations and was able to get the information needed to help her understand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She had never vaccinated her child, and she was worried about the outbreak, said Rosalba. So, she came in, got her child vaccinated, and she had a conversation with the nurse, making sure that she understood and everything like that. News 4 saw many families stop by with children of all ages to receive a vaccine. Nobody wanted to speak on camera, but they all said they were doing what they thought was right, to best protect their child. As the Caring Van continues to travel around the metro, the program says they are here to answer any questions or concerns families may have about vaccines. So they can make an informed decision for their family, said Raabe. We obviously recommend vaccinating your children. Well provide you with the information you need to make a good decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Oklahoma Caring Vans provide all immunizations required by Oklahoma law for enrollment in schools or childcare facilities. Services are provided to children, from the ages of six weeks to 18 years old, at no charge, to those who qualify. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Oklahoma state library officials are preparing for funding delays and complications as the Trump Administration guts the country's library and museum agency's staff and directs it to eliminate funding to states. The Oklahoma Department of Libraries, along with similar agencies in other states across the country, was informed this week that all staff for the federal Institute of Library and Museum Services, commonly known as IMLS, were being placed on administrative leave. Some state libraries across the country were informed that federal grants approved last year are being terminated. The moves in Washington, D.C., mean library systems in Oklahoma and other states could be left scrambling to make up funding gaps to continue to reach the tens of millions of Americans they collectively serve every year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a grant termination letter received by some states, the grants violate an executive order President Donald Trump signed in March and are inconsistent with the administration's priorities for the IMLS. So far, Oklahoma's library agency has not received a termination letter for its Grants to States awards, though California's, Connecticut's and Washington's state librarians offices confirmed to USA TODAY that their grants had been ended six months early. Trump's executive order states that IMLS must be reduced to its statutory functions and eliminate nonstatutory components and functions to the maximum extent. More: Trump funding cuts could threaten public libraries, Native American cultural institutions In response to the cuts, the American Library Association is joining the largest museum and library workers union to challenge the Trump Administration's gutting of the IMLS in court. The world's biggest library association announced the lawsuit on Tuesday alongside the union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The IMLS works to improve libraries and offer access to national collection resources. Oklahoma agencies, including the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, received $4.4 million in federal funds through the IMLS during fiscal year 2024. Oklahoma may feel impacts even if it keeps its federal funding Even if Oklahoma's IMLS grant funding is not terminated like other states, the state could face challenges to accessing the funds and reporting how they're spent if the federal library agency has no employees, according to Kaylee Reed, the public information officer for the Oklahoma Department of Libraries "We are working to remain informed, flexible, and collaborative with the administration to advocate for the continuation of this vital program and communicate the positive return on investment it brings to Oklahoma communities," Reed said. "We're also keeping our state legislative and executive branch leaders informed of the situation while communicating potential direct impacts that will be felt by Oklahomans if the Grants to States program were to end." Under the 2018 Museum and Library Services Act, IMLS is statutorily required to send funding to state libraries under the Grants to States Program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the act could expire in September if Congress doesn't take action. When Trump signed the executive order targeting IMLS on March 14, the U.S. Senate passed and the president signed a continuing resolution for fiscal year 2025, which provides funding for IMLS through September 2025. The new legal complaint argues that cutting programs at IMLS will violate federal law by eliminating programs Congress has provided funding for and directed IMLS to undertake. In a statement, American Library Association President Cindy Hohl said libraries play an important role in democracy, from preserving history to providing access to government information, advancing literacy and civic engagement and offering diverse perspectives. These values are worth defending," she said. "We will not allow extremists to threaten our democracy by eliminating programs at IMLS and harming the children and communities who rely on libraries and the services and opportunities they provide. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma libraries brace for funding delays over federal Trump lawsuit An academic researcher from Oklahoma has been charged by Thai authorities for allegedly insulting the kingdom's monarchy. U.S. citizen Paul Chambers, 58, is a political science lecturer at Naresuan University and has lived in Thailand for decades. Police reportedly came to his workplace on Friday, April 4, and served him with an arrest warrant, according to The Associated Press. He was accused of insulting or defaming Thailand's monarchy, which is a charge also known as lese majeste. After turning himself in, Chambers was released Wednesday after being allowed to post bail, according to a Facebook post from his brother. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On its website, the U.S. State Department warns Americans that Thais hold their monarchy in the highest regard. "Making a critical or defamatory comment about the royal family is punishable by a prison sentence of up to 15 years per offense," the travel advisory says. Chambers' family, which includes OU Professor Peggy Chambers, have said they were shocked to hear about the charges considering his longtime affiliation with the Southeast Asian nation. Thailand is a ally of the United States and has been one of America's top trading partners. Peggy, who is an instructor and academic advisor in OU's Department of Classics and Letters, said she spoke to her son after he was released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think he was courageous to (turn himself in). I guess he could have slipped out of the country but he didn't choose to," she said. In an update posted to Facebook on Tuesday, his brother Kit Chambers was optimistic that Paul was not responsible for insulting the Thai monarchy. "It seems impossible that he has been charged and imprisoned on the basis of an ISEAS (Institute of Southeast Asian Studies based in Singapore) program description that he did not write and did not publish online. That program is the entire basis of the complaint filed by the prosecutors," Kit Chambers wrote. Chambers' family have been in contact with Oklahoma's congressional delegation the U.S. Embassy in Thailand. An embassy spokesperson said Tuesday that United States is "alarmed" by the arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This case reinforces our longstanding concerns about the use of lese majeste laws in Thailand. We continue to urge Thai authorities to respect freedom of expression and to ensure that laws are not used to stifle permitted expression," the embassy said. "As a treaty ally of Thailand, we will closely monitor this issue and advocate for the fair treatment of Paul Chambers." According to Chambers' LinkedIn profile, his work focuses on civil-military relations and democratization in Southeast Asia. He regularly writes and speaks about Thai politics and its military, and is considered an expert. In 2024, he published the book "Praetorian Kingdom," a comprehensive look at Thailand's modern military and political history. Chambers grew up in Norman and graduated from Norman High School. He earned a degree from the University of Oklahoma before pursuing post-graduate degrees in international relations and the politics of Southeast Asia. Chambers lives in Thailand with his wife. Throughout his career, he's worked in Latin America, South America, and served with the Peace Corps in Thailand, according to his mother. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There are very few programs interested in Southeast Asian studies in the United States," Peggy Chambers told The Oklahoman on Wednesday. "I think it's going to be very dangerous for him to continue his work in Thailand, and I hope he has a position that opens up for him in some university here. That's the mother's hope." This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma man charged with insulting Thailand's royal family Olyphant will use nearly $200,000 in grant funding to expand and upgrade its police station, improving safety for both officers and those in custody. Borough council voted this month to approve the use of a $187,000 Local Share Account grant to renovate its police station at 604 E. Park St., council President Jimmy Baldan said Tuesday. The borough will now hire an architect and contractor to design and build the police station improvements. Its a project that is long overdue, Baldan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With 10 full-time and three part-time officers, Olyphant police are squished in like sardines right now, police Chief James DeVoe said. The police station was built in the late 1990s to early 2000s, he said. It was built for us, but the plans had changed and shrunk, DeVoe said. * The Olyphant Police Department lacks a holding cell so officers use this bench to handcuff suspects in the interview room. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) * Officer workstations will be extended and have improved security with tinted, bulletproof glass at the Olyphant Police Department Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * An extenstion will be built that will serve as a holding area for suspects, work stations for officers and locker rooms at the Olyphant Police Department. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Show Caption 1 of 3 The Olyphant Police Department lacks a holding cell so officers use this bench to handcuff suspects in the interview room. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Expand To alleviate those space constraints, the Police Department will close in its existing carport in the rear of the station, which will be used for processing crimes, and construct a section next to the carport that will house a holding cell, a recorded interview room, an area with workstations for officers and locker rooms for male and female officers, DeVoe said. The department does not currently have a holding cell or a dedicated interview room, which means detained suspects have to be handcuffed to a bench, with that room doubling as the interview room, DeVoe said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lack of a holding cell makes it difficult for officers, he said, recalling detainees destroying items inside the station. It is very hard to keep somebody that is acting very unruly in a station that way, DeVoe said. Its not secure for my officers. A dedicated holding cell is safer for both police and suspects, who would be locked in the cell without access to anything that they could use to harm themselves, he said. They cant hurt themselves, DeVoe said. They cant hurt my officers, either. The addition means the department will meet standards for having juveniles at the station, DeVoe said, explaining anyone under 18 is not supposed to be held within earshot of adult detainees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right now, our station is too small to do that, hollow walls and everything else, he said. Police are also redesigning the stations common area to improve security, DeVoe said. The renovations will add a wall with tinted, bullet-proof glass where visitors would be called to the window and, if needed, escorted in, he said. We dont have to worry about unauthorized people any longer walking in, he said. There will be a double layer of security. Outside the station, the department plans to build a four-stall garage where officers can back their vehicles in, safely remove a detainee and bring them into the station with no chance of escape or injury, DeVoe said. To accommodate the Police Departments K-9 program, DeVoe said they will also be building five to six kennels off of the garage. Although Olyphant only has one K-9, a German Shepherd named King, the additional space will allow the department to help other local police K-9 handlers to take care of their animals, as well as giving the department a place to hold lost dogs, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He lauded Olyphant Borough Council for its support of his department, including working with it on the renovation project, purchasing body cameras, new vehicles, equipment and license plate readers. DeVoe hopes to start work by the late spring or early summer, estimating it will take one to two years across multiple phases of construction. Everything that were doing is just going to make a safer working environment, DeVoe said. HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) A woman is in custody after a fatal crash in Hopkins County took the life of a 6-year-old. According to the Madisonville Police Department, the fatal crash happened near Manitou in the 4100 block of Nebo Road on September 16, 2024. They say the crash also resulted in severe injuries to a driver and passenger in a separate vehicle. Following an investigation with Kentucky State Police, the case was presented to a Hopkins County Grand Jury where 34-year-old Jessica Settle was indicted on the charges of: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vehicular homicide when under the influence of drugs Two counts of assault Operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs Possession of a controlled substance Drug paraphernalia Persistent felony offender Settle is currently booked in the Hopkins County Detention Center on a $500,000 bond. Jessica Settle (Courtesy: Madisonville Police Department) Eyewitness News. Everywhere you are. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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). OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) According to the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, one person has been arrested in Oklahoma City as part of a cross-country human trafficking investigation. Officials say an undercover OBN agent found an online commercial sex advertisement for a female which indicated she may be a victim of trafficking. LOCAL NEWS: Edmond Police warn of metro credit union scam According to OBN Spokesman Mark Woodward, after making contact with the victim, agents learned she had met 52-year-old Shawn Brownlee in California after he responded to one of her commercial sex advertisements. He allegedly brought the victim to Oklahoma in a semi-trailer with the intent of furthering her sex work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Agents with the OBNs Human Trafficking Unit found Brownlee and arrested him on April 3, 2025, in Oklahoma City. He is facing multiple charges including Pandering and Maintaining a House of Prostitution. Shawn Brownlee arrested. Image courtesy OBN. Shawn Brownlee. Image courtesy OBN. Additional charges may be added as the investigation continues. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. BERLIN, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Germany's conservative bloc CDU/CSU and the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) on Wednesday agreed on a coalition deal to form a new federal government after weeks of negotiation. CDU leader Friedrich Merz is expected to be elected as chancellor next month, according to German public broadcaster ZDF. Details of the deal are expected to be released later on Wednesday. HART COUNTY, Ga. The Hart County Sheriffs Office reported one person dead following a three-car collision in Hart County. Officers say that at approximately 8:52 a.m., they were called out to Elberton Highway, between Liberty Hill Church Road and Stephen Johnson Road, regarding reports of a three-vehicle rear-end collision. Upon arrival, authorities determined that the driver of vehicle 3, was deceased. The occupants of vehicles 1 and 2 were reported to be uninjured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deceased was identified as 68-year-old William Stanley Bridges of Elberton. The Georgia State Patrol was called to assist with the investigation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. How one local sawmill is already feeling the effects of new tariffs FLAT TOP, WV (WVNS) With President Trumps tariffs on lumber being exported and imported to and from the country now in effect, many may be wondering how our sawmills here in the states are faring. How local cattle farmers feel about the new tariffs On April 5, President Trump imposed a minimum 10-percent tariff on all countries that the United State has trade agreements with. According to The White Houses official website, another individualized tax will be imposed on the countries the United States has the highest trade deficits with. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That will take effect on April 9th. Even before another tax is added, our local sawmills are already feeling the effects of the tariffs. John Beeson, Procurement Forester for Meador Wood Products in Flat Top, said its going to be rough for local sawmills for a while. Well, theres already orders being cancelled for lumber thats being shipped overseas, of course. But it also effects stuff thats here domestically just because its just a ripple effect. I mean, and its gonna be painful for a little while until we work through it, said Beeson. Beeson said his company has lumber on ships right now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This lumber was previously heading to other countries but is now just floating on the open ocean until its decided who will pay the tariff the sawmill or whoever ordered the lumber. He said the major products his company exports are West Virginia hardwoods, such as red and white oak. Beeson said the tariffs will result in exports being worth less than previous years. For example, if a company overseas orders lumber that would normally be priced for a thousand dollars, then the overseas company will only want to pay eight hundred dollars for the lumber so that the remaining money can be used for the tariff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beeson said, in his opinion, this could be a good thing in the long run. We shouldnt be exporting or importing as much as we are. Exportings okay, but we shouldnt be exporting logs and lumber. We should be using it here and getting more products out of it, then shipping it. Were not the end users, and thats the biggest thing. And thats what hes, in theory thats what were trying to do, or Trumps trying to do. said Beeson. More than $20 million in FEMA Disaster Assistance approved in West Virginia Beeson said were shipping logs and lumber to other countries who then turn them into value-added products and turn around and export those products back to the United States for a larger profit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He hopes the new tariffs will encourage the country to use the raw goods they have, such as logs and lumber, by turning them into specialty products and then shipping them to other countries to create a larger profit margin here at home. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS. Milwaukee Fire Department first responders discovered a dead 71-year-old Tuesday afternoon in an apartment building after being called there for a fire. The Milwaukee Police Department said the cause of the fire at 3000 W. Capitol Drive is "suspicious" and authorities have a "known suspect." Officials say the incident happened at about 2:20 p.m. Tuesday. Police said the 71-year-old "sustained fatal injuries," but it's unclear if those are fire-related injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was also unclear how many people are displaced. The Red Cross didn't immediately respond to request for comment. The building appeared badly damaged Tuesday night as Milwaukee police were still on scene. This is a breaking news story and will be updated. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: One person dead after 'suspicious' fire at Milwaukee apartment building Improving the mental health of first responders requires a multi-faceted approach, including addressing workplace culture, building individual resilience and ensuring access to mental health resources. Oneonta Fire Chief Brian Knapp is working on a plan, inspired by a recent report on the mental health challenges facing first responders, to bring new support systems to local firefighters. Knapp made his initial pitch to the city's Community Wellness Committee on March 25, saying that in dealing with some of the critical community issues the committee is charged with addressing, such as homeless and drug addiction, it's police, fire and EMS workers who are the face of the city the ones who are on the front lines handling these issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If we want to solve these issues citywide," Knapp said to The Daily Star April 3, "we need to make our first responders as healthy as possible, so that they're able to handle all of these community issues." The city's Budget Review Committee intends to meet with Knapp during its May meeting to discuss city spending for the fire department. The mental health needs report The report, New York State First Responder Mental Health Needs Assessment, was conducted by The Benjamin Center for Public Policy Initiatives and Institute for Disaster Mental Health at SUNY New Paltz and issued in February. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First responders are "at significant risk for burnout and for developing mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety," the report stated. "The mental well-being of first responders deserves attention, especially given their critical role in maintaining public safety and providing emergency assistance." More than 6,000 first responders responded, included police officers, firefighters, EMS workers, dispatchers and emergency management, at both the career and volunteer levels with varying years of service. Knapp said that while he made the firefighters under his command aware of the survey which was one of many requests the department has received he's unsure if anyone local participated since it was anonymous. Key findings Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Knapp complied a list of key findings in the report on the challenge for fire and EMS, and other list for police. On the fire side, 64% of EMS and 58% of firefighters reported that traumatic events accidents, medical emergencies, fatalities are significant stressors. Risk of injury on the job, shift work and overtime were all cited as practical job stressors. Time away from family and friends and the public perception of the profession were cited as social stressors. More than half reported mental health impacts including burnout, anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance abuse and suicidal ideation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lack of access to mental health care was identified by 81% of EMS and 71% of firefighters as a barrier. The stigma surrounding seeking mental health care was ranked high as a key barrier, as were the worry about being perceived as unreliable by peers and confidentially concerns. Logistical barriers to care included time constraints, scheduling conflicts, cost and lack of employer support. Knapp said that people have different ways of processing trauma and dealing with stress, so it's not always apparent when someone is struggling. "Unless you see a significant change in behavior, it's hard to determine how someone's dealing with it," Knapp said. "We all deal with traumas and emotions a little bit differently, but based on this data, it's a bigger issue than we probably thought it was." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Proposed solutions The recommended solutions to support first responders' well-being came from the survey respondents themselves, Knapp said, "what the people in the career said would be beneficial." The proposed solutions Knapp would like to see implemented locally include having culturally competent clinicians on retainer, improving access to fitness equipment and reducing the stigma around mental health treatment overall. Knapp attend the Fire and Emergency Services Health, Wellness, and Safety Symposium in Utica from March 7-9, hosted by state Office of Fire Prevention and Control. Speakers discussed the lack of culturally competent clinicians, which are counselors who understand the unique lifestyle, experiences and trauma of first responders and can tailoring care to meet their needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "A normal person would have maybe two to three major life-altering experiences that would affect them in their lifetime," Knapp said, "whereas a first responder could have three in a shift, or a month." Having access to a person who can connect with first responders, either through training or experience as a first responder, would beneficial. Knapp said that he asked each crew if creating a workout area and making an hour of exercise while on duty mandatory, and they were supportive of the idea. "If you have nothing, then you have no support," he said, "If you put something into place with 60% buy-in, or 80% buy-in, you're at least protecting those people." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State initiatives New York state is working on some initiatives to help with the overall issue of first responder mental health. A news release from Gov. Kathy Hochul's office from Feb. 5, upon the release of the mental health needs report, touted new initiatives "to protect and support New Yorks first responders, including launching a first responder counseling scholarship program to create a sustainable pipeline of mental health professionals uniquely equipped to support the responder community." "Understanding the extreme stress and cumulative trauma our first responders typically experience on the job is a critical starting point for us to address burnout and other negative impacts they encounter," state Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said in a statement. "This survey and the subsequent focus group discussions have provided us with critical information to advise our efforts to support the mental health needs of the first responder community and their families." An Oneonta real estate broker is now the president of a statewide association. Jacqlene Rose, a licensed associate real estate broker at Coldwell Banker Timberland Properties Sidney office, was sworn in as the president of the New York State Association of Realtorsduring the NYSAR Mid-Winter Business Meetings in Albany, according to a news release. Rose, who is a member of the Rose Team, which includes 17 agents from the Sidney and Oneonta offices, "has been a driving force in the local real estate market and beyond," the release stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am truly honored to have the opportunity to serve as the president of the New York State Association of Realtors and its 61,000 members, Rose said. This is a pivotal moment for real estate in our state, and I look forward to continuing the work of strengthening our industry, elevating our profession and advocating for policies that will benefit real estate professionals and consumers alike. Rose "has been an advocate for professional growth, education and ethics in the industry for over three decades," the release stated. "Under her leadership, the Rose Team has been consistently recognized for its dedication to clients, providing top-tier services, and fostering a culture of collaboration and success." As NYSAR president, Rose "will be at the forefront of advocating for policies that promote a vibrant real estate market, while also championing the professional development of agents across New York state," according to the release. "Her vision for the association includes creating more opportunities for agents to grow and thrive, addressing emerging industry challenges and ensuring that consumers have access to knowledgeable, ethical professionals." Channel 9 spoke exclusively with the man who was being arrested when Wadesboro police shot and killed K-9 Blitz. Lewis Davis spoke with reporter Gina Esposito from the Anson County jail on Tuesday. He said he wanted to make sure others heard his side of the story. In the early morning hours, Wadesboro police said they tried to stop Davis for a fake tag on US 74, but he sped off, causing a chase to ensue. That chase eventually came to an end in Montgomery County after police blew out Davis tires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS COVERAGE: K-9 killed in Wadesboro removed from service due to aggression, Virginia State Police say Over the phone, Davis told Esposito that at that moment, he decided to run. When they let the dog go on me. I gave up. I submitted. I was like, Wait a minute, hold on, Davis explained. I gave up. I laid down. The more I submitted to it, the more the dog bit me. Police said K-9 Blitz then took down the suspect. The police are telling me, Get your hands out of his mouth. Right now. Get your hands out of his mouth. Im just trying to pry his hands off of my legs, David said. In addition to the leg bite, Davis said he had bite wounds on his hands, arms, back, side, and buttocks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I pried him off me, my leg with my hand, he turned on the police. He attacked like three other officers. He bit two of them, and on the third one he was going to bite, they shot him down, Davis recalled. Like, they tased him at first; he didnt stop. They pepper-sprayed him. He didnt stop until they shot him over 17 times. Wadesboro police said that at least one officer was hurt. However, they have not said why an officer shot and killed K-9 Blitz or if other tactics were used to subdue the dog before shots were fired. Davis questioned why he was charged with assault on a law enforcement agency animal. According to the arrest warrant, Davis was seen hitting it around the face. He also faces a number of other charges related to the traffic stop and chase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Needs to be honored: Community calls for transparency after K-9s death in Wadesboro The Wadesboro police chief said he launched an internal investigation into this incident and is working with the Montgomery County District Attorney. On Tuesday, Virginia State Police told Channel 9 that Blitz was deemed aggressive and removed from his previous program last fall. Blitz was then given to Josh Harrington, who had experience handling those concerns. When Harrington donated Blitz to the Wadesboro Police Department, he said the dog should only be used for narcotics and trafficking. However, Wadesboro police said the department did not know about the aggression issues. VIDEO: K-9 killed in Wadesboro removed from service due to aggression, Virginia State Police say PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Only President Donald Trump will make decisions about the future of U.S. troops in Europe, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday, when asked if he would keep troop levels at their current levels. "The only person that will make a determination about force structure of U.S. troops in Europe will be President Trump, the commander-in-chief," Hegseth told reporters during a trip to Panama. "And we will continue to have ongoing discussions, including inside the context of Ukraine-Russia negotiations, of what our force posture should be on the continent that best addresses American interests and ensures burden sharing in Europe as well." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth's remarks came a day after the top U.S. general in Europe said the United States should keep its military presence on the continent as it is now, as the Pentagon reviews its global footprint under Trump. The U.S. military had more than 100,000 troops in Europe following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but U.S. Army General Christopher Cavoli said that the number had been reduced to 80,000. "It's my advice to maintain that force posture as it is now," Cavoli told lawmakers on Tuesday during a House Armed Services Committee hearing. Hegseth had been asked if he agreed with that assessment. During his first trip to Europe, Hegseth told European colleagues that they should not assume that the U.S. presence will last forever. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The potential changes in the U.S. military presence in Europe come amid concerns there over the future of NATO, the transatlantic alliance that has been the bedrock of European security for the past 75 years. European belief in the U.S. as the continent's ultimate protector against any attack from Russia has been severely shaken by Trump's attempted rapprochement with Moscow and heavy pressure on Kyiv as he seeks to end the war. (Reporting by Phil Stewart; Editing by Alistair Bell) NewsNation Chief Washington Anchor and On Balance host Leland Vittert was a foreign correspondent for four years in Jerusalem. He gives you an early look at tonights 9 pm ET show. Subscribe to War Notes here. Tariff War Season Much of Trumps first few months were like individual TV episodes playing out Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Remember: The show is Trump, and it is sold-out performances everywhere, Trump told Playboy magazine in 1990. The tariff war will be more like a TV season. As Bill OReilly told us last night, Trump doesnt have long certainly less than a year for results. I would argue he has less time the bottom falling out of the market today isnt a good sign for Trump when he needs Republicans to hold the line. Look back : Weve seen this show before the COVID-19 season of Trump TV. As I told you yesterday, hes making some of the same mistakes now that he did then. Be fair: Wars arent fought linearly nor quickly the first Gulf War was the exception, not the rule. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Consider this : What if there had been breathless cable news coverage of: George Washingtons winter at Valley Forge D-Day The Battle of the Bulge Guadalcanal Iwo Jima The Battle of Hamburger Hill I could go on Staying power : Today, Karoline Leavitt talked about Trumps spine of steel to stay the course in his tariff war. Regardless of the stock market, Republican criticism, media coverage, retaliatory tariffs and economic pain Be fair: The legacy medias obsession with daily market fluctuations gives them something to talk about there was far less coverage this morning of futures being up 1,000 vs. when they were down 1,000 a few days ago. Much like during COVID-19, the markets are reflecting the mood not necessarily reality. Listening to the talking heads discuss the markets is laughable If any of us really understood the markets, we would be making more money in them rather than explaining them. Things looked bleak during the Battle of the Bulge, but we still won World War II. Things looked great on D-Day, but the war lasted another year. Why it matters: Trumps tariff war will play out over many episodes he will win some and lose some. Trying to predict the future (with certainty) based on daily movements is foolhardy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But again today, Trump missed the opportunity to tell Americans he feels their fear he missed that part during the COVID-19 season of the Trump show, and hes missing it again. Trade advisor to President Trump Peter Navarro arrives for a Make America Wealthy Again trade announcement event in the Rose Garden at the White House on April 2, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) Boys Will Be Boys Many mothers could relate to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt explaining away the Peter Navarro and Elon Musk feud as boys will be boys. Why it matters: The Navarro vs. Musk debate might as well be Navarro against President Trumps entire Cabinet and most Republican members of Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Navarro is perhaps the only other person who believes in permanent tariffs the way Trump has since the 1980s as a way to bring America back to the 1960s. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at a cabinet meeting at the White House on March 24, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP) Does Fluoride Make You Dumber? Chris Cuomo summed up Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s argument for eliminating fluoride in drinking water as fluoride makes you dumber. If true, that is a huge statement its obvious that we should want to know if its true. Utah just became the first state to stop adding fluoride to drinking water now more are having the debate. But for decades, you couldnt even ask that question without being labeled a tinfoil hat-wearing, conspiracy theorist nut. Now, finally, we are able to actually have debates, discussion and scientific research rather than submitting to groupthink orthodoxy. Zoom out : Jay Bhattacharya Was Dangerous. Now He Leads the NIH. Bari Weiss podcast with Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is one of the most useful 90 minutes I have spent in the past few years. Bhattacharya co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration arguing that COVID-19 lockdowns didnt work. He was almost run out of the field of medicine for it. Listening to the podcast, I heard a humble doctor (there arent many and are even fewer still at the top of their fields) who understood a need to rebuild trust. Why it matters: COVID-19 destroyed our trust in the experts because they said things with certainty and destroyed peoples lives over things that were quickly proven untrue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, things that the establishment demonized people for questioning can be discussed, like: Vaccine safety The real cause of skyrocketing autism diagnoses Whether fluoride should be in drinking water Tune into On Balance with Leland Vittert weeknights at 9/8 CT on NewsNation. Find your channel here. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of NewsNation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. UPDATE (April 9, 2025, 2:17 p.m. ET): On Wednesday President Donald Trump shared on social media that he is raising U.S. tariff charges on China to 125%. For other countries, the president said in the post, he is issuing a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs, during which time he will lower tariff charges to 10%. Before President Donald Trumps expanded tariffs went into effect on Wednesday, hedge fund billionaire and MAGA fan Bill Ackman warned over the weekend on X that the country was heading for a self-induced, economic nuclear winter. As he contemplated the pain ahead, he sounded mournful, perhaps even regretful: This is not what we voted for. Many other conservative commentators and investors have echoed Ackmans sentiment as Trumps radical tariff plans have rocked global markets. And it is absurd. Trump has advocated for protectionist trade policy for decades, long before running for president. He also repeatedly proposed economically disastrous plans to institute tariffs on the 2024 campaign trail. Ignoring that required ignoring the historical truth that presidents generally pursue their core policy agenda even Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The denialism on the right has been remarkable. Some right-wing pundits have argued that the current crisis is a surprise because Trump never presented on the campaign trail this specific and economically nonsensical tariff formula for extremely high duties on imports from scores of countries around the world. Business and tech leaders who showered Trump with money in hopes of favorable treatment have reportedly been surprised by Trumps fierce commitment to tariffs. Mega-billionaire Elon Musk, who recently wore a hat emblazoned with the words Trump was right about everything! has reportedly been directly appealing to Trump to drop the tariffs. The claim that Trump is pursuing a trade policy that goes beyond what they voted for is indefensible. On the campaign trail last year Trump promoted massive universal tariffs and went as far as to float the idea of replacing income taxes with tariff revenue. At the time, Adam Hersh, a senior economist with Economic Policy Institute Action, told me Trumps idea was like dropping a nuclear bomb on a hurricane. Hersh calculated at the time that across-the-board tariffs would have to be somewhere around 120% or 130% on incoming goods to make up for the roughly $4.2 trillion in revenue generated through income taxes. With the U.S. set to impose a 104% tariff rate on Chinese goods beginning Wednesday, its a bit silly to say none of this was foreseeable. The counter to this position is that Trump promised tariffs ahead of his first term in office and that his first tariff regime was relatively moderate and targeted. Thats true. But anybody observing Trump shouldve noted a few things ahead of his second White House bid. After his first term in office, his rhetoric grew more extreme on everything from dismantling democracy to immigration to trade. Secondly, Trump has fewer checks on his instincts this time around. His first term in office was in some respects a hostile takeover of the GOP, it elicited open criticism from some tech leaders, and it was staffed by many pre-MAGA conservatives and more conventional Washington players. This time the party and the business community treat him with extreme deference, and he is surrounded with loyalists and MAGA ideologues. Many of the very people who are now mad at Trump already gave him more room to play and hes naturally exploiting it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A common strategy Trump supporters use in justifying their support for him despite his extreme policy ideas has been to cherry-pick his more moderate policy ideas and insist that his most extreme ideas are not serious ones. That might be a quasi-effective tool for Trump supporters attempting to save face in polite society or mainstream spaces, but it is most certainly a gimmick for Trump supporters to have their cake and eat it, too. Trump has demonstrated time and time again that when it comes to his right-wing nationalism and his authoritarian rhetoric, he means what he says and after the Jan. 6 riot, it became clear one cannot rule anything out with him. Despite his incorrigible mendacity, Trump fits a broader historical pattern: The historical record and reams of political science studies show presidents and members of Congress generally do try to pursue their campaign promises. As Vox reported in 2015, An overview of 21 studies of campaign promises from the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Greece found that on average, political parties fulfilled 67 percent of their promises. In his first term Trump did indeed follow through on many of his campaign pledges. He found a way to reduce immigration from Muslim-majority countries, killed and renegotiated free trade deals, reversed climate progress, enacted tax cuts for the rich, tried (and failed) to end the Affordable Care Act, moved the U.S. Embassy in Israel and set in motion an end to the war in Afghanistan. There was no reason to presume that Trumps second term wouldnt follow a similar course, but more maximalist due to his intensified campaign rhetoric. Given the historical record, Trumps own track record and his constant promises to pursue a radical tariffs regime, the position that Trump supporters didnt vote for this economic crisis is untenable. A more honest position might be that a segment of his voters decided that a gamble on tariffs was worth it because they liked other things Trump promised, whether thats politicizing the Justice Department or treating migrants like they arent human or promising fewer regulations on businesses. But they played their cards wrong and were all paying for it. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com According to Ed Martin, Trumps acting federal prosecutor for Washington, D.C., no one is above the law. That was Martins assertion after a journalist (who happens to be employed by far-right conspiracy theorist and Trump ally Laura Loomers site) accused Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, a vociferous critic of President Donald Trump, of aggressively brushing him away. It would have been more accurate for Martin to say that, in his office, no one is above the law unless they are a political ally of Trump, in which case you are free to behave with impunity. In a matter of weeks, Martin has turned one of the most important legal offices in the nation into an embarrassment, transforming it into a MAGA troll factory, launching pointless investigations and making empty threats. The U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia is the largest of the nations 94 federal prosecutorial jurisdictions, with 330 attorneys who routinely work high-profile cases that could range from a local murder to a transnational cybercrime outfit. Washington, D.C., also has an attorney general, elected by district residents, but it is the federal prosecutor, appointed by the president, who gets cases of any consequence, both for the district itself (violent crime) and the nation at large (Jan. 6). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martins predecessor, Matthew Graves, prosecuted a Federal Reserve Board employee who was allegedly spying for China (he has denied the charges and a trial date is pending); partnered with the Department of Justice to seize a huge cache of Iranian weapons, which were promptly donated to Ukraine; and disrupted a fentanyl distribution operation (the defendants have pleaded not guilty). It is true that Graves was too slow to respond to the rise of violent crime in Washington, D.C., which has been a priority for Trump. In that case, the president should have appointed a seasoned big-city prosecutor, and not the inexperienced Martin, who has never tried a case to disposition. He did, however, write a Trumpian coloring book (yes, really, but click at your own peril, because some of the worst graphic design in human history awaits). Every administration has its share of servile apparatchiks, but few are as eager as Martin, who branded the federal prosecutors in his office President Trumps lawyers in February, an astonishing admission that he has no interest in executing the duties of his office. In the weeks since, he has done nothing to dispel concern for his competence. If he is confirmed by the Senate, Martins jurisdiction will include cases related to financial crimes, political corruption and international terrorism. And if he isnt willing to take those duties seriously, the rest of us could pay the price. So far, seriousness has been hard to come by. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In one of his first moves on behalf of the American people, Martin sought to investigate Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer for a remark he made in 2020 about opposing Trumps judicial nominees, preposterously claiming that the avuncular Brooklynite was advocating for real violence. He also fired the prosecutors who worked under the direction of Graves on Jan. 6 rioters cases. Martin is a proponent of Trumps big lie that the 2020 election was stolen and defended a few of the Jan. 6 rioters in court. Ive never seen anything so unfair, he said of their prosecution on a podcast, according to NPR. One brave D.C. prosecutor, Denise Cheung, resigned instead of following along with Martins sham investigation into corruption at the Environmental Protection Agency. Now, Martin is seeking to reverse some of President Joe Bidens pardons because they had supposedly been signed with an autopen, a tool presidents have long favored. Almost as soon as Trumps term began, Elon Musks so-called Department of Government Efficiency engendered nationwide fury by closing down entire federal departments (like the U.S. Agency for International Development) and firing federal workers without any cause. In response to the blowback, Martin wrote a groveling letter in which he promised to chase the supposed malefactors to the end of the Earth, whether they had committed a crime or even simply acted unethically (another sign that Martin does have a rudimentary understanding of his position). Martin was so infused with righteous fervor that he managed to misspell no one, which cant have gone over well in an administration that claims to put a premium on hiring seriously high IQ individuals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DC Prosecutor Ed Martin Keeps Inventing New Ways To Disgrace His Office, is how one headline on a prominent legal blog put it. Sure, you can chalk that up to Acela elites looking down their noses at Martin. But if Republicans are not infuriated by the above, many of them are nevertheless embarrassed by the fact that the Ed Martins and Laura Loomers of this world wield so much power in Washington. Yet they keep making the mistake of thinking that if they just look the other way, MAGAs more unseemly elements will simply disappear. And maybe congressional Republicans really believed that in 2017, when I havent seen the tweet was a common refrain on Capitol Hill. But that fiction is impossible to maintain in 2025. Republicans claims to be the party of law and order would be far more credible if they stood with Democrats in blocking Martins confirmation, which is supposed to receive a hearing soon in the U.S. Senate (that hearing has been delayed because Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., has placed a hold on the Martin nomination). GOP members of the Senate Judiciary Committee like Ted Cruz of Texas (who graduated from Harvard Law) and Josh Hawley of Missouri (a Yale Law guy) should see if Martin can run with the big dogs. After all, theyve had no problem displaying their erudition before Democratic nominees. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., has a razor-sharp legal mind. Its hard to believe that he has much regard for Martin. If thats the case, he should not hold back. In an open letter, more than 100 former prosecutors call Martin egregiously unqualified. This isnt about politics. Its not even about the law, or how Martin feels about Marbury v. Madison or New York Times v. Sullivan. Martin is a former tea party activist whose rise through the ranks of the Missouri GOP involved allegations of bullying and political retribution (which he has denied), all while climbing the ranks of power. In 2013, he won election to head the states Republican Party, despite the fact that Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., as well as six Republican House legislators from the state, all opposed his bid. His latest, highest post is a thank you from Trump for Martins advocacy for the Jan. 6 insurrectionists, whose base behavior that day D.C.s new prosecutor has consistently misrepresented and downplayed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump is not wrong about Washingtons struggle with public safety (though he typically exaggerates the prevalence of homeless encampments and the rise in crime, which has subsided). Criticism that Graves was not attentive enough to local concerns does carry some merit, in my view. And many people in the district would indeed welcome more concerted attention to quality-of-life concerns. I will say that I am glad that Martin went to speak to residents of Ward 7 and 8, the historically Black sections of Washington. His comments on gun crime seem to have been fairly reasonable, at least in relative terms. But people did not come away convinced. He works for the biggest criminal in the world, one local resident told the Washington Informer, and he comes here to tell us about crime. During the first few days of the Trump administration, MAGA activists bullied GOP senators like Joni Ernst and Thom Tillis when it seemed like they might vote against Pete Hegseth, who ultimately won confirmation to be the secretary of defense. I am confident that Martin will not engender similar passion among Trumps faithful: He is a Trump 1.0 guy trying to hang on in a Trump 2.0 world. And even if he does, isnt it about time for Republicans to show some backbone and stand up to Trump? This is as good an opportunity as any. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com BERLIN, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Germany's conservative bloc CDU/CSU and the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) on Wednesday agreed on a coalition deal to form a new federal government after weeks of negotiation. Following the coalition agreement, Friedrich Merz from CDU/CSU is expected to be elected chancellor next month. Calling the agreement "a strong plan with which we can jointly move our country forward again," Merz said at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon that it is also a clear signal that Germany is getting a government capable of acting and strong in action. Weeks ahead of the agreement, the CDU/CSU and the SPD had succeeded in amending the Basic Law to loosen the "debt brake" limits on infrastructure and national defense investments. The future government will reform and invest to keep Germany stable, make it more secure, and make it economically stronger again, and Europe too can rely on Germany, Merz said. The new coalition government will seek to implement measures such as lowering the corporate income tax and reducing the electricity tax to the European minimum level to improve the competitiveness of the German economy, according to Merz. In addition, the new government will adopt a new course in migration policy, including measures of enhancing border controls, rejecting asylum seekers, and stepping up the efforts to deport illegal immigrants. Immigration had become a key topic during Germany's federal election campaign earlier this year. Germany is and remains a country of immigration, said Lars Klingbeil, co-leader of the SPD, adding that the country protects the rights of citizens with a migration background. Klingbeil vowed to invest more in securing jobs, attracting talent and providing housing, as well as scrapping excessive bureaucracy to improve government efficiency. On the U.S. tariff measures, Merz urged a common European response, as well as efforts to restore Germany's competitiveness and create new jobs. The key message to U.S. President Donald Trump is that "Germany is back on track," he said, noting that Germany will fulfill its obligations in terms of defense, and it is willing to strengthen its own competitiveness. "That is not just Germany," Merz added, stressing that Germany will again be a very strong partner within the European Union. The greatest threat to public education in America isnt Donald Trump. Yes, hes moving to dismantle the Department of Education, and yes, hes trying to restrict what schools can teach about race. But the most dangerous attack on the horizon isnt coming from the president, its coming from the Supreme Court. This is a particularly disheartening reality because the Supreme Court has often been one of public educations greatest champions. As far back as 1954, in Brown v. Board of Education, the court described public schooling as the very foundation of good citizenship and the most important function of state and local governments. Just four years ago, in an 8-1 opinion involving a Snapchatting cheerleader, the court proudly declared that Public schools are the nurseries of democracy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later this month, however, the court will hear oral argument in a pair of cases with the potential to radically destabilize public schools as we know them. And there is reason to be deeply worried about how the conservative majority will rule. The first case, Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond, poses the question of whether the 46 states with charter schools must offer public funds to schools that would teach religious doctrine as truth. The second case, Mahmoud v. Taylor, involves the claim that religious parents should have a right to opt their children out of controversial public school curricula. Taken together, Drummond and Mahmoud threaten the twin cornerstones of the American education system that Brown affirmed six decades ago: Since Brown, Americas public schools have operated under a norm of inclusive enrollment, and theyve offered all children a shared curriculum that reflects the values that communities believe are essential for civic participation and economic success. If the court tears down these foundational norms, the schools that remain in their wake will be a shell of the democracy-promoting institution the court itself has long lionized and that healthy majorities of parents continue to support in their local neighborhoods. And although theres a way to avoid the worst outcome in both cases, the path ahead is uncertain: It will require the court to follow history in an evenhanded manner (in Drummond) and progressives to accept a middle ground (in Mahmoud). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legal challenges presented in Drummond and Mahmoud did not arise out of thin air. They are part of a long-term conservative movement strategy aimed at eroding public education. A major component of this strategy has been a consistent call to fund school choice, a broad umbrella term that encompasses various programs such as school vouchers and educational savings accounts that channel taxpayer dollars away from traditional public schools and into private ones. Drummonds call for a constitutional right to taxpayer-funded religious education can thus be thought of as a major front in Project 2025s core principle of significantly advanc[ing] education choice. Conservatives have likewise sought to brand public schools as purveyors of woke ideology rather than facilitators of a shared set of community values. The claim at issue in Mahmoud a parental right to opt out of curricular choices that some find religiously objectionable is accordingly another salvo in the broader culture wars, and one in which conservatives are asking the court to grant them a legal trump card. Ultimately, to a significant cross-section of the Republican Party, public schools are now the radical, anti-American enemy. And viewed from that perspective, Drummond and Mahmoud may represent the greatest chance for delivering a knockout blow. Drummond and Inclusive Enrollment Technically, the Drummond case is just about Oklahoma. Thats because it arose out of Oklahomas refusal to fund a religious charter school named the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School. (According to St. Isidores handbook, the traditions and teachings of the Catholic Church and the virtue of Christian living permeate the school day.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But make no mistake: It is blue states that have the most to lose in this case. For if St. Isidore has a right to public funding in Oklahoma, that same right would exist for religious charter schools in California and New York places where, until now, taxpayer funds have never been used to teach religion as truth to K-12 students. It is hard to overstate how big a sea change this would be. Nonreligious charter schools currently receive more than $26 billion in public funds and educate some four million children. So a ruling in favor of religious charter schools could mean billions of dollars for religious education a prospect that one Catholic school executive called game-changing for how it would enable religious schools to grow [their] network. But the implications are far more than monetary. They strike at the very vision of public schools as places where children come together from all walks of life to learn what the Supreme Court once called the values on which our society rests. Bankrolled by taxpayer dollars, Drummond would transform the American education system into a taxpayer-funded mechanism for transmitting each familys preferred religious tenets. What is more, religious charter schools will likely argue that they have a further Free Exercise right to restrict enrollment only to adherents of their particular faith (indeed, a religious private school in Maine has already advanced this claim). At the end of that argument is a publicly funded K-12 education system that tribalizes the American people at a time when we need to be doing exactly the opposite: forging bonds of connection across our differences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Justice Thurgood Marshall once cautioned that unless our children begin to learn together, there is little hope that our people will ever learn to live together. If the court rules for the religious charter schools in Drummond, we will come one giant and regrettable step closer to the world Marshall feared. Mahmoud and the Attack on Curriculum The Mahmoud case emerged out of a 2022 Montgomery County, Maryland, school board policy that introduced a new set of LGBTQ-inclusive storybooks into its pre-K through 12th-grade language arts curriculum. In general, the books aimed at instilling respect and civility for people from different backgrounds. In practice, though, the books led to controversy. One of the books, entitled Pride Puppy, was directed at pre-K students and invited students to search for images of a lip ring and a drag queen. Montgomery County initially permitted parents to opt their children out of reading these new books. But the district soon changed course, which is what led the Mahmoud family to sue. Their argument was that the Free Exercise Clause grants parents like them the right to opt their children out of public school instruction that would substantially interfere with their religious development. This is a truly difficult case, even for someone who, like me, holds an unyielding commitment to ensuring that all LGBTQ students feel safe at school. But one can hold that commitment while also acknowledging that the choice to force children as young as five years old to read books like Pride Puppy over their parents objection is not an obvious one. Indeed, Montgomery County has since removed Pride Puppy from its curriculum a reasonable concession. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The great danger in this case, though, is not about the parental right to opt 5- and 6-year-olds out of controversial curricula. Its that a decision recognizing a parental opt-out right would be difficult to contain via a sensible limiting principle. Would parents of middle or high school children enjoy a similar right to opt their children out of any assignment or reading that espouses support for LGBTQ rights? How about a right to opt out of science classes that teach biology or evolution? And what of history classes that some religious parents may find too secular for their liking? In all of those contexts, lower federal courts had unanimously rejected the contention that simply because a parent finds something to be religiously objectionable, they can excuse their child from a shared curricular goal. Mahmoud could upend that settled consensus and replace it with a world in which public schools are forced to offer bespoke curricula to all different families based on their particular religious commitments. Thats a recipe for an education system that would certainly teach some values to our children. But this much is for sure: They would no longer be shared ones. How to Save Public Education at the Court The plaintiffs in both Drummond and Mahmoud may be optimistic that the 6-3 conservative supermajority will side with them. After all, religious litigants have fared remarkably well at the Supreme Court of late. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But a surprising obstacle exists in the Drummond case and Maryland officials, if they are smart, may yet have the final word in Mahmoud. In Drummond, the best argument against the claimed Free Exercise right to taxpayer-funded religious schools comes from the very place that the conservative Supreme Court has lately looked to move the law right on abortion and guns: history and tradition. As Ethan Hutt, a leading historian of education, and I show in a forthcoming paper, it turns out the denial of funding that St. Isidore complains of today is something that happened routinely during the founding era. Yet no one no parent, no religious leader, not even a religious school that was denied funds on equal terms with its nonsectarian counterparts ever filed a lawsuit (much less won one) arguing that the right to Free Exercise demanded otherwise. This is precisely the historic pattern that the Supreme Court relied on to reject the right to abortion in Dobbs: When legislators began to [ban abortion in the 19th century], no one, as far as we are aware, argued that [they had] violated a fundamental right. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the absence of legal contestation in the face of government action 200 years ago shows that the Constitutions original meaning does not encompass a claimed right to abortion, its hard to see why that logic should differ when the claimed right involves religious school funding. Put simply, the court can be consistently originalist, or it can recognize the religious charter school funding right claimed in Drummond. But it cant do both. The legal argument to protect public education is less clear in Mahmoud. But in that case, there is another way to steer clear of a Supreme Court ruling that would imperil evolution, biology, history and LGBTQ-inclusive lessons in the upper grades: Maryland officials can override the Montgomery County policy and extend an opt-out choice to parents of young children like the Mahmouds. There would be clear precedent for such an action by the state. After New York officials took a similar step to eliminate a policy dispute in a major gun case in 2020, the court dismissed that case as moot putting off a dangerous ruling for at least the time being. Of course, doing so would require lawmakers in Maryland to accept parents of young children choosing to withdraw their children from reading controversial LGBTQ-inclusive books. But perhaps lawmakers can see a principled distinction between the desire to make schools a safe space for LGBTQ children a nonnegotiable, core value and the desire to use elementary school classrooms as a tool for changing hearts and minds on controversial topics more generally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In truth, progressives were probably never going to win that battle in kindergarten classrooms, especially with the present political climate. Progress on social attitudes concerning the transgender community was always more likely through the same mechanisms that produced rapid change for the gay and lesbian community mainstream media, social media and the critical realization that our friends, family and other loved ones are members of these different communities and deserve equal respect. In the end, the Supreme Court may choose simply to ignore history and tradition in Drummond, where it is inconvenient for a movement conservative cause. And a policy change in Maryland could simply delay the inevitable, as new cases could always be brought advancing a parental opt-out right in the future. The bigger takeaway, then, is about the war against public education and its likely toll. Public schools were a major part of what made America great. So in seeking public educations demise, the Drummond and Mahmoud cases could portend staggering consequences: less social tolerance, reduced international competitiveness and continued inequality along economic and racial lines. But the greatest cost may be for our democracy. After all, the Supreme Court reminded us just four short years ago that public schools are where our democracy is cultivated. Thats why the timing of these cases could not be any worse. In a moment when American democracy is being tested like never before, the court should be the last institution not the leading one to dismantle our public schools. The Trump administration should be anxiously working to determine the truth regarding the deportations of Kilmar Abrego Garcia and Andry Hernandez Romero, both of whom have been placed in a prison in El Salvador, where immigrants to the United States lacking permanent legal status and suspected of crimes have been sent. Instead, however, the government is digging in, arguing it lacks the authority to release inmates from the prison in El Salvador, where the U.S. is paying to have them housed. A judge has argued that this is not true, which seems plausible. Government admits its mistake Earlier, in a court filing, the administration admitted Garcia was deported due to an administrative error. He was a legal resident protected by a 2019 court order that prevented him from being deported, according to NBC News and other news sources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Justice, not the need to be right at all costs, ought to be the overriding concern here. If, as attorneys allege, Garcia who is married to a U.S. citizen, lives in Maryland and is the father of a nonverbal autistic child has no criminal history in the U.S. or El Salvador and has no connection with a gang, he should be returned to the U.S. If the government has compelling evidence to the contrary, it should be made public. The same applies to Romero, a makeup artist who reportedly fled from Venezuela in part because he was targeted for his political views and because he is gay. The same should apply to all who were rounded up and sent to this prison. Due process should not be sacrificed just because the subjects at hand are not citizens. This is a hallmark of American justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some may indeed be notorious gang members. But others may be legitimate asylum seekers whose lives are endangered. In this undated photo provided by the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, a man identified by Jennifer Vasquez Sura as her husband, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, is led by force by guards through the Terrorism Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador. | U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland via AP Few have criminal records The CBS show 60 Minutes said it has examined internal documents and both U.S. and international court filings on all the Venezuelan detainees in El Salvador. It said it could find no criminal records for 75% of them. Another 22% had criminal records, but most were nonviolent. About a dozen are accused of more serious crimes, including murder, rape, assault and kidnapping, it said. The administration countered by saying many of the detainees were gangsters and horrible criminals who just dont have rap sheets in the U.S. However, they seem unable to produce much evidence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Supreme Court is likely to determine Garcias fate. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. on Monday temporarily blocked a lower courts order for the Trump administration to secure Garcias release by midnight. Observers believe the order was issued to give the Supreme Court time to study the matter. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis issued the initial order, which gave the administration until midnight Monday to return Garcia. Her ruling rejected the notion that the Trump administration could not secure his release. Xinis also said the administration has provided no evidence to prove that Garcia is a gang member. Alien Enemies Act On Monday, the Supreme Court also ruled that the president can, at least for now, enforce a 1798 law known as the Alien Enemies Act to quickly deport alleged members of notorious gangs. However, it also said anyone facing deportation needs an opportunity to challenge their removal. The ruling was narrowly written and concerned itself with the proper venue for trying the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The act was intended to give presidents broad power to remove suspected undocumented immigrants from the country during times of war, or when an enemy attempts to invade. The administration has often compared the stream of undocumented immigrants across the nations southern border to an invasion. The act was invoked in World War II to remove Japanese Americans to internment camps after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. We understand the desire to expel dangerous people who have entered the U.S. without documentation. However, all such people should be afforded humane treatment and the ability to argue their innocence. Families, especially, should be kept intact. Most importantly, the government should be required to prove its case against these detainees before sending them to a prison in a foreign land. Gov. Tina Kotek on May 3, 2023 at the home of Ana Maria Rodriguez, a Boardman resident and Oregon Rural Action organizer, whose well water has nearly four times the safe drinking water limit for nitrate. Kotek was visiting with residents in Boardman, who are concerned that progress on the nitrate pollution in the Lower Umatilla Basin has been slow. (Alex Baumhardt/Oregon Capital Chronicle) Gov. Tina Koteks proposal to give state agencies more authority to intervene earlier in Oregons contaminated groundwater areas met massive opposition at its first public hearing. Two rooms and two separate hearings were scheduled Tuesday to accommodate all of the people who went to the Capitol to offer testimony on Senate Bill 1154 during a meeting of the Senate Natural Resources and Wildfire Committee. The bill was sent to the Senate Rules Committee without recommendation, where it will receive another public hearing in the weeks ahead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bill advocates say it would provide much-needed updates to the states Groundwater Quality Protection Act first passed in 1989. That act was meant to conserve groundwater resources and prevent contamination following well-testing across the state that showed many contained water with high levels of agricultural chemicals. Chandra Ferrari, Koteks natural resources adviser, told lawmakers the current law is too vague, lacks a clear process for involving state and local agencies in remediating pollution and doesnt do enough to protect groundwater from pollution before aquifers become critically impaired. About 80% of Oregonians rely on groundwater for some or all of their drinking water, and one-quarter rely on private, at-home wells. About 90% of rural Oregonians rely on those at-home wells, according to Ferrari. Its risky, its costly, its time-consuming to not effectively address contamination, Ferrari told lawmakers. We need to work harder to not hit these critical contamination thresholds, and we need to work smarter when we do. Our laws should facilitate us doing these things well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But those opposed to the updates include more than 560 people and groups who submitted testimony in advance of the hearing, as well as several eastern Oregon state representatives, who say the bill would allow state agencies broader authority to do water and soil testing and monitoring on private property without landowner consent and that it could lead to state agencies cutting off water to some. State Reps. Bobby Levy, R-Echo, and Greg Smith, R-Heppner, spoke in opposition to the bill at the hearing . Smith said allowing state agencies to monitor and test private wells, or inspect potentially leaky septic systems, would violate his constituents property rights. Levy called it an unacceptable overreach of state power, and a persecution of rural Oregonians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It grants broad, unchecked authority to state agencies, allows them to walk onto private property, dig up soil, impose arbitrary restrictions and suspend water use that is critical, not only to agriculture, but to basic human life, she said, before applause erupted in one hearing room. What the bill does The updated Groundwater Quality Protection Act would establish thresholds for contaminants that automatically qualify them as critical groundwater management areas. It would also create a new designation for groundwater areas of concern, where contaminants are detected but a threshold for declaring the area in critical condition hasnt quite been met. The five governor-appointed members of the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission would designate areas of concern if contamination was growing or particularly threatening, and then the governor would appoint a response team made up of a mix of agency officials who would help local stakeholders create a local voluntary implementation plan for curbing pollution and alerting the public. The groups and agencies would be required to provide regular reports to the Environmental Quality Commission, the governor and the Legislature in order to receive funding to execute their local voluntary implementation plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the voluntary plan does not keep a basin from entering critical contamination thresholds, then state agencies could more directly intervene, including testing soil and water on private land for potential septic leaks and requiring some wastewater permit holders to conform to tighter regulations on where and how much nitrate-laden water they can release. The bill also more clearly spells out which agencies are responsible for participating in action on groundwater management areas and what each agency is responsible for doing. The Oregon Health Authority would be in charge of informing the public and helping with testing and providing safe drinking water; the Oregon Water Resources Department would be in charge of regulating water flows and rights; the Oregon Department of Agriculture would take on agricultural polluters and mitigating farm pollution; the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality would take on any changes needed to protect groundwater through industrial water permitting; and other agencies would be involved as needed, according to Ferrari. As the law works now, there isnt one sole agency responsible for groundwater quality protection in Oregon, Ferrari said, and no single agency is responsible for helping communities impacted by contaminated groundwater. Decades-long problems Since 1989, three critical groundwater management areas have been identified in Oregon. They are all still considered to be in critical condition due to nitrate contamination, almost entirely from agriculture, and none have seen vast improvement in the last two to three decades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area in northeastern Oregon, designated as critically impaired in 1990, has gotten worse under state supervision, and a volunteer committee established in 1997 to tackle problems has had little to no impact. Thousands of residents in Morrow and Umatilla counties mostly Latino and low-income have lived and drunk from contaminated wells, which is dangerous because nitrates consumed over long periods can increase risks for cancer and birth defects. In September, Kotek and state agency officials released a comprehensive plan for curbing nitrate pollution in northeast Oregon that will take decades to achieve. More than a dozen residents of Boardman who cannot drink their well water submitted testimony in support of Senate Bill 1154. Kaleb Lay, director of policy research at the nonprofit Oregon Rural Action, said the bill could be improved in the Senate Rules Committee to get broader buy-in, but that updates to the Groundwater Protection Act are long overdue. It wasnt until Morrow County declared a water emergency and Oregon Rural Action began a grassroots well testing campaign that the state became more directly involved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we leave the law unfixed, it will simply stay broken. I would argue that every moment we spend on this bill is worthwhile, Lay told lawmakers. Ferrari said updates to the Groundwater Quality Protection Act would allow the state to intervene earlier to avoid situations such as that in the Lower Umatilla Basin. We know or have reason to believe there are contamination problems in other parts of the state that are not currently GWMAs (groundwater management areas). And also, we are still in the process, 30-plus years later, of undertaking costly and time consuming efforts to address contamination in the GWMAs that have been identified, she told lawmakers. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) An Orange County deputy who was shot in the head earlier this year will soon be returning home. Deputy Zac Andry is scheduled to leave a Louisville hospital on Wednesday afternoon. Sheriff David Henderson will lead Andry back to Orange County on Highway 150 East into Paoli and to French Lick on Highway 150 and 56. Andry was shot on January 3 while investigating what he thought was an abandoned car in West Baden. While investigating the car, he was shot four times by Austin Schepers. Schepers was shot and killed by Louisville Police the following day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW). PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Oregon is one of multiple states set to receive millions of dollars in a settlement with a company suspected of contributing to the nationwide drug crisis. Attorney General Dan Rayfield announced on Tuesday that Oregon will receive more than $4 million due to the settlement with Mylan, which owes a total of $335 million to 15 different states. Portland5 Centers for the Arts braces for job cuts as attendance struggles to recover Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rayfields office reported that Mylan, now known as Viatris since its merger with Upjohn has manufactured and sold opioids like oxycodone and fentanyl patches since 2005. Several attorneys general have accused the pharmaceutical company of deceptively claiming that people are less likely to abuse their products than those from other brands, although investigators determined the manufacturer was aware of the opposite. According to officials, Mylan marketed its opioids to doctors leading to the overprescribing of some products that were later found in the illegal market. This settlement is not just a financial victory, its a reckoning, Rayfield said in a release. Its a fierce reminder that those who profited from the devastation of the opioid crisis will be held accountable. This money will go directly to helping those impacted by addiction and providing real solutions for recovery. More specifically, the attorney generals office reported that the settlement funds will benefit local prevention and treatment programs, initiatives backed by Oregons Opioid Settlement Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Board and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cyberattack shuts down Oregon DEQ networks on Wednesday California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa and Vermont were also a part of the settlement. But Mylan is just the latest company to reach an agreement with state officials involving the ongoing opioid crisis. In November 2024, former Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum revealed that Kroger paid the state $40 million after being accused of contributing to the substance abuse epidemic. Rosenblum also announced a $5.2 million settlement that February, with a marketing firm that promoted branded opioids. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) New Orleans city leaders say theyve made major progress in clearing a long-standing backlog of sexual assault kits, thanks to millions in funding and strong collaboration across agencies. When I first visited the state crime lab, I saw sexual assault kits just lined up on shelves, untested, said Councilmember Lesli Harris. And for me, every single untested kit represents a delayed opportunity for justice, for survivors, for families and for our city. With $3 million in funding secured by Harris and partnerships with the New Orleans Police Department, Louisiana State Police and city officials, the city has outsourced testing for more than 1,000 cases, with just 187 cases awaiting testing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pedestrian struck, killed on Tangipahoa Parish highway So far, weve outsourced 1,014 cases of 914 that have been returned to us, Lt. Scott Davis, Deputy Director of the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab said. 327 of those cases have been reviewed. Cases with pending review status is 587, and NOPD cases in LSP custody is 187. To keep the initiative moving forward, Councilwoman Helena Moreno and State Representative Mandie Landry helped secure an additional $1.3 million, which officials say was critical to launching and sustaining the outsourcing project. DNA is one of the most powerful tools in criminal prosecutions, said District Attorney Jason Williams. Its accuracy level is higher than witness identification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Outsourcing has allowed for faster turnaround times and eased the burden on the LSPs crime lab, which has faced a growing caseload in recent years. St. Tammany Parish deputies investigate incident on Tammany Trace Were delivering justice through science, technology and collaboration, Harris said. Making sure perpetrators are identified, and the innocent are exonerated. At the same time, the city is working to reestablish in-house DNA testing. The NOPD Crime Lab is actively training analysts, validating equipment and applying for accreditation all while working to redesign their lab space to improve security and reduce the risk of contamination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Erin Levie, a DNA supervisor with the NOPD Crime Lab, says the team is making steady progress and is on track to be fully operational by 2027. Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. Latest Posts Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGNO. OSHKOSH, Wis. (WFRV) The Oshkosh Police Department is investigating further after a drug search warrant was executed at a home in a neighborhood with an elementary school. According to a release, the Vice and Narcotics Unit completed the search warrant in the same neighborhood as Emmeline Cook Elementary, with the school receiving a notification before the warrant was served at a residence nearby. Milwaukee police search for suspect in strong arm robbery and burglary Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The warrant stems from an ongoing investigation through the Vice and Narcotics Unit. The department added the following statement: The presence of illegal drugs and drug dealers poses a threat to the health, safety and well-being of our residents, the release said. Drug overdoses are a threat to all of us. Police seeking information after 26-year-old Wisconsin man dies at hospital from gunshot wound to head Anybody with information is asked to contact Lieutenant Brett Robertson with the Oshkosh Police Departments Criminal Investigations Unit at (920) 236-5700. No additional details are available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. At least 163 Chinese nationals are serving in Russia's Armed Forces as of early April, according to a Ukrainian intelligence document seen by the Kyiv Independent on April 9. Another document showed photos and passport details of 13 Chinese recruits who were being selected for service in the Russian army as of April 2. "There are 155 Chinese citizens who are fighting against Ukrainians on the territory of Ukraine," President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed this information to journalists on April 9. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are collecting information, we believe that there are many more." "For these 155 there is passport data, where they are from, their Chinese documents, age, etc," Zelensky added. According to Zelensky, Chinese soldiers had been serving with Russia's 70th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade, the 255th Rifle Division, and others. A day before, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the capture of two Chinese citizens fighting for Russia in eastern Donetsk Oblast. The group of six Chinese nationals clashed with Ukrainian forces, and two are now being held by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The documents, obtained by the Kyiv Independent, list the names, personal data, place of service and position in the Russian army of other Chinese nationals. The captured Chinese soldiers have been identified as Wang Guangjun and Zhang Renbo, born in 1991 and 1998, respectively, a source told the Kyiv Independent. Guangjun was captured near Bilohorivka, Donetsk Oblast, while Renbo was captured near Tarasivka, further south. One of the captured soldiers claimed he paid 300,000 rubles (roughly $3,000) to a middleman in China to join the Russian military in exchange for the promise of citizenship, Ukraine's Luhansk military unit press service told Ukrainian Pravda earlier in the day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Beijing knows about this. Russians distribute advertising videos about recruitment through Chinese social networks," Zelensky said. Following the capture, Zelensky instructed Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to contact Beijing. Ukraine summoned China's charge d'affaires to demand an official explanation and express condemnation. "We record that these are Chinese citizens, they are fighting against us, using weapons against Ukrainians on the territory of Ukraine," the president said. Beijing responded by saying it was "verifying" the claims, reiterating that Chinese citizens are prohibited from participating in foreign armed conflicts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky said the apparent presence of Chinese nationals in the ranks of the Russian military is further proof that Moscow is not seeking peace and continues to draw support from countries like China, Iran, and North Korea. The U.S. State Department called the incident "disturbing," adding that it is closely monitoring the situation. "We're aware of those reports," spokesperson Tammy Bruce said on April 8. China, which portrays itself as a neutral party in the war, has become the Kremlin's largest supplier of dual-use goods essential for weapons manufacturing. Unlike North Korean troops, who have fought on Russian soil, the Chinese nationals were captured on Ukrainian territory, marking a potential escalation in foreign involvement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Korea sent around 12,000 troops to Russia's Kursk Oblast in 2024 to reinforce Russian lines after a Ukrainian cross-border offensive. Kyiv has said it captured two North Korean soldiers in January, estimating 4,000 casualties among the deployed units. Read also: Trump didnt impose tariffs on Russia but they might be wrecking its economy regardless Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The Trump administration revoked the visas of more than two dozen current or former University of Wisconsin System students, UW officials have announced. A terminated visa generally means the student must immediately leave the U.S. There typically is no grace period. Here's what to know about the visa cancellations across Wisconsin universities: At least 13 UW-Madison student visas revoked UW-Madison said six current students and seven alumni who received employment extensions of their visas had their visas terminated as of Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UW-Madison said it played no role in the terminations, was unaware of any Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity on campus and did not believe the terminations were related to free speech or protests. UW-Madison enrolls about 8,000 international students, according to university data. The international student services division has contacted the 13 affected students to inform them of potential ramifications if they stay in the country and where to access legal resources, if requested. Student visas at other UWs also revoked UW System spokesperson Mark Pitsch said officials were aware of 14 cases at the 12 other UW institutions involving students or former students. He was unable to break down these cases by institution. International student enrollment has been increasing across the UW System, from 9,200 in 2014-15 to 10,600 in 2023-24. The increase has been driven primarily by growing the numbers of graduate students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Altogether, international students made up 6.5% of the overall student population in 2023-24. What's been happening nationally with student visas? Nationally, some of the students whose visas have been revoked participated in pro-Palestinian protests. For example, Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student of Palestinian descent who was active in campus protests, was arrested and sent to Louisiana for possible deportation, despite being a permanent resident. But a number of other student visas were revoked for no apparent reason, leaving students and schools guessing why individuals were targeted. The visa terminations are part of a nationwide campaign to strip international students of their ability to stay in the U.S., often for reasons unclear to the universities. Nearly 300 students nationally have been notified of visa cancellations, The New York Times reported this week. Why are student visas being canceled? In several of the most high-profile cases, the Trump administration is not accusing the student visa holders of any crimes. The Trump administration has said Secretary of State Marco Rubio has the authority to revoke the visas of non-citizens if their actions pose "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House directed inquiries to the State Department. A staff member at the press office there pointed to comments State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce made Tuesday at a news conference about student visa revocations. "We dont go into statistics or numbers. We dont go into the rationale for what happens with individual visas," Bruce said. "What we can tell you is that the department revokes visas every day in order to secure our borders and to keep our community safe, and well continue to do so." Contact Kelly Meyerhofer at kmeyerhofer@gannett.com or 414-223-5168. Follow her on X (Twitter) at @KellyMeyerhofer. Sophie Carson is a general assignment reporter who reports on religion and faith, immigrants and refugees and more. Contact her at scarson@gannett.com or 920-323-5758. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Student visas revoked for at least 27 University of Wisconsin students OXFORD Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch has presented the Oxford Police Department and Chief Jeff McCutchen with the Outstanding Service to Crime Victims Award. During the awards ceremony Tuesday in Jackson, Fitch recognized several individuals and organizations across the state for their exceptional service to crime victims as well as efforts to combat human trafficking. McCutchen thanked Fitch and her offices unwavering commitment to supporting victims of crime and human trafficking. He also praised the team of victim advocates and officers who support the program. We also extend a heartfelt thank you to our incredible team of victim advocates Valerie Booth and Christina Rogers as well as every officer who serves with compassion, professionalism and dedication, McCutchen said. Your work changes lives and we are grateful for all that you do. VALLETTA, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Malta's trade with the United States saw a sevenfold decrease in the first two months of 2025 when compared to the same period last year, according to national statistics published on Wednesday. Figures published by the National Statistics Office show that Malta exported just 23 million euros (25.5 million U.S. dollars) worth of goods to the U.S. in January and February 2025. In the same two months last year, Malta had exported over 151 million euros worth of goods -- almost seven times as much. Imports slumped too, dropping from 40.4 million euros in January and February last year to 16.5 million euros in the first two months this year. Throughout all last year, Malta exported 272.5 million euros worth of goods and imported 342 million euros worth of goods to and from the U.S. The future of trade with the U.S. hangs in the balance following the introduction of tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump, which came into effect on Wednesday. They include a 20 percent tariff on imports from the European Union, including Malta. (1 euro = 1.11 U.S. dollar) NEW ALBANY, Pa. (WETM) Pennsylvania State Police in Towanda are continuing an investigation into the death of a man who was fatally shot in his cabin in 2013, offering a $5,000 reward for any information. State police are seeking new information into the killing of Harry Brian Mitchell in his cabin at 157 Lake View Lane in New Albany, Bradford County, between December 22 and 23 of 2013. The cabin is in a rural area with a few homes nearby, and he was at the cabin with his dog at the time of his death. Mitchell was at the rear of the cabin with his dog when he was struck by a single bullet, killing him, PSP said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two juveniles arrested on burglary, arson charges after Barton fire After not hearing from Mitchell, his friends went to his cabin, where they found his body. Mitchell was an unemployed truck driver who would do vehicle repair work for friends and sell items he repaired on Craigslist, police said. Anyone with information into Mitchells death is urged to contact PSP Towanda at 570-821-4110 or contact PSP Tips anonymously at 1-800-4PA-TIPS (8477) or online at the PSP Tips 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 WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. A Chinese citizen captured by Ukrainian forces during the fighting near the settlement of Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast has revealed that he joined the Russian military through an intermediary in China, paying RUB 300,000 [approximately US$3,480]. His motivation was the promise of Russian citizenship. He underwent military training in occupied Luhansk Oblast, where he had no interpreter, relying instead on gestures and a phone to communicate. Source: Communications Department of the Luhansk Operational Tactical Group in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda Details: The department reported that during the fighting near Bilohorivka, soldiers from Ukraine's 81st Separate Mechanised Brigade captured three Russian soldiers, one of whom was a Chinese citizen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was taken prisoner during the hostilities when a Russian assault group, under fire from Ukrainian soldiers, including drone operators, chose to surrender. According to the prisoner, he joined the Russian military through an intermediary in China, paying RUB 300,000 for the opportunity to enlist in the Russian Armed Forces. He reported that he had received training in the temporarily occupied territory of Luhansk Oblast as part of a group of Chinese nationals. The training covered basic military skills and was conducted without an interpreter, relying on gestures and a mobile translator for communication. He stated that his primary motivation was the desire to become a serviceman and obtain Russian Federation citizenship. He also mentioned that some group members had legal issues in China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Due to the language barrier, he was not fully aware of the situation during the assault. The group suffered casualties in the battle and, unable to continue resisting, chose to surrender. The individual is currently cooperating with Ukrainian investigative agencies, and his identity and citizenship have been confirmed. He noted that his family was aware of his intentions to go to Russia, although he officially travelled as a tourist. The communications department of the Luhansk Operational Tactical Group also emphasised that Ukraine strictly adheres to the provisions of the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War. All necessary investigative and procedural actions are being carried out with the captured Chinese citizen. Read also: The battle for the white hills. What's really happening in Bilohorivka, which hardly ever makes the news Background: On 8 April, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Ukrainian troops in Donetsk Oblast had captured two Chinese citizens who were fighting in the ranks of the Russian military. Zelenskyy also noted that he had instructed Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to urgently contact Beijing to determine how China intends to respond. The two citizens of the People's Republic of China have been captured in Donetsk Oblast by soldiers from the 81st Separate Airborne Slobozhanska Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces and the 157th Separate Mechanised Brigade. US Department of State spokesperson Tammy Bruce has stressed China's role in supporting Russian aggression after evidence was published of Chinese citizens participating in the war against Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) Hurricane Michael recovery efforts are about to surge ahead. On Tuesday, Panama City commissioners awarded grant money to the first group of local businesses eligible for the Hometown Revitalization Program. About three years ago, Panama City was awarded nearly $13.5 million from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity for the grant. About 50 eligible businesses from low- or moderate-income areas applied for funding for cosmetic upgrades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not just for you know, to have a pretty building, although it makes a big difference. But it makes people feel safer. It promotes local business. And one of the, I think pride of the greatest things is civic pride and how people feel, Panama City Commissioner Jenna Haligas said. Alices on Bayview, Hunts Oyster Bar and Seafood, Little Village and FINNS Island Style Grub are the first recipients of the grant, totaling nearly $500,000 for this group. FINNS received the majority of the grant and will be undergoing the most significant makeover. Its going to just create so much more aesthetic. You know, just when people come in and something new, something fresh, everyone likes to see that. You know, everyone likes to see small growth, Little Village and FINNS Island Style Grub owner Justin Buxton said. With the state coming in and funding this to kind of revamp to revitalize St. Andrews, Panama City or all the surrounding areas, its just I think its I think its fabulous. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyll be using the funding for a wraparound awning, storm windows and doors, re-painting the building, new decking, and more. FINNS officials say theyll try to stay open during construction. The city will continue awarding grants to the eligible businesses in the coming months. Some of the grant funds will also go towards parking in downtown St. Andrews and phase two of the streetscape project downtown. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Panama says the U.S. government has recognized the countrys sovereignty over the Panama Canal, but its unclear if Washington fully agrees with that assertion. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, after meeting in private with Panamas top officials in the country on Tuesday, acknowledged the sovereignty of Panama over the Panama Canal, Minister for Public Security Frank Abrego told reporters in a press conference alongside the Pentagon chief on Wednesday. And in a Spanish-language version of a joint U.S.-Panama statement, released late Tuesday, the Central American country said Hegseth recognized the leadership and inalienable sovereignty of Panama over the Panama Canal and its adjacent areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the English version of the statement, released by the Pentagon, did not include that phrasing regarding Panamas control over the waterway. The discrepancy comes after earlier rhetoric from President Trump, who threatened that Washington would take over the waterway as a way to secure it from Chinese control. Panama, however, denies that Beijing controls the vital shipping lane. Hegseth said Wednesday the U.S. was helping to take back the Panama Canal from communist Chinese influence, with the two signing agreements to deepen security cooperation between the two countries. He appeared to dodge a question of whether the U.S. recognizes Panamas sovereignty over the canal, saying, We certainly understand that the Panama Canal is in Panama, and protecting Panamanian sovereignty from malign influence is important. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He explained that when Trump has said the U.S. would take back the Panama Canal, what he means is were taking back the canal from Chinese influence, that involves partnership with the United States and Panama. That partnership, he said, will involve U.S. troops training on Panamanian soil by invitation through rotational, joint exercises. Abrego, meanwhile, said Panama would not allow permanent U.S. military bases on its soil but would keep a cooperation in terms of security with the U.S. Roughly $270 billion a year in U.S. goods, or about 40 percent of American container traffic, passes through the Panama Canal annually. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hegseths visit, the first visit by a Pentagon chief to Panama in decades, reveal Trumps continued fixation on the waterway, which has been controlled by the Central American country since1999. Trump has complained the U.S. got a bad deal in handing off the shipping lane in a treaty signed during the Carter administration. As part of the U.S.-Panama agreements signed this week, the two countries pledged to work out how to compensate the U.S. for payment of tolls and other charges, when its ship pass through the canal. Panama will also guarantee the expedited transit of warships and auxiliary vessels of the Republic of Panama and the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By Phil Stewart PANAMA CITY (Reuters) -Panama said on Wednesday the United States recognized its sovereignty over the Panama Canal, despite tough rhetoric from Washington, as the two nations announced agreements to deepen U.S. military training in the Central American nation. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also gave a public nod to Panamanian sovereignty at the conclusion of the first visit by a Pentagon chief to Panama in decades. Hegseth said he sees the canal as key terrain that Panama would secure together with the U.S. - and not with China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are helping to take back the Panama Canal from communist Chinese influence," Hegseth told a press briefing in Panama City. The Panamanian government has strongly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump's allegations that the key waterway is controlled by China. But current and former U.S. officials and experts say the United States has legitimate security concerns about China's presence in Panama, including that ports and other infrastructure held by Chinese firms could be used for military espionage. During Hegseth's visit, the U.S. and Panama issued joint statements about deepening security cooperation. But the Pentagon's English-language version did not include a sentence that was in the Spanish-language version published by Panama that spoke about Panama's sovereignty over the canal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sentence read: "In addition, Secretary Hegseth recognized the leadership and inalienable sovereignty of Panama over the Panama Canal and its adjacent areas." Speaking to reporters shortly before boarding his flight back to Washington, Hegseth said: "We certainly respect the sovereignty of the Panamanians and the Panama Canal." He expressed gratitude that Panama has welcomed U.S. troops on Panamanian soil "by invitation through rotational, joint exercises." Panama's minister for public security, Frank Abrego, said Panama would not allow permanent military bases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Secretary Hegseth, in the meeting we had in private, recognized the sovereignty of Panama over the Panama Canal," he told reporters. More than 40% of U.S. container traffic, valued at roughly $270 billion a year, goes through the Panama Canal, accounting for more than two-thirds of vessels passing each day through the world's second-busiest interoceanic waterway. Hegseth's trip followed reports that the Trump administration has requested options from the U.S. military to ensure access to the canal, which the United States built more than a century ago and handed over to Panama in 1999. Trump has complained that handing over the canal was a bad deal for the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Hegseth spoke about working with Panama to remove "malign" Chinese influence, Trump has spoken in broader terms and not ruled out using military force. A U.S. defense official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. understood and respected Panama's sensitivies regarding its sovereignty. "Any sense or specter of infringement on their sovereignty, or any suspicion of 'taking' I guess by anyone whether it would be the U.S. or the Chinese -- is hugely problematic," the official acknowledged. Current and former U.S. officials and experts say the United States has found a willing partner in tackling Chinese influence in Panama's president, Jose Raul Mulino, whom Hegseth met on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In February, Mulino announced Panama's formal move to exit China's Belt and Road Initiative and he has aided Trump's crackdown on migrants. Hegseth repeatedly praised Mulino, saying his government understood the threat from China. "We are deeply grateful for the friendship of our Panamanian counterparts, your partnership and your leadership here in Panama and across the region," Hegseth said. (Reporting by Phil Stewart; Writing by Phil Stewart and Sarah Morland; Editing by Chris Reese, Rod Nickel and Leslie Adler) Former Sen. Brian Kelsey, flanked by attorneys, leaves the Fred D. Thompson Federal Courthouse in Nashville after being sentenced to 21 months in federal prison. (Photo: John Partipilo) Straight off a prison stint cut short by a presidential pardon, former Tennessee Sen. Brian Kelsey is maneuvering for legislation to pay his legal expenses. The ex-Germantown Republican who served two weeks in federal prison for directing an illicit campaign finance scheme is lobbying lawmakers to pass legislation that would enable him to use his state campaign account to pay legal fees after three years of court battles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican Sen. Richard Briggs of Knoxville confirmed Wednesday that Kelsey called him twice to ask him to put an amendment on a campaign finance bill hes sponsoring this session. Republican Rep. Tim Hicks of Washington County is sponsoring the House version of the bill, and Democratic Rep. Caleb Hemmer of Nashville is a co-sponsor. Briggs wasnt certain what sort of amendment Kelsey was seeking. Kelsey also contacted Hicks, according to Briggs. But Bill Young, executive director of the Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance, said the former senator wants to be able to use state campaign funds to pay for legal expenses. Kelsey hired at least six attorneys after being indicted for violating federal campaign finance law by funneling more than $80,000 through two political action committees to the American Conservative Union, which paid for ads in his failed 2016 congressional race. It is illegal to use state campaign money to pay for a federal campaign because the funds are raised under different rules. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance turned down Kelseys previous request to use funds left in his state account to pay legal fees. Kelsey had $197,519 in his state account before transferring it to his Red State Political Action Committee in June 2023. The PAC has more than $180,300, according to the latest filing with the state. Briggs bill is stuck in the Senate finance committee because of a provision that would take part of the professional privilege tax paid by lobbyists to hire auditors and pay for a new campaign finance reporting system for the Registry of Election Finance and Ethics Commission. Kelsey served two weeks in a federal prison in Kentucky this year before receiving a pardon from President Donald Trump. The former senator stepped down from his Senate post four years ago after being indicted. He pleaded guilty to federal campaign finance charges but then rescinded his plea, claiming he didnt violate any laws. Kelsey hired a handful of attorneys after releasing his first legal counsel team. He also claimed his decision to plead guilty was clouded by the birth of twin sons and the illness of his father, who later died. Kelsey also said he didnt understand the criminal law system even though he was an attorney and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Photo by WEWS. As Ohio lawmakers move to ban cell phones in public schools, some parents raise concerns about being able to check in or say goodbye to their kids during active shootings. My teens use their cell phones for just about everything, Cincinnati mom Natalie Hastings said. As smartphones only become more prevalent for kids, schools and parents are trying to crack down on the distractions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a very regular part of the routine to give up their phone at the beginning of class, Hastings added. She explains that she has boundaries when it comes to cell phone usage and her school district has too, allowing students to have phones during lunch but not in class. It did seem to cut down on some of the, during the day, recording people surreptitiously in the restroom or something, she continued. Last year, Gov. Mike DeWine signed a bill into law mandating that every public school district make a policy regarding phone usage in schools. But this year, he wants to go even further. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those notifications make it nearly impossible for students to focus and to learn, DeWine said during a press conference Tuesday. He and state Sen. Jane Timken, R-Jackson Township, have introduced S.B. 158, which would ban the use of cell phones for students in public schools. This legislation is a common sense approach to unplug our children from the constant distractions, Timken said. All districts put policies in place to limit phone usage during the day, with some banning them outright. But this bill makes sure that the remaining schools take the summer to create a total prohibition. However, it doesnt say how they must ban them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont understand, will they be in their cars and then theyll get stolen out? Hastings said. Some schools require students to keep their cell phones in magnetically locking Yondr bags. Others just collect them in a box at the beginning of class. The mom argues that this is the good thing about local control. The local districts know better than the state whats going to work where they are, she said. This could be seen as an unfunded mandate, as Parma Superintendent Charles Smialek said in 2024. There would be some exceptions, such as if the student has a health concern or if its needed for learning disabilities like under an individualized education program (IEP) or 504 plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although Hastings is generally supportive of the idea of limiting phone use, she cant help but fear for what happens during an emergency. The number one school safety problem is guns, regardless of the type and size of the school, Hastings said, noting that in the Uvalde shooting in 2022, numerous children called 911 for help as the perpetrator shot 19 students and two teachers also injuring nearly 20 others. Phones have been very useful in situations with the shooter threat. We asked the governor about this. Schools, with advice from experts, have been working very, very hard to have a protocol and to follow that protocol, the governor responded. I think most experts look at this and think the use of cell phones many times will interfere with the execution of that protocol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dublin City Schools Superintendent Dr. John Marschhausen explained why he thinks that is. If students are given directions on where to go, them looking down at their phones, it only slows the process as to what were trying to do, Marschhausen, the top administrator at the Columbus suburban district, said. Other parents reached out, and some social media users argue that sending one text to your parent that you are OK or that you love them wouldnt cause a disaster. I am less worried about being able to get in touch with my child, Hastings said. Im more concerned with them being able to get in touch with me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marschhausen also added that there is already a reunification system for families. A reunification site only means so much if you cant reunite with them, the mother said. The Senate bill will likely be heard quickly over the coming weeks. However, a provision was added to the Houses proposed budget that may pass the House Wednesday. This article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland. Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Passover is a major Jewish holiday, celebrated over seven or eight days each year, commemorating the exodus of ancient Israelites from slavery in Egypt, as recounted in the Bible. It is considered the most widely observed of any Jewish holiday, symbolizing freedom and the birth of a Jewish nation. This year, the celebrations again occur amid anxieties and divisions among many Jews related to the unresolved Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza and the specter of widespread antisemitism. When is Passover this year? Passover known as Pesach in Hebrew begins at sunset on Saturday, April 12, and ends after nightfall on Sunday, April 20. By tradition, it will be celebrated for seven days in Israel and for eight days by some Jews in the rest of the world. What are key Passover rituals and traditions? For many Jews, Passover is a time to reunite with family and recount the exodus from Egypt at a meal called the Seder. Observant Jews avoid various grains known as chametz, a reminder of the unleavened bread the Israelites ate when they fled Egypt quickly with no time for dough to rise. Cracker-like matzo is OK to eat; most breads, pastas, cereals, cakes and cookies are off-limits. What's different this year? A year ago, for many Jews, any celebratory mood was muted by the scores of hostages captured by Hamas in Israel and held in Gaza. Many Seder tables, in Israel and elsewhere, had empty seats, representing those killed or taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even after the recent release of some hostages, others remain held. Hopes for a formal end to conflict have been dampened by the collapse of a ceasefire and resumption of fighting. As was the case last year, there also is intense concern in some countries about a high level of antisemitic incidents. More than 10,000 antisemitic incidents in the United States were reported between Oct. 7, 2023, and Sept. 24, 2024 the most ever recorded by the Anti-Defamation League. The Secure Community Network, which provides security and safety resources to hundreds of Jewish organizations and institutions across North America, has been issuing frequent advisories ahead of Passover. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Specifically, the group has warned of possible threats from white extremist groups, including some organizing along the U.S.-Canada border. SCN said key extremist anniversaries, including Hitlers birthday on April 20, coincide with the holiday, raising concerns about the risk of violence targeting Jewish communities. One notable change this year: Pro-Palestinian protests that roiled many college campuses in spring 2024 have been fewer and less disruptive, in part because of Trump administration pressure. Since January there has been a marked change in the seriousness with which hate on campus is being dealt by the federal government as they set out clear consequences to the previous inaction of university leaders," said Rabbi Moshe Hauer, executive vice president of the Orthodox Union. However, some Jewish leaders have been dismayed by the Trump administration's threats and funding curbs directed at universities it considered too tolerant of antisemitism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of this is about fighting antisemitism, Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, said in a social media post. Its about gutting our education institutions and democracy under the guise of fighting antisemitism. And it ultimately makes Jews less safe. What special events are taking place? The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and the citys Museum of Tolerance are hosting a special Seder for interfaith leaders and community members directly affected by recent wildfires. Organizers invited various first responders, civic leaders and elected officials, seeking to honor the spirit of community resilience and the enduring strength of togetherness. The fires destroyed or damaged dozens of houses of worship and other faith-based facilities. Interfaith Seders have been organized in many other cities, including Houston, Dallas, New York, Phoenix, and Milwaukee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We understand that now more than ever, Jewish communities across North America must open their doors to forge stronger friendships," said Rabbi Joshua Stanton, Jewish Federations associate vice president of interfaith and intergroup initiatives. The New York-based Met Council, a Jewish nonprofit operating various anti-poverty programs, says it has delivered free kosher-for-Passover food to more than 250,000 Jewish Americans burdened by skyrocketing grocery costs. The packages, distributed at 185 sites in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Florida, included traditional Passover essentials such as matzo, kosher chicken, gefilte fish, tuna, and grape juice. Chabad-Lubavitch, a global Hassidic Jewish organization, plans a parade of more than 100 converted RVs known as Mitzvah Tanks through New York City's streets. The aim, says Chabad, is to spread kindness and celebrate Jewish heritage, as well as distributing traditional matzo. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. Su-30 fighter jets engage in flight training China Military Online) 09:39, April 09, 2025 Su-30 fighter jets attached to an aviation brigade of the Chinese PLA Air Force taxi in formation on the runway during a flight training exercise on March 26, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Huang Guotai) A Su-30 fighter jet attached to an aviation brigade of the Chinese PLA Air Force takes off in speed during a flight training exercise on March 26, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Huang Guotai) A Su-30 fighter jet attached to an aviation brigade of the Chinese PLA Air Force taxis on the runway during a flight training exercise on March 26, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Huang Guotai) A Su-30 fighter jet attached to an aviation brigade of the Chinese PLA Air Force releases its drag chute to slow down after landing during a flight training exercise on March 26, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Huang Guotai) A maintenance technician assigned to an aviation brigade of the Chinese PLA Air Force inspects the cockpit of a fighter jet during a flight training exercise on March 26, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Huang Guotai) (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) PARIS, April 9 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that France may recognize the Palestinian state in June. Speaking to the television channel France 5, Macron said that France may make the official announcement in June during an international conference over Palestine co-chaired with Saudi Arabia in New York. "We must move towards the recognition (of the State of Palestine), and so we will in the coming months," he said in an interview. "Our goal is to chair this conference with Saudi Arabia sometime in June, where we could finalize the movement toward mutual recognition by several parties," he added. Lockheed Martin is boosting production of its Patriot PAC-3 MSE interceptor as it awaits a U.S. Navy decision on whether it will buy the missile to arm the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System aboard its warships. While the PAC-3 is very much in demand right now for ground-based applications, the company is confident that it could also fill a very important niche for the Navy, potentially providing a long-term replacement for the widely used Standard Missile-2 (SM-2). Meanwhile, the service has its own growing concerns about keeping up a steady supply of surface-to-air and other missiles during a future high-end conflict, such as one in the Pacific against China. As weve reported in the past, the PAC-3 MSE was tested on land from a Mk 41-derived containerized launcher, which resulted in the downing of a mock cruise missile. A picture from the PAC-3 MSE test launch. Lockheed Martin This combination offers a valuable additional air and missile defense option for use in a slew of existing and future launchers, and not just on ships. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking at the Sea-Air-Space Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, this week, Chris Mang, vice president of strategy & business development at Lockheed Martins Missiles and Fire Control, reiterated the Navys interest in the PAC-3 MSE as an addition to its Aegis combat system. Mang described PAC-3 MSE as a highly agile Army missile [that was] made to do counter-hypersonic, ballistic missile, and cruise missile defense in various tight envelopes for the Army. He noted that the missiles capabilities are only enhanced when its put in a maritime context and paired with the Aegis system, which has a lot more power than the Armys radar systems. The Navy was having a real challenge, Mang added. They had very good long-range missiles, but they needed a complementary missile to tackle some of the really difficult threats, especially once in close. Think submarine-launched anti-ship missiles that were getting in close very quickly. When you pair this missile with the Navy combat system and radars, it works very well. As to whether the Navy will buy the PAC-3 MSE, Mang said that they seem to be tracking in that direction we certainly seem to have a lot of interest there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Part of this interest is driven by the fact that the PAC-3 MSE is potentially available in significant numbers. Were building 600 a year, Mang continued. A lot have been shot in Ukraine. A lot have been shot in the Middle East by both Saudi Arabia and the U.S. Army. All very successful. A Patriot launcher fires a newer PAC-3-series missile during a test. DoD Indeed, the success of the PAC-3 MSE in these theaters can be measured by the fact that it has proven so accurate, Mang said, that you can actually change the shot doctrine. Essentially, missile operators now consider that a single PAC-3 MSE is typically good enough to destroy the threat, whereas in the past, using older systems, they would have to shoot two. Well certainly see a lot of pressure on production, Mang noted, in light of growing global demand for the PAC-3 MSE, but he considers that the company is very robust in terms of ramping up output of the missile. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Production capacity just a couple of years ago was around 250 PAC-3 MSE interceptors a year, while the figure is now around 600. Weve been in discussions with the Army about building even more. I will tell you that the line is probably going to continue to accelerate up the ramp. Now, how fast we can do that is to be determined its a pretty complex weapon. In the meantime, Lockheed Martin is already working to secure adequate supplies of certain critical components, such as datalinks, which will be required in greater quantities once production ramps up. Even without a Navy buy, there are between six and eight countries all asking for more PAC-3 MSE interceptors, Mang said. Should the Navy go for PAC-3 MSE, it will get a missile that is complementary to the air defense missiles it already operates. When it comes to the Standard Missile family, the SM-2s are obsolescing out, Mang says, theyve been shooting a lot of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Otherwise, there is the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM), which is a shorter-range defensive system, and the SM-3 midcourse anti-ballistic missile interceptor. Then there is the SM-6 covering the upper tier, but also a highly versatile missile that can intercept ballistic missiles during their terminal attack stage, as well as air-breathing threats at extended ranges. The SM-6 can also hit targets on land and at sea. A file photo showing the launch of an SM-6 missile from a U.S. Navy warship. U.S. Navy Its a good long-range missile, Mang says of the SM-6. However, for closer-in threats, the SM-6 presents a challenge in that it is first boosted out to altitude. Youre going way down range, Mang observed. If you want to hit targets down low, you have got to kind of come way downhill and hit it. The result is something of a gap in air defense coverage, where the SM-6 has some challenges, especially due to maneuvering threats. Its in this part of the envelope that the PAC-3 MSE excels, its agility enhanced by its miniature attitude control motors: You see them as little jets of flame when it comes out of the can, Mang explained. We can literally come out of the can and be on the deck in under a kilometer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of places the Navy has said I got red or yellow challenges that I cant deal with. This missile does a really good job at that. When you marry them all together, it is very complimentary to SM-6. Youd always want a layered defense, right? Ill pick the longest shot I can get, but then at a certain point, MSE really starts to outperform in certain envelopes. A rendering depicting the Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Farragut (DDG 99) firing a PAC-3 MSE interceptor from its forward Mk 41 VLS array. Once again, integrating the PAC-3 MSE with the Aegis system also makes it that much more capable compared with the Army version, which is limited by the requirement for a degree of battlefield mobility. Again, Im not picking on the Army system, but remember, they till it around the battlefield. They got one generator. Its limited by size, weight, and power. You got a ship with four generators with liquid-cooled systems, right? And what a much more powerful combat system does for that missile turned out to be really good. For the time being, Lockheed Martin is offering the PAC-3 MSE as a single missile that will be loaded in any given cell of the Mk 41 VLS. In the future, however, the number of missiles carried in a single hull could be increased through the use of quad packs of missiles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, this would require the PAC-3 Cost-Reduction-Initiative (CRI) interceptor to be loaded. An overview of the improvements found on the PAC-3 MSE variant over its predecessors, including a New LE [lethality enhancer]. Lockheed Martin In the MSE configuration, we cannot quad pack it, Mang continued. Its a little too big, because at the time they developed it, no one was worried about a quad pack. My sense today is no one wants to go back and restart that particular rocket motor line [for the CRI version]. Weve asked the Navy that several times, and again, theyve made no decisions. While the PAC-3 CRI would allow a greater magazine depth, also a growing concern amid the proliferation of drone and missile threats, the smaller missile translates as reduced performance, including a lower engagement altitude. A graphic showing various missiles already compatible with the tactical and strike-length versions of the Mk 41. Lockheed Martin Because the diameter of the rocket motor comes down a fair bit, its a little less sporty, Mang said. But it depends, right? If they really buy off on this and then slap the table and say, I want a quad pack, I can absolutely do it. Its just engineering and qual[ification] time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the time being, Mang expects the Navy, should it choose to go with PAC-3, to buy the MSE interceptors off the current production line, with the CRI version a possible follow-on choice. Finally, in terms of costs, a single PAC-3 MSE interceptor is priced at around $4.2 million, according to the Fiscal Year 2025 budget request. This is almost identical to the SM-6, at $4.27 million per round. Meanwhile, the more complex multi-stage SM-3s come in at $12.5 million for the Block IB, and $28.7 million for the Block IIA. The Block IIIC upgrade kits for older SM-2 missiles, which enhance the capabilities of the older Block IIIA and B missiles, each cost $2.5 million. With the PAC-3 MSE interceptor now proven from the Mk 41-based launcher, Navy interest in what this combination might offer is not surprising, given the growing challenges in the air defense environment. Now we will have to wait and see whether the service follows through on this with an order, which would add yet another customer to the PAC-3 user group and provide Lockheed Martin with a foothold in the naval missile market. Howard Altman contributed to this story. Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com By Sonia Rolley (Reuters) - Peace talks between Congo's government and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels planned for Wednesday in Doha have been postponed, sources from both sides told Reuters this week, with no future date set. The parties had earlier this month billed the meeting as the first direct talks since M23 fighters captured eastern Congo's two largest cities. The rapid offensive has left thousands dead, forced hundreds of thousands more from their homes and raised fears of a wider regional conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was unclear why the meeting was delayed. Both sides said invitations had not been sent as of Monday. "It's simply a matter of organization," a Congolese official said. Last month, Qatar brokered a surprise sit-down between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame during which the two leaders called for a ceasefire. The United Nations and Western governments say Rwanda has provided arms and troops to the ethnic Tutsi-led M23. Rwanda has denied backing M23 and says its military has acted in self-defence against Congo's army and a militia founded by perpetrators of the 1994 genocide. The conflict is rooted in the long fallout from the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and competition for control of mineral riches. The armies of Congo, Rwanda and Burundi have all participated in the fighting, raising fears of an all-out regional war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement M23 had long demanded direct negotiations with Kinshasa, but Tshisekedi had refused, arguing that M23 was merely a front for Rwanda. A source with knowledge of the talks in Qatar told Reuters on Saturday that representatives of Congo's government and M23 held a "discreet meeting" in Doha last week, "marking their first direct encounter in a long time." The source said that meeting helped spur the rebels to withdraw from the strategic mining town of Walikale. Washington has also pushed both sides to withdraw from the area so mining operations nearby can resume. (Reporting by Sonia Rolley; Writing by Jessica Donati; Editing by Robbie Corey-Boulet and Alex Richardson) The New Mexico Public Education Department's rule requiring districts have 180 instructional days in the calendar per year is once again being debated in court. (Photo by Klaus Vedfelt / Getty Images) The State of New Mexicos inactive rule requiring school districts to have a minimum of 180 instructional days on their calendars per school year is back in the courts. The New Mexico Public Education Department in March appealed a February decision from Ninth Judicial District Court Judge Dustin K. Hunter, who ruled that the departments rule requiring a minimum number of instructional days in the calendar was unenforceable. Hunter wrote in his decision that the rule conflicted with a current Public School Code statute that requires instead a minimum number of instructional hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hunters ruling came in response to an April 2024 lawsuit from the New Mexico School Superintendents Association and many school boards from across the state challenging PEDs original calendar rule, announced in March 2024. The rule itself was a response to the signing of House Bill 130 during the 2023 session, which requires K-12 schools to have a minimum of 1,140 instructional hours each year. Hunter granted an injunction in that case in May 2024, so the rule has never been enforced. According to court documents, the state claims the judge erred in several ways in making his decision. First, the appeal contends Hunter was wrong to limit the scope of the departments rulemaking authority and erroneously used outside evidence to determine legislative intent. The state also asserts in its challenge that no conflict exists between the rule and current statute. Stan Rounds, executive director of the New Mexico School Superintendents Association, a plaintiff in the original case, told Source NM that their team chose legal counsel to represent them in these next court proceedings just last week and are prepared to respond to the states claims over the next several months of the process. The Legislature attempted to codify the district courts February decision during the recent session through House Bill 65, which would have clarified that local districts have the authority to set the number of school days in their calendar, as long as it meets the instructional hours requirement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HB65 passed in both chambers, but Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham vetoed the bill. The House voted to overturn the veto, but the Senate did not reciprocate due to lack of time on the last day of the session, so the governors veto still stands. Source reached out to the governors office for comment on the court proceedings and a spokesperson referred us to the governors veto message, which states that Lujan Grisham is concerned with some instances in which school districts have condensed school calendars. Lujan Grisham also mentions concern about shortchanging New Mexico students, particularly in light of the landmark Yazzie-Martinez lawsuit, which found that the state was not providing equitable educational opportunities to at-risk students. We werent surprised that she vetoed [HB65], Rounds told Source. There may be other opportunities for [lawmakers] to consider the override at some point in the future. Whitney Holland, president of the American Federation of Teachers New Mexico chapter, told Source that the back-and-forth on the state education departments rule is frustrating and disregards the intent of current laws. The teachers union supported the plaintiffs in the original lawsuit through an amicus brief. She said it feels as though schools, students and teachers are getting caught in the crosshairs of a larger political battle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legislative intent is to give our school districts and our places of learning that local control and that ability. So I think its insulting to that, Holland said. This kind of back and forth on will we, wont weI think its really destabilizing a little bit, and its hard to do any longterm planning. Michael Chavez, superintendent of Hatch Valley Public Schools, told Source that he does not believe more school days lead to better student outcomes but, rather, its the quality of instruction that counts. He added that especially in smaller, more rural districts, everything from instructional days and class schedules to transportation is tied together. Opponents of longer school years have also raised concerns for rural and tribal schools and the costs associated with added instructional days. It really boils down to how effective is your instruction, what goes on in your classroom on a day-to-day basis, Chavez said. DocumentFragment_62095807.tiff SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX PEKIN, Ill. (WMBD) Two Pekin police officers were honored Tuesday for saving two lives through CPR. Four other officers were also honored for their investigative work. The awards were given out during a ceremony Tuesday at the Pekin Police Department, where Pekin Police Chief Seth Ranney spoke about each officer and their contributions to the community. Officers Brett Butler and James Guerra both received awards for saving lives in two separate occasions, according to a post on the departments Facebook page. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Butler was recognized after he was called to a house to reports of a man choking and unable to breathe. He realized the man had no pulse and immediately began CPR for several minutes while he waited for emergency personnel to arrive. The individual later regained a pulse and survived, thanks to Officer Butlers swift and decisive response, the post said. Guerra got the life-saving award for also performing CPR on a different man who was unconscious and breathing irregularly. When he got to the scene, without hesitation, began CPR and continued until emergency personnel arrived. The man ended up regaining a pulse and was taken to a hospital. Officer Guerras calm, compassionate presence and quick intervention made a profound impact on the outcome and on the family, the post said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four awards were also given commendations for their investigative work on the case involving the murder of Addison Waters. Those awarded are as follows: Det. Allison Palmer Det. Justin Fitzgerald Det. Andrew Thompson Special Services Lt. Joshua Bush From the initial response through the resolution, these Detectives demonstrated exceptional professionalism, perseverance, and teamwork, leading to a successful prosecution and a 70-year prison sentence for the offender, the post said. Their work helped to bring justice to Addison and her family during an unimaginably difficult 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 CIProud.com. Penn State officials are urging international students and faculty to carry copies of their proof of status after reports of students having their visas revoked. NBC News affiliate WJAC obtained a copy of the April 3 letter that addresses incidents across the nation where some international students have had their lawful status in the U.S. terminated, as well as offers travel guidance and additional resources. In addition to carrying copies of their visa status, students are encouraged to immediately contact university police if approached by ICE or another federal agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Penn State isnt the only Pennsylvania university notifying students of visa revocations. Carnegie Mellon University officials sent a letter to students after the federal government revoked the visas of two current students and five recent graduates. Visas can be canceled for a number of reasons, but college leaders say the government has been quietly terminating students legal residency status with little notice to students or schools, according to the Associated Press. That marks a shift from past practice and leaves students vulnerable to detention and deportation. The Trump administration has targeted students who had been involved with pro-Palestinian activism or speech. But the AP reports that more schools are seeing visas stripped from students with no known connection to protests. In some cases, past infractions such as traffic violations have been cited. Some colleges say the reasons remain unclear to them and they are seeking answers. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW PENNSYLVANIA (WTAJ) Two Pennsylvania Representatives have introduced a bill that would elect a presidential candidate based on popular vote instead of electoral college votes. The bill, authored by Reps. Christopher Rabb and Heather Boyd, argue that there is a fundamental contradiction between the one-person, one-vote principle in American democracy and the electoral college. This contradiction lies in the fact that twice in recent presidential elections, five times in U.S. history total, the winner of the electoral college received fewer total votes than their opponent. Every voter, of every party, should have an equal voice in presidential elections, Rabb said. This is the fundamental principle that our democracy builds on that every vote counts equally. Not that some votes count more than others. It is time for PA to join other states in ensuring that every vote counts equally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill would move Pennsylvania to a popular vote system, joining 17 other states and the District of Columbia in the National Popular Vote movement. The Representatives argue that Pennsylvania voters should feel as though they play a meaningful role by electing the president by National Popular Vote. Get the latest news, weather forecasts and sports stories delivered straight to your inbox! Sign up for our newsletters. If passed, the legislation would guarantee the presidency to the candidate who wins the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and would take effect when states with 270 electoral votes have passed the bill. The National Popular Vote bill has a total of 209 electoral, with Pennsylvania offering 19. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com. PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) The Peoria City Council approved a settlement with the estate of Cleve Heidelberg. During Tuesdays meeting, the council approved a $625,000 payment, with only 2nd District Councilman Chuck Grayeb voting no, which will resolve the federal suit and ward off further litigation. If were going to roll over and play that every time somebody threatens a big lawsuit because, oh, gee, in Chicago this happened or that happened, you are opening up our city to more and more of these lawsuits, said Grayeb. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the council packet, if they did not accept the settlement, they would have to continue to defend suit in federal court; incur legal fees and expenses to defend. Heidelberg was convicted and sentenced for the murder of Peoria County Sgt. Ray Espinoza in 1970. After 47 years, Heidelberg was released when a new trial was ordered. But he died before his new trial. While only Grayeb voted against it, not everyone who voted yes said they agreed with the settlement. I think at the end of the day, we should prevail in a case like this, said At-Large Councilman Zachary Oyler said. But our responsibility is to protect the taxpayer and ensure that we dont end up in a situation where we have to bond money to pay a settlement like this and raise taxes to do it. So Ill make a motion to approve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The entire settlement is for $1.2 million, but the city is only responsible for $625,000. City officials said the family will receive the money in one lump sum. The Peoria County Board will vote on its portion 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 CIProud.com. ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- The University of Texas Permian Basin has officially named Dr. Lyndsay Eiben as the new Director of Bands, ushering in a new era for the universitys music department. In her role, Dr. Eiben will lead the growth and development of UTPBs bands program while continuing to serve as an assistant music professor. A native Odessan, Dr. Eiben brings a wealth of experience to the position not only as an accomplished flutist and educator but also as a product of the very community she now serves. We are pleased that Dr. Eiben will be leading our bands program, said Dr. Christopher Morrow, Dean of the College of Arts & Humanities at UTPB. Though she has only been at UTPB a couple of years, she has already made an enormous impact on student success. She is a dedicated, student-first educator who is ideally poised to take our bands program to the next level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Director of Bands, Dr. Eiben will oversee all aspects of the program, including direction of the universitys wind and percussion ensembles. Her appointment signals the universitys commitment to excellence in music education and its vision to expand opportunities for student musicians in the region. Dr. Eibens deep roots in the Permian Basin make her appointment all the more significant. A graduate of Permian High School, she went on to earn both her Bachelors and Masters of Music Performance degrees from West Texas A&M University. She later completed her Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Cincinnatis prestigious College-Conservatory of Music. Before joining UTPBs faculty, Dr. Eiben spent over a decade teaching music in the Ector County Independent School District. Her tenure included roles as Associate Director of Bands at both Nimitz Middle School and Permian High School, where her students consistently earned top honors, including placements in the elite 6A TMEA All-State Bands and superior ratings in UIL competitions. Beyond her educational work, Dr. Eiben maintains an active and vibrant performance career. She currently serves as the principal flutist for both the West Texas Symphony and West Texas Winds and is a frequent clinician and guest lecturer across the region, sharing her passion for music with both students and professionals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her appointment is being celebrated across campus and the broader music community. With Dr. Eiben at the helm, were confident the bands program will not only thrive but become a cornerstone of UTPBs arts presence in West Texas, Morrow added. As she steps into her new leadership role, Dr. Eiben is poised to inspire the next generation of musicians while continuing to shape the cultural landscape of the Permian Basinboth in the classroom and on the stage. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. A 67-year-old woman was struck and killed by a train in Wauwatosa Wednesday afternoon, according to Union Pacific and the Wauwatosa Police Department. Wauwatosa police officers responded to the area of North 114th Street and West Burleigh Avenue around 3:40 p.m. and found a woman on the west side of the tracks just north of HomeGoods, 11000 W. Burleigh Ave. Despite life-saving efforts attempted by the Wauwatosa Fire Department, the woman was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Milwaukee County Examiner's Office also responded, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A preliminary investigation revealed the woman was walking east to west across the tracks as the train was approaching and was struck. Police say this is believed to be a non-criminal incident. Union Pacific said support is being offered to crew members who were operating the train. They were not physically injured. Contact Adrienne Davis at amdavis@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @AdriReportss. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Pedestrian fatally struck by train in Wauwatosa, officials say Apr. 8WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, on April 8 spoke in support of his bipartisan, bicameral legislation, the Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Network (TAKE IT DOWN) Act, during a full committee legislative markup. This critical legislation would protect victims of real and deepfake 'revenge pornography' by criminalizing the publication of these harmful images, in addition to requiring websites to remove them quickly. The rising popularity of AI requires decisive federal legal protections that will empower victims of these heinous crimes, most of whom are women and girls. View his remarks here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzyZ2S300xs BRUSSELS, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled the AI Continent Action Plan, aimed at streamlining artificial intelligence (AI) regulations and accelerating the development of AI infrastructure, as part of efforts to ensure the European Union (EU) remains competitive in the global AI race. Henna Virkkunen, executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy of the Commission, said that the plan focuses on reducing regulatory burdens and ensuring the implementation of the AI Act is simple and innovation-friendly. The European Union has long positioned its digital regulatory framework as a global standard for governance. However, its rigorous oversight-particularly in the field of AI-has drawn criticism from major technology firms, who argue that excessive regulation could suppress innovation and hinder industrial growth. As outlined in the plan, the EU will prioritize the development of large-scale AI data and computing infrastructure. Key measures include improving access to high-quality data, advancing algorithm development, promoting AI adoption across strategic sectors, and enhancing education and training in AI-related skills. The Commission's statement noted that 13 AI factories have already been established across Europe and the EU plans to support the creation of AI Gigafactories, massive facilities equipped with approximately 100,000 AI chips and four times the capacity of current AI factories. CAMILLA Phoebe Putney Health System has expanded its network of urgent care clinics by opening a new location in Camilla. The facility will provide residents in Camilla and surrounding areas with convenient access to high-quality, prompt medical care. Phoebe officials and community leaders took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday afternoon to commemorate the milestone. The opening of Phoebe Urgent Care in Camilla represents our commitment to expanding access to exceptional health care services across our communities, Phoebe Putney Health System President and CEO Scott Steiner said. This milestone is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, and we look forward to continuing to serve our neighbors with compassion and care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Phoebe Urgent Care is committed to delivering safe, in-person care for non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries, catering to patients of all ages, from pediatrics to geriatrics. A skilled team of physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants at Phoebe Urgent Care treat a variety of conditions, including but not limited to: Asthma and allergies Cuts requiring minor stitching Minor broken bones and simple fractures Respiratory illnesses such as flu, strep throat, COVID-19, and RSV With the opening of our new urgent care center in Camilla, we are reinforcing Phoebes mission to provide accessible, high-quality health care to families and individuals across southwest Georgia, Phoebe Physicians President Dr. Estrellita Redmon said. This new location reflects our commitment to serving communities where the need is greatest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Camilla location joins Phoebes growing network of urgent care clinics across the region, including Phoebe Urgent Care of East Albany, Phoebe Urgent Care of Lee County, Phoebe Urgent Care North Campus and Phoebe Urgent Care at Northwest Albany. Phoebe plans to further expand in Lee County with a new urgent care facility on U.S. Highway 82 later this year. Renovations are wrapping up at Phoebe East, with renovations and expansions planned at Phoebe North and Phoebe Northwest. Phoebe Urgent Care prioritizes access, quality and innovation, offering same-day testing, limited labs and telehealth options. Telehealth provides convenient, remote access to medical services, ensuring timely and expert care for certain patients who may be unable to make it to an in-person appointment. Phoebe Urgent Care Telehealth operates from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The opening of Phoebe Urgent Care in Camilla brings comprehensive health care closer to home for more southwest Georgians, Martavius Marcus, the director of Physician Practices at Phoebe Physician Group, said. For those who may not have an urgent care location nearby or find it challenging to visit in person, our telehealth services offer a seamless alternative. Patients can schedule appointments and receive expert medical care from the comfort of their homes, ensuring that exceptional health care is always accessible, no matter where they reside. The new Camilla clinic is located in the same building as Phoebe Primary Care of Camilla at 725 U.S. Highway 19 South. For more information about Phoebe Urgent Care and/or Phoebe Telehealth, visit www.phoebehealth.com/urgentcare. AMORGOS, Greece (AP) For more than 50 years, Spyridon Denaxas or Father Spyridon, as hes affectionately called has prayed, worked and welcomed the faithful in a millennium-old monastery carved into a seaside cliff on the Greek island of Amorgos. Starting well before dawn in a tiny, dark chapel, the Orthodox Christian monk prays to the icon of the Virgin Mary that gives its name to the whitewashed complex perched between sky and sea the Panagia Hozoviotissa. The daily rhythm hasnt changed much since he joined the monastery straight out of high school in the summer of 1971. Father Spyridon, another monk and an assistant also maintain the buildings, cultivate the fields, care for their animals, and receive the steady stream of pilgrims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While many on the island and even more so in neighboring Cyclades destinations like Santorini worry about the growing threat of overtourism, Father Spyridon finds grace in those who visit. Their journey often starts with an eight-hour ferry ride from the mainland and always ends with a steep, shadowless climb up a stony path to the monastery. The Virgin knows the method by which she will transmit her grace to each person each one, as a brother and as an image of God, Father Spyridon told The Associated Press. Even though Greece is rapidly secularizing like the rest of Europe, the church still plays a crucial role in small, tight-knit communities like Amorgos, with 2,000 inhabitants in its small villages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Father Spyridon spent his longest period ever away last year about five months, for surgeries his eventual return was the talk of the towns. After he resumed his visits to tiny chapels and family-run coffee shops with the help of a gnarled walking stick, old and young alike rushed to greet him. Especially during Lent, Father Spyridon cherishes his mission to be present for his people whether a short walk away or visiting from around the world. People are sent by God and its the responsibility of the monks to welcome them and feed their hunger for spirituality and for a better hope for the future, he said. The monastery is blinding white in the Aegean sunshine. During the pitch-black nights, its small windows are the only specks of light in the swirl of stars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Father Spyridon, to be shapers of light is the essence of everyones vocation and the special blessing of Amorgos remote monastery. Here, it is about the soul, the spirit, the eternal part of us, he said. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. ___ This is a documentary photo story curated by AP photo editors. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) The Portland Fire Marshals Office building was damaged after being hit by a car Tuesday morning, authorities said. Plane skids off runway into water at Oregon airport Portland Fire and Rescue shared photos from the scene in a post on X. Officials said a car backed into the building on Southeast Gideon Street early in the morning. Portland Fire and Rescue said their Fire Marshals Office was damaged after being hit by a car. April 8, 2025 (courtesy Portland Fire and Rescue). Portland Fire and Rescue said their Fire Marshals Office was damaged after being hit by a car. April 8, 2025 (courtesy Portland Fire and Rescue). Portland Fire and Rescue said their Fire Marshals Office was damaged after being hit by a car. April 8, 2025 (courtesy Portland Fire and Rescue). No one was hurt and the driver stayed on the scene and cooperated with law enforcement, PF&R said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The office is still in operation but people may be redirected to a different walk-in access point, officials 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 KOIN.com. MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) A group of protesters gathered near the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Morgantown facility on Wednesday after nearly 200 workers were laid off last week. Workers carried signs criticizing the cuts to jobs, mining health resources, and coal mine safety research. NIOSH cuts protest in Morgantown on April 9 (WBOY image) NIOSH cuts protest in Morgantown on April 9 (WBOY image) NIOSH cuts protest in Morgantown on April 9 (WBOY image) NIOSH cuts protest in Morgantown on April 9 (WBOY image) NIOSH cuts protest in Morgantown on April 9 (WBOY image) The Morgantown facility had several hundred employees prior to the downsizing, and now only about a dozen are still employed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why were people protesting in West Virginia on Saturday? The protesters marched along Route 705 from the office of Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV) to the NIOSH building near the WVU Health Sciences campus and WVU Medicine Ruby Memorial Hospital. Among the protesters were representatives from the American Federation of Government Employees. A 12 News reporter was at the protest, and this story will be updated with additional details. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. ONEIDA, Tenn. (WATE) A suspects truck crashed into a McDonalds in Oneida after a police pursuit around 6 a.m. Wednesday, law enforcement said. According to the arrest warrant, Andrew A. Leininger, 40, fled from law enforcement. It says he drove at extreme speeds, ran a red light and was involved in a crash on 3rd Avenue and Highway 27. Suspect in Oneida McDonalds crash accused of fleeing Ohio police previously Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He then fled the scene of the crash, left the road, became airborne and had a second crash into a McDonalds on Alberta Street off Highway 27, damaging the building, documents say. He was not injured, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol. (WATE) (WATE) (WATE) (WATE) (WATE) (WATE) (WATE) Leininger told the police that he had taken medications, according to the arrest warrant. Law enforcement found a pill bottle containing marijuana and a small glass pipe in his car, they report. Law enforcement arrested him and he was booked in to the Scott County Jail. Leininger faces multiple charges including: Driving under the influence Possession of schedule 6 drugs Leaving the scene of a property crash Reckless driving Aggravated assault Duty to provide aid and give info This is a developing story. Download the WATE 6 News app or sign up for our email alerts for updates. Where is the line between murder and self-defense? Lawyer breaks down case of Texas track meet stabbing Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side. HUDSON, N.Y. (WWLP) A teenager from Pittsfield was arrested in upstate New York for an alleged gang assault. AR-15 style rifle seized during traffic stop in Pittsfield The Hudson Police Department states that a victim was attacked on March 7th and had his phone stolen at a laundromat on Green Street. The suspects left the incident before police arrived. The victim told police that they could identify one of the attackers, and that led to five people being arrested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim was treated by Greenport Rescue for injuries to his face and rib area. Izaya Busch, 19, of Pittsfield was arraigned on March 27th and was released on his recognizance. The other suspects, 19-year-old Oziah J. Stroman of Hudson, 18-year-old Terrell K. Simmons of Philmont, and two 17-year-olds were arrested and have all been arraigned in court. They were all charged with first-degree gang assault, first-degree robbery and second-degree assault. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) A mass rescue operations exercise will take place Wednesday in Mission Bay. From 9 a.m. to noon, San Diegos public safety departments will practice responding to an exercise simulating two planes colliding mid-air over Mission Bay, city officials said Tuesday. The exercise will have one aircraft falling into the bay and the other landing off the coast of Mission Beach. The exercise will evaluate the Citys public safety departments abilities to effectively respond to a major marine disaster, as well as being able to coordinate with regional partners, the city said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Woman found in Poway storm drain declared dead at hospital Agencies participating in the exercise include San Diego Fire-Rescues Lifeguards Division, SDFD Fire/Emergency Medical Services, San Diego Police Department, San Diego Harbor Police, Port of San Diego, U.S. Coast Guard, City of San Diego Office of Emergency Services (OES), CalOES, F.B.I., F.A.A. and TSA. Several emergency vehicles and crews will in the Mission Bay area and along the coast, per city officials. In February, a military plane crashed into the San Diego Bay near Shelter Island while attempting to land. Two pilots on the plane were able to safely eject and were rescued by a fishing vessel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. The News A potential regional war is a bigger worry in the Gulf than tariffs, but that risk has been momentarily defused after Washington and Tehran agreed to hold nuclear talks in Oman. While no timeline was announced to reach a deal, the meetings this weekend could offer a path to easing tensions, according to Deputy Special Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus. But the window wont stay open for long, she warned. The diplomatic overture follows Israels claim that it has weakened Irans air defenses and a watchdogs warning over Tehrans accelerating uranium enrichment. Meanwhile, the US is ramping up its regional diplomatic and military presence the latter with strikes against the Houthis in Yemen and a carrier battle group on its way to the Middle East. Against this backdrop, some of the most senior leaders from the US and the Middle East including Israel joined talks in Abu Dhabi this week, where they discussed how the region can contribute more to mutual defence and stability, former US diplomats Elliott Abrams and Thomas R Nides wrote. ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) Abilene police are searching for a missing person who may have been involved in a crash. Police say Jeremey Neves, 25, went to a night club with friends and left late in the evening of Thursday, April 3 and did not show up for work the next day. Detectives have received tips that Neves may have been involved in a crash after leaving the club and are currently investigating these reports. Jeremy is described as standing 56 tall and weighs around 160 pounds. He may be wearing dark-rimmed glasses and could be driving a light colored 2002 Oldsmobile Alero. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone who knows where Neves or his vehicle may be located or who has more information on this case is asked to contact the Abilene Police Department at (325)673-8331 or Abilene Crime Stoppers at (325)676-8477. Just reference case 25-027158 for additional 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 KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. WASHINGTON COUNTY, N.C. (WNCT) Deputies with the Washington County Sheriffs Office arrested a Plymouth man Tuesday for his involvement in a domestic violence situation. Police were called to Locust Lane in Plymouth Tuesday, after reports about a potential domestic violence situation were made. Once police arrived, they knocked on the door of Tony Lee Webb, who allegedly told them that there was in fact an altercation between him and his son. Deputies searched Webbs home and found about two pounds of marijuana, one gram of crack cocaine, scales, packaging materials, a stolen gun and another gun. Webb was taken to the sheriffs office and given a $250,000 secured bond. Webb also had two outstanding warrants from Martin County that concern the possession of a gun by a felon and identity theft. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WNCT. TEGUCIGALPA, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The 9th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) opened Wednesday in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, with more than a dozen regional leaders participating. During the summit, Honduras will present its report as outgoing holder of CELAC's rotating presidency, which will be handed over to Colombia. The leaders are expected to adopt the "Tegucigalpa Declaration," a document aimed at guiding political and economic integration across Latin America and the Caribbean. Investing.com -- Pierre Poilievre, the leader of Canadas Conservative Party, who is currently campaigning in the election scheduled on April 28, has criticized the crime policies of the Liberal Party, led by the current Prime Minister Mark Carney. Poilievre is proposing a new law called "3 Strikes, Youre Out" as part of his campaign, emphasizing a major crackdown on crime. Poilievre stated that the country cannot endure another four years of the Liberal Partys "catch and release" policies. He promised that a Conservative government would repeal these laws and execute the most significant crackdown on crime in Canadian history, saying, "Its time to lock up the very small group of rampant career criminals who are causing all the chaos." The proposed "3 Strikes, Youre Out" law would have severe repercussions for repeat offenders. Any individual convicted of three serious offenses would be ineligible for bail, probation, parole, or house arrest. These individuals would serve a minimum of 10 years in prison and would be classified as dangerous offenders. They would only be released after proving they no longer pose a threat to society. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Poilievre argued that the Liberal Partys "catch and release" policies have led to the deterioration of previously safe towns and cities. He warned that electing the Liberals for a fourth consecutive term would aggravate the situation. In addition to this, Poilievre has proposed life sentences for human traffickers, drug smugglers, and mass producers of fentanyl. He also plans to implement more stringent sentences for domestic abusers, shut down drug dens, defund opioids, incarcerate traffickers, and provide 50,000 treatment spaces for the addicted. On the economic front, Poilievre reiterated some key campaign policies. These include a 15% income tax cut for the average worker and senior citizens, removal of sales tax on new homes, and incentives for municipalities to expedite permits and free up land for new homebuilding. He plans to eliminate the capital gains tax for any company that reinvests its proceeds in Canada and repeal Liberal development laws to stimulate the strength of the economy and energy sector. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Poilievre ended his speech posing a question to the public, "Can we afford a fourth liberal term?" It remains to be seen, as currently Poilievre lags behind Carney in polling tracked by CBC news. with 37.1% of votes to the current Prime Ministers 44%. Related articles US measles battle hindered by confusion over health secretary response Judge lifts Trump White House restrictions on AP while lawsuit proceeds Billionaire nominee prioritizes Mars mission for NASA - Bloomberg WARSAW (Reuters) - Polish explosives maker Nitro-Chem signed a deal on Wednesday to supply explosives worth 1.2 billion zlotys ($310 million) to a U.S. firm, intended for the U.S. military, the deputy defence minister said. "We are talking about a colossal contract," the minister, Cezary Tomczyk, told reporters after the signing, adding that the deal provided for delivery of 18,000 tons of TNT to the United States over three years. From 2027 to 2029, TNT, or trinitrotoluene, will be supplied to U.S. firm Paramount Enterprises International by Nitro-Chem, a subsidiary of Poland's state-owned defence group PGZ, group spokesperson Jacek Matuszak told Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deal is bigger than deals both companies signed in 2023 and 2024 for deliveries of TNT to supply U.S. government weapons programs in 2025 and 2025 respectively and intended for tasks such as the filling of artillery shells and aerial bombs. "This deal's value exceeds that of either of the two earlier ones," Matuszak said. "The TNT that is now being contracted will be used for the needs of the United States armed forces, including the production of 155-mm ammunition." The new deal did not require expansion of Nitro-Chem's production lines or new hiring, he added, saying, "We are able to fulfill this order with the current workforce and our current infrastructure." Nitro-Chem is Europe's largest producer of TNT and one of the world's largest, its website says. ($1=3.8854 zlotys) (Reporting by Karol Badohal; Editing by Jan Harvey and Clarence Fernandez) OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) If you try to take a healthy lost or stray dog to the OKC Animal Welfare, youll likely be turned away because they are at capacity. The new superintendent said this policy is only temporary, but local fosters told News 4 the decision is short-sighted. This is the sign you will see on the front door at the animal shelter. LOCAL NEWS: Tire fire burning in creek causes health concerns for neighbors Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New-Policy-NoticeDownload The OKC Animal Welfare said they are at 114% capacity. Its not sustainable. Daily-report-cardDownload The new superintendent, Ronnie Schlabs, said a tough decision had to be made. Were currently restricting our over-the-counter intake to only be sick, injured, or those that pose a public safety threat, said Schlabs. Schlabs said this is temporary and to give them time to rehabilitate the dogs inside the shelter now. If you run across a dog that seems healthy, Schlabs said you can go to their Facebook Page. You can find resources like services to scan for microchips or fosters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the dog seems lost, Schlab said its best to leave them alone. Studies have shown that most stray animals are found within a mile of their home. And most of those animals will actually go back home or be found by their owners if theyre left alone, said Schlabs. Our 2024 reclaim rate was 7% last year. Erin Kerrigan said its her lifes work to foster hundreds of dogs. She said a big portion of street dogs arent lost. They dont all have homes to go home to, said Kerrigan. Shes currently fostering two puppies through OK Humane, Mosh and Pogo. They were actually found less than 24 hours old, they still had their umbilical cords tied in a plastic grocery bag in a dumpster, said Kerrigan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She believed the policy is short-sighted. LOCAL NEWS: Source: Numerous high-level state forestry officials placed on leave amid Stitt crackdown on agency I would rather the shelter euthanize what they need to euthanize to keep the shelter at a humane level, said Kerrigan. I dont say that lightly because I love them, but euthanasia is not the worst thing that can happen to an animal on the street. However, Shlabs said the community has spoken. They want more lives saved and less euthanasia. Kerrigan said the community needs to step up. This isnt [OKC Animal Welfares] fault. This is our communitys fault. We need to do better. We need to spay and neuter, said Kerrigan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course, if there is an aggressive dog, OKC Animal Welfare wants you to call animal control. Schlabs said with the construction of the new animal welfare building, there will be more space for more animals. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) pushed back on Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmers (D) remarks on tariffs during her speech in Washington on Wednesday. The tariff hammer winds up hitting your own hand rather than the nail. Tariffs are bad outright because they lead to higher prices and destroy American manufacturing, Polis said in a post on the social platform X. Trade is inherently good because both parties emerge better off from a consensual transaction. While sanctions (Russia, Iran) can have a geopolitical national security role, it should always be considered eyes wide open that sanctions harm both ourself and others, he continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Polis was responding to a portion of Whitmers speech in Washington on Wednesday, in which she warned against President Trumps use of the tariff hammer but said there was room for some agreement with the president. I understand the motivation behind the tariffs, and heres where President Trump and I do agree. We do need to make more stuff in America, more cars and chips, more steel and ships. We do need fair trade, she said. Whitmer added that bringing good-paying, middle-class manufacturing jobs back home needs to be done right. As Ive said before, Im not against tariffs outright, but they are a blunt tool. You cant just bust out the tariff hammer to swing at every problem without a clearly defined end-goal, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whitmer is widely seen as a potential presidential contender for Democrats in 2028. Polis, for his part, has also increasingly taken steps to up his national profile. Trumps trade war intensified on Wednesday after China announced a new 50 percent tariff on U.S. exports, bringing its total new tariff on U.S. goods to 84 percent. The European Union also announced 25 percent tariffs on a wide range of U.S. products on Wednesday. The president has dug in on his tariff stance despite disagreements within the administration and the Republican Party over the issue. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The name says it all: Youth Demand. This is an organisation that will brook no disagreement. The logical conclusion of child-centred rearing is a protest movement that will, on no account, consider the possibility that the grown-ups will ever say no to them. Which is why Youth Demand felt entirely free to harass the Foreign Secretary David Lammys household when they laid out a number of body bags at the front door of his home and blocked a number of busy London roads. After all, if young people want something anything then 20 years of being told by indulgent parents that every piece of art, however rubbish the effort, that they brought home from school was worthy of being displayed on the fridge door. This has shown them that they can always get what they want. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The protest this time was something to do with Gaza. Probably. Or maybe climate change. It was about something anyway. And theyre really, really angry with the grown-ups who are doing the offending thing, or who are allowing the offending thing to happen. And theyve had enough: they will no longer put up with anyone doing things or believing things that they disagree with. For most people adults, that is, and therefore too old to have opinions that Youth Demand take at all seriously political demonstrations outside anyones private home is a step too far. If you want to glue your hand to a glass door at the Department for Transport in protest at a third runway for Heathrow, be my guest. Just make sure you use the toilet first because, if it were up to me, Id leave you there overnight after all the staff go home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But politicians remain private citizens and their families deserve the same level of privacy and consideration as anyone else. Perhaps these young zealots have managed, in between reading leaflets about critical race theory and the history of Palestine, to read the history of industrial action in Britain. They may have cottoned on to the absurd behaviour of the trade union Unite, which pursued a policy of personal harassment of the families of company directors with whom they had a grievance. In the 2010s, Unite frequently staged pickets (they were nothing of the sort) outside their opponents private homes in the hope that it might generate some concessions from the bosses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Braver Labour MPs objected to this on principled grounds, but were never listened to. And now we have these spoiled brats demanding something or another outside Lammys home, confident that even if they are arrested they are likely to be dealt with by an activist judge who sympathises with their aims and who lets them off with a slap on the wrist and a rustle of their hair: You scamps! We know this is at least possible because earlier this month it was reported that Just Stop Oil protesters (there is a pretty Venn Diagram showing the overlap of all these different protest groups, and essentially its a single circle) who caused more than 100,000 of damage to the Treasury were set free. This was because the judge decided their actions were born out of concern and anxiety for climate change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is fascinating that concern and anxiety for any political cause now excuses you from the consequences of your actions. I wonder how people jailed for being mean on Twitter about asylum seekers would have been set free if theyd only emphasised to the judge that they were concerned and felt anxiety about illegal immigration? Can we expect the Government finally to act, now that one of their own a cabinet member, no less has been targeted by these vile, self-regarding young people? Will the Home Secretary tell the police to get tough on anyone who, for whatever reason, chooses to block traffic and cause distress and anxiety to people trying to get about their daily lives? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And will the Government finally bring activist judges to heal, and remind the activists themselves that the law is the law, and that it doesnt care about how dreadfully upset you are that the grown-ups are not doing what you want them to do? Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Those who thought that Davos man and the World Economic Forum ruled the world have been given a shock by Donald Trumps declaration of economic war on the rest of the planet. His closest and wealthiest allies are astonished and alarmed as billions of dollars evaporate. I dont pretend to know whether this is a gigantic bluff. But in any conceivable interpretation, the deciding factor as tonights pause on tariffs showed is what is happening inside Trumps head. This should make us think again about how the world works. The belief that its the economy, stupid that governs politics is an old one. It replaced Divine Providence as the fundamental explanation of human affairs in the 18th century. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Enlightenment philosophers David Hume and Adam Smith thought that modern commercial society was governed by economic interest operating behind the scenes as a hidden hand to make everyone better off. Karl Marx took it further: how mankind made a living explained everything, past, present and future. Politics and culture were merely the facade hiding the real source of power: economic control. Underlying this was the assumption that there were immutable rules, that people behaved rationally, and there was therefore progress as humanity understood the world better. This belief has taken many knocks since its mid-19th-century heyday: wars, genocides, crashes, and the collapse of empires and states. Yet we seem to need the religion of progress so much that we cling to it. However bumpy the road, we want there to be experts somewhere (remember the outcry when Michael Gove said wed had enough of them?) who understand the rules, and politicians who follow their advice. Hence, in a rules-based order, voters cede power to quangos, courts and lobbies. The Enlightenment utopia seemed finally to have arrived in the 1990s, when Humes commercial society went global. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is therefore frightening, disorienting or, for some, exhilarating when one man decides to smash it all up. It is difficult to present Trump as obeying great historic forces such as capitalism or populism or nationalism or even (whatever the man himself might think) progress. It is just him. Despite the lip service we pay to Enlightenment rationalism, we have seen a succession of individual disruptors over the past century: Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Mao, Putin, even Osama bin Laden. Unlike the great men lauded in the 1840s by Thomas Carlyle, these were not creative geniuses, but destroyers who fed on the disasters of the 20th century. What is often called the seminal disaster setting off all the rest was the outbreak of war in 1914. This, too, emerged from the sudden and unexpected collapse of a rules-based order. By 1914, 194 international treaties included provision for arbitration of disputes; there were more than 400 peace organisations in the world, and a Palace of Peace to house their conferences opened in The Hague in 1913. In 1910, a best-selling book, The Great Illusion by Norman Angell (who received a Nobel Peace Prize) argued that economic interdependence made war irrational, even impossible. Britain and Germany were each others greatest customers. As it was so senseless, 1914 has been explained as an accident, with nations slithering (as Lloyd George put it) or sleepwalking into disaster. Lenin believed it was the inevitable explosion of those toxic forces, capitalism and imperialism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In reality it was a deliberate, yet unnecessary, decision made at a crucial moment by a small number of ordinary, inadequate men. Three years earlier, or three years later, the crisis might have passed. But in 1914, all the peace campaigners, economists and bankers terrified of financial collapse were powerless. Sometimes individuals do change history, and sometimes their personalities even their obsessions are decisive, for good or ill. But only when everything is in flux. In normal times, Lenin would have died an unknown exile in Switzerland; Churchill would perhaps be remembered for introducing unemployment benefit; Hitler might have run a vegetarian cafe in Munich; Putin would be living on his KGB pension. And Donald Trump? A not very successful property developer. Nevertheless, moments came when these people acted, and when one looks closely, it is very unlikely that, if they had not been there, someone else would have done what they did. They were not even riding great waves of popular enthusiasm. Lenin single-handedly insisted on sabotaging Russias struggling democracy. Hitler forced a war that Germans feared. Churchill decided to fight on and refuse negotiation. Trump (nearly?) started a global trade war. How many MAGA enthusiasts wanted or expected that? One must conclude, economic interest still does not rule the world. There is no safety barrier restraining those in power. If we need an example close to home, take net zero. It is not based on economic rationality. It is not the result of popular demand, but the decision of a few in power it was hardly even debated in parliament. It has little effect on global warming. It is financially ruinous, and, to crown it all, it is impossible to achieve. The emperor has no clothes, as Kemi Badenoch has started to point out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are now once again in a time when wishful thinking and crude political power have replaced economic calculation. Hume and Smith got it wrong: commercial society still cannot guarantee peace, prosperity and cooperation. We can no longer assume that experts have any idea what they are doing. If economic reality finally dawns, it may be too late. Only voters common sense must control politicians if it can. 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. FROSTPROOF, Fla. (WFLA) With citrus growers fleeing Florida amid disease, hard freezes and increasingly damaging storms fueled by the changing climate, a Polk County farmer chose to swap out his orange trees for a grove of avocados. WFLA first spoke to farmer Mitch McLellan almost two years ago when he became the first to get the green light to grow the fruit in the central part of the state. Welcome to Florida: Sheriff confronts woman accused of stealing $52K in Facebook Marketplace scheme Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His grove was wiped out by citrus greening disease, which has claimed 60% of the citrus crop throughout Florida. Thats when he decided that instead of throwing in the towel, hed swap out his crop. Nearly two years later, his property is full of thriving avocado trees. McLellan said it will take a few more years for them to reach their full potential, but hes already seeing results. These little trees here are just a year and 10 months old. They produced about 1,500 pounds of avocados last year, McLellan said. Ive got 700 trees. Each tree should produce anywhere between 3.5 to 4.5 bushels, which a bushel weighs 55 pounds. The farmer hopes his experimental crop will help other struggling citrus growers in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New bill seeks to alleviate burden on Florida citrus growers as orange groves disappear As a farmer you gamble on any product, crop you put in the ground. I knew it was a gamble going in, and everybody down south knew it was a gamble going in, so far though, it paid off, McLellan said. McLellan expects his avocado grove to reach its full production capabilities in 2028. Reporter Beth Rousseau 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 WFLA. President Trumps tariff gamble is taking a toll on his popularity: A Reuters/Ipsos poll last week showed his approval rating sliding to 43%, down four points since January but still slightly higher than the 40% he saw in his first term back in 2017. Just a day before pausing tariffs for 90 days for most countries except China, Trump reassured political donors that he knows what the hell Im doing. But his vacillation between boldness and retreat is starting to expose cracks in his partys once-solid support. (And incidentally, Google searches for why is trump doing this are currently peaking.) Some see this shift in polling as an opportunity for Democrats, who have been struggling with record-low approval ratings. Democratic strategist Crimson MacDonald told The Hill that the party should embrace a liberal populist message, like that of Sen. Bernie Sanders, which she believes could appeal to voters beyond the partys base. I think the Bernie Sanders message is going to resonate with independents because now its not just one side thats angry and riled up, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What do the latest polls indicate about Americans thoughts on Trump? We took a closer look. Is Trumps approval rating dropping? In the wake of President Trumps April 2 Liberation Day announcement, a string of polls revealed slipping support for his policies, as voters grow increasingly wary of the potential economic fallout. In fact, per a Wall Street Journal report on Friday, 52% of voters now disapprove of Trumps handling of the economy, while 44% approve. Thats a 12-point jump from October, when just 40% held an unfavorable view of his economic plans. The same survey found that 54% of respondents oppose placing tariffs on imported goods, and the share who believe tariffs will drive up consumer prices rose from 68% in January, to 75% in March. Voters apparently arent impressed with Trumps priorities, either. In a CBS News/YouGov poll 64% of respondents said hes not doing enough to bring down prices, while 55% said hes spending too much time on tariffs, which they fear will only push costs up. Other polling has echoed this finding: Quinnipiac University poll found that 72 percent of Americans think that Trumps tariff agenda will hurt the economy in the short term, while 53 percent said the new duties will also hamper the economy in the long term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While this sentiment could certainly fluctuate, this dip is noteworthy because the economy was central to Trumps campaign message in both 2016 and 2020, both of which led him to victories. In an exit survey taken in December, that issue was the top deciding factor in favor of Trump for voters in the seven main battleground states, including Georgia and Michigan, who ultimately voted for him. The Republicans against Trump tariffs and those in support The Trump administration is urging patience, reminding critics that the midterms are still a year away and that the tariffs are just getting started. But in public and behind closed doors, the messaging has been all over the map. In a National Republican Congressional Committee dinner on Tuesday, Trump said to donors that these countries are calling us up, kissing my ass, insisting theyre dying to make a deal. But today, he opted for a 90-day pause on all the reciprocal tariffs hed previously announced, aside from that levied against China. Even some Republicans are skeptical. Within his own party, doubts are growing, with senators like Chuck Grassley and Lisa Murkowski joining Democrats on a bill that would require presidents to justify new tariffs to Congress (along with five other Republican senators, as of press time). At a recent hearing, Grassley argued that Congress has delegated too much authority to the president on trade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, in the House, GOP Rep. Don Bacon is preparing to introduce a companion bill, signaling growing resistance to Trumps trade brinkmanship. As polling data shifts and internal divisions over trade mount, these developments could reshape the administrations legislative agenda and impact the GOPs unity in the years ahead. The post Polls Show Trumps Popularity Is Declining appeared first on Katie Couric Media. A new archbishop will replace Joseph F. Naumann as the spiritual father and shepherd of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, church leaders announced this week. Pope Francis appointed Most Reverend Shawn McKnight to lead the archdiocese after Naumanns mandatory retirement at the age of 75. According to church officials, McKnight will serve as the fifth archbishop and 12th bishop of the archdiocese. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Archbishop-designate McKnight currently serves as bishop in Jefferson City. He was born in Wichita and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Wichita in May 1994. McKnight earned a doctorate degree in sacred theology in 2001 at the Pontifical Athenaeum of St. Anselm in Rome. He taught graduate courses in liturgy, homiletics and dogma for some time before returning to pastoral ministry. McKnight will be installed as archbishop at a Mass of Installation on May 27, according to Marissa Easter, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese. In a statement this week, McKnight said he is grateful to serve in Kansas City, Kansas, and urged the church to help celebrate Naumanns retirement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is with great enthusiasm that I begin this new chapter of my ministry, eager to meet the people, clergy, and religious who make this local Church so vibrant, McKnight said in the statement. I come with an open heart, ready to listen, to learn, and to walk alongside you as together we proclaim the joy of the Gospel. My prayer is that we continue to grow as a synodal and missionary Church, reaching out to all with compassion and hope, McKnight said. Please know of my prayers for you, and I humbly ask for yours as we embark on this journey of faith together. Naumanns life of ministry Naumann led the archdiocese during a period marked by allegations and lawsuits involving priest sexual abuse of minors. In 2019, the archdiocese released the names of 22 priests in its files who it said had substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of minors made against them in the past 75 years. Each name on this list represents a grave human tragedy, Naumann said at the time. Each name represents a betrayal of trust and a violation of the innocent What was done to victims by those who were called to be spiritual fathers is cause for great shame. On behalf of the church, I apologize to each victim and pledge our commitment to do all that we can to assist with your healing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The list was compiled after a review of about 1,080 clergy files dating back more than 75 years, the archdiocese said. The review was conducted by the Chicago office of the Husch Blackwell law firm. Today, the list contains 27 names. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said Tuesday that McKnights track record on priest sex abuse hasnt been as bad as many bishops. But overall, he has taken few significant steps to protect the vulnerable, said David Clohessy, SNAPs former national director, in an email to The Star. Like so many Catholic officials, he still refuses to come clean about all of the abuses and cover ups in his Jeff City diocese. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Naumann, Clohessy said, was even worse. Even now, he didnt warn parents when he let an accused child molester run a local Catholic school where hes still the principal today, he said. He also refuses to provide a thorough, detailed list of credibly accused child molesting clerics, splitting hairs to minimize the number of predator priests who are or were in the archdiocese. Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas Joseph Naumann, 75, reached the mandatory retirement age and will be succeeded by Shawn McKnight, church leaders announced this week. Naumann was ordained a priest in 1975. He served in the Archdiocese of St. Louis as a pro-life coordinator and as a vicar general. In 1997, he was ordained as Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis. Naumann became administrator of the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 2003, and was appointed as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas in 2005. He served the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops as chairman of the Pro-Life Committee from 2018 to 2021 and continues to be a consultant. He also served on the Bishops Advisory Group for Eucharistic Revival. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Naumann was chair of the Kansas Catholic Conference and co-chair of the Religious Alliance Against Pornography. He is on the board of the National Committee for the Human Life Amendment and the Catholic Benefits Association. He also is on the board of trustees for Kenrick-Glennon Seminary and Conception Seminary. Last month, Naumann filed a lawsuit against Satanists who held a Black Mass at the Kansas Capitol. The lawsuit was settled after a Satanic Grotto founder proved he purchased a communion wafer online and didnt get it through illicit means, as the lawsuit alleged. The lawsuit inspired a counter protest by Kansas Catholics and led to a bipartisan Kansas House resolution in March denouncing the ritual as an explicit act of anti-Catholic bigotry and an affront to all Christians. On April 3, Naumann held a Mass in honor of Father Raj Arul Balaswamy Carasala of Saints Peter and Paul Parish, who was shot and killed in broad daylight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement this week, Naumann said he is grateful for his time in ministry at the archdiocese and congratulated McKnight on his appointment. I am deeply grateful for the privilege of serving as Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas for over 20 years it has been a true personal blessing, Naumann said. Im especially proud of the progress weve made in building a culture of evangelization, strengthening marriage and family life, and living the works of mercy. McKnight brings many gifts keen intellect, deep faith, and a great love for the Church, Naumann said. With his theological expertise, seminary experience, and national service in clergy and vocations, he is well-prepared to shepherd this Archdiocese. The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas encompasses 12,500 miles in northeast Kansas, serving more than 120,000 Catholics in 21 counties. The archdiocese was established in 1850 as the Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory East of the Rocky Mountains. It became the Diocese of Leavenworth in 1877, was transferred to Kansas City in Kansas in 1947 and elevated to an Archdiocese in 1952. A popular hot sauce brand is recalling select products because they may contain an unlisted ingredient that could pose life-threatening risks to some consumers. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced last Thursday that T.W. Garner Food Company is recalling its Texas Pete Habanero Buffalo Sauce because it may contain Sriracha Sauce, which includes sulfites a known allergen not disclosed on the product label. Sulfites can trigger severe or potentially fatal allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. In addition, the company is recalling its Texas Pete Sweet CHAbanero Sauce due to an omission of Aged Peppers in the ingredients list. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The recall includes both the 12-ounce and the two-ounce bottles of the habanero buffalo sauce with best-by dates of November 7, 2025, and December 5, 2025. For the Sweet CHAbanero Sauce, the two-ounce bottles with MFR codes BB 090427M and BB 082627M, as well as the 20 fluid-ounce and half-gallon containers, were recalled. The hot sauce bottles were distributed between February 5 and March 26, according to the FDAs report. They were shipped to distribution centers and other stores in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia, and Vermont. Texas Petes Habanero Buffalo Sauce and Sweet CHAbanero Sauce were recalled (Texas Pete) There have currently been no reported illnesses as a result of the labeling error. Customers who have purchased the recalled bottles of hot sauce are urged to either dispose of them or return them in exchange for a full refund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The news comes just a few days after a popular brand of sausages was recalled due to a potential plastic contamination. Johnsonville, LLC is recalling approximately 22,672 pounds of its cheddar bratwurst product, according to an announcement shared by the United States Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on Saturday. The recall was issued because the sausages may have been contaminated with foreign material, specifically hard plastic. Each of the tray packages contains five pieces of Johnsonville BRATS CHEDDAR Bratwurst and the package code B9FOD. The recalled product has the establishment number Est. 1647 on the front of the label. They were first produced on February 5, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The affected sausages were sent to various retailers in 10 states: Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The recall was initiated after Johnsonville, LLC received complaints from two different customers reporting hard plastic found in their bratwurst. At the time of writing, there have been no reports of injuries due to the consumption of the sausage. FSIS is urging consumers not to eat these products and to throw them away immediately. Consumers can also return the recalled product to the store they bought it from. The stock market is having a terrible year so far. President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs have rattled investors and analysts. There is rising fear that an impending global trade war will lead to a global recession. Some investors have been booking profits in equities and moving toward "safer investments" such as gold and government bonds. This explains why high-flying stocks such as Dutch Bros (NYSE: BROS) saw a significant pullback in the past few weeks. The coffee-focused restaurant chain's share prices shot up big time in February following the release of strong quarterly results, clocking gains of more than 60% in just over two months. But Dutch Bros stock is down 37% from the 52-week high it hit on Feb. 18. This pullback could be an opportunity for savvy investors to add a fast-growing company to their portfolios. Let's look at the reasons why buying Dutch Bros stock right now could turn out to be a smart long-term move. Dutch Bros' impressive growth seems here to stay Dutch Bros ended 2024 with annual revenue up 33% to $1.28 billion. The company also reported an impressive increase of 63% in its bottom line to $0.49 per share. This increase was driven by a combination of healthy growth in its same-store sales and the opening of new stores. Dutch Bros increased its new shop count by 18% last year. What's more, the company-operated shop contribution margin was up by 150 basis points last year (roughly 35% of stores are owned by franchisees), which explains why its earnings grew at a faster pace than its revenue. An important thing to note here is that Dutch Bros managed to expand its margins despite an increase in coffee prices. The company did this by raising prices and by lowering the capital cost of opening each new shop. Dutch Bros management points out that last year was its "peak per unit capex," which means that it expects the opening cost of each new shop to come down. This should allow it to mitigate the potential effect of an increase in coffee prices due to newly imposed tariffs from the U.S. and elsewhere. The U.S. announced 46% tariffs on imports from Vietnam and a 32% duty on Indonesian imports. Brazil and Colombia were slapped with 10% import duties. So, there is a good chance that Dutch Bros will continue to see a hike in coffee prices this year. Even then, management forecasts a 17% jump in its adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) this year. Management also expects sales to grow by 22% this year. These numbers are solid, considering the potential effect of higher prices that Dutch Bros will need to pass on to its customers due to a tariff-fueled increase in coffee prices. Apr. 8Yom Kippur and Eid al-Fitr will be included in Portland's school calendar next year following a unanimous vote by the school board Tuesday night. The district administration proposed adding the Jewish and Muslim holidays as a recognition of the district's growing religious diversity, an idea that originally came from students. All of the religious holidays in the district's current calendar come from the Christian faith. The board heard strong support for the inclusion of Eid from students, school employees, parents and community members, who said Muslim students currently miss out on school because the holiday is not recognized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Safa Mohamed, a Deering High School sophomore representing the Deering Muslim Student Association, thanked the district for taking up the new calendar. "Eid on the calendar means more than a day to us," she said. "It means recognition in our respective schools. It means recognition in the district." Fellow Deering student Khalid Mahamed, who serves as the school's student body president, testified about the challenges of missing school for Eid. "I have been set behind on days, missing hours of sleep, and from time to time when I can't make up those days of school hours, I do get set behind, and that does affect my GPA," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Portland City Council Member Pious Ali, a former member of the school board, also spoke in support of the calendar. "No child should have to pick between their religious holidays and their education," Ali testified. "Recognizing these holidays ensures that all students feel valued, included and supported in their learning environment." Deering High School teacher Tyler Jellison said he is never able to teach new material on Eid because so many students miss school. "Overall, it feels like a wasted educational day for all students in Portland public schools," Jellison said. "Additionally, my understanding is that my Muslim colleagues are asked to take a personal day. We are given two personal days a year, so they have one less than myself." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Portland Public Schools doesn't keep data on student religion, but the Muslim population in the greater Portland area has grown dramatically over the past decade. Portland isn't the first district in Maine to make this change: Lewiston Public Schools added Eid to its calendar in 2021. Each added holiday will cost the district an additional $65,000, because they would add a paid holiday for hourly staff like ed techs. The district is required to maintain at least 175 in-school days for students and at least 180 days for teachers. In response to questions about how the district will handle scheduling of the holidays, which are not on set dates each year, Director of Strategy Sarah Warren said the district will plan for them similarly to snow days. "We have the projected date, but if something changes at the last minute, we have the flexibility to move it," Warren said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tuesday's vote isn't a policy change the school board will have to vote on a calendar each year, but Superintendent Ryan Scallon said the plan would be to include Yom Kippur and Eid going forward. District administrators and board members have described the addition of these two holidays as only a first step toward acknowledging the religious diversity of students. "The attempt in this calendar is to move towards including all major holidays from the holidays that our students celebrate. But we can't get there all the way yet," said board Chair Sarah Warren. "So we chose one high holiday from Judaism and one high holiday from the Muslim religion, and I think that after we get feedback, we can see what we can do in future years. But this is an attempt to move us in the right direction." The calendar vote happened during the board's final budget meeting. The board had not taken up the budget vote yet at press time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This story will be updated. Copy the Story Link We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others. We do not enable comments on everything exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion. You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs. Show less PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A jury has found a man guilty of murder and other charges in connection to a shooting outside a strip club in Portland in April 2024, authorities said. Damariea R. Harris was arrested in Vancouver, Washington, two weeks after a shooting outside The Venue Gentlemans Club on Southeast Stark Street in Portland that killed one and injured another on April 1, 2024. Harris was later booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center. Group calls for reform to citys noise ordinances Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Harris was convicted of second-degree murder for fatally shooting Morieo Camel-Harris. He was also convicted of first-degree assault and second-degree attempted murder for shooting and injuring Larry Bell. The jury found Harris guilty on all of the counts he faced, which also included two counts of unlawful use of a weapon with a firearm and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, the Multnomah County District Attorneys Office said. Harris is scheduled to be sentenced on April 30 and faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years to life in prison. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Eight members of Colombia's largest cartel have died in clashes with security forces, the army said Tuesday, the latest in a series of raids against one of Latin America's most powerful criminal groups. Days after the death of a top Gulf Clan capo, the military said it had killed several more of the cartel's members and taken two captive during an operation in the country's northwest. In a social media post, the army said it had also seized "abundant war material and supplies." The Gulf Clan was born from right-wing paramilitary groups that fought leftist guerrillas in the 1990s before turning their attention to the cocaine trade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are now a criminal powerhouse making money from drug trafficking, illegal gold mining, racketeering and migrant smuggling across the northern border with Panama. Eight members of Colombia's Gulf Clan drug cartel were killed in clashes with security forces, the army said. / Credit: Colombia Army The cartel is believed to number between 6,000 and 9,000 members, according to government estimates. Since peace efforts stalled, Colombia's government has launched a series of attacks on the group. The Gulf Clan is one of several cartels recently designated as foreign terrorist groups by the United States. In 2022, the Gulf Clan shut down dozens of towns in northern Colombia for four days in reaction to its leader being extradited to the U.S. for trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, the police and the DEA killed alias "Chirimoya," one of the cartel's five commanders. Late last month, air strikes killed nine alleged cartel members. Supreme Court pauses order mandating return of Maryland man deported to El Salvador Here's why the stock market ended the day in the red after morning gains Judge hearing new challenge on Alien Enemies Act use in deportation flights case GALLATIN, Tenn. (WKRN) A nonprofit organization is warning of potential legal action against Sumner Countys library board. The Sumner County Library Board has been a contentious topic among locals for some time. The board, which people volunteer to serve on, was reduced in size in March by the county commission because elected officials could not agree on who should fill the vacancies. Now, the board is looking to enact a previously-approved policy change that would give them the power to approve donation funds, and what to spend those funds on for each county library. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leaders look to reinvent the old Sumner County Courthouse One of the donors, a charitable nonprofit and separate entity known as The Friends of Public Libraries in Sumner County, believe this is overreach. Our frustration lies in that, in the proposal of this policy, [it] shows the lack of qualifications by this board to properly, legally, and effectively govern our libraries, explained Michele Harbin with Portlands Friends of Public Libraries. Anything out of the scope of those basic needs of the library salaries, building maintenance, and circulated items The Friends make up the difference through fundraising, Harbin continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For further context, The Friends organization gives back to all Sumner County public libraries. Typically, they donate money for things like upgrades (i.e. a teen room), holiday celebrations, or community events like bingo. Its a pretty black and white issue, because they [the board] cant touch that money, unless they would like to each join the separate Friends of the Libraries, said Harbin. Debate over science textbooks in Wilson County To highlight their frustration, The Friends of Portland Library sent a legal letter to the Chair of the library board this week, ahead of Wednesdays library board meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The letter reads that the new policy infringes on the rights of their organization and should be amended or deleted to reflect the true powers and duties of the library board. While acknowledging that recent state law has forced local libraries to adapt how they operate, Harbin said the countys library board appears to have an alternative agenda. They do not have the experience or the knowledge about libraries. One guy that got appointed to the library board did not even have a library card! Harbin detailed. The current library board chair, and some of the candidates that they have pushed forward, they just want to make sure they are conservative, Christian candidates. Harber said a form used to be available on the county website that interested candidates could fill out for consideration on the board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That form has since disappeared, Harber said. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Worth noting: these policy changes were already approved by the library board last year. During Wednesday afternoons meeting, the implementation process will be discussed and voted on, along with other items, including the handling of challenged books and materials in county libraries. News 2 reached out to the Library Boards Chair, Joanna Daniels, for a comment but did not hear back at the time of this publication. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. Investigators are asking for the publics help in finding additional victims of a priest who is accused of sexually abusing a child. The Rev. Jaime Arriaga-Pedroza, 41, was arrested Thursday, the day after the Archdiocese of Los Angeles received a report alleging sexual misconduct involving a minor that was then reported to authorities, church officials said in a statement. The Archdiocese has a long-standing commitment to the protection of minors and the reporting and prevention of abuse, church officials said in a statement. Allegations of misconduct against anyone serving in the Archdiocese are reported to law enforcement, fully investigated and, under the Zero-Tolerance Policy, anyone who is found to have harmed a minor is permanently removed from any capacity in the Archdiocese. The Rev. Jaime Arriaga-Pedroza is seen in an April 3, 2025, image provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. This image of the Rev. Jaime Arriaga is from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and dates to 2024. Arriaga-Pedroza, who was ordained in June of last year and served at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Downey and Saint Louis of France Catholic Church in La Puente, is accused of sexually abusing a girl on March 22, the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department said in a news release. The childs age has not been disclosed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jail records show Arriaga-Pedroza is being held without bail at the Mens Central Jail, and hes due to appear in Los Angeles Municipal Court on June 5. California priest arrested for sex misconduct with a minor He faces eight felony counts related to sexual abuse, officials said, and detectives believe there could be other victims who have not yet come forward. Anyone with information is asked to call the LASD Special Victims Bureau at 877-710-LASD (5273) or Sgt. Joseph Cerda at 213-264-8732. To provide information anonymously, call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit lacrimestoppers.org. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. By Sam Tobin LONDON (Reuters) -Prince Harry's lawyer warned his "life is at stake" over changes to his security after he stepped down from royal duties, as the prince returned to London's Royal Courts of Justice on Wednesday for his appeal about changes to his protection in Britain. Harry, King Charles' younger son, is trying to overturn a decision by the Home Office the ministry responsible for policing which decided in 2020 he would not automatically receive personal police security while in Britain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "One must not forget the human dimension to this case: there is a person sitting behind me whose safety, whose security and whose life is at stake," his lawyer Shaheed Fatima told the court as Harry watched on. She had said in court filings made public on Tuesday that al Qaeda had recently called for Harry to be murdered and that he and his wife Meghan had been involved in "a dangerous car pursuit with paparazzi in New York City" in 2023. Prince Harry stepped back from his royal duties in 2020 and now lives in California with his American wife Meghan and their two children. His challenge was rejected last year, with the High Court ruling the decision was lawful, but he was granted permission to appeal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harry, 40, regularly conferred with his legal team on the final day of the two-day hearing, at times shaking his head, as the government's lawyers argued that it was the right decision to adopt a "bespoke" approach to his security. "The basis for the decision-making and the bespoke approach being adopted was that it had positive advantages from a security assessment point of view," James Eadie, representing the Home Office, said. After part of Wednesday's hearing concerning specific security arrangements was heard in private, Fatima said the case was incredibly important to him. "His presence here and throughout this appeal is a potent illustration, were one needed, of how much this appeal means to him and his family," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Harry had been told he was getting "a special bespoke process ... he knows and has experienced a process that is manifestly inferior in every respect", Fatima added. (Reporting by Sam Tobin and Michael HoldenEditing by Ros Russell) London It was Prince Harry versus the British government on Wednesday as the Duke of Sussex made a rare public appearance at the U.K. Court of Appeal in London for a second consecutive day, hoping to get his full British security detail reinstated. Prince Harry is challenging a previous ruling by the U.K. High Court that let the government significantly scale back his close protection detail when he's in Britain, following his decision to quit his job as a working member of the royal family and move to the U.S. Harry and his lawyers argue that private bodyguards, who cannot carry guns under British law and who do not have access to the government's security network, are not sufficient to protect himself and his family when they come back for visits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Throughout most of his life as a working royal, the 40-year-old Duke of Sussex enjoyed blanket personal protection provided by British police. In February 2020, after he stepped down from royal duties, that was downgraded to security measures to be considered on a case-by-case basis. At the time, Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, cited privacy concerns and their desire to be financially independent for their decision to abandon their formal roles as working royals. The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, arrives for the second day of a hearing at the British Court of Appeal in London, challenging the reduction of his U.K. security detail, April 9, 2025. / Credit: Ray Tang/Anadolu/Getty The prince lost a legal challenge he filed against that 2020 decision last year, and it is that 2024 ruling he's been appealing in court this week. Back in London for the hearings, Harry told the appeal court through his legal team that he and Meghan had decided to leave Britain primarily because of the security downgrade. Parts of this week's two-day hearing were held behind closed doors to ensure secrecy around security arrangements for the royal family member. His lawyer argued in court on Monday that Harry was "singled out" and given "inferior treatment," and that the government body in charge of determining his security requirements did not follow standard procedure in obtaining expert analysis on threats facing the Sussexes before it downgraded his protection. The government argues that Harry and his lawyers are only citing a small body of evidence in their appeal, not the entirety of the decision making process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking Tuesday in court, James Eadie, a lawyer representing the British Home Office, defended the "bespoke" security arrangements approved in 2020 for Harry and his family as a necessarily "flexible and tailored approach better matched to (the prince's) revised circumstances." Harry's lawyers have cited several incidents during the proceedings to back up his case for more robust protection. In 2020, al Qaeda reportedly called for his assassination. He has also been threatened by neo-Nazi and other extremist groups, and in 2021 and 2023, in London and New York respectively, he was hounded by paparazzi. Harry's mother Princess Diana was killed in 1997 at the age of just 36 in a car crash after her vehicle was chased by paparazzi through the streets of Paris. Harry has said he wants his children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3, to feel safe at home when visiting the U.K. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Britons who spoke with CBS News outside the Royal Courts of Justice were split in their opinions on the matter. "Absolutely. 100%," said one woman when asked whether she supported Harry's legal battle to get his full state security detail reinstated. "The man's got a right to defend himself and his family." "Certainly not. He's over in the States. He's chosen another life," said one man. "He's deserted this country so he doesn't deserve anything from it. That might be a bit strong, but that's how we feel." If Harry wins his appeal, the duke and his family could decide to travel back home more from the U.S., given his assertion that the reduced security is what drove them to take up residence in California's coastal haven of Montecito. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Court of Appeal has said it will issue a decision on the case at an unspecified later date. Supreme Court pauses order mandating return of Maryland man deported to El Salvador Here's why the stock market ended the day in the red after morning gains Bessent blasts China for escalating trade war as Trump says "be cool" on tariffs fears In the past 40 years, Berkshire Hathaway has compounded shareholder capital to the tune of 40,000%. The conglomerate has done this under the direction of Warren Buffett, arguably the greatest capital allocator ever who knows how to pick winners. There's one top holding for Berkshire, representing 13.8% of the portfolio, that might interest average investors right now: American Express (NYSE: AXP). The Oracle of Omaha's firm controls about one-fifth of the business. The stock is trading 28% off its record, spurred by an alarming 10% drop on April 3 probably driven by fears that tariffs will pressure spending activity. Nonetheless, I think the setup here could lead to a doubling of your money in the next five years. Passing Buffett's quality screen "It's far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price, than a fair company at a wonderful price," Buffett once said. There's no denying that American Express fits the bill. Businesses that have an economic moat typically fall into the "wonderful" category and are superior because they have certain traits that help them succeed against rivals in the industry over the long term. There are two key factors supporting Amex's moat. For one, the American Express brand is extremely powerful, positioned as a premium offering in the credit card space. As a result of its top-notch rewards and perks, as well as valuable partnerships, the company is able to charge high annual fees that increase over time. This attracts consumers with above-normal spending power. Amex's net charge-off rate is usually lower than its peers, showcasing its adeptness at managing credit risk and the ability of its cardholders to make their payments on time. Because it's a two-sided platform having a direct relationship with both merchants and individuals, a network effect also plays a role. As cardholders increase, it provides merchants with a larger pool of potential customers and opportunities to generate greater revenue. And with more merchant acceptance locations, having an Amex credit card in your wallet adds utility for individuals. Buy the dip American Express isn't going to impress investors with its monster growth. Instead, the business posts durable gains. It benefits generally from increasing economic activity and greater consumer spending over the long run. Add in the fact that it's bringing on more of the younger demographic as its customers, and there's reason to be optimistic that the steady rise will continue. In the past five years, revenue rose at a compound annual rate of 8.7%. Diluted earnings per share (EPS) climbed at a yearly pace of 11.9%. The leadership team has done a good job returning capital to shareholders in the form of buybacks and dividends, boosting returns. Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, listens as Sen. John Payton, R-Wilburn, speaks in favor of SB 354 on the Senate floor on April 8, 2025. (Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate) An appropriation for a new 3,000-bed state prison failed to pass the Arkansas Senate for the fifth time on Tuesday, despite gaining support from earlier holdouts. Senate Bill 354 aims to appropriate three-quarters of a billion dollars for the prison. But the $750 million measure has been stuck in the Senate for a week as the legislative session barrels to a projected close on April 16. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. John Payton, who previously voted against the measure, joined 20 of his colleagues in supporting SB 354 Tuesday because he said the executive branch addressed some of his concerns, including potential staffing issues. Noting the success of a steel mill in rural Mississippi County in attracting roughly 2,000 employees, Payton said state officials have demonstrated their ability to recruit workers from long distances. He also credited Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders for construction of a new state crime lab that he said is ahead of schedule and expected to come in under budget. I still cant promise you or guarantee you that it will be a successbut I can say that Im willing to trust and give em a chance because theyve proven to me that they have done their homework, Payton said. The Wilburn Republican said he voted present the last two times as he processed the new information he received and ultimately chose to cast an affirmative vote Tuesday because he doesnt want to be the deciding vote. Sen. Dan Sullivan, a Jonesboro Republican who has previously cast votes for, against and present, again cast an affirmative vote for SB 354 Tuesday, bringing the total to 21 votes for the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While thats the most support SB 354 has received thus far, an appropriation bill requires a three-fourths majority or 27 votes to advance out of the Senate. The proposal to construct a prison in rural Franklin County has caused controversy for months because local community members said they were blindsided by Sanders announcement that the state spent about $3 million to purchase 815 acres near Charleston for the prison last fall. Supporters of the project, including Sanders, say the prison is needed to address overcrowding in county jails, which house state inmates because of a shortage of beds in state facilities. Opponents have criticized a lack of transparency and the cost of the project, an estimated $825 million. Theyve also questioned the feasibility of the construction site and the ability to attract a sufficient workforce. Sen. Bryan King, a Green Forest Republican who has adamantly opposed the prison from the start, on the Senate floor Tuesday argued the state embarrassingly has one of the highest incarceration rates in the country because Arkansas has high crime rates. If crime isnt stopped on the front end, Arkansas will end up in a financial death spiral because the state wont be able to build enough prisons to incarcerate sufficient people to escape it, King said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Id still appreciate a no vote because we are not holistically taking care of the problem, he said. This thing of building prisons and incarceration rates, if we dont take care of the crime rate first, its like putting out the smoke instead of putting out the fire. Let us know what you think... Sen. Breanne Davis, a Russellville Republican who has consistently voted in favor of SB 354, challenged an assertion by King that incarceration should be more of a shared partnership between the state and counties. King has repeatedly said larger counties that contribute to the majority of the states inmates need to do more. The populations of jails and prisons are different, according to Davis who said the issue with overcrowding is that local law enforcement officials dont have a place to put people they need to arrest. I believe that would show that we need a facility to house prisoners so that people that are committing crimes that deserve to be in county jail, which again is different than prison, have a place to be in county jail; otherwise we just have criminals roaming the streets, she said. Ive got four kids. I mean I want to have a safe community, and weve got law enforcement officers, but weve got nowhere to put people who are committing crimes. So were just turning them out, letting them go. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement King agreed theres a difference between county jails and prisons, but he still had problems with the Franklin County prison project, including its estimated cost and his concerns that it wont adequately address mental health issues. King was one of nine senators who voted against SB 354 Tuesday, one fewer than Monday. Cabot Republican Sen. Ricky Hill, who has consistently voted against the bill, changed his vote to present Tuesday. SB 354s lead sponsor, Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, told the Advocate Monday he intends to run his bill every day until lawmakers conclude their work on April 16. If the measure fails to gain enough support by the end of the legislative session, Sen. Alan Clark, R-Lonsdale, last week said he expects the governor to call a special session to secure the funding, according to The Saline Courier. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WMBD) Gov. JB Pritzker joined officials from the United Kingdom to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Tuesday. The memorandum was signed by Pritzker and British Consul General Richard Hyde, and focuses on advancing manufacturing in energy, technology and life science sectors, a state news release stated. Pritzker said its important for the state to build and maintain healthy relationships with its trade partners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Signing this MOU is the next step in growing our strong trade relationship that will benefit both Illinois and the UK, and I look forward to seeing how this agreement will spur additional opportunities across sectors, Pritzker said. Pritzker set out on a trade mission with several Illinois business and education leaders in July 2023. At the time, he met with Minister of State Nigel Huddleston to agree to the initial terms of the memorandum that was signed Tuesday. Pritzker plans to pursue Memorandum of Understanding with UK Hyde said this will improve the states already strong trade relations with the United Kingdom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This agreement aims to take our trade from good to great, Hyde said. It is a plan of action to promote mutual growth, the number one priority of the British Government. Illinois exported more than $2.6 billion in goods to the United Kingdom last year, which makes it the eighth-largest export partner of the state. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. A prominent advocate for child safety in upstate New York has been arrested on child pornography charges, authorities announced Wednesday. John Todaro, 49 of Amherst, was charged with promoting a sexual performance by a child and possessing a sexual performance by a child, both felonies, the New York State Police said in a statement. Todaro is the vice president of the Buffalo chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA), a nonprofit whose mission is to create a safer environment for abused children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As an active member of the group, Todaro would have had opportunities to be around children and child victims, police said. His arrest came after an investigation of internet crimes against children determined he possessed and was disseminating child pornography. Todaro was arraigned on Wednesday in Amherst Town Court and released on his own recognizance. Hes scheduled to return to court in May. BACA is a tax-exempt, volunteer-run organization that seeks to provide aid, comfort, safety and support for children who have been sexually, physically and emotionally abused, according to the groups website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a way to ensure that no child abusers can become members of the organization, all applicants must submit to and pass the highest-level government background check, which screens for any crimes against children or domestic violence involving children. Founded in Utah 30 years ago, the group now operates more than 300 chapters across 47 states and over a dozen countries. The Buffalo Chapter was founded in 2014 and serves Erie, Wyoming, Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties. Two years ago, Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz issued an executive proclamation declaring April as Bikers Against Child Abuse month. A spokesperson for the group did not immediately return a request for comment on Wednesday. North Carolina state auditor Dave Boliek speaks to lawmakers about a bill that would give his office a new team to examine state spending and jobs on April 2, 2025. (Photo: Galen Bacharier/NC Newsline) North Carolina state senators approved a bill Tuesday that would spin up a new team in the Republican state auditors office to scrutinize state spending and job openings. Drawing inspiration from Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency, the bill would instruct Auditor Dave Bolieks office to use A.I. to examine government and recommend any offices or jobs to be cut. Bolieks new team (with an acronym of DAVE) would not have the sole power to cut jobs or spending, and would be dissolved at the end of his term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Bill 474 passed the chamber on a 29-17, party-line vote. It now heads to the House. Sen. Tim Moffitt (R-Henderson), who sponsored the bill, called it a comprehensive look at how our state agencies utilize taxpayer money. Senate Democrats, as well as the State Employees Association of North Carolina, strongly opposed the bill, arguing that it further hurts the states ability to recruit and retain government workers. (Republicans) are not going to fill the 20% vacancy rates of positions that North Carolinians need and depend on, Sen. Terence Everitt (D-Granville) told reporters after the vote. And they dont want to take responsibility for their own failures of mismanaging an economy for 14 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats filed a series of unsuccessful amendments Tuesday, including one to require the auditor to also examine school voucher spending and crisis pregnancy centers that receive state dollars. Boliek, who beat Democrat and former Auditor Jessica Holmes last November, has spoken in support of the bill. He argues it effectively shores up authority his office already has while adding resources and setting a precise timeline by which to make recommendations to lawmakers. And hes said that A.I., which is not currently utilized in an official capacity by state government, would be a useful tool for the new team. The fact is, weve got to start somewhere in the state of North Carolina using A.I., Boliek said during a committee hearing last week. Because its coming. Theres no better place than the state auditors office to get started with that. Apr. 8MITCHELL The city of Mitchell is covering the cost of providing EMS services in rural areas, and will continue to cover equipment and overtime costs if the rural ambulance tax district is approved by Davison County and Hanson County residents in an upcoming vote. The Mitchell City Council, during its regular meeting on Monday, April 7, heard a presentation from Mitchell Fire/EMS Dan Pollreisz and volunteer first responder Amy Storm on how the proposed ambulance tax district would affect the city of Mitchell. "Our message to people is that we will stop ambulance service in the county if we do not get funding," Storm said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Mitchell Fire Department license requires that 90% of calls have to be responded to it within 15 minutes, but also that all calls have to be responded within 20 minutes in the licensed area. Last year, due to multiple calls, an in-town resident waited 34 minutes for an ambulance, Pollreisz told the council. City Administrator Stephanie Ellwein referenced attending a South Dakota EMS conference, which laid out the requirements for city ambulance service licenses. "We just need to be able to be in compliance with that so we're not at risk of losing that certification," Ellwein said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A fifth ambulance will be needed if the ambulance tax district is passed, according to Pollreisz. "If I'm not mistaken, we will bear that cost," council member Mike Bathke said. It will be a minimum of $400,000 for a new ambulance. On top of that, the city of Mitchell has about $120,000 of equipment in an ambulance, with $50,000 for a cardiac monitor, $45,000 for rescue tools, $17,000 for a communication system, and $7,000 for a stair chair. "It's an astronomical amount of money. At no point is the city saying that that $700,000 is going toward equipment," Pollreisz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposed ambulance tax district for Hanson and Davison counties would bring in about $700,000 in tax revenue to get six more city of Mitchell employees at $113,000 per paramedic, according to Pollreisz. "That doesn't include meal allowance, overtime, any of that sort of stuff," Pollreisz said during the Mitchell City Council work session on March 31. The goal of the ambulance tax district is to put one more ambulance crew per shift, which is two paramedics. "It has nothing to do with paying the bills, it's just to get the people so that we can continue to respond," Pollreisz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The predicted shortfall is $974,000 for this year, according to Pollreisz. The general fund covers just under a million dollars of EMS services per year, according to Ellwein. Gross EMS billing for 2024 was $1.74 million, with actual revenue in the amount of $658,000. The city loses about 62.5% of billed totals every time the ambulance goes out on a call, according to Pollreisz. "They're not looking at taking on additional work. They just need support for doing the work that they're already doing. The proposed six people are to cover our existing calls, not to add calls," Ellwein said. The city recently paid to re-outfit the Medic 3 ambulance. At that time, the cost for a brand new ambulance would have cost $350,000 "for a smaller one," according to Pollreisz. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The boundary of the proposed tax district includes all of Hanson and Davison counties, except for the city of Mitchell. Storm met with Davison and Hanson county commissioners to express the need to hire additional staffing to meet the ambulance needs of rural areas in those counties. "We're in a tight time crunch," Storm said. On April 22, a special election will be held for residents of Davison County. Residents who live within Mitchell city limits are ineligible to vote. An ambulance tax district board will be formed with three people representing each county and one person "at large." Candidates for the ambulance board will have to take up a petition to enter the race, according to Storm. If the first vote passes, an election will be held on June 17 to select members of the ambulance board. The board will either use a special levy or a formula based on the property assessed value to create a tax for residents to pay, and has a June 30 deadline to make the decision and get a budget in order to be active in 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the "no" vote passes, then there will not be an ambulance responding to calls in rural areas of the county, according to Storm. "There is nothing that is making this an essential service at this time," Storm said. Mitchell Fire Department is covering a population the size of Watertown with about half the manpower of that city, according to Pollreisz. The population of Davison County is 19,956, and the population of Hanson County is 3,471. "It's unbelievable how much the station is left short or uncovered, which means the city of Mitchell is left short and uncovered," Pollreisz said. The last town hall for the ambulance tax district will be at 6 p.m. Friday, April 11 at the Davison County Fairgrounds, located at 3200 W. Havens Ave. The Iowa Capitol in Des Moines on April 1, 2025. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) A Senate subcommittee moved forward with the second step in amending the state constitution Wednesday to require a two-thirds majority vote of the Legislature for income tax increases. Senate Study Bill 1221 is a follow-up from House Joint Resolution 2006, passed in 2024 with the same language. To amend the Iowa Constitution, lawmakers must pass the amendment language in two consecutive general assemblies, before the measure goes before voters on a general election ballot for final approval. If the measure is approved in the 2025 or 2026 legislative session, the amendment will appear on Iowans ballots in the Nov. 5, 2026 election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several advocates spoke in favor of the legislation at the subcommittee meeting, saying that it will provide more certainty to individuals and businesses that their taxes will not increase. Opponents argued the measure will limit state lawmakers ability to respond to financial crises. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Mike Owen with Common Good Iowa, a progressive policy organization, said he was opposed to the measure not only because it puts the thumb on the scale for bad tax policy, but because it violates the basic principle of one person, one vote, giving significantly more power to lawmakers who oppose tax increases. That 17 senators could block the will of 133 other legislators and the governor is absurd, Owen said. That would be the case if the two-thirds requirement were made the other way, to lower taxes, or for any other policy matter to come before you. Locking in decisions now by representatives and senators who are elected for only two- and four-year terms disrespects future legislators and future voters who choose them, for years to come. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Cindy Winckler, D-Davenport, who did not sign off on the bill, said the Iowa Legislature has always been very judicious in making tax policy decisions since she took office. However, she said Iowa, alongside the rest of the country, is in uncharted waters with cuts to federal aid and economic volatility caused by tariffs. Federal financial uncertainties, combined with Gov. Kim Reynolds budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 being higher than projected state revenues, show the need for Iowa lawmakers to have the ability to make the best tax decisions for Iowa. This causes me great concern, and I dont necessarily think this is the time that we would pass something like this, that would take away one of the tools that we currently have, Winckler said. Always, we are very careful in increasing any kind of cost to Iowans. But we need to have the tools in the event that we need them. Tyler Raygor with Americans for Prosperity, a conservative organization, said the measure was a prudent safeguard for Iowa taxpayers. He said when tax increases may be necessary, he believed Iowa lawmakers would be able to reach a consensus, pointing to the deal reached in March 2020 to keep the state government funded during COVID-related shutdowns. In emergencies, we believe the Legislature can work together if it ever was necessary to raise taxes, he said. But in the event that it is, we think having a broad consensus requiring two-thirds is prudent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Raygor also pushed back against comments that the proposed constitutional amendment would unfairly restrict future lawmakers actions. Jake Highfill with Iowans for Tax Relief was among other supporters of the measure who said amending Iowas constitution is a difficult process when compared to other states like California that allow ballot initiatives, meaning the measure will be difficult to reverse in the future. Something like this will outlive all of us, Highfill said, calling the proposed constitutional amendment one of the best policies you guys are going to pass this General Assembly. Sens. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, and Rocky De Witt, R-Lawton, voted to advance the bill. It will need approval by the full Ways and Means Committee before it advances to the Senate floor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think people are waiting to vote on this, and its our job to get it to them on a ballot, Schultz said. In 2024, the original version of the amendment also included language that would have enshrined a flat income tax rate in the state constitution preventing future lawmakers from returning to a graduated tax rate system that places a higher income tax rate on people with higher incomes. This proposal gained approval last year as a separate measure, Senate Joint Resolution 2004. Sen. Dan Dawson, R-Council Bluffs, said in 2024 these measures were separated so Iowans would have the opportunity to weigh in on both proposals as independent items on a ballot. The proposed amendment requiring Iowa to have a single rate income tax has not been filed so far this session it would also have to be passed by the lawmakers during the current general assembly to make it on to the ballot. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW) A North Carolina-based developer on Monday was accused of misleading Conway officials over income guidelines for its planned workforce housing project. Taft Mills Group hopes to put 80 1,2 and 3-bedroom units on 8 acres fronting Highway 701 just minutes from the citys downtown. Since publicly announcing its plans last month for Chicora Springs Trace, Taft Mills Group has pulled in letters from support from area groups including the Conway Chamber of Commerce and Family Justice Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taft Mills Group needs the city to approve a rezone for the venture, which would serve households at or below 70% of the area median income for a family of four in Conway $60,700. Its very difficult to get these types of opportunities. Its here now. It likely will not be here next year, TMG vice president of development Nathan Broman-Fulks said. TMG wants to unlock state-offered tax credits to finance the project. City Manager Adam Emrick said TMG was being deceptive as it sought community backing for Chicora Springs Trace because its qualifying AMI of between 20% and 70% are considered low-income under U.S. Housing and Urban Development guidelines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You sold them this project as workforce housing, Emrick said. Youre doing that intentionally to get those partners to agree to this and then if the city council turns it down, it looks like were turning our back on our partners. I think youve misled the city. Broman-Fulks said TMG uses grassroots marketing to promote its products, which helps ensure local homeownership. We dont mislead the people were going to be partners with. They know exactly what were proposing, he said. Were happy to use whatever term that Conway would like us to use. Were not scared of the type of development that we do. Beyond the income guidelines, some on the city council said the targeted site could lead to greater flooding and traffic impacts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have many concerns with this development on this location. Whereas your job is to find the money, build the development, its my job to protect our citizens and make the best decisions for them, councilwoman Julie Hardwick said. She echoed issues raised last month by nearby residents who spoke out against TMGs proposal. No vote was taken on Monday. * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. A St. Clair Shores man killed his mother by beating her with a broken broomstick handle, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office. Armando Jourdain Streeter, 46, was arraigned Tuesday on charges of second-degree murder and assault with intent to murder, both of which carry a life sentence upon conviction, a prosecutor's office news release said. It indicates Streeter is accused of killing his 76-year-old mother, with whom he lived, on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was being held in the Macomb County Jail without bond after arraignment in 40th District Court in St. Clair Shores. No attorney was listed for Streeter in online court records, which indicate he was represented by appointed counsel and that there was a request for appointed counsel following arraignment. Court records also indicate Streeter was referred for a competency evaluation. A probable cause conference is scheduled for April 15. In his office's release, County Prosecutor Peter Lucido called the allegations "extremely serious and deeply concerning. This terrible act of violence cannot be tolerated, and we will fully pursue justice to the full extent of the law." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to an online story by the Macomb Daily, a detective sergeant told the judge that dispatchers received a call from Streeter's brother saying he found his mother dead in the bedroom "with the end of a broomstick impaled in one of her eyes." A man matching Streeter's full name, age and year of birth was discharged from state prison in January 2024 after serving time on charges of assault with intent to murder and a felony firearms offense from a case in Wayne County in 2001. He was sentenced in 2002 after a jury conviction, according to Michigan Department of Corrections online records. Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @challreporter. Support local journalism. Subscribe to the Free Press. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: St. Clair Shores man accused of killing mom with broken broomstick Apr. 8Police last month arrested a man suspected of using a flag to hit a Tesla, the brand of electric cars made by controversial billionaire and presidential adviser Elon Musk . Protests to decry Musk have become more prominent since President Donald Trump's inauguration. Recent vandalism against Tesla cars has also spurred anger from Republicans U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, a longtime Trump ally, announced charges in March against three people from Oregon, Colorado and South Carolina for allegedly setting Teslas or their charging ports on fire, calling it a "wave of domestic terrorism." But in the Spokane case, the man arrested says it was an accident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Snow, 22, was standing near Main and Wall streets downtown on March 22 waving a Palestine flag with his sibling at a transgender rights protest. Nearby law enforcement stationed there for the protest observed seeing the flag wave over a Tesla driving east, hearing a jeer to the effect of "Nazi car" at the Tesla and then hearing an impact, police wrote in their reports. Snow was later arrested and accused of resisting arrest, pedestrian interference, disorderly conduct and obstructing a law enforcement officer. Snow told police the flag blew in the wind and may have hit the car on accident. Officers told Snow, as they grabbed his arms, that he was resisting arrest because he was tensing up and pulling away. At the time Snow was being arrested, other police formed an "arrest circle" around the two officers as a "safety tactic for crowd management" to prevent people from intervening, the police report states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In videos online, one officer can be heard saying, "You're under arrest," and "Relax, please stop resisting." Snow replies, "I am not" and "Stop." Police eventually grab his arms, to which he says, "You are hurting me, let me go." As police walk Snow to their patrol cars, Snow can be heard yelling, "I didn't do (expletive)" and "I apologize for the wind ... blowing my flag down." Snow's defense attorney Steve Graham said his client maintains any contact with the Tesla was inadvertent and that police contact with Snow seemed to be "excessive compared to what the police put up with downtown," because Snow had marks on his wrist from being detained. "I think police were trying to send a message," he said. "There are probably more protests to come." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After police walked Snow away from the area and waited for another car to take him to jail, police read him his rights, the report says, although witnesses to the incident have denied this happened on social media. The witnesses also posted that police told Snow he would be charged with "a hate crime against the driver," although that is not indicated in any reports. The Tesla involved in the incident has front, side and rear cameras. In the police report, photos show the flag blowing over the top of the Tesla as the car approaches Snow in the bike lane. From the right-side camera, the tip of the flag pole is visible overhead of the camera's location, the report shows. Police appear to have drawn an outline they believe shows Snow's arm extended with the flag over the Tesla as a probable reason to arrest for pedestrian interference, according to the report. The driver of the Tesla was interviewed by police and stated the flag hit the top of his car, but didn't cause any damage. Musk has accused Democratic fundraisers of organizing the nationwide Tesla demonstrations. He took to his X platform last week to claim vandalism against his car brand should be considered "terrorism." Although there is no federal domestic terrorism law on the books, prosecutors are able to use state law to attempt to convict a defendant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts have long argued domestic terrorism in the U.S., like hate-based acts from far-right and white supremacist groups, should be tracked and treated with the same concern as foreign terrorism, especially after increasingly hostile race-based rhetoric following Trump's first term. Last week, a Spokane Valley woman was arrested after she sped by Tesla protesters while flipping them off and ignoring officers' sirens, nearly causing a "significant" crash, police reports say. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A Gresham drug dealer known as Puma Fetty was sentenced to a year and a half in federal prison after selling fentanyl to undercover law enforcement officers, authorities said. The arrest and conviction of 20-year-old Axcel Antonio Medina-Martinez comes after the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force completed an investigation with federal law enforcement partners, the Clackamas County Sheriffs Office said. Sen. Wyden on Trump tariffs: Dont see any strategy Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheriffs office, responding to a womans overdose death from fentanyl, kicked off the investigation on February 7, 2024. The interagency task force assisted in the investigation. Though authorities could not determine the exact source of the drugs that contributed to the womans death, they discovered she had been ordering fentanyl from multiple dealers, including from someone called Puma Fetty. The CCITF investigators then arranged a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Puma Fetty' on March 5, 2024, the sheriffs office said in a press release. When Medina-Martinez arrived to carry out the transaction, he was taken into custody, officials said. Fire Marshals Office damaged after being hit by car A search of his vehicle uncovered approximately 117 grams of fentanyl powder, a digital scale with drug residue, and two cell phones, the Clackamas County Sheriffs Office said. Medina-Martinez admitted he was delivering the drugs for a friend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On December 9 of last year, Medina-Martinez pleaded guilty to a federal charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Washington State legislators, As the sixth-largest district in the state, Puyallup School District serves 23,000 students whose futures rely on your decisions regarding public education funding. Insufficient state funding significantly hinders our capacity to deliver even a basic, quality education that our students deserve. The lack of adequate financial resources directly compromises the essential education we strive to provide. We the Puyallup School Board, district and education association urgently call upon you to address funding shortfalls threatening our students opportunities and community vitality. Our community has consistently demonstrated their support for public education by passing crucial measures, such as the ongoing passage of EP&O levies and the capital levy in February 2024. This commitment was further exemplified in our recent bond proposal, where, despite its failure due to insufficient voter turnout, an impressive 63.36% approval rate reflected the communitys willingness to invest in our schools. Even with our communitys generous contributions, they cannot fully compensate for the significant gap in state funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Please take immediate action on these critical matters: Fund special education per the original SB 5263. Our districts underfunding since 2020 totals $23.21 million. Fund materials, supplies and operating costs according to the original HB 1338. Puyallup School District has faced a $47.43 million shortfall since 2020. Update the transportation funding formula to reflect actual costs, especially for McKinney-Vento and special needs students. An outdated formula has caused a $7.84 million deficit since 2020. Puyallup SD faces a cumulative $78.48 million funding gap since 2020. Inadequate state funding and rising costs have already forced significant budget cuts. Last year, a $12 million deficit caused major staff reductions, and as we plan for next year, significant reductions will need to be made if the legislature does not act. To address K-12 educations dire funding needs, we urge the state to prioritize finding new, sustainable revenue sources. It is crucial to fulfill the states responsibility of providing equitable and adequate funding for our schools. This means reversing the declining trend in educations share of the state budget, which has severely impacted our ability to provide quality education to our students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without this support, we will continue to face devastating financial challenges that ultimately impact the quality of education we can provide to students. The time to act is now. Please make the necessary changes to secure the future of our public education system in Washington State. Maddie Names is president of the Puyallup School District Board of Directors. She has served on the board since 2017. John Polm has served as the Puyallup School District superintendent since 2020. Bob Horton has served as the president of the Puyallup Education Association since 2021. Upcoming research funded by the UKs Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) will investigate the secrets of longevity in honeybee queens. Queens eat royal jelly, which has antioxidants and less sugar than the honey tkhat workers eat. This is thought to be part of the reasons queens outlive worker bees. The gut bacteria of queen bees are thought to be connected to their much longer lifespans as well. If you ever bought a bottle of vitamins, youve probably seen supplements touting the benefits of royal jellya substance worker bees secrete from their glandson the shelf nearby. It can also be found in anti-aging skincare. And it turns out, there is a reason for the hype. While it is uncertain whether taking royal jelly capsules or slathering it on your face will slow down the aging process, we do know that queen bees can live up to 20 times longer than workers. And some of that might have to do with royal jelly, which queens and larvae destined for queendom dine on exclusively (0ther factors in their longevity include insulin and their gut microbiomes). Despite having identical DNA to worker bees, queen bees live longer, and humans want in on it, which is the reason all those products existand why a new research project is buzzing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UKs Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) is funding deeper investigations into how queen bees are able to outlive generations of workers. Unlike the honey and bee pollen worker bees eat, the royal jelly reserved for queens is much lower in sugar and rich in vitamins, nutrients, and fatty acids. It also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Gorging on royal jelly isnt going to make you immortal, but the ways in which it affects the biology of queen bees may someday be applied to us. If were able to disentangle, and to reverse engineer, how nature has solved these challenges for them, that can be transformative for pausing aging, human fertility, transport of organs and provide new means of fighting disease, Yannick Wurm, a newly appointed program director who will join seven others in this endeavor, said in a press release. This isnt the first time queen bees will be in the spotlight (like most royals), but it will build on previous studies that determined some potential reasons why queens live longer than anyone else in the hive. Their gut health has been found to have a significant role in their extended lifespan. A 2024 study by researchers from the College of Animal Science and Technology at Shandong Agricultural University in Shandong, China, found that microbes in the gut of a queen bee allow her to live long past her workers because they inhibit insulin signaling. One of the mechanisms by which queen bees live longer than worker bees would be reducing the degree of oxidative damage by upregulating antioxidant genes expressions via inhibiting [insulin signaling], the research team said in that study, published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The insulin signaling pathway is a metabolic pathwaya series of linked chemical reactions that allows insulin to increase the uptake of glucose, or how much goes into fat and muscle cells. It also regulates blood sugar levels by reducing the amount of glucose synthesized in the liver. Worker bees consume high levels of sugar because of all the honey they eat, and the pancreas releases insulin to help with the uptake of glucose from the bloodstream. Since Queens survive on royal jelly, theyre not eating nearly as much sugar. What the Shandong researchers found was that transplanting gut microbes from a queen into workers without gut microbes extended workers lives, most likely because the queens gut bacteria regulates food intake. Insulin signaling and antioxidant pathways were also found to be related. Royal jelly contains antioxidants, which reduce oxidative stress, or cell damage from free radicalshighly unstable and reactive oxygen molecules that can break down parts of DNA, potentially causing cancer and other diseases. In another 2024 study, published in Scientific Reports, a different team of researchers observed honeybee queens and saw that older queens had larger gut microbes, which suggested that there was a relationship between their gut microbiome and immune health. Whether or not royal jelly (and other aspects of being a queen bee) can extend our own lives remains a mystery for now. But with the upcoming ARIA project, the queen might finally give up some of her secrets. You Might Also Like It is well documented that members of the royal family often rewear outfits for public engagements. However, Queen Camilla did this in a particularly meaningful way today when she recycled her wedding day outfit during a State Visit to Italy. Queen Camilla wore her original wedding dress and coat in ivory silk by Anna Valentine during a visit to the Italian Parliament. The dress is the one that she wore to their actual marriage on April 9, 2005 at the Windsor Guildhall. On her wedding day, Camilla wore two outfits as she changed into a different dress and hat for a blessing at St Georges Chapel, Windsor. This is not the first time Camilla has reworn her wedding day outfit as she chose it for a visit to Wales in 2007 when she was the Duchess of Cornwall. However, it is the outfits debut as a repurposed ensemble. It has been remodeled by Anna Valentine with additional embroidery by Kings Foundation artisan Beth Somerville. Camilla accessorized with her own pearl and diamond necklace. Anwar Hussein Collection/ROTA - Getty Images Today is the couples busiest day in Rome on their four-day State Visit on behalf of the British government. They carried out separate engagements this morning before arriving at Parliament together early afternoon. The King was scheduled to become the first British monarch to address both the upper and lower houses of the Italian Parliament in a landmark speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This morning, the King was greeted by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Queen Camilla visited a school where she was given a pizza on departure. Tonight, they will attend a State Banquet at the Presidents Palace. You Might Also Like King Charles and Queen Camilla are celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary while on an official visit to Italy. And this evening, they are the guests of honor at a lavish State Banquet at the Palazzo Quirinale, hosted by the Italian President. The Queen wore a striking green lace gown by Fiona Clare, with a turquoise and diamond necklace that belonged to her late mother, Rosalind Shand. The event was black tie, not white tie, so she did not wear a tiara. The King looked smart in black tie with his UK Order of Merit neck order and OMRI (Italian Order of Merit) star with a selection of British Orders, Realm and Jubilee medals. The couple arrived at the Presidential residence at 8pm and were received by President Mattarellas Aide-de-Camp, General Marco Nasi, before posing for photographs. The banquet is being held in the Palaces Salone delle Feste. The King and President were scheduled to deliver toasts. Guests were due to dine on a four-course meal including vegetables, pasta with aubergine caponata, sea bass in salt crust, and ice cream cake with raspberries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier in the day, the King received more than one standing ovation for his speech to Italys parliamentarians. He spoke in both Italian and English, telling them, I am here today with one purpose: to reaffirm the deep friendship between the United Kingdom and Italy, and to pledge to do all in my power to strengthen that friendship even further in the time that is granted to me as King. Referencing ancient ties, the King joked, It was the Romans who gave Britons the idea of putting a Kings head on coins so I am especially grateful to them. He also spoke about defense ties, climate change and mentioned his late mother Queen Elizabeth. At one point, the audience gave the King a standing ovation and someone else started speaking, thinking his speech was finished. He had to make it clear it wasn't, then joked as he resumed "Im nearly finished." You Might Also Like Rep. Trey Caldwell, R-Faxon, chair of the House budget committee said some public claims of government waste are being considered in this year's budget talks. (Photo by Kyle Phillips/For Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY Over 30 complaints of government waste and inefficiency in Oklahoma have been flagged as ideas of note and considered by House lawmakers during budget discussions. House budget chair Trey Caldwell, R-Faxon, said the Houses Government Efficiency Portal, which launched in December, received around 250 complaints, but many were spammy and junk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The portal, which was modeled after President Donald Trumps federal Department of Government Efficiency, received about 75 actual submissions, about 20% of which are legitimate claims of waste, he said. Some of the submissions were used in budget hearings to inform questions lawmakers asked of agency directors, he said. Some of the spam was as simple as what people receive in their email inboxes, Caldwell said, but many were filled with vitriol against a specific statewide elected officer. Caldwell said he did not want to name that person. House leaders voluntarily provided a list of 35 submissions, which theyve identified as DOGE Ideas of Note in response to a request by Oklahoma Voice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ideas on the list ranged from consolidating within state agencies to reducing the number of traffic signs on Oklahoma highways. Three submissions recommended reducing the number of school districts to consolidate administrative staff and share resources, while another recommended doing the same with the states 25 public institutions for higher education. Consolidation of state storage and warehouse facilities, state vehicle fleets, and printing services were also recommended. Other submissions noted inefficiencies when working with state agencies to obtain car tags, medical assessments, food stamps, childcare, health care and vital records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One submission said the over abundance of unnecessary traffic signs numbs drivers and litter highways. An example included speed limit signs increasing over a short distance because people know how to speed up. A couple of submissions questioned the need for Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to air television and radio advertisements. Someone else questioned why the OTA and the state Department of Transportation were separate agencies and if there was overlap in services. Another recommended comparing job titles of state employees to consolidate duplicative tasks and re-evaluating the salaries of highly paid public servants. The submissions provided to Oklahoma Voice only included the submitted idea and not any identifying information about the person using the portal. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE MADISON COUNTY, Iowa Madison County residents continue to raise concerns amid a tumultuous time in county leadership. This is not normal. All we want is to get back to normal, said James Phillips. We just want your jobs to be boring again. Phillips, who lives in Winterset, was one of several people who took advantage of the public comments portion of the Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was speaking out about the county governments latest controversy, which involves Madison County Auditor Teri Kaczinski, who is challenging the Madison County Board of Supervisors decision against hiring her former campaign manager, Leslie Beck. Jefferson wins national Main Street award WHO 13 broke the story Monday night. Kaczinski has taken legal action and is asking the Iowa Supreme Court to review the decision by the board. In the court petition, Kaczinski alleges supervisors acted illegally during a March 26 meeting by rejecting her request for additional staff. It had been the third attempt to employ Beck. That includes twice as an employee of the auditors office and a third time as an employee of a controversial third-party consulting agency that Auditor Kaczinski hired in late January for $250 an hour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The filing states, in part: The board exceeded its authority and acted improperly and illegally when it denied the auditors resolution to appoint Leslie Beck as a deputy auditor on frivolous, trivial, minimal, arbitrary or capricious grounds. During Tuesdays BOS meeting, roughly 24 hours after the news broke, residents packed the meeting room over capacity. I would like to say what everybody in this room is thinking, we are embarrassed by the behavior of our so-called supervisors, said Susan M. It is not acceptable to anybody that we are having underhanded, secretive hires. Extra deputies were also on hand Tuesday night after the previous board meeting two weeks ago nearly got out of hand. Tensions rose during the March 26 meeting after the vote surrounding Beck. Supervisor Chair Heather Stancil, who had to abstain from the vote due to a conflict of interest, was upset by the outcome and questioned Supervisor Diane Fitch, who had voted against the hiring. Members of the public, who were angered by Supervisor Stancils response, began to chime in, which prompted the Sheriff to get involved to keep the meeting in order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following her vote, Supervisor Fitch stated that she had been worried about transparency and the process in which Becks hiring had been handled previously by the auditors office. It is a concern that was echoed by multiple residents. Restricting student cellphone use sent to Gov. Kim Reynolds desk to be signed into law I think its very important that there has been this attention on hiring practices in Madison County and that practices are followed in a legal and equitable manner, said Carol Freeman, of Saint Charles. Im also deeply concerned about the lawsuit that was recently filed by the auditors office, and I encourage the supervisors to do everything they can in addressing that matter. On Tuesday, the board was tasked with approving a different hire within the auditors office. The hiring of Lawra Mathes as a full-time First Deputy Auditor with a $60,318 annual salary was ultimately approved. Supervisor Stancil and Supervisor Jessica Hobbs voted in favor of the move. Supervisor Fitch was the lone vote against it, stating she again had concerns over the hiring process. While the First Deputy Auditor position was posted publicly, it was unclear how many candidates were interviewed for the job. It was confirmed during the meeting that Mathes started the job before being officially approved by the board and before proper background check procedures were followed. Auditor Kaczinski, who has not physically attended several pertinent meetings in recent weeks, joined by phone Tuesday night, where she admitted to and apologized for the lack of procedure. Kaczinski stated that she had been eager to get Mathes started and had been caught up in the excitement and forgot to get the proper background check completed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her comments prompted a response of scoffs and laughter from some of the residents in attendance. WHO 13 reached out to Auditor Kaczinski and all three supervisors for comment after the filing was obtained on Monday. Supervisor Fitch said she was advised by legal counsel not to comment. Auditor Kaczinski and Supervisors Stancil and Hobbs have not responded. These events are just the latest controversy surrounding the Madison County government in recent months, following the arrest of the Treasurer, reports of alleged money mishandling, major budget cuts and contentious BOS meetings. Iowa news Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. (COLORADO SPRINGS) FOX21 News is excited to welcome Rachel Saurer back to the family in her new role as Evening Anchor along with Scott Kilbury. Rachel Saurer Saurer was previously at FOX21 News as a multimedia journalist and weekend anchor, and has spent the past year as a multimedia journalist at our sister station, FOX31 News in Denver. Saurer graduated from Colorado State University, joining her first station in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where she spent a couple of years doing political reporting and learning about Wyoming. Saurer then joined the FOX21 News team, where she found a love for covering stories about veterans and her community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saurer joined Kilbury for the first time as Evening anchor on Tuesday, April 8, for the 4:30 p.m. show. I am so excited to be back in Colorado Springs, said Saurer. Its been a journey being in Denver, its been a great journey, but so excited to be back, of course, with you guys. The team here is just incredible. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. LONDON (Reuters) - Anthropic, the U.S. AI company behind the Claude chatbot, said on Monday it would create more than 100 roles in Europe, including in Dublin and London, as it appointed Guillaume Princen as its Europe, Middle East and Africa head. The company, which is backed by Amazon and Google, said the jobs would be in sales, engineering, research and business operations, mainly across its Dublin and London offices. Princen, who previously led Stripe's European expansion and was CEO of expenses management platform Mooncard, said the growth in Europe and the UK came at a critical moment when businesses needed advanced AI capabilities. Claude, which competes with OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, has been deployed by companies such as ad group WPP, automaker BMW and pharma firm Novo Nordisk, Anthropic said. Anthropic raised $3.5 billion last month at a $61.5 billion post-money valuation in a funding round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, with participation from Bessemer Venture Partners, General Catalyst and other new and existing investors. (Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Tomasz Janowski) Lawmakers from both parties and both houses of Congress have launched a long-shot effort at stopping President Donald Trump's global trade war amid the falling stock market and rising fears of a recession. Bills introduced Tuesday in the House and Senate would terminate the emergency declaration that Trump signed last week and used to impose tariffs on nearly all goods imported into the United States. "Tariffs are taxes, and the power to tax belongs to Congressnot the president," Sen. Rand Paul (RKy.) said in a statement. "Abusing emergency powers to impose blanket tariffs not only drives up costs for American families but also tramples on the Constitution." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paul and Sen. Ron Wyden (DOre.) are the lead sponsors of the Senate resolution, which has also picked up support from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (DN.Y.) and Sens. Tim Kaine (DVa.), Jeanne Shaheen (DN.H.), Elizabeth Warren (DMass.) and Peter Welch (DVt.). Over in the House, a similar resolution was introduced Tuesday and is backed by dozens of Democrats, including the ranking members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee. "Trump is dragging our country into a trade war against our allies and imposing the largest tax increase on the American people in our history," said Rep. Suzan DelBene (DWash.), who has led other efforts in the House to rein in executive authority over tariffs. Trump used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose a 10 percent tariff on all imports last week. Higher country-specific tariffssome in excess of 40 percentare scheduled to be enacted on Wednesday. That law allows Congress to cancel a presidential emergency declaration, though lawmakers have never done so without the sitting president going along. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also used the IEEPA as the legal basis for the 25 percent tariffs on nearly all imports from Mexico and Canada, which he announced in February. Prior to that, the law had never been used to impose tariffs, which has raised some questions about whether Trump is overstepping the letter of the law. He's clearly well outside the spirit of the law, as it is ridiculous to claim that all imports to the U.S. somehow constitute an emergency that demands unilateral executive action. Last week, the Senate voted to cancel Trump's tariffs on Canada. Paul was one of four Republicans to support that measure, which has not yet received a vote in the House. Separately, the Senate is also considering a bill that would cancel any new tariffs after 60 days unless Congress affirmatively voted to continue them. The White House has threatened to veto that bill (and Trump would likely veto any attempt at curbing the IEEPA as well). To overcome a presidential veto, these antitariff bills would need support from at least 77 Republicans in the House and at least 20 Republicans in the Senate. As a practical matter, these efforts can not succeed unless more Republicans get on board. They should. Trump's reckless trade war is a dangerous expansion of executive power and a stark example of how central planning results in economic catastrophe. Plenty of Republicans know that combination is bad news for the country. The question is whether they can overcome their fear of Trump long enough to do something about it. The post Rand Paul Is Leading Another Long-Shot Effort at Stopping Trump's Terrible Trade War appeared first on Reason.com. Rapper Boosie Badazz says he suffered minor injuries but managed to walk away from a serious car accident Monday afternoon outside Atlanta. The accident took place around 3:30 p.m. in the suburb of Union City when two vehicles collided at the intersection of South Fulton and Mason Road, local authorities told TMZ. Police said multiple people were hospitalized as a result of the crash. The accident was allegedly caused by a driver who ran through a red light at high speed, though its unclear which vehicle was responsible. Boosie, who was riding in a BMW, was reportedly not behind the wheel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a video recorded by an eyewitness, the green-and-black BMW can be seen at an intersection as its passengers lay on the ground visibly in pain. The car appears to have been hit head-on, and debris can be seen strewn across the road in front of it. In a Facebook post, the rapper formerly known as Lil Boosie confirmed that hes OK in the wake of the crash. Im good. Banged up. But good, he wrote. God got me. Boosie is currently on his Millennium Tour and is scheduled to continue with his next stop in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Thursday. _____ Lil Boosie Badazz, best known for churning out the albums Youngest of da Camp and For My Thugz, was recently involved in a car accident in Georgia. This has sparked widespread concern and curiosity among fans, who wish to know about the rappers well-being and whether he suffered any significant injuries. So, was Lil Boosie Badazz in a car accident? Here is what we have learned. Lil Boosie Badazzs car accident explained Yes, Lil Boosie Badazz was in a car accident. Boosie Badazz took to Facebook to address the accident, revealing he was all right. IM GOOD. BANGED UP. BUT GOOD, he wrote. GOD GOT ME. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The accident took place on Monday, shortly after 3:30 p.m., in Union City, Georgia. Two cars collided at the South Fulton and Mason Road intersection, resulting in the hospitalization of multiple people. However, Boosie was not listed on the police report detailing the accident, as per TMZ, who learned of it from the Union City Police Department. The police department also confirmed that Boosie was not the driver. Boosie Badazz was not hurt during the accident, according to The Breakfast Clubs Loren Lorosa, who had spoken with the 42-year-old rappers publicist. Moreover, Lorosa mentioned that Boosie had only gone to the hospital to check on his driver. Furthermore, Lorosa mentioned that Boosie had been in the passenger seat browsing on his phone, only looking up for a second just before the accident. She also mentioned that the car Boosie was in belonged to his driver. Footage from the aftermath of the incident, recorded by an eyewitness, shows a green and black BMW with its doors open. Also seen in the footage were two people lying on the ground beside the doors. One person was wearing a red jacket, while the other sported a pink hoodie. Moreover, some black debris was spotted near the car. The footage incorrectly names the location of the accident as Memphis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement https://twitter.com/AndreHolliday_/status/1909384206314099119 Lil Boosie Badazz is currently busy with his Millennium Tour 2025. He is scheduled to perform in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Thursday. Originally reported by Abdul Azim Naushad on ComingSoon. The post Rapper Lil Boosie Badazz Involved In Car Accident appeared first on Mandatory. Wild beavers have been extinct in the United Kingdom for more than 400 years. However, that narrative has changed, as the wild beaver has been reintroduced in a Dorset nature reserve, BBC News reported. Following the English government's decision to reintroduce wild populations to the country's wetlands and rivers, two pairs of beavers are now living in Little Sea lake in Studland, Purbeck. They came from the Beaver Trust in Scotland. After assisting with the licensed wild release, the National Trust called the successful reintroduction a "real watershed moment in the history of the species." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reintroduction is exciting news for the local ecosystem. The beaver population not only supports the country's biodiversity but also helps promote the health of the "water quality in Poole Harbour," according to Tracey Churcher from the National Trust at Purbeck. "Getting the wetlands back into our landscape is absolutely critical in restoring our ecosystems and making sure that they function efficiently and making sure that we do not stay as the most nature depleted country in the long term," Churcher told BBC. The reintroduction of wild beavers serves as a key step in preserving England's wetland habitats. Beavers are especially important in supporting and maintaining the entire local ecosystem. Known as "nature's architects," according to BBC, beavers influence the landscape's layout by constructing dams that combat flooding and droughts. In fact, Rewilding Britain identifies beavers as a keystone species due to their vital role as ecological engineers. Their dams also prevent soil erosion and provide habitats for various species. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overhunting threatened the survival of beaver populations in England, per Forestry England. They were extensively hunted for their fur, and by the 16th century, they were extinct in the U.K. As a result, the reintroduction and further protection of wild beavers are essential for ensuring their success as a species. 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. Sarah Wynn-Williams, Facebook's former head of global public policy, plans to testify to Congress on Wednesday, detailing allegations that Meta executives helped China advance its AI capabilities and undermine US national security. Wynn-Williams, who worked at Facebook between 2011 and 2017, filed a whistleblower complaint in March with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company, now Meta, said she was fired eight years ago for poor performance. She also published a memoir that month, "Careless People," where she made allegations about Meta's company culture and China operations. A spokesperson previously told Business Insider that the "false and defamatory book should never have been published." At the heels of the book's release, Meta won an emergency arbitration decision that temporarily stopped Wynn-Williams and her publisher from promoting the memoir or making disparaging statements against her former employer. The ruling did not stop the book from becoming a No. 1 bestseller. "This gag order was sought by a company whose CEO claims to be a champion of free speech," Wynn-Williams' draft testimony says. "The American people deserve to know the truth." "Sarah Wynn-Williams' testimony is divorced from reality and riddled with false claims," a Meta spokesperson wrote in an email to BI. "While Mark Zuckerberg himself was public about our interest in offering our services in China and details were widely reported beginning over a decade ago, the fact is this: we do not operate our services in China today." Representatives for Wynn-Williams declined to comment. A draft of Wynn-Williams' opening statement, which Business Insider obtained, includes allegations that Meta established a clandestine relationship with China, providing user data to the Chinese Communist Party and establishing a "physical pipeline" between the US and China. During President Donald Trump's first term, the administration killed a project from Google and Facebook that would have established an 8,000-mile-long broadband cable between the US and Hong Kong. Below is Wynn-Williams' draft opening statement she plans to give before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee: There's less than a month left before the REAL ID deadline. Starting on May 7, everyone will need to have a REAL ID or another approved federally issued ID to board commercial flights or to enter certain federal buildings, military bases or nuclear power plants in the United States. This impending REAL ID deadline has long been delayed. The requirement was introduced 20 years ago with the REAL ID Act of 2005. Since then, the enforcement deadline for REAL IDs has been kicked down the road for decades, leading us to the May 2025 date when REAL ID requirements will go into effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, double check that your ID has a star in the upper right-hand corner. If it doesn't, here's how to get your REAL ID in Tennessee this month. What is a REAL ID? A REAL ID is a driver's license or state-issued identification card denoted by a small star in the top right-hand corner. These cards have enhanced security standards, including anti-counterfeiting technology, to prevent insider fraud, and using documentary evidence and record checks to ensure a person is who they claim to be, according to the Department of Homeland Security. REAL IDs are issued in Tennessee and all other U.S. states, as well as Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands. Are Tennesseans required to get a REAL ID? No, REAL IDs are not mandatory unless you plan to take a domestic flight or enter specific federal facilities, according to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tennessee drivers still can opt to get a traditional driver's license or ID with fewer required documents. The REAL ID and normal driver's license cost exactly the same. At what age will you need a REAL ID to fly? Anyone age 18 or older will need a REAL ID to get on a commercial flight starting in May. Can I still travel in the U.S. without a REAL ID? You'll need a REAL ID to board any commercial flight, including a domestic one, but there are alternatives, including a passport. What happens if you don't get your REAL ID by the deadline? If you aren't planning on boarding a plane or visiting a nuclear power plant anytime soon, there is no worry about missing the REAL ID deadline. Regular IDs will still be valid, except in the cases listed above. What do you need to get a REAL ID in Tennessee? In order to get your REAL ID in Tennessee, you'll need to present proof of citizenship or legal presence, proof of your Social Security number and two proofs of Tennessee residency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone who has changed their name must provide certified legal documents supporting the name change. There are many different documents that could fulfill the requirements of proof of U.S. citizenship and/or Tennessee residency. A full list of acceptable documents to bring is available at tn.gov. REAL IDs are marked with a star in the right upper-hand corner of the ID. Where can I get a REAL ID in Knox County? Find more locations and information at the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security website. How much does a REAL ID cost in Tennessee? Getting a REAL ID costs around $28, the same rate as that of a standard Tennessee driver's license or photo ID. Are you required to have a REAL ID to vote in Tennessee? No, A REAL ID will meet the identification requirement for voting, but voters also can use a standard state-issued driver's license or ID card to cast their ballots in Tennessee or any other state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Similarly, the traditional, non-REAL-ID license or ID still will be accepted for purchasing alcohol or tobacco, applying for federal benefits or accessing hospitals, post offices, banks and federal courts, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Securitysaid in a news release. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: What are the REAL ID requirements? What to know in TN before deadline Queen of Versailles star Jackie Siegels sister, Jessica Mallory, has died at age 43 from an accidental drug overdose, according to an Instagram post shared by Siegel on Tuesday. The tragic news comes just days after Siegels husband, businessman David Siegel, passed away. David Siegel founded Westgate Resorts Ltd., a timeshare resort firm based out of Florida. He and Jackie were the subjects of Lauren Greenfields 2012 documentary The Queen of Versailles, which documented the Siegels effort to build the largest single-family dwelling in the U.S., dubbed the Versailles House, just as the countrys economy began to tank in 2008. David Siegel and Westgate Resorts later filed a lawsuit against Greenfield and the Sundance Institute, which produced the film, alleging that the material therein was defamatory. Despite the controversy, the documentary became a sizable cult hit and even spawned a musical adaptation which premiered on Broadway in 2024 starring Kirsten Chenoweth in the role of Jackie and F. Murray Abraham as David. The Siegels also seemed to appreciate their newfound stardom, going on to appear in episodes of Celebrity Wife Swap and Below Deck. Related: Famed Singer Dead at 69 Following Dominican Roof Collapse "As I mourn the profound loss of my beloved husband David Siegel, who passed away on April 5 at the age of 89, my world was shattered again yesterday by the unexpected loss of my beautiful sister, Jessica Mallery, 43, to a scourge we as a family sadly know too well [an] accidental drug overdose," Jackie wrote in her emotional post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Jessica died after using cocaine laced with fentanyl. Her death is another stark reminder of the drug epidemic and fentanyl crisis plaguing our country and the urgent need to address substance abuse in order to save lives," Siegel continued. "Our work at Victorias Voice remains more critical than ever, and in her memory, we will continue to raise awareness and advocate every single day until this form of grief is a distant memory in this country." The Siegels founded the Victorias Voice Foundation and named it after their daughter, who also died of a drug overdose. Victorias Voice seeks to be the trusted national leader in successfully educating and providing the necessary tools for parents and families to take action to prevent substance use disorder and overdose deaths, its website reads. "To say we are devastated is an understatement, Jackie wrote of Davids passing just days ago. But I find comfort in knowing that Victoria was there to greet him the first thing he heard was 'Dad,' followed by a big hug." (Photo by Kent Becker, U.S. Geological Survey) A financially troubled Iowa company is operating under a court order to show it did not attempt to destroy or manipulate financial data sought by a court-appointed receiver. In March, the Iowa-incorporated company Sunterra Farms Iowa, and its affiliates, Sunwold Farms Inc., and Lariagra Farms South Inc. were accused in U.S. District Court by one their lenders, Compeer Financial, of operating a billion-dollar check-kiting scheme. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Compeer Financial is suing the three companies, which are run by the Price family of Yankton County, South Dakota. The companies are responsible for extensive swine operations in Iowa and South Dakota, with their parent companies based in Canada. At Compeers request, a federal judge has appointed a receiver, Hannah Walkes of Pipestone Management II, to take control of the companies operations and ensure that Compeers collateral 110,000 head of swine located in 54 barns in and around Yankton County are fed and cared for. Walkes told the Iowa Capital Dispatch on Wednesday the pigs, which are destined for slaughter, are being properly cared for and are no longer at risk. The swine which are in various stages of growth and are owned by either Sunterra or Lariagra are among 500,000 hogs managed by Sunterra Farms Iowa. Bank: Family blamed CEO Ray Price for check kiting In its lawsuit, Compeer claims that the Price family companies have engaged in a long-running fraud that involves check-kiting a fraudulent practice in which a company draws checks from one bank account for deposit in another bank account that it controls, when neither account has sufficient funds to cover the checks. The process takes advantage of the delays in processing checks between banks, allowing one account or another to continually show credits for funds that have yet to be collected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Compeer alleges the transactions have had the effect of creating phony positive account balances that caused Compeer to pay the companies interest. Compeer claims that before the check-kiting scheme collapsed in February, it involved billions of dollars in fraudulent transactions between accounts with Compeer and Canadian Western Bank. According to separate court filings by Canadian Western Bank in the Court of Kings Bench in Alberta, the core guiding minds of the defendant companies are CEO Ray Price, along with Douglas, Glen, David and Art Price all of whom are directors and shareholders of various members of the Sunterra group of companies. According to the Canadian bank, the Price companies issued checks that vastly exceeded their actual holdings meaning none of the companies, at any point, had the actual cash on hand to pay the face value of the checks. The total amount of money circulated as a result of the alleged check-kiting scheme over a nine-month period exceeded 7 billion Canadian dollars, or 4.9 billion American dollars, the bank claims. In Canadian court filings, Canadian Western Bank alleges that at a meeting on Feb. 24, 2025, Art and Glen Price made various clear and unequivocal statements indicating the overdrafts were caused by CEO Ray Price, with whom they were upset and disappointed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not long after that meeting, however, the Price family allegedly refused to allow Compeer and the Canadian bank to share information as they investigated the matter. Contempt of court issue is raised by receiver While case in Canadian court has advanced, conflicts have arisen in the U.S. District Court proceedings involving Walkes, the newly appointed receiver tasked with taking control of the Price family companies. According to documents filed with the court by Walkes, she went to the Sunterra Farms Iowa offices in Beresford, South Dakota, on the morning of March 31 to gather financial information. She alleges that while she was logged onto Sunterras online accounting platform, she noticed all information regarding accounts receivable, accounts payable and general ledger were missing. A short time later, she told the court, she received a message that we had been entirely kicked out of the accounting platform. After logging back in, she alleged, she discovered that information including data she had previously accessed was missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have serious concerns that the data is being destroyed or manipulated, Walkes told the court, asking that the Price family companies be required to show cause as to why they shouldnt be held in contempt of court. Court records show an attorney for Walkes sent an email to Sunterras lawyers, stating, Someone knew that the receiver was on site and reviewing accounting information, and information and data started disappearing at the same time, which is a direct violation of the courts order. An attorney for the Price companies wrote back to Walkes attorney, questioning those claims and asking, Will this type of aggression take place at every turn or will the receiver act in the best interest of all parties as it is required? Four days later, Walkes updated the court on the situation, indicating some of the issues had been resolved and that while she still didnt know whether some data had been removed, she believed she had gained access to enough information to manage the accounts for two of the three companies Sunwold and Lariagra. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, she told the court, with regard to Sunterra Farms, that company functions as the management entity for the other two, and after she attempted to run financial reports for Sunterra, they reflected all zeros. The Sunterra Farms journal entries were blank where financial information used to exist. In that same update to the court, she indicated that she had just learned the Sunterra information had been restored, but she still was unable to access information pertaining to the Price familys parent companies in Canada. Walkes asked the court to clarify her authority to gain access to that information. In response, Sunterra and its affiliates argued Walkes had no permission to reach across the border into Canada to look at information not belonging to the companies. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Eric Schulte gave lawyers for Sunterra and its affiliates to until the end of day Wednesday to file an unequivocal declaration that no evidence had been destroyed or manipulated. As for the receivers access to information on the Canadian parent companies, Schulte gave the companies lawyers the same deadline to request a protective order that articulated the reasons why they believe such information should be protected from disclosure. (Photo by Kent Becker, U.S. Geological Survey) A financially troubled Iowa company with locations in South Dakota is operating under a court order to show it did not attempt to destroy or manipulate financial data sought by a court-appointed receiver. In March, the Iowa-incorporated company Sunterra Farms Iowa, and its affiliates, Sunwold Farms Inc., and Lariagra Farms South Inc. were accused in U.S. District Court by one their lenders, Compeer Financial, of operating a billion-dollar check-kiting scheme. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Compeer Financial is suing the three companies, which are run by the Price family of Yankton County, South Dakota. The companies are responsible for extensive swine operations in Iowa and South Dakota, with their parent companies based in Canada. At Compeers request, a federal judge has appointed a receiver, Hannah Walkes of Pipestone Management II, to take control of the companies operations and ensure that Compeers collateral 110,000 head of swine located in 54 barns in and around Yankton County are fed and cared for. Walkes told the Iowa Capital Dispatch on Wednesday the pigs, which are destined for slaughter, are being properly cared for and are no longer at risk. The swine which are in various stages of growth and are owned by either Sunterra or Lariagra are among 500,000 hogs managed by Sunterra Farms Iowa. Bank: Family blamed CEO Ray Price for check kiting In its lawsuit, Compeer claims that the Price family companies have engaged in a long-running fraud that involves check-kiting a fraudulent practice in which a company draws checks from one bank account for deposit in another bank account that it controls, when neither account has sufficient funds to cover the checks. The process takes advantage of the delays in processing checks between banks, allowing one account or another to continually show credits for funds that have yet to be collected. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Compeer alleges the transactions have had the effect of creating phony positive account balances that caused Compeer to pay the companies interest. Compeer claims that before the check-kiting scheme collapsed in February, it involved billions of dollars in fraudulent transactions between accounts with Compeer and Canadian Western Bank. According to separate court filings by Canadian Western Bank in the Court of Kings Bench in Alberta, the core guiding minds of the defendant companies are CEO Ray Price, along with Douglas, Glen, David and Art Price all of whom are directors and shareholders of various members of the Sunterra group of companies. According to the Canadian bank, the Price companies issued checks that vastly exceeded their actual holdings meaning none of the companies, at any point, had the actual cash on hand to pay the face value of the checks. The total amount of money circulated as a result of the alleged check-kiting scheme over a nine-month period exceeded 7 billion Canadian dollars, or 4.9 billion American dollars, the bank claims. In Canadian court filings, Canadian Western Bank alleges that at a meeting on Feb. 24, 2025, Art and Glen Price made various clear and unequivocal statements indicating the overdrafts were caused by CEO Ray Price, with whom they were upset and disappointed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not long after that meeting, however, the Price family allegedly refused to allow Compeer and the Canadian bank to share information as they investigated the matter. Contempt of court issue is raised by receiver While case in Canadian court has advanced, conflicts have arisen in the U.S. District Court proceedings involving Walkes, the newly appointed receiver tasked with taking control of the Price family companies. According to documents filed with the court by Walkes, she went to the Sunterra Farms Iowa offices in Beresford, South Dakota, on the morning of March 31 to gather financial information. She alleges that while she was logged onto Sunterras online accounting platform, she noticed all information regarding accounts receivable, accounts payable and general ledger were missing. A short time later, she told the court, she received a message that we had been entirely kicked out of the accounting platform. After logging back in, she alleged, she discovered that information including data she had previously accessed was missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have serious concerns that the data is being destroyed or manipulated, Walkes told the court, asking that the Price family companies be required to show cause as to why they shouldnt be held in contempt of court. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Court records show an attorney for Walkes sent an email to Sunterras lawyers, stating, Someone knew that the receiver was on site and reviewing accounting information, and information and data started disappearing at the same time, which is a direct violation of the courts order. An attorney for the Price companies wrote back to Walkes attorney, questioning those claims and asking, Will this type of aggression take place at every turn or will the receiver act in the best interest of all parties as it is required? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four days later, Walkes updated the court on the situation, indicating some of the issues had been resolved and that while she still didnt know whether some data had been removed, she believed she had gained access to enough information to manage the accounts for two of the three companies Sunwold and Lariagra. However, she told the court, with regard to Sunterra Farms, that company functions as the management entity for the other two, and after she attempted to run financial reports for Sunterra, they reflected all zeros. The Sunterra Farms journal entries were blank where financial information used to exist. In that same update to the court, she indicated that she had just learned the Sunterra information had been restored, but she still was unable to access information pertaining to the Price familys parent companies in Canada. Walkes asked the court to clarify her authority to gain access to that information. In response, Sunterra and its affiliates argued Walkes had no permission to reach across the border into Canada to look at information not belonging to the companies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, U.S. District Judge Eric Schulte gave lawyers for Sunterra and its affiliates to until the end of day Wednesday to file an unequivocal declaration that no evidence had been destroyed or manipulated. As for the receivers access to information on the Canadian parent companies, Schulte gave the companies lawyers the same deadline to request a protective order that articulated the reasons why they believe such information should be protected from disclosure. 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. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Lily Mendoza of Rapid City, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, is set to speak Tuesday night at the public library in downtown Sioux Falls about an issue which does not always receive attention: the high rate of violence suffered by Native American women. Mendoza started the Red Ribbon Skirt Society, which seeks to accompany and advocate for people with missing or murdered loved ones. We do really work on their case, meaning that well be at court when it goes to trial, Mendoza said Tuesday afternoon ahead of her talk. Were involved with the missing and murdered unit, which is a federal program. We have two of the women that are on the unit, work in the unit, and theyre part of our society. Will South Dakota lose federal education funding? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One case which will have her attention is that of Sahela Sangrait, a 21-year-old Native woman whose body was discovered in February in the Hill City area. 24-year-old Quinterius Chappelle is in the Pennington County Jail, charged with killing her on Ellsworth Air Force Base in western South Dakota; he has pleaded not guilty. Ill be talking about what happened to her, and the thing is is when Im talking about these cases, some of them are very gruesome, some of them are really hard to speak about, Mendoza said. But what were about is telling the truth. Mendoza says work with the Rapid City Police Department is helping the Red Ribbon Skirt Society achieve its mission in fighting for missing and murdered Indigenous women and their loved ones. I hope that there are individuals that work in the criminal system thatll be here tonight, Mendoza said. I hope there are police officers here tonight because weve got a pretty good system in Rapid City in how we do business as far as MMIW. Weve got a team of people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres no ticket needed to attend Mendozas talk Tuesday night; it starts at 6:30. We are nearing capacity, but dont let that stop you, library associate Kara Vehar said. Attendees are asked to register online. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. Alaska LNG will compete head-to-head with Canadas liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry for buyers in Asian markets if it is ever built, but the proposed US$44-billion project faces major hurdles despite a recent revival in fortunes, experts say. The long-languishing megaproject has been reinvigorated by United States President Donald Trump and his global tariff policy, which has prompted a rush of interest from Asian governments offering to buy more American LNG in exchange for relief from U.S. duties. There does seem to be some momentum behind Alaska LNG that cannot be ignored, Ian Archer, natural gas expert and associate director at S&P Global Commodity Insights, said in an email. It would compete directly with Canadian LNG for the Asian market and could be a potential threat. However, he said the sheer scope of the project including the requirement for a new pipeline that would be nearly twice the length of Coastal GasLink, the 670-kilometre pipeline feeding LNG Canada on British Columbias north coast could push the price tag for Alaska LNG closer to US$50 billion. Thats an enormous amount for nearly any private company, so it would have to be built with a combination of federal money and a corporate consortium, Archer said, noting the project would also face significant environmental and local opposition. The ambition of the projects current backers is to build a 1,300-kilometre pipeline connecting Alaskas stranded North Slope natural gas to a new 20-million-tonne-per-annum (MPTA) liquefaction plant and export terminal in the Nikiski area of south-central Alaska. Alaska LNGs export capacity would be smaller than the full build-out of the Shell PLC-led LNG Canada project in Kitimat, B.C., which is set to begin shipments this year at 14 MPTA, but which could be expanded to 28 MPTA, pending a green light from joint-venture partners Petronas Energy Canada Ltd., PetroChina Co. Ltd., Mitsubishi Corp. and Korean Gas Corp. Both projects would cut LNG shipping times from North America to Asia in half, avoiding the delays and disruptions that sometimes frustrate Gulf Coast exporters that must use the Panama Canal. But despite Trumps bluster about developing and exporting Alaskas resources, experts and investors, including Mitsubishi, which is reportedly considering investing in the project, believe Alaska LNG could take a decade or more to build. Japan, South Korea and Taiwan have all said they are considering investing in the project, though some critics have characterized those announcements as politically motivated rather than based on the projects inherent economic strengths or advantages. Last October, the Supreme Court revived a federal civil rights lawsuit by Laredo, Texas, news vlogger Priscilla Villarreal, who was literally arrested for asking questionsa flagrant violation of the First Amendment. The justices remanded the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, which yesterday killed the lawsuit again. Judge Edith Jones, who wrote the 2024 decision that rejected Villarreal's lawsuit the last time around, is also the author of Tuesday's ruling in Villarreal v. Laredo, which begins with a telling mischaracterization. According to Jones, Villarreal claims she suffered "unconstitutional retaliation based on her 'speech' obtained from backchannel police sources in order to benefit herself in violation of Tex. Admin. Code Section 39.06(c)"a little-known, rarely invoked law aimed at "misuse of official information." That gloss, like Jones' 2024 opinion, obscures the reality that Villarreal was "jailed for basic journalism," as Reason's Billy Binion put it in 2023a point he elucidated in a compelling 2024 video about her case. According to Laredo police and District Attorney Isidro Alaniz, Villarreal committed two felonies by asking Officer Barbara Goodman to confirm details about a public suicide and a fatal car accident. Villarreal argued that Alaniz and the cops had it in for her because they disliked her "unfiltered style" of journalism and resented her criticism of local law enforcement. This was the speech for which Villarreal said she had suffered "unconstitutional retaliation" in the form of trumped-up criminal charges. She noted that Alaniz et al. spent months looking for a charge to pin on her before settling on Section 39.06(c). When she turned herself in, "Laredo police officers took cell phone pictures of [her] in handcuffs while mocking and laughing at her." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jones glides over all of this. She not only puts speech in scare quotes; she erroneously asserts that the relevant speech consisted of the information that Goodman gave Villarreal, which does not make much sense in the context of Villarreal's retaliation claim. And as she did in her 2024 opinion, which dripped with contempt for Villarreal's supposedly unprofessional "journalistic style," Jones implies that Villarreal's reporting was somehow illegitimate because she relied on "backchannel police sources" and hoped to "benefit herself." Given Villarreal's sneaky methods, Jones said last year, it was "inappropriate" to portray her as "a martyr for the sake of journalism." That view betrays a fundamental ignorance of how journalism works. Reporters across the country routinely seek information from "backchannel" sources, and their newsgathering is indisputably protected by the First Amendment. It does not matter whether they work for the "mainstream, legitimate" news outlets that Jones prefers, whether they are trying to "benefit" themselves (by, say, earning a salary or attracting an audience that might help boost advertising revenue), or even whether they could be said to "capitalize on others' tragedies to propel [their] reputation[s] and career[s]," which is how Jones described Villarreal's reporting in 2024. That earlier opinionthe one that the Supreme Court vacatedsaid it was not "obviously unconstitutional" to arrest a reporter for reporting. That conclusion was so astonishing that it provoked four vigorous dissents authored or joined by seven of Jones' colleagues. "If any principle of constitutional law ought to unite all of us as Americans, it's that the government has no business imprisoning citizens for the views they hold or the questions they ask," Judge James C. Ho wrote. Judge James E. Graves Jr. agreed that Villarreal's arrest was "obviously unconstitutional," noting the "well-established right of journalists to engage in routine newsgathering." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge Don Willett argued that the defendants could not plausibly claim they were simply enforcing the law. "Just as officers can be liable for enforcing an obviously unconstitutional statute, they can also be liable for enforcing a statute in an obviously unconstitutional way," he wrote. In fact, Willett noted, the law under which Villarreal sued Alaniz et al., 42 USC 1983, "declares that government officials 'shall be liable' for violating the Constitution if they were acting 'under color of any state statute.'" Jones does not revisit that issue in Tuesday's opinion, instead focusing on Villarreal's retaliatory arrest claim. She notes that the Supreme Court remanded Villarreal's case for "further consideration in light of" Gonzalez v. Trevino, a 2024 decision in which the Supreme Court made it easier for victims of retaliatory arrests to prove their First Amendment claims. "We infer that the Supreme Court's ruling on First Amendment retaliation in [Gonzalez] means that is the sole claim this en banc court ought to reconsider," Jones writes. But contrary to what you might expect, she says reconsidering that claim does not require assessing its plausibility (or even accurately describing it). Even if Alaniz and the cops engineered Villarreal's arrest to punish her for constitutionally protected speech, Jones says, "it is easily shown" that they would be protected by qualified immunity, a doctrine that shields government officials from federal civil rights claims unless their alleged misconduct violated "clearly established" law. Jones notes that the arrest happened in 2017, two years before the Supreme Court's ruling in Nieves v. Bartlett, which recognized an exception to the general rule that probable cause for an arrest defeats a retaliation claim. "An unyielding requirement to show the absence of probable cause could pose 'a risk that some police officers may exploit the arrest power as a means of suppressing speech,'" Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion. He offered jaywalking as an example: "At many intersections, jaywalking is endemic but rarely results in arrest. If an individual who has been vocally complaining about police conduct is arrested for jaywalking at such an intersection, it would seem insufficiently protective of First Amendment rights to dismiss the individual's retaliatory arrest claim on the ground that there was undoubted probable cause for the arrest." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Justice Neil Gorsuch amplified Roberts' point in a partially concurring opinion. "Criminal laws have grown so exuberantly and come to cover so much previously innocent conduct that almost anyone can be arrested for something," he wrote. "If the state could use these laws not for their intended purposes but to silence those who voice unpopular ideas, little would be left of our First Amendment liberties, and little would separate us from the tyrannies of the past or the malignant fiefdoms of our own age." Villarreal's case exemplifies exactly that scenario. Alaniz and the other defendants seized upon Section 39.06(c), a law that local police had never enforced before, to arrest Villarreal for newsgathering. The history of that law, which was aimed at preventing "abuse of office" by punishing the release of confidential information for financial gain, shows that Alaniz et al. were not using it for its "intended purposes," which had nothing to do with journalists covering the news. As Ho noted last year, "no one has been able to identify a single successful prosecution" under Section 39.06(c), "and certainly never against a citizen for asking a government official for basic information of public interest so that she can accurately report to her fellow citizens." The strained statutory interpretation that was used to justify Villarreal's arrest implied that reporters across Texas commit felonies every day simply by doing their jobsa point that several journalists (including me) made in a brief supporting Villarreal's Supreme Court petition. The novel nature of the charges against Villarreal, which a state judge ultimately dismissed after concluding that Section 39.06(c) was unconstitutionally vague, reinforced her argument that they were nothing more than a pretext for revenge. Stephen Higginson, another judge who dissented from last year's decision against Villarreal, noted her allegation that the defendants charged her "despite knowing that [local authorities] had never arrested, detained, or prosecuted any person before under the statute." As he saw it, "this conduct falls squarely within the Nieves exception," since "there could be no better example of a crime never enforced than this one." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of that matters, Jones says, because Villarreal was arrested before Nieves. "At the time Villarreal submitted herself to the police based on arrest warrants," she writes, "'every reasonable officer' could have believed that what he or she was doing was perfectly legal, or put otherwise, none of the defendants, including the police and attorneys who drafted the warrant affidavits, 'knowingly violate[d]' Villarreal's constitutional rights." In a concurring opinion, Judge Andrew Oldham agrees that the defendants qualify for immunity under the relevant case law. But he questions the logic of applying that doctrine beyond the sort of "split-second decision-making" that use-of-force cases typically involve. "It is increasingly unclear whether the rationale for qualified immunity makes sense in a case like this one," Oldham writes. "I understand the need for qualified immunity when officers are forced to make split-second decisions, often with imperfect information and under potentially deadly or dangerous circumstances. But '[t]hose who arrested, handcuffed, jailed, mocked, and prosecuted Priscilla Villarrealspent several months plotting Villarreal's takedown.' When an officer has the time to make such plans, to consult counsel, and to investigate all the facts, it is unclear whether and to what extent qualified immunity should apply." The majority "summarily decides that Ms. Villarreal loses again, despite nearly six years of tenacious First Amendment litigation that culminated successfully in the High Court," Higginson complains in a dissent joined by four of his colleagues. "Because the parties disagree comprehensively and cogently about the impact of Gonzalez on Ms. Villarreal's reinstated lawsuit, I would remand to the district court to permit full adversarial briefing and argument. Remand is a cautionary approach that avoids a Pyrrhic victory for Ms. Villarreal." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Higginson notes that the 5th Circuit's 2024 decision rejected Villarreal's retaliatory arrest claim based on "our circuit's binding interpretation of the Nieves exception," a reading that the Supreme Court deemed "overly cramped" in Gonzalez. "Whether Ms. Villarreal's retaliation claim nevertheless fails on qualified immunity grounds is a question that our en banc court did not answer," he writes. "Yet today's majority, with minimal briefing on the issue, summarily decides that qualified immunity for the retaliation claim 'is easily shown.'" Remanding the case also "would allow the district court to consider the points raised in several of the opinions dissenting from our court's prior, now-vacated en banc decision," Higginson notes. "These dissenting opinions elaborated that police arrests of journalist-critics for routine newsgathering obviously violate the First Amendment." In the 5th Circuit, that is not only a controversial view. It is one that the appeals court has rejected in no uncertain terms, making freedom of the press contingent on the legal creativity of vengeful cops and prosecutors. The post On Remand, the 5th Circuit Again Blocks a Lawsuit by a Texas Reporter Arrested for Newsgathering appeared first on Reason.com. SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) The renovations at the new Dove Creek Volunteer Fire Station 2 are almost complete, with the remaining federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act in 2022 being released on April 8. Construction crews are renovating the old Pecan Creek Fire Station. It is a 3200 square foot facility that has been fully redone, with electricity, water and is now almost fully ready to be active and running. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyve got classrooms up there to train their volunteers, said Shawn Nanny, County Commissioner. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Somewhere along the line, certain members of the GOP decided that President John F. Kennedys edict Ask not what your country can do for you ask what you can do for your country should apply to Donald Trump. Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) declared his fealty to Trump during an interview Wednesday on Newsmax about the budget reconciliation bill recently adopted by the GOP-led Senate that would hide $4 trillion in deficits using accounting gimmicks. Many House Republicans hate the bill, which Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) told HuffPost was more of the same swamp stuff that weve been dealing with for years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the GOP only has a seven-vote majority, too many defections by debt-hawk conservatives put the bill at risk of not passing and, thus, hurting Trumps plan to extend tax cuts to the wealthy. Of course, Comer, who led a long-fruitless investigation into former President Joe Bidens alleged criminal activities, supports the reconciliation bills passage, and he didnt understand why his fellow Republican members of Congress were being so picky about parts of the bill and not seeing the forest for the trees. Its very frustrating that we have several Republicans, several of my good friends and colleagues, who continue to raise objections to things that really dont amount to a whole lot, he said on Newsmax. At the end of the day, this legislation just allows us to move forward and try to get one big, beautiful bill that President [Donald] Trump was talking about. The House GOPs version of the bill doesnt raise the deficit by as much as the Senates, but its still in the trillions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Comer said he was frustrated that his colleagues are tripping over a procedural bill before expressing what was really on his mind. I can only imagine how President Trump feels, he lamented, before stressing that the stick-in-the-muds not voting for the bill have good intentions, but they need to focus on whats really important: Giving Trump what he wants, when he wants. Hopefully, well get the job done today, but its a lot of the same guys. And again, I cant say enough good things about these people, Comer said. They want to cut spending, they want to balance the budget, and, in all reality, the Senate is not serious about cutting anything. But what weve got to do is what President Trump wants to be able to pass this budget reconciliation bill because weve got a lot of challenges in our country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres a clip of the exchange: Comer: "What we've gotta do is what President Trump wants." pic.twitter.com/VXLl7A6oCT Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 9, 2025 Treating Trump as if hes a king and not an elected official is nothing new for Republicans Vice PresidentJD Vancedid it in Greenland last month when he justified his fearless leaders effort to control the island by declaring,We cant just ignore the presidents desires. Still, Comers suggestion that what weve got to do is what President Trump wants struck many people on social media as just a tad authoritarian. BlueSky Blindly doing what President Trump wants isnt governance, its submission. Leadership is about serving the nationsinterest, not one mans agenda. If it took you until 2025 to realize how global trade works, maybe Congress isnt where you should be. Ridiculous! Evaristus Odinikaeze (@odinikaeze) April 9, 2025 This is what it looks like to care about the president more than the people you represent. Timothy Bellman (@Timothy_Bellman) April 9, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BlueSky Actually no The Founders Specific intent for the legislative /senatorial branches were for oversight of the executive branch I bought a new bumper sticker Seems appropriate pic.twitter.com/GFVJ2Wtci1 CathyNotToday2 (@Cathy2NotToday) April 9, 2025 This isnt governance. Its obedience. The GOPs entire platform is now whatever he says, we do. Thats not a party. Thats a cult. Nikos Unity (@nikosunity) April 9, 2025 No, you actually dont have to do that. Grow a spine and stand up for your constituents dammit. SJI2783 (@sji2783) April 9, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Says the guy that held impeachment hearings for 2 straight years for the last president. pic.twitter.com/xKfWtYDl5r Impeach Trump a 3rd Time! (@Christo12919382) April 9, 2025 Like Vance who said "we can't ignore the President's desires" Asher (@The_1Asher) April 9, 2025 I used to have the same reaction to Kellyanne Conway constantly saying, I serve at the pleasure of the president. Why do they talk like that? It kind of reminds me of that old footage of the Manson family. Its genuinely creepy. ChicanaVegan (@Elepitts1997) April 9, 2025 Related... U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a Democrat from Kansas, said she would introduce legislation in the U.S. House to restore and shield funding to Title X family planning clinics that was halted by the administration of President Donald Trump. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas endorsed the introduction of legislation to increase and protect funding to the federal family planning safety-net program after the Trump administration withheld millions of dollars for reproductive health clinics. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said the pause in distribution of appropriated Title X funding allowed for investigation of possible violation of federal laws or executive orders. The review included compliance with Trumps ban on promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Kansas and across the country, people are being turned away from the only places they can afford to get basic, lifesaving reproductive care all because the Trump administration is playing politics with their health, said Davids, a Democrat serving the 3rd District in eastern Kansas. This bill protects trusted providers and ensures access to cancer screenings, birth control and STI testing, no matter your income, where you live or how you vote, she said. The proposed Expanding Access to Family Planning Act would deliver federal funding to help sustain clinics serving an estimated 4 million people annually. In 2023, more than 1.5 million visits to Planned Parenthood health centers were made possible by the program. Under the U.S. House bill ready for introduction Wednesday, annual federal funding for Title X would be shielded from Republican efforts to eliminate the program. The bill would deliver $512 million annually for 10 years and address the current funding shortfall. The proposal also would allocate $50 million for clinic construction, renovations and infrastructure improvements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Davids said the legislation would protect Planned Parenthood from being excluded from federal appropriations by the Trump administration. The bill would reinstate federal regulations prohibiting discrimination against providers of Title X services, while ensuring comprehensive, affordable reproductive health care for patients regardless of income, race, immigration status or gender. It would make certain information and services related to prenatal care, delivery, infant care, foster care, adoption and pregnancy termination were provided. The Guttmacher Institute, which works to protect sexual and reproductive health and rights, estimated the freeze by HHS could impact access to health care for up to 1.25 million people, many of whom had modest incomes, were people of color or lived in medically underserved communities. Data shows that restrictions appearing to target one type of reproductive health care have ripple effects on all aspects of reproductive care, including abortion and contraception, said Kelly Baden, vice president of public policy at the Guttmacher Institute. After being forced to abandon her nomination as ambassador to the United Nations, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., announced on Wednesday that she will rejoin House Republican leadership. Stefanik was the GOP conference chair until she left the position after being nominated as U.N. ambassador by President Donald Trump, per Politico. She announced her new role as chairwoman of House Republican leadership in a post on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her U.N. nomination was pulled last month to help maintain and secure the House GOPs thin majority. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., then promised her a role back in leadership, but not in her old position, which is held by Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich. She wrote on X that in the new position, she will lead House Republicans in implementing President Donald Trumps mandate from the American people for an America First agenda that includes securing our borders, strengthening our national security, growing our economy, and combating the scourge of antisemitism across our country. Statement on Appointment as Chairwoman of House Republican Leadership Washington, D.C. Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik was appointed by Speaker Mike Johnson as Chairwoman of House Republican Leadership for the 119th Congress. In addition, she was reappointed to the House Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) April 9, 2025 Her new position is lower in leadership than her previous role where she was No. 4 in House GOP leadership, per Politico. The new role will focus on strategy and communications. It will also give her a seat on the GOP Steering Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The congresswoman added that she will be returning to the House Intelligence, House Armed Services, and Education and Workforce committees. I look forward to the work ahead in enacting President Trumps historic agenda, Stefanik wrote on X. Minnesota Congressman Tom Emmer appeared to make a Freudian slip as he seemed to refer to Donald Trump as President C*** before the commander-in-chief took to the podium at a key fundraising dinner. Emmer made remarks at the National Republican Congressional Committees annual gala in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday evening before making the slip-up. President C***, he appeared to say before quickly correcting himself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump is counting on us. The American people are counting on us, and our friends in this room and grassroots supporters across the country are counting on us. Social media users were quick to pounce on Emmers flub, with the anti-Trump PAC, The Lincoln Project, tweeting that he had it right the first time. Freud just chuckled in his grave, another X user added. Minnesota Congressman Tom Emmer appeared to make a Freudian slip on stage at the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner Tuesday (RSBN/X/Aaron Rupar) Emmer, the House Majority Whip, made the gaffe in front of GOP benefactors who paid upwards of $300,000 to attend the dinner. House Republicans Campaign Chair Richard Hudson said the committee raised $35.2 million ahead of the event, a source told The Hill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump later confirmed the figure on stage and said he hopes to raise $50 million at next years event. Moments before the blunder, Emmer stumbled his way through his opening speech as he greeted the GOP guests. Hello, fellow Republicans, he said. No! Hello, feb... feh... fellow Republicans! Where are ya? he continued, speaking more loudly after adjusting his microphone. I know this is the uh, this is the cheap time. You get to hear from me. Then, youre gonna get energy out of, Steve Scalise. And youre gonna get some energy out of our Speaker, Mike Johnson. But guess what? The show is Donald J. Trump. So get ready. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emmer then heaped praise on the presidents first few months in office, failing to address global markets, which continued their sell-off Tuesday. The sell-off began when Trump announced the duties against every nationbar Russiain his Liberation Day last week. Trump, speaking at the NRCC, resurfaced one of his most unusual remarks from his 2024 campaign about fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter (Getty Images) In just 100 days, President Trump has delivered endless wins for the American people, Emmer said. Whether it is ending the invasion at our southern border or rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse one thing is clear: America is back! Later in the evening, the president boasted that world leaders panicked by his gargantuan global tariffs are kissing my a** in desperate bids to reduce the levies. Please, Sir, make a deal. Ill do anything. Ill do anything, Sir, he said mockingly in a simpering voice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also touted his efforts for what he called Americas most successful 100 days in this country's history. He then resurfaced one of his more unusual remarks from the 2024 campaign trail: pining over the late, great Hannibal Lecter. They used to go crazy when I talked about... The late, great Hannibal Lecter. Right? he said. Why does he talk about that? Hes a fictional character. Hes not. We have many of them that came across the border. Hes actually not. WASHINGTON The House approved a measure that would block any legislation seeking to revoke the emergency declaration President Donald Trump issued earlier this year to impose global tariffs. The House approved a rules package on Wednesday, a procedural hurdle that must be completed before a bill can be brought to the floor. But tucked into that package was a provision to block lawmakers from forcing votes on resolutions to overturn Trumps emergency declarations being used to greenlight his tariffs. The move comes in response to bipartisan proposals in both the House and Senate to give lawmakers more authority over tariffs by requiring congressional approval for all tariffs implemented by the president. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is leading the effort in the Senate in tandem with Reps. Don Bacon, R-Neb., and Jeff Hurd, R-Colo., in the House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The language specifically ensures that lawmakers cannot force a vote on the legislation even through privileged means, a procedural tool that can be used to bring bills to the floor without leadership approval. However, the measure only applies to the emergency declaration Trump issued on April 2 that was used to impose a baseline 10% global tariff and higher taxes for other select countries. The block would also expire after Sept. 30. Under the resolution, the president would have been required to notify Congress within 48 hours of enacting new tariffs which must include an explanation and justification of the charges. The president must also provide an analysis of any potential impacts the tariffs would have on U.S. businesses and consumers. Congress would then need to pass a resolution of approval within 60 days, otherwise the tariffs would expire. Lawmakers would also have the authority to end tariffs at any time by passing a resolution of disapproval, even after initially approving them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump was quick to shut down those efforts, with the White House threatening to veto any legislation that reaches his desk seeking to limit his tariff authority. The president also criticized what he called rebel Republicans during a dinner with GOP lawmakers on Tuesday night. Some guy who wants to grandstand, say, I think that Congress should take over negotiations. Let me tell you, you dont negotiate like I negotiate, Trump said. I think we should get involved in the negotiation of the tariffs. Oh thats what I need, I need some guy telling me how to negotiate. The leadership move was not met with much pushback from Republican lawmakers. Both Bacon and Hurd voted in favor of the larger procedural package despite the language effectively killing their bill. However, at least one House Republican Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio opposed the package because of that addition. A persistent myth that millions of noncitizens are voting in federal elections is fueling legislation in Congress that could upend how Americans register to vote and disenfranchise millions of people in the process. House Republicans have reintroduced the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which would require a passport or a birth certificate matching ones current legal name when registering to vote and sets onerous in-person requirements that would make it more difficult to participate in elections. The House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 220-208 on April 10, with four Democratic members joining every Republican present in support. The bills fate in the Senate is unclear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The SAVE Act, if passed into law, would functionally eliminate voter registration by mail and online voter registration, according to Eliza Sweren-Becker, senior counsel at the voting rights program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law. It has a clear intent of trying to stop millions of American citizens from participating in our elections, she told The Independent. More than half of American citizens do not have a passport (application fees are $165) and 13 million citizens do not have ready access to citizenship documents, according to the Brennan Center. People of color are also more likely to lack easy access to those documents, the Brennan Center found. While roughly 8 percent of white American citizens dont have citizenship documents readily available, that figure is nearly 11 percent among Americans of color. Ilana Beller, democracy organizing manager with consumer advocacy nonprofit Public Citizen, said the SAVE Acts requirements will disproportionately impact women. Women voters are going to be most impacted if the SAVE Act is introduced (Getty Images) As many as 69 million women who have taken their spouses name do not have a birth certificate matching their legal name, according to the public policy think tank Center for American Progress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once you change your name, the name on your birth certificate is no longer your legal name, so changing ones voter registration would essentially require a passport, Beller told reporters last month. Updating documents or getting replacements can take a lot of time and money. Voters will have to race to have them ready in time to meet voter registration deadlines. I am currently doing the things that conservatives so badly want women to do in this country: Get married, have kids, work a job, she added. And because of that, Congress wants to force me to pay $165 and spend months jumping through hoops in order to participate in our democracy? Forcing in-person voter registration including when updating voter registration is impractical and unfeasible for millions of Americans, including people with disabilities, elderly Americans and Americans who live in rural areas, according to the Brennan Centers Sweren-Becker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Republicans with five Democrats passed a version of SAVE Act in 2024, after House Speaker Mike Johnson joined Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago to tie the presidents anti-immigration agenda to election integrity. Elon Musk had even suggested that anyone who voted against the bill should be executed for treason. Those who oppose this are traitors, he wrote on X at the time. What is the penalty for traitors again? Republican Rep. Chip Roy has reintroduced the SAVE Act, which would require states to collect and document proof of citizenship from voters (AP) Trump and his allies continue to baselessly insist that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him, including amplifying false claims about voting machines and the ways in which elections work, like the safeguards in place to prevent ballots cast by noncitizens from manipulating the outcomes. This legislation is premised on, ultimately, lies about the outcome of the 2020 election, and misinformation and disinformation about the way our elections work, and conspiracy theories about who's participating in our elections, Sweren-Becker said. The president has separately signed an executive order that similarly requires proof of citizenship when registering to vote. It also would require a national mail-in ballot deadline of Election Day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps order would also require the Election Assistance Commission to rewrite voting machine certification standards, and threatens to withhold federal funds to states that dont use sufficiently compliant machines. State voter rolls would also be shared with federal agencies. White House staff secretary Will Scharf celebrated Trumps order as the farthest-reaching executive action taken in the countrys history. Election law professor Rick Hasen called it an executive power grab that could disenfranchise millions of voters. If the executive order survives legal challenges, it will severely shift power over federal elections into the hands of the Presidency, he wrote. Democratic attorneys general are suing Donald Trump over his unconstitutional executive order that outlines dramatic changes to voting and election administration and threatens states with the loss of federal funds or criminal prosecution for noncompliance (Getty Images) In their lawsuit trying to block the executive order, Democratic officials from 19 states argue that the president is illegally trying to usurp state control of elections. The order sows confusion and sets the stage for chaos in state election systems, attorneys general wrote in their lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Handing registration information to agencies like the Department of Homeland Security and Musks so-called Department of Government Efficiency which a federal judge has accused of launching a bogus fishing expedition for fraud could also open the door for mass purges of voter rolls over spurious accusations of fraudulent voter registrations. At least 19 states have proposed similar voter ID laws to target noncitizen voters. Ahead of the 2024 election, thousands of people across the country were targeted for removal from state voter databases for allegedly registering as a non-citizen, what civil rights groups said is part of a concerted mass disenfranchisement effort. Most of those purges appeared to stem from errors on paperwork at a states Department of Motor Vehicles offices, which collect voter registration information. And in state after state, eligible voters were accidentally caught up in those mass purges. Some were given notices that they would even be criminally charged if they tried to vote. A sign for new voter registration is seen outside a polling location at Pinkerton Academy in Derry, N.H., Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP) The SAVE Act and Trumps order are about MAGA Republicans wanting to choose their voters, according to Susan Corke, executive director of bipartisan pro-democracy group State Democracy Defenders Action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican lawmakers are deliberately rigging the system to silence our voices and seize power for themselves while Trump is laying the groundwork for mass voter disenfranchisement, she said in a statement. The SAVE Act also would codify the surge in threats to state and local election workers by building in a specter of criminal prosecution or potentially crushing civil liability if officials challenge a voters eligibility. Elections dont stay free and fair without a fight. Brennan Center vice president Wendy Weiser If there's any ambiguity as to whether somebody has adequately demonstrated citizenship, according to the bill, then election officials are going to be more inclined not to register that person because of reasonable fear of the consequences, Sweren-Becker told The Independent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill would direct states to come up with a process for people who do not have passports or requisite documents, but its not clear what those processes could entail, and whether states are even prepared to make those kinds of changes. Within the two years before the 2020 election, more than 91 million Americans registered for the first time or updated their registrations more than two-thirds of registered voters, according to the Brennan Center. I want folks to recognize that the fight for free and fair elections in 2026 and 2028 is on now, the centers vice president Wendy Weiser told reporters this week. We need to be vigilant Elections dont stay free and fair without a fight. Investment bank Jefferies upgraded Apple (AAPL) stock to Hold from Underperform, citing valuation and its belief that the iPhone maker would likely be exempt from U.S. tariffs. However, Schwab Network commentator Kevin Green warned that the tech giant could be negatively impacted by the current trade war between the U.S. and China. Jim Cramer Warns: Apple (AAPL) Must Bring Production Home or Risk Missing Its Numbers A wide view of an Apple store, showing the range of products the company offers. Jefferies Upgrade of AAPL The investment bank raised its rating on the iPhone maker despite cutting its price target on the name to $1,267.88 from $232.33. Jefferies is assuming that AAPL will be exempt from U.S. tariffs, and the investment bank believes that such a development will be positive for the shares. Additionally, Jefferies contends that a significant amount of uncertainty is priced into the shares at their current levels. Green Discusses the Macro Picture "Megacap names like Apple" could be impacted by the continuation of the trade dispute between America and China, Green warned. "The biggest risk is the U.S. response to China's recent tariff increase," he added. Noting that the Vix had reached a very high 56.5, Green said that the market was facing "a lot of unknowns" at this point. While we acknowledge the potential of AAPL, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than AAPL but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. In late February, Trumps Transportation Secretary Sean Duffydutifully doing his bosss biddingannounced an investigation into the California High-Speed Rail Authoritys use of a $3.1 billion federal grant for its long-awaited high-speed rail system. The project, he said, was severelyno pun intendedoff track. By comparison, he pointed to another rail project: Brightline West, a $12.4 billion, 218-mile route under construction between the Los Angeles suburbs and Las Vegas. Those are the projects that I think taxpayers are willing to invest in, Duffy said during his presser, praising the project for being on budget, on time. (It is, in fact, already running behind schedule, but whatever.) Conservatives at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research have similarly portrayed Brightline as proof that private models work better than public ones: As Californias long-running, over-budget, publicly funded rail project sputters, a Florida private company demonstrates how to get it done. Founded by the billionaire Fortress Investment Group co-founder, Milwaukee Bucks owner, and Trump financial enabler Wes Edens, Florida-based Brightline is the first new private passenger rail company in a century. It began operations in 2018, with a 235-mile route between Miami and Orlando that tops out at 125 miles per hour. In 2024, Brightline broke ground on Brightline West, which, if completed according to plan, would reach speeds of 200 miles per hour, making it Americas first high-speed rail. The company has received billions in public grants and bonds for the project, which it says will be ready for passengers by 2028. The lionization of Brightline as a private-sector corrective to Californias failures was also evident in recent coverage from The New York Times, which reported last week that Brightline has proved that it can operate reliable, well-designed passenger trains that people want to ride and asked whether the public sector can do the same. The New York Times is not the only mainstream outlet to present private railand Brightline specificallyas a remedy to Americas long-standing public rail woes. The future of U.S. train travel is hereand its not on Amtrak, ran Fast Companys 2023 headline about the company. Time named Brightline one of the most influential companies of 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, these reports brush over Brightlines serious shortcomings. And at a time when the Trump administration is calling for the privatization of Amtrak, this kind of coverage risks eroding political support for public rail, threatening the future of a system designed to provide affordable, useful, reliable transportation for the greatest number of people. The New York Times mostly positive article about Brightline does eventually concede that the news about the company hasnt all been rosy and that some Floridians have taken to calling Brightline the Death Train because more than 100 people have died crossing the tracks. But reporter Michael Kimmelman immediately notes that three million riders chose to ride the railway nonetheless last year. This understates the extent of the issue. Brightline Florida is not merely deadly, it is the single deadliest railway per mile in the countrythree times worse than the next midsize or major railroad, according to a 2022 AP analysis. Its hard not to see that as related to its for-profit model. Investing in grade separationthat is, overpasses or underpassesat crossings would allow roads to cross railway tracks without stopping. But grade separation can cost up to $40 million per crossing, and there are 315 crossings along Brightlines route between Miami and Orlando. For years before it launched the first phase of its service in South Florida, Brightline shunned Federal Railroad Administration recommendations for sealed corridors at 31 of its crossings, as well as far less expensive safety measures such as gates and signs. Brightline initially said the measures were cost-prohibitive before ultimately directing its signals consultants to incorporate all of the recommended design treatments where applicable along its service route. It subsequently made additional improvements with tens of millions in federal grant money, and in 2023 it was forced to make even more after settling a lawsuit. That same year, the company faced criticism for encouraging people to sign a digital safety pledge, which seemed designed to deflect responsibility for crashes along its route. Today, Brightline attributes 75 percent of the deaths along its route to suicide; a watchdog group estimated the percentage of suicides at closer to 12 percent. A Brightline representative declined to comment on the record. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paradoxically, while Brightline Florida runs at speeds that are dangerously fast (nearly 80 mph) in densely populated areas, its lack of grade separation actually makes it sluggish compared to trains in most of the developed world. On average, it travels at less than 70 miles per hour, slightly slower than a car traveling on a Florida freeway. Brightline advertises its Florida rail service as high-speed, though it only reaches 125 miles per hourthe minimum for high-speed classificationfor a 35-mile stretch of its route, a fact that Kimmelman neglects to mention. A cynical person might guess that they have this single stretch solely so they could justify calling it a high speed line, Jesse Harasta, a co-founder and co-chair of the advocacy group San Antonians for Rail Transit, wrote last year in a Medium essay about the company. The problems of privatized rail for passengers are not unique to Brightline. In Britain, privatization of passenger rail, which began in the 1990s, was such a disasterresulting in increased delays, cancellations, overcrowding, and expense to passengersthat the notoriously pro-privatization Conservatives had no option but to renationalize passenger railways in 2020. While Japans private rail system is a notable exception, Taras Grescoe, a Canadian transit advocate, notes that when you look around the world, the countries that are doing this best are the countries that have nationalized, publicly owned rail systems. Privatized rail not only fails the riding public, it also largely fails as a business. Despite a 251 percent fare increase last summer, Brightline still has not seen a profit. In fact, it has reported significant losses, including a net loss of nearly $493 million in the first nine months of 2024 alone, even as ridership and revenue have increased. This is hardly unusual; passenger rail is, with few exceptions, a money-losing venture. But for Brightlines ownersFortress Investment Group, a subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Co., a sovereign wealth fund of the government of Abu Dhabiprofitability may be, to some extent, beside the point. Harasta, for example, believes the primary purpose of Brightline is not to turn a profit in itself but to serve as a driver to inflate the property market in impacted markets, a bit like Manhattans Little Island park, built by billionaire Barry Diller who, not coincidentally, happens to be heavily invested in nearby real estate. If this is indeed the strategy, Brightline has been a big success. Residential sales around Miamis Brightline station increased 31.9 percent between 2018 and 2023. In Fort Lauderdale, total resale value in and around the citys Brightline station rose 51.4 percent in that same time period. Brightlines owners are cashing in on the trend: According to the Times, The company has built, then sold, three towers on top of MiamiCentral and another next door, and also erected then sold an apartment complex near its station in West Palm Beach. While this is good news for luxury real estate developers, its bad news for low-income Floridians vulnerable to the impacts of gentrification. The threat of displacement near Brightline stations is so great, in fact, that it inspired JPMorgan Chase to award $5 million to help a coalition of housing groups build and preserve affordable housing along the companys Florida route. Americans overwhelmingly believe in the importance of a strong American passenger rail system, and are eager to see our current rail infrastructure expand. Thats understandable: Driving in America is expensive, dangerous, and cooking the planet. Many of uslike one person Kimmelman spoke to, a Brightline passenger on vacation in Florida who lamented losing so many hours of my life driving the highway between Little Rock and Memphismight be tempted to support a possible mix of private and public ownership of our rail system, as long as it gets trains on tracks and reduces our dependency on cars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But rail doesnt work like that. Throwing our lot in with the likes of Brightline may actually preclude the development of something bettersince, as Harasta points out, the number of potentially profitable city pairings are limited. Each profitable city pairing that gets cornered by a private company instead weakens the overall fiscal viability of our national rail network. Truth be told, California High-Speed Rail is not a great advertisement for the merits of public rail. But the notion that Brightline could do better based on the progress of Brightline West fails to acknowledge the huge differences between the projects: The California High-Speed Rail route is more than three times longer than Brightline West, has eight times as many stations, involves the construction of dozens of grade separation projects, and requires buying land from bitterly resistant private ownersan obstacle Brightline West avoids because its being built mostly on a highway median. (Brightline Florida runs largely on existing freight lines, saving the company similar headaches.) Public rail in America certainly faces substantial challenges, but its by no means irredeemable. As Malcolm Harris argues in The Baffler, the challenges of California High-Speed Rail demonstrate the need for more public control of our economy, not less: Without a strong base level of state capacity, even a state rail project is dependent on the cooperation of many contractors, and these private actors are looking for a nice and easy return. Brightline is now looking to expand across the countryEdens has his eyes on Brightline routes that link dense cities in Texas, the Pacific Northwest, the American South, and the Midwest. As the Trump administration targets a wide variety of public goods, its never been more important to reject bad-faith demonization of public projects and note the serious shortcomings of the so-called solutions offered by the private sector. LAST WEEK, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES held its fifth hearing about a lie. I was called as the sole minority witness in the latest installment of this particular right-wing fever dream, what the Republican majority on a subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee called the Censorship-Industrial Complex: The Need for First Amendment Safeguards at the State Department. Based on that title, you might think the hearing would investigate the cases of foreign students who have recently been arrested and had their visas revoked because they deigned to use their rights to free expression. But no, the Republicans werent there to talk about the ongoing assault on our Constitution. Instead, they wanted to talk about made-up stuff. For the past four years, the Republican party has engaged in obsessive mythmaking about supposed collusion by Democrats, disinformation researchers, and the social media industry to suppress conservative viewpoints online. Reputable journalists have punctured holes in this narrative, showing how it is based on distortion and exaggeration. Academics, too, have looked into the question and found not a vast conspiracy aimed at censoring conservatives but a clear imbalance: right-wing users simply break social media platforms rules more frequently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These hearings have no real analytical or fact-finding purpose, but House Republicans have created an entire fictional universe around them, comprising two investigations, dozens of transcribed interviews and depositions, and subpoenas for reams of documents and emails from research institutions around the country. These actions have formed the basis of frivolous lawsuits and smear campaigns of which institutions large and small have struggled to bear the burden. If that sounds to you like modern-day McCarthyism, its because it is. Like McCarthys anti-Communist crusade, Republican pursuit of the censorship lie is political theater is high on fantasy and low on facts. Still, it has had dire consequences; disinformation researchers have faced threats, harassment, and declining funding as a result. The information environment is in rough shape. Sign up for a free or paid Bulwark subscription to help us improve it through our independent political reporting, commentary, and analysis. Ive been a direct target of this dangerous Republican projection. In 2022, I was appointed to lead the Disinformation Governance Board, an admittedly poorly named but anodyne coordination body tasked with shepherding counter-disinformation policy within the Department of Homeland Security. Within hours of the boards public launch, partisan media, influencers, and members of Congress were calling it a Ministry of Truth and claiming that I would be censoring Americans speech. They did this entirely without evidence; as demonstrated by the boards founding documents and my five-hour sworn deposition before the House Judiciary Committee in 2023, the board had nothing to do with censorship. Its mission was to protect civil rights, civil liberties, privacy, and the First Amendment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lies about me led to widespread harassment, credible death threats, and my inclusion in deepfake pornography. I have been forced to spend almost $90,000 in legal bills dealing with a frivolous civil suit, a congressional deposition, and a cyberstalker. So as I prepared for last weeks hearing, it made a lot of sense that a colleague asked me, Why are you doing this? Shouldnt you just keep your head down? Though I wasnt being compelled to appear, I didnt feel like I had a choice; it was an opportunity to directly challenge the folks who have used a conspiracy theory to decimate our nations response to foreign disinformation. More importantly, it was a chance to directly channel the anger and frustration that many Americans are feeling to a few of the people who need to hear it. This was clear even before the hearingstarting from the moment Republicans learned I would be the Democratic witness. Republicans online posts dripped with condescension and sexism, branding me Joe Bidens short-lived disinformation czar (instead of engaging with my actual credentials or expertise) and sharing a carefully curated lineup of witness photospolished headshots for the Republican witnesses, and a ridiculous screenshot from a four-year-old TikTok video for me. They reduced me to a caricature rather than engaging with my record of work. The infantilizing rhetoric continued in the hearing itself, where Rep. Bill Huizenga, the chairman of the South and Central Asia Subcommittee that hosted the hearing, introduced me without so much as a mention of my professional background or qualifications, instead calling me a disinformation czarina with a smirk. Meanwhile, the Republican witnesses were given fulsome introductions. The majority clearly expected the folk villain theyve createda zealous, woke, feminist censorto appear. They thought they could scare or perhaps embarrass me into submission. Instead, in both my prepared testimony and my responses to committee questions I called out the hypocrisy of the subcommittees Republicans for holding their first hearing on a fiction, rather than the flagrant violations of the Constitution they were allowing the Trump administration to commit. If [the arrest of Fulbright Ph.D. student Rumeysa Ozturk] had happened in a country in this subcommittees portfolio, you would issue a statement of concern, I told them. But it happened here. So yes, we need First Amendment protections at the State Departmentbut not for imagined transgressions of previous administrations. We need protections from this administration, today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I also challenged the Republicans star witness, Matt Taibbi, whose participation only underscored just how unserious the hearing was. Taibbi was a central participant in the so-called Twitter Files, the much-hyped journalistic flop that falsely alleged Twitter executives were colluding with government to censor disfavored content. His reporting has been widely debunked. In his barely coherent remarks before the subcommittee, Taibbi claimed that he and other bloggers didnt know what they were looking at when Elon Musk first allowed them to access the documents, as if they had stumbled upon something huge, not purposely relied on outright falsehoods, innuendo, and selectively edited screenshots to drive subscriptions to their paywalled content. I told the subcommittee, Mr. Taibbi said . . . he didnt know what he was looking at. Well, he still doesnt. Everythings a conspiracy when you dont know how anything works. Share The Bulwark From the dais, Republicans shambolic embrace of authoritarianism was on full display. Rep. Keith Self decided it would be appropriate to quote Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels during a congressional hearing. (I think his intention was to compare me to Goebbels, which would be shocking regardless of the context, but he chose to do it after I repeatedly pushed back on his assumptions about my views, undermining his already-garbled line of questions.) Worse still, this wasnt even the first time hes done it. Back in 2010, he used a Goebbels quote to attack a political opponent, and now, in 2025, hes doing it again to prop up a manufactured moral panic. When confronted, he didnt retract or apologize. Instead, his office doubled down, spinning the quote as some sort of righteous critique of government censorship and unfounded attack on me. (For next time, Rep. Self: If you have to explain why youre quoting a Nazi, perhaps dont quote a Nazi.) Selfs Goebbels moment aired on Fox News the day after the hearing, leading me to be targeted with a fresh round of online threats and a violent voicemail. Rep. Self wasnt the only committee member to awkwardly grasp at a dubious historical reference during the hearing. Responding to my characterization of the hearing as a twenty-first-century McCarthy inquisition, Rep. Scott Perry mused aloud that many people disagree with McCarthys methods, but you cant disagree with the facts: that the people that he listed turned out to all be subversive Communists. The irony was so thick you could cut it with a knife: While claiming to be concerned about free speech and backing Trumps assault on the First Amendment, Perry was celebrating one of the most infamous abusers of American government power, and distorting history in the process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the days since the hearing, Ive gotten notes of thanks from many Americans who were happy to see someone directly confronting a few of the falsehoods on which Trumpists have built their rule. Like the town halls across the country where Trumps foot soldiers are being challenged by angry constituents for the first time, these representatives were unprepared for the indignation and expertise of someone theyve smeared without a second thought. Wading through their hypocrisy is exhausting. And its risky. But if we want to slow or stop Americas slide into autocracy, we have to keep fighting for the truth. Last weeks hearing, though a spectacle based on lies, reminded me that we shouldnt wallow in despair; when you stand up to bullies and fight, they crumble. Share this article with someone who values truth over political expediency. Share By Bo Erickson and Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Republicans in Congress are worried that the market rout sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs is taking a heavy toll on retirees and people approaching retirement age - a critical constituency for their party. Stocks have plummeted in the week since Trump kicked off a trade war with the U.S.' major trading partners while Treasuries have also been hit with fresh selling pressure, weighing on the private 401(k) accounts and other investments Americans rely on to fund their retirements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some Republican lawmakers have expressed worry this week about the hit to Americans' investments ahead of next year's midterm elections, when control of both chambers of Congress will be up for grabs. "People are going to look at their 401(k) statements. They did vote for President Trump and they voted for me. ... I'm just trying to figure out if they are going to feel good about this," said Thom Tillis of North Carolina, one of seven Senate Republicans who have signed on to a bipartisan bill that would give Congress the authority to review and override new tariffs. Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana expressed similar concern. "It's not fun. I don't like it. I like it when the market goes up," Kennedy told reporters. He said he wants to give Trump's gambit a chance, but that the president ought to do a better job of informing the public about his short-term goals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We don't know how long it'll take (to see positive results), we don't know what the short-term consequences will be," Kennedy said. "We don't know if the medicine will be worse than the disease." Retirees and people nearing retirement age represent a significant part of the Republican electorate. Trump's November victory came thanks to voters age 50 and up, while his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, won voters age 18 to 49, exit polls show. And older Americans are significantly more likely to vote than younger ones, particularly so in non-presidential years like the upcoming 2026 midterm elections. 'WATCHING THE MARKET ALL DAY' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I talked to a retired gentleman the other day in Kentucky and he said he had been watching the market all day," said Senator Rand Paul, an outspoken critic of the tariffs. "Think about it. If you're already retired and you lose 20% of your retirement income in a day, that's an enormous hit," the lawmaker from Kentucky said. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent argued on Sunday that retirees have a "long-term view" of the stock market and their retirement accounts. Americans who want to retire right now, the Americans who put away for years in their savings accounts, I think they dont look at the day-to-day fluctuations," Bessent said on NBC's "Meet the Press." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tillis, who will be defending one of three Republican-held Senate seats seen as competitive next year, expressed skepticism at that idea. "I don't know how old Secretary Bessent is but I bet the 11,400 people who became 65 today probably checked it recently," Tillis said in an interview. Democrats have blasted the tariffs and their economic toll. "Americans are looking at their 401(k)'s today and wondering how much of a lifestyle change they are going to have to have, or whether they're going to be able to retire when they plan to because of the recklessness and haphazard nature of the Trump administration's imposition of tariffs," Senator Maggie Hassan, a New Hampshire Democrat, told U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer during Senate testimony on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WAIT AND SEE Given the great control Trump exerts over his party, many congressional Republicans have said they're willing to take time to see the effects of Trump's policies. They include Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who has signaled that he has no plan to bring up the bill lead by Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington and Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa to exert more congressional control over tariffs. "Everybody's concerned about the market, for sure," Thune told reporters on Monday. "A lot of Americans, obviously, have retirement plans, mutual funds, 401(k)'s." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The senator from South Dakota said he was willing to wait to see how the tariff moves "play out." Trump has compared the tariffs to "medicine," saying that any short-term pain will be offset by long-term growth, predicting that the tariffs would drive up manufacturing employment. Reuters/Ipsos polling shows that older Americans are receptive to that argument. Some 55% of Americans aged 55 and up agreed with the statement that "any short-term economic pain is worth it to make the U.S. stronger in the long term" in a poll concluded on Sunday. Just 40% of Americans 34 and under agreed. "Everybody wants to know how this works out long term," said Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, "I think a lot of people are going to be patient if we can see the trading world getting more beneficial." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked what they are hearing from constituents about their retirement accounts, Republican Senator Ron Johnson from Wisconsin said "not a whole lot right now," and Republican Senator Roger Wicker from Mississippi said "very little." Republican Representative Roger Williams, who owns car dealerships in his home state of Texas, downplayed worries about tariffs bringing down 401(k) balances. "I'm not afraid of them, I'm aware of them," Williams said of the tariffs. "I can tell you Main Street, like me and other businesses, they're not interested in all this stuff about tariffs," Williams said. "They want their tax cut." (Reporting by Bo Erickson and Richard Cowan; Editing by Scott Malone and Mark Porter) CUMBERLAND The companies that operate three national chain restaurants have confirmed that they plan to locate in Allegany County. Jersey Mikes Subs and Chipotle Mexican Grill will open Cumberland locations, while Longhorn Steakhouse will build its restaurant on Vocke Road in LaVale at the Country Club Mall entrance. Jersey Mikes will occupy the former LabCorp building at 320 S. Mechanic St., company spokesman Kyle Potvin said. The building is next to Wendys restaurant. LabCorp moved to Queen City Centre on Park Street last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sub shop has more than 4,000 locations either open or in development. Potvin said plans for the restaurant are still being finalized. Longhorn plans a late fall or winter opening, Jessica Dinon, a spokeswoman for Darden Restaurants, which operates the chain, said. She said planning for the restaurant was in the early stages and other details werent available, but work has begun with the construction of a retaining wall on land at the Vocke and Country Club Mall roads intersection. Chipotles restaurant at Park and Williams streets is expected to open next year, Annie Gradinger, a senior analyst in the companys external communications department said. A Chipotle restaurant typically employs about 30 people, and the company offers competitive benefits, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nearby at Queen City Center, a Dunkin franchise is being constructed next to Chick-fil-A. Rural King The farm, home and outdoor store Rural King announced in 2023 that it would locate in the former JCPenney space at the Country Club Mall. Work recently began at the site, but the company declined to release details. Country Club Mall ownership didnt respond to a request for information. The family-owned company was founded in 1960 and operates more than 130 stores across 13 states. The LaVale location would be the companys first in Maryland. DES MOINES, Iowa One of the top priorities outlined by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has been passed through both chambers and is eligible to be signed into law. The bill bans the use of cellphones in schools for students during instructional time. It passed through the Iowa House after the chamber concurred with an Iowa Senate amendment by a vote of 92 to 4. Iowa House Republicans send school funding bill to Gov. Reynolds amid House Democrats warning of cuts Digital distractions are at an all-time high, disrupting focus, learning, and productivity in our classrooms. Iowa students deserve to learn free from the disruption of personal electronic devices to fully focus on their education. Weve seen tremendous progress in student behavior and engagement at our schools that have already implemented such policies. I look forward to signing this bill, allowing every Iowa student to once again prioritize learning. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds (R) The bill includes a specific date for the Iowa Department of Education to develop a model policy that school districts can lean on when developing a policy that best fits each district. But at minimum, the bill requires no cellphone use during instructional time with ways cellphones can be used if necessary. School districts will also have to develop a way for parents to contact students in the event of an emergency during school hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill requires districts to have a policy ready to roll before the start of the 2025-26 school year. Out of 150 members of the Iowa Legislature, only four lawmakers voted against the governors proposal. Iowa News: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. A retired Laurel County Sheriffs sergeant recently passed following his hard-fought battle with cancer. Sgt. Jack Caudill, of London, died last Tuesday, April 1, at age 69. Caudill was born Sept. 19, 1955, in Paintsville, to the late Jack Caudill and Patsy Wolverton Caudill. He was married to Jennifer Charles Caudill of London, with whom he had two children daughter Veronica Caudill and son Jack Caudill. He was the grandfather of Madden Jack Caudill, and a brother to Lynn Jarrell. In addition to his parents, Jack Caudill is preceded in death by three siblings Brian Caudill, Ronnie Caudill, and Donnie Caudill. Before Caudill worked at LCSO, he began his career in law enforcement at the Kane County Sheriffs Office in Illinois. There, Caudill fulfilled various duties including having served in the first special operations unit. He also acted as a gang officer, detective, training officer, and road deputy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After his time in Illinois, Caudill returned to Kentucky, where he served with LCSO until he retired in 2023. Caudill also volunteered as a security guard at Cornerstone Christian School. Labeled a stern and family-oriented man by his colleagues, Caudill was most known for being dedicated to both his work and loved ones. Bailiff Jerry Poynter worked closely with Caudill for years and spoke on the loss of his one former colleague. He was the most honest, straight-shooting man I have ever known in my entire life, Poynter commented. He looked after his people and he made sure that things were done right. Poynter shared that he had become close friends with Caudill through their work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes going to be sorely missed by everybody that knew him, he said. He retired a couple years ago but his presence is still felt every day. Poynter sends his condolences to Caudills family. Another colleague of Caudills who gave comment was Deputy Daniel Reed. Reed shared that Caudill was a Christian and family man who brought a vast knowledge from when he worked in the Chicago area. Laurel Sheriff John Root posted a tribute to the retired sergeant, stating, He earned the respect of all the men and women under his supervision, and I can confidently say that if I were to face a challenging situation, I wouldnt mind a bit to have Jack by my side because theres no doubt he would stand with you. Jack brought to the table old-school values, straightforwardness, and unwavering resolve. In closing, Root wrote, Rest easy, my friend; we will carry on from here. A memorial service was held for Caudill at the Bowling Funeral Home Chapel Sunday, March 6. As the stock market continues to fluctuate, anxiety levels for many retirees, as well as people close to retiring, have spiked. Some feel as though their financial status is at risk. Jim Lyons, financial advisor with Edward Jones, said theres no doubt when things go down, no one likes it and people can get nervous, but said its a normal part of the investing process. According to the U.S. Census Department, there are more than 70 million Americans who take part in employer 401K programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elderly man loses over $1K following online security scam But when it comes to your 401K, it can be tied closely to the markets performance. And with some people seeing a dip in their investments, its caused paranoia for some when it comes to what they should do with their money. The emotions of investing are tricky because your body is telling you to do something different than what you should be doing, but if you recognize thats the way it is then you can be calm, said Lyons. If youre close to retirement or are already retired, you shouldnt be relying on the stock market for income. Financial experts said people at this stage of life should be much more conservative in their investments than if they were younger They should be in the process of planning on taking some income from your 401K, rolling it over, or moving it over to an IRA in their own name. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lyons says age-based 401 K s are another good option, where you set it for when you plan on retiring, and it automatically rebalances based on that. In those instances, your downturn should be a lot less than someone who is much deeper in stocks right now. Weve seen downturns in 2000, downturns in 2020, one in 2008, and now this of this magnitude. You want to make sure you plan for them in advance because you know that theyre going to happen, said Lyons. What you can control is the diversification of your account, so how much stocks to bonds you have, and then the quality of the investments that you have. How you determine good quality is just how they perform against other investments that do what they do. Erie Catholic Diocese announces funds for Venango Co. school Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The University of Michigans Consumer Sentiment Index showed a 12-year low for the month of March, meaning people clearly arent feeling good about the market. But that can also be an opportunity for riskier investors. When its low and people feel bad about things, the one year return the next year averaged about 14% a year. When people feel good, a one-year return a year later is about 5% a year, said Lyons. Lyons said if youre a young investor, though, its a good time to save and to invest in long-term options that can spring up after the market bounces 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 WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com. By Jessie Pang HONG KONG(Reuters) - A Hong Kong court sentenced a prominent social worker on Wednesday to 3 years and 9 months imprisonment for rioting during the city's 2019 pro-democracy protests, following a retrial. Jackie Chen was convicted by Deputy District Judge May Chung in March. She had pleaded not guilty and declined to testify during her retrial, which was ordered after she was found innocent of the charges in 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chung said in her judgment that as Hong Kong is a society with rule of law, the sentencing imposed by the court must have a deterrent effect. Chen was initially cleared of rioting in the Wan Chai and Causeway Bay districts on August 31, 2019, after District Court Judge Sham Siu-man ruled that the prosecutors had failed to establish a prima facie case against her. Three other defendants Lai Pui Ki, Chung Ka Nang, Jason Gung were sentenced to 2 years and 5 months after pleading guilty at retrial. They were also initially acquitted by Judge Sham. Months of sometimes violent pro-democracy protests rocked the global financial hub in 2019 and sparked a Beijing-imposed security crackdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chen, a member of the Battlefield Social Worker group during the 2019 protests, was frequently seen by witnesses with a loudhailer, liaising between protesters and police officers, monitoring police action and offering emotional support to people. Judge Chung noted Chen's use of a loud hailer, saying she encouraged the riot through shouting. Chung also said she had taken into account the fact that Chen was under mental stress from the retrial, would have her social worker's licence revoked and that she had been a social worker for years. Rioting is capped at a maximum of seven-year sentence at the District Court. Seperately, Chow Kim-ho, a former member of the pro-democracy group League of Social Democrats, was jailed on Tuesday for one year for posting seditious comments on three social media platforms under the city's homegrown national security law. He had pleaded guilty. (Reporting by Jessie Pang; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) DENVER (KDVR) The number of University of Colorado students who have had their visas revoked has tripled in just a week, rising to 12 across the university system, according to a statement. The University of Colorado System can confirm, as of this posting, that 12 international students across all four of our campuses have had their student visa status revoked, the university wrote on its website in a statement. Federal agencies involved in these revocations are not sharing with CU the specific reasons for their actions. Previous coverage: At least 9 international student visas revoked at Colorado universities Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first round of visa revocations came just days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that at least 300 international visas to the U.S. had been canceled. On April 1, FOX31 learned that four CU students attending on F-1 visas had their visas revoked. Colorado State University also said that five of its international students had been impacted by visa revocations. The university said it would not be releasing information about specific students and their circumstances because federal laws protect students privacy rights, but could provide the information if it is court-ordered. In December, the university said it would continue to support its foreign student enrollment despite concerns regarding President Trumps immigration policies. On March 29, Colorado State University posted a message about its international student community. We are aware that some CSU international students have been impacted by visa revocations and SEVIS terminations issued by the U.S. Department of State, the university said, adding that impacted students should immediately contact their embassy and the CSU Office of International Programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As we navigate this fluid situation, the Office of International Programs is available to provide support to our international students and scholars, and we will do our best to answer questions and advise you appropriately during these uncertain times, the university stated. Rubio told reporters in March that he didnt know if the visas that were revoked were primarily students or not, but said anyone who holds a visa is a visitor to the U.S., and if they are taking activities that are counter to our national interest then they would have their visas revoked. Attorney general defends filing dozens of cases against Trump administration He was asked about whether any of the visas related to students engaging in protests, particularly pro-Palestine protests. Rubio told reporters No one has a right to a visa and that the opinions being expressed have crossed a line. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (I)f you are in this country on a student visa and are a participant in those movements, we have a right to deny your visa, Rubio said in March. I think it would make sense to deny your visa. Were going to err on the side of caution. We are not going to be importing activists into the United States. Theyre here to study. Theyre here to go to class. Theyre not here to lead activist movements that are disruptive and undermine the our universities. I think its lunacy to continue to allow that. Its unclear at this point what the visa revocations mean for the students impacted, or why the visas have been revoked. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he will urge the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop recommending fluoride in drinking water, citing concerns about its impact on health. Fluoride should not be in our water, Kennedy said during his Make America Healthy Again tour. Evidence against fluoride is overwhelming. Kennedy argued that toothpaste and mouthwash containing fluoride are sufficient for dental care, and that adding it to public water supplies is unnecessary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It makes no sense to have fluoride in our water, he said. The American Dental Association pushed back. ADA President Dr. Brett Kessler called Kennedys position irresponsible and warned it could result in a spike in dental problems, particularly among children from low-income families. Fluoride really has reduced the amount of cavities in the population with little to no side effects, Kessler said. Were going to expect to see a 25-30% increase in cavities, especially in kids, especially in the lower-income socioeconomic demographics. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers are split. Rep. Pete Aguilar, (D-Calif.) said Kennedys position endangers public health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a bunch of health risk that obviously Secretary Kennedy is walking away from, Aguilar said. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said the issue deserves further investigation. Theres a concern that it may be having a negative effect on the health of children, Johnson said. According to the CDC, about two-thirds of Americans receive fluoridated drinking water. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Canadian National train service employees represented by the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference will get a 3% annual raise under an arbitrators contract decision. Arbitrator William Kaplan released his decision Monday on the three-year contract, which runs from Jan. 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2026. When CN (NYSE: CNI) and the TCRC were unable to reach a negotiated settlement during their contract talks, the Canada Industrial Relations Board sent the matter to binding arbitration in August 2024 after a brief lockout. Kaplan urged the railway and union to iron out their differences regarding changes to work rules. Both parties proposed detailed changes to work rules. And both parties described the proposals they sought as justified by demonstrated need, and the ones advanced by the other party as breakthroughs that would never be accepted in free collective bargaining, Kaplan wrote. This is what led to the bargaining impasse (and inability to bridge the divide in the mediation phase). Between now and the expiry of the collective agreement settled by this award the parties, obviously, need to turn their attention to both employee rest and employee availability; both extremely important issues for the TCRC and CN. Doing so is in their evident shared interest requiring their focused attention. These issues are, in my view, best resolved in free collective bargaining with its associated gives and takes. Experience in this matter indicates that they will not be resolved absent appropriate reciprocity. Union leaders told the rank and file that binding arbitration was never their goal when seeking a new contract with CN. While this is not the preferred outcome for the TCRC, it must be understood that the award does not contain any of the significant concessions sought by the company, the unions six general chairmen wrote in a letter to members. Unfortunately, CNs demands were (and remain) completely unacceptable throughout the entire bargaining process, the union said. The Company would not relent on what it considered necessary operational changes, primarily resulting from reforms in government regulation. The TCRC could never agree to these concessionary demands that encroached on the rights of you, the TCRC members at CN. CN expressed disappointment, as well. Although CN remains disappointed that a negotiated agreement was not reached at the bargaining table, the Company is pleased to be moving forward, the railway said in a statement. CN also remains committed to modernizing the collective agreement for the benefit of employees, customers, and the North American economy. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaking at a Make America Healthy Again press conference in the Arizona Senate on April 8, 2025. Screenshot via ACTV/azleg.gov U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. got an enthusiastic welcome from the Grand Canyon States Make America Healthy Again crowd during a stop at the Arizona Senate on Tuesday. A small but noisy crowd that gathered in the Arizona Senate building including comedian and prominent anti-vaxxer Rob Schneider, a Scottsdale resident cheered and applauded while Kennedy praised two Republican-backed health bills that have already passed through the legislature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One would direct the state to request a federal waiver to ban recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamps, from using them to purchase soda. Another, which garnered unanimous support from legislators in both parties, would ban ultra-processed foods from school lunches. This is a historic moment of leadership for our state, Sen. Janae Shamp, R-Surprise, said on Tuesday. Arizona is once again proving that we will stand up for what is right, even if we face opposition. We are prioritizing the health of our citizens, our children, over corporate interests. We are choosing science over profit. But the same crowd that cheered for the Republicans nutrition legislation booed and yelled insults at a reporter who asked Kennedy about the governments response to a measles outbreak that has killed two children and one adult so far. The outbreak has primarily sickened the unvaccinated, including all three the people who died. Lets talk about food! Kennedy yelled into the microphone as the moderator and crowd shouted down the Associated Press reporter who asked the question. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Kennedy has long been an anti-vaccine activist, but since taking office has given lukewarm support to the MMR vaccine the inoculation against measles, mumps and rubella finally saying on April 6 that its the best way to prevent the measles. Shamp, who is a former nurse, said she was forced out of her previous job because she refused to get a COVID-19 vaccine. House Bill 2164, which would ban ultra processed food from being served at any school that receives federal funding for its meal program, passed unanimously through both chambers of the Arizona Legislature and has a chance of being signed by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. Hobbs is not shy about vetoing legislation thats lacking support from Democratic legislators. For that reason, the other piece of MAHA legislation that Kennedy was there to support, House Bill 2165, is likely headed for a veto. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both measures were introduced by Rep. Leo Biasiucci, R-Lake Havasu City, who said that for too long people talked and worried about what the harmful ingredients in foods are doing to Americans health, but no one listened until Kennedy started talking about it. It certainly hasnt ever been a priority for Republicans. Michelle Obamas efforts as first lady to reform the school lunch program by making meals healthier and to get kids exercising were met with derision from Republicans, many of whom disagreed with the idea that the government should closely regulate the contents of school lunches. On Tuesday, Biasiucci mentioned the various food dyes and chemicals that are banned in Europe but are allowed in food in the U.S., as well as the countrys high rates of obesity and chronic disease. Several of those chemicals are listed in the description of ultra processed foods in his school lunch bill. The SNAP legislation initially would have sought a waiver to ban recipients from using their benefits to purchase candy and soda, but was later amended to include only soda after opponents, including some in the food and beverage industry, argued that it was too difficult to pin down a definition of candy that didnt encompass foods like cereal and granola bars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats didnt support the proposal, arguing that legislators should do more to ensure the people who rely on SNAP, especially those who live in food deserts, have access to healthy foods instead of banning them from purchasing unhealthier options. Kennedy claimed, without evidence, that any politician who voted against the SNAP bill did so because theyre taking money from the soda industry. Theres no reason to vote against this bill except for corruption, he said. A proposed amendment to HB2165 from Democratic Sen. Theresa Hatathlie, of Coal Mine Canyon, that would have banned legislators from using their travel-expense money to purchase soda failed on the Senate floor when all Republicans voted against it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biasiucci claimed that legislation like his would save the lives of school children, including a small group of them gathered at the Senate on Tuesday. But neither he or anyone else there to celebrate and prompt the MAHA agenda mentioned that President Donald Trumps administration canceled roughly $1 billion in spending that was already promised for schools and food banks to purchase food from local farmers. That includes $21 million for Arizona, of which more than $13 million was slated for schools for healthier student meals. They also didnt mention that the Trump administration has rolled back pollution regulations, including those for mercury, soot and coal ash. Pollution has a bigger impact on children than it does on adults, according to the Childrens Environmental Health Collaborative, and can cause asthma, cancer and have negative impacts on their cognitive abilities. Arizona Democrats held their own press conference on Tuesday, just before Kennedy spoke in the Senate, during which Attorney General Kris Mayes criticized the Trump administrations supposed commitment to Make America Health Again while also canceling hundreds of millions of dollars in grants from the National Institutes of Health to fund medical research in Arizona. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hatathlie, who is Navajo, also criticized the Trump administration for its talk about the importance of health while there are still hundreds of open uranium mines on the Navajo Nation that cause higher rates of cancer and birth defects. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) A celebration was held on Tuesday for the opening of the newest hotel property in Sioux City. Two ribbon cuttings took place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Sioux City hotel and its adjoining restaurant, 1854 Grille. Nothing Bundt Cakes set to open Sioux City location Officials said the hotel opened in February, and the restaurant opened its doors in March. The hotel was a former Holiday Inn and a Riverside Plaza Hotel. The building was entirely gutted and rebuilt into its current form, which took 3 1/2 years to complete. All of the 120 hotel rooms were also redone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were really excited to finally be fully open on both sides on the hotel and the restaurant. Weve had nothing but great feedback for both the hotel and the restaurant. The reviews of local and travelers have been great. Weve been asking for the bad things, we havent been able to find any. Were thrilled that its all finally open, said Carrie McIntyre, director of sales & marketing for DoubleTree by Hilton Sioux City. The 1854 Grille restaurant was named after the year Sioux City was founded. The structure was completely remodeled and decorated in old photos of the citys history. The space previously had a Bar Louie restaurant and Charlies Restaurant & Lobby Bar. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Rhode Island Public Transit Authority CEO Christopher Durand, center, stands inside the Senate Committee on Finance hearing room on April 8, 2025. He had just wrapped up a presentation on his agency's financial outlook for fiscal year 2026. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) A bill by Sen. Sam Zurier offers one way to plug the $32.6 million hole in the Rhode Island Public Transit Authoritys upcoming budget: increasing the bus agencys share of the gas tax. The Providence Democrats bill one of four proposals seeking to solve the cash-strapped bus networks funding woes would increase RIPTAs share of the states tax on gasoline from 26% to 30%. Its a funding strategy thats garnered support from transit advocates and the agencys leader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With a $32 million shortfall, thats helpful, RIPTA CEO Christopher Durand told the Senate Committee on Finance at a hearing on Tuesday. But the chairman of RIPTAs board of directors is opposed to the idea, arguing Zuriers gas tax shift would take away from the state department he leads. It would result in an annual loss of approximately $7 million, significantly impacting our capital program, Rhode Island Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti Jr., who the state mandated to steer RIPTAs board in 2023, wrote to the committee. Alviti did not attend Tuesdays three-hour hearing. Zurier argued Alvitis stance goes against RIPTAs board-supported goal of finding a sustainable funding source which the gas tax has become less stable as more drivers shift to more fuel-efficient and electric vehicles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RIPTA now gets about $40 million in annual gasoline tax revenues, based on its existing allocation of 9.75 cents per gallon. That revenue is projected to drop over $1 million when fiscal year 2026 starts July 1, according to projections from the Rhode Island Department of Revenue. This would only restore the share RIPTA had, Zurier said. Its very common sense. Three other proposals were heard by the committee: A bill by Sen. Meghan Kallman, a Providence Democrat, would add a 75-cent fee to each fare collected by rideshare companies in order to fund mass transit. A bill by Sen. Robert Britto, an East Providence Democrat, would earmark the states existing tax on rideshare trips toward mass transit. A resolution by Sen. Mark McKenney, a Warwick Democrat, would allocate $32.6 million from the general fund to fill RIPTAs latest budget gap. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All four bills were held for further study by the committee as is standard procedure for an initial vetting by a legislative panel. Higher fares, layoffs, pushing ad sales Realistically, Durand said RIPTA can only cut around $10 million from its deficit because most of the expenses in the agencys $154 million spending plan are funded with federal money or tied into existing operations. There really isnt a whole lot to trim, Durand said. The agency projects about 300 employees losing their jobs if lawmakers dont provide any new funding. There are ways RIPTA can try to generate revenue. A presentation Durand gave the committee floated a 5% fare increase, which the agency projects would bring in $470,871 annually. But such a change could decrease ridership by 100,000 trips, according to RIPTAs presentation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Durand had promised the agencys board of directors last December that raising fares would not be on the table. Another potential source could be by courting more businesses to buy ad spots on sheltered stops, which the agency projects would bring in $440,000 annually. Committee Chairman Lou DiPalma, a Middletown Democrat, suggested RIPTA could take over non-emergency medical transportation for Medicaid enrollees, something the agency used to provide until the service was privatized nine years ago. Sen. Lou DiPalma, a Middletown Democrat, looks over documents during the Senate Committee on Finances meeting on April 8, 2025. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) About that efficiency study State leaders are still waiting on RIPTA to submit an independent efficiency study of its operations, as mandated in the states fiscal 2025 budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The study was supposed to be done March 1, but the agencys board of directors delayed the bid process last year until it could find a permanent CEO. Durand, who was the interim CEO for seven months, took over the agency permanently last November. RIPTAs board finally awarded a contract to do the efficiency study on March 27 to Canadian engineering consulting firm WSP, which likely wont have a final report complete until the summer after the General Assembly likely wraps up this years legislative session. Durand provided lawmakers with a two-page memo from WSP detailing how transit agencies nationwide are dealing with ridership and workforce challenges following the pandemic. DiPalma called the lack of a final study at this point extremely disappointing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We need facts and data, he said. This is not going to satisfy what we need for the budget. But DiPalma did not blame Durand for RIPTAs latest financial crisis, instead placing it on Gov. Dan McKee for leaving it unaddressed in his recommended budget and passing the buck to the General Assembly. Thats categorically what happened were given the charge to figure it out, and were going to figure it out, DiPalma said. Rhode Islanders expect to have a public transit authority that serves their needs in an efficient and effective manner. Correction: The headline on this story has been revised to make clear that the lack of revenue is the cause of RIPTAs financial woes. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Actor Alex Winter of "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" fame was scrolling through the social network Bluesky in early February when he realized the rage against Elon Musk had the makings of a movement. The Los Angeles-based director and writer saw a post by Joan Donovan, a sociologist at Boston University, on February 8, urging followers to "bang some pots and pans on the sidewalks" in front of Tesla dealerships. Donovan linked to Tesla's online tool for looking up nearby stores and showrooms and included a lone hashtag at the top of the post: #TeslaTakeover. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Winter, 59, told Business Insider that he messaged Donovan on Bluesky and asked her if creating a website to centralize the protest effort would be a good idea. "Go for it," Winter recalled Donovan saying. Creating the website TeslaTakedown.com , a spin on Donovan's hashtag took a few weeks. The first protest in Los Angeles, on February 15, drew only about 80 people. But the effort to create a go-to hub online paid off, Winter said. Two weeks after the website launched on February 14, more than 1,000 people turned out for a Tesla protest in Los Angeles. Winter and Donovan weren't alone in kick-starting the grassroots movement. Organizers cropped up around the world, and by the end of March, protests in more than 250 US cities and in 13 countries complete with counterprotests had thrust the anger with Musk into the zeitgeist. Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter at the MOCA Gala 2022. Winter would go on to help organize the first Tesla Takedown protests. Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images "I think it's significant that this started on BlueSky because there's a lot of people who left Twitter when Elon Musk bought it, including myself," said Winter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Discontent with Musk bubbled up into a full-fledged movement when the auto executive got political himself, turning much of his attention from his businesses to cost-cutting in the Trump administration's DOGE office. Tesla didn't respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Musk has repeatedly said his work with the White House has been about making the government more efficient and eliminating waste and fraud. He has also said the backlash against Tesla has been tough but that "we're doing the right thing here." Organizers and protesters against Tesla have told BI that owning one of Musk's vehicles has become a politically polarizing symbol. The anti-Tesla movement has coincided with the company's spectacular downturn. Shares in the electric automaker are down more than 40% this year, and vehicle sales are also declining. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In April, the carmaker released a disappointing first-quarter delivery report , showing it sold just under 336,700 EVs in the first three months of the year a 13% drop from a year ago and its lowest quarterly deliveries since 2022. The company attributed the decline to overhauling its production lines ahead of the launch of the refreshed Model Y, which it said "led to the loss of several weeks of production" in the first quarter. A bumper sticker protesting Tesla CEO Elon Musk on a Tesla Model 3 car in Larkspur, California. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Meanwhile, many Tesla owners including celebrities such as Sheryl Crow, Bette Midler, and Jason Bateman have looked to offload their vehicles. Used Tesla listings are up more than 30% this year, according to Cox Automotive, whose director of industry insights said in an industry forecast that Musk's unpopularity had an "undeniable" impact on the brand's image and sales. To understand how the Tesla Takedown protests have unfolded, threatening Tesla's position as the world's most valuable automaker, Business Insider spoke with more than 45 organizers, protesters, customers, and brand experts. Bumper stickers and early signs of unrest Tesla looked poised to be a big winner after Musk bet hundreds of millions on Trump's reelection campaign (and it could still prove to be). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In October, Musk joined then-candidate Donald Trump onstage at a rally in New York City, announcing that he intended to help the government cut $2 trillion in spending. In the days following the election, Tesla shares surged amid a broad market rally. The stock hit an all-time high in December. But Musk's actions started to alarm people on the political left, many of whom had bought into Tesla's climate-conscious sales pitch to electrify the world's automotive fleet. While speaking to the crowd at Trump's inauguration celebration in January, Musk made a gesture perceived by many as a Nazi salute. Musk, who had also thrown his support behind Germany's right-wing AfD party, has repeatedly denied that the gesture had anything to do with Nazism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around that time, signs of anti-Musk sentiment became increasingly visible in daily life, spilling out from social media and onto America's roads. Bumper stickers appealing to embarrassed Tesla owners sold out by the thousands on Amazon and Redbubble. Matthew Hiller, an aquarium worker who sells anti-Elon Musk stickers online as a side hustle, said business boomed after the Tesla CEO made the inflammatory gesture. "I can see people who are saying, 'Thank you for making this, I can drive my car again and it's less embarrassing,'" said Matthew Hiller of the response to his bumper stickers. Matthew Hiller/Mad Puffer Stickers TikTokers calling themselves the "Cybertruck Hunters" began to deliberately follow Cybertrucks, using a projector to beam lines like "I wonder if everyone who's passing me thinks I'm a Nazi?" onto the body of the stainless-steel vehicle. Influencers created songs mocking the polarizing design of Cybertrucks that garnered millions of views. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then the protests began. By the end of February, the movement took shape The protests that eventually became the Tesla Takedown movement grew on an almost parallel timeline in different locations. On February 1, Kathy Sprague, who lives in the Bay Area, showed up at Tesla's Berkeley showroom alone, carrying a picket sign and wearing a bear costume. A month later, wearing the same bear costume, she was joined by roughly 300 protesters. In Corte Madera, California, Lara Starr, a writer and publicist in her 50s who runs a small local chapter of the feminist organization Solidarity Sundays, pulled together around 50 friends and associates for a protest on Presidents Day. An early protest at a Tesla showroom in Seattle on February 13. AP Photo/Manuel Valdes, File By the next week, Starr had helped organize a February 23 protest at her local showroom. The local chapter of Indivisible, a progressive movement organization that launched in 2016 in response to Trump, found out about the effort and turned out around 200 demonstrators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Manhattan, Alice Hu, the director of Planet Over Profit, a youth-led organization for climate justice, said that she organized her first protest toward the end of February, inspired by other organizations that had cropped up across the country. Hu said her organization was "very concerned watching the unelected takeover of the federal government" so it was important for its members to join the protests. Most of the protests were peaceful but others vented their frustrations against Musk in a more destructive way. Vandalism and arson attacks catch the eye of the White House At times, Musk chose to downplay the demonstrations or challenge their authenticity, calling them "fake rallies" and the participants "paid" protesters. But viral images of the charred remains of Tesla vehicles and graffitied Tesla dealerships became impossible to ignore as anger against Musk boiled over into vandalism and attacks on showrooms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Things were getting ugly, with police investigating multiple arson incidents. One protester was arrested and charged with throwing " firebomb" at a Tesla dealership in Colorado, and authorities arrested a man in South Carolina who they said had set fire to Tesla charging stations. ATF investigators and a member of the Seattle Fire Department inspect burned Cybertrucks at a Tesla lot in Seattle on March 10. AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson Musk weighed in online and in media appearances, denouncing the attacks and saying it was a "shock" to see "this level of, really, hatred and violence from the left." "I understand if you don't want to buy our product," Musk said during an all-hands meeting at Tesla on March 20, "but you don't have to burn it down." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attacks on Tesla dealerships caught the eye of the White House. On March 11, Trump hosted an event on the south lawn of the White House in which he perused a line of Tesla cars before picking out one to buy for himself. He spoke glowingly of Musk and reiterated that the auto exec had his full support. When asked if the attacks should be considered "domestic terrorism," Trump agreed. There's no evidence that these individual acts are connected to Tesla Takedown organizers, and its organizers have said they don't endorse property damage. "If you've bought a Cybertruck in the last six months, I might question your decency," Starr said. "But I think a point should be made that this is not about harassing or wagging a finger at Tesla drivers, and we are also respectful of the folks who are working at Tesla." In March, the movement reached a fever pitch The Tesla Takedown movement flexed its organizing might in March. As DOGE was in full swing in its efforts to cut jobs and end DEI initiatives that the White House described as "radical and wasteful," organizers coordinated the biggest protest yet on March 29. Some leaders found themselves targeted over their efforts. After announcing plans for the day of demonstrations, Hu said she faced doxxing and threats. Protests around the US drew large crowds, with thousands showing up at some locations, organizers told BI. A protester at the Tesla Takedown demonstration in Detroit. Nic Antaya for Business Insider On the West Coast, at least 2,000 protesters showed up at a showroom in Walnut Creek, California. One in Portland drew more than 1,000 people. More than 700 protesters flocked to a Boston showroom. Business Insider attended two Tesla Takedown protests in Michigan. On the rainy Saturday, a crowd of mostly older demonstrators carrying handmade signs assembled outside Tesla dealerships. Mike Whitty, 83, said the turnout was impressive for such a rainy day. "Just because he's a billionaire, that doesn't mean he can become the co-president, try to knock out our government," he told BI. "Golly, they're going to wreck the Michigan auto industry with tariffs. They're going to hurt our economy in a worse way than many states that are not as focused on one big product." Patricia Bragg, 76, said of DOGE: "It's really easy to break things. It's not easy to fix them. What they're doing is not efficient and it's costly." Nic Antaya for Business Insider "I'm concerned about how Elon Musk has taken over our government as a nonelected citizen," Patti Kubota, 23, said at a protest in Troy. "I'm worried about fascism and the takeover of our safety and government." "I have friends that own Teslas and they're mortified," said another Michigan protester who declined to share her name and age. "One friend, a work colleague, said that they bought their Tesla before the election. They only have 18,000 miles on it. They wanted to sell it. They cannot sell it." Graham Baxter, 68, at a protest in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said of Musk: "You don't just cut things like you can in a business." Nic Antaya for Business Insider A smaller movement led by Trump and Musk supporters dubbed by some as the "Tesla Shield" also emerged in the run-up to the coordinated day of demonstrations. "Are you disturbed by the recent attacks and vandalism against Tesla facilities and owners?" wrote one Tesla fan organizing a counterprotest in Irvine, California. "You are invited to join a growing group of sensible people to visibly counter protest this lunacy!" Counterprotesters started showing up before the major Tesla Takedown protests, and a number of them went to the March 29 demonstrations in Columbus , Ohio; Austin ; Salt Lake City; Meridian, Idaho; and Paramus, New Jersey. Members of the Proud Boys and other extremist faction on the right showed up at some of the counterprotests, Wired reported. Counterprotesters demonstrate in Chicago. Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images The view from a (shattered) windshield The pressure campaign against Musk has also transformed daily life for many Tesla owners, pushing some to sell and galvanizing others to support the company. In the roughly two months since the Tesla Takedown movement started, BI has spoken to over 15 Tesla owners who experienced harassment or vandalism of their vehicles. Cybertruck owners Joshua Hazel and Christina G. said crowd members at a Mardi Gras parade threw cans of beer and chains of beads at their car as they drove through to help transport parade marshals. Both said their vehicles sustained thousands of dollars in damages. Damage to Hazel's Cybertruck after his participation in a Mardi Gras parade. Joshua Hazel "We bought more Tesla shares, we're looking at adding another Tesla to the stable," Hazel, 50, said, adding that he wouldn't allow "any kind of bullying to dictate" the vehicle he drives. In California, a Ring security doorbell captured footage of a vandal slashing a Cybertruck's tires and throwing a brick at it, shattering the windshield. Some have even been targeted for owning a Tesla in the past. One website features a digital map with a Molotov cocktail cursor revealing information about former and current Tesla owners and DOGE employees. "I think it's irresponsible and extra-judicial punishment for people that have nothing to do with what is going on in Washington," Victor Vescovo, one of the Tesla owners whose information was listed on the website, told BI, adding that he supports DOGE's mission. Another, who said he was looking to sell his vehicle, said in a message that he supports "whatever civil disobedience people take out on Tesla, the company, but it's upsetting to see people glorifying violence against owners." One Tesla owner, Ben Baker, said someone keyed his Model Y and left a crude drawing on it soon after the election. Baker, who loves the Cybertruck and recently owned one, decided to return the vehicle because he was concerned his kids could be harassed. A protester at the Tesla Takedown demonstration in Michigan. Nic Antaya for Business Insider Another Tesla owner, 46-year-old David Abrams, told BI he doesn't agree with Musk's actions, but selling his Tesla would be a "major financial hit," given that he doesn't have a car payment and the company already has his money. He also plans to keep "Anti-Elon Tesla Club" and "I bought this before Elon went crazy" Tesla stickers on his car. 'All eyes are on upcoming Tesla earnings' Protesters say they plan to return to Tesla dealerships for demonstrations in the coming weeks, perhaps not with the same numbers as the March 29 Tesla Takedown and not all on the same day. There are at least 80 planned protests in the US, according to the Tesla Takedown website. A Tesla Takedown spokesperson told BI in an email that "all eyes are on upcoming Tesla earnings on 4/22," and they're hopeful that the stock price will continue to plummet, which would "speed up the timeline for Elon Musk to be removed from the Trump Regime." Musk's work with the Trump administration and DOGE continues ahead of Tesla's quarterly earnings report on April 22. Brandon Bell/Pool via AP It's difficult to gauge the precise impact the protests have had on the company. Boycott movements historically don't move the needle much and automotive industry experts have told BI they aren't sold on the idea that Tesla's declining sales are a direct result of boycotting efforts. But the most recent quarter's delivery numbers were jarring even to those who are typically enthusiastic about Tesla. Ross Gerber, a longtime investor, and the Tesla bull Dan Ives attributed the disappointing data to brand damage. Ryan Brinkman, a JPMorgan analyst and Tesla bear, said even he may have underestimated the impact of negative sentiment. "Tesla's 1Q sales and production report causes us to think that if anything we may have underestimated the degree of consumer reaction," Brinkman wrote in a note on Friday. Tesla has an uphill battle ahead, said David J. Reibstein, a professor of marketing at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Tesla must either focus on rebranding or face the challenge of targeting a completely different customer base, he said. "We now have a brand highly associated with a single individual who has a strong association with a political brand, and that has carried over to the brand itself," he said. Musk, who navigated Tesla through challenges in the past, has told investors to "hang on to your stock," pointing to Tesla's coming " Cybercab" robotaxi and Optimus robots as future growth opportunities for the company. Starr, the organizer, said many protest coordinators feel that Tesla locations have become a place for "Americans who give a damn about our country" to come together and voice their opinions. "We can't all go to Washington or Mar-a-Lago, or another Trump property," she said, "but we can turn out at hundreds of Tesla stores and charging stations in a very visible expression of our disgust." For Winter, the protests' momentum signals that the tide is turning for how people view Musk. "I've been concerned about Elon Musk back since he was at PayPal, and then with the purchase and dismantling of Twitter," he told BI. "And now it has reared its head in a way that I think the rest of the world has woken up to." Read the original article on Business Insider Apr. 8MINNEAPOLIS A Rochester man is facing federal charges for his alleged involvement in a transnational drug trafficking scheme. Juan Martin Elvira, Jr., 36, of Rochester, is accused of having ties to a drug trafficking organization affiliated with the Surenos, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Minnesota. Elvira was one of five people charged in Minnesota. Elvira was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the release, the organization has been operating and distributing controlled substances throughout Minnesota since 2024. During a monthslong investigation, law enforcement discovered that the organization is supplied by multiple transnational criminal organizations that traffic narcotics from Mexico. The other members listed on the indictment included Erick Emilio Diaz-Aguilar, of New Prague, Minnesota; Edward Gonzalez, of Hastings, Minnesota; and Eric Anthony Rodriguez, of St. Paul. The final member "remains at large and is pending arrest," the release said. "The Surenos and other drug cartels are dangerous criminal organizations that are fueling the drug crisis in America," said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. "Cartel-backed drug dealers are on notice. Do not bring your poison to Minnesota. If you do, you will see federal charges and federal prison time." The next hearing is scheduled for April 29. MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU, Romania (AP) NATO members carried out naval drills Wednesday in the Black Sea region in one of the largest Romania-led exercises of the year, as European allies mull the long-term reliability of security guarantees from the United States under President Donald Trump. The drills in Romania, which borders Ukraine, come as European allies race to ramp up defense spending as relations with the U.S. have strained under Trump, as he has sought closer ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin while pushing to end the war in Ukraine. The two-week Sea Shield 25 exercises, hosted by Romania, comprise about 2,300 military personnel from 12 nations including the U.S. and have been conducted at sea, on rivers, on land, underwater, and in the air. They aim to strengthen NATOs readiness against highly complex scenarios such as coordinated maritime and aerial attacks or hybrid threats, according to Romanias naval forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A French-made Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft took off from Romanias eastern Mihail Kogalniceanu air base Wednesday, joined by a journalist from The Associated Press, on a mission searching for drifting mines over the Black Sea waters of Romania and Bulgaria but none were found. These drifting mines could indeed represent a potential danger to navigation, said French aircraft commander Lieutenant Tomy, whose surname was withheld by the French military. The goal of an exercise like Sea Shield is for everyone to be able to speak the same language, coordinate to respond to different types of threats, and also put in place common tactics." Earlier on Wednesday, an anti-submarine tracking exercise to detect a fictitious underwater threat was carried out and also involved multinational naval forces. Its also about showing that NATO is present on the eastern borders of Europe and is developing integration and interoperability between its member countries, Lieutenant Tomy added. Wednesdays combat exercises came a day after Romanias Ministry of National Defense denied news reports, first published by NBC, that the U.S. is considering withdrawing about 10,000 American troops from eastern Europe, including from Romania and Poland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Romania has not received any official information ... from the United States, the ministry said. It added that several exercises are planned in Romania this year involving U.S. military personnel, including the Sea Shield 25 drills. After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, NATO bolstered its presence on Europes eastern flank by sending additional multinational battlegroups to Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria and Slovakia. Many fear that such a withdrawal would embolden Russia, which NATO leaders said at a summit last year remains the most significant and direct threat to Allies security. Since Trump was inaugurated in January, he has said U.S. NATO allies should commit to spending at least 5% of their gross domestic product on defense, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said U.S. security priorities lie elsewhere. Almost a third of the military alliance's members still dont meet NATOs target of at least 2%. Since the war next door started in 2022, Romania has played an increasingly prominent role in the alliance. It has donated a Patriot missile system to Ukraine and opened an international training hub for F-16 jet pilots from allied countries, including Ukraine. A 38-year-old Romanian man has been arrested in connection with a fire at a warehouse in Birmingham caused by a suspected Russian incendiary device. British counter-terrorism police are investigating after the parcel containing the device caught fire at the DHL facility in Minworth on July 22 last year. No one was injured in the blaze, and the parcel is believed to have arrived at the warehouse after being transported into the country on an aircraft. It is not known whether this was a cargo or a passenger plane. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If it had ignited while the plane was in flight, the result could have been catastrophic, experts said. A police spokesman said: We can confirm that officers from Counter-Terrorism Policing are investigating an incident at a commercial premises in Midpoint Way, Minworth. On Monday, July 22, a package at the location caught alight. It was dealt with by staff and the local Fire Brigade at the time and there were no reports of any injuries or significant damage caused. The spokesman said that the investigation was being led by officers from the Mets Counter Terrorism Command with support from Counter-Terrorism Policing West Midlands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They added: The 38-year-old Romanian national was arrested on March 19 after arriving at Stansted airport on an inbound flight to the UK. He was arrested on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service, under section three of the National Security Act, 2023, and he was detained under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act. Mayhem on British and European streets The Metropolitan Police said the man was taken to a London police station before being released on bail to appear in court in July. As part of the investigation, officers also carried out searches at two addresses in Essex. The spokesman said: As part of our enquiries, officers are liaising with other European law enforcement partners to identify whether this may or may not be connected to any other similar-type incidents across Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In October last year, Germany reported a near-identical incident in which an incendiary device caught fire in a DHL facility before it was due to be carried on a plane out of Leipzig. Russia has stepped up sabotage attacks on European soil over the past year, with Ken McCallum, the head of MI5, warning Vladimir Putin was intent on causing mayhem on British and European streets. He revealed that GRU, Russias foreign military intelligence unit, had carried out arson, sabotage and more dangerous actions conducted with increasing recklessness in Britain since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. SAYREVILLE, N.J. (PIX11) Route 35 is closed in both directions in the area near a large fire in Sayreville, New Jersey, Wednesday, police said. The fire was first reported at a residential building at 2071 Route 35 South around 3:06 p.m., according to the Sayreville Police Department. The fire quickly spread to the neighboring Mavis Discount Tire facility, police said. More Local News Multiple fire departments are at the scene battling the fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No occupants were in either building at the time of the fire, police said. No injuries have been reported. Both northbound and southbound lanes of Route 35 are completely closed to traffic in the area of the fire, police said. Drivers are asked to avoid the area and use alternate routes for their evening commute. Significant traffic delays are expected in surrounding areas, authorities said. Finn Hoogensen is a digital journalist who has covered local news for more than six years. He has been with PIX11 News since 2022. See more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. We recently published a list of 10 Undervalued Canadian Stocks to Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where BCE Inc. (NYSE:BCE) stands against other undervalued Canadian stocks to buy now. Q1 2025 saw some challenges to the financial markets, primarily because of trade issues, says Sun Life (a Canadian-based international financial services company). The US decided to impose extra taxes, known as tariffs, on goods coming from numerous countries, including Canada. This move impacted the investors sentiments as to how it might slow down business and economic growth, not only in Canada but globally. The firm noted that Canadas economy remains strong, and the BoC is no longer concerned with inflation. It lowered the interest rate by 50 bps to 2.75% as an effort to manage the economic impact of US tariffs. Current State of Canadas Economy Canadas economy strengthened at the end of 2024, says Sun Life, thanks to the lower interest rates. That being said, the markets remain nervous about economic strength. As per the firm, Canadas economy saw a growth of 2.6%, annualized over Q4 2024. Consumer spending acted as the critical growth driver. Also, reduced interest rates aided in driving consumer spending. The countrys economy also benefited from the stronger exports. The firm also highlighted that Canadas unemployment rate sat at 6.6% as of February. BoC decided to reduce rates in part because of the improving labour market. Notably, Canadian equities touched a new high early in the quarter. Talking about the sectors, the Materials and Utilities sectors were tagged as the strongest performers. However, the Health Care and IT sectors saw the weakest returns. READ ALSO: 7 Best Stocks to Buy For Long-Term and 8 Cheap Jim Cramer Stocks to Invest In. Whats Next for Canadian Equities? Bloomberg, while quoting Scotiabank, mentioned that Canadas stock markets are expected to outperform after avoiding the worst of Trumps tariffs. Scotia Capital Inc. provided a double upgrade to Canadian equities, from Underweight to Overweight, with analysts highlighting that both Canada and Mexico have managed to dodge the bullet in the escalating trade war. As per Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Gillian Wolff and Gina Martin Adams, TSX valuations are low relative to pre-pandemic levels, which offer a buffer against economic volatility and trade war. The analysts at Scotia Capital Inc. believe that the escalating trade war announcement is negative for the US and the rest of the world. Scotiabank has dropped emerging market equities to Underweight from Neutral, mentioned Bloomberg. Veteran comedian Russell Brand is set to deliver a speech at Floridas New College despite the ongoing allegations of sexual assault against him. The Forgetting Sarah Marshall star will give an interview to New College President Richard Corcoran while also talking about cancel culture, censorship, and free speech. However, his legal issues have sparked a discussion on the internet, causing many to question his upcoming appearance at the Florida institution. Heres everything you need to know regarding the Brands talking arrangement at the Florida college. Content warning: The following contains discussions of sexual assault and rape charges. Russell Brand will give speech amid allegations On April 12, 2025, the Arthur actor will take the stage at the Mildred Sainer Pavilion in Floridas New College. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russell Brand will be discussing cancel culture and other topics in an event titled Thinking without Permission: A Conversation with Russell Brand on Free Speech, Censorship, and Cultural Power. Moreover, interested viewers can catch his speech on YouTube or X (formerly Twitter), as per People. The event will take place eight days after the Metropolitan Police charged the three-time British Comedy Award winner with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. Allegations against Brand first arose in September 2023 after five women detailed their experiences to a collaborative investigation conducted by The Sunday Times, The Times, and Channel 4s Dispatches series. Despite the allegations, New College authorities have decided to go through with Russell Brands speech, which they confirmed back in February 2025. Explaining the decision, Alexandra Nicole Islas, the Director of Public Policy Events for the Florida institution, stated, In a time when public pressure often seeks to silence rather than engage, New College of Florida is reaffirming its role in creating space for open inquirynot eliminating it. Acknowledging the allegations, Islas further clarified the colleges choice to move forward with Brands scheduled appearance as part of a broader conversation on society, culture, and free speech broader conversation on society, culture, and free speech, adding that even challenging conversations deserve room in the public square. She also emphasized the importance of having a space where individuals can explore ideas regarding society with respect, critical thought, and intellectual integrity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Russell Brand has denied the allegations, he will make his scheduled court appearance on May 2, 2025. Originally reported by Apoorv Rastogi on ComingSoon.net. The post Russel Brand to Give Speech at Florida College Amid Allegations appeared first on Mandatory. New College of Florida will host actor, comedian and right-wing wellness influencer Russell Brand on Saturday, days after he was charged with rape and sexual assault in the United Kingdom. The weekend event at the school in Sarasota is set to be a conversation about free speech and cultural power. While the justice system independently addresses other matters, our responsibility is to ensure a space where ideas especially those that invite dialogue such as the topic of cancel culture and free speech, can be explored with respect, critical thought, and intellectual integrity, Alexandra Nicole Islas, New Colleges director of public policy events, said in a statement Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Representatives for Brand, who has denied the rape and sexual assault charges, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. Brand was charged with two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault, North London Chief Crown Prosecutor Jaswant Narwal said Friday. The charges are related to allegations of incidents from 1999 to 2005 involving four women, she said. He denied the allegations in a video on his social media platforms, including X, and said he intended to fight the charges. I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord, he said in the video. I was a drug addict, a sex addict and an imbecile. But what I never was was a rapist. Ive never engaged in nonconsensual sexual activity I pray that you can see that by looking in my eyes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detectives began investigating Brand, the Forgetting Sarah Marshall star, in September 2023 after The Sunday Times newspaper and British broadcaster Channel 4 reported accusations by four women. Brand is scheduled to appear at New College of Florida for an interview Saturday afternoon. The school's earlier statement said Mark Famiglio, chairman of the Sarasota Film Festival and founder of a biotech company, would conduct a Q&A with Brand, but a subsequent statement said, "Famiglio will not be participating in the event." Famiglio did not respond to an earlier request for comment. The school's president, Richard Corcoran, will interview Brand, it said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Islas said sticking by the event shows the school is principled. This is a reflection of our commitment to civil discourse, she said. Brand, once an admitted hell-raiser and Hollywood malcontent, and public New College of Florida have both taken rightward turns toward conservative politics. Brand, who was once married to the pop star Katy Perry, has deepened his involvement in conservative politics, appearing in September onstage with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and showing up at the Republican National Convention in July. More recently, he has regularly used his social media platforms to support President Donald Trump. He converted to Christianity and swore off the vices of his days as a big-screen star. Hes due in court in London on May 2. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In early 2023, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, appointed a conservative majority to the liberal-leaning New College board of trustees, beginning a makeover of the institution and aligning it with the political right. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Veteran comedian Russell Brand is set to deliver a speech at Floridas New College despite the ongoing allegations of sexual assault against him. The Forgetting Sarah Marshall star will give an interview to New College President Richard Corcoran while also talking about cancel culture, censorship, and free speech. However, his legal issues have sparked a discussion on the internet, causing many to question his upcoming appearance at the Florida institution. Heres everything you need to know regarding the Brands talking arrangement at the Florida college. Content warning: The following contains discussions of sexual assault and rape charges. Russell Brand to give speech at Florida college amid allegations On April 12, 2025, the Arthur actor will take the stage at the Mildred Sainer Pavilion in Floridas New College. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russell Brand will be discussing cancel culture and other topics in an event titled Thinking without Permission: A Conversation with Russell Brand on Free Speech, Censorship, and Cultural Power. Moreover, interested viewers can catch his speech on YouTube or X (formerly Twitter), as per People. The event will take place eight days after the Metropolitan Police charged the three-time British Comedy Award winner with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. Allegations against Brand first arose in September 2023 after five women detailed their experiences to a collaborative investigation conducted by The Sunday Times, The Times, and Channel 4s Dispatches series. Despite the allegations, New College authorities have decided to go through with Russell Brands speech, which they confirmed back in February 2025. Explaining the decision, Alexandra Nicole Islas, the Director of Public Policy Events for the Florida institution, stated, In a time when public pressure often seeks to silence rather than engage, New College of Florida is reaffirming its role in creating space for open inquirynot eliminating it. Acknowledging the allegations, Islas further clarified the colleges choice to move forward with Brands scheduled appearance as part of a broader conversation on society, culture, and free speech broader conversation on society, culture, and free speech, adding that even challenging conversations deserve room in the public square. She also emphasized the importance of having a space where individuals can explore ideas regarding society with respect, critical thought, and intellectual integrity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Russell Brand has denied the allegations, he will make his scheduled court appearance on May 2, 2025. The post Russell Brand To Give Speech About Cancel Culture Amid Allegations appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. Russia can mobilize 5 million troops who have undergone military service and training, while its overall mobilization capacity is as many as 20 million, Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in an interview with the LB.UA outlet published on April 9. Syrskyi named the figure to underscore the disparity between Russia's and Ukraine's potential, arguing that Kyiv must keep mobilizing its forces to sustain resistance against Moscow's onslaught. Russia has increased its force in Ukraine "fivefold since the beginning of the aggression," Syrskyi said in the interview, putting the number of Russian troops currently deployed in the country at 623,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Every month, they increase it by 8,000-9,000; in a year, it's 120,000-130,000." The disparity of forces is apparent on the battlefield, as the Ukrainian military has said Russian troops outnumber Ukrainian defenders 10 to 1 in some sectors. According to Syrskyi, Ukraine must mobilize 30,000 soldiers every month, a figure previously named by President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Kremlin implemented only a partial mobilization in the fall of 2022 but has not declared a full draft, replenishing its forces with contract soldiers. Moscow has been largely successful in offsetting its massive battlefield losses in Ukraine, while Kyiv has struggled in recent months with manpower shortages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia has been building up its military capacities despite the U.S.'s efforts to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine. On March 31, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the regular spring conscription of 160,000 men, the largest number in 14 years. Although Russian conscripts are typically not deployed in active combat, Moscow has relied on financial incentives and other methods to recruit civilians for the war in Ukraine. Syrskyi noted that some battlefield trends are working in Ukraine's favor, namely that Russia's advantage in artillery ammunition dropped from 10 to 1 to 2 to 1 over the past year. The commander-in-chief connected this development to Ukraine's long-range strikes against Russian arms warehouses in the rear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "(Russia) used about 40,000 or more rounds every day. After our strikes, the figure changed dramatically and is oscillating around 23,000; now, it has slightly increased, to 27,000-28,000." Read also: In Kyiv, skepticism about ceasefire reigns as Russia ramps up deadly attacks and US remains mute Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Starlink satellites before deployment. | Credit: SpaceX via X SpaceX's Starlink satellite constellation is facing threats from Russia and China because it was tapped for military use in Ukraine following Russia's invasion of the nation in 2022, according to a new report evaluating the counterspace capabilities of a dozen countries over the past year. The report , published on Thursday (April 3) by the nonpartisan policy think tank Secure World Foundation (SWF), highlights how humanity's growing reliance on space especially for national security has led an increasing number of countries to develop their own counterspace capabilities. The 316-page document assesses the counterspace capabilities of 12 countries including the U.S., Russia, China, India, Australia as well as North Korea and South Korea, based on publicly available information spanning February 2024 through February of this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We feel strongly that a more open and public debate on these issues is urgently needed," the report's foreword states. "Our global society and economy are increasingly dependent on space capabilities, and a future conflict in space could have massive, long-term negative repercussions that are felt here on Earth, as everyone on this planet is a user of space data in some form." SpaceX's Starlink uses a massive network of satellites in low Earth orbit to provide high-speed broadband internet. Ukrainian residents began using Starlink in 2022 to maintain internet connectivity after Ukraine's own internet services were disrupted following Russia's invasion. The service also enabled secure communications for the Ukrainian military and government. Starting in May 2024, however, the Ukrainian military began experiencing outages in Starlink connections, with military officials attributing the disruptions to Russia " testing different mechanisms " for its electronic warfare systems seemingly employing new and more advanced technology. The SWF report cites leaked U.S. military documents that suggest a Russian system called Tobol that was originally designed to protect Russian satellites from jamming was used to disrupt Starlink commercial satellite signals over Ukrainian territory. Those leaked documents "suggest that Russia has used at least three Tobol installations to try and disrupt Starlink commercial satellite signals over Eastern Ukraine," the report notes. Russia appears to also be developing a newer, more sophisticated system called Kalinka, which is intended to detect and disrupt signals to and from Starlink satellites in order to interfere with Ukrainian drones and military communications, according to the SWF report. Andrei Bezrukov, the director of the Russian Center for Unmanned Systems and Technologies, which is developing the Kalinka system, told state media that the so-called "Starlink killer" could also detect communication terminals connected to Starshield , the military version of Starlink that's designed with enhanced security features. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additional reports revealed that Russia had jammed GPS signals in four European countries: France, the Netherlands, Sweden and Luxembourg. There have also been reports that Russia interrupted children's TV channels in these countries to broadcast images of the war in Ukraine. The International Telecommunication Union's Radio Regulations Board has said the interference likely originated from stations in Moscow, Kaliningrad and Pavlovka. "As of February 2025, the Starlink service appears to have been remarkably resistant to further cyber attacks," the report notes. According to the SWF report, China is investing in similar capabilities for potential future armed conflicts with the U.S. In July of last year, researchers from the People's Liberation Army Navy proposed laser-equipped submarines with retractable masts that could surface to target Starlink satellites or other space-based surveillance systems, although the researchers acknowledged that the submarines' limited detection capabilities would require external forces to provide satellite position guidance for accurate targeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related Stories: US Space Force picks Rocket Lab and Stoke Space to compete for national security launches Secretive Russian military satellites release mystery object into orbit Chinese astronauts install debris shields on Tiangong space station during 8.5-hour spacewalk (video) Meanwhile, the U.S. Space Force is testing new satellite jammers called the Remote Modular Terminals, intended to operate remotely and provide counterspace electronic warfare capability, the report notes. "Everyone is jamming," Victoria Samson, the director of Secure World's Washington office and one of the report's primary authors, told Breaking Defense earlier this week. So far, only non-destructive counterspace capabilities are being actively used against satellites in current military operations, the report notes. Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has said that Russia was increasing the number of its armed forces by 8-9,000 people every month at the expense of contract soldiers. Source: Syrskyi in an interview with Lb.ua Details: In response to a question about mobilisation plans, Syrskyi confirmed that the figure of 30,000 people who are drafted monthly, announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is relevant and remains a target for the defence forces, and stressed the need to respond to the Russian actions, as they continue to actively replenish their troops. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "The president announced the figure that he announced. And this is indeed the figure we must stick to. The enemy is increasing the number of its Armed Forces by 8-9,000 every month at the expense of contract soldiers. In some regions, the cost of a contract reaches US$40,000. And money is always an incentive for them." Background: In July 2024, The New York Times reported that Ukraine conscripts up to 30,000 people a month two to three times more than in the winter and about the same number as Russia's monthly conscription. On 11 February 2025, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with The Economist that in 2024, Ukraine mobilised 30,000 people a month. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has stated that Russian forces have, in effect, already begun an offensive on Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts. Source: Syrskyi in an interview with LB.ua Quote: In response to a question about Volodymyr Zelenskyy's statement on Russia preparing an offensive on Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts, Syrskyi replied: "I can say that the president is absolutely right and this offensive has effectively already begun." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Syrskyi said that this is evidenced in part by the fact that for nearly a week there has been a near twofold increase in Russian offensive operations across all major directions. Background: During a meeting of European leaders in Paris focused on support for Ukraine, Zelenskyy stated that Ukrainian intelligence indicates Russia is preparing new offensives on Sumy, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. "According to our intelligence, Russia is getting ready for new offensives against the Sumy, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. They're dragging out the talks and trying to get the US stuck in endless, pointless discussions about fake 'conditions' just to buy time and then try to grab more land," Zelenskyy said. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of launching a fresh military offensive towards key frontline cities in north east and south east Ukraine. The president, citing Ukrainian intelligence, said Moscow was mounting a new multi-pronged push in the Sumy, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions. Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraines military chief, later confirmed that Mr Zelensky was absolutely right and that the offensive has effectively already begun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said: For several days, almost a week, we have been observing almost a doubling of the number of enemy attacks in all main directions. A new offensive would be further evidence that Russia is looking to maximise pressure on Ukraine and strengthen the Kremlins position before a potential US-brokered ceasefire. Moscow is also close to pushing the last Ukrainian forces out of the Russian Kursk region, which they invaded last August and lies over the border from Sumy. Mr Zelensky said on Monday that Ukrainian forces were also present in the adjacent Russian region of Belgorod, the first time he publicly acknowledged that Kyivs troops had launched an incursion there last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Zelensky, along with his European allies, have repeatedly accused Vladimir Putin of dragging out the talks in order to buy time to improve their battlefield position. Last month, Ukraine accepted a US proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting, but Russia has so far refused. Both sides have accused one another of repeatedly breaching a truce of attacks on energy targets after agreeing to halt such strikes last month. On Wednesday, Russia claimed Kyivs forces had struck its energy infrastructure four times in the past day. The feasibility of a partial ceasefire on the Black Sea was also thrown into doubt after Kremlin negotiators imposed additional conditions, including the lifting of US sanctions on the Russian Agricultural Bank and other banks involved in food trade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overnight, at least 21 Ukrainians were wounded during large-scale Russian attacks across the country, regional officials said as Moscow stepped up its aerial bombardment. The worst attack left 15 people wounded in the central Ukrainian industrial region of Dnipropetrovsk. 02:41 PM BST Thank you for following todays live coverage of the war in Ukraine. Well be back soon with more updates and analysis from the conflict. 02:33 PM BST Pictured: unsettling drone assault in Dnipro We reported earlier that at least 16 people were reportedly injured after Russia launched a drone attack against Ukraines south-east Dnipro region (see post at 11:36 am). Houses, high-rise buildings, and cars were all damaged in the Russian UAV attack using Shahed drones, said the regional governor Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paul Anticoni, Chief Executive of World Jewish Relief, who is currently in Dnipro, was in the city during the attack. Sirens echoed throughout the night, forcing us in and out of shelters, he told The Telegraph, calling the attack an unsettling experience that powerfully illustrates the ongoing trauma faced by the residents here. A car ravaged by a Russian drone attack in Dnipro, south-east Ukraine - Anadolu 02:15 PM BST Ukraine blows up $100M Russian bomber plane The Ukrainian military successfully destroyed a Russian long-range bomber estimated to cost $100 million (78.1 million), its army chief has said. Oleksandr Syrsky, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said his forces struck Tu-22M3 strategic bomber just after the aircraft had landed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Soviet-era bomber was a key component of Russias long-range air assault against Ukraine. Mr Syrsky did not specify which type of drone was used or where the strike took place. Footage of the bomber erupting in flames before hurtling to the ground was widely shared on Ukrainian and Russian social media. Russias Ministry of Defence had claimed the aircraft crashed due to a technical malfunction after completing its combat mission. A few days ago, our successful actions led to the destruction of a Tu-22M3 strategic bomber. It had just landed and our drone struck it. Estimated cost: around 100 million dollars@CinC_AFU Oleksandr Syrskyi. pic.twitter.com/9dvQDnEGlq Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) April 9, 2025 01:47 PM BST Pictured: aftermath of drone attack in Kharkiv We reported earlier that Russia launched overnight drone attack on three cities in eastern Ukraine late on Tuesday (see post at 9:19am) New images now reveal the destruction across Ukraines second-largest city. A damaged building is seen following a Russian Shahed-type kamikaze drone strikes in Kharkiv, Ukraine - Anadolu Broken glass shards are seen following a Russian Shahed-type kamikaze drone strikes in Kharkiv, Ukraine - Anadolu 01:24 PM BST What Telegraph readers are saying... 12:55 PM BST Nato throwing oil onto the fire, says Kremlin We reported earlier that Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed that Ukraine consistently continued to strike Russian energy infrastructure, despite a 30-day moratorium (see post at 9:57 am). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ms Zakharova has now also attacked Nato, claiming its members were expanding their defence spending in preparation for a possible war with Russia. The alliance still believes that our country is a long-term threat and will remain so even after the end of the Ukrainian conflict, she said. The North Atlantic Alliance is openly throwing oil onto the fire of the conflict. 12:26 PM BST China urges citizens to avoid war zones after Ukraine captures two nationals China has urged its citizens to avoid war zones after two nationals were captured during fighting in Ukraine. Beijings foreign ministry said it rejected groundless claims that more Chinese soldiers were fighting in Ukraine, adding that it was verifying reports of Chinese nationals being captured in combat. The Chinese government has always asked its citizens to stay away from areas of armed conflict (and) avoid involvement in armed conflicts in any form, said Lin Jian, Chinese foreign office spokesperson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added: The Chinese sides position on the issue of the Ukraine crisis is clear and unequivocal, and has won widespread approval from the international community. It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed his forces had fought with and detained six Chinese soldiers in Donetsk and that there were many more in the Russian ranks. Mr Zelensky said the move was a clear signal that Putin intends to do anything but end the war, adding that he is looking for ways to continue fighting. Western intelligence sources said it was unlikely the soldiers were sent directly by China. Russia routinely recruits foreign nationals into its armed forces through irregular means. Ukrainian servicemen fire a multiple launch rocket system in Ukraines Zaporizhzhia region - AP 11:36 AM BST Pictured: aftermath of Russian drone attack in Dnipro We reported earlier that Russian forces staged huge drone attacks on three cities in eastern Ukraine late on Tuesday (see post at 9:19 am). The attack on Dnipro in southeastern Ukraine sparked a fire, damaged houses and cars and injured 15 people, Serhiy Lysak, governor of Dnipropetrovsk region, said on Telegram. Half of the injured were in hospital and one woman was in serious condition. Mr Lysak said the attack damaged four high-rise residential buildings and 15 private residences, in addition to an administrative building and infrastructure. Russian forces reportedly staged huge drone attacks on three cities in eastern Ukraine late on Tuesday - REUTERS 11:12 AM BST Kremlin accuses Ukraine of repeatedly attacking energy infrastructure in past 24 hours Russias defence ministry on Wednesday accused Ukraine of carrying out four attacks on its energy infrastructure facilities over the past day, in violation of a US-brokered moratorium on hitting energy infrastructure targets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine and Russia agreed to pause strikes on each others energy facilities last month, but both sides have repeatedly accused each other of breaking the moratorium. The reports of the strikes have not been independently verified. 10:46 AM BST Kremlin declines to comment on reports of Chinese nationals captured in Ukraine The Kremlin has declined to comment on Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskys claim that Kyivs forces had captured two Chinese men fighting for Russia in eastern Ukraine. I cannot comment on this information in any way, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday. It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed his forces had fought with and detained six Chinese soldiers in Donetsk and that there were many more in the Russian ranks. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov 10:29 AM BST Ukraine to hire consultants to advise on US minerals deal The Ukrainian government will hire consultants to advise on a draft minerals deal with the United States, a government document has revealed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The document, dated 8 April, showed that Ukraine has allocated $2.7 million (2.1 million) towards consulting services. US President Donald Trump has said a bilateral minerals deal will help broker a peace agreement by giving the United States a financial stake in Ukraines future, as well as allowing it to earn back billions of dollars in aid it has given to Ukraine. Kyiv is seeking the help of consultants and lawyers to protect the national interests of Ukraine and to formulate the position of Ukraine, by taking into account American and Ukrainian legislations, the government document said. Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Monday that Ukraine will send a team to Washington this week to advance negotiations on the draft strategic agreement. 10:13 AM BST Germany investigates suspected Russian cyber attack Germanys intelligence services are probing a suspected Russian cyber attack against a policy institute in Berlin. Suspected Russian hackers targeted the German Association for East European Studies, or DGO, a think tank which specialises in foreign policy. The cyber attack gained access to DGOs email traffic, German media reports, in a serious data breach. German intelligence officers suspect that the attack was carried out by a Russian hacker group known as Cozy Bear. Cozy Bear has previously been linked to a string of cyber attacks on EU and Nato governments, as well as the attempted theft of Covid vaccine data in 2020. 09:57 AM BST Russia claims Ukraine is violating deal preventing strikes on energy infrastructure Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed on Wednesday that Ukraine continues to consistently strike Russian energy infrastructure on a daily basis. Such attacks would be in violation of a US-brokered 30-day moratorium on strikes on energy infrastructure. Both Moscow and Kyiv have accused each other of breaking the US-brokered moratorium. The reports of the strikes have not been independently verified. 09:42 AM BST Two Chinese students detained for filming US military assets in South Korea Two Chinese students have been detained in South Korea for taking thousands of photos of US military assets, according to local reports. The Chinese nationals are under investigation for illegally filming US military assets near Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea and South Korean fighter aircraft near Suwon Air Base in March, said South Korean police. One student claimed his father is a public security officer in China. 09:32 AM BST Is Russia really using Chinese soldiers in its ranks? China claims to take a neutral stance on the war but has grown closer to Russia since it broke out. Western officials have long accused China of sending weapon components and attack drones to Moscow, but there is no evidence Beijing has directly sent troops. Last month, a separate video emerged on social media purporting to show Chinese mercenaries fighting for Russia in Ukraine. The soldiers have equipment and clothing consistent with what regular Russian troops have been seen wearing in recent months. Thousands of volunteers and mercenaries have been recruited by Russia to bolster its forces throughout the war. One of two Chinese soldiers who were reportedly captured by Ukrainian forces in the Donetsk region - AFP 09:19 AM BST At least 22 injured as Russian drones attack three Ukrainian cities Russian forces staged huge drone attacks on three cities in eastern Ukraine late on Tuesday, regional officials said. In the northeastern city of Kharkiv, hit by drone attacks nearly every evening over the past week, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said there had been more than 20 strikes. This is our enemys new tactic to frighten the civilians. This (the attacked objects) is civilian infrastructure of the city, these are production enterprises, these are Kharkivs businessmen. Of course, they are scared, Terekhov told journalists at one of the attacked sites. In the Donetsk region, the focal point of the 600-mile front line in the war, a residential area came under attack in the city of Kramatorsk and local officials said three people, including a child, were injured. The attack on Dnipro in southeastern Ukraine sparked a fire, damaged houses and cars and injured 15 people, Serhiy Lysak, governor of the region, said on Telegram. Credit: State Emergency Service of Ukraine 09:05 AM BST Watch: Chinas foreign office urges all nationals to stay out of armed conflict China has urged its citizens to avoid war zones after two nationals were captured during fighting in Ukraine. Beijings foreign ministry said it rejected groundless claims that more Chinese soldiers were fighting in Ukraine, adding that it was verifying reports of Chinese nationals being captured in combat. Let me stress that the Chinese government always asks Chinese nationals to stay away from areas of armed conflict (and) avoid involvement in armed conflicts in any form, said Lin Jian, Chinese foreign office spokesperson. Credit: Reuters 09:03 AM BST Hello and welcome to our live coverage Were bringing you the latest updates from the Ukraine war. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. (Reuters) - Russian investigators said on Wednesday that they were probing the alleged killing of eight Russian civilians by Ukrainian soldiers in Russia's Kursk region, parts of which were controlled by Kyiv before Russia regained ground this year. In a statement on Telegram, Svetlana Petrenko, a spokesperson for Russia's Investigative Committee, which handles serious crimes, said the charges related to deaths of residents of the village of Guyevo, which Russia said on Tuesday it had retaken. "The investigation established the fact of targeted shelling by Ukrainian armed forces of civilians during their evacuation in April 2025, as a result of which six people were killed," Petrenko said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said that the investigation also concerned two more civilian deaths in Guyevo in March 2025, alongside reports of alleged looting by Ukrainian forces. Reuters was unable to verify the reports. There was no immediate response from Ukraine's defence ministry or its general staff to emailed requests for comment. Russian forces in Ukraine have been accused of committing crimes against civilians since Moscow began its full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russian officials have denied the allegations. (Writing by Felix Light; Editing by Kate Mayberry) We recently published a list of 10 Undervalued Canadian Stocks to Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Canadian National Railway Company (NYSE:CNI) stands against other undervalued Canadian stocks to buy now. Q1 2025 saw some challenges to the financial markets, primarily because of trade issues, says Sun Life (a Canadian-based international financial services company). The US decided to impose extra taxes, known as tariffs, on goods coming from numerous countries, including Canada. This move impacted the investors sentiments as to how it might slow down business and economic growth, not only in Canada but globally. The firm noted that Canadas economy remains strong, and the BoC is no longer concerned with inflation. It lowered the interest rate by 50 bps to 2.75% as an effort to manage the economic impact of US tariffs. Current State of Canadas Economy Canadas economy strengthened at the end of 2024, says Sun Life, thanks to the lower interest rates. That being said, the markets remain nervous about economic strength. As per the firm, Canadas economy saw a growth of 2.6%, annualized over Q4 2024. Consumer spending acted as the critical growth driver. Also, reduced interest rates aided in driving consumer spending. The countrys economy also benefited from the stronger exports. The firm also highlighted that Canadas unemployment rate sat at 6.6% as of February. BoC decided to reduce rates in part because of the improving labour market. Notably, Canadian equities touched a new high early in the quarter. Talking about the sectors, the Materials and Utilities sectors were tagged as the strongest performers. However, the Health Care and IT sectors saw the weakest returns. READ ALSO: 7 Best Stocks to Buy For Long-Term and 8 Cheap Jim Cramer Stocks to Invest In. Whats Next for Canadian Equities? Bloomberg, while quoting Scotiabank, mentioned that Canadas stock markets are expected to outperform after avoiding the worst of Trumps tariffs. Scotia Capital Inc. provided a double upgrade to Canadian equities, from Underweight to Overweight, with analysts highlighting that both Canada and Mexico have managed to dodge the bullet in the escalating trade war. As per Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Gillian Wolff and Gina Martin Adams, TSX valuations are low relative to pre-pandemic levels, which offer a buffer against economic volatility and trade war. The analysts at Scotia Capital Inc. believe that the escalating trade war announcement is negative for the US and the rest of the world. Scotiabank has dropped emerging market equities to Underweight from Neutral, mentioned Bloomberg. MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia summoned the French ambassador in Moscow to the foreign ministry to complain after a Russian diplomat was detained by border guards at a French airport, foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday. "As a result of the demarches undertaken, our colleague was ultimately allowed to enter the country, but she had to spend a day in the border zone of the airport. We do not intend to leave this without consequences," state news agency RIA quoted Zakharova as saying. There was no immediate comment from the French foreign ministry or law enforcement. A French government spokesperson had no information about the issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the detention was "absolutely unacceptable", and "further aggravates" relations between France and Russia. Relations between the countries have been poor since February 2022, when Russia ordered tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine. France is one of Kyiv's foremost European backers. (Writing by Felix Light; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Peter Graff) MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's defence ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that Ukraine had carried out six attacks on Russian energy infrastructure over the past day, in violation of a U.S.-brokered moratorium on hitting energy infrastructure targets. Ukraine and Russia agreed to pause strikes on each other's energy facilities last month, but both sides have repeatedly accused each other of breaking the moratorium. In statements published on the Telegram messenger app, the ministry said that Kyiv had damaged energy infrastructure in Russia's Rostov and Kursk regions, as well as in the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also said that Ukraine had mounted two failed strikes in Russia's Krasnodar region, including on a compressor station serving the TurkStream pipeline, which sends gas from Russia to Turkey via the Black Sea. Reuters was unable to verify the battlefield reports. (Writing by Felix Light; Editing by Bernadette Baum/Guy Faulconbridge) Russia and Ukraine launched fresh drone attacks on each other overnight, resulting in injuries and damage across multiple regions, according to officials on both sides. Ukrainian authorities reported strikes in several areas. In the city of Dnipro, 15 people were injured and 15 private homes, along with several multi-storey residential and commercial buildings, were damaged, said regional Governor Serhiy Lysak. In the eastern Donetsk region, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported five people injured by Russian attacks in various communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the north-eastern city of Kharkiv, two people were wounded following what local prosecutors described as a large-scale drone attack. Fires broke out and damage was reported to shops and residential buildings. Russia: Over 150 Ukrainian drones intercepted Russia's Ministry of Defence said on Telegram that it had intercepted 158 Ukrainian drones overnight, affecting several regions. It did not specify the extent of any damage. In the Orenburg region near Kazakhstan, the governor said a military airfield had been targeted, though no casualties or damage were reported. Russian Telegram channels also claimed attacks on the Mozdok air base in the North Caucasus and the Engels airbase on the Volga in western Russia. These reports could not be independently verified. Russian airports temporarily close Russia's aviation authority said take-offs and landings were suspended for several hours overnight at airports in Volgograd, Saratov, Ulyanovsk, Vladikavkaz, and Grozny due to security concerns. Such restrictions have become common amid ongoing Ukrainian drone attacks. Russian air defenses intercepted 158 Ukrainian drones across occupied Crimea and several Russian regions overnight on April 9, including as far south as North Ossetia, Russia's Defense Ministry claimed. Independent Telegram channel Astra reported that drones targeted the military airfield in Mozdok, from where MiG-31K carriers of Kinzhal hypersonic missiles are deployed. Social media posts showed images of smoke rising near the area. Astra said it geolocated one image to a site roughly 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the air base. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian authorities did not acknowledge any strike on the Mozdok airfield itself. Regional head Sergey Menyaylo said air defenses "repelled" the attack in the Mozdok district. Menyaylo claimed there were no casualties or visible damage but confirmed that a drone attack alert had been implemented. The Kyiv Independent could not verify all the claims. The Ukrainian military has yet to comment on the attacks. Explosions were also reported in Taganrog in Rostov Oblast, Tikhoretsk, Sloviansk-on-Kuban, Krymsk, Saratov, and Engels, according to the Russian media and local authorities. The airports of Vladikavkaz and Grozny, the capitals of Russia's republics of North Ossetia and Chechnya, were reportedly closed because of the attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Ossetia is located roughly 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) from Ukraine's border. It borders Georgia to the south and lies along the Caucasus Mountains. Kyiv has regularly used long-range drones to target Russian military and industrial infrastructure deep behind the front lines. On March 20, the Ukrainian military confirmed that a successful drone strike had hit the Engels-2 airbase in Saratov Oblast. Read also: Russia attacks Dnipro with drones, injuring at least 15 Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A Russian military intelligence agent who operated in Zhytomyr Oblast has been sentenced to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property. Source: Security Service of Ukraine (SSU); Prosecutor Generals Office Details: Case files reveal that the man, having been mobilised into the Armed Forces of Ukraine, was adjusting Russian airstrikes on the locations of the military unit where he was undergoing combat training before deployment to the contact line. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SBU counterintelligence apprehended the "mole" in the summer of 2024 while he was preparing a new intelligence report for his Russian handler. Investigators established that the agent was a resident of Donetsk Oblast who was remotely recruited by a career officer of Russias military intelligence service after mobilisation. He came to the attention of Russian intelligence after leaving anti-Ukrainian comments on Telegram channels. During a search, officers found a mobile phone containing evidence of his collaboration with the Russian side. Prosecutors proved in court that in June 2024, while serving at military facilities where he was undergoing training, the man had voluntarily contacted representatives of the Russian state and agreed to assist a Russian intelligence officer and his associate in subversive activities against Ukraine. The convict remains in custody. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Russian offensive operations across the front line in Ukraine have intensified just as Washington is pushing for a truce, CNN reported on April 9, citing Ukraine's General Staff and soldiers. The news comes as Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on April 9 that Moscow's new spring offensive "has actually already begun." For over a week, Russian forces have been conducting more aggressive maneuvers in multiple regions, particularly south of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast a critical logistics hub situated roughly 70 kilometers (40 miles) northwest of Russian-occupied Donetsk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Syrskyi earlier claimed that despite renewed pressure, Russia is "stalling" in the Pokrovsk sector and failing to achieve major territorial gains. He previously said 7,000 Russian troops were killed near Pokrovsk in January alone. A Ukrainian reconnaissance officer deployed in the area told CNN that Moscow has been moving in reinforcements and equipment to prepare for expanded attacks. The Lyman sector, located in northern Donetsk Oblast, has also seen escalating clashes. Ukrainian troops there are heavily outnumbered, sometimes by a ratio of 10 to 1, according to Anastasia Blyshchyk, a spokesperson for Ukraine's 66th Separate Mechanized Brigade. Russian forces are pushing from the east, aiming to capture key logistical routes linking Lyman with the rest of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. The second region remains almost entirely under Russian occupation, with Ukrainian forces holding only a few small settlements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Combat data analyzed by CNN confirms a surge in Russian activity across the front line over the past two weeks. Read also: Trump is setting Europe up for failure in a new Cold War President Volodymyr Zelensky warned in March that Russia is preparing for new assaults on the northeastern Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts after Moscow's rapid advances in Kursk Oblast. Despite efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump to mediate a ceasefire, Russia rejected a U.S.-Ukraine proposal for a full 30-day truce, continuing its onslaught to seize more land before potential peace talks. Data from the battlefield monitoring group DeepState shows that Moscow captured only 133 square kilometers (50 square miles) in March, the lowest monthly gain since June 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, pressure is building again. Fighting has surged at the end of the month, especially in Donetsk Oblast, where Russian forces are testing Ukraine's defenses. Zelensky said on Jan. 15 that Ukraine's military consists of 880,000 soldiers, tasked with defending the entire country against 600,000 Russian troops concentrated in different areas. Presidential Office Deputy Head Pavlo Palisa said on April 3 that Moscow plans to increase its grouping by 150,000 more soldiers in 2025, equivalent to around 15 motorized infantry divisions. Read also: Russia has capacity to mobilize 5 million trained troops, Syrskyi says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russia's new spring offensive against northeastern Ukraine "has actually already begun," Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in an interview with the LB.UA outlet published on April 9. Syrskyi's comments come after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Moscow is amassing forces for a fresh offensive against the Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts this spring. "I can say that the president is absolutely right, and this offensive has effectively already begun," Syrskyi said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For nearly a week, Russian offensive operations have almost doubled in all main sectors, the commander-in-chief noted. Ukrainian officials and experts have been warning that Russia may launch a new offensive against the two northeastern regions to strengthen its hand in potential negotiations. The development comes after Russia recaptured much of its territory in Kursk Oblast, a Russian border region Kyiv attacked last year to disrupt plans for an offensive against Sumy Oblast. U.S. President Donald Trump has sought to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine, but Moscow has rejected the 30-day truce agreed upon by Washington and Kyiv and continues its onslaught, hoping to use the time to seize more territory. Russia made significant advances on the battlefield, primarily in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk Oblast, last fall, but its push had slowed down in the early months of 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked whether the upcoming Zapad 2025 drills in Belarus in September could be part of preparations for the new offensive, Syrskyi acknowledged that military exercises can be used to redeploy and amass a new group of forces. At the same time, the Ukrainian commander-in-chief does not expect that the fall exercises will be used for that purpose, though Kyiv "has to take this factor into account." Read also: In Kyiv, skepticism about ceasefire reigns as Russia ramps up deadly attacks and US remains mute Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Authorities have put out a Sacramento County alert for a missing teen and a woman believed to be tied to his disappearance. Missing is 15-year-old Jason Brooks, according to the California Highway Patrol, which issued an endangered persons alert on behalf of the Twin Rivers Unified School District Police Department. Jason was last seen about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday walking in the area of San Juan Road and Ranch Roble Way in Sacramentos South Natomas neighborhood. He is 6-foot-4 and 165 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a gray jumpsuit and black and red shoes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was not known if Jason was a student in the district but the area from which he disappeared is several blocks east of Natomas High, which belongs to a different district. Authorities said in the alert that they were also looking for Ashley Patterson, 34. CHP officials did not describe Pattersons relationship to Brooks in the alert message, labeling her only as a suspect in the teenagers disappearance. Patterson is 5-foot-4 and 181 pounds. Authorities did not know what clothes Patterson was wearing when she was last seen. The CHP is asking anyone who has seen either person or both to call 911. (FOX40.COM) The Sacramento Police Department is investigating a shooting that happened Tuesday evening. Around 5 p.m., SPD responded to the 900 block of West El Camino Avenue for reports of a shooting. When officers arrived at the scene they found two people with gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to a local hospital in an unknown condition. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News. SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) A San Angelo man is being charged for allegedly assaulting his 81-year-old grandmother on April 7 in a home the two shared, according to court records filed in Tom Green County. Christian Knowlton, 27, was booked in Gillespie County on April 8 for charges of injury of an elderly individual with intent to cause serious bodily injury or mental injury and unauthorized use of a vehicle as well as a charge out of Hunt County for harassment. As of the time of publication, he has a posted bond of $1.5 million. Knowlton was sought by the San Angelo Police Department as a person of interest in the assault of an 81-year-old San Angelo woman that occurred in the 4300 block of Rodeo Drive during the evening of April 7. The SAPD said in an update issued on the evening of April 8 that he was arrested in Fredericksburg. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RELATED: SAPD seeking man after assault of 81-year-old A mugshot of Christian Knowlton used by the Gillespie County Sheriffs Office in relation to his arrest in Fredericksburg on April 8, 2025, for allegedly assaulting an 81-year-old woman in San Angelo the day prior. A mugshot of Christian Knowlton used by the Gillespie County Sheriffs Office in relation to his arrest in Fredericksburg on April 8, 2025, for allegedly assaulting an 81-year-old woman in San Angelo the day prior. The affidavit Court records filed in relation to the case stated that an investigator responded to a residence in the 4300 block of Rodeo Drive on April 7 in regards to a robbery. The investigator learned upon arriving at the scene and speaking with another detective that the assaulted individual was 81 years old and the grandmother of Knowlton. The investigator also learned that Knowlton and his grandmother had been living together at the residence alongside two other people. The investigator gathered information regarding actions allegedly taken Knowlton, his grandmother, and the other residents prior to the incident, as per the affidavit. The investigator learned that, on the day of the incident, the other residents departed the incident location in the morning. Later that same morning, the grandmother allegedly took Knowlton to a parole meeting before eventually returning to the residence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two other individuals who lived at the residence reportedly discovered the grandmother on the floor in the front foyer with injuries to her face after they returned to the residence. The investigator learned that only the victim had been located on scene and that neither Knowlton nor his grandmothers vehicle, identified as a white Jeep Renegade, were present or accounted for. The investigator was informed that the grandmother had been taken to the Shannon Medical Center Emergency Room by San Angelo Fire Department personnel to be treated for extensive injuries to her face. Responding to the Shannon Medical Center Emergency Department, the investigator observed that the grandmothers face was covered in blood and that both of her eyes were bruised and swollen shut. The investigator also observed a laceration to the victims left nostril, a laceration on the top left area of the victims head and bruising to the victims face and head. The investigator was told by a Shannon Medical Center staff member that she also had sustained fractures to her face and a brain bleed. At the time of the investigators observations, the woman was unconscious, intubated and unresponsive. The investigator later spoke with another detective and was informed that the grandmother had been taken to a different hospital for further treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon applying for and obtaining a search warrant for the residence where the incident occurred, evidence items were seized. Among the items taken were a kitchen knife found on a countertop in the residences kitchen that appeared to have blood on the blade, a purse and an iPhone. The investigator did not observe any apparent signs of forced entry to the residence, noting that the location appeared to be in overall order with no items overturned or apparently out of place. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com. When JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon releases his annual letter to shareholders, the business world takes notice. This year, the banking titans 58-page missive spanned everything from a stark warning about the economic repercussions of President Donald Trumps newly announced tariffs to a set of guiding principles for modern leadership. His central message to executives: embrace discomfort, stay curious, and, above all, get out of the office and into the real world. His core message to executives: embrace discomfort, stay curious, and get out of the office. Leadership should always be about learning and questioning, Dimon wrote, recounting a recent master class he led for 400 JPMorgan executives. Our company needs to nurture innovation, ambition, and discipline while discouraging complacency, arrogance, and bureaucracy. In an environment where market disruption is constant, Dimon urged leaders to expand their perspective and build a more comprehensive view of their business. That means actively seeking diverse perspectives, confronting uncomfortable truths, and regularly reassessing internal assumptions. Get out of your own echo chamber, he advised. For Dimon, that process begins with discipline: closely tracking industry trends, studying competitors, engaging with people who possess more advanced technical or managerial expertise, and holding oneself and others to account. We can learn so much from our competitors, customers, and employees if we only open our eyes and ears, he explained. He shared his own experience. A decade ago, Dimon assembled a senior leadership delegation to travel to China and observe companies like Alibaba, Ping An, and Tencent. Though initially met with hesitation, the trip proved transformational, ultimately broadening the teams understanding of digital banking, biometrics, and emerging technologies like super appsinsights that helped shape JPMorgans digital evolution. But learning from competitors, Dimon argued, is just the beginning. The real imperative is anticipating their next move and responding proactively. Youve got to say, What are the competitors going to do next? because that shows when youre getting to the puck and where the puck is going to be not where things currently stand, he explained. Dimon also emphasized the importance of looking outside ones industry for inspiration. Citing Chick-fil-As use of drones to optimize drive-thru operations, Dimon pointed to the fast-food chain as an example of sector-specific problem-solving that offers universal lessons. While not directly applicable to banking, it reflects a mindset he values: pragmatic, creative thinking in the face of evolving customer needs. San Antonio sends almost half its exports to Canada, which makes the Texas trade hub one of the most vulnerable U.S. cities in the tariff war. Mayor Ron Nirenberg says one in five jobs in his state is exposed by President Donald Trumps new tariff regime 300,000 jobs immediately on the block. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce recently ranked San Antonio, Detroit and Kansas City, Missouri, at the top of a list of U.S. cities that are export-dependent on Canada. Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Seattle also made the list. Chamber economist Andrew DiCapua says the framing of the new study was deliberate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hearing prices are going to go up is one thing, he told POLITICO. But if you say that as a result of trade frictions, your business sales will go down, stores and plants will close, you're going to have a recession in your local economy and you're not going to have a job that's a lot more powerful. We spoke with Nirenberg on Tuesday, hours before Trumps global tariffs kicked in. Canada escaped the Liberation Day sweep but has been hit by auto, steel and aluminum tariffs, with more to come. On April 9, Ottawa introduced counter measures on U.S. vehicles. "The reality is the modern economy does not exist without cooperation in the globe across the globe," Nirenberg told POLITICO. "So the idea that all of a sudden we can become isolated and maintain prosperity for our people is just ludicrous." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This transcript has been edited for length and clarity. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce put San Antonio atop a list of U.S. metro areas that are most export-dependent on Canada. Were you surprised to discover that? No, I wasn't. Our economy has transformed over the last 25 years as a result of a diversification of industries, but significantly the rebirth of the manufacturing sector as a result of free trade in North America. It has rebuilt the middle class, and it employs tens of thousands of San Antonio workers, becoming the leading employment sector in our city. So it is no surprise to me that roughly half of the $13-plus billion dollars of exports that come out of San Antonio companies locally owned companies, in large measure are going to Canada. What is your current level of concern? It's grave concern and a tremendous amount of anger at the combination of malice and incompetence coming out of the White House. What are you hearing from the local business community? What I'm hearing from the local business community small businesses, in particular is that they are trying to deal with the impacts on a tactical level. The reality of a lot of these businesses is that they are grinding every single day. It's hard enough to forecast purchases, supplies and fluctuations in payroll without the escalating trade wars that have been initiated. Some companies are obviously concerned about the escalations overall but are reluctant to speak out because of the very clear willingness of the administration to retaliate against anyone who would speak up. There is a Buy Canadian movement afoot up here. Do you have any sense of it? I haven't personally seen that campaign, but it's not surprising. There's nothing that spurs patriotism like being attacked. And we are unfortunately seeing the White House make unprovoked attacks on our strongest allies. Last year, Canada's ambassador and a team of top ministers spent much of 2024 visiting with U.S. officials. Did you meet with any officials? Well, I meet with my counterparts at the local level and in cities all across the world. And I do meet quite a bit with Canadian peers and not just because we're strategic allies and economic partners in the continent and along the USMCA trade corridor, but because it's important to me that our city is connected to the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But I did visit Quebec City last year, along with the World Economic Forum. I was a speaker there in Montreal last year. Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand and I are good friends, and we established a Friendship City agreement just a few weeks ago. That was in the works prior to the election but was made all that important because of what's happening at the national level. I'm a former chairman of Sister Cities International. I believe very strongly that the relationships that are formed between communities citizen to citizen, business to business are the most important bridges that we build if we're going to have a future where there's peace between countries and not conflict. There is talk of broken trust. Is that a concern of yours as you deal with cities all over the world? Without a doubt, it's a common refrain. The United States has been the pillar of democracy, freedom, liberty for many generations, and the malice of one man is changing that reputation almost overnight. I hope we can restore that trust, but it's going to take a significant amount of work to demonstrate to the rest of the world. The current prime minister of Canada has agreed to meet the president after our federal election at the end of this month. You mentioned the USMCA. Do you see a future for that in all of this trade that we're talking about? I sure hope so. NAFTA certainly had its flaws, but it opened up trade relationships that hadn't existed and helped spur the rebirth of many industries in the United States and Canada and Mexico. It's the framework of how we can create a more efficient, effective and fair economy throughout the continent, and one of the reasons why I believe the alliances were so strong and the three countries were secure. So I do believe it's important for the future. And I thought that President Trump believed the same thing when he renegotiated the darn thing. The best trade deal. Right. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) A proposal to expand the San Diego Countys current Immigrant Legal Defense Program failed to pass the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. The Immigrant Legal Defense Program was first passed in 2021, and began in 2022, after a proposal from Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer. The $5 million per year program funds legal fees for migrants seeking asylum, who are detained. Lawson-Remer said since the program began in 2022, theyve helped 2,500 migrants at the Otay Mesa Detention Facility through the legal process and have had a 66 percent success rate. She said under this program theyve also had people who were not legally allowed to be in the U.S. (for certain criminal convictions), get deported faster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement April 8 District 1 Supervisor special election: What to know Lawson-Remers proposal would have expanded the program to allow for any migrant in the county, including those not detained, to access legal representation under the program. The new proposal would have not taken cases for people with serious criminal convictions such as rape, murder or drug trafficking. The constitution is not a suggestion, due process should not be optional, Lawson-Remer said during Tuesdays board meeting. I dont think we should be spending our tax dollars when were actually having a lot of defunding going on and we need this money, said Audra Morgan, who spoke out against the proposal during public comment on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While a majority of the Board of Supervisors who were present at Tuesdays meeting voted for it, the measure still failed. DHS issues waiver to bypass certain laws to speed border wall construction in San Diego After the vote failed, Lawson-Remer and activists held a rally outside the county administration. Its really unfortunate, when you end up with frankly a kind of partisan split, where people dont respect the basic principals of human rights because they are more interested in sort of kowtowing to whatever is coming out of the administration in Washington. Its very sad, Lawson-Remer said on the failed vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im glad that it failed, I do have compassion for illegal immigrants that are working here, but the fact is that they are illegal and I dont think we shouldnt be spending our tax dollars trying to defend that, said Mark, who also spoke out against the proposal during the public comment portion of Tuesdays board meeting. Lawson-Remer and Monica Montgomery Steppe voted for it, while Joel Anderson voted against it, and did not speak about the proposal during public comment. Growing homeless encampment in a City Heights neighborhood is worrying residents Supervisor Jim Desmond is in Washington D.C. and the District 1 seat remains vacant, which could have been a deciding vote on this proposal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawson-Remer said she plans to bring the proposal back to the board as soon as another District 1 Supervisor is sworn in. Desmond said in a statement regarding his absence, This week, I had the opportunity to meet with several high-ranking officials in the federal government to advocate for critical issues impacting San Diego. With how quickly this administration is moving on matters like tariffs and other national policies, I felt it was imperative to be there in person to ensure San Diegans voices are heard and to work toward real solutions that benefit our region. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) Members of a ruthless street gang based in south Monterey County drove 90 miles to San Jose searching for rival gang members to kill, San Joses police chief said. The group found a 27-year-old man, Alejandro Martinez Vasquez, on Loma Verde Drive January 11 and shot him to death, according to court documents obtained by KRON4 on Tuesday. They targeted a specific San Jose neighborhood with their evil intent, San Jose Police Department Chief Paul Joseph said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the groups goal was to find rival gang members in the Loma Verde neighborhood, police described Martinez Vasquez as a random victim who was not involved in gangs. A GoFundMe page says the victim, who went by the name Wilson Martinez, was a loving and dedicated father to his son. After the victim died in a hospital from gunshot wounds, homicide detectives found surveillance video cameras near the crime scene, as well as automated license plate reading cameras. The cameras led their investigation 90 miles south of San Jose to a rural and remote area of Monterey County. Detectives began to piece together that the suspects were part of a violent criminal street gang, Joseph said. On April 2, 100 SJPD officers participated in a large-scale arrest operation in the small city of Greenfield. Search warrants were served in 14 homes and 20 vehicles. Eight men, who range in ages from 18-20, were arrested in connection to Martinez Vasquezs death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a criminal complaint filed by Santa Clara County prosecutors on Friday, six of the eight suspects are charged with first-degree murder. The accused killers are: Andre Novoa, 18, of Greenfield Anthony Martinez, 19, of Soledad Damien Perea, 19, of Sacramento David Gomez-Moreno, 19, of Soledad Diego Narez, 19, of King City Eduardo Camacho-Hernandez, 20, of Greenfield A seventh arrested man, 19-year-old Dario Botello of Sacramento County, was charged with accessory after the fact and participating in a criminal street gang. Prosecutors have not yet charged the eighth arrested man, 20-year-old Adrian Pineda-Juarez of Greenfield, in connection to the case, according to the criminal complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police wrote, Adrian Pineda-Juarez was already in custody in Monterey County for a separate homicide, and (he) will be charged separately in Santa Clara County. Adrian Pineda-Juarez, left, and Dario Botello, right, are seen in mugshots released by the San Jose Police Department. The eight men are members of a violent Norteno street gang, court documents state. Chief Joseph told reporters that the same Greenfield-based gang was responsible last year for the shooting of a six-year-old child at a baptism, a double homicide near Soledad, and a quadruple homicide with 11 shooting victims at a birthday party in King City. San Jose is a great place to visit, but if you come here to commit violence and you take a life, we will come visit you, Joseph said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Botello, Pineda-Juarez, Novoa, Martinez, Perea, Gomez-Moreno, Narez, and Camacho-Hernandez all remain in custody. Martinez Vasquezs death was San Joses first homicide of 2025. For the investigation, SJPD worked with a slew of additional law enforcement agencies, including: Sacramento PD, King City PD, Greenfield PD, Salinas PD, Watsonville PD, Monterey County Sheriffs Office, Sacramento County Sheriffs Office. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. Adam Finkel says the 4-year-old boy with autism the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office says drowned in a retention pond in Baymeadows last night didnt have to lose his life. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] We can save childrens lives. We can make our community safer, Finkel, an attorney at Haggard Law Firm, said, we shouldnt wait for tragedy. As a community, we should be demanding more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finkel represents families of kids who have drowned in retention ponds, like the family of 2-year-old Musiq Jordan-Dye, who Action News Jax told you drowned to death last year. He was on his way to meet another family in Jacksonville who lost their child to a retention pond drowning when he stopped by Baypointe North, the neighborhood where the 4-year-old died Tuesday afternoon. There are far too many drownings across the U.S. We can do basic things to decrease this, said Finkel. The Autism Society of Florida says the state leads the nation in child drowning deaths. It also says drowning is the leading cause of death for children with autism, which it adds are naturally more attracted to water than neurotypical kids. The CDC says most children who drown in retention ponds are four years old or younger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement JSO is still investigating what led to the 4-year-old drowning in the pond, but says he was found the pond off Star Drive at around 6:50 PM after police had responded to a call about a missing child less than 90 minutes earlier. Were told a helicopter was brought to help find the boy, who police say died in the hospital after being pulled from the pond. Finkel says theres a simple solution to preventing these deaths. You can have a fence thats not going to bother anybody, buts going to save childrens lives, Finkel said. There is no fence around the pond where police say the 4-year-old drowned, but Florida law doesnt require fences to be put up around retention ponds. The law does say the ponds cannot be built more than one foot deep for every four feet it is built in length. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finkel wants laws surrounding retention ponds in Florida to change, but says, right now, its up to homeowners and property managers to decide whether or not to fence them as a way of keeping people safe. DR Horton is the property manager for Baypointe North and manages dozens of other neighborhoods both in northeast Florida and around the U.S. Finkel says the company is one of the places renters can contact if they want to see fences around retention ponds in their neighborhood. Call your landlord, call your property manager, call the owners of the complex and say, we have these stormwater management systems, these ponds in our community, what is being done to make sure we are following mandatory safety laws? Finkel said. The 4-year-old who drowned has not yet been identified. Action News Jax will keep following this investigation and provide updates on-air and online. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) The state Senate Finance Committee has been meeting all week to discuss their budget proposal, which is significantly different from the original version. A big change in the Senates proposed budget is that there will be no earmarks, which means millions of taxpayer dollars will not be set aside for community projects. Supporters said the money will be used to lower the income tax. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of it was used for good projects that put us and called us up in some places, especially coming out of COVID and everything. But right now is the time that maybe through all this excess, we were able to cut back and get more money back to people, said Senator Ross Turner (R-Greenville). Several committee members clapped after the announcement was made that there was no earmark proposition for this year. In the proposed budget, almost $300 million is allocated to reduce the top income tax rate to 6%. Were seeing cutbacks. Were seeing different departments getting their federal money cut, and so now we also have to be responsible, because I think a lot of thats shifting back to the states, Sen. Turner said. Weve got to make sure our budgets are in order to be able to pick up where we can. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Senate budget would deny $600 million of agency requests. Focused on the taxpayer, all the taxpayers, instead of just special interest groups who come to Columbia to try to get ahold of the taxpayer money for their projects, said Senator Larry Grooms (R-Berkeley). Finance Committee Chair Senator Harvey Peeler (R-Cherokee) said he has spoken with Rep. Bruce Bannister, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Rep. Bannister said he agrees with having no earmarks. Peeler said, I joke a lot about its impossible to cut taxes more than Harvey Peeler. Governor Henry McMasters office, and said they will need time to review the budget in full before making public comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The House will debate the budget in two weeks. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) If Oklahoma lawmakers have their way, cell phones could be banned in classrooms across the state before school starts in the fall. There are currently two bills working through the Capitol: one in the Senate, authored by Sen. Ally Seifried (R-Claremore), and one on the House side, authored by Rep. Chad Caldwell (R-Enid). The difference between the Senate bill that you saw previously and the House bill that Im presenting to you today is that each year, the local school boards can opt out of this, said Seifried. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bill to ban cell phones in OK schools moves forward The Senate Education Committee heard the Houses version Tuesday. It passed and will now move forward for consideration on the Senate floor. Its part of a growing trend. Several states across the country have either banned or restricted cell phone use in schools. Oklahoma has joined half a dozen other states pushing for similar policies. If either one of the bills becomes law, it would go into effect in July. Some lawmakers argued that it might make for a short turnaround for districts to prepare for the start of school in August. I dont think it will come as a surprise to any school board in this state or any administrator in the state that something was coming this year, said Seifried. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said President Trump is going so overboard on his tariff agenda. Schumer joined CNN on Tuesday, just a day before Trumps latest round of sweeping tariffs went into effect Wednesday. He was pushing for Congress to take action against the new trade policies as they spark instability at home and abroad. Congress has always had the power to deal with tariffs, and weve always had these fights in the past on some of the tariff issues as well, Schumer said. But now that Trump is going so overboard, Congress can, has every legal authority, to take those powers back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And thats what we aim to do, he added. His remarks come just days after seven Republican senators signed on to a bipartisan bill that would require Congress to approve Trumps steep tariffs on its trading partners. It would limit Trumps ability to impose the broad and reciprocal tariffs on dozens of countries without congressional approval. The president has already threatened to veto the bill. Host Brianna Keilar asked Schumer why, when he recently led the Democrats in the Senate majority, they didnt attempt to push through a law knowing that Trumps first term involved tariffs, and he promised to do more with a second term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We were able to beat back a lot of what Trump did on tariffs, and nothing is as extensive as this, over 180 countries affected, Schumer said, pointing to Trumps Liberation Day tariffs. Schumer said he hoped his Republican colleagues know how bad this is. He hopes they join him instead of trembling in their boots because theyre afraid of Trump and help the American people who will be impacted by the trade policy. So far, Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley (Iowa), Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Jerry Moran (Kan.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Thom Tillis (N.C.), Todd Young (Ind.) and Susan Collins (Maine) have supported the Trade Review Act of 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 The Hill. Chilean mining giant Antofagastas CEO, Ivan Arriagada, has stated that the recent US tariffs have sparked a potential risk for metal demand, particularly copper, although demand from data centres, renewable energy and AI could potentially compensate for any losses from traditional sectors. Arriagada noted that the resilience of the copper market could withstand the trade war's effects, reported Reuters. He stated that Chile, as the world's leading copper producer and a significant supplier to the US, may evade these tariffs due to its trade surplus with the US and its status as a free-trade partner. During the CESCO copper conference in Santiago, Arriagada also highlighted the limited supply of copper, essential for construction and the transition to a greener economy. Arriagada suggested that Trump's policies may create a more favourable investment climate for mining. In the current environment, where there is a lot more support for mining investment, it should be easier and should happen, Arriagada said, although he acknowledged the absence of tangible progress. Antofagasta, with operations across four mines in Chile and a development project in the US, aims for a production target of 660,000700,000 tonnes (t) this year. The company's Twin Metals project in Minnesota faces legal challenges regarding permits, but Arriagada remains hopeful. The US exempted steel, aluminium and copper from reciprocal tariffs, effective from 5 April 2025. The US administration is currently considering additional tariffs, although no specific measures for copper have been announced. In anticipation of Trump's tariff announcement, US clients have been stockpiling resources. Arriagada revealed that Antofagasta sent a modest additional amount of copper to the US, without disclosing specifics. In March 2025, copper prices surged more than 5% in New York, outpacing global benchmarks, after President Trump announced a possible 25% tariff on metal imports. Navigate the shifting tariff landscape with real-time data and market-leading analysis. Request a free demo for GlobalDatas Strategic Intelligence here. "Chiles Antofagasta predicts strong copper demand despite tariff uncertainty" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. Melting glaciers are a key indicator of the human-influenced changes to our climate. A recent study shows just how quickly glaciers are melting. An international team of researchers from the Glacier Mass Balance Intercomparison Exercise found that glaciers have lost about 5% of their ice around the globe since 2000. Fanny Brun, a glaciologist and an author of the study, explained in an article by Le Monde that different regions had more resistance to ice melt. However, "this natural variability is being crushed everywhere by the impact of global warming." What's happening? Glaciers around the world have been losing significant ice mass. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From 2000 to 2023, glaciers around the globe lost the "equivalent of three Olympic swimming pools [of ice] every second," per Le Monde. The Glacier Mass Balance Intercomparison Exercise team's study found that the rate of ice loss increased by about 36% from 2000-2011 to 2012-2023. This indicates that glaciers are melting more quickly than before. According to Etienne Berthier, another glaciologist-author quoted in Le Monde, glaciers in the Alps and the Pyrenees lost 10% of their ice in 2022 and 2023. Why are glaciers important? Melting glacier ice contributes to global sea level rise. Coastal cities in the United States could be hit the hardest. Miami has already had to deal with negative impacts of sea level rise, with heavy rainfall also contributing to flooding conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Decreasing pollution to reduce warming and sea level rise is important for mitigating the worst impacts of climate change on coastal cities. A recent study found that sea levels could rise anywhere from about a foot to more than 6 feet by 2100 depending on how much pollution we contribute to the environment in the coming decades. Taking steps to mitigate climate change will benefit more than humans. Polar bears have long been the emblem of a changing Arctic region. But melting ice impacts everything from animals as big as the polar bear to organisms as small as sea algae. What's being done about glaciers melting? The Paris climate agreement, which was adopted by almost 200 countries in December 2015, is the most ambitious international agreement to reduce global temperature increases. The goal of the agreement is to keep temperature increases well below 2 degrees Celsius (about 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to preindustrial levels, with efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit). This is the point at which we might avoid the worst effects of climate change. To reduce our planet's increasing temperatures, we have to decrease our pollution from energy sources such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One way to reduce our reliance on these energy sources is to turn to clean energy. Cleaner energy sources include solar panels, wind energy, and geothermal energy. You can also use your voice to advocate for positive change to help the environment. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Its a question that has puzzled scientists since mpox was first discovered in the 1950s: which animal carries the virus and helps it spread? A group of researchers finally have an answer. They believe they have identified the animal that can carry the disease without being sickened by it and its not a monkey, its a squirrel. The fire-footed rope squirrel, a forest-dwelling rodent commonly hunted and eaten by both humans and mammals in West and Central Africa, appears to serve as a reservoir for the virus, much like bats with Ebola or rats with the plague. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For years, experts have suspected small rodents were spreading the virus formerly known as monkeypox a name given to the disease after it was first discovered in a group of lab monkeys. But it was only after a chance discovery in 2023 that they could identify a culprit. Researchers from the Helmholtz Institute were studying a group of mangabey monkeys in the forests of the Ivory Coasts Tai National Park when they noticed something unusual. A baby monkey had developed red, pus-filled skin lesions characteristic of mpox on its forehead, chest, and legs. The blisters spread rapidly and the monkey died two days later. Within two months, 80 of the monkeys had been infected, and four others had died. A baby mangabey monkey, similar to the one which caught mpox - Indus Films Having monitored these monkeys since 2001, the outbreak provided a rare opportunity to trace the point of infection. The researchers had decades of samples and data to analyse, as well as cameras set up in different parts of the jungle to observe the monkeys behaviour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Soon, they discovered the infant who had first attracted attention wasnt the source of the outbreak after all. Instead, it was his mother, Bako, an elderly mangabey who had recently eaten part of a fire-footed rope squirrel. An asymptomatic mpox infection was quickly confirmed by samples from her urine and faeces. Then the scientists found the squirrels carcass less than two miles from the monkeys territory, and it was teeming with a virus identical to the one infecting the mangabeys. DNA sequencing confirmed Bako had been directly infected by the squirrel before transmitting the virus to the rest of her troop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its unbelievable how well things fit together, Fabian Leendertz, leader of the work and founding director of the Helmholtz Institute, told Nature. This represents an exceptionally rare case of direct detection of an interspecies transmission event [and] our findings strongly suggest rope squirrels were the source of the [mpox] outbreak in mangabeys, the researchers say in the paper, which has not yet been peer-reviewed. Dr Leandre Murhula Masirka, who discovered a new, more dangerous strain of mpox known as clade 1b in the Democratic Republic of Congo, thinks its very likely that the virus originated in rope squirrels. Historically, nearly all the outbreaks of clade 1 mpox in Africa have been in areas where people commonly eat rope squirrels, he told The Telegraph. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rope squirrels that I have tested always have antibodies for mpox, and I think they are the most probable species to be the reservoir of the disease, he added. Other experts are more circumspect, however, arguing that though the squirrels are certainly capable of carrying and transmitting mpox, there is not enough evidence to say definitively that the squirrels are the viruss natural reservoir. The identification of the fire-footed rope squirrel as a potential reservoir host for the mpox virus is a significant advancement in understanding the viruss transmission dynamics, said Dr Krutika Kuppalli, associate professor in the division of infectious diseases at the University of Texas Southwestern. It will be important however to continue conducting research to confirm these results and to identify additional potential reservoir species such as rodents, primates, or other small mammals, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security 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. SCRANTON The Trump administrations elimination of a Federal Emergency Management Administration funding program translates to the city losing $2.5 million for buyouts of 21 flood-prone properties that were swamped by flash floods in 2023, according to Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti. On Friday, FEMA announced its ending of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program and canceling all applications from fiscal years 2020-2023. Calling the program wasteful and ineffective, FEMA said in a press release posted online that BRIC funds not yet distributed will be immediately returned either to the Disaster Relief Fund or the U.S. Treasury. * Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A homes impacted by flooding at 121 N. Merrifield Avenue in Scranton. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO) * Homes impacted by flooding at 120 and 122 N. Merrifield Avenue in Scranton. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO) * A homes impacted by flooding at 209 N. Merrifield Avenue in Scranton. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO) * A home impacted by flooding at 207 N. Merrifield Avenue in Scranton. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO) * A home impacted by flooding at 120 N. Merrifield Avenue in Scranton. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO) * A home impacted by flooding at 120 N. Merrifield Avenue in Scranton. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO) * Homes impacted by flooding at 120 and 122 N. Merrifield Avenue in Scranton. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Show Caption 1 of 7 A homes impacted by flooding at 121 N. Merrifield Avenue in Scranton. (CHAD SEBRING/STAFF PHOTO) Expand Cognetti issued a letter Tuesday to Republican U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, Democratic U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, and Republican U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan of Dallas, whose district includes Scranton, to advocate in Congress for reinstating and preserving BRIC or an equivalent funding source. Ending BRIC will have a direct and detrimental impact on our citys ability to mitigate flood risks, modernize infrastructure, and protect residents in vulnerable neighborhoods, Cognetti said in her letter to the legislators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city has been working on BRIC-funded buyouts of 18 homes rendered uninhabitable in flash flooding of Sept. 9, 2023, and three vacant lots also deluged, Cognetti said. Those properties are on North Merrifield Avenue and Leggett, Mary and Jackson streets. A pickup truck flipped onto its roof by flood waters on Sept. 9, 2023 on Leggett Street in Scranton. Photo taken Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. (TIMES-TRIBUNE / FILE PHOTO) The city intended to pay for the $3.4 million total buyout cost using $2.5 million of BRIC grant funding and $849,000 of city funds, as the citys portion was a 25% contribution. The flood-prone parcels were to have vacant, condemned homes demolished and the properties repurposed for floodplain restoration and green infrastructure, which would be vital strategies to reduce public safety risks and avoid future disaster recovery costs, Cognetti said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FEMAs announcement said ending BRIC will help ensure that grant funding aligns with President Donald Trumps executive orders and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noems direction and best support states and local communities in disaster planning, response and recovery. Cognetti said Scranton has invested significant time and resources in coordination with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) on applications for BRIC funds. The city also was pursuing a BRIC Building Code Program Grant to update the citys outdated building codes and provide staff training to better address natural hazards like flooding, according to the mayors letter. In July, Scrantons BRIC applications advanced past the initial federal review, which was a key step, and as recently as March 11 had continued progress in the review phase. We were hopeful and prepared to move forward. The abrupt cancellation of the BRIC program now threatens to erase years of planning, collaboration and federal-state-local investment all at a time when climate-related disasters are accelerating, Cognettis letter said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FEMA announcement said: The BRIC program was yet another example of a wasteful and ineffective FEMA program. It was more concerned with political agendas than helping Americans affected by natural disasters. Under Secretary Noems leadership, we are committed to ensuring that Americans in crisis can get the help and resources they need. Nationwide, $882 million of funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will be returned to the U.S. Treasury or reapportioned by Congress in the next fiscal year, according to FEMA. That 2021 law made $1 billion available for BRIC over five years. Of that, $133 million went to about 450 applications. FEMA estimates more than $3.6 billion will remain in the Disaster Relief Fund to assist with disaster response and recovery for communities and survivors. Scranton City Business Administrator Eileen Cipriani said Tuesday in a phone interview the city is contacting affected property owners of the buyouts about the federal funding being pulled and the city will be looking for alternative funding sources. President Donald Trumps trade war has crashed stock markets. It is pushing the United States and the world toward recession. Why is he doing this? His commerce secretary explained on television this past Sunday: The army of millions and millions of human beings screwing in little screws to make iPhonesthat kind of thing is going to come to America. Lets consider this promise seriously for a minute. The professed plan is to relocate iPhone assembly from China to the United States. Americans will shift from their former jobs to new jobs in the iPhone factories. Chinese workers will no longer screw in screws. American workersor, more likely, American robotswill do the job instead. One question: Where will the screws come from? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement iPhones are held together by a special kind of five-headed screw, called a pentalobe. Pentalobes are almost all made in China. Under the Trump tariffs, Apple faces some tough choices about its tiny screws. For example: Apple could continue to source the screws from China, and pay the heavy Trump tariffs on each one. Individually, the screws are very cheap. But there are two in every iPhone, and Apple sells almost 250 million iPhones a year. Even if the tariff on screws adds only a dime or two to every U.S.-made iPhone compared with its Chinese-made equivalent, that will nevertheless add up to a noticeable cost differential between American and Chinese manufacturing. Continuing to buy tariffed tiny screws from China will also empower China to impose additional export taxes on its screws, or limit or even ban their export entirely. Alternatively, Apple could source its tiny screws from here in the United States. Significant tiny-screw-making capacity does not yet exist in this country. But if convinced that the Trump tariffs are here to stay, perhaps somebody in America will raise the capital, build new factories, invent screw-making robots, recruit and train supervising human workers, and meet Apples requirements at a Made in the USA price. That may take time, perhaps a lot of time. Either way, Apple will face permanently higher costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Read: Trumps most inexplicable decision yet] Lets play another round of this game. Suppose we did get serious about creating a Made in the USA tiny-screw industry. What then? Screws are made from many kinds of metal, which Trump has almost certainly tariffed. So thats one higher cost for our hypothetical U.S. tiny-screw industry. The metal is cut and coated in nickel or some other corrosion-resistant metal. The coatings will likewise probably be imported; that means more tariffs, more costs. The screws are then shaped by advanced machines operated by highly skilled workers. Many of those screw-making machines are built in the United States, so thats good news for the Made in the USA project. But the screw-making machines are themselves built of steel and other metals, which, as noted, are now tariffed. They use primary and secondary components that may be imported and therefore tariffed. In short, instead of protecting American screw-manufacturing-equipment companies, Trumps trade policy will hammer them with higher costs. In the end, this once-solid American industry will go out of business and be replaced by foreign competitors that can build their machines without paying a 10, 20, 35, or more percent tax on every item they require. Tariffs are advertised by their supporters as taxes on things Americans consume. When he was a candidate for vice president, J. D. Vance mocked those who worried about the price of toasters. But a tariff is also a tax on things Americans produce. At every stage of the industrial process, American companies will pay more for the components they need. And so it will be for the makers of those components, and the makers of the components components, and so on, in an infinite regression of self-defeat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You dont have to pay the tariff if you make your car in the United States, insist the Trumpists. No? What about the steel that goes into the car? The glass for the windscreen? The fabric for the cars upholstery? The speakers for the cars sound system? Tariffed, tariffed, tariffedto the point where the car itself costs far more for a worse product than what is available in all of the worlds other markets. Even when you reach a seemingly final product, the chain of self-defeat does not end. Imagine that the United States somehow survives the immediate crisis and arrives at a place where Americans use American-made mobile devices sealed by tiny Made in the USA screws. In that scenario, all youve done is inflict permanently higher costs on every U.S. business that uses mobile devices, while pricing them out of world markets in turn. The whole U.S. economy will run slower than its competitors, like a sprinter who volunteers to wear a weighted vest that none of the other runners has to carry. [Read: Trumps tariffs are designed to backfire] Amid this Trump-made economic shock, some pro-Trump advocates are trying to escape embarrassment by prevaricating with disingenuous platitudes: Maybe the markets are panicking. We just have to wait and see how it plays out. Its too early to predict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not too early to predict. Trump is choosing a strategy based on a willful refusal to understand how products are made and how markets work. This administration has a screw loose. Article originally published at The Atlantic SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) The San Diego County Sheriffs Office is hosting a free course for high school students with an interest in a career as an emergency services dispatcher. Responder Ready: Public Safety Communications Academy is an initiative designed to provide young adults with the opportunity to learn about the skills and knowledge utilized by professionals in 911 and public safety communications. The academy will take place on Saturdays from April 12 through June 28 at the Sheriffs Technology Information Center at 5575 Overland Ave. Classes will start at 8 a.m. and conclude at 9 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mexican government demands investigation of deadly San Diego police shooting Participants must meet the following requirements: Be at least 16 years old Currently attending high school with a minimum 2.0 GPA on the last report card Possess the ability to clearly express thoughts in written and verbal English Be a U.S. citizen or a Permanent Resident Provide a recommendation from a teacher, guidance counselor, or other school official Have parent/legal guardian permission to participate (if under 18 years old) By participating in this academy, attendees will develop an understanding of how public safety services are managed and provided in their community, the sheriffs office said on its website. Participants will explore their interests and aptitudes in public safety communications, law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services, and learn about various career opportunities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Participants must achieve a participation score of 70 or greater; attend at least 40 of the 48 hours of course instruction to graduate from the academy; complete a two-hour sit-along with a public safety dispatcher at a participating law enforcement or fire communications center (to be scheduled and completed anytime between Day 1 and Day 10 of the academy); and pass all required tests with an average minimum score of 70%. The academy graduation, which will take place on July 12, will recognize participants who complete the course with a Certificate of Completion. Complete an interest form to receive further instructions from the sheriffs office. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. WICHITA COUNTY (KFDX/KJTL) Sealed Air is seeking help from Wichita County for a $31 million investment at the Iowa Park plant. Tuesday morning, April 8, 2025, county commissioners met with representatives from Sealed Air and approved a reinvestment zone. Wichita Falls provides home repair aid following recent storms Commissioner Mark Beauchamp said this lays the groundwork for a possible property tax abatement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Representatives detailed the project to commissioners. The company is looking to invest $31.4 million in facility upgrades, which will create about 25 new jobs at the plant. A representative says if approved, this could bring in about $2 million to $2.5 million in property tax revenue between the county and Iowa Park school district. Beauchamp believes this is good business for the county. To bring in additional employment and revenue streams to our community, our income in particular for helping a long-term business establish a new product line or in this case, additional line of production. Its a win for everybody in the community, Beauchamp said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Again, no abatement has been given. Judge Jim Johnson said a hearing for the abatement will be set in May. In January, the company received a $3 million forgivable loan from the city for expansion. The loan will be paid out over two years. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com. SHELBURNE, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) Police are continuing their search for the missing Shelburne man that was last seen April 1. Officers are now saying that Ronald Van Mynen was seen in Grande Isle that day, at 6:45 p.m.. Van Mynen reportedly asked for directions to Shelburne, and left southbound on Vermont Route 2 towards Milton. Van Mynen also spoke with his wife that evening through a gas station telephone in Alburgh. Police learned that he headed north from the gas station. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This was the last time Van Mynens family has heard from him. He has been entered into the National Crime Information Center database as a missing, endangered adult, officials report. In a previous release, officers said that Van Mynen left his Shelburne home to run some errands and did not return. He did not have a cell phone on him when he left. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. LOUDON COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) A second body has been recovered in the Loudon County Sheriffs Office search for two missing teenagers who investigators believe may have jumped into the Tennessee River from the I-75 bridge near Lake Drive after a police pursuit in a stolen vehicle early Wednesday morning. Just before 3 p.m. Friday, the sheriffs office confirmed that a body believed to belong to one of the two missing teens was recovered close to the bridge. Sheriff Davis has made a notification to the family. This is a heartbreaking outcome, and our hearts are heavy as we share this difficult news. Our deepest condolences go out to the family, friends, and loved ones of this young man during this incredibly painful time, wrote LCSO on Facebook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday afternoon, LCSO announced that a body believed to belong to the second teenager had been found. Davis notified the family. City: Jim Clayton withdraws donation for Knoxville science museum As both families now face unimaginable loss, we ask the community to come together in support and compassion, LCSO posted. At 2 p.m. Friday, Loudon County Sheriff Jimmy Davis shared that the Tennessee Highway Patrol pursuit that the teens were suspected of being involved in began in the Chattanooga area early Wednesday morning. The pursuit began because the vehicle was believed to be stolen. The teens were later spotted by Sweetwater Police on I-75, and officers continued the pursuit from Monroe County into Loudon County. Officers lost sight of the vehicle around the Loudon exit on I-75, which is right before the Tennessee River Bridge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The officer pursuing the vehicle continued, and discovered the vehicle still rolling on the bridge, abandoned. The Loudon County Sheriffs office was then notified around 4 a.m., and a search began using deputies, K-9s and drones to search for the teens for two hours. After that, Davis said, the sheriffs office began receiving reports of vehicle burglaries in the Lake Drive area, which is near the Tennessee River bridge. Deputies were dispatched to the area, and one made contact with a teen who appeared to be distressed. The teen was taken to a hospital with a lacerated and punctured lung. The sheriffs office said the teen is in stable condition. The Sheriff shared that statements made by the teen led investigators to believe he may have been involved in the pursuit, and the three may have jumped over a barrier on the bridge thinking that they were jumping onto the other side of the road. Because the river bridge is separate roadways, jumping over the barrier would mean the teens had an over 80-foot drop into the water. Since learning that information, the sheriffs office worked with the Loudon County Rescue Squad to use a drone and the Knox County Sheriffs Office to use their helicopter, in addition to LCSOs resources. The search has also included sonar and underwater ROVs through the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. The search has continued, with some pauses overnight and because of weather, since 8 a.m. Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since our golden hour has passed, we dont believe theres any need for a rescue, that its more of a recovery operation now, Davis said. So far, search teams have only located a backpack that they believe may have been associated with the teens. Davis said the backpack was located quite a bit a ways downstream. Davis said the oldest of the three teens is 18, which is why the identities have not been released, and they are from the Chattanooga area. He added that the sheriffs office has been in communication with their families, who have been at the scene. Child struck by car, seriously injured on Broadway in Knoxville Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the search continued, Davis asked that people refrain from reaching calling the mayors office and sheriffs office to inquire about joining the search efforts as every resource that can be designated toward the search is being used. So far, Davis explained the mayors office has received more than 150 calls from family members and friends wanting to join the search, but those calls take away effort and resources from the sheriffs office and mayors office. Davis said the search would continue through nightfall Friday and begin again Saturday morning, from sunrise to sunset. (Loudon County Sheriffs Office) (Loudon County Sheriffs Office) (Loudon County Sheriffs Office) (Loudon County Sheriffs Office) (Loudon County Sheriffs Office) (Loudon County Sheriffs Office) (Loudon County Sheriffs Office) (Loudon County Sheriffs Office) (Loudon County Sheriffs Office) The search crews included emergency responders from the Loudon County Sheriffs Office, Monroe County Sheriffs Office, Loudon County Emergency Management Agency, Loudon County Fire/Rescue, and Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency, and other responding agencies. Those searching for the teens utilized patrol boats, underwater ROVs, and divers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday afternoon, LCSO said the search was now a recovery mission, saying they had found no signs leading them to believe the teens had made it out of the water. Throughout the day, search crews utilized boats from the TWRA and Loudon County EMA to scan the river around the I-75 bridge and downstream from the bridge. The sheriffs office said the amount of water being released from Ft. Loudon Dam made it difficult for crews to stay on course with scans and use underwater ROVs. LCSO added that the dam was slowing its release of water, which would assist with the search Friday morning. Efforts continue to identify body recovered from Nolichucky River in 1999 Law enforcement, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and first responders from the Loudon Fire Department, Tellico Village Fire Department, Priority Ambulance Service, Knox County Sheriffs Office, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol searched for the two teens. Anyone who has seen anything suspicious or has information is urged to contact the Loudon County Communication Center at 865-458-9081. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side. Video above: This FOX 5/KUSI video provides driving safety tips. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) San Diego motorists who plan on taking Genesee Avenue this weekend may want to reconsider their route as a portion of the roadway will be temporarily closed. On Wednesday, city officials announced that crews will be installing a sewer bypass and pipeline across the roadway as part of San Diegos pure water program. In order to complete the work, a section of Genesee Avenue at State Route 52 will be temporarily closed to through traffic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This closure, slated for 72 hours, is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 11, with the roadway remaining closed until Monday, April 14. City officials said commuters should expect delays in the area during that timeframe. Detour During the closure, northbound traffic on Genesee Avenue will be directed to SR-52 east and detoured to the Nobel Drive exit off Interstate 805 North. As for southbound traffic on Genesee Avenue, motorists will be directed to SR-52 west and detoured to Regents Road. According to city officials, a single southbound lane on Genesee Avenue will reopen to traffic once the sewer bypass is installed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Travelers will see detour signs placed at Governor Drive and Appleton Street. Additionally, Caltrans will place detour signage on both SR-52 and I-805 to advise motorists. The project explained Known as Pure Water San Diego, this multi-year program is intended to help provide nearly half of the citys water supply locally by the end of 2035. As explained by the city, water purification technology will be used to clean recycled water to produce safe, high-quality drinking water. This pipeline project is vitally important for the citys pure water project, said Juan Guerreiro, Director of the Citys Public Utilities Department. We appreciate everyones patience as crews complete the work as quickly as possible for minimal disruption. City officials say this program offers a cost-effective investment for San Diegos water needs, while also providing reliable, sustainable water supply. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. By Fabian Cambero and Daina Beth Solomon SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Codelco, Chile's state-owned copper producer, boosted production in the first three months of 2025 and was still bullish about long-term prospects for global demand despite an escalating trade war between the U.S. and China, Chairman Maximo Pacheco said on Monday. The world's biggest copper producer registered slightly higher output in the first quarter of the year than in the same period in 2024, and is maintaining production guidance even after a national power outage in February crimped output. "We will have a first quarter that will be slightly higher than the first quarter of last year," Pacheco said in an interview ahead of the CESCO and CRU copper industry conferences in Santiago. Codelco is targeting production between 1.37 million and 1.4 million tons of copper this year as it aims for a second year of increased output following a quarter-century low in 2023. Pacheco said he remained confident about long-term copper demand due to the needs of the global energy transition, despite short-term volatility in commodities markets following sweeping tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. "I am convinced that the long-term fundamentals are very solid, very difficult to change," Pacheco said. "I can understand the nervousness, the markets, and the people experiencing all this turbulence, but we operate in a different circuit." He added that Codelco was seeking to maintain flexibility as global needs fluctuate. The company last week said it had been sending more spot sales to the U.S., as buyers aimed to stockpile copper ahead of potential tariffs. "We have to have a flexible, diversified vision, and with good service to our clientele," he said. Codelco is also seeking to deepen ties with India, following a visit to the country led by President Gabriel Boric last week, and a supply deal with Adani Group. "We will continue to increase our business in India," Pacheco said. The company is also in talks with Saudi Arabia, which Pacheco described as very interested in copper and lithium, both critical for electric car manufacturing. "They have a lot of interest in Chile and within Chile, a lot of interest in Codelco." Chile's several-hour blackout in February, which led to mining stoppages countrywide, cost Codelco about 5,000 to 7,000 tons of production, but the miner managed to recover the shortfall, he said. "It will not mean that the production of the quarter will fall in relation to last year," he said. (Reporting by Daina Beth Solomon and Fabian Cambero; Editing by David Gregorio) WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) The Sedgwick County Zoo is celebrating the arrival of a female chimpanzee born via scheduled cesarean section to 30-year-old Mahale. The newborn, Kyansa (pronounced key-AHN-sah), was delivered safely by Drs. Laura Whisler and Janna Chibry of College Hill OB-GYN, along with the Zoos veterinary staff. The name honors a peak in Tanzanias Mahale Mountains, known for its chimpanzee habitat. Sedgwick County Zoo talks potential foster mom for new baby chimpanzee Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This milestone comes two years after Mahales reunion with her infant, Kucheza, who gained attention for her birth story but tragically died at five weeks old due to an accident. Mahale has remained a key figure at the Zoo, forming bonds with younger troop members, including one-year-old Alizeti. After surgery, Mahale was monitored overnight and successfully reunited with Kyansa just 14 hours later, showing strong signs of maternal bonding, the Zoo said in a news release. Zoo staff say both mother and infant are doing well and will remain off public view to ensure they have time to recover and strengthen their connection in a calm environment. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. MCNAIRY COUNTY, Tenn. A church in Selmer, Tennessee is making efforts to help victims recover and clean up nearly a week after a deadly EF-3 tornado hit the area. Faith Baptist Church is one of the centers providing relief to storm victims. It has everything from clothes and food to diapers and baby formula. People can pick up items or reach out to the church to have them delivered at 1301 Peach Street in Selmer, Tennessee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Selmer, TN community coming together after devastating tornado Homes were completely destroyed. But when I come up, Adams extended, the whole neighborhood was gone, said Pastor Mark Shoemaker, Faith Baptist Church. And, I called my son. I said, this is devastation. So, theres nothing left. Theres nothing here. Selmer, TN (Photo by WREG) Selmer, TN (Photo by WREG) Devastation and destruction can still be seen throughout McNairy County. Faith Baptist Church has served as a resource for survivors. Thursdays tornado claimed the lives of at least five people, destroying homes and displacing dozens of families. Salvation Army provides relief after EF-3 tornado in Selmer, TN Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, weve had a lot of people come by to get diapers, wipes, and as you can see here, weve got a lot of different stuff on hand, said Pastor Shoemaker. And so, but we also provide a lot of hygiene, personal hygiene, mens, womens kids. Pastor Shoemaker and the churchs staff also delivered meals to families and helped with storm cleanup. When people return to their homes or move into rental properties, the pastor says household items and other resources will be available at the church. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. STRONGSVILLE, Ohio (WJW) Traffic was backed up in the northbound lanes of Interstate 71 after a semi-trailer rolled over near Strongsville, dispatchers confirmed to FOX 8. According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, the two right lanes on I-71 north were blocked beyond state Route 82/Royalton Road because of a crash. Credit: ODOT Cuyahoga corrections officer arrested on drug trafficking charges Earlier in the evening, ODOT reported a 35-minute traffic delay on I-71 north. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Drivers were urged to avoid the area while emergency crews were on the scene. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden grilled a U.S. trade representative about the Trump Administrations tariff strategy before the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday. Last week, President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs on foreign countries, including a 10% baseline tax on all imports and even higher rates for certain countries that have tariffs on goods from the U.S. Trial begins for man accused of sexually assaulting entirely incoherent woman on TriMet platform Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These higher tariffs include a notable 34% tax on imports from China, which imposes a 54% total tariff on the worlds second-largest economic powerhouse. The following day, China announced it would match the U.S. with the same rate of 34%. Trump has since threatened to boost taxes by 50% if the country does not comply. This, combined with the 20% tariffs that are already in place against China, would impose a combined tax of 104%. On Tuesday, China threatened to take countermeasures against the U.S. to safeguard its own rights and interests during the developing trade war. Sen. Wyden demanded an explanation from U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We understand in the Pacific Northwest what the stakes are to have a smart, tough strategy. I dont see any strategy at all. And you really havent said much about what the strategy is this morning, Wyden said. In response, Greer said, Senator, I appreciate your concern. I wanted to keep having a conversation with you about this, but I see a distinct difference between those countries who have come to us and they said, We understand your issues, we understand the deficit, we understand your desire for reciprocity, and we want to work with you on this, and the Chinese approach, which has been, Were going to retaliate. What salary do you need to actually take home $100K after taxes in Oregon? The president has been able to impose the tariffs without approval from Congress through the use of the 1977 International Emergency Powers Act, which grants him the authority to regulate economic transactions after declaring a national emergency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wyden also announced a bipartisan effort to curb the presidents trade powers. The resolution backed by Republican Sen. Rand Paul would terminate the national emergency Trump declared earlier this year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. A mural featuring the sights of the Florida A&M University experience painted at the Efferson Student Union on Dec. 31, 2024. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix) The Senate approved its version of the state budget for the fiscal year that opens in July on Wednesday, and it includes $200 million for Floridas beleaguered citrus industry. Senators hope to secure $190 million for field trials for planting preparation, pest management, and disease management. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Much of the $190 million initially would be made available to producers with fewer than 2,500 acres. Senate President Ben Albritton addresses members of the media during the Senate Organizational Session on Nov. 19, 2024. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix) Mark my words, Florida citrus is not going down on my watch. Were on the edge of something special. Florida citrus is making a comeback, one tree at a time, Senate President Ben Albritton said in a news release. This heritage industry is not only vital to our states economy, but it is truly a part of our DNA. Citrus has been a pillar of our state since the 1500s, serving as a key economic driver within our vital agricultural industry. The remaining $10 million would go to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for an 80% cost-share with citrus packinghouses for equipment maintenance or purchase. FAMU research While the Senate focuses on funding research to revive the citrus industry (Albritton is a fourth generation citrus farmer), it is looking to support farmers who could grow other crops in the meantime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Senate cast unanimous yeas to research crops better suited to sustain Floridas agriculture industry as citrus greening ravages the states crop of pride. Sen. Darryl Rouson, a Democrat representing parts of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, led SB 178, which would commission a Florida A&M University study to determine whether there are viable crops or products that agricultural producers could raise instead of citrus. FAMU is uniquely positioned to lead this study as a university with a strong history of agricultural research, Rouson said on the Senate floor Wednesday. Their expertise will ensure that the study will provide practical and science-based recommendations to support our growers and maintain Floridas leadership in agriculture. The Senate budget proposes $1 million in general revenue for the study. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FAMU, if appropriated the money, would research alternative crops environmental impact, suitability to Floridas climate, and expected economic benefit. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Decimated Over the past 20 years, the citrus industry in Florida has declined by 90%. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Florida farmers produced nearly 300 million boxes of citrus in 2004. By 2024, harvests yielded about 20 million boxes. The forecast for 2025 is 14.1 million boxes, according to the USDA. Citrus greening, the insect-carried tree disease that first hit Florida in 2005, has decimated the industry, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson told the Senate Agriculture Committee on Jan. 14. Psyllids, or plant lice, infect citrus trees, damaging yields and ultimately killing the tree. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2019, citrus farmers reported that about 80% of their trees were infected. Researchers at the University of Florida announced earlier this year that theyve found one of the most promising discoveries to date related to greening, although growers are still about five years away from determining how effective UFs findings are. The bill heads to the House, which does not have a companion bill. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee on Tuesday approved a measure aimed at imposing additional hurdles on the ballot-initiative process and heightening penalties for wrongdoing. Lawmakers are pursuing the changes after highly contentious and expensive battles over proposed ballot initiatives last year that sought to put abortion rights in the state Constitution and allow recreational marijuana for adults. Gov. Ron DeSantis helped lead campaigns to defeat the proposals, which fell short of receiving the necessary 60 percent voter approval to pass. DeSantis this year is championing the ensuing effort to crack down on the ballot-initiative process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Ethics and Elections Chairman Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, told the Fiscal Policy Committee that the proposed changes seek to address investigations by the state Office of Election Crimes and Security that found wrongdoing related to the 2024 initiatives. Bad actors have undermined and corrupted the ballot-initiative process, Gaetz, a former Senate president, said. Theres one stain on Floridas election integrity, and its deep and its broad and its ugly, he added. The Senate plan (SB 7016), which is ready to head to the full Senate, doesnt go as far as a bill (HB 1205) approved by the House last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As an example, the House plan would require the Office of Elections Crimes and Security to investigate if 10 percent of submitted petitions during any reporting period are deemed invalid. Supporters of proposed constitutional amendments often submit more signatures than are needed to get on the ballot, with the expectation that some will be rejected. The proposed 90 percent validation rate poses a virtually insurmountable hurdle, critics argue. The Senate proposal would require an investigation if 25 percent of submitted petitions are deemed invalid. The Senate bill says that sponsors of initiatives cannot be fined if they discover a violation of signature-gathering laws and report it as soon as practicable to the secretary of states office, something the House does not include in its plan. Critics of the legislation argued Tuesday that the proposed restrictions could expose sponsors of ballot measures to exorbitant fines and erect unnecessary hurdles to what many said was one of the nations most onerous signature-gathering processes. The bill imposes a minefield of new barriers for citizen-led amendments and essentially criminalizes many aspects of the process, Brad Ashwell, state director of All Voting is Local Action, told the panel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Senate bill also would require anyone who gathers signatures to register with the state and undergo training. Currently, unpaid volunteers who circulate petitions do not have to register. The Senate proposal also would cap how many petitions someone who is not registered can possess and make violations of the restriction a felony. Unregistered people would be allowed to possess petitions for themselves, two other people and certain family members. One of the most-controversial changes included in both bills would shorten from 30 days to 10 days the length of time signature gatherers would have to submit petitions to supervisors of elections and would increase penalties for late-filed petitions. Both chambers plans also would require voters to provide identifying information, such as their drivers license numbers, when signing petitions and require people gathering petitions to be Florida residents. The Senate proposal does not include a part of the House bill that would give the Legislature more power to carry out amendments that pass by allowing lawmakers to define terms of art in initiatives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, the Senate and House plans vary on how felons and people who are not U.S. citizens can participate in the initiative process. The House would prohibit non-citizens or felons from collecting or handling petitions, while the Senate version would prohibit felons or non-citizens only from collecting petitions. The Senate also would not require sponsors to conduct background checks on workers who gather signatures. Both proposals would require county supervisors of elections to notify voters whose signatures have been validated and allow them to revoke their signatures. The Senate bill is responsive to very real fraud and deficiencies in the system that have been identified, Sen. Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach, said before the committee approved the bill Tuesday with a 19-5 vote along party lines. Pick the issue that you would least like to see in the Constitution and then decide what is your tolerance for fraud and that is why are doing this, she said. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. WASHINGTON (AP) The Senate voted Wednesday to confirm former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as the Trump administrations ambassador to Israel, two days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's White House visit. The 53-46 vote installs a vehement supporter of Israel in the key Mideast post, which may prove critical to Trumps unsuccessful efforts so far to end the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, the conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon and threats posed to Israel by Iran. Netanyahu left his meeting Monday with Trump largely empty-handed, in stark contrast to his triumphant visit two months ago. During an hourlong Oval Office appearance, Trump appeared to slap down, contradict or complicate each of Netanyahus policy prerogatives, from eliminating 17% tariffs on Israeli imports to sidelining Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump instead held firm to the tariffs and then announced that the United States and Iran would hold talks over the Iranian nuclear program beginning this weekend. Israel and Netanyahu in particular have been very wary of any discussions with Iran, which Israelis regard as an existential threat. Senate confirmation of Huckabee, a well-known evangelical Christian, may come as a bit of a relief for Israeli officials, although he told lawmakers during a hearing last month that he would carry out the presidents priorities, not mine as ambassador. That pledge came in response to questions about some of his past statements about the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people. I am not here to articulate or defend my own views or policies, but to present myself as one who will respect and represent the president, whose overwhelming election by the people will hopefully give me the honor of serving as ambassador to the state of Israel, Huckabee said at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Huckabee acknowledged his past support for Israels right to annex the West Bank and incorporate its Palestinian population into Israel but said it would not be his prerogative to carry out that policy. Huckabee, a one-time presidential hopeful, also has repeatedly backed referring to the West Bank by its biblical name of Judea and Samaria, a term that right-wing Israeli politicians and activists have thus far fruitlessly pushed the U.S. to accept. Most notably, he has long opposed the idea of a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinian people. In an interview last year, he went even further, saying that he does not even believe in referring to the Arab descendants of people who lived in British-controlled Palestine as Palestinians. The Senate on Tuesday confirmed the appointment of Elbridge Colby to be the top policy adviser at the Pentagon, overcoming concerns that he has downplayed threats from Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin. The vote was 54-45, with Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky as the only Republican voting against him. Three Democrats voted for Colby. In a statement, McConnell said Colbys long public record suggests a willingness to discount the complexity of the challenges facing America, the critical value of our allies and partners. And McConnell said Colbys confirmation encourages isolationist perversions of peace through strength to continue apace at the highest levels of administration policymaking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vice President JD Vance criticized McConnell in an X post, saying that the senators no vote like so much of the last few years of his career is one of the great acts of political pettiness Ive ever seen. Vance spoke at the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing early last month to urge Colbys confirmation, saying the nominee has said things in the past that alienated Republicans and Democrats and also said things that both sides would agree on. The vice president said Colby will be able to work with lawmakers and will strive to restore the defense industrial base, a key goal. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Indiana, said in a post Tuesday on X that Colby deeply understands the threat we face from communist China and is uniquely qualified to serve in this role. The Pentagon is better prepared to defend America with Bridge leading policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colby, who served as deputy assistant defense secretary for strategy during the first Trump administration, faced repeated questions from both Democratic and Republican senators during his confirmation hearing on previous statements he had made about whether Russia had actually invaded Ukraine and his suggestions that the U.S. could tolerate and contain a nuclear-armed Iran. After initially declining several times to answer direct questions during his hearing on whether Russia invaded Ukraine, calling it a sensitive topic, Colby eventually acknowledged that Russia invaded its neighbor and poses a significant military threat to the U.S. and Europe. Previously, Trump has falsely blamed Ukraine for starting the three-year war that has cost tens of thousands of Ukrainian lives and called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a dictator for not holding elections during wartime. During a stunning Oval Office blowup, Trump berated Zelenskyy and said he wasnt grateful enough for Americas support. ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF) The IceHogs magic number for earning an AHL Calder Cup playoff berth has been sitting still at five for a week now. They are getting some help to try to push them over the top and get the job done this week. Brett Seney and Joey Anderson are back from knee injuries and ready to play again. Theyve sat out the last two to three weeks. They were on the ice for practice Tuesday morning at BMO Center and looking good. Theyre both expected to play Friday and Saturday in the Hogs back-to-back home games against the Tucson Roadrunners. The IceHogs have six regular season games left. Seney says that will be more than enough time to help him get back in a rhythm. Yeah, I honestly, I dont know if its two or three weeks Ive been out, but Im putting in a lot of work trying to stay game ready and conditioned. Its hard to replicate on-ice conditioning off ice, but it felt good in practice today. Seney is third on the team in points this season with 36 (9 goals, 27 assists). Anderson has 25 points (16 goals, 9 assists) in only 30 games played. The timing of the return of Seney and Anderson couldnt be better with the IceHogs trying to hold off a hot Iowa Wild team to clinch the fifth and final playoff spot in the Central Division. Yeah. As far as I know, Joes trending in the right direction for this weekend too, so I know hes really excited to be back, said Seney. If we had to choose (a time) for guys to be bumped and bruised, you know, I think the last two, three weeks is a lot better than two, three weeks from now. The IceHogs could use a spark. They dropped a pair of games last weekend to the Grand Rapids Griffins when they were outscored 8-3 and 7-5. The IceHogs have a six-point cushion on Iowa for that final playoff spot in the Central. The Hogs chances of overtaking Chicago or Grand Rapids for the third or fourth spots dont look good. The Hogs trail both of those teams by ten points. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. (Reuters) - CVS Health's chief financial officer, Thomas Cowhey, intends to step down, Bloomberg News reported on Monday, amid the health insurer's ongoing efforts to effect a turnaround spearheaded by CEO David Joyner. Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the situation, said the timing of Cowhey's departure was unclear but did not give a reason for the CFO leaving. CVS declined to comment to Bloomberg and did not immediately respond to a Reuters email for comment. Cowhey was appointed CFO in January 2024 after holding the position on an interim basis since October 2023. CVS, facing financial struggles over the past few years and pressure from investors, missed its earnings targets for the first three quarters of 2024. It also withdrew its annual forecast as it announced Joyner's appointment last October. The new CEO laid out cost-cutting plans and named a new insurance head to help navigate one of the most challenging periods in the company's six-decade history. In February, CVS eventually managed to beat Wall Street estimates for fourth-quarter profit and provided an annual forecast that largely met expectations. (Reporting by Ojasvi Gupta in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Savio D'Souza) WASHINGTON (DC News Now) A senior member of a street gang was sentenced to decades in prison Tuesday for drug trafficking charges and more. Broadus Jamal Daniels, also known as Wardy, was sentenced to 35 years in prison after a jury found him guilty on Sept. 16, 2024. Daniels is accused of being a big homie for the Jugg Gang (JG) street gang. 4 teens charged after shooting leaves 3 dead in Spotsylvania County Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around August 2018, JG allied with another D.C. street crew called Push Dat S*** (PDS). The U.S. Attorneys Office (USAO) for D.C. said that PDS had territory in the 3300 to 3500 blocks of Wheeler Rd. SE and also ran an open-air drug market outside of a grocery store in that area. From August 2018 to April 2023, PDS and JG sold drugs from several locations, including in apartment buildings in the area. Rival gangs started to target them in drive-by shootings. Starting in August 2019, one of the gangs members started assembling ghost guns that could be fully automatic. The USAO said that PDS and JG members carried these drugs around to retaliate against rival gangs and defend their area from the gangs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Daniels was found guilty of possessing machine guns in furtherance of drug trafficking, unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, conspiracy to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, unlawful possession of machine guns, and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Trump announces 90-day pause on most tariffs, raises taxes on Chinese imports After his sentence, Daniels must also serve four years of supervised release. The USAO said that this sentencing was part of an ongoing investigation that has led to 26 convictions and the seizure of two vehicles, 35 firearms, four machine guns, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, approximately 60 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and approximately $500,000 in cash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. Apr. 8EMERY, S.D. As a group of Bridgewater-Emery school students listened Monday afternoon, Terry Ebright, manager of safety at Sioux Valley Energy, gave a brief explanation of what they were about to see. A trailer mocked up to act as an overhead powerline sat behind him, and a hot dog was suspended in the air, attached to two wires extending from the trailer equipment. Ebright calmly pointed out the power they were about to witness. "There are 7,200 volts on that line," Ebright said. "So we're going to put 7,200 volts into that hot dog and see what happens to it." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Electric cooperative employees in heavy gloves and goggles behind him flipped a switch with a thunk, and with a deep hum in the air the hot dog burst into flames and split. Another hum and sparks fly again, ripping the hot dog apart in a flash of fire and smoke. The two pulses combined take about a second. The hot dog was eviscerated, and over the course of the next 90 minutes several other food items suffered a similar fate, including a grapefruit and a banana. It was an eye-catching lesson and one Braxton Burnham, a senior at Bridgewater-Emery High School, hoped his fellow students would take to heart. As part of his senior project, Burnham invited employees with Sioux Valley Energy, Southeastern Electric Cooperative and Central Electric Cooperative to give a demonstration on the importance of practicing safety when dealing with electricity, especially overhead power lines. "The derecho," Burnham told the Mitchell Republic when asked what inspired him to choose electricity for his senior project subject, referring to the widespread windstorm that struck the region in 2022 and knocked out power to many residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I had to get a flashlight." The derecho caused extensive damage throughout the area, and in many cases knocked live power lines down onto the ground. Those live lines could cause the same damage to people that the demonstration equipment at the Bridgewater-Emery CTE Building was doing to hot dogs and bananas. Fascinated with the dangerous lines that could provide light and heat in his home but could also prove deadly if one was not mindful about safety, Burnham decided a presentation on highline safety would be appropriate for his senior project. "I've been working with Braxton for a lot of years, but this year we're working on his senior experience," said Nicole VanLeur, special education teacher for the Bridgewater-Emery School District and Burnham's adviser on the project. "Because of his passion for electricity, we wanted to come up with a way to bring it to life for him." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He started off with some small projects using electricity to produce sounds. He also created sensors for joysticks to work with video games. Those efforts were completed with a learning kit at home, but the demonstrations they wanted to show his fellow students would require more juice and a handful of experts. They reached out to Central Electric Cooperative about bringing a bigger display of electricity to the school. Patrick Soukup, manager of member services and marketing for Central Electric Cooperative, was quick to both jump on board the project and praise Burnham for his efforts. "It's really fortunate that this kind of fell in my lap," Soukup said. "Braxton fell in my lap, Nicole fell in my lap, and we just started talking. This is exactly who we need to connect with our young people out here in the community. They're running tractors, they're running combines, they're running grain carts. They need to hear this story." The approximately 170 Bridgewater-Emery students who made their way through the demonstration in between other classes during the day could all someday run into a situation where they encounter downed power lines. Many of them are old enough to work on the family farm, and with the size of farm equipment such as planters and sprayers growing larger by the year, the chances for them coming into contact with overhead power lines has also grown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burnham's smaller projects were a great way to show how electricity works, but to show the dangers associated with high voltage, he needed a little assistance from the pros. "(These students) are drivers and they're active people, and to spread that message just a little bit more is what we're all after. This was Nicole communicating with me and I met with Braxton and kind of talked about a few things. This was meant to be, and this had to be bigger," Soukup said. A few dozen students at a time took part in the demonstration. In addition to seeing the effects of more than 7,000 volts on objects like grapefruit and hot dogs an example of what that kind of power can do to human flesh students learned about the heavy protective equipment used by power line professionals as well as demonstrations of power arcs leaping from live wires. Through it all, Burnham served as an assistant, complete with hardhat and a stack of cards that he handed out to students at the end of each session. Those cards offered safety tips on knowing "what to do if you hit a power line." Advice on those cards included: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Stay Put. If your equipment contacts a power line, stay inside. Do not exit. * Jump Clear. If you must exit due to a fire, tuck your arms across your body and jump with your feet together as far as possible from the equipment so no part of your body touches the equipment and the ground at the same time. Hop feet still together at least 40 feet away. * Stay Away. When you are clear of the area, call for help and keep others away. Do not approach your vehicle again until emergency responders say it's safe. According to the National Institute of Health, in the United States, there are approximately 1,000 deaths per year as a result of electrical injuries. Of those, approximately 400 are due to high-voltage electrical injuries, and lightning causes 50 to 300. There are also at least 30,000 shock incidents per year that are non-fatal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any death or injury is one too many, and the more people who understand the dangers of electricity, the better, Soukup said. "I want them to take away the potential of what those lines can do. Know what's there in those green boxes, but also know what's happening in those green boxes and to be aware of where they're at. Try not to hit them. Try not to bump them. Be safe around them," Soukup said. "Safety. It's about safety." VanLeur said the afternoon was a great use of a senior project to spread useful information to students who may one day encounter a dangerous situation due to downed power lines, or may have to navigate equipment around and beneath them. Burnham was all smiles and emphasized that he was "so happy" with the results. Both he and VanLeur hoped that the students taking in the demonstrations would take the lessons to heart and utilize them to stay safe around electricity. "I just hope they understand the dangers, and what to do if they ever find themselves in a situation where they have to make a split-second decision to stay safe and get help," VanLeur said. BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) Press freedom in Serbia has reached a critical situation, with attacks and threats against journalists on the rise amid massive anti-government protests, an international media monitoring group said on Wednesday. We came here because we observed an unprecedented crisis for media in Serbia, Jasmijn de Zeeuw, from the Free Press Unlimited group, said. De Zeeuw, who was part of a Media Freedom Rapid Response, or MFRR, delegation visiting Serbia this week, urged a response from the European Union. Serbia is formally seeking EU membership, but populist President Aleksandar Vucic has faced accusations of stifling democratic freedoms, including the freedom of the press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement De Zeeuw said attacks on journalists in Serbia have doubled compared to a year ago, while 56 incidents have occurred in response to the media coverage of a Nov. 1 train station tragedy in Serbia's north that killed 16 people and the protests that followed. The instances we recorded include physical attacks, threats, including severe death threats, online smear campaigns, raids of offices without search warrants and blockades of journalists and media. de Zeeuw said. We are strongly disturbed by the number of violations against press, she added. Last week, Reporters Without Borders issued a similar verdict, saying: Serbian journalism is being systematically repressed yet European political leaders remain locked in a state of guilty inaction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The MFRR, which is co-funded by the EU, tracks, monitors and reacts to violations of press and media freedom in EU member states and candidate countries. There was no immediate reaction from the Serbian government to the findings. The governments Information Ministry earlier this week expressed concern that the MFRR mission will not be objective and impartial and was selective in choosing whom to meet. Jamie Wiseman, an advocacy officer with the International Press Institute, said Serbia ranks among the countries in Europe to have the highest confirmed use of spyware against journalists, who face increasing legal lawsuits filed by senior officials and public figures. These are clearly aimed at supressing legitimate public interest journalism on important matters, Wiseman warned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vucic's government has stepped up pressure aimed at quelling the protests. He has called protesting university students terrorists," while Serbian media reported at least two foreign citizens have been ordered to leave the country over protest support. Speaking in Paris on Wednesday, Vucic criticized the private United Media group which owns N1 and Nova television stations that have extensively covered the demonstrations. The company is a platform for conducting violence in Serbia," Vucic said on Instagram. David Diaz-Jogeix, senior director of programs at the Article 19 organization, which campaign for freedom of expression, said that MFRR recommendations include a request to the EU to freeze an accession dialogue with Serbia and issue a public condemnation of the attacks and threats on journalists. Diaz-Jogeix urged the Serbian authorities, but in particular we call on the President of Serbia, to cease all public attacks on journalists and media, including those covering protests. The EU, he said, "needs to speak up. They cannot be business as usual, Diaz-Jogeix warned. An Oxnard man who served time in the late 1980s for child molestation was sentenced Monday to 480 years to life in prison after prosecutors say he spent nearly a decade after his release sexually assaulting two young children in his family. A jury last month found Marcelino Arias Arca, 68, guilty of six felony counts of lewd acts upon a child. The jury also found true a special allegation that there were multiple victims, according to the Ventura County district attorney's office. Court records show that Arca admitted to other special allegations regarding a prior strike conviction for molestation, which contributed to his lengthy sentence. Prosecutors say Arca was convicted of child molestation in 1988, but did not provide details about that case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Decades ago, this defendant went to prison for sexually abusing a child. When given a second chance, he chose not to change instead, he went on to sexually abuse two more children, this time within his own family," Senior Deputy Dist. Atty. Ben Moreno said in a statement. "This sentence reflects the severe and lasting harm he caused and sends a clear message that child sexual abuse will not be tolerated, especially by repeat offenders." Read more: In unprecedented payout, L.A. County will settle sex abuse claims for $4 billion Arca was arrested in 2022 after authorities say he abused two children under the age of 14 between 2005 and 2014. The abuse did not come to light until both victims reported it to a family member years later, prosecutors said. "I applaud the two victims for their extraordinary courage in coming forward and facing their abuser," Moreno said. "Because of their bravery, this defendant will never again have the opportunity to harm a child." 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. When Veronica Sanchez called a Social Security hotline Thursday, she waited two hours before her call was abruptly disconnected. On Friday, she was on hold for six hours and still did not get through to anyone. "I'm gonna have to take time out of my work to stand in line and hopefully get this resolved," the 52-year-old medical practice manager in Canoga Park said Monday before calling one more time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Sanchez, the stakes are high: If she does not obtain a medical letter from the agency by April 15, her parents, who are on a fixed income, risk losing about $2,500 a month in medical care. They would no longer receive insulin medication for their diabetes, she said, and could lose their daily visit from a nurse. But even if Sanchez shows up in person, she is not likely to speak to an agent. Field offices are no longer accepting walk-in appointments. "The system, it's broken down," Sanchez said. Elderly and disabled people and those who care for them are encountering a knot of bureaucratic hurdles and service disruptions after the Trump administration imposed a sweeping overhaul of the Social Security Administration system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No field offices in California have closed. But there is rising frustration across Southern California and the nation as many seniors experience crashed webpages, endure jammed phone lines and are turned away at offices. Social Security officials have downplayed the problems and said some of the issues predate the Trump administration and the government efficiency push headed by Elon Musk. In February, the agency that sends monthly checks to nearly 73 million Americans announced plans to slash 7,000 jobs and consolidate its regional offices from 10 to four as part of an effort to reduce the size of its bloated workforce and organizational structure. The cutbacks, enforced by Musks advisory team known as the Department of Government Efficiency, represent a 12% reduction of the agencys workforce. Sanchez does not believe she is reaping the benefits of government efficiency. "It's frustrating," she said, noting that a call that would once take 15 minutes now involves much more work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Sanchez did not reach someone from Social Security this week, she worried her parents particularly her mother, who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis so severe she struggles to hold a coffee cup could end up in the hospital. "If they don't have the caregiver that's coming by to monitor their sugar in the morning, do the blood pressure readings ..." she said, "I don't even want to think about the worst-case scenario. They will definitely be in a very, very, very bad situation." Read more: Elderly, disabled were left stranded during L.A. fires as evacuation plans broke down Last week, a coalition of advocacy groups, including the American Assn. of People with Disabilities, filed a federal lawsuit against the Social Security Administration, Acting Commissioner Leland Dudek, and Musk. It alleged that the agency overhaul severely undermined services and caused significant and irreparable harm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In just nine weeks, the new administration has upended the agency with sweeping and destabilizing policy changes shifting critical agency functions onto overburdened local offices, slashing telephone-based services, and debilitating the agencys ability to meet beneficiaries needs, the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleges. The result is a systematic dismantling of SSAs core functions, leaving millions of beneficiaries without the essential benefits they are legally entitled to," the lawsuit adds. "The defendants have abandoned their duty, placing ideology over obligation and governance over the governed. Maria Town, president and chief executive of the American Assn. of People with Disabilities, told The Times that the system changes were not only hurting people's ability to sign up and enroll for benefits. People already connected to the system who needed support were also having trouble appealing benefits decisions or accessing medical services. "You can't get anyone on the phone," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even before Trump took office, Town said, the system had challenges: About 30,000 disabled people died in 2023 waiting for their SSDI application to be approved. "This is just going to make life harder for millions of Americans," she said. "Americans with disabilities want government to be efficient and responsible to the needs of people. These cuts, despite their claims, are actually counter to that goal." The Social Security Administration did not respond to The Times' requests for comment on the problems elderly and disabled people reported accessing services. The agency's press office acknowledged in a string of posts on X that telephone wait times were too long and its website had faced challenges, but said the issues "predate the current Administration." "Zero customer-facing representatives been let go," the agency said, noting that it continued to "move employees from non-mission critical positions to bolster the ranks of our existing, dedicated frontline employees to serve the public." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The restructuring was "focused on mission-critical services without compromising service quality," the agency said, and "aligns with the American people's call for efficiency in government operations." But across Los Angeles, people who showed up at Social Security field offices without appointments were turned away. Andrew Taylor, 55, threw his hands up in the air Monday morning as he walked out of the Social Security office on Wilshire Boulevard. "Everything is by appointment now," a federal employee told a small group of people lined up on the sidewalk. Taylor, who is homeless and lives on Skid Row, had lined up just before the doors opened at 9 a.m. He wanted to get an award letter that would allow him to apply for food stamps and other benefits, but he was told he would have to wait three hours to get in. Even if he did, there was no guarantee that he would get the letter at the office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's ridiculous," Taylor said. "They said they would have to mail it to me and there's nothing they could do for me today." About five months ago, Taylor said, he asked for the same letter at the same office and did not run into any issues. He didn't know what to make of the difference and had not followed the changes in the White House. "If this is what they're doing in Washington, it isn't fair to everyone else," he said. "Poor people always seem to get the worst of it." Read more: Appeals court restores DOGE access to sensitive information at U.S. agencies Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several other people waited in line, including Camilla Sosa, 68, who said she waited on hold over the phone for about two hours on Friday. She had not received a letter from Social Security that she needs to allow her to open a new bank account, and she wasn't able to get a straight answer about why. An agency employee told her that without an appointment, she would have to wait for three hours. "Oh no, that's so long," she said in Spanish. She decided to leave and try again another day. Social Security employees handed out a flier with a phone number and a QR code that people could scan with their phones to make an appointment. But the website kept returning an error message. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advocates for seniors say challenges accessing Social Security help were compounded in March when the Trump administration announced new online verification procedures that resulted in many elderly and disabled Americans being unable to use their personal my Social Security account. The system is a shambles," said Gevorg Adjian, the founder of All Seniors Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Los Angeles that offers free medical care, supplies, and healthcare services for seniors. After sending out a letter last month urging people having trouble with the online system to come on in, Adjian said, the administration then eliminated any kind of walk-in appointments. Adjian said he had fielded calls from seniors who had lost or not received checks. "They have no one to reach out to to find out the status of it, and appointments are three, four or five months down the line," Adjian said. "On a Social Security income, you can't really wait three, four months and not have any payments." Adjian said his foundation helps seniors get the online logins that they need. But uploading their ID could be a challenge, he said, because most of them don't use smart devices or have emails. "It's cut out the seniors from communicating with the Social Security office," he said of the system overhaul. Adding to the complication, the agency was cutting out paper checks, which many elderly people who do not trust online transactions rely on. Dr. Stephen Carney, 74, an emergency care physician in Los Angeles who receives Social Security, said he expected the changes to hurt a lot of elderly people who are not computer savvy. "Everyone agrees theres excess and waste in government in any nation," he said. "But you dont take a meat cleaver and do surgery." At a Los Angeles Social Security office on Crenshaw Boulevard, security guards did not allow anyone inside the building Monday without an appointment. A woman leaning on a walker approached the doors after getting out of her Uber. She said she had an appointment. The security guard looked at her paperwork and said her appointment was for a phone call and someone from the agency was scheduled to call her. She laughed loudly and said, "Just let me in." The guard directed her to a phone number on a flier posted on the door and said she could try to get more information from the number. "We don't have anything for you here right now," the guard said. Her caretaker directed her back into the parking lot to call for another rideshare driver. 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. (WHTM) The Shapiro Administration is launching a pilot program to help recruit more bilingual workers in Pennsylvania. The Office of Administration Secretary Neil Weaver and Department of Labor and Industry Secretary Nancy A. Walker announced the program, which aims to recruit more bilingual state employees by increasing pay in key positions at the Department of Labor and Industry, according to the Shapiro Administration. Close Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Morning Weather Forecast There should be no wrong door for Pennsylvanians who want to contact state government and access the information and services they deserve, said Governor Josh Shapiro. Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians speak a language other than English and I want them to be able to reach out to their state government and receive efficient, effective service just the same as anyone else. This pilot will ensure were recognizing and rewarding employees who can speak multiple languages, while continuing to deliver faster, more effective results for the good people of Pennsylvania. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Shapiro Administration, employees in covered positions who speak and write proficiently in Spanish may be eligible for an additional $1.00 per hour, almost $1,000 more over the course of the six-month pilot program. The Shapior Administration said the pay incentive is open to UC Intake Interviewers, UC Claims Supervisors, UC Claims Examiners, PA CareerLink Program Supervisors, Disabled Veterans Outreach Program Specialists, and Local Veterans Employment Representatives. Census data shows that Pennsylvanias Latino population has increased by nearly 400,000 since 2010. The program is part of Shapiros Hire, Improve, Recruit, Empower (HIRE) Executive Order to expand employment opportunities and meet Pennsylvanians needs, the Shapiro Administration said. The Shaprio Administration says that 1,100 employees will have the opportunity to qualify for the pay incentive by meeting minimum requirements for verbal and/or written Spanish proficiency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Job seekers can apply online today. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. Most kids have a natural curiosity about sharks especially their sharp and abundant teeth. Our team had the idea to use the appeal of this charismatic apex predator to teach how scientists use artificial intelligence. We are researchers in AI literacy and STEM education who helped create a series of lessons that use fossil shark teeth to demonstrate the power and pitfalls of AI. The curriculum guides middle school students and teachers through building and evaluating computer vision models that can reliably classify fossil shark teeth. Computer vision is a type of artificial intelligence that uses algorithms and a lot of image data to classify and identify objects. Its the same technology that enables Google Lens to identify plant species in photographs or self-driving cars to recognize people, cars and bicycles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our free Shark AI curriculum has five modules, which are aligned with national and state science education standards. These standards outline the key knowledge and skills students should learn at each grade level. The lessons are designed to cultivate students interest in AI, data science, paleontology and the nature of science. The overall objective of Shark AI is to show that one does not have to be a computer scientist to use, teach or learn AI. We believe all teachers can and should be prepared to teach about AI in order to facilitate the technologys meaningful integration into K-12 education. Teaching science with AI AI is already transforming our lives at a dizzying pace. To help prepare kids to live and work in an AI world, it is important for them to learn about the technology in school. Most of the resources available to teach AI in K-12 classrooms focus on the technology itself. As a result, these lessons may be offered only in specialty classes such as computer science and engineering, which may not be offered to all students at all schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Systematic integration of AI in education is relatively new, so many teacher preparation programs are just beginning to incorporate it. Theres a need for professional learning opportunities for teachers already working in schools to learn about AI. Our research shows science teachers have a variety of preconceptions about AI. Additionally, many teachers are worried about teaching something they have little experience with. Nearly half of educators told EdWeek in a survey that theyre uncomfortable with AI technology, suggesting they are unlikely to add AI lessons to their already packed curriculum. Sorting sharks teeth To break down that unfamiliarity, the curriculum starts by introducing the various types of AI, such as natural language processing, automated speech recognition and computer vision. Students then get to work with fossil kits containing 15 real fossil shark teeth and one 3D-printed megalodon tooth. Megalodons were behemoth sharks that roamed the waters starting 20 million years ago and are now extinct. Students sort teeth in any way they want such as by size, color or shape. Then, they learn how scientists typically classify fossils and practice sorting the teeth by species of shark and by what it eats. CC BY-ND A student examines the features of a shark tooth fossil. Christine Wusylko After this, students use Google Teachable Machine, a free, online tool that uses the powerful TensorFlow.js machine learning model trained on millions of images. That creates their own computer vision model to classify fossil shark teeth. The data they use can be pictures they take of the real teeth in their kits or pictures they upload from databases such as the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History paleobiology digital collection or iDigBio. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The models occasionally misclassify teeth, which creates an opportunity for teachers to discuss bias and limitations of computer vision, such as why it is important to train AI on lots of high-quality and diverse images. The Shark AI curriculum concludes with students creating, showcasing and discussing their own computer vision models. Through these activities, students learn about AI concepts such as the strengths and weaknesses of AI compared with human intelligence along with paleontology concepts such as the fossil record or the information that can be learned about the history of life on Earth by studying fossils. Teachers have the flexibility to modify the activities, sequence and time they want to spend on the curriculum. This allows them to highlight the aspects that make most sense for their instructional needs and goals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To prepare teachers to use Shark AI, we host a weeklong professional learning session in which teachers learn how AI is used in science. They also practice doing the activities in the curriculum, and we leave plenty of time for discussion to demystify the technology. An important component of the training is to create a community for the teachers. They have opportunities to check in, brainstorm and troubleshoot together throughout the year. The Shark AI staff also checks in frequently with teachers individually to provide personalized support, usually troubleshooting questions about Google Teachable Machine. The teachers meet as a group once every few months to build community. Instructors work with Shark AI teachers during the weeklong professional learning session. Photos courtesy of the UF College of Education., CC BY-ND With these supports, we have found that teachers can change their understanding and beliefs about AI, and feel comfortable and prepared to teach science with AI methods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This curriculum was produced as part of the National Science Foundation grant number 2147625. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Christine Wusylko, University of Florida and Pavlo Antonenko, University of Florida Read more: Christine Wusylko works for the University of Florida and receives funding from the NSF. Pavlo Antonenko works for the University of Florida and receives funding from the NSF. DISCLAIMER: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) The Shreveport Police Department is actively searching for a man in connection with a sexual battery that occurred in February. The victim was 14 years old. Officers say 43-year-old Donald Ray Simpson is wanted on one count of Indecent Behavior with a Juvenile and one count of Sexual Battery. Donald Ray Simpson - Photo ID - Wanted sexual battery with teenager (Shreveport Police Department) More ArkLaTex Most Wanted News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under Louisiana law, Indecent Behavior with Juveniles is defined as engaging in any of the following acts that are intended to arouse or satisfy the sexual desires of either individual: Any lewd or lascivious act involving a child under the age of seventeen, where there is an age difference of more than two years between the individuals. It is important to note that a lack of knowledge regarding the childs age is not considered a valid defense. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. By Bhanvi Satija (Reuters) -CVS Health on Tuesday tapped former UPS executive Brian Newman for the role of finance chief, as new CEO David Joyner strengthens management ranks in his bid to turn around the company. After taking the helm in October, Joyner laid out cost-cutting plans and named a new insurance head to help the company navigate one of the most challenging periods in its six-decade history. CVS, which has faced financial struggles and investor pressure in the past few years, missed its earnings targets for the first three quarters of 2024. "A major piece of the CVS stock recovery story revolves around restoring management credibility," said James Harlow, senior vice president at CVS investor Novare Capital Management. He said bringing in an outsider with major company experience as CFO was a positive step in that direction. CVS Health shares rose over 8% and were also boosted by bigger-than-expected increase in the U.S. government's reimbursement rates for Medicare Advantage plans in 2026 that lifted shares across the sector. Newman, who played a major role in guiding United Parcel Service through the COVID-19 pandemic, stepped down as CFO last year to focus on his health. The 56-year-old executive spent about three decades with PepsiCo in numerous finance leadership roles before joining UPS in 2019. He replaces Thomas Cowhey as CFO and will receive a base salary of $1 million. Cowhey will become a strategic adviser to Joyner, effective May 12, after little over a year as CFO. CVS expects its 2025 financial results "will meet or exceed" its previously issued forecast. Harlow said this indicated that "the management has a better handle" on the business. CVS had said in February that it expects to earn an annual adjusted profit of between $5.75 and $6.00 per share. Analysts expect an annual per share profit of $5.91, according to data compiled by LSEG. (Reporting by Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta and Pooja Desai) U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. (left) and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin (right) listen as Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, (center) speaks during an event at the University of Utah on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Kyle Dunphey/Utah News Dispatch) After meeting with President Donald Trumps Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, one of Utahs top legislative leaders said he is excited about the prospect of making Utah into a national experiment. During a news conference highlighting Kennedy and Zeldins visit to Utah on Monday to applaud a slate of MAHA bills the GOP-controlled Utah Legislature recently approved, House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, told reporters that during their meetings state and federal officials also talked about the prospect of states taking over the management of a variety of federal programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wed like to stand as a national experiment, allowing us the state of Utah, to keep some of its federal dollars and tax dollars and run some programs, Schultz said. Utah leaders want the state to be a pilot project to help discontinue the federal oversight of various federal programs, Schultz said, whether its education, transportation, Medicaid, public health, public lands. We manage more effectively, more efficiently and more affordably than the federal government, certainly, but more so than any other state in the nation, Schultz said. Sign us up. Please. The House speaker said the request has been made to the Trump administration which has already made moves to shift regulatory power to the states, most recently with his executive order to dismantle the U.S. Education Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive been so excited to hear the response back from both Kennedy and Zeldin, Schultz said. When asked about Schultzs comments, Kennedy told reporters the Trump administration welcomed the idea. President Trumps vision for this country is that the states should be 50 laboratories around the country, that they should be able to run their own affairs and the best ideas are coming from the bottom up, Kennedy said. We are determined to do that, and were talking about doing it already, and were going to move very quickly. Trump administration to Utah: Get us a list of what Utah wants In an interview with Utah News Dispatch on Tuesday, Schultz shared more details about his meetings with the top Trump administration officials, as well as what he hopes will come of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such a huge day for the state of Utah and certainly for me and some of the things Ive been pushing, Schultz said. He pointed to his speech on the opening day of the 2025 Utah Legislature, when he issued a rallying cry for Utah to wrest control of public lands away from the federal government something Utahs GOP is more optimistic about than ever given Trumps election. During that speech, Schultz shared the same words as he did Monday: Wed like to petition the federal government to allow Utah to stand as a national experiment, allowing us to keep a portion of our federal tax dollars, run the programs, and discontinue federal oversight. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To our federal delegation, I have three words: Sign. Us. Up, Schultz said at the time, claiming as he did this week that the state can better manage education, transportation, Medicaid and public lands Schultz said the meetings with Kennedy and Zeldin couldnt have (gone) better. I mean, it was just like, Absolutely, thats one of the directives from Trump, giving states more autonomy to deal with their affairs, pushing states can do it better than the federal government can, Schultz said. They talked about Utah and how weve led the nation on so many fronts, how were better managed. So they are very open to it. Schultz said their response was get us a list of the things you want us to look at and focus on. So now, the speaker said he plans to work with Gov. Spencer Coxs administration, Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, and other state agencies to see what we can come up with. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adams, in a prepared statement issued Tuesday, focused his comments on paving the way for Utahs future, especially when it comes to energy production and independence. He said it was great to sit down with Kennedy and Zeldin to discuss Utahs efforts to become an energy hub and how were working to build a brighter, healthier future for our children and communities. Our state and nation need more energy, and Utah is uniquely positioned to lead the charge toward energy independence, Adams said. With its abundant resources and innovative spirit, Utah is ready to help ensure a future with reliable, safe and affordable energy. America must become the AI capital of the world because the nation that leads in AI will shape the future driving economic growth, military power and global peace. How would Utah gain more autonomy? Ideally, Schultz said hed like Utahs federal funding to come in the form of block grants that would let the state, rather than federal officials, manage the programs. Heck, well do it cheaper, Schultz said. Block grant us the money that youre spending, and, you know, even reduce it 10%, 15%, 20%, or whatever that money is, well have to look at it. But we can do it so much cheaper, so much more efficient and more effective and affordable here in the state of Utah. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not yet clear to what extent Utah could take control over federal dollars and programming. Schultz acknowledged there could be limits on what the president or his administration could do without facing lawsuits or other hurdles. Theres some things that Congress has probably given enough authority to the EPA, HHS, and transportation, to make those determinations, Schultz said. And then theres some that probably cant happen. However, Schultz said that if necessary, Utah state leaders will be ready to convene a special session to take action. Its a priority for myself, President Adams, and Gov. Cox, Schultz said. We will come into a special session and make changes necessary on the state side, set policies, to do this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schultz pointed to Utahs Department of Environmental Quality, which answers to the EPA, and said that Utah already has more autonomy than other states. Here we run a lot of the programs at the state level with guidance from the EPA, instead of having the EPA run those. And so were going to look to expand those, Schultz said. What can the states take over? What will the EPA give to the states, specifically to Utah? Mondays meetings could ultimately save Utah taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, if not billions, Schultz said. He claimed that if the federal government turns more control over to Utah and if the federal government cuts down on regulations, especially for transportation and permitting within the EPA, it will result in massive cost savings. Hands off protests Over the weekend, thousands of Utahns joined the worldwide Hands Off protest against Trump and Elon Musk. They protested against Department of Government Efficiency cuts that have targeted services, federal workers jobs, and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schultz acknowledged that in the early months of Trumps return to the White House, his aggressive actions have resulted in some chaos but he said most of that has walked backwards, so the chaos isnt happening anymore. Theyll be more strategic, theyll be more thoughtful around some of those things. Schultz also defended Trump embracing Musk and DOGE, arguing the federal governments spending has been unsustainable. These are things that needed to happen for decades, he said, adding that Trump was very transparent in what he was going to do before he was elected. And people elected Trump on the fact that he was going to put Elon in charge of helping reduce government expenses, go look for corruption, go look for efficiencies. Those are all good things. Utah, however, has been hit by painful federal layoffs, including the loss of dozens of public health workers in state and local health departments. Though he said those layoffs were of temporary employees, Schultz also acknowledged that the timing of the announcement that Trump would be cutting COVID-19 funds short was sudden. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Having a little bit of time to work through it would have been much better, and we did talk about that with (Kennedy), Schultz said. Having even 30 days or two weeks heads up would have been much better. But you know, well find a way through it. He also acknowledged that some cuts targeted mental health funding, and we have a shortage of mental health workers in the state of Utah. Still, while layoffs are tough and never easy, Schultz also defended the moves as necessary to tamp down on federal spending. Its unsustainable, Schultz said. So something needs to be done, and its something the majority of Americans agree with. Contributing: Kyle Dunphey SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) Members of the community got a chance to talk to officers with the Sioux City Police Department on Tuesday. The police department hosted a town hall at the Sioux City Public Museum. Members of the department discussed their partnerships with the community, crime statistics, and strategic planning for the future. RESULTS: North Sioux City special election People who attended the town hall also got an opportunity to talk about the issues theyre experiencing in their neighborhoods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keeping communication open between the police department and the public we serve is critical to us. We have a culture of community policing and a big part of that is having that open communication. We cant fix problems we dont know about, thats why events like this is so critical, said Lieutenant Jeremy McClure with the Sioux City Police Department. During the presentation part of the town hall meeting, Lieutenant McClure said the total number of crimes in Sioux City has decreased in recent years. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. UPDATE 4:38 PM PT -- Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman tells TMZ ... "In denying parole for Sirhan Sirhan ... Governor Newsom took into account his young age at the time of the crime (24), his lack of any prior arrests or convictions, his difficult upbringing in the war-torn Middle East, his success in getting college degrees and engaging in rehabilitation in prison, his risk score which was the lowest on the scale, his age (77 years old), his diminished health, and the amount of time in prison (54 years). He continues ... "Notwithstanding those factors, Governor Newsom stated that his lack of full insight into actions and taking complete responsibility for them overweighed the other facts to show that he remained an unreasonable risk of danger to society. Sirhan Sirhan never made up a self-defense defense, never suborned or attempted to suborn perjury, and never lied repeatedly at trial under oath." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He concludes ... "In contrast, while the Menendez brothers have many of the same positive characteristics of Sirhan Sirhan in favor of parole or resentencing, they have never accepted responsibility for lying about their self-defense defense and suborning and attempting to suborn perjury concerning their fabrications of stories of their father violently raping Lyle's girlfriend, their mother trying to poison the family, and their friend supposedly giving them a handgun the day before the murders. As a result, if Sirhan remains an unreasonable risk of danger to public safety, then so too do the Menendez brothers -- who have never come fully clean of their lies in over 30 years -- constitute an unreasonable risk of danger to the community." Continue reading original story below. Sirhan Sirhan's lawyer is calling out Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman ... saying the new D.A. is getting some bad information about RFK's alleged assassin. Hochman's been trying to use the Sirhan case to keep the Menendez Brothers behind bars in their bid for freedom ... but Sirhan's attorney tells us Hochman is confused about some basic facts. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Angela Berry, who represents Sirhan, tells TMZ ... Hochman is pushing a common misperception about Sirhan when he says Sirhan admitted to the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy and then later claimed his innocence, and she says Hochman is making an unfair comparison to Erik and Lyle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sirhan's attorney says her client's parole transcript reflects that he doesn't remember the details of the RFK shooting ... despite what she claims Hochman's been saying in news conferences about the Menendez case. What's more, Berry says it's frustrating to hear Hochman perpetuate misconceptions about Sirhan's alleged confession ... she says he's maintained innocence for 5 decades and now Hochman is helping a false narrative become reality. TMZ She says Sirhan has never flat-out admitted he shot RFK ... she says he remembers being at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles the night RFK was shot in 1968 and remembers holding the gun and being restrained by people after he emerged from his blackout ... but that's it. Sirhan's attorney says in 2018 a doctor claimed Sirhan suffered from PTSD from when he was a child in war-torn Palestine and, as a result, his short-term memory was impacted. Getty Hochman's arguing Sirhan being denied parole by Governor Gavin Newsom a couple years ago means the Menendez brothers should get the same treatment ... but legal teams for Erik, Lyle and Sirhan all say it's an apples-to-oranges comparison. We've reached out to Hochman's office ... so far, no word back. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Multiple new Ohio laws are going into effect on Wednesday, including a statute that requires public schools to allow religious release time and another that increases penalties for drunk driving. On Jan. 8, Gov. Mike DeWine announced he signed 29 bills into law, all of which are set to go into effect on Wednesday. A list of six notable new laws can be found below. Parents Bill of Rights House Bill 8, dubbed the Parents Bill of Rights, requires school districts to adopt a policy that allows students to attend off-premise religious classes during the school day. Formerly, districts were allowed to permit religious release time, but not required to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Ohio, religious release time programs are legally allowed to teach public school students during the school day as long as they have parental permission, do not use school resources and teach off of school property. The new law does not change these requirements. How Gov. DeWine, Ohio parents feel about proposed bill to ban cellphones in schools Although districts are required to have a religious release time policy enacted by Wednesday, schools have until July 1 to implement most other newly required policies in the law. This includes a policy ensuring content depicting sexual concepts or gender ideology is available for parents to review, in case they would like their children to opt out. Starting in July, staff will also be required to promptly notify a parent if their child requests to be referred to with a name or pronouns that vary from their biological sex at school. Harsher drunk driving penalties Livs Law increases the fines for the offense of Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence (OVI). Specifically, the statute adds an extra $190 compared with the previous law. For example, the minimum fine for a first-time offense rises from $375 to $565. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Video shows disagreement between Columbus principal, police officer The law also increases the maximum fine for aggravated vehicular homicide to $25,000, which is $10,000 more than the law previously allowed. Additionally, Livs Law allows police to collect oral fluid samples from drivers suspected of driving under the influence, while the law previously only permitted blood, urine and breath testing. Similar to the other kinds of testing used in the state, refusing an oral fluid swab can result in criminal charges. Indefinite school expulsions House Bill 206 allows public schools to indefinitely expel a student who poses an imminent and severe endangerment to others safety. Ohio law previously allowed schools to expel students up to 180 days or one school year for bringing a gun or knife to school, making a bomb threat or causing serious physical harm to another person. Students aged 16 years or older could be permanently expelled only if they were convicted in court of a serious criminal offense, according to the nonprofit Ohio Legal Help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new law allows expulsions past 180 days for students who bring a firearm or knife to school, make a bomb threat, cause serious physical harm to someone at school, make a hitlist, create a threatening manifesto or share a menacing post on social media. Organization offering bounty for removal of invasive trees in central Ohio Under the statute, after 180 days, a students expulsion can be extended for 90 days at a time, with no limit on how many extensions are allowed. To be reinstated, students are required to undergo a psychological evaluation by a psychiatrist. After the expulsion period, the superintendent, along with a multidisciplinary team they select, will decide whether to reinstate the student. To make a decision, school officials will determine if the student has shown sufficient rehabilitation, while taking the psychological assessment into consideration. Sextortion criminalized House Bill 531, named Bradens Law, classifies sextortion, short for sexual extortion, as a felony in Ohio. Sextortion occurs when an individual is blackmailed over intimate images. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The law categorizes sextortion as a third-degree felony; however, the charge could be upgraded to a second- or first-degree felony depending on a variety of factors, including if the victim is a minor or disabled, and if the perpetrator is a repeat offender. In Ohio, a third-degree felony carries a prison sentence of nine months to three years, and a judge may impose a maximum fine of $10,000. A first-degree felony is punishable by 3-11 years in prison, and a maximum fine of $20,000. Will speeding fines in Ohio increase? The law also provides immunity from prosecution to victims who sent explicit images, and implements fines for telecommunications companies who fail to give parents or guardians access to a device that belonged to a deceased minor within 30 days. Drivers license suspensions lifted for certain offenses House Bill 29 ends the practice of suspending drivers licenses for failure to pay court fines or fees, along with some other minor offenses such as school truancy. Residents whose drivers license or motor vehicle registration was suspended for such offenses before the law was passed are able to have their license reinstated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The law also allows those who have had their license suspended for being in default on child support payments to prove that a suspended license prevents them from making the payments and they could be granted limited driving privileges. Within 30 days, impacted individuals will be notified and provided instructions on how to get their license reinstated. Companies banned from tracking firearms purchases Senate Bill 58 enacts the Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act, which bars credit card companies, banks and other institutions from categorizing or tracking firearm-related purchases. Mail carriers say new contract failed union wishes The law states companies also cannot compile lists of gun purchasers and share such information with third parties, including government agencies, unless required by law through due process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The statute also prohibits the state or any local government from requiring liability insurance to possess a firearm. The legislation was a proactive move, as no local governments in Ohio required firearm liability insurance for gun owners before the laws passage. Nationally, some jurisdictions such as New Jersey and San Jose, California, have enacted such mandates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. By Nidal al-Mughrabi, Olivia Le Poidevin and Hatem Khaled CAIRO/GENEVA/GAZA (Reuters) - The bombs still haven't killed Rehab Akhras and her family. But if the checkpoints that Israel has sealed off since the start of March are not opened soon, she says hunger surely will. Six weeks since Israel completely cut off all supplies to the 2.3 million residents of the Gaza Strip, food stockpiled during a ceasefire at the start of the year has all but run out. Emergency meal distributions are ending, bakeries are closed, markets are empty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On a spot of packed ground in a camp of plastic sheets where she lives with her displaced family in Khan Younis, Akhras, 64, used cardboard to light a fire and boil a can of beans. It is all they have left. "Were a family of 13 people, what will one can of fava beans do for us?" she said. "We have survived the war and we survived the aistrikes as we wake up and go to sleep. But we cant survive the hunger, neither us nor our children." To the north in Nuseirat, hundreds of Palestinians queued up for hot cooked rice at an outdoor emergency kitchen. Small children jammed the front of the queue, waving buckets to bring something home for their families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aid agencies that have been supplying those emergency meals say they will have to stop within days unless they can bring in more food. The World Food Programme used to provide bread at 25 bakeries across the Gaza Strip. All of those bakeries are now shut. It will soon have to halt distribution of food parcels at reduced rations. 'VERY, VERY DEEP HUNGER' "All basic supplies are running out," said Juliette Touma from UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian aid. "The prices of commodities have exponentially increased over the past one month plus since the Israeli authorities put the siege on the Gaza Strip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It means babies, children are going to bed hungry. Every day without these basic supplies, Gaza inches closer towards very, very deep hunger. Every Gazan can now quote the fantastical prices for the little food remaining in markets: a 25 kilo sack of flour that used to sell for $6 now costs ten times as much. A litre of cooking oil, if you can find it, costs $10 instead of $1.50. The lucky few might stumble on a tin of sardines if they can afford $5. "Food distributions have almost stopped altogether, with remaining stocks now diverted to keep hot meal distributions going for a few more days, but that will soon finish too," said Gavin Kelleher, an access manager for the Norwegian Refugee Council in Deir al-Balah. Medical charity Medicins sans Frontiers says it is encountering children and pregnant women with severe malnutrition. Lactating mothers are themselves too hungry to be able to breast feed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel denies that Gaza is facing a hunger crisis. The military accuses the Hamas militants who have run Gaza of exploiting aid, and says it must keep all supplies out to prevent the fighters from getting it. "The IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) is acting in accordance with the directives of the political echelon. Israel is not transferring and will not transfer aid to the hands of terrorist organizations," the military said. The ministry of foreign affairs said 25,000 aid trucks had entered Gaza in the 42 days of the ceasefire - before it shut the border at the start of March - and that Hamas had used the aid to rebuild its war machine. Hamas denies exploiting aid and accuses Israel of using starvation as a military tactic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Nuseirat, Neama Farjalla goes out every day at 6:00 a.m., trekking with her children across the war zone from soup kitchen to soup kitchen in the hope of a bowl of rice. "If we don't die of airstrikes, we will die of hunger," she said. "When my young son tells me, 'Mama I want a glass of milk', my heart breaks. (Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin in Geneva, Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo and Hatem Khaled and Ramadan Abed in Gaza; Editing by Peter Graff) Rachel Cohen publicly quit her Big Law job over her firm's response to Trump. Cohen said she called her parents for advice before sending the resignation letter she later posted online. She said she had tried "everything else possible to not torch a career." Rachel Cohen, who quit Big Law over her firm's response to Donald Trump's battle with the profession, said she called her parents before quitting to be sure she was doing the right thing. Cohen quit Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in March and posted her resignation letter on LinkedIn. She said she was quitting because she believed the firm had not responded properly to Trump's threats against firms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an episode of the "Rapid Response" podcast released Tuesday, Cohen said she first called her parents for advice, saying she wanted to be sure she'd done "everything else possible to not torch a career." Cohen described her parents as "white people who live in Ohio, who have a lot of faith in systems," and said that they were former lawyers who worked as Judge Advocate General's Corps attorneys in the Air Force. "I said, 'I am not calling to ask if this action might get me fired. I'm calling to ask, does it feel unfair? Is there something else I should exhaust first?" Cohen said. She didn't say what their response was. Cohen said that before resigning, she reached out internally to "people in management" at Skadden to ask how she could help with what she expected would be an "industry-wide response" to Trump's executive orders against Big Law firms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said she received a response thanking her for her perspective. Skadden did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider. Cohen also helped circulate an open letter among associates at top firms condemning their employers for inaction and started making some media appearances to discuss the situation. Her decision to resign came after Paul Weiss, another elite law firm, agreed to a list of demands in exchange for Trump rescinding his executive order against the firm. "I'm thinking what's the next proactive step? And I went home and then outlined, what are my asks for the firm? What should we be doing?" Cohen said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In her resignation letter, Cohen said she would not leave if Skadden provided a "satisfactory response to the current moment." President Donald Trump has signed a series of executive orders targeting high-profile law firms. Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images Trump has targeted law firms he views as aligned with his political opponents by revoking their security clearances and calling for a review of their government contracts. Several Big Law firms, including Skadden, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, and Paul Weiss, have cut deals with the President to protect their business, prompting accusations from legal professionals that they are capitulating to Trump. Other firms, like Perkins Coie, have challenged the administration's directives, alleging in lawsuits that the executive orders are intended to chill free speech and deter clients from doing business with them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 500 law firms have signed a brief denouncing Trump's targeting of Perkins Coie and saying they must join together to "preserve the integrity of the American legal system." Cohen has remained vocal on social media about the ongoing challenges to the legal profession since she quit. She said on the podcast that she doesn't know what her next career move will be. Cohen did not respond to a request for comment. Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at pthompson@businessinsider.com or Signal at Polly_Thompson.89. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely . Read the original article on Business Insider More than a dozen vaccination clinics were canceled in Pima County, Arizona. So was a media blitz to bring low-income children in Washoe County, Nevada, up to date on their shots. Planned clinics were also scuttled in Texas, Minnesota, and Washington, among other places. Immunization efforts across the country were upended after the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention abruptly canceled $11.4 billion in Covid-related funds for state and local health departments in late March. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A federal judge temporarily blocked the cuts last week, but many of the organizations that receive the funds said they must proceed as though theyre gone, raising concerns amid a resurgence of measles, a rise in vaccine hesitancy, and growing distrust of public health agencies. Im particularly concerned about the accessibility of vaccines for vulnerable populations, former U.S. surgeon general Jerome Adams told KFF Health News. Adams served in President Donald Trumps first administration. Without high vaccination rates, we are setting those populations and communities up for preventable harm. The Department of Health and Human Services, which houses the CDC, does not comment on ongoing litigation, spokesperson Vianca Rodriguez Feliciano said. But she sent a statement on the original action, saying that HHS made the cuts because the Covid-19 pandemic is over: HHS will no longer waste billions of taxpayer dollars responding to a non-existent pandemic that Americans moved on from years ago. Still, clinics have also used the money to address other preventable diseases such as flu, mpox, and measles. More than 500 cases of measles so far in a Texas outbreak have led to 57 hospitalizations and the deaths of two school-age children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Pima County, Arizona, officials learned that one of its vaccination programs would have to end early because the federal government took away its remaining $1 million in grant money. The county had to cancel about 20 vaccine events offering Covid and flu shots that it had already scheduled, said Theresa Cullen, director of the county health department. And it isnt able to plan any more, she said. The county is home to Tucson, the second-largest city in Arizona. But it also has sprawling rural areas, including part of the Tohono Oodham Nation, that are far from many health clinics and pharmacies, she said. The county used the federal grant to offer free vaccines in mostly rural areas, usually on the weekends or after usual work hours on weekdays, Cullen said. The programs are held at community organizations, during fairs and other events, or inside buses turned into mobile health clinics. Canceling vaccine-related grants has an impact beyond immunization rates, Cullen said. Vaccination events are also a chance to offer health education, connect people with other resources they may need, and build trust between communities and public health systems, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement County leaders knew the funding would run out at the end of June, but Cullen said the health department had been in talks with local communities to find a way to continue the events. Now weve said, Sorry, we had a commitment to you and were not able to honor it, she said. Cullen said the health department wont restart the events even though a judge temporarily blocked the funding cuts. The vaccine equity grant is a grant that goes from the CDC to the state to us, she said. The state is who gave us a stop work order. The full effect of the CDC cuts is not yet clear in many places. California Department of Public Health officials estimated that grant terminations would result in at least $840 million in federal funding losses for its state, including $330 million used for virus monitoring, testing, childhood vaccines, and addressing health disparities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are working to evaluate the impact of these actions, said California Department of Public Health Director Erica Pan. In Washoe County, Nevada, the surprise cuts in federal funding mean the loss of two contract staffers who set up and advertise vaccination events, including state-mandated back-to-school immunizations for illnesses such as measles. Our core team cant be in two places at once, said Lisa Lottritz, division director for community and clinical health services at Northern Nevada Public Health. She expected to retain the contractors through June, when the grants were scheduled to sunset. The health district scrambled to find money to keep the two workers for a few more weeks. They found enough to pay them only through May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lottritz immediately canceled a publicity blitz focused on getting children on government insurance up to date on their shots. Vaccine events at the public health clinic will go on, but are very scaled back with fewer staff members, she said. Nurses offering shots out and about at churches, senior centers, and food banks will stop in May, when the money to pay the workers runs out. The staff have other responsibilities. They do compliance visits, theyre running our clinic, so I wont have the resources to put on events like that, Lottritz said. The effect of the cancellations will reverberate for a long time, said Chad Kingsley, district health officer for Northern Nevada Public Health, and it might take years for the full scope of decreasing vaccinations to be felt. Our society doesnt have a collective knowledge of those diseases and what they did, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Measles is top of mind in Missouri, where a conference on strengthening immunization efforts statewide was abruptly canceled due to the cuts. The Missouri Immunization Coalition, which organized the event for April 24-25, also had to lay off half its staff, according to board president Lynelle Phillips. The coalition, which coordinates immunization advocacy and education across the state, must now find alternative funding to stay open. Its just cruel and unthinkably wrong to do this in the midst of a measles resurgence in the country, Phillips said. Dana Eby, of the health department in New Madrid County, Missouri, had planned to share tips about building trust for vaccines in rural communities at the conference, including using school nurses and the Vaccines for Children program, funded by the CDC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Madrid has one of the highest childhood vaccination rates in the state, despite being part of the largely rural Bootheel region that is often noted for its poor health outcomes. Over 98% of kindergartners in the county received the vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella in 2023-24 compared with the state average of about 91%, and rates in some other counties as low as 61%. I will say I think measles will be a problem before I retire, Eby, 42, said. Also slated to speak at the Missouri event was former surgeon general Adams, who said he had planned to emphasize the need for community collaboration and the importance of vaccinations in protecting public health and reducing preventable diseases. He said the timing was especially pertinent given the explosion in measles cases in Texas and the rise in whooping cough cases and deaths in Louisiana. We cant make America healthy again by going backwards on our historically high U.S. vaccination rates, Adams said. You cant die from chronic diseases when youre 50 if youve already died from measles or polio or whooping cough when youre 5. California correspondent Christine Mai-Duc contributed to this article. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This article was originally published on KFF Health News, a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and one of the core operating programs at KFF an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF. The post Slashed Federal Funding Cancels Vaccine Clinics Amid Measles Surge appeared first on Katie Couric Media. New Smyrna Beachs interim police chief will soon drop the interim part of his title. Chris Kirk has been named as the new permanent police chief by city manager Kevin Cowper. Kirk has been serving on an interim basis since been the interim chief after former Chief Eric Feldman resigned in December before joining a private security firm. Cowper said Kirk was selected due to the work hes done in the last few months as the citys top cop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has strong support from the police department, from the sworn officers, from the civilian employees there. Strong support from the police union, from the police foundation, and many, many other members of the community, Cowper said during his report to city commissioners at their April 8 regular meeting. Kirk is a 21-year department veteran with experience in nearly every division, including patrol, training, investigations and administration. He used to be the departments training coordinator and was later the deputy chief. Im truly humbled to be our first home-grown chief of police in at least the quarter century, Kirk said. I wouldnt be here without significant support from the community and from all of the men and women of our department. I look forward to continuing our people-first approach to service. Kirks swearing-in ceremony is expected to be announced later this month. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Delta cited a reduction in corporate confidence as why its corporate travel revenue growth moderated in February and March. The company's corporate travel sales were up by low single digits in Q1 compared to the prior year, and the banking and technology sectors drove the bulk of business trips. The results for the first three months of 2025 revealed pressure on corporate travel, which was present throughout the quarter. Notably, the earnings release made no mention of the February Endeavor Air 4819 flight that crash-landed in Toronto, as any financial impact was overshadowed by geopolitical policy. Since late March, Delta has largely abstained from comment while investigations continue. For the second quarter, Delta anticipates flat year-over-year revenue growth at the midpoint of its guidance as it navigates a "slower-growth environment." The company said it will provide an update on its full-year 2025 financial guidance later in the year. Delta beat profit estimates for the three months ending March 31, while revenues just missed analyst expectations. Last month, Delta cut its outlook for the first quarter amid "macro uncertainty." Investors had Delta's earnings report on their radar as an early indication of how President Trump's trade policies and market volatility are affecting consumer and corporate confidence. Delta stock rose more than 3% during premarket trading on Wednesday. Shares of the air carrier have fallen 15% in the past week as the Trump administration's tariff policies roil markets . The level of uncertainty that we're facing coming out of the global trade discussions and skirmishes is a bit unprecedented, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian told Yahoo Finance. Our bookings are pretty good. They have a pretty good line of sight for the next 60 to 90 days, but beyond that, it's a bit murky. And it would not be responsible to try to give an estimate in light of such uncertainty. Delta Air Lines ( DAL ) reported that revenue growth stalled in the first quarter and the company did not reaffirm its full-year guidance, citing headwinds from the economic uncertainty around global trade. Story Continues I would say that at the present time, it's shaping up to be to be a strong, not a great season," Bastian said. "Great would be the plan that we have, which is 7% growth for the year ... I think the way that best describes our revenue at the present time across the board is stalled." A Delta airplane arrives during a foggy day at Newark International Airport on March 17, 2022, in Newark, New Jersey. (Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images) Andrew Lichtenstein via Getty Images Bastian said Delta hasn't been affected by a decline in foreign travelers to the United States due to changing global opinions of the US amid President Trump's tariff push. Our consumer is a US traveler heading abroad, and I can tell you they continue to book their summer plans, and theyre planning on traveling internationally, he said. Still, Bastian told Yahoo Finance that he believes three operational efforts are key for financial sustainability. First, in the second half of the year, Delta will reduce its planned capacity growth by 3% to 4% compared to early 2025 projections in order to more closely align capacity with the levels seen in prior years. Second, Bastian said Delta will maintain its existing headcount while accounting for natural attrition, or voluntary departures. And third, Delta plans to reduce capital expenditures, which airlines typically use to invest in assets like new aircraft, terminal upgrades, and technology systems, to lower its "cost of flying." "Its just one set of actions thats caused this level of alarm," Bastian said, referring to the new US trade policies. "So, hopefully, well have resolution in the coming months here so that we can get back to our growth trajectory. But I think until theres a little bit of clarity on the horizon, were going to have to go a bit into defensive mode and at least take out any of the cost of growth in our business to the best we can." 'Resilience' in premium travel Based on throughput data from TSA, air travel this year remains on pace with 2024 a record year with 904 million checkpoint screenings. However, recent consumer confidence readings have flashed warning signals for industry leaders and analysts. In March, the Conference Board's consumer confidence expectations index tumbled to a 12-year low while the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index fell for the third straight month. Read more: What Trump's tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet Data from Moodys Analytics found that, among consumer groups, households earning $250,000 or more annually hold up 50% of consumer spending, the sweet spot for the premium consumer Delta targets. Visitors attend a demonstration flight at the 54th International Paris Airshow at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France, June 21, 2023. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier REUTERS / Reuters We know we're not immune ... whether it's the wealth effect or other things that could cause some question in that space, and we're prepared to take action, Bastian said. He added that Delta's premium offerings "all are showing great resilience" and continue to grow on a quarter-over-quarter basis. In repeatedly acknowledging the "unprecedented" uncertainty, Bastian is setting the tone for a ripening earnings season. With other airlines such as United Airlines (UAL), American Airlines (AAL), and Southwest (LUV) set to report earnings in the coming weeks, Citi analysts noted that volatility for the big four stocks was "unlikely to subside." "Well, I think we're going to hear the word uncertainty a lot," Allspring Global Investments senior portfolio manager Bryant VanCronkhite told Yahoo Finance. "Then from there, I think [what] we want to hear is strategic importance. I want to hear companies talk about what matters to them. The last thing you want to do is cede control as an investor to the things we can't predict the changes in GDP, the changes in inflation, the changes in tariffs. But what I can predict with confidence is how this company is going to invest in growing their future value and how they're going to control their own destiny." After that, the next big test for the airline industry may well arrive in two months at the 2025 Paris Air Show. "Any international discussions probably are going to be deferred until there's there's better clarity there as to what the impact of these trade discussions and where this ends," Bastian said about whether to anticipate major deals or announcements. "But on balance, people [air travel executives] are running their businesses." And in the meantime, Delta's Bastian, like many executives across sectors, has the ear of the Trump administration. Well, our team is in constant communication with the administration and at all levels, and we certainly let them know how our business is doing," Bastian said. "This administration is always quite interested in learning and seeing how we're performing, and they continue to do their best to prioritize their home airlines, the US airlines, and industry. Click here for the latest stock market news and in-depth analysis, including events that move stocks Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance SOMERSET, Pa. Veterans served by the Somerset County Veterans Affairs Office received more disability compensation, on average, from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs than veterans served in any other sixth-class Pennsylvania county for the month of February, according to the county office. Sixth-class counties such as Somerset County have populations of 45,000 to 89,999 people. Pennsylvania has 24 sixth-class counties. Somerset Countys Veterans Affairs Office is led by director Ron Mash, with a staff of Savanah Dickey, Barry McVicker, John Holden, Mike Swank and Joe Porras. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The difference in disability compensation won for veterans among the counties is slim and changes monthly, so Mash did not release specific details of the February snapshot. However, he said the office has steadily improved over the past three years. This achievement means we are doing meaningful things for veterans, Mash said. Veterans come to the office with physical and mental injuries from their service, and the office is tasked with proving ratings connected to the severity of the disabilities. The higher the rating, the higher the disability coverage they can achieve. And as the Vietnam guys age even guys like me, Im 46 and fought in Iraq we are getting older, so these guys are losing their health care from workplaces, or they have huge co-pays, so the more benefits we can get for them, the better, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the offices success in maximizing benefits for veterans, Mash said the office is only reaching 32% of the 5,300 veterans in the rural county. However, that tracks with national rates, he said. There are 18 million veterans in the U.S., and 5 million are receiving benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, he said. Many veterans have secluded themselves, or in some cases do not know about the benefits available for them, he said. The Somerset County office intends to increase outreach to veterans with a state grant of $15,000 awarded in March by the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. With the grant, the office plans to produce marketing materials for distribution at local Veterans of Foreign Wars posts and events at other community locations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many county veterans affairs offices are small and overwhelmed, Mash said, but the Somerset County office has assisted veterans from other counties across the region. The Somerset County commissioners and other county administrators, including Treasurer Anthony DeLuca, commended Mash and his department. These guys accepted people from other counties, DeLuca said. As a veteran, that means so much. SOMONAUK, Ill. An Illinois man will spend more than 20 years in prison for a kidnapping related to the sexual assault of a 13-year-old family member who suffers severe developmental disabilities. 19-year-old Franklin Tooley, a Somonauk, Illinois resident, pleaded guilty in DeKalb County Circuit Court to one count of aggravated kidnapping related to efforts that he took to conceal the sexual assault of a family member, Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced Tuesday. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Raoul, Tooley was taken into custody by DeKalb County deputies back in March of 2023 after an investigation revealed that he had sexually assaulted a 13-year-old family member, who has severe developmental disabilities, between January and February 2023. The investigation also revealed that Tooley had disabled video cameras the family had installed to monitor the victim. This guilty plea and sentence represents a measure of justice for the innocent victim and their family after the defendant violated their trust in the most unthinkable way possible, and I hope this result aids their efforts to heal, Raoul said in a press release announcing the sentence. I am committed to continued partnerships with local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors that help hold perpetrators accountable, prevent others from potentially becoming victims, and supporting survivors and their families on their paths to healing. Tooleys sentence was handed down by DeKalb County Circuit Court Judge Marcy Buick and he will be required to serve at least 85% of the sentence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland Our office is thankful for the assistance of the Attorney Generals Office in ensuring that that we were able to get justice for the minor victim in this family, DeKalb County States Attorney Riley Oncken said. Those who prey on the young, disabled, or other vulnerable victims deserve to be incarcerated where they cannot commit further harm to families and our community. Thanks to the fine work of our law enforcement and prosecutors, this defendant will spend many years in prison for his actions. Authorities did not provide a booking photo for Tooley. Anyone who may be a victim of sexual exploitation or worries that others may be victims can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. This South End landlord is taking a would-be tenant to court. Charlotte Hawkins LLC has filed a lawsuit against Bar One Lounge South End LLC and owners Steven Jensen and Kyle OBrien in Mecklenburg County Superior Court, saying the parties have defaulted on a 10-year lease for a nearly 2,400-square-foot space. Charlotte Hawkins is tied to Atlanta-based Portman Holdings, owner of the Linea apartment tower in South End. That 24-story tower, at 2161 Hawkins St., has ground-floor space for shops and restaurants where Bar One had planned to add a roughly 2,400-square-foot location. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ALSO READ: City of Charlotte spends $100K on sewage lawsuit Bar One announced its plans in January 2023 to invest $10 million into locations in South End and Mooresville. Jensen said in March that he isnt moving forward with the Mooresville location; the future of a South End restaurant is undetermined. Read the full story on CBJs website here. WATCH BELOW: Duke Energy files to dismiss climate change lawsuit By Ju-min Park and Jack Kim SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea's main opposition party head Lee Jae-myung said on Wednesday he was stepping down as party leader, amid expectations that the current populist front-runner for the presidency in opinion polls would soon declare his run. South Korea's labour minister, Kim Moon-soo, who has been among ruling People Power Party members indicating an intention to run, also declared his candidacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement South Korea will hold a snap presidential election on June 3, after former president Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment stemming from a December martial law declaration was upheld. "I will be now starting new work," Lee, the Democratic Party leader, told a party leadership meeting carried live on his YouTube channel. He did not elaborate nor confirm he would be standing for the presidency. The election kicks off a race to elect a new leader who will be thrust into the challenge of navigating Asia's fourth-largest economy through a global trade war triggered by wide-ranging tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. The next leader will also face a bitter partisan feud magnified by the impeachment of Yoon, who cited unrelenting political obstruction by the majority opposition and unproven claims that the 2024 parliamentary election was marred by fraud when he declared martial law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lee, 61, lost by the slimmest margin in the country's history when he ran against Yoon in the 2022 presidential election. Last year, he led his liberals to a landslide victory in a parliamentary election. Unlike the Democratic Party, the People Power Party has a wide open field of declared and potential candidates including the labour minister and also the mayors of Seoul and Incheon, although some have failed to poll more than single-digit percentages. LEE FAR AHEAD BUT FACES LEGAL WOES Kim, who has supported Yoon and called for his reinstatement, currently leads the field among conservative candidates, although he trails Lee by double digits in opinion polls under a two-way scenario. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said he would focus on strengthening the security alliance with the United States but also seek a path for the country to potentially pursue nuclear armament by securing the right to reprocess nuclear fuel, which is considered a step toward building atomic weapons. "In response to North Korea's nuclear threat, I will become a global leader in protecting freedom and human rights by securing nuclear fuel processing capabilities and developing nuclear-powered submarines," he said. On Wednesday, the head of the National Election Commission said voting was monitored by more than 300,000 independent observers and workers and there were no grounds for doubts about the integrity of the 2024 election or any other votes. Yoon is under a separate criminal trial on charges of leading insurrection by declaring martial law with no constitutional grounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lee, who survived a knife attack in 2024 that severely injured him but has since recovered fully, faces legal uncertainties himself. In March a court threw out his guilty verdict on charges of violating the election law, but prosecutors have appealed to the Supreme Court, and Lee is also on other trials on charges ranging from bribery to corruption. It was unclear if any of the ongoing court cases would present a roadblock to Lee in the election process. (Reporting by Jack Kim and Ju-min ParkEditing by Ed Davies) JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) The Jackson Municipal Airport Authority (JMAA) and Southwest Airlines welcomed passengers on the inaugural nonstop flight to Nashville on April 8. The theme was Blues and Boots in honor of the musical heritage of both Jackson and Nashville. City and state leaders gathered to cut the ribbon while guests were treated to live music and refreshments. Passengers from Nashville were greeted by cheerleaders from Callaway High School. Eddies Soul Food reopens with new menu additions Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rhonda Scott, with Southwest Airlines, believes this first flight will open the doors for more international travel out of Jackson. Its huge. This opportunity offers, through Nashville, the future of having international travel to connect you to those cities. Our network, we have one of the most diverse networks in the industry, and it just gives this local community and the state of Mississippi an opportunity to take advantage of that for their travel needs, Scott said. Several guests were given $100 gift cards to book their first flights with Southwest. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe Now Daily News Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJTV. COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. The Space Forces top officer on Wednesday said his services day-to-day interactions with European allies havent been impacted by growing uncertainty about the United States relationship with Europe and the Trump administrations shifting posture toward Ukraine. The military-to-military relationships, especially with my counterparts that I deal with on a routine basis its business as usual, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman told reporters during a briefing at the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Were still discussing the same challenges we had. Were still working the same basic collaborative issues that weve been working. Saltzmans comments come as U.S. aid for Kievs defense has slowed and the Defense Department is moving troops away from a Ukraine support hub in Poland. In early March, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency temporarily froze Ukraines access to key satellite imagery amid a broader DOD pause on military aid to the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also urged Europe to invest more domestic funding in national security and rely less on U.S. support. At the same time, U.S. officials have said they want the European Union to continue to buy weapons from American companies. Saltzman noted that much of the Space Forces engagement with European partners comes through NATO and the services commitment to information sharing with allied nations. Broader decisions around support for Ukraine and U.S. troop levels in Europe are outside of the Space Forces scope or responsibility. In the same briefing, Air Marshal Paul Godfrey, the Space Forces assistant chief of space operations for future concepts and partnerships, said the service and its partners recognize Space Force support to allied nations with nascent military space capabilities and organizations is crucial. If we just cut ties, let Europe get on with it, then theyre going to have to spend significant amounts of money, potentially go down dead-ends, developing the sort of capabilities that the U.S. has put together over decades, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That message undergirds a new international partnerships strategy the Space Force expects to roll out in the coming weeks. Saltzman previewed the document Wednesday during a speech at the symposium. Our international partnership strategy is built on one key concept: Coalition operations will be far more successful if we work together well before those contingency operations become necessary, he said. Were not tightly coupled in our training, if were not reconciling our operational concepts, if were not integrating our capabilities, we will have a very steep learning curve when called upon in crisis or conflict. The strategys three main goals are to leverage individual nations unique expertise, improve information sharing and interoperability and integrate across the spectrum of operations from force design to employment of capabilities. Saltzman said the Space Force wants to embed more allies into its planning processes and acquisition strategies, expand joint exercises and coordinate personnel exchanges that allow partners to learn from one another. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also emphasized that the strategy does not view partnership in space as a one-way street, but instead recognizes that all nations have something to contribute. The trick is in focusing on areas where we have a comparative advantage, he said. Maybe its space domain awareness or hosted payloads. Maybe its launch capacity or even simple geography for a ground station. I firmly believe that every contribution can make a meaningful impact on space security. Saltzman and Godfrey told reporters theyve been floating the draft strategy to foreign partners this week at Space Symposium and will discuss it in greater depth Thursday as Saltzman hosts a gathering of international space chiefs representing around 20 different nations. Then on Friday, the 10 nations who are members of the Space Forces Combined Space Operations initiative will meet to discuss partnership opportunities for the coming year. MADRID (Reuters) - Spain will pursue closer trade ties with China in the interests of its citizens and of the EU, its agriculture minister Luis Planas said on Wednesday, rejecting a U.S. warning that moving closer to the Asian country would be "cutting your own throat". "We have excellent trade relations with China which we intend to not only continue having, but expanding," Planas told reporters from Ho Chi Minh City, where he was accompanying Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on a trip to Vietnam and, on Friday, China. Planas had been asked about earlier comments by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who criticised Spanish Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo's suggestion that Europe should more closely align with China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "That would be cutting your own throat," Bessent told a banking event in Washington, adding that China would continue to produce too many goods and dump them on markets elsewhere. Sanchez and Planas are heading to Beijing later this week to forge closer economic ties amid the global fallout of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policy, seeking to position Spain as an interlocutor between China and the EU and attract Chinese investment. Trump's punishing tariffs, which the president says are aimed at ending U.S. trade deficits with many countries, have upended the global trading order, raising fears of recession and wiping trillions of dollars off the market value of major firms. Planas said that the way the U.S. was negotiating with trading partners did not appear "respectful". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that Spain defended its interests within the framework of the European Union, which sought dialogue with the U.S. to resolve differences. "We have trading partners all over the world. We believe in the existence of a rules-based multilateral trade," Planas said. The minister added that strengthening ties with Vietnam and China did not contradict the EU's trade principles. (Reporting by David Latona and Emma Pinedo; Editing by Aislinn Laing and Alex Richardson) (COLORADO SPRINGS) The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) has released the identity of a driver killed in a fiery crash on Dublin Boulevard at the beginning of April, as well as the factors believed to have led to the crash. According to CSPD, officers originally responded to a report of a two-car crash just before 8:45 p.m. on April 1 to the 3900 block of Dublin Boulevard, near Cottonwood Creek Park. One of the involved cars reportedly caught fire immediately after the crash, CSPD said. When officers arrived on scene, they determined the driver of the car that caught fire was killed. The driver of the other car was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS COVERAGE: One person dies in fiery crash on Dublin Boulevard According to CSPD, the investigation revealed that a car was heading eastbound on Dublin at a high rate of speed when the driver failed to navigate a curve. The car jumped the center median and was hit by a car heading westbound on Dublin. After the collision, the eastbound car burst into flames. On Wednesday, April 2, the El Paso County Coroner identified the driver killed as 25-year-old Ryan Jacob Zamora. CSPD said at this time, speed and alcohol appear to be factors in the crash. This is the sixth deadly crash in Colorado Springs in 2025. At the same time in 2024, there had been 16 fatalities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado. TROY, Ohio (WDTN) Two men are in custody after a traffic stop lead to a multi-county, high-speed chase Tuesday night. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, troopers from the Wapakoneta Post initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for speeding around 6 p.m. on southbound I-75. When the trooper made contact with the driver of the vehicle, he allegedly resisted arrest. While the driver was being taken into custody, the passenger got into drivers seat and fled the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Troopers chased the suspect vehicle across county lines, with several additional jurisdictions getting involved. By 6:30 p.m., the vehicle had made it to Troy, with Troy police, Miami County Sheriffs Office deputies and Piqua post troopers getting involved. Law enforcement attempted to use stop sticks, but the driver swerved to avoid them, going off the right side of the highway and hitting a sign. The driver was then taken into custody. Police allege they found drugs and weapons inside of the vehicle. The initial driver, identified as 48-year-old Nicholas Best of Dayton, is being held in Auglaize County Jail on charges of resisting arrest, driving under the influence and possession of drugs. He pled not guilty to all charges and will reappear in court on April 11, according to our partners at Miami Valley Today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The passenger who fled the scene and led police on a pursuit has been identified as Gary Ngo, 31 of Dayton. He is being held in Miami County Jail on failure to comply charges and pled not guilty as well. He was also arraigned Wednesday morning and will next appear in court on April 15. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. By Sybille de La Hamaide and Michael Hogan PARIS/HAMBURG (Reuters) - European Union counter-tariffs on U.S. goods starting next week are set to halt a large flow of U.S. corn to Europe and raise costs for buyers chasing alternative supplies of the feed grain, traders and industry representatives said. Grain market reaction has been restrained so far with traders unsure if a barrage of tariffs, including tit-for-tat U.S. and Chinese duties, will stay in place or be removed following negotiations. The EU will impose a 25% duty on corn (maize) from April 15 in response to U.S. steel and aluminium tariffs. U.S. soybeans, which the EU imports in much bigger volumes than corn, will be subject to tariffs from December 1. European countries mainly use corn to feed cattle, poultry and pigs. The retaliatory measures, approved by EU countries on Wednesday, will price U.S. corn out of European markets where buyers have scooped up abundant and cheap U.S. supplies this season. Between July 1, 2024, and April 6, 2025, the EU imported 3.4 million metric tons of U.S. corn, up from just 114,000 tons a year earlier as the United States leapfrogged Brazil to become the EU's No. 2 supplier behind Ukraine. EU importers will still be able to find supplies in Ukraine and Brazil. But prices there are currently higher than in the United States and could rise further until Brazil's next crop arrives starting in July. I think corn tariffs is a cost story rather than a supply problem. There are alternative supplies in the Black Sea and South America but I calculate at least $6-$7 a ton additional costs for corn importers, one European trader said. European feed industry association FEFAC has warned that tariffs on feed ingredients could add some 2 billion euros in costs, calling instead for the EU to use its import requirements as a way to expand trade with the U.S. Spain has led EU imports of U.S. corn this season, including a new purchase of 240,000 tons announced by the U.S. government on Tuesday. There was relief that some feed products such as soymeal have not been put on the EU tariff list, said Stephane Radet, director general of French feed industry association SNIA. But the sector is concerned that feed additive lysine has been included, with separate EU anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese lysine raising the prospect of rising prices, he said. The proposed EU duty on U.S. soybeans is potentially a bigger issue, as the U.S. is the EU's largest supplier at over 5 million tons annually. But the deferred December 1 date for the soybean duty is seen by traders as leaving time for trade talks and letting EU importers continue buying U.S. beans while No. 1 importer China focuses on Brazilian supplies. (Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide and Gus Trompiz in Paris, Michael Hogan in Hamburg and Emma Pinedo in Madrid; Editing by Rod Nickel) ROARING SPRING, Pa. (WTAJ) Support staff in the Spring Cove School District have voted to form a union, becoming the last district in Blair County to do so. In a 43-26 vote held April 8, non-supervisory employees including paraprofessionals, LPNs, custodial and maintenance workers, clerical staff, and cafeteria workers officially joined the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) under the name Spring Cove ESP. The effort to unionize began in December 2024, with workers citing a need for stronger representation, better compensation, and improved staffing and student support as driving factors. With the vote finalized by the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Boards, the employees will now elect union officers and begin the process of negotiating their first contract with the district. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spring Cove was the only school district in Blair County without a support staff union until this vote. Get the latest news, weather forecasts and sports stories delivered straight to your inbox! Sign up for our newsletters. The newly formed union now becomes part of a larger network of 177,000 active and retired educators and school employees represented by PSEA across the state. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com. SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) One school district in Northwest Arkansas is ensuring every student has the ability to succeed. On Tuesday, Springdale schools held its Hearts for Homelessness special fundraising event. The fundraiser supports the districts Families in Transition (FIT) program. FIT provides essential resources, including school supplies, transportation and clothing to students experiencing homelessness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district says events like this show Springdale families that the community has their back. There is homelessness in Springdale schools, Reina Hart, the liaison for Family in Transition said. We have about 745 students who are currently experiencing homelessness that we have identified across the district and are supporting with resources through our FIT program, and of course, theres probably quite a few kids that we havent identified and we dont know their stories yet. Hart says there are in-person and online resources for any family in the district needing help. Visit the Springdale Public Schools website to learn more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. The Springfield City Council has revealed the three finalists in its search for a new City Manager following Jason Gages departure. The candidates include David Cameron, Bob Cowell, and Brian Weiler, who will participate in a series of public engagements and interviews before city council makes a final decision. The Finalists David Cameron Bob Cowell Brian Weiler David Cameron , the current City Administrator of Republic, Missouri, has extensive experience in local government, having served as City Administrator in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, before his current role. Under Camerons leadership, Republic gained $1.4 billion in capital investments, 3,000 new jobs, and significant economic growth. He holds a bachelors degree in organizational management from John Brown University. Ozarks First Investigates uncovered that Cameron was making more money in Republic than Springfield City Manager Jason Gage in 2023, despite Republic having a significantly smaller population. Bob Cowell served as the City Manager of Roanoke, Virginia, from 2017 to 2024, bringing three decades of experience in public service. Cowells career includes roles in urban planning, including leading the development of Roanokes joint innovation district with Carilion Clinic and Virginia Tech. He holds a masters degree in urban planning from the University of Tennessee and a bachelors degree in aeronautics from St. Louis University. Local media in Roanake reported on Cowells sudden departure from the city in 2024, citing personnel issues at city hall as a possible reason for his resignation. Loveland, CO also named Cowell as a finalist for its open city manager position in September 2024. Brian Weiler, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, currently serves as Director of Aviation at the Springfield-Branson National Airport. Weiler has more than 30 years of experience in public service, including roles at the Missouri Department of Transportation and several airports. He holds a masters degree in aviation safety from the University of Central Missouri and a bachelors degree in professional aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Public Engagements The finalists will visit Springfield from April 15-16 to participate in a series of events, including interviews with local stakeholders, government officials, and the media. The public will have an opportunity to interact with the candidates through virtual town hall meetings and community events. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Virtual Town Hall Meetings: April 15, 6:30 p.m. David Cameron April 15, 7:00 p.m. Bob Cowell April 15, 7:30 p.m. Brian Weiler These will be broadcast live on Cityview.SpringfieldMo.gov and the Citys Facebook page, where viewers can submit questions for the candidates. Community Stakeholder Breakfast: On April 16, from 7:15 to 9:00 a.m., the finalists will meet with community leaders at The Old Glass Place. This breakfast will bring together various groups, including City boards, Greene County officials, and representatives from local organizations. The Selection Process City council will make its final decision following next weeks public engagements. Citizens are encouraged to submit questions for the candidates ahead of time through the Citys website or engage during the live broadcasts. The council aims to make its decision soon after the interviews to ensure a smooth transition for the City of Springfield. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com. UPDATE: WEDNESDAY 4/9/2025 5:00 p.m. (COLORADO SPRINGS) An appeal of the apartment complex has been denied by the Citys Planning Commission on a six-two vote. Opponents plan to go to City Council to appeal. TUESDAY 4/8/2025 8:06 p.m. It was last September near the intersection of North Carefree Circle and Peterson Road where Michelle Bork was finishing up a run around the Springs Ranch neighborhood. All she needed to do was cross the street, and she would be done. Photo by Hunter Phipps I have crossed it hundreds, if not thousands of times, Bork said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But when she crossed, she says a large SUV was turning onto Peterson and hit her. I flew quite a few feet across the lanes of traffic, and as a result it created a temporal fracture where he hit me multiple fractured ribs, fractures in my spine, Bork said. Bork also told us she had a lacerated liver and a collapsed lung as a result of being hit. So, when she heard a new apartment complex was being built on the corner of Peterson and North Carefree, she could not believe it. Who in their right mind would try to fit that many apartments in that tiny spot of land? Bork asked. Thats like me trying to fit back in my high school size four jeans, its just not happening right now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shawnee Lovato, who lives less than a mile away from Bork, also feels strongly about the apartment complex not being the right fit for the open space. Were not against something being built there, but it has to be something thats reasonable for that little plot of land, Lovato said. According to the application, developers are aiming to fit 144 units on just 6.94 acres of land. Lovato and Bork are concerned cant meet the needs for parking cars. Along with parking, they believe traffic will increase in the area and fear more pedestrians could be at risk of getting hurt. Both Lovato and Bork are also worried about the water usage from the apartment complex as the area already has water issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our neighborhood is already on water restrictions, Bork said. Both brought their concerns to a meeting hosted by the developers back in October, but they felt they did not get any answers during that meeting. Kind of felt like none of our questions were being answered, Lovato said. They were being redirected. Now, they will bring their concerns to an appeal hearing with the citys planning commission on Wednesday morning. FOX21 News did reach out to the developer, Lincoln Avenue Communities, on Monday for a statement on the upcoming hearing along with the concerns brought up by Bork and Lovato and to this point we have not heard back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado. Apr. 8MITCHELL A change in leadership is coming to one of Mitchell's elementary schools next school year. St. John Paul II Elementary School announced recently that Sarah Timmer will serve as the next principal of the Catholic elementary school beginning with the 2025-26 school year. Timmer is currently the curriculum director for the Mitchell School District and has been in education since 2008. Timmer previously taught as an elementary teacher including third grade at Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary School in Mitchell and first grade and kindergarten in Lincoln, Nebraska. Timmer holds a master's of education in administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education with a reading minor from the University of Sioux Falls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Sarah brings to our school a great amount of experience in education. She is also a firm believer in the value of Catholic education not only for our Catholic Community but for any parent that is looking for an integral formation and education for their children," said Fr. Cesar Valencia, pastor of Mitchell Catholic Parishes and the school. "She is all about doing what is best for children. But, above all, Sarah is a disciple of Christ on a mission of sharing the good news of the Gospel through her leadership role." Timmer is also the founder and camp director of Little Catholics Lake Mitchell Bible Camp, a summer camp that began in 2022 and is held each summer at Camp Arroya on Lake Mitchell. The camp has grown to over one hundred students from the Mitchell Catholic Parishes from kindergarten to eighth grade. The camp includes outdoor activities such as fishing, kayaking, crafts, science, experiments, songs and prayer. "I am honored to join St. John Paul II School and look forward to getting to know each child personally, sharing the warmth and love of Christ with each of them," Timmer said. "My goal is to uphold the mission of our school, which will allow each unique child to be a responsible citizen in our ever-changing world. I am committed to nurturing both the mind and heart and will strive to help students develop habits that deepen their relationship with Christ. I am eager to collaborate with teachers, engage the school community, and uphold high academic standards rooted in faith, ensuring a strong foundation for each of our children's growth and happiness." Timmer will succeed Robin Cahoy, who has announced her retirement at the end of this school year after over 40 years of dedication to the school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cahoy joined the school, then named Holy Spirit School, in 1983 as a kindergarten teacher and was hired as principal in 2012. St. John Paul II Elementary School strives to create a community that promotes Catholic values, academic excellence and stewardship which will allow each child to achieve their highest potential and become a lifelong disciple of christ. The school offers classes from preschool through sixth grade, as well as preschool-aged childcare, after-school care and a new Summer Academy beginning this year. The school is also in year one of a three year transition to Catholic classical curriculum. ST. LOUIS A St. Louis man labeled a persistent predatory sexual offender will spend the rest of his life behind bars after pleading guilty Tuesday to new child sex crimes. The crimes occurred between Oct. 15, 2023, and Jan. 1, 2024, at Jeffrey Jones Dutchtown apartment. Jones admitted committing sex acts on two boys, ages 8 and 9, and trying to get one of the children to perform a sexual act on him. He pleaded guilty to first-degree statutory sodomy, first-degree attempt statutory sodomy, and two counts of first-degree child molestation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Inside the mailbox scam costing residents millions Jones was arrested on March 12, 2024. He was previously convicted in January 2000 of first-degree statutory rape, first-degree statutory sodomy, first-degree child molestation, and sexual misconduct in St. Louis Circuit Court and served 15 years in prison. Due to his prior convictions, Jones was sentenced to three consecutive life terms, ensuring hell never have another opportunity to be alone with a child. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. One local hospital is celebrating the life-saving importance of Donate Life Month. Wednesday morning AHN Saint Vincent promoted awareness of donating organs, acknowledging those who have donated and thanking their transplant physicians. Residents speak out against county executive at Erie Co. Council meeting According to the Center for Organ Recovery and Education, there are over 100,000 people in the country waiting for a life-saving transplant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One organ donor can save the lives of as many as eight people and as many as 75 through tissue donation. You live vicariously through people no matter who you touch you could speak to them and it could touch their hearts you could give them a heart and it will change their lives, said Leannah Schwab whose sister donated organs. Joining forces Lawrence Park, Wesleyville explore police merger We are just trying to acknowledge that there are people with chronic conditions and we know that this is the step that is necessary to sustain their lives, said Dr. Christopher Clark, president of AHN St. Vincent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2024 Was the sixth strait year for record-breaking organ donation for CORE. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) State Attorney General Josh Kaul hosted a roundtable in Appleton on Wednesday to discuss the rights of crime victims and the challenges faced by victim service organizations due to funding cuts. Kaul was joined by local leaders to raise awareness and advocate for more support. He highlighted the significant decrease in funding from the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), which has dropped from about $44 million per year over five years to just $13 million in the current federal fiscal year. Appleton businessman sentenced to federal prison for not paying over $1 million in employment taxes Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This has led to, in some cases, dramatic cuts in funding for victim service organizations, Kaul said. The Wisconsin Department of Justices proposed budget includes nearly $68 million in state funding over the next two years to support victim service providers. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. The Nebraska State Auditor's Office is located in the State Capitol. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN A plane ticket for a romantic partner and other suspected improprieties have turned the State Auditors spotlight on a small, publicly-funded nonprofit whose board is appointed by the governor and whose mission is to support Nebraskans with disabilities. A new auditor probe of the Nebraska Statewide Independent Living Council points to alleged malfeasance by the former executive director, Don Dew though Dew and the councils former treasurer insist that the spending was board-approved. A group of advocates for Nebraskans with disabilities at the State Capitol. (Courtesy of NESILC) Both have resigned in protest, and assert that certain board members stirred trouble for Dew in part because he is gay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new board chairwoman dismissed that as nonsense and said State Auditor Mike Foley was summoned after Dew did not produce requested records to support spending. Both sides agree on at least one thing. They said the gubernatorial-led process by which the boards appointments are made has been slow-going and they believe an undersized governing board with too many unfilled slots contributed to problems. Report goes to FBI, law enforcement The board is authorized for 15 voting members and five non-voting members, which represent various state agencies and service providers, according to the auditors report. For several years, current and past members said, the organization has operated with two or three voting members and several non-voting members. Currently, the council has two regularly voting board members with a third that is used under certain circumstances, and 10 nonvoting members mostly representing independent living organizations, said Jody Faltys, who returned to the board in late in 2024 and is now chair. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Phil Olsen, state accounting administrator under Gov. Jim Pillen, said the minimum requirement under law is three voting board members but that he foresees others being appointed soon. He said the council has seen turnover with members uneasy under Dews financial leadership. What is NESILC? Based in Lancaster County, the Nebraska Statewide Independent Living Council (NESILC) is funded primarily with federal dollars from the Independent Living Administration. Established in 2001, the public benefit nonprofit corporation has a mission to, in partnership with the Independent Living Network, promote independence, inclusion, non-discrimination and dignity for all people with disabilities in Nebraska. States are required to establish and maintain such independent and statewide councils, according to the auditors report, to be eligible for financial assistance authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that was further amended under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State leaders said a federal grant of about $340,000 is divided between the council and two Centers for Independent Living, which are the League of Human Dignity and Independence Rising. Faltys said interest in joining the council board had waned, and she hopes that will improve. Its all about checks and balances, and what we need is to get those guard rails as strong as they can be to make us as strong as we can be, Faltys said. The Statewide Independent Living Council, with an annual budget of about $115,000, is a small but vital organization whose existence is required by law to unlock federal funds that help Nebraskans with disabilities live independently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It came under auditor scrutiny after board members reported possible financial improprieties. Findings are laid out in a 25-page report, which included recommendations to improve internal controls. The report was made public last week and addressed to Faltys. Any further investigation lies with the FBI, Lancaster County Attorney and Nebraska Attorney General, which got copies of the report from Foleys office. Plane ticket questioned Foley, in a statement, focused on $9,466 in what his team called suspected improprieties by Dew over a three-year period: $2,043 in alleged excess pay to himself; $6,750 in health insurance reimbursements that lacked documentation, and a $672 plane ticket for his partner to a work-related conference. While better late than never, some of this could have been avoided had the NESILC board taken its oversight responsibilities more seriously from the start. State Auditor Mike Foley At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I cant emphasize this enough: Allowing someone to exercise anything close to exclusive control over an organizations finances with no meaningful oversight is begging for serious trouble, Foley wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the audit team noted the councils lack of policies and procedures for safeguarding funds and said leaders appear to be taking corrective measures. Olsen said he, representing the Nebraska Department of Administrative Services, took over in 2024 as the designated state conduit responsible for receiving and disbursing funds to the council from the federal government. He said he raised a red flag after he started attending the councils quarterly meetings and noticed a lack of bank statements, credit card and expense approvals. Faltys saw the audit as confirming what we saw. Said Foley: While better late than never, some of this could have been avoided had the NESILC board taken its oversight responsibilities more seriously from the start. COVID-19 was turning point In a response included in the auditors report, the council recapped what led to this point. Its current leader said a COVID-19-related shutdown led to heavy change in the organization as its only executive director up to that point retired. Don Dew, former executive director of the Nebraska Statewide Independent Living Council. (Courtesy of Don Dew) Dew, a former board chair, then was hired and held the position three years until his resignation effective at the close of 2024. The audit said his salary was $26,168. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The council wrote that Dew didnt live up to the high standards set by his predecessor. With board members leaving, with policies and procedures not being applied rigorously, it soon became clear that the future of NESILC was a turning point, stated the council. The council wrote that it was disappointed in its own lack of oversight and was wiping the slate clean and refocusing on our mission. Clearing name Dew, with a completely different take, was angry at the allegations. He said the auditors team didnt ask him for his version of what happened. He said he had filed his own complaint with the Nebraska Attorney General after a board member removed what he said were confidential files from a storage area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dew said he is working with an attorney and considering legal action as he feels his name should be cleared. Everything had been approved, he told the Nebraska Examiner, calling the probe incomplete. Its in a budget or through an executive committee meeting, so theres no way that they can say I did (anything) without approval. Deanna Henke, treasurer of the councils board during much of the alleged misuse of funds, backed Dew. She said the board approved the airline ticket in the spring of 2024 for Dews partner who, she and Dew said, served as a personal attendant. Dew said he has epilepsy, controlled by medication, and other disabilities. At the time of the conference, Dew said he was suffering from several broken ribs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was not a sightseeing trip. He wasnt gallivanting around town in Little Rock, Arkansas. Deanna Henke, former treasurer of the NESILC Henke said Dew was mandated to attend the work conference, which she said he helped lead. If they require a personal attendant due to their disability, then we pay not only for Don to go, but for his assistant. She said its been that way for years, and added it was not a sightseeing trip. He wasnt gallivanting around town in Little Rock, Arkansas. Target on his back According to Foleys press release, council representatives informed the audit team that the ticket was for a man with whom Dew had romantic and business relationships. The representatives said the man is neither an employee nor in any way affiliated with the organization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Said Henke: Don being a gay man, theyve had a target on his back ever since he became executive director. Faltys said she saw no pre-approval records and called the ticket the final straw that broke the camels back. She added, There were no receipts. There were no minutes for meetings. State Auditor Mike Foley. (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner) Noted in the audit were 98 questionable credit card transactions, besides the airline ticket, that totaled about $8,400, including for a Dropbox account, business vendors and Jimmy Johns restaurant. The report said Dew controlled the card. Board members were not aware of, nor did they approve, most of these payments, the auditing team said. In addition, the auditing team said it could not locate adequate documentation to substantiate board approval of 17 payments totaling $47,580 over three years for apparent reimbursements or other payments unrelated to wages, including health insurance stipends, retirement contributions and bonuses. Look at facts Deputy State Auditor Craig Kubicek said in an interview that the team didnt speak directly to Dew, but its findings were based on records available at the time. We look at facts, we look at documentation, we look at compliance, Kubicek said. He said Dew concurrently served as executive director of a separate organization in Iowa also dedicated to people with disabilities, and that Dew declined the Nebraska auditor team access to the Iowa payroll records. Based on that, Kubicek said his team figured it would get nowhere if it asked Dew for input on the Nebraska review, so it didnt. Meanwhile, Faltys said she is effectively acting also as executive director and pushing to add more voting board members. Herself a quadriplegic, she said the organization is more important than most understand. It works with state partners to develop Nebraskas three-year plan for independent living and community based services. It supports research, education and reforms related to disability issues. Without it, advocates said, certain federal funding could not flow to groups such as the League of Human Dignity and Independence Rising. Faltys said the availability of the services and accountability of the organization should matter to all. Everyone is a moment away from being disabled, Faltys said. You could have a stroke, a car accident, these are issues vital to everyone. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) With President Trump cracking down on illegal immigration across the country, Connecticut lawmakers are weighing changes to state law. The Democrat-led judiciary committee advanced a bill Tuesday which would further limit how and when local authorities are allowed to cooperate with ICE. Lamont, Bysiewicz hold roundtable discussion about expanding pre-K access in Connecticut Democrats want to expand the Connecticut Trust Act to bar all state employees, not just police, from cooperating with federal deportation efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the current iteration of the Trust Act, state and local law enforcement are not allowed to hand over an individual to federal immigration authorities unless the individual has been convicted of a Class A or B felony, is on a terrorist watch list, or is the subject of a judicial warrant. Under the revised Trust Act, authorities would still be able to hand over criminals to ICE after theyve been convicted of serious felonies. But Republicans take issue with that, too, saying, in practice, the act unnecessarily bars local cops from cooperating with ICE in the same way they work with all other federal agencies. Its a cute name for a bad bill, said State Rep. Pat Callahan (R-108th), who sits on the judiciary committee. When the Trust Act was implemented in Connecticut about 10 years ago, now you can no longer talk to one federal agency which is ICE thats the problem. The Democrats who back the expansion of the trust act said that President Trumps sweeping immigration crackdown is threatening due process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is what our constitution and our right to due process exists for, said State Rep. Matt Blumenthal (D-147th), who also sits on the judiciary committee. Otherwise the government can just disappear you like it was Argentina in the 1970s. In addition to opposing the Democrats expansion of the Trust Act, the GOP has also called for the original act to be clawed back, saying the requirement that a person be convicted of a class A or B felony before local police can hand them over to the feds leaves too many public safety threats. In the court system, theres plea bargaining, Callahan said. So, if someones arrested for an A or B felony, it may be subbed down to a C or a D felony so then they wouldnt be subjected to cooperation with this one federal agency: ICE. Republicans like Callahan, a former probation officer, want to see contact with the feds initiated when a person is charged, not convicted, of a class A, B, or C felony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats a change Democrats have said could amount to deputizing local cops as agents of ICE. Theyre not ICE agents, said State Sen. Herron Gaston (D-23rd) of the judiciary committee. Theyre here to protect and serve and to foster cooperation and to ensure that people regardless of their immigration status are being protected under the law. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. Shawn LaTourette, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, told lawmakers Wednesday that critics are wrong about new flood rules under review by the state. (Photo courtesy of New Jersey Senate) New Jerseys top environmental official alleged Wednesday that opponents of proposed rules meant to address rising flood risks along New Jerseys coast have repeatedly lied in an effort to spur worry among local officials in hopes of waylaying the changes. Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette told the Assembly Budget Committee that opposition to whats known as the resilient environments and landscapes rule proposal is driven by a coordinated misinformation campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not that theyre misinterpreting, LaTourette said of local officials opposed to the rules. Its that there was a very deliberate campaign that constructed a narrative, sent that narrative to every local elected official because they knew if they got the elected officials scared and could sow distrust of the DEP your floodplain manager who wants to help people they knew they would then get to you. The 1,044-page rules proposal in question would set higher elevation requirements for new construction, update standards for certain infrastructure and new residential buildings in areas that stand to be affected by rising sea levels, and update recordkeeping of certain permits, among numerous other changes. State officials are expected to decide whether to move forward with the changes by the end of the summer. Opponents ranging from business and construction trade groups to local and county officials allege the rules proposal would entirely prohibit the construction of affordable housing in some Jersey Shore communities, limit residents ability to improve their properties, and spike development costs in regulated areas. Ray Cantor, chief government affairs officer for the New Jersey Business and Industry Association, is one of the critics of the proposed changes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To hear Commissioner LaTourette tell it today, this 1,000-page-plus rule is much ado about nothing. We find thats irresponsible, Cantor said in a statement. While he continues to dismiss these concerns, we will continue to amplify why they represent the next major affordability shoe to drop in New Jersey if these rules are finalized as proposed. The rules would require new buildings in inundation risk zones areas that would be at risk of permanent or daily flooding as a result of sea level rise over the next 75 years to be elevated 5 feet (or, as LaTourette put it Wednesday, plus-five). LaTourette, who acknowledged his frustration during exchanges with lawmakers at Wednesdays hearing, said opponents have overstated the impact of the proposed elevation requirements because numerous municipalities enacted elevation rules stricter than those required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The local governments who know their communities best didnt think the FEMA standards were enough then, and so some communities have a plus-two or a plus-three. The plus-five is not on top of that, so in most coastal communities, were talking about two or three [feet], he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some lawmakers questioned whether local officials opposition to the rule changes is the result of being hoodwinked by misinformation. Respectfully, commissioner, municipalities who have dealt in these areas for hundreds of years, theyre not so easily duped by some special interest with nefarious intentions. They live and breathe this, said Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger (R-Monmouth). The state proposal would also eliminate permits-by-rule and replace them with permits-by-registration in most cases and with permits-by-certification in others. The change would be purely for bookkeeping reasons, LaTourette said. Previously, property improvements made under a permit-by-rule were recorded nowhere and could be used as a basis to deny flood insurance payouts, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like other department heads, LaTourette warned of uncertainty surrounding federal funding amid the Trump administrations efforts to curtail spending. The Department of Environmental Protection anticipates it will spend roughly $1.1 billion in federal dollars for the fiscal year that begins July 1, and the commissioner warned a reduction of that funding could imperil flood insurance, water infrastructure, and beach replenishments where the federal government covers 75% of costs. The nature of the departments work, LaTourette said, means money lost because of federal cuts would likely have to be reclaimed through tax hikes, whether at the state or local level. We cant not make those improvements. Peoples health and the ability to flush our toilets is on the line, LaTourette said. So, what would happen? Raising rates on New Jerseyans, thats what would happen. Its the only thing that would happen because we cant not have clean, flowing water and toilets that flush. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) The City of Youngstown is beginning to see the benefits of the new Welcome Home Ohio program. The program includes funding for the construction and rehabilitation of residential properties, and the Mahoning County Land Bank and Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC) are taking full advantage of it. Representatives of both organizations showed WKBN the progress of a renovation that is currently underway at 3551 Shirley Road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The property was among those identified as vacant and tax-delinquent during a citywide survey released in 2023. YNDC was able to purchase the property during a sheriffs sale and received funding through the Welcome Home program to purchase and help renovate it. Those dollars were really critical to us being able to push this forward and in a fairly fast timeframe, I would say, Debora Flora, executive director of the Mahoning County Land Bank. YNDC Executive Director Ian Beniston said the funding allows them to sell the property for an affordable price to a person who will live in the home. As part of the Welcome Home Ohio requirements, the Lank Bank cannot sell the home for more than $180,000, and the property must be sold to an individual who earns not more than 80% of the local median income at the time of sale for 20 years after the date of purchase. Buyers must live in the home for five years or face a penalty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through the program, buyers will receive homebuyer counseling. Beniston said through YNDCs other partnerships, buyers can also receive downpayment assistance, possibly up to $28,000. The idea is not for someone to buy this and then flip it themselves and make it a rental. The idea is that for at least 20 years, this is going to be an affordable homeownership opportunity for a family or multiple families if its sold, he said. YNDC and the Land Bank have been working together for some time to eliminate blight, which has created vacant lots across the city. With the available funding, there is now an opportunity to rebuild in those areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are working on six rehab homes through Welcome Home Ohio right now, six new builds are wrapping up, and 19 new builds are starting soon. Beniston also discussed progress on a project to build six new homes on Mineral Springs Avenue. The Land Bank acquired the vacant land years ago but there hadnt been an opportunity to rebuild the area until recently. The project included removing the blight and rebuilding the area from the ground up. This is kind of a special moment if we look back on the last 20 years of starting to get some more momentum, and something that weve been, I think, looking forward to and building toward for a decade, Beniston said. Beniston said all of the homes will be listed with a realtor, and there is typically a lot of interest in them. Buyers will need to have a realtor but can contact YNDC with interest in a particular property to be added to a list for notification when it is listed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Generally speaking, I think these are the best deals on the market. When you look at it, were going to be selling brand-new, three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath, newly constructed houses for $180,000. Theres nowhere in the five-county region that youre going to be seeing that type of product on the market for that price, Beniston said. Vacant homes under renovation through Welcome Home Ohio in Youngstown include the following: 3551 Shirley Road 734 W LaClede 870 Canfield Road 3222 Sheridan Road 2502 Stocker 4340 Helena Flora said there are a couple of Welcome Home Ohio-funded projects in the works in other areas as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other homes that YNDC is working on include the following: 844 W Indianola 741 Sherwood 734 W LaClede 870 Canfield 3222 Sheridan 3310 Sheridan 2502 Stocker 4340 Helena 3551 Shirley 512 Clearmont 733 Lake 2653 Pearce 2655 Pearce 2657 Pearce 818 Billingsgate On Thursday, YNDC also plans to break ground on phase two of a project to build three new duplexes on Glenwood Avenue. That project is funded by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh Affordable Housing Program, Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati Affordable Housing Program, Mahoning County and the Raymond John Wean Foundation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. CLEVELAND (WJW) The FOX 8 I-Team has found an Ohio House committee just approved a financial package that includes state money to help the Cleveland Browns build a dome. The measure is expected to be taken up by the full House of Representatives on Wednesday. Its not a final decision, but a step forward. The Browns have asked for state help building a dome in Brook Park. Million-dollar renovations begin at Shooters location in The Flats Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They hope for $600 million from the state through bonds. The Browns promise to pay it back with profits from the dome and surrounding development. Tuesday, that came up along with other budget matters before the Ohio House of Representatives Finance Committee. The committee voted to approve the overall spending plan. District 31 State Rep. Bill Roemer sits on that committee, and he expects the dome to have a big impact. I was originally opposed until I looked at the numbers. Over the period of the project, it appears that the state will recognize an additional $1.2 billion in tax revenue, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roemer adds that the Browns have promised to set aside money upfront to cover any shortcomings that might come up in paying back the state. Even if the projections are wildly wrong, the state is still protected. This is going to generate additional tax revenue, the representative said. Reflecting on the Total Solar Eclipse one year later If the measure gets approved by the House, it then must be approved by the Senate. Meanwhile, one senator said he will introduce a bill to block funding for any teams with a losing record such as the Browns. Behind it all, the city of Cleveland is fighting the Browns in court to stop the team from moving out of the current stadium on the lakefront. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. Many local government employees in Hawaii may be able to rent or buy taxpayer-subsidized housing if a bill pending at the Legislature becomes law. The bill proposes to provide grants and loans to develop leasehold condominiums on state land in transit-oriented development areas predominantly for state workers with moderate incomes as a way to help recruit and retain employees. Under the legislation, the homes, with extendable 99-year leases, would initially be rental apartments where tenants could have part of their rent credited toward purchasing their unit within 10 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A few concerns have been raised over the plan, though the bill has sailed through five public hearings at the Legislature with backing from public worker unions and remains subject to a Senate-House compromise draft after unanimous passage Tuesday by the 25-member Senate and a 48-1 vote in the House of Representatives March 4. Having affordable rental and homeownership opportunities for state employees will reduce the resignation and outmigration of state employees and fill critical labor needs throughout state government, the bill states. House Bill 1298 would give priority for the envisioned leasehold housing to certain groups of people, all of whom would have to meet household income conditions and not already own a home. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. The highest priority is for newly hired permanent full-time state employees, followed by other permanent full-time state employees. Then continued priorities, in order, are permanent full-time county employees, permanent part-time state and county employees, temporary state and county employees, retired state and county employees, and last, the general public. According to the bill, if a state or county employee renting one of the homes ceases to be employed by the state or a county, then the tenant must vacate the unit within 12 months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All units would be rent-to-own housing that allows a tenant to buy their apartment within 10 years at a price set at the beginning of the rental term, possibly with a portion of rental payments being credited toward a purchase. If a renter declines to purchase their apartment within 10 years, then they forfeit the right to continue living in the unit, which would then be made available to another qualified applicant, according to the bill. The income limit to qualify for housing under the bill is 140 % of the annual median household income for the county in which the homes are developed. For Honolulu, this limit equates to $136, 500 for a single person, $155, 960 for a couple and $194, 250 for a family of four. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HB 1298 was introduced by House Finance Committee Chair Rep. Kyle Yamashita (D, Pukalani-Makawao-Ulupalakua ). There wasnt much public testimony on the bill, but nearly all of it was favorable. We think this is a great bill, Kamakana Kaimuloa, government affairs manager for the United Public Workers union, told the House Committee on Labor during a Feb. 11 hearing. We dont say that a lot. Randy Perreira, executive director of the Hawaii Government Employees Association, said in written testimony that the state has a 24 % workforce vacancy rate and that many HGEA members struggle with rent or mortgage payments. Our organization recognizes that our state and counties must explore new and alternative ways to recruit and retain a qualified workforce, especially at a time when government salary and benefits alone may not be enough to be considered an attractive career, Perreira said. We appreciate the intent of this measure as it aims to begin a conversation about government workforce housing, which can be a unique public sector benefit that the state and counties can use to recruit and retain the next generation of public employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pamela Tumpap, president of the Maui Chamber of Commerce, called the plan another essential tool in addressing Hawaii housing challenges, and encouraged that it be fast-tracked. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii raised an objection to the bill because it proposes to establish a revolving fund to pay for development that the organization said appears to subvert state law for appropriations. The only negative testimony on the intent of the plan was from Gregory Misakian, who submitted written comments on a Senate companion bill to HB 1298 that stalled in February. Misakian said prioritizing housing assistance for state workers is unfair. Why should ALL residents of Hawaii subsidize costs for SOME residents of Hawaii ? he wrote. ALL residents of Hawaii are facing the same real estate and rental market, and legislators (need ) to focus their energy on lowering the cost of living and making it more affordable to purchase a home and rent a home in Hawaii. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Elijah Pierick (R, Royal Kunia-Waipahu-Honouliuli ) expressed a similar sentiment during a Jan. 29 committee hearing on HB 1298 before voting against the measure with Rep. Christopher Muraoka (R, Waianae-Makaha ). Lets reduce regulation to help the cost of housing (not ) go up, versus lets spend more taxes so that government workers can have some housing, Pierick said. The bill calls for the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. to provide grants and loans to for-profit companies or state entities to develop the envisioned housing, which would require that 60 % of units in a project be reserved for qualified applicants at affordable prices. The other 40 % could be market-rate housing. HHFDC is a state agency that helps private developers finance affordable-housing projects mainly using low-interest loans, bonds and tax credits. The agency has worked with for-profit and nonprofit developers to produce for-rent and for-sale housing on state land for Hawaii residents with low to moderate incomes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such projects include the 320-unit complex Keahumoa Place in Kapolei, the 201-unit Hale Kalele tower in Pawaa and Plantation Town Apartments with 330 units in two towers in Waipahu. Dean Minakami, HHFDC executive director, said in written testimony that he supports HB 1298 so long as it doesnt adversely affect the agencys requested funding priorities. HHFDC shares the Legislatures concerns about the outmigration of state employees, and the lack of affordable rental and homeownership opportunities, Minakami said in written testimony. Minakami is asking lawmakers to appropriate $450, 000 for HHFDC to hire the equivalent of two full-time employees to help administer the new program proposed in the bill if it becomes law. HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) It is National Healthy Schools Week, and state legislators, community members, and advocates are coming together on Wednesday to ensure clean air for all students and teachers in Connecticut. The goal is to promote healthy learning environments. Air quality issues have been seen in several school districts around our state, and the leaders of Wednesdays event are calling for change. A dozen evaluated for nausea symptoms at Thompson public school Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Hartford, state Rep. Jennifer Leeper (D-Fairfield) will join legislators and members of the Connecticut Working Group on School Indoor Air Quality. Theyre calling for the CT General Assembly to pass bill 6922, which emphasizes the importance of maintaining clean air and ensuring local districts meet indoor air quality safety standards. The bill discusses necessary heating, ventilation, and air conditioning upgrades, and the importance of routine HVAC inspections and maintenance. Indoor air quality advocates say this bill is more important than ever in the face of looming federal funding cuts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several schools across the state have reported air quality issues over the past few years. Earlier this year in Thompson, a dozen students and staff from the middle school were sent to three different hospitals after some felt sick and had trouble breathing. It was later found that an exhaust fan and unit ventilation failed. In 2023, authorities found mold at Deep River Middle School. This will be discussed at 10 a.m. at the legislative office building in Hartford on Wednesday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The New Mexico State Police arrested one of their own officers for the alleged theft of National Guard equipment in Las Cruces, the agency said in a news release. Santiago Pacheco, a New Mexico State Police officer and sergeant with the National Gaurd, was arrested on Tuesday, April 8 and was charged with larceny and conspiracy to commit larceny, the State Police said. On March 13, the State Police Investigations Bureau began investigating a theft that happened at 249 N. Armory Road in Las Cruces, which is where the New Mexico Army National Guard is located. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through their investigation, State Police said they learned that Pacheco and one other soldier were present during sensitive item inventory, in the training months of February and March. The State Police said the pair took three pairs of night vision goggles. Pacheco was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center and placed on standard administrative leave with the New Mexico State Police. I am extremely upset by the arrest of one of our officers, New Mexico State Police Chief Troy Weisler said. As members of the New Mexico State Police, we are held to the highest standards. Those who cannot meet those standards, do not belong in this agency. His actions are unacceptable and do not reflect the integrity, dedication, and honor exhibited every single day by the men and women of this agency. We remain committed to being a department that holds our officers to the highest accountability standards even if it means arresting one of our own. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. The state Capitol. (Photo by Ned Oliver/Virginia Mercury) State recommends five sites in central Virginia for new youth prison. VPM White House denies a military parade is scheduled for Trumps birthday. Politico Appalachian Power proposes shared solar minimum bill. Cardinal News Update: Freeze warning issued for Virginia for Wednesday. Richmond Times-Dispatch Parents arrested after gun in third graders bag goes off in Virginia classroom. NBC4 SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) Several experts took the witness stand before prosecutors rested their case in the manslaughter trial of a former Knox County sheriff charged in a crash that claimed a toddlers life in 2023. Michael Carlson in the 78th District Court on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Michael Lloyd Carlson, 65, of Truscott in Knox County, faces a charge of manslaughter stemming from a three-vehicle crash on US 287 near Electra on May 17, 2023, that led to the death of 22-month-old Aveline Hill of Dallas, at Cook Childrens Hospital. Carlson served as the sheriff of Knox County about 25 years ago, according to Knox County officials. Records show he was on probation for deadly conduct at the time of the fatal crash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement THE LATEST: Toddlers mother recalls fatal wreck in trial of Michael Carlson Testimony began on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in the 78th District Courtroom, with Judge Meredith Kennedy presiding. The Wichita County jury of 10 women and 2 men was sworn in on Monday, April 7. Medical examiner who examined victim takes the stand Proceedings resumed on Wednesday, April 9, with Chelsea Carlton, Assistant District Attorney and lead prosecutor on behalf of the state, briefly recalling Sgt. Will Richter of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Dr. Mark Shelly leaving the stand in the 78th District Court on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) After Sgt. Richter stepped down from the witness stand, Carlton called Dr. Mark Shelly, Deputy Medical Examiner in Tarrant County, to the witness stand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Shelly testified that he examined 22-month-old Aveline Hill after her death just after midnight on May 18, 2023. He testified that he conducted external exams and x-rays on the child, adding that a full autopsy wasnt necessary due to the circumstances that caused her death. READ MORE: 1-year-old dies following three-car crash near Electra A photo of the child on the medical examiners table during Dr. Shellys examination was shown in court, revealing extensive bruising to the right side of the childs face. Some members of the jury were observed looking away from the photo, with one juror shaking their head. Dr. Shelly testified that in his opinion, Hills cause of death was blunt force injuries to the head. Crash reconstruction expert serves as States final witness James Evans testifying in the 78th District Court on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) At around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Carlton called the final witness set to testify for the state, James Evans, designated as an expert in accident reconstruction. Evans testified that hes been called as an expert in multiple criminal cases and that in the past, hes mostly been called on behalf of defendants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evans testified that while some accidents cannot be reconstructed, the DPS did a good job of documenting the scene, so he was able to use photos and drone video taken by troopers, as well as data from the control modules of the involved vehicles, to recreate the accident. Evans testified that based on his reconstruction, he believed the car driven by Jeanette Hill, mother of the victim, was rear-ended by a pickup driven by Carlson. READ MORE: Former Knox County sheriff free on bond one year after babys death in wreck James Evans testifying in the 78th District Court on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Evans testified that since 2013, cars have kept a database of data that can be downloaded using specific software. He testified that a vehicles control module will save data from five seconds prior to a crash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evans then reviewed data taken from Hills SUV. He testified that based on the data, Hill was driving between 7 and 8 miles per hour before the crash, was not applying her break, and that shed been driving in a straight line, suggesting she hadnt changed lanes, accelerated, or slammed on her breaks in the five seconds immediately prior to the crash. Evans testified that after impact, the longitudinal path of the SUV increased dramatically, indicating a severe impact. Later testimony revealed the car accelerated up to 40 miles an hour after it was struck by Carlsons pickup. Pre-crash data from Carlsons pickup was then shown to the jury. Evans testified that Carlson was traveling 66 miles per hour five seconds prior to the crash. He testified that the breaks were not applied until 0.6 seconds before impact, only slowing the car down to 54 miles an hour when it struck Hills SUV. Michael Carlson in the 78th District Court on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Evans testified that he reviewed a video that had previously been admitted into evidence and that based on this video, cars were driving slowly in a single-file line, and Carlson wouldve had a clear line of sight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evans also testified that, based on the video, Carlson could have gone to the left of Hills vehicle to avoid colliding with it since no cars were on the left-hand side of the road at the time of impact, and the shoulder of U.S. 287 was paved. Evans testified that, based on his experience, distracted driving was the likely cause of Carlsons crashing into Hill. He testified that he believed Carlson disregarded the normal amount of care that a person should use while driving. Carlsons defense cross-examines expert witness Defense attorney Mark Barber (left) and prosecutor Chelsea Carlton (right) in the 78th District Court on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Carlsons defense attorney, Mark Barber, then cross-examined Evans. Evans testified that distracted driving is becoming more and more common. He testified that he was given no evidence that Carlson was on a cell phone or using the radio at the time of the crash. Evans testified on cross-examination that the standard time for a person to react to something after theyve perceived it is about 1.5 seconds, but it may differ between individuals. He testified that any time theres a disruption in traffic, there is a possibility of a secondary collision taking place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youre constantly perceiving unless youre distracted, Evans testified. READ MORE: Texoma courtrooms busy during spring, summer months Evans then testified on redirect examination from the prosecution that he didnt find any evidence of an obstruction in the road that wouldve required the use of perception-reaction analysis in this case. Prosecutor Chelsea Carlton in the 78th District Court on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Thats what makes this case really clear, Evans testified. A lot of what we would normally look at doesnt apply to this case. Evans testified that, based on previous testimony, Carlson saw an earlier wreck on U.S. 287 at Midway Church Road when he was traveling to Wichita Falls from Knox County, meaning he wouldve been aware of traffic delays when he was returning to Knox County in the opposite direction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evans testified that Carlson had to have been negligent to travel at the speed he was traveling given his knowledge of the previous crash. He testified that traveling that fast was unreasonable given the circumstances. State rests, Carlson invokes Fifth Amendment right Evans was released from the witness stand after a few more brief rounds of cross-examination and redirect examination. At around 11:15 a.m. on Wednesday, Carlton, on behalf of the prosecution, rested the states case. Michael Carlson in the 78th District Court on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Judge Kennedy instructed Barber to call his first witness. Barber briefly recalled Sgt. Richter to the stand, briefly questioning him regarding pictures taken at the scene of the crash. Judge Kennedy released the jury for a lunch break at around 11:20 a.m. She notified jurors to return at around 1:15 p.m. for testimony to resume. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the jury was outside of the courtroom, Barber called Carlson to the witness stand to invoke his right under the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution not to testify. Carlson exercised that right, opting not to take the stand as a witness in his own trial. Testimony is set to resume with Carlsons defense calling witnesses on his behalf on Wednesday afternoon. This is a developing story. Stick with Texomas Homepage for updates as more information becomes available. All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com. By Wen-Yee Lee and Che Pan TAIPEI/BEIJING (Reuters) - Apple supplier Luxshare is in talks with customers on ways to respond to U.S. tariffs by shifting more production outside China, including the United States, its chairwoman told analysts in a telephone call on Wednesday. The remarks by the Chinese company, which assembles iPhones and makes AirPods, provide a glimpse into deliberations by companies around the world scrambling to tackle President Donald Trump's tariffs that took effect on Wednesday. In a transcript of the call seen by Reuters, Wang Laichun said the tariffs would have little impact on profits and revenue, as Luxshare exported only a small amount of finished products to the United States. But it needed to consider more investment abroad and idling some investment plans in China, she said during the call that stretched more than an hour. "If there is a commercial guarantee and we are able to conduct a good evaluation, we do not rule out having some products being localised to meet the needs of the U.S. market," Wang added. Luxshare had told some customers it would need such guarantees in response to their queries about the possibility of providing some services in North America for products made with a significant degree of automation, she said. "But for this step, we will also weigh some long-term development and safety considerations." Suppliers to Apple, which is seen as having huge exposure to Trump's tariffs, do not tend to comment publicly on the U.S. firm and Wang did not identify Apple or any customers during the call. Luxshare did not immediately respond to a request for further comment. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In addition to factories in China, Luxshare has production bases and research centers in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the United States and Mexico. Apart from supplying Apple, it designs and makes electronic devices such as routers, wireless charging modules and video conferencing equipment. Wang said Luxshare was considering greater investment in Southeast Asia, but did not say where. Production of consumer electronics is unlikely to move away from Vietnam unless the tariffs it faced were 10% greater than those on products from other countries, since its industrial infrastructure and talent pool were relatively mature. A large exporter to the United States and one to which several Chinese manufacturers, including Luxshare, have expanded in recent years, Vietnam was hit with a hefty 46% tariff, versus 36% for Thailand and 24% for Malaysia. ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) Mann Middle School, located on Abilenes North Side, officially has a new name: Mann STEAM Academy. EXPLAINER: Abilene ISD is closing/repurposing two schools, what happens next? The Abilene Independent School District (AISD) Board unanimously voted to rename the campus during its April 7 meeting, marking a significant step in the schools transition to a STEAM-focused curriculum. As part of AISDs entry into the states System of Great Schools program, discussions began on transforming both Mann and Ortiz Elementary into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) campuses. But district leaders decided to go a step further at Mann adding the A for art to create a full STEAM Academy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mann Middle School holds community input summit on STEM transition This shift to STEAM isnt just about adding art its about helping kids become the kind of problem solvers who can think critically and creatively, staff explained during the board meeting. That blend of logic and imagination leads to deeper learning and stronger engagement across all subjects. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. Apr. 9OREGON A Stillman Valley man charged with predatory criminal sexual assault of a child has been found mentally unfit to stand trial, but will remain in custody as his case proceeds through the court system. Joseph G. Dreesen, 24, was arrested Feb. 26 by Ogle County Sheriff's Office detectives along with members of the FBI after a search warrant was executed at a rural Stillman Valley home. Dreesen was charged Feb. 27 with the Class X felony. He is accused of knowingly committing "an act of contact, however slight" with his body and the sex organ of a 6-year-old boy between Feb. 19, 2024, and Feb. 19, 2025. Dreesen is accused of touching the boy for his own "sexual gratification or arousal," according to court records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On March 12, Ogle County Assistant Public Defender Michael O'Brien requested that Dreesen be evaluated by a court-appointed clinical psychologist because he believed a bona fide doubt existed about Dreesen's mental abilities to assist with his defense. On Tuesday, April 8, O'Brien told Judge Anthony Peska that Jayne Braden, a forensic and clinical psychologist in Sycamore, had completed her evaluation and had decided Dreesen was unfit. He asked Peska to consider releasing Dreesen from custody so he could start outpatient counseling services. "I have received the evaluation that Mr. Dreesen is not fit to stand trial at this time, but may be fit within a year," Peska said. "Her [Braden] recommendation is for outpatient treatment. There could be restorative fitness." But, Peska said, he was not aware of any conditions the court could require to ensure the safety of the alleged victim, as well as the community at large, if Dreesen were to be released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There's really not change in his circumstances," Peska said when denying Dreesen's release. "His detention is proper to ensure the safety of the community." Tuesday marked the second time Peska has denied his release. Associate Judge Russell Crull denied Dreesen's initial request for release on Feb. 27. Dreesen has been held at the Ogle County Jail since his arrest. At the March 12 hearing, O'Brien told Peska that Dreesen's mental state is a "growing concern" because he has not received a prescribed medication while in custody. O'Brien said the particular medication prescribed for Dreesen is not available at the jail because jail staff only have certain medications approved for distribution. Peska set Dreesen's next court date for 1 p.m. June 30. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Hopefully treatment will start soon and we will see you in 90 days," Peska told Dreesen. Class X felonies are punishable by six to 60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, with three years to natural life of mandatory supervised release. Defendants must serve 85% of their sentence and must register as a sex offender upon their release. Learning how to run a lemonade stand on a hot summer day is often a normal part of growing up and for kids in Stillwater, the opportunity to learn how to be an entrepreneur can be a reality. The Stillwater Chamber of Commerce is hosting Lemonade Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 3. The event is a popular hands-on experience for kids to learn to be their own boss of a lemonade stand, and its open to students in all grades, particularly elementary and middle school students. Last year, we were the only community in Oklahoma that participated, said Kari Moore, director of economic development at the Chamber, who said this is also the third year the Chamber is hosting the event. We are hoping that other communities participate this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lemonade Day is part of a national program that teaches kids about money, goal setting and entrepreneurship, helps build confidence and responsibility and encourages students math skills, communication skills and creativity in addition to rewarding hard work. Each child who registers will receive a backpack with an Entrepreneur Workbook that includes the lessons of Lemonade Day such as creating budgets, setting profit-making goals, serving customers, repaying investors, and giving back to the community, according to the Lemonade Day Stillwater website. The goal is to teach children skills in goal-setting, problem solving and self-esteem that will guide them in the future. They will be able to keep all the money they make, and are encouraged to spend some, save some and share some. Mentors may sign up online at the Lemonade Day Stillwater website at local.lemonadeday.org/stillwater, create an account and add a child as a learner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Lemonade Day app will guide learners through each step of the process, from planning their stand to making their first sale. Lemonade Taste Testing Day will be held April 26 at the Chamber of Commerce at 409 S. Main St. Each participant will have their lemonade taste-tested by judges and will have a chance to win a ribbon to display on their stand May 3. The Chamber will also host Bank Day on the same day, where kids can learn about the financial side of having a lemonade stand, such as opening a bank account, opening a savings account and learning about profit and loss. Local businesses will allow kids to set up their stand in front of their stores, called a Sweet Spot. Mentors may choose a Sweet Spot online once kids are registered, or kids may choose to set up their stand at home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lemonade Day isnt just about selling lemonade its about teaching the values of hard work, entrepreneurship, and community spirit, said Alane Zannotti, president and CEO of the Chamber. When kids participate, they learn that success takes effort, creativity, and a sense of responsibility to those around them. Its a small step that can make a big difference in shaping the leaders of tomorrow. I am so proud our business community embraces this and is willing to be host sites for these young entrepreneurs and their lemonade stands. Lemonade Day is sponsored by OnCue Express, Pure Skin and Aesthetics and A&B Eco-Safe Pest Control. More than 20 businesses will host a Lemonade Day participant at their location. Some kids get creative, Moore said, adding cotton candy or strawberries to their lemonade, in addition to decorating their stands. Moore said what prompted hosting the event in Stillwater was the Chambers support of small businesses and its partnerships with Oklahoma State University, Northern Oklahoma College and Meridian Technologys Small Business Incubator. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moore said the businesses who host a Sweet Spot usually have special childhood memories of hosting their own lemonade stands. A list of Sweet Spots will be sent out later so that residents can choose a lemonade stand to visit across Stillwater. She said the Chamber wants kids in Stillwater to have a foundational framework of how businesses launch, so that as they grow up they have a baseline understanding of possibilities. We understand that theres not an immediate return on investment for kids in elementary school and middle school to do a lemonade stand, but it instills confidence, it instills an awareness of opportunity, Moore said. Its really planting a seed for the future. Gov. Kevin Stitt issued an executive order Wednesday designed to determine the number of independent contractors working with state agencies and to learn if agency officials are using those contractors to try and skirt Stitts call for flat executive-agency budgets. Under the order, executive agencies must report by April 15 to the Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services a list of all full-time employees whose roles have been converted to independent contractor positions within the last 12 months. That report must include the number of full-time positions and vacancies within the agency as of Dec. 17 and as of Wednesday, an itemized list of all instances in which the agencys full-time employee count has been reduced or in which the agency has left a position vacant due to the use of independent contractors or other outside contracts within the past year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It must also include the total compensation, including benefits, for each full-time position eliminated due to or replaced by independent contractors or other outside contracts, as well as the total cost of each contract that enabled the reduction in total state agency full-time positions or allowed the positions to remain vacant. More: Oklahoma House releases 'Doge Ideas of Note:' Here's how it wants to reduce government waste Gov. Kevin Stitt has issued an executive order concerning contract workers at executive agencies. Stitt wants each agency to provide a financial analysis of whether the change in total costs resulting from the use of contractors, or other outside contracts, has either saved or cost the state money. Agencies must be fiscally responsible and transparent, Stitt said in a statement. Transforming staff roles into independent contractors that cost taxpayers more is unacceptable. Oklahomans want smaller government, not government that hides behind gimmicks. We can continue to serve Oklahomans while ensuring that every dollar is spent efficiently. Stitt-created DOGE-OK says it has found millions in wasteful federal grants Stitt, who has cast himself as a businessman governor, has taken an increased interest in reducing government spending in recent months. After President Donald Trump created the Department of Government Efficiency shortly after his inauguration in January, Stitt ordered the establishment of an Oklahoma version, the Division of Government Efficiency, or DOGE-OK. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A report issued last week said DOGE-OK had identified more than $157 million in what it called wasteful federal grants meant to help the state cover a variety of health-related expenses, including childhood vaccinations and the control and prevention of infectious diseases. Stitt also has said that through March 13, DOGE-OK had saved more than $1 million in other areas. Stitt expounded on the order during his weekly news conference on Wednesday afternoon. "Listen, when I leave office as governor, we're going to have fewer state employees than when I took office in 2019, so that's the goal," he said. "We believe in flat budgets. I'm not trying to grow government. We're going to have fewer state employees when I leave office. Okay, I've said it 100 times, and I'll say it again." He did acknowledge later that since he took office in 2019, there are "probably 300 or 400" more employees in state government than before he was governor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five minutes after an email announcing Stitts order on Wednesday morning, House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, issued a news release praising Stitts order notable, because Stitt and Hilbert have been at odds in recent days over Stitts statements and actions regarding the Oklahoma Forestry Services and that agencys response to wildfires that hit the state last month. Hilbert noted hed called for an inquiry about contract employees across state agencies during a recent news conference. He said Stitts order aligns with House Bill 1607, a bill authored by freshman Rep. Emily Gise, R-Oklahoma City. After the House approved the bill 96-0 on March 3, Gise received a congratulatory call from Stitt. The bill since has been approved by the Senate Retirement and Government Resources Committee and has advanced to the Senate floor. Hilbert said that despite Stitts call for flat budgets, state agencies have asked for more than $1 billion combined in additional appropriations for the upcoming fiscal year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I want to thank Governor Stitt for taking decisive action to rein in unnecessary contract hiring, Hilbert said. This is exactly the type of fiscal responsibility Oklahomans expect. By closely evaluating contract hires, we can take a hard look at how our agencies are spending taxpayer dollars and ensure that every dollar is accounted for and spent according to legislative intent. Conversely, House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, an Oklahoma City Democrat, said Stitt's order would put "unnecessary strain" on state agencies. "If the governor wants to keep identifying governmental waste to add to his DOGE-OK portal, he needs to make sure Oklahomans and their needs are being taken care of first," Munson said. "My fear is that the governor will use the short turnaround time given on these reports to put blame on state agencies and fire more experienced employees like we have seen recently with the Forestry Service. Making cuts to state agencies does nothing to help taxpayers who will only end up paying more to fill in the gaps left by the slashing of core services. Contributing: M. Scott Carter (This story was updated to add new information.) This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Gov. Stitt issues executive order seeking number of contract employees OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Governor Kevin Stitt is continuing to criticize Oklahoma Forestry Services (OFS) response to last months deadly wildfire outbreak, having several top officials fired this week, while state officials, including the Oklahoma House Speaker, say Stitt is misinterpreting data to justify these decisions. Stitt defended his decision to fire State Forestry Director Mark Goeller during a news interview Tuesday morning. I fired a bureaucrat who refused to get those assets, who left them out, said Stitt. Source: Numerous high-level state forestry officials placed on leave amid Stitt crackdown on agency Stitt, whose own farm was destroyed in one of the March 14 fires, had previously ordered the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF) to conduct a full-scale investigation into OFS. Firefighters across the state expressed frustration, with one department even calling for the governors impeachment. I feel like they felt attacked, said Oklahoma Firefighters Association president Mike Kelley, who is also a Republican State Representative from Yukon. I dont believe that was the governors intention. But when you attack one, you attack all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kelleys organization sent a letter to Stitt this week urging him to reconsider eliminating OFS. During his interview on Tuesday, Stitt said he would no longer pursue eliminating the agency but confirmed he had ordered several firings for what he called insubordination. Stitt also claimed Forestry Services deployed only about half of its resources during the outbreak. I found out we had one forestry person in the Mannford fire that destroyed a bunch of homes, and yet we left 47 people in southeast Oklahoma, Stitt said. And thats when I said, Ive got to hold someone accountable as governor. This is unacceptable. Gov. Stitt issues statement after firing head forester, backlash from lawmakers Oklahoma House Speaker Kyle Hilbert (R-Bristow), whose district includes Mannford, said he helped coordinate the fire response there and believes the governor is misinformed. I called in to the Office of Emergency Management, and they talked to the director and was told theres only one strike team available in the entire state, said Hilbert. That team, he said, was already two hours away fighting another fire. They couldnt leave because they had to deal with a fire in their own backyard, Hilbert said. Hilbert said Mannford ultimately relied on a team from Rogers County, without needing to redirect OFS resources to Mannford. There were more fires in the state of Oklahoma than we had employees in the forestry service, Hilbert said. Slap in the face: Firefighters react to Gov. Stitt firing state forester Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Stitt also criticized OFS for staging crews in southeast Oklahoma, where no fires ended up breaking out. We didnt have these fires in southeast Oklahoma, Stitt said. The fires were right here. 192,000 acres. As News 4 reported the week leading up to March 14, state officials had been warning fire conditions would be extremely high in all corners of the state, and every county in Oklahoma risked wildfires breaking out. Hilbert said 23% of Oklahoma is considered woodland, and highly combustible during wildfire conditions like the state experienced on March 14. He said most of the wooded land in the state is located in southeast Oklahoma, and believes it was smart and prudent that OFS staged resources there, in addition to everywhere else in the state, given those factors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hilbert said he believes Stitts claims that only half of OFS resources were deployed are based on a misreading of the data on Stitts end. I think it may be a misinterpretation, Hilbert said. When I look at the data, what I saw is over 50% of the resources were deployed outside of the traditional service area where forestry is. There were the rest of the resources were within the service area, Hilbert said. You cannot send 100% of your resources to a single location because if you do that, what happens if a fire pops up in the very location you just left, and now you dont have anyone there? Gov. Stitt wants to get rid of forestry department after deadly fires As for Kelley, he says his group, which represents 15,000 firefighters across Oklahoma, has had a hard time getting any answers from Stitt, ODAFF, or OFS about what is happening with OFS. He wants the Oklahoma Firefighters Association to have a seat at the table for any discussions happening about the future of OFS. Part of our frustration is just the lack of information, Kelley said. We would love to be part of that conversation. We would love to be involved in any kind of investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lincoln County fire chiefs demand clarity about former forestry directors firing News 4 has asked an ODAFF spokesperson to confirm the employment status of several top OFS officials rumored to have been fired this week. Although state law clearly classifies that information as a public record, the departments spokesperson has refused to provide it. News 4 visited the agencys building on Tuesday to submit an open records request. A receptionist said someone would come down to assist. No one ever did. A spokesperson has since provided a link to submit the request online. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. MT. CLARE, W.Va. (WBOY) If youre interested in learning more about the Great Depression and New Deal programs, north central West Virginia has plenty of history to offer, including at the West Virginia Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Museum. On Tuesday, roughly 30 students from Grafton High School had the chance to learn more about the CCC program, a New Deal program that recruited young single men across the country and gave them jobs to address unemployment rates. The men worked on bridges, roads, planted millions of trees and helped build the infrastructure of national parks. The men made $30 a month, with $25 of that getting sent back home to their families. Co-op member Judy Wilson explained further. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The importance of people working together and thats what the CCC was about, it pulled the USA out of thealong with some other agenciesup out of the doldrums and the starving of the great depression, and we need to know that, Wilson said. WVSSAC unanimously approves new classification structure And on the same property where the CCC Harrison Camp was located, the Quiet Dell School also existed, which is where the museum and West Virginia Heritage Crafts is housed. (WBOY image) Lucky Jones, 10th grader at Grafton High School, was happy to explore and learn more about the history of the area. Doing more hands on than sitting behind a desk really helps, Jones said. I think it helps people obtain the information, you know, it gets you out, it gets you exploringit gets you like involved in it and you can really learn more from that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The museum is open to visitors year-round, and its next big event hosted will be the West Virginia Heritage Music Day, presented by the WV Heritage Crafts on April 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring three local old time and blue grass bands. The museum is open to visitors year-round, admission is free and can be found at 43 Quiet Dell School Rd. in Mt. Clare. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. AICUP President Tom Foley speaks in the rotunda of the capitol in Harrisburg (Capital-Star photo by Ian Karbal) On Wednesday, roughly 150 students from independent colleges and universities across Pennsylvania gathered in Harrisburg to advocate for student aid funding. It was part of the annual AICUP (Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of Pennsylvania) Day at the Capitol. They travelled from over 25 schools to help convince lawmakers to continue or increase funding financial aid programs that support students in the state attending private schools like theirs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Programs like PHEAA [Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency] and Ready to Succeed are the reason I can stay at my school and have the opportunity to speak on its behalf today, Dustin McMullen, a 21-year-old Seton Hill student, said in the rotunda. I stand here today, and I urge policy makers and stakeholders to continue investing in programs like PHEAA and ready to succeed. He said the crowd, made up of fellow college students, administrators, lobbyists and journalists, was larger than his class at Rocky Grove high school in Franklin, which graduates around 60 people every year. Dustin McMullen at the capitol in Harrisburg for AICUP Day (Capital-Star photo by Ian Karbal) McMullen, a first-generation college student, told the Capital-Star that he likely would not have been able to attend college without financial assistance. But with state funding, hes enrolled in a unique program, the early acceptance medical program, where hes obtaining a liberal arts degree, with a seat in Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicines grad program awaiting him when he graduates. His goal is to become an anesthesiologist. For him, it was important to come to Harrisburg and advocate on his and other schools behalf. Before his speech, McMullen and the other students met with lawmakers and legislative staff members to stress the importance of continued financial aid for students attending private college. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im an RA, a resident assistant, at Seton Hill. So I see residents who struggle with finances, but thanks to these financial aid programs, theyre able to come and get the opportunity that they wouldnt get at other places. Tom Foley, the president of AICUP, which represents 85 schools, stressed the importance of funding education at independent colleges. And part of that, he said, is dispelling myths about the kinds of students private schools attract I think most people assume that low income kids are all in publicly-funded schools, Foley said. But actually, the majority of them are in these schools. According to data provided by AICUP, out of all students working towards bachelors degrees in Pennsylvania, 46% of lower-income Pell Grant-eligible students attend independent schools. That also includes 47% of students receiving PHEAA grants, and 52% of underrepresented minority students seeking both bachelors and advanced degrees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Collectively, 275,000 students seeking four-year degrees attend AICUP schools. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Foley said that he doesnt predict a decline in funding from the state legislature for student financial assistance programs, but is worried about the impacts of the federal governments moves to slash funding at some universities around the country. In March, Foley wrote a letter to Pennsylvanias congressional delegation, warning about the potential impacts of proposed funding cuts to research programs at colleges and universities, including 35 AICUP member schools. Now, hes worried what will happen to direct student aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were very concerned, he said. But we cant tell yet. When theyve talked about higher education in the new administration, they always say, Were going to protect Pell Grants. Were going to protect the student aid programs. Hopefully, that is the case. Olivia Fabiano, a senior at Elizabethtown College, also made the trip to the Capitol. . Like McMullen, for her, this is personal. Fabiano said she likely would not have been able to afford tuition at the school without financial assistance, especially with other college-aged siblings and a brother with costly medical needs. Olivia Fabiano at the capitol in Harrisburg for AICUP Day (Capital-Star photo by Ian Karbal) I think its important for everybody to have that equal opportunity to receive the higher education that they know they deserve, Fabiano said. There shouldnt be a financial burden holding a student back from pursuing any sort of college, or the one that they want to be at. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was drawn to Elizabethtown over other state-owned and state-related schools because of the small class sizes. She had been able to attend a private middle school because her mom worked there, and attributed the level of individualized attention she could receive to her social and academic success. Coming to Harrisburg, Fabiano felt that communicating her lived experience to lawmakers would be more effective than AICUP just providing them with statistics. And it was a chance to see first-hand how the process works. As a marketing student, she hopes to land a job at an advocacy organization, or in government, where she feels that shes working towards positive change. Im very interested in doing marketing for something like this, in politics, Fabiano said. Im actually having coffee with someone on [Governor Josh] Shapiros communications team because its so interesting to me. Dashawn Sheffield, another student who travelled to Harrisburg, felt it was important to tell lawmakers how much financial assistance meant to him. He said financial aid programs, like the Ready to Succeed scholarship, along with four jobs on and off campus, are the reason he is able to attend Lafayette College. It was his second year attending an AICUP day at the capital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These grants do not just fund education, Sheffield told a crowd in the rotunda. They fuel opportunity, ambition and success. Dashawn Sheffield speaks at the Capitol in Harrisburg for AICUP Day (Capital-Star photo by Ian Karbal) Another reason he wanted to be on hand is because of his fascination with politics hes double majoring in government and international politics. And, in his spare time, he advocates for campaign finance reform in Pennsylvania. Ive always known I wanted to be a politician of some sort, Sheffield said. I am really looking to make a large-scale impact one day. For him, two years of coming to Harrisburg to advocate for low-income students like himself helped build that resolve. It really strengthened that for me, being able to experience firsthand testifying, giving a speech, and also speaking to the legislators, Sheffield said. Im leaving knowing I was a voice for many different students like me. The new United States Attorney for Los Angeles Bill Essayli. who has been in office for less than a week, announced that he has formed a Homelessness Fraud and Corruption Task Force to "investigate fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption" involving funds allocated toward the unrelenting issue of the unhoused. This task force will be comprised of federal prosecutors from the Major Frauds Section, the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, and the Civil Divisions Civil Fraud Section of the United States Attorneys Office for the Central District of California. Assisting the U.S. Attorneys Office will be the FBI, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG), and IRS Criminal Investigation, his office announced Tuesday. Essayli said Los Angeles County alone "contains a homeless population of more than 75,000, of which more than 45,000 are within the city limits of Los Angeles. The total homeless population of the remaining six counties of the district exceeds 20,000." California has spent more than $24 billion over the past five years to address homelessness, Essayli said in a statement. But officials have been unable to account for all the expenditures and outcomes, and the homeless crisis has only gotten worse. Taxpayers deserve answers for where and how their hard-earned money has been spent. If state and local officials cannot provide proper oversight and accountability, we will do it for them. If we discover any federal laws were violated, we will make arrests. United States Attorney Bill Essayli announces criminal task force to investigate fraud and corruption involving homelessness funds https://t.co/Cvs5U3yXOs US Attorney L.A. (@USAO_LosAngeles) April 8, 2025 Mayor Karen Bass told reporters she hopes that the task force does not diminish the city's efforts to combat homelessness. "I'm not opposed to the task force, but I don't want it to be a fishing expedition," Bass said. "I don't want it to be a distraction that takes us away from what our primary mission is." Last month, a scathing independent audit revealed a stunning lack of oversight in tracking $2.4 billion in homelessness funds within the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. U.S. District Court judge David Carter also noted a high level of non-compliance by homeless agencies hired by Los Angeles County officials. Those missing funds are part of what the new task force will tackle, federal officials say. Any exploitation of the homelessness crisis via the theft of funds intended to improve conditions cannot and will not be tolerated, said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBIs Los Angeles Field Office. The FBI is proud to join the newly formed task force and will continue to investigate fraudulent schemes and corrupt officials who misappropriate government funding or private donations intended to aid those in need. Satellite imagery has confirmed the presence of the Su-35 Flanker-M multirole fighter in Algerian service, indicating that at least some of these aircraft have been transferred to the country, a new customer for the type. The Su-35 is almost certainly from a batch of aircraft originally built for Egypt, but never delivered, and then repeatedly connected with a sale to Iran. Algeria had also previously been reported as the first export customer for the Su-57 Felon next-generation fighter, as you can read about here. Firm evidence of the Su-35 in Algerian Air Force service appears in commercially available satellite imagery, including from Google Earth, as seen at the top of this page, dated March 10. Previously, similar imagery had been published recently by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), U.K.-based think tank. One of the jets, with an Algerian Air Force roundel on its left wing, is seen at Ain Beida/Oum el Bouaghi Air Base in eastern Algeria. The camouflage scheme is the same as that applied to Su-35s originally built for Egypt, but which remained in Russia. Interesting report indicating Algeria has purchased at least some of the Russian Su-35s originally built for Egypt and later reported to be sought by Iran.https://t.co/0soV9aOopn John Hardie (@JohnH105) April 9, 2025 1/ A Su-35 at Oum el Bouaghi Air Base, Algeria. https://t.co/zWgjsDIoBU pic.twitter.com/1yrMsEVimW Guy Plopsky (@GuyPlopsky) April 9, 2025 Earlier satellite imagery, dated March 2, shows a disassembled Su-35 being loaded into an An-124 Condor transport aircraft in Komsomolsk-on-Amur in the Russian Far East, where the fighters are built. On March 5, an An-124 assumed to be the same example appeared at Ain Beida/Oum el Bouaghi Air Base. A Su-35 was first noted in satellite imagery at the same base on March 10. While it is unconfirmed if this is the first and only Su-35 delivered to date, more are on the way. Recent imagery from Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Russia indicates Algerian roundels have now been applied at least four other aircraft from the Egyptian order pic.twitter.com/fSY0WMLLGq Joseph Dempsey (@JosephHDempsey) April 9, 2025 Unverified videos purportedly showing Su-35s flying in Algeria have been circulating on social media for several weeks. Possible Su-35 Delivery to Algeria? Over the past week, there have been unusual Ilyushin flights carrying military cargo to Oum El Bouaghi Airbase in Algeria. These flights have sparked speculation, and now, new footage from the base suggests that Su-35s may have finally pic.twitter.com/VPGiGs9iPj Uncensored News (@Uncensorednewsw) March 14, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At this point, its unclear how many Su-35s have been delivered to Algeria, although IISS reports that at least four other examples of the jets at Komsomolsk-on-Amur have also received Algerian Air Force markings. The Su-35 is a somewhat surprising addition to the Algerian Air Force, the combat fleet of which is dominated by Russian products, including another Flanker variant, the two-seat Su-30MKA Flanker-H. Currently, the Algerian Air Force operates 63 Su-30MKA and 40 MiG-29S/M/M2 multirole fighters, 42 Su-24MK2 strike/reconnaissance aircraft, and 16 Yak-130 combat trainers. It also operates 33 Russian-made Mi-24 Mk III and 42 Mi-28NE attack helicopters. All those figures are for 2024 and are published by FlightGlobal. These acquisitions have been enabled by the highest level of defense spending in Africa, supported by one of the continents largest economies in Africa, due mostly to its large oil and gas reserves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Algerias status as a leading buyer of Russian combat aircraft was apparently further underlined in February of this year, when the countrys state-run media announced that Algeria was the first export customer for the Su-57. That development follows a statement earlier the same week from Russia that an undisclosed foreign customer will start to receive Su-57s this year. Algeria receiving the Su-35 doesnt rule out the purchase of the Su-57 as well, especially bearing in mind unconfirmed accounts suggesting that Algeria may initially be acquiring just six Su-57s. If true, that could suggest that an initial batch will be used for evaluation, or it might be that Russia is able to supply an initial batch of six, with more to follow. A Su-57 performs at Airshow China 2024, in November 2024, in Zhuhai, Guangdong province. Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images Perhaps Algeria is being impacted by the very slow rate of Su-57 production. Russia placed orders for 76 Su-57s to be delivered by 2028. As of the first quarter of 2025, however, IISS records that only 19 had been delivered. In 202324, just seven Felons were delivered. At the same time, transfer of the Su-35s to Algeria looks like it could be bad news for Iranian plans to modernize its aging air force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Back in March 2023, Iranian state-run media reported that the country had come to an agreement with Russia on the purchase of Su-35s for the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF). Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the UN announced on Friday that Iran has finalized buying #Sukhoi fighter jets from Russia. Here is what Iran has purchased: pic.twitter.com/aw7EVkc18N IRNA News Agency (@IrnaEnglish) March 11, 2023 Ever since the October 2020 expiration of Irans conventional arms embargo, a transfer of Su-35s had been expected, with any such deal likely to involve the 24 Su-35s once destined for Egypt before the threat of U.S. sanctions and a teased offer of F-15s put an end to that sale. In particular, Washington had said it would put sanctions on Cairo under the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). Despite this, production of the Su-35s continued at Komsomolsk-on-Amur. One of the Su-35s produced for Egypt but never delivered to that country. @nskplanes Not mentioned here is that Egypt's deal for 24 Russian Su-35 fighters, which are currently sitting at two airfields in Russia due to CAATSA concerns, is even less likely to be executed at this point.https://t.co/xbTnuUQPCq pic.twitter.com/PF7dQ5jcfC Rob Lee (@RALee85) March 17, 2022 Senior U.S. officials revealed in December that Russia had trained Iranian pilots on the Su-35 in the spring of 2022, with the training and eventual transfers tied to continued support for Russias war in Ukraine. Iran has supported the Russian war effort in Ukraine in multiple ways, including by delivering kamikaze drones for Russias continued air attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, and by transferring short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As we have reported in the past, Iranian Su-35s, even only two dozen of them, would represent a huge leap in air combat capability over the aging and oft-cannibalized American, Chinese, and Soviet-era fighters in its inventory. Of course, such a transfer remains a possibility, although its puzzling as to why the deal has been stalled for so long. In the meantime, Algeria has apparently jumped the queue and taken at least some of the Su-35s once destined for Egypt. On the other hand, some kind of split deal could also happen, with Algeria taking, for example, 12 of the jets, with a similar number heading to Iran. Otherwise, with the demands of the war in Ukraine, the bulk of the production output of the Su-35 at Komsomolsk-on-Amur is very likely to be absorbed by the Russian Aerospace Forces, which have reportedly received a small number of these jets last month. For Algeria, the Su-35 provides yet another multirole Russian fighter to its air forces inventory, and it will be the most modern that the country operates, at least until any Su-57 deliveries materialize. For Iran, however, it looks like its wait for new fighter equipment might continue, at least for a while longer, or otherwise the country may end up with a smaller batch of Su-35s than was previously anticipated. Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com The largest lobbying force for corporate America is considering suing the Trump administration to block the implementation of the president's new tariffs set to go into effect Wednesday, two sources with direct knowledge of the discussions told Fortune. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which represents millions of U.S. businesses big and small but which is heavily funded by industry titans, has been weighing taking the tariff battle to the courts and is being urged to do so by some of its largest members. The move would effectively provide cover for companies distressed about the tariffs' impact on their businesses but fearful of incurring the President's wrath by openly criticizing his trade policy. Chamber of Commerce spokesperson Matt Letourneau declined to comment. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. While the exact legal argument behind the group's potential suit could not be learned, the Chamber could argue that President Trump's invocation of emergency powers to impose the new tariffs is illegal. Last week a nonprofit called New Civil Liberties Alliance took a similar approach, filing suit on behalf of a small business owner who imports goods from China, arguing that the President did not have the legal authority to impose his February tariffs on China. Trump had done so by invoking the 50-year-old Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), arguing that China had not done enough to help stem the U.S. fentanyl crisis. The President did so again when announcing the new worldwide slate of tariffs last week. But the NCLA argued that the IEEPA does not authorize a president to impose tariffs and noted that no president has ever attempted to use it to do so. It's possible other groups could sue alongside the chamber, one of these people said. Many big companies' CEOs have been resistant to speaking out against the tariffs, fearful of the President and his most vocal supporters targeting their business in retaliation. "No one wants a target on their back" is a common refrain. By working through trade groups like the Chamber of Commerce, companies can push back against the administration without sticking their neck out. "You need to force your industry groups to take a much more combative position than they want to do if youre afraid to do it yourself," Sean West, a veteran global affairs expert, told Fortune's Diane Brady for today's CEO Daily newsletter. "Industry groups are no longer just about kind of quietly slowing down policymaking. They can be a vehicle for safety in numbers." Panama City, Fla. (WMBB) Its not often the Gulf Coast weather is described as humidity-free, but thanks to a push of dry, cool air, well enjoy just that for much of the week. Overnight lows will dip into the 40s tonight, with a few colder pockets potentially reaching the upper 30s. With light winds and abundant sunshine, Wednesday is shaping up to be another beautiful day, with highs climbing into the low to mid-70s. A gradual warming trend begins Thursday and Friday, with inland temperatures approaching 80. A weak front will move through late Thursday night into early Friday morning. Due to limited moisture, only a stray shower is possible ahead of it. The cooler air associated with this boundary will arrive Friday evening into the overnight hours. The weekend looks nearly perfectexpect sunny skies, highs in the 70s, and crisp mornings in the 40s and 50s. By Monday, a ridge of high pressure shifting eastward will return southerly winds, bringing a noticeable warm-up. Inland highs will rise into the mid-80s, with coastal areas in the upper 70s. Our next meaningful chance for rain likely wont arrive until the end of next week, so enjoy the dry stretch while it lasts. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. President Donald Trump has claimed victory at the Supreme Court in his campaign to deport Venezuelan migrants accused by the government of being part of a foreign terrorist organization. The Supreme Court has upheld the Rule of Law in our Nation by allowing a President, whoever that may be, to be able to secure our Borders, and protect our families and our Country, itself, Trump posted on April 7, 2025, calling it, A GREAT DAY FOR JUSTICE IN AMERICA! A 5-4 majority of the U.S. Supreme Court had just overruled a lower court that had temporarily barred the deportations, deciding the U.S. could move ahead with its plans to send those Venezuelans to a prison in El Salvador. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eight minutes after Trumps post, the American Civil Liberties Union, Democracy Forward and the ACLU of the District of Columbia, three advocacy groups that represented the Venezuelan nationals in the case, also claimed the decision was a win. In a press release, lawyers from these organizations said that the case was an important victory in which the court determined that the Trump administration acted unlawfully when it removed people from this nation with no process. Can both sides legitimately say they won a Supreme Court victory? As professors of legal studies, we study the Supreme Court, including how the court approaches cases involving immigration law and presidential power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres why both sides are claiming a win in the case known as Trump v. J.G.G., what the courts opinion actually said, and what you can take away from it. The Supreme Court decision lifted the temporary restraining order blocking the deportations imposed by James Boasberg, chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty Images Why both sides are claiming victory The complexity of the courts per curiam opinion an unsigned opinion of a majority of the court allows the Trump administration and the ACLU to view the ruling in Trump v. J.G.G. from different perspectives. This has led them both to claim victory. Trump sees the case as a win because the justices vacated a lower court decision that had temporarily barred the deportation of the Venezuelans. This means that the federal government was victorious in the case: His administration does not have to immediately stop deporting Venezuelan nationals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, the ACLU claims the case is a victory for them because the Supreme Courts opinion said that the government must give people the opportunity to challenge their removal under the Alien Enemies Act which the government had not done. The Venezuelans right to due process was one of the key arguments advanced by the ACLU and its partners. On April 9, judges in New York and Texas agreed, just two days after the Supreme Courts decision, temporarily halting the deportation of five Venezuelans until the government can clarify what type of notice it will be giving to people it intends to deport. Eventually, the Supreme Court will need to speak definitively about whether the Trump administration can use the Alien Enemies Act to deport those it alleges to be part of a foreign terrorist organization. The court has not yet addressed that issue. This means the court will have to deal with some tricky questions down the road. These include whether a drug cartel can be said to be engaging in an invasion or predatory incursion into the United States, which the Alien Enemies Act requires if it is to be invoked. Another issue is the extent to which the Alien Enemies Act can be used when Congress hasnt declared war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And a big unanswered question is whether the Supreme Court, or any court, should even answer these questions at all. The political questions doctrine, which dates to 1803, is a principle saying that courts should avoid tackling thorny political questions that are best left to Congress or the president. Venezuelans deported from the U.S. sit aboard the plane as they arrive at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela, on March 28, 2025. Jesus Vargas/picture alliance via Getty Images What the court decided and what it means for noncitizens rights The courts brief opinion, to which five members signed on, repeats the very basic constitutional premise that noncitizens are entitled to due process of law, even as they are being removed from the United States. Most significantly, due process includes the ability to protest their deportations before a court of law. Justice Brett Kavanaughs concurrence emphasized the idea that the disagreement between the majority and the dissents is not about whether the noncitizens should have the opportunity to challenge their removal; all nine justices agree they have that right. Rather, Kavanaugh said, the justices disagreed on the question of venue, meaning the location in which these challenges should occur. Kavanaughs focus on venue obscures the fact that what the justices granted to potential deportees is a significantly less robust type of judicial review than the one they were asking for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Venezuelans were challenging their removal as a class, because Trump had declared in a presidential proclamation that all Venezuelans over the age of 14 who were believed to be members of the Tren de Aragua cartel are subject to immediate apprehension, detention, and removal. The Supreme Court majority made a group-based approach much more difficult in its April 7 ruling. It allowed for only individual, case-by-case appeals in which each potential deportee must retain legal counsel, file whats known as a habeas corpus petition challenging their detention, and then try to convince a judge in the district where they are being held that they are not a member of Tren de Aragua in order to prevent their removal. For most detainees, that would mean filing a petition in the Southern District of Texas, in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, known as the most conservative federal circuit in the country. Unless more courts step in to prevent it, the impact of the decision will be more removals to El Salvadors notorious CECOT prison, perhaps of people who are not actually gang members, or even Venezuelan. This has already happened in the previous round of removals under this program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Further, at least 200 people have already been flown out of the U.S. to CECOT. Because theyve been accused of no crime in El Salvador, they have no right to due process or legal counsel there, and no trial date set where they might prove their innocence. A recent CBS expose also found that three-quarters of them had no criminal record in the United States either. In the meantime, there is a separate but related case of a man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, wrongly deported to El Salvador, despite having legal protection in the U.S. preventing his removal to his home country of El Salvador. The Trump administration is currently arguing before the Supreme Court that when it makes an error in the process of carrying out these removals, it does not have to correct it. Not all due process is created equal. The courts April 7 decision allowing the bare minimum process protecting people being removed makes errors more likely and thus raises the stakes for the outcome of the Abrego Garcia case tremendously. Many parties have claimed victory in the Trump v. J.G.G. decision, but one thing is clear: It was a defeat for the rights of noncitizens in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Rebecca Hamlin, UMass Amherst and Paul M. Collins Jr., UMass Amherst Read more: The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. According to a new filing on Wednesday, the countrys highest court denied Karen Reads emergency application to stay or postpone her retrial. The Supreme Court, however, said they will decide on April 25 if they want to review her request to drop 2 of the 3 charges against her. Breaking: Karen Reads emergency application to stay or postpone her trial has been denied by a single justice according to SCOTUS-PIO My understanding is that is the appeal could still be considered but the trial wont be stopped or delayed Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 9, 2025 Read is accused of hitting John OKeefe, her Boston Police Officer boyfriend, with her Lexus SUV in Canton and leaving him to die in the cold after a night of drinking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reads defense previously asked the countrys highest court to review and drop two of the three criminal charges against her: second-degree murder and leaving the scene of a collision resulting in death. The defense team claims that Reads constitutional rights are being violated under the double jeopardy clause after multiple jurors allegedly came forward claiming she had been acquitted on two of the three charges. New item on Karen Read's SCOTUS docket. I've been told this means the high court will decide on 4-25 if they want to take this case up. This is how "distributed for conference" is described: "At the Supreme Court, petitions and other filings are distributed to justices for pic.twitter.com/VHtxGHxp3N Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 9, 2025 On Wednesday, three new jury candidates were selected in Reads retrial, bringing the total to 15. The court needs one more juror candidate to start the trial. On her way out of court Tuesday, Read told reporters that opening statements in her retrial could begin as soon as Tuesday, April 15. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im anxious, and its in Gods hands, Read said. Were fighting and working as hard as we can, so what else can we do? Boston-based attorney David Yannetti gave the opening statements in the first trial, but it will be Los Angeles-based counsel Alan Jackson who will set the table for the jury in her second murder trial, Read also revealed. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW The Supreme Court's ruling allowing the Trump administration to continue deporting immigrants under an 18th century wartime law was hailed as a victory by both the federal government and those challenging the deportations. The high court left many questions about the law unanswered, experts said, which explains, in part, the contradictory reactions to Monday night's ruling. The divided court agreed the Trump administration can use the Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged members of a foreign gang, as long as the detainees are given the right to challenge the government's claim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Supreme Court upholds Trump's war power to deport Venezuelan gang members The critical point of this ruling is that the Supreme Court said individuals must be given due process to challenge their removal under the Alien Enemies Act, Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Unions Immigrants Rights Project, who is leading the lawsuit, wrote in a statement. "That is an important victory." President Trump, writing on his social media platform Truth Social, focused on the other key part of the court's ruling: "The Supreme Court has upheld the Rule of Law in our Nation by allowing a President, whoever that may be, to be able to secure our Borders, and protect our families and our Country, itself. A GREAT DAY FOR JUSTICE IN AMERICA!" The ruling upends the orders of district court and appellate judges who had paused the deportations and said the administration had overstepped its power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The court did not decide a larger issue: whether the administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act is constitutional. The families of many people deported under the law said they are not gang members. More than 100 men accused of belonging to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua were sent to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. Though the court held that detainees have the right to challenge their removal, immigrant advocates said this comes with a catch: People held for deportation will have to file individual petitions in the district where they are detained, a difficult process for someone arrested in, say, California but held in Texas, far from family and lawyers. Immigration officials sent many detainees to Texas before their deportation to El Salvador. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ACLU and other plaintiffs filed emergency lawsuits in New York and Texas federal courts to halt the removals of five Venezuelans under the Alien Enemies Act. A Texas judge signed a temporary restraining order Wednesday. A New York judge said at a hearing that he would sign a temporary restraining order as well. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and three other Democratic members of the Senate and House judiciary committees issued a statement Tuesday saying the Supreme Court ruling "will unquestionably harm people caught up in this oppressive nightmare." Although the Court unanimously agreed that deportations without due process are illegal, the reality is the Trump Administration has been rapidly and erroneously deporting people, and has taken the position that those erroneously deported may be confined to foreign prisons with no redress," the legislators wrote. "The Courts requirement that challenges occur through individual habeas petitions will make it very difficult for people to successfully challenge their removals before they happen." The Alien Enemies Act was last used during World War II and, according to an overview from the National Archives, was employed to detain more than 31,000 people from Japan, Germany and Italy. Three times as many people of Japanese descent, mostly American citizens, were also held at incarceration camps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Trump says he'll undertake the 'largest deportation' in U.S. history. Can he do that? Experts including Tom Jawetz, a former senior attorney at the Homeland Security Department under the Biden administration, are skeptical that immigrants targeted under the wartime law will actually be given enough time to find lawyers and challenge their deportations. "While the court did provide sort of a mixed win, I think there is very good reason to be concerned that the process afforded to these individuals is going to be lacking," he said. "With an administration that shoots first and really doesnt ask questions ever, I think were going to see a lot more mistakes taking place through these kinds of removals." Lindsay Toczylowski, co-founder and chief executive of the Los Angeles-based Immigrant Defenders Law Center, represents a gay makeup artist who was seeking asylum when the Trump administration deported him to the Salvadoran prison. Officials cited his crown tattoos as evidence of him being a member of Tren de Aragua. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Toczylowski said the due process review required by the Supreme Court will be a disaster in practice. "Most people forcibly sent to El Salvador were unrepresented," she wrote on X. Referring to their detention in Texas, she added, "Trump purposefully moved them to remote detention centers in TX pre-rendition." Once these cases begin weaving through the court system and one makes it to the Supreme Court, the public will pretty quickly see what the court really thinks about use of the wartime law, said Gabriel "Jack" Chin, a professor who studies the intersection of criminal and immigration law at UC Berkeley. "I'm not worried yet," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jawetz said many questions remain to be answered by the Supreme Court, among them: What happens to those already deported under the Alien Enemies Act? Can this wartime authority be invoked during a time of peace and against a nongovernmental entity? With the deportation pause lifted, those questions could now work their way through the court system in a much more rushed and chaotic fashion, Jawetz said. In a separate decision Monday, the Supreme Court paused a lower court's order requiring the Trump administration to return a Maryland man who Trump administration lawyers admitted was wrongly deported to the El Salvador prison. Read more: Supreme Court pauses wrongful deportation case at behest of Trump lawyers Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such court-ordered returns are somewhat rare but have taken place. The administration has said it has no way to bring back the man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was not deported under the Alien Enemies Act. If the justices decide that the Trump administration cannot be required to bring Abrego Garcia back to the U.S., "there's very limited hope that the courts will step in and say any of these folks who have been sent to rot in the Salvadoran prison have a chance of getting their day in court," Jawetz said. Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter. Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond, in your inbox twice per week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. SURFSIDE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) Surfside Beach leaders on Tuesday voted to extend a six-month moratorium on new vape shop and cannabis stores as officials work toward crafting tougher operating rules for them. The council in October approved a six-month ban on new businesses of those types opening to give its planning commission time to write an enforcement ordinance. That same month, the town council voted unanimously to revoke Delta Dispensarys business license following the arrests of Jason and Sabrena Papotto on two charges each of distribution of marijuana and distribution of marijuana in proximity to a school or park. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Surfside police said the arrests culminated a three-month investigation focusing on the sale of unregulated and untested substances that were presented as hemp. Tuesdays vote puts another 90 days on the moratorium, but officials dont think it will take that long to get regulations on the books. * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. SURFSIDE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) A Surfside Beach restaurant is offering a thank you meal to those who have been fighting on the front lines of the Carolina Forest wildfire. Pirates Table Calabash Seafood Buffet is located off of Highway 17 Business, across the street from Ocean Lakes Family Campground. Aro Tiratsvyan, a managing partner of the restaurant, said they have sent out more than 80 letters to first responders along the coast, inviting them to the free meal from 3 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you watched what these guys face day and night, thats what I call, true American spirit, Tiratsvyan said. Its an honor to host those who faced the dangers of the flames. He said the heroes who come to the event will receive a personal pirate meal. They will come in with their IDs and they will get to enjoy the entire buffet at no charge, Tiratsvyan added. He explained that he has about a hundred staff members during the summer season, and the idea to serve the first responders came from them. He said this meal is the least they could do to show their thanks and appreciation. Come in, sit down for at least 30-40 minutes, take a break and enjoy a real good pirate meal, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tiratsvyan said he is a Carolina Forest resident and the fire started close to his home. Every day we were smelling smoke, and I just watched the brave, skilled professionals and how they faced the danger for us, the public, he said. We were actually told in the middle of the night we could be evacuated. It was a nightmare to deal with it. He went on to say thanks to the first responders and firefighters, especially considering that not a single house burned down and that everyone was safe. The management of this restaurant and community members, we like to give back and are honored to live in the Grand Strand, Tiratsvyan expressed. We are truly blessed to be in this community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News13 last reported on the Pirates Table during the COVID-19 pandemic, when they handed out free meals and raised money for the Lowcountry Food Bank. As of Saturday, the Covington Drive wildfire is 90% contained, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission. Crews are still working the edges and snuffing out any hot spots smoldering underground. * * * Jackie LiBrizzi is a multimedia journalist at News13. Jackie is originally from Hamilton, New Jersey, and was raised in Piedmont, South Carolina. Jackie joined the News13 team in June 2023 after she graduated as a student-athlete from the University of South Carolina in May 2023. Follow Jackie on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and read more of her work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) An investigation is underway at MountainView Hospital in Las Vegas after a cancer patient woke up to startling news in the operating room. Kimberly LeMarbre said a surgery to address her second diagnosis of thyroid cancer was scheduled for January of 2024. She went under anesthesia, but was told when she woke up that the surgery couldnt be completed. I open my eyes and I knew immediately something was wrong, LeMarbre told the 8 News Now Investigators with Nexstars KLAS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LeMarbe said she was informed she had stopped breathing and her surgeon had to replace a tube to give her oxygen. She said she was not immediately informed of exactly what went wrong. The implication was always that there was something very seriously wrong with me that I wasnt aware of, LeMarbe said. LeMarbre rescheduled the surgery at a different facility, Sunrise Hospital, where she said her surgeon gave her more details on what happened in the first attempt. The surgeon said an endotracheal tube, a device to help patients keep breathing during surgery, had failed. I actually felt relieved. I know that sounds weird but I felt relieved because, again, I had been made to feel that I stopped breathing because I had some mystery phantom illness, LeMarbre said. That was terrifying to me to think that I could go into surgery again and that whatever it was, it could happen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second surgery went as planned, according to LeMarbe, but her quest for answers about the first attempt continued. She learned what happened to her had happened to other patients, too. In January of 2024, medical device company Medtronic issued a safety notice for specific endotracheal tubes. The following July, the company issued an urgent medical device recall for removal of endotracheal tubes after complaints about potential health hazards and risks, including death. Problems date as far back as 2022, according to the Food and Drug Administration. In Nevada, there were two reported device failures in 2023, and figures for 2024 are not yet available, according to Nevadas Division of Health and Human Services. LeMarbre reached out to MountainView Hospital for the make, model, and serial number of the endotracheal tube used during her surgery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the information was on the medical bill for Sunrise Hospital, owned by Hospital Corporation of America, the same company as MountainView Hospital, it was not available on the bill from MountainView Hospital. LeMarbre provided copies of emails and additional documentation showing her push for answers. In a letter dated Aug. 30, 2024, MountainView Hospital denied using the endotracheal tube that was later recalled and stated there was an investigation. We do apologize for the negative perception you received, according to the letter. The medical device the patient raised concerns about was not subject to any recall, a spokesperson wrote in a March 18 email responding to a KLAS inquiry. The recalled devices in question were never in stock or in use at MountainView Hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But on April 7, LeMarbre learned what she said she knew all along. The Chief Medical Officer of MountainView Hospital informed her the tube which ended up being recalled likely was used during her surgery and a new internal investigation was underway. He also repeatedly apologized. LeMarbre said she believed the anesthesiologist was to blame, too, citing the lack of information he provided. I was at the mercy of this physician and I dont know what happened to me and hes not willing to say what happened to me, she said. LeMarbre filed a complaint with the Nevada state medical board and received a response stating the board will not file a formal complaint against the anesthesiologist, but there are other actions available to correct and/or address behavior. The outcome does not appear to be public record. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement KLAS investigators also reached out to the medical board. In an email, an attorney stated medical providers must maintain medical records about the diagnosis, treatment and care of the patient, but they are not required to report data on medical device failures to the board. LeMarbe also reached out to Medtronic. In a letter, attorneys stated Medtronic requested the tube for inspection and analysis, but as of this past January, the company had not received it. Medtronic also appeared to blame user error and stated there was no indication the event was related to a possible manufacturing issue. The company offered LeMarbe $10,000, which she said is not enough. Its interesting to see how incredibly dismissive they are of what happened, LeMarbre said. Their narrative is: but you didnt die. On Monday afternoon, a spokesperson for MountainView Hospital sent an updated statement: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The medical device referenced was recalled in July 2024 and was never used after the recall was issued. We take the quality of care we provide very seriously. While we cannot discuss patient details due to privacy laws, we remain committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of every patient we serve. Medtronic also sent the following statement: We deeply sympathize with Ms. LeMarbre and the challenges she has faced. The well-being and safety of patients is our highest priority, and we take her concerns seriously. However, there is not enough evidence to suggest that our device caused her harm or that there was device malfunction. We remain committed to upholding the highest standards of quality and safety in all our products. Since its initial launch nearly 30 years ago, the NIM Standard Reinforced EMG Endotracheal Tube delivered positive clinical outcomes for patients across the globe. In 2024, the product was recalled and removed from the market due to risks of airway blockage when the tubes are not used in accordance with the products instructions for use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) A man who allegedly pointed handgun at a store clerk in a robbery on Sunday at Caseys on 500 N. Kiwanis Avenue in Sioux Falls has been arrested, according to court records. Aaron Christopher McBride, 24, is charged with first degree robbery, aggravated assault and second degree petty theft. McBride pointed the handgun at the clerk, demanded money and said dont do anything stupid or Ill blow you away, the complaint alleges. Hibachi Grill staff charged with harboring aliens Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The clerk denied the request for money. McBride and a second person fled from the store, according to the complaint. Several bottles of liquor including a bottle of Crown Royal, a bottle of Crown Royal Peach and six bottles of Pink Whitney were stolen from the store. Later that night, McBride left a vehicle and knocked on a door of a residence where he pointed a gun at the residents face, the complaint alleges. The resident shut the door and McBride left, the complaint alleges. Police identified McBride through witnesses and a tattoo, as well as additional confirmation through the police department in Sioux City, Iowa. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. JACKSONVILLE, Texas (KETK) A man has been arrested after firing three rounds at his neighbors house on Tuesday before barricading himself in his own home, the Jacksonville Police Department said. SHERIFF: Rusk man arrested after attempting to escape from courtroom during probation hearing Police responded to the 200 block of Ivy Street on Tuesday and secured the area before requesting backup from the Cherokee County SWAT Team which included Cherokee County Sheriffs Department personnel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspect, 24-year-old Isaias Mena Sandoval of Jacksonville, barricaded himself inside his house for about an hour until law enforcement took him into custody. No injuries were reported, the police department said. A search warrant for the residence will be issued and additional charges may be filed pending the investigation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. An unhinged homeless man accused of slashing a young costume designer during an unprovoked Soho street attack cutting her throat with a broken bottle so deeply her muscle and veins were exposed was previously accused of attempted murder as part of an arson case, prosecutors revealed Wednesday. Im going to kill a b-! Muslim Brunson screamed during Mondays bottle attack, prosecutors said during the suspects arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court. Brunson allegedly slashed 25-year-old Megan Mae Berg in the throat with the jagged shards so deeply that witnesses saw muscle, tissue and veins exposed during the caught-on-camera attack, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Siobhan Carty said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medics rushed Berg to Bellevue Hospital, where she needed life saving surgery, was treated for extensive blood loss and was on a ventilator overnight in the intensive care unit, Carty said. The victims mother told the Daily News Tuesday Berg was now in critical but stable condition. Bergs wound needed between 30 and 40 stitches to close, prosecutors said. Brunsons out-of-state criminal history came to light as Judge Beverly Tatham ordered him held without bail during his arraignment on attempted murder, assault, and attempted assault charges for the gruesome Monday afternoon slashing. He is a definite flight risk, Carty told the judge, adding that the ex-con has ties to Maryland, New Jersey, and North Carolina and has a demonstrated contempt for law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2002, Brunson, 46, was charged with attempted murder and arson in Baltimore and committed to a psychiatric institution, Carty said. On Monday afternoon, Brunson allegedly threw a glass bottle at a 29-year-old woman near the corner of Broome and Wooster Sts. The bottle smashed against the back of the womans head. Im going to kill a bh! Brunson was heard screaming as he picked up the broken bottle and chased the woman down the block, prosecutors charge. During the chase, he stopped mid-course and zeroed in on Berg instead, who was scouting out boutiques for her boss when she was attacked, authorities say. Brunson, who was wearing a hoodie emblazoned with the NYPD logo, was captured about six blocks away. He admitted to the attack and identified Berg as the second woman he attacked, prosecutors say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He seemed agitated and threatened a witness who helped police identify him as the slasher, prosecutors said. Defense attorney Mildred Morillo of NYC Defenders said she had spoken to both Brunson and his mother and said the slashing suspect was in the throes of a mental health crisis. It has been repeatedly documented by police and prosecutors that Brunson hears voices that order him to harm people. It is clear that he is suffering a mental health crisis, Morillo said, comparing Brunsons condition to someone suffering the flu. No one ever blames someone with a stomach virus for vomiting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tatham ordered Brunson to undergo a psychiatric exam. The NYPD has responded to four calls for an emotionally disturbed person involving Brunson showing signs of extreme mental illness, sources said. On Aug. 17, 2019, Brunson told cops he was hearing voices telling him to harm others. There were two instances in December 2020 when police were called about Brunson and he again said he was hearing voices that encouraged him to stop taking his medications and attack people. On June 18, 2022, police responded again to a call for Brunson, which was resolved when he took his medications. In New York, Brunson has five prior arrests dating back to 2019, four of them for assault, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September 2019, Brunson approached a 13-year-old boy in the Liberty Ave. subway station in Brooklyn and asked about his phone, then, as a C train pulled into the station, grabbed the phone from the teen and jumped aboard, according to a criminal complaint. The teen followed, chasing Brunson through the cars of the train as it headed towards the Van Siclen Ave. stop in Brownsville. Once in the station, Brunson got off, with the teen in pursuit, then got back on, pushing the teen when he tried to follow him aboard, court papers say. Bail was set in that case but Brunson was later released without bail and the case was moved to mental health court. Brunson went on to make 36 appearances in the mental health court to update the judge on his progress in the program, which included attending therapy, according to a source. Brunson pleaded guilty to robbery but had a deal that if he completed his mental health program he would not serve jail time, said a source. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Brunson missed at least one court date and so a warrant was issued. He was arrested on the warrant and jailed from Feb. 2 to July 22, 2021, when he was convicted of robbery after pleading in mental health court and released pending sentencing. While awaiting sentencing, Brunson committed a felony assault, slamming an off-duty NYPD civilian employees head into a subway pole aboard a Brooklyn-bound No. 4 train near the Fulton St. station about 11 p.m. July 4, 2022, fracturing the victims cheekbone and an orbital bone. Two days later an NYPD detective saw Brunson on Canal St. near Mercer St. and recognized him as being wanted in connection with the attack. When the cop went to arrest Brunson, the suspect kicked the cop in the right leg and spit on him and other officers that arrived to assist, according to court papers. The two cases were wrapped into one conviction, and as required by state law, the sentences for both the Brooklyn and Manhattan cases were to be served concurrently, said a court source. Brunson was sentenced to eight months in prison for both crimes, according to court records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes been free since February 2023 and told police upon his arrest Monday that hed only been in the city for the last 60 days, prosecutors said. If convicted of the top charge in Mondays attack, Brunson faces between eight and 25 years in prison, said prosecutors. SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) An early Tuesday morning shooting of a man on San Franciscos Polk Street has police asking the public for possible leads. Driver pulled up on victim, fired multiple close gunshots: Fremont PD The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) said officers responded to the 700 block of Polk Street at 5:09 a.m. for a report of a possible shooting. Upon arrival, officers located and treated a man suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was taken by medics to a nearby hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police have not yet made any arrests. It is not clear what led to the incident. Anyone with information on this case is asked to call SFPD at (415) 575-4444 or text a tip to Tip411, starting the message with SFPD. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. By Joshua McElwee VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Reports of suspicious financial activity in the Vatican fell by a third in 2024, an internal watchdog report said on Wednesday, though 79 reports were still made and two bank accounts holding a combined 2.12 million euros ($2.34 million) were frozen. The Vatican's Financial Supervision and Information Authority primarily oversees the Institute for the Works of Religion, a financial entity commonly referred to as the Vatican Bank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reputation of the bank, which administers funds for many international Catholic religious orders and institutions, had been tarnished in the past by cases of corruption, tax evasion and embezzlement. The decrease in suspicious activity reports was a sign that the Vatican "has maintained a high standard in its action of preventing and countering money laundering during 2024", Carmelo Barbagallo, the authority's president, said in a new annual report. Eleven of the 79 reported cases were referred to Vatican authorities for possible prosecution, the report said, adding that so far there had been no indictments. Beyond the two frozen accounts, three transactions totalling 1.06 million euros were also suspended, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The late Pope Benedict XVI initiated several changes at the Vatican Bank and at other Vatican financial institutions, which have been continued by Pope Francis. The European financial watchdog Moneyval last issued a report about the Vatican's financial supervision in May 2024, which said the Vatican had improved its international banking and financial compliance measures. Francis also changed Vatican law so that bishops and cardinals accused of financial mishandling would be judged by a lay court that hears criminal cases and not by a panel of prelates. The Vatican has since prosecuted and convicted a senior cleric, Cardinal Angelo Becciu, for misappropriation of funds in a case centred around the purchase of a high-end building in central London. Becciu denies wrongdoing and remains free pending an appeal. ($1 = 0.9069 euros) (Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Alex Richardson) SWAT was called to a home after shots were fired in Pittsburghs South Oakland neighborhood late Tuesday night. SEE PHOTOS FROM THE SCENE According to a criminal complaint, a man is facing multiple charges after police said he fired several shots into a home along Bates Street around 9:30 p.m. A woman inside the home told police the man was her ex and he refused to leave. Pittsburgh Public Safety said SWAT started to clear the area around 1:30 a.m. No arrests have been made. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - A Swedish court on Wednesday ordered the detention of a man suspected of spying on ethnic Uyghurs for China, Sweden's prosecution authority said on Wednesday. The prosecution authority declined to give more detail on the case or whether it concerned the small population of Uyghurs living in Sweden or groups elsewhere. The man, whose nationality was also not disclosed, is in custody in the Swedish capital, court documents showed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The man is suspected of having illegally collected information and intelligence on people in the Uyghur environment on behalf of the Chinese intelligence service," Prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist said in a statement earlier on Wednesday. The Chinese embassy in Sweden said in an email it was not aware of the case. It did not comment further. Rights groups accuse Beijing of widespread abuses of Uyghurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority group of about 10 million people who live in China's far western Xinjiang region. Beijing denies any abuse and has accused Western countries of interference and peddling lies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, a landmark United Nations report said that China's "arbitrary and discriminatory detention" of Uyghurs and other Muslims in Xinjiang may constitute crimes against humanity. (Reporting by Anna Ringstrom and Essi Lehto; Editing by Kate Mayberry and Alison Williams) ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter said on Wednesday she had spoken to U.S. President Donald Trump by telephone about trade and was looking forward to reaching agreements after Switzerland was hit with bigger import tariffs than its EU neighbours. "In today's phone call with President Donald Trump I conveyed both Switzerland's stance on bilateral trade, and ways to address U.S. ambitions," she said on X. "We agreed to continue talks in the interest of both our countries. Looking forward to working out solutions in the very near future." When the Trump administration announced its tariffs last week, Switzerland was hit disproportionately with a 31% rate, compared with 20% on the European Union and 10% on Britain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Switzerland, which abolished industrial tariffs last year, has an economy heavily oriented to trading with the rest of the world, and the U.S. is its single biggest export market. Earlier, a survey of industry lobbies and firms by business group Economiesuisse showed that nearly half were strongly or very strongly affected by U.S. tariffs on Swiss exports. (Reporting by Dave Graham; editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Thomas Seythal) Bahira, the German Shepherd dog rescued after the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant disaster, has died. Recently, the animal has been living with farmers in Mykolaiv Oblast, where it has been receiving the love and attention it lacked before. Source: Ukrainska Pravda.Zhyttia; Liudmyla Melnykova, Head of the Berserk Animal Rescue Federation Details: Liudmyla Melnykova said that Bahira had spent most of her life on a chain and suffered from food malnutrition, so she ate "everything that came in or flew into the courtyard". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from Liudmyla Melnykova: "But for almost two years, Bahira has been surrounded by comfort, love, and attention. I would like to thank her parents [the new owners - ed.] Yura and Olia, for the love they have been giving her 24/7. Thank you for giving me hope and faith in people." More details: The animal volunteer noted that Bahira was "a symbol of courage and the fight for life". The cause of the dog's death is unknown. "Even though people have done her a lot of harm, the dog still loves them. Bahira is a symbol of unconditional love and the victory of life over death," said Liudmyla Melnykova. Background: People rescued Bahira in June 2023, shortly after the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant disaster. The animal, which had been living on a chain all its life, was rescued by a neighbour who let it go. The dog spent more than a day in the cold water, floating on boards because of the flooding. After the rescue, veterinarians diagnosed Bahira with a spinal hernia, which made it impossible for the dog to walk. After undergoing a long course of treatment and rehabilitation, Bahira got back on her paws. The rescued animal had been looking for owners for a long time who could provide her with the care and attention she needed. A family of farmers from Mykolaiv Oblast became Bahira's new family. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has provided an explanation of the 2023 offensive near Bakhmut and denied the NYT's claim that Melitopol was supposed to be the goal of the counteroffensive but he changed the direction to Bakhmut. Source: Syrskyi in an interview with Lb.ua Quote: "Every officer and general who took part in the fighting knows that this [NYT article ed.] is not true at all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yes, we conducted an offensive south of Bakhmut. But we conducted offensive actions with two brigades from the group. If we had five brigades, I think both Bakhmut and Soledar would have been liberated." Details: The New York Times wrote earlier that the plan to counterattack Melitopol was key for Ukraine, but General Oleksandr Syrskyi insisted on retaking Bakhmut, which changed the strategy and led to failure on both fronts. Syrskyi said that at the planning stage of these operations, it was understood that the forces were insufficient, as they had only two brigades with no additional ammunition. "But we were counting on the unexpected, on the fact that we would break through the enemy's defences with such, not so much adventurous, but bold actions, given that they were not ready, not like, for example, in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. There, all the fortifications were in an ordinary field. And so we expected to be able to advance and cut the road between Bakhmut and Horlivka. Thats the first point", Syrskyi said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second road, says Syrsky, which the military wanted to cut on one side, is the road between Bakhmut and Debaltseve. "This is the main route that was used for logistics. And the road to Popasna went off from it. This is another road that goes to the main motorway," explained the Commander-in-Chief. He noted that these are three roads that provided logistical support to the Russian group of 20,000 people. "If we managed to cut these routes, the enemy would be forced to retreat. Otherwise, they would have been encircled," Syrskyi said. Syrskyi said that the military failed to implement this plan. "We simply did not have enough assets and personnel," he added. Background: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to The New York Times, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the then Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, and Kyiv's British partners supported directing the counteroffensive towards Melitopol. This manoeuvre, though ambitious, aimed to sever the land supply routes for Russian forces in Crimea. The newspaper describes a meeting in which Syrskyi said he wanted to break from the plan and execute a full-scale attack to drive the Russians from Bakhmut. He would then advance eastward toward Luhansk Oblast. He would, of course, need additional men and ammunition. The Americans were not told the meeting's outcome. But then US intelligence observed Ukrainian troops and ammunition moving in directions inconsistent with the agreed-upon plan. Soon after, at a hastily arranged meeting on the Polish border, General Zaluzhnyi admitted to Generals Cavoli and Aguto that the Ukrainians had in fact decided to mount assaults in three directions at once. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! A man who broke into an 80-year-old womans house in Tacoma in 2020, raped her and then evaded law enforcement for years before police cracked the case was sentenced Friday to 15 years to life in prison. Boyd Earl Hatch, 66, pleaded guilty in February to first-degree rape and first-degree burglary with sexual motivation. According to court records, he entered a single-story West End house through an open sliding-glass door armed with a butter knife, picked up a woman sitting on a couch a stranger to him and pushed her into a bedroom while she struggled. Neighbors later reported not hearing any sounds of a disturbance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the two-hour attack, Hatch left the bedroom at some point, allowing the woman to hide the butter knife hed brought with him. When he returned, according to court records, he drank from a bottle of vodka. He took $40 from the victims wallet when he left and smoked a cigarette outside. A DNA sample from the knife along with a grocery receipt and the victims sexual-assault evidence kit later helped detectives identify Hatch as the assailant. He was charged in March 2024 and arrested the next month on a bench warrant. The sentence Pierce County Superior Court Judge Karena Kirkendoll imposed was at the high end of the standard sentencing range. It was an indeterminate sentence, meaning Hatch must serve a minimum of 15 years, 4 months before he is eligible to petition the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board for release. Hatch, who had no prior criminal convictions, will be required to register as a sex offender. He also was ordered to undergo a psychosexual evaluation, complete any recommended treatment and not have contact with the victim for life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two of the victims nieces wrote victim-impact statements to the court, stating that their aunts life was forever changed after Hatch assaulted her. She rarely leaves her house, she stopped driving and she lives in fear of his potential return, one niece said. The womans health and mental well-being also declined, according to the impact statements. The nieces said she suffers from PTSD and was diagnosed with a moderate and progressive form of dementia. Before the incident, the nieces said their aunt had a zest for life. She enjoyed riding motorcycles with her late husband, and enjoyed taking trips, camping and spending time with friends and family, one niece wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a pre-sentence investigation, Hatch reported a recent and past history of heavy alcohol use. According to the report, he said at the time of this incident he likely consumed almost two fifths of vodka. He recalled going to alcohol treatment at a facility in Portland 15 to 20 years ago. Hatch was born in Florida and raised in Tacoma, according to a forensic psychological evaluation completed in the case. He reported he studied for a year at Washington State University in 1978 and the University of Washington in 1979 but grew bored of college and stopped going. Hatch said he retired from a 25-year career in the computer-tech industry at age 52. In other news out of Superior Court: Man charged in Lakewood murder pleads guilty to lesser crime A 41-year-old man accused of being an accomplice to murder in a fatal robbery at a Lakewood gas station wont face further jail time after prosecutors said further investigation convinced them the mans involvement was different than it first appeared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brandon Kahumoku Cajigal pleaded guilty April 3 to second-degree theft, and Judge Rebecca Reeder sentenced him the same day to 90 days in jail. Hes already served more than two years in jail. Two other defendants in the case have been convicted of murder for the Dec. 18, 2022 killing of 33-year-old Carl Wayne White. According to court records, White was shot while in his Dodge Ram at a gas station at 11122 Steele St. S. A surveillance video in the stores parking lot allegedly showed a gray sedan park close to the truck shortly after 5 a.m. The driver was allegedly Cajigal, and he got in Whites truck for about 11 minutes before two men approached the vehicle from both sides and opened its doors. Minutes later, Cajigal is seen on video hopping on his leg on the passengers side and appears injured. Another man on that side of the truck, identified by investigators as William Roy McMullen, then walked around to the drivers side and fired a handgun multiple times toward the open drivers door. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McMullen then drove off in the victims Ram with the man hed arrived with, leaving Cajigal and White behind. McMullen was found guilty in a jury trial March 18 of first- and second-degree murder, first-degree assault, first-degree robbery and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. A sentencing date was set for May 16. The third defendant, Mumit Carter-Shabazz, was sentenced in February to 21 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Man withdraws guilty plea for murder in Tacoma shooting, pleads guilty to assault A man who pleaded guilty to murder and other offenses for his part in the fatal shooting of a man searching for his ex-girlfriend near the Tacoma Tideflats withdrew his guilty plea and instead admitted to second-degree assault. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawrence Edward Jerry III, 39, was sentenced April 1 to two years, five months in prison. Hes already served more than a year in jail. The sentence Judge Rebecca Reeder imposed was at the high end of the standard sentencing range. According to court records, Jerry has a long history of misdemeanor criminal convictions. Between 2005 and 2015, he was convicted of 17 misdemeanors, including criminal trespassing, resisting arrest, third-degree theft and reckless driving. Jerry was one of two people charged in the Oct. 1, 2022 killing of 37-year-old Nicholas Ulugalu. Kenny Lamont Haymore, 51, was convicted in a jury trial in March of first-degree manslaughter, two counts of first-degree assault and other offenses. According to court records, he shot Ulugalu multiple times after the victim pounded on the door of a motorhome where he believed his ex-girlfriend was overdosing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jerry arrived with Haymore outside the motorhome in a truck and then left with him after Ulugalu was shot, according to court records. A spokesperson for the Prosecuting Attorneys Office said Jerry was allowed to withdraw his original guilty plea after he testified at Haymores trial. In April 2025, President Donald Trump initiated a series of aggressive trade policies aimed at reducing the US trade deficit and revitalising domestic manufacturing. These measures included a universal 10% tariff on all imports, with additional country-specific tariffs targeting nations like China, Canada, and Mexico. While these policies were designed to bolster American industry, their impact was profoundly felt by small, independent retailers across the United States. The immediate impact of new tariffs The implementation of a 10% baseline tariff on all imports, effective from April 5, 2025, represented a significant shift in US trade policy. Countries such as China faced even steeper tariffs, with rates escalating up to 94% if retaliatory measures were not withdrawn. For small retailers, this translated to immediate increases in the cost of goods sold, as many products were sourced from overseas suppliers. A notable example is Andrew Chen, founder of New York-based fashion brand 3sixteen, who expressed concerns over rising costs due to these tariffs, particularly affecting materials like Japanese denim and Canadian fleece. Supply chain disruptions and strategic shifts Beyond financial implications, the tariffs introduced significant uncertainties in global supply chains. Small retailers, often operating with limited inventory and relying on just-in-time models, faced delays and unpredictability in product availability. In response, some attempted to diversify their supply chains by seeking alternative suppliers in countries like Vietnam, India, and Mexico. However, establishing new supplier relationships proved challenging, especially for businesses dealing in specialised products that were predominantly manufactured in specific regions. This situation led to increased operational complexities and costs. Broader economic repercussions The trade policies also had wider economic repercussions that indirectly affected small retailers. The imposition of tariffs led to heightened market volatility, with global stock markets experiencing significant fluctuations. For instance, after the announcement of the tariffs, markets plunged, with the S&P 500 entering bear market territory, reflecting investor concerns over the potential economic fallout. This volatility contributed to consumer uncertainty, affecting spending habits and further straining small retail businesses already coping with increased costs and supply chain challenges. Long-term effects and survival strategies In the longer term, many small retailers struggled to adapt to the new trade landscape. The city of Tacoma has received an ethics complaint about Mayor Victoria Woodards all-expenses-paid trip to Israel last month. As previously reported by The News Tribune, Woodards traveled to Israel for seven days mid-March as part of a delegation of U.S. mayors organized by the American Jewish Committee in partnership with the U.S. Conference of Mayors. She was the only mayor from Washington to attend. The trip included round-trip airfare to and from Tel Aviv, luxury hotel accommodations, meals, historic tours, lectures on Israeli politics and society and a meeting with the families and survivors of the Oct. 7 terrorist attack. Woodards told The News Tribune when she returned from Israel that she went on the trip to better understand the Israel-Palestine conflict and for spiritual reasons as a Christian. Her choice to accept the trip has been criticized by some, including the local Jewish Voice for Peace chapter. One member told The News Tribune the trip flies in the face of not just the ceasefire resolution that Mayor Woodards signed onto [in May], but just every standard of human morality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City spokesperson Maria Lee told The News Tribune the citys Board of Ethics was processing an ethics complaint about Woodards trip and cant comment on the issue. She did not provide a timeline on when the public would know more. Lee said she was only aware of one complaint. Woodards declined to comment at this time. Longtime Tacoma resident Rob Harrison told The News Tribune he submitted the ethics complaint to the city on March 27. Harrison said he filed the complaint not to target Woodards personally but to get some clarity from the city about whether accepting the trip and its perks was prohibited or an improper use of her position as mayor. Its about upholding the principle that city employees should be free from any appearance of being influenced by gifts. As a citizen, I believe this is crucial for maintaining public trust. We citizens have limited power to influence city policies, primarily through our votes, Harrison said in an email, noting he used AI to craft his message. I hope the city will demonstrate its commitment to ethical governance by clearly stating its position on this issue following my complaint. What did the complaint say? In his complaint Harrison called attention to two sections of the citys Code of Ethics, which is expected to be upheld by all current and former city officers and employees, elected or not. The complaint was obtained by The News Tribune through a public record request. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the prohibited conduct 1.46.030 section, Harrison questioned whether Woodards violated Section H that bars city officials or employees from knowingly us[ing] his or her office or position to secure personal benefit, gain or profit, or use his or her position to secure special privileges or exceptions for himself, herself, or for the benefit, gain or profits of any other persons. He also questioned if Woodards violated Section K that bars city officials and employees from directly or indirectly, giv[ing] or receiv[ing], or agree[ing] to give or receive, any compensation, gift, favor, reward or gratuity for a matter connected with or related to the City officer or employees services with the City of Tacoma. Harrison argued that part of the reason Woodards said she went on the trip was because of her personal beliefs as a Christian. The trip, then, offered her a personal benefit even beyond the substantial monetary value, he said. The trip itself was offered by the American Jewish Committee to United States mayors for the express purpose of affecting U.S. policy at the local level, he wrote. And while politicians on the national level indeed command attention, state and local politics move forward at the same time, often at a quicker pace in terms of legislation and reaction to crises. Thus, Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards used her position as mayor to qualify for this trip. It is not offered to other Tacoma citizens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In terms of accepting compensation or gifts, the ethics code notes city officials and employees can accept meals when it is provided in conjunction with a meeting directly related to the conduct of City business or where official attendance by the City officer or employee as a City representative is appropriate, such as a public award ceremony or when they accept, Nominal promotional items including, but not limited to, items such as ball point pens, calendars, wearing apparel or food items which cannot reasonably be presumed to influence the vote, action or judgment of the City Official or be considered as part of a reward for action or inaction. Harrison argued the AJC hopes to affect politics at the municipal level and noted the city of Tacoma has conducted business to pass a ceasefire resolution in Gaza. Though resolutions are non-binding, any future business regarding Israel, Jewish people or Jewish religion could be perceived to be influenced by this weeklong trip. Indeed, that is the reason the American Jewish Committee offers this free trip, Harrison said in the complaint. There has been City Council business regarding Israel. There may be future business regarding Israel and Jewish people to come before the City Council. It is a glaring gap that this ethics clause does not mention the perception of bias. It reflects badly on the City of Tacoma for a city leader to accept a gift in the thousands of dollars when that gift is obviously meant to influence them and that gift is not available to everyone. What happens next? The citys Board of Ethics will convene to discuss the issue, although Lee said the meeting scheduled for Wednesday has been canceled. The Board usually meets publicly every three months, and members are citizens who are formally appointed by the council although recommended by the Government Performance and Finance Committee, according to the citys website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to procedures outlined online, upon receipt of an ethics complaint the board will send a copy of the complaint to the person it was filed against and the city attorney. The city attorney will serve as a legal advisor to the board and examine whether the facts of the complaint file the Code of Ethics. Then they will issue an opinion for board members to consider. Board members then will deliberate. The board may subpoena witnesses, take testimony under oath and compel the production of documents that relate to the complaint. The board might also appoint an independent investigator to investigate the facts of the complaint, who might be a city employee if that person is sufficiently removed from the matter and is impartial. Neither the person who filed the complaint nor anyone else shall have special standing to participate or intervene in the investigation or consideration of the complaint by the Board, according to the procedures outlined online. Upon reaching a conclusion, the board would issue findings of fact based on the evidence of record presented and conduct a hearing relaying that information. Hearings are open to the public, but deliberations will be conducted in closed session, according to the procedure. EVERY CATASTROPHE CREATES OPPORTUNITIES for heroism. While some people seek to protect themselvesan understandable impulseothers display the uncommon courage it takes to face down the danger and do what they know to be right. The unfolding catastrophe that is Donald Trumps second stint as president has already produced its fair share of heroespeople who have refused to go along with illegal orders, unethical directives, raging incompetence, and the wholesale dismantling of agencies and institutions. When history takes note of the damage done by Trump and his henchpeople, let it also reflect that, from the very beginning, his reign of error was opposed by conscientious professionals within the federal government, often at great personal cost. Here are some of the most notable: Danielle Sassoon, Hagan Scotten, et al. U.S. Attorneys Office, Southern District of New York Sassoon, the acting head of this office, resigned on February 12 rather than carry out orders to dismiss a carefully built corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. That was followed, in rapid succession, by the resignations of six other prosecutorsJohn Keller, Kevin Driscoll, Rob Heberle, Jenn Clarke, Marco Palmieri, and Hagan Scotten. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The orders came from thenacting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, a Trump appointee who worked previously as a criminal defense attorney for Trump. Bove was trying to gain leverage on Adams to force his cooperation with the presidents immigration policy. He lashed out at Sassoon for not doing as she was told: The Justice Department will not tolerate the insubordination. Scotten, an assistant U.S. attorney, stressed in his resignation letter to Bove the impropriety of what offices prosecutors were being asked to do: No system of ordered liberty can allow the Government to use the carrot of dismissing charges, or the stick of threatening to bring them again, to induce an elected official to support its policy objectives. But, he added, I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion. (The order was eventually signed by Bove himself, along with prosecutors Antoinette Bacon and Edward Sullivan, who apparently met the requisite standard.) But in dismissing the charges as requested on April 2, U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho did so with prejudice, meaning they cannot be refiled, thus robbing the Justice Department of the ability it sought to keep this option available for leverage, just in case Adams is not fully cooperative. Dismissing the case without prejudice, Ho wrote, would create the unavoidable perception that the Mayors freedom depends on his ability to carry out the immigration enforcement priorities of the administration. Ryan Crosswell Department of Justice On February 17, this Justice Department trial attorney with a decade of experience resigned after being asked by acting Deputy AG Bove to identify two Trial Attorneys to sign a motion to dismiss the indictment against New York City Mayor Eric Adams without prejudice. He said Bove admitted that this course of action was chosen without assessing the strength of the evidence or the legal theories on which the case is based. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crosswell, in his resignation letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, also said Bove made clear that there would be professional consequences if the motion was not filed, referencing the actions he took against the career prosecutors in the Southern District of New York who refused to carry out his orders. He said Bove demanded their acquiescence to add legitimacy to a motion that he admitted was not based on the facts or the law. In response, Crosswell said he loved his job and his colleagues whose integrity and courage reflects the Departments best traditions and gives me hope for our sections future. However, I cannot work for someone who invokes leadership after forcing dedicated public servants to choose between termination and a dismissal so plainly at odds with core prosecutorial principles. In a statement issued in response to Crosswells departure, Bove said Justice Department attorneys should be committed to supporting our critical missionadding that, for anyone having trouble getting with this program, templates for resignation letters are widely available online. Not keen on the DOJs critical mission under Trump? Support ours instead by signing up for a free or paid Bulwark subscription. Denise Cheung Department of Justice This longtime federal prosecutor with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia resigned February 18 rather than launch a prosecution that was unsupported by evidence. Cheung, head of the offices criminal division, wrote in her resignation letter that Ed Martin, the interim U.S. attorney for D.C., had asked her to step down after she refused to to open a criminal investigation into whether a contract had been unlawfully awarded by an executive agency, which included putting a freeze on the contractors assets. This was all part of an effort spearheaded by Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lee Zeldin to recoup some $20 billion in grants awarded for clean-energy and other environmental projects under the Biden administration by claiming they were somehow illegal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Department of Justice spokesperson attacked Cheung, saying that refusing a basic request to pause an investigation so officials can examine the potential waste of government funds is not an act of heroismjust a failure to follow [the] chain of command. Thomas Corry Department of Health and Human Services Formerly a top spokesperson for the nations health overseer, Corry announced on March 3 that he was stepping downreportedly in protest after clashing with the agencys new head, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., over his dangerous response to a measles outbreak. Corrys resignation came just days after Kennedy falsely claimed that the outbreak in Texas was not unusual, saying, We have measles outbreaks every year. West Texas was in the midst of the largest measles outbreak in thirty years, caused in no small part by declining vaccination rates for which Kennedy bears personal responsibility. Corry has not spoken publicly about his reasons for resigning. Kennedy went on Fox News to defame Corry, claiming he was about to be terminated, and so they may have made up a story to explain their termination. Jim Jones Food and Drug Administration The head of the FDAs food division resigned February 17, saying the indiscriminate firing of dozens of his employees under Secretary Kennedy made it fruitless for me to continue. In his resignation letter, Jones also cited the Trump administrations disdain for the very people necessary to implement your agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the FDA has not commented on Joness resignation in particular, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt opined that some bureaucrats are resistant to the administrations mandate and emphasized that President Trump seeks the best and most qualified people who are also willing to implement his America First Agenda. Jones was replaced by Kyle Diamantas, a Florida attorney who appears to have little in the way experience in food regulation but is a hunting buddy of Donald Trump Jr. Dr. Peter Marks Food and Drug Administration The head of the FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research announced March 28 that he was retiring in protest over HHS Secretary Kennedys anti-vaccine beliefs and initiatives. Marks, who as the agencys top vaccine official oversaw the effort to rapidly review and approve vaccines for COVID-19, wrote in his resignation letter that it has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the Secretary, but rather he wishes subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies. Marks went on to say: Undermining confidence in well-established vaccines that have met the high standards for quality, safety, and effectiveness that have been in place for decades at [the] FDA is irresponsible, detrimental to public health, and a clear danger to our nations health, safety, and security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An agency spokesperson reacted sourly, asserting that if Peter Marks does not want to get behind restoring science to its golden standard and promoting radical transparency, then he has no place at [the] FDA under the strong leadership of Secretary Kennedy. Nathaniel Brought National Institutes of Health The director of the NIHs executive secretariat on February 18 sent a passionate resignation letter that included a fiery denunciation of Trump, who he said doesnt give a damn about federal employees and just wants to install racists at the State Department and DOGE, to continue his lifelong fight against justice for African Americans. Brought, a Marine Corps veteran and former National Security Agency official, also said: I did not make sure terrorists met their makers so that I could watch one lead and then attack my country. The White House, apparently, has not commented on Broughts resignation specifically. But Broughts post about his resignation on LinkedIn drew dozens of warm responses. Michelle King Social Security Administration King, a veteran employee of the SSA who became the agencys acting commissioner, resigned February 16 to protest being asked to turn over sensitive personal information on millions of Americans to Elon Musks minions with DOGE. Rep. John B. Larson (D-Conn.), ranking member of the House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee, praised King for refusing to succumb to Elon Musk and his cronies demands to access highly sensitive and confidential beneficiary data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response, White House spokesperson Harrison Fields released a statement suggesting that King, with thirty years of service to the SSA, was unqualified: President Trump is committed to appointing the best and most qualified individuals who are dedicated to working on behalf of the American people, not to appease the bureaucracy that has failed them for far too long. Share The Bulwark Steven Reilly General Services Administration A lead engineer at GSAs Technology Transformation Services arm, Reilly resigned on February 18 after its new director, a former Tesla employee and Musk associate named Thomas Shedd, demanded unlimited access to systems containing variable data for members of the public, including phone numbers and the ability to grant this access to others, Thomas wrote in a farewell message to colleagues. We have not received a justification for this request, he continued, adding that efforts to suggest alternatives, including read-only access, were rejected. I dont believe that I can operate a program and system without the ability to manage access to this information, Reilly explained. As a result, I have submitted my resignation to GSA. Today will be my last day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House has not commented specifically on Reillys resignation, but he is likely included in Leavitts putdown about the out-of-control bureaucrats who once ran the government. David Lebryk U.S. Treasury Department Treasurys highest-ranking career official, Lebryk abruptly ended a career spanning decades on January 31 after clashing with Musks DOGE shock troops seeking access to government payment systems. He did not comment publicly on his decision, but told staff in an email, Our work may be unknown to most of the public, but that doesnt mean it isnt exceptionally important. Musk responded to Lebryks departure in a post on his social media platform X, where he claimed without evidence: The @DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups. Melanie Krause Internal Revenue Service In a story thats still developing as of this writing, acting IRS commissioner Krause is reportedly planning to resign after she and others at the agency were excluded from discussions that led to an agreement to allow Homeland Security personnel to access the tax data of undocumented immigrants, presumably so ICE agents can more effectively hunt them down. Krause found out about the arrangement after Treasury representatives shared the details with Fox News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She no longer feels like shes in a position where she can impact the decision-making thats happening, one person familiar with the situation told the Washington Post. And [she believes] that some of the decisions that are being made now are things the IRS can never recover from. Krause is the third person to head the IRS since Trump took office. Her immediate predecessor, Doug ODonnell, retired after DOGE and immigration enforcement officials sought access to confidential personal taxpayer data. Trump, on taking office, fired IRS head Danny Werfel, an appointee of Joe Biden, and nominated Billy Long, a six-term Republican member of Congress with little in the way of relevant experience, to head the agency. Longs appointment has not yet been confirmed. But its a safe bet he wont be objecting to the use of his office for political ends. James Dennehy Federal Bureau of Investigation The top agent at the FBIs largest field office in New York was forced to quit on February 28 by Trump administration officials apparently angered by his support of the agencys interim leaders, who balked at a request to provide a list of all personnel involved in investigating the January 6th attack on U.S. Capitol. Dennehy urged his staff to dig in against such efforts, saying bureau employees were in the middle of a battle, with some being targeted because they did their jobs in accordance with the law and FBI policy. After getting the boot, Dennehy praised the agencys legacy of independence, writing in an email to colleagues, We will not bend. We will not falter. We will not sacrifice what is right for anything or anyone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi accused Dennehy of refusing to turn over files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the financier, Trump buddy, and convicted sex trafficker who killed himself in prison. Dennehys forced resignation, ironically, came on the same day that Kash Patel, the new director of the FBI, released a two-minute video in which he pledges his support for bureau employees, saying I will fight for you every single day. Just not on this one. Elizabeth Liz Oyer Department of Justice The departments former pardon attorney was fired March 7 after refusing a request to add actor Mel Gibson to a list of individuals whose rights to gun ownership were being restored despite prior convictions for domestic violence. Oyer refused to do so because Gibson, a prominent Trump backer, had not gone through the extensive background investigation to measure the likelihood of his committing another crime, as had others on the list. This is dangerous. This isnt politicalthis is a safety issue, she told the New York Times. In an interview published April 3 by Democracy Docket, Oyer said she thinks the department is bullying people into either stepping back or acquiescing to political priorities. And its important, in my view, to stand up to a bully, not to allow your career expertise to be used to provide sort of a veneer of legitimacy to decisions that are really political in nature. The Justice Department has denied there is any connection between Oyers dismissal and Gibsons inclusion on the list. (He was later indeed added to it.) Deputy AG Todd Blanche, in a statement on Oyers case, said former employees who violate their ethical duties by making false accusations on press tours will not be tolerated. Of course not. On Monday, Oyer testified at a shadow hearing organized by congressional Democrats. The Justice Department tried to block her appearance by claiming it was barred under executive privilege. Armed U.S. marshals were sent to deliver a letter making this assertion to her home, but they were called off when she acknowledged having received it via email. Oyer testified anyway, telling hearing attendees, I will not be bullied into concealing the ongoing corruption and abuse of power at the Department of Justice. Share this article with someone who admires people who stand up to bullies. Share Ceremonial pens staged for the first of five bill signings after the 2025 session of the General Assembly. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters) When Gov. Wes Moore adds his expected signature to landmark prescription drug affordability legislation passed by the General Assembly, it will highlight how his values on this life-saving issue are in stark contrast to those of his predecessor, Larry Hogan. From the beginning of his tenure, Moore worked to empower Marylands first-in-the-nation Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB). By contrast, Hogan undermined and hindered the PDABs work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2019, the Maryland General Assembly, led by Del. Joseline Pena-Melnyk (D-Prince Georges and Anne Arundel), now chair of the House Health and Government Operations Committee, passed legislation creating the PDAB. Hogan neither signed nor vetoed it, letting it become law without his signature. But the next year, when the General Assembly passed legislation to fund the PDAB, Hogan vetoed it. Although the General Assembly overrode this veto the following year, Hogans callous action delayed its work. Further, Hogan slow-walked key appointments to the PDAB and its Stakeholder Council, which also hurt the PDABs ability to operate. Your opinion matters Maryland Matters welcomes guest commentary submissions at editor@marylandmatters.org. We suggest a 750-word limit and reserve the right to edit or reject submissions. We do not accept columns that are endorsements of candidates, and no longer accept submissions from elected officials or political candidates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opinion pieces must be signed by at least one individual using their real name. We do not accept columns signed by an organization. Commentary writers must include a short bio and a photo for their bylines. Views of writers are their own. Under the original 2019 law, the PDAB was supposed to set up a process for making high-cost drugs more affordable for the state government and local governments by the end of 2022; the General Assembly would then decide in 2023 whether to authorize the PDAB to help all Marylanders afford their drugs. But, because of Hogans roadblocks, the PDAB could not meet this timeline and, therefore, the General Assembly did not act to expand the boards authority that year. Then Moore came to the rescue. In his inaugural address, he said it was a priority to ensure all Marylanders have quality, affordable health care. He knows that this cannot be done without making high-cost prescription drugs more affordable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many Marylanders have trouble affording life-saving drugs, forced to choose between purchasing their medications or paying for other necessities of life. But additionally, high drug costs affect all of us, as we are forced to pay higher health insurance premiums. The large drug corporations argue they need to charge these outrageous prices, which are much higher than anywhere else in the world, to fund research. But the truth is that big Pharma spends far more on advertising and profits than on research. In 2023, working with the General Assembly, Moore allocated a critical $1 million for the PDAB, which helped jump-start its work after Hogans veto had stalled it. The governor knew the state would recoup that money many times over from saving money on high-cost drugs. The governor and General Assembly also passed new legislation confirming the PDABs authority to help state and local governments afford their drugs. This boards hard work and support from Gov. Moore are starting to pay off. Under the leadership of Chair Van Mitchell and Executive Director Andrew York, the PDAB is poised this year to make high-cost drugs more affordable for the state government and local governments, saving Maryland taxpayers millions of dollars. Based on this, and with the support of the Moore administration, the General Assembly, led by Dels. Bonnie Cullison (D-Montgomery) and Jennifer White Holland (D-Baltimore Coutny) and Sens. Dawn Gile (D-Anne Arundel) and Brian Feldman (D-Montgomery), just passed legislation expanding the authority of the PDAB so it can help all Marylanders afford their high-cost drugs. The governor has pledged to sign this measure into law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wes Moore is not the only governor with the courage to stand up to the drug corporations. Following Marylands lead, Govs. Jared Polis of Colorado, Tim Walz of Minnesota and Jay Inslee of Washington signed strong PDAB laws in their states. Unfortunately, one governor, Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, outdid Larry Hogan by actually vetoing a PDAB bill. We are very proud of the progress we are making in Maryland under Gov. Moore to make high-cost drugs more affordable. This is critical because drugs dont work if people cant afford them. We encourage other governors around the country to follow Governor Moores example. The US President is not done with charts and levies. He instead appears to stand by his promise to impose further sectoral tariffs, despite the major bloodshed seen on global markets in recent days. We are going to be announcing very shortly a major tariff on pharmaceuticals, Donald Trump said at a fundraising dinner with Republicans on Tuesday, offering no further details. Trumps desire to bring more pharmaceutical production to the US is one motivation behind the tariffs, and the country is currently the biggest buyer of pharmaceuticals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, some of the largest exporter countries may prefer to swallow the extra costs of the tariff rather than move their production. India, for instance, is one of the largest exporters of generic pharmaceuticals to the US. In terms of dollar value, it accounts for 6% of US imports, according to a note from INGs sector economist Diederik Stadig. Related Generic drugs are cheaper copies of branded drugs which use the same ingredients as products originally protected by chemical patents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We think it's unlikely that the largest Indian generic pharmaceutical manufacturers will shift (part of) their manufacturing to the US, simply because production in India is cheaper, Stadig said. Which countries could be the hardest hit in Europe? On the other hand, European companies producing not generic but branded pharmaceuticals, usually working with higher margins, could see investing in manufacturing in the United States as a viable alternative. According to Stadig, this would also entail less pharmaceutical production in Europe. In turn, this could cost jobs and hamper economic growth. The European countries most exposed to the potential tariffs from the US are Ireland, Germany, and Switzerland. The Netherlands, Italy and Belgium also export a significant amount of pharmaceuticals to the US. Is Europe prepared? Major players in the sector, including Novo Nordisk, Bayer and Sanofi, took part in a call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday morning, discussing the implications of US trade measures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials on the call warned that potential tariffs on the pharma sector could harm both European and American patients by disrupting global supply chains and reducing the availability of vital medicines. The European Commission expressed their interest in negotiating a solution with the US administration, stressing the importance of a more cooperative transatlantic pharmaceutical market. TOPEKA (KSNT) The City of Topeka approved a tax incentive plan that will spread out the cost of special assessment taxes in the Laurens Bay neighborhood for Topeka Real Estate Developer Jim Klausman. On Tuesday, April 8 the Topeka City Council voted to establish a community improvement district (CID) for 16 properties in the Laurens Bay neighborhood as well as three city-owned lots that have sat empty for years. Earlier this year, Klausman agreed to pay past-due special assessments on those properties in return for tax incentives from the city. Right now theyre close to $300 a month [in special assessments], by spreading them out over 20 years its going to get them down to $185 per month for the ones owned by the developer because some of the special assessments or some of the assessments, the payment theyre going to be making is going to be used to pay down principle on those future specials, Assistant Topeka City Manager Braxton Copley said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deadly crash in Brown Co. shuts down highway City Councilwoman Christina Valdivia-Alcala asked Copley if this is the first time the city has ever used a CID for a housing development which Copley replied yes. The motion passed 8-2, with Valdivia-Alcala and Councilman David Banks in opposition. More than 15 years ago, the City of Topeka struck a deal with a now defunct developer to create a new housing development in the Auburn-Washburn school district near Southwest 47th Street and Southwest Wanamaker Road. Since then, 16 lots at Laurens Bay Estates have sat empty while taxes and special assessments go unpaid. After months of negotiations, the developer agreed to pay the city $2.25 per square foot in past due specials for a total of $525,000. That figure exceeds the total specials debt of $423,000. The developer would also pay off back taxes on the properties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) The Tennessee Department of Transportation has included a major project in its Build with Us 10-year Plan. The plan includes the widening of Old Fort Parkway and will provide additional funding for the interchange at Cherry Lane with Interstate 840. The widening project will cost about $61.5 million while the Cherry Lane phase will cost about $39.5 million. READ MORE | Latest headlines from Murfreesboro and Rutherford County Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Murfreesboro Mayor Shane McFarland says the Infrastructure is needed in that area. We appreciate TDOTs commitment to upgrading and widening roadways in Murfreesboro as increased population and traffic volumes necessitate reallocating State and City funds to a higher priority, McFarland said. Increasing participation of local funding on Old Fort Parkway helped motivate TDOT to move forward with a very important roadway expansion. McFarland said the new widening plan gives Murfreesboro a competitive advantage of finally receiving state funding. Neighborhood News: Stories impacting your community | Read More Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve had a lot of construction activity thats already occurring out there and houses being taken down right of way being acquired, right-of-way being stakes thatll be a project that you will see starting very soon, McFarland added. Murfreesboro council approved an $18.6 million increase for funding of the Old Fort Parkway project. Murfreesboro engineers said the roadway improvements will increase traffic flow and reduce traffic congestion. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. Sen. Ted Cruz has begged President Donald Trump to stop listening to the tariff hawks in his administration and take the deal countries are offering to lower trade barriers. On Tuesday, the Trump administration bragged that the phones had been ringing off the hook with world leaders anxious to negotiate an end to the universal Liberation Day tariffs that took effect at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday. But administration officials havent been able to keep their stories straight on whether the tariffs are a short-term tactic to bring countries to the negotiating table or a long-term strategy to create manufacturing jobs in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are voices in the administration that rather than take a deal are saying we want to have tariffs as a long-term, permanent feature of the economy. I think thatd be a mistake, Texas Republican Cruz said Tuesday during a town hall with Fox News host Sean Hannity. Last week, Trump announced 10 percent universal tariffsa tax paid by American companies, with the costs typically passed on to consumerson all imports, plus additional duties of up to 50 percent on products from countries that have large trade deficits with the U.S. The new tariffs are on top of existing ones, meaning products from China for example now face a cumulative tariff rate of 104 percent. On Tuesday night, Trump bragged to the National Republican Congressional Committee that his tariffs were the largest transaction in the history of our country. President Trump announced universal tariffs last week alongside Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. / Carlos Barria / Carlos Barria/REUTERS Dont let some of these politicians going around sayingyou know because Im telling you, these countries are calling us up kissing my a--. They are. They are dying to make a deal, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cruz said that if in 30 days, 60 days, 90 days we see tariffs slashed worldwide, we see the barriers to U.S. farmers and ranchers and manufacturers dropping enormously and suddenly were able to access other markets and these tariffs drop here, thats a great outcome. But that would require the administration to actually make the deals, he added. Politico reported on Tuesday that world leaders trying to schedule talks with Trump havent been able to get a response. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has said the tariffs will lead to trillions of dollars of factories being built in the U.S., while Trumps deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, told GOP Senate staffers that the import levies would bring in $6 trillion in revenue over the next 10 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lutnick in particular has pushed the president to enact increasingly aggressive tariffs over the past two months, according to Politico, even as markets plunged, consumer confidence dropped, investors expressed alarm, and the risk of recession skyrocketed. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessentwho has reportedly argued for a more targeted approachtold CBS News Tuesday that the tariffs are negotiable but not a negotiating tactic. If a year from now, our trading partners have all jacked up tariffs on America and we have high tariffs on everyone, I think thatll hurt this country, Cruz said. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Prominent Irish Fest chef and restaurateur Shaun Brady was shot and killed outside his own business in 2024. It was a killing that rocked the community to its core. Now, the 15-year-old accused of carrying out this cold blooded murder in broad daylight is fighting to not be tried as an adult. Prominent Irish Fest chef killed in Kansas City shooting The teens dad said it wouldnt be fair for his son to be charged as an adult. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Development goes a long way in life, and he hasnt gotten that far, his dad said. He hasnt developed enough to understand a mistakeand mistakes will be made throughout his life. No cameras were allowed in the courtroom. FOX4s Malik Jackson was the only reporter in the courtroom Tuesday. The state began by calling to the stand the homicide detective who responded to the scene. The detective recounted how the responding officer initially thought he was being called to an explosion but it turned out to be gunfire. A video shown in court captured the moments when the 15-year-old and a group of teens allegedly arrived near Bradys restaurant, Brady and Fox, in a stolen car. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brookside community demanding change amid Shaun Brady killing According to the detective, they attempted to break into Bradys Hyundai. Brady, who was unloading boxes, saw this and intervened. Authorities said the three teens then returned to the stolen car, with Brady kicking and swinging at the car as they drove off. The state contends that the video shows the 15-year-old exiting the car and shooting Brady in the chest. Seven shell casings were found at the scene, along with another bullet that hit a nearby home. Bradys wife was emotional as the video was played in the courtroom. Brady also leaves behind two children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In court, the hardships the 15-year-old had endured throughout his life came to light. At just the age of four, the accused killer was diagnosed with cancer a disease which returned at least three times before the age of seven. Because of the cancer, the teen was prescribed opioids at a young age. This developed into an addiction, which caused the teen to fail middle school. His mom testified that hes overdosed twice. Testimony also revealed that the teen had endured years of abuse, including being beat with a metal bat. In court, it was also revealed that his dad beat his mom so much that she went blind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because of the food insecurity he was facing, the teen turned to selling drugs at age 10 to feed himself and his siblings. His attorney said he was neglected in every aspect of his life, with the states own witness saying hes had a life full of trauma. The teens father claims this could have been avoided if the justice system had held his son accountable for previous crimes burglary in 2021 and trespassing in 2024 that never resulted in charges. FOX4 asked his father if he feels the justice system is partly to blame. Yes, he said in response. He said he believes that the community would be safe with his son on the streetsas long as he get the rehabilitation he needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. New details have been released after two people were found dead inside of a jetliners landing gear in Florida. Two teens were found dead after the JetBlue flight landed in Fort Lauderdale nearly three months ago. Authorities have identified them as 18-year-old Jeik Aniluz Lusi and 16-year-old Elvis Borques Castillo. Their bodies were discovered during a routine post-flight inspection at the airport. Investigators say extensive DNA testing was used to confirm their identities. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. When you're building infrastructure for bitcoin mining, you're spending a million dollars per megawatt of electricity. When you go into high performance computing (HPC), the facilities need so much redundancy that you spend $10 million per megawatt. That's excluding the equipment. You've got much higher logistical engineering requirements, and you've got much higher capital expenses. The difference between a basic ASIC miner and Nvidia chips is like driving a Bronco and a Ferrari. The delicacy of the motor, the engines, all the gearing that goes into a high performance car all of that relates much more to a GPU. When Antminers S21 Pros show up, it takes us six hours to unwrap them and plug them in. When the Nvidia chips show up, like an H100, its six weeks before youve built the brain and its working. So it's a completely different skill set. Frank Holmes: At one time we had 130,000 AMD chips and we were mining ether (ETH). We were about 6% of the world's ether mining and it was very profitable. When that went away [with Ethereums transition to Proof-of-Stake in 2022], we had this expertise in GPU chips and we replaced a lot of our AMD chips with Nvidia chips. That allowed us to start going down the AI path. CoinDesk: HIVE has been repurposing some of its GPUs for AI. Can you tell me about that? In the lead-up to the event, Holmes shared his thoughts about HIVEs place within the broader mining industry, the companys decision to recycle its GPUs for AI purposes, and what the future holds. HIVE has been green from the get-go. Its first facility used geothermal energy in Iceland; another used hydro-power in Sweden, only 100 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle. Now, the company expects to have roughly 430 megawatts (MW) of infrastructure up and running by the third quarter of 2025 meaning enough energy to power a city of 86,000 homes. Hes also the chairman of HIVE Digital Technologies (HIVE), a bitcoin mining company with a $345 million market capitalization and a rapidly expanding footprint in Paraguay, thanks to a recent deal in which the firm acquired facilities previously owned by another miner, Bitfarms. The firm was born, he said, after he attempted to launch a spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) in 2017. Frank Holmes has had a long career as a money manager: financing gold mining companies; getting involved in the creation of gold royalty companies; developing financial products for the airline industry all of this with U.S. Global Investors (GROW), the publicly-traded asset management firm hes been leading since 1989. Weiterlesen When you want to source energy for bitcoin mining, you can take variable energy, and the real key part is the cost of the energy. In Sweden, we can go from 30 megawatts to three megawatts in 15 seconds. So we're able to give back energy, or take it on. When you're HPC, you have to be up all the time, and so you need to have this backup of generators, batteries. Stability of energy is much more critical for HPC than it is for bitcoin mining. So you have a matrix that you're trying to play with. Does the Trump administrations tariff strategy impact your operations? We listen to the U.S. because it's so important for branding and liquidity. But we never did anything in the U.S. because we're always concerned about the overreach of regulatory agencies in Washington. They basically weaponized the auditors to go after anyone that was in crypto. So we said, Let's just stay neutral in this jurisdiction. Then Trump won, so we decided to move our head office over. That's strategic, because if your head office is in the U.S., you qualify for many of the various indexes. We dont have mining operations in the U.S. yet. But youve expanded significantly in Paraguay. I think what happened in Paraguay to Bitfarms is that they went through some distraction with their CEO [left]. There was a vacuum. Then Riot (RIOT) tried to come in to buy and control them. During that turmoil period, the Paraguayan government put a tariff on bitcoin miners, which was really very weird, but it happened, and it will drop away, I think, next year. It was all unsettling for the new CEO, and he wanted to pivot to the U.S. So they merged with Stronghold (SDIG) to basically become an American company, like a reverse takeover. They still have 80 megawatts of electricity in Paraguay, but most of the operations we're now taking over. We're finishing the construction, and we're very excited about it. We already have a few machines working. We have the biggest growth profile in 2025 of all the bitcoin miners. We have not done any of these funky convertible debentures to buy bitcoin. Most of them paid much higher prices. No, we've not done that because we know how volatile it can be. Every time everyone starts doing this binge debt buying well, before, in 2021 it was all for buying mining equipment. This time, it's all for buying bitcoin. Bitcoin then goes to a correction, and they all get strangled. We just don't want to be in that position. We really see the opportunity in Paraguay. It has the largest dam in the Western hemisphere, shared 50/50 with Brazil. Its 14 gigawatts and like eight kilometers long. It's so immense. If Paraguay doesn't use the electricity, then Brazil gets to keep it. Well, Bitcoin miners don't do that. We help build out their infrastructure, and they get paid U.S. dollars every month. So it's a win-win for the Paraguayan government and it's a win-win for HIVE shareholders, because we want to stay focused on green energy. Are there other jurisdictions youre looking to expand to? We're looking at proposals coming from East Africa. Ethiopia in particular has a lot of stranded electricity. Some of the other miners have already gone into that area. They got all this cheap money from the World Bank and other institutions, and they built the dams, but then they didn't build the power lines throughout the economy. Its a big expense. We have a very clear vision to go from 6 EH/s to about 25 EH/s in the next nine months. How do you see the mining industrys situation right now? I don't think it's healthy. You have to be cognizant that there's a change for a lot of the big miners. Major U.S. corporations are not really into mining expansion. Theyre predominantly focused on adding bitcoin to their balance sheet. They're all emulating Michael Saylors business model. But for Bitcoins ecosystem to function, you need to have growth in the nodes. You need to have growth in mining operations so we become even more decentralized. Some of the companies should be probably investing more in the Lightning Network or in Ordinals infrastructure to differentiate themselves. What Bitdeer (BTDR) is doing [with ASIC manufacturing] is really smart. The founder was also a co-founder of Bitmain. So coming in with a new piece of technology which is very energy efficient in terms of joules consumed, I think that's very good and competitive for the capital markets. Bitcoin miners are going to go through a process that happened to the gold miners. When the GLD came out for bullion, all of a sudden there was a separation gold stocks versus the GLD. This century, gold bullion has outperformed the S&P 500 by a wide margin. But only the quality gold stocks, the royalty gold stocks, have actually outperformed. One of the things that HIVE has always had is the old royalty model of high revenue per employee, so that we can deal with these down drafts and not have to go through this panic of big layoffs. The U.S. will hold new ceasefire talks with Russia and Ukraine in separate meetings in the coming weeks, and a temporary ceasefire will pressure Russia to comply, President Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists on April 9. "I believe that in the coming weeks there will be a meeting between the Americans and the Russians and between the Americans and the Ukrainians," Zelensky said. "I believe that certain time limits will provide opportunities to put pressure on Russia. If you have a ceasefire for an unclear period it is a frozen conflict," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. has previously led separate talks with Ukraine and Russia in Saudi Arabia to reach a ceasefire. On April 6, Zelensky said Russia is rejecting an unconditional ceasefire because it wants to continue launching missile strikes from the Black Sea. "There may be an extension, but it is important that there is a deadline for which all parties must be held accountable: (including both) mediators and the parties at war," he said. Zelensky called for an unconditional ceasefire with Russia to deter Moscow from breaking any potential agreement. "(W)e believe that any ceasefire will be disrupted by the Russian side. Therefore, we believe that the most important thing the American side can do is a complete and unconditional ceasefire," Zelensky said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. has pledged to act decisively if a ceasefire is not reached, he said. "If they do not succeed, they promised to take strong corresponding steps. What those steps will be, I don't know. They know that sanctions and military support for Ukraine are important to us. We will wait for these two steps," Zelensky said. The U.S. finds peace talks that drag on as "unprofitable," he added. Moscow has shown signs it is unwilling to move forward on a peace deal with Ukraine. Russian authorities have listed maximalist demands in ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine and the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine has already agreed to a U.S.-proposed full 30-day ceasefire, saying on March 11 that Kyiv is ready if Russia also agrees to the terms. So far, Moscow has refused. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Russias spring offensive already begun; over 160 Chinese nationals fight against Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Nearly 170,000 lawsuits have been filed against Bayer, parent company of the weedkiller Roundup, over claims the product causes cancer. (Photo Illustration by Scott Olson/Getty Images) Chemical companies seeking legal immunity from Roundup-related lawsuits will have to wait a year to get their way in Tennessee. The House Judiciary Committee opted Tuesday to postpone legislation until 2026 enabling Bayer/Monsanto to avoid liability in lawsuits connected to cancer claims. Republican Rep. Clay Doggett of Pulaski called for the delay less than a week after the full Senate passed its version of the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I felt like there was a lot of stakeholders, there was a lot of questions that we had that didnt get answered, Doggett said Tuesday. Germany-based Bayer, the parent company of Monsanto, recently agreed to pay nearly $2.1 billion to a man who claimed he contracted non-Hodgkins lymphoma from Roundup. Some 170,000 similar lawsuits have been filed against the chemical company. Under the legislation, though, as long as a pesticide manufacturers federally-approved label doesnt warn of a disease, they couldnt be held liable for causing an illness. Farmers in his rural Middle Tennessee district supported the bill, Doggett said. Yet lawmakers were overwhelmed with information about the bill, making it difficult to bring it to a vote this year, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For instance, Republican Rep. Gino Bulso, a Brentwood attorney, told lawmakers a provision in state law gives people standing to sue in federal court. Doggett also added that he favors an amendment to the measure that dropped a blanket immunity provision for the companies involved. Doggett conceded that farmers could be more prone to contract illnesses from spraying the pesticide/herbicide. Yet he said farmers in his district support the legislation and use of the chemical, and he added that other lawmakers said foreign countries will continue using the product on their crops even if it vanishes in America. Farmers and the Farm Bureau testified previously that the Roundup used in modern agriculture enables no-till farming on larger tracts, which is considered a more efficient method. The House bills sponsor, Republican Rep. Rusty Grills of Newbern in West Tennessee, called the outcome part of the legislative process. Rep. Rusty Grills, a Newbern Republican and a farmer, is sponsoring a bill to protect Roundup from lawsuits. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout) Theres lots of questions people have that they didnt feel like they got adequate answers to, so knowing that, were at the end of the session now, so theres not a whole lot of time to get answers, Grills said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill can be brought back for consideration in 2026 since it wasnt voted down. Critics have said they believe it gives Bayer and Monsanto blanket immunity to lawsuits. But Grills said rather than a giveaway to the company, the legislation would put an end to frivolous lawsuits and stave off a day when farmers cant use preferred products because of the threat of legal action against manufacturers. Im one of those farmers. We use these products, and because we use those products, were able to make a living, Grills said. A Tennessee Farm Bureau lobbyist testified recently that the Senate bill would avert only cases involving product labels approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opponents of the legislation say it will remove peoples constitutional rights to a jury trial when theyre diagnosed with deadly illnesses caused by the product. Legislatures in Iowa, Missouri, Idaho, Wyoming and Mississippi have turned down similar bills, yet Bayer-Monsanto hasnt pulled products from shelves, leaving opponents to say the chemical maker is more concerned with increasing earnings than protecting people. The Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association testified in the Senate that opponents dont believe the products should be banned, only that customers should maintain their right to take legal action. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A Tennessee senator is drawing rebuke from business owners in his own district for a controversial bill targeting undocumented students. The Tennessee Small Business Alliance, a statewide small business advocacy organization, condemned SB 836 which would require all schools in Tennessee to verify children have legal immigration or visa status prior to enrolling. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, who has has argued undocumented students are potentially a financial drain on Tennessee school resources, citing a rise in English language learners in the state. The accompanying house bill, sponsored by House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, would not impose requirements on local schools, the Tennessean previously reported. Sen. Bo Watson, R- Hamilton County, defends SB 836 before Tennessee senators vote at Cordell Hull State Office Building in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, March 5, 2025. In a statement, small business owner and constituent of Watson, Kelly Fitzgerald, said the bill is "not something legislators should be spending their resources on when there are much larger issues at hand in the current environment." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We should leave children out of the conversation," she added. The legislation, if passed, would open the door for policies that could "deprive millions of undocumented students across the country of their right to an education" said the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition in a social media post. "The ripple effects would be devastating, not only for Tennessee's schools and communities but for our nation's future workforce, economy and core values," read the post. On Tuesday, April 1, the Senate Finance committee voted 7-4 to advance SB 836. Here's what else to know about the bill and why it has become one of the most fiercely contested pieces of legislation that Tennessee lawmakers are debating this session. Tennessee Small Business Alliance calls bill a 'cruel political stunt' Earlier this month, Fitzgerald joined 20 other business owners in urging Watson to abandon the bill. In a statement, she described the legislation as a "political stunt thats cruel, economically reckless and completely out of step with local values." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My children are receiving a great education in our public schools, and I want every child to have the same rights and opportunities as mine do," she said. "Do our representatives believe that undocumented children who had no say in their immigration status should be denied a public education, even though their families already pay taxes that fund our schools? On April 1, over 20 Chattanooga-area businesses condemned the bill, disputing Watson and Lambeth's claims that the bill addresses fiscal concerns. The bill's fiscal note states the proposed legislation may jeopardize federal funding to the state and to local governments, however, exact impacts remain uncertain due to "unknown factors." In 2023, Tennessee received a total of $3,368,495,310 in federal funding. "Going after children to deny them an education when he knows it is already paid for by immigrants in our state isnt just cruel its unethical, fiscally irresponsible, and politically desperate," said the alliance in a statement. SB 836 draws criticism, emotional response from immigrant rights advocates, lawmakers Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have been critical toward SB 836 and the companion House bill. On Monday, Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, sided with Democrats to oppose the bill. House Democratic Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, slammed the bill, calling it a drain on state resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Our country has a broken immigration system. This isn't going to fix it. It's going to discriminate against innocent children who have no idea if they're undocumented or not," Clemmons said. "This is an education bill about punishing innocent children." Despite both bills firmly advancing in the General Assembly, final votes will likely not fall along party lines reported the Tennessean. Since being introduced, committee meetings have drawn hundreds of impassioned protestors. One protestor, Lynne McFarland, was arrested by Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers earlier this month and later carried away from her seat and to a patrol car. Contributing: Melissa Brown Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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: Tennessee bill targeting immigrant students draws business backlash For two hours Tuesday, a panel of House lawmakers asked pointed questions of leaders for the states main health care administration agency. Rep. Alex Andrade, who chairs the House Health Care Budget Subcommittee, didnt like the answers. Im more stunned, than anything else, by the responses, the demeanor, the flippancy (toward) the serious questions we have, Andrade, R-Pensacola, told reporters after the hearing. This is an endemic problem in state agencies right now and its something that weve got to work on. Shevaun Harris, then the head of the Department of Children and Families Secretary, speaks during a roundtable discussion about student athletes' mental health at the Historic Capitol, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021 Shevaun Harris, the secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration, had struggled to answer questions on a series of issues related to Hope Florida, a program spearheaded by First Lady Casey DeSantis that tries to connect Floridians receiving welfare and Medicaid with other services to help move them off government assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Andrade and other members of the panel expressed alarm over $10 million that went to the Hope Florida Foundation as part of a settlement between AHCA and Centene, a large provider of services under Floridas Medicaid managed care plans. Under state law, money from settlements must be reported by state agencies to the Legislature, but this wasnt. State Represenative Alex Andrade attends a meeting at Pensacola State College on Wednesday, Jan 8, 2025. As Harris explained, the overall settlement was $67 million, with $57 million going to AHCA. It had to do with overpayments related to pharmacy benefit managers, she said, but the other $10 million was a donation from Centene to the Hope Florida Foundation, so the money never came to AHCA and was therefore was not state funds reportable to the Legislature. The settlement was reached in October; Harris didnt take the helm at AHCA until February. The settlement agreement had a lot of attorneys involved, taking great care to make sure everything was done appropriately, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Andrade, an attorney, maintains the funds are taxpayer money and the settlement violates state law: The reference to that $10 million not being taxpayer dollars I find offensive, Andrade said at one point in the hearing. He noted the settlement was for repaying overpayments from the states Medicaid program. At what point did it suddenly become not taxpayer money? asked Andrade, a state representative since 2018. Andrade also raised concerns about Hope Florida getting preferential treatment in the states Medicaid Managed Care contracts. Specifically, health care insurers must cooperate with Hope Florida as part of the contract. Casey DeSantis speaks during a press conference in the Cabinet Room on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. 'We need to have some names' Another gripe from the committee was the alleged lack of transparency surrounding Hope Florida. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I still dont get a clear response over who is responsible for Hope Florida, said Rep. Marie Woodson, D-Hollywood. We need to have some names. Harris explained that the Hope Florida program uses state employees at many different agencies to help connect those in need with services throughout state government and with nonprofits, including churches, who can provide food, clothing and shelter for those in crisis. That means there is no executive director of the Hope Florida program, she added. But the Hope Florida Foundation, which is a nonprofit, is a separate entity. She said that group has a board and later in the hearing said its chairman is Josh Hay, CEO of Indelible Solutions, a Tallahassee-based management consulting firm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a nonprofit, the Hope Florida Foundation is required to file tax forms with the IRS that are required to be made available upon request by members of the public, but reporters from the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee Bureau have said they were turned away after making such a request at the Department of Children and Families headquarters in the capital. .@aglorios and I just went by @MyFLFamilies to get more information on DeSantis Hope Florida Foundation. Its a nonprofit. The IRS says nonprofits must produce 990s and Form 1023s immediately upon in-person requests. When we asked for those records, a spokesperson came out. We pic.twitter.com/314GwUWodk Lawrence Mower (@lmower3) April 4, 2025 The heightened scrutiny of Hope Florida comes as Casey DeSantis is said to be considering a run for governor in 2026 to replace her husband, Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is term-limited. DeSantis has pushed lawmakers to codify Hope Florida, which was started by Casey DeSantis in 2021, into law. At one point in the hearing, Harris said the Hope Florida program was simply trying to help those in need and implied lawmakers werent sharing that goal. Im not sure why were here," Harris said. "And I understand there are questions being asked and were doing our best to be transparent to answer but it does feel like were not aligned in this overall goal of helping families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its kind of sad, genuinely," she added. "This is the goal of helping individuals get back on their feet. I dont know whats wrong with that. Im going to take umbrage at that claim, Andrade replied. Were a separate government body tasked with oversight and direction of state agencies and we discover that state agencies are redirecting money secretly, at the eleventh hour, in a legal settlement without giving us any notice? And the accusation is that we dont care about helping Florida families? I take personal issue at that insinuation, Secretary. In a social media post later Wednesday, Harris appeared in a 4-minute video with other state agency heads who work with Hope Florida and its "navigators." "It was a complete ambush," she said of Andrade's questioning. "I'm deeply disappointed at the behavior and the tactics that were used ... particularly by the chair," adding that he engaged in "smear attacks." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his own post on X, Andrade said it looked "like a hostage video," adding that his "heart goes out to these public servants whove been put in a position to defend the terrible financial mismanagement of others in the @GovRonDeSantis administration." (This story was updated to add new information.) Gray Rohrer is a reporter with the USA TODAY Network-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at grohrer@gannett.com. Follow him on X: @GrayRohrer. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Hope Florida under fire for lack of oversight, $10M settlement Thirty-five years ago Richland landfill workers made a grisly discovery. A babys body was found amid the piles of trash. Now the Benton County coroner is hoping to solve the mystery of the childs identity. Bill Leach exhumed the body of Baby Doe from Richlands Resthaven Cemetery on Tuesday morning. Thanks to a grant from a Texas-based laboratory, he plans to extract DNA from a bone and search for a genetic link to the babys family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the second of four unidentified bodies at the Resthaven Cemetery that Leach has exhumed. This has always been on my radar, he said. A baby born and then put in the ground unknown is a terrible thing. Baby Doe was discovered in May 1989 by a heavy equipment operator at the landfill. The infant was likely a day or two old and still had its umbilical cord. The babys gender has never been made public. Richalnd Detective Cameron Fancher and Benton County Coroner Bill Leach photograph the wooden casket of Baby Doe before it was lifted from the ground Tuesday at the Resthaven Cemetery in Richland. Police and landfill employees called the discovery a freak accident because of the large volume of garbage coming into the landfill each day, according to follow-up story written in 2004. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Richland Cemetery Association donated a burial plot for a proper burial and helped pay for a grave marker. Einans at Sunset Funeral Home arranged for a graveside service. Richland police searched in vain for the childs identity. Leach said the initial autopsy determined the baby was not born premature and it wasnt clear if the baby was alive or dead when it was dumped, though there were no signs that it was killed. Investigators at the time sent samples in for DNA testing, but the technology was still new at the time and it didnt net any results, said Leach. Even a decade later, there was little hope of discovering the babys identity. The marker for the Baby Doe that was exhumed from the Resthaven Cemetery in Richland for DNA testing. Othram DNA testing The babys DNA will the second case the Benton County coroner has sent to the Texas-based laboratory Othram. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first was from the body of a woman discovered in the Columbia River near the blue bridge in September 1986. A person researching grave sites discovered the Jane Doe on findagrave.com and called Leach to ask if he had any information about her. The wood casket of Baby Doe sits in the ground before it was exhumed Tuesday at the Resthaven Cemetery in Richland for DNA testing. After testing, searching databases and interviews, Leach and Benton County sheriffs deputies determined it was the body of Patricia Kay Rodriguez. The mother of four disappeared after stopping by a Yakima restaurant on her way to work in 1983. While police werent able to use the information to determine how she died, they solved part of the mystery for her children and other family members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Othram uses forensic genetic genealogy techniques to solve cold cases and to determine the identity of bodies. They compare their samples to publicly available databases looking for relatives. The lab has solved several cases around Washington state. The Woodland, Texas companys technology enables the U.S. National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, according to their website. The laboratory has helped solve a 1978 murder in Spokane, identified the body of a man found in a wooded area near Newport and IDd a man based on a small fragment of his skull found in the Spokane River. They also helped identify a body discovered on Franklin Countys Scootney Reservoir in 2021. Benton County Coroner Bill Leach, left and Deputy Coroner Nicole Lee lift the fragile wood casket with Baby Doe after it was exhumed Tuesday at the Resthaven Cemetery in Richland.. Baby Doe mystery The search for Baby Does relatives may be more difficult because the child appeared to be abandoned shortly after being born, Leach said. The baby isnt likely to have a birth certificate and there may not be anyone looking for them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were hoping to find a sibling or, ideally, the parents, Leach said. Finding the family is the ultimate goal and putting a name with the baby and then maybe reuniting the baby with the family so it can be in the right place. Its not clear at this point whether there was a crime involved. Leach said the search wont be easy. If somebody is aware who this is, if they were just to call the Richland Police Department and speak to Detective Cameron Fancher and explain to them what they know that would be a huge benefit to this investigation, he said. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is running for the U.S. Senate in a primary challenge against Republican Sen. John Cornyn, setting up what is likely to become one of the GOPs most contentious and expensive contests of 2026. Paxton, a close ally of President Donald Trump, made the announcement Tuesday after spending more than a year openly flirting with a Senate challenge. During that time, Paxton has sought to position himself as a national leader among the GOPs ascendant hard right, launching some of the first criminal investigations in the U.S. over abortion bans and gender-affirming care for transgender youth. His entry into the race, which he made official in an interview on Fox News "The Ingraham Angle," comes as Paxton is no longer shadowed by legal troubles that had hung over him for nearly a decade but did not weaken his ability to win reelection twice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I'm running for U.S. Senate to fight for President Trump's agenda and take a sledgehammer to the D.C. establishment, Paxton said in a post on X. Together, let's send John Cornyn packing. Cornyn's campaign responded by calling his challenger a fraud" and leaning into Paxton's historic impeachment in 2023 after eight of his closest aides accused him of corruption and reported him to the FBI. Paxton was later acquitted in a trial the Texas Senate, where his wife is a state senator but was not allowed to cast a vote. This will be a spirited campaign and we assure Texans they will have a real choice when this race is over," Cornyn's campaign said in a statement. Paxton's decision to enter the race highlights his political resiliency and popularity among Texas Republicans after a decade of legal woes that, at times, seemed to imperil his future: felony securities fraud charges, impeachment after an extraordinary revolt by his closest aides and an FBI corruption investigation. Paxton reached a deal to end the criminal case and the Biden administration quietly decided not to prosecute him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cornyn, a respected and popular senator within the GOP conference in Washington, will likely now have to face his most competitive campaign since taking office in 2002. He recently lost his bid to lead the GOP as Senate majority leader in November after he spent several years as Sen. Mitch McConnells No. 2 in leadership. A former Texas attorney general and state Supreme Court justice, Cornyn has helped the party raise millions of dollars throughout his decades-long career and has worked with Democrats on bipartisan bills. Cornyn has received criticism from Paxton and other Republicans after he suggested that Trump might not be the best Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential election. Paxton has also expressed discontent with Cornyns support of a 2022 bipartisan gun bill that strengthened background checks for buyers under 21, increased prosecution for unlicensed sellers and funds for youth mental health services in the wake of the Uvalde, Texas, elementary school shooting that killed 19 children and two teachers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amidst several legal battles, the Texas attorney general has become a well-known figure on the right for his litigation against former President Joe Biden. Notably, Paxton led a lawsuit attempting to overturn Trump's loss to Biden in 2020, an effort that the U.S. Supreme Court rejected. In 2023, the GOP-controlled Texas House voted to impeach Paxton for bribery offenses related to a wealthy real estate donor before his acquittal in the Senate, where Paxton was once a lawmaker. The Justice Department decided not to pursue its investigation into Paxton over the allegations in the final weeks of former President Bidens term, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. Earlier this month, a district court awarded a combined $6.6 million to four former senior Paxton aides in a whistleblower lawsuit after they were fired shortly after reporting Paxton's actions to the FBI. Paxton's office has said he will appeal. In 2022, when Paxton was last on the ballot, Republican George P. Bush made Paxton's legal troubles the cornerstone of a primary challenge. Paxton won easily in a runoff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Democrat has yet to enter next year's Senate race in Texas, where their party hasnt won a statewide office in more than 30 years. ___ Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer and Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Nadia Lathan is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Tuesday he will challenge U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in next years midterm elections, setting up a barnburner clash of two Republican titans that is poised to reverberate across state and national politics. The contest, teased by Paxton for months, promises to be among the most heated and expensive Republican primaries in the country and in recent Texas history. It also marks the latest flashpoint in a power struggle between the Texas GOPs hardline, socially conservative wing which views Paxton as a standard-bearer and the Cornyn-aligned, business-minded Republican old guard. Appearing on Fox News host Laura Ingrahams show, Paxton said it was time for a change in Texas as he announced his Senate bid and blasted Cornyns lack of production over his 22 years in the upper chamber. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Ken Paxtons legal woes are lifting, clearing a path for a likely Senate run] We have another great U.S. senator, Ted Cruz, and it's time we have another great senator that will actually stand up and fight for Republican values, fight for the values of the people of Texas, and also support Donald Trump in the areas that he's focused on in a very significant way, Paxton said. And that's what I plan on doing. Paxtons candidacy poses the most serious threat to Cornyns political career in decades. It would mark a watershed moment in the Texas GOPs factional struggle if Paxton not long removed from an array of career-threatening legal battles and impeachment by his own party managed to topple Cornyn, a mainstay of Texas politics who had an early hand in the states Republican takeover and reached the upper rungs of Senate GOP leadership. Wasting no time framing himself as the outsider in the race, Paxton wrote on social media he was running to take a sledgehammer to the D.C. establishment, while calling for voters to send John Cornyn packing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cornyn has easily fended off competition from the right even as his party has taken a sharp turn in that direction. But now, the four-term senator is facing more serious heat over his support for military aid to Ukraine, his public skepticism about Trumps electability ahead of the 2024 election, and his role leading Senate negotiations on a bill aimed at limiting gun violence that included a provision to tighten access to guns for those convicted of domestic abuse. Still, Cornyn has remained defiant in the face of Paxtons long-expected challenge and after losing his bid to become the next Senate majority leader the first defeat of his political career. Since then, he has taken on new committee assignments, putting himself on several key panels that will oversee major priorities of President Donald Trump. He ended last year with $4.1 million cash on hand, then launched his reelection bid last month with a video touting his time as Senate GOP whip delivering the votes for Trumps biggest wins in the first years of his presidency. Those included Trumps 2017 tax cuts and the confirmation of Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. During Trumps first term, Cornyn voted more than 92% of the time with the presidents agenda and voted for every one of Trumps executive and judicial appointees. He has followed a similar pattern since Trump won back the White House, again backing all the presidents nominees, including controversial picks who attracted skepticism from GOP lawmakers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Cornyns campaign responded to Paxtons announcement by labeling him a fraud. This will be a spirited campaign and we assure Texans they will have a real choice when this race is over, the spokesperson said, adding that Texas needs a battle-tested conservative who wont be outsmarted by Chuck Schumer, the Democratic minority leader. As the Cornyn-Paxton clash gets underway, perhaps the biggest looming question is whether Trump will throw his support and considerable clout in primaries behind either candidate. The presidents endorsement has helped boost numerous GOP candidates in crowded Texas primaries since he became entrenched as the partys most popular figure nearly a decade ago. [Attorney General Ken Paxtons former aides win $6.6 million in whistleblower case] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paxton has long been a close ally of Trump, famously waging an unsuccessful legal challenge to Trumps 2020 election loss in four battleground states. He also spoke at the pro-Trump rally that preceded the deadly U.S. Capitol riot in January 2021. Paxtons loyalty was rewarded with an endorsement from Trump in the 2022 primary, which helped the attorney general fend off three prominent GOP challengers, including then-Land Commissioner George P. Bush who, like Cornyn, went to great lengths to court Trump. Trump also came to Paxtons defense when he was impeached in 2023 for allegedly accepting bribes and abusing the power of his office to help a wealthy friend and campaign donor. After Paxton was acquitted in the Texas Senate, Trump claimed credit, citing his intervention on his Truth Social platform. The impeachment case was one of several political and legal storms Paxton has weathered within the last two years. Last year, prosecutors agreed to drop nine-year-old felony securities fraud charges against Paxton that had loomed over nearly his entire tenure as attorney general. In exchange, Paxton had to perform 100 hours of community service and pay restitution to those he was accused of defrauding when he allegedly solicited investors in a technology company without disclosing that the firm was paying him to promote its stock. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In January, the Texas Supreme Court dismissed the State Bar of Texass case against Paxton over his attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Lawyers from the bars Commission on Lawyer Discipline had sought to sanction Paxton for falsely claiming to have uncovered major evidence of election wrongdoing and, the bar lawyers argued, forcing battleground states to expend time, money, and resources to respond to the misrepresentations and false statements. Paxton also closed the door recently on a federal investigation into corruption allegations lodged with the FBI by former Paxton aides, who reported Paxton over his alleged relations with Nate Paul, a friend and Austin real estate investor. The whistleblowers accused Paxton of abusing his office to do favors for Paul, including by hiring an outside lawyer to investigate claims made by Paul and providing him confidential law enforcement documents. The Department of Justice quietly decided in the final weeks of the Biden administration not to prosecute Paxton, the Associated Press reported last week. Those same allegations formed the basis of Paxtons impeachment, in which House investigators also claimed that, in return for favors from Paxton, Paul paid for renovations at an Austin home owned by Paxton and his wife and also employed a woman with whom Paxton was having an extramarital affair. A final case remains unresolved: the whistleblower lawsuit from four deputies who said they were illegally fired for reporting Paxton to law enforcement. A Travis County district court judge awarded the aides $6.6 million last week; Paxton slammed it as a ridiculous judgment that is not based on the facts or the law, and vowed to appeal the bogus ruling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cornyns campaign spokesperson took aim at Paxton over the latter episode, saying, Ken claims to be a man of faith but uses fake Uber accounts to meet his girlfriend and deceive his family. The statement added that Paxton says his impeachment trial was a sham but he didnt contest the facts in legal filings, a reference to Paxtons effort to end the whistleblower lawsuit by stating he would no longer contest the facts of the case despite the fact that the allegations by the whistleblowers were similar to the ones his lawyers had vigorously disputed during the impeachment trial. Early polling points to a competitive race between Cornyn and Paxton. A January statewide survey by the University of Houstons Hobby School of Public Affairs found that 36% of GOP primary voters definitely would consider pulling the lever for Paxton, compared to 32% for Cornyn. More voters said they might consider voting for Cornyn than Paxton, however, and a higher percentage said they would never vote for Paxton 19%, compared to 15% who said the same about Cornyn. Paxton is starting with stronger approval than Cornyn among conservative voters, according to a February poll by the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin. The survey logged 62% approval and just 12% disapproval for Paxton among those voters, compared to 45% approval for Cornyn and 26% disapproval. The attorney general was in especially good standing with voters who identified as strong Republican, a group that wields outsized clout in Texas low-turnout primaries; just 5% of them said they disapproved of Paxton, compared to 18% for Cornyn. Cornyn has been vocal about Paxtons legal troubles over the years. In 2022, days before Paxtons primary runoff against challenger George P. Bush, Cornyn said he was very disturbed by Paxtons then-unresolved indictment on felony securities fraud charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the chief law enforcement officer of the state of Texas. And its a source of embarrassment to me that that has been unresolved, Cornyn told reporters at the time. Paxton doesn't have to give up his seat to run against Cornyn, but his congressional bid means he can't run for reelection as attorney general, since that election is also next year. Katharine Wilson contributed to this report. Disclosure: University of Texas at Austin and University of Houston 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. Tickets are on sale now for the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, Texas breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov. 1315 in downtown Austin. Get tickets before May 1 and save big! TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched his long-anticipated campaign Tuesday for the 2026 Senate race to challenge Sen. John Cornyn, settling up what is expected to be a bitter and expensive primary that some fear could hurt Republicans in the general election. Paxton, a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump who was acquitted in 2023 by the GOP-dominated state Senate in an impeachment trial, cast himself as similar to fellow Texan Sen. Ted Cruz as he made his announcement in a Fox News interview. Its definitely time for a change in Texas, Paxton said. We have another great U.S. senator in Ted Cruz. And its time we have another great senator that will actually stand up and fight for republican values, fight for the values of the people of Texas, and also support Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paxtons announcement sets up what is likely to be a tough battle with Cornyn, a longtime senator who recently secured an endorsement from Senate Majority Leader John Thune. This, after Cornyn came in second last year to Thune in the fight to replace Sen. Mitch McConnell for the chambers top post. Polls have shown Paxton with higher levels of support among the more conservative voters who tend to show up in high numbers for a primary. But a tough campaign that tacks hard to the right could be expensive for both candidates and could cost either of them support among moderates in the general election. Both men will be eagerly courting an endorsement from Trump, whose influence could weigh heavily in the state. On the Democratic side, Colin Allred, a former member of Congress and professional football player who was defeated by Cruz last year, is seriously considering a run, according to the Dallas Morning News. Cornyn and Paxton have clashed repeatedly over the years, with Cornyn dinging the MAGA firebrand for his legal difficulties and Paxton assailing the senator over what he sees as insufficient support for Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paxton said on Fox News' The Ingraham Angle that Cornyn has been ineffective. Hes had 24 years of this which I think is plenty given his lack of production, Paxton said. Its hard to think of the things that hes done good for Texas or the country. Minutes after his announcement, Cornyns campaign slammed the Texas attorney general in a statement posted on X. Ken Paxton is a fraud, the Cornyn campaign said in a statement on Tuesday. He talks tough on crime and then lets crooked progressive Lina Hidalgo off the hook. He says his impeachment trial was a sham but he didnt contest the facts in legal filings which will cost the state millions. He says hes anti-woke but he funnels millions of taxpayer dollars to lawyers who celebrate DEI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paxton was impeached by the Texas House on corruption charges in 2023 before being acquitted by the state Senate. The attorney general, who has stared down criminal investigations for years, faces charges that included bribery after an investigation found he used his office to help Austin real estate developer Nate Paul, a friend and donor. Paxton and Cornryn clashed in one memorable exchange last year, over the senator's vote in favor of a $95 billion foreign aid package. Ken, your criminal defense lawyers are calling, Cornyn hit back on X. Cornyns campaign disputed the notion that he isnt an effective supporter of Trump in the Senate. During his first term John Cornyn voted with President Trump more than 95% of current Senators, securing the votes for his biggest accomplishments as his Whip, the campaign said. Democrats are trying to destroy President Trump, and he and Texas need a battle-tested conservative who knows how to protect his agenda in the Senate and won't be outsmarted by Chuck Schumer. AUSTIN (Nexstar) A bill designed to create a buffer zone between Texas public schools and the facilities that provide services to people experiencing homelessness received mostly positive feedback from the public, but some worry about unintended consequences. Senate Bill 2623, authored by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R Conroe, would create school safety zones. A facility that provides homeless services would not be allowed to operate anywhere in a 1,500-foot radius from a public school property line. Originally, the bill called for a 1.5-mile radius but the Republican senator changed that language at a committee hearing Tuesday. Homeless services include shelter, medical care, meals, drug rehabilitation, job training, financial assistance and mental health treatment, according to the bill. The bill would establish a School Safety Zones Task Force, a four-member team appointed by the governor, to identify facilities that fall within that zone and to report back to the legislature with recommendations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any facility that is operated by a county or municipality that refuses to cease service operations could have tax dollars withheld, and any provider that does not stop providing services could face a monetary penalty. The bill is designed to make the area around public schools safer for students and families. Creighton agrees the navigation services provide essential services to people who are experiencing homelessness, but he said the location of those services does matter. While they often provide essential services, like meals and housing, many also operate as behavioral health treatment sites and distribute resources, like Narcan. These efforts are important, but that does not make every location appropriate. No parent should have to walk their child by Narcan vending machines on the way to school or spend their weekends cleaning up used needles from a school playground. Its simply common sense that facilities designed to serve high-risk populations should not be placed next to our schools, Creighton said while laying out his bill to the committee. Many of the people who testified on the bill Tuesday afternoon thanked the senator for reducing the size of the school safety zone. The original 1.5-mile radius would have impacted many facilities across the state, including Haven for Hope in San Antonio. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The facility serves 85% of San Antonios homeless population, providing wrap-around services to help people experiencing homelessness return to the community as self-sustainable. Currently the facility houses 1,600 people. It has a few schools surrounding its 22-acre property and officials there were concerned by the original bill. I struggle to see how we would be able to continue to be in operation with the way the bill is currently written, David Huete, the vice president of programs for Haven for Hope, said before learning about the bills changes. Ginny Stafford, the CEO of Mid-Coast Family Services, testified at the Capitol. Mid-Coast Family Services is a nonprofit that provides homeless services in Victoria, Texas and surrounding counties. Stafford mentioned that her services are located in the middle of town, where most homeless people congregate, but that is where a majority of older schools are located as well. She is worried there may be unintended consequences from the bill. Im worried that the one-size-fits-all approach wont fit for all communities. Problems that you may experience in Austin are not what we experience in Victoria or whats experienced in Dallas, Stafford said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ryan Davenport, a former educator in Dallas Independent School District, testified against the bill saying it was almost there. He recommends the state provide an exemption to providers who are serving homeless youths and families with school-aged kids. Even limiting the distance to 1,500 feet can still put the brakes on critical services for our most vulnerable Texans, Davenport said. The Texas Office of the Attorney General would be responsible for enforcement. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton made headlines late last year when his office sued a homeless service provider operating across the street from an elementary school in Austin. The provider, Sunrise Navigation Center, said on its website it offers pathways to housing for people experiencing homelessness through low-barrier access to wraparound services by providing innovative, trauma-informed, and person-centered programming that engages our communities and leads system-wide transformation. According to its website, Sunrise staff helped nearly 11,000 clients in 2023, served nearly 80,000 meals and answered about 30,000 hotline calls. Neighbors in the area have complained about the homeless activity around the facility. The AGs lawsuit claimed Sunrise had become a staging ground for prolific drug use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mark Hilbelink, the executive director for Sunrise Navigation Center, said in a statement about the bill, While its great that the Senate is talking about one of the largest challenges in Texas, attempting to do so only via complaints and hindering the very organizations who bravely and thanklessly stand in the gap is counterproductive. Families with school-aged children are one of the fastest-growing parts of the homeless population in Texas, so attempting to set school districts and homeless service providers against each other is both inaccurate and unhelpful. The statement went on to say, Around 4,000 school-aged children experienced homelessness just in the Austin area last year and that would be a better place to focus the attention of our legislative support. The very service providers who would suffer from this sort of bill the most are also the ones helping families and school districts the most. The bill was left pending in 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. We recently published a list of Jim Cramer Reveals Stocks Benefiting From Tariff Selloff & Discusses These 8 Stocks. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) stands against other stocks that Jim Cramer discusses. In his appearance on CNBCs Squawk on the Street on Thursday, Jim Cramer commented on small-cap stocks, Mexican stocks, homebuilder stocks, and sectors that the money moving out of tariff-exposed stocks might flow into. Commenting on the fact that Mexican stocks thrived while US stocks sank, Cramer linked the countrys decision to work with President Trump as being behind the strong performance. I know well look I, they turned out to be not bad, he said. You paid the piper and you bring the stuff in. The pipers not as bad as you thought. And its really good, Cramer added. Shifting to the small-cap stocks, Cramer explained why the Russel index had entered a bear market. The index lost 10.7% on Thursday and Friday, and according to Cramer, the downward movement is due to multiples shrinking. He shared: This is a multiple shrinking. Were going to go to 16 times 26 numbers. Thats how you have to figure it out. You just take look at those. And thats where were gonna go. The CNBC host didnt hold back when it came to either clarity or calling the tariffs reciprocal. He reiterated that the markets were reducing valuation multiples as tariffs can impact corporate earnings. According to him: . . we wont get clarity. Like everyone was thinking about that so called clearing event. That was nothing. Reciprocal as we said we threw out immediately. I just think that youre downsized. And you ought to keep some capital so that when we get there, because we can get there. Im not saying the end of the world, but I am saying, yeah, were going back to a very low multiple. He added: I came on the Today Show, in 2007 and I said if you needed money anytime in the next five years, you should sell. And it was a great call. As for homebuilder stocks, Cramer pointed out that rates are coming down. Mortgage rates are coming down pretty severely, and wondered if this means that its time to buy. I mean, do you buy the homebuilders, he wondered. Elaborating further on capital flows during the selloff, he outlined: A Texas federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked the removals of three Venezuelan men under the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 wartime statute that President Donald Trump has invoked to justify sweeping deportations of noncitizens accused of being Tren de Aragua gang members. The order out of Brownsville builds on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling Monday that said federal agents must give timely notice and allow detainees to appeal if they are targeted for deportation under the act. The three men are being held at the El Valle Detention Center in Raymondville, a short drive from the Texas-Mexico border. Lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union dispute the government's claim that the men are members of the Tren de Aragua gang. All three of the men have faced persecution under the Venezuelan government or from Tren de Aragua members, according to their petition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No immigration court has issued a final order of removal against them, the federal judge's ruling noted. In a four-page ruling, Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. nodded to a recent case in which a Maryland father was mistakenly sent to an El Salvador prison alongside alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang. "If the United States erroneously removed an individual to another country based on the Proclamation, a substantial likelihood exists that the individual could not be returned to the United States," Rodriguez wrote, citing the Justice Department's argument that a district court cannot force the government to bring Kilmar Abrego Garcia home after deporting him. The ruling keeps the government from immediately deporting the three men or any other El Valle Detention Center detainees under Trump's March 15 proclamation invoking the wartime order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though Venezuela has not declared war on the U.S., Trump proclaimed that Tren de Aragua is attempting to invade the United States through "mass illegal migration" and said it supports Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's "goal of destabilizing democratic nations in the Americas, including the United States." The ACLU sued Trump and administration officials in federal court in Brownsville on Wednesday morning, asking the judge to rule that the president's application of the Alien Enemies Act is unconstitutional. The lawsuit comes after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to weigh in on that question Monday, saying civil rights lawyers needed to sue in Texas where the detainees in the case are confined rather than in Washington. Rodriguez set a hearing in the case for Friday, where he will consider a more permanent ruling. The temporary restraining order will expire April 23. One of the men cited in the petition, J.A.V., is a gay man who has "already suffered physical violence and harassment on account of his sexual orientation in Venezuela," including from Tren de Aragua, according to the ACLU's complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another, a tattoo artist identified as J.G.G., was imprisoned, beaten and tortured by Venezuelan police and fears they will do the same if he returns, ACLU lawyers wrote, because a family member is a dissident known to Maduro's government. The third petitioner is a Brooklyn resident whom Immigration and Customs Enforcement identified as a Tren de Aragua member on March 7 a claim his lawyers deny before swiftly transferring him to Texas. Two of the three men were not allowed to appear at scheduled immigration court hearings, per the petition. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to the American-Statesman's request for comment. Also Wednesday, a federal judge in New York signaled that he would temporarily block the Trump administration from removing two other Venezuelan men under the Alien Enemies Act, The Associated Press reported. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas federal judge temporarily blocks deportations of 3 Venezuelans The alarm bells are ringing. Texas faces a child care crisis that demands immediate action. It's time raise our voices and demand that our state leaders prioritize the needs of working families and invest in the future of our economy. The stakes are simply too high to ignore. Consider these stark realities: Nearly 95,000 Texas children languish on waiting lists for the state subsidies they need to access child care services. This isn't just a number. It represents tens of thousands of families across 70% of Texas' counties struggling to balance work and parenthood. It represents 95,000 missed opportunities for early childhood development and 95,000 potential setbacks for our state's future. The impact of this child care shortage ripples far beyond individual families. The child care sector is a powerful economic engine. In 2022, child care generated a staggering $12.6 billion in economic impact in Texas, according to The Conference Board Committee for Economic Development 2024 report. This includes $4.9 billion in direct child care revenue and an additional $7.66 billion in spillover effects across other industries. We're talking about $4.86 billion in household earnings and 210,544 million jobs. To put it bluntly, child care isn't just a social issue; it's a critical economic issue. Angie Ellis plays with JeKai Neal, then 11 months, at Bright Beginnings child care center in North Austin in late January. Nearly 95,000 Texas children are on a waiting list for the subsidies they need to access child care. In Texas, more than 140,000 people are employed by the child care industry, generating millions in purchases of goods and services, further fueling economic activity. Yet, this vital sector is teetering on the brink of collapse as rising costs outpace what families can afford, making the business unsustainable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That means businesses and nonprofits alike are struggling to retain employees who are forced to reduce hours or leave the workforce entirely due to a lack of affordable and accessible child care. With child care, we have an increased labor force, a stronger economy and brighter futures for our children. Without it, parents are forced to make impossible choices, reducing work hours or opting out of the workforce altogether, hindering their career progression and impacting their families' financial stability. The consequences are clear: This will continue to weaken our economy. Texas has 365 zip codes designated as child care deserts. These are communities where access to quality child care is anywhere from severely lacking to virtually non-existent. Furthermore, Texas provides assistance to only 14% of the children who qualify for child care subsidies. The vast majority of low-income families are left struggling, unable to access the care their children need to thrive. We urge Texans and lawmakers to support increased state funding to serve more children on the waiting list and implement these three measures: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Bill 972/House Bill 2294, to allow local workforce boards to increase reimbursement rates to child care providers who provide care under the state-funded subsidy program. SB 462/HB 3807, to give a priority spot on the waiting list for child care subsidies to families in which a parent is a child care worker. SB 599/HB 4127, to ease the regulatory burden on home-based child care providers by preventing local communities from adding their own rules on top of the state ones. This crisis demands a comprehensive and urgent response. We must invest our time, energy and resources to pressure our state leaders to take action. We must invest in our children, the foundation of our future. We must invest in our families, the backbone of our communities. And we must invest in the well-being of our economy, the engine of our prosperity. Kim Kofron is the senior director of education at Children at Risk, a Texas-based, nonpartisan research and advocacy group. Audrey Rowland is the president of the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas lawmakers must address the child care crisis | Opinion Caitlin Baker broke down in tears Tuesday as she told members of the Texas Senate's criminal justice committee why she was opposed to a proposed bill involving changes to the Michael Morton Act. The bill would allow prosecutors to just provide relevant evidence to defense lawyers. Allowing only relevant evidence to be provided in the Morton case, Baker said, is what led the killer to evade justice and later kill her mother. The act requires prosecutors to give defense attorneys any evidence that is material to the case. But district attorneys testified Tuesday that the proposed bill would help close gaps in the Morton Act and protect victims. More: House approves Michael Morton Act Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The act, passed in 2013, requires prosecutors to open their files to defendants and to keep records of the evidence they disclose. It is named for Michael Morton, who was wrongfully convicted in 1987 of the murder of his wife in Williamson County after a prosecutor withheld evidence that would have shown he was not guilty. Morton served 25 years in prison before he was exonerated in 2011, when DNA evidence showed that someone else had killed his wife. Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, introduced SB 1124. Parts of the bill, SB 1124, proposed by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, would change the act by allowing prosecutors to only provide evidence they think is relevant and allowing courts to withhold a defendant's request for evidence if the request is too burdensome or involves the security or privacy of any victim or witness. Huffman said on Tuesday that the bill is meant to address problems caused by a Texas trial court decision in 2016 that allowed relevant evidence to be suppressed even though prosecutors had not knowingly withheld the evidence. Williamson County Attorney Shawn Dick testified on Tuesday that he had problems with the issue in a case where someone was charged with indecency with a child by sexual contact involving four children. While the case was pending, the prosecution realized that police had the defendant's cell phone in their custody, Dick said. He said investigators found pictures of child porn on the phone, but a visiting judge said the phone had been in police custody too long and could not be presented as evidence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Huffman's proposed bill would prevent judges from "acting on a whim" to suppress evidence, Dick said, and would put "guardrails" on the Michael Morton Act by requiring courts to make findings before they can suppress evidence that was not knowingly withheld, he said. Chase Baumgartner, an attorney with the Innocence Project of Texas, said at the hearing Tuesday that he disagreed with the proposed bill because it narrows the evidence that prosecutors must turn over. Baumgartner said he also disagreed with the part of the proposed bill allowing courts to withhold a defendant's request for evidence if the request is too burdensome. "When there is limited discovery on this type of evidence," he said, "wrongful convictions happen." More: Another life sentence for Norwood, and some comfort for victims family Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A year after Morton was wrongfully convicted of his wife's death, Baker's mother was murdered in 1988. Mark Norwood was later convicted of both killings. Caitlin Baker said on Tuesday that Norwood should have been arrested in 1986 because the district attorney's office had the evidence in the Morton case but didn't consider it relevant and put the wrong man in prison. The evidence was a bandana that had Norwood's DNA mixed with Christine Morton's blood on it. The bandana wasn't tested until 2011. "That her death was preventable makes it so much worse," she said. "I have to urge you to vote against this bill as written," she said to committee members. Morton said in a text on Tuesday that he did not attend the hearing because it was "kind of scheduled at the last minute." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I oppose the bill," he said. "As a matter of fact, a few weeks ago, I flew to Austin on my own and met with Senator Huffman one-on-one to express my concerns." He did not provide details about what his concerns were. The committee made no decision about the bill on Tuesday because it did not have a quorum present. It may vote the bill out at a later time to be presented to the Senate. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Senate Bill 1124 proposes these changes to Michael Morton Act AUSTIN (KXAN) On Wednesday, Texas Supreme Court Justice Jeff Boyd announced his plans to retire this summer before the end of his second term. Boyds decision to step down means Gov. Greg Abbott will appoint a replacement to serve the remainder of his term. Boyd was appointed in 2012 by former Gov. Rick Perry, and won reelection in 2014 and 2020. He did not give a reason for his retirement. Throughout his service on the Supreme Court, Justice Boyd has been a model of integrity, impartiality, and diligence, said Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas Supreme Court Justices serve staggered six-year times in partisan statewide elections. When a vacancy occurs, the governor can appoint a justice to serve the remainder of the term, subject to Senate confirmation. Justices must be at least 35 years old, a Texas citizen, licensed to practice law in Texas and have practiced for at least 10 years. The position has no term limits. Boyd attended Abilene Christian University and graduated summa cum laude from Pepperdine University School of Law. In 2011, he joined the governors office as general council, a year later filling Justice Dale Wainwrights unexpired term. Abbott has appointed six of the nine current Supreme Court Justices, including Blacklock. He has yet to announce Boyds replacement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. April 9 (UPI) -- An American academic has been arrested in Thailand on accusations of insulting the monarchy, prompting the United States late Tuesday to express alarm and to urge authorities to respect freedom of expression. Dr. Paul Chambers, a Thai studies scholar and lecturer at Thailand's Naresuan University, turned himself in to authorities at Mueang Phitsanulok Police Station at 9 a.m. local time Tuesday on a court-issued warrant and was taken into pre-trial detention, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. Representatives from the group of human rights lawyers and social activists, staff from the U.S. Embassy in Thailand, six professors from his university and an interpreter were present when Chambers surrendered to authorities at the central Thailand police station, the group said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was arrested under a Feb. 27 charge sheet citing Section 112 of the lese-majeste Criminal Code, which states: "Whoever defames, insults or threatens the King, the Queen, the Heir-apparent or the Regent shall be punished with imprisonment of three to 15 years." He has also been charged under Thailand's Computer Crime Act. Chambers has been denied bail, the court citing him as a potential flight risk and pointing to the severity of the penalty he faces. According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, the charges stem from an Oct. 11 English-language post published on the website of Singaporean's ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. The post appears to have been a brief introduction or advertisement for an academic webinar on Thai studies, in which Chambers gave a talk on the Thai military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The allegedly offensive content appears to have been part of an event description introducing the seminar's topic and speakers -- not an authored article by Dr. Paul himself," the group said. Chambers denies posting the blurb or being associated with the website. He also denies knowing the person who created the website but acknowledged that he is aware of its existence and that it is well known in the academic field of Southeast Asian studies, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said. Tammy Bruce, a State Department spokesperson, in a statement Tuesday night, said they are "closely monitoring the situation." "The United States is alarmed by the arrest of U.S. citizen Paul Chambers in Thailand on lese majeste charges and the Computer Crimes Act," she said. "We are in communication with Thai authorities regarding this case." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Human Rights Watch, Chambers has been a target of royalist and untraconsevative groups for years who have spread disinformation about him online and have led a campaign to see him arrested. "The baseless prosecution of Paul Chambers poses a serious threat to academic freedom and free speech in Thailand," Elaine Pearson, Asia director at HRW, said in a statement. Thailand's lese-majeste laws have attracted condemnation for years over their use in detaining activists, human rights defenders and critics of the monarchy. Bruce said Chambers' arrest reinforces the State Department's "longstanding concerns" about the lese majeste laws and that they continue to urge Thai authorities to respect freedom of expression and ensure that laws are not used to stifle permitted expression." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "As a treaty ally of Thailand, we will closely monitor this issue and advocate for the fair treatment of Paul Chambers," she said. In late January, a group of United Nations experts condemned Thailand's continued use of the law, stating that it consistently finds the detention of individuals under Section 112 to be "arbitrary when it resulted from the exercise of the freedom of expression." Since 2020, more than 270 people have been detained, prosecuted and punished under the lese-majeste laws, according to the U.N. said. "Lese-majeste laws have no place in a democratic country," the U.N. experts said in a statement. "The widespread use of [the] law to punish human rights defenders, members of the political opposition, social activists, journalists and ordinary citizens who are merely expressing their views peacefully creates a chilling effect, silencing legitimate political expression." Rep. Jake Teshka, R-North Liberty, answers committee questions about the delta-8 regulatory bill he is sponsoring on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Legislation regulating a marijuana-like drug already available throughout Indiana inched closer to reality Wednesday, after clearing its third committee vote and another round of revisions in the House. It next heads to the chambers floor. Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, the major psychoactive component in marijuana, remains illegal in Indiana at concentrations above 0.3% by dry weight. But the low-THC and delta-8 THC business is booming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attempts to regulate the isomer have failed repeatedly, typically in the Senate. But when Senate Bill 478 crossed out of that chamber, House lawmakers got to work. Committees focused on commerce and finance vetted the measure, making substantive changes each time. On Wednesday, the House Courts and Criminal Code Committee got its turn, approving another set of edits intended to curry Senate support and avoid potentially messy negotiations. I certainly am one that thinks that the status quo is unacceptable, Rep. Jake Teshka, R-North Liberty, told the committee. And so, we need to get this bill in a position where we can get a concurrence over in the Senate. Senate Bill 478 sets out advertising, age-limit, licensing, packaging, testing and other requirements for the hemp-derived products. The Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission would gain regulatory power over the industry. Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission Deputy Director Chris Serrack answers committee questions about a delta-8 regulatory bill on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) A major amendment, taken by consent on Wednesday, sets a cap on the number of retail permits at 9,400. Chris Serrack, the commissions deputy director, said thats an estimate of how many retailers carry the products today about 75% of the current 12,000 tobacco certificate holders. The calculation doesnt include alcoholic beverage permittees with on-premise-only services, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first-come, first-serve system would function in contrast to the population-based model governing alcohol permits. Doing that for delta-8 would be burdensome, per Serrack, because it requires auctions and records-keeping. Several committee members feared those factors combined would lock businesses already selling the products out of the industry. The amended legislation also blocks the commission from issuing permits to grocery stores larger than 2,500 square feet or to any drug stores. It limits eligibility to convenience stores, and to current alcoholic beverage permittees for on-premise consumption. When asked why, Teshka told the committee, Again, my interest here is that we get a concurrence in the Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rationale, he continued, is that, you know, we want to limit the proliferation of these products. So, where theyre being sold now is where we should keep them. Another provision would require permit-holders to keep all craft hemp invoices and make them available for commission inspection. Other additions offer punishments for products adulterated with illegal substances and bans driving under the influence of any craft hemp products. The amendment also removed tax language added last week by the House Ways and Means Committee. Teshka said the provision would get moved elsewhere because new taxes must go in House-originated legislation. Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington, accentuated the rare third round of committee vetting while questioning Serrack about the new penalties. Rep. Wendy McNamara leads a committee hearing on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) I had a quick question on the penalties, since I guess thats what this committee is supposed to worry about the most, Pierce quipped. Were you involved in figuring out what the penalty should be? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Serrack affirmed his agencys involvement, and that the penalties were essentially mirrored from existing alcohol law. Earlier, Teshka indicated a third hearing wasnt always the plan. I appreciate you all. I know were getting to the end (of the legislative session) and we put an extra meeting on your calendar that wasnt there before, he told lawmakers, one day before the Thursday committee hearing deadline. Rep. Wendy McNamara told the Capital Chronicle that Senate Bill 478 was recommitted to her committee because it would create a new penalty structure. She said any new felonies typically come her way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The committee advanced the legislation on a 9-3 tally. Republicans were all three no votes. It heads to the House floor for potential further amendments, then a final vote. If the Houses numerous changes dont earn a Senate concurrence, representation from each chamber would have to negotiate a final version. Correction: This article has been updated to clarify the concentration at which delta-9 THC is expressly illegal. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Treasury confirmed to BI that Melanie Krause, the IRS' acting commissioner, will be leaving the agency. She is now the third IRS leader to leave in the past three months. The IRS is set to undergo further workforce reductions in the coming weeks. Another leader at the Internal Revenue Service will soon leave the agency. A Treasury spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider on Wednesday that acting IRS commissioner Melanie Krause is leaving her role. Krause is participating in the agency's second deferred resignation program, which would give her paid administrative leave through the end of September. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Melanie Krause has been leading the IRS through a time of extraordinary change," the spokesperson said. "As we focus on IT modernization and re-organize the agency to better serve the taxpayer, we are also in the midst of breaking down data silos that for too long have stood in the way of identifying waste, fraud, and abuse and bringing criminals to justice," the spokesperson added. "We believe these goals are critical to a more efficient government and safer country. We wish Melanie well on her next endeavor." The spokesperson said that Krause will remain in her role until "at least" May 15. Krause did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Krause is now the third IRS leader to leave the agency in the past three months. Former commissioner Danny Werfel, who was nominated by former President Joe Biden, left in January, and Doug O'Donnell, another top executive, retired just a month later. Two IRS employees told BI that Krause is still listed on the agency's HR system, and she likely will not be removed until the end of April, in accordance with the deferred resignation guidelines. The IRS has started to implement its workforce reduction plans, and more staffing cuts are expected in the coming weeks. On Tuesday, the IRS sent an email to staff, viewed by BI, offering them three routes to leave the agency: They could participate in the deferred resignation program, take a voluntary separation incentive payment, or voluntarily retire early. It followed an email sent to IRS employees on Friday, which BI viewed, confirming that the reduction-in-force plans have already begun and "each office will receive direct communication when their phase begins." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These reductions have been spurred by the Trump administration's DOGE office, under the de facto leadership of Elon Musk, which is seeking to reduce federal costs. Other federal agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education, have started terminating thousands of workers as part of their restructuring plans. Have a tip or story to share? 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 By Savyata Mishra (Reuters) -Levi Strauss maintained on Monday its annual forecast for sales and profit, excluding the impact of tariffs, and posted quarterly profit ahead of Wall Street targets, sending its shares up more than 7% in after hours trade. Sweeping tariffs by President Donald Trump have sparked concerns over a global downturn and sharp price hikes for items such as clothing and footwear. "While we recognize that we are operating in an uncertain environment, our global footprint, strong margin structure, and agile supply chain position us to navigate the balance of the year and beyond," President and Chief Executive Michelle Gass said in a statement on Monday. The company said in January that a diverse supply chain across 25 countries would allow it cross-source products. Levi imports only about 1% of its merchandise directly from China into the U.S., while that for Mexico was about 5%, its executives said in January. The retailer is looking at price increases as one of the mitigating measures, said Gass, adding that price increases will be "surgical." It has seen demand for wide-legged and skinny jeans hold up - a trend in line with rivals such as Abercrombie & Fitch and Gap - despite shoppers being selective in spending on discretionary items. In its quarterly filing with regulators, the company added that it was analyzing the impact of tariffs and what it could do to minimize impact. "We expect these new tariffs to have a material impact on our results of operations in fiscal year 2025," it added. It also said the environment could affect production and distribution. "If these disruptions persist, they may require us to modify our current sourcing practices, which may impact our product costs, and, if not mitigated, could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations," it warned. "Given that the situation is fluid and unprecedented, the (tariff) impacts are uncertain," CFO Harmit Singh said on a post-earnings call. Rachel Wolff, an analyst at eMarketer, said, "Levi Strauss' unchanged forecast shows the sheer impossibility of planning ahead, as uncertainty surrounding Trump's tariff moves paralyzes brands." As part of its plan to streamline operations, Levi said last October it was exploring a sale of Dockers, which has seen demand struggle. The company expects fiscal 2025 net revenue to be down in the range of 1% and 2% and adjusted earnings of $1.20 to $1.25 per share. On an adjusted basis, it earned a profit of 38 cents per share in the quarter, compared to estimates of 28 cents. (Reporting by Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru and Anuja Bharat Mistry; Editing by Alan Barona and Christopher Cushing) KINGSTON TWP., LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Police report they have arrested three people involved in multiple thefts at Hillside Farms. The Kingston Township Police Department stated they were told by The Lands at Hillside Farms about a series of thefts between March 30 and April 6. Through further investigation, officers said they arrested three people involved in the thefts, and they have been charged for these incidents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roofing firm fined $467K for reported safety violations The partnership between the KTPD and local businesses, such as The Lands at Hillside Farms, plays a vital role in maintaining a safe and thriving environment, stated officials with the Kington Township police. Police did not identify the suspects involved, nor did they say what was stolen at Hillside Farms. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com. Apr. 9---- Three drivers each suffered non-life-threatening injuries in a four-vehicle crash Wednesday morning on Minnesota Highway 23 between Priam and Willmar. All three of the injured drivers were transported to CentraCare Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar for treatment. According to a from the Sumani Malimu, 36, of Willmar, was driving a 2008 Chevrolet Impala westbound on Highway 23 near the intersection with 45th Avenue Southwest when he attempted to pass another vehicle, also traveling westbound. Malimu's vehicle collided with two eastbound vehicles a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee and a 2010 Ford Escape. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Krystal Enevoldsen, 34, of was identified as the driver of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and the driver of the Ford Escape is identified as Marlene Phillips, 65, of The fourth vehicle involved, a 2019 Buick Envision driven by Rebecca Gregoire, 43, of was also traveling eastbound, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. The Envision went into a ditch along the roadway; Gregoire did not suffer any injuries in the accident. All involved were wearing their seat belts when the crash occurred. Alcohol is not involved, according to the report. Air bags deployed in Malimu and Phillips' vehicles. Road conditions were dry when the crash was reported initially reported around 7:53 a.m. Wednesday. The Kandiyohi County Rescue Squad, Raymond Fire and Ambulance and the assisted the Minnesota State Patrol at the scene. JO DAVIESS COUTNY, Ill. (WTVO) Three firefighters were injured and taken by helicopter to a hospital after fighting a grass fire on Tuesday. Around 3 p.m., the Elizabeth Fire Protection District was called to a grass fire on South Rush Road. They were called to help Hanover Fire Protection extinguish the fire. Three firefighters were injured during the incident. Each firefighter was taken to the appropriate facilities by air ambulance and are currently in stable condition, authorities said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire was eventually extinguished. Jo Daviess County Emergency Managment said there is no risk to the public, and the Illinois State Fire Marshalls Office is investigating the incident. A burn ban has been implemented in Jo Daviess County by the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and is in effect until further notice. A GoFundMe has been started for donations for the firefighters recovery and their families. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. Temperatures are getting warmer and grass is getting greener. You may feel a sudden urge to return to your favorite hiking trail this spring! But not so fast. Tick season in Missouri is also nearing its peak meaning youll want to do a few things to prepare before hitting the trails. Ticks forage for food using a strategy known as questing. They climb to the top of tall grass and wait for a mammal or a person to pass by. They are most common in high animal traffic areas, including along the edges of hiking trails. There are 3 common types of ticks in the Ozarks. The most common type is the Lone Star Tick. The other common types are deer ticks and dog ticks. The most concerning as far as disease goes is the Lone Star tick. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Visit the Missouri Department of Conservation website for more on Missouri ticks. The Lone Star tick is the main culprit of alpha-gal syndrome, a disease that causes an allergic reaction to eating red meat. Other tick-borne diseases include Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, and more. So what can you do to lower your risk of a tick bite while enjoying nature? Its best to dress in long and tight clothing that covers your skin. A lightweight long-sleeve t-shirt is a good idea during the hot summer months. Long pants like jeans keep you from directly contacting grass where ticks can be lying in wait. You can also wear long socks that are tighter against your skin. This helps prevent ticks from being able to latch onto your feet and ankles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When looking at bug repellents, youll want to buy a repellent that has a higher concentration of deet. Most name brands contain 25% deet, but certain brands contain up to 40%. Other companies offer pyrethran repellents, but be sure to only apply this kind to your clothes and not directly to your skin. Ticks can be tricky to remove given their size, but you definitely want to remove them immediately. Use tweezers or a specific tick-removing tool when removing a tick. Youll want to pinch the tick as close to your skin as you can to avoid squeezing any of the ticks fluids into you (gross!). There are symptoms to watch out for after a tick bites you. Look for a reddish ring around the bite site, rash, headache, and aching muscles and joints. Seek medical attention if you notice these symptoms following a tick bite. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Editors Note: Call to Earth is a CNN editorial series committed to reporting on the environmental challenges facing our planet, together with the solutions. Rolexs Perpetual Planet Initiative has partnered with CNN to drive awareness and education around key sustainability issues and to inspire positive action. In late November, a gaggle of open-water swimmers set out from Sydneys Bondi Beach. About 500 meters (1,600 feet) from shore, they stopped and formed a line 150 meters (about 500 feet) long, treading water above the length of the beachs shark net. They hoped to demonstrate that the length of the net paled in comparison to that of the world-famous kilometer-long beach. And that if they could easily bypass the net, sharks can too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a bit of a joke for us when we swim over the top of or around the outside of the shark nets seeing how utterly useless they are, Kim Miller, an open-water swimmer based in Sydney, told CNN. Miller was out of town the day of the protest, but shes among a growing group of swimmers, surfers, animal welfare advocates, and others vocally opposed to shark nets, which have been used at Sydneys beaches every summer since 1937. A hammerhead shark entangled in a shark net at Palm Beach, one of Sydney's northern beaches, in 2019. - N. McLachlan/Humane World for Animals/AMCS A grey nurse shark entangled in a shark net in New South Wales. - NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development acquired under GIPA / Humane World for Animals Opponents of the nets which are installed at 51 beaches between Newcastle and Wollongong argue they are ineffective, outdated, and harmful to the ocean ecosystem. They say nets provide swimmers with a false sense of security. Some academic studies back up claims that the nets are not effective at keeping people safe. From September 2023 to April 2024, 255 marine creatures were entangled in shark nets in New South Wales (NSW). But only 15 of those animals were target species like great white, tiger and bull sharks. The rest were rays, turtles, dolphins, fish like longtail tuna, and sharks not considered dangerous. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marcel Green, the leader of the shark program at the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), which manages the nets, told CNN via email that whale alarms and dolphin pingers are used to deter those animals from the nets, and that nets arent used during the winter, because its the peak of the whale migration season. This year, amid growing opposition to the nets, they were removed on March 31, a month earlier than normal, due to increased turtle activity in April. And in recent months, in response to a survey sent out by the NSW government, asking local authorities to vote on the use of shark nets, none of the eight councils where shark nets are used elected to continue their use next season, according to Humane World for Animals. Now, the state government is set to decide if shark nets have a future in NSW. Beachgoers on a hot summer day at Sydney's Bondi Beach on December 9, 2023. - David Gray/AFP/Getty Images Politics over nets Going to the beach is a popular pastime in Australia, where almost 90% of the population lives within 50 kilometers (30 miles) of the coast. The countrys shoreline is also home to several species of sharks, including tiger, bull, and great white sharks, that are most frequently involved in serious injuries to humans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NSW has a comprehensive shark management program to try to keep beachgoers safe. In addition to nets, authorities use technologies like SMART drumlines, which consist of a buoy and a baited hook. When an animal is caught, authorities are alerted. Non-target animals are released, and sharks of target species are tagged and released farther out to sea. Later, if a tagged shark swims close to shore, the public is alerted via an app and updates to an X account. Drone patrols are also a common sight over the states beaches. If we know that we have more sophisticated measures that are better at protecting sharks, they dont kill non-target species, so why would we keep the nets in that mix? Jack Boyd, the mayor of Sutherland Shire council, one of the councils that participated in the survey, told CNN. Its not something that we considered flippantly, its not something thats a response to special interests, he added. It is something that is based on science. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the last 10 years there were, on average, 2.8 annual fatalities from shark incidents nationally, 20 cases a year where people were injured, and seven a year where the person was uninjured, according to the Taronga Conservation Society Australia, which works on the Australian Shark-Incident Database. For comparison, in 2023, 125 people drowned in the ocean, according to Surf Life Saving Australia, and there were 1,266 fatalities on Australian roads over the same period, according to official data. Since the meshing program began in 1937, there has only been one fatal shark incident at a netted beach, and that was back in 1951, says Green, of NSW DPIRD. He points to a 1997 study that says when they were first introduced, shark nets in NSW, Queensland and South Africa reduced the rate of shark incidents by about 90%. He added that to date, there has not been a shark bite while drones have been monitoring a beach. (Officials have been trialing the use of drones to detect sharks at NSW beaches since 2017). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to some experts, shark nets have become a political hot potato. I do not see anyone concerned with the safety of swimmers and surfers. I see people concerned with the next election and with political survival, Christopher Pepin-Neff, an associate professor in Public Policy at the University of Sydney, told CNN. A shark-spotting drone with a safety flotation device attached underneath flying over Bilgola beach north of Sydney in December 2017. - Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images The tensions over the future of shark nets were on full display in late February at a local council meeting in Randwick, home to Coogee, another popular Sydney beach, just a few kilometers south of Bondi. They do not form a barrier, deter, deflect, or stop sharks from swimming at beaches, Lauren Sandeman, a PhD researcher in human and shark interactions, told the council. Their goal is to entangle and kill whatever swims into the net. For others, the risk of changing tack is too great. If these shark nets were removed and some person is getting mauled by a shark and being killed, I couldnt face that persons partner or parent, said councilor Noel DSouza, before casting his vote to keep the nets in the water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another councilor, Carolyn Martin, who supported the nets told CNN that although it was a tough decision for her personally, her community just felt safer with the nets in. In the end, eight councilors voted to do away with shark nets, beating out the seven councilors who want them to stay. Saving Norman The population of grey nurse sharks on Australias East coast has dwindled to about 2,000 animals making them critically endangered. The sharks, which can grow over to over three meters (almost 10 feet) in length and have long, scraggly teeth visible even when their mouths are closed, are not considered a threat to divers and swimmers. They have this ferocious look about them, and yet theyre these cute, cuddly Labradors, says Sarah Han-de-Beaux, a Sydney-based free- and scuba diver, who frequently spots the sharks on her outings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several years ago, Han-de-Beaux and others started Saving Norman, a campaign to advocate for the removal of the nets. (Many Sydney residents refer to grey nurse sharks as Norman, a name coined by a local drone photographer). In recent months, shes given up most of her weekends to campaign for the removal of the nets, manning booths at local beaches to educate the public. People think they stretch the whole beach, she says, but all shark nets in NSW span 150 meters (about 500 feet) and are just six meters tall. Han-de-Beaux says that its been a year of progress. This summer, the frequency of net inspections went up to every two days from every three days, to increase the possibility of releasing entangled animals alive. (The previous summer, only 36% of the 255 creatures caught in the nets were released alive). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other measures to protect accidental catch, like installing lights on the nets to deter turtles, were trialed. And in recent weeks, local officials have been posting signs warning the public of the early removal of the nets. Shark nets in New South Wales were removed one month early this year to reduce the potential for catching Leatherback and Loggerhead turtles. This photo was taken at Bronte Beach in Sydney on March 24, 2025. - Sarah Dawson Now, a decision is expected from the New South Wales government on if the nets will go back in next September. Pepin-Neff estimates that the decision might be clear when the next state budget is announced, generally around June. The government will consider feedback from the surveys it sent out to coastal councils, and other data as it develops its shark management program for the 2025 to 2026 season, according to Green. Our program is evidence-based after many years of trials and research, he added. In the meantime, swimmers like Miller plan to keep taking to the water, nets or not, accepting the risk of entering a sharks natural habitat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every time I get in the ocean, I assume that there are sharks in there. Its where they live, she says. Wed have to be super unlucky for something to go terribly wrong. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton will testify at the upcoming corruption trial of former House Speaker Glen Casada and his former aide Cade Cothren, a court filing from Tuesday states. According to the filing, Sexton will testify about the requirements of an allowance given to state legislators that prosecutors say Casada and Cothren took advantage of in an illegal kickback scheme. Sexton has previously confirmed he assisted prosecutors as a "factual witness." The trial is set to begin April 22. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee said in the filing that Sexton is one of about 15 witnesses it plans to call, many of whom are state officials. Former Rep. Robin Smith, who was charged but quickly pleaded guilty, will also testify, according to the filing. Prosecutors did not identify each witness they plan to call. Casada and Cothren have suggested in prior court filings that Sexton was one of the three confidential sources inside the legislature who helped prosecutors build cases against them. Both defendants have pushed prosecutors to reveal the identities of the confidential sources. U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson denied those requests on Monday. The Tennessean reached out to Sexton's office for comment on the court filing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Casada and Cothren each face charges ranging from theft to money laundering conspiracy on allegations of bribery and kickbacks in the state legislature. Legislators each year are given $3,000 to design, print and mail materials to constituents. This allowance is managed by the Office of Legislative Affairs in consultation with the speaker of the House. The speaker had the authority to approve or deny which vendors could be used for the postage and printing allowance. Casada and Cothren are accused of profiting off this allowance by funneling money through a shadowy consulting firm Cothren established in 2019 called Phoenix Solutions. According to the trial brief, they got the company approved as a vendor and pressured state officials to use Phoenix Solutions for state-funded mailer work. Cothren would then pay Casada and Smith "bribes and kickbacks from Phoenix Solutions' profits," the trial brief states. They also pressured state officials to use and pay two other consulting firms controlled by Smith and Casada, according to the brief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2020, the three companies received approximately $51,947 related to the postage and printing allowance, and Cothren paid Casada and Smith more than $35,000 in bribes and kickbacks, according to prosecutors. More: Text messages show Cothren discussed kickback scheme as far back as 2016 Melissa Brown contributed. Have questions about the justice system? Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for The Tennessean. Contact him with questions, tips or story ideas at emealins@tennessean.com. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Sexton to testify at upcoming Casada, Cothren corruption trial The next German governing coalition is set to be agreed on Wednesday, paving the way for a new administration in Berlin more than six weeks after parliamentary elections. The conservative bloc - made up of the Christian Democrats (CDU) and the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union (CSU) - is expected to reach a deal with the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), ending weeks of arduous negotiations. "Today, the wait is worth it," SPD lawmaker Matthias Miersch told reporters in Berlin on Wednesday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The parties are expected to seal a coalition agreement on Wednesday afternoon, setting out a programme for the future German government under the leadership of the presumptive next chancellor, Friedrich Merz. The imminent deal comes at a crucial time for Germany, with the country's export-based economy set to be hit hard by US tariffs of 20% on all goods from the European Union and further duties on the key German automotive industry. Merz's administration is also set to face the threat from Russia amid indications of waning US support for Ukraine, while the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) - which finished second in February's vote behind the CDU/CSU - is seen as a reaction to glaring domestic issues. However, the expected agreement on Wednesday is not the final step before the new government can take office. The SPD rank and file must still approve the coalition deal in a members' ballot, and it must also be passed by top CDU representatives at a party conference and by the CSU steering committee. Markus Soeder, Minister President of Bavaria, arrives in front of the CDU party headquarters, the Konrad Adenauer House, before the start of the continuation of the coalition negotiations between the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)/Christian Social Union (CSU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Michael Kappeler/dpa Markus Soeder, Minister President of Bavaria, arrives in front of the CDU party headquarters, the Konrad Adenauer House, before the start of the continuation of the coalition negotiations between the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)/Christian Social Union (CSU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Kay Nietfeld/dpa Alexander Dobrindt, head of the Christian Social Union (CSU) regional group, arrives at the CDU party headquarters, the Konrad Adenauer House, in the morning at the start of the continuation of the coalition negotiations between the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)/Christian Social Union (CSU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Kay Nietfeld/dpa Lars Klingbeil, SPD parliamentary group leader and federal chairman, arrives in front of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party headquarters, the Konrad Adenauer House, before the start of the continuation of the coalition negotiations between the CDU/Christian Social Union (CSU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Michael Kappeler/dpa Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) The first witnesses took the stand on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in the trial of a former Knox County sheriff charged in a three-car crash in 2023 that claimed the life of a toddler on U.S. 287 near Electra. THE LATEST: Trial set for former Knox County sheriff charged in fatal wreck Michael Carlson in the 78th District Court on Day 1 of testimony (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Michael Lloyd Carlson, 65, of Truscott in Knox County, faces a charge of manslaughter stemming from a three-vehicle crash on US 287 near Electra on May 17, 2023, that led to the death of 22-month-old Aveline Hill of Dallas, at Cook Childrens Hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carlson served as the sheriff of Knox County about 25 years ago, according to Knox County officials. Records show he was on probation for deadly conduct at the time of the fatal crash. Chelsea Carlton, Assistant District Attorney in Wichita County, is serving as the lead prosecutor for the state. Mark Barber, a Wichita Falls defense attorney, is representing Carlson in his trial. Testimony begins with victims mother on the stand Voir dire proceedings began on Monday, April 7, 2025, and a jury of 10 women and 2 men was sworn in by the end of the day. Proceedings in Carlsons trial began on Tuesday, April 8, in the 78th District Court, with Judge Meredith Kennedy presiding. Michael Carlson in the 78th District Court on Day 1 of testimony (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) After the indictment was read on Tuesday morning, Carlson entered a plea of not guilty to the pending charge of manslaughter. After a brief opening statement from Carlton and Barber, the prosecution called Jeanette Hill as its first witness. Hill is the mother of the 1-year-old victim. She was also driving the vehicle that was involved in the fatal crash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hill testified that she and her family are from the Dallas area. She testified that on May 17, 2023, she and her two children, a 4-year-old son and her 1-year-old daughter, Aveline Hill, had plans to travel to a rest stop between Dallas and Amarillo to meet a family member. READ MORE: 1-year-old dies following three-car crash near Electra Hill testified that her two children were happy and healthy before they left their home in Dallas. She testified that her older son was in a car seat facing forward behind the drivers seat, and her daughter was facing backward behind the passenger seat. Hill testified that she had no exact timetable for meeting her family members, but once she departed, she took U.S. Highway 287 and stopped just before arriving in Wichita Falls to fill up with gas and give her children a restroom break. Jeanette Hill (left) and Chelsea Carlton (right) in the 78th District Court (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Hill testified that around noon, she drove through Wichita Falls. As she was traveling past the city limits along U.S. 287, she began to see a large orange traffic sign when she came over a hill. She said she saw flashing lights and saw cars begin to slow down, so she too slowed to a near stand-still, moving at most 5 miles per hour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Hills testimony, she changed lanes to get behind a tractor-trailer, keeping a great deal of distance between herself and the trailer. I dont like to get close to the cars in front of me, Hill testified. The next thing we knew, we were hit from behind very hard, Hill testified. The most powerful impact Ive ever felt. Fatal crash on US 287 near Electra on May 17, 2023 (Photo courtesy Wichita County Sheriffs Office) Fatal crash on US 287 near Electra on May 17, 2023 (Photo courtesy Wichita County Sheriffs Office) Fatal crash on US 287 near Electra on May 17, 2023 (Photo courtesy Wichita County Sheriffs Office) Fatal crash on US 287 near Electra on May 17, 2023 (Photo courtesy Wichita County Sheriffs Office) Fatal crash on US 287 near Electra on May 17, 2023 (Photo courtesy Wichita County Sheriffs Office) Hill testified that her car was hit from behind by a pickup truck, later discovered to be driven by Carlson. She testified she was pushed into the back of the tractor-trailer in front of her. She testified that her airbag went off. READ MORE: Texoma courtrooms busy during spring, summer months Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hill testified that she was able to exit the vehicle and heard her older son screaming. She testified that she didnt hear her younger daughter crying but observed her slumped over in her car seat. At this point, Hill became visibly emotional on the stand. She was breathing, Hill testified through tears. She was slumped over, not crying, not yelling, but breathing. Jeanette Hill testifying in the 78th District Court (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Hill testified that paramedics who arrived at the scene after the crash began tending to herself and her children. She testified that she broke her wrist and that she and her son both suffered a concussion. Hill testified that her 22-month-old daughter was taken by helicopter to United Regional in Wichita Falls to stabilize her, then she was transferred to Cook Childrens Medical Center. She testified that she and her son also received care at the hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With tears in her eyes, Hill testified regarding the last time she saw her daughter. Several members of the jury and the gallery were observed crying during her testimony. She testified that her daughter died at 12:07 a.m. on May 18, 2023. READ MORE: Former Knox County sheriff free on bond one year after babys death in wreck Bodycam footage of Carlson after crash played for jury After a volunteer first responder and the driver of the semi-truck that Hill was pushed into by Carlson, the court was dismissed for a lunch break. Testimony resumed at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday with Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Will Richter being called to testify. DPS Sgt. Will Richter testifying in the 78th District Court (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Sgt. Richter testified that at the time of the crash, he was a trooper with DPS. He testified that he had responded to a different crash on U.S. 287 earlier that day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sgt. Richter testified he was the first DPS trooper to respond to the scene of the fatal crash involving Hill and Carlson. He testified he was coming in the opposite direction of the crash on U.S. 287, so he had to park on the other side of the highway and cross over the cable barrier to get to the crash. You could tell [the vehicle] had been very severely damaged, Sgt. Richter testified. Sgt. Richter testified that he spoke to the volunteer first responder at the scene, who helped get Hill and her children out of the damaged SUV. He testified that once he saw the scene was secure, traffic was blocked, and emergency crews were en route, he began investigating the crash. He testified that he interviewed Carlson at the scene. Bodycam footage from Sgt. Will Richter played in the 78th District Court (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Bodycam footage from Sgt. Richter was played in court, depicting an interview at the scene of the crash between Sgt. Richter and Carlson. Sgt. Richter testified that Carlson was not in custody or under arrest at the time of the interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the bodycam video, Carlson can be seen near his pickup truck. Carlson said in the video that the airbags didnt go off in his pickup, and he wasnt wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. I could see the signs, I knew it was shutting down, Carlson said during the bodycam video. We both got out of the way of two trucks, and she stopped quicker than I did. After the video concluded, Sgt. Richter testified that Carlson said multiple times during the interview that he saw the first rollover crash when he was driving into Wichita County from his home in Knox County. Michael Carlson in the 78th District Court on Day 1 of testimony (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Sgt. Richter testified that Carlson said he attempted to change lanes to get around a semi, then he saw brake lights and couldnt stop in time. He testified that he never saw another semi truck close enough to where Carlson wouldve had to pass them to get around them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sgt. Richter testified that he didnt believe Carlsons statement at the scene was an accurate depiction of what actually happened. Sgt. Richter testified that all traffic was moving in a slow, single-file line just before the crash, and that the nearest semi-truck to Carlson was quite a way back and was able to slow down as it approached the collision involving Carlson and Hill. Several more troopers with DPS testified on Tuesday afternoon, many helping to recreate the crash scene for the jury. At 4:20 p.m., Judge Kennedy dismissed the court to recess, with testimony set to resume at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. This is a developing story. Stick with Texomas Homepage for updates as more information becomes available. All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com. Tony Buzbee, the attorney who was once representing Diddy and his accusers, is now attempting to shut down a malicious prosecution lawsuit filed against him by JAY-Z insisting that he had reached an agreement that Jay allegedly reneged on. According to Hovs team, the two were never on one accord. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Buzbee submitted new legal documents Monday seeking to have JAY-Zs suit tossed out of an Alabama court. The lawsuit stems from a now-dismissed rape case brought by a Jane Doe, whom Buzbee represented, accusing JAY-Z and Sean Diddy Combs of raping and assaulting her in 2000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jay, nee Shawn Carter, responded by suing both Doe and Buzbee in Alabama where the accuser resides arguing the case was a malicious and baseless smear attempt. But in his latest filing, Buzbee paints the picture that Jay weaponized his celebrity status to coerce Doe into silence. Jay-Z at the Mufasa: The Lion King premiere at Dolby Theatre on December 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Eventually, the relentless pressure that Mr. Carter and his associates placed upon Doe became too much for her, Buzbee claims in the filing. On February 4, 2025, an agreement to resolve the litigation was reached between Doe and Mr. Carter, through their attorneys, which included the voluntary dismissal of the SDNY Action. Buzbee further argues that JAY-Z filed his lawsuit in the wrong court and failed to provide a valid legal basis. Most notably, he alleges that there was an agreement in place a deal he says was not honored. The Roc Nation boss attorney, Alex Spiro, has shot back at the claim, stating: Total lie. He brought a false case, lost badly and was forced to dismiss quickly. End of story. Marc E. Kasowitz, who is apart of Buzbees counsel, doubled down, offering a sharply different account of events. Spiros statement that there was no agreement is a total fabrication, he told TMZ. There was an exchange of emails between me and Spiro which set forth the agreement very clearly. As part of that agreement, Spiro agreed to withdraw the Rule 11 motions for sanctions that he had brought against Mr. Buzbees law firm. Alex Spiro We agreed to withdraw the lawsuit that Jane Doe had brought for rape against JAY-Z and Mr. Combs even though Jane Doe continued to maintain that the allegations in that lawsuit were true, and JAY-Z and Spiro agreed not to send any more people to harass and intimidate Jane Doe and her family, he continued. One week later, JAY-Z and his lawyer breached that agreement flagrantly by sending supposed investigators to harass and intimidate Jane Doe and her family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spiro, however, acknowledged that Kasowitz had reached out to discuss dismissal, but said he made it clear JAY-Z would never settle the lawsuit or pay any money to resolve it, given it was a heinous false accusation. Reportedly, Jane Doe voluntarily dismissed her case with prejudice meaning the suit is legally prevented from being refiled. And in that dismissal, there is no mention of any deal or agreement with JAY-Z. More from VIBE.com Sign up for Vibe's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Time has run out for some US trade partners looking to make deals ahead of President Trump's July 9 deadline for tariffs to snap back to higher levels. Letters will start going out to countries on Friday to notify them of the tariff rates they will face on exports to the US, Trump told reporters, to go into effect on Aug. 1. The first 10 or 12 letters sent out will be followed by similar batches. By the ninth theyll be fully covered, Trump said in reference to the deadline, per Bloomberg. Theyll range in value from maybe 60% or 70% tariffs to 10% and 20% tariffs. The Trump team has so far been focused on hammering out trade deals, though it has succeeded in nailing only three pacts so far. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said around 100 partners would likely see a minimum "reciprocal" rate of 10% come next week, adding that he expects a "flurry" of deals to materialize before the deadline. Here is where things stand with various partners: China : The US has eased export restrictions on China for chip design software and ethane, a sign that trade tensions are calming between the two countries after they agreed in May to a framework to move toward a larger trade deal. Software firms like Synopsys (SNPS) and Cadence (CDNS) said they will now sell their chip design tools to Chinese customers again. The US also removed limits on ethane exports to China that it had set just weeks ago. Vietnam: Trump on Wednesday said he had reached a trade deal with Vietnam, one that will see the country's imports face a 20% tariff lower than the 46% he had threatened in April. He also said Vietnamese goods would face a higher 40% tariff "on any transshipping" when goods shipped from Vietnam originate from another country, like China. Many US goods will see no duty upon import to Vietnam. Japan: Trump earlier this week said negotiations with Japan had soured, saying he would force Japan to accept higher tariffs of "30%, 35%, or whatever the number is that we determine." Notably, that proposal is higher than the 24% "Liberation Day" level. "Theyre very tough. You have to understand, theyre very spoiled," he said. President Trump has fired a top U.S. military officer at NATO, Navy Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield, a termination that caused swift rebuke from Democrats in Congress. Chatfield was the countrys top representative to NATOs military committee. Her firing marks the latest casualty of Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths purge of military officials seen as part of past diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts. That campaign against woke culture in the military has led to the ouster of three barrier-breaking women in top military roles, as well as the removal of Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. C.Q. Brown and top lawyers in multiple branches of the armed services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth, an ex-Minnesota National Guard officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, has long railed against DEI efforts in books and on Fox News, where he was a longtime weekend host. During an appearance on Shawn Ryan Show podcast shortly before his nomination to lead the Pentagon, Hegseth said any general, admiral, whatever that was involved in any of the DEI woke s has got to go. Here are five top brass who have been ousted since Trumps return to the Oval Office: Navy Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield, U.S. representative to NATOs military committee Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Chatfield, who is a combat veteran, helicopter pilot and the first female president of the Naval War College, was removed from her post due to a loss of confidence in her ability to lead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Defense Department is grateful for her many years of military service, Parnell said in a statement on Tuesday. Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Jack Reed (D-R.I) characterized Chatfields firing as disgraceful and unjustified. Admiral Chatfields record of selfless service is unblemished by President Trumps behavior, Reed said in a statement. Chatfield has been in the conservatives crosshairs for some time, with critics calling her woke for her remarks when beginning as the president of the Naval War College in 2019. I want to see members of this team offer each other respect for differences, for diversity, for the dialogue from which ideas and collaboration emerge, she said at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chatfield was also one of 20 military leaders featured in the letter that the American Accountability Foundation (AAF), a conservative watchdog group, sent to Hegseth in December. The organization argued that those mentioned in the 10-page letter were overly focused on DEI and other similar left-wing efforts and were, therefore, hampering the militarys readiness. Purging the woke from the military is imperative, but just revering woke policies would not be enough to bring our military to peak preparedness, AAFs President Thomas Jones wrote in the letter. Those who were responsible for these policies being instituted in the first place must be dismissed. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa M. Franchetti, the first woman on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was fired in late February. Her dismissal was announced in an email from Hegseth. It came hours after Trump announced in a post on Truth Social that he would be terminating Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr. and naming Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Razin Caine to be the U.S.s next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am also requesting nominations for the positions of Chief of Naval Operations and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, Hegseth said at the time, thanking Franchetti for her distinguished career and dedication to our country. Franchetti is a 1985 graduate of Northwestern University, where she got her commission through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Program, according to her biography. She became a service warfare officer in 1989. At the time, women in those roles mostly served on noncombat vessels, a mandate that was terminated in 1993. Franchetti was also mentioned in AAFs letter. The conservative group pointed to her 2023 video address at the Naval Surface Forces Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit, where she talked about the importance of connectedness as a military value. Air Force Lt. Gen. Jennifer Short Hegseth fired his top female military staffer, Air Force Lt. Gen. Jennifer Short, in late February. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Short acted as the main military point of contact for Hegseth and is the Joint Chiefs of Staffs representative, interacting with Joint Staff, combatant commands, and with agencies outside of the Defense Department for policy matters and related subjects, according to her biography. She graduated with a bachelors degree in marketing from Arizona State University in 1993. Short completed Ocer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., in 1995. She accumulated over 1,800 flight hours. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. C.Q. Brown Brown, a four-star general and former fighter pilot, was only the second African American to hold the position of chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Trump announced his termination in a post on Truth Social in February, when he also named his successor, Air Force Lt. Gen. Caine. I want to thank General Charles CQ Brown for his over 40 years of service to our country, including as our current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Trump wrote at the time. He is a fine gentleman and an outstanding leader, and I wish a great future for him and his family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth said on the Shawn Ryan Show that Brown should be ousted from his post along with other generals involved in DEI initiatives. Brown said in January that he planned to remain in his position despite Trump threatening to fire him once he got back to the White House. The chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff normally serves a four-year term. Brown began his tenure on Oct. 1, 2023. Brown drew scrutiny from the right over a video in 2020 where he addressed the protests around the country that were sparked by the death of George Floyd. Im thinking about how full I am with emotion, not just for George Floyd, but for the many African Americans that have suffered the same fate as George Floyd, he said. Im thinking about our two sons and how we had to prepare them to live in two worlds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im thinking about my Air Force career where I was often the only African American in my squadron or, as a senior officer, the only African American in the room, he added. U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan, who was the first female uniformed leader of a U.S. military branch, was fired by the administration less than 24 hours into Trumps second term. The Coast Guard is under the Department of Homeland Securitys (DHS) umbrella. DHS later said that Fagan, who was the first top military officer to be ousted during Trumps second term, got axed because of her leadership deficiencies, operational failures, and inability to advance the strategic objectives of the U.S. Coast Guard. The senior DHS official said that Fagan, who assumed her duties in June 2021, did not effectively deploy Coast Guard resources in border efforts, especially in interdicting fentanyl and other illicit substances. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The official also criticized Fagan for botching high-ticket purchases such as ice breakers in the Arctic, and mishandling the fallout of coverup around sexual misconduct in the Coast Guard. Upon assuming the role, Fagan inherited major recruiting challenges, which she helped reverse, meeting goals for new recruits in 2024. Democrats said Fagan should be rewarded for how she dealt with the branchs historic lack of transparency around cases of sexual assault and misconduct. The Commandant who stood up to clean up this mess instead of burying it should be rewarded, not dismissed, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) said on social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Firing a Commandant at will by a new President also sets a bad precedent. The complexity of the Coast Guards diverse missions require continuity to protect lives and American interests. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) A few days after Republican state representatives in North Carolina filed a bill proposing one of the strictest abortion bans in the country, top state Republicans said the bill wont move forward. House Bill 804, filed Monday, looked to ban abortion at all stages during a pregnancy, except for when the mothers life is in danger. It did not include exceptions for rape or incest. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: North Carolina Republicans file one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the country Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The day after it was filed, Democratic leaders said the bill was unnecessary. I dont think theres anybody who wants to see more restrictions, House Democratic Leader Robert Reives said. I dont even hear pro-life advocates say theyre looking for more restrictions in North Carolina. At some point in time we have to stop playing doctor. Doctors arent telling us we need this, nobody else is telling us we need this. Wednesday, Republican House Speaker Destin Hall said the bill has virtually no support in the caucus and wont move forward. Were not going to hear the bill in committee, Hall said. Theres no real support in our caucus to hear the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abortion is currently restricted after 12 weeks in North Carolina. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com. The rules have changed abruptly for thousands of Cuban migrants in the United States after the Trump administration canceled the humanitarian parole program launched under President Biden. More than 100,000 Cubans arrived in the U.S. under humanitarian parole. Many have not yet been in the country for a full year and are already receiving notices placing them in an uncertain immigration status. One of them is independent journalist and activist Lazaro Yuri Valle, who says he has spent over three decades opposing the Cuban government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Valle received a notice from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ordering him to leave the country by April 25, 2025. The letter arrived days after the parole program was officially canceled on March 25. Yuri and his wife, fellow activist Eralidis Frometa, entered the U.S. on June 5, 2024, through an application submitted by a relative and approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Before emigrating, Valle served a three-year prison sentence in Cuba. He says he was physically and psychologically abused while incarcerated, and that his health was seriously impacted. We left in very poor psychological condition. We went straight to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to stay with my wifes family, Valle told el Nuevo Herald. He says he was targeted by Cuban authorities for peaceful actions such as handing out leaflets with quotes from Jose Marti. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thousands of Cubans were able to settle in the U.S. through humanitarian parole. In South Florida, the program has drawn criticism for allegedly failing to screen individuals with ties to the Cuban regime. But the repeal offers no exceptions and now affects cases like Valle and Frometas, who say they had strong reasons to flee the island. Political asylum: The only way to avoid deportation? Valle says that if deported, he will continue to speak out against the Cuban government and plans to protest as soon as he lands in Havana. On Trumps actions, he said the president is fixing things however he wants, without passing judgment. Trump follows the policies he finds convenient. Everyone cleans up their own house however they want. Im not saying its right or wrong, but its affecting those of us who have nothing to do with his politics, he told el Nuevo Herald. Valle insists that both he and his wife have been victims of political persecution, and that international organizations have documented their cases. Among them, he cites the Organization of American States (OAS). The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), through its Americas Program, has expressed concern on social media after learning that both received DHS letters warning of possible deportation. .@pressfreedom is alarmed to learn that exiled Cuban journalist Yuri Valle Roca and his wife have received letters from DHS advising them that they must leave the US by April 25 or risk deportation. CPJ calls on US authorities to rescind this letter. pic.twitter.com/YMY0E6OxWD CPJ Americas (@CPJAmericas) March 29, 2025 I thank this country for welcoming my wife and me. We shouldnt be going through this, Valle said. But many of the regimes henchmen have arrived here and are still active here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He warns that returning to Cuba would endanger his life. Going back would be a death sentence a form of suicide after saving ourselves, he said. Cuban activists Lazaro Yuri Valle and his wife, Eralidis Frometa, have been living in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, since they were admitted to the U.S. under the Biden administrations parole program. Its an uncertain scenario for thousands of Cubans like them. Immigration attorneys agree that applying for asylum is a viable path to avoid deportation as long as applicants meet legal and timing requirements. Attorney Wilfredo Allen told el Nuevo Herald that this is the most viable option for those who have not yet completed a year of physical presence in the U.S. and are hoping to qualify under the Cuban Adjustment Act. The cancellation of parole, effective April 25, will terminate the conditional release granted to beneficiaries upon entering the U.S., Allen explained. Those who havent started another immigration process may face removal orders unless they apply for asylum or other legal relief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Faced with this situation, Valle and Frometa decided to file for asylum, following advice from friends and attorneys. Frometa, who was part of the Ladies in White movement in Cuba, said, We had no other choice, and added that they are already receiving legal guidance. What will happen? I dont know. But were sure we suffered under a dictatorship, and our story is documented in the media and by several international NGOs. We also have plenty of evidence and witnesses, including fellow activists who are now refugees here, she said. Total uncertainty: Cubans with I-220A also at risk Another Cuban dissident awaiting a court ruling is activist Esteban Rodriguez, who also entered the U.S. with a Form I-220A. He says he shares the sense of uncertainty many of his fellow Cubans are feeling. Rodriguez, a member of the San Isidro Movement whose leader, Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara, remains imprisoned in Cuba arrived in the United States in 2022 after being forced into exile. Months earlier, he was arrested in Havana for peacefully protesting in support of Otero Alcantara, who was then on a hunger strike. Esteban Rodriguez, photographed at the offices of the media outlet Cuba Primero in Doral, where he works, on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Rodriguez was expelled from Cuba after being jailed for a 2021 protest in support of the San Isidro Movement. From Miami, Rodriguez warns that Trumps new policies could jeopardize the safety of people who came to the U.S. seeking refuge. He says the new restrictions have renewed fears of deportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Orlando Gutierrez-Boronat, spokesperson for the Cuban Democratic Directorate an influential exile organization called the potential repatriation of activists and human rights defenders deeply unjust. Those who entered the country legally shouldnt be sent back to a totalitarian regime. Cubans have made great contributions to the U.S., and they deserve the opportunity to build a future here especially those persecuted by the Havana regime, Gutierrez-Boronat told el Nuevo Herald. Political opponents arent the only ones at risk. Gonzalez, a 23-year-old Cuban who also arrived with an I-220A, told el Nuevo Herald his story and asked to be identified only by his last name. He still hasnt received a court date and remains vulnerable to possible deportation. Trumps policies are harsh on all Latinos. The future is uncertain we dont know what could happen, Gonzalez said. You try to stay under the radar. If I get sent back to Cuba, I have family there but it means starting over, maybe under surveillance. And then theres the depression, after getting used to a country where anything is possible and returning to one where even food is scarce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Form I-220A, also known as a Parole Order, is a temporary admission document similar to conditional parole. Immigration officials have used it for people entering across the southern border, including migrants from other countries, attorney Allen explained. The form has been the subject of litigation in immigration courts. A legal ruling determined that individuals holding I-220A do not meet the admission requirements for the Cuban Adjustment Act. There have been legal battles over I-220A and Cubans since 2018, Allen said. However, some attorneys argue that it should count as valid admission for immigration purposes. An unprecedented moment for Cuban migrants For the first time since the Cuban Revolution, migrants from the island are facing a situation in the United States that contrasts with the welcome the country traditionally offered to those fleeing communism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Cuban political system described as authoritarian by numerous international organizations is going through one of its most severe crises in decades, with growing reports of repression and crackdowns on dissent. Eduardo Gamarra, professor of political science and international relations at Florida International University (FIU), told el Nuevo Herald that this moment marks a significant departure from previous eras. He pointed to President Obamas January 2017 decision to end the wet foot, dry foot policy as a turning point in U.S. policy toward Cuban migrants. Now, Trumps new measures are impacting people who have already been living in the United States for months even those who entered through official channels like humanitarian parole. Gamarra believes part of the public narrative has painted a negative image of this new Cuban migration wave, which has, in turn, helped justify recent policy decisions. But similar dynamics have occurred before. He cites the 1980 Mariel boatlift as an example, which also sparked backlash against new arrivals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I worked with many Mariel boatlift cases, including in California. It was a unique experience no one knew who these new Cubans were. Many had no ID, and there was a widespread perception that they were criminals or mentally unstable, Gamarra said. But most of them werent, and they played a key role in Miamis development. Unlike in the 1980s, Gamarra notes that Cubans arriving under the Biden parole program underwent background checks. Still, some long-settled Cuban Americans have stigmatized the newcomers, using labels like Castros animals or communists. He says those same terms still resonate in todays debates. Divided support and contradictions in immigration policy The parole program implemented by the Biden administration which also benefited citizens of Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Haiti was one of the first to be challenged by President Trump upon his return to the White House. Since taking office again, the Republican leader has vowed to restrict what he calls an uncontrolled invasion fueled by Democratic immigration policies. | Donald Trump promete llevar a cabo el mayor esfuerzo de deportacion desde Dwight Eisenhower. En este momento tenemos una invasion. Tenemos una invasion de millones y millones de personas que estan llegando a nuestro pais. pic.twitter.com/dSLQkbKPZZ Qs (@herqles_es) January 16, 2024 According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), more than 110,000 Cubans were authorized to travel to the United States through the program, which has granted entry to over half a million people from participating countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite recent restrictions, a significant portion of the Cuban American community continues to support Trumps rhetoric. An FIU poll published in October 2024 found that 68% of likely Cuban American voters in Miami-Dade County planned to vote for Trump in the November election. Cuban authorities have not released official figures on the number of nationals deported since Trump took office. However, a March 27 report indicated that a flight carrying 60 Cuban migrants arrived in Havana from the United States. In February, Cubas Ministry of the Interior reported another deportation flight with 104 passengers, including social media influencer Cinthya Medrano known as La Cintumbare who had previously boasted online about her lifestyle in the U.S. and her access to government benefits. The profile of recent Cuban migrants has become a point of debate. FIU professor Eduardo Gamarra notes that some sectors believe not all are political refugees, but rather economic migrants seeking better opportunities. He adds that this narrative is reinforced by reports of some new arrivals returning to Cuba shortly after obtaining U.S. residency. People are like thatthey create prejudices and comparisons, Gamarra said. This perception isnt unique to Cubans; it happens with every migrant group. We dont yet know what political impact these new policies will have. In the end, it may be that economic performance not immigration determines the outcome for Trump and the Republican Party. Trump gives us no respite Laura, a Cuban migrant admitted through parole in July 2024, told el Nuevo Heraldasking to be identified only by her first namethat she felt desperate, like living in in a nightmare upon hearing that the program had been revoked. She said she had just four months left before becoming eligible to apply for permanent residency under the Cuban Adjustment Act. Now, she fears losing her legal status despite entering the country lawfully. The 1966 law allows Cuban nationals to apply for legal permanent residency after one year and one day of physical presence in the U.S., provided they meet eligibility requirements. But the cancellation of parole has thrown plans into uncertainty for many who hoped to qualify. The humanitarian parole program was designed to last two years, giving recipients temporary legal status. During that time, beneficiaries were expected to find a pathway to adjust their immigration status or eventually return to their home countries. Immigration attorneys recommend applying for asylum as an alternative path particularly for those who have not yet met the minimum time required under the Adjustment Act. Frustrated, Laura said she suffers from constant anxiety and doesnt currently have the financial means to hire an attorney or gather the necessary documentation for an asylum case. The climate of fear has disrupted the daily lives of many Cuban migrants, who now worry about being approached by immigration agents. I didnt have that fear before, she said. But now? You dont know. I dont even feel safe driving. That sense of vulnerability is shared by other recently arrived Cubans. Rodriguez, 53, who also requested to be identified only by her last name, told el Nuevo Herald she entered the U.S. using the CBP One mobile app after waiting five months in Mexico, where she arrived via a land route through Nicaragua. She now lives in Las Vegas. She recalls hearing Trump speak favorably about Cubans while visiting restaurants in the city. But now, she said, He gives us no respite. Not even as residents will we be able to move and live with peace of mind. Rodriguez believes that both humanitarian parole and CBP One offered lifelines to people fleeing authoritarian regimes. We came to pursue our dreams, fight for opportunities, and build better lives, she said. Recent deportations have sparked mixed reactions within the Cuban community. Some have chosen to self-deport rather than risk detention. Two weeks ago, news broke that 22-year-old Erick Dayan Corcho Aguilar, who had entered the U.S. through the parole program, voluntarily returned to Cuba after failing to renew his immigration status. Meanwhile, Yuliet Rodes, a Cuban immigrant living in Miami, said she was able to reunite her family through humanitarian parole. They all work and have integrated into society, and now theyre terrified of being deported, she said. Things in Cuba are awful theres no medicine, no electricity, no drinking water. Rodes concluded: I hope Cuba will one day be free. But for now, my family is here, working and paying taxes. All they want is to move forward and stay in the United States. We Cubans fled an oppressive regime, and now we dont know what will happen because Trumps policies arent helping any immigrants. Read more: Traveling in the U.S. will change in 2025: You cant fly from Miami without this document ICE Miami arrests migrant over drivers license issue. This offense could cost his freedom Major USCIS change after Trumps order: Key immigration form no longer accepted Elon Musks favorite visa, backed by Trump, opens for registration to work legally in the U.S. A tourist ventured too close to one of the most iconic geysers in Yellowstone National Park, and part of her illegal excursion was caught on video, federal officials said. The 44-year-old tourist from Seattle left the boardwalk and viewing area around Old Faithful and walked about 10 feet onto the geysers cone, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Wyoming said in a news release. Another park visitor recorded some of her conduct, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She pleaded guilty to violating a state statute requiring all foot travel in thermal areas of Yellowstone National Park (to) be confined to marked trails or boardwalks and was sentenced to seven days in jail, officials said. She also had to pay $40 in court fees. Walking on thermal grounds in the park can be extremely dangerous, The New York Times reported. There is scalding hot water just below the surface of a fragile, thin crust. The number one priority is public safety, but natural resources are also important in places like Yellowstone National Park, Lori Hogan, a public affairs officer with the U.S. Attorneys Office in Wyoming, told the outlet. More dangerous offenses, like thermal trespass or wildlife disturbance, could potentially lead to jail time, while minor violations might result in fines or warnings. The public should understand the violations and their consequences before visiting. Yellowstones geysers and hot springs More people have been injured or killed in the parks hot springs than any other natural feature in fact, more than 20 people have died from being burned after they intentionally entered or fell into the parks hot springs, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September, a tourist was burned by scalding water when she stepped through the thin crust near Old Faithful, McClatchy News previously reported. She suffered second- and third-degree burns to her leg. In August 2023, a tourist wandered off-trail into one of the hot springs and burned himself, McClatchy News reported. He was banned from both Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks until a court ruled on the charges. In June of that year, a tourist dipped the tip of her shoe and fingers into a boiling spring before flinching backward and yelling its very hot, McClatchy News reported. In 2022, part of a human foot inside a shoe was spotted floating in one of the parks deepest hot springs, McClatchy News reported. The foot was later determined to belong to a 70-year-old Los Angeles man named Il Hun Ro, but foul play was not suspected, according to The Associated Press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In October 2021, a 20-year-old woman was severely burned after she ran into a hot spring to rescue her dog, McClatchy News previously reported. The dog died from its injuries. The month before, a 19-year-old had third-degree burns over 5% of her body after visiting the Old Faithful geyser. And in 2016, a man may have dissolved after trying to soak in a thermal area, a practice known as hot potting. Workers couldnt find any remains, and park rangers believe he dissolved in the deadly hot water. Tourist steps through thin crust and into scalding water at Old Faithful in Yellowstone Tourist wanders off trail into Yellowstone hot spring, rangers say. Now hes charged Yellowstone tourist takes stolen tow truck on joyride around Old Faithful, feds say Mervin Jose Yamarte Fernandez, who worked day and night at a tortilla factory in Dallas, was hoping to return to Venezuela soon to be with his six-year-old daughter, his mother Mercedes Yamarte told ABC News. But that would never happen. Yamarte Fernandez is one of the hundreds of Venezuelans who was sent last month to CECOT, the notorious mega-prison in El Salvador, by the Trump administration. "I would trade places with my son so that he wouldn't have to go through this," Yamarte said. "Honestly, I would." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Federal judges block deportation of several alleged migrant gang members under AEA The Trump administration last month invoked the Alien Enemies Act to deport more than 200 alleged migrant gang members to El Salvador without due process, by arguing that the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua is a "hybrid criminal state" that is invading the United States. Yamarte told ABC News Wednesday that her son is not a member of the Venezuelan gang. "My son is a hard-working boy, he likes sports, and as a mother I know that [President Donald Trump] is wrong," Yamarte said in Spanish. "We can't deny there are bad people but there are good ones. They're putting people there without a trial, without investigating if they are good or bad. The cruelest part is that the good ones are mixed with the bad ones." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yamarte said that the government of Venezuela assigned her an attorney who hasn't "been able to do anything." PHOTO: Mervin Jose Yamarte Fernandez was sent to El Salvador by the U.S. (Courtesy Mercedes Yamarte) "We don't know what the charges are," Yamarte said. "We know nothing to this day. It's been 24 days and we still don't know what the charges are or what condition he's in." "It is hard to be unfairly accused of something," she said. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment from ABC News. An official with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has acknowledged that "many" of the men deported to El Salvador last month lack criminal records in the United States -- but said that "the lack of specific information about each individual actually highlights the risk they pose" and "demonstrates that they are terrorists with regard to whom we lack a complete profile." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yamarte said that she saw a photo of her son in the CECOT mega-prison, which has been criticized for alleged human rights abuses. "When I saw that photo, his expression was pleading for help," Yamarte said in tears. "I feel as if my hands and feet are tied. It's cruel and it's hard." MORE: El Salvador prison holding alleged Venezuelan gang members has been criticized for alleged abuses Yamarte said that her message to Trump would be to remember the families of those involved. "He should put his hand on his heart, because he is a father and this pain we feel, not just me, but all mothers and fathers, brothers, because he has a son, and the most cherished thing for all of us is our children," Yamarte said. 'I would trade places with my son,' says mother of Venezuelan migrant held in El Salvador originally appeared on abcnews.go.com UNION COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) A routine traffic stop in Monroe turned into a major criminal bust, leading to the recovery of stolen vehicles worth over $1.25 million. It all started on the morning of Tuesday, April 8, when the Monroe Police Department said an officer pulled over a speeding vehicle on West Franklin Street at about 7 a.m. As the officer approached, it became clear this wasnt just any routine stop. The car, driven by Stefan Willi Huewe, 56, of Fort Mill, was found to be stolen out of Florida in 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The officer determined that Huewe was not only speeding, but also driving a stolen vehicle with a fictitious registration plate, leading to his arrest. During the investigation, officers discovered something even more shocking: Huewe owns All PRO Fleet & Auto Services, an auto business based in Albemarle. This connection led Monroe Police to partner with special agents from the North Carolina License and Theft Bureau and the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Together, they obtained a search warrant for Huewes business. There, they reportedly found a total of seven stolen vehicles, collectively valued at $1.25 million. Huewe now faces additional criminal charges for the stolen property found at his business, including possession of stolen vehicles and involvement in chop shop activity. Credit: Monroe Police Department Credit: Monroe Police Department Credit: Monroe Police Department Credit: Monroe Police Department Credit: Monroe Police Department Credit: Monroe Police Department Credit: Monroe Police Department Despite the gravity of these charges, Huewe met the conditions set by a magistrate and was released from the Union County Detention Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the investigation continues, Monroe Police are urging anyone with information to come forward. If you know something, youre asked to call Monroe Police at 704-282-4700. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Truly honored that Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi honored my mom just now on the floor of the House: Posted by David Pepper on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi honored the late Francie Pepper in a speech on the House floor Wednesday afternoon, crediting the Cincinnati activist and philanthropist as her own political inspiration. The former Speaker of the House, D-California, spoke highly of Pepper in the roughly minute-and-a-half speech, saying she was "a fearless and focused giant in the fight for democracy, women's rights and a better world." "Francie meant so much to so many, whether it was an unwavering love, energy, compassion as wife, mother, grandmother, friend, neighbor, activist or her vigorous advocacy for women," Pelosi said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pepper was 84 when she died Friday at her home in the Cincinnati suburb of Wyoming. She was an advocate in the Queen City and beyond for a range of causes. Francie Pepper She took a particular interest in womens rights and domestic violence programs. She led a campaign that raised millions of dollars for the YWCA, which helped renovate its Downtown headquarters and converted a historic mansion into a shelter for battered women. She was named an Enquirer Woman of the Year for 1996. "As a trailblazer of her own path, Francie was truly the epitome of women helping women," Pelosi said. Memorial services will be held Saturday, April 12, from 11 a.m. to noon at Spring Grove Funeral Home. Visitation will be before the services, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Obituary: Francie Pepper, an activist, philanthropist and mom who forged her own path This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Nancy Pelosi honors Cincinnati activist Francie Pepper in House speech TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) Across Travis County, you can find different areas with tires, trash and mattresses piling up. The Travis County Sheriffs Office said its responding to more illegal dumping cases as the area grows. Environmental Detective Carlton Brown said no part of the county is immune to it. Dumping happens in the west side, the east side, north, south, Brown said. It can grow really rapidly. The Travis County Sheriffs Office sent KXAN these photos of illegal dumping cases its responded to. (Photo: TCSO) The Travis County Sheriffs Office sent KXAN these photos of illegal dumping cases its responded to. (Photo: TCSO) The Travis County Sheriffs Office sent KXAN these photos of illegal dumping cases its responded to. (Photo: TCSO) The Travis County Sheriffs Office sent KXAN these photos of illegal dumping cases its responded to. (Photo: TCSO) The Travis County Sheriffs Office sent KXAN these photos of illegal dumping cases its responded to. (Photo: TCSO) The Travis County Sheriffs Office sent KXAN these photos of illegal dumping cases its responded to. (Photo: TCSO) Brown investigates these types of cases. Illegal dumping is basically the disposal, or allowing someone to dispose of hazardous waste or solid waste on your property or anywhere else thats not authorized as a waste site. Travis County Sheriffs Office Environmental Detective Carlton Brown Brown said these dumps can pose multiple environmental and safety dangers to the public, especially with dry conditions across the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If an accidental fire starts, then it becomes a very big problem for the fire department, Brown said. We dont know what, whats in there, what could be burning. The penalties for illegal dumping can range, the detective said. He said it can range from a Class C Misdemeanor, all the way up to a state jail felony. When it comes to cleaning up an area, Brown said it depends where its located. If its on private property, it becomes incumbent on the person that owns that property to clean it up, Brown said. Travis County Natural Resources will help clean up if its on the side of a maintained county road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brown said a lot of their information about illegal dumping comes from the community. He encourages people to reach out if they see anything. A vehicle license plate, the suspect information, Brown said. If they can get a description of what theyre throwing away, what theyre wearing, what theyre driving, all those kinds of things. Dump site in southern Travis County In January, KXAN reported on a property in southern Travis County located near the intersection of Dee Gabriel Collins Road and McKinney Falls Parkway. A Travis County property has become a small dumping ground, according to a concerned neighbor (KXAN Photo). A Travis County property has become a small dumping ground, according to a concerned neighbor (KXAN Photo). A Travis County property has become a small dumping ground, according to a concerned neighbor (KXAN Photo). A Travis County property has become a small dumping ground, according to a concerned neighbor (KXAN Photo). A Travis County property has become a small dumping ground, according to a concerned neighbor (Viewer Submitted Photo). Its disrespectful: Travis County property being used as dump site A neighbor, who asked to hide their identity, said none of the trash was there three and a half years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its disrespectful. Its not the way to live in Texas, the neighbor said. I mean, it shouldnt be happening. At the time, KXAN contacted the property owner. The Kentucky-based LLC said it would look into the issue. KXAN visited the site again on Tuesday, and the tires and mattresses were still there. We reached out again to the property owner to get an update, and are waiting to hear back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. 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: Cat rescued from flames, Broadway karaoke, ancient wolves revived Highway to be renamed after gound-breaking veteran One local nonprofit is having a Wichita Falls highway renamed after late veteran Ray Gonzalez. The Mexican-American Veterans Association is waiting to hear back from the zoning and commission, and if it is approved, it heads straight to the city councilors. Rare diamonds on display Sothebys auction house has unveiled a new set of rare diamonds. These precious jewels were valued at approximately $100M at an exhibit in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, April 8. The display included a 10-carat Mediterranean Blue, and eight diamonds were on display. Beer-filled vinyl record Miller High Life beer brings dive bar sounds to your home through a beer-filled vinyl record. The record will be available to purchase starting Thursday, April 10, at 11 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A Las Vegas jury found the man accused of orchestrating the murder of Tupac Shakur guilty Wednesday for a jail fight unrelated to the rap icons death. The one-day trial was for two charges connected to a jail fight involving Duane Keffe D Davis, 61. Davis, who faces a murder charge in Shakurs death, has publicly said he was sitting in the front passenger seat of the car involved in the 1996 murder near the Las Vegas Strip. Last December, Davis was involved in a fight inside the Clark County Detention Center with another inmate, video showed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors later charged Davis with battery by a prisoner and challenging a person to a fight. They had to prove the fight with Rochlon Hamilton, 53, another inmate in custody on a murder charge, was not self-defense. Clark County District Court Judge Nadia Krall seated the jury of six men and eight women on Tuesday. It took the jury 90 minutes to come to its guilty verdict. Earlier this year, Davis invoked his right to a speedy trial, which began Wednesday morning. The trial on the murder charge was not expected to start until 2026. Video the 8 News Now Investigators obtained shows the two men rolling on the ground in a jail day room for about 30 seconds before officers separate them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In opening statements, Chief Deputy District Attorney Marc DiGiacomo played video of the fight and explained to the jury what Davis later said in jail phone calls. I wore his [expletive] out, DiGiacomo told the jury about what Davis said to another person in a jail call. Im proud of myself. FILE Duane Keffe D Davis appears in court for a hearing on a motion to dismiss charges for his involvement in the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, Jan. 21, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Pool Photo via AP, File) At the end of this case, we are going to ask you by your verdict to tell Mr. Davis that what he did was unlawful, DiGiacomo said. Davis attorney, Carl Arnold, told the jury Davis was the victim and was attacked. You will see that my client notices Mr. Hamilton, Arnold said. Mr. Hamilton came and moved quite a distance to Mr. Davis who at this time doesnt have his hands up. This guy is poised and ready to strike. The officer is totally unaware what was going on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Patrick Gray, the LVMPD corrections officer who investigated the fight, testified about what he found and how the jail works. Gray said Davis and Hamiltons cells were two cells apart. A different view of the fight as provided by attorney Carl Arnold. (KLAS) They are housed in their cells and they exercise, take showers, and have free time alone in their cells as well, Gray said about the unit where the jail housed Davis and Hamilton. [Davis and Hamilton] had this ongoing battle between the doors. Both inmates told each other Whats up? before the fight began, DiGiacomo said. Gray testified that two inmates saying Whats up? to each other was a way to entice a fight. During cross-examination, Arnold argued Hamiltons body language implied he was the aggressor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont know what his intentions were, sir, Gray said as Arnold showed video from the seconds before the fight began. It looks like his foot is going forward, but it doesnt look like hes getting ready to run or anything. Gray did not speak with LVMPD Officer Ari Keim, who was escorting Davis into the unit at the time of the fight, Gray testified. Instead, he relied on Keims written report, adding that the video had no audio and he could not confirm what the inmates said to each other before the altercation. Arnolds questions then focused on jail policies and why Davis was escorted into the room if another inmate was already in there. There was not a breach of security; its not a violation of policy, Gray said, adding there was no way Davis and Hamilton would have known they would have crossed paths that day. Prosecutors next called Keim to the stand. He explained his duties and said he heard the two men say Whats up to each other before the fight began. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keim could not say which man hit whom first. I would describe them both standing in an assaultive position, Keim said. The states next witness, retired LVMPD Detective Clifford Mogg, worked on Metros case against Davis involving Shakurs death. After Moggs retirement, the Clark County District Attorneys Office hired Mogg as a contractor to work on Davis murder case. Mogg has since listened to recorded calls Davis makes from jail. Prosecutors then played five calls Davis made from jail, including one where Davis tells his son he got into a fight and bodyslammed a little dude. According to Mogg, Davis tells his son that he won the fight and was prepared to stomp on Hamilton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I told him every time he sees me he has to get a lump, Davis said in one call about Hamilton, according to Mogg. I [expletive] up, Davis said in another car, referencing a conversation he had with a California attorney. I got his [expletive]. I let him know you cant [expletive] with me, little man. In another call, Davis appears to reference the 8 News Now Investigators reporting of video of the fight, telling his son he would beat the case, Mogg said. Following the three witnesses, both prosecutors and the defense rested their case. Nevada statute calls for a possible prison sentence of 1-20 years, plus an additional year in jail, should the jury convict Davis. Davis has remained in custody since his arrest on the murder charge in September 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Krall will sentence Davis on May 27. Hamilton was due to go on trial on similar charges in October. 8 News Now is the only local TV station inside the courtroom. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. April 9 (UPI) -- Tributes trickled in from around the world to mourn the death of a scientist after parts of his dismembered body were found in Colombia. Alessandro Coatti, 42, was a London-based molecular biologist who worked at the Royal Society of Biology and was doing research while traveling in South America after eight years working in London as science policy officer before his promotion to senior science policy officer. "He was a passionate and dedicated scientist, leading RSB animal science work, writing numerous submissions, organizing events and giving evidence in the House of Commons," the Royal Society of Biology wrote in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parts of his dismembered body were found in a suitcase dumped in a stream on the outskirts of the Caribbean coast city of Santa Marta, a gateway to some of the most popular tourist destinations in Colombia. "Ale was funny, warm, intelligent, loved by everyone he worked with and will be deeply missed by all who knew and worked with him." According to reports, Coatti, an Italian national, inquired with a hotel worker about visiting the village of Minca and was conducting research on local animal species. He left the RSB at the end of last year to do volunteer work in Ecuador and travel South America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This crime will not go unpunished," Carlos Pinedo Cuello, the mayor of Santa Marta, said on social media as he issued a reward for information leading to the capture of a suspect. "The criminals must know that crime has no place in Santa Marta," he said. "We will pursue them until they are brought to justice." Stephen Miller, the White House homeland security adviser and deputy chief of staff for policy, claimed on April 6 that job creation recorded under former President Joe Biden all went to foreign-born workers, leaving native-born workers without any job gains. During Joe Bidens Administration US-born Americans gained zero net jobs in four years, Miller tweeted. All jobs gains for foreign workers. For American workers, the Biden years were a depression. Millers claim is not a new one. During the Republican National Convention in July 2024, President Donald Trump made a similar claim in his 90-minute address. Americans are being squeezed out of the labor force and their jobs are taken, Trump said. By the way, you know whos taking the jobs, the jobs that are created? 107 percent of those jobs are taken by illegal aliens. Neither assertion is true. Isaac Saul, an independent journalist and author of the Tangle newsletter, responded to Miller on X and noted that a July 2024 Forbes article had debunked Trumps RNC speech claim. The data do not support Trumps contention, instead showing that 59% of employment growth under Biden was for U.S.-born workers, Stuart Anderson, a Forbes senior contributor and executive director of the nonpartisan National Foundation for American Policy, wrote. As for employment growth for foreign-born workers during the Biden administration, government statistics do not measure how many lacked legal status. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When measured through January 2025, the end of the Biden administration, the trend holds. Federal Reserve Economic Data collected from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that both foreign-born workers and native-born workers saw job growth over the four years of the Biden administration. Between January 2021 and January 2025, foreign-born workers employment levelthe number of individuals employedincreased by about 6.5 million jobs, a 25.5 percent increase, while the employment level for native-born workers rose by about 7.5 million jobs, an increase of 6.1 percent. More than half of employment-level gains recorded during the Biden administration went to native-born workers. Although foreign-born workers experienced a much greater employment level percentage change than native born workers, that is mainly because the foreign-born workforce is considerably smaller, so marginal gains appear larger in proportion. For example, if a single additional job were added to both foreign-born and native-born employment levels, the percent increase would be relatively higher for the foreign-born employment level than the percent increase for native-born jobs, even though both categories saw only one additional job. When asked about Millers claim, a White House official shared with The Dispatch Fact Check an X post from Heritage Foundation research fellow E.J. Antoni that featured a chart tracking native-born and foreign-born employment levels since 2010. As economist E.J. Antoni clearly depicted, there were roughly the same number of native-born Americans working in early January as before the 2020 pandemic, the White House official said, with all net job growth going to foreign-born workers whose employment is up by almost 5 million. The Dispatch Fact Check has previously reported on how pandemic-induced job losses had not fully recovered when Biden took office, meaning that his administrations employment growth numbers benefit from the fact that he took over as president when employment was in a deep but temporary valley. However, in his X post, Miller wrote that there was no native-born job creation during Joe Bidens administration. He made no mention of the COVID-19 pandemic. Measuring job creation since before the pandemics economic ramifications took hold shows that both categories experienced smaller employment level gains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, it is not true that all net job growth went to foreign-born workers. From February 2020, one month before the pandemic lockdowns started, to January 2025, the foreign-born employment level increased by about 4.1 million, or 14.7 percent. Meanwhile, the native-born employment level over that same time frame added 253,000 jobs, a slight uptick of about 0.2 percent. If you have a claim you would like to see us fact check, please send us an email at factcheck@thedispatch.com. If you would like to suggest a correction to this piece or any other Dispatch article, please email corrections@thedispatch.com. Read more at The Dispatch The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free. Misuse of government power by politicians to punish their enemies is an old story. The Biden administration infamously leaned on social media companies to suppress voices critical of the White House and its policies. New York used explicit threats of regulatory intervention to bully banks and insurance companies into denying services to the NRA and other gun rights advocates. And now President Donald Trump has turned his disputes with left-leaning law firms into an excuse to revoke their security clearances and subject them to investigation. It's part of a continuing and dangerous pattern of government officials abusing power to penalize opponents' opinions and activities. Trump Calls Out Opposing Law Firms In separate March executive orders, Trump called out multiple law firms who had drawn his wrath: Perkins Coie LLP for, in part, hiring "Fusion GPS, which then manufactured a false 'dossier' designed to steal an election" and for working with "activist donors including George Soros to judicially overturn popular, necessary, and democratically enacted election laws"; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP for litigation against participants in the January 6 Capitol riot and for efforts "to manufacture a prosecution against me"; Jenner & Block LLP and Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, for "obvious partisan representations to achieve political ends" and "the obstruction of efforts to prevent illegal aliens from committing horrific crimes and trafficking deadly drugs within our borders." In addition to partisan activities, the president accused the firms of race-based hiring in violation of civil rights laws. The current administration arguably has legitimate political grievances. That is, the firms all engaged in partisan litigation and legal shenanigans targeted at Trump and his allies. But in politics, especially in the unhealthy culture of Washington, D.C., that's business as usual for all players, whatever their ideologies or affiliations. What Trump did next shouldn't be, though something like it has become too common. Misusing Government Power for Political Retribution The president's orders went on "to suspend any active security clearances" for the law firms and to order all federal agencies to "take appropriate steps to terminate any contract" with the firms. Employees of the law firms were barred from federal government buildings "when such access would threaten the national security of or otherwise be inconsistent with the interests of the United States" and federal employees were directed to avoid contact with those firms' personnel. The president also directed the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate the hiring practices of "representative large, influential, or industry leading law firms." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The executive orders were very obviously intended to weaponize access to government business as well as the power of the regulatory state against Trump's political enemies. But it was also perceived as part of a larger effort to cripple pillars of the political opposition to the current administration. "Mr. Trump and his allies are aggressively attacking the players and machinery that power the left, taking a series of highly partisan official actions that, if successful, will threaten to hobble Democrats' ability to compete in elections for years to come," Kenneth P. Vogel and Shane Goldmacher wrote for The New York Times. Broader Threats to Civil Liberties But the president's actions don't just hobble Democrats and "the left" in some political power playthey use government authority to punish political speech and activity. That's a threat to free speech and a violation of civil liberties. "The President's Order is a self-declared act of retribution that targets a law firm for representing clients and causes the President disfavors," hundreds of law professors argue in an amicus brief supporting Perkins Coie in a lawsuit against the government seeking a permanent injunction against the orders. "In inflicting this retribution, the Order contradicts centuries of precedent safeguarding free speech, the right of association, and the right to petition." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Signers of the petition include Eugene Volokh, of the Reason-hosted Volokh Conspiracy. Critics of the presidential actions point out that, while many people object to the law firms' conduct in opposing Trump, his supporters, and his causes, that doesn't justify using the power of the state to punish the firms. Doing so sends a message that opposing whoever is in office at the moment might bring down the fulland entirely too dangerousattention of regulators and government investigators. "You don't need to feel sympathy for large law firmsor support the clients or causes they representto see the danger in a president abusing his authority to bend the legal system to his will," argues Aaron Terr, Director of Public Advocacy for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). "Trump isn't just punishing these firmshe's chilling legitimate advocacy and eroding the core principle that everyone has a right to legal representation. That's bad news for the rule of law and protection of individual rights." In fact, the American Civil Liberties Union raised exactly this point when it supported the National Rifle Association's lawsuit against New York state's government. The ACLU is generally in opposition to the NRA's overall mission, but it recognized that officials shouldn't be able to abuse the coercive power of the state to punish those who disagree with them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The ACLU made the decision to represent the NRA in this case because we are deeply concerned that if regulators can threaten the NRA for their political views in New York state, they can come after the ACLU and allied organizations in places where our agendas are unpopular," ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero commented. We're Overdue To Break the Cycle New York officials threaten banks to get them to deny services to self-defense advocates, the Biden administration leans on social media companies to muzzle conservatives and critics of pandemic lockdowns, the Trump administration cuts off contracts and threatens investigations of Democratic law firmswe can include seemingly politically motivated prosecutions of Trump and go back further to Operation Choke Point and other perversions of government power. It's an easy cycle to get going, but very difficult to stop once it's in motion and everybody is screaming "they started it!" "The fallout from these assaults on the bar may not be limited to lawyers who represent clients or causes that are perceived as hostile to President Trump; the precedent created here could be used by future presidents, of either party, to chill advocacy hostile to their policies or executive branch officials," warns another amicus brief supporting Perkins Coie filed by groups including the ACLU, FIRE, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation. We've had enough of politicians punishing their political opponents. Let them fight their own battles in the political arena and leave our civil liberties out of it. The post Trump Abuses Government Power To Punish Democrats' Law Firms appeared first on Reason.com. The Trump administration said Tuesday it would pull funding from Princeton University over climate-related programs that go against the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA) current program objectives. A release from the Department of Commerce, which houses the NOAA program, highlighted three of the schools research awards that clash with the administrations policies. The programs include the Cooperative Institute for Modeling the Earth System, Climate Risks and Interactive Sub-seasonal to Seasonal Predictability, and Advancing Prediction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the direction of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the Department eliminated the first program from federal funding, citing its promotion of exaggerated and implausible climate threats. Its focus is on alarming climate scenarios fosters fear rather than rational, balanced discussion, the release said of Princetons Cooperative Institute for Modeling the Earth System. The two other programs were pulled for research supporting the effects of global warming to include changes to precipitation patterns and sea-level rise amid a decrease in water availability. The funding cancellation comes a week after the Department of Energy, NASA, and the Defense Department suspended several dozen Princeton research grants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Princeton University did not immediately respond to The Hills request for comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Investors often look to defense stocks during unpredictable times, and 2025 is no exception. Just months into a new Trump administration, signs point to potentially historic defense spending, as reports suggest a budget near $1 trillion for the Pentagon. Stay Ahead of the Market: Discover outperforming stocks and invest smarter with Top Smart Score Stocks. Filter, analyze, and streamline your search for investment opportunities using Tipranks' Stock Screener. Heightened tensions with China, continuing unrest in Eastern Europe, and NATO allies ramping up their military outlays have all contributed to a favorable outlook for the industry. Most recently, a geopolitical spat with China could unleash a third active theater of war, following Gaza/Israel and Russia/Ukraine. In particular, Lockheed Martin (LMT), Northrop Grumman (NOC), and General Dynamics (GD) stand out as smart plays in such a defensively fertile market environment. Each comes from strong momentum and, most importantly, holds a multi-year backlog that can keep revenue flowing regardless of political shifts. Performance Comparison between LMT, NOC and GD Performance Comparison between LMT, NOC and GD Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) | Stealth Fighters and Solid Backlog Lockheed Martin, the worlds largest defense contractor, reported a record $71 billion in sales last year, up 5%, and ended the year with an all-time high backlog of $176 billion. That backlog, more than twice the annual revenue, is rooted in the F-35 stealth fighter program. After all these years, the F-35 remains the crown jewel of Lockheeds Aeronautics segment, driving new jet deliveries and decades of maintenance and upgrade contracts. Today, global demand has spiked as more U.S. allies join the program, offsetting any near-term dips if U.S. budgets fluctuate. Thanks to ongoing geopolitical tensions, Lockheed also benefits from strong missile defense and satellite segments. Even if the Trump administration changes its defense priorities, Lockheeds long-term contracts offer a robust revenue cushion. Is LMT Stock a Good Buy? On Wall Street, analysts are relatively bullish on LMT stock. The stock carries a Moderate Buy consensus rating based on six Buy and 11 Hold ratings over the past three months. LMTs average price target of $520.35 per share implies a ~16% upside potential over the next twelve months. Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) | Bombers, Space, and Nuclear Deterrence Northrop Grumman has also been quietly securing high-tech wins. Like Lockheed, it ended last year with record sales, as revenues rose 4.4% to $41 billion, and the year-end backlog reached $91.5 billion. Much of that success stems from the B-21 Raider program. The remarkable stealth bomber is set to replace the B-2 and forms the bedrock of future U.S. strategic aviation. Northrop also recently secured key contracts in nuclear modernization, notably the new Sentinel ICBM, plus a $900 million award for Polands IBCS system. Donald Trumps administration is immediately reviewing immigrants social media accounts for what it considers antisemitic activity that could be used as evidence to deny them legal status in the United States. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service is considering what it calls antisemitic activity on social media as well as the physical harassment of Jewish individuals when reviewing immigration benefit requests, according to Wednesdays memo. This will immediately affect aliens applying for lawful permanent resident status, foreign students and aliens affiliated with educational institutions linked to antisemitic activity, according to the agency. Demonstrators in New York demanded the release of Columbia University graduate and Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil after he was arrested and threatened with deportation for pro-Palestine campus activism the Trump administration claims is antisemitic and a threat to national security (EPA) The agency will review social media content that indicates an alien endorsing, espousing, promoting, or supporting antisemitic terrorism, antisemitic terrorist organizations, or other antisemitic activity as a negative factor, the agency said. The guidance is effective immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The directive follows a series of high-profile arrests and deportation threats as well as the revocation of student visas for hundreds of international students and student activists over their advocacy for Palestine. The Trump administration has zeroed in on campus activism at prestigious universities, where Israels war in Gaza has provoked a wave of demonstrations and protest encampments demanding an end to U.S. support for Israels devastation. Trump signed two executive orders that critics fear are being used to chill speech in support of Gaza and Palestine by conflating demonstrations with antisemitism and support for Hamas. One declares U.S. policy to ensure noncitizens do not advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to our national security. A fact sheet for another executive order pledges immediate action to investigate and punish anti-Jewish racism in leftist, anti-American colleges and universities with a promise to deport Hamas sympathizers and revoke student visas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wednesdays directive follows a similar measure at the State Department that was rolled out last month. A cable sent to consulates around the world calls for a review of social media for foreign students and student exchange visitors. The cable also suggested visas could be denied for perceived hostile attitudes towards the United States. On March 28, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said more than 300 student visas have been revoked under that criteria. There is no room in the United States for the rest of the worlds terrorist sympathizers, and we are under no obligation to admit them or let them stay here, said Homeland Security assistant secretary for public affairs Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement Wednesday. April 9 (UPI) -- The federal government has frozen more than $1 billion in funding for Cornell and $790 million for Northwestern as both schools remain under investigation by the Department of Education. The New York Times first reported Wednesday that funding garnered from grants from the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Education and Health and Human Services have been paused as the schools are investigated for violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act "to protect Jewish students on campus, including uninterrupted access to campus facilities and educational opportunities," as per a March press release from the Education Department. Cornell put out a statement Wednesday that discussed "media reports suggesting that more than $1 billion in federal grants have been frozen." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "While we have not received information that would confirm this figure, earlier today Cornell received more than 75 stop work orders from the Department of Defense related to research that is profoundly significant to American national defense, cybersecurity, and health," the school said. Grants to Cornell that would be impacted "include research into new materials for jet engines, propulsion systems, large-scale information networks, robotics, superconductors, and space and satellite communications, as well as cancer research," the statement said, which it further described as "work of significance for our national defense, the competitiveness of our economy, and the health of our citizens." Northwestern University released a statement Tuesday that echoed how Cornell learned of the funding freeze, stating it was "informed by members of the media that the federal government will freeze a significant portion of our federal funding." "The University has not received any official notification from the federal government," it said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It continued that it is "working closely with members of our Board, deans and our administration to assess the impact of these actions. "We will continue to keep both affected individuals and the broader community informed as the implications of these actions become clearer," it said. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D- Ill., posted to X Tuesday that the actions to freeze funding to universities must be stopped." "Trump's reported decision to freeze funding at Northwestern University will put life-saving cures and critical research at risk," Schakowsky said. "This freeze won't protect the Jewish students Trump claims to defend, it will instead undermine their academic endeavors." The Trump administration is preparing to send more immigrants with criminal records to El Salvadors notorious mega prison on the heels of a Supreme Court order allowing the use for now of a sweeping wartime authority for deportations, according to two US officials. El Salvador has emerged as a key US ally in Latin America as President Donald Trump pushes to advance his aggressive immigration agenda. El Salvador President Nayib Bukele is expected to visit the White House on Monday to discuss the use of the countrys Cecot prison, the largest in the Americas. And the Trump administration has even fielded a recent proposal from private security contractor Erik Prince to establish a US-run migrant detention facility in El Salvador, according to three sources familiar with the discussions. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Wednesday the US would continue using the Alien Enemies Act to deport people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its one of the reasons I went to El Salvador last week was a visit with the President. Asked him to continue to take terrorists from the United States of America that no longer belong here, she said. But the administrations reliance on El Salvador as it seeks to ramp up deportations has proven to be controversial prompting fraught legal battles and public pushback. This week, the Supreme Court allowed Trump to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to speed removals, but made clear that officials must give migrants subject to the measure adequate notice, so they have reasonable time to bring habeas complaints. Those complaints have already popped up in some parts of the country. Federal judges in New York and Texas on Wednesday issued orders to temporarily halt the deportation of Venezuelan plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging the Trump administrations use of the Alien Enemies Act. Amid the legal back and forth, the administration fielded an unprecedented pitch from Prince, a long-time ally of Trump and a notorious private security contractor, to set up a US-run immigrant detention facility in El Salvador to detain immigrants with criminal records, according to the sources familiar with the discussions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The idea gained traction in some corners of the federal government because some officials believed it would potentially be cheaper to detain immigrants abroad and help shore up detention capacity which is already stretched thin. But other US officials were more skeptical and have sought to knock it down, seeing it as legally tenuous and unrealistic. The pitch revealed Princes influence on the Trump administrations push for significantly tougher immigration enforcement and reflected the increasing interest in partnering with El Salvador and its Trump-friendly president in that effort. But the Supreme Court decision appears to have put Princes proposal for another facility on hold because sending migrants to Cecil remains a possibility. CNN has reached out to both the White House and Prince for comment. US officials who entertained the idea internally saw it as a way to avoid logistical challenges that have risen with the use of the Naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and skirt issues related to sending migrants to countries other than their place of origin, according to one source familiar with the discussions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Guantanamo is a PR statement that they have to figure out how to get out of. Logistically, it was a nightmare, the source said. In February, the Trump administration halted efforts to place migrants in tent structures built at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, amid concerns that the emerging facilities didnt meet detention standards because they lacked air conditioning and electricity. Trump has expressed support for sending US nationals to El Salvador as well, an unprecedented move that would face significant legal pushback. Id love that, he said when asked by reporters Sunday aboard Air Force One about a proposal from El Salvadors president to take in convicted US citizens into the countrys high-security mega prison. If they can house these horrible criminals for a lot less money than it costs us, Im all for it, but Id only do according to the law, but I have suggested that, you know, why should it stop just to people that cross the border illegally? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last month, the US removed 238 alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua held by the US, along with 22 alleged MS-13 members to El Salvador to be detained in the countrys notorious mega prison. The Trump administration has admitted to mistakenly deporting a Salvadoran national to El Salvador despite a previous order barring his removal to the country over fear of persecution and come under fire for other cases that have cast doubt over the administrations assertions that all those sent to the Central American nation were criminals. The administration has signaled its desire to significantly ramp up immigration detention. A request for proposals for detention facilities posted by the administration totaled as much as $45 billion over the next two years. Bukele is key to these efforts, and CNN previously reported that Princes direct line to the Salvadoran president has helped a former pariah of Washington establish himself back inside Trumps orbit. Blackwater Founder Erik Prince walks with police members during 'Apolo 13' Anti-Crime Operation on April 5, 2025, in Guayaquil, Ecuador. - Agencia Press South/Getty Images Prince, who is the brother of Trumps former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, founded Blackwater, which gained notoriety in 2007 during the Iraq War, when its private contractors opened fire in Baghdads Nisour Square, killing 17 Iraqi civilians. Four contractors were convicted and later pardoned by Trump. The company later changed its name and Prince sold the firm in 2010. He currently identifies himself on his website as an investor, entrepreneur and leader in military affair reforms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Interviews with more than a dozen current and former administration officials and people close to Prince suggest that he has gained traction within the second Trump administration and is moving quickly to leverage his influence in pursuit of long-held policy beliefs, some of which could turn into big business for him. Prince previously proposed deputizing private security contractors to swiftly deport undocumented immigrants. The proposal suggested hiring retired ICE and CBP officers, as well as retired state and local law enforcement and properly trained veterans to arrest people. When asked about that proposal, Trump said he hadnt seen it but wouldnt be opposed. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A pro-Palestinian encampment is seen on the Auraria campus in downtown Denver, May 2, 2024. (Quentin Young/Colorado Newsline) The Trump administration has revoked visas for almost two dozen international students across two Colorado university systems. As of Wednesday, 10 international students at Colorado State University have lost their visas with no explanation, as well as 12 international students across all four University of Colorado campuses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX We are working with the students to help them connect with appropriate legal resources and understand their options. CSU is providing support based on students personal choices and decisions, CSU spokesperson Nik Olsen said in a statement. CU in a statement said federal agencies have not shared any reasons for the student visa revocations with the university. Both universities declined to provide additional information to protect the privacy of affected students. The number of Colorado students who lost their visas doubled from the counts the universities provided a week ago: four students from CU and six students from CSU. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump in issued an executive order targeting student visas of those who participated in pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses and another instructing the Department of State to review visa programs to ensure no foreign nationals pose a threat to national security. Many international students across the United States have had their visas revoked. Secretary of State Marco Rubio late last month put the number at 300. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student with a green card, making him a legal permanent resident, in March after he helped organize a protest calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Representatives for Metropolitan State University, Colorado Mountain College and Colorado Mesa University said they still have not had students affected by visa revocations as of Wednesday. A representative for Western Colorado University did not respond to a request for comment ahead of publication, though as of last week the school had no students affected. Editors note: This story was updated at 3:09 p.m., April 9, 2025, to reflect that Colorado Mesa University has had no international students lose their visas. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE At least eight students at Oklahoma universities have recently had their visas revoked by the federal government as the Trump administration scrutinizes scores of international students across the U.S. Eight students at Oklahoma State University lost their visas, a spokesperson for the Stillwater school confirmed. A spokesperson for the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond said they "believe there may be as many as four" students on its campus whose visas have been revoked. Officials at the University of Oklahoma in Norman declined to discuss whether any of its students have been affected, citing student confidentiality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's unclear why exactly some international students in Oklahoma are being targeted, but the revocations link them with hundreds of other students across the country who are now forced to leave the United States. More: Trump cancels hundreds of student visas, forcing rapid departures Oklahoma student visas were canceled for reasons ranging from political activity to speeding tickets, director says Universities have reported some students being forced to leave immediately, in many cases after discovering their visas were canceled in the federal Student Exchange and Visitor Information System, or through an unexpected text or email, according to reporting from USA TODAY. Elisabeth Walker, OSU's director of the Office of International Students and Scholars, told the university's Faculty Council Tuesday that one student's visa was revoked two weeks ago, five were rescinded last week and two were revoked Tuesday, according to reporting from the O'Colly, OSU's student newspaper. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said the federal government is canceling the students' electronic immigration record, citing political activity for one of them, and criminal activity for the other seven. From talking to students, Walker said she's learned that the criminal records have ranged from previous arrests to speeding tickets, the student news outlet reported. The revocations follow comments made in March by Secretary of State Marco Rubio that he's revoked at least 300 visas of students he described as "lunatics," citing pro-Palestinian support or activism, activities that are typically considered protected under the First Amendment. "It might be more than 300 at this point. We do it every day. Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas," Rubio said at a news conference. Contributing: Trevor Hughes of USA TODAY This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Trump administration revokes visas for Oklahoma students at OSU, OCU The states top universities, including the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Northwestern University and the University of Chicago, confirmed Wednesday that visas of international students were revoked by the Trump administration, joining a growing number of international students across the country who have had their visas canceled. Officials say that many if not all have been revoked with no explanation and no prior notice, creating confusion on campuses and deep-rooted fear among students. On Wednesday, U. of C. officials confirmed that the federal government terminated the F-1 visas for three current students and four recent graduates, while their Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS) status had also been terminated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile Southern Illinois University Edwardsville confirmed eight of its international students had their visas canceled, including three enrolled undergraduate students and five graduate students on optional practical training. Students from U. of I., University of Illinois Chicago, Northwestern and Southern Illinois University Carbondale also have had their visas terminated, according to officials from those schools who declined to say how many. However, a high-ranking official at U. of I. who did not have permission to speak on the record told the Tribune that 19 students had their visas rescinded, according to data in the SEVIS system. SEVIS, an online system maintained by the Department of Homeland Security, is used to monitor the records and information of international students on F-1 or J-1 visas and keep track of students whose visa status is being challenged. Legal experts say once a SEVIS record is terminated, a students legal status becomes immediately invalid and they must either leave the U.S. within the grace period, typically 15 days, or take steps to restore their status. Otherwise, they may risk deportation and future visa restrictions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My understanding is that Trump promised mass deportations and the people you can find that are the easiest to identify are students, said Genevieve Lakier, a University of Chicago professor who specializes in freedom of speech and American constitutional law. Theyre in the system and universities maintain records that are easy to access via multiple pathways. And of course, the administration doesnt like universities, so it does not mind disrupting their business model. Its a win-win for the administration and horrifying for our students who are terrified. Over the past week, nearly 300 full-time international students across the country were informed that their visa status had been revoked, making them targets of deportation and detainment. College officials and university communities are left to unpack what is happening and how best to advise its students. Many of the universities impacted by the cancellations in Illinois have large international student populations. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 10% of the student body at Northwestern has non-U.S. resident status, while U. of C.s student body has 17% non-U.S. resident status and U. of I.s student body has 15% non-U.S. resident status. Faculty and students at U. of C. told the Tribune that some of the visa revocations appear to be connected to minor infractions such as parking tickets or traffic violations, though school officials could not confirm.In Florida, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported this week a student from Colombia who was taken into custody by immigration agents after he was stopped by Gainesville police with an expired registration and drivers license, signed his self-deportation and returned home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other visa terminations are related to participation in pro-Palestinian protests or political speech criticzing Israel, such as the high-profile case of Mahmoud Khalil, who helped lead last springs protests at Columbia University and now faces possible deportation despite facing no criminal charges. Some institutions have shared publicly that students have lost visas but many colleges and universities have yet to disclose the exact number. The negative effects of the nationwide student visa revocations have been far-reaching, said Ida Salusky, research associate professor at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Salusky, who works with undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students, said her students are scared about their visa status, citing the case of Rumeysa Ozturk a Turkish international doctoral student at Tufts University who was taken by immigration officials near her home last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The images of the young woman from Tufts in Boston, you know, basically being grabbed off the street. Thats terrifying for any student, for any young person, especially for somebody who is on a visa, Salusky said. Students are unable to fully focus on their work, causing them to be less productive, she noted. Everybody talks about and this administration is talking about, We want the people to be productive. We want our dollars to be well spent. But that is hard to accomplish for anyone when youre in constant fear about whether you will be able to remain in the country to do the work or to pursue the degree and the studies that you came here to do, Salusky said. U. of C. spokesperson Gerald McSwiggan said the Office of International Affairs (OIA) also identified the U. of C. terminations during an audit of SEVIS records. McSwiggan did not clarify when the visas were revoked or when students were notified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McSwiggan said the U. of C. is committed to continued deep engagement and active exchange with international students, scholars and visitors. The university has a long history of supporting Americas position as a magnet for talented people from across the globe, and we will continue to work to assist the members of our international community, he said. Last Friday, U. of I. sent a message to their student body that students at the university were affected by the widespread visa terminations. In the letter, U. of I. Chancellor Robert Jones and Provost John Coleman said the federal government does not proactively notify the university of no-contact terminations, adding that students whose immigration status has been terminated should consider making plans to exit the United States immediately as the visa terminations do not carry a grace period. The letter encouraged students to speak with their departments about alternative ways of completing their degrees, including online learning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U. of I. declined to provide more details on which students were impacted out of privacy concerns, but said that they are working directly with affected students to help them connect with appropriate resources and understand their options. Lakier, the U. of C. law professor, noted it was the pervasive practice of the Trump administration to not give notice. She said school officials have recently implemented daily checks of the SEVIS portal to see who is in status and who is out. There is no provision of notice, Lakier added. It is a fundamental principle of a system of rule of law that you give notice to people when their legal status or their legal rights change, that is just a basic norm so that they can structure their lives knowing the rule of the government. Jackie Stevens, a professor of political science at Northwestern, said that while the deportations may help the Trump administration optically, it is unclear if the deportations advance any policy goals. I dont even know that it fits any particular policy goal, economic or otherwise, that the Trump administration has in mind, Stevens said, but it does help them bump up the metrics as far as deporting people. President Donald Trump signs executive orders during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House on Tuesday. One of them directs the Justice Department to challenge state climate policies.(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) President Donald Trump has launched an all-out legal attack on states authority to set climate change policy. His executive order, issued Tuesday, directs the Department of Justice to challenge a huge swath of state laws and regulations. The order aims at measures that seek to cut carbon emissions, penalize energy companies and limit drilling permits. It also targets state-led lawsuits against fossil fuel companies over the damages caused by climate change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps directive orders Attorney General Pam Bondi to stop the enforcement of any state laws related to climate change, including any that are seen as burdening the use of domestic energy resources. Such language could include state laws that mandate a transition to clean electricity sources. The order specifically calls out climate Superfund policies in Vermont and New York, which require fossil fuel companies to pay for some of the damages caused by climate change. It also targets Californias cap-and-trade law, which places a limit on emissions through auctions of carbon credits. While Trumps order says such state policies are unconstitutional, climate-focused state leaders say his administration has no legal basis to unravel their efforts. The federal government cannot unilaterally strip states independent constitutional authority, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, both Democrats, wrote in a joint statement from the U.S. Climate Alliance. We are a nation of states and laws and we will not be deterred. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hochul and Lujan Grisham co-chair the alliance, a coalition of 24 governors focused on reducing emissions. Michael Gerrard, faculty director of Columbia Universitys Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, told Politico that the order is toothless. [Trump] has no authority on his own to nullify state laws, he told the outlet. But the order throws the might of the federal government into a sprawling legal battle over states authority to set climate policy and seek damages for disasters. It could force states to face expensive litigation and years of legal uncertainty. Trump-appointed judges on the U.S. Supreme Court and elsewhere have at times been hostile to environmental regulations. And its unclear whether the order will have a chilling effect on state efforts to craft more climate legislation. Stateline reporter Alex Brown can be reached at abrown@stateline.org. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Apr. 9President Donald Trump has launched an all-out legal attack on states' authority to set climate change policy. His executive order, issued Tuesday, directs the Department of Justice to challenge a huge swath of state laws and regulations. The order aims at measures that seek to cut carbon emissions, penalize energy companies and limit drilling permits. It also targets state-led lawsuits against fossil fuel companies over the damages caused by climate change. Trump's directive orders Attorney General Pam Bondi to "stop the enforcement" of any state laws related to climate change, including any that are seen as "burdening" the use of domestic energy resources. Such language could include state laws that mandate a transition to clean electricity sources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order specifically calls out "climate Superfund" policies in Vermont and New York, which require fossil fuel companies to pay for some of the damages caused by climate change. It also targets California's cap-and-trade law, which places a limit on emissions through auctions of carbon credits. While Trump's order says such state policies are unconstitutional, climate-focused state leaders say his administration has no legal basis to unravel their efforts. "The federal government cannot unilaterally strip states' independent constitutional authority," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, both Democrats, wrote in a joint statement from the U.S. Climate Alliance. "We are a nation of states and laws and we will not be deterred." Hochul and Lujan Grisham co-chair the alliance, a coalition of 24 governors focused on reducing emissions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michael Gerrard, faculty director of Columbia University's Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, told Politico that the order is "toothless." "[Trump] has no authority on his own to nullify state laws," he told the outlet. But the order throws the might of the federal government into a sprawling legal battle over states' authority to set climate policy and seek damages for disasters. It could force states to face expensive litigation and years of legal uncertainty. Trump-appointed judges on the U.S. Supreme Court and elsewhere have at times been hostile to environmental regulations. And it's unclear whether the order will have a chilling effect on state efforts to craft more climate legislation. Stateline reporter Alex Brown can be reached at [email protected]. YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE. MariEnergies has announced a significant gas discovery at the Mari Ghazij-1 exploration well in the Mari Development & Production Lease (Mari D&PL) area in Sindh Province, Pakistan. The company, which operates the Mari D&PL with full ownership, successfully drilled the well to a depth of 1,015m. The well, spudded on 24 November 2022, has established a gas flow rate of 5.1 million standard cubic feet per day through a drill stem test. The wellhead flowing pressure was recorded at 232 pounds per square inch (psi) with a 64/64in choke size. This marks the first dedicated exploratory well targeting multiple Ghazij Limestone units. The concept originated from the Iqbal-1 well, where a thin limestone unit in the Ghazij Formation contributed approximately 500,000 cubic feet per day to the flow. This prompted a detailed study of the limestone units within the Ghazij Formation across the Mari D&PL area. MariEnergies plans to appraise this discovery further to determine its extent and evaluate development options. The company holds a 23% share in the gas market and aims to mitigate declining gas production in Pakistan by maximising current field production and aggressive exploration strategies. In a related development, Pakistan Petroleum (PPL) announced a hydrocarbon discovery in the Shah Bandar Block, Sindh, in November 2024. This marks the third consecutive discovery in the block under PPL's operatorship, enhancing its exploration reputation. The Pateji X-1 exploration well, drilled to 2,475m, targeted the upper sands of the Lower Goru Formation. This discovery is expected to significantly contribute to Pakistan's energy security. PPL operates the Shah Bandar Block with a 63% working interest, alongside joint venture partners Mari Petroleum Company (32%), Sindh Energy Holding Company (2.5%) and Government Holdings (Private) (2.5%). "MariEnergies discovers significant gas reserves at Mari Ghazij-1 well in Sindh, Pakistan" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday targeting states laws and regulations geared at combatting climate change. President Donald Trump has launched an all-out legal attack on states authority to set climate change policy. His executive order, issued Tuesday, directs the Department of Justice to challenge a huge swath of state laws and regulations. The order aims at measures that seek to cut carbon emissions, penalize energy companies and limit drilling permits. It also targets state-led lawsuits against fossil fuel companies over the damages caused by climate change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps directive orders Attorney General Pam Bondi to stop the enforcement of any state laws related to climate change, including any that are seen as burdening the use of domestic energy resources. Such language could include state laws that mandate a transition to clean electricity sources. The order specifically calls out climate Superfund policies in Vermont and New York, which require fossil fuel companies to pay for some of the damages caused by climate change. It also targets Californias cap-and-trade law, which places a limit on emissions through auctions of carbon credits. While Trumps order says such state policies are unconstitutional, climate-focused state leaders say his administration has no legal basis to unravel their efforts. The federal government cannot unilaterally strip states independent constitutional authority, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, both Democrats, wrote in a joint statement from the U.S. Climate Alliance. We are a nation of states and laws and we will not be deterred. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hochul and Lujan Grisham co-chair the alliance, a coalition of 24 governors focused on reducing emissions. Michael Gerrard, faculty director of Columbia Universitys Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, told Politico that the order is toothless. [Trump] has no authority on his own to nullify state laws, he told the outlet. But the order throws the might of the federal government into a sprawling legal battle over states authority to set climate policy and seek damages for disasters. It could force states to face expensive litigation and years of legal uncertainty. Trump-appointed judges on the U.S. Supreme Court and elsewhere have at times been hostile to environmental regulations. And its unclear whether the order will have a chilling effect on state efforts to craft more climate legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stateline reporter Alex Brown can be reached at abrown@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. This story originally appeared in New York Focus, a non-profit news publication investigating how power works in New York state. Sign up for their newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/368trn9p None of us asked to be born a certain way, Kelly Metzgar, a transgender woman and executive director of the Adirondack North Country Gender Alliance in Saranac Lake, told New York Focus. Tall, short, red hair, blond hair this is how we were created. Metzgars brain and body used to feel unbalanced, driving her to the point of contemplating suicide. She says gender-affirming care saved her life. It made such a difference, she said, providing her with a sense of wholeness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gender-affirming care helps align a persons body with their gender identity. Treatment differs from person to person but can include medical, psychological, social, and legal support. Both cisgender people those whose gender identity corresponds with their sex assigned at birth and transgender people receive and benefit from gender-affirming care. If they can access it. GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE Immediately upon retaking the Oval Office, President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing federal agencies to withhold funding from health care entities that provide gender-affirming medical care to people under 19. In the order, Trump described the care Metzgar credits with saving her life as mutilation and a horrifying tragedy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps order sent shockwaves through the LGBTQ+ community. Some healthcare providers scared of losing their funding and confused about their legal obligations stopped treating transgender youth. Hayley Gorenberg, a civil rights lawyer and co-chair of the New York City Bar Associations LGBTQ+ Rights Committee, told New York Focus that Trumps order has no mooring in medical reality. Private plaintiffs, public interest groups, and state attorneys general quickly filed lawsuits to invalidate Trumps order. Federal judges have blocked the Trump administration from freezing any funding while the lawsuits play out. Letitia James, New Yorks attorney general, has a long history of battling Trump. Now, shes committed to fighting his anti-trans agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement James warned hospitals that denying gender-affirming care to transgender people is against New York law, regardless of the availability of federal funding. The states Human Rights Law amended during the first Trump administration after years of advocacy by LGBTQ+ New Yorkers expressly prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation in places of public accommodation. SANCTUARY STATE Legal experts told New York Focus that even if the federal courts ultimately uphold Trumps order, the Human Rights Law still requires that health care providers supply the same treatment to transgender people as they do cisgender people including gender-affirming care. But while New Yorks law is clear, advocates say, litigation is not a cure-all. Metzgar said shes optimistic that New York will remain a sanctuary state for transgender people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Letitia James will fight back, said Metzgar. Thats what were hanging our hats on. Hilary Avallone is the LGBTQ+ program manager for acr Healths Q Center, which supports LGBTQ+ youth and their families across nine counties in Central New York, the North Country, and the Mohawk Valley. She told New York Focus that Trumps order had an immediate effect, making already hard-to-get care even tougher to access. You know theres only so many pediatric providers for hormone replacement therapy, Avallone said. She said some providers asked the Q Center to remove its resource guide listing recommended gender-affirming care providers from its website. Some providers put holds on appointments, and some stopped taking new patients, she heard. Since Jamess warning, Avallone said, the trans youth she works with have continued to receive the care they need. Metzgar said she hasnt heard of any providers in her area denying gender-affirming care, for which she also credits James. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not all providers have been so compliant. NYU LANGONE The NYU Langone health system stopped providing gender-affirming care to transgender youth after Trumps order. On March 13, Assemblymember Harvey Epstein, state Senator Kristen Gonzalez, and the 1199SEIU health care workers union sent a letter reminding NYU of Jamess warning and demanding the hospital resume its full suite of services for trans youth. They never got a response, Epstein told New York Focus. On Monday, hundreds of protestors marched on NYU Langone. The protestors carried some 10,000 letters demanding that the hospital resume its gender-affirming services, which Gonzalez says the hospital refused to accept. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NYU must affirm their commitment to providing gender-affirming care to all patients who seek it, whether they be youth or adults, whether existing or new in compliance with state law, Gonzalez said in a statement. If were going to beat fascism, we have to stand together. NYU Langone declined to comment for this article. VARIETY OF TREATMENTS Gender-affirming care encompasses a variety of types of support name and clothing changes, updating official documents, speech therapy, counseling, puberty blockers, and more. Medical interventions for transgender youth typically require the childs assent, parental consent, and approval by a mental health professional. Surgery is vanishingly rare for transgender youth. A Harvard study found that fewer than 0.01 percent of transgender and gender-divergent youth undergo gender-affirming surgery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Delaying or denying gender-affirming care can cause real harm to young people. Hormone therapy, for example, helps prevent permanent and distressing body changes. One study found that transgender and nonbinary youth who receive gender-affirming care are 73 percent less likely to have suicidal thoughts. Cisgender people benefit from hormone therapy and puberty blockers, too to manage menopause symptoms, for example, or to treat early puberty. Denying care to transgender people while making it available to cisgender people is discrimination, Gorneberg said. And as the attorney general points out, thats illegal. HUMAN RIGHTS LAW Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Enacted in 1945, New Yorks Human Rights Law guarantees everyone in the state equal opportunity to enjoy a full and productive life. The law prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, education, and places of public accommodation including hospitals and clinics. The state attorney general can investigate discrimination complaints and enforce the law. People experiencing discrimination can also sue on their own behalf or file a complaint with the states Division of Human Rights. Being able to access the Division of Human Rights is really important, said Susan Hazeldean, an associate dean at Brooklyn Law School especially for people who dont have a lawyer. The Human Rights Law has long forbidden discrimination based on race, sex, religion, and national origin. In 2002, the state legislature expanded the law to cover sexual orientation and in 2019, after a decades-long push by LGBTQ+ activists, to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. Despite Trumps executive order, that protection still applies to New York-based providers of gender-affirming care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Katie Eyer, an anti-discrimination law scholar and professor at Rutgers Law School, noted that New York has some of the strongest protections in the country for transgender people and that Trump cant unilaterally override them. Its right there, she said. Theres no debate. But even when the law is clear, legal advocacy has its limits. A VERY GRAVE THREAT Litigating even straightforward discrimination cases takes resources and forces victims to wait for relief. and despite New York law, Trumps executive order may still have severe financial ramifications. Advocates are unsure how health care providers that comply with New Yorks Human Rights Law would make up for lost federal funding. It is a very grave threat, said Hazeldean. Federal support for the provision of health care is vital. Eyer said its also unclear if insurance will continue to cover gender-affirming care for transgender people. Not all plans have to comply with New Yorks anti-discrimination laws. Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal introduced a bill that would require Medicaid to cover the costs of gender-affirming care, even if Trump succeeds in cutting off federal funding. Federal judges have blocked Trump from withholding funding from health care providers while lawsuits against the order proceed, indicating they believe the lawsuits will likely be successful. One judge wrote that Trumps order facially discriminates on the basis of transgender status and does not survive constitutional scrutiny. Ultimately, Trumps order could reach the United States Supreme Court. Its unclear how they would rule: Conservative justices hold a 6-3 majority on the court, but two of them have joined with liberal justices to hold that anti-trans discrimination is illegal, at least in the context of employment law. MY DEATH IS NOT A SURRENDER Trump and his allies have threatened federal judges with impeachment if they rule against the president and stoked fears that the administration may openly defy court decisions. New Yorks protections have led many to view it as a safe haven and sanctuary state for transgender people. Weve had a lot of folks coming from other states wanting to access care, said Avallone. More may make the trip in the wake of Trumps order. But even a safe haven can be a dark place. This February, Sam Nordquist, a 24-year-old Black transgender man from Minnesota, was found dead in a field in Canandaigua, a small city in New Yorks Ontario County. Nordquist was an animal lover who worked alongside his mother in a group home for people with disabilities. Before his death, police said, Nordquist was sexually assaulted and tortured for over a month. Seven people have been charged with his murder. Authorities have declined to charge the killing as a hate crime. In January, Elisa Rae Shupe, a transgender activist and retired army sergeant first class, hanged herself from the top of the Syracuse VA Medical Center parking garage, her body wrapped in a transgender pride flag. The VAs inpatient psychiatry unit had discharged Shupe the day after Trumps inauguration. (The Syracuse VA declined to comment for this story.) Shupe reportedly aimed her last words at the Trump administration and the United States writ large. My death is not a surrender, reads a note attributed to Shupe. You cannot erase non-binary and transgender people because you give birth to more of us each day. In February, Donald Trump and his White House team announced that theyd already won their case against The Associated Press in the Gulf of America case. In fact, following a procedural development in February, the White House heavily promoted images featuring the Republican-preferred name for the Gulf of Mexico and a giant VICTORY stamp over the southeastern United States. Those inclined to believe the president and his political operation likely assumed that the case was over. It was not. In fact, as NBC News reported, a federal judge has now ruled against the White House. A federal judge on Tuesday called The Associated Press exclusion from White House events contrary to the First Amendment and ordered the Trump administration to treat the newswire as it would any other media publication. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden ... ordered the administration to put the AP on an equal playing field as similarly situated outlets, despite the APs use of disfavored terminology. [U]nder the First Amendment, if the Government opens its doors to some journalists be it to the Oval Office, the East Room, or elsewhere it cannot then shut those doors to other journalists because of their viewpoints, McFadden added in his ruling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For those who might benefit from a refresher, it was in early February when the White House prevented Associated Press journalists from attending official events for an exceedingly misguided reason: AP reports referred to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of Mexico. Trump and his team want news organizations to instead use the Republican-endorsed name the Gulf of America so the White House punished the AP over it. What was not immediately obvious at the time was whether the incident was a one-day retaliatory tantrum or the start of something larger. It quickly became apparent that the White House had settled on the latter. The wire service took the matter to court, and in legal filings, White House officials acknowledged that the president personally approved the access ban for AP journalists. Trump and his team were likely delighted to learn that the case would be heard by McFadden a Trump-appointed conservative and longtime Federalist Society member. They were far less pleased when he ruled against the White House anyway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president and his lawyers said they would appeal the ruling, but as the case proceeds, its worth re-emphasizing the fact that there are larger principles at stake that are far broader than what people call a body of water. Indeed, this controversy, at its root, is about a White House waging an aggressive campaign against the free press and, in this instance, is also trying to bully one of the nations leading news organizations into submission as part of an Orwellian campaign. Team Trump appears to have embraced a vision of the First Amendment in which people and businesses are free to use the words and phrases that Republicans like or face the consequences. A conservative federal judge has now told the White House that such a position is unconstitutional. This post updates our related earlier coverage. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. For the past few days, investors, foreign leaders, and members of Congress have gradually gotten more and more frantic about the Trump administrations huge tariffs. The White House, meanwhile, projected equanimity. They feel like everything is going according to plan, an adviser told Politico. And then, suddenly, the plan if there ever was onechanged. This afternoon, President Donald Trump announced a partial pivot on social media. On the one hand, he ratcheted up tariffs on China to 125 percent. On the other hand, he announced that he was reducing tariffs on more than 75 other countries to 10 percent for the next 90 days. In an odd wrinkle, this appears to also mean new tariffs on Canada and Mexico, which will now be subject to a 10 percent rate, having been previously exempted from this round of tariffsthough they will still be subject to a 25 percent tariff imposed earlier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Are you confused yet? Imagine being an importer or a manufacturer. The simplest way to read this is that Trump has blinked. Ive written previously that Trump, despite his obsession with strength, almost always folds. Hes actually not much of a negotiator at all, and can be induced to back down pretty easily. Bill Ackman, the activist investor and Democrat turned Trump cheerleader, has spent the past few days freaking out on X about a self-induced, economic nuclear winter. Today, trying to save some dignity for himself and perhaps for the president, he posted, This was brilliantly executed by @realDonaldTrump. Textbook, Art of the Deal. This assumes that Trump has gotten something in return. If that is true, no one seems to know what it is, and Trump is not usually shy about proclaiming his achievements. He said last night that foreign leaders are dying to make a deal. Please, please, sir, make a deal, Ill do anything, Ill do anything sir. But no new agreements have been announced yet, and Europe was on the verge of retaliation. Trump hasnt totally given up his leveragethe 90-day pause allows him to bring the tariffs back laterbut it removes a great deal of urgency for foreign negotiators. A better answer is that Trump is responding to domestic concerns. Markets were heading toward bear territory, major financial institutions were warning about recessions, and a Treasury bond sell-off may have spooked the White House. As the president put it this afternoon, People were jumping a little bit out of line; they were getting yippy. Markets responded just as Trump must have hoped, rising sharply after the news. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet just calling this a fold is simplistic. Trump has moved to a stance of trade war that is belligerent in comparison with everything except his position as of this morning. He continues to ratchet up tariffs with China. This tit for tat could still produce immense jumps in prices, especially for tech products, as my colleague Damon Beres explained yesterday. Trump has added new tariffs on Canada and Mexico, two other important trade partners, and maintained the lower, but still significant, tariffs on everyone else. Even more to the point, Trump is committing himself even more strongly to unpredictability. If tariffs can be firmly on in the morning and then paused in the afternoon, with no clear explanation or prologue, they can be back on again soon. This is certainly the story of Trumps interactions with Mexico and Canada so far. Tariffs are crushing for small businesses; for large businesses, theyre frustrating but not fatal. The greater problem for the big companies is instability. An executive cant make a solid plan if they dont know what sort of regime theyll be dealing with in two months or six months. This is the catch-22 of treating tariffs as a negotiating tool. Trump wants corporations to build new factories in the United States, but they need predictability to do that. It can take years to put a new factory into operation. How many times will Trump change his mind over that period? Yet unpredictability is what Trump views as the source of his leverage. If he promises stability to companies, hes giving other governments the same assurance that he wont switch things up. Wall Street is delighted nowmarkets soared at the end of the day. The exuberance is based on the idea that Trump blinked. Theyre not exactly wrong, but he hasnt given any indication that his underlying theory of trade has changed. When the party buzz wears off, businesses will be facing the same volatile future they were this morning. Article originally published at The Atlantic (NewsNation) Cenk Uygur, founder and host of The Young Turks, doesnt think President Donald Trump has done a good job selling his tariff vision to the American people. Why is he blowing it? Partly because he lacks empathy, Uygur told NewsNations Leland Vittert on Tuesday. The progressive political commentator said Trump should be out explaining his long-term strategy to comfort Americans who have seen their stock portfolios plummet recently. Instead, the president has told people not to be weak or stupid but strong, courageous, and patient. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Companies need time machine for tariffs to make sense: Yang Hes so self-obsessed, hes such a narcissist, Uygur said. For a normal person, let alone a politician, this is a layup. Vittert argued Trump is well-regarded for his interpersonal skills and known to be incredibly empathetic one-on-one. What is a bear market and are we in one? Another obstacle for Trumps tariff messaging? Uygur doesnt think the president has decided whether the tariffs will be long-term, aimed at bringing jobs back, or temporary to negotiate better trade deals. I dont think Donald Trump has made up his mind, Uygur said. You cant have it both ways. Those are two different strategies. Watch the interview with Uygur in the player above. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. Saint Paul mayor Melvin Carter speaks at the Minnesota State Capitol as part of the nationwide "Hands Off" protests condemning several actions of the Trump administration Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer) The Trump administration has so far cancelled $296,455,163 in federal funds promised to Minnesota, with an additional $55,989,150 in funding temporarily disrupted. Those figures come from a new Walz administration tracker of federal funding pauses and rescissions, which officials say will now be updated daily. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By tracking these changes, were doing what we can to keep Minnesotans informed on what we know and whats to come, Gov. Tim Walz said in a statement. Decisions made by billionaires in Washington are cutting real programs that save Minnesotans money, monitor disease outbreaks, and keep us safe. The bulk of the funding cancellations, totaling roughly $230 million, affect the Minnesota Department of Health, which has been forced to lay off 170 employees in grant-funded positions. Another 20 employees who were slated to start new positions with MDH have had those offers rescinded. The largest contributor to the MDH cuts is the cancellation of $179 million from the CDC, for flexible funding to respond to future infectious disease outbreaks. The Minnesota Office of Higher Education* is losing $18 million, while the Department of Human Services is reporting a loss of around $27 million to help people with substance abuse and mental health problems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, the Department of Agriculture is losing $18 million in funding for programs that purchase local food for schools and food shelves. Nearly all of the federal funds the state lists as temporarily disrupted would affect the Department of Public Safety. Those funds consist of FEMA grants to help the department prevent and respond to natural disasters and terror threats. One in every three dollars Minnesota state government spends currently comes from the federal government, said Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Erin Campbell. Consistent, timely access to federal dollars is needed to continue providing the services Minnesotans depend on. The figures included in the state tracker do not include funding cuts to colleges, non-profits, and other non-governmental organizations. Those cuts, depending on how theyre implemented, could add tens of millions or more to the totals, including for medical research conducted by institutions like the Mayo Clinic. *Correction: A previous version of this story misstateed the agency losing the money. Hedge fund honcho Bill Ackman joined a growing list of President Donald Trump's billionaire backers calling for the White House to slam the brakes on tariffs just hours before Trump authorized a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs for most countries that went into effect Wednesday morning. Ackman took to social media early Wednesday, asking Trump to put a 90-day pause on tariffs, arguing the president can "accomplish his objectives without destroying small businesses in the short term." In a lengthy post on X, Ackman, founder of Pershing Square Capital Management, issued a dire warning of what could happen if the tariffs weren't halted immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If the president doesn't pause the effect of the tariffs soon, many small businesses will go bankrupt," Ackman wrote. "Medium-sized businesses will be next." Ackman joined other billionaires, including some like him who supported Trump's campaign for reelection, in turning a cold shoulder to the escalating tariff war. Trump claims the tariffs are necessary for leveling the playing field for the United States importers, saying, "foreign trade and economic practices have created a national emergency." PHOTO: Bill Ackman speaks, June 17, 2024, at The 2024 Pershing Square Foundation Prize Dinner at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City. (Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Image) It was not immediately clear if the pushback from his billionaire supporters prompted Trump to hit pause. Other billionaire moguls -- including investor and philanthropist Stanley Druckenmiller, Citdel owner Kenneth Griffin and even Tesla CEO Elon Musk, a senior adviser to the president -- have spoken out against Trump's tariffs after supporting the president's re-election campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking at an event in Miami on Monday night, Griffin called Trump's tariffs a "huge policy mistake," according to The Wall Street Journal. In a rare social media post on Sunday, Druckenmiller wrote, "I do not support tariffs exceeding 10%." Musk has publicly blasted Trump's senior trade adviser Peter Navarro, one of the architects of Trump's tariff policy, calling him "truly a moron" and "dumber than a sack of bricks" after Navarro described him as a "car assembler." In a live stream speech to Italy's League Congress Conference in Florence, Italy, on Saturday, Musk expressed hope for the U.S. and Europe to create "a very close, stronger partnership" and reach a "zero-tariff" policy soon. MORE: Musk and top Trump adviser feud over tariffs: 'Dumber than a sack of bricks' A 10% tariff on all U.S. trading partners went into effect on Saturday. Additional reciprocal tariffs against more than 60 countries that place duties on U.S. imports went into effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday. But on Wednesday afternoon, Trump was pausing the reciprocal tariffs on most countries about 13 hours after they went into effect and eight days after he announced them in a White House news conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pause would not apply to China, however, because government officials there were unwilling to make a deal, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Trump had already raised tariffs on China to 104% after China refused to back down from imposing a 34% tariff on U.S. goods. On Wednesday, China responded by jacking up tariffs on U.S. products to 84%, prompting Trump to tack on an additional 21%, bringing China's tariff to 125%. MORE: Republicans Ted Cruz, Rand Paul speak out on risks of Trump tariff policy European Union countries on Wednesday backed the European Commissions proposal to push back on Trumps tariffs on steel and aluminum with a set of countermeasures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ackman spoke out against tariffs, saying he is "receiving an increasing number of emails and texts from small business people I do business or have invested in, expressing fear that they will not be able to pass on their increased costs to their customers and will suffer severely negative consequences." In his post Wednesday, Ackman shared an email from the founder of a cold brew coffee business he said he received before China's announced retaliatory tariffs. The cold brew coffee founder said his cost for glass bottles sourced from China will go up 50%, while chai sourced from India will increase by 26% and coffee imported from Ethiopia, Peru and Canada will climb by 10%. "Will my clients tolerate a near doubling of their contract costs overnight, or will they expect me to absorb the increases my vendors are already threatening?" the business owner wrote in the email to Ackman. "If clients resist price hikes and my employees demand higher wages to offset their rising cost of living, we end up in a lose-lose scenario -- no spending and no jobs." Ackman ended his post by writing, "May cooler heads prevail." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following Trump's announcement that he was pausing tariffs on most countries, Ackman issued a series of new posts on X, including one saying, "This was brilliantly executed by @realDonald Trump. Texbook, Art of the Deal." "The benefit of @realDonaldTrumps approach is that we now understand who are our preferred trading partners, and who the problems are. China has shown themselves to be a bad actor," Ackman said in a post. "Our counterparties also have a taste of what life is like if they dont take down their trade barriers." Ackman added, "This is the perfect setup for trade negotiations over the next 90 days" and he offered a piece of advice for China: "Pick up the phone and call the President. He is a tough but fair negotiator. The longer China holds out and retaliates, the worse the outcome for China." Trump changes tune as his billionaire supporters push back against tariffs originally appeared on abcnews.go.com US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that he would temporarily lower tariffs on many of Washington's trading partners, while ramping up levies on Chinese imports to a staggering 125%, in a partial about-face that stunned observers. "Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World's Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%, effective immediately," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable," Trump added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, Trump wrote that he had "authorized a 90 day PAUSE" on certain tariffs that have just come into force. A universal customs rate of 10% will apply during the three-month break, also effective immediately, he said. Trump said he had made this decision "based on the fact that more than 75 Countries have called Representatives of the United States, including the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, and the USTR, to negotiate a solution to the subjects being discussed relative to Trade, Trade Barriers, Tariffs, Currency Manipulation, and Non Monetary Tariffs." He praised the countries in question for not having retaliated "in any way, shape, or form against the United States." Social media announcement leaves open questions The surprise announcement caused confusion and left many questions unanswered, coming just a few days after Trump unleashed a huge tariff package on trading partners around the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A baseline levy of 10% on imports from almost all its trading partners came into effect on Saturday, followed on Wednesday by a wave of higher so-called reciprocal tariffs on individual countries based on trade deficits. The initiative triggered massive turbulence on stock markets amid rising fears of the global economy entering recession. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump's announcement concerned the higher tariffs that came into effect on Wednesday, telling reporters: "There will be a 90-day pause on the reciprocal tariffs as these negotiations are ongoing and the tariff level will be brought down to a universal 10% tariff." US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent presented Trump's approach as a success and denied that the volatility of global markets had caused the move. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This was driven by the president's strategy. He and I had a long talk on Sunday, and this was his strategy all along," Bessent said. One of the initial aims of Trump's tariff package was to force other countries to reduce trade barriers for imports from the United States. Trump piles tariffs on China The announcement of a whopping 125% tariff on China further escalates the trade conflict between Beijing and Washington. China had already seen its overall tariff rate shoot up from 34%, the figure originally announced by Trump last week during his "Liberation Day" event at the White House, to 104% on Tuesday, after Beijing refused to cancel its 34% retaliatory tariff on US goods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beijing responded with another tit-for-tat move, raising its planned special tariffs on all US imports from 34% to 84%. The new Chinese tariffs are set to take effect on Thursday, according to officials. Earlier this year, Trump had already placed a 20% duty on Chinese imports over the nation's alleged role in the fentanyl trade. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian stated that China's legitimate right to economic development must not be violated and that Beijing will continue to take measures to protect its interests. Following the announcement of another hike on Wednesday, Trump said: "China wants to make a deal. They just don't know how quite to go about it." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You know, it's one of those things they don't have quite ... they're proud people. And President Xi [Jinping] is a proud man, I know him very well, and they don't know quite how to go about it but they'll figure it out," he said, adding "I did a 90 day pause for the people that didn't retaliate." EU introduces counter-tariffs The announcement halved the tariffs imposed on the European Union, a top exporter to the United States along with China, initially set at 20%. Earlier on Wednesday, EU member states approved initial retaliatory tariffs of 10% to 25% on US imports, which the European Commission said will be implemented next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These include special levies on items such as jeans and motorcycles from the US. Further counter-tariffs are due to be imposed in mid-May and at the end of the year, affecting products including beef, poultry and citrus fruits such as oranges or grapefruit. Additional tariffs on nuts and soybeans are planned for early December. The tariffs approved on Wednesday are in response to the US tariffs of 25% on steel and aluminium imports imposed by Trump about a month ago. Work is still under way on a further package of measures in response to the latest tariffs on cars and almost all other EU exports. President Donald Trump is throwing the weight of the Justice Department against the last bastion of U.S. climate action: states and cities. In a sweeping executive order signed late Tuesday, Trump ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to stop the enforcement of State laws on climate change that the administration says are unconstitutional, unenforceable or preempted by federal laws. The order names California, New York and Vermont as specific targets, while also listing a broad range of state policies that the administration would seek to nullify from cap-and-trade systems to permitting rules. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The executive order also targets the array of lawsuits that mostly Democratic-led states, cities and counties have brought against oil majors, seeking compensation for the ravages of climate change, such as rising tides and more frequent wildfires. These State laws and policies are fundamentally irreconcilable with my Administrations objective to unleash American energy, Trump said in the order. They should not stand. The move came as Trump presided over a White House event Tuesday aimed at reviving the coal industry, which has withered against competition from less expensive natural gas and renewables. He pledged to a row of coal miners standing behind him that hed direct the Department of Justice to identify and fight every single unconstitutional state or legal regulation thats putting our coal miners out of business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some legal experts said the White Houses executive order would be toothless, though climate advocates worry about gambling with a judiciary dominated by conservative appointees. And in a statement, Democratic governors said Trump would not intimidate them from climate action. The federal government cannot unilaterally strip states independent constitutional authority, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement. The two Democrats co-chair the U.S. Climate Alliance, representing 22 states committed to reaching net-zero emissions. We are a nation of states and laws and we will not be deterred, they said. We will keep advancing solutions to the climate crisis that safeguard Americans fundamental right to clean air and water, create good-paying jobs, grow the clean energy economy, and make our future healthier and safer. Trumps order represents a sharp escalation in his war on climate policy, as well as a continuation of his efforts to consolidate power in the White House at the expense of Congress, courts and, now, the states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The action comes just three weeks after oil and gas industry executives met with Trump at the White House and expressed worries about state climate efforts and the lawsuits, according to The Wall Street Journal, which first reported details of the meeting. An industry source, who was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive commercial information, confirmed to POLITICO's E&E News that Trump appeared to agree that the states moves posed a threat to his energy agenda and signaled that hed look at ways to help the industry. The American Petroleum Institute cheered Trumps order as a response to New Yorks and Californias laws. Directing the Department of Justice to address this state overreach will help restore the rule of law and ensure activist-driven campaigns do not stand in the way of ensuring the nation has access to an affordable and reliable energy supply, API senior vice president and general counsel Ryan Meyers said in a statement. Smothering state lawsuits During Trumps first term, states and cities emerged as a potent counterweight to the White Houses retreat from climate policy epitomized by groups like the U.S. Climate Alliance. Governors piloted energy policies, such as New Mexicos methane regulations, that later grew into some Biden administration policies. Most state policies have also proven more durable than federal climate efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Trump returned to the presidency this year, Democratic governors and attorneys general now holding more offices than they did in 2017 again assumed the role of Trumps chief antagonists, filing two dozen lawsuits against the administration since January. Trumps newest executive order, titled Protecting American Energy From State Overreach, seeks to smother that movement in its infancy. It directs the attorney general to target state laws on carbon taxes and fees, as well as state laws mentioning terms like environmental justice and greenhouse gas emissions. The order directs Bondi to expeditiously take all appropriate action to stop the enforcement of State laws and continuation of civil actions that the Attorney General determines to be illegal. Within 60 days, the order says, the attorney general will report on the actions taken against state climate laws and recommend other actions from the president or Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps order argues that states have exceeded their constitutional authority by imposing energy policies that ripple beyond their borders. Californias cap-and-trade system is an example, the order said, of states punishing carbon use by requiring businesses to purchase allowances for their pollution. California has operated its cap-and-trade system since 2012. Washington state also has a carbon market, upheld by voters in 2024. Both states are working to link their carbon markets together with Quebecs. Cap and trade also undergirds the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which covers the electricity system for 11 mostly northeastern states. California is also the largest player in the climate litigation landscape. The office of state Attorney General Rob Bonta said Tuesday that it remains committed to using the full force of the law and tools of this office to address the climate crisis head-on and protect public health and welfare. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Bonta said the office was reviewing Trumps executive order, but this much is clear: the Trump administration continues to attempt to gut federal environmental protections and put the country at risk of falling further behind in our fight against climate change and environmental harm. The Trump administration also singled out New York and Vermont, which have recently passed so-called climate Superfund laws that aim to recover the costs of climate impacts, like flooding, from fossil fuel companies. Mimicking the polluter pays model from Superfund laws, those states are seeking billions of dollars from oil, gas and coal companies in proportion with the historical emissions from their products. Trumps order called New York and Vermonts laws extortion against energy producers for actions anywhere in the United States or the globe. The order also accused states of burdening energy projects with lengthy environmental reviews. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These State laws and policies weaken our national security and devastate Americans by driving up energy costs for families coast-to-coast, despite some of these families not living or voting in States with these crippling policies," the order said. 'Toothless' order? Michael Gerrard, faculty director of Columbia Universitys Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, said the executive order is toothless and that a chief executive has little effect on state laws or litigation. Trump has no authority on his own to nullify state laws, Gerrard said. And hed likely have little effect with the judiciary, he added, noting that it would be up to the state court judges who are hearing the climate lawsuits to decide whether to allow federal intervention and then whether to agree with the White House arguments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has already challenged one major state climate program: New Yorks congestion pricing. But after Trump initially declared it DEAD in a social media post declaring LONG LIVE THE KING, his administration has agreed to allow the program to continue until at least October, according to court filings. Trump has a poor record of challenging state and local climate policies, said Justin Balik, vice president of states for Evergreen Action. But thats cold comfort when the stakes are so high. If you're asking me to evaluate on a scale of 1 to 10 how concerned I am I'm at a 10, he said. Its another seemingly abstract legal maneuver with incredibly tangible, real world consequences if successful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also targeted the climate lawsuits during his first term. Tuesday's executive order warns that the legal challenges could result in crippling damages" for the oil and gas industry. Eleven attorneys general along with dozens of city, county, and tribal governments are pursuing lawsuits that charge that the industry misled consumers about the dangers of burning fossil fuels. Trumps move comes just a month after the Supreme Court for a second time this year declined to take up the industry and its allies efforts to quash the legal dispute that could put oil and gas companies on the hook for billions of dollars for their contributions to climate change. Corbin Hiar contributed to this report. The News Massive US tariffs including a 104% duty on China came into effect, sending markets worldwide plummeting once again. US President Donald Trump remained defiant in the face of economic turmoil, telling congressional Republicans Tuesday that I know what the hell Im doing, as the White House said dozens of countries were seeking to negotiate. Beijing has vowed to fight the duties, while the EU will today finalize retaliatory measures, which Le Monde said would include hefty charges on American agricultural products, aluminum, and steel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The widening trade war has sent stocks nosediving, raising anxiety among even Republican lawmakers as voters fear for their retirement savings: Whose throat do I get to choke if this proves to be wrong, one senator said. LONDON (Reuters) - Global markets have been pummeled yet again on Wednesday as President Donald Trump's eye-popping 104% tariffs on China took effect and a savage selloff in U.S. bonds sparked fears that foreign funds were fleeing U.S. assets. Here is an overview of all the market news you need to start your day. Mike is off today, but check out his latest column to find out why the yuan is making analysts across Wall Street rip up their recently revised dollar forecasts. Today's Market Minute * China's top leaders plan to convene a meeting as early as Wednesday to discuss measures to boost the economy and stabilise capital markets, people with knowledge of the matter said. * U.S. Treasuries extended heavy losses on Wednesday in a sign investors are dumping even their safest assets as a global market rout unleashed by U.S. tariffs takes an unnerving turn towards forced selling and a dash for the safety of cash. * Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing could face a penalty of $1 billion or more to settle a U.S. export control investigation over a chip it made that ended up inside a Huawei AI processor, according to two people familiar with the matter. * China's central bank has asked major state-owned banks to reduce U.S. dollar purchases, people with direct knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday. * French industry minister Marc Ferracci on Wednesday urged French companies to suspend their investments in the United States, given clashes between France and Europe with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration over tariffs. It's a 'bond story' now This week has brought crisis-era volatility to markets, erasing trillions of dollars in value from stocks and hitting commodities and emerging markets with force. At the epicentre of the latest rout are U.S. Treasuries, effectively the backbone of the global financial system. The benchmark U.S. 10-year yield rose by as much as 26 basis points to a high of 4.515% in Asia, before the selloff abated, leaving it up 7.7 bps at 4.34%. "Last week was an equity story but as ever, it's moved from an equity story to the more important bond story," Chris Beauchamp, chief strategist at IG, said. "This is the financial plumbing and clearly, the plumbing has begun to seize up." Potentially adding to the pressure on Treasuries is an auction of new 10-year notes later on today that could prove a crucial litmus test of investor appetite for U.S. government debt. Meanwhile, the yield on the 30-year Treasury briefly spiked above 5% before dropping back below 4.9%. Earlier this week, the Supreme Court said that people fighting deportation under the Alien Enemies Act needed to file a different type of lawsuit than they had and in different places than they had. Now, lawyers have done just that and secured temporary relief in New York and Texas. The latter case is notable not only because its being handled by a Trump-appointed judge as the administration rails against jurists who rule against it but also because the judge based his ruling partly on the governments stance in another pending high-profile case. Furthermore, if the United States erroneously removed an individual to another country based on the [Alien Enemies Act] Proclamation, a substantial likelihood exists that the individual could not be returned to the United States, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez wrote Wednesday in explaining his temporary restraining order. The Texas judge cited the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, in which the government admits it wrongly sent him to El Salvador even as it is fighting against securing his return at the Supreme Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rodriguez noted that the government in the Abrego Garcia case argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to make the executive branch return an erroneously removed person. The Court finds that maintaining the status quo is required to afford the parties the ability to develop a fuller record for the Court to consider the request for a preliminary injunction and other forms of relief ... and to prevent the immediate and irreparable injury that may occur with the immediate removal of any Venezuelan alien subject to the Proclamation, Rodriguez wrote. To be sure, this is only preliminary litigation stemming from Trumps invocation of the rarely used 18th-century law thats been previously invoked only during wartime. The Supreme Court on Monday didnt decide the legality of Trumps invocation but rather the particulars of how people are allowed to challenge their potential removal under the act. But given that the administration has already sent people to El Salvador without due process as Abrego Garcias case leaves open the question of whether wrongly removed people must be returned these preliminary rulings can be vital. Subscribe to the Deadline: Legal Newsletter for expert analysis on the top legal stories of the week, including updates from the Supreme Court and developments in the Trump administrations legal cases This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Some of President Trumps more influential cronies (namely, Elon Musk, Stephen Miller) have been pushing the envelope since the beginning of his second administration, goading the President as he openly brainstorms ways to punish judges who rule against his executive actions and encouraging him to ignore court orders he doesnt agree with. Hes had backup in Congress as well. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) has been rather vocal about his preferred solution, defunding elements of the judicial branch. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has mused about eliminating certain federal courts, as he avoids engaging seriously with his own conferences push to impeach judges including Chief District Court Judge for DC James Boasberg. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) has even introduced legislation that would curtail some federal judges authority to issue nationwide injunctions. While last nights Supreme Court ruling did, in part, delay what is looking increasingly inevitable a direct clash between Trump and the judicial branch the ground-softening around Trumps ability to ignore court orders continues, both with the case involving the deportation of migrants to El Salvador and in the rhetorical room his allies create. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorney General Pam Bondi, for example, took up the mantle over the weekend, openly suggesting judges ruling against the Trump administration serving as a crucial, and very standard, constitutional check on the executive branch is the real constitutional crisis. Just since January 20th, weve had over 170 lawsuits filed against us. That should be the constitutional crisis right there, 50 injunctions, Bondi said on Fox News this weekend. Theyre popping up every single day, trying to control his executive power, trying to control where he believes our tax dollars should be allocated. Its basically a game of whack-a-mole with these District Court judges around the country who have a tremendous amount of power, they believe they do, she said. But thats why were appealing all of these cases of course up to the Supreme Court. Honeymoons Over Some of Donald Trumps closest allies in Congress and within his own administration are losing patience with the Presidents economy-smashing global tariff announcements. While Senate Democrats, along with seven Senate Republicans, introduce legislation that would reclaim their authority over trade policy back from the executive branch, House Democrats are also considering attempting to force their colleagues in the lower chamber to take a vote on the tariffs. The House Dems resolution would end the emergency declaration that Trump used to implement the sweeping tariffs. Republicans cant keep ducking the vote on these taxes, Reps. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Richard Neal (D-MA) and Rick Larsen (D-WA) said in a statement when they introduced the resolution Tuesday. It is time they take a vote and show their constituents whether or not they support the economic pain President Trump is inflicting on American families. Trumps allies in the Senate and within the administration are getting bolder, too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), who co-sponsored the Senates bill, said Tuesday that he thinks Congress gave the President too much power over trade in past decades: I made very clear throughout my public service that Im a free and fair trader. The Constitution gives Congress the authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce. I believe that Congress delegated too much authority to the president in the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 and Trade Act of 1974, Grassley said. Whose throat do I get to choke if this turns out to be wrong? Republican Sen. Thom Tillis (NC), considered one of the most vulnerable Republicans in the Senate, asked Tuesday when U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer testified before the Senate Finance Committee about what exactly Trump is trying to accomplish with his global trade conflict. Elon Musk escalated his ongoing public feud with White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, whom he traded jabs with over the weekend, making his non-support for the Trump administration policy known. On Tuesday he called Navarro truly a moron and dumber than a sack of bricks. Bongino Somehow Needs Full Security Detail Former New York City cop and MAGA conspiracy theorist will be the first FBI Deputy Director with a full security detail, according to new reporting from NBC News. Its less-than stellar MAGA branding, for a tough guy, who instead of carrying his own weapon, is opting for a full security team for unclear reasons. A message sent to current FBI agents, requested volunteers to leave their posts temporarily to be a part of Bonginios security team. A full-time security team could include up to 20 FBI agents. Its a stark contrast from the single agent who served as security detail on a part-time basis for the former deputy director Paul Abbate who also carried his own weapon, noted NBC News. Khaya Himmelman Let The Strong-Arming Begin, Again President Donald Trump is once again trying to strong-arm House Republicans into getting behind the budget resolution he wants to pass to unlock the reconciliation process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump met with a group of House Republican holdouts, many of them hardline conservatives, at the White House Tuesday afternoon in an attempt to convince them to vote for the blueprint that the Senate passed over the weekend. Trump reportedly told the holdouts he would follow through with the big spending cuts these members are pushing for even though the newly finalized Senate instructions do not include the reductions House Republicans want. At least one member seemingly came out of the White House meeting with his mind changed. Rep. Ron Estes (R-KS), who is on the House Budget Committee, said he is a yes after the meeting. But other key holdouts like Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), who is also on the Budget Committee, seemed unmoved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why am I voting on a budget based on promises that I dont believe are going to materialize? Roy said, referring to the Senate plan. Despite the fact that the numbers are still against him, Johnson tried to project confidence following the meeting, saying: We had a lot of members whose questions were answered, and I think were moving, making great progress right now. Emine Yucel In Case You Missed It No, President Trump, The Income Tax Wasnt A Mistake. But It Was An Accident. Fired DOJ Pardon Attorney: Office Was Never Consulted On Trumps Jan 6 Pardons SCOTUS Launches Itself Into The Worst Of The Trump Cases Bitterly Divided Roberts Court Hands Trump Early Win On Alien Enemies Act Yesterdays Most Read Story Fired DOJ Attorney Testifies In Wake Of Trump Intimidation: I Wont Be Bullied To Hide Corruption What We Are Reading The cruelty is the point: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Phillys Carnaval de Puebla canceled amid fears ICE might target the Mexican cultural celebration I.R.S. Agrees to Share Migrants Tax Information With ICE Trump plans to fine migrants $998 a day for failing to leave after deportation order Trump admin revokes legal status for migrants who entered the U.S. on Biden-era CBP One app President Donald Trump has ordered the U.S. Attorney General to take all appropriate action to stop the enforcement of state environmental laws, including New York and Vermont laws that would require polluters to pay a share of the damages caused by climate change. In an executive order, Protecting American Energy from State Overreach, the president on Wednesday labeled Climate Superfund Acts passed by both states in 2024 as extortion and fundamentally irreconcilable with my Administrations objective to unleash American energy. They should not stand, the president said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last May, Vermont was the first state to pass a law allowing it to recover financial damages from fossil fuel companies following catastrophic weather events attributable to climate change. The law was allowed to take effect without Gov. Phil Scotts signature. In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a similar legislation in December. Both laws would use funds from polluters to pay for projects that boost the states resiliency to climate impacts, such as flooding and extreme heat. But Trumps order criticized both states for burdensome and ideologically motivated policies that threaten American energy dominance and our economic and national security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, co-chair of the U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of 24 governors, said Trumps order illegally attempts to usurp states rights to act on climate. The federal government cannot unilaterally strip states independent constitutional authority. We are a nation of states and laws and we will not be deterred. This is a developing story and will be updated. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44. WASHINGTON (NewsNation) The Trump administration is cracking down on immigration across multiple agencies and has a stern warning for immigrants in the country illegally: leave the United States or pay massive fines. The administration plans to fine immigrants facing deportation orders up to $998 a day if they fail to leave the country and to seize their property if they refuse to pay. Around 1.4 million immigrants ordered for removal will be targeted under the plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China raises reciprocal tariffs to 84% as US, global markets stutter The Trump administration has urged anyone in the U.S. illegally to self-deport using the CBP Home app, formerly known as CBP One, or risk paying those fines. The administration is planning to retroactively apply the fines for up to five years, which means some immigrants could owe more than $1 million, Reuters reported. This plan is based on a 1996 law used by President Donald Trump during his first term in office, before those fines and policies were rescinded under former President Joe Biden. IRS, DHS reach data-sharing deal The Department of Homeland Security and the IRS have reached an agreement granting Immigration and Customs Enforcement access to confidential taxpayer information to locate immigrants targeted for deportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of the data-sharing agreement, ICE can submit the names and addresses of suspected undocumented immigrants to the IRS for verification against tax records. Trump administration freezes funds for Cornell, Northwestern Acting IRS commissioner Melanie Krause reportedly plans to resign over the new data-sharing agreement. Critics argue the agreement violates privacy laws. In a statement to NewsNation, Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said information sharing across agencies is crucial to identifying public safety threats and enforcing the administrations immigration policies. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. The Trump administrations DEI crackdown has claimed another female victim. U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, the U.S. military representative to the NATO Military Committee, was fired over the weekend, according to officials who spoke to Reuters. The Associated Press reported that Admiral Christopher Grady, the acting chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Chatfield the Trump administration wanted to take the role in a different direction. Shoshana Chatfield is honored at the 35th Anniversary Ellis Island Medals of Honor at Ellis Island on May 14, 2022 in New York City. / Getty Images But the officials believe theres another reason behind her firing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chatfield was among 20 military leaders identified by the American Accountability Foundation as woke ideologues in a December 2024 letter to Pete Hegseth, then a nominee for the Pentagons top job. The conservative advocacy group told Hegseth that he should purge those on the list for focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The woke takeover of the military is a major threat to our national security, AAF President Thomas Jones wrote. As global tensions rise we cannot afford to have a military distracted and demoralized by leftist ideology. Those who were responsible for these policies being instituted in the first place must be dismissed. AAF targeted Chatfield over a 2015 speech at a Womens Equality Day event where she pointed out that 80 percent of lawmakers at the time were male, adding that it seems a bit unequal what issues go forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chatfield, a helicopter pilot, also recounted in her speech a third-grade field trip that included a flight simulator: I learned two things from that experience: Flying is hard, but women can be pilots. The vice admiral, one of the few female three-star officers in the Navy and the first woman to lead the Naval War College, also said in her speech that Our diversity is our strengthwhich Hegseth has scorched as the single dumbest phrase in military history. Chatfields firing is the latest high-profile termination to rock the Pentagon following the removal of General Timothy Haugh, chief of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, and Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first female Chief of Naval Operations. Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, called Chatfields firing disgraceful and demanded an explanation from Hegseth and President Donald Trump. The silence from my Republican colleagues is deeply troubling, he said in a statement. In less than three months, President Trump has fired 10 generals and admirals without explanation, including our most experienced combat leaders. I cannot fathom how anyone could stand silently by while the President causes great harm to our military and our nation. U.S. President Donald Trump raised tariffs on China to 125% but authorized a 90-day tariff pause on other countries effective immediately, he said on Truth Social on April 9. The move came a day after Trump raised tariffs on China from 54% to 104%. In turn, Beijing slapped 84% tariffs on U.S. goods on April 9. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the tariff rate would be brought down to a universal 10 percent a significant reduction for many countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps new tariff policy, announced as part of what he called "Liberation Day," imposed duties on nearly every major U.S. trading partner, including Ukraine. Kyiv was hit with a 10% tariff, compared to 20% on the EU. Russia, Belarus, North Korea, and Cuba were notably not included. The U.S. president said that the tariff hike for China is "based on the lack of respect shown to the worlds markets." "At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Trump, more than 75 countries have approached the U.S. to discuss trade, trade barriers and tariffs and have not retaliated against Washington. Earlier in the day, EU member states backed the introduction of trade countermeasures against the U.S. on April 9 in response to Washington's recent 25% tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum. Ukraine was hit with a 10% blanket tariff on its exports, a setback for a country at war. Kyiv's metallurgy sector, a major source of Ukrainian exports to the U.S., was already impacted by a 25% tariff imposed in March. In 2023, Ukrainian exports to the U.S. totaled just $874 million, while imports from the U.S. reached $3.4 billion. The overall trade volume has declined in recent years, but the tariffs could deepen the imbalance, especially if they trigger broader protectionist measures globally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Trump didnt impose tariffs on Russia but they might be wrecking its economy regardless Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Following U.S. President Donald Trumps election victory in November 2024, many observers predicted that his administration would make the Indo-Pacific the central focus of its foreign policy agenda, shifting resources away from Europe and the ongoing war in Ukraine to do so. Early directives from the Defense Department support this analysis. Yet as in his first term from 2017-2021, Trump has failed to articulate a clear end state for the U.S.-China relationship and has often appeared to waver between several possible outcomes. Moreover, the diverging positions and stances of the officials staffing his foreign policy team reflect Trumps own uncertainty about how he wants to steer the great power relationship. In fairness, the administration of former President Joe Biden also struggled to clearly define an end state for its China strategy. Instead, it adopted the mantra of invest, align, compete, with the plan being to invest in domestic competitiveness, innovation and democracy; align with allies and partners; and then harness both of these pillars to effectively compete against China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet, these initiatives did not add up to a strategic end state, whether alone or combined. The invest pillar focused on strengthening the means with which the U.S. might achieve its goals, while the align and compete pillars expressed the ways in which it may do so. So while the Biden administration made significant progress in all three areas during its four years in office, it was never clear to what end that progress was directed. To get more in-depth news and expert analysis on global affairs from WPR, sign up for our free Daily Review newsletter. As 2024 approached, with wars raging in Ukraine and Gaza, the Biden administration settled for a steady state approach to China. Washington would continue to compete with Beijing across critical sectors such as security, trade and technology, without defining what the ideal end state should be in terms of bilateral relations. A clear end state focuses the policymaking process and guides officials in making difficult strategic decisions by providing a framework to coordinate scarce resources more efficiently as well as to measure success or failure. The risk of failing to identify such an end state is that policy becomes prone to distractions and aimlessness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the Trump administration has yet to articulate a clear vision for the end state of its own China strategy, his policy instincts and past declarations suggest there are four possible ones that he and his team could pursue: detente, grand bargain, great power condominium or primacy. Trumps Instincts Three dominant attitudes shape Trumps broader approach to U.S. foreign policy, the combination of which can, depending on their respective proportions, lead to different potential outcomes for a U.S.-China end state. First, Trump frequently laments the decline of U.S. military strength. He has called for major investments in shipbuilding and supported congressional measures to increase defense spending to rebuild the U.S. military. His push for a stronger military, including plans for a $1 trillion defense budget announced yesterday, will significantly boost the hard-power means by which the U.S. might pursue its strategy. Second, while Trump supports expanding U.S. power through military investment, he maintains a narrow view of U.S. national interests. Though concerned with preserving national prestige, which can at times motivate him to deploy U.S. power abroad his default posture is to be skeptical of intervention and open-ended missions. He often expresses deep frustration with the broad, liberal internationalist goals that have shaped U.S. foreign policy since World War II, especially the United States global military presence and its pursuit of an integrated global economic trade regime. Trumps mix of foreign policy instinctsmilitary buildup, narrow national interest and deal-oriented diplomacycould produce a range of possible end states with China. Finally, Trumps diplomatic instincts have at times leaned toward reconciliation and deal-making with certain U.S. adversaries. From engaging with North Korea over nuclear weapons and negotiating a trade deal with China during his first term, to launching negotiations with Russia over its war against Ukraine since returning to the White House, he is apt to pursue personalist diplomacy and direct negotiation as much for personal prestige as for any well-conceived strategy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course, there are exceptions. Following the collapse of the Phase One trade deal with China in 2020, Trump empowered the China hawks of his first-term administration to pursue more aggressive deterrent policies. He also launched a maximum pressure campaign against Iran both then and now. But even these more hardline measures were ostensibly intended to strengthen his bargaining position to secure a better settlement for the United States. This mix of instinctsmilitary buildup, narrow national interest and deal-oriented diplomacycould produce a range of possible end states with China. Possible End States Detente. Hes a strong guy, but I liked him a lot, Trump said of Chinese President Xi Jinping while campaigning for re-election in July 2024. I respect him. Trump clearly holds a certain degree of respect for not only Xi but also Chinese power. That could steer U.S. policy toward a diplomatic rapprochement and the pursuit of detente with Beijing. In such a scenario, tensions between the two countries would ease, paving the way for a more stable balance of power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detente rests on two key pillars: a balance of power supported by military parity, and sustained diplomatic engagement grounded in strategic trust and mutual interests. Some within Trumps administration see China as the United States principal adversary and precisely because of that advocate for easing tensions to avoid open conflict. Figures like Elbridge ColbyTrumps nominee for undersecretary of defense for policy and one of the leading voices among the so-called China Prioritizershave called for bolstering U.S. military posture in the Indo-Pacific, not as a step toward confrontation but as a foundation for achieving detente. This combination of military strength and diplomatic outreach may be especially appealing to Trump. It aligns with his belief that the U.S. must remain militarily strong, while also reflecting his preference for dealmaking and personal diplomacy over prolonged rivalry. U.S. soldiers participate in a joint U.S.-Philippine military exercise in a town facing southern Taiwan, in Pasuquin, Philippines, May 6, 2024 (AP photo by Aaron Favila). Grand Bargain. If they invade, Trump said as president in 2019, referring to a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, there isnt a f thing we can do about it. A second option the Trump administration might pursue is a grand bargain with Chinaa sweeping agreement or series of agreements aimed at permanently resolving key points of tension in the bilateral relationship to avoid conflict. While such a deal may not definitively eliminate those tensions, mutual accommodation could address volatile areas of disagreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his first term, Trump was eager to secure a comprehensive trade agreement with China. Although the Phase One trade deal ultimately collapsed during the pandemic, much of Trumps early presidency was focused on achieving it. Similarly, Trump tried to finalize a grand bargain with North Korea, seeking to solve the standoff on the Korean Peninsula by offering significant concessions in exchange for North Korean denuclearization. In his second term, Trump could revive this grand ambition with China. Rather than escalating U.S.-China competition, he might seek to end it. For now he has once again triggered a trade war between the two rivals, but it is still unclear if his ultimate goal is to reach yet another comprehensive trade deal. If so, that could address the economic dimension of U.S.-China rivalry. But the geopolitical dimension would hinge on the fate of Taiwan. By every indication, including his reported remarks in 2019, Trump does not seem inclined to defend Taiwan from a Chinese invasion. Additionally, key figures working for Trumpsuch as the State Departments director of policy planning, Michael Antonhave argued that Taiwan is not worth going to war over. Even Colby, who is more of a China hawk, has conceded that Taiwan is not an existential interest for the United States. If the Trump administration views Taiwan as a peripheral interest, it might be willing to trade the islands autonomy in pursuit of a grand bargain with China. That could resolve their great power rivalry and allow the U.S. to scale back costly deployments in the Indo-Pacific in order to refocus on other priority issues in the Western Hemisphere. To accomplish this, however, the Trump team would have to overcome major security, economic and political tensions with China. While Trump and his team may favor policies that antagonize China, Trump is unlikely to fully embrace a primacy doctrine unless all avenues for a political settlement with Beijing are exhausted. Great Power Condominium. China and the United States can together solve all of the problems of the world, Trump said in December 2024, while looking ahead at his second term in office after having won the U.S. presidential election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A third pathway is that the U.S. and China under Trump and Xi could reach such a comprehensive understanding that they establish what might be described as a great power condominium. The idea of the U.S. and China forming a so-called G2 is not new. In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, Chinas surprising ability to insulate its economy from the worst effects of the global economic meltdown positioned it as a rising superpower, fueling speculation in Washington that the two nations could strike a strategic arrangement of joint hegemony. Rather than pursuing a balance of power, the United States and China would embrace a balance of responsibility, co-managing the worlds evolving security, economic and geopolitical challenges. The most comparable historical parallel is the Concert of Europe, from 1815 to 1871, where in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars the great powers of Europe collaborated to manage continental affairs and suppress revolutions. A great power condominium between the U.S. and China might appeal to Trump because he has never been personally invested in the U.S.-led world order established after World War II. In fact, he has been openly hostile to many of its underlying assumptions, particularly as they pertain to U.S. global responsibilities. The idea of collaborating with China to share global responsibilities might seem like an attractive cost-saving measure for administration officials who object to the U.S. spending resources to uphold pillars of the international order and secure the global commons, such as freedom of navigation. A great power condominium in which China assumes more responsibility over issues like this would reduce U.S. costs and could appeal to some Trump administration officials. However, similar to the grand bargain scenario, lingering security, trade and political barriers would continue to hamper this sort of collaboration. Primacy. I win against China, Trump said during his first campaign for president in July 2015. You can win against China if youre smart. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The final possible desired end state is ending the U.S.-China rivalry through a U.S. victory, rather than resolving it through accommodation, as in a grand bargain or great power condominium, or stabilizing the relationship through a delicate balance of power, as in detente. Primacy would require Washington to intensify its competitive policies to gain significant advantages over Beijing and reestablish the U.S. preponderance of power when it comes to security, trade and technology. A primacy doctrine would align with Trumps instinct to confront China as an adversary. This approach was most prominent during the final year of his first term after the collapse of the Phase One trade deal, when he empowered administration officials such as then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, then-national security adviser Robert OBrien and then-Secretary of Defense Mark Esper to rally like-minded allies and partners, protect U.S. technological advantages, strengthen force postures in the Indo-Pacific and adopt new strategies aimed at defeating Chinese ambitions. Since returning to office in January, Trump has appointed figures like Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz, both of whom have advocated for tough stances on China that are reminiscent of the policies pursued in 2020. Certain scenarios could indeed push the administration toward this approach, particularly if the current trade war continues to escalate. But the administrations current trajectory makes such a stance unlikely, as reestablishing primacy in the Indo-Pacific would require absorbing the traditional costs and responsibilities of upholding the international order that the current Trump administration seems hesitant to undertake. So while Trump and his team may favor policies that antagonize China, Trump is unlikely to fully embrace a primacy doctrine unless all avenues for a political settlement with Beijing are exhausted. Following Through Choosing a desired end state for the U.S.-China relationship is only a first step in any strategy, and doing so does not guarantee its pursuit or achievement. Beijings goals, global events and U.S. domestic politics will all shape the future trajectory and success of U.S. policy. And despite early predictions that Washington would prioritize the Indo-Pacific in its strategic planning, the current administration appears more focused on Greenland, the Panama Canal, Ukraine, Gaza and the Red Sea than on China. And even if it eventually shifts its attention to Asia, the most likely scenario remains that Trump, like his predecessors, will fail to articulate a clear desired end state for U.S.-China relations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without such clarity, U.S. policy will continue to drift, lacking cohesion and purpose. Different factions will rise and fall within the administration, as Trump himself alternates between competing desires and policy approaches. Nevertheless, the administration has a genuine opportunity to set U.S. policy on a clear trajectory. Whether it seizes that opportunity remains to be seen. Connor Fiddler is the associate deputy director for the Asia Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. His work focuses on alliance politics, U.S. grand strategy and the evolving strategic landscape in Asia. The post Trump Hasnt Decided If He Wants to Work With Chinaor Beat It appeared first on World Politics Review. President Donald Trumps White House revamp has officially reached the landscaping. A nearly two-century-old magnolia tree said to have been planted by President Andrew Jackson was removed from the South Lawn on Monday, amid concerns the ailing evergreen could pose a safety risk if it fell. The next day, Trump was on hand to celebrate its replacement: a 12-year-old sapling descended from the original Jackson tree, which he dubbed the MAGAnolia. President Donald J. Trump planted a new MAGAnolia sapling at the White House a direct descendant of the historic "Jackson Magnolia." pic.twitter.com/aSJn8Zo4pp The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 8, 2025 We have a beautiful tree now at the White House, Trump declared in a video posted to the official White House X account. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Believed to be the oldest tree on the grounds, the Jackson Magnolia had long outlived the breeds typical 100-year lifespan. Historians say the original was transplanted from Jacksons Tennessee home in honor of his late wife, Rachel, sometime during his 1829 to 1837 tenure in office. The decision to cut it down followed an assessment from professional arborist Peter Hart, who determined the tree had surpassed the time of serving as an aesthetic and historic landmark, according to a White House press statement. The White House's nearly 200-year-old Jackson Magnolia was cut down on Monday and replaced with a sapling descended from the original Jackson tree. CHRIS KLEPONIS via Getty Images Trump addressed the move in a Truth Social post last week, saying, The bad news is everything must come to an end, and this tree is in terrible condition, a very dangerous safety hazard, at the White House Entrance, no less, and must now be removed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his post, the president noted that officials will be preserving parts of the magnolias wood, which may be used for other high and noble purposes. The symbolism behind swapping one Jackson tree for another also seems fitting, given Trumps well-documented admiration for the 7th president. The wartime generals legacy has long been criticized for his racist policies, especially the Indian Removal Act, which led to the forced displacement of Native Americans along the Trail of Tears. Related... China and the European Union unveiled stiff retaliation levies Wednesday aimed at countering President Donald Trump's latest tariff blitz, while Trump, unfazed, urged global companies to set up shop in the U.S. The Chinese Finance Ministry announced 84% tariffs on U.S. goods starting Thursday, up from the 34% previously announced, the finance ministry said Wednesday. On Wednesday in the latest twist of the tariff saga that has roiled financial markets President Trump said he was authorizing a 90-day pause in reciprocal fees while raising China's levy to 125%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump previously rolled out a flurry of reciprocal levies on trading partners, including one sky-high fee: a tax on Chinese goods of 104%. This was after implementing a sweeping tariffs plan that imposed 10% levies on almost all imports. Targeted U.S. tariffs of up to 50% on more than 50 nations went into effect Wednesday at 12:01 a.m. before being paused. Here is what to understand about tariffs. What are tariffs? A tariff is a tax that a government imposes on goods imported from other countries. It is a type of trade regulation used to protect or generate revenue. Tariffs are not like income or sales taxes. Instead, they are levies additional fees placed on products imported to the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monica Morlacco, assistant professor of economics at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, explain its functions. "Tariffs are typically imposed for protection or revenue purposes," she said. "A protective tariff increases the price of imported goods relative to domestic goods, encouraging consumers to buy from local producers, who are thus protected from foreign competition. A revenue tariff, on the other hand, is mainly used to generate money for the government." Who pays the tariffs on imported goods? Some think the foreign companies that make the goods pay the tariffs, but the cost of a tariff is typically paid by the importer of the goods. When a tariff is imposed, it increases the cost of importing a product into a country. The importer may absorb the higher cost or pass it on to consumers through higher prices. This means that while the importer pays the initial bill for the tariff, the financial burden often shifts to businesses and consumers in the form of increased prices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, if the U.S. government wants to protect American car manufacturers from foreign competition, it may impose a 10 percent tariff on imported cars from other countries. If a car that's manufactured in Japan costs $20,000, an importer must pay an extra $2,000 in tax. The total cost of the imported car would increase to $22,000, which may be passed down to the consumer. According to the Tax Policy Center, higher prices of goods in the U.S. will lead to fewer consumers buying goods. "In the short run, higher prices for imported goods will reduce consumption of those goods," they explained. "But in the longer term, the decline in competition from foreign products makes domestic firms less efficient. And less competition will result in higher prices, not just for those goods subject to the tariff but for competing goods that are not such as those made domestically. In the case of Trumps tariffs on China, that means US consumers will pay somewhat higher prices." So even though it doesnt feel like a direct tax because its not added on to an individual purchase, buyers are the ones covering the extra cost in the price of the item. What does China import from the US? See top goods Soybeans Crude petroleum Natural gas Pork and beef Automobiles Wine Fruits Nuts What does the US import from China? See top goods Steel and aluminum Solar panels Washing machines Consumer electronics (e.g., smartphones, laptops) Toys Apparel and footwear Machinery and tech components How long have tariffs existed in the U.S.? In the U.S., tariffs have been implemented since 1789, with the first significant tariff law enacted to help finance the newly established government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morlacco states that the U.S. has not relied heavily on tariffs for a long time. "For example, in 1900, tariffs accounted for more than 41% of U.S. government income, but by 2013, that number had fallen to just 2%," she said. "However, many developing nations, like the Bahamas and Ethiopia, still rely on tariffs for a significant portion of their revenue." Who can authorize the use of tariffs? In the U.S., Congress holds the authority to establish tariffs. However, certain laws permit the president to impose tariffs, especially in situations related to national security or economic emergencies. -USA TODAY Network contributed to this report. This story has been updated to include new information. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Who pays tariffs? How do tariffs work? Here's what you need to know (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Tuesday that aims to block the enforcement of state laws passed to reduce the use of fossil fuels and combat climate change. The move is the latest in a string of efforts by Trump's administration to pump up domestic energy output and push back against largely Democratic-led policies to curb carbon emissions. It came just hours after Trump, a Republican, issued orders to increase coal production. The order directed the U.S. attorney general to identify state laws that address climate change, ESG initiatives, environmental justice and carbon emissions, and to take action to block them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Many States have enacted, or are in the process of enacting, burdensome and ideologically motivated 'climate change' or energy policies that threaten American energy dominance and our economic and national security," the order said. Trump specifically cited laws in New York and Vermont that fine fossil fuel companies for their contribution to climate change, California's cap-and-trade policy, and lawsuits by states that have sought to hold energy companies accountable for their role in global warming. The two Democratic governors who co-chair the U.S. Climate Alliance - Kathy Hochul of New York and Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico - said states could not be stripped of their authority and would not be deterred by the executive order. "We will keep advancing solutions to the climate crisis that safeguard Americans' fundamental right to clean air and water, create good-paying jobs, grow the clean energy economy, and make our future healthier and safer, they said in a joint statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Alliance is a group of 24 governors dedicated to climate action. The American Petroleum Institute, an oil and gas trade group, praised the order. "We welcome President Trump's action to hold states like New York and California accountable for pursuing unconstitutional efforts that illegally penalize U.S. oil and natural gas producers for delivering the energy American consumers rely on every day," API Senior Vice President Ryan Meyers said in a statement. (Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) The Mozambique Government has reportedly approved Eni's Coral Norte floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) development plan. This approval paves the way for a final investment decision (FID) on the project, which aims to produce 3.55 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG over a period of 30 years from the Rovuma Basin offshore Mozambique, reported Reuters. Eni's first FLNG plant, Coral South FLNG, commenced gas exports to Europe in 2022. Coral South FLNG has a gas liquefaction capacity of 3.4mtpa and will produce 450 billion cubic metres of gas from the Coral reservoir in the Rovuma Basin. It is the first FLNG facility deployed in deep waters off the African continent. Coral South is also the inaugural project to capitalise on the 85 trillion cubic feet of gas discovered by Eni in Area 4 of the Rovuma Basin. Additionally, Eni, as the delegated operator of Area 4 in the Rovuma Basin, celebrated the shipment of the 100th cargo of LNG from Coral South FLNG. The Area 4 operation is managed by Mozambique Rovuma Venture, a joint venture owned by Eni, ExxonMobil and China National Petroleum Corporation, holding a 70% interest in the Area 4 exploration and production concession. Other shareholders in Area 4 include ADNOCs subsidiary XRG, KOGAS and ENH, each with a 10% participation interest. In a related development, the US Export-Import Bank has sanctioned a $5bn loan to support the Mozambique LNG project led by TotalEnergies. This decision marks progress towards resuming the $20bn venture, which has been on hold since 2021 due to security concerns in the Cabo Delgado province. The project awaits reapproval of loans from the UK and Dutch export credit agencies. "Mozambique Government approves Enis Coral Norte FLNG plan" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. Donald Trumps new trading system is here. Liberation Day tariffs went into effect at midnight Eastern Time, imposing steep new taxes on goods from Asia, the worlds manufacturing center. Asian stock markets mostly fell on Wednesday, ending a brief dead cat bounce across the regions equity markets. Trumps steepest tariffs fall on China, one of the U.S.s largest trading partners. Tariff rates on China now total at least 104%: 20% tariffs related to fentanyl, 34% reciprocal tariffs, and then a quickly imposed 50% tariff in response to Chinas retaliatory measures. The steep tariffs will hit Chinas exports to the U.S., which will hurt the countrys economic growth. On Tuesday, Citi cut its GDP growth forecast to 4.2%, down from 4.7%. China will impose a flat 34% tariff on all U.S. imports on April 10, as part of a broader set of retaliatory measures against Trumps tariffs. Chinese officials have held firm, pledging to fight to the end against Trumps tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. president has flip-flopped on his openness to a deal with China. In his social media post announcing a new 50% tariff on Chinese goods, Trump stated that all negotiations with China were off. Yet late on Tuesday, he affirmed that China also wants to make a deal, badly, but they dont know how to get it started. We are waiting for their call! Still, Chinese markets performed well on Wednesday. The CSI 300, which covers companies trading in Shanghai and Shenzhen, rose by 1.0%, as Chinese officials promised measures to bolster the stock market, deploying the national teama nickname for sovereign wealth fund Central Huijin Investmentto the Chinese ETF market. Regulators are also encouraging state-owned companies to start share buybacks. Hong Kongs benchmark Hang Seng Index rose around 0.7%, adding to a slight recovery following the markets massive stock drop, the worst since 1997, on Monday. Japan and South Korea, which got tariffs of 24% and 25% respectively, failed to win exemptions in time, despite both major economies being prioritized by the White House for tariff negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Japans benchmark Nikkei 225 index sunk by 3.9%, while South Koreas KOSPI dropped by 1.7%. Trump officials have signaled some optimism that trade negotiations with Japan and South Korea will continue. Things are looking good, Trump wrote on social media, following a call with Koreas acting president, Han Duck-soo. Seoul is preparing to support its auto industry, already reeling from 25% U.S. tariffs on imported cars. The government has promised $10.2 billion in support for the industry, and will encourage greater exports to the Global South, or markets in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Taiwans Taiex index dropped by 5.8% on Wednesday, the third straight day of sharp declines after Trump announced 32% tariffs against the island. Shares in Apple supplier Foxconn dropped by 10%, the daily limit, for the third time this week. (Foxconn relies heavily on Chinese factories, like its iPhone City complex in Zhengzhou.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The island has offered to cut its tariffs to zero and boost investment in the U.S.; its also promised not to retaliate. On Tuesday, the islands government promised to tap into its $15 billion stock stabilization fund to restore investor confidence. Southeast Asia High U.S. tariffs on Southeast Asian countries also went into effect on Wednesday. Trump reserved some of his highest tax rates for the region, with Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar all getting tariffs upwards of 40%. Southeast Asian economies, particularly Vietnam, have benefited from China plus one approaches to supply-chain diversification. But thats now threatened by Liberation Day tariffs. GDP growth in Vietnam, which relies on U.S. exports for 30% of its economy, might drop by a full 1.5 percentage points, Goldman Sachs estimated last week. Vietnam has offered to cut its own tariffs on U.S. imports, but Trump officials like trade advisor Peter Navarro have already rejected the offer, as it wont address the underlying trade deficit. Economists argue that countries like Vietnam and Cambodia are just not sufficiently wealthy to buy enough U.S. goods to completely rebalance trade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leaders across Southeast Asia are now speaking out against Trumps tariffs. Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Tuesday blasted the tariffs as not actions one does to a friend, and reaffirmed its status as a free trading hub. Earlier this week, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he will lead efforts to present a united regional front among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com The Trump administration this week ramped up its efforts to scale back environmental protections nationwide with a sweeping executive order aimed at undermining states' abilities to set their own environmental policies, including key components of California's fight against climate change. In an order dated April 8, the president directed Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi to identify and "stop the enforcement of" state laws that address climate change and other environmental initiatives. "Many States have enacted, or are in the process of enacting, burdensome and ideologically motivated 'climate change' or energy policies that threaten American energy dominance and our economic and national security," the president wrote in the executive order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These State laws and policies are fundamentally irreconcilable with my Administration's objective to unleash American energy," he wrote. "They should not stand." Read more: How the EPA's environmental about-face could upend California's climate efforts The assertion of federal power over states rights seems to go against some of Trump's other positions he campaigned, for example, on state's rights for issues such as abortion. The order calls out several states specifically, including New York and Vermont, which he accuses of "extorting" fossil-fuel companies for their past contributions to planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. The order also takes aim at California's cap-and-trade program a first-of-its-kind initiative that sets limits on companies' greenhouse gas emissions and allows them to sell "credits" for unused emissions to other companies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "California, for example, punishes carbon use by adopting impossible caps on the amount of carbon businesses may use, all but forcing businesses to pay large sums to 'trade' carbon credits to meet California's radical requirements," the president wrote. The executive order marks a continuation of Trump's recent anti-environmental efforts, which have included cuts to grant funding, widespread office closures and layoffs in the climate research community, loosened regulations and renewed efforts to expand the production of oil and coal two sectors that contribute heavily to global warming. It also marks an escalation of Trump's conflict with California. The president in recent months has taken particular aim at the Democratic stronghold, including threatening to withhold disaster aid for the state's wildfire response and recovery over issues such as forest management and water policies. "There's a little bit of beef right now between Trump and the state," said Maggie Coulter, a senior attorney with the Climate Law Institute at the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity. "I think wanting to call out California was part of why cap and trade got mentioned." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Boiling Point: Trump loves coal. Lithium-ion batteries, maybe not Cap-and-trade isn't the only California program that could be in the federal government's cross-hairs. The order directs Bondi to seek out and prioritize state laws that address climate change, environmental justice, greenhouse gas emissions and carbon taxes, which is "kind of like a laundry list of all the things the oil-and-gas industry doesn't like," Coulter said. To that end, the executive order might also affect California's ability to set strict tailpipe emission standards and its effort to transition to electric vehicles, including a state law banning the sale of new gas-powered cars in 2035. The Trump administration has already made moves to block that law, which are now playing out in the courts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The executive order additionally could impact California's Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act of 2025, a bill currently working its way through the state Legislature that would require fossil fuel companies to pay for damage caused by their greenhouse gas emissions. It is similar to the legislation in New York and Vermont that Trump called out in his order, Coulter said. Blocking those laws would be akin to creating immunity for the fossil-fuel industry from those damages, not unlike protections that shield firearms manufacturers from certain civil lawsuits, according to Cassidy DiPaola, communications director with Make Polluters Pay, a campaign for climate accountability. "President Trump's executive order weaponizes the Justice Department against states like California that want to make polluters pay for climate damage," DiPaola wrote in a statement. "This is the fossil-fuel industry's desperation on full display they're so afraid of facing evidence of their deception in court that they've convinced the President to launch a federal assault on state sovereignty." Read more: California lawmakers urge Trump to spare state's hydrogen energy project Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indeed, the oil and gas industry celebrated the order issued the same week the president also ordered the immediate expansion of coal production in the country, including opening federal lands to coal leasing and extending the operating life of existing coal plants. "We welcome President Trump's action to hold states like New York and California accountable for pursuing unconstitutional efforts that illegally penalize U.S. oil and natural gas producers for delivering the energy American consumers rely on every day," read a statement from Ryan Meyers, senior vice president with the American Petroleum Institute. California appears poised to push back. In a statement, Gov. Gavin Newsom described Trump's order as a "glorified press release." "This is the world the Trump Administration wants your kids to live in, Newsom said. "California's efforts to cut harmful pollution wont be derailed by a glorified press release masquerading as an executive order." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor's office noted that California continues to make progress when it comes to clean energy, including increasing battery storage 1,600% since 2019 and running on 100% clean electricity for the equivalent of 45 days last year. Greenhouse gas emissions are down 20% since 2000. The Trump administration has stated that its slew of environmental rollbacks are intended to ease regulatory costs, lower taxes and expand the creation of an "affordable and reliable domestic energy supply." "Simply put, Americans are better off when the United States is energy dominant," Trump's executive order says. The order gives Bondi 60 days to compile a list of applicable state climate laws and submit a report to the president regarding actions taken, along with recommendations for additional legislative steps necessary to stop the enforcement of those state laws. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coulter, of the Climate Law Institute, said actually preventing states from enforcing their laws would be an illegal and unconstitutional overreach. "It's not really something that Trump or the attorney general can do," Coulter said. "If you want to stop the enforcement of state law, you have to go to court, and that's the jurisdiction of the court." Should the administration actually attempt to stop states from enforcing their own laws, she said, lawsuits and legal challenges are almost certain to ensue. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A Union Pacific train transports coal through Spanish Fork Canyon in Utah County on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday protecting coal and overhauling the Biden Administrations sweeping rules that aimed to reduce carbon emissions from coal power plants. Titled Reinvigorating Americas Beautiful Clean Coal Industry, the order directs his cabinet to move fast to increase coal-powered energy production in the country and to undo federal regulatory barriers that may prevent that task ahead of the anticipated rise of energy-hungry artificial intelligence centers and manufacturing activity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were slashing unnecessary regulations that targeted the beautiful clean coal. We will rapidly expedite leases for coal mining on federal lands () and well streamline permitting, Trump said during the announcement on Tuesday. We will end the government bias against coal, and were going to unlock the sweeping authorities of defense production Act, the defense production act to turbocharge coal mining in America. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX While coal is a rock, not a mineral, the White House also required the National Energy Dominance Council to designate coal as a mineral so that its covered by the protections established by a March executive order that creates a process to expedite mineral production projects in the country and allow leases for mineral extraction on public lands. The executive order received applause from Republican lawmakers and coal miners who posed in the background as Trump announced the anticipated measures. Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee showed his enthusiasm for Trumps order, making multiple posts on X from his seat at the signing event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden sought energy subservience. Trump wants dominance, Lee wrote on X, quoting a post from Vivek Ramaswamy that read Energy dominance is a requirement for manufacturing dominance. However, environmental and clean energy advocates were dismayed to hear the news, not only because of what it would mean for carbon emissions in the country. Sarah Wright, CEO of Utah Clean Energy, said the executive order paints a false narrative that having an affordable, reliable energy system cant happen at the same time as efforts to address the consequences of climate change. The United States can be energy dominant by investing in the next generation of energy resources. Wind, solar, geothermal, and storage represent the future and incredible opportunities for the U.S. to lead, Wright wrote in a statement. This executive order is firmly rooted in the past, setting the U.S. up to fall further behind countries like China that are leading in clean energy technology development and associated economic opportunities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Sierra Club also wrote in a news release that alongside tariffs that would reverse renewable energy efforts, Trumps policies are expected to raise monthly energy bills for Americans, since renewable energy can be 30% cheaper than coal. With increased carbon emissions, also come public health consequences, including respiratory and heart conditions, Sierra Club leaders said. This is the latest move in a pattern to force a plan that simply isnt economical, and these orders wont change that, Luis Miranda, Sierra Club Utah senior organizer, said in a statement. What they will do is delay a meaningful energy transition that could protect workers and create long-term, good-paying jobs. This band-aid approach does nothing but buy time from a clock thats already run out. Let us know what you think... The order, however, is in line with Utahs energy policy, where there were already steps to facilitate coal-powered energy production. Utah Republican lawmakers have often referred to coal as an important component of their all-of-the-above energy strategy and have passed laws that, in essence, are meant to protect coal as other states make moves to adopt clean energy resources and phase out fossil fuels. Rocky Mountain Power, Utahs largest electric utility, also has plans to keep operating its two coal plants, Hunter and Huntington, indefinitely, eliminating their 2032 retirement plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The executive order is hardly a surprise. Trump had already made clear his intentions to boost energy production and to drill, baby, drill since his inaugural speech. On Tuesday, he also referred to the Green New Deal a proposed resolution by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY, that never passed but is frequently targeted by Republicans as the green new scam and took a jab again at the Paris Agreement, an international treaty to combat climate change that Trump ordered the U.S. to withdraw from. Trump also signed another order on Tuesday titled Protecting American Energy from State Overreach, an action that requires the removal of all illegitimate impediments to developing coal and other resources, including oil, natural gas, hydropower, geothermal, biofuel, critical minerals and nuclear energy resources. Many States have enacted, or are in the process of enacting, burdensome and ideologically motivated climate change or energy policies that threaten American energy dominance and our economic and national security, the order reads, pointing to policy examples in New York, Vermont and California. Trump argued that clean energy efforts from those states influence the whole country and undermine federalism. So, he ordered the U.S. Attorney General to identify any state laws purporting to address climate change or involving environmental, social, and governance initiatives, environmental justice, carbon or greenhouse gas emissions, and funds to collect carbon penalties or carbon taxes, and to take action to stop their enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These State laws and policies are fundamentally irreconcilable with my Administrations objective to unleash American energy, Trump wrote in the order. They should not stand. Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified the Green New Deal as a set of policies from the Biden Administration. The Green New Deal was a proposed resolution in Congress. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE President Donald Trump praised Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat who has criticized Trump in the past and campaigned for candidates running against him. Whitmer, along with Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall, were in the Oval Office with Trump for the signing of an executive order regarding an invasive fish problem in Lake Michigan. They also discussed the status of the Selfridge Air National Guard Base. Some Republicans have signed onto bills or efforts to limit Trump's tariff powers. At a dinner with House Republicans on Tuesday, Trump fired back with mockery. "Congress takes over negotiating, sell America fast, because you're going to go busted," he said. President Donald Trump has had enough of Republicans on Capitol Hill who are attempting to rein in his tariff powers. At a fundraising dinner for House Republicans' campaign arm on Tuesday night, Trump openly mocked lawmakers in his own party who have sought to assert Congress's authority over trade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm telling you, these countries are calling us up, kissing my ass," Trump told a room full of House Republicans. "And then I'll see some rebel Republican, you know, some guy that wants to grandstand, say, 'I think that Congress should take over negotiations.'" "Let me tell you, you don't negotiate like I negotiate," Trump continued. "Congress takes over negotiating, sell America fast, because you're going to go busted." TRUMP: "These countries are calling us up, kissing my ass. Please, please sir, make a deal. I'll do anything. And then I'll see some rebel Republican want to grandstand and say Congress should take over negotiations. Congress takes over negotiating sell America fast." pic.twitter.com/x5eHj7gmMu TheBlaze (@theblaze) April 9, 2025 Last week, four GOP senators including former Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell voted for a resolution that would block Trump from imposing tariffs on Canada. Separately, seven GOP senators have signed onto a bill to require Congress to approve any new tariffs within 60 days. Both efforts have little chance of becoming law, and if they reached Trump's desk, he could issue a veto. Still, both have exposed underlying rifts among Republicans on Trump's approach to trade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday night, Trump seemed to refer to GOP congressmen who had signed onto the House version of the tariff approval bill, which so far includes Reps. Don Bacon of Nebraska and Jeff Hurd of Colorado. "I just saw it today, a couple of your congressman said, 'I think we should get involved in the negotiation of the tariffs,' Trump said in a mocking tone. "That's what I need. I need some guy telling me how to negotiate. I tell you, the happiest people in the world would be China." Trump also said that Republicans pushing for a greater role for Congress in trade were undermining his administration's ongoing negotiations with countries on trade. "Even the concept of it hurts your negotiation," Trump said. "When they see a little story like that, the other side, you know, it hurts your negotiation. And then the fake news wants to build it up, and it has no chance anyway." Read the original article on Business Insider By Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday repeated his threat to use military force if Iran did not agree to end its nuclear program, saying Israel would play a key role in any military action. Trump said Iran could not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon and if it declined to stop development efforts, military action could follow. "I'm not asking for much ... but they can't have a nuclear weapon," Trump told reporters after signing several executive orders in the Oval Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If it requires military, we're going to have military. Israel will, obviously, be ... the leader of that. No one leads us. We do what we want." He declined to address when any military action could begin. "I don't want to be specific. But when you start talks, you know if they're going along well or not. And I would say the conclusion would be when I think they're not going along well," Trump said. Trump on Monday made a surprise announcement that the United States and Iran were poised to begin direct talks on Tehran's nuclear program on Saturday, warning that Iran would be in "great danger" if the talks were unsuccessful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iran, which had pushed against Trump's demands in recent weeks, said indirect talks would be held in Oman, underscoring the differences between the two countries. On Tuesday, Iran's state media said the talks would be led by Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and U.S. Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff, with the intermediation of Oman's foreign minister, Badr al-Busaidi. The U.S. and Iran held indirect talks during former President Joe Biden's term but they made little if any progress. The last known direct negotiations between the two governments were under then-President Barack Obama, who spearheaded the 2015 international nuclear deal that Trump later abandoned. During his 2017-2021 term, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 deal between Iran and world powers designed to curb Iran's sensitive nuclear work in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump also reimposed sweeping U.S. sanctions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since then, Iran has far surpassed that deal's limits on uranium enrichment. Western powers accuse Iran of having a clandestine agenda to develop nuclear weapons capability by enriching uranium to a high level of fissile purity, above what they say is justifiable for a civilian atomic energy program. Tehran says its nuclear program is wholly for civilian energy purposes. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Chris Reese and Alistair Bell) The Trump administration on Tuesday claimed foreign aid programs that were cut in error would be restored. There were a few programs that were cut in other countries that were not meant to be cut that have been rolled back and put into place, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters at a briefing. Her comments came hours before the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned of starvation risk for individuals in war-torn regions after the White House suspended a significant number of food assistance programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. was the largest funder of the WFP, providing $4.5 billion of the $9.8 billion in donations to the worlds largest food aid provider last year, The Associated Press reported. After intense lobbying from U.N. officials, funding for food programs in Somalia, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Ecuador is expected to be restored, officials from the embattled U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) said, per the outlet. Earlier Tuesday, WFP posted on social platform X that the organization is deeply concerned by recent notifications from the US administration indicating that funding for emergency food assistance in 14 countries has been terminated. If implemented, this could amount to a death sentence for millions of people facing extreme hunger and starvation, they added. We are in contact with the US administration to seek clarification and to urge for continued support for these life-saving programmes. Bruce acknowledged during the press briefing that some programs were cut over concerns about terrorists potentially benefiting from American taxpayer dollars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What is the story here is that the largest group of World Food Programme awards terminated were in Yemen and Afghanistan through an executive order that was issued based on concern that the funding was benefiting terrorist groups, including the Houthis and the Taliban, she explained. These concerns with U.N. funding have been documented and discussed for years, which is why USAID paused all food assistance in northern Yemen through WFP, specifically to mitigate any interference by the Houthis, and has intermittently suspended food assistance across Afghanistan to mitigate Taliban interference, Bruce added. Under the direction of White House adviser Elon Musk, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) implemented cuts to a number of programs supported by USAID. In early March, a DOGE staffer, Jeremy Lewin, was appointed to the role of chief operating officer and deputy administrator for policy and programs at the agency. Lewin is credited for asking staff to reverse the terminations to food aid programs in an internal email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sorry for all the back and forth on awards, Lewin said on Tuesday in an internal email obtained by Reuters. There are a lot of stakeholders, and we need to do better about balancing these competing interests thats my fault and I take responsibility. The renewal of programs comes after President Trump signed an executive order in January that ordered a freeze of all U.S. foreign aid while the administration determined which programs were not aligned with his America First foreign policy vision. In an announcement in February, the White House said more than 90 percent of USAIDs foreign contracts would be gutted along with $60 billion in global aid worldwide. In March, the administration notified the remaining employees at the agency that they would be terminated, and that the agency would merge with the State Department. The actions sparked a legal battle and pushback from legal experts, advocates and lawmakers alike. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. After eight years of planning and amid the Trump administration's all-out assault on the sector, an offshore wind project outside of New York City quietly began at-sea construction this month. Developer Equinor issued no press releases, held no ceremonies, and failed to respond to multiple inquiries about the construction milestone for its Empire Wind 1 project. Instead, a Listserv catering to boat captains and local residents posted a March 24 notice that rock installation around the turbines underwater bases would begin in April. Multiple insiders told Canary Media that work is now underway on those bases, which will minimize erosion around the first-ever wind turbines to connect to New York Citys power grid. The lack of fanfare around an 810-megawatt wind farm effectively breaking ground less than 20 miles from Americas largest city speaks to the seismic shifts in messaging by renewable energy companies under Trump 2.0. While some firms are testing new lobbying strategies, others are choosing silence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a bit of hesitancy to be out in front, said Hillary Bright, executive director of Turn Forward, a nonprofit that advocates for U.S. offshore-wind businesses and sector growth. Its about not wanting to stick their heads up and drawing more attention, potentially, from the administration, which is already giving quite a bit of attention to offshore wind. President Donald Trump, more accurately, has put a bullseye on the industrys back. The president has called wind power garbage, horrendous, and bullshit. On the campaign trail, he made windmills a frequent focus of stump speeches and social media tirades. In the weeks leading up to his inauguration, Trump said no new windmills would be built in the U.S. during his presidency. Days later he reposted a video on Truth Social that contained misleading information about the scale of environmental damage from last years wind turbine failure at the Vineyard Wind project in Massachusetts. Trump then issued an executive order on Inauguration Day that effectively froze all offshore wind permitting and leasing pending a federal review. Seemingly safe from the presidents pause at the time were nine projects, including Empire Wind 1, that already had their federal permits in hand. Since then, at least one of those permitted projects the 2.8-gigawatt Atlantic Shores project off the New Jersey coast has fallen apart. Others, like Dominion Energys 2.6-gigawatt Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, have pressed on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With rock installation underway, Empire Wind has taken the first step toward erecting the projects 54 turbines. On Monday, Equinor sent out another construction update email, this time about round-the-clock [remotely operated vehicle] and dive operations in the lease area this April, meaning underwater robots and human divers are also at work. Both at-sea construction notices went out to subscribers of a public Listserv and have since been posted to the projects Community Updates webpage. But Equinor, a Norwegian energy giant, did not update Empire Winds homepage to tout the news. Its Facebook page is now deactivated. The project's X account made its most recent post in November. Equinor has not issued a single press release about Empire Wind 1 since Trump took office. Empire Wind 1 is slated to finish construction by 2027, and when it does it will power 500,000 New York homes, according to the projects website. It will also play an integral role in helping the state achieve its legislatively mandated target of 70% renewable energy by 2030. But Bright said she isnt surprised that the company is avoiding the spotlight right now. Wind opponents push to kill all projects An army of conservative think tanks are lobbying for a stop-work order on all U.S. offshore wind under construction, citing debunked claims that wind farms harm whales. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Empire Winds quiet kickoff this month caught the attention of U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican and longtime offshore wind opponent. In late March he penned a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in response to the alarming development of the projects at-sea work and advised Burgum to block construction of Empire Wind using everything in your power. Smith cited the presidents anti-wind memorandum alongside other claims, which lacked specifics, that Empire Wind could blind military radar or break apart during hurricanes. Smith also claimed in his letter to Burgum that something similar to last years cargo ship collision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge could happen to one of Empire Winds turbines, writing such a situation is more likely than many may think. The fatal bridge collision occurred inside one of the Port of Baltimores designated shipping channels. While Empire Winds lease area is sandwiched between two shipping lanes, early concerns about ship collisions in the New York Bight were dismissed after years of independent studies, government research, and computer simulations. Theres no indication that the Interior Department has intervened in Empire Winds scheduled construction yet. In fact, agency officials are likely in close contact with Empire Winds developers, as is typical with all construction in federal waters. If Empire Wind 1 can avoid weather delays and political interference, the first steel monopile the subsea part of a wind tower could be driven into the seafloor as early as May. Undersea cable laying is scheduled for June, according to sources familiar with the project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plus, with rising energy demands and some of these multi-billion-dollar wind projects nearly complete, some Republicans see abandonment as a risky move. More progress despite headwinds While the start of offshore work is a symbolic milestone, Empire Winds onshore construction is also ramping up. Empire Winds Monday update email said the roof of the projects South Brooklyn Marine Terminal facility is nearing completion. According to the notice, excavation is underway at the spot where a future Brooklyn-based substation will connect wind-generated electricity to the citys grid. Research to monitor ecosystem impacts from this massive project is also progressing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In late March, Duke University professor Doug Nowacek told Canary Media that he and his team of researchers were still planning to tag whales in the projects lease area during the last week of April. The tagging is meant to take place just before pile-driving into the seafloor begins in early May, he explained. This is a unique opportunity to gather data on whale movements in the area both before and after a wind project is built, said Nowacek, whose multi-year research on the effects of wind projects on marine animals is funded by a Department of Energy grant. As of late March, Nowacek said that research was going forward despite headwinds in Washington. Meanwhile, as the weather warms, marking the start of a new construction season, "things are moving forward" for the four other U.S. offshore wind projects that are underway, said Bright of Turn Forward. In addition to Empire Wind, the other commercial-scale projects actively under construction are Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, Massachusetts Vineyard Wind 1, New Yorks Sunrise Wind, and Revolution Wind, which is shared between Rhode Island and Connecticut. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The steady progress of some wind projects under Trumps anti-wind order is noteworthy but not entirely unexpected. Presidential executive orders are not self-executing, according to Mark Squillace, a law professor at the University of Colorado Law School. Squillace said they are akin to a memo penned to another leader, which in this case is the Secretary of the Interior. Before entering Trumps orbit, Secretary Burgum was a friend to wind energy as governor of North Dakota, a state that gets more than one-third of its power from onshore wind. He indicated at his Senate confirmation hearing in January that he would allow fully permitted offshore wind projects "to continue even under political pressure to halt them. Since his confirmation, Burgum has made negative comments about offshore wind calling it expensive and unreliable on the social media site X but hes not yet moved to pull the plug on large-scale energy projects in the middle of construction. Burgum is also operating against the backdrop of an unprecedented surge in power demand, in large part from data centers. Construction of new gas plants cant keep up; the U.S. needs all the power it can get. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In countries like the U.K., offshore wind is already increasing grid reliability while delivering affordable energy. In fact, while Equinor keeps its head down in America, the company is celebrating ongoing successes in Britains offshore wind sector, which the U.K. government calls the backbone of its clean power system. Equinor already runs three of Britains operational offshore projects and is one of four developers currently building Dogger Bank, the 277-turbine North Sea project that will soon surpass Orsteds Hornsea 2 as the worlds largest wind farm. Love Canary Media and find our reporting valuable? Please consider financially supporting our work with a donation. Thank you! President Trump said Tuesday hes supportive of major spending cuts after a meeting with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and House Republicans who have expressed skepticism about a budget resolution to proceed with his legislative agenda. I had a very good meeting today with the Speaker of the House and some of our more Conservative Members, all great people, Trump posted on Truth Social. I let them know that, I AM FOR MAJOR SPENDING CUTS! WE ARE GOING TO DO REDUCTIONS, hopefully in excess of $1 Trillion Dollars, all of which will go into The One, Big, Beautiful Bill,' Trump added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president said he would be pushing very hard to get those cuts, but urged lawmakers to approve the budget resolution that is on the table in the meantime. The comments appeared to be an olive branch to hard-line conservatives who have expressed reservations about the level of spending cuts in the budget measure passed by Senate Republicans last week. The Senate version differs from the House version, setting up a clash between Republicans in the two chambers about how to move forward. At least two Republicans Reps. Greg Steube (Fla.) and Byron Donalds (Fla.) voiced support for the legislation after the meeting, a good sign for Johnson as he looks to muscle the measure through his razor-thin majority. Steube was undecided earlier in the day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But a large number of GOP critics including those who met with the president and those who did not attend the meeting remained unmoved as of Tuesday afternoon. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. In this new tariff world, discount and off-price retailers are rising in favor as the fear of recession grows among shoppers. On Monday, Citi analyst Paul Lejuez upgraded shares of Dollar General (DG) from Sell to Neutral and upgraded Dollar Tree (DLTR) to Buy from Neutral. "In the near-term Dollar General does not have the same tariff risk as most others in our retail universe, and may benefit from consumers trading down," he wrote in a note to clients. Lejuez said only roughly 10% of Dollar General's sales are affected by tariffs. About 80% of its sales are food items, most of which are nonperishable items made in the US, like canned soup, beans, and chips, Morningstar analyst Noah Rohr told Yahoo Finance last month. Lejuez is also keeping an eye on Walmart's (WMT) investor day this week: "We believe their comments about how they plan to deal with higher costs will be important." If Walmart expressed intent to pass on costs to consumers, it would be "positive for Dollar General," Lejuez said. It would also give the company more room to hike its own prices. On the flip side, if Walmart plans to compete on price, that would be negative for Dollar General, given the tougher competition. In the last five days, shares of Dollar General are up nearly 6%, compared to the S&P 500's (^GSPC) more than 10% decline. Dollar Tree is another discounter that could benefit, Lejuez said. Tariffs would help it justify increasing price points from $1.25 to $1.50 and $1.75, which are still prices that shoppers could swallow. Direct imports make up 41% to 43% of Dollar Tree's total retail value purchases, and China supplies the majority of those imports, per a company filing. Other analysts have cautioned that retailers with a higher mix of discretionary items and general merchandise will be hit harder. CFRA analyst Arun Sundaram called 2026 a "transitional year" for Dollar Tree, as it's one of the largest importers in the country with significant sourcing from China and Southeast Asia. It's also trying to sell Family Dollar, expected to happen in the next few months. He reiterated his Hold rating. Off-price retailers like TJX (TJX), which owns Marshalls and TJ Maxx, could do well in this environment, Jefferies analyst Corey Tarlowe said in a note to clients. Dana Telsey of Telsey Advisory Group said TJ Maxx's "value proposition continues to resonate with consumers, while the beneficial buying environment allows the business to meet the demand of increased traffic both from existing and trade-down customers." The United States will further raise its tariffs on imports from China, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday. "Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World's Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%, effective immediately," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable," Trump added. China, the world's second-largest economy after the US, has already seen its overall tariff rate shoot up from 34%, the figure originally announced by Trump last week during his "Liberation Day" event at the White House, to over 100%. Coal rich states and the U.S. Department of Interior welcomed the news of President Donald Trumps executive order on Tuesday to delay closure of some coal-fired power plants and end the federal moratorium on coal leases. The Golden Age is here, and we are starting to mine, baby, mine for clean American coal, said Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. Interior is unlocking Americas full potential in energy dominance and economic development to make life more affordable for every American family while showing the world the power of Americas natural resources and innovation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In support of the Trump administrations pursuit of Energy Dominance, the department is actively working to revitalize the coal mining industry through a series of actions. It will expand access to coal reserves, such as the recent approval of the Spring Creek mine expansion in Montana. It plans to streamline permitting processes by removing regulatory barriers that the department says have undermined American coal production. Coal remains a component of the U.S. energy portfolio and in Utah, according to the Energy Information Administration, the state derives 46% of its net electricity generation from coal. That is down from 75% in 2015. The Interior Department will officially end its moratorium on federal coal leasing, invoked in 2016. Coal miner Jeff Crowe winks at President Donald Trump after he signed Crowe's speech during an event on energy production in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Washington. | Alex Brandon For the purpose of clarity, a notice in the Federal Register will emphasize that the Bureau of Land Management will not perform an environmental impact statement, or any other environmental analysis of the federal coal leasing program connected to the 2016 secretarial order issued by Interior Secretary Sally Jewell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In tandem with the order, the BLM will pursue the amendment process to the Buffalo and Miles City resource management plans in Wyoming and Montana, the Interior Department said. Under the current plans, future coal leasing is heavily restricted, making it much harder for new federal coal projects to get off the ground, the Interior Department order said, significantly impacting two of the nations biggest coal producing regions. By revising these plans, Interior would create a path forward to access untapped federal coal reserves, especially in high-production areas like the Powder River Basin in Wyoming. Despite countless warnings from the nations grid operators and energy regulators that we are facing an electricity supply crisis, the last administrations energy policies were built on hostility to fossil fuels, directly targeting coal. The explosive growth and parallel energy demands of artificial intelligence and electrification have rendered that path not just unsustainable but plainly reckless, said Rich Nolan, president and chief executive officer of the National Mining Association. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Todays reported executive actions by President Trump clearly prioritize how to responsibly keep the lights on, recognize the enormous strategic value of American mined coal and embrace the economic opportunity that comes from American energy abundance. Its a stark shift from the prior administrations punitive regulatory agenda, hostile energy policies and unlawful land grabs. Utah Clean Energys Chief Executive Officer Sarah Wright said the executive order is the wrong move. The United States can be energy dominant by investing in the next generation of energy resources. Wind, solar, geothermal, and storage represent the future and incredible opportunities for the U.S. to lead. This executive order is firmly rooted in the past, setting the U.S. up to fall further behind countries like China that are leading in clean energy technology development and associated economic opportunities, she said. Wright added: The Executive Order paints a false narrative that we cant simultaneously address the very real consequences of climate change while enjoying an affordable, reliable energy system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And Ted Kelly, director of Environmental Defense Fund and lead counsel of U.S. Clean Energy, said the order is bad for human health, bad for the environment and is a regressive step that ignores the benefits of clean energy We will vigorously oppose these efforts to impose more deadly pollution and higher electricity costs on all Americans. Clean and affordable solutions are the path forward. Clinging to a 19th century power plan makes no sense for 21st century America it will only mean cost shocks in peoples electric bills, losing renewable energy jobs, surrendering U.S. manufacturing of clean energy solutions, and a public health and climate disaster. U.S. President Donald Trumps efforts to shut down Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America marks the end of an era for the U.S. soft power that helped bring the Cold War to a close. For many decades these broadcasters were more than just media outlets across Central and Eastern Europe. They were lifelines to news from the world outside the Soviet bloc that connected families, sparked hope and brought about political change. While much of Western Europe has forgotten their influence, they have remained stalwarts across the region, especially in countries like Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban has worked consistently to undermine the free press. To understand the gravity of Trumps decision, one must begin with the historical role that RFE and VOA, as theyre known, played in shaping the modern democratic map of Europe. During the Cold War, when the Iron Curtain split the continent in two, these services beamed uncensored news and cultural programming into countries dominated by Soviet ideology. While VOA, the official external broadcaster funded by the U.S. government, offered a distinctly American perspective on global events, RFE was tailored to individual countries. Addressing each local audience in its own language, RFE told them all stories of democracy and revolutionary figuresincluding local ones such as Polands Lech Walesawho were heralding the end of Moscows influence. When the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, there was little doubt that RFE in particular had played a strategic role in changing the face of Europe. The local reporters who had reported from behind the Iron Curtain became household names, viewed as the embodiment of shoe-leather journalists who spoke truth to power despite coming under extreme pressure from communist regimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This was not propaganda in the crude sense of the word. It was strategic truth-telling. The broadcasts didnt hide their Western funding; RFE, while overseen and funded by the Central Intelligence Agency until 1971, was eventually transitioned to civilian oversight and funded by the U.S. Congress through a grant from the United States Agency for Global Media, or USAGM. To the contrary, their transparency contributed to their credibility, as did paradoxically the criticism directed at them by the ruling communist regimes. The parallels to todays media landscape in Central and Eastern Europe, where illiberal leaders decry fake news and woke editorial agendas when any news outlet does not echo their toxic blend of far-left or far-right populism, are striking. To get more in-depth news and expert analysis on global affairs from WPR, sign up for our free Daily Review newsletter. Then there is the fact that these news outlets stuck around after the Cold War ended. They didnt just cover the end of the communist period and move on. They continued to cover the post-communist transition to democracyand the threats to that process. At a time when legacy media outlets news budgets are being continually squeezed and foreign travel budgets cut, RFE and VOA still show a commitment to field journalism that ventures beyond the confines of national capitals. Even a cursory glance at both outlets recent reporting shows the pride they take in this editorial approach. The loss of RFE and VOA creates an opportunity for authoritarian regimes to ramp up their malign influence operations abroad, while increasing their ability to keep people in the dark at home. Its this commitment that makes Trumps dismantling of USAGM last month so galling. The move effectively cut funding to RFE and VOA, but also Radio Free Asia and other outlets under the agencys umbrella. At the beginning of April, USAGM switched off a satellite transmitting RFE into Russia, despite the broadcaster having won a temporary restraining order against Trumps funding freeze from a federal court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nowhere is this crisis felt more acutely than in Prague, where RFE has been based since 1995. For three decades, the headquarters in the Czech capital has offered a haven for journalists fleeing persecution in Russia, Belarus and beyond. Suddenly, many of these reporters may lose their employment and their legal right to remain in Europe. The Czech government and other European Union leaders have expressed support, but time and resources are limited. Czech European Affairs Minister Martin Dvorak warned that allowing RFE to collapse would be a big mistake. He is right. Chinese and Russian state officials and media mouthpieces have expressed their delight at the news. The Global Times, a Chinese propaganda outlet, said the so-called beacon of freedom, VOA, has now been discarded by its own government like a dirty rag. The Russians were even more ecstatic. Margarita Simonyanthe editor-in-chief of the state broadcaster Russia Today, which was sanctioned by the EU for spreading propagandasaid the funding cuts were like declaring a national holiday for her team. The loss of RFE and VOA creates an opportunity for these and other authoritarian regimes to ramp up their malign influence operations abroad, while increasing their ability to keep people in the dark at home. Take, for instance, Current Time, a 24/7 Russian-language TV and digital network launched by RFE in 2014 to provide an alternative to Kremlin-controlled news and information across Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. In 2023, in the second year of the war in Ukraine, Current Time reached more Russians weekly than at any point its history, reflecting a desire among the Russian population for real news. Although the outlet was added to Russias list of foreign agents, Trump has done what Russian President Vladimir Putin could not: completely shut down the Current Time operation. There are efforts underway to save what remains of RFE and VOA. European leaders are scrambling to find emergency funding, and the Czech Republic and Baltic states have pledged support. But the reality is that these are massive operations, historically underwritten by U.S. budgets and infrastructure. Replacing that kind of institutional heft overnight is, at best, aspirational. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Silencing RFE and VOA marks the end of Washingtons efforts to promote democracy abroad under the second Trump administration. Should both broadcasters completely cease operations, it would also mark the end of a conversation, one that helped bring Central and Eastern Europe into the democratic fold. At a time when authoritarianism is resurgent, disinformation weaponized and journalism under siege, the choice to shut down these voices of democratic credibility is not just short-sighted. Its self-defeating. Amanda Coakley is a strategic adviser and Europes Futures Fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna. In 2024 she was named an Aspen U.K. Rising Leaders Fellow. Her monthly WPR column appears on Wednesdays. The post Trumps Silencing of Voice of America Is Another Gift to Authoritarians appeared first on World Politics Review. Welcome back to another episode of leopards eating faces! Today, we've got a MAGA supporter who made a list of 10 reasons why they regret voting for Donald Trump. Andrew Harnik / Getty Images The list was posted in the r/LeopardsAteMyFace subreddit, where you can often find Trump supporters coming to the conclusion (finally!) that the orange man just miiiiight have been the wrong choice for the country. Let's go through the list one by one: 1."Prices are all rising." Ridofranz / Getty Images/iStockphoto From Walmart to Best Buy to AutoZone, companies across the board spoke about likely needing to increase consumer prices to cover the cost of Trump's tariffs before he instated a 90-day pause. According to NPR, we can expect more expensive groceries, too, if the pause lifts. Seafood will be hit especially hard since the US imports up to 85% of it. Other imported grocery items that will likely rise in cost include fruit, cheese, nuts, coffee, olive oil, chocolate, beer, and wine. AP also listed clothing, cars, pharmacy orders, electronics, and household appliances as items that will likely see increases. Sooo basically everything! Thanks, Trump! Advertisement Advertisement 2."401(k)s are tanking." Google Following Trump's tariffs and the resultant uncertainty about the future of global trade, last week was officially the worst week for the US stock market since 2020, during the pandemic. IDK about you, but I am NOT having a good time looking at my retirement accounts (which were already behind for my age, TBH). On Wednesday, Trump posted on Truth Social that he authorized a 90-day pause on tariffs, and the market rallied hard so we'll see what happens in the coming months. 3."We're headed into recession." Gguy44 / Getty Images/iStockphoto For the second time in a week (!!!), Goldman Sachs increased our likelihood of a recession. We went from 20% to 35% to now 45%. Economists, analysts, and CEOs are worried, citing uncertainty around the tariffs, retaliatory tariffs from other countries, and plummeting consumer confidence. Advertisement Advertisement 4."Musk laying off hardworking Americans." BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images DOGE has reportedly laid off over 280,000 federal workers and contractors so far. March was apparently the third-highest month for job cuts on record with the top two months being April and May 2020 due to COVID in large part because of DOGE. 5."DOGE laying off veterans who fought for our country." Samuel Corum / Getty Images Thousands of veterans have been laid off by DOGE, and Democrats are demanding that the White House reveal precise numbers. The administration is also reportedly planning to cut over 80,000 jobs from the Department of Veteran Affairs. Advertisement Advertisement 6."Soft on Russia; Putin playing Trump like a puppet." Mikhail Svetlov / Getty Images Trump has a long, documented relationship with the Russian president and has called him "so nice" on several occasions. Many people pointed out that Russia was missing from the list of countries facing the ridiculous new tariffs. What a surprise! 7."Lost all our allies." Fox News / Via youtube.com While pretty much all of our international relationships are strained right now, Canada is probably the best example. Trump has continually spoken about making the country our 51st state, declared 25% tariffs for no good reason, and motivated many Canadians to boycott American products and cancel vacations here. Prime Minister Mark Carney recently said that Canada's previous relationship with the US is "over." Advertisement Advertisement 8."Incompetent idiots running defense." Anna Moneymaker/ Jeff Swensen/ Steven Ferdman/ Chris Kleponis / Getty Images In a scandal that has somehow already blown over (???), former Fox News host and current Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, along with several other high-ranking officials like Vice President JD Vance and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, seemingly didn't notice Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg in the group chat while they messaged about WAR PLANS. Even worse, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz was reportedly the one who invited Jeffrey. 9."Kids dying of measles for first time in a century." Jan Sonnenmair / Getty Images This week, a second child died of the recent measles outbreak in Texas. The girl was not vaccinated, and nearly 500 people have been infected in the state this year. Advertisement Advertisement 10.And finally, "Billionaires paying for votes." Scott Olson / Getty Images Amid a Wisconsin supreme court election, Elon gave out two $1-million checks to voters last month while supporting the conservative candidate, Brad Schimel who ended up losing to liberal Susan Crawford anyway! During her victory speech, she said, "Our courts are not for sale." At the end of the list, the former MAGA supporter wrote, "I now regret my vote for Trump." Obviously, people in the comments had a lot to say about all this! "I'm sorry, but ALL of them were on open display during the campaign trail," u/Selbeast wrote. "None of this should be a surprise to anyone who was paying attention. It was widely predicted that prices would rise because of tariffs, that the stroke stock market would tank, that a recession would become more likely, that our allies would not get along with Trump, that a drunkard of a journalist wasn't a good choice for defense, that anti-vax nonsense would eventually result in an increase in diseases like measles. All of it. Completely unsurprising." Advertisement Advertisement "Hope the consequences hit him twice as hard," added u/Gadshill. "Please note that NONE of those things were in any way unexpected, but in some cases, even campaigned on. That guy is an idiot," said u/FangGore. U/RyotheFox said, "Absolute bullshit that Kamala Harris didn't get some people's votes over one thing, yet this person finally breaks from Donald after having to compile a laundry list of things." U/NewManufacturer4252 asked a great question: "Why did a quarter of the country not believe him, when this is exactly what he said he would do?" And u/PhoenixTineldyer simply wrote, "WHY ARE PEOPLE SO FUCKING STUPID." Do you know any Trump supporters who regret their vote? What was the last straw for them? Share in the comments or in the anonymous Google form below: President Donald Trumps wide ranging reciprocal tariff policy went into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, including 104% duties on goods from China, as well as various levies on imports from about 90 other U.S. trading partners. Officials in China on Wednesday announced retaliatory duties on U.S. imports to 84%, up from 34%, starting on Thursday. The escalation of tariffs further deteriorates U.S.-China trade relations, after China vowed on Tuesday to fight to the end in the renewed trade war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. threat to escalate tariffs on China is a mistake on top of a mistake and once again exposes the blackmailing nature of the U.S. China will never accept this. If the U.S. insists on its own way, China will fight to the end, Chinas Commerce Ministry said on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press. China was the third-ranked U.S. trading partner in 2024 at $582 billion in cross-border commerce. Trump unveiled a broad reciprocal tariff plan for all U.S. trade partners April 2, including a baseline 10% tariff on trade partners, as well as 25% tariffs on certain imported vehicles and auto parts arriving into the U.S. Several nations, including Vietnam, Taiwan and Japan, have seemed willing to negotiate on tariffs. The European Union is also pushing for negotiations to avert an all-out trade war. The post Trumps sweeping tariffs go into effect, including 104% on China imports appeared first on FreightWaves. WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump intensified his efforts to punish his critics by signing a pair of memoranda directing the Justice Department to investigate two officials from his first administration and stripping them of any security clearances they may have. Trump's targeting of Miles Taylor, a former Department of Homeland Security official in Trumps first term, and Chris Krebs, a former top cybersecurity official, came as the Republican president has sought to use the powers of the presidency to retaliate against his adversaries, including law firms. Trump also on Wednesday retaliated against another law firm, Susman Godfrey, as he seeks to punish firms that have links to prosecutors who have investigated him or employed attorneys he sees as opponents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although Trump has ordered security clearances to be stripped from a number of his opponents, including former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris, the president's order Wednesday directing the Justice Department to broadly investigate the actions of Taylor and Krebs marks an escalation of Trump's campaign of retribution since he returned to power. Taylor, who left the Trump administration in 2019, was later revealed to be the author of an anonymous New York Times op-ed in 2018 that was sharply critical of Trump. The person writing the essay described themselves as part of a secret resistance to counter Trumps misguided impulses, and its publication touched off a leak investigation in Trump's first White House. Taylor later published a book under the pen name Anonymous and publicly revealed his identity days before the 2020 election. Trump said Wednesday that Taylor was like a traitor and that his writings about confidential meetings were like spying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think hes guilty of treason," he said. Taylor responded by saying Trump had proved his point. Dissent isnt unlawful. It certainly isnt treasonous. America is headed down a dark path," he wrote on X. Trump named Krebs the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency but became angered with him after he declared the 2020 election that Trump lost to be secure and the ballot counts to be accurate. Krebs did not respond to a message seeking comment, but late Wednesday he shared on X a message he originally posted when he left government in 2020: Honored to serve. We did it right. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has falsely claimed he was cheated out of reelection in 2020 by widespread fraud, despite a mountain of evidence to the contrary. Recounts, reviews and audits in the battleground states where he disputed his loss all affirmed Bidens victory. Judges, including some he appointed, rejected dozens of his legal challenges. Its bizarre to see a president investigate his own administration and his own appointee, said David Becker, a former Justice Department lawyer and coauthor of The Big Truth, a book about Trumps 2020 election lies. Becker noted that Krebs issued his reassurances about the security of the upcoming election for months during 2020 without pushback from the then-president, with Trump only souring on him after the votes were counted. The reason he can sit in the White House today and govern from that position is because our election system is secure and has accurately determined who has won the presidency, Becker said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Susman Godfrey, the firm Trump targeted in an order Wednesday, represented Dominion Voting Systems in a lawsuit that accused Fox News of falsely claiming that the voting company had rigged the 2020 presidential election. Fox News ultimately agreed to pay nearly $800 million to avert a trial. The order bars the firm from using government resources or buildings, according to White House staff secretary Will Scharf. In a statement, Susman Godfrey responded that people who know the firm know it takes seriously its duty to uphold the rule of law. This principle guides us now, the firm said. "There is no question that we will fight this unconstitutional order. Trump has issued a series of orders meant to punish firms, including by ordering the suspension of lawyers security clearances and revoking federal contracts. Hes succeeded in extracting concessions from some who have settled, but others have challenged the orders in court. ___ Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Eric Tucker in Washington and Nicholas Riccardi in Denver contributed to this report. President Donald Trump has added another law firm to his list of targets. On Wednesday, Trump issued an executive order targeting Susman Godfrey. Susman previously represented Dominion Voting Systems in its suit against Fox News after the 2020 election. President Donald Trump on Wednesday added Susman Godfrey to the list of law firms he's targeting with the weight of the White House's bully pulpit. According to a White House fact sheet, Susman is being targeted over what the White House has called its work to "weaponize the American legal system and degrade the quality of American elections." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, the firm vowed to fight Trump's action. "Anyone who knows Susman Godfrey knows we believe in the rule of law, and we take seriously our duty to uphold it," the firm said in a statement to Business Insider. "This principle guides us now. There is no question that we will fight this unconstitutional order." White House staff secretary Will Scharf described the Susman action as similar to Trump's previous orders targeting firms that either participated in suits against him or hired former government attorneys who worked on Trump-related litigation when the president was out of power. Some of Trump's targets have been among the biggest firms in the country, including Perkins Coie. Susman represented Dominion Voting Systems in its defamation suit against Fox News, resulting in a $787.5 settlement in 2023. Fox News, Trump allies, and other conservatives repeatedly spread unfounded rumors about Dominion's election machines in the aftermath of Trump's 2020 loss. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The firm also represents Dominion in a lawsuit against Newsmax, another conservative media organization that promoted false conspiracy theories about the election technology company's role in the 2020 election. In a ruling Wednesday, moments before Trump signed the executive order, a Delaware judge ruled that Newsmax defamed Dominion and that the case could proceed to trial. The firm also represents The New York Times in the publication's copyright suit against OpenAI and Microsoft. Trump hinted that further law firm-related actions may be coming. He told reporters that "we have another five to go." So far, Paul Weiss, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, and Milbank have all reached deals with the White House that call for hundreds of millions in pro bono legal work to advance Trump administration-supported causes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, a group of former Republican and Democratic government officials, represented by Susman Godfrey lawyers, filed an amicus brief in support of Perkins Coie. Perkins Coie sued the Trump administration, arguing its targeting of law firms violated the US Constitution. "The Constitution did not make the President a king empowered to punish subjects arbitrarily based on animus or whim," wrote the Susman Godfrey attorneys in their brief. Read the original article on Business Insider A tattoo equipment supplier in Pennsylvania is worried they wont make it past summer. A three-person team making optical scanners in San Diego saw their bills double overnight. A coffee shop in New Orleans may be forced to raise its prices. Donald Trump has defended his sweeping tariffs by claiming to be a president who stands up for Main Street, not Wall Street, but it is small businesses that are already bearing the brunt of his economic gamble. I dont know if we're going to make it past July because of the tariffs, said Jeff Logan, 54, who runs a tattoo supply business near Philadelphia with his wife. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like many other small businesses in a globalized economy, Logan imports products that are made abroad and sells them to buyers in the United States. Almost all modern tattoo needles are made in China and now subject to a 125 percent tariff (Getty) Almost all modern tattoo needles are made in China, so he buys large quantities to sell to artists and studios here. With Trumps successive rounds of tariffs on imports from China, reaching a staggering 125 percent on Wednesday, his costs have more than doubled overnight. His business, which was founded in 1992, is now at risk of closing. The end result is real small businesses, mom and pop shops, we're the ones that get put under, he told The Independent. Amazon doesn't feel the hurt, Walmart doesnt feel it. We do, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Trump backed down from the most extreme version of his policy Wednesday by pausing sweeping tariffs on most of the country's biggest trading partners for 90 days, while retaining a blanket 10 percent tariff on all imports. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Washington, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) But he increased his levy on imports from China to 125 percent, which leaves many small businesses with skyrocketing bills for goods they have imported for years. Ido Tuchman, 54, owns a three-employee company in San Diego that makes optical scanning equipment. He ordered a shipment of specially made aluminum parts from China two months ago. When it finally arrived this week, it came with a tariff bill totaling 73 percent the product cost $3380, and the tariff fees had skyrocketed to $2483. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I looked at the bill and thought, oh, there must have been some mistake, he said. It was grossly larger than the 20 or 25 percent tariff that we keep hearing about. After some investigation, Tuchman realized his bill was the total of four cumulative tariffs Trump had imposed since taking office a mini timeline of the trade war so far. Tuchman said he would prefer to source materials domestically wherever possible, even if it meant higher prices, but often the products arent available in the U.S. or are at a price that makes it not financially viable. Business owner Ido Tuchman was shocked to receive a shipment with a 73 percent tariff this week (Ido Tuchman) A plastic injection molded part he recently tried to order in the U.S. was quoted at $7,000 or 99 cents per part, while the overseas manufacturer was $3,000, or 14 cents a part. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That's a huge difference for a small business, he said. Tuchman is also unsure that his business would survive a long trade war. Small businesses like mine are the tip of the spear with this trade war, and we typically have less inventory and thinner profit margins than large companies. It makes it a lot more difficult to absorb even a few months of retaliatory tariffs, he said. Even small businesses that dont import from China are being impacted by the tariffs. Trumps blanket 10 percent tax on all imports to the U.S. is likely to rise prices at Hey Coffee Co, the two coffee shops Greg Rodrigue owns in New Orleans. The price of coffee beans was already high due to lower crop yields, and Rodrigue expects the tariffs will make things worse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We might try to hedge our bet on reducing prices as little as we can. But in general, when our raw coffee prices go up, we increase prices by that amount to continue to try to ensure a profit margin, he said. The price of coffee beans was already higher and coffee shop owners fear the tariffs will make a price rise inevitable (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Both Logan and Tuchman said they believed the administrations tariff policy was not properly thought through. They did this thing completely backwards, said Logan, the tattoo supply business owner. They should have stimulated some kind of startups over here for production so that we could at least start limping on production, then hit China with all the tariffs. Tuchman called on the government to invest in manufacturing technologies or provide low-interest loans to help create factories or fund worker training programs. Tariffs just push the costs onto businesses and ultimately the consumers, and it doesn't solve the underlying competitive challenges, he added. President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs last week on U.S. trading partners, rattling markets and upending global supply chains. But what exactly do the tariffs affect? What in your household could start to get more expensive? The 10% tariffs on imports from all countries started over the weekend, sending the stock market plummeting. Tariffs are essentially taxes paid on foreign goods when they enter U.S. ports, and economists worry that tariffs could weaken the economy. Trumps move has triggered retaliatory tariffs from China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We broke down the list of some common household goods whose costs might rise due to the tariffs, starting with the kitchen. Story continues below photo gallery More expensive to eat and cook Impacts on fruit prices could be a mixed bag, with some tropical varieties from Central America and South America likely to be affected, while others from our nearest neighbors Canada and Mexico escaping Trump's reciprocal tariffs. The U.S. received 51% of its fresh fruit from Mexico, and 2% from Canada, in 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Both countries were not on the White House list of nations facing reciprocal tariffs. Guatemala, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Honduras are the main exporters of bananas to the U.S. Guatemala, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Colombia and Honduras are the main exporters of bananas to the U.S., according to the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Guatemala also ships melons, plantains and papayas, the USDA says, while Costa Rica exports pineapples, avocados and mangoes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 69% of America's fresh vegetables came from Mexico, and 20% from Canada, in 2022, according to the USDA. Chile, India, Indonesia and Vietnam are the largest suppliers of seafood imported into the U.S., according to the USDA. Before Trump's decision Wednesday to pause most tariffs for 90 days, all four countries were on the White House's chart, but Vietnam was hit with the highest tariffs at 46%, while Chile (10%), India (26%) and Indonesia (32%) followed. Impact on your morning coffee? The U.S. is the world's largest importer of coffee, according to the USDA. About 80% of U.S. roasted imports come from Latin America, with more than 60% coming from just two countries Brazil and Colombia, the agency said. Brazil and Colombia were on the White House's chart, and they were both hit with 10% reciprocal tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to USDA, the top import sources for wine include the European Union countries of France, Italy and Spain, as well as New Zealand and Australia. The European countries were hit with 20% reciprocal tariffs, while New Zealand and Australia received 10% tariffs before Wednesday's announcement by Trump. The European Union, particularly Spain, Italy and Greece, are the top import sources for olive oil. And the U.S. gets most of its aluminum imports from Canada, Reuters reported. What about toiletries and cleaning products? The vast majority of toilet paper in the U.S is domestically manufactured, but that hasnt stopped New Jerseyans from stockpiling it during previous looming trade disruptions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A large percentage of paper towels are likewise domestically produced, but some of it is sourced from Europe and China. In 2024, the United Kingdom exported over $459 million of cosmetics and personal care products such as toiletries and beauty products to the U.S., according to the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association. Trump announced 10% tariffs on the U.K. But products like toilet paper still could become more expensive, along with diapers, lotions and shampoo, because of tariffs on imports of wood pulp, bamboo fibers, shea butter and palm oil, CNBC reported. For example, much of the palm oil used in the U.S. comes from Indonesia which had a 32% import tariff in Trump's paused plan What does NJ import the most? The top imports to New Jersey in 2024 were cars, refined petroleum, crude oil, medication and platinum which is for medical devices, electronics, jewelry and catalytic converters according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity, which was developed at MIT. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China sends $13.6 billion to New Jersey, according to the Chinese Consulate General in New York. Contributing: Jonathan Limehouse/USA Today Daniel Munoz covers business, consumer affairs, labor and the economy for NorthJersey.com and The Record. Email: munozd@northjersey.com; Twitter:@danielmunoz100 and Facebook This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Trump tariffs in NJ: You'll find these imports in your home The U.S. government dealt another blow to Chinese e-commerce platforms and the air cargo market with Tuesdays declaration that tariffs on imports from China will be jacked up an additional 50%, jeopardizing demand for their ultra-low-cost merchandise less than a week after duty-free customs privileges were revoked. As part of his escalating trade war with China, President Donald Trump also imposed more draconian fees on low-value shipments from the country that move through the international postal system. Trumps trade actions are going to decimate airfreight out of China because Temu and Sheins volumes are going to get hammered when the rules go into effect on May 2, said Derek Lossing, a former logistics executive at Amazon and founder of e-commerce supply chain consultancy Cirrus Global Advisors, in a phone interview. Demand is going to dry up. Its gonna be brutal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump last Wednesday ended the so-called de minimis exemption and gave notice that postal parcels will face a duty rate of either 30% of their value or $25 per item, increasing to $50 per item on June 1. The stated reason was that the frictionless entry enjoyed by parcels made it easy for criminals to smuggle illicit fentanyl and counterfeit goods into the country. By forcing small-dollar shipments through a formal entry process, the administration says authorities can apply analytics to identify suspicious parcels for inspection. On Tuesday, Trump hiked the duty rate to 90% and the flat fee to $75. The flat fee slated for June 1 was revised to $150 from $50, according to the executive order. Although the amount of the fees is shocking, online marketplaces mostly shun postal services because of slow delivery times. They will be mostly affected by being subject to the new tariff regime, according to logistics experts. Currently, goods valued at $800 or less and shipped to individuals are exempt from duty payments and detailed documentation for customs clearance. The favorable rules enticed online retailers like Temu, Shein and Alibaba in recent years to fulfill orders from the factory and send them directly to consumer residences instead of shipping in bulk to U.S. warehouses. Many U.S. brands have also adopted direct-to-consumer fulfillment from China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starting Wednesday, tariffs on Chinese goods will rise an additional 50%, to 104%, as Trump said would happen if China didnt back down on its own retaliatory tariffs. The new tariff rate stacks on top of 20% and 34% tariffs announced by the administration in recent weeks. A crackdown on business-to-consumer e-commerce shipments from China has been building for more than a year because of concerns about smuggling and an uneven playing field for domestic retailers selling goods subject to import duty or made in the United States, where costs are higher. On its way out in January, the Biden administration proposed stricter rules on low-value Chinese parcels. De minimis reforms have also gained support on Capitol Hill. But the Trump administration went further and faster, eliminating duty-free treatment for de minimis shipments and using emergency authority to stem the tide of illegal drugs without waiting to complete the normal rulemaking process. Demand destruction When it became clear last fall the Biden administration was preparing to change some de minimis rules, consensus in the logistics industry was that the impact on Temu and Shein would be limited because adding $3 or $4 to the price of a super cheap dress wouldnt deter most shoppers. But the elimination of the de minimis exemption, combined with a massive spike in tariffs, could severely change the business equation for the Chinese players, depending how long Trump sticks with the new trade rules. The new U.S. tariffs on China mean Americans wont find the same bargains they are used to at Temu, Shein, Alibaba and other sites. In addition to paying high duties, each parcel will cost $3 to clear customs compared to 10 cents under a special expedited de minimis process currently used by retailers. A dress that cost $30 before will more than double in price under the new rules if all extra costs are passed to customers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As soon as Temu and Amazon have price parity, Temu is not going to be as popular, Lossing told FreightWaves. Every time you stack on more costs, demand is going to fall. And then you also start slowing down the supply chain because things are going to get caught up in customs searches and airports are going to become congested. The vast majority of de minimis shipments move through air logistics channels. Digital markets in China were the primary engine behind double-digit air cargo growth last year, accounting for nearly two-thirds of volumes on the trans-Pacific lane, according to market researchers. The air cargo sector was already bracing for a significant decrease in business after the White House made clear in February that de minimis would be banned from duty-free privileges, but Tuesdays order is likely to destroy much more demand for cross-border e-commerce, experts predict. Airlines are likely to lose volume too as large e-tailers return to a B2B2C model that involves shipping by ocean and fulfilling orders from U.S. facilities. Businesses and economists express hope that the massive tariffs on China as well as many other countries are simply a negotiating tactic and that Trump will quickly reduce them. If that happens, the impact on e-commerce and air cargo could be less severe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China has significant postal volumes to the U.S., according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection and e-commerce experts, but they are dwarfed by shipments moved through commercial air and express transport. Mainstream e-commerce brands dont use postal services to any significant degree because they take nearly three weeks for delivery compared to about a week using logistics providers. The primary post users are small sellers and individuals. Some trade compliance experts last week speculated that online retailers might shift some volume to China Post and the U.S. Postal Service because the flat fees offered some cost certainty for higher-value orders, but the new Trump fees likely wiped away that option considering that the average de minimis shipment is worth about $50. Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper articles by Eric Kulisch. Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com. RECOMMENDED READING: White House pauses de minimis ban on Chinese e-commerce Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Air cargo industry jolted by Trump tariffs on Chinese e-commerce US Customs tightens enforcement on low-value e-commerce trade The post New Trump tariffs could decimate China e-commerce, airfreight demand appeared first on FreightWaves. By Ariba Shahid ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan plans to allocate part of its surplus electricity to Bitcoin mining and AI data centres, the head of Pakistan's Crypto Council and adviser to the finance minister said on Wednesday, adding it had held talks with several mining firms. Pakistan's energy sector is grappling with challenges, including high electricity tariffs and surplus generation capacity. The rapid expansion of solar energy has further complicated the landscape, as more consumers turn to alternative energy sources to mitigate high costs. Bilal Bin Saqib, chief executive officer of the council, told Reuters the location of the mining centre will be finalised based on the availability of excess power in specific regions. Documents seen by Reuters outline the role of Changpeng Zhao, founder of Binance, who will serve as a strategic adviser to the Pakistan Crypto Council. Zhao was in May last year sentenced to four months in prison after pleading guilty to violating U.S. laws against money laundering at the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange. His role on the Pakistan council will include supporting blockchain infrastructure, advising on regulatory frameworks, and assisting with national initiatives, such as digital currency, mining, and youth education in blockchain technologies. Saqib said the country has 15-20 million crypto users and is the third-largest global freelancer economy, with a growing fintech space. "Pakistan is in the top 10 global crypto adopters despite it not being regularised," he said. Saqib said he wants regulatory sandboxes, or safe environments for testing, to foster innovation and growth in the fintech and freelancer economy. He also said upskilling Pakistan's youth in blockchain and AI can drive job creation and the economy, boosting exports through digital services, and positioning the country as a hub for emerging tech talent on the global stage. (Reporting by Ariba Shahid, Writing by Surbhi Misra; editing by Barbara Lewis) It's an argument President Donald Trump makes repeatedly as an end goal of his sweeping tariffs: America needs to bring companies and their manufacturing jobs -- back to the U.S. That's a key reason, he says, that he imposed his hefty tariffs across the globe, with the heaviest levied on China, Vietnam and the European Union (although on Wednesday he put higher tariffs on some countries on pause -- excepting China). "Jobs and factories will come roaring back into our country," Trump said last week in announcing his tariffs. "And ultimately, more production at home will mean stronger competition and lower prices for consumers." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Making steel, aluminum and other products in the U.S. is a matter of national security, he added. But on a practical level, experts say companies could take a long time to relocate, factories a long time to build and the cost of doing so -- plus higher American labor wages -- could make their products more expensive for American consumers. PHOTO: Workers work on a production line manufacturing smart automotive central control navigation products at a factory of Beidou Intelligent Connected Vehicle Technology Co., in Suqian, Jiangsu Province, China April 9, 2025. (China Daily via Reuters) Trump has 'fundamental misunderstanding': Expert Some economists and international trade experts told ABC News that the president's controversial trade policy could actually discourage firms from setting up factories on American soil. MORE: US stocks seesaw in volatile session amid global trade war "Trump has a fundamental misunderstanding of how trade works. More domestic manufacturing does not mean a better economy," Justin Wolfers, a professor of economics and public policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, told ABC News. "It's an example I see a lot in 18-year-olds who turn up on the first day of my economics class." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wolfers and others contend that the decades of a U.S. shift from a manufacturing-heavy economy to one more based in financial and intellectual capital, tech and other white-collar fields, has done more to help American consumers and workers. Wolfers said that Trump's tariffs are a "solution looking for a rationale," given the disparity between manufacturing and other sectors, which have attracted a lot of talent domestically. PHOTO: A furnace belches a cloud of steam at the Thyssenkrupp steel mill, April 8, 2025 in Duisburg, Germany. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images) "One of the questions posed by the tariffs is should we undermine the competitiveness of the 140 million (non-manufacturing) jobs to satisfy the other 13 million (manufacturing)?" he said. Layna Mosley, a professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University, told ABC News that the "romanticizing" of America as a global manufacturing superpower ignores the fact that American companies have found ways to deliver top products in demand worldwide by spreading out the supply chain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There is an idea that the U.S. used to do a lot of things domestically and the reason we didn't do that is that our economy has evolved," she said. Mosley noted that the components such as microchips and textiles are deeply rooted in international manufacturing markets because they have greater access to those materials. "Oftentimes, there is no substitute available," Mosley said. A long time frame amid uncertainty Even if companies do decide to abandon their international manufacturing sites and return to America, the economic experts said it will take an exceptionally long time for the American job market and consumers to benefit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Trump says it could take 2 years before tariffs result in American manufacturing boom Trump himself admitted as much to reporters on Friday. "Now, the good news is a lot of money for them, and they can build them fast, but they're still very big plants. I'd always say it would take a year-and-a-half to two years," he said. PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks at the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner in Washington, April 8, 2025. (Pool via AP) Wolfers contended that firms will likely not announce plans to set up their factories in the U.S. as long as the uncertainty and instability Trump has started continues. "If I'm a firm, what matters to my decision to make a factory is not the tariff rate in 2025 but the tariff rate in 2028 and later," he said. "These tariffs can easily be removed by Democrats or even other Republicans and by the time that factory is up and running, it might be a bad investment." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mosley warned that even if companies do announce plans, their grand plans may not come to fruition as envisioned. "I can imagine a few firms that will announce a factory. They figure it curries favor with Trump and he will declare victory, but many firms won't end up committing," she said. A situation like this played out during the Trump first term. In 2018, Trump touted a Foxconn plant in Wisconsin that would build flat panel screens and create 13,000 jobs and invest $10 billion. "This is the eighth wonder of the world," he boasted then at the announcement. Three years later, following the pandemic and recession, Foxconn announced it was reducing its investment in the plant to $672 million and dropping its job numbers to roughly 1,400. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mosely acknowledged that the appeal of blue collar jobs is strong for many Americans; however, she said the economic situation would make it difficult to bring back those jobs and workplaces. PHOTO: Workers work on a production line manufacturing smart automotive central control navigation products at a factory of Beidou Intelligent Connected Vehicle Technology Co., in Suqian, Jiangsu Province, China April 9, 2025. (China Daily/via Reuters) James Anderson, the William B. Neenan, S.J. Millennium Professor in the Economics Department at the Boston College, told ABC News that even if the tariffs are fully overturned, the damage to America's reputation as a strong economic nation has been tarnished and would deter firms from moving to the U.S. "What has happened now is that its destroyed the trust in the United States and the destruction of that trust is a generational penalty," he said. Other countries have had better short-term solutions for those workers, such as paid vocational training and "more generous" unemployment options to help them transition to their new economies, according to Mosley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is a massive political problem. The transition is not easy to make," she said. MORE: Trump tariffs live updates Long term, Wolfers said the U.S. can increase its investment into preparing and training younger generations into the economic sectors that are showing growth, such as tech, and making the country a worldwide leader. "It's bizarre to me we are trying to revive the economy of the 1950s when we are on the cusp of a major economic technical revolution," he said. Trump tariffs won't entice companies to expand US manufacturing, economic experts warn originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Donald Trumps reversal on tariffs Wednesday afternoon seems to have caught his administration off guard. The president announced on Truth Social that tariffs would return to a baseline 10 percent level in most countries, while staggering 125 percent duties would be imposed on China. But his own officials couldnt explain why. When a reporter asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent if he could, he replied, No. Again, President Trump created maximum leverage for himself, Bessent said, adding, We have just been overwhelmed, overwhelmed by the response mostly from our allies who want to come and negotiate in good faith. REPORTER: Can you explain more of the decision making on what feels like a reversal here? BESSENT: No pic.twitter.com/PUCIY0QZkq Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 9, 2025 Press secretary Karoline Leavitt, as usual, took a combative approach, telling reporters, Many of you in the media clearly missed The Art of the Deal, you clearly failed to see what President Trump is doing here. Karoline Leavitt: "Many of you in the media clearly missed The Art of the Deal." (They're panicking because they have no idea what they're doing.) pic.twitter.com/0sJxefmg2f Blue Georgia (@BlueATLGeorgia) April 9, 2025 Its obvious at this point that Trump has never had a plan for his tariff scheme, and is making it up as he goes along. Wednesdays reversal was likely prompted by growing criticism from his own supporters and normally fawning right-wing media and by a government debt sell-off, showing weakening confidence in the American economy. But Trumps own sycophants arent going to admit that the president would ever back off. UPDATED, with White House request to stay judges order: The Trump administration filed a notice of appeal today on a judges decision that the White House could not restrict the Associated Press from the Oval Office and other events as punishment over the news organizations content decisions. The Justice Departments Brian Hudak filed the notice on behalf of the two plaintiffs in the case, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later, Hudak filed a motion to stay the judges order until there is an outcome of the appeal, something that the AP opposes. The administration banned the APs White House reporters and photographers from pooled events in the Oval Office as well as larger events in areas like the East Room. Leavitt, Budowich and Trump himself were explicit that the reason for the restriction was because the AP Stylebook did not change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump appointee, ruled that the White House was violating the First Amendment by doing so. McFadden wrote that the Court simply holds that under the First Amendment, if the Government opens its doors to some journalistsbe it to the Oval Office, the East Room, or elsewhereit cannot then shut those doors to other journalists because of their viewpoints. The Constitution requires no less. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In granting the AP a preliminary injunction, McFadden ordered that the White House rescind their viewpoint-based denial of the APs access. He gave the White House until April 13 to seek an emergency stay from a higher court and to prepare to implement the preliminary injunction. The Justice Departments lawyer, however, wrote that McFaddens decision constitutes an unprecedented intrusion into executive authority. It would be unreasonable for the president to lose the right to control who is in his private spaces (including his private home, the Mar-A-Lago Club) simply because he becomes president. Hudak added that the court risks unending litigation every time a reporter for the Associated Press is rejected for entry into the press pool, Mar-A-Lago Club, Air Force One or the Oval Office on grounds that the Associated Press may find improper (or falsely speculate are pretextual) but have nothing to do with the content of its speech. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. By Andrew Goudsward WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump's White House intends to challenge a judge's ruling lifting the restrictions it imposed on the Associated Press over the news agency's reference to the Gulf of Mexico in its coverage, the administration told the court on Wednesday. It has continued denying access to AP journalists as it fights Tuesday's decision by U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden ordering the White House to allow AP journalists to attend events open to the press in the Oval Office and on Air Force One as well as larger spaces in the White House while its lawsuit moves forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McFadden found Trump's White House retaliated against the AP over its editorial choices, violating protections for free speech under the U.S. Constitution. He put his order on hold until Sunday to give the White House time to appeal. The White House began limiting AP's access to several events that featured Trump after the news agency said it would continue using the name Gulf of Mexico while acknowledging Trumps order to change the name of the body of water to the Gulf of America. The AP says in its stylebook that the Gulf of Mexico has carried that name for more than 400 years and, as a global news agency, the AP will refer to it by its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen. The AP sued three senior Trump aides in February, alleging the restrictions were an attempt to coerce the press into using the administrations preferred language. The lawsuit alleged the restrictions violated protections under the U.S. Constitution for free speech and due process, since the AP was unable to challenge the ban. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawyers for the Trump administration have argued the AP does not have a right to what the White House has called special access to the president. AP journalists were barred from the group of White House reporters, known as the press pool, that covers events in the Oval Office and travels with the president. The White House in February took charge of deciding which media outlets are part of the press pool. Reuters, which has issued a statement in support of the AP, has historically been a permanent member of the pool and now has a rotating spot for wire services. The AP has also been blocked from attending larger events in the White House that were open to other reporters with White House press credentials, according to the news agencys complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The AP, formed in 1846, says on its website that it operates from nearly 250 locations in nearly 100 countries. Its journalists provide news to customers worldwide in text, photos, graphics and video. The move has been criticized by several press freedom groups and the White House Correspondents' Association. Most news organizations, including Reuters, call it the Gulf of Mexico and where relevant include the context about Trump's executive order. (Reporting by Andrew Goudsward; Editing by Scott Malone and Howard Goller) Former Trump chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said Tuesday that tariff adviser Peter Navarro should have been canned already. (Watch the video below.) Does Peter Navarro who went to prison for the president does he need to be fired? CNBC host Brian Sullivan asked on Power Lunch. Mulvaney didnt hesitate. I would have fired him a long time I wouldve fired him when he got caught making up his academic sources for his papers with his Ron Vara imaginary friend, Mulvaney said, referring to a fictional economist Navarro invented out of the letters of his name to use in a book. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But I mean that was Donald Trumps call then, its Donald Trumps call now, Mulvaney continued. I think folks watching this show are caring more about what is the policy of the White House, what is the policy on tariffs, what does the future hold on this, and Peter Navarro is not a reliable source for information about that. The show had been discussing the beef between Elon Musk, an opponent of the tariffs, and Navarro, whos seen as one of their architects. Musk cracked wise recently on Navarros Harvard cred in forging the aggressive tariff strategy, which has roiled markets. Navarro advised Musk to stay in his lane. Musk unleashed name-calling, including moron. But Mulvaney appeared less concerned with the in-fighting than Navarros demoralizing effect. Peter is really tough to work with, Mulvaney said. Theres no question about that. One of the things that makes him so difficult to work with is that he pretends to speak for the president when he does not, all right? Peter was notorious back in Trump 1.0 to walk out of a meeting when everybody would sort of assume weve got sort of a consensus about something, and he would go on TV and say the exact opposite.That has a tremendous demoralizing effect on the White House, and it does tend to mislead markets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When he says, We all know in the White House thats not the White House speaking, thats Peter Navarro, said Mulvaney, who served as the acting chief of staff for about 15 months during Trumps first term before Trump replaced him with Mark Meadows. Election conspiracy theorist Navarro was released from prison last year after serving briefly for defying a subpoena from the House committee investigating the events of Jan. 6, 2021. In December 2024, Trump tapped Navarro, who served on the White House trade council in Trumps first administration, to be his senior counselor for trade and manufacturing. Hes been making the media rounds defending the tariffs despite the economic turmoil and telling the public not to panic. Related... A wave of punishing tariffs on US imports announced by President Donald Trump last week have come into force, including 104% duties on goods from China. After a first round of universal levies of a minimum of 10% on imports from almost all its trading partners came into force on Saturday, higher penalties based on trade deficits now apply, too. The White House calculated tariffs for each country based on factors including trade deficits, subsidies and currency manipulation. Sixty countries deemed the "worst offenders" by Trump were hit with the heavier duties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Imports from the European Union to the United States, for example, will face new tariffs of 20%. Trump's tough tariffs also hit other close allies of Washington, including Japan, South Korea and Israel. China, the world's second-largest economy, saw its overall tariff rate shoot up from 34%, the figure originally announced by Trump last week, to over 100%. Earlier this year, Trump had already placed a 20% duty on Chinese imports over the nations alleged role in the fentanyl trade. Trump on Tuesday followed that with an extra 50% levy on Chinese imports after Beijing refused to cancel its 34% retaliatory tariff on US goods. Taken all together, that brought the total tariff on Chinese goods to 104% Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Late on Tuesday, Trump also signed an executive order that targets low-value goods from China - defined as goods worth less $800. As it stands, such items are exempt from tariffs. Thanks to this loophole, Chinese online retailers such as Temu and Shein can send low-value products to the US on a large scale without paying a duty. Trump originally wanted to impose a 30% tariff on these products starting on May 2. But the latest executive order hikes the rate to 90%. With his tariff policy, Trump wants to strengthen domestic products and at the same time persuade foreign trading partners to make concessions, but the consensus view among economists is that tariffs are not an all-purpose fix and that US consumers will see higher prices across a range of products, from food to cars. His initiative has triggered massive turbulence on stock markets around the globe. US President Donald Trump speaks surrounded by a number of coal miners after signing a series of executive orders to allow for more coal plants, at the White House. Andrew Leyden/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa A wave of punishing tariffs on US imports announced by President Donald Trump last week have come into force, including 104% duties on goods from China. After a baseline levy of 10% on imports from almost all its trading partners came into effect on Saturday, higher penalties based on trade deficits now apply, too. The White House calculated tariffs for each country based on factors including trade deficits, subsidies and currency manipulation. Sixty countries deemed the "worst offenders" by Trump were hit with the heavier duties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Economists and foreign capitals have harshly criticized the White House's tariff formula. Imports from the European Union to the United States face new tariffs of 20%. Trump's tough levies also hit other close allies of Washington, including Japan, South Korea and Israel. China, the world's second-largest economy, has seen its overall tariff rate shoot up from 34%, the figure originally announced by Trump last week during his "Liberation Day" event at the White House, to over 100%. Earlier this year, Trump had already placed a 20% duty on Chinese imports over the nation's alleged role in the fentanyl trade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump on Tuesday followed that with an extra 50% levy on Chinese imports after Beijing refused to cancel its 34% retaliatory tariff on US goods. Taken all together, that brought the total tariff on Chinese goods to 104% Late on Tuesday, Trump also signed an executive order that targets low-value goods from China - defined as goods worth less $800. As it stands, such items are exempt from tariffs. Thanks to this loophole, Chinese online retailers such as Temu and Shein can send low-value products to the US on a large scale without paying a duty. Trump originally wanted to impose a 30% tariff on these products starting on May 2. But the latest executive order hikes the rate to 90%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China issued a fresh warning on Wednesday, threatening countermeasures in response to the imposition of new special tariffs. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian stated that the China's legitimate right to development must not be violated and that Beijing will continue to take effective measures to protect its rights and interests. Trump: Leaders are 'kissing my ass' With his tariff policy, Trump aims to strengthen domestic production and at the same time persuade foreign trading partners to make concessions, but the consensus view among economists is that tariffs are not an all-purpose fix and that US consumers will see higher prices across a range of products, from food to cars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His initiative has triggered massive turbulence on stock markets around the globe. Trump, however, continues to tout his tariffs as a triumph. Speaking at the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner in Washington on Tuesday evening, Trump said that affected countries are eager to negotiate with him. "I am telling you, these countries are calling us up, kissing my ass," Trump said during his speech. They are dying to make a deal. 'Please, please sir, make a deal. Ill do anything sir,'" he said, imitating foreign leaders. Trump's spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday that nearly 70 countries have contacted the US government so far. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Certain goods are exempt from the the "Liberation Day" tariffs for example, those already subject to specific tariff regulations, such as steel and aluminium products, as well as cars and car parts. Some other products, such as copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, wood products, and certain critical minerals, are also exempt. However, the White House has made it clear that Trump could soon impose special tariffs on these product groups. EU to vote on countermeasures European Union officials are to vote on a first batch of EU countermeasures on Wednesday, with tariffs expected to be levied on a range of US goods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, this is in response to the new US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports that were already imposed about a month ago, not the 20% rate on EU exports that hit the bloc on Wednesday. Contrary to original plans, no additional tariffs are expected to be imposed on US whiskey. Specifically, according to EU sources, soybeans and clothing, as well as iron, steel and aluminium products, could be hit by 25% customs duties. Other goods face a 10% levy. The list of products is said to be 66 pages long. As reported by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper, some tariffs are to come into force as early as next week, while others are expected to take effect from mid-May. Levies on almonds and soybeans will not take effect until December 1, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A further large package of measures for tariffs on cars and almost all other EU exports to the US is still being worked on. The EU hopes that the threat of this will be enough to bring the US side to the negotiating table. RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles teamed up with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at Washington Dulles International Airport Monday to remind Virginia residents to get their REAL IDs ahead of the May 7 deadline. The final rule of enforcement, which was published Jan. 13, states that Virginians need to present a REAL ID or another federally-accepted document in order to board domestic flights and enter federal facilities. Time is ticking, and the Virginia DMV is ready to serve you, said DMV Commissioner Gerald Lackey. We recommend starting your REAL ID application online. You can easily check the required documents ahead of time and make an appointment to reserve your spot, making the whole process faster and more convenient. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the month of March alone, the DMV has issued more than 104,000 REAL IDs to Virginia residents and 4.1 million Virginians since October 2018. For those looking to minimize their time in line, the DMV has some tips: Start your application online to confirm you have the correct documents. Schedule an appointment for faster service. Bring the required fees a Virginia REAL ID costs a one-time $10 fee in addition to the drivers license or ID card fee. You can click here to start your application. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. By Tarek Amara Tunis (Reuters) - Hundreds of Tunisians staged two protest rallies on Wednesday against what they say is the authoritarian rule of President Kais Saied and demanded the release of political prisoners, while six detained opposition figures held a hunger strike. The rallies highlight the opposition's growing concerns about what it sees as Saied's muzzling of dissent and efforts to establish one-man rule, accusations he denies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saied seized extra powers in 2021 when he shut down the elected parliament and moved to rule by decree before assuming authority over the judiciary. The opposition described his move as a coup. Supporters of the opposition Free Constitutional Party gathered in the capital Tunis to demand the release of their detained leader Abir Moussi. They chanted slogans such as "Saied, dictator, your turn has come," and "Free Abir". "What is happening is true tyranny, no freedom for the opposition, no freedom for the media. Any word can send you to prison," one protester, Hayat Ayari, told Reuters. Hundreds of supporters of another opposition party, the Salvation Front, staged a separate rally, also in Tunis, to demand the release of detained politicians, activists and journalists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Six prominent opposition figures detained on conspiracy charges have begun a hunger strike in prison to protest against their impending trial, their lawyers said on Wednesday. Abdelhamid Jelassi, Jawhar Ben Mbarek, Khiyam Turki, Ridha Belhaj, Issam Chebbi and Ghazi Chaouachi - all detained in 2023 during a crackdown on the opposition - have refused to participate in what they say is an "unfair trial". Saied said in 2023 that the detainees were "traitors and terrorists" and that the judges who acquitted them were their accomplices. The detainees have denied any wrongdoing and have said they were preparing an initiative aimed at uniting Tunisia's fragmented opposition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most leaders of political parties are now in prison including two of Saied's most prominent opponents, Moussi and Rached Ghannouchi, the head of the Ennahda party. The government says there is democracy in Tunisia and Saied says he will not be a dictator, but that what he calls a corrupt elite must be held accountable. (Reporting by Tarek Amara; Editing by Gareth Jones) (Reuters) - Skydance Media and Paramount Global's (PARA) $8 billion merger would be automatically extended by 90 days after its deadline of April 7 under the terms of the companies' agreement. Paramount's controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, struck a two-step deal in July to sell her stake in the Hollywood studio as part of the deal with David Ellison's Skydance, a streaming-era upstart. The companies are awaiting regulatory approval for the deal to close. If the merger is not finalized by April 7 and certain conditions are met, the agreement allows for up to two automatic 90-day extensions. The closing of the deal is subject to approval by the Federal Communications Commission. A Delaware judge was willing to consider allegations in a class action lawsuit that Paramount's sale to Skydance Media should be blocked from closing because it short-changes public shareholders, according to a court filing from March. In January, an investor group known as Project Rise Partners submitted a proposal valued at $13.5 billion to acquire Paramount, but that was rejected by a special committee of Paramount's board. In response, pension funds for New York City employees that own Paramount stock filed a class action lawsuit in Delaware's Court of Chancery alleging that Paramount's special committee breached its fiduciary duties to the company's public shareholders by not considering the bid from Project Rise Partners. As part of the deal, Skydance had agreed to a 45-day "go shop" period that allowed Paramount to solicit and evaluate other offers. That period had ended on August 21. (Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel) ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey has been holding technical talks with Israel for deconfliction in Syria when needed, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday. Fidan's remarks came a week after Israel stepped up airstrikes on Syria, declaring the attacks a warning to the new government in Damascus as it accused Turkey of trying to turn the country into a Turkish protectorate. Turkish military teams had scoped out at least three air bases in Syria where they could deploy forces as part of a planned joint defence pact before Israel hit the sites with airstrikes, Reuters reported last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "While we are conducting certain operations in Syria, there needs to be a deconfliction mechanism with Israel, which flies aircraft in that region, similar to mechanisms we have with the U.S. and Russia," Fidan said on private broadcaster CNN Turk. "There are technical contacts to prevent combat elements from misunderstanding each other," Fidan said, adding technical teams are contacting each other "when needed." Fidan said technical talks with Israel are solely for deconfliction in Syria and do not aim at normalising relations. NATO member Turkey has fiercely criticised Israel over its attacks on Gaza since 2023, saying they amount to a genocide against the Palestinians. It has applied to join a case at the World Court against Israel while also halting trade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel denies the genocide accusations. Fidan last week told Reuters that Turkey wants no confrontation with Israel in Syria, but repeated Israeli strikes on military facilities there are eroding the new government's ability to deter threats from enemies, including Islamic State. (Reporting by Huseyin Hayatsever; Editing by Rod Nickel) Flames engulf the vegetation surrounding residential neighborhoods as the Pinehaven Fire burns on November 17, 2020 in Reno, Nevada. (Photo by Trevor Bexon/Getty Images) Thousands of homeowners in Nevada have seen their insurance policies canceled or not-renewed due to wildfire risk, prompting state lawmakers to warn that a crisis is brewing and considering ways to combat it. Republican Assemblymember Jill Dickman from Washoe County believes Nevada should replicate a state-managed private insurance program already in place in 34 states and the District of Columbia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dickman is sponsoring Assembly Bill 437, which would establish a Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan an insurance program of last resort for homeowners who cannot reasonably obtain coverage through standard insurance providers. Her bill is one of two bills making its way through the Nevada State Legislature focused on home insurance availability amid increasing wildfire risk. FAIR plans, which have been around since the 1960s, provide coverage for homeowners who cannot find policies on the private market. The plans are managed by the state governments, but they are backed financially by a pool of the private insurers. Californias FAIR plan has received the most public attention and criticism because of its size and the prevalence of wildfires in the state, but Dickman told the committee that Nevadas FAIR program would not look like its western neighbors. Dickman wants Nevadas FAIR plan to remain a true market of last resort that does not compete with the private market. To ensure that, she has drafted a conceptual amendment specifying that homeowners be denied by three standard insurance companies before being eligible for Nevada FAIR. They must also attempt to secure non-FAIR coverage every two years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Homeowners would also be required to undergo a wildfire risk assessment and implement its recommendations. The Nevada Fire Chiefs Association worked with Dickman on AB437. Representatives from the group emphasized the need to mitigate fire risk. Elko County Fire Chief Matthew Petersen estimated that once a week he receives a phone call from someone asking for help because their home insurance policy is getting canceled. Assemblymember Jill Dickman. (Legislative stream screengrab) Dickman has also capped what FAIR will insure $5 million for commercial properties and $750,000 for residential properties. She acknowledged those limits are relatively low considering the cost of housing in many parts of the state. The median price of a home in Washoe County is currently around $550,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have to start somewhere, said Dickman. Weve been talking about this, and talking about this, and talking about it, and theres never any action taken. Were looking for the perfect plan. Nevada, she argued, cannot afford to delay taking legislative action knowing it will also take time to implement any program. She noted Colorado passed legislation to create a FAIR plan in 2023 and is only beginning to offer coverage this year. If we put it off for two years, itll be another two years, and by then well be in a crisis, Dickman added. In 2023, 481 homeowners insurance policies were canceled or non-renewed due to wildfire risk an 82% increase compared to the previous year, according to the Nevada Division of Insurance. That same year, nearly 5,000 applications for homeowners insurance were declined due to wildfire risk a 104.8% increase over the previous year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cadence Matijevich, a lobbyist for Washoe County, said there is a misguided assumption that wildfire insurance is an issue of the 1% involving multimillion homes in Incline Village. Thats not true, she said. Weve heard heartbreaking stories from senior citizens whove lived in homes for 50 years and are at risk of losing their homes because they couldnt get property insurance. The American Property Casualty Insurance Association and the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies oppose the FAIR plan proposal. APCIA in a letter of opposition wrote that a FAIR plan fails to address the underlying issues that result in less affordable or available coverage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, the industry is supporting a separate bill meant to give them more flexibility in the types of insurance plans they can offer Nevadans. Regulatory sandbox Republican Assemblymember P.K. ONeill is sponsoring Assembly Bill 376, which would create for insurance companies whats known as a regulatory sandbox that allows them to test out new types of plans that dont fit under current state regulations. The sandbox program would exist for 4 years, after which the Nevada Division of Insurance would have to submit to the Legislature a report with information and recommendations. Nevada Insurance Commissioner Scott Kipper, who presented the bill with ONeill, told the committee the idea is to incentivize companies to create innovative products by giving them some flexibility to generate revenue that is needed to manage risk. ONeill, who represents Carson City and parts of Storey and Washoe counties, said his bill uses model language drafted by the National Council of Insurance Legislators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AB376 doesnt mandate any type of product be tested but does provide some potential options, including removing wildfire coverage from the standard homeowners policies and offering it as a standalone package. The bill received a mixed reaction from committee members. Democratic Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui said she is supportive of regulatory sandboxes to spur innovation. She pointed out that the Legislature passed one for the fintech industry in 2023. Democratic Assemblymember Max Carter expressed concern that insurance companies might be attempting to free themselves of having to cover wildfire damage. Are we turning everyone loose and letting the fires burn down our houses? That concern was echoed by the Consumer Federation of America, which opposes the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a shoot first, ask questions later approach that is certain to increase premiums and put consumer financial security at risk, the organization wrote in a letter of opposition. The Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee has taken no action on either bill. Dickmans FAIR plan bill must clear the committee by Friday or it will be considered dead. ONeills regulatory sandbox bill is exempt from legislative deadlines, meaning it has more time to advance. Kipper told the committee he is working on ways to get the bills fiscal note ($237,000 over the upcoming biennium) removed. ONeill and Dickmans bills are not mutually exclusive, and the latter assemblymember is listed as one of several sponsors on the formers bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Washoe County testified in support of both bills. Risk in Nevada Nearly one-fifth of Nevadas land area has been burned by wildfire in the past 40 years, landing the state fifth in the nation for land area burned by wildfires. A new study by the Lied Center for Real Estate at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas found that more than 18% of Nevadas land mass has been torched by wildfire from 1984 through 2024. Northern Nevada has experienced a significantly larger number and total acres burned by wildfires than Southern Nevada, due to the differences in climate, terrain, and the presence of forested land. Rural counties in Northern Nevada were the most affected by wildfires in the state. Elko County had the largest percentage of land area burned by wildfire at 41%, followed by Humboldt at 39%, according to the study. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One fourth of Washoe Countys land area has been burdened by wildfires. Carson City, the states capital, also experienced noticeable burns with 15% of its land impacted by wildfire. In Lincoln County, a rural county in Southern Nevada, about 18% of land mass has been burned by wildfires since 1984. In Clark County, Nevadas most populous county, only about 5% of its total land burned by wild fires in the past 40 years. The Lied Centers study was based on Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity wildfire data, a joint program administered by the United States Geological Survey and the United States Forest Service to map wildfires across the country. Lied Center for Real Estate Research Director Nicholas Irwin, who co-authored the study, told the Current that as more people move into forested areas wildfires are likely to become much more economically destructive moving forward. Coupled with the climate change were seeing, longer drought, increased temperatures thats going to make wildfire seasons a lot a lot worse, he said. While other states have experienced more economically destructive wildfires, the number of wildfires impacting infrastructure in Nevada has increased in recent years. In September, the Davis Fire broke out in Davis Creek Regional Park, about 20 miles south of Reno. The wind-driven fire rapidly burned through 5,824 acres of private, state, and federal lands, driving the evacuation of about 20,000 people from residential neighborhoods and businesses. The fire ultimately destroyed two commercial buildings and 14 residences. Nevadas fire season, once limited to late summer and early fall, now spans nearly the entire calendar year. High wildfire risk makes areas less attractive for developers, impacting housing development, said Irwin. Rural areas, which already deal with high construction cost and other barriers to development, could be disproportionately impacted As Dickman put it during the AB437 hearing: You cant sell a home you cant insure. These concerns are contributing to this years push for legislative action. Beyond the proposals currently being considered, Irwin said Nevada could take a more proactive role in monitoring wildfire risk as other states do. In Colorado, the Colorado State Forest Service maps wildfires in an effort to inform homeowners and business owners of the impending risk for their location based on fire conditions. Its very costly, but it is very informative, and theres research out there to suggest homeowners respond to that information, Irwin said. Knowing the relative risk of that land is going to be really important so we can think about how to build strong and resilient homes that wont be at risk for future wildfires. ELKHART Habitat for Humanity of Elkhart County will mark two significant milestones this week dedicating a home for the Gates family at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, at 833 Hubbard St., and breaking ground for the Miller family at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 10, at 301 N. 2nd St. Organizers are celebrating the completion of the Gates familys new home, a three-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath residence. This dedication marks the culmination of months of hard work by volunteers, donors and the Gates family themselves. Honeyville Metals sponsored Gates home as a panel build sponsor. The ceremony will include a brief program, a tour of the home and an opportunity to meet the family. The community also is invited to the groundbreaking ceremony for the Miller familys future home, a three-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath house. This event signifies the beginning of a new chapter for the Miller family and highlights Habitats ongoing commitment to providing affordable housing solutions in Elkhart County. This home is sponsored by Habitats Raise the Roof event and presenting sponsors Winnebago Industries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both events underscore Habitat for Humanitys mission to bring people together to build homes, communities and hope, the organization said in a news release. We encourage community members, volunteers, and supporters to attend these ceremonies and witness firsthand the impact of collaborative efforts in transforming lives, the release said. Habitat for Humanity of Elkhart Countys goal is to build 12 homes in 2025. Sponsors for these homes includes Welch Packaging, Patrick Industries, Lippert, Crossroads United Way, Lozier, Welter Foundation, and the Bontrager Family Foundation. More information is available at www.habitatec.com. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Two people were injured, one critically, after a reported shooting on Columbus northeast side Tuesday evening. Columbus police said the shooting was reported at approximately 7:45 p.m. on the 3300 block of Cleveland Avenue at the Northern Lights Shopping Center. One of the victims then made their way to a McDonalds restaurant on the 800 block of East 17th Avenue. A spokeswoman with the Franklin County Sheriffs Office confirmed two people were shot, but did not have any further information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesman for Columbus police said one victim was hospitalized in critical condition; the condition of the second victim was not released. Columbus police, Franklin County Sheriffs deputies, and Clinton Township police all responded to the scenes. Scene at a McDonalds restaurant on the 800 block of East 17th Avenue where a shooting victim was discovered on April 8, 2025. Scene of a shooting on the 3300 block of Cleveland Avenue at the Northern Lights Shopping Center Scene at a McDonalds restaurant on the 800 block of East 17th Avenue where a shooting victim was discovered on April 8, 2025. Hotel near a McDonalds restaurant on the 800 block of East 17th Avenue where a shooting victim was discovered on April 8, 2025. Scene of a shooting on the 3300 block of Cleveland Avenue at the Northern Lights Shopping Center There is no further information available at this time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. The Supreme Court has handed President Trump a mix of wins and losses when it comes to legal challenges to his exhaustive second-term agenda, with two of the justices holding all the cards. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett are emerging as the key to Trumps success as a pileup of applications land at the justices feet. Though the two justices often vote together, their alliance has come into greater focus as the high courts emergency docket becomes the place where Trumps agenda lives or dies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the three liberal justices persuade both Roberts and Barrett to join them, the administration loses. Thats what happened when the court declined the administrations bid to freeze $2 billion in foreign aid payments. But Roberts and Barrett havent always been consistent on whether they join the conservative majority or side with the courts liberal dissenters in Trump cases. On Monday night, only Barrett joined the three liberal justices in dissenting from the Supreme Courts decision to vacate an order temporarily blocking Trump from invoking the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans. Roberts, in siding with conservatives, provided the administration with the crucial fifth vote to reach a majority and give the White House a victory. Last Friday, it was reversed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barrett provided the fifth conservative vote to allow officials to keep frozen $65 million in teacher development grants over concerns they promoted diversity, equity and inclusion, while Roberts, in siding with the three liberals, crossed over to dissent. And in the administrations first Supreme Court application, which concerned Trumps firing of an independent agency leader, the duo similarly found themselves at the center of it all. Two liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson publicly dissented while two conservatives Neil Gorsuch and Samuel Alito were with him. But the court instead went for a middle ground supported by both Roberts and Barrett. Despite the litany of 5-4 divisions, thats not always how the court comes down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, seven justices apparently sided with the administration to block the reinstatement of thousands of federal probationary workers. Only Sotomayor and Jackson publicly dissented. And its not over yet. Trumps expansive agenda has been challenged in courts at nearly every turn since the moment he was sworn-in, resulting in more than 100 lawsuits. Any number of those cases are destined for the high court, putting the durability of Trumps executive actions largely in the justices hands. Roberts and Barrett have certainly handed Trump decisive victories before (does presidential immunity ring a bell?), but their decisions on his policies that have hit the emergency docket so far have signaled a more nuanced approach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Consider the courts ruling Monday on the Venezuelan deportations. On its face, the order gave Trump exactly what he asked for: It enabled the administration to resume removals under wartime powers and directed that any challenges to those efforts be brought in Texas, where migrants are being detained. However, it came with a catch the Venezuelans they seek to deport must now be given adequate notice so they can challenge their removals, dealing a blow to the administrations speedy deportations of migrants without hearings. The notice must be afforded within a reasonable time and in such a manner as will allow them to actually seek habeas relief in the proper venue before such removal occurs, the court wrote in an unsigned order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roberts and Barretts union goes deeper than the Trump docket. Many legal observers view the pair as being more institutionalist than some of their conservative colleagues, meaning that they look beyond the legal briefs to consider the role of the Supreme Court itself. But oftentimes, the duo is seen as a trio alongside Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Youll hear believers refer to the dynamic as a 3-3-3 court. So far, however, Kavanaugh hasnt crossed over on matters involving the presidents sweeping agenda. Will that change? Welcome to The Gavel, The Hills weekly courts newsletter from Ella Lee (elee@thehill.com) and Zach Schonfeld (zschonfeld@thehill.com). Email us tips, or reach out to us on X (@ByEllaLee, @ZachASchonfeld) or Signal (elee.03, zachschonfeld.48). IN FOCUS Navarro course correction; Immigration roundup DOJ signals course correction in Navarro criminal case Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro has taken a beating in the press lately, as Elon Musk and other detractors of the controversial tariff plan he helped design make their grievances of him known. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But in court filings Friday, the Justice Department (DOJ) signaled a win for Navarro is right around the corner as it indicated it might back or, at least, stop opposing his appeal of his criminal conviction. You might recall that Navarro, a White House trade advisor in Trumps first and second terms, was in prison less than a year ago. He was convicted of evading a congressional subpoena from the House Jan. 6 committee and served four months last year as punishment. The same day he was released, he took the stage at the Republican National Convention, and since then, alls been hunky-dory. Now, Trumps DOJ is looking to reexamine its position on the executive privilege claims Navarro invoked in hoping to stave off a conviction. It asked to delay arguments in Navarros appeal until this fall while it considers the matter, which Navarro didnt oppose. The appeals court agreed to push it back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lets rewind the tape to August 2023, just before Navarro stood trial on two counts stemming from his failure to appear for a deposition before the House panel and for failing to produce documents. Navarro argued to U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta that it was clear Trump had invoked executive privilege the executive branchs power to withhold some confidential communication from courts and Congress to stop him from testifying before the committee. However, he failed to produce direct evidence to back up that claim, and critically, Trump himself has declined to weigh in on Navarros recollection. Mehta, an appointee of former President Obama, found that Navarro failed to prove Trump ever invoked executive privilege, calling his arguments pretty weak sauce and blocking him from using it as part of his defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bidens DOJ staunchly opposed the notion that executive privilege was invoked. But if Trumps DOJ switches positions, Navarros executive privilege claims might be bound for the Supreme Court and his conviction on the ropes. Thats exactly what he wanted from the start. Its crying out for the Supreme Court to do this, Navarro said the day he reported to prison. An accidental landmark decision? Legal scholars are buzzing about whether the Supreme Court inadvertently gave a seismic boost to the so-called administrative state when it upheld the Biden administrations ghost gun crackdown. Not for what the court held, but for how it got there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the 7-2 majority opinion, Justice Neil Gorsuch upheld the 2022 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) rule by applying an incredibly deferential standard. He did so by describing the lawsuit as a facial challenge, meaning one that contends the rule is invalid across the board, rather than a specific instance. Gorsuch then applied the framework laid out in the Supreme Courts 1987 case, United States v. Salerno, which requires a plaintiff bringing a facial challenge to establish that no set of circumstances exists under which the challenged provision is valid. The Salerno test has been employed when a statute is being challenged as unconstitutional. But the ghost guns case was a regulation, not a statute, and the lawsuit didnt implicate the Second Amendment or any other part of the Constitution. Instead, the plaintiffs sued under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), which allows courts to set aside regulations that exceed an agencys statutory authority. Extending the test to APA suits could make lawsuits hoping to topple regulations across the federal bureaucracy more difficult. This extension of Salerno would represent a huge boon for the administrative state, Justice Samuel Alito wrote in dissent. It remains unclear if the approach will gain traction. The majority made clear they were leaving for another day whether the Salerno test should definitely apply in APA cases But the decision in the ghost guns case, Bondi v. VanDerStok, has still left many conservative legal scholars worried, and even confused, given that the decision came on the heels of the Supreme Courts major claw back of agency power last term by overturning Chevron deference. And the ghost gun decision was authored by Gorsuch, who is no fan of a booning administrative state. For the life of me, I cannot fathom why VanDerStok came out the way it did, noted conservative legal scholar Josh Blackman, who represented some of the ghost gun regulation challengers, wrote in a blog post for the The Volokh Conspiracy. Big deportation case breakdown The Trump administrations efforts to deport foreign students who have voiced support for the pro-Palestinian movement has sparked a patchwork of legal challenges flooding courts across the country. The administration says it has revoked at least 300 foreign students visas amid its immigration crackdown. Many of the revocations rely on a provision of federal immigration law allowing deportations if the secretary of State reasonably believes the persons continued presence in the United States could pose serious adverse foreign policy consequences. We do it every day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last month. Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visa. Here are key cases to watch: Mahmoud Khalil: Pro-Palestinian activist who led protests at Columbia In one of the highest-profile cases, the administration is attempting to deport Khalil, who played a prominent role in the demonstrations at Columbia University last year that dominated headlines. Immigration authorities arrested Khalil on March 8, and he is currently being detained in Louisiana. Khalil appeared before an immigration judge Tuesday, who is expected to rule later this week on whether his detention can continue. Meanwhile, a federal district judge has allowed his attorneys to press ahead in court in New Jersey, but the judge hasnt yet ruled on the legality of Khalils detention. Rumeysa Ozturk: Tufts graduate student Ozturk was arrested on March 25 by six plainclothes agents while walking home in Somerville, Mass. She was part of a quadruple-bylined op-ed published in the Tufts University student newspaper last year that criticized the schools response to the war in Gaza and called for divestment from Israel. A judge has temporarily prevented authorities from removing Ozturk from the country until her legal claims are addressed. Her case has been moved to Vermont, where a judge is receiving additional briefing and signaling he may hold a hearing early next week. Yunseo Chung: Columbia junior Unlike Khalil and Ozturk, Chung hasnt been arrested. The 21-year-old Columbia student, who also participated in pro-Palestine demonstrations, sued the Trump administration after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents sought to detain her. A legal permanent resident who moved to America as a child, Chung said the government sought her deportation over protected free speech. A federal judge granted a temporary restraining order blocking federal agents from detaining her. Momodou Taal: Cornell doctoral student Officials similarly looked to revoke the student visa of Taal, a Cornell University doctoral candidate in Africana Studies who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. After a judge rejected Taals bid to block two of Trumps executive orders the administration is using to crackdown on foreign students, he said he was self-deporting. Today I took the decision to leave the United States, free and with my head held high, Taal wrote on X. Badar Khan Suri: Georgetown professor Suri, an Indian national and postdoctoral scholar teaching at Georgetown University, was detained by the Trump administration last month after supporting Palestinian rights and criticizing Israel. A federal judge blocked the government from deporting him until the court issues a contrary order and scheduled a hearing for next month over motions to return Suri to the area and release him on bond, in addition to government motions to transfer and dismiss the professors suit. THE ORDER LIST Cases the Supreme Court is taking up or passing on this term. In: Right to counsel, restitution The court took up two new cases for the fall. In Villarreal v. Texas, the court agreed to hear an appeal brought by David Villarreal, who was convicted of fatally stabbing his boyfriend, to decide whether Villarreals Sixth Amendment right to counsel was violated during his trial. (Note from last weeks edition: This is not the same David Villarreal who was convicted of killing five gay men. Both defendants have the same first and last name.) When the court took a 24-hour pause in the middle of Villarreals testimony, the trial judge prohibited Villarreal from discussing what he would say with his lawyer. The justices will decide whether that violated his Sixth Amendment right to counsel. It has been a few weeks since we talked about the second case the court took up, Ellingburg v. United States. Holsey Ellingburg, who was convicted in connection with a Georgia bank robbery, was ordered to pay restitution (and serve a nearly 27-year prison sentence). At the time, federal law required Ellingburg to make restitution payments for 20 years. But Congress later enacted legislation requiring defendants to make payments for longer if they are still in prison. The justices agreed to hear Ellingburgs appeal to decide whether requiring him to make payments beyond the 20-year timeline violates the Constitutions Ex Post Facto Clause, which prevents the government from applying criminal statutes retroactively. Ellingburg is represented by Lisa Blatt, who has an 89 percent win rate in the more than 50 cases she has argued before the Supreme Court (she is also arguably the most humorous advocate at the court). Out: New York gun law challenge In Antonyuk v. James, the justices turned away a challenge to New Yorks law that requires individuals to show good moral character to carry a firearm in public and bans guns from various sensitive places. In 2022, the Supreme Courts conservative majority created a new legal test that expanded gun rights. But since the court clarified that test in a case last term, the justices have declined to return to the Second Amendment by declining to take up a series of appeals implicating gun control measures. Interestingly, the court has been repeatedly relisting petitions that challenge Rhode Islands high-capacity magazine ban and Marylands semi-automatic weapon ban. Why did the court immediately toss Antonyuk while they continue to hold those two other cases? Its possible a justice in those cases is working on a written dissent, but only time will tell. ON THE DOCKET Dont be surprised if additional hearings are scheduled throughout the week. But heres what were watching for now: Today A three-judge panel on D.C.s federal appeals court will hear arguments over whether to indefinitely pause an order preventing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from being dismantled as a lawsuit moves forward. A federal judge in Washington state will hold a show cause hearing over the State Departments intention to re-suspend U.S. Refugee Admissions Program cooperative agreements. A New York federal judge will hold a pretrial conference in a challenge to the Trump administrations effort to slash New Yorks congestion pricing program . A Washington, D.C., federal judge will hold a preliminary injunction hearing in national Democrats challenge to Trumps executive order aiming to expand the White Houses control over various independent regulatory agencies . A federal judge in New York City will consider the American Civil Liberties Unions request to block the administration from deporting migrants under the Alien Enemies Act, the groups latest attempt after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Trump earlier this week. Thursday A federal judge in Washington, D.C., will hold a status conference in a lawsuit challenging the Trump administrations use of the encrypted messenger Signal to discuss a strike on the Houthis in Yemen. Monday Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is set to stand trial in a Federal Trade Commission antitrust lawsuit. Tuesday A Massachusetts federal judge will hold a temporary restraining order hearing in Democratic state attorneys generals challenge of cuts to indirect cost reimbursements for National Institutes of Health grants nationwide. WHAT WERE READING Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BARTON, N.Y. (WETM) Two juveniles were arrested on various charges following an investigation into a structure fire that occurred at the end of March in the Town of Barton. In a release from the Tioga County Sheriffs Office in New York, officials say that on the evening of March 31, members of the sheriffs office and the Tioga County Fire Investigation Team were called to a vacant residence on Ellistown Road for the report of a structure fire. Naples woman arrested on harassment, false reporting charges Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After arriving at the scene, officials say that crews from the Waverly-Barton Fire Department extinguished the fire and that the fire had been deemed suspicious. Soon after this, officials say that the sheriffs offices Criminal Investigation Division determined that two juveniles were responsible for entering the building and intentionally setting it on fire. Damages from this fire were said to have totaled about $65,000. Officials say that the two juveniles were arrested as juvenile delinquents on felony charges of burglary in the third degree, arson in the third degree and criminal mischief in the second degree. Both were then issued appearance tickets to appear in Tioga County Family Court before the Tioga County Probation Department at a later date. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. Two people were killed and two others injured in Russian attacks on Donetsk Oblast on 9 April. Source: Vadym Filashkin, Head of Donetsk Oblast Military Administration Details: A 50-year-old man was killed in the village of Bahatyr in the Velyka Novosilka hromada as a result of the Russian strike, which also damaged a residential building. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories ed.] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 40-year-old woman was killed in the village of Kostiantynivka. Two houses were damaged in that attack as well. A man from Siversk and a woman from Lyman were injured. Both towns sustained significant damage in the Russian strikes. Filashkin reiterated his call for civilians to evacuate. "Once again, I urge all civilians: be responsible. Evacuate to safer regions of Ukraine," Filashkin stressed. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! PARKER, Kan. Investigators say, a 25-year-old Parker, Kansas man, requested explicit material from a juvenile in Linn County last week. He and another 18-year-old Parker man, were arrested and booked into the Linn County Jail eight days ago, as a result of an altercation stemming from the request. Human remains found in 1973 identified as missing Kansas City, Kansas teen It was reported that the suspect had obtained inappropriate pornographic material of the female, which is not true, Undersheriff Bobby Johnson, of the Linn County Sheriffs Office, said about another media outlets recent reporting on the matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Undersheriff Bobby Johnson shared more Tuesday with FOX4 on this incident and clarified what did and did not occur. Based on our investigation, we have no evidence to state that any pornographic material was exchanged between the juvenile and the suspect, Johnson said Tuesday. Police say on March 31, the Linn County Sheriffs Office says it received a call from a juvenile female. She said she was asked to send inappropriate material to a male relative. Our deputy went in route and actually had contacted the juvenile, and while in route, was notified of a fight in progress between the suspect and a family friend, Johnson added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The alleged fight took place within the parking lot of the Parker Library in Linn County. The family friend had attempted to strike the suspect with his vehicle. During the investigation, the family friend admitted that he was attempting to strike and kill the perpetrator, Johnson said. Keiden Williams, identified as the family friend of the juvenile, has since been charged with several criminal counts, including attempted second-degree murder, criminal damage to property and reckless driving. Chazz Oman has been charged with attempted sexual exploitation of a child under the age of 18. A lot of people would have sympathy for someone trying to stop somebody preying on a juvenile, but as a society we cant allow allegations to be the basis in somebodys death. Thats what the criminal justice system is for, Johnson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both men, Williams and Oman, were arrested and booked into the county jail. Both have also had their first appearance in court. Teen accused of killing KC Irish Fest chef fights not to be tried as adult They each have a bond of $250,000. Police say no one suffered any physical injuries in what took place, but both vehicles involved were damaged. The unnamed juvenile victim spoke with FOX4s Hannah King. She said Keiden Williams was trying to protect her, and was acting in the heat of the moment when this incident occurred. She also said Oman was not in the car when Williams struck it. The investigation is ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. Two suspected drug traffickers arrested at a Northern California casino (FOX40.COM) Two men were arrested at a Northern California casino for alleged drug and weapons charges, according to the Amador County Sheriffs office. Video Above: How to report a public safety threat Around noon on Tuesday, ACSO was contacted by Jackson Rancheria Casino and Hotel security officers after hotel staff said they found drugs in one of their rooms. When deputies arrived at the scene, they learned that two men recently checked out of the room. The Amador County Sheriffs Office arrested two men in connection with drug trafficking at Jackson Rancheria Hotel and Casino on April 8, 2025. Northern California sheriffs office to work with ICE: Public safety first Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While processing the suspected drugs, casino security notified ACSO that the men returned to the parking garage of the casino. Deputies said the men were stopped as they attempted to leave the casino and placed under arrest. According to ACSO, additional baggies of drugs, nearly one pound of suspected methamphetamine, and paraphernalia indicative of sales were located during a search of the vehicle. Two firearms, one that had previously been reported as stolen, were also located in the vehicle. Both males, from Southern California, were arrested in connection to multiple drug and weapons-related charges. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News. GRAINGER COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is asking anglers for feedback as they assess how a Tennessee Valley Authority change to the Cherokee Dam could harm a critical survival zone for large Striped Bass. According to the TWRA, the TVA has announced plans to replace the current aeration system at Cherokee Dam in 2026 with new turbine technology. The upgrade, which is meant to improve water quality downstream, could have negative impacts for aquatic wildlife in the Cherokee Reservoir, particularly Striped Bass, the TWRA said. Unleash American energy Tennessee Valley Authority reviews coal plans following Trumps executive orders Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The current oxygenation lines in the reservoir were installed to meet the TVAs requirement for minimum dissolved oxygen levels in water that is discharged below the dam. One of the unexpected benefits of the system was the creation of a cool, oxygen-rich refuge in the reservoir during summer months, which is a critical survival zone for Striped Bass, who rely on cooler, well-oxygenated water to make it through the hot summer months. The Cherokee Reservoir provides limited natural options. The upgrade, however, will allow the TVA to meet the downstream oxygenation goals without needing to operate the in-reservoir oxygen lines, which would cause the refuge area of Striped Bass to disappear. The TWRA said this will significantly reduce their chances of surviving the summer and reaching sizes over 25 inches. The agency said it anticipates there will be a higher summer mortality rate among the species, similar to what was seen during an incident last year when the oxygen lines were not yet active during a period of high heat. The TWRA is working to develop a response plan to address the expected changes. Initially, the agency is asking for input from anglers through creel surveys being conducted on the Cherokee Reservoir concerning the new development. Anglers and stakeholders are also invited to share feedback and questions by contacting Ask.TWRA@tn.gov. Search underway for missing teens after police pursuit in Loudon County Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Striped Bass were originally native to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, also known as the Gulf of America. The species may also be called rockfish, striper, or linesides. In Tennessee, the species is only found where they have been stocked or where they have migrated from stocked waters. The average harvested size of Striped Bass from reservoirs is approximately 32 inches, but the state record is 65 pounds and 6 ounces. The TWRA says there have not been changes made to Striped Bass or Hybrid Striped Bass stocking programs in the Cherokee Reservoir. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. As trade tensions escalate and new potential US tariffs loom over the pharma sector, Europes largest drugmakers are warning that the EU is at risk of losing billions of euros in planned investment to the US. In a meeting with European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) called for urgent action to counter what it described as a risk of exodus in R&D and manufacturing. The group said that unless the EU rapidly reforms its regulatory, intellectual property, and investment environment, drugmakers will increasingly shift operations to the US. The issue is further complicated by recent US trade developments. Although the White House confirmed last week that finished pharmaceutical products are currently exempt from the recently imposed 10% blanket tariff, President Donald Trump stated on 3 April that new tariffs specifically targeting the pharma sector are on their way. Yesterday (8 April), Reuters reported that Trump said this "major" tariff on pharmaceutical imports will be announced soon. The US now leads Europe on every investor metric from availability of capital, intellectual property, speed of approval to rewards for innovation. In addition to the uncertainty created by the threat of tariffs, there is little incentive to invest in the EU and significant drivers to relocate to the US, said the EFPIA in its 8 April statement. EFPIA cited a new internal survey of 18 large and mid-sized pharmaceutical companies that identified more than 100bn in planned capital and R&D investments at risk between 2025 and 2029. The survey showed that approximately 50.6bn in capital expenditure and 52.6bn in R&D spending representing 85% and 50% of planned investments respectively may be redirected outside the EU. Within the next three months alone, 16.5bn in investments is considered potentially at risk, according to respondents. While the list of companies was not disclosed, EFPIAs leadership includes senior figures from major European pharmaceutical companies such as Novo Nordisk, Bayer, and Ipsen. Novo Nordisk is one of the many that has started onshoring plans to bring more manufacturing to the US, with its $4.1bn expansion in Clayton, North Carolina. According to the EFPIA, the US now outperforms Europe across multiple metrics important to investors, including access to capital, intellectual property protections, speed of regulatory approvals, and financial rewards for innovation. Europe needs to make a serious commitment to invest in a world-class pharmaceutical ecosystem, or at best, risk being reduced to a consumer of other regions innovation, added EFPIA. UNICOI COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) The trial of Tyler Lee Owens, who is accused of killing his girlfriend Stacie Brugger, continued Tuesday at the Unicoi County courthouse. The court began the day by continuing to hear witness testimony. Trial for Unicoi County man accused of killing girlfriend begins The first testimony heard was by Eddie Stork, Bruggers former boss and ex-boyfriend. He said Brugger had come to his house after she had car trouble on the way to her sisters gender reveal party. Brugger decided to turn back in case she got stranded and made her way to Storks house. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stork then testified that Brugger and Owens were arguing over text messages. He said Owens had threatened to put Bruggers stuff on a bridge. Brugger decided to go to Owens camper to retrieve her belongings and had planned to return to Storks house. Later that night, she was shot. Stork did not learn of it until a few days later. Officers from the Unicoi County Sheriffs Office also testified. The three officers were Gabriel Williams, Anthony Buckner, and Chad Ricker. They had responded to Owens camper when they were informed of a potential murder. All three said that when he was caught, Owens had pointed a gun in their direction before tossing the gun away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the testimony of Williams, who was a chief investigator at Unicoi County Sheriffs Office at the time of Owens arrest, two audio recordings of interviews between Owens and officers were played for the court. In those interviews, Owens told officers he and Brugger were in an argument about Owenss ex-girlfriend Shaunna Williams, who was in town with her son visiting her brother. He said the argument escalated to the point where Owens told Brugger to leave the camper. Owens said he had an unloaded gun and a loaded gun magazine on the couch of his camper. He claimed Brugger then loaded the gun and pointed it at her head, saying she felt worthless. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Owens in the recording, he tried to take the gun away from Brugger, but it went off and shot her in the neck. She was, like, thrown into me and I fall back on my back and shes laying on me, Owens said in the recording, And I just see blood. And Im just screaming baby, babe, and she wasnt saying nothing. She didnt say nothing. Throughout the interview, Owens repeatedly told officers he was scared afterward and did not know what to do. He says he did not tell police due to outstanding warrants he had in North Carolina and that the whole thing was an accident. Owens is facing 14 charges. He pleaded not guilty to nine of those charges, including first-degree murder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith (UAFS) announces it has earned a silver designation as a 2025-26 Military Friendly School on April 8. To earn the Military Friendly School designation, academic institutions must be evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. Military Friendly is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process, VP of Military Friendly Kayla Lopez said. Our standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the Military Community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UAFS competed against more than 1,800 academic institution participants in the 2025-26 survey. Lopez said, Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, exceeding the standard. University of Arkansas, UAFS among schools receiving combined $27M in HIRED program grants Final ratings are determined by combining the institutions survey score with the assessment of the institutions capability in meeting the standards below for all students: Student Retention Graduation Job Placement Loan Payment Persistence (Degree Advancement or Transfer) Loan Default Rates Being Military Friendly reflects our unwavering commitment to supporting service members, veterans and their families by providing opportunities, resources and a welcoming community, financial aid advisor and VA certifying official for UAFS Heather Chance said. Those who have served deserve the best, and we take pride in creating an environment where they can thrive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All UAFS veteran students receive priority registration, connections to advisors specialized in veteran services, and full-time access to both VA vocational rehabilitation counselors and the UAFS Veteran Resource Center. Student veterans can also join the Student Veterans Organization for further support in achieving academic success and advocacy. For those in need of additional resources, UAFS will be hosting the Veterans Resource Fair on April 9 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center. No reservations are required. For more information about UAFS student veteran programs, visit its website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24. Police at UCLA are searching for a man who was found rummaging through a students belongings in their dormitory on Tuesday night. According to a crime alert issued by the UCLA Police Department, a student left their room in Centennial Hall located in the 200 block of De Neve Drive unattended with the door propped open shortly before 9 p.m. LAFD responds to Beverly Crest home after retaining wall begins to buckle Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon returning to the room, the victim observed the suspect inside looking through their property, the UCLA Police Department crime alert states. The victim confronted the suspect and chased him out of the room. The student was uninjured in the incident, UCLA PD said. UCLA Police Department patrol cars are seen on the University of California, Los Angeles campus. (KTLA) Police described the suspect as a Black man standing approximately 6 feet tall with a medium build and short black hair. He is believed to be 20 to 25 years old and was last seen wearing a black shirt, black shorts and carrying a black backpack. Exactly where the suspect was last seen was not disclosed. 2 women dead in crash at L.A. gas station; another victim hospitalized Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information surrounding the incident is asked to contact UCLA police. In case of emergency, dial 911. For non-emergencies, call the UCLA PD 24-hour hotline: 310-825-1491. Students were reminded by campus police to not leave doors to buildings propped 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 KTLA. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) Protesters gathered outside Geisel Library at UC San Diego on Tuesday, raising concerns about how federal and state cuts would impact the universitys research programs. The protesters included researchers, teachers and students both graduate and undergraduate who say theyre already seeing a hiring freeze, a decrease in grants and in funding guarantees. I want to be a scientist in America and I dont know if Ill be able to do that, said one protester, Debbie Lindsay. Im worried that science is going to disappear, its going to go to other countries. Im worried student teachers wont want to go forward and do more research. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement International student at San Diego State abruptly stripped of visa The university is home to thousands of researchers and relies heavily on government grants to support its research projects, and maintain labs and facilities. University leaders say they expect to lose upwards of $150 million in funding just from the National Institute of Health (NIH), which helps support their work studying various diseases. NIH really funds things like cancer research, Alzheimers research diseases that people get and die from every single day, said another protester, Danea Palmer. There are still so many diseases, neurological and otherwise, that we dont know how to treat and that cause immense suffering, not to mention a toll on our heath care system, said Brendan Prendergast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At large, UCSD Chancellor Pradeep Khosla says the university could see reductions in its funding from current and proposed cuts at the federal level ranging from $75 million each year to more than $500 million. The United States has been leading in all these fields thanks to the funding, said Sutanay Bhattacharya, who was also demonstrating on campus Tuesday. Now these cuts will jeopardize that. Those at the rally encouraged people with concerns about the loss of research funding to reach out to their state and federal representatives. UCSD declined to comment on the protest. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. UFOs remain a divisive topic -- some people just won't believe in the possibility, but new footage recorded just off our coast is making it harder to dispute their existence. Experts Jeremy Corbell and George Knapp just released video showing four "Tic Tac" shaped UAPs zooming around the sky off the coast of California ... close to a U.S. Navy ship. Jeremy Corbell The out-of-this-world encounter happened in February 15, 2023 ... and a weapons systems platform on the USS Jackson captured the UAPs in action. TMZ Jeremy says the crafts were self-illuminated and one was seen emerging from the ocean and going directly into flight. He says the UAPs left the area together in an apparent coordinated, synchronized and instantaneous departure ... indicating shared communication. Getty 'UFO Revolution' Journalist Releases New Military Video of Unidentified UAPs | TMZ TV Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UFO footage from a military vessel sheds more light than UFO sightings captured on cell phones ... as you can see, there's no sign of conventional propulsion powering the crafts ... no heat plumes or exhaust are detected in the video. Military Pilot Who Filmed Famed 'Tic Tac' UFO Sighting Speaks On Camera The shape of the UAPs is super significant as well ... they appear to be eerily similar to the famous "Tic Tac" UAP from a 2004 video that was declassified by the Pentagon and discussed on Capital Hill in multiple hearings on UAPs. 'UFO Revolution' Docuseries Follows Jeremy Corbell's Push for UAP Transparency Jeremy's revealed a bunch of UAP sightings in our TMZ series ... "TMZ Presents: UFO Revolution" ... and the evidence keeps mounting!!! Ukraine has fulfilled 81% of its commitments made under the Association Agreement with the European Union, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on April 9 following the 10th meeting of the EU-Ukraine Association Council. In a statement posted on Telegram, Shmyhal highlighted progress made in areas including customs, intellectual property rights, education, information exchange, humanitarian policy, justice, public procurement, and national security. Once again, we are demonstrating that we are able to make our way to EU membership quickly and efficiently. This year, we aim to open all six clusters in the EU accession negotiations and deepen sectoral integration, Shmyhal said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The prime minister believes Ukraine can achieve significant results in European integration not in years, but in months, he added at a press conference held after the meeting. Ukraine expects to join the bloc after the end of the war, Shmyhal said. We can do all the necessary work to become full members of the EU immediately after the war is over, Shmyhal said. EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Cos praised Ukraines efforts on its path to EU membership, saying the progress is undeniable. The screening of three negotiating clusters is already complete, with our ambition clear, she said, adding, It is possible to open all clusters by 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine was granted EU candidate status in June 2022. In December 2023, the European Council agreed to launch formal accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova. Katarina Mathernova, the EU's ambassador in Kyiv, said Ukraine could potentially join the EU before the end of the decade. Read also: Macron to helm EUs talks with Putin, the Telegraph reports Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine has gained almost complete access to the European Union's Copernicus Earth observation space programme, which provides satellite data for environmental monitoring, climate change and emergency management. Source: Mezha Media, a technology and IT news platform within Ukrainska Pravda's holding company, citing the Ukrinform news agency Details: The agreement on Ukraine's participation in components of the Copernicus programme, signed with the EU in Brussels as part of the EU-Ukraine Association Council, will grant Ukraine access to the space programme on equal terms with EU member states, except for specific security-related components. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The space agreement also includes Ukraine's association with several other components of the programme, such as Space Weather Events (SWE), which enables the monitoring and analysis of phenomena in the space environment that could impact satellites, energy systems and communications. Another component, Near-Earth Objects (NEO), focuses on tracking asteroids and other objects that pose a threat to Earth. Ukrainian representatives will have the right to become observers in the committees responsible for decision-making on these programmes, although they will not have voting rights. This cooperation is expected to foster the development of space technologies in Ukraine. European Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius, referred to the agreement as a "first step" towards Ukraine's full integration into EU space programmes. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! KYIV (Reuters) - The Ukrainian government has allocated $2.7 million towards consulting services to advise on a draft minerals deal with the United States, a government document, dated April 8, showed. U.S. President Donald Trump has said a bilateral minerals deal will help broker a peace agreement by giving the United States a financial stake in Ukraine's future, as well as allowing it to earn back billions of dollars in aid it has given to Ukraine. Washington has presented a more expansive draft for the deal, revising its original proposal, Reuters reported last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kyiv is seeking the help of consultants and lawyers "to protect the national interests of Ukraine and to formulate the position of Ukraine", by taking into account American and Ukrainian legislations, the government document said. The funds will be distributed across the economy and justice ministries, the document said, with the aim of hiring consultants with experience in public debt management and external borrowing, and those from leading international law firms, by an April 15 deadline. Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Monday that Ukraine will send a team to Washington this week to advance negotiations on the draft strategic agreement. (Reporting by Anastasiia Malenko; Editing by Rachna Uppal) Russia has "effectively" begun an offensive in Ukraine's north-eastern regions of Sumy and Kharkiv, Ukraine's military chief said on Wednesday. "For almost a week now, we have been observing an almost two-fold increase in the enemy's attacks on all main sections," Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi told the online portal lb.ua of the fighting in the regions. He said Russias goal remains to establish a buffer zone along the Russian-Ukrainian border in the Kharkiv, Sumy and Chernihiv regions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly stated this objective on multiple occasions. Syrskyi also confirmed Ukraines current mobilization target of around 30,000 troops per month, a figure President Volodymyr Zelensky previously referenced. "This is indeed the figure we have to meet," he said. Despite sustained losses, Russia is reinforcing its front line presence by 8,000 to 9,000 soldiers each month, he continued. Putin previously said Russia had nearly 700,000 troops deployed along the front in 2023. Ukrainian army numbers, meanwhile, have remained steady at just under 900,000, according to official figures from Kiev. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian invasion with Western support for over three years. Syrskyi, an ethnic Russian, was appointed commander-in-chief in February 2024. He is credited with playing a key role in the defence of Kiev in the spring of 2022 and leading a successful counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region that summer. Well-known investor Brad Gerstner recently told CNBC that he had bought Nvidia (NVDA) stock. As reasons for the decision, Gerstner cited very strong demand for GPU chips and President Donald Trump's decision to exempt semiconductors from tariffs. Gerstner is the founder of Altimeter Capital. Gerstner's Rationale for Buying NVDA "Demand for GPUs is off the charts," the investor said. "We're hearing that from Google (GOOG), Tesla (TSLA), and others," he added. Noting that Trump had exempted chips from tariffs, Gerstner suggested that semiconductors are likely to continue to get a pass on tariffs going forward. "If we charged tariffs on the chips we designed and that are being bought" by large U.S. companies, including Meta (META) and Microsoft (MSFT)," we would be shooting ourselves in the foot," Gerstner said. He explained that such a move would hinder America's ability to "win the AI race." In light of the exemption that chips received, the impact of tariffs on NVDA will be much less than on many other tech names, Gerstner said. However, he cautioned that if the U.S. enters a recession, "even Nvidia might not perform that well." While we acknowledge the potential of NVDA, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than NVDA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has discussed preparations for the upcoming Ramstein meeting with Ukraines Defence Minister Rustem Umierov, stating that air defence remains the top priority. Source: Zelenskyy in his evening address on 9 April Quote: "We discussed with Ukraines defence minister the preparations for the upcoming Ramstein meeting scheduled for Friday. Priority number one is air defence, primarily missile defence and defence against ballistic threats. Ukraine needs at least ten systems that are effective specifically against Russian ballistic missiles Patriot systems do this best." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine has repeatedly engaged in discussions with the United States and with all European partners capable of providing assistance. Quote: "Today alone, several air-raid warnings were issued across the country due to the threat of ballistic missiles. In some parts of our country, people are essentially living under the constant threat of such strikes. And today, the world lacks only political decisions to protect lives not the systems themselves. There are systems in the world. There are even enough Patriots to guarantee protection from Russian terror once and for all. But this depends on decisions by politicians, decisions by partners." Details: Zelenskyy named securing continued support throughout this year as the second key priority for the upcoming Ramstein meeting. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Valerii Churkin encouraged international partners to test their military technology in combat on April 8, the Defense Ministry reported. "The opportunities offered by Ukraine to international partners include testing products in real combat conditions and developing long-term partnerships within joint ventures," Churkin said at the Estonian-Ukrainian defense forum. His remarks came during Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur's visit to Ukraine, which was accompanied by representatives of more than 30 Estonian defense companies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The delegation attended a forum where nearly 90 Ukrainian defense firms showcased domestic products and explored cooperation with their Estonian counterparts. "The strength of the Estonian defense industry is certainly everything related to drones, technology, and intelligence. However, our entrepreneurs should not limit themselves to these areas," Pevkur said. "We certainly have something to learn from the Ukrainians." Ukraine has significantly expanded its domestic defense industry in response to Russia's full-scale invasion. President Volodymyr Zelensky said in February that around 40% of the weapons and equipment used on the battlefield are produced domestically. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In its 2025 budget, Ukraine allocated Hr 55 billion ($1.3 billion) to defense manufacturing in an effort to reduce dependence on foreign deliveries. Zelensky has underscored that international support remains essential, warning that delays or cuts especially from the U.S. could severely weaken Ukraine's ability to hold the front. Estonia, one of Ukraine's most consistent supporters, has emphasized the importance of long-term defense cooperation and joint development. Read also: US made no decision yet on cutting military presence in Europe, Pentagon says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine is ready to pay up to $50 billion for a future military aid package from the U.S., President Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists on April 9. Zelensky's statement came as future U.S. aid to Kyiv remains uncertain amid President Donald Trump's major shift in the country's policy on the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump has permitted the continued flow of assistance approved by former U.S. President Joe Biden except for a brief halt on all military aid in March but has yet to sign off on any new packages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Zelensky, the funds allocated to help Ukraine under the Biden administration have not yet been exhausted, but Kyiv wants an additional package from the Trump administration. "We handed over to the American side a large package that we want to buy. To buy in one form or another," the president said. "Many different formats and tools that we are ready for. We were ready to find both $30 billion and $50 billion for a suitable package." Ukraine sees the purchase of the aid package that would include air defense systems and other much needed arms as a potential security guarantee from Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There is an agreement, we are giving money. Accordingly, (if) you want (we can pay) either to this (Reconstruction Investment) Fund, or to you (the U.S.) directly. It makes no difference to us," Zelensky said. U.S. military assistance to Kyiv has decreased, with European countries now providing the main portion of aid, according to Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. Washington has been Kyiv's leading military donor throughout the full-scale war. According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, the U.S. has provided $119.8 billion in aid to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, including $67.1 billion in military aid, $49 billion in financial aid, and $3.6 billion in humanitarian support. Following Zelensky's heated meeting with Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Feb. 28, Washington briefly suspended all intelligence sharing as well existing military aid deliveries worth billions of dollars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Trump didnt impose tariffs on Russia but they might be wrecking its economy regardless Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine is ready to negotiate with the U.S. to lift all tariffs on American goods, Deputy Economy Minister and Trade Representative Taras Kachka told Ukrainska Pravda in an interview published on April 8. Kachka said Ukraine was prepared to zero out duties on U.S. imports, which amount to roughly $34 billion annually and are already subject to either low or no tariffs. "Our priority is the abolition of duties, not escalation," he said, emphasizing Ukraine's desire to maintain strong economic and diplomatic ties with Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The move comes in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping new tariff policy, announced on April 2 as part of what he called "Liberation Day." Trump, who has framed the tariff regime as a bid to revitalize American manufacturing and fight back against foreign exploitation, said the U.S. had been "looted, pillaged, raped, and plundered" for decades. Ukraine was hit with a 10% blanket tariff on its exports lower than the 20% imposed on the European Union and the accumulative 104% on China, but still a setback for a country at war. Kyiv's metallurgy sector, a major source of Ukrainian exports to the U.S., was already impacted by a 25% tariff imposed in March. Despite this, Kachka signaled that Ukraine would not retaliate and instead hopes to engage in a "delicate dialogue" to resolve the issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: How Trumps tariffs will impact Ukraine In 2023, Ukrainian exports to the U.S. totaled just $874 million, while imports from the U.S. reached $3.4 billion. The overall trade volume has declined in recent years, but the tariffs could deepen the imbalance, especially if they trigger broader protectionist measures globally. Yuliia Svyrydenko, Ukraine's Economy Minister, called the new U.S. tariffs on April 3 "difficult, but not critical," saying Kyiv remained focused on long-term economic resilience and international cooperation. Oleksandra Myronenko, an analyst at the Center for Economic Strategy in Kyiv, warned that a global trade war triggered by the new tariffs could still have knock-on effects for Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Even if we're not the main target, we could feel the fallout," she told the Kyiv Independent. Russia was not among the countries and territories subject to the wide-ranging tariffs as the existing sanctions "preclude any meaningful trade," White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt claimed. Kyiv's strategy now centers on preserving access to global markets and maintaining stable ties with Washington amid growing uncertainty over future U.S. economic and security commitments. Read also: Trump spares Russia from tariffs, but oil price plunge could wreck war economy regardless Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine hopes that the European Union will extend the current trade liberalisation mechanism until the end of 2025, until an alternative proposal is developed. Source: Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at a press conference after the EU-Ukraine Association Council meeting in Brussels on 9 April, as reported by European Pravda Details: Shmyhal emphasised that it is important for Ukraine to continue the Autonomous Trade Measures (ATM) until the end of 2025 in order to have enough time to solidify the terms of free trade in Article 29 of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "We have paid great attention to this issue [trade visa-free regime ed.]. At all levels, we discussed the importance of continuing the Autonomous Trade Measures until the end of this year at least to make the necessary changes to Article 29 of the Association Agreement and solidify these autonomous trade measures, which allow us effectively duty-free trade. We are already integrated into the European market. Of course, we speak pragmatically with our European partners and understand our level of responsibility. We are ready to negotiate with our partners, with the European Commission, to maintain the level of cooperation that exists today." Details: Shmyhal also noted that Ukraine is "optimistic" about the prospects of resolving this issue. "Our partners hear us very well; they understand Ukraines needs, and we are grateful for such truly constructive and deep cooperation and understanding," he concluded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Background: The European Commission promised to provide Ukraine with its proposals for new trade conditions in the near future. Earlier, European Pravda reported that the EU will not extend the trade visa-free arrangement with Ukraine after 5 June 2025 and will return to pre-war conditions. In February 2025, Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko stated during a joint meeting of the European Commission and the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers that Ukraine's primary task for 2025 is to complete consultations on trade liberalisation with the EU in accordance with Article 29 of the Association Agreement. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukraine spends seven times less public funds on lobbying in the US than Russia. Source: Opendatabot Details: It is noted that in 2024, Ukraine spent US$62,500 on lobbying services in the United States, six times less than in 2023 US$366,700. In total, since 2022, Ukraine has spent US$5.4 million on lobbying its interests. This is 2.2 times less than Russia spent in the same period: US$11.8 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Poland reduced funding for lobbyists in the US by five times, cutting spending to US$245,200 in 2024. Russia, on the other hand, has slashed its state financing for lobbyists by 18 times, with spending set to reach US$461,200 in 2024. Despite this drop, Russia still spends 7.4 times more on lobbying in the United States than Ukraine, and nearly twice as much as Poland. According to Opendatabot, 6,882 lobbying companies have been registered in the United States, with only 517 currently operational. These corporations exercise influence over American politicians, affecting the agenda in Washington. Background: In 2023, Ukraine reduced its spending on lobbying in the US by 93% to US$367,000. In the first year of the full-scale war, almost US$5 million was spent for this purpose. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Following the capture of two Chinese nationals fighting on the Russian side in Ukraine, Kiev has intensified its accusations against the government in Beijing. These are not isolated cases, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed in his evening video message on Wednesday. "We also have information about other citizens of the People's Republic of China serving in the Russian army with names, surnames, and details of the specific ways in which such soldiers became part of the Russian occupation contingent," Zelensky added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a press conference shortly before, Zelensky had stated that there were at least 155 Chinese nationals in the Russian army. Zelensky said that Kiev now has all the information about these 155 people, including their passport details. He added that Russia is recruiting these men via social networks, for example TikTok, and that Beijing is aware of this. The two Chinese prisoners, who are now being questioned in Kiev, will only be released by Ukraine in exchange for its own prisoners of war, he said at the press conference. In his video message, Zelensky pointed out that the Chinese soldiers fighting for Russia contradicted Beijing's official position. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Reinforcing the occupation contingent while speaking of peace are mutually exclusive things," Zelensky asserted. China, which is officially neutral, had previously rejected the accusation that its own citizens were involved in the Russian invasion of Ukraine and spoken of "unfounded" allegations. Ukraine unveiled a domestically developed drone designed to intercept and destroy Iranian-designed Shahed drones used by Russia, the Ukrainian outlet Militarnyi reported on April 9. According to its designers, the drone has already been deployed in combat and has successfully destroyed more than 20 Shahed-type drones over the past two months. The designers said this is the most effective interceptor drone currently in service with the Armed Forces. The system is also capable of targeting reconnaissance drones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The interceptor drone's maximum flight speed is 200 kilometers per hour (approximately 124 miles per hour), and it can operate at altitudes up to 5 kilometers (about 3.1 miles). Unlike traditional air defense systems that rely on costly anti-aircraft missiles, the new drone offers a cheaper and more sustainable option for downing low-speed, small-sized targets. Russia has extensively used Shahed drones since late 2022, particularly the Shahed-136 model, to strike critical infrastructure and civilian areas across Ukraine. The low-flying, self-detonating drones have become a central element of Russia's long-range strike tactics. The Ukrainian drone was showcased to Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever during his visit to Kyiv on April 8. De Wever visited Bucha in Kyiv Oblast and met with President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier in the day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kyiv has prioritized the development of high-performance, low-cost domestic defense technologies to improve protection and reduce dependence on Western-supplied missile systems. Read also: Ukrainian drone destroys Russias Tu-22M3 long-range bomber, Syrskyi claims Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The Ukrainian defence industry has unveiled a new drone designed to destroy Iranian-made Shahed loitering munitions, which Russia employs in its daily attacks on Ukraine. Source: Militarnyi, a Ukrainian military news outlet Details: Militarnyi reported that the interceptor drone has successfully shot down over 20 Shahed loitering munitions in the past two months. The drone is also capable of intercepting reconnaissance drones. It boasts a maximum speed of 200 km/h and can reach altitudes of up to 5 km. Designers stress that it is the most effective interceptor drone currently in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new drone was showcased to Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever during his recent visit to Kyiv. Ukrainian experts emphasise that developing affordable and efficient drones provides a cost-effective alternative to relying on expensive anti-aircraft missiles for targeting aerial threats. Read also: A weapon entirely immune to jamming: How Ukraine is rolling out production of fibre-optic drones The Ukrainian military is set to receive 15,000 combat robots this year. What roles will these ground drones take on? Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Key developments on April 9: Over 160 Chinese nationals fight for Russia in Ukraine, obtained documents show Russia's spring offensive has "effectively already begun," Syrskyi says Ukraine open to buy US military aid package for $50 billion, Zelensky says Russian military airfield reportedly targeted in mass drone attack At least 163 Chinese nationals are serving in Russia's Armed Forces as of early April, according to a Ukrainian intelligence document seen by the Kyiv Independent on April 9. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another document showed photos and passport details of 13 Chinese recruits who were being selected for service in the Russian army as of April 2. "There are 155 Chinese citizens who are fighting against Ukrainians on the territory of Ukraine," President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed this information to journalists on April 9. "We are collecting information, we believe that there are many more." The documents, obtained by the Kyiv Independent, list the names, personal data, place of service and position in the Russian army of other Chinese nationals. The captured Chinese soldiers have been identified as Wang Guangjun and Zhang Renbo, born in 1991 and 1998, respectively, a source told the Kyiv Independent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Guangjun was captured near Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast, while Renbo was captured near Tarasivka, further south. One of the captured soldiers claimed he paid 300,000 rubles (roughly $3,000) to a middleman in China to join the Russian military in exchange for the promise of citizenship, Ukraine's Luhansk military unit press service told Ukrainian Pravda earlier in the day. "Beijing knows about this. Russians distribute advertising videos about recruitment through Chinese social networks," Zelensky said. "We record that these are Chinese citizens, they are fighting against us, using weapons against Ukrainians on the territory of Ukraine," the president said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beijing responded by saying it was "verifying" the claims, reiterating that Chinese citizens are prohibited from participating in foreign armed conflicts. The U.S. State Department called the incident "disturbing," adding that it is closely monitoring the situation. "We're aware of those reports," spokesperson Tammy Bruce said on April 8. Read also: Trump didnt impose tariffs on Russia but they might be wrecking its economy regardless Russia's spring offensive has "effectively already begun," Syrskyi says Russia's new spring offensive against northeastern Ukraine "has actually already begun," Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in an interview with the LB.UA outlet published on April 9. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Syrskyi's comments come after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Moscow is amassing forces for a fresh offensive against the Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts this spring. "I can say that the president is absolutely right, and this offensive has effectively already begun," Syrskyi said. For nearly a week, Russian offensive operations have almost doubled in all main sectors, the commander-in-chief noted. Read also: Ukrainian long-range strikes cut Russias shell fire rate by nearly half, Syrskyi says Ukraine open to buy US military aid package for $50 billion, Zelensky says Ukraine is ready to pay up to $50 billion for a future military aid package from the U.S., President Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists on April 9. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Zelensky, the funds allocated to help Ukraine under the Biden administration have not yet been exhausted, but Kyiv wants an additional package from the Trump administration. "We handed over to the American side a large package that we want to buy. To buy in one form or another," the president said. "Many different formats and tools that we are ready for. We were ready to find both $30 billion and $50 billion for a suitable package." Ukraine sees the purchase of the aid package that would include air defense systems and other much needed arms as a potential security guarantee from Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There is an agreement, we are giving money. Accordingly, (if) you want (we can pay) either to this (Reconstruction Investment) Fund, or to you (the U.S.) directly. It makes no difference to us," Zelensky said. U.S. military assistance to Kyiv has decreased, with European countries now providing the main portion of aid, according to Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. Read also: Zelensky: Ukraine ready for minerals deal with US, but only on equal terms Russian military airfield reportedly targeted in mass drone attack Russian air defense intercepted 158 Ukrainian drones across occupied Crimea and several Russian regions overnight on April 9, including as far south as North Ossetia, Russia's Defense Ministry claimed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian Telegram channel Astra reported that drones targeted the military airfield in Mozdok, from where MiG-31K carriers of Kinzhal hypersonic missiles are deployed. Social media posts showed images of smoke rising near the area. Astra said it geolocated one image to a site roughly 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the air base. Russian authorities did not acknowledge any strike on the Mozdok airfield itself. Regional head Sergey Menyaylo said air defenses "repelled" the attack in the Mozdok district. Menyaylo claimed there were no casualties or visible damage but confirmed that a drone attack alert had been implemented. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Kyiv Independent could not verify all the claims. The Ukrainian military has yet to comment on the attacks. Explosions were also reported in Taganrog in Rostov Oblast, Tikhoretsk, Sloviansk-on-Kuban, Krymsk, Saratov, and Engels, according to the Russian media and local authorities. The airports of Vladikavkaz and Grozny, the capitals of Russia's republics of North Ossetia and Chechnya, were reportedly closed because of the attack. North Ossetia is located roughly 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) from Ukraine's border. It borders Georgia to the south and lies along the Caucasus Mountains. 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. By Heekyong Yang, Joyce Lee and Hyunjoo Jin SEOUL (Reuters) -Samsung Electronics on Tuesday flagged a much smaller-than-feared 0.2% fall in first-quarter operating profit, boosted by solid memory chip sales and strong smartphone demand, partly driven by customers concerned about U.S. tariffs. Sales of conventional memory chips used in consumer devices such as smartphones and AI chips likely came in better than expected, with some customers stockpiling chips ahead of potential U.S. tariffs on semiconductors, analysts said. The world's largest memory chipmaker estimated an operating profit of 6.6 trillion won ($4.49 billion) for the January-March period, well above a 5.1 trillion won LSEG SmartEstimate. That would compare with 6.61 trillion won in the same period a year earlier and 6.49 trillion won in the preceding quarter. "While general memory prices dipped, strong demand from customers looking to secure inventory ahead of potential U.S. tariffs helped boost Samsungs memory chip shipments, supporting overall performance," said Greg Roh, head of research at Hyundai Motor Securities. Shares of Samsung rose 2.6% in morning trade following its preliminary earnings, outperforming a 1.6% rise in the benchmark KOSPI. Samsung, reshuffling its top ranks following the sudden death of co-CEO Han Jong-Hee last month, is expected to release detailed results on April 30. SECOND QUARTER SEEN WEAKER Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a slew of reciprocal tariffs on trading partners, including China. While semiconductors were exempted from reciprocal tariffs, Trump on Thursday reiterated plans to levy tariffs on chips very soon. Roh said Samsung's AI features in the Galaxy S25 smartphone models helped drive strong sales, adding that preemptive smartphone shipments by North American customers ahead of the tariffs likely contributed to first-quarter results. Samsung Electronics in January unveiled its newest Galaxy S25 smartphones, hoping their upgraded AI features could reinvigorate sales and fend off Apple and Chinese rivals. As a result of buyers stocking up in the first quarter, analysts said shipments are likely to decline in the second quarter. Kim Sun-woo, a senior analyst at Meritz Securities, said Samsung's second-quarter operating profit could stagnate also due to delays in securing new customers for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips. Analysts estimated that Samsung's chip division profit might have halved to about 800 billion won in the first quarter from a year earlier, as losses in the foundry business likely offset profits from the memory chip business. The Russians have been attacking Ukraine with 55 Shahed UAVs and decoy drones of various types since the evening of 8 April; Thirty-two drones have been destroyed. Source: Ukraine's Air Force Quote: "As of 08:30, 32 Shahed attack UAVs and other types of drones have been confirmed downed in the country's north and east. Eight Russian decoy drones disappeared from radar (without causing adverse effects)." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts came under attack. The drones were launched from the Russian cities of Kursk, Millerovo and Primorsko-Akhtarsk as well as Cape Chauda in temporarily occupied Crimea. Aircraft, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units and mobile fire groups from Ukraine's defence forces were involved in repelling the attack. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine has officially approved the use of the Dzhura-EVAK evacuation armoured fighting vehicle in the defence forces of Ukraine. It is manufactured by a domestic company with many years of experience in armoured vehicles. Source: Ministry of Defence of Ukraine Quote: "The evacuation vehicle has a powerful diesel engine, 44 wheel configuration and a reliable manual transmission. To perform tasks in off-road conditions and difficult terrain, the manufacturer has improved the vehicle's chassis, installed reinforced front and rear suspensions, off-road tyres, strengthened brakes, etc." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: The Ministry of Defence said that the Dzhura-EVAK evacuation armoured fighting vehicle is built on a modular principle and is designed for six people, including a driver and a combat medic. Dzhura-EVAK armoured fighting vehicle. Photo: Ukraine's Defence Ministry The vehicle has an armoured car body that protects it from small arms, bullets, debris and explosions. To ensure safe transportation of the wounded, the vehicle is equipped with everything necessary: a video surveillance system, light camouflage, ventilation, air conditioning, anti-drone systems and automatic stretcher loading. Dzhura-EVAK armoured fighting vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Photo: Ukraine's Defence Ministry "The driving characteristics [of the evacuation vehicle - ed.], ballistic protection, and the availability of assets to counter enemy UAV attacks. Often, the chances of successfully completing evacuation tasks in difficult situations depend on these factors," said Deputy Defence Minister Valerii Churkin. Background: In 2024, Ukraines Defence Ministry approved more than 1,300 samples of weaponry and military equipment for use by the Ukrainian army. On 6 December, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered the first batch of advanced Ukrainian-made Peklo missile drones, with a range of up to 700 km, to the defence forces. On 27 December, the Defence Ministry authorised the use of the Ravlyk robotic platform by Ukrainian troops. On 31 December, it was reported that the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine had approved the use of a domestically produced Hromylo drone in the Ukrainian army. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine's military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in an interview published on Wednesday that Russia had launched a new offensive on the northeast of the country, adding that a large increase in assaults was already being observed. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had warned earlier that Russia was preparing an offensive on the two regions of Kharkiv and Sumy. "I can say that the president is absolutely right and this offensive has actually already begun," Syrskyi said in an interview with Ukrainian publication LB. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "For several days, almost a week, we have been observing almost a doubling of the number of enemy attacks in all main directions (on the frontline)," he said. Moscow is close to fully pushing Ukrainian forces out of their foothold in Kursk region, which they held since last August and which lies over the border from Sumy region. Zelenskiy said on Monday that Ukrainian forces were also present in the adjacent Russian region of Belgorod. The war, the first year of which was marked by rapid Russian territorial gains followed by Ukrainian counter-attacks, has since become far more of a battlefield stalemate, with Moscow grinding out relatively small gains by attacking with wave after wave of infantry squads. (Reporting by Max Hunder; Editing by Aidan Lewis) KYIV (Reuters) - Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Wednesday it was vital for the country's economy to extend a permit-free freight regime with the European Union until at least the end of the year. Introduced following Russia's invasion in early 2022, the regime - which allows Ukrainian cargo permit-free entry to EU markets - is set to expire on June 5. Shmyhal told reporters that he had extensive discussions with European officials regarding the agreement during his visit to Brussels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are extremely pragmatic while talking with European partners, we understand our level of responsibility," he said, adding that partners were listening to Ukraine. Marta Kos, the EU's enlargement commissioner, said at the same press conference that the Commission would bring a solution before the regime expires. The regime was designed to support Ukraine's war-ravaged economy, but has since sparked protests in several countries, such as Poland and Hungary, where producers complained that cheaper Ukrainian goods were hurting local producers. (Reporting by Yuliia Dysa, Writing by Max Hunder; Editing by Alison Williams and Emelia Sithole-Matarise) Ukrainian soldiers trick the Russians into attacking the wrong positions by building fake bunkers. They put effort into making it look real, even putting trash nearby, a drone operator told BI. Drone operators are targets for the Russians, so they operate underground on scarred battlefields. Soldiers in Ukraine make fake bunkers with tree branches and more to trick Russian drone operators hunting for them. This is especially important for Ukraine's drone operators, which are often high-priority targets. It has become standard operating procedure for soldiers to "make a few fake positions," Dimko Zhluktenko, a drone operator with Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, told Business Insider. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said that soldiers build the fake positions in the tree line, designing them so that it all "looks real." "You would leave some marks of human life in there, some trash or anything," Zhluktenko explained, adding that it makes Russian reconnaissance drone ops more likely to focus on the fake position. A still from a video released by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service shows Russian soldiers preparing their drone to launch it towards Ukrainian positions in an undisclosed location in Ukraine. Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP When the fake bunker draws enemy fire, it's a telling warning for the Ukrainian soldiers. That "would be a signal for you to get the hell out of there as soon as you can," Zhluktenko said. Another Ukrainian drone operator, who spoke to BI on the condition of anonymity, said that the fake bunkers are something that Ukrainian operators will try to do when they have enough personnel to pull it off. Hiding from the eyes of the enemy Ukrainian drone operators are high-priority targets for Russia's military. For that reason, they regularly to try to stay concealed from Russia's attack drones and its reconnaissance drones that provide targeting data for its soldiers and other weaponry, but they can't shy away from the front lines. They have to be close enough to fight, especially with impediments like electronic warfare covering parts of the battlefield and complicating operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The drone operator who requested anonymity said that the distance that an operator can hang back from the fighting depends on the terrain, but operators typically have to get as close as 0.9 miles from the front line. With largely static lines in many places and intense fighting, operators often hide underground. A US veteran who is now fighting for Ukraine told BI last year that when operating from a town, most, if not all, of the buildings there are destroyed. "Our somewhat urban environment is all rubble," they said. Ukrainian soldiers rest in an underground shelter at their mortar position in the direction of Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images The front lines can be so unmoving that positions get "hit enough by artillery, drones, mortars, and other types of ordinance. It just falls apart little by little by little over time. And then eventually, it gets to a point where it's not a defendable position," the veteran said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the Ukrainians, many of their positions get "whittled down to next to nothing" and become "impossible to defend." Zhluktenko, who has operated both strike and reconnaissance drones, said that operators like him often use underground dugouts covered with trees and branches. They put their computers and equipment that is needed to operate the drones in here. They then try to find places where they can put the drone antenna and launching mechanism without being spotted, making them "look like a tree or something." Throughout the war in Ukraine, both the Russian and Ukrainian armies have engaged in deception, using decoys and setting up traps to fool the enemy. These have included cardboard weapons, inflatable tanks, fake trench traps filled with bombs, and more. These tactics have played critical roles in protecting troops and military equipment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The other Ukrainian drone operator said that operators try to operate "constantly inside a bunker," but they said that operators will sometimes have to risk going outside, including to put their drone on the ground so it can take off. He said it can be highly dangerous because if an operator is spotted, they immediately see Russian drones flying toward them. When Russia spots Ukraine's drone operators or their drone stations, those become "target number one," he explained. He said that when Russia attacks the positions, it does not hold anything back. "It does not sacrifice anything," he said, and its response can include Russia's devastating glide bombs. Drones of all types are being used more in Russia's invasion of Ukraine than in any other conflict in history, and the skies above the battlefield can be filled with drones to the point that soldiers have found themselves confused about which ones are theirs. Both sides are racing to make more drones than the other and to out-develop each other's drones and counter-drone measures. Read the original article on Business Insider The Ukrainian Air Force destroyed a Russian command post belonging to the Russian 81st Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment in the temporarily occupied territory of Kherson Oblast on 7 April. Source: Ukraine's General Staff Quote: "The concrete structure has been completely destroyed thanks to the professional skills of Ukrainian pilots. Information about losses is currently being gathered, but 20-30 invaders have been killed." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: This strike has reportedly significantly undermined the ability of Russian units to conduct combat operations in the area. "The pilots of the Ukrainian Air Force will continue to deliver devastating strikes against the enemy until they leave the sovereign territory of Ukraine," the General Staff noted. Previously: On 7 April, Ukrainian drone operators detected and destroyed three Russian Buk anti-aircraft missile systems in Russia's Kursk Oblast in 12 hours. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! A Ukrainian drone destroyed a landed Russian Tu-22M3 long-range bomber a "few days ago," Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in an interview with the LB.UA outlet published on April 9. "A few days ago, our successful operations destroyed a Tu-22M3 bomber plane. Just as it landed, it was hit by our drone," Syrskyi said in the interview when discussing the impact of Ukraine's long-range drone strikes. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Tu-22M3, a supersonic bomber developed by the Soviet Union worth around $100 million, remains a key component of Russia's Air Force and has been used in strikes against Ukraine. The commander-in-chief did not specify the exact location or date of the strike, and Kyiv and Moscow did not report any Russian fixed-wing aircraft as destroyed in hostilities this month. The Ukrainian General Staff said its forces had destroyed 370 Russian warplanes as of April 9. Russian authorities said on April 2 that a Tu-22M3 bomber crashed in the Siberian Irkutsk region due to an alleged technical malfunction. The pilot was killed in the crash, while four other crew members were forced to eject. Irkutsk Oblast lies almost 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) from the border with Ukraine, far beyond the range of any known Ukrainian long-range weaponry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, Ukrainian forces shot down a Tu-22M3 bomber, bringing it down in Stavropol Krai. Other aircraft of the same model were damaged in July 2024 attacks against the Olenya airfield in Russia's Murmansk Oblast Read also: Russian military airfield reportedly targeted in mass drone attack Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has reported that Ukrainian troops shot down a Russian Tu-22M3 bomber with a drone a few days ago. Source: Syrskyi in an interview with Lb.ua (Left Bank), a Ukrainian news agency Quote from Syrskyi: "Our successful operation destroyed a Tu-22M3 long-range bomber a few days ago. It had just landed, and our drone hit it. The cost of it is about US$100 million." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For reference: The Tu-22M3 is a supersonic long-range strategic bomber with a flexible wing configuration. The United Aircraft Company Tupolev developed it in the 1960s. It was produced in two main modifications: The Tu-22M2 (decommissioned in the 1990s) and the Tu-22M3, which was produced from 1978 to 1993 and operated by Russia. Background: Earlier, a source in Ukraine's Defence Intelligence stated that on 5 April, the Defence Intelligence and the Armed Forces carried out a combined operation to attack three military airbases in Russia. The source reports that three Tu-95MS strategic bombers were allegedly severely damaged during the raid on Engels-2 airbase. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that Ukrainian intelligence had identified 155 Chinese citizens fighting alongside Russian forces, a day after Ukraine said two Chinese nationals were captured in the country. The Chinese nationals had been recruited through advertisements, including on social media, Zelensky said in a briefing Wednesday. China has consistently denied any involvement in the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs said earlier Wednesday that claims that many Chinese citizens are fighting in Ukraine were groundless. It is important to emphasize that the Chinese government has always instructed its citizens to stay away from areas of armed conflict and avoid getting involved in the conflict in any form, especially avoiding participation in any partys military operations, spokesperson Lin Jian said in a press conference. A Ukrainian security agencies document seen by CNN purports to show a list of more than 150 Chinese citizens who have served with the Russian armed forces, most of whom are said to be in the lowest military positions. Most of the contracts in the document are dated 2024 and straddle different military units. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The list has not been verified by CNN. We are collecting information and we believe that there are more, many more, Zelensky said Wednesday, before claiming that Beijing was aware of Russians placing recruitment videos on Chinese social networks. These people arrive to the Russian Federation, to Moscow. Medical examinations last three to four days. Training centers are for one to two months. They fight on the territory of Ukraine, he added. Asked whether he thought the presence of Chinese nationals in Ukraine was a result of official Beijing policy, Zelensky said: I dont have an answer to this question yet. The Security Service of Ukraine will work on it We are not saying that someone gave any command, we do not have such information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, citizens from nations including Britain and the United States have been known to volunteer alongside Ukrainian forces, against the advice of their own governments. Some have been killed in action on the front line. CNN has previously reported that Ukrainian embassies have helped recruit foreign fighters. The allegations of Chinese nationals fighting alongside Russian forces follow claims by Ukraine that two Chinese nationals fighting in the Russian army have been taken prisoner in eastern Ukraine. Zelensky said Tuesday that Ukrainian forces fighting in the Donetsk region obtained the Chinese nationals documents, bank cards and personal data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ukrainian president on Wednesday added that Ukraine was ready to exchange the two individuals for Ukrainian prisoners of war. The Kremlin spokesperson on Wednesday declined to comment on the claim that Chinese nationals were allegedly captured in Ukraine. Beijing said on Wednesday that it was currently verifying the situation with Ukraine. A man cycles past the Chinese embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine on April 8. - Genya Savilov/AFP/Getty Images Ukrainian military says Chinese national paid to join Russian army One of the Chinese nationals captured fighting in eastern Ukraine had paid to join the Russian military through an intermediary in China, with the goal of becoming a Russian citizen, according to the Ukrainian military. The Chinese detainee, who Ukrainian authorities said Tuesday was taken as a prisoner of war alongside a second Chinese national, was likely speaking under duress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the prisoner, he joined the Russian military through an intermediary in China, paying RUB 300,000 ($3,500) for the opportunity to enlist in the Russian Armed Forces, the communications department of the Luhansk Operational Tactical Group said in a statement to Ukrainian media. He stated that his primary motivation was the desire to become a serviceman and obtain Russian Federation citizenship. He also mentioned that some group members had legal issues in China, the statement to news outlet Ukrainska Pravda said. He reported that he had received training in the temporarily occupied territory of Luhansk Oblast as part of a group of Chinese nationals. The training covered basic military skills and was conducted without an interpreter, relying on gestures and a mobile translator for communication. The Ukrainian military tactical group said the man was taken prisoner when a Russian assault group chose to surrender under fire from Ukrainian soldiers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The individual is currently cooperating with Ukrainian investigative agencies, and his identity and citizenship have been confirmed. He noted that his family was aware of his intentions to go to Russia, although he officially travelled as a tourist, the statement to Ukrainska Pravda said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has confirmed that Ukraine has its own "red lines" concerning the details of the agreement with the United States on access to Ukrainian minerals and outlined three such points. Source: Shmyhal during a joint briefing with European officials on 9 April, marking the EU-Ukraine Association Council meeting, as reported by European Pravda Quote: "We really have some red lines. First of all, this is our Constitution. Second, this is our European aspirations and our European obligations International legislation. We also understand that it should be a partnership agreement on equal conditions for both sides." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Shmyhal noted that Ukraine is currently forming a technical delegation and cooperating with international law firms. Quote: "We will send our delegation together with our lawyer to the US at the end of this week. And I think that technical negotiations will go through this weekend and next week, then we will see the results We are quite optimistic." Background: On 8 April, Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha stated that Ukraine had already outlined its vision for the future minerals agreement and reiterated that the absence of contradictions between the agreement and Ukraine's EU accession course is a fundamental position of Kyiv. Earlier, European Pravda reported that the Trump administration reintroduced a clause into a proposed agreement on Ukrainian subsoil resources that obliges Ukraine to repay the full amount of US aid provided since the beginning of Russias full-scale invasion in 2022. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Banco Santander (SAN) is exploring options, including a potential sale, of its 62% stake in Santander Bank Polska SA and has reached out to gauge interest of potential investors, people familiar with the matter told Bloombergs Jan-Henrik Forster and Jorge Zuloaga. Santanders stake in the unit is worth about $8B based on the most recent stock price, the report noted. Stay Ahead of the Market: Discover outperforming stocks and invest smarter with Top Smart Score Stocks. Filter, analyze, and streamline your search for investment opportunities using Tipranks' Stock Screener. Published first on TheFly the ultimate source for real-time, market-moving breaking financial news. Try Now>> See the top stocks recommended by analysts >> Read More on SAN: Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue Metinvest, Ukraine's largest steel producer, has received the first shipment of 80,000 metric tons of coking coal from its U.S.-based enterprise this year, the company said on April 8. The U.S. supplies are meant to offset the loss of coking coal from the mine near Pokrovsk, which has suspended operations as Russian forces are closing in on the Donetsk Oblast town. The Ukrainian steelmaker is set to receive a vessel carrying 80,000 metric tons of coal every month to support its operations in the Zaporizhstal and Kamet Steel plants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Despite the challenging conditions in the Ukrainian steel industry due to the aggressors ongoing invasion, we have mobilized our resources to ensure the industrys operation," said Yurii Ryzhenkov, Metinvest's CEO. "Although coking coal import is more expensive than its domestic equivalent due to logistics, this is an important step to help the Ukrainian economy," the chief executive said, adding that U.S. coal supplies will also provide tens of thousands of jobs and help boost tax revenue. Metinvest is receiving supplies from United Coal Company, a producer based in the Appalachian region that was acquired by the Ukrainian steelmaker in April 2009. The Pokrovsk coal mine is one of Eastern Europes largest and Ukraines sole producer of coking coal, a key component in steelmakingUkraine's second-largest export after agriculture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pokrovsk, a crucial logistics hub for Ukrainian forces, has been the focus of fierce fighting as Russia intensifies its offensive in Donetsk Oblast. Read also: In Kyiv, skepticism about ceasefire reigns as Russia ramps up deadly attacks and US remains mute Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Police with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte asked students and neighbors to be on the lookout Wednesday for a man accused of sexually assaulting someone. UNC Charlotte police said they were alerted Tuesday morning to an incident near McCall House 6. So far, police have described the suspect as a white male, approximately 6 feet tall, wearing a nose ring and all black clothes. ALSO READ: Charlotte teacher used translation app to prey on two students, documents say Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was also possibly driving a dark sedan-type vehicle, police said. However, police have confirmed theres no threat to the public at this time. If you know anything, please give police a call at 704-687-2200. Check wsoctv.com for updates. WATCH BELOW: Rock Hill police investigate peeper at TJ Maxx A Union County woman was honored as a finalist in Teachers of Tomorrows 2025 North Carolina Teacher of The Year. Teachers of Tomorrow is shining a spotlight on Victoria Kauffman on Wednesday. She teaches theater arts at Cuthbertson High School. ALSO READ: Never give up: Teacher battling cancer takes step back from teaching Kauffman now advances as a finalist for the national Teacher of The Year competition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a dedicated and passionate theater arts teacher, Victoria creates an inclusive, engaging, and intellectually stimulating learning environment where every student feels valued and empowered, said Ashley Bayer, who nominated Kauffman. Victorias classroom is a space where all studentsregardless of background, ability, or experienceare welcomed and encouraged to express themselves. Bayer added, She fosters a culture of belonging, ensuring that every students voice is heard and respected. You can help her win public voting is open now and ends on April 18. Cast your vote on teachersoftomorrow.org. WATCH BELOW: Monroe teacher, coach recovers from pneumonia, comes off ventilator Photo illustration by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer. In early 2024, I was assigned to the Ramsey County Probation Unit represented by Teamsters Local 320. The unit had fallen into disarray from a lack of leadership from both county administration and the previous union reps. More than 200 Ramsey County probation officers serve in several specialty units within the Community Corrections Department. The officers supervise over 11,000 adult and juvenile clients. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Probation and parole is at the intersection of rehabilitation and law enforcement. Probation and parole has been subject to increased regulatory and administrative changes in the past few years. More probation officers are required to wear bullet-resistant vests and body-worn cameras, even as officers are moving away from punitive models to more holistic community supervision. These system-wide changes had resulted in internal tensions and poor morale within the officer corps, exacerbated by a lack of leadership from agency managers and policymakers. The question posed to me as I took over the assignment was: Could union solidarity promote unit cohesion and establish internal leadership? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The answer is yes! Union solidarity brought pride and purpose to probation officers in Ramsey County. When I first assumed the role of business agent with the probation unit, I was viewed with skepticism and suspicion. I immediately got to work and dealt with every issue no matter how large or small to build credibility with the officer corps. I soon discovered most issues were valid, and that labor/management power dynamics were weighted heavily towards management. Probation officers are classified as non-essential status in state statute, unlike peace officers, correctional officers, county prosecutors and public safety dispatchers. This means probation officers have the right to strike over collective bargaining disputes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Building strike capacity for probation officers proved less difficult than initially anticipated due to the desire of the officer corps to reclaim identity as vital professionals for public safety and rehabilitation. And, they demanded self-determination in defining their work and its impact. Collective bargaining disputes can amplify issues and solve others, but usually do not result in transformational change. That type of change is hard work and takes time, dedication and compromise. I knew long before we organized for a strike action that we would eventually get an agreement, and once we did so, momentum would wane. So we had to systematize lasting change within the final agreement. We needed regular meet-and-confer sessions with county officials to elevate professional development discussions above the heads of department leaders, who failed to listen to officer concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We also needed a new officer training program that would place a lasting imprint from the officer corps on the institutional instruction and best practices of all future officers. As strike planning ensued, the county dug in. This only further solidified the officer corps resolve to strike if necessary. In full transparency, I am a supporter of the liberal power structure in Ramsey County. It has been a positive force for working people, but just as the officers refused to be defined by others, I too refused to allow Teamsters in Ramsey County to be defined by prevailing systems. The threat to strike was made public after four months of negotiations and mediation. By that time, the county started to buckle and brought us close to attaining a settlement on all items including wages, but the county proposed a two-tiered professional development system for senior officers and less senior officers. This move would narrow the path for junior officers to professionally develop into the senior classification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For a negotiation predicated upon professional identity, this was a red line. The officer corps had voted by 99% to empower the union bargaining committee to call a strike if necessary. After we filed our strike notice, we held a massive rally at the Saint Paul courthouse to amplify our issues to the press and legal establishment. Officers chanted, Teamsters dont break. After the rally the officers marched into the courthouse rotunda and continued chanting. The echo from the chanting in those halls could be heard outside the building onto the street. The strike was averted when the county presented acceptable language on professional development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During this year-long process, there are a few important details to mention. The union negotiating team was formed organically within the officer corps. It was self-organized by competent and committed union members who brought experience and expertise to the process. Had it become necessary, the officers would have executed a successful strike against Ramsey County and won the support of the community. Bureaucratic inertia has become a hindrance to union mobilization. Overall, union organization brought pride and unity to the officer corps, which will wind up paying major dividends for Ramsey County taxpayers, who can count on a professional officer corps dedicated to service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A last point: Union probationary employees, who are usually young people of color, remain unprotected. In Ramsey County the probationary period for a new probation officer is one year. I have witnessed probationary employees make it to their last month or week of probation only to be let go just before the deadline. I have seen this not just with Ramsey County, but at the Board of Public Defense, and the University of Minnesota. Unfortunately, I have had to tell union probationary employees that until their probationary period is complete, they are at-will and have the same rights as fast food or Walmart workers. We should demand a just cause threshold for any employment termination. You want to fire someone? You should need just cause. In Montana, no liberal bastion, just cause is required to discharge any employee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When workers have a union in Montana, their union will enforce just cause. If the worker does not have a union, then they can seek out legal representation to enforce their rights. Minnesota should implement just cause as a fundamental right to empower workers in all 87 counties. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) United Caring Services in Evansville received an over $27,000 grant to help those experiencing homelessness. The money will help transition people out of homelessness and into permanent housing solutions. It will also provide rides for the homeless community to services such as the dentist, social security office and more. Officials say a lack of transportation is often a barrier in breaking homelessness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW). Sub: US trade representative cites opposition by stakeholders The United States wont charge Chinese ships the full slate of proposed port fees for using American ports, and those fees wont be cumulative. United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday told lawmakers that the fees, which are supposed to help jumpstart a revival of U.S. shipbuilding, prompted overwhelming opposition from across the shipping industry. Stakeholders said port charges as high as $1.5 million per ship per call could raise container rates, snarl services and lead to ocean lines eliminating services to smaller ports. Greer said he had met with some stakeholders, Reuters reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre not all going to be implemented. Theyre not all going to be stacked, Greer said. The fees were proposed in February after an investigation by the USTR found China pressed unfair trade practices as it sought to dominate global container shipping and shipbuilding. Port charges could still be implemented by November after further study, the news service reported, quoting unidentified sources. Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here. Related coverage: Ocean shipping carbon tax could gouge US consumers, say opponents Expect subdued peak container season in wake of tariffs, says analyst Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Port of LAs Seroka says tariffs to cut container volumes by 10% Tariff backdrop finds ocean rates steady The post United States reverses course on proposed port fees for Chinese ships appeared first on FreightWaves. Comcast NBCUniversal plans to build a theme park and resort in England, and the project will have roots in Orlando, the company has confirmed. The Universal theme park would be the companys first in the United Kingdom and Europe. It will be designed and delivered by the companys Universal Destinations & Experiences segment, which is based in Orlando, according to a Comcast news release. The company purchased 476 acres of land in Bedford, about 50 miles north of London, in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A new theme park would include several themed lands, a 500-room hotel and a retail and dining complex. The project is subject to planning approval and a proposal will be submitted to the government for a hoped-for construction start in 2026, the news release says. This is a special and historic milestone moment for our company as we continue to accelerate the growth trajectory of our theme-parks business and delight audiences around the world, Mike Cavanagh, president of Comcast, said in the release. Rides and other attractions within the proposed park were not announced. An artist concept shows at least three roller coasters, several show buildings, a central lagoon, a studios-style entrance and Universals trademark globe out front. A taller building, perhaps a hotel, appears on the edge of the park. The resort would employ about 8,000 people in the first year of operation, according to a Universal website designed to update locals about the project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Expanding into Europe presents us with a significant opportunity to reach new fans and share the incredible experiences our team creates, Mark Woodbury, CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences, said in the release. Universal has several projects in the works including Epic Universe theme park, which is set to open on May 22 as the companys fourth gate in Orlando. Also on its to-do list: Horror Unleased, a year-round spooky attraction in Las Vegas set to debut in August, and the under-construction Universal Kids theme park near Dallas, which is scheduled to open in 2026. Epic Universe preview: An early walk (and rides) in the park The average high temperature in August in Bedford is in the mid-60s. The high in December, January, and February is in the low 40s, dipping into the high 30s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Universal also has theme parks in Hollywood, California; Osaka, Japan; Singapore; and Beijing, China. The Bedford location will be within two hours travel time of 80% of Englands population and have fantastic connectivity to all of Europe, Universal said. The unparalleled storytelling and technological innovation that the incredible team at Universal Destinations & Experiences brings to life is a perfect complement to the British creative arts and tourism industries, Cavanagh said. Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. BlueSky: @themeparksdb. Threads account: @dbevil. X account: @themeparks. Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters. Popular theory: Wicked movie has theme-park possibilities Many American universities, widely seen globally as beacons of academic integrity and free speech, are giving in to demands from the Trump administration, which has been targeting academia since it took office. In one of his first acts, President Donald Trump branded diversity, equity and inclusion programs as discriminatory. His administration also launched federal investigations into more than 50 universities, from smaller regional schools such as Grand Valley State University in Michigan and the New England College of Optometry in Massachusetts to elite private universities such as Harvard and Yale. Trump ramped up the pressure by threatening university research funding and targeting specific schools. In one example, the Trump administration revoked US$400 million in grants to Columbia University over its alleged failures to curb antisemitic harassment on campus. The school later agreed to most of Trumps demands, from tightening student protest policies to placing an entire academic department under administrative oversight though the funding remains frozen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cornell, Northwestern, Princeton, Brown and the University of Pennsylvania have also recently had grants frozen. Harvard was sent a list of demands in order to keep $9 billion in federal funding. Now, across the United States, many universities are trying to avoid being Trumps next target. Administrators are dismantling DEI initiatives closing and rebranding offices, eliminating positions, revising training programs and sanitizing diversity statements while professors are preemptively self-censoring. Not all institutions are complying. Some schools, such as Wesleyan, have refused to abandon their diversity principles. And organizations including the American Association of University Professors have filed lawsuits challenging Trumps executive orders, arguing they violate academic freedom and the First Amendment. But these remain exceptions, as the broader trend leans toward institutional caution and retreat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a scholar of comparative and international education, I study how academic institutions respond to authoritarian pressure across political systems, cultural contexts and historical moments. While some universities may believe that compliance with the administration will protect their funding and independence, a few historical parallels suggest otherwise. Students and other Nazi supporters gather at Humboldt University in Berlin in 1933. AP Photo German universities: A lesson In the 1975 book The Abuse of Learning: The Failure of German Universities, historian Frederic Lilge chronicles how German universities, which entered the 20th century in a golden age of global intellectual influence, did not resist the Nazi regime but instead adapted to it. Even before seizing national power in 1933, the Nazi Party was closely monitoring German universities through nationalist student groups and sympathetic faculty, flagging professors deemed politically unreliable particularly Jews, Marxists, liberals and pacifists. After Hitler took office in 1933, his regime moved swiftly to purge academic institutions of Jews and political opponents. The 1933 Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service mandated the firing of Jewish and other non-Aryan professors and members of the faculty deemed politically suspect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Soon after, professors were required to swear loyalty to Hitler, curricula were overhauled to emphasize national defense and racial science a pseudoscientific framework used to justify antisemitism and Aryan supremacy and entire departments were restructured to serve Nazi ideology. Some institutions, such as the Technische Hochschule Stuttgart, even rushed to honor Hitler with an honorary doctorate within weeks of his rise to power. He declined the offer, though the gesture signaled the universitys eagerness to align with the regime. Professional associations, such as the Association of German Universities, stayed silent, ignoring key opportunities to resist before universities lost their autonomy and became subservient to the Nazi state. As linguist Max Weinreich wrote in his 1999 book Hitlers Professors, many academics didnt just comply, they enabled the regime by reshaping their research. This legitimized state doctrine, helping build the intellectual framework of the regime. A few academics resisted and were dismissed, exiled or executed. Most did not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The transformation of German academia was not a slow drift but a swift and systemic overhaul. But what made Hitlers orders stick was the eagerness of many academic leaders to comply, justify and normalize the new order. Each decision each erased name, each revised syllabus, each closed program and department was framed as necessary, even patriotic. Within a few years, German universities no longer served knowledge they served power. It would take more than a decade after the war, through denazification, reinvestment and international reintegration, for West German universities to begin regaining their intellectual standing and academic credibility. Under Stalin, dissenting scholars were purged and history rewritten to glorify the Communist Party. Moscow State University opened in 1953 with murals such as this one depicting Soviet symbols. AP Photo/Zander Hollander USSR and fascist Italy suffer similar fate Other countries that have fallen under authoritarian regimes followed similar trajectories. In fascist Italy, the shift began not with violence but with a signature. In 1931, the Mussolini regime required all university professors to swear an oath of loyalty to the state. Out of more than 1,200, only 12 refused. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many justified their compliance by insisting the oath had no bearing on their teaching or research. But by publicly affirming loyalty and offering no organized resistance, the academic community signaled its willingness to accommodate the regime. This lack of opposition allowed the fascist government to tighten control over universities and use them to advance its ideological agenda. In the Soviet Union, this control was not limited to symbolic gestures it reshaped the entire academic system. After the Russian Revolution in 1917, the Bolsheviks oscillated between wanting to abolish universities as feudal relics and repurposing them to serve a socialist state, as historians John Connelly and Michael Gruttner explain in their book Universities Under Dictatorship. Ultimately, they chose the latter, remaking universities as instruments of ideological education and technical training, tightly aligned with Marxist-Leninist goals. Under Josef Stalin, academic survival depended less on scholarly merit than on conformity to official doctrine. Dissenting scholars were purged or exiled, history was rewritten to glorify the Communist Party, and entire disciplines such as genetics were reshaped to fit political orthodoxy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This model was exported across Eastern and Central Europe during the Cold War. In East Germany, Czechoslovakia and Poland, ministries dictated curricula, Marxism-Leninism became mandatory across disciplines, and admissions were reengineered to favor students from loyalist backgrounds. In some contexts, adherents to older intellectual traditions pushed back, especially in Poland, where resistance slowed though could not prevent the imposition of ideological control. By the early 1950s, universities across the region had become what Connelly calls captive institutions, stripped of independence and recast to serve the state. A more recent example is Turkey, where, following the failed 2016 coup, more than 6,000 academics were dismissed, universities were shuttered and research deemed subversive was banned. Historys warning The Trump administrations early and direct intervention into higher education governance echoes historical attempts to bring universities under state influence or control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The administration says it is doing so to eradicate discriminatory DEI policies and fight what it sees as antisemitism on college campuses. But by withholding federal funding, the administration is also trying to force universities into ideological conformity by dictating whose knowledge counts but also whose presence and perspectives are permissible on campus. Columbias reaction to Trumps demands sent a clear message: Resistance is risky, but compliance may be rewarded though the $400 million has yet to be restored. The speed and scope of its concessions set a precedent, signaling to other universities that avoiding political fallout now may mean rewriting policies, reshaping departments and retreating from controversy, perhaps before anyone even asks. The Trump administration has already moved on to other universities, including the University of Pennsylvania over its transgender policies, Princeton for its climate programs and Harvard over alleged antisemitism. The question is which school is next. The Department of Education has launched investigations into over 50 institutions, accusing them of using racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities. How these institutions choose to respond may determine whether higher education remains a space for open inquiry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pressure to conform is not just financial it is also cultural. Faculty at some institutions are being advised not to use DEI in emails and public communication, with warnings to not be a target. Academics are removing pronouns from their email signatures and asking their students to comply, too. Ive been on the receiving end of those warnings, and so have my counterparts at other institutions. And students on visas are being warned not to travel outside the U.S. after several were deported or denied reentry due to alleged involvement in protests. Meanwhile, people inside and outside academia are combing websites, syllabi, presentations and public writing in search of what they consider ideological infractions. This type of peer surveillance can reward silence, incentivize erasure and turn institutions against their own. When universities start regulating not just what they say but what they teach, support and stand for driven by fear rather than principle they are no longer just reacting to political threats, they are internalizing them. And as history has shown, that may mark the beginning of the end of their academic independence. 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: Iveta Silova, Arizona State University Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: This article does not represent the views of Arizona State University. A camper killed when a tree fell in a remote part of Fannin County over the weekend has been identified as a University of Alabama senior. Fannin County Emergency Management Agency officials identified the camper as Malachi Crain. Bama Catholic, the campus ministry serving Catholic students at the University of Alabama, said Crain was getting a bachelors degree in mathematics and computer science and had been leading a mens Bible study for over two years. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] EMA officials say Crain and three others were sleeping in hammocks in a remote area of the Cohutta Wilderness Area near Panther Creek Falls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A father and daughter in the area called 911 at 2:15 a.m. on Saturday and said they heard a tree fall, then found the four campers. One of them was unresponsive and trapped beneath the tree and another was injured. The terrain around Panther Creek Falls is rugged, marked by steep inclines, dense forest cover, and extremely limited access. EMA said the campsite was about 4.2 miles from the nearest trailhead, making it 8.4 miles round-trip for rescuers. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EMA posted video of aerial crews that were called in to help the camper who was injured. Without air support, a ground evacuation would have demanded far more personnel, extended the duration of the operation, and increased the risk to both rescuers and the patient, Fannin County said. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Syria's Islamist Government Claims Assyrian is an Arabic Language The Culture and Antiquities Authority in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria issued a statement today, condemning the statements made by the Minister of Culture in the Damascus Authority regarding the origin of the Syriac language. The statement was delivered in front of the Culture and Antiquities Authority building in Raqqa Province in three languages: Arabic, Kurdish, and Syriac. It stated: "Out of our commitment to the cultural and historical truth of Syria's components, some statements issued by the Minister of Culture in the Syrian Interim Government through the media have included historically incorrect information regarding the Syriac language and the origin of the name Syria." The Minister of Culture in the Damascus Authority had stated in a television interview that the Syriac language is an "ancient Arabic dialect," and that the name "Syria" means "the lords," from which the English word "SIR" is derived. These claims were described by the authority as "not based on any reliable scientific or historical foundation," and constitute "a blatant affront to the linguistic and cultural identity of the Syriac-Assyrian people, one of the oldest peoples in the region." The Syriac language is an independent Semitic language. The statement confirmed that: "The Syriac language is an independent Semitic language belonging to the Aramaic branch, with a reliable history extending over thousands of years," and added that: "The origins of the name Syria date back to the civilizations and peoples of the region, and it was given by the Greeks to the land inhabited by the Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Arameans, and Syriacs." The statement mentioned that the issued remarks "reflect an exclusionary and totalitarian mindset," urging the Damascus authorities to be cautious of such rhetoric to avoid repeating the "mistakes of the Ba'ath regime," and to emphasize respect for cultural, linguistic, and religious diversity in Syria. The statement concluded by emphasizing that "preserving cultural and linguistic diversity in Syria is not a favor or a gift, but a fundamental condition for building a democratic pluralistic state based on mutual recognition and respect for others." Saudi Arabian mining company Ma'aden is in the process of selecting an international company to establish a rare earths processing partnership, aiming to position the kingdom as a critical minerals hub, reported Reuters, citing three sources familiar with the matter. The company is evaluating potential collaborations with MP Materials from the US, China's Shenghe Resources, Australia's Lynas Rare Earths or Canada's Neo Performance Materials. Ma'aden plans to finalise its decision by the end of June. The companies will develop plans for both a rare earths processing facility and a subsequent magnet production facility within Saudi Arabia. The chosen partner will collaborate with Ma'aden to study the most effective methods for mining and processing the kingdom's abundant mineral reserves. The study is expected to be completed by December. Saudi officials nearly doubled the estimated value of the kingdom's mineral reserves to $2.5trn (SR9.38trn) last year, mainly due to the inclusion of rare earth elements. While Ma'aden and MP Materials have refrained from commenting, Lynas has acknowledged its ongoing discussions with emerging rare earths companies globally. Among the contenders, Shenghe and Neo have experience in rare earths processing and magnet production. The refinement of rare earths, a group of 17 chemically similar metals, is a complex and environmentally challenging process. The search for more efficient methods is ongoing, given the intricate separation required for these metals. China's dominance in the rare earths refining industry, controlling nearly 90% of the global capacity, underscores the strategic importance of Saudi Arabia's move. Saudi Arabia's focus on mining aligns with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman's Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the economy beyond its traditional reliance on oil. The country is ramping up its presence in the global minerals supply chain through major investments and strategic partnerships. Under its National Investment Strategy, it plans to invest $9.32bn in smelting projects with Indias Vedanta and Chinas Zijin. The kingdoms sovereign wealth fund backs US-based electric vehicle maker Lucid, which opened a Saudi plant in 2023. The country has also signed memorandums of understanding with Hastings Technology Metals and Critical Metals for rare earth and lithium projects. In February 2025, Maaden secured $1.25bn from its first Islamic bond issuance, a key step in its $12bn expansion plan through 2030. "Saudi mining giant Maaden eyes rare earths partnership" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. An international student studying at the University of Florida has been deported to his home country, Colombia, after he was arrested and accused of traffic violations, his family and local officials said. Felipe Zapata Velazquez, 27, is one of the latest foreign students studying in the United States to be deported after a widespread crackdown by the Trump administration. A protest to demand that his immigration status be restored was scheduled at the college at 12:15 p.m. ET Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NBC Miami obtained body-worn camera video showing the moment police stopped Zapata Velazquez in Gainesville on March 28. "I'm an international student," he tells an officer. "I just came from Colombia." Police records cited by NBC Miami show he was cited for numerous offenses, including having an illegal license plate and driving with a suspended or revoked license and registration tag. Like many others who have faced detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Zapata Velazquez had a valid F-1 student visa. The university confirmed that he is a third-year undergraduate majoring in food and resource economics but said it could not comment further for privacy reasons. Claudia Velazquez, his mother, told Colombian TV station Nuestra Tele Noticias this week that her son was told he could wait in detention while the immigration court handled the case or sign his own deportation papers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "At this time, Felipe is undergoing a physical and emotional recovery process, and we are prioritizing his well-being and overall health," she said in a statement in Spanish obtained and translated by NBC Miami. "I sincerely appreciate the interest, solidarity, and support that many have expressed regarding my son's situation. When his situation is fully clarified, and if he deems it appropriate, Felipe will personally address any additional requests or communications." Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., said Zapata Velazquez was taken to the Krome Detention Center in Miami-Dade County. In a statement this week, Maxwell said President Donald Trump and ICE were "running a government-funded kidnapping program." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Felipe Zapata Velasquez is just the latest victim of Trumps disgusting campaign against immigrants. What should have been a routine traffic stop resulted in a nightmare as Felipe is now forced to live in the hell on Earth that is the Krome Detention Center while he awaits deportation orders," said Frost, a member of the House Oversight Committee. Dimitris Liveris, leader of the University of Florida Young Democratic Socialists of America, which was organizing Wednesday's protest, told NBC Miami: "Right now, we're seeing waves and waves of fear throughout the student body because people don't know what's going to get them placed in an ICE prison." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) The University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Lansing named Ann Marie Creed, MHSA, BA as its new president. She starts her new position on May 19. We are incredibly pleased to have someone of Ann Maries stature and experience join our team, said Margaret Dimond, Ph.D., regional president, University of Michigan Health in a news release sent to 6 News. I worked alongside her during my time at Henry Ford Health System and have been so impressed by her knowledge and ability to execute innovative programs and initiatives. She is an exceptional leader with solid operational outcomes and expertise. Ann Marie will be a great addition to our team. Creed has experience in healthcare leadership roles as vice president of Henry Ford Health System in Detroit since 2012, overseeing surgical services, and operations and currently as leader of system capacity command and patient logistics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to UM Health-Sparrow, Creed succeeds interim president Christopher Palazzolo, who has served in that role since January and came to UM Health-Sparrow Lansing temporarily. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) Sonny Perdue, the chancellor of the University System of Georgia, is recommending Georgia Southern University consolidate with East Georgia State College. Perdue says the merger will save money, help the university system better serve students and broaden academic programs being offered. East Georga State College would keep its identity but would become part of Georgia Southern University. East Georgia students tell WSAV theyre looking forward to new opportunities but are wary of their school losing its spirit. Braedin Swab, a freshman at EGSC says, This is one of the cheaper universities in Georgia and thats a huge factor of why a lot of people can come here. Because not everybody is financially blessed and its justthats something that I worry about too. Would tuition rates go up? Would financial aid still be able to help? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Georgia Southern and East Georgia officials are deferring all questions to the University System who have said they will hold a listening session on East Georgias campus April 16. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV. UNLV prepares to open Sands Chinese cultural center LAS VEGAS (KLAS) In a few months, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas is set to open its Sands Institute for Chinese Language and Culture. UNLV Officer in Charge Chris Heavey said the university is launching new programs for students exploring the countrys philosophy and history. Weve always believed that the connection between Las Vegas specifically and China have been extremely strong from the tourism industry but also the convention business, Heavey explained. Weve actually had our first language course launch about a week ago where people can come in to learn conversational Mandarin for free at the language and cultural institute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Students can also have the opportunity to study abroad, immersing themselves in Chinas contemporary society while enhancing their academic and professional skills. UNLVs faculty staff spent the last two summers traveling to China establishing relationships. One of the lead partners in the Sands Chinese Language and Cultural Institute will be Sun Yat-sen University which is located in Guangzhou China. Its a major research university, Heavey added. Jenny Koo, president of Nevadas Chinese Association, said this center will help showcase Chinas rich heritage. I also think its a good time to share more about our culture like most people know about Chinese dance or instruments and we can do more cultural stuff like more in-depth like this tea bowl is 800 to 1,000 years ago like when you see it maybe you didnt know about that, Koo said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With a growing Chinese population in the Las Vegas valley, Koo said shes proud to see so many people sparking interest in Chinese culture. We can do more economics and business so I think thats good for us in the community to see everything that is growing to be a bridge for the tourists and the community, Koo said. The institute will be located at UNLVs Maryland administrative building on Maryland Parkway and Flamingo Road. The Las Vegas Sands donated $15 million to help sponsor these classes and events. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. After months of fighting to shield records detailing the highly unusual expense of using taxpayer money to secure his home, Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza has settled a lawsuit with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and agreed to release the documents. The agreement ends part of a nine-month open government battle that began when the American-Statesman and KVUE-TV sought records related to the publicly funded security enhancements to Garzas private residence. As part of the resolution, Garza released hundreds of pages of cost estimates and invoices that he had previously fought to keep confidential, including the name of the contractor who completed $65,000 in work to his house and emails among his staff members who coordinated the project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The records do not reveal the specific details of the property security improvements, which were allowed to remain private under the terms of the agreement. We are grateful to the Office of the Texas Attorney General for their efforts to reach a resolution to this matter, Garza said in a statement. Paxtons office did not return a Statesman request for comment. A copy of the agreement between Paxton and Garza was not publicly accessible Tuesday afternoon. The Statesman and KVUE were intervenors in the lawsuit. Bill Aleshire, a government transparency attorney and former Travis County judge, said the documents released through the agreement constitute basic public information that could have been disclosed months ago without endangering Garza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They not only withheld information about public funds, they spent more public funds fighting the disclosure that they have now agreed to, Aleshire said. Now they finally agree they were records they should have released all along? Unnecessarily secretive. Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza has settled a lawsuit with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and agreed to release documents about the use of taxpayer money to secure his home. The Statesman reported in August that Travis County commissioners in March 2024 granted a $115,000 allocation to Garza to help secure his home, marking what is believed to be the first time the county had used public money to fortify an officials private home. The rest of the money paid for county constables to help secure Garzas home overnight and on weekends. Garza has said the added protections were necessary amid multiple threats he received, including online harassment and a letter sent to his home that said he would be killed if he did not resign. The revelations about the payment raised questions about why Garza was the only elected official to receive a home security allowance when others were also subjected to similar threats. A state district judge reported in a commissioners meeting in November that she was aware of several instances in recent years in which litigants had shown up on their doors of judges. Critics noted that the county had no policy concerning how and when it would use public money to secure private homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The secrecy also touched off a transparency battle that included a still-pending suit against commissioners from Paxton, who accused them of violating the Texas Open Meetings Act in using a nondescript agenda item to fund the home security project. Commissioners later took corrective action, voting again on the matter with a more complete agenda item. Paxton ordered Garza to release records related to the expenditure, but Garza in November sued to block the disclosure of some documents while disclosing others. The newly released records show that Garzas staff began gathering cost estimates for the project in June 2023, the same month Garza received the letter at his home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over several months, Garzas chief investigator, Norris McKenzie, coordinated much of the project, keeping Garza informed via emails for input. The records show that county officials, with security in mind, bypassed the usual procurement process for the project, hiring Austin-based Piatra, Inc., which documents described as a historically underutilized business. Documents show that staff members in the countys purchasing office deemed the companys bid fair and reasonable. It is still unclear why the company was chosen for the work. Piatra President Mirela Ivan Glass declined to comment. McKenzie and Glass corresponded in April 2024 about getting the project moving after the commissioners' vote, and McKenzie encouraged her to reach out to the clients directly. McKenzie included on the email thread Garzas wife, Kate Garza, who works as chief of staff to Travis County Judge Andy Brown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the work continued, McKenzie and other county staff members discussed the duration of the project, noting on May 30 that it would be finished soon and that some needed items were on back order. In the months since, commissioners have established a team to provide security to elected officials. They also created a $500,000 pool available to about three dozen officials to help cover costs for home security-related items such as monthly residential security system fees. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Travis County DA Garza resolves lawsuit over home security spending GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) The City of Grand Junctions unofficial results currently have District A incumbent Cody Kennedy ahead while Robert Ballard and Ben Van Dyke are leading their races. The unofficial results say Kennedy has 9,626 votes while his challenger, Alexis Hitzeroth, has 6,579. In the District E race, Ballard is holding off current Mayor Pro-Tem Randall Reitz. According to the unofficial results, Ballard has 8,660 while Reitz who previously held the at-large position before running District E has 7,331 votes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking of the at-large seat, Van Dyke is ahead of hopeful Ken Scissors with a vote difference of 7,838-6830. Laura Houston, who dropped out of the race but still had her name on the ballot, has 1,439 votes. District D candidate Laurel Cole who ran unopposed received 12,096 votes. Dennis Simpson currently has the seat but decided not to run for re-election. Meanwhile, one ballot measure looks on track to pass while another seems likely to fail. The unofficial results say 10,106 voters approved Measure 2A while 5,057 residents said no. This ballot issue changes the date of the general municipal elections to November in odd-numbered years beginning in 2027. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Measure 2B which would increase the salaries of the mayor and city council members seems to be shot down by voters. According to the unofficial results, 8,907 residents said no to the ballot issue compared to 6,481 voters who approved it. Up-to-date election results can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com. In a convoluted comment during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in April 2025, Trump recounted conversations he had with Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. In an attempt to compare Hamas' treatment of the hostages with how Nazis treated Jewish concentration camp prisoners before and during World War II, Trump asked some former hostages if Hamas had shown them "any sign of love" or offered any kind gesture toward them, such as "what happened in Germany, what happened elsewhere." He added, "People would try and help people that were in unbelievable distress." Although he clearly implied some Nazis showed kindness to some Jewish prisoners while stating outright that no Hamas captors did anything of the kind, Trump did not explicitly say "Nazis treated Jews with love," as some social media users claimed. In early April 2025, rumors circulated online that U.S. President Donald Trump said or implied Nazis had treated Jewish prisoners "with love." For example, someone posted on Reddit making this claim (archived): (reddit screenshot) As of this writing, the post had amassed more than 20,000 upvotes and 1,200 comments. The same claim appeared on X. Someone even summoned Grok, X's artificial intelligence tool, to answer whether the claim was true, and Grok said it was (archived): @whateverkc22 @DiscoPuma Yes, Trump reportedly said this on 4/7/25 with Netanyahu, per news like The New Republic. He implied Nazis showed "love" to Jewish prisoners, which is historically false6M Jews were killed in the Holocaust. No official transcript exists, but the claim Grok (@grok) April 8, 2025 Further, several readers searched the Snopes site asking whether the rumor was true, while others emailed seeking to confirm it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's what we found: The claims stem from a report by The New Republic regarding remarks Trump made in the presence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on April 7, 2025. Netanyahu was visiting the White House and discussed his country's protracted war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which began on Oct. 7, 2023. As they answered journalists' questions, Trump discussed meeting some of the people Hamas kidnapped from Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and asking them about the treatment they received from their captors. We found video footage of the remarks: The transcript of Trump's comments read (emphasis ours): As an example, I said to them, "Was there any sign of love, you were there 10 people..." it's only 10 but it's pretty representative "did the Hamas show any signs of like, help, or liking you? Did they wink at you? Did they give you a piece of bread extra? Did they give you a meal on the side? Like... you know you think of doing... Like what happened in Germany, what happened elsewhere ... People would try and help people that were in unbelievable distress. They said "No." I said "All of them." I said "Did they ever wink at you, like, 'You'll be OK, you're going to be OK'?" "No they didn't do that. They'd slap us." The hatred is unbelievable. And their lives, you know ... They lived in a pipe not really a tunnel, it was a pipe and they always thought they were suffocating, they were going to suffocate. And then they'd open up the pipe and it was like 3 1/2-feet high. This isn't, you know... We hear tunnel is bad, but pipes are worse. And the stories I heard were incredible, but I just said, "Was there any sign of potential love or affection?" And there were none whatsoever, it was amazing to me, there was nothing, like, "Here, take this, it's a little extra meal," or something. They lived like hell. In other words, while Trump did not say the words, "Nazis treated Jewish prisoners with love," he did compare the way Hamas treated Israeli hostages with the way Germans treated Jewish people in the context of World War II and the Holocaust. In the latter, Nazi Germany systematically killed 6 million Jews, either by bullets or in concentration and extermination camps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump appeared to suggest that the Germans treated their Jewish prisoners better than Hamas treated theirs. His argument was that people in Germany "and elsewhere" showed more sympathy and humanity to their prisoners with comforting gestures or food, while Hamas offered its hostages no "love or affection." Sources: Concentration Camps The Holocaust Explained: Designed for Schools. 4 Jan. 1933, https://www.theholocaustexplained.org/the-camps/types-of-camps/concentration-camps/. 'Holocaust Misconceptions'. Illinois Holocaust Museum, https://www.ilholocaustmuseum.org/holocaust-misconceptions/. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025. 'Trump Claims Nazis Treated Jewish Prisoners With "Love"'. The New Republic. The New Republic, https://newrepublic.com/post/193725/donald-trump-israel-hostages-nazis-jewish-prisoners-love. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025. (FOX40.COM) A massive fire that engulfed a Stockton warehouse uncovered hydrant failures and a slew of other safety issues, according to the citys mayor and vice mayor. Video Above: Changing Stockton: A live discussion with Stockton leadership On April 2, a fire broke out at a warehouse in the 2400 block of South California Street, across from McKinley Park. The fire quickly escalated to a 3-alarm emergency that required more than 40 firefighters to battle it. Changing Stockton: A discussion with Mayor Christina Fugazi and Vice Mayor Jason Lee Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This fire exposed shortcomings that date back to previous leadership, said Mayor Christina Fugazi. Fugazi said former city officials gave assurance that the system was fully operational, however, recent developments suggest otherwise. Stockton welcomes new leaders, community hopeful for change Were going to get to the bottom of why city leadership was told one thing, only to discover another. Stockton cannot afford to ignore critical infrastructure, Fugazi said. Across California, weve seen how wildfire emergenciesespecially in areas like Los Angeleswere made worse when water access was limited or, in some cases, non-existent at the hydrants. We will not let that happen here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vice Mayor Jason Lee said that during the response, multiple hydrants failed during suppression efforts, one hydrant broke and could not be shut off, and the city identified chronic tampering and aging infrastructure. Additionally, Lee said the Port of Stockton is at risk because it lacks a dedicated fire service and currently relies on the City Fire Department with no reimbursement or formal agreement. He called for immediate action. Our city cannot afford to wait. We have infrastructure failing, hydrants in disrepair, and no fire protection plan for one of our largest economic assets, Lee said. We need immediate solutions. Lee has called for a formal report from the Fire and Municipal Utilities departments, a cost and timeline plan for hydrant repairs and replacements, a fire service strategy for the Port, including a reimbursement model, and a review of hydrant audits, tampering reports, and water pressure monitoring. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is about public safety, accountability, and making sure our infrastructure doesnt fail when we need it most, Lee said. Fire preparedness and port protection are scheduled to be addressed at the next city council meeting at 5:30 p.m. on April 15 at City Council Chambers, 425 N. El Dorado St., 2nd floor, Stockton. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News. U.S. military assistance to Kyiv has decreased, with European countries now providing the main portion of aid, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in an interview with the LB.UA outlet published on April 9. Washington has been Kyiv's leading military donor throughout the full-scale war, but President Donald Trump's accession to office brought a major shift in U.S. policy on the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump has permitted the continued flow of assistance approved by former U.S. President Joe Biden except for a brief halt on all military aid in March but has yet to sign off on any new packages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Support from partners, of course, plays a crucial role (in changing the strategic situation in the war)," Syrskyi said in the interview. The U.S. provided Ukraine with some $100 billion in military aid since the outbreak of Russia's full-scale war in 2022, including $67 billion in arms. "Now, the assistance from the U.S. has decreased, and the main support comes from our partners in Europe," the commander added. A number of European countries have pledged further aid packages for Ukraine amid the growing uncertainty about U.S. support. The Trump administration has also urged Europe to increase its share of aid for Ukraine and take more responsibility for its own security. "But we must also rely on our own strength. We have had success in the production of artillery and quite significant successes with electronic warfare," Syrskyi said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Drones as well. So many types, models of drones used to strike (Russia) at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels." Aiming to reduce its reliance on foreign support, Ukraine has ramped up its domestic defense production over the past years. The country's 2025 budget allocated Hr 55 billion ($1.3 billion) for weapons production. President Volodymyr Zelensky said in February that around 40% of the weapons and equipment Ukraine uses on the battlefield are Ukrainian-made, while the U.S. contributes roughly 30%. Read also: Trump spares Russia from tariffs, but oil price plunge could wreck war economy regardless Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Schaeffler, a German manufacturer of machine and car parts, has commenced production of ball screw drives (KGTs) for a Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer. KGTs are integral to advanced steering and braking systems which includes electric parking brakes, electromechanical brakes and in steering systems, where they contribute to improved manoeuvrability, safety and comfort. Since 2007, the company has produced over 140 million KGTs for various automotive applications. The KGTs are also pivotal in lane-keeping and park assist systems, providing high efficiency, low energy requirements, and superior noise and vibration reduction. The high load-carrying capacity of Schaeffler's KGTs enables their use in light commercial vehicles, allowing for easier steering in small trucks, vans, and pickups. Schaeffler Powertrain & Chassis CEO Matthias Zink said: Schaeffler has almost 20 years of experience in the volume production and ongoing development of ball screw drives. In this context, it benefits from its manufacturing excellence and worldwide customer proximity, especially in China. The sustained success of our reliable ball screw drive is clear proof that customers are won over by the quality of our precise mechanical components. We are also proud, as a leading Motion Technology Company, to be a reliable partner for our Chinese customers in the growing market for braking and steering systems. KGTs are designed to turn rotational motion into linear motion without slippage, using integrated balls as rolling elements. This results in nearly frictionless movement, enhancing the efficiency of the systems. Schaeffler's production of automotive KGTs extends beyond steering systems to brakes and drive and power transmission systems. In February 2025, Schaeffler launched its latest production line for KGTs in Xiangtan, China to cater to the local market's growing demand for high-quality steering system components. Schaeffler also operates additional manufacturing facilities in France, South Korea, Mexico, and Slovakia. Schaeffler Group Chassis Solutions Business Unit head Timo Schmidt added: When developing the KGT for the steering systems of premium vehicles and SUVs, Schaeffler is taking account of the more stringent requirements in respect of smooth and quiet running and the larger vehicle weight. The next generation of vehicles will be fitted with electromechanical service brakes that brake each individual wheel intelligently and quietly and will thus make a further contribution to brake-by-wire technology. We have received our first nomination from a customer for KGTs for electromechanical brake systems and are already preparing for the start of production. MEMPHIS, Tenn. As Memphis and the Mid-South recover and slowly dry out from recent tornadoes and flooding, the US Army Corps of Engineers in the Memphis District is intensifying what it calls its flood fight. So, recently with this recent rain event, weve transitioned to high water emergency operations. This is the first time weve done flooding fighting in over six years since 2019, said Lt. Colonel Collin Jones, CORPS of Engineers Deputy Commander. To help respond to the generational rainfall, the Corps of Engineers has dispatched a team of more than 60 flood fighters throughout the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement https://wreg.com/news/woman-in-car-accident-shoots-at-four-in-east-memphis-mpd/ Weve had low water for so long and to have this intense of a flood fight, people are working around the clock to make sure we serving our communities the best we can with the tools we have available, said Sarah Girdner, Hydraulic Engineer, Corps of Engineers. Its not just the eyes and ears of folks in this building, said Donny Davidson, Deputy District Manager, Corps of Engineers. Weve got thousands of folks who are really part of the network that are bringing in the problems. Some areas of West Tennessee with major problems are Dyer and Obion Counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local Caregiver charged with neglect on bus with vulnerable adults, goats A lot of those areas dont have protection systems, so theyre are the will of the water and they really need to be looking and I think they are, theyve been on our calls, said Davidson. I have technical assistance that were providing, said Girdner. There are boots on the ground with sandbags and upstairs we have a group of engineers trying to tackle the problem from a different way. They say planning is what prevented major headaches along the Wolf River and many of its neighboring areas. School board member wont apologize for deportation threat Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ward says planning from local communities helped mitigate the potential devasting impact. The potential for additional rainfall that comes in the next week or coming week where we already have a fairly loaded system, said Lt. Col. Jones. The Corps of Engineers says its also working closely with other federal, state, and local agencies as they monitor flood conditions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. U.S. authorities will examine the social media of foreigners seeking to enter the country as the Trump administration seeks to bar people it believes have engaged in antisemitic activity, the Department of Homeland Security announced Wednesday. DHS will apply the scrutiny to foreign students, people applying for legal residency or any other kind of immigration benefit as part of a plan to protect the homeland from extremists and comply with executive orders issued by President Donald Trump, the agency said in a statement announcing the measure. There is no room in the United States for the rest of the worlds terrorist sympathizers, and we are under no obligation to admit them or let them stay here, DHS Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said in the statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DHS said it would seek to keep out people who have demonstrated support for what it called violent antisemitic ideologies and organizations such as Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, or the Houthis. The announcement raised immediate concerns, including how the U.S. would define what constitutes the support of antisemitic activity and whether any criticism of Israel or its conduct of the war in Gaza would be enough to bar someone from the country. It also raised broader questions about free speech and civil liberties. By surveilling visa and green card holders and targeting them based on nothing more than their protected expression, the administration trades Americas commitment to free and open discourse for fear and silence, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression wrote on X. Unfortunately, that chill appears to be the administrations aim. The Council on American-Islamic Relations accused the administration of shredding the First Amendment for the benefit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The spirit of Joseph McCarthy is alive and well in the Trump administration, which has spent months dishonestly mischaracterizing legitimate criticism of the Israeli governments war crimes in Gaza as antisemitic, pursuing witch hunts into American colleges, and threatening the free speech rights of immigrants, CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said in a statement. The DHS directive comes as the administration moves to revoke visas and deport foreign students who took part in protests of the Israel-Gaza war that roiled college campuses last year. That includes Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student and green-card holder who was arrested by immigration authorities in New York City and Rumeysa Ozturk, a doctoral student at Tufts University, who was detained near Boston. The administration has launched investigations of institutions, including Columbia University, that have been accused of being overly tolerant of the harassment of Jewish students during the demonstrations. (NewsNation) The U.S. Coast Guard has seized 25 tons of narcotics in what Attorney General Pam Bondi is calling a massive victory for the U.S. Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel were in Florida on Wednesday to talk about the operation, saying it has saved the lives of Americans and protected the public. There is no lethal force on planet Earth that is responsible for an overdose death of an American citizen every seven minutes more so than these federal terrorist organizations, Patel said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump to host El Salvadors president amid US deportation efforts The Coast Guard used drones, aircrafts, ships and surveillance technology in order to interdict the traffickers. The Justice Department said the drugs were tied to the CJNG and Sinaloa cartels. A member of the Coast Guard who was part of the group that intercepted the drugs called it a personal mission. I get a really good feeling knowing that these drugs arent getting on to our streets, USCG Officer Diego Alejandro Soto said. Ive had friends succumb to cocaine, its a personal mission because Ive seen it happen firsthand. Repeat human smuggler sentenced in South Texas Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shipment of drugs was intercepted off the coast of Peru, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Bondi said 11 people were arrested in connection to the bust, and their cases will be prosecuted in the Middle District of Florida. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. Victoria Spartz, US Congresswoman of Ukrainian origin, has criticised journalists from The Telegraph for allegedly misrepresenting her interview, while making offensive remarks about President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukraines parliament. Source: European Pravda, citing a statement published on Spartzs official website Quote: "This headline (from Spartzs The Telegraph interview ed.) was 'conveniently' used by the Zelenskyy propaganda machine to smear her and President Trump and continue blaming the United States for Zelenskyys loss and betrayal of his country." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: The statement claims that the original article misquoted Spartz, placing words in quotation marks that she never said. After several requests from her team, journalists reportedly removed the quotation marks but left a colon, which, as Spartz says, still implied direct speech. Quote: "I spent an enormous amount of energy trying to help the Ukrainian military to win their brutal fight against Russia. Unfortunately, if you have morons and crooks like Zelenskyy and his puppet parliament running your country, its a lost cause." More details: Spartz claimed that "the current reality on the ground is that Ukraine is not in the position to retake its territories nor could they agree to give them up permanently". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Therefore, only a temporary solution with the help of the United States can be achieved, which will give each side some time to regroup. The end result of that war will have to be decided later and not just on a battlefield," the congresswoman added. Background: In her interview with the British newspaper, Spartz urged the Ukrainian people to choose a new leader in pursuit of lasting peace, claiming that with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainians would "lose the rest of the country." She also suggested Ukrainians accept the loss of territory occupied by Russia. In response, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said: "Unlike Victoria, all of our land has always been and will always remain Ukrainian". Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! DUBAI (Reuters) - United States Energy Secretary Chris Wright said his visit to the United Arab Emirates will include discussion on enhancing global energy security, the UAE state news agency reported on Wednesday. Wright will also discuss previously announced investment plans by the Gulf country into the United States, the agency quoted him as saying. Reuters reported on Monday that Wright would carry out a nearly two-week tour of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE to lay the ground for a later visit by U.S. President Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Energy is a critical issue following a dive in oil prices to their lowest in more than four years, triggered by Trump's action on tariffs last week and deepened by a surprise decision by crude producer group OPEC+ to accelerate output. Wright during his visit will hold meetings with UAE Energy Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company Group Chief Executive Sultan Al Jaber, who is also minister of industry and advanced technology. In addition, the energy secretary will meet executives from Emirati firms, including artificial intelligence investor MGX, nuclear energy firm ENEC and sovereign wealth funds Mubadala and ADQ. (Reporting by Yousef Saba and Jana Choukeir; Editing by David Goodman and Barbara Lewis) By Jeffrey Dastin and Marisa Taylor (Reuters) -The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will track employee badge swipes, laptop logins and other data to determine if staff are working from agency offices as required, according to a memo this week, in the latest sign of staff monitoring in the Trump administration. In an agency-wide email seen by Reuters, the EPA said it was following up on its February 12 notice rescinding remote-work agreements. Most EPA employees have returned to the office, the message said, and failure to comply will result in disciplinary action, up to termination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The email cited work from unauthorized locations as one basis for penalty and encouraged EPA staff to scan their badges at offices as early as possible in a work day. The message also said failure to follow agency directives could result in discipline. The badge-tracking initiative follows other efforts by the administration of President Donald Trump to apply technology to government. For instance, Trump appointees have told some EPA managers that Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency is using artificial intelligence to monitor workers, including looking for language in communications considered hostile to Trump or Musk, Reuters reported on Tuesday. In a statement, EPA Associate Administrator for Public Affairs Molly Vaseliou said the agency will use "commonsense measures" to "deliver a present workforce with high productivity and high integrity for the American people." After publication of Reuters Tuesday story, the EPA also acknowledged it was looking at AI to make the agency more efficient, but said it was not using the technology as it makes personnel decisions in concert with DOGE. It did not directly address whether it was using AI to monitor worker communications. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency will continue to evaluate the use of AI in its mission, EPA Chief Information Officer Vaughn Noga said in a separate statement. Badge monitoring is not yet the norm across the whole federal government. The Food and Drug Administration has not instituted such tracking, a person familiar with that agency said. Musk has been a proponent of back-to-office work inside government and out. He and spokespeople for the FDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. One person familiar with the EPA said the badge tracking showed Musk's broader influence. They are really keeping an eye" on staff, this person said. Its not kindergarten. These are professionals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two other sources said the EPA did not conduct the same tracking under the prior administration of President Joe Biden, who came to office during the COVID-19 pandemic that saw remote work take off. The staff email added that time and attendance data will be gathered in additional ways to determine compliance, for instance via time cards. Managers should only attest to attendance that they can verify, it said. (Reporting by Jeffrey Dastin in San Francisco and Marisa Taylor in Washington; Editing by Kenneth Li and Bill Berkrot) By Jonathan Saul, Michelle Nichols and Kate Abnett LONDON (Reuters) -The United States has withdrawn from talks in London looking at advancing decarbonisation in the shipping sector and Washington will consider "reciprocal measures" to offset any fees charged to U.S. ships, according to a diplomatic note seen by Reuters. Delegates are at the U.N. shipping agency's headquarters this week for negotiations over decarbonisation measures aimed at enabling the global shipping industry to reach net zero by "around 2050". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A State Department spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday that Washington would not be "engaging in negotiations" at the U.N.'s International Maritime Organization (IMO), adding that it was the administration's policy to put U.S. interests first in the "development and negotiation of any international agreements". An initial proposal by a bloc of countries including the European Union, which was submitted to the IMO, had sought to reach agreement for the worlds first carbon levy for shipping on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. "The U.S. rejects any and all efforts to impose economic measures against its ships based on GHG emissions or fuel choice," according to a diplomatic demarche sent to ambassadors by the United States on Tuesday. "For these reasons the U.S. is not engaging in negotiations at the IMO 3rd Marine Environment Protection Committee from 7-11 April and urges your government to reconsider its support for the GHG emissions measures under consideration." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was not clear how many of the IMO's 176-member countries received the note. The IMO had not yet received any communication, an IMO spokesperson said on Wednesday. "Should such a blatantly unfair measure go forward, our government will consider reciprocal measures so as to offset any fees charged to U.S. ships and compensate the American people for any other economic harm from any adopted GHG emissions measures," the note from Washington said. Washington also opposed "any proposed measure that would fund any unrelated environmental or other projects outside the shipping sector", the note added. Shipping, which transports around 90% of world trade and accounts for nearly 3% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions, has faced calls from environmentalists and investors to deliver more concrete action, including a carbon levy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement IMO discussions continued on Wednesday despite the move by the U.S., delegates involved said. "The U.S. is one of 176 IMO member states. While their impact on this process is considerable, we cannot afford to let a squall from one nation blow all of us off course," said Albon Ishoda, the Marshall Islands special envoy for maritime decarbonisation. "In this time of instability in the markets, a clear direction from this IMO meeting is needed more than ever. We are going to continue negotiating with those that are prepared to talk." China and Brazil are among a number of countries that opposed a flat carbon levy on shipping as they argued it would penalise trade reliant emerging economies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In January, President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement for a second time, placing the world's top historic emitter of greenhouse gases outside the global pact aimed at pushing nations to tackle climate change. (Reporting by Jonathan Saul, Michelle Nichols, Gram Slattery, Kate Abnett and Valerie Volcovici; Editing by Sharon Singleton, Chizu Nomiyama and Nia Williams) By Richard Cowan and Bo Erickson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday postponed a planned vote on a measure that would advance President Donald Trump's tax cut agenda, as some within the party complained that the budget blueprint did not contain enough spending cuts. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he hoped the House would try again on Thursday to pass the legislation, but left open the possibility of a delay until next week, in remarks to reporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Downplaying the dissension within his rank-and-file, Johnson told reporters: "Everything is moving along just fine. We have a little bit of room here to work, and we're going to use that." He made the remark following an hour-long private meeting with far-right Republicans. Republican Representative Lloyd Smucker of Pennsylvania, one of the hold-outs, told reporters that discussions were underway on the possibility of an amendment to the Senate-passed budget plan, which would aim to force spending cuts closer to the $2 trillion range the House had been seeking. Passage of any changes to the current version of the bill would send the bill back to the Senate for a potentially protracted process to win final passage. House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, a Republican, urged passage of the measure saying, "We must advance a budget resolution bill that doesn't just include tax cuts or deregulation or good energy policies. All that is good. But also admittedly the difficult part but the most necessary, which is reining in the runaway spending." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wednesday's cancellation of the vote came after a full day of behind-the-scenes wrangling by far-right conservatives angered by the Senate-passed budget resolution that they say was sorely deficient in spending cuts. The House voted 216-215 earlier in the day to authorize a vote on the bill. House conservatives are demanding $2 trillion in federal government spending cuts over a decade - an amount that senators rejected. The intra-party fight in the House over this sweeping measure to shrink the federal government and extend tax cuts that would add trillions of dollars to the nation's debt comes amid chaos in financial markets set off by Trump's imposition of tariffs on imported goods. Prospects of a shrinking U.S. economy as a result of a world trade war, as some economists have projected, spilled over into Congress' budget debates because of the possibility of falling revenue in an economic downturn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The stakes are high, as the U.S. economy has been rocked by Trump's back-and-forth tariff threats, which sparked wild swings on Wall Street and raised fears of surging prices. Republicans were under intense pressure from Trump to fall in line. "It is IMPERATIVE that Republicans in the House pass the Tax Cut Bill, NOW! Our Country Will Boom!!!" he posted on Truth Social. MEDICAID CONCERNS In addition to extending Trump's tax cuts - his primary first-term legislative achievement - the measure would stiffen border enforcement and could be used to enact the Republican president's promises to eliminate taxes on overtime pay and tips. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congressional Republicans so far have not rejected any of Trump's requests. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget said the measure would "allow twice as much borrowing as the House, while requiring only 0.2 percent as much in spending cuts and reforms." Further complicating matters in the House, some moderate Republicans are squirming over prospects of $880 billion in cuts to health and energy programs that Democrats and health advocates say could take a heavy toll on Medicaid, the federal healthcare program for the poor and disabled. Democratic Representative James McGovern of Massachusetts called the legislation a "steaming pile of Medicaid cuts" that he said Republicans "are trying to hide from the American people." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Multiple Republican lawmakers have said they will not vote for a bill that substantially cuts Medicaid. Failure to approve this early step would be a setback for the centerpiece of Trump's agenda, as both chambers of Congress are set to begin a two-week recess on Friday. Citing analysis by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget said that extending the 2017 tax cuts "would increase the size of the economy by an average of 0.3% through 2027" but would "begin subtracting from growth in 2028 and overall shrink the economy in 2034 and beyond." (Reporting by Richard Cowan and Bo Erickson; Editing by Caitlin Webber and Christopher Cushing) Japanese retail conglomerate Seven & i has disclosed total revenue of Y11.97tn ($81.46bn) inthe fiscal 2024 (FY24) - a 4.4% rise from the previous year's Y11.47tn. The groups total sales of Y18.44tn include the sales of franchisees of Seven-Eleven Japan, Seven-Eleven Okinawa, 7-Eleven and 7-Eleven Stores. The companys operating income saw a decline to Y420.99bn - a drop of 21.2% from the preceding fiscal year's Y534.25bn. Net income attributable to the parent company's shareholders also fell to Y173.07bn in FY24, a decrease of 23% from FY23's Y224.62bn. Diluted earnings per share (EPS) stood at Y66.61 in FY24, compared to Y84.87 in FY23. Gross profit from operations for Seven & i increased slightly to Y3.49tn in FY24 from Y3.41tn in the previous year. The companys domestic convenience store operations generated revenues of Y904.15bn and an operating income of Y233.55bn. Overseas convenience store operations reported revenues of Y9.17tn with an operating income of Y216.25bn. 7-Eleven International is set to expand its operations into 30 countries and regions, encompassing markets such as Japan and North America, with a strategic timeline targeting the close of the fiscal year on 31 December 2030. Over the fiscal, year, the Japanese market shows signs of gradual recovery from consumer caution due to persistent price increases, with expectations pinned on salary increments, heightened capital investment and growing demand from inbound tourism. The North American market faces continued challenges due to uncertain trade policies affecting consumer spending. Amidst these market conditions, Seven & i announced a comprehensive plan aimed at enhancing shareholder value on 6 March 2025. As part of this strategic shift, the company appointed Stephen Hayes Dacus as president, representative director and CEO. The company also plans to initiate a public offering for its North American branch of the 7-Eleven business by the second half of FY2026 and has entered into a definitive agreement to transfer its SST Business Group to Bain Capital. Seven & i commits to returning a total of Y2tn recovered through both the initial public offering of 7-Eleven and the SST Business Group deconsolidation back to shareholders by FY30 via share repurchases. The company expects revenues from operations to be Y10.76tn in FY25, and anticipates operating income of Y424bn. Net income attributable to owners of parent company is anticipated to be Y255bn. In February 2025 Seven & i disclosed that its founding Ito family failed to obtain the necessary financing to propose a management buyout valued at $58bn. WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. warned on Tuesday that Chinese intelligence was using deceptive methods to target current and former U.S. government employees for recruitment. The warning from the National Counterintelligence and Security Center comes amid mass federal firings led by Elon Musk's Department of Government of Efficiency. "Foreign intelligence entities, particularly those in China, are targeting current and former U.S. government (USG) employees for recruitment by posing as consulting firms, corporate headhunters, think tanks, and other entities on social and professional networking sites," the center said in a bulletin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The center said deceptive online job offers and other approaches have become more sophisticated in targeting individuals with U.S. government backgrounds seeking new employment. It warned current and former federal employees of such approaches. It added that clearance holders were obligated to protect classified data even after leaving federal employment. The Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday it was not aware of the situation and accused the U.S. of spying on China. Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian called the U.S. actions "irresponsible practices" and said it was engaging in "global espionage without any disguise". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reuters previously reported about a network of companies operated by a secretive Chinese tech firm that had been trying to recruit recently laid-off U.S. government workers. (Reporting by Jasper Ward, additional reporting by Eduardo Baptista in Beijing; Editing by Stephen Coates and Kate Mayberry) WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States issued fresh sanctions targeting Iran on Wednesday, the Treasury Department said, two days after President Donald Trump announced the U.S. planned direct talks with Tehran over its nuclear program. The U.S. Treasury Department in a statement said it imposed sanctions on five Iran-based entities and one person based in Iran for their support of Iran's nuclear program with the aim of denying Tehran a nuclear weapon. "The Iranian regime's reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons remains a grave threat to the United States and a menace to regional stability and global security," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in the statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Treasury will continue to leverage our tools and authorities to disrupt any attempt by Iran to advance its nuclear program and its broader destabilizing agenda." Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The action comes after Trump made a surprise announcement on Monday that the United States and Iran were poised to begin direct talks on Tehran's nuclear program, but Iran's foreign minister said the discussions in Oman would be indirect. In a further sign of the difficult path to any deal between the two geopolitical foes, Trump issued a stark warning that if the talks were unsuccessful, "Iran is going to be in great danger." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Treasury said those targeted on Wednesday supported two previously sanctioned entities that manage and oversee the country's nuclear program, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and its subordinate, the Iran Centrifuge Technology Company (TESA). Among those targeted was a company that manufactures aluminum for TESA, an AEOI subordinate responsible for a number of nuclear reactor projects and a company tasked with developing thorium-fueled reactor technologies. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Tuesday that Iran can expect tighter sanctions if it does not come to an agreement with Trump on its nuclear program. Efforts to settle a dispute over Iran's nuclear program, which it says is purely for civilian use but which Western countries see as a precursor to an atomic bomb, have ebbed and flowed for more than 20 years without resolution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump tore up a 2015 deal between Iran and six world powers - the U.S., Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany - during his first term of office in 2017 and talks since then have stalled. Iranian officials told Reuters on Tuesday that Tehran is approaching weekend talks with the United States over its nuclear program warily, with little confidence in progress and deep suspicions over U.S. intentions. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Brendan O'Brien, Ed Osmond and Ros Russell) The United States criticized China after Ukraine announced it had caught two Chinese nationals fighting alongside Russian forces. Its disturbing with the Chinese soldiers having been captured, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a briefing Tuesday. Were aware of those reports. China is a major enabler of Russia in the war in Ukraine. China provides nearly 80 percent of the dual-use items Russia needs to sustain the war, she continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bruce noted President Trump maintains that continued cooperation between Russia and China will only further contribute to global instability. Her comments come after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced earlier in the day that his countrys military captured two Chinese men fighting in Ukraine with the Russian army, The Associated Press reported. Zelensky said it was believed there were significantly more Chinese nationals within the Russian forces. There was no immediate response from Chinese officials, but the Ukrainian foreign minister is demanding an explanation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reported capture marks the latest development in the more than three-year war between Russia and Ukraine. The Trump administration is looking to end the conflict, but has so far been unsuccessful in getting both countries to agree to a ceasefire deal. It also comes as Trump is implementing steep tariffs on China, and as Chinese President Xi Jinping has improved relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling their countries true friends. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bipartisan group of six U.S. lawmakers has questioned the Federal Aviation Administration about recent outages of the "Notice to Airmen" system that provides pilots, flight crews and others with critical safety notices about U.S. airspace. The system failed in February and March. The lawmakers, led by Senators Amy Klobuchar and Shelley Moore Capito, noted in a letter seen by Reuters that Congress passed legislation requiring the FAA to implement a modernized NOTAM system and backup system by September 2024 -- a deadline the agency missed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Travelers deserve flights that are safe and on time. We urge you to ensure that a modernized NOTAM system is implemented in a timely manner," they wrote in the letter also signed by Republican Senator Jerry Moran, who chairs an aviation subcommittee, and Tammy Duckworth, the top Democrat on the panel. The FAA did not immediately comment. The system most recently failed on March 22 for more than three hours due to a hardware issue. On Feb 1, the system also suffered a failure. "What caused the recent NOTAM outages? What steps is the FAA taking to mitigate future outages?," the lawmakers wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Notices from the system could include items such as taxiway lights being out at an airport, nearby parachute activity or a specific runway being closed for construction. A NOTAM outage in January 2023 disrupted more than 11,000 flights in the first nationwide U.S. ground stop since 2001. The FAA said in 2023 it planned to discontinue an older NOTAM system by mid-2025. National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Nick Daniels told Congress last month the NOTAM system has led to significant disruptions and will cost hundreds of millions of dollars to replace. "At minimum, the FAA will need $154 million just to conduct further research on a replacement NOTAM system, but will need $354 million to replace the broken NOTAM system," Daniels said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last month, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he planned to ask Congress for tens of billions of dollars for a multi-year effort to revamp FAA air traffic control infrastructure and boost hiring for the understaffed agency. (Reporting by David Shepardson, Editing by Franklin Paul and David Gregorio) The United States has not made a final decision on reducing its military presence in Europe, the Pentagon press office told Polish broadcaster TVP Info on April 8. "No decision has been made yet," the Pentagon said. "The U.S. commitment to NATO is strong, but the U.S. expects European allies to lead Europe's conventional defense." The statement follows a report by NBC News that senior U.S. defense officials are considering cutting as much as half of the 20,000 additional troops sent to Europe after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. forces remain stationed across Poland, Romania, and the Baltic states as part of NATO's deterrence and reassurance posture. The possible drawdown comes as U.S. President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth press European allies to take greater responsibility for the continent's security. The U.S. Army Europe and Africa Command announced on April 8 the relocation of American personnel and equipment from Poland's Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport, a key logistics hub for military aid to Ukraine. The redeployment, which will move assets to other locations in Poland, follows months of planning and is part of a broader strategy to optimize U.S. military operations across the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The debate over troops and future U.S. involvement comes as NATO faces growing pressure to raise defense spending. Trump has called for increasing the alliance's benchmark from 2% to 5% of GDP, a target that far exceeds current commitments by most members. Finland's Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen recently warned that Europe must create a clear, coordinated roadmap with Washington to assume a larger share of the defense burden. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Trump remains supportive of NATO but expects a "realistic pathway" from allies to reduce dependency on the United States. Read also: Russian military airfield reportedly targeted in mass drone attack Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Open payments platform Spreedly has partnered with payments provider EBANX to facilitate access to alternative payment methods for international companies in Latin America. The collaboration offers a framework for businesses to incorporate payment methods that include Pix, e-wallets, cash vouchers, and local debit and credit cards, with the option of instalments. The initiative covers all 17 countries where EBANX operates, encompassing markets such as Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, as well as Peru and Chile, and extending to Central America and the Caribbean. The launch of Pix Automatico is scheduled for June 2025, facilitating recurring payments for streaming services and SaaS providers. Merchants can access integration processes, access to various local markets, and an array of payment options to scale operations and compliance with local regulations. The partnership will help merchants capitalise on the high transaction success rates of both Spreedly and EBANX, the release added. Spreedly partnerships & business development VP Rose Francois said: Latin America is a key market for global expansion, with diverse payment preferences driving success. Our collaboration with EBANX empowers merchants to offer local payment methods, enhancing customer satisfaction while supporting business growth in the region. This partnership combines Spreedlys advanced payments orchestration with EBANXs local expertise, providing a seamless payment experience for customers and helping businesses scale efficiently across Latin America. EBANX global partnerships VP head Daniel Kornitzer stated: "Over the past year, Pix transactions processed by EBANX have grown by 139%. Merchants using our technology already see a 25% increase in the number of customers and a 16% rise in revenue. Offering Pix is no longer optional; its essential." Kornitzer added: Spreedlys efficient orchestration and intelligent routing, and EBANXs optimised payment rails, direct integrations, and local acquiring partnerships, enable faster, more secure transactions. This helps improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. In February, Spreedly partnered with Swedish fintech Trustly to provide merchants with access to Pay by Bank, aiming to improve payment efficiency in both regional and international markets. "Spreedly collaborates with EBANX to support payments in LatAm " was originally created and published by Electronic Payments International, a GlobalData owned brand. A new round of talks between the US and Russia will take place in Istanbul on 10 April, with the parties focusing exclusively on the normalisation of their embassy operations. Source: European Pravda with reference to a briefing by US Department of State spokesperson Tammy Bruce Quote from Bruce: "These talks are solely focused on our embassy operations, not on normalising a bilateral relationship overall, which can only happen, as we've noted, once there is peace between Russia and Ukraine." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: She said that the US and Russian delegations would try to "make progress on further stabilising the operations of our bilateral missions" during the talks in Turkiye. No political or security issues, including Ukraine, will be on the agenda of the meeting. Background: The previous round of talks between the US and Russia took place on 27 February. Following that meeting, the US Department of State announced that Moscow and Washington had outlined specific initial steps to stabilise the operations of their diplomatic missions. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! By Robert Harvey and Aleksandar Vasovic LONDON/BELGRADE (Reuters) -Serbian oil firm NIS is struggling to buy oil from traders abroad, while at home its former clients are seeking alternative fuel suppliers as pending U.S. sanctions have impacted operations, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. NIS is majority-owned by Russia's Gazprom Neft and Gazprom and as such is one of Russia's last remaining oil assets in Europe. It is crucial to Serbia's energy security as it operates the Balkan country's only oil refinery. The company's struggles highlight what could come if U.S. sanctions take effect, with President Aleksandar Vucic warning that Serbia could lose access to oil imports. NIS supplies around 80% of Serbia's gasoline and diesel, and 90% or more of jet fuel and heavy fuel oil, according to one trader. It is hard for other companies to work around NIS because its dominant position in the Serbian market is compounded by logistical constraints in the landlocked country. The U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control designated NIS AD Novi Sad a sanctioned entity on January 10, giving Gazprom Neft 45 days to exit its investment, before extending that deadline with back-to-back 30-day waivers. NIS, which usually buys crude in long-term contracts, cancelled its 2025 tender, according to its procurement site. It is instead making shorter-term purchases in the spot market from international trading houses still willing to do business with it, two of the sources told Reuters. NIS' crude procurement changes have not previously been reported. NIS said it recently successfully closed a deal to buy oil in accordance with the waiver, and was sourcing crude from multiple suppliers. It did not give details. "The company is adapting its business activities to the newly-arisen circumstances," it told Reuters. CUSTOMERS NIS' crude imports via Croatia's Omisalj port - where 80% of the company's crude supply arrives via the Janaf pipeline - are averaging around 28,000 barrels per day this year, according to global real-time data and analytics provider Kpler. That compares with 40,000 bpd in 2024 and 70,000 bpd in 2023. Meanwhile, fuel suppliers OMV, from Austria, and Greek-owned Eko are now importing key transport fuels for their Serbian retail networks instead of buying from NIS, the companies told Reuters. The move has not been previously reported. OMV is importing fuels on Danube river barges from its other European refineries, it said, while Eko is supplying products from Greece, a company official said, asking not to be named. By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday it was alarmed by the arrest in Thailand of American academic and U.S. citizen Paul Chambers who was charged with insulting the monarchy, in a rare prosecution of a foreigner under one of the world's strictest lese-majeste laws. Local police said Chambers, a lecturer at Thailand's Naresuan University, reported to a precinct in the northern province of Phitsanulok after a warrant for his arrest was issued last week following a complaint filed by the army. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thailand's monarchy is protected by Section 112 of the country's penal code, which says anyone found guilty of defaming, insulting or threatening the king, queen, heir apparent or regent shall be punished with imprisonment of three to 15 years. Chambers was also charged with a computer crime violation. "As a treaty ally of Thailand, we will closely monitor this issue and advocate for the fair treatment of Paul Chambers," the State Department said in a statement. "This case reinforces our longstanding concerns about the use of lese majeste laws in Thailand. We continue to urge Thai authorities to respect freedom of expression and to ensure that laws are not used to stifle permitted expression," it added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thai royalists consider the monarchy sacrosanct. Public discussion of the law has for decades been a taboo issue, with dozens of people jailed for perceived insults of the crown. A lawyer for Chambers denied the charges and said the accusations stemmed from a blurb for an online academic seminar last year at which he was a speaker. The blurb was posted on a website of a research institute based outside of Thailand, the lawyer said. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Sandra Maler) BANGKOK (AP) A U.S scholar teaching in Thailand who was jailed on charges of insulting the countrys monarchy an offense punishable by up to 15 years in prison was released on bail on Wednesday, but also had his visa revoked, an indication he could be deported soon. An appeals court granted Paul Chambers release on bail after it was twice denied on Tuesday by a lower court, said the advocacy group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. No trial date has been set. However, since immigration police earlier on Wednesday revoked his visa, Chambers could be deported home to the United States at any time. He has the right to appeal the visa revocation within 48 hours, according to police Maj. Gen. Sarawut Khonyai. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chambers was first jailed on Tuesday pending trial following a complaint by the Thai army that he had insulted the nations monarchy, an offense also known as 112 after its article number in the criminal code. He has been working as a lecturer at Naresuan University in Thailands northern province of Phitsanulok, The U.S. State Department said in a statement Tuesday that it was alarmed by Chambers arrest and urged "Thai authorities to respect freedom of expression and to ensure that laws are not used to stifle permitted expression." A 58-year-old Oklahoma native with a doctorate in political science from Northern Illinois University, Chambers has studied the Thai military, which has staged 13 coups since Thailand became a constitutional monarchy in 1932, most recently 11 years ago. The charge against him was related to a webinar he took part in last October, organized by the ISEASYusof Ishak Institute, a think tank in Singapore. His defenders say he had nothing to do with what was quoted in the charge sheet. He was also charged with violating the Computer Crime Act, covering online activities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Akarachai Chaimaneekarakate of the Thai lawyers' group said Chambers visa was revoked on the basis of an immigration law barring entry to foreigners who are deemed likely to engage in activities contrary to public order or good morals, prostitution, people smuggling and drug trafficking. Thai law calls for 3-15 years imprisonment for anyone who defames, insults or threatens the king, the queen, the heir apparent or the regent. Critics say it is among the harshest such laws anywhere. The legislation has also been used to punish critics of the government and the military. Thai Lawyers for Human Rights has said that since early 2020, more than 270 people many of them student activists have been charged with violating the law. By Raphael Satter WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Democratic Senator Ron Wyden has put a hold on President Donald Trump's appointee for the U.S. cybersecurity agency, citing what the Oregon senator called a "multi-year cover-up" of serious vulnerabilities in the U.S. telecommunications network. In remarks released by his office on Wednesday, Wyden said he would object to considering the nomination of Sean Plankey, Trump's pick to head the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, unless the agency published a report on insecurity in the U.S. telecommunications industry dating back to 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under Senate rules, a single senator can hold up a nominee even if the other 99 want to move forward, using up floor time as lawmakers vote their way through what would otherwise be routine procedural hurdles. Legislators often use holds or even the threat of holds to negotiate concessions from the executive branch. CISA referred questions on the matter to the White House, which did not return a message seeking comment. Plankey, who was nominated last month to lead the agency, did not return a message. Wyden has had success with such tactics in the past. In 2018, Wyden held up the nomination of Trump's first nominee for CISA, Chris Krebs, until the Department of Homeland Security agreed to hand over information about cell phone surveillance in Washington. Wyden ultimately lifted the hold when DHS complied. In his remarks, Wyden noted that he had been fighting for three years to get the report released, saying it was both unclassified and particularly relevant in light of the recent wave of breaches blamed on the Chinese hacking group nicknamed "Salt Typhoon," which he and others have blamed in part on shoddy cybersecurity at top U.S. telecommunications providers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "CISA's multi-year cover up of the phone companies' negligent cybersecurity has real consequences," the remarks said. "Congress and the American people have a right to read this report." (Reporting by Raphael Satter; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Nia Williams) The United States has emphasized its stance on the ongoing war in Ukraine, saying it will not tolerate bad faith negotiations or violations of commitments. Acting U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Dorothy Shea made these remarks during a Security Council meeting on April 8, underscoring that Washington would ultimately evaluate Russia's commitment to a ceasefire based on its actions. "We will ultimately judge President (Vladimir) Putins commitment to a ceasefire by Russia's actions," Shea told the 15-member council. Her comments came after a deadly Russian missile attack on Kryvyi Rih last week, which resulted in the deaths of 11 adults and nine children, marking one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in months. "We understand the missile carried a cluster warhead, accounting for the horrific loss of life," Shea said. The attack has raised concerns about the viability of Washingtons push for a ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shea further urged Russia to consider the potential impact of such actions on peace efforts. "We urge the Russian Federation to bear in mind that strikes like those on Kryvyi Rih, and executions of prisoners of war, have the potential to damage peace efforts and all dependent discussions," she said. In response to the attack, Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia claimed, without providing evidence, that the missile strike had targeted a meeting of Ukrainian service members and foreign trainers, claiming that up to 85 individuals had been killed. Ukraine rejected this assertion, calling it disinformation. Nebenzia also reiterated Moscow's long-standing objective of Ukrainian demilitarization, stating that Russia would seek to achieve this goal "using military or negotiating means in such a way to make sure that Ukraine is no longer a threat to Russia." He also emphasized that Russia was open to serious negotiations but would not allow the process to be used to strengthen Ukraine's military capabilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Ukraine's Deputy U.N. Ambassador Khrystyna Hayovyshyn noted that Ukraine had accepted a U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, but Russia's response has been continued attacks on Ukrainian cities and villages. "Russia targets Ukrainian cities and villages with drones, bombs, artillery and ballistic and cruise missile attacks," Hayovyshyn said. "Russia demonstrates its complete disregard for international peace efforts led by the United States." Read also: In Kyiv, skepticism about ceasefire reigns as Russia ramps up deadly attacks and US remains mute Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Shae, left, and Anna Pesek pose with calves on their Over the Moon farm in Iowa. The farm was one of thousands benefiting from a local food program recently cut by the Trump administration. (Helaina Thompson/Courtesy of Over the Moon Farm) Anna Pesek saw a federal program supporting local food purchases as much more than a boost to her Iowa pork and poultry farm. The U.S. Department of Agriculture grant program that allowed schools and food banks to buy fresh products from small farms helped her forge new business relationships. It allowed her to spend more with local feed mills and butchers, and was starting to build a stronger supply chain of local foods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But now that the Trump administration has yanked the funding, she worries that rural economic boost might end too. With the razor-thin margins on both sides, those partnerships are just really hard, if not impossible, to sustain, she said. The co-owner of Over the Moon Farm, Pesek said her operation was never entirely reliant on the local food programs; it represented about 10% of her business. While she knew the federal money wouldnt last forever, she was planning on the funding lasting through 2028 but then the Trump administration last month nixed more than $1 billion for local food programs. The federally funded Local Food Purchase Assistance and the Local Food for Schools programs, both begun during the pandemic, focused on small, local farms in aims of building stronger domestic food supply chains. Grants allowed schools and food banks to buy meat, dairy and produce from small farms including many healthy products that are often too expensive for those institutions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement USDAs local food programs specifically aided some of the nations most disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, including newcomers, small farmers and those who have faced racial discrimination. The local food programs were initially funded by 2021s American Rescue Plan Act but were later expanded by the Biden administration. The Trump administration, though, has cut the funding that went to thousands of small farms, saying that its instead prioritizing stable, proven solutions that deliver lasting impact. Pesek noted that the federal government has subsidized commodity agriculture like corn and soybeans for more than a century. Its not a novel idea, right? This is how the relationship between the federal government and farmers has looked, she said. And so all this program did was allocate some of the funds to go to different kinds of farmers versus just commodity farmers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just after cutting the local food programs, USDA announced it was expediting $10 billion in direct payments to commodity farmers through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program, which helps farmers offset high input prices and low sale prices for crops. The White House is reportedly considering billions more in farm subsidies as President Donald Trump escalates global trade wars. Andy Ollove, food access program director at Fresh Approach, a California nonprofit that works on building a healthier and more resilient food system, said the governments long-standing farm subsidies flow to some of the nations biggest operators. Conversely, the local food programs benefited small farmers and communities directly. The economic multiplier to this program just seems way more impactful than the traditional subsidy model of the USDA that the administration is continuing to invest in, he said. Its just a giveaway. Fresh Approach has helped administer the food bank program in California. While implementation delays mean farmers wont lose access to the program as quickly as in other states, he expects elimination of the program to put small farmers out of business across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some states have launched their own local food programs, but nothing on the scale of the federal investment. Thats left advocates for small farmers, local foods and food banks pushing for reinstatement of the federal program or getting it included in the next round of farm bill negotiations, when Congress outlines a five- or six-year spending plan for the nations food policy and agriculture sector. Ollove expects philanthropists will fund parts of Californias program after federal money is depleted. But it wont have the same reach. I do feel confident that these types of programs will continue in California sporadically and piecemeal, he said. But not in the way that were administering it, in a way that I think is changing a lot of things and improving the food system. A mixed response from states The noncompetitive USDA local food grants allowed many new farmers to break into markets. And the aid for food hubs, which link small producers to larger markets, helped farmers distribute products to schools and food banks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Wisconsin, for example, more than half of the nearly 300 farmers who benefited from the food bank program were early career farmers, according to state officials. In Illinois, the state prioritized funds toward socially disadvantaged farmers, such as those who have faced racial or ethnic prejudice. Attacking this program was really an attack on Illinois most vulnerable, whether its a socially disadvantaged farmer or the food recipient, said Kristi Jones, deputy director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Her department administered the federal food bank program, which helped beginning farmers get their businesses off the ground. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of these farmers, theyre living their dreams, she said. They are living their goals because of this program. Illinois had been planning on nearly $15 million from the next round of funding for the food bank program. Jones said farmers already had begun planning and spending on seeds and equipment. You just dont put something on the ground and have the product the next day, she said. So that uncertainty was incredibly challenging for farmers who already deal with enough uncertainty. Democratic leaders have bashed the Trump administrations decision: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, for example, called it a slap in the face to Illinois farmers and the communities they feed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But conservative leaders in other states have downplayed the cuts. In Texas, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller characterized USDAs decision as a reassessment. He said the state was not dependent on the federal funds and would continue its Farm to School and Farm to Food Bank programs, which encourage the local purchase of Texas agricultural products. Theres always room for refinement, and we may see a revised version of the policy down the road that is even better for agriculture producers, he said in a statement last month. Texas funds programs to help distribute excess food to schools, food banks and charities. But it does not have a grant program like USDAs to help those organizations purchase local food, said Marshall Webb, spokesperson for the state agriculture department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iowas agriculture department recently started its own local food program. The Choose Iowa program has made about $300,000 available to support local food purchases though the state lost out on about $11.3 million because of the federal cuts. Don McDowell, spokesperson for the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship, said the agency would continue to ask lawmakers to expand funding for the Choose Iowa program. Programs designed to forge relationships between Iowa farmers, food hubs, food banks and schools are important to our farmers and communities, he said. Iowa Farmers Union President Aaron Heley Lehman said his organization, which represents family farmers and ranchers, would like to see the state step in to fill the void. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But we dont anticipate that thats going to be an easy thing for the state of Iowa to do, he said. So not only is it local farmers that are feeling like theyve had the rug pulled out from underneath them, but the state of Iowa has, too. Creating a new food system In Southern California, Dickinson Family Farms has worked to gather produce from dozens of small farms across the region, allowing even the smallest operators without distribution capabilities to sell to local food banks. Andrew Dickinson, who owns the farm with his father, said the federal local food program also helped reduce food waste. Farmers were able to get fair market prices for vegetables with cosmetic damage or fruits deemed too small or large for grocery store shelves. Dickinson said the federal program has provided a reliable marketplace for small operators that otherwise depend on more inconsistent sales streams like farmers markets. It will create a vacuum, he said. About 60 miles east of Los Angeles, sixth-generation farmer Anna Knight said the federal funds were much more than a handout to farmers. To her, they were about creating a new kind of food system. She said supporting local producers creates more supply chain resilience something many people didnt appreciate until the pandemic. We dont want to go back to that world, she said. When we invest in our local food system, were really investing on onshoring our food production system, on making new food systems local and increasing their resiliency in moments of crisis. Old Grove Orange, her California farm, has been supplying citrus to some local school systems for years. But she said the federal funds were the single biggest changemaker for pushing schools to buy local for the first time. To her, thats key in promoting lifelong healthy eating: Local produce like her freshly picked oranges pack more of a nutritional punch and just taste better than produce that takes weeks to ship from abroad. When you are giving a child a delicious piece of fruit, you are really cultivating their palate for life, she said. You are setting this expectation of what a fruit is supposed to taste like, and you are sparking this love for fruits and vegetables for the rest of their life. Knight said the nation doesnt have to choose between big and small farms. But small farms are vanishing all around her. This is a ticking bomb, she said. The clock is running out if we dont really find a way to help make these small, medium-sized farms sustainable. Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at khardy@stateline.org. This story is republished from Stateline, a sister publication to the Kentucky Lantern and part of the nonprofit States Newsroom network. A bill waiting on the governors signature addresses used auto sale brokers, including the requirements for an office. Channel 2 investigative reporter Sophia Choi spoke with auto brokers who say it will put them and others in jeopardy of closing down. Used auto brokers say all they need is a desk, chair, and a filing cabinet to meet current state law. However, House Bill 551 changes that, requiring at least 250 square feet of office space. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One broker told Choi thats an unnecessary cost many cant afford. It just triples my expenses. Many of my expenses are based on the size of my office, insurance, so forth, used auto broker Benjamin Franklin Magwood II said. TRENDING STORIES: Keith Kimbell invested hundreds of thousands in buildings specifically for used auto dealers. Now, the offices are too small to meet the new requirements if the bill is signed into law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its going to cost us millions of dollars because we will no longer replace when a dealer moves. Replace them with a new dealer, Kimbell said. Georgia State Rep. Todd Jones sponsored the bill, which aims to get rid of bad actors in the industry. We needed to come up with some sort of metric in terms of are you a legitimate business, Jones told Choi. I cant run my business out of a broom closet, which is essentially what we saw with some of the bad actors. But brokers say if the bill becomes law, its not only the bad actors who will get run out of business, itll hurt legitimate used car dealers too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The State of Georgia has probably over 4,000 used car brokers, and this bill is being sponsored by big dealerships that want to eliminate their competition, Kimbell said. The bill is on the Governors desk awaiting a signature. He still has some time to mull it over. He has until May 14 to make a decision. Stellantis has halted production for the Leapmotor T03 electric vehicle (EV) at its Tychy plant in Poland as of 30 March 2025, reported Reuters. The company is considering alternative production options within Europe for the Leapmotor vehicles, though specific details have not been disclosed. In a statement quoted by the news agency, the company said it is no longer assembling Leapmotor's T03 model at the Tychy plant, in Poland, since March 30. While the company remains fully engaged in the launch of Leapmotor vehicles in Europe, at the moment it is evaluating different production options," Stellantis said. The discontinuation of the T03 model assembly was initially reported by Les Echos, a French newspaper. Stellantis, however, has not specified the reasons behind the decision to halt production of the T03. A person with knowledge of the matter was cited by Reuters as saying that there are currently no plans to resume T03 production in Europe. Instead, Stellantis and Leapmotor aim to transition to A-series models, expected to be manufactured outside China starting in 2026. In 2024, Stellantis and Leapmotor decided against producing the B10 electric crossover in Poland. This decision followed confidential advisories from the Chinese government, which urged automakers to hold off on substantial investments in European nations that supported additional EU tariffs on Chinese-made EVs. Poland was among the EU countries that supported the imposition of tariffs while Spain, which had abstained from the EU tariff vote, is now emerging as the preferred location for manufacturing the Leapmotor B10 electric vehicle. Stellantis holds a 51% stake in the Leapmotor International joint venture, possessing exclusive rights for the export, sale, and manufacturing of Leapmotor EVs outside of China. "Stellantis halts Leapmotor EV production in Poland" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. In a recent message to Utah State University employees, the schools interim president said layoffs are inevitable as the school implements House Bill 265 the recently passed legislation requiring the states degree-granting institutions to reallocate millions to programs determined to be of highest value. There will be no way to avoid job cuts personnel are the primary cost of an institution like ours, wrote USU Interim President Alan L. Smith. Smiths sober message to USU employees reflects the challenging budget decisions all eight of Utahs public colleges and universities are managing to comply with the controversial new directive to develop strategic reinvestment plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the coming weeks, USU and the states other public institutions of higher education will present their strategic plans to the Utah System of Higher Education and, later, to state lawmakers. If their recommended reallocations are approved, they can reclaim the 10% of their annual budget that was cut earlier this year as part of the strategic reinvestment process. USUs interim leader noted in his recent message that he share(s) the concerns being felt by many across the Logan campus at a moment of historic budget upheaval. I wish there was an easy solution to our challenges, which include the disruption to research funding and persistent cynicism about pursuing higher education despite strong evidence of its personal and societal value, wrote Smith. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regardless of how we find ourselves in this situation, we must tackle the challenges and tasks required of us today while working to change the prevailing narrative about the place of education in our society. We will proceed accordingly. Smith noted that the university is working to manage a $4.8 million budget cut from the 2024 Legislature even while addressing the $12.5 million being withheld, at least temporarily, through HB265. If our proposal is accepted, we will then recover these dollars, but they must be spent in the proposed new ways, wrote Smith. These ways will naturally align with our mission and various strategic priorities yet will only be achievable by pivoting away from some of our previous structures, programs, and people. This will be incredibly hard for us even if in the interest of the long-term health and success of USU. The schools interim president added that the school is managing an accelerated timeline to develop their reinvestment proposal. We need to provide our plan to USHE in early May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The process, he assured, continues to be iterative, context-seeking and evolving as university leadership receives feedback from USU employees. In the coming weeks, we will begin by sharing information on administrative, operational, and structural changes that will be implemented, wrote Smith. This will be followed by information on programs to be discontinued or modified. By working in this sequence, we endeavor to find efficiencies and opportunities to recover dollars in a way that is least impactful to our people, while complying with the letter and spirit of HB265. Still, he noted, job cuts will be unavoidable. Offers for voluntary separation Last month, Smith announced that USU will be implementing a university-wide voluntary separation incentive program for eligible employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Applications for voluntary separations are being accepted through May 2, and will then be reviewed by college leadership. There is no guarantee of approval, but we will strive to approve as many as possible to help address last years legislative cut and, where aligned with our strategic reinvestment planning, this years budget task, wrote Smith. Additional personnel cuts required by our strategic reinvestment planning will be achieved through a reduction in force. In his recent message, Smith also addressed how the school plans to proceed with general education and research activities considering state legislation and federal executive orders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These domains of work are part of the context surrounding our decision-making, of course, but necessarily will be addressed in more detail at a later time. I have directed the team in central administration and our deans to focus primarily on our reallocation planning in light of the accelerated time frame to submit our plan to USHE. Attending to all of the budgetary concerns facing USU before proceeding with immediate HB265 plans would be ideal, Smith acknowledged. But this is a luxury we do not have. Naturally, in our reinvestment planning we will work to leave ourselves as many degrees of freedom as possible when we later turn to other challenges Higher ed reallocation plans developing across Utah Reallocation plans continue to be developed at the other degree-granting public schools across the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spokespeople at Utahs largest universities the University of Utah and Utah Valley University have told the Deseret News that their respective strategic reinvestment plans are well underway. Details are pending. Meanwhile, Weber State University plans to release its reallocation plans on April 21. It will then be submitted for initial approval of USHE by May 9. Key administrative positions at WSU have already been eliminated, after attrition, to date, including: Vice President of Information Technology. Assistant Vice President of Regional Partnerships. Vice Provost for High Impact Educational Experiences and Faculty Excellence. Training Lead for Student Success. Dean of the Moyes College of Education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WSU has also announced plans to realign academic programs in the Moyes College of Education among closely related colleges, according to the university. New academic homes are being determined for four departments: Child & Family Studies; Teacher Education; Health, Physical Education & Recreation; and Exercise & Nutrition Sciences. Students on those impacted paths will reportedly be able to finish their degrees and new students will have the same opportunities, only under different organizational structures and leadership. Like Utah State University, WSU announced its own voluntary separation incentive program for eligible employees in academic affairs. A view outside the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus Academic Building One in Alexandria. (Photo by Nathaniel Cline/Virginia Mercury) Research colleges and universities in Virginia are at risk of taking significant cuts, state lawmakers in the House of Delegates and education experts revealed Tuesday, as the countrys executive branch continues to trim down operations and funding in the federal government. According to data collected by the National Center for Science and Engineering, Virginia ranks 13th in the nation in research and development (R&D) performance. Virginias federal workforce breakdown Federal jobs and contracting equal 16.1% of all full-time and part-time jobs in Virginia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 321,516 federal full-time civilian jobs 130,751 armed forces 441,488 Virginian jobs directly depend on federal contracting Source: Weldon Cooper Center at the University of Virginia R&D is important to Virginia, and changes in federal R&D funding and policies will have ripple effects on your entire state and the Virginia Public and Land Grant Universities, Deborah Altenburg, vice president of research policy and advocacy at the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU), said to lawmakers on Tuesday in Alexandria. Altenburg said every member institution of APLU has had at least one grant canceled or delayed and theres really no clarity at this point or way to gauge what the full cost of those cuts will be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The funding institutions receive for their facilities and administrative costs could also be capped under the changes, which would be devastating to the university-based research structure, since its the major driver for our U.S. economy, she said. The changes for research institutions come as lawmakers prepare for the wider impacts on Virginias federal workforce and funding reductions, following executive actions taken by President Donald Trumps administration since taking office in January to cut what they have called wasteful government spending. So far, the number of available private-sector jobs has declined, and contracts have been canceled in Northern Virginia, InsideNOVA reports. The states community colleges have also ended DEI admission policies, in light of federal mandates snuffing out diversity, equity and inclusion practices, while the Trump administration has threatened to yank federal funding from schools that dont end race-based admissions policies. In response to the federal workforce and funding reductions, the Virginia House of Delegates, directed by House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, developed a committee to focus solely on how the changes affect Virginians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The committee is responsible for collecting data on the potential scope of workforce and funding cuts, and analyzing the likely impacts of the cuts on Virginias economy and budget should they be partially or fully realized, according to the speakers letter. Del. David Bulova speaking at a committee meeting on April 8 in Alexandria. (Nathaniel Cline/Virginia Mercury) The committee is responsible for inviting stakeholders across a wide range of interests to provide their perspectives and recommend solutions to the challenges. Del. David Bulova, D-Fairfax, the committee chair, said the Trump administrations decisions will have significant, if not profound impacts on Virginia, including on its workforce, the state budget and other key areas. The federal cuts are going to have a ripple effect on Virginias economy and so we need to be prepared to pivot and fill in that gap before it creates budget shortfalls, Bulova said. House committee digs into federal cuts impact on Virginia The committee met in February to plan four meetings in different parts of the state for lawmakers to gather insights from experts on federal workforce and economic impacts statewide and regionally. The first meeting was held Tuesday, at Virginia Techs Innovation Campus in Alexandria. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Weldon Cooper Center at the University of Virginia, whose representatives presented at the meeting, Virginia has more federal workers than nearly every other state, and Virginias federal workforce is highly educated and concentrated on national security. The committee also learned about the federal budget process, and the tools the presidents team is using to excise what they deem to be excessive programming, funding and resources. Rescissions and reprogramming are the Trump Administrations preferred tools to reduce spending with Congress support before invoking the Impoundment Control Act (ICA), according to representatives from Crossroads Strategies during Tuesdays presentation. The ICA allows temporary deferral of funds, but not cancellation without Congressional approval. Uncertainty for research institutions Lawmakers suggested that Virginias research institutions may soon have to begin assessing their grant programs, if more are canceled or even lost. This comes as APLU, the American Council on Education and Association of American Universities and others are fighting against the Trump administrations decision to cut funds for research projects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The committee feared institutions may have to raise tuition or limit research to address the potential losses. Universities are really in uncharted waters, and each institution will need to make decisions based on their institutions resources and risk tolerances, Altenburg said. Deborah Altenburg, vice president of the Research Policy and Advocacy Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, reading data to lawmakers on April 8 in Alexandria. (Nathaniel Cline/Virginia Mercury) Some of the top federal funding recipients in the commonwealth include the University of Virginia, which received $354.7 million in 2023, followed by Virginia Tech with $282.1 million. In 2023, Virginia State University also received $7.2 million and $3.5 million to James Madison University. All these institutions are members of APLU. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Del. Bonita Anthony, D-Norfolk, said education is at the core of Virginias success when developing highly educated and skilled federal workers. If theres going to be any type of reductions, its going to crumble the very core of our footprint here in Virginia, Anthony cautioned. Altenburg, whose association aims to enhance student success and workforce readiness, advance groundbreaking scientific research, and strengthen economic and community engagement, showed how money from the government supports critical aspects of higher education in the state. Federal funding, now in jeopardy, has supported a combination of direct expenditures and facilities administrative costs, Altenburg relayed. Some of the research and development costs include salaries, stipends and equipment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Del. Briana Sewell, D-Prince William, who is the chair of the House Education subcommittee on higher education, attended Tuesdays committee meeting and said afterwards it is crucial for policymakers to fully understand the consequences these cuts may have on both the accessibility and functionality of these institutions. The insights of educators and administrators are vital in ensuring these challenges are addressed effectively. NOVA Community College support Amid the troubling prospects from federal reductions, the committee also received good news that it hopes to build on across the commonwealth. On Tuesday, Northern Virginia Community College shared that it recently committed $1 million in scholarship aid to allow eligible unemployed federal workers and contractors to enroll in one of 14 courses at no charge, and to access NOVA-sponsored online workshops on resume-writing and job search techniques. The initiative, referred to as NOVAnext Partnership, is expected to provide scholarships to 1,000 participants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anne Kress, president of Northern Virginia Community College, said its a step towards stemming federal workers lost jobs statewide. This is not the solution. It is part of a solution, said Kress. Some of the courses included in the initiative focus on providing certifications in IT specialties, program management and human resources. Other instructional opportunities include online entrepreneurship and a new Generative Artificial Intelligence course. Eligible students must be federal and contract workers who have been laid off on or after Jan. 24, 2025 and reside within the Northern Virginia service area. The NOVA community college system said participants can also enroll in other courses at a regular tuition rate and may qualify for additional state financial aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kress said in two weeks, the community college system has approved 204 applications. Most of the applications are from those impacted by the cuts at USAID. Del. Tony Wilt, R-Harrisonburg, applauded the initiative. Del. Tony Wilt speaking at a committee meeting on April 8 in Alexandria. (Nathaniel Cline/Virginia Mercury) This is exciting, and I would also say its amazing to me how, in large part, it mirrors what the state of Virginia has already developed and been doing, Wilt said, referencing Virginia Has Jobs, the state portal touted by Gov. Glenn Youngkin as a solution for laid-off federal workers. Its great opportunity for us, Wilt said. I know weve all been concerned about our citizens that have lost jobs and maybe potentially could be coming down the road, but weve got good solutions. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 1 /3 GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Gov. Josh Green held a news conference Tuesday to address a case of measles reported in a child on Oahu. 2 /3 GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Gov. Josh Green held a news conference Tuesday to address a case of measles reported in a child on Oahu. GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM During a news conference Tuesday, Gov. Josh Green warned that measles is a highly contagious disease that spreads through the air, and urged vaccination to protect the community from an outbreak. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 3 /3 GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM During a news conference Tuesday, Gov. Josh Green warned that measles is a highly contagious disease that spreads through the air, and urged vaccination to protect the community from an outbreak. GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Gov. Josh Green held a news conference Tuesday to address a case of measles reported in a child on Oahu. GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM During a news conference Tuesday, Gov. Josh Green warned that measles is a highly contagious disease that spreads through the air, and urged vaccination to protect the community from an outbreak. The inevitable has happened, with Hawaiis first confirmed case of travel-related measles in the state this year as the number in the U.S. surges beyond 600. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state Department of Health on Tuesday announced the measles case in an unvaccinated child on Oahu under the age of 5. It was confirmed Monday night, according to Gov. Josh Green, in a child who recently returned from international travel with family. Theres no need to panicbut there is a need to act, said Green in a statement after a Tuesday. Measles isnt just a rash and a feverits one of the most contagious viruses known. Weve already seen what happens when vaccination rates drop : more cases, more outbreaks, more lives at risk. The best thing you can do to protect your family, your community and our keiki is to get vaccinated. Its simple, its safe and it saves lives. Health officials said the child developed a fever, runny nose and cough shortly after returning to Hawaii, and sought medical care after breaking out in a rash. The child is now recovering at home on Oahu, DOH said, and a household member with similar symptoms is being evaluated for possible measles infection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DOH is investigating the case and contacting people who may have been exposed. Officials have issued flight notifications and sent an alert to health care providers statewide. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. The kids doing well, by all accounts, said Green, so we send our love and prayers to them. But, he warned, measles is a very contagious disease that spreads through the air and can linger in a room for up to two hours. It can also overwhelm a community quickly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to DOH, 9 out of 10 people without immunity exposed to a person with measles will become infected. Measles can spread to others through coughing, sneezing and contaminated surfaces. Let me be really clear : Youre sitting near somebody with the measles and youre not vaccinated, youve got a really good chance to catch it, said Green. I mean, this stuff is infectious, so its very important that you listen carefully to our Department of Health officials to find out if you happened to be in that lounge with them, or on the plane with them, or at a play date. Measles also can result in serious complications including pneumonia and encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain. The best way to prevent measles, said DOH, is through the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, which is part of routine childhood immunizations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. declared measles eliminated in 2000 when vaccination rates were high, but cases are now resurging as those rates decline. Green has approved emergency rules allowing a child with a religious exemption to receive an MMR vaccine while still retaining their exemption to other vaccines and staying in school. DOH Director Kenneth Fink said additional travel-related cases are not unexpected. Our goal is to prevent cases from becoming outbreaks, said Fink. The best way to prevent an outbreak is to have at least a 95 % community vaccination rate. The MMR vaccine is safe and effective. If you or a family member are not up to date, please talk with your health care provider about getting vaccinated against measles to protect your ohana and our community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hawaiis MMR vaccination rate has dropped to 89.8 %, below the 95 % threshold needed for herd immunity and below the national average of 93 %. Some schools have dangerously low coverage, DOH said, especially on neighbor isles. Hawaii last detected measles two years ago. In April 2023, DOH reported one case of measles in an unvaccinated Oahu resident returning from international travel. Several weeks later DOH reported a second case in an Oahu resident who was exposed to the first case. On the mainland, meanwhile, the number of confirmed measles cases has grown to at least 607 in 22 states, mostly in Texas but also in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two school-age children have died from the measles outbreak in Texas, with the most being an 8-year-old girl who was unvaccinated and previously in good health. POSSIBLE OAHU MEASLES EXPOSUREMarch 30, 10 :50 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, C gates, customs and baggage claim areaApril 1, 9 to 10 a.m. at Manoa Valley District Park art classApril 4, 8 a.m. to noon at Queens Island Urgent Care on Kapahulu AvenueApril 4, 1 to 7 p.m., Terminal 2 departure areas, TSA checkpoints and gate area for Delta Flight 309 to Atlanta DOH urges anyone who may have been potentially exposed at these places and timesand who are not up to date on their MMR vaccines or unsure of their statusto contact their health care provider immediately. Watch for symptoms up to three weeks. Vaccine and immune globulin can be given to prevent measles if received shortly after exposure. If you cannot reach your health care provider, call the DOH disease reporting line at 808-586-4586. Measles : What you should knowMeasles is a very contagious rash illness caused by a virus.An infected person can spread measles to others from four days before a rash develops to four days after.In the U.S., about 1 in 5 unvaccinated people with measles are hospitalized due to complications, such as pneumonia, ear infections and encephalitis (brain swelling ). Prevention Two doses of MMR vaccines are 97 % effective, but breakthrough infectionswhich are uncommoncan occur during an outbreak. Adults born in or after 1957 should have at least one MMR vaccine or a blood test showing they are immune or have had the disease. Adults at higher risk of exposure need a second dose at least four weeks after the first one. Symptoms include : High fever. Cough. Runny nose. Red, watery eyes. Rash breakout three to five days after symptoms begin. Symptoms usually start seven to 14 days after infection. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) Valley Street is now reopened after strong storms late last month caused a building to partially collapse. The 100-year-old building, 121 Valley St., was damaged in storms that hit Sunday, March 30. Five people were evacuated from the building after the heavy wind caused multiple bricks to fall. North Main Street reopens downtown after building stabilized Three other buildings have partially collapsed in Dayton this spring due to storms and rain: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. VAN BUREN, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) Van Buren police say a man has been arrested in connection with the death of a man found earlier this week. Anthony Lee Tabor, 19, was arrested on April 8 on a second-degree murder charge. Anthony Tabor, 19 (Courtesy: Crawford County Detention Center) VBPD said it responded to South 40th Street and Kingsberry Drive for a welfare check on a man lying by the roadway around 11:19 a.m. on April 6. Once on the scene, officers found the body of Michael James OMalley, 34, of Van Buren. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement VBPD criminal investigators responded, and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene by the Crawford County Coroners Office. Fort Smith Public Schools names new superintendent OMalleys body was later sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for an autopsy. VBPD said Tabor was already in the Crawford County Detention Center on a theft by receiving charge as a result of the investigation. Officials say the investigation is ongoing and open, so additional details will not be made public out of respect for the victims family. VBPD said it appreciates Arkansas State Police, the FBI and the Crawford County Coroners Office during the investigation. This is a developing story. Stay with KNWA/FOX24 for the latest. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) A vehicle crashed into a day care along Minnesota Avenue in Sioux Falls on Wednesday morning. KELOLAND News spoke with Truks-N-Trykes 2 Daycare owner Jeremy Cotton, who said than no staff, children or parents were injured when a parent drove through the front of the building. We had a parent that went through the front of our daycare center. Nobody was hurt kids were luckily in their classrooms, said Cotton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While there were no physical injuries reported, emotions were running high. Everyones a little shook up, said Cotton. Weve had some parents coming in that are visibly shaken. Nobody wants to hear a call that says, you need to come and get your kid. Theres been an accident at the daycare. The portion of the building the vehicle crashed into was the stairwell, which also served as the library. Cotton said he believed the driver had hit the wrong pedal on their car. Sioux Falls restaurant closed, owners in jail Cotton said parents had been alerted via their daycare app. Multiple firefighters and police were at the scene. Photos from the incident show the vehicle and the side of the day care. Firefighters were using a ladder in response to the crash. In terms of the impact of the crash, Cotton said parents should brace for a period of closure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve got people coming out to make sure that the building is structurally sound, but for right now, it looks like we may be closed for this week, Cotton said. Truks-N-Trykes has multiple locations around the area. Cotton and his wife own the Truks-N-Trykes brand, and two of the locations in town. They license the name out to the other locations. In terms of child care, Cotton said they will be looking to see what they can do to potentially move kids around to other locations while Truks-N-Trykes 2 is closed. We are in contact with the State of South Dakota and DSS and making sure that if we can move kids just temporarily to other locations, that we are able to do that, said Cotton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cotton was sure to highlight the staffs role throughout the incident. The staff is amazing, he said. Everybodys healthy, everybodys safe, and like I said, the staff is amazing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Venezuelan military says it has raised its alert level following the discovery of an alleged U.S. plot to fabricate an incident at an ExxonMobil offshore platform in the contested waters between Venezuela and Guyana to justify an armed conflict. The Venezuelan Defense Ministry issued a statement on Sunday claiming the plot was designed to create a pretext for conflict in the long-contested Essequibo regiona mineral-rich area roughly the size of Florida that Venezuela claims as its own but has been under Guyanese control since an 1899 arbitration ruling. The statement came a day after Vice President Delcy Rodriguez accused the United States, the Guyanese government, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, and Erik Princefounder of the private military firm Blackwaterof conspiring to launch a military operation against Venezuela. Rodriguez claimed the false flag plot would begin with an attack on the ExxonMobil platform in the contested waters. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez This plot aims to stage an attack on an ExxonMobil platform operating in waters extending into the yet-to-be-delimited Essequibo region, with the intention of justifying retaliatory and hostile actions against our nation, said Rodriguez, a close ally of President Nicolas Maduro, during a televised address on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez reaffirmed the governments stance on Sunday, saying the military is taking Rodriguezs accusations seriously. The Bolivarian National Armed Force remains on alert in response to the allegations made by Vice President Rodriguez regarding a new imperialist conspiracy by the United States to carry out a false flag operation against the ExxonMobil platform near Guyanas maritime border, Lopez said in the ministrys communique. In a strongly worded statement, Lopez condemned what he described as the fabrication of false positives a reference to staged incidents used to provoke military action. He accused the U.S. of employing such tactics as part of a broader strategy to justify interventions. These false incidents are part of a longstanding imperial playbook used to manipulate public opinion and justify unwarranted interventions, Lopez said. This modus operandi provoking conflict and then invading sovereign nations with military and economic force has become a worn-out script that no longer holds credibility in the eyes of the international community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ExxonMobil platform has become a focal point of rising tensions since late February, when a Venezuelan warship entered the disputed waters, prompting warnings from Washington. The incident led to a strong rebuke from U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his recent visit to Georgetown. Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro It would be a very bad day for the Venezuelan regime if they attacked Guyana or ExxonMobil, Rubio said. We have a large navy, and it can reach almost anywhere in the world. We are committed to Guyana. The border dispute, which dates back more than 180 years, has escalated significantly in recent months. In December 2023, Maduro held a controversial referendum that claimed overwhelming public support98% according to official figuresfor military action to claim the Essequibo region. The vote was widely criticized for alleged fraud and lack of transparency. Since then, Maduro has doubled down on Venezuelas claim, declaring the Essequibo region a new Venezuelan state, increasing military presence near the border, and announcing plans to hold regional elections there to install a governor moves condemned by the international community. As the reality of living in America under President Donald Trump's new tariffs sinks in, many find their anxiety growing about everything from the cost of their grocery bill to their investment portfolios. The Magnificent Seven - Apple, Nvidia, Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta - lost more than $1.8 trillion in market value in the last week, and key voices in the space have already come forward to express their concern at the decisions coming from The White House. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter One of those is JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, considered one of the most influential CEOs in America. In a recent interview with Semafor, Dimon replied frankly to questions about tariffs, saying, "Uncertainty is not a good thing." Related: JP Morgan's Jamie Dimon offers surprising take on tariffs "I dont think the average American consumer who wakes up in the morning and goes to work changes what theyre going to do because they read about tariffs, Dimon continued. But I do think companies might." While Dimon seems less apocalyptic than some about the new world order, there's another high-profile investor who is crystal clear about the threats at hand. Dan Ives is very concerned about tech stocks in the age of tariffs.Wedbush Securities/TheStreet Wedbush calls an 'economic armageddon' Wedbush analyst Dan Ives shared the investment company's newest note via his X account on April 7. The note spares no expense in mapping out a future that could be devastating for anyone who holds big-name tech stocks. Ives refers to the tariff impact on the industry as "economic Armageddon." "Investors today are coming to the scary realization this economic Armageddon Trump tariff policy is really going to be implemented this week and it makes the tech investing landscape the most difficult I have seen in 25 years covering tech stock on The Street," Ives wrote. Related: Stock Market Today: Stocks volatile amid $9.5 trillion global wipeout Ives calls the future "a costly and Everest-like uphill climb." "Here is the fundamental problem...investors and companies know pure math and reality...this tariff policy will set the US tech sector back a decade in our views if it stays." What tech stocks could offer refuge in the storm Ives says that while well-positioned software names like IBM and Microsoft will be insulated from some of the cost inputs, he suggests several cybersecurity stocks as a defensive maneuver for tech investors. "Cybersecurity names such as Palo Alto, Zscaler, Crowdstrike, Checkpoint, CyberArk will be defensive names where investors could rotate from semis to software to hunker down during this Category 5 storm and likely outperform other subsets of tech," he says. This coverage is made possible through Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting access. Sign up for Votebeat Texas free newsletters here. A year after Gillespie County Republicans hand counted thousands of primary ballots, a bill from a Republican Texas lawmaker whose district includes parts of the area could make it easier to verify the accuracy of hand-counted election results. State Rep. Ellen Troxclair of Lakeway filed House Bill 3113, which would require counties opting for hand counts to use a ballot that is capable of being scanned and tabulated by voting machines using optical scanning technology. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By law, Gillespie County Republicans were allowed to design their own ballots, and they didnt choose to use ballots that could be scanned. That meant their primary results could only be verified manually. If passed, the bill would allow for a faster recount or audit of any hand-counted results. Hand counts can take days and involve hundreds of people. Studies have shown the method is time-consuming, costly and less accurate than using machines. It will improve accuracy so that we can have greater confidence in the outcome, Troxclair said. The bill does not prevent a hand count or require an audit, she said, but simply makes a faster recount of hand-counted ballots an option. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, Republicans in Gillespie County, home to Fredericksburg, west of Austin, hand-counted every ballot cast in their primary. There were about 8,000 ballots, each of which contained choices for more than 30 races, including Troxclairs. Days later, during the canvass, Votebeat reported that election officials found errors in the results of all but one of the countys 13 precincts. Troxclair said Votebeats reporting on Gillespies hand count helped her understand where the process could improve to ensure accuracy, leading her to propose legislation. The bill was discussed during a House Elections Committee hearing Wednesday and is awaiting a committee vote. Texas requires partial recounts only for ballots that are tabulated electronically. There is no provision in state law to require a recount or audit for the results of a hand count. The Texas secretary of states election division does not have the authority to audit the election unless Gillespie is one of the counties the office randomly selects. Public records showed the effort in Gillespie was costly for taxpayers. It required 350 people, who worked more than 2,300 hours on Election Day at $12 per hour, totaling more than $27,000 in wages. The amount did not include hourly wages for election clerks at each of the countys 13 precincts on Election Day who checked in voters and performed duties other than counting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jim Riley, the Gillespie County elections administrator, testified in favor of the bill Wednesday. Riley told lawmakers that theres no way to know exactly how many errors and inaccuracies were made in the primary because the ballots could not be scanned and recounted. Unreadable penmanship, simple math errors, transposing numerals, all of those things made a difference in whether or not we were accurate, Riley told lawmakers. Those opposing the bill, including members of the Fredericksburg Tea Party who led the hand count in Gillespie, said it would create additional costs for counties who choose to hand-count because voting equipment vendors would have to be paid to program the machines to handle the ballots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why should counties who choose to hand-count like us, or who are considering returning to hand count, be forced to contract with the very machine companies they're trying to separate from? said Jeannette Hormuth, a Fredericksburg Tea Party member who helped organize last years hand count. Christina Adkins, elections division director at the Texas Secretary of States Office, said that under federal and state law, counties must provide at least one accessible voting machine for voters with disabilities at each polling location, whether counties hand-count or not. That means counties already are required to have the capabilities to format ballots so they can be scanned. Riley said the bill would not create additional burdens on the county. In fact, last year, his office offered to format the primary ballots so they could be scanned. The decision was up to the county GOP. We said they could hand-count the complete election at their leisure after it was over, but that was turned down, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Natalia Contreras covers election administration and voting access for Votebeat in partnership with the Texas Tribune. She is based in Corpus Christi. Contact Natalia at ncontreras@votebeat.org. Disclosure: Texas Secretary of State 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. Tickets are on sale now for the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, Texas breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov. 1315 in downtown Austin. Get tickets before May 1 and save big! TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase. For Dominicans, family is a far-reaching word; hence the sadness in Lawrence after at least 124 were killed in the collapse of a nightclub roof early Tuesday morning in Santo Domingo. The Jet Set nightclub, a fixture in the capital city for the last 50 years, was packed with guests attending a merengue concert. The number of dead is expected to rise, as rescue workers sift through beams, girders, and other roofing debris. One of the known dead is North Andover resident Fray Louis Rosario, owner of two restaurants in Lawrence: Terra Luna Cafe and La Varga Cantina. He and his wife were vacationing in the Dominican Republic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Very, very good man, said his long-time friend Luis Cabrera. Very honest man. Its very hard to comprehend what happened. Going on vacation and never seeing that person again, its horrible. Rosarios daughters declined to speak with the media, but graciously supplied a photograph of their father. They said their mother was not injured in the roofing collapse but remains in the DR to make arrangements for Rosario. Terra Luna Cafe is not normally open on Wednesdays, but employees erected a memorial to the boss inside -- as customers outside expressed sorrow over Rosarios passing. This was a good guy, said Wili Gaillird. Thats terrible. Its a catastrophe. He was a humble guy. Gentle. A good guy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gaillird said he knew of others from Lawrence, he believed also died in the collapse. Everybodys so sad here, he said. Because everybody has some friends, some family. Theres no words, no words, said Lissette Martinez, who participates in missionary work in the DR. Its only God that can comfort people at this time and moment. I hope everyone finds peace in their heart and grieves in their own time because this is very hard. Lawrence Mayor Brian DePena called this week a moment of mourning and reflection. He presides over an American city whose Dominican population of about 50,000 is only exceeded by New York City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DePena ordered flags dropped to half-staff -- and announced plans for a vigil Thursday at 4 PM adjacent to Terra Luna Cafe on Appleton Way. Let us unite as a community for a moment of reflection and solidarity, DePena wrote. To our Dominican brothers and sisters, please know that you are not alone. The people of Lawrence stand with you. May God bring comfort to every grieving heart and grant peace to all those affected. Cabrera, who had known Rosario for at least 12 years, said he was a funny guy who liked to help people out. He didnt deserve a death like that, he said. Its gonna take time, like everything else in life. Because you dont expect that a friend of yours youre not going to see him anymore. I mean, he didnt have a chance to say goodbye. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) An anonymous donor has paid off the vet bill Gregory Polson incurred trying desperately to save his chihuahuas life. I am eternally grateful, Polson told Target 8 on Wednesday. I only wish I could thank them in person. No good deed should go uncelebrated. The strangers kindness is a bright light amid griefs darkness. On Saturday, Polson rushed his chihuahua, Poppy, to BluePearl Pet Hospital on East Paris after the dog was crushed by a log chair that toppled over at a Grand Rapids park. An undated photo of Poppy the chihuahua. (Courtesy Gregory Polson) Chihuahua killed in Grand Rapids park after structure fell on him Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It happened in a section of Garfield Park known as Burton Woods. Polsons other dog, Shadow, had jumped onto a chair built from a tree trunk and put his paws on top of the backrest. That caused the chair estimated to weight between 50 and 100 pounds to fall backward, landing on Poppy. BluePearl staff, at Polsons request, commenced resuscitative measures, but it was too late. The $1,087 bill covered intubation, among other life-saving efforts. Polson, struggling with how to cover the bill, had asked BluePearl if he could make payments. An undated photo of Poppy the chihuahua. (Courtesy Gregory Polson) An undated photo of Poppy the chihuahua. (Courtesy Gregory Polson) But minutes after Target 8 aired Polsons story Monday, multiple viewers contacted the newsroom wanting to donate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Polson confirmed that BluePearl could take donations directly, and Target 8 posted the hospitals phone number online Tuesday evening. On Wednesday, Polson received a voicemail message from BluePearl. Park structure that killed dog in Grand Rapids was built by city I just wanted to provide an update that we had an anonymous donor call this morning, explained the BluePearl employee, and they have paid off the bill in full. An undated photo of Poppy the chihuahua. (Courtesy Gregory Polson) An undated photo of Poppy the chihuahua. (Courtesy Gregory Polson) An undated photo of Poppy the chihuahua. (Courtesy Gregory Polson) An undated photo of Poppy the chihuahua. (Courtesy Gregory Polson) An undated photo of Poppy the chihuahua. (Courtesy Gregory Polson) Polson wants to make sure the anonymous donor knows just how grateful he is. Im elated, Polson told Target 8 Wednesday, Im not used to having anyone step in on my behalf, so to have someone so kind and generous do something like this brings me nothing buy joy. I want to thank whoever did this as well as all the other people who were looking to donate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city of Grand Rapids has blocked off the table and chairs with caution tape. Caution tape blocks off a makeshift table and chairs in the Burton Woods section of Garfield Park. (April 7, 2025) The forestry division of GRs Parks and Recreation Department built the furniture several years ago out of discarded trees. The city is still evaluating what to do with the log-built furniture long-term to ensure such an accident never occurs again. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Two veteran Los Angeles County prosecutors filed lawsuits on Monday in California's Superior Court accusing Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman of retaliation by demoting them after they publicly supported the resentencing of the Menendez brothers while their former boss, George Gascon, still led the office. The prosecutors, Deputy District Attorneys Nancy Theberge and Brock Lunsford, write in the lawsuits filed separately that they each were demoted to junior positions after they spoke out with Gascon last fall in support of Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were convicted in the sensational killings of their parents in their Beverly Hills home in 1989 in 1996. The brothers, Erik Menendez, now 53, and Lyle Menendez, 56, have steadfastly maintained they were acting in self-defense after suffering years of sexual and physical abuse at the hands of their father when they shot their parents dead. The case, which sparked a Netflix Ryan Murphy show and several documentaries, has become mired in political contention since Gascon lost his seat to Hochman last year. While Gascon supported the resentencing motion and recommended a court ruling that would have removed the life without parole element of the brothers sentence, changing it to 50 years to life in prison, Hochman immediately opposed his predecessor's recommendation to the court citing what he calls the brothers' continued refusal to own up to the murders. Their attorneys, Cliff Gardner and Mark Geragos, argue that Hochman ignores the brutality they suffered at the hands of their father. [Geragos is the co-owner of Engine Vision Media, the parent company of Los Angeles.] Gascon maintained before his loss that his decision to support resentencing was influenced by new evidence supporting the brothers' claims of enduring physical and sexual abuse by their father, Jose Menendez, including a 1988 letter from Erik Menendez to his cousin detailing ongoing abuse. The deputies now suing Hochman agreed with that argument and say in their lawsuit they were targeted for demotion because of it. After Hochman was elected in November, he removed both Theberge and Lunsford from the case and demoted them, they argue in their suits. Theberge and Lunsford were not only demoted but also subjected to a campaign of retaliation, harassment, and reputational harm. Supervisors in the new administration accused Theberge of dishonesty and breaching her duty of candor to the court, a baseless and slanderous attack on her integrity, Theberge said in her complaint. Theberge and Lunsford are also claiming whistleblower retaliation, discrimination, harassment, defamation, emotional distress and violations of California labor laws. The lawsuit also names Deputy District Attorney John Lewin as a defendant saying that the veteran prosecutors were called "quislings," a slur connecting them to Nazi collaborators, after Hochman's win. He could not immediately be reached for comment. Both prosecutors are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. The suits were filed the same week in which Hochman is set to ask a judge on Friday to withdraw the resentencing request. When Dave Crete was stationed at the Nevada Test and Training Range as an Air Force security troop in the late 1980s, his dorm room was just over two miles from a nuclear test site. Just getting onto the range, known as the NTTR, through its main gate puts you within miles of one of the bases five sites. Crete now has 20 tumors throughout his body and deals with brain cysts and atrophy, meaning his brain is shrinking. Thats not too bad. Im one of the healthy ones. Average age of death for our unit is 65, Crete said to a congressional panel Tuesday. I dont know anybody yet thats made it to 80. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Crete joined other veteran advocates at a roundtable on Capitol Hill to discuss toxic exposures from their service that are not covered under the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, known as the PACT Act. Passed in 2022, the PACT Act deemed certain illnesses and cancers as service-related for those exposed to burn pits during Iraq and Afghanistan deployments and for Vietnam War veterans with Agent Orange-related chemicals. However, while the PACT Act covers some instances of toxic exposure at domestic military bases, there are gaps, and some veterans are warning Congress that theyre slipping through the cracks. Rosie Torres, a co-founder of Burn Pits 360, a veterans group focused on toxic exposure, said the roundtable highlighted past exposure incidents that werent included in the PACT Act and implications for future generations that should be considered amid political conversations around the future of veteran benefits. Its a way to show that theres a need for healthcare in the [Department of Veterans Affairs] and for Congress to acknowledge these other incidents and if there are opportunities to amend the PACT Act, that that be done, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Danny Sebeck, a Space Force officer and co-director of the Torchlight Initiative, which advocates for the Air Force missile community, said the PACT Act does a great job of covering care for people that are overseas. But what Sebeck and other advocates told members of Congress Tuesday is that there are coverage gaps for service members and their families who live at bases and are exposed to toxic chemicals. Theres a common theme here obviously, thats why were all here and were taking a lot of casualties. These casualties are not taken in battle instead theyre taken in our workplace, Sebeck said. We need to absolutely add some of these kind of smaller, unknown communities to the PACT Act. Speakers included veterans, family members and advocates with stories of toxic exposure from the Red Hill fuel spill at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii as well as a long-closed California base, which was deemed to be among the most poluted sites in America by the EPA. Veterans and spouses shared their stories of cancer fights, miscarriages and other illnesses from exposure to toxins, radiation, fuel spills, and chemical contaminations during their service going back to the 1980s. Advocacy groups asked for support to help aviators who suffer higher cancer rates from their service and families who were exposed to local toxins at bases abroad like at Naval Air Facility Atsugi in Atsugi, Japan. Veteran advocates asked Congress for help in getting their toxic exposure from military service covered under the PACT Act. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Zachary Rufus. Secret base, toxic sites Crete said his brain cysts are not part of his rating as a service-connected disability. He is also not covered under PACT Act since he served in the 80s after the laws Agent Orange coverage was active (between Jan. 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975) and because the Nevada range is not registered as a toxic site. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They knew when they did the assessment that our air was contaminated, our soil was contaminated, and our drinking water was contaminated so the water that my food was cooked in was contaminated, the water that I showered in every day was contaminated, he said. I am asking that Congress please allow us to get the benefits that every other veteran has earned. About a decade before Crete worked at the NTTR, a federal environmental assessment of the Tonopah Test Range, which is part of the complex, stated the environmental impacts of the range included scarring of the land and roads by shrapnel impact, the scattering of debris, toxic and radioactive materials and explosive wastes burned in the open. It also considered the exposure of the working staff as an unavoidable adverse environmental impact. As long as the nation chooses to maintain an up-to-date nuclear weapon stockpile, some facility such as the Tonopah Test Range must continue to exist, the 1975 report from the U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration said. Because it is well isolated from man and his works, from an environmental point of view, the operation of the Range should be permitted to continue. The environmental costs inherent in the work are small and reasonable for the benefits received. (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })() Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Military service members and their families are disproportionately exposed to chemicals like asbestos to toxic chemicals in the soil and groundwater, said Jared Hayes, policy analyst for the Environmental Working Group. The [Department of Defense] has consistently downplayed the risks of failing to alert the service members of the presence of toxic chemicals by failing to track the presence of toxic chemicals in their bodies, Hayes said. A February Government Accountability Report found that estimates to clean up forever chemicals, or more technically known as polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS, from military bases will cost $9.3 billion in fiscal year 2025 and beyond. However, the GAO found that the costs will continue to increase as the department learns about the breadth and depth of the needs. Often we think veterans injuries deriving from action in far away lands while under fire. We know that this is simply not true, ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) said at the roundtable. We shouldnt have to be our own lawyers, doctors, researchers The veteran groups said theres not enough transparency about their exposures to toxins in the form of PFAS, ground and water contaminations, and other chemicals from their military jobs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Candace Wheeler, director for government and legislative Affairs for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, called for troops to be able to access exposure records kept by the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs known as an Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record, or ILER. Those records track troops toxin or environmental exposure. She also said there should be an ILER 2.0 for military family members. Wouldnt it be wonderful if we could take either, and then the electronic medical records, and use these together to be proactive and reach out to our veterans and their families and get an early notification, Wheeler said. There is a huge difference between stage one and stage four cancer. We can save lives if we are proactive. Wheeler, whose husband served as an Air Force fighter pilot at the now-shuttered George Air Force Base, California, said the installation was designated by the Environmental Protection Agencys as a highly contaminated site, but they were never officially notified. At the time, families were experiencing higher rates of infertility and miscarriages, adding that people were told: dont get pregnant at George. Christy Foran, a scientist at the RAND Corporation, said military members face the same occupational hazards from exposure to toxic chemicals as firefighters exposed to PFAS, utility and transportation workers who handle fuels or industrial workers dealing with solvents and heavy metals. These exposures can lead to cancers and respiratory and cardiac issues, Foran said, adding that maintaining careful records is critical to understanding the safety impacts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A hurdle to that record-keeping is that the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs have different types of data on exposures. Keeping track of these exposures to identify the potential health consequences is challenging in part because there are two systems that have to work together, she said. Later on during the roundtable, Foran said that more research would be required to put the pieces together to spot links between exposure and health ailments. Veterans testified that the lack of transparency has led them to do the behind-the-scenes research necessary to prove that their cancers or other health conditions are the result of exposure at their military installations. Its heart-wrenching and gut-wrenching, Torres of Burn Pits 360 said. We shouldnt have to be our own lawyers, doctors, researchers, and thats what Ive been witnessing today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mandy Feindt, an Army major whose family was exposed to the fuel spill at Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility along with 90,000 others at the Hawaii base, said the Navy failed to inform service members of the risks they, and their families faced. When Red Hill happened, the Navy knew for six months, Feindt said at the roundtable in Washington, D.C. Thousands of families cooked their Thanksgiving meals with jet-fuel-contaminated water, including mine. Back in 2022, when Task & Purpose asked the service about the accusations that the Navy withheld information from families on base, a spokesperson said that information provided to our residents, our communities, the public and the media was accurate at the time. Five Navy admirals and seven captains faced rebuke for the Red Hill fuel leak in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the PACT Act legislation directed the VA to study the human impact of jet fuel exposure and report it back to Congress, Red Hill was not included, she said. While a lot of progress has been made, Feindt said, theres not been a lot of lessons learned, and called for more mandatory medical testing at the first instance of known toxic exposure. When several thousand people ended up in the hospital, and I, as a mother, begged for testing hair, skin, nails, take a body part if you have to. I want to know what it is that my children have consumed, Feindt said. The Navy somehow felt they reserved the right to know more about what my children were being exposed to than I did as their own mother. The latest on Task & Purpose BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) The vice president of the Buffalo chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) was arrested Wednesday for sex crimes against children, according to New York State Police. John Todaro, 49, of Amherst, was allegedly found to be in possession of child pornography following an Internet Crimes Against Children investigation. He was also disseminating child pornography, officials said. Police said Todaro would have had opportunities to be around children in his role. The BACA website says at least two members must be present to meet with a child to protect against accusations of child abuse. Background checks are necessary to become members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Todaro was charged with promoting a sexual performance by a child and possessing a sexual performance by a child. He was released on his own recognizance and is expected back in court in May. We have reached out to BACA and are waiting to hear back. Latest Local News Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo. HANOI (Reuters) -The leaders of Vietnam and Spain on Wednesday pledged to boost economic ties and defence cooperation and voiced their support for upholding free trade, at a time when both are hit with the Trump administration's reciprocal tariffs. Spain and Asian manufacturing powerhouse Vietnam are seeking to avert the imposition of tariffs of 46% on Vietnamese goods and 25% on European Union products entering the U.S., effective Wednesday. Vietnam wants to upgrade ties with Spain to the level of comprehensive strategic partnership at the earliest opportunity, its Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said during a visit by his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Regarding the current global situation, the more difficult and challenging it is, the more we need to cooperate and underline the multilateralism," Chinh said at a joint briefing with Sanchez in Hanoi. Sanchez said Spain believed in economic openness and was against trade conflicts. "Spain supports a rules-based international order, free trade, and economic openness, and believes that trade wars benefit no one but harm everyone," he said. Spain is keen to expand its presence in Vietnam, including in railway infrastructure, where Spain could share expertise from building its own high-speed rail network, Sanchez said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vietnam is seeking to ramp up its investment in its ailing railway system, including plans to build a 1,541 km (958-mile) high-speed rail that would link Hanoi with business hub Ho Chi Minh City, plus railway links with China. (Reporting by Khanh Vu and Francesco Guarascio; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by John Mair, Martin Petty) By Phuong Nguyen, Francesco Guarascio and David Lawder HANOI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister is set to talk on Wednesday with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and plans also to meet Boeing, SpaceX and Apple executives this week, according to an internal schedule seen by Reuters. The export-reliant Southeast Asian nation is scrambling to persuade the Trump administration to revise its decision to impose tariffs of 46% on Vietnam's exports to Washington, which account for about 30% of the country's gross domestic product. Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc is set to meet Bessent for about 45 minutes at the Treasury in Washington at 4 p.m. EST (2000 GMT) on Wednesday, according to the internal schedule, which is still subject to changes. A senior U.S. official confirmed the meeting on Wednesday, but declined to provide additional details or topics. The purpose of the meeting is to organise talks for a possible revision of tariffs on Vietnam, said one person who talked in Washington with members of the Vietnamese delegation, noting an immediate reprieve was unlikely. The source declined to be named because the information was not public. Vietnam has asked the United States to delay the implementation of reciprocal tariffs, which take effect on Wednesday, and its top leader To Lam in a call with U.S. President Donald Trump last week said he was open to discussing a zero-tariff deal with Washington. The country has already made multiple concession to the United States, including lowering duties and increasing imports. "They've lowered their tariffs already on cherries. They've lowered them on almonds and apples," U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday, adding these exports are important to Western U.S. states. "And this is exactly the right direction that we want to go in," he added, noting however that "Vietnam is one of those countries that understands that it is, frankly, one of the major targets of this action, because their trade surplus with us is so lopsided." Vietnam has the fourth-largest trade surplus among all U.S. trading partners. It was worth $123.5 billion last year. On Monday White House trade adviser Peter Navarro had highlighted major concerns about Vietnam, including transhipping from China, the dumping of seafood and other goods, and intellectual property issues. BUSINESS MEETINGS Immediately after the meeting with Bessent, Phoc plans to meet executives of planemaker Boeing at 5 p.m. EST and attend the signing of an agreement between Vietnamese airline Vietjet and investment fund KKR, the schedule shows. GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) An annual candlelight vigil and prayer was held Tuesday to honor those in Kent County who have become victims of crime. Dozens gathered at the 63rd District Court for the vigil, all having lived through the unthinkable losing a loved one to violence. The vigil was hosted by Silent Observer and the Kent County Victim Witness Unit. April 6-12 is National Crime Victims Rights Week, which aims to help all crime victims achieve justice in whatever way they can. This year, the theme is kinship, in an effort to recognize the humanity of crime victims and survivors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheila Hall lost her son Jeremy Parnell to gun violence in June. She told News 8 at the vigil that its events like these that help her continue to grieve. GRPD: Man facing charges in deadly June shooting I didnt really want to come, because I didnt really know what it was going to be about. I feel like everybody here we just share the same pain. We got the different children, or sisters or brothers, whoever the victim was, Hall said. I feel some type of relief you know, knowing that we all share the same kind of pain. The rose, it just means life so there is light at the end of the tunnel but where that light is, I dont know. A candlelight vigil held for victims of crime in Kent County. (April 8, 2025) While someone has been charged with her sons killing, she said the pain is still felt every day. Hall said she attended the vigil to be around others who have lived through the same things as her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a good light, good, sweet sound experience. I am not alone in this battle or in this situation, she said. Its very important just to come out and share and be among the same people who have experienced or are experiencing what you are experiencing. Another attendee, Diana Garcia, who lost her granddaughter Alana Vasquez in September of 2023, came to the vigil to keep her story alive. Vasquez was shot and killed at a car meetup on Grand Rapids southwest side, but Garcia said to this day, no charges have been filed. GRPD promises consequences for dangerous car meetups She really was the light of my life, and it was cut so short, Garcia said. I dont always want to remember her dying, I want to remember everyone to remember how happy she was, what a good person she was. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the vigil, over 150 names were read to the crowd followed by a bell ringing, as a way to continue remembering. No matter the situation, these families still share the same message: Violence does not have to be the answer. People gathered at a candlelight vigil held for victims of crimes in Kent County. (April 8, 2025) People gathered at a candlelight vigil held for victims of crimes in Kent County. (April 8, 2025) People gathered at a candlelight vigil held for victims of crimes in Kent County. (April 8, 2025) This is to honor them, to remember them that unfortunately so many of these young people, I saw so many pictures of young people that were shot by guns by violence, I dont get it. I dont get it, Garcia said. Put the guns down, you might have a little spat or argument, but it doesnt mean that we should take it and destroy or take away a life, Hall said. In observance of Crime Victims Rights Week, The Grand Rapids Police Departments Victim Services Unit is hosting an event called, Option and Rights of Crime Victims on April 9 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the police department. The event will be focused on teaching attendees about victims rights and options through the civil and judicial processes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. We recently published a list of 10 Undervalued Canadian Stocks to Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where The Toronto-Dominion Bank (NYSE:TD) stands against other undervalued Canadian stocks to buy now. Q1 2025 saw some challenges to the financial markets, primarily because of trade issues, says Sun Life (a Canadian-based international financial services company). The US decided to impose extra taxes, known as tariffs, on goods coming from numerous countries, including Canada. This move impacted the investors sentiments as to how it might slow down business and economic growth, not only in Canada but globally. The firm noted that Canadas economy remains strong, and the BoC is no longer concerned with inflation. It lowered the interest rate by 50 bps to 2.75% as an effort to manage the economic impact of US tariffs. Current State of Canadas Economy Canadas economy strengthened at the end of 2024, says Sun Life, thanks to the lower interest rates. That being said, the markets remain nervous about economic strength. As per the firm, Canadas economy saw a growth of 2.6%, annualized over Q4 2024. Consumer spending acted as the critical growth driver. Also, reduced interest rates aided in driving consumer spending. The countrys economy also benefited from the stronger exports. The firm also highlighted that Canadas unemployment rate sat at 6.6% as of February. BoC decided to reduce rates in part because of the improving labour market. Notably, Canadian equities touched a new high early in the quarter. Talking about the sectors, the Materials and Utilities sectors were tagged as the strongest performers. However, the Health Care and IT sectors saw the weakest returns. READ ALSO: 7 Best Stocks to Buy For Long-Term and 8 Cheap Jim Cramer Stocks to Invest In. Whats Next for Canadian Equities? Bloomberg, while quoting Scotiabank, mentioned that Canadas stock markets are expected to outperform after avoiding the worst of Trumps tariffs. Scotia Capital Inc. provided a double upgrade to Canadian equities, from Underweight to Overweight, with analysts highlighting that both Canada and Mexico have managed to dodge the bullet in the escalating trade war. As per Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Gillian Wolff and Gina Martin Adams, TSX valuations are low relative to pre-pandemic levels, which offer a buffer against economic volatility and trade war. The analysts at Scotia Capital Inc. believe that the escalating trade war announcement is negative for the US and the rest of the world. Scotiabank has dropped emerging market equities to Underweight from Neutral, mentioned Bloomberg. Coral Gables residents headed to the polls Tuesday to decide on a mayor and two city commissioners in an election season characterized by mudslinging and allegations of intimidation. With only a few mail-in ballots yet to be counted, Lago secured over 55% of the vote Tuesday, scoring a third two-year term as mayor. Commissioner Kirk Menendez, who hoped to unseat Lago as mayor, was behind at under 38%. A third mayoral candidate, Michael Anthony Abbott, had about 7%. READ MORE: Personalities collide in Coral Gables election as mayor faces challenge from former ally Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lago and Menendez used to be allies on the City Commission, but their relationship began to sour in the fall of 2023 as Menendez began to side with two of Lagos opponents on a series of controversial split votes. Winning reelection wasnt Lagos only battle. He also needed Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson and a candidate named Richard Lara to secure victories in order to wrangle back a three-person majority on the five-member commission. While Anderson won Tuesday, Lara fell a few percentage points short of a majority, meaning he is heading to an April 22 runoff against candidate Thomas Wells. More than 10,000 people about 30% of the citys approximately 34,000 registered voters cast ballots in the City Beautifuls 2025 election, according to preliminary results. Below are summaries of the results. Mayor Coral Gables mayoral candidates, from left to right: Michael Anthony Abbott, incumbent Mayor Vince Lago and Commissioner Kirk Menendez Lago secured a victory Tuesday, paving the way to his third term as mayor. Preliminary results showed him with about 55% of the vote. Commission Group II Group II candidates from left to right: Rhonda Anne Anderson, Laureano Cancio and Felix Pardo Anderson, who currently serves as the vice mayor, was reelected Tuesday with about 58% of the vote, according to unofficial results. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incumbent faced off against challengers Laureano Cancio and Felix Pardo. Commission Group III Coral Gables Group III candidates Richard Lara, Claudia Miro and Thomas O. Wells Lara and Wells will be heading to a runoff in two weeks in the race for the open City Commission seat. Candidate Claudia Miro came in third place. The Group III seat was left vacant by Menendez, who opted to run for mayor instead of seeking a second four-year commission term. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) The Department of Homeland Security has revoked the visas of two international students at Grand Valley State University. University leaders said they only found out after hearing about visa cancellations at other schools and deciding to review their own records. GVSU has not been contacted by DHS about the reasons for the visa revocations, the school wrote on its website Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Currently, international students make up about 3% of the student body. Similar situations are also unfolding in East Lansing, where Michigan State University administrators say the department of state contacted students directly to tell them their travel visas had been revoked, and Mount Pleasant, where Central Michigan University said international students records were unexpectedly terminated without notice from the government. A GVSU spokesperson said its office for international students is working with affected students. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. More than two dozen international students who are enrolled or recently graduated from Utah colleges and universities have had their visas revoked and are reportedly being instructed to leave the country. The majority of the impacted students are associated with the University of Utah. As of Tuesday, 18 graduate and undergraduate students as well as some graduates from the states flagship university have reportedly had their visas revoked and the SEVIS records terminated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The stated reasons for the revocation, according to the university, include failure to maintain non-immigrant status and/or criminal record check. Approximately half of the affected University of Utah students are reportedly from China with the other half hailing from several other countries and regions, including India and the Middle East. A Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (or SEVIS) record is a digital record maintained by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that tracks and monitors the status of non-immigrant students (F and M visa) and exchange visitors (J visa) in the United States, according to the university. The University of Utah reports 3,733 F visa holders and 371 J visa holders at the school. This includes OPT and STEM OPT work programs for recent graduates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DHS and/or Department of State actions for criminal conduct are routine, according to university spokesperson: Over the course of any school year, international students may have their visas revoked or SEVIS records terminated as the result of an arrest or being charged with criminal activity. These activities can include domestic violence allegations or driving under the influence. What is different currently is that records are being terminated in SEVIS sometimes without notice to the university and/or the student. None of the affected University of Utah students, the statement noted, have been flagged for participating in protests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The University of Utah, the schools statement added, is a public institution of higher education and follows state and federal law. We are currently in a period of enhanced immigration enforcement. The University of Utah statement concluded, saying We are sharing guidance with our international students and scholars about the ways they can stay in good standing and maintain their visa status. A letter obtained by KSL.com Wednesday sent to an unnamed student from the U.S. Department of State and the Bureau of Consular Affairs Visa Office warned the student that staying in the U.S. without lawful immigration status can result in fines, detention and/or deportation. It may also make you ineligible for a future U.S. visa. Please note that deportation can take place at a time that does not allow the person being deported to secure possessions or conclude affairs in the United States. Persons being deported may be sent to countries other than their countries of origin, said the letter. Statewide reports of student visas being revoked While the majority of international students affected by the recent round of revocations are connected to the University of Utah, other schools across the state are reporting similar actions being taken against some of their students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five international students at Weber State University have had their Student and Exchange Visitor Information System record terminated although that does not necessarily mean their visa has been revoked. Three international students at Utah Valley University and nine Utah Tech University students, respectively, have been affected. Snow College reported two students. Three Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) students have had their Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) status terminated. College officials have reached out to each student to make them aware of the visa termination. The college is also working with each student to coordinate options for them to complete and receive credit for their spring semester classes, which end in a few weeks, according to a SLCC spokesperson. The circumstances around these visa revocations and SEVIS status changes remain unclear and these enforcement actions are happening with little or no advance notice to students or the college. We will work closely with our international students to keep them informed and supported as we learn more while following state and federal laws. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nine Southern Utah University students have been impacted by the recent SEVIS changes, according to a university spokesperson. We are in communication with our international students, sharing guidance and resources to keep them informed and supported. As a public institution of higher education, SUU follows state and federal laws. Meanwhile, Utah State University confirmed that international students on their campus have been included in the recent visa revocations, but we are not providing exact numbers in order to protect the privacy of those affected, said a school spokesperson. No international students are believed to have been affected at Salt Lake Citys Westminster University. Nationwide visa revocations The student visa revocations happening at Utah universities and colleges are part of a large-scale story unfolding across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has revoked hundreds of international student visas across the country, setting off a desperate scramble for them to leave the United States within days, USA Today reported. Universities have reported some students being forced to leave immediately, in many cases after discovering their visas were canceled in the federal Student Exchange and Visitor Information System or via an unexpected text or email. Immigration experts said theyve never seen the federal government make such sweeping changes to the ordinarily low-profile process of hosting international students. The National Immigration Project is challenging the visa cancellations, according to USA Today. The cancellations reflect a small percentage of the estimated 1.5 million international students studying in the United States, but have sent shockwaves through the collegiate community. Some of the cancellations appear to be connected to things as minor as roommate disputes or as off-campus traffic tickets, university officials said, while others appear to be connected to pro-Palestinian protest participation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive been doing this for 25 years and Ive never seen 300 students lose their visas, Len Saunders, a Washington state immigration attorney, told USA Today. To hear that something like 300 visas were canceled out of the blue its all political. To read that theres hundreds of people having their visas canceled, you know exactly what it is. How do student visas work? Students in other countries must meet a series of requirements to obtain a student visa, usually an F-1. After gaining admission to a school in the U.S., students go through an application and interview process at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad, according to The Associated Press. Students on an F-1 visa must show they have enough financial support for their course of study in the U.S. They have to remain in good standing with their academic program and are generally limited in their ability to work off-campus during their academic program. Entry visas are managed by the State Department. Once theyre in the U.S., international students legal status is overseen by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program under the Department of Homeland Security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leaders at many colleges, The Associated Press reported, learned the legal status of some of their international students had been terminated when they checked a database managed by Homeland Security. In the past, college officials say, visas typically were revoked after schools updated the government when students fell out of status. University of Utah offers practical, mental health support In an email to international students and scholars, the University of Utah said it is closely monitoring federal directives and actions that may affect international visas. Given recent developments and increased questions from our international community, we want to provide clear guidance and support, the email said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During this period of heightened immigration enforcement and policy uncertainty, all F-1 and J-1 students and scholars must remain in good standing and take proactive steps to preserve their visa status. We are committed to keeping you informed and supported as we navigate these changes together. The email directed all international students and scholars to maintain lawful F-1 or J-1 status while in the United States and: Maintain full-time enrollment or employment, as applicable to your visa type. Follow all federal, state, and local laws, including those related to alcohol, drug use, driving, and participation in public gatherings. Comply with all university policies and procedures. Keep immigration documents valid and readily accessible. The email went on to advise international students and schools to avoid non-essential international travel whenever possible. Although there are no current travel bans, new travel restrictions or policy changes may be implemented with little or no warning, which could affect your ability to reenter the U.S. The University of Utah, the email added, is offering a variety of confidential mental health and wellness support resources. We recognize that this is a challenging time for many, and our team is here to support you, the email concluded. Please reach out if you need assistance we are committed to your success and well-being. BIG COUNTRY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) For some, storms are a force to be avoided, both terrifying and dangerous. But for others, they are an itch or a calling. The storm-chasing community has exploded recently, fueled by viral videos and blockbuster movies like Twisters. The thrill of chasing tornadoes, lightning, and violent weather has captured the imagination of many. But behind the excitement, theres a serious side to storm chasing, one that requires careful training, expertise, and a deep respect for natures power. The thrill of chasing tornadoes, lightning, and violent weather has captured the imagination of many. But behind the excitement, theres a serious side to storm chasing, one that requires careful training, expertise, and a deep respect for natures power. KRBC Meteorologist Carter Vandrasik explains, You may have seen some viral storm-chasing videos online. While storm chasing may seem thrilling, its not just about the rush. Its about weather, safety, and science. Thats where storm spotters come in, providing crucial ground reports to help keep communities safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a lot of researchers going out there, but theres also a lot of thrill-seeking going on. He also notes how storm-chasing has grown alongside social media, where the pursuit of viral views has become a motivator for some, Mississippi State University Meteorology Professor Tim Wallace said. National Weather Service (NWS) Warning Coordination Meteorologist Mike Castillo discusses spotters essential role in ensuring safety during storms. Spotters are our eyes and ears in the community. They provide critical information that radars cant capture, like hail size, wind speed, and damage, said Castillo. The National Weather Service (NWS) offers free training for individuals interested in becoming storm spotters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spotters provide crucial information that radar may miss, making their reports essential for delivering timely warnings to the public, Castillo said. With more weather data access than ever, Wallace calls it a golden age for meteorology. Trained storm spotters, combined with the National Weather Services resources, provide faster, more accurate reports to keep communities safe. To get involved as a storm spotter, visit the Skywarn tab on the National Weather Service website. Remember to tune in for our severe weather special on KRBC on Sunday, April 20, at 10:30 PM and on KTAB on Sunday, April 27, at 10:35 PM. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These exclusive broadcasts will feature in-depth coverage, expert analysis, and more to keep you informed and prepared for severe weather. The special can also be found on the BigCountry Homepage. Dont miss it! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. From left, Louisiana Public Service Commissioners Mike Francis, Jean-Paul Coussan and Eric Skrmetta during a Feb. 19, 2025, PSC meeting. (Photo credit: Wes Muller/Louisiana Illuminator) State lawmakers will consider a proposal this spring to let the governor add two at-large members to the Louisiana Public Service Commission, meaning voters would no longer elect all members of one of the states most powerful political institutions. House Bill 364, sponsored by Rep. Daryl Deshotel, R-Marksville, is a proposed constitutional amendment to allow the governor to hand select two additional members to the commission that regulates utilities in Louisiana. LPSC currently has five members, each elected from their respective multi-parish districts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two gubernatorial appointees would be able to serve two consecutive four-year terms. The five elected commissioners are currently limited to three consecutive six-year terms. The five LPSC districts are larger and more populous than Louisianas six congressional districts, giving the commissioners significant influence on matters of everyday concern to residents, though an at-large commissioner would have far greater influence than the current five. The commission determines how much utilities can charge their customers for their services that include electricity, water, gas and some telecommunications. A utility provider needs LPSC approval before raising rates or adding any kinds of fees to customers bills. The commission oversees major investor-owned utilities such as Cleco and Entergy Louisiana, as well as smaller, member-owned power cooperatives such as DEMCO. Its regulatory umbrella covers the entire state, save for a handful of city-owned utilities and private service providers in New Orleans and other cities, which fall under the jurisdiction of local governments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LPSC members also have oversight of intrastate oil pipelines, tow truck services and moving companies. Each commissioner is also supposed to represent constituents in their districts in any disputes they have with utility companies. It only takes three members to control rates over the entire state, Deshotel said, referring to the three-vote majority needed for a measure to pass on the five-member panel. I just think we need more representation. Some are skeptical of the proposal. Commissioner Jean-Paul Coussan, a Republican and former state senator from Lafayette, said he has great respect for the legislative process and his former colleague but doesnt think the addition of two appointed members would accomplish Deshotels stated intention of increasing representation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They wouldnt be answerable to a constituency, so it kinda defeats the purpose of his goal, Coussan said. I dont see how two appointees who only answer to the governor would accomplish that. Coussan said Deshotels proposal would drastically overhaul an institution that works with companies and residents through regulatory processes that have been relatively consistent over the years. Such changes would send a discouraging message to the major stakeholders investing in Louisiana who are familiar with and rely on the LPSCs stable regulatory environment, he added. Commissioner Davante Lewis, D-Baton Rouge, questioned Dehotels motives, saying the governor is the only person who would gain representation and power under the proposal. It truly dilutes the peoples will by reducing their vote, Lewis said. If it was truly about representation, wouldnt he just make the districts smaller by adding [elected] members? During the most recent round of redistricting in 2022, the legislature chose to keep the number of LPSC members at five. There were no proposals to add elected members to the commission, but there were some that sought to redraw the map to include a second majority-Black district. Lawmakers ultimately rejected those measures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deshotel said adding appointed rather than elected members would keep out the vast amounts of campaign cash that special interests have used to influence LPSC elections, though he hedged his statement by saying he doesnt think that it has affected any of the current commissioners. These are extremely expensive elections, and most of the donations come from the same people that theyre regulating, Deshotel said. He added that he plans to file a campaign finance reform bill targeting LSPC elections in the future if his constitutional amendment stalls at the Capitol this year. Constitutional amendments require two-thirds support from each chamber of the legislature and final approval from Louisiana voters during a statewide election. The 2025 legislative session starts Monday. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Senate Minority Leader Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, speaks on the floor of the West Virginia Senate on March 24, 2025. (Will Price | West Virginia Legislative Photography) A bill that would permit motorcyclists to stand up while driving their vehicle is nearly headed to the governors desk. Standing up on the foot pegs just gives you so much more control when a bump is coming up. Your legs act like shock absorbers, said Sen. Mark Maynard, R-Wayne, who voted in support of the measure. This is just heinous that if somebody does this, they would be ticketed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Senate signed off on the measure, House Bill 2752, Monday evening with a vote of 27-6. The bill passed out of the House of Delegates March 19, spurring a viral video that showed Del. Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio, yelling, Vroom! Vroom! West Virginia, before criticizing the Republican-backed bill, saying it was unnecessary and did nothing to help residents of the state. Vroom, vroom, West Virginia! Today we had a super important bill about standing up on a motorcycle. Hard hitting stuff. pic.twitter.com/4Jk3GJODpR Shawn Fluharty (@WVUFLU) March 19, 2025 Senate Minority Leader Mike Woelfel also questioned why lawmakers were spending time on the legislation. He called it the Organ Donor Act of 2025. Ive put up with a lot of shenanigans this session, said Woelfel, D-Cabell. But why are we taking up the Senates time with a bill to allow people legally to stand up on their motorcycles while the motorcycle is moving forward? Of all the issues we have in our state, were going to make legislation to let people be Evel Knievel? Id like to have a no vote to send a message down the hallway, he continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson, said she had been told that the bill, which originated in the House, was needed. Right now if you stand up you still have your feet on the foot pegs it is a crime. They needed this legislation to allow them to stand up, she said. Motorcyclists are already instructed to stand up in certain situations as part of their required instruction to obtain a motorcycle license, according to bill sponsor Del. Kathie Hess Crouse, R-Putnam. The bill also includes mopeds and motor-driven cycles. The House will have to concur with the Senates vote before the legislation heads to Gov. Patrick Morriseys desk for consideration. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Toyota reportedly plans to have approximately 15 electric vehicle (EV) models developed in-house by 2027, with an annual production target of approximately one million cars, reported Nikkei Asia. Toyota has not officially commented on the information, stating it has not been announced by the company. Currently, Toyota has developed five EV models in-house, with production limited to Japan and China. The company is considering expanding production to the US, Thailand, and Argentina. This strategy could help mitigate tariff and foreign exchange risks while also reducing delivery times. The planned 15 EV models will include options under its Lexus luxury brand, the business daily reported. Despite the new developments, Toyota's production expectations for 2026 have been adjusted downwards to about 800,000 units, which is nearly a 50% decrease from its original plan. The company had previously indicated its intention to sell 1.5 million EVs annually by 2026 and 3.5 million by 2030. In 2024, Toyota's global EV sales rose by a third from the previous year, reaching nearly 140,000 units. However, this figure represented less than 2% of its total global sales, which exceeded ten million vehicles. Last month, Toyota reported a 9.5% increase in global group sales, totalling 825,217 vehicles for February 2025. This included sales from its Daihatsu and Hino subsidiaries. A significant 52% rebound in Japan contributed to this rise, with sales reaching 177,968 units, recovering from lower levels in the previous year. Overseas sales experienced a modest increase of just under two percent, amounting to 647,249 units. Furthermore, Toyota is planning to establish its first research and development (R&D) centre in India, a move aimed at boosting sales in the world's third-largest vehicle market. Toyota Kirloskar Motor, the automaker's local manufacturing subsidiary, intends to construct the new R&D facility in Bengaluru, near the company's vehicle assembly plant in Bidadi. The centre is expected to become operational in 2026, initially employing 200 people and eventually expanding to 1,000 engineers. "Toyota targets 1m EVs pa by 2027 report " was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. Immigration. Deportations. Tariffs. To build or not to build The Wall. DEI: Bad. DEI: Good. ... Those are just a few talking points on a long, ever-evolving list of issues triggering contempt across the country. And much of that contempt, typically directed toward someone with a differing opinion, is often grounded in misjudgment getting it wrong about another. But in our country today, said societal Impact Scholar Tim Shriver, getting each other wrong is destroying the country. ... Its destroying our country because we have normalized a particular lens filter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The chairman of Special Olympics International and co-creator of the Dignity Index, Shriver spoke on Tuesday at the University of Utahs Hinckley Institute of Politics forum. Shriver, who co-founded Project UNITE initiative, champions the power of extending dignity to all within ones family, community, workplace and country. His conviction: Treating others with dignity regardless of their opinions, beliefs or political convictions is the antidote for contempt. Many likely recognize Shrivers name. Hes the son of Sargent and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, younger sister of President John F. Kennedy. In 2018, he founded UNITE to help ease division in the country. The nonprofit organization has developed the Dignity Index, an eight-point scale for measuring how people communicate with one another when they disagree ranging from No. 1 (demonstrating absolute contempt for the other side) to No. 8 (extending dignity to all, no matter what). Outrage Industrial Complex dangers During Tuesdays forum, Shriver warned of a filter on our lens that says, Im going to hate and dehumanize and treat with contempt anyone that is different. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve developed a cultural addiction to contempt and its a big business, he said. Shriver referenced the so-called outrage industrial complex a nested cycle that links and mutually supports the algorithm, partisan news and politics. The algorithm amplifies contempt, he said. You get more of it ... the more you watch, the more you get because its addictive. Politicians are incentivized to give you more of it so that they can raise money and get power and get fame ... its a beautiful little ecosystem thats bent on destroying the country and honestly, its a big business. So if a person is, say, feeling super furious not about a particular issue or policy, but about a person or people or group he or she is trapped in the outrage industrial complex. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The damage exacted by such contempt stretches beyond politics, he added. It tears apart families and personal relationships. Its a catalyst of pessimism, division, aggression and even violence. Dignity for all But despite the growing troubles caused by todays broad contempt theres a bright side to the ledger. Writes social psychologist Donna Hicks: If indignity tears us apart, dignity can put us back together again. Treating people with dignity when you disagree, said Shriver, is the single most powerful way of disarming the outrage industrial complex changing the lens ... and allowing us to see each other with dignity, even when we disagree. Disagreements, he added, are not a threat to democracy. They are actually the solution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shriver cited studies that reveal that the majority of Americans actually possess an impulse to extend dignity and connect with those they disagree with. Most Americans (66%) believe they can learn much from interacting with people who are different from them. And almost three-quarters feel they have a responsibility to connect with people whose backgrounds and viewpoints are different from their own. Building Dignified Disagreement skills Shriver shared with Tuesdays forum audience a primer of skills a person can use whenever they are in a disagreement with someone whether its about, say, open borders or simply where to eat dinner. 1. Be curious, not furious When there is a disagreement, approach it with curiosity, using language that invites dialogue. 2. Regulate then debate When you start to get upset, pause and take a breath before speaking. 3. Listen to understand, not respond Really listen to the other person and consider summarizing briefly what you heard. 4. Challenge ideas dont attack people Speak your truth, but do it with dignity. 5. Acknowledge knowledge When someone else makes a logical or interesting point, acknowledge their point. 6. Build up rather than tear down Advocate, explain and build up your idea rather than attacking or dehumanizing others. Building a Dignity Movement Tuesday, Shriver encouraged University of Utah students to participate in building a dignity movement to help save the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This movement is essential to getting us out of the mess were in where our families are falling apart and our politics are destructive and the risk of violence is all around us, he said. Shriver suggested utilizing social media platforms such as TikTok that create subcultures of connection, regardless of politics and differences. TOPEKA (KSNT) Students from various Topeka high schools were immersed in the Spanish culture. Across Washburn Universitys Memorial Union students danced, drew and more while learning about the cultural background for each art form from Washburn Spanish Club members. Spanish Professor and Spanish Club Coordinator, Georgina Tenny, started the Spanish Immersion Day program as a way to give her college students an opportunity to showcase what theyve learned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The professor hopes through the experience high school students see the applications for another language and grow an appreciation for the culture. Tariffs impact technology, what Kansans should know Sometimes the students theyre in class but its all out of a book and they think the language exists in a book, Tenny said. Its important to us that they know this is a living language. We try to take them abroad, thats not a possibility for everybody. Since thats not a possibility for everybody, we need to bring abroad to them. With the 3rd Spanish Immersion day in the books, Tenny and the Spanish Club are already hard at work making plans for next years event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. (Photo by Pete Saloutos/Getty Images) Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell has emerged as a leading voice in Congress opposing President Donald Trumps universal tariffs announced last week. Her new bipartisan legislation to give Congress more authority over trade policy has more than half a dozen Republican cosponsors in the U.S. Senate. And on Tuesday, Cantwell was one of many senators who grilled the presidents top trade advisor after days of stock market turmoil, anxiety over the price of goods, and growing concerns about the country plunging into a recession. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I represent a trade economy, Cantwell told U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. I represent the success of what innovation and trade gets you. Youre coming here telling me that tariff is the tool, added the Democratic senator from Edmonds. And Im telling you innovation is the tool. Trumps broad new tariffs, including 10% import taxes across the board and much higher rates on many other countries, are set to go into effect Wednesday. Some countries, including China, retaliated, or threatened to retaliate, with tariffs of their own. The president hopes the levies will boost domestic industrial production after decades of outsourcing. After a strong start Tuesday, the S&P 500 was down over 1.5% at market close, despite signs the Trump administration could be open to negotiations on tariffs. The index has dropped nearly 11% in the past five days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Back in this Washington, Republicans in Olympia said the tariffs, widely believed to drive up prices for consumers, are a matter of some short-term pain for long-term gain. I dont claim to be an economic genius in any way, shape or form, but Im going to wait and see, state Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley, told reporters Tuesday. And hopefully it will land on the right place. But industry leaders here are worried tariffs will deal a debilitating blow to the state economy. And last week, Gov. Bob Ferguson called the tariffs a direct threat to affordability and prosperity for families, communities, and businesses across Washington state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its time for the president to step back from the brink of economic turmoil, and for the Congress to reassert its authority over trade policy, he said. The legislation Cantwells bill seeks to add guardrails on the presidents trade power. As representatives of the American people, Congress has a duty to stop actions that will cause them harm, she said in a statement. The legislation, spearheaded along with Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley from Iowa, requires the president to notify Congress of the imposition or increase in a tariff within 48 hours. The notice must explain the rationale behind the levy and analyze how it could impact the countrys businesses and consumers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Within 60 days, Congress would have to pass a joint resolution approving the new tariff, or it would expire. And Congress could end tariffs at any time via resolution. Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution says Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises and to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations. The bill, called the Trade Review Act of 2025, is modeled after the War Powers Resolution of 1973, a bipartisan law that aimed to stop presidents from going to war without congressional consent. Congress had to override then-President Richard Nixons veto to pass the law near the end of the Vietnam War. On Tuesday, Cantwell castigated Greer for the Trump administration not preparing Congress for the emergency tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said Trump could have opened these conversations with these countries without the tariffs, and saved a lot of people a lot of pain and anguish. The bill has garnered some bipartisan support in the Senate and endorsements from retail and business trade groups. An identical bill in the House has also earned some Republican backing, including central Washington Rep. Dan Newhouse, his spokesperson confirmed Tuesday. But the proposal has little chance of being enshrined in law, as Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has said Congress would be hands-off as Trump implements widespread tariffs. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, of South Dakota, has said the idea doesnt have a chance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And the White House has said Trump would veto the bill if it reached his desk. The fallout for Washington state With about $60 billion in annual international exports, Washington is one of the most trade-dependent states in the nation. Two out of every five jobs in the state are linked to international trade, officials say. Washington state stands to lose among the most from Trumps destructive trade war, Sen. Patty Murray said on a press call. For example, Trump imposed a 24% tariff on goods from Japan, potentially straining the relationship with Washingtons biggest destination for exported processed potatoes. The state is a top producer of apples, blueberries, hops, pears, spearmint oil and cherries, exports of which could also be targeted for retaliatory tariffs, said Lori Otto Punke, the president of the Washington Council on International Trade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Washingtons farmers have been here before. A tariff tug-of-war started during the first Trump administration forced Washingtons apple exports to India to plummet. Cherry exports to China also dropped precipitously due to tariffs. A rising concern is budding anti-American sentiment among what used to be trade allies, like Canada, the top importer of Washington agricultural products, said Rianne Ham, of the state Department of Agriculture. Trust will be broken in trade relationships that took years to foster, she added. State Commerce Director Joe Nguyen told reporters that tariffs on key trade partners like India, Vietnam, Taiwan and South Korea will ripple throughout our economy. The tariffs on imports from Vietnam and Indonesia 46% and 32%, respectively will hurt coffee roasters and cafes, said Blas Alfaro, senior vice president at Fulcrum Coffee Roasters in Seattle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those tariffs dont just affect imports, they affect real people, local businesses and the community economy, Alfaro said. And while the goal of the tariffs is boosting domestic manufacturing, the tariffs will drive up the cost of materials used in manufacturing, Otto Punke noted. The tariffs disrupt industries like Boeing, our shipping terminals, our farmers, our tech companies, Nguyen said. All of this is on the line. WASHINGTON COUNTY, Va. (WJHL) The Washington County, Virginia Board of Supervisors voted to lift a burn ban in the county on Tuesday. The ban had been in effect for around two weeks amid dry conditions and heavy wind. A news release from the board said residents are still urged to burn debris safely and to keep in mind the commonwealths 4 p.m. burning law remains in effect until April 30. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. WASHINGTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) Free second doses of the Hepatitis A vaccine will be given out at the Washington County Health Department on April 15. The vaccine clinic will offer free doses to those who received their first dose after Hurricane Helene. The event will run from 9 a.m. 6 p.m. at the health departments immunization building (219 Princeton Road, Johnson City). The clinic will be a drive-thru event and attendees are asked to enter through College Road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more information, call the Washington County Health Department at 423-975-2200. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. WASHINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) The Washington Police Department responded to a crash near Boyd Parkway and Grange Road on Tuesday evening. According to our reporter on the scene, officers were cleaning up the scene sometime before 5 p.m. The crash appeared to involve at least two vehicles. Its unknown if anyone was injured at this time. Man arrested after alleged home invasion; crashes car into Peoria home Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Drivers in the area can expect delays at this time. We have reached out to the Washington police for more information. This story will be updated when more information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. GRANBY, Mass. (WWLP) A 22News viewer caught a bear on camera that pulled the railing off the deck to get to the trash. Carissa Kowal of Granby sent a screen recording of her surveillance camera that shows Wednesday at 1:53 a.m., with the outdoor lights on and a black bear just on the other side of the deck railing. It first shows the bear poking its paws through the railing posts at a trash can. If you turn the volume up can then hear as the bear stands on its hind legs rattling the trash can, trying to pick up the bag through the posts. Its paws even thump as it moves across the railing and then yanks on it a few times before breaking the entire piece off. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement VIDEO: Bear caught stealing bird feeder from Three Rivers yard While my husband is going to need to replace it. It was amazing seeing wildlife in New England, said Carissa. The bear realizes what it has done and sits down looking around (anyone hear that?). Well, after 0:34 seconds of video, did the bear get away with the trash? 22News contacted Carissa to find out what happened next. Sent to 22News from Carissa Kowal He was HUGE!! Carrissa told 22News In a follow-up, Carissa sent another video that shows what the bear did after it took the railing off. About a half hour later, you can see in the next video below, trash is scattered in the yard and on the deck. The next video begins with the bear climbing over the broken railing onto the deck, very quietly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How can bears be so quiet? On the deck, the bear sniffs around, looks to be inches away from the home, turns around, and sits for a few seconds before leaving his wet paw prints on the deck. The bear then takes a trash bag out of the barrel and runs away with it. According to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, male black bears generally weigh around 130 to 600 pounds, and females weigh around 100 to 400 pounds. Bears are often drawn to residential areas with unsecured trash and bird feeders. They have a very good memory and can remember the locations of food sources years after they had previously visited. Residents are urged not to feed black bears so they are not reliant on human-associated foods. If you see or hear reports of black bears in your area, it is encouraged to remove bird feeders, protect livestock, and secure trash. If you see a black bear in your yard, wait for it to leave, then remove and secure all food sources on your property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you have any videos or photos of wildlife near you, share them with 22News by emailing reportit@wwlp.com. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. The House Select Committee on the CCP and Senate Special Committee on Aging are holding a joint hearing Wednesday afternoon looking at potential risks to American investments in China and Beijings perceived exploitation of retirees. The hearing comes as a trade war between the U.S. and China was sparked by President Trumps reciprocal tariff announcement last week. The latest round of import taxes on Chinese goods went into effect Wednesday totaling 104 percent after a back-and-forth of retaliatory actions between the two countries. Trump announced a pause in a number of other reciprocal tariffs that had been put in place Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shark Tank investor Kevin OLeary, who will testify Wednesday, has pressed the Trump administration to go even further to protect American investment. The CEO of the American Securities Association and founder of the National Elder Fraud Justice Coordination Center are also on the witness list. The event is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. EDT. Watch the live 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 The Hill. Two-time space traveler and billionaire Jared Isaacman, president Trumps nominee to be the next NASA administrator, will appear at his nomination hearing Wednesday in the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation. The hearing is set to open at 10 a.m. Isaacman flew twice on privately funded missions with SpaceX, most recently last fall on the Polaris Dawn mission on which he performed the first commercial space walk. His first trip to space was the Inspiration4 mission in 2021 when he led a crew of four on the first all-private human spaceflight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump formally nominated him Jan. 20 to succeed Bill Nelson who led NASA during the Biden administration. Janet Petro, the director of Kennedy Space Center, stepped into the role of acting administrator after Nelson stepped down. Below is the text of Isaacmans prepared remarks before he will take questions from the committee members. Thank you Chairman Cruz, Ranking Member Cantwell, and distinguished members of the committee. I am honored and very grateful to be here before you today as President Donald Trumps nominee to lead the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. I have lived the American dream and I owe this nation a great debt. I would happily serve President Trump in any capacity but to work alongside the people that have expanded the boundaries of exploration and brought humanity closer to the stars, would be the privilege of a lifetime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge my familymy parents, Sandy & Don Isaacman, my wife Monica and my two wonderful daughters, Mila and Liv. I do recognize, I am a newcomer so I thought I would share a bit of my story, along with my understanding of the challenges and opportunities ahead. I am an entrepreneur and my journey began when I took a risk and left school at age 16 to build a company in my parents basement. Despite my unconventional start, I found success very early in life and led my company into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise employing thousands. I am a pilot with an aeronautics degree. Over the last 20 years, Ive flown over seven thousand hours in jets and ex-military aircraft, setting world records and performing in airshows. My passion for aviation also led me to start another companythis time a defense aerospace business. As a company, we operated the worlds largest private air force. Our job was to fly fighter jets as adversaries, executing enemy tactics and training American warfighters. We managed hundreds of millions in defense contracts and saved taxpayers billions along the way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am also an astronaut. Alongside a talented team, I led two record-breaking missions to space. On my last mission, we tested a new space suit while performing a spacewalk and orbited farther away from Earth than any human has gone since the last time Americans walked on the Moon. Along the way, my two crewmates, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, became the women who have journeyed farthest from Earth ever. I am an advocate for science. During these missions to space, my crew & I performed approximately 50 science and research experiments. I have also publicly supported the Chandra x-Ray Observatory and offered to fund a mission to extend the life and capabilities of the Hubble space telescope. I care about the people back at home and our collective future here on Earth. My space career did not burden the taxpayers. They were privately funded and aimed at inspiring and helping people all over the world. One example is the over $250 million we raised to support St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital and their critical work to ensure no child dies in the dawn of life. Alongside these efforts, I have personally donated hundreds of millions to charitable endeavors. I share all of this because I am not a typical nominee for this position. I have been relatively apolitical; I am not a scientist and I never worked at NASA. I do not think these are weaknesses. In fact, I believe President Trump found them to be strengths. And if confirmed, I will bring all my experience to the greatest adventure in human historythe quest to discover the secrets of the universe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On that note, NASA is the most accomplished and respected space agency in the worldbut for all of NASAs historic achievements, the agency is not without challenges: Presidents have called for a return to the Moon and a path to Mars since 1989 and well over a hundred billion has been spent without the intended results. Most programsnew telescopes, rovers, X-planes, or entire spaceshipsare over budget and behind schedule. This is discouraging because people look up at the stars and wonder what is out there today, not decades down the road. And I know it is not lost on any members of this committee that we have geopolitical rivals moving at impressive speeds. It is imperativefor our national security, our pride, and all that we stand to gain in space explorationthat we never come in second place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If confirmed, and with the support and guidance of President Trump and members of Congress, we will reinvigorate a mission-first culture at NASA with the following objectives: FirstAmerican astronauts will lead the way in the ultimate high ground of space. As the President stated we will prioritize sending American astronauts to Mars. Along the way, we will inevitably have the capabilities to return to the Moon and determine the scientific, economic, and 2 national security benefits of maintaining a presence on the lunar surface. We will focus our technology development efforts on the worlds greatest engineering challenges, such as the practical application of nuclear propulsion, so that we can truly unlock humankinds ability to explore among the stars. SecondWe will ignite a thriving space economy in low Earth orbit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By working alongside international partners and industry, we can unlock the true economic potential of space and deliver meaningful benefits to the American peoplepotentially charting a course for NASA to become a financially self-sustaining agency. ThirdNASA will be a force multiplier for science. We will leverage NASAs scientific talent and capabilities to enable academic institutions and industry to increase the rate of world-changing discoveries. We will launch more telescopes, more probes, more rovers and endeavor to better understand our planet and the universe beyond. If confirmed, I will work alongside & recruit the most talented minds this nation has to offer and we will concentrate our resources toward achieving the near-impossible the objectives that no other agency, company or institution is capable of accomplishing. We will do so knowing the risks and ground-breaking opportunities that lie aheadbecause some risks, like exploring the worlds beyond ours, are worth taking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will do this not just to expand our knowledge or strengthen our national security, but to improve all life on Earth and inspire the next generation to reach even further. This is why America needs NASAwhy the world needs NASAbecause there is no more important investment than inspiring our children to build a be er, more exciting future. And the best way NASA can do that is by delivering on our mission and ushering in a new Golden Age of Science & Discoveryand we will not fail. Thank You. Two trucking companies and a 3PL recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in separate cases. C & C Freight Network, Best Choice Trucking and Best Logistics Inc. cited everything from mounting debt to payroll taxes as reasons for the bankruptcy petitions. Best Choice Trucking Dedham, Massachusetts-based Best Choice Trucking LLC, which has nine drivers and nine power units, filed its petition Monday in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts. The petition lists Ulysses Fabricio as president of the company, which hauls full-truckload, last-mile and hazmat freight. Best Choice Trucking listed its assets and liabilities as between $1 million and $10 million. The company, which seeks to reorganize, has up to 49 creditors and maintains that funds will be available for unsecured creditors once it pays administrative fees. Some of the companys largest listed creditors include Digital Federal Credit Union for $1.6 million; Trans Lease Inc. for a 2023 Peterbilt 389 tractor ($386,585); and the U.S. Small Business Administration ($371,017). Best Choice Truckings trucks had been inspected eight times, with no vehicles placed out of service in a 24-month period, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrations SAFER website. The carriers drivers had been inspected 17 times over the same 24-month period, with three drivers being placed out of service, resulting in a 17.6% out-of-service rate. The national average is around 6.7%, according to FMCSA. C & C Freight Network C & C Freight Network, a Braselton, Georgia-based trucking company with seven drivers and trucks, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia. In its petition, C & C Freight Network listed its assets and liabilities as between $1 million and $10 million. The company, which seeks to reorganize, states that it has up to 49 creditors but said no funds will be available for unsecured creditors once it pays administrative fees. C & C Freight Networks largest creditor is the Small Business Administration for a COVID-19 economic injury disaster loan for $161,425. Other creditors include Headway Capital LLC for equipment ($87,945); Fora Financial Advance LLC for equipment and inventory ($72,939); MCA Servicing Co. ($63,842); Mint Funding Inc. ($60,364); and BMO Harris Bank for a 2020 Volvo tractor ($56,545). C & C Freight Networks trucks had been inspected eight times, and three had been placed out of service in a 24-month period, resulting in a 37.5% out-of-service rate. This is higher than the industrys national average of around 22.3%, according to the FMCSA. Meta whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams is testifying Wednesday afternoon before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, alleging Facebook cooperated with the Chinese government against U.S. interests. I saw Meta executives repeatedly undermine U.S. national security and betray American values, Wynn-Williams said in her written testimony, obtained by The Hill. They did these things in secret to win favor with Beijing and build an $18 billion dollar business in China. The hearing comes after Wynn-Williams, who previously served as Facebooks public policy director, released a book earlier this month detailing Meta CEO Mark Zuckerbergs alleged efforts to win favor with Chinese officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. EDT. Watch the live 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 The Hill. WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI) The Watertown Police Department released a statement on Tuesday afternoon regarding social media rumors regarding Canadian cars being vandalized. In a press release from the department, they responded to numerous posts on social media within the last few days alleging that vandalism has been occurring at shopping locations in Watertown. The posts alleged that vehicles with Canadian license plates were specifically targeted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watertown Police added that they have been unable to locate reports of any such incidents from their own records, the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office records, or the New York State Police records for Jefferson County or the city of Watertown specifically. People are asked to report any crimes to the Jefferson County Emergency Management 911 Center. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWTI - InformNNY.com. Nearly two years after an explosion at a West Reading chocolate factory that claimed the lives of seven workers, the federal agency investigating the blast has issued its final report on the tragedy. In a report dated March 18, the National Transportation Safety Board confirms that the explosion at the R.M. Palmer plant in the first block of South Second Avenue on March 23, 2023, was the result of a natural gas leak. The final report reiterates the findings of a preliminary report issued in July 2023, as well as during testimony during a public hearing in December. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the report, a cracked out-of-use fitting allowed natural gas to leak into the basement of what was known as Building 2. The gas accumulated there and was then ignited by an unknown source, causing an explosion and fire that killed seven workers, injured 10 and destroyed the building. The final report lays out a series of safety issues that NTSB officials believe contributed to the fatal blast. They include the degradation of an out-of-service natural gas service tee, insufficient consideration of threats to pipeline integrity, unmarked private pipelines that crossed public right-of-ways, delayed evacuation of the building, insufficient guidance on gas leak emergency procedures and an absence of natural gas alarms. The report also contains a list of about 20 recommendations directed at various parties ranging from the the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to all 50 U.S. states to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to the UGI Corporation to Palmer. Its great to be here with a lot of miners who come from West Virginia and across the country and to celebrate a president who cares deeply about coal and Americas energy independence. So, today I think youre seeing these common sense policies that President Trump has been, putting forward to the American people. We have an opportunity right now, its a historic time, that golden era, for America. But to do that you need to rely on the strength of coal and our fossil fuels. So, I think today sends a very big signal that coal is beginning its comeback. And I think that the bulk of the credit goes to these guys right here who go into the mines every single day, and theyve helped power our country for generations. West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey during an interview with Nexstars DC Bureau MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) After measles cases have sprouted across the state, Western Colorado Pediatrics in response is urging the community to get a vaccine for the infection. Three confirmed measle cases have been reported in Colorado Denver, Pueblo and Archuleta County. This has caused concern about the infection spreading throughout the state, WCP said in a news release. Measles is one of the most contagious viruses we know, WCP Pediatrician Dr. Patrice Whistler said. It can linger in the air for up to two hours and infect nine out of 10 unvaccinated people who are exposed. It can also lead to serious complications like pneumonia, brain swelling and even death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Western Colorado Pediatrics is contacting families of patients 12 months and older who havent gotten the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, asking them to get the vaccination. WCP said one MMR dose gives around 93% protection against the infection and 97% from severe disease and hospitalization. We are proud to be the medical home for so many families, Whistler said. And part of that responsibility is keeping our community informed and protected. Were here to answer questions and support families through this. For more information, contact Western Colorado Pediatrics at 970-243-KIDS (5437). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) Western Iowa Tech has announced the line up for their annual student-run music festival. The Witstock Music Festival will be taking place on April 30 from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m., a release from Western Iowa Tech states. Ribbon cutting for new hotel, restaurant in downtown Sioux City This years music lineup includes Gee Q Vee, Kenny K and the Dead Cowboys, and this years headliner, Fair to Compare. Western Iowa Tech chose this lineup to offer a variety of musical genres. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year, the event will be hosted by KWSR, Western Iowa Techs student radio station. KWSR is a brand-new addition to the colleges mass communication department. Students from the Video and Audio Engineering programs will be responsible for all the technical aspects and production of the show. Mass communications student Luke Larson will be serving as the events Master of Ceremonies. Additionally, Western Iowa Techs Student Activities board will be providing food and activities as the festival. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. BOSTON (WWLP) Organ donation saved 1,400 lives in New England just last year, and advocates and lawmakers gathered at the State House to encourage others to sign up as donors. When you get a drivers license or Real ID in Massachusetts, you are asked if youd like to become an organ donorand New England Donor Services says it is an easy choice. According to the organization, one donor can save up to eight lives and heal 75 people as a tissue donor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These selfless acts that the donors create have a rippling effect of hope, of health, and of healing, said New England Donor Services President and CEO Alex Glazier. Springfield Senator Adam Gomez contracted Covid-19 a few years ago, and it led to kidney failure. The Senator continued to work at the State House while privately undergoing dialysis to stay alive. In May 2023, Senator Gomez received a kidney transplant that saved his life and has kept him healthy since. Im living proof that miracles do happen. And there are families here that have given that miracle to other families or have received that miracle too, said Gomez. The senator explained that becoming an organ donor simply indicates your willingness to help others and will not affect your quality of care by doctors and nurses, and it is statistically more likely that you will become an organ recipient in your lifetime than a donor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advocates and lawmakers at the event encouraged us all to sign up as organ donors to get the little red heart on your drivers license or ID card and to save lives. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) A Texas teen is facing a murder charge after a stabbing at a track meet left another teen dead, but there is a debate of if the stabbing was in self-defense. In This weeks Ask Isaacs, 6 News Lori Tucker and Attorney Greg Isaacs discuss the case, and the legal line between self-defense and murder. The stabbing allegedly took place at a high school track meet in suburban Dallas on April 2, the Associated Press reported. One 17-year-old, identified as Karmelo Anthony, was taken into custody, and the student who was killed was identified as Austin Metcalf, 17. Search underway for missing teens after police pursuit in Loudon County Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News Nation reported that Metcalf and Anthony were at a track meet when Metcalf told Anthony he needed to get out from under the teams tent. Anthony allegedly reached into his bag and responded with Touch me and see what happens. News Nation continued to explain that Metcalf then grabbed Anthony and told him to move, and then Anthony allegedly pulled out a knife, stabbed Metcalf once in the chest and ran, per a police report. Anthony is facing a 1st degree felony murder charge, according to the Frisco Police Department, and is being held on a $1 million bond. ABC news reported that Anthony told officers that Metcalf put his hands on [him} and that he told him not to, and asked officers if what happened could be considered self-defense. Pigeon Forge police warn visitors ahead of 2025 Spring Rod Run If you have a legal question, send it to AskIsaacs@wate.com. To watch full episodes of Ask Isaacs, click here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WATEs Lori Tucker and Attorney Greg Isaacs answer your legal questions from the WATE Alert Desk on Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m. and on WATE Channel 6 at 5:30 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 WATE 6 On Your Side. Just as Donald Trump escalates efforts to annex Greenland the better to access its rich minerals and strategic sea routes an explosive documentary, The White Gold of Greenland, has become a flash point in the Arctic islands ongoing push for decolonization and freedom from greedy outsiders. The doc, directed by Claus Pilehave and Otto Rosing, asserts that between 1854 and 1987, Danish mining companies extracted nearly $58 billion worth of a precious mineral that is crucial for producing aluminium, but pumped little of that massive wealth back into Greenlands economy. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Denmark there had always been this narrative about the country paying a lot of money to develop Greenland, Pilehave tells Variety. But in this case we could see: Wow! Theres been money going the other way from this cryolite mine. White Gold of Greenland follows Naja Graugaard, a researcher in colonial relations between Greenland and Denmark, as she uncovers the exploitation and ponders its impact with her Inuit grandmother, who lives in a village near the mine. The doc premiered in Nuuk, Greenlands capital, to a rapturous response in February, on the eve of Greenlands March 11 elections, and was immediately released on Danish national broadcaster DR. Just two weeks later, White Gold was pulled from the platform after it sparked fierce reactions from local politicians and economists who claimed the $58 billion figure was skewed. This caused DR editor-in-chief Thomas Falbe to reportedly be fired for airing the doc. Arnatsiaq Jakobsen and Naja Graugaard, two of the docs protagonists. Culture minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt blasted the docs makers for failing to make clear the difference between revenue and profit. Its misleading, irresponsible and comes at the worst moment, Engel-Schmidt said on Facebook referring to the fact that it aired in the leadup to elections considered crucial in shaping Greenlands future relations with both the U.S. and Denmark, which colonized Greenland 300 years ago and still controls its foreign policy, defense and other affairs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To Greenlanders, White Gold getting quashed since play on DR was the only way to see it was really a slap in the face, says its producer Michael Bevort. I mean, here was a film that spoke for them and was seen as a Greenlandic voice in the debate, he says. And then it was pulled by a discussion over numbers. Bevort also points out that Denmarks censorious reaction probably mattered much more than the film itself, meaning that pulling White Gold caused an even greater stir in Greenland than its anti-colonial implications per se. Enter the International Sami Film Institute in Kautokeino, Norway. The organization, which is dedicated to the Sami and to other Indigenous people in the Nordic countries, decided in mid-March to make The White Gold of Greenland available to stream on its platform in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Greenland, Canada and Germany. Sami Film Institute chief Anne Lajla Utsi says the institute released the doc because we want to showcase the Indigenous perspective. She notes that the group had not independently analyzed the numbers that led DR to remove it from its platform, but we have watched it and believe others should have the opportunity to do the same, especially the people of Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The doc clearly struck a chord with Greenlanders as they mulled their geopolitical future. According to a Verian Group poll conducted prior to the elections for national daily Sermitsiaq, 36% of respondents said White Gold would influence their vote, though the survey did not specify how. The elections saw the surprise victory of Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of the center-right Demokraatit party, who, at 33, became the nations youngest prime minister. Nielsen, who favours a softer approach to independence from Denmark than his opponents, was quick to push back against both Trumps aims for Greenland and Denmarks colonial constraints. We dont want to be Americans. No, we dont want to be Danes. We want to be Greenlanders, he told Sky News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nielsen gave Vice President JD Vance the cold shoulder when he visited the Pituffik space base in northwestern Greenland in late March. After Vance departed, Trump in Washington ominously told NBC News that military force wasnt off the table with regard to annexing the island. U.S. Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance tour the U.S. militarys Pituffik Space Base on March 28 in Pituffik, Greenland. President Trump says that the United States will get Greenland. Let me be clear: The United States will not get it. We do not belong to anyone else, Nielsen said on Facebook reacting to Trumps saber rattling. What has been going on is that Greenland has wanted to be independent for decades, says Bevort. But there is a gross misunderstanding about this abroad, and also in Denmark, he notes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think for the Greenlanders this doesnt mean they want to be alone in the middle of nowhere. It just means they want to renegotiate their relationship with Denmark in order to have equal standing. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The administrations ramp-up enforcement approach is somewhat expected in part due to an earlier lack of funding, said Bruce Buchanan, senior counsel at Littler Mendelson. Federal lawmakers set out to address the agencys budget shortfall in a recent budget resolution , which provided ICE close to $10 billion in funding. ICE referred HR Dive to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security when asked about potential staffing increases. DHS declined to comment. ICE said it does not assign quotas to field offices, which focus on identifying, targeting and apprehending noncitizens with criminal convictions or outstanding warrants as well as those who have illegally re-entered or have a final order of removal. Right now they only have the capacity to do the small audits, but we have every reason to believe that they will expand their capacity and that they will move to much larger enforcement actions, Thomas continued. That has been the plan ever since the election, Thomas said; Trump, for example, signed an executive order on the day of his inauguration calling on the secretary of homeland security to significantly increase the number of agents and officers at agencies including ICE. Part of ICEs strategy could involve quotas: Thomas said he spoke with one ICE agent in a small location in Vermont who was tasked with serving notices of Form I-9 inspection to at least five employers per week. Thomas added that he expects ICE to expand its capacity to conduct audits by repurposing existing agency support staff and hiring outside contractors. I-9s, used to verify whether an employee is eligible to work in the U.S., are required for all workers. Form I-9 audits have picked up across the country since Trumps inauguration, according to Chris Thomas, partner at Holland & Hart, and that trend is expected to continue. Prior to President Donald Trumps inauguration, incoming officials promised large-scale worksite enforcement . So far, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has targeted small entities for raids, with recent examples including a Louisiana construction site and a Philadelphia market . But HR departments also may need to prepare for an increase in Form I-9 audits . Federal immigration authorities may be gradually boosting their enforcement activities, but the slow pace has not changed employers need for caution, employer-side immigration lawyers told HR Dive. This story was originally published on HR Dive . To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily HR Dive newsletter . Story Continues Buchanan said he has not heard of ICE using the kind of inspection notice quotas described by Thomas, but he said agents may opt to meet such requirements by handing employers a flier for the agencys IMAGE program, a voluntary partnership initiative between the federal government and the private sector, rather than issuing a formal inspection notice. That apparently counts as a notice of inspection, Buchanan said. It's also not yet clear how demanding ICE will be with individual employers. Buchanan said one of his clients was contacted by Homeland Security Investigations and asked to voluntarily provide its Form I-9s to the agency by a certain date, but upon further communication was told to take as much time as needed. ICE agents enter business as part of immigration raid It terrorizes the community Employers in the restaurant, construction and hospitality industries are on pins and needles in anticipation of the Trump administrations enforcement efforts, said Mary Pivec, attorney at Pivec & Associates PLLC. These industries, alongside warehousing, light manufacturing and assembly and shipping and receiving, are expected to be primary targets, she added. Pivec said ICEs service of inspection notices is spotty but that she has seen cases in which groups of five to six agents confront workers who may be detained if they cannot answer the agents questions and produce documentation. In early February, agents detained multiple staff members at a Baltimore restaurant; staff also were asked to mail their Form I-9 paperwork to ICE, the Baltimore Banner reported. These arrests are taking place, Pivec said. It terrorizes the community. ICEs methods for determining which businesses to enter vary. David Adams, account executive at background check provider SafestHires, said the agency may rely on word of mouth, particularly if it is well known in a community that an employer may seek to employ noncitizens who are unauthorized to work. Disgruntled former employees likewise may tip ICE off to potential violations. Those are the easy pickings where theyve already got the intel to do this, Adams said. An ICE spokesperson said via email that the agency targets employers who violate employment laws. ICE isnt the only agency that may be evaluating employer compliance with immigration law. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate, which conducts compliance reviews of certain visa petitions, also has stepped up worksite enforcement, Pivec said. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol is also a concern. Given the administrations high-profile detentions of international travelers, students and job seekers, some employers are concerned about international travel. Thomas said companies are reassessing whether they can afford to take the risk of sending workers on international business trips, in part because of fears that authorities could conduct reviews of travelers electronic devices, which may raise privacy concerns. This is a time when CBP, at ports of entry, is exercising greater scrutiny, said Daniel Brown, partner at Fragomen. Its well worth just making sure, checking with the company attorneys to make sure that travel is okay depending on particular circumstances. Close up view of Form I-9 United States employment authorization paperwork Employers exposure There are three primary concerns employers might have when it comes to immigration enforcement actions, according to Thomas: civil fines, potential criminal exposure and overall operational effects. In some ways, they are all equally terrifying, he said. Civil penalties for Form I-9 paperwork violations alone max out at $2,861 per violation, while those for knowingly hiring, recruiting, referring or retaining unauthorized noncitizens max out at $5,724 for first-time offenders. Per-violation penalties for the latter increase with subsequent offenses and are capped at $28,619 for third or more offenses. If employers are found to have engaged in a pattern or practice of knowingly hiring, or continuing to hire, unauthorized noncitizens, they may face fines and penalties potentially including a prison sentence, according to USCIS. Such sentences also may be sought in cases where employers are found to have engaged in fraud, false statements or misuse of visas, immigration permits or identity documents. Thomas said authorities have homed in on employers use of electronic Form I-9 systems, which HR Dive previously reported as being an enforcement target for the Trump administration. Thomas advised employers to prepare for the possibility that they will need to produce all appropriate audit trails to agents upon request and agents may even ask employers to offer a live demonstration of how their electronic program works, he added. Ive seen it before, Thomas said when asked whether ICE requests to demonstrate electronic Form I-9 programs are a new tactic under the second Trump administration. Now theyre being much more aggressive about it. DHS issued regulations on the use of electronic Form I-9s in 2006, but employers have received little guidance with respect to how it will enforce those regulations, said Fragomens Brown. The lack of any publicly available judicial cases in which an employer has been penalized for infractions of electronic I-9 regulation also contributes to lack of public awareness of the issue, he added. Brown said the market for electronic I-9 systems is highly fragmented and that I-9 programs vary in quality in terms of their compliance with existing regulations. I dont think anyones got bad intentions, he said of potentially noncompliant systems. What makes sense from a programming perspective may not fit what ICE intended. The two areas of primary concern, Brown added, are the use of employees electronic signatures to complete attestation requirements on a Form I-9 and the audit trails captured by an employers system, which are records that show what actions have been taken with respect to a specific form. People should be aware that there are cases in progress where some employers are being fined, or where ICE is seeking to fine employers for substantial sums of money, millions of dollars, for the systems that employers are using, Brown said. Rows of boxes sit on a shelf. The closest one bears a sign that reads "pending re-verification." How to prepare for visits Thomas said he encourages employers to take three primary steps in preparation for an ICE visit: Train staff to detect potential fraud, including in employment authorization documents. Keep copies of all documentation. Consider enrolling in E-Verify to show evidence of compliance efforts. When they have taken those steps, they should begin rigorous I-9 adults with the support of outside counsel, Thomas continued. In the event that an employer suspects fraud on the part of an employee, they should take appropriate steps to meet with the employee and give them an opportunity to produce documentation. Failing that, termination and onboarding of new employees with a more rigorous process is the next step, Thomas said. Buchanan said his firm has seen a massive uptick in clients undertaking preemptive Form I-9 audits since the 2024 presidential election and frankly, it continues into today. There is also training of staff on the intricacies of the specific sorts of warrants ICE issues, Pivec said. Sometimes agents will seek to explain the I-9 compliance process to an employers representatives, and it may be in an employers interest to listen; If you think its going to make the agency happy to run through a spiel with you [...] let them do it, Pivec said. But its another thing entirely if an agent wants to interrogate HR staff about their compliance process. No representative of a company should be alone with an agent, Pivec said, and no representative should be volunteering anything to an agent at all without a subpoena and without legal counsel there to protect them. Overall, employers should be in a defensive posture when it comes to immigration compliance and should act accordingly, Pivec said. Its not a time to take risks. Recommended Reading April's full moon is this weekend, signifying the first full moon phase of spring. According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the "Pink Moon" represents the "return of life and the resurgence of nature after winters dormancy." Although the moon wont turn pink, its still worth looking at, said Starwalk, especially as the evenings get warmer in the Northern Hemisphere. Here's what to know. When, what time is April's full moon? The next full moon, the "Pink Moon" will occur on Saturday, April 12, 2025. According to the almanac, the full moon will reach peak illumination at 7:22 p.m. CT. Why is April's full moon called the 'Pink Moon?' April's full moon won't really turn a shade of pink. According to Starwalk, the name was given to the moon by Native Americans to represent the color of the wild ground phlox one of the earliest flowers to bloom in April. The perennial bloom is most often pink, but also has shades of purple and white, said the almanac. How does the full moon help determine the Easter date? April's full, "Pink Moon" is known as the Paschal Full Moon, which sets the date for Easter. According to Starwalk, the Paschal full moon is the first full moon after the March equinox, which in 2025 fell on March 20. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Traditionally, western Christian churches (Roman Catholic and Protestant) celebrate Easter on the Sunday following the Paschal Full Moon. Therefore, Easter will be observed on April 20 in 2025. What is a micromoon? April's full moon will be at its farthest point from Earth, known as apogee, said Starwalk. Consequently, it will appear approximately 5.1% smaller in diameter than usual, earning it the name micromoon, which is the opposite of a supermoon. However, the size difference is so subtle that it might go unnoticed. What are the moon phases for April 2025? First Quarter : April 5 Full Moon : April 13 Last Quarter : April 21 New Moon: April 27 When is the next full moon? The next full moon, also known as the "Flower Moon," will occur on May 12, at 11:56 CT. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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: What is a pink moon? What to know about spring's first full moon Following a record-breaking year of book bans across Tennessee, two Tennessee counties are fighting to completely remove library books that reference youth transgender issues, claiming they promote gender confusion. The Rutherford County Library System Board passed a policy on March 17 that required the removal of all material from county libraries that promotes, encourages, advocates for or normalizes transgenderism or 'gender confusion' in minors." Meanwhile, Sumner County officials are following the same lead, with a nearly-identical change proposed to their Collection Development Management policy that will ban anything in county libraries that makes mention of pertaining, promoting, or subjecting a minor to transgender or gender confusion ideology. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The changes also remove a number of references in the original library policy to creating balanced collections, removal of the term constitutionally protected materials, a ban on interlibrary loans of books that include minor transgender topics, and a ban on the usage of the American Library Associations resources for book curation. Jessica Robertson, right, sits in audience Monday, March 17, at the Rutherford County Courthouse to join others opposing a Rutherford County Library System Board agenda issue calling for removal of books promoting "transgenderism." It is set to be presented to the board for vote at the Wednesday evening meeting on April 9. On Tuesday, a letter from the Hendersonville Public Library Director Alycia Neighbours leaked on social media announced her resignation, citing numerous policy changes and the "increasing demand to enforce policies that undermine both our Friends of the Library and the integrity of our collection." "It is clear I can no longer, in good conscience, continue in this role," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a separate, public social media post, Neighbours said the letter was an "unedited draft," which was "meant solely for my governing board, sent from my personal email to my work email for editing, but was somehow shared publicly." "Some people assume my resignation was because of 'this policy' or 'that issue,' but the truth is the work of a library director is far more complex than any single policy issue," she said in her post. A number of major First Amendment organizations, including the National Coalition Against Censorship, PEN America and the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, are pushing back against the Rutherford County policy, calling it viewpoint discrimination and highly problematic. As a federal appeals court once put it, a library is a storehouse of knowledge not a storehouse of government-approved ideas, FIRE Director of Public Advocacy Aaron Terr said. Rutherford County should quickly turn the page on this ill-conceived attempt at censorship and restore the publics access to ideas of all stripes, no matter how objectionable some might find them. Rutherford County policy is 'blatant viewpoint discrimination,' expert says The policy passed in a contentious Rutherford County meeting last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Board member Cody York, who proposed the policy, said the aim was to "protect children." Heather Cook, a Rutherford County resident who spoke at the meeting, said she was emulating St. Patrick by "shining a light into the darkness" and "standing for the truth in opposition to the deception of transgender ideology and gender confusion, which ultimately leads to gender dysphoria and the mutilation of our children." "Evil is being accepted as good, and good is being called evil," she said. The move is unique among previous book-banning attempts, Terr said, because it isnt intended to just age-restrict books from minors, but rather from all readers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is censorship, plain and simple, he said. The board is removing books based solely on their viewpoint or perspective, and that violates the First Amendment. The government cannot empty public libraries of books that promote transgenderism any more than it could ban all books that promote traditional gender roles, Christianity or capitalism, or any other idea." Libraries don't exist to reflect the views of whoever happens to be in power, he said. They exist to serve the public's right to freely access ideas and information. While the general trend of book bans both in Tennessee and across the nation is to remove books that are considered sexually-explicit, Terr said this policy doesnt even attempt to cloak itself in such claims. I think what some people might have in mind is that children's books that feature transgender characters, or books for young adults that feature transgender characters which might have some sexual passages in them are unprotected, he said. But even those are protected by the First Amendment. And when the government starts picking and choosing what views are acceptable for library shelves, it's no longer a library. Its a propaganda factory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The removal and targeting of LGBTQ+ books facing accusations of being sexually explicit is a growing trend across the nation, Terr said. More: Race, sex and the Holocaust: As book bans grow across the state, some genres see more bans Efforts to restrict library content often take aim at controversial or politically sensitive topics like race and gender, he said. So what's happening in Rutherford County fits squarely into that larger picture. There's a fine line between making a bona fide determination of age appropriateness and removing a book out of hostility to the ideas or perspectives that it contains. This fine line is addressed in the Rutherford County School Boards policy manual, which states Individual censorship may be exercised within the scope of the individual choosing materials for check out, but censorship or withholding of library materials for others within the community is not accepted within the institution of the public library. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This policy is directly violated by the boards new decision, Terr said. Nothing in the board's publicly available policies allows for proactive removal of an entire category of books, let alone removal based on disapproval of a particular viewpoint, he said. It's really no different than if they decided on their own to remove all books that promote gun ownership, or all books written by Republicans or Democrats. It's not the viewpoint that mattersit's the fact that they're discriminating against any viewpoint at all. More: 'Not enough kids in these meetings': Students weigh in as 1,100 books banned in Tennessee Christine Emeran, the Youth Free Expression program director for the National Coalition Against Censorship, also criticized the county for ignoring its board policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is obviously highly problematic for board members to decide when and if they must comply with district policies, regardless of their intentions, she said. It is particularly problematic for them to ignore reconsideration procedures, because doing so exposes the board to potential legal liability. With news that Sumner County is proposing a nearly-identical policy, Terr said it is important to stand up to such policies. If one county or city gets away with it, then nearby cities and counties may feel like they have permission to do the same thing, he said. Neither Rutherford County Library System board members nor Sumner County Library Board members responded to requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The USA TODAY Network - Tennessee's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Have a story to tell? Reach Angele Latham by email at alatham@gannett.com, by phone at 931-623-9485, or follow her on Twitter at @angele_latham This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Library books about trans people under fire in two Tennessee counties NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Temperatures are forecasted to drop near and below freezing across all of Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky on Wednesday morning. Freeze warnings or frost advisories have been issued in Southern Kentucky, West Tennessee, and North Alabama, but not in Middle Tennessee. News 2 spoke to the National Weather Service in Nashville to learn why. According to Caleb Cravens, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Nashville, frost advisories and freeze warnings will only be issued during the growing season. He said they use past weather data and spoke with local farmers to determine the growing season to be from May 1st until September 30th. Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts In this area we standardize our frost advisories and our freeze warnings and we only issue them when its outside of climatological normal to see freezing temperatures, and so in Middle Tennessee on average our last freeze is going to be between April 10th and the 15th, and because of that, because its not unnormal to see freezing temperatures until April 10th or 15th we will not issue a frost advisory or freeze warning before that date, Cravens told News 2. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Along with Nashville, the National Weather Service office in Morristown, Tennessee, also follows these dates, while other surrounding offices follow different criteria. The offices that change their criteria year to year are in communication with local farmers to determine when to start issuing frost advisories and freeze warnings. National Weather Service Huntsville meteorologist Dan Dixon said, The growing season is primarily based on the status of growing vegetation in our region. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com All the different criteria can be confusing. So the easiest way to know if you are going to get a frost is to watch the News 2 Weather Authority teams forecasts! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dont forget to take the power and reliability of the WKRN Weather Authority with you at all times by downloading the News 2 Storm Tracker app. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. During the second day of an appeal hearing about his security in the U.K., Prince Harry was rushed out of a London courtroom by bodyguards as a woman screamed at the press, People reported. On April 9, a woman shouted what appeared to be I support you, Prince Harry, and added, as Harry exited the courtroom, If youre members of the press, youre the reason hes not in England. People reported that Harry later returned for the private part of the hearing. Getty Prince Harry on April 9, 2025 Prince Harry on April 9, 2025 The Duke of Sussex reportedly arrived in the U.K. over the weekend for the two-day trial, which began on April 8. He is appealing the U.K. governments decision to remove his security following his step back as a working royal alongside wife Meghan Markle in January 2020. Harry has said in the past that, without proper security, he refuses to bring Meghan and their kids Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet back to his home country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One must not forget the human dimension of this case, Harrys lawyer Shaheed Fatima said. There is a person who is sitting behind me whose safety, whose security, and whose life is at stake. His presence here and throughout this appeal is a potent demonstration of how much this appeal means to him and his family, Fatima added. According to People, as she finished speaking, Harry raised his right hand to his face, visibly processing the weight of the moment. Getty Prince Harry on April 9, 2025 Prince Harry on April 9, 2025 In opening arguments, Harrys legal team argued that the Duke of Sussex had been singled out for unjustified and inferior treatment, per People. Harry was engaged in the proceedings, the outlet reported, taking notes in a small spiral-bound notebook and occasionally sending messages on his phone. Harrys lawyers said that Harry and Meghan felt forced to step back from their roles as full-time official working members of the royal family as they considered they were not being protected by the institution, adding that the couple wished to continue their duties in support of the late Queen [Elizabeth] as privately funded members of the royal family. Getty Images Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Yesterday, while arriving at court, a reporter shouted Did you speak to your Dad? at Harry, referring, of course, to King Charles. Both Charles and Harry were in the U.K. on Sunday ahead of the Kings four-day state visit to Italy that kicked off the next day; its not believed that father and son interacted while Harry was in London. Read the original article on InStyle The British government has refused to rule out nationalising the last plant in the UK that makes steel from raw materials as the global trade war increases pressure to preserve the nations ability to supply domestic industry with the steel it needs. The Scunthorpe steel works operated by British Steel may soon run out of the iron pellets used to produce steel in two massive blast furnaces unless the government steps in, according to local politicians and unions. Thats because the plants owner, Chinas Jingye Group, cancelled orders for these essential raw materials amid negotiations for increased government support. The news comes two weeks after British Steel said it was considering closing the blast furnaces because they are no longer financially sustainable due to challenging market conditions, tariffs and increased environmental costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The government is continuing negotiations with the company after Jingye rejected an offer of 500 million (577.6m) to help modernise the plant. When asked on Tuesday what the government was prepared to do to keep the plant open, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was absolutely committed to steel production in Britain. All options are on the table in relation to Scunthorpe, he told a parliamentary committee. British Steel and its forebears have been making steel at Scunthorpe for more than 130 years, building on the UKs development of improved steelmaking technology during the Industrial Revolution. The plant currently employs about 2,700 people. Jingye bought British Steel in 2020 and says it has invested more than 1.2 billion (1.4bn) to keep the plant running in the face of ongoing production instability. UK steel output down Nationwide, UK steel output has fallen 80% since the late 1960s due to high production costs and the rapid growth of Chinese production, which pushed down prices around the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Britain, the worlds fifth-largest steelmaker in 1970, produced just 5.6 million tons of steel in 2023, or 0.3% of global output. By comparison China produced 1.02 billion tons, or 54% of worldwide production. Britains remaining steelmakers are now under pressure to reduce carbon emissions amid the threat of global warming. Most have shifted to electric arc furnaces that make steel from recycled material. That has left Scunthorpe as the only factory with blast furnaces capable of turning iron ore into virgin steel. Union officials say British Steel needs to order more iron pellets within the next few days to ensure delivery before the plant runs out of raw materials in late May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are in real threat of losing these furnaces, Thomas Smith, a steelworker and representative of the trade union Community, told Sky News this week. If we miss them deadlines well come to a point where well have to make a decision whether we turn them both off, he added. During a debate in the House of Commons on Monday, lawmakers said Britain needed its own steelmaking industry to preserve its economic independence amid a burgeoning trade war fuelled by US President Donald Trumps new import tariffs. Martin Vickers, a member of Parliament who represents the area adjacent to Scunthorpe, said he believes Jingye isnt involved in meaningful negotiations. I have come round to the view that nationalisation on a temporary basis is, in this instance, the only way, he said Monday in the House of Commons. It will secure the jobs and secure a future for steel production in Scunthorpe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Industry Minister Sarah Jones said Jingye was continuing to talk with the government. We have been clear in our belief that the best way forward is for Scunthorpe and British Steel to continue as a commercially-run business with private investment and with the government acting in support, she said. But I can tell the honourable gentleman that no options are off the table. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. A woman is asking for help as she frantically searches for her husband who went missing on Saturday amidst severe flooding and evacuation orders. The 49-year-old disappeared after his car was found abandoned in a rural town in southern Missouri, and there has been no sign of him for days. Rachel Ganz, Jons wife, spoke with Ozarks First about the intense and heartbreaking search. I never dreamed he was going to leave and not come back, Rachel said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rachel and Jon had been contemplating a major move from Virginia to Missouri and were staying in a short-term rental in Springfield for a month. Rachel says Jon began acting strangely on the evening of April 5. We both had job losses, weve had medical issues with our animals, and we were trying to flip our house, she explained. Now Im beginning to wonder if it was just too much. Rachel said that Jon had been struggling with health issues when he suddenly told her they needed to leave immediately. He said we needed to go rescue my step-mom in Mississippi from the flooding, and he told me to pack light and leave right then, that we couldnt wait, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stockton woman ignored animal care violations, State says Rachel said once her husband realized their family in Mississippi was safe, he told her he was planning to go to West Virginia instead, where he believed his mother might also be at risk of flood dangers. What followed would be the last conversation Rachel would have with her husband for several days. Timeline of his disappearance April 5: According to law enforcement, Jon called the Oregon County Sheriffs Office on the night of April 5 at 9:15 p.m. after driving off the road. The sheriffs office assisted in getting his truck out of the mud, and Jon was sent on his way toward his last known destinationa motel in West Plains. However, Jon never arrived. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His truck was found the next day in the nearby town of Thomasville, which had been under evacuation orders the day prior, but there was no sign of Jon. His cell phone, clothing, and shoes were discovered in the vehicle. He had no winter wear, Rachel said. When I woke up and it was 26 degrees in Springfield and I hadnt heard anything, it doesnt bode well. The Missouri State Highway Patrol issued a missing person alert for Jon shortly thereafter. April 6: On Sunday, April 6, the Water Patrol deployed a boat to search the area, but the effort was halted when debris blocked their path. If anyone has spotted him, please reach out and let us know, Rachel said. We want him to come home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement April 8: Authorities in Oregon County are planning to resume their search once flood conditions improve. Rachel remains hopeful that others in the community may have the resources to assist with the ongoing efforts. The Oregon County Sheriffs Office is working with the Springfield Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Forestry Service as part of the investigation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com. DENVER (KDVR) The wife of a man charged with first-degree murder in an Idaho Springs dog breeders death is now in jail facing related charges, the Clear Creek County Sheriffs Office announced. The sheriffs office on Tuesday said Ana Ferrer was booked into jail on Friday after being extradited from Nebraska following a Colorado Bureau of Investigation arrest warrant in connection to the death of Paul Peavey, a dog breeder who was found dead after being reported missing in August 2024. State returning $8 million to Coloradans with unclaimed property Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peavey was last heard from on Aug. 19, 2024, and was found shot to death by a privately organized search party several days later. Sergio Ferrer, 46, of Georgetown, was later arrested and charged in Peaveys death, and the sheriffs office said he is still being held on those charges, which include first-degree murder and aggravated robbery intent to kill/maim/wound with a weapon. Online jail records show he was still in Clear Creek County custody as of Feb. 27. In an arrest affidavit, police detailed interviewing Sergio about the matter and caught several inconsistencies in his statements. He also told investigators that he had taken a BB gun, dog registration papers, jewelry, Peaveys cellphone and other items from Peaveys home. I saw an opportunity, yes, Ferrer allegedly told investigators, according to the arrest affidavit. I saw an opportunity to take some stuff and put money in my pocket. But I didnt do nothing to Paul. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ten puppies were also reported missing from Peaveys property; only two have been reported as found. The sheriffs office said they are still looking for information on the whereabouts of the other missing puppies. Ana Ferrer is currently being held on charges of accessory to a crime (of a class 1 or class 2 felony), theft value $20,000 $100,000, and tampering with physical evidence. Anyone with information about this investigation or the puppies is asked to call the sheriffs office tip line at 303-670-7567 or submit a tip via email at crime_tips@clearcreeksheriff.us or anonymously via the CCSO website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. WILLIMANTIC The Willimantic Police Department addressed the public after some concern and confusion surrounded an incident that occurred over the weekend at the Elks Club. The Elks Club is located at 198 Pleasant Street (Rt.32A). The incident happened on Saturday night. While some social media posts described the event as a shooting, we want to clarify that this was not a firearm-related incident, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said a verbal altercation between two individuals escalated outside during a private event at the Elks. One individual retrieved a CO2-powered BB gun from a backpack and fired seven rounds at the windshield of an unoccupied vehicle. Police said shortly after the incident, the suspect turned themselves in and admitted to discharging the BB gun. That suspect has been identified by police as Aramis Salgado-Vazquez, who was held on a $25,000 bond. We want to reassure the public that the situation was contained quickly and nothing more than a pellet gun was involved, police said. A protester holds a sign on April 5, 2025, in Rapid City. (Courtesy of Glenda Nixon) Anti-Trump protests are nothing new. Theyve been occurring with regularity in America, and Ive been attending them here in Rapid City, ever since Donald Trumps first election in 2016. So I was expecting all of the usual suspects, and about the usual response when I went to the Hands Off protest last weekend here that was part of a larger national movement. A protest in Rapid City, or anywhere in South Dakota, usually means a gathering of not more than a couple hundred people whose actions go largely unnoticed by the rest of the state. This one felt, if not exactly new, at least different. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For starters, there was not one, but two, rallies in Rapid City on Saturday. Both of them were larger and more enthusiastic than past rallies have been. There were better signs, more encouraging honking from passing motorists and, most significantly, what appeared to be a wider, broader base of angry voters. Most of the vitriol was reserved for President Trump, of course, but there was plenty left over for South Dakotas congressional delegation. Crowd size is difficult to estimate, but Im guessing perhaps a thousand people stretched out along Omaha Street at Rapid Citys Founders Park on Saturday morning for the Hands Off event. At noon, a second rally had begun a bit farther east in front of City Hall, where a similar sized crowd no doubt many of the same protesters continued their anti-Trump messaging at a 50501 event. Protests occurred across the state, in cities including Pierre, Brookings, Aberdeen, Mitchell and Watertown. In Sioux Falls, thousands of people showed up, to the surprise of protesters and observers alike. In Rapid City, there were plenty of signs telling President Trump and the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency to keep their Hands Off! of schools, libraries, feeding programs, Medicare, Social Security, voting rights, free speech, health care, transgender kids, democracy, federal employees, gay rights, the courts, reproductive rights and on, and on, and on. The Hands Off list was as long as the flurry of executive orders issued by Trump in the first few weeks of his presidency. I especially liked the You Cant Spell Felon without Elon sign and the many inventive reinterpretations of the MAGA acronym, such as Morons Are Governing America. One of my personal favorites was a sign carried not by a person at all, but affixed to a fluffy little dog that read, Good DOG; Bad DOGE. There were also plenty of signs letting South Dakotas congressional delegation know what protesters think of them. What they think is that Sen. John Thune, Sen. Mike Rounds and Rep. Dusty Johnson are complicit in Trumps blatant disregard for federal workers, his dismantling of federal agencies and his abandonment of democratic norms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Photos of the three incumbent Republicans appeared on numerous signs that were critical of Congress for conceding its power to Trumps executive branch, with slogans like: Anybody Here Seen Our Old Friends? Can You Tell Me Where Theyve Gone? Do Your Jobs! Support Democracy, not Fascism. History Will Remember Your Complicity. While the three men could not escape the creativity of the rally signs, it remains to be seen if they will manage to escape angry voters at the ballot box. South Dakota is a very red state, after all, and they have all cruised to easy election victories in the past. But we are also a state with a rich history of showing longtime incumbent politicians the door once voters decide an elected official has become more responsive to the powers-that-be in Washington, D.C., than to South Dakotans. Even many Trump voters may eventually decide theyve had their fill of tariff trade wars and stock market losses. Some of them, likely some of the federal employees carrying AFGE signs supporting the American Federation of Government Employees last Saturday, already have. Thune, Rounds and Johnson would be wise to consider them. Back on Jan. 25, I went to a March for Democracy in Rapid City, just days after President Trumps second inauguration. It all felt futile that day, and I bemoaned to two friends in the crowd, What is it were doing here again? Perhaps the small crowd and the lack of enthusiasm we felt that day could be blamed on the freezing temperatures and the bitter cold wind. But it was clear that we were also feeling the dispiriting chill of another four years of a Trump presidency and what it meant for our country. Fast forward two months, and the protest climate in Rapid City felt different to me. Maybe that was nothing more than last weekends sunshine and the spring-like temperatures, but I suspect there is something else heating up voters all across America. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX By Kenrick Cai SAN FRANCISCO - Verizon (VZ) said an AI assistant for the company's customer service representatives built using Google (GOOG) models had cut down on call times and freed them up to sell products to customers, leading to a surge in sales. An AI assistant on their screen helps the customer service agents figure out the right answers to customers' queries. Verizon first started deploying the new AI features in July 2024, ramping them up to full scale in January. Sales through its 28,000-person service team are up nearly 40% since their deployment, according to Sampath Sowmyanarayan, CEO of Verizon's consumer group. "We are doing reskilling in real time from customer care agents to selling agents," he said. The AI-driven shift at Verizon, announced during Google Cloud's annual conference, may serve as a counterpoint to concerns from some public market investors that tech giants are spending too much on AI without big payoffs. Many prospective enterprise customers are still deliberating whether and how to expand adoption of buzzy generative AI technologies from trial runs to wide-scale deployment. "Compared to what other people are doing, this is enormous scale," Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian told Reuters. Kurian's unit is a key driver of growth for Alphabet, accounting for $43 billion of its $350 billion revenue in 2024. Verizon's new internal software was created by feeding nearly 15,000 internal documents into a version of Google's flagship Gemini large language model, Sowmyanarayan said. Its efforts contrast with some companies, like Swedish payments group Klarna, which have opted to use AI to replace customer service staffers. Sowmyanarayan said there are "much easier ways" to reduce costs. Verizon primarily partners with two cloud providers: Amazon for application deployment and computing infrastructure, and Google Cloud for analytics and AI. It picked Google over competitors because of its ability to deploy the AI offerings to tens of thousands of people, Sowmyanarayan said. (Reporting by Kenrick Cai in San Francisco; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) A Republican speaker known for striking up debates with college students made his way to the University of Illinois Tuesday night. Hundreds made their way to Foellinger Auditorium both for and against Charlie Kirks presence on campus. Supporters stood in lines that went on for yards while proudly flaunting MAGA hats. Hes a good guy, he likes Trump, you know, Trump is a good guy, a male community member said. They both know what theyre doing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SEE ALSO: Hundreds in Urbana come out to protest Trump Across the aisle, protesters stood at the foot of the auditorium chanting against Kirk and the conservative party. The rhetoric that him and others part of the MAGA movement, the stuff theyre spreading is not right at all, protestor Kellyn Morber said. Kirk is touring across the country as the founder of Turning Point USA, a conservative youth activist organization with more than 3,500 school chapters. He was at Illinois State University earlier in the day prior to attracting a crowd at UIUC. Earlier in the day, a 20-year-old student was arrested for criminal damage to a government supported property after paint was spattered on the auditorium. As of now, its not clear what his motive was or whether it had anything to do with Kirk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WATCH: UIPD seeking tips after 3 people damage Foellinger Auditorium Police are also looking for two others who may be 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 WCIA.com. LINCOLN, Neb. (Nebraska Examiner) The Nebraska Legislature killed a bill seeking to alter how the state awards Electoral College votes for president after Republicans in the officially nonpartisan body failed to secure enough votes to overcome a four-hour filibuster, the Nebraska Examiner reports. Tuesday was Gov. Jim Pillens latest failed attempt in two years to pressure the Legislature to change the states system of awarding electoral votes since the resurgence of a decades-old fight after President Donald Trump and campaign surrogates expressed support for the change during his 2024 campaign, which some pundits thought might come down to the results in Nebraskas Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District. Gov. Jim Pillen is greeted by members of the Nebraska Legislature during his annual State of the State speech. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Pillens political future with Trump is unclear after failing to deliver winner-take-all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The major Trump donor Pillen beat in the Republican primary for governor, Charles Herbster, is considering challenging Pillen in the 2026 GOP gubernatorial primary. Some in Pillens orbit have argued they need to make the electoral change to help keep Trump from potentially endorsing Herbster again. The president backed Herbster in 2022. He was one of the first major Trump-backed candidates nationally to lose a GOP primary. I am deeply disappointed that a minority of the Legislature defeated the will of the majority of their colleagues and, more importantly, the majority of Nebraskans by filibustering winner-take-all, Pillen said in a statement after the vote. Deja vu State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City lacked the 33 votes needed to overcome the filibuster and advance his bill, which echoed what Lippincott told the Nebraska Examiner on Monday that he didnt have the votes for LB 3. The measure secured 31 votes for cloture. The argument for returning the winner-take-all system isnt rooted in partisanship. Its about ensuring that Nebraskas electoral process aligns with the national framework and guarantees that every vote truly matters, Lippincott said on the floor, introducing his bill. State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston. April 8, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Pillen had argued in a post on X Thursday that Republicans, holding 33 of the states 49 seats in its one-house Legislature, should be able to come together and pass winner-take-all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the loudest GOP holdouts was State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston. Trump had called Riepe in 2024, when the then-presidential candidate was trying to convince senators to support Pillens 11th-hour push for winner-take-all in a possible special session the governor had discussed calling. This time, Pillen tried to pressure Riepe in public, calling him out by name in a statement and saying that all Unicameral Republicans need to stand together as a team. While the pressure tactic worked on the Government, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee, which advanced the bill to the floor for debate after his push, it did not move Riepe. Winner-takes-all is not a 2025 issue. Its an issue for 2028, Riepe said. U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb, had also weighed in today with his own statement of support for shifting to winner-take-all on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I urge the Unicameral to let Nebraskaians speak with a united voice by electing a President who will represent our entire state. Passing winner-take-all is long overdue, Ricketts wrote in his statement. State Sen. Dave Wordekemper of Fremont, who voted to advance the bill out of committee, also voted against LB 3. State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City. April 8, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) I committed to keeping an open mind throughout this process and have generally tried to find a way to support this measure, Wordekemper said. After careful deliberation, I cannot. Others voted along party lines. A proposed state constitutional amendment that would let the voters decide wasnt on the agenda but was alluded to during the LB 3 debate. State Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams proposed that approach, which the committee also advanced to the floor. The potential fallback proposal likely has no path, either. Riepe is also against it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wordekemper of Fremont had expressed interest in letting the voters decide. State Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward said during the LB 3 floor debate that she was a little disappointed no senator had prioritized Dorns amendment. How many times has this debate been brought up over the last 25-plus years, Hughes asked. Why not let the second house vote in 2026 and get it in our Constitution? Local political observers are mixed on whether winner-take-all would pass at the ballot box. Some rural Republicans have shared concerns about losing their voice one day under winner-take-all as the state becomes more urban and suburban. Winner-take-all political theater The balconies were more filled than usual with protesters against the change. While the political theatre of Tuesdays debate will make national headlines, the Republican holdouts have been known for months. Lippincotts bill was known not to have the votes and was considered dead on arrival. Regardless, the governor pressured lawmakers to debate winner-take-all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln said lawmakers have a short session to deal with big issues like the budget, but the governor insists that senators spend time on LB 3 despite knowing the measure lacked the votes to advance. So its generally feels very problematic for me that this is what were wasting our time on, Dungan told the Nebraska Examiner. TV news stations cameras on floor of the statehouse on April 8. 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner) The Nebraska Democratic Party, which has dubbed the 2nd District the Blue Dot, called LB 3 and the related constitutional amendment an attempt to suppress the voices of Nebraskans. As promised, Democrats and others opposed the change with a filibuster. State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln filed motions to indefinitely postpone, bracket, and send the bill back to committee before Tuesdays debate. She was one of several senators who spoke at length against the bill. Most recent calls to revert to winner-take-all from U.S. senators, President Trump, and miscellaneous political personalities are both condescending and an admission, Conrad said on the floor on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha, a registered nonpartisan who typically sides with progressives, said LB 3 isnt popular with Nebraskans. She said Nebraskans made their stance on LB 3 clear during its public hearing. Its about sore losers. Its about partisanship, Hunt said. State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln. April 8, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Nebraska is one of just two states Maine is the other that parcel out some electoral votes to the winner of the presidential popular vote in each congressional district. The district approach, adopted in Nebraska in 1991, has led to Democrats claiming a single electoral vote from the 2nd District three times in 2008, 2020, and 2024. Republicans have won the rest, including two elections each for winning the popular vote for president statewide. Recently, a Democratic state lawmaker in Maine proposed a bill that would move Maine back to winner-take-all if Nebraska switches as a way of protecting Maines voices and voters, which lawmakers mentioned during the debate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. Apr. 8WINNER, S.D. A member of the Winner City Council Monday night called for the resignation of the city mayor, citing inappropriate sexual and racial comments allegedly made by the city official. The mayor, Brad Schramm, has since said most of his comments were taken out of context, although he regrets one particular comment that was brought up during the public commentary portion of the April 7 meeting of the Winner City Council. "I'm standing here tonight to ask you, Mr. Mayor, to resign effective immediately," said Jeremy Clay, a member of the city council who has been serving since 2018, on Monday night during the meeting. "During your time in the official capacity of the mayor of Winner, you've made several sexual and racist statements while conducting official city business." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clay spoke for several minutes near the beginning of the meeting outlining the alleged offenses of Brad Schramm, who serves as mayor of the community. Those accusations included sexual comments made toward city employees and officials, as well as racial comments made to others. Clay said that Schramm had made sexually inappropriate comments to Felicia Hughes, another member of the Winner City Council, as well as to Harly Koenig, who serves as the finance officer for the city. He told the Mitchell Republic Tuesday afternoon that both comments were made while conducting city business and that he personally witnessed both incidents. He also made reference to a pair of racial comments, including use of the N-word, that he had been told about by another city official and through other "city channels." He said he was not present for either of the two racial incidents he cited at the Monday night meeting but believed them to be true. Clay stated his wish for Schramm to resign his position several times during his presentation, and closed by iterating that point again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Mr. Schramm, you are an embarrassment to the city of Winner and a legal liability. I request you, sir, to resign effective immediately," Clay said. Public commentary at public meetings is generally used to allow the public to speak on matters of city interest that may not otherwise be included on the official agenda. Clay told the Republic that his comments came as a member of the public as opposed to speaking as a member of the Winner City Council. After Clay had finished his commentary at the meeting, Schramm offered a brief response. "Thank you for that, Mr. Clay. And if you want to take things out of context, that's your responsibility," Schramm said at the Monday meeting. "If you're going to disparage me, Mr. Clay, you better have your facts right." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clay said Tuesday that he had attended a committee meeting Tuesday morning at which Schramm was present and said that the interaction between the two at that time was "civil." But he said he felt that Schramm's words were inappropriate. "They're true. I would not have taken to the podium and spread false information. It was time the public heard these things," Clay said. "The entire council is aware of it. And these are just the ones I've heard, there have been many more that I've been told about." During an interview with the Mitchell Republic on Wednesday afternoon, Schramm defended several of his remarks as misinterpretations of his attempts at being humorous or trying to bring some levity to the occasionally mundane process of conducting city business. Schramm said both of the two comments classified as sexually inappropriate by Clay were intended to be interpreted as amusing. Clay referred to a comment made by Schramm as "that's the problem in Winner people need to have more sex." Schramm said that comment was a reference to the fact the Winner's population had shrunk over the decades and that residents were not having children in the numbers they once had. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another comment attributed to Schramm was the phrase "they say I have to sit down to go to the bathroom because I can't lift over 10 pounds." Schramm told the Republic that comment was a reference to ulcerative colitis, a disease with which he has suffered since the early-2000s. The comment was made in reference to real symptoms he deals with and was meant as a joke. "I just need to clear it, because is that an inappropriate sexual comment? I don't know that it is," Schramm said. Clay also Monday night brought up two instances of Schramm using inappropriate racial language. Schramm said that his using the phrase "that Mexican that works for you" was an honest attempt to identify an employee at the South Dakota Municipal League whose name he could not remember. He claimed that the comment was made over the phone. He said he could only remember that the employee had a "Mexican" last name, and that the person on the other end of the phone understood to whom he was referring after his comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I've never been good with names," Schramm said. Schramm, 68, said his use of the N-word is the only phrase referenced by Clay at the Monday meeting that he regrets and agrees that it was inappropriate. While discussing negotiations with a non-city entity, Schramm said he used the phrase "we need a [N-word] in the woodpile," a phrase Schramm said carries the same meaning as "a fly on the wall." He was immediately chastised by a colleague for the language, and Schramm said he apologized for using the language on the spot. "I put both hands in the air and said, 'Oh my god. I am so sorry. That was not meant to be offensive,'" Schramm said. "That was wrong to say." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schramm said Wednesday that he has no intention of resigning the position of mayor and that he was looking forward to getting back to work for the residents of Winner. Clay said the city council has no legal recourse to remove Schramm from office, and claimed that if it had such an option, it would have been used by now. He said that the mayor can be recalled by public petition, but said that he would not initiate that process himself. The main goal was to get the information out in the open at a public meeting, which he did Monday night. "I'm not going to (initiate a recall petition). I feel like I had a responsibility to the people of the city of Winner to bring it forward and make them aware," Clay said. "I would say it would be up to the public. I feel I did my part, I made the public aware of what's being said." Wisconsin shoppers can still pick up last minute groceries during Easter at most chains, although some will be closed over the holiday weekend. The holiday, which falls on Sunday, April 20 this year, is an important one for the millions of people around the world who follow the Christian faith. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ and follows a 40-day period known as Lent. Here's which grocery stores are open and closed in WIsconsin during the Easter weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RELATED: Are Wisconsin grocery stores and businesses open on Easter 2025? Is Walmart open on Easter? Yes, Walmart will be open during regular hours on Easter, the company confirmed to USA TODAY. For a list of Walmart locations in Wisconsin, visit the company's website. Is Target open on Easter? Target will not be open on Easter Sunday, a spokesperson told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Is Sam's Club open on Easter? Sam's Club warehouses will also be closed on Easter Sunday, the company confirmed to USA TODAY. Is Meijer open on Easter? Yes, Meijer stores will be open from 6 a.m. to midnight on April 20, the company told USA TODAY. Is Costco open on Easter? No, Costco warehouses will be closed on Easter. Is Kroger open on Easter? Metro Market,1291 Lombardi Access Road, in Ashwaubenon, Wis. Most stores in the Kroger family of companies will be open on Sunday, April 20. For a list of Kroger stores in Wisconsin, you can visit the company's website. Is ALDI open on Easter? No, according to its website, ALDI stores will be closed. Are CVS and Walgreens open on Easter? Many CVS stores will be open regular hours on Easter, however some stores may be closed or have reduced hours. Check with your local pharmacy for their specific holiday hours. You can find your local CVS pharmacy using the company's store locator. Walgreens will be open regular hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RELATED: Milwaukee-area restaurants offering Easter brunch and dinner options in 2025 This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin grocery stores open on Easter 2025: Walmart, Kroger, Costco JANESVILLE, Wis. (WFRV) A 45-year-old Wisconsin man was taken into custody on Tuesday morning after he allegedly robbed a gas station. Shortly before 6 a.m., officers with the Janesville Police Department were sent to the Mobil Gas Station at 951 N. Washington St. for a report of a robbery. Oshkosh Police execute drug search at home near elementary school, furthering investigation The suspect, later identified as Danny Kvistad of Janesville, left before officers arrived, but witnesses were able to obtain license plate information from the vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No one was injured during the robbery, but Kvistad reportedly left with an undetermined amount of cash. Two high-end cars stolen during early morning burglary at Wisconsin dealership Shortly after the robbery, officers located Kvistads vehicle in the 800 block of Prairie Avenue in Janesville. The officers then located Kvistad at a residence in the same area and he was taken into custody without further incident. He was transported to the Rock County Jail for robbery with threat of force, a felony charge. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. (WFRV) As part of a multi-state relief effort, the Wisconsin Region of the American Red Cross has sent 29 volunteers and two emergency response vehicles to support communities impacted by severe floods and tornadoes across the South and Midwest. Since the storms began, Red Cross volunteers have been working tirelessly alongside partners to provide emergency relief. In Wisconsin, volunteers have been crucial in offering assistance, with the states Red Cross chapter playing a vital role in the effort. Packers Athletic Club set to open after 2025 NFL Draft Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Red Cross has already provided hundreds of overnight stays across more than 30 shelters in seven states, including meals, snacks, and relief supplies. These shelters offer a safe place for individuals to get information, food, and essential support. This effort is part of a broader response to the worsening trend of extreme weather, with the Red Cross now responding to major disasters at an accelerated pace. The efforts of Wisconsins volunteers are vital as the region faces increasing weather-related emergencies. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. RICHLAND CENTER, Wis. (WFRV) A 60-year-old Wisconsin woman was arrested for allegedly operating while intoxicated not once, but twice in the same day. According to the Richland County Sheriffs Office, court security staff alerted a deputy that Julie Arbegust, 60, had arrived at the courthouse and was possibly under the influence. Oshkosh Police Department arrests Fond du Lac man for human trafficking and child solicitation Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deputy located Arbegusts vehicle in the parking lot and made contact with her in the courtroom. Authorities determined she had driven to the courthouse and showed signs of drug impairment. Arbegust was arrested for allegedly operating while under the influence, which would be her third offense, and was booked into the Richland County Jail. She was then released to a responsible party. Neenah-Menasha Fire Rescue responds to two accidental fires within one hour Immediately after her release, Arbegust was reportedly seen getting back into the drivers seat of her vehicle and leaving the courthouse. The deputy located her again and arrested her a second time for operating while under the influence as well as misdemeanor bail jumping. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No further details were released. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. JERSEY CITY, N.J. (PIX11) What happened to Jimmy Hoffa? It is one of the enduring unsolved mysteries in American history. More Local News 93-year-old New Jersey attorney, Chris Franzblau, says a witness has recently come forward and told him exactly where Hoffas body was dumped. Franzblau was an attorney for the Teamsters when Jimmy Hoffa was President of the Union. He tells PIX11 News that a man named Jeff saw men in two cars pull up on the property where his father was excavating for a new building near the Pulaski Skyway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Franzblau, Jeff said, I saw from where I was, the body taken out of the trunk of one of those cars. I saw them put it in the excavation. One was a black Cadillac, with Michigan plates. Hoffa vanished in 1975 in Michigan after going to meet up with reputed Genovese crime family mobster, Anthony Tony Pro Provenzano. Hoffa reportedly called his wife that night to say no one had shown up for the meeting. He was never heard from again. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State The FBI previously searched an area near the Pulaski Skyway and found nothing. Franzblau says the area that Jeff pointed out is different from where the FBI searched, and added it has a point, and hes buried right in that point. The area is at the end of Broadway in Jersey City near the Hackensack River, next to the Pulaski Skyway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Franzblau was asked, Why does he feel he can tell you now?, Franzblau replied, everybodys dead now. Thats the only reason. Franzblau is still a practicing attorney in New Jersey. He details the interaction with Jeff and his lifetime of defending the mob and others in his newly released book The Last Mob Lawyer: True Stories from the Man Who Defended Some of the Biggest Names in Organized Crime. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)- A woman convicted earlier this year by a jury in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court of child endangering for the overdose death of her child was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison. Read next: Entire local police department resigns Judge Maureen Sweeney handed down the sentence to Brianna Zagotti, 31, of Austintown, who was convicted Feb. 27 by a jury of child endangering, a third-degree felony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The same jury found her not guilty of involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony, following a three-day trial. Three years is the maximum sentence for a third-degree felony. Zagotti was indicted on both charges Dec. 28, 2023, by a grand jury following the July 7, 2023, overdose death of her 1-year-old son, Amari. Amari died after overdosing in the Compass West apartment of his mother. Testimony in the trial showed that Amari had last been alive about 10:30 p.m. the day before he was found with his mother. She put him in his portable crib after he fell asleep in her bed and gave him a bottle. He was found dead in the crib over 12 hours later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zagotti testified during the trial that she checked on her son repeatedly, but he appeared to be sleeping. She took her son to go swimming, then left to go to a restaurant with her boyfriend for a short period of time, saying she had asked a neighbor to check on the child. He was found dead when she returned with her boyfriend. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) Portsmouth Police have named a suspect in a recent shooting on Effingham Street. Investigators want to locate 24-year-old Jasmine Trotter in connection to an April 6 shooting in the 300 block of Effingham Street. Police released this image of Trotter. If you see her, be warned that police say she is probably armed. Jasmine Trotter (Photo provided by Portsmouth Police) Police have charged Trotter with multiple felonies, including attempted second degree murder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WAVY has reached out to Portsmouth Police for more information on the shooting. They did not say if anyone was injured. This is an active investigation. Police ask if you have any information about this incident to contact the Portsmouth Police Investigations Bureau at 7573938536. Those who wish to remain anonymous can contact the Crime Line at 1888-LOCK-U-UP. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. Nvidia (NVDA) stock "is pretty underappreciated now," Tom Plumb, the president of Plumb Funds, told Schwab Network recently. Plumb also noted that he had recently bought JPMorgan (JPM) stock. NVDA Is Key to "the Digital Revolution," Plumb Says NVDA is "really fueling all aspects of the digital revolution," the investor stated. It's involved in AI and many other new digital technologies, he noted. He reported that NVDA's top line is expected to jump 40% to 50% this year, while its profit margins are projected to come in at 60%, and it is trading at a price-to-earnings ratio of just 20 times. In light of these points, NVDA stock "is pretty underappreciated right now," he said. JPM Is Cheap, Plumb Says Calling JPM "one of the best financial institutions in the world," Plumb noted that the shares are changing hands at just 12 times the bank's earnings. "If you buy JPM now, I think you'll be fine even in a worst-case scenario," Plumb said. The Recent Price Action of NVDA Stock In the last month, the shares are down 17%, while they have retreated 31% in the last three months. While we acknowledge the potential of NVDA, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than NVDA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) HonorAir Knoxville held its 36th flight Wednesday, carrying 131 East Tennessee veterans to Washington D.C. to see the memorials honoring their sacrifice. The flight departed from McGhee-Tyson Airport Wednesday morning, and it is scheduled to return around 7:40 p.m. Since 2007, HonorAir has served over 4,400 East Tennessee veterans. Unleash American energy Tennessee Valley Authority reviews coal plans following Trumps executive orders Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 6 News joined the veterans at the airport for the sendoff ceremony where reporters spoke to some of the veterans. Ive never gone, and Ive always wanted to, said George Hanlon, a United States Army veteran who served in Vietnam. He hopes to be able to participate again in the future. He explained that it was wonderful to see people doing so much to support veterans, saying, We didnt have that when I came home. We were mistreated terribly when we came home. It was not uncommon to get into a street fight if they saw you walking down the street in your uniform. Pigeon Forge police warn visitors ahead of 2025 Spring Rod Run Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added, I really want people to know that we really appreciate what you all are doing. Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs spoke at the event thanking everyone who had served and thanking HonorAir who flew his own father, a 21-year-veteran. There will be another celebration when the flight returns Wednesday evening. When we return home and our veterans see all the flags, patriotic balloons and people lined up to welcome them, they are incredibly touched that people care about the sacrifices they made for their country, said Eddie Mannis, Chairman of HonorAir. Veterans Voices: Hear the stories of those who served Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For their previous flight, HonorAir carried 141 women who served in the armed forces, one of whom described it as the best trip of her life. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) A former employee at Fast Eddies Car Wash Oil Change says he was fired for wearing a mask after his employer changed the uniform policy. Fast Eddies Car Wash Oil Change (WLNS). Fast Eddies Car Wash Oil Change (WLNS). Tyler Clifford says he decided to start wearing a mask during the pandemic. Clifford began wearing it while riding the bus and continued to wear it when he was hired at the carwash about a year ago to prevent others from getting sick. He says everything changed after a customer at Fast Eddies complained to management about the mask-wearing employee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clifford says he got into an argument with the customer about it. After this complaint, the company decided to change the dress code and ban masks at work, according to text messages shown to 6 News. The American Civil Liberties Union says businesses are free to set up whatever dress code rules they want to. However, they have to honor protected categories like race, gender, and disability, and they cant discriminate. So when it comes to masks, employers have to honor a doctors note. Clifford told 6 News he was in the process of getting one when he was let go, and hes been left with more questions than answers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like it was fine until he complained, and then after he complained it was an issue, but then they extended a caveat to if I got a prescription, but they didnt even allow me to get the prescription for the mask to be worn. So I just want to get to the bottom of why I was let go for something so mundane and trivial after I was kind of given an olive branch to have the option, and then it was just rescinded. So I mean, thats the only thing that I want to know is why this happened to me, said Clifford. We went to Fast Eddies earlier today to see why they decided to change the mask policy and to verify some details of this story. A manager there gave me a contact for their corporate office, and 6 News reached out, but we havent heard anything back yet. 6 News will share the response if one is made available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the meantime, health officials with the state of Michigan still recommend wearing a mask to prevent the spread of disease. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News. Baby formula almost sold out at CVS, June 22, 2022 | Susan J. Demas This story was originally published by ProPublica ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. Reporting Highlights Unsanitary Conditions: Workers at one of the nations largest baby formula plants say the Abbott Laboratories facility is engaging in unsanitary practices. Cardboard Funnel: In one case, workers said an employee used a piece of cardboard from a trash bin to funnel coconut oil, a formula ingredient, into a tank during production. Federal Response: One worker complained to the FDA, but its unclear how the agency will respond. The Trump administration recently cut 3,500 jobs at the FDA in a mass layoff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These highlights were written by the reporters and editors who worked on this story. ___________________ Workers at one of the nations largest baby formula plants say the Abbott Laboratories facility is engaging in unsanitary practices similar to those that led it to temporarily shut down just three years ago, sparking a nationwide formula shortage. Current and former employees told ProPublica that they have seen the plant in Sturgis, Michigan, take shortcuts when cleaning manufacturing equipment and testing for microbes. The employees said leaks in the factory are sometimes not fixed, a dangerous problem that can promote bacterial growth. They also said workers at the facility do not always take required swabs to check for pathogens while performing maintenance during production. Supervisors have urged workers to increase production and have retaliated against workers who complained about problems, the employees said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One worker complained to the Food and Drug Administration in February, saying the plant has experienced persistent leaks and unaddressed contamination issues, according to correspondence between the worker and the agency viewed by ProPublica. Water and chemicals have pooled on the floor, the worker said. In one spot, white sweetener oozed from a pipe and formed a pile like a stalagmite on top of a tank used for blending, the employee said. The complaints come as the Trump administration is dismantling wide swaths of the federal government including conducting mass layoffs at the FDA and filling some key regulatory positions with industry-friendly voices. The new head of the FDA division that oversees baby formula is a corporate lawyer who previously defended Abbott against a lawsuit. The workers ProPublica spoke to said they did not want to be named because they feared repercussions from Abbott management, but they felt compelled to speak up out of concern that a baby who drank formula made at the plant would fall ill. I cant have this on my conscience, one of the workers said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abbott called workers assertions untrue or misleading, denied their claims about retaliation and said the company stands behind the quality and safety of all our products including those made at Sturgis. In a statement, a spokesperson said that since 2022, the company had increased plant staff by 300 people, spent $60 million on upgrades and stationed multiple food-safety consultants there on weekdays. The company said the plant often takes more than 10,000 environmental swabs across the facility in a month to check for microbes. We believe Sturgis is the most inspected, tested, and swabbed infant formula manufacturing facility in the U.S., and likely in the world, the statement said. That said, Abbott conceded that the plant acted outside of our quality process in one incident from last May. Workers told ProPublica that, instead of retrieving a portable pump, an employee used a piece of cardboard from a trash bin to funnel coconut oil, a formula ingredient, into a tank during production of the companys Pure Bliss by Similac Organic brand. Abbott said the cardboard was reactively used to prevent spilling onto the floor. The company denied that there was a trash receptacle in the area and said plant practice was for cardboard to be stacked on a pallet before being recycled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Food-safety laws require companies to use clean tools to transfer ingredients, not a makeshift implement like cardboard, said Patrick Stone, a former FDA inspector who works as a consultant. No one would think thats a proper use, he said. Its not something thats been cleaned and verified its clear of contamination. Abbott, however, downplayed the significance of the incident, saying it occurred early in the manufacturing process, before pasteurization, and the product underwent enhanced testing that came back negative for microbes. We acknowledge that this is outside of our quality process, and this has been addressed, Abbotts statement said. The company said the plant had a discussion with the employee reiterating the proper procedure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Employees complained about the incident at the time and some hoped the plant had destroyed the formula. But a few weeks later, they received an email, which ProPublica viewed, that said the plant had released all batches not just on time, but early. It congratulated workers for an amazing milestone and achievement for Sturgis. Abbott said there have been no medical complaints related to the lot. The brand is advertised as suitable for newborns. In another incident in February, an employee said that the company had signed off on the use of an amino acid that was 10 months past its manufacturers best by date. A photo of the label viewed by ProPublica showed a best by date of April 2024. The law requires that ingredients in formula not expire before the formula as a whole, Stone said. Abbott said that the powders expiration date had been extended, which it said regulations permit in some cases, after the company used third-party testing to confirm its nutrient levels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the worker said the amino acid powder was chunky and employees refused to add it to a formula mixture. It had been manufactured in October 2023. Abbott told ProPublica that two containers of amino acid mix were, in fact, placed on hold due to crustiness and later destroyed. When we find products that dont meet all specifications, we dispose of them, the company said. Some of the workers said theyve felt pressure not to disrupt the manufacturing process. At one meeting in February, a worker said a senior manager told employees the plant needed to improve its profit margins by either increasing production or reducing the amount of formula it was discarding as unusable. Abbott disputed the idea that it is cutting corners to make more formula. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any assertion that quality is being sacrificed at the expense of volume and profit is patently untrue, it said. The company said that in 2024, Abbott made 41% less formula at Sturgis than it had in 2021, the year before the shutdown. For its part, the FDA did not respond to questions about whether an inspection or investigation is taking place at the Sturgis plant in response to the complaint it received. The agency said it generally does not comment on potential or ongoing inspections or investigations. In a statement, the FDA said that it takes reports related to infant formula seriously and follows up as appropriate. The case could prove to be a major test for President Donald Trumps second administration, which just last month announced an effort to ensure the ongoing quality, safety, nutritional adequacy, and resilience of the domestic infant formula supply. Dubbed Operation Stork Speed, it promised to increase ingredient testing and communicate regularly with consumers and the industry as significant developments occur to ensure transparency, including information regarding nutrients and health outcomes. Egregiously Unsanitary Conditions The Abbott employees concerns come three years after the company voluntarily recalled several formula brands, including Similac, Alimentum and EleCare, and temporarily halted production at Sturgis amid reports of unsanitary conditions and infant deaths. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A former plant employee in 2021 had told the FDA that the plant was using lax cleaning practices, falsifying records and releasing untested infant formula to the public. FDA inspectors found leaking equipment valves, standing water and a type of bacteria at the plant called Cronobacter sakazakii, which is common but can be deadly for young babies. Company documents showed the manufacturer had even discovered the bacteria in its finished formula in 2019 and 2020, the report said. Food-safety laws require companies to test samples of their formula to check the nutrient content and look for harmful microorganisms. Those inspection findings were shocking, a former FDA chief said later. He called the plant egregiously unsanitary. Initial reports said several infants were hospitalized and two died from an illness caused by the Cronobacter bacteria after drinking formula made at the Sturgis plant, according to an inspector generals report. Between December 2021 and June 2022, it said the FDA received a total of 16 consumer complaints involving infant deaths and Sturgis facility products. The report said the FDA did not directly link drinking formula from the plant to any of the infants illnesses or deaths. Abbott said no unopened Abbott formula has ever tested positive for Cronobacter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, in May of 2022, Abbott signed a consent decree with the Department of Justice and the FDA and committed to following improved procedures at the facility. The decree is still in effect. It says the company can be fined up to $30,000 a day for violations, with a maximum of $5 million in a year. The plants nearly four-month-long shutdown in 2022 sparked a nationwide formula shortage, which was worsened by COVID-19-related supply-chain issues. Store shelves emptied of formula, leaving parents desperate. Some babies developed symptoms such as spitting up and diarrhea after being forced to switch brands, researchers found. Nearly half of parents in one survey of primarily low-income families said theyd resorted to at least one unsafe feeding practice, such as watering down formula. Abbott said it disagreed vehemently with the FDA chiefs comments on the Sturgis plant being unsanitary, and it said the former employee who filed the 2021 complaint with the agency was dismissed for serious violations of its food-safety policies. Abbott said the employees specific claims were not supported by the FDA. Its time to stop giving credence and fame to individuals with questionable agendas that have led to unnecessary formula shortages, Abbott said. New Complaints Arise as FDA Is Cut Its unclear how the Trump administration, with its reduced federal workforce, will respond to the newest complaints. The administration recently eliminated 3,500 FDA jobs as part of extensive cuts in federal health workers ranks. While officials said the reductions will not impact inspectors, the agency did not answer a question about whether any of the employees being let go are involved in inspection or enforcement for the Sturgis facility. The White House also recently installed a corporate lawyer in a top FDA post, putting him in charge of the agencys regulation of formula. Kyle Diamantas, acting deputy commissioner for human foods, previously defended Abbott against a lawsuit in which families alleged the company failed to warn them about a deadly bowel condition that premature babies who are fed formula have a greater risk of developing. Abbott has appealed a verdict in which it was ordered to pay $495 million. Meanwhile, at the Department of Agriculture, officials disbanded an advisory committee that had been studying the threat of Cronobacter contamination in powdered formula. The USDA said at the time that it did so to comply with an executive order seeking to reduce bureaucracy but it remained committed to food safety. The Heritage Foundations Project 2025 blueprint for a Trump presidency had listed as one of its goals reevaluating excessive regulation of infant formula. Families using formula arent being protected if the FDA is acting like a partner to companies like Abbott instead of overseeing them, said Jennifer Pomeranz, a professor and expert in public health and food policy at New York University who has served as a witness for plaintiffs suing Abbott over the bowel condition. She called Diamantas appointment the perfect example of regulatory capture. In its statement to ProPublica, the FDA said it is committed to enhancing regulatory oversight of all infant formula manufacturers to help ensure that the industry is producing infant formula under the safest conditions possible. The Sturgis plant is a major supplier of formula in the United States and had been producing about 20% of the nations formula when it shut down in 2022. Abbott provides formula to more than half of babies in the government-backed nutrition-assistance program, called WIC, that subsidizes families formula purchases. The company has contracts to be the sole source of formula for WIC recipients in 36 states and Washington, D.C., as of August of last year. If You Have Leaks, Forget About It Since the 2022 consent decree, FDA records show it has completed 10 inspections, including a multiweek review that was underway when employees said the cardboard incident took place. (The company says that according to its records, it has been inspected by FDA 12 times in that period.) No action was required in response to most of those visits, according to a database that tracks FDA inspections. But for one inspection that ended in December 2022, the FDA issued a citation that noted concerns related to contamination prevention, worker hygiene and the handling of consumer complaints, documents say. A report from that inspection completed just seven months after Abbott signed the consent decree said the agency found problems similar to those that had shut down the plant. The report noted, among other things, six instances of employees failing to collect required swabs to test for bacterial contamination after cleaning up a leak. It also said inspectors found apparent insects and dust like debris near formula-making equipment. You did not establish a system of process controls covering all stages of processing that was designed to ensure that infant formula does not become adulterated due to the presence of microorganisms in the formula or in the processing environment, the report said. Stone, the former FDA inspector who is now a consultant, said the citation is significant. FDA should have really hammered on them harder, he said, but theyre weak and theyre scared. Without taking those swabs and testing them, the company cannot know if the formula is contaminated, Stone said. Unless youre monitoring your environment, you dont know whats in your environment, he said. If you have leaks, forget about it. You dont know whats in there. Abbott said it has addressed all FDA observations from 2022. FDA inspectors have raised no major issues since then, the company said. In 2023, Abbott confirmed the Department of Justice had opened a criminal investigation into conduct at the plant. A spokesperson for the departments Western District of Michigan did not respond to a request for information about the investigations status. Abbott did not respond to a question about the probe but said at the time that it was cooperating fully. The Securities and Exchange Commission and Federal Trade Commission were also scrutinizing the company after the problems surfaced in Sturgis. Spokespeople for the SEC and FTC, which released a report on the formula supply disruptions, declined to comment. Abbott did not respond to questions about the investigations. More recently, some employees who spoke to ProPublica said plant leaders have urged them to speed up production even though the consent decree aimed to add more safety protocols. Imagine a 10-page rule book youre told you have to operate by no matter what, one said. No deviations. Youre doing that, and then your boss says, Youre not doing your job fast enough. The workers said some employees have pushed supervisors to follow sanitary procedures more closely and at times refused to run equipment until their concerns about sanitation were met, even as they feared losing their jobs. Abbott is one of the largest and highest-paying employers in the largely rural area near the Indiana border. The plants tall white tower, emblazoned with a large green a, looms over nearby homes. An employee said that since the consent decree, he had witnessed leaks of formula, oil, chemicals and water that were not cleaned up, fixed or documented properly. Sometimes, the worker said, supervisors resisted shutting down machinery always a money-losing proposition to address a leak. The worker reported seeing a leak that hadnt been handled correctly more than once a month. Its all over, the employee said. Photos taken in the plant show equipment whose outer surface was streaked with drips from formula ingredients that had leaked. In one instance, an absorbent mat had been placed on the floor to catch drips. Procedures require the plant to contain leaks, fix equipment and test the area for pathogens, workers say. Leaks can become breeding grounds for bacteria. Abbott said in a facility the size of Sturgis, with literally miles of pipes, leaks, drips, and condensation are inevitable. The plant has a team it deploys quickly to contain leaks, then swab, test and sanitize the area, the company said. The plant aims to limit standing water and sanitize regularly to prevent bacterial growth, Abbott said, and it runs six times the number of Cronobacter tests on finished product samples as required by federal regulations. Abbott has a quality policy that we make our products as if they were for our own families, the companys statement said. If quality were not our first priority Abbott would not still be here at 137 years. A contractor Abbott hired to improve its processes has raised concerns about the facility not following protocols or procedures in past audits but cited no such problems in the audit completed earlier this year, said Mansour Samadpour, co-founder of IEH Laboratories and Consulting Group. IEH, which began its work after the consent decree, reports back to Abbott and the FDA on what the plant needs to correct. Neither Abbott nor IEH provided a copy of the most recent audit. Samadpour declined to detail the earlier concerns. He said it was possible an employee could miss a swab, but said theres no systemic problem. He said he does not have concerns about sanitary practices in the plant. If I have any concerns, they will hear from me and FDA will hear from us, said Samadpour, who spoke with ProPublica at Abbotts request. That is our job. Debbie Cenziper contributed reporting. President Trump told Americans to "BE COOL!" in a social media post as his trade war escalates. NBC News' Christine Romans reports the latest. Former Chief Strategist for the Romney 2012 campaign Stuart Stevens and Axios Chief Economic Correspondent Neil Irwin join Chris Jansing to discuss Trumps new tariffs and the massive impact they may have on the global economy. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A federal judge in Washington has dismissed a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the estate of Michael Reinoehl, a wanted man who was killed by the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force in 2020. In 2023, Reinoehls estate filed the lawsuit, alleging police in Washington had no other plans than to use deadly force against him. Reinoehl, 48, was killed as a federal task force attempted to apprehend him in Lacey, Washington, near Olympia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reinoehl, who identified as an anti-fascist, was suspected of fatally shooting 39-year-old Aaron Jay Danielson, a supporter of the right-wing group Patriot Prayer, after a demonstration supporting Trump in downtown Portland the week before. What salary do you need to actually take home $100K after taxes in Oregon? Federal agents from the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service located Reinoehl after a warrant was issued for his arrest earlier the same day. Detectives obtained the second-degree murder warrant through a Multnomah County judge, according to the Portland Police Bureau. However, the bureau said its officers were not present during the attempted arrest. Instead, Washington state and local police were operating as a U.S. Marshals Service task force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As reported by the Associated Press, officers in militia-style fatigues raced through a residential neighborhood in unmarked vehicles, then shot and killed Reinoehl as he exited his vehicle, grazed a child playing nearby and struck other vehicles, fences, buildings and homes, the lawsuit claimed. Cyber-vigilante: Lebanon man charged with online sex crimes after tip from uncooperative social media personality, sheriff says In 2020, the U.S. Marshals Service sent a statement to KOIN 6 News, saying: The fugitive task force located Reinoehl in Olympia and attempted to peacefully arrest him. Initial reports indicate the suspect produced a firearm, threatening the lives of law enforcement officers. Task force members responded to the threat and struck the suspect who was pronounced dead at the scene. However, lawyers representing Reinoehls estate argued that authorities had no visible identification as law enforcement officers, were not heard by any neighborhood residents to identify themselves and gave Reinoehl no opportunity to surrender. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his decision which was issued March 4 and first reported on by The Oregonian U.S. District Judge David Estudillo ruled, in part, that the court does not have the authority to decide if the plan to arrest Reinoehl was adequate. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KOIN Morning Digest The Court finds that the USMS Special Deputies here were acting under color of federal law. The record shows that this operation was federal throughout, the decision reads in part. It is clear that there was some plan to arrest Reinoehl and some command structure. Whether those plans were sufficiently thorough or properly accounted for the risks of the arrest is the kind of policy judgement that the discretionary function exception denies this Court jurisdiction to consider. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This courts role is not to decide if (USMS Violent Offender Task Forces) plan was a good plan, or a complete or thorough one that adequately accounted for all risks and contingencies that is the kind of second guessing that the (Federal Tort Claims Act) does not permit the court to engage in, Judge Estudillo continued. A spokesperson for Washington State Patrol declined to comment on the dismissed lawsuit. Oregon Supreme Court allows class action lawsuit against Tillamook County Creamery Association to proceed KOIN 6 News reached out to attorneys representing Reinoehls estate, the United States Department of Justice, the City of Lakewood (which was named in the lawsuit) along with Pierce County. This story will be updated if we receive a response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prior to his death, Reinoehl had described himself in a social media post as 100% ANTIFA, suggested the tactics of counter-protesters amounted to warfare, and had been shot at one protest and cited for having a gun at another. He had been a regular presence at anti-racism demonstrations in Portland. As reported by the Associated Press, Trump lauded the manhunt for Reinoehl on Twitter, calling on police to Do your job, and do it fast, just before Reinoehl was killed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Will the Trump Justice Department lose a crucial Supreme Court case because one of its lawyers was too honest? The possibility arises in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, in which government officials want the justices to bail them out of a judges order to return the man who the government admits it wrongly sent to El Salvador. Representing the DOJ at a hearing last week in Maryland, Erez Reuveni said that he had asked his clients (the government) why they couldnt return Abrego Garcia but didnt get an answer that I find satisfactory. He said the government made a choice here to produce no evidence and the absence of evidence speaks for itself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reuveni was then placed on leave, with Attorney General Pam Bondi saying that every DOJ lawyer is required to zealously advocate on behalf of the United States and that any attorney who fails to abide by this direction will face consequences. At the Supreme Court (with Reuveni no longer on the case), the DOJ said his inappropriate statements did not and do not reflect the position of the United States. The filing by Solicitor General John Sauer went on, Whether a particular line attorney is privy to sensitive information or feels that whoever he spoke with at client agencies gave him sufficient answers to satisfy whatever personal standard he was applying cannot possibly be the yardstick for measuring the propriety of this extraordinary injunction. Responding to that argument on Wednesday, Abrego Garcias lawyers said the government wants the justices to disregard Reuvenis statements because leaving those statements undisturbed would mean that Abrego Garcia wins the litigation. Recognizing that the Governments concession below that it lacks a satisfactory answer as to why it cant bring Abrego Garcia back is case-dispositive, Abrego Garcias lawyers wrote, the government takes the extreme step of disavowing its own lawyers statements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet, they wrote, the Government still has not supplied a satisfactory answer to that central question. They wrote that this could be the first time the government in any brief to the court impugns its own counsel, noting that the trial judge commended Reuvenis candor. But the Government, like any litigant, cannot disavow the concessions of its own counsel especially when it does not even contend that anything about them is factually untrue, they wrote. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis had ordered the government to facilitate and effectuate Abrego Garcias return by Monday at midnight. Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily halted the order that day, saving the administration from the deadline pending further order from the court, which could come anytime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In declining to halt the judges order on its way to the Supreme Court, appellate judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit noted the DOJs action against its own lawyer and wrote that the duty of zealous representation is tempered by the duty of candor to the court, among other ethical obligations, and the duty to uphold the rule of law, particularly on the part of a Government attorney. Subscribe to the Deadline: Legal Newsletter for expert analysis on the top legal stories of the week, including updates from the Supreme Court and developments in the Trump administrations legal cases. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com The House Government Organization Committee on Wednesday approved Senate Bill 427 with an amendment from Del. Kayla Young, pictured here. The bill would repeal the work permit process for 14- and 15-year olds in the state. Young's amendment clarifies that an age certificate must include a job description supplied by the employer, not the child seeking employment. (Perry Bennett | West Virginia Legislative Photography) A bill that would repeal the work permit requirements for West Virginia 14- and 15-year-olds seeking employment is nearing a vote in the House of Delegates. The House Government Organization Committee on Wednesday signed off on Senate Bill 427 on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The minimum legal age to work in West Virginia is 14. Currently, state law requires 14- and 15-year-olds who want to work to get a permit from their school superintendent. The permit includes age certification, a commitment by the employer to employ the child legally, a description of the work the child is applying to do, a signature by the childs principal saying that theyre attending school, and parental consent. If SB 427 becomes law, employers seeking to hire the teenagers would be required to obtain an age certificate verifying the childs age from the state Division of Labor and the written consent of the childs parent or guardian. The age certificate would include the childs age, name and date of birth as well as information about the job theyre seeking, among other things. The committee adopted an amendment from Del. Kayla Young, D-Kanawha, that the job description listed on an age certificate be supplied by the employer as opposed to the child. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brooke Farber, deputy commissioner and counsel for the state Division of Labor, testified that the agency prefers that the job description come from the employer to ensure that the job doesnt violate restrictions on children working in hazardous working conditions. State and federal law prohibits minors from working in certain hazardous occupations, including roofing, mining, operating fork lifts and others. We just want to make sure, and a 14 or 15 year old might not necessarily be familiar with a hazardous occupation, so that would be it, she said. The bill will next go to the floor of the House of Delegates to be read three times before delegates vote on the bill. Del. Bill Flanigan, R-Ohio, speaks on the West Virginia House floor on April 3, 2025. On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, Flanigan spoke out in the House Judiciary Committee against a bill to ban diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the state. (Perry Bennett | West Virginia Watch) The West Virginia House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday advanced a bill to prohibit nearly all diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the state, bringing a policy priority for Gov. Patrick Morrisey closer to the finish line before the session is set to end on Saturday night. Senate Bill 474 which passed the state Senate on March 26 and was advanced by the House Committee on Education last week bans the offering of specific services or opportunities to people based on their race, color, ethnicity, country of origin and, in some instances, sex. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill, as currently written, only applies to DEI policies and initiatives in state and local governments and schools, including institutions of higher education. In response to Morriseys executive order, colleges and universities in West Virginia have already begun to review and dismantle services previously offered to students of different races, genders, sexual identities and more. In Tuesdays House Judiciary meeting, lawmakers voted down an amendment from the House Education committee that added sex in multiple places throughout the proposed code where the other identifiers (race, ethnicity, etc.) were already listed. Without that amendment, the bill does allow for certain services and special benefits to be offered to people based on their sex. The bill also explicitly allows colleges applying for grants to issue statements in those applications that highlight the institutions work in supporting first-generation college students, low-income students and underserved student populations. None of those terms are defined in the proposed code section. Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives are often offered to ensure all people no matter their background or systemic factors that are known to exist and are proven to oppress them are granted the same opportunities as other, often more privileged people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill to prohibit DEI is a policy priority for Morrisey and is the legislative side of an executive order he issued earlier this year meant to do the same. Its reflective of a trend spearheaded by Republicans nationwide meant to undermine and end DEI in all its forms. During discussion in committee on Tuesday, Del. Bill Flanigan, R-Ohio, joined Democratic Dels. Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio, and Evan Hansen, D-Monongalia, in speaking against the passage of the bill. Flanigan said he thought SB 474 was horrible and worried that its mandate for teachers and professors to instruct contentious issues like systemic racism, sexism and more in a neutral and colorblind manner would do more harm than good. People, often unconsciously, are operating under implicit biases that can hurt others who are afforded less privilege than them, Flanigan said. That behavior, he continued, leads to real harm and holds down individuals by not allowing them to benefit from the same systems and opportunities others can. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What we do to people without realizing it hurts and can harm. To say that we are colorblind I think is incorrect; Its not a proper way to be. You have to look at peoples color its there. I think what were trying to do as a state is to say that we dont need to accept these types of things, but it does happen. Its there, Flanigan said. We cant just randomly say were going to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion because somebody somewhere said, Oh shoot, man, white people are losing right now. I know some of you are having a hard time even looking me in the eyes right now, Flanigan continued. I dont like this type of idea. Its not bringing us forward in the country. I really think its holding us up. None of the individuals who voted in support for SB 474 in the committee spoke in favor of the bill before it passed via voice vote on Tuesday. SB 474, if made law, will ban any state agency from running an office or division to promote diversity, equity or inclusion practices or from directing an employee to do the same. All current offices that do so are to be shut down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would also prohibit expressing any preferences for employment based on any metrics of diversity, equity or inclusion. No person hired can be required under the law to participate in diversity, equity and inclusion training and state agencies generally will not be allowed to run such training. The bill would restrict how certain race- and gender-related topics are approached by teachers in schools, who will not be able to teach any lessons suggesting that someones race, ethnicity or sex makes them morally superior to someone else, among other things. The bill will also prevent teachers and school staff from being required to use a students preferred pronouns if those pronouns do not match the childs sex. The bill now advances to the full House for consideration and passage. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE GLENVILLE, W.Va. (WBOY) The West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals brought their courtroom to Glenville State University on Tuesday, allowing high school students from Braxton, Lewis and Ritchie counties to hear real life cases to learn about the legal system. Judge Dan Greear told 12 News that he and the judges have also come to the college and some of the high schools to explain the judicial process in addition to Tuesdays event. Weve been tremendously impressed by the quality of the students here not only the day, but in our interactions with them on campus and just their curiosity, their intelligence, their insights that they have and their interest in the system, Greear said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the demonstrations, the students had lunch with the judges and were invited to ask questions about what they saw. Students learn more about New Deal programs in West Virginia Junior at Lewis County High School JP Alkire was interested in law and government, and when his history teacher brought up the opportunity at Glenville State, he took it up. I have never witnessed a court case before or a court in general so I thought it was really informative. Alkire said. He also told 12 News that he had seen the legislative and executive branch act before, but not the judicial, and that it was exciting to see how the judicial branch fit in the balance of power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge Greear told 12 News today was to demystify the judicial process. We hope that they saw that process in action and can have a little bit more confidence in their government and the idea that everybody is going to have an opportunity to be heard when they think theres a wrong thats occurred. In the fall the Intermediate Court of Appeals will be at another university campus to let local students see the judicial process. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. YANKTON, S.D. (KCAU) UPDATE: Unofficial results are in for Tuesdays special election in Yankton, South Dakota. The winners are bolded and italicized: Yankton City Commission, three-year term Candidate Votes Percentages Brian Bertsch 1068 44.3% Thomas J. Bixler 103 4.3% Bill Conkling 853 35.4% Ashley Dimmer 533 22.1% Patricia A. Grant 217 9.0% Camillia Higgins 146 6.1% Zachary Hoover 544 22.6% Samuel Hummel 632 26.2% David Spencer 1165 48.3% Yankton School Board, three-year term Candidate Votes Percentages Sarah Brandt 1236 51.3% Sarah Carda 1150 47.7% Justin Frick 1307 54.2% Ellie Kajer 122 5.1% Brennan Novak 440 18.3% There were a total of 2,410 ballots cast. The official results will come in for the city commission on Friday, April 11 and for the school board on Monday, April 14. PREVIOUS: Yankton residents have been heading to the polls Tuesday for a special election involving open seats on the city commission and school board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Polls opened at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, April 8 and will close at 7 p.m. Voting centers are located at City Hall at 416 Walnut Street and at Fire Station #2 at 201 West 23rd Street. The nine-member Yankton City Commission has three open seats with a three-year term. There are nine candidates running: Brian Bertsch Thomas J. Bixler Bill Conkling Ashley Dimmer Patricia A. Grant Camillia Higgins Zachary Hoover Samuel Hummel David Spencer Meanwhile, the five-member Yankton School Board has two open seats, also with a three-year term. Five candidates are running: Sarah Brandt Sarah Carda (incumbent, current president) Justin Frick Ellie Kajer Brennan Novak Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prospective voters must live within city limits or within the Yankton School District and be registered with the county auditor. Voters will also have to present a valid photo ID or sign an affidavit. KCAU 9 will update this story later tonight with the results of the election. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Visma, a European provider of business software, has acquired Finmatics, a company specialising in pre-accounting software. The latest deal marks Visma's fifth purchase in the DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) within the last four years. Finmatics' AI-powered solution aids professional accountants by automating financial tasks such as invoice handling and accounting data exchange. This integration streamlines operations and allows accountants to focus on delivering higher-value advisory services to their clients, the company noted. With compatibility across most accounting systems, Finmatics facilitates document collection, extraction, and categorisation, fostering better collaboration between accountants and their clients. Finmatics managing director and co-founder Christoph Prieler said: As founders of Finmatics we are very happy to become part of the Visma family, where we can continue to drive the growth of Finmatics in an entrepreneurial fashion while benefiting from the vast accounting and technology expertise of the entire Visma Group. Despite the change in ownership, Finmatics will continue to operate under its existing brand and management team. The company employs more than 120 individuals across Austria, Germany, and Hungary and serves over 1200 accounting offices and small to medium-sized businesses in Austria and Germany. Visma CEO Merete Hverven said: We are very excited to welcome Finmatics to the Visma family, and broaden our core product offering to accountants in the DACH-region. We have been impressed by Finmatics high product quality and strong customer satisfaction. Backed by the joint capabilities of Visma, we believe that we can make an even greater impact in the market together. Visma's acquisition strategy in the DACH region has previously included firms such as BuchhaltungsButler, H&H, and Pathway Solutions in Germany, as well as Prosaldo in Austria. The software group now comprises nearly 200 individual companies operating in 33 countries. In 2024, Visma invested in Bizzcontrol, a Belgian company that develops advisory software for accountants. Its platform is designed to help accountants and entrepreneurs in Belgium easily analyse financial data, identify trends, and simulate future scenarios. The Ghent-based business simplifies complex figures into actionable insights, aiding better decision-making. "Visma acquires Finmatics " was originally created and published by International Accounting Bulletin, a GlobalData owned brand. ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) Two proposed bills advancing through the New York State Legislature sparked debate over public safety and fairness in the criminal justice system on Tuesday. The bills could reshape how the state handles parole and good behavior, letting some sentences be reduced by as much as half. S159/A127 would change how parole works for people incarcerated at state prisons, granting supervised release by default unless the Parole Board can prove that they clearly still pose a danger to the public. More Local News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement S342/A1085, the Earned Time Act, is more complex. It would let inmates earn time off their sentence. Credits could total up to one-half of their sentence, whereas current credits for good behavior get capped at lower levels. Earned time credits would accumulate each year based on behavior like participation in education, work, or treatment programs. And those credits would not be removable once earned. Critics warned that passing the bills would put dangerous criminals on the street, which they called particularly galling because its National Crime Victims Rights Week. The ranking member on the State Senate Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction, Republican State Senator Rob Rolison, blasted what he called the bad bills on Wednesday. He said Earned Time will reward incarcerated people with credit that cant be taken back whenever their good behavior ends. His counterpart on that committeethe chair, Sen. Julia Salazarsponsored the parole reform in the Senate and cosponsored Earned Time. Heres Rolison on Tuesday connecting the conversation about reform back to the correction officers strike: More Local News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And other critics have referenced other criminal justice reformslike bail and discoveryas part of a larger pro-crime agenda favored by Albany Democrats to undermine public safety. Republican State Sen. Mark Walczyk said the legislation tells convicts that their rights and comfort outweigh the safety of law-abiding citizens. Republican State Senator Jim Tedisco agreed that the legislature should focus on making prison facilities safer for correction officers. These bills are a deliberate slap in the face to all New Yorkers who care about law and order, and especially to the victims of violent crime, he said. But the new measures are supposed to replace vague, discretionary decisions made by corrections staff. Noting that the measures use transparent, precise formulas, supporters say new standards create a more consistent, predictable process. They say the reforms will lower prison populations, correctional costs, and recidivism so incarcerated people can improve their lives once theyve repaid their debt to society. In support of the bills, the Center for Community Alternatives argued that New Yorks current sentencing laws have led to mass incarceration and disproportionately affected Black and brown communities. At a time when New Yorks prison system is in crisis, the Earned Time Act offers a real solution to change prison culture, support successful reentry, and reunite families, said Tomas Gant, a CCA community organizer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CCA pointed to a 2006 report from the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision showing that earned time credits reduced recidivism. Still, Republicans and law enforcement insist the changes are dangerous. They claim Earned Time would let inmates reduce their sentences by up to 75%, regardless of how serious their crimes. Senator Cooney should be ashamed of himself for putting criminals ahead of his constituents, said a representative from the Locust Club police group about Democratic State Senator Jeremy Cooney, who sponsored Earned Time. In a statement distributed in the Greater Rochester area, they urged residents to contact their legislators to complain. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Fancy some pasta at New York City's posh Italian restaurant Carbone or maybe a whiskey at Ralph Lauren's Polo Bar? Hold onto your wallet because some folks are shelling out hundreds of dollars just for the privilege of booking a table, not even for the food. In a city that never sleeps, money talks, especially when it comes to dining out. As it's often impossible to get a table in the city's most popular restaurants weeks in advance, an online marketplace for table reservations has developed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On these portals, people with deep pockets can bid for reservations others have previously purchased. But that may change soon. A law that recently came into effect in the state of New York is now intended to put an end to "restaurant reservation piracy," as the business model is also known. Third-party platforms are no longer allowed to sell reservations without the restaurants' consent. Fight against bots and the 'predatory black market' This is because providers of the highly coveted reservations are often said to be automated bots that snatch up free seats to profit from the high demand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While life in New York is becoming increasingly unaffordable for some, others spend more than $3,000 on New Year's Eve to get a table at The Corner Store in Soho. New York Governor Kathy Hochul describes the "predatory black market" as unfair exploitation and emphasizes that the new law will give more customers access to the city's hippest restaurants again. It's a smokescreen, says Jonas Frey, founder and chief executive of Appointment Trader, one of the platforms on which reservations can be purchased. Frey, originally a German citizen who now lives in Miami and arranges around 80,000 reservations a year with his team, argues that instead of a general ban, the use of bots could have been specifically prohibited. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We wouldn't mind that at all, they are largely banned on our platform anyway." The sellers are mainly people who are unable to honour a prepaid reservation or restaurant employees who are earning extra money. The system is not new. The law does not make it any easier for ordinary people to get a seat in most exclusive restaurants. Instead, they have to go through any contacts they might have, individually negotiated deals with restaurants, such as American Express, which keeps exclusive seats free for customers, or authorized sellers, who often charge even higher prices, says Frey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many large companies have now recognized that a lot of money can be made with restaurant and event management. Platforms such as Resy, OpenTable, Dorsia and Tock, which co-operate with restaurants for a fee, are not affected by the new law, even if customers are charged for some services. American Express, which has already acquired Resy, also took over Tock last year for $400 million, a platform that is aimed in particular at affluent customers with bookings for upmarket restaurants and luxury events. More and more restaurants in New York are also opening exclusive clubs with membership fees and annual subscriptions of tens of thousands of dollars, private dining rooms and exclusive top chefs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deposits of several hundred dollars for reservations made directly with the restaurant are not uncommon - and can be withheld in the event of cancellations. Empty tables as a result? Pablo Rivero, chief executive of Resy, welcomes the new law, also on behalf of the restaurant partners: "It is a big step forward in the industry's efforts to protect restaurants and guests from reservation fraud." State Senator Nathalia Fernandez, who proposed the law, and the president of the New York Restaurant Association, Melissa Fleischut, charged that the sale of reservations on third-party platforms has led to an increase in no-shows and last-minute cancellations - with empty tables, loss of sales and missing tips for staff as a result. Frey rejects this criticism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unlike a black market, his platform offers a money-back guarantee for customers if a reservation does not work out, and strict checks are carried out to ensure that sellers actually sell the majority of their reservations so that restaurants are not left with empty tables. In addition, the traded restaurants are so expensive that reservation fees averaging $100 are not a major factor for guests. Demand also increasing in Europe "More people want to visit exclusive restaurants in New York than there are tables - and that's why there is a price," argues Frey. "But we didn't invent or create the problem. Of course, those who pay have an advantage over those who pay nothing. Will demand disappear as a result of the ban? No, it will increase and probably shift to illegal channels." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frey plans to continue despite the law. Appointment Trader is not standing with its back against the wall due to strong sales in the millions, but wants to defend itself, he says. And new markets are already in sight thanks to rising demand - including in Europe. A new poll from Economist/YouGov released Wednesday shows that Donald Trumps approval rating has dropped from +5 to -29 points among voters under 30 since his inauguration, a 34-point tumble. Trump also fell eight points with millennials and four points with boomers, but gained a point with Gen X. Trumps dramatic drop in favorability with Gen Zafter enjoying fairly positive standing with them during the election seasonunderscores the immediate negative reactions that policies like his trade war has elicited. Confidence in the future of this country and the future of ones own personal security is quickly eroding under Trumps leadership. The president has given the next generation absolutely nothing to look forward to besides increased prices, market instability, and ICE crackdowns on pro-Palestine activity. It seems that even the young crypto bros who were just in it for the tax cuts have turned on the president. The future is bleak right now. Trumps approval rating among Gen Zers is simply reflecting that. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) Youngstown Mayor Tito Brown gave his State of the City address Wednesday. Opening comments were made by leaders of 717 Credit Union and Huntington Bank, who vowed to commit their resources to the betterment of the city. Read next: Entire local police department resigns Mayor Tito Brown began his address by touting the citys resolve following the Realty Building explosion and the recovery of downtown. He also mentioned the large construction project downtown and the blight that has been demolished in the city to make way for commercial and residential investments, including affordable housing, while touting the citys At Home program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brown also highlighted the work of the city in reaching a balanced budget eight years in a row, thanking his administration and the citys finance director. Weve had three consecutive state sudits that have been clean, Brown said. He then turned his attention to the police department and statistics that show a 40% reduction in homicides and a 20% reduction in overall crime. Brown talked about technology in policing the city, citing drones and the flock camera system. He cited the increased use of technology, like the citys new Flock License Plate Readers, for helping reduce crime. Were at 40 percent in the reduction of homicides, 20 percent crime overall because were using technology. In November, Mayor Brown was part of the groundbreaking for new houses on Ciff View Street off lower Glenwood Avenue where three new homes have already been built. The citys At Home Program was part of his talk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You know how you get to the end and they say you need to pay this much down. You go to your bank and youre like I aint quite got that thats what were here for, Brown said. In eight years, Mayor Brown said the city has demolished 3,400 vacant structures. It has spent $57 million on renovating 20 Federal Place and another $1.5 million on creating a center at Glenwood Avenues former Bottom Dollar building to decrease infant mortality. Were going to focus on making sure our babies get to their first birthday because our African American babies are three times more likely to die before their first birthday than their white counterparts, he said. Brown ended his presentation by bringing the citys employees onto the stage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is what Youngstown looks like. This is my cabinet. This is my team, he said. Mayor Brown also highlighted the citys $10 million commitment to renovate most of the citys parks, which will be completed by the end of next year. Watch the full State of the City address below: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A Youngstown native and former FBI special agent was recently appointed Los Angeles deputy mayor for public safety. Read next: Youngstown mayor giving State of the City address The LA Times reports that Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has named Youngstown native Robert Clark as the new deputy mayor for public safety earlier this week, where he will work as her top aide to oversee police and fire issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clark is a 1984 graduate of Cardinal Mooney High School and was honored as a distinguished alumnus last year. He graduated from Youngstown State University, working as a police officer before joining the FBI in 1995 as a special agent in the Los Angeles division. In 2017, he starred on the one-season CBS show Hunted, which challenged 18 ordinary people to act as fugitives and attempt to outsmart the FBI. More recently, he served as the director of public safety for the city of Columbus from September 2021 until April 2023. He was also in the running earlier this year for the position of Austintown police chief. Gerry Ricciutti contributed to this report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. YouTube entrepreneur and star MrBeast slammed President Trumps brutal tariffs in a post on the social platform X on Tuesday. Ironically because of all the new tariffs it is now way cheaper to make our chocolate bars we sell globally NOT in America, MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, said in a thread on X, likely referencing his line of Feastables chocolate bars. Donaldson later added that his brand provides our farmers a living income and works with fair trade certified beans, etc. so I was already spending a lot on cocoa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A random price hike was pretty brutal [not going to lie,] Donaldson continued. Well figure it out. I feel for small businesses though. Could really be a nail in the coffin for them. In the wake of Trumps tariff announcement last week, economic anxieties have heightened and markets across the globe have tanked. The presidents tariff policy has also strained his relationship with congressional Republicans, with seven GOP senators recently signing onto a bill that would make the president notify Congress 48 hours ahead of fresh tariffs. Donaldsons fellow internet personality Dave Portnoy, who has previously talked positively about the president, also slammed Trump on Monday over losses the stock market faced due to Trump administration tariffs. Welcome to Orange Monday, Portnoy said a few minutes prior to markets opening on a financial livestream show, adding theres no political agenda to this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) Reports said police early Wednesday had to round up several juveniles on an Interstate 680 ramp after a car chase ending in a crash on the South Side. At least three of them were cited for curfew violations after their parents were called to the ramp at about 1:30 a.m. at Market and Hughes streets. Reports said they were in a vehicle that was spotted driving very fast on Mahoning Avenue heading toward downtown. Police tried to catch up to it but could not, reports said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police managed to catch up to it at the exit ramp, where it hit a curb, causing both front tires to be blown out and one of the tires to be knocked off the vehicle. The airbags also deployed, reports said. Reports said three boys and two girls ran from the vehicle after it crashed. Police caught the girls and two of the boys. The other one escaped, reports said. Reports said all of the people who were caught said they were not driving and they did not know the driver. The curfew violations will be heard in Mahoning County Juvenile Court, reports said. One of the boys was also cited for contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a child. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paramedics were called but no one required medical treatment, reports said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) A Zachary man accused of sexually abusing his foster children was found guilty during an April trial. Michael Hadden, 54, was convicted of charges including sexual battery, molestation of a juvenile and aggravated crime against nature. We are pleased with the effort by the jurys attention to the evidence in this case and the time they took in their deliberations. This case was complicated in many ways. Our courageous victims, were some of the most vulnerable in society and we are pleased with the verdict which was the just verdict not only for our survivors of these heinous acts but also for our community, East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore said in a statement Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hadden was arrested and charged in August 2022 after an investigation into alleged sexual assault involving three of his foster children. Court records show Hadden pleaded not guilty to charges in November 2022. An affidavit stated that a teen victim told a social worker that his foster parent sometimes made him feel uncomfortable because inappropriate things happen. A Department of Children and Family Services case worker told deputies that the victim and his two siblings were taken into state custody. Investigators learned that the victim had lived with Hadden from March 2017 to April 2022, except for some time in January 2021 when the victim was removed from the home by DCFS during another investigation. According to arrest documents, Hadden had previously been investigated by the East Baton Rouge Sheriffs Office for sexual assault. East Feliciana jury convicts man of double homicide, attempted murder Latest News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News. Russia is attempting to break through in northeastern Ukraine and continues to press on in the east with a new spring offensive, President Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists on April 9. Russia's spring offensive in northeastern Ukraine "has actually already begun," Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on April 9. Zelensky earlier warned that Russia is preparing for a fresh offensive against the Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts this spring. "Today, more than 67,000 Russian soldiers are located in the Kursk direction. (Russia) completed the relocation for an attack in the Sumy direction," Zelensky said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ukrainian Armed Forces have taken successful steps to prevent a Russian advance towards Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts from Russia's Belgorod Oblast, he added. "There are a lot of attempts there, daily. They (Russia) are bearing losses... There will be more attempts in the Kharkiv and Sumy directions," Zelensky said. Zelensky cautioned that Russia has not changed its goal to capture large swathes of Ukrainian territory in its full-scale war against Ukraine and continues to press on in all directions. "We believe that they have not changed their plans - Sumy, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia directions. They do not forget about the east. This (provides) access to the borders of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. This was their plan from the very beginning of the war," Zelensky said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia saw its greatest tactical gains in November 2024, Zelensky said, adding that afterwards, Russian losses grew a lot and advances declined. In an interview published on March 26, Zelensky said, "We must look at the situation with our eyes wide open. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is preparing a new offensive, particularly in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts." "I can confirm that Putin is trying to get time and is preparing for a spring offensive. We see preparations for this upcoming operation," he added. Read also: Over 160 Chinese nationals fight for Russia in Ukraine, obtained documents show Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. April 9 (UPI) -- The Ukrainian military has captured two Chinese citizens fighting in the Russian army, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said the Kremlin's ranks probably contain many more soldiers from the Asian nation. The pair of Chinese fighters were detained in Donetsk Oblast in eastern Ukraine, which borders Russia. Documents, bank cards and personal information were on them when captured, he said. "We have information indicating that there are significantly more Chinese citizens within the occupier's units than just these two," Zelensky said Tuesday on social media. "We are currently working to verify all the facts." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Accompanying the post was a short video clip of one of the purported Chinese fighters, seen seemingly re-enacting an unspecified battle. Our military has captured two Chinese citizens who were fighting as part of the Russian army. This happened on Ukrainian territory-in the Donetsk region. Identification documents, bank cards, and personal data were found in their possession. We have information suggesting that... pic.twitter.com/ekBr6hCkQL Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) April 8, 2025 Foreign Affairs Minister Andrii Sybiha of Ukraine said Tuesday he has summoned China's charge d'affaires in Ukraine to "condemn this fact and demand an explanation." "Chinese citizens fighting as part of Russia's invasion army in Ukraine puts into question China's declared stance for peace and undermines Beijing's credibility as a responsible permanent member of the U.N. Security Council," he said on X. Under the pressure of sanctions and a death toll that has grown to the hundreds of thousands, Russia has turned to ostracized Iran to fill its depleted armory and isolated North Korea for weapons and soldiers, of whom some 11,000 are believed to be fighting Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China, however, has denied having any major involvement in the three-year war, refuting long-standing accusations of enabling Russia by supplying it with weapons components, equipment and raw materials. The United States, though under the previous administration of President Joe Biden, had repeatedly warned Beijing against arming the Moscow military. It is not known if the Chinese soldiers were sent to fight by Beijing. The Institute for the Study of War states it has observed Russian entities recruiting vulnerable migrant workers into its military to fight in Ukraine. The Washington, D.C.- based research think tank states that Beijing could attempt to demonstrate that it was not involved in its citizens' participation in the war. During a press conference with Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever, Zelensky said that because of the capture of the Chinese troops -- and undisclosed evidence that more were fighting for Russia -- they now believe that China is supporting the Kremlin, like Iran and North Korea. "But there is a difference," he said. "North Koreans fought against us on Kursk, while the Chinese are fighting on Ukrainian territory." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We can't fight several countries at once, each trying to take something from our land. We hope that after this situation, the Americans will talk more with Ukrainians first -- and only then with the russians. We also hope that the Chinese side will respond," he said. U.S. President Donald Trump, who pledged he could end the war within 24 hours of returning to the White House, is seeking to cobble together a hasty end to the conflict, attracting accusations from critics of capitulating to Russia, while threatening the sovereignty of Ukraine. Asked about the capture of the two Chinese fighters during a press conference on Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said "it's disturbing." "As President Trump has said, continued cooperation between these two nuclear powers will only further contribute to global instability and make the United States and other countries less safe, less secure and less prosperous," she said. "I think that's an understatement." Walmart (WMT) is mostly staying the course with its full year profit outlook despite Trump tariffs being in full effect and economic uncertainty on the rise. The retail giant said Wednesday it continues to expect first quarter sales growth of 3% to 4%. But it slightly walked back its first quarter operating profit growth guidance for an increase of 0.5% to 2%, citing tariff risk. "The range of outcomes for Q1 operating income growth has widened due to less favorable category mix, higher casualty claims expense and the desire to maintain flexibility to invest in price as tariffs are implemented," Walmart noted. The company added that its annual sales and operating income growth guidance remains unchanged. On its Feb. 20 earnings release, Walmart guided to annual sales growth of 3% to 4% and adjusted operating profit growth of 3.5% to 5.5%. Listen: How Build-a-Bear CEO is navigating Trump tariffs Full year EPS which Walmart didn't mention its guidance commentary today was pegged back in February at $2.50 to $2.60. The Street is currently at $2.63 a share, according to Yahoo Finance data. Walmart shares fell 2% in pre-market trading. Shares are down by about 9% in the last five trading sessions amid a broader market flight to safety. The company is holding a meeting with analysts and media to discuss its longer term initiatives. Execs are expected to be peppered with questions about how Walmart plans to navigate tariffs. Trump's 104% tariffs on China kicked in on Wednesday, igniting the start of a full on trade war with an important trading partner. China responded today, saying it would increase its reciprocal tariffs on U.S. goods to 84% from 34%. Levies on imports to the US from the European Union and Japan also rose further today, in addition to sweeping 10% tariffs that began last weekend. Watch: Fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff on retail's tariff problem Walmart is caught in the crosshairs. EvercoreISI retail analyst Greg Melich estimated this week that Walmart imports about $105 billion worth of merchandise. Cost pressure from the tariffs could clip earnings this year three times more than the Street expects currently, Melich said. Brian Sozzi is Yahoo Finance's Executive Editor. Follow Sozzi on X @BrianSozzi, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Tips on stories? Email brian.sozzi@yahoofinance.com. Click here for the latest stock market news and in-depth analysis, including events that move stocks Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kiev has captured two Chinese nationals fighting alongside Russian forces in eastern Ukraine. "There are the prisoners' documents, bank cards and personal data," Zelensky wrote on Telegram, alongside a video showing images of one of the captured men. He said the two men had been fighting for the Russians in the eastern Donetsk region. Zelensky claimed the two are not isolated cases. "We have information that there are many more such Chinese citizens in the occupying forces," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has instructed Ukraine's foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, to demand an official response from Beijing, calling the development a "clear signal" that Russian President Vladimir Putin is intent on prolonging the war. "This absolutely requires a response from the US, Europe and everyone in the world who wants peace," Zelensky said. The prisoners are in the custody of Ukraine's SBU security service. US criticizes China for Russia support Washington is aware of the reports about the captured Chinese, said US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce. "It's disturbing with North Korea participating, it is disturbing with the Chinese soldiers having been captured," Bruce said. "China is a major enabler of Russia. In the war in Ukraine, China provides nearly 80% of the dual-use items Russia needs to sustain the war. 80% comes from China." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine has been defending against Russia's full-scale invasion for more than three years, with significant military and financial support from Western allies. North Korean troops are known to have fought for Russia, while thousands of foreign volunteers are believed to be serving on the Ukrainian side. Russia and Ukraine attack each other with drones Russia and Ukraine attacked each other again with a large number of combat drones on Tuesday evening. Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv was hit at least 20 times, with fires reported in several places. According to an initial count, there were two casualties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city of Dnipro in the south was also hit. At least 14 people were injured there, according to Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne. After a break of several nights, Ukraine also deployed a large number of combat drones, according to Russian reports. The targets and effects of these attacks were not immediately clear. The Russian military said that Ukrainian drones had been intercepted over the Russian regions of Rostov, Voronezh and Penza, as well as over the Crimea peninsula, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Traffic at Ulyanovsk Airport on the Volga was temporarily restricted. Ukraine is open to signing a minerals deal with the United States, but only if it ensures equal partnership and respects Ukrainian sovereignty, President Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists on April 9. Zelensky said the Ukrainian government welcomes investment and cooperation in the country's mineral sector, but not at any cost. If this is about true partnership, then we need to talk about parity. It must be 50/50, Zelensky said, emphasizing this is one of the conditions that will be presented by the Ukrainian technical team during negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Zelensky, a prospective agreement could help modernize Ukraine's economy, rebuild the country after the war, and create jobs through joint ventures involving high-tech American companies. The president stressed that Ukraine is ready to contribute its land and resources, but expects the U.S. to bring in technologies and capital. Zelensky also described an exchange with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who had allegedly urged Kyiv to sign a preliminary deal immediately. I told him to stop tapping his finger on the contract and to speak concretely, Zelensky said, adding that the proposal was not ready and some provisions contradicted Ukrainian law. We need to create a successful story with our relations with the United States. We want to achieve success and security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking at the EU-Ukraine Association Council press conference in Brussels, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed that Ukraine is now in formal negotiations with the U.S. Shmyhal highlighted that Ukraine has clear red lines that cannot be crossed. The first is adherence to the Ukrainian constitution, and second, the deal must align with Ukraines eurointegration and relevant obligations, as well as fully comply with international law. Ukraine is forming a special delegation on the technical level. We also cooperate with international law companies and will send our delegation to the United States at the end of this week, the prime minister said. The latest version of the Ukraine-U.S. minerals deal reportedly grants the United States extensive control over Ukraines natural resources through a joint investment fund. The agreement has been framed by the Trump administration as vital to Ukraines path to peace, yet it offers no specific security commitments in return for access to strategic resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A framework version of the agreement was scheduled to be signed during Zelenskys visit to Washington on February 28. Ukraines Cabinet approved the draft and designated either First Deputy Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko or Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha as signatories. However, the plan collapsed after a tense Oval Office dispute involving Zelensky, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Vice President JD Vance. Zelensky left the White House without signing the agreement. Read also: Its a trap Trumps US minerals deal threatens Ukraines EU membership Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reported that 155 Chinese nationals are fighting against Ukraine on its territory, although the number may be higher. Source: Zelenskyy during a press conference; Interfax-Ukraine Quote: "The 'Chinese' issue is serious. There are 155 people with surnames and passport data 155 Chinese citizens fighting against Ukrainians on Ukrainian soil. We are gathering information and believe that there are many more. We have passport data for these 155 [soldiers], their origins, their Chinese documents, ages, etc. Also, their places of service: the 70th, 71st, 255th motorised rifle regiments and so on." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Zelenskyy stated that the Russians are recruiting Chinese citizens, particularly through social media platforms such as TikTok and other Chinese social networks. Quote: "Official Beijing knows about this. The Russians are spreading recruitment ads through Chinese social networks. This is not secret recruitment thats important. There may also be secret recruitment." Details: After being recruited, these individuals arrive in Moscow, where they undergo medical checks for three to four days, followed by one to two months in training centres. Quote: "They are fighting on the territory of Ukraine. They receive migration cards, as well as [Russian] Mir payment system cards, on which they receive money." Background: On 8 April, Zelenskyy reported that Ukrainian troops in Donetsk Oblast had captured two Chinese citizens who were fighting in the ranks of the Russian military. Zelenskyy also noted that he had instructed Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to urgently contact Beijing to determine how China intends to respond. The two citizens of the People's Republic of China were captured in Donetsk Oblast by soldiers from the 81st Separate Airborne Slobozhanska Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces and the 157th Separate Mechanised Brigade. US Department of State spokesperson Tammy Bruce stressed China's role in supporting Russian aggression after evidence had been published of Chinese citizens participating in the war against Ukraine. A Chinese citizen captured by Ukrainian forces during the fighting near the settlement of Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast revealed that he joined the Russian military through an intermediary in China, paying RUB 300,000 (approximately US$3,480). His motivation was the promise of Russian citizenship. He underwent military training in occupied Luhansk Oblast, where he had no interpreter, relying instead on gestures and a phone to communicate. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that the United States should be responsible for overseeing a ceasefire, but they may share responsibility, focus and control over implementation of the full ceasefire with a European country. Source: Zelenskyy during a meeting with journalists; Interfax-Ukraine Quote: "We believe the most important thing the American side can do is ensure a full and unconditional ceasefire. Then it will be easier for all sides to monitor this process. And the Americans should be responsible for oversight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And if they want to share the responsibility, weve discussed this with the Europeans they may divide the responsibility, focus and control over the implementation of the full ceasefire with a European country For example, the United Kingdom or France as leaders chosen to represent Europe at the recent meeting in Paris." Details: Zelenskyy also stated that Ukraine can only receive security guarantees either during the ceasefire or at the moment of signing the second phase of ending the war. Quote: "Simply receiving security guarantees during ongoing combat in Ukraine is not something anyone will provide us with this is the response from our partners. Therefore, we can receive them only during the ceasefire or at the moment of signing the second phase of ending the war. This means signing an agreement to end the war. We believe and our understanding aligns with that of the Europeans that the deployment of any security guarantees, presence and so on must begin at the moment of the ceasefire." Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukraine is only prepared to exchange the Chinese nationals it has captured for Ukrainian soldiers currently held in Russian captivity, and a message has been passed on to that effect. Source: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting with journalists; Interfax-Ukraine Quote: "We thought that one of them wouldnt survive due to injuries. They underwent appropriate surgeries, and they are alive and currently in Ukraine. We would like to exchange them. We are ready to exchange them only for Ukrainian soldiers who are in Russian captivity. We have sent this signal." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: The captured Chinese citizens are Wang Guanzhun, 33, captured on 4 April 2025 in the village of Bilohorivka, Donetsk Oblast, by the soldiers of the 81st Separate Airborne Brigade, and Zhang Renbo, 26, captured on 5 April 2025 near the village of Tarasivka, Donetsk Oblast, by the 157th Separate Mechanised Brigade. Zelenskyy reported that these two Chinese nationals had been brought to the Security Service of Ukraine in Kyiv. "I think we will give journalists the opportunity to speak with them. I think it will be appropriate. They are more talkative than the prisoners from North Korea, as we can see," the president added. Background: On 8 April, Zelenskyy reported that Ukrainian troops in Donetsk Oblast had captured two Chinese citizens who were fighting in the ranks of the Russian military. Zelenskyy also noted that he had instructed Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to urgently contact Beijing to determine how China intends to respond. The two citizens of the People's Republic of China were captured in Donetsk Oblast by soldiers from the 81st Separate Airborne Slobozhanska Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces and the 157th Separate Mechanised Brigade. A Chinese citizen captured by Ukrainian forces during the fighting near the settlement of Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast revealed that he joined the Russian military through an intermediary in China, paying RUB 300,000 (approximately US$3,480). His motivation was the promise of Russian citizenship. He underwent military training in occupied Luhansk Oblast, where he had no interpreter, relying instead on gestures and a phone to communicate. Beijing, in response to reports of the capture of two Chinese nationals fighting for Russia in Ukraine, said it was checking the information and stressed that it had consistently urged its citizens to refrain from participating in any form of armed conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that 155 Chinese nationals are fighting against Ukraine on its territory, although the number may be higher. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Zero-tolerance laws cracking down on school threats are leaving little room for error with the constitutional rights of the students caught up in their net. A week after the Antioch High School shooting in Nashville on Jan. 22, which left 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante dead as well as the shooter, Metro Nashville police made 12 arrests for threats against schools in the area. Prior to that, 15 students were taken into custody in Knoxville, and five in Nashville, for making alleged threats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such arrests have been on the rise since July 2024, after the passage of new state law that made it a Class E felony to make threats against schools. During the 2024 fiscal year, 518 children in Tennessee were arrested under the current threats of mass violence law, including 71 children between the ages of 7 and 11, according to Beth Cruz, a lecturer in public interest law at Vanderbilt University Law School. Only 17% of those arrested were adjudicated delinquent. Supporters of the law say school threats are no joking matter and all of them must be taken seriously. The aim of a tougher law, they say, is to discourage students from making the threats. Former state Sen. Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol, sponsored the legislation and another zero-tolerance bill in 2023. He said in early 2024 the goal of the new law was "not just arrest kids and punish them." "Frankly, it's to make certain we're elevating the discussion that's happening between parents and their children and teachers and kids that this is not something that is a joking manner," Lundberg, who lost reelection last year, said at the time. "It is not trivialized." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Tennessees law, along with measures in other states, has snagged more than just kids potentially seeking to cause harm. Its placing harsh penalties like expulsion or arrest on some children making ill-advised jokes, statements perceived as threats, and even children attempting to report potential threats all things largely protected by the First Amendment, according to experts. Zero-tolerance laws make sweeping arrests across nation Dorrian Harp, an 18-year-old senior at Hunters Lane High School, was one of the dozen students arrested for threats following the Antioch school shooting. He made a joke about Swiss cheese, a reference to bullet holes that is a common phrase on social media. April Harp stands with her son Dorrian Harp in the doorway of their home in Old Hickory, Tenn., Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. Despite having no prior criminal record or history of trouble at school, his bond was set to $100,000. He spent a night in jail and will be tried as an adult. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five families in Tennessee are currently suing over the law three in Williamson County and two in Hamilton County. In the Hamilton County case, a student with emotional and intellectual impairments was arrested in a restaurant parking lot after answering yeah when another kid asked if he was going to shoot up the school. More: Middle Tennessee parents sue Williamson County school board, claim child was unfairly expelled, punished The zero-tolerance policy for even uttering the words shoot or gun is an unconstitutional kneejerk reaction by the legislature, and has led school administrators to make rash decisions concerning student discipline, Buddy Presley, the lead attorney for the childs case, said in court filings. Similar laws have been passed in multiple states. Just three weeks after two teachers and two students were killed at a Georgia high school in September, more than 700 children and teenagers were arrested across the country for making violent threats against schools, according to a review by the New York Times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Florida, a county sheriff even began posting social media videos of perp-walking children arrested for violent threats, showing the childrens faces while they are handcuffed and led into detention areas. Parents, if you dont wanna raise your kids, Im gonna start raising them, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said in a September news conference. Every time we make an arrest, your kids photo is going to be put out there and if I could do it, Im going to perp walk your kid so that everybody can see what your kids up to. The kids in question at the news conference: Two middle boys, ages 11 and 13. In Missouri, a 12-year-old girl was suspended from school for an entire year after she told a fellow classmate about a potential school shooting threat that she found on social media, asking them how to report the threat correctly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her family is currently suing the school for a violation of her First Amendment rights. This is actually going too far, said Dave Roland, the lead attorney on the girls case. Sure, we want to be able to punish people who make true threats, even if they don't actually intend to carry out a shooting but they intend to scare peopleBut there's got to be a line. That line may be drawn soon, however, at least in Tennessee. Recently-filed House Bill 1314, as amended, would require arrests for threats of mass violence only when the threat is made knowingly and intentionally by students who are able to carry out that threat. If passed, the bill would apply to any type of school, house of worship, government building, live performance or event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill passed a key House panel this week, and is headed to a final vote in the House. Law collides with First Amendment precedent In the two years after the 2023 Covenant School shooting that killed six, the state legislature passed two laws that seek to cut down on violent threats towards schools. Both were sponsored by Lundberg. The first, passed in July 2023, required school officials to expel students if their investigation found a students threat was valid, though the term is not defined. The second law, passed in 2024, requires police to charge anyoneincluding childrenwith Class E felonies for making such threats, whether credible or not. Deputy District Attorney General Roger Moore speaks during Joseph Glynns plea hearing at the Justice A.A. Birch Building Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. Glynn pled guilty to bludgeoning his 76-year-old wife, Jackie Glynn, to death on New Years Day with a hammer and burying her. Deputy District Attorney General Roger Moore told The Tennessean in February the credibility of the threat, even if made as a joke, is somewhat irrelevant, as the making of the threat determines the crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Nashville student says he regrets joke that ended in arrest as school threat charges surge The U.S. Supreme Court largely disagrees, however. In the 2023 Counterman v. Colorado ruling, the court set a much higher bar for what is considered a true threat a legal term used to describe threatening language not covered by the First Amendment. The ruling determined that a true threat requires proof that the speaker consciously disregarded a substantial risk that their speech would cause fear or harm to others, and states that the recklessness of the speech must be judged by the speaker's awareness of the risk, and not the listener's perception of the threat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ruling cautioned that without legal protections for unintentionally threatening speech, a high school student who is still learning norms around appropriate language" could "easily go to prison" for "unreflectingly using language he read in an online forum. Moore stood by his previous statement when asked about his stances' potential conflict with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Every case stands on its own facts, and I stand by what I said about law enforcement and our office prosecuting these cases," he said in a recent statement to The Tennessean. A spokesperson for his office added the statute states you are prohibited from making the threats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The zero-tolerance penalization of children whether criminally or academically for statements that could have been misinterpreted by listeners or made in bad taste by speakers is where many First Amendment experts are expressing concern. Over-broad policies could prevent students from reporting actual threats, lawyer says Roland, director of litigation and co-founder at the Missouri Freedom Center, is the lead attorney on the current First Amendment lawsuit involving the girl suspended for attempting to report the shooting threat. The girl, a student in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, identified in the lawsuit only as A.N., saw a message on Snapchat that threatened to commit a mass shooting at her high school. A.N. reached out to another child in her school district, explaining what the threat was and recreating an approximate image of it, as she had failed to capture a screenshot of the message. More: Exclusive: Why juvenile mental records are left out of Tennessee's gun background checks The second child shared the conversation on social media, unintentionally giving viewers the impression that A.N was making the threat not reporting the threat. In context, it's clear she was asking about something she had seen somebody else post, Roland said in an interview. She was not making a threat herself. She was asking one person that she thought would know (what to do), and then that kid then posted it and basically gave everyone the impression that she was threatening the school. Roland stressed the school did not have this context and he believes they responded reasonably, initially, by cancelling classes and extracurriculars for the next day. But very quickly, the police department investigated this and found out the context, and they very quickly came to the conclusion that this kid wasn't making a threat, Roland said. And they communicated that to the school. The school took the position of we've got a zero-tolerance policy. A.N. was initially suspended for 10 days, and after returning to school was notified she would be suspended for another 170 days, or the rest of the school year. According to Roland, at a school board appeal for A.N., both the principal and the superintendent agreed that A.N. never actually threatened anyone in the school. The bottom line is, is neither of them had any evidence that she intended to threaten anybody, Roland said. Neither of them had any evidence that she was an ongoing threat to the community in any way, and yet they imposed the maximum possible penalty on her. Roland said the case presents a number of potential issues, particularly surrounding the free speech rights of kids, both online and outside of school. The Supreme Court has reaffirmed the idea that you don't check your First Amendment rights at the schoolhouse gate, and that you are entitled to protection as long as it is not causing a disruption in the school, he said. Jennifer Huddleston, a senior fellow in technology policy at the Cato Institute and an expert in online First Amendment rights, said the determination of what is a true threat is becoming more gray as social media becomes more prevalent. Intent, she said, is a key factor. We can see that there are cases where true threats conveying an intent to commit violence are not protected First Amendment speech, and can be reacted on for public safety. And that's probably the grounding of many of these laws, she said. When we consider this in a content moderation conversation, however, there are questions around when it is clear when something is a true threat, and how platforms should react. How do we know if it is a true threat versus maybe reposting a quote from a movie, or from a video game, or from a song? This is where many of these cases hit a snag. Most schools can reasonably argue the threats, whether credible or not, create disruption in the classroom when administrators have to enact safety measures. Roland argues that while the disruption clause is a genuine factor in his case, if any student should be penalized for creating a disruption, it should be the student who shared the threat without context. He also said the 2023 Counterman v. Colorado decision should be a predominate factor in any of these cases. What the court ended up saying is that the First Amendment requires a showing of recklessness. In other words, you cannot base a prosecution or conviction or punishment simply on the basis that somebody else perceived this as a threat, he said. You have to show, at a minimum, that the speaker was aware that what they were saying could be perceived as a threat. Roland said under this interpretation, there is no way a court could find a 12-year-old girl liable for recklessness while trying to report a threat. Roland said that despite the valid sensitivity around the idea of protecting students' free speech rights when it extends to potentially violent statements, the zero-tolerance laws need work, because kids may become less likely to report threats they see online for fear of punishment. "That's part of the reason that I feel like our case is such a valuable vehicle for illustrating the problem," he said. "Becausethe school district sent home a letter that noted the prevalence of school shooting threats on social media, and specifically said, if you see something, say something. I pointed out she saw something and she tried to say something. The USA TODAY Network - Tennessee's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Have a story to tell? Reach Angele Latham by email at alatham@gannett.com, by phone at 931-623-9485, or follow her on Twitter at @angele_latham Vivian Jones contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: School threat laws: New measures raise First Amendment worries 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. Dwayne David Stafford reacts when Yakima County Superior Court Judge Jared Boswell sets his bail at $100,000 during a preliminary appearance hearing Monday, March 31, 2025. He is accused of trying to abduct his girlfriend and strangling her in the West Valley Walmart parking lot. Looking for a break? Test your knowledge of this week's news from the Yakima Valley. WHSmith North America has implemented a suite of cloud-based solutions from Aptos to enhance inventory management and support data-driven decision-making throughout its retail network. To strengthen its market position, WHSmith is concentrating on growth in North America, supported by a robust pipeline of new store openings. With expansion as a primary objective, the company has partnered with Aptos and embraced cloud technology to enhance the speed, agility and efficiency of its retail IT infrastructure. It has adopted the latest iterations of Aptos' merchandising, warehouse management (WMS) and sales audit applications, moving from an on-premises setup to a cloud-based SaaS [software-as-a-service] framework. It has also integrated Aptos Analytics to obtain a detailed overview of its enterprise data. WHSmith North America IT chief information officer and senior vice-president Joshua Bellendir stated: WHSmith North America is charting an exciting path forward and that path requires a technology foundation that is scaleable and modern. Having relied on Aptos merchandising, WMS and sales audit solutions for years, we recognised the significant benefits of migrating these applications to the cloud while also enhancing our capabilities with Aptos Analytics. Post-implementation, WHSmith North America has already witnessed immediate enhancements in data processing speeds, facilitating faster access to information for decision-making processes. Cloud adoption has improved system stability, delivering consistent performance across operations. Bellendir added: By embracing a SaaS-first approach, we can accelerate innovation, reduce on-premise infrastructure costs and seamlessly scale to support new locations, formats and channels as needed. Aptos merchandising, warehousing and analytics solutions work together to provide precise visibility into inventory levels and demand. With these capabilities, we can strategically position products closer to where they are needed, ensuring strong on-shelf availability. This not only enhances the customer experience but also can drive measurable business results. March 2025 marked the completion of WHSmith Group's sale of its UK high street division to Modella Capital for 76m on cash and debt-free terms. The strategic move followed January 2025 announcements regarding potential sales of its UK high street business. WHSmith operates as a travel retailer with more than 1,700 outlets in 30 countries worldwide. The company's expansion in North America included the acquisition of InMotion in 2018 and Marshall Retail Group (MRG) in 2019. Both are key players in airport and casino-resort retail sectors. We recently published a list of 14 Best Farmland and Agriculture Stocks to Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Bunge Global SA (NYSE:BG) stands against other best farmland and agriculture stocks to buy now. The American Agriculture Sector and Trumps Tariffs At the beginning of March, the White House announced the imposition of 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada and additional 10% tariffs on China. While President Trump granted a one-month tariff delay for automakers and paused the same for certain Mexican and Canadian goods until April 2, he announced in an interview with Fox News that tariffs could go up with time. Since tariffs on Chinese goods werent a part of the exemptions, China imposed retaliatory tariffs on the US, particularly targeting US agricultural goods. Specifically, a 10% tariff was imposed on American soybeans, while corn was hit with an additional 15% charge. CNBC reported that China is prepared to fight any type of war with the United States. The news channel reported that the Chinese Embassy in the US reported in a post on X: If war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war, or any other type of war, were ready to fight till the end. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson also labeled the American fentanyl-related explanation for imposing tariffs a flimsy excuse. READ ALSO: 10 Best Consumer Staples Stocks to Buy According to Analysts and 10 Best Mid Cap Biotech Stocks to Buy. Could Tariffs Reduce Agriculture Goods Prices for Americans? On March 4, Landus Cooperative CEO, Matt Carstens, appeared on CNBCs The Exchange to talk about how tariffs could potentially slash the prices of various agricultural products and discuss the long-term benefits of these tariffs on agricultural markets. He said that a significant need to find markets exists for American farmers. Corn makes up about 20% of any given year that the US exports to other countries, while soybean reaches up to as much as 50% of Americas production going to other markets. This creates an interesting dynamic that puts considerable pressure on the ongoing circumstances. Carstens was of the view that the American farmers hopefully understand that the government is playing the long game here and working on something that would hopefully be significantly profitable for America in the long run. That translates to opportunities for farmers to get the most for commodities, something that they need to a great extent at the present. However, in the short term, we have to deal with these changes in the market. The red-hot excitement about GenAI has moderated to a more pragmatic level. A practical approachbased on delivering tangible, measurable resultslikely appeals to CFOs. And with some companies already seeing encouraging returns on their early GenAI investments, stragglers risk falling behind. The capabilities of AI and GenAI have been advancing fast. As a result, CFOs may find themselves in a bind. Get out ahead of the curve, and you may make a misstep. Wait too long, and you risk falling behind. The challenge now is to find a sweet spot for measured AI adoption, a balancing act thats different for each organization. The rate at which most companies make the GenAI transition tends to reflect the pace at which the organization can absorb change, rather than the advancing speed of technology. As stewards of capital, finance leaders may feel driven to see a clear ROI before they greenlight major AI deployments in their departments. Theyre likely to undergo a cycle of experimentation, typically involving small projects or proofs-of-concept (POCs), before even considering applying AI-enhanced productivity tools to discrete tasks. Initially, ROI may reflect reducing leakage from the business. For finance, this could mean measuring customer behavior, such as loyalty and on-time payment. But long term, the impact of AI will likely be on a much grander scale: an end-to-end overhaul of financial and operational processes. So, once theyre ready, how can CFOs lay a solid foundation to help overcome foreseeable hurdles and accelerate GenAIs creation of business value? Here are a few steps to consider: Prioritize data and digital fluency to build a culture of innovation and trust around AI Recognize the significant effort required to prepare data for AI Assess the current finance technology roadmap to identify where AI can accelerate capabilities Strengthen governance to scale AI capabilities while managing risks CFOs and finance leaders can play a pivotal role in driving collaboration among C-suite leaders to enable the greater success of AI deployment and adoption. The effort should begin with a sound strategy and a few use cases to assess, and it should be underpinned by well-governed, accessible data. While it still may be early days for AI in finance, the potential for generating a return on a modest deployment of artificial intelligence is real. Check out our full article for more insights. View the PDF Now on display until 25 August. The Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Art in Budapest is now offering an insight into the recent history of contemporary French art, from the perspective of the winners and nominees of the Marcel Duchamp Prize in its new exhibition that opened on Tuesday. Prestigious Marcel Duchamp Prize is 25 years Old This Year This unique exhibition in Budapest presents works using different media, drawing a kind of timeline between the early years of the Marcel Duchamp Prize and the present. While some works were included in the exhibition related to the prize when the artist was nominated, other works are considered iconic within the artist's oeuvre; at the same time, the exhibition also includes a defining work from the recent French scene (Tatiana Trouve, Mohamed Bourouissa). Several artists represented France or other countries at the Venice Biennale (Anri Sala, Celeste Boursier-Mougenot, Julien Creuzet, Kapwani Kiwanga, Latifa Echakhch, Zineb Sedira), and a work that was originally included in the Biennale (Camille Henrot) will also be presented. In addition to several renowned French contemporary galleries, works have come from institutions such as MAC VAL or Lafayette Anticipations, they emphasised. The prominent French contemporary art institution the Centre Pompidou in Paris has been a partner of the privately launched award since its inception, which plays a major role in promoting contemporary art in France and in promoting the international careers of nominated artists. The initiative, founded by ADIAF (Association for the International Diffusion of French Art), has grown over the years into a highly regarded national art award, also highly regarded in the international professional discourse. The committee selects artists who were born or live in France and who define the French scene as the arena for their artistic fulfillment. The selection presented by the Ludwig Museum features 18 artists, the vast majority of whom are key players in the international fine arts scene, the statement highlighted. The title of the exhibition - Found in the Field - refers on the one hand to the phenomenon of Duchamp's "found object" (ready made), paying homage to the artist who lent the name to the award. On the other hand, it refers to the creative process of the exhibiting artists, and the theoretical and practical research fields used for it. The reparative process, as well as the initiatives examining the present and future along this line, also play an important role within the exhibition. The exhibition, which can be visited until August 24 - curated by Jan Elantkowski and Borbala Kalman - is dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the award's founding, and at the same time, the museum offers one of the most comprehensive French contemporary immersions in Hungary in recent times. The exhibition was organized as part of the Bartok Spring International Art Weeks by Mupa and the Ludwig Museum - Museum of Contemporary Art, in cooperation with the French Institute in Hungary and ADIAF, and with the support of the French Institute's IF Incontournable and PICC programs, the announcement states. More: Ludwig Museum Source: MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881. ********************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? Then just contact us here. We recently published a list of 14 Best Farmland and Agriculture Stocks to Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Corteva, Inc. (NYSE:CTVA) stands against other best farmland and agriculture stocks to buy now. The American Agriculture Sector and Trumps Tariffs At the beginning of March, the White House announced the imposition of 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada and additional 10% tariffs on China. While President Trump granted a one-month tariff delay for automakers and paused the same for certain Mexican and Canadian goods until April 2, he announced in an interview with Fox News that tariffs could go up with time. Since tariffs on Chinese goods werent a part of the exemptions, China imposed retaliatory tariffs on the US, particularly targeting US agricultural goods. Specifically, a 10% tariff was imposed on American soybeans, while corn was hit with an additional 15% charge. CNBC reported that China is prepared to fight any type of war with the United States. The news channel reported that the Chinese Embassy in the US reported in a post on X: If war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war, or any other type of war, were ready to fight till the end. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson also labeled the American fentanyl-related explanation for imposing tariffs a flimsy excuse. READ ALSO: 10 Best Consumer Staples Stocks to Buy According to Analysts and 10 Best Mid Cap Biotech Stocks to Buy. Could Tariffs Reduce Agriculture Goods Prices for Americans? On March 4, Landus Cooperative CEO, Matt Carstens, appeared on CNBCs The Exchange to talk about how tariffs could potentially slash the prices of various agricultural products and discuss the long-term benefits of these tariffs on agricultural markets. He said that a significant need to find markets exists for American farmers. Corn makes up about 20% of any given year that the US exports to other countries, while soybean reaches up to as much as 50% of Americas production going to other markets. This creates an interesting dynamic that puts considerable pressure on the ongoing circumstances. Carstens was of the view that the American farmers hopefully understand that the government is playing the long game here and working on something that would hopefully be significantly profitable for America in the long run. That translates to opportunities for farmers to get the most for commodities, something that they need to a great extent at the present. However, in the short term, we have to deal with these changes in the market. The Budapest Investigative Prosecutor's Office questioned a Cambodian man as a suspect who wanted to hand over 40,000 forints to police officers recently in order to be released without further action. The Central Prosecutor's Office told MTI on Wednesday that on Sunday, police in Budapest checked an Asian man who, during his ID check, said that he had forgotten his documents in his apartment. During a search of the man, the first page of an old-format driver's license issued in 1997 was found in his briefcase, the serial number of which was blurred and the validity had also expired. Since the police were unable to establish his identity from the ID card and the information dictated by the man, and he could not prove his legal residence in Hungary, they told him that he would be taken to the district police station to establish his identity, and then put him in the service vehicle. According to "well-founded suspicion", the man then repeatedly asked the police to let him go, then took two 20,000 forint banknotes from his wallet in the back seat of the car and wanted to hand them over to the patrol officer sitting next to him, while telling the officials who were taking action that "I will give you forty thousand forints if you let me go." The investigating prosecutors questioned the man on suspicion of the crime of aggravated official bribery the day after the crime was committed, but the suspect did not testify. They emphasised that the man did not have valid Hungarian or Cambodian documents, could not prove his legal residence in Hungary in any way, had no registered address, and did not provide his place of residence. The prosecutor's office has filed a motion to arrest the perpetrator in custody, and the investigative judge of the Buda Central District Court will decide on the coercive measure on Wednesday, the statement says. Source: MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881. ********************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? Then just contact us here. Pride demonstrations are being held every week on Budapest's bridges, Alexandra Szentkiralyi, the Fidesz parliamentary group leader in the capital assembly said. "This self-serving display by Pride protesters" must not be allowed to paralyse traffic in Budapest, she said in a video post on Facebook, calling on Gergely Karacsony, the mayor, to "get his act together and bring order to the city". Szentkiralyi faulted the mayor for failing to respond to the needs of city residents "who are planning to move, work, or get home" today, adding that Karacsony preferred paralysis than to "dare speak out against the Pride" occupation of the bridge. Hadhazy: 'We will dismantle the dictatorship step by step' Independent lawmaker Akos Hadhazy told a demonstration held against the amendment to the law on the right of assembly that the incumbent government "has been dismantling democracy step by step, brick by brick; we will dismantle the dictatorship step by step, brick by brick." "The question is who is faster, because the powers that be ... are now [dismantling democracy] with wrecking balls and enormous machinery, and if we don't stop it ... it will win," he told the event held on Elizabeth Bridge on Tuesday afternoon. Last week, the government submitted a draft legislation to parliament that would enable authorities to strip Hungarian citizens of their citizenship, withdrew from the International Criminal Court "so it can receive a head of state wanted for war crimes and accused of corruption in his own country", and prepared a law on the judiciary "that is even more despicable than earlier ones", he said. Source: MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881. ********************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? Then just contact us here. The dynamic Indian duo Mahendra Turakhia, a renowned Chartered Accountant, investor, and business strategist, alongside Digant Sharma, a corporate leader, philanthropist, and CSR expert recently made a significant appearance at the SHE Conference in Oslo, Norway. They represented India as investors, connecting with global leaders from various fields, including industry, politics, academia, and women entrepreneurs. The SHE Conference is Europes largest gender equality and diversity event, fostering dialogue among governments, businesses, and social innovators, while also providing a global platform for trailblazers driving inclusive change. Confluence of Powerhousest The conference was attended by several influential personalities, and Mahendra Turakhia and Digant Sharma made significant connections during the event, engaging in thought-provoking conversations with global leaders, including: Erna Solberg, the former Prime Minister of Norway and leader of the Norwegian Conservative Party. Astrid Skaugseth, CEO of the SHE Conference, warmly welcomed the duo. Espen Barth Eide, the Foreign Minister of Norway, discussed Indo-Norwegian strategic collaborations. Katherine D. Dudtschak, CEO of HomeEquity Bank and Founder of the Incluvest Foundation, with whom future joint investments have been explored. Lindis Hurum, the General Director of Doctors Without Borders Norway, appreciated India's contribution to global healthcare. Alex Edmans, a Professor of Finance at London Business School and a prominent advocate for sustainable finance, participated in deep discussions about ethical investing. Beate Gangas, the Director General of the Norwegian Police Security Service, offered insights on governance and security cooperation. Anne Lindboe, the mayor of Oslo, extended warm hospitality and emphasised Oslo's commitment to diversity and innovation. Chris Barez-Brown, a world-renowned author and speaker, captivated the audience with his insights on creativity in business. Andre Mundal, a former diplomat and bestselling author, discussed the socio-political synergies between India and Scandinavia. Engaging Effectively with Entrepreneurs and Investors Turakhia and Sharma engaged with key entrepreneurs, investors, and corporate leaders who are making waves across Europe, including: Jeanette Carlsson, an influential tech entrepreneur and EU advisor, shared insights on the future of innovation and regulation. Neelam S. Anjum, the founder of Norways largest platform for women from minority backgrounds, discussed collaborative social projects with relevant parties. Arne Peder Blix, a pivotal figure in fintech and defense, created pathways for Indo-European tech scaling opportunities. Lise Svri from DNV, who is investing in environmentally aligned startups, expressed interest in partnering with sustainable Indian ventures. Jevgenija Kirillova, the founder of Crucible, which serves as a nexus of innovation and networking, appreciated the flourishing Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem. Anna von Zeppelin Turvoll, CEO of Volur and one of Kapitals 40 Under 40, discussed AI-powered logistics and supply chain optimization. Marie Westerby, a Climate and Sustainability Consultant, examined ESG frameworks and carbon reduction strategies in India. Frederik Berg from BI Norwegian Business School discussed academic collaborations to foster innovation in youth. Linda Bakken Gresvik, through her work on sustainable furniture and youth empowerment, discussed business exchange programs between India and Norway Vision for Future Collaborations Mr. Digant Sharma, recognised for spearheading significant CSR initiatives and global investment summits, stated: "It was an honor to represent India on such a prestigious global stage. We discovered common ground with many innovators and policymakers on sustainable development, youth empowerment, and inclusive economic growth." CA Mahendra Turakhia added: "SHE Norway was a powerhouse of inspiration. This experience reaffirmed our belief that cross-border collaborations are essential for solving tomorrows challengeswhether through responsible investing, gender equity, or climate-conscious entrepreneurship." Their participation also signalled the start of various proposed Indo-Norwegian initiatives in women-led startups, ESG-oriented funds, and youth-driven innovation hubs. About Mahendra Turakhia & Digant Sharma Mahendra Turakhia is a prominent chartered accountant and investor recognised for his strategic investments in the technology, education, and health sectors. Digant Sharma, with decades of leadership in CSR, resource mobilization, and global business ventures, has catalyzed numerous landmark projects throughout India and abroad. Conclusion The visit to the SHE Conference in Norway was more than a networking eventit was a strategic step towards fostering sustainable global partnerships and promoting inclusive ecosystems across continents. Their journey at SHE Norway has unveiled new opportunities for Indo-European synergy in business, policy, and social innovation. (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.) In a world increasingly driven by data, logic, and science, the intangible forces that shape human destiny often remain shrouded in mystery. While modern advancements can diagnose physical ailments or project financial trends, they frequently falter in deciphering the deeper dilemmas of human lifethose anchored in emotional turmoil, spiritual disconnect, and karmic imbalances. Enter Acharya Indravarman, a luminary in the realm of Vedic astrology and Tantra, whose sagacious guidance is reverberating across the United States and globally. Regarded as one of the most famous and top-rated astrologer in the USA, Acharya Indravarman is more than just an astrologerhe is a spiritual architect reconstructing lives, relationships, and inner equilibrium. His consultations are not superficial prognostications but deep, multidimensional analyses rooted in the ancient wisdom of Jyotish Shastra, Shakta Tantra, and Kaula practices. Why the United States Needs Astrology More Than Ever The contemporary American lifestyle, while outwardly abundant, is often plagued with internal chaos, identity crises, broken relationships, and spiritual emptiness. With rising anxiety levels, career burnout, and fractured family dynamics, many Americans are turning to alternative healing systems in search of inner balance and guidance. Amid this search, Vedic astrology has emerged as a non-religious yet deeply spiritual solution that offers both clarity and course correction. Its universal nature, mathematical foundation, and philosophical depth resonate with the American mindset that seeks both logic and enlightenment. Acharya Indravarmans growing popularity in the USA stems from his ability to interpret Eastern metaphysics in Western sensibilities. His consultations bridge cultures, providing powerful astrological insight without superstitionmaking Vedic astrology both accessible and transformative for American seekers. An Astrological Visionary with Global Reverence Astrologer in USA Acharya Indravarmans reputation didnt emerge overnight. It is the cumulative result of decades of discipline, mastery, and authentic engagement with Vedic sciences. With a lineage steeped in spiritual scholarship and Tantric devotion, he emerged as a child prodigy in the sacred art of astrology. Today, he stands as a beacon of spiritual clarity for thousands of individuals in the USAranging from Silicon Valley professionals to Hollywood creatives, from entrepreneurs to homemakers. His methods do not rely on generic zodiac descriptions. Instead, he employs precise birth chart calculations (Janma Kundali) using sidereal planetary positions, Dasha systems, and transit effects to arrive at highly personalized predictions. His consultations are thus not merely predictivethey are curative and empowering. A Legacy of Spiritual Brilliance: Family Background Acharya Indravarman hails from a highly respected Brahmin family known for its multi-generational service to Vedic learning, Tantric scriptures, and spiritual healing. His grandfather was a renowned Sanskrit scholar who served in temples across India as a trusted advisor to priests and royal families. His father, a Tantric initiate of the Kaula lineage, was revered for his intense sadhanas and profound remedial rituals. Born into such a sacred environment, Acharya Indravarman was initiated into mantra, tantra, and jyotish at a very early age. Under the strict guidance of his familys spiritual elders, he mastered both scripture and practicea rare combination that instilled in him intellectual rigor and spiritual intuition. His inherited wisdom, combined with years of personal Tapasya, gives him a rare spiritual authoritysomething that is not self-proclaimed but deeply earned and recognized by spiritual circles across continents. Master of Vedic Astrology and Horoscope Precision In the astrological sphere, accuracy is paramount. Acharya Indravarman's predictions are lauded for their astounding precision, which clients often describe as eerily accurate or beyond coincidence. This credibility stems from his ability to integrate multiple layers of astrological assessmentincluding Ashtaka Varga, Navamsa charts, divisional charts (Vargas), and planetary Yogasto extract the deepest insights. Whether its a delayed marriage, career stagnation, health anomalies, or sudden financial dips, his consultations address the karmic roots of the issue, offering clarity that is both immediate and long-lasting. His clients often report profound inner alignment and renewed confidence after a single session. Tantra Expertise: Unveiling the Power of Subtle Realms Beyond astrology, one of the top tantrik in India Acharya Indravarman is a revered authority in Shakta and Kaula Tantra traditions, which explore the esoteric dimensions of consciousness, energy work, and inner alchemy. Unlike superficial or misrepresented forms of Tantra, his practice is rooted in ancient scriptures, mantras, and siddhi invocations of Dasa Mahavidyasthe ten fierce wisdom goddesses. His Tantric interventions are especially effective in cases of: Persistent negative energy Unknown obstacles in life progress Marital disharmony or intimacy blockages Karmic entanglements from past lives Spiritual awakening and consciousness elevation Clients across the United States who have suffered for years with unresolved afflictionsemotional, familial, or even psychosomatichave found peace through his Tantric healing rituals, often conducted remotely with powerful mantra-sankalpa and Yantric alignments. Human Life ProblemsDiagnosed with Spiritual Precision Acharya Indravarmans remedial astrology transcends conventional advice. Rooted in ancient Vedic doctrines and refined through years of Tantric mastery, his approach diagnoses each human problem not merely as a mundane obstacle, but as a karmic signaloften echoing from past lives or celestial misalignments. Here is how he addresses the eight most complex categories of modern human suffering: 1. Marital Discord and Relationship Breakdown Marriages, traditionally viewed as sacred unions, often suffer under the weight of unmet expectations, emotional disconnect, or karmic baggage. Acharya Indravarman conducts an in-depth examination of the 7th house, Navamsa chart, Venus-Mars placement, and Karmic synastry to identify the root causes of spousal alienation, extramarital disturbances, or emotional coldness. His interventions range from Organic energy balancing to Parvati-Parmeshwar sadhanas and Dampatya Shanti rituals and Dasa Maha Vidya rituals which harmonize emotional polarities and reestablish lost marital resonance. Many clients, particularly among the Indian diaspora in the USA, have salvaged emotionally dead marriages through his spiritual prescriptions. Acharya Indravarman is agreed as one of the Top marriage astrologer. 2. Career Setbacks and Professional Uncertainty In the cutthroat professional environment of the West, career crises are often not just economic but existential. Whether it's stagnation, corporate politics, visa dependency, or recurring job losses, Acharya Indravarman explores 10th house influences, Saturnine transits, Rahu afflictions, and Dasha periods to understand the persons karmic career trajectory. His remedies are tailored and potentemploying Brihaspati (Jupiter) strengthening rituals, Shani pacification ceremonies, and Yagya-based karmic clearance. These interventions have enabled CEOs, IT professionals, doctors, and entrepreneurs in the USA to re-align with their dharma and achieve unshakable professional clarity. Plenty of them has attained new Career heights. Acharya Indravarman is one of the top career astrologer. 3. Health Issues and Chronic Ailments Modern medicine often overlooks the karmic and energetic origins of illness. Acharya Indravarman investigates the 6th, 8th, and 12th houses, malefic planetary combinations, and Nakshatra afflictions to uncover the subtle forces behind physical and psychosomatic disorders. Whether it's autoimmune conditions, anxiety-driven insomnia, fertility issues, or mysterious ailments, he prescribes Chandra and Mangal shanti rituals, Mantra chikitsa (mantra therapy), God of medicine Dhanvantri ritual and Ayurvedic-aligned planetary healing techniques. Clients across America have reported profound healing results after conventional medicine failed themproving that true wellness requires both spiritual and physical calibration. Always he emphasizes and says clearly Astrology and rituals cant lonely Cure any disease. It supports Your healing along with treatment from professional Doctors. 4. Childrens Discipline and Generational Conflict Raising children in a bicultural environment like the USA often leads to identity friction, disciplinary challenges, or emotional estrangement. Acharya Indravarman deciphers the 5th house (children), 4th house (mother), 9th house (father) and their interdependencies to address these issues. He offers family-wide horoscope alignment, karmic ancestry correction, and parental conduct modification based on the child's psychic signature. His approach is both preventative and restorativeallowing harmony to return not through fear or control, but through spiritual congruence and energy-based parenting solutions that reforge trust. 5. Mental Peace and Existential Crisis The epidemic of depression, anxiety, and spiritual emptiness among professionals, students, and homemakers in the USA has cosmic underpinnings. These issues often arise from a Moon debilitated by malefic, Ketu afflictions, or disruptive Rahu-Mercury interactions, all of which disorient the mind and weaken emotional resilience. Acharya Indravarman employs Chandra Dhyana techniques, mantras like Shree Rudra Prashna and Narayana Kavacham, and meditative astrological remedies to restore psychic equilibrium. Through guided spiritual journaling, karmic reframing, and daily ritual discipline, he realigns clients with their souls voicetransforming anxiety into awareness, and despair into spiritual growth. For Very critical case he picks rituals based on Shakta tantra and Kaula tantra. 6. Legal Troubles: Governmental, Business, and Personal Disputes Legal battlesbe they tax complications, immigration issues, business lawsuits, or family court conflictsoften have deeper karmic triggers. Acharya Indravarman maps 6th house litigations, Mangala dosha influence, Saturnine karmic weight, and Rahus involvement in house of authority to diagnose why such disputes manifest. His solutions involve Durga Path, Bagalamukhi Tantra, Chandi Puja and precise remedial rituals timed with planetary transit windows. Many of his high-profile clients in the USA have seen legal entanglements dissolve or reverse in their Favor through his spiritual guidance, often describing the process as miraculous yet logical. 7. Love Problems and Emotional Wounds The realm of loveparticularly unfulfilled love, breakups, or betrayalis often spiritually misunderstood. Acharya Indravarman reads the 5th and 11th houses, Rahu-Venus conjunctions, and retrograde planetary energies to pinpoint emotional illusions, karmic lovers, or attraction imbalances. Using Tripura Sundari sadhanas, Rati-Madan alignment rituals, and aura-based detox, he helps individuals heal their broken hearts, improve self-worth, and attract emotionally compatible partners. His work is especially celebrated by emotionally sensitive individuals and young professionals navigating turbulent romantic terrain in American cities. 8. Live-in Relationship Troubles and Karmic Entanglement Modern relationships are increasingly defined by cohabitation without commitment, which can lead to energetic leakage, karmic disharmony, and psychological confusion. Acharya Indravarman interprets Upapada Lagna (UL), Venus and Moon influences, and 7th house aspects to gauge whether the union is karmically sanctioned or temporarily disruptive. His remedies include Kaula Tantra-based relationship purifications, emotional karmic release mantras, and rituals designed to either deepen spiritual compatibility or allow a graceful, harm-free separation. Many of his USA-based clients credit him with helping them navigate emotionally fraught live-in partnerships with clarity, dignity, and spiritual maturity. A Devotee of Dasa MahavidyaHarnessing Divine Feminine Wisdom At the core of Acharya Indravarmans mystic prowess lies his lifelong devotion to Dasa Mahavidya, the ten aspects of the Divine Mother. These goddess energies are not symbolicthey are invoked through authentic rituals for transformation, karmic cleansing, and spiritual empowerment. His Tantric path is marked by humility, reverence, and purity of intention. As a result, his interventions are not just spiritually effective but energetically safe and karmically sounda rare quality in today's astrological space. Why the Indian Diaspora in USA Trusts Acharya Indravarman For the Indian diaspora scattered across the USAfrom New Jersey to CaliforniaAcharya Indravarman is a cultural anchor. His fluency in English makes his consultations warm, relatable, and precise. More importantly, he understands the bicultural pressures faced by Indian-Americans: balancing Eastern values with Western realities. Many NRIs consult him not only for personal dilemmas but also for astrological matchmaking, naming ceremonies, property decisions, and ancestral healingpractices deeply ingrained in Indian tradition. His guidance brings them both spiritual comfort and cultural continuity. Consultations Across the USAOnline Through encrypted WhatsApp audio call consultations, and energy transmissions, Acharya Indravarman provides remote access to powerful guidancemaking him reachable yet deeply present. Cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and San Jose are among his frequent client locations. Each session is: Personalized to the clients karmic journey Confidential, empathetic, and solution-oriented Delivered in eloquent English with clear instructions Followed by remedy support and spiritual guidance Affordable Services with Spiritual Integrity Unlike commercialized astrologers who exploit distress for profit, Acharya Indravarmans practice is rooted in Dharma, compassion, and ethical clarity. His fees are transparent and reasonable, and he often offers support to genuine seekers in need. His consultation fee is 5000 Indian Rupees. His mission is not transactionalit is transformational. Celebrated Across CommunitiesWords from His Clients He brought back peace to my household. My children now listen, my marriage is revived, and I sleep without fear. Acharya Indravarman is not just an astrologerhes a cosmic doctor who heals the soul. He accurately predicted both my divorce and my business riseand helped me survive both with strength. The Final Word: A Luminary for Modern Times One of the Top astrologers in USA Acharya Indravarman stands at the crossroads of ancient truth and modern application. He is not a mere consultant; he is a Vedic philosopher, Tantric practitioner, karmic therapist, and a bridge between realms. In a world teetering on uncertainty, his presence in the USA brings not just hope, but empowered clarity. He doesnt just read horoscopeshe reads the souls journey, offering transformational tools to navigate it. Most of the Indian Diaspora people has agreed Acharya Indravarman as one of the top astrologers in the United states of America. 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.) New Delhi: Announcing his second Monetary Policy after taking the helm at RBI, new RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced six additional measures related to banking regulation, fintech and payment systems. First, it is proposed to enable securitisation of stressed assets through marketbased mechanism. This is in addition to the existing ARC route under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act, 2002. Second, the extant guidelines on co-lending are presently applicable only to arrangements between banks and NBFCs. Moreover, they are restricted to priority sector loans. To exploit the huge potential of such lending arrangements, it isproposed to extend them to all regulated entities and to all loans priority sector or otherwise. Third, loans against the collateral of gold jewellery and ornaments, commonly known as gold loans, are extended by regulated entities for both consumption and income-generation purposes. In order to harmonise guidelines across various types of regulated entities, to the extent possible, keeping in view their differential riskbearing capabilities, we shall issue comprehensive regulations on prudential norms and conduct related aspects for such loans. Fourth, to harmonise the regulations governing non-fund-based facilities across regulated entities, we propose to issue comprehensive guidelines. Instructions related to partial credit enhancement (PCE) by regulated entities are also proposed to be revised. This is expected to broaden the funding sources for infrastructure financing. The draft of these four guidelines and regulations are being published today for public consultation. We shall finalise these guidelines based on the feedback received. The other two announcements relate to enabling NPCI to decide, in consultation with the banks and other stakeholders, the transaction limits in UPI for person to merchant transactions; and making the Regulatory Sandbox theme-neutral and on-tap. Necessary directions for the implementation of these two measures shall be issued separately. The Monetary Policy Committee has unanimously decided to slash the policy rate by 25 basis points to 6.25 per cent, RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said. UP Board Class 10th, 12th Result 2025: The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) is likely to declare the UP Board Class 10 Result 2025 soon. The High School exams were held from February 24 to March 12, 2025. Once released, students who took the exams can download their scorecards from the official websitesupmsp.edu.in and upresults.nic.in. This year, the exams were held from February 24 to March 12, 2025. A total of 54,37,233 students were eligible to appear, with the exams conducted across 8,140 centers in the state. This includes 27.32 lakh students appearing for the Class 10 exams and 27.05 lakh students for the Class 12 exams. The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) has completed the evaluation of Class 10 and Class 12 answer sheets. The assessment began on March 19, 2025, and was carried out at 261 evaluation centres across all 75 districts of the state. Looking at past trends, the UP Board result for 2024 was announced on April 20, while in 2023, it was declared on April 25. So, students can expect the results to be released between April 20 and April 25. However, there is no official confirmation yet. Students should keep checking the official websites for updates. UP Board Result 2025: Steps to download here Visit the official website upmsp.edu.in. Click on the result link available on the homepage. Enter the required details such as roll number and registration number to access the result. The result will be displayed on the screen. Download and save the provisional mark sheet for future reference. The UP Board is giving another chance to Class 12 students who missed their practical exams for any reason. These students can take their practicals on April 7 and 8. The exams will be held at centers assigned by the District Education Inspector or Regional Office. To pass the UP Board Class 10 and 12 exams, students need at least 33% marks. Those who do not meet this requirement can apply for the compartment exam. Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh government's interim advisor Muhammad Yunus met on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC meeting in Thailand, the stalemate in the two countries' relations is now becoming evident. While Yunus is keen on wooing China against India, the Narendra Modi government has taken the first major action against Bangladesh. India has now discontinued the transshipment facility for Bangladeshs export cargo, a move that will disrupt Dhaka's trade with Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar. According to a notification issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), the government rescinded its earlier circular dated June 29, 2020 permitting the 'transhipment of export cargo from Bangladesh to third countries through Land Customs Stations (LCSs) to ports or airports in containers or closed-bodied trucks', reported the Indian Express. The move also comes after Yunus urged China to set up its economic extension into the strategically important region of Bangladesh near Northeast India, thus posing a security challenge to New Delhi. The earlier order facilitated transhipment of export cargo from Bangladesh to other countries like Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar using Indian Land Customs Stations en route to Indian ports and airports. This facility was aimed at enabling smooth trade flows for Bangladesh. The termination of the 2020 circular will now choke key trade points for Bangladesh to Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar as the smooth movement facility has now ended. Reacting to the revocation of the permit, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "...The Transshipment facility extended to Bangladesh had over a period of time resulted in significant congestion at our airports and ports. Logistical delays and higher costs were hindering our own exports and creating backlogs. The facility, therefore, has been withdrawn w.e.f. April 8, 2025." Jaiswal, however, said that these measures do not impact Bangladesh exports to Nepal or Bhutan. Recently, during his visit to Beijing, Yunus said that the seven northeastern states of India are landlocked without access to the sea and Bangladesh is the 'only guardian' of the sea in the region. He urged China to explore the potential economic opportunity in the region, making it an extension of China. Yunus' remark did not go well with India and northeastern leaders openly criticised his statement. Reacting to the transshipment decision, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "Indias decision to revoke the transshipment facility for Bangladesh underscores Honble Prime Minister Narendra Modis unwavering commitment to safeguarding national interests and the security of the Northeast region. This decisive action reflects the governments firm stance on protecting Indias strategic and economic priorities." Earlier, Sarma had slammed Yunus for his remarks. "The statement made by Md Younis of Bangladesh so-called interim Government referring to the seven sister states of Northeast India as landlocked and positioning Bangladesh as their guardian of ocean access, is offensive and strongly condemnable. This remark underscores the persistent vulnerability narrative associated with Indias strategic Chickens Neck corridor," said Sarma on X. Sarma further added, "Historically, even internal elements within India have dangerously suggested severing this critical passageway to isolate the Northeast from the mainland physically. Therefore, it is imperative to develop more robust railway and road networks both underneath and around the Chickens Neck corridor. Additionally, exploring alternative road routes connecting the Northeast to mainland India, effectively bypassing the Chickens Neck, should be prioritized. Though this may pose significant engineering challenges, it is achievable with determination and innovation." Lashing out at Yunus, Sarma said that such provocative statements 'must not be taken lightly, as they reflect deeper strategic considerations and longstanding agendas'. Zillow employees overwhelmingly approve of the company, according to Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For ranking. Generous benefits, flexible remote work options, and a winning business strategy help drive morale at the real estate company. Real estate company Zillow Group, Inc. ranks 43 on Fortunes 100 Best Companies to Work For list in 2025, and moved up the ranks year over year. According to our data partner Great Place to Work, an impressive 93% of Zillow employees endorse their workplace, compared to 57% at a typical company. What helps Zillow stand out? In addition to tech investments and growth, employees praise the benefits they are given as part of employment. They also cherish the opportunity to do their jobs remotely. "The benefits provided are excellent and better than any company I have ever worked for, employees told Great Place to Work. We are given paid maternity leave and contributions towards our medical deductibles so we do not have to feel a burden when needing medical care. Zillow also offers a flexible remote work arrangement to employees, a quality shared with 98% of the companies on Fortunes 2025 list. This company is fully remote, and we are able to have a healthy work-life balance and have the ability to move where we need to without being tied to an office, employees say. Investing in an online headquarters versus emphasizing one physical location has helped the company recruit and retain talent. We like to think we hire adults. We like to treat people like adults, Dan Spaulding, chief people officer at Zillow, tells Fortune, adding that he only goes into the office about 5 days out of every month. Seattle-based Zillows care for its 6,730 employees has led to overwhelming trust in leadership, which pays dividends for the success of its business. Successful business strategy Zillow has achieved an audience that far surpasses competitors in the space. Zillow reports an average monthly audience of 217 million users, more than double that of competitors Homes.com and Redfin. Investing in proprietary tech and tools, most notably the price estimator Zestimate, help it differentiate in the competitive market of real estate. Zestimate was one of the companys first machine learning tools, Nicholas Stevens, Vice President of Product, Artificial Intelligence, at Zillow, said in an interview with Fortune reporter Jason del Rey. The tool has evolved to look beyond hard data, such as number of rooms and square footage, and factor in more complex elements like listing images and a 3D walkthrough. April 13, 1919 the Jallianwala Bagh massacre remains one of the darkest chapters in Indias freedom struggle. Hundreds of unarmed Indians were brutally gunned down by the British. But what many Indians don't know is that this horrifying incident sparked one of the boldest acts of resistance against the British by a Malayali barrister named C. Sankaran Nair. At the time of the massacre, C. Sankaran Nair was a member of the Viceroys Executive Council an elite post rarely held by Indians. But just days after the massacre, Nair resigned in protest. It was a move unheard of in those days a direct challenge to colonial authority from within the system. Determined to expose the truth about Jallianwala Bagh, Nair went on to write Gandhi and Anarchy a book that not only held the British responsible but directly blamed Punjabs Governor, Michael ODwyer, for the bloodshed. ODwyer sued him for defamation in a London court. But Nair didnt back down he fought the case head-on, making headlines. Notably, in 1897, when the First Provincial Conference met in Madras, he was invited to preside over it. The same year, when the Indian National Congress assembled at Amraoti, he was chosen as its President. Despite being a part of the Congress, Nair criticized Congress on multiple occasions for the party's support of the Khilafat Movement and appeasement politics. During the 1921 Moplah Rebellion in Kerala where thousands of Hindus were killed or forcibly converted Nair slammed Congress for its silence. He famously wrote 'Supporting religious fanaticism is not leadership, it is cowardice'. Historians believe Nairs fierce independence, his criticism of both the British and the Congress, and his refusal to fall in line with mainstream politics led to his erasure from popular history. His story didnt fit the Congress-centric narrative of Indias freedom struggle. A political slugfest has already started over the issue with BJP blaming the Congress of sidelining one more hero. BJP leader Amit Malviya said on X, "Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair (18571934) was a distinguished Indian lawyer, judge, and nationalist who played a significant role during the British colonial period. Known for his boldness and integrity, he was one of the earliest Indians to rise to high judicial office, serving as a judge of the Madras High Court and later as a member of the Viceroys Executive Council. Sankaran Nair made history by resigning from the Executive Council in 1919 to protest the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, marking a rare act of defiance from within the colonial establishment. A strong advocate for Indian self-rule, he was an active participant in the Indian National Congress and consistently spoke out for constitutional reform and civil liberties. His legacy remains that of a courageous and principled figure who fearlessly challenged colonial injustice while working within the system to uplift the Indian cause." One more example of how Cong party airbrushes leaders from its history, just as Subhash Bose, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, Dr Ambedkar etc and so many others to humour the Cong dynasty. Chettur Sankaran Nair was a prominent Indian lawyer, statesman, and former president of the https://t.co/1rJPdrgvHq Rajeev Chandrasekhar (@RajeevRC_X) April 9, 2025 Ironically, as British MP Bob Blackman calls on his own government to apologise for Jallianwala Bagh over a century later India continues to forget or know very little about the man who dared to confront both the British empire and political opportunism at home. Ahmedabad: Alleging that the BJP won the Maharashtra assembly polls through a fraud like never before, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday made a strong pitch for having elections on ballot paper. Addressing the AICC session here, Kharge also accused the Modi government of selling off government assets to benefit crony capitalists and finishing democracy slowly. The whole world is moving from EVMs to ballot paper but we are using EVMs. This is all fraud. They ask us to prove it. You have devised such techniques that benefit the ruling party and put the opposition at a disadvantage, Kharge said. But the youngsters of this country will rise and say we want ballot paper, he said in his inaugural address at the session being held here on the banks of the Sabarmati river. What happened in Maharashtra. We raised the issue everywhere, Rahul Gandhi raised the issue strongly. What kind of voter list they madeMaharashtra election was a fraud. The same thing happened in Haryana, the Congress president said. Kharge pointed out that the BJP won 90 per cent of the seats and said this had never happened before. There has never been a fraud like the one that happened in Maharashtra polls, which was aimed at destroying democracy, Kharge charged. We will find out about it. The thief always gets caught. Our lawyers and leaders are working for it. We are trying that, he said. Kharge said in the last 11 years, the ruling party has been attacking the Constitution. Constitutional institutions and principles are being attacked and we have to fight to protect them, Kharge said. He alleged that the government ran Parliaments Budget session according to their whims and fancies. The Speaker took the Leader of Opositions name but did not let him speak. This is shameful in a democracy. If you do not allow LoP to speak how will you let people to raise their voice, Kharge said. Instead of debating issues of the people, the government conducted debate till late night for its agenda of communal polarisation, Kharge said in an apparent reference to the debate on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. He pointed out that the debate on Manipur took place at 4 am and he requested that it be held the next day but the government did not agree, Kharge said and alleged that it seems the government wants to hide something. Democracy is being finished slowly, slowly, slowly, Kharge alleged. He said the opposition was not allowed to raise in Parliament the issue of imposition of tariffs by the US. He said monopoly is being established with resources being handed to a few crony capitalists. Kharge also alleged that SC, ST and OBC reservation was being finished through privatization. If this continues, the Modi government and Modi will sell off the whole country and go, he alleged. This government is handing over resources to its crony capitalists friends that are even against national interests, he claimed. Kharge accused the BJP-RSS for raising 500 year-old issues to fan communalism. The RSS chief asked its people not to look for Shivlings under mosques but they continue to do that and divide people. Prime Minister Modi starts a fire and the RSS people add fuel to it, he alleged. He also lashed out at the BJP for having an "anti-Dalit mindset" after its leader sprinkled Ganga water at a Ram temple in Rajasthan's Alwar to "purify" it following Congress' Tikaram Jully's participation in the consecration ceremony there. Kharge also made a strong pitch for a nationwide caste census and alleged that Prime Minister Modi uses OBC status for political gains but does not take steps for their welfare. The Congress president also slammed the government over increasing excise duty on petrol and diesel and hiking the price of LPG cylinder. Earlier, the Congress passed a condolence resolution, paying tributes to those Congress members who passed away after the Raipur session of February 2023. The party paid rich tributes to former prime minister Manmohan Singh who passed away last year in December. The Congress is holding its AICC session on the banks of the Sabarmati River here on Wednesday during which the party will present its social, political and economic views through at least two resolutions. The Ahmedabad Session, themed "Nyaypath: Sankalp, Samarpan aur Sangharsh," is being attended by more than 1,700 elected and co-opted AICC members. This comes a day after an extended Congress Working Committee (CWC) met here to finalise the session's agenda and discuss the resolutions to be passed at length. Countering the BJP's high-pitched campaign of invoking nationalist figures to rally support, the Congress on Tuesday asserted its claim on the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India's first deputy prime minister, whose path it pledged to follow in the "ideological war" with the BJP-RSS. The Congress party is brainstorming ways to overcome the electoral challenges posed by the Bharatiya Janata Party which has almost pushed the grand old party on the verge of near extinction in some states. The Congress leaders have put forward different views to counter the BJP and its narratives. The party leaders want to focus on social justice, caste census, quota limit breach and national harmony to return to power. To counter the 'secularism' jibe often taken by the BJP, the Congress leaders have now proposed to use the word 'national harmony'. Within the Congress party, two prominent perspectives exist. The dominant view supports strongly criticizing the government and opposing its actions at every step. In contrast, a smaller faction believes the party should focus on presenting a constructive and alternative vision, while still highlighting the government's shortcomings. The Congress leaders are of the view that while the party can continue targeting the BJP and its policies, it must present a future plan to take the voters in confidence, especially the youth who are looking for action and not just talks. Shafi Parambil, Congress MP from Kerala, urged the party to focus on the youth. Let us ideologically be clear, let us be futuristic, let us talk about the youngsters and the future generation, and let us have a plan and act according to the plan, he said. Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor highlighted the need for the party to regain or attract those voters who used to vote for the Congress but have abandoned it in the last three Lok Sabha elections. "We are all too conscious that the young voters who are the majority today do not apparently give much importance to history. They want to know what we will do for them and what kind of tomorrow we can provide them," said Tharoor. The two-day All India Congress Committee (AICC) meet in Ahmedabad was a calculated effort to reassert the party's connection to Patel's enduring legacy in Gujarat -- a legacy that has, over the years, been overshadowed by rival political narratives. We are here not just to remember Sardar Patel but to remind the country of the values he truly stood for -- secularism, unity, and inclusive nation-building, said Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge during the proceedings. The Sabarmati Ashram and the nearby Sardar Smarak are both soaked in the memories of India's freedom struggle. It was from these very lands that Gandhi and Patel began many of their revolutionary campaigns -- Kheda, Bardoli, and Salt Satyagraha. These echoes were not lost on the Congress Working Committee (CWC) members, who gathered in full force, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, determined to draw strength from the past in order to reposition their party for the future. The state of Gujarat holds a complex relationship with the Congress. Once a stronghold of the party, Gujarat has not seen a Congress government since 1995. The rise of the BJP has been meteoric, and it has anchored much of its success in Gujarat around cultural pride, development politics, and historical symbolism. Patel has played a central role in this narrative. For Congress, returning to Gujarat is not merely a symbolic gesture -- it is an urgent political necessity. The Sabarmati meet also comes at a time when the party is trying to rebuild its cadre, forge grassroots connections, and counter the BJP's domination ahead of the 2024 elections. New Delhi: China has called on India to work together in resisting what it calls the United States' abuse of tariffs. The appeal comes amid rising trade tensions between Washington and Beijing following President Donald Trumps announcement of steep import duties on Chinese goods. Taking to her 'X account on Tuesday, Yu Jing, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in India, said, China-India economic and trade relationship is based on complementarity and mutual benefit. Facing the US abuse of tariffs... the two largest developing countries should stand together to overcome the difficulties. Yu further said the US tariffs threaten the development rights of countries in the Global South, including India and China. Trade and tariff wars have no winners, she added. All countries should uphold the principles of consultation and true multilateralism, and jointly oppose unilateralism and protectionism in any form. Emphasising Chinas manufacturing strength and commitment to global trade cooperation, she added, China's economy is supported by a complete industrial system and constant investment in research and innovation. We remain a firm defender of globalization and multilateralism, contributing to about 30% of global economic growth each year, Yus post read. The warning comes after President Trump announced a 104% blanket tariff on all Chinese imports, effective from midnight on April 8. This move followed Chinas refusal to withdraw a 34% retaliatory tariff on US goods, prompting Washington to take stricter action. However, Beijing has taken a firm stance. The US threat to escalate tariffs against China is a mistake on top of a mistake, which once again exposes the US' blackmailing nature, a spokesperson from Chinas Commerce Ministry said. Earlier, the US had imposed 10% duties on all imports and targeted Indian exports with tariffs as high as 27%. New Delhi Pakistani-Canadian national Tahawwur Rana, accused of involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, will be extradited to India on Wednesday after the US Supreme Court rejected his final attempt to block the move. According to sources, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will take Rana into custody upon his arrival. While it is not confirmed whether Rana will be brought to Delhi or Mumbai, sources suggest he is likely to land in Mumbai, where the deadly 26/11 attacks were carried out. He is expected to remain in NIA custody for the initial few weeks. Rana, a former member of the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), is accused of helping David Coleman Headley scout locations in Mumbai for the attacks that killed 166 people. The US Supreme Court officially denied Ranas application to halt his extradition. Application () denied by the Court, read the court docket updated on Monday. In his petition, Rana had argued he could be tortured if extradited to India. His lawyer, Tillman J. Finley, cited a UK case to support his claim. A man convicted of money laundering was prevented from being extradited by a London court upholding his fears of torture. If that person could not be extradited to India because he was likely to be tortured, the petitioner is even more likely to be tortured and similarly should not be extradited, Finley wrote in the plea. The request was initially rejected in March by Justice Elena Kagan. Rana then appealed to Chief Justice John Roberts, but the Supreme Court refused to hear the case last Friday, with the verdict made public on Monday. Though a US jury had acquitted Rana of directly supporting the 2008 attacks, he was found guilty of two other charges and sentenced to over 10 years in prison. Following a release order due to his deteriorating health post-COVID, Rana was rearrested under the extradition process. His co-accused David Headley avoided extradition to India by securing a deal with US authorities. Ranas extradition was first announced by then US President Donald Trump during Prime Minister Narendra Modis 2020 visit to the White House. After legal battles spanning years, Rana has now exhausted all legal avenues to avoid extradition. Authorities in India are preparing high-security arrangements for his custody and possible transfer, with special jails being readied for the accused. AHMEDABAD,: After two days of brainstorming, the Congress on Wednesday sent out a strong message to party cadres from the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel to strengthen the organisation and take on the BJP electorally on the basis of its ideological strength. After hours of deliberations at the AICC session organised on the banks of the Sabarmati river, the party hit out at the BJP over the issue of nationalism saying while the Congress binds people together, the saffron party seeks to divide. The Congress adopted three resolutions at the session, including 'Nyaypath' that seeks to take the BJP head-on over its nationalism push and strongly pitched itself as the defender of the Constitution, vowing to "fight back every assault on the federal structure". While one resolution was on seeking to assert the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th birth anniversary year passed by the CWC on Tuesday, the other special resolution - 'Why Congress is needed in Gujarat' with motto of 'Nutan Gujarat, Nutan Congress' (new Gujarat, new Congress), focussed on bringing the Congress back to power in Gujarat, where the BJP has been in power since 1995. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge set the tone for the session by giving a stern warning to non-performers to rest or retire. Talking tough in his inaugural address, he said, "I also want to say that those who do not help in party work, need to rest, those who do not fulfil their responsibilities must retire," amid applause from Congress leaders and workers. He also alleged "fraud" in elections and said the Maharashtra polls were won like this as he made a strong pitch for return to ballot paper. He attacked the Election Commission for not stopping the "irregularities" and instead taunting the parties raising questions. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also attacked the Narendra Modi government on domestic and international issues, saying the the Waqf (Amendment) Act as "anti-Constitution" and an attack on the freedom of religion while warning that the BJP-RSS will soon go after the rights of other minorities soon. He also hit out at Modi over his "silence" on imposition of tariffs by the US and asked where he was hiding. He also recalled how Modi used to "boast about his friend". "Where is the 56-inch chest", Gandhi asked after alleging that Modi did not speak anything while being seated next to Bangladesh chief adviser Mohammad Yunus, who gave adverse remarks. Kharge also hit out at the ruling BJP government accusing it of inciting communalism by raising 500 years-old issues and seeking to divide people and promote hatred among them, instead of preparing for future challenges. Such dangerous thinking should never be supported, he said. Kharge also stressed that role of district Congress committee presidents in the organisation will be greatly enhanced and they will henceforth have a say in the selection of party candidates. "The role of district presidents is going to be important in the formation of the organisation," Kharge said, adding that their appointment has to be done impartially and they would be involved in the candidate selection process in polls. Kharge said we are once again fighting for India's independence, claiming that in this second battle for independence the enemies are injustice, inequality, discrimination, poverty and communalism. The only difference is that back then foreigners used to promote injustice, poverty and inequality, now our own government is doing it, he said. "Democracy is being finished slowly, slowly, slowly," he alleged, adding that monopoly is being established with resources being handed to a few crony capitalists. "If this continues, the Narendra Modi government and Modi will sell off the whole country and go," he alleged. The Congress chief also said the Supreme Court has come down harshly against Governors, who sat on bills passed in opposition-ruled states, and it was like a "tight slap". The Ahmedabad session, themed "Nyaypath: Sankalp, Samarpan aur Sangharsh," was attended by more than 1,700 elected and co-opted AICC members. Rahul Gandhi, who addressed the AICC delegates just before conclusion, cautioned of economic turmoil after tariffs, accusing Modi of succumbing to US pressures, even as he made a strong push for bring the caste census. "Did you see the photograph of PM Modi hugging Trump? This time he ordered Modi ji that 'we will not hug but will impose new tariffs'. PM Modi did not say a word. To divert attention from this they ran a drama in Parliament for two days," he said, asking, "Where is the PM hiding?" He also assured that the party would break the 50 per cent ceiling of reservation for SCs/STs/OBCs and pushed for a caste census across the country to provide equal share to people as per their population. Gandhi lauded Congress-ruled Telangana for showing the path to the country by conducting the caste survey by raising the reservation of OBCs to 42 per cent. "We will break the wall of 50 per cent reservation. What Telangana has done, we are going to do across the country," he asserted. "Modi ji talks 24 hours about backwards, tribals, but when it comes to their 'bhaagidari' (participation), then BJP people keep quiet," he noted. The former Congress chief also hit out at the BJP-RSS for their polarising agenda, alleging that they were full of hatred. He attacked them over the recent incident in Rajasthan, where a temple was purified with 'Gangajal' after CLP leader Tika Ram Jully, a Dalit, visited it. Referring to an article in an RSS-linked magazine, Gandhi alleged that it reveals that the BJP and RSS have now set their sight on the rights of Christians, and Sikhs would be next. Noting the fight is for the Constitution and it is not easy, he said, "They have everything at their disposal but we have truth and the love of the people on our side." Exhorting the party workers to be battle ready, Gandhi said, "change is in the air" as people are fed up with the BJP. In the resolution, the Congress said nationalism for the Congress means binding people together, while the "pseudo-nationalism espoused by the BJP-RSS" is marred by vitriol and prejudice. It also accused BJP of being in a "Machiavellian quest for exploitative power". The party also asserted that its commitment to secularism was inspired by the age-old traditions of India while the BJP government and its affiliates were "determined to fracture" the core national spirit for "political gain" and "lust for power". Terming as "alarming" the alleged discovery of a large amount of cash from the residence of a high court judge, the Congress said a mechanism for judicial accountability, without compromising judicial independence, is the need of the hour. In a stunning development in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), something unprecedented has happenedsomething no one had imagined. This is also being seen as the PoK's first step towards deserting Pakistan for India. The people of PoK have made a declaration that has shaken figures from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to terrorist leaders like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar. For the past four years, simmering anger among the people of PoK has been steadily risingover issues like discrimination in government schemes and unlawful arrests. Although the reasons varied, the conflict remained the same: the people of PoK versus the Pakistani military. Now, that confrontation has moved one step further. In today's DNA, Zee News analysed the PoK's unprecedented decision Watch DNA Report Here: The Awami Action Committee, which has been steadily gaining influence in PoK's political landscape, held a crucial meeting where it was clearly stated: PoK will no longer support terrorism. "This region has been turned into a proxy war zone. Jihadi ideology is being spread here. Our youth are being misled and sent across the border to Jammu and Kashmir. Two to three of our young men have already been martyred. Recently, another was killed in Barmang while crossing over," a committee spokesperson said. Along with this declaration, the committee announced a series of strong measures against terrorism: A complete ban on funeral processions for terrorists. Bodies of slain militants will not be allowed to be buried in PoK. No terrorist organizations will be allowed to hold events in the region. These tough decisions stem from a bitter truth: PoKs youth are being used as pawns by Pakistans ISI and terror outfits. "We respect the spirit of our youth. We know their intentions are pure. But those exploiting them are not. They are acting on the instructions of certain forces. Through todays gathering, we want to make it clearthis mindset that brainwashes our youth and turns them into tools of proxy war will no longer be tolerated," the spokesperson added. Some may question whether the Awami Action Committee can stand up to terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. The answer lies in their recent history. This is the same organization that forced Pakistani troops to retreat from Muzaffarabad. It is the same committee that made the Islamabad government bow on issues like wheat and electricity. That is why the committees latest announcement has alarmed terror outfits. And today, its not just PoKs political voices but ordinary Pakistanis too who are saying: PoK is just a pawn for Pakistan. For the past 78 years, the wounds of PoK have continued to fester. But now, a voice is rising from the region: terrorism will no longer be accepted at any cost. NEW DELHI: Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana is likely to be brought to India in a special flight on Thursday after all hurdles for his extradition were removed by the US, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. Rana, 64, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, was lodged in the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Los Angeles. A multi-agency team has gone to the US and all paperwork and legal issues are being completed with US authorities to bring him to India, they said. Rana is being brought to India after his last-ditch attempt to evade extradition failed as the US Supreme Court justices rejected his application. "You are all aware that the US Supreme Court has rejected his plea. As far as extradition of Rana is concerned, at this point, I do not have an update," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. "We will provide you an update at an appropriate time," he said while replying to a question during his weekly media briefing. Rana is known to be associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks. On November 26, 2008, a group of 10 Pakistani terrorists went into a rampage, carrying out a coordinated attack on a railway station, two luxury hotels and a Jewish centre, after they sneaked into India's financial capital using the sea route in the Arabian Sea. As many as 166 people were killed in the nearly 60-hour assault that sent shockwaves across the country and even brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war. In November 2012, Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving gunman among the Pakistani group, was hanged to death in Yerawada Jail in Pune. At a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the White House in February, President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved the extradition of a "very evil" man "to face justice" in India. In his emergency application, Rana had sought a "stay of his extradition and surrender to India pending litigation (including exhaustion of all appeals) on the merits of his February 13 petition." In that petition, Rana argued that his extradition to India violates United States law and the United Nations Convention Against Torture "because there are substantial grounds for believing that, if extradited to India, the petitioner will be in danger of being subjected to torture." Renowned sitarist and musical innovator Rishab Rikhiram Sharma has once again captivated heartsthis time with a stunning sitar rendition of the iconic Bollywood track Kal Ho Naa Ho. Performed at the Indira Gandhi Arena in New Delhi on April 6 as part of his Sitar for Mental Health India tour, the moving interpretation left the 14,000-strong audience in awe, while also lighting up the internet with admiration and emotional reactions. Social media erupted with praise as fans flooded platforms with clips and comments. One Instagram user declared it the BEST 70 SECONDS OF MY LIFE, while another called it, The therapy I never knew I needed. Several users described the performance as soulful and goosebump-inducing. Even Kal Ho Naa Ho producer Karan Johar shared a reel of the performance on his Instagram story, further amplifying the magic. Watch the video here: In a heartfelt Instagram post, Rishab reflected on the historic evening, writing, 14,000 hearts. One frequency. We made history in my hometown, Delhi. Still overwhelmed with gratitude after selling out the biggest indoor stadium in the country. Thank you to every soul who showed up and tuned in. A huge win for Indian Music! This is only the beginning. Sitar for Mental Health is more than a concert its a movement, and its going global. The 26-year-old sitar maestro, trained under the legendary Pandit Ravi Shankar, has long been on a mission to make classical music relevant for younger audiences. Despite facing pushback from traditional purists, Rishab continues to push creative boundaries, fusing the ancient sounds of the sitar with modern sensibilities. At a recent event, Rishab shared insights into his journeyhow he draws inspiration from Indian classical legends as well as global icons like Kanye West and Playboi Carti. He also spoke about his passion for fashion and how hes designing stylish performance wear for modern musicians. From selling out Indias largest indoor arena to redefining what it means to be a classical musician in today's world, Rishab Sharma is not just making musiches creating a movement. And with his Sitar for Mental Health tour gaining traction globally, this is just the beginning of a revolutionary musical journey. New Delhi: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesdayb proposed to allow NPCI to revise UPI transaction limit for person to merchant as per needs of economy. Announcing his second Monetary Policy after taking the helm at RBI, new RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced six additional measures related to banking regulation, fintech and payment systems. "The other two announcements relate to enabling NPCI to decide, in consultation with the banks and other stakeholders, the transaction limits in UPI for person to merchant transactions; and making the Regulatory Sandbox theme-neutral and on-tap. Necessary directions for the implementation of these two measures shall be issued separately." The six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting that began on Monday, announce the decision to reduce the repo rates by 25 basis points to 6 percent. The central bank has lowered the GDP growth forecast to 6.5 per cent from earlier projection of 6.7 per cent due to global uncertainties. RBI's latest Monetary Policy comes fresh on the heels of US President Donald Trump's hefty 26 percent reciprocal tariffs on Indian imports, effective today (April 9). Gold (GC=F) opened trading Wednesday at $2,998.30, slightly higher than Tuesday's closing price of $2,968.40. While gold prices are still near all-time highs, ongoing fallout from President Trump's global tariff announcement has weakened gold's recent rally. President Trump's tariffs took effect Wednesday, including a 104% tariff on goods imported from China. China has responded with an 84% tariff on U.S. goods. European Union lawmakers will vote Wednesday on a unified response to U.S. tariffs on cars, steel, and aluminum. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 and stock markets globally are in decline. The S&P 500 is down 10.7% since the opening bell on April 2. By comparison, gold's performance has been strong. Current price of gold Gold's opening price on Wednesday of $2,998.30 is up 1% from Tuesday's closing price of $2,968.40. Since the opening price of $2,900.90 on March 8, gold has increased 3%. Gold is also up 38% over the past year, relative to the opening price of $2,167.30 on March 8, 2024. 24/7 gold price tracking: Don't forget you can monitor the current price of gold on Yahoo Finance 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Want to learn more about the current top-performing companies in the gold industry? Explore a list of the top-performing companies in the gold industry using the Yahoo Finance Screener. You can create your own screeners with over 150 different screening criteria. How to invest in gold As weve been saying all week, investing in gold is a four-step process, and today, well explore step 3, choosing a form. Once you define your target gold allocation, you must choose a form of gold to hold. Your three options are: Physical gold Gold mining stocks Gold ETFs Learn more: How to invest in gold in 4 steps Physical gold pros and cons Physical gold includes jewelry, gold bars, and gold coins. The advantages of physical gold include: Readily accessible for use. If you keep your physical gold at home, it is easily available for you to use as a medium of exchange in an economic emergency. No added volatility or ongoing fees. Gold mining stocks tend to rise and fall with gold prices, and business-related factors enhance their volatility. Gold ETFs charge administrative fees in the form of expense ratios. The disadvantages of physical gold include: Risk of theft or loss. Physical gold must be properly secured. Whether you store it in your home or with a depository, gold can be stolen. Lower liquidity. Physical gold is less liquid than stocks or ETFs. If you are not using the gold as a medium of exchange, you may need to locate a dealer and pay a markup on the sale. Learn more: Take a deeper dive into the gold sector Gold mining stocks pros and cons Owning shares in gold mining stocks provides indirect gold exposure. The advantages of mining stocks over physical gold include: Greater liquidity. Large-cap gold mining stocks like Barrick Gold Corporation (GOLD) and Franco-Nevada Corporation (FNV) generally enjoy a narrow bid-ask spread, which is a sign of liquidity. The bid-ask spread is the difference between what buyers will pay and what sellers will accept. Easy to store. Stocks live in your brokerage account and do not consume physical space. In normal times, this is an advantage. In an economic catastrophe, this could be a disadvantage if brokers or the stock market are temporarily shut down. The disadvantages of owning gold mining stocks include: Greater volatility. Since 2000, gold mining stocks have risen and fallen faster than gold spot prices. And in recent years, gold mining stocks have trended down even as gold has gained value. No utility as a medium of exchange. Gold mining stocks can appreciate, but they have no direct utility as a medium of exchange. Gold ETFs pros and cons Gold ETFs are funds that invest in gold mining stocks or physical gold. Their advantages include: Easy to store. Like gold mining stocks, ETF shares are essentially digital assets with no storage requirements. Greater liquidity. Shares of the most popular gold ETFs, like SPDR Gold Shares ($GLD), are heavily traded which implies good liquidity. Tied directly to gold prices. ETFs backed by physical gold can be less volatile than gold mining stocks or gold mining ETFs. The disadvantages of gold ETFs include: Fund fees. Funds charge fees, which dilute returns over time. For context, the expense ratio of SPDR Gold Shares is 0.40%. This translates to $4 in fees annually for every $1,000 invested. No utility as a medium of exchange. As with gold mining stocks, you probably cannot use ETF shares to trade for food in an economic emergency. Price of gold chart Whether youre tracking the price of gold since last month or last year, the price-of-gold charts below show the precious metals steady upward climb in value. Historic price of gold Historically, gold has shown extended up-cycles and down-cycles. The precious metal was in a growth phase from 2009 to 2011. It then trended down, failing to set a new high for nine years. In those lackluster years for gold, your position will negatively impact your overall investment returns. If that feels problematic, a lower allocation percentage is more appropriate. On the other hand, you may be willing to accept gold's underperforming years so you can benefit more in the good years. In this case, you can target a higher percentage. The precious metal has been in the news lately, and many analysts are bullish on gold. In February, Goldman Sachs expected gold to gain another 8% in 2025, after surging more that 40% in 2024. It's already blown past that 8% mark. Worries about tariffs and their impact on the U.S. economy are a primary factor. If you are interested in learning more about golds historical value, Yahoo Finance has been tracking the historical price of gold since the year 2000. New Delhi: For the first time ever, Mythri Movie Makers, Prashanth Neel, and Jr NTR are joining forces to craft a cinematic spectacle. Tentatively called NTRNeel, this collaboration has already become one of the most awaited film by the masses. While the makers had the nation hooked since yesterday with the promise of a big reveal, its finally hereconfirming that the Man of Masses, Jr. NTR, will commence shooting from April 22nd. Taking to their social media, the makers shared an exciting update about NTRNeel, announcing that Jr. NTR will begin shooting on April 22nd. They further added the caption - "#NTRNeel is entering its most explosive phase Man of Masses @Tarak9999 steps into the destructive soil from April 22nd #PrashanthNeel @MythriOfficial @NTRArtsOfficial @NTRNeelFilm" Backed by the prestigious Mythri Movie Makers and NTR Arts, the film promises to be a cinematic spectacle on par with the KGF films, aiming for an epic scale. The project is being bankrolled by Kalyan Ram Nandamuri, Naveen Yerneni, Ravi Shankar Yalamanchili, and Hari Krishna Kosaraju. With Prashanth Neels signature storytelling and Jr. NTRs dynamic screen presence, the film is expected to redefine action cinema and set new benchmarks in the industry. The trade war between the United States and China took a big jump on Tuesday when President Donald Trump put a massive 104% tariff on Chinese goods. This happened after China said they would "keep fighting" against these tariffs. Before this, Trump had already set a 34% tariff on China, and in return, Beijingwhich is a major economic rival but also an important trading partner of the U.S.hit back with its own 34% duties on American products, starting from Thursday. This growing tariff fight between two of the worlds biggest economies has shaken up global markets. With the U.S. and China slapping these heavy 34% tariffs on each others goods, the impact is being felt everywhere, including in India. Now, the main question is whether India will get caught in the mess or turn this chaos into a golden chance to move forward. It all depends on how India plays its cards. There are clear risks. Trade uncertainty tends to disrupt business, and Indias major export sectorslike textiles, jewellery, cashews, and engineering productsmay be hit hard. The US is Indias second-biggest trading partner, and if American demand slows due to the tariffs, Indian exporters could feel the heat. Just recently, the Indian stock market took a sharp hit, wiping out over $160 billion in investor wealth. Thats a stark reminder of how interconnected the global economy is. Supply chains are also vulnerable. Industries such as electronics, pharmaceuticals, and auto parts rely on smooth global trade links. If those get blocked or delayed because of the trade war, it could cause serious setbacks for Indian manufacturing. But theres another side to this storyand it could be Indias moment to shine. With the US and European Union imposing higher tariffs on imports from countries like China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh, India suddenly finds itself in a favorable position. This could be a rare opening. Indian exporters have the chance to fill the gap left by restricted Chinese goods. Take electronics, for example. As Chinese smartphones face barriers in the US, international brands are scouting for alternatives, and India is already on their radar. Similarly, agricultural goods and textiles from India might see increased interest in markets looking to reduce their reliance on China. One analyst told Sputnik India that if India acts quickly, it could secure a bigger share of global trade in several key areas. Of course, this potential comes with challenges. If the trade war leads American or Chinese companies to cut back on outsourcing, Indias IT and software exports might suffer. On top of that, theres a bigger threat: China, facing excess stock, might start dumping its productsespecially electronics and machineryinto markets like the UK, Germany, and the UAE, which are also important for Indian exports. Competing with such cheap goods could be an uphill battle for Indian producers. So, where does this leave India? At a critical pointbetween risk and opportunity. The global trade tensions are serious, but they also offer India a unique chance to strengthen its position. For that, India must act decisively. The focus should be on boosting manufacturing capacity, resolving supply chain issues, and keeping production costs competitive. Cutting import duties on key raw materials could give local industries the boost they need. At the same time, signing trade agreements with partners like the UK and the EU could open valuable new doors. This isnt just about surviving the US-China trade warits about using it as a stepping stone. India can raise its exports, create more jobs, and secure a stronger role in the global economy. This tariff standoff is a wake-up call. The only question iswill India respond with smart, bold action, or miss the moment? Time is ticking. (Girish Linganna is a Defence and Aerospace Analyst based out of Bengaluru. He is also the Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. The views expressed in this article are of the author only.) Washington: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday (local time) issued a stern warning to gang members illegally living in the US following the US Supreme Court vacating a district court ruling that temporarily blocked the Trump administration from using the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) to deport them. During a press briefing, the White House Press Secretary stated, "Last night, the Supreme Court delivered a massive legal victory to the Trump administration and allowed us to continue removing foreign terrorist invaders under the Alien Enemies Act. This was a smackdown to a rogue, left-wing, low-level district court judge." The warning specifically targeted groups such as Tren-de-Aragua and MS-13, emphasising the message to foreign terrorists still in the country: "Deport yourself now or you'll be locked up." Earlier, the US Supreme Court vacated a district court ruling that temporarily blocked the Trump administration from using the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) to deport Venezuelans, allowing the administration to resume removals under this wartime power, as reported by The Hill on Monday. According to The Hill, the issue before the Supreme Court was not whether the AEA was properly applied to expel individuals accused of gang affiliations but rather where those challenging their deportation should file their lawsuits. The Supreme Court's ruling mandates that those contesting deportation under the AEA must do so in Texas, where they are detained. The court also emphasised that Venezuelans facing deportation must be given proper notice to allow them to challenge their removal, specifically providing an opportunity to seek "habeas relief" before deportation occurs, as reported by The Hill. In addition to the deportation statement, the Press Secretary also addressed the ongoing storm damage in the US, stating, "The President's thoughts also remain with the families and communities experiencing devastating loss from the severe storms and flooding affecting several states." She added that US President Trump had also approved emergency declarations for Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee to aid in recovery efforts. Tariff War: A fresh wave of tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump came into effect Tuesday midnight (US Eastern time), with China facing the steepest hikean unprecedented 104% on its goods. The move signals Washingtons tough stance on trade and has already triggered a sharp response from Beijing. India, too, is among the hardest-hit nations, now facing a 26% tariff on its exports to the US. Despite ongoing talks with nearly 70 trading partners, the Trump administration made it clear the tariffs wont wait for negotiations to conclude. These reciprocal tariffs will continue to go in effect as these deals are negotiated, said White House spokesperson Karoline Levitt. Trump has pushed for country-specific trade agreements instead of a one-size-fits-all policy. The President met with his trade team this morning, and he directed them to have tailor-made trade deals with every country that calls up this administration to strike a deal and listen, Levitt said. She added, Each and every one of these trade deals should be tailored and unique The President is focused on putting America first. President Trump has expressed disappointment at Chinas response, after Beijing retaliated with its own set of tariffs rather than entering negotiations. The entire administration has always said that President Trump is willing to pick up the phone and talk, Levitt said, defending the White Houses approach. China, however, has taken a firm stance. The US threat to escalate tariffs against China is a mistake on top of a mistake, which once again exposes the US' blackmailing nature, a spokesperson from Chinas Commerce Ministry said Tuesday. If the US insists on going its own way, China will fight it to the end, the ministry warned, adding that any further escalation will be met with strong countermeasures. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian also struck a defiant tone: Let me stress once again that trade wars and tariffs have no winners and protectionism has no way out. The Chinese people never create trouble nor do we fear trouble Pressuring, threatening, and exhorting China is not the right way to engage with us. This tit-for-tat escalation follows the US announcement last week of a 34% tariff on Chinese products. (With PTI, IANS inputs) After announcing a 104 per cent tariff on China, US President Donald Trump scoffed at tariff-hit nations on Tuesday, stating that they are dying to make a deal with him. While speaking at the National Republican Congressional Committee, Trump said, "I'm telling you- these countries are calling us up, kissing my a**. They are dying to make a deal- 'please sir make a deal, I'll do anything, I'll do anything sir'". Trump dismissed calls from some Republican lawmakers who suggested Congress should take over trade negotiations. "I'll see some rebel Republicans that want to grandstand say, 'I think that Congress should take over negotiations.' Let me tell you, you don't negotiate like I negotiate," he said, ANI reported. Trump further added that Congress's negotiations would sell America. "Congress takes over negotiating to sell America fast because you're going to go busted. I just saw it today. A couple of your congressmen said, 'I think we should get involved in the negotiation of the tariffs, '" he mocked. Trump stated that if Congress took over negotiations, it would make China the happiest, as China would not have to pay any tariffs; the US would pay them instead! "Oh, that's what I need- I need some guy telling me how to negotiate. I tell you, the happiest people in the world would be Chinese. They wouldn't be paying 104 per cent. I tell, they'd be paying no per cent [instead] we'd be paying them 104 per cent," he said. In Los Angeles County, officers from the Department of Homeland Security allegedly attempted to visit two undocumented elementary school students and claimed they were doing a "wellness check" with the permission of the students' relatives. The Colorado Supreme Court announced on Monday it will hear appeals in six cases, including the question of whether a person can claim he knowingly ingested one substance that was secretly laced with another behavior-altering substance as a defense to criminal charges. The Colorado Supreme Court announced on Monday that it will decide whether two grandparents are entitled to seek visitation of their grandchildren following their adoption by the other set of grandparents, and also how strictly to hold lawyers to the deadline for filing appeals. Wall Street had another rocky day Monday, as stocks ended lower following President Donald Trump's decision to double down on his tariff plans and threat to raise the import tax even more on goods coming from China. Colorado and Sundance Institute leadership announce Boulder as the host city of the Sundance Film Festival starting in 2027, at a press conference in front of the Boulder Theater on March 27. U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Lakewood Democrat, holds her 9-week-old son Sam as she speaks on the House floor in support of a proposal to let new parents vote by proxy, on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Sebastian Perez Lopez, 9, sits on his mom, Paola Lopezs lap, as he receives a series of vaccines during a vaccine clinic for Denver Public Schools students and their siblings at Rachel B. Noel Middle School in Denver on March 14. Tuesday marked the first day of evidence in the jury trial for the man accused of killing two people last year in a dorm room at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. Nicholas Jordan, 25, is accused of shooting and killing Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, of Pueblo and music student Samuel Knopp, 24, of Parker in the early morning hours of Feb. 16, 2024, in a campus dormitory. Jordan and Knopp were roommates and students at UCCS. Tuesday also was the beginning of the testimony in Jordan's trial, with attorneys giving opening statements first thing in the morning. Anthony Gioia delivered the opening statement for the prosecution, outlining why he believes the case is open-and-shut that Jordan killed Knopp and Montgomery, and deliberated to do so. Gioia pointed the jury toward several pieces of evidence the prosecution intends to admit during trial, including that the handgun found in Jordan's car when he was arrested was tested and found to be the same gun used in the killings. Gioia also claimed during opening statements that Jordan dropped out of UCCS the day before the shooting and that his student ID card was used to enter the dorms less than 20 minutes before the shooting. During the defense's opening statement, William Patrick alleged that there are "gaps in evidence" in the case presented by the prosecution. "What you're going to hear is not evidence of two roommates whose feud boiled over into a murder," Patrick said. "The prosecution is trying to give you this narrative." The longest testimony of the day was that of Knopp and Jordan's roommate, Giancarlo Argueta Agudelo, who called 911 the morning of the shooting. Agudelo testified that he called 911 just before 6 a.m. Feb. 16, 2024, after hearing several loud banging noises that he feared were gunshots. When officers arrived they found Knopp and Montgomery dead from numerous gunshot wounds in Knopp's bedroom. Jared Murdoch, a medical examiner with the El Paso County Coroner's Office who conducted both autopsies, testified that Knopp was shot eight times and Montgomery was shot four times. Agudelo spent much of his testimony speaking about the tense relationship he and Knopp had with Jordan. Agudelo testified that the pair was upset with Jordan because of his behavior, specifically about Jordan not cleaning and smoking cigarettes and marijuana inside. Featured Local Savings Agudelo testified that it came to a boiling point weeks before the shooting when during a dispute over Jordan not taking out the trash he allegedly threatened to kill Knopp. "He said there would be 'consequences' for snitching on him and later said he would kill (Knopp)," Agudelo said during his testimony. During cross-examination Agudelo added that Knopp did escalate the argument verbally saying at one point Knopp told Jordan "you won't do s---," when he was threatened but that he never threatened Jordan in return. The jury spent the second half of the day hearing testimony primarily from law enforcement, some of whom were the first to arrive on scene the morning of the shooting. Body-worn camera footage from UCCS campus police officer Greg Perry, the first officer on the scene, was played to the court during his testimony. In the video, Perry can be seen entering the dorm room and discovering Montgomery dead in the bed and Knopp dead on the floor, both covered in blood only partially able to be seen thanks to the blue light from an idle TV shining over their bodies. Several officers testified Tuesday afternoon that there were no weapons seen in Knopp's room by first responders. Murdoch added during his testimony that none of the gunshot wounds suffered by Knopp or Montgomery appeared to have been fired at close range. Among the prosecuting attorneys in the case is 4th Judicial District Attorney Michael Allen, who led the testimony for the day's first witness, Melody Montgomery, Celie Montgomery's mother. Melody Montgomery testified briefly about her daughter, who she said loved to sing and was the mother of two small children. Melody Montgomery said during her testimony that it was one of Celie Montgomery's children's seventh birthday on Tuesday. Jordan was in court for his trial Tuesday, wearing a white dress shirt and a mask. His trial will resume on Wednesday morning. Astroscale U.S. is working to make satellites last longer in space. Its first client? The U.S. military. At the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, the Denver-based company gave a preview on Tuesday of the historic mission it plans to complete next year. Astroscale will conduct two refueling operations for the U.S. Department of Defense. Itll be the first refueling of a U.S. military satellite in space and the first hydrazine refueling operation done above geospatial orbit the highest level above Earth. The landmark refueling is important for the military to create more mission flexibility and keep satellites in operation longer, Clare Martin, executive vice president of Astroscale U.S., said in a press briefing Tuesday. It's about enabling sustained maneuverability, extending the life of critical space assets and giving our national security community the ability to adapt quickly Martin said. Astroscale is a Japanese space debris company founded in 2013 with its U.S. subsidiary based in Denver, which has grown to nearly 100 employees, according to its website. Its focused on implementing a more sustainable space ecosystem as the commercial space boom has led to a proliferation of junk in orbit, whether it's by extending the life of satellites sent in space or actively removing debris. The company debuted its U.S. office off of Santa Fe Drive and Evans Avenue in 2023, selecting the Denver area due to Colorados robust aerospace workforce and connections to giants like Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman and a network of smaller space companies. The refueling satellite is being designed and developed within Colorado, said Ian Thomas, program manager for the Astroscale U.S. Refueler. The bus will be built by Texas-based Southwest Research Institute. The Space Force awarded Astroscale a $25 million contract to build a refueling prototype by 2026, but this award will transition that project into full operational demonstration, the company said in a news release. The updated contract for the refueler is worth $61 million, company representatives said during the press briefing, which includes the cost of hydrazine fuel. The larger contract was done with the help of an OTA, or Other Transaction Agreement, the Department of Defense's alternative contracting method to work with more startups that haven't traditionally been hired for the military. Featured Local Savings The refueler will weigh 300 kg, which will be loaded with propellant. The company is setting a 45-day window to get from launch to orbit, Thomas said. Then there will be a six-month period to conduct various refueling operations. Once it reaches geospatial orbit, Astroscales spacecraft will capture the military satellite using advanced sensors and docking systems. It will then load the fuel onto the ship using a refueling interface. Once the refueler fills the satellite, it will travel to a safe distance to conduct a leak check. For the second part of the mission, Astroscale will travel to a fuel depot where it will refill its own tank. The fuel depot, akin to a space gas station, and the refueling interface are being developed by Orbit Fab, another company based in Colorado. Orbit Fab was founded in 2018 in San Francisco and moved to a 56,000-square-foot facility in Lafayette in 2021. In the future, after refilling its own tank, Astroscale will be able to go to any of its clients orbiting around the globe military or commercial. How many times we can conduct refueling really is about the availability of fuel and the availability of clients within the vicinity, Thomas said. So it can scale pretty fast. Currently, the U.S. military is Astroscales only customer under contract, Martin said. The company hopes the mission will show how refueling is possible in the furthest places within Earths orbit, and that its doable many times with one spacecraft. This is a repeatable, scalable infrastructure for the future of in-space logistics, and it is happening now, Martin said. As nicotine use and its marketing toward young people have changed over time, so now are the efforts to combat them by these same people. Fountain-Fort Carson District 8 is among the school districts in Colorado and El Paso County to roll out new programming aimed at reducing teen vaping. Whats unique about these efforts is that they are coming directly from the students. Using funding it received from Colorados Juul Labs lawsuit settlement, the districts youth advisory council has met regularly with experts to learn about the harmful effects of vaping on the human body along with local marketing businesses to develop a public information campaign for the school district and its communities. Weve just been so inspired by our youth and their energy and interest in addressing this issue in our community, said Montina Romero, D-8s deputy superintendent. D-8 along with District 49 and Harrison District 2 are among the El Paso County recipients for the Vaping Education Prevention Grant. The grants total funding is $11.4 million and is intended to support programs focused on education, prevention and treatment of youth vaping. Grant funding Colorado Springs-area schools and districts that received grant funding to combat teen vaping: Atlas Preparatory $85,000 Colorado Military Academy $117,471 D-49 $126,961 Fountain-Fort Carson D-8 $131,009 Harrison D-2 $253,405 *Totals come from the Colorado Attorney General The Juul Labs settlement was reached in 2023, resolving a lawsuit against the company for targeting young people in its marketing and misrepresenting the health risks of its products. Colorado received $31.7 million from the nationwide settlement. Romero said the district decided to apply for the grant after its board of education and superintendent received reports that more students were vaping in the schools. While initial efforts were made, such as installing detectors in school bathrooms and offering cessation services, the idea with the grant funding was to both educate the entire district about vaping and restart its student advisory council. Students in grades 6-12 who joined the advisory council quickly began collaborating with fellow members across grades and schools. They focused on student education, family education, staff education, merchandising and social media engagement. Ninth-grader Charlott Adkins said she initially signed up for the leadership opportunity, but she quickly discovered the potential to give back to her community in a meaningful way. At first, I was like, Oh, this is cool, and then I came to the first meeting and I really liked the environment, Adkins said. Everyone here is super-awesome and I would love to, like, make a contribution. This year, the council has met multiple times at both its high school arena and the El Pomar Foundation. Students met with military liaisons about how to approach tough conversations like substance use and Childrens Hospital Colorado employees about the negative health impacts of vaping and nicotine, and deceptive tactics used to market and package these products. Students then took what they learned and developed a series of public service announcements for the district and community. So, we bring in other experts at the district level to provide the students with additional resources as needed, but theyre doing a large part of the work here, Romero said. Featured Local Savings Heather Lea, a licensed professional counselor at Childrens Hospital Colorado, said that while medical experts have learned much about the detrimental effects of vaping in recent years, the same cant necessarily be said for the general public. Despite a 2016 report detailing the dangers of vaping from the U.S. surgeon general, many people still believe that its a safe alternative to smoking, that it helps one get off nicotine, the flavoring isnt toxic and that exhalations are harmless water vapor. There are tons of adults who still say these things, Lea said. Among the reports findings were flavored liquids and aerosols containing heavy metals like tin, nickel and lead, along with carcinogens like formaldehyde. Some of the negative side effects linked to heavy vape use include cognitive decline, poor mental health, and lung and heart damage. What also separates vaping products from past nicotine products are their ever-changing compositions. Lea noted that testing requirements for these products arent as stringent as in other countries and that there are still many unknown ingredients. They evolve quickly, and they change quickly, she said. As soon as were able to nail down whats in one type or product, it becomes different. While recent reports have indicated that overall teen nicotine use is down, local school resource officers have reported increased vaping at school. Lea said a gray area that remains in broader studies and reports is a lack of data available on the rising amount of vaping in middle schools. From the students perspective, council members said theyve noticed the amount of vaping going down at school, but going up in places outside of school. According to officials with the El Paso County Public Health Department last year, statewide in Colorado teen vaping was down by more than 15% when comparing 2023 to 2019. Nationally, use among middle and high school students declined from 7.7% of students in 2023 to 5.9% in 2024, the lowest level in a decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To date, the youth advisory council has held a training session for D-8s district leadership team and presented to its fourth- and fifth-graders. In addition to developing posters and stickers and producing short and long-form educational videos, council members have begun approaching students who vape directly. Eleventh-grader Sheena Beman said one of their main goals is to create a supportive environment for students where they are comfortable discussing whether they vape or not. Thats what were trying to do, as a group, Beman said. Were not trying to judge people. Were trying to be a place where they can get the help they need. The council will host two family education events Thursday and April 22 that will be open to the public. Colorado lawmakers on Tuesday began debate on legislation that would allow criminal defendants living unlawfully in the U.S. to petition courts to vacate guilty pleas to misdemeanors under certain conditions and penalize child care and public schools that provide information or allow immigration agents into certain areas. Democrats are pushing the measure amid a nationwide illegal immigration crackdown launched by the Trump administration, which had blamed the Biden administration for the surge that has spilled over into America's interior cities like Denver, which saw some 42,000 immigrants arrive in the last two years. The bill, if enacted, also expands the prohibition on local law enforcers from arresting or detaining an individual on the basis of an "immigration detainer request" to all peace officers designated by the state. Additionally, it mandates detention facility workers to not give immigration agents access to non-public parts, unless the latter can show a warrant. Similarly, it would mandate school or child care workers to not allow federal agents access to non-public areas unless they show a warrant or order outlining the enforcement operation. Additionally, the bill would prohibit a school or child care center from providing information to immigration agents except when "specifically required by federal or state law." The bill carries a $50,000 penalty per violation for a public child care center, public school, local education provider, public institution of higher education, or public health-care facility that violates its provisions, though the fine doesn't extend to local governments and local law enforcement. Additionally, the bill repeals a requirement from the 2013 ASSET legislation, which granted in-state tuition to undocumented students who graduate from a Colorado high school and attend a Colorado public college or university. That requirement said students have to submit an affidavit stating they had either applied for lawful presence or will apply for lawful presence as soon as they are eligible. That same requirement applies to driver's licenses. These would be repealed under Senate Bill 276. The bill deals substantially with data who to release it to, and who shouldn't have that access. Current state law prohibits state agencies and state employees from disclosing a person's personal identifying information. The bill extends that prohibition to local governments and other "political subdivisions," which would include schools, cities, law enforcement and any other governmental body under the state. Additionally, SB 276 permits immigrants to ask the court to vacate a conviction of traffic misdemeanor, petty offense or Class 3 misdemeanor if they, for example, alleged they were not adequately advised by their lawyer of the adverse immigration consequences of a guilty plea. The bill comes with a cost of about $500,000 from general funds. In a year with a $1.2 billion shortfall, that may be an issue. More than 60 people signed up to speak on the bill, most in favor of the measure. Featured Local Savings Miriam Rodriguez, a volunteer with the Colorado Rapid Response Network who formerly lived in the country unlawfully, said "the fear of deportation is sewn into my skin." She and others on Tuesday recounted stories of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents, who they said scoured for students illegally living in the U.S. at schools, and of others who are afraid to go to work or seek out health care for fear immigration agents would grab them off the streets. There are yet no confirmed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids targeting Colorado schools since President Donald Trump assumed office. Rodriguez said because of her legal status, she lived in fear as a child, believing any interaction, with a teacher, counselor or police office would expose her status and lead to deportation. That fear kept her silent, even in an abuse situation, she said. "No one should have to choose between safety and staying with their family," Rodriguez said. "This bill would protect families like mine by ensuring that our personal information isn't shared with immigration authorities when we seek help from hospital, schools or other public services." The bill ought to go further, according to attorney Andrew Sidley-MacKie. It needs to include libraries, which he called community hubs and a central location for services. He said he meets with clients at libraries, and their inclusion would ensure they remain safe spaces. John Fabbricatore of Safer Colorado called the bill reckless. The former director of ICE in Denver told the committee he witnessed firsthand the "devastating consequences of failed immigration policies and a misguided legislation that puts politics ahead of public safety." He's deported dozens of drug traffickers, gang members and murderers and worked on cases of human and sex trafficking, he said. "Because ICE was involved, the message was loud and clear: Saving lives was less important than political posturing," he said. The bill, he said, is not about civil rights, it's about shielding criminals and represents "extremism from Democrat lawmakers who have chosen foreign-born criminals over the safety of United States citizens." He also said the bill proves Colorado is a "sanctuary state" and the bill will not make Colorado safer. A mother who advocated against the bill said she worries that Colorado's sanctuary state status would cost her autistic grandson federal funds needed for his care. Trump and the administration is in charge now, she said, so regardless of how people may feel about that, "he gets to make the rules" and people cannot choose what laws they want to follow. Moments from the Air Force Academys Convocation and Acceptance Day Parade during which the Class of 2027 was officially welcomed into the Cadet Wing on Aug. 9, 2023. Sean Duffy is a former deputy chief of staff to Gov. Bill Owens and Colorado-based strategic communications consultant. He now serves as vice president at a philanthropic foundation. The views expressed here are his own. Catch up on all the latest coverage from the 39th annual Space Symposium, which happened April 8-11 in Colorado Springs. Robert Lightfoot, president of Lockheed Martin Space; Ed Zoiss, president of space and airborne systems for L3Harris; Michelle Parker, vice president of space mission systems for Boeing Defense, Space and Security; and Chris Adams, senior vice president and general manager of Northrop Grummans Strategic Space Systems Division, participate in a panel discussion Tuesday of top space executives during the 40th Space Symposium in The Broadmoors International Center. The U.S. space industry is having a Sputnik moment, one launch at a time, with each satellite or spacecraft launched by the Chinese governme Republican lawmakers' most ambitious policy proposal under the caucuss banner of "judicial reform" appears to have failed entirely at the Montana Legislature after the last standing bill carrying party labels for judicial candidates died Monday on the House floor. House Bill 838 was sponsored by House Speaker Brandon Ler, R-Savage, and was the most compromised version of the policy proposal Republican leadership could muster. The GOPs most controversial policies have been thwarted again and again in recent years on legal challenges that ended in rulings finding those policies unconstitutional. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte and GOP lawmakers entered this session energized around the idea of recasting nonpartisan judicial elections as partisan affairs, thus lending their statewide popularity with voters to candidates in the judicial branch. Republicans often branded the proposal as a voter education measure in races where candidates are limited about what they can say on certain topics they may rule on later. "I also would like an independent judiciary," Ler told his colleagues on the House floor on Monday. "But thats also not going to happen. Partisanship is inherent in everybody." Twelve Republicans, mostly moderates, joined all 42 Democrats to defeat HB 838. Many of the bill's opponents on Monday conceded the air of partisanship already hangs over judicial races. Indeed, Republicans have in recent cycles backed their preferred candidates, and left-leaning groups like Planned Parenthood are open about spending millions for their own. A handful of GOP lawmakers who opposed the bill said they would like to see Montana move away from judicial elections in favor of merit-based appointments, which would be less susceptible to special interests. Rep. George Nikolakakos, R-Great Falls, brought a dose of reality to the debate, noting the difference in cycles between elected officials. State representatives are elected every two years, making them most responsive to the publics political persuasions. Judges are elected every eight years, meaning those on the bench need to have a more durable grasp on the law and constitution when the political winds whip an electorate from a purple state to a red one, as happened recently in Montana. "It's a feature of the system, not a bug," Nikolakakos said Monday. "It's designed to make sure our judges are separated from the political passions of the day." Nearly half a dozen bills carried the policy proposal this session. All of those bills are now dead, including three that were shot down in the last week. 'Discouraging' results for judicial reform legislation Last year, after suffering another succinct series of court losses, then-Senate President Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, called together an ad hoc legislative workgroup he styled the Senate Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform to begin compiling legislation that would effectively limit the judicial branchs power. That committee produced 27 bills. As of Tuesday, 17 of them have perished, either voted down by a voting bloc of moderate Republicans and Democrats or by failing to meet procedural deadlines to advance to the next step in the legislative process. Senate Majority Leader Tom McGillvray, R-Billings, was one of the members of the Senate select committee and noted Tuesday that while other bills beyond the working groups 27 bills have emerged, the "judicial reform" agenda appears to have floundered. "It's discouraging, frankly, that we didn't get more done with that," he said. "Sometimes it takes more than one session to get something done, you know. You run an idea, you refine it better and you come back the next time with a better product." McGillvray was hesitant to comment on the impact made on the prospects of those bills by Democrats and "The Nine" group of moderate Republican senators who have allied to steer the chamber across some key items this session, like Medicaid expansion reauthorization. But he did say people tend to have a knee-jerk reaction to significant structural reforms like those proposed by the Republican majority. Many of those 27 committee bills, of course, are still in play. The House on Tuesday rejected Senate Bill 49, which would have barred the Supreme Court from doling out discipline through the attorney conduct process to any attorney holding one of Montana's five constitutional offices, such as governor or attorney general. That bill died on a 45-53 vote. But the House also gave initial approval to Senate Bill 45, which would establish a judicial performance evaluation procedure that would develop information to be released with the state voter guides each election cycle. That bill passed on a 54-44 vote. Democrats, meanwhile, notched a win after those partisan judicial election bills were fully vaporized. Sen. Laura Smith, D-Helena, likened the GOPs multiple attempts at that policy proposal to a legislative "whack-a-mole." "We will kill one judicial bill, and then another one pops up," she said during a press briefing on Tuesday. " We have found bipartisan success in killing bills that attack the judiciary. We know from every single survey that has been done in Montana that Montanans do not want partisan judges. They don't want politics in their courts. They want it to remain fair and impartial and I, frankly, think that were seeing that in those votes." China Pavilion to delight visitors at Expo 2025 09:43, April 09, 2025 By Jiang Xueqing ( China Daily The China Pavilion of Expo 2025 is seen in Osaka, Japan, on Monday. The expo will open on Sunday and run through Oct 13. (Yang Guang/Xinhua) A media day event at the China Pavilion of Expo 2025 in the Japanese city of Osaka offered a preview of exhibitions centered on green development, cutting-edge technologies, and the vision of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. Held on Monday, the China Media Day event showcased the pavilion's design and displays, all unified under the core theme: "Building a Community of Life for Man and Nature Future Society of Green Development". Li Qingshuang, deputy head of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and government representative for the China Pavilion, said: "The exhibitions at the China Pavilion closely align with the expo's theme and emphasize immersion, interactivity and experience. The presentation methods are diverse, blending tradition and modernity, and rich in cultural sentiment." Covering an area of around 3,500 square meters, the China Pavilion stands as one of the largest foreign self-built pavilions at Expo 2025, also known as the World Expo, which will open in Osaka on Sunday and run for six months. During the expo, the Walker C humanoid robot, developed by UBTech Robotics, will interact with visitors at the south plaza of the China Pavilion, offering intelligent tour guide services and human-robot interaction experiences. The mythological figure Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King, will make an appearance at the China Pavilion. This version of Sun Wukong is powered by a next-generation cognitive intelligence model developed by Chinese information technology company iFlytek. It integrates cutting-edge technologies such as robust noise-resistant speech recognition, multiemotion voice synthesis and multimodal interaction. Visitors will be able to engage in interactive Q&A sessions with Sun Wukong in Chinese, Japanese and English. One of the highlights at the China Pavilion will be samples brought back from the moon by the Chang'e 5 and Chang'e 6 lunar probes. "This will be the most precious exhibit the China Pavilion presents to global visitors during Expo 2025.It will also be the world's first side-by-side, close-up display of samples from both the near and far sides of the moon," Li said. She emphasized that visitors will have the opportunity to observe the distinct structures of the lunar samples and the subtle differences between both sides of the moon through a specially designed lens installation. Nearby, a video message from three Chinese astronauts aboard the space station will offer greetings to visitors at the China Pavilion. According to Liu Shuo, deputy director of the China Pavilion, its design was inspired by traditional bamboo slips, incorporating cultural elements such as bamboo and Chinese characters. The pavilion will be in three sections, each highlighting a different facet of China's approach to sustainability its traditional ecological philosophy, contemporary green development efforts, and the vision for global collaboration toward a sustainable future. The "Harmony Between Humanity and Nature" section delves into traditional Chinese culture, emphasizing the deep-rooted wisdom and reverence the Chinese people have for the natural world. The "Green Mountains and Clear Waters" section presents China's modern commitment to green development, showcasing its efforts to drive comprehensive economic and social transformation through sustainable practices. The "Endless Vitality" section looks to the future, featuring China's exploration of outer space and the deep sea, and its dedication to working with the international community to build a greener and more beautiful Earth. The Future Smart City exhibition, organized by China Energy Engineering Group, presents a vision for future urban development. It integrates eight types of urban networks including energy, digital, transportation and industrial networks demonstrating China's technological breakthroughs and practical applications in areas such as clean energy, artificial intelligence and urban development. Liu said the China Pavilion will host a wide variety of events during the expo. The pavilion will officially open on Sunday, and the National Pavilion Day falls on July 11. Thirty Chinese provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and the city of Shenzhen will hold themed events at the pavilion. Additionally, many government agencies and businesses will organize cultural, technological and economic exchange activities. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the country's top economic planner, said Tuesday that it will accelerate the implementation of existing supportive policies and strengthen policy research and reserves to bolster the high-quality development of the private sector. The NDRC said in a statement that it held a meeting on Tuesday with five private domestic companies, including ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing and high-precision components and smart hardware maker Goertek, to solicit their opinions and suggestions on economic development as well as response to additional U.S. tariffs. Zheng Shanjie, head of the NDRC, said at the meeting that the commission will refine its regular communication mechanism with private companies, listen to their feedback and assist them in overcoming difficulties. Facing risks and challenges from abroad, including the additional tariffs imposed by the United States, China will steadily promote its reform and opening up and insulate the country against external uncertainties through internal certainties, Zheng said. Representatives of the five companies expressed their preparedness for the additional U.S. tariffs, noting that they are actively adopting measures to cope with the situation. As the country enjoys a stable domestic environment and a huge market, the entrepreneurs said they are confident in overcoming challenges and achieving better growth. ( ). . . Malaysia's largest mobile operator CelcomDigi Berhad and the local office of Ericsson have signed a MoU to collaborate on advancing autonomous network operations in Malaysia. The collaboration aims to use AI-driven network analytics to optimise CelcomDigis network operations to deliver an improved network experience for customers. CelcomDigi and Ericsson say they will jointly explore the development of advanced, intent-driven autonomous networks, leveraging AI and automation to deliver differentiated, high-quality connectivity services. Key components of the collaboration include AI-driven automation; 5G service assurance; improved service quality and operational efficiency through autonomous solutions. As part of the collaboration, Ericsson will provide expertise and AI Intent-Based Operations (IBO) to accelerate the pace of developing the autonomous network operations. The integration of AI-driven autonomous capabilities will also support CelcomDigis ongoing network integration and modernisation efforts, according to Ericsson. Commenting on the partnership, CelcomDigis CEO Datuk Idham Nawawi said the operator needs to evolve its network capabilities. Malaysias 5G adoption is accelerating, and thus it is critical that we evolve our network capabilities to manage increasing complexity while delivering a superior customer experience," Nawawi said. "As an extension of our ongoing partnership with Ericsson, we are taking steps towards intent-based autonomous networks, harnessing AI and automation to transform how networks operate, optimise performance, and improve sustainability. David Hagerbro President and CEO of Ericsson Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, described the collaboration with CelcomDigi as a strategic leap forward in the digital transformation of Malaysia. "We are particularly excited about the potential to leverage AI technologies in autonomous network operations, which will further improve efficiency and customer experience," said Hagerbro. "The MoU aims to drive operational efficiency enhancements, boost service quality, and elevate user experiences. "Our commitment to Malaysia is unwavering, and through these collaborations, we aim to help CelcomDigi stay at the cutting-edge of digital innovation. Fortinet, the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, has announced significant FortiAI innovations embedded across the Fortinet Security Fabric platform to enhance protection against new and emerging threats, simplify and automate security and network operations, and secure employee use of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled services. Michael Xie, founder, president, and chief technology officer, Fortinet, said, Fortinets AI advantage stems from the breadth and depth of our AI ecosystemshaped by over a decade of AI innovation and reinforced by more patents than any other cybersecurity vendor. By embedding FortiAI across the Fortinet Security Fabric platform, including new agentic AI capabilities, were empowering our customers to reduce the workload on their security and network analysts while improving the efficiency, speed, and accuracy of their security and networking operations. In parallel, weve added coverage across the Fabric ecosystem to enable customers to monitor and control the use of generative AI (GenAI)-enabled services within their organisation. The need for AI-driven protection and security for AI systems Enterprises must leverage security solutions that use AI to defend against increasingly advanced threatsespecially those that use AI to bypass defences, automate attacks, and exploit vulnerabilities. At the same time, organisations must secure their own AI systems from data poisoning, adversarial manipulation, and unauthorised access. Without robust protection, AI can become both a target and a weapon for cybercriminals. Fortinet has you covered, with more than 500 AI patents issued and pending, and more than 15 years of AI innovation, delivering AI-driven security to stop advanced threats while ensuring AI systems remain protected and trustworthy. New AI innovations from Fortinet FortiAI has now expanded to encompass Fortinets entire AI-driven approach across security and network operations, protecting environments, and securing AI models and large language models (LLMs). Integrated into the Fortinet Security Fabric platform, it delivers intelligent, autonomous capabilities to stop advanced threats, streamline operations, and support secure AI adoption. This expansion of FortiAI introduces new capabilities across two key areas: FortiAI-Assist combines GenAI, agentic AI, and artificial intelligence for IT operations (AIOps) to simplify and transform security and network operations with intelligent automation and analytics. New capabilities include: Agentic AI applications for network operations Autonomous network management initiated through the GenAI assistant enables the creation of network configuration and security policy updates, validation and correction of existing configurations, and troubleshooting and remediation of network issues without human intervention. Automated network optimisation and troubleshooting using GenAI and AIOps enhance network operations for wired, wireless, and software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN), and proactively identify and offer remediation of issues before users are impacted. Agentic AI applications for security operations Automated alert triage prioritises notifications based on risk, context, and historical patterns, suppresses duplicate alerts, and only flags high-confidence threats within the system or directly to the threat analyst, depending on the organisations preferences. Adaptive threat hunting scans logs, network traffic, and user behaviour to search for threats without waiting for human input. Root-cause tracing uses AI-driven reasoning to identify an attacks origin, method, and impact. Threat intelligence enrichment enhances security intelligence by correlating attack patterns and attributing adversary tactics, improving proactive defence. FortiAI-Protect enhances security with AI-driven threat detection, enabling the identification of advanced and unknown threats. It also provides contextual risk assessments to strengthen security and enforce access controls for third-party GenAI applications. These enhancements further increase the value of FortiGuard AI-powered security services for both new and existing customers. New capabilities include: Detecting AI application usage for over 6,500 AI URLs, including GenAI applications. Security teams also gain added context around the use cases, the model used for training, and the location of where the data goes. for over 6,500 AI URLs, including GenAI applications. Security teams also gain added context around the use cases, the model used for training, and the location of where the data goes. Controlling access and content to GenAI using zero-trust principles allows security teams to block shadow AI or high-risk AI application usage. Visibility into AI application lists and additional context, such as geolocation and training models, also allows admins to define organisation-wide AI usage policies. using zero-trust principles allows security teams to block shadow AI or high-risk AI application usage. Visibility into AI application lists and additional context, such as geolocation and training models, also allows admins to define organisation-wide AI usage policies. Enhancing threat analysis and malware protection by expanding machine learning and large-scale data analysis to detect and neutralise emerging malware threats. Continued refinement of contextual correlation with known threat indicators further reduces false positives, ensuring precise threat identification while maintaining operational efficiency. by expanding machine learning and large-scale data analysis to detect and neutralise emerging malware threats. Continued refinement of contextual correlation with known threat indicators further reduces false positives, ensuring precise threat identification while maintaining operational efficiency. Improving safeguards against sophisticated attacks by continuing to train the intrusion prevention system (IPS) machine learning models to adapt and detect new attack techniques. Fortinet helps organisations secure their AI models, infrastructure, and data Organisations can also securely adopt AI with FortiAI-SecureAI by leveraging capabilities that span the Fortinet Security Fabric platform to protect AI infrastructure from network-based threats, secure web applications and application programming interfaces (APIs), and defend cloud-native AI workloads across major providers. FortiAI-SecureAI ensures data integrity, prevents LLM data leakage, safeguards AI models and intellectual property, enforces zero-trust access, and enables early attack detection and response. FortiAI prioritises data privacy for organisations FortiAI uses a multi-layered data protection approach to enforce strict privacy controls, preventing data that is shared with the Fortinet GenAI assistant from training the LLM. Queries are also processed locally, ensuring data never leaves the network, while sensitive information is blocked or masked before reaching the language model. With FortiAI-Assist, FortiAI-Protect, and FortiAI-SecureAI, Fortinet continues to lead in AI-driven cybersecurity to help organisations stay ahead of evolving threats. Additional resources About Fortinet Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver cybersecurity everywhere our customers need it with the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Well over half a million customers trust Fortinets solutions, which are among the most deployed, most patented, and most validated in the industry. The Fortinet Training Institute, one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry, is dedicated to making cybersecurity training and new career opportunities available to everyone. Collaboration with esteemed organisations from both the public and private sectors, including Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTS), government entities, and academia, is a fundamental aspect of Fortinets commitment to enhance cyber resilience globally. FortiGuard Labs, Fortinets elite threat intelligence and research organisation, develops and utilises leading-edge machine learning and AI technologies to provide customers with timely and consistently top-rated protection and actionable threat intelligence. Learn more at https://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet blog, and FortiGuard Labs. French sci-fi author Jules Verne predicted about 150 years ago that water would become the fuel of the future. Today, scientists are striving to turn this fantasy into reality. Chinese researchers recently achieved a breakthrough in "photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production." By performing "structural reshaping" and "element substitution" on a semiconductor material, they significantly enhanced the efficiency of converting water into clean hydrogen energy by using sunlight. Current solar-driven hydrogen production primarily relies on two methods -- one uses solar panels to generate electricity for water electrolysis, which requires complex and costly equipment, while the other employs semiconductor materials as catalysts to directly split water molecules under sunlight, according to Liu Gang, director of the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and leader of the research team. The key to directly splitting water with sunlight lies in a material called titanium dioxide. When exposed to sunlight, it functions like a microscopic power plant, generating energized electron-hole pairs that break down water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, Liu explained. However, traditional titanium dioxide has a critical flaw -- its internal structure resembles a maze, causing the activated electrons and holes to collide randomly and recombine and annihilate within a millionth of a second. Additionally, the high-temperature fabrication process of the material often leads to oxygen atom loss, creating positively charged "trap zones" that capture electrons. Liu's team addressed these issues by introducing scandium, a rare-earth element neighboring titanium on the periodic table, to restructure the material. Scandium ions, similar in size to titanium ions, fit perfectly into the titanium dioxide lattice without causing structural distortion. Their stable valence neutralizes the charge imbalance caused by oxygen vacancies, eliminating "trap zones." Moreover, scandium atoms reconstruct the crystal surface, creating specific facets that act like "electronic highways and overpasses," allowing electrons and holes to escape the maze efficiently. Through precise control, the research team successfully developed a specialized titanium dioxide material with significantly enhanced performance -- its utilization of ultraviolet light exceeded 30 percent, and its hydrogen production efficiency under simulated sunlight was 15 times higher than previously reported titanium dioxide materials, setting a new record, Liu stated. "If used to create a one-square-meter photocatalytic material panel, around 10 liters of hydrogen can be produced in one day of sunlight," Liu said. The achievement was published in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society. "We aim to further improve the technology to enable efficient utilization of visible light in sunlight," Liu revealed. He also noted that China currently accounts for over 50 percent of global titanium dioxide production, supported by a robust industrial chain. Additionally, China ranks among the world's leaders in terms of scandium reserves. "With continued advancements in photocatalytic water-splitting efficiency, this technology holds promise for industrial application, and could drive the transformation of energy systems," Liu added. Winston-Salem city leaders faced tense public opposition to a loan to private equity firm Front Street Capital during a city council meeting Monday night. Ultimately, council members unanimously approved the action, a $3.5 million loan from the city to the firm for a $32 million speculative industrial building off Union Cross Road that city leaders hope will generate more jobs and tax revenue. But before their vote, several people, including housing advocate and Winston-Salem State University professor Dan Rose called the city out for doling out what they believe is corporate welfare instead of funding for affordable housing causes in the city and Forsyth County. We are out here building buildings for tenants that dont exist at what is very likely the beginning of a global economic downturn, said Rose, referencing recent panic in U.S. stock markets from the federal governments tariff announcements. Coleman Team, the president and managing partner at Front Street Capital, told council members about how his firm has successfully taken loans from the city before and have paid them back quicker than required, usually in about 18 to 20 months. Weve taken one $2.5 million city loan, revolved it three times, generated nearly 2 million square feet of industrial space that represents almost $2 million in annual taxes to the city and county, Team said. Thats about $215 million in overall tax base from these assets. Ellis Kiefer, the vice president of economic development at Greater Winston Salem Inc., said the loan action helps to attract companies who are considering the Winston-Salem market and fills a critical gap in land inventory that city leaders are trying to fill with companies. Right now, the city currently has zero speculative buildings available. On Monday night, Rose said the citys newest loan to Front Street Capital was just another example of the firm using Winston-Salems corporate welfare trough. Were not about saying no to everything here, were not about saying we dont want jobs created, Rose said. What were saying is this is not the way to do it. This is not for the folks in Winston-Salem who suffer from the worst upward economic mobility in the nation aside from some Native American counties in the Dakotas, Rose said. In 2015, a Harvard University study found that Forsyth County had the third lowest economic mobility rating of all counties in the United States. And so this is garbage, he added. This program may be something that was approved by voters, but the way youre executing it is purely corrupt and is doing nothing to resolve the economic equalities in our community. Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines said in an interview with the Journal Tuesday afternoon that the deal was normal for a city that is healthy and growing and that the economic development would help pay for social and housing programs. Its naive to think the city cant provide these services without growing the tax base, Joines said. Rose, who went on to accuse Front Street Capital of prioritizing money over everything else, didnt stop with his attacks on the firm but went on to allege that Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines and other city leaders are corrupt. The corruption here is so brazen that it almost feels like, I feel insane coming up here to point these things out, Rose said. How is it that our media, our citizenry are uninformed of this stuff? Among Roses allegations of corruption were assertions that Joines has engaged in pay to play politics with heads of private companies in the city and that Joines donates money from his mayoral campaign funds to those close to him. Rose referenced how Coleman and Robin Team, the father-son duo behind Front Street Capital, have donated more than several thousand dollars to Joines campaign for mayor. Then he said Joines paid over $10,000 from his campaign funds to his wifes yoga studio. Thats incorrect sir, Joines said, interrupting him. According to a fourth-quarter campaign report with the Forsyth County Board of Elections, Breathing Access, the business of Suzy McCalley, Joines wife, was listed as a payee of the campaign to the total amount of $10,600. On an earlier report in 2024, the disbursement for McCalleys business is labeled community support and also jail staff yoga. Joines said the disbursement to Breathing Access helped provide funds for the business to do its nonprofit work such as providing trauma-informed yoga classes and mindfulness education. Breathing Access provided those services to people in the jail system and schoolchildren, Joines said. What I was supporting was the nonprofit work, Joines said. The donation is accompanied by others ranging from hundreds to thousands to various community groups, and some to businesses for campaign expenses. Joines, who has been mayor of Winston-Salem for more than 20 years, regularly receives campaign donations from the citys most prominent business leaders and many other community figureheads. The Teams are part of that list, which includes big names such as Don Flow, the chairman and CEO of Flow Automotive Companies and Nathan Hatch, the former president of Wake Forest University. The sponsor of a N.C. House bill prohibiting driving while holding or having an animal in the lap agreed Tuesday to a temporary pause amid concerns about whether those restrictions were needed. Meanwhile, a N.C. House committee advanced legislation that would make The Andy Griffith Show the states official television show. The current version of HB394, titled Distracted Driving/Children and Animals, would end the days of dogs sticking their heads out the drivers side window. However, members of the House Judiciary 2 committee persuaded bill sponsor Rep. Frank Iler, R-Brunswick, to pause the bill after they expressed concerns that some animal-holding restrictions go too far and would be difficult to enforce by law-enforcement officers. The bill cleared the House Transportation committee on March 26. Ilers decision to withdraw the bill temporarily comes as House speaker Rep. Destin Hall, R-Catawba, asked House committee chairs to address bill amendments before legislation advances to Rules and Operations committee. Hall said his goal is to speed up the bill reviewing process in Rules and Operations. North Carolina would join Hawaii as the only states to make it illegal for motorists to drive with an animal on their lap. The legislation focuses on driving distractions that can result in careless, reckless or heedless actions. According to the personal injury law firm James Scott Farrin, about 50,000 crashes occur annually in North Carolina related to to some kind of distracted driving from dogs to kids to cellphones. All too often, distracted driving can lead to otherwise avoidable car wrecks, which sets off the post-car accident snowball of filing car insurance claims and dealing with sticky potential personal injury lawsuits. HB394 details The current version of HB394 would make it unlawful to drive on a public street, highway or public vehicular area while holding an animal or allowing an animal to sit in the operators lap. It also would be unlawful to interact with a child or an animal in a manner that impairs or restricts the proper operation of the motor vehicle and results in operation that is careless, reckless or heedless under existing driving conditions. The bill would not restrict other areas where an animal sits in a vehicle. The law would not apply to fully autonomous vehicles. Violators would be subjected to a $100 fine. Although the law would go into effect Dec. 1, law enforcement officers would just issue warning tickets for the initial six months. There would be no insurance surcharge or drivers license points assessed with the violation. Committee concerns Rep. Pricey Harrison, D-Guilford, said she opposed the prohibition of holding an animal while driving or holding an animal in part because it may not be distracting to the driver. She cited herself as driving while holding her pet. It just seems like if you can do it (drive) without being distracted, Im not really sure why we need to be making it illegal, Harrison said. Harrison said, at the least, there should be an emergency exception for driving while holding a pet since it may be quicker and more efficient than trying to put a wounded animal in a crate. I think the bill would be more palatable if you took out the holding the pet or in the lap portion, Harrison said. I just feel like it is a little bit vague. I dont mean to sound too much like a libertarian. Meanwhile, Rep. Mike Schietzelt, R-Wake, said half-tongue-in-cheek that being the father of four young, rambunctious boys, the bill has me breaking out in hives a little over how many times I might be fined. Schietzelt also expressed concerns about whether there should be a penalty for holding a pet or having a pet in the lap if the pet is not serving as a distraction. Andy Griffith Show House Bill 557 was recommended Tuesday by House State and Local Government committee to Rules and Operations. Surprisingly, HB557 was not submitted by a Surry County legislator, but rather Rep. Neal Jackson, R-Randolph. Much of the bills language was dedicated to a mini-biography of Griffith and a synopsis of the shows cast of characters. The positive character values and awareness of North Carolina make The Andy Griffith Show must-see-TV for anyone who loves North Carolina, according to the bill language. Jackson said the moral character of Griffith has influenced generations of North Carolinians since debuting in October 1960 and ended its last season as the No. 1 episodic show on television. Jackson said the show expressed the values of responsibility, humility, empathy, patience and community. Examples cited children and parents should know how to handle a spoiled kid, the mercurial nature of Ernest T. Bass and the danger of Otis with a leg of lamb. People of all ages can appreciate a good citizens arrest, dealing with a well-intentioned friend like Barney Fife, a tough teacher like Helen Crump, and a nosy neighbor like Clara Edwards. Five people were killed and eight others injured after an overloaded minivan crashed into a residential building in southwest China's Sichuan province, local police said Wednesday. The accident occurred at around 6:55 a.m. on Tuesday, when a small van carrying 13 people, nearly double its approved capacity of seven, veered off the road and slammed into a roadside house in Luzhou City, according to police officers in the city's Jiangyang district. The impact damaged the building and caused part of it to collapse, though no one was inside at the time, police said. The injured are in stable condition. The cause of the accident is being investigated. Lawmakers on the Appropriations Committee approved a 1.25% increase to the University of Nebraska's state aid Tuesday but opted not to give an additional boost in the second year of the biennium budget cycle. In approving the increase on a 7-1 vote, the committee reversed a previous decision backed by Gov. Jim Pillen to trim 2% from NU's state appropriations over the next two years. The increase adds roughly $8.7 million to NU's existing appropriation in both the 2025-26 and 2026-27 budget years, bringing the university system's total funding from the state to $708 million. Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, who raised concerns about a meeting Tuesday morning among committee members in which registered Democrats were excluded, was the lone no vote against the agreement struck by Pillen and NU administrators. Omaha Sen. Ashlei Spivey did not vote. Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams said the meeting was held to brief committee members on the arrangement, but added no decisions were made. He also said he would not attend future meetings of the Appropriations Committee unless all members were present. Both Cavanaugh and Spivey supported a different proposal from Lincoln Sen. Jason Prokop to increase NU's state appropriation by 1.25% this year and 2.5% next year, following past budgetary practices. At the end of the biennium, NU would have received $716.8 million at that rate of increase. Prokop's motion failed on a 4-5 vote, however. Sen. Rob Dover of Norfolk was the lone Republican on the Appropriations Committee to vote for Prokop's proposal. NU President Jeff Gold said the decision of the Appropriations Committee was "far more beneficial" to the university's ability to deliver an affordable education to thousands of Nebraskans than the cuts originally proposed. Last summer, the NU Board of Regents approved a resolution seeking a 3.5% boost in state appropriations to cover increased costs of operation. That level would help hold tuition rates lower, though some increase was anticipated. Gold said NU has been building different tuition models based on various state and federal funding levels that it plans to discuss with regents during committee meetings in May. The board is expected to set tuition prices for the upcoming year at its June meeting. While regents have set two years of tuition prices in recent years, Gold said it would be up to the board how to move forward. "This work from the committee will begin to focus some of our budget models to make determinations about tuition for the next year or two and how much belt-tightening will need to occur," Gold said. "We will also consider the consequences of that belt-tightening." The Appropriations Committee also voted Tuesday to restore biomedical research funding provided through the state's settlement with tobacco companies. Pillen proposed removing the $11 million allocated to NU in that fund while keeping the remaining $4 million, which is split between Creighton University and Boys Town. The committee voted to restore the funding on an 8-0 vote, with Cavanaugh not voting. Gold said while he was pleased the committee voted to reinstate the biomedical research funding, he has suggested those dollars be moved to NU's general budget. "That's the way we really create affordability and quality in higher education," he said, "but we are pleased we can continue to make that investment with Creighton and Boys Town and work together to cure and prevent disease across the state." The committee also voted to keep $50 million in state funding in place for NU's Project Health, a $2.2 billion health care facility at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine. The funds will be made available to NU should it secure dollars from private philanthropy and other sources. The Appropriations Committee approved a plan to draw the $50 million in state funds from the tobacco settlement fund over the next two years should NU meet its match. Tuesday marked Day 57 of the 90-day legislative session. The Appropriations Committee is expected to put the biennial budget on the floor before Day 70. Gold said NU will continue to work with lawmakers to address concerns, including securing funding for what he described as "unfunded tuition mandates" passed by lawmakers. Last year, NU provided $6 million in tuition to students who qualified for programs enacted by the Legislature; that amount is set to increase to between $8 million and $10 million this year because of increased enrollment. More than 1,000 military veterans, first responders and others who qualify for free tuition programs are taking advantage of free or reduced tuition programs, Gold said. "It's a wonderful thing and we strongly endorse providing higher education to those who serve our communities," he said. "At some point, we need some way to get paid for that, we can't just continue to give it away." Nearing the end of his first year as NU's top administrator, Gold said he remains confident in the university's partnership with the Legislature and Pillen's office. "It's a nine-inning ballgame, so to speak, so there's a lot more work that can and will be done," he said. Nebraska's distinct election system that has allowed Democratic presidential candidates to pick up a single electoral vote in the state three times survived its closest call in a decade Tuesday as a proposal seeking to eliminate the system fell victim to a filibuster. In a dramatic but expected vote Tuesday evening, two Republicans joined every progressive in Nebraska's formally nonpartisan Legislature to kill legislation backed by Republican Gov. Jim Pillen and President Donald Trump that sought to replace the state's 34-year-old election system with the winner-take-all model used in 48 states. Under the quirky system, which is also used in Maine, two of Nebraska's five electoral votes are awarded to the presidential ticket that wins the most votes statewide while the other three go to the winner of each of the states three congressional districts. Republicans have sought for decades to eliminate the system, which has made a national battleground out of Nebraska's Omaha-centric 2nd Congressional District, dubbed the "Blue Dot" by Democrats, whose presidential candidates won the district in 2008, 2020 and 2024. A pressure campaign to make the switch ahead of last November's election, fueled by Trump and other national GOP figures, failed in September as it became clear that winner-take-all did not have the 33 votes it needed to overcome a filibuster in Nebraska's 49-member, single-house Legislature. Pillen made changing the state's election system one of his top legislative priorities again this year after Republicans maintained their filibuster-proof majority in the Legislature in November's election, calling the switch "a no-brainer." But the latest effort to replace the system went up in flames again Tuesday evening as Republican Sens. Merv Riepe of Ralston and Dave Wordekemper of Fremont refused to vote for a procedural motion to end the Democrat-led filibuster of the proposed law, effectively killing the bill. The motion to shut off debate, which needed 33 votes, failed on a 31-18 vote. "I committed to keeping an open mind throughout this process, and I have generally searched for a way to support this measure," Wordekemper said Tuesday on the floor of the Legislature. "After careful deliberation, I cannot." Both Wordekemper and Riepe along with numerous progressive lawmakers said the vast majority of constituents who had contacted their offices in the days and weeks leading up to Tuesday's vote had urged them to reject winner-take-all. Lawmakers reported fielding dozens, if not hundreds, of phone calls and emails from voters inside and outside of their districts. A few dozen Nebraskans sporting "Blue Dot" T-shirts sat in the balconies overlooking the legislative floor as debate began Tuesday afternoon while a handful of demonstrators gathered in the Rotunda, some holding signs urging lawmakers to oppose winner-take-all. "The message from my constituents has been overwhelmingly clear: preserve our current system," Wordekemper said, adding that 75% of his district opposed the measure and calling Nebraska's distinct electoral system "part of our identity." Tuesday's striking vote in which two conservatives rejected pressure from the Republican governor and helped halt a bill that would likely boost Republican presidential candidates for years, if not decades, to come marked a blow to Pillen and the bill's sponsor, Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City, who had remained publicly hopeful even as he privately acknowledged to colleagues Monday he did not have enough votes to overcome a filibuster. Riepe had been a particularly vocal opponent of Pillen and Lippincott's effort to replace Nebraska's election system a reversal for the 82-year-old Republican who voted for the change amid his first stint in the Legislature in 2015 and 2016 and signed a pledge supporting the change ahead of last year's election. His reversal made him a target for Pillen, who issued a statement Saturday calling on Republican lawmakers to vote to advance LB3 before singling out Riepe. "In particular, I hope that veteran Senator Merv Riepe stands with his fellow Republicans on this critical issue," Pillen said, noting Riepe had supported the bill in the mid-2010s and pledged to last year. "If he remains consistent with his past votes and his 2024 pledge, (winner-take-all) can finally be restored." Instead, Riepe, who will face voters in his swing district next year if he seeks reelection, bucked the governor and his party Tuesday evening, citing the wishes of his district and the economic boost Nebraska's current system brings to Omaha, which has become a national battleground under the system, hosting visits from both vice presidential candidates and other national campaign surrogates last fall. "My constituents like the attention it brings to Omaha," Riepe said, adding that the split-vote system gives Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District "a voice that isn't taken for granted." "Those who live in safe states or safe districts may not understand what it means to be courted," he said. "As the saying goes, you don't know what you've got until you lose it." 'A failed experiment' Led by Lippincott, most Republicans voted to establish a winner-take-all system, repeatedly calling Nebraska's 34-year-old model "a failed experiment" that is out of touch with how the country's founders meant for presidents to be elected when they established the electoral college. Republicans largely refuted the economic impact the current system has on Omaha or pointed to it as a reason to eliminate the system. Sen. Bob Andersen of Omaha called for lawmakers to "stop the influx of out-of-state funds, which is one of the detrimental side effects of all this." Conservatives, too, largely downplayed the role the state's politics Trump won Nebraska by 20 points in November, while a Democrat hasn't won an election statewide since 2006 played in their motivation. "I actually think in the next few decades, we could see a complete flip to blue," Sen. Katheen Kauth of Omaha said. "But I want to uphold the framework regardless of which side is dominant at the time." 'Attempt to strip power' Democrats, though, lined up to oppose the bill, accusing Republicans of seeking the change to the state's election rules because it is politically convenient. Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln called the proposed change "a lazy, shortsighted attempt to strip power from Nebraska voters and hand it over to national political machines. "It's not about fairness. It's not about consistency," she said. "It's about silencing Nebraskans in the name of party loyalty." Omaha Sen. John Cavanaugh disputed the argument that Republican support for the bill "is not about some divergence from history or experiment. "We've been doing it for 30 some years now," he said. It is no longer an experiment; it is how we do it. And it has been successful." In the end, enough Republicans agreed. The bill's failure to overcome Tuesday's filibuster marked the latest setback in a series of conservative-led attempts seeking to eliminate Nebraska's presidential election system, which state lawmakers established in 1991. Lawmakers have tried to undo the system repeatedly in the decades since the Legislature established it, twice sending repeal bills to former Gov. Ben Nelson's desk in the 1990s, but the Democrat vetoed the legislation both times. Since then, similar legislation has reached the floor of the Legislature six times, but none of those proposals made it to the governor's desk. The system survived a close call in 2016, when a proposal to return the state to a winner-take-all system fell one vote short of overcoming a filibuster. Pillen 'deeply disappointed' After the effort's latest failure Tuesday, Pillen said in a statement he was "deeply disappointed that a minority of the Legislature defeated the will of the majority of their colleagues and, more importantly, the majority of Nebraskans by filibustering winner-take-all." The governor pledged to work with his allies in the Legislature to replace the state's election system before the 2028 election. In remarks to reporters following the vote, Lippincott, the bill's sponsor, also said he was disappointed. "But tomorrow's a new day," he said. "And we always are hopeful. We never give up. We always give it the old college try." He suggested lawmakers could instead look to rally around a resolution for a constitutional amendment from Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams (LR24CA) that would put the fate of Nebraska's presidential electoral system in the hands of voters, who could then amend the state's constitution to enshrine the winner-take-all system in 2026. That proposal has the support of Wordekemper, one of two Republican holdouts, but not Riepe, the other. "I still don't think we have the votes for that," Lippincott said, "so that's a bit of an issue." HOW THEY VOTED Voting yes (31): Andersen, Arch, Armendariz, Ballard, Bosn, Brandt, Clements, Clouse, DeKay, Dorn, Dover, Hallstrom, Hansen, Hardin, Holdcroft, Hughes, Ibach, Jacobson, Kauth, Lippincott, Lonowski, McKeon, Meyer, Moser, Murman, Sanders, Sorrentino, Storer, Storm, Strommen, von Gillern. Voting no (18): Bostar, J. Cavanaugh, M. Cavanaugh, Conrad, DeBoer, Dungan, Fredrickson, Guereca, Hunt, Juarez, McKinney, Prokop, Quick, Raybould, Riepe, Rountree, Spivey, Wordekemper. RACINE Residents of the citys Uptown neighborhood are split about the prospect of a new bar in the area, with some concerned it could attract more crime. At the Racine Common Council meeting April 2, four people spoke against approval of a liquor license application for Adream Social Lounge, which was on the councils agenda. If the liquor license is approved, Adream will open at 1518 Washington Ave., a location that some residents say has been wrought with issues over the years. The citys Public Safety and Licensing Committee, which oversees business license applications, recommended the Common Council deny Adreams liquor license application based on concerns pertaining to parking, public safety and the appropriateness of the location, as well as the applicants failure to disclose a previous criminal charge. According to city documents, applicant April Wright failed to disclose a criminal misdemeanor charge of carrying a concealed weapon from 2021. In a reconsideration letter to the PSL Committee, Wright said the omission was unintentional because she believed the charge had been dismissed. She also said the charge was a result of her misunderstanding of the law. Now realizing the case was in fact only partially dismissed which I now know(,) I take full responsibility for this error, and I deeply regret any concerns it may have raised about my honesty or integrity, Wright said in the letter. At the April 2 Common Council meeting, Wright addressed some of the safety and parking concerns. Wright said she has located several public parking lots in the area and will update her business plan. She also said she wants to provide extra security and add more lighting to the back of the venue. The council ultimately approved a motion made by District 3 Alder Olivia Turquoise-Davis, whose district includes the Uptown area, to send the application back to the PSL Committee by a 10-4 vote. Alders Melissa Kaprelian, Renee Kelly, Jeff Coe and Sandy Weidner voted against the motion. Uptown residents complaints Richard Semper, who lives near the building that would house Adream Social Lounge, said 1518 Washington Ave. is Uptowns most rundown building and that it has been a nuisance for years. Letting this nice young lady with no experience in running a bar open at this troublesome location makes no sense, he said. It just is going to continue on with more nuisance calls, more late-night problems. Tim Hermes moved to Racines Uptown neighborhood 44 years ago and said that while Uptown had a dream to revitalize itself, the area has been troubled with booze, alcohol, bars, shootings, killings and litter. Bars that attract public safety issues to the neighborhood scare away other businesses and make residents afraid to leave their homes at night, according to Hermes. Its sad when the people of the neighborhood have to come to City Hall and beg for their safety while the people creating these dangerous bars live a safe distance away from out of town, he said. Drowning the Uptown with liquor and violence is not progress. Its been destroying Uptown for four decades. Kristina Campbell, chair of the Uptown Business Improvement District and owner of The Branch at 1501, said she is concerned about the lack of parking, the maximum capacity limits for 1518 Washington Ave. and crowd control. Campbell said that when she opened her banquet business, the city placed strict conditions because of past issues with the building. Campbell said she had to start small, serving only beer and wine, and serving food during the day. That same standard needs to apply to everyone coming in for a bar, she said. Ive spent the past seven years trying to grow my business in Uptown, but the reality is that most of my time has been spent trying to improve Uptown. Mario Martinez said he doesnt think the timing is the best for a new bar or social lounge to open in the area. Im all for business, but right now, it seems like (the bar) could either slow the process, or possibly even have folks like myself coming out or getting away from the area because of the problems, he said. A fair chance Wright said that holding issues Washington Avenue had decades ago against her is unfair. I should not be penalized or sanctioned for what someone did 20 years ago, Wright said. To say I dont deserve an opportunity is not fair when they serve liquor across the street Because Im serving it here makes it different from the person whos serving it across the street? Everyone deserves a fair opportunity and Im asking for my chance. Yusuf Buckley, owner of Buckley Investments LLC and of the building at 1518 Washington Ave., called the business a sophisticated, community-centered venue that will serve as a hub for professional networking and cultural gatherings. He said Adream is designed to cater to working professionals and community events. It will provide a much-needed venue that elevates Racines social and professional offerings while promoting economic growth and entrepreneurship, Buckley said. Providing this license is not just about serving alcohol and playing rap music. Its about supporting a well-established businesswoman, empowering professional and cultural gatherings, and ensuring the success of a community-driven initiative. Keith Fair, a former alder, said he is in favor of Adream opening, and that he he believes some of the opposition is based on racial prejudice. (Insinuating) that the Uptown area is not a safe place unless theres no Black people in it (is) the underlying theme of this whole particular thing, Fair said. Race isnt always prevalent, race doesnt always come to the top, but in this particular situation, (it is). Councils decision Davis said Wright deserved another chance to address Uptown residents concerns. (Wright) had one opportunity to speak to this at the PSL, and with that, there was discussion from neighbors and business owners, which, I will say, were deep into biases, Davis said. She added that many residents held biases against the building owner, which she said has nothing to do with Wright. District 14 Alder Marlo Harmon agreed. Her ability to be able to answer the questions and concerns of others should be given a chance and if those answers to some of the concerns arent answered thoroughly, then I would agree with what the committee has, Harmon said. I do believe that Alder Davis understands her district, understands whats best for the area, and I would support her in her decision. Kaprelian, a member of the PSL Committee, said her position on the application was unwavered because the committee must be consistent with its standards, including its rule to deny applicants who falsify information. I had made a decision to make a point for every application that does that, I am consistent, so I am not showing favoritism, Kaprelian said. She also did not agree with some of Davis reasoning. We all carry biases, but lets not discredit the voices that come to speak, just as I dont want to have anybody discredit the business owner that comes to speak or those who are in favor, Kaprelian said. Adreams liquor license application is scheduled to be on the agenda during PSL Committees meeting at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, in Room 207 of the Racine City Hall, 730 Washington Ave. Public comment is accepted immediately after the chair calls each agenda item. The meeting also will be available to stream live at www.youtube.com/@CORPSL. Li Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the central leading group on disciplinary inspection, speaks at a meeting on national disciplinary inspection work on April 8, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] China's top anti-graft official Li Xi on Tuesday called for efforts to provide strong support for Chinese modernization with high-quality disciplinary inspection work. He also stressed that the inspection in provincial-level localities should better serve and support the central task of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the central leading group on disciplinary inspection, made the remarks at a meeting on national disciplinary inspection work. The meeting also marked the initiation of the fifth round of disciplinary inspection missions of the 20th CPC Central Committee. The new round of inspection will focus on the country's provincial-level localities. Noting that relevant inspection should concentrate on the Party Central Committee's functional positioning and strategic deployment for each respective region, Li called for efforts to identify the localities' deviations in the political realm and make sure that prominent problems are properly addressed. Li also stressed that inspection work should strictly adhere to the requirements of advancing Chinese modernization, underlining a problem-oriented and rigorous approach in relevant work. He urged efforts to improve inspection methods and concrete measures to ensure relevant problems are solved. On the same day, a list of the targets of the new round of inspection was announced. It includes provincial-level regions such as Hebei, Shanxi and Inner Mongolia. Yunnan's provincial capital city, Kunming, will also be covered in the central authorities' inspection. The inspectors will also work with local disciplinary agencies to carry out inspections in cities such as Changchun and Hangzhou. () Free Wi-Fi has become available on express buses operating along major domestic routes in South Korea. The initiative, led by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, aims to improve passenger convenience, particularly for those traveling long distances. The ministry announced the service on March 31 after consulting with the transportation industry. The decision was influenced by the high smartphone ownership rate among South Koreans, reported at 95.3% in 2023, and a notable 54% smartphone usage rate on express buses. With free Wi-Fi already provided on KTX, SRT, subways, and city buses, many passengers had called for a similar service on express buses. The rollout includes all 240 routes serviced by eight major express bus companies: Kumho Express, Dongbu Express, Dongyang Express, Samhwa Express, Sokrisan Express, Jungang Express, Cheonil Express, and Hanil Express. A total of 1,724 general and premium buses will be equipped with the new system, which operates on KTs network and offers speeds of up to 400 Mbps. Passengers can access the service using designated Wi-Fi signals inside the buses without needing a password. The ministry plans to explore expanding the free Wi-Fi service to intercity buses in collaboration with local governments and related industry players. Currently, such access is only available on limited intercity routes. Flash Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi confirmed on Tuesday that he would engage in "indirect talks" with U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff in Oman on Saturday. In a post on social media platform X early Tuesday, Araghchi said Iran and the United States would meet in Oman on Saturday for "indirect high-level talks." He added, "It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America's court." His remarks came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump, during a meeting with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, claimed that direct talks with Iran were set to take place. "We're having direct talks with Iran," Trump said. "It's getting to be very dangerous territory, and hopefully, those talks will be successful." He also disclosed that a "very big meeting" involving "very high-level" officials would be taking place this Saturday. The discrepancy over whether the talks are direct or indirect has persisted since early March, when Trump stated he had sent a letter to Iranian leaders -- via the United Arab Emirates -- proposing direct negotiations on Iran's nuclear program. While Iran later confirmed receiving the letter, it rejected face-to-face talks, though it left the door open for indirect engagement. Trump, in an interview with NBC News in late March, threatened to launch "unprecedented military strikes" on Iran if it refused to negotiate over its nuclear program. Iran signed a nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, with six major countries -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States -- in July 2015, accepting restrictions on its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief. However, the United States withdrew from the deal in May 2018 and reinstated sanctions, prompting Iran to scale back some of its nuclear commitments. Efforts to revive the nuclear deal have not achieved substantial progress. Flash Chinese Premier Li Qiang said in a phone conversation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday that China is ready to work with the European side to promote the sound and steady development of China-EU relations. Li said that China-EU relations are showing a momentum of steady growth. This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and the EU, and the development of bilateral relations faces important opportunities, he said. Li noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping had a telephone conversation with European Council President Antonio Costa at the beginning of this year, which sets the tone and charts the course for deepening China-EU relations. China and the EU are each other's most important trading partners, he said, adding that their economies are highly complementary and interests are closely intertwined. Li pledged China's willingness to work with the EU to maintain sound and smooth high-level exchanges, enhance political mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, and resolve each other's concerns through dialogue and consultation. The two sides should promote the holding of new China-EU high-level dialogues in the strategic, economic and trade, green, and digital fields at an early date, he said. Li pointed out that the United States has recently announced indiscriminate tariffs on all its trading partners, including China and the EU, under various pretexts, which is a typical case of unilateralism, protectionism and economic bullying. The resolute measures taken by China are not only to safeguard its own sovereignty, security and development interests but also to defend international trade rules and international fairness and justice, Li said, noting that all human beings live in the same global village and no country can thrive in isolation. Protectionism leads nowhere, and only openness and cooperation represent the right path for mankind, Li added. China and the EU, as strong advocates of economic globalization and trade liberalization, as well as staunch defenders and supporters of the World Trade Organization (WTO), should enhance communication and coordination, expand mutual openness, jointly safeguard free and open trade and investment, and maintain the stable and smooth operation of global industrial and supply chains, so as to inject more stability and certainty into both sides and the world economy, Li said. China's macro policy this year has taken full account of various uncertainties and has sufficient reserve of policy tools to hedge against adverse external impacts, Li said, adding that China is fully confident in maintaining sustained and healthy economic development. China will continue to unswervingly expand opening-up, strengthen cooperation and share development opportunities with the EU countries and other countries in the world, he said. Noting that the EU always attaches great importance to its relations with China, von der Leyen said it is crucial for EU-China relations to maintain continuity and stability under current circumstances. The European side looks forward to holding a new EU-China leaders' meeting at an appropriate time to review the past, look into the future, and jointly celebrate the 50th anniversary of EU-China diplomatic relations, she said. The European side is willing to promote high-level dialogue with China in various fields and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in such fields as economy, trade, green economy and climate change, von der Leyen added. She noted that the tariffs imposed by the United States have severely impacted international trade, causing a serious impact on Europe, China and vulnerable countries. The EU and China are committed to upholding the fair and free multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core and safeguarding the sound and steady development of global economic and trade relations, which serves the common interests of both sides and the world at large, von der Leyen said. ELWOOD In a vote that marked the end of a 12-year community grocery venture, 44 shareholders unanimously approved the dissolution of the Elwood Hometown Cooperative Market on Monday, April 7. The cooperatives March 17 Facebook announcement of its closure, which offered customers discounts of up to 30% on remaining inventory that week, left many residents questioning the reasons behind the markets sudden shutdown. The cooperative later invited community members to its annual shareholder meeting to explain the decision. Before the official motion to dissolve the Elwood Hometown Cooperative Market, board member and Treasurer Nancy Schutz presented a financial report at Mondays stockholder meeting. Schutz unveiled a five-year comparative financial analysis that showed the cooperatives economic trajectory. She said the most striking revelation was the drop in merchandise sales, plummeting from $589,000 in 2021 to $382,000 in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. Weve had a steady decrease in the number of sales, Schutz said. Weve had an increase in the cost of goods sold, with fluctuations in expenses that have created a higher percentage of the cost of sales. The cooperative ultimately ended the year with an $88,000 loss, a figure Schutz said was attributed to multiple factors. To combat the declining revenue, the market implemented sales strategies, including one week of 10% off sales, one week of 20% off sales and one week of 30% off sales, which drew in customers who typically did not shop at the store. The cooperative has approximately $13,000 in remaining inventory, with the board actively exploring options for its disposition. Schutz also highlighted the cooperatives financial complexities, saying that in previous years, the market had been buoyed by grants, donations, fundraising revenue streams that significantly diminished in the final fiscal year. Schutz said the remaining assets including an equity allocation with its wholesale grocer may provide some financial relief. The allocation, similar to a patronage dividend, represents an equity account built up over time by Elwood shareholders. We will get all of that money back, Schutz said, noting that the funds would be paid out gradually over the next five years. Proceeds from the wholesale grocer stock account, along with potential asset sales, will be used to address the cooperatives outstanding liabilities. Schutz said paying off debts is the top priority before any distribution is made to shareholders. With cash reserves of $11,700, Schutz said $2,000 had already been allocated to paying liabilities, with additional expenses anticipated for legal and accounting services during the markets wind-down process. After Schutzs financial report was unanimously approved, Vice President Ed Houlden reported progress on the markets building. We are getting the new roof put on, Houlden told shareholders. Its going to help if we decide to go forward with the sale of the building. Houlden said to the Clipper-Herald that some of the damage to the roof was sustained after a hail storm hit the village of Elwood last summer. Houlden said the roofing project is nearly complete, with an additional insurance check expected to cover the remaining costs. Board member Jim Lauby said, We do have some local interest in the building and the equipment, adding that three separate parties have inquired about purchasing the property. Lauby outlined a backup plan should local negotiations fail. If that does not follow through, we do have a company out of Minnesota that will come in and do an online auction, he said. The proposed auction would sell all equipment, with the board retaining control of the buildings sale. While local interest seems promising from his perspective, Lauby was clear that none of the potential buyers intend to restart a grocery operation. Schutz said board members took careful legal steps to ensure proper dissolution of the organization, consulting with an attorney to navigate the complex process of closing a community-owned business. The board faced a critical legal requirement: obtaining shareholder approval before proceeding with asset sales and cooperative dissolution. The board is very concerned that we proceed correctly and that we follow through all the hoops, Schutz said. The cooperatives legal counsel confirmed that the board had the authority to shut down the store, but emphasized the necessity of shareholder consent for subsequent actions. The attorney provided a sample resolution, which the board carefully adapted to their specific circumstances. The resolution authorized the board to sell assets and undertake all necessary steps to dissolve the cooperative. Schutz stressed the importance of a representative shareholder turnout, saying that while a quorum could be met with as few as 20 people, a larger attendance would provide more meaningful approval. The resolution addressed several key legal and financial considerations, primarily focusing on the distribution of proceeds. Schutz emphasized the boards commitment to transparency and legal compliance by presenting copies of the resolution to shareholders at the meeting. The resolution effectively grants the board comprehensive authority to manage the cooperatives final affairs, ensuring a structured and legally sound approach to the markets closure. With no objections, all 44 shareholders at the meeting voted to approve the resolution, officially confirming the dissolution of the Elwood Hometown Cooperative Market. Board President Mary Nelson concluded the meeting with personal remarks as several stockholders and community members appeared visibly emotional, some fighting back tears. I want to thank all the past board members who are here today. We deeply appreciate the work theyve contributed over the years to help us grow, Nelson said. I also want to recognize our dedicated volunteers those who show up to stock shelves, lend a hand and support us in so many ways. Every bit of that help has meant a great deal. You are here: World Flash Aerial photo taken on April 8, 2025 shows the site of a nightclub roof collapse in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic. [Photo/Xinhua] The death toll from the nightclub roof collapse on Tuesday in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, has climbed to 66, with 155 others injured, authorities confirmed. Rescue operations are ongoing, said Juan Manuel Mendez, director of the Emergency Operations Center, describing the tragedy as one that has plunged not only the affected families but also the entire nation into mourning. Dominican President Luis Abinader has declared three days of national mourning starting April 8 to honor the victims. The collapse occurred during a party at the Jet Set nightclub in the capital in the early hours Tuesday. Jet Set is a well-known nightclub in Santo Domingo and often hosts live performances during the week. Investigation is under way to determine the cause of the collapse. You are here: World Flash Russian and U.S. officials will hold a new round of talks in Istanbul in the coming days, local media reported Tuesday, citing the Russian Foreign Ministry. Russia's new Ambassador to the United States Alexander Darchiev will lead the Russian delegation, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Sonata Coulter will head the U.S. side, the ministry said. Substantive work would continue to "remove numerous technical obstacles that hinder the work of diplomats" from both countries, the ministry added. Russian and U.S. officials previously met in Istanbul on Feb. 27, where the sides covered bilateral issues. 23:57 Medical student dies at pvt hospital after allegedly denying admission in own institute A student of a government medical college in Patna who was allegedly denied admission in his own health institute after a road accident died at a private hospital on Thursday, police said. Abhinav Pandey, a second-year student of government-run Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Science... Read more > 23:28 Odisha: Body goes missing from burial ground, police launch probe File image The body of a woman allegedly went missing from a graveyard in Odisha's Bhadrak district, prompting the police to launch an investigation. The incident happened in Maninathpur village in the Bhandaripokhari police station area. Three bodies went missing from the same graveyard last year... Read more > 23:24 Tahawwur Hussain Rana produced in Delhi court Tahawwur Hussain Rana, the 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused, was brought to Delhi court on Thursday night. Rana was produced before Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) judge Chander Jit Singh, who is currently hearing arguments on Rana's custody proceedings. Senior advocate Dayan... Read more > 22:57 Mangeshkars are gang of looters: Cong's Wadettiwar Former Maha minister Vijay Wadettiwar/ANI on X Maharashtra Congress leader and former minister Vijay Wadettiwar on Thursday described the Mangeshkar family as a gang of looters that has never done any good for society. His critical comments came in the backdrop of a controversy over the death of a pregnant woman after she was allegedly... Read more > 22:29 Rana extradition: CGO complex outside NIA office abuzz with activity Cops at NIA headquarters/ANI Photo The CGO complex area, which houses several government offices, outside the NIA headquarters was abuzz with activity on Thursday evening as mediapersons made a beeline to report on the extradition of key Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana from the US amid tight security. The... Read more > 22:03 US suspends additional 26% tariff on India till July 9 Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump/File image The US has announced the suspension of additional tariffs on India for 90 days until July 9 this year, according to the White House executive orders. On April 2, US President Donald Trump slapped universal duties on about 60 countries exporting goods to America and additional steep levies on... Read more > 21:58 Pawan Kalyan's son Mark Shankar back home after burns Actor Chiranjeevi on Thursday said that his brother and Andhra Pradesh deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan's son, Mark Shankar, who recently sustained burn injuries in a fire accident in Singapore, has returned home. Chiranjeevi also shared a photograph of his brother on social... Read more > 21:19 Illegal arms factory busted in UP; 1 held with cache of country-made arms File image Acting on a tip-off from the Military Intelligence, Bareilly unit, a joint team of police, the STF-SOG and surveillance units have raided an illegal arms manufacturing unit in a forested area in Bareilly's Nawabganj region and arrested a man with a cache of country-made weapons and tools used in... Read more > 20:59 Chhattisgarh: Three Maoists held in Sukma, four IEDs seized in Bijapur Three Maoists allegedly involved in the murder of two civilians last year were arrested in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, the police said on Thursday. Security forces also recovered four improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in neighbouring Bijapur district, they said. Madkam Bheema (32),... Read more > 20:52 NIA formally arrests Tahawwur Rana in 26/11 case 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks accused Tahawwur Rana in NIA custody/Courtesy NIA on X The National Investigation Agency on Thursday evening formally arrested Tahawwur Hussain Rana, the key conspirator in the deadly 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, immediately after his arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, following his successful extradition from the United... Read more > 20:48 NIA releases first photo of Rana after landing in Delhi Tahawwur Rana in NIA custody/ Image courtesy NIA on X The National Investigation Agency has released the first photo of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks kingpin Tahawwur Rana after his landing in Delhi. Rana was brought to Delhi on Thursday evening in a special flight after he was extradited from the US. Read more > 20:33 Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule attend engagement of Ajit Pawar's son NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule/File image NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday attended the engagement ceremony of Jay Pawar, younger son of Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Pawar senior and his nephew Ajit are on the opposite sides of political divide in Maharashtra since the latter rebelled against his uncle in 2023... Read more > 20:23 Spl NIA judge reaches court to hear case against Rana Special NIA judge Chander Jit Singh has reached the Patiala House courts to hear case against Tahawwur Hussain Rana in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case. Rana was brought to India on Thursday evening in a special flight after his extradition from the US.More details soon. Read more > 20:09 Rana case: Media removed from court premises Ahead of the production of 26/11 Mumbai attacks alleged mastermind Tahawwur Hussain Rana before Patiala House courts in the national capital, the Delhi police removed mediapersons and members of the public from the court premises, citing security concerns. While asking the mediapersons to... Read more > 19:53 Delhi police arrest 4 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants Four illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, including three who worked as property dealers, have been apprehended from Delhi's Bawana and Mahipalpur, the police on Thursday said.The accused, identified as Mustaq (72) and his sons Shahid Khan (28) and Mintu (32), were residing in Bawana's JJ Colony, they... Read more > 19:29 26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana lands in India Tahawwur Hussain Rana The 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, on Thursday arrived in India following his extradition by the United States. Senior advocate Dayan Krishnan and special public prosecutor for NIA, advocate Narender Mann were seen arriving at Patiala House Court in the national... Read more > 19:11 Security tightened at Patiala House Court ahead Rana's likely appearance File image Security has been stepped up outside Delhi's Patiala House Court where Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana is likely to be produced on Thursday following his extradition from the US, an official said. Deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) Devesh Mahla along with the local police... Read more > 18:59 Tahawwur Rana successfully extradited: NIA Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana The National Investigation Agency on Thursday said it has successfully secured the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a key accused in the the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. In a statement, the NIA said the extradition happened after years of sustained and concerted efforts to bring the key... Read more > 18:49 Sub-inspector shot dead during clash between two groups in Punjab File image A police sub-inspector was shot dead after a police team came under attack during a violent clash between two groups in Kot Mohammad Khan village in Tarn Taran, the police said on Thursday. The incident occurred on Wednesday evening when the police team went to the village on receiving... Read more > 18:36 Delhi JLN Metro Station's gate closed due to Tahawwur Rana's arrival File image Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru Metro Station's gate number 2 has been closed and public movement around the area has been restricted as key accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks Tahawwur Hussain Rana will be taken to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) office on Thursday. Rana is being... Read more > 18:26 BJP to launch national awareness drive on Waqf law The BJP will launch a fortnight-long public awareness campaign, aimed especially at Muslims, from April 20 to publicise the benefits of the Waqf (Amendment) Act and counter the opposition's criticism of it, with party president JP Nadda and Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju addressing its... Read more > 18:22 Ruturaj out, Dhoni back as CSK captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni Chennai Super Kings were dealt a severe blow as regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the IPL due to an elbow fracture with Mahendra Singh Dhoni to once again take charge of the team. CSK head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed the development. Ruturaj Gaikwad ruled out of IPL... Read more > 18:21 5 bunkers used by Maoists demolished in Jharkhand Security personnel during an anti-Maoist operation/File image Five bunkers used by Naxalites were demolished by security forces in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district on Thursday, the police said.These bunkers were found in a forest near Kulpaburu village in Jaraikela police station area, they said.On Wednesday, two powerful IEDs of 5 kg each were found in... Read more > 18:01 Soldier on leave to testify in murder case shot dead in UP An army soldier on leave to testify in a murder case was allegedly shot dead in the Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, the police said on Thursday.The deceased has been identified as 27-year-old Vikrant Gurjar. A resident of Mudikhedi village in Saharanpur, he was posted in Jammu and... Read more > 17:40 Tabu to co-star Vijay Sethupathi in Puri Jagannadh's next film Bollywood star Tabu is set to feature alongside Vijay Sethupathi in the upcoming film from Puri Jagannadh. The filmmaker is also producing the film through his banner Puri Connects alongside his frequent collaborator Charmme Kaur. Production banner shared the news with a post on its... Read more > 17:12 Markets may rise and rise tomorrow after tariff pause Domestic benchmark equity indices may see a positive trading sentiment on Friday thanks to a spectacular rally in world markets after the US President Donald Trump announced to put tariff hikes on hold for 90 days, excluding China from the reprieve. Indian stock markets were closed on... Read more > 17:09 Stopped from urinating from window, youth attacks mother with brick A 19-year-old youth has been detained for allegedly attacking his mother with a brick after she stopped him from urinating from the window of their house in Himachal's Hamirpur district, police said. According to police, the incident occurred in Karohta village and invited strong criticism... Read more > 16:48 Cong was soft on terror for vote bank: BJP on Rana Mumbai attack accused Tahawwur Rana's extradition reflects new India's zero-tolerance resolve towards terrorism under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP said on Thursday while accusing the Congress of being soft on terror for vote-bank politics. Rana, a key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai... Read more > 16:23 EU to pause tariff retaliation for 90 days to match Trump European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen European Commission president says EU will put tariff retaliation on hold for 90 days to match Trump's pause. Earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has welcomed US President Donald Trump's announcement to pause reciprocal tariffs for dozens of countries, calling it a... Read more > 16:13 Raj Thackeray: Banks must use Marathi or else... Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray has asked the apex banks body to instruct banks to use Marathi in its services as mandated by the norms of the RBI or else his party will intensify its agitation.In a letter to the Indian Banks Association, submitted by MNS leaders on... Read more > 16:03 Sandeep Unnikrishnan not a victim of 26/11: Father NSG commando Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan K Unnikrishnan, the father of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, the National Security Guard commando killed while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai, said the extradition of 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Rana is India's diplomatic success. There was talk of... Read more > 15:35 Rana is Canadian: Pakistan distances itself Pakistan has distanced itself from the 2008 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana and said that it is very clear that he is of Canadian nationality. Rana is being extradited to India, and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will take custody of him upon arrival. Tahawwur Rana, a... Read more > 15:33 Moody's cuts India's 2025 GDP growth forecast to 6.1% Moody's Analytics on Thursday cut India's GDP growth forecast to 6.1 per cent for 2025 on looming higher US reciprocal tariff threats. It said the US is one of India's largest trading partners, so a 26 per cent tariff hovering over imports of Indian goods will heavily impede the trade... Read more > 15:20 PM a saint, but I want to become like Amit Shah: Delhi CM While she considers Prime Minister Narendra Modi a saintly person, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta says she wants to be more like Union Home Minister Amit Shah, whom she described as a daring personality and her second role model. In an exclusive interview with PTI on Wednesday evening,... Read more > 14:55 Get Hafiz Saeed, Dawood too: Girl who identified Kasab Devika Natwarlal Rotawan Reactions from survivors and those involved in battling the terrorists on 26/11 on the extradition of terror accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana to India for trial.Sunita, a 26/11 Mumbai terror attack victim, says, In the terror attack, my husband was killed. We were at the railway station platform at... Read more > 14:26 Sugarless Orange Mousse: 10-Min Recipe Not all cakes, mousses, puddings need eggs, or even sugar, and can be effortessly whipped up at home. Bunty Mahajan, the expert dessert specialist behind the Mumbai brand Deliciae, creates a sugarless, eggless delight, low in fat, with fresh oranges. Here's how you make it Read more > 14:17 Rana should be hanged: Brother of 26/11 hero Omble Sub-inspector Tukaram Omble Calling the extradition of 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Rana a big day, Eknath Omble, the brother of Ashok Chakra awardee and 26/11 hero Tukaram Omble, on Thursday urged the central government to hang Tahawwur Rana. Ashok Chakra Awardee Tukaram Omble, a sub-inspector in Mumbai... Read more > 14:04 Boy drowns in open pit dug for bullet train project Representational image. ANI Photo The police have registered an FIR against a contractor after a 12-year-old boy drowned in an open pit dug for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project in Bhiwandi town of Thane district, an official said on Thursday. The tragic incident took place at Kopar village on Monday evening when the... Read more > 13:32 Tariff retreat: Fear of bond market catastrophe pushed Trump to press pause President Donald Trump's abrupt decision to reverse course on his sweeping tariff plan by announcing a three-month pause revealed his threshold for political pain: One week.They were getting yippy, Trump said, explaining the rising criticism raining down on the White House over the last... Read more > 13:20 Extraditing Dawood would be bigger achievement: Cong 174 people died in the 26/11 terror attacks Maharashtra Congress MLA, Vijay Wadettiwar, on Thursday called for the death sentence to Tahawwur Rana, one of the key accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. But he urged the BJP not to politicise the issue.Rana should be quickly brought to India and hanged. A person who attacked Mumbai and... Read more > 12:59 Morning office for Odisha's Sambalpur amid 40C heat In view of the hot weather conditions, Odisha government offices in Sambalpur district began to function in the morning hours from Thursday. According to an order issued by the Sambalpur district collector, all the state government offices, and revenue and executive magistrate courts will... Read more > 12:57 SC to hear pleas challenging validity of Waqf Amendment Act A three-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna will hear on April 16 the petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.According to the apex court website, Justices Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan are also part of the bench for... Read more > 12:47 Sharing Mao video, China says: We don't back down Amid the ongoing tariff war between China and the US, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China is not afraid of provocations, and it won't back down. Mao Ning shared a video of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong from 1953 during its war with the US. While sharing the video... Read more > 12:27 Why China is not blinking on Trump's 104% tariff What was supposed to be a historic, era-defining trade war launched by US President Donald Trump against a range of countries has, for now, narrowed in on a singular target: China.Trump announced a three-month pause Wednesday on all the reciprocal' tariffs that had gone into effect... Read more > 12:14 Water tanker strike in Mumbai The Mumbai Water Tanker Association (MWTA) on Thursday suspended supply in the city indefinitely to protest the civic body's notices to the owners of private wells which supply water to the tankers, an official said.The association has around 1,800 registered tankers having a capacity of... Read more > 11:50 Why double jeopardy didn't help Tahawwur stay in US Sources have told ANI that there are two factors which have played a role in India securing Rana's extradition. The first was legal arguments that countered the double jeopardy offense. India, represented by a robust team of legal experts, successfully argued before U.S. authorities that the... Read more > 11:36 Tahawwur should be hanged in public in Mumbai: Sena UBT 174 people died in the 26/11 terror attacks Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has demanded the harshest punishment for 2the 6/11 Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Rana, calling for his execution in a public square in Mumbai as a deterrent to those with malicious intentions towards India. After a long wait of 16 years, he is being... Read more > 11:33 'Tax-Loss Harvesting' Leads To...' Individual investors withdrew more than 15,000 crore from domestic equities in March -- their biggest monthly outflow since 2016, when data first became available. March, the final month of the financial year, is typically a weak period for retail inflows. However, a market decline to nine-month... Read more > 10:58 Tahawwur to appear at Delhi court, security tightened Security has been stepped up outside Delhi's Patiala House Court where Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana is likely to be produced on Thursday following his extradition from the US, an official said. Personnel from paramilitary forces and the Delhi Police have been deployed outside... Read more > 10:45 Are the Obamas divorcing? Former first lady Michelle Obama discussed stepping back and making time for herself on a podcast released Tuesday, addressing her recent absences from political events and rumors of marital troubles, reports CNN.Speaking of her life eight years out of the White House with two... Read more > 10:31 Gig Workers Undergo Stress During Instant Deliveries The demand for convenience is driving companies to ensure seamless doorstep delivery of everything from groceries to electronics. However, the gig workers who form the backbone of the growing quick commerce (qcom) industry are caught between speed and safety.According to a recent survey conducted... Read more > 10:12 'India in 'front' on trade negotiations with US' US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent on Wednesday (local time) addressed the immediate increase in tariffs of 125 per cent on China, stating that the issue is not just about the country but also about bad actors in global trade during a press briefing at the White House. He emphasised... Read more > 09:55 Mother elopes with daughter's fiance Representational image In a stunning turn of events, Anita Devi, a mother from Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, has left her home with jewelry and cash to elope with Rahul, the man scheduled to marry her daughter, as per the Aligarh Police. The incident occurred just days before the wedding, which was set to take place on... Read more > 09:51 'It took 17 years to extradite Tahawwur Rana to India' While welcoming the US decision, former diplomat KP Fabian noted that it took 17 years for the extradition of the Tahawwur Rana, the 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused, despite the Indian government providing credible evidence. He also criticised the American legal process. Rana has been... Read more > 09:45 Include PSU Stocks In Portfolios; DIPAM Urges MFs The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) plans to nudge mutual fund houses to consider including public sector undertaking (PSU) stocks in their core investment portfolios, highlighting the strong value and dividend returns delivered by State-run firms in 2024-2025.While... Read more > 09:42 Sebi Sets Up Panel To Review Conflict Of Interest The Securities and Exchange Board of India on Wednesday announced the formation of a high-level committee chaired by Pratyush Sinha, a retired IAS officer and former chief vigilance commissioner.The committee will conduct a thorough review of Sebi's provisions governing conflict of interest,... Read more > 09:32 Somebody had to do it: Trump on 125% tariff for China US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (local time) defended his decision to raise tariffs on China to 125 per cent, stating, somebody had to do it. The President, during his meeting with Roger Penske's NASCAR, INDY, and IMSA Champions at the White House, emphasised that no other US leader... Read more > 08:56 IndiGo briefly becomes world's most valuable airline... Deepak Patel, Business StandardIndiGo, Indias largest airline, flirted with global supremacy on Wednesday as it briefly overtook US-based Delta Air Lines to become the worlds most valuable airline by market capitalisation, according to Bloomberg data. Riding high on a rally, IndiGos share... Read more > 08:40 Rana not in custody, says US Bureau of Prisons Photo: Marco Bello/Reuters Mumbai terror attack case accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who is being extradited from the United States, is not in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), the agency said.According to information on the website of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Rana is 'Not in BOP Custody' as of April 8,... Read more > 01:04 Tahawwur Rana may be lodged in Tihar after extradition Mumbai terror attack case accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who is being extradited from the US, is likely to be lodged in a high-security ward in Tihar jail in Delhi when he reaches India, prison sources said on Wednesday. Necessary preparations have been made for lodging him in jail and the... Read more > There have been scenes of jubilation in Baghdad as US tanks rolled into the very heart of the Iraqi capital, confirming that the government of Saddam Hussein has been ousted from power. In the main square in Baghdad, a group of Iraqi men attempted to pull down a massive statue of Saddam Hussein in an unprecedented show of contempt for the Iraqi leader. The metal plaque at the base of the statue was torn off and the statues marble plinth attacked with a sledgehammer. The men scaled the statue to secure a noose around its neck but were unable to pull it down. Then US troops joined in, and used an armoured vehicle to gradually pull down the statue. The extraordinary scenes were watched by millions across the world live on television. The square is opposite the Palestine Hotel, used as a base by the worlds media during the war in Iraq. A little before the statue came down, a US soldier climbed up and draped the face with a US flag. The crowd did not welcome the move, seeing it as a step too far towards American triumphalism, and the flag was quickly removed. A few minutes later, it was replaced by the old Iraqi flag, to roars of approval. As the statue fell to the ground at last, the crowd surged forward and jumped on it. Chanting and jeering, they danced on the fallen effigy, kicking it and hitting it with their shoes in a symbolic gesture of contempt as it was torn to pieces. They then severed the head, tied chains around it, and dragged it through the streets. As news of the events in the square spread, more and more Iraqis gathered to watch, with women and children joining the crowds of men. There were similar scenes across the capital, as the many hundreds of statues and pictures of Saddam Hussein that came to symbolise his regime were attacked and torn down. The military campaign will continue, although the US Army has delivered its most upbeat assessment yet of the gains it is making in Iraq. Courtesy BBC News In context The toppling of Saddam Husseins statue became one of the enduring images of the war in Iraq. Although there has since been some speculation that it was staged by US forces. One BBC correspondent, who was in Paradise Square and watched the statue being pulled down, said his impression was of a newly free people expressing their overwhelming joy. US troops continued to advance north for another week, taking key towns such as Saddam Husseins home town of Tikrit, before President Bush declared victory on 1 May. The honeymoon period for US troops was short. Saddam Hussein himself was captured in December 2003.He was tried by and Iraqi court, sentenced to death and was hanged on 30 December 2006. The Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Commission (CAEAL) held a briefing session to introduce the Legislative Assemblys electoral system to the education sector. During the session, it emphasized that elections provide a valuable opportunity for civic education, allowing schools to teach students about the electoral process and the principles of legality, fairness, and integrity. CAEAL stressed that public schools must remain neutral during elections and avoid using their facilities for campaigning. While the election law does not impose specific regulations on private schools, they may make arrangements within legal frameworks. Concurrently, the Education and Youth Development Bureau announced plans to organize mock voting for students and develop educational materials to enhance their understanding of election laws and their rights and responsibilities as voters Related Jesse Schiller and Rachel Evans are likely the only business owners on Australias Norfolk Island to be directly affected by the Trump administrations tariffs, as the South Pacific outpost they call home exports nothing to the United States. The Canadian couple, both aged 41, own a business that makes plastic-free hair accessories under the brand Kooshoo. Vancouver-born Schiller said he and his Norfolk Island-born wife are likely the only business owners on the island that will pay elevated tariffs and they will pay at the rates imposed on Japan and India, where the goods are manufactured. Around 80% of Kooshoos business is with the United States. Kooshoo means feeling good in the English-Tahitian creole known as Norfk or Norfuk thats spoken among this remote population of 2,000 people 1,600 kilometers northeast of Sydney. Were probably the most affected business on Norfolk Island, Schiller said. Norfolk Island was a shock inclusion in the Trump administrations list of global tariffs announced last week that was intended to redress U.S. trade deficits with the world. While Australia and its external territories were assigned the global minimum 10% tariff, including the uninhabited Heard and McDonald Islands in the Antarctic region, Norfolk Island was singled out for a 29% tariff. I think Norfolk became a parable of sorts for the lack of nuance with which these tariffs went out in the world, Schiller said. Schiller and Evans, a Canadian-Australian dual national, have the consolation of being dealt slightly lower tariffs: Japan has been assigned a 24% tariff and India 26%. Why Norfolk Island came in for such severe and apparently futile tariff treatment has been a popular topic of conversation among locals. Its been a question of great intrigue locally, Schiller said. An early theory and it seems to be proving right is that there are other notable Norfolks in the world. Norfolk, of course, in the U.K., Norfolk in Virginia in the U.S., and it seems as though some improperly labeled customs paperwork may have contributed to the error, Schiller said. That couldve been very easily fact-checked, he added. His wife, Evans, has an impressive Norfolk Islander lineage. She is a 9th generation descendant of a crewman of the British naval ship HMS Bounty who mutinied in 1789, although her mother is Canadian. The mutineers, whose exploits have been dramatized in Hollywood movies, established a settlement on Pitcairn Islands and their descendants later settled the former British penal colony of Norfolk Island. She said the sustainable lifestyle she had learned from growing up on such an isolated island around 8 kilometers long and 5 kilometers wide had been part of the brand since they started their business in Vancouver 15 years ago. She was confident their business would survive the latest trade barriers. Definitely for the short-term well figure out a way to bridge this, Evans said. MDT/AP China said yesterday it would fight to the end and take countermeasures against the United States to safeguard its own interests after President Donald Trump threatened an additional 50% tariff on Chinese imports. The Commerce Ministry said the U.S.s imposition of so-called reciprocal tariffs on China is completely groundless and is a typical unilateral bullying practice. China, the worlds second-largest economy, has announced retaliatory tariffs and the ministry hinted in its latest statement that more may be coming. The countermeasures China has taken are aimed at safeguarding its sovereignty, security and development interests, and maintaining the normal international trade order. They are completely legitimate, the ministry said. The U.S. threat to escalate tariffs on China is a mistake on top of a mistake and once again exposes the blackmailing nature of the U.S. China will never accept this. If the U.S. insists on its own way, China will fight to the end, it added. Analysts worry about a global trade war Trumps threat Monday of additional tariffs on China raised fresh concerns that his drive to rebalance the global economy could intensify a financially destructive trade war. Stock markets from Tokyo to New York have become more unstable as the tariff war worsens. Trumps threat came after China said it would retaliate against U.S. tariffs he announced last week. If China does not withdraw its 34% increase above their already long term trading abuses by tomorrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will impose ADDITIONAL Tariffs on China of 50%, effective April 9th, Trump wrote on Truth Social. Additionally, all talks with China concerning their requested meetings with us will be terminated! If Trump implements his new tariffs on Chinese products, U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods would reach a combined 104%. The new taxes would be on top of the 20% tariffs announced as punishment for fentanyl trafficking and his separate 34% tariffs announced last week. Not only could that increase prices for American consumers, it could also give China an incentive to flood other countries with cheaper goods and seek deeper relationships with other trading partners, particularly the European Union. Chinese people worry, but keep faith On the streets of Beijing, people said they found it hard to keep track of all the announcements, but expressed belief in their countrys ability to weather the storm. Trump says one thing today and another tomorrow. Anyway, he just wants benefits, so he can say whatever he wants, said Wu Qi, 37, who works in construction. Others were less sanguine. Paul Wang, 30, who sells stainless accessories, including necklaces, bracelets, and tongue studs to Europe, said the European market was now more important after the extra U.S. 50% tariffs and he would be watching to see which other firms in his field would be competing in that space. Jessi Huang and Yang Aijia, whose companies import chemicals from the U.S., said the tariffs, including potential Chinese retribution, could force them to close up shop. It would be very hard and very likely to have a layoff, maybe even closing, Huang said, I might not be able to find another job if I get laid off. China isnt out of options to retaliate China still has a range of options to strike back at the Washington, experts said, including suspending cooperation on combating fentanyl, placing higher quotas on agricultural products and going after the U.S. trade in services in China such as finance and law firms. U.S. total goods trade with China was an estimated $582 billion in 2024, making it the top trader in goods with the U.S. The 2024 deficit with China in goods and services trade was between $263 billion and $295 billion. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian appeared to give short shrift to talk of dialogue with the Trump administration. I dont think what the U.S. has done reflects a willingness for sincere dialogue. If the U.S. really wants to engage in dialogue, it should adopt an attitude of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit, Lin said. Hong Kong vows more open trade In Hong Kong, where stocks were slightly higher yesterday, Chief Executive John Lee blasted the latest U.S. tariffs as bullying, saying the ruthless behavior has damaged global and multilateral trade and brought great risks and uncertainties to the world. Lee said the city would link its economy closer to Chinas development, sign more free trade agreements, attract more foreign companies and capital to Hong Kong, and support local enterprises in coping with the impact of the tariffs. MDT/AP U.S. President Donald Trump and China sparred over tariff hikes and other retaliatory moves yesterday, as governments elsewhere were brainstorming strategies to cope with the trade war between the global economic giants. China said it will fight to the end and take countermeasures against the United States to safeguard its own interests after President Donald Trump threatened an additional 50% tariff on Chinese imports in retaliation for Beijings backlash against the 34% tariffs he ordered on his April 2 Liberation Day. Meanwhile, Chinese state-run companies were told to help support the countrys financial markets after they were hit by massive saves of selling on Monday. While world markets calmed somewhat after frenzied selling over two trading sessions that wiped out trillions of dollars worth of wealth, leaders in Asia shifted into damage control mode. Help for Japans automakers and steel mills Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba spoke with Trump late Monday and then convened a task force yesterday to mitigate damage from the 24% U.S. tariffs imposed on Washingtons biggest ally in Asia. Economic Revitalization Minister Ryosei Akazawa was appointed lead trade negotiator and senior officials were dispatched to Washington to follow up on the Ishibas talk with Trump. Ishiba told his ministers to do their utmost to get Trump to reconsider and also to mitigate the impact from the U.S. reciprocal tariffs, which he said would be a blow to all industries, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters. India wants a deal Indias Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar spoke with his U.S. counterpart Marco Rubio yesterday [Macau time], pitching for an early conclusion of negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement. India, which faces a 26% tariff on its exports to the U.S., is hoping for concessions as part of the trade deal. A first tranche of the agreement is expected by this fall. Washington wants India to allow more open market access for U.S. dairy and other farm products, but New Delhi has balked at that since farming employs the bulk of Indias workforce. Indias Trade Minister Piyush Goyal planned to meet with exporters today to gauge the potential impact and cushion the economy from the tariffs. A State Department statement said Rubio and Jaishankar discussed ways to deepen collaboration, the tariffs and how to make progress toward a fair and balanced trade relationship. Malaysia promises soft diplomacy response Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said his government and other Southeast Asian countries would send officials to Washington to discuss the tariffs and it was working to build a consensus on a unified response among the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as they convened an investment conference in Kuala Lumpur. We do not believe in megaphone diplomacy, Anwar said, As part of our soft diplomacy of quiet engagement, we will be dispatching together with our colleagues in ASEAN our officials in Washington to begin the process of dialogue. Still, he chided the U.S., saying Malaysias trade with the U.S. had long been a model of mutual gain, with its exports supporting Malaysias growth as well as high-quality jobs for Americans. The 24% tariff recently imposed on Malaysian imports was harming all and might have negative impact on both economies, he said. Anwar said Malaysia would stick to a policy of diversifying its trade at a time of uncertainty over globalization and changing supply chains. European union mulls taxes on US tech European Union trade ministers were closeted Monday in Luxembourg to weigh possible steps that could include taxes on U.S. tech companies like Google, Apple and Amazon. The European Unions executive commission which handles trade issues for the 27-country bloc is set to impose tariffs on Jeans, whiskey and motorcycles on Wednesday in response to Trumps increase in steel and aluminum tariffs. But it hasnt decided a response yet to Trumps reciprocal tariff of 20% on European goods announced last week and a 25% tariff imposed on autos from everywhere. French officials have raised imposing tariffs on services like internet commerce or financial services, where the U.S. sells more than it buys from Europe and is in theory more vulnerable than in goods trade. Germanys economy minister, Robert Habeck, was defiant as he arrived, saying the premise of the wide-ranging tariffs was nonsense and that attempts by individual countries to win exemptions havent worked in the past. Its important for the EU to stick together, he said. That means being clear that we are in a strong position America is in a position of weakness. So far the European approach has been to selectively target politically sensitive goods rather than impose sweeping retaliation since like most economists officials they view tariff wars as a lose-lose game. MDT/AP The NATO chief yesterday raised concern about Chinas arms buildup and military drills near Taiwan and called on the organizations members and friendly nations to work together to keep free and open sea lanes in the region. China is supporting Russias efforts. China is building up its armed forces, including its navy, at a rapid pace, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters as he wrapped up his visit to the Japanese navy port of Yokosuka. We cannot be naive, and we really have to work together, assess what is happening. Rutte said NATO is worried about Chinas military exercises near Taiwan and we follow them very closely. Japan considers China as a threat in the region and has in recent years accelerated military buildup, including preparing to acquire strikeback capability with long-range cruise missiles. Japan, in addition to the United States, has expanded its defense ties with other friendly nations in the Indo-Pacific and Europe, as well as NATO, saying Russias war on Ukraine underscores that security risks in Europe and Asia are inseparable. The United States wants NATO members to be more involved in the Indo-Pacific region, Rutte said. He welcomed U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseths recent trip to Japan to ensure Washingtons commitment to strengthen its alliance with Japan and presence in the region. He stressed its importance, noting that Japan is the only member of the Group of Seven that is not in NATO. NATO has also stepped up its ties with Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, known as the IP4, in recent years, with their officials attending NATO ministerial and summit meetings. Rutte, visiting Japan for the first time since becoming head of the Belgium-based military alliance in October, will hold talks with Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba today. Ishiba has advocated a NATO-like security framework in Asia, though he has not given details. Countries with shared security concerns are strengthening ties as competition escalates between the United States and China. Beijing has criticized NATOs growing ties with the Indo-Pacific partners, worried that Washington may move to form a NATO-like alliance in the region. MDT/AP *Tit-for-tat China says it will fight to the end after Trump administration threatens even more tariffs * Black Monday | Asian markets, casino chips rebound modestly after sharp tumble * Gaming | Thailand delays casino bill debate, leaving Macau parties on standby * The Macau Consumer Confidence Index survey for Q1 indicates that confidence in the local economy continues to decline * Fire bureau records drop in service calls, 42 suicides logged in Q1 * Wall Street could be headed for a bear market: Sell, hold or buy? DOWNLOAD PDF Wednesday, April 9, 2025 edition no. 4697 Flash UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York, April 8, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday urged immediate and unimpeded aid access to the Gaza Strip, as Israel's month-long blockade worsened the humanitarian crisis and deepened the suffering of civilians in the enclave. "More than an entire month has passed without a drop of aid into Gaza. No food. No fuel. No medicine. No commercial supplies," Guterres said at a press conference. "As aid has dried up, the floodgates of horror have re-opened." "No humanitarian supplies can enter Gaza. Meanwhile, at the crossing points, food, medicine and shelter supplies are piling up, and vital equipment is stuck," he told reporters. All crossings remain closed for aid and commercial goods into Gaza under Israel's order since March 2, marking the longest such lockdown since October 2023, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Citing a joint statement issued on Monday by the heads of UN humanitarian agencies, the UN chief refuted assertions "that there is now enough food to feed all Palestinians in Gaza," saying those are "far from the reality on the ground, and commodities are running extremely low." "Gaza is a killing field, and civilians are in an endless death loop," Guterres said. The UN chief stressed that Israel, as the occupying power, has unequivocal obligations under international law to ensure food and medical supplies of the population and maintain public health services in the occupied territory. However, "none of that is happening," he said. Guterres urged unimpeded humanitarian access and protection of humanitarian personnel under international law, as well as an independent investigation into the killing of humanitarians, including UN personnel. He reiterated his calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and a permanent ceasefire. "The current path is a dead end, totally intolerable in the eyes of international law and history," Guterres emphasized. "It is time to end the dehumanization, protect civilians, release the hostages, ensure lifesaving aid, and renew the ceasefire." Sabah announces free personal insurance for all residents starting next month KOTA KINABALU, April 9 The Sabah state government has approved a new group insurance scheme that will provide free personal accident coverage to 3.5 million state residents, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun announced today. The scheme, which will be implemented through Progressive Insurance Bhd, a state-owned company, is fully funded by the state government. "This initiative underscores our commitment to safeguarding the well-being of Sabahans, particularly those in the B40 income group, and easing their financial burden in times of need," Masidi said. It will automatically enrol all eligible residents, aged between one month and 80 years, for free personal accident coverage valued up to RM10,000. Additionally, a funeral benefit of RM500 will be provided. ADVERTISEMENT The insurance coverage will be offered for three years, from May 1 this year, until April 30, 2028. Masidi said claims will be processed quickly, with payouts expected within 14 to 30 days upon submission of complete documentation. Progressive Insurance will release detailed information on eligibility requirements, claim procedures, and necessary documentation, the minister said. On 28 March, a devastating and massively destructive earthquake of magnitude 7.7 struck Myanmar with its epicenter just 10 kilometres below the surface, near Mandalay, the countrys second largest city. [Originally published in Burmese by The Struggle magazine] The death toll from the earthquake has soared to more than five thousand. Several hundred people are still missing. We cannot know the exact figure as the official numbers released by the ruling military junta will be much lower than the real figure. Mandalay and the nearby town of Sagaing which sit along the Sagaing Fault a major meeting point of the Indian and the Sunda tectonic plates are now in ruins, littered with collapsed buildings, historic sites and temples. Fires also broke out in Mandalay immediately after the quake. The power of this earthquake was demonstrated by the collapse of an unfinished high-rise building in Bangkok, which sat more than 1000 kilometres from the epicenter. The shallowness of the 1200 kilometre Sagaing fault, which cuts straight through Myanmar from North to South, explains the immense destruction of the Mandalay earthquake across the country. However, the power of the earthquake alone is not enough to explain the high death toll and widespread destruction of infrastructure. As Lenin was fond of saying life teaches: the people of Myanmar have learned numerous times through bitter experience that the death tolls of natural disasters in the country are intensified by the ruling military regime. This was the case during Cyclone Nargis in 2008, which unnecessarily claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands. It was also the case during the COVID-19 pandemic, the response to which was mismanaged by the military regime of Min Aung Hliang. Instead of launching a rescue effort to save the victims of the recent earthquake, the junta continued to conduct the ongoing civil war / Image: ddd uuu87577, Twitter This time, instead of launching a rescue effort to save the victims of the recent earthquake, the junta continued to conduct the ongoing civil war, launching airstrikes and killing civilians even on the day of the earthquake itself. This may surprise outside observers, but it certainly does not surprise the oppressed people in Myanmar. This is why we must point the finger at the ruling military regime as the force most responsible for the massive loss of life following the earthquake. It has been reported that the chief of the junta issued a rare call for international aid in response to the disaster. But, in reality, the regime made several attempts to block the entry of humanitarian aid into Myanmar. In one shocking case, regime soldiers shot at a convoy sent by the Chinese Red Cross into Shan State, not far from Mandalay. A spokesperson for the regime admitted to this but, as usual, gave nothing but hollow excuses. Predictably, the military was completely absent from all rescue efforts. Worse than this, a layer of the military and their paramilitary thugs namely the Pyusawhti militias threatened and tried to prevent the voluntary rescue teams of civilians from rescuing the injured. The junta even enforced a curfew prohibiting rescue activities after 10 PM. Adding insult to injury, the military regime enforced a blackout, shutting down the internet and mobile networks, as well as all electricity, in the impacted regions. The ruling military regime readily makes use of helicopters to kill civilians, but on not a single occasion have these been used to rescue the victims of natural disasters. The pitiless generals dared to complain that the rescue teams lacked protective gloves, when they themselves have spent huge amounts of money stockpiling weapons for mass murders. To face a catastrophe like this, we need a well-functioning healthcare system that can respond quickly and effectively. Yet what have the Burmese military generals done? They have recklessly spent public funds on the military while allocating next to nothing for healthcare. And thats not all. They have blacklisted, arrested, imprisoned and even killed healthcare workers, most recently with airstrikes in Sagaing region. Even before the earthquake, they shut down some hospitals and clinics that employed doctors and nurses who had been members of the CDM (Civil Disobedience Movement), which opposes the regime. With a healthcare system on the verge of collapse, the country could not be less prepared for an earthquake like this. The responsibility of the military dictatorship does not just fall on the uniformed military generals. It also falls on their cronies, the big capitalists. They are all part of the ruling class. They are the enemies of the oppressed people as a whole, and they all deserve the blame for the recent disaster. For example, the collapse of the Sky Villa condominium complex in Mandalay was not simply the product of the intensity of the earthquake. Was it the fault of the construction company? The architect? The bureaucrats who issued the construction permits? From a class perspective, the answer is clear. In a capitalist system, the priority for capitalists is making profit. As a result, the system puts profit before lives. Thus, instead of building structures that can resist earthquakes, they focus on maximizing profits. Commenting on the collapse of the Sky Villa complex, a local geologist stated, No matter how good the quality of the building is, it wont be able to withstand an earthquake like this. If that were true, they shouldnt have built a high-rise in such a location in the first place. They definitely should not have advertised the building with a guarantee that it was an earthquake-resistant condo. The government that allowed the construction of such a building also bears full responsibility for its collapse. Geologists warned of the danger several decades ago. The profit motive, not simply the earthquake, is fundamentally at fault. Under this capitalist military dictatorship, it is as if they have planned for the maximum number of injuries and deaths / Image: Supanut Arunoprayote, Wikimedia Commons Ultimately, the capitalist class and their state, which prioritises profit over everything, are the ones responsible. Military generals like Min Aung Hlaing are not only state officials but also prominent capitalists. They and their cronies are the ones who secured these business deals and made a fortune stealing and squandering millions on these dangerous public projects. This is why even two- or three-story university buildings and hospitals hardly qualifying as high-rises have collapsed and been destroyed by this earthquake. For the bosses and the generals, their profits matter more than the lives of patients, healthcare workers, students, and teachers. That is why they did not build anything to withstand earthquakes. And that is why so many people have unnecessarily lost their lives. Naturally, it would be almost impossible to prevent such a massive earthquake from causing any injuries or deaths. But steps could have been taken in advance to minimise the casualties. Instead, under this capitalist military dictatorship, it is as if they have planned for the maximum number of injuries and deaths. We cannot yet predict precisely when, where, or how strong an earthquake will be, but this does not mean we have to sit back and take whatever nature throws at us. While we cannot stop an earthquake from happening, we can take preventive measures to ensure the least possible loss of life and injury. The technology and productive forces to do so already exist. Yet these productive forces are owned by a minority as private property, and they exploit them however they please for their own profit. For the people of Burma, stricken with civil war, the most obvious example is this: an airplane can be used to save lives in times of disaster, but it can also be used as a weapon of murder by bloodthirsty military rulers. If the capitalist system and the military dictatorship in Myanmar were overthrown, we could easily use the enormous resources that the junta wastes on civil war to protect ourselves from the devastating impacts of natural disasters, including earthquakes. That is why the fight to confront natural disasters is inherently linked to the class struggle to abolish private property. Down with the military regime! Lives before profits! Not profits before lives! Israels Ambassador to Ethiopia, Avraham Neguise, was expelled on Monday April 7 from a conference on the Rwandan genocide, organized by the African Union in Addis Ababa, following tensions over the ongoing conflict in Gaza. According to a statement from Israels Foreign ministry, Neguise was removed after several member states refused to participate in the event alongside him. The expulsion has further strained relations between Israel and certain African nations, particularly in light of recent developments in Gaza. The Israeli foreign ministry condemned remarks made by Mahmoud Youssouf, the newly-elected chairperson of the African Union Commission, during the conference. It described his comments as an attempt to introduce anti-Israel political elements into a solemn event meant to commemorate the victims of the Rwandan genocide. The ministry labelled Youssoufs actions as outrageous, highlighting the inappropriate nature of such remarks at a gathering focused on remembering historical atrocities. This incident marks a continued diplomatic setback for Israels position within African multilateral forums. The expulsion of Israels ambassador coincides with ongoing violence in Gaza, where the Israeli military has renewed its assault, killing over 1,400 people and injuring thousands more since March 18. The death toll from the Israeli onslaught on Gaza since October 2023 has surpassed 50,700, with a significant proportion of casualties being women and children. These developments have led to calls for accountability, with the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for Israeli officials on charges of war crimes, and the International Court of Justice hearing a genocide case related to Israels actions in the region. Nigerian police have rescinded a summons issued to the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, following widespread condemnation. The emir, who has been embroiled in a tussle for the throne with his cousin Aminu Ado Bayero, was initially called to appear before authorities after clashes erupted between their supporters during the Eid al-Fitr celebrations. The violence, which resulted in a fatal stabbing, followed Sanusis decision to ride on horseback in defiance of a police ban on the traditional durbar parade, a key cultural event during Eid, over concerns of potential unrest. The summons sparked outrage across the nation, with many Nigerians arguing that it undermined the respect due to the emirate, one of the oldest and most revered institutions in the country. Traditional leaders, though lacking formal constitutional power, wield considerable influence as custodians of religion and culture. In light of public backlash and the intervention of prominent figures, Nigerias police chief announced that officers would instead travel to Kano to gather Sanusis statement, rather than requiring him to appear in Abuja. Sanusi, who was reinstated as the emir in May 2024 after being ousted in 2020, has not publicly commented on the matter. His reappointment by the current governor of Kano, Abba Kabir Yusuf, reversed the decision of his predecessor, Abdullahi Ganduje. Meanwhile, Bayero, who remains in a legal battle to assert his claim to the throne, resides in one of the emirates smaller palaces, as the political rivalry between the two men continues to stir tension in Kano. Namibia will begin offering HPV vaccinations to girls aged 9 to 14 in July, as part of a comprehensive effort to tackle cervical cancer, a leading cause of death among women in the country. Announced by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on World Health Day on Monday April 7, the initiative is designed to reduce the incidence of the disease and improve the long-term health of women. The vaccination campaign is a key component of the governments broader strategy to enhance maternal and child health, which has seen notable progress in recent years. In her speech, Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasised the governments commitment to improving healthcare for all citizens, with a focus on preventive measures and expanding public health coverage. This includes prioritising access to essential healthcare services, particularly in rural areas, and deploying more medical specialists to district hospitals. The administration is also fast-tracking the implementation of a universal health coverage law to ensure that all Namibians have access to quality healthcare services, particularly for women and children. The president also addressed other public health challenges, including malaria, which continues to affect several regions in the country. Efforts to combat malaria will include ongoing prevention measures such as indoor spraying, distribution of insecticide-treated nets, and public education campaigns. Additionally, the recent confirmation of Namibias first cholera case in over a decade highlights the urgent need for improved sanitation and clean water access, underscoring the governments multi-sectoral approach to health and hygiene. Diplomatic relations between Algeria and its southern neighbours have been severely strained following the downing of a Malian military drone, prompting Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to recall their ambassadors from Algiers. The incident, which took place on March 31, 2025, saw the Algerian Air Force shoot down a Turkish-made Baykar Akinci drone that allegedly crossed into Algerian airspace. The military juntas in the three Sahel nations swiftly condemned the act, accusing Algeria of breaching international law and undermining the ties between the countries. The Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which comprises Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, has sharply criticized Algeria for its actions, calling the downing of the drone an irresponsible act that violated their shared history of cooperation. The AES described the incident as an act of aggression, asserting that it posed a threat to the entire confederation. In response, the alliance has announced the recall of its ambassadors from Algeria and is seeking further diplomatic avenues to address the incident. The drone downing has also sparked further political fallout, with Malis Prime Minister, General Abdoulaye Maiga, accusing the Algerian regime of supporting international terrorism, an allegation that adds another layer of complexity to the already fraught regional dynamics. The situation highlights the growing tensions in the Sahel region, where the three countries have distanced themselves from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and instead forged new security alliances. This shift, particularly the increasing ties with Russia, has exacerbated relations with Algeria, a former key mediator in regional conflicts. In Cote dIvoire, public sector schools have been affected by a teachers strike, initiated by two trade union coalitions demanding increased quarterly allowances. The strike action has been taken despite threats from the Ministry of Public Service to sack any teachers who participate. The situation has led to varying levels of disruption across different schools on Monday April 7, with some establishments continuing with lessons while others have been largely impacted by teacher absenteeism. In communes like Cocody and Abobo, the response to the strike has been inconsistent, with some schools remaining open, while others saw a significant number of students sent home. At the Modern College of Mpouto in Cocody, only two out of thirty teachers were present to conduct lessons. Despite the limited teaching staff, many students remained in class, using the time to study or complete assignments. In contrast, at the Modern High Schools of Abobo 1 and 2, dozens of students left mid-morning, citing the absence of their teachers. The schools serve nearly 10,000 students, most of whom extended their break in the playground. The strike appears to be more widespread in schools located outside of the capital, according to union spokesperson David Bli Ble, although the exact scale of the strike remains unclear at this time. The strike action centres on demands for higher incentive bonuses, with ongoing negotiations since October 2024 failing to yield results. Unions have accused the government of stalling the discussions, while the Director-General of the Public Service, Soro Gninagafol, criticised the strike as illegal. He stated that it violated the social truce and undermined ongoing negotiations. Tensions between the unions and the government have escalated as the dispute continues to affect the education system across the country. Flash Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at a central conference on work related to neighboring countries in Beijing, capital of China. The conference was held from Tuesday to Wednesday. [Photo/Xinhua] Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for building a community with a shared future with neighboring countries and striving to open new ground for China's neighborhood work. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a central conference on work related to neighboring countries, which was held in Beijing from Tuesday to Wednesday. Members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi, and Vice President Han Zheng also attended the conference. In his speech, Xi systematically summarized the achievements and experience of China's neighborhood work in the new era, scientifically analyzed the current situation, and outlined the goals, tasks, ideas and measures for the next phase of neighborhood work. While presiding over the meeting, Premier Li Qiang stressed the need to thoroughly implement the spirit of Xi's important speech and to earnestly carry out the various tasks in work related to neighboring countries. The conference highlighted that China's vast territory and long borders make its neighborhood a vital foundation for national development and prosperity, a key front for safeguarding national security, a priority area in the country's overall diplomacy, and a crucial link in building a community with a shared future for humanity. The conference called for viewing neighboring regions through a global perspective and strengthening the sense of responsibility and mission in advancing China's neighborhood work. It was noted at the conference that after the 18th CPC National Congress, China put forward the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness in its neighborhood diplomacy, advocating for the building of a community with a shared future with neighboring countries. Guided by head-of-state diplomacy, China has worked with neighboring countries to deepen all-around cooperation, strengthen exchanges in various fields, and maintain peace and stability, thereby securing historic achievements and transformation in neighborhood work, according to the meeting. China's relations with its neighboring countries are currently at their best in modern times, and are also entering a critical phase where regional dynamics and global transformations are deeply intertwined, the conference noted, calling for taking into account both the domestic and international situations and coordinating the two major priorities of development and security. To build a better future with its neighbors, China will remain committed to fostering an amicable, secure and prosperous neighborhood. It will uphold the Asian values of peace, cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, use high-quality Belt and Road cooperation as the main platform, and pursue the Asian security model that features sharing weal and woe, seeking common ground while shelving differences, and prioritizing dialogue and consultation, according to the conference. It was emphasized at the meeting that to build a community with a shared future with neighboring countries, China will work with its neighbors to consolidate strategic mutual trust, support regional countries in pursuing development paths suited to their respective conditions, and properly manage differences. China will also deepen development integration with its neighbors, build a high-level connectivity network, strengthen cooperation in industrial and supply chains, advance security and law enforcement cooperation, and expand people-to-people exchanges, according to the conference. Sudans Foreign Minister Ali Yousif has formally criticized the UK for hosting an international Conference on Sudans ongoing conflict without inviting the countrys Government in Khartoum. In a letter to UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, A. Yousif objected to the exclusion of Sudans de facto government and the inclusion of countries alleged to support the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The summit, scheduled for 15 April in London, aims to address the war and humanitarian crisis in Sudan, with foreign ministers from around the world expected to attend. The RSF, which has been engaged in a brutal conflict with Sudans army since April 2023, is also not invited, but countries such as the UAE, Chad, and Kenya, which are believed to support the RSF, have been given a place at the table. Khartoums foreign ministry condemned the UKs actions, equating the governments exclusion with an implicit recognition of the RSF as a legitimate party. It accused the UK of showing leniency towards the RSF, which it describes as a terrorist militia responsible for genocide and crimes against humanity. Sudan has raised concerns over the UKs alleged secret talks with the RSF. In response, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy expressed the UKs commitment to addressing the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, emphasizing the need for urgent international action to prevent further escalation. Despite Sudans objections, the summit will proceed with participation from key regional players, including Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, who are generally aligned with Sudans army over the RSF. Sudan had previously protested Kenyas hosting of a similar conference in February, which saw the RSF announce the formation of a parallel government, prompting Sudan to suspend all imports from Kenya. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A review published in The Laryngoscope indicates that climate change's effects on pollen seasons and concentrations are contributing to increasing rates of allergic rhinitis, or hay fever. When investigators assessed research published between 2000 and 2023, they identified 30 studies that reported on the current epidemiological state of allergic rhinitis, described factors related to climate change, and observed how global warming is affecting pollen seasons and allergy symptoms. Sixteen studies reported longer pollen seasons and/or higher pollen concentrations related to climate change. As an example, total pollen emissions in the U.S. are projected to increase by 1640% by the end of the century and pollen season length to increase by 19 days. Four studies reported an increase in allergic rhinitisrelated health care usage, particularly among low-income residents. Two studies reported that health care professionals want more education on climate change. "Physicians are uniquely positioned to witness the impact of allergic rhinitis on patient outcomes and can adapt their practice as climate change intensifies," said corresponding author Alisha R. Pershad, BS, a third-year medical student at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. "As trusted voices in the community, they should leverage their frontline experience to advocate for meaningful change in addressing the climate crisis." More information: How Climate Change Is Impacting Allergic Rhinitis: A Scoping Review, The Laryngoscope (2025). DOI: 10.1002/lary.32124 Journal information: Laryngoscope 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 One in 10 medical products circulating in lowand middle-income countries (LMICs) is substandard or fake, with the majority in Sub-Saharan Africa being antibacterial and antimalarial drugs. The unchecked spread of these products threatens lives and undermines health care systems already struggling with access and quality. Even if the drugs are not laced with poison, they may contain actual antibiotics or antivirals, but at a lower dose. This increases the catastrophic threat of antimicrobial-resistant infections that antibiotics won't be able to treat effectively. "We reported a 10.5% failure rate on medicine samples in LMICs. What's more, about US$38.5 million is spent on substandard antimalarials in sub-Saharan Africa. Deaths resulting from fake products are preventable," said Hiiti Sillo, WHO's Unit Head of Regulation and Safety. Patients often receive substandard medical products in settings with insufficient technical capacity and resources to uphold quality standards in the manufacturing, distribution, and supply processes. Consequently, falsified medicines are more prevalent in environments with weak regulatory systems and poor governance. A significant number of incidents reported to the WHO originate from countries facing limited access to medical supplies. In 2018, Tanzania was the only country in Africa to achieve Maturity Level 3 (ML3) for health product regulation, a significant benchmark set by WHO. By 2024, that number had risen to eight countries, reflecting significant progress in strengthening regulatory systems across the continent. Achieving ML3 status indicates that a country's national regulatory authority is stable, well-functioning, integrated and capable of ensuring the safety and quality of medicines, vaccines, blood products, and medical devices. Tanzania, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Senegal, South Africa, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Egypt are the eight African countries which have reached this level of recognition. WHO evaluates regulatory systems on a scale from 1 to 4. While ML3 denotes a robust and effective system, Maturity Level 4 represents a continued commitment to excellence and innovation. Several African nations are already advancing towards this highest tier. Ten of the continent's national health products regulators executives gathered at the inaugural annual forum, held at Wits Business School in March 2025, to participate in a training program intended to strengthen their leadership capacities. The inaugural training, the African Regulatory Leadership Program (ARLP), galvanizes regulators to safeguard medicines in their own countries and contributes to strengthening a regional regulatory system to facilitate trade and economic opportunities across Africa. 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. ARLP was a recommendation of the Future of Health and Economic Resilience Commission in Africa led by Hon. Muhammad Pate and Dr. Awa Marie Coll Seck, inspired by the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program. The training had notable faculty members from across the world, with Prof Helen Rees, Wits-RHI Executive Director, and Prof Rifat Atun, the Director of the Health System Innovation Lab at Harvard University, serving as Co-Chairs of the ARLP Steering Committee. The CEO of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), Dr. Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela said that the training brought together a range of different agencies across Africa, which all share similar issues of leadership and navigating change. "The 'elders' of health products regulatory systems were all there, and this was what we needed. We have focused a lot on technical capabilities in the past, but we needed to strengthen our leadership to manage the particulars of our national and regional health contexts," said Semete-Makokotlela. "We need to be more self-reliant in health care. We already have strong regulatory frameworks in placenow it's about leveraging them to enhance health product security," said Precious Matsoso, director of Wits University's Health Regulatory Science Platform. Matsoso is also the former Director General of the South African National Department of Health and current co-chair of the WHO Intergovernmental Negotiating Body. Expert regulatory professionals and other oversight resources for medical products in Africa remain scarce. However, harmonizing efforts, much like the European Medicines Agency has done, are underway on the continent with the establishment of the African Medicines Agency. 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 Drugs originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, particularly GLP-1 receptor agonists such as semaglutide (sold as Ozempic and Wegovy), are now drawing increased attention for their potential to protect brain health. Two recent studies and an editorial in JAMA Neurology suggest these medications may help reduce the risk of dementia. Dementia, including Alzheimer's and related disorders, is one of the fastest-growing public health challenges. It affects nearly 7 million Americans today and is projected to double by 2060. While newly approved Alzheimer's drugs like lecanemab and aducanumab have garnered attention, concerns over their effectiveness and safety remain. This has intensified interest in repurposing existing drugs that are already widely used and well-tolerated. A multi-cohort study conducted by the University of Florida found that both GLP-1RAs and SGLT2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) were associated with a significantly lower risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) compared to other diabetes drugs. Using data from over 90,000 patients, researchers reported that GLP-1RA users had a 33% lower risk and SGLT2i users had a 43% lower risk of developing ADRD compared to other glucose-lowering drugs. While SGLT2 inhibitors showed a slightly greater relative reduction, the difference between the two classes was not statistically significant, suggesting both may offer similar protective effects. A second study led by researchers at the University of Galway also supports the idea that GLP-1 receptor agonists may help reduce the risk of dementia. In a systematic review and meta-analysis of 26 randomized clinical trials involving more than 164,000 participants, the researchers found a statistically significant association between GLP-1 receptor agonists and reduced dementia risk. Unlike the Florida study, the Galway analysis did not find similar benefits for SGLT2 inhibitors or pioglitazone. These findings suggest that GLP-1 receptor agonists may have a more distinct role in protecting cognitive function compared to other cardioprotective diabetes medications. GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide were originally developed to boost insulin secretion, lower blood sugar, and support weight loss in people with type 2 diabetes. Researchers have since discovered that GLP-1 receptors are present not only in the pancreas and gastrointestinal tract, but also in the brain, heart, and immune system. In animal studies, GLP-1RAs have been shown to reduce brain inflammation, enhance synaptic plasticity, and decrease the accumulation of amyloid- and tau proteins, which are key features of Alzheimer's disease. In an editorial published in JAMA Neurology, Dr. Diana Thiara of the University of California, San Francisco, describes these brain effects as "highly promising," particularly with newer agents like semaglutide, which have stronger and longer-lasting receptor activity. "We are only at the precipice," she writes, referring to ongoing trials of dual and triple hormone agonists that may offer even greater neuroprotective potential in the years ahead. Major Phase III clinical trials, including EVOKE and EVOKE Plus, are currently underway to evaluate the effects of semaglutide in individuals with early-stage Alzheimer's disease. If these findings are confirmed, they could reshape how clinicians approach both diabetes and dementia, particularly in aging populations where the two conditions often coexist. GLP-1 receptor agonists are not without risks. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, and loss of lean muscle mass, which may be especially concerning for older adults who are already vulnerable to sarcopenia. More rarely, patients may experience pancreatitis, and preclinical studies have raised concerns about a possible risk of thyroid cancer, although this has not yet been observed in humans. More information: Huilin Tang et al, GLP-1RA and SGLT2i Medications for Type 2 Diabetes and Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias, JAMA Neurology (2025). DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2025.0353 Allie Seminer et al, Cardioprotective Glucose-Lowering Agents and Dementia Risk, JAMA Neurology (2025). DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2025.0360 Diana Thiara, GLP-1 Receptor AgonistsFrom Breakthroughs in Cardiometabolic Treatment to Emerging Neuroprotective Potential, JAMA Neurology (2025). DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2025.0237 Journal information: Archives of Neurology 2025 Science X Network This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Type 5 Diabetes Working Group meeting at IDF World Diabetes Congress in Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Albert Einstein College of Medicine Malnutrition-related diabetestypically affecting lean, malnourished teens and young adults in low- and middle-income countriesis now officially recognized as a distinct form of the disease, known as type 5 diabetes. The new designation, made by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), stems largely from the research and advocacy of Meredith Hawkins, M.D., M.S., professor of medicine, the Harold and Muriel Block Chair in Medicine, and founding director of the Global Diabetes Institute at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. "Malnutrition-related diabetes has historically been vastly under-diagnosed and poorly understood," said Dr. Hawkins. "The IDF's recognition of it as type 5 diabetes is an important step toward raising awareness of a health problem that is so devastating to so many people," said Dr. Hawkins. Diabetes that is caused by obesity, known as type 2 diabetes, accounts for the majority of diabetes cases in developing countries. But increasingly, said Dr. Hawkins, young people are being diagnosed with diabetes caused not by too much food but by too littleby malnutrition, in other words. Type 5 diabetes is estimated to affect 20-to-25 million people worldwide, mainly in Asia and Africa. "Doctors are still unsure how to treat these patients, who often don't live for more than a year after diagnosis," she said. Malnutrition-related diabetes was first described 70 years ago, with several studies later finding a high incidence of the disease in impoverished nations. Responding to those reports, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized malnutrition-related diabetes as a distinct form of the disease in 1985. However, WHO removed this designation in 1999, due to a lack of follow-up studies and supporting evidence. Dr. Hawkins first learned of malnutrition-related diabetes in 2005 while teaching at global health meetings. "Doctors from various countries told me they were seeing many patients with an unusual form of diabetes," she said. "The patients were young and thin, which suggested that they had type 1 diabetes, which can be managed with insulin injections to regulate blood sugar levels. But insulin didn't help these patients and in some cases caused dangerously low blood sugar. Nor did these patients seem to have type 2 diabetes, which is typically associated with obesity. It was very confusing." In 2010, Dr. Hawkins founded Einstein's Global Diabetes Institute, which began leading international efforts to uncover the underlying metabolic defects that lead to malnutrition-related diabetesa crucial step towards finding effective treatments. In a 2022 study published in Diabetes Care, Dr. Hawkins and her colleagues at Christian Medical College in Vellore, India, demonstrated that malnutrition-related diabetes is fundamentally different from types 1 and 2. Earlier findings had suggested that malnutrition-related diabetes stemmed from insulin resistance. "But it turns out that people with this form of diabetes have a profound defect in the capacity to secrete insulin, which wasn't recognized before. This finding has revolutionized how we think about this condition and how we should treat it," said Dr. Hawkins. In January 2025, Dr. Hawkins and her colleagues at Christian Medical College convened an international meeting in India to discuss the classification, diagnosis, and management of malnutrition-related diabetes as well as to advocate for global awareness and research. Investigators from several countries presented their findings to a panel of diabetes experts, including the heads of the IDF and the American Diabetes Association. The attendees voted unanimously that malnutrition-related diabetes should be considered a distinct form of the diseasea decision that was endorsed at the IDF World Diabetes Congress 2025, in Bangkok, Thailand. In announcing the organization's formal recognition of type 5 diabetes, IDF president Peter Schwarz, Ph.D., also noted the formation of a type 5 diabetes working group, to be co-chaired by Dr. Hawkins. The group has been tasked to develop formal diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines for type 5 diabetes over the next two years. "Malnutrition-related diabetes is more common than tuberculosis and nearly as common as HIV/AIDS, but the lack of an official name has hindered efforts to diagnose patients or find effective therapies," Dr. Hawkins says. "I'm hopeful that this formal recognition as type 5 diabetes will lead to progress against this long-neglected disease that severely debilitates people and is often fatal." 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: Anatomical characterization of contributions to sevoflurane-induced loss of functional identifiability. Credit: Nature Human Behaviour (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41562-025-02121-9 Past psychology research suggests that different people display characteristic patterns of spontaneous thought, emotions and behaviors. These patterns make the brains of distinct individuals unique, to the point that neuroscientists can often tell them apart based on their neural activity. Researchers at McGill University, University of Cambridge and other institutes recently carried out a study aimed at investigating how general anesthesia influences the unique neural activity signatures that characterize the brains of different people and animals. Their findings, published in Nature Human Behavior, show that general anesthesia suppresses each brain's unique functional connectivity patterns (i.e., the connections and communication patterns between different regions of the brain), both in humans and other species. "Every person is unique, they think and feel and act in unique ways," Andrea Luppi, first author of the paper, told Medical Xpress. "This uniqueness comes from our brain. The way that areas of the brain interact with each other is unique to each individual: it can be used like a 'brain fingerprint.' "But when you lose consciousness, for example during deep sleep, your sense of being 'you' is gone. So, our question was: what happens to brain fingerprints when we lose consciousness, such as during the artificial sleep induced by general anesthesia? " To explore the effects of anesthesia on the brain's functional connectivity patterns, Luppi and his colleagues employed an imaging technique commonly used in neuroscience research called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). This technique allows neuroscientists to monitor the activity of different brain regions over time and non-invasively, by measuring changes in blood flow. "We collected fMRI scans from healthy human volunteers before general anesthesia, then when they were unconscious because of the anesthesia, and then again after they recovered consciousness," explained Luppi. "For each scan, we measured 'functional connectivity': a representation of how brain regions interact. We used this functional connectivity to obtain 'brain fingerprints,' telling us how easy or difficult it is to tell people apart based on their brain activity." Interestingly, the fMRI scans collected by the researchers showed that the brain activity of people while they were under the influence of anesthesia was suppressed. In fact, anesthesia made people almost impossible to tell apart from each other solely by examining their brain activity, which was possible when they were still conscious. "In contrast, using brain fingerprints it is very easy to tell people apart when they are conscious," said Luppi. "This effect is not uniform in the brain: it is strongest in the parts of the brain that are uniquely human and mostly distinguish us from other species. The implication is that just as your own conscious experience is unique to you, so are the brain patterns that support it. When consciousness is gone, people's brain activity is also less unique." Luppi and his colleagues gathered interesting new insights about the effects of general anesthesia on the brain and its unique patterns of neural activity. In the future, the results of their study could inspire further cross-species research looking at the brain before, during and after the administration of anesthetics, which could in turn inform the development of interventions to facilitate the rehabilitation of both people and animals after medical procedures that require anesthesia. "I am very interested in comparisons between humans and other species," added Luppi. "Anesthesia is very conserved across species, so we can learn a lot from them about how anesthesia works on the brain. Ultimately, I hope that by learning how the brain reboots consciousness after anesthesia, we can learn how to help recovery of consciousness in patients who suffer from coma and other forms of chronic unconsciousness after a brain injury." More information: Andrea I. Luppi et al, General anaesthesia decreases the uniqueness of brain functional connectivity across individuals and species, Nature Human Behaviour (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41562-025-02121-9 Journal information: Nature Human Behaviour 2025 Science X Network This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain A new report presented in New York on 8 April reveals that current United Nations projections on infant mortality rates are inaccurate. The Fragile Futures report says crucial factors missing from current United Nations projectionsthe impacts of climate change and population on infant mortalitywill cause infant mortality to rise and children's overall health to decline this decade. While current United Nations projections predict a continuing decline in infant mortality, new evidence in the Fragile Futures report shows that climate change and population dynamics in the most climate-vulnerable regions will increase infant mortality rates. The independent Fragile Futures evidence review was conducted by the Future Child Health research team at The Kids Research Institute Australia, with help from The University of Western Australia and Matthew Flinders Professor of Global Ecology Corey Bradshaw from Flinders University in South Australia. Representatives from Population Matters and the Future Child Health research team attended the United Nations Commission on Population Development in New York, and presented the Fragile Futures research at a side event ("A Discussion on Child Health and Climate") on 8 April. Report co-author Professor Corey Bradshaw from Flinders University says that evidence revealed in the Fragile Futures report shows that infant mortality is rising. "Although United Nations' projections on infant mortality show a continuing decline to 2100, recent evidence suggests that infant mortality is increasing in several countries, including the United States, France, India, Madagascar, Cambodia, Nepal, and the Philippines." The report also presents evidence that climate change will increase pre-term births. "Rising temperatures are linked to a 60% increase in preterm births, a major contributor to higher rates of infant mortality and health complications later in life even in those children who survive," says co-author Dr. Melinda Judge from The Kids Research Institute Australia and The University of Western Australia. "The risk of pre-term birth is already higher in low- and middle-income countries. Sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia accounted for 65% of all preterm births globally in 2020, and this will increase due to more frequent and persisting heat waves." Children's respiratory health is identified as being at increased risk. "Climate change and higher population density also causes more exposure to air pollution, increasing cases of asthma, eczema, and allergies in young children," says co-author Professor Peter Le Souef from The University of Western Australia and The Kids Research Institute Australia. "In Africa, air pollution was linked to 449,000 additional infant deaths in 2015." The report shows that preventable deaths of women and newborns are increasing. In 2020, 287,000 women died from preventable pregnancy-related complications, and 80% of newborn deaths were due to preventable and treatable conditions. Investment in sexual and reproductive health care saves lives. Cuts to international aid budgets are also having an effect on these figures. "The withdrawal of USAID support between 2025 and 2028 is projected to result in 1,200 additional preventable maternal deaths in Afghanistan alone," says Professor Bradshaw. "The total impacts of lost aid on women and children's health remains unknownbut will be catastrophic without intervention." 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: Trust between health care providers and young sex trafficking victims is one key to addressing dire health needs, according to a new report. Credit: Northeastern University A new report from a team of Northeastern University experts sheds light on the under-discussed and under-researched issue of minor sex-trafficking victims and their interactions with the American health care system. Sex trafficking, or commercial sexual exploitation, of minors is a major public safety and health issue in the U.S., but this is the first report to take a comprehensive look at the health needs of victims, says Amy Farrell, professor and director of criminology and criminal justice at Northeastern University. Every year, hundreds of cases related to the commercial sexual exploitation of minors, or child sex trafficking, are reported in Massachusetts alone. That is likely an undercount, Farrell says. Historically, health systems in the U.S. have focused on identifying victims, but the resistance of minor sex-trafficking victims to even seek health care makes that an ongoing challenge. This report aims to address that, laying out the dire health needs of victims while recommending ways for health care providers to better address those needs. "Exploitation impacts health care needs so not only should doctors and nurses be identifying and then referring victims to services, they should be using the information about exploitation to actually provide better health care," Farrell says. "Providing quality health care requires understanding a person's exploitation history or risk for exploitation because exploitation has impacts on health." The report is based on a nationwide study conducted by an interdisciplinary team of health care experts, criminologists, clinicians, psychologists and sociologists that also included Northeastern's Carlos Cuevas, a professor of criminology and criminal justice, and Alisa Lincoln, professor of health sciences and sociology. Based on a national survey of more than 500 young people who are experiencing or have experienced exploitation and in-depth interviews, the report pinpoints the significant number of health needs faced by minor sex-trafficking victims. "Young people that are being commercially sexually exploited are at very high risk of STDs," Farrell says. "But we also found things like individuals needing to seek abortion medical care and then maybe having medical complications as a result of that abortion medical care [and] individuals experiencing violence during exploitation where they had broken bones or they have injuries to all different areas of their bodies." Minor sex-trafficking victims often also have chronic stomach pain stemming from stress and malnutrition, along with the kind of chronic headaches associated with post-traumatic stress. What Farrell and her team found is that despite all of these health concerns, young people who are being commercially sexually exploited often will not get health care. They might go to an emergency room or health clinic if there is an immediate need, but they are less likely to go to a doctor. "They know health is important, but they really struggle to get health care because of stigma and shame and discrimination that they've experienced, particularly during exploitation when they were seeking health care from emergency rooms and clinics where they were treated with real derision by health care providers for what was perceived as either their voluntary engagement in substance use or their voluntary engagement in commercial sex even though they were minors and being exploited," Farrell says. For that reason, the most significant recommendation from the report is a need to reimagine the relationship health care providers have with young victims of sex trafficking. It has to start with reimagining how pediatric care is provided in the U.S., Farrell explains. "Sometimes pediatricians actually model relationships that are similar to exploitive relationships," Farrell says. "'You give me something, I give you something. I'm the authority, I tell you what to do,' as opposed to giving children the ability to actually start being agents in their own health care and thinking about health providers as someone you could trust." "That's beneficial to all kids, not just for kids who are exploited," she adds. "Seeing that relationship as agency building as opposed to just health serving, that requires more time, more resources for pediatricians." However, addressing the urgent health needs of this vulnerable population also requires training health care providers to not only identify the signs of exploitationlike addictionbut to address the immediate health needs of a young person who is being exploited, like access to birth control, STD testing and vaccines, Farrell advises. Once there are enough doctors who are trained to work with exploitation victims, improving health care navigation is "a critical element" of ensuring victims actually get help. "Training the right doctors and training the right clinics is that immediate part in the middle," Farrell says. "That has to happen so that we get providers that understand the relationship between exploitation and health and understand exploitation. Then getting people to those providers is really important." More information: Understanding the physical and psychological health and wellness needs of minor sex trafficking victims. nu-sccj.github.io/mst-report/index.html This story is republished courtesy of Northeastern Global News news.northeastern.edu. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Scanning electron microscope image of Vibrio cholerae. Credit: Wikipedia Kenya's government urged vigilance on Wednesday as it tackles a cholera outbreak that has killed at least five people, a health ministry official said. Cholera is an acute intestinal infection that spreads through contaminated food and water and typically causes severe diarrhea, vomiting, and muscle cramps. It is especially dangerous for young children. The east African nation reported dozens of cases in the aftermath of massive floods that swept over parts of the country last year. "The government is asking you to be extremely vigilant of your surroundings... to deal with a cholera outbreak that has now claimed over five lives countrywide," said health official Mary Muthoni in a statement. In a statement on Tuesday, the health ministry had said the disease had been reported across three countiesMigori, Kisumu and Nairobiand that there had been "97 cholera cases, including six fatalities." Cholera has broken out across other countries in eastern Africa, with South Sudan particularly hard hit. The impoverished nation recorded just under 700 deaths last month, according to the United Nations. Separately, Muthoni said more than 1,000 cases of leishmaniasis had been reported in the country, adding: "We already have 33 dead." Leishmaniasis, which is caused by a microscopic parasite spread by sandflies, creates ulcers and disfiguring scars, and one variety can attack internal organs. It is often associated with poverty and poor urban sanitation. 2025 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A patient suffering from meningitis receives treatment at the University teaching hospital in Maiduguri, Nigeria, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Hamza Suleiman Nigerian health authorities are struggling to contain a rapidly spreading meningitis outbreak that has so far killed 151 people across the west African nation, mostly in remote parts of the northern region with children affected the most. While cases first recorded in October have spread to 23 of Nigeria's 36 states, nearly half of the deaths, 74, were reported this year, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control said this week, with local partners describing the recent rise in fatalities as "alarming." Most deaths from the disease have been mainly due to infected people not going to health facilities or arriving there late with severe complications, NCDC spokesperson Sani Datti told The Associated Press, a common problem in past outbreaks in the country. The current outbreak has hit Africa's most populous country as its health sector reels from U.S. aid cuts ordered by the Trump administration in February that have affected multiple countries. Nigeria relied heavily on such aid over the years to help fight similar outbreaks and support its underfunded healthcare systems. Seasonal meningitis outbreaks are common during the dry season, especially in northern Nigeria. Almost all the worst-hit states are in the north, where health providers have warned the outbreak is rapidly spreading in hard-to-reach areas. Meningitis, more common during the hot season in Nigeria, affects the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It's a major public health challenge for a country already grappling with "the world's highest burden of malaria," according to the World Health Organization. Last week, Nigeria received the first batch of more than 1 million vaccine doses from the global vaccine alliance Gavi, described by local officials as a crucial milestone in disease response. The Nigeria CDC also said it is working with state authorities to scale up disease surveillance with a focus on tracking new cases, laboratory testing, and public sensitization campaigns to curb the outbreak. Campaigns are also being rolled out, urging residents to take precautionary measures and seek immediate medical attention if they are experiencing symptoms such as high fever, stiff neck and severe headaches. However, access to hospitals remains a huge problem, local partners say. "We have seen hundreds of admissions and scores of deaths in just a few weeks. The high fatality rate is due to access (to) care, there are challenges with that and low vaccination coverage," said Simba Tirima, Nigeria's country representative for French medical charity Doctors Without Borders, or MSF. Tirima told the AP that the most vulnerable are residents in remote areas who often arrive late to MSF facilities. "We know that meningitis progresses rapidly, and patients' (conditions) can deteriorate in 24 hours," he said, calling for mass vaccination campaigns. 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Chinese defense minister meets with Pakistan air force chief Xinhua) 09:50, April 09, 2025 BEIJING, April 8 (Xinhua) -- China's Minister of National Defense Dong Jun met with Pakistan Air Force Chief Zaheer Ahmad Babar in Beijing on Tuesday. Speaking highly of the cooperation between Chinese and Pakistani militaries in recent years, Dong said China is willing to work with the Pakistani side in strengthening strategic communication and cooperation, deepening practical cooperation, and jointly safeguarding international and regional security and stability. Babar said Pakistan highly values the traditional friendship between the two countries. The Pakistan Air Force is willing to strengthen exchanges and institutional cooperation with the Chinese side, maintain a high standard in joint exercises and training, and make positive contributions to jointly addressing the evolving security challenges, he added. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) You are here: World Flash U.S. Vice President JD Vance's recent remarks on China were both surprising and kind of lamentable, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry said Tuesday. Spokesperson Lin Jian made the comments at a daily news briefing, responding to remarks Vance made in an interview on the Trump administration's China trade policy. The U.S. borrows money from Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants manufacture, Vance said in the interview. "China has made its position on its trade relations with the United States perfectly clear," Lin said. "To hear words that lack knowledge and respect, like those uttered by this vice president, is both surprising and kind of lamentable," he added. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Graphical abstract. Credit: Cell Stem Cell (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2025.03.008 Florey researchers have engineered a way to fool the immune system into accepting neural grafts as part of the body, rather than attacking them as foreign objects. The research, published in Cell Stem Cell, could signal an end to the reliance on drugs necessary to prevent graft rejection, not just for Parkinson's disease neural grafts, but for other cell transplants. The study's lead author, Florey Deputy Director Professor Clare Parish, Head of Stem Cells and Neural Development, said Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative condition that affects an estimated 10 million people globally and 150,000 people in Australia. "Parkinson's disease causes specific nerve cellsneuronsto die, leading to symptoms that include difficulties moving, tremors, stiffness, and impaired balance. Neural grafting is an emerging treatment to replace those dead neurons," Professor Parish said. "Human neural graft trials are underway overseas, but as with other types of organ or cell transplants, patients need to stop their body rejecting the graft by taking immunosuppressant drugs several times a day. Unfortunately, these drugs carry their own risks and side effects." Professor Parish said the team, in collaboration with the University of Toronto, has taken neural grafts to the next generation, and the work could benefit other cell transplants. "We've engineered neurons which are like those currently in clinical trials for Parkinson's disease, but we've also given them an invisibility cloak. They can hide in plain sight from the immune system. This could mean an end to the need for anti-rejection drugs." The paper's co-lead author, Dr. Chiara Pavan, who specializes in neuroimmunology, said the team tested the engineered neuronal grafts in mice with a "humanized" immune system, and in rats modeling Parkinson's disease. "Current medications treat the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, but these grafts target the cause by replacing dead neurons," she said. "After receiving their neuronal graft, the mice showed no negative effectswhich is a good indication that the human immune system will accept the neurons. In rats, the symptoms of Parkinson's disease were abolished, indicating the cloaked neurons don't lose their effectiveness against the disease." Dr. Pavan said the neurons also had an "off" switch so that they could be activated if desired, to eliminate the risk of tumors developing from grafts. Professor Parish said it is an exciting result and the technology has huge potential. "We've made a cell product that in the future could be implanted in people with Parkinson's disease, reducing the need for anti-rejection drugs. Stem cells can be turned into any kind of cell, and we've effectively made them invisible to the immune system. "This is the next generation of neurological treatment, and it could be used as a safe, off-the-shelf cell product suitable for treating diseases for which cell-based therapies are a viable option, such as stroke, Huntington's disease, heart diseases and diabetes." More information: Chiara Pavan et al, A cloaked human stem-cell-derived neural graft capable of functional integration and immune evasion in rodent models, Cell Stem Cell (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2025.03.008 Journal information: Cell Stem Cell 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 Tulane University researchers have developed a first-of-its-kind handheld diagnostic device that can deliver rapid, accurate tuberculosis diagnoses in under an hour, according to a study published in Science Translational Medicine. The smartphone-sized, battery-powered lab-in-tube assay (LIT) provides a cost-effective tool that can improve TB diagnoses, particularly in resource-limited rural areas where health care facilities and lab equipment are less accessible. Over 90% of new TB cases occur in low- and middle-income countries. This point-of-care device is the first to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) DNA in saliva, in addition to blood and sputum samples. Saliva is easier to obtain than blood or sputum, and the ability to noninvasively obtain samples that yield accurate results is critical for successfully testing children. More than 1 million children fall ill with TB each year and more than half go undiagnosed or unreported, according to the World Health Organization. Tuberculosis is the world's deadliest infectious disease, infecting an estimated 10 million people a year. The current resurgence of TB cases, exacerbated by recent disruptions in health care services, underscores the urgent need for effective, accessible diagnostic tools. "TB remains a critical public health concern in low-income countries and diagnosis using a cheap, simple test like we've developed is needed not only to treat patients with TB but prevent further spread of the disease," said senior author Tony Hu, Ph.D., Weatherhead Presidential Chair in Biotechnology Innovation and director of the Tulane Center for Cellular & Molecular Diagnostics. "An estimated 4.2 million TB cases were undiagnosed or unreported in 2021, largely due to limitations and costs of testing in areas with high disease burden." Current testing devices are larger, expensive and require either extensive on-site technology or shipment of samples to a laboratory elsewhere. The LIT test is designed to offer a low-cost TB testing solution, with each device costing less than $800 and less than $3 per test. In comparison, another commonly used TB testing device costs a minimum of $19,000 and the cost per test is around $100 in certain countries. In the study, the LIT device demonstrated high accuracy in testing blood samples from children in the Dominican Republic, outperforming the more expensive machine81% sensitivity compared to 68%and meeting the WHO criteria for TB diagnostics. Blood serum-based testingtesting that utilizes the liquid part of drawn blood after coagulationis particularly important in children and patients living with HIV who often cannot produce sputum. The LIT assay results suggest that blood samples could be used to monitor TB treatment progress, as they closely align with the improvement in patient symptoms. "This system reduces the expertise and equipment required for TB diagnosis, which is essential for point-of-care application," said lead author, Brady Youngquist, a graduate student in the Tulane University Center for Cellular and Molecular Diagnostics. "Saliva-based testing for TB is particularly exciting because it can be easily obtained in all patients and can be used for portable testing without the need for blood draw. And sputum is often not produced in children and patients living with HIV, a common co-infection." More information: Brady Youngquist et al, Rapid tuberculosis diagnosis from respiratory or blood samples by a low cost, portable lab-in-tube assay, Science Translational Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adp6411. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.adp6411 Journal information: Science Translational Medicine This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain It's a holy grail of health care: forcing the industry to reveal prices negotiated between health plans and hospitalsinformation that had long been treated as a trade secret. And among the flurry of executive orders President Donald Trump signed during his first five weeks back in office was a promise to "Make America Healthy Again" by giving patients accurate health care prices. The goal is to force hospitals and health insurance companies to make it easier for consumers to compare the actual prices of medical procedures and prescription drugs. Trump gave his administration until the end of May to come up with a standard and a mechanism to make sure the health care industry complies. But Trump's 2025 order is also a symbol of how little progress the country has made since he issued a similar directive nearly six years ago. Consumers find it only partially useful, and the quality of the information is spotty. A 'bold' first step that fizzled The 2019 order was "pretty bold," said Gary Claxton, a senior vice president at KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News. "They basically went at the providers and the plans and said, "All this data you think is confidential we're not going to make confidential anymore.'" What followed was, to consumer advocacy groups, a disappointment. Hospitals and insurers posted on websites voluminous, complex, and confusing data about their prices. The information has been a challenge for even experts in health care pricing to navigate, let alone consumers. Some members of Congress filed legislation to put the force of law behind price transparency requirements; those bills died. And President Joe Biden's administration was criticized for not more stringently enforcing the regulations, with one consumer advocacy group even buying a Super Bowl ad featuring the rapper Fat Joe alleging that "hospitals and insurers hide their prices." Trump's new order, signed in February, said that hospitals and health plans "were not adequately held to account when their price transparency data was incomplete or not even posted at all." The Government Accountability Office reported in October that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services didn't know whether prices reported by the health care industry were correct or complete. But CMS, which regulates hospitals, now plans to "systematically monitor compliance" and help institutions understand the requirements, said Catherine Howden, an agency spokesperson. Howden did not answer questions about whether CMS staffers overseeing price transparency compliance have been fired as part of the Trump administration's wide-ranging effort to cut the federal workforce. 'Zombie' rates and other inconsistencies Meanwhile, independent researchers have found numerous problems with the quality of price data both hospitals and health insurers do share with consumers. A recent report from the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker found that data reported by four health insurers in New York City often included prices that they say they pay hospitals for services that those health providers don'tor can'tprovide. These are called "ghost" or "zombie" rates. For example, the health plans reported dentists, optometrists, and audiologists receiving payments for knee replacements, gastrointestinal exams, and other procedures unrelated to their specialties. In other cases, the data included different prices for the same service paid for by the same insurer at the same hospital. UnitedHealthcare, for example, reported paying New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center three rates$47,000, $64,000, and $70,000to treat a heart attack. Or, the insurers reported paying the same price for vastly different services. Aetna, for example, said it paid exactly $6,292 to Mount Sinai Beth Israel hospital for the treatment of respiratory infections, heart attacks, cancers of the digestive tract, kidney and urinary tract infections, and psychosis. Neither UnitedHealthcare nor Aetna addressed the discrepancies in the data. Cole Manbeck, a spokesperson for UnitedHealthcare, said the insurer has met price transparency requirements and urged members "to use our cost-estimator tools for exact costs based on their specific health plan." Aetna spokesperson Shelly Bendit referred questions to AHIP, a lobbying and trade association for insurers. Health insurers have "strongly supported" price transparency, said Chris Bond, a spokesperson for AHIP. The group will work with the Trump administration to provide transparency "in a way that is meaningful for the end user, while also promoting a competitive private market," Bond said. What's a Consumer To Do? Estimates and total prices aren't very useful for consumers, who are mainly interested in what they'll ultimately have to pay out-of-pocket, said David Cutler, a professor of applied economics at Harvard University. That can vary by health plan, depending on deductibles, copayments, and other fees. "Most of the price transparency information doesn't have that," he said. It also doesn't give consumers information about the quality of care, Cutler added, which can lead to an old bias. "It's kind of like wine when you go to the restaurant," he said. "People assume that the more expensive wine is better." Cutler said he's skeptical that price transparency will lower costs for patients. But he said it may offer insight to hospitals and health plans about what their competitors are charging and paying for servicesknowledge that could inadvertently lead to price increases if hospitals that receive a lower rate than a competitor demand higher reimbursement from health plans. Trump's recent executive order notes that the top quarter of the most expensive health service prices have dropped by 6.3% a year since his 2019 order. However, the same research referenced in the executive order showed that the bottom quarter of services got more expensive, at a rate of about 3.4% per year, according to the analysis by Turquoise Health, a health care price data firm that examined rates at more than 200 hospitals in the 10 largest U.S. markets. Some patients say that with research and persistence, they've been able to make price transparency work for them. Theresa Schmotzer, 50, of Goodyear, Arizona, said she used hospital price data to save nearly $3,000 on outpatient surgery to have a fibroid removed last year. Schmotzer, who has health insurance, said the hospital first told her she would owe $3,700 for the procedure and wanted the payment upfront. But she was skeptical. She said her health insurer was unable to quote a price for the procedure or specify how much she would owe. The morning of the surgery, Schmotzer said, she found a spreadsheet online at PatientRightsAdvocate.org that included different prices paid by insurers, including hers. The reported price for the procedure was closer to $700, she said. Schmotzer said she took a printout of the spreadsheet to the hospital and presented it during preadmission. She paid her $300 deductible and told the hospital to bill her for the rest. A few months later, she said, the bill arrived in the mail for the remaining $400, which she paid. When people go for surgery and aren't clear upfront what the cost will be, it stokes fear, she said. "Because they're going in blind." Hospitals say they want to work with federal regulators and comply with reporting requirements, said Ariel Levin, director of coverage policy for the American Hospital Association, which represents about 5,000 institutions. Levin said consumers should be given the price of services and "a more comprehensive estimate" that represents an entire episode of care and the amount they'll owe out-of-pocket, based on their health plan. CMS has developed rules since Trump's 2019 order to make price information reported by hospitals and health plans easier to understand, and the agency has fined more than a dozen hospitals for failing to comply. Federal rules allow hospitals to report an estimate, a price range, or a historical rate for their services, while health plans can adjust prices based on factors like the severity of the case, the length of treatment, and a patient's age. KFF's Claxton said that such flexibility doesn't allow for "apples-to-apples comparisons" and that the data must be reliable before researchers can use it to better understand health care costs. "It doesn't seem to be that yet," he said. Much remains to be done before price transparency lives up to expectations that it will increase competition and lower costs, said Katie Martin, chief executive of the Health Care Cost Institute, a nonprofit research group. Price transparency alone is not a silver bullet, Martin said. It's "a critical first step" for employers, lawmakers, regulators, and others to better understand how money flows through the health care system and how to make it more efficient, she said. "It's not the whole thing." 2025 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: CC0 Public Domain Disadvantaged households have higher rates of smoking, putting pressure on their household budgets, University of Queensland research has found. The study is published in the journal Tobacco Control. Professor Coral Gartner from UQ's School of Public Health said reducing smoking among households in lower-income areas was important because of the enormous health and financial toll. "The increasing price of tobacco has assisted many households in all income groups to quit smoking,"' Professor Gartner said. "But for those who haven't quit, tobacco smoking is a growing source of financial strain. Conventional tobacco demand reduction measures, such as tax, may be insufficient on their own for Australia to achieve the national goal of 5% or less smoking prevalence by 2030. "Other policies such as increasing free smoking cessation support and reducing tobacco retail availability may be particularly useful for those people who have found quitting difficult."' Researchers studied household tobacco expenditure by socioeconomic status from 2006 to 2022, a period that included substantial tobacco tax increases (20102020). Overall, average annual household tobacco expenditure decreased by $7.80 to $972.70, reflecting a decrease in the number of people purchasing tobacco because of higher prices. In households that did purchase tobacco, spending of $3,839.5 increased by $1,092.20 to $4,931.70. Professor Gartner noted that existing research showed that tobacco excise has been a successful strategy to decrease overall smoking prevalence in Australia. However, for people who continued to smoke, the increased financial burden of tobacco products meant less spending on other items such as health, food, insurance and education. Professor Gartner observed that additional non-price-related measures are needed to help those people who haven't found higher prices sufficient to stop smoking, due to the high addictiveness of tobacco. She said measures could include reducing tobacco retailer density, removing tobacco from general retail outlets, pharmaceutical-like regulation of tobacco and nicotine products, free counseling and quit-smoking medicines, and floor and ceiling prices for tobacco products. "Australia is a world leader in tobacco taxation and has implemented tax policy in line with levels recommended by the World Health Organization,"' Professor Gartner said. "However, our findings underscore the need for comprehensive policy approaches to reduce tobacco smoking in Australia through both price and non-price-related measures. There is also an ethical case for reinvestment of tobacco tax revenue into smoking cessation support and general welfare measures that assist low-income populations."' More information: Jemmah Newell et al, Household tobacco expenditure and associated characteristics during substantial regular tobacco tax increases: analysis from a nationally representative longitudinal study in Australia from 2006 to 2022, Tobacco Control (2025). DOI: 10.1136/tc-2024-059056 Journal information: Tobacco Control This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain In a new study, wastewater surveillance for multiple pathogens at five different sites identified local trends that were not captured in larger surveillance programs, and some sites used the data to inform efforts to prevent disease spread. Jay Bullen of Untap Health in London, U.K., Charlotte Hammer of the University of Cambridge and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS Global Public Health. People with viral infections produce waste containing viral RNA that ends up in wastewater in sewage systems. Measuring viral RNA levels in wastewater at treatment plants can be a cost-effective way to monitor community health. For instance, this method has been useful for monitoring COVID-19 infection trends and tracking polio eradication efforts. Prior research suggests that wastewater surveillance programs that track multiple diseases at once could be beneficial at the municipal level. However, few studies have assessed their potential value at smaller, site-specific scales. To fill that gap, Bullen and colleagues monitored daily wastewater concentrations of multiple viruses at five different sites in the U.K.; an office, a charity center for elderly citizens, a museum, a university co-working space, and a care home. The community size of the sites ranged from 50 to 2,000 people, and the researchers measured wastewater levels of the viruses SARS-CoV-2, influenza A and B, RSV A and B, and norovirus GI and GII. Analysis of trends captured in the wastewater measurements revealed links with site-specific reported events, including staff illness, cleaning practices, and holidays. At the care home, where the community had less contact with the larger regional community, wastewater data captured local events that were not seen in public health data. In larger, more open communities, such as the university space, wastewater data aligned more closely with public health data. Some sites began using the wastewater data to help inform decisions about disease prevention efforts, such as enhanced cleaning routines and notices in bathrooms about washing hands with soap. These findings suggest that near-source wastewater monitoring could benefit local communities and perhaps provide earlier warnings of wider trends. Further research is needed to refine the understanding of these potential benefits. The authors add, "Building-level wastewater surveillance enables detection of norovirus, influenza, RSV and COVID-19 in a local population not captured by national surveillance. We see a future with near-source wastewater surveillance scaled across different communities to provide tailored local infection prevention and control measures, reducing outbreaks." 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: Graduate student Jonathan Cerna monitors heart data from a "smart shirt" that tracks electrical activity as graduate student Laila Shaaban exercises and rests. Researchers are working to develop the technology to make heart-related predictions more widely accessible through the use of wearables. Credit: Fred Zwicky The time it takes the heart to return to its baseline rhythm after exercise can predict a host of cardiovascular or metabolic disorders. In a new study, scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign used a "smart shirt" equipped with an electrocardiogram to track participants' heart-rate recovery after exercise and developed a tool for analyzing the data to predict those at higher or lower risk of heart-related ailments. They report their findings in the IEEE Journal of Health Informatics. "The heart's response to exercise provides us with an early indicator of changes in health, in particular cardiovascular function and mortality," said Manuel Hernandez, a professor of biomedical and translational sciences at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine who led the research with industrial and enterprise systems engineering professor Richard Sowers and graduate student Ayse Dogan. "Extensive research has shown [an] association between abnormal heart-rate recovery and various cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and sudden cardiac death," the researchers wrote. But measuring HRR has traditionally been an involved process requiring a cardiologist, a treadmill and other costly equipment and personnel. The team wanted to develop a more accessible approach to assessing and predicting cardiovascular risk. If a wearable device could capture relevant data as a person goes through their daily routines, shipping off that data to a laboratory or doctor's office for analysis, it could make early diagnosis of potential problems available to many more people. To achieve this, the researchers made use of a smart shirt developed by the Quebec-based company Carre Technologies. The shirt provides sensors to capture continuous measures of heart performance, including tracking electrical activity and heart-rate variability. In total, 38 participants ranging in age from 20 to 76 walked on a treadmill at varying speeds and inclines while wearing the device. The study was conducted in 2021 in Illinois during the COVID-19 lockdown. The team used machine-learning and other techniques to extract the most meaningful signals of cardiac health from the data, designing a system for predicting those at highest risk of cardiovascular maladies. "We chose the median heart rate recovery value of 28 beats per minute as the threshold to separate participants into high-risk and low-risk groups," the researchers wrote. They used other statistical measures to cross-check the findings. "We are finding consistent values with the different traditional classifiers and cross-validation approaches," Dogan said. That means that the algorithm developed for the study yielded reasonably accurate results despite the small sample size, she said. The study is a first step toward using wearables to help people more readily assess their risk of heart-related problems, perhaps catching worrisome trends before they develop into full-fledged disorders or cause sudden death, Hernandez said. "We want to use it to provide us with some greater insight in terms of our underlying cardiovascular function," he said. "And we want to make something that's clinically actionable." "One would like to have a whole bunch of data from wearables, and then that data is transmitted to a doctor's office, and the doctor can interpret it," Sowers said. This would be especially useful for those living in rural communities or other areas with poor access to advanced medical facilities. Future studies of the use of wearable technology to predict cardiovascular risk should increase the number of people studied, follow participants over time and compare their heart activity during exercise and at rest, the researchers said. Further studies should also focus on integrating the technology into standard health care practices. More information: Ayse Dogan et al, Continuous Heart Rate Recovery Monitoring with ECG Signals from Wearables: Identifying Risk Groups in the General Population, IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics (2025). DOI: 10.1109/JBHI.2025.3550092 " " Pilots working in the airline industry have to go through a lot more than just flight school. AzmanL / Getty Images Powered flight is one of the great dreams of humanity, and thanks to modern technology, doing it for a living isn't an unreasonably ambition. It's no wonder that so many aspiring aviators want to know how to become an airline pilot. If you've ever dreamed of soaring through the skies and making a career out of it, youll need to go through years of rigorous flight training and meet strict flight hour requirements on your pathway to the professional piloting. Advertisement Many pilots start their journey as student pilots, earning a private pilot license before advancing to a commercial pilot certificate. It takes discipline, knowledge, and a whole lot of flight time to reach the level of an airline transport pilot. On Wednesday, 1,529 stocks advanced, 2,359 declined and 142 remained unchanged, with an advance decline ratio of 0.64 on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), indicating negative closing of stocks in broader markets. After the Indian markets closed, in a significant escalation of trade tensions, China has announced it will raise tariffs on US goods to 84%, effective Thursday. This has led to US futures GIFT Nifty weakening. The sharp increase by China from the previously announced 34% comes as a direct response to US President Donald Trump's latest tariff measures, which include a 104% tariff on Chinese imports that took effect on Wednesday. The trend of the major indices on Wednesdays trading is given in the table below. On NSE, 19 securities advanced and closed at a new 52-week high whereas 45 securities sank to close at their new 52-week lows. In sectoral indices, Nifty FMCG and Nifty Auto were the biggest gainers. Nifty PSU Bank, Nifty IT and Nifty Pharma were the biggest losers. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reduced the key lending rate, or repo rate, by 25 basis points, bringing it down to 6%. After a detailed assessment of the evolving macroeconomic and financial conditions and outlook, the MPC voted unanimously to reduce the policy repo rate by 25 basis points to 6% with immediate effect," said Sanjay Malhotra. This is the second rate cut in a row, following a 25 basis point reduction in February. Indian Railways formulated a new public-private partnership (PPP) policy to attract Rs30,000 crore in private investment for 50 identified projects. This revised framework aims to simplify processes, reduce litigation risks, and ensure a reasonable rate of return for investors in railway infrastructure, including freight terminals, mineral corridors, and port connectivity projects. Vedanta (-1.48%) will explore a revised plan for a four-way demerger of its businesses, a shift from its earlier proposed six-way split. This comes after the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) rejected the initial plan due to objections from a Chinese firm, SEPCO, a creditor to Vedanta's power business, Talwandi Sabo Power (TSPL). The NCLT cited concerns about insufficient creditor disclosures regarding the demerger. Vedanta is now considering appealing the decision. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), (+0.42%) will invest over Rs61,000 crore in establishing a major petrochemical complex in Odisha. This investment aims to meet the increasing domestic demand for petrochemicals in the rapidly growing Indian economy. IOC signed a memorandum of understanding with the Odisha state government for this significant project. Separately, IOC, along with Petronet LNG will invest Rs6,500 crore to set up an LNG import terminal at Gopalpur Port, also in Odisha. These investments highlight the growing energy infrastructure in the region. According to data shared by the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil), the United States remained the largest market for Indias pharmaceutical exports during AprilFebruary 202425, accounting for a significant 36.6% share, or $9.8 billion. Remarkably, the US market grew by 14% despite its already substantial base. However, with the US administration expected to introduce tariffs on pharmaceutical imports, Indian exporters are actively seeking alternative markets to reduce reliance on the US and mitigate potential challenges. Infosys (-1.76%) extended its partnership with Allied Irish Banks (AIB) to further support the bank's digital transformation initiatives. The collaboration will focus on developing and enhancing AIB's application landscape. Indian government notified the amalgamation of various regional rural banks (RRBs) within several states into single, larger RRBs. This consolidation aims to improve operational efficiency, enhance financial stability, and provide better customer service by creating stronger regional banking entities. The mergers are expected to streamline management and expand the reach of rural banking services across the concerned states. The top gainers and top losers of the major indices are given in the table below: The closing values of the major Asian indices are given in the table below: The Court of Appeal of the Singapore Supreme Court recently upheld the setting aside of an arbitral award passed by a tribunal led by former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra after discovering that 47% of its contents - 212 out of 451 paragraphs - were copied verbatim from two prior awards involving the same presiding arbitrator. While dismissing an appeal against an order of the Singapore International Commercial Court (which is part of the High Court), a bench of Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon and Justice Steven Chong ruled, "...the Parallel Awards were used as templates in drafting the Award to a very substantial degree. It is undisputed that at least 212 paragraphs from the Parallel Awards were retained in the 451-paragraph Award. This has several implications. The dispute arose from a contract between a special-purpose vehicle managing freight corridors in India and a consortium of three companies involved in infrastructure projects. The disagreement centred on whether a 2017 Indian government notification increasing minimum wages entitled the consortium to additional payments under their contract. When negotiations failed, the matter went to arbitration in Singapore under the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Rules. The tribunal, also comprising former Madhya Pradesh High Court judge Justice Krishn Kumar Lahoti and former Jammu & Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Gita Mittal, ruled in favour of the consortium in November 2023. High Court findings The award was appealed before the Singapore High Court on the ground that the tribunal had copied extensively from two prior awards in related arbitration involving the same presiding arbitrator. All three tribunals were chaired by Justice Misra. The co-arbitrators were not involved in the parallel arbitration. The High Court found that this approach breached natural justice by: 1. Failing to independently assess the parties argumentssome portions referenced submissions from the prior arbitration that were not made in this case. 2. Applying incorrect contractual terms and legal principles, including referencing the wrong version of a key clause and mistakenly applying Indian instead of Singaporean arbitration law. 3. Creating an appearance of bias, as the tribunal appeared to rely on prior decisions rather than considering the case afresh. Court of Appeal ruling At the outset, the Court said that it is not inherently wrong for an arbitrator to resolve two related disputes in the same manner. However, given that all three cases had differences, it held, "That is simply not the case here, where not only was there no possibility of the parties addressing the points raised or conclusions reached in the separate proceedings, but portions from the Parallel Awards were reproduced in the Award, without even being adjusted for differences in the arguments made or in the terms of the applicable contracts." The Court of Appeal identified three key breaches of natural justice. Apparent bias The Court found that a fair-minded observer would reasonably suspect that the tribunal had approached the arbitration with a closed mind, having been improperly influenced by the earlier decisions. According to the Court, by using previous awards as templates, the President (Justice Misra) created a strong appearance of prejudgment. The Court identified specific cognitive biases at play: anchoring bias (where initial information disproportionately influences later judgments) and confirmation bias (the tendency to favour information that confirms existing beliefs). The extensive copying - nearly half the award - made it reasonable to suspect the tribunal had not truly considered the unique aspects of this case on its merits. We are therefore amply satisfied that a fair-minded observer having formed these suspicions would have concluded that the integrity of the decision-making process had been compromised and agree with the Judge that the allegation of apparent bias has been made out. Reference to extraneous materials According to the Court, the tribunal drew on materials from the parallel arbitration that the parties had no access to and therefore couldn't address. The Court recognised that by importing substantial content from parallel arbitration without disclosure, the tribunal effectively denied the parties their right to be heard on that material. Applying this to the present case, the patently substantial material derived from the Parallel Arbitrations were extraneous considerations that had not been raised to the parties' attention. That material formed such a pervasive part of the Award that it simply could not be overlooked. It was plain that it was neither contemplated nor agreed to by the parties that the Award could be prepared by such a process. For these reasons, we again agree with the Judge that there had been a breach of the fair hearing rule. Inequality among arbitrators As only the President had knowledge of the parallel arbitration, the co-arbitrators were placed in an unequal position, undermining the integrity of the decision-making process, the Court found. It acknowledged that when one arbitrator has access to information others don't, the collective decision-making process is compromised. According to the Court, party-appointed arbitrators are expected to act independently and impartially, with equal ability to influence the outcome. The unequal access to information undermined this fundamental expectation and further damaged the integrity of the arbitral process. We also consider that the expectation of equality as between the Arbitrators was compromised. While, as we have noted, there is no evidence as to what actually transpired between the members of the Tribunal, it is known that the two co-arbitrators in this case were not privy to the Parallel Arbitrations. They would thus have had no direct access to any material or knowledge derived from those proceedings, but which appeared to have significantly influenced the outcome of the present Arbitration. The integrity of the Arbitration was therefore further compromised as a result. In its conclusion, the Court ruled that it does not insinuate any bad faith on the arbitral tribunal, but the award itself had to be set aside to safeguard the integrity of the process. Rather, our decision rests on the importance of safeguarding the integrity and fairness of the arbitral process, which is the primary right accorded to those who opt to resolve their disputes through this means." South Korea announced emergency support measures for its auto sector on Wednesday in response to the impact of US tariffs on the industry. The South Korean government unveiled a US$2bn (billion) emergency funding package for the auto sector which has been severely affected by the US tariffs. As part of the package, South Korea will reduce taxes on automobile purchases to 3.5% from the current 5% until June 2025. Additionally, the government will increase subsidies for electric vehicles, raising them to 30%-80% of the price discount, up from the current 20%-40%, with the subsidy period extended by six months until the end of this year. The 25% levy on all auto imports into the US took effect last week and these new tariffs are expected to affect the South Korean automobile industry significantly. Three police reservists were tragically killed on Monday evening in a violent gun battle with bandits in Mea, Igembe North, Meru County. During the attack, their firearms were stolen, and several other reservists sustained injuries. They are now receiving treatment in the hospital. Meru County Commissioner Jacob Ouma confirmed the incident, stating, We received the reports of the raid in the Mea area and responded in time. There was a fierce fight and unfortunately, three reservists were fatally shot. Despite the tragic loss, Ouma noted that security forces successfully recovered all the stolen livestock during the 6 p.m. raid. The heavily armed raiders had stolen 87 cattle, 22 goats, and seven donkeys before being overpowered by the officers. A local herder, who witnessed the attack, shared, Initially, we were unaware of the large number of bandits. The police reservists were surrounded when they reached the area where the cattle were. The gunfight lasted about an hour. This comes after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, speaking during a recent visit to Meru, outlined plans for a joint security operation involving the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF). The operation aims to target bandits in Laikipia North, Samburu East, Isiolo, and Meru. Weve set up an operation base in Kirimon, Laikipia, to address the issues in Mukogondo Forest. The KDF will lead the operation to flush out the bandits and end the terror in the area, Murkomen said. He assured the public that the government is using all available strategies and modern tactics to fight cattle rustling and banditry, stating, We will leave no stone unturned to ensure our communities are safe and secure. Dubais vibrant economic landscape offers endless opportunities and challenges for businesses of all sizes. As companies navigate this dynamic market, many turn to business advisory services to help steer their growth and manage risks. For a comprehensive range of support, businesses often explore options available at https://atton-consulting.com/en/services/, which provides insights into various corporate solutions designed to optimize operations and enhance performance. In this post, we will delve into how business advisory intersects with the business community in Dubai, discussing why businesses need advisors, when they typically ask for advice, the overall impact of advisory services, and common issues that advisors help resolve. Why Businesses Need Advisors In a competitive and rapidly evolving market like Dubai, the need for expert advice is more critical than ever. Business advisors bring a wealth of experience, specialized knowledge, and objective insights that enable companies to make informed decisions and stay ahead of industry trends. Here are some of the primary reasons why businesses rely on advisory services: Strategic Planning: Advisors help companies develop clear, long-term strategies that align with their vision and market realities. They work with businesses to set achievable goals and chart out the steps needed to reach them. Risk Mitigation: With the ever-changing economic and regulatory environment in Dubai, advisors are instrumental in identifying potential risks and formulating plans to mitigate them. This proactive approach helps safeguard a companys interests. Financial Management: From budgeting and forecasting to financial restructuring, advisors offer guidance that strengthens financial health. This support is particularly crucial during periods of market volatility or expansion. Operational Efficiency: Business advisors review internal processes and recommend improvements that streamline operations, reduce costs, and boost productivity. Market Adaptability: In a globalized market, understanding shifting trends is key. Advisors provide up-to-date market research and insights, ensuring that businesses remain agile and responsive to change. These benefits demonstrate that advisory services are not just about troubleshooting problemsthey are an essential component of a strategic growth plan. When Businesses Ask for Advice Knowing when to seek advice is as important as the advice itself. In Dubais fast-paced business environment, timing can be a crucial factor in the success of any enterprise. Businesses typically reach out to advisors in several key scenarios: Startup Phase: New ventures often lack the in-house expertise needed to navigate market entry and regulatory compliance. Early advisory support can help startups build a strong foundation and avoid common pitfalls. Expansion and Scaling: As companies look to expand locally or internationally, the complexities of scaling operations, securing financing, and managing increased competition necessitate expert guidance. Financial Restructuring: During periods of financial strain or when significant capital investments are required, businesses turn to advisors to reassess and realign their financial strategies. Organizational Change: Whether its a merger, acquisition, or internal restructuring, transitional phases benefit from advisory support to ensure smooth integration and maintain operational continuity. Regulatory Changes: With Dubais regulatory environment continually evolving, companies often seek advice when new laws or guidelines are introduced that could impact their operations. Understanding these critical junctures helps companies proactively engage with advisors, ensuring they have the support needed at the right time. Advisory Impact on Businesses The positive impact of business advisory services on organizations in Dubai is significant and multifaceted. By providing expert insights and tailored strategies, advisors help companies achieve tangible improvements in various aspects of their operations. Some notable impacts include: Enhanced Decision-Making: With detailed analysis and data-driven recommendations, advisors empower business leaders to make informed decisions that align with their strategic goals. Operational Improvements: Streamlined processes and optimized resource management lead to increased efficiency, allowing businesses to focus on core activities and innovation. Financial Stability: By restructuring financial models, managing cash flows, and identifying cost-saving opportunities, advisors contribute to a more robust and resilient financial outlook. Competitive Advantage: With access to market intelligence and industry benchmarks, companies can differentiate themselves from competitors and capitalize on emerging opportunities. Long-term Sustainability: Advisory support isnt just about immediate fixes; it lays the groundwork for sustainable growth by addressing both current challenges and future opportunities. These outcomes highlight the critical role of advisory services in not only resolving specific issues but also in creating a competitive edge that drives long-term success. Common Business Issues Addressed Business advisory services in Dubai are designed to tackle a wide range of challenges that companies commonly face. By addressing these issues, advisors help businesses overcome hurdles and improve overall performance. Some of the most common issues include: Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring adherence to local and international laws is a significant challenge, particularly in a dynamic market like Dubai. Advisors assist in navigating these complex requirements. Market Entry and Expansion: Whether entering a new market or scaling up operations, businesses need comprehensive strategies to manage growth and mitigate risks. Financial Management: Issues such as cash flow problems, debt restructuring, and investment planning are frequent challenges that advisors help resolve. Operational Inefficiencies: Many companies struggle with outdated processes and systems. Advisors analyze workflows and implement strategies to enhance efficiency and productivity. Strategic Misalignment: Sometimes businesses face challenges due to a lack of clear strategic direction. Advisors work to realign company goals with operational practices and market demands. Technology Integration: As digital transformation becomes increasingly critical, businesses need help integrating new technologies without disrupting existing operations. Addressing these issues effectively enables companies to operate more smoothly, reduce risks, and position themselves for future growth. In summary, the intersection of business advisory and the business community in Dubai is both essential and transformative. With expert advisors guiding companies through strategic planning, risk management, and operational improvements, businesses are better equipped to navigate the complexities of the market. Whether its during the startup phase, periods of expansion, or times of organizational change, timely advisory support makes a significant difference. Moreover, the impact of these services extends beyond immediate problem-solving to fostering long-term success and sustainability. By addressing common challenges such as regulatory compliance, financial management, and technology integration, advisory services play a pivotal role in shaping the future of businesses in Dubai. The Ministry of Health has confirmed a cholera outbreak spreading across several regions of Kenya, with 97 reported cases and six fatalities as of April 6, 2025. The deadly waterborne disease is causing widespread concern, especially in the counties of Migori, Kisumu, and Nairobi. Cholera is highly contagious, caused by the Vibrio cholerae bacteria. It spreads primarily through the consumption of food or water contaminated by the bacteria. Symptoms of cholera include sudden onset of severe watery diarrhea, vomiting, muscle cramps, and rapid dehydration, which can appear within hours or days of exposure. Current Situation in Affected Counties According to the latest updates from the Ministry of Health, the cholera outbreak has been particularly devastating in the following counties: Migori County has reported 53 cases and one death, with affected areas including Suna East, Suna West, Kuria East, and Kuria West. While most patients have recovered, two individuals remain hospitalized. Kisumu County has seen 32 cases and four deaths, primarily in the Nyando and Muhoroni sub-counties. Nairobi County has recorded 12 cases and one death, with cases spread across Kasarani, Embakasi East, Embakasi Central, Roysambu, Kibra, and Dagoretti South sub-counties. Ongoing Response Measures to Combat Cholera In response to the outbreak, the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with local County Governments, has launched several interventions aimed at containing the disease and preventing further loss of life: Enhanced Surveillance: The Ministry has activated rapid response teams and is conducting active case searches and contact tracing both at the national and county levels to track and isolate new cases. Health Worker Training: Healthcare professionals are undergoing specialized training in case management, surveillance, water sanitation, hygiene practices, and effective communication strategies to enhance their response efforts. Risk Communication and Community Engagement: The Ministry is working closely with community health promoters, administrative officers, and media channels to spread crucial information. Informational materials, including videos, are being distributed to raise awareness about cholera prevention. Water Hygiene and Sanitation Measures: The Ministry is promoting household water treatment and enforcing proper hygiene practices. They are also ensuring food safety, particularly after investigations revealed that untreated water consumption is a significant risk factor. Case Management: The Ministry is actively testing suspected cases, providing treatment to confirmed patients, and offering prophylactic measures to those who may have come into close contact with infected individuals. Public Health Guidelines to Prevent the Spread of Cholera To help prevent the further spread of cholera, the Ministry of Health urges all Kenyans to follow these essential guidelines: Personal Hygiene Regularly wash hands with soap and clean water, particularly after using the toilet, before eating or preparing food, and after caring for the sick. Ensure handwashing stations are available in public places, equipped with clean water and soap, or use hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol content. Safe Water and Sanitation Only drink clean water that has been boiled or chlorinated. Avoid untreated water from rivers or lakes. Store water in clean, covered containers and properly dispose of waste to avoid contamination. Maintain clean, functional latrines and avoid open defecation. Food Safety Wash hands and sanitize surfaces before preparing food. Use clean water for cooking and washing produce. Cook food thoroughly, especially meat and fish, and store it properly in clean containers. Reheat leftovers thoroughly before consumption. Early Health-Seeking Behavior At the first signs of diarrhea, immediately begin taking Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) and seek medical care at the nearest health facility. Avoid self-medication and the use of traditional remedies, as they may worsen the situation. The Ministry of Health has emphasized the need for immediate medical care for anyone suspected of being infected with cholera, as the disease can be fatal if left untreated. Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has strongly rejected allegations that he demanded Ksh. 10 billion from President William Ruto to oversee political activities in the Mt. Kenya region. During a televised interview with KTN News on Monday, Gachagua labeled the claims as baseless and part of a deliberate campaign to damage his reputation, particularly within his stronghold of Central Kenya. I never blackmailed the President. If that were the case, it would have been the first charge during the efforts to force me out of office, Gachagua stated. He went on to explain that the impeachment efforts against him were part of a broader plot orchestrated by President Ruto, the National Intelligence Service, and former Interior Cabinet Secretary, Prof. Kithure Kindiki. Gachagua at the same time pointed out the changing reasons given for his removal, accusing Ruto and his allies of offering different explanations based on the region. In Western Kenya, he said I was incompetent and tribal. In North Eastern, he claimed I was divisive. In Nyanza, he called me primitive and corrupt, Gachagua said. But when he came to Mt. Kenya, none of that was mentioned. Instead, he claimed I had asked for Ksh. 10 billion. Gachagua further pointed out the contradictions within Rutos inner circle, including digital strategist Dennis Itumbi and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwah, who previously provided varying figures about the alleged funds. The former Deputy President vehemently dismissed the allegations, insisting that his financial backing of Rutos presidential campaign stemmed from a genuine commitment to the cause. He recalled how the previous administration targeted him for supporting Ruto, freezing his accounts and blocking his businesses. I was in trouble with the previous administration because I was funding Rutos campaign, Gachagua explained. They froze my accounts, blocked my businesses, and tried to stop me. I invested heavily in his campaignIm not the type to go around asking him for money. Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has hailed Moses Kuria, the Presidential Economic Advisor, as one of the brightest leaders from the Mt Kenya region. In a candid interview on KTN Monday night, Gachagua highlighted Kurias impactful leadership during his time as Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade, and Industry. Gachagua praised Kuria for launching the County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs), an initiative designed to boost local manufacturing and enhance value addition across the country. Moses Kuria is one of our brightest leaders from the Mt. Kenya region, and today he is facing problems, Gachagua said. He went on to emphasize that the CAIPs project, a brilliant idea at its inception, has since stalled after Kurias removal from the ministry. When Moses Kuria was Minister for Trade, he was the one who started the County Aggregation and Industrial Parks, a brilliant idea. Since they removed him, that project is stuck, he added. The former Deputy President argued that if President William Ruto had allowed Kuria to remain in the Ministry, the CAIPs would be operational by now. He criticized Ruto for dismissing Kuria and reassigned him as an economic advisor at State House, suggesting that the shift in roles disrupted the projects momentum. Kuria is a brilliant mind, and I can tell you this idea of CAIPs that he came up withhad the President allowed him to stay as Minister for Investment, Trade and Industrytoday, those things would be working, Gachagua said. In his remarks, Gachagua underscored how Kurias removal undermined a visionary plan aimed at stimulating industrial growth across counties. The Gates Foundation has officially withdrawn from the host country agreement it had previously signed with Kenya. In a statement released on Tuesday, April 8, the foundation clarified that its decision was prompted by an ongoing court case challenging the agreement. The foundation expressed concern that the legal dispute had shifted attention away from its primary mission and projects in Kenya. However, despite withdrawing from the agreement, the Gates Foundation reassured the public that its operations in Kenya would continue under the framework of its branch office. The legal case surrounding the Host Country Agreement has drawn attention away from our core mission. To maintain focus on our work and partnerships in Kenya, we will continue our branch office operations in the country but transition away from the Host Country Agreement, the statement read in part. During the court proceedings on the same day, it was announced that the Gates Foundation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had mutually agreed to withdraw from the agreement. The agreement had been met with criticism from many Kenyans, especially due to the diplomatic and tax immunity granted to the foundation as part of the deal. In defense of the immunity, the government had stated that it was essential to allow the Gates Foundations workers to implement their projects without obstacles. Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi explained in 2024, Diplomatic privileges and immunities are tools, not trophies. They are meant to facilitate the seamless operation of organizations that advance the public good, much like the foundational principles of the Vienna Convention. The agreement had previously been suspended by the High Court in November 2024 following a case filed by the Law Society of Kenya. Since the beginning of 2025, the Kenyan government, in collaboration with its Embassy in Bangkok, has successfully repatriated 153 Kenyan nationals who were trafficked to scam compounds in Myanmar, where they were forced into criminal activities. This repatriation was part of an ongoing effort to rescue victims from human trafficking networks operating in Southeast Asia. Among those rescued were 26 victims on February 22, 49 on March 22, and 78 on April 5. The 153 Kenyans were among over 7,000 individuals from various countries who were freed from these exploitative conditions after a multinational rescue operation with the Government of Thailand. Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Roseline Kathure Njogu confirmed the operations success, stating, The 153 rescued Kenyans were part of over 7,000 individuals from various nationalities rescued from scam compounds in Myanmar after a multinational rescue operation with the Government of Thailand. Between 2022 and December 2024, the Kenyan government also rescued and repatriated 150 Kenyan victims from the Golden Triangle region of East Asia, which is notorious for human trafficking and forced labor. According to the PS, these victims were lured to Myanmar with false promises of well-paying jobs, only to find themselves trapped in horrific working conditions where they were subjected to forced labor and severe abuse. Upon arrival back in Kenya, the victims are greeted by a multi-agency team that includes the State Department for Diaspora Affairs, the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Secretariat, security agencies, and HAART Kenya, an NGO focused on fighting human trafficking in Eastern Africa. The team provides victims with much-needed counseling and psychological support to help them recover from the trauma they endured. Many victims have reported suffering brutal punishments, including electric shocks, physical beatings, and, in some cases, organ harvesting. The governments efforts to provide protection and support to these individuals are part of a broader strategy to combat human trafficking and protect vulnerable Kenyans abroad. The PS emphasized the importance of vigilance and caution when considering job offers abroad. She urged Kenyans to verify employment opportunities, particularly those requiring upfront fees, and to only use licensed agencies listed on the National Employment Authority portal. She also encouraged Kenyans to obtain their passports through official channels to avoid falling victim to traffickers. Additionally, the PS urged Kenyans traveling abroad to ensure they have appropriate visas, report suspicious activities to local authorities or embassies, and authenticate all job offers through the State Department for Diaspora Affairs and the Kenyan Embassy in Bangkok, particularly for jobs in Thailand. The success of the rescue efforts was made possible by strong government-to-government collaboration between Kenya, Thailand, and Myanmar, with the Kenyan Embassy in Bangkok playing a central role. The PS also expressed gratitude for the support from Kenya Airways, HAART Kenya, and other partners who helped provide travel logistics, shelter, and psychosocial assistance to the victims. She extended special thanks to the multi-agency coordination team, Kenya Airports Authority, and the media for their role in bringing attention to these critical issues. Finally, the PS issued a stark warning to Kenyans considering job opportunities in Southeast Asia, particularly in the Golden Triangle region. There are currently no job opportunities for Kenyans in this region, she said. Any recruitment agency or agent claiming to have job opportunities there should be treated as human traffickers and reported immediately to the State Department for Diaspora Affairs and the nearest police station. Parliament may soon take a bold step into the digital age by incorporating social media feedback into the national budget-making process. This move, if adopted, could transform how Kenyans participate in shaping the countrys economic future. National Assembly Finance and National Planning Committee Chairperson Kimani Kuria has confirmed that lawmakers are rethinking how they gather public views. Speaking on Tuesday, April 8, during an interview on NTV, Kuria said Parliament intends to move away from outdated approaches that rely heavily on formal submissions. In the National Assembly and the Finance and National Planning Committee, we are discussing how the current approach to public participation is too traditional, he said. For years, public input on government policies has largely come through written memoranda, emails, and scheduled forums. But Kuria believes these methods no longer reflect the way most citizens communicate. Today, conversations about taxation, spending, and economic priorities happen in real timeand often online. We should consider feedback from social media platforms as legitimate public participation, Kuria said. We shouldnt insist that people must send emails. Many dont use email, but they are on platforms like WhatsApp. Kuria stressed that Parliament must meet citizens where they already are: on digital platforms. He pointed to vibrant conversations taking place not just on Facebook or Twitter (now X), but also in community WhatsApp groups, TikTok videos, and YouTube comment sections. Were talking about community WhatsApp groups, TikTok conversations, and even YouTube forums where people are expressing real concerns about taxation, spending, and economic priorities. Thats where real public discourse is happening today, he said. As part of its modernization efforts, the Finance Committee is developing a digital public participation framework. This initiative aims to enable Kenyans to take part in budget discussions through approved and secure online platforms. Kuria said the committee is considering tools that can track trending topics, extract structured feedback from social media, and verify digital submissions through user authentication. He argued that Parliament cannot afford to ignore massive online reactions to policy proposals. Viral videos expressing public outrage or posts with thousands of comments, he said, deserve attention equal to that given to formal submissions. If a video goes viral showing public anger over a tax proposal, should we really ignore that? he asked. If thousands of comments on a post express dissatisfaction, isnt that feedback just as valid as someone speaking at a town hall meeting? To support this digital transition, Kuria hinted that Parliament may partner with tech firms and civil society groups to design user-friendly platforms. These platforms would simplify proposed laws and make it easier for ordinary Kenyans to share their views in plain, accessible formats. We must stop assuming that just because someone didnt come to Parliament or didnt email us, they dont care, he said. In reality, they are engaging in large numbersjust not in the ways were used to. By embracing digital public participation, Kuria believes Parliament can reduce tensions that often arise when citizens feel excluded from key decisions. He argued that when people understand the Finance Bill early in the process, theyre more likely to engage constructively. If people feel heard from the beginning, and if they understand what the Finance Bill is about before it reaches the debate stage, we believe there will be less resistance and more meaningful dialogue, he said. As Parliament begins the 2025 budget cycle, Kuria emphasized that lawmakers must go beyond informing the publicthey must also ensure Kenyans have early, transparent access to the process. VMPL New Delhi [India], April 9: Hansa Research has released its 5th edition of the Insurance CuES report that tracks the experience, perceptions, attitudes, and behaviour of consumers in India, with a particular focus on life insurance. Based on customer experience, the report ranks the top life insurance companies in India and has captured feedback from more than 3600 customers across 13 life insurance brands in the country. The 2025 Life Insurance CuES report provides important insights that can help companies prioritize and better position their business strategies and investments in the year to come. In a shift from 2024, the life insurance industry has witnessed a significant leap in customer experience, marking a notable departure from last year's stagnation, particularly in communication, customer support, and the initial purchase and on boarding journey. Hansa Research's latest Life Insurance CuES 2025 report reveals that customers are associating life insurance brands more positively, especially in aspects like 'trust and transparency,' 'innovation,' and being 'customer-oriented.' This improvement has resulted in a significant increase in the industry's Net Promoter Score from 54% to 58%. Over the past five years, the Net Promoter Score (NPS) for the insurance industry has seen a remarkable increase of 20 points, rising from 38% in 2021 to 58% in 2025. This improvement can be attributed to insurers effectively meeting customer expectations in key areas such as operational efficiency, transparency, and post-sales service support. Additionally, there has been a notable shift in customer expectations, evolving from mere transactional interactions to fostering deeper relationships with their insurers. Furthermore, a significant trend observed over this five-year period is the narrowing gap in NPS between leading and lesser-performing brands. In 2021, the difference in NPS between the top quartile and the bottom quartile brands was 17 points; by 2025, this gap has decreased to just 10 points. This trend suggests an overall improvement in service quality across the industry and underscores the importance of continuous enhancements in customer engagement strategies. As brands strive to enhance their offerings, it is evident that companies are increasingly prioritizing customer satisfaction and loyalty, ultimately benefiting consumers with improved service experiences. Sharing some insights on the Hansa Research, Life Insurance CuES report, Praveen Nijhara, CEO, Hansa Research said, "The Life Insurance companies have consistently demonstrated strong performance over the last five years. However, differentiation in customer experience is diminishing, making the next few years crucial for establishing brand leadership. Delivering experiences and products tailored to the diverse needs, preferences and communication styles of India's fragmented demographics especially customers in non-metros, millennials and women will drive leadership." Key Highlights ICICI Prudential Life Insurance and Axis Max Life Insurance have achieved impressive Net Promoter Scores (NPS) of 65% and 64%, respectively, significantly exceeding the industry average of 58%. Both brands are recognized as innovators, delivering exceptional brand and customer experiences. Tata AIA and Kotak Life Insurance have tied for the third spot alongside HDFC Life Insurance, displaying an improvement in their customer experience offerings. SBI Life Insurance has also made significant strides improving its NPS, and ranking high on trust and affordability. Additionally, LIC, SBI Life Insurance and HDFC Life Insurance continue to lead in brand awareness among non-life policyholders. Piyali Chatterjee, Executive Vice President, CX, Hansa Research said, "To thrive in the future, brands must focus on addressing financial literacy, behavioural biases, and simplifying product complexity. Success lies in aligning products with customer needs and profiles while delivering seamless, personalized experiences. Over recent years, customer expectations have shifted from purely transactional interactions to relationship-driven engagement--a trend that continues to strengthen and shape the industry's evolution." In 2025, five key trends emerge, which will play a fundamental role in shaping the industry. 1. Economic Influence on Financial Investment Decisions: Consumers are increasingly influenced by economic factors when making financial investments. However, concerns about lack of information and transparency, as well as the difficulty in understanding financial products, persist. Our findings from the study show that simple-to-understand products and plans are critical for both acquisition and customer retention. Infact, 40% of respondents (non-life policyholders) in the survey mentioned that they did not find it easy to understand the features, terms and conditions of life insurance product & policies. 2. Evolution of Life Insurance needs: While ensuring 'financial protection for the family' was the key motivator for purchasing life insurance among the current policyholders (34%), there is an increased focus on savings and retirement among the customers. Insurers need to start aligning their products to meet the evolving needs of the customers, especially with the impending demographic shift towards maturity in the near future in India. Brands can fine-tune their marketing and communication plan by targeting specific products towards existing customers. Infact, when asked about their primary reason for purchase, twice as many customers aged over 40yrs mentioned a need related to their children's education. 3. Millennial Expectations: The millennial customer is emerging as the most 'at risk' in terms of brand stickiness and is more likely to explore alternative options. They prioritize experiences over brand reputation and rank aspects such as affordability, easy access, 24/7 customer support, frequent advisor engagement and seamless digital solutions for purchasing and managing their policies - high on their list of expectations. 4. What Women Want: Women are driving growth in the industry, highlighting the need for tailored products that emphasize affordability, seamless on boarding, and effective communication. Their need for interaction and engagement with the advisor before and after purchase is higher than that of men. Their product needs differ from those of men. While protection remains a key motivator, their needs gravitate largely towards 'savings/ income for future/ retirement' and 'child plans/ savings safety net for your kids' future'. 5. Digital Services: Interestingly while digital services and support in life insurance continues its wide, spread adoption among customers especially those in Metros, its role as a differentiating factor between brands is reducing as it is becoming a standard expectation rather than a unique selling point. Brands need to move beyond using digital services and support options for efficiency and instead leverage it for building value for customers. About NPS: Net Promoter Score (NPS) is used by many brands as a loyalty metric to measure the health of their customer relationships. A superlative consumer experience is a critical aspect driving the Net Promoter Score. About Hansa Research Group: Hansa Research is the largest Indian Consumer Insights Provider who are in the business of insights and analytics for over 40 years having undertaken client assignments in over 100 countries. It is the first Indian insights and consulting company to acquire a US-based firm, GCR (formerly called Gartner Custom Research). The multi-national company headquartered in India has offices in Singapore, Germany, USA and Bangladesh. Hansa Research Group is a part of R K SWAMY | HANSA Group of companies which are India's leading multi-discipline, multi-location, marketing communications, and services groups, serving the needs of a wide array of companies globally. Website: https://www.hansaresearch.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hansa-research-group/ Media Contact: Vidhi Shah - 9930840442 - vidhi@bloomingdalepr.com Khushboo Agarwal - 9372530363 - khushboo@bloomingdalepr.com Riya Shah - 9769405832 - riya@bloomingdalepr.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) PRNewswire Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], April 9: Students of Amity School of Fashion Technology at Amity University Rajasthan showcased their creativity and innovation at the prestigious Times Fashion Week held in Jaipur at the Marriott. Their participation highlighted a fusion of grandeur, sustainability, and contemporary fashion trends. The students presented 'TheRajwada' drawing inspiration from Rajasthan's regal legacy, creating a breathtaking fusion of heritage and haute couture. From intricate embroidery to majestic silhouettes, the collection embodied the opulence and elegance of Indian royalty while embracing contemporary fashion aesthetics. Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Amit Jain, Pro Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) G.K. Aseri, and Head of the Fashion Department, Prof. Shambaditya Raj extended their encouragement and support, boosting the morale of budding designers. Amity University Rajasthan, spread across a picturesque, 150-acre campus, is committed to fostering creative excellence and advancing modern design thinking in fashion and lifestyle. Among the standout collections, Designers Asmita and Muskan captivated audiences with their impressive, eco-inspired fashion and royal attire rooted in sustainable practices. Designers Mansi, Anshu, Divyanshi, and Simran reflected the evolving sentiments of Indian fashion through their distinctive collections. Designers Madhavi, Sejal, Aparna, Sameeksha, Pavitra, and Vineet displayed intricate craftsmanship with luxurious and sophisticated designs. Adding to the grandeur of the event, renowned actress Rakul Preet Singh showcased fashion designer Archana Kochhar's collection 'Mehraab', inspired by Jaipur's royal architecture. Amity University Rajasthan continues to nurture future fashion leaders, reinforcing its commitment to innovation and sustainability in the world of design. The Amity School of Fashion Technology at Amity University Rajasthan provides several opportunities to student designers to hone their skills through industry collaborations, live projects with leading fashion houses, and projects with the Ministry of Textiles and 100% placements. Students from Amity School of Fashion Technology have been placed with designers such as Gaurav Gupta, Rina Dhaka, Ritu Kumar, Manish Arora, Satya Paul, Pankaj & Nidhi, and retail organizations like Aditya Birla, Future Group, Reliance Trends, Arrow, Zara, Marks & Spencer, Puma, Diesel and more. The institute is equipped with infrastructure at par with global institutes, with dedicated textile labs offering hands-on experience in fabric properties, a dedicated dyeing and printing lab, a fashion CAD lab, and a fashion studio. Students are exposed to each step of the process of fashion designing, having a chance to gain industry experience through internships and live shows. The institute consistently ranks among the top fashion design institutes in India, with its faculty coming from reputed fashion institutes, having 35+ publications and several patents. Frequent industry interactions, workshops with leading designers, and immersion in community projects such as Khadi Udyog provide exposure to the craft of local artisans, an in-depth understanding of Indian weaves, and perspectives, rounded off with global techniques and modern sensibilities. About Amity University Rajasthan Amity University Rajasthan is a NAAC A+ accredited clean green 152-acre picturesque campus, situated amidst the oldest mountain ranges of the Aravali, offering undergraduate, postgraduate and Ph.D. courses across various disciplines. Recently, the university was ranked #278 in the prestigious QS Asian University Rankings - Southern Asia 2025 and was featured in the band of 851-900 in the Asian University Rankings. The university also secured a spot in the 1001-1200 rank band Overall (World) in the Times Higher Education World Universities Rankings 2025. The University provides students with cutting-edge laboratories for languages, media studies, education, pharmacy, biotechnology, engineering, hotel management, business management, and scientific research, as well as sophisticated facilities for a variety of research projects. The university develops student potential in ways that complement their academic endeavours, and has a well-connected and established alumni network, with Amitians working in top national and international companies like Thomson Reuters, Wipro Technologies, and the Trident Group. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2660087/Amity_Uni_Rajwada.jpgPhoto: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2660088/Amity_Uni_Fashion.jpgLogo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2529600/Amity_Uni_Rajasthan_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) PNN New Delhi [India], April 9: The Mumbai-to-Dubai dream of commuting in a mere two hours is not far away with the planned undersea high-speed rail. The ambitious project, guided by UAE's National Advisor Bureau Limited, plans to bridge India and the UAE using an underwater train, Dubai. If realized, this futuristic transport will change travel between the two countries, making international commuting quicker, more efficient, and environmentally friendly. The Proposed Underwater Rail Link: A Game-Changer for Travel The proposed Mumbai to Dubai via underwater rail project completion date is yet to be confirmed, although feasibility and implementation discussions are already ongoing. The underwater high-speed train is projected to employ the latest technology, just like the Hyperloop system, to enable passengers to travel at ultra-high speeds under the Arabian Sea. Although exact information regarding the Dubai to India train project cost is not publicly disclosed, experts project heavy investments in making this vision a reality. The Dubai to India distance is approximately 2,000 kilometers, and this underwater rail connection plans to drastically reduce travel time relative to traditional flights. If the project materializes, it will offer a convenient method of travel alternative to air travel and increase economic and tourism opportunities for both countries. The idea of Mumbai to Dubai in 2 hours sparks the imagination of travelers and industry players because it has the potential to revolutionize global transport. How will this Impact Travel to Dubai? For Indian tourists, particularly those looking to come to the UAE on business or leisure, this connectivity at high speeds might be a changer. Though air travel is still the most favored mode of transport today, the opening up of an undersea rail link may offer an alternate option, with the benefit of a quicker immigration process and connectivity.. Until then, tourists seeking the most convenient means of traveling to Dubai can choose cheap flights to Dubai from India, which will provide hassle-free travel. With many airlines providing direct flights, booking flight tickets from Mumbai to Dubai has never been simpler. Dubai Visa Online: Your Gateway to Hassle-Free Travel Whether you're planning a quick getaway or an extended stay in Dubai, obtaining a Dubai visa online is now easier than ever. With a 100% online application process, travelers can receive their eVisa directly in their inbox. Akbar Travels, with over 45 years of expertise, offers a wide range of Dubai visa for Indians, including: * Tourist, transit, family, business, and event visas * Visa durations for 14 days, 30 days, and 60 days * Competitive pricing with the best visa rates * Express visa services in just 24 hours * Personalized assistance from application to approval With a 99.8% visa success rate, travelers can obtain the essential UAE visa information and confidently apply for their UAE visa without a worry. Exploring Dubai: The Best Travel Deals for Tourists For those looking for the best hotels in Dubai for a staycation, Akbar Travels has something for everyone, from affordable stays to luxurious five-star resorts. All the hotels are located in the city center and are accessible to the vibrant lifestyle of Dubai. The Future of Mumbai to Dubai Travel Though Mumbai to Dubai underwater rail project completion is expected to be completed by 2030, it highlights increasing emphasis on enhancing global connectivity. Until the world gets to see this groundbreaking transportation system, visitors can still use convenient and reasonable air travel, speedy visa service, and all-inclusive Dubai tour packages offered by Akbar Travels to make a trip to Dubai trouble-free. Planning a trip to Dubai has never been simpler with Akbar Travels. From travel bookings to visa assistance, we make every traveler's journey seamless to the UAE. More information on the Mumbai to Dubai underwater rail project and how it can affect international travel to come! (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) Mahindra Aerostructures (MASPL), a part of the Mahindra Group, has been awarded a contract by Airbus Helicopters to manufacture and assemble the main fuselage of its H130 light single-engine helicopter with assemblies to be delivered to Airbus Helicopters' facility in Europe starting March 2027, marking a major milestone for India's 'Make in India' initiatives. The contract was signed in the presence of Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Minister of Civil Aviation, Government of India, Vumlunmang Vualnam, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Remi Maillard, President and Managing Director of Airbus in India and South Asia, and Dr Anish Shah, Group CEO and Managing Director of the Mahindra Group. Under this agreement, Mahindra will produce the H130's main fuselage assembly, which will then be shipped to Airbus Helicopters' facilities in Europe. Industrialization will commence immediately, with the first cabin assembly scheduled for delivery by March 2027. Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Minister of Civil Aviation, said, "Airbus is one of the most important OEMS in the aviation industry across the world, and Mahindra, if you look at it, is the top manufacturer in the country when it comes to the manufacturing of this heavy equipment." He added, "So, definitely, the collaboration is very important, and we see that this is going to bolster the confidence of the aviation ecosystem in the country. This is something that the government wanted to do in mission mode, especially under the leadership of PM, who is encouraging the "Make in India" programme and the Atmanirbhar programme." Anish Shah, Group CEO & MD, Mahindra Group, said, "We are delighted to deepen our longstanding partnership with Airbus through this pivotal aerostructures contract. As a global leader, Airbus has played a transformative role in nurturing India's aerospace ecosystem and showcasing it on the world stage." He added, "It is an honour for us to build on our proven track record with Airbus, harness our industrial process excellence, and embark on this new initiative. This collaboration highlights our commitment to supporting the Government of India's flagship 'Make in India' program." Remi Maillard, President and Managing Director, Airbus in India and South Asia said, "We have a strategic plan for India and we are implementing it to develop a holistic aerospace ecosystem across all dimensions: assembly, manufacturing, engineering, innovation, digital and training." He said, "The H130 fuselage manufacturing contract underscores Airbus' confidence in the growing industrial excellence of the Indian supply chain, which offers the right mix of competencies and competitiveness. We are glad to extend this bond with India through our latest association with our partner Mahindra Aerostructures." Mahindra already supplies a variety of parts and sub-assemblies for Airbus' commercial aircraft programmes. The latest contract marks a significant milestone for Mahindra as it continues to expand its portfolio of capabilities from parts and sub-assemblies to larger and more complex aerostructures. For Airbus, India is both a major market and a strategic resource hub. Today, every Airbus commercial aircraft has components and technologies made in India. Currently, Airbus' annual procurement of components and services from India stands at USD 1.4 billion. The H130 is an intermediate single-engine helicopter tailored for passenger transport, tourism and private and business aviation, as well as medical airlift and surveillance missions. It has a wide, unobstructed cabin, which accommodates the pilot and up to seven passengers, providing outstanding visibility through a large wrap-around windscreen and wide windows. Its state-of-the-art technologies, materials, systems and avionics make it a quiet and powerful helicopter. (ANI) SMPL New Delhi [India], April 9: On March 30, 2025, Lincoln American University (LAU) proudly hosted the convocation ceremony for the graduating class of 2025 at Hotel Marriott, Georgetown, Guyana. The event was graced by the Honorable Prime Minister of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Brigadier (Ret'd) Mark Anthony Phillips, who served as the Chief Guest. The Convocation ceremony was also blessed with the presence of the guest of honour, H.E. Dr. Amit S.Telang, Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, and his wife, Dr. Deepali Telang. The presence of Air Marshal (Dr) Pawan Kapoor, AVSM, VSM BAR (Ret'd), Vice Chancellor of LAU, added further grandeur to the function. The Convocation Ceremony 2025 celebrated the unwavering dedication of the graduates who now stand poised to embark upon noble careers in the realm of medicine. Hearts brimming with pride and minds fortified with knowledge, these young scholars are prepared to render their service to humanity and further advance their cause in the healthcare industry. The ceremony bore witness to stirring orations by the esteemed delegates including H.E. Dr. Amit S Telang and the Vice Chancellor of LAU, Air Marshal (Dr) Pawan Kapoor (Ret'd) imparting the word of wisdom to the new graduates who are ready to leave a mark in the healthcare sector. H.E. Dr. Amit S.Telang, the High Commissioner of India to Guyana advised the fresh medical graduates to never stop learning. He stated, "Knowledge might be in books or other resources but wisdom comes out of experience, instinct, and hard work. It takes years of dedication and perseverance to acquire real wisdom. The ability to discern and distinguish between good and bad or real and fiction or theoretical and practical wisdom comes out of experience. The journey from becoming a knowledgeable doctor to a wise physician or a surgeon, that you begin today, is undoubtedly complex." He concluded his address by wishing them a bright future and reemphasizing that "A successful Doctor is the one who not only treats his patients but also upholds the highest standards of integrity and human values." During the ceremony, the Hon. Prime Minister, in his eloquent address, congratulated the graduating batch and encouraged them to embrace their solemn duty in advancing healthcare in Guyana and beyond. He also took this opportunity to highlight the investments made by the Government of Guyana to modernize Guyana's healthcare sector to ensure that the country's rapid transformation is accompanied by well-trained and compassionate professionals. "The PPP/C Government aims to create a healthcare system where no citizen is left behind and where every region--from the coast to the hinterland--has access to quality, timely, and respectful medical care. But policies alone cannot achieve this vision. It requires professionals who lead with purpose and integrity." At the Convocation Ceremony 2025 of the Lincoln American University, the Prime Minister further expressed his gratitude to the faculty and staff for their tireless efforts in shaping the future of medical aspirants into paragons of medical excellence. He also acknowledged with deep reverence the sacrifices made by the parents, mentors, and friends for their unwavering support towards the students's arduous journey. Lastly, he stated, "Your success is measured by the lives you impact." The graduation ceremony focused on the conferral of degrees to deserving scholars and bestowed accolades upon those who achieved exceptional distinction. Additionally, LAU's leadership expressed pride in its graduates and reaffirmed its commitment to providing world-class medical education. Lincoln American University has established itself as one of the leading medical institutions in the Caribbean since its inception in 2016. Its holistic curriculum and international recognition, have drawn aspiring medical professionals from across the globe. As these graduates step into a world fraught with challenges, they carry with them the pride of Lincoln American University, brimming with newfound motivations and an aspiration to become excellent medical practitioners in a diverse and dynamic medical domain. (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) OP Jindal University Sonipat (Haryana) [India], April 9: The Jindal School of Public Health and Human Development, in collaboration with the Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, Jindal School of Psychology and Counselling, and the Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities, hosted a day-long celebration to mark World Health Day 2025 at O. P. Jindal Global University. With this year's theme, "Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures,". This event brought together a wide range of scholars, global health experts, policymakers, and students. Participants included experts from the Harvard University (USA), University of Southampton (UK), BRAC University (Bangladesh), and UNSW Sydney, state government of Haryana, along with UNICEF, PATH, PHFI, alongside faculty members from JGU. Prof. Sabu Padmadas and Prof. Vikram Patel delivered distinguished lectures and other participants engaged on panel discussion, poster making and presentations. The day commenced with a Welcome Address by the Deans of the organizing schools. Dean Stephen P Marks outlined the key goals of World Health Day, including access to healthcare during pregnancy, reducing discrepancies in maternity and neonatal health, education and training, community engagement and policy commitment. Dean Kathleen Modrowski stressed the value of universities working together with the community in a dignified and respectful collaboration for better maternal and child health, citing the example of students' efforts in Kundli area of Sonipat, where they learn from the community, while giving back to society. Dean R. Sudarshan related his career in the United Nations to lessons in subsidiarity and experience with successful implementation of policy when those who implement are involved in the conceptualization. Dean Derick Lindquist discussed the relationship between physical and mental health and the wide range of mental health issues facing women across the life cycle and the value of life skills training. JGU's Founding Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar welcomed the event on behalf of the university and explained the evolution of the degree programmes offered by JSPH, including the launch of a new online MSc in Global Health and Human Development and replacing the two-year residential Master of Public Health (MPH) with a one-year residential MPH programme pursuant to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. He shared his ideas on policy making in public health through bridging the gap between theory and practice, making aggressive efforts to address society's problems and the challenge to interacting with state-level governments. Prof. Sabu Padmadas, Professor of Demography and Global Health from the University of Southampton, delivered a distinguished lecture on "Sustainability at Risk: The Looming Energy Crisis and Global Health," outlining the challenge of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy) and the projections of world population growth and the negative impact of inequitable access to energy and energy poverty towards maternal and child health. He noted the particular challenge of AI and the extreme demand of electricity and water and other challenges from anthropogenic factors, including death due to air pollution and sea level rise. The concluding distinguished lecture was delivered by Prof. Vikram Patel, Paul Farmer Professor and Chair of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Professor in the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. Spoke on transforming mental health systems in India, drawing on survey data on mental health conditions, barriers to care and paradigm shifts in mental health care, from biomedical approached to a wider range of interventions and highly trained professionals to community level workforce, drawing on examples from the pioneering work of Sangath in India and the implementation of EMPOWER project. He concluded making the case for community-based mental healthcare using psychosocial interventions engaging frontline workers in global mental health care. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by OP Jindal University. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) VMPL Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 9: Manoj Ceramics Limited, (INE0A6N01026), a leading name in the ceramic and tiles industry, has enhanced its retail customer experience through a strategic partnership with Jaquar, while also expanding its product portfolio with the launch of premium range to enhance its market presence. Key Highlights : Strategic Partnerships & Distribution Expansion Jaquar Partnership: Manoj Ceramics Limited has collaborated with Jaquar to launch an exclusive display centre in Ghatkopar, a prime locality in the Mumbai suburbs known for its high-end residential developments and rapidly growing interior design market. Spread across 500 sq. ft., this collaboration enables Manoj Ceramics to showcase premium sanitaryware and bathroom solutions alongside its ceramic offerings under one roof, creating a holistic design destination for discerning customers. The strategic location in Ghatkopar enhances accessibility for architects, interior designers, and homeowners across Mumbai's suburban belt, aiming to elevate the overall customer experience while strengthening Manoj Ceramic's presence in the premium interiors space. Being the first to launch a Jaquar-exclusive store in the area, Manoj Ceramics sets a new benchmark in premium displays, meeting the rising demand for integrated, high-end design solutions. Launches Innovative Products: Presents a new range of high-quality tiles and stones tailored to evolving market trends: Glue Finish Tiles: Introduced 2400x1200 mm tiles with cutting-edge glue finish technology for superior aesthetics and durability. Expanded Tile Portfolio: New sizes 1800x1200 mm, 1200x600 mm, and 1600x800 mm with Double Digital, GHR finish, and Color Body options for West and South Indian Markets. Wooden Planks: 900x150 mm and 1000x200 mm non-rectified wooden planks, exclusively for West & South zones. Exotic Stones: Addition of Premium Exotic Stones added to MCPL Retail Chain showrooms, expanding luxury offerings. Next-Gen Quartz Stones: Launched Extra whiteness Quartz stones, using Crysto Pellite for enhanced strength and finish. Management Perspective Dhruv Rakhasiya, Managing Director of Manoj Ceramics Limited, stated, "As part of our growth strategy, we have partnered with Jaquar to strengthen our portfolio and market reach by establishing an exclusive display experience in a high-potential Mumbai suburb, aimed at enhancing customer engagement and delivering superior solutions." He further shared that the company is excited to introduce its latest range of high-quality ceramic solutions, which are designed to set new benchmarks in the industry. These newly launched products, already among the leading choices in the market, reflect Manoj Ceramics' commitment to innovation, durability, and aesthetic excellence. Through this strategic partnership, Manoj Ceramics aims to expand its distribution network, access premium product displays, and enhance its competitive edge. The company is also focused on significantly strengthening its distribution channel in the coming years to reach a broader customer base and drive sustained growth. Looking ahead, Manoj Ceramics remains committed to delivering innovative, high-quality ceramic solutions by investing in advanced manufacturing technologies, automation, and strategic collaborations. The company believes that continuous product innovation and meaningful partnerships will lead to improved margins and is targeting a 25-30% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next three years. With a strong focus on sustainable growth, ongoing product development, and market expansion, Manoj Ceramics aims to create long-term value for stakeholders while reinforcing its position in an increasingly competitive industry. About Manoj Ceramics Limited Established in 1991 as 'Manoj and Company,' the business initially focused on trading building and construction materials such as marbles, granites, cement, and tiles. Manoj Ceramic Limited (MCPL) has since evolved into an internationally standardized ceramic contract-manufacturing public limited company, specializing in ceramic tiles and tile adhesives under its brand "MCPL," distributed through dealers, retail showrooms, B2B wholesale, and exports. Through continuous adoption of new technology and innovation, MCPL has established itself as a trendsetter in the ceramic industry, shaping modern design standards worldwide. After 3 decades of excellence, MCPL continues its strategic expansion, reaching every wall and floor with innovative solutions. Disclaimer This document contains forward-looking statements, which are not historical facts and are subject to risks and uncertainties such as government actions, local developments, and technological risks. The Company is not responsible for any actions taken based on these statements and does not commit to publicly updating them to reflect future events or circumstances. For Further Information Please Contact ConfideLeap Partners info@confideleap.com +(91) 85911 45959 www.confideleap.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], April 9: The business world in 2025 is defined by relentless innovation and technological breakthroughs, driven by a new generation of companies shaping the future. These industry pioneers are not only revolutionizing their respective fields but also redefining how businesses operate on a global scale. From AI-powered automation to cutting-edge sustainability solutions, these trailblazers are setting new standards and pushing the boundaries of what's possible. In this report, we highlight the top 10 companies transforming the business landscape, showcasing their disruptive technologies, visionary leadership, and game-changing impact on industries worldwide. 1. Nujay Pharma Industries: Pioneering Innovation in Ayurvedic & Organic Wellness Among the Future Icons transforming the business landscape in 2025, Nujay Pharma Industries is redefining wellness with a cutting-edge approach to Ayurveda and organic products. Established in June 2024 by Ajay Galar and Nujhat Bano, the company specializes in medicinal mushrooms, Ayurvedic supplements, biofuels, and organic cosmetics. With advanced patented technologies like ultrasonification and nano capsules, Nujay ensures superior absorption and efficacy of its products. Committed to sustainability and export-quality production, the brand stands apart in the wellness sector. Experience innovation-driven Ayurveda at www.nujaypharma.com 2. Natureland Organics - Pioneering the Organic Revolution Founded by visionaries Arvind and Ajeet Godara, Natureland Organics is transforming the agricultural landscape with its unwavering commitment to sustainability and farmer empowerment. Since 2002, the company has emerged as a leading force in the organic food industry, converting thousands of acres into certified organic farms and helping small-scale farmers embrace eco-friendly practices. Their innovative support model--including training, financial guidance, and microfinance solutions--has not only uplifted farmer livelihoods but also reduced chemical usage, promoting long-term environmental health. Recognized globally for excellence in organic agriculture, Natureland's products are trusted by consumers worldwide for their purity and sustainability. Looking ahead, the founders envision becoming the world's largest organic farming enterprise while making healthy food accessible to all. Their journey stands as a beacon of purpose-driven entrepreneurship, proving that profitability and planet care can go hand in hand. Natureland Organics is truly shaping the future of agriculture in 2025 and beyond. visit for more information visit naturelandorganics.com 3. Jewelove Jewelove specializes in creating high-quality, customized platinum jewelry, including love bands, kadas, chains, and bracelets, designed for men, women, and couples. The brand uses 95% pure platinum, hallmarked for Pt 950, & certified by PGI ensuring each piece is both authentic and durable. Renowned for innovative designs that blend timeless elegance with modern style, Jewelove's creations reflect unmatched quality and sophistication. Offering worldwide delivery within 5-7 working days, Jewelove continues to set new benchmarks for luxury platinum jewelry across India. Founded by Sambhav Karnawat, 4th generation jeweller & IIT Kanpur alumnus, Jewelove has become synonymous to fine platinum jewellery in India. Please Visit for more information: www.jewelove.in 4. Medstown.com: AI-Powered Medicine Delivery in 30 Minutes Medstown.com is redefining healthcare accessibility with AI-driven logistics and real-time pharmacy mapping. Co-founded by Syed Hussaini (CEO) and Talib Askari (CTO) in Hyderabad, it is India's first hyperlocal medicine quick-commerce platform, ensuring 30-minute doorstep delivery while strengthening local pharmacies. With Prescription-AI (96% accuracy), seamless order fulfillment, and strategic healthcare partnerships, Medstown is making fast, reliable medicine delivery a reality. Backed by STPI, AIC T-Hub, and ONDC, Medstown is rapidly scaling towards a PAN-India and global presence. Explore more at www.medstown.com 5. Beige Cafe: Redefining Cafe Culture with Experiential Excellence A true game-changer in 2025, Beige Cafe by Gourmet House Pvt. Ltd. is revolutionizing the cafe experience in Chandigarh, India. Founded by Nidhi Gupta and Jagdish Gupta in 2023, Beige is more than a cafe--it's an experiential space that blends community, comfort, and culinary brilliance. Women-led and women-focused, the brand is introducing slow-fermented artisan breads, high-protein smoothies, and a mindful dining ethos. Dedicated to nurturing body, mind, and spirit, Beige is shaping the future of cafe culture beyond coffee. Explore the experience at www.beigecafe.com. 6.Deep Consultancy: Empowering Students, Transforming Futures As education evolves, Deep Consultancy stands at the forefront, revolutionizing academic guidance in 2025. Founded by Prashant Deep in Bengaluru, India, the firm specializes in career counseling, university admissions, and scholarship assistance for students post-10th, 12th, and undergraduate studies. What sets Deep Consultancy apart is its ethical, personalized, and data-driven approach, ensuring students make informed choices. With a high success rate in securing admissions to top universities, the company is now pioneering an AI-powered career counseling platform, bringing smart, seamless consulting to students worldwide. Learn more at www.deep-consultancy.com. 7. AiSuperSmart: Pioneering AI Accessibility with Innovation As AI reshapes industries, AiSuperSmart, founded by Harshvardhan Kadam (CEO) and Ajay Kadam (Co-Founder), is leading the charge in democratizing AI for businesses and individuals. Based in Pune, India, the company operates the largest AI Tool Directory, listing 1,000+ AI tools while offering custom AI solutions and proprietary language models tailored for Indian languages and culture. Its groundbreaking Image-to-3D Model Converter and upcoming AI Chatbot Builder highlight its commitment to accessibility and innovation. Recognized for AI excellence, AiSuperSmart is redefining AI integration, making advanced technology more inclusive and impactful. Explore at www.aisupersmart.com. 8. Bluemark Software Private Limited Founded in 2016, Bluemark Software Private Limited is a pioneer in B2B SaaS solutions, specializing in business networking applications and virtual exhibition platforms. Headquartered in Pune, with an additional office in Navi Mumbai, Bluemark focuses on creating scalable solutions that simplify business promotions and increase brand visibility. Its mission is to empower small and medium businesses globally by driving engagement and facilitating meaningful connections. With a customer-centric approach, Bluemark's products help businesses unlock new growth opportunities in the digital age. Recognized with prestigious awards like the Atmanirbhar Bharat Award, Bluemark is committed to innovation and delivering long-term value. As a future icon, Bluemark Software is poised to transform the business networking landscape and expand its reach nationwide in the coming years. visit for more information www.ekspans.com 9. SPACEfy Interior: Where Functionality Meets Inspiration Recognized as one of the Future Icons revolutionizing the business landscape in 2025, SPACEfy Interior is a pioneering women-led enterprise redefining home interiors with elegance, functionality, and sophistication. Founded by visionary entrepreneurs Reba Ghosh and Sudipa Biswas, SPACEfy Interior leverages 35 years of combined expertise in home furnishing and interior design. Headquartered in Kolkata, with established branches in Jamshedpur and forthcoming expansions in Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, and Indore, the company is revolutionizing spaces with bespoke designs that inspire and empower. Committed to delivering exceptional quality, creativity, and customer satisfaction, SPACEfy Interior is setting new industry benchmarks. Experience the SPACEfy difference at www.spacefyinterior.com 10. Marriage Duniya: Revolutionizing Matchmaking in India Started as a local initiative in Odisha, Marriage Duniya is now set to redefine the Indian matrimonial industry with its personalized matchmaking approach. Unlike conventional platforms, it focuses on deeper compatibility, lifestyle choices, and values to create meaningful connections. Founded by Sanjukta Parida and SK Nath, the platform has grown from an offline service to a nationwide digital movement. Backed by Startup Odisha, Marriage Duniya is gearing up for a game-changing launch in 2025 with innovative technology and advanced matchmaking features. With a 79% success rate, Marriage Duniya is ready to challenge BharatMatrimony, Shaadi, and Jeevansathi, offering a trustworthy and effective alternative. Join the revolution in matchmaking! Stay tuned for the upcoming launch.Please visit for more information: www.marriageduniya.com As we navigate the ever-evolving corporate landscape, these future icons stand as beacons of innovation, guiding businesses toward a more efficient, sustainable, and technology-driven world. Their pioneering efforts in automation, AI, sustainability, and digital transformation are not just reshaping industries but also influencing the very fabric of how we live and work. The companies highlighted in this report are more than just market leaders--they are the architects of tomorrow's business ecosystem. With their bold vision and groundbreaking advancements, they are setting the stage for a new era of enterprise excellence, proving that the future belongs to those who dare to innovate. (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) SMPL New Delhi [India], April 9: Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies (SCMS), Pune, an esteemed institution under Symbiosis International (Deemed University), reminds prospective students that the registration deadline for its esteemed Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) programme is fast approaching. Candidates must register for the Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET) by April 12, 2025. Addressing the final registration approach, Dr. Adya Sharma, Director of SCMS Pune, said, "Every year, we see thousands of students aspiring to be part of this dynamic and forward-thinking environment. With just a few days left to register, we want to make sure no one misses out on this opportunity." This marks the last opportunity for aspiring students to apply for the prestigious BBA programme at SCMS Pune, a gateway to high-quality business education that combines academic rigour with practical exposure and a future-focused curriculum. A key differentiator for SCMS Pune is its multidisciplinary, tech oriented and industry friendly curriculum, underscoring the institute's commitment to career readiness and industry alignment. In the 2023-24 placement season, SCMS Pune achieved an impressive placement rate of 96.96%, with participation from top-tier recruiters across diverse sectors. The highest international offer stood at Rs17.25 LPA, while the highest domestic package reached Rs12 LPA, reflecting the high regard in which SCMS graduates are held by employers both in India and abroad. Diverse Specialisations to Shape Future Leaders The BBA programme at SCMS Pune offers a comprehensive curriculum with seven distinct specialisations: * Marketing Management: Strategies to Navigate and Lead in Competitive Markets. * Human Resource Management: Cultivating talent and fostering organisational growth. * International Business: Understanding Global Trade and Cross-Cultural Management. * Accounting & Finance: Financial acumen for strategic decision-making. * Entrepreneurship: Nurturing innovative thinking and startup management. * Business Analytics: Leveraging data for informed business strategies. * Sustainability Studies and Environment Management: Promoting sustainable business practices. Holistic Development Beyond the Classroom SCMS Pune believes in nurturing well-rounded individuals by offering a wide range of extracurricular and co-curricular activities. One of its most significant events is Sympulse, the institute's flagship cultural and business fest, where students compete, network, and enhance their leadership skills. With over 50 events spanning various domains, Sympulse has become a hub for student excellence and collaboration. In addition, students gain exposure to industry leaders, corporate internships, global immersion programme, and interactive guest lectures, all of which contribute to a comprehensive learning experience beyond textbooks. Application Process Interested candidates need to appear for the Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET), which will be conducted on two dates: May 5 and May 11, 2025. Eligible candidates will then proceed to a Personal Interaction and Writing Ability Test (PI-WAT) as part of the selection process Important dates to remember: * SET Registration Closing: April 12, 2025 (Saturday) * SET Test 1 - May 05, 2025 (Monday) * SET Test 2 - May 11, 2025 (Sunday) * SCMS Online Registration & Payment Closing: May 20, 2025 (Tuesday) * SET Result: May 22, 2025 (Thursday) * SCMS, PUNE Shortlist Publishing date: May 28, 2025 (Wednesday) * Online PI dates: June 3, 2025 (Tuesday) to June 13, 2025 (Friday) [June 8, 2025 (Sunday, Holiday No PI)] About SCMS Pune Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies, Pune, is a premier institution offering a globally recognised Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) programme. With a strong emphasis on academic excellence, leadership development, and a practical approach to management education, SCMS Pune prepares students to thrive in an ever-evolving global business landscape. For detailed information on eligibility, timelines, and registration, visit the official website: www.scmspune.ac.in or www.set-test.org. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by SMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) VMPL New Delhi [India], April 9: Lauritz Knudsen Electrical and Automation (formerly L&T Switchgear), a leader in the Indian electrical and automation industry, today launched a series of pioneering solutions for empowering the agriculture sector in the country. Focused on driving energy efficiency and cost optimization, Lauritz Knudsen's innovative products and solutions are designed to transform the way Indian farmers operate, optimizing resources, increasing productivity, and enhancing output. Innovating with Smart Automation in Agriculture This latest suite of advanced solutions will tackle the challenges of modern farming powered by the enhanced SMARTCOMM Irrigation Management System (IMS). SMARTCOMM IMS is an intelligent, automated system that enables farmers to remotely monitor and control their farms via user-friendly dashboards or mobile apps. This technology provides end-to-end automation, enabling seamless irrigation and fertigation, reducing water wastage, and improving crop yields. Naresh Kumar, COO, Lauritz Knudsen said, "At Lauritz Knudsen, we are committed to driving the future of agriculture in India. Our solutions are designed to empower farmers with connected, automated systems that enhance productivity, reduce water wastage, and contribute to sustainable farming practices. We believe that by bringing the benefits of technology to rural India, we can help create a more prosperous and sustainable future for farmers, aligning with the vision of a 'Viksit Bharat'. Farmers often struggle with the timing of irrigation, and our automation solutions effectively address this challenge. Our technology allows farmers to manage irrigation conveniently from their homes or mobile devices. Our vision is to empower over 25,000 farmers transition from conventional farming to automated, precision agriculture within the next few years, covering an additional 120,000 hectares of irrigated land." Sustainable Solutions for India's Agricultural Future The offerings go beyond just automation; focusing on outcome optimization. Through IoT-sensor-based operations, farmers can efficiently manage water and fertilizer inputs based on real-time soil and weather data, ensuring accuracy, cost savings, and reducing environmental impact. Furthermore, Lauritz Knudsen's focus on renewable energy is paving the way for sustainable farming. Solar-powered irrigation systems further promote renewable energy adoption, reducing dependence on traditional sources while enabling cleaner, more efficient farming practices. These innovations also contribute to key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, climate action, and sustainable communities. With over seven decades of experience in India, Lauritz Knudsen has revolutionised Indian agriculture with cutting-edge irrigation, aquaculture, and farm automation solutions. The agriculture vertical of Lauritz Knudsen has already impacted over 2.5 million people annually, is now leading the way with connected, automated, and energy-efficient solutions tailored for India's farmers. These products are part of Lauritz Knudsen's larger vision of promoting inclusive prosperity and supporting India's "Viksit Bharat" mission. Lauritz Knudsen Electrical and Automation is a part of the Schneider Electric group in India. About Lauritz Knudsen: Lauritz Knudsen Electrical & Automation is a leading player in the Indian Electrical industry, drawing strength from over 70 years of rich heritage and a steadfast dedication to contributing towards the growth of India. The brand currently exports to 30 + countries and is dedicated to providing a wide range of electrical and automation solutions to vital sectors of the economy, including industries, utilities, infrastructure, buildings, and agriculture. Our extensive portfolio includes low-voltage and medium-voltage switchgear, automation solutions, tailored software, and services. With multiple manufacturing facilities in India, we adhere to global standards of excellence. Our operations are supported by well-equipped, in-house design and development centers, as well as tooling facilities, ensuring precision in manufacturing. With a strong global footprint, supported by an expansive electrical distribution network in India and worldwide, our ambition is to foster excellence and provide top-tier products and solutions that drive the progress of nations globally. We Listen. We Partner. We Innovate. Media Contact: Debolina Mukherjee - Corporate Communication, Schneider Electric Lauritz Knudsen | 761946288 | debolina.mukherjee@se.com Bidisha Suri, Adfactors PR Pvt. Ltd Mobile: +91 99995 76965| E-Mail: bidisha.suri@adfactorspr.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) SMPL Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 9: The 13th International Research Conference, jointly hosted by Aditya Institute of Management Studies and Research (AIMSR) and Aditya School of Business Management (ASBM) on March 29, 2025, successfully brought together industry leaders, academicians, and research scholars to discuss the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in sustainability and business transformation. The conference, themed "AI-Driven Paradigm for Sustainability and Business Transformation," was held in partnership with the Indian Chamber of International Business (ICIB) as the International Partner and Leaders Institute, Swiss School of Management (SSM), and ENAE Business School as Knowledge Partners. The event provided a dynamic platform for discussions on AI's role in corporate governance, financial resilience, and climate change solutions while fostering collaborations between academia and industry. Keynote Speakers & Session Chairs The conference commenced with an Inaugural Session, featuring the National Anthem, Ganesh Vandana, and a Lamp Lighting Ceremony. The Welcome Address was delivered by Dr. Balkrishna Parab, AIMSR & Dean of Management Studies, AGI, followed by the felicitation of the Chief Guest, Dr. Smita Shukla (Director, IQAC, University of Mumbai and Director, Alkesh Dinesh Mody Institute for Financial & Management Studies). The Keynote Address was delivered by Mahendra Kumar Chouhan, a distinguished Professor at Indian Institute of Management, Mumbai (IIM-M). With over 40 years of experience in corporate governance, sustainability, and ESG, Mr. Chouhan emphasized the significance of AI-driven ethical business practices and sustainable innovations. Additionally, Dr. J.K. Sachdeva (Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Global Economy) and Dr. Rajan Tungare (Ex-Director, Late Narayan Meghaji Lokhande Maharashtra Institute of Labour Studies, Government of Maharashtra) chaired research sessions, guiding discussions on AI's impact across multiple sectors. Diverse Participation and Research Contributions The conference witnessed participation from over 150 academicians, industry professionals, and students, with more than 70 research papers presented across parallel tracks, including General Management, Finance, Marketing, Human Resource Management (HRM), Operations, and Systems. Selected research papers will be published in AIMSR's ISSN-indexed journal, "Shodhaditya," further contributing to ongoing research in AI and business transformation. Six best research papers were recognized--three from students and three from faculty and research scholars--for their outstanding contributions. Key Takeaways and Insights * AI is revolutionizing business operations, decision-making, and sustainability initiatives. * Corporate governance and ethical AI adoption are crucial for responsible business transformation. * AI's role in financial resilience and climate change solutions was a major focus. * Industry-academic partnerships are essential for future research and AI implementation. Dr. Smita Shukla highlighted the conference's importance, stating, "AI is a game-changer for sustainable business transformation. By integrating AI with ethical governance and industry collaborations, we can drive innovation while ensuring responsible growth. Events like this provide a vital platform for shaping AI's role in future economies." Dr. Balkrishna Parab emphasized the conference's impact, stating, "This conference reflects AIMSR and ASBM's commitment to advancing research in AI and business transformation. The thought-provoking discussions and research presentations will have a long-lasting influence on academia and industry. We look forward to fostering further collaborations in this field." The 13th International Research Conference, marked a significant step in advancing AI-driven solutions for business and sustainability. The exchange of research and insights deepened understanding while emphasizing the urgency of responsible AI adoption. With a strong focus on collaboration and innovation, the conference has set the stage for future academic and industry initiatives that will shape the evolving AI landscape. For more details, please visit: www.aimsr.edu.in & www.asbm.edu.in (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by SMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) VMPL Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 9: Federal Express Corporation ("FedEx"), the world's largest express transportation company, is enhancing sustainable logistics in India by deploying additional electric vehicles (EVs) in Mumbai for last-mile delivery. The recent addition of 13 TATA Ace EVs in Mumbai brings the total number of electric vehicles in operation across key Indian cities, including Delhi and Bengaluru, to 59. These efforts align with the FedEx goal to achieve carbon-neutral operations globally by 2040, marking an important step toward more sustainable supply chain solutions worldwide. "FedEx was the first global delivery company to introduce hybrid-electric vehicles back in 2003, and our journey with battery-powered vehicles began even earlier in 1994," said Suvendu Choudhury, vice president operations and planning and engineering, India, FedEx. "Building on this legacy, we're proud to do our part in reducing emissions and advancing sustainable logistics in India. Our phased, pragmatic approach to fleet electrification ensures we continue to deliver for our customers while minimizing our carbon footprint." In a move that combines sustainability with brand synergy, FedEx has unveiled FedEx-CSK co-branded EVs in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru, reinforcing its commitment to delivering goods responsibly. As an Official Sponsor of the Chennai Super Kings, this initiative represents a powerful connection between two brands built on speed, precision, and excellence. These co-branded vehicles amplify the company's presence in India, reinforcing its ongoing investment in the market. Electric vehicles are revolutionizing logistics by providing a smart, clean, and efficient solution for last-mile deliveries. Beyond reducing carbon emissions and air pollution, they align with the growing consumer preference for sustainable business practices. Consumer expectations for sustainability are rising, with research commissioned by FedEx[1] revealing that 90% of Indian consumers prefer businesses that prioritize sustainable practices--making EV adoption a strategic advantage. By continuing to expand its EV fleet, FedEx is advancing smart, responsible logistics solutions that reduce environmental impact while supporting India's evolving supply chain needs. About FedEx Express FedEx Express is the world's largest express transportation company, providing fast and reliable delivery to more than 220 countries and territories. FedEx Express uses a global air-and-ground network to speed the delivery of time-sensitive shipments by a definite time and date. FedEx Express press releases are available here. (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 Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India] / Dubai [UAE], April 9: After taking over global playlists, Gaurang Doshi's latest mega-collaboration Rolla Rolla is now heading to the big screen. In an unprecedented move that blends the worlds of music and cinema, the high-octane music video will be showcased in theatres across India alongside the much-anticipated release of 'Jaat & Kesari Chapter 2'. In a landmark moment for independent music, Rolla Rolla is set to be streamed on 5,000+ theatre screens across the country, making it one of the largest cinematic rollouts for a music video in Indian history. Released under the banner of Phoenixx Music Global in association with M5Dex, Rolla Rolla brings together an electrifying lineup of international artists--French Montana, Mohamed Ramadan, Jasmine Sandlas, and DJ Shadow Dubai--uniting East and West through a bold fusion of hip-hop, Punjabi pop, Arabic flair, and EDM. The song has already created a global storm online and is now making history by becoming one of the rare music videos to be featured in theatres. This innovative strategy highlights Gaurang Doshi's knack for pushing boundaries and redefining how music reaches audiences. "Rolla Rolla isn't just a song--it's an experience," said Gaurang Doshi. "Bringing it to cinema halls gives fans a whole new way to feel its energy, on a screen as grand as the track itself." Directed by Ruel Dausan Varindani and co-produced by Niti Agarwal, the video bursts with vibrant visuals, bold styling, and global appeal. The track's unique sound, arranged by Rusha & Blizza, adds to its genre-bending brilliance. The artists behind the anthem have all praised the experience--French Montana called it "next-level energy," Mohamed Ramadan said it "blends cultures in the best way possible," while Jasmine Sandlas described it as "Bollywood meets the world." DJ Shadow Dubai added, "It's the kind of track that demands a stadium--or a cinema!" As audiences queue up for Jaat & Kesari Chapter 2, they'll now also be greeted by Rolla Rolla on the silver screen--a celebration of sound, culture, and spectacle that sets a new benchmark for music in cinema. The track is streaming globally on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and now lighting up over 5,000 theatre screens across India. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) The ship can load about 24,346 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), making it one of the largest container ships ever built. Vizhinjam International Seaport, operated by Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd (APSEZ), is India's first Mega Transshipment Container Terminal. This world-class, future-ready port is the only transshipment hub in the Indian subcontinent, closest to the international shipping routes, and centrally located on the Indian coastline. It is just 10 nautical miles (19 km) from the busy east-west shipping channel that connects Europe, the Persian Gulf, Southeast Asia and the Far East. MSC Turkiye, which is run by the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), is a engineering marvel. The vessel measures 399.9 metres in length, 61.3 m in width and 33.5 m in depth. Vizhinjam Port is a strategic maritime project near Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. This is the first Greenfield port project in India, initiated by a state Government with an investment exceeding Rs 18,000 crore. Developed under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, it stands as one of the largest initiatives in the country's port sector. Vizhinjam's strategic location near international shipping routes significantly reduces transit times for vessels. As one of India's few natural deep-water ports, it can efficiently accommodate large cargo and container ships. The development of the Vizhinjam International Seaport is poised to boost Kerala's economic growth by creating jobs, enhancing trade, and attracting investments. Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal received the first Mother Ship 'MV San Fernando' in July last year at Vizhinjam, marking the beginning of operation at India's first deep water container transhipment port. (ANI) VMPL New Delhi [India], April 9: Furniselan originated from a family-operated woodworking manufacturer in Rajasthan, India, which ultimately evolved into an innovative home furniture brand. The business started with simple manual woodworking performed by skilled artisans, who later developed it into a powerful organization focused on achieving high customer satisfaction through modern operational methods. Furniselan now functions as an influential leader that connects traditional expertise in heritage craftsmanship with present-day speed requirements. The business concept that shaped Furniselan emerged when leadership recognized Indian excellence in furniture manufacturing, yet customers had to endure extended periods of waiting for their orders. People used to face multiple supply-chain inefficiencies during furniture purchases because buyers had to choose either substandard products or long waiting times. Premium solid wood furniture delivery has the potential to match the speed standards of other essential items on the market. This question sparked an ambitious business plan to deliver high-quality wooden furniture both on the same day and the following day, thus creating Furniselan as India's first service provider of this type. Furniselan established three distribution centers throughout Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, and Mumbai to modernize the antiquated furniture delivery market. From 2015 to 2020, Furniselan supplied its products to platforms like Pepperfry, Urban Ladder, Amazon & Flipkart . However, they later decided to sell directly to customers, allowing them to offer the same or even better quality at a more valuable price, along with seamless and fast delivery. Through their services, customers now eliminate the need for extended wait times since they can shop and acquire furniture that arrives home within a 24-hour period. The industry experienced a total shift because of this radical change in delivery protocols. The state of Rajasthan in India witnessed a family-operated woodworking factory that ultimately developed into the innovative home furniture brand that is Furniselan. The business started with simple manual woodworking performed by skilled artisans, who later developed it into a powerful organization focused on achieving high customer satisfaction through modern operational methods. Furniselan now functions as an influential leader that connects traditional expertise in heritage craftsmanship with present-day speed requirements. The business concept that shaped Furniselan emerged when leadership recognized Indian excellence in furniture manufacturing, yet customers had to endure extended periods of waiting for their orders. People used to face multiple supply-chain inefficiencies during furniture purchases because buyers had to choose either substandard products or long waiting times. Premium solid wood furniture delivery has the potential to match the speed standards of other essential items on the market. This question sparked an ambitious business plan to deliver high-quality wooden furniture both on the same day and the following day, thus creating Furniselan as India's first service provider of this type. Furniselan established three distribution centers throughout Bengaluru, Delhi NCR ( Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Gaziabad), and Mumbai to modernize the antiquated furniture delivery market. Through their services, customers now eliminate the need for extended wait times since they can shop and acquire furniture that arrives home within a 24-hour period. The industry experienced a total shift because of this radical change in delivery protocols. After establishing a strong presence online and in regional markets, the brand is now eyeing cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, and Hyderabad for its next phase of growth with plan to open outlets. With an increasing demand for modern, space-saving, and sustainable furniture solutions, Furniselan aims to bring its signature blend of design, durability, and affordability closer to urban customers through state-of-the-art showrooms. Customers seeking additional information can reach Furniselan through their business phone at +91-9660566365, via email at Care@furniselan.com , or by visiting their website at www.furniselan.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) This marks the vessel's maiden call at an Indian port, an official release said. Measuring 399.9 metres in length, 61.3 metres in width, and 33.5 metres in depth, MSC Turkiye has a staggering carrying capacity of 24,346 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), making it the largest container ship ever to dock at an Indian port. Operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the Liberia-flagged vessel is hailed as a benchmark in sustainable marine engineering, designed with fuel efficiency and environmental responsibility at its core. Its arrival underscores Vizhinjam port's rising prominence as a global transshipment hub capable of handling ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs). Strategically located just 10 nautical miles (19 km) from the east-west international shipping lane, Vizhinjam boasts a natural depth of 20 metres, allowing it to accommodate the world's largest cargo vessels with minimal dredging. This development builds on the momentum from September last year when MSC Claude Girardet, another ULCV operated by MSC, docked at Vizhinjam, setting a national record with its 24,116 TEU capacity. That record has now been surpassed by MSC Turkiye. Vizhinjam port, India's first Mega Transshipment Container Terminal, features large-scale automation, cutting-edge infrastructure, and rapid vessel turnaround capabilities. Phase 1 of the port currently supports 1 million TEUs, with plans to scale up to 5.5 million TEUs by 2028. The Adani Group holds a 40-year agreement with the Government of Kerala for the development and operation of the port. Once fully operational, Vizhinjam is projected to manage up to 50% of India's container transshipment, significantly reducing dependence on foreign ports like Dubai, Colombo, and Singapore. The docking of MSC Turkiye is a strong validation of APSEZ's vision to establish Vizhinjam as a world-class maritime gateway, boosting India's standing in global logistics and trade. (ANI) Minister for Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu, chaired the signing ceremony, the ministry said. This manufacturing contract marks a pivotal moment in India's aviation journey, further strengthening the global confidence in the country's industrial potential, the ministry said. The ministry added that the partnership between Mahindra Aerostructures and Airbus underscores India's progress in the aviation sector and the government's steadfast commitment to the 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiatives spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Highlighting India's rapid aviation growth, the Minister shared that India is set to become one of the world's largest civil aviation markets, with over 2,200 aircraft expected to join the fleet in the next 20 years. By 2030, India will handle 630 million passengers annually, growing at a CAGR of 6-8 per cent.Over the next 10-15 years, the domestic aerospace manufacturing market can grow to a USD 10 billion industry, encompassing structural components, avionics systems, and more, he said. The Minister also acknowledged the exemplary contribution of Indian MSMEs and startups, which supply over USD 2 billion worth of aircraft components annually to global OEMs like Airbus and Boeing. The event builds on the momentum from a February 2025 meeting chaired by the minister, focusing on accelerating aircraft component manufacturing in India. Attended by senior officials, industry leaders, and experts, the meeting aimed to chart a unified roadmap for bolstering domestic production and enhancing global competitiveness. Secretary, MoCA, Vumlunmang Vualnam in his address emphasized how the H130 fuselage contract will not only bring cutting-edge technologies and jobs to India but also catalyze the development of domestic MRO capabilities and a robust manufacturing base. The two Final Assembly Lines in India; one for the C295 military aircraft, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez, and the upcoming H125 helicopter assembly line stand as beacons of India's thriving aerospace ecosystem and its strategic partnership with global players like Airbus, the ministry added. (ANI) Actor Sunny Deol visited the famous Tanot Mata Temple in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, on Wednesday to offer prayers for his upcoming film 'Jaat', which is set to release later this week. The temple, located near the India-Pakistan border, is known for its spiritual significance and its history of surviving bombings during the 1965 Indo-Pak war. During his visit, Deol was welcomed by Border Security Force DIG Yogendra Singh Rathore. The actor, who spent quality time with soldiers, was also seen dancing with them to his hit song Main Nikla Gaddi Leke from Gadar, one of his most popular films. Meanwhile, the trailer for his upcoming film Jaat was unveiled last month and shows Sunny Deol's character, 'JAAT', locking horns with antagonist Randeep Hooda (Ranatunga). With this film, Sunny promises to bring the magic of his 'dhaai kilo ka haath' to impress the South audience after winning over the North. "Ye dhai kilo ke haath ki taakat pura north dekh chuka hai. Ab south dekhega. (The north has already seen the power of this two-and-a-half-kilo arm. Now, the south will see it)," Sunny can be seen saying this at the end of the trailer, leaving fans nostalgic as the iconic dialogue was first used in Damini, for which Sunny won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1993. The high-octane film is directed by Gopichand Malineni and produced by Mythri Movie Makers and People Media Factory. It is set to hit theatres on April 10 and will be available in Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil. (ANI) "This chargesheet includes several pieces of evidence found by the police against the arrested accused, Shariful Islam. This chargesheet is more than 1000 pages long. The report of the forensic lab has also been mentioned in this chargesheet, which states that the knife pieces found at the crime scene, from Saif Ali Khan's body and from the accused, are three pieces of the same knife, " as per Mumbai police "At the same time, the fingerprint report of the accused's left hand found by the police during the investigation has also been mentioned, said the Mumbai Police The attack on Saif Ali Khan occurred on January 16 when accused Shehzad, allegedly attempting a robbery, broke into the actor's Bandra residence. During the incident, Khan was severely injured, suffering damage to his thoracic spine and other body parts. The actor was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he was treated for five days before being discharged on January 21. Investigators revealed that he had entered India from Bangladesh and had stayed in multiple locations in Kolkata before eventually making his way to Mumbai. (ANI) Three people were allegedly killed in what appears to be a fallout of an old rivalry in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur district, police said on Tuesday evening. Three people have been taken into custody, and efforts are being made to nab the culprits. Prayagraj Additional Director General of Police (ADG) Bhanu Bhaskar told ANI that the "brutal murder" of three people was reported on April 8 at 7 am. "Several reasons are being cited behind this, including old rivalry... Local police and several other forces reached the spot and immediately started an investigation. 3 people have been taken into custody and other teams are working to nab all the culprits and collect evidence..," ADG Bhaskar said. More details are awaited (ANI) Giving details about the incident, Patna, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Anu Kumari told reporters, "The deceased, Ashutosh Kumar Mishra, was in the CRPF. Prima facie, he has sustained a bullet injury on his head. The body has been sent for postmortem. "Further investigation is going on... It seems like a suicide but we can confirm only after a postmortem report," Kumari added. Further details are awaited into the matter. (ANI) Despite being a Z+ category protectee, there was no adequate police presence at the helipad. Due to an uncontrolled crowd surge, the helicopter's windshield was damaged. The situation was so risky that the pilots refused to fly back with the VIP, citing security concerns. The helicopter left immediately after Jagan's arrival, and he had to return to Bengaluru by road after completing his program. The YSRCP has strongly condemned the negligence of the current Andhra Pradesh government and its police officials. This is not the first time such a lapse has occurred. On February 19, 2025, during YS Jagan's visit to Guntur's Mirchi Yard to support farmers, the state government failed to deploy even a single police official, despite advance intimation. The party believes this pattern of ignoring security protocols is a deliberate attempt to create fear among YSRCP workers and expose Jagan Mohan Reddy to risk. It reflects a larger political conspiracy to weaken the former Chief Minister's public engagements. In this regard, YSRCP had already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 7 and July 18, 2024, and to Home Minister Amit Shah on March 6. These letters highlighted the current state government's repeated attempts to reduce YS Jagan's security, citing specific incidents and urging immediate intervention. (ANI) In the wake of the horrific Varanasi Gangrape incident, a total of nine accused were sent to judicial custody by the District and Sessions Court. The police found the victim on April 4 in an unconscious state. The lawyer of one of the accused said that a total of 23 people have been accused in the case. Vidush Saxena, Assistant Commissioner of Police - Cantt Varanasi, said, " 9 arrested accused have been remanded. The rest of the accused will be arrested soon." The victim's father narrated the ordeal that his daughter had to undergo. Rape victim's father said, "My daughter left home to visit her friend. All these incidents happened to her soon after. She left home on 29 March and visited the ghat with her friend and spent a day there. She came in contact with boys after that, and 3-4 days passed by. We were all worried, and fearing judgement, we tried finding her ourselves, but in vain. We approached the police on 3 April. She was found on 4 April by the police. She was in bad state. After treatment, when she became normal, she narrated the whole incident." According to the police the girl was lured and taken away and raped for several days. The victim alleged that 23 people raped her over a span of 7 days. The police are still searching for the other accused. "She was intoxicated many times by many people and was gang-raped. The involvement of so many men indicates that it was a planned attempt. My daughter studied Commerce in her inter, and she was planning on pursuing sports. She is 19 years old. I do not know or recognise any accused. Yogi Adityanath is known for tactfully handling such cases. I urge him to give us justice. I do not demand the accused to be hanged, but the punishment should be so severe that people think twice before raping anyone," he further said. Alok Saurabh, lawyer of one of the accused, said, "The accused were brought to the court, there were total 9 accused. All were sent to judicial custody. A total of 23 people have been accused in this. 11 people are unidentified." Earlier on Monday DCP Varuna Zone Commissionerate Varanasi said, "In Varanasi, a case of rape has been registered under relevant sections at the Lalpur Pandeypur police station. So far, 6 accused have been taken into police custody, with further legal action being carried out." (ANI) Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda attended the Congress CWC meeting in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. Hooda said that he bowed down to the land of Gujarat, which gave birth to Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, and the ideology of Congress. He further accepted that the present times are "challenging" for Congress and stated that they will strengthen the organisational ideology with a new resolution and take it to every corner of India. "We bow down to the land of Gujarat that gave birth to Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel, and also to the ideology of Congress. We accept that these are challenging times for Congress. We will strengthen our organisational ideology with a new resolution and take it to every corner of India... We also discussed the tariff issue..." Deepender Singh Hooda told ANI. Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Lop (Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi, and CPP chairperson Sonia Gandhi participated in the prayer meeting at the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad. As the CWC meeting convened in Ahmedabad, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge launched a scathing attack on the BJP and said that attention is being diverted from the country's basic issues by creating "communal division." At the opening ceremony of the AICC convention, Kharge said, "Today, attention is being diverted from the basic issues of the country by doing Communal Division. On the other hand, Oligarchic Monopoly is on the path of controlling the governance by capturing the resources of the country." The Congress President further said that a "conspiracy" is being carried out in the nation regarding several national heroes, including that of bilateral ties between former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhai Patel. Kharge said, "Friends, for the last many years, a well-planned conspiracy has been carried out regarding many national heroes." An atmosphere is being created against the Congress party, which has a glorious history of serving and fighting for the country for 140 years. This work is being done by those people who have nothing to show as their achievements. They have nothing to show as their contribution in the freedom struggle," he added. (ANI) Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia lashed out at the opposition parties over their dissent against the recently passed Waqf Amendment Bill of 2025, saying that the opposition intends to run a "monopoly", which would be exposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in the centre. Scindia credited the Waqf bill with "ending" the monopoly and said the Waqf properties would be used for the public's welfare. "The opposition wants to run a monopoly and wants to misuse things. The Prime Minister and the BJP government will expose them. Using Waqf properties for the welfare of the public is the ideology of everyone. Some people did not want the good use of Waqf, and this Bill has ended their monopoly," Scindia told reporters here. PM Modi on Tuesday said that Waqf legislation would ensure dignity for all, especially the marginalised, and accused Congress of "appeasement politics". PM Modi said "appeasement politics" has been a significant challenge to India's growth. Referring to the recent amendment to the Waqf-related laws passed by Parliament, the Prime Minister noted that the debate surrounding Waqf stems from the politics of appeasement, which is not a new phenomenon. The Prime Minister said that Congress gained power through appeasement politics, and some extremist leaders made wealth. However, he questioned what the common Muslim received in return. He highlighted that poor and marginalised Muslims were left with neglect, illiteracy, and unemployment. Meanwhile, people from the Muslim community organised a protest in Manipur's Bishnupur, demanding an immediate repeal of the Waqf Amendment Act. People took to the streets, holding banners and raising slogans while demanding immediate repeal of the act. On April 5, President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was passed by Parliament during the budget session. The President also gave her assent to the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2025. The Waqf Act has sparked controversy as opposing parties approach the Supreme Court to contest the bill's provisions, which they argue could have significant implications for the management of Waqf properties. Congress and AIMIM, AAP and others have initiated their legal battle against the bill in the Supreme Court, expressing concerns over its potential impact on the management and oversight of Waqf properties in India. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was passed. It seeks to focus on improving the management of waqf properties, empowering stakeholders relevant to this, improving the efficiency of the survey, registration, and case disposal process, and developing waqf properties. While the core purpose remains to manage waqf properties, the aim is to implement modern and scientific methods for better governance. The Mussalman Wakf Act of 1923 was also repealed. (ANI) In a post on X, the Prime Minister invited people to collectively recite the ancient prayer that begins with "nnmo arihNtaannN...nnmo siddhaannN...nnmo aayriyaannN...nnmo uvjjhaayaannN...nnmo loe svvsaahuunnN..." "Come, let's all chant the Navkar Mahamantra together at 8:27 AM. Let every voice bring peace, strength and harmony. Let us all come together to enhance the spirit of brotherhood and togetherness," PM Modi posted on X, encouraging citizens to chant the mantra in unison to promote peace, inner strength, and societal harmony. The Navkar Mantra, revered in Jainism, is a powerful invocation that pays homage to the five supreme beings--Arihants (perfected souls), Siddhas (liberated souls), Acharyas (spiritual leaders), Upadhyayas (teachers), and Sadhus (monks). It is considered a universal chant that transcends sectarian boundaries and promotes inner awakening and universal well-being. The timing of 8:27 AM has spiritual significance in Jain traditions, often associated with auspicious planetary alignments or meditative calm. The Prime Minister's call resonates with the broader themes of cultural unity, communal goodwill, and India's diverse spiritual traditions. This appeal aligns with PM Modi's longstanding emphasis on the importance of cultural and spiritual consciousness in public life. Over the years, he has often encouraged citizens to embrace practices that foster inner peace and national harmony, particularly during significant festivals or observances. (ANI) The Anti Auto Theft Squad (AATS) of the North-West district, Delhi Police, arrested an 18-year-old for possession of an illegal weapon in the Jahangir Puri area, said the police on Wednesday. Police said that the accused, identified as Sahzad alias Shanu (18), was nabbed by the AATS team and found in possession of a country-made pistol along with one live cartridge. His arrest followed a targeted operation launched after the police received credible information about an individual posting pictures and videos with illegal firearms on social media. The team traced the suspect based on surveillance inputs and social media monitoring, ultimately leading to his arrest on April 3. A case under Sections 25/54/59 of the Arms Act has been registered at Jahangir Puri Police Station. Bhisham Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police, North-West District, Delhi, said, Sahzad was known in his locality for flaunting illegal weapons to build a reputation and intimidate others. The AATS of North-West District continues to monitor such activities closely and reaffirmed its commitment to act swiftly against those using social media to promote or glorify criminal behaviour. Earlier on Tuesday, in a major crackdown under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA), the Anti-Narcotics Cell and AATS/North District of Delhi apprehended two individuals involved in drug trafficking. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police, North District Raja Banthia, on the evening of April 4, acting on a tip-off, a raid was conducted near Vasudev Ghat in Civil Lines, leading to the recovery of over 10 kilograms of high-quality Ganja. The accused, identified as Mohd Rafiq (34) and Aman Verma (27), were arrested and are facing charges under the NDPS Act. The DCP further mentioned that accused Aman Verma revealed he typically receives contraband Ganja through courier services from Bangladesh, Visakhapatnam, Odisha, and other parts of India. Aman disclosed that due to his conversion from Hinduism to Islam, he developed contacts in Bangladesh, which made him a valuable asset to the drug cartel. Over time, he began trafficking large quantities of Ganja through Visakhapatnam and Odisha within India. "The investigation of the case is in progress and efforts are being made to ascertain the role of other associates involved in this racket," the DCP said. (ANI) Jharkhand Minister Irfan Ansari hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in the centre over the passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill, accusing it of "spoiling the atmosphere" in the country. He said that Congress would never accept the bill. He said that one community was being targeted to make another "happy" while adding that only Congress and its leader, Rahul Gandhi, could end this "disaster". "Zulmi sarkaar, zalim sarkaar ka ant hona tay hai (This government's tyranny will surely end). The way an attempt is being made to spoil the atmosphere of the country...brotherhood is being destroyed. One community is being targeted to make another community happy. Only Congress and Rahul Gandhi can end this disaster," Ansari told reporters here. "In Ahmedabad, a two-day convention of Congress will be taking place...we will never accept this (Waqf) Bill no matter what," he added. Meanwhile, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia lashed out at the opposition parties over their dissent against the recently passed Waqf Amendment Bill of 2025, saying that the opposition intends to run a "monopoly", which would be exposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in the centre. Scindia credited the Waqf bill with "ending" the monopoly and said the Waqf properties would be used for the public's welfare. Earlier, people from the Muslim community organised a protest in Manipur's Bishnupur, demanding an immediate repeal of the Waqf Amendment Act. They took to the streets, holding banners and raising slogans. On April 5, President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was passed by Parliament during the budget session. The President also gave her assent to the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2025. The Waqf Act has sparked controversy as opposing parties approach the Supreme Court to contest the bill's provisions, which they argue could have significant implications for the management of Waqf properties. Congress, AIMIM, AAP, and others have initiated a legal battle against the bill in the Supreme Court, expressing concerns over its potential impact on the management and oversight of Waqf properties in India. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was passed. It seeks to focus on improving the management of waqf properties, empowering stakeholders relevant to this, improving the efficiency of the survey, registration, and case disposal process, and developing waqf properties. While the core purpose remains to manage waqf properties, the aim is to implement modern and scientific methods for better governance. The Mussalman Wakf Act of 1923 was also repealed. (ANI) BJP Spokesperson CR Kesavan on Wednesday spoke about the Congress Working Committee's special resolution on Sardar Patel and criticized them for their sudden show of respect for Sardar Patel, calling it a move for 'sheer political mileage. ' BJP Spokesperson CR Kesavan said, "The Congress Party, which is now suddenly and shamelessly faking respect for Sardar Patel, had any real regard for him, the Congress party would have named its party headquarters as 'Sardar Bhavan', it wouldn't have given the name of a dynastic name of 'Indira Bhavan'. The Congress party is only doing this for sheer political mileage..." He questions why the party didn't name its headquarters 'Sardar Bhavan' if they truly revered Patel, instead choosing 'Indira Bhavan', a name tied to the Nehru-Gandhi family. Earlier on Tuesday, the extended Congress Working Committee (CWC) in Ahmedabad passed a resolution stating that the party will follow Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's example. A copy of the resolution was shared by the Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal in a social media post on X. "The Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and proponent of social justice, our leader Rahul Gandhi, as also millions of Congress workers, are even more determined today to walk on the 'Nyaypath' in our struggle for the protection of the Constitution as also our democracy. The path shown by Sardar Patel is this very path," read the resolution. "We stand committed to walk on the path lit by Sardar Patel, imbibe his thoughts and reshape our present and future with his vision and thoughts. This would be the fittest tribute to the life work of iron man, Sardar Patel," the Congress party's resolution added. The meeting was attended by other top leaders of the Congress, including Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and Sonia Gandhi, the Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi, and KC Venugopal. (ANI) During his visit, General Dwivedi assessed the ongoing readiness measures and was given a comprehensive overview of the strategic roles played by the two formations. The Vajra Division, headquartered in the Northern Command area, holds critical responsibilities along sensitive operational sectors, while the Dagger Division complements key defensive and offensive postures in the region. Following the briefing, the Army Chief participated in a high-level Security Review Meeting, where the current security scenario in the state was discussed extensively. "General Upendra Dwivedi, COAS, visited the Headquarters Vajra Division where he received a detailed briefing on the operational preparedness of the Vajra Division and Dagger Division. COAS also attended the Security Review Meeting to discuss the security situation in the state:" Army posted on X. General Dwivedi emphasised the need for continued vigilance and high levels of preparedness to meet emerging threats. His interaction with senior commanders and troops reaffirmed the Indian Army's commitment to safeguarding national security and maintaining peace in sensitive border areas. Earlier, COAS General Upendra Dwivedi visited Srinagar to assess the prevailing security situation and operational readiness of the forces and held discussions on wide-ranging issues over the current security scenario, as per an official statement from the Indian Army. During his visit, General Dwivedi received a detailed briefing from the Chinar Corps Commander, who outlined the latest developments and operational updates from the region. The statement added that the Army Chief also discussed a range of topics related to the ongoing security challenges and the overall security landscape with the formation commander. The Indian Army continues to remain vigilant and responsive to evolving security dynamics in Jammu and Kashmir, with leadership regularly engaging with operational units to ensure coordination and effectiveness in maintaining peace and stability. (ANI) The Prime Minister, via a post on X, also appealed to citizens to come together and join in chanting the sacred Jain mantra at 8:27 am. The Prime Minister invited people to recite the ancient prayer: "Come, let's all chant the Navkar Mahamantra together at 8:27 AM. Let every voice bring peace, strength and harmony. Let us all come together to enhance the spirit of brotherhood and togetherness," PM Modi posted on X, encouraging citizens to chant the mantra in unison to promote peace, inner strength, and societal harmony. The Navkar Mantra, revered in Jainism, is a powerful invocation that pays homage to the five supreme beings--Arihants (perfected souls), Siddhas (liberated souls), Acharyas (spiritual leaders), Upadhyayas (teachers), and Sadhus (monks). It is considered a universal chant that transcends sectarian boundaries and promotes inner awakening and universal well-being. The timing of 8:27 AM has spiritual significance in Jain traditions, often associated with auspicious planetary alignments or meditative calm. The Prime Minister's call resonates with the broader themes of cultural unity, communal goodwill, and India's diverse spiritual traditions. This appeal aligns with PM Modi's longstanding emphasis on the importance of cultural and spiritual consciousness in public life. Over the years, he has often encouraged citizens to embrace practices that foster inner peace and national harmony, particularly during significant festivals or observances. (ANI) Uttar Pradesh's former Director General of Police (DGP) Vikram Singh applauded the rejection by the Supreme Court to the extradition stay request of the 26/11 Mumbai attack accused Tahawwur Rana. The former DGP stated that the decision was 'significant' and followed high-level discussions between the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the United States President Donald Trump. "This decision is significant and follows high-level discussions between Prime Minister Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump. Now, only a few formalities like paperwork and diplomatic procedures, remain before this return," Singh said speaking to ANI. He further stated that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was fully prepared and would conduct custodial interrogation along with the Investigation Board and the Mumbai Police of the accused. He also stated that since Tahawwur Rana was linked with Lashkar-e-Taiba his interrogation would make him a key figure in discovering deeper terror networks. "The NIA is fully prepared and once he is brought back, custodial interrogation will be conducted by multiple agencies including the NIA, IB, Mumbai Police... Rana's links to Lashkar-e-Taiba and his association with David Coleman Headley - who remains in a U.S. jail - make him a key figure in uncovering deeper terror networks... Once in India, his interrogation will reveal crucial information about sleeper cells, support networks and possibly even names from the Mumbai film industry who assisted Headley during his recce..." he further added. On April 7, the Supreme Court of the United States had rejected the plea of Tahawwur Rana who seeked a stay on his extradition to India. Rana had filed an emergency application with Chief Justice Roberts on March 20, 2025, seeking a stay on his extradition. "The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied," the SC order dated Monday, April 7, 2025, stated. Earlier, US Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan had denied a similar plea in March. His request was circulated among the Supreme Court justices for a conference held on April 4, as per the court's official website. In his earlier application, Rana argued that he would not survive long enough to be tried in India due to various reasons. Rana highlighted his deteriorating health. He suffers from a 3.5 cm abdominal aortic aneurysm at immediate risk of rupture, Parkinson's disease with cognitive decline, and a mass suggestive of bladder cancer. He asserts that he cannot be sent into a "hornet's nest", where he will be targeted due to national, religious, and cultural animosity. (ANI) The Cyber police station of New Delhi's North District busted a cyber racket accused of impersonating as Telecom department, CBI, and ED officials and extorting Rs 8.10 Lakh from a woman, according to Delhi Police officials. According to Deputy Commissioner Raja Banthia on Tuesday, the accused held the woman, along with her daughter and father, virtually hostage for 48 hours and extorted Rs 8.10 lakh in exchange for removing her name from the fake cases they claimed to have against her. According to the FIR, on March 24, the complainant said that she received a call from an unknown number claiming to be from Delhi's Telecom Department. The caller threatened her with using a fake SIM card. "Further, she received video calls from some unknown WhatsApp numbers stating themselves to be from the ED and CBI departments. The fraudsters threatened the lady complainant regarding her involvement in some money laundering case and threatened her to be arrested," read the Deputy Commissioner's statement. Officials said that the accused sent the woman forged documents from the CBI and ED, with stamps from the Supreme Court, between March 5 and March 7, subjecting her family to a 'digital arrest'. The preliminary investigation conducted by North District Cyber police traced the call to Zamrudpur, East of Kailash, and Greater Kailash areas. The police subsequently raided the locations after obtaining call record details and tracing the money, which led to the arrest of three accused--Raja Mandal (27), who was the Account Holder, Tushar Thapa (23), and Saurabh Tiwari (23), both Account Providers/Agents--on March 31 and the seizure of four mobile phones. "Preliminary investigation has revealed that the victim in this case has been duped in a very professional and systematic manner. A technical surveillance and manual intelligence have been developed continuously," said North district police's Dy Commissioner. On March 3, raids in the Chanakyapuri and R K Puram area also led to the arrest of another person, Anup Kumar Tiwari (23), and the seizure of another mobile phone. "He was interrogated in detail and revealed that he also obtained around 18 lacs rupees in his account. Moreover, the accused got slipped from the spot after leaving their Car, Mahindra Thar there," Police said. Deputy Commissioner Banthia said that the Tiwari had opened bank accounts on others directions, while also receiving commission for his work of being an Account Holder. The investigation of this case is in progress and efforts are going on to nab the absconding co-accused persons. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA T Raja Singh on Wednesday applauded the decision by the High Court for upholding a death sentence to the five convicts in the 2013 Dilsukhnagar blast case. He further thanked the police for conducting a good investigation and succeeding in getting a death sentence to the terrorists. Speaking to ANI, the BJP MLA said, "The High Court has upheld the death sentence. This is a very good decision. For this, I thank the police that despite political pressure, they conducted a good investigation, collected all the evidence and succeeded in getting the death sentence for all those terrorists..." Giving details about the incident, Singh said that the incident occurred on February 21, 2013 in which 150 innocent people were injured and 18 people were killed. "On 21 February 2013, a tiffin bomb blast took place in Dilsukhnagar in which more than 150 innocent people were injured and 18 innocent people were killed," he stated. On April 8, the Telangana High Court confirmed the death penalty of the people awarded by the NIA special court, and dismissed their criminal appeal petition. The NIA court delivered its final judgment in December 2016. The counsel for one of the convicts said that they would approach the Supreme Court in an appeal against the High Court order. "High Court has confirmed the judgement passed by the Trial Court, confirming judgement of the trial court. I am the counsel for accused number 6. We are definitely going to appeal against the order in the Supreme Court as we believe in the justice system of our country. Definitely, we will go to appeal. Because the judgement copy has not yet been given and the judge has stated that the copies will be available today," Advocate Mohd Shujaullah Khan told ANI. The criminal appeal petition was filed in 2016. The petitioners wanted the High Court to set aside the judgment pronounced by the special court on December 13, 2016. The Dilsukhnagar bomb blast case was investigated by the NIA. The petitioners who were awarded the death penalty are Ahmed Siddibappa Zarrar alias Yasin Bhatkal, Ajaz Shaikh, Zia Ur Rahman alias Waqas, Asadullah Akthar alias Haddi, and Mohammed Tahseen Akthar alias Hassan." On 21-02-2013 at 18:58:38 hrs and 18:58:44 hrs, two bomb blasts took place at Dilsukhnagar, Hyderabad, resulting in the death of 18 persons and causing injuries to 131 persons. The first blast took place at a bus stop in Dilsukhnagar, and the second near A1 Mirchi Centre, Dilsukhnagar," the NIA said. The first accused in the case, Mohd Riyaz alias Riyaz Bhaktal, is still absconding. The five convicts were alleged Indian Mujahideen operatives. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday participated in the Navkar Mahamantra Divas and reflected on the profound spiritual impact of the Navkar Mahamantra, describing it as a guiding force that connects the individual to society and termed it as a 'centre of faith.' Sharing his thoughts after a collective chanting session at the Vigyan Bhavan, the Prime Minister said, "I am still experiencing the spiritual power of the Navkar Mahamantra within me. A few years ago, I had witnessed a similar collective chanting in Bengaluru, and today I felt the same sensation, with just as much depth." Calling the Navkar Mahamantra the "centre of our faith" and the "fundamental note of our life," PM Modi emphasised that its value transcends spiritual boundaries. "The Navkar Mahamantra is not just a mantra. It is the centre of our faith. The fundamental note of our life and its importance is not just spiritual. It shows the way to everyone, from the self to society, a journey from the individual to the world. Each verse of this mantra, nay, each letter, is a mantra in itself," said the Prime Minister. Highlighting Jainism's core message, the Prime Minister stated that the mantra urges people to embark on a journey within, identifying and overcoming internal enemies such as negativity, distrust, hostility, and selfishness. "The Navkar Mahamantra says that believe in yourself and start your journey, the enemy is not outside, the enemy is within. Negative thinking, distrust, hostility, selfishness selfishness are the enemies that conquering is the real victory. This is why Jainism inspires us to conquer not the outside world but ourselves," said PM Modi. PM Modi also discussed the significance of the number nine in Indian culture, stating, "There are nine elements of life. These nine elements lead life towards completeness. Therefore, in our culture, nine holds special significance." Speaking at the Navkar Mahamantra Divas event at Vigyan Bhawan, PM Modi also underscored the broader spiritual and national relevance of the Jain chant. "The philosophy of the Navkar Mahamantra connects with the vision of a developed India. I have said from the Red Fort that a developed India means progress as well as heritage. An India that will not stop, an India that will not pause. One that will touch heights, but will not be severed from its roots," he stated. Highlighting the richness of Jain's contributions to India's intellectual and spiritual traditions, the Prime Minister described Jain's literature as the "backbone of India's intellectual grandeur." Preserving this vast body of knowledge is a national responsibility, and he pointed to key government initiatives aimed at cultural preservation. "To safeguard this heritage, we have granted Classical Language status to Prakrit and Pali," PM Modi stated, referring to two ancient languages closely linked to Jain and Buddhist traditions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Navkar Mahamantra Divas at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital, marking a significant spiritual and cultural event dedicated to the revered Jain chant. Participating in the event alongside members of the Jain community and spiritual leaders, the Prime Minister led the collective chanting of the Navkar Mahamantra and described the moment as spiritually energising and unifying. The event was organised to celebrate the timeless teachings of Jain philosophy and to promote the values of inner peace, self-realisation, and harmony. The Navkar Mahamantra Divas were observed at various locations in India, but the central ceremony was held at Vigyan Bhawan. Religious scholars, Jain monks, dignitaries, and hundreds of followers came together to recite the ancient mantra venerated by the five supreme beings: Arihants, Siddhas, Acharyas, Upadhyayas, and Sadhus. The event also highlighted the Jain philosophy's emphasis on nonviolence, truth, self-discipline, and inner transformation. PM Modi reiterated the importance of embracing such values in today's world to foster harmony and brotherhood across communities. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister invited citizens to join in chanting the Navkar Mahamantra at 8:27 AM, describing it as a collective step toward peace, strength, and unity. (ANI) Speaking to ANI, Sadiq said, "If anyone in the country or the world is involved in any kind of terrorism and hurts innocent people, it is our duty to make the accused go through a trial and make him accountable for his actions." On April 7, the United States Supreme Court rejected the plea of the accused, seeking a stay in his extradition to India. Rana filed an emergency application with Chief Justice Roberts on March 20, 2025, seeking a stay on his extradition. "The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied," the SC order dated Monday, April 7, 2025, stated. Speaking on the violence that erupted in West Bengal's Murshidabad against the Waqf Amendment Act, with clashes between demonstrators and the police, the MLA said that he wished the bill had not been introduced. "I wish this bill was not introduced... A division is being created in the country. 300 MPs have opposed this bill, which means there is a political division in the country..." The violence between the demonstrators and police has resulted in stone pelting and torched police vehicles. Earlier today morning, tight security was maintained in the Jangirpur area, with various police officials stationed at multiple roads to maintain peace. Official confirmation from officials on whether there have been any injuries or arrests following the violence is awaited. (ANI) Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, while reiterating the government's commitment to strengthening the farmers in the state, highlighted how around Rs 3,400 crore have been disbursed to farmers of the Ganganagar area. CM Sharma, while looking to solve the problems of the farmers, assured them that the party's poll promises would be implemented fully. The Rajasthan Chief Minister visited Hanumangarh district and held a meeting with the farmers of the Bhakra Canal area at the PWD Guest House in Hanumangarh. "If the farmer is strong, then our state will definitely be strong. I used to see every day that farmers of Hanumangarh, Ganganagar are at some block office, district office for some issue or the other...We will solve the farmers' problems. You have seen that within 2 years, an estimate of Rs 3,400 crore has been given for the farmers of Ganganagar," he said. CM Sharma gave them "detailed information" about the state government's efforts in the agriculture sector, farmer welfare schemes, and modern agricultural techniques. "During the interaction with them, the farmers were given detailed information about the new efforts being made by our government in the agriculture sector, farmer welfare schemes and modern agricultural techniques. Along with this, they were informed about the efforts and policy decisions being taken to achieve the ambitious resolution of the state government of 'Prosperous farmers, developed Rajasthan'," read a post by the Rajasthan CM. He further talked about ensuring the completion of BJP's poll promises. "I want to assure you that the benefits that we have given in our Sankalp Patra and the things that we have said to you, our government will definitely do it. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our Ganganagar will develop, our Hanumangarh will develop, our Rajasthan will develop and our country will develop," he added. During his visit, the Chief Minister also held interactions with the public to listen to their grievances and directed officials to ensure that their complaints be resolved. Afterwards, he also held a meeting with the party's district leaders, discussing organisational issues and future planning for the party. (ANI) As the Congress enters the second day of its convention today, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, along with Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, arrive at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial in Ahmedabad to attend the All India Congress Committee (AICC) session. The convention aims to discuss many issues concerning the country, including the hike in petrol and diesel prices. Congress MP Praniti Shinde on Wednesday took a dig at the central government, saying that they could discuss issues that are 300 years old but fail to address unemployment, Manipur, and price rises. "There are several issues like price hikes in petrol and diesel. They (Centre) only talk about issues that are 300 years old...No one is talking about unemployment, Manipur, price rises or famers. They only want to divide the country. BJP is doing the work of spreading poison in the country," Shinde told reporters. Meanwhile, Congress leader Pawan Khera lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the latter's accusation of "appeasement politics" against Congress, saying that his party always engaged in "santushtikaran" for every section of the society. "Congress ne har warg ke santushtikaran ka kaam kiya hai...tushtikaran ka kaam kabh nahi kiya. The day the Prime Minister understands that the Congress has satisfied every section of the society. It has never indulged in appeasement. That day, perhaps, he will learn to run the government," Khera told ANI. Congress leader PL Punia highlighted the resolution passed by the party, which prioritises the roadmap prepared by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. "The Congress party has always prioritised Sardar Patel. He has done a lot to constitute the party and unite the country, no one can forget his role. Congress party has always respected him," Punia said. The 84th National Convention of the AICC is being held in Ahmedabad on April 8-9, marking the event's return to Gujarat after a 64-year gap. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, to be concluded today, was attended by Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, and Sonia Gandhi, the Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP). Other top leaders of the Congress, including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi, and KC Venugopal were also present at the meeting. As the CWC meeting convened in Ahmedabad, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge launched a scathing attack on the BJP and said that attention is being diverted from the country's basic issues by creating "communal division." Kharge said, "Today, attention is being diverted from the basic issues of the country by doing Communal Division. On the other hand, Oligarchic Monopoly is on the path of controlling the governance by capturing the resources of the country." The Congress President further said that a "conspiracy" is being carried out in the nation regarding several national heroes, including that of bilateral ties between former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhai Patel. The CWC passed a resolution stating that the party will walk on the path lit by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. A copy of the resolution was shared by the Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal in a social media post on X. (ANI) Hyderabad Police have registered a case against BJP MLA T Raja Singh for allegedly violating the police's orders regarding the Ram Navami Shobha Yatra procession. The MLA was also booked for allegedly threatening police officers during the procession that was carried out on April 6 in the city. The police said the FIRs were registered at Mangalhat Police Station. Raja Singh had criticised Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand's order restricting the use of sound systems during the procession. "However, this year, I am being pressured by the Hyderabad Police Commissioner, CV Anand, through ACP and DCPs, citing Supreme Court rulings on sound pollution to restrict the use of sound systems during the yatra," the MLA had said before taking out the procession. "If so, why is noise pollution heard five times a day, 12 months a year across the city without any restrictions?" Raja Singh had alleged that restrictions were being imposed on Hindu festivals and atrocities were being committed against Hindus in states governed by the Congress party, including Karnataka and Telangana. Singh had written to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy requesting the unhindered conduct of the April 6 Shri Ram Navami Shobha Yatra. The Hyderabad Police, however, instructed the Ram Navami organizers to avoid using high-decibel sound equipment, including DJs, sound mixers, mobile microphones, and loudspeakers, during the procession The yatra was taken out from Akashpuri Hanuman Mandir in Dhoolpet to HVS Public School in Sultan Bazar, within Singh's Goshamahal Constituency. Earlier, Raja Singh applauded the decision by the High Court to uphold a death sentence for the five convicts in the 2013 Dilsukhnagar blast case. He further thanked the police for conducting a good investigation and succeeding in getting a death sentence to the terrorists. Speaking to ANI, the BJP MLA said, "The High Court has upheld the death sentence. This is a very good decision. For this, I thank the police that despite political pressure, they conducted a good investigation, collected all the evidence and succeeded in getting the death sentence for all those terrorists..." Giving details about the incident, Singh said that the incident occurred on February 21, 2013, in which 150 innocent people were injured and 18 people were killed. "On 21 February 2013, a tiffin bomb blast took place in Dilsukhnagar in which more than 150 innocent people were injured and 18 innocent people were killed," he stated On April 8, the Telangana High Court confirmed the death penalty of the people awarded by the NIA special court and dismissed their criminal appeal petition. (ANI) Congress leader Pawan Khera on Wednesday morning lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the latter's accusation of "appeasement politics" against Congress, saying that his party always engaged in "santushtikaran" for every section of the society. "Congress ne har warg ke santushtikaran ka kaam kiya hai...tushtikaran ka kaam kabh nahi kiya. The day the Prime Minister understands that the Congress has satisfied every section of the society. It has never indulged in appeasement. That day, perhaps, he will learn to run the government," Khera told ANI. He further accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of being "against the constitution" from the times of Hindu Mahasabha and Jana Sangh. "The Congress has walked on the path of the Constitution and will continue to do so. The BJP has been against the constitution since its inception - from the times of Sangh, Jana Sangh, Hindu Mahasabha and is against it even today," Khera said. Meanwhile, Congress leader PL Punia highlighted the resolution passed by the party, which prioritises the roadmap prepared by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. "The Congress party has always prioritised Sardar Patel. He has done a lot to constitute the party and unite the country, no one can forget his role. Congress party has always respected him," Punia said. The 84th National Convention of the AICC is being held in Ahmedabad on April 8-9, marking the event's return to Gujarat after a 64-year gap. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, to be concluded today, was attended by Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, and Sonia Gandhi, the Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP). Other top leaders of the Congress, including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi, and KC Venugopal were also present at the meeting. As the CWC meeting convened in Ahmedabad, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge launched a scathing attack on the BJP and said that attention is being diverted from the country's basic issues by creating "communal division." Kharge said, "Today, attention is being diverted from the basic issues of the country by doing Communal Division. On the other hand, Oligarchic Monopoly is on the path of controlling the governance by capturing the resources of the country." The Congress President further said that a "conspiracy" is being carried out in the nation regarding several national heroes, including that of bilateral ties between former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhai Patel. The CWC passed a resolution stating that the party will walk on the path lit by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. A copy of the resolution was shared by the Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal in a social media post on X. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday emphasised the importance of Jain literature in shaping India's rich intellectual and spiritual heritage, calling it the "backbone of India's intellectual grandeur." Addressing a gathering at the 'Navkar Mahamantra Divas' at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital, PM Modi said that preserving ancient Jain texts is a national duty. "The literature of Jainism is the backbone of India's intellectual grandeur. Preserving this knowledge is our duty," he stated. The Prime Minister highlighted the government's decision to grant Classical Language status to Prakrit and Pali -- two ancient Indian languages deeply intertwined with Jain and Buddhist traditions. "That is why we have granted Classical Language status to Prakrit and Pali," he said, underlining the cultural and scholarly significance of these languages. PM Modi recalled his early spiritual exposure to Jain teachings. "I was born in Gujarat where the influence of Jainism is visible in every street. Since childhood, I have been in the company of Jain Acharyas," he said, adding that chanting the Navkar Mantra is a moment of deep reverence as "we bow to the Panch Parmeshthi." He also pointed out how the architectural and cultural influence of Jainism is reflected in the new Parliament building. "As soon as you enter through the Shardula Dwar, you see the 'Sammed Shikhar' in the gallery. There is an idol of a Tirthankara at the Lok Sabha entrance--this idol has returned from Australia. A magnificent painting of Lord Mahavir adorns the roof of the Constitution Hall, and all 24 Tirthankaras are depicted on the wall," he said. Linking spirituality with national progress, the Prime Minister said, "A developed India means progress as well as heritage--an India that will not stop, that will not pause, that will touch great heights without being severed from its roots." He emphasised that Naya Bharat (New India) will continue to uphold the values of its ancient traditions, even while advancing through modern technology. In this spirit, PM Modi announced the upcoming 'Gyan Bharatam Mission,' unveiled in this year's Union Budget, and said that the initiative will focus on surveying and digitising millions of ancient manuscripts across the country. "Many important texts are slowly disappearing. Through this mission, we will connect antiquity with modernity," he said. He added that the mission would explore the potential of Artificial Intelligence to make India's spiritual legacy globally accessible. The Prime Minister also highlighted efforts to retrieve ancient heritage from abroad. "In recent years, more than 20 statues of Tirthankaras have been brought back to India," he said, describing these efforts as a matter of national pride. Calling the Gyan Bharatam initiative an "Amrit Sankalp," PM Modi said that India will not only preserve its knowledge systems but also inspire the world through the confluence of technology and spirituality. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Navkar Mahamantra Divas at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital, marking a significant spiritual and cultural event dedicated to the revered Jain chant. Participating in the event alongside members of the Jain community and spiritual leaders, the Prime Minister led the collective chanting of the Navkar Mahamantra and described the moment as spiritually energising and unifying. The event was organised to celebrate the timeless teachings of Jain philosophy and to promote the values of inner peace, self-realisation, and harmony. The Navkar Mahamantra Divas were observed at various locations in India, but the central ceremony was held at Vigyan Bhawan. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also joined in the 'Vishwa Navkar Mahamantra Divas' event in the national capital. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel attended the 'Vishwa Navkar Mahamantra' Day event organised by the Jain International Trade Organization (JITO) in Ahmedabad. Religious scholars, Jain monks, dignitaries, and hundreds of followers came together to recite the ancient mantra venerated by the five supreme beings: Arihants, Siddhas, Acharyas, Upadhyayas, and Sadhus. The event also highlighted the Jain philosophy's emphasis on nonviolence, truth, self-discipline, and inner transformation.PM Modi reiterated the importance of embracing such values in today's world to foster harmony and brotherhood across communities. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister invited citizens to join in chanting the Navkar Mahamantra at 8:27 AM, describing it as a collective step toward peace, strength, and unity. (ANI) Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitendra Jitu Patwari on Wednesday morning attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that they want to drive the country by "instilling fear" about Pakistan. He said that Congress, on the other hand, wants the country to progress by "going ahead" of China. "Narendra Modi, BJP and RSS want to drive the country by instilling fear about Pakistan. We want the country to progress by competing with China's model," Patwari told ANI. He said that the resolution passed by Congress to uphold the path shown by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was not about power but about saving democracy and the constitution. "This is not about power. This is to save the democracy and the constitution of the country. We want to send this message from here that Congress is the party that gave India freedom. Congress is the party that protects the rights of the common people. We do not have to compete with Pakistan, we have to go ahead of China," Patwari added. Meanwhile, Gujarat Congress President Shaktisinh Gohil took a dig at the BJP, saying that those who changed the name of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium must not talk about him. "The people who changed the name of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad to Narendra Modi Stadium should not talk about Sardar Patel. People have a lot of knowledge, they very well know what is inside and what is outside," Gohil told ANI. As Congress enters the second day of its convention today, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, along with Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, arrived at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial in Ahmedabad to attend the All India Congress Committee (AICC) session. The convention aims to discuss many issues concerning the country, including the hike in petrol and diesel prices. Congress MP Praniti Shinde on Wednesday took a dig at the central government, saying that they could discuss issues that are 300 years old but fail to address unemployment, Manipur, and price rises. Earlier, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge launched a scathing attack on the BJP and said that attention is being diverted from the country's basic issues by creating "communal division." Kharge said, "Today, attention is being diverted from the basic issues of the country by doing Communal Division. On the other hand, Oligarchic Monopoly is on the path of controlling the governance by capturing the resources of the country." The Congress President further said that a "conspiracy" is being carried out in the nation regarding several national heroes, including that of bilateral ties between former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhai Patel. The CWC passed a resolution stating that the party will walk on the path lit by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. A copy of the resolution was shared by the Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal in a social media post on X. (ANI) Congress MP Manish Tewari on Wednesday lauded the US Supreme Court's rejection of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana's application seeking a stay on his extradition to India. "If Tahawwur Rana, who was involved in the massacre of innocent people during the 26/11 outrage, is being extradited to India to stand trial for his crimes, it is a welcome step," Tewari told ANI. Rana has been accused of being involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, where innocent people were killed, and is expected to stand trial in India. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh's former Director General of Police (DGP) Vikram Singh applauded the rejection by the Supreme Court to stay extradition request of the 26/11 Mumbai attack accused Tahawwur Rana. The former DGP stated that the decision was 'significant' and followed high-level discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United States President Donald Trump. "This decision is significant and follows high-level discussions between Prime Minister Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump. Now, only a few formalities like paperwork and diplomatic procedures remain before this return," Singh said, speaking to ANI. He further stated that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was fully prepared and would conduct custodial interrogation of the accused along with the Investigation Board and the Mumbai Police. On April 7, the Supreme Court of the United States rejected the plea of Tahawwur Rana, who sought a stay on his extradition to India. Rana filed an emergency application with Chief Justice Roberts on March 20, 2025, seeking a stay on his extradition. "The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied," the SC order dated Monday, April 7, 2025, stated. Earlier, US Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan had denied a similar plea in March. His request was circulated among the Supreme Court justices for a conference held on April 4, as per the court's official website. In his earlier application, Rana argued that he would not survive long enough to be tried in India due to various reasons. Rana highlighted his deteriorating health. He suffers from a 3.5 cm abdominal aortic aneurysm at immediate risk of rupture, Parkinson's disease with cognitive decline, and a mass suggestive of bladder cancer. He asserts that he cannot be sent into a "hornet's nest", where he will be targeted due to national, religious, and cultural animosity. (ANI) Amid the Opposition parties in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly demanding a discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) Act passed by Parliament, Congress MLA Nizamuddin Bhat said that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah might be attending the Assembly session on Wednesday and discuss today's business proceedings with the National Conference's alliance partner, Congress. The Congress MLA said that CM Abdullah was "busy with the Home Minister's visit," which is why there could not be a discussion with Congress, the National Conference's alliance partner in the union territory. "The CM was busy with the Home Minister's visit. This is why he could not have a detailed discussion with his alliance partners. He will probably come to the house today, and only after discussions with him will we be able to decide today's business," MLA Bhat told ANI. Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a meeting in Srinagar to review the security situation in J-K. Earlier in the day, Amit Shah said that three more groups had decided to sever ties with the Hurriyat Conference and hailed this development as a clear reflection of the growing trust in India's Constitution under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision. Meanwhile, for the last two days of the J-K assembly session, chaos has been continuing with various Opposition MLAs and NC MLAs alike demanding a discussion on the Waqf Amendments. However, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather refused a discussion on the Waqf Act despite the demands. PDP MLA Waheed Para and other MLAs of the party reached the Well of the House, showing some papers on their resolution. Following this, they were marshalled out on Tuesday. NC leaders, who had also reached the Well of the House, entered into an argument with J&K People's Conference chief Sajjad Lone. In turn, the JKPC president, Sajad Lone, attacked the National Conference-led government, claiming that the party should remove the speaker they appointed so that a discussion on the Waqf Act could take place in the Assembly. Lone said that the NC MLAs' demand for a discussion "reeks of theatre," as the party's own Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather, had denied discussions on the Waqf Bill under Rule 58. "We, too, want that there should be a resolution. J&K is the only Muslim-majority province in the entire country. Muslims of India deserve that a strong message be sent from here. But for that, the Speaker is not ready. The Speaker is elected by the NC. If they are serious, they should bring a no-confidence motion against him, remove him and bring in a new Speaker who would allow this," Lone told reporters. (ANI) Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference (JKPC) chief Sajad Lone on Wednesday demanded that Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather step aside temporarily in the wake of the ongoing controversy surrounding the Waqf Bill and former Speaker Mubarak Gul preside over proceedings. Speaking to ANI, Sajad Lone said, "We demanded that the Speaker either goes back to his chambers temporarily and Mubarak Gul take over for the time being and our work will be done. We also brought in a no-confidence motion. If he persists, then I think the no-confidence motion should be successful." The dispute comes amid mounting tensions over the proposed discussions on the Waqf Bill. The People's Conference and the National Conference have taken divergent positions on the issue, with Lone accusing the Speaker of partiality and procedural lapses. "Discussions on the Waqf bill will be held if they (NC) want," he said. Following chaos that erupted in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly over demands to discuss the Waqf Amendment Act, National Conference MLA Tanvir Sadiq said that the party wanted the Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather to understand the "sense of the house" and allow a discussion on the act. This comes after Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather refused a discussion on the Waqf Act despite the ruling demands. Speaking with ANI, Tanvir Sadiq said, "We didn't want a ruckus (in the House). A lot of things have been discussed in the assembly of various states in this country...We wanted the Speaker to understand the sense of the House, of the Muslim majority and allow a discussion on this." "There would have been a discussion and we would have said what is in our heart. We are not challenging anyone, but in the wake of several examples, we should have been given an opportunity to say what lies in our hearts. We can't change the Bill but we can say what is in our heart and list the drawbacks of the Waqf Amendment Bill," he added. Earlier in the day, PDP MLA Waheed Para and other MLAs of the party reached the Well of the House, showing some papers on their resolution. Following this, they were marshalled out. NC leaders, who had also reached the Well of the House, entered into an argument with J&K People's Conference chief Sajad Lone. In turn, the JKPC president Sajad Lone attacked the National Conference-led government, claiming that the party should remove the speaker appointed by them so that a discussion on the Waqf Act could take place in the Assembly. Lone said that the NC MLAs demand for a discussion "reeks of theatre," as it was the party's own Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather, who had denied discussions on the Waqf Bill under Rule 58. "We too want there should be a resolution. J&K is the only Muslim-majority province in the entire country. Muslims of India deserve that a strong message be sent from here. But for that, the Speaker is not ready. The Speaker has been elected by the NC. If they are serious, they should bring a no-confidence motion against him, remove him and bring in a new Speaker who would allow this," Sajad Lone told reporters. On Monday, JKNC president Farooq Abdullah also voiced their objections to the bill and explained why the debate was not allowed. "National Conference is against this bill. It is unconstitutional. There are parties in the Supreme Court. Hence, the Speaker did not allow a debate on it. We are hopeful that the Supreme Court will serve justice," Farooq Abdullah told reporters in Ganderbal. (ANI) The bench, comprising Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, expressed displeasure over the hurried filing of the plea without allowing authorities time to address the issue. However, the court granted the petitioner, Save India Foundation, permission to pursue their representation before the concerned authorities. The petition, filed through Advocate Umesh Sharma, highlighted the absence of regulations or laws specifically protecting the peacock from such hazards. The petitioner had gathered data on peacock deaths due to electrocution in Delhi and sought court intervention to establish guidelines for their protection, stated the plea. The petition argued that authorities have shown a negligent attitude, shifting responsibility instead of establishing regulations or guidelines to safeguard India's National Bird. It accused DISCOMS of recklessly insulating electrical installations without adequate protective measures, leaving peacocks vulnerable to electric currents, resulting in fatalities. Furthermore, the plea highlighted Delhi's rich heritage of bird-watching, with sites like Okhla Bird Sanctuary and Yamuna Biodiversity Park serving as key locations for nature enthusiasts. It emphasized the deep cultural significance of birds such as peacocks and parakeets, warning that their declining numbers could indicate broader environmental concerns, including pollution and habitat destruction. (ANI) Congress leader Nana Patole on Wednesday raised apprehensions over the extradition of terror accused Tahawwur Rana to India while accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not being "trustworthy". He said that they couldn't believe anything till the time the 2008 Mumbai terror accused was brought into the country. "If he comes, it is good. Strict action should be taken against such people. They had said a lot of things. They talked about bringing back Dawood (Ibrahim). What happened? Until he is brought here, how can we believe anything? Because Modi is not a trustworthy Prime Minister," Patole told ANI. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Congress MP Manish Tewari lauded the US Supreme Court's rejection of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana's application seeking a stay on his extradition to India. "If Tahawwur Rana, who was involved in the massacre of innocent people during the 26/11 outrage, is being extradited to India to stand trial for his crimes, it is a welcome step," Tewari told ANI. Rana has been accused of being involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, where innocent people were killed, and is expected to stand trial in India. Earlier, Uttar Pradesh's former Director General of Police (DGP) Vikram Singh applauded the rejection by the Supreme Court to stay extradition request of the 26/11 Mumbai attack accused Tahawwur Rana. The former DGP stated that the decision was 'significant' and followed high-level discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United States President Donald Trump. "This decision is significant and follows high-level discussions between Prime Minister Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump. Now, only a few formalities like paperwork and diplomatic procedures remain before this return," Singh said, speaking to ANI. He further stated that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was fully prepared and would conduct custodial interrogation of the accused along with the Investigation Board and the Mumbai Police. On April 7, the Supreme Court of the United States rejected Tahawwur Rana's plea to stay his extradition to India. Rana filed an emergency application with Chief Justice Roberts on March 20, 2025, seeking a stay on his extradition. "The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied," the SC order dated Monday, April 7, 2025, stated. Earlier, US Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan had denied a similar plea in March. His request was circulated among the Supreme Court justices for a conference held on April 4, as per the court's official website. In his earlier application, Rana argued that he would not survive long enough to be tried in India due to various reasons. Rana highlighted his deteriorating health. He suffers from a 3.5 cm abdominal aortic aneurysm at immediate risk of rupture, Parkinson's disease with cognitive decline, and a mass suggestive of bladder cancer. He asserts that he cannot be sent into a "hornet's nest", where he will be targeted due to national, religious, and cultural animosity. (ANI) Congress MLA Irfan Hafeez on Wednesday termed the Waqf Amendment Act a state interference in the religious affairs of the Muslim community. He added that the demand for a discussion on the act in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was justified. Hafeez accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of destroying the secularist identity of India. "The Waqf Amendment Act is an interference to our religious matters, and the members have expressed their concern about it... We will not tolerate their interference in our religious matters. They (Central government) have divided our beautiful state," Hafeez told ANI. "The Constitution and rule of law is being violated. Secularism is being brazenly violated. Federalism is under threat... It is the need of the hour to restore our identity of unity in diversity," he added. The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has witnessed uproar for three consecutive days over the demand for a discussion of the Waqf Amendment Act. On Wednesday, the MLAs from the treasury bench and those from the Opposition clashed in the House. The Assembly adjourned till 1 pm following the uproar. Meanwhile, a scuffle broke out in the Assembly following comments made by Aam Aadmi Party MLA Mehraj Malik on Hindus, leading to multiple MLAs being marshalled out by officials. Reportedly, certain Bhartiya Janata Party MLAs objected to alleged comments made by Aam Aadmi Party MLA Mehraj Malik, where he claimed that Hindus wear a 'tilak' but sin all the time. Reacting to the comments, BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa, who was in the assembly when the scuffle broke out, condemned Malik's comments. "Today, he has insulted Hindus; will he do anything he wants? We will protest this; he has insulted Hindus, saying that Hindus wear tilak and sin, steal from people, and drink alcohol. We will tell him what Hindus do," he said. Meanwhile, AAP MLA Mehraj Malik also got into a heated argument with PDP MLA Waheed Parra. "You have been a traitor...he has brought in the mafia. There are so many people outside. Who are these people?" Malik told Para. While talking with reporters, Malik said, "He tells me I have no respect or manners. Will he teach me?" The AAP MLA further claimed that he had been attacked by BJP workers. Awami Itehhad Party leader and MLA Salman Khursheed claimed that the NC-led government plans to adjourn the proceedings the whole day through various disruptions. (ANI) Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia on Wednesday spoke about the fee hike in private schools and said the 'education mafia' in Delhi has become so daring that small innocent children are being tortured. Taking to social media, X, AAP leader Manish Sisodia wrote, "Look at this.... the education mafia in Delhi has become so daring that small innocent children are being tortured by making them sit outside the classroom." https://x.com/msisodia/status/1909857861011640640?s=48 "During the ten years that @ArvindKejriwal was the Chief Minister, no one had the courage to do such a daring act. If Kejriwal government was in power today, such school managers who torture innocent children in this manner would have been sent to jail within 24 hours," the post reads. He claimed that under Arvind Kejriwal's previous government, such incidents wouldn't have occurred, and those responsible would have faced jail time Several parents staged a protest with placards in their hands outside of DPS, Dwarka, over the recent fee hike in the national capital's schools. Speaking to ANI, a protestor, Saurabh said "My child studies in Class 11. He is made to sit in the library. For the last 21 days, several students are made to sit in the library when they reach school because the demanded fees have not been paid. Our demand is that the Govt should take over this school..." The schools are forcing students to sit in the libraries because they haven't paid the increased fees. The parents are seeking government intervention to resolve the issue. Earlier, AAP Leader and LoP Atishi wrote to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta over the issue of rising school fees in private schools and urged to issue orders with immediate effect that no school collects the enhanced fee from any parent/guardian, until accounts of the schools are audited. (ANI) In a major development, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Tuesday approved India's largest-ever fighter jet deal, clearing the purchase of 26 Rafale Marine combat aircraft for the Indian Navy. The deal, worth over Rs 63,000 crore, will be executed under a government-to-government agreement with France, government sources told ANI. The contract will include 22 single-seater and four twin-seater Rafale Marine jets. It also comprises a comprehensive package for fleet maintenance, logistical support, personnel training, and indigenous manufacturing components under offset obligations. Deliveries of the Rafale M jets are expected to begin approximately five years after the deal is signed. These fighters will be deployed on INS Vikrant, India's first indigenous aircraft carrier, and will complement the Navy's existing MiG-29K fleet. The Indian Air Force (IAF) already operates 36 Rafale jets at its bases in Ambala and Hashimara. The new Rafale Marine deal will also help enhance the IAF's capabilities, including upgrading its "buddy-buddy" aerial refuelling system. This feature will enable around 10 IAF Rafale aircraft to refuel others mid-air, thus extending their operational range. Defence sources told ANI earlier that the deal will likely include ground-based equipment and software upgrades for the IAF fleet. Additionally, the Navy will need to install specialised equipment on its aircraft carriers to support the operations of the 4.5-generation Rafale jets. While the MiG-29Ks will continue to operate from INS Vikramaditya, the induction of the Rafale Marine jets is expected to boost the Navy's airpower significantly.Looking ahead, the Indian Navy is also planning to induct indigenous fifth-generation fighter jets, which are under development by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The upcoming twin-engine deck-based fighter aircraft is likely to be the naval counterpart of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) being developed for the Indian Air Force by the Aeronautical Development Agency. (ANI) Amid rising global concerns over economic tensions triggered by US tariff hikes, Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for maintaining silence on the matter. Speaking after the All India Congress Committee (AICC) session in Gujarat, Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla accused the government of ignoring pressing economic issues while pushing legislation like the Waqf Amendment Bill. "The whole world is talking about the economy and reacting to the tariffs imposed by America. But the Prime Minister has kept silent on this matter. He is not saying anything about it," Aujla told ANI. Referring to the Waqf Amendment Bill, Aujla said that Congress had already made its position clear and informed people about the government's actions through the legislation. "We have already told everyone what they have done in the amendment," he noted, accusing the Centre of distracting the public from major economic challenges by focusing on polarising issues. His remarks come as India faces diplomatic and trade-related pressures following recent tariff announcements by the US, which have sparked conversations globally. The Congress MP questioned the government's silence and its lack of engagement on the economic fallout that could potentially affect Indian exporters and businesses. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain also launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that Modi's "appeasement" remarks about the opposition parties were "lies and completely fake." He said that the Prime Minister didn't answer the questions raised by the Congress and repeated what his party leaders had presented in the Parliament. Hussain questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) support of the Waqf bill in 1995 and 2013. "PM Narendra Modi's statements are lies and completely fake. He tried to repeat the things that his leaders had presented in Parliament. He did not answer the questions that we raised. At least mention any instance of appeasement. If it is really about appeasement, why did the BJP support this bill in 1995 and 2013?" Hussain told ANI. His reaction comes after PM Modi accused Congress of engaging in "appeasement politics" on Tuesday and said that Waqf legislation will ensure dignity for all, especially the marginalised. Congress leader Pawan Khera also lashed out at PM Modi over the latter's accusation of "appeasement politics" against Congress, saying that his party always engaged in "santushtikaran" for every section of society. "Congress ne har warg ke santushtikaran ka kaam kiya hai...tushtikaran ka kaam kabh nahi kiya. The day the Prime Minister understands that the Congress has satisfied every section of the society. It has never indulged in appeasement. That day, perhaps, he will learn to run the government," Khera told ANI. He further accused the BJP of being "against the constitution" from the times of Hindu Mahasabha and Jana Sangh. "Congress has walked on the path of the Constitution and will continue to do so. The BJP has been against the constitution since its inception - from the times of Sangh, Jana Sangh, Hindu Mahasabha and is against it even today," Khera said. Addressing the News18 Rising Bharat Summit, PM Modi said those who thought that India would progress slowly and steadily will now witness a fast and fearless India. He said that when growth is driven by aspirations, it becomes inclusive and sustainable. PM Modi said "appeasement politics" has been a significant challenge to India's growth. Referring to the recent amendment to the Waqf-related laws passed by Parliament, the Prime Minister noted that the debate surrounding Waqf stems from the politics of appeasement, which is not a new phenomenon. (ANI) Parents held protest outside schools in New Delhi on Wednesday over the recent fee hike, and demanded the government to take over the schools. Visuals showed the parents protesting outside the Indraprastha International School and Delhi Public School, Dwarka. Saurabh, a protesting parent said that children in the school were being made to sit in the library of the schools because the demanded increased fees had not been paid. Further, he demanded that the schools should take over the schools in the city. "My child studies in Class 11. He is made to sit in the library. For the last 21 days, several students are made to sit in the library when they reach school because the demanded fees have not been paid. Our demand is that the Govt should take over this school..." Saurabh said speaking to ANI. Another parent said that while his daughter was able to sit in the classroom, his son was made to sit in the library despite the same fees paid for both of them. "Two of my children study in this school. My daughter sits in the classroom, but my son is made to sit in the library. The same fees are being paid for both of them. My son has been made to sit in the library since 21st March. I am paying the approved fees and not the unapproved fees...The matter is in the court as well. We demand this problem to be solved as soon as possible..." the parent said. Meanwhile, on April 8, Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood vowed to take action against the private schools which had increased their fees. "We are being blamed for increasing Delhi school fees... Supreme Court passed an order in 2004 Modern School case that Delhi schools are bound to take permission from the Directorate of Education before increasing their fees... But they (AAP) got this order dismissed in 2024 in the Delhi High Court... Rekha Gupta will investigate the corruption in such cases where under-the-table money was taken...A committee will be formed under the leadership of CM Rekha Gupta and all schools will be audited and if any school fails any criterion, it will not be spared," the Delhi Education Minister said. (ANI) Amid the reports of internal rifts in the Trinamool Congress, BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Wednesday took a dig at the party, saying that the TMC has now become 'too much confusion, too much chaos. ' "TMC has now become 'too much confusion, too much chaos. ' MPs are abusing each other, grabbing each other's collars in the Election Commission office," Poonawalla told ANI. "TMC and Mamata Banerjee will tell who this versatile international woman is, but in the WhatsApp group of MPs, her affairs and character are being discussed... If they fight so much, then how will they keep Bengal on the path of development?" he added. Earlier, BJP leader Amit Malviya alleged that two TMC MPs had a public spat at the headquarters of the Election Commission of India, where they had gone to submit a representation on April 4, 2025. Referring to the TMC MPs' "public spat" at the EC office, Malviya said in a post on X that it appears the Trinamool Congress had instructed its MPs to gather at the Parliament office to sign the memorandum before proceeding to the EC. "However, the MP carrying the memorandum skipped the Parliament meeting and went directly to the EC. This angered another MP, who confronted him when they came face to face at the Commission. A heated exchange followed, with the two shouting at each other -- so much so that one of them asked the police personnel present to intervene," Malviya alleged.He also cited chats from 'AITC MP 2024'. "The matter escalated quickly and reached Mamata Banerjee, who reportedly asked both MPs to stand down. But the feud didn't end there. It spilled over into the AITC MP 2024 WhatsApp group, where warring camps took sides and traded barbs. And in the middle of it all, the question still lingers: who exactly is the "versatile international lady"? That mystery is one for the world to unravel," he added. (ANI) Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi, speaking on Wednesday about 26/11 mastermind Tahawwur Rana's extradition to India, said the country would welcome the process of bringing justice by the law if it was harmed or damaged. Speaking to ANI, Singhvi said, "Anybody who harms and damages India, if he is brought to justice by the process of law, we would welcome it fully...We are hearing reports, and it will be good if he is brought to justice." Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police stated that any decisions on taking custody of Tahawwur Rana would depend on the specific grounds outlined in the extradition order once he would be brought back to India. According to reports, Rana is being extradited from the United States in connection with a conspiracy case registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2009 related to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, a case of criminal conspiracy against Rana was originally lodged by the NIA in Delhi following the deadly November 2008 attacks in which over 160 people were killed. The ongoing extradition process pertains to that case. However, officials clarified that it is yet to be determined whether Mumbai Police can seek his custody for any local investigation linked to the attacks. "Only after examining the grounds of extradition will it be clear whether custody can be sought by the Mumbai Crime Branch in this matter," sources said. Sources added that the Mumbai Police has not received any formal communication so far regarding Rana's transfer to the city for questioning or judicial proceedings. Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian national, was convicted in the US for the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives and providing material support to the group responsible for the Mumbai attacks that killed over 174 people. (ANI) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted bail to former Delhi Jal Board (DJB) chief engineer Jagdish Kumar Arora and contractor Anil Kumar Agarwal. Both were arrested last year in an alleged money laundering case involving DJB. Both individuals, however, were asked to furnish a bail bond worth Rs. 50,000. As per the High Court, the order will be uploaded by today evening or tomorrow. Last year, on October 24, 2024 the Rouse Avenue court had dismissed the bail pleas for both. Arora and Agarwal were charge sheeted [along with others accused by the Enforcement Directorate (ED)] in a money laundering case linked to the procurement of electromagnetic metres for Delhi Jal Board. Advocates Vijay Agarwal and Nagesh Behl, representing Anil Kumar Agarwal, submitted that the latter was falsely implicated in the "present" case. Moreover, earlier before trial court, the counsel had submitted that Agarwal was neither named in CBI's case registered against NKG Infrastructure Ltd. & Ors. It was further submitted that the "applicant/accused is an aged person suffering from various health ailments and is behind bars for over eight months"; that "only incriminating material collected against the accused is unreliable". It was argued that the ED presented twisted facts, since the "DJB did not offer an inflated contract (worth Rs. 38 crores) as alleged in the complaint filed by the ED". Enforcement Directorate's Special Counsel, Zoheb Hossain and Special Public Prosecutor, Manish Jain opposed the pleas. The ED argued that Agarwal "submitted fake performance certificates, dated January 2, 2018 and March 12, 2018, in favour of NKG Infrastructure Ltd." which led to Jal board offering contract to the company. As per ED, the accused/applicant had received cash from sham transactions booked with a number of identities namely, M/S Modern Enterprises, M/S Shiva Trading Company, M/S Xpert Solutions and M/S Integrated Hydraulic System during the same time when funds from Delhi Jal Board were received". It was submitted that the said cash apart from money through banking channels, was used by the accused/applicant to bribe the accused Jagdish Kumar Arora through accused Tajinder Pal Singh, totaling to Rs. 3.19 crores. According to the ED, "there is plethora of evidence against accused including co-accused Tajinder Pal Singh's statement under Sec. 50 of PMLA, 2002". (ANI) As the US Supreme Court rejected terror accused Tahawwur Rana's plea seeking extradition stay, Congress MP Rajiv Shukla on Wednesday said that those involved in acts of terror must be strictly punished. With the American courts rejecting his application, he said, Rana should be brought to India to face punishments for his crimes. "It's good. Those involved in acts of terror should be strictly punished. Even the American courts did not entertain his stay plea. He will have to come to India and be punished for his crimes," Shukla told ANI. Meanwhile, Congress leader TS Singh Deo said, "This should have happened long ago. But it is good that it's happening." Congress leader Nana Patole on Wednesday raised apprehensions over the extradition of terror accused Tahawwur Rana to India while accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not being "trustworthy". He said that they couldn't believe anything till the time the 2008 Mumbai terror accused was brought into the country. "If he comes, it is good. Strict action should be taken against such people. They had said a lot of things. They talked about bringing back Dawood (Ibrahim). What happened? Until he is brought here, how can we believe anything? Because Modi is not a trustworthy Prime Minister," Patole told ANI. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Congress MP Manish Tewari lauded the US Supreme Court's rejection of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana's application seeking a stay on his extradition to India. "If Tahawwur Rana, who was involved in the massacre of innocent people during the 26/11 outrage, is being extradited to India to stand trial for his crimes, it is a welcome step," Tewari told ANI. Rana has been accused of being involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, where innocent people were killed, and is expected to stand trial in India. On April 7, the Supreme Court of the United States rejected Tahawwur Rana's plea to stay his extradition to India. Rana filed an emergency application with Chief Justice Roberts on March 20, 2025, seeking a stay on his extradition. "The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied," the SC order dated Monday, April 7, 2025, stated. Earlier, US Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan had denied a similar plea in March. His request was circulated among the Supreme Court justices for a conference held on April 4, as per the court's official website. In his earlier application, Rana argued that he would not survive long enough to be tried in India due to various reasons. Rana highlighted his deteriorating health. He suffers from a 3.5 cm abdominal aortic aneurysm at immediate risk of rupture, Parkinson's disease with cognitive decline, and a mass suggestive of bladder cancer. He asserts that he cannot be sent into a "hornet's nest" where he will be targeted due to national, religious, and cultural animosity. (ANI) As violence erupted during a protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Act in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, Union Minister and BJP's state president Sukanta Majumdar accused the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led state government of "state sponsored violence" and diverting from the issue of 26,000 teachers in the state losing their jobs. "We knew Mamata Banerjee would try to divert people's attention from the issue of 26,000 teachers losing their jobs. This is state-sponsored violence. Ahead of the 2021 elections in West Bengal, when CAB was passed to form CAA, we saw such violence in the state; a train was burnt," Majumdar claimed during a press conference in Delhi. He further compared the violence which took place in Murshidabad to the violence which broke out during the CAA protests in 2020-21. "Ahead of the 2021 elections in West Bengal, when CAB was passed to form CAA, we saw such violence in the state; a train was burnt..Cases like these happen in Murshidabad and Mamata Banerjee and TMC organise these things... Hindus' lives in Murshidabad were at stake in 2021. Women were about to be raped. BSF had to step in bordering areas. This is how Hindu women's dignity was saved," he added. He expressed confidence in the state's people's support for the BJP, claiming that he believes that "not one Hindu" will vote for CM Banerjee. "The Hindus of West Bengal are coming together, and I have faith that in the upcoming elections, not even one Hindu will vote for Mamata Banerjee... When we had called for a 'gherao' of Nabanno, some people had burned a police vehicle, and Abhishek Banerjee said, had he been there instead of the police, he would have shot these people in the head," Majumdar said. He further challenged the TMC leader by saying the same for the people who allegedly burned police vehicles. Earlier today, witnesses in the area recounted the violence they saw. "Yesterday, there was a lot of crowd here, and people from Jangipur came here, and they protested against the Waqf Bill. There was a police van of the SP; they torched it and started stone pelting. I saw the police run away," one of the locals in the area, Bittu Sarkar, said. Expressing confidence that he believes that none of the violence was done by anyone from the Muslim community, he added, "I don't know exactly who they were, but I can say for certain that it cannot be any person practicing Islam, because the teachings of Islam do not teach spreading disorder." Another person who witnessed the violence said, "Around thousands of people came here to do a rally, then police also came here, stone pelting started." Violence erupted in West Bengal's Murshidabad district on Tuesday during protests against the Waqf Amendment Act, with clashes between demonstrators and police resulting in stone-pelting and torched police vehicles. Prohibitory orders had been passed by the Murshidabad District Magistrate for over 48 hours (April 8-April 10). Whereas credible information has been received from the Superintendent of Police, Jandipur police district, and the Sub-Divisional Officer, Jangipur subdivision regarding imminent chances of disruption of law and order, and there is a likelihood of further deterioration in the public peace and tranquillity in the area," read the DM's order. (ANI) Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, MDMK MP Vaiko, DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi and many senior leaders paid their respects to Senior Congress leader Kumari Ananthan who passed away at 93 due to age-related illness on Wednesday. Speaking to ANI, MDMK MP Vaiko said, "Kumari Ananthan was a versatile personality. He introduced the right to ask questions in Tamil in the Parliament. This is our greatest achievement, and the credit goes to Kumari Ananthan. He fought hard to eradicate the menace of liquor in the state. I have gone on very long marches with him. He was an asset to Tamil Nadu politics. He was an extremely honest person." In his condolence message, MK Stalin said, "I laid floral tributes to Ayya Kumari Ananthan, remembering the memories of his closeness as he held my hand tightly at the Independence Day celebrations last year, when he was presented with the 'Tagaisaal Tamil Award. ' I extend my deepest condolences and comfort to everyone, including his dear sister Dr Tamilisai, who is grieving his loss. In honor of the great life of the late Tamil saint Ayya Kumari Ananthan, his mortal remains will be laid to rest with state honors." Kumari Ananthan is the father of former Telangana Governor and BJP leader Tamilisai Soundarajan. Kumari Ananthan was a member of the Tamil Nadu Assembly five times and a Congress Lok Sabha MP from the Nagarkoil constituency in 1977. His body will be kept for homage at his daughter's residence in Chennai's Saligramam. BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan expressed profound grief over the demise of her father, Kumari Ananthan, in a heartfelt note posted on X. In her emotional tribute, she wrote, "I do not speak Tamil because I learned it... I speak Tamil because Tamil gave birth to me. Born in a village in Kumari. With all his efforts... As a flawless politician... With an unwavering devotion to Tamil... He lived a balanced life... Today, seeing all those he raised... living a balanced life... Proudly... Congratulating... and leaving us... His name will remain forever. In Tamil Nadu politics." https://x.com/DrTamilisai4BJP/status/1909687867086872741 "It was my father, Mr. Kumari Ananthan, who made me speak Tamil with pride. Today, he has joined my mother. Blending into eternity" She fondly remembered her father's devotion to Tamil and his efforts as a politician. Tamilisai also recalled the father's legacy that will live on in Tamil Nadu politics (ANI) A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan sustained a serious leg injury while foiling a major Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack intended to target security personnel and local farmers near the International Border in Punjab's Gurdaspur district on early Tuesday, the force said in a statement. The incident occurred when a BSF patrol team, conducting an area domination operation ahead of the border security fence, detected suspicious objects deep inside Indian territory. According to the BSF, the patrol was part of regular efforts to secure routes frequently used by BSF personnel and local farmers during the day. On closer inspection, the team discovered a suspected IED and a network of concealed wires hidden in the fields--an indication of a planned attack. "While attempting to cordon off and sanitise the area, a concealed detonating device was accidentally triggered, causing serious injury to one jawan," said the BSF. The force said that despite the detonation, BSF troops continued the operation, ensuring the safety of the area and preventing what could have been a catastrophic event. At daybreak, the BSF Bomb Disposal Squad arrived at the site, conducted a thorough search, and neutralised the IEDs in situ. On March 27, following the interception of a Pakistani drone attempting to smuggle narcotics into India, BSF troops launched a joint operation with Punjab Police. Acting on specific information about suspicious movement near the anticipated drone-dropping site, the troops apprehended an Indian smuggler from a wheat field near Village Bhamba Singh Wala, District Ferozepur. The smuggler was found in possession of two mobile phones and Rs 1,010. Based on his disclosure, two motorcycles were recovered nearby. A detailed search operation conducted on the morning of 28th March 2025 led to the seizure of five packets of heroin (2.575 kg) from a farming field near Village Wakha, District Ferozepur. The narcotics were wrapped in yellow adhesive tape with metal hooks, indicating they were drone-dropped. The BSF Punjab said that this successful operation, conducted in coordination with the Punjab Police, underscores BSF's resolute commitment to curbing cross-border smuggling and securing the nation's borders against all threats. (ANI) Criticising the implementation of the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025, AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said, "The Constitution gives us the right to practice our religion. They (BJP) just want BJP people to sit on the Waqf Board and take over all Waqf properties. They will do the same thing with the properties of gurudwaras and temples later." Kakkar also alleged that Prime Minister Modi "did not attend a single Parliament session during the bill discussion". Meanwhile, JK Congress MLA Irfan Hafeez on Wednesday termed the Waqf Amendment Act a state interference in the religious affairs of the Muslim community. He added that the demand for a discussion on the act in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was justified. Hafeez accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of destroying the secularist identity of India. "The Waqf Amendment Act is an interference to our religious matters, and the members have expressed their concern about it... We will not tolerate their interference in our religious matters. They (Central government) have divided our beautiful state," Hafeez told ANI. "The Constitution and rule of law is being violated. Secularism is being brazenly violated. Federalism is under threat... It is the need of the hour to restore our identity of unity in diversity," he added. The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has witnessed uproar for three consecutive days over the demand for a discussion of the Waqf Amendment Act. The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, came into force on April 8 (Tuesday). After a 12-hour discussion, the Upper House cleared the bill with 128 members voting in favour, whereas 95 members voted against the legislation. The act aims to modify the Waqf Act, 1995 and the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2013. The 1995 act and the 2013 amendment laid out rules to govern the Waqf properties in India; created special courts (called Waqf Tribunals) with powers similar to civil courts (Tribunal decisions cannot be challenged in civil courts); and prohibited the sale of Waqf properties. The 2025 amendment establishes a selection process and fixed tenure for the Waqf Tribunal members. It asserts the inclusion of two non-Muslim members in both central and state Waqf boards. The mandatory annual contribution from Waqf institutions to Waqf Boards is reduced from 7 per cent to 5 per cent, "allowing more funds to be allocated for charitable purposes." The opposition is hitting out at the implementation of the act, and several petitions, filed in the Supreme Court, have challenged the same. (ANI) A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the Delhi High Court, seeking an amendment to Article 239AA to increase the number of ministers in the Government of the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. The petitioner argued that the number of ministers in Delhi remains capped at seven, despite the government managing 38 ministries and 40 portfolios with 70 elected MLAs in the legislative assembly. Furthermore, Delhi's population has quadrupled over the past 35 years, yet the ministerial strength remains unchanged, leading to concerns about administrative efficiency. Advocates Kumar Utkarsh and Rahul Sagar Sahay represented the petitioner, contending that the 10% restriction on ministerial strength is arbitrary and unconscionable. Article 239AA, as introduced by the Sixty-Ninth Amendment Act of 1991, limits the number of ministers, including the Chief Minister to 10% of the total members of the Legislative Assembly. The Supreme Court has previously emphasized the need to strengthen governance in Delhi. A bench comprising Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela heard the matter and questioned whether the plea alleged discrimination asking, "Do you need more people or more efficient people?" The Chief Justice said reflecting on Delhi's unique constitutional status, observed that since Delhi's governance structure involves a sharing of powers, comparing its constitutional arrangement with other states may not be justified. He questioned how Article 14, which guarantees equality, would apply in this case. The court also noted that constitutional provisions could be challenged on limited grounds, but mere existence does not guarantee constitutionality. The Standing Counsel for GNCTD, Sameer Vashisht, submitted that the Delhi government would examine the issue. The court, acknowledging the significance of the matter, refrained from issuing a notice but decided that further hearings are necessary, listing the case for July 28. The PIL, filed by social activist Aakash Goel, challenges the constitutional validity of Section 2(4) of the Sixty-Ninth Amendment Act of 1991 and the resultant Article 239AA. The petition argues that limiting the Council of Ministers to 10% of the Legislative Assembly is arbitrary, discriminatory, and violative of the Basic Structure of the Constitution, particularly affecting federalism, democratic governance, and administrative efficiency. The plea seeks an amendment to Article 239AA, advocating for parity between Delhi and other states in ministerial representation, in line with Article 164(1A). The petitioner asserts that increasing the number of ministers is essential for enhancing administrative efficiency, ensuring fair representation, and upholding the principles of democracy, federalism, and good governance for the people of Delhi. (ANI) NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule on Wednesday welcomed the Commerce Ministry's intervention on the issue of tariffs imposed by the United States but noted that the response was "much delayed," adding that she had expected the meeting to be called much earlier. Speaking to ANI, NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule said, "Tariffs was a challenge that was most expected. In all our budget speeches, we mentioned that the government needs to have a high-powered team, so let's keep politics aside and get all the stakeholders involved. Justice delayed is justice denied." "After a much-delayed reaction, we welcome today's Commerce Ministry's intervention of finally taking a meeting. We have been talking for a month, this is not a surprise. We were hoping that this meeting could have been convened much earlier. We were requesting that the government to be prepared for this tariff intervention," Sule told ANI. Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar responded to the debate over Tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump. Speaking at the News 18 Rising Bharat Summit, Jaishankar said that India's strategy was clear and that it would engage with the United States on a bilateral trade agreement, which could conclude by the fall of this year. Jaishankar said that India's strategy has been to engage with the US in fructifying the bilateral trade agreement. The EAM noted that as every country is tariffed, each is fashioning its own strategy to deal with the US. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) said that countries affected by US tariffs are eager to negotiate and make deals with him, offering to do anything to secure an agreement. While speaking at the National Republican Congressional Committee on Tuesday night (local time), Trump said he was a better negotiator than Congress. Earlier, on Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed US tariffs on India following President Donald Trump's announcement last week about imposing a 10 per cent tariff on all imports to the US, which had caused concerns in the global market. The US has imposed 26 per cent tariffs on Indian imports. (ANI) U.S. escalates military action in Yemen amid Houthi defiance Xinhua) 09:56, April 09, 2025 ADEN, Yemen, April 8 (Xinhua) -- The United States has intensified its military campaign against sites of the Houthi forces in Yemen, conducting 22 airstrikes across northern Yemen early Tuesday. This latest wave of strikes targeted eastern and southern areas of the capital, Sanaa, the Island of Kamaran in the Red Sea, and the oil-rich Marib province, according to reports from Houthi-run al-Masirah TV and local residents. Witnesses described the bombardment as "very powerful and violent," though no casualties have been immediately reported from Tuesday's operation. This escalation follows Sunday night airstrikes that reportedly killed four children and wounded 25 others in Sanaa. The current U.S. air campaign, which began on March 15, reportedly aims to halt Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea, particularly those the group claims are linked to Israel. Despite the sustained U.S. offensive, Yemeni military analysts suggest these airstrikes have failed to deter the Houthis, who continued to target American and Israeli interests in the region. According to Houthi reports, 17 U.S.-made MQ-9 Reaper drones have been downed in Yemen between October 2023 and April 3, 2025. On Monday, the group claimed that it launched a drone attack on a military target in Tel Aviv, Israel, and struck two U.S. warships in the Red Sea with cruise missiles and drones. "The U.S. campaign against the Houthis has, to date, not achieved its stated objectives," said Ali Bin Hadi, a retired military official and expert based in Aden. "The group still possesses the ability to threaten international navigation, its leadership remains intact, and Washington is incurring substantial costs without achieving significant progress," he said. But political analyst Muqbil Naji from Aden suggests these airstrikes may be "a prelude to ground operations," potentially involving direct U.S. military intervention or increased support to forces loyal to Yemen's internationally recognized government. Naji noted a "looming opportunity" for the Yemeni government to "liberate" at least Hodeidah and the West Coast from the Houthis with the support of regional countries and the United States. Supporting this assessment, Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi on Monday called for "unified ranks and active support" in the fight against Houthi forces, declaring that the "decisive hour was approaching" to end what he described as the suffering inflicted by the war waged by the Houthi militias. The Yemeni leader reiterated his government's commitment to "restore usurped state institutions." The Houthis, which control much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, have been fighting against the internationally-recognized government since 2014. The Houthis maintain that their maritime attacks in the Red Sea aim to pressure an end to the Israeli offensive in Gaza and facilitate the return of humanitarian aid to Palestinian territories. The two analysts warned the ongoing conflict between Washington and the Houthi group risks opening a new long-term front in the strategically vital Red Sea region, with complex implications for regional and international security. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra claimed on Wednesday that the BJP cadre had "threatened fish-eating Bengalis of Chittaranjan Park" in the national capital. "Terrorising Hindu fishmongers into shutting legal shops next to a temple they built - BJP goons caught on video but not yet arrested. Hello @DelhiPolice- Or are we all supposed to eat dhoklas and chant Jai Shri Ram?" Moitra said in a post on X. Moitra claimed that the BJP workers shut down fish and meat shops in southeast Delhi's Chittaranjan Park, a Bengali-dominated area. She also shared on X a video purportedly showing the alleged incident. "Everybody has seen the horrifying visuals of the lumpen-BJP goons threatening the Bengalis in Chittaranjan Park in the heart of Delhi. Chittaranjan Park is a Bengali colony. Bengalis are a proud fish-eating people," Moitra said in a video message posted on X on Wednesday. "The Kali temple and the temples there were built by the community. And this particular temple is built by the shopkeepers and the business community of the Chittaranjan Park. You can see how in broad daylight with complete impunity and audacity. The BJP's goons are threatening shopkeepers and telling them they cannot have shops here. Is the BJP going to tell us what we are going to eat and where we have legal shops? Is the BJP going to tell us that we have to eat dhoklas and say 'Jai Shri Ram' three times a day?" she added. However, BJP leader Amit Malviya has alleged that the video posted by the TMC MP is fake. The BJP leader cited a journalist's report in which vendors purportedly claimed that they had not been threatened. "Mahua Moitra posted a video, ostensibly from CR Park in Delhi, alleging that certain individuals were threatening vendors in the DDA-approved fish market located next to a Mandir. The video is false and fabricated. It appears to have been shot with the intent to promote ill will among communities--and perhaps to distract from the 'versatile international lady' controversy that the TMC parliamentary party currently finds itself embroiled in. This has been debunked by a ground report conducted by journalist Shivam Pratap Singh. Regular devotees and vendors at the fish market have categorically denied any such intimidation," Malviya said in a post on X. BJP Delhi President Virender Sachdeva has also issued a statement saying that the TMC MP should refrain from trying to stir communal tensions. "Everyone should respect the sanctity of temples, and here at CR Park, fish market traders have always respected temples. Fish Markets have been legally alloted and need of the area. The fish traders maintain a high level of cleanliness in the area and take regular part in the socio-religious activities of CR Park. The video posted on social media by Smt. Mahua Moitra seems to have been tailored by people with vested political interests to disturb community harmony in CR Park. We strongly condemn the incident and request that the Delhi Police take stern action," a press statement from the Delhi BJP President's office said. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police said they did not receive any complaints, but the matter was under enquiry. In the clip posted by Moitra on X, a man dressed in a saffron t-shirt and jeans is heard saying it was wrong to set up a fish market next to a temple in Market No. 1 of Chittaranjan Park, popularly known as CR Park, one of the poshest areas of Delhi. (ANI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that there will be "no divide and rule" in the State under her watch. She added that people from the Muslim community are "pained" by the Waqf Amendment Act, but she appealed to them not to be swayed by the political provocation. "I want to tell the people from the minority community that I know that you are pained by the Waqf Amendment Act but have faith that there will be no divide and rule in Bengal. You should give the message of live and let live," Mamata Banerjee said while speaking at the 'Navkar Mahamantra Divas' program here. "It is our work to give protection to those who are living in Bengal. I appeal to you all that if anyone provokes you politically to assemble, then please don't do it. Please remember that Didi will protect you and your property. If we stay together, then we can conquer the world," she added. She said that some people are attempting to defame Bengal. "Our aim is to unite, not divide. When we stay united, the country will progress. Our policy is to live and let live peacefully. Some people are defaming Bengal, saying that I don't give protection to the Hindu religion in the state. Then who gives protection to all? I must give credit to the minorities in Bengal who also celebrate Hindu festivals in the state. I am proud to say this is Bengal," she said. Meanwhile, the BJP has launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her administration of failing to maintain law and order when violence broke out in the Jangipur area in the Murshidabad district during Waqf Amendment Act protests. West Bengal Legislative Assembly's Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, posted a video on X on Tuesday, allegedly showing images of the violent clashes that broke out in the area. He claimed that certain "anti-social" elements were burning public property, burning police cars and "spreading chaos" in the name of protests. He also accused the state government of doing "vote bank politics." Violence erupted in West Bengal's Murshidabad district on Tuesday during protests against the Waqf Amendment Act, with clashes between demonstrators and police resulting in stone-pelting and torched police vehicles. "Antisocial elements are taking to the streets, burning Govt & Public properties and spreading chaos in the name of protest. This is not dissent; it's destruction and is absolutely unconstitutional. The WB Govt and Administration are failing to maintain law & order because they are deliberately turning a blind eye to protect the ruling party's vote bank," read Adhikari's post on X. (ANI) . . Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Wednesday paid his last respects to veteran Congress leader Kumari Ananthan, who passed away at the age of 93 due to age-related ailments. Panneerselvam visited the residence to offer floral tributes and extend his condolences to the bereaved family. Ananthan, who was also the father of BJP leader and former Telangana Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, breathed his last earlier in the day. Kumari Ananthan, known for his deep-rooted commitment to public service, had served as a Member of Parliament and was a prominent face of the Indian National Congress in Tamil Nadu for many years. Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, MDMK MP Vaiko, DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi and many senior leaders paid their respects to Senior Congress leader Kumari Ananthan who passed away at 93 due to age-related illness on Wednesday. In his condolence message, MK Stalin said, "I laid floral tributes to Ayya Kumari Ananthan, remembering the memories of his closeness as he held my hand tightly at the Independence Day celebrations last year when he was presented with the 'Tagaisaal Tamil Award. ' I extend my deepest condolences and comfort to everyone, including his dear sister Dr Tamilisai, who is grieving his loss. In honour of the great life of the late Tamil saint Ayya Kumari Ananthan, his mortal remains will be laid to rest with state honours." Kumari Ananthan is the father of former Telangana Governor and BJP leader Tamilisai Soundarajan. Kumari Ananthan was a member of the Tamil Nadu Assembly five times and a Congress Lok Sabha MP from the Nagarkoil constituency in 1977. His body will be kept for homage at his daughter's residence in Chennai's Saligramam. BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan expressed profound grief over the demise of her father, Kumari Ananthan, in a heartfelt note posted on X. In her emotional tribute, she wrote, "I do not speak Tamil because I learned it... I speak Tamil because Tamil gave birth to me. Born in a village in Kumari. With all his efforts... As a flawless politician... With an unwavering devotion to Tamil... He lived a balanced life... Today, seeing all those he raised... living a balanced life... Proudly... Congratulating... and leaving us... His name will remain forever. In Tamil Nadu politics." "It was my father, Kumari Ananthan, who made me speak Tamil with pride. Today, he has joined my mother. Blending into eternity." She fondly remembered her father's devotion to Tamil and his efforts as a politician. Tamilisai also recalled the father's legacy that will live on in Tamil Nadu politics (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid heartfelt condolences to Senior Congress leader Kumari Ananthan, who passed away at 93 due to age-related illness. Taking to social media, X, Prime Minister, wrote, "Thiru Kumari Ananthan Ji will be remembered for his noteworthy service to society and passion for Tamil Nadu's progress. He also made many efforts to popularise the Tamil language and culture. I am pained by his passing away. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti." https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1909885238806732902 The Prime Minister remembered Ananthan for his remarkable service to society and dedication to Tamil Nadu's progress, as well as his efforts to promote the Tamil language and culture. Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, MDMK MP Vaiko, DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi and many senior leaders paid their respects to Senior Congress leader Kumari Ananthan. Speaking to ANI, MDMK MP Vaiko said, "Kumari Ananthan was a versatile personality. He introduced the right to ask questions in Tamil in the Parliament. This is our greatest achievement, and the credit goes to Kumari Ananthan. He fought hard to eradicate the menace of liquor in the state. I have gone on very long marches with him. He was an asset to Tamil Nadu politics. He was an extremely honest person." In his condolence message, MK Stalin said, "I laid floral tributes to Ayya Kumari Ananthan, remembering the memories of his closeness as he held my hand tightly at the Independence Day celebrations last year, when he was presented with the 'Tagaisaal Tamil Award. ' I extend my deepest condolences and comfort to everyone, including his dear sister Dr Tamilisai, who is grieving his loss. In honor of the great life of the late Tamil saint Ayya Kumari Ananthan, his mortal remains will be laid to rest with state honors." Kumari Ananthan is the father of former Telangana Governor and BJP leader Tamilisai Soundarajan. Kumari Ananthan was a member of the Tamil Nadu Assembly five times and a Congress Lok Sabha MP from the Nagarkoil constituency in 1977. His body will be kept for homage at his daughter's residence in Chennai's Saligramam. (ANI) They discussed various strategies to combat the growing drug menace in Mizoram. The Mizoram Chief Minister highlighted the need to strengthen efforts in addressing the influx of drugs from across the international border. He emphasized the importance of improved infrastructure and adequate manpower in the border areas to curb drug trafficking effectively. He also mentioned that the State Government has made appeals to the Central Government to establish a Mizo Territorial Army under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Director General of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Anurag Garg expressed that establishing a fully functioning Zonal Office in Mizoram would be beneficial and reiterated the need to strengthen the workforce. He further stressed the need for more NCB staff who are proficient in the Mizo language. The meeting was also attended by Vanlaldina Fanai, Commissioner & Secretary to the Chief Minister. (ANI) The Ministry of Law and Justice on Wednesday notified the appointment of Justice Sanjeev Kumar as the Acting Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, effective from April 10, 2025. The decision was made under Article 223 of the Constitution of India following the retirement of Chief Justice Tashi Rabastan on April 9, 2025. Justice Sanjeev Kumar, currently serving as a judge in the same High Court, has been entrusted with the responsibilities of the Chief Justice's office. The Supreme Court Collegium, in its meeting on April 4, proposed the appointment of Justice Arun Palli from the Punjab and Haryana High Court as the Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court. However, his elevation is still awaiting approval from the Union government. According to the official website of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, Justice Sanjeev Kumar was born on April 8, 1966, in the village of Prehta Nagrota of Tehsil Basohli Distt. Kathua. He received his early Education in a Local Government Middle School and graduated from Govt. H.S.S. Basohli, and secured 10th position in the J&K State Board of School Education in the 1981 matriculation Examination. He graduated (B.Sc) from Govt. Degree College Kathua in 1985 in first Division and LLB from University of Jammu in 1988 in first Division. Enrolled Advocate by J&K Bar Council in February 1989. He was appointed as the Government Advocate for the Srinagar Wing of the High Court of J&K twice--first from 1992 to 1993 and then from 1994 to 1995. He was again appointed as the Government Advocate for the Jammu Wing in 1995 and remained as such until 1998. He represented almost all government departments and PSUs, was counsel on the Panel of Advocate General for more than two years, and represented the Forest and Finance Department, including the Commercial Taxes and Excise Department of the state, in the Jammu Wing of the High Court. Justice Sanjeev Kumar was also standing counsel for the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (J&K SSB) for almost six years between 2006 and 2012. Practised mainly in the High Court and had more than two hundred reported judgments to his credit. Appeared in many notable cases like the Toshakana case, the Assembly Dissolution Matter and recently in 'Reservation in promotion Matter' & many more. He was administered oath on June 6, 2017, as Permanent Judge of J&K High Court. (ANI) The BJP government on Wednesday canceled 177 nomination appointments made by the AAP government in the government institutions of Delhi, an order stated. Most of the appointments were political, from current MLAs to former MLAs, office bearers and members. These appointments were made in AAP's Delhi Government Boards, committees and other constitutional bodies where the Delhi Government nominated members and officers. According to the order, the Delhi government has canceled its nominations in 17 constitutional institutions, including the Delhi Jal Board, Animal Welfare Board, Delhi Haj Committee, Pilgrimage Development Committee, Urs Committee, Hindi Academy, Urdu Academy, Sahitya Kala Parishad, Punjabi Academy, and Sanskrit Academy. In 2024, the AAP government appointed AAP MLA Pawan Rana chairman of the Delhi Jal Board, AAP MLA Vinay Mishra vice Chairman, and AAP leader Jitendra Tomar's wife, Preeti Tomar, member. Similarly, former AAP MLA Abdul Rahman and Haji Yunus were nominated as members of the Delhi Haj Committee. AAP MLA Jarnail Singh was appointed as the Vice-Chairman of the Punjabi Academy in the previous government. Former MLA Ajesh Yadav was appointed Chairman of the Agriculture Marketing Board, and member Aadil Ahmad Khan was appointed vice chairman. Sources in the Delhi government argued that all these government institutions were political appointments of the previous government, which were made to benefit their leaders, and should be scrapped. On April 8, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta inaugurated several development projects in her constituency, Shalimar Bagh. She stated that 'achhe din' is beginning for slum dwellers as work will 'actually' be done for slums and colonies. The Chief Minister stated that the funds of Rs 700 crores in Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) is especially for the welfare of slum dwellers, and 52,000 flats that were made 10 years ago will now be given to them after renovation. Slamming the previous governments, CM Gupta asserted that they didn't work for slum dweller and misled people that the BJP government wouldn't work for them, but today, the BJP government is taking care of every poor and is ensuring basic facilities, water, parks, and toilets for them. (ANI) The verdict was pronounced by a Taliparamba POCSO court on Tuesday. According to Public Prosecutor Advocate Sherimol Jose, Muhammed Rafi, a native of Alakode, was convicted in the case. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 9 lakh. The court took into account that the accused had previously been involved in another case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Advocate Jose said. Further details are awaited. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday highlighted Jainism's invaluable role in shaping India's identity, emphasizing the nation's unwavering commitment to preserve this rich heritage. Addressing a gathering at the 'Navkar Mahamantra Divas' at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital, PM Modi pointed to its presence in India's cultural fabric, including its reflection in the newly inaugurated Parliament, which he described as the "temple of our democracy." "The role of Jainism in strengthening the identity of India has been invaluable. Our commitment to preserve this precious heritage is visible everywhere, even in the new Parliament, the temple of our democracy," the Prime Minister said. "As soon as you enter the Parliament building through the 'Shardul Dwar', you can see the 'Sammed Shikhar' in the 'Sthapatya' gallery. In the Lok Sabha, there is a statue of a Tirthankara. This statue was brought from Australia. There is also a remarkable painting of Lord Mahavir. On the wall of the South Building, all 24 Tirthankaras are depicted together," PM Modi highlighted. Earlier, Prime Minister Modi also emphasized the importance of Jain literature in shaping India's rich intellectual and spiritual heritage, calling it the "backbone of India's intellectual grandeur." "The literature of Jainism is the backbone of India's intellectual grandeur. Preserving this knowledge is our duty," he stated. The Prime Minister highlighted the government's decision to grant Prakrit and Pali classical language status, two ancient Indian languages deeply intertwined with Jain and Buddhist traditions. "That is why we have granted Classical Language status to Prakrit and Pali," he said, underlining the cultural and scholarly significance of these languages. PM Modi recalled his early spiritual exposure to Jain teachings. "I was born in Gujarat, where the influence of Jainism is visible in every street. Since childhood, I have been in the company of Jain Acharyas," he said, adding that chanting the Navkar Mantra is a moment of deep reverence as "we bow to the Panch Parmeshthi." Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Navkar Mahamantra Divas at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital, marking a significant spiritual and cultural event dedicated to the revered Jain chant. The Navkar Mahamantra, also known as the Namokar Mantra, is a universal prayer revered in Jainism and recited for inner peace, spiritual upliftment, and non-violence. Participating in the event alongside members of the Jain community and spiritual leaders, the Prime Minister led the collective chanting of the Navkar Mahamantra and described the moment as spiritually energising and unifying. The event was organised to celebrate the timeless teachings of Jain philosophy and to promote the values of inner peace, self-realisation, and harmony. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also attended the 'Vishwa Navkar Mahamantra Divas' event in the national capital. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel attended the 'Vishwa Navkar Mahamantra' Day event organised by the Jain International Trade Organization (JITO) in Ahmedabad. Religious scholars, Jain monks, dignitaries, and hundreds of followers came together to recite the ancient mantra venerated by the five supreme beings: Arihants, Siddhas, Acharyas, Upadhyayas, and Sadhus. The event also highlighted the Jain philosophy's emphasis on nonviolence, truth, self-discipline, and inner transformation.PM Modi reiterated the importance of embracing such values in today's world to foster harmony and brotherhood across communities. (ANI) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the doubling of Tirupati - Pakala - Katpadi single railway line Section (104 km) in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu with total cost of Rs.1332 crore (approx.). The enhanced line capacity will improve mobility, providing enhanced efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. According to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), the multi-tracking proposal will ease operations and reduce congestion, providing the much-required infrastructural development on the busiest sections across Indian Railways. The project is in line with the PM Modi's vision of a New India that will make people of the region "Atmanirbhar" by way of comprehensive development in the area which will enhance their employment/ self-employment opportunities. The project is the result of PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity, which has been possible through integrated planning and will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods and services. The project covering three Districts in two states i.e., Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 113 Kms, said CCEA. Along with connectivity to Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, the project section also provides rail connectivity to other prominent destinations such as Sri Kalahasti Shiva Temple, Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple, Chandragiri Fort, etc., attracting pilgrims and tourists from across the country. Multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to approx. 400 villages and about 14 lakh population. This is an essential route for transportation of commodities such as coal, agricultural commodities, cement and other minerals etc. The capacity augmentation work will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 4 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum). The Railways being environment-friendly and energy-efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimizing the logistics cost of the country, reduce oil import (4 Crore Litres) and lower CO2 emissions (20 Crore Kg) which is equivalent to plantation of one Crore trees, the release added. (ANI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday emphasized the need for zero tolerance towards terrorism in the region during a discussion on Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to J&K. Abdullah stated, " There should be zero tolerance towards terrorism. We have to take Jammu and Kashmir to the point where I left it in 2014. In 2014, terrorism was at its lowest in Jammu and Kashmir," highlighting the state's progress under his tenure. He reiterated that even today, efforts to end terrorism remain a top priority but stressed, "Terrorism cannot be ended without taking people along." On another front, Abdullah also weighed in on the US's recent move to impose tariffs, saying, "...If the US economy is affected, the world economy will also be affected." He expressed concerns over the shift in US trade policy, adding, "The country that told the world about the free trade agreement is today working against the free trade agreement." Abdullah further pointed out the irony in the US's stance, saying, "China seems to be more in favour of free trade than the US... The US is playing the role of China and China is playing the role of the US." Earlier on Wednesday, Abdullah strongly criticized the Waqf Amendment Act, stating that it has caused widespread dissatisfaction across the nation. He said, "A major section of the nation is upset with the bill and they feel that the government is interfering in their religious matters." "There was no need for the Waqf Amendment Act. A religion is being targeted. There was no need for the Waqf Amendment Act. A religion is being targeted...Non-Muslims are being allowed to review the Waqf activities," he added, expressing concerns over the bill's implications on Muslim religious affairs. He specifically objected to the provision allowing non-Muslims to review Waqf activities, questioning the fairness of such an inclusion. He further stated, "Do you allow non-Hindus to keep a check on the activities of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board or Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board? Can they allow any non-Sikhs to keep a check on the activities of the SGPC?" Abdullah added that his party is likely to challenge the Waqf Amendment Act in the Supreme Court, indicating that the legal route may be pursued to contest the law. (ANI) BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh on Wednesday welcomed the extradition of 26/11 mastermind Tahawwur Rana to India and said that it demonstrates the Indian government's "zero-tolerance" policy against terrorism is working effectively. Speaking to ANI, Chugh emphasized that anyone who looks at India with ill intentions will not be spared. "Bringing the mastermind of the Mumbai attack, Tahawwur Rana, to India is a commendable step. This has been made possible through the efforts of Indian security agencies. I sincerely thank the Prime Minister for this. It demonstrates that the Indian government's zero-tolerance policy against terrorism is working effectively. Anyone who looks at India with ill intentions will not be spared," Tarun Chugh said. Rana has been accused of being involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, where innocent people were killed, and is expected to stand trial in India. On April 7, the Supreme Court of the United States rejected Tahawwur Rana's plea to stay his extradition to India. Rana filed an emergency application with Chief Justice Roberts on March 20, 2025, seeking a stay on his extradition. "The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied," the SC order dated Monday, April 7, 2025, stated. According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, a case of criminal conspiracy against Rana was originally lodged by the NIA in Delhi following the deadly November 2008 attacks in which over 160 people were killed. The ongoing extradition process pertains to that case. However, officials clarified that it is yet to be determined whether Mumbai Police can seek his custody for any local investigation linked to the attacks. "Only after examining the grounds of extradition will it be clear whether custody can be sought by the Mumbai Crime Branch in this matter," sources said. Sources added that the Mumbai Police has not received any formal communication so far regarding Rana's transfer to the city for questioning or judicial proceedings. Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian national, was convicted in the US for the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives and providing material support to the group responsible for the Mumbai attacks that killed over 174 people. (ANI) Rongali Bihu fervour has gripped Guwahati and other parts of Assam as people prepare to celebrate the state's biggest festival, marking the Assamese New Year. Ahead of the Rongali Bihu festival celebrations, markets in Guwahati have been decked out with food items, Gamosas, Bihu clothes, Dhool, pepa, Assamese traditional Japi, etc. People have thronged to the markets to buy various food items including Pitha (rice cake), fresh cream, thick creamy curds, various types of laddus, jaggery, Gamosas, traditional clothes etc. Rongali Bihu which is also known as Bohag Bihu is celebrated annually across the state in the second week of April with joy, happiness and fervour. Preparations are in full swing to celebrate the biggest festival of the state. This year the Rongali Bihu festival will be celebrated on April 14 and 15. Earlier, a Bihu dance workshop had been organised in Guwahati and around 500 girls from different parts of the capital city of Assam participated in this workshop. The workshop was organised by Guwahati Bihu Sanmilan at Chandmari field. According to the organisers, the main aim of organising this Bihu dance workshop is to train the new generation in traditional folk Bihu dance and give them a platform to learn about traditional Assamese culture, dance, etc. Simanta Thakuria, General Secretary of Pub Guwahati Bihu Sanmilan told ANI, more than 1000 students have registered for this Bihu workshop. "This year Pub Guwahati Bihu Sanmilan is going to celebrate its 64 years Bihu celebration. We have organised this Bihu workshop to teach our culture to our new generation. Every year we have been organising Bihu workshop and this year the workshop has started from today and it will be continued till April 12. We will organize the main Bihu competition on April 14, 15 and 16," Simanta Thakuria said. The festival signifies the onset of the agricultural season and is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour. Rongali Bihu is a multi-day festival that typically spans seven days, each day known as 'Xaat Bihu.' The celebration involves various cultural activities, traditional rituals, and feasting. On the first day of Rongali Bihu - the cattle are washed, and smeared with a paste of fresh turmeric, black lentil, etc while people sing to them. (ANI) Following the reports of violence in the Jangipur area, Murshidabad district, during Waqf (Amendment) Bill protests, BJP National Spokesperson RP Singh said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should be held accountable for it, and she should reply for the violence. RP Singh said, "The state government is fully responsible. Mamata Banerjee is responsible for the violence. Riots are taking place, and the government is giving protection to the rioters. Mamata Banerjee is home minister. Mamata Banerjee has divided the society and now is saying that she would not allow it to be divided. Mamta Banerjee should reply, and the governor there should take immediate action." "Congress has always indulged in appeasement policies due to the vote bank. When it was the Triple Talaq Bill, they opposed it. During CCA, they spread lies that Muslims will lose their citizenship. Now they are spreading lies that mosques and madrasas would be snatched. Waqf board only manages property. It does not manage the mosques. They are instigating Muslims," he added. Earlier West Bengal Legislative Assembly's Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, posted a video on X on Tuesday, allegedly showing images of the violent clashes that broke out in the area. He claimed that certain "anti-social" elements, were burning public property, burning police cars and "spreading chaos" in the name of protests. He also accused the state government of doing "vote bank politics. Violence erupted in West Bengal's Murshidabad district on Tuesday during protests against the Waqf Amendment Act, with clashes between demonstrators and police resulting in stone-pelting and torched police vehicles. "Antisocial elements are taking to the streets, burning Govt & Public properties and spreading chaos in the name of protest. This is not dissent, it's destruction and is absolutely unconstitutional. The WB Govt and Administration are failing to maintain law & order, because they are deliberately turning a blind eye to protect the ruling party's vote bank," read Adhikari's post on X. Adhikari further requested the intervention of the state's Chief Secretary and Union Ministry of Home Affairs to deploy central forces in the area, claiming that the police "clearly seem to be incapable." "I request Chief Secretary and DM Murshidabad to seek Hon'ble Governor's and MHA's assistance for the deployment of Central Force as the Police clearly seem to be incapable to handle such lawlessness. That's the only way to ensure that law prevails, and those who disrupt normalcy face justice," the post added. BJP's incharge of Information & Technology Dept and co incharge of party's West Bengal unit, Amit Malviya accused CM Banerjee of "going silent" and trying to "supress the truth." "When violence breaks out in other states, Mamata Banerjee is quick to shed crocodile tears and stage dramatic protests. But when her own vote bank runs riot in Murshidabad, she goes silent--and shuts down internet services to suppress the truth," Malviya wrote on X yesterday. He further posted the order of Murshidabad District Magistrate ordering the imposition of prohibitory orders under Section 163 of BNSS, which prohibits assembly of five or more persons at any public place. According to the order posted by Malviya, the prohibitory orders will be in effect for 48 hours (April 8-April 10). Meanwhile today morning, tight security was maintained in the Jangirpur area, with various police officials stationed at multiple roads to maintain peace. The order shared by Malviya stated, "Whereas credible information has been received from the Superintendent of Police, Jandipur police district, and the Sub-Divisional Officer, Jangipur sub division regarding imminent chances of disruption of law and order, and there is a likelihood of further deterioration in the public peace and tranquillity in the area." Official confirmation from officials on whether there has been any injuries or arrests following the violence is awaited. (ANI) Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey said that the extradition of Tahawwur Rana to India is a "step that is better late than never," but it should have been done "earlier." On Monday, the US top court rejected Tahawwur Rana, 2008 Mumbai attacks accused stay plea which cleared the path for his extradition to India. Dubey stated that if he had been brought earlier to India, a lot of Pakistani conspiracies would have been uncovered. The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader demanded the death penalty for Rana after the necessary information was extracted from him. "A step that is better late than never. But it should have been done earlier... Had he been brought in earlier, a lot of Pakistani conspiring activities would have been uncovered... But now he should be brought in and hanged to death after extracting the necessary information from him...", Anand Dubey told ANI on Wednesday. Anand Dubey further spoke on the Kunal Kamra row and stated that if he has done anything wrong, the police should look after him. He said that it is the CM's duty to provide security to Kunal Kamra as comedians like him can criticise the government democratically. "Our opinion is for the law and order... If Kunal Kamra has said anything wrong, the police will look after it... Why is law and order being disrupted? It is the Chief Minister's duty to provide security to Kunal Kamra and various other comedians like him so that people can criticise the government democratically...", he said. On Tuesday, stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra approached the Bombay High Court seeking the cancellation of the FIR filed against him in connection with the 'gaddar' jibe directed at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during his stand-up show 'Naya Bharat.' Kamra's counsel argued that, in light of the Madras High Court's protective order, his client has offered to give a statement via videoconferencing on multiple occasions due to safety concerns, but authorities have insisted on his physical presence. (ANI) Former ADG Special Operations and Joint CP Mumbai Police, PK Jain, on Wednesday addressed the complexities involved in keeping high-profile terrorism suspects, such as Tahawwur Rana, in Indian custody. Reflecting on the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and Rana's extradition to India, Jain emphasized the significance of bringing such individuals to face Indian justice despite the challenges posed by their foreign connections and political backing. "It is a challenge to keep a person like Tahawwur Rana in jail because whenever these people argue before a foreign country that we will not get justice in India, they say that their security and healthcare will be compromised in Indian jails and that the Indian jails are in poor condition. Therefore, a special arrangement has been made in all the important jails called 'Anda Cell' (a high-security, egg-shaped complex within a jail which is used for solitary confinement)," he said. "The same was done for Kasab because if such a person is killed or injured in jail, then it will prove a point in front of the whole world that Indian jails are not safe. This will make it difficult for us to bring such an accused back to India in the future," Jain said. The former Mumbai Police Joint CP emphasized further that bringing Rana back to India proves that whoever commits terrorist acts against India will be caught even from hell. "Secondly, a rogue nation like Pakistan, which nurtures and increases terrorism in the world, will be exposed once again. It is a matter of pride for us that a terrorist who has 1000% support of ISI and the Pakistani government, we could bring him here to face the judicial system," PK Jain said. Rana has been accused of being involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, where innocent people were killed, and is expected to stand trial in India. On April 7, the Supreme Court of the United States rejected Tahawwur Rana's plea to stay his extradition to India. Rana filed an emergency application with Chief Justice Roberts on March 20, 2025, seeking a stay on his extradition. "The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied," the SC order dated Monday, April 7, 2025, stated. According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, a case of criminal conspiracy against Rana was originally lodged by the NIA in Delhi following the deadly November 2008 attacks in which over 160 people were killed. The ongoing extradition process pertains to that case. However, officials clarified that it is yet to be determined whether Mumbai Police can seek his custody for any local investigation linked to the attacks. "Only after examining the grounds of extradition will it be clear whether custody can be sought by the Mumbai Crime Branch in this matter," sources said. Sources added that the Mumbai Police has not received any formal communication so far regarding Rana's transfer to the city for questioning or judicial proceedings. Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian national, was convicted in the US for the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives and providing material support to the group responsible for the Mumbai attacks that killed over 174 people. (ANI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin held a meeting on Wednesday with Tamil Nadu assembly MLAs to discuss NEET from the state. All party members, including DMK, Congress, MMK, PMK, VCK, Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Party, CPI(M), and CPI legislators, were present at the meeting, whereas the BJP and AIADMK boycotted it. During the meeting, MK Stalin said that DMK had been fighting against NEET from the beginning, and till now, it has not changed its heart or stance on the issue. He stated that former CM M Karunanidhi opposed NEET, and it was also approved by the governor. Stalin emphasised that during those days, Tamil Nadu had become an example in the field of medical studies. "DMK has been fighting against NEET from the beginning. The state government has been very strong on the decision, and till today, we have no change of heart or decision on this matter. Former Tamil Nadu Karunanidhi, back in the day, opposed NEET, and then it was also approved by the Governor. And it was at that time Tamilnadu had become an example in the field of health and education of medical studies", MK Stalin said during the meet. Furthermore, MK Stalin alleged that the AIADMK regime was spoiling the entire process of medical education by bringing back NEET. He said that the issue needs to be fought in the parliament and that state-wide protests should be held to oppose NEET. "Few years back, the AIADMK regime bought back the NEET, which spoiled our entire process of medical education. We have to fight this in parliament and start a complete state-wide protest because of NEET; multiple students, especially from the poor and downtrodden people's, faced a drawback by it", Stalin said. The Tamil Nadu CM said that NEET entrance exams affect the students who are living in poverty and alleged governor RN Ravi of doing politics over the issue. He said that they had sent a proposal to RN Ravi, which he must have sent to the President. However, he did politics over the issue. Stalin stated that the Union Government continued to reject their proposal, but if legal battles after being fought constantly, then Tamil Nadu can get an exemption from NEET. "NEET entrance exams affect the students who are living in poverty. We sent the proposal to the Tamil Nadu Governor, he must have sent it to the President, but he did politics over it. We fought over it. We passed the resolution in State Assembly and sent it again to Governor for President's assent. I met Governor in person and gave the request. Union Government might have rejected our Bill but I believe if we continue to take legal measures, we will get NEET exemption for Tamil Nadu", Tamil Nadu CM said. (ANI) The Karnataka High Court has adjourned actor Ranya Rao's bail plea hearing until April 17 in the gold smuggling case. The court has instructed the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) to file objections. Earlier on April 2, the Special Court for Economic Offenses sent Sahil Jain, the third accused in the Ranya Rao gold smuggling case, to a 14-day judicial custody. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) presented him before the court on Wednesday after his custody period ended. On April 1, Actor Ranya Rao approached the Karnataka High Court for bail, days after a sessions court in Bengaluru rejected her plea for relief. Rao's lawyer, BS Girish, submitted the petition, which the High Court will take up next week. On March 27, the 64th CCH Sessions Court in Bengaluru rejected the bail application of Ranya Rao in connection with a gold smuggling case. Ranya Rao was arrested on March 3 at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport after officials from the DRI found her carrying gold. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) later filed an FIR based on a complaint by Abhishek Chandra Gupta, Additional Director of DRI. The FIR was registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act of 1988, along with several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS). According to the complaint, two foreign nationals were arrested at Mumbai Airport on March 6 for attempting to smuggle 21.28 kg of gold into India, valued at Rs. 18.92 crore. According to the complaint, after Ranya Rao's arrest on March 3, two foreign nationals were also arrested on March 6 at the Mumbai airport for attempting to smuggle 21.28 kg of gold into India worth Rs. 18.92 crore, as per the complaint. The CBI has filed an FIR in the gold smuggling case on the complaint of Abhishek Chandra Gupta, Additional Director of DRI. The FIR has been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and various sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS) on the complaint of Abhishek Chandra Gupta. The Additional Director of DRI, in his complaint, has said that these cases involving passengers making trips from Dubai and attempting to smuggle gold in large quantities point to a "possible nexus" with a coordinated smuggling syndicate, possibly operating from Dubai (UAE). In Ranya Rao's case, she travelled to Dubai multiple times, while the two arrested foreign nationals had previously arrived at the Mumbai airport multiple times. Gupta, in his complaint, also suspected the possibility of the involvement of public servants and others. (ANI) Four police personnel were injured after a police team was attacked by a group of unidentified individuals during a raid in Bihar's Sasaram district on Wednesday, officials said. According to police, the incident occurred in Muradabad village of the Sasaram district. Constable Rajender Singh, who was part of the raiding team, told reporters, "During a raid being conducted in Muradabad village, the locals attacked us. Four personnel have been injured." Further details are awaited. Earlier, on March 15, seven people were identified as accused in the murder of ASI Santosh Kumar Singh. They were later taken into custody. Munger ASI Singh had gone to pacify a dispute between two parties when he was attacked. He was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries during treatment in Patna. Police teams had been conducting raids to arrest those involved in the incident that took place in the Nandlalpur village of Munger in Holi (March 14). In another shocking incident, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Vivek Kumar Yadav and other police constables were attacked by miscreants while on special duty in Patna, Bihar, during Holi celebrations. According to the FIR filed by Yadav, the incident occurred near Khaspur village when the police team was traveling from Chhitnawan to Maner. According to ASI Vivek Yadav, he, along with other police constables, was going on special duty from Chhitnawan to Maner on the occasion of Holi on Friday when a few miscreants attacked them near Khaspur village in Patna, tore their clothes and tried to snatch their arms. Meanwhile, Bihar Police on March 16 removed Constable Deepak Kumar from duty as the bodyguard of RJD MLA Tej Pratap Yadav after a purported video of him dancing in public on the MLA's instruction went viral on social media. An official press release dated March 16 Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Patna, read, "When the matter of bodyguard (constable) Deepak Kumar dancing in a public place in uniform at the behest of Tej Pratap Yadav, MLA, Bihar Legislative Assembly, which went viral on social media, came to light, bodyguard constable Deepak Kumar was sent to Police Station, and an order was given to depute another constable in his place as bodyguard." Meanwhile, the traffic police also took stern action against the MLA for not wearing a helmet while riding a two-wheeler and issued a Rs 4000 challan. The vehicle in which Tej Pratap Yadav was riding had failed insurance and pollution test RJD MLA Tej Pratap Yadav faced backlash after he was seen asking a policeman to "dance or be suspended" during a Holi celebration at his official residence in Patna on Friday, March 14. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Shikha Roy on Wednesday hit out at Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj over their recent comments surrounding fish sellers operating near a temple in Delhi's Chittaranjan Park area. Responding to Mahua Moitra's tweet alleging that BJP members threatened local fish vendors to shut down their shops near the temple, Roy accused the TMC leader of indulging in "cheap and low-grade politics" and warned her against using the issue to advance her political agenda in Bengal. "Saurabh Bharadwaj is looking at it as an opportunity to gain political benefit since he is unemployed now... As a responsible MP, nobody could have done more cheap or low-grade politics than her (Moitra)... Saurabh Bharadwaj himself had campaigned once to get fish markets shut down in CR Park, but our senior leaders thwarted his attempts... Mahua Moitra- don't use our area for your Bengal politics... People who level false allegations without verifying them should also be investigated," she said. Shikha Roy, who represents the Greater Kailash constituency, has defeated Saurabh Bharadwaj in the recent Delhi Assembly election. Ahead in the day, Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra claimed on Wednesday that the BJP cadre had "threatened fish-eating Bengalis of Chittaranjan Park" in the national capital. "Terrorising Hindu fishmongers into shutting legal shops next to a temple they built - BJP goons caught on video but not yet arrested. Hello @DelhiPolice- Or are we all supposed to eat dhoklas and chant Jai Shri Ram?" Moitra said in a post on X. Moitra claimed that the BJP workers shut down fish and meat shops in southeast Delhi's Chittaranjan Park, a Bengali-dominated area. She also shared on X a video purportedly showing the alleged incident. "Everybody has seen the horrifying visuals of the lumpen-BJP goons threatening the Bengalis in Chittaranjan Park in the heart of Delhi. Chittaranjan Park is a Bengali colony. Bengalis are a proud fish-eating people," Moitra said in a video message posted on X on Wednesday. "The Kali temple and the temples there were built by the community. And this particular temple is built by the shopkeepers and the business community of the Chittaranjan Park. You can see how in broad daylight with complete impunity and audacity. The BJP's goons are threatening shopkeepers and telling them they cannot have shops here. Is the BJP going to tell us what we are going to eat and where we have legal shops? Is the BJP going to tell us that we have to eat dhoklas and say 'Jai Shri Ram' three times a day?" she added. (ANI) An Indian national allegedly urinated on a fellow passenger aboard Air India flight AI2336, which was en route from Delhi to Bangkok on Wednesday. The airline confirmed the incident and stated that a standing independent committee would be convened to assess the matter and determine appropriate action. "Air India confirms that an incident of unruly passenger behaviour was reported to the cabin crew operating flight AI2336, from Delhi to Bangkok, on 9 April 2025. The crew followed all laid down procedures, and the matter has been reported to the authorities. In addition to warning the unruly passenger, our crew offered to assist an aggrieved passenger to take up a grievance with authorities in Bangkok, which was declined at the time," the airline said in a statement. "The standing Independent Committee will be convened to assess the incident and determine the action, if any, to be taken against the unruly passenger. Air India continues to follow the SOPs as laid out by DGCA in such matters," it added. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has assured that the Ministry would take action if any wrongdoing is found. "Whenever these kinds of incidents happen, the Ministry takes note of them. They will speak to the airline, and if there is any wrongdoing, then we will take necessary action," Naidu said in a statement. (ANI) Rashtriya Janata Dal MLA Muhammad Izhar Asfi on Wednesday approached the Supreme Court challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. Asfi, MLA from the Kochadhaman Assembly constituency in Bihar, said the provisions in the Act are not only unconstitutional for infringing the core constitutional guarantees and the principles of equality, religious freedom, and property rights but are also violative of the cardinal constitutional doctrine of non-retrogression of rights. The plea filed through advocate Prakash Pandey stated that the sweeping amendments in the Act whereby non-Muslim individuals may now be appointed to the Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Boards-constitute a grave infraction upon the institutional autonomy of the Muslim community in the governance of waqf properties consecrated for religious and charitable purposes. "This intrusion stands in direct contravention of the rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 15, 25, and 26 of the Constitution of India," said the plea. It further stated that the amendments, by enabling State-appointed non-Muslims to participate in, and potentially dominate, these religiously exclusive administrative bodies, fundamentally impair the community's right to religious self-governance. "The amendments substantially erode the statutory safeguards previously afforded to Waqf institutions and their regulatory mechanisms, while simultaneously conferring disproportionate and unjustifiable advantages upon extraneous stakeholders and interest groups," it stated. Several petitions were filed in the apex court challenging the Act, contending that it was discriminatory towards the Muslim community and violated their fundamental rights. President Droupadi Murmu on April 5 gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was earlier passed by Parliament after heated debates in both Houses. Congress MPs Mohammad Jawed and Imran Pratapgarhi, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi, AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, MP and President of the Azad Samaj Party Chandra Shekhar Azad, Samajwadi Party MP from Sambhal Zia Ur Rehman Barq, President of the Islamic cleric's body Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind Maulana Arshad Madani, Kerala Sunni scholars' body Samastha Kerala Jamiatul Ulema, Social Democratic Party of India, Indian Union Muslim League, and NGO Association for Protection of Civil Rights have already approached the top court against the Act. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) also challenged the Act, saying it strongly objected to the amendments passed by Parliament for being "arbitrary, discriminatory and based on exclusion". Manoj Jha and Faiyaz Ahmad, MP in Rajya Sabha from Bihar's RJD, have also challenged the Wakf (Amendment) Act, 2025 on the grounds that it facilitates large-scale government interference in Muslim religious endowments. The ruling party Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu, through its MP A Raja, who was a part of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Bill, also approached the apex court against the Act. In his plea, Javed, who was also a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, said that the Act discriminates against the Muslim community by imposing restrictions that are not present in the governance of other religious endowments. Owaisi in his plea stated that the amended Act "irreversibly dilute" the statutory protections afforded to Waqfs and their regulatory framework while conferring undue advantage upon other stakeholders and interest groups, undermining years of progress and setting back Waqf management by several decades. Khan's plea stated that the Act curtails the religious and cultural autonomy of Muslims, enables arbitrary executive interference, and undermines minority rights to manage their religious and charitable institutions. Samastha Kerala Jamiatul Ulema contended that these amendments would distort the religious character of Waqfs while also irreversibly damaging the democratic process in the administration of Waqf and Waqf Boards. Madani in his petition challenged various provisions of the Act terming them unconstitutional and destructive to the Waqf administration and jurisprudence in India. His petition further said that several Waqf properties would be vulnerable due to the mandatory timelines for uploading details on the Portal and Database envisaged under the amendment, threatening the very existence of a large number of historical waqfs--particularly those created by oral dedication or without formal deeds. The NGO submitted that the Act is not only unnecessary but also an alarming interference into the religious affairs of the Muslim community, diluting the fundamental purpose of Waqf, which is a practice deeply rooted in Quranic references. (ANI) Fifteen new inmates at Haridwar district jail in Uttarakhand were found HIV positive during a routine check-up, authorities said on Wednesday. The routine health checks are part of standard procedures for all new entrants to the facility. Haridwar Jail Superintendent Manoj Kumar Arya said that on April 7, health check-ups, including HIV tests, were conducted for all new inmates. "Whenever a new inmate enters the jail, a health check-up is conducted. HIV testing is also mandatory, and currently, we have about 15 inmates who are HIV positive," Arya told reporters. Following the test results, the 15 HIV-positive prisoners are receiving proper medical care, he added. Earlier in December 2024, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda inaugurated the World AIDS Day 2024 commemoration at the Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya Auditorium in Madhya Pradesh's Indore. The Minister highlighted that India's sustained efforts have maintained a low HIV epidemic level over the years, with new infections in 2023 almost 44 per cent lower than in 2010, and AIDS-related deaths reduced by 79 per cent. This year's theme, "Take the Rights Path," underscores the importance of ensuring equal rights, dignity, and access to healthcare for all, especially those living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. Reflecting this, Nadda emphasised the government's commitment to safeguarding the rights of people with HIV/AIDS through legal protections, healthcare access, and societal reforms. He said, "World AIDS Day is a moment to reiterate that we are all united in the fight against AIDS and to remember and honour those who have battled this disease and lost loved ones." Nadda highlighted the ongoing Phase V of the National AIDS and STD Control Programme and the consistent efforts of NACO and State AIDS Control Societies in ensuring low epidemic levels. He reiterated that new HIV infections in 2023 were 44 per cent lower than in 2010, while AIDS-related deaths had fallen by 79 per cent. The Minister outlined three key directives in the fight against AIDS. First, he stressed caution in preventing HIV/AIDS infections, noting that the virus can be transmitted through various means beyond sexual contact. Second, he advocated a healthy lifestyle, encompassing proper nutrition, exercise, and sleep, to prevent illnesses. Third, he urged increased awareness and efforts to combat stereotypes through village meetings, school programmes, and educational campaigns. He called on authorities to evaluate the effectiveness of AIDS control initiatives and address any shortcomings. Nadda also emphasised the importance of treating HIV-positive individuals with empathy, stating that everyone has the right to a dignified life. He dispelled myths, asserting that HIV-positive individuals can live long and healthy lives and even have HIV-free children. He praised healthcare workers for their dedication and resilience despite constant exposure to infections, stressing the need to support them. The Minister acknowledged India's progress in the fight against AIDS, from an era without treatment to becoming a global supplier of affordable HIV medicines. He noted that the Union government provides free medication for AIDS patients and highlighted India's leadership in producing effective treatments. Nadda reaffirmed the government's commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. He stated that India has adopted the 90-90-90 target for combating AIDS--90 per cent case detection, 90 per cent antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage, and 90 per cent viral load suppression. This target has been updated to 95-95-95, with 81 per cent of cases identified, 88 per cent on ART, and 97 per cent achieving viral load suppression. (ANI) Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) has issued a clarification regarding reports on the electricity bill of Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut's Manali residence, stating that her power consumption is significantly higher than that of an average household and that the pending amount includes arrears. According to HPSEBL, a domestic electricity connection under consumer number 100000838073 is registered in Kangana Ranaut's name for her residence in Simsa village, Manali. The current bill of Rs 90,384 reflects electricity usage over two months and includes Rs 32,287 in arrears, the Board said in a statement on Tuesday. "It is misleading to suggest that the Rs 90,384 bill is for a single month. It includes unpaid dues and late payment surcharges from previous billing cycles," said Sandeep Kumar, Managing Director of HPSEBL. HPSEBL's response came after Kangana Ranaut, who is BJP from Mandi, slammed the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh during a speech on Tuesday and said she had received electricity bill of nearly one lakh rupees for her home in Manali "where she does not reside". Providing details of the consumption pattern, Kumar said Ranaut's home has a connected load of 94.82 kilowatts "which is 1500 per cent higher than the power load of a standard household." The Board said Ranaut delayed bill payments for the first quarter of 2024-25. In particular, December's consumption was 6,000 units, with Rs31,367 outstanding. February saw a consumption spike to 9,000 units, generating a bill of Rs 58,096, including late fees. "The electricity bill for October, November, and December 2024 stood at Rs 82,061, which was paid only on January 16, 2025," said Kumar. "She has consistently delayed her monthly bill payments. The dues for January and February were cleared only on March 28, 2025, with total consumption reaching 14,000 units." Kumar said Ranaut's monthly electricity usage ranges between 5,000 to 9,000 units, significantly above normal household levels. He also confirmed that she has been availing of the state's electricity subsidy, receiving Rs 700 as relief on her February bill. The HPSEBL urged consumers across Himachal Pradesh to clear their electricity dues on time. "Timely payment helps ensure uninterrupted service and reduces the workload for both consumers and electricity board staff," Kumar added. Naresh Chauhan, media advisor to Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Sukhu said that such remarks by Kangana Ranaut are aimed at attracting media attention and if there is really an issue, it should be addressed by consulting the officials of the electricity board. "Such statements are made for attracting media... If this is an issue, it should be addressed by consulting the officials at the Electricity Board... One can simply verify the old consumption records, unit usage and applicable rates rather than making generalised accusations... Calling the government 'robbers' may be her regular thing but it's not in line with constructive political discourse... If there's an actual discrepancy in the meter reading or billing, there's a system in place to address it," he said. Ranaut on Tuesday attacked the Congress government in Himachal, alleging that the state was in bad condition and there is a need to rid it of the grip of "bhediyas" (wolves). The actor-politician made the remarks while addressing a gathering in her parliamentary constituency Mandi. She hailed the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP leader also took a dig at the Congress government on controversy over "samosa" probe in the state, which authorities later clarified, was against "misconduct" by officials and not concerning the snack meant to be served to the Chief Minister. Kangana Ranaut, who is not unknown to controversy, sought to compare Congress government by referring to an attacking animal found in peninsular India. "There is a wave of PM Modi in the entire country and saffron... But it is painful to watch Himachal Pradesh's condition... Their agencies are probing samosas. We feel embarrassed about what is happening... You work so hard on the ground, It is our responsibility that we have to take our state on the path of progress... I would say they are Bhediya (wolves) in a way. We have to free our state from their claws," she said. Targeting the Congress-led UPA government, she said there was a period before 2014 when "news was about corruption, terror attacks and scams".She said PM Modi has ushered all-round development of the country. (ANI) Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Wednesday criticised the Congress party for allegedly erasing former party president Chettur Sankaran Nair from its history. He claimed that leaders like Subhash Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, and Dr. Ambedkar have also been sidelined to serve the interests of the "Congress dynasty." In a post on X, Chandrasekhar highlighted Chettur Nair's significant contributions as a prominent lawyer and statesman, particularly his legal battle against Michael O'Dwyer following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. He expressed disappointment over the neglect of his legacy in both Congress and Kerala's history. "One more example of how the Congress party airbrushes leaders from its history, just as Subhash Bose, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, Dr Ambedkar, etc, and so many others to humour the Congress dynasty," the BJP leader said. "Chettur Sankaran Nair was a prominent Indian lawyer, statesman, and former president of the Indian National Congress (INC) in 1897 - but has been erased out of the Congress history. He is remembered even today for his legal battles--like his case against Michael O'Dwyer, who perpetrated the Jallianwala Bagh massacre," the BJP leader said. Rajeev Chandrasekhar emphasized further that Nair's views were rooted in his liberal and true constitutionalist outlook. "As a Malayalee, I believe that it's shameful the way he has been neglected in Congress and Kerala's history," he said on X. Chettur Sankaran Nair was born in Mankara in Palakkad District on July 11, 1857. He was the youngest and the first Malyali president of the Indian National Congress at the Amaravathi Session of the Congress in 1897. In his first speech as the president of the Congress, he encouraged the Indian people to secure all rights in India enjoyed by the British citizens in England. In 1915, he became a member of the Viceroy's Executive Council. He resigned from the Council protesting the Jallian Walla Bagh Massacre in 1919. When Lord Chelmsford asked him to nominate his successor to the Council, he nominated his servant as a token of protest. He opposed the Civil Disobedience movement of Gandhiji as he supported constitutional agitation only. He criticized the policies of Gandhiji and wrote a book, Gandhi and Anarchy, in 1922. He demanded the linguistic reorganization of Indian states. He was disillusioned with the fight between Moderates and Extremists in Congress. He supported Dominion Status for India in the first stage and said that complete independence for India could be achieved only in the second stage. He died on April 22, 1934. (ANI) Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Wednesday held discussions with the Export Promotion Councils and Industry Bodies in New Delhi regarding the emerging trade scenario. According to a release, the meeting was called to deliberate on the impact as well as opportunities arising out of the evolving and very dynamic scenarios and to apprise the industry and trade about the steps being taken by the Government. The press release noted that the Commerce and Industry Minister (CIM) complemented the exporters and the industry for achieving the highest ever export of above USD 820 Billion in the fiscal 2024-25 which is nearly 6% growth over previous fiscal year. In spite of multiple headwinds including the red sea crisis, Israel-Hamas conflict spilling over to Gulf region, continuation of Russia-Ukraine conflict and slow growth in some developed economies, the Minister lauded the Exporters for their resilience and efforts. As per the release, during the meeting, CIM also apprised the exporters regarding discussions with the US for a mutually beneficial multi-sectoral Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), which has been ongoing due to the foresight of Honb'le PM Modi who was one of the first global leaders to agree on the BTA in his meeting with President Trump in February 2025. The Commerce and Industry minister assured the exporters that the Government will work to provide a conducive environment to enable them to successfully navigate the recent changes in the global trade environment, the release said. According to the release, The Commerce and Industry Minister assured that the country is working in a proactive manner and exploring solutions which are in the best interest of the nation. The team working on BTA is exploring the right mix and the right balance and he exhorted the exporters to not panic and look at the silver lining in the present scenario. He assured that the team is working with speed but not in undue haste to ensure the right outcome for the country. According to the release, the CIM said that "different countries are approaching the tariff imposition in a different manner. However, as far as India is concerned, there is a potential for increase in manufacturing, creation of additional jobs because it can attract big players in global supply chain as India has been able to establish itself as a trusted and reliable partner and with a predictable business friendly destination." According to the release, Various Export Promotion Councils, representing a wide array of sectors, presented their views and outlook in light of the emerging challenges in global trade and requested the government to take proactive measures to support the export industry in these challenging times. The meeting was attended by Export Promotion Councils, Industry bodies and officials from Commerce and line ministries, the release added. (ANI) Delhi's Rouse Avenue court on Wednesday issued a notice on the revision moved by Delhi Law Minister Kapil Mishra. He has challenged the order passed by the magistrate court directing further investigation in the 2020 Delhi riots. The court has stayed the operation of the order of the magistrate court till the next date of hearing. Special judge Kaveri Baweja issued a notice on the revision petition moved by Kapil Mishra and the Delhi police. The special court sought a response and listed the matter for hearing on April 21. The court has also called the trial court records. Meanwhile, the sessions court has stayed the observation made by the Judicial Magistrate (First Class) in relation to the investigation of the Delhi police in the larger Conspiracy case. During the hearing, senior advocate and BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj was also present in the court. This matter is listed for a compliance report before the Magistrate court on April 16. Delhi law Minister has moved a petition against the further investigation order in relation to 2020 Delhi riots. Another petition has been filed by Delhi police against the order of further investigation. The magistrate court had passed an order for further investigation on the basis of material placed by Delhi police and the application of one Mohd. Illiyas. Applicant Mohd. Illiyas had sought a direction for registration of an FIR against Kapil Mishra and others. Senior advocate Pramod Kumar Dubey alongwith advocates Siddhesh Kotwal, Paritosh Anil, Madhav Sareen, Manya Hashija appeared for Kapil Mishra. Pramod Kumar Dubey argued, "Can a further investigation without having an FIR?" Where is the FIR. And there is no identification of the area of police station. "In absence of FIR direction for FIR can not be given," Senior advocate Dubey argued. Dubey also submitted that Further investigation can be ordered during the pendency of Final Report. There was no Charge sheet before the MP MLA Court. There should be pendency of charge sheet. For registration of an FIR, a complaint has to be filed before the police first, only after that an application for registration of FIR can be filed in the court. One ATR was filed when the matter was pending in KKD court. Three ATRs were filed by the police. My client was interrogate by Delhi Police. Special public prosecutor (SPP) Amit Prasad appeared for Delhi police. He raised the question of jurisdiction of the magistrate court which passed the order under challenged. He submitted that Even this court could have not pass this court as it does not have the jurisdiction to deal with an FIR which is already under consideration of a special court and charge sheet has been filed. This application for registration of FIR was filed through Advocate Mehmood Pracha who was part of propaganda building team in 2020, SPP submitted before the court. This complaint was given to all officers and even prime minister. Email were sent to prime minister, home minister, DCP, Commissioner of police. It was not emailed to SHO. This email cannot be treated as the compliance of necessary requirements for registration of FIR, Prasad added. A Status report narrating the five incidents was filed by the police, SPP for Delhi police said. It was also argued that there was improvisation of statement of complainant. First he said that Vehicles of Muslim and Dalits were stopped and later on were allowed to go cart. Later the statement was changed to effect that there was, damage to the cart of Muslims and Dalits at Kardam Puri road, SPP added. There was no allegation of violence, the court below embellished the Complaint, the SPP submitted. He further submitted that We informed the court that we have investigated the role of Kapil Mishra. Advocate Pracha was asked to argue, but he didn't, meanwhile the roster was changed. We were again summoned and asked to place on record the material. " We were directed to further investigate on the basis of material we provided in a matter which is before the special court," SPP submitted. The court asked, " Had you ever investigate the allegations in complaint before filing the charge sheet in larger Conspiracy. Are there any other complaint alleging the road block by Kapil Mishra? the judge questioned. SPP submitted that There are multiple such complaint, but nothing incriminating found. Learned ACJM interpreted Statement of Kapil Mishra. He was asked during recording of statement that had you ever visited the place of incidents? He replied that he lives in Yamuna Vihar and a petrol pump was burnt near his colony, SPP said. There are 751 FIRs, no FIR talks about damage of vehicles on the same date and time between 3 pm to 6 pm, he added. It was further submitted by the SPP that he was called to assist the court in the matter of application under section 156(3) and was given direction under section 173( 8) for further investigation , it was not expected. " I am going to face music everyday due to this order, " SPP added. All these cases are tried in KKD, you do not get the power to give observation on the police investigation in a case that is before the special court, he added. He prayed that the observation of the trial court should be stayed. (ANI) Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, has issued a stern warning to police officers whom he accuses of working in favour of current Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. Speaking to the media, Jagan alleged that certain officers were neglecting their official duties and aligning themselves with Naidu's interests, likening their actions to those of "personal watchmen." He stressed that the current administration's tenure was temporary and warned that any illegal actions by police officials would result in strict legal consequences, including loss of their jobs. "I'm warning those police officers who are trying to gain the attention of Chandrababu Naidu, ignoring the emblem of the three lions on their caps and acting like his personal watchmen. His rule will not last forever, it will come to an end soon. I'm telling every such officer--we will strip them of their uniforms, present them before the law as accused, and ensure they lose their jobs. Police officers must change their behaviour. This administration is not permanent. For every unlawful action, they will be held accountable, with interest, and made to stand as culprits," Jagan said. Jagan alleged, "Chandrababu Naidu is using the police and MLAs to provoke violence. The public and God are watching everything, and you will soon be taught a lesson." "This phase will not continue forever -- days will change, and all those responsible for the atrocities will have to face the consequences. The police should refrain from acting as Chandrababu Naidu's personal watchmen. People are fed up with this coalition and will soon give a fitting response," he added. Earlier, the YSRCP claimed that Reddy encountered several security lapses during his recent visit to Ramagiri in the Sri Sathya Sai district on Tuesday. "Despite being a Z+ category protectee, there was no adequate police presence at the helipad. Due to an uncontrolled crowd surge, the helicopter's windshield was damaged. The situation was so risky that the pilots refused to fly back with the VIP, citing security concerns. The helicopter left immediately after Jagan's arrival, and he had to return to Bengaluru by road after completing his program," the party said in a release on Tuesday. (ANI) Assam Governor and Chancellor of Assam Agricultural University (AAU), Lakshman Prasad Acharya on Wednesday graced the 25th Convocation Ceremony of the university, held at Dr Madhab Chandra Das Memorial Auditorium on the AAU campus in Jorhat. In his address, Governor Acharya underscored the deep-rooted connection between India's heritage and agriculture, reflecting on the ancient wisdom that defines the country's agricultural practices. Citing a verse in Sanskrit, the Governor said that among all substances, food is supreme; hence, it is regarded as the origin of all medicines. He, therefore, reiterated the crucial role being played by Assam Agricultural University in helping to produce superior quality agriculture outputs through its extensive network of research and development. He also emphasised the importance of traditional knowledge, particularly Ayurveda, in the context of food and agriculture. Highlighting the diversity of India's agricultural landscape, Acharya pointed out that the country's approach to farming differs significantly based on its regions and seasons. India's 15 agro-climatic zones reflect this diversity, which is a vital part of India's agricultural identity and strength. The Governor also acknowledged the significant strides made by the country in the past decade to modernise agriculture through technology. He highlighted the initiatives such as the Soil Health Card, e-NAM (National Agriculture Market), and Kisan Credit Cards, which are designed to help farmers make informed decisions and prosper in an increasingly technology-driven world. Touching upon the theme of self-reliance, Acharya reiterated that the agriculture sector is crucial to the vision of "Atmanirbhar Bharat". He commended both the Central and State Governments for their commitment to agricultural development and the prosperity of farmers. The Governor specifically mentioned the "Mukhya Mantri Krishi Sa-Sajuli Yojana" as a significant step towards enhancing agricultural productivity through the use of modern equipment. Expressing his satisfaction with the resilience of Assam's farmers, Acharya lauded their success in overcoming challenges and their remarkable achievements, such as the recognition of Assam's products like tea, Majuli rice, Tezpur litchi, and Joha rice on national and international platforms. He also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts in launching several farmer-centric initiatives, including the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana, and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (Crop Insurance Scheme), which continue to uplift the agriculture sector across India. Governor Acharya also hailed Assam Agricultural University for its outstanding contributions to agricultural research, innovation, and education. He lauded the university's role in shaping the future of agriculture, not only in Assam but the entire Northeast. AAU's prestige is further emboldened by its rankings in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2024--14th among institutions in agriculture and allied fields and 8th among state agricultural universities. Acharya also called upon the graduating students, asking them to focus on sustainable agricultural solutions in the face of climate change, which poses a growing threat to global agriculture. He called on them to develop innovations that enhance resilience against changing weather patterns, such as climate-resilient farming and improved water management technologies. The Governor encouraged the graduates to use their knowledge and skills to serve farmers, society, and the nation, embodying the spirit of youth power that will help propel India toward a prosperous and self-reliant future in agriculture. The governor urged the university officials to aim for greater heights and work towards becoming one of the nation's top agricultural universities. He assured all his full support in helping the university in its transformation. It may be mentioned that Padma Shri Jadav Payeng and Dr. Purnima Devi Barman were conferred honorary doctoral degrees, and 548 students received their degrees today. Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, Chairman of Assam Agricultural Commission, Dr. Hari Shankar Gupta, Vice-Chancellor of Assam Agricultural University, Dr. Bidyut Chandra Deka, members of the Executive and Academic Councils of the University, Heads of Departments, Professors, and Officials of the University were present among a host of other dignitaries present on the occasion. (ANI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has made a major breakthrough in the Chandigarh grenade attack case with the arrest of a Punjab resident, who played a vital role in the entire conspiracy that was masterminded by foreign-based Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorists. Abhijot Singh of Gurdaspur (Punjab) was taken into custody by NIA, which identified him as the unknown person whose role had surfaced during the investigation in the case. Abhijot, already in prison for another grenade attack at a police station, was found to have been in direct contact with Happy and an important part of the conspiracy. Pakistan-based designated Individual Terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda and US-based Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia were among the four accused in the case by NIA last month. The two terrorists were chargesheeted as absconders, while the other two accused were among the five persons previously arrested in the case. NIA investigations have revealed that Abhijot, on Happy's directions, conducted detailed reconnaissance of the target location multiple times in July and August 2024. He had also arranged a motorcycle with a fake number plate for use in the execution in the crime. The vehicle was found to have been stolen. Investigations have also revealed that Happy had provided pistols to Abhijot and another previously arrested accused Rohan Masih during August 2024, the NIA said in a statement. The terrorist had directed the duo to carry out firing at the target in the Sector 10 house. Abhijot Singh and Rohan Masih had visited the target house twice in August but failed to execute the crime, as per NIA findings. Following Abhijot's arrest, the NIA said, it also conducted a search at a location in Haryana's Karnal this morning to uncover the full extent of the conspiracy and identify other suspects in the case. (ANI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday attacked the government over the Waqf Amendment Act, saying it is an "attack on freedom of religion and Constitution". Addressing the All India Congress Committee session in Ahmedabad, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Modi government "staged the drama" of Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Parliament to divert people's attention from the issue of tariffs imposed by the United States. "BJP passed the Waqf Bill, this bill is an attack on freedom of religion, an attack on the Constitution. I had said that the Waqf Bill attacks Muslims now but sets a precedent to target other communities in the future. It didn't take long for the RSS to turn its attention to Christians," Rahul Gandhi said. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was passed in the budget session of Parliament. President Droupadi Murmu later gave her assent to the bill. Rahul Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, attacked RSS claiming that their ideology is against the constitution. cy. "Their (RSS) ideology is against the Constitution. They want to end democracy. They want to control all the institutions of India and hand over the country's money to Ambani Adani," Rahul Gandhi alleged. Rahul Gandhi also attacked the BJP over the caste census and alleged that they "don't want to reveal the share that minorities get in this country." ""We took a revolutionary step of caste census in Telangana. A few months before that, I had asked PM Narendra Modi in the Parliament that we should get a caste census done in the country... I wanted to know who had what share in this country and whether this country truly respected the tribal, Dalit, and backward communities... PM Narendra Modi and RSS clearly refused the caste census because they don't want to reveal the share that minorities get in this country... I told him that we will pass the caste census law in the Parliament right in front of you," Gandhi said. (ANI) A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan was injured in an IED blast triggered by Naxals in the forested region of the Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday, officials said. According to officials, the incident occurred near Kodapal Nala when a team from the 196 Battalion of the CRPF, based in Chinnakodepal, was out on an area domination duty. During the operation, a member of the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) stepped on a pressure-activated improvised explosive device (IED) that had been planted by Naxals. The blast caused severe injuries to the jawan's legs. He was immediately evacuated and has been admitted to the district hospital in Bijapur, where he is undergoing treatment. Security forces have launched a search operation in the surrounding region to trace the Maoists responsible for planting the explosive and to ensure the area is safe for further movement of personnel. Earlier, a villager in the Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh was killed, and another was seriously injured after stepping on an IED planted by naxals, officials informed on Saturday. According to officials, the villagers had gone to the forest to collect wood and bushes to make brooms. The deceased have been identified as Rajesh Usendi and the injured as Ramlal Korram. The incident took place between the Jadda and Markud villages. Both the deceased and injured are residents of Kanagaon village. "On April 4, residents of the village Kanagaon, Rajesh Usendi (25 years) and Ramlal Korram (25 years), both had gone to the hilly jungle of village Jadda-Markur to pluck fruits and brooms. They were plucking flowers when suddenly a pressure IED planted by the Naxalites blasted, due to which Rajesh Usendi died on the spot due to serious injuries in both his legs and an injured villager Ramlal Korram has injuries in his throat, mouth and neck," said Naraynpur Superintendent of Police Prabhat Kumar. "The incidents of villagers dying and getting injured after coming in contact with Naxal IED are increasing continuously. A villager also died in Kurusnar of Orchha," the SP added. (ANI) The Janata Dal (Secular) will hold a massive protest on April 12 against the Karnataka government over the recent price hikes and alleged corruption, the party said on Wednesday. Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy will lead the protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru. JD(S) is all set to launch a vigorous campaign against the Congress-led state government, focusing on price hikes and corruption. The campaign, titled 'Sakappa Saaku Congress Sarkara' (Enough is Enough Congress Government), is being led by JD(S) Youth President Nikhil Kumaraswamy and is gaining significant attention across the state. Furthermore, during a briefing at the party office JP Bhavan on Wednesday, Nikhil Kumaraswamy launched a new website, [www.saakappasaaku.com](http://www.saakappasaaku.com), which showcases and highlights the alleged misdeeds by the Congress government. He stated that not only JD(S) workers but anyone from the state could register on the website and participate in the protests. Since the Congress government came to power, people have been burdened with rising prices. Nikhil Kumaraswamy accused the Congress government of dragging the state into an economic crisis, creating a state of financial emergency. He claimed, "The Congress government has pushed the people of the state into unbearable hardships. They are continuously exploiting the people. How much longer should we tolerate this? That's why we are launching this fight against the Corrupt Congress government. We have started the 'Sakappa Saaku Congress Sarkara' campaign." Nikhil informed that party president H D Kumaraswamy confirmed his participation in the protest and assured that JD(S) would continue this campaign. He stated that the Congress government has continuously increased prices of essential commodities for the past two years. Gradually, every sector has seen price hikes, pushing the people of the state into distress. There is growing debate across the state about the government's actions. He added that JD(S) is working to address the sentiments of every citizen of the state. "Our workers, under Kumaranna's guidance, have launched the 'Sakappa Saaku Congress Sarkara' campaign today. Seven crore people's sentiments are expressed as 'Sakappa Saaku,'" Nikhil Kumaraswamy remarked. He thanked Basavaraj Rayareddy, MLA from Yelaburga and the financial advisor to the Chief Minister for his statements regarding the government's failures and corruption. "The Chief Minister's economic advisor has claimed that Karnataka is number one in corruption, I thank Reddy for speaking about the corruption in the ruling party. Reddy has also previously mentioned how the guarantee schemes affect development in the state." Nikhil Kumaraswamy criticized the government's failure to deliver on promises, specifically regarding financial assistance. He stated that the government had not adequately provided the promised funds, despite their announcements during the elections. "Today, we have launched the 'Sakappa Saaku Congress Sarkara' website. On this site, we have compiled the statements made by ministers and legislators, revealing their failures. This is not a one-day campaign. Ministers in this government have been involved and subjected to honey traps, the Congress high command in money traps, and the people of Karnataka have been subjected to tax traps," he claimed. He also pointed out that JD(S) had protested over the guarantees but accused the Congress of failing to release the promised funds. He criticised the Congress for not following through on the commitments promised to the people of the state. Nikhil Kumaraswamy clarified that the website would be a continuous source of information and participation. "During the by-elections, the government disbursed funds within 48 hours. For three constituencies, the Griha Lakshmi scheme money was released, but they failed to implement the guarantees properly." He emphasised that this was not a protest limited to only a few days but an ongoing one. "We are not just protesting against the price hikes. The campaign is about holding the Congress government accountable for all their mideeds." He clarified that JD(S) has no issue with the guarantee schemes themselves but criticised the government's inability to release funds regularly as promised. He added, "The government's situation is such that they cannot fulfill basic requirements, and the people are suffering." Reacting to the Muda scam, he said, "The ED (Enforcement Directorate) is investigating. Let's wait and see what happens. When the Muda scam came up, Siddaramaiah asked for money for a piece of land, which was later returned. If they did not make a mistake, why return the land? I am not personally attacking anyone. The government should be held accountable for their actions." Kumaraswamy pointed out that from 2004 to 2014, during the UPA government, the price of gas was Rs 1241. "Now, it is Rs 854. Even though there has been an increase of Rs 50, the price is still only Rs 850. During the Congress rule, gas prices were higher," he criticised. He clarified that there is no disagreement within the JD(S)-BJP coalition. "The decision to form the alliance was made during the Lok Sabha elections because of our shared views on the country's welfare. There is no dissent or dissatisfaction in our alliance," he stated. He firmly cast aside any speculation about JD(S) merging with BJP. "Our party's contribution to farmers and every region is significant. Our vote share has been increasing, and our workers are dedicated to strengthening the regional party. There is no question of JD(S) merging with the BJP. We will continue to work for the benefit of the state and the country, but we will remain an independent regional party," Nikhil Kumaraswamy clarified. Former Minister Venkatarav Nagouda, MP Mallesh Babu, Legislative Party Leader Suresh Babu, MLA Swaroop Prakash, and former MLC K.A. Tippeswamy, along with other prominent leaders, were present during the briefing. (ANI) Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar on Wednesday hailed the extradition of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Rana to India, calling it a significant victory for the country. Speaking to ANI, Kesarkar emphasized that the attack on Mumbai, India's financial capital, was unacceptable and stressed that the mastermind behind the tragedy must be brought to justice. "Mumbai is the financial capital of India and its heart, and an attack on it was not at all acceptable. The mastermind of this attack should be brought to India, and this is a very big win for the country," Kesarkar said. Rana has been accused of being involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, where innocent people were killed, and is expected to stand trial in India. On April 7, the Supreme Court of the United States rejected Tahawwur Rana's plea to stay his extradition to India. Rana filed an emergency application with Chief Justice Roberts on March 20, 2025, seeking a stay on his extradition. "The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied," the SC order dated Monday, April 7, stated. According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, a case of criminal conspiracy against Rana was originally lodged by the NIA in Delhi following the deadly November 2008 attacks in which over 160 people were killed. The ongoing extradition process pertains to that case. However, officials clarified that it is yet to be determined whether Mumbai Police can seek his custody for any local investigation linked to the attacks. "Only after examining the grounds of extradition will it be clear whether custody can be sought by the Mumbai Crime Branch in this matter," sources said. Sources added that the Mumbai Police has not received any formal communication so far regarding Rana's transfer to the city for questioning or judicial proceedings. Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian national, was convicted in the US for the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives and providing material support to the group responsible for the Mumbai attacks that killed over 174 people. (ANI) Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara claimed on Wednesday that the state ranks second in the country in terms of investment and GST collection. He made the remarks while addressing a press conference at the District Congress Office in Mandya. Parameshwara said that the BJP understands that the state government stands on their word, which has made Karnataka number two in investment and GST collection. "The BJP now understands that our government is acting as the words of our government. Karnataka ranks second in investment. We have attracted the attention of the nation. We are ranked 2nd in the country to build GST. He said that investment and taxation in the state would be a financial situation", Parameshwara said while addressing the media as per a press release. The Karnataka Home Minister said the government has allocated a budget to fulfil the promise of five guarantees regardless of caste, religion, and party. He alleged the Union Government of not cooperating in the distribution of 10 kg rice. "The BJP alleged that the government would fail to fulfill the promises given. We have allocated funds in the budget for five guarantees. We have given equal plans to all, regardless of caste, religion and party. We have given plans for girls to gain economic power. The central government did not cooperate with us for the distribution of 10 kg of free rice. We have paid for instead of five kg", he said. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, G Parameshwara responded to the criticisms he faced over his controversial comments on the Bengaluru molestation case. Speaking to the media, he highlighted the implementation of the Nirbhaya project, claiming that Karnataka has utilised more grants for the initiative than any other state. Parameshwara also emphasised his dedication to taking strict measures for the protection of women, expressing regret if his remarks have offended the nation's mothers. (ANI) Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal launched a dedicated digital portal developed by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) to invite private investmDigital Portal for National Waterwaysent in infrastructure development on National Waterways, the Ministry said in a release on Wednesday. With a ceremonial click, the Minister formally inaugurated the initiative, which aims to facilitate ease of doing business (EODB) and encourage private investment in inland water transport (IWT) in the country. The launch follows the introduction of the National Waterways (Construction of Jetties/Terminals) Regulations, 2025, which lays out a framework for private players to invest in the construction and operation of jetties and terminals across India's national waterways network. As per the newly notified National Waterways (Construction of Jetties/Terminals) Regulations, 2025, any entity -- including private players -- can now develop or operate an inland waterway terminal on a National Waterway by securing a 'No Objection Certificate' (NoC) from the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI). The regulations apply to both existing and new terminals, whether permanent or temporary. Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister said, "The launch of the National Waterways Regulations, 2025, along with the digital portal developed by IWAI, marks a transformative step in India's maritime and logistics ecosystem. By enabling private participation in developing jetties and terminals, we are going to unlock immense potential for sustainable infrastructure growth in the inland waterways transportation, a vision of our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi ji. This initiative not only simplifies regulatory procedures but also reflects our commitment to Ease of Doing Business (EODB), economic empowerment, and job creation. It paves the way for a modern, efficient, economical and inclusive inland water transport system powering the nation towards Viksit Bharat." As part of the launch event, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal handed over the first No Objection Certificate (NoC) issued through the new digital portal to Mumbai-based Marina India Infrastructure Private Limited. This is the first-of-its-kind NoC issued digitally to any private entity for the construction of a terminal on any national waterway in the country. With an investment of approximately Rs. 8 crores, the company will establish a jetty at Malim on National Waterway-68 (River Mandovi) in Goa. Designed to berth up to 16 privately owned yachts and pleasure crafts up to 30 meters in length, the jetty will support docking and undocking for each trip, helping boost river cruise tourism along the waterway. The Union Minister said, "Under the visionary leadership of our Hon'ble Prime Minister, IWAI has transformed inland waterways into a powerful engine of economic growth--evident from the surge in cargo movement from 18 million tonnes to 133 million tonnes in FY 2023-24. The new National Waterways (Construction of Jetties/Terminals) Regulations, 2025, will further accelerate this momentum by encouraging private investment, improving procedural efficiency, and advancing sustainable, digitally driven development." The new regulations bring both permanent and temporary terminals--existing or new--under a unified framework. Permanent terminals can operate for a lifetime, while temporary ones will have an initial five-year term with provisions for extension. This streamlined approach is aimed at encouraging private participation and reinforcing the government's commitment to sustainable, growth-driven development in the inland waterways sector. Vijay Kumar, Chairman, Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), and other senior officials from IWAI and the Ministry attended the event. (ANI) Delhi's Patiala House court has directed the Delhi Police to register an FIR against its inspector for torturing an accused in custody. The court also gave direction against a doctor from Indira Gandhi Hospital who had prepared the MLC (medico-legal case). Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Pranav Joshi issued a direction to register a complaint against Inspector Sumit Kumar and Dr Aman Gehlot. This direction has been given to the SHO of Indira Gandhi International Airport Police Station. While giving the direction, the court observed, " The injuries found on the body of the accused directly hint at custodial violence being committed upon the accused. Custodial violence is not something which is tolerated within the framework of the Indian legal system. " "It has been consistent views of the Indian Constitutional Courts that physical abuse and violence strikes at the very foundation of the democratic set-up where the liberty of an individual is considered sacrosanct," the court said. This incident came to light during the hearing of an application moved by the Delhi Police seeking 10 days' custody of Nishit Kumar Rajendrabhai Patel. He was produced before the court on April 5 after a fresh arrest. The accused alleged torture during police custody. The court noted the bruises on the body of the accused. However, the MLC stated otherwise. After a private examination of the accused, the Court opined that not only have the police officials abused the authority vested in them by law, but they have also committed a cognizable offence. "Since the commission of cognizable offence has been brought to the notice of this Court which is of such serious magnitude, the same ought not to go unnoticed. The acts of the police officials prima facie attract section 117/19/126 BNS, the court said. The court further said that the role of Dr Aman Gahlot, Junior Resident of Indira Gandhi Hospital who conducted the MLC of the accused, also appears to have conspired with the police officials. "The concerned doctor appears to have deliberately ignored the injury of the accused and prepared a false report in contravention of the provisions of sections 256 BNS apart from conspiracy," the court observed. The court also said that the alleged act of police officers does not fall in the discharge of public duty. The court said, " Needless to mention that the police officials are public servants and the acts prima facie committed by them do not fall within the discharge of their official duties." The court also referred to the Apex Court's decision, which held that acts of abuse of executive powers do not fall within the protection of section 197 Cr.P.C (now 218 BNSS). "Therefore, this Court directs the SHO PS IGI Airport to register an FIR against Inspector Sumit Kumar under section 117/119/126/62 BNS and against the concerned doctor at Indira Gandhi Hospital under section 62 read with 117/119/126 BNS and under section 256 BNS immediately within 24 hours, " ACJM Pranav Joshi ordered on April 8. The court further directed that the SHO investigate the case and investigate the role of other police officials who are found to be involved in the commission of the offence. It also directed that the Special Commissioner of Police, Transport Range, shall ensure compliance with this order and a fair and impartial investigation of the case. The court has also directed the sending of the order copy to the Delhi Medical Council to initiate an inquiry against Dr Aman Gahlot for his misconduct in the discharge of his duty as a medical practitioner through SHO PS IGI Airport, along with a copy of the MLC of the accused. It was alleged against the accused that on 04.04.2025, he was travelling to Kathmandu, Nepal, on his voter ID. However, during scrutiny of his documents, it was revealed that the accused had gone to the UK on his Indian passport but thereafter obtained a Portuguese passport in the name of Ritesh Bicu, forging the identity of another Indian passport holder. It is further alleged that the accused used to travel to Kathmandu frequently and from there to the UK on the strength of the Portuguese passport. The court had also called the medical report of the accused Patel from Jail Authorities, but the same did not reach the court. In a separate order, the court directed the SHO PS Tilak Marg to inquire into the events to ascertain how the medical report was lost in transit. The report was sent from Jail, but it was not reached. Neither was it received in the Dak branch of the court. (ANI) Former NIA Director General Yogesh Chander Modi on Wednesday termed the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, a big achievement for the nation. Rana has been accused of being involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, where innocent people were killed, and is expected to stand trial in India. Chander Modi told ANI, "This is a big achievement for the nation, MEA and NIA...In the matter of Tahawwur Rana, there was the political will of India as well as America, due to which the process was able to move forward...NIA provide foolproof evidence in the courts in America and our team visited America many times...Foolproof security systems are available in India...The Central government, Delhi Police and NIA will ensure that proper interrogation of Tahawwur Rana is carried out and collect evidence so that the case can be brought to its logical conclusion..." On April 7, the Supreme Court of the United States rejected Tahawwur Rana's plea to stay his extradition to India. Rana filed an emergency application with Chief Justice Roberts on March 20, 2025, seeking a stay on his extradition. "The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied," the SC order dated Monday, April 7, stated. According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, a case of criminal conspiracy against Rana was originally lodged by the NIA in Delhi following the deadly November 2008 attacks in which over 160 people were killed. The ongoing extradition process pertains to that case. However, officials clarified that it is yet to be determined whether Mumbai Police can seek his custody for any local investigation linked to the attacks. "Only after examining the grounds of extradition will it be clear whether custody can be sought by the Mumbai Crime Branch in this matter," sources said. Sources added that the Mumbai Police has not received any formal communication so far regarding Rana's transfer to the city for questioning or judicial proceedings. Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian national, was convicted in the US for the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives and providing material support to the group responsible for the Mumbai attacks that killed over 174 people. (ANI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that the extradition of Tahawwur Rana, accused in the 26/11 terror attacks, is a "big success" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government's diplomacy. He also took a veiled dig at Congress, without taking its name, saying the "governments under whose rule the bomb blasts took place could not bring him back". Rana has been accused of being involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, where innocent people were killed, and is expected to stand trial in India. https://x.com/AmitShahOffice/status/1909999625039229204?t=hzPX8tm2GKse29nv2Ly2kw&s=08 "It is the responsibility of the Indian government to bring back all those who have misbehaved with the land and people of India under the law of the country. The return of Tahawwur Rana is a big success of the Modi government's diplomacy, because the governments under whose rule the bomb blasts took place could not bring him back," Office of Amit Shah said in a post on social media platform X. On April 7, the Supreme Court of the United States rejected Tahawwur Rana's plea to stay his extradition to India. Rana filed an emergency application with Chief Justice Roberts on March 20, 2025, seeking a stay on his extradition. "The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied," the SC order dated Monday, April 7, stated. According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, a case of criminal conspiracy against Rana was originally lodged by the NIA in Delhi following the deadly November 2008 attacks in which over 160 people were killed. The ongoing extradition process pertains to that case. However, officials clarified that it is yet to be determined whether Mumbai Police can seek his custody for any local investigation linked to the attacks. "Only after examining the grounds of extradition will it be clear whether custody can be sought by the Mumbai Crime Branch in this matter," sources said. Sources added that the Mumbai Police has not received any formal communication so far regarding Rana's transfer to the city for questioning or judicial proceedings. Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian national, was convicted in the US for the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives and providing material support to the group responsible for the Mumbai attacks that killed over 174 people. (ANI) While welcoming the US decision, former diplomat KP Fabian noted that it took 17 years for the extradition of the Tahawwur Rana, the 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused, despite the Indian government providing credible evidence. He also criticised the American legal process. Rana has been accused of being involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, where innocent people were killed, and is expected to stand trial in India. Fabian told ANI on Wednesday, "While we welcome the US decision, it's important to note that the 26/11 attacks occurred in 2008, and it has taken 17 years for the extradition--despite India providing credible evidence early on. Had the roles been reversed, and an accused in the 9/11 attacks was in India, the US would not have waited this long. The American legal process is slow, and successive administrations could have acted more swiftly..." On April 7, the Supreme Court of the United States rejected Tahawwur Rana's plea to stay his extradition to India. Rana filed an emergency application with Chief Justice Roberts on March 20, 2025, seeking a stay on his extradition. "The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied," the SC order dated Monday, April 7, stated. According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, a case of criminal conspiracy against Rana was originally lodged by the NIA in Delhi following the deadly November 2008 attacks in which over 160 people were killed. The ongoing extradition process pertains to that case. However, officials clarified that it is yet to be determined whether Mumbai Police can seek his custody for any local investigation linked to the attacks. "Only after examining the grounds of extradition will it be clear whether custody can be sought by the Mumbai Crime Branch in this matter," sources said. Sources added that the Mumbai Police has not received any formal communication so far regarding Rana's transfer to the city for questioning or judicial proceedings. Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian national, was convicted in the US for the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives and providing material support to the group responsible for the Mumbai attacks that killed over 174 people. (ANI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah, chaired a review meeting on the implementation of three new criminal laws in Odisha, in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, in New Delhi on Wednesday, according to an official statement from the ministry of Home Affairs. The meeting reviewed the implementation and present status of various new provisions related to police, prisons, courts, prosecution, and forensics in Odisha, as per the ministry. The meeting was attended by the Union Home Secretary, Chief Secretary and Director General of Police of Odisha, the Director General of the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD), the Director, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), and other senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the government of Odisha. During the meeting, Union Home Minister, said that the Odisha government should prioritize 100 per cent implementation of the new criminal laws across all levels of administration for the next six months. Amit Shah said that the next decade is crucial for the development of an emerging state like Odisha. Considering the state's future industrial and technological growth, he highlighted that the three new criminal laws will play a vital role in strengthening the law and order, as per the statement. Union Home Minister said that the state's Home Secretary should review the progress of implementing new criminal laws on a weekly basis and the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police should review it fortnightly and the Chief Minister should review on a monthly basis, prioritizing the timelines of implementation. (ANI) Reacting to the extradition of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused, Tahawwur Rana, to India, Devika Natwarlal Rotawan, a victim of the Mumabai attacks, stated it is the biggest victory against terrorism for India and expressed her gratitude to the Governments of India and United States. Rana has been accused of being involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, where innocent people were killed, and is expected to stand trial in India. Devika Natwarlal Rotawan, a victim of the 26/11 attack, told ANI on Wednesday, "I am overjoyed that Tahawwur Rana is finally being brought back to India. This was the biggest victory against terrorism for India. So, I am very happy. I would like to thank the Governments of India and the US. The US Government supported the Government of India a lot. I demand that information be collected from Rana as soon as he is brought back, information about the terrorists who are still hiding in Pakistan should be gathered, their planning for 26/11 and why was it done should be found out. Tahawwur Rana should be given death sentence at the earliest..." On April 7, the Supreme Court of the United States rejected Tahawwur Rana's plea to stay his extradition to India. Rana filed an emergency application with Chief Justice Roberts on March 20, 2025, seeking a stay on his extradition. "The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied," the SC order dated Monday, April 7, stated. According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, a case of criminal conspiracy against Rana was originally lodged by the NIA in Delhi following the deadly November 2008 attacks in which over 160 people were killed. The ongoing extradition process pertains to that case. However, officials clarified that it is yet to be determined whether Mumbai Police can seek his custody for any local investigation linked to the attacks. "Only after examining the grounds of extradition will it be clear whether custody can be sought by the Mumbai Crime Branch in this matter," sources said. Sources added that the Mumbai Police has not received any formal communication so far regarding Rana's transfer to the city for questioning or judicial proceedings. Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian national, was convicted in the US for the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives and providing material support to the group responsible for the Mumbai attacks that killed over 174 people. (ANI) The US Government's Global Undergraduate Exchange Programme (Global UGRAD) for Pakistani students has been discontinued after 15 years, Dawn reported on Tuesday, citing a statement released by the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP). According to Dawn, the semester-long exchange program, managed by USEFP, offered Pakistani students the chance to spend one semester studying at a US university or college without earning a degree. The programme aimed to provide participants with enriching academic experiences, cultural exchange, and leadership development. "We regret to inform you that after 15 incredible years, the Global UGRAD-Pakistan Programme has come to an end. The U.S. Department of State has notified USEFP that the program will no longer be available," USEFP stated, as quoted by Dawn. USEFP expressed disappointment on the matter, particularly for students who had applied for the programme this year, and highlighted the life-changing impact the programme had on thousands of students by enhancing their academic growth and leadership skills. Launched in 2010, the Global UGRAD Pakistan Programme was funded by the US government with the aim of fostering community engagement, service commitment, and leadership qualities among Pakistani students. USEFP, a bi-national commission created in 1950 by the governments of the US and Pakistan, said it was "immensely proud" of the programme's impact on its participants and the positive effects on their communities, Dawn reported. While the programme is closing, USEFP encouraged students to explore other scholarship and exchange opportunities that align with their goals. According to Dawn, the decision to end the programme follows significant budget cuts to overseas development and aid programmes under the Trump administration, including a drastic reduction of multi-year contracts by 92 per cent or USD 54 billion. On his first day in office, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order freezing all US foreign aid for 90 days to review spending in alignment with his "America First" policy, resulting in many international assistance programmes being reduced or eliminated. (ANI) President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Vienna on Tuesday as part of her ongoing four-day state visit to Portugal and Slovakia. Following her first leg of the four-day state visit in Portugal, President Mumru arrived in the Austrian capital. From there, she will head towards the Slovak Republic for the second leg of her state visit. President Mumru will visit the Slovak Republic from April 9 to 10 at the invitation of Slovakian President Peter Pellegrini. It will be the first visit by an Indian president to Slovakia in 29 years. Earlier, President Murmu visited Portugal at the invitation of President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. The visit is taking place after a 27-year gap. The last State Visit took place in 1998, when President K R Narayanan visited Portugal. "A fruitful State visit to Portugal concludes. President Droupadi Murmu emplanes for the next leg of her tour, Slovak Republic," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a post on X. During her visit to Portugal, President Droupadi Murmu was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour at the Portuguese Parliament, where she was warmly received by the President of Assembleia da Republica, Jose Pedro Aguiar-Branco. During her visit to the Portuguese legislature, President Murmu met with the Portuguese delegation, signed the official book of honour, and held a meeting with the cabinet of the President of Assembleia da Republica, reaffirming the shared commitment between the two nations to deepen bilateral ties. On April 7, President Murmu was conferred the prestigious 'City Key of Honour' by the Mayor of Lisbon in a ceremony held at the City Hall. Murmu also attended a banquet hosted in her honour by the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. The banquet took place at Palacio da Ajuda in Lisbon on Monday evening. President Murmu highlighted that this year holds special significance; the two countries are celebrating 50 years of the India-Portugal bilateral relations. In her remarks, she emphasised that with the natural synergy and potential for cooperation in diverse fields, India-Portugal historic ties are firmly on the way to evolving into a dynamic and visionary partnership. On Monday, Murmu visited the Church of Santa Maria and laid a wreath at the tomb of Luis Vaz de Camoes, Portugal's national poet. President Murmu, along with her Portuguese counterpart Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, also launched postage stamps commemorating 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. (ANI) Ten individuals were arrested by Police after a mob attacked a global fast food chain in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) of Pakistan's Karachi on Tuesday evening, the Dawn reported, citing the police. According to Dawn, citing Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Syed Asad Raza, approximately 40 people, mainly young individuals armed with sticks and stones, stormed the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) outlet on Korangi Road in the evening, attempting to vandalise the restaurant. The police quickly intervened and dispersed the group, with 10 suspects taken into custody. DIG Raza explained that the attackers were protesting against the US and Israel's policies in Gaza and assured that the situation was now under control and that further action would be taken against the remaining protestors and their organisers, the Dawn reported. Raza added that security measures at other KFC locations are being increased and that such incidents were part of a larger pattern across the Muslim world, especially in countries like Bangladesh, with social media fuelling the unrest. In a related incident, reported by Dawn, another KFC outlet in Mohammad Ali Society in Karachi was attacked by a group of individuals during a rally on the same night. According to Bahadurabad police Station House Officer Naveed Soomro, the attackers demanded the restaurant close and then damaged the premises with chairs, sticks, and stones. While an FIR was filed, no arrests were made in this case, as per Dawn. This violence follows a strike in Karachi organised by traders to align with a global call for solidarity with Palestinians and to protest the actions in Gaza, which have led to a significant loss of life since October 7, 2023. (ANI) The Taiwanese National Immigration Agency (NIA) announced that it has notified a "minority" of Chinese immigrants in Taiwan to renounce their Chinese citizenship after a report revealed that the notifications have caused concern among Chinese immigrants married to Taiwanese nationals, Taipei Times reported on Wednesday. According to the Taipei Times, the NIA in a statement clarified that most Chinese naturalised citizens in Taiwan have already provided proof of renouncing their Chinese citizenship. However, a small number of individuals have not completed the process, mainly due to challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic or other complications that have hindered their ability to travel to China. The NIA stated that these individuals must submit evidence of having cancelled their household registration in China within three months of receiving the notice, and if they fail to do so, their household registration in Taiwan will be cancelled, as reported by the Taipei Times. However, those affected can apply for long-term residency in Taiwan under the regulations for Chinese nationals seeking permanent residency based on family ties. The agency also noted that Taiwanese citizens are prohibited from holding household registrations in China, as stipulated by the 2004 amendments to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, as per Taipei Times. The NIA has also offered assistance to those struggling to provide the required documentation to renounce their Chinese citizenship or who have lost their records. The agency will work with the Mainland Affairs Council and the Straits Exchange Foundation to resolve these issues. The NIA emphasised its commitment to safeguarding the rights of foreign-born citizens who comply with Taiwanese law. It reassured individuals who have encountered administrative difficulties that they need not be concerned as long as they follow the required procedures. Separately, as per Taipei Times, the Taiwanese Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng confirmed during a legislative session that Taiwanese law mandates Chinese nationals to relinquish their citizenship and household registration in China in order to become Taiwanese citizens. (ANI) Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) detected 25 sorties of People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, six vessels from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and one official ship operating around Taiwan up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) on Wednesday. According to the MND, out of the 25 aircraft sorties, 18 crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's southwestern and eastern Air Defence Identification Zones (ADIZ). "25 PLA aircraft, 6 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 18 out of 25 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded," MND stated in an X post. https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1909773256821035435 Earlier on Tuesday, Taiwan detected 16 sorties of Chinese aircraft, five Chinese naval vessels and one official ship. Of the 16 sorties, 15 crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ (Air Defence Identification Zone). "16 PLA aircraft, 5 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 15 out of 16 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded," MND stated on X. In light of the heightened Chinese military activity around Taiwan, the G7 Foreign Ministers, along with the High Representative of the European Union, expressed concern over China's recent "provocative actions," especially the large-scale military drills conducted around Taiwan. In a joint statement, G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the US and High Representative of the EU highlighted the growing frequency of "destabilising activities," warning that they raise tensions across the Taiwan Strait and pose risks to global security and prosperity. The US Department of State in a statement released on Sunday said, "We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, express deep concern about China's provocative actions, particularly the recent large-scale military drills around Taiwan." Last week, the US and the EU restated their disapproval of any unilateral alterations to the "status quo" in the Taiwan Strait following China's military's recent series of joint drills around Taiwan, according to a report by Taipei Times. (ANI) Tel Aviv [Israel], April 9 (ANI/TPS): Isael Air Force fighter jets Tuesday night attacked a weapons depot belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization's air defense system in the Bekaa region deep attacked Lebanon, reported the IDF (Israel Defense Forces). "The presence of the weapons in the area constituted a threat to the State of Israel and blatantly violated the understandings between Israel and Lebanon," said the IDF. (ANI/TPS) President Droupadi Murmu's state visit to Portugal marked a significant milestone in the diplomatic relations between India and Portugal. The ceremonial welcome at the city square set the tone for the visit, where she inspected the guard of honor and received a grand salute. "The state visit of the President began with a ceremonial welcome where she inspected the guard of honour and received a ceremonial Grand Salute... The ceremony was hosted in the city square," said MEA Secretary (West) Tanmaya Lal in a press briefing. Following the formalities, President Murmu paid tribute to Luis Vaz de Camoes, the national poet of Portugal. Camoes is best known for his epic poem "Os Lusiadas," which celebrates Portuguese history and culture. Murmu then held a private meeting with the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, which was followed by delegation-level talks. "The discussions between the two presidents commenced with a Tete-a-tete, which was followed by delegation-level talks," Lal added. To celebrate 50 years of diplomatic ties between India and Portugal, both leaders jointly released commemorative stamps and later delivered statements to the media. "The two leaders also jointly released stamps to commemorate the 50 years of diplomatic relations, and by the end, the two leaders also made press statements." In the evening, President Rebelo de Sousa hosted a banquet in honour of President Murmu at the Palacio da Ajuda. "One of the special moments at the State Banquet was the music recital by the Portuguese artist Rao Kyao, who also plays the flute, and he played the Vaishnava Jana at the State Banquet." During her visit, President Murmu also met Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro at the Palace Sao Bento. "The President also met the Prime Minister of Portugal, His Excellency, Luis Montenegro... The meeting between our President Murmu and Prime Minister Montenegro took place at the Palace Sao Bento," Lal said, noting that Montenegro and Prime Minister Modi had previously met in Brazil during the G20 summit. Earlier on Tuesday, Murmu visited the Portuguese Parliament, where she was welcomed with a ceremonial Guard of Honour and received by the President of Assembleia da Republica, Jose Pedro Aguiar-Branco. "Earlier today, the President also visited the Assembly of Portugal, which is the Parliament, where she held discussions with the speaker of the Parliament. The leaders had a Tete-a-tete, which was followed by delegation-level broader discussions," Lal said. She was also given a tour of the Assembly Hall. President Murmu paid floral tribute to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Alameda Mahatma Gandhi and offered prayers at the Radha-Krishna temple. She also signed the book of honour and met members of the Portuguese delegation and President Aguiar-Branco's cabinet. President Murmu arrived in Lisbon late Sunday night for the first presidential visit from India to Portugal in 27 years. The last such visit was in 1998 by President K R Narayanan. Her current four-day tour to Portugal and Slovakia runs from April 7 to 10, at the invitation of President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. (ANI) The White House Correspondents Association expressed its support for the decision by a US federal judge on Tuesday (US local time) to call the White House's decision to eliminate the Associated Press's access to coverage of presidential events unconstitutional. CNN reported that the preliminary injunction was issued Tuesday afternoon against the White House by Judge Trevor McFadden. In a 41-page document issued by the US District Court for Columbia district, it was noted that the court "simply holds that under the First Amendment, if the Government opens its doors to some journalists--be it to the Oval Office, the East Room, or elsewhere--it cannot then shut those doors to other journalists because of their viewpoints." Describing the background which led to the development seen now, the district court in its memorandum order mentioned, "About two months ago, President Donald Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. The Associated Press did not follow suit. For that editorial choice, the White House sharply curtailed the AP's access to coveted, tightly controlled media events with the President. The AP now sues the White House chief of staff, her communications deputy, and the press secretary (collectively, "the Government"), seeking a preliminary injunction enjoining the Government from excluding it because of its viewpoint." CNN cited the judgement, which notably mentioned, "The Court merely declares that the AP's exclusion has been contrary to the First Amendment, and it enjoins the Government from continuing down that unlawful path," "We are gratified by the court's decision," Lauren Easton, a spokesperson for the AP, said in a statement as cited by CNN. "Today's ruling affirms the fundamental right of the press and public to speak freely without government retaliation. This is a freedom guaranteed for all Americans in the U.S. Constitution. We look forward to continuing to provide factual, nonpartisan and independent coverage of the White House for billions of people around the world." Amid this background, the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) issued a statement on AP's ruling, which read, "The WHCA board applauds today's decision supporting our country's foundational ideal that the government should not be able to control the independent media that covers it. We are thrilled Associated Press reporters, photographers and video journalists are to be allowed back into presidential events from which they had been banned by the administration just for using words the White House did not like. This will allow the AP to continue producing fair, smart coverage of the presidency alongside the WHCA'S other members." However, CNN reported that McFadden wrote that his ruling does not prevent the White House from limiting the AP's access to certain presidential events and spaces for "permissible reasons." "The Court does not order the Government to grant the AP permanent access to the Oval Office, the East Room, or any other media event. It does not bestow special treatment upon the AP," he wrote. "But it cannot be treated worse than its peer wire services either." (ANI) Bangladesh has officially become the 54th nation to sign the Artemis Accords, a set of guidelines for responsible space exploration, NASA said in a statement. The signing ceremony took place in Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital city, on Tuesday. Ashraf Uddin, the country's Secretary of Defense, signed on behalf of the country. Charge d'Affaires Tracey Jacobson from the US Embassy in Dhaka participated in the event, and NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro contributed remarks in a pre-recorded video message. "We are thrilled by Bangladesh's signature of the Accords," said NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro. "Bangladesh affirms its role in shaping the future of space exploration. This is about ensuring that our journey to the Moon - and beyond - is peaceful, sustainable, and transparent. We look forward to working together, to learning from one another, and to seeing how Bangladesh's incredible talent and vision contribute to humanity's next great chapter in space." "Bangladesh's commitment to the Artemis Accords will enhance the country's engagement with NASA and the international community," said Bangladesh's Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus. "By signing the accords, Bangladesh builds upon an important foundation for the open, responsible and peaceful exploration of space." In 2020, the United States, led by NASA and the US Department of State, and seven other initial signatory nations established the Artemis Accords, a first-ever set of practical guidelines for nations to increase safety of operations and reduce risk and uncertainty in their civil exploration activities. That group of signatories has grown to more than 50 countries today. The Artemis Accords are grounded in the Outer Space Treaty and other agreements, including the Registration Convention and the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices for responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data, the statement said. (ANI) Pakistan's leading human rights body, Paank strongly condemned the enforced disappearance of Safar Baloch who was forcibly disappeared by state intelligence agencies in Balochistan. Sharing the details in a post on X, Paank noted that he was abducted on April 8 and was extrajudicially detained from his shop located at the customs area of Quetta. Paank called his abduction an act of blatant violation of both domestic and international human rights laws, including the right to liberty, security, and protection from arbitrary detention as enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Pakistan is a state party. Paank called his disappearance to be not an isolated incident but rather a part of a systematic campaign of enforced disappearances that has plagued Balochistan for decades. It gave a call to international organisations, civil society and the UN to take urgent action and pressure the Pakistani authorities to end this brutal practice of enforced disappearances. "Paank strongly condemns the enforced disappearance of Chief Safar Baloch, who was abducted today, April 8, 2025, by state intelligence agencies in Quetta, #Balochistan. According to verified reports, Chief Safar Baloch was extrajudicially detained from his shop located at the customs area of Quetta, the capital city of Balochistan, and has since been held incommunicado. This act is a blatant violation of both domestic and international human rights laws, including the right to liberty, security, and protection from arbitrary detention as enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Pakistan is a state party. Chief Safar Baloch's disappearance is not an isolated incident but part of a systematic campaign of enforced disappearances that has plagued Balochistan for decades. Families of the disappeared continue to live in anguish, denied justice and accountability. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Chief Safar Baloch. The Pakistani state must be held accountable for its continued violations against the Baloch people. Paank calls on international human rights organizations, the United Nations, and civil society to take urgent action and pressure the Pakistani authorities to end this brutal practice of enforced disappearances", Paank wrote on X. https://x.com/paank_bnm/status/1909681116505948299 Balochistan struggles with state repression, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings of activists, scholars, and civilians. The region faces economic neglect, poor infrastructure, and limited political autonomy. Despite its wealth of natural resources, local communities benefit little, while forced disappearances continue to be a widespread issue. (ANI) According to ARY News, 11 PTI workers, including Imran Khan's sisters, have voluntarily surrendered themselves. The sisters, along with PTI workers, sat down on the lawn of a wedding hall. Among those present were Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Aliya Hamza, Shafqat Awan, Niazullah Niazi, Raja Yasir Hasnain, and Hamid Khan, who joined Imran Khan's sisters. Station House Officer Saddar, Owais Azim, offered to send Aleema Khan and the other sisters home, but Aleema Khan remained adamant, insisting that she will not leave without meeting her brother, Imran Khan. She is determined to continue her protest unless granted the meeting. Earlier, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari denounced the media reports of the arrest of Imran Khan's sisters, as per ARY News. According to reports, Azma Bukhari stated that the Punjab Police did not arrest any women, including founder's sisters. She clarified that Imran Khan's sister, Aleema Khan, and others used an "online car service" to travel and voluntarily boarded a police van, later getting off at Khawaja Service Station. She further claimed that the footage revealed the truth behind what she called a "drama" staged to falsely show sympathy for Imran Khan. Azma Bukhari accused the PTI leadership of orchestrating a failed show in an attempt to gain public sympathy. Bukhari also commented on Imran Khan's conditions in jail, stating that he was living in royal comfort while his wife, Bushra Bibi, continued to demand better facilities despite receiving a 'B-class' prison status. ARY News reported that Bushra Bibi approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) earlier on Monday for improved jail facilities. She filed a petition through her lawyers, who argued that as a former first lady who resided in the Prime Minister's House, she was entitled to better facilities under the law due to her standard of living and lifestyle. (ANI) Leading Baloch human rights organisation, Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) said on Tuesday evening that activist Gulzadi Baloch was "brutally tortured" by Pakistani forces before being brought to the Hudda jail in Quetta. Sharing details in a post on X, BYC said that Gulzadi Baloch was forcibly taken by CTD officers and police around 8:00 PM on Monday night, after which, for hours, her whereabouts remained unknown. BYC further alleged that Gulzadi Baloch was tortured at the hands of male officers and beaten for over four hours. BYC called these inhumane actions against a woman as a part of "ongoing campaign of terror against peaceful Baloch resistance" and highlighted that it would continue to remain committed to its cause in a steadfast manner. "Gulzadi Baloch was brutally tortured by CTD officers before being brought to Hudda Jail, Quetta. Our activist, Gulzadi Baloch, was forcibly taken by CTD officers and police around 8:00 PM last night. For hours, her whereabouts remained unknown. Before being brought to Hudda Jail, Quetta, at around 12:00 AM, she was subjected to brutal torture at the hands of CTD male officers. She was physically beaten and tortured for over four hours. This inhumane treatment of a female activist is part of the state's ongoing campaign of terror against peaceful Baloch resistance. We hold the state fully responsible for the violence inflicted upon our activist. These fascist tactics will not deter our movement", BYC said on X. https://x.com/BalochYakjehtiC/status/1909603268013310106 On Tuesday, leading human rights groups of Pakistan, Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) and Paank, had expressed outrage over the alleged abduction of BYC activist Gulzadi Baloch by Pakistani forces. In a post on X, BYC called Baloch's abduction as yet another act of "state repression" which targets peaceful activists and voices of resistance and had called for her immediate release. Paank also expressed solidarity over the abduction of Gulzadi Baloch. Balochistan struggles with state repression, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings of activists, scholars, and civilians. The region faces economic neglect, poor infrastructure, and limited political autonomy. Despite its wealth of natural resources, local communities benefit little, while forced disappearances continue to be a widespread issue. (ANI) French President Emmanuel Macron called for a ceasefire in the conflict-torn Middle East on Wednesday. Upon the conclusion of his visit to Egypt, Macron said that he hoped to keep their support alive in helping Gaza. "What we need is a resumption of the ceasefire, the release of all hostages and a path to peace as soon as possible," he said. https://x.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1909716244871496059 https://x.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1909724502453334262 "I leave Egypt after three moving days. I saw the beating of hearts. In your generous welcome. In the strength of our cooperation. In the support we provide together to the people of Gaza. In El Arish, where hope resists pain. Thank you. Long live the friendship between our peoples!" he added. A visibly moved Macron said earlier in the day that in Gaza, almost two million people were trapped without any assistance, and thousands were dead. "Two million people trapped with no access to aid or assistance. Tens of thousands of dead people. The wounded. Orphans. This is the reality in Gaza today," he said. https://x.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1909695099828645963 "The humanitarian situation in Gaza is unbearable. The resumption of aid, the release of hostages, a ceasefire, and the path to peace are absolutely essential," he added. https://x.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1909692727001829848 The Elysee Palace stated that it sent 1,200 tons of humanitarian cargo to Gaza, and called for an 'awakening'. In a post on X, it stated, "1,200 tons of humanitarian cargo delivered to the people of Gaza, a military hospital ship, logistical support capabilities, a humanitarian conference in Paris: France has been committed from day one. A humanitarian awakening is needed." https://x.com/Elysee/status/1909681018799563259 Israel's pounding on Gaza continued today, with at least two dead in Khan Younis, as the death toll from attacks rose to 26, Al Jazeera reported. The Pentagon said that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth called Egyptian Minister of Defence General Abd-al-Majid Ahmad Saqr to discuss the importance of security in the Red Sea as well as the actions of Yemen's Houthi rebels, as per Al Jazeera. (ANI) Tel Aviv [Israel], April 9 (ANI/ TPS): The first group of hotel workers from Sri Lanka landed in Israel on Wednesday. Additional hotel workers are expected to arrive in the coming days, during the week, approximately 100 workers for the hotel industry will arrive in the country. They are coming in time for next week's week-long Passover holiday which see Israel's hotels filled with both vacationing Israelis and Jewish tourists from around the world. Many Christian tourists will also be coming to Israel next week for the Easter holiday which falls on Sunday, April 20. Israel has been negotiating with a number of nations to bring more foreign workers to the country to fill the labor shortage caused by the war in Gaza and the need, for security reasons, to prohibit people from the Palestinian areas from working in Israel. (ANI/ TPS) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday welcomed the US Supreme Court's decision to extradite Tahawwur Rana, a key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, to India. Talking at the CNN News 18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025, he said, "There's nothing really new that I can say on the Tahawwur Rana issue. Obviously, we welcome the decision of the American legal process." Rana is likely to be extradited to India in the next 24 or 48 hours and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will take custody of him upon arrival. The comments came as the United States (US) Supreme Court rejected the plea of Tahawwur Rana -- accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks -- seeking a stay on his extradition to India. "The application for stay addressed to The Chief Justice and referred to the Court is denied," the SC order dated Monday, April 7, 2025, stated. https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1909828173644116254 Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian national, was convicted in the US for the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives and providing material support to the group responsible for the Mumbai attacks that killed over 174 people. The Indian government has been seeking his extradition for years, and the US Supreme Court's recent decision has paved the way for his transfer to India. Rana's extradition marks a significant step in the pursuit of justice for the victims of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. When asked about the situation in Balochistan, Jaishankar expressed his concern and said, "On the Balochistan issue, I don't want to say anything. There is clearly a very disturbed situation there. Their people are suffering. If I say something, there will be finger-pointing." Balochistan faces a troubling trend of human rights abuses, where individuals are targeted, abducted, and subjected to severe suffering without fair legal processes. The Baloch community continues to face profound hardship, as stated by several human rights groups, yet the international community often overlooks their situation. Attempts to tackle these violations have been minimal, leaving the Baloch populace exposed and their fundamental rights persistently infringed upon without sufficient international action or support. Jaishankar further said that Pakistan itself proudly admits to conducting terrorist activities in India. He added that the nation is consumed by the terrorism industry it had started. "I don't have to say, it is visible. Even they say it. It is not like I am making an accusation and everyone in Pakistan is saying no, it is completely untrue. You have people in Pakistan, who openly declare that they are doing terrorist activities in India. So, this is not an argument. It is not a hypothesis. It is something they proudly claim. So, all sensible people have maintained that if you start a terrorism industry, you will be consumed by it. It is exactly what we are seeing today in Pakistan," he said. (ANI) Violence and forced disappearances persist in different areas of Balochistan, with recent incidents in Panjgur, Quetta, and Kech underscoring the region's continued instability, as reported by Balochistan Post. On the evening of April 7, a targeted shooting took place in the Washbod area of Panjgur, leaving one man dead and three others wounded. The deceased has been identified as Bahadur Shafi, the brother of lecturer Muslim Shafi. The injured--Sohail, Shahid, and Farhan--are said to be relatives of the victim and were promptly taken to the District Teaching Hospital after the attack, the Balochistan Post reported. Local sources suggest that the attackers were reportedly members of a state-supported armed group, often called a "death squad," which has been blamed for several similar incidents in the region, allegedly with protection from Pakistani law enforcement agencies. In the Sariab Customs area of Quetta, Pakistani security forces are said to have arrested Chief Safar Baloch from his shop. Since his detention, his family has reported that they have received no information about his location. They have called on the authorities for his safe return, voicing concerns about his enforced disappearance, the Balochistan Post reported. In a related development, a young man who was previously reported missing has safely returned home. The individual, identified as Taif, son of Tariq from Kalaho, had been forcibly disappeared by Pakistani security forces on February 20, 2025, in the Tump Balicha area of Kech district. After more than a month of uncertain detention, he has been released and reunited with his family, the Balochistan Post cited. These incidents underscore the persistent issues of lawlessness, extrajudicial practices, and human rights violations in Balochistan. The region continues to experience a troubling pattern of enforced disappearances, with some individuals being safely recovered after a period of detention, while others face prolonged incarcerations or, tragically, targeted killings. These actions not only violate basic human rights but also contribute to a deepening crisis of insecurity in the region. The fear of arbitrary detention and the lack of accountability have fostered a sense of mistrust among the local population, further destabilizing Balochistan and hindering efforts for peace and justice. (ANI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday, while talking at CNN News 18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025, said that India's relationship with China is much better than before. Jaishankar said that India and China are now discussing collateral issues related to COVID-19, direct flights and resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1909828173644116254 "The relationship is much better than before. I think the disengagement, particularly the Depsang Demchok, was important," he said. Jaishankar said that these issues have been a force build-up over the years. "We are now addressing, to some extent, the issues on the border because there has been a force build-up over a period of years. There were many other things that also happened during this period. Some of it was collateral for the situation. Some of it was a carryover from the Covid era," he said. Jaishankar added that the relations between the two countries during 2020-2024 were not in anyone's interest. "For example, our direct flights stopped during Covid. They were not resumed. The Kailash Mansarovar yatra stopped during Covid, it did not again resume. So, I think there is work to be done. We are at it. We are trying to see whether lot of this post-Covid and parallel to the border tension, the combination of these issues- how much we can progress on this. We are looking at it because, at the end of the day, we've always maintained that the situation that we saw between 2020-2024 was not in the interest of either country; it was not in the interest of our relationship. And I think there is a recognition of that now. I think we are moving in a positive direction," he said. Earlier in October 2024, India and China reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements in the Depsang Plains and Demchok, two friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The understanding was reached after earlier disengagement in other friction points in eastern Ladakh following meetings at diplomatic and military levels. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Kazan in October last year on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit. PM Modi had welcomed the agreement for complete disengagement and resolution of issues that arose in 2020 in the India-China border areas and underscored the importance of properly handling differences and disputes and not allowing them to disturb peace and tranquillity. (ANI) Virginia [US], April 9 (ANI/ WAM): Three people were killed and three others were wounded in a shooting in northeastern Virginia on Tuesday evening, and one or more shooters was on the loose, authorities said. At about 5:30 pm, 911 calls came in about a shooting at a townhouse complex in Spotsylvania County, just outside Fredericksburg and about 65 miles (105 kilometres) southwest of Washington, said Major Elizabeth Scott, Spokesperson for the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office. Officials urged people to avoid the area and those near the scene to stay indoors while authorities investigate, she said. The shooting may have been committed by more than one person, according to Scott. There were no immediate arrests or publicly released information about a possible motive. The three injured people were taken to hospitals with gunshot wounds. Their conditions and other information about them were not immediately available. (ANI/ WAM) President Droupadi Murmu was received by President Peter Pellegrini of the Slovak Republic at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava, Rashtrapati Bhavan said. Murmu was accorded a traditional welcome as per Slavic traditions and was accorded with the Guard of Honour. In a post on X, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said, "President Droupadi Murmu was received by President Peter Pellegrini of the Slovak Republic at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava. She was extended a traditional Slovak welcome with bread and salt by a couple in folk dress. The President was accorded a ceremonial welcome with the Guard of Honour." https://x.com/rashtrapatibhvn/status/1909877835814019258 Murmu arrived in Vienna on Tuesday as part of her ongoing four-day state visit to Portugal and Slovakia. Following her first leg of the four-day state visit in Portugal, President Mumru arrived in the Austrian capital. From there, she will head towards the Slovak Republic for the second leg of her state visit. President Mumru will visit the Slovak Republic from April 9 to 10 at the invitation of Slovakian President Peter Pellegrini. It will be the first visit by an Indian president to Slovakia in 29 years. Earlier, President Murmu visited Portugal at the invitation of President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. The visit is taking place after a 27-year gap. The last State Visit took place in 1998, when President K R Narayanan visited Portugal. "A fruitful State visit to Portugal concludes. President Droupadi Murmu emplanes for the next leg of her tour, Slovak Republic," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a post on X. During her visit to Portugal, President Droupadi Murmu was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour at the Portuguese Parliament, where she was warmly received by the President of Assembleia da Republica, Jose Pedro Aguiar-Branco. During her visit to the Portuguese legislature, President Murmu met with the Portuguese delegation, signed the official book of honour, and held a meeting with the cabinet of the President of Assembleia da Republica, reaffirming the shared commitment between the two nations to deepen bilateral ties. (ANI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday expressed concerns about radicalizing tendencies, attacks on minorities, and inflammatory rhetoric in Bangladesh, stating that India has been open about sharing these concerns. Speaking at the CNN News 18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025, he said, "No country wishes Bangladesh well more than us. That's almost in our DNA," highlighting the unique historical and cultural ties between the two nations Jaishankar also commented on the meeting between Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, emphasizing India's long-standing friendship with Bangladesh. "We have concerns about the rhetoric which is coming out of the people in Bangladesh, we have concerns about the radicalising tendencies we see, we have concerns about the attacks on minorities. I think we were very open about sharing those concerns. As a country, no country wishes Bangladesh well more than us. That's almost in our DNA," he said. He stressed the need for Bangladesh to hold elections soon, citing the importance of democratic traditions and the renewal of mandates through electoral processes. "As a well-wisher, as a friend, I think we hope that they go the right way and do the right things, and as a country with a democratic tradition, democracies require elections; that's how mandates are given and mandates are renewed. So, we hope they go down that path," he said. Jaishankar emphasised the unique people-to-people connection between India and Bangladesh, rooted in historical ties and cultural exchange. "The main message from our side, which came out at the first meeting, is that our relationship with Bangladesh, for historical reasons, is a unique relationship. It is a fundamental people-to-people connection, much more so than any other relationship I can think of. That's something we need to recognise. So, it is not necessarily one of the government of the day," he said. Earlier on April 4, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok on Friday and reiterated India's support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. PM Modi underlined India's concerns related to the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, and expressed his expectation that the Bangladesh government would ensure their security, including by thoroughly investigating the cases of atrocities committed against them, according to a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) release. In a press release, the MEA stated, "Prime Minister reiterated India's support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. Enunciating India's people-centric approach to the relationship, the Prime Minister highlighted that cooperation between the two countries has brought tangible benefits to the people of both countries. He underlined India's desire to forge a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh based on pragmatism." (ANI) The National Cyber Security Centre of the UK and various international organizations focused on cybersecurity and intelligence announced on Wednesday that hackers are using two types of previously recognized spyware to monitor Uyghur, Tibetan, and Taiwanese individuals as well as civil society groups, per a report from the Central Tibet Administration (CTA). The malicious software known as MOONSHINE and BADBAZAAR can infiltrate the microphones and cameras of devices, collecting messages, photos, and location data, which permits users to be surveilled in real time without their awareness, according to the CTA report. Spyware-infected applications are being leveraged to target individuals and groups worldwide associated with activities deemed a threat to China's stability by the state, according to a press release from the NCSC highlighted. Those believed to be at the highest risk of being targeted include individuals connected to Taiwan's independence movement, organizations advocating for Tibetan rights, and Uyghur Muslims. Additionally, ethnic minorities from or within China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, democracy advocates, and members of the Falun Gong are also thought to be in danger, as noted in the CTA report. Certain applications imitate well-known platforms such as WhatsApp and Skype, while others are established as standalone applications to draw interest from potential victims within the targeted communities. Two independent applications, Tibet One and Audio Quran, are accessible in users' native languages and promoted in online spaces frequented by members of those communities. For instance, hackers promoted the Tibet One app in Telegram groups focused on the region and in relevant threads on Reddit, as stated by the NCSC. Tibet One is an iOS application that was added to the Apple App Store in December 2021 but has since been taken down. The NCSC reported that "malicious actors" designed the app as a means to infect users' devices with BADBAZAAR spyware, as noted in the CTA report. The Audio Quran app employs MOONSHINE spyware to surveil Uyghurs, according to the NCSC, building trust by incorporating the Uyghur language in its file name and presenting itself as containing content related to the Quran, Islam's primary religious text. Taiwan has never been controlled by China; however, Beijing has explicitly stated its desire to unify the island with the mainland and is contemplating military action to achieve this. The Uyghurs are a Muslim minority within China. Reports indicate that the Chinese government has detained over a million Uyghurs in reeducation camps for almost ten years, according to the CTA. (ANI) Representative Thinley Chukki and UN Advocacy Officer Phuntsok Topgyal from the Tibet Bureau in Geneva discussed with Tressa Rae Finerty, a member of the Senior Foreign Service and the Charge d'Affaires for the US Mission to the United Nations and Other International Organisations in Geneva, as reported by the Central Tibet Administration (CTA). According to the CTA report, during their conversation on April 4, both parties addressed a range of Tibet-related matters, particularly emphasizing the human rights conditions within Tibet, the ongoing hardships faced by Tibetans, and the necessity of safeguarding Tibet's distinctive culture, language, and religious identity. The Representative was also gifted a copy of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama's latest publication, Voice for Voiceless. Referring to chapter 16 of the book, she urged for sustained international backing for the Tibetan cause and expressed appreciation to the US government for its sanctions against several Chinese officials under the US Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act, as highlighted by the CTA report. Charge d'Affaires Tressa Rae Finerty reinforced the US's steadfast commitment to supporting the Tibetan cause and the efforts of the Tibetan people to maintain their unique cultural and linguistic heritage. This meeting underscored the common values shared by the Tibetan movement and the US in promoting human rights, religious freedom, and peaceful dialogue, according to the CTA report. Numerous Tibetans have taken to social media platforms to call on the Chinese government to restore Tibetan language education in schools, following the release of a white paper from Beijing claiming that Tibetan language rights are protected in the area, as reported by Radio Free Asia (RFA). The circumstances surrounding his death have sparked significant outrage and concern among Tibetans and human rights organizations globally, highlighting the severe and oppressive conditions endured by Tibetans under Chinese governance. Many are apprehensive that the silence surrounding his death reflects the Chinese government's wider strategy to stifle dissent and eliminate Tibetan culture and heritage. (ANI) Mauritius welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi "with open hearts", said Mauritian Information Minister Avinash Ramtohul on Wednesday, adding that ties between the two nations have grown "even more dense and deeper". Ramtohul mentioned strong historical and cultural ties between the two nations while underlining the ongoing talks to strengthen the ties. Prime Minister Modi visited Mauritius from March 11 to 12 to attend the nation's 57th National Day celebrations as the Chief Guest. "We welcomed Prime Minister Modi ji with open hearts because we have very strong historical ties with India. And I think in the current times, there are a lot of avenues for cooperation between India and Mauritius like it's been in the past, but now it's gone even more dense and deeper," Ramtohul said. He noted that ongoing conversations are being held between the two governments, high commissions, and foreign ministries. "I believe that whatever we are doing will be for the betterment of people of both the countries" he added During his visit, PM Modi met with President Dharam Gokhool and Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, engaging in discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral relations. Significant agreements were signed, including those on maritime security and combating financial crimes. Prime Minister Modi also inaugurated the Civil Service College and an Area Health Centre, both constructed with India's grant assistance. In recognition of his efforts to enhance India-Mauritius ties, Prime Minister Modi was conferred with Mauritius' highest civilian award by President Dharam Gokhool. This marked the second time PM Modi was invited as the Chief Guest for Mauritius' National Day, a role he first held in 2015. PM Modi also offered prayers at the Ganga Talao and mixed holy water brought from Prayagraj Mahakumbh. In addition, PM Modi received the Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean, the highest national award of Mauritius. Thousands of people gathered at the venue, braving heavy rain, to witness PM Modi accept the award on the National Day. "I express my heartfelt gratitude for being conferred the highest national award of Mauritius. This is not just my honour; it is the honour of 1.4 billion Indians. It is a tribute to the centuries-old cultural and historical bonds of kinship between India and Mauritius. It is an acknowledgment of our shared commitment to regional peace, progress, security, and sustainable development. And it is a symbol of the shared hopes and aspirations of the Global South," PM Modi said while receiving the award. PM Modi, along with Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, also jointly inaugurated the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation. PM Modi emphasized that the institute will serve as a hub for learning and research. (ANI) Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, during a visit to the Central American country, stated that China's dominance over Panama Canal ports poses an unacceptable risk to US security. As Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported, this highlighted the US's commitment to enhancing its influence in the Western hemisphere. The Panama Canal has emerged as a center of geopolitical conflict, as China's participation in its ports raises US apprehensions regarding control and dominance over this vital global trade channel. US President Donald Trump has often claimed that the United States is being charged excessively for using the Panama Canal and that China exerts influence over its management, according to RFA. At a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new US-funded dock at the Vasco Nunez de Balboa Naval Base following discussions with Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino, Hegseth declared that the US will not permit China or any other nation to jeopardize the canal's operations. "To that end, the United States and Panama have made more progress in strengthening our defense and security collaboration in recent weeks than we have in decades," he said. Hegseth noted that companies from China continue to oversee critical infrastructure in the canal region. "This provides China with the capability to conduct surveillance activities throughout Panama. This situation makes both Panama and the United States less secure, less prosperous, and less sovereign. As President Donald Trump has emphasised, this condition is unacceptable," he stated. In reaction to Hegseth's statements, the Chinese embassy in Panama issued a statement on X critiquing the US government. They claimed that the US had employed "blackmail" to advance its interests, asserting that Panama's decisions regarding business dealings are a "sovereign decision of Panama and something the US should not interfere with," as highlighted by the RFA report. "The US has engaged in a sensational campaign about the 'theoretical Chinese threat' to undermine Chinese-Panamanian cooperation, which is fundamentally driven by the United States' geopolitical interests," the embassy remarked, as reported by RFA. There have been increasing calls in Washington to take action to reduce Beijing's influence due to the control exerted by Chinese and Hong Kong companies over ports in Panama and other regions in the Western Hemisphere. (ANI) A sharp rise in alleged extrajudicial killings of forcibly disappeared individuals in Balochistan has sparked widespread concern, with reports indicating at least 12 deaths in what families and human rights organizations are labeling as "staged encounters" over the past two days, as reported by the Balochistan Post. Reports from Barkhan, Khuzdar, Mashkay, and Buleda suggest that security forces have killed several previously missing persons in disputed clashes. According to the Balochistan Post, families and local sources asserted that these individuals were in state custody prior to their executions and subsequent dumping of their bodies. In the most recent incident, three bullet-riddled bodies were discovered on Monday in Mehma Samand Khan, Barkhan. The victims--Haq Nawaz Buzdar, Shero Buzdar, and Gul Zaman Buzdar--were identified as members of the Buzdar tribe. Local sources said Haq Nawaz had been taken from his home in Musakhel on April 5, while Shero had been missing for nine months. Gul Zaman had also reportedly been in custody before his death. Security forces have not issued any statement regarding a clash in the area, the Balochistan Post cited. In Buleda's Gardank area, two young men, Mehrab and Khan Mohammad, were allegedly detained from their homes on April 6 and killed shortly thereafter. Both victims' families claim they were tortured before being killed. Authorities have reportedly refused to return their bodies, fueling unrest in the region. Additionally, on April 5, security forces claimed to have killed three individuals in a clash in Baghbana, Khuzdar. One of the deceased, Abdul Malik, a 28-year-old from Kohing, Kalat, had been forcibly disappeared from Turbat on October 11, 2024. On the same day, three other bodies were found in Mashkay, all showing signs of gunshot wounds. Families and activists accuse the state of carrying out extrajudicial executions and abandoning the bodies. Another incident occurred on April 6 when Nadir Baloch was abducted from his home in Kandhari, Mashkay, during a security force raid. His bullet-riddled body was found the next day in a remote area, the Balochistan Post reported. These events are part of an ongoing pattern in Balochistan, where families of missing persons and Baloch political groups accuse security forces of staging fake encounters following enforced disappearances. While authorities often claim the deceased were linked to armed groups, families and human rights defenders reject these assertions, calling the killings state-sanctioned and unlawful. Rights organizations have long demanded transparency and independent investigations into these deaths, but accountability remains elusive as the cycle of disappearances and violence continues. (ANI) Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said the effort is in the spirit of a committed partnership with the Global South. In a post on X, Jaiswal said, "India: A committed partner to the Global South. India sends food-grain assistance for the people of Cameroon. A consignment of 1000MT Rice departed today from Nhava Sheva Port to Cameroon." https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1909871162248536568 India and Cameroon enjoy warm and friendly relations dating back to the pre-independence era of Cameroon. As per MEA, the bilateral relations have received further impetus with the opening of India's resident mission in Yaounde in 2019. Bilateral trade has been growing steadily, reaching USD 1.1 billion during FY 2022-23 from USD 523 million in 2018-19. As per the MEA, India extended two Lines of Credit (LoCs) worth USD 79.65 million to the Republic of Cameroon for Rice, Maize, and Cassava plantation projects. India has also been supporting Cameroon in capacity building by providing training to Cameroon officials in various areas under ITEC and scholarships/ fellowships under ICCR. The food security crisis in Cameroon is due to several factors, mainly the reduced availability and accessibility of stocks of staple products and livestock for milk and meat. According to the World Bank, nearly a quarter of a million Cameroonians are facing severe or elevated food insecurity. Through the Emergency Project to Combat the Food Crisis in Cameroon (PULCCA) an emergency and home-grown school feeding program, as well as a support for prevention of acute malnutrition will target children, pregnant and lactating women and girls. Through productive partnerships with public schools and health centers, local agricultural cooperatives will provide fresh food to be used in the preparation of school canteen meals and malnutrition prevention packages. (ANI) The Balochistan National Party's (BNP) protest entered 12th day on Tuesday, with no breakthrough in talks, despite efforts by the authorities to end the sit-in at Lakpass in Mastung district of Pakistan, Dawn reported. Pakistan's former Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani visited the protest camp and held a meeting with BNP chairman Sardar Akhtar Mengal. However, party sources revealed the discussion did not yield any progress towards addressing the impasse. A BNP official said, "Sanjrani met Sardar Mengal at the camp, but no decision was reached." No formal statement was released by Sanjrani after the meeting. Speaking to reporters over phone later in the evening, Mengal said that Sanjrani had visited in his personal capacity. He said, "We did not discuss calling off the sit-in," reiterating that the protest would continue as government did not give any meaningful response. He slammed the government over its handling of negotiations, stressing that ministers who previously held a meeting with BNP leaders lacked the authority to make commitments, Dawn reported. He further said, "In three rounds of talks, there has been no concrete development. Our core demand remains the release of Dr Mahrang and other detained women. Yet there has been no movement on this." Sardar Akhtar Mengal alleged that the government had caused hardship to people by blocking roads near the sit-in site. He said, "This is the first time a government has taken such measures -- punishing people instead of resolving the issue." He said Pakistan National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had got in touch with him and assured that the issue would be addressed. However, PML-N leadership and the federal government have made no progress so far, Dawn reported. In a post shared on X, BNP stated, "The Balochistan National Party initiated a series of political education seminars from the 12th day of the sit-in protest camp at Lakpass Mastung. The series started with a tribute to the late Malik Saeed Dehwar and former chairman BSO Manzoor Baloch's life and contribution to the Baloch national movement. The second seminar would be on Babo Abdul Kareen Shorish and Malik Faiz Mohammed Yousufzai and the third seminar would be to honour pioneers of Baloch national politics Mir Abdul Aziz Kurd, Abdul Rahim Khuwaja Khail and Abdul Rahman Kurd." BNP invited all Balochi literary writers and intellectuals to participate in these public seminars going on at the sit-in protest camp at Lakpass Mastung Balochistan. Participants in the sit-in protests gathered from various parts of Balochistan, demanding the immediate release of Dr Mahrang Baloch, Bebo Baloch, Shah Jee Sughatullah Baloch, Beberg Baloch and all BYC leadership, Baloch human rights activists and political workers," it added. https://x.com/MediaCellBNP_/status/1909698264078938241 Meanwhile, a delegation of the National Party, led by party president Abdul Malik Baloch, has visited Lahore for meeting with PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif. The NP team is scheduled to hold a meeting with Nawaz Sharif and PML-N leaders on Wednesday to brief them on the situation in Balochistan, including recent arrests and ongoing protests. Malik is expected to present his party's demands for addressing the crisis and seek political support from PML-N. The delegations comprises Jan Muhammad Buledi, Member of National Assembly Phulain Baloch and a number of National Party leaders, including vice president and former MNA Sardar Kamal Khan Bangulzai, provincial president Aslam Baloch, central vice president Shahwize Khan Bizenjo and Punjab president Malik Ayub. (ANI) The visit is aimed at ensuring a seamless pilgrimage for Indian Haj pilgrims. "Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India, along with Joint Secretary Shri CPS Bakshi arrived in Jeddah on April 8th, 2025. Their visit aims at thoroughly reviewing the ongoing Haj preparations. The visit underscores the government's commitment to ensuring a seamless and well-organized pilgrimage for Indian Haj pilgrims," the Ministry of Minority Affairs said in a post on X. Consulate General of India, Jeddah, said the visit aims at comprehensively reviewing the ongoing Haj preparations to facilitate a seamless pilgrimage for Indian Haj pilgrims. "Glimpses from the arrival in Jeddah of Shri (Dr.) Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India, on 08 April 2025. The visit aims at comprehensively reviewing the ongoing Haj preparations to facilitate a seamless pilgrimage for Indian Haj pilgrims," it posted on X. https://x.com/MOMAIndia/status/1909855553112715514 The Haj pilgrimage for 2025 is set to take place in early June. The Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju visited Saudi Arabia from January 11, 2025 to January 14, 2025. The visit entailed important engagements pertaining to the preparations for the Haj pilgrimage. This included the signing of the Bilateral Agreement for Haj 2025, attending the inaugural session of the Hajj and Umrah Conference and Exhibition; and bilateral meetings with Saudi dignitaries. During his visit, the Minister undertook comprehensive review of the arrangements for the Indian Haj pilgrims including transport arrangements, the administrative setup and healthcare facilities. At Madinah, he visited the Indian Haj Pilgrims' Office. He also visited the Haj Terminals of the Jeddah and Madinah airports and reviewed the facilities available for the arrival and departure of pilgrims and baggage handling. India and Saudi Arabia share a strategic partnership rooted in deep historical and civilisational linkages. Haj pilgrimage is an important aspect of bilateral relations and strong people-to-people ties between the two countries. (ANI) South Africa hosted the second virtual meeting of the G20 Sherpas, where the officials assessed the preparations of South Africa to host the summit scheduled to be held in Johannesburg in November, TV BRICS reported. During the meeting, South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation Director-General Zane Dangor spoke about the importance of continuing to work with multilateral institutions, including the United Nations, to address global challenges. He stressed that South Africa is counting on the support of G20 nations and invited nations and international organisations to make the summit a success. Dangor said, "The objective for today is let's take stock of what has happened and where we need to improve, but what are the key issues that may need special attention for the negotiations," TV BRICS reported. During the meeting, India's G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant stressed that the G20 nations should work together to overcome global challenges. Representatives of the UAE, Ahmed Al Sayegh, Minister of State and UAE G20 Sherpa, as well as Mahash Al Hameli, UAE Ambassador to South Africa and UAE Sous Sherpa, participated in the meeting, TV BRICS reported, citing Emirati Foreign Ministry's press office. The delegates stressed the UAE's active participation in G20 working groups in several priority areas, including culture, education, women's empowerment, artificial intelligence, digital economy, climate, and other areas. South Africa has invited UAE to attend the G20 Summit in November as a guest state. According to the report, South Africa will participate in the summit for the sixth time. South Africa assumed the G20 Presidency on December 1 last year. The theme for South Africa's G20 Presidency is 'Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.' The theme guides the priorities of the Working Groups in both the Sherpa and Finance Tracks and also informs the High-Level Deliverables of South Africa's G20 Presidency, according to the official statement. The G20 comprises 19 countries - Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Africa, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the European Union, and the African Union. G20 members include the world's major economies, representing 85 per cent of global GDP, 75 per cent of international trade, and two-thirds of the world's population. (ANI) The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday addressed the ongoing trade discussions with the United States, with spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal highlighting the efforts towards a mutually beneficial trade agreement. In response to recent tariff announcements, Jaiswal reiterated that India is carefully studying the implications and engaging in reciprocal discussions with the US trade teams. While addressing a weekly press briefing on Wednesday, Jaiswal said, "On the 3rd, we had a detailed press release issued by the Ministry of Commerce, in which India's position was made clear. We are studying the implications of the tariffs that have been announced." He added, "Reciprocal tariffs and discussions are ongoing between India and US Trade teams for an expeditious conclusion of a mutually beneficial multi-sectoral bilateral trade agreement. India values its comprehensive global strategic partnership with the US and is committed to working closely with it... Both teams are in discussion and hopefully we can close it." On being asked about the extradition of Tahawwur Rana, Jaiswal stated, "You all are aware that Supreme Court rejected his plea. As far as extradition of Rana is concerned, at this point, I don't have an update. But, we will provide you the update at an appropriate time." Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar responded to the debate over tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump. Speaking at the News 18 Rising Bharat Summit, Jaishankar said that India's strategy was clear and that it would engage with the United States on a bilateral trade agreement, which could conclude by the fall of this year. Jaishankar said that India's strategy has been to engage with the US in fructifying the bilateral trade agreement. The EAM noted that as every country is tariffed, each is fashioning its own strategy to deal with the US. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) said that countries affected by US tariffs are eager to negotiate and make deals with him, offering to do anything to secure an agreement. While speaking at the National Republican Congressional Committee, Trump said he was a better negotiator than Congress. Earlier on Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and EAM Jaishankar discussed US tariffs on India following President Trump's announcement last week about imposing a 10 per cent tariff on all imports to the US. The US has imposed 26 per cent tariffs on Indian imports. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received an invitation from Russia for participation in Victory Day celebrations, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Wednesday. Addressing a press briefing on Wednesday, Jaiswal said that India will announce participation in the Victory Day celebration at an appropriate time. On Russia inviting PM Modi for Victory Day celebrations, Jaiswal said, "Our Prime Minister has received an invitation for the participation in the Victory Day celebrations. We will be announcing our participation in the Victory Day celebration at the appropriate time. As far as participation of Indian contingent is concerned, again, we will let you know as and when we have an update." Citing sources in the Indian government, TASS reported that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh may attend the Victory Day celebrations in the Russian capital Moscow on May 9. "[Singh's visit to Moscow for the parade] is possible," the agency's source said in response to a question on the matter. The Victory Day celebrations mark the Soviet victory over Germany in World War II. Earlier in February, TASS reported that PM Modi is likely to visit Russia for the May 9 parade at Moscow's Red Square to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic Wa.As per the military source cited by TASS, the visit by the PM has a "high probability." "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is planning a visit to the May 9 parade in Moscow. It is highly likely that it will take place," the agency's source said, TASS reported. As per the military source cited by TASS, it was noted, "The issue of participation in the parade on Red Square of a ceremonial unit of the Indian armed forces, which should arrive at least a month [before the parade] for rehearsals, is also being worked out." PM Modi had visited Russia last year in October at the invitation of the Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the 16th BRICS Summit which took place in Kazan under the chairmanship of Russia. It was PM Modi's second visit to Russia in 2024 as he travelled to Moscow in July to attend the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit. During his visit to Russia, PM Modi held a bilateral meeting with Russian President Putin. PM Modi was also conferred with Russia's highest civilian award, the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle at the Kremlin in Moscow. (ANI) The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday announced the withdrawal of the transshipment facility previously extended to Bangladesh, citing logistical challenges and congestion at Indian ports and airports. Addressing the weekly press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "The Transshipment facility extended to Bangladesh had over a period of time resulted in significant congestion at our airports and ports. Logistical delays and higher costs were hindering our own exports and creating backlogs." "The facility, therefore, has been withdrawn with effect from April 8, 2025. To clarify, these measures do not impact Bangladesh exports to Nepal or Bhutan transiting through Indian territory," the MEA spokesperson added. Notably, a 13-member delegation from Bangladesh visited India from July 9 to 12, 2024, to explore the possibilities of transhipment of Bangladeshi Exim cargo through Indian ports located on the East Coast. The delegation was led by S M Mostafa Kamal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Shipping, Bangladesh, and included representatives from other key Bangladeshi ministries and ports. Earlier, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, in a release, said that Agenda no. 6 in the agreed minutes of SSLT was moved by the Indian side to facilitate Bangladesh's Exim cargo through Indian Ports on the East Coast using the Coastal Shipping Agreement and Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT) Agreement between India and Bangladesh. The Bangladeshi delegation had identified several bottlenecks in Exim trade using Indian ports. In response, the Indian side agreed to provide comprehensive data analysis and comparisons and demonstrated the benefits for Bangladeshi exporters and importers in using Indian ports over existing transhipment ports like Colombo, Singapore, and Port Klang. During the press briefing, MEA spokesperson Jaiswal also raised broader concerns regarding bilateral relations with Bangladesh, particularly the treatment of minorities and issues surrounding the Teesta Water Treaty. Speaking on the situation of minorities in Bangladesh, Jaiswal emphasised the need for urgent and firm action. "We have conveyed our concerns regarding the treatment of minorities, the kind of violence that has happened against them...These violence and atrocities against minorities cannot be wished away...We hope that the Bangladesh government will take strong action against those responsible for these atrocities," he said. Regarding the Teesta Water Treaty, Jaiswal reiterated India's commitment to dialogue, stressing that such discussions must be based on mutual consent and a conducive environment. "There are 54 rivers shared between India and Bangladesh. To discuss all relevant water issues, we have a mechanism, a bilateral mechanism, called the Joint Rivers Commission. We are ready to discuss all issues provided that they are mutually agreed upon and provided that the overall environment is conducive for the same," he said. Earlier on April 4, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok on Friday and reiterated India's support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. PM Modi underlined India's concerns related to the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, and expressed his expectation that the Bangladesh government would ensure their security, including by thoroughly investigating the cases of atrocities committed against them, according to an MEA release. In a press release, the MEA stated, "Prime Minister reiterated India's support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. Enunciating India's people-centric approach to the relationship, the Prime Minister highlighted that cooperation between the two countries has brought tangible benefits to the people of both countries. He underlined India's desire to forge a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh based on pragmatism." (ANI) US President Donald Trump on Wednesday pushed for a "one big beautiful bill" and told fellow Republicans "it is more important now than ever." He assured the people of the US that America "will soar like never before." In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump stated, "Republicans, it is more important now, than ever, that we pass THE ONE, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL. The USA will Soar like never before!" https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114307883361614427 In a follow-up post on Truth Social, Trump stated that "it is imperative" that Republican lawmakers in the House pass the tax cut bill. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "It is IMPERATIVE that Republicans in the House pass the Tax Cut Bill, NOW! Our Country Will Boom!" https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114308121820846336 Trump even cited JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon's statement on tariffs. "Fixing Trade and Tariffs is a good thing!" Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase, Chairman & CEO, on Maria B Show," Trump posted on Truth Social. https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114308228615083777 He urged people to remain cool as US will be "bigger and better than ever before." In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "BE COOL! Everything is going to work out well. The USA will be bigger and better than ever before!" https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114308258545250117 Earlier on Tuesday, Trump urged Republican lawmakers of the House who are against the Senate-passed budget resolution to support the measure, urging them to "close your eyes and get there," New York Post reported. In his speech at the National Republican Congressional Committee's annual dinner, Trump warned that it would be a "disaster" for Republicans and the US if the "one big, beautiful bill" important for implementing his economic agenda doesn't make it out of the lower chamber. "They have to get there," Trump said of the GOP holdouts. "And I think we are there. We had a great meeting today. I think we are there," Trump said. He further said, "But just in case there are a couple of Republicans not there - you just gotta get there, close your eyes and get there!" Trump said, "It is a phenomenal bill. Stop grandstanding." At least 10 Republican lawmakers of the House have indicated they would not back the budget framework and a handful of others have slammed the resolution, New York Post reported, citing The Hill. Hard-line conservatives have voiced concern that the Senate version of the bill urges lawmakers to make only USD 4 billion in spending cuts, while the House seeks at least USD 1.5 trillion in reductions. Some House Republican lawmakers have slammed the Senate for assuming that the extension of tax cuts implemented during Trump's first term will not add to the federal deficit. At the same event, US House Speaker Mike Johnson called the Senate bill as "one of the most consequential pieces of legislation that Congress has passed in decades - and perhaps in the history of the Congress." The bill is considered important to quickly passing legislat ion connected to several promises made by Trump during the presidential campaign, including extending the 2017 tax cuts and eliminating taxes on tipped wages, New York Post reported. In his remarks, Johnson said that the new seven-seat Republican majority in the House "means that we can lose three votes now and still pass a bill." He joked, "It's an embarrassment of riches." Johnson said, "I tell you, this job is so easy." Trump said that the recently announced tariff policy would put pressure on Republican lawmakers to vote in favour of the bill. He said that countries affected by US tariffs are eager to negotiate and make deals with him, offering to do anything to secure an agreement. While speaking at the National Republican Congressional Committee, Trump said he was a better negotiator than Congress. He said, "I'm telling you- these countries are calling us up, kissing my a**. They are dying to make a deal- 'please sir make a deal, I'll do anything, I'll do anything sir'".Trump's comments were made in the context of his administration's tariff policies, particularly with countries like China. He emphasized his ability to negotiate better deals than Congress, citing China's 104 per cent tariffs as an example. (ANI) The India International Center in New Delhi hosted a discussion on author Abhay K's new book Nalanda: How it Changed the World, with Abhay K in conversation with William Dalrymple, moderated by Arpan Tulsyan. During the discussion, Abhay K said that he wrote the book because he hails from Nalanda and thought it was his responsibility to give a detailed and comprehensive account of the history of Nalanda in an easy-to-read narrative format which could be accessible to all. He shared that he did not know much about Nalanda, though he was born there. Talking about the book, he said, as the book title suggests, the focus of the book is on the contributions made by Nalanda Mahavihara, which have shaped our world, which includes the birth of the idea of the university itself in Nalanda, the number zero, among others. William Dalrymple, speaking on the occasion, said that only ten percent of the area occupied by Nalanda Mahavihara has been excavated; more must be excavated, and a world-class museum must be built at the site. He also added that Nalanda represented the peak of India's soft power, which attracted great monks such as Xuanzang and Yijing, who travelled thousands of miles to arrive there. He said that the world needs to know more about the contributions of great Indian mathematicians such as Aryabhata, who discovered that the Earth revolves on its own axis a thousand years earlier than others. Abhay K further said that Nalanda has left its footprints across the globe and now in fact there are institutions named after Nalanda in New York, Toulouse, Thailand, Malaysia and even Brazil. Thus the idea of Nalanda is not only alive but thriving. The event was attended by eminent people from various walks of life who engaged in lively discussions towards the end of the conversation. (ANI) Abdullah Abu Shawesh, Palestine's Ambassador to India, has strongly criticised the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict, calling it not a mere conflict but a " genocidal war" waged by the US and Israel against the Palestinian people. He emphasised that the violence extends to the West Bank, where he claims Israeli forces have "ethnically cleansed" 40,000 Palestinians. While speaking with ANI on Wednesday, Shawesh said, "It is not a conflict. It is an Israeli or American-Israeli war on Palestine, on Gaza and against the Palestinian people. You cannot call this conflict. You can call a conflict between two friends a conflict. But this is a genocidal war conducted by the US and Israel against Palestinian people." He added, "It is not only on Gaza; you should have a look at the West Bank, where there is no Hamas and no other military group. The Israelis themselves declared war on Palestinians in the West Bank, they had already ethnically cleansed 40,000 Palestinians from the refugee camps. This is a war against Palestinian people, not on Gaza or issues like this." He further said, "Let me alert you and all Indian people that Bollywood and Indian cinema, in particular Amitabh Bachchan, is a champion for us... We have a lot of connection with India when it came to fighting for liberty, for our freedom... Let us also remember Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and all those leaders - someone we are proud of... Nehru is a very famous name in Palestine." Earlier on Monday, the United Nations reported that nearly 400,000 Palestinians have been displaced in the Gaza Strip since Israel broke the recent ceasefire agreement, with no provisions made for civilian safety, as per the Anadolu News Agency. UN spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, stated that Israeli attacks in Gaza continue relentlessly, causing widespread civilian casualties. "People in Gaza, including many children, are being killed, injured and maimed for life," Dujarric said, as quoted by the Anadolu News Agency. (ANI) Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, will visit India from April 11 to 12 on a two-day official visit. He will arrive in Delhi on April 11 and meet External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar. During his visit, he will meet Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, according to a media advisory issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). He will call on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on April 12. He will depart from New Delhi on April 12. Earlier in February, India and Italy held discussions in the national capital to enhance collaboration in key sectors such as agriculture, defence, space, infrastructure, and transport. Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal met with Maria Tripodi, Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italy, and Antonio Bartoli, the Italian Ambassador to India, to explore ways to boost bilateral trade and strengthen cooperation in these crucial areas. Taking to social media X, Goyal described the meeting as "productive" and highlighted the commitment of both countries to deepening economic ties. "Held a productive meeting with H.E. Maria Tripodi, Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italy, and H.E. Antonio Bartoli, Ambassador of Italy to India. Discussed enhancing bilateral trade ties and strengthening collaboration in key areas like agriculture, defence, space, infrastructure & transport," Goyal posted on X. Diplomatic relations between India and Italy were established in 1947. The two countries enjoy strong people-to-people connect propelled by a large Indian diaspora and long-standing Indological Studies tradition in Italy. India and Italy celebrated the 75th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties in 2023, according to the Indian Embassy in Italy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Italy on June 14 last year to participate in the G7 Summit in Puglia. According to the Indian Embassy in Italy, PM Modi's bilateral meeting with Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni on that day marked a continuity of high-level dialogue. Both leaders agreed to broaden cooperation, including defence and security cooperation, science & technology, space, clean energy, migration and mobility linkages. A Letter of Intent for cooperation in Energy Transition and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Industrial Property Rights were signed on the sidelines of the visit. An ICCR chair in the University of Milan was also announced. (ANI) Union Minister of Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, called on Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, on Wednesday. The two leaders discussed further strengthening the strong historical, cultural and people-to-people relations between the two nations. Shivraj Singh Chouhan expressed happiness that the BIMSTEC conference held in Nepal has emerged as an important milestone in the global efforts towards food security, agricultural prosperity and farmer empowerment. In a post on X, Chouhan stated, "During my Nepal visit, I paid a courtesy call on the Hon'ble Prime Minister Mr. @kpsharmaoli ji. During this, we discussed on further strengthening the strong historical, cultural and people-to-people relations between India and Nepal. There was a substantial dialogue, especially on expanding bilateral cooperation in agriculture and related sectors, jointly addressing common challenges, and working together towards Sustainable Development Goals." "In keeping with the 'Neighborhood First' policy of Honorable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, the Government of India has been encouraging cooperation with Nepal at every level. I am happy that the BIMSTEC Conference held in Nepal has emerged as an important milestone in the global efforts towards food security, agricultural prosperity and farmer empowerment," he added. https://x.com/ChouhanShivraj/status/1909996534864793921 In a press release, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu stated, "He conveyed greetings from the leadership in India and discussed the close and friendly relations between India and Nepal, which are deeply rooted in historical, cultural, civilizational and people-to-people ties. Ways to further strengthen India-Nepal cooperation in various segments of agriculture were also discussed." Shivraj Singh Chouhan is on an official visit to Nepal from April 8-10, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu announced. Chauhan arrived in Nepal to participate in the 3rd Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture (3rd BAMM) hosted by Nepal in Kathmandu on April 9. "Over the past decade, BIMSTEC has emerged as a significant forum for promoting regional development, connectivity and economic progress in the Bay of Bengal region. 'Agriculture and Food Security' is one of the BIMSTEC core areas of cooperation. This was the third meeting of BAMM, the highest decision-making body shaping regional agricultural cooperation. The 1st BAMM took place in Myanmar on 12 July 2019, followed by the 2nd BAMM in India on 10 November 2022. During the 3rd BAMM, the Agriculture Ministers deliberated on ways and means to infuse greater momentum to the BIMSTEC agriculture sector including fisheries and livestock cooperation," Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said in a press release. Chouhan held a meeting with Nepal's Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development on Wednesday. During the meeting, he congratulated his counterpart for successfully hosting the 3rd BAMM. The two leaders signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in agriculture. "The Ministers reviewed the progress made in various bilateral initiatives and developmental projects in the field of agriculture and discussed opportunities for further collaboration," the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu stated. Further adding, "Both Ministers also signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Government of Nepal, on Cooperation in the Field of Agriculture in Kathmandu on 09 April 2025. The agreement aims to promote cooperation between both countries in areas such as agricultural science and technology, agricultural production, crop production, agricultural trade and marketing, plant protection and market access, horticulture, integrated farming systems, micro irrigation, natural resource management, organic farming, bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides, post-harvest management, climate resilient & sustainable agriculture." The agreement was signed in supersession of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between both countries for agricultural cooperation on 6 December 1991. The visit of Chouhan to Nepal to participate in the 3rd BAMM and hold other key bilateral engagements has continued the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and helped in advancing our bilateral and regional ties further, especially in the area of agriculture and related fields. (ANI) Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev held a meeting dedicated to the creation of the BRICS Grain Exchange, TV BRICS reported, citing the press service of the Russian Government. During the meeting, participants spoke about the options for creating and operating the exchange and mechanisms for interacting with trading platforms, producers, and grain exporters. Patrushev said that the initiative will boost global food security. He recalled that agriculture ministers of BRICS countries and the leaders of the union supported the idea in 2024, TV BRICS reported. Patrushev stated, "BRICS countries account for nearly half of the global production and consumption of grain. Accordingly, the trading platform will allow BRICS countries to form independent price indicators within the union, which will contribute to a more objective assessment of agricultural products' value on the global market." According to the statement, an interdepartmental working group, led by the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, will prepare specific proposals regarding the establishment of the exchange, TV BRICS reported. The BRICS group comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Russian President Vladimir Putin directed the government to explore the initiative for creating the BRICS Grain Exchange in 2024. Union of Grain Exporters proposed the idea of establishing the exchange during a meeting with the Russian President in March last year. Earlier in March, Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Russian businesses to actively participate in projects within the BRICS framework, emphasising the economic potential of the alliance, TV BRICS reported. 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. (ANI) President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday (local time) laid a wreath and paid respects at the Gate of Freedom Memorial in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, on the banks of the Danube River during her two-day State visit to the country. The memorial commemorates those who lost their lives while attempting to flee Slovakia during the communist regime. Unveiled in 2005, the Gate of Freedom Memorial sits below Devin Castle at the confluence of the rivers Morava and Danube in the capital of the Slovak Republic, right on the border with Austria. This memorial signifies a time when the borders to the West were protected by barbed-wire fences charged with high-voltage electricity and attempts to escape from behind the Iron Curtain were punished by imprisonment. The concrete gate riddled with bullets and broken iron bars commemorates four hundred men and women who were killed at the border of then Czechoslovakia during their attempts to escape between 1945 and 1989. The Iron Curtain was constructed to halt the free movement of people and stop the emigration from Soviet satellite states. The expression Iron Curtain was introduced into Cold War terminology by Winston Churchill in a speech in March 1946 to describe the intensified border security between countries of the Eastern Bloc and the West. It refers both to the ideological divide between the two blocs and the physical border fortifications that the Eastern Bloc set up along its borders with the West. Its best-known and most intricate part was the Berlin Wall. In 1989, the Iron Curtain came down altogether, as all Eastern European countries shed communism, the Soviet Union collapsed, and the Cold War ended. The military installations, watchtowers and barbed wire that used to secure this extremely sensitive spot back then were quickly removed after the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia that ended communist rule. The gate is made of white stone and its pillars are peppered with artificial bullet holes of border guards; however, the iron bars are broken as a symbol of the final victory of freedom. Earlier, President Murmu held a meeting with her Slovakian counterpart, Peter Pellegrini, in Bratislava. The two leaders reviewed various facets of bilateral ties and agreed to work towards strengthening the bilateral ties across various sectors. President Murmu was also accorded a traditional welcome as per Slavic traditions and accorded a Guard of Honour. President Murmu arrived in Slovakia at the invitation of Pellegrini. It is the first visit by an Indian president to Slovakia in 29 years. She arrived in Slovakia after completing the first leg of her visit in Portugal. (ANI) US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent on Wednesday (local time) addressed the immediate increase in tariffs of 125 per cent on China, stating that the issue is not just about the country but also about "bad actors" in global trade during a press briefing at the White House. He emphasised that such a move focuses on countries like China, which have been contributing to imbalances in the global economy. During the briefing, along with the White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Bessent stated that trade negotiations amid the reciprocal tariff announcements were mainly taking place with "China's neighbours" like Japan, South Korea and India. "Well, it's about bad actors. And what we see is some of the very early countries are China's neighbours that we're going to see. I've seen Vietnam today. Japan is in front, South Korea and India. So we will see. And as I've repeatedly said, and President Trump has been saying for four years, China is the most imbalanced economy in the history of the modern world, and they are the biggest source of the US trade problems. And indeed they are a problem for the rest of the world," Bessent said. "I'm not calling it a trade war, but I am saying that China has escalated, and the President responded very courageously to that, and we are going to work on a solution with our trading partners," he added. The US Secretary of the Treasury highlighted the success of US President Trump's negotiating strategy, which he said has brought over 75 countries forward to engage in trade talks. "The successful negotiating strategy that President Trump implemented a week ago today. It has brought more than 75 countries forward to negotiate. It took great courage - great courage for him to stay the course until this moment, and it ended up here. As I told everyone a week ago in this very spot, 'Do not retaliate, and you will be rewarded.' So every country in the world that wants to come and negotiate, we are willing to hear you; we're going to go down to a 10 per cent baseline tariff for them, and China will be raised to 125 per cent due to their insistence on escalation," Bessent stated. Earlier, President Trump announced an immediate increase in tariffs on China to 125 per cent and simultaneously announced that for 75 countries that have called Representatives of the United States for trade talks, he has authorised a 90-day "pause" and a substantially lower reciprocal tariff. The move by the US President came following a retaliatory move by China, where it increased its tariff on US goods from 34 per cent to 84 per cent starting April 10. On the issue of Trump's involvement in the trade negotiations, Bessent clarified that the 90-day period for negotiations is part of the President's decision, adding, "President Trump wants to be personally involved. So that's why we're hitting the 90-day plan." In response to questions about the scope of the negotiations, Bessent noted that while the focus is on trade, other areas are also on the table. He mentioned a potential LNG project in Alaska, which South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan are interested in financing. Meanwhile, Press Secretary Leavitt also weighed in, asserting that the global response shows a shift toward the US, not China. "Many of you in the media clearly missed the 'art of the deal'; you clearly failed to see what President Trump is doing here. You tried to say that the rest of the world would be moved closer to China when, in fact, we've seen the opposite effect. The entire world is calling the United States of America, not China, because they need our markets," she said. Leavitt concluded by affirming President Trump's long-term approach, saying, "We finally have a president here at the White House who is playing the long game, who is doing what is right for the American worker." Earlier today, in a retaliatory move, China announced that it would increase its tariff on US goods from 34 per cent to 84 per cent starting April 10, as reported by Al Jazeera. The decision comes after the US increased tariffs on China to a whopping 104 per cent, following President Trump's threat of "additional 50 per cent tariffs" on Beijing starting Wednesday. Trump had announced an additional 50 per cent tariff on China after Beijing announced a 34 per cent tariff on the United States in a tit-for-tat response. (ANI) Amherst resident Sam Soghor recently announced he seeks the Democratic nomination for the Virginia House of Delegates 53rd District that includes Amherst County and parts of Bedford and Nelson counties. Soghor plans to rematch Del. Tim Griffin, the Republican incumbent and second-year legislator who won the seat with 70% of the vote in 2023. Griffin, a former prosecutor in the counties of Amherst and Bedford, is running again in a crucial year for the GOP hoping to reverse the 51-49 majority in the House and hang on to the governors seat. The chair of the Amherst County Democratic Committee, Soghor also ran against the late Ronnie Campbell, a Republican, in the 2021 election for the House 24 seat when Amherst was part of that district prior to redistricting. Campbell won the seat that year with 73% of the vote. In hoping the third time is the charm in his quest for state office, Soghor said community members have asked him to run and he wants to give residents in the three counties real representation in Richmond that is not about towing a party line. I personally get very bent out of shape when I see what goes on in politics. So many people are in politics for their own power, Soghor said in a recent interview. Im not a polarizing figure like many incumbent politicians are. I dont want my time in Richmond to be about wedge issues that drive us apart. I want to go to Richmond and just focus on issues like education and health care, things that we can all get behind, things that are just for the children, the working families and the elderly people of our communities. Common sense is what Im about. Griffin, a pro-life and Second Amendment rights lawmaker who lives in Bedford County, has recently criticized Democrats for what he called mismanagement of the state legislature. The way I approach things is, is it good for Bedford, Amherst and Nelson, Griffin said at a March 4 event in Bedford on what guides his decision-making. For example, he said one of the items he felt were outrageous in the state budget this year was $125 million for a medical center in Charlottesville. Its not that I have a problem with them building that, its that they want you to build that with your taxpayer dollars, Griffin told the audience of mostly business leaders. Soghor said he is the PTO dad who goes to local government and school board meetings in Amherst, is involved in his sons elementary schools parent advisory council and takes part in community activities such as picking up trash on the highway. Running in a rural, Republican-leaning district, Soghor said it is important for voters to have a choice. He said he deeply cares about public education and making sure state dollars are property flowing to school divisions, speaking to Amherst County Public Schools recent request for $1.2 million in additional funding from the county to meet school-related needs and the county not being able to afford it in a tight budget year. To me theres nothing more important than the childrens education, Soghor said. He called rising energy costs awful and outrageous and if elected he would fight tirelessly to help reduce high electricity bills. People are really hurting because of this. Something must be done, Soghor said. Its completely unacceptable and thats absolutely legislation that I would work on, is to go up against these companies. Ive never taken money from corporations, and I dont ever intend to, so my loyalties would never lie with an energy company, my loyalties would only lie with the Amherst, Nelson and Bedford families that cant afford these exorbitant energy bills. Griffin said Democratic-backed policies of shutting down coal plants and natural gas options in favor of solar and windmills has led to trying to figure out new ways to provide energy. Its outrageously expensive, Griffin said at the March 4 event, adding Democrats in his view have no comprehensive plan to fix energy costs. Griffin said he has attempted to put forward a complete repeal of the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which he has railed against as it mandates a transition to 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050, requiring utilities to retire fossil fuel plants and invest in renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. The goals are misplaced, Griffin said the March 4 event in Bedford, adding policies of phasing out coal and natural gas is a direct correlation to why energy bills are going up. Soghor is firmly against President Donald Trumps efforts to dissolve the U.S. Department of Education and said the country needs leaders who understand the importance of educating the most marginalized students. He said an education system that shortchanges public education in favor of the wealthy is unacceptable and anti-American. He said he believes in preserving womens reproductive freedom and feels the government has no business to interfere with a womans personal decision in the privacy of her doctors office. The Democratic-majority legislature is keeping women of the 53rd District safer, he said, adding banning abortion would only make it more dangerous to women and increased access to health care and child care would reduce abortion rates. Soghor also opposes billion-dollar corporations getting tax cuts while families in the district struggle to pay their bills. An instructional assistant at Amherst County High School, Soghor said he would work on solutions for children, seniors and working families. Im a uniter not a divider, Soghor said. Griffin, who took part in the Virginia March for Life on April 2, has spoken in support of less government, fewer taxes and removing regulations that are harmful to businesses. He said at the March 4 event it is critical that Democrats not keep full power in the legislature and retake the governors mansion for full control of both legislative and executive branches of government. I think historically that has not been good in Virginia because they fast forward the changes they want to make, Griffin said. What we can do in the House is be a stopgap for some of the radicalism that goes on. KOBE, Apr 10 (News On Japan) - Trumps aggressive new tariffs are shaking Japans sake industry, with concern growing among brewers in Kobe, one of the countrys most renowned sake-producing regions. In Nada, a district in Kobe known as Japans top sake hub, American tourists can often be found seeking the delicate flavors of traditional Japanese sake. An American tourist visiting the area said, "I love sake. Hopefully there wont be any tariffs, haha." Major brewers in the region, who have inherited centuries of traditional sake-making techniques, are already adapting to international markets. One company has developed 20 export-specific brands, including sake tailored for American tastes. "This junmai ginjo is a product created exclusively for the American market," said Saito, head of the overseas business division at Hakutsuru Sake Brewing. Hakutsuru exports to 59 countries, with the United Stateswhere it established a sales base in 1984accounting for about 30% of its total exports. With the latest tariff hike, concerns are mounting. "I expect the new tariffs will lead to a significant cost increase," Saito said. "We now have to consider whether to pass the cost on to prices or to adjust our product lineup to fit the market." As sake grows in popularity across the U.S., many worry that prices will soon surge. According to reporter Akari Sakura in New York, "Around 80% of the alcohol served at this bar is Japanese sake or shochu imported from Japan." Some establishments have already begun reviewing their purchasing strategies to cope with the expected rise in import costs. The bars owner commented, "It would be unfortunate to cut down the sake selection for our customers. We might need to consider offering smaller portions at more affordable prices until things improve." Japanese sake lovers in New York are concerned that the enjoyment of their favorite drinks may be compromised. "Everythings going to get more expensive, so Ill probably cut back by one drink," said one fan. Meanwhile, on April 9th, Tokyos stock market reflected the impact of the tariffs. "The Nikkei average has now dropped more than 1,700 yen," reported one journalist as the market slid sharply after 1:01 p.m., when the tariffs took effect. The tariffs led to a steep fall of over 1,700 yen at one point, continuing a trend of volatile swings driven by retaliatory trade measures. As global negotiations with the United States over reciprocal tariffs intensify, uncertainty looms over both economic forecasts and the everyday lives of consumers. Source: YOMIURI AICHI, Apr 10 (News On Japan) - A post shared on social media by a cat rescue cafe in Toyokawa, Aichi Prefecture, read: "Is this an abandoned cat in front of the store from this morning? Abandoning a cat is a crime." The angry message came after someone left a cat in front of the cafe in a cardboard box labeled "Please take care of it." Users on social media expressed concern, saying, "Its too heartless to just leave a cat like this" and "Its still cold outside how cruel." The abandoned cat, rescued by the cafes owner, was found to be 10 years old and suffering from urinary stones. Masuda Ryohei, owner of the cat rescue cafe Tormenta, said: "If a disease spreads to the cats weve already rescued, it could lead to our operations being suspended, or worse. Some diseases are fatal. Its terrifying." Caring for one rescued cat can cost between 200,000 and 300,000 yen, including food, neutering, and vaccinations. However, Masuda stressed that money was not the issue. "Police took the money with them, so we didnt receive anything directly, but there was about 30,000 yen in the box. Its not about the money30,000 yen is hardly sufficient. What hurts the most is that people may start thinking our cafe is a place where its okay to abandon cats. If such actions continue, it could eventually lead to our business shutting down," he said. Following this incident, the cafe has suffered tens of thousands of yen in losses due to the cost of installing more security cameras and additional disinfection procedures. The problem of abandoned cats is not limited to Aichi. In the Kanto region, the Tanpopo Cat Clinic, which also functions as a shelter, has been dealing with similar cases. The clinic provides necessary medical treatment, including neutering, to prepare cats for adoption. A veterinarian at the facility said, "We perform neutering surgeries so they can go to new homes." Seven years ago, the shelter rescued a cat that was abandoned with a note. The cat was temporarily returned to its original owner, but was later abandoned again. Ishimaru Masayo, a veterinary nurse and representative of Tanpopo no Sato, said: "At the end of January, the same cat was abandoned again in the same carrier. The police and local government said they had no records because it happened seven years ago. But this time, they said, 'Weve found the culprit.' I was so upset. I insisted, 'Please prosecute them under animal abandonment laws.' People need to understand that there are consequences for this behavior, or else others will continue doing the same." In Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, where the shelter is located, the city implemented a new policy in April requiring residents to notify the city if they keep six or more dogs or cats. False reporting is now subject to penalties, part of a new initiative to promote responsible pet ownership. Behind the growing popularity of the so-called "neconomy," irresponsible acts of animal abandonment continue to rise. Under the Animal Welfare Act, abandoning animals such as dogs and cats is punishable by up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 1 million yen. Source: FNN NARA, Apr 10 (News On Japan) - A Russian social media influencer has come under fire for inappropriate behavior at a Japanese hot spring and in Nara Park, with critics calling her actions disrespectful and dangerous. The woman, who has over 2.7 million followers on social media, reportedly visited Tokyo's Shibuya and Kyoto in March. One video titled "My Morning Routine," believed to have been filmed at an open-air bath in a hotel, has drawn widespread criticism online. In the footage, she is seen applying makeup while soaking in the hot spring. She then dramatically falls back into the bath before pulling out a pair of scissors and cutting her long hair. Afterward, she dips the freshly cut hair into the bath and poses for the camera. Reactions from the public were swift and harsh. People expressed discomfort, saying, "Hair got into the bath," "Isnt that insane? She should be more mindful since she has influence," "I wouldnt want to share the bath with her," and "It feels like shes tainting Japanese culture." The National Federation of Ryokan and Hotel Life Sanitation Trade Associations condemned the act, saying, "This defies common sense." Ishikawa Haruki of the federation commented: "This is purely a nuisance. When foreign influencers share incorrect bathing etiquette or misrepresent Japanese culture, theres concern that it could spread false norms among international audiences." The same influencer has also been criticized for dangerous behavior in Nara Park, where she was filmed feeding a deer mouth-to-moutha serious safety concern, especially given that the deer in the park are designated as a national natural monument. Officials from Nara Park have issued a warning: "The deer are wild animals and can behave unpredictably. Close interaction poses a risk of accidents. Please do not approach them carelessly." Attempts to reach the influencer for comment were met with no response. Source: FNN First responders are often the first to face the most intense, life-threatening situations in our community. Their work, while essential to our communities, comes with significant emotional and psychological tolls that are often overlooked. The pressures of witnessing trauma, responding to crises, and making life-altering decisions in high-stakes moments can lead to mental health challenges. They say in the average law enforcement career, we see anywhere from 400 to 600 traumatic events. As to where the average civilian sees four to five, so you can understand why that is something that's extremely important to us to discuss and try to be more open about, Pottawattamie County Deputy Jerome Stewart said. Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding mental health in first responders often prevents them from seeking help. The Community Foundation for Western Iowa recently held a panel discussion with first responders and mental health workers in the community to help bring attention to the matter. The discussion was held as a way to raise awareness for mental health and increase exposure to the Southwest Iowa Mental Health and Substance Abuse Fund. The fund works to create positive impact through education, raising awareness, and providing learning and development opportunities for service providers. The fund actually funds three main categories. One is to raise awareness around the issues that face folks. The second is to remove the stigma of mental illness, and the third is to help provide much needed training dollars for the folks that are in the industry, the ones that are doing the work, said Donna Dostal, president and CEO of the Community Foundation for Western Iowa. 'We're expected to be perfect 24/7' The first panel consisted of Stewart, Council Bluffs Police Chief Matt Davis and Jenene Vandenburg, chief nursing officer at Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs. The panel was asked about the stigma surrounding mental health and how they see it play out in their respective careers. Davis pointed out that individuals in these careers are often faced with mental health issues firsthand over and over again. When there's a problem, we're going to be the first ones there. And a vast majority of the issues that we respond to across our community have a mental health or substance abuse thread that runs through it, whether it's a routine call for service, a well being check or a criminal offense, Davis said. Stewart echoed similar sentiments and said oftentimes struggling is seen as a sign of weakness. We're expected to be perfect 24/7. We're expected to make split decisions immediately, life saving decisions immediately, every single day, and, for that, we're not allowed to have any weakness. We're not allowed to screw up. We're not allowed to show fault. We're not allowed to show emotion, Stewart said. Vandenburg said that the stigma plays out a little differently as a nurse. As a nurse, I think it's very interesting, because people expect us to fix it. They're like, we'll fix it, Vandenburg said. 'Your brain is just another organ' The panelists were then asked how they work to combat the stigma. What we need to do is, as leaders, remove the stigma of mental health injuries so they are seen the same way as a torn rotator cuff or a torn ACL, it's part of doing business, and it's an injury. Your brain is just another organ in your body, like a ligament, like your heart, like a muscle, Davis said. Davis also discussed the importance of informing family members and making resources available to them as well. This is an experience that your husband, wife, significant other is going to have, making resources available to them. Awareness training, pointing them to books, pointing them to helpful strategies and healthy fellowship. It is very important to define that from the very beginning and really stress, wellness, resilience, kind of a proactive approach, Davis said. Education remains a key point in helping to fight the stigma. I think the biggest part is education is you have to educate your people about resources, ways to cope, coping skills, having a good system in place for yourself, having, you know, access to resources, having your family, Stewart said. Stewart said one of the first things he tells recruits is to find a psychiatrist, therapist or counselor. You are going to not be OK. It's going to happen. I don't care if you're in a one horse town with a population of five or if you're over in Omaha with a million population, or if you are in New York City, you are going to see trauma., Stewart said. Don't wait until you're hurting. Don't wait until you start drinking too much or finding unhealthy ways to cope. Vandenburg mentioned that she likes to go to schools before students graduate to let them know what its like in the field ahead of time. I collaborate with the schools, and I try to actually get out to the schools before they graduate and start talking about it ahead of time, Vandenburg said. "Nursing has a stigma of being a great job. It's easy. Nursing is hard, and that's what I share." 'Showing weakness sometimes is important' The panelists also shared how they personally work to help individuals and use their own experiences to educate. Each noted that anonymity is something that is highly valued for first responders, as they often fear they will lose their job if something is wrong. I stress to people right in the very beginning, beyond what the department offers just as your schedule allows, no one needs to know if you go get a checkup from the neck up once a year, because you found your resource, and the department doesn't know, Davis said. Vandenburg and Stewart both said they often share their experiences with others. I talk to my team about it. I share personal stories. I try to be very transparent leader, because it is hard, and I think showing weakness sometimes is important, especially when you're talking around things like this, because I can tell you all day long to do something, but if I share with you, maybe my story or some challenges of your own, Vandenburg said. I've also tried to put things in place where they don't have to ask for help. When it comes to what the community can do to help, each panelist said one of the biggest tools is education and the availability of resources. Davis noted that its also important to not approach first responders with a blanket approach, resources should be tailored to their experiences. I think that the best thing that the community can do to help is make sure that there are mental health support resources that are kind of public safety, law enforcement, military savvy and educated when they come in to provide services, Davis said. 'We need to hear the community tell us it's OK' Stewart noted that sometimes responders just need to hear from the public, too, that its OK for them to be human. We need to hear the community tell us it's OK, it's OK to talk, it's OK to speak up. We recognize that you're human. We recognize that you don't have to be perfect 24/7, Stewart said. A second group of panelists consisting of mental health service providers took to the stage to also educate on how they feel the community could help. Among the panelists were Leah OBrien, director of behavioral health at First Responders Foundation; Mary ONeill, chief operating officer at Heartland Family Service; David Tuttle, suicide prevention manager for Veterans Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa; and Gail Williams, clinical director for At Ease USA. The panelists echoed similar sentiments to the first group that education and awareness are the biggest parts of fighting stigma. It's like just really creating the environment that it's normal to talk about and not something that you have to talk about behind closed doors, ONeil said. "And how do you make it a topic that is OK to sit and talk to your co-workers or your boss about or to maybe bring up at your workplace?" Tuttle reiterated that anonymity is important for individuals and oftentimes a misunderstanding of if an individual can have that determines whether they seek help or not. We're constantly trying to encourage individuals to overcome their uncertainty, their fear of coming in for treatment. They think they're gonna get locked up forever and ever. So just trying to educate people on the services and what that means and what that doesn't mean, Tuttle said. Williams mentioned that sometimes even just reframing how we refer to mental health can be helpful. I'm always looking for different language to change to, because words are powerful, and I think when we say mental illness or mental health, people get afraid of that, Williams said. At the end of the day, working to destigmatize getting assistance for mental health is a task that wont happen overnight. However, every panelist believed that continuing to raise awareness and having open conversations about the topic is a step in the right direction. Never let the guy with the broom decide how many elephants can be in the parade. Even if I was the guy with the broom, Id have 10 elephants. Youve got to love a parade, and if you or your kids or your grandkids havent already done so, this is the year to be part of the walking party cal Terrorism continues to devastate Africa, with the Sahel and Somalia remaining epicenters of violent extremism, according to the latest Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2025 report. The Sahel region, which is sometimes referred to as the coup belt of Africa, comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and surrounding areas, now accounts for more than half of the worlds terrorism-related deaths. In 2024, 3,885 lives were lost due to extremist violence in the Sahel, a nearly tenfold increase since 2019. The report published by the Sydney-based Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) has also found that the Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda affiliate Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) are primarily responsible for these deaths, with IS being the deadliest group in the region. Somalia, while seeing a decline in deaths, remains heavily impacted by al-Shabaab, the countrys most lethal extremist group. In 2024, there were 359 deaths from terrorism, a 19% reduction from the previous year, largely due to military successes by the Somali government and support from the United States and African Union Support and Stabilization Mission. However, al-Shabaab remains resilient, especially around Mogadishu, complicating efforts for lasting peace. The report notes that violent extremism has also taken its toll on other African countries, with Nigeria and Cameroon among the top 10 most affected. In response to the increasing violence, Sahel nations have pivoted toward regional collaborations, including the Alliance of Sahel States, and are seeking new international partnerships, such as with Russia, following the expulsion of French forces. Despite these efforts, the ongoing security challenges and the rise in terrorist activities continue to threaten the stability of these nations, pushing terrorism-related deaths to their highest levels in years. The Trump administration has reaffirmed its commitment to the $4 billion Lobito Corridor rail project in Africa, aiming to strengthen United States-Africa economic ties while countering Chinas growing influence in the region. The initiative, which connects Angola, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is seen as a vital trade route for transporting minerals like copper and cobalt key resources for electric vehicle and technology industries. Despite rising global tariff tensions, the U.S. has pledged ongoing support for the project, originally introduced under president Joe Biden. U.S. charge daffaires James Story emphasized Americas dedication to the Lobito Corridor, signaling a shift in policy that prioritizes strategic infrastructure development in Africa. The rail project, which spans over 800 kilometers, is considered crucial for regional integration, improving access to Central Africas mineral-rich regions. The initiative is backed by international entities, including the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), which has committed a $553 million loan. Though the Trump administration has not fully embraced all aspects of Bidens Africa strategy, such as its focus on agricultural development, it has shown interest in tapping into the continents mineral wealth. The projects support comes amid growing competition with China, which has previously funded infrastructure projects in the region. A recent article in The New York Times highlighted some early indications of the Trump administrations support for business investments in Africa. For example, Ben Black, the presidents nominee to run the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation has said he wants to take an investment-driven approach to overseas spending. Adam Cortese, CEO of Sun Africa, said that Trump officials have expressed a desire to invest in developing Africas energy infrastructure, adding that there certainly seems to be a lot of support for increasing U.S. competition with China. The Andalusian Federation of Travel Agencies (FAAV) has chosen Northern Morocco to host its second annual congress, signaling growing European interest in Moroccos tourism offerings and strengthening ties between the neighboring kingdoms. The four-day event, held early April in the coastal city of Mdiq, brought together Spanish tourism professionals to explore partnership opportunities and discover the regions tourism potential. According to FAAV President Luis Arroyo Marin, Morocco is positioned to be the preferred destination for Andalusian travelers in 2025. This congress represents an opportunity to discover an exceptional tourist destination, appealing for its natural landscapes, cultural sites, refined gastronomy, and warm hospitality, said Marin, whose federation musters over 1,600 Andalusian travel agencies. The gathering follows a strategic partnership agreement signed between FAAV and Moroccos National Tourism Office (ONMT) during Madrids International Tourism Exhibition in January. This collaboration aims to increase Spanish visitor flows to Morocco, with particular focus on the northern region. Rkia Alaoui, President of the Regional Tourism Council for Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, emphasized that the congress aims to connect Spanish tourism operators with the regions natural and cultural potential, and explore opportunities for developing new tourism offerings. The Spanish market is crucial for Moroccos tourism sector, ranking among the countrys top sources of international visitors. Northern Morocco offers particular advantages for Spanish tourists due to its proximityjust a 30-minute ferry ride across the Strait of Gibraltar. The partnership is mutually beneficial, as approximately 300,000 Moroccan tourists visit Spain annually. This growing two-way tourist exchange highlights the economic and cultural interdependence of these Mediterranean neighbors. For ONMT, strengthening ties with Andalusian operators represents a strategic move to capitalize on geographic proximity and cultural affinities between the regions, further positioning Northern Morocco as a gateway for European visitors to the kingdom. From a crisis to another, Algeria has entrenched its regional isolation. The recent imposition of a ban on all flights heading or coming from Mali, evidences the whimsical and vindictive approach to foreign policy that has characterized the newly recycled military regime in Algeria, led by the Chengriha-Tebboune duo. Mali has responded with a similar flight ban, after it- together with its Sahel allies Burkina Faso and Niger- recalled their respective ambassadors to Algiers. The diplomatic tension came after Bamako lost a drone to an Algerian airstrike. Mali accused Algeria of backing terrorism in the region. While Algerias flight ban may be directed to pressure Mali, it undermines Algiers ambitions for regional hegemony by reflecting an image of a rogue state willing to hurt its poor neighbors by unilateral actions. The Algerian escalatory move sends warning signals to any African country it has been courting in recent years. These include Nigeria and Niger, to whom Algeria has been selling the mirage of a pipeline that would channel Nigerian gas to the Mediterranean through the restive desert. Weaponizing air space and the economy further highlights Algerias unreliability as a trading partner. The recent tension has indeed put the final nail on the trans-saharan gas pipeline as the Algerian regime indulges in describing the military authorities in the three Sahel states as putschists. Algeria, with a President that has not set foot in a Sub-Saharan African country, has revealed its condescending attitude towards African neighbors. The showdown between Algeria and its southern neighbors has vindicated Morocco which has not taken any escalatory move after it has suffered a series of hostile acts by Algiers from unilateral cutting of diplomatic ties, halt of gas flow, air space ban, instigating the armed Polisario separatists, imposing visa, harassing Moroccans on Algerian soil, warmongering and pots boycott. With Libya, Algeria has rather stoked tension taking sides instead of bridging the gap between the eastern and western rivals. As Algerias self-inflicted regional isolation deepens, so does its global seclusion. In the strongly worded statement to Sahel states, Algeria attacked the Wagner militias, which have been deployed in the three Sahel states to fight terrorist groups. Following its failure to join the BRICS, Algeria has lost credibility as a rational actor. Tebboune once bowed to Putin expressing his wish to replace the USD and join the BRICS. Few weeks ago, his ambassador to Washington DC says the sky is the limit in cooperation with the US, a statement that has been interpreted as an act of repentance to avoid potential Trump sanctions for its role in acting in connivance with Iran and rogue regimes like Syrias Bachar. As the barrel price declines, so does Algerias voice under the leadership of a duo that has created a ring of tension instead of a ring of friends in Algerias immediate neighborhood. As its regional ties worsen, so does its perception as an unstable and unreliable political and economic partner.